Some time later, I blearily opened my eyes and glanced around, unsure of what had woken me at first. But then I felt and heard Edward shifting restlessly behind me, and I instantly knew something was wrong.
"No… don't……" he mumbled, his breathing fast and shallow. Concerned, I rolled over and sat up so I could get a better look at his face, then bit down hard on my bottom lip when I took in his tortured expression and the way his body was curling up defensively, as if bracing itself for an attack.
"Edward," I called softly. "Edward, wake up."
"Bel….. please….." he muttered as his hands clenched into fists. I swallowed hard, trying not to panic, then leaned down and gently pushed some of his hair back from his sweat-dampened forehead.
"Edward, I-"
From out of nowhere, I felt something hard collide with my face, and let out a stunned cry of pain as the force of the impact sent me toppling over and almost off the bed. I shot one hand out to stop myself from falling, then brought the other up to my stinging face, unable to stop the tears that had welled in my eyes from spilling over.
"B-Bella?" Edward gasped, and I felt the bed shift behind me as I slowly tried to push myself upright again, groaning softly when pain started radiating through my ribcage.
"Oh, my God." Edward sounded panicked, his shock at what he'd just done palpable.
"I-it's okay," I choked out, then winced when I tasted the unmistakable metallic tang of blood in my mouth. I knew I'd probably bitten down on the inside of my cheek or something by accident when he'd elbowed me, so I wasn't worried about him having caused me major harm - it was his mental state that concerned me.
"Are you alr-right?" I asked as tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "You were having a nightmare, and I-"
"Bella…" He sounded heartbroken for some reason, so I reached back with my free hand and gently wrapped my fingers around his.
"I'm okay," I lied, then let go of his hand and started to stand. "It's okay. I'm just going to… go."
Not wanting to risk letting him see how much he'd hurt me, I hurriedly limped over to the bathroom, keeping my head ducked down just in case he tried following me, then quickly shut the door and locked it behind me before pressing my forehead against the cool wood and closing my eyes.
How could I be so stupid?
I bit down on my lip to stifle a sob as I brought my hand up to cup my cheek, then slowly opened my eyes again and inhaled a shuddering breath before limping over to the sink and gazing at myself in the mirror.
I stared at my reflection blankly for a few moments, letting myself experience the pain for once, letting the slow burn of it spread through my cheek and mouth, using it to remind myself of how much of an idiot I'd just been. Jerking somebody awake from a nightmare was never a good idea at the best of times, but to do it to an experienced agent who was trained to fight first and ask questions later was just plain stupid. Jesus, how could I not have remembered that?
I slammed my hands down against the sink in anger, pissed off at myself for making yet another rookie mistake. What was it about Edward that kept making me slip up? I knew better than this, knew better than to let my emotions over-rule my head this way, but for some reason, whenever Edward was involved, all that training went out the window.
I was treading in dangerous territory now, and this injury was just the jolt I needed to remind myself of that.
I shook my head, then looked up at my reflection again, taking in the tears that continued to roll down my flushed cheeks, the way my hair had fallen from its bun whilst I was sleeping and now hung limply round my face, making myself look more vulnerable than ever before. This wasn't me. The way I'd acted yesterday was inexcusable – I'd let what had happened that morning affect the way I did my job, and that was something I couldn't afford to do. Edward had been right – I was going to get us both killed.
But, deep down, I knew that telling myself all this wasn't going to help. I couldn't just switch off and try and distance myself from him – it was impossible now, and I didn't want to. I'd just have to channel the clusterfuck of emotions he evoked from me into something productive, use them to make the fake relationship more believable whilst separating myself from it on a personal, business level. I doubted it would work, but I had to try, at least until I'd figured out what the hell was going on with both me and Edward.
Shit. Edward!
I glanced at the door worriedly, then quickly splashed my face with some cold water to wake myself up a bit more before patting it dry with a towel from the nearby rail and slowly walking back towards the bedroom, wanting to put Edward out of his misery as quickly as possible.
