Chapter Song: New Tricks by Great Northern
- N.
Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.
Chapter 21 – Seattle
Bella's POV
My rule of thumb for Washington Sate: never expect to see the sunlight. Expectations like this often leave one disappointed.
I gave Edward this little piece of advice while we were on the flight from Minneapolis.
It amazed me that in all his years of traveling, he'd never managed to make it to the Pacific Northwest. I thought for sure his family had some connection there or his work had given him
some reason to travel there, but just before we got on the plane he told me that this was his first time going.
"It's so … green." Edward was busy gawking out the window as we prepared to land. I chuckled and squeezed his forearm.
"You're quite observant," I joked. He punched my shoulder playfully and messed my hair with his long fingers.
"This is what happens when I'm forced into exhaustion." Edward and I had flown out of Minnesota three days earlier than planned so I could spend a few days in Forks with my parents. The
drive from Seattle was a good three hours, so I'd booked us on an early morning flight. As it turned out, Edward wasn't an early morning person - at least not while traveling.
"Would some breakfast make it any easier to fit into your big boy pants?" My snide comment was met with another playful punch and a longer noogie.
Once we landed, we collected our bags and hit the rental car counter. I stopped at McDonalds for Edward and then we were off.
"So, what do I need to know about Charlie and Renee?" Edward asked through a mouth full of fast food breakfast. We'd only been "official" for just under a month, but I'd already met
Carlisle and Esme, and I didn't want to leave him sitting in a hotel room in Seattle for three days while I took off to Forks. So, along with seeing Washington for the first time, Edward was
also going to meet my parents.
I may have forgot to tell him the part about my mom practically begging me to bring my new boyfriend home to meet her and Charlie.
I thought for a moment and shrugged. "My dad loves sports and my mom will probably sit and drool over you. As long as you can handle those two things, you should be good to go."
He chuckled. "Should I have bought your mom a bib while we were at the airport?"
"I'm not sure they make a 'my daughter brought her fuckhot boyfriend home to meet me and all I got was this lousy bib' bib."
"You forgot to include 'arrogant, intelligent, successful, pseudo-celebrity' in your description."
"What do you expect? I work in PR for gods sake – my job is to make people look good."
Edward rolled his eyes and turned the car's heat up a notch. "Honestly, is there anything you need to warn me about? I've never dated a woman whose dad worked in law enforcement."
"Have you ever dated a woman period?" The question came out sounding rude, which was not what I intended.
Edward shifted uncomfortably and turned to look out the window. "Believe it or not, yes I have."
I rested my hand on his thigh and sighed. Way to put a damper on things, Bella. "I'm sorry. That came out wrong." I chewed on my lip, thinking of what to say. "Do you want to talk about
it?"
He sat in uncomfortable silence before fixing his green eyes on me. "It's not important."
I resisted the urge to tell him that it was important, knowing full well that when the time was right we would have that discussion. "I didn't exactly date much in high school and I haven't
been back a whole lot since I left," I explained. "I'm willing to bet Charlie will put you through the equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition, but he's more like a giant teddy bear these days
than a big bad cop.
"Renee loves to talk, especially about herself. As long as you remember to throw in a compliment here and there, you'll do just fine with her."
"Why don't you like coming home?" Edward asked, effectively changing the topic.
I shrugged. "Too much time in Forks causes me to feel like seventeen-year-old Bella again. I don't like to feel that way."
"What was so bad about seventeen-year-old Bella?"
"I didn't think there was anything bad about me." I tried to think of how to tell him more without sounding like I was throwing myself a pity party. "People around me saw things differently,
however – especially my mother."
"Excuse me for saying, but your mother had to be completely blind and dumb as a rock to think that there was anything bad about you."
"Well, in roughly two hours you'll have the opportunity to tell her that yourself!"
Edward laughed and shook his head. "No, no, no. I prefer to stay out the way when it comes to mother-daughter brawls. I'm sure Charlie could see my reasoning for that one."
"Oh, I'm sure he could. He got sucked in the middle of our fights on more than one occasion." I could still remember the exact expression on my dad's face every time my mother and I
started bickering.
