Fanfiction Based On Characters From Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Series

Rated MA for Mature Adult Content.

The Gentleman From

Washington State
By Betty Smith

Summary: Senator Edward Cullen is the handsome

scion of the Cullen family. A playboy's playboy, he is
taken with an intern in his office, Bella Swan. She is
untouchable for many reasons, and he's in a tough
re-election battle with Jacob Black.
~*~
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Author Blog:
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 ~ Chapter One ~
"I have to be honest with you. The numbers don't look
great."

Senator Edward Cullen's Chief of Staff, Seth Clearwater,

had just placed the Senator's latest poll numbers on his
desk. Edward glanced at the sheets of paper and turned
in his desk chair to look out the window. Everyone in the
room was quiet for a moment, before Edward finally
muttered, "Fifty-two/forty-eight is too close for
comfort."

Edward turned back around and looked at his staff. He

was grim. "So what else do you have for me this
morning?"

The other two staff members in his private office were

both his sisters – Alice and Rosalie Cullen. It was an
unorthodox arrangement having not just one, but two
family members as part of a senator's most senior inner
circle. Edward Cullen was not an ordinary senator
though.

He had just won a special election the year before to

replace his father, the long-time Senator Carlisle Cullen,
who died unexpectedly. The Cullen family was historic in
Washington State – the Cullen's ancestors were railroad
barons, making them the state's wealthiest and most
prominent family. It was always assumed that Edward
would ascend to his father's senate seat, but it was
supposed to be an ascendancy over many years. Edward
attended the naval academy to establish a military career
before going to law school. After his years of naval
service as a navy SEAL he went to Yale Law School and
then was a King County assistant district attorney for
two years. His father's death accelerated his life though.
The Cullen's wanted his father's seat kept in the family.
Edward would never deny that he won the special
election because of his family's name.

And no one would deny that his election was helped by

his devastatingly good looks. Tall and fit with bronze hair
and green eyes, he looked like Adonis. But Edward's
good looks were associated with his one political
handicap – he was and always had been a notorious
playboy.

Edward trusted only a handful of people. Luckily, his

family members, for the most part, were astute,
accomplished people. Alice was his press secretary. A
pixie of woman, she was obsessed with image and
perception of all kind. Rosalie was his campaign
manager. She was beautiful, but deadly. Shrewd as can
be, she kept Edward in line.
Alice and Rosalie knew it was their duty to protect
Edward and the family name at all costs. They demanded
that they knew everything about Edward before anyone
else. Rosalie always said, "I want to know about every
damn woman – from a ten minute conversation to a fuck
on your desk. No bimbo eruptions. PERIOD."

So when Edward asked the room what else needed to be

discussed that morning, Alice had to tell him. She had
already worked out how the conversation would go with
Rosalie.

Alice said casually, "Well, there's a new issue that's

popped up. I've heard from a contact in LA that Tanya is
up for a new role."

Edward raised his eyebrows. He was currently dating a

few women, including Tanya Hamilton – a gorgeous
starlet. He was intrigued by a potential issue with her,
not because he liked her so much. Carrying on a
conversation with her outside of bed was truly painful.
But he was just interested in just what problem there
might be with America's Sweetheart, Tanya Hamilton.
"So?"

Alice continued, "Well, there's nudity involved in the role

– like a lot. And some … uh … simulated sex."
Edward's brow furrowed. He was thinking through the
ramifications, but Rosalie blurted out, "Listen, I'll be the
first to admit, that your relationship with her has given
you some nice press. But …"

Edward chuckled and jumped in, "But the senator's

sometime girlfriend can't be seen topless and having
sex."

Rosalie said firmly, "Not during an election cycle. You've

got to tell her to sit on her career until next December.
Then she can branch out from her wholesome Disney
flicks. If she doesn't agree, break up with her now."

"OK. Done. I'll handle it." He had to go to LA on a

fundraising trip this coming weekend so he would see
her then. He had planned on taking Tanya to the event
and then to his bed. She was decent in bed, but really, he
was more interested in her ability to garner press. While
Edward was a kind and generous man to his friends and
loved ones, he was innately a craven, political animal. He
had no problem using someone when necessary to get
ahead. And everyone knew it.

Seth breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks boss. It's just that

… you know … no one expects you to be the family man,
but you need to stick with discreet women. You know
that Black will be playing the morality card."
Edward nodded. All his life he had understood the
importance of discretion for a Cullen – each one of them
did. But as soon as he ran for senate, he had only been
with women for whom discretion was equally important.
Surprisingly, it wasn't that limiting. Actresses needed
their stories buried just as much as he did, and female
politicians would never kiss and tell.

His opponent in the upcoming election was Jacob Black

– the GOP darling – a full blooded Quileute who had
risen up through the ranks of local politics. He was just
as young as Edward, but Black was all about fiscal
conservatism, Christian morality, and law and order.
Edward was untouchable on law and order and was
fiscally conservative. As a Democrat, though, he had
different economic priorities than Republican Jacob
Black. But, every supporter of Edward knew, that Jacob
Black was going to exploit Edward's personal life. Seth
was more conscious than most about Jacob because he
was a member the same tribe.

Edward replied, "Got it. Next subject."

Checking his watch, Seth smiled and said, "Time for the
interns."

Edward nodded. It was September, and a new batch of

interns had arrived for the school year. Edward actually
allotted a full hour of his busy calendar to do a meet and
greet with the interns, but that was it for the year. It had
been Alice and Seth's idea. They hoped it would
somewhat make up for what an asshole Edward was to
his staff the rest of the year. Edward was a demanding,
grumpy, and irascible boss, and he ignored his interns
after this one meeting.

Edward and his inner circle walked into the small

conference room. It was packed tightly with the seven
new interns and other senior staff. As soon as he entered
the room, Edward turned on the charm and wit.

Edward greeted the room, "Well, good morning. I hope

everyone is doing well today. It's a wonderful day
outside. I had a great run this morning."

The seated group all nodded and said hello back.

Edward continued, "I trust that the permanent staff has

already made their introductions." "So I would like to
hear from our new interns. Let's see. What do I want to
know about you? …. Hmmm. Why don't we start with
your name of course? Then I'd like to know your school
and major and what issues you are interested in working
during your time here. Let's see what else …. How about
your favorite place in Washington State or what town
you're from? And then … tell me two facts about you that
I wouldn't know from reading your resume. So that
would be seven things. Does everyone have that written
down?"

All the interns were furiously writing down the

questions. At the far end of the room, out of sight from
where the senator was sitting, Bella Swan drew in a deep
breath as she wrote. Public speaking was not her favorite
thing. She could do it, but it was hard. And Senator
Cullen was intimidating. Of course, she had seen a
hundred photos of him, but in real life, oh my, she
thought. He was … hot – and obviously smart and
charming. She was getting nervous, but she swallowed
hard. The fact was he would never be interested in her
because she was too young and simply not in his league.
Not to mention it was well know that he was always
involved with very, very beautiful women. She was not
that. She knew she shouldn't be anxious. She should act
around him the same way she acted around any of her
father's co-workers or her professors.

Bella saw that the way her fellow interns were being
called on, she would be last to be called. She was
relieved. In general, all the interns were of a certain type.
They went to good schools, had good grades, often
majored in political science, and were good kids.
The next to the last intern to speak did not fit the mold.
Lauren Mallory was blonde with a J. Crew look. She was
pretty, bubbly, but she seemed a little calculating. She
giggled through most of her answers to the senator. She
was a mass communications major "because it's easy."
Her first little known fact was that she was a Seattle
Seahawks cheerleader for two years, until she hurt her
ankle. Her second was that her father owned the largest
TV station in Seattle.

Some of the interns looked at one another. Others just

thought it to themselves. Her father was why she got the
internship. Edward thought the same thing, but he was
the master of the impassive face. Out of the corner of his
eye he looked at Alice. She saw it immediately and
nodded that was the case.

Edward couldn't really see the last intern, and by that

time he was bored out of his mind. He masked his
boredom, though, and cheerily said, "And I believe we
have one more today." He craned his head as if he was
trying to see the intern, but it was for show. He didn't
really care who the person was. Interns were
inconsequential.

"Um. Hello. My name is Bella Swan. I'm at Georgetown

for the year, but I'll graduate from U Dub. I'm working
on my senior thesis. I'm a philosophy major and …"
Edward wasn't looking at her, but the words thesis and
philosophy caught his attention. He craned his head
again and caught a sight of some brown hair. He
interrupted her asking, "And what is this thesis on? I'll
warn you that I was a philosophy major." Everyone
stared at Bella. Senator Cullen had only commented on
what the other interns said. He hadn't asked anyone to
answer a question.

Bella tried to look at the senator, but she couldn't see

him. So she looked straight ahead at the nice, fellow-
intern Angela across from her. She answered, "A feminist
analysis of Kant's Critique of Practical Reason."

Edward continued with no expression on his face, but he

actually was very intrigued. "I'm sorry I can't see you.
Please stand up."

Bella rose to her feet, but she was petite so she didn't
stand much taller than those sitting around her. She was
blushing as she looked the senator in the eye. Bella was
taken aback a bit by the intensity of his eyes on her. She
hoped she hadn't angered him, and she worried about
his thoughts on feminist critiques.

Edward immediately thought Bella was a rather pretty

brunette. He could only see her from the waist up, but he
noticed she had a tiny waist and nice sized breasts for
such a small woman. Very nice. He didn't let on that he
was checking her out, though. He jumped to his question
as he asked, "So you think there is a different moral
philosophy for men than women?"

Bella could answer a softball like that. "Well, I think that

there may be differences in what the sexes see as the
highest good and duty in Kant's deontological ethics.
But, um … I've just started working on it. I'll let you
know what I think in a few months."

Everyone in the room laughed at that, including Edward.

He was impressed by her answer, but he knew he needed
to speed things along. "And your answers to the final
questions?"

Bella kept standing as she said, "I'm interested in

working on environmental issues. I'm from Forks so I
love the sub-Alpine meadows of Olympic National Park."

All the other interns had said a neighborhood in Seattle.

Edward almost broke his bland stare upon hearing
Bella's response. He loved those meadows too – every
one of them. But he chose not to look at her as he asked,
"Which one the most?"

"Oh … um … any along Hurricane Ridge."

Edward nodded. He agreed, but he wasn't going to
respond. He didn't like that he had these things in
common with this pretty, young girl – and he was fully
aware that she was only a girl.

Bella sputtered out, "And my facts are I turn 22 this

month and my dad is the police chief of Forks."

Edward nodded again and graciously closed the meeting,

while his inner circle looked at one another anxiously.
They followed Edward into his office. He slammed
papers on his desk and ran his hand through his hair. As
Seth closed the office door he turned to his staff and
exclaimed, "Who the fuck let Charlie Swan's daughter be
an intern in MY office?"

Seth shook his head. "I'm sorry I delegated it. I should

have reviewed the finalists."

"God damn it!" Edward's face was flaming red.

Alice and Rosalie conferred for a moment. Alice started,

"Edward, it's OK. If we hadn't accepted her as an intern,
it would have been bad for us. Charlie Swan may have
said something."

Edward thought about that while running his hand

through his hair. "OK. You're right."

Seth ventured, "You know Charlie and my folks are

friends. He's a very stand-up guy. I can't imagine him
letting anyone use Emmett's …. Emmett's transgressions
against you or … uh … anything you might have in your
past …"

Rosalie decided to clear the air. "Everyone here is right. I

don't want her in this office at all, but we would have had
to take her on because of her dad anyway – even if she
was a lousy student. And, Seth is right. Charlie Swan is
known to be a fair person. He never endorses anyone.
He's totally apolitical. That said, I'm watching that girl
like a hawk."

Edward's cell phone vibrated and as soon as he saw the

screen say Jane he waved Seth out of the room. By now
Seth knew that the Chief of Staff was only allowed in on
part of the senator's life. Everything else was controlled
by the Cullen family. Rosalie and Alice waited on the
couch knowing what sort of call this might be.

"Hello Jane."

Both Alice and Rosalie rolled their eyes. Rosalie put her
feet up on the coffee table and began impatiently flicking
her pen. Alice started reading her Blackberry.
Edward heard on the other end of the line, "I want to see
you."

"Ah. Yes. We can do that."

"Nine o'clock your house."

"Fine."

Edward ended the call. He turned to his sisters and said,

"I bet this is the last time."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Good. I can't believe you would

fuck a Republican. Well, I can believe it. It just disgusts
me."

Alice nodded. "I'm with Rosalie. But you think it's the
end because of Matt Smythe? She was at his campaign
event the other night. I just checked the wires. She's been
with him a lot."

Edward replied, "Exactly. And frankly, I'm relieved to be

done with this. It's been … difficult to break-off."

Alice smirked saying, "So it's not easy having an affair

with another senator, especially from the other party."
Edward grimaced. "No. Not easy. But I don't consider
two consenting adults to be an affair. We were … er
…dating."

Rosalie laughed loudly screaming, "BAH! Since when are

dates only in a bed?" She stood-up and composed her
face saying, "It's time for all of us to get to work now."
--
Later in the evening, Edward was at home playing his
piano to free his mind. For a moment, his thoughts
turned to Bella Swan. When was the last time he was
around an attractive woman who used the word
deontological? He shook his head. Too dangerous.
Ignore. His driveway gate buzzed at nine sharp. Without
checking on the intercom, Edward pressed the button for
the gates to open up so that Senator Volk's car could
enter. A minute later there was a ring of the door bell.

Edward opened the door saying, "Good evening, Jane.

It's nice to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Edward."

Jane walked into the foyer and looked around for a

moment. She then smiled at Edward, "You're smart
enough to know why I'm here."

Edward laughed. "You're leaving me for your own kind."

She smiled and said, "Something like that. You know
you're the first time I've ever strayed across the aisle.
And, this gentleman might be interested in settling
down."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you want?"

Jane nodded. "Yes. Very much. Tick-tock, you know."

Edward nodded at the reference to her biological clock.

She was at least five if not seven years older than him.
"Then I'm happy for you."

"I want something else right now, though."

Jane began unbuttoning her coat. Edward had a sense of

what was coming, but he still asked, "What is that?"

She tossed her coat over a chair. She walked into the
formal dining room off of the foyer and dimmed the
lights. She leaned against the table and then began
slipping out of her dress. "Just one more time to
remember you."

At that the dress fell to her high heels, and she kicked it
aside. Standing before Edward was Senator Jane Volk,
Republican – Idaho, in a black bustier and lacy thigh
high stockings, but she was missing her panties. She sat
on the table and spread her legs just a bit so Edward
could have a better view.

Edward firmly believed that everyone was entitled to a

private life, even politicians. But he couldn't help but
think what the good people of Idaho would say to this
image of their senator. Edward's eyes narrowed looking
at where her panties should have been. He smiled
mischievously.

"Jane, has your work on the Foreign Relations

Committee given you a new interest in Brazil?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Two ~
Edward laughed to himself as he looked at Jane Volk on
his dining room table. She was an attractive woman with
dark blonde hair that she kept in a conservative chin
length bob, and she rarely was ever out of a suit. So it
was slightly amusing to see her looking the part of a porn
star exposing her naked, hairless crotch to him while
sitting on his mother's antique table.

Jane smiled at Edward as she began to gently stroke

herself up and down between her legs. "I thought you
might like this."

Edward nodded appreciatively, but said, "But what will

Mr. Smythe think?"

Jane kept smiling and stroking herself, "Smythe and I

haven't … well, we won't be … intimate like this for a
while. And he'll never know about you."

Edward kept the same small smile on his face as he had

before, but in his mind he thought that it was a really
good thing that it was ending with Jane. She really
wasn't a very likable person. Edward thought Smythe a
milquetoast, Ken Doll of a conservative who was a fool if
he couldn't figure out what Jane was really like.
Despite his thoughts, Edward was aroused as he watched
her touch herself. He smiled at her as she slid a finger
into her vagina and flexed her hips toward him. That was
his signal. He took a step towards her, but Jane stopped
him playfully saying, "No, no, no. I want to try
something."

Edward was concerned. He thought he knew where this

might be going. Jane said, "Go to my coat and reach in
the right pocket."

As soon as Edward placed his hand in the pocket, his

concerns were realized. It was a red silk cord. She
wanted to be tied up. That was something Edward did
not do. He certainly didn't have any hang-ups about
other people doing such things. He just knew that sex
acts like that were the stuff of great tabloid fodder if
word ever got out. Yet Edward understood that rejecting
Jane's request would need to be handled very carefully.
She might not react well.

Edward slowly took the cord out of the pocket saying,

"And what's this for?"

He turned to Jane who was smiling at him. She stopped

touching herself and placed her wrists together. "I'd like
you to tie me up."
Edward fingered the cord in his hand. As sweetly as he
could he said, "You know, Jane. That's really not for me.
I'd rather be able to really be with you."

Jane pretended to pout. "Edward, I wouldn't think you

were such a square. Don't deny me this. Please."

Edward tossed the cord back on the chair and walked

toward her. In his smoothest voice, he said, "I'll make it
up to you."

Jane smiled. "OK then. Party pooper. How are you going
to make it up to me?"

Edward was standing in front of Jane between her legs,

and he reached down to kiss her. After a long kiss,
Edward was fully erect and pressing against her. He
murmured, "What do you want?"

"Fuck me on this table, Edward."

So Edward obliged.

Afterward as she ruffled his hair while he was resting on

her chest, she said, "I'm going to miss this, Edward."

"Yes." Edward felt fine saying yes. She didn't realize that
he was simply confirming that she would miss him, not
that he would miss her necessarily. He remembered that
he still needed to make sure that his rejection of the silk
cord was never an issue that she would hold against him.
Edward gently put her back up in a sitting position, but
he kept standing between her legs.

He smiled at her and said, "I need to finish making it up

to you."

She smirked. "And how will you do that?"

He smirked back. "Watch me." And Edward kneeled

before her and buried his face between her legs.

Jane left by ten o'clock, which was good for Edward

because he liked to be asleep no later than 11. After his
years in the military, Edward was very disciplined. He
woke without an alarm every morning at six and worked
out in his house gym or went for a run. Then he had a
light breakfast while reading both Seattle newspapers,
The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

By eight o'clock, Edward was sitting in the back of his

Lincoln Town Car reading a memo, while his driver, Jim,
maneuvered through the streets around the Capitol
Building. When they stopped at one of DC's interminably
long streetlights, Edward glance at the corner to his
right.
Standing on the sidewalk near Edward's car staring
straight ahead was Bella Swan. The windows of his car
were dark so she couldn't see him look at her. The long
light gave him a moment to study her. It was a typical
early September, hot day in DC. Bella was dressed like
your average Capitol Hill staffer walking from the Metro
to work. She was wearing a suit, but the jacket was over
her arm. She was keeping cool while walking with just a
burgundy sleeveless silk top. Edward again admired her
petite figure, which was accentuated with a belt around
her high-waisted skirt and her clinging top.

Bella's chestnut brown hair was clipped up in the back,

but some tendrils had fallen out and were damp with
sweat. The heat had also made her flawless ivory skin,
pink. Bella turned her head for a moment, maybe
sensing she was being watched. Edward looked at her
profile and thought her not just pretty, but actually quite
extraordinary.

Bella had a bag over her shoulder, which in addition to a

newspaper and books, held the heels and stockings she
would be wearing in the office that day. Edward
wondered what kind of books she might be reading? He
noticed that her legs were bare beneath her skirt, and
she was wearing a pair of lime green Converse low-tops.
He smiled at the shoes. Bella looked like she would be
fun to be around – to maybe go on a hike with.

The light was about to change. And for just a few seconds
Bella looked directly into the window of Edward's sedan.
She was simply taking note that someone of importance
was in the car to her left. Bella couldn't see Edward's
eyes, but he saw hers. Then the light turned, and
Edward's car sped past her.

Edward ran his hand through his hair. He thought of

Bella's eyes and then he thought back to the little show
that Jane put on last night. Edward felt ashamed. He
shook his head in disgust, but then quickly shook it a
little faster in disbelief. He wondered what in the hell he
was he thinking?

Edward had had plenty of pretty young things as staff

and interns in his office, and he treated them all the
same way – he ignored them. Edward knew enough
about political self preservation to know that those
women were off-limits. If Rosalie ever caught Edward
even glancing at a staff member for too long, she would
mutter to him at the next available moment, "God damn
it, Edward. Don't shit where you eat."

Edward grimaced. Something was really wrong with him

he thought. It would be one thing if he was simply
admiring Bella Swan for her looks. Instead, he wanted to
know what books she might be reading. For Christ's
sake, he thought that he wanted to go on a hike with her.
He hated hiking with other people. Being in the
backcountry alone was one of Edward's greatest
pleasures. The only person he ever liked hiking with was
his father. Why would he ever want to hike with her?

And looking in Bella's eyes made him feel ashamed for

being with Jane last night? He never was ashamed of
sex. That had been a nice little fuck last night before bed.
Jane looked hot with her pussy out for him like that.
Edward was a red-blooded male who had needs – the
same as every other man. He shouldn't feel embarrassed
about that.

Edward scowled and looked out the window. Then there

was the issue that should keep Edward farther away
from Bella Swan than any other girl he had ever known.
Bella was in the middle of too sensitive of a situation.

Bella's father, Forks Police Chief Charlie Swan knew too

much about the Cullen family. For some reason, Charlie
had liked Edward's father enough to help him out with
Edward's wild brother Emmett. Charlie kept the Cullen
family out of the headlines and Emmett out of a number
of tight places and ultimately out of federal prison. But
Charlie Swan was also friendly with most of the Quileute
tribe, including Edward's opponent Jacob Black and his
family.

Who knew what kind of girl Bella was? She could

mention something in Edward's office that she heard
from her father about Emmett. The word would spread
throughout his staff, and then a less loyal staffer might
give it to the press or to the other side or simply blurt it
out drunk one night. On the other hand, Bella could
mention something that she heard about Edward's
campaign to her father who might stupidly tell it to
Jacob's father. Then Jacob Black would have direct
knowledge of how Edward planned to defeat him.

Bella Swan was trouble. So Edward shut his mind to her.

Edward was skilled at creating compartments in his
brain where he put things away never to be thought of
again. Any attraction he had for Bella was now in one of
his deepest, darkest compartments.
~*~
 ~ Chapter Three ~
After changing into more appropriate work attire, that
morning Bella sat in her cubicle and began combing the
testimony of an energy company executive from a
hearing yesterday. She had been assigned to write a
memo about a particular solar energy issue that had
come up at the hearing. Out of nowhere she heard, "Bella
Swan, I can't believe you didn't introduce yourself to
me."

Smiling before her was Seth Clearwater.

Bella smiled as she stood up and shook his hand. "I'm

sorry. I really didn't know that you worked for the
Senator. I just heard from Charlie that you worked in
DC."

Seth was still smiling as he said, "C'mon homegirl, let's

have a cup of coffee."

As Bella followed Seth out of the intern area, she

distinctly heard Lauren Mallory bitterly mutter, "Right
Bella. That is such a likely story." Bella didn't turn
around, but the nice intern Angela did smile at Bella and
mouthed, "Don't worry about her." Bella smiled at her in
appreciation.
Bella was surprised as Seth led her out of the office and
toward the cafeteria in the basement of the Hart
building. As they were walking, Seth asked, "So why did
you apply for an internship with Senator Cullen? Why
not another member of Congress?"

A little hesitantly Bella said, "Well, I like his politics. And

I'd rather work in the Senate than the House. I'm also
interested in environmental issues. And one of the
committees Senator Cullen sits on is Energy and Natural
Resources Committee. Senator Blair sits on Finance. I'm
not really interested in those issues."

Seth stared at her intently asking, "So you really didn't

know I worked here?"

Bella looked sheepishly as she entered the elevator with

him. "No. I didn't. It's embarrassing. I'm sorry. Charlie
hates politics. He likes some politicians as people, but he
doesn't keep up with things. And Charlie isn't much of a
talker to begin with, let alone gossip about people's lives.
I think all he talks to your dad and mom about is sports
and fishing and maybe the weather."

As they exited the elevator, Seth seemed to accept her

answer and laughingly said, "That's Charlie alright."

Things were quiet between Seth and Bella as they got

their coffees. When they sat down, Seth asked many
questions about Forks and where kids in Bella's class had
ended up. Bella thought that maybe Seth was just nice
and taking an interest in her because she was from his
hometown. He was, after all, an important person who
shouldn't be wasting the workday with an intern. Then
Seth asked the question that gave him away. There was a
purpose behind Seth's coffee date.

"So what do you think about Jacob Black?"

Bella knew exactly where this was going, and she didn't
like what she was going to have to say.

"Well, Billy and Charlie are good friends. I've known

Jacob all my life. I didn't really get to know him, though,
until I moved up to Forks for good in high school."

Seth looked at her for a moment. "You were in Phoenix

with your Mom before, right?"

Bella nodded.

"So tell me what you think about him. He's your family
friend, but you're working for Senator Cullen."

"Well, I hate his politics … and they've just gotten more

conservative with every race he's in."
Seth laughed as he said, "If you didn't say that you didn't
like his politics, I would kick you out of our office
immediately."

Bella smiled, but looked down for a moment. When she

looked up, she had composed herself for the revelation
she knew she had to make. "Listen, Seth, I didn't think
this was a big deal. There's certainly no place to put it on
a résumé, and it's an awkward and somewhat
inappropriate topic during an interview."

Seth's brow was deeply furrowed. He was worried where

Bella was going with this. He prodded her, "What do you
want to tell me?"

"Well, since you've asked me point blank about Jacob, I

should tell you that I went out with him for a while."

Seth couldn't hide his incredulous reaction. This was

bizarre news. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! …
When? … And aren't you a little young for the guy?"

Bella nodded and was visibly uncomfortable. "I know. It

was weird. It's hard to explain – I mean, I've known him
forever. It was only for a few months the summer
between my freshman and sophomore years. Jake had
just been elected to the state house. He hadn't met his
wife Emily yet."

Seth didn't say anything, but he definitely took note of

how she called him "Jake."

Bella continued talking, "Anyway, you know everybody

knows everybody around there. Age issues aren't really a
big deal, and eight years isn't terrible. "

Seth was completely surprised, but he knew the

information he needed. He casually asked the important
question. "So, who broke it off?"

Bella winced. "I did. It … um … ended badly. He pretty

much hates me."

This conversation with Bella continued to surprise Seth.

Why would Jacob Black hate Bella if they only dated a
few months? Seth ventured, "What happened?"

Bella shrugged. Bella looked at Seth for a moment

deciding whether or not to tell him everything. She
decided she would rather Seth hear it from her rather
than someone on the reservation back home.

She took a deep breath and said, "I'll be honest with you
about it – not because you're my boss, but because our
families are friends. Jake and I weren't … on the same
page. I didn't feel the same way for him as he did for me.
Beyond Charlie and his dad, Billy, we didn't really have a
lot in common. And Jake didn't like the fact that I was in
school. As soon as we started dating, he was trying to get
me to drop out, which I would never do. All he wanted
was to get married and have kids, but I just said no. I
mean … I barely knew him and what I did know of him, I
knew I wouldn't want to marry him. He was offended
that I wouldn't drop everything to be with Jacob Black,
the young political hotshot."

Seth understood where Jacob was coming from. Getting

married young was typical for girls in a small town, and
all the women around there thought Jacob was a catch.
Bella being so different probably was attractive to him –
not to mention she was a knock-out. But Seth wondered
why anyone would ever think that the woman sitting
before him would drop out of school to be a political
wife. Seth could tell that Bella didn't like revealing all of
this to a boss, even if he was a family friend. So he
offered, "That sounds like an uncomfortable situation. It
also sounds like he didn't know you very well."

Bella sighed and said, "I do believe that he really wanted

those things with me. He said that he had just been
waiting for me to get out of my teens to ask me out. He
really did want to marry me, but in the end, I also think
he knew it would help his political career. He married
Emily only about four months later. Anyway, it was a bad
breakup."

Instead Seth said, "Bella. Don't feel bad. You handled

this perfectly. It would have been completely
inappropriate for either you or anyone in our office to
talk about this in an interview. But, I am glad that you
feel comfortable enough with me to have disclosed it
now."

Bella let out a little gasp. She put her hand to her heart.
"Thank you, Seth. I'm so relieved. I hated having this
hanging over me."

When they got back to the office, Seth left Bella at her
cubicle and immediately walked into the senator's office.
Edward was sitting at his desk letting Rosalie and Alice
know that his entanglement with Jane was over. Edward
gave Seth a stern look.

"I appreciate a knock."

"I know. I apologize. This is important. It's about Bella

Swan."

Edward motioned for Seth to sit down. He wanted to get

any conversation about Bella Swan over with quickly.
Then he could get back to ignoring her.
Seth sat down and took a breath. "First, let me just say
that I think she is a fine person and will be a great
staffer."

Rosalie broke in and asked sarcastically, "But?"

Seth frowned at her. "I'll get to it in a minute. As I was

saying, I think she's great. This morning I had coffee
with Bella, and her story checks out. I talked with my
parents last night just to see what they knew. They were
as surprised as I was that she was here. Charlie had only
told them last week that Bella was in DC instead of
Seattle for her last year of school. I don't think Bella and
Charlie talk that much."

Edward nodded. This was reassuring.

"And Edward, by the way, when I was talking with her,

she had a lot better reasons for wanting to work for you
than most interns. She actually knew what committees
you sat on."

Edward continued staring straight ahead. He would not

be distracted by this girl.

Rosalie growled, "Get to the point, please, Seth."

Seth took a breath, and then began to relay word for
word the second part of his conversation with Bella. As
soon as Seth repeated Bella's revelation that she had
dated Jacob Black, he was interrupted with variety of
responses.

Rosalie exclaimed, "What the fuck?"

Alice looked concerned, but quietly just said, "Weird."

Edward's response was the most interesting, but only

Alice noticed it. Seth thought Edward looked concerned
and simply said, "No," because he was shocked. Alice
knew her brother like no one else, save his mother,
Esme. Alice saw that Edward was crestfallen, and said,
"No," because he was disappointed.

Seth then told the rest of Bella's story. Alice's eyes darted
over to Edward. He had turned his chair around to look
out the window.

Rosalie calculated any political fallout as Seth was

talking. She was the first to speak, "You know. This really
doesn't matter to you, Edward. Bella isn't working on the
campaign. She's in your senate office. It sounds like
nothing will ever happen between Bella and Jacob again.
I think Seth is right. We don't have anything to worry
about. And here in the office, if she's excited to be
working on those incredibly boring environmental
issues, well, good for her."

Rosalie then looked at her watch and said, "Got a

meeting with some pollsters. I'll see you later."

Seth was waiting for some confirmation from his boss

that he agreed with Rosalie. Edward turned back around
in his chair and said, "Thanks Seth. Rosalie is right, but
you were also right to immediately bring it to our
attention. Don't worry about walking in when something
like this occurs."

Seth nodded and followed Rosalie out. Alice stayed in

Edward's office. She wanted to probe Edward's
connection with this young woman.

"So let's think this through rationally. Bella is home from

school for the summer. She ends up seeing Jacob
somewhere, and he asks her out. He asks her out because
he's been pining for her for years, but the age difference
during those years was insurmountable. 24 and 16 just
won't fly, even in Forks. Bella goes out with him. It's
understandable."

Edward's eyes flew to Alice. He was alarmed by her last

statement.
Alice rolled her eyes. "Chill Edward. Stop thinking of him
as your opponent for a minute. Jacob is a good looking
guy. And he had a little bit of power and was also a friend
of Bella's. It makes sense that she dated him."

Edward's face relaxed a little, but he kept his mouth

shut. He wanted to hear the rest of Alice's explanation.

Alice continued, "As I was saying. It's understandable

that Bella would agree to go out with him. What's
interesting is that Jacob was so intent on a serious
relationship with Bella if all he wanted was a wife and
kids. You just have to listen to her for a minute to know
just being a politician's wife and mother of his kids
would never make her happy. So he must have been
crazy in love with her, and he demanded that she drop
her life for his career. Bella wasn't into him, and she
dumped him. Jacob really loved her though, and now he
hates her for breaking his heart – even if he has moved
on."

Edward nodded, but he really wanted to put his head in

hands. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach.
He glanced for a moment at Alice who was staring at him
like she was trying to ferret something out of his mind.

Alice decided to ask the question that she knew Edward

was wondering himself, "So do you think they had sex?"
Edward had been mulling the question over in his brain.
He decided to go with his instinct about Bella – she was
a virgin. He quietly said, "No." He could tell Alice was
about to ask another question so he added, "Now if you
don't mind, I'm done hearing about soap operas in La
Push. I need to get some work done."

Alice nodded and left him alone, but thinking to herself

that her brother was strangely bothered by the news that
an intern had dated his opponent.

As soon as Alice closed the door to his office, Edward

immediately put his head in his hands on his desk. He
could not fathom how this girl was having this effect on
him. Edward thought Bella must be an angel sent
straight from hell … maybe for his past sins, for which he
had never confessed. Whatever the reason, Bella was this
beautiful and interesting woman whom he could have
nothing to do with, but she had dated JACOB BLACK of
ALL PEOPLE. The name screamed in his brain.

Edward had only seen Bella twice in his life, but he knew
how Jacob had fallen for her from afar. She was beautiful
and enchanting – after all, look what she had done to
Edward. Of course, unlike Edward, Jacob wouldn't be
intrigued by Bella's interest in Kant or a love of the
Olympic Mountains' meadows. Jacob was probably
drawn to the fact that she was different from him, not
being of his tribe. Yet she was very familiar to him
because of their fathers' friendship. And then the icing
on the cake was that she would be a great political asset
– a gorgeous, smart woman whose family was salt-of-
the-earth law enforcement. Jacob and Bella would have
beautiful children, and Jacob wouldn't hesitate at
trotting out his wife and kids at every campaign
opportunity.

Edward picked up a pencil sitting on his desk and started

tapping it against the desk. An image of Jacob Black
kissing Bella wandered across his mind. He grimaced.
Then he saw Jacob's hand cupping Bella's alabaster
breast. Edward broke the pencil in two with one hand.

Edward looked out the window and set his jaw. He could
not spend his days obsessed with this girl with whom he
had spoken all of ten words. He needed to get her out of
his mind. Well, he thought … there was one way to do
that. He picked up his cell phone and scrolled to find the
number he needed.

A woman's voice answered, "Petrov."

Edward smiled, "Lieutenant Petrov, where are you?"

"Well, hello Senator Cullen, I'm driving to the Pentagon.

Where are you?"

"In my office. Is there anyone else in your car?"

"No. Why? I wouldn't think you would be into phone sex.

You would never have to resort to something like that."

Edward ignored her little remark. "Irina, can I see you at

my house tonight?"

"Only you, Edward, would make a booty call to a

lesbian."

Edward chuckled very sexily, "If you were really a

lesbian, you wouldn't take my calls."

"Alright. Let's put the labels aside."

"Sure. Besides, the fact is you come every time I call."

Irina laughed. "Is that a double entendre, Senator?"

Edward continued with the charm. "It's a fact …

regardless."

Irina sighed. "You're right. I'll be there at eight."

~*~
 ~ Chapter Four ~
Edward had to swoop through one reception and beg out
of a later dinner in order to meet Irina at his house by
eight. Irina was an old friend – a fellow classmate at the
naval academy. Irina was technically bi-sexual, although
she trended toward women. Her most important
relationships were always with women, except for a
month with Edward during their junior year. Both
parties admitted it was a failure because of Edward's
wandering eye and Irina's sexual preference so they went
back to being good friends. For years now, she and
Edward had an understanding of sorts – they
understood that they could call on one another from
time to time.

Edward arrived at his house shortly before eight. The

house was an ornate mansion among all the embassies
on Massachusetts Avenue – it had been in his family for
decades. When his father died and Edward became
senator, his mother, Esme, wanted to move out of the
house and into an apartment in the Kennedy-Warren on
Connecticut Avenue. Edward, Rosalie, and Alice were all
opposed to the move. They all thought Edward should
live in an apartment, and Esme stay in the house. Esme
was adamant though. She said she wanted Edward to
live like a senator.
Edward suspiciously asked, "And not like a bachelor?"

Esme smiled. It was obvious that she wanted all of her

children to settle down, but especially Edward. Esme
said, "Maybe, but I also don't want to live here without
Carlisle."

Esme's children finally gave in because they worried that

the house might actually be painful for Esme to live in
without her beloved husband.

When Edward let Irina into the house, she said, "I feel
lucky to have heard from you Edward, it's been a while.
You must have new friends."

Irina was so tall that Edward could almost look her in

the eye. She was a striking blonde with blue eyes. Her
family emigrated from Russia when she was very young,
and she worked in naval intelligence.

Edward smirked at her as he retorted, "I could say the

same about you. Please, come in. Can I get you a drink?"

Irina put her purse on the hallway table. She smiled at

him and seductively said, "Afterward."

Edward pulled her to him, and their mouths collided.

Irina immediately grasped his hips and slammed them
against her parted legs. Still kissing her, Edward spun
her around and moved her against the now closed front
door. Their bodies were almost pelvis to pelvis, and
Edward pressed against her as his erection rose.

After a few minutes of heated kisses, Edward broke

away. Irina was wearing a tight, low-cut cotton sweater
and Edward moved his hand into her bra coaxing her
breast out of the bra. He moved his mouth down to her
flushed nipple, but as soon as he kissed her breast Irina
whimpered, "You know that's not what I want."

Edward's mouth went back to hers. He laughed as he

kissed her saying, "You're the only woman I know who
rejects any kind of foreplay."

Irina laughed also. "That's not what I see you for." And
with that Edward thrust his erection against her and
plunged his tongue into her mouth.

Irina took her hands off of Edward's arms and unzipped

her skirt without breaking the kiss. Edward looked down
at her thong and gruffly said, "This has got to go," and he
snapped apart the g-string at her hips. Her panties fell to
the floor as Edward undid his pants and slid his pants
and boxers to his thighs. He quickly hooked her right leg
over his elbow, but then guided himself very, very slowly
entering her wetness that was awaiting him.
When he was fully inside her, he stopped for a brief
second. Irina moaned and lolled her head back. Edward
whispered, "Irina, I believe this is what you see me for,"
and he then gradually led them both into a place of no
thought or time.

Later the two friends were sitting in Edward's den having

a beer and talking about old friends and current events.
Edward began asking Irina about her love life; Irina
rarely asked about Edward's. She could catch up on that
reading the Style section of The Washington Post or
People Magazine. Irina began telling Edward about a
woman she had been seeing off and on.

Irina frowned, "I really like Elizabeth … really I do, but

as long as I'm in the military I can't commit the way we
both would want to. So I try to keep her at arm's length.
She's unhappy, but I'm even more so."

Edward shook his head. "I'm so sorry. "Don't ask, don't

tell" is such a stupid policy."

She laughed. "Can't you do something about that,

Senator?"

Edward took a swig of beer before saying, "Not alone."

Irina grabbed his hand and said, "Although if that silly
policy wasn't in place, I bet I would never see my friend
Edward."

Edward raised an eyebrow at her, and Irina responded,

"Well, maybe once in a while … unless I got married."

Edward squeezed her hand and said, "Just say the word,
and I'll be the best man at your wedding."

Irina's face contorted as she said, "Edward that's a nice

offer, but that would be weird. Think about it."

Edward quickly said, "Yeah. You're right. Your wife will

want to cut my balls off."

Irina laughed, "It won't be the same for me at your

wedding though. Your wife will have the guest list and
then the persona non grata list of all your conquests …."

Edward interrupted and said, "Luckily, it is highly

unlikely that particular event will ever occur." When he
said it, he felt sad, and an image of Bella Swan's profile
that he saw that morning briefly on the street flitted
through his mind. He was no longer sad after he saw it.
He was angry – angry and irritated at himself for this
ridiculous obsession.
Irina was laughing though. "Edward, everybody settles
down eventually – look at Warren Beatty. He slept with
13,000 women, but in his fifties he got married and is
now a devoted husband with four kids."

Edward pursed his lips. He knew that he needed to

change the subject and clear his head. He leaned over to
Irina saying, "This is a boring topic." He moved in for a
kiss as he ran his hand up her inner thigh.

"Edward, I thought we were done for the night."

Edward turned on his allure saying, "But we don't see

each other that often. Don't you want to make the most
of it?"

Irina looked at him slyly and said, "Maybe one more

time."

The next morning one of the receptionists was sick so

Bella was asked to cover the phones for the day. It was
easy enough work, dealing with visitors, directing calls,
and tracking callers' opinions on issues when they were
just calling to get something off of their chest. At one
point, the other receptionist went on a break and the
reception area was silent. Bella decided to unpack a book
she was re-reading for her thesis. Five minutes of silence
lulled her into complete focus on her reading, so when
the office door opened up she jumped and slammed her
book shut.

Bella hadn't seen Senator Cullen since the meeting the

first morning. When she first looked up, her mind didn't
register him as Senator Cullen. Instead, the words "so
fucking hot" came to mind. Then she quickly came to her
senses and said, "Good morning Senator Cullen." The
Senator said nothing, and his brief glance at Bella felt
more like a glare to her. He slammed the door to the
inner office behind him and exited the room.

Bella sighed, telling herself not to take it personally. He

was a notorious asshole; he would have been just as rude
if the usual receptionists were sitting there. She had
heard he never talked to anyone beneath the Legislative
Director.

But Bella couldn't help feeling that she had done

something wrong. She looked around, though. If the
phones weren't ringing and no one was waiting for a
meeting, there was nothing to do. Would the Senator
rather have seen her surfing the web or playing solitaire
than reading a book? Bella shook her head and opened
up her book again. She sighed before she started reading
as she thought, "But, holy crow, he is fine."

But then Bella's head jerked up. It was personal. Bella

shook her head. She always thought of herself as a
relatively politically astute person – at least for her age.
Yet, she didn't think of one important consequence of
her telling Seth Clearwater EVERYTHING about her
relationship with Jacob Black. No doubt, Seth
immediately told the senator – and probably Alice in
case any press ever came up about it and Rosalie in case
something came up in the campaign. Bella thought it
over. There really wasn't anything to be ashamed of. She
had told the truth. And Seth seemed to completely
understand her side of the story; he even seemed
sympathetic.

She thought it through further and came to a terrible,

but probable conclusion. Unlike Seth, Senator Cullen's
parents weren't friends with her father. Senator Cullen
hadn't heard about her his whole life. Senator Cullen was
probably offended that she would even go out on one
date with Jacob Black. She closed her eyes in pain as she
played it out in her head because it was worse than that.
Senator Cullen most likely and with good reason thought
she had sex with Jacob Black. He was disgusted by her.

Bella's heart sank. She hadn't wanted the job in Senator

Cullen's office because of his looks – although plenty of
women did. She wanted it for her career because she
liked where he stood on environmental issues. She
wanted to go to law school and be an environmental
attorney. Bella had never expected the senator to know
or care about her, but she also never thought that she
would be reviled by him.

She shook her head and tried to focus. The most

important relationship for her to have in the office was
with Seth. A good recommendation from the senator's
Chief of Staff would be very valuable as she applied to
law schools and jobs in the future. As long as she kept up
a good relationship with Seth, then it shouldn't matter to
her that the senator himself thought her stupid and
revolting. The senator's opinion shouldn't matter
because he would never be asked about her.

She was sick to her stomach though. Edward Cullen's

opinion of her shouldn't matter to her, but it very much
did. For what woman wouldn't be attracted to him? Who
wouldn't want to catch his eye or draw him into a
conversation? Even if a woman knew she was of no
interest to a man, she may still have some hope for at
least a smile from him. Bella knew now she should have
no hope of even a smile from Senator Cullen. The phone
then rang, and she went back to work with a heavy heart.

