Took a break last week, my apologies. I was worn out from too much fun in Chicago with my fandom family!

Chapter 12

There are popcorn fragments on the blanket, the couch, and the floor, and there's random stains on my shirt because Edward loves extra butter. The credits to part two roll and I just sit, watching.

"So?" Edward asks. "What did you think?" He's slumped down into the couch cushions with his legs crossed on the coffee table. Joey is sound asleep, laying on his side smushed into the arm next to Edward.

I'm ashamed I never saw these masterpieces before. "I loved them. I'm kind of just sitting here, still absorbing. Like when you finish a good book and just lay it on your chest for a moment."

We watch the credits roll with the moody mafia trumpet music until I stretch. I've never, ever sat this long before with no activity. I might need to do some yoga out on the lawn. "Do we watch the third one now? I might need to run a lap first." I joke. I'm surprisingly quite content sitting here in my own popcorn mess. Michael and I have never watched a movie together I don't think. Maybe a documentary, but I'm having trouble thinking of one.

"No one watches the third."

"So I can continue sitting here with no bones? I feel like I need permission."

"You are permitted, no bones." I notice my thigh is pressed right up against him. "Sorry for invading your personal space, guess I got too comfortable." Moving away, he grabs hold of my leg.

"I don't mind." His thumb rubs my knee over the blanket. "If you don't."

"I don't."

We stare at each other for a moment until Edward leans over. He hesitates and looks at my mouth right before his lips touch mine. It's a slow kiss, much like the lazy day. There's no hurry, no forced passion. It's as comfortable and comforting as everything else about him.

"Do you mind this?" he sighs as he pulls my legs up across his and leans into me fully.

"No, this is okay." More than okay.

We resume kissing and we're almost fully stretched out with him on top of me when things turn serious. My hands feather into his hair and gently guide him to take the kiss deeper. I feel his hand at the bottom of my t-shirt, his thumb searching under the fabric and gently rubbing my skin. His body is pressing me into the couch and I feel like that teenager again, making out in her parents' den.

It's a definite turn on.

His mouth gets rougher, needier, and I answer back with the same energy. I move my hand down to his at the base of my shirt and guide it up under the fabric. "This is okay, too."

He looks down at me, eyes sharp and hungry as his hand slowly runs up my side. He reaches my bra and deftly slides his fingers underneath. I suck in a breath when he finds my nipple, my back arching slightly and he takes the opportunity to move his mouth to my neck. He kisses and licks his way back up to my mouth, and it's all I can do to not let the most porny groan escape me.

He continues to feel me up and kiss me, my hand sliding down to his hip. I could do this forever, but Joey has other plans. With a sharp bark, he lets us know he's awake.

Edwards head falls to my chest with a groan. "He has to go out. I'm sorry."

My body slumps in frustration. "When you gotta go, you gotta go."

Edward starts lifting himself off of me and that's when I feel the decidedly hard part of him brush against my thigh, and I stare open-eyed at how stiff he is through his pants. I feel a bit proud. Noticing, he looks down and just shrugs. "At least I know it works," he says with a small laugh.

Has it been a while for him? I mean, he basically told me he's had no time for a relationship, but does that mean he's not even had sex in a while? Oh my god. What if he's a virgin?

"Are you a virgin?" My hand covers my mouth immediately.

"What? Why would you think that?" He's staring at me like I've got three heads as he picks up Joey.

"I mean, you were at a ripe age when you got sick, you know, for hormones and stuff and then you said you didn't have time for relationships. I just wondered if maybe you just hadn't… gotten around to it? But then I also thought that maybe you were relieved it 'still worked' cause maybe your illness made it not work?"

"You thought all that in a matter of four seconds?"

"Yes."

He starts laughing. "No, I am not a virgin. Maybe I was a later bloomer than some because of the cancer, but trust me, it works just fine." With a waggle of his eyebrows, he turns and takes Joey out the sliders.

I follow. "Okay, so why did you say at least you know it works?"

He has the audacity to laugh at me. "Did you really just ask me that? It was a joke. Something to lighten the moment. Hopefully it won't be in the article." His mouth turns up into an annoying but cute smirk.

"I ask questions for a living, but I don't think readers need to know that, no."

We watch Joey slowly walk in a circle until he squats to pee. "I haven't had a relationship in a while, and I'm not really a one-night stand kind of guy."

"Oh." I guess that's a good thing, but honestly, if it went further in there, wouldn't that be what this was? A one-time thing. I keep those thoughts to myself. "I'm not either."

"Good to know." He wraps his arm around my shoulder and lets it rest there.