"So compliments and a bib? I guess that's not too much for me to remember," Edward joked.
"I hope not. If so, I don't know how you lasted in finance all these years."
Edward reached across the center console and pinched my elbow playfully. Having him along for the ride was nice, and it ended up making the three-hour commute go by much quicker
than I expected.
After we were checked into our room at the local bed and breakfast, Edward and I headed for my parent's house. The closer we got, the more nervous Edward seemed to get. Tiny drops of
sweat beaded his forehead and he wouldn't stop bouncing his leg.
Charlie and Renee lived in a small two-bedroom house on a sparsely populated road. There were two other houses on the block, both newer and larger than the one I grew up in. My mom
tried to convince Charlie to add on to the house a zillion different times, but he never caved. He always said he loved the homey feel of the place, and didn't want to fall in line with the rest
of the neighborhood.
"This is it," I said as I pulled the rental to a stop in the driveway. Edward leaned forward and glanced out the windshield. I could tell he was biting his tongue by the expression on his face.
"I know, the place is small. You don't have to be afraid to say it."
"No, that's not at all what I was thinking." His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and he quickly unbuckled his belt. "It looks very … comfortable. I imagine it was a treat to grow up in."
His words made me smile. "It wasn't exactly a treat, but it wasn't terrible either. Of course these gargantuan split-levels weren't around when I was younger, so I didn't have much to be
jealous of at the time."
"And would you be jealous now?"
"Probably not." I shrugged. "I've never been drawn to the whole 'life of luxury' thing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy living comfortably, and I do that now, but I've never desired to be one of
the ones who has it all and still wants more. Does that even make sense?"
"As a person who spent the majority of his twenties trying to get it all and still wanting more, yes it does." Edward looked down at his hands and sighed. "It's a waste of time that could be
spent appreciating what one has. You should be happy you always realized that."
"I am." I climbed out of the car and ascended the front steps, turning to face Edward when I reached the top. "Ready?"
He took a deep breath and grabbed my hand. "Ready as I'll ever be."
I squeezed his fingers and rang the bell. A moment later the door opened and Renee stood before us.
"There's my girl!" She pushed open the screen door and held her arms out. I let go of Edward's hand and gave my mom a big hug. As soon as I pulled away she was prepared to pounce on
him. "And you must be Edward!"
Edward stuck his hand out for Renee to shake. Instead, my mom grabbed it and pulled him into a hug as well.
"We don't do formalities around here," Renee explained. "If my daughter can hug you, then I can certainly hug you."
"Ok, mom, that just sounded wrong." I closed my eyes and tried to shake away the image in my head.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Swan," Edward said politely. Renee rolled her eyes and gestured for the two of us to come inside.
"Didn't I just tell you we don't do formalities? Please, call me Renee."
"Where's dad?" I asked, surprised when I didn't see my father waiting for us in the entryway.
"Oh, he went over to the Clearwater's house to help fix the plumbing. He should be back in time for lunch."
I led Edward to the living room, where we sat down next to one another on the couch. I reached over and squeezed his knee gently before taking his hand in my own. Renee joined us a
moment later, carrying a plate of chocolate chip cookies and the teakettle.
"When did you turn into Suzy Homemaker?"
"I've always enjoyed baking. I just never had time to do much of it when I was running the firm."
"Renee used to own her own interior design firm," I explained to Edward. "It was based out of Port Angeles, but eventually it grew big enough to move to Seattle."
"And that was when I decided to hand the reigns over to someone else." My mom chuckled. "It was either drive six hours round trip every day or spend my weekdays in a hotel away from
my husband. I chose Charlie."
"Who was your primary client base?" Edward asked.
"We started out with residential homes, but eventually we got a few commercial jobs and that was what caused the business to grow." Renee handed us each a cookie and took one for
herself. "I never dreamed we'd have that kind of success in this part of the state. I guess it just goes to show how much people appreciate quality work."
"Someone must have gotten my wife talking about design." Charlie entered the room holding his coat in one hand and his tool belt in the other.
