Monday, September 12 (cont’d.)
Slu-u-u-u-urp.
Mandy drained the last dregs of her goblet, then set it back on the table with an effervescent giggle.
“Wine really goes to my head,” she explained, pushing her empty dessert plate to the side and leaning back in her chair.
Edward tried to keep his smile from being patronizing. “It’s probably just the bubbles. This is sparkling cider.”
Mandy’s smile faded. “Cider?” she repeated.
He nodded and turned the bottle resting on the table so that she could see the label. “Alcohol free.”
“Oh.” She let out a feeble laugh, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. For the twentieth time in as many minutes, he thought of the night he met Bella. His first dinner with Mandy had been every bit as awkward, but lacking the verbal repartee and sexual tension that had intrigued him then. So far, tonight’s conversation had consisted of him asking his date politely boring questions about herself, to which she mumbled self-conscious one-word answers. This girl was even more cripplingly shy than Bella had been at first.
“You’re only eighteen,” he explained. “I can’t in good conscience give you any hard liquor. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of the legal ramifications if I did.”
“Legal ramifications?” she scoffed, the first honest exclamation she’d uttered this evening. “That’s funny.”
“How so?”
“Seriously?” she replied. “How is any of this legal?”
Edward bristled slightly, but made sure his congenial smile stayed intact. “Well, so far we’ve enjoyed a nice dinner and conversation. Last time I checked, that’s pretty standard - and perfectly legal - behavior for a date between two consenting adults.”
“But what about later?” she whispered, her cheeks coloring again before her eyes dropped to her lap, where she nervously twisted her hands.
“What about later?” he replied. He took a sip of cider, wishing it were the real thing. “What do you expect to happen here tonight, Mandy?”
Her face was fire engine red now. “Well, I thought . . . I mean, aren’t escorts basically . . . prostitutes?”
She looked him in the eye then, demanding clarification. He was tempted to tell her she’d hit the nail on the head, which was exactly why he wanted out.
Instead, he answered her question with another. “Is that what you came here for tonight? Sex?”
Her eyes fell to her lap once more. “I guess I thought that was part of the deal,” she said, her voice quivering.
“It can be,” he replied. Just not with me. “But if something of a sexual nature occurs, it’s not part of any agreement you’ve made with Renaissance Escorts. That would be illegal. And I’m sure neither of us wants to end up in jail.”
Her face collapsed in relief. “Right. I get it,” she said, unclasping her fingers and wiping her palms on her skirt. “Mum’s the word. Our date is like Vegas - what happens here, stays here.”
“Right,” he agreed, his smile growing tight-lipped. “Which brings us back to the original question: What do expect to happen here?”
Her relief faded, her brows furrowing. “I thought we just came to an understanding. Do I have to spell it out for you?”
“Well, in my experience, if you can’t talk about it, you probably aren’t ready to do it.”
She flinched and blinked several times. Her cheeks were still blotchy red, and her eyes were starting to match. He wasn’t sure if she was angry or humiliated, but either way, he figured he’d better say something quickly before she began to cry.
“Mandy, I’m not trying to pick on you or put you on the spot. I just want to understand why you would do this. Why you would hire someone like me.”
Her laugh was abrupt and incredulous. “Isn’t it obvious? How else would a girl like me ever get a guy like you?”
It was Edward’s turn for incredulity. This girl had more in common with Bella than he ever dreamed. “What do you even mean by that? How do you see the both of us?”
Her expression indicated that the answer should be evident. She slumped back in her chair, defeated. “Come on, Edward. Look at me. I’m a geek. A music nerd. My biggest accomplishment so far in life is that I made first chair violin in my high school orchestra, because it’s the only thing I’m good at. The only thing I love. And that’s fine with me, most of the time. I’m okay with being a nerd. I can accept my place in the archaic caste system known as high school.”
She sighed in frustration. “But just once, I wanted to know what it feels like to be with the hot guy, you know? To get the star quarterback of the football team instead of the acne-prone tuba player in marching band. Why are you laughing? It’s not funny.”
Edward shook his head, chuckling even harder at the irony of her misperceptions. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, I swear. I’m laughing because once I tell you who I really am, I’m pretty sure you’ll want your money back.”
# # # # # # # # # #
“Smile!”
Alice issued her singsong command while pointing Bella’s new smartphone camera at the group gathered around the bar table. Bella’s expression was bashful, Jasper appeared happy, Riley looked sleepy and Jessica was definitely grumpy. Dopey brought up the rear, Mike lunging in from behind the four of them, aping for the camera and pretending to roar in Bella’s ear like a ferocious pantomime lion.
“This is a good one,” Alice proclaimed, looking at the picture on the screen before flipping the camera so everyone else could see. They laughed and groaned in response, then turned back to the nearby dart board.
“This phone is awesome, Bella. Nice birthday present!” Alice commented as she studied the latest-and-greatest Android that Charlie had given Bella over the weekend.
“It was my mom’s idea, and my dad went in on it with her. I think they’re hoping I’ll send them more pictures and text messages with it. Mom hates that I’m never on Facebook.”
“Well, here. Let’s send her this one,” Alice suggested, fiddling with the device until she had the photo ready to send. Bella took the phone and found her mother’s contact information, then typed a quick message: Out with friends tonight for a pre-birthday celebration, using the new phone. Thanks again - love you. I promise I’ll call soon.
“That’s nice,” Alice said, her tone wistful as she watched Bella send the text. It made Bella realize how lucky she was to have two living parents who cared about what she was doing and who she was doing it with. Too bad she couldn’t actually reveal the half of it.
She turned to Alice and said, “Now all I need is a picture with you.” Alice’s face perked up when she handed the phone to Jasper and asked, “Will you do the honors?”
Alice threw her arm around Bella, beaming. Bella did the same while Jasper lined the girls up in the viewfinder.
“Perfect,” he pronounced. “Now say ‘whiskey.’”
“Whiske-e-y,” Alice gamely sang, while Bella laughed. Then they both blinked from the blinding rays of the flash when Jasper took their picture. Alice grabbed the phone to look, then exclaimed, “I love it!”
Bella had to admit it was a good photo, though she felt plain once more next to her perfectly made-up friend. She began to think she should’ve have gone to a little more effort to look the part of the festive birthday girl.
She was sure of it when Alice scrolled through Bella’s contacts until she found Edward, then began typing.
“What are you doing?” Bella demanded.
“Giving Edward a taste of what he’s missing,” she answered with a sly grin.
“No, don’t,” Bella protested, grabbing in vain for the phone while Alice held it out of reach. “He’s working.”
As soon as she offered that up as an excuse, she wondered what the hell she was saying. Was she really apologizing for interrupting his date with another girl? In what universe was that acceptable?
Not in Alice’s, if her expression was any indication. “That’s exactly why we should remind him what’s really important.” She finished typing, hit send, and then handed the phone back to Bella.
“What did you tell him?” She selected the sent messages and read the last one.
Missing you. Wish you were here.
“It’s the truth, isn’t it?” Alice asked. Bella nodded. “Trust me, he’ll be happy to see this, no matter what.” She cut herself off before elaborating further on what he might be doing at the moment. “Now we just need to figure out how to make you happy, at least while you’re stuck here tonight.”
“I am happy. I’m not stuck here. You guys are great.”
Alice laughed at Bella’s less-than-convincing reply. “So you don’t feel stuck in the middle of this warped little love triangle?” She waved her hand in the direction of the group playing darts. “Jessica mooning over Mike, while he drools over you and you try to avoid the saliva. . . Not exactly the recipe for a great birthday party.”
Bella winced. “It’s that obvious, huh? I feel like I’m stuck in high school 2.0.”
“You mean this was going on two years ago?” Jasper chimed in, picking the pitcher up from the table and emptying it into their glasses.
“Yep,” Bella replied with a weary nod. “The difference was, back then I didn’t realize how much Jess was crushing on Mike. I went to prom with him, and I’m starting to think she’s never forgiven me for it. I was hoping to kind of nudge them together tonight.” She studied the trio at the dart board. Jessica appeared to be playing the clumsy card now, tossing darts in every direction so that Mike would offer her the same personal assistance he’d given Bella. “Maybe it’s finally working.”
“As long as your attention is diverted,” Alice agreed. “Otherwise all bets are off.”
“Then we’ll just have to keep Bella busy,” Jasper announced, giving her a lopsided grin reminiscent of Edward’s. “So, how’s your pool game? Any better than darts?”
“Barely,” she replied with a laugh. “But I’ve already humiliated myself at the dart board, so why not go for broke?”
Jasper stood up and scanned the bar, spotting an empty billiards table halfway across the room. “If we go quietly, maybe they won’t notice we’ve left,” he suggested in a stage whisper.
Alice giggled while Bella shook her head and grinned. The girls grabbed their beers and followed Jasper across the bar without looking back.
# # # # # # # # # #
“You went to Juilliard?”
Mandy pronounced the word with an awe more appropriate for a UFO sighting or religious experience. Her thyroid eyes bulged toward him again, face agog with reverence and a little envy as Edward nodded.
