Under My Nose

Edward Cullen sets a deadline of six months to find his true love, before he turns thirty. Leaving his successful restaurant to drive a mule-drawn carriage in the French Quarter of New Orleans, he searches for the meaning of true love, because he has yet to understand it. Will he know when he finds her or will she be right under his nose? Can bubbly, buxom Bella tantalize his taste buds with beignets and an abundant

booty?

Chapter Fifteen:

EPOV: January 4

We're in the middle of my shower stall and Bella blurts out she's a pastry chef. I'm a little heady from her confession, and I look dead into her eyes. "For real, a pastry chef?"

She nods her head and bites the inside of her cheek. I pull her cheek lose, wrapping one hand over her jaw, cupping the back of her head with the other and looking her straight in the eye.

I have no control.

I don't want control.

I bend to greet her luscious lips with mine and kiss her mouth, her nose, her cheeks, around her jawline, moaning her name as she continues to talk. Well, she rambles.

"Edward, I worked for Donald Trump for less than a day. My mother interfered and another chef lost his chance. No one would give me a break, and they sabotaged my desserts I created for a table of VIPS." She takes a tearful breath and kisses me back. "I was let go, but not after I reamed them a new asshole!" She kisses my neck. That feels so good.

She breaks away, "I have no idea where she found them, but my mother constantly fixed me up with gorgeous, successful, professional men; one blind date after the next with lawyers, doctors, actors, brokers; all disappointing and pretentious." She kisses me with a swipe of her tongue over my bottom lips and pulls back again.

"After her little 'Donald stunt', I purposely bought a Harley to piss her off, which reminds me … I need to send for it. My dad had me riding since I was sixteen. So, I rode all the way to Boston to find the Biker Babes. I joined them to get the hell out of Dodge. Those women helped me to gain a backbone, self-respect and love."

She is out of breath and pants.

"I spent three weeks learning to trust myself, Edward. Most of all, I learned that a man doesn't define me; I do. And a relationship defines itself. And I want more."

I begin to kiss her, and she places her fingertips gently on my lips.

"I knew I had to leave New York. I had to put a distance between my meddling mother and myself. I need … want to do things for me."

I wrap my arms around her and kiss her with everything I have and then some. We break from the kiss, and she still continues to purge.

"When I first saw you, I loved your shabby look." She gently touches my chin and strokes my cheek. She smiles so sweetly. "You were quiet, kind of shy and not trying to impress me. I liked that. And I love Julia."

She's on a rampage.

"I love animals, and for some reason they like me. They come to me. Squirrels jump out of trees. Julia and I have some sort of bond."

I grab her face and lean in to her. "Bella, it's okay. You don't have to ..."

She interrupts me, "no, I need to tell you." She points around. "You just showed me that you want to be open with me. You brought me here and showed me your restaurant and showed me your home, and that tells me you are inviting me in and not for a one-night stand." She looks at me with a pleading face, from eye to eye.

I softly whisper, "No, no one-night stand." I stare at her lips as she goes on and on. I could listen to her all night, but I must have her. I have to touch her.

"Stop staring like that!" She turns bright red.

"Why?" I barely whisper. "I can't get enough of you."

"Well, there is plenty of me," she sarcastically giggles.

I smile and protest, "Don't you start putting yourself down!"

And she defends, "I'm not. I may not have the figure of a fashion model, but I like me."

I draw her near. "I like you, too." I crush her up against the wall, kissing down her neck, squeezing her sides, and ravaging her lips.

Bella reaches for my hair, but the sleeve of her sweater catches the control on the wall, and freezing, cold jets of water blast us from all sides. We both shout in surprise, and I try to shield her, but her giggling makes it hard to keep a grip on her. The water begins to warm, but Bella's screeching giggles turn to hysterical laughing and we both fall to the floor, still in an embrace, clutching one another for dear life and howling like soaking wet idiots.

She giggles, "I'm so sorry." She brushes the hair out of me eyes as I do the same for her.

"You're all wet!" I smile spitting water all over her.

She taunts me with a playful voice, "Well, you got me all excited." She bites her cheek, and I pull it free.

We kiss slowly, taking in the shape of our lips, crashing our teeth, and embracing our tongues. It turns intensely passionate and overwhelmingly euphoric. I lean over her, my right arm cradling her neck, my left leg sliding between her legs and my left hand caressing her cheek. She rubs her leg up mine and hums, "You're giving me goose bumps on my lady bits."

"I hope that's good." I slide my hand down her arm and up again.

"It's very good." Her face lights up with realization. "Oh God, I must look like a raccoon with mascara all down my face!"

"That or Day of the Dead!" I take a deep breath. "Let's get out of here and get those wet things off you." I stand and reach my hand to her while I shut the shower heads off.

She looks at me stunned. "Oh, you want to get me naked, now?" She nods her head, smirking. "I see how it is."

I smile. "I didn't mean it that way, but if you want to?" I tug her to her feet and kiss her forehead. "I'm up for it."

"I'm sure you are!" She bats her eyes.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Half an hour later with the sound of the dryer echoing throughout the apartment, I sit on the edge of my bed, and with Bella on the floor with her back to me, sitting between my legs I towel dry her long hair.