"Hey dad!" I stood and gave him a hug. I didn't hesitate with my introductions. Quick and painless was the best way to go. "This is my boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my father,
Charlie Swan."
Edward stood and stuck his hand out. Charlie eyed him for a minute before giving it a firm shake. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Swan. Bella has told me so much about you."
"Likewise." Charlie furrowed his brow and eyed Edward again. "Have you ever seen that Robert De Niro movie, Edward? The one with Ben Stiller in it too."
"Meet the Parents," Renee offered. Edward nodded.
"Dad…" I sighed.
"Circle of trust, Edward. We have that same philosophy in this house. Don't break my trust and I won't have to break your neck."
Edward swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."
Charlie dropped his coat and tool belt on a nearby chair and rubbed his hands together. "Great! So, what's for lunch?"
Renee had made BLTs, which happened to be Charlie's favorite, and this coupled with a few beers seemed to effectively lighten his mood. Midway through the meal he had enough of his
interrogation tactics and started questioning Edward about his hobbies. By the time we finished eating they were chatting like old friends.
"Do you like fishing, Edward?" Charlie leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach heartily.
"Well, in all honesty sir, I can't say I've done much fishing."
"It's Charlie, and we're going to have to change that, aren't we?" My dad stood up and headed for the front closet, where he started rummaging through things. "I know I have an extra pair
of boots and some gear that would fit you in here. I think we need to have a man day tomorrow, Edward."
"What are we fishing for exactly?" Edward looked my direction, but I just shrugged and smiled. My dad didn't invite just anyone to fish with him, but I would tell Edward that later.
"Steelheads," Charlie answered, popping out of the closet with a pair of boots and a ridiculous looking hat. "'Come on over here, son. I want you try some of this stuff on."
Edward got up and wandered off to join him. I just looked at my mom and threw my hands up helplessly.
"He's a gem," Renee gushed. "You better hold on to this one, Bell. I have a good feeling about him."
I looked over at Edward and my dad and smiled once more.
My mom was right.
Edward was a keeper.
Edward's POV
By Thursday I needed a break from Bella's parents.
It wasn't that I disliked Charlie and Renee; that was far from the truth. But the only time Bella and I had to ourselves was the few hours before we fell asleep at night. As much as I enjoyed
the … activities we took part in during those hours, I really just wanted to spend some time with her.
As far as I could tell Port Angeles was the largest town within driving distance of Forks. So, while Bella was in the shower, I was online looking up things for us to do there.
"Have you ever been to a winery?" I asked when Bella emerged from the bathroom.
"Not since I was in Europe with the girls." She started rummaging through one of her suitcases. "Why do you ask?"
"I'm taking you out for the afternoon."
She looked over her shoulder at me. "But Renee-"
I held my hand up and shook my head. "No Renee, no Charlie. I would like to have one afternoon to spend with just you."
"Has this all been too much for you? I should have asked you before I assumed it would be okay to tack the extra time on to this portion of the trip."
"No, no, no." I watched as skepticism flashed in her eyes. "It's nothing like that at all."
She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you trying to be romantic, Edward?"
I had to be blushing. "Perhaps. Well, as romantic as one can get in Port Angeles."
Bella pulled her outfit on and tugged off the turban-style towel that wrapped her hair. She grabbed her makeup bag and headed back to the bathroom. "So, a winery? Did you have anything
else in mind?"
I smiled and let myself relax. Though I was still trying to figure this woman out, I knew that she would be happy with anything I planned for the two of us. "Since it's the middle of January,
I think a movie is a suitable option."
"Go on."
"I would follow that up with dinner at a cozy restaurant – preferably one with cheesy candlelight and romantic background music."
Bella laughed and poked head around the door. "I can think of about three places that fit your criteria."
"Perfect!" I closed my laptop and stretched my arms over my head. "You know you don't need to wear makeup, right?"
"Oh, please," she said, stepping into the room and placing a hand on her hip. "You can't possibly tell me you would have picked me out of that crowd at the Guggenheim had I not let Alice
do my makeup that night."
I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. What I can tell you is that I noticed you because you were different, not because you had your 'face' on, or whatever women call it these days. You didn't
seem like the rest of the women there."