“That’s my dream school,” she informed him. “I’ve already applied for next year, but I’m applying at a dozen other schools as back-up. Because, you know, it’s Juilliard,” she repeated, still stunned at Edward’s confession. She shook her head at him, clearly bewildered. “You got in, you graduated. So, why . . . how? How did you end up here?”
Edward’s smile was grim. How many times had he asked himself that same question in the beginning? Until he’d gotten tired of the answers and quit wondering. Quit caring.
“I won’t bore you with the details. Let’s just say that life throws you curveballs. Sometimes you don’t hit ’em out of the park. Sometimes you miss altogether and end up swinging at air. Then all of a sudden you’re on the bench, looking for a way to get back in the game.” He picked up his cider and took a sip, trying to avoid Mandy’s pitying stare. “Sorry about the baseball analogy. Guess I should have looked for a musical one instead.”
“That’s okay.” She was quiet once more, apparently more at a loss for words now than she was earlier. Edward didn’t resist the urge to fill the empty air.
“Anyway, now you know the truth. I’m about as far from the high school quarterback as you can get. I’m no Prince Charming. I’m a frustrated musician who’s paying the bills by whoring himself out to women. I know that’s not what you signed up for. You didn’t sign up for the ugly truth. You signed up for the fantasy. The pretense. And I used to be excellent at providing that - acting out someone else’s dreams for a night so I could forget my own.”
“What changed?” his date blurted. She appeared genuinely interested, like she wanted to understand.
But how could he explain what he didn’t completely understand himself? All he saw was Bella’s face in his mind. Flashes of the times he’d spent with her, the long journey they’d taken in such a brief amount of time. He saw her eyes - shrewd and perceptive, then passionate and loving; heard her words - brutal and honest, then warm and comforting; felt her body - rigid and cautious, then yielding and responsive.
It was her.
The change in him was Bella.
As he sought an answer to give his disillusioned date, he felt a strong vibration near his groin, and immediately thought of Bella’s hands on him, bringing him to life. He sighed and reached for the phone in his pocket. Normally he wouldn’t answer it during a date, but the jig was already up tonight.
“Sorry, I need to get this,” he apologized, checking his messages. When he saw the image of Bella giving him that cute little grin of hers, he couldn’t stop his own lips from matching it. She and Alice looked like they were having a good time. His smile turned bittersweet as he reread the message. He typed a quick reply:
I miss you, too. I can’t wait for tomorrow night. Happy Birthday, Bella.
He slid the phone back in his pocket, then turned his attention back to Mandy. Her confusion had been replaced by a knowing, bittersweet smile of her own.
“Well, I get it now,” she said.
“Get what?”
“What changed. It was that girl.”
“What girl?” He had kept the phone in his lap, hidden under the table. Mandy couldn’t possibly have seen the photo message from Bella.
“The girl who just texted you,” she said matter-of-factly, not falling for his evasiveness. “You obviously met someone who ended up being more than just a fantasy. Someone who could deal with the ugly truth,” she asserted. “Someone real.”
Edward stared, dumbfounded. How had this stranger, this high school girl, hit the nail on the head so precisely?
“That’s very astute of you, Mandy,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “Maybe you should apply some of that insight to your own life - look for someone real. That tuba player, for instance. Sounds like maybe you ought to give the guy a chance.”
She groaned a little and rolled her eyes. “I know. He’s all right. I mean, he’s always been really nice to me. He’s the only boy who’s ever wanted to kiss me. And it wasn’t awful, considering his braces. But those will be off in another month. And I think he must have ordered some of that acne stuff they advertise on TV all the time, ‘cause he’s been looking better. He’s come a long way in the past couple of years. You should have seen what a dork he was when he was a freshman.”
Edward chuckled. “Sounds like he’s still growing up. Trying to figure out how to get it right. So am I, for that matter. Guys are a little slow sometimes. You’ve got to bear with us until we catch up.”
“Well, you’re already light years ahead of the guys I know,” she answered with a snort. “I hope your girlfriend knows how lucky she is. Any girl who could get a smile like that out of you with just a text message . . . Well, I can only dream of doing that.”
That brought a genuine grin to his lips, though he knew it was nothing like the ones he reserved for Bella. “ I’ll bet that if your tuba player was ever lucky enough to get a picture and a text message from you, you’d see that smile you’re after.”
“Maybe.” Her cheeks flushed pink again, and she stared once more at her lap. She finally raised cautious eyes to his across the table. “So I suppose all of this means that nothing’s going to happen here tonight, huh?”
Edward’s half-grin was sympathetic. “I don’t think that’s what either of us really wants, is it?”
She couldn’t meet his questioning eyes. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice uncertain. “I really like you. More than I thought I would. Maybe it’s because I have a weakness for musicians. I wish I could hear you play. No, that would be bad. Then I’d like you even more, and you obviously don’t feel the same way about me.”
“I do like you,” he contradicted her. “But you’re right, my heart is with someone else. Don’t you want to wait for someone whose heart belongs to you?”
She stared at him for a second, then let out an abrupt laugh. “Do you know how corny that sounds? And yet somehow, you make it sound completely reasonable. Like, why would I want to have sex with someone I don’t love? When that’s what you’ve been doing for a living for years. When that’s what I paid you for tonight.”
Edward’s lip twitched at the irony. What if he had given Bella the same speech he’d just given Mandy? Maybe he should have. Maybe he should have refused her and sent her back to the likes of Mike or Jake. The thought made his skin crawl.
“I’m sorry. I told you you’d want your money back. And I’ll make sure you get every penny, no questions asked. I’m well aware I did not provide the services you expected.”
She frowned thoughtfully at the table before looking back up at him.
“No, it’s okay. I don’t need the money. This barely made a dent in my trust fund,” she said with a shrug. “I’m kind of glad it went down like this. I think if you had just put on a big, fake show for me, I would have felt awful afterward, no matter how hard you tried to fool me. I think I would have felt empty. Used. Even though technically I would have been the one using you.”
Edward nodded, relieved that she got it. That she didn’t want the charade, regardless of what lay beneath. He wondered how long he could do this dance, night after night. How long he could get away with it.
“There is one thing I’d like, though,” Mandy said, sounding shy once more.
Edward raised his eyebrows.
“Kiss me,” she said softly. “Just once.”
# # # # # # # # # #
“There you are!”
Mike sounded relieved as he approached the pool table. Behind him, Jessica appeared merely annoyed, while Riley was amiable, bordering on expressionless. Bella wondered if his pot use put him on such an even keel. If so, maybe she should consider partaking more often.
“Yeah, I gave up on the darts and thought I’d try my hand at pool. Jasper and Alice are giving me pointers.” She gestured to them with her pool cue, and they each jumped quickly out of the path of the swinging stick.
“Yeah? That’s great!” Mike answered with forced enthusiasm, smiling at the three of them. “So how’s the game going?”
“Oh, I’m losing big-time,” Bella said cheerfully. “But I haven’t put anyone’s eye out yet, and I only shot the cue ball off the table once. I even got a couple of solids in the pocket I was aiming at.”
Mike laughed and said, “Yeah, I remember the day we met in gym class, when you nailed me with that volleyball. I should have known better than to make you attempt a bar game that involves flying objects.”
Jessica snorted loudly behind him. “I guess some things never change, huh? When it comes to any activities involving balls, Bella doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing.”
Bella gaped at her former friend, not believing what had just come out of her mouth. Jessica’s joking tone didn’t fool Bella. She knew exactly what kind of balls Jess was referring to, and they weren’t the sporting variety. No one else seemed to pick up on the innuendo. Then again, no one else seemed to remember Bella’s drunken admission about the loss of her virginity, either, and Jessica hadn’t broadcasted the news. Yet.
“It’s no secret that I’m not very coordinated when it comes to sports,” she said, trying to keep the conversation on topic. “Which is why I’m about to head back to the dorm after this match.”
“What? No way. It’s too early,” Mike argued. “We have to sing Happy Birthday to you at midnight.”
“I know, but I have an early class tomorrow. I really can’t stay that late.”
“All right,” Mike said, sounding none to pleased. “Just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll walk you home.”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Alice interjected. “Jasper and I can give her a ride. I have a birthday present in the car that I need to give her, anyway.”
“Alice! I said no presents, remember?”
“Yeah - she hates presents,” Mike echoed. Bella couldn’t decide if he looked smug because he knew her better than anyone else in the room, or worried because he evidently hadn’t bought her anything. She was relieved he hadn’t.
“That’s ridiculous,” Alice said, dismissing them both. “It’s not a birthday without packages to open. Don’t worry, it’s nothing big,” she told Bella. “I think you’ll like it.”
Bella pursed her lips and shook her head, knowing when she was beaten. Seconds later she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she didn’t have to wonder who it belonged to.
“Listen, if you’re going to leave soon, can I talk to you for a minute?” Mike asked, steering her away from the pool table toward a secluded corner of the bar. “I need to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Bella watched Mike bite his lip and take a deep breath. She knew that she wasn’t going to like whatever he was about to say.