Edward talked to no one as he strode through the hall to

his private office and shut the door loudly. It wasn't quite
a slam, but it was loud. None of his staff thought twice
about his behavior – it was typical.
Edward sat in his chair and put his head in his hands,
growling, "Arh," in exasperation. He was lost in his
thoughts. Why did she have to be the first person he saw
in the morning in his office? He had just had a good
meeting at the White House on the transportation bill
that meant billions of dollars to his state. But there Bella
was waiting for him, an angel creating his own private
hell.

Edward had spied her through the glass window as he

approached his office door, and he stopped for a minute
to look at her while he pretended to check his watch. He
thought Bella looked more stunning than the day before.
He had a view of her beautiful profile with her long
chestnut hair in a ponytail that she had over her
shoulder lying on her chest. She was absentmindedly
touching her hair as she read her book. She seemed to be
intent on her reading because her brow creased at one
point causing a line in her forehead. He wondered what
she was concentrating on so he walked into the office.

Then he saw the book as she quickly closed it, and he

thought his heart might have fluttered. She was reading
John Rawls' A Theory of Justice, for the love of God. It
was a seminal work that was the foundation for Edward's
political ideals. And he was ALONE in a room with this
woman. Edward then fled the scene.
Edward stared out his window. He desperately wanted to
go in there and talk to the beautiful girl about her thesis
and about why she picked the topic and about how she
thinks Rawls and Kant are connected and about her
favorite time of the year to visit those meadows and
about how he could get lost forever staring into her eyes
and discovering her mind. And he wanted to just gently
touch her face to see if that alabaster skin was as soft as
it looked.

Edward snarled to himself. Sarcastically, he thought he

could also ask Bella about her being an INTERN in HIS
office. He might talk to her about the great political
scandals involving interns that had tripped up many a
politician before him. He could ask about her being 10
years younger than he was. He could ask if some of the
things he had done in his life were forgivable. And
finally, he could find out once and for all if she fucked his
opponent, Jacob Black.

Alice walked in his office at that moment, and Edward

swung his chair around to see who it was.

Alice immediately sensed her brother was upset.

Normally, she might ignore his sour moods, but this
mood seemed to be different. "Edward, are you OK?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Five ~
Edward knew that his face gave him away to Alice. He
was not interested in a therapy session, though. He just
muttered, "No, I'm not OK, but I don't want to talk about
it. What do you have for me?"

"You have a meeting in five minutes with those state

legislators in town lobbying for transportation money.
They want you to show up at a reception tonight. I think
some press will be there so you should go."

Edward took a deep breath and said, "I'm ready. Let's

go."

The meeting went very well. The state legislators excited

to hear that the White House was receptive to their local
needs and that Senator Cullen would be joining them at
the reception that night. As a politician, Edward was very
sensitive to shifts in emotions around him, and the
positive meeting made him feel a little better.

His better mood disappeared shortly after the meeting as

Edward and Alice were walking back down the hall to his
office. Standing in the middle of the hallway were Bella
Swan and another intern looking at the giant map of
Washington State that covered the wall. They were
talking and pointing to places on the map.
Edward's eyes glanced over at Alice, and he saw her
staring at him. Shit, he thought – it's official. Alice
knows something. Alice was a fabulous press secretary in
large part because she had the female intuition of a
thousand women. The better she knew someone the
more on target and the more detailed her perceptions
became. She knew Edward's thoughts very, very well.

Edward continued walking and stared straight ahead. He

planned on silently passing by the two interns without
acknowledging them. He couldn't handle another Bella
experience that day, and regardless of Bella, that would
have been his behavior toward two interns standing in
the hall anyway.

Alice had other plans. As they approached Bella and the

other intern, Alice said in her melodic voice, "Hello
Bella, Hello Eric. What are you two doing?"

Edward's eyes flashed over at Alice disapprovingly, but

she ignored him, carrying on with her niceties with the
interns.

Bella was startled by Alice Cullen's voice saying her

name. When she saw Senator Cullen and Alice beside
her, she instantly felt sick as she thought of Seth telling
them about her relationship with Jacob. Her stomach
and mind were panicking with anxiety so she looked
down to avoid their eyes. She kept telling herself to pull
it together.

Eric must have been surprised too, because he stuttered

with his response, but finally said, "Um … Sen … Senator
Cullen, Alice, hello. Bella was just … pointing out nice
places to spend some time outdoors." Eric then found his
voice and said appreciatively, "She really does know a
lot."

While Bella didn't like being singled out by Eric, she

would be forever grateful to him for having said
something. She was sure it would have taken her five
minutes just to say hello to the senator and his sister.
Bella wanted to get out of the conversation, but she knew
that she needed to respond to avoid being rude. Bella
raised her head to stare at the map and didn't look at
either Edward or Alice as she shyly said, "Really, I don't."

She was about to excuse herself to do some work, but she

heard the senator's voice ask in a very flat manner, "Eric
says you do. How is that, Bella? Do you spend a lot of
time outdoors?"

Edward had tried to ask her as plainly as possible, when

in actuality Edward was incredibly curious. She certainly
didn't look or dress particularly outdoorsy. Bella was
standing there in a worsted wool blue dress with a round
neck and short sleeves. It was office attire that would
have looked frumpy on any woman without Bella's
figure. On Bella, though, it accentuated her petite curves,
and Edward admired her shape. With her ballet flats,
Bella was a foot shorter than Edward. Looking down at
her, she reminded Edward of a lovely porcelain doll.

But Edward was staring mostly at Bella's face while she

looked at the map avoiding his eyes. Bella was visibly
nervous because her cheeks were flushed and she was
biting her lip. Of course, Edward knew that he had that
effect on women – he used it all the time to his
advantage both romantically and politically. But Bella's
nervousness appeared different to Edward than the
usual awkwardness of a woman with a crush on him.

When Bella looked up into Edward's steely green eyes,

he realized Bella was embarrassed and maybe even a
little fearful of him. The reason dawned on him. Edward
had spent enough time in romantic and sexual
entanglements to immediately know what was bothering
Bella. Bella must have expected that by now Seth had
told him and his sisters about her relationship with
Jacob Black. Bella probably even assumed correctly that
they sat around and tried to figure out if she and Jacob
had sex. She might even have imagined Edward and his
inner circle sitting around his office laughing about it …
about her. She was probably terrified that they thought
she was stupid for being with someone like Jacob or
worse, thought she was trash. And considering how he
had treated her earlier, she was probably convinced that
he hated her.

Edward felt terribly for this sweet doll of a woman. No

one thought ill of her for her relationship with Jacob –
well, he sort of did, but that was only because he was
insanely jealous. And she had told his Chief of Staff
about the whole affair. It was the right thing to do
politically, even though it must have been incredibly
uncomfortable. Standing next to her and seeing her
blush, he was pretty confident that she was a virgin. He
started thinking about Bella sexually which made his
mind temporarily melt in heat. The concern on her face,
though, made him focus.

Edward wanted to tell Bella not to fret; he wanted to take

his finger and press out the crease in her forehead. He
knew there was no way he could talk with Bella about her
relationship with Jacob Black though. It would be sexual
harassment, pure and simple, for a multitude of reasons.
If he was a plaintiffs' lawyer, he would love to take that
case. He could rake in a ton of money and take down a
US Senator in one fell swoop.

And every one of Edward's guesses about what Bella was

thinking was true. After her unpleasant encounter with
Edward that morning, she started to worry that if he
hated her for dating Jacob Black, his sisters must think
awful things about her too. Did they think she was a fool
for being with Jacob Black who they thought so little of?
Or did they think she was a slut?

Bella heard the senator's question and knew that she had
to respond to him directly. She mustered up all the self-
esteem she could find and looked Edward in the eye. In a
very even voice, she replied, "No. I don't spend as much
time outside compared to a lot of people. But Charlie … I
mean my dad, he always took me fishing when I was up
from Phoenix visiting him for the summer … before I
moved to Forks. Charlie doesn't like being around people
too much so I know a lot of remote places."

Eric chuckled and shook his head, "Yeah, she keeps

pointing out these wilderness areas where they won't let
you mountain bike even though nobody is around. I told
her she should find me places closer to civilization so I
can bike."

Bella responded without thinking about the senator and

Alice standing there. Talking directly to Eric, she laughed
saying, "Wilderness is no place for mountain bikes. It's
supposed to be serene and quiet …. not full of gonzo
bikers blasting over hiking trails. I hike slowly enough as
it is."

Edward couldn't help but smile at Bella's response. He

thought her absolutely intriguing, and he was jealous
that this intern, Eric, could spend his morning talking to
Bella about Washington's beautiful countryside. He
would try not to hold it against him. "You know, Eric, I
love to mountain bike too. Really I do, but I have to
agree with Bella."

Alice then asked Eric a question directly, "So Eric where

do you mountain bike around Seattle? I love finding new
places to ride near the city."

Eric began to reply to Alice, and Bella slowly turned her

eyes toward the senator. She couldn't believe that he had
said her name. And she was more than a little surprised
that the senator agreed with her, or even knew what she
was talking about for that matter. When Bella looked at
the senator, she assumed he was about to leave, but she
was surprised to see Edward Cullen smiling warmly at
her. When she saw him, her mouth wanted to drop open,
but she was able to return a small smile before she
looked away.

The way he was smiling at her warmed her from the

inside like she was drinking single malt whisky. He also
made her want to bite a knuckle in sexual frustration.
Must not have sexy thoughts about the boss thought
Bella – well, at least not in front of him.

When Bella smiled and looked up at him, Edward

thought that she was the definition of a doe eyed beauty.
Alice was being incredibly kind by carrying on a
conversation with that boring boy about a subject she
had no interest in. Edward wanted to make the most of
this stolen time with Bella so when she looked away,
Edward asked, "So you don't mountain bike?"

Bella turned to him and shook her head laughing, "No.

It's not like I hate mountain bikers like Charlie does …
my dad … he thinks they scare the fish." Bella rolled her
eyes in amusement at her father's unfounded suspicions
and then continued saying, "I'm just not athletic."

Edward prompted her, "But you hike."

Bella was smiling because she was a little bewildered as

to why Senator Cullen, who talked to no one, was talking
with her. She corrected him, "I hike slowly. Nobody likes
going with me."

Edward had to bite his tongue not to say that he would

very much like to go on a hike with her. His eyes even
darted down to her small waist thinking how easy it
would be to pick her up and move her over a fallen tree
or any other obstacle in their way. Edward came to his
senses though. He had noticed something and was
curious, "Bella, you keep calling your father Charlie. Why
is that?"

Bella fumbled a moment. "Oh … um. I know. I should be

more respectful. … I call him dad to his face. But if you
met Charlie … you would see he's … just a Charlie.
Everybody at home calls him that."

Edward smiled. He was pleased with that explanation

because it revealed that she didn't know that Edward
knew her father – and thus didn't know about any of the
family's entanglements in Forks. Edward wanted to
know more about Bella though. "So then do you call your
mom just "mom"?"

Bella blushed and laughed, "You found me out, Senator.

I'm a bad daughter. I call both my parents by their first
names when I'm not talking to them. I've done it so long
now that I don't even think about it."

Edward laughed, "I don't think you've violated any laws,

Bella. We always called our dad Carlisle, and he never
knew. What's your mom's name?"

"Renee. My mom is very young at heart. It's hard for me

not to think of her as Renee first and mom second."
"Why is that?" Edward was fascinated by Bella's
maturity, pondering in his mind that maybe there wasn't
such an age difference between them.

Bella laughed thinking about her mother. "Renee is just

… flighty and kind of like a kid. Her husband is also
much younger than she is. Phil's a minor league baseball
player so they travel a lot."

"So do you like baseball?"

Bella thought for a moment about the senator's random

question. "I guess I feel the same way about baseball as I
do about fishing. I mean … I've been around it so much
that I know more about it than some people. But I don't
find the sport itself very interesting. I do really like other
parts of it though. On a nice day, it's great to go to a
ballpark … sit in the sun …. have a beer." Bella cringed
internally – she should have left out the part about the
beer. It didn't sound very professional, and he may be
such a snob that he didn't drink beer.

As Bella was talking though, Edward had lost himself. He

was no longer Senator Edward Cullen, or Edward Cullen,
Assistant District Attorney, or Lieutenant Edward
Cullen, U.S. Navy, or even Edward Cullen, son of Senator
Carlisle Cullen. He was just a guy named Edward
completely enraptured by this slip of a girl, Bella. He
could think of no place he would rather be right then, but
with Bella at Safeco Field watching a Mariners game and
drinking a couple of beers.

Rosalie spied the foursome from the other end of the

hall, and she was horrified by the sight. Alice was
standing with her arms crossed across her chest smiling
and feigning interest in a conversation with the intern
Eric. And, unmistakably, Edward was on the make. Her
brother was leaning slightly against the wall smiling and
staring down at none other than Bella Swan. As Rosalie
watched him, she saw Edward step in closer to Bella and
his hand move like he was going to touch her arm.

In her sharpest voice that was still respectable for an

office, Rosalie called down the hall, "Alice. You're late."
There was no need to say anything directly to Edward at
the moment. He knew perfectly well what Rosalie was
doing.

Alice immediately responded back, "I believe we were

waiting for you." Her eyes flew up to Edward who looked
like he had just snapped out of a daze. She gestured for
Edward to walk forward as she said, "Bella. Eric. I have
to get the senator to our sister. You two have a good
day."
Edward needed to compose himself so he looked at his
watch and said, "Yes, we need to go. Good bye … for
now," as he walked away without looking behind.

As they walked, Alice barely moved her lips saying, "We

can talk about it later … without Rosalie."

Eric turned to Bella and said, "That was too fucking cool.
Everyone says he's a total asshole, but he likes to
mountain bike. That's awesome. I'm going to tell
Lauren."

Eric left Bella standing in the middle of the hallway

stunned. She decided to walk to the bathroom to figure
out just what happened. She replayed the conversation
with the senator in her head. The beginning of the
conversation felt odd to her because she was so panicked
over the Jacob thing. Then when the senator began
asking about her parents, Bella felt things seemed to
have shifted – like he wanted to get to know her. How
could that possibly be the case?

Bella remembered the People Magazine she had read

while in line at Safeway the other day; it had a photo of
Senator Cullen with the actress Tanya Hamilton at some
charity event. Bella thought of Tanya Hamilton's
homecoming queen looks and disproportionately large
chest. Bella touched her long pony tail and glanced at her
breasts. Bella knew there was no way that the senator
would be interested in Bella. It just wasn't possible. Yet,
he had been very friendly, and he was an infamously
unfriendly person. And by the end of their talk it felt like
he had been physically inching toward her. She didn't
think she had imagined that.

Bella's hand went to her throat, and she stopped right

before the bathroom door. She was shocked because the
thought came to her that maybe Senator Cullen was
interested in her because she had been with Jacob.
Maybe the senator thought she had fucked Jacob Black
so he could be with her too. It was plausible – after all, it
was hard to otherwise explain why Senator Edward
Cullen, with the looks of Adonis and power of Zeus,
would be interested in her.

Bella shook her head. That wasn't it. Being romantic with
an intern could be political suicide. Senator Cullen
wasn't stupid. And, somehow she believed that he
wouldn't bed her or anyone else just for political spite.
The senator still had the air of being an officer and a
gentleman; it seemed beneath him.

She then realized that it was probably the exact opposite

of what she was thinking. The senator was just being nice
to her so that she wouldn't think that he hated her for
dating Jacob Black. Bella took a breath and tried to
accept that as the rational explanation, but she wanted to
stay confused. Because she actually found him
interesting, she wanted to think that he might have an
interest in her. Because she thought he was painfully
handsome, she wanted to think that he found her
remotely attractive. But Bella prided herself on being a
smart girl. She thought again of the People Magazine
photo and knew she should accept the rational
explanation.
--
When Edward and Alice finally entered his office,
Rosalie was the one to slam the door this time. She was
fuming. "What the fuck was that?"

Edward set his jaw and was silent. He didn't want to give
anything away. He would wait to see what Alice was
going to offer Rosalie. He wasn't quite sure what Alice
thought she knew anyway.

Alice helped him immediately. "It was important for us

to let Bella know we don't think she's a pariah for dating
Jacob Black. We don't want Charlie Swan's daughter
unhappy working here. We were walking down the
hallway and bumped into her and Eric. No big deal."

Rosalie didn't buy it. "Let's say I accept that explanation

… that's just the reason why you stopped to talk … not
the reason why Edward looked like he was on the make."
Edward scowled. "That was hardly the case."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "I'll be the judge of that. I'm not
a fool. I know you, Edward. And Alice, you're supposed
to be helping me protect him and this senate seat. Why
didn't you stop him?"

Edward had accepted that as a politician he had to be

"managed," but he despised his sisters treating him like a
child. He jumped in, "Can we move on? Nothing
happened."

Rosalie raised her eyebrows as she said, "And nothing

will happen."

Depression came over him. Edward stifled a sigh and

held back a frown, replying very flatly, "Nothing will
happen."

Rosalie nodded. "Good. And I expect you now to go back

to treating her like you do every other employee around
here – like shit. Ignore her."

Alice had been playing it casual during the conversation

and checking her Blackberry. "I've got a friend in LA
with a studio begging me to get Edward and Tanya to an
opening on Saturday night. It's actually a high brow film.
It would be great press."

Rosalie shook her head. "No way. He's got to go to

Seattle Saturday morning after LA on Friday. He can't be
on the West Coast and not go to Washington. I've got
him booked all day on Saturday and Sunday."

Edward agreed, "Rosalie is right. Besides, I hate that

shit."

Alice said, "OK. I'm just saying there would be lots of

press."

Rosalie corrected her saying, "Lots of national press. He

needs local. We've got to get his numbers up."

It pained Alice to say it because she could tell Edward

was smitten with Bella, but she knew that she had to
remind Edward. "Edward, if you're only going to be one
night in LA, you need to make the most of it with Tanya.
You've got to stop her from doing that film."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Six ~
As Bella trudged home on the Metro that evening, she
decided it was time to check in with Charlie. Bella lived
in a group house in Adams-Morgan, an eclectic
neighborhood with an interesting cross-section of the DC
population. The house was large with four bedrooms and
a large closet that she and her roommates occasionally
rented out for cheap to friends who couch surfed just a
little too long. The house was old, and Bella lucked out
with one of the backrooms that had an old-time sleeping
porch attached to it.

Her roommates James, Victoria, Laurent, and Riley were

a typical group house medley. James and Victoria were
dating and shared one room. They were both seniors at
Georgetown. Laurent was 26 from Montreal and working
at the World Bank while getting his masters in foreign
relations at Johns Hopkins. Riley worked on the Hill for
a Democratic congressman from Texas. Bella liked all of
her roommates, and with four of them, there was usually
someone to talk to. The house was big enough, though,
that she could shut her door and really be alone.

Because of the three hour time difference between DC

and Forks, Bella waited to call Charlie until later that
night to make sure she got Charlie at home. The first
thing Charlie said to her was, "Why didn't you tell me
you were working with Seth Clearwater? I think that's
great."

It turned out that Charlie was very happy about it

because he thought that Seth would be her protector in a
new city. After a short exchange about Seth Charlie said,
"Bella, you may be aware of this by now, but you should
know that Jacob is running against Senator Cullen."

Bella rolled her eyes. Since she left high school, Charlie
really didn't have a clue about her or her interests. She
tried not to sound too annoyed as she replied, "Um.
Yeah. Dad, that's really old news."

"Well, how do you feel about that?"

"I feel fine about that. I'm a Democrat. Jacob is a

Republican. I work for a Democrat. I think it's pretty
clear cut."

"Well, just so you know I don't get involved in politics. I

really respected Carlisle Cullen. I'm sure this son … I
mean his son, Edward, is a fine man. But, I'm friends
with Billy so I'm happy that Billy has a successful son in
Jacob. I'm staying out of the election. I think you should
too."

For a moment Bella wondered what Charlie meant when

he said, "this son." She knew there was another son in
the Cullen family, Emmett. She decided that it was just
Charlie being careless with his words.

But Charlie's final statement ticked her off so much that

she had to let loose. "Even if I agreed with Jacob Black
on every single issue, I wouldn't vote for him in a million
years. You know that. And furthermore, I doubt he
would want my vote."

"Well, I just never understood what happened between

you two. Jacob comes from a fine family and is just the
salt of the earth. I respect your choice though. Marriage
is a huge commitment, and you know how I feel about
you marrying young. But I just don't know why it didn't
work out with Jake."

Bella had difficulty controlling the frustration in her

voice. "We've been through this before. Let's not revisit
it."

"OK. OK. I'm sorry, Bella. I know you don't like talking
about it. Anyway, I'm real proud of you. I think you're
doing real well."

Bella felt a little badly when Charlie was that sweet.

"Thanks Dad. I miss you."
After Bella finished talking with Charlie, she rolled over
on her stomach and clutched a pillow under her head.
She really didn't like thinking about everything that
happened with Jacob. She tried to keep it out of her
mind, because it was such an ugly ending to what had
been a nice friendship.

Bella thought back to earlier that day and laughed – the

irony of Senator Cullen or his sisters or Seth thinking she
had sex with Jacob! Bella had told Jacob when they were
just friends that she didn't want to have sex with
someone that she wasn't in love with. She didn't have to
wait until she was married, but she wanted a real
connection, a history with someone when she lost her
virginity. She wanted it to mean something. While Jacob
was offended that she wouldn't drop everything to be
with him, he was even more hurt that she didn't love him
… didn't want to marry him or even feel enough for him
to have sex.

Seth had been right the other day, though. The

underlying problem in Jacob and Bella's relationship
was that Jake didn't really know her. His vision of Bella
was not reality.

The funny thing was that now Jacob would call her
whore under his breath when he saw her. It was really
nonsensical that just because she didn't want to marry
him, she was a whore. And Jacob didn't know it, but
Bella was still a virgin. She shook her head thinking that
in the end Jacob really wasn't that smart.

She sighed – not smart like Senator Cullen. She thought

back to earlier that day when she was looking up into his
green eyes … oh my … and he was tall … and hot … very,
very hot. She started to imagine hiking with Edward.
Maybe he would be sweating. Maybe they would go for a
swim – alone. Bella squirmed in her bed. She then
flipped on her back and began an internal debate as to
whether or not it was a good idea to think about your
boss while you masturbate.
--
Shortly after their meeting with Rosalie, Alice told
Edward that she would come by to talk that night.
Edward boxed up the whole Bella Swan matter and
placed it far in the back of his mind for the rest of the
day. It was only when he got home after the tiresome
reception that he thought about it as he was playing the
piano. What was it about this woman that interested him
so much? What made her different? And was she worth
breaking his vow to Rosalie that he would stay away
from her?

Edward had been with countless number of women who

were beautiful and smart. Yet, Edward thought Bella was
– more. She was unaffected, with similar interests and
ideals, and well, they would probably have a good time
together. In a way, she reminded him of those qualities
in Irina that made them such good friends – and
occasional lovers. Irina never liked any of Edward's
women friends though. Edward thought she would
probably really like Bella. His mind quickly jumped to
the idea that Irina might really like Bella too. Edward
frowned and decided that Irina would not be meeting
Bella.

Edward believed he also was attracted to Bella because

she was so independent. It said something that she had
rejected Jacob Black. Bella wouldn't be interested in him
because of his position or how he looked. And if those
other things weren't important to her, he guessed she
wouldn't be interested in him just for his money either.

When in a quandary like this Edward would often think

of the scenes in The Godfather movies, when Michael
Corleone wonders what his father Vito Corleone would
have done for the family. What would Carlisle do if he
were in a similar situation as Edward? Carlisle had felt
like it was his duty to protect the honor of the Cullen
family – at all cost. Carlisle never did anything illegal,
but he certainly would go to incredible lengths to keep
the family name clean and to protect its heritage and
future regard.
But Carlisle had also been hopelessly in love with his
wife. He clung to Esme with his whole being. Edward
knew he wasn't in love with Bella, but he thought Carlisle
most likely would understand his unusual attraction to
her.

Edward stopped playing the piano. He sighed and

groaned. He knew what the answer was. At this point,
Carlisle would protect the family. Carlisle would give up
the infatuation and focus on keeping his senate seat. As
much as it pained Edward's heart he knew that was the
path he needed to follow. He didn't have a choice

When Alice let herself in the door, Edward didn't stop

playing the piano. She walked into the living room and
stopped for a moment as she saw Edward's face. He was
looking down at the keys, but Alice could see how
distressed he was.

Alice had rarely seen Edward look that way. It didn't look
quite like the depression he sunk into right after Carlisle
died, but it was close. The feelings that emanated from
his face were usually in reaction to a terrible event, like
when Edward had been in combat and his best friend,
Alec, was killed. As a Navy SEAL, Edward was in a small
close-knit crew when they were on a mission – they were
like his brothers. In a way, he had been closer to Alec
than he was to Emmett. The family didn't know very
much about what Edward's missions were about. He had
been deployed multiple times to Afghanistan and
Somalia, and some of the missions were very hard for
him. When Edward would come back home, he would
immediately go on a backpacking trip alone that
sometimes lasted for weeks.

Edward stopped playing when he saw Alice, and he made

sure they had drinks in their hands before Alice started
asking him questions.

Alice took a sip of her wine and said, "So, of course, you
don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

Edward gave her a sour face.

Alice laughed, "OK. So you don't want to tell me

anything. That's OK."

Edward faked a smile. "Great. Can we move on now?"

Alice was hurt. "Edward, I'm only trying to help."

Edward looked at his favorite sister. She had been

helping. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have been able
to talk with Bella that afternoon.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I know you are. You were great today."
Alice smiled a little smugly and said, "I think I was very
helpful."

Edward didn't say anything else so Alice asked, "So, are

you going to stay away from her – like you told Rosalie?"
Alice was afraid if she said Bella's name out loud that
Edward might end the conversation.

Edward went back to his thoughts about what Carlisle

would do. His facial expression became even grimmer.
He lifted his beer bottle, took a drink, and placing it back
on the table and said in a clear voice, "Yes."

Alice thought he seemed so unhappy so she said, "Are

you sure? I can make anything work, remember? Look at
Jasper and me. Jasper spends more than half the year on
the road." Alice's husband, Jasper, worked at the State
Department. She added, "Surely, I can figure a way out
of this for you."

Edward shook his head. "I've thought about it. I want to

do what Carlisle would in this situation. And Carlisle
would focus on his work in the Senate … and our family."

Alice nodded. Edward was right. That was what Carlisle

would do.
After Alice left, Edward sat around thinking. He resolved
not to interact with Bella again other than the occasional
greeting. And, he also concluded that he needed to get on
with his life, and he had an idea how to start.

He called Seth. With a personal life like his, Edward

didn't use email or text messaging. Other politician's
political scandals taught him that. He didn't even like to
talk on the phone when he didn't have to.

Seth picked up the senator's call immediately. "Edward.

What can I do for you?"

"When's the last vote scheduled for tomorrow? Are we

still going to nine?"

"No. We heard from the majority whip this evening that

the last vote has been moved up to noon."

"Great. I think I'll be going to LA shortly afterward then."

After hanging up, Edward called Rosalie.

"Rose, the vote schedule got changed. I want to go to LA

early tomorrow so I can see Tanya tomorrow night. Do
you still want to go together in the plane or should one of
us fly commercial?
Rosalie grumbled, "I hate flying by myself in that plane. I
don't want to die alone. I'll fly commercial. I'll meet you
at the event on Friday, and then we can fly together as
planned to Seattle on Saturday."

Edward laughed. "Thanks Rose, although now I'm going

to be thinking the entire flight that I'm going to die
alone. Thanks a lot."

"No problem. See you tomorrow."

Edward flew to LA the following day in the family's

private jet. It felt like it had been a terribly long week,
and all Edward wanted to do was have a drink with
Tanya and unwind with little thought. He was thinking
that he would bring up the film issue with Tanya after
the drink. Edward was staying at the Four Seasons, and
he didn't want to have to leave the hotel so he had Tanya
meet him at the bar. He found a table far in the back
where they would have some privacy.

Edward was pleased to see Tanya as she walked up to

him. She was tall enough that with stilettos she almost
reached him. She had the looks of an All American
Beauty with strawberry blonde hair and a heart-shaped
face. And of course she had a body to match, even if
parts of it were not God given. She was wearing a low-
cut, mini-dress made of thin silk so her relatively new
breasts were in full view.

After a kiss hello, Tanya said, "Edward, this place is

really for the senior citizen set. Why don't you stay some
place more hip?"

Edward furrowed his brow and replied, "Um. Tanya. I'm

a United States Senator. We don't do hip. The Senate is
the antithesis of hip – besides this place is nice."

Tanya giggled and her breasts bounced with her laugh.

"Oh, Edward. I was joking." She stopped a moment and
then asked, "But what does antithesis mean?"

Edward winced internally, thinking that maybe he really

should just break it off right then with Tanya. The
briefest thought of Bella entered his mind, and he
quickly pushed it away. Instead, he smiled at Tanya,
saying, "How about we drink some tequila?"

After three rounds of tequila shots, Edward knew it was

time to go upstairs before he got sloppy in public. He still
hadn't brought up the serious discussion about Tanya's
film offer even though she had talked extensively about
her work. Her work really didn't interest Edward, and
Edward disliked talking with her about his work or the
election. It was painful to hear how little she knew about
what was going on in the world. But as he led her to the
elevator up to his room, he didn't care that he really had
nothing in common with this woman. He wasn't
interested in her mind.

As soon as they got in the elevator, Tanya was all over

him. Edward had to restrain her arms from a public sex
act. He turned her around so that she was facing the
elevator doors, but he was still behind her.

She objected, "But, baby, why not? Elevators are the

best."

Edward was a little annoyed, but he smiled as he said,

"You know – nothing in public."

"But the doors are closed."

"The doors open, and then people look in."

She looked behind her shoulder and said, "Then we

won't let them see," as she began to rub her bottom
against him. Edward's eyes got wide, and was both a
little disappointed and thankful that the hotel didn't
have more than a few floors.

When they got to his giant suite, Edward got them drinks
from the bar. He gave Tanya a kiss on the cheek and
excused himself. After he relieved himself, he dug into
his dopp kit and put a couple of condoms in his pocket.
For all of his carefulness in life, he was occasionally
reckless when it came to sex. He hated condoms and
only used them when he didn't trust his partner. He
thought about the other women he had been with that
week. Jane was on the pill, and Irina had a diaphragm
that she kept just for her times with Edward. He knew
that he should be more worried about STDs with them,
but he wasn't. Tanya was entirely a different matter.

Edward walked back into the sitting room. Tanya was

standing at the bar with her back to him. Her strawberry
blonde hair waved down her naked back as she stood
before him wearing only her stilettos. She looked over
her shoulder and smiled at Edward.

Edward raised his eyebrows as he said, "Hello Tanya. I

see you've made yourself comfortable."

Turning to smile at him she replied, "No, you're going to

make me comfortable after that elevator ride," but she
turned her head away from him again and kept her back
to him.

He smiled at her and asked, "How is that?" as he started

to slowly walk over to her.

"Like this," and she crossed her arms on the bar and laid
her head on top of them. She then stepped backward a
few steps. Stretching like a cat, she leaned forward
offering herself up to Edward from behind.

Because of Edward's regimented schedule, he woke up a

little after three in the morning LA time. He looked at
Tanya sleeping next to him wrapped up in a sheet. She
was dead to the world. Edward could feel that he was still
drunk. He got up and took some Tylenol and drank a
couple of glasses of water. He probably did need to have
his wits about him when he finally talked to Tanya in the
morning. He got back in bed and slept for another few
hours, but of course, Tanya was still asleep when he got
up the second time. He left her a note that he was going
to the gym. When he got back, she was still asleep. He
took a shower, ordered breakfast, and then read a few
memos on legislation that had recently been introduced
and he had been asked to co-sponsor. Finally around
noon, Tanya woke up and called to him from the bed.

Edward climbed back in bed with her. He knew that they

needed to be physically close for this discussion. They
kissed good morning, and after a moment, he said, "So I
heard from Alice that you're up for a new movie."

"Yeah. It's a great opportunity. I'm really excited."

"That's what I understand." He was playing with her hair

as he talked with her. "But I hear that you've got a few
racy scenes."

"Yes, but I think it's time that I did something more

adult. And, it's just my breasts and stomach … and my
butt."

Edward thought to himself – and why not your vagina?

But, instead he, patted her bottom asking, "And what
will you be doing naked?"

She giggled, "Hopefully, I'm going to be in a few love

scenes with Robert Pattinson."

Edward flipped through his scant knowledge of popular

culture; then he remembered – the vampire guy. Edward
restrained himself from rolling his eyes.

Edward knew it was time for the direct approach.

"Tanya, if you were to appear like that, I would be asked
about it. It would be a huge distraction for the re-election
campaign if I have to answer questions about a
girlfriend's sex scenes. Do you understand?"

"Um. Not really."

This was where things got painful Edward thought.

"Well, the campaign should be about the issues that
people care about. It shouldn't be about my personal life.
And there are a lot of big issues at stake in this election.
With all that is going on in the world, the Democrats
need every Senate seat." Edward hoped that she would
get it with that explanation, but she didn't.

She looked at him with total confusion on her face. "You

don't understand. That film is really important. It's a big
opportunity to be with him in a movie."

Edward shook his head infinitesimally. He really

couldn't believe what he was hearing – her answer
disturbed him. The Cullen family had always approached
politics with a sense of noblesse oblige. The plight of the
poor and working families was something they deeply
cared about. Then, Edward thought about the issues
from climate change to the world recession. What did
this woman care about?

But Edward possessed enough machismo and arrogance

to also be completely irritated. As a Navy SEAL, Edward
had risked his life in covert missions behind enemy lines
and had fought with distinction for his country. As a
prosecutor, he had protected society from murderers,
rapists, and child molesters. And now, he was a fucking
US Senator for Christ's sake. Edward took Tanya's
comment personally and had to add a little dig in his
reply.
Edward coolly asked, "With all the troubles the world is
facing, you think a movie with that pussy actor is more
important?"

Tanya looked crestfallen because she could tell Edward

was angry. Yet she still had a whine in her voice as she
replied, "But, it's with Robert Pattinson."

Edward sighed and thought he would never be having

this ridiculous conversation with Bella Swan. He smiled
at Tanya and in a cheerful voice said, "Maybe we just
need some time apart, OK?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Seven ~
Late in the morning on Tuesday, Edward had just
finished a press event at the Cannon Caucus Room on
the other side of Capitol Hill. It was a nice day, and he
had some extra time so he decided to leisurely walk back
to his office and get some fresh air. He was walking in
the trees near the corner of First and Independence
across from the Library of Congress when he saw Bella.
Edward hadn't seen her since they talked in the office the
week before. He hadn't needed to be back in DC until
Tuesday so he stayed in Seattle longer than he had
planned. After a week like the last one, Edward needed
some space so he took Monday morning off and went for
a hike. He had enjoyed being in solitude, but the time
alone freed up his mind and Bella occasionally wandered
into it. Edward pushed any thought of her away. He
hated doing it, but he had to. He kept focusing on what
Carlisle would do.

So after assiduously keeping Bella out of his mind for the

last few days, Edward was disappointed in himself as he
stopped under the shade of the trees to study her from
afar. I have no control when it comes to this woman, he
thought to himself. Yet he still crossed his arms over his
chest and watched her, telling himself it would just be for
a minute.
 Bella sat in front
of the Library of
Congress's
fountain, the
Court of Neptune,
reading a book on
feminist
interpretations of
Kant. Neither
Bella nor Edward
knew that they both ranked the fountain the prettiest in
DC. Neptune dominated the fountain, positioned in the
middle, with his son Triton and two sea nymphs riding
sea monsters at his side. All the figures were
anatomically correct, which made the fountain a
highlight for many school children touring the nation's
capitol.

Bella had decided to take an early lunch and catch up on

some reading for her thesis. She was wearing a brown
skirt with a green sleeveless sweater; the sweater's
matching cardigan was tied in a knot over her shoulders.
She also was wearing brown pumps, and Edward
admired her legs which were crossed at the ankles
angled to the side. Edward wished he could get closer to
read the title of Bella's book; he thought it didn't look to
be Rawls again.
Edward watched as a young man with a dog walked up to
Bella. Edward didn't know the boy, but he knew the dog.
It was Senator Henry Wells's English bulldog. Like many
Members of Congress, Senator Wells kept a pet in his
office. Senator Wells was a very elderly Republican from
the South who hated communists and whose foreign
policy was steeped in the Cold War. Senator Wells had
owned bulldogs for the last 50 years, and he usually
named them after a communist leader of the day or a
perceived enemy of the Unite States. The Senator's
lingering hatred of Russia showed in the name of current
dog, Vladimir Putin. Edward guessed that this was one of
the senator's interns walking the dog.

When Bella saw the black nose of the bulldog smelling

the high heel of her brown pump, she smiled and said,
"Well, hello there." A male voice came from above Bella's
head, "Sorry about that. He's so low to the ground that
he smells everything at his level."

Bella looked up to see a cute, blonde guy dressed in the

typical Hill intern uniform of khaki pants, a button-down
shirt, and a striped tie. The usual accompanying blue
blazer must have been back at the office.

Bella smiled up at him. "It's OK. I love dogs. What's his

name?"
"His name is Vladimir."

Bella said, "Hi Vladimir," as she began to play with

Vladimir's ears, and Vladimir began licking Bella's
ankles. Vladimir started to slobber on her so Bella moved
her legs to the other side. She looked up and said, "That's
a big name for a little dog. What made you name him
that?"

The guy laughed and said, "Oh, he's not mine. He

belongs to Senator Wells. For some reason, the dog is
named after Vladimir Putin, but I can't remember why.
Anyway, they make the interns walk the dogs."

Bella laughed. "I've heard something about that."

Laughing at her remark, he joined Bella on the fountain

edge. "My name is Stefan; what's yours?"

Edward was too far away to hear the conversation, but

his hands turned into clenched fists with veins and
tendons straining under the skin. His heart was beating
rapidly because he was viewing a nightmare he should
have known was coming. He wanted to hit his head
against a wall – why was he so stupid? Of course, other
men would be as attracted to Bella as he was, but those
men could actually win her affection. And now the
nightmare was playing out before his eyes. He felt his
heart crumple as he recognized what his life was going to
be like as long as Bella worked in his office. He was going
to have to stay away from her, while he watched a line of
men vying for what he could not have.

Edward started to feel physically ill when he thought of

Bella with another man. He knew it was going to happen
– how could it not? Men probably hit on her all the time.
He wondered what types of men Bella went out with.
Edward thought of Jacob and let out a "Hmpf." He took
comfort in the relationship having ended badly, but who
had she been with since then? And now that she was
living in DC – a city full of age-appropriate, like minded
men – who would she go out with? When asked, to
whom would she say yes?

Edward looked critically at the intern sitting next to

Bella. Edward admitted he looked like an OK looking guy
and closer to Bella's age than Edward was. Edward didn't
like that. Then Edward remembered the intern worked
for Senator Wells. He had to be as loony politically as his
boss. That was usually the way it worked. Would Bella
really want to go out with a right-wing lunatic who
thought Castro still had nuclear weapons pointed at the
US?

Edward watched Bella intently to see if he could decipher

the conversation between her and the intern. They
seemed to just be casually chatting. After a very tense
five minutes for Edward not knowing what might have
been said, he watched Bella shake her head as if she was
saying no. His heart leapt as he thought, She said no!
There was another minute of conversation between them
before the intern stood up and shook Bella's hand.
Edward smiled.

Bella didn't want to end the conversation with Stefan on

such a sour note after declining the date. Bella thought
that even if he did work for a completely retrograde
politician and shared some of his views, Stefan was a
nice guy. So after she shook Stefan's hand, she leaned
down to face level with Vladimir and petted his head
saying, "Bye Vladimir. Have a nice walk."

Vladimir was so happy for the attention that he licked

Bella's face like it was an ice cream cone. Bella tried to
hide her disgust as she felt the nasty slobber of an
English bulldog covering her face. Stefan apologized
profusely, and Bella laughed to make him feel better. She
spied the fountain water beside her and quickly bent
over and splashed water onto her face. Bella thought the
fountain water was kind of gross too, but it was better
than Vladimir's saliva. Stefan apologized again and said
good bye, still smarting from Bella's rejection. With
nothing to dry off her face with, Bella lifted her face to
the sun.
Edward watched the entire episode. He was enchanted
by Bella's reaction to the dog. What woman in the middle
of a work day would take water from a fountain to wash
her face and then sit in the sun to dry off? Bella simply
acted differently than his usual female companions. And
with Bella's beautiful skin, she was just as lovely before
and after Vladimir's affection.

Edward's eyes lifted to the statue of the sea nymph above

Bella. It was a beautiful nude of a woman riding a sea
monster that was a horse with a giant eel tail for its
bottom half. The woman's head was tilted back in a
somewhat erotic pose with her breasts prominently
displayed.

As Bella sat in the sun, Edward fell into a fantasy. He

could see Bella swimming with him in a mountain lake.
They were laughing and playing in the cold water, and
both were naked. He envisioned repeatedly lifting her up
out of the water and then tossing her back in, while she
was climbing on his back and trying to pull him over into
the lake. They would be yelling and teasing each other,
but each would be very aware of their naked bodies
touching and rubbing over and over again. When it got
to be too much for him, Edward envisioned he once
again would pretend to lift her up to toss her, but
surprise her with a sweet kiss instead.
Edward saw the kiss becoming heated, and he would
carry her out of the lake. It would be Bella, though, and
everything wouldn't be so serious. She would kick and
scream that he put her down, while he would be laughing
at her. Edward pictured laying her down on a soft
blanket in the meadow surrounding the lake. Bella would
be giggling, and he would lie beside her. Bella might even
make a comment about how his dick had shriveled up in
the icy water. He would tickle her for that.

Edward knew tickling her would make him fully focused

on Bella's body, with all of its beautiful alabaster skin,
lying next to him. Her breasts would be beautiful, nicely
proportional to her body, and taut and tempting. And
Bella wouldn't be waxed and shaved to look like a little
girl. Bella would be real and natural with hair cloaking
her. Edward thought it would be very sexy to discover
what was hidden by those curls.

Edward pictured it being Bella's first time. It wouldn't be

sex on a table or against a door or from behind – there
would be plenty of time for that later. Instead, they
would explore each other's bodies together. Bella could
teach him about hers, and he would do as she wanted.
But, he would also want to touch Bella with his hands,
his lips, and his tongue in ways new to her. He would
want to make sure that Bella had an orgasm – that his
pleasure caused her to throw her head back like that sea
nymph. Eventually though, he would stare into those
beautiful chocolate eyes and tell her that he wanted to
make love to all of her. He would show her how to help
guide him entering her so they could be as one. Edward
imagined Bella's body slowly enveloping him. He then
would begin gently thrusting himself deeper into her,
keeping the pace as comfortable and pleasurable for her
as he could. He dreamed of coming inside of Bella and
the two of them laughing and nuzzling one another
afterward. With that final image in his mind, Edward's
eyes re-focused on Bella sitting across the street from
him.

It was during Edward's fantasy that Bella sensed that

someone was looking at her. She looked at the people on
the sidewalk around her, and they were all occupied with
their own lives. She was about to shut her eyes again and
enjoy the sun when she spotted Senator Cullen in the
trees across the street. Bella didn't think that she was
imagining that he was staring at her. She stared back at
him curiously and wondered why he was looking at her.
After 15 seconds of them staring at one another, Senator
Cullen waived to her – just a small movement of his
hand from left to right. Bella smiled as she hesitantly
waived back, and a small smile appeared on Edward's
face.
Bella couldn't believe it. The whole silent exchange
seemed odd, but also exciting. Edward's smile
encouraged her. With a hand movement, she pointed to
her chest and then pointed to him, asking him if he
wanted her to come to him. As she did it, Bella was
happy.

