Chapter 33

Tuesday, September 6

11:03 a.m.

TEXT MESSAGES

From: Rosalie Hale

To: Edward Cullen

E - check your schedule for next week. I’ve added a couple of new clients. Mandy Cook Tuesday eve; Larissa Holcomb Thursday. Took the liberty of booking your usual suite at Hotel 1000 for Mandy - she’s a shy one who will respond very well to your particular talents, I think. Larissa is the opposite - freshly divorced with money to burn. Excellent opportunity for repeat business. She wants to meet you at Canlis for dinner and then it’s up to you.

Bad news - can’t make either of those appointments. Personal reasons. You know Thursday is my day off. Please reschedule if you would, thanks.

I’ve been pretty understanding about this Thursday rule of yours. I think you could bend it once in the interest of obtaining a potentially lucrative client. And if you needed Tuesday off, you should have let me know earlier.

Sorry, I forgot to ask for the 13^th off. But I have an appointment I can’t get out of. As for my Thursdays rule, I’d say it’s a pretty fair trade-off for me being available to you every fucking weekend for over two years now. Surely you can reschedule. Or find another escort who’s available.

Not sure I like the attitude I’m detecting here. I’ll chalk it up to the shortcomings of texts. Just as I’ll chalk up your failure to satisfy one of our best customers last night as a one-time occurrence. If it becomes a pattern, then we have a problem. Understood?

Completely.

“Fuck you, Rosalie Hale,“ Edward hissed at the phone as he turned it off and shoved it in his back pocket. He was glad Charlotte was nowhere around - he felt guilty cursing in front of her, though he’d done it before - yesterday, in fact, when he was begging her for money. But she came through anyway. She was at the bank right now, making arrangements, while he wrestled with the keys of her Steinway, playing the same passage over and over until the notes and nuances were just right. He’d ignored the vibration of the phone in his pocket until he was done. He knew Bella was at work - she was scheduled for a few hours between classes. He wished he could call her right now, just to hear her voice. It gave him strength and reminded him why he was doing this.

All he had to do was get through seven more weeks. He knew Charlotte was right - if he made a good showing at the Seattle International Piano Competition, it could open a lot of doors for him in the world of classical music. He’d had something of a name locally when he was younger. He just needed to create a little buzz again - get them talking and hopefully considering him for any jobs that might open up. He would take whatever anyone offered at this point - anything to pad his resume and hone his skills.

Anything to help him hand Rosalie Hale his walking papers once and for all.

Damn that Leslie Grimm and her loose lips. He’d hoped he could trust her to keep mum about his refusal to sleep with her last night, but he should have known better. She probably took the rejection personally, and her retaliation was swift. He took a mental tally of the dates he knew he had lined up in the next few weeks. Could he get away with refusing sex that long?

He already knew the answer was “no.” He had plenty more Leslies waiting in the wings, hiring him for a very predictable and specific reasons. How long could he spurn his regulars before Rosalie bounced him out on his ass? Not seven weeks, that much was certain.

“Let her fire me,” was his gut response. The thought of being intimate with anyone but Bella made his stomach turn. How had she accomplished that so fast? Many females had come before her, but none had ever touched him the way she did - made his insides twist and burn for one girl and one girl only. He knew she‘d ruined him for other women that first night. That the need for her would only escalate; that having her again would only make him crave more, like a junkie jonesing for only the purest, uncut drug to give him that unparalleled high. Anything less would be a crushing disappointment.

But maybe that was what he would have to endure for just a little longer. Because as much as he abhorred the idea of sleeping with anyone else, he feared losing the only security he’d known since admitting his grandmother to Tranquility Gardens. Charlotte was in the process of taking care of a major chunk of his debt, and he couldn’t bear to ask her for a penny more. He still had to make a living somehow. Sticking with Renaissance Escorts for the time being allowed him to pay the bills and still have most of his days free to practice for the piano competition. Suddenly his entire future seemed to hinge upon this one event, and how well he performed. Because if he excelled, it could be the ticket to leaving the escort business behind and obtaining a decent-paying music job instead.

All he had to do was tough it out for seven more weeks. Six and a half, really. Then, if the piano competition was a success, he could walk away from escorting and be the kind of man Bella deserved. But until that day, he vowed to keep his hopes and plans to himself, no matter how hard it was. He wasn’t about to make a single promise to Bella he wasn’t absolutely sure he could keep. He would give her no empty reassurances until he was certain he could back them up.

He paused for a moment and imagined surprising her with the good news . . . revealing that Charlotte had entered him in a piano contest, he’d performed well enough to get a job offer out of the deal, and he was done with the escort business for good. He pictured her face, first frozen in shock, then melting into pure joy as he picked her up and whirled her around. He wondered what such freedom, such happiness, would feel like.

He turned back to the piano with a smile of grim determination and stretched his fingers out over the keys. The happiness he longed for was literally in his own hands.

He wasn’t about to blow it.

# # # # # # # # # #


2:17 p.m.

TEXT MESSAGES

From: Edward Cullen

To: Bella Swan

So, where’s the text message you promised me today?

What text message? Weren’t you supposed to call me, anyway?

The text message telling me you aren’t pregnant. And I’ll call you after your classes are done.

I’m not pregnant. I have PMS like crazy. I’m sure Flo will visit me any time now.

You’re making me nervous.

Don’t be. It’s day 28. No need for alarm.

Sure. Fine. So how’s work? And how was your drawing class? I want to see some of your artwork.

Work sucks. At least the mayhem of book rush is over. You’ll love my artwork from today - first day we had a nude model. Female. Rather Botticelli-esque, complete with useless drape that covered only one calf and forearm.

Nice. Definitely want to see your sketches. For purely artistic reasons, of course.

Of course. Geez. Don’t you see enough naked women?

Ouch. I deserved that. I try to see as few as possible. There’s only one female figure I’m interested in studying nowadays. Which reminds me, what do you want to do for your birthday? It’s your day. Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen.

You know what I want - you, to myself. I don’t like sharing. Not sure you can arrange that in one week. But I’ll come up with something fun for us to do in the meantime.

I AM all yours, believe that. I‘m working on making it happen. And on your birthday, rest assured, I will absolutely belong only to you.

That’s enough. For now.

I am one lucky bastard. I’ll call you after your class.

Good. After a 50-min. Global Politics lecture, I’ll need to hear something positive.

I’ll try to work up a little comedy routine for you.

I don’t need jokes. Just say something sweet to me.

That’s easy. I’ll start now. I’ve been thinking about you all day. Trying to figure out what to get you for your birthday.

I told you - I just want you. You’re on my mind all the time. Beginning to think it’s a sickness. Don’t care, don’t want to get well.

You know you kill me when you say those things. I’m right there with you. I don’t want a cure.

Being together is the cure. Shit, class is starting. I’d better pay attention - I hate politics.

Birds of a feather. I’ll call you later. XO

XO back atcha.

# # # # # # # # # #

Wednesday, September 7

4:14 p.m.

TEXT MESSAGES

From: Edward Cullen

To: Bella Swan

Where is my text message today?

What do you mean?

You know what I mean. You’re late, aren’t you.

Twenty-nine days is not late.

You said you were like clockwork.

I am. Within a day or two. Don’t panic. I’m sure it’s coming soon.

Christ. I can’t believe that clinic doctor gave you dildos and lube but no condoms. What kind of Mickey Mouse operation is that place, anyway?

Trust me, she insisted I use condoms. I’m the one who talked you out of it. If you want to be angry, be angry with me.

I’m mad at myself. I know better and I did it anyway. I wanted it, and I did it.

But I pushed you. And trust me, I know better, too. We’re both adults here. So let’s act like it and not fly off the handle. I’m barely late - absolutely nothing to worry about.

But I do worry. That’s what I do. That’s what I am - a classic, dyed-in-the-wool worrier. And now I’m about to become a praying man, too, because this is the last thing you or I need right now.

I know that. I’m sorry I was such an idiot. It won’t happen again. We’ll use condoms. Two-ply, if necessary. And I’ll go on the pill or something as back-up. Just please stop freaking out.

I’m not freaking out. Yet. Sorry if I sound like an asshole. It’s been a long day.

Yeah? Have you been working already?


Not like you think. I’m practicing the piano a bit. Trying to dust the cobwebs out of my fingers. It’s frustrating at times.

You’re playing again? That’s great! Don’t let your insane perfectionism get in the way. You’re incredibly talented. Enjoy it instead of being so self-critical. My favorite Edward is the one who throws caution to the wind and goes for it, perfection be damned.

He does have his merits, with the huge exception that he may have gotten you pregnant.

Oh good grief. That’s my cue to go. Actually I really do need to get to work. Please try not to worry yourself to death. I will tweet you the second my period starts. Which is kinda gross, when I think about it.

Not gross. Thoughtful. I’m sure we’d make beautiful babies together, but I’d prefer it to be many years from now.

You’ve thought about our babies???

Only because that throw-caution-to-the-wind guy was so careless. He’s making me pay, with nightmares of diapers and spit-up and college tuition.

STOP. I’m going now. Take comfort in your beautiful music, please. And the fact that you get to spend the day with Emily tomorrow.

All right. Have fun with Alice and Jasper at lunch tomorrow. She’s still on me to come, too. I’ll see how Em’s doing in the morning, then maybe swing by, depending.

I’d love that! I miss you so much. How can it only be two days since I’ve seen you? I’ll never make it ‘til next Tuesday. I am pathetic.

No, not pathetic. I like it. I feel the same way. I’ll do my best to come but I can’t promise anything.

Okay. I won’t beg. Unless you’re into that sort of thing . . .

I could be. *mind wanders* Don’t let me keep you. Go to work. I don’t want you to be late.

That’s the theme of the week, apparently.

Ha. Ha.

J

# # # # # # # # # #

Thursday, September 8

7:58 a.m.



Bella yawned and reached for the double espresso she’d picked up on her way to class. She wasn’t much of a morning person. Eight o’clock was far too early for her to think coherently, which was why she scheduled her Life Drawing class then. Sometimes the less brain power she used while drawing, the better. At least that’s what the instructor, a wizened and grizzled import from the Czech Republic, always told her in a thick accent whenever he paused by her easel.

“Fine. I see that you can draw. Now, loosen up your arm and draw with your whole body, not just your hand. Create the image from your gut, not your head. Stop trying to make it look perfect and feel the motion, the shape, the fluidity of your subject.”

So she would stop the pains-taking detail and sketch in big, swooping motions, while the professor bellowed, “Yes, yes! That’s it,” before moving to the next student in the circle of easels.