As I approached the door, I quickly pulled the hair tie from my hair, letting it fall down to shield my face from Edward. I curved my shoulders inwards a bit and cast my eyes down, then unlocked the door before slowly pulling it open and stepping out into the bedroom.
I glanced up nervously, and swallowed hard when I saw Edward roughly running his hands through his hair and muttering to himself. I took a step forwards, trying not to startle him, and he froze for a moment before jerking his head up in shock, his worried, tired eyes finding mine instantly.
"Bella," he breathed, his eyes widening as he took a few hesitant steps towards me. I put my hand out against his stomach to stop him from moving any closer, then looked up into his eyes and gave him a small smile before sliding my hand up to his chest, letting it come to rest over his pounding heart.
"I'm okay," I said softly, then leaned up to gently press my lips to his in silent reassurance before moving back and slowly walking past him, heading straight for the bed and the bottle of pills that lay on the table beside it. I heard him sigh softly, then watched as he walked into the bathroom, his head bowed with shame as he pushed the door shut behind him.
I tugged on my bottom lip with my teeth, conflicted about whether or not I should go to him, but quickly pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the bottle of pills that was now in my hand. I unscrewed the cap and poured out just one of the tablets this time, then dry swallowed it before putting the bottle back on the table and climbing into bed.
I curled up on my side, facing the wall just like he had, but stretched my good leg out behind me so he knew that this wasn't a rejection or sign of fear – it was simply me trying to give him the control over how close we would be when he came back.
Since I wasn't entirely sure when Edward would be returning, I tried to calm myself as much as possible, choosing to close my eyes and let the pill take effect without resistance. I had no long I laid there for, but a long while later, when I was just starting to drift to sleep, I heard the bathroom door open followed by Edward's hesitant footsteps as he approached the bed.
He silently climbed into the bed and pulled the duvet up over himself, then inhaled sharply when his leg brushed against mine, my message coming across loud and clear.
"God, Bella," he whispered as he rolled onto his side and spooned behind me, echoing what I'd done to him earlier that evening. I pushed back against him, welcoming his warmth without hesitation, then sighed when he slipped his arm around me and buried his face in my neck. His body was trembling slightly as he breathed me in, and I had to consciously remind myself not to tense when his hand slowly slipped up my stomach and to my ribs. A small part of me expected him to hurt me again, but I knew he wouldn't, not intentionally anyway.
He sighed softly when his fingers brushed against my bruise, then pressed his lips against my neck as he gently started to stroke the purple skin across my ribs, almost as if he was trying to erase it with his touch. I swallowed hard, trying to remain as still as possible while he touched me, but couldn't help but exhale an unsteady breath when he slipped one of his legs between mine and pulled me tighter back against him.
"I'm so sorry," he breathed, and I knew in that moment he was apologizing for more than just the accidental elbow. "Bella, I'm so fucking sorry."
No longer able to hold back, I slowly rolled over to face him and reached out to gently run my fingers down the side of his face as I whispered, "I know."
He looked pained, like he wanted to say something more but couldn't, but there was something else hidden away in his eyes as well, a deeper inner torture that I was only just beginning to realize was there.
"What did they do to you?" I asked him softly, incredulous. I saw shock and fear flash behind his eyes at my words, but he quickly blinked them away, a careful blankness taking their place instead.
"Nothing I didn't deserve," he replied, and I could see in his eyes that he truly believed that.
"Edward, I-"
"Shhhh," he breathed, gently pressing his fingers against my lips to silence me. I let my eyes flutter shut, then nodded in resignation, knowing I wasn't going to get anymore out of him for now. He smiled sadly, and we gazed at each other for a few moments, my fingers still resting against his cheek.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Bella," he murmured softly, still holding my gaze. "I'd never intentionally do something like that, I just-"
"Shhhh," I sighed, repeating his silencing tactic. Edward smiled and nodded, just like I had done, and I couldn't help but give him a small smile back before shifting closer and sliding my arms around his waist. He froze for a moment in shock, then slowly wrapped his arm round me as I rolled him onto his back and rested my head against his chest, trying to let him know that I wasn't afraid of him and that I understood why he'd reacted the way he did.