But when Edward saw Bella ask if he wanted her to come

over, he froze and panicked. He wanted so badly to nod
his head yes and go on a walk with her. Edward wanted
to start a relationship with Bella that would take them to
that meadow by the lake.

But Edward's whole life had been about duty and honor
and responsibility. He thought of everything at stake – a
Democratic Senate seat, his family's legacy, and his
career – also her career for that matter. It was too
much. Instead of saying yes to Bella, Edward shook his
head no and started walking back to his office with an
anguished heart.

As Edward left from her sight, Bella kept her face

completely composed, but inside she fell to pieces. She
couldn't believe how foolish she was. Why had she done
that? Why would Edward Cullen ever want to talk to her
alone?

Bella suddenly remembered the time. She was expected

to sit through a hearing in the House Natural Resources
Committee that would last the rest of the day. Thinking
at least she wouldn't have to see Senator Cullen again, a
humiliated Bella threw her bag over her shoulder and
walked away.
~*~

Links:
http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000192.htm
Court Of Neptune Photo’s

~*~
 ~ Chapter Eight ~
"Who wrote this God damn piece of shit excuse for a
memo?" yelled Edward as he stormed through the office.
Like every other subordinate in the office, Bella's head
instinctively bowed a bit. She hadn't written whatever
the senator was waiving around, but she felt for whoever
had written it. In the past few weeks, Edward had
become such a tyrant in the office that everyone was on
pins and needles. Occasionally, he would go through a
few days where he was simply sullen and grumpy, but his
mood would change in a flash back to what Eric called,
"a complete and total fucking asshole." Eric would
always follow-up that statement with the question, "And
why did we want to work for Cullen over Blair? She's at
least a normal person."

Bella had been crushed by her encounter with Senator

Cullen in front of the Library of Congress earlier that
month. Initially, Bella had taken the Senator's outbursts
a little personally – as if he knew she was attracted to
him and he was trying to reinforce that he had no
interest in her. She soon realized that it wasn't personal;
he was mean to everyone now, even Seth.

Bella heard the Senator bellow from his private office,

"And where the fuck is Seth?"
Shifting her eyes to his office door, she saw Alice
standing in his doorway calmly replying, "He's looking
for Senator Haddow's legislative director. She's changing
the amendment. We'll figure it out."

"Tell him to come in when he's back. Close the door."

Rosalie's voice came from within his office, "Don't shut

it, Alice. I'm on my way out."

Bella heard two doors shut as she went back to her work.
She was typing form response letters to constituents who
had written in support of the repeal of all gun control
laws. Boring. The senator was opposed to it, of course.
What else was there to say?

Inside Alice's office, Rosalie and Alice plopped down on

the couch and looked at one another with befuddled
faces.

Rosalie spoke first. "He needs to get laid. That has got to
be the problem. He hasn't been with anyone since he
broke it off with Tanya."

Alice groaned, "He is seeing somebody."

"Who?"
"Maggie O'Hara."

Rosalie grimaced. Congresswoman Maggie O'Hara came

from a Democratic machine family in Boston. She was
divorced with no children, and was a lovely woman with
a face like the map of Ireland, red haired and freckled.
She was also incredibly cerebral – a perfect match with
her over-educated congressional district. "If she is as
boring of a lay as she is to talk to, no wonder Edward is
so grouchy. I'd rather watch paint dry than carry on a
conversation with her."

"I know. Even Edward has said she's too much of a law
geek. He says they don't have that much in common
beyond holding the same degree and being in Congress."

Rosalie felt like she was on to something. "Only one

though? That's a dry spell for him."

"I'm not sure, but I think it's just Maggie. He's got a
dinner date with Irina at the end of the week to celebrate
her promotion to Lieutenant Commander."

Rosalie declared with finality. "He just needs to find

someone new."

Alice couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Rosalie …

Come on. You know what the problem is."
Rosalie shook her head and imperatively replied, "Bella
Swan is not an option. Period. End of discussion."

Alice closed her eyes and lowered her head back onto the
top of the sofa. "I know. I agree. I just feel for him."

Rosalie said firmly, "It is not possible. Even if she wasn't

an intern here with all the possible sexual harassment
issues, he cannot be with a college student. We need
every swing female voter. Don't get me wrong. I want
him to date, or everyone will think he's gay. And the polls
show those women voters accept him with age-
appropriate, respectable women. Personally, I think
some of those swing voters are women who fantasize
that they could be with him. Like he's a prince or
something, and someday their prince will come. That's
just my hypothesis though. I don't have a poll to show
that. Anyway, a 32 year old playboy with a girlfriend in
college does not look good– especially compared to
Jacob Black's perfect little family. Bella would be a huge
distraction for the campaign. It's not happening."

Alice sighed. "I know. I know. Remember, I'm the one

who had to field all those calls from reporters about the
admiral's daughter during the special election. And he
hadn't even seen her for over a year."
Rosalie looked to the heavens. "That sucked. You're
worth your weight in gold for keeping that photo of them
kissing out of the mainstream press."

Alice remarked, "Now, that was a special situation

though. We had an admiral who was out for blood."

"Right. And what happens when we have Charlie Swan

out for blood? I'm already expecting Emmett is going to
come up at one point. Too many people on that
reservation and around Forks know of at least one of his
shenanigans."

"I know. How is Emmett anyway? Have you talked to

him lately?"

"He's still laying low. Working at that carpentry shop.

Going to AA. You should call him."

Alice nodded. "I will."

Neither one said anything for a moment. Alice broke the

silence. "But, what if we let Edward at least talk to her? I
mean he may not want to even do that for fear of getting
in deeper with her. But, it might mean that he's a little
less of a prick. And who knows? He may find she's just
too young; he may lose interest."
As soon as she said it, Alice knew the latter would never
happen. Rosalie might think that too, so she added,
"There's always the chance that Bella doesn't want Prince
Charming. It's not like he's not without flaws, and she
seems to have her head on straight. She's already
rejected one charismatic politician. "

Rosalie mulled the thought over. "Well, starting in May,

I'm putting his dick on lockdown until he's sworn into
office in January 2011. He knows and has accepted that
already. So maybe. Let me think about it."

Alice nodded, but smiled inside. When Rosalie said

maybe, it always meant she would say yes.

Rosalie got up and started tucking her shirt back into her
pants. Alice sighed, "Rosalie how is it that you look so
good in just a white shirt and pinstriped pants."

Rosalie smiled. "I may cuss like a sailor. I may have a

mean streak a mile long. But God blessed me with a
porn-star body."

Alice frowned, "I'd gladly trade a friendly personality and

the body of a twelve year old boy just for a day."

"Please. Jasper loves you. I have no guy in sight."

Alice replied without thinking, "He's coming. Not sure
when, but he's coming."

Rosalie smiled again. "Whatever. Gotta' go. I'm having

lunch with Mom."

When Alice walked back into Edward's office, he

slammed a piece of paper on his desk and barked at Seth,
"What the fuck does 'the agency is supposed to
promulgate the regulation' mean? There is no 'supposed
to' in the law. There is 'shall' or 'may' – one is
mandatory, one is discretionary. Which the fuck is it and
why didn't Randall write the memo?"

"Randall's dad died. I'm worried that he may not even

come back to DC, because his family is in such a mess. I
think he handed it off to the intern, Lauren, to write it."

Edward growled, "Well, I'm supposed to vote on this

tomorrow. I'd like to know what I'm voting on."

Alice smiled to herself and piped up. "Get Bella to write

something up. I bet she could off the top of her head."

Edward shifted his weight in his chair. "OK. I want

something in my hand in an hour. I don't have much
time today." Edward thought to himself that maybe this
would be a test to get Bella out of his brain. If she
produced something he hated, he wouldn't be as
interested.

Seth turned to go talk to Bella, but Edward called back to

him. "And get Haddow's guy in here. What's his name
anyway?"

"Mike Newton."

That name was familiar to Edward. "Why do I know that

name?"

"He played basketball for UCLA a few years ago when

they were good."

As Seth left, Edward nodded. Mike Newton was the

scholar athlete who had gotten a lot of media attention
that year. Edward thought he had to be quite smart to be
a legislative director already.

As nicely and with no pressure in his voice at all, Seth

asked Bella, "Hey Bella. Do you know anything about
that Clean Air Act amendment on the EPA
appropriations bill?"

She nodded. "Sure. It's all over the paper and the
environmental newswires."
Seth smiled. "Good. Can you write me a memo on it?
Just for me. I need it in an hour." He felt a little bad
about lying, but he didn't want to freak her out, given
how Edward had been acting lately.

"OK. How long?"

"One page." Edward hated reading memos longer than a

page unless it was a complicated piece of legislation.

Bella happily went to work. She was interested in all

environmental issues. This particular issue went through
a committee that Senator Cullen didn't sit on. Still Bella
knew she could write the memo in less than an hour.

Edward grabbed the memo out of Seth's hand as soon as

he walked back into his office. He eyed the clock on his
desk – only 45 minutes. Bella beat the clock. And after
reading the first sentence, he saw she had passed the
test. Why had he ever doubted her? It was perfect. There
was one fact that was missing though. Would she know
the answer? Of course she will, Edward thought, but I'll
ask anyway.

"Bring Bella in here. I've got a question."

Bella became terrified as Seth led her toward the

senator's office. "Seth, I thought the memo was for you."
"Um. Yeah, but he ended up wanting to see it too."

Edward tried not to check out Bella as she walked in, but
he failed. She was wearing that blue dress again that
made her look like a beautiful doll. His mind raced,
though, to another blue dress worn by an intern, which
infamously led to the impeachment of President Bill
Clinton. Edward went back to being cranky. He stood up
and sat on the edge of his desk with his arms crossed.

"Bella. Good memo. You mention that the agency has

discretion over the date that they promulgate the
regulation. How many coal plants will be built with the
old technology if they delay the regulation by a year?
How much more carbon dioxide pollution in the
atmosphere would it cause?"

Bella panicked. She didn't know the answer, but she had
read it some where. She spied the New York Times on
his coffee table in his office's sitting area.

"I don't know off the top of my head. I think it's in a

chart in that New York Times article that ran today."

Edward wanted to smile because Bella was just great.

Such a little intellectual spitfire, he thought. And such a
doe eyed beauty. Edward thought back to his fantasy of
holding her wet, naked body in that lake. It had become
his only fantasy during his morning showers. He
involuntarily blinked twice and came back to Earth –
and reality. Instead of smiling, he muttered, "Thanks.
Look it up Seth."

A voice came from the doorway. "Hello Senator Cullen.

I'm Mike Newton from Senator Haddow's staff. I have
the latest draft of the amendment."

Mike looked around the room and saw Senator Cullen's

inner circle, all of whom he knew by sight, if not name.
His eyes lingered on Rosalie; she was in the fantasies of
most of the men in the Hart building. And finally he saw
a brunette he had never seen before. She was just a tiny
thing, but very pretty, with a cute figure. He wondered
who she was, although he was not surprised that Cullen
would have such a looker on staff.

Bella turned to the voice in the doorway, and her mouth

almost dropped open. Wow. Mike Newton is hot – like
smoking hot, she thought. He looked like a better-
looking President Obama, but taller and with slightly
darker skin. And his brown skin looked gorgeous against
the French blue shirt he was wearing. Bella smiled at
him. Mike noticed Bella and returned her smile. Alice
noticed their exchange, and so did Edward.
Edward looked at Mike and Bella both smiling and
admiring one another, and immediately Edward thought
he was in hell. In his life, he had sinned; he had killed.
He already knew that he would have a lengthy debate
with Saint Peter in order to get into Heaven. But he did
not expect to be in his own self-created hell on Earth.

He wanted to close his eyes in disappointment, but he

knew his place. Instead, he looked blankly at Mike
saying, "Hello. Nice to meet you. Thanks for coming
over. Please work with Bella Swan on this."

Edward knew he was being very rude to someone he

normally would have been interested in talking to.
Edward loved sports, and usually, he would talk to Mike
about basketball – maybe even try to get in on a game
with him. After seeing how Mike and Bella looked at one
another, that was not possible.

Mike nodded and replied, "Yes, Senator Cullen. I'm

happy to help. I know Senator Haddow would appreciate
your support of the amendment." To himself, Mike
thought, bella Bella, but he knew he couldn't use that
tired line with her. She had to have heard it a million
times already.

Oh, I bet you're happy to help, Edward thought. Instead,

he mumbled, "Well, thanks again for coming over. I …
need to read a few things now."

Everyone left the room with that. Alice was worried that
her plan was backfiring horribly, but she said nothing.
She had hoped getting Bella involved in something
Edward was working on would be a good thing – not that
it would result in Bella's new love interest.

Alice was the last one out and closed the door quietly
behind her as Edward spun his chair to look out the
window. But then he immediately jumped out of his
chair. He couldn't stand not knowing what Bella and
Mike were talking about. Edward remembered that she
sat next to the supply room where the bottled water was
kept. He downed the glass on his desk and went to get a
refill.

Neither Bella nor Mike noticed Edward enter the supply

room. After he got his water, he leaned against the
counter with stacks of paper and slowly sipped from his
glass. Edward wished he could see their body language,
but the current conversation was just about the
amendment, which made him happy.

As Bella finished taking her extensive notes from Mike's

explanation, Mike said, "So you graduate this spring?"
Edward frowned; Mike was going to flirt with her.
Bella nodded her head. "Yes. I'm going to apply to law
school for next fall."

Mike laughed. "Me too. It's time to get off the Hill.
Where are you looking at going?"

Bella smiled, "Well, I grew up both in Arizona and

Washington so both of those are on the list." Edward
frowned when she said that. U Dub was OK; he was in
Seattle often enough. He didn't like hearing about
Arizona. Edward grinned though, when she added, "But,
I'd really like to stay in DC and go to Georgetown or
GW."

Mike laughed, "Yeah, I'm interested in staying here, too.

My dad teaches law at Howard so that's my safety. If I
got into an Ivy though, I'd jump at it."

Bella smiled. "My grades are nowhere near what you

need for that. I'm impressed."

Mike warmly said, "Are you kidding me? You get this
legislative stuff. I bet your grades are better than you say.
So when are you taking the LSAT?"

Bella felt a blush coming on. Was this beautiful man

flirting with her? She wanted to know. She tried to
calmly answer him. "October."
Mike had rolled up the paper he was holding into a
scroll, and he gently tapped Bella's shoulder with it. "Me
too. We should study together." Edward's face went red
– fuck him, he thought.

When Mike touched her, Bella squealed on the inside.

He was definitely flirting with her. Bella smiled and said,
"Great. I need help with the logic problems. I'm fine with
reading comprehension, but the logic stuff is tough."

Mike happily replied, "It's a date then. I'll call you here
later this week. With this amendment on the floor, I've
got a tough few days."

Bella nodded and said, "Well, thanks for taking the time
to explain it to me. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Talk to you later." Mike tapped her one

more time with his paper scroll, and walked away. Bella
shook her head and watching him and thought, even his
ass is fine. She wondered if he would really call her.

Edward silently walked back to his office without Bella

noticing. As he walked away, every competitive bone in
his body came alive, and Edward was a very competitive
man. There wasn't a single achievement that he had that
he didn't fight for in his life. Other than winning his
election with his family name, Edward had worked hard
for everything – getting into the naval academy,
becoming a SEAL, getting into Yale Law School, and
working at the D.A.'s office.

If Bella needed coaching for the LSAT, especially with

the section he aced, Edward was going to help. He was
not going to just offer Bella up to the guy on a silver
platter. But the thought of Carlisle crept back into his
brain. Carlisle would have given up on her. Carlisle
would not get involved with her. He winced at being back
in the middle of his conundrum.

He shook his head – he couldn't handle being this

miserable anymore. Fuck it, he thought. He went directly
over to Alice's office door and knocked before he poked
his head in. Alice was typing and staring at her screen.

She smiled at seeing him, though. She knew he needed

cheering up and was glad that she had the opportunity to
do it. "Hi Edward. What can I do for you?"

Edward shut the door as he said, "I need to talk to you."

~*~
 ~ Chapter Nine ~
Edward shut the door to Alice's office behind him and
sat down on her sofa. He wasn't sure what he wanted to
say. Altogether uncomfortable, Edward stood back up,
took off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and sat back
down. Alice tried not to smile as she said, "Better now?"

Edward pursed his lips. "Yes."

"And?"

Edward remained quiet for a moment. How could he

have this conversation without it ever coming back to
haunt him in a sexual harassment lawsuit? After their
encounter in front of the Library of Congress, he sensed
that Bella had some interest in him – at least she did
before Mike Newton walked in his office. He didn't think
her interest would fade that quickly, though. Edward was
more worried if another staff member found out about
his attachment to Bella, and then complained that his
office was a hostile work environment.

Ugh, he thought. No matter how he worded it, it

sounded terrible. And he would have to disclose the
intent of the conversation anyway. Was there no way out
of this situation?
Uncharacteristically, he fumbled with his words. "What
if I wanted to just talk with someone on staff whom I
might not normally talk to during the day?"

Alice leaned back in her chair and clasped her hands

together. She wanted to smile and clap, but she kept a
straight face. She waited a few seconds to decide how to
respond. She concluded that she needed to lead him in
the right direction.

"You mean a conversation in the office, right? Not

outside the office."

"I suppose that's right." It wasn't what he wanted, but he

would take it.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with talking to someone,

being friendly with someone. The person just can't be
singled out. And frankly, after the last few weeks, your
whole staff could use a little more kindness and
conversation from you."

Edward nodded – he knew he had been a jerk to his very

dedicated and good staff. They deserved better. He
thought about helping Bella study, but he was unsure
how to approach her about that.

"What if I wanted to spend some time with one person

going over something that was not a work matter?
Maybe help them with something they were doing on
their own time."

Alice tried to figure out what he meant. Did he want to

help Bella with her thesis? "I'm not sure about that …
unless you were open to helping other staff with
something in their lives also … male and female staff."

Edward thought about how that intern Lauren sashayed

by him with a blouse that always had one button too
many undone for an office setting. Bella or no Bella, he
did not want to spend any time with Lauren. Then he
thought of Eric, the mountain biker. He could carry on a
decent conversation with him about sports at least.
Maybe that requirement wasn't so bad. Edward needed
Alice to clarify something.

"Can the … conversations happen one on one?"

Alice could hear Rosalie scream in her head, "NO

FUCKING WAY." Instead, Alice replied, "I would say
that the door needs to be wide open at all times in a very
busy setting with people coming in and out. And
multiple staff members need similar access."

Edward's face scrunched into a silent snarl. He especially

didn't like the second part of what Alice had said.
Then, it came to Alice. "A quieter, private conversation
could take place though if you had a chaperone … like
Rosalie or Seth or me, for example. Something like that
might work."

Edward's face beamed. "I like that idea – a lot – with the
exception of Rosalie as a chaperone."

After checking his watch, Edward started straightening

his tie, unable to stop smiling. He wasn't sure how he
was going to tackle the situation, but he was glad to have
some opportunity to at least get to know Bella more.

Alice's mind did laps around all the possibilities that

might happen in such a situation. Once she briefed
Rosalie on this conversation, Rosalie would come to the
same conclusion. She needed to warn Edward one more
time – for his benefit. "I hate to remind you, but Edward,
no intimate conversations. No physical contact. It's too
dangerous. Even if you had complete trust in Bella to
keep something between you two confidential, you never
know who else might see or hear. Even suspicions of
something between you two are a problem."

Edward replied sourly, "Thanks for bringing me down to

Earth." Alice looked hurt so Edward added, "But, thanks
for also helping me out. I'll let you know when I need
you."

Just as he said he would, Mike called Bella later that

week to set up a study date for Saturday afternoon. Half
an hour before Mike was to pick her up Bella stood in her
closet, debating what to wear. If this was a study date
back home at school, jeans, a flannel, and fleece would
be in order. He seemed like a snazzy dresser, though. She
didn't want to look dumpy, but it was only going to be for
a few hours in the middle of the afternoon. Mike hadn't
specified where they were going to study; he just said
that he knew of a good place. Deciding to compromise,
she pulled out a denim mini-skirt that rested three
inches above her knees, her green low-top sneakers, and
a presentable v-neck t-shirt, which she tucked in, but
bloused over. She also grabbed a cardigan in case they
went to a cold library. Once dressed, Bella looked at
herself in the mirror. She thought, Well, this is me. If he
doesn't like it, we're not meant to be.

When she opened up the door for Mike, he looked at her

and smiled saying, "Good to see you, Bella. Nice
Chucks." In his mind, though, he really was appreciating
the short skirt.

He is so damn hot, Bella thought. She blushed. "Thanks.

Hi. I would invite you in, but our house is your standard
DC group house and kind of a mess."
Mike chuckled. "You don't have to. I'm very familiar with
its kind. I live in one myself." He poked his head in just a
foot and added, "You even have the proverbial television
on with no one watching it."

"Yeah, Riley was here, but he wandered upstairs."

Bella stepped out and locked the door, following behind

Mike as he walked down the steps. He wore a white t-
shirt, jeans, and A didas. She gulped at the sight of the
perfect male form walking in front of her. Her vagina did
an involuntary Kegel exercise. Must not think sexy
thoughts about hot study partner – at least in front of
him, she thought.

Needing a distraction, Bella asked, "So where are we

going?"

He smiled as he opened up the door to his black Honda

for her. "My folks' place. It's cool; don't worry."

Mike shut her door, and Bella panicked as he walked

around to his own door.

He grinned as he got in. "Only my dad lives there now,

and he works on Saturdays. He says it's the only day that
he can find time to write in peace. Anyway, my mom was
a school teacher. Our old rec room has a chalk board in
it. I thought it would be helpful for some of the logic
problems."

The fact that he planned ahead for their studying made

Bella warm inside. That was a nice sign she thought. She
wondered why he said in the beginning that only his dad
lived in the house now, but she decided it would be rude
to ask.

They chatted for most of the drive about the legislation

that was on the Senate floor that week. Bella eventually
said, "Are we still in DC?"

"Yes, but you're right we're almost outside the border.

This neighborhood is called Shepherd Park. It was one of
the first neighborhoods black and Jewish folks could buy
property in."

Bella looked around and saw that all the homes were
nice. The houses were about four times the size of
Charlie's or any house she and Renee ever lived in. "It's
really nice – much nicer than Forks, Washington. I've
lived there with my dad since the last part of high
school."

"What's Forks like?"

Bella told him about the little town and its beautiful
surroundings. Mike said, "It sounds pretty. I'm a city
guy. I don't know much about mountains."

Mike asked all about Charlie and Renee. Being an

athlete, he was curious about Phil and what teams he
had played on. "And what grade does your mom teach?"

"Kindergarten. It fits her. She's pretty much a kid."

"My mom had a little of that too. She taught first grade."

"She's retired now?"

Mike looked straight ahead at the road as he sadly said,

"No. She passed away my senior year of high school. She
had breast cancer."

Bella felt horrible. "Oh Mike, I'm sorry."

Mike turned to look at Bella and gave her a small smile.

"It's OK. You didn't know. It's been a while anyway." He
parked the car in front of a stately red brick house and
said, "We're here."

The house was beautiful on the inside, but the

furnishings and the décor were all slightly worn. Bella
thought to herself that it looked like a house that was
once very fine, but no longer had its loving caretaker. Of
course, all of the technology – TV, stereo, etc. – were
very new. His father must have made sure of that.

Mike and Bella settled downstairs in his family room.

The room had two old sofas and a few chairs, a pool
table, and board games stacked in bookshelves, which
held many, many books. The chalk board was large and
had wheels. Mike positioned it in front of the sofas, and
he and Bella got to work.

For the first hour Bella sat on the sofa dissecting the
problem, while the other wrote it on the board. Later,
Bella was at the board and Mike was on the sofa, but he
got up to diagram a potential solution on the board. Bella
was quiet as he thought aloud and wrote, but she was
mentally contemplating being so close to Mike. I am
standing next to a gorgeous, brilliant, sensitive man
who is not crazy. Am I going to get to kiss him too?
Bella's heart leapt at the thought.

Mike finished his writing and talking and turned to

Bella. "So do you think this is right?"

Bella looked up at the chalkboard. He had written in the

top left corner furthest away from where she could see. It
was also high enough that short Bella had to step back to
look at it. As she started stepping back, Mike asked,
"Where are you going?"

Embarrassed, she mumbled, "It's really high. I need to

step back to see it."

Mike's face became devilish. He thought she was

adorable. Grabbing Bella by the hips, he hoisted her up
to see his work. "Is this better, little one?"

Bella squealed, "Hey, Put me down. I don't tease you for

being tall."

Mike flipped her over so that he cradled her in his arms.

He smirked at the big brown eyes staring at him, "No you
don't, which is nice of you. But I have to say that I think
you weigh about as much as a basketball. You are a tiny,
pretty little thing. How did you get such a big brain when
you're so little?"

Bella felt her face go up in flames at his compliments.

She pushed him in the chest, "You are pushing your luck.
I'm going to have to make fun of you now." Bella was
very aware of the hard, muscular body holding her and
even more aware of how close his face was to hers.

Mike thought that he really liked holding Bella. She was

so petite and soft, and her skin was lovely, especially
when she blushed. With her arms pressed against her
sides, he also caught a glimpse of her cleavage which
made him think about what her breasts might look like,
which caused him to stir below. Mike knew this would be
a perfect time to lean down to kiss her. He began to
lower his face to hers saying in a soft voice, "As long as
I'm pushing my luck."

Bella's stomach was doing flips in anticipation as Mike

was about to kiss her. But she responded immediately to
his face moving toward hers, by moving her mouth to
his. Just as they were about to kiss, they heard the front
door open. A deep male voice called out, "Mike, where
are you?"

Mike groaned and called up the stairs, "I'm down here

with my friend. … Like I told you."

"Well, come up when you can."

Bella smiled at Mike and bit her lip. Mike looked down at
her and thought he could either go in for that kiss or put
her down. He decided he didn't want their first kiss to be
half-assed with his dad stomping around upstairs.
Instead, he grinned. "Want to go meet Professor
Newton?"

Professor Newton was charming and very personable.

He and Mike looked a great deal alike, although probably
it was more so when the Professor was younger and
thinner. When he heard that Bella worked for Senator
Cullen, he told her that he had always respected Carlisle
Cullen a great deal. Of course, it was not lost on him that
Bella was white. To his knowledge Mike had never dated
a white woman before. The professor didn't have a
problem with it, but Mike's mother would have, if she
were still alive. He decided to keep the thought to
himself. After all, they may never even become a couple.

After 15 minutes of conversation, the professor went to

his room, and Bella and Mike returned to work. They
kept their hands to themselves this time, but there was
much more teasing and giggling than the hour before. As
they walked back to the car, Bella admitted to herself
that it really hadn't been a very productive study session.
But she thought it had been very promising for other
things…

When Mike dropped Bella off at home, there was no

parking to be had on her street. Bella said, "Really. You
do not have to walk me up."

"OK. But only because I know what a bitch it is to find

parking around here." After double parking in front of
her house, Mike picked up her hand, curled it around his
own, and gave it a kiss saying, "I had a good time with
you today."
Bella exhaled, "Me too," and something came over her.
She was not going to let the day end without kissing
Mike. She reached her neck up and gave him a peck on
the lips. She ended the kiss. "Thanks for helping me."

Her mouth was still close to Mike's when he replied, "My

pleasure." And with that he pressed his lips to Bella's,
and both of their mouths reflexively opened. Their
tongues touched and began to play when a car honked
behind them.

Mike groaned, "I cannot catch a break today."

Bella giggled, "Another time then."

Perking up, he asked, "How about lunch this week?

Maybe Monday? My boss is back home that day."

That Monday, Mike and Bella were walking back from

lunch at a Mexican restaurant not far from the Senate.
As they approached the large building of the
conservative think-tank, The Heritage Foundation, Bella
stopped walking as she looked at the group of men
coming out of its doors. One of the men instantly saw her
and said to the others with him, "I'll meet you at the
restaurant."
Jacob Black walked toward her and called out, "Hello
Bella. I'm surprised to see you here." It was true. Jacob
thought Bella was in Seattle for her senior year. When he
saw her, his heart immediately fluttered, but quickly
came to a halt. He had no heart for Bella Swan.

Bella was nervous. It was always uncomfortable talking

with Jacob, but it was shocking to see Jacob in DC. Then
she remembered Mike stood at her side. That just made
things doubly weird.

"Hi Jacob. Um. Jacob Black, this is Mike Newton."

Jacob and Mike shook hands. Mike knew who Jacob was,
and he was incredibly curious as to why Bella Swan was
on a first name basis with Senator Cullen's opponent. He
looked at Jacob critically for a moment. He was a big,
good looking Native American guy. Mike thought he
seemed strangely tense standing there, though.

Jacob immediately sized up Mike. It wasn't often that

Jacob talked to anyone taller or more muscular than
him. He wondered why Bella was walking with him.

"So, Bella you didn't answer my question." Jacob's voice

wasn't hostile, but it wasn't particularly friendly either.

Bella stared at him. She demanded of herself not to be

nervous, not to flinch. "I could ask the same of you."

Still a smartass, Jacob thought. "I'm here for a

fundraising trip and some meetings."

Bella replied, "I'm here for my senior year at

Georgetown, and I've got an internship."

Jacob was curious. "Who with?"

Bella plainly stated, "Senator Cullen."

Jacob's eyes flashed with anger, and he looked away

thinking he had to stay calm. After all, he was a
candidate for Senate – he could not cause a scene on the
middle of the street in DC.

"Bella, can I speak with you alone?"

Stunned, Mike thought, Why in the hell does Jacob

Black want to speak to Bella alone? What is going on?
He immediately looked at Bella, and his eyes silently
asked her if she wanted to be alone with the guy. Bella
nodded and asked, "Mike, can you give me two
minutes?"

"Sure, but we should be getting back." Mike didn't feel

good about what was going on.
Jacob led Bella to a spot ten feet away. With a little more
privacy, Jacob felt fine unleashing his fury. "What the
fuck? Why are you interning in that prick's office? Is this
spite or did our relationship mean nothing to you?"

Bella stayed calm because she worried that any emotion

on her part would enrage him more. "Our relationship
did mean something to me which is why I tried to end it
before things got off track, but I was too late."

Angrily he asked, "Off track? What does that mean? Do I

have to remind you that you were the one that started it
all for us? You threw yourself at me that night. You knew
I was in love with you. You led me on."

Bella's hands were clenched at her sides. She knew Jacob

was right. When she told the story to Seth, she left out
that important part. Still, Jacob was a 28 year old man
when they dated. He should have been able to handle a
silly girl. Bella found her resolve again. "Why are we
revisiting this? Especially when you're married. It's
over."

Jacob seethed. She never wanted to take any

responsibility for her actions, but he couldn't deny that
she was right – he was married. He should have moved
on by now. Jacob dropped that subject and picked up the
other he was irate about. "So why are you working for
that pretty boy asshole?"

Very calmly Bella said, "I wanted to work for him

because he's a Democrat. I'm a Democrat. It's not
personal, Jacob."

Jacob forcefully grabbed Bella's arm. "Not personal. That

is such fucking BS, Bella. How is this not personal?
Everything between us is personal. You could at least
have given me the courtesy of a call to let me know."

Bella was mad, and she yanked her arm away. "Now that
is BS. Like you have been courteous with me since we
broke up? Why in the hell would I do that?"

Jacob grabbed Bella's arm again. "So are you one of

Cullen's little play toys? He would love you, especially if
he knew you had been with me."

Bella rolled her eyes and tugged her arm so Jacob would
release it. "I won't even comment on that nonsense."

Jacob was furious and dug his fingers further into her
arm. "Not Cullen? Then, maybe you're fucking that black
guy. Maybe you gave it up for him."

"I believe the lady would like her arm back." Bella and
Jacob both looked to their side to see Mike standing
beside them with his arms crossed over his chest.

Jacob dropped Bella's arm and remembered that he was

running for office. He could not have a racially tinged
comment come back to haunt him. "I'm sorry about that.
No offense."

Mike glared at Jacob. "No offense taken, but I believe

Bella rightfully should be offended."

Bella shook her head. "I just want to leave. Let's go."

Mike put his arm around Bella, and they crossed the
street, leaving Jacob glaring at them in anger. As they
were walking away Mike asked, "Did he hurt you, Bella?"

Bella was wearing a cap-sleeved blouse, and she looked

at her bare arm. It was flaming red. "I'm not in pain, but
I bruise really easily. It might not look good tomorrow."

Mike stopped walking and stared at her with concern.

"He hurt you that badly? Do you want to press charges
against him?"

Bella sighed in frustration. "No. It's nothing. On

someone else you wouldn't see it at all. I really want to
forget about this. I know I owe you an explanation, but
can it wait until another time when we're not at work?"

"Bella you don't owe me anything."

Bella smiled uncomfortably and said, "Yes, I do. I owe

you a thank you for getting me out of that mess. And I
owe you an apology for Jacob's comment about you."

Mike hugged her. "Don't worry about it." He checked his

watch. "I really do have to get back now, though. I have a
meeting that I can't be late for."

Before Mike let Bella walk into Senator Cullen's office, he

held both of her wrists and bent down to look at her in
the eye, "Are you sure you're OK?"

Bella nodded. "I'm fine. Go get to your meeting."

Senator Cullen's voice came from their left. "What's

wrong Bella?" He stood with Seth and Alice three feet
away. His face was full of concern. Mike dropped Bella's
wrists and stepped back.

Great, thought Bella – just who I need to see. She knew

she should disclose the encounter with Jacob to Seth,
and that Seth would just tell him anyway. But she just
didn't want to tell the Senator everything Jacob had said
to her. That would be incredibly embarrassing. Bella
sighed deeply. "It's nothing. I'm fine. I just had a run-in
with Jacob."

Edward's eyes narrowed and his voice quieted as he

asked, "Jacob Black?"

Bella nodded. "Of course, he …"

To everyone's surprise – even Edward's himself; Edward

cut Bella off by wrapping his left arm around her
shoulder and bringing her close to his side. "Let's go in
my office to talk."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Ten ~
As Edward put his arm around Bella, he and Mike caught
each other's eyes. It was during those few seconds of eye
contact that Mike recognized what was going on –
Senator Cullen is interested in Bella. Edward
immediately perceived Mike's recognition, and he coldly
glanced at Mike to warn him that he knew as much.

Bella didn't shrink as Edward pressed her to his side. It

felt comforting and safe to be wrapped in his arm and
tucked beside him. Somehow it seemed perfectly normal
to be there with no thoughts of him being a senator and
she an intern. She oddly even had the complete presence
of mind to say very sweetly, "Mike, will you call me when
you get home from work?"

Mike nodded reassuringly to Bella, but he actually was

thinking, this is really fucking weird. He was a
professional though, so his verbal response was, "Sure.
Good bye Alice, Seth. Good bye Senator Cullen." Only
Edward noticed the slight inflection in Mike's voice as he
spoke his name.

As Mike left, Edward put out of his mind his exchange

with Mike. Instead, he allowed himself a few moments to
experience Bella's body being next to his. The feeling of
her small frame under his arm was fascinating to him.
She fits here, he thought, here, right next to me. In
response to his thoughts, Edward wrapped his fingers
around Bella's shoulders a little tighter.

With a curt voice, Alice got Edward's attention. "Edward,

can Seth and I have a moment with Bella?"

Edward instantly dropped his arm from around Bella;

Alice had caught him. Fuck it; it was worth it. He replied
flatly, "Yes. I'll be in my office."

Without looking back at any of them, he stepped inside

the reception area and closed the door behind him. His
practiced impassive face belied nothing as he strode
through the main office. Inside his head, though, he was
attempting to focus on assessing what just happened, but
the assessment was failing as his mind kept going back
to how it felt to have Bella at his side.

Still in the hallway, Alice was serious as she addressed

Bella. "Bella, what happened between you and Jacob
Black is entirely a personal matter of yours and yours
alone. You do not have to disclose it to us. You do not
have to ever mention anything about it to anyone in this
office. OK?"

Seth was equally concerned about the situation they

might be putting Bella in. He chimed in, "Alice is right,
Bella. Do not think that you have to talk about it with us.
It's your business – not ours."

After closing h her eyes momentarily, Bella looked out

into the atrium at the giant Alexander Calder artwork in
the middle of the Hart Building. It was supposed to
represent mountains, and Bella wished she was in the
Olympic Mountains right then. She sighed as she looked
back up at Seth and Alice. Both of their faces were
serious. As much as they were desperately curious about
intelligence on their election opponent, Jacob Black, they
weren't going to violate any employment laws to get that
information. What they did not know was that after her
encounter with Jacob, she wanted Jacob to lose that race
almost as much as Edward himself.

"I understand what you're saying, and I know why you're

saying it. But, I feel that I should tell you something
about what Jake said. I mean … I don't want him to win
either."

Seth wasn't sure where Bella was going with this, but he
had an idea. The further reconnaissance he had done on
Jacob and Bella's relationship reinforced that Jacob was
still crazy about her – even his wife was suspicious. He
was always a hothead, thought Seth. He guessed Jacob
had blown-up upon hearing where Bella worked and
seeing her with Mike. At that thought, Seth announced,
"OK. Let's take this inside now. We should have this
discussion in private."

Sensing this conversation was going to be very intimate,

Alice jumped in, "Bella, are you OK telling the Senator
yourself? You could just tell Seth and me, or only Seth. I
don't want you feeling uncomfortable."

Bella wanted to groan, but she was quiet. She wasn't

looking forward to telling Senator Cullen, but would it be
any better to tell Alice or Seth alone? Thinking back to
how uncomfortable she was the last time she told
something to Seth and he reported back to the Senator,
Bella knew it was just another shade of bad not to tell the
Senator herself. This time there would be this whole air
that she was just too embarrassed and immature to tell
him herself. It would be even more awkward and
uncomfortable when she talked to him. Bella thought she
might as well get it out of the way now; she only hoped
she could avoid a word-for-word replay of the event. "It's
OK."

Edward was on the phone when the trio entered the

room. He motioned for them to sit down. Immediately,
Alice sat on the sofa and patted the space beside her.
"Bella, Come sit here." Alice could tell that this was going
to be a very awkward conversation for everyone in the
room, especially Bella. She was impressed that Bella was
willing to talk openly about what happened, which she
didn't have to do. Then Alice remembered that Bella
might have her own reasons to want Jacob Black to lose
the election.

Rushing off the phone, Edward walked over to a chair

beside Bella. He was disgruntled because he had wanted
to sit by her on the sofa – he wanted to have that feeling
again of her by his side. Thinking that maybe he could
reestablish that connection by catching her eye, he gazed
at her.

Bella's eyes stole a look at Senator Cullen, who met her

glance. Gone for Bella was the ease of being by his side.
She once again was disarmed by his green eyes, which
were looking at her so intently. Bella thought of Jacob's
words about her and the Senator and cringed at the
thought of repeating them out loud. Would Senator
Cullen know that in a way she wanted Jacob's
assumption to be true?

Jumpstarting the conversation, Seth spoke to her. "Bella,

What Alice and I said before still stands. You can tell us
as much or as little as you like."

Nodding Bella replied, "I know. It's not that big of a deal
anyway." Maybe downplaying it would help the situation
she hoped.
Looking around at the enrapt faces before her, she
started, "After lunch, Mike and I ran into Jake in front of
the Heritage Foundation. We had an unpleasant
conversation. He asked where I was interning and took it
very personally when I said that I worked for Senator
Cullen. He became angry. Our conversation ended on an
ugly note." It was the abridged version, but Bella thought
it enough.

Alice was ready to stand up and end the discussion when

Edward spoke. She wanted to wring his neck. He should
not be pressing an employee for personal information.

Insanely curious, Edward continued staring at Bella, but

also he tried to convey some compassion to her. "Bella, if
you don't mind, I know this is strange of me to ask, but
what did he say about me, personally? I've barely ever
spoken to him. I'm just curious as to how his mind
works."

Bella grimaced and spoke carefully chosen words. Of

course, this was what everyone wanted to know.
"Senator, it wasn't complimentary of you …"

Interrupting, Edward laughed and said, "Bella 'wasn't

complimentary' sounds like you made what he said G
rated."
The way the Senator kept saying Bella's name was
making her more comfortable, which in turn made her
want to impress him. Maybe she would make him laugh.
"You're right. He called you a prick. I think that's R
rated, but I'm not sure."

Everyone laughed, with Edward remarking, "Well, I've

been called much worse. What else did he say?"

Smiling, Bella replied, "He called you an asshole. I think

that's PG."

"Asshole? Definitely PG. What else?" Edward wanted

Bella to be at ease, so he kept smiling at her as he talked.

Bella looked at the Senator with anxious concern. "Do

you really want to hear this?"

"I honestly do. I've barely interacted with him. I've heard
about his ways, but I'm very curious about what he
would say in more … unguarded moments."

Taking a breath, she answered, "OK. Actually, he called

you a pretty boy asshole."

Bella was embarrassed saying it, but Seth burst out

laughing. "Oh yeah, you've had worse."
"No doubt. You should hear what the NRA says about
me. So what else?"

Swallowing and speaking very slowly, Bella tried to

conclude the conversation while still being truthful.
"Um. Not that much about you. More about me. The
conversation got pretty personal after that."

Edward and his staff knew there was more to what Bella
was saying than she was letting on, but they differed on
what to do about it. Alice wanted to let it go. The
information would surface eventually. Seth thought he
would get it out of her at a lunch or drinks later that
week. Edward wanted to know right then; he had his
suspicions that he hoped were wrong.

"Bella, this doesn't sound very good. Without telling us

anything personal, what did he say in reference to me?"

Bella knew this was the crux of the matter. Jacob had
immediately leapt to the idea that she was involved with
the Senator. If his back was to the wall during the
campaign, Jake might do something similar – maybe not
about Bella, but about some other woman. Still, she
thought, I can't believe I'm going to repeat to Senator
Cullen's face what Jacob said. But, I don't want Jacob to
win. I'm an adult; I can do this.
Drilling deep into her inner well of resolve, Bella
declared, "This is a little hard, Senator, because I have a
lot of respect for you. And you should know that Jake
and I are on very bad terms. The conversation was going
terribly. I haven't told you a lot of what was said. … But
I'll tell you exactly what he said about you because he
may use something like this against you in the
campaign."

Realizing that his suspicions were most likely correct,

Edward wanted to close his eyes. Jacob must have
insinuated that Bella was involved somehow with him.
More than ever, Edward had to know how much damage
Jacob had done.

"Whatever he said is not true, so it doesn't matter. I just

want to understand what he's thinking." It was an utter
lie. Jacob could have said something that wasn't true
that truly would matter to him. And he really wanted to
hear what Bella was thinking at this point, not Jacob.

His words crushed her. What Jacob said wasn't true, but
she had desired something like it. Admittedly, he
remained her favorite sexual fantasy, even if Mike had
started to star in them too. Just looking at Senator
Cullen made Bella want to readjust her sitting position.
Oh my God, the places on my body I have imagined that
mouth, those fingers. She found her inner resolve,
though. I can look this man in the eye and say these
things. He was never going to be interested in me
anyway.

"OK. He asked if I was, quote, 'one of Cullen's little play

toys'. He also said that if you knew that I had dated him,
you would want to be with me. I told him all of that was
nonsense. That was the end of any mention of you. The
conversation again became very personal, and that I
don't want to talk about it."