She always thought of Edward whenever the instructor accused her of perfectionism. Of course, it didn’t take much to make her think of him. It was much harder to purge him from her mind and concentrate on school or work instead. Did all girls feel this way about their boyfriends? Angela and Ben had seemed to do just fine in high school. They were crazy about each other but still managed to get straight A‘s. Of course, they studied together all the time. Bella tried to imagine sitting across from Edward at the library, then laughed into her coffee cup as she lifted it to her lips. She knew the textbook wouldn’t have a chance of holding her attention if he were in the vicinity. However, if he were the model in this class, that would be a different story entirely.

She was actually a little nervous about who would be posing today. She already knew the model would be male, since Tuesday’s was female. She wondered if he would be as naked as the female was. That could be . . . awkward.

She soon got her answer. The professor arrived and introduced today’s guinea pig without ceremony while the students got their drawing pads, pencils and charcoal ready. Bella rose from her stool, preferring to stand while sketching. She set her coffee cup on it and turned her attention to the instructor.

“I’d like you all to welcome our student model today, James. I will put him in more of an action pose than Megan was in Tuesday, so you can concentrate on his musculature. I want you to study the proportions of the body, and the bone structure and connective muscle beneath.”

Bella took another swig of espresso while a blonde, pony-tailed guy in a blue robe sauntered to the middle of the room. He was attractive, but clearly knew it. His self-satisfied expression made him far less appealing to her. She watched as the professor met him inside the circle of easels, bringing a prop spear for him to hold.

And then, sixty seconds later, James was the stark naked centerpiece in a circle of bleary-eyed, pencil-wielding students. He held the spear aloft, lunging forward as if frozen in the act of throwing it at some wild game, or at an ancient warrior foe.

Or at me, Bella mentally added. He was facing her nearly dead-on, though he avoided direct eye contact. Good luck holding that pose for long, Bella thought with a snort.

James lasted for about five minutes before he required a short break, his arm beginning to quiver, muscles straining with the effort of holding the object in the air. But Bella was glad for the diversion, concentrating on filling out the swell of each muscle group, from his overworked arm to the weight-bearing muscles of his thighs. Anything to keep from looking at his penis, which, from her angle, was difficult to avoid.

She was successful in her quest to keep the entire enterprise at the level of art for about twenty minutes. That’s how long it took her to get the outline and coarse details of the model on paper. She had been able to concentrate purely on the mechanics of his body, breaking it down to its components, studying in pencil how they all connected and worked together. There were only two things missing from her drawing now: his face, and his genitals.

She felt her cheeks begin to warm as she tried to determine which to tackle first. She decided she’d better go south, because once she looked him in the eye, she’d never be able to look at his crotch again.

She lowered her gaze to the model’s groin, willing her eyes to focus on what they had politely glossed over until now. She was rather stunned to be met with the sight of his semi-erect penis, well on its way to pointing right at her.

She tried not to gasp, or let her expression register even the slightest surprise. This was an art class, after all. They were here to appreciate and capture the beauty of the human form, not gawk at its proclivity for sexual arousal. Really, she should feel sorry for the guy, getting a woody in the middle of class. She supposed she couldn’t blame him, with a roomful of eyes focused on his naked body. Increased blood flow to his member was probably an inadvertent, even unavoidable, side effect.

She followed the professor’s instructions with relief now, quickly capturing the general shape of the model’s genitals without going into pornographic detail. Still, by the time she was done, she could not escape the fact that he was definitely hard, his penis perpendicular to his body, bobbing slightly next to his lunging thigh. Good grief. Why did he have to be practically facing her? Why couldn’t she have chosen an easel with a side view of the guy? Preferably one hiding his erection from her.

She turned away and grabbed her coffee off the stool. She took several sips, and deep breaths, before finally turning her eyes to the model’s face. When she did, she couldn’t help but start in surprise this time.

He was staring right at her.

He’d been watching her drink her coffee, his blue eyes clear and piercing across the room. His mouth twitched in a slight smirk when he caught her reaction. His arm twitched with the effort of aiming the prop spear at her, and his own spear followed suit.

She had no choice now but to endure his smirk as she tried to capture it in pencil. She drew his even, slightly bland features as quickly as possible, appalled that he was clearly taking pleasure in embarrassing her with his lewd gaze and matching hard-on. She hated the heat that mottled her cheeks several shades of red. She knew her mortification only delighted him. He was just that type.

She sighed with relief when she finished her rendering of the model, whom she had mentally dubbed Jackass James, with a few minutes to spare. She was even more relieved when the professor announced time was up, and brought James his robe. He donned it at a leisurely pace, as if enjoying his exhibitionism. He was probably proud of his big dick, although she’d seen bigger, she noted with her own smirk.

James began strolling around the room to look at everyone’s sketches. Bella felt herself bristle when he drew near, the hair on the back of her neck rising. She busied herself putting her pencils away while he planted himself in front of her easel.

“Nice job,” he said as he admired her handiwork. She was surprised at the genuine tone of his voice, so she hazarded a glance in his direction.

“You’re very talented,” he added, appearing to be the very the soul of sincerity.

“Thanks,” she mumbled begrudgingly.

He smiled and turned to leave, but then suddenly leaned in to speak quietly in her ear.

“It’s going to be a very long semester, though, if you keep getting me as hot and bothered as you did today.”

She jerked back and gaped at him, not bothering to hide her dismay. He only chuckled, gave her that shit-eating grin, and sauntered on to the next easel.

Fuck. He couldn’t be serious. She was not responsible for his erection. There were plenty of cute girls in her class, and some handsome guys too, for that matter. Any of them could have been the cause of his unfortunate predicament. He was just teasing her because she was an easy target. She really needed to work on her poker face. She couldn’t let him rattle her if he was going to be a recurring model in this class.

She stored her supplies in one of the cubby-holes at the far end of the room, then bolted from the studio without looking back. As she hurried down the hall, she was disconcerted to feel a distinct wetness between her legs. What the hell? No way had she gotten aroused by that errant penis pointing at her. Not when it belonged to a smug bastard like James. Not when it didn’t belong to Edward.

She made a beeline for the nearest ladies’ room, lunged into the first stall and slung her backpack over the hook inside the door. She dropped her jeans and panties, took a quick look, and then sank onto the toilet with a ragged sigh.

Her period had started.

# # # # # # # # # #


12:17 p.m.

“Get out! It was pointing right at you? For real?”

Alice Cullen’s face was the picture of astonished glee as she leaned in and planted her elbows on the restaurant table. She obviously found the art class story a lot more amusing than Bella did.

“Yes. It freaked me out. Well, at least it did after he told me I was the one responsible for it,” she replied with a grimace.

“He did what? Explain, please.”

Bella repeated the words James had whispered in her ear after class, feeling a little queasy as she spoke.

“No way! I can’t believe he hit on you. That guy has some balls. I guess he figured that since you’ve already seen them, he might as well put ‘em to good use!”

Alice erupted into laughter while Bella covered her face and groaned into her hands.

“That’s disgusting. He was not hitting on me,” she insisted. “He was just trying to needle me.”

“’Needle’ you? That’s one way of putting it,” Alice snorted before her attention wandered to a tall blond near the restaurant entrance. “Oh, here comes Jasper. We’ll ask him for the male perspective.”

“We’ll do no such thing!” Bella hissed, while Alice waved her arms to get his attention. “Do not repeat that story. It’s too embarrassing.”

Alice blithely ignored her, calling out to Jasper as he approached. “Bella was just telling me the craziest thing right now.”

“Oh yeah? Do tell,” he said with a quick wave “hello” at Bella as he slid into the booth next to Alice.

“She’s taking this figure drawing class that uses nude models, right? Well, today the model was some hot blond ponytail guy, and he got a boner right in the middle of class while he was watching Bella draw him.”

Jasper’s eyebrows raised while Bella’s knitted. “I never said he was hot. And he did not get a boner because of me.”

“Then why did he say he did?” Alice retorted with an evil grin, turning to her date. “He told her after class that it was gonna be a long semester if she got him that worked up every week. If that’s not a come-on, then I don’t know what is.”

“Stop it, Alice. He was just trying to rattle me. He wasn’t being serious. I’m sure he just got an erection because the entire room was staring at his naked body. You know, like an involuntary physiological response.”

“Ha! You wish. You said the guy’s little soldier was saluting right at you. Jasper, we need a male point of view on this. Was he hitting on Bella or not?”

Jasper raised a careful eyebrow at Alice, then Bella. “Well, most guys are pretty direct. If he said you were responsible for his . . . military salute, then he probably meant it.”

“Ha!” Alice exclaimed in triumph.

“However,” Jasper continued, giving Alice the eyebrow again, “Guys love to tease girls in general, especially the shy ones who look like they’d be easily embarrassed.”

Bella flashed Alice a smug grin. “Exactly! That’s me, right there. I blush at the drop of a hat. It’s so annoying. I can never fool anybody.”

Jasper caught Alice’s pout from the corner of his eye and added one more thought. “Then again, he wouldn’t bother to tease you like that if he wasn’t attracted to you. So, yeah, he was hitting on you. Pretty blatantly, actually.”

Bella’s expression soured while Alice bounced giddily in her seat a couple of times. “Thank you, Jasper. The voice of reason. Oh, man, Edward is gonna be so pissed.”

Bella’s eyes bulged. “Don’t tell Edward,” she pleaded.

“Why not? It’ll be good for him to know he’s got a little competition,“ she asserted.

“But he doesn’t. And I’m not interested in jerking him around like that.”

Alice waved a dismissive hand. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Do not underestimate the power of a little good, old-fashioned jealousy. Let him sweat a little.”

Jasper gave her a suspicious look. “Should I be worried about this philosophy of yours?”

“I don’t know. Are you currently boning other women for money?”

Jasper looked taken aback at Alice’s candor, then quickly recovered. “Not that I know of. Can’t say I’ve had the opportunity, though. The day is young.”

Alice caught the teasing glint in his eyes and good-naturedly elbowed his arm.

“That’s not fair,” Bella protested, feeling a little affronted at Alice’s cavalier words. “You know Edward is trying to get out of the business.”

“I know he wants to. I’d just like to see him back that up with a little action. If he’s got something in the works, he hasn’t told me what it is.”

Alice’s eyes were piercing, questioning. Evidently Edward didn’t let her in on his secrets, either. So much for getting any information out of his cousin, Bella thought with disappointment. Though Edward had alluded to some plan to leave escorting behind, she was hesitant to press him on the matter. For one thing, she still felt oddly hypocritical demanding such a thing, when Edward’s occupation was what had brought them together. And for another, she was afraid to hope for something that might not happen for awhile.

Or ever.

Alice’s face fell a little when she realized Bella didn’t know any more than she did. Damn Edward, anyway - he always played his cards close to the vest. She hated when he didn’t let her in, especially now that Em could no longer be her confidante. As hell-bent as he was on keeping their family’s legacy intact, he sure could use a lesson in what the word “family” really meant.