"I love you, Bella."
I lifted my head from his chest, gazing up into his eyes, then smiled and pushed myself up so I could gently kiss him before murmuring a soft, "I love you too, Edward."
He let out a shaky breath, his gaze becoming intense, then slowly leaned in to press his lips against mine in a slow, deep kiss. His hands pulled me up against him, our legs entwining as we both inhaled and let our lips part, and I couldn't help but moan softly when one of his hands slipped down to my thigh and hitched it up to his hip as our kiss grew deeper and more meaningful.
I arched my hips against him, desperate to get closer, then slid my hand up into his hair as his lips suddenly moved more urgently against mine, like he was trying to communicate something I couldn't understand. I poured every ounce of passion that I could into the kiss, knowing it couldn't and wouldn't last much longer, then whimpered as our lips finally broke apart and rested my forehead against his, my breathing completely unsteady now.
Once I'd collected myself again, I slowly opened my eyes and smiled when his gaze met mine. He smiled back, the pain I'd seen in his eyes before completely eradicated, then gently began trailing his fingers up and down my thigh as I settled back down with my head on his chest and my ear directly over his heart.
"Goodnight, Bella."
I smiled. "Goodnight, Edward."
Several hours later, I awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the door, and groaned softly before burying my face deeper into my pillow.
"Edward, can you get that?" I mumbled as the knocking continued. When I was greeted with silence, I rolled over in confusion and felt my stomach drop when I realized he wasn't there.
"Bella? It's Di. Can I come in?"
"J-just a second!" I called in the direction of the door, hurriedly wiping the sleep from my eyes as I slowly shifted to the edge of the bed, clutching my suddenly aching ribcage. I glanced around for something to cover myself with, then grimaced when I realized both Edward and I had slept naked last night and our clothes were in the bathroom.
"Um, sorry, Di, just let me grab some clothes," I shouted apologetically as I limped over to the bags that still rested against the wall beside the wardrobe.
"That's alright, Bella. Once you're dressed, you can get back into bed if you'd like – Edward's given me the key this time," she replied, easing my panic somewhat. If she'd seen Edward this morning, then she'd know where he currently was and hopefully be able to tell me what sort of mood he was in. I hoped that after what had happened earlier this morning, he would be a little less angry with me and maybe even apologetic – if he were to act remorseful for the cameras, then I could react more like the forgiving girlfriend I was meant to be, and maybe that would give us the chance to patch things up between us.
Not particularly caring about what I picked out, I chose the first underwear set I saw and randomly selected a dress from the selection Vicky had given me the day before. I hurriedly pulled them on, taking care to act more in pain and be more careful than before, then limped back over to the bed and sat down before calling out for Didyme to come in.
As I awkwardly tried to arrange the pillows so I could sit back against them more comfortably, I heard the key swipe through the reader beside the door, and I couldn't help but swallow nervously as I pulled the sheets up around me to cover my legs.
"Sorry to wake you up," Didyme said softly as she stepped through the doorway and locked the door behind her. "Edward asked me to check on you at 1, and I know I'm a little early, but-"
"Edward asked you to come?" I asked, surprised.
"Yeah, he's… concerned about you. He said you've been trying to hide your pain from him, and you know how he gets about that sort of thing, so…" she trailed off as she walked towards the bed and sat down the edge of it near my feet, setting her bag down beside her as she did so.
"He noticed that, huh?" I sighed, trying to appear disheartened. "It's not that bad, I promise. Not since I took some pills, anyway. It's just… I don't want him to feel guilty, you know? I don't want him to think I regret coming here because of the pain I'm in, because I don't. I love him, Di. Being without him for so long hurt worse than any physical pain I could ever experience, and I… I just don't want him to ever doubt that, I guess."
Didyme smiled in understanding, then murmured, "I'm sure he knows that already, Bella – it's written all over your face whenever you mention him."