Bella bit her lower lip, and I could tell she was doing so to avoid smiling. Chagrin crept up her neck and over her chin, settling itself in her cheeks. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"Good. That's exactly what it is."
"Don't tell Alice I did this." Bella scooted back into the bathroom long enough to ditch her makeup brush and turn out the light. I smiled and grabbed our coats.
"My lips are sealed. Consider it our dirty little Washington secret."
As it turns out, I wasn't so great when it came to planning romantic activities. The winery had weird winter hours, and it was closed when we got there. We ended up spending some time
visiting shops in the small downtown area of Port Angeles before heading off to catch the movie.
I was happy when Bella elected to see the new Mark Wahlberg film versus the chick flick options. I was also happy when she let me pick the restaurant for dinner.
I opened my menu and scanned the list of steaks and seafood. "What's good here?"
"Is that a rhetorical question?"
"Have you ever eaten here before?"
"In Port Angeles, yes. At this particular restaurant, no."
I chuckled. "Leave it to me to make assumptions. I guess I figured living in a town as small as Forks would drive you to try every place Port Angeles had to offer."
"Believe it or not, I didn't spend too much time around here when I was younger. I was a homebody for the most part."
"A homebody?" I paused when the waitress came to take our orders. "I thought you didn't get along with your mother when you were younger?"
Bella shook her head and fiddled with the straw in her drink. "It's not that we didn't get along, per say. We just had very different ideas on who I should be."
"Am I pushing too far if I ask you to explain?"
She sighed. "My mom thought I should spend my time with the 'in' crowd of kids. She wanted a girly, athletic, popular daughter who was destined to be crowned prom queen."
"You are girly," I pointed out.
"Yeah, thanks to lots of hard work on Rose's part." Bella sipped her mineral water and laughed quietly. "Anyway, what my mom got was a daughter who was more interested in reading a
good book than trying out for the cheerleading squad. And my friends – they weren't popular at all. They were far from it. We were a bunch of stoner kids who spent too much time out at
the beach and stayed as far away from extra curricular activities as possible."
I didn't catch my jaw in time to stop it from falling open. "A beach bum stoner kid who got accepted to Harvard?"
"Just because I liked to have fun didn't mean I let my studies slide." The waitress dropped our food off and we both dug in. Bella ate a few bites of her salmon before continuing. "I always
kept my grades up. They were my ticket out of Forks."
"I'm willing to bet that accounts for part of the homebody thing?"
She smiled. "That and the whole having a father who works in law enforcement thing. He wasn't too keen on letting me go romping around the western portion of the state."
"Please tell me he at least let you go on dates?"
An unidentifiable emotion crossed Bella's face, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "That, dear Cullen, will have to wait for another time."
I could tell my question had upset her. I immediately felt bad for being so nosy. "Fair enough. I promise I'm done with the twenty questions bit – for now." I smiled at her and speared a
slice of my steak. We ate our food in silence, exchanging glances across the table every now and then.
Bella didn't have a horror story to share about her childhood, but I knew it wasn't something that she liked discussing openly. She'd worked long and hard to get out of Forks, and the last
thing I wanted to do was dredge up memories of a time that she wanted to forget.
I thought back to the conversation we had on our drive out. Bella knew I'd had a serious girlfriend at some point, but she knew nothing about her or about our situation. I'd eventually have
to tell her. My last relationship had left me so jaded that I never wanted to even consider getting into another one. One-night stands were much easier and left little to no room for
heartbreak – at least not on my end.
Casual sex was just that – casual. There were no strings attached, no emotions invested, and when I woke up alone the following morning I didn't have to spend an hour asking myself if I'd
done or said something wrong the night before. Before Bella came along, I could easily envision myself living out the bachelor lifestyle until I was old and grey. Now, three short months
later, the thought of going back to that lifestyle made me cringe.
No, that wasn't what caused me to cringe; the thought of not having Bella in my life in some form was what made me cringe. I'd just put her through the ringer, so perhaps it was time for
me to put my neck out there and share a piece of my past as well.