Jasper cleared his throat and steered the conversation back to its original topic in an attempt to soothe a sore subject. “So, Bella: how does one enroll in this naked drawing class of yours? I’m thinking I should broaden my studies to include more of the fine arts. I mean, nude figure study could greatly enrich my understanding of the fundamentals of mechanical engineering.”

The girls both giggled, especially Alice, which was what he was after. His slow, easy grin reminded Bella of Edward. Then again, pretty much anything reminded her of him nowadays.

“I’ll see if there’s an opening. You never know - after today, maybe a couple of people were offended enough to drop the class.”

“What class is that?”

Bella nearly jumped out of the booth at the sound of talking velvet coming from behind her.

“Edward!” she and Alice exclaimed in unison. Bella looked up to see the object of her affection standing right there, hand on the back of the booth, eyes on her. His smile grew as fast as hers did once their eyes met. She quickly scooted over so he could sit down next to her, pressing his blue-jean-covered thigh against hers. The warmth that engulfed her seemed surreal. She barely heard Alice yammering as she stared up at Edward’s glorious face after three century-long days apart.

“We were talking about Bella’s art class,“ Alice explained. “She gets to draw hot, naked guys with massive stiffies while I’m sitting through mind-numbing economics lectures.”

Edward raised one inquisitive brow, still staring at Bella.

“It wasn’t massive,” she quickly clarified. “It was no big deal. Literally.”

Both of Edward’s eyebrows were aloft now, as was the corner of his mouth, forming a bemused grin. “Sounds like the art models got a little more interesting today, huh?”

“You knew about this?” Alice looked a little deflated by the fact.

“I did,” he confirmed. “But Tuesday’s class had a female model.”

“Again, how do I get into this class, Bella? What‘s the name of it?” Jasper piped up with a laugh. His grin quickly faded under Edward’s withering look.

“Edward, you remember Jasper from last weekend, right?” Alice interjected quickly, giving her cousin a kick under the table. He flinched slightly but otherwise hid his irritation.

“Sure. Nice to see you again,” he said coolly.

“Likewise. Glad you could make it today.” Jasper’s effort at civility was only slightly warmer.

Alice’s shook her head in exasperation. “Anyway,” she continued, “the guy Bella was drawing today had a real thing for her. So to speak.”

“Is that so?“ Edward turned expectantly to the girl sitting next to him for explanation. She squirmed uncomfortably under the laser probe of his eyes.

“No. He was just being a jerk,” Bella mumbled.

Edward frowned while Alice filled in the blanks. “He complimented her drawing and then told her she was the reason he was sporting wood through half the class. So you be the judge.”

Edward’s laser eyes narrowed into tractor beams, aimed at Bella with the purpose of pulling the truth from her. She felt the usual traitorous blush warm her face.

“I’m sure he wasn’t serious,” she insisted once more. “He was just trying to get a rise out of me.”

Jasper and Alice stifled guffaws at the double-entendre, and Bella’s face turned redder.

“Don’t even say it,” she implored. “I walked right into that one.”

She hesitantly looked up at Edward, who was still frowning. “Don’t worry about it,” she told him. “I don’t even know how often we’re going to have models in class. I may never have to deal with him again.”

“Well, if he gives you any more trouble, you tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

Bella felt a slight chill at his tone. His mouth was set in a hard line, jaw clenched, eyes resembling chips of black ice again. He was dead serious. Instead of arguing that it wouldn‘t come to that, she found herself nodding in silent agreement. His fierce protectiveness was reassuring.

And, she had to admit, kind of hot.

Bella was thankful when the arrival of their waitress effectively halted the art class conversation. After they placed their orders, Bella grabbed Edward’s hand under the table.

“I’m glad you could come,” she said softly.

“I wanted to see you before you left for the weekend.” He squeezed her hand, then began rubbing his thumb over the base of hers.

“Were you excited to get my text message this morning?”

“Ecstatic,” he said with a relieved grin. “We dodged a bullet.”

“I suppose so. I still think you were worrying for nothing.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “But I made another appointment at the clinic to get some birth control anyway.”

“Smart girl,” he said. “So, have you given any more thought to what you want to do on your birthday?”

“I have,” she said, her face brightening. “I already know a couple of fun places we can go. But I’m not telling you what they are yet - it’s a surprise.”

“Wait a minute. The birthday girl is the one who’s supposed to get the surprises, not the other way around.”

“You can surprise me later. But I get out of class at 3:30 on Tuesday, and I know just where you can take me for the rest of the afternoon.” She bounced a little in her seat and wondered if Alice’s boundless enthusiasm was rubbing off on her.

“I’m intrigued,” Edward replied, arching one thick, angular brow. “I think I like that compromise. You surprise me at the beginning of the evening, and I’ll surprise you at the end of it.”

The innuendo was hard to miss, and she felt the familiar shiver of anticipation ripple over her skin.

“Wait - did I hear the word ‘birthday’?” Alice exclaimed from across the table. “Bella, is your birthday coming up?”

“Yeah, next Tuesday,” she admitted.

“Really? Are you having a party? We should have a party!” She began bouncing again, eyes shining a bit too zealously for Bella‘s liking.

“We are having a party,” Edward informed her. “A party of two.” He let go of Bella’s hand and put his arm around her shoulder to illustrate his point.

“Oh, I see,” Alice commented with a sly little grin. “Well, what about the night before? We could all go out to dinner or something. What do you think?” She gave Bella a hopeful look.

“Well, actually, I am going out with some friends Monday night,” she admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. She dreaded having to tell Edward she was going out with Mike, even though he obviously had no leg to stand on when it came to her seeing other guys. But maybe he wouldn’t be bothered as much if his cousin was there, too.

“You know, you should come with us,” Bella suggested, perking up at the prospect of Alice and Jasper joining the group. “I think we’re just going to play some pool somewhere. I’d love it if you could all be there.” She gave Edward a wistful look, assuming he would be working. The shadow of guilt clouding his face confirmed it.

“Sure! Sounds like fun,” Alice said immediately, and Jasper agreed.

“I can pick Alice up and meet you,” he offered. “Are you going someplace close to campus?”

“I’m don’t know yet. My friend Mike is arranging it. I’m sure he’ll text me the details soon, so I’ll let you know.”

“Mike,” Edward echoed in poorly concealed displeasure. “So, your ex-boyfriend is throwing you a birthday party.”

Alice’s mouth formed a small “O” at that bit of information.

“No. Not a party. Just an informal gathering. A few old friends, maybe some of his frat buddies - I don’t really know. It’s not a big deal.” Why did she keep finding herself saying that?

“Don’t worry, Edward. We’ll keep an eye on this Mike guy,” Alice assured him. “Right, Jasper?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, taking the opening to get in good with Alice’s cousin.

“That really won’t be necessary,” Bella protested. “Mike is harmless. Persistent, maybe, but harmless.”

“Hmm.” Edward gave her a skeptical look. “I hope so.”

Bella sighed, now finding his over-protectiveness more annoying than hot. An awkward lull in the conversation prompted the irrepressible Alice to introduce a new subject.

“So, Edward, how was Em this morning?”

“Not too bad. A little disappointed. I told her I was going to meet you for lunch and she asked me why you didn’t come with me today. She thought it would be nice if the three of us ate lunch together.”

Though Edward’s tone was gentle, Alice still winced as if he’d struck her. “She asked about me?”

He nodded. “She remembered that it’s been a few weeks since you visited her.” He could not keep the reproach from his voice this time.

That figures, she thought. Her grandmother usually couldn’t remember what she ate for breakfast - or if she ate at all - but she had to go and remember that.

“I’ll go see her tomorrow,” she murmured guiltily. She suddenly felt the warmth of Jasper’s hand on her leg under the table, giving her a quick, reassuring squeeze. She put her hand over his, squeezing back gratefully. He turned his palm up and laced his fingers between hers. Alice smiled down at their hands joined together, knowing, without question, that she’d found “family” in him.

She was the grateful one this time when the waitress interrupted their conversation, carrying platters of steaming burgers and fries. The rest of the lunchtime talk consisted mostly of Bella trying to convince everyone at the table not to buy her birthday presents while they ignored her and tried to figure out what she would like.

“I already know what Bella will like,” Edward said cryptically before popping a ketchup-coated fry in his mouth.

“You do, huh?” Bella replied, beginning to warm up to the idea of getting a gift from him.

“Absolutely,” he replied with a wicked smirk.

“Well, then, share that with the rest of us who don’t know her as well as you do,” Alice prompted.

“Later,” he promised. “When the birthday girl isn’t within earshot.”

Bella shot him an exasperated look before turning to Alice. “Honestly, you don’t have to get me anything. I mean, we just met. Having you and Jasper come celebrate with me Monday night is really the best present.”

“Aw, that’s very Hallmark of you, Bella. But I’m not showing up empty-handed at your party. Don’t worry, I already have an idea.”

But the mischievous twinkle in Alice’s eye only made Bella worry all the more.

After lunch, she tried again in vain to convince Edward to ditch the gift idea as he walked her to her truck.

“Please tell Alice and Jasper not to give me anything. I hate getting presents - it’s embarrassing,” she lamented.

“Embarrassing?” Edward repeated with a laugh. He grabbed her hand and linked his fingers through hers as they strolled, unhurried, down the sidewalk.

“Yeah. I hate being the center of attention like that, getting stuff from people for no good reason when I don’t have anything to give back.”

Edward seemed to find that amusing as well. “First of all, your birthday is a very good reason for people to celebrate and give you things. And second, you already give us something invaluable in return.”

“Really? What’s that?”

“Your friendship,“ he answered.

They’d reached the big red rust bucket by then. Edward leaned one hand against it, his outstretched arm blocking Bella from walking any further.

“And your honesty,” he continued, leaning in closer, backing her against the passenger door. “And that uncanny insight of yours. And your selflessness.”

She let out a small laugh and shook her head. “I’m not selfless. I’m selfish. I want something I have no right to ask for. You can buy me all the presents you like, but you know what I really want.”

He nodded, lifting his other hand to her face, sending those damned shivers in every direction though the weather outside was balmy. I want to be the only one you touch this way, she thought.

“I want the same thing,” he whispered, as if he could read her mind. His lips hovered mere inches away, his eyes holding hers hostage. She felt his fingers wander along the side of her face, down to her jaw, then slowly over her trembling bottom lip.

“I want to give you everything,” he said in that velveteen voice, his breath mingling with hers as his head dropped closer. “Everything you deserve.”

His mouth muffled any argument from her about what she did or didn’t deserve, and preempted any guarantee of what he could or couldn’t give her. There was only this kiss, here and now, on a busy street filled with passersby who saw nothing more than the promise of a boy and girl falling in love.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Chapter 32

Charlotte felt Edward’s presence before she heard him.

