8. Bella & Emmett's Reception & Wedding Night

Jessica appeared out of nowhere, and Bella found her grin obnoxious. "He is so hot, Bella! Wow!"

Then Angela appeared at her other side as Bella had been making her way to get some water while a circle of people she didn't know surrounded her groom. "Yeah! And he seems so nice! What do you think?"

"Emmett is funny. And I think he's kind of sweet too." While they ooohed and aaahed, Bella didn't tell them that despite their reaction to him, she wasn't actually attracted to him.

He did everything right. He was on cue when the DJ called them up to dance. She looped her dress onto her thumb in hopes that it wouldn't trip her as Emmett put his arm around her waist and took her other hand in his. He even spun her around, which she nearly lost her footing and landed on him. His smile was big as though he was completely satisfied with her. His mother and brothers gave her big, warm hugs. Whenever she fell into deep thought, he nudged her and told her a joke she'd never heard before. They were all funny, and he was so animated when he told them that Bella couldn't help but laugh. Her new husband was easygoing and sweet and from how it seemed, he was just a big teddy bear.

In real weddings, where the bride and groom knew and loved one another, this was the moment where they stared blissfully into each other's eyes. For Bella, she had trouble keeping eye contact with him.

And still she found herself wondering: what the hell did she get herself into. She had to leave her phone in the room. There could be no interaction other than what was taking place, so everyone had to be fully present during the reception. She couldn't stop wondering what Alice would think of her new groom. Was this bear of a man who Alice's spirit guides told her she would find here?

How was Alice? How was she getting on with her new husband? It was killing Bella not to know.

"So, an Irish man walks into a bar…" Emmett began, already laughing before he got to the punchline. Bella couldn't help but laugh herself, and those dimples…were too adorable. Emmett was a man that any woman would kill to land. What was Bella's problem?

"Tell me one thing about yourself," he said. "Something you hate."

"Something I hate?" Yikes, she thought. Was that the note he wanted to start on?

"Uh…I don't know. Drivers who don't use their blinkers?"

He smiled. "Okay, that's a start. I hate that too, by the way."

"What else?" she asked, glad he found something for them to talk about besides the fact that they were strangers in a very odd situation.

"I hate people who are fake."

"Fake?"

"Yes. They lie to your face and behave completely differently when they're not around you."

"Right. I don't like that either. But, I've always been raised to keep my opinions to myself."

"You seem very reserved. Your mom, though, she said it would take time. Like a hard egg, you're very tough to crack."

Thanks, Mom. "A hard egg. Haha. Sounds like her." Renee had been so impressed by Bella's hunky new husband, and she found herself now very devoted to their new relationship.

"Give him a chance, Bella," she'd told her. "Maybe he's not your type, but they matched you with him. And he seems very nice. He's a firefighter. The man's a hero, for God's sake!"

A firefighter? Bella remembered being impressed, imagining this brawny man in fire gear and rushing into a burning building. Funny that her mother knew more about him than she did. Renee hadn't spared him the third degree. She had no trouble asking him things that would probably take Bella weeks to find out.

Bella only nodded when Renee spoke because it didn't matter what she said. Her mother would try to sway Bella whether she'd already agreed or not.

By the time they gathered into the limo, Bella was completely at a loss for what to say. She thought about what Emmett said. About being fake.

"How do you feel, Bella?" the producer asked, and Emmett took her hand in his.

She tried to be as honest as possible. "Overwhelmed."

"Oh. This is a lot to take. I'm sure you're looking forward to having some alone time…to get to know one another."

"Damn right," Emmett chuckled.

Alone time. Yes. Right. That's what they needed.

They got to their honeymoon suite, and Emmett let out a loud whistle, sweeping back the curtains and admiring the view of the tall buildings that surrounded them.

Bella was at a loss for words. The view was beautiful, but here they were, in their honeymoon suite, and the last thing she wanted was to be intimate with him. The camera crew was going to hang around until they made it clear what their intentions for the night were.