I blushed, looking down at my hands, which were now fiddling with the edge of the sheet to keep myself occupied.
"Listen, um… Edward said that something happened between you this morning, and said that maybe you…" she trailed off, glancing up at my cheek. I brought one of my hands to touch it instinctively, then winced when I pressed down too hard. Obviously, he'd accidentally bruised me.
"I'm okay, Didyme, honestly," I assured her quickly. "I'm just worried about Edward."
She frowned, obviously confused.
"He, uh…" I gestured to my face, swallowing audibly. "He did that by accident when I woke him up?" Damn it, why was everything sounding like a question all of a sudden? Didyme's eyes widened, and a look of understanding came across her face. "He was having a nightmare or something, so um… I tried to wake him up, and he just... reacted, I guess."
"Did he have one the first night you came here?" she asked. I shook my head.
"Not that I know of."
"Did he appear to have trouble sleeping?" She had a very serious expression on her face now, genuine concern practically seeping from her.
"I'm not sure, really," I told her honestly. "I was out like a light that first night, but, um… he was definitely awake before 4am, because he woke me up and said I was getting restless."
Didyme nodded, looking sad.
"Is he…" I hesitated, biting down on my bottom lip again. Would this be overstepping the line? "Is he okay, Didyme?" She glanced up into my eyes, and I swallowed hard before continuing, "I mean, the nightmare seemed really bad and… If he's not sleeping right…"
"Bella," Didyme began, looking conflicted. "I can't say much about this to you – it's not my place – but, uh… Edward gets like this from time to time – I'm sure he'll explain things to you when he's ready. I usually give him some tablets to help him sleep better, but since he never mentioned this to me… Damn it, why didn't I notice before?"
Then the lightbulb went on in my head. The empty bottle in the bathroom drawer.
"He's good at hiding things," I said truthfully, wanting to ease her guilt. "He probably thought he could handle it by himself or something."
Didyme hummed noncommittally, seeming to be deep in thought all of a sudden.
"Didyme, um…" She looked up, coming out of her reverie. "Did Edward say where he went this morning? I mean, I know it's probably none of my business, but um… I kinda thought that maybe he'd… I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid," I sighed. Maybe he got called away suddenly and didn't have the heart to wake me up or something… Then again, he may have scarpered the moment the opportunity arose…
"Bella, Edward got called away again by Aro for a quick meeting about today's arrangements," Didyme explained, her tone soft. "He seemed a little pissed to be dragged away from you so early, to be honest – he was very reluctant to leave."
"What are today's arrangements?" I asked, confused, then quickly did a double take. "Um, I mean, I know you probably can't tell me because it's none of my-"
"Oh, Bella." Didyme laughed, shaking her head. "Not everything here is top secret, you know. Today's just one of the weekly dinner party type things involving most of the people here. It gives everyone an opportunity to touch base and just relax for a few hours."
"Oh, okay," I murmured, frowning. Edward hadn't told me that. Then again, he hadn't exactly told me much at all about anything or anyone as of yet.
"Don't look so down," Didyme chided, smiling. "You'll be invited too – all the wives and girlfriends get to come along, so you'll finally get to meet some new people."
I nodded, giving her a small, nervous smile back. "Is it, like, a formal thing or can I just wear normal stuff?"
"It's semi-formal," she replied, "but most of the women are expected to, um… look their best. Some of the men are very… They like to show off what they've got, so to speak."
Ugh.
"Is Edward one of those men?" I asked worriedly. Didyme smiled.
"I don't know. He's never had a woman accompany him to one of these before."
I blushed and looked down at my hands again. Why did her saying that make me feel so damn good?
"Shit!" I hissed suddenly, making my eyes widen as I looked up at Didyme. "What am I going to wear?! Oh, my God, and my face!" I groaned, bringing my hand up to touch my cheek. "Di, is my cheek bruised? Does it show? Oh, my God, they can't see me like this!"