She turned her head ever so slightly toward the patio doors at the sensation, waiting for his Italian leather-clad feet to appear. After all this time, he still dressed up to see her. He always arrived wearing some kind of slacks and dress shirt, designer shoes polished until she could see her reflection in them. She sensed that he liked the formality of it - a uniform, perhaps even a suit of armor, to protect him while he was on duty.

So the sight of worn sneakers and faded navy sweatpants approaching couldn’t have taken her more off guard.

She started, whipping her head quickly toward the doorway, for a split second fearing that an intruder had just waltzed into her home. But her eyes followed the familiar lean line of Edward Cullen’s long, t-shirted torso up to his unshaven face and ubiquitous sunglasses, made redundant under the brim of baseball cap pulled low. She was struck harder by their age difference than she’d ever been before, and she felt foolish for every untoward idea that had ever crossed her mind.

“Hi Charlotte,” came his usually silken voice, now rusty from the lack of take-out coffee to oil it. He sat down empty-handed in the chair nearest her chaise, leaning purposefully forward as he took off his sunglasses. “I’m glad you could see me early this week.”

“It’s no bother, I assure you,” she replied, the anxious look in his eyes making her feel uneasy herself. “You’re always welcome here, you know that.”

“Thanks.” She must have looked a bit gob-smacked still, because he quickly took off his ball cap and ran self-conscious fingers through his unwashed hair. “I’m sorry to show up looking like this. But I have something to ask you, and I knew if I waited, I wouldn’t go through with it.”

“It’s actually rather refreshing to see you dressing your age,” she said, hoping she sounded convincing. “Now by all means, speak your mind. Would you like some coffee or tea first?”

“No, no thanks,” he said, still agitated. He began to worry the brim of his cap between long, nimble fingers, staring it down as if he could somehow convince it to do the talking. But once his lips started moving, the words poured out.

“I hate asking you for anything, especially since I’m not even sure how you can help. Because even if I had the mortgages paid off, I’d still have to pay for Em’s nursing home care. I could file for Medicaid to cover it, but then they’d put a lien on the house, and that’s exactly the thing I’ve been trying to avoid. The whole point of me going into the fucking escort business was so that I wouldn’t have to sell off all my family heirlooms. I like being able to provide for all of us - Em and Alice and myself. But I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I want out. I have to figure a way out.”

He paused for a breath, while Charlotte slowly let out the one she’d been holding. His pleading gaze dropped and he became absorbed once more in the brim of his baseball cap.

“Edward, you know I’m more than happy to help you however I can. My offer to get those mortgages off your back still stands. I don’t care about repayment.”

“But I will pay you back. Even if it takes me the rest of my life, I will.”

Charlotte chuckled. “Well, I won’t be around long enough to see that day. We’ll worry about a payment schedule later. It’s worth every penny to me to lighten that burden on your shoulders. And maybe it’ll be enough for you to go into a different line of work, even if it pays less.”

“Maybe. That’s what I’m hoping.” The reflection of that hope glimmered faintly in Edward’s eyes, and the sight of it was worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox to Charlotte.

“Do I even have to ask what - or should I say, who - brought on this epiphany?” She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from him.

The bashful smile on Edward’s face was reply enough, but it soon became wan. “She deserves better. I want to give her what she deserves.”

Charlotte nodded slowly. “Bella? If I remember correctly.”

It was Edward’s turn to nod in answer.

“I’m sure she does,” Charlotte agreed. “But let’s not forget that you deserve better too, my dear.”

His shrug was less emphatic than his nod, which made her sigh in exasperation.

“Well, whether you think so or not, you deserve good things in life. You deserve to follow a path that makes you happy. I believe you’ve already chosen your companion; now all you have to do is find the right path. And I think you already know what that is.”

Edward looked up into her shrewd gaze. “I know. I’ve been thinking about that. I’m so out of practice, though, I don’t even know where to begin. I don’t know who’d hire me. Maybe a piano bar, or one of those department stores that likes to have some suit-guy sitting there playing classical music for ambience.”

Charlotte glanced heavenward at his self deprecation. “I won’t sit and listen to you sell yourself short. You’ve been doing enough of that for the past two years, wouldn’t you say?”

Edward grimaced in acknowledgement.

“What if I gave you a good reason to get back in practice? Would you take it?”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? I’m not taking any more handouts. Borrowing money from you is hard enough.”

“I’m not talking about a handout. I’m talking about an opportunity.” She paused and picked up the letter propped against the arm of her lounge chair. She tapped it thoughtfully against the tip of her index finger, again reading the return address with satisfaction. “I assume you’ve heard of the Seattle International Piano Competition?”

Edward let out a small laugh. “Of course.”

“You won a couple of junior titles there, if I’m not mistaken.”

His brows knitted. “How did you . . . ?”

“The internet is a wondrous creation,” she replied smoothly. “I found out all kinds of delightful things about you after a little digging. You entered that competition every year it was held, from the ages of eight to twenty, under the name Edward Masen. You even placed in several of them against the best in the world in your category.”

Edward had straightened up in his chair as she casually reeled off his secrets like the innocuous bits of public information they were.

“That was a long time ago,” he said softly.

“Four years. Not so long, when you get to be my age,” she replied with a wry smile. “My point is, you missed the last competition because of your grandmother’s failing health. What if I told you that you didn’t have to miss the next one?”

He let out a sardonic laugh. “I’d tell you you’re crazy. The competition is in October. Applications to enter were due months ago.”

“Indeed, they were,” she agreed, now tapping the corner of the envelope briefly against her bottom lip. “But my late husband, Peter, had several good friends in the Seattle arts community, one of whom happens to be on the admissions committee of the piano competition. I sent him an inquiry, and wouldn’t you know? It turns out there’s a slot open due to an unfortunate cancellation.”

She paused for Edward’s reaction, but he only stared at her, bewildered.

“You’ll have to perform in the Amateur category, of course, since you’re no longer a student, and not currently employed as a musician,” she continued. “There’s no cash prize to be won, but the exposure and prestige that could be gained would be quite advantageous to someone looking to get a foot in the music business, wouldn’t you agree?”

Edward gaped at her in disbelief. “I don’t understand. It’s too late for me to send in an audition CD.”

Charlotte’s cheeks colored slightly. “Well, I’m afraid I might have done something slightly . . . duplicitous, to that end.”

His eyes narrowed as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. When he spoke, his tone was eerily calm but utterly pointed.

“What did you do, Charlotte?”

She took a deep breath. “I may have recorded you playing the piano here once or twice without your knowledge.”

The veranda was dead silent, save for the chirp of a few nearby birds and the soft hum of a riding mower from a distant neighbor’s yard. Charlotte tried to read the look in Edward’s eyes, but couldn’t discern whether he was angry, incredulous, grateful, or some combination of the three.

“What are you telling me?” The calm in his voice was belied by a slight tremor.

“I’m telling you you’re in.” She reached out and offered him the envelope.

His hand trembled a little as he took it from her. He stared at it in shock before finally opening it and withdrawing the contents. He looked the acceptance letter over, shaking his head.

“I can’t believe you did this,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Please don’t be too cross with me,” she entreated. “You got in on your own merits. They heard you play - that was the deciding factor.”

“What did you submit?”

“The final version of the piece you practiced last week. You repeated it until it was flawless, and that’s what I sent. I also filled out the application under your real name, which I’m sure many on the admissions board still remember. I daresay they were happy to have you back in the competition.”

He shook his head again, clearly overwhelmed. Charlotte just hoped it was in a good way. But when he finally looked up at her, his expression was bleak.

“This is only seven weeks away. That’s not enough time for me to get in competitive shape.”

“Nonsense,” she argued. “You played that piece to perfection once, and it got you in the contest. You have seven weeks to make sure you can play it to perfection one more time.”

“I’d have to practice every day, or close to it.”

“Lucky for you that I have a piano and a conservatory at your disposable whenever you need it.”

He balked at the offer. “I can’t impose on you like that.”

“It’s no imposition, and even if it were, it’s one I would gladly endure.”

She could see the struggle on his face, but she wasn’t about to let him talk himself out of this. His head continued to shake slowly from side to side, eyes looking over the letter as if it were written in some foreign language he was having difficulty translating.

“Play to win,” she thought she heard him murmur at last.

“Come again?”

Edward raised his eyes to meet hers, and this time she saw only grateful determination there.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” he said softly, green eyes glossy with unshed tears.

“Yes, you do.” She rose from her chair and lifted one arm, gesturing in the direction of the music room.

Edward stood, but instead of turning toward the house, he grabbed her up in a bear hug, nearly knocking the wind out of her.

“You’re amazing,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. It vibrated down her spine in a way she hadn’t felt since the last time Peter had whispered in her ear. He clasped her shoulders as he pulled away to look down at her. “I’m going to do my best to make you proud, I swear.”

“You already have,” she told him.

But he had already released her and headed inside. Moments later, she heard the familiar sounds of his warm-up scales, and those simple ascending notes were the sweetest sounds she’d ever heard.

# # # # # # # # # #

　

Bella had fifty minutes to kill between her Ancient Greek Lit and her Art History classes. She knew what she should do: go back to the dorm, take a quick shower and put on fresh clothes that actually fit her.

But as she ambled through the quad, pulling up Edward’s sagging sweatpants and feeling the late summer sun warm the cotton of his t-shirt, she couldn’t bear the thought of taking them off. She pulled the neck of the shirt over her nose for a moment, taking a deep whiff of the musky scent that lingered there. No, these clothes were staying put.

How bad do I look? she wondered absently. She felt amazing. She hadn’t come down from the euphoric cloud she’d been floating on for the past twenty-four hours, and she wasn’t ready to strip the heavenly evidence from her body quite yet.

She sat down on what was becoming her favorite between-classes bench, then dug through her backpack for her cosmetics bag with a mirror attached. A quick glance showed the disheveled but undeniably glowing face of a girl who had been recently, thoroughly ravished by her . . . boyfriend?

Maybe. Possibly. Someday.

She wondered how long she could stick it out until “someday” arrived. When she was with Edward, the cocoon of intimacy that spun them together seemed impenetrable. But the minute she was alone, nagging fears began picking at her, leaving holes of doubt in that cloak of certainty. She hoped he was sincere about looking for an alternative to escorting, but until then, she knew she would have to be unbelievably strong.

If she couldn’t, she’d have to walk away.

She turned sideways and brought her legs up on the bench, knees to her chin, wrapping her arms around the baggy fleece of Edward’s sweatpants. She took a whiff of those, too, inhaling deeply before exhaling in a sigh.

“Hey, Swan, is that you?” a male voice called, shattering her reverie.

Bella looked over her shoulder to see Mike Newton approaching, and she cringed involuntarily before painting on a smile. She hadn’t seen him since the night she told him they could be friends and nothing more. He didn’t seem too put off by it, though, if his gigantic grin was any indication.