Bella was proud of herself. She got the information out

there without flinching. Maybe it was also a good thing –
she could free herself of this crush on the Senator. No
doubt, he was about to go into a long diatribe on how
sorry he was that happened, how, of course, something
like that is preposterous, that she should forget about it,
etc.

And Edward knew he would have to say all of those

things. Yet his immediate reaction was disgust with
himself. His self-indulgent, stupid actions had led to a
situation where this intellectual woman with such
substantial character was called a "play toy." Yes, he was
incredibly sexually attracted to Bella. Lately, he couldn't
touch himself without thinking about her, but to think he
would toy with her and then toss her aside was farcical.
This was a woman he wanted to discover, to be in a
relationship with – even maybe a long-term relationship.
The way Bella felt tucked against him, her unaffected
personality, her clever mind, and her depthless eyes
made her entirely other to him.

At that moment, Edward hated Jacob. The man may

have mortally wounded any chance he might ever have
with Bella. This would now be the proverbial elephant in
the room. Jacob had ensured that in the back of Bella's
mind any advance that Edward might make would be
one solely for sex and spite toward Jacob.

Finding his voice, Edward searched for some connection

to Bella in her doe eyes as he apologetically said, "Bella,
That is terrible. I cannot apologize enough for you
having been put in that situation. Of course, it is
nonsense. But thank you for enduring the uncomfortable
position of having to tell me. I now know what the man is
thinking and is potentially liable to do." And I want to
annihilate him, Edward thought of adding.

Just then, Seth's vibrating Blackberry made him jump

from his seat. He checked it and said, "Bella, I'm so sorry
for having to run right now. You have gone above and
beyond the call of duty. We really appreciate it. I have to
go to the Majority Leader's office, or I would buy you a
drink, hell, dinner, for going through this. Jacob Black
always has been such a fucking asshole. I'll catch-up with
you later."

Bella smiled at Seth. "Thanks Seth. Like I said in the

beginning, it's not that important. I've been dealing with
him for a while now."

After Bella spoke, Alice patted Bella on the leg. "Thanks

Bella. You're great. I'm taking you out too." Just then,
Alice's phone rang. As she checked the number she
muttered, "Shit. It's the Post. I've got to take this." She
glanced at Bella and Edward. "Um. Bella, we should
probably leave Edward to his work." Her eyes flew over
to Edward, and she added pointedly, "And, don't you
have a meeting with Congresswoman O'Hara?"

Alice knew Edward didn't see her very much anymore,

but Edward got Alice's point – leave Bella alone forever.
He wasn't going to do it. If anything, he was more
resolved to at least get to know her.

"No. I don't. Bella, can you stay for a moment?"

Bella squeaked out a "Sure," but was thinking it was very

strange of him to ask.

Alice's eyes widened as her phone was ringing. She had

to answer it, and Edward was wreaking havoc. As she
picked up the call and walked out, she warned, "I'm
leaving the door open, OK?"

Edward nodded and leaned back in his chair. "So Bella,

can we talk about something else? Maybe a little less
sordid?"

Nervously, Bella replied, "Yes. Anything, but that again."

"Good. How's your thesis? Do you have your answer yet

on any difference between men and women and Kant's
ethics?"

How in the hell did he remember that? She fumbled a bit

responding. "Um. Still no answer. I've been distracted
studying for the LSAT."

"When are you taking that?"

"In three weeks. I need to work on the logic problems.

I'm taking a prep class, but it's not helping my analytical
reasoning."

Edward chuckled. "You're a philosophy major. Haven't

you taken logic yet?"

He feels bad for what happened. He's being nice

because of it. Bella was warming up to his smile, though.
"Of course, but I guess my mind is illogical."

"There's no evidence of that. In fact, everything I've seen

of your work would indicate quite the opposite." Hearing
him say that made Bella swoon as she thought, he thinks
I'm smart!

Edward continued, "So are any of the other interns

taking the test?"

"Yes. Let me think. … Angela, Eric, maybe Taylor. I can't

remember."

"Not Lauren?" He smirked a little as he asked.

Bella loved the fact that the Senator had just made fun of
Lauren. She grinned at him. "No. Not Lauren."

"I wouldn't think so. You know, because I was in the

Navy, I didn't go straight to law school from college. It
wasn't that long ago that I took the LSAT, and I actually
liked the analytical reasoning part of the test. I'd be
happy to help everyone study for it. I should get to know
you all before you leave."

Bella really wanted to raise her eyebrows in surprise that

a sitting United States Senator was going to help his
interns out with their LSAT prep. Instead she just said,
"Wow. That would be great and … very generous of you,
considering your schedule."

"Are you kidding? I would much rather skip another

lousy reception to play around with logic games. And it's
the least I can do considering all the work interns do
here without any compensation."

"Well, that's wonderful. Thank you."

"Good. I'll set it up with my assistant. If I'm not flying

back West, Thursday evenings are good for me."

"OK. I'll tell the other interns who are taking it then."

Edward was pleased that his plan might work. As he

stood up from his chair, Edward concluded the
conversation. "Well, I have to go call an irate mayor now.
Thanks for everything, Bella."

He had a warm smile as he said it with his green eyes

shining at her. Bella was still sitting, and she admired
how tall he was until she became aware that her face
wasn't all that far away from his penis. I wonder how big
he is. She had very little knowledge of the variety out
there, but she was curious. Bella felt her face heat to a
bright red. She realized you could tell her a million
different ways that he wouldn't touch her with a 10 foot
pole and she still would never get over her crush on this
man. "Sure. No problem. I'll … er see you at study hall."

As she walked out of his office, Edward admired her. She

was wearing a fitted blouse that was tucked into pants
that fit her like a glove. It had been a horrific afternoon,
but it was ending better than he had expected 20
minutes ago. So when he saw Bella's svelte figure, he
stirred below. What I wouldn't do to touch that sweet
ass one day…

After Mike said goodbye to Bella and raced over to his

meeting, he pondered the situation. He knew that the
Senator would not jeopardize his political career by
pursuing Bella. Yet smarter men than Senator Cullen
made similar mistakes, and they weren't notorious skirt
chasers like him. Mike wondered what Bella thought of
the Senator. He had no idea what to make of Bella –
except that he was falling for her. Just like everybody
else around here, he mused to himself. Walking into his
meeting, he decided that maybe he would drop by Bella's
tonight just to see what was really going on with this
mysterious girl.

Still wearing his suit pants and shirt from the day, he
knocked on her door a little after seven. Bella was visibly
surprised to see him and welcomed him in with a smile.
She was wearing men's style pajamas that were too big
for her. Mike noticed her lack of a bra with the v-neck of
the pajama top. Very nice, he thought.

"The house is quiet on Monday nights. Some of my

housemates have night classes, and Riley always sees his
girlfriend tonight. I was just flipping channels."

Mike laughed. "Bad day?"

"Yeah, something like that."

She led Mike to the sofa as he said, "I didn't come over
for any explanations, if you're thinking that. I just
wanted to make sure you were OK. How's your arm?"

"Still a little red. We'll see what it's like tomorrow

morning. I'll probably be wearing long sleeves for the
next couple of days."

Mike placed one hand on her shoulder and gently

squeezed it. His face frowned. "Damn, Bella. You are
tense."

"I guess so. I haven't really wound down, yet."

"Well, I'm the man to help. Let me rub your back."

Bella bit her lip in excitement at the thought of his hands

on her. "Oh, you don't have to do that."

"C'mon. Lay down on your stomach."

On her stomach was not what she expected and was a

little disappointed. She liked the idea of them both being
upright, and their bodies close. Dutifully, though, she
lied down. "OK. If you insist."

"I do." He was smirking as he said it, making Bella

wonder what was in store.

Mike started the massage at her shoulders, which was a

little painful as he worked on her "rat nests up there," as
he called them. Five minutes later, though, his hands
started moving down her back. It was feeling less and
less like physical therapy and increasingly pleasurable.

"You're turning me into butter in your hands."

"I like that idea."

When Mike reached her lower back, something changed

in Bella's body. She had had massages before – the last
one at a friend's bridesmaids' party – so she knew
sometimes you could get a little aroused. What she felt
with Mike's massage was altogether different.
Bella was fully aware that a gorgeous man had his hands
all over her. And he seemed practiced at it. He began
concentrating right near the waist of her pajama bottoms
which hung low. Then his hands seemed to wander to
her ass, apparently knowing the perfect spots to apply
pressure. Bella started to panic; she was getting really
aroused now. She could feel herself swell below.

Without moving her head to look at him, she stared

straight ahead and said, "Um. Mike. That's a little …
intense."

"Intense good or intense bad?"

"Oh. Um. Good. Too good."

His voice smoldered as he said, "No such thing as too

good."

"OK. Right. But …"

He interrupted her. "Do you want me to stop?"

Bella squeezed her already-closed eyes together, thinking

that might hide her embarrassment. "No. Not really."

"Can I make it feel even better?"

Bella was in complete arousal at this point, pressing her
pelvis into the sofa cushions. She didn't reply.

"Can I touch you under your clothes? Just a little."

Whispering, she replied, "Sure."

Mike rolled up her top half way up her back and pulled
down her bottoms. Bella's eyes opened wide as she
realized she wore a thong today with those dress pants.
As the air hit her bare body, she could feel that her thong
and a good part of her ass were now exposed. Her eyes
closed again as she thought she might as well enjoy it.

Upon seeing her, Mike crooned, "You have such a

beautiful body," and he went to work on her nakedness.
For a moment, Bella's body went immediately rigid. He
had his fingers splayed massaging her lower back, while
his thumbs were putting direct, hard pressure on her ass.
His hands were lower on her bottom than before,
though. Instinctively, Bella raised her bottom a few
inches closer to Mike while her vagina clenched.

She began whimpering, "Mike … I … "

"What Bella? Tell me how it feels. What are you thinking

about?"
"Um … can't think."

He then switched his hands so that his thumbs were

pressuring her lower back, and he reached his whole
hands into her pants and massaged her ass. For a
moment, Bella craned her head up to look at him. The
sight made Bella catch her breath. Here was an
incredibly handsome man, dressed very nicely, but with
collar open and shirt-sleeves rolled up massaging her
naked ass. It was amazingly erotic to watch his hands
working to satisfy her, kneading and pleasing the bare
bottom that she raised up to him. She closed her eyes
again and began to moan.

"You look so good, Bella. You're so hot like this. I want to

make you come. Can I touch you more?"

Bella groaned, "God, yes."

Mike tugged down her pants to her legs and placed a

hand down to the union of her thighs, ass, and sex. He
kept one hand massaging all around that union,
occasionally touching her wet sex, which was not
completely covered by the thong. His other hand he
made into a fist and pressed it hard into points on the
small of her back, while rapidly moving it back and forth.
Bella automatically raised herself up to him even more,
but it was becoming too intense for her. She could not
believe that a man she had barely kissed was able to do
this to her.

"Such a pretty little pussy you have there. I can feel you
wanting to come. Can you come for me?"

Mike talking to her like that sent her over the edge. She
felt herself repeatedly clench and release, and she cried
out with her crescendo.

Afterward Mike leaned down and kissed the exposed

skin of her back and bottom. "You are beautiful
everywhere, Bella."

Bella pulled his arm, dragging him over to her so she

could give him a kiss. He kneeled in front of the sofa. In
response, Bella gave him a slow and deep kiss. She ended
it by saying, "That was exceptional."

Mike leaned in to kiss her again murmuring, "You are

exceptional."

Tenderly, he clothed her body again and repositioned

her on the sofa. As he sat down and pulled her onto his
lap, Bella declared, "I feel like this isn't very fair."

He laughed. "There's no quid pro quo, Bella."

She gave him a peck on the cheek. "See, you say
something like that, and I just want to reciprocate more."

Mike nuzzled in her hair. "Some other time. I've got to

study. How about Thursday night?"

Bella remembered her conversation with Senator Cullen.

"This is going to sound funny, but Senator Cullen is
going to help a few of us study for the LSAT that night."

Mike thought back to the afternoon, and the look on

Senator Cullen's face. Absolutely deadpan, Mike asked,
"You're going to study with Senator Cullen?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Eleven ~
When Bella finally got to bed that night, she took stock of
the day. There had been a nice lunch with Mike, who
really was just a sweet, wonderful person. Then there
was the awful encounter with Jacob, followed closely by
the entirely odd experience of discussing it with Senator
Cullen. And finally, Mike gave her an incredibly erotic
massage that led to one of the few orgasms that she ever
had with anyone other than herself. Crazy.

Bella focused on the positive first, which was Mike. She

liked him a lot otherwise she wouldn't have let things get
out of hand tonight. Thinking of how Mike had touched
her and caused Bella to squirm … oh my. Worry wrinkled
over Bella's brow as she thought of having the virginity
discussion with him. Mike had definitely proved himself
to be a man tonight, and Bella had only dated young guys
in college, except for Jake. In Bella's mind, Jake didn't
count; the relationship had just been different. Would
Mike be interested in her when he found out that Bella
was waiting … at least until she felt connected with
someone? It wasn't like she didn't engage in any sexual
activity; she wasn't part of that weird abstinence only
movement. What would Mike think of waiting until she
knew him better? And did she even have a future with
that beautiful man if they were both going to law school
in less than a year? They could very well both end up in
DC, but the odds of Mike going to an Ivy were very high.
He was already a Legislative Director for a senator; he
graduated Phi Beta Kappa; and he had that whole athlete
thing. Bella had none of that. But he was so great to her,
especially after the terrible Jacob incident.

Jacob. Blech. Since the break-up, he was only civil with

her if they didn't speak. His behavior today was
unprecedented though. The double whammy of learning
she was interning for Senator Cullen and seeing her with
another man must have sent him over the edge. He was
right though; she did lead him on a little bit. She had
known that he had a crush on her for years. The night
that they got together, she was drunk and hanging all
over him because she knew he would reciprocate. When
things took off between them, she treated it like it was a
summer of love that would eventually peter out. Jacob
saw it as if his unrequited love had finally been realized.
His rush to the altar was most likely also an attempt to
nail things down before she changed her mind. The
problem was he didn't know her mind, and what she
knew of his, she didn't think the relationship had that
much of a future. But he was married now – to a nice
wife with adorable children. He should be over it. Bella
began to earnestly worry that her encounter with Jacob
today had opened up all the old wounds. And now
Senator Cullen was involved. She had no idea what
lengths Jacob would go to in order to win an election.
But, ah, Senator Cullen. Talk about unrequited love, or at
least lust. It was less than a minute that Senator Cullen
had his arm around her, but she instantly felt
comfortable, even safe there. And then he was so nice
about the studying thing. Mike had questioned as to why
Senator Cullen would help interns out with their LSAT
prep, but then he quickly backed off only commenting
that every politician had their quirks. The fact that the
Senator had implied that she was smart made her smile.
The warm feeling that came over her heart was quickly
dampened by the cold, hard reason of her mind. Bella
Swan, don't you dare moon over Senator Cullen. He will
never have any interest in you other than as an
employee in his office. Get over it. The devil sitting on
Bella's shoulder pointed out the bright side of the
situation. Reason would then tell you that Senator Cullen
was the perfect sexual fantasy because there was never a
chance of an emotional attachment. Bella liked that idea
– a lot.

"I believe the Senator wants to do this in the small

conference room because there's a dry erase board in
there, but let me check." As Mrs. Cope knocked on the
Senator's door and entered his office, Bella, Angela,
Taylor and Eric waited in front of her desk.

Eric was grinning and cheerily said, "I'm stoked for this.
It's really cool that he's doing it." Then leaning in to
whisper in Bella's ear, he added, "Especially considering
what a motherfucker he's been to everybody lately."

Refraining from nodding in agreement that the Senator

had been a jerk, Bella said aloud, "Well, at this point I
could use any help I can get."

"Actually Senator Cullen wants to see everyone in his

office first. You can go in." Mrs. Cope ushered everyone
into the Senator's office.

Sitting around the coffee table, Bella couldn't help but

think about the last time she had sat on that sofa on
Monday. Senator Cullen was still sitting at his desk
signing letters as the four interns sat down. He had
waved hello to them and said that he just needed to
finish something up. Taylor was babbling away about the
test, so Bella tried not to listen as it would only make her
nervous. In the meantime, Bella's eyes wandered around
the room. It was a beautiful office. Some of the furniture
didn't look like the standard, government-issued office
suite and were obviously antiques. Probably from
Carlisle Cullen's old office, Bella thought. On one wall
there were beautiful black and white photographs of
Mount Rainier and other settings in Washington State.
Bella couldn't identify them all, but she was quite sure
that they were all original Ansel Adams photographs.
Given the Cullen's wealth, of course, they would have
originals – not the posters that she had at home. Another
wall had a large bookshelf full of books that looked like
they actually had been read. Crammed in between The
Almanac of American Politics and Black's Law
Dictionary was a tattered copy of Wallace Stegner's
Angle of Repose. Bella loved that book. She wondered if
the Senator had read it, or if it was a leftover from his
father like the furniture and Ansel Adams photography.

There was also some color photography caught Bella's

eye. An arrangement of smaller color prints hung off to
the side of the bookshelf not far away from the Senator's
desk. It looked like they were placed there so they would
attract little attention. Bella wanted to look at them
because she thought she recognized some of the images.
Regardless of who decorated the office, it was markedly
different than every other politician's office she had been
in. It didn't have a "me wall" with awards and photos of
the politician and famous people. It didn't have a lot of
patriotic stuff around it, like models of fighter planes,
reproductions of the Bill of Rights, or American flags.
Bella's heart sighed; Senator Cullen seemed like such an
interesting person to her. Did she have to have a huge
mental crush on the guy in addition to a physical one?

"OK. I'm done." Four sets of intern eyes looked over to

Senator Cullen as he set down his pen and then loosened
his tie and rolled up his sleeves. He was smiling as he
walked over to sit down in a chair around the coffee
table. "Thank you so much for staying late today and
indulging me."

Each of the interns returned the thanks saying that

actually he was indulging them. He then started a
discussion asking each of them why they wanted to go to
law school, where they were interested in attending, and
what most worried them about the test. Bella was
listening to her peers' answers, but she was more intent
on staring at the Senator's arms. Even from his forearms
you could tell that he was muscular, and the hair on his
arms was a lighter bronze than his hair color. I wonder
what color the hair on the rest of his body is … Bella
pulled herself out of the downward spiral of a full-on
erotic daydream just before it was her turn.

Edward had purposefully saved Bella for last to answer

his questions because he wanted to have as much time as
possible to listen to her. While the others were answering
his questions, he would occasionally glance over at her,
but he couldn't catch her eye. She seemed totally focused
on something behind him. He decided that it would be
too obvious if he turned around and looked to see what
she was concentrating on. Bella wore a skirt and a
lavender cashmere sweater with a boat-neck which
showed off her neck and shoulders a bit. His eyes
focused on how the cashmere softly accentuated her
breasts, making him feel like a 13-year-old boy desperate
to squeeze her breasts just once.

"So Bella, what's your interest in law school? Are you like
Taylor, looking to avoid job hunting during a global
economic crisis?"

"That wasn't my reason for wanting to go to law school,

but now that you mention it, I think it's a pretty good
one."

She's a bit of a smartass, Edward thought. I like that.

Chuckling at her, he asked again, "So what was your
original reason?"

"I'm interested in environmental law. Growing up in

Arizona and Washington, I've seen how the West has
changed. I want to do what I can to preserve what's left."

Edward nodded, but he began to question himself as to

whether or not it had been a good idea to do this. An
answer like that made Edward want to talk with her and
her alone for the rest of the night. He wondered if she
had any idea how much they had in common. Surely, she
saw the Ansel Adams artwork that he had taken from the
family collection in Seattle. Did she notice his own
photography of the places he loved? Did she know that
what she said was important to him, too? Of course not,
you fool. And you can carry this infatuation on only so
much. Carlisle is probably rolling over in his grave
seeing you risk everything.

After the group situated themselves in the conference

room, they saw that a logic problem was already written
on the board.

A school teacher must schedule seven sessions, which

are abbreviated M, N, O, P, S, T, and U, during a day.
Seven different consecutive time periods are available
for the sessions, and are numbered one through seven in
the order that they occur. Only one session can be
scheduled for each period. The assignment of the
sessions to the periods is subject to the following
restrictions:

M and O must occupy consecutive periods.

M must be scheduled for an earlier period than U.
O must be scheduled for a later period than S.
If S does not occupy the fourth period, then P must
occupy the fourth period.
U and T cannot occupy consecutively numbered
periods.

Which of the following could be a possible list of the

sessions in the order that they are scheduled during the
day?
(A) MOPSTNU
(B) NTMSOUP
(C) SMOPTNU
(D) SOMPUTN
(E) STOMPUN

Which of the following could be true?

(A) M is assigned to the first period.
(B) O is assigned to the fifth period.
(C) S is assigned to the seventh period.
(D) T is assigned to the sixth period.
(E) U is assigned to the third period.

This was the sort of question that made Bella cringe.

Edward began working through the problem with
everyone showing them tips on getting to the solution.
Bella was quietly taking notes and not adding to the
conversation. He was curious as to how Bella's mind
worked though, so he asked, "Bella, what would be the
first thing you did when you saw a problem like this?"

Bella gulped. My answer was going to sound stupid. She

decided to say it anyway; maybe he could give her a
better tactic. "Um. Well, when I see a problem like this
that is just letters and numbers, my brain immediately
shuts off. I can't get over how it reminds me of math. I'm
more of a verbal person so I give all the letters proper
names – so in this case, it would be something like Mary,
Nancy, Oliver, etc. That way it's more like a story, and
I'm trying to figure out the plot."

"Well, that's a clever idea, given what you know is your

handicap. You just can't get lost in the story."

Returning the smile that Edward had given her with his
remark, Bella replied, "Yes, getting lost would be one of
my problems."

Edward taught his study session for over an hour before

everyone started to get tired. It was after seven when he
ended it, and Taylor and Angela left immediately. Only
Bella and Eric walked with Edward back down the hall
toward their cubicles and his office. Eric fell behind as he
began texting his girlfriend, leaving Bella and Edward
walking alone together. Unbeknownst to them, Edward
and Bella each felt the weight of an awkward silence
between them. Grasping at conversation, Edward was
about to ask her what date the LSAT was on, when Bella
blurted out, "I saw the photography in your office. The
Ansel Adams' are amazing, but what are the color prints?
They looked familiar to me."

A huge grin appeared on Edward's face; he could not

believe his luck. "I took them. They're of some places in
the Olympics that I like to go to. Looking at them takes
my mind off of work when it's stressful." He took a
breath, and remembered Alice was still in the office
waiting for Jasper's flight to arrive so she could pick him
up from Dulles Airport. On Monday she had chastised
him for putting his arm around Bella, but had said that
she would still act as a chaperone if he behaved himself
in public. Taking a leap of faith that it would be OK with
Alice, Edward added, "I can show them to you if you
like."

Bella's stomach turned itself inside out. "Oh thanks. …

That would be great."

As they approached the cubicles, Eric quickly grabbed

his bag. With his ear to his phone making a call, Eric
whispered to Bella. "I'm out of here, Bella. See you
tomorrow."

Bella waved good bye, while Edward walked down to

Alice's office to alert her. In a voice low enough that Bella
wouldn't hear, he interrupted Alice's typing and said,
"Bella asked about my photography. We'll be in my
office."

"OK." Alice's simple answer had the tone of a stern

admonishment. Edward smiled and left Alice's office
door open.
As Bella walked into Edward's office, he was checking his
messages on his cell phone. Not knowing what to do,
Bella walked over to the photographs they were to talk
about. The five photos were in various sizes, but all were
images of places Bella knew or had a pretty good guess of
where it might be.

Bella was concentrating on identifying landmarks in the

photos, so she didn't notice when Edward sidled up to
her. When he spoke, she jumped back in surprise.

In a soothing voice, Edward apologized, "I'm sorry, Bella.

I didn't mean to scare you."

His voice was not the only surprise for Bella; he was also
standing very close to her. If she were to go back to
standing where she had been before he surprised her,
she would be only a few inches away. Bella decided to
take a half step toward him. Already at that distance, she
noticed his scent of … soap. Of course it would be soap,
Bella thought, Navy guy, not a cologne kind of guy. The
soap also allowed for his own body scent to come
through, which was a little musky sending Bella's mind
in all the wrong directions. Snap out of it, Bella.

"It's OK. I was just figuring out which ones I knew and
which I didn't."
"And?"

"Well, this one is definitely the Dungeness River. I've

been there with Charlie when he's fishing about a million
times."

"You're right, and you're lucky to have spent a lot of time

there."

"That's true. It can be boring, though, when you're

young. What were you doing there when you took this
photo?"

Edward looked down at Bella's dark eyes staring up at

him so innocently after asking her question. His body
itched to tuck her against his side, so he crossed his arms
over his chest. Strangely, he felt the urge to talk with her
about that particular trip, which was something he
hadn't done with anyone ever before. But he wasn't ready
to disclose to her why he had gone on the trip. Just her
presence, though, made him want to tell her something
about it.

In a staccato measure, Edward answered, "I was

backpacking during two weeks of R and R. I was
deployed in Somalia, and it had been … difficult. My
commander granted me some leave."
Bella noticed that he looked tense as he replied, and it
seemed hard for him to say it. Not wanting to pry, she
remarked, "Well, the whole area around the Dungeness
would be a nice place to go. Two weeks, though, you
probably hiked pretty far in."

Shrugging his shoulders he said, "Not as far as you

would think. I don't do death marches. I'd rather find a
couple of spots and stay a few days in a place." Searching
her eyes again, Edward thought back to his fantasy in
front of the library. If I could just get Bella alone, outside
somewhere, where no one would recognize us…. He
blurted out a question, "So do you go out in the
backcountry?"

"No. Just hikes. I'm terribly uncoordinated; carrying a

pack with all of my gear would just make matters worse.
I would probably like being so far away from the outside
world, although I might get claustrophobic in a tent."

Bella's eyes betrayed her as they swept up and down

Edward's upper body after she said the word "tent."
Biting her lip, her mind immediately jumped to the idea
of being alone in a tent with this beautiful man next to
her. Then she thought of all the other elements of
camping. Lots of nudity in the good old outdoors. Lots of
time with nothing to do. And no one around to hear or
see what you might be doing. Her cheeks flamed with a
dark blush. And Edward's sixth sense about women
immediately recognized what Bella was probably
thinking. He couldn't help, but smile because he was
thinking the same thing about her. After he smiled,
though, Bella looked away in embarrassment. Great.
Now he knows I've fantasized about him – just like
every other woman.

Very pleased with his discovery, he changed the subject

for her. "So when you were young and stuck out there
with Charlie fishing all day, what would you do?"

Bella found her composure. "When I was really little I

would play in the water, chase some frogs, play on
downed trees … things like that. Charlie would get
irritated if I got too loud and scared the fish. But when I
got older, I would just find a rock and sit and read. It's
probably one of the things that turned me into a
bookworm."

"I often take a book outside myself. I trend toward

ridiculously long ones so that I have a lot to read."

"I notice you have Angle of Repose on your bookshelf.

That's a wonderful book."

"Er. Yes. It's one of my favorites." Edward almost felt

nervous by the amount of commonality between them.
He tried to get himself out of the emotional tailspin. "So
what else do you like to read?"

"It's a little embarrassing, but lots of Jane Austen, the

Brontës, Edith Wharton, and all of that. I suppose it's
just highbrow chick lit, but it's always entertaining."

Edward laughed. "You're just like my mother. I think

she's read every Edith Wharton novel three times or
more." Then Edward's mind jumped to Esme. Esme
would adore Bella, find her delightful. She would want to
make her tea and trap her in long conversations about all
the architectural details of those books. And Carlisle
would have liked her too … but not enough to jeopardize
the family, not enough to lose a senate seat.

Alice's voice came from the door, "Edward, I should start

driving to pick-up Jasper. I need to get something from
home first, though. Bella, would you like a ride?"

Looking furtively at Edward, Bella answered, "That

would be really nice. Thanks Alice. And thank you,
Senator Cullen. Study hall was helpful."

"Yes. It was my pleasure. And good talking with you."

Bella glanced at Edward again before she met Alice at the
door. He had a warm smile on his face, which she
returned.
When she approached Alice, Alice remarked, "This will
be nice. We've never been able to chat, have we?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twelve ~
The smell of the butter-colored leather in Alice's Audi
convertible was overwhelming as Bella sat down in the
low sports car.

"Wow. This is a really nice car."

"Thanks," Alice replied grinning and adding, "I like to

drive fast. Jasper got it for me for my birthday last year."

Quite a present, Bella visualized of her truck rusting in

Charlie's driveway. Thinking of her tiny home in Forks
just reinforced to Bella that the Cullens lived in a
different world than she did.

After learning where Bella lived in Adams-Morgan, Alice

casually asked, "We don't live that far away from one
another. I'll just hop on Rock Creek after dropping you
off and head to Dulles."

"This is really nice of you Alice. Thanks."

"Not a problem. So do you have plans this weekend,

other than studying?"

"On Saturday night, I'm going with Mike Newton to

some fundraiser. I need to borrow a dress from my
roommate though. I think it's cocktail attire."

"Oh yeah, I think I heard about that." Her reply bordered

on a lie. Alice, Rosalie, and Edward were all attending
the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
fundraiser that night. She was happy with the result of
her question, though, because it provided the opening
she needed. "Just tell me to mind my own business if you
want, but are you and Mike dating? You don't have to
answer."

"I suppose so," Bella smiled shyly at Alice. "We've only

gone out a couple of times."

The way Bella had responded, Alice was sure that she
and Mike had fooled around, but hadn't had sex … yet.
Alice wanted a little more information. "So do you like
him?"

"Sure. I mean, he's great. Really great. He makes me

laugh, and he's very kind. But … you know … things are
pretty up in the air in my life right now. I sort of don't
know what to make of anything at the moment, frankly."
And I especially have no idea what to make of your
brother. If Bella was taking the Metro home by herself,
she would be heady with thoughts of Senator Cullen.
Instead, Alice's conversation was giving her a much
needed distraction.
With a big smile, Alice replied, "Well, if you ask me, I
think Mike is just yummy. You're a very lucky woman,
although you're probably used to a lot of attention."

Bella's face screwed up into one of disbelief. "Hardly."

"Hmm." Alice needed to think about that one before she

concluded, "Well, you know what they say …
Washington, DC is Hollywood for ugly people – like
everybody in DC is a geek. The difference with you is that
you're smart and beautiful. In this town, that makes you
very unique and desirable." Which is why my nerdy
brother can't control himself around you.

The car was dark inside, which Bella appreciated because

she was blushing. "That's very nice of you, Alice. Thank
you. But I think I identify more with the geek part."

"Whatever. Don't thank me. It's true. So what are your

plans for the summer if you're going to law school in the
fall? Backpacking through Europe?"

"Europe? I wish. I need to make money in the summer

so I'll wait tables or something before starting school in
the fall. Ideally, if I get into one of the law schools in DC,
I would just stay here. I don't want to go back to Seattle
and certainly not Forks."
Alice tried not to smirk as she thought of Edward
whipping out his checkbook to endow a chair in the law
school at Georgetown just to keep Bella in DC. Instead
she said, "You're smart. I'm sure you'll be able to go
wherever you want."

During the rest of the car ride, Alice learned about Bella's
plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas (she was going to
Florida for one and Forks for the other); when Bella was
going to stop interning in the Senator's office (April 1 so
that she could concentrate that month on her thesis,
which was due in May); and if Charlie was interested in
Bella's work (not at all).
--
When Alice detailed her reconnaissance to Edward the
next morning, she ended it by saying, "I think I did quite
well. You owe me."

Edward nodded. "Yes, you did. Given the limited amount

of time and the ridiculous constraints I'm under when I
talk to Bella, I wouldn't have found out some of that for a
while."

Stretching back on his office sofa, Alice yawned and

corrected him. "Please. You would have never gotten
the intel on how she feels about Mike."
Grumpily Edward admitted, "That's true … not that I
particularly like what I've heard."

"Jesus Christ, Edward, what is the girl supposed to be

doing? You're not even an option in her mind. Do you
think she should be saving herself for you – you, whose
photograph with Tanya Hamilton has been splattered
everywhere for the past year? Are you crazy?"

Running his hand through his hair, Edward muttered, "I

broke up with Tanya."

Alice couldn't believe what she was hearing. "That's not

my point, Edward, and you know it. Bella can't even call
you by your first name. You are totally out of reach for
her. She's just leading her life." It was on the tip of Alice's
tongue to point out that Edward himself was still
occasionally seeing Congresswoman Maggie O'Hara, but
she thought better of it.

Edward was irritated with Alice, when he knew he

should only be upset with himself. "I know. I'm being
foolish and selfish – like if I can't have Bella, then no one
else should either. It's not fair to her." But Edward
couldn't bear the thought of another man touching Bella,
especially in all those places he wasn't allowed.

Staring at his morose face, Alice felt terribly for her

brother. "Let's focus on the positive, OK? As of the first
of April, she won't be working for you anymore. While
Rosalie and I still don't want you dating anyone in
college, at least there won't be any legal issues hanging
over your head at that point."

"Nice try, Alice. That's five months away, and you still
don't want me around her even when she isn't in my
office."

"Now, I didn't say that, did I?" Putting her arm around
her brother, Alice sympathetically said, "Edward, I
honestly don't know how this works out for you, but I
will help – and not just because you're my brother. I like
Bella, too. OK?"

"Thanks Alice. I appreciate that." But I have no idea

what the fuck I can do.

Alice looked at him a little warily as she said, "I just want
to warn you that you should expect to see Bella
tomorrow night at that fundraiser. And Mike is her
date."

Soured by the news, Edward sarcastically muttered,

"That's just my kind of luck with her."
When Mike knocked on Bella's door at six on Saturday
evening, Victoria was still twisting and pinning back
Bella's hair. No one answered the door.

Whining Bella asked, "Victoria, he'll be here any minute.

Can't I just wear it down?"

"Fuck no. This is a halter dress. I don't want your hair

hanging down. We want to show off your back and
shoulders."

With a quick glance at her

bra-less chest poking out of
the dark green silk Bella
remarked, "Well, if it gets cold
in the room, I'll be showing off
my chest too."

"Nah. I wore this to my

brother's wedding. The silk is
thick enough that you won't be
too nipplely."

"Too nipplely? But, still a little

nipplely?"

"Jeez, Bella. You're the one with that copy of Our Bodies,
Ourselves up on your bookshelf. The dress wasn't
designed to be worn with a bra."

"I'm not ashamed of my body. I just am going to be

around hundreds of horny, ugly, and old guys tonight."

"Well, I believe your date is neither ugly, nor old. He

might be horny, though. You two can have some fun.
Hey, is that the doorbell ringing?"

Panting from her race down the stairs, Bella smiled at

Mike as she greeted him. "Hi Mike." What did Alice call
him? Yummy? She's right. Mike was wearing a dark blue
dress suit with an elegant gray and blue paisley tie.

With a warm smile, Mike looked Bella over from her

black stiletto pumps to her bare shoulders. "You look
gorgeous, Bella. Truly." And nice tits.

As she closed the door behind her, Bella raised up to give

Mike a kiss of thanks on the cheek. With the additional
height of her heels, she was a little closer now. Mike
lowered his head and was ready for a kiss, but not ready
for what he saw on Bella's arm. The last three of Jacob
Black's bruises could still be seen. Gently, Mike took
Bella's arm so that he could look at the bruises.

Bella spoke first. "Not too bad, right? Victoria actually

didn't notice until she was doing my hair. I figure most
people won't notice."

Motherfucker. Jacob Black deserves to be whipped by

Cullen next fall. Keeping those thoughts to himself so
Bella wouldn't be self-conscious, he said, "Don't worry
about it. I just happened to know what I was looking at.
Nobody else will notice." Nuzzling down to her mouth
for a kiss, he added, "They're going to be too distracted
by the rest of you." After three sweet kisses, Mike added,
"We have to leave now, or I'll want to change my mind
about going."
--
Edward hated dinners like this, and made it a habit of
arriving late. And tonight as much as he wanted to see
Bella, he dreaded seeing her with Mike. Missing the
reception entirely, Edward and Congresswoman O'Hara
sat at their dinner table just as dinner was being served.
The giant ballroom at the Washington Hilton had close
to 500 people in it, but as he took his seat Edward
immediately spotted Bella at a table over 50 feet away
from him. She was smiling and laughing with the other
Senate staff at the table who obviously had gotten comp
tickets. Out of the corner of his eye, Edward spied on
Bella during dinner. Mike would occasionally rest his
hand on her bare back and lower his head while Bella
would crane her neck up to his ear as they talked. The
sight caused Edward to grit his teeth. The
Congresswoman could tell that Edward was preoccupied,
and when she asked, Edward simply replied that he had
a headache.

Senator Cullen and Congresswoman O'Hara were such a

striking couple that Bella saw them as soon as they
entered the ballroom. Even in a very conservative black
shift dress with pearls, the Congresswoman was very
attractive with her red hair shining against the black of
her dress. Senator Cullen looked even more dashing than
usual in a dark gray dress suit with a white shirt with
French cuffs. As soon as she deduced that he was
obviously on a date, Bella couldn't bear to look at the
Senator any longer. She felt like she had been punched in
the gut. It wasn't a rational feeling so she tried to reason
with herself. You should not be feeling this way, Bella
Swan. Senator Cullen has no interest in you. You should
have no interest in him. And, you have a beautiful, kind,
and brilliant man right next to you. Get over whatever
it is you've got for the Senator. Now. With that, Bella
paid twice the attention to Mike than she had before.

After dessert, there was movement all around the

podium as the various speakers were getting ready for
the night's program. Seeing it as the perfect time to find
a bathroom, Bella excused herself to Mike. Edward saw
the exchange. Waiting five minutes so that Bella could
actually use the facilities before he spoke with her,
Edward then excused himself and went to find her.
Before he did so, though, he glanced over at Mike, and
for a few moments, the two men shared an intense stare.
Edward was well aware that Mike knew he was going to
talk to Bella, but he didn't care. It wasn't admirable, and
yet without pause, Edward was playing the raw power
card, rationalizing it as one of the only things I have
going for me in this bloody ordeal. Mike would never
tell anyone about Edward's interest in Bella because
Mike wanted a political career himself. In no way, could
he help in the destruction of a senator from his own
party, especially one up for re-election. Edward's secret
was safe with him. So he silently watched as the Senator
went to pursue his date, all the while thinking, This is
really fucked up.

It took a few minutes for Edward to find Bella among the

many hallways of the cavernous basement of the Hilton.
When he finally found Bella, though, he was pleased with
his luck because she had gotten herself lost and they
were out of the way. People were mulling around far
down the hall, but no one could hear or even really tell
who they were. But Edward's confidence dissipated as he
took in her appearance.

A few seconds elapsed before he could control his voice

enough to say, "Good evening, Bella."
"Good evening, Senator."

Edward stared at her lovely face which was framed

beautifully with her hair pulled away from it. She wore a
minimal amount of make-up so that it didn't distract,
but only enhanced her eyes and mouth. His eyes slowly
moved down to her flawless ivory shoulders, and he
glanced at her chest. He could see the distinct rise of her
nipples pressing out of the silk of her dress, and he
imagined untying the bow at her neck holding up her
halter. It was if her breasts were taunting him to touch
them, and he felt himself move a bit below.

In a slightly croaky voice, Edward said, "You look … so

lovely, Bella."

Bella's eyes were fixated on him. At that moment, it

dawned on her as to why she had felt so crushed when
she saw him with Congresswoman O'Hara. Bella didn't
have a claim to the Senator, but she wasn't crazy. I don't
know what he's thinking or feeling, and given who I am,
I certainly don't know why he's doing it, but something
is happening between us. Something is going on here …
right now.

"Thank you, Sen…"

Still with a throaty voice, Edward said with deep

sincerity, "Please … don't call me that … when we're like
this. Please call me Edward."

Bella smiled and became more self-assured as she

continued to be proven right. "OK. Thank you, Edward."

With happy eyes and a small smile, Edward raised his

right hand to stroke Bella's arm. He knew he shouldn't
but he had wanted to touch her skin for so long. The feel
of his fingers against her skin was thrilling, and she
smiled back at him until a few seconds later when his
smile turned to a frown. His brow furrowed as he gently
turned her arm slightly inward so he could look all
around it. "How did you get these bruises?"

Biting her lip, she pondered if she had any other choice,
but to tell him the truth. She decided there was no other
option. "On Monday, when I had my run in with Jacob,
he grabbed me."

Very calmly, Edward softly placed Bella's arm at her side

stroking it one more time. In a voice that flared with
anger, but somehow was still measured, he asked "Jacob
Black did this to you?"

"Well, I bruise easily, … and I"

"Bella…" Edward groaned her name with disapproval.

"I know. I sound like a victim of domestic violence, but I
know what I'm saying. I don't mean to apologize for that
asshole. It's just that I would rather not have to deal with
Jacob. And the fact is that while he hurt my arm, on
someone else it might not be so evident."

Edward nodded. "So how did it happen?"

"Well, like I told you. I saw him on the street when I was
coming back from lunch with Mike. He asked to talk with
me by myself, but Mike still wasn't far away. Anyway, I
already told you a big chunk of the conversation. When
Jacob wouldn't let my arm go, Mike came over and
stopped him."

In general, Edward despised the fact that Mike spent

time around Bella. But he was thankful for this one
instance. Jacob must have been startled to be
outmatched by Mike.

Raising his eyebrows, Edward remarked, "As if I didn't

have enough reason to want to beat the living shit out of
him."

"Jake definitely has a temper, but this was over the top."

"You've known him … how long?"

"Well, I've known of him my whole life, but you know we
dated two summers ago."

Edward smirked. "And that seemed not to have gone

well."

Slightly embarrassed, Bella replied, "In the beginning, it

was good, and in the end, things went awfully. … But I
wasn't blameless …." Bella was then at a loss of words to
describe how she led him on. Jake was crazy, but Bella
felt some responsibility for it. Looking away from
Edward as she searched for the words, Bella sighed, "I
guess you could say that I wasn't on my best and
brightest behavior."

Laughing so hard that he had to turn around for a

minute, Edward said, "Don't feel badly, Bella. I've spent
most of my adult life not on my best and brightest
behavior."

Bella giggled at what Edward had said, but then she

started to feel embarrassed. "Are you laughing at me?"

"Yes, but don't be angry. I'm also being empathetic." And

as he said it, Edward wrapped his arm around Bella,
clutching her to his side. Without thinking or hesitating,
Bella rested her head against Edward's chest, and her
body molded to his side. In perfect ease and comfort,
they remained like that laughing together for a minute,
before Bella asked, "Do you know where we are? I got
lost down here."

Edward pulled away to show Bella how they had gotten

to their spot. When they were no longer touching, reality
came back to Bella. Whatever the two of them might
have shared for those few moments, Bella knew any
future was improbable.

After he finished telling her the path back to the dinner,

Bella looked down as she fingered the sash on her dress.
She then glanced up into Edward's green eyes which still
were still shining with happiness looking at her.
Uncomfortably, she said, "I should leave now. I should
go back to Mike."

Edward's eyes saddened immediately. "Yes. I suppose

you should."

"And you're here with Congresswoman O'Hara, aren't

you?" Bella's voice was pointed as she said it.

She just cut to the quick of things, didn't she? Edward

didn't like it. He wanted to go back to the place they were
moments before. Placing one hand on Bella shoulder, so
soft…, his other hand moved a stray lock of her hair back
behind her ear as he said, "Yes, I am. … I wish …."