I pushed the sheets off me and grimaced as I sat up, holding my ribs, and started to get up off the bed, my panic both genuine and false at the same time. If Edward saw the bruise, he'd freak out, but if I covered it up too well, The Volturi would wonder how I was so good at hiding bruises… And the dress… most of the dresses Vicky had shoved onto me were low cut, backless, halterneck or strapless, not to mention above the knee. All of those would expose my injuries, and since I couldn't really wear shoes…
"Oh, fuck, I can't even wear shoes!" I whined, making my eyes well up with tears and I tried limping over to the bags of clothes again. Didyme reached out a gentle hand to stop me, then quickly stepped forwards to grip my forearms to help steady me.
"Bella, calm down," she said softly. I made the tears in my eyes spill over, hiding my face behind my hair as if ashamed.
"Di, I can't let people see me like this," I choked out. It was true – letting them see just how injured I was would put me at a disadvantage yet again, and if I got asked any awkward questions… "What will they think? I mean, what if they don't think I'm good enough for him? What if they hate me? Oh, God, what if Edward's embarrassed by me? What if he doesn't want me to go with him? Di, you've gotta help me."
Tears were running down my cheeks now, and I'd managed to make myself start hyperventilating slightly to make my panic seem more real, which seemed to have worked, for Didyme wrapped her arms tightly around me and held me as I cried, murmuring soothing words into my ear.
"Please, Di," I pleaded as I struggled to re-regulate my breathing. "Please. Help me."
"Of course I'll help you, Bella," she breathed softly. "I just need you to calm down for me first, okay?"
I nodded, pulling back from her slightly, then inhaled shuddering breaths increasingly slowly, despite knowing it wouldn't really help me.
"Look at me?" I blinked away tears as I glanced up into her eyes, then gave her a weak smile in return to the warm, sympathetic one she'd given me. "That's good, Bella. Now, give me your hand?" I did so without hesitation, knowing from my training what she was about to do. She held my hand against her chest, letting me feel it rise and fall with each slow, deep breath she took.
"Try and match your breathing to mine," she instructed, smiling encouragingly. I nodded, then tried to so what she'd said as amateurishly as possible, keeping in mind what Edward had said.
Eventually, Didyme seemed happy with my progress, and let go of my hand with a small smile. "There. Better?"
"Yeah," I breathed, nodding. "Much better. Thank you."
"That's okay," she replied softly. "Now, I know you're panicking about tonight, but there's no need to, okay? Nobody will judge you, nobody will hate you, and Edward… Edward will see you standing there and think you're the most beautiful person he's ever seen in his entire life no matter what you're wearing."
My eyes welled up with tears, and I dipped my head, embarrassed. Nobody ever put the words 'beautiful' and 'Bella Swan' together unless 'is not' were between them (apart from Charlie, of course, but it was his duty to say that, so I tended not to count those instances), and I knew that there was no way in hell that Edward would genuinely think any different. Men who looked like him and women who were as plain as me did not mix in real life.
"Bella? What is it?" Didyme asked worriedly when she realized I was crying.
"Nothing," I lied, smiling weakly. "I'm just a bit emotional right now, I think."
Didyme nodded, rubbing my arm comfortingly, then hesitated a moment before wondering, "Would starting to get ready be a welcome distraction for you, or make things worse?"
I smiled. "You remind me of my mom," I told her truthfully. "She always used to dress me up in all these gorgeous clothes when I was younger and got upset; it would always cheer me up."
"And now?" she asked softly, her expression one of sympathy and understanding.
"Oh, um… my mom's… she's not…" Tears rushed back to my eyes again, and I cleared my throat to dislodge the sudden lump that had risen in it before continuing, "She hasn't been around to, um… She's…"
"Oh, Bella," Didyme whispered as she wrapped me in her arms again and held me close. I relaxed against her, letting the tears fall again, and closed my eyes as she gently swayed us from side to side. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
"It's okay," I mumbled as I slipped my own arms around her in return. I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter, and just for a moment, I let myself make-believe that Didyme wasn't just some random woman sent to take care of me whilst I stayed in a compound full of drug dealers, murderers, con-men and kidnappers. I let myself pretend that, in that moment, I was twelve years old again, and everything was still how it used to be. There was no Volturi, no Agency, no drunk drivers and no danger. Just me and Renee, hugging just like we always used to.