“Hey, Mike,” she said in greeting as he approached. “How’s it going?”

“Great. Mind if I sit down?” he asked, indicating the empty half of the bench next to her sneaker-clad feet.

“’Course not.”

He plopped down opposite Bella, dropping his backpack to the sidewalk below. He stretched one arm across the back of the bench, leaned back and gave her a quick once-over.

“Wow. Rough night?” he said with a laugh.

Her lips pursed indignantly while her hand reached up to smooth the haphazard bun at the back of her neck.

“What do you mean by that?” she snapped, trying to will her cheeks to stop blushing.

Mike’s face fell in dismay as he tried to correct his blunder. “Nothing! I mean, you look great - you always look great. Maybe a little like you just rolled out of bed, but I’m guessing your alarm didn’t go off or something this morning. Happens to all of us. I almost left the dorm without my pants last week - got all the way down the hall in my boxer shorts before Riley stopped me,” he finished with a weak laugh. “You remember Riley, right?”

“Yeah, of course. Keeper of the good stash.”

Mike grinned at that. “Indeed. You should come over some time and partake with us. We’ll make sure you don’t overdo it this time, though. We don’t want a repeat performance of last time, do we?”

“No,” Bella agreed, wincing. “Definitely not.”

“You were so sick,” he lamented. “And I don’t need that rage-0-holic suit-guy of yours bashing my face in, either.”

Bella let out a loud guffaw. “He would never do that. He isn’t the least bit rage-y.”

“Apparently you didn’t get a good look at his face when he found you with us. I thought he was gonna rip off my nut sack and make me wear it as a party hat.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she scoffed. “And gross.”

Mike snickered. “You were drunk. You don’t remember.”

“I remember just fine. Edward took care of me all night long, even after I barfed on his shoes. Even after he had to watch me barf twenty more times before I was finished.”

Mike shuddered slightly. “Poor Bella,” he commiserated, taking the opportunity to reach over and give one of her shins a squeeze. “I guess suit-guy is a regular prince to put up with that, huh?” His sarcasm was hard to miss.

“He is, actually. Not many guys would clean up after a girl spewing Technicolor vomit into a dorm sink all night long.”

Mike’s expression grew sober. “I would. If you’d let me.”

Bella couldn’t handle the sincerity in those sky-blue eyes of his, and her gaze faltered and fell to the sidewalk. She heard his fingers drum the back of the bench; heard him draw in a long breath before speaking again.

“But that won’t happen, because I’m not letting you get that wasted again.” He nudged her left foot with his knee, prompting her to look up at him. “Seriously, Swan, I haven’t seen you since our movie night. I hope you’re not becoming a hermit. You can still party and have fun without overdoing it, you know. I’ll police you myself,” he offered with the quirk of any eyebrow and a half-joking grin.

“Now there’s an offer I can’t refuse,” she answered, smiling in spite of herself.

“Officer Mike Newton, Booze Patrol, at your service - here to take any shot that comes at you.” He pantomimed bringing a shot glass to his lips, throwing his head back and swallowing.

“Wow. How selfless of you,” Bella replied with a roll of her eyes.

“It’s true. I’m a giver like that,” he said, splaying his hand over his heart for emphasis.

“That you are.” It actually was true, she thought.



“So, what do you say? When are we gonna get together? There’s a pledge party at my fraternity this Saturday night - you and Jess should come by. You know where the Delt house is, right?”

Bella did a double take. “I didn’t know you were in a fraternity. When did that happen? You weren’t even here during rush week, were you?”

“No, I couldn’t make it because of my forestry internship. But I’m a Delta Tau Delta legacy, so they pretty much had to take me, the poor bastards,” he said with a laugh.

“Legacy. What’s that mean?”

“My dad and grandfather were both Delts, so basically that puts me at the top of the pledge list, even though I’m a sophomore. It’s been a blast so far. They’re easy on the hazing, hard on the studying and philanthropy. It’ll probably be a good thing that they’ll be on my ass to keep my grades up.”

“Wow. That’s cool. Congratulations,” Bella told him. She didn’t quite get the appeal of fraternities and sororities, but for a social animal like Mike, they were probably his own version of nirvana.

“Thanks. So, Saturday? Is it a date?”

She tried not to cringe at the term. Had he gotten nothing out of their last talk?

“Actually, I told my dad I’d go home to visit him for the weekend. I’m guessing he has a birthday present he wants to give me or something.”

Mike’s eyes grew round. “Your birthday! Oh, man, I forgot that was coming up. Next Tuesday, right? The big two-oh.” His knee nudged her sneaker again. “Now that is an occasion to celebrate. Got any big plans?”

“Yeah, I do, sort of,” she admitted. Bella realized she had no idea what Edward had planned for the day. She didn’t care, as long as she was spending it with him.

Mike’s face fell when he deduced her meaning. “I suppose suit-guy is taking you out to some fancy restaurant, huh?”

“I don’t know, actually. He probably wants to surprise me.”

He nodded, pursing his lips together in what looked like distaste. Then, in a flash, his smile returned. “That’s fine. You can still ring in your birthday, college-style, the night before. Why don’t we round up Jess and Riley and whoever else you want to invite - maybe go out for burgers, knock back a few beers, and sing Happy Birthday at midnight. Whaddya say?”

His expression was too hopeful to crush with a “no, thanks.” Bella decided to suck it up and play along. Besides, it might be kind of fun to go out with a group. That way it wouldn’t seem like a date, and maybe she could even steer Mike in Jessica’s direction, if Jess was still interested.

Not to mention, it would be a nice distraction to keep her mind off of what Edward might be doing on the eve of her big day.

“Sure, sounds fun,” she told him, trying to sound enthusiastic. “But please don’t feel compelled to sing or anything on my account.”

“Are you trying to tell me something about my singing ability? I think I’m offended. I think I’m wounded, actually.”

“That’s kind of how you sound when you sing,” she said, putting on her best deadpan face. “Wounded.”

“Oh!” he exclaimed, slamming his fist over his heart, then pulling an imaginary arrow from it in slow motion. “Straight for the jugular!”

“The truth hurts,” she teased.

“Yeah, well, I’m gonna sing extra-loud right in your ear for that one, ’de-e-ear Bel-laahhh,’” he crooned, leaning in to bellow the last two words in her face.

“Stop!” She put one palm up to his chest and gave him a good-natured shove. “Save it for the actual day, for the love of God.”

He only laughed. “Fine. Lucky for you, I gotta get to class anyway. I’ll text everyone and get a little party group together, then I’ll give you a call with the deets. Sound good?”

She nodded affirmatively.

“Cool. See you soon, Bella.” She wasn’t sure she liked the way he said her name - a little too soft, a touch too intimate.

He gave her shin another squeeze before he got up and left. She absently rubbed the spot where his hand had been as she watched him walk away. She realized she didn’t want anyone touching her that way but Edward.

And she didn’t want Edward touching anyone else that way, either.

She shivered despite the warm sun on her skin. She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face in his scent until it was time to leave for her next class.

# # # # # # # # # #

10: 38 p.m.

The crowd at the Christophe Gallery is beginning to thin.

Hors d’oeuvres starting out as miniature architectural marvels have been leveled to a rubble of crumbs on silver platters. A streaming champagne tower has been reduced to a few bubbling puddles in the bottom of lip-stick stained flutes. And an everything-old-is-new-again throwback to the heyday of impressionism has successfully shown his latest works to an appreciative crowd of wealthy Seattleites looking to expand their art collections.

The artist and his agent are in seventh heaven. Leslie Grimm, the PR rep for the gallery, is right behind them. Indeed, her cloud of blonde curls and pale satin gown give her a faintly angelic quality, tarnished only by her vibrantly painted face and fingernails.

She drains the last of dregs of her fourth - or is it fifth? - champagne glass and surveys the stragglers, searching for her date. He is not hard to find. The wayward hair springing from the head of his six-foot-plus frame is instantly recognizable to her. He is still chatting with the artist, looking positively absorbed in the conversation. Damn, he is good. He always knows how to make a good impression on the people she needs him to, and for that alone, he is worth every penny.

But she knows what else Edward Cullen is good at, and in that arena, he is priceless.

Hot damn, that boy is gorgeous, she thinks as she glides across the room toward him, swaying slightly in an alcoholic torpor. Not one single painting in the room can rival the artistic planes of his face. She cannot help but admire how the cut of his suit complements his figure, lengthening his legs, broadening his shoulders, narrowing his waist. The work of art it creates is breath-taking. But she knows from experience that the canvas beneath is the real star.

She takes his forearm when she approaches, seamlessly inserting herself into the conversation. Small talk is made, congratulations are shared, and eventual good-byes are said. She is ready for the real fun to begin.

She keeps a socially acceptable distance as Edward escorts her to the parking garage. But the minute they reach a dimly lit corner, she is all over that suit, pulling at it, pressing against it, lifting herself up and pulling his sculpted face down to hers.

Something is missing in his kiss, she thinks; but perhaps she’s just had too much to drink. She’ll sober up a bit in the car on the way to the hotel, and he’ll loosen up once they’re in private.

“Where are you taking me?” she purrs as he guides her down the row of imports toward his convertible. “You know I love that suite at Hotel 1o00.”

Did his lip just curl? Impossible. He loves that suite, too. It’s his favorite, she knows.

“I’m taking you home,” he says. He lets go of her hand and fishes for his keys. She stops dead in her tracks, too stunned for movement.

“Home?” she repeats, her own lip definitely curling in distaste. “My place is a mess. I had something a little more upscale in mind. Or at least more seductive.”

She is using her best sex-siren voice on him. He smiles, but it is not the type of smile she wants to see. His expression is . . . polite. She would call it indifferent if she didn’t know better.

“I can’t spend the night with you tonight, Leslie.”

She knows better now. His eyes reflect the cold, gray concrete and steel of the parking garage when he glances at her. She is still staring at the back of his head after he turns and walks toward his car, aiming the remote keys to unlock it. The electronic beep-beep seems to mock her.

She finally stumbles forward, a stilted, jilted walk of disbelief as he holds the passenger door open for her. She wants to smack the small, perfunctory grin off of his face. He can’t be serious. Her ego won’t let him be serious.

“I never said anything about spending the night,” she counters, falling back on innuendo once more as she approaches. “An hour or two is all I need. As I recall, you can accomplish quite a lot in that time frame.”

His perma-grin is maddening. It’s almost a simper. “Some other time,” he says, sounding somewhat dismissive. “But not tonight. I’m sorry.”

Except that he clearly is not. She cannot disguise her incredulity now. Where is the Edward Cullen she knew? The one who was more than agreeable, even eager, to have a little fun at the end of the evening? She knows there is no guarantee of sex at the culmination of a Renaissance Escorts date, but it’s an implied and understood part of the agreement that if she wants it, she will get it.