"I'm so tired," she told him, yawning intentionally for show. She came up with a compromise she hoped he could be happy with. "Honestly, if it's all the same to you, how about we just lie in bed and talk? I have about a thousand questions."

His expression showed slight disappointment. Yet, she hadn't done as previous couples who hadn't gotten along where one decided to take the adjoining suite or offer to sleep on the sofa. Bella was not kicking him out. No, she just wanted to get to know him first. And as far as she was concerned, as much time as they could spend off camera, the better.

"So, you want to go to bed and talk?"

"Is that okay?"

"Sure."

The producer gave the thumbs up, and Bella smiled in relief as they collected their equipment and left.

"Bella, are you attracted to me?" he asked.

Wow. What a way to start. "I think you're handsome, Emmett… and any woman would be so lucky to have you."

"You didn't answer me." He stood there, fingers tucked in pockets and rocking on his heels. This must have been a foreign feeling to him.

"I don't want to be fake, so I'm going to tell you that no, I'm not. But attraction isn't always instant for me. Like for example, my ex was my best friend for two years before we got together."

He looked down at the carpet. "I see. That's okay."

"It is? Or rather, it will be. I think I just need time." Sure, time heals all wounds, they said. But, what about Jake? And nevermind about him, what about the gorgeous man from the hotel?

Emmett's blue eyes met hers, and he took a seat on the corner of the bed. Here, she had a man who looked like he posed for one of those sexy fireman calendars, and Bella had no desire to do anything other than talk with him.

"Well, we have 6 weeks."

The deadline. Would they stay married? Was that long enough to develop an attraction? To spark some chemistry? Emmett was certainly charming enough. He'd charmed the pants off of her bridesmaids, her mom, even some of her family members.

"We do."

"Are you serious about making this work, Bella?" he asked.

"I'm going to try."

"Okay. Well, I think that's all I can ask."

"You are amazing, Emmett. I'm so lucky they matched us. I just…"

"Need time. I get it."

With absolutely nothing else to add to that or to ease his bruised ego, she padded to her suitcase and pulled out some leggings and a tank top. Alice had insisted on sexy pajamas, but those garments stayed tucked away at the bottom of the bag.

Purposely, she held the bodice to her chest and asked Emmett if he would negotiate the excessive number of buttons at the back of her neckline, at which he agreed.

"Sure thing," he said, but she supposed his fingers were too large, and he fussed with the tiny buttons that seemed more for ornament than anything. When he got to the last button that stopped just above her waist, he ran a finger across her back, which caught Bella by surprise and gave her a little shiver.

"Sorry," he said. "Couldn't help it. Your skin just looks so soft and smooth."

She liked it, which caught her by surprise. "No worries," she said, gathered her clothes into her arms and took about two steps toward their oversized bathroom, but as her luck would have it, Bella's toes caught in the long material and she tripped, landing on her hands and knees.

"Oh!" Emmett said. "Bella, are you okay? Let me help you up."

Bella's cheeks flamed. "It's a miracle this is only the first time I haven't landed on my face today. I'm not used to long dresses or heels…or walking."

His big arms scooped her up as though she weighed nothing. "Well, here then. I will carry you across the threshold…of the bathroom and see you make it there safely."

With that he gave a little wink.

At that moment, she was taken aback. Hero. His pale blue eyes stared into hers, and for a flicker of a moment those dimples, that charm of his, that confidence, despite her honesty hadn't affected him at all…it disarmed her.

"There you go, little lady," he said, and she imagined him there for a moment in a superhero outfit with cape waving behind him.

"Thank you," Bella said as he set her down. She shut the door behind her, and the blood pooled in her cheeks once again, but this time not from embarrassment.

She and her husband had had a moment. Their first moment. Would there be more? For the first time since this whole thing began, she wondered if there might actually be.

A/N: So…hmmm…Do you think they will have any more moments? You'll have to stay with me for more!