I inhaled a shaky breath, and just for a second, I could have sworn I could smell my mom's old perfume.
"Bella?"
I opened my eyes as straightened up again, bringing myself back to the present. "Yeah?"
"If you'd like, you can go and get ready and I'll wait here for you to give you an opinion? I don't have to help you. If that was your thing with your mother, I don't want to-"
"No," I sighed, shaking my head. "I want you to help me."
Didyme smiled, then nodded and gently slipped her arm around my waist. I looked at her quizzically, wondering what she was doing.
"Let's get you in the bathroom so we can start getting ready, yeah?"
I smiled at her, feeling genuinely happy for the first time since I'd arrived here. "Okay. Let's do this."
Several hours later, and I was just adding the finishing touches to my look. Didyme and I had chosen the most modest but appropriate dress we could find - a pretty blue halterneck dress that fell just past my knees and covered most of my injuries pretty well without making it too obvious that something was there to be covered. Unfortunately, since my foot was so swollen from where my toes had been broken, the only pair of shoes that actually fit me were some blue Converse hi-tops that belonged to Edward. The good thing about them? They protected my foot from any possible stepping-on-toes incidents and the color of them actually matched my dress. The bad thing about them? They looked stupid.
But hey, beggars can't be choosers, and I was actually pretty lucky he even had them in the first place. If he didn't… let's just say I'd be hobbling around in a pair of toe-crushing heels for the rest of the evening – not my idea of fun.
Using the make-up Vicky had given to me, Didyme and I had managed to throw together an understated yet classy look for my face and, with her help, I'd been able to cover up the worst of the (surprisingly large) bruise on my cheek without turning myself into a tangerine. As uneasy as she made me feel, I had to admit that Vicky did have a good eye when it came to finding tones which matched my naturally pale coloring, and I was suddenly very grateful that Didyme had taken me down to the warehouse.
Although I wasn't necessarily a vain person, I did take pride in my appearance and, since tonight was the first time in a while I'd been able to 'dress up', I was feeling nervous and excited all at once. Tonight, I wanted to show Edward that I could play the part, that I was prepared to do whatever it took to complete our mission, and, most of all, I wanted to show him that I wasn't just some plain, dumb girl he could boss around. I was a woman, and I wanted him to notice me for once, to recognize me as a human being since he seemed to be forgetting that lately.
As I slipped in the last pearl earring Didyme had given me, the bathroom door gently swung open, and when I glanced up in the mirror to see who it was, I was surprised to see Edward hesitantly pushing the door shut behind him as he entered the room.
"Hey," I said softly as I turned to face him, forgetting momentarily that I was still only wearing my underwear since Didyme and I hadn't wanted to risk getting make-up on the dress as we got ready.
Edward swallowed audibly, looking me up and down, then muttered a small "Hey."
I smiled at him, suddenly nervous, then shook myself before turning and grabbing the bottle Didyme had given me.
"Didyme gave me these," I explained as I stepped forwards and held the bottle out to him. "She wanted me to give you them."
"What for?" he asked warily, looking worried and confused at the same time.
"Your, um…" I gestured towards my face, unsure of what to say. "She said they'd help."
Edward nodded, then stepped towards me so he could take the bottle before turning it over in his hands, looking relieved but apprehensive.
"I hope they help you, Edward," I said softly. "For your sake, not mine."
He looked up into my eyes, his expression softening. "Thank you, Bella."
I nodded, giving him a small smile, then waited there awkwardly for a moment before starting to turn away. Edward reached out and grabbed my wrist, stopping me from going any further.
"Wait," he murmured as he turned me back round to face him. I frowned, confused, then gasped when he pulled me into him and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I quickly recovered from my shock and wrapped my arms around him in return, letting my lips rest against his neck as I held him just as tightly as he was holding me, despite not knowing why he was doing so.