I sighed and set down my fork. There's no time like the present. "Jessica."
"Jessica who?"
I pulled my eyes away from the tabletop and looked up at Bella. "When we were driving to Forks you asked me if I'd ever dated anyone before. Her name is Jessica Stanley-Biers and I was
with her for three and a half years."
"You don't have to tell me any of this if you don't want to." Bella reached across the table and took my hand in hers, giving it a gentle yet supportive squeeze. "I know this isn't an easy
topic for you and I know that I'm not entitled to any information."
I shook my head. "I need to tell you this. You just shared some obviously uncomfortable information with me. And besides, you deserve an explanation in regards to why I am the way I
am. " I took a deep breath, swallowed my anxiety, and began sharing a story that I hadn't shared with anyone but my closest friends and family. "I met Jessica at the tail end of my
freshman year of college. We literally bumped into one another in the subway station, and one thing ended up leading to another. I wasn't looking for a girlfriend at the time, but by the end
of the first night she spent hanging out with Em, Jas, and me, I knew that was the spot in my life I wanted her to fill. We were official within a few weeks, and by the end of my sophomore
year we were ironing out the details for her to move into the apartment I shared with Jasper.
"Things weren't always perfect. We had our ups and downs just like any other couple, but I loved her – so much it hurt at times. I wasn't the only one either. My friends and family adored
her just as much as I did. She was a beautiful person, inside and out, with this big heart and a determination that up until then I'd never seen in a person. Eventually we moved into our
own apartment, and it didn't take long for me to realize this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
"I proposed during the middle of my senior year. We didn't start any of the wedding planning business right away, because we both wanted to wait until we graduated and had jobs before
we made it a priority. She was a year behind me in school, so that gave us a good two years before we even had to think about the wedding. Things were going so well between us, and I
was the happiest I'd ever been. Right before graduation I found out I was up for a competitive internship at JP Morgan Chase, and that I'd been accepted to Columbia's MBA program.
Looking back on it now, I probably should have known then that the shit was going to hit the fan. Life was throwing nothing but good things in my direction, which usually indicated that
storm clouds were up ahead. I didn't think anything of it though. I was riding on this incredible high and I didn't think I'd ever come down. "
I pulled my hand away from Bella's and took a big gulp of my water. I stared into the glass, watching the ice cubes float around and bounce off one another. When I looked back up at her, I
saw nothing but support in Bella's eyes. That alone gave me the strength to continue.
"A week after graduation things started to head south. I still hadn't heard anything from JP and they weren't returning my calls, which led me to believe I didn't get the internship. I was
sulking around the apartment one afternoon when Jess called me and asked me to meet her at the coffee shop around the corner. It sounded like she had something serious to tell me, but
her tone was so excited that I didn't think anything of it. When I got there, I didn't even have time to order my drink before she told me she got selected for an art internship in Paris.
"I was in complete shock. She never told me she applied for any internships, let alone any that were out of the country. I didn't know what to say, so I plastered a big smile on my face and
played the role of the happy boyfriend. Jess told me the internship would extend throughout her entire senior year, and that she'd finish her studies at a university in France before
returning to NYU for graduation. After she started explaining more, it sounded like an amazing experience. Then she dropped the bomb; she had two days to make her decision and, if she
accepted, she would leave for France the following week.
"I'm not one to stand in the way of anyone accomplishing their dreams, and that's what I told her. It didn't seem like a huge dilemma to me, because we could visit one another during the
holidays, and it's not like we had anything on the books for the wedding. Jess didn't see it that way, however, and got pretty upset when I pointed it out to her. Then she confessed she
wanted me to go to Paris with her. "
"But you had plans to go to Columbia," Bella whispered. I nodded and took another deep breath.
"Columbia was a huge accomplishment for me. I didn't want to give it up. But I loved Jess and I would do anything to make her happy. So, I spoke with one of the admissions directors at
Columbia about the possibility of starting in the fall of 2003 instead of 2002. It seemed doable, so I went ahead and told Jess that I'd go to Paris with her, and she went ahead and accepted
the internship. That was on a Friday afternoon. The following Monday I got a call from JP letting me know I'd been selected to intern and that I would start the next week.
