Edward drove Bella home after they left the Cullen's house though he was rather quiet on the ride there. When she asked if he was all right, he reached out, took her hand, squeezed it gently, smiled, and said, "I'm fine."
She worried her lower lip between her teeth for a moment and just nodded, hoping Jasper hadn't said anything to upset him.
"Thank you for coming with me tonight," she said, squeezing his hand back.
He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it softly before he smiled at her, "It was my pleasure. I really enjoyed myself."
Bella smiled softly at him and whispered, "I'm glad."
"The Cullens have always been very nice people," he said.
"They are," Bella said. "Esme mentioned that you've known them for a while."
"I met them for the first time when I was about sixteen," he said quietly. "My parents invited them over for supper. Can't say that I spent much time with them after my parents passed away. My father really liked Senator Cullen."
Since Edward had never really talked about his parents before she encouraged him to continue. "Did he?"
"Yes," he said and seemed to hesitate before saying anything further. "He…he told me that he'd hope that he'd agree to his running mate if he got the party's nomination."
Bella was surprised at the admission. She knew that Jasper would kill to get his hands on that information, knowing that Senator Cullen was about to announce his candidacy for the party's ticket. She also knew that Senator Volturi would be less than pleased at finding out the same information. Bella was sure of one thing, Edward was showing her he trusted her by telling her this.
"That would have been a powerful ticket," she said with a sad smile.
"Yes, I would have liked to have seen that race," Edward said sadly.
Bella brought their joint hands up to rub her cheek gently against the back of his hand and she replied, "I would have liked to have seen that race, too."
He smiled at her and they rode the rest of the way in silence, but surprisingly enough it was a comfortable silence. Edward had a hard time trusting people, especially people that worked in politics. Despite the fact that he had grown up in the world of politics, his bitterness and prejudices against the people he worked around on a daily basis hadn't started to grow until he had started working with Aro. It wasn't that he hadn't been exposed to the darker and less savory part of the political arena before. His father had complained about it constantly, but being part of it, well, that changed things.
Edward trusted Bella. He couldn't say why; he just did.
Jasper kept telling Bella not to trust Edward, but something deep inside her told her she could and every time there were together she had less and less reason to doubt him.
As they drove to her place in silence, she ran her fingers along the back of the hand she was holding, just tracing patterns along his skin. She could tell he liked it by the way he was smiling when she glanced in his direction.
When they reached the front of her building, Edward let go for her hand a moment as he parked the car. Shutting down the engine he turned to her and smiled. Bella smiled back and she didn't wait for him as she undid her seatbelt, leaned towards him and kissed him softly. He kissed her softly back, his hands moving to gently cup her face as she leaned across the car's console.
Edward couldn't believe the thrill that ran through him as he kissed her. There was no way to describe it. The closest he could think to describe it was as if his whole soul were trembling in joy at anticipation at finding his other half.
He felt her part her lips and he couldn't help but moan as her tongue gently touched his lips, seeking to taste him. He parted his lips and moved his tongue against his, moaning at the taste of her, registering that she had moaned as well. Edward's hands trailed from her face down her neck and one hand moved lower inside her open coat, and he gently cupping her breast. He could feel her nipple tighten through the thin fabric of her dress and bra. As she shivered at his touch he deepened the kiss even more.
His arms went around her, wanting to pull her closer, but she broke the kiss and winced, "Ow. Gearshift."
"Sorry," he whispered and she grinned at him in the darkness. "I feel like a teenager, making out in a car like this."
He laughed huskily and whispered against her lips after kissing her softly, "How many boys have you made out with in cars, Miss Swan?"
Bella smiled and kissed along his jaw, trailing her lips to his ear she whispered, "Actually this is the first time I've made out in a car, Mr. Masen."
Nuzzling her neck he smiled and kissed her soft skin gently as she tilted her head back. "Is that right? Well, there's a first time for everything."
Bella felt the gearshift dig into her hip and she giggled. "How does this work exactly?"
He laughed and looked at her, "Usually it doesn't. Uh, not in the front seat anyway."
She laughed and kissed him again before whispering against his lips, "Are you asking me to move to the backseat with you?"