“So, on the walk over here earlier, you may have heard Jess and I talking about the big Greek party coming up.”
Bella shook her head, biting her own lip now.
“Well, there’s this All-Greek Cocktail Party in a couple of weeks at the Four Seasons. It’s kind of a semi-formal dance open to all the U-Dub fraternities and sororities. It’s held in one of the ballrooms, but tons of kids rent rooms in the hotel, too, so the party is basically everywhere and goes all night. I guess it’s a really huge deal. Tons of fun.” Mike cleared his throat while Bella waited for the bomb to drop. “So I was thinking that it would be even more fun if you came with me.”
He stopped and looked at her expectantly, almost fearfully. Her stomach churned.
“You mean, like a date?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, not formally. Just, you know, friends going to a party together.”
“You just said it was formal.”
“Semi-formal. Cocktails dresses and suits. Not, like, ball gowns and tuxes,” he assured her.
Bella glanced over at Jessica, who was sneaking looks at the two of them from over Riley’s shoulder while pretending to pay attention to what he was saying.
“I don’t know, Mike. This seems more like Jessica’s kind of party.”
“Jess?” He uttered her name as though the thought of asking her had never occurred to him. Bella wanted to smack him upside the head for being so obtuse.
“Yeah. You should ask her - I’ll bet she’d love to go with you.”
“I’m sure she’ll already be there. Knowing her, she probably has some hot date lined up. It’s open to everyone in the Greek system. That’s why I wanted to ask you, since you wouldn’t be able to go otherwise.”
“Well, that’s really thoughtful, but . . .”
“And the truth is, I know I’d have more fun with you,” Mike interrupted. He shot her a pleading look with those big, round, sky-colored eyes of his. “I’d rather take you. Please come.”
Bella sighed, hating that he put her in this position. She grasped at her last straw. “I’m seeing someone, remember?”
He nodded, though he apparently still refused to believe it. “So, it’s exclusive? Is that what you’re telling me? He’s your boyfriend now?”
There was that word again. It sounded like a mockery when Mike said it. Worse yet, it felt a little like a mockery right now, knowing that Edward was on a date with someone else.
“I told you that you and I are just friends,” she said, gently but firmly. “I meant it.”
Mike’s lips pressed into a thin line and he looked away for a moment, deliberating. He finally shifted his gaze back to hers and said, “Fine. Then come with me as a friend. No funny business, I promise. Just fun.”
“Mike.” She could no longer conceal her exasperation.
“Don’t say no yet. Say maybe. Just think about it, okay?” His baby blues begged hers again. “Please.”
“Geezus.” Bella just wanted this to be over, and return to the rest of the group. “All right. I’ll think about it.”
Mike looked inordinately grateful for the reprieve. He put his arm around her and said, “Thanks, Bells. I promise you, you won’t regret it.” He gave her a squeeze, then began guiding her back toward the pool table. As they neared their friends, he raised his voice and announced, “All right. Since the birthday girl insists on leaving early, she’s forcing me to do this now.”
He released her, cleared his throat, and began to bellow, “Happy Birthday to yo-o-o-u - everybody with me! - Happy Birthday to YO-O-OU!”
Bella groaned as the gang all joined in to finish the song, loudly and barely in tune, which culminated in applause and cheering from the entire bar by the end. Her face was burning as she took another quick bow so the clapping would die down.
Mike managed to get her to stay long enough to have a “birthday shot” of tequila with everyone before Alice intervened, reminding Bella about her early class. She made a good show of saying regretful good-byes before rushing out the door with Alice and Jasper.
“Thank you,” she said with a sigh of relief when the cool night air hit her face.
“De nada,” Alice replied as they headed down the sidewalk. “What are new friends for, if not to save you from the clutches of the old ones?”
Bella couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I’d say Jessica is definitely on my list of ex-friends now. And Mike is proving that ex-boyfriends aren’t good candidates for friends, either.”
“That Jessica is a piece of work,” Jasper commented. “If looks could kill, Alice and I would be taking you to the cemetery instead of the dorm right now.”
“Seriously!” Alice agreed with a shudder. “What was up with Mike cornering you, anyway? What did he say?”
“He wants me to go to some big party with him in a couple of weeks. Just as friends, of course,” she added with a smidge of sarcasm.
“Yeah, right,” Alice snorted. “’Friends,’ my ass. He hasn’t given up. Not by a long shot.”
Bella looked over in time to see Alice’s boyfriend nodding in agreement. If an unbiased source like Jasper saw it, then it must be true.
“I told him he should ask Jessica. But I’m beginning to think I wouldn’t wish her on anyone, least of all Mike.”
“I don’t know, I think they’re kind of perfect for each other,” Alice said, making a face and then giggling. “Besides, doesn’t he know your spoken for?”
“Yeah. He’s even met Edward, actually,” Bella told them. “But it’s kind of hard for me to make a good argument that I’m taken when he’s out with other girls most nights of the week.”
They all fell silent then. Bella knew there was really no argument to be made until Edward was truly free to be with her. She hated feeling in limbo, more now than ever. It seemed to get harder every day rather than easier.
“My car is over here,” Jasper said at last, pointing at a rough-looking Ford F150 that had seen better days.
“Nice!” Bella exclaimed as they approached. “Truck owners unite!”
“You drive a truck?” Jasper exclaimed in surprise.
“Yeah, a vintage Chevy. It looks like a tank. I love it,” Bella enthused.
“I’d like to see that,” he said with a grin.
“Well, just drop me off at the parking garage and you can take a look at it.”
“Sweet.” He unlocked the passenger door and let it fall open with a screech.
“That sounds familiar,” she said with a laugh.
“Bella, you get in back - your present is there so you can open it,” Alice urged.
Bella complied, scooting in next to two flat packages wrapped in tastefully filigreed paper and gauzy bows.
“These are too pretty to open,” she protested as she fingered the smaller of the boxes.
“Don’t be silly,” Alice said, perching on her knees in the front seat and leaning over the back to watch. “Let ‘er rip!”
Jasper twisted in the driver seat and poked his head over the back along with Alice’s while Bella carefully undid the ribbon. She then slowly peeled back the frosted tape at one end of the package. Alice groaned in frustration at her leisurely pace. Bella ignored her and gingerly pulled back the wrapping paper to reveal a set of high-end drawing pencils, graduating from hard to soft lead.
“Drawing pencils? Really?” Bella demanded, knowing that the nude models in her Life Drawing class were the inspiration for Alice’s gift choice.
“Yes, really,” Alice replied. “It’s not what you think - they’re not for your drawing class. I figure you already have all the art supplies you need for your porno pictures. These are for your own personal use. Open the other present - it’s a sketch book. Big enough for you to make nice sketches, but small enough to carry around with you. I thought you might want to work with a more agreeable subject than boner-guy in your art class.” She waggled a knowing eyebrow at Bella a couple of times.
Bella couldn’t help but smile as she carefully tore the wrapping off the sketch book. “These are great, Alice. Perfect, actually. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Alice finally turned her satisfied face around to the front of the truck as Jasper started the engine. Bella found the familiar metallic roar comforting. She wrapped her arms around her birthday gifts and thought of the subject she most wanted to capture.
Maybe tomorrow night she would get her chance.
# # # # # # # # #
Every muscle in Edward’s face felt frozen, molded into a congenial mask so that he wouldn’t grimace at the request.
Kiss me.
Kissing clients was always the thing he hated most. He’d often thought that whoever wrote the script for Pretty Woman had been on to something. The character of Kit had advised fellow hooker Vivian never to kiss anyone on the mouth, because it was “too personal.” And they were right.
Kissing was an activity in which there was nowhere to hide. Two pairs of windows to the soul met face to face, mere inches apart, revealing all or desperately trying to pull down the shades. Two pairs of lips perched precariously close, breathing each other’s breath, capable of delivering the sweetest caresses or the most vicious slings and arrows.
Kissing was dangerous.
Fucking was easier. Fucking didn’t have to be personal at all. Fucking allowed one to block any influence from one’s conscience or soul by simply giving in to hormonal imperatives instead. Fucking could be reduced to the mechanics of body parts meeting, creating friction, getting off, getting it over with. Getting out.
That’s what he’d done for over two years, with great success. He didn’t need to be reminded why those days were over. Mandy’s observations had driven the point home with startling clarity.
“Just pretend I’m her,” came her plaintive voice from across the table, cracking his mask of politeness. “Just for a minute.”
He let out a sigh and rose from his chair, walking to the other side of the table and offering her his hand. She looked up at him in surprise and took it, then stood up next to him. She was a big girl, taller and sturdier than Bella. But there was a certain sweetness to her round features, her bulbous hazel eyes gazing up at him, that made a smile come to his face. He reached out to touch her, grazing his fingers against one smooth, peach-colored cheek.
“I won’t insult you that way,” he said. “I’ll kiss you. No pretending.”