And she wants it. She has always wanted it from him. She wanted it the first time she saw him, and every time after that. She wants it now. Why doesn’t he?

“What’s the problem, Edward?” she coos, unable to give up just yet. She runs her hand along the fine gabardine of his jacket, over the lapels, smoothing his thin silk tie. “You didn’t book someone else after me, did you?”

“No, of course not. It has nothing to do with you. I’m afraid I have to cut the evening short for personal reasons.”

“Personal reasons,” she echoes, wondering what on earth they could be. What a pathetic liar he is. Her stare is in danger of becoming a glare as she looks up at him. She is going to wipe that goddamned polite grin from his face if it’s the last thing she does.

Her hand has reached his jaw now, already sandpapery to the touch though he started out the evening clean-shaven. Fuck, is that ever a turn-on. She knows she’s about to become very undignified very soon. She catches the scent of him now, slight hints of soap lingering over musky male warmth; and she is afraid she’s not above begging.

“I have a couple of personal issues of my own right now,” she whispers, lifting her lips closer to his. “Needs, you might call them. I’m pretty sure you can take care of them before you turn into a pumpkin,” she teases. Her other hand is wandering south, hovering around his waist, waiting for the signal to keep going. She has him backed against the open door now, the glow from the car’s interior lighting her way.

“As tempting as that is . . .” He pauses to clasp her face firmly in one hand, impeding its progress toward his, “I have to decline.”

“Decline?” She bursts into peals of champagne-fueled laughter, wrenching her face from his grasp. “I’m not a maxed-out credit card, for fuck’s sake. What’s gotten into you? You’ve never declined anything from me before. Not my kisses . . .” she plants her lips on his jaw, “not my blow jobs. . .” she slides her hand down over his crotch, “and certainly not my open legs.”

She rubs her hand along the fabric-covered outline of his dick, willing it to harden. She’s astonished, even insulted, that its response is half-hearted at best.

“What’s with you?” she asks again, feeling an angry indignation rising in her chest. She continues to stroke his face and his sex, sure that he will cave one place or the other. “Where’s the Edward Cullen who liked to have a little fun? A lot of fun, as I recall. Nasty fun,” she murmurs, giving his chin a little bite. “Come on. You can’t tell me your other clients let you ass-fuck them like I do. And I know you. You love nothing more than to give me a good anal pounding. And you know I love it, too. Go ahead - give it to me. Right here in the back of the car. Or bent over the hood, if that gets you off.”

Though his lips resemble a sneer, his dick isn’t nearly so put off. She delights in the slight thickening she feels, and she drops her other hand down to work at his zipper. She thrills to the sound of its metal teeth releasing. Her hands are at the waistband of his cotton briefs, fingers curling in his happy trail, and she knows she is almost there.

And then his hands are on her wrists, gripping tight, pulling her hands away from the prize. Effortlessly he wrenches her arms behind her own back, pinning them in place and pulling her closer. She lets out a tiny shriek of excitement at his roughness, only too happy to press her body against his. Her head lolls back, lips parted, waiting for his kiss.

Instead, she receives only more placating words.

“Leslie,” he begins, in that achingly low, seductive tone of his. “Make no mistake. You are a gorgeous, sexy woman, and I am incredibly flattered that you want me. But it’s not going to happen this time. Not tonight.”

Her pride utterly stripped away, the truth finally hits her.

“Not ever,” she says, her stunned eyes challenging him to refute her.

His silence is all the confirmation she needs.

Silence is their stifling companion during the drive to her high-rise. It retreats at last when Edward asks if he can walk her to her door.

“Don’t bother,” she whispers as she opens the car door and steps out. She turns back and looks him dead in the eyes, making no effort to hide her humiliation and anger.

“Good-bye, Edward,” she says before slamming the door shut.

He watches until she is safely in the building before leaving.

He knows he has just lost his first client.

# # # # # # # # # #

11:22 p.m.

Bella has finally given up and showered.

She has also done her homework, listened to some depressing music, and written another poem that she deems too sappy and mundane to possibly express what she is really feeling. Which, at present, can be distilled down to a single word.

Melancholy.

She figures she might as well go to bed now.

She pulls clean pajamas out of her dresser, throws them on the bed and looks at them. The bottoms are covered in cartoon illustrations of coffee cups, grinders and beans, interspersed with the words “java,” “latte,” “espresso” and the like.

Not exactly sleep-inducing, she thinks wryly.

Edward’s dirty clothes are laid out neatly over her plastic blow-up chair in the corner. She knows she should throw them in her laundry basket and wash them before she returns them to him. She wants to do none of the above.

11:27 p.m.

The java p.j.’s are back in the dresser. Bella is snuggled under the bed covers in Edward’s clothes instead. She wonders if there’s something wrong with her. All she knows is that the melancholy ache subsides a little every time she inhales his scent.

11:44 p.m.

She has fallen into that drowsy state between wakefulness and sleep when the musical cadence of her cell phone brings her back to consciousness. She picks it up from the nightstand and warm tingles surge through her when she sees who is on the other end.

“Edward,” she says, more groggily and less sexily than she was aiming for.

“Did I wake you?” he asks, his voice wrapping around her like velvet ribbons.

“No,” she lies. “Where are you?”

“In my bed,” he replies. “Missing you.”

“You’re home?” she asks in surprise.

“Yeah. Early night.”

She wonders if those words mean what she hopes they do.

“That’s unusual,” she replies, fishing for her answer.

“Not always. Tonight was pretty uneventful.”

And now he has lied, too. But he’s given her the truth she needed to hear.

“Mine was uneventful, too. Homework, mostly. A little writing.”

“More poetry?”

She snorts softly. “If you can call it that.”

“I don’t care what you call it. It’s great. You have a talent for putting words together in a powerful way.”

“Thanks. It’s nothing like your talent for putting musical notes together. But I try.”

“I’m trying again, too.” She thinks she detects something different in his tone - anticipation, almost excitement - as he continues. “Things are changing, Bella. For the better. I can feel it.”

“Yeah? You think so?”

He can hear the wistfulness in her voice, and it cuts him deep, as only she can.

“I know so.”

He sounds adamant. She’s never heard him sound so sure before, and she smiles, feeling her melancholy dissipate like fog under the sun’s rays.

“I believe you,” she says.

She always says that, when most girls in her position wouldn’t trust him as far as they could throw him. The way she gives her trust so freely makes him all the more desperate to earn it.

“I know you have an early class tomorrow,” he says regretfully. “I’ll let you get some sleep. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“I can’t believe you remember my class schedule,” she says with a surprised laugh.

“I told you. When it comes to you, I pay attention.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve got my full attention, too. I’m glad you called. I always want to hear your voice.”

“Then I’ll call you again tomorrow.”

“You promise?”

“I promise,” he says.

You have no idea how much I promise you, he thinks as he hangs up the phone.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Chapter 31

Alice scowled at the mixing bowl on the counter in front of her. The batter didn’t look right - too runny. She’d watched Edward make blueberry pancakes a hundred times, and she thought she’d followed his recipe to the letter. So what was missing?

She had just dipped one index finger into the bowl when she spied movement out of the corner of one eye. Her batter-covered finger was already in her mouth by the time she realized Bella Swan had just stepped into the kitchen.

Alice’s eyes snapped to attention and she swallowed quickly. “You did not just see that,” she said, more an order than a wish.

Bella laughed. “Okay, I didn’t,” she readily agreed. “But it’s perfectly fine for the cook to taste the broth, in my opinion.”

“Good! Or pancake batter, in this case,” Alice replied.

She tried not to gape openly at the first sleep-over date her cousin had ever entertained in this house. But it was hard not to gaze in wonder at Bella’s obvious bed-head and post-coital glow, not to mention Edward’s borrowed t-shirt and sweats overwhelming her small frame. It was one thing to be awakened by muffled sex noises coming from the next bedroom, but quite another to see the living proof standing in her kitchen.

Bella felt her cheeks grow warm under Alice’s appraisal. She involuntarily reached up to smooth her unruly hair and leaned across the counter to peer into the mixing bowl.

“Blueberry? My favorite,” she said, hoping to keep the conversation focused on food.

“Mine too!” Alice exclaimed. “Edward makes them for me every Friday. I thought I’d try to return the favor for once. But I think I’ve messed up somewhere. The batter tastes all right, but it looks weird.”

Bella gingerly reached for the mixing spoon and gave it a stir. “It is kind of thin,” she agreed. “Just add a little more flour and it should be fine.”

“You think? I mixed all the dry and wet ingredients separately like the recipe said. Is it okay to just add more flour now that I have everything mixed together?”

Bella let out a short laugh. “Yeah, it’s fine. I do it all the time.”

“Really?” Alice asked as she scooped some flour out of the nearby canister. “You cook a lot?”

“Not at school. But when I’m home I cook for my dad all the time. And my mom was never very good at it, so I learned how to fend for myself at a pretty young age.”

“Wow, that’s great.” Alice sprinkled a little flour into the batter and looked to Bella for her cue to stop. “I was spoiled for a long time. My grandma was an awesome cook. She always tried to teach me but I never had much patience for it. Now I wish I’d paid more attention.”

She stirred in silence for a moment, watching with relief as the batter thickened. Then she found herself talking again, spilling the things she usually kept to herself.

“I hate when I talk about Em like she’s already gone. But sometimes it feels like she is. She can’t cook anymore, not since the accident. I guess they let her bake cookies and stuff at the home, under supervision. And Edward helps her make lunch or dinner here sometimes when she’s having one of her good days. But he has to measure everything out for her because she gets confused and doesn’t remember what she did two minutes ago. He’s so good with her - so patient. I get too upset, remembering how strong and independent she used to be. I just end up crying and have to leave the room.”

Alice blinked back the film of tears that had formed just talking about it. She glanced at Bella and winced at the sympathetic look on her face. If there was one thing she had in common with Edward, it was dislike of anyone’s pity.

“How’s this?” she asked with forced cheer, tipping the mixing bowl in Bella’s direction.

“Looks perfect. I think your grandmother would be proud.”

Alice looked at the sincerity in Bella’s brown eyes and understood exactly why Edward had fallen for her.

“So where’s my cousin this morning?” she asked with a grin, turning to the electric griddle and checking the temperature dial. She glanced back at Bella and almost laughed at the embarrassed flush that had colored her face.

“He’s in the bathroom. He’ll be down in a minute, I’m sure.”

Bella hoped he wasn’t showering again. She’d refused to wash away the delicious scent that enveloped her after their morning sex. She didn’t even want to put her own clothes back on. She knew she would have to later, for her afternoon classes. But until then, she would wallow in the remnants of the closeness they’d shared.