She moans leaning her head back and I kiss her forehead stroking her hair. "Are you warm enough?"

"I'm fine, Edward, thank you. I'm really sorry about the shower," she deeply apologizes.

I laugh. "I'm not." I kiss her.

Once again, Emmett lets himself in, and we hear his heavy steps down the hallway. "Hey Bro, where are you?"

Bella doesn't flinch. She remains on the floor wrapped in my black, terrycloth robe, her feet crossed at the ankles, hugging my jean-clad legs with her arms. I continue to massage her hair.

Emmett stops at the door, stares at the two of us and smiles broadly. "You finally christened that beast of a shower with a gorgeous woman." He states as he shakes his head. "I'm so proud of you. To think yesterday, you were womanless and looked homeless." He takes a good look at me. "Now, that's the brother I remember."

"Fuck off!" I moan.

Emmett kneels in front of Bella. "So, the shower, huh?" He wiggles his eyebrows.

Bella leans forward and pushes him over. "It's not what you think, Emmett."

He sits up. "Hey, a naked woman with wet hair in the middle of the night wearing a man's robe only means one thing to me," he spouts. "And stop throwing me over, Bella."

"Stop jumping to conclusions!" she snaps at him.

"Not that I have to explain anything to you, but I was showing Bella the shower, and she accidentally hit the start button." I simply point out.

He laughs while getting up. "Yeah, and what were you two doing that caused Bella to trigger your jets?"

Bella and I look at one another.

"Exactly, I thought so." He smirks. "Ah, you two kids thought you could pull one over on me."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

We sit at the kitchen table. I have a coffee, while Bella nurses a cup of steaming, sweet tea wearing her dried clothing. Emmett slams back a shot of tequila and grimaces.

"Bella, I have to hand it to you," he raises his shot glass, "You cleaned him up pretty good. I finally recognize him again." Emmett shoots me an approving look.

"I wasn't that bad!" I moan.

She reaches for my jaw and smoothes her hand over it. "I liked you scruffy."

"Well, now he can concentrate on his restaurant, and leave the mules to the real drivers. I can't believe your hair-brained idea worked." Emmett scoffs.

Bella questions Emmett, "What hair-brained idea are you talking about, Emmett?"

With no thought or reason, Emmett blurts out, "Edward went all hog wild, I mean mule wild, to become a driver to find himself a wife!"

Bella stares at me in disbelief. "What? You became a driver to hook up?"

I shout, "No!" I shove Emmett from across the table. "You fucking idiot, you know that wasn't the deal."

I run my hands through my hair, stand and pace. "Bella." I sigh, sit back down and grab her hands. "I fucking swear that wasn't what I was doing."

"Well, you didn't have any rides. Maybe you didn't get the chance!" she kiddingly accuses.

"She's got a point there, Edward," Emmett adds.

I angrily point at Emmett, "You, shut it!"

I look Bella in the eyes. "Bella, that was never my intention. Fuck. You came along … you were right under my nose. I never thought about the how."

She furrows her brows. "You're not making any sense."

I collect my thoughts, and I begin, "Bella, it's true I wanted to find a wife, but I never intended to use the carriage rides. I had this idea that if I saw what other couples had, I would understand a what a relationship was." I start to ramble. "No one ever made me feel as though I had to have them."

"You didn't have to feel, Bro, they were all over you!" Emmett interjects.

"That's it!" I shout at Emmett. "I didn't have to work at dating or hooking up. The women would come into the restaurant and fucking hit on me all the time."

Emmett defends me. "And Bella, I would get so damned pissed at him for running in the other direction. He never hooked up with these girls."

She looks at me and questions, "Never?"

I shake my head. "Never."

She asks, "Why not, Edward?"

"They didn't care to actually know me; if I liked to read or why I became a chef. It was all about my looks and my position. It was just empty to me."

Emmett laughs. "Believe me, Bella, I've taken every reject of Edward's out."

She seriously looks Emmett in the eyes and asks, "Why?"

"Because I could, and they all went willingly."

He sees the disapproving look on her face. "Look, I'm not interested in settling down with one woman." He points to me. "Like him. I like women, a lot of women, but I tell them upfront. I'm not a player, as some people tend to think." He gives me a disapproving face. "I have fun with no strings attached. I don't force anyone to be with me."

"Emmett, don't you find that rather shallow?" Bella leans on the table and places her chin in her hand, staring at Emmett.

"Sure, if I was playing one woman against another or simply playing. I like a good time and I show women a good time. I've spent copious amounts of moolah on dates that I plan very carefully, and we have amazing fun. I don't answer to anyone but myself, and I like it that way. And, no, I didn't have a troubled childhood. Edward and I have two great parents that raised us to be gentlemen. And I take that very seriously."

Bella just looks at him.

"Women were made to be treated with respect and care. We never heard our parents raise their voices to one another. So, if you are wondering … no, again … I don't have any hang ups about relationships. I like to be free; that's all."

"Maybe you haven't found the right one to turn your head, Emmett," Bella suggests.