A bass of a male voice with a southern drawl boomed,

"Edward, can you help me out here?"

Dropping his hands from Bella, Edward turned to the

voice that he knew so well, "Of course, Alistair."

The elderly Senator Alistair Makenna had represented

the state of Georgia for the last 40 years in the Senate,
and for the majority of those 40 years, he had been best
friends with Carlisle Cullen. If anyone outside his family
had to have seen Edward with his hands on Bella,
Edward would have picked Alistair. Indeed, as Rosalie's
godfather, he was family.

Bella watched as Senator Makenna slowly ambled up to

them. She felt panicky, not knowing what Senator
Makenna might have seen. Sliding her eyes up to Edward
she saw that he didn't seem ruffled at all. They must be
friends … very good friends.

"Alistair, I'd like to introduce you to Bella Swan."

The elderly senator eyed Bella appreciatively as he said,

"Miss Swan, it's a pleasure to meet you. Bella is a lovely
name. My daughter Siohbhan almost named my
grandchild Isabella."
Shaking Senator Makenna's hand, Bella replied, "Good
evening, Senator Makenna. And what name did she
choose instead?"

"Charles … turned out to be a grandson rather than a

granddaughter."

"That's my father's name."

"And Miss Swan, what does your father do?"

"He's the police chief of the tiny town of Forks,

Washington."

"A man devoted to keeping civil society safe."

"Senator, Forks is tiny – like any tiny town in Georgia.

Society is pretty civil to begin with. Charlie says the only
real trouble all happens around 'wine, women, and
song.'"

Senator Makenna grinned at Bella. "Well, now that

sounds just like Georgia."

Everyone chuckled at that, and Bella saw it as a good

segue for her to leave. As Bella said goodbye to both of
the senators, her eye lingered on Edward for a few
seconds. She wanted to see if she had imagined what she
felt as they talked for this short time. He gave Bella a
slight nod as if to acknowledge the few moments they
shared together earlier, and she left completely confused.

As Bella walked away, Edward admired her naked back,

but he quickly turned to Alistair. "You asked if I could
help you, but I believe your question was aimed at
helping me."

Alistair nodded his head toward two Queen Anne chairs

off to the side in the hall. "Why don't we sit? At my age,
you get tired standing."

Sitting down in the chairs, Alistair started, "So who is

this Miss Swan?"

Edward looked to the heavens for help. "An intern in my

office. Nothing has happened."

"Edward, I've been around a while, and I know you. You

should stop while you're still ahead. This looks to me like
your garden variety intern infatuation."

Leaning onto his knees, Edward rubbed his hands

together in thought. "You're right. I should stop while
I'm ahead, but it's definitely not garden variety. This is
different."
"How different?"
"Like never before. Really, I barely know her. Do you
think that's possible to feel that way about someone who
you hardly know?"

"I'll tell you. Fifty-seven years ago, I decided that I

wanted to marry Clare really only knowing that she was
Protestant, she made me laugh, she was clever, and there
was no place that I wanted to be more than up her skirt.
All of those things are true today. But, Edward, please
take no offense, but in the South, we would say that
you're a hard dog to keep on the porch."

Great. I've given myself the reputation of Philanderer

for Life. "I don't think that would be a problem with the
right woman."

"Well, if you are thinking seriously about this young lady,

I'd like to tell you something else. You know that I've got
a daughter whom I love dearly. I bet this Chief Swan
feels the same way about his little girl – and they'll
always be your little girls in a way. I would just like to
warn you that, if someone like you – with your power
and privilege – took advantage of my young daughter.
Well, I would …."

Edward eyed him warily and said, "You would what?"

"Cut his balls off."
Thinking of his family's debt to Chief Swan, Edward
knew that would be the minimum damage that Charlie
Swan could inflict upon him. Edward shook his head at
Alistair. "There's no worry that I would take advantage of
her. At this point, I just would like to get to know her.
Tell me something, Alistair. I keep trying to think of
what my father would have done in this situation."

"Carlisle? With Esme? Well, hell, 30 years ago, even 20

years ago, he wouldn't have blinked an eye. He would
have started pursuing her the moment she walked in his
office. If eyebrows were raised, Esme might come work
in my office, just in case anyone said anything. Now,
things are different. If I offered for Bella to come work
for me or on my committee, it would be suspicious. So
what would Carlisle do today? I'm not sure. He was as
devoted to Esme, as I am to Clare, but … Carlisle valued
his family's legacy, public service, and had impeccable
integrity. I don't know if he would jeopardize that."

"Right. That's not helpful, Alistair."

Chuckling Alistair said, "I can't speak for the dead,

Edward. And this is your life. You have to make your
own way."

Rubbing his brow in confusion, Edward nodded.

"But Edward, I know you came here with Maggie O'Hara
tonight. She's a wonderful woman. As my friends from
Texas say, 'you need to dance with the one who brung
you.' Let's go back to that dreadful dinner. You'll be able
to honestly tell her you were talking with me."

Walking back to the dinner, Edward worried about

Maggie. Things were very casual between them, but he
knew that both of them had expected to share his bed
tonight. After spending time with Bella, he couldn't do it
– even knowing that Bella might be in Mike's arms later.
He shook his head to himself. Earlier, he and Bella had
silently acknowledged their feelings for one another, yet
here they were apart with no time for them to be
together in sight. He had no idea what to make of his
predicament.

As soon as he walked back into the banquet hall, Edward

saw that the table that Bella had been sitting at had
entirely cleared out. He assumed they went out to a bar
for some fun like most of the staff did after a dinner like
that. Later in the evening, complaining of a migraine,
Edward dropped off Maggie at her house with a chaster
than usual kiss good night.

It was late, but Edward was still awake thinking about

right and wrong. He adjusted his boxer shorts and felt
himself briefly. He knew that tonight, he needed
something desperately to fall asleep. In his shower with
the warm water sprinkling on him as he sat on the
shower bench, Edward started to stroke his growing
erection. Tonight's time with Bella gave a new twist to
his favorite fantasy. This time she was standing before
him, hair damp from the shower, as she played with her
nipples. He thought of her moving toward him, offering
her breasts to him to suck. All the while that he was
mentally spinning his tale, he moved his hand up and
down, up and down on himself, paying special attention
to the head. He imagined Bella straddling him and
lowering her pussy on to his cock – a sweet little cunt
with dark curls cloaking it, one that was warm, tight, and
above all wet from his tongue. For in this fantasy,
Edward had the taste and smell of Bella's pussy in his
mouth and on his lips, as he had wanted her to be ready
for him. He felt himself ready to explode as he dreamed
of slowly thrusting himself into her and watching her
eyes and mouth open in response to his girth. In his
mind, he could see himself slide in and out of her - his
cock glistening from her. Thinking of Bella calling out his
name, he came in spurts onto the shower floor.

Afterward Edward lay in bed wondering where Bella was

that night. Was she in bed with Mike? Was she in her
own bed thinking of him, instead? Edward had no idea.
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirteen ~
"OK. I'll have another, too." The waitress cleared the
empty glasses and walked away smiling.

Another gin and tonic was the last thing that Bella
needed that evening. She and Mike had left with the
other members of their dinner table and headed up to
the bars near Bella's house. It was well after midnight,
and now they were alone, sitting very cozily on a
loveseat. When Mike excused himself to use the
bathroom, Bella's drunken mind whirled around the
evening so far.

Bella had been out of sorts ever since she returned to her
seat beside Mike at the dinner earlier that evening. Her
confusing encounter with Senator Cullen had sent her
head reeling. Feeling uneasy, she was drinking more
than she normally would. And now late in the night,
Bella was having a hard time believing that anything
happened between her and the Senator. After all, here
she was out drinking with Mike, and no doubt, given his
track record, Senator Cullen was home fucking Maggie
O'Hara. A vision of the Senator naked in bed with the
Congresswoman popped in Bella's head, making her
nauseous. Bella drank some water to clear her head and
stomach. Stop thinking about him. You'll make yourself
puke. If he is interested in you, it's because you've made
it pretty obvious that you have a crush on him. He's just
into you for sex. For once, Jacob Black might be right
about something.

When she finally arrived back at the dinner table after

talking with the Senator, Mike had asked her if she had
gotten lost. She laughed saying that he had guessed
right, but also told him she had run into the Senator who
had asked about Jacob Black. Although she wasn't being
completely truthful with Mike, she doubted it was really
necessary for him to know all of her craziness just yet.

Bella saw Mike from across the bar walking back to her,
and she smiled at him. The additional drinks arrived as
Mike claimed his seat beside Bella. After taking a drink,
Mike asked, "So, can I take advantage of the liquor now
and ask what in the world was Jacob Black, Candidate
for U.S. Senate, yelling at you about on the street on
Monday?"

Laughing, Bella said, "Sure. I'm glad you asked after a

few drinks. Otherwise, I'd get worked up telling you
about it."

After telling him an abridged version of her relationship

with Jacob, as well as her talks with Seth and then with
Alice and the Senator, Mike just shook his head. He said
he couldn't get his mind around some of it, especially
that her father, Chief Swan, was best friends with both
Jake's dad and Seth's parents. "No offense, but the story
just seems so … provincial."

"Hey, I'm from Forks, Washington – it's the epitome of

small town America. Plus, we're talking about a tribe,
where everyone is connected to everybody else."

Mike's eyes became devilish. "Well, now that the smart

and beautiful Miss Swan has escaped to the city, will she
be able to stay out of trouble?"

Coyly, she replied, "I'm not sure."

As he moved in for a kiss, Mike whispered, "It sounds

like you're a magnet for trouble."

They stayed at the bar for another hour of canoodling.

Mike checked his watch and said, "Damn. The Senate is
in session tomorrow afternoon. I have to be at work in
eight hours."

"It's crazy how many weekends you're working right

now. I've heard that the Senate might be in session up
until Christmas Eve."

"Tell me about it. It really sucks. I should get going."

As soon as they walked outside, Bella said, "I'm going to
kill myself walking in these heels."

"Not a problem," quipped Mike as bent his knees,

offering her his back for a piggy-back ride.

"You're kidding me."

"Of course not, hop on."

Laughing Bella climbed onto his back commenting,

"Wow. It's high up here."

"Only to you, Shorty."

"So, you're going to carry me all the way home?"

"You live two blocks from here, and I've told you before
that you weigh about as much as a basketball."

After the two of them laughed the entire way to Bella's

doorstep, she giggled, "If I can't walk, I don't think it's a
good idea for you to drive."

Easing her back on the ground, Mike turned around and

kissed her cheek. "I think you're right, but I'll admit that
there's something else that's attractive about not driving
home tonight."
As Bella got the two of them water from the kitchen, she
started to panic thinking about having the virginity
conversation with Mike, especially after she had been
drinking. Steadying herself against the countertop, she
tried to keep her head from spinning. When she brought
the glasses into the living room, Mike was dozing on the
sofa. Bella smiled, thinking maybe this wouldn't be so
difficult after all.

Waking up as she sat down, Mike took the glass of water

from her and in a dazed voice thanked her.

Bella smiled. "I think we could both use some sleep.

C'mon." She offered her hand to Mike and led him up the
dark stairs. They moved up the stairs slowly because she
was so unstable she was afraid she would fall. The three
story house had two bedrooms on each floor, and Bella
shared the third floor with Victoria and James. As soon
as they started up the second flight of stairs, Bella
muttered, "Uh oh."

Unmistakably, the sounds of loud sex were coming from

James and Victoria's room.

Mike raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "I've lived with

enough roommates to know that's not the Playboy
Channel."
Trying to laugh without sounding too nervous, Bella
said, "They're actually pretty respectful, and I can sleep
through anything. We just must have caught them at the
wrong time."

Mike nodded. They continued up the stairs while James

was groaning out graphic play-by-play of Victoria's
actions while she mewed and whimpered. Bella cringed.
Foreplay. And it didn't sound like it was going to end
anytime soon.

When they walked in her room, Bella felt like she had to
say something. Grabbing Mike's other hand, she winced
as she anxiously said, "Mike, I like you, but I'm not ready
for that," nodding her head in the direction of the sound
of Victoria cooing, "Right there, Baby. … Oh James,
right there."

Smiling, Mike kissed her on the head. "Bella, it's OK, and
Sweetheart, with as much as we drank tonight, I'm not
sure I could even do that," nodding over to the other
room. He added, "I'm going to use your bathroom, OK?"

Bella smiled back at Mike and pointed him in the

direction of the bathroom. Continuing smiling as he left,
Bella thought, He is such a sweet guy. She changed into
modest - but not too modest - pajamas of a pink cotton
tank top and matching shorts, courtesy of Renee. As
Mike walked back in, the sound of a bed springs
squeaking and a bed frame thumping on the floor started
coming from the other room. Mike laughed, "I'm
guessing it's not going to be too much longer."

"I think you're right." Reaching up to give him a kiss, she

said, "Go ahead and climb in bed. I'll meet you there."

When Bella returned from the bathroom, Mike was

under the covers wearing his white undershirt and
reading one of her Kant books. "Girl, this would put me
to sleep."

"It's for my thesis. It actually keeps me up. I need to

switch to some fiction."

As Bella climbed into bed, Mike said, "Things quieted

down next door while you were gone."

"Thank God."

A ten minute discussion ensued - punctuated with

laughter - on preferred sides of the bed, pillow
requirements, and the proper amount of blankets.
During that time, Bella saw that Mike was wearing gray
boxer briefs, and she had to avert her eyes before staring
at his bulge. Can't tell if the myth is true. But holy crow,
I am wasted, and in bed with him – all of him. She gave
Mike a good night kiss right before she turned out the
light. Something about the darkness, though, caused
their mouths to find one another as they attempted to
settle into a comfortable position. As her mouth opened
up to his, Bella thought, Right, Bella. Like you can have
this beautiful, sweet man in your bed and NOT make
out with him. Things became very heated, and the
combination of the alcohol, darkness, and physical
intensity was causing Bella's brain to idle as her body
continued to move on its own.

Bella was the first to wake the next morning. Her eyes
flew open, and she took an immediate assessment of the
evidence of what happened the night before. From the
cool air on her breasts, she knew before she looked down
that she was missing her tank top. She saw, though, that
she was still wearing her pajama shorts and her
underwear. And then she looked at Mike who was still
sleeping with his arm, shielding his eyes from the light.
Lying before her was a naked, perfectly sculpted male
body, with the inevitable morning erection. The sight of
Mike's hard cock jogged her memory as to what
happened after the lights went out.

Lots of rolling around in the bed. Curious Bella taking off

Mike's shirt. Mike taking off Bella's shirt. Mike touching
and kissing her breasts, but adhering to her wishes and
not touching her below her waist. Bella wanting to
reciprocate for the mind-blowing orgasm he gave her the
other night. Bella giving Mike head. Mike passing out
shortly afterward.

Bella lay back on her pillow and stared at the ceiling. Her
mind went back to earlier in the night and her
conversation with Senator Cullen. She looked over at
Mike, and a pang of guilt hit her. She shook her head.
Why do I feel guilty for being with Mike when Senator
"Call-Me-Edward-When-We're-Like-This" Cullen is in
bed with Maggie O'Hara right now? And who knows
who he'll be with tonight?

"Good morning, beautiful." Mike smiled and leaned over

to give her a kiss.

"Well, hello."

After a couple of sweet morning kisses, Mike said,

"Please tell me it's before nine o'clock."

Leaning up on her elbow to look at the clock, Bella

answered, "I wish I could, but it's five after nine."

Mike groaned. "Bella, I'm sorry. I've got to run. I have to

be in the office at ten, and I need to go home to change."
They laughed as they found each other's clothes lost in
the sheets and on the floor. Bella sent him on his way,
but not before he asked her out for lunch later that week.
After she found the Tylenol for the drum pounding in her
head, Bella took a shower. As the water drenched her,
she couldn't get over why she felt so … Off. Like I did
something wrong, and somehow it has to do with the
Senator. It makes no sense. Even if he was really
interested in me as a person – not just as another fuck
to be had – he was with the Congresswoman last night.
And I like Mike, especially after how understanding he
was with me about the sex thing. Bella washed her hair,
completely perplexed by the variety of emotions clogging
her mind.

Edward decided to go into the office early in order to get

his mind off of Bella. It worked until he was walking back
from the Coke machine. There was Mike Newton
speedily heading toward him and obviously late for
work. As Mike recognized that it was Senator Cullen
whom he would pass before getting to his office door, he
determinately focused on not cracking a smile. Instead
he just nodded to the Senator saying, "Good morning,
Senator Cullen." But with his eye contact with the
Senator, he said it all. Yeah, that's right. I'm late for
work because I just rolled out of Bella Swan's bed. You
can only wish you had a night with her like I did.
Edward had flatly greeted him with a "Morning," and
then wore his best impassive face as Mike's eyes told the
story of his time with Bella.

Overpowered by jealousy, Edward stared out his office

window and attempted to sort out his feelings for Bella.
He sighed. With a sexual history like his, it would be
completely unfair and hypocritical to hold anything that
Bella did with Mike against her. Edward had to accept
that she could very well assume that his only interest in
her was for sex. Jacob Black had just reinforced that
idea. Motherfucker. And if she did think he actually
cared for her, as she herself pointed out, he was with
Maggie last night. A betting man would assume that
Edward had fucked her. Bella was young and beautiful –
why shouldn't she have a sex life? He certainly had. But
did Bella have sex with Mike last night? He didn't know.
He would have to wait to see her.

It was with trepidation that Bella walked into the office

on Monday. Why am I so fucking nervous? She went to
her cubicle and kept her head down, buried in reading
about a new National Park Service regulation in the
Federal Register. After lunch, Bella was preoccupied as
she turned the corner heading back to her cubicle and
landing straight into the path of the oncoming Senator
Cullen. The Senator seemed as surprised as she was to
run into her. And when he greeted her so happily, Bella
fumbled around for a corresponding greeting, because
her immediate thought was, It's happening again. For
real. There is something happening here.

Trying to hide a smirk on his face or in his voice, Edward

asked, "So was the rest of your evening fun on Saturday?
I saw that you left early." As he looked down at her, he
could see a peek of the lace of her bra from the neckline
of her white blouse. He wondered if the skin of her
breast was even softer than that of her shoulder. He
came back to reality when Bella responded.

"Um. Yes. A group of us went out." Bella couldn't tell if

by using the word "group" she was making herself feel
more or less guilty.

Edward saw a golden opportunity. "I called it an early

night to get some sleep. We were in yesterday."

Blinking repeatedly, Bella processed his comment. Is he

trying to tell me that he wasn't with Maggie on
Saturday night? That he didn't sleep with her. She
searched his eyes for an answer as she replied, "Your
schedule must be difficult right now."

"It comes with the job. We'll still get to have a prep
session this week. That will be fun."

"Well, you're generous to do it."

Staring into her doe eyes, he tried to communicate as
much as he could with his own, as he responded, "I enjoy
it." Because I get to spend time with you.

Rosalie's voice came from behind Bella. "Edward, we

have a meeting."

As she walked up to the two her eyes darted to their faces

with suspicion. I'll let it go … for now. At least it looks
respectable. Tersely she said, "Hello Bella," and then
turning to Edward, remarked, "I don't have much time,
Edward."

Shifting his demeanor entirely, Edward remarked, "Well,

let's get on with it, then. Good bye Bella."

"Yes, good bye. And good bye, Rosalie."

The three parted ways, and Bella went back to her desk
utterly bewildered by the conversation. Nothing had
been said. Had he left things unsaid? If so, what did he
want to say? And, above all, why did he want to say it?
And why did he want to say anything to her of all
people? What about Lauren, or any of the other women
in the office?

For the rest of the week, Edward offered Bella simple,

friendly greetings. Even if he didn't want the wrath of
Rosalie coming down on him, it was the right thing to
do. Bella was nice in her replies, but Edward always
thought she looked perplexed when she looked at him
and a line would crease in her forehead. Her eyes made
him both happy and sad. She feels something too, but
she can't figure out my intentions. And, I can't tell her.
Damn it.

Thursday's study session went similarly as the prior

week's. There was a problem already on the board as the
interns filed into the room.

Exactly four students-Arjun, Bobby, Jason, and Puja-

pray to exactly seven Hindu deities-Ganesha,
Hanuman, Krishna, Lakshmi, Rama, Shiva, and
Vishnu-for assistance in achieving top LSAT scores. No
deity answers the prayers of all four students, but each
deity answers at least one student's prayer. The deities
answer the students' prayers according to the following
conditions:

Neither Lakshmi nor Rama answers Bobby's prayers,

but Ganesha and Krishna both answer Bobby's.
Hanuman, Krishna, and Shiva answer Puja's prayers.
Hanuman answers at least three students' prayers, but
Krishna and exactly one other deity each answer
exactly two students' prayers.
If Vishnu answers a particular student's prayer,
Hanuman does not answer that student's prayer.
If Ganesha answers a particular student's prayer,
Rama does not answer that student's prayer.
Lakshmi answers at least one of the same students'
prayers as Vishnu does.
Any deity who answers Puja's prayers also answers
Bobby's but does not answer Arjun's.

Each of the following could be a pair of deities both of

whom answer the prayers of exactly two students
EXCEPT:

(A) Ganesha, Krishna

(B) Krishna, Lakshmi
(C) Krishna, Rama
(D) Krishna, Shiva
(E) Krishna, Vishnu

Which one of the following CANNOT be true?

(A) Exactly three of the seven deities answer exactly the

same students' prayers as each other.
(B) Exactly three of the seven deities answer Arjun's
prayers.
(C) Exactly three of the seven deities answer Jason's
prayers.
(D) Exactly four of the seven deities answer Arjun's
prayers.
(E) Exactly four of the seven deities answer Jason's
prayers.

Catching Bella completely off guard, Edward called on

her first. "So Miss Swan, you said you like stories for
your questions. This one is a bit of a story. How would
you begin to answer it?"

Now paying her full attention to him, Bella detected a

glint in the Senator's eye as he waited for her answer. Is
he teasing me? What can I get him back with? "Well, I
think I should pray first. Don't you?"

Everyone laughed, including Edward. Such a smartass. I

love it. "The power of prayer is always helpful, but after
that what would you do?"

Bella laid out the correct diagram to begin the problem,

and the Senator mercifully spared her for the rest of the
session. The evening ended around seven again, but this
time Edward sprinted out of the room. He must have
plans. As Bella walked down the hall with Eric, Alice
called her name from Seth's office. The two of them
looked like they were just hanging out.

Seth smiled at her, "Hi Bella, do you want to have dinner

with us? We're just going to the brew pub down the
street."

"Sure."

Edward's voice came from behind her. "I'm ready to go

when you are." Bella looked at Edward who was now at
her side. "Are you joining us, Bella?"

"Um. Yes. Let me get my bag." Exiting the room, Bella

flexed her hands as she walked. This is a perfectly
normal thing. My dad is probably having dinner with
Seth's parents, tonight, for God's sake. Do not make
more of it than that.

What Bella – and Seth – did not know was that Alice had
planned the dinner. She let Edward in on it just before
the study session. And she was very pleased with herself
that the evening unfolded exactly as she wanted. The
four walked the few blocks to the Capitol City Brewing
Company. It was loud and boisterous inside so no one
felt awkward. Everyone laughed as Seth and Bella told
silly Forks stories. Alice was not prepared for Edward's
announcement as the two of them went to the bathroom
together.

"I'll take Seth and Bella home."

In disbelief, Alice sputtered, "Edward, what? You can't."

Edward smiled at her. "Why not? It's a perfectly normal
thing to do. Neither one of them has a car, and your car
only seats two."

Pulling Edward aside, Alice whispered, "But, Seth lives

on the Hill and can walk. And Bella lives 15 minutes
away from Seth. That's 15 minutes of you two alone. I
can take her."

Still smiling Edward said, "Alice, there's nothing wrong

with it. I always take Seth home after something like this.
If Bella was a guy, you wouldn't even question it.
Besides, Jim will be driving. We won't be alone." He
smirked as he said the last sentence. Jim had been
Carlisle's driver, too, and was intensely loyal to the
Cullens. He also listened to jazz or sports radio on ear
phones while he drove and never turned to look in the
back no matter what was going on in the backseat.

"Rosalie will not like this."

"Rosalie doesn't have to know. And if she does find out,

it's not a big deal."

"I will cover you on this, but you owe me."

When Senator Cullen announced that he could take both

Bella and Seth home, Bella had to lock her jaw shut so
that it wouldn't drop open. Seth took it happily in stride,
never questioning it. Edward had Jim pull the car up,
and the four piled in with Edward sitting in the front
seat. As soon as they had gotten in the car, Bella realized
that it was going to end up that she would be alone in the
car with the Senator. Bella gulped. Everything during the
dinner and afterward had been easygoing between them.
Oh my God. I can't believe this is happening. And what
does he want? Something? Nothing?

After dropping off Alice at her car and Seth off on

Maryland Avenue, Edward got out to switch to the back
seat. Incredibly anxious and uncomfortable, Bella
scooted toward her door before he got in. As he sat
down, Edward asked, "So where is it that you live? I'll tell
Jim the address."

"Um. 1830 Kalorama, right off of 18th Street."

Edward tapped Jim on the shoulder who took his

earbuds out to hear the address. Jim nodded and went
back to his music.

Smiling at Bella as he turned again to her, Edward

immediately noticed that she was fidgeting and sitting as
far away from him as possible while still being inside the
car. She's nervous. She thinks I've trapped her and am
up to no good. Argh. I should have thought this would
happen. Edward searched for something to talk about
that would calm her down.

"You actually grew up mostly in Arizona."

Bella nodded. "Yeah. I miss it."

"What about it?"

Feeling slightly less anxious by the mundane question,

Bella began explaining her love of the desert. She used
her hands to explain the expanse, horizon, shapes, and
colors of the landscapes. She summed it up by saying,
"It's just beautiful. The Olympics are pretty too. They're
such different places; I suppose that's why I can like
them equally."

"I got to spend some time in the desert when I was

stationed in San Diego. I would go out to the big state
park near there to go hiking. I liked seeing the big horn
sheep everywhere. And the flowers in the springtime
were amazing."

Bella smiled at the green eyes staring at her. He has to be

the smoothest operator on Earth if he's pulling this stuff
out of thin air to impress me. And does he have to look
so good when he does it? She wondered what she could
ask him that might test him. "So, Senator Cullen, what
are you reading these days?"

But Bella was the one who felt like she had flubbed it,
when he earnestly replied, "Please, Bella. When we're
alone, I want you to call me Edward. I know it's
confusing, but I … I feel like I won't get to know you if
you only think of me that way."

Surprised by the honesty and emotion that came from

his statement, Edward felt like he had to backpedal. "I
mean … you might as well be talking to my father."

Bella nodded, although she had no idea what he meant

by "get to know you." How does he want to get to know
me?

Chuckling, Edward said, "Anyway, I'm not answering

your question until you tell me because my current book
is a little embarrassing."

A vision of her bedside table came to her head. Ugh.

"OK. But actually, mine is a little embarrassing too – just
because I've read it at least three times already. It's Jane
Eyre. I picked it up again last night when I couldn't
sleep."

As Bella finished the sentence, she realized something

about the book. Dear God, Please let him not have read
that book about an employee hopelessly in love with her
rakish employer named Edward.

"Hm. I've never read it." But I'm sure Esme has multiple
copies in the library. I'll have to check it out.

"No need to really," quipped Bella. Quickly changing the

subject to him, she said, "Alright, Edward. Now you."

He smiled upon hearing her say his name. "You'll see

why it's embarrassing. I'm reading Master of the Senate."

"The LBJ book? I read that last year in a poli sci class. Is
it just the title that's embarrassing?"

"I suppose so. I definitely do not aspire to be the master

of the Senate, but it's a good book."

"It is. I really liked reading about Lady Bird. She was
such an interesting woman."

"You know, my mother met her a few times and said she
was brilliant."

"She was a great conservationist and doesn't get enough

credit for it. Anyway, I started reading one of the others
in that series to learn more about her, but then I got
distracted. Have you read the others?"

"Yes, this is the last one I'm reading. LBJ was a

fascinating man. Really impressive."

Without thinking who she was talking to, Bella looked

out the window and muttered, "Thanks in large part to
Lady Bird. She was amazing, and he treated her like
shit." Her eyes widened. Oops. President Lyndon Baines
Johnson was a notorious philanderer flaunting it in front
of Lady Bird, while she helped his career every step of
the way. Well, we'll see how he responds.

Edward was stunned by what she said. He was not

expecting the topic of conversation to shift perilously
close to his Achilles heel. "Um. Well, at that time …"

Bella was shocked by what she heard; she couldn't let it

go. "At that time? You have got to be kidding me. Like it
doesn't happen all the time! Should I list the names that
are in the headlines … leaving aside all the ones no one
speaks about? How about Bill Clinton, Mark Sanford,
John Edwards, Eliot Spitzer …"

Does she think that's what I would be like? Feeling no

sure footing beneath him, Edward interrupted quietly
saying, "It wasn't like that for my parents."
He was visibly tense as he said it and looked very
uncomfortable. I have struck a nerve. Bella wanted to
steer the conversation away from the subject. "No. I'm
sure it wasn't like that at all. Your father was a good man
in addition to being a good politician." She cringed
internally as she realized that she just made matters
worse. Now he might think that she thought he was a
bad person, which she really didn't … as long as he
wasn't married and carrying on the way he did.

She must think terribly of me. How can I tell her that I
would never treat her that way … even if we were just
dating? I want to be with her … not just have her. With
all of the sincerity he could muster in his voice and his
eyes, Edward stated very seriously, "It won't be like that
for me either … even from the beginning."

The intensity of his stare made Bella turn away after she
nodded acknowledging his declaration. She had nothing
to say in reply. It feels like he's trying to tell me that.
She felt like she had entered completely uncharted
territory with the man. Luckily, Jim was only two blocks
away from her house, but that minute of silence was
deafening.

When Jim pulled up in front of her door, Bella found

enough composure to say, "Edward, thank you for dinner
and the ride and … especially the conversation. I always
like talking with you."

Responding with his heart and ignoring his head,

Edward rested his hand on hers and squeezed it, kindly
saying, "It was my pleasure, and I always like talking
with you too. I wish …." He couldn't say what he really
wished, so instead he said, "I wish we could do it more
often."

His hand felt so natural sitting upon her own that Bella
wasn't startled by it. She wanted to clasp it with her
other hand; even more so, she felt the urge to lean over
and kiss him. She knew neither response was
appropriate, but if Edward was trying to tell her
something, she wanted to signal that she understood it.
So she discreetly curled her fingers around his and gave
the lightest squeeze. Smiling as she removed her hand to
open the door she said, "Good night, Edward."

He smiled back at her saying, "Good night, Bella," and

she exited the car.
~*~
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Bird_Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson Information
~*~
 ~ Chapter Fourteen ~
"Hey Bella, don't you live in Adams-Morgan?"

Looking up from her reading, Bella replied to Eric,

"Yeah, how come?"

"Taylor was saying there's a party at his friend's house

there on Saturday night. I think we should get all the
interns together and go."

As she held back her real opinion of the idea, Bella

remarked, "Um … I'm going to be there because I bet it's
at my place. My roommate James just told me this
morning that he's throwing a party tomorrow. You
should come."

Looking at the address he had scribbled on his notebook,

Eric asked, "1830 Kalorama?"

"That's my house. Please bring who you like."

Eric grinned. "Cool. I'll go tell people."

When Eric walked away, Bella's reading was interrupted

again, but this time by Edward's voice. "Pardon me for
overhearing, but you didn't sound overly enthused."
Unable to mask her surprise by Edward's presence
before her, Bella stuttered, "Oh, Hello. Um. … Yeah. …
I'm really not one for big parties … or large groups. They
make me nervous." Like I am feeling right now.
Throughout her entire body and mind, Bella felt like she
was picking up with Edward exactly where they had left
things the night before. She had hoped sleep and time
would create some distance – some clarity for her. By
her reaction to seeing him, neither had. She was as
physically and mentally awash in confusion, anxiety,
disbelief, and hopefulness as she was when she had
squeezed Edward's hand.

Bella turned to him, and as he appraised the full sight of

her and her staccato voice, Edward fell back into his own
mixed feelings of uncertainty and hope. He also drank
her in. It was a brisk fall day, and Bella responded by
wearing a form fitting turtleneck, a brown tartan skirt
that was above the knee, but respectable for the office,
opaque tights, and low-heeled boots. She was showing
almost no skin, but the way she sat with her legs crossed
only at the ankles made Edward want to sneak his hand
up the inside of her thighs. Quickly, he moved the papers
he was holding over the front of his pants, realizing his
mind had run away with itself.

Looking intently at her, Edward took a breath before

declaring, "Same for me. I do what I have to for this job,
but I really hate the big social stuff that I have to go to all
the time."

Nodding, Bella grasped for something to say. She was so

taken aback by the intensity of how he was looking at
her. Snap out of it, Bella. You're only making it worse
for yourself by being silent. Her mind finally grabbed a
question out of the ether. "So, did you finish your book?"

She smiled as she asked it, and Edward responded in

kind. Bella's heart warmed and eased seeing him smile,
but she got distracted again when he momentarily licked
his bottom lip. I wonder what it would be like to kiss
him. The distraction ended and panic ensued as soon as
she heard his reply. "I did, finally. And this morning I
located one of my mother's multiple copies of Jane Eyre.
I haven't started it yet, though."

NO! I don't want to have to talk about that book with

him. "Er. … It's a really dark book. You probably won't
like it."

"I don't know about that. It's a classic. I probably should

have read it before. And it has to have a happy ending, or
my mother wouldn't like it so much."

"Yes. There's a 'happily ever after,' but it takes a very,

very long time to get there … and only at the very end. A
lot of people don't like it."

Edward wondered what exactly went on in the book, but

moreover he was curious what Bella thought of what she
had described. "And what do you think of that … delay?"

More calmly than she expected of herself, Bella

remarked, "I think it's … realistic … especially given the
challenges they face." Please do not make me elaborate
on who "they" are or their challenges.

Edward nodded in conclusion and ended the

conversation by saying he had a meeting and wishing her
a nice weekend. Bella wished him the same and buried
herself back in her reading as she tried to calm herself
down. Walking back to his office to get his suit jacket,
Edward was mulling over the exchange with Bella. I
should have asked her if she thought all the struggle
was worth it in the end.

Earlier in the week, Bella and Mike had planned to see

each other on Saturday night. Now with two bewildering
encounters with Edward in the last 24 hours, Bella was
thrown completely into a dither. She told herself that
whatever might happen between Edward and her was
such an impossibility that it was foolish of her to change
her life in response to what had to be false hope. Yet, the
eerie feeling that she was somehow cheating on Edward
would not leave her conscience no matter how hard she
tried to reject it. In the end Bella was thankful for
James's party. It was the perfect date for her
predicament with Mike – lots of people around would
preclude too private of moments for the two of them. She
could keep it light.

Unfortunately, the raucousness of the party did quite the

opposite. After hanging out in the kitchen for a few hours
talking to lots of different people in the packed room,
Mike took her hand and suggested, "Let's find some
place quieter."

"OK. Let's go to my room." It was counterintuitive, but

Bella knew it was a good idea because most likely it
would still have a few people in it. They wouldn't be
completely alone. Her door had been wide open all night,
and people often found their way on to her room's
adjoining sun porch because there was an old futon
couch in there.

Bella's heart stopped a little, though, as she held Mike's

hand strolling into her room. No one was in there. It was
dead silent and dark, but for the light on the porch. She
prayed that someone was quietly sitting on the futon, so
she nervously smiled at Mike. "I should check
something." Craning her neck around the door to the
porch, she saw her prayer was answered. The sight
caused her mouth to gape in shock when she saw Taylor
and Angela making out and in mid-grind of dry sex. She
quickly pulled her head back into the bedroom so they
wouldn't see her and whispered, "We should go."

Seeing Bella in the dark made Mike want her even more
than he had when he first saw her that evening. Her
sweater fell just below the waistline of her low rise jeans,
and all night, he had wanted to touch the naked skin on
her hips that would peek out occasionally. So when Mike
spied the open door to his left as they walked out of
Bella's room, he asked, "What's in there?"

Bella looked up at him quizzically. "Um. The laundry

room."

With a playful grin, Mike tugged Bella's arm and brought

her into the room, closing the door behind them. The
room was dark, but an exterior light made it so one could
still see. As soon as he shut the door, Mike murmured,
"I've just wanted to get you alone, all night." And with
that he leaned in for a long and deep kiss.

Instinctively, Bella responded throwing her arms around

his neck, but the same feeling of guilt sprung from her
chest. While the kiss intensified, her mind was at war
with itself as to how she should be behaving with this
man. Her body was responding enough, though, that
Mike felt encouraged. He pulled away from the kiss, and
smiling, picked her up by the hips and set her on top of
the washing machine. When they started kissing again,
Bella was sitting back on the machine with the bend of
her legs matching the right angle of the machine. Soon
though, Mike's tongue became more playful and sensual,
and simultaneously, he moved his hands to her hips.
Stroking her skin along the waistline of her jeans, he
pulled her against him. Bella's eyes almost popped open
as she felt him hard against her. She couldn't stop the
initial thrust of her hips wanting to be closer to him, but
after that she began to get worried. If she hadn't been
ready to have sex with Mike before her conversations
with Edward, she certainly wasn't now. When Mike's
hand traveled up inside of her sweater to her breast, she
became very concerned as to what she was letting
happen. But it was only when Mike said, "Why don't we
spend the night at my place tonight? We could leave
right now," that panic forced her to speak.

"Mike, I need to tell you something."

He smiled, and as he moved back in for a kiss, he

reassured her. "A little blood from your period doesn't
bother me."

Bella pulled away and sputtered, "Um. Not from my

period. … I'm a virgin actually. And I …."
Interrupting with an incredulous voice, he asked, "For
real?"

Bella felt the blush on her cheeks spread down her neck
and across her chest. Oh, this is bad. "Yes. For real. I
know I'm probably more … adventuresome than most.
But I am technically still a virgin. And like I said the
other night, I'm not ready."

Mike stepped back a bit so they were no longer touching

one another so intimately. "Wow. Well, that's
unexpected, but … not a big deal … I suppose. I just
haven't been in a relationship like that in a long time."

In a relationship? Am I in a relationship? Are we in a

relationship? Deciding she had more immediate issues
to worry about, Bella shyly commented, "I guess I just
haven't found the right guy. It was an issue with Jake."

"Jacob Black?"

Bella nodded and grimaced as she asked, "Is it a

problem?"

Shaking his head, Mike gently placed both of his hands

on Bella's shoulders. "No, Bella. Not a problem; just a
little different. But, you're worth it."
She smiled at him in relief. He really is the sweetest
man. "Thanks. Very much. I was worried."

"Don't be." And with that he gave her another smooth

and long kiss, but in the back of his mind he thought, No
wonder Cullen is after you – the virgin ex of Jacob
Black.

Bella was relieved when she woke up the next morning.

The anxiety she had felt about the virginity conversation
with Mike had now been allayed. But more importantly,
with the crazy party all around them, they had kept their
clothes on and slept in their own beds. When she
thought more about her predicament with Mike and
Edward, she shook her head. It was untenable. How am
I supposed to date one guy, but feel a loyalty to another
– another who is completely unattainable, even if he is
interested in me?

The next week, Edward made a point of it to spend a few

minutes here and there chatting with the other interns
and staff in his office. If he was going to continue talking
with Bella, he knew that he had to talk with other staff as
cover. Bella noticed it, but didn't think too much of it.
She overheard a conversation he had with Taylor about
the Seahawks and recognized it as typical male filler
conversation. His long-time staff members saw it as a
major personality shift and were perplexed.

Thursday's study session went just as the others except,

since this was the last one before the test, Alice brought
in pizza for everyone. Bella talked with Alice for most of
the dinner, but Alice didn't eat as she was excited for a
night out with Jasper. Bella wondered why Alice would
hang around if she could be with her husband. Maybe
Alice is just really friendly. The dinner was winding
down, with Taylor and Angela scooting out early and
together. Bella stood up to get her things together, and a
few feet from her, Eric began closing the pizza boxes.
Simultaneously, Eric yelled, "Oh crap! That hurts," and
Bella smelt the blood.

Not thinking clearly, Bella looked at Eric to see what

happened to him. He had sliced his palm on the sharp
edge of a pizza box, and blood was seeping out of the
gash. Immediately, Bella recoiled in disgust and nausea.
She tried to steady herself on the back of a chair, when
she heard Alice ask, "Bella, are you OK?" But Bella was
never able to answer.

Edward saw Bella starting to sway, but he couldn't make

it over to her in time before she fell on the floor with her
head making a loud thud. As he rushed over to her, his
SEAL training took over. "Eric, grab some napkins and
put pressure on your palm with your other hand; Seth,
get the first aid kit so I can bandage it."

Alice was already leaning over Bella when Edward knelt

beside her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she rubbed her
head where it had hit the floor. "Ouch." But the scent of
Eric's blood soon slammed into her senses, making her
close her eyes in disgust. "Blood. … I've got to get out of
here, or I'm going to be sick."

Without saying a word, Edward instantly picked her up

saying, "I'll carry you; it will be faster." Directing his
attention to Eric as he left, he told him, "Keep the
pressure on your hand. It looks like a pretty deep cut."

As Alice followed behind them, it was not lost on her that

Edward was getting his wish to be physically close to
Bella, even if the circumstances were less than desirable.
For her part, Bella was in fierce concentration as she
battled the bile in her stomach. At first, she kept her eyes
closed and head as far away from Edward's chest as
possible. But the bobbing around of her head made the
nausea worse so she stabilized herself, pressing her face
into his body. Edward was primarily concerned for Bella
who looked like a corpse – and he had seen plenty of
corpses. When she rested her head against him, though,
he took a deep breath. This feels really … nice.

Edward left Bella on his sofa with Alice. He wanted to

stay with her, but he needed to get back to Eric. Ten
minutes later, he came back in his office to see Bella
upright and drinking water. Alice spoke first. "Bella's
OK, now. Just a little queasy."

Hiding a smirk, Edward said, "So not so good with blood,

are you Bella?"

Sheepishly she looked at Edward. I feel like a pathetic

weakling. "It's the smell. I've never been able to handle
it."

Alice tried to make a joke. "What are you going to do

when you have a kid?"

"Uh. That's not really something I'm worrying about

right now, Alice. But I guess I would love the little
stinker so much I'd get over it, or I'd just pass out.
Knowing me, I'd probably pass out."

Speaking to Alice, Edward asked, "You've got dinner

plans with Jasper, right?"

"Yes, I need to meet him in a half an hour." Alice knew

exactly where Edward was going with the conversation.
She wanted to roll her eyes at him.

"Well, I'll take everybody home, then." Edward could

read Alice's thoughts perfectly, and he tried not to smile.

Bella was fine walking to Edward's car with everyone,

but she kept her distance from Eric. Edward had
perfectly bandaged his hand, but she knew what lay
underneath the wrapping. The thought made her
stomach turn. She didn't want to smell it in the confines
of the car. As they approached Jim standing alongside
the car, she asked, "Eric, can I sit in the front or you in
the front and me in the back? Just as a precaution."

"Sure, I'll sit in the front."

Finding herself in the back between Edward and Seth,

Bella was too sick to feel her normal awkwardness of
being near Edward. She couldn't stop thinking about
Eric's hand, and she could swear that she smelt
something. Eric only lived 10 blocks away near the
Easter Market metro station, but Bella had to keep her
mind focused on not vomiting. With so many people in
the car the claustrophobia and smell of Eric's hand was
getting to her. She kept saying a mantra of I will not
puke in Edward's car.