He kissed her and actually giggled which made her giggle in turn right before she kissed him. The kiss started to heat up again and they were both moaning as both their hands started to wander.
Eventually, Bella pulled away and asked huskily, "Do…do you want to come up?"
He kissed her and groaned. "I do," he replied, but instead of moving to get out of the car he kissed her hungrily again, this time he attempted to shift their position so that he was leaning across the console of the car, but his seatbelt stopped him and he cursed a bit before fumbling with it. As he leaned into kiss her again the gearshift dug into his ribs.
Edward realized that Bella was right, this really was uncomfortable, but the discomfort he felt was nothing compared to the feel of her lips on his skin, the feel of her hands under his coat and jacket, or the feel of her skin as his hand slid under the hem of her skirt. Just as his hand started to slid further up to her hip, a muffled knocking sound could be heard on the passenger side window and both of them jumped apart, looking much like guilty teenagers as they looked to the fogged up window.
They could barely make out the hazy figure through the condensation their heavy breathing and the cold outside had created on the glass and Edward turned the key so he could open the window slightly.
It was Alice. Seeing that it was her he opened the window all the way
"Um, hey guys, hate to interrupt," she blushed, obviously embarrassed at having to do so. "But, I forgot my keys at my parents' and, uh, Jasper just took off." It also looked like she was really upset.
"Oh, okay, Alice." Bella glanced at Edward, giving him an apologetic look and she reached for her purse and handed over her keys through the open window. "I'll be right up."
Alice managed a bit of a smile and said, "No rush. I wouldn't have interrupted but it was getting kinda cold." She gave them a small wave and turned to rush up the steps to the building. Edward made sure she was safely inside before he closed the window again.
"Sorry about that," Bella said with a sigh. "She was probably fighting with Jasper."
Edward smiled, "It's all right." He was quiet a moment. "Jasper seems to have a stick up his ass sometimes."
Bella blinked and then laughed. "You can say that. He has a really hard time balancing the personal and professional side of things."
"I…noticed," Edward said hesitantly.
Bella glanced at him. "Is that what he was talking with you outside at the Cullens'?"
Edward nodded and sighed, leaning his head back against the headrest. "He brought up some good points."
"Did he?" Bella asked, trying to keep the tension out of her voice.
Edward just nodded and then turned his head to look at her and he smiled a bit. "But, I did too. What it all comes down to is, well, I trust you and want to be with you."
Bella smiled at him and reaching out she rested her hand on his cheek. "I trust you, too, Edward."
He turned his and kissed the palm of the hand that had been resting against his cheek and then he smiled at her. "Perhaps you should go check on Alice."
Bella couldn't help the look of disappointment on her face. "You sure you don't want to come up?"
Smiling he leaned in to kiss her again. "I do…God knows I do." The kissing continued for a bit. "What are you doing tomorrow?" he finally asked.
"I was just going to catch up on some work here in my apartment," Bella said.
"Come over tomorrow?" he asked a hopeful look in his eyes. "If you really need to do work you could bring it with you."
Bella smiled. "I'll see if I can borrow Alice's car."
"I'll pick you up," he said without hesitation. "About 9 or so?"
She nodded. "I'll be ready."
He gave her a quick kiss and she turned to open her car door. "
"Wait," he said and he hopped out of the car before she had a chance to react. Moving around the front of the car he went to open her door for her and took her hand to help her out onto the snow covered sidewalk.
Bella smiled at him and waited for him to close the door behind her before she walked with him up the front steps of the building. At the doors she turned to him to say something, but before she could he pulled her close and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. His lips and tongue moved against her own as his arms wrapped around her waist and her arms wrapped around his neck. As it continued, he leaned her back slightly, pulling her taunt against him. It was the kind of kiss that every girl dreams of getting, the kind that every director in Hollywood tried to get on film, a kiss of promises that set a girl to tingle.
When he pulled away they were both breathless and he gave her a crooked smile. "I'll see you tomorrow." He gave her another quick kiss. "Goodnight."
She barely managed to whisper, "Goodnight," before her one last quick kiss and then rushed down the steps back to his car while she stood there in a daze. Right before he got into his car he gave her this brilliant, boyish smile that set her heart aflutter and then he waved and got into the car and drove off.