"Bella," he breathed, his hands gently running up and down my back, as if he needed to feel me there. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," I replied softly, closing my eyes as I gently adjusted my hold on him, allowing me to hold him even closer. I knew in that moment he wasn't merely thanking me for the pills; he was thanking me for coming to get him, maybe for reminding him that there was someone there for him, that he wasn't forgotten. I kissed his neck, then pushed him back from me slightly so that I could cup his cheeks with my hands.
I gazed into his eyes, trying to convey everything I was thinking with one look. I've got you. I'm here. I didn't forget you. You're not alone. I'm going to get you out of here. I promise.
He swallowed audibly, and some kind of emotion briefly passed over his face, too fast for me to work out what it was. I kept my gaze steady, hoping he'd understand what I was trying to tell him, and it seemed to work, for just moments later, he leaned in and kissed me.
For the first time in my life, I kept my eyes open during a kiss. His gaze was so intense, it was suddenly impossible for me to look away, and I realized in that moment just how intimate something like this could be. It was only a gentle brushing of lips at first, but soon that was no longer enough, and as he coaxed my lips to part with his own and shut his eyes, I suddenly understood.
He trusted me.
It was strange, that something as simple as him closing his eyes had the ability to say so much, but somehow, it did. I knew then just how difficult it was for him to let his guard down, to expose some of the real him, and that this moment right here was no longer a façade. It was him kissing me, him trusting me enough to close his eyes and let those barriers down. He was making himself vulnerable, going against everything he knew, and I realized in that moment just how similar we really were.
"Edward," I whispered against his lips, then whimpered softly when he gently tugged my hips closer to his, shaking his head slightly as if to tell me not to say anything more. I slid my arms around him again, then let my eyes fall shut as he deepened the kiss, his tongue tentatively slipping through the part in my lips in search of my own.
I moaned softly, pressing myself against him more fully, and Edward squeezed my hips one last time before gently kissing me once more and resting his forehead against mine.
"You look beautiful, Bella," he said softly as he leaned back from me, a small smile on his face. I blushed, dipping my head, but he reached out and tilted my face back up again before brushing the backs of his fingers down my cheek.
He gazed at his fingers for a moment, but then it was like something inside him shifted again, and I knew that his barriers were back up.
"I'm going to get changed," he murmured, shifting his gaze back up to my eyes. "Are you nearly ready to leave?"
"Almost," I replied softly. "I just need to quickly finish up in here, but then it's just a matter of putting my dress on."
He nodded, then smiled before kissing my forehead and walking away. I was getting used to his abrupt exits now, and knew better than to be offended or concerned by them. It was just the way he was, I realized – why waste time with awkward drawn out goodbyes when there were other things he needed to do?
I laughed quietly, shaking my head, then turned back to the mirror above the sink and smiled when I took in my reflection. Cheeks flushed. Lips reddened. Eyes bright. I brought my hands up to touch my cheeks, surprised at the heat I found there, then quickly finished up perfecting my hair and make-up before nodding at myself and carefully walking out into the bedroom.
The door to the walk-in wardrobe was partially opened, and I could make out the faint shadow of Edward as he moved back and forth behind it. I smiled to myself, then gently pushed the door further open so that I could step inside to get my dress from where Didyme had hung it up.
To my surprise, Edward had already changed out of his day clothes and into a white shirt and black slacks, and was just rolling up his sleeves when he turned to face me.
"That was quick," I mused, gesturing towards him. He grinned, then shrugged.
"Maybe you're just slow."
"Mmm, maybe," I murmured, then gave him a small smile before turning and slipping my dress off its hanger.
"Do you want some help?" he asked softly, and I heard him take a few steps towards me.
"Um, if you wouldn't mind?" I glanced at him over my shoulder, then gasped when I realized he was now standing directly behind me. He smiled, shaking his head as he gently reached out and gripped my hips, pulling me back against him.
"Isabella," he breathed as he dipped his head to kiss my shoulder and neck. My eyes fluttered closed at his touch, and I couldn't stop myself from leaning back against him. "Of course I don't mind."