While Seth and Eric talked about living on the Hill,

Edward could tell something was wrong with Bella. He
leaned over and whispered, "Try putting your head
between your knees."
Having completely lost her self-consciousness with the
man, Bella nodded once and did just that, but it was too
late. When Jim pulled up in front of Eric's house, Bella
said, "I need to step outside."

Seth and Eric were in such an involved conversation that

they really didn't notice Bella walk to the corner behind
some bushes. Not pulling his eyes from her, Edward saw
her leave. When she went out of sight, he grabbed a
bottle of water from the stash he kept in the car and
warned Seth that he needed to find her. Bella was easy to
find, though, as she was just behind the shrubs vomiting
away.

"Bella, are you OK?"

Why, God, is this happening to me? After a wrench of

her stomach, Bella spat out, "Not OK. Nothing you want
to be around."

Edward couldn't help smiling as he stood behind her.

She had one hand behind her head holding her hair back
from her face as she spilled the contents of her stomach
onto someone's rose bushes. He tried to put her at ease.
"It's really nothing I haven't seen or done myself before.
I've got some water for you when you're done."

With a final hack, Bella turned her green face around to

Edward, and he handed her the water. Whispering,
"Thank you," Bella took a few swigs as she washed out
her mouth spitting on the roses behind her. She tried to
make a joke when she looked again at Edward. "Very
ladylike, I know."

Edward smiled and answered back, "Very human," and

nodding over to a short brick wall that was a small fence
to the house, he said, "Let's sit here for a minute. I don't
think a car is the best thing for you right now."

Bella sat beside Edward on the wall. She felt like she had
to explain herself. "I'm sort of a slippery slope when it
comes to nausea. Once something gets my stomach
churning, it doesn't take much for me to totally spill my
guts, so to say."

Not even thinking of the consequences, Edward put his

arm around her, pulling her to his side. "Whatever. I'm a
total baby when I'm sick. I start whining as soon as I get
a stuffy nose."

Again, with no feeling of self-consciousness, Bella tucked

herself into Edward's side replying, "That's just the way
Charlie is. I hope you know it's incredibly annoying to
the women around you."

Edward chuckled. "And that's why men don't bear

children. We couldn't handle it." As soon as he said it,
Edward felt a twinge of awkwardness at even touching
on the subject of kids with Bella.

For a minute they were silent, before Bella announced, "I

think I could handle being in a car now."

It was only when they got up that Bella realized how

close she had been sitting with Edward. She wanted to
curl back up against him as they walked, but she kept to
her side of the sidewalk. Edward kept flexing his hand in
order to stop the itch to move toward her and cloak her
again.

When they got back to the car, Seth asked Bella how she
was doing, and she nodded, "OK. A little sleepy after
that." He offered to sit in the front, so to make his drop-
off quicker.

A devil in Edward's mind took over him, as he quietly

said to Jim, "When we get to her house, just park and go
get dinner or coffee. I'll call you back." Jim silently
nodded. A quiet nod was his usual acknowledgement
without any judgment at all of what he had been asked to
do.

Even before Seth got out of the car, Bella's eyes were
drooping as she leaned her head against her window.
Moments after Seth got out, her eyes shut. Edward
thought twice about doing it, but he couldn't help
himself. He justified it thinking that he had enough
witnesses that this woman had been really sick. So he
gently eased Bella onto her side, lying down across the
length of the seat, as he said, "Come on, Bella. You'll feel
better like this."

Not objecting at all to the increased comfort, Bella fell

into the deep rapid eye movement of initial sleep. When
they arrived at Bella's house, she was completely out of
it, and Jim quietly exited the car. Edward's heart
jumped, as he registered that for the first time he was
totally alone with Bella. He thought her so beautiful
sleeping next to him that he gave into his desire to touch
her hair. He simply fingered some strands of her hair,
feeling its softness while not waking her up, but his head
did a double take when she mumbled, "Edward." She
didn't stir at all.

When she immediately said his name again without

moving, he smiled. So Bella talks in her sleep. And she
said my name. Bella then begged, "Edward. Don't go."
Oh, I won't. I want to see this. Feeling incredibly happy
with the turn of events, Edward was startled when she
rolled from the fetal position onto her back with her legs
still together. He looked at her closely. Still sleeping.
Bella was wearing the same form fitting blouse and pants
that she wore the day that he had wanted to grab her ass.
From that angle, he could admire her shape which made
his body stir.

But his eyes and ears couldn't register what happened

next. Bella's mouth went into a small smile, as she
purred, "Oh Edward." Is she fantasizing about me? He
was about to smile, but it turned into a gawk. Bella
purred again, "Oh Edward, yes," while moving her knee
over to another side. The movement spread her legs
open wide. She is fantasizing about me between her
legs. Oh my God. I want to be there. Just staring at her
body so obviously ready for him to take her, Edward felt
himself get hard. Does she want me to go down on her?
Does she want me to fuck her? God, I would be happy to
do either.

Bella's dream must have come to some resolution

though, when she moved back into the fetal position
smiling and murmuring, "Edward," a final time. A
minute later she opened her eyes, utterly confused as to
time and place.

Grinning with the happiest smile he'd had in forever,

Edward said, "Well, hello, sleepyhead."

She pulled herself up on her elbow and then into a sitting

position and blinked her eyes repeatedly. "How long did
I sleep?"

"I don't know 30, maybe 40 minutes or so."

Looking around the car, she asked, "No Jim?"

"He went to get coffee." Edward couldn't stop smiling,

despite the intense desire in the back of his mind for his
erection to become less obvious.

His smile was a warning to Bella. She thought back to

her dream of Edward sucking on her pussy. Oh my God.
I must have talked in my sleep. She wasn't really sure if
she wanted to know what she said, but she thought she
should acknowledge that she knew she might have said
something.

She blurted out with some fear in her voice, "Did I talk in
my sleep?"

Unsuccessfully holding back a smirk, Edward replied, "A

little."

Shit. Shit. Shit. Bella tried not to have a panicky tone as

she asked,"What did I say?"

Edward was uncertain how to answer her question. He

decided to go with a version of the truth. "Nothing to be
embarrassed about."

It was a true statement. She shouldn't be embarrassed

about having a sex dream about him. He certainly had
them all the time about her – both consciously and sub-
consciously.

Bella anxiously glared at him. "That's not reassuring."

Finally giving into his happiness, Edward smiled broadly

as he said, "It should be."

Closing her eyes, Bella sighed and shook her head. When
she opened them, Edward was staring at her with a
sexual intensity like no other she had felt. With the force
of a magnetic pull, Bella felt herself drawn to kiss him, as
he was to her. Both knew they shouldn't do it.

Something deep in Bella was tired of the silence and

tension between them. She blurted out, "I'm calling the
question."

Edward looked at her quizzically. What an odd thing to

say when we both know we want to kiss. "Robert's
Rules of Order? What do you mean?"

In a voice that gasped with exasperation, Bella said, "Am

I crazy? Or is something happening here? Is there
something happening between us?"

Edward continued to stare at her, but the sexual

intensity had morphed into one of emotional
desperation. She can cut to the quick of things, can't
she? He was again uncertain as to the best reply. He
decided on another version of the truth, even though it
was entirely unfulfilling. Looking deep into the doe eyes
that he adored, Edward answered, "I can't say how I feel,
Bella. I just can't."

Bella bit her lip as she thought about his answer,

dissecting his words. Finally she commented, "Does
Alice write this stuff for you? Is that a non-denial denial?
That is such a politician's answer."

Edward searched his mind placing where he knew that

saying came from. Laughing at the lightness Bella could
always make of things, he remarked, "Isn't All the
President's Men a little out of date for you?"

Playfully pushing on his arm, Bella giggled, "Please. You

are not that much older than me. I bet you weren't born
when that movie came out either."

Considering what she said, Edward said more seriously

than he expected it to come out, "No, I'm not so much
older than you, am I?"
Bella felt his seriousness take over the car. Her thoughts
were consumed with all of the impossibilities that she
had rationalized in her mind about anything really
happening between Edward and her. She swallowed
before she said, "Edward, nothing can happen with us.
There's too much at stake for you. If … no, when it came
out, you would have to lie or make some kind of non-
denial denial. This can't happen to you."

Giving into his need to touch her, Edward stroked her

face as he grimly replied, "There's too much at stake for
you, too. It can't happen to you, either. I'm no good for
you, Bella. We shouldn't be friends."

Bella couldn't comprehend the physical and emotional

warmth coming from his hand as he touched her face
combined with the devastating words he had just
spoken. She winced back tears.

Edward moved his other hand so that he was cradling

her face in both of his hands. So soft. "Don't Bella. I said
we shouldn't be friends – not that I didn't want to be."
~*~
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-denial_denial
~*~
 ~ Chapter Fifteen ~
Bella bit her lip, as she tried to figure out what Edward
meant by, 'I said we shouldn't be friends – not that I
didn't want to be.' When she had been silent for a second
too long for his comfort, Edward continued in earnest,
"Oh Bella, can't you see that?"

Staring into Edward's green eyes that shone from the

reflection of light from the street, Bella could see that he
wanted her – as she did him. Bella nodded that she did
see it and reached up to take his hands from her face.
She then took Edward's arm and wrapped it around her
body. Aligning her body against his, Bella snuggled into
his chest saying, "Yes." Edward had taken off his suit
jacket before getting in the car, so Bella immediately felt
the difference of being close to him when he was only in
shirtsleeves. His chest felt muscular next to her skin, and
she wanted to skim her hand over it again and again.
Restraining herself, though, she rested her hand on the
other side of his chest and clutched his shirt.

Edward also noticed a physical closeness to Bella he had

not experienced before. He encircled her with both of his
arms, tightly pulling in her body. With his nose, he
nuzzled into her hair, and closing his eyes declared, "It's
the least of our concerns, but given all the constraints
we're under … I don't know how to be close to you."
Bella nestled in to his side. She was so happy to be
touching him, but she wanted to know where things were
going. Moving backward a bit so that she could look at
him, Bella announced, "Edward, I feel the need to ask
again because it's really not clear to me. So you want to
be friends, but we shouldn't be friends? Which is it
then?"

With a small smile, he replied, "It means that I want to

be friends, even if we shouldn't, but there are limits on …
how friendly we can be."

A dark blush took over Bella's cheeks as she

comprehended what Edward meant by the term
'friendly.' Oh yes, I would like to be friendly with you,
too. Bella was still curious. "Well, I understand the
gravity of our current situation … that's pretty obvious,
but how long do you think we would be under these strict
… restrictions?"

The answer that he had to give soured him. "Well, if

Rosalie had her way, I would only be able to be seen with
you in public after I win re-election and am sworn into
office again in January 2011. Before that time, we could
be friends after you graduate, but we still wouldn't be
able to be seen in public. And even then we could be
friends – and friends only in the truest sense of the word
– as long as others were always around us."

Rosalie? What the fuck? "Um, you've talked with Rosalie

… about me?" Bella was totally disconcerted by the idea
she had been a topic of discussion with Rosalie, who
Bella was sure breathed fire.

Sheepishly, Edward explained, "It's one of the worst

downsides of my job. I've got to be managed for a lot of
things … my work, my schedule, a social calendar that I
hate, etc. … And with my … er … past personal life, I've
got to be open with Rosalie and Alice so that they're not
blindsided if something comes out. Rosalie always says,
'I can't protect you, if I don't know what to protect you
from.' So yes, they both know something … Alice more
than Rosalie."

Thinking about all of her interactions with his sisters,

Bella remarked, "Well, Alice is incredibly friendly to me.
So much so, that at times I thought it was a little strange
that she would be so nice to an intern. Rosalie … seems
to always be looking at me suspiciously."

"Alice likes you. She really does, but she's also been
trying to help me out." Edward declined to comment on
Rosalie's suspicions.

Bella was completely taken with the idea that Edward

had thought about pursuing her enough to engage his
family. It warmed her heart, but she was confused as to
Rosalie's timeline. "Alice sounds like a very nice sister.
But I don't quite understand Rosalie's timeline. I know
why we shouldn't be seen in public until after you're re-
elected, but why do we have to wait for me to actually
graduate before we could even be … friends … in private.
Why couldn't that happen when I finish my internship?"
Grasping his hand in hers, she pleaded, "I would never
tell anyone. Please know that about me."

As Bella's brown eyes beseeched him, Edward knew

instantly that Bella would never divulge a secret. Look at
how many her father had kept for his family. He then felt
even guiltier about what he might need to disclose about
himself to explain things to her.

Edward grimaced. "Of course, you wouldn't say

anything. Unfortunately, that's not it. The problem is the
age difference. It would be a distraction for the campaign
if it came out that I was even friends with a college
senior." Playing with her hair, he continued, "Let me
rephrase that. It would be a giant distraction for the
campaign if it were to come out that I was friends with a
college student who was a gorgeous woman. And you
would be cast just as that – simply, a pretty young thing
that I was getting it on with – not what you really are to
me – the clever, funny, and beautiful woman with whom
I share so much."

Tickled to her core that the god-like Edward Cullen had

said all of those sweet things about her, Bella bashfully
asked, "Are you making me blush to distract me?"

"No, but I find it rather distracting." Edward kept

fingering her hair and smiled as her blush deepened.

Smiling back, Bella said, "I'll pay attention for both of us

then. Anyway, when you describe it like that, it would
appear to be a questionable relationship, but I don't
think it would be that hard to hide. Maybe I'm wrong
though."

His lips immediately pursed. He really didn't want to

have to go into why his past with other women was
making his current life with her so difficult, but he felt
like he should say something. "I … well, when I ran for
Senate the first time around, a photo that was taken
without me knowing it, surfaced. I was with a woman."

"And? I don't get it."

"She was still in college and … er … actually an admiral's

daughter – that didn't help matters at all. It had been a
year since I had even dated her when the photo came to
light. She was younger than me by eight years, and
someone surreptitiously took a photo of us … together
behind a club. They held on to it quietly until they
blackmailed my family to keep it out of the press."

Bella had to know more. "You two were 'together'?"

Trying to piece the puzzle together, Bella got it. Like
making out. "Ah. 'Together' – like together together."
Before he could say anything, Bella scrunched her face
up; his whole story begged a question. "Why were you
behind a club with her anyway?"

Edward wanted to groan as he remembered because I

was ready to fuck her against the wall. Feeling rather
embarrassed again, Edward grumbled, "Not on my best
and brightest behavior, remember?"

"So your family paid for the photos?"

Thinking of all of Emmett's entanglements that ended up

costing the family in many ways, Edward sighed and
nodded. "Carlisle did everything to keep the Cullen name
clean. We all continue to do so. Rosalie arranged it all
through our attorney. Even then there were rumors of
the photo potentially surfacing in the press that Alice
had to deal with."

Bella was silent for a moment before she concluded,

"Thus, you and your family feel that because of your
past, you face a higher level of scrutiny than even an
average Senate candidate."

Edward swallowed hard. "And I hate to say it. But given

the fact that Jacob Black is aware that you work in my
office and still holds something for you, whatever it may
be, I think that's a red flag too."

Bella didn't have a chance to respond before the old-style

dial ringtone rang in her bag. The sound was muffled,
but they both heard it. Edward uttered aloud what they
both thought, "That's probably Mike." He looked out the
window and clenched his hand in a fist, bringing it close
to his mouth in thought.

Even if his eyes were not on hers, Bella still stared at

him. She muttered, "Forget about it."

Edward stated, "You shouldn't stop seeing him," and his

heart collapsed as he said it.

Bella felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She
immediately stared down, but saw nothing. Why would
he say that? And then it came to her. Of course. Silly
Bella. He's not going to wait around for you. Think
about how many women he's been with. Why would
you expect otherwise? That would be foolish.
Her breathing picked up speed, and with a strained voice
she fumbled through her reply. "Of course, you want to
see other women. I … understand that's what you're …
used to."

Edward's head swung around in disbelief. "Is that what

you think? You think I want you to be with Mike because
I want to fool around while …"

Confused by how agitated he looked, Bella was baffled.

"Why else would you say that?"

With a furrowed brow, Edward spewed, "Because I want

you to be happy."

Bella looked at him incredulously. "But why would that

make me happy?"

Edward groaned. "Ah. This is wrong."

That simple statement caused Bella's breathing to

increase to a rapid pace. The whiplash of emotion was
breaking her down, but she tried to maintain some
composure. Hold it together, Bella. It's OK. You're just
not in the same place as him. She maintained her stare
since it was easier on her heart than talking.

Edward was shaken by Bella's heartbroken eyes,

especially since he took full responsibility for their
sadness, but he felt that he had to explain things to her.
"Don't you see, Bella? It's one thing for me to be
unhappy with our situation, especially because it's my
own doing, but it's a wholly other thing for you to be
unhappy, too."

"But, I don't think I necessarily would be unhappy. In

fact, I would be very happy spending time with you …
getting to talk with you."

With overwhelming warmth in his voice, he remarked,

"I've found that spending any time with you makes me
happy, and it just makes me want to be with you even
more."

She smiled shyly, "So we wouldn't be unhappy … maybe

a little frustrated …. but …"

Grazing her cheekbone with the back of his hand,

Edward grinned and asked, "Only a little?"

Bella exhaled roughly in response to his touch. "OK.

More than a little. … A lot."

"I would say."

Feeling the physical intensity between them again,

Bella's mind was whipped around once more when
Edward abruptly asked in a concerned voice, "But, you
have been dating Mike, right?"

Bella fidgeted and mumbled her response. "Yes, but …

ever since we talked the night of the fundraiser, I've felt
… odd being with him, like it shouldn't be happening.
And after tonight, I don't think …"

Eagerly, Edward jumped in as her voice trailed off, "You

don't think what?"

"I don't think it would be right to continue to see him."

"Why?"

Thinking back to Mike's comment about being 'in a

relationship' and their entire sex talk, Bella was
uncomfortable. "Um. Things have been progressing …
more quickly than I expected."

Edward's eyes narrowed, but he was silent. Is he trying

to fuck her to somehow spite me? Eventually, he asked,
"Is he pressuring you somehow?"

"No. Not at all." Then her heart grew a hole as she felt
forced to say, "Don't worry about it. It's my business. I
mean … we're not dating … it's just like your personal life
is yours."

Gently grabbing Bella's neck and pulling her face closer

to his, Edward said in a low voice, "Bella, didn't you hear
me the other night? I realize that I was speaking rather
cryptically. But, I would be with you and only you. I
haven't even thought of anyone else since the night of the
fundraiser. I've only wanted you for weeks now. It's
never been like this for me before."

Her voice squeaked with both disbelief and satisfaction.

Bella wanted clarification. "Really? That seems like an
exaggeration."

"Yes. Really. I think about you all the time."

Bella arched an eyebrow playfully. "All the time?"

Such a little smartass. Well, two can play at that game.

"Yes, all the time. And based on what I witnessed earlier,
I believe you've thought about me too."

Bella gasped, "What did I say in my sleep?"

With a self-satisfied grin, Edward replied, "My name."

"That's it?"
"Basically. But, really it's how you said my name that I
liked so much."

Bella's hands went to her face, but she withdrew them

quickly saying, "You said I wasn't supposed to be
ashamed."

Edward couldn't restrain himself any longer. He had to

acknowledge his feelings somehow, especially with the
topic becoming increasingly sexual. With a gentle kiss on
her forehead, he murmured, "You shouldn't be ashamed
because I dream about you the same way." Chuckling as
he pulled away, he asked, "So I got to hear the dialogue
of your dream … at least your part of it. Do I get to hear
the rest … maybe what actually occurred?"

Smiling and with flaming cheeks Bella found an

appropriate answer. "Well, I think I would only tell the
whole dream to either my best friend … or you, but only
if the two of us were very … how did you call it?
Friendly?"

Without skipping a beat, Edward questioned her. "OK.

What if we were best friends and very friendly?"

That question startled Bella. "Um. … I think that would

probably be … very nice. Of course."
"Good. I think it would be very nice, too."

Edward and Bella's locked eyes shared each other's

thoughts for a moment. She was sure that she had
stopped breathing. Oh my God. Edward is going to kiss
me.

He knew it was the perfect moment to kiss her. She was

staring at him in earnest, and her hair was disheveled.
She looked incredibly sexy to him. He thought that
maybe he could express physically at least some of all the
things he couldn't tell her verbally.

Three separate thoughts decided against it. The first was

that they were in public; that was a non-starter. He was
more concerned, though, about the lack of resolution
between them as to what kind of relationship they might
have. They both needed time to think this through, and
he had to talk with his family. But, the most important
reason was that he didn't want their first kiss to be in the
back of his car – where he had kissed and more with so
many others. He wanted to be with Bella some place he
had never been with any other woman. He thought of
Esme's gazebo in his backyard, his family's cabin in West
Virginia, his boat, or best yet, somewhere outdoors.
Somewhere the place and time could be theirs and theirs
alone.
Edward hastily pulled away stating, "It's a very good
thing that I had so much training on torture resistance in
the Navy."

Completely baffled, Bella asked, "Why?"

"It's the only thing that is keeping me from kissing you

right now."

Hearing the noises from the street, Bella gulped, "We're

in public."

"Well, yes. I can't deny that's the primary reason. But, I

think we've both got a lot to think about and more for the
two of us to discuss. And I want to kiss you … so very
much, but not here, not like this."

His last remark made Bella look down in shyness for a

second, but she raised her head soon after saying, "OK. I
understand."

"I have to leave tonight for Seattle. In fact, by now, I'm

going to be late to get Rosalie and Alice for our flight. I
won't be back until Tuesday, and I'll figure out some way
I can talk with you again privately."

Bella dreaded the next week. The LSAT exam was on

Saturday. After a conversation like the one they just had,
she was sure to be distracted. And then there was the
Mike issue. In the end, though, she was elated by the
turn of events that evening. Spurred on by the giddy
feeling in her belly, she reached up and kissed his cheek.
"Have a safe flight. I'll see you next week, privately or
not."

Smiling as he clutched her hand to his lips, Edward

replied, "And good luck on your test. You'll do great."

She gave Edward's hand a squeeze. "Thanks." And with

that Bella exited the car as Edward took out his phone to
call Jim.

A stunned Bella made her way up to her room with little

interaction with her roommates, whose eyes were all
glued to a movie. She closed the door to her room and
fell onto her bed, replaying bits of the conversation in
her head. Of course, she mulled the sweet things that
Edward had said to her over and over again, and she
tried to keep at bay the negative thoughts about their
unfortunate predicament. Eventually, she remembered
the incredibly erotic dream she had in front of him.

Focusing on it longer than she expected, her mind began

to imagine what it would be like to have Edward really
watch her. She wondered what Edward thought about
her when he was alone. With that she began to touch
herself over her pants which quickly made her squirm.
Ridding herself of them and her panties, she stroked
herself up and down her sex, spreading around the
wetness that had begun. Slowly, her hand concentrated
on her clit, as she fantasized that Edward was sitting
beside her watching her and stroking himself at the same
time. Her vision saw him moving her hand aside and
replacing it with his tongue. At first, it would flick at her
clit, but soon he would be tickling her and sucking her
and she would raise her hips up to him for more. She
thought about him taking his hard cock and gently
caressing her whole pussy with it, but paying special
attention to where his tongue had just been. The thought
of Edward's erect penis touching her most private places
began sending her over the edge. There was no doubt –
even with her mind in a fantasy state – that she wanted
to have sex with Edward Cullen. Without a second
thought, she happily would lose her virginity to him. So
Bella dreamed about helping him enter her. She wasn't
quite sure how it would feel, but she knew she would like
being so close to him. To bring it back to something she
knew well, she thought of Edward easing himself in and
out of her while she touched herself. He might like
watching her do that when he was inside of her; the sight
might put him on the verge of orgasm. And with the
thought of Edward's coming because of her, Bella
climaxed gripping her quilt.
The next morning the office was shorthanded again, and
Bella was placed at the reception desk to cover the
phones. Initially, she thought it was a good thing, but
that quickly changed. Since she had to answer every call
with, "Good morning, Senator Cullen's office …," her
mind immediately strayed to the irony of her saying that
greeting. It really was an odd thing that she was an
intern in the office of the man she had shared such an
intimate conversation with the night before. She
wondered how Edward felt about things now after a
night's sleep.

Wanting to get her mind off of things entirely, she

decided to spend an hour that afternoon reading at her
newly found quiet space on the Senate-side of the Hill.
Her Fridays always ended early at two, and Bella made
her way to the beautiful red grotto to read her newish
book, The Age of Innocence. She had given up Jane Eyre
entirely, hoping not to be able to recollect the book if
Edward brought it up. When Bella arrived at the grotto,
she was surprised to find someone there.

An elderly woman was sitting on one of the benches

touching a handkerchief to her eyes. Very well dressed in
an understated, gray St. John suit, the woman had
striking white hair and a lined face that still held the
loveliness of its youth, just in a different way. Bella
immediately guessed she was a Senator's wife upset
about her husband. Feeling like she was intruding on a
family matter, Bella wanted to leave.

"Oh, excuse me. I'm sorry."

The woman's lips turned up immediately into a smile.

"No, dear. Don't worry. Please stay. These aren't tears of
sadness – well, maybe a little. I was just remembering
sitting here with my husband. He's passed now."

"Well, I don't have to stay. You probably want to be by

yourself."

"It would be nice to have

some company here. Not
too many people spend
any time in this place. It's
called Summer House,
you know. Back when
people used horses, it was
very popular."

"I didn't really know the history of it. I just think it's
beautiful. For me, I like it that no one's here. But I also
think it's sort of sad because it's so tranquil and pretty.
More people should enjoy it."

"I feel the same way." The woman patted the bench she
sat on and invited Bella over. "Please come sit here."

Bella nodded and joined her. With a broad smile, the

woman declared, "I'm Esme Cullen. What is your name,
dear?"
~*~
Link:
http://www.aoc.gov/cc/grounds/art_arch/summer_hou
se.cfm Summer House
~*~
 ~ Chapter Sixteen ~
Bella wasn't sure if she successfully hid her shock upon
hearing that Edward's mother was sitting next to her.
Knowing that she had to disclose that she worked in his
office, she worked up a nervous smile. "My name is Bella
Swan, and actually I'm interning in Senator Cullen's
office."

"Well, that is just such a coincidence!" Esme lit up as she

said it.

While her face kept its composure, Bella was rattled. You
have no idea what a coincidence it is. If you only knew
what went on between your son and me last night. And
what would he think of me talking with you?
Robotically, Bella replied, "Yes, it is." She worried that it
sounded rude, so she added, "It's been a great experience
so far."

Esme then inquired as to Bella's education and future

plans for law school. She was quite impressed with the
young lady sitting next to her, and the conversation
flowed very easily between the two of them. Soon she
eyed the book in Bella's hands. "The Age of Innocence is
one of my favorite books."

Somewhere in her memory, Bella remembered Edward

saying that his mother wouldn't read a book with an
unhappy ending, but also that she read a lot of Edith
Wharton. The two were incompatible. Obviously,
Edward has never read any Edith Wharton, nor does he
really know his mom's taste in books. Such a guy.

"Actually, I've read it before, too. It's really a bittersweet

story, although more bitter than sweet."

"I adore it. You know, I heard a term the other day that
perfectly depicts what's going on in the book between
Newland and Ellen – unresolved sexual tension. Isn't
that funny? Have you heard that before?"

Bella thought of Edward. Uh. Yeah. I know a little about

that with your son. She tried to keep her mind on the
peculiar conversation at hand rather than herself, but
she didn't succeed. "Yes. I think I've heard of that. That's
exactly their dilemma." For Edward and me also. She
quickly thought of a question to bring her mind back to
the book. "So what do you think about the ending?"

"Well, given the social constraints at the time, I think it's

realistic. Newland couldn't divorce May and marry her
cousin. The adherence to the mores of the time is one of
the wonderful things about Edith Wharton's books. She
didn't try to force a happy ending where one couldn't
possibly happen."
Nodding, Bella agreed. "Yes. Her novels live in reality."
The last exchange made her depressed as she began to
think about what kind of relationship she could
realistically have with Edward. Maybe they would end up
with a bittersweet ending too.

Esme looked at the pretty young woman sitting next to

her and became thoughtful of when she herself was
younger. "You know, when I was not that much older
than you, I went through my own bittersweet struggle
with those sorts of social constraints. My struggle
definitely ended more sweet than bitter, though."

With that, Bella's ears perked up. "How so? If you don't
mind me asking."

"I was married and had a child before I married Carlisle

Cullen. My first husband and I married in 1962 when I
was 23, and we had a son two years later. Our families
had known each other for as long as I could remember.
We had a very easygoing marriage because of that.
Unfortunately, in 1965, he died in Viet Nam. He had
been an officer in the Marines."

Saddened by the story, Bella felt the need to convey some

sympathy as she thought of being a widow at only 26 and
alone with a baby. "I'm so sorry. That must have been
very hard so young."

"It was. I was lucky to have my family around me, but

they proved also to be a problem later."

"How is that?"

"Well, Carlisle came to my husband's funeral. He was in

the Washington State Legislature at the time, and he
made a point to come to every funeral for fallen soldiers
from his district. Something just clicked between the two
of us the moment he shook my hand before the funeral
started. I even smiled at him through my tears. My
mother even noticed it."

This is getting interesting. Bella wanted to hear more.

"So what did you two do?"

"I thought it was just a crush for me – that maybe I was

trying to distract myself from my grief by fantasizing
about the handsome, genteel Carlisle Cullen. I didn't
know it at the time that Carlisle was interested in me
also, but he felt that it would be completely
inappropriate for him to pursue a grieving widow.
Occasionally our paths would cross, and we would talk.
He was also very taken with my son, Elliot. I thought it
was all by chance, but apparently, Carlisle sought me
out."
Bella couldn't control her curiosity about this very
special love story; she wanted to know how Esme felt in
those circumstances. "So what was it like when you
would see each other?"

Talking with a 22 year old made Esme feel young again.

Acting rather girlish for 70, Esme giggled, "I suppose we
had our own bout of unresolved sexual tension."

Giggling with her, Bella contemplated Esme's remark. I

wonder if Edward knows this. But Bella doubted it and
asked another question. "So then what happened?"

Esme continued grimly, "A few years later, tragically, my

little boy and I were in a terrible car accident, and he
died. I almost died myself."

Enrapt in Esme's story, Bella was struck by what a

remarkable woman she was to have lived through such
tragedies. "Oh, that's awful. I'm so sorry. Losing both
your husband and your child, I can't imagine how you
carried on."

"I survived because of Carlisle." Esme's face became

happy as she explained. "He had heard about the
accident and visited me in the hospital often. In addition
to my physical injuries, I was really an emotional wreck
after the accident, but Carlisle stuck by me. My mother
was very suspicious of him. Of course, she was impressed
by his profession and family and that sort of thing, but
she thought it improper that we spent so much time
together. She believed I should be grieving by myself. A
little less than a year after the accident, it was apparent
to everyone that we had fallen in love. Mother was
unhappy because she worried for me."

"I suppose that's understandable for a mother. Maybe

she thought you were rushing into things – that your
relationship with him was a rebound of sorts."

"I absolutely agree. If this hadn't happened to me, I

would have believed the same for my daughters – or
sons for that matter – if one of them was in similar
circumstances."

Bella looked at Esme with a critical eye for a moment. I

wonder what she wants for Edward. I can't tell. Then
she became curious about the other side of the
relationship. "Did Carlisle's family have an opinion?"

"Carlisle's father was supportive, but his mother hated

me in the beginning. After we were married a few years,
she accepted me, and we grew to love each other as the
grandchildren arrived. In the beginning she didn't think
I was good enough for him. My family didn't have a lot of
money; my father had been an officer in the Navy. I was
educated, but with my family's lack of standing in society
and my being a widow, I wasn't a catch for her only son."

Wanting to know the end of the story quickly, Bella

prompted her. "So when did you two get married?"

With a wistful, but cheery look on her face, Esme sighed.

"In 1968, a few months after the anniversary of the
accident, we eloped. It was very romantic."

Bella grinned at Esme's profound happiness as she

talked about her marriage. "That does sound special,
especially given the circumstances."

"It was. We put off having children for a few years.

Carlisle wanted to make sure that I was ready for
another child, after Elliot, and as I said, he loved him,
too. But I also wanted to have some time alone just with
Carlisle. Our first child, Emmett, was born in 1972."

Looking at Bella quizzically, she commented, "But I

suppose he is the only one of my children that you
haven't met. Is that right?"

"I suppose so."

"He's really a lovely person – very sensitive … too

sensitive for this world, really. Politics and the Cullen
family traditions really aren't for him. Rosalie was the
next child, born two years later. She's always been such a
go-getter; I'm sure it's intimidating to most men. Then
Alice came along – very intuitive and simply a joy to be
around. And finally, Edward, despite his ambitious side,
he's really so introspective and caring."

Bella wanted to sigh at that description of Edward

because she had seen flashes of those qualities in him. Is
that what he's really like?

Esme felt so free in talking with Bella that she wanted to

know more about her. "So, Bella Swan. Where are you
from in Washington?"

"Forks. Do you know it?"

"Yes, I've been there. I'm wondering. Are you related to

Charlie Swan?"

"Yes, he's my father." How does she know Charlie?

"My, what a delight this is to meet you! My husband had

a great deal of respect for Chief Swan. I've never met him
myself, but I know Carlisle liked him."

"I have heard Charlie say the same of him." While

Charlie had said that, Bella didn't think that Charlie had
really known Carlisle Cullen. Why would Charlie and
Carlisle Cullen ever know each other? Bella tried to keep
a straight face as she mulled the question over.

Esme regarded Bella for a moment. Without thinking

why, she asked, "So, what do you think of the new
Senator Cullen?"

Flabbergasted to the point of speechless, she sputtered,

"Um. Eh … He's … Senator Cullen is very nice …
impressive, really." Shit. I almost said 'Edward.' Why
did she ask me that?

Warmly Esme replied, "That's so nice to hear."

With that, Bella decided that now was the time to leave.
She was sure the conversation could only become more
uncomfortable. "Mrs. Cullen, it's been wonderful talking
with you. I really do appreciate you sharing your story
with me. You're so inspiring."

"Bella, I've just enjoyed our conversation immensely. I'll

stop by the office one day, and we can go out for lunch in
the Senate Dining Room. I would really enjoy that."

"Thank you. That would be very nice." But what on earth

will Edward think? I need to get out of here. Looking
around the grotto, Bella inquired, "Did you come here
alone? Can I walk you somewhere? I'm going to Union
Station."

Patting Bella on the knee, Esme answered, "Oh no, dear.

That's not necessary. My driver is sitting in the car
nearby. I can make it there myself. Thank you again for a
lovely visit."

The two exchanged good-byes, and Bella began her walk

to the Metro. Her feet were moving her along without
any help from her mind. She was in an anxious daze.
How in the world am I going to tell Edward about that?
I hope he doesn't think I was trying to ingratiate myself
with her, but how could he not?

It was later that afternoon that Bella finally got around to

returning Mike's call from the night before. The truth
was she was dreading her conversation with Mike. She
was going to have to lie to break things off – something
she hated to do and was not particularly good at either.
They both agreed that they needed to concentrate on the
LSAT the next morning and instead planned a dinner
later after the test celebrating the end of studying. Trying
to minimize the amount of awkward time together, Bella
suggested a restaurant not far from her house so she
could simply meet him there.
As soon as he ended the call, Mike shook his head. He
had been with enough women in his life that he was
canny to little shifts in their behavior; if a woman wanted
to meet at the restaurant, when you normally would pick
them up, was not a sign of future involvement. And he
knew why it was ending. Cullen has gotten to her.
Something is going on with them. It doesn't make sense
otherwise. Thinking about not seeing Bella saddened
him. He liked her – maybe not in a life-changing way,
but he still was interested in seeing her. She had her
downsides – she was white – his mother would not have
approved – and the whole virgin thing was a little off-
putting. All in all, though, he thought she was great –
smart, a little goofy, pretty, and with a hot body he would
have liked to have seen more of. He immediately decided
that he still wanted to be Bella's friend – and maybe
something more in the future, when Senator Cullen
became tired of her. It's just a matter of time before that
happens – before he moves on. She's smart, but still
young. I feel like I should warn her about what she's
getting into.

Bella was nervous from the moment they sat down – so

much so that she couldn't stand the anxiety anymore. As
soon as they had ordered their drinks, she blurted out,
"This may seem a little out of the blue, but I need to talk
… about us. I think I need some time."
Trying to hide a self-satisfied smirk for guessing
correctly, Mike replied, "Actually … it's not so out of the
blue."

"It isn't?" Why doesn't he think so?

Mike took a deep breath and exhaled. "Bella, I think I

have an idea of what's going on … and with whom."

More perplexed than surprised, Bella asked, "What do

you mean?"

"I think it's best for everyone involved if we don't talk

specifics, but I'll just say that I've thought something was
up from the time when I left you in front of the Senator's
office after the Jacob Black incident."

Bella thought back to Edward putting his arm around

her in the hallway – right in front of Mike. She looked
aside searching for something to say. She didn't want to
confirm what he said, so she simply said, "Oh."

Mike reached over and placed his hand upon hers resting
on the table. "Bella, it's OK. I still want to be your
friend." After she nodded in acknowledgement, he
continued, "And as your friend, I just want to warn you –
that kind of thing never lasts and is always messy. You're
a smart woman. Think it through before you make what
could be a big mistake."

Not moving her hand, Bella silently took in everything he

said. He's only talking obliquely. He doesn't want to get
too involved in case something comes out. But it seems
like he does care that I don't get hurt. Bella smiled and
declared, "Thanks for thinking about me, Mike. I
appreciate it."

Grinning right back at her, Mike responded, "Thinking

about you, Bella Swan, is easy for me. I just want you to
watch out for yourself."

The rest of the dinner conversation was perfectly

mundane, centering mostly on the test that morning. At
the end of evening, Mike wanted to see her home safely.
When they got to her house, Bella reached up and gave
Mike a peck on the lips. He grabbed her into a big bear
hug and lifted her off the ground, which made Bella
happy to still have him as a friend. As she opened her
door, her thoughts were elsewhere. If Mike can tell
something is going on with Edward and me, who else
can? And now I have to tell Edward about Mike
knowing … on top of telling him about my conversation
with his mother. She had been counting the days until
Edward came back, but she was beginning to dread
having to talk with him again. He's going to think I'm
more trouble than I'm worth.
In actuality, the more time Edward spent away from
Bella, the more he wanted to be with her, regardless of
the troubles circling around them. Unfortunately, he
hadn't made progress on how they could be together. As
soon as he was late picking up a cranky Rosalie for their
flight, he knew that he shouldn't talk with her about
Bella during their time in Seattle. They had work to do,
and ongoing tension between them would only hinder
them in it. Edward felt like he was ducking the issue a
bit, but he wanted to approach Rosalie and Alice with a
plan in mind and he wasn't ready yet. When Alice asked
him how the ride home with Bella went, he told her that
they had a good conversation – once Bella stopped
puking. Smiling to himself, he thought of watching Bella
dream aloud with her legs spread open for him and then
their talk afterward. Edward thought, But, Alice, you
don't need to know how good of a conversation it was.

Alice could tell that Edward was hiding something from

her, and felt the need to admonish him again. "That's
nice to hear, Edward, but I don't see what else we can do
so you can spend time with Bella without drawing
attention to it. Don't get your hopes up." Edward
muttered his thanks and decided to drop the subject with
Alice also until he could come up with a plan of his own.

On Sunday morning, Edward taped an interview for a

news program with the local ABC affiliate that would be
played back-to-back with a similar interview with Jacob
Black. As Rosalie, Alice, and Edward were exiting the
elevator of the TV station, Jacob Black entered the
building along with his entourage of Sam Uley, a political
consultant, and Paul Smith, his campaign manager.
Edward and Jacob's eyes locked, and Edward then
quickly looked to Alice and Rosalie to make sure they
saw who was coming toward them.

Edward acted first as he walked toward Jacob with an

extended hand. "Hello Jacob. It's good to see you again."

The two candidates shook hands, as Jacob awkwardly

said, "Yes. You too." He was surprised to see Edward in
an unstructured setting and was disarmed by his
friendliness.

Very cordially, Edward asked, "Have you met …"

Impatient with unnecessary niceties Rosalie broke in,

"Yes. We've all met before. Edward, I think it's time we
got going."

"Ah, yes." Edward didn't like ending on a negative note

so he magnanimously said, "The questions are all
softballs – just watch out for the one on the differences
between the House and Senate health care bills. Good
luck."

"Er. Thanks. Very much. Have a good day."

As he walked away from Edward, Jacob kicked himself

for letting Edward have the upper hand in the
conversation, making him feel like an amateur. An idea
immediately came to him, and he turned around before
Edward and his sisters left. "Oh, Edward. I forgot to ask
you about something."

Rosalie rolled her eyes at Alice as they followed Edward

back to Jacob. "What's that?" Edward asked.

Hiding a devious grin, Jacob said, "I understand that a

friend of mine … a friend of my family is interning for
you right now."

Alice's eyes darted between Jacob and Edward, but her

mind was relaying to Edward, Don't do it, Edward. Don't
take the bait. Let it be. Rosalie glared at Jacob. Jacob
Black, you motherfucker. But goddammit Edward. This
is what happens when you're friendly with your
opponents.

Knowing his sisters too well, Edward was fully aware of

their thoughts. His eyes were fixed on Jacob. Edward
knew exactly where this was going. "Who is that?"
"Bella Swan." Jacob barely could contain his glee for the
zinger he planned to lay on Edward.

With his practiced impassive face, Edward replied, "Yes.

I know her. I believe she's also a friend of Seth's family
too." I saw those bruises, you asshole. Don't even start
this with me.

"She's a beautiful girl, don't you think?"

Alice stared at Edward. Do not confirm, Edward. Just let

it go.

Edward simply nodded. "And?"

"And, I would think she would be hard for a guy like you
to stay away from." Jacob's face betrayed him with a
smile as he said it. He was pleased with himself that he
might be able to get a rise out of Mr. Perfect.

Alice panicked and looked at Rosalie who was about to

stop the conversation when Edward coolly answered,
"From what I've seen, Jacob, you are the one who has a
problem staying away from Bella. Those were nice
bruises you left on her arm. You should control yourself
in the future."
And with that Edward turned around and left the
building with Rosalie and Alice following behind. All
were quiet until they got into the car when Rosalie
erupted.

"What the fuck, Edward? Why did you even talk with
him?"

Setting his mouth in a grim line, Edward responded, "I

believe that I acted perfectly appropriately."

"What is this about bruises on Bella? What have you not

told us Edward?" Alice was disappointed in her brother.

"There's nothing to tell. I happened to see Bella at the

fundraiser a few weeks ago – like you said I would, Alice.
Some bruises were visible on her arm. She told me that
they were from Jacob. Mike Newton stopped him from
hurting her more. Apparently, he can attest to it also."

Always ready to go for the jugular, Rosalie's eyes perked

up after hearing that. "Really? We may be able to use
that one day. Did she get photos?"

Alice was frustrated with both of her siblings. "Please,

Rosalie, like Bella wants to be exposed like that. And
Edward, you might want to fill me in on more of your
conversations with Bella." Because clearly, you haven't
been telling me everything. What is going on between
you two?

Rosalie replied first. "OK. OK. I'm just saying that a little
domestic violence might be useful if things get ugly in
the campaign. Whatever. We need to move on from this.
We have an event in 45 minutes."