His face hiding nothing, he leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers.
She gasped in surprise. Too late, she tried to prolong the kiss, pursing her narrow pink lips against his as he pulled away. She let out a dejected sigh.
“That’s probably how you kiss your grandmother,” she grumbled.
He grinned and gave her cheek a gentle squeeze before he dropped his hand. “Definitely not. I don’t kiss my grandmother on the mouth.”
She snorted softly. “You’re a good guy, Edward. A shitty prostitute, but a good guy.”
He chortled at that. “I’ll take that assessment.”
She looked up at him with regretful eyes. “I do kind of wish I’d met you before the girl on the phone did. Because I think you would have been an amazing first time.”
He could only give her a half grin now. “Well, look at it this way: You still have your first time ahead of you, and no regrets about tonight.”
She nodded, though she didn’t look entirely convinced. She turned and picked her purse up off the nearby chair, evidently realizing that this date was now over. Edward followed her to the hotel door, holding it open for her. She stopped and gave him a pointed look.
“You know, you ought to give up this whole escorting thing. It’s really not fair.”
“I know. I’m sorry I disappointed you. I was serious about refunding your money; it’s no problem.”
“No, I didn’t mean me,” she clarified. “I meant, it’s not fair to your girlfriend.”
He stood stock-still for a moment, letting the door swing shut behind him as Mandy walked down the hall toward the elevators.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” he called after her, reaching for his phone. He selected the proper speed dial, then waited for the automated message to finish before speaking.
“Rosalie, it’s Edward. We need to talk.”
Friday, January 4, 2013
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Chapter 34
Sunday, September 11
“Keys. Wallet,” Edward mumbled under his breath, patting his jeans pockets to take inventory before heading to Charlotte’s place. He was just bolting down the stairs to the side landing when a knock sounded at that very door.
“Shit,” was his second mumble. He realized he’d forgotten to make a Very Important Call this morning. He was cringing when he opened the door, but his expression was lost on the talking grocery sack and twelve-pack of Heineken that greeted him.
“I got chips, I got salsa, I got pretzels and nuts,” Emmett’s voice boomed from behind the bag. “I also picked up one of those fancy deli trays with ten different kinds of dead livestock and their milk by-products. But most important of all - libations!” He hoisted up the beer for emphasis.
“Wow. Shit,” Edward repeated under his breath.
“Would you care to maybe help me with this?” Emmett grunted back, stepping into the doorway and shoving the twelve-pack at Edward.
“Sure, sorry,” he replied, grabbing the box out of one beefy paw and heading back up the stairs to the kitchen, Emmett on his heels. The pair set the feast on the island countertop and Emmett began to unpack the groceries.
“You ready for another virtual ass-whipping, Eddie?” he taunted. He knew Edward hated that nickname, which was exactly why he relished using it.
“Well, see, that’s the thing - I should have called you earlier. I really don’t have time for video games today.” His lips twisted into another sheepish cringe.
Emmett stopped unpacking and gave him an incredulous look. “Dude! It’s Black Ops Sunday. You cannot bail on me. I’ve been looking forward to this rematch all week.”
“I know. I’m really sorry. I kind of forgot about it, to be honest.”
“Forgot?” Emmett’s face registered complete incomprehension. “We’ve only been playing this game almost every weekend since I bought it for your birthday, which was how long ago?”
“Uh . . . three months?” Edward calculated, wincing slightly.
“Exactly. But you forgot I’d be over.” He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, waiting for an explanation.
“I know. I’m sorry, man. It’s just . . . I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. I can’t stick around this afternoon - I’ve got stuff I’ve got to take care of.”
“Stuff?” Emmett’s eyes were mere slivers of blue ice as he stared his friend down.
“Yeah,” Edward replied, having trouble meeting his gaze. “I have an appointment I can’t really get out of.”
Emmett’s chest heaved a quick snort of denial. “I checked your schedule before I came over. You don’t have any bookings today. And you don’t need me until tomorrow night, for that newbie - Mandy? I think that’s her name.”
“This isn’t work-related,” Edward countered.
Emmett’s brows raised as realization dawned. “Oh, I get it. It’s that girl, Bella, isn’t it? You’re seeing her on the side.” He chuckled and shook his head. “I figured that was it.”
“What do you mean? Figured what was it?”
“The complaints Rose has been getting,” Emmett informed him. “You didn’t think Lauren would be the only one, did you?”
Edward’s heart sank a little, and his shoulders followed. “Great,” he muttered. “Why hasn’t Rosalie said anything to me about it?”
Emmett shrugged. “She was waiting until I talked to you today. Once again, I get the unenviable job of being your go-between. I know you two aren’t exactly BFFs, but you really need to open the lines of communication a little bit. She is your boss. For now, anyway.”
“For now?” Edward repeated. “What, is she canning me already?”
“No. She doesn’t want to. But if you continue to . . . disappoint some of the customers the way you have been lately, you won’t leave her much choice.”
Edward’s lips pursed together as he nodded slowly. He knew it would come to this, but he’d been hoping he’d be able to buy more time than just a couple of weeks.
“Is that your strategy?” Emmett continued. “Playing the celibate card until requests for your services dwindle down to nothing?”
Edward shrugged one reluctant shoulder, knowing how shitty that must sound to the guy who’d gotten him the job in the first place. Emmett’s expression confirmed it.
“Look, man. If you want out, just be upfront about it. Don’t puss out and force Rose’s hand. Don’t you think you owe her a little better than that?”
Edward sighed under the weight of Emmett’s judgment and slumped onto one of the kitchen stools.
“I know, I suck. I’ll admit it - I was going to try to play both ends against the middle for awhile, hoping to put off the inevitable. I need the money, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep escorting. I can’t . . .” he stopped, trying to find the right words to explain. If he couldn’t articulate to Bella how he felt about her, how could he say the words to Emmett? “I just don’t have it in me anymore. Bullshitting woman after woman that I’m not interested in and then using them for sex.”
“I hate to break it to you, but they’re the ones using you, my friend,” Emmett interjected gently. “And paying handsomely for the privilege, as you’re well aware.”
Edward let out a wry laugh. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? I can’t be that guy anymore. That overpaid fantasy guy. Every night it gets harder for me to live the lie they demand, even for a few hours. I’m done with it - all of it. The problem is, I don’t have a back-up plan in place yet. But I might in a few weeks, if things go my way.”
“What things?” Emmett asked, hopping onto the stool opposite Edward and leaning his elbows on the granite countertop. “Talk to me, brother. What’s all this about?”
Edward hesitated, wondering if he could trust Emmett to keep his confidence, especially now that he’d moved in with Rosalie.
“A great opportunity kind of fell in my lap. A friend entered me in the Seattle International Piano Competition next month, and I’ve been rehearsing every day, trying to get my chops back so I can do well in this thing. It could be my ticket out of escorting, if I can impress the right people. That’s where I was headed now - to practice.”
Emmett nodded, studying his friend with thoughtful eyes. “That’s great news, man. That’s what you should be doing - putting that education of yours to work. I know that’s your dream, so you should definitely go for it.”
He stopped and shook his head, chuckling. “It’s the damnedest thing, though. When I first got you the job at Renaissance, I wasn’t sure you were cut out for the escort business. I didn’t think you’d last more than a couple of weeks, to be honest. Then you went and turned out to be one of Rose’s best guys. She still gets more requests for you than she can book. You’re pretty enough that the young ones aren’t threatened by you, but still manly enough that the older women don’t feel like they’re robbing the cradle. And you’re so fucking smooth, you charm every last one of them without even trying. It’s like you were made for this gig. But your heart was never in it, was it?”
The question was rhetorical, but Edward answered anyway. “Is anyone’s heart ever in it, in this business? I think the guys who don’t have a heart to begin with have the biggest advantage. The ones who do had better learn to keep it under lock and key, or they won’t last. As long as I kept it all in perspective and treated every date like the business transaction it was, I was fine. I never counted on anyone actually finding that damned key. I thought I had it well hidden.”
His eyes drifted from Emmett’s as he remembered sitting across the dinner table from Bella that first night, bound to her by a tension so thick that he knew something would have to give. He just never dreamed it would be him. He was so focused on breaking down her defenses that he didn’t realize how quickly she was demolishing his own. She’d zeroed in on his vulnerability like a heat-seeking missile, not stopping until she’d stripped away his carefully constructed façade.
Maybe Bella never even found the key to his heart. That would have implied a gentle and welcome admittance, not a forceful intrusion. Her victory was far more swift and decisive than that. She simply broke the lock, kicked the door down and grabbed the bloody organ in her bare hands. But that vessel had never pumped so powerfully, so eagerly, as it did under her possessive touch. Edward couldn’t begrudge her ownership. After all, his heart’s new master seemed to be doing a hell of a better job making him feel alive than he ever did.
Or maybe he embraced her possession because she didn’t lord her power over him or use his vulnerability against him. Instead, she opened her own door and offered herself in return. He recalled the thrill of utter triumph when she melted against him in the glow of the sunset coming through the hotel windows; when she lay naked and utterly exposed on the couch, looking up at him with a mixture of trepidation and trust.