“Well, I hope you know CPR, because he may need it when he sees me actually making breakfast,” Alice joked. “He’s always getting on my case about being more self-sufficient. He’s such a Neanderthal sometimes. He seems to think I need to learn how to cook in order to get a man. I’ll bet you anything Jasper Whitlock doesn’t give a rat’s ass whether or not I can flip him a pancake in the morning.”

She practically snorted as she spooned the batter onto the griddle. Bella sidled onto one of the high chairs at the bar and watched Alice carefully ladle out five more round circles onto the hot surface.

“So things went well between you and Jasper last night?” Bella asked.

“Very well,” Alice answered, her grin nearing Cheshire cat proportions. “Not as well as your night with Edward, but I just met the guy. Give me time.”

She gave Bella an eyebrow waggle that made her laugh and blush all over again. Alice wondered if the girl had any idea how unusual it was for her to be here, in the Cullen household, at nine a.m. She glanced out the entryway to the living room to make sure her cousin wasn’t approaching.

“There’s something you should know about Edward,” she began. Bella’s eyes widened, her expression anxious. Alice spoke quickly to reassure her.

“Look, I know how you met him. Considering what he does for a living, I know how hard it must be for you to get to close to him - to trust him. But for what it’s worth, you should know that you’re the first girl he’s ever brought here to the house. The only girl. I’m making breakfast for the both of you because this is actually a huge, momentous occasion, as far as I’m concerned. You’re obviously really special to him. And he’s special to me. So, voila! My first attempt at pancakes.” She waved her arms over the griddle in the manner of a game show presenter. “Oh, and bacon. Shit! I forgot the bacon!”

And she was off to the refrigerator before Bella’s slack jaw could close itself. As her mind processed the information Alice had just given her, her eyes gradually focused on the abandoned pancakes bubbling on the griddle.

“You need to turn those,” she said, still in a daze. The first girl - the only girl - Edward ever brought home. . . ?

Alice was too busy digging a fry pan out of the cupboards to hear her. Bella shook her head a couple of times to snap herself out of her stupor, then hopped off the stool and padded over to the griddle on the countertop. She grabbed the spatula Alice had left there and began flipping the pancakes one by one.

Alice glanced over with a sigh of relief. “Thanks. I can’t believe I forgot this. I’m usually so good at multi-tasking, too,” she berated herself as she ripped at the packaging on the bacon.

“It’s fine,” Bella reassured her. “We can cover the pancakes with aluminum foil to keep them warm while the bacon is cooking.”

“Good idea,” Alice noted, wondering why she hadn’t thought of that. “Crap, this is still half-frozen!” She slapped the entire slab of pork into the warm pan and began poking impatiently at it with a pair of tongs, hoping to hurry up the thawing process. Meanwhile, Bella took the initiative to search for a serving dish. Alice directed her to the right cupboard, then to the drawer holding the aluminum foil. She smiled as she watched Bella slide the spatula under one pancake to check for doneness.

“We make a good team,” she observed. “Like in the bookstore.”

Bella’s answering smile matched hers. “Looks that way,” she agreed.

They each turned their attention back to the task at hand, working side by side in silence for a moment. But once Bella had the finished pancakes safely under wraps, she couldn’t help but question Alice’s confession.

“I’m sorry, but how could I possibly be the first girl Edward has ever brought home? I mean, he’s twenty-four years old. Surely there was somebody he dated at some point.”

Alice shook her head emphatically. “Nope. He put most of his energy into music when he was younger. He had prom dates and stuff, but he’d pick them up at their houses - he never brought anyone back here to meet Em. Once he was in college, he hardly ever came home. He spent summers doing internships that took him all over the country, but never back here to Seattle. If he had any girlfriends, he never told us about them. And now . . .” she trailed off with a grimace. “Let’s just say that Edward never brings his work home.”

Bella nodded, getting the picture. So she was another first for him. His first virgin. And now, his first . . . what? What was she to him? Was there a name for it? Could an escort really have a girlfriend, by any standard definition of the word? And could she ever call a man in that profession her boyfriend?

The titles hardly seemed accurate, or adequate, when she remembered the look in his eyes just half an hour ago when their bodies had combusted in a fiery union that took her breath away. There were no labels to define or contain what they had together. It was too big for that. Too much. It felt very far removed from the life she lived when they were apart. The closest word Bella could find to describe it was love.

But that word was still a little scary. Premature, at best; foolish, at worst. She was afraid to assign it to the budding relationship she shared with Edward, even though it had crossed her mind more than once the past twenty-four hours. Better to play it by ear, to simply live in the moment, than to let her imagination go wild and conjure up a future that revolved around the concept of love.

She watched Alice turn the bacon; listened to it sizzle and snap as it filled the kitchen with a tantalizing aroma. Surely the smell would lure Edward downstairs soon. She turned her eyes to the ceiling and wondered what was keeping him.

# # # # # # # # # #

Edward stood stock still in the bathroom, frowning into the mirror. He didn’t particularly like looking at himself. If he studied his features too long, they began to take on fun-house mirror proportions: eyebrows too thick, eyes overly large and wide-set, nose too flat and crooked, chin aggressively prominent. Why on earth did women find him attractive?

But he didn’t care about women, plural. He could muster the desire to impress only one. The girl whose very essence clung to him right now, sweet and heady. He had planned to shower, even though they had done so before going to sleep last night. But the sticky splendor of being inside her moments ago was not something he could willingly surrender. Not yet. Not until he had to get ready for his appointment tonight.

He couldn’t think about that. His brain fairly screamed in protest at the prospect. Yet the thought prevailed, hanging above him, the proverbial dark cloud. Tonight’s date was a regular. He knew what she liked, what she wanted, what he would be obligated to provide. He used to enjoy being with her. She was one of his preferred clients - funny, smart, attractive. She worked in PR and she often hired him as her date for industry events. That part would be easy. But later . . .

He sighed in frustration and watched his features harden. What the hell was he going to do about this? Bella deserved better. And if he planned to keep seeing her, something was going to have to give. He couldn’t let it be her. How could he let go of the one person who had brought him back to life? He was past resenting her for making waves in the placid surface of his empty existence. She dove in deep, effortlessly, that first night. The depths to which she’d taken him were too exhilarating to trade for that shallow pool he’d mindlessly paddled before. Drowning in her was a welcome release.

But now he had to figure out how to swim.

Charlotte. The name bobbed into his head like a life-saving buoy. He hated to admit that the answer might lie with her. He dreaded asking her for a single penny of her late husband’s money, but the truth was, it could help him out a lot. Maybe let him lighten his schedule with Renaissance Escorts so he could focus on getting into music again. He could put together a list of contacts from his years of study at Julliard and find out if there was a place for him somewhere.

But he knew what it would take to get back in fighting form, and it wouldn’t happen overnight. He would need far more time to devote to practicing the piano, and he would have to commit to it one-hundred percent if he had any hope of getting back in the game. Music would have to become his number one priority again. But where did that leave Bella?

She’ll be concentrating on school, he told himself. We’ll both be working on our careers. But this time I won’t just be doing it for myself. I’ll be doing it for the both of us.

He smiled grimly at his reflection, willing the mental pep talk to come true. To be possible. Attainable. Not just some pipe dream to be put on hold for another year, and another, while he continued whoring himself out to pay the bills.

“One thing’s for sure,” he announced to his skeptical expression in the mirror. “You won’t know if you don’t try.”

He ran his hand through his hair, thinking that he should comb out the tangles Bella’s clutching fingers had created, but wanting to do no such thing. He left the disarray intact and marched, buck naked, back to his bedroom. He rifled through his dresser for a clean t-shirt and sweatpants to cover his body, still coated in dried sweat and sexual discharge. He usually hated that feeling. Today it was a strangely intoxicating heaven he never wanted to leave.

He bounded down the stairs to the living room, slowing near the landing when he heard his name wafting from the kitchen.

“That’s the thing,” came Alice’s voice. “You could make a huge difference in Edward’s life. You already have. You could be the one person who can get him out of the business.”

Bella’s tone was unsure. “But I started out as one of his customers. How big a hypocrite would I be if I asked him to give up his job for me?”

“Maybe you won’t have to. At least not directly. Trust me, if Edward feels about you the way I think he does, he won’t be able to keep this double life up for long. He’s just not the type to screw around on someone who means something to him.”

“How do you know that?” Bella replied in that abrupt candor of hers. “You said he’s never had a girlfriend. Maybe he did and you just didn’t know about it. Maybe he’s able to compartmentalize and keep his work totally separate from his personal life.”

“Maybe,” Alice conceded doubtfully. “But I don’t think he’s devious enough for that. Most men are simple creatures. They can only concentrate on one thing at a time. For Edward, that was always music. After he gave that up, he put all his attention into cleaning up Em’s finances and getting her into a place that specializes in treating Alzheimer’s patients. All my pleas to get him to look for another way to pay for it fell on deaf ears. He’s so fucking stubborn,” she said with a sigh that he recognized well.

“But with you, he’s different,” he heard her continue. “He’s like his old self. The Edward who used to have a sense of humor and some joy in life, despite the losses we both suffered as kids. I like that Edward. I want him to stick around. And I know you’re the key to making that happen.”

There was a short silence, as if Bella were absorbing her words. Edward knew he was.

“I hope so,” she answered at last, in that soft alto that made his chest ache.

He decided it was time to make his presence known before his guilt at eavesdropping kicked in.

“Do I smell bacon?” he called, announcing his arrival before he reached the kitchen doorway.

“You know it,” Alice replied with smug glee. “Observe,” she ordered as he entered the room. He watched in surprise as she wielded a pair of tongs, lifting cooked pieces of bacon one by one from a frying pan into a paper towel-lined dish. “And I made pancakes, too!”

Bella nodded vigorously, lifting the foil off the plate of blueberry cakes to corroborate Alice’s statement. Edward approached the two behind the counter and gave the pancakes a quick peek, along with a wink at Bella.

“Impressive,” he said to his cousin. “And I might even believe you if Bella weren’t here. It was nice of her to let you take the credit for making breakfast.”

“What?!” Alice shrieked. “I’ll have you know I made those pancakes from scratch all by myself. I followed Em’s recipe, just like you always do.”

“It’s true,” Bella piped up. “All I did was flip them over when they were ready.”

“And tell me to add a little flour when the dough wasn’t right. But I did the rest,” she insisted with a pout. She gave Edward a slug on the arm for good measure.

“Hey! No violence before I’ve eaten,” he ordered. He noticed Alice hadn’t gotten out any plates or silverware yet, so he took care of that task, setting them in a row along the bar. She followed behind with the food, while Edward pulled a bar stool out for Bella. He did the same for Alice, waiting until she’d climbed onto the high chair before he seated himself between them.

“Such manners,” she teased.

“I have a date I’m trying to impress here,” he retorted. He turned to Bella with a grin. “Is it working?”