"I couldn't turn them down. The internship had the potential to lead to a paid position, and it would inevitably open some important doors for me in the finance world. I called the
admissions director at Columbia and told him to halt his process, that I was going to start in the fall as planned, and then it was my turn to call Jess and ask her to meet me at the coffee
shop. She was upset at first since I'd already planned on going with her, but after we talked for a while she calmed down. She was leaving for Paris at the end of the week and neither one
of us wanted our last few days together to be on bad terms. We agreed to daily internet chats and weekly phone calls, and I picked a week in July and a week in August when I would fly to
Paris to be with her. The day she got on the plane to leave, everything was still fine.
"JP liked me a lot. I was definitely the favorite of the intern group, and as a result I was putting in ridiculous hours and doing some small-scale traveling with some of the senior finance
guys. Sometimes I would go out for drinks with guys from the office, forgetting all about my nightly chat promise. When July rolled around I couldn't get away from the internship to go to
Paris. That marked the beginning of the end for Jess and I. She was willing to let the first trip slide, but when it came time for the second trip and I still couldn't get time to go, she got
pretty furious. I can't say I blame her, because who the hell would want to hang on to a fiancée that was an ocean away and couldn't even keep a promise to talk via the fucking internet
after work?
"My courses at Columbia started soon after that, and our chats dwindled down to once a week, if we were lucky. Our schedules just didn't match up, especially with the time difference. I
made a conscious effort to plan a trip to Paris for Thanksgiving, but Jess just didn't seem enthusiastic about it. Most of the time when we talked she was upset for one reason or another,
and that would cause me to become upset, and then we'd argue. I couldn't remember the last time we ended a conversation with an 'I love you.'
"A week before I was scheduled to fly out I got a package in the mail from Paris. Inside I found a letter and Jess's engagement ring. According to her, if five months apart was causing us
turmoil, we probably wouldn't be able to last an entire lifetime together."
"I'm so sorry, Edward." Bella reached out to take my hand again, but I kept my fingers firmly clasped together.
"I was devastated. I called her and tried to change her mind, but she was firmly grounded in her decision. It was something she'd been thinking about for a while at that point, and nothing I
said changed her thinking. After I had time to digest what was happening, I was ridiculously angry, which led to a series of belligerent, drunken phone calls in the middle of the night. After
the fifth one Jess changed her number. That left me with no choice but to acknowledge everything I'd done wrong and come to terms with the fact that we really were over.
"Jasper and Emmett were my lifelines during the first few months after the breakup. They forced me to go out and do things, to take a spring break trip, and essentially kept me sane. By
mid-May I was feeling a lot better. I'd come to terms with things and I was finally at a point where I thought I might be ready to try dating again. Then NYU graduation rolled around and
Jess returned to the city … with her new fiancée, Riley Biers."
"The guy from New Years?"
I nodded. "That's him. I had gone to commencement with the guys because Emmett's girlfriend was graduating. I knew I would end up seeing Jess, because Lauren was her best friend and
Emmett wanted to get pictures after the ceremony. I steeled myself for the inevitable awkwardness that comes with seeing a former lover for the first time after breaking up. You can
imagine my surprise when I saw her with another man and a big rock on her finger.
"I tried to be nice, but I just couldn't do it. It felt like she was rubbing her happiness in my face. I thought it was bullshit that I'd spent the previous six months in emotional hell while she
was out canoodling with some other guy, and falling in love so quickly that she was already engaged. I flipped out, punched Riley in the face, called her a whore, and essentially ruined her
graduation. I tried to apologize through Lauren a few weeks later, but it was too late. That was the last time I saw Jess, and the last time I saw Riley, up until our run-in at the party."
Bella's eyes were filled with sadness. "Jessica Stanley-Biers is the art director at GQ."
"Yep," I said with a nod. "Now you know why I've never consented to an interview with them – and why I was so angry when I found out Jasper was going to work there."
"And all the women since Jessica? Have any of them meant anything to you?"