She let the trust take over. Let braveness conquer fear.
Now it was his turn.
Emmett watched the battle taking place in his friend’s eyes. It wasn’t even a battle, really. He could see that Bella had already won. Or maybe Edward had - the real Edward. The one Emmett remembered from high school, two years his junior, a tangle of gangly limbs in gym class, but a graceful master behind the keyboard at school recitals. He’d done what he had to in order to survive. Now it was time for him to actually live.
“I know the feeling,” Emmett said. “It’s not like escorting was my dream job, either. But I never had a talent like yours. I had big NFL dreams when I was in high school, but I got my comeuppance pretty quickly in college. I lost my athletic scholarship after my first year - couldn’t keep my grades up. I came home to work at my dad’s construction firm with my tail between my legs.”
Edward stared at him in surprise. “You never told me any of that.”
Emmett’s smile was wry. “It’s not something I like to revisit. I’m sure you understand.” Edward nodded in commiseration while Emmett continued. “I’ll never forget the day Rose approached me. Some buddies and I had stopped at one of those highbrow cocktail bars near our construction site after work. We thought it would be fun to show up in our filthy dirty work clothes and mix it up with the suits. You know, show the white collars what real men look like.”
Emmett let out a booming laugh at the memory. “It worked like a charm. You should have seen the women swarming around us. But Rose was the one who caught my eye. And I definitely caught hers. I was pretty damned shocked when she told me what she really wanted from me, though. I never dreamed when I went in that place that I’d be recruited by a modern-day madam.”
He paused and reached for the twelve-pack of beer warming on the counter. “Mind if I have one of these? Maybe you should have one, too, for the road,” he suggested, tearing into the box and handing Edward a beer before opening his own.
“Sure,” Edward agreed, knowing he had a long afternoon ahead at Charlotte’s.
“Anyway,” Emmett continued after a couple of swigs, “I probably would have done anything Rose asked me to then. Jump through hoops, perform party tricks, dance around in a goddamned pink tutu - I didn’t care. It was all a game to me then. I just wanted to get her attention. Get that icy blonde ball buster to want me as much as I wanted her. I used to describe every date she sent me on in excruciating detail, just to get a rise out of her. I wanted to make her jealous in the worst way. It was so fucking high school,” he said with a rueful laugh.
“Yeah, but it worked,” Edward noted. “She couldn’t stand it. She used to ask me about you all the time when I first started. She wanted to know how I knew you, how we met. She interrogated me about you - she wanted to know everything. You were obviously the teacher’s pet.”
“Really? She used to grill you about me?” A satisfied grin captured Emmett’s face. “She never let on, of course. Cool as a cucumber on the surface, that one. But those are the ones who burn the hottest underneath. Once you crack that ice, you’re in for a hell of a ride.”
It was Emmett’s gaze that now drifted, burning bright with his own memories of the woman he loved. Edward had the feeling that his own story wasn’t so different. Maybe you’re never ready to meet the one who turns your world upside down and then gives it a violent shake or two for good measure. But if you’re smart, you figure out how to roll with it, and maybe give as good as you get.
“Well, Rosalie made it pretty obvious where she stood when she took you off the market,” Edward commented. “I laughed at first when she created that Enforcer position for you. But it’s actually not a bad idea, giving new clients a bit of assurance that they’re the ones in control, and nothing’s going to happen that they don’t want to happen. They don’t have to know you’d never lay a hand on me.” He grinned at Emmett before taking a few gulps of beer.
“But I would, if you ever touched a woman in any kind of way she didn’t like.”
“You know I’d never do that.”
“Right. But there are a couple of guys on our roster that I don’t entirely trust not to get carried away. I tag along for most of James and Felix’s dates. James is just a little weasel, but Felix . . . I don’t know what that guy’s capable of. I kind of think Rose should cut him loose.”
“The guy is huge, too. You don’t want to get into it with him.”
“I could take him,” Emmett scoffed. “I’ve taken down bigger men than him in my day.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. For his dates’ sakes,” Edward said with a small shudder.
“Damn straight. Guess I won’t have to worry about that with you, now that you’re refusing to let little Eddie come out to play.” Emmett’s grin soon faded. “Seriously, though, you need to have a talk with Rose. Just be straight with her like you were with me. She could surprise you and cut you some slack if she knows why you’re doing this. Otherwise, she might start to take it personally.”
Edward let out a heavy sigh. “Fine. You’re right, I do owe her that much. And you. Don’t think I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for me, because I do. I mean that.”
“I know you do,” Emmett said with his usual easy smile. “Believe me, I get why you can’t do it anymore. I couldn’t go back to escorting now. What was it that Paul Newman always said about his wife? Something like, ‘Why would I go out for hamburger when I have steak at home?’ That pretty much sums it up for me.”
Edward grinned at the analogy. “Words to live by.”
He and Emmett raised their beers in a silent toast to the women in their lives before draining the bottles dry.
# # # # # # # # # #
Monday, September 12
Hella-bo-Bella! Here’s the plan for pre-Bday festivities. Dirty John’s, 8 p.m. for pool, darts and the best hot wings in town, all within walking distance of the dorms. Riley and I will swing by your room to pick you up, then walk over to Jess’s sorority to get her. We’ll meet a few of-age Delt brothers at the bar for drinks and general merriment. C U then!
Bella re-read the text message she’d received from Mike over the weekend while she was in Forks, visiting her father. There was no getting out of it now. At least Alice and Jasper would be there so she wouldn’t have to worry about Mike and Jessica being the only people she knew. She still had hopes of playing match-maker for the latter, since she suspected Jess still had a thing for Mike after all these years.
She looked in the mirror once more, grabbing a brush and running it through her hair. She hadn’t gone out of her way to fix herself up, since Dirty John’s on a Monday night wasn’t exactly a fancy occasion. Besides, if she looked as plain as possible, maybe Mike’s interest in her would wane. Jess was much prettier, she thought as she regarded her pale, lightly freckled face in the mirror. Without make-up, Bella felt about as ordinary as they come.
So why did Edward look at her the way he did first thing in the morning, like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen? She knew better. She’d frowned at her pasty complexion and dark under-eye circles many a morning before a hot shower brought her to life. She was nothing like Edward, freakishly handsome in sleep, even when he frowned or snored or his mouth hung ajar. He looked better in his unconscious moments than most guys did when they’d made a conscious effort.
Well, not everyone could be like him. Most of us need some conscious effort, Bella thought to herself. She hoped the fact that she’d skipped it tonight would be enough to keep Mike at bay.
As if on cue, a cacophony of howling and fists banging on her dorm door signaled his arrival.
“Hella-bo-Bella!” came Mike’s muffled call. “It’s time for the birthday festivities to begin.”
Bella marched to the door and jerked it open. “You know I hate that nickname,” she reminded Mike’s grinning mug.
“Sorry, Bells,” he replied, resorting to one she could tolerate. “You ready to go?”
She liked that he looked a little uncertain as his eyes skimmed her baggy t-shirt, worn jeans and sneakers. Behind him, Riley stood grinning and waving, looking as casual as she did. She returned his easy smile, and wondered vaguely if he was already stoned.
“I’m ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied. “Just let me grab my bag.”
Moments later they were strolling through the quad toward sorority row, making small talk about school, parties and the weather. It was always a topic of conversation if they were able to walk freely around campus without the sky pissing rain upon them.
The three were still gratefully dry when they showed up at the Grab A Thigh Later house, which Bella came to realize was actually Gamma Phi Beta, after Mike had pronounced it a couple of times. She opted to stay outside with Riley while Mike went in to get Jessica. Bella was in no mood to be confronted with bubbly sorority types, whom she imagined would be made up to the nines on a Monday night just to sit around the house and study.
Jess did nothing to dispel her stereotypical notions when she appeared, bounding out on the landing in a fitted t-shirt and jeans that managed to look far more dressy than casual, as did her carefully curled hair.
“Hey, birthday girl! You ready to celebrate?” she exclaimed as she joined them, flashing her usual overly large, disingenuous smile. She barely waited for Bella’s response before turning to Mike and chattering away about some upcoming Greek party.
Bella was only too happy to lag behind with laid-back Riley, trying to ignore Mike’s apologetic glances over his shoulder as they all walked toward the bar.
“So, how’s your Beastie Boys t-shirt faring these days?” she asked. “Did that jungle juice finally come out?”
“Yeah, it’s looking fine. After a couple of washings, it’s almost good as new. Well, for a twenty-year-old shirt,” Riley added with a laugh.
“I still feel terrible about that,” she lamented. “I’ll be on the lookout for a replacement. There are a ton of thrift stores around here - you never know.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he insisted. “Just have a good time tonight. Mike tells me this is your last night as a teenager. That’s big.”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Bella fell silent for a moment. It was finally here - the big 2-0. She was about to officially enter adulthood. She’d been so anxious to grow up and leave her awkward youth behind that she’d taken some pretty crazy steps to rush the process. Still, she couldn’t regret them, because they’d led her to Edward. His words echoed in her head now, begging her not to hurry it along. I wish you could see how special you are right now, where you are. Who you are.