I nodded weakly, then swallowed hard before straightening up and moving forwards slightly away from him, needing the space to clear my head. I fumbled to find the hem of the dress, then quickly slid it on over my head, careful not to stretch up too far in case cameras were in the wardrobe. The fabric slipped down my body instantly, the bottom half falling straight into place whilst the top simply fell forwards, since there weren't any straps to hold it up.
As I reached down to grab the halterneck bit of the dress, Edward stepped forwards again and pressed himself against me, slipping his arms around me as he did so and taking my hands in his.
"Allow me," he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear as he spoke. I shuddered, then bit down on my bottom lip as he slowly lifted both halves of the strap before carefully securing it at the back of my neck. "There."
"Th-thank you," I managed to get out, then moaned softly as he began kissing my neck again, pressing himself against me.
"What shoes will you be wearing?"
"Your b-blue Converse hi-tops," I mumbled distractedly as one of his hands slipped up to graze the underside of my breast whilst the other moved to grip my hip again.
He nodded against me, obviously understanding the reasoning behind my choice of footwear, but didn't act upon what I'd said. Instead, he simply turned me round to face him and pressed his lips against mine.
I inhaled sharply in shock, then let my hands slid round his waist as we kissed, holding him to me. I parted my lips slightly, and felt him do the same before dipping his face back down to my neck and placing more kisses there too.
"Edward," I breathed, bringing my hands up to run my fingers through his hair. "Don't we need to go?"
He nodded again, then sighed before straightening up and staring straight into my eyes. I held his gaze for a few moments, then smiled before letting my hands fall back down to my sides. Edward instantly reached down and entwined our fingers, making my smile widen.
"The shoes are out there, so, um…" I glanced down to his feet, unsure of what to say.
"I'll put mine on then come and join you," he said softly, then squeezed my hands briefly before letting them go again.
"Alright, see you in a sec," I replied, then slowly made my way out into the bedroom again, limping once more.
Didyme had left my/Edward's shoes on the bed to make it easier for me to put them on, so once I'd sat down and swung my legs up onto the mattress, I hurriedly slipped the first shoe onto my good foot and did up the laces, grateful that I hadn't had to lean over too far to do so. As I struggled to put on the second shoe, Edward came out the wardrobe and walked over to help me, sitting down beside me on the mattress before gently pulling my foot into his lap.
With more care than I thought one person could manage, Edward slowly started easing the shoe onto my foot, making sure not to jostle or touch my toes any more than necessary. Once he was sure my foot was properly in, he gently tied the laces tight enough for my foot to feel secure but loose enough to ensure my comfort, then carefully lowered my leg back to the bed before standing up in front of me and holding his hands out to help me up. I laughed softly, then slipped my hands into his and allowed him to pull me to my feet.
"Thanks," I murmured, then gasped when I saw what shoes he was wearing. Black Converse hi-tops.
"What?" he asked, sounding concerned. I looked up at him, stunned, then grinned before leaning in to kiss him.
"We match," I told him happily, pointing down to our feet. He laughed softly, then smiled before slipping his arms around my waist and pulling me in to him.
"I didn't want you feeling like the odd one out," he said softly. "Besides, I think we look rather good together, don't you?"
"Y-yeah." I blushed furiously, looking down at our feet.
"Hey," he chided as he gently tilted my head back up so he could look me in the eyes. "Don't hide that beautiful blush from me, baby. You look stunning."
I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off with his lips, kissing me deeply as he reached down and lifted me off the ground. I inhaled sharply in shock, but didn't protest as he slid his hands down to cup my ass – instead, I simply wrapped my legs around his waist and smiled into the kiss.
"You ready to go?" he asked softly against my lips. I nodded, half expecting him to lower me back to the ground, then gasped when he began to walk towards the door with me still in his arms.
"What are you doing?" I wondered, frowning. He smiled, then reached down to unlock the door before pulling it open.
"I'm taking you to dinner."
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