I looked down at the table. "No." When I looked back up, the hurt was visible on Bella's face. I took a deep breath and finished my thought. "Except for you."
We sat in silence again while the waitress cashed out our check. When we finally stood up to leave, Bella came around the table and wrapped her arms around me.
"Nobody deserves to hurt like that, Edward," she whispered in my ear. I pulled her body against mine and inhaled her familiar and comfortable scent. "I wish I could do something to help
erase that pain."
"You already have," I said softly.
Bella looked up at me with wide brown eyes. I smiled and pulled away from her, grabbing our coats and handing hers over. Once we were both ready, I took her hand in mine and led her
outside to the car.
I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I didn't have anything to hide anymore. Bella knew my story, and that was what mattered.
With any luck, all my words from dinner would finally set me free.
-=- HC -=-
Our ride back to the bed and breakfast was quiet for the most part. Bella held my hand in hers the entire way, staring off into the woods outside the window. I squeezed her fingers
intermittently, and she would look over at me with trust painting her beautiful brown eyes.
I parked the car in front of the bed and breakfast and cut the engine. Bella followed me to our room, where I unlocked the door and stepped aside so she could enter. Moonlight streamed
through the open curtains, illuminating the room in a subtle glow. Bella set her purse down on the edge of the bed and removed her coat. I closed the door gently and leaned against it,
watching her with a combination of awe and appreciation. Up until now, I hadn't thought it was possible to feel so strongly for another in such a short period of time. Of course Bella Swan
had already proven me wrong in so many other ways, it would only be natural for her to prove me wrong in this department as well.
She turned and smiled at me, cocking her head to the side and narrowing her eyes. "What? Do I have something stuck to my face?"
I shook my head and took several steps forward, closing the small gap between us. I reached out and brushed my fingers across her cheek before cupping her face in my hands. "Thank
you."
She reached up and grabbed my wrists. "For what?"
"Waiting until I was ready to talk about Jess, and listening when I finally was."
Bella turned her eyes downward and smiled. "You don't have to thank me, Edward. It was your story to tell, at a time that was right for you. But, thank you for sharing it with me. I really
cherish that."
I closed my eyes and gulped back the nervous lump that had formed in my throat. I had so much on my mind, so much more I wanted to share with her, but in that moment, three small
words with a big meaning behind them were ready to roll off my tongue.
Say it, Cullen.
I opened my eyes and locked them with hers. Before I had the opportunity to over think things, I parted my lips and said the three words I never thought I'd hear myself utter to a woman
again. "I love you."
Bella's eyes widened and she tightened her grip on my wrists. Fear colored her features, followed quickly by disbelief and then happiness. There was a story hiding behind her eyes as well,
but I knew that I too would hear it when the time was right. For now, I just wanted – needed – to know how she felt.
"I love you too, Edward."
Those five words sent my soul flying, leaving it suspended somewhere between the Evergreen-covered Earth and the stars that hung in the night sky. I pulled Bella to me and pressed my
lips softly against hers.
We undressed one another between kisses, neither of us wanting to part with the other for too long. I pushed Bella gently down onto the bed and kneeled between her legs. I grabbed her
hands in mine and rested them on either side of her head before lowering my lips to her neck and sliding slowly into her.
Soft cries fell from her lips and I mumbled her name. There was nothing fast, hard, or rough about this. It was a slow, sensual, and beautiful dance that our bodies embarked on together.
"Edward," she moaned, kissing my ear lobe and raising her hips to meet mine. I could feel her walls starting to clench around me. I let go of her hands and rose up on my knees, placing
one palm flat against her stomach and pushing lightly.
"I'm so close, Bella. Please come with me," I whispered. Slow, deep thrusts became faster as I tried to hold out for as long as I could. Bella propped herself up on her elbows and fixed her
eyes on the place where our bodies joined together.
"I love you," Bella breathed, bringing her eyes up to meet mine. That was all it took for me to find my own release.
"I love you," I whispered, falling forward and resting my forehead against hers. She ran her hands through my damp-with-sweat hair and pulled my head down to rest against her chest.
Forks may have arguably been the most boring town I'd ever been too, but in that moment, I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.
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