Why was he the only one who’d made her believe it?
She didn’t know, but she wished he were here right now to remind her.
# # # # # # # # # #
Slu-u-u-u-u-rp.
Edward cringed at the sounds emanating from his date as she sucked another spoonful of tomato bisque between her thin lips. She stared carefully down at her bowl, methodically blowing on each spoonful of hot broth before noisily inhaling it into her mouth. He wished he’d cranked up the sound system up a little louder so the ambient music would drown her out.
Mandy Cook was rather typical of his younger customers. A bit shy and insecure, a bit plain, a bit plump. He’d escorted many a girl like this to social functions requiring a date, his presence providing evidence that the girl in question was desirable enough to get one.
But this girl had requested a private date. When Edward had informed Rosalie that he wasn’t available Tuesday, she’d bumped his new client up a day. Apparently another regular had canceled on him. His boss said nothing about it, but Edward knew he would have to, and soon - especially after he insisted that Rose switch hotels for the date. He refused to entertain any more clients at Hotel 1000. Eventually he was going to have to explain why.
Slu-u-u-u-urp.
Edward forced a smile. “Are you enjoying the soup?”
Mandy gulped loudly and looked up, hazel eyes bulging in alarm. They protruded to the degree that he suspected she had a thyroid problem.
“Very much,” she replied, still looking slightly terrified. “How about you?”
“It’s delicious,” he agreed softly, reassuringly. “I think you’ll like the chicken parmesan here, too.”
She nodded, then bent over her bowl once more, a lock of wheat-colored hair falling over her forehead before she pushed it behind one ear. He’d quickly discerned that she was a simple girl with simple tastes. He feared that her reason for hiring him this evening would turn out to be just as elemental.
He tried not to make the obvious comparison, but he couldn’t help it. Though the girl was quite different from Bella on the surface, she was proving to be identical in one increasingly apparent way.
Could Mandy Cook really be the second virgin to hire him for sex in less than a month?
# # # # # # # # # #
Thwap!
Bella’s face fell at the sound of yet another of her darts missing the target entirely and bouncing harmlessly off the back wall of Dirty John’s. Apparently her lack of athleticism extended even to the game of darts. She was just glad she hadn’t nailed any of the bar patrons yet.
Mike, of course, was only too eager to help. For the third time in ten minutes, he positioned himself right behind her and closed a guiding hand over her arm. He instructed her once more in the art of setting her sights on the bull’s-eye, lining up the dart accordingly and hefting it so that it made the proper arc to hit its intended target. As soon as he stepped away, she tossed the tiny feathered arrow and watched it sail so high that it barely cleared the ceiling.
She heard Jess guffaw behind her while Mike and Riley assured her she’d get the hang of it. Then a fourth voice rang like a bell over the bar buzz, flooding her with relief.
“Go-o-o Bella!” cheered Alice Cullen, weaving her way through the crowd, Jasper right behind her. She applauded as she approached, but it was more good-natured than sarcastic. Bella took a deep bow in response.
“How do you like my mad darts skills?” she deadpanned.
Alice grabbed her up in a quick hug and spoke low in her ear. “Your aim was true when it came to my cousin. That’s all I care about.”
Bella flashed her first genuine smile of the evening.
“I’m so glad you could make it,” she said. “You too, Jasper.” She introduced them to the group, explaining that Alice was the cousin of her “friend,” Edward. She didn’t know what else to call him.
“Who’s Edward?” she heard Riley murmur to Mike.
“The creepy suit guy who took her home after the party that night,” Mike mumbled back.
Riley looked confused for a second before light dawned. “Oh, the guy she hurled on?” he said with a chortle.
Mike snickered and nodded, while Bella gave them both a sour look. She glanced at Alice to see if she’d heard, but she was busy talking to Jasper about what kind of beer to order. Apparently he was planning to provide the pitchers since he was twenty-one. Bella didn’t notice Jessica approach, and jumped when she spoke close to her ear.
“Edward Cullen? Isn’t that the name of the guy you said you hired to take your virginity?”
Bella’s spine stiffened in shock. “What are you talking about?”
“That story you told us all at the dorm party, about giving it up to a paid escort. I thought you were joking.” She arched one expectant eyebrow at Bella, clearly awaiting an explanation.
Bella’s heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach as the memory of her drunken slip came rushing back. She swallowed and scrambled for a response.
“Of course, I was joking,” she agreed, adding a laugh so phony that even the Queen of Fake, Jessica, was sure to pick up on it. “You saw how drunk I was. Whatever I said was just wishful thinking out loud. ‘Cause Alice’s cousin is, like, really good-looking,” she added lamely.
“Oh yeah? I didn’t get to meet him that night. Mike thought he was kind of a douche. But you know how guys are - he was probably just jealous,” Jess responded with a phony laugh of her own. “I figured you were kidding. I mean, who would actually do such a thing? Like, what kind of girl would pay a male hooker to pop her cherry?”
Jessica laughed again, but her eyes were mirthless as they branded Bella in unspoken condemnation.
Now they both knew exactly what kind of girl would do such a thing.
“Keys. Wallet,” Edward mumbled under his breath, patting his jeans pockets to take inventory before heading to Charlotte’s place. He was just bolting down the stairs to the side landing when a knock sounded at that very door.
“Shit,” was his second mumble. He realized he’d forgotten to make a Very Important Call this morning. He was cringing when he opened the door, but his expression was lost on the talking grocery sack and twelve-pack of Heineken that greeted him.
“I got chips, I got salsa, I got pretzels and nuts,” Emmett’s voice boomed from behind the bag. “I also picked up one of those fancy deli trays with ten different kinds of dead livestock and their milk by-products. But most important of all - libations!” He hoisted up the beer for emphasis.
“Wow. Shit,” Edward repeated under his breath.
“Would you care to maybe help me with this?” Emmett grunted back, stepping into the doorway and shoving the twelve-pack at Edward.
“Sure, sorry,” he replied, grabbing the box out of one beefy paw and heading back up the stairs to the kitchen, Emmett on his heels. The pair set the feast on the island countertop and Emmett began to unpack the groceries.
“You ready for another virtual ass-whipping, Eddie?” he taunted. He knew Edward hated that nickname, which was exactly why he relished using it.
“Well, see, that’s the thing - I should have called you earlier. I really don’t have time for video games today.” His lips twisted into another sheepish cringe.
Emmett stopped unpacking and gave him an incredulous look. “Dude! It’s Black Ops Sunday. You cannot bail on me. I’ve been looking forward to this rematch all week.”
“I know. I’m really sorry. I kind of forgot about it, to be honest.”
“Forgot?” Emmett’s face registered complete incomprehension. “We’ve only been playing this game almost every weekend since I bought it for your birthday, which was how long ago?”
“Uh . . . three months?” Edward calculated, wincing slightly.
“Exactly. But you forgot I’d be over.” He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, waiting for an explanation.
“I know. I’m sorry, man. It’s just . . . I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. I can’t stick around this afternoon - I’ve got stuff I’ve got to take care of.”
“Stuff?” Emmett’s eyes were mere slivers of blue ice as he stared his friend down.
“Yeah,” Edward replied, having trouble meeting his gaze. “I have an appointment I can’t really get out of.”
Emmett’s chest heaved a quick snort of denial. “I checked your schedule before I came over. You don’t have any bookings today. And you don’t need me until tomorrow night, for that newbie - Mandy? I think that’s her name.”
“This isn’t work-related,” Edward countered.
Emmett’s brows raised as realization dawned. “Oh, I get it. It’s that girl, Bella, isn’t it? You’re seeing her on the side.” He chuckled and shook his head. “I figured that was it.”
“What do you mean? Figured what was it?”
“The complaints Rose has been getting,” Emmett informed him. “You didn’t think Lauren would be the only one, did you?”
Edward’s heart sank a little, and his shoulders followed. “Great,” he muttered. “Why hasn’t Rosalie said anything to me about it?”
Emmett shrugged. “She was waiting until I talked to you today. Once again, I get the unenviable job of being your go-between. I know you two aren’t exactly BFFs, but you really need to open the lines of communication a little bit. She is your boss. For now, anyway.”
“For now?” Edward repeated. “What, is she canning me already?”
“No. She doesn’t want to. But if you continue to . . . disappoint some of the customers the way you have been lately, you won’t leave her much choice.”
Edward’s lips pursed together as he nodded slowly. He knew it would come to this, but he’d been hoping he’d be able to buy more time than just a couple of weeks.
“Is that your strategy?” Emmett continued. “Playing the celibate card until requests for your services dwindle down to nothing?”
Edward shrugged one reluctant shoulder, knowing how shitty that must sound to the guy who’d gotten him the job in the first place. Emmett’s expression confirmed it.