Turning to Alice, Edward said, "I will tell you whatever

you want to know, Alice, but there's not much to tell." At
least for now.
~*~
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Wharton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Innocence
~*~
 ~ Chapter Seventeen ~
Anxiety kept Bella on edge for days. Naturally, she was
uneasy about her performance on the LSAT, but she was
primarily anxious over everything to do with Edward.
She was worried about talking with him about the
conversations she had both with Mike and Esme, and
she was terribly nervous about seeing Edward again.
What if he's thought twice about our conversation?
What if he regrets it?

With no idea as to when he would be back in the office

that week, Bella kept her eyes and ears open for signs or
hints that Edward might be coming in, but to no avail. It
all made her feel very strange and a little sad. How can I
be involved with someone when I have no
communication with him?

She jumped from her seat in surprise when Edward

tapped her shoulder on Wednesday morning. She had
been listening to classical music on her iPod as she read
through some constituent mail and hadn't heard him say
her name. Pulling out the earbuds, she blushed and shyly
smiled. "I'm sorry. Hi."

Looking around to make sure no one was nearby,

Edward grinned and asked, "Hello. What are you
listening to?"
Taken aback by the handsome face looking at her so
warmly, Bella fumbled a bit. "Um. Debussy. Claire de
Lune." She became a little worried that he thought she
was slacking off so she added, "I can listen to classical
music, especially my favorites, and read at the same
time."

Edward's smile grew upon hearing the information that

they had yet another thing in common. "It's one of my
favorites, too. Do you play?"

Bella shook her head. "Do you?"

"Some, but not as much as I would like."

At that moment, Mrs. Cope's voice came from behind

Edward. "Senator, I'm sorry to interrupt. For security,
the White House needs the name of your companion for
the state dinner next month. I was going to tell them you
would be taking Congresswoman O'Hara. That's correct,
right?"

With a stopped heart, Bella glanced at Edward and then

away. Of course, he needs a date for an occasion like
that, and it can't be me.

Bella's reaction caused his smile to turn down and his

voice to be clipped as he answered Mrs. Cope. "No. I'll
take Rosalie, or if she can't go, I'll go alone."

A dedicated assistant, Mrs. Cope maintained no opinion

about the Senator's personal life. She was upset at
herself for presuming too much. "Oh. I'm sorry. I'll
inform them you'll be taking your sister."

"Don't worry about it. You can check with Rosalie when
she's back on Friday. She extended her trip." As Mrs.
Cope walked away, Edward looked at Bella who was
visibly uncomfortable. He felt guilty. She must feel awful
… and rightly so. I'm putting her in a terrible position.
Wanting to alleviate her discomfort, he said in a very low
voice, "Alice may need to talk with you later – probably
after four." As he said the last part, he winked at her.

His wink caused Bella to smile, despite how tense she

felt. "Oh. OK. I'll be here if she needs me."

Edward smirked before walking away. Bella began

listening to her music again, but this time couldn't
concentrate on her reading. She tried pressing her hands
to her temples in order to focus, but it didn't work. His
feelings don't seem to have changed; he's not acting
differently. But this is such a weird situation. I'm
reading all of these letters addressed to him, and I'm
supposed to answer his mail. His personal life is talked
about matter-of-factly around the office. And, yet we
have to sneak around to talk. Bella shook her head and
read a paragraph for the fourth time.
--
In between his meetings that day, Edward slipped into
Alice's office and closed the door behind him. "I need a
favor."

Alice knew what was coming. She was happy to help, but
was miffed that Edward still hadn't talked with her about
what really was going on with Bella. Dryly, she replied,
"I'm guessing the favor involves an intern."

Edward knew he needed to make amends. "Yes. I'm

sorry, Alice. I know that I promised to tell you more. I've
wanted to, but our trip was busy. And you know that I
don't have a lot of time this week. Can we talk tonight or
early tomorrow morning? I also should probably talk
with Rosalie when she gets back." Although, I have no
idea what I'm going to say to her.

Her brother looked so earnest that it made Alice smile in

sympathy. "Sure. Whenever. Mom wants us all over for
brunch on Saturday. Maybe you could talk with her then.
Anyway, how can I help?"

Taking a breath first, he responded, "Yes. But not at

brunch – after brunch. I don't want to talk about this in
front of Esme. Anyway, would you be willing to ask Bella
to come to your office and let me talk alone with her for a
few minutes? I have a short window of time between four
and four-fifteen."

"Alone? As in door closed? That's not what I agreed to

with Rosalie." Alice's eyebrows were raised.

"Yes. I know. I just want some privacy with her." The

skeptical look didn't leave Alice's face, so he grumpily
shook his head saying, "I am not going to touch her. Give
me some credit. OK?" Edward hated the fact that he had
just told a bald-faced lie to his favorite sister. He had
touched Bella already. And, I want to touch her again
and again.

Alice could tell there was something fishy going on. Like
President Bill Clinton, Edward was a skilled politician.
And just as it was once said of President Clinton, Edward
was also "an unusually good liar." Yet, the one person
who could call bullshit on him was Alice. She knew
confronting him would get her nowhere, though. Plus,
she never wanted to be on bad terms with her baby
brother for too long, so Alice smiled. "OK. I'll bring her
in here and then conveniently need to make a call
outside the door."

Relieved, Edward sighed and said, "Thanks. I owe you."

Smugly, Alice agreed. "Yes, you seem to have a running
tab at this point."
--
As Bella's wristwatch slowly paced its way toward four
o'clock, she would occasionally look up from her
computer where she was drafting reply letters. So she
wasn't surprised when Alice asked her to come to her
office to "help assemble some press packets." Alice was
chatty as they walked, telling Bella about the weather
back in Seattle and a new restaurant she found over the
weekend. When Alice opened up the door to her office
and showed her in, she was surprised to see Edward
studying his Blackberry while half sitting on the desk
with his long legs stretched out before him. Before she
could say hello to Edward, Alice's voice behind her said,
"I need to make a call. I'll be outside for a moment."

Looking behind her to see the door shut, Bella was

surprised when she felt Edward take her hands in both of
his. When she turned around, he smiled into her eyes
and said, "It's good to see you again, Bella." And he was
happy to see her. She looked lovely in a green sweater
that set off her brown eyes. He wanted to curl his hand
behind her neck and pull her close to him, but he
thought better of it.

"It's good to see you, too. How was Seattle?" Bella

glanced around Alice's office. She was astonished that
they were alone together at work and that Alice had
obviously arranged it for them.

Upon hearing the question, Edward's mind immediately

went to his conversation with Jacob Black. He needed to
tell Bella about it, but he didn't want to do it in the very
short amount of time they had together. Instead, he
remarked, "Predictable. Come. Let's sit on the couch for
a minute. I don't have much time. I hate it when no one
leaves me any breathing room on my schedule. It's
always the worst after being back in the state."

Edward continued to hold one of her hands as he led her

to the couch. Bella was at a loss for words. It felt
wonderful being with him, but the situation was too
strange. After they sat down, she wanted to say
something about how odd everything was feeling for her.
Smiling uneasily at him, she offered, "This is different."

Grimacing, Edward placed another hand on top of hers

as he declared, "I'm sorry. I can only imagine how
awkward this is for you. I want to see you outside of this
damn office. I'm not sure how to arrange it, though."
Then smiling, he added, "I can't even start, actually,
because you haven't given me your phone number."

Bella giggled flirtatiously. "Give me a pen."

Taking a pen from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he
grabbed a pad of paper on the coffee table. "Here. Write
legibly, please. I might be suicidal if I finally get to call
you and I get a wrong number."

As Bella wrote down her number, they chatted about

Bella's test. Bella thought she had done fine – not great,
but not poorly. She knew that she should bring up Mike,
but that seemed like a long story – and not one for
Alice's office. Also nagging at her was her conversation
with Esme Cullen, and she had no idea how to talk about
that casually.

When Edward tucked her number into his shirt pocket,

Bella said, "You know, I have to thank you for all the
study sessions. It really did help me. A few of the
questions were exactly like ones you had worked out.
Eric is so happy and grateful. Wait until you see him."

"That's nice to hear." He felt the need to come clean

about the study sessions. The reason now seemed a little
embarrassing, but it was a testament to how much he
wanted to know her. He touched her hand again and
softly said, "But Bella, I only did them so I could spend
time with you."

Blinking her eyes as if to do a double-take at his

statement, Bella asked incredulously, "You did?" She
couldn't fathom that he would go to such lengths for her.

Edward smiled at her, but his face quickly became more

serious. Her doe eyes innocently blinking at him in
disbelief made him want to clutch her neck and draw her
face to his. God, I want to kiss her right now… but I
can't. Not at work. Not ever here. But if we weren't
here… Instead, in a gravelly voice, he answered, "I did."

The intensity of Edward's gaze made Bella bite her lip in

anticipation. Her eyes didn't break with his as she
whispered, "I'm glad." She was more than glad, though.
She was entranced by this incredibly handsome and
charming man, who for some inexplicable reason had
become taken with her. Bella's mind reeled. Bedroom
eyes. That's what they're called. He's looking at me with
bedroom eyes. When she unconsciously clenched her
sex, she immediately looked down and saw his hand
clutching hers. It looked so masculine with his arm hair
poking out from his wrist and the tendons and veins
popping out. She took a finger and began to lightly trace
the veins on his hand. His hand relaxed at once so that it
was resting atop hers. As her finger moved around the
back of his hand, Bella smiled up at him. He seemed
calm, and his green eyes had become hooded. Bella
asked worriedly, "Do you mind?"
Along with a breath, Edward exhaled, "No. You can't
imagine how that feels." Their eyes held on to one
another while she continued to gently stroke his hand.
Edward felt himself stir below as his mind began to spin
fantasies of the two of them together – fantasies all
taking place on Alice's couch. After a few seconds,
Edward quietly stated, "Bella, I think you should leave
now."

Bella slowly nodded in agreement. She knew that if he

was thinking anything close to what she was thinking
they shouldn't be alone in the same room together at
work. As she moved to get off the couch, she took her
hand away from his, but he slyly grabbed it back.

Clearing his mind from the fogginess associated with the

beginnings of an erection, Edward also rose from the
sofa and discreetly adjusted himself. He cleared this
throat. "As I said, I've got an awful week. Realistically, I
won't be able to see you until the weekend." He knew
that he first had to talk with Rosalie on Saturday, so he
asked, "Are you free on Sunday?"

The two were standing facing one another, and Edward

still had a loose hold on Bella's hand. Both her proximity
to Edward and the prior exchange between them made
her a little breathless. "Sure." But where on Earth will
we go?
"Good. Like I said before, we need to talk … a lot. The
weekend just wasn't a good time for me to discuss things
with my family. I needed to focus on work, and the
conversations are going to be … complicated. But some
time after brunch at my mother's on Saturday, I can call
you."

With the mention of his mother, Bella knew she had to

tell him then about their meeting, but Alice opened the
door. The crack of the opening door caused Edward to
immediately drop Bella's hand. In response, Bella took a
small step backward. Alice didn't observe the change in
body language, but she could feel the vibe in the room.
Maybe my office is the safest place for these two. God
knows what my brother would try if they weren't at
work.

Bringing everyone back to reality, Alice chirped,

"Edward, your four-fifteen is already in your office.
Remember to tell those union guys that we're not
answering questions from the press on that legislation
until we hear from all sides. I'm tired of them bugging
me for keeping my mouth shut."

Edward looked around Bella to squarely see Alice.

"Right. Alice, please hold them for three minutes for me.
OK?"
"Er. OK." Alice closed her office door behind her,
shaking her head. I'm talking with that boy tonight.

"Bella, I'm not going to be able to talk with you much

this week – maybe not at all. I'm just too busy, and well,
I'm realizing …" Edward couldn't articulate his
realization that he should probably stay away from Bella
altogether while at work.

He looked so distressed that Bella spoke up. "It's OK. I

totally understand. Don't feel like you have to. I know
this is … strange for you, too."

Gently squeezing Bella's hand again, Edward grazed her

cheekbone with the back of his other hand. He smiled at
her as he said, "Strange? Yes, but also very, very good."

The blood rushed to Bella's face with Edward's touch and

his words. She gulped. "I agree."

And with that Edward gave her hand another squeeze

and walked out the door. Bella looked around Alice's
empty office; the emptiness made her question if her
time with Edward had been an apparition. She was about
to leave when Alice popped back in. Alice could tell that
Bella was a little bewildered. Winking at her, Alice
pointed over to a stack of press packets on a table. "Bella,
now that you're done, can you take those folders out to
my assistant?"

"Sure. Yes." She's being really nice to me. I should say

something. Picking up the folders, Bella turned to Alice.
With a big smile, she added, "I'm always happy to help
you, Alice."

Returning the grin, Alice whispered, "As I am, you."

Bella nodded in acknowledgment and left the room, still
rather stunned at what transpired in those 20 minutes.

After Edward's last meeting broke up for the day right

after six that evening, Alice knocked on Edward's door as
she opened it up. He was sitting at his desk with his hand
on his head as he read. "Hi, Edward. Can we talk now?"

Edward winced. "I don't have very much time. I have to

be at a reception in 20 minutes."

Closing the door behind her, Alice responded, "I know,

but Jasper is coming back in town tonight, so I'll be late
tomorrow. I just want a little information about what's
going on with you two."

Raising his hand to offer her a chair, Edward went from

his desk over to his sofa and quietly grumbled, "No time
like the present." After sitting down, he grimaced at her
and then waited a moment before saying, "Something is
going on … emotionally, but nothing is going on …
physically … at least nothing worthy of reporting on."

Alice sighed. "OK. And – in the future?"

He scowled at her. At that moment it didn't matter that it

was his beloved Alice asking him the question; he was
angry. This is my goddamn personal life. Bella is
special. Why does the one relationship that I want to
keep to myself have to be the one that is under the most
scrutiny?

When Edward didn't reply, Alice began a different tact.

"So Edward, are …"

Now very annoyed, Edward interrupted, "No Alice. No

lectures. I don't need to hear about laws or ethics or
public perception or political risk or the Cullen family
name or anything else like that. Believe me, I hear it
enough from myself."

Shaking her head, Alice smiled and sweetly replied, "I

wasn't going to say anything like that. I only wanted to
ask if you were happy."

Instantly, Edward felt badly for being so harsh with Alice

who had been such a supporter, and he felt cheerful
when he thought of the answer to her question. He
smiled at her. "Yes."

As she smiled in return, she offered, "Then I'll help when

you talk with Rosalie on Saturday, although I can't make
any promises that I'll do any good, but you know that."
And then an idea popped into her head. But Jasper
might be of some help.

Jasper Whitlock was a career diplomat at the State

Department who specialized in only the thorniest of
foreign policy issues. He hailed from Austin, Texas
where his father had been a professor at the university.
His southern gentlemanly ways, combined with his
innate sense of people's motivations, made him an
excellent diplomat. Alice was quite certain that if Jasper
could orchestrate non-talk talks between the Burmese
junta and Aung San Suu Kyi, he could find some middle
ground for Edward with Rosalie.

As they were lying in bed naked that night after a round

of lovemaking, Alice filled Jasper in on the whole story.

His brow furrowed in thought about the situation before

he made some suggestions as to how he would handle it
diplomatically. "It is probably best that I'm there. I feel
for Edward always having to talk with his sisters about
his private life. Maybe having another man there will
help. And the conversation shouldn't be at Esme's. Let's
come back here. A mother in the mix will just make it
worse for him, and frankly, Carlisle's presence is very
strong in that apartment. With all of Carlisle's things
around him, Edward might feel more pressure to do
whatever Rosalie demands rather than what might be
best for him personally." He waited a second before
adding, "I have to say I pity the man."

Alice raised herself on her elbow. "Pity Edward? Why in

the world? He's got everything going for him."

Smiling as he stroked Alice's hair, Jasper answered in his

soft Texas twang, "If he feels a tenth for this Bella Swan
of what I feel for you, Sweet Alice, he is in a terrible
predicament."
--
On Saturday, as the Cullen siblings and Jasper were
walking up the drive of the Kennedy-Warren building,
Edward said to Rosalie, "I'd like to talk with you after
this."

"Sure. About what?"

Edward set his mouth as he replied, "Bella."

"What the fuck, Edward? What is it with you and her?"

Rosalie stopped walking and groaned, "An intern? This
is classic."

Jasper quietly jumped in, "Rosalie, let's leave this for

later. The doorman is right there."

Rosalie nodded at Jasper and shot a dirty look at

Edward, as the doorman opened the door for them.

Esme Cullen had a giant, splendid apartment, replete

with multiple terraces and formal spaces. Despite the
grandeur of the flat, Esme always liked to have brunch
with her children in the kitchen, which had a cozy eating
area. She was so happy to be able to cook for all of her
children, save Emmett, that she tried to ignore what
seemed to be a tense mood among them.

When they were all silently eating the feast she prepared
for them, Esme recognized that she was going to have to
move the conversation along. She didn't like having this
much tension over a nice meal, so she offered, "I spent
time with the most wonderful young lady recently, and
she's an intern in your office, Edward. I'm sure you know
her. Bella Swan? So engaging. She's Cha…"

As Esme began to say Charlie Swan's name,

simultaneous reactions sprung from the seats at the
table. Edward had just taken a bite of egg and kept the
fork in his mouth longer than normal as he digested
what his mother had said. Bella met Mom? Alice had
been munching on toast and immediately looked at
Jasper for help. Jasper, this is exactly what you said
shouldn't happen! Rosalie was placing her orange juice
glass back on the table and laughingly barked, "Bah!"
And Jasper finished chewing as he calmly sensed that
chaos was about to erupt around him. It wasn't
appropriate for him to be the first to speak, so he decided
he would steer the conversation as best he could.

Not liking Rosalie's reaction, Esme chided her. "Now

Rosalie. That was not nice. She's Charlie Swan's
daughter, and he has been very good to this family and
your father respected him a great deal."

"Oh Mom, I wasn't laughing at Bella. I was laughing at

Edward." Rosalie started giggling sinisterly.

Surprised, Esme cocked her head. "Edward? Why are

you laughing at Edward about Bella Swan?"

Edward had taken a drink to steady himself and wasn't

able to answer before Rosalie guffawed, "Because he
doesn't just know her. He's fallen for her. It's becoming
a mess."

"Fall for Bella Swan?" Esme repeated in a stunned voice.

"For the nice girl I met at the grotto? Fall in love with
her?"

The word 'love' caused Jasper to immediately interject.

That was the sort of strong language that escalated
discussions to points beyond diplomacy. And as a man,
Jasper felt terribly for Edward having to endure this
conversation. "Now Rosalie, don't make more of this
than it really is. Edward, I hope you don't mind me
saying what I see here. But as I understand it, Mrs.
Cullen, Edward and Bella happen to have a lot in
common and are just friends."

Esme's eyes shifted between Jasper and Edward. She

couldn't say what she wanted in reply because she didn't
want to add fuel to the fire. But since when is my son,
Edward, 'just friends' with a beautiful woman? Instead,
she simply asked, "Edward?"

There was silence as everyone waited for Edward to

speak. He stared blankly at the wall across from him as
he formulated his thoughts. Finally he said directly to
Esme, "Bella and I are friends, Mother. I like her a lot. I
want to get to know her more, but there are a million
different problems with that happening. It's very
frustrating." And it's humiliating for me to have to have
this discussion.
Rosalie chimed in, "Yes, there are a million different
legal, political, and PR problems with that happening.
That's why you should cool it until after the election.
You're Prince Charming. She should wait for you."

Edward growled, "That's over a year away."

"If you're saying that you want to date Bella right now,
the answer is categorically, 'no.' Even if she left the office
on Monday and was able to keep a secret, something of
the story would slip somewhere. It always does. And with
your reputation, you know there are those who would
love an excuse to point fingers. You have to be more
careful than anyone else."

Esme looked at her son. He was a man, but the mother in

her saw the same eyes of the little boy she had taken care
of all those years. And those eyes were sad and angry.
She took a breath and said, "You know your father
always wanted what was best for all of you. Most of all,
he wanted his children to be happy. But he also was very
practical. If Carlisle were here, Edward, I believe he
would want to know if you thought having a relationship
with Bella Swan was worth the risk."

Shaking his head, Edward slowly replied, "When I think

of everything that is at stake – the Senate seat, the family
name, my future, her future, I can't say if it's worth it.
And when I think of her …"

It was too frustrating for her to watch Edward squirm.

He's not telling the truth. Alice interrupted softly,
"Edward, don't be so blind. This thing with Bella is more
inevitable than the sun rising in the east."

Edward stared at Alice in shock at her ability to see

through him.

Jasper had an idea of where Esme was heading with her

questioning. "I think our main goal here as a family is to
support Edward. If keeping this Senate seat and all the
rest is important to this family, and that's Edward's job,
then we should support him."

Esme smiled. "Exactly. Edward has taken on a lot for this

family. Carlisle would recognize that. If he wants to be
friends with Bella, well, we should help him out. After
all, now she's my friend, too."

Edward looked at his mother grinning at him. He sighed

happily. "Thanks Mom. I've been wondering what Dad
would have done in this situation."

Grunting sarcastically, Rosalie asked, "Friends? Right."

"Rosalie!" Esme's voice became stern.

"OK. OK. I've been overruled; I accept it. I'm happy to
chaperone or whatever else we have to do to make things
between those two at least appear platonic."

Chuckling, Jasper admonished her, "Rose, it's been my

experience that treaties don't work if one side isn't
invested in it."

Rosalie begrudgingly laughed. "Oh, I'm perfectly

invested in it. I'll be damned if I lose this Senate seat
simply because my brother has an uncontrollable crush
on an intern. And, if we manage to beat the odds and
keep everything under wraps, well that's a real prize for a
political hack like me. I'll write about it in my memoirs."

Seizing the moment, Edward announced, "Well, I would

like to see Bella tomorrow afternoon. For … logistical
reasons, I think it makes the most sense for Bella to
come to the house. Who wants to spend the afternoon
there?"

Esme raised her hand, "I will! I'd love to spend time with
her again."

Jasper cringed at the idea of courting Alice with Esme

around. He immediately said, "Actually, Mrs. Cullen, I've
never met Bella before. How about Alice and I spend the
afternoon at the house? We can use the gym and maybe
later eat dinner with them." Turning to Edward, he said,
"But that's your choice, Edward. That house is so big two
families could live in it without ever seeing one another."

Edward smiled. I know. "Sure, dinner sounds good. Let

me check everything out with Bella."

When the meal ended and everyone else was clearing the
table, Edward slipped into his mother's study and pulled
Bella's phone number out of his wallet. Using his
mother's landline, he rang her.

After Bella answered, Edward said, "Hello, Bella. It's me,

Edward. It's good to hear your voice. Are we still on for
tomorrow?"
~*~
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Kerrey Bob Kerrey
Information
~*~
 ~ Chapter Eighteen ~
Bella pressed "end" on her phone and stared at it, letting
the conversation sink in. I have a date with Senator
Edward Cullen at his house. She shook her head as if the
movement would make the idea sink in more to her
consciousness. Reality set in with the inevitable question
– What should I wear? He described it as "casual, no
big deal, we can just hang out on a Sunday afternoon."
In Bella's mind, that would normally call for ratty jeans,
a tank top, and a flannel. She had never seen Edward in
anything less than a suit, and she started to get a little
worried that "casual" to him might mean pressed khakis
and a button-down shirt. Bella frowned; she wasn't sure
how she would feel about that.

Faced with over 24 long hours before her date, she tried
to keep her mind off of it with busy work, including
schoolwork, laundry, housecleaning, and cooking dinner
with Laurent. The menu was flank steak made by Bella,
and jell-o, made by Laurent. It was half-past one on
Sunday before Bella decided what to wear. Fuck it. I'm
wearing jeans. I'll wear nicer jeans, but I'm not
changing myself for this guy from the beginning.
Choosing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans with her low-
heeled brown boots over them, she added her favorite
lavender cashmere sweater on top. As she looked at
herself in the mirror, she decided that she looked
presentable for a casual Sunday afternoon.

Victoria had asked her where she was going, and Bella
replied, "Just hanging with some friends from the
office." Bella couldn't tell if it was the right response. It
was the truth, so she wasn't lying, which was a good
thing. Or was it a bad response because it gave away too
much information? Sneaking around is confusing. I'm
not sure I like it. She immediately thought of seeing
Edward momentarily. But, I definitely like him. Then
thinking of the next day, a new anxiety took over – the
butterflies in her stomach of a first date.

Already having ridden in Alice's Audi convertible, she

wasn't too surprised that Alice and her husband were
waiting for her in a sleek, black Audi station wagon. Bella
was interested in the oval white bumper sticker
emblazoned with the word "biodiesel." After she got in
the car, Alice introduced Bella to her husband, Jasper
Whitlock. Bella thought him tall, blonde, and handsome
with chiseled features and a finely groomed beard that
made him look a little older than he probably was given
Alice's age. Remembering that he worked at the State
Department, Bella assumed that he had the beard to
make himself look wiser and distinguished for his work.

When Bella inquired about the "biodiesel" sticker, Alice

responded, "That's a combination effort of Jasper and
Rosalie."

"Really? How is that?" Bella couldn't imagine Rosalie's

involvement.

Jasper answered, "Well, I do a lot of work on climate

change with other countries, so I'm interested in fuels
other than fossil fuels. And, Rosalie likes to work on cars.
Hybrids aren't very interesting to her; she'd rather work
on diesel engines."

Alice turned around to look at Bella. "Bet you never

would have guessed that one."

Bella imagined Rosalie, with her beauty-pageant looks,

under the hood of a car. It seemed like a male sexual
fantasy – like Charlie's annual Snap-On tools calendar
he kept in his office. Chuckling Bella nodded in
agreement. "You're right about that. When did Rosalie
start working on cars?"

"Oh, with Emmett when they were in junior high and

high school. Rosalie would copy him, but now she's the
best mechanic in the family. She really makes Emmett
and Edward look like total goofs when they're under the
hood of a car."

The rest of the drive's conversation focused on Jasper's

work. As they started driving down Massachusetts
Avenue around all of the embassies, Alice remarked that
they were almost there. Bella swallowed hard. This was
supposed to be the house that the Cullen siblings had
grown up in, and all around her were giant, ornate
mansions. They arrived at a stately building of gray stone
with a grand art deco awning over the front steps made
of glass and wrought iron. A twenty-foot high, decorative
iron gate ran along the sidewalk fencing of the house and
its circular driveway; the gate seemed to separate the
house from the street and the rest of humanity. When
Jasper punched in the code opening the gate and drove
in the car with the gate shutting behind them, Bella had
one thought. Edward seems to think we have a lot in
common, but I wonder about that looking at this house.

Eager to see Bella, Edward had

been waiting for them and went
outside to open her car door.
Giving Edward a quick once over
with her eyes as he greeted her,
Bella had to suppress her
instinctual reaction at seeing
him that day. Hot! He was
wearing a worn t-shirt that clung
to his body, accentuating every
muscle that normally was hidden by his daily dress
shirts. The white t-shirt was old and from his school days
with a small Naval Academy crest and his last name on
the left side of his chest. It had blue trim around the neck
and sleeves where it gathered more tightly around his
muscular biceps. Bella had never seen that much of
Edward's skin bare, and she thought she might as well be
looking at him naked. Gah! His accompanying jeans
were old and faded blue, and their position on his hips
made Bella's eyes linger on one particular place a beat
too long. Oh my God. Averting her eyes from his crotch,
Bella noticed that he had a scruffy face and must not
have shaved that morning. Sexy. How is it that he is
even better looking dressed down?

Grabbing Bella's hand as she got out of the car, Edward

smiled warmly at her. "Hey. It's good to see you." Really,
really good, in fact.

Giving his hand a squeeze, Bella said, "It's good to see

you, too. Thanks for inviting me."

The foursome walked inside the palatial foyer of the

home. At the sight of all the marble and antiques, Bella
clenched her mouth shut to keep her jaw from dropping.
The only house I've seen like this before is the Clampett's
on re-runs of The Beverly Hillbillies. Her eyes darted
over to Edward's slouchy attire, which didn't fit in with
the surroundings.
Bella couldn't ponder long on the Cullen family wealth,
though. After a few sentences between Alice and Edward
about dinner, Jasper began rushing Alice out of the foyer
by saying to them, "So come by the kitchen around six,
and we'll have dinner started."

Alice briefly looked at Jasper before remembering an

important message she had been told to deliver. "We'll
be downstairs either in the gym or watching football in
the theater."

As Jasper led Alice away, Edward and Bella could hear

her whisper to Jasper, "But, shouldn't we check on them
from time to time?"

Jasper faintly muttered, "Absolutely not."

A rush of blood went to Bella's cheeks at the thought that

she was finally, truly alone with Edward – and for the
next four hours. She looked up at him with a half smile.
Unsure of what to say after Jasper's response, she
remarked, "This is quite a house."

Edward was grinning at her, and her comment made him

shrug his shoulders, "My grandfather built it when he
was a congressman back in the '20s. Over the years, it's
been remodeled a few times. Carlisle made a lot of
changes so that a family with four rambunctious kids
could live here comfortably."

Thinking back to the homes she had grown up in, Bella

wanted to shake her head. They had all been very small,
but cozy and comfortable in their own way. Hmpf. We
have very different definitions of "comfort." Bella
thought it best to comment on the obvious. "Well, it
seems big enough."

Taking Bella's jacket and bag from her and placing them
in the coat closet, Edward became worried that maybe
the grandiose Cullen family home wasn't the best place
to bring Bella on their first date. I hope the money thing
isn't an issue for her. Where can I take her in here that
she'll like? He thought of what he bet would be the
perfect place. "Come on. Let me show you the library. I
think you'll really like it. It's my favorite room in the
house."

Leading Bella through a sunny, yellow sitting room and

two sliding, pocket doors, they entered a library, the likes
of which she had only seen in movies. The cherry wood
bookcases ran floor to ceiling with ladders that slid along
them, so that even petite Bella could reach a book at the
very top. The room was large with a few different comfy
chairs for solo reading in various corners and by
windows, as well as a larger sitting area with a dark
brown leather couch and matching chairs in front of a
fireplace with an ornate deco mantle. In front of the
hearth was a giant bearskin rug covering the shiny,
hardwood floors.

Bella was stunned by the entire setting. "Wow. This is

amazing." She took her hand away from Edward's so that
she could walk around the beautiful room by herself.
After observing the library for a moment, she wanted to
know something about Edward that seemed so foreign to
her. "So what was it like growing up with all of this?" She
worried that it sounded accusatory, so she added, "I
mean … it's really nice."

Becoming slightly distraught that his fears were true,

Edward walked over to Bella and took her hands saying,
"Please Bella, of all the things that might be a problem
for us, please don't let it be this … not the money thing.
Yes, I was born into it on the Cullen side, but it's not me,
and my mother is from a military family of very modest
means." The look of concern on his face morphed into a
smirk. "Speaking of whom, I understand from her that
you two met recently."

Caught off guard, Bella responded, "Er … yes … I haven't

exactly had a lot of time to talk with you since you got
back. I just met her by chance. She's very sweet."

"I'm sorry. It's my fault that we haven't been able to talk.

But, I'm glad that you two met; she told me all about it.
She really likes you." Thinking about how they were now
alone together largely because of Esme, Edward added,
"She's been rather helpful … to me, but I'll tell you about
that later."

Relief came over Bella as she realized that Edward wasn't

concerned about her meeting his mother the way she
did. Happily, she remarked, "She's a lovely woman –
very down to earth. I liked her a lot."

Edward became more serious again. "That's what I'm

trying to tell you. I realize that I am ridiculously
privileged, but that's not me. Hell, I've spent most of my
adult life living on my Navy salary. You'll see that if I
don't have to wear a suit for work – a suit that Alice
always ends up buying for me I might add – I'm pretty
much dressed like this all the time. I'm not
materialistic."

The crease appeared in her forehead as Bella thought.

"Well, I wouldn't say the money thing is a problem for
me, but it's difficult for me to grasp. Charlie is a cop, and
Renee is a teacher. I don't really understand the need for
all of this.'

As Edward raised his hand to move her hair behind her

ear, he said very sincerely, "One of the things I think is so
special about you is that you don't seem phased by
money or power or things like that."

The last remark made Bella smile warmly, even though

she was a little embarrassed. Ack! He called me special!
Trying to be composed, she countered, "But you would
be horrified by my truck at home."

Edward smiled as he continued to touch Bella's hair. "I

have a 15 year-old, beat-up truck back in Seattle."

Jokingly, Bella one-upped him. "Oh yeah? My truck is a

1953 Chevy."

"That's an antique. It might be worth more than my

truck."

"Doubtful. It's a junker." Bella thought of how Jacob had

fixed it up for her and decided not to mention that.

Sheepishly, he admitted "Well, I should be honest and

say that I do spend some of my family's money
extravagantly."

"On what?"

"Cars. I've got a few."

"And I hear that Rosalie is your mechanic."

Nodding his head in a playful way, he responded, "I'm

OK with it. I'm a big enough man to handle that my
sister knows more about cars than me."

And with that, Edward moved his hand to Bella's face

gently stroking the soft skin of her cheek before quickly
stopping. He put his fingers for a moment on her nose,
before his forehead furrowed. "You're cold. I guess it is
chilly in here. Let me light a fire."

"Thanks. That would be nice." Bella was about to sigh at

Edward's sweetness, but when he walked toward the
fireplace, the sight of his backside caused her mind to go
elsewhere. He is so fine. Bella swallowed hard at the
thought.

As Edward took a few logs from the side of the fireplace

and placed them in the hearth, Bella plopped down on
the bearskin rug. She started petting it and asked, "So
how did this big guy give up his life?"

"You'd have to ask Senator Makenna. He gave it to

Carlisle as a gift 25 years ago."

"So do you hang out in this room often?"

"As much as I can."

"Some of these books look really old. Tell me about

them."

The two talked at length about Carlisle's collection of

rare books that he inherited while Edward built the fire.
At one point, Edward glanced over his shoulder
regarding her for a few seconds before saying, "You know
you're making me feel inferior."

Incredulously, Bella commented, "Yeah. Right. As if,

Senator Cullen."

That comment made him turn around. With a smile he

said, "Has anyone ever told you you're quite a smartass?"

Bella gave him a smug look back. "Not in so many

words."

Turning back to the fire, Edward remarked, "Well, I like

it." I wonder why that is? Not dwelling on the thought
he continued, "I'm serious about the inferiority. I'm ten
years older than you, and I've read about fifty percent of
the books that you have. And even that estimate is
probably too high."

Bella laughed. "You've been busy."

"No. It appears you have been busy in your short life. So
you should take anything from the library you want.
You'll put it to better use than me."

When she balked at the offer, he countered, "I'm serious.

What good are books if no one reads them? You should
pick what you want."

Looking at the impressive walls of books around her,

Bella said, "Maybe."

With the fire established, Edward turned to see her

leaning on the bearskin rug. She looked so sexy to him
wearing that sweater that torturously tempted him to
touch her breasts. Her jeans were completely form-
fitting. He then thought of running his hands down the
sides of her breasts and over her hips. And then right
here on this rug in front of this fire, I want to do
whatever it was she dreamt about in front of me the
other night … but that can't happen … not yet…not for a
while.

The thought reminded him that they needed to talk. He

moved backward so that his back was against the bottom
of the sofa and his legs stretched out on the rug.
Grinning again, he pulled Bella to his side and wrapped
his arm around her. "Come here."
With her side against his, Bella sank beneath his arm.
She nestled into him feeling his warm and hard body
through his thin t-shirt. She allowed her hand to slightly
skim over his chest. Hard muscles. She looked at his
chest hair poking out the neck of his t-shirt. Chest hair.
Gah! Bella was sure she was the luckiest woman on
Earth, but she made an understatement instead. "This is
nice."

Edward kissed Bella's hair. "I'll say." Nuzzling the top of

her head, he said, "I'm actually very happy you met my
mother the way you did. She thinks you're great, and it
smoothed some things over for me in dealing with
Rosalie." Edward then told her about the brunch he had
with his family and their agreement to give the two of
them some time alone together.

Smiling at the news, Bella pulled away so she could look

at him. "So I get to spend time with you alone?"

Smirking he said, "Well, I think of it more that I get to

spend time with you alone, but the effect is the same."

"That's very nice of your family to … uh … chaperone us."

His face became more serious as he thought of the

potential consequences of his actions with Bella. "Well,
having one of them in the same building gives us some …
plausible deniability so to speak." Taking a breath, he
continued, "But I've thought about it, and I would feel
better if we limited our … physical contact while you still
work in my office."

Bella nodded. Physical contact – he means sexual

contact. She thought about it another moment and said,
"Right."

Clearly bothered by the conversation, Edward ran his

hand through his hair as he said, "I know it seems a little
farcical to say we can't have a physical relationship. I'm
totally flouting sexual harassment laws right now – we're
by ourselves, and I've been touching you. But I'll be more
at ease if I'm not breaking all the rules."

Edward grimaced at Bella's innocent doe eyes staring at

him, and he added, "I'm sorry. I'm probably not
explaining myself very well. Maybe I just don't want to
feel like an unethical creep while you're still interning."

He looked so uncomfortable that Bella wanted to make

him laugh. "I understand, and it makes sense to me. You
know, two of Renee's rules in her kindergarten classes
are 'Keep your hands to yourself, and keep your clothes
on.' It sounds like we should abide by those rules."
Edward twisted his mouth and smiled before he replied,
"As much as I hate to say it, 'Keep your clothes on' is
probably a necessary rule." His eyes darted up and down
her body, lingering a second longer on her chest.
"There's no way I could control myself, if your clothes
were off."

Bella was sure the fire had leapt out of the hearth and
onto her cheeks. "You're making me blush."

Touching Bella's face, Edward said in a more serious

tone, "I'm just telling the truth. I think you are
extraordinary." Then changing his voice back to a joking
one, Edward continued, "Which is why I think a mandate
like 'Keep your hands to yourself' is too … restrictive.
Look at us right now – our bodies are touching. The
legislator in me wants to carve out some exceptions to
that outright ban."

Bella eyed him, "So what are the exceptions?"

Thinking twice about it, he laughingly answered, "Maybe

we shouldn't spell it out. In law school in your
Constitutional law class, you'll read a Supreme Court
obscenity case, Jacobellis v. Ohio. In the opinion, Justice
Potter Stewart said he couldn't specifically define
pornography, but said, 'I know it when I see it.' So I'd
have to say in our case, we'll know we crossed a line
when we do it."

"Alright." But what does that mean? An experiment

popped into her mind. Bella looked at Edward coyly and
then squeezed his hand. "This is OK, right? If I hold your
hand."

"It better be an exception to the rule. I've been holding

your hand for a while now." Eyeing Bella for a moment,
he riffed off her idea and gave her a kiss on the top of her
head. "So that should be OK, too."

Smiling Bella thought of something else. Leaning over to

give him a peck on the cheek, she said, "But we can also
do this. I would kiss my uncle like this. That's very
innocent."

Edward chuckled. "Yes. I think a kiss on the cheek is

fine, too." Looking at her inviting mouth, he ventured
further. "And if my aunt gave me a kiss like this, I
wouldn't feel too uncomfortable." And with that, he gave
her a quick kiss on the lips.

Smiling at finally having felt Edward's lips on hers, she

said, "I think that's fine too. I could see my uncle giving
me that kiss … if I was five."

They both laughed at that, but then Bella remembered it

was her turn. Contemplating the moment, Bella thought,
Oh God. I started this. What do I do next? The thought
that she might be the one to initiate their first real kiss
scared her, so she attempted a compromise. "But I'm not
sure about this. You have to tell me if this would be OK."

Bella stared into Edward's green eyes as if to warn him

that something was coming, and his eyes made it known
to her that she was definitely welcome to do as she
pleased. She tenderly kissed him three times. Each time
her mouth was slightly open, and Edward's mouth
responded in kind, but their tongues didn't touch.

Immediately after the kisses, Edward considered her

with a heated gaze. Those were not the kisses of an
innocent girl. I think she's a virgin, but she is not
inexperienced. God, could there be a sexier
combination?

Remembering that it was his turn, Edward grinned and

said, "Well, I have to admit that I would be taken aback if
my aunt kissed me like that, but for argument's sake,
let's say that's OK."

Edward took a breath, registering in his mind that he

was finally going to get to properly kiss Bella. The
thought made his smile bigger, and he asked, "So what
about something like this?"
As Edward leaned over to kiss her, his smile faded, and
the look on his face became erotically determined. Bella
licked her bottom lip in anticipation, fully
comprehending that she was about to kiss Edward in his
beautiful library before a warm fire. When his lips met
hers, the kiss was firm, but the wetness made their lips
slide open. Edward took advantage of the opening and
touched his tongue to hers, and the two tongues played a
teasing game of swirl and retreat. The passionate kiss
lasted two minutes, before Edward broke away to ask
slyly, "What do you think?"

Bella steadied her breath before she playfully said, "I

think that if my uncle kissed me like that, he would be a
perv."

Edward laughed heartily. "And?"

"It probably crossed the line." Her expression softened

from joking to earnest as she added, "But I don't care."

With fiery eyes, Edward cupped Bella's neck and pulled

her towards him saying, "I don't care, either." Their lips
met again and went back to playing the sensual game
with their entwined tongues. After a few minutes,
Edward murmured, "You don't know how long I've
wanted to kiss you."
Exhaling before she kissed him again, Bella replied,
"Probably not as long as I've wanted to kiss you."

"Impossible." Edward's mouth claimed Bella's again, and

the intensity of their kiss caused them both to lose their
presence of mind and to focus entirely the effects on
their bodies. Weeks of sexual tension was finally being
released. As she continued to kiss him, Bella pressed her
body against his and clenched his biceps. Edward
answered Bella's strong physical response, by moving
her so that she was lying on the rug. The two continued
to kiss as they rolled around on the carpet, with their
mouths connected in play and their hands roaming each
other's heads, arms, and back. The conscience of each
was enrapt by the other's body, so they were both only in
the moment. But the loss of consideration and foresight
meant that things began to get out of hand.

After five minutes of limited touching, Bella's hand

wandered to the back of Edward's thigh as they lay on
their sides. Edward responded by moving atop Bella as
he had before, but this time he let more of his weight
touch her body. Reflexively, Bella raised her body against
Edward's, and in simultaneous movement, Bella opened
her legs and Edward rested between them. With that, the
smoldering fire between them ignited into whipping
flames. Still kissing, Edward pressed his erection against
Bella and was rewarded with a moan and her crotch
rubbing against him. Edward groaned in response as
Bella slid her sex up and down his length. In reply, he
began to thrust against her, making Bella so dizzily
aroused she whimpered when he also grabbed her hip
making their pelvises move together. The sound of her
whimper jolted Edward into instinctively wanting to
please her. His hand moved slightly under the bottom of
her sweater to the button of her jeans, but their low-rise
meant that his fingers also grazed against the bare skin
of her lower belly. Both Bella and Edward's eyes flew
open as they realized her clothes might be coming off.
They ended their kiss and re-entered reality.

Uncertain how to respond to the situation, Bella's mouth

shifted sideways in a grimace. "Oops."

Laughing, Edward rolled over onto his back. "That's an

understatement."

Bella maneuvered onto her side to look at Edward. She

smiled shyly, "So we know we crossed a line."

Edward chuckled. "I think that's safe to say."

Studying Edward's scruffy, handsome face and his

beautifully chiseled body lying before her, Bella said
exactly what was on her mind. "This is going to be
difficult." Like, really difficult.

With the back of his hand, Edward gently stroked Bella's

cheek. "Given the situation, I can't see how it would be
otherwise."

"Why do you say that?"