"Well I guess this conversation ruined the moment, huh?"

"Not for me." He presses his body against my side to prove his point.

"Oh my god. You are still a seventeen-year-old boy!" I squeal like a seventeen-year-old girl. I jog away, trying to remember when I ever gave into feeling silly. It's been a very long time, if ever.

"I'm all man, baby."

I roll my eyes, secretly loving his playfulness. Edward walks to Joey who's gotten close to whatever the large construction project is now under a bunch of tarps on the lawn. It seems to have doubled in size since I saw it this morning. "Not yet, buddy."

"So, do I get to know what this is or do I find out when Joey does?" I go to lift a corner of the tarp just to have Edward nudge my hand away.

"You'll find out together. I think it'll be ready for tomorrow night."

"His bones seem to have grown back. I guess it's not a giant waterslide over the cliff into the ocean?"

"Crap. That's actually an excellent idea, but no."

We walk back into the cottage where I start straightening the couch and picking pieces of popcorn out from everywhere. We work in silence, just the moody mafia trumpet music from the DVD menu screen playing in a loop in the background.

I stand, kind of pushing pillows around. Should I leave now? Does he want to watch another movie? Does he want to make out like some horny kids again? I'd be up for either of those.

"Hungry? We can heat up some of Jasper's food," he says as he throws the last pillow into place.

"Sure, sounds good." I look at my tracker as it buzzes on my arm, awoken from the sleep I put it in for the movie. My face must drop.

"Work?"

"Michael."

Edward doesn't say anything, just starts taking food out of the fridge.

"I should really take this, I haven't spoken to him since I left that text message. He left me ten voicemails last night. Most of them were unpleasant." I don't know why I give him all the details, it's not like he has a right to know, but I feel better somehow trying to explain.

"It's okay, go talk to him. I'll start reheating." He grabs a pan out from under the stove and dumps the contents of a container in it. He's just so… normal and non-sulky that I impulsively reach up on tiptoes and kiss him on the cheek.

I decide to call him back in the big house; I don't know how awkward it could get at the cottage. Sitting on the canopy bed, he picks up after one ring.

"Bella, where have you been?"

"Hello, Michael."

"I've been calling, leaving messages. You had me worried."

I did? "I've been… working and frankly, I was pretty angry at you."

"I'm glad you're over it. I had been drinking, obviously, and it didn't feel right not having you there."

That's probably the nicest thing he's ever said to me, in hindsight. But I've never been one to be very complimentary towards him, either. "I don't know that I'm 'over it'. You were very derogatory towards my work, my assignment, me, and I don't appreciate the idea that I'm supposed to drop whatever I'm doing to acquiesce to you. When would I ever have done that?"

There's silence. We've never had to have a discussion like this before. "You're right," he says. "I'm sorry about that. It was an emotional evening."

"You were acting that way over text when I told you I couldn't come."

"Well, let's just move on, shall we? I'm sorry I was focused on myself. I will try to take you in mind next time I need you."

"That's just it, Michael. You need me when it's convenient for you. Neither of us is really committed to this, let's be honest. It worked because we didn't have to try. Because we didn't really care that much."

"I care for you, Isabella."

"I'm sure you do, in your way." I look over at the big green tarp covering something that's so much more exciting than this conversation. "But I need more. I want more out of life for myself, Michael. I was settling with you and you with me. I'm not willing to settle anymore."

"I thought we had a pretty good thing." It occurs to me I hear no background noise, no office phones or yelling, and he's paying one hundred percent attention to me on a phone call. Very rare.

"Where are you?"

"I'm in the office, why?"

"Sounds not hectic," I laugh softly.

"I closed the door. I figured I owed you that much."

"I appreciate it," I say truthfully. "Look, Michael. We did have a pretty good thing, for what it was. I'm sorry, but I think it's best if we go our own way. I'll always want what's best for you and wish you well. I hope you find someone that makes you happy."

"Did you find someone, is that it? Did you meet someone in Maine?" His voice rises. "You've been there a week!"

"No, I am not ending things because I met someone else. I'm doing this because I want more."

"I'll give you more. You heard that the dinner turned into an engagement and it got you upset, I'm assuming. What do you want, to move in together? Is that enough of a commitment? It would make sense for us, we are compatible in most things."

"Did you hear anything I said? Did you hear anything you said? No, I most definitely do not want to move in with you!" I rub my head. "Michael, let's just end this civilly, please. It's over."

"If that's what you want."

"It is. Take care, Michael." And I hang up the phone on that part of my life.

Thanks as always to the two girls I would never break up with, CarrieZM and LayAtHomeMom.

This is for Squiggy.