"Oh, sweetheart, many of them turn my head and other things," he loudly laughs. "But to settle down?" He shakes his head. "Not my style."

Edward gets up and places his coffee cup into the sink. "Bella, don't try to figure this out. I gave up on his care-free thinking a long time ago. Emmett is fucking Emmett."

"That's right, I AM fucking Emmett, gotta love me." Emmett sings. "Okay, as much as I want to sit here a shoot the shit, I got a date."

"Are you having a sleepover party for two?" Bella giggles at Emmett.

With an extremely serious expression, Emmett ponders, "I don't think I have sleeping on the list, but we are going to party." He wiggles his eyebrows and smiles. "I plan on doing the nasty, not twiddle my thumbs like you two. And speaking of thumbs … rematch, baby … soon!"

With that, Emmett walks out of the room; his heavy steps swiftly moving down the hallway to the front door, and he yells out, "Just do it. You know you want to!"

The door slams shut.

It echoes in my head, as I look down at Bella. "Sorry about him!"

"I'm not. He's quite entertaining, and I like razzing him." She smiles up at me.

"Well, no one has ever pushed his buttons." I sigh, thinking about their thumb wrestling.

She asks, "What, why are you frowning?"

I snort. "I was thinking about the thumb wrestling."

She giggles. "It was funny. So, why do you look angry?"

I huff. "I didn't like him fucking touching you."

"He's your brother." She reassuringly runs her hand over my jaw. "It wasn't anything, but a goof. You were jealous?"

"Fuck, yeah!" I kiss her palm. "All new to me, Bella."

"Well, we have a lot to learn, Edward." She bites the inside of her cheek.

I grab it apart. "And stop doing that!"

Now, she bites her bottom lip and barely whispers. "Why?'

I draw my face closer to hers. "You're driving me crazy."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?" she whines, but rolls her eyes and smiles.

"You're fucking killing me, woman." My heart races, as I close in.

Bella closes in the gap and enunciates every word. "Such ... a ... tough ... death."

And then she kisses me.

We break away very breathless and panting. I wipe the corner of her lips with my thumb. She does the same to me.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

It's almost one, and we both declare we aren't tired and want to talk. I really don't want to drive her home.

She texts Aunt Sally to avoid a Bella hunt.

I text Jasper that things are fine. I know I will hear about it later, if I don't tell him, because Alice will kick my ass.

With all our bases clear, we get comfortable on one of the living room sofas, soft music plays in the background as we stretch out together.

"So, what about Julia?" she asks.

"I don't know. I mean, I really love being around her. She's a great mule and after all the work I put into getting a license, I don't want to quit."

She smiles at me. "Then, don't. I'll help you."

"You will?" I stare at her.

Bella passionately defends me. "Edward, you really have a great idea. No one else is focusing on the romantic ambiance of New Orleans. The French Quarter screams the history of swashbuckling pirates with bevies of boudoir harlots, and hidden layers of Voodoo magic of the High Priestess Marie Laveau."

I chuckle. "Do you read the fucking Roget's Thesaurus, every day?"

She slugs me in the shoulder. "Very funny."

"No, no, I get what you're saying." I agree.

"And you could incorporate your restaurant with a tour." She gets all excited and sits up. "Oh my God, you could have an evening with Jean Lafitte. This would be perfect for a unique anniversary gift." She swoons. "A couple could have a tour and then have dinner. What kinds of food do your serve?"

"True French," I answer with a smirk.

She beams. "This is perfect; you as Jean Lafitte, speaking French, cooking their meal and driving their carriage."

I taunt her. "I didn't know Jean Lafitte was that talented." She smacks me again. "But the restaurant is too far for Julia to go back and forth to the Quarter."

"I'm talking about a picnic lunch or supper from the restaurant; very romantic, with fine wine and dessert," she sings.

"Speaking of that … I have a proposition for you." I grab her hand and play with her fingers. "I need a good pastry chef."

She casually plays, "You know I have this big gig already with Cafe du Monde. I get to wear a paper hat and bowtie."

"I can throw in a paper hat and bowtie." I smile.

"Yeah, and what else can you throw in?" She bites the inside of her cheek.

I pull on it, throwing her onto her back and kissing up her neck to her mouth. "Will this do?"

"So far, it's working. What else you got?" she giggles.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

So, what else does Edward have for Bella?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

A/N: Thank you to my Beta, Sunflower Fran. I appreciate her time, her proper grammar and quick pen. Another great find by PAD!

To Robseve and Postapocalypticdepository (PAD), my pre-readers that give their unselfish time and creative input. Both of these ladies are inspirations and true friends.

Now, let me rec Postapocalypticdepository stories, since she so graciously rec'd mine.

Never Judge by the Cover: 9056924

Boys Will Be: 8868006

Rude Awakenings: 8876785

It's a New Dawn, It's a New Year: 8862243 (complete)

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

And thank you to all the readers, whether you review or not. I enjoy every comment and suggestion. Yes, NOLA (New Orleans, LA) is an exciting place to live. And to combine the old world with the new is a challenge, but the humor is quite a serious business. My objective is for all of you to smile, after each chapter.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Next up: BPOV