“Look, man. If you want out, just be upfront about it. Don’t puss out and force Rose’s hand. Don’t you think you owe her a little better than that?”
Edward sighed under the weight of Emmett’s judgment and slumped onto one of the kitchen stools.
“I know, I suck. I’ll admit it - I was going to try to play both ends against the middle for awhile, hoping to put off the inevitable. I need the money, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep escorting. I can’t . . .” he stopped, trying to find the right words to explain. If he couldn’t articulate to Bella how he felt about her, how could he say the words to Emmett? “I just don’t have it in me anymore. Bullshitting woman after woman that I’m not interested in and then using them for sex.”
“I hate to break it to you, but they’re the ones using you, my friend,” Emmett interjected gently. “And paying handsomely for the privilege, as you’re well aware.”
Edward let out a wry laugh. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? I can’t be that guy anymore. That overpaid fantasy guy. Every night it gets harder for me to live the lie they demand, even for a few hours. I’m done with it - all of it. The problem is, I don’t have a back-up plan in place yet. But I might in a few weeks, if things go my way.”
“What things?” Emmett asked, hopping onto the stool opposite Edward and leaning his elbows on the granite countertop. “Talk to me, brother. What’s all this about?”
Edward hesitated, wondering if he could trust Emmett to keep his confidence, especially now that he’d moved in with Rosalie.
“A great opportunity kind of fell in my lap. A friend entered me in the Seattle International Piano Competition next month, and I’ve been rehearsing every day, trying to get my chops back so I can do well in this thing. It could be my ticket out of escorting, if I can impress the right people. That’s where I was headed now - to practice.”
Emmett nodded, studying his friend with thoughtful eyes. “That’s great news, man. That’s what you should be doing - putting that education of yours to work. I know that’s your dream, so you should definitely go for it.”
He stopped and shook his head, chuckling. “It’s the damnedest thing, though. When I first got you the job at Renaissance, I wasn’t sure you were cut out for the escort business. I didn’t think you’d last more than a couple of weeks, to be honest. Then you went and turned out to be one of Rose’s best guys. She still gets more requests for you than she can book. You’re pretty enough that the young ones aren’t threatened by you, but still manly enough that the older women don’t feel like they’re robbing the cradle. And you’re so fucking smooth, you charm every last one of them without even trying. It’s like you were made for this gig. But your heart was never in it, was it?”
The question was rhetorical, but Edward answered anyway. “Is anyone’s heart ever in it, in this business? I think the guys who don’t have a heart to begin with have the biggest advantage. The ones who do had better learn to keep it under lock and key, or they won’t last. As long as I kept it all in perspective and treated every date like the business transaction it was, I was fine. I never counted on anyone actually finding that damned key. I thought I had it well hidden.”
His eyes drifted from Emmett’s as he remembered sitting across the dinner table from Bella that first night, bound to her by a tension so thick that he knew something would have to give. He just never dreamed it would be him. He was so focused on breaking down her defenses that he didn’t realize how quickly she was demolishing his own. She’d zeroed in on his vulnerability like a heat-seeking missile, not stopping until she’d stripped away his carefully constructed façade.
Maybe Bella never even found the key to his heart. That would have implied a gentle and welcome admittance, not a forceful intrusion. Her victory was far more swift and decisive than that. She simply broke the lock, kicked the door down and grabbed the bloody organ in her bare hands. But that vessel had never pumped so powerfully, so eagerly, as it did under her possessive touch. Edward couldn’t begrudge her ownership. After all, his heart’s new master seemed to be doing a hell of a better job making him feel alive than he ever did.
Or maybe he embraced her possession because she didn’t lord her power over him or use his vulnerability against him. Instead, she opened her own door and offered herself in return. He recalled the thrill of utter triumph when she melted against him in the glow of the sunset coming through the hotel windows; when she lay naked and utterly exposed on the couch, looking up at him with a mixture of trepidation and trust.
She let the trust take over. Let braveness conquer fear.
Now it was his turn.
Emmett watched the battle taking place in his friend’s eyes. It wasn’t even a battle, really. He could see that Bella had already won. Or maybe Edward had - the real Edward. The one Emmett remembered from high school, two years his junior, a tangle of gangly limbs in gym class, but a graceful master behind the keyboard at school recitals. He’d done what he had to in order to survive. Now it was time for him to actually live.
“I know the feeling,” Emmett said. “It’s not like escorting was my dream job, either. But I never had a talent like yours. I had big NFL dreams when I was in high school, but I got my comeuppance pretty quickly in college. I lost my athletic scholarship after my first year - couldn’t keep my grades up. I came home to work at my dad’s construction firm with my tail between my legs.”
Edward stared at him in surprise. “You never told me any of that.”
Emmett’s smile was wry. “It’s not something I like to revisit. I’m sure you understand.” Edward nodded in commiseration while Emmett continued. “I’ll never forget the day Rose approached me. Some buddies and I had stopped at one of those highbrow cocktail bars near our construction site after work. We thought it would be fun to show up in our filthy dirty work clothes and mix it up with the suits. You know, show the white collars what real men look like.”
Emmett let out a booming laugh at the memory. “It worked like a charm. You should have seen the women swarming around us. But Rose was the one who caught my eye. And I definitely caught hers. I was pretty damned shocked when she told me what she really wanted from me, though. I never dreamed when I went in that place that I’d be recruited by a modern-day madam.”
He paused and reached for the twelve-pack of beer warming on the counter. “Mind if I have one of these? Maybe you should have one, too, for the road,” he suggested, tearing into the box and handing Edward a beer before opening his own.
“Sure,” Edward agreed, knowing he had a long afternoon ahead at Charlotte’s.
“Anyway,” Emmett continued after a couple of swigs, “I probably would have done anything Rose asked me to then. Jump through hoops, perform party tricks, dance around in a goddamned pink tutu - I didn’t care. It was all a game to me then. I just wanted to get her attention. Get that icy blonde ball buster to want me as much as I wanted her. I used to describe every date she sent me on in excruciating detail, just to get a rise out of her. I wanted to make her jealous in the worst way. It was so fucking high school,” he said with a rueful laugh.
“Yeah, but it worked,” Edward noted. “She couldn’t stand it. She used to ask me about you all the time when I first started. She wanted to know how I knew you, how we met. She interrogated me about you - she wanted to know everything. You were obviously the teacher’s pet.”
“Really? She used to grill you about me?” A satisfied grin captured Emmett’s face. “She never let on, of course. Cool as a cucumber on the surface, that one. But those are the ones who burn the hottest underneath. Once you crack that ice, you’re in for a hell of a ride.”
It was Emmett’s gaze that now drifted, burning bright with his own memories of the woman he loved. Edward had the feeling that his own story wasn’t so different. Maybe you’re never ready to meet the one who turns your world upside down and then gives it a violent shake or two for good measure. But if you’re smart, you figure out how to roll with it, and maybe give as good as you get.
“Well, Rosalie made it pretty obvious where she stood when she took you off the market,” Edward commented. “I laughed at first when she created that Enforcer position for you. But it’s actually not a bad idea, giving new clients a bit of assurance that they’re the ones in control, and nothing’s going to happen that they don’t want to happen. They don’t have to know you’d never lay a hand on me.” He grinned at Emmett before taking a few gulps of beer.
“But I would, if you ever touched a woman in any kind of way she didn’t like.”
“You know I’d never do that.”
“Right. But there are a couple of guys on our roster that I don’t entirely trust not to get carried away. I tag along for most of James and Felix’s dates. James is just a little weasel, but Felix . . . I don’t know what that guy’s capable of. I kind of think Rose should cut him loose.”
“The guy is huge, too. You don’t want to get into it with him.”
“I could take him,” Emmett scoffed. “I’ve taken down bigger men than him in my day.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. For his dates’ sakes,” Edward said with a small shudder.
“Damn straight. Guess I won’t have to worry about that with you, now that you’re refusing to let little Eddie come out to play.” Emmett’s grin soon faded. “Seriously, though, you need to have a talk with Rose. Just be straight with her like you were with me. She could surprise you and cut you some slack if she knows why you’re doing this. Otherwise, she might start to take it personally.”
Edward let out a heavy sigh. “Fine. You’re right, I do owe her that much. And you. Don’t think I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for me, because I do. I mean that.”
“I know you do,” Emmett said with his usual easy smile. “Believe me, I get why you can’t do it anymore. I couldn’t go back to escorting now. What was it that Paul Newman always said about his wife? Something like, ‘Why would I go out for hamburger when I have steak at home?’ That pretty much sums it up for me.”
Edward grinned at the analogy. “Words to live by.”
He and Emmett raised their beers in a silent toast to the women in their lives before draining the bottles dry.
# # # # # # # # # #
Monday, September 12
Hella-bo-Bella! Here’s the plan for pre-Bday festivities. Dirty John’s, 8 p.m. for pool, darts and the best hot wings in town, all within walking distance of the dorms. Riley and I will swing by your room to pick you up, then walk over to Jess’s sorority to get her. We’ll meet a few of-age Delt brothers at the bar for drinks and general merriment. C U then!