“Like a charm.”

They loaded their plates, passed the syrup, and took a few bites before Edward proclaimed, “Alice, you have outdone yourself. You finally made your own breakfast, and it even tastes good to boot. Nice job.”

Alice elbowed him and narrowed her eyes. “Of course it tastes good, oh ye of little faith. I’ve watched you do it for years. If you can make pancakes, anyone can.”

“Ha. Nice,” he shot back, then turned to Bella. “Do you see what I’ve had to put up with all these years?”

“Well, actually, I’m more interested in the fact that you make this breakfast every week for Alice. You didn’t tell me you could cook,” she said reproachfully.

Edward remembered their discussion about the subject quite well. Per usual, he had focused on her and disclosed little about himself. That was always his M.O. with clients. He’d known even then that it wouldn’t work with her. Yet he still felt himself falling back on evasiveness, even after he’d revealed more to her last night than he’d revealed to anyone before.

“I do all right,” he answered with a modest shrug. “Just basic stuff. I can whip up some eggs, and work a grill pretty well.”

Alice leaned forward and addressed Bella. “Remember when I said I wish I’d paid more attention to Em when she tried to teach me to cook? Well, Edward did. Brown-noser,” she added with a snort.

“At least I won’t starve if In-N-Out Burger ever goes belly up.”

“Says the guy who clogs an artery daily at Mott’s Diner.”

Alice was immediately sorry she let that one fly. She knew she’d hit the mark before Edward ever flinched. Even Bella gave her a funny look, and she realized they must have met there for their morning date the week before. She was ready to make some sort of apology when Edward took a different tack.

“Well, this meal isn’t bad, as far as dress rehearsals go,” he said.

Alice decided to play along. “Dress rehearsals?”

“Yeah. I’m assuming you’re using us as guinea pigs so you can impress that Jasper Whitman guy from last night with your culinary skills.”

“Whitlock,” she corrected, looking as peeved as Edward hoped she would. “And trust me, I do not need to be able to cook to get a man, you chauvinist moron.”

Edward chuckled and scooted his chair back. “Like shooting fish in a barrel,” he said under his breath as he hopped down and headed for the refrigerator. “Would you ladies like something to drink? Milk? Orange juice? Maybe some coffee?” He picked up the empty pot from the coffeemaker on the counter and frowned at it. “Oh, sorry, there isn’t any made. I’ll just take care of that little oversight right now.”

He smiled sweetly at Alice, who sneered in return. “Fine. I forgot the beverages, okay? I’m a sucky cook. See if I ever try to do something nice for you and your girlfriend again.”

And there was the word, finally spoken out loud.

Girlfriend.

It seemed to reverberate around the kitchen, echoing off the stainless steel, granite and tile, ringing in Bella’s ears. She glanced at Edward for his reaction, but he was too busy staring at Alice, his mouth ajar.

“What?” she demanded, looking perplexed. “It sounded like you two were working up quite an appetite this morning, so I figured you wouldn’t notice if the food wasn’t up to par. Guess I was wrong.”

“Alice!” Edward hissed at her indiscretion.

“Oh, come on,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Why are we pussyfooting around the subject? We’re all grown-ups here. It’s not like I need Sherlock Holmes to crack this code. I watched you last night at dinner together, all cozy and schmoopy-eyed, playing footsy under the table. And I won’t even elaborate on the fact that the walls in this house aren’t exactly sound-proof. You two are obviously crazy about each other. And I, for one, am ecstatic about that particular development. Aren’t you?”

Her eyes darted between their faces, both painted in varying shades of embarrassment. She was beginning to suspect it would take some time and effort for these two to get out of their own way. She already knew her cousin was good at sabotaging himself, so she was hoping Bella would be different. But the girl seemed to waffle between confidence and insecurity whenever the wind changed. She wondered if Edward’s profession was the sole culprit, or if there was something else holding her back.

She looked back at her cousin, his mouth drawn tight, eyes warning. She had overstepped, that much was clear. She bit her lip and braced herself.

“Whatever my relationship is with Bella, it’s between her and me,” he said, his voice low and eerily calm.

“Fine,” Alice mumbled, not sounding particularly contrite. Her tone was more conciliatory when she turned to Bella. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

“You didn’t,” she denied, though her cheeks were still mottled pink. “And I thought breakfast was delicious, by the way. It was very thoughtful of you. Thanks.”

Alice beamed at Bella’s compliment. “You’re welcome.”

Edward flashed Bella grateful look, then exchanged one with his cousin that Bella couldn’t quite read. They appeared to come to some sort of familial understanding - forgiveness requested and given by both sides - within a couple of seconds. Edward turned away to make the coffee and Alice sighed in what sounded like resignation.

Bella decided to diffuse the lingering tension by asking about Alice’s classes. The conversation soon turned to the more benign topic of school, the girls comparing notes about teachers and assignments while Edward loaded the dishwasher. Bella rose from her stool to help, but he insisted that he and Alice had a system - whoever did the cooking was spared clean-up duties. Since Bella had flipped the flapjacks, he declared her exempt.

She was more than happy to sit back and watch his lithe form move around the kitchen instead. She was amazed at how much she loved watching him perform everyday mundane chores. It was a sight she knew she could get accustomed to in short order, should she be lucky enough to experience it again. She imagined what it would be like to live in this house, to curl up with Edward in that four-poster bed every night and wake up to the sight of him cooking breakfast for her. Alice had no idea how good she had it.

“You and I should meet for lunch on campus sometime,” Alice suggested, interrupting her daydream. “What’s your schedule like?”

A quick discussion determined that Thursday was a good day, since they both had several hours between classes and Bella didn’t work until the evening.

“I’ll call Jasper and see if he can come, too,” Alice added enthusiastically. “He and I had lunch together at this great burger joint a few days ago. We should all meet up there. You too, Edward. I think you’d like him if you got to know him.”

The girls both looked hopefully in Edward’s direction. He turned to the bar with a sponge, wiping down the counter as he answered.

“I’ll be with Em that day,” he reminded them gently.

“Couldn’t you just go see her afterward? It’s not like she knows you’re there half the time anyway,” Alice wheedled.

Edward’s face hardened around the edges. “She knows. Maybe if you went to see her more often, she’d remember you better, too.”

It was Alice’s turn to stiffen, her eyes watering at the wound he’d just inflicted. “Maybe,” she whispered. “Maybe not.”

Edward knew how hard it was for his cousin to watch the deterioration of their once-vibrant grandmother, so he let the subject drop.

“Lunch sounds good - maybe some other day. I promise I’ll meet this Jasper kid if that’s what you really want.“

Alice giggled. “He’s only a couple years younger than you, Edward. Honestly, you act like such an old man sometimes. You’re not even twenty-five and I feel like I should get you a tweed suit and a cane for Christmas.”

That drew a soft snort from Bella, to which Alice remarked, “Am I right? Maybe you can get Grandpa Edward here to loosen up a little.”

“Oh, I think he’s loose enough when he wants to be,” she replied, eyes twinkling.

Alice watched her share one of those secret looks with her cousin, this one rife with innuendo. Maybe it wouldn’t take as much time as she feared for the two of them to make some progress.

Edward tried to stifle his grin with a look of reproach. “Well, since I’m obviously the only voice of responsibility around here, I’m afraid it’s my duty to remind you that you have your first class in less than an hour,” he told Bella. “I can take you back to campus whenever you’re ready.”

Her heart sank at his words. One glance at the kitchen clock proved he was right. She felt like Cinderella, dreading her fairytale’s end with each tick of the second hand.

“Yeah, I should go,” she said, wondering if it sounded as much like a death knell as it felt. “I’ll get my things.”

She hopped off the bar stool and went to the landing where she’d hung her backpack last night. She grabbed it off the hook and headed back upstairs to retrieve her clothes, happy to find Edward at her heels. As soon as they were alone in his room again, she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her back against him.

“I’ll miss you,” he murmured in her ear, planting several small kisses on the tender skin beneath.

She leaned back against him and let her eyes close so she could concentrate on the feel of his body next to hers.

“I don’t want to go,” she replied, her voice sounding small and helpless. “Can’t we just stay here and make everything else go away?”

He rocked her gently, exhaling into her hair and squeezing her more tightly. Her arms grasped his in return, her face turning toward his, cheek willfully scraping along the stubble of his jaw.

“I want to make it go away,” he said, hoping she knew what he meant; wishing he could promise more. “I don’t know exactly how, or how long it will take. But I want to change things. I want to be the kind of guy who actually deserves you for a girlfriend. The kind of guy you’re not ashamed to call your boyfriend.”

She pulled away slightly, only so she could turn to face him and look him in the eyes. “I’m not ashamed of you. I could never be ashamed of you. Yes, I’d love for you to find a different way to make a living. But your job doesn’t define you. It’s not who you are. It’s just what you do. And you can always change what you do.”

Edward felt his eyes welling up at her words; at her emphatic gaze. He wanted to say the words - those three little words of truth that rang through his head, over and over, desperate to be said and heard. But when he tried to form the words, he choked on them, and the tears threatened to spill over.

So he took her face in his hands pressed mute lips to hers, hard and desperate, to make her feel the meaning instead. He kissed her over and over, each one a silent profession, a tender plea. Her lips answered with passionate professions and assurances of their own.

I love you, too.

# # # # # # # # # #

Edward’s lips were still tingling as he headed back to his car.

Somehow he had managed to drag Bella from his bedroom, drive her back to her dorm room and deposit her there without making love to her again on the nearest padded surface. But the kisses? They were another story. Fast and furious, long and longing, they refused to be ignored or ended before their time. The kisses had their way with both of them. Edward was pretty sure the kisses were going to make Bella late for her first class, unless she attended it in his clothes, her tangled sex hair pulled into a messy knot at the nape of her neck.

He found out later that this was exactly what she did.

But for now, he ambled back to his C-70 in a love-struck daze, dick at half-mast, bee-stung lips pressed into a purposeful line. He pulled out his cell phone as he approached the car, knowing exactly what he had to do.

She answered on the third ring, her tone cool but tinged with warm surprise. He loved the sound of her voice even more today than usual.

“Edward - how nice to hear from you on a Monday morning. Is everything all right?”

“No, but it will be. I hope. Are you busy?”

“I’m never too busy for you, dear boy. You know that.”

“Then I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

“I look forward to it,” she replied, but he had already hung up the phone.

Charlotte hummed to herself as she strolled to her desk and picked up the envelope that had just arrived in the mail. She pulled out the letter and read it once more, smiling with satisfaction at her small coup. After hearing the determination in Edward’s voice, she had the feeling he would welcome her news far more readily than she had ever hoped.

She carried the envelope and its precious contents out to the veranda, settled into her favorite wicker chaise lounge, and waited for Edward to arrive.