Bella re-read the text message she’d received from Mike over the weekend while she was in Forks, visiting her father. There was no getting out of it now. At least Alice and Jasper would be there so she wouldn’t have to worry about Mike and Jessica being the only people she knew. She still had hopes of playing match-maker for the latter, since she suspected Jess still had a thing for Mike after all these years.
She looked in the mirror once more, grabbing a brush and running it through her hair. She hadn’t gone out of her way to fix herself up, since Dirty John’s on a Monday night wasn’t exactly a fancy occasion. Besides, if she looked as plain as possible, maybe Mike’s interest in her would wane. Jess was much prettier, she thought as she regarded her pale, lightly freckled face in the mirror. Without make-up, Bella felt about as ordinary as they come.
So why did Edward look at her the way he did first thing in the morning, like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen? She knew better. She’d frowned at her pasty complexion and dark under-eye circles many a morning before a hot shower brought her to life. She was nothing like Edward, freakishly handsome in sleep, even when he frowned or snored or his mouth hung ajar. He looked better in his unconscious moments than most guys did when they’d made a conscious effort.
Well, not everyone could be like him. Most of us need some conscious effort, Bella thought to herself. She hoped the fact that she’d skipped it tonight would be enough to keep Mike at bay.
As if on cue, a cacophony of howling and fists banging on her dorm door signaled his arrival.
“Hella-bo-Bella!” came Mike’s muffled call. “It’s time for the birthday festivities to begin.”
Bella marched to the door and jerked it open. “You know I hate that nickname,” she reminded Mike’s grinning mug.
“Sorry, Bells,” he replied, resorting to one she could tolerate. “You ready to go?”
She liked that he looked a little uncertain as his eyes skimmed her baggy t-shirt, worn jeans and sneakers. Behind him, Riley stood grinning and waving, looking as casual as she did. She returned his easy smile, and wondered vaguely if he was already stoned.
“I’m ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied. “Just let me grab my bag.”
Moments later they were strolling through the quad toward sorority row, making small talk about school, parties and the weather. It was always a topic of conversation if they were able to walk freely around campus without the sky pissing rain upon them.
The three were still gratefully dry when they showed up at the Grab A Thigh Later house, which Bella came to realize was actually Gamma Phi Beta, after Mike had pronounced it a couple of times. She opted to stay outside with Riley while Mike went in to get Jessica. Bella was in no mood to be confronted with bubbly sorority types, whom she imagined would be made up to the nines on a Monday night just to sit around the house and study.
Jess did nothing to dispel her stereotypical notions when she appeared, bounding out on the landing in a fitted t-shirt and jeans that managed to look far more dressy than casual, as did her carefully curled hair.
“Hey, birthday girl! You ready to celebrate?” she exclaimed as she joined them, flashing her usual overly large, disingenuous smile. She barely waited for Bella’s response before turning to Mike and chattering away about some upcoming Greek party.
Bella was only too happy to lag behind with laid-back Riley, trying to ignore Mike’s apologetic glances over his shoulder as they all walked toward the bar.
“So, how’s your Beastie Boys t-shirt faring these days?” she asked. “Did that jungle juice finally come out?”
“Yeah, it’s looking fine. After a couple of washings, it’s almost good as new. Well, for a twenty-year-old shirt,” Riley added with a laugh.
“I still feel terrible about that,” she lamented. “I’ll be on the lookout for a replacement. There are a ton of thrift stores around here - you never know.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he insisted. “Just have a good time tonight. Mike tells me this is your last night as a teenager. That’s big.”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Bella fell silent for a moment. It was finally here - the big 2-0. She was about to officially enter adulthood. She’d been so anxious to grow up and leave her awkward youth behind that she’d taken some pretty crazy steps to rush the process. Still, she couldn’t regret them, because they’d led her to Edward. His words echoed in her head now, begging her not to hurry it along. I wish you could see how special you are right now, where you are. Who you are.
Why was he the only one who’d made her believe it?
She didn’t know, but she wished he were here right now to remind her.
# # # # # # # # # #
Slu-u-u-u-u-rp.
Edward cringed at the sounds emanating from his date as she sucked another spoonful of tomato bisque between her thin lips. She stared carefully down at her bowl, methodically blowing on each spoonful of hot broth before noisily inhaling it into her mouth. He wished he’d cranked up the sound system up a little louder so the ambient music would drown her out.
Mandy Cook was rather typical of his younger customers. A bit shy and insecure, a bit plain, a bit plump. He’d escorted many a girl like this to social functions requiring a date, his presence providing evidence that the girl in question was desirable enough to get one.
But this girl had requested a private date. When Edward had informed Rosalie that he wasn’t available Tuesday, she’d bumped his new client up a day. Apparently another regular had canceled on him. His boss said nothing about it, but Edward knew he would have to, and soon - especially after he insisted that Rose switch hotels for the date. He refused to entertain any more clients at Hotel 1000. Eventually he was going to have to explain why.
Slu-u-u-u-urp.
Edward forced a smile. “Are you enjoying the soup?”
Mandy gulped loudly and looked up, hazel eyes bulging in alarm. They protruded to the degree that he suspected she had a thyroid problem.
“Very much,” she replied, still looking slightly terrified. “How about you?”
“It’s delicious,” he agreed softly, reassuringly. “I think you’ll like the chicken parmesan here, too.”
She nodded, then bent over her bowl once more, a lock of wheat-colored hair falling over her forehead before she pushed it behind one ear. He’d quickly discerned that she was a simple girl with simple tastes. He feared that her reason for hiring him this evening would turn out to be just as elemental.
He tried not to make the obvious comparison, but he couldn’t help it. Though the girl was quite different from Bella on the surface, she was proving to be identical in one increasingly apparent way.
Could Mandy Cook really be the second virgin to hire him for sex in less than a month?
# # # # # # # # # #
Thwap!
Bella’s face fell at the sound of yet another of her darts missing the target entirely and bouncing harmlessly off the back wall of Dirty John’s. Apparently her lack of athleticism extended even to the game of darts. She was just glad she hadn’t nailed any of the bar patrons yet.
Mike, of course, was only too eager to help. For the third time in ten minutes, he positioned himself right behind her and closed a guiding hand over her arm. He instructed her once more in the art of setting her sights on the bull’s-eye, lining up the dart accordingly and hefting it so that it made the proper arc to hit its intended target. As soon as he stepped away, she tossed the tiny feathered arrow and watched it sail so high that it barely cleared the ceiling.
She heard Jess guffaw behind her while Mike and Riley assured her she’d get the hang of it. Then a fourth voice rang like a bell over the bar buzz, flooding her with relief.
“Go-o-o Bella!” cheered Alice Cullen, weaving her way through the crowd, Jasper right behind her. She applauded as she approached, but it was more good-natured than sarcastic. Bella took a deep bow in response.
“How do you like my mad darts skills?” she deadpanned.
Alice grabbed her up in a quick hug and spoke low in her ear. “Your aim was true when it came to my cousin. That’s all I care about.”
Bella flashed her first genuine smile of the evening.
“I’m so glad you could make it,” she said. “You too, Jasper.” She introduced them to the group, explaining that Alice was the cousin of her “friend,” Edward. She didn’t know what else to call him.
“Who’s Edward?” she heard Riley murmur to Mike.
“The creepy suit guy who took her home after the party that night,” Mike mumbled back.
Riley looked confused for a second before light dawned. “Oh, the guy she hurled on?” he said with a chortle.
Mike snickered and nodded, while Bella gave them both a sour look. She glanced at Alice to see if she’d heard, but she was busy talking to Jasper about what kind of beer to order. Apparently he was planning to provide the pitchers since he was twenty-one. Bella didn’t notice Jessica approach, and jumped when she spoke close to her ear.
“Edward Cullen? Isn’t that the name of the guy you said you hired to take your virginity?”
Bella’s spine stiffened in shock. “What are you talking about?”
“That story you told us all at the dorm party, about giving it up to a paid escort. I thought you were joking.” She arched one expectant eyebrow at Bella, clearly awaiting an explanation.
Bella’s heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach as the memory of her drunken slip came rushing back. She swallowed and scrambled for a response.
“Of course, I was joking,” she agreed, adding a laugh so phony that even the Queen of Fake, Jessica, was sure to pick up on it. “You saw how drunk I was. Whatever I said was just wishful thinking out loud. ‘Cause Alice’s cousin is, like, really good-looking,” she added lamely.
“Oh yeah? I didn’t get to meet him that night. Mike thought he was kind of a douche. But you know how guys are - he was probably just jealous,” Jess responded with a phony laugh of her own. “I figured you were kidding. I mean, who would actually do such a thing? Like, what kind of girl would pay a male hooker to pop her cherry?”
Jessica laughed again, but her eyes were mirthless as they branded Bella in unspoken condemnation.
Now they both knew exactly what kind of girl would do such a thing.
Monday, November 5, 2012
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 13th 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.
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 13th 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.
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