His hand still on her cheek, Edward commented, "I think

we have a certain amount of … chemistry between us."
Then he questioned himself as to whether or not he
should say more. I don't want to say too much. It's too
soon. He decided that he could add, "At least me for you
… there's something about you, Bella Swan. I've never
felt this way before."

Bella realized that Edward was making some sort of

declaration to her, although she wasn't sure what. She
did know that whatever he cryptically described most
likely encompassed her feelings, as well. "For me, too.
And I think you know that it's not about what you do or
what you come from."

Edward rolled back on to his stomach. Green eyes locked

on their brown counterpart, and Bella's breathing
stopped. Reaching over to her, he whispered, "I know,
Bella" and then gave her a long, soulful kiss.
When he pulled away, Bella breathlessly wondered, "So
do you regret crossing the line?"

With a grin, he answered, "Right now, it's hard to regret

anything that pleasurable. Ask me again after it's
happened a few times – when it's been hard to pull
ourselves back across the line. I might regret it then,
though only out of complete frustration."

Smiling back at him, Bella leaned in and gave him a kiss

on the cheek. "I don't regret it either, but I'll go back to
kissing you on the cheek."

Edward teased her, "That's probably good for the

moment since you made me all hot and bothered."

Pushing at his arm, she replied, "I thought only women

got hot and bothered – like me right now. It's your fault."

"Well, I was going to relieve you of being so bothered,

but your damn 'keep your clothes on' rule got in the
way."

Giggling, Bella said, "You wanted that rule as written,

with no exceptions."

"That's true. And I hate to say it, but it's an effective

rule."
Bella looked at Edward quizzically and said, "The
problem is that abiding by that rule, but cheating on the
'keeping our hands to ourselves' rule puts us at cross
purposes."

With a raised eyebrow, Edward commented, "Very

astute." Playing with her hair, he added, "But after what
just happened, there's no way I'm going to be able to
keep my hands to myself around you. We're just going to
have to be frustrated for a few months."

Venturing the likely question, Bella timidly asked, "And

then?"

Edward sighed as he thought of Rosalie's demands that

he stay away from women during the heart of the
campaign year. "And then, we'll have to talk again."
Smiling at her, Edward sat up and added, "But speaking
of being hot, I can't handle both you and this fire any
more. How about we go out back and get some fresh
air?"

"That sounds nice."

After he poked out the fire, Edward went and got their
jackets from the coat closet. Helping Bella into hers, he
said, "Esme will be upset that I'm showing you her
garden. I know she'd want to do it herself, but I'll give
you the cheap tour. She can give you the grand one."

Bella smiled at him. "So she will be our chaperone, too?"

"Oh, yes. She's excited about spending more time with

you." Edward's expression soured. "I better get more
time alone with you on the week she's here. You may end
up spending the afternoon with her and not me."

Edward led Bella through a great room, which was the

formal living area that had a grand piano off in the
corner. The room was discreetly decorated. The colors
were variations on understated beige and brown, with
more colorful pillows and curtains to brighten it up.
There was a wall of windows that showed off the
backyard.

Pointing to the piano, Bella said, "Is that where you

play?"

"Yes. I suppose that's another extravagant expense of

mine." Squeezing her hand he added, "I'll play for you
some time."

Wandering through French doors adjoining the

windows, the two made their way onto a large patio with
an adjoining pool that was covered for the winter. A hot
tub was off to the left. Beyond, the yard spread into an L-
shape around the house. Bella could only see a portion of
it, but that was large enough for her to be in awe of its
size. Nor was it a traditional yard and garden. The huge,
mature trees and ungroomed shrubs and plants made
the grounds have a wild feel.

"You would never know from the front of the house that
you have this much space back here. And I love how it's
grown wild a bit."

"I know. My grandfather bought some additional lots. He

didn't like being in a city that much. He missed the
mountains and open space of Washington. I didn't really
know him, but we have that in common."

"It's wonderful ... very special."

Edward tucked her closer to his side and gave her a kiss
on her head, murmuring in her hair, "I knew you would
like it."

They wandered to the lawn, where Edward sat down

pulling Bella with him. When Edward put his arm
around her, Bella decided that she had to tell him about
how Mike took her break-up. Is Edward going to
reconsider his decision to spend time with me while I
still work for him? I have to tell him, though. Taking a
breath, she said, "I need to tell you about my
conversation with Mike."

Bella's serious tone caused Edward to focus on the

difficult talk he needed to have with her. In a deliberate
voice, he responded, "And I haven't told you about
something that happened back in Seattle. I need to tell
you about my run-in with Jacob Black."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Nineteen ~
Edward's face was blank as he listened to Bella detail her
conversation with Mike. It sounded like the two actually
had only exchanged a few sentences. When she was
silent, he asked, "Is that all he said?"

Remembering the admonishments Mike had given her

about Edward, she immediately recognized that she was
going to be even more uncomfortable telling him about
Mike's final words on the subject. Bella bumbled through
it. "No. Um. He warned me that it could be … a mistake."
She justified to herself her edited version of Mike's
warning. Mike did say that after all; it's just not
everything he said.

A chiding tone took over Edward's voice because he

knew Bella wasn't being totally forthright, but he rubbed
Bella's arm with reassurance as he said, "Bella, this isn't
going to work between us if we don't tell each other
everything. Otherwise, one of us will stumble into
something that we could have avoided. There's probably
more to your past with Jacob Black that I need to know.
And I'll have to tell you more about me. Right now, I can
tell you're holding something back about Mike."

Bella felt guilty for not telling him everything, but she
started her reply off with a defense. "I told you word for
word the beginning of the conversation. It's just that the
last things Mike said were out of concern as a friend."

Very annoyed at the thought of Mike Newton still being

Bella's friend, Edward asked, "So what did your friend,
Mike Newton say?"

She felt cornered. Biting her lip and looking down, she
replied, "He said this kind of thing never lasts and is
always messy. He said I was smart, so I should think it
through before I make a big mistake. And then he told
me to watch out for myself."

Edward frowned at the very sage advice Mike had given

his friend – for that would be exact warning that he
would give a female friend in a similar situation.
Rubbing the stubble on his chin for a moment, he
considered Mike's words. After a moment he
commented, "That's good advice." Neither said anything
which made Bella incredibly uneasy. I knew this was
bad. I knew he was going to reconsider everything.

Just as Bella was about to jump into the abyss of self-

doubt, Edward put his hand to her chin and lifted it up.
Looking into her eyes, he remarked, "And yet here you
sit."

Fully aware of the import of her reply, Bella took a

breath before declaring, "Yes, here I sit … because of
you."

"And I because of you." With that, Edward tipped Bella's

chin upward so that his mouth could easily find hers.
Bella responded to his lips with an open mouth that
invited in Edward's tongue. The kiss felt more intense to
both of them this time. At first, their tongues met with
an emotional connection, but after a minute, that
connection turned into a long session of erotic play. Bella
entwined her hands in Edward's hair, tenderly stroking
behind his ears as he moved his hands under her jacket
to span her hips. Even having kept themselves upright
and at a slight distance, Edward found himself sneaking
his hand down to adjust his jeans. Goddamn it. I'm hard
– really hard – again.

Clearing his throat as he pulled away, he smiled as he

said, "Bella, if we go on like this, you'll be the death of
me; I swear you will."

When he had moved his hand away from her hip, Bella
had sensed that he had to readjust himself. She looked
down at his obvious erection smirking. "Well, it looks
like you would enjoy it."

"Listen, Miss Smartass Swan, I can't see what's

happening with you, but I am hoping you're having a
similar response."

Bella's eyes shifted to the side for a moment realizing

that she herself was a little uncomfortable being equally
engorged with blood, and no doubt, wet. Playfully she
responded, "So maybe I'm being a little hypocritical."

Edward smiled and kissed her cheek. "Good. That makes

me happy." Then he added, "Let's get back to the Mike
conversation, OK? The short of it is we shouldn't worry
about it." He concluded with another kiss on her cheek.

With shocked eyes, Bella replied, "Why not?"

He chuckled as he said, "I have a mom and two sisters –

one being the knower of all things, Alice. I'm a firm
believer in female intuition. But men have a strange
second sense when it comes to other men and their
women. I think it's animalistic – some kind of territorial
mating thing. So yes, I also knew Mike knew. But no, I'm
not worried. He's too ambitious to want to be caught up
in us."

"When did you know?"

"The same time he did."

Mulling that over for a moment, Bella decided that it fit

with exactly how Mike had reacted thus far. "Hmpf. OK."

Grinning at her, Edward added, "You know, it was

Mike's presence that got me off my duff. I started
thinking about ways to spend time with you."

Bella smiled back at him. "Really?"

As Edward nodded, Bella's thoughts turned to his theory

about mating … and Mike's warning that anything
between Edward and her wouldn't last. She thought back
to Edward's extensive history with women. And all I
know is just what I've read about. God knows there's
more. She wanted to see what Edward had to say to
something. "So this territorial mating thing. Isn't that
also the explanation why men have a harder time being
monogamous? Like they're supposed to be out there
spreading their seed far and wide to perpetuate
themselves."

"Hmm. Yes, I think I've heard that." What is she getting

at?

As she responded, her voice sounded more and more

sad, "Well, you're used to a lot of … variety. Honestly,
how is this going to last? You say it doesn't matter, but
really is that true? I mean you're going to become bored
and … unnecessarily frustrated."
Edward groaned in sadness and exasperation with
himself. "Bella, I can't deny that you're totally justified in
thinking that way, but I'm telling you the truth. I'm not
interested in anyone else."

A realist, Bella evaluated the situation before coming to a

conclusion. "Based on how wonderful you are towards
me, I'm happily willing to suspend my disbelief. But I
don't see why you feel that way. Look at all the women
you've been with. What about that actress, Tanya
Hamilton? I'm absolutely ordinary. And you're … well,
look at you." She shook her head in doubt.

Tanya? Jesus Christ. No comparison. Gently touching

her cheek, Edward sighed. So soft. "You don't see
yourself very clearly, you know. I see a gorgeous, clever,
funny woman, who is forever catching me off-guard. I
will never be bored."

Bella felt like her whole body responded to her heart as it

swelled with Edward's words. Feeling very warm and
fuzzy, she gave him a peck on the lips.

He smiled at her, but his brow soon creased. Then in a

begging voice, Edward remarked, "I know that … my past
… is going to come up again. I realize that to you my
behavior is inexplicable. But, for now can we put it
behind us? Because that's where it belongs."

Something Renee's husband Phil said over and over

again came to Bella's mind, and she started giggling. Oh,
it's explicable.

Edward eyed her with curious suspicion. "Are you

laughing at me? I was serious."

Still giggling, Bella answered, "I know you were serious.

But …" She tried to maintain a straight face adding,
"Nevermind."

"What? Why are you laughing? What did I say that was
so funny?"

Bella shook her head and smiled. "You didn't say

anything funny. It's just that it is explicable." A snicker
escaped again.

Then Edward smiled as he demanded, "Bella Swan, tell

me what is making you laugh. Why is it explicable?"

The thought of uttering her thought made her quickly

sputter, "Not saying. Let's talk about something else."

"If you don't tell me, I'm sure I'll think it's worse than it
is. Now tell me or I'll tickle it out of you."
She didn't immediately respond so Edward began
tickling her underneath her jacket, which was a short
leather one that hit right at her waist. Gasping in
laughter she said, "OK. I'll tell you, but you won't like it."

Amused and irritated, Edward stopped tickling. "I can

take it."

Bella gathered some composure and asked, "Well, you

know Renee is married to a minor league player, right?"

Edward nodded, and Bella continued, "So when they first

started dating about seven years ago, Phil had a similar
history … to you. It was really hard on my mom because
she's older than Phil and there were always these
younger women hanging around the ballparks waiting
for him."

"And your mother looks like you?" She has to be a babe.

"Yeah, but she's prettier."

"Doubtful, but go on."

Smiling at his compliment, Bella explained, "Well, late

one night when I should have been asleep, I overheard
Phil kind of exasperatedly explain to Renee something
like, 'I don't know why I've done what I've done.'"
Nervously a giggling Bella went on. "Then he said, 'I
don't know, Renee. Why do dogs lick their balls? Because
they can.' And Renee burst out laughing. So from that
point on it became their little joke … especially about the
other players on his teams. I've heard it a million times."
After she stopped, Bella realized what she had done. Oh
God. I just compared Edward to a dog licking his balls.

Edward had a half smile as he shook his head taking in

what Bella had said. Then he remembered Alistair's
comment about how he was "A hard dog to keep on the
porch." What's up with me being compared to a dog?

His smile grew. "OK. Maybe I deserve to be compared to

a dog. You're not the first."

Bella ventured, "You're not mad?"

Looking at her slyly he said, "No, not mad. But I'm going
to retaliate." And with that, Edward began viciously
tickling Bella throwing both of them on their backs. Bella
was convulsing with laughter so she didn't register that
her sweater and jacket were sliding up exposing the skin
of her stomach. Edward's hands quickly found her bare
skin, but his tickling stopped after a moment as he
realized where his hands were. Instead, he began
stroking softly.
Now aware that Edward's hands were on her bare
stomach, Bella stopped laughing and looked seriously
into his eyes. He was smiling, and she asked him, "But
clothes stay on, right?"

Still caressing her stomach, he said, "Yes. Clothes stay

on. But the converse of the rule is that exposed skin is
fair game."

Edward's hands were tingling more parts of her body

than just her belly. He started to trail his fingers along an
imaginary line between her belly button and down to the
top of her jeans. He then turned to lightly trace back and
forth along the edge of the denim. She closed her eyes
while enjoying the sensations before exhaling, "I think
this is more torturous than the tickling."

"Really? Good. You deserve it." Then he lowered his head

to her ear and whispered, "Relax. You have a beautiful
body."

Bella clamped her legs together as his words and hands

continued to warm her to her core. I have got to be
sopping wet. She let Edward continue for another few
minutes before she reluctantly opened her eyes and said,
"OK. No more." Sitting up she added, "I get to torture
you like that one day."
Contemplating Bella's hands on his stomach playing
around so near his dick, Edward responded only half-
jokingly, "Absolutely not. That … I couldn't handle."

"We'll see."

Edward sat up also. Looking into her eyes and stroking

her hair, he said, "Yes, we'll see." Then he remembered
the very important subject they hadn't discussed. Grimly
he announced, "I hate to abruptly change topics, but I
need to tell you about Jacob."

After relaying the entire scene with Jacob to Bella, who

sat in quiet thought, he asked, "So what do you think?"

Bella's face soured. "I think it sounds like Jake. He can

be really childish when he gets pissed. He was probably
surprised by how congenial you were. He might have felt
foolish, so he got petulant and mean. I was just a
convenient topic to taunt you with."

Taking in her words, Edward waited before replying.

"Alright. I can see everything you say as the most likely
explanation of his actions – except that you were just a
convenient topic. What's the deal there, Bella? You're
obviously under the guy's skin." He played with her hair
for a moment before saying, "Now, I happen to find it a
completely understandable reaction on his part. I'm just
wondering what happened. You broke the guy's heart
and he's still angry?"

Shaking her head and looking away, Bella muttered,

"Something like that."

"C'mon Bella. Tell me. Lord knows, I'm going to have to

tell you something similar soon enough." Edward
grimaced at that thought.

I don't mind telling you most of it, but do I have to have

the virginity discussion with you right now? Bella
turned her head to see Edward's patient and truly non-
judgmental eyes and decided to tell him everything. "OK.
Here's the deal. Billy and Charlie have been great friends
since before I was born. Jacob always knew me as
Charlie's little girl who lived in Phoenix and spent
summers up with him. I think it was the summer before
my sixteenth birthday that Jake started being different
around me. It's weird. I had gone through puberty years
earlier, but maybe I had filled out or something. I don't
know."

Edward teased her. "I bet you did."

Bella rolled her eyes, but continued, "Anyway, when I

decided to move up there, Charlie bought what's now my
truck from Billy. But Jake actually restored the whole
thing once he heard it was for me. From the time I
moved to Forks, he went out of his way to be nice to me.
You know, he's eight years older than me, though. That's
significant when you're 17 and 25, so he never actually
asked me out."

"I hate to interrupt, but I just want you to know that

what you're describing is what Alice thought might have
happened. That he had been interested in you for years,
but it was only when you got older that he actually
pursued you."

Twisting her face, Bella said, "Um … there's where you're

wrong. He didn't pursue me. It was the summer before
my 20th birthday. I was drunk at a party. And I kind of
threw myself at him, knowing he would be … receptive."
She flashed her eyes at Edward and smiled
provocatively. In a sarcastic tone, she added, "I'm
guessing you've never done that before."

Edward was both amused and uncomfortable. He

pretended to look up to the heavens saying, "No. I've
never done something with a woman simply because I
could. I don't know why you would think that."

She had to laugh at Edward's response, and she pushed

his arm saying, "I have no idea why I would think such a
thing!" Bella then continued, "Anyway, we started
dating, and I was really casual about it. We really didn't
have that much in common beyond our families. He was
… into me, though. He had this whole fantasy spun with
us getting married, me quitting school, helping in his
office, and having kids. Crazy stuff."

Raising an eyebrow as he inquired about obviously

missing information, Edward asked, "And?"

Bella sighed. She looked down and started tearing out

blades of grass from the ground as she spoke. "And, it
got messy. He was upset I wouldn't drop everything for
him. But … I think he was most hurt that I wouldn't …
well, I wouldn't have sex with him. We had messed
around, but I had told him in the beginning I wanted to
wait … for the right guy." Bella wanted to close her eyes
in awkward agony. Ugh. Like Edward doesn't know I
would drop trou for him right now if he asked.

She spoke rapidly hurrying the conversation along. "So

Jake took it personally that he was the wrong guy, and he
was hurt and became angry as time went on that
summer. Things disintegrated, and Jake just gets
meaner and pissier as things go badly for him." Looking
back into Edward's eyes, she remarked, "You should
know that. It could work to your advantage. He might
make a mistake in the campaign and self-implode. Or, he
might get really nasty. That guy, Paul, that he has
working for him is a real asshole, by the way. And don't
even get me started on Sam; he's worse than Paul. He
also hates me because Jake was so distracted that
summer. Sam set Jake up with Emily as soon as we
broke-up. I guess he wanted Jake with someone he
thought was a respectable girl."

"Bella, please, you're respectable to say the least."

"I know. It's just such an uncomfortable situation.

Charlie hates it."

"Yes, what did Charlie think?" I've got to hear this.

"Well, Charlie is very, very opposed to marrying young,

based on what happened with Renee and him. That said;
he really loves Jake. He respects my decision, but he
doesn't understand why things are so strained between
Jake and me." Bella scrunched up her face before adding,
"I didn't tell Charlie the gory details."

"Understandably." Still playing with Bella's hair he

summed the story up, "So what I hear is a story of
unrequited love with kind of a nasty, childish guy with a
badly bruised ego."

"I suppose that's an accurate summary. Don't

underestimate Jake, though. He can be tenacious when
he's pushed too far. And watch-out for Sam and Paul."

Chuckling Edward replied, "Oh, I'll let Rosalie deal with

them." Edward waited a moment before asking the
question that he thought he knew the answer to, but
wanted to make sure. "So, can I ask you a personal
question?"

Bella laughed. "Funny. I thought I had been answering

personal questions."

Edward gave her a kiss on the cheek. "OK. Can I ask a

very personal question?"

"Sure." Like this is going to be a surprise.

"So are you still a virgin?"

Exhaling while making a nervous laugh, Bella felt her

entire body blush. She thought the only way out of the
embarrassment was to joke about what had been going
on between them. "Well, I've had an erotic dream in
front of you. I've rubbed my crotch against you and really
not wanted to stop. And twice now, just sitting on this
grass, you've gotten me incredibly aroused. But yes, I am
still a virgin."
Inwardly congratulating himself on her response Edward
smiled. I knew it. … And thank God she didn't have sex
with Mike Newton. To Bella, though, he simply said,
"That's good."

"It is?" What in the world? Why does he think that?

Edward smirked. "It will help me adhere to our rules.

Your virginity is sort of another … barrier." He couldn't
help laughing at his own joke.

Bella rolled her eyes, shook her head, and then

reluctantly laughed. "Barrier? That is a terrible joke. I
mean really bad. The majority of women actually have
already broken their hymen by the time they have sex."
She gave him a jokingly disapproving look. "But then
again, you probably know that from personal
experience."

He was too impressed with her sharpness to be irritated

by her teasing. "You do cut to the quick of things, Bella.
So how about a truce? I won't make any jokes about your
virginity, if you don't make any about my past."

"Oh, I can't agree to that. You've got a whole lot more to

gain than I do with that truce."

"You're right. God help your future opposing counsel

negotiating with you." With that, Edward jumped up
saying, "Let me show you around here. I'd like to stretch
my legs."

For the next half hour, the two strolled around the
grounds as Edward told Bella about what it was like
growing up in both DC and Washington State. As they
reached the furthest corner of the property, Bella spied a
small wooden gazebo. When she asked about it, Edward
grinned at her. "It's Esme's gazebo. Carlisle built it for
her."

"Wow. That's very sweet."

"Carlisle was a really good carpenter. He taught Emmett,

who is now even better than Carlisle was. I'm horrible at
it."

When they reached the gazebo, Edward led Bella inside

the structure. After a look around, Bella commented,
"It's really lovely."

"You should see it in the spring time with all of Esme's

roses. Well, I won't say any more about that. She'll want
to detail to you every last rose variety she has growing
around here."

The setting was too stereotypically romantic that Bella

naturally had to make a snarky comment on it. "So do
you bring all of your lady friends here, Senator Cullen?"

Almost solemn, Edward replied, "No, Bella. I've never

thought to bring anyone here, but you."

Bella's breathing hitched at his response. "Oh." She shyly

smiled up at him before reaching up on her tip toes,
intending to give him a quick kiss on the lips. Edward
would have nothing of that, though. Instead, he bent
down to catch Bella in a full embrace and kissed her
forcefully, wanting her to realize once and for all that she
was special to him. His message to her may not have
been exactly conveyed, but the scene caused her heart to
swoon. Bella pressed herself against him and wrapped
her arms around his neck, hoping that maybe close
contact with him would mean it was all real.

After a couple of minutes, Edward pulled away saying,

"So do you believe me?"

Dazed not just by the kiss, but also as the last few hours
sank in, Bella nodded, but didn't speak.

Edward kissed her forehead. "Good." Finding both of her

hands, he held them and said, "Let's go to my office. I
want to see what my schedule is this week. Maybe we can
see each other during the week if we're both free."
As they wandered back to the house, they were both
quiet. Bella had crazy thoughts going through her head
in disbelief at how happy she was. Have I been abducted
by aliens and placed in some alternate universe?
Edward began to worriedly ruminate on his time with
her that day. I just want to be with her more, and I want
to touch her whenever I can. He stopped as they got to
the patio. Turning to her he said, "Bella, when we're in
the office this week, I think it's best if we don't even
acknowledge one another. For me, one thing just leads to
another with you. I'm worried that it will be obvious."

"Sure. That makes sense." Although it is only going to

make my life seem more unreal to be ignored by you
one day and kissed by you the next.

In relief, Edward said, "We're going to have to set things

up ahead of time so that we can see each other. I'll
always need to coordinate with my family's schedules. If
we need to talk with one another, we can go through
Alice."

Bella raised an eyebrow asking, "Or Rosalie?"

Edward pursed his lips. "If we have to. She's the least
supportive, but is on board with it."
Not surprising. "OK. Alice first then."

Edward's office was near the library. It was spartanly

decorated, with wood paneling and bookshelves that
held photos and Navy memorabilia. The desk was large
and old and took up most of the space except for a small
sofa under a window. Edward sat behind the desk and
flipped open his laptop, while Bella sat on the couch.

He motioned to her. "Come over here."

She went to stand over his shoulder, but he grabbed her

by the waist and sat her so she straddled one of his knees
while he held on to her hips.

"Now you can see my crazy calendar." Edward groaned

as his computer sluggishly moved through set-up. "So
fucking slow. Fucking government."

Bella turned around. "Hey. You're a Democrat. You're

supposed to support the concept of government."

"Of course I do. Government can make people's lives

better. But the Senate IT sucks."

With time to waste, Edward absentmindedly began

rapidly shaking the leg that Bella was sitting on. After a
moment of it, Bella arched her back feeling a little odd.
Then she became aware that the movement was
arousing. Warily she inquired, "Edward, what are you
doing?"

"Nothing."

"How about not shaking your leg?"

Edward immediately clued in and chuckled. "Didn't your

uncle bounce you on your knee?"

"Not past the age of three. And not like this." Squirming
and turning to him, she said, "It's a little unfair."

Smiling at her he said, "Maybe you should let go a bit."

"Maybe we're eating dinner soon."

"Maybe." Still smiling, he moved his hands to the

underside of her thighs while continuing shaking his leg.

Bella became determined. "You know, two can play at

this game." And with that, Bella slid her backside flush
against him. Leaning forward just slightly, she pressed
her sex against him adding a little grinding for good
measure.

Edward's leg stopped shaking as he felt himself twitch.

My God, I feel like I'm fifteen. I've got to jack off as soon
as she leaves. Moving his hands back up to Bella's hips,
he repositioned her so that she sat across his lap at a safe
distance from his erection. "You're right. Not fair."

More comfortable sitting in a much less sexual position,

Bella kissed his cheek. "Not fair. But fun."

Returning the kiss, Edward smiled. "Oh most definitely

fun."

With his computer finally booted, he opened up his

calendar and remarked, "Usually, Thursday evening is
good. Let's take a look."

When his finger pointed to that evening, Bella's eyes

widened and her stomach turned as she read the name
"Irina" with the whole night blocked off. Flatly she asked,
"Who is Irina?"

As soon as he had read the name, Edward was crushed

with fear and despair. Oh my God, I have fucked up
everything. He had forgotten about Irina. She's going to
run for the hills when she hears about Irina. But I have
to tell her. I've demanded that she be honest.

Edward pinched his forehead between his eyes before

saying, "Let's go sit on the sofa. Irina is a long story."
Bella's hands began to shake. Sure, you're ready to be
just with me. Right.

Her silence and body language told him everything. As

they sat on the sofa he moved her chin so that he could
look at her, but she instinctively looked away in fear.
"Bella, I know you think I've lied to you, but I haven't. I
swear. I only want to be with you. Period. Irina is just a
very good friend. I've known her since I was 17. Plus,
she's a lesbian."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Then why is she a long

story?"

Edward tried to choose his words carefully, but there was

no way around the blunt truth. "Because … because we
occasionally have had sex. But …"

With even more distrust in her voice she asked, "When

was the last time you had this 'occasional' sex?"

Why? Why did she have to ask that? Grimacing he

admitted, "I don't know … a few weeks ago. But before
the fundraiser … before things started happening
between us. I swear Bella."

That was all Bella needed to hear. She immediately stood

up declaring, "I need to leave. I'll walk home."

Edward shot up to stop her from walking away. "No. No.

Please listen to me. I swear that part is over. I don't want
to be with her like that."

"Then why are you seeing her?" Bella's voice had started
to waver.

"She wanted to have dinner because she's breaking up

with her girlfriend. She needs to talk. And it really isn't a
big deal. Irina and I talk about our personal lives all the
time."

Bella was dismayed. "Best friends with benefits? You're

just talking after a break-up?" She raised her eyebrows
and sarcastically added, "Right."

"I had forgotten that we had that dinner rescheduled. I

would have told you about it. If I was hiding something
from you, why would I show you my calendar? And of
course, I would tell her about you and end anything
physical with her. Please believe me. Really, I'm begging
you."

She wanted to believe him, but her self-preservation had

kicked in. "I'm not a fool." Visibly wounded, she choked
up. "I've gotta go."
The sight of Bella so upset made Edward distraught. He
felt like he had lost any hold on her he might have had.
Clearing his throat, he said in a desperate voice, "Don't
go. Please, Bella."

He stared intently at her, stating emphatically, "I've told

you the truth. I've meant every word that I've said. I
don't want to be with anyone else, but you."

His eyes were so sincere and earnest; he was clearly

about to cry. Bella could tell that he was not one to cry
without real pain. But this goes against all my better
judgment.

"But Edward, you see why I shouldn't believe you?"

Barely keeping himself contained, Edward replied, "Of

course. But I ask that you do."

Bella said nothing for a few minutes, as she assessed the

risk to her heart. Giving into emotion rather than reason,
Bella let herself believe him. She silently nodded.

Taking her acknowledgment as an opportunity, he pulled

her to him and tucked her into the curve of his body. He
kissed her hair as he murmured, "Thank you."
He maneuvered so he could look her in the eyes. "Then,
you should meet Irina on Thursday. Honestly, we are
very good friends; she's the one person in the world
outside my family I would tell about you and me. I'll call
her and tell her about you beforehand, and I'll change
our plans. Maybe Irina and I can talk … as friends … for
half an hour, and then you can join us. She'll leave, and
the two of us can have dinner together."

Bella's eyes darted around, and she frowned. "Um.

Awkward."

Edward groaned. "I know. It's impossible to avoid, given

the situation. And I want to prove to you that you have
nothing to worry about."

She couldn't deny his sincerity, so she reluctantly agreed.

"OK. I guess."

Hugging her again, he sighed. "I wish this wasn't

happening. You're the last person in the world I want to
hurt. I'm just trying to fix it."

Being in his arms felt so right to Bella that she

succumbed entirely. "I understand."

Edward started to chuckle. "The irony of this is that

when I first started having feelings for you I didn't want
you to meet Irina because I thought she might like you
too much."

Bella laughed. "You mean like me, like me?"

"Yes. She is a lesbian, and you, well, … she might find

you as attractive as I do."

Tugging at his shirt, she said, "Now you're just trying to

butter me up."

"Not at all." With a kiss on her forehead, he added,

"You're my darling."

At that moment Jasper's voice came from the hallway,

"Alice and I have started making dinner if you want to
join us for a glass of wine."

Edward called back. "OK. We'll be there. You cook, and

we'll clean up."

Alice eyed them suspiciously as they entered the kitchen,

but seeing that her brother was so happy, she smiled.
Handy in the kitchen, Bella ended up helping Alice and
Jasper cook, while Edward watched. Bella was amazed at
how much easier it was to cook in a giant kitchen with
every gadget and pot imaginable. The conversation was
effortless among the four with Bella and Jasper taking up
most of the time chatting about the climate change treaty
and energy policy. He even commented, "You know,
Bella, I have no one to talk to in this family about my
work. You actually understand it. I really appreciate it."

In agreement, Alice said, "Thank God, Bella. I can only

handle so much talk about parts per million of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere."

Jasper countered, "But carbon dioxide is one of the

reasons why I need to be in Geneva this week. That's the
reason we get to spend your birthday there."

Alice smiled, "I know. I have found the silver lining in

climate change."

After dinner, Alice and Jasper went to get their things

together while Edward and Bella cleaned up. Edward
wanted to keep things light with Bella to avoid going
back to the difficult time they had in his office. Bella just
thought he was being a pain in the ass. "Will you stop
hitting my bum with that damn towel? I feel like I'm with
a 13-year-old boy."

Edward sidled up to her and hugged her. "Well, honestly,

I feel like a 15-year-old around you. We get all hot and
heavy, and I can't do anything about it."
Bella pursed her lips. She didn't know what to say.
"Ditto."

His lips locked on hers in a slow, playful kiss. Edward

leaned down, and Bella pressed herself upward so that
their bodies could touch more intimately. Just as things
were getting truly hot and heavy, Jasper and Alice
reappeared. Alice's mouth gaped upon seeing her
brother grinding himself against Bella, who stood with
her back to the oven while passionately kissing him.
Jasper immediately pulled Alice into a hallway and
called out, "Edward, we're going to the car."

Walking to the car, Edward and Bella hung back behind

Jasper and Alice. Bella spoke first. "Thanks Edward. I
had a great time."

He couldn't help thinking back to the office. "Are you

sure? I'm so sorry, Bella."

She squeezed his hand. "I'm sure." Then thinking of

actually meeting Irina, she thought, But Thursday is
going to be completely bizarre.

Edward left Bella at the car door with a soft kiss on her
lips. "Good bye, darling. I'll see you tomorrow – even if I
can't talk to you."
As he walked into the house, he remembered what
Jasper had said to Alice about her birthday trip to
Geneva. Closing the door behind him, he shook his head
and shouted, "Fuck!"

He immediately called Rosalie. "I need your help. Alice is

going to Europe with Jasper for her birthday on
Wednesday. I need you to come to the house on
Thursday so I can see Bella."

He gave Rosalie only the barest of facts, but as he talked,

Rosalie picked up on everything. He ended asking, "So
can you do it?"

Rosalie snickered. "Oh Edward, there are few things I

would rather see than the introduction of your little
intern girlfriend to your lesbian fuckbuddy. Count me
in."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty ~
His words expressed thanks, but his tone held only
disdain. "Thanks Rosalie. Thanks very much."

Happily Rosalie replied, "Anytime Edward. Have a good

night."

Placing the phone on the end table beside him, Edward

leaned his head onto the back of the sofa. His eyes stared
at the texture in the ceiling's plaster, puzzling out what
his plan should be for introducing Bella to Irina. At first
he objectively assessed the situation and thought about
what it would be like if the roles were reversed. If Bella
had me coming over to meet some gay guy she had
fucked for more than ten years – the last time very
recently - I would be a mess. What am I doing to her?
But it has to happen, or Irina will always be an issue.
He shook his head. It's my own damn fault. If Bella
sticks with me, I am one lucky bastard. He tried to tell
himself that he wasn't introducing Bella to just anyone;
Irina was different. Talking aloud to the empty living
room, Edward announced, "I should call Irina now."

Irina immediately picked up. In a laughing voice, she

questioned him, "Why are you calling me on a Sunday
night? Surely you've had enough female companionship
this weekend. Can't you wait until Thursday?"
"Er. Yeah. Hi Irina. How are you?"

"OK. Burying myself in work to avoid the rest of my life.

How about you?"

Edward contemplated the question for a moment, and

his immediate answer made him smile. "Actually, I'm
really happy."

She was intrigued. Edward was rarely happy, and he

actually sounded cheerful. "Really? What's going on?"

Still smiling, Edward started, "I've started seeing

someone. She's great … very different … and special."
After he said it, though, he felt a pang of guilt. Why do I
feel like I'm breaking up with Irina? It's not supposed to
be that way between us.

Irina was taken aback, but she tried to be happy for him.
"Oh my God, Edward, that's terrific! I have to admit that
I'm a little surprised, but I'm glad that you're finally
letting yourself get close to someone. Who is she?"

The smile morphed into a hard line of concern. I

shouldn't say anything on the phone. "I think it's best if
you just meet her."
"Why? What's the secrecy? Another member of
Congress? A member of the press?" Then she begged in
dread, "Oh God, please tell me she's not married."

With joking irritation, Edward pled, "Come on. When

have I ever been with a married woman? Of course, she's
not married." Then in a more serious tone he continued,
"You'll meet her and then you'll understand. I've …
already told her about us and …"

Incredulous, Irina needed to make sure she understood

what Edward had said. "Wait, Edward, you've told her
everything about you and me?" Irina's surprise had
turned to shock.

"Everything." And it's a miracle she didn't walk out.

"And, you want the two of us to meet? Isn't that a little

awkward for all parties involved?" He must be serious
about her to propose something like that.

"It is. But as I said, she's special. I want her to meet you
because you're my friend, and I don't want her ever to be
concerned about you."

Now smarting with jealousy, Irina asked, "And she's

agreed to meet me?"
"Well truthfully, she agreed begrudgingly, but she did
say yes."

Taking a breath, Irina answered, "OK. I'm game. How

about at a bar on Thursday? Then I could slip in and out.
I think that's probably best."

"Um. No. That won't work. Let's stick to our plan. How
about you come over around 6:30 on Thursday? We can
talk; I want to hear what's going on with you. She can
come over later."

"Alright. That sounds fine." The words came out of her

mouth, and she regretted them so she added, "But I'm
thinking I'm not sticking around too long after that. I
think that would be uncomfortable."

Edward had begun to feel more and more remorseful as

the conversation continued. What should have been
obvious to both of them had finally become apparent.
They had been in a relationship of sorts. Both of us were
relying on the other for something. "I completely
understand. Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it."

Regardless of how she felt, Irina remembered he was still

a dear friend. "Edward, I would do anything for you. You
know that. I'm happy that you're happy. And the more I
think about it, the more curious I am to meet her. What's
her first name?"

"Er. You'll find out."

Groaning Irina complained, "Edward. I work in

intelligence; I have an insane level of security clearance
– like I'm going to say anything about her."

He quickly responded to Irina saying, "I'll tell you this.

She's a smartass." I know you are going to like her …
maybe not in the beginning, but later.

"Hmm. Does she take any of your shit?"

"Unfortunately, none at all."

"That's good for you."

"Honestly, I think she is good for me. But it's early … and
things are complicated."

Irina chuckled and with a bit of sarcasm declared, "Well,

I'm happy to make them more complicated!"

For both of their sakes, Edward knew he should

acknowledge what he felt. "Irina, I think we created an
odd situation for the two of us. I'm now realizing that
I've been relying on you for a lot in my life. I'm sorry
about that."

With some resignation, Irina agreed, "I could say the

same thing." Trying to make things lighter, she added,
"No wonder I keep screwing up my relationships."

"I'm glad we can talk about this openly, and we can talk
more on Thursday. Thanks again."

"You don't have to thank me. That's silly. She's

important to you. I want to meet her."

After their conversation ended, Edward remained on the

sofa absorbing the call. Well, that didn't go as I expected.
I hope Irina and I can still be friends … maybe she'll
find someone new herself. Edward sighed, and his mind
wandered back to his day with Bella, making him smile
again.

The moment Bella walked into the office on Monday

morning, the incongruity between her personal life and
work life slapped her in the face once more. Yesterday,
Edward Cullen declared that he had no interest in any
other women but me; today I work for him just like any
other member of his staff. Yesterday, I wildly made out
with Edward Cullen; today I answer his phone and
greet his constituents. And yet no one can know what
happened yesterday, so I have to act completely
contrarily to how I feel.

But every time Bella thought of the day before, a grin

appeared on her face and she became so tickled
remembering her time with him that she literally turned
pink. Whenever it happened, though, she would
redouble her concentration on her task at hand. She
didn't want anyone to guess the reality that she was on
Cloud Nine. Bella wondered if Edward really was going
to ignore her when they saw each other. Her heart of
hearts wanted him to make some gesture or look of
acknowledgment of their time together, yet she knew
that was the last thing he should do. It really was too
risky.

Reason left her mind altogether, though, later that

morning when Edward glanced at her blankly and strode
past her. She hadn't looked at him with any recognition
either, but nevertheless, Bella swallowed hard and felt
the emotional pain radiate through her body. This is
what it is going to be like? We're really going to ignore
each other. When Bella thought back to the intense
feelings that they had shared yesterday – not to mention
their intimate physical contact, she became concerned.
We're not going to have any contact except when we're
together in person and alone. What kind of relationship
is that? Is this how a mistress feels?
As Edward continued to avoid looking at her over the
next three days, Bella's heart sank, especially when he
seemed to be so much friendlier with the rest of his staff.
She became even more concerned about their lack of
communication than her upcoming evening with Irina.
Bella kept telling herself that it was what they agreed to
– that Edward needed to ignore her or he was sure to be
found out. What she didn't know was that Edward was
equally saddened by the situation.

The first few times of not acknowledging her, he smiled

to himself, knowing their secret. Never being able to look
her in the eye, though, soon made him wonder what she
was thinking. Is she still happy about Sunday? Is she
regretting it now? If Alice had been there, he would have
pulled Bella into Alice's office just to check-in – to see
how she was feeling and to learn what was going on in
her life. His only alternative was Rosalie though. And
there's no way I'm asking Rosalie to help; I don't want
her grief.

Wednesday evening hit Edward the hardest. It was a

little after five when he saw Bella leaving for the day.
Having taken off her heels for the commute home, she
was wearing her green Converse. The contrast between
her blue silk blouse, black skirt, and black stockings
against the green low-tops made her look fun, Edward
thought. He frowned and looked away. For the first time
since he had taken office, he truly hated his job. I just
wish things could be normal – that I could meet her for
a beer after work – that we could have dinner – that I
could take her to home. But I can't. And with that,
Edward grimly went into his office and started his five
o'clock meeting.

The next morning, Bella was surprised to have Rosalie

tap her shoulder because she hadn't seen her all week.
Perfectly friendly, Rosalie greeted her, "Hi Bella. Can you
help me with something?"

"Um. Sure." Bella had wondered that morning what the

plan was for that evening – and even if the evening was
still on.

Since Rosalie was not on Edward's Senate staff, she

didn't have her own office, so Bella silently followed
Rosalie into Alice's. After Rosalie shut the door, she
mirthfully smirked. "So are your ready for tonight?"

Bella grumbled, "I suppose." She couldn't help slightly

frowning at Rosalie. Does she think this is funny?

But as Bella's mouth turned downward, Rosalie felt for

her. "I'm sorry. That sounded terrible. As much as I find
it incredibly amusing that my playboy brother is finally
reaping what he's sown, I feel for you." She waited a
moment and continued, "Personally, I think it's perfectly
reasonable for you to decide against meeting her.
Edward would hate me for saying that, but I believe it.
He's putting you in a terrible position just so he can
clean the mess that he made."

Shaking her head, Bella said, "No. I'll do it. If I didn't

meet her, I would always wonder who she was. It says
something that Edward wants to do this."

Rosalie nodded. "That's true. I wish I could tell you

something about her, but I haven't seen her since they
graduated from the Academy." Chuckling she added,
"Maybe the best I can say is she probably won't want to
kill you for taking away her friend."

Laughing herself Bella sarcastically answered, "Well

now, that's reassuring."

When she got home from work, Bella debated what to

wear, but she ended up just wearing what she wore to
work – a pink oxford shirt, black pinstripe pants, and her
shiny, patent oxfords. If I changed, I'm just going to be
more anxious than I already am. When Rosalie came to
her house, Bella couldn't help but laugh as she got into
her vintage VW Karmann Ghia with a biodiesel sticker
on the bumper.
"Rosalie, you're the first woman I know who drives a car
almost as loud as mine."

Looking at Bella with newfound interest, Rosalie asked

about her car and eventually inquired as to who had
restored what could only be called an antique vehicle.

Bella awkwardly admitted, "Um. Actually Jacob Black

did. Charlie bought it from his dad."

Rosalie let out a sinister laugh and shook her head. "You
are one strange bird, Bella Swan. Not many people can
say they've dated mortal enemies."

While Rosalie was fetching Bella, Edward had begun

telling Irina about her. From the moment Irina had
walked into his house, things were different between
them. They were still very friendly, but they greeted each
other with a kiss on the cheek. It was a kiss of
resignation from Irina and one of respect from Edward.

Irina was quiet as Edward explained everything about

Bella to her. By the time he finished, she was stunned
into silence. On my god. He's risking everything. He is
either insane or in love or both.

Anxious for a response, Edward asked, "So what do you

think?"
Hesitantly, Irina ventured, "So your entire family agrees
with you?"

"I wouldn't say they agree with me. I would say they
support me, but it varies in degree depending on who
you're talking to."

"I have to be honest. I would never have guessed that you

would be telling me this. I'm shocked. It goes against
everything you've worked for … that your family has
worked for."

Edward grimaced. "I know, but … I want to be with her

… and even more every time I'm with her." He smiled
sheepishly. "I really like her … I think you will also,
although I hope not too much."

Laughing Irina commented, "Now, that would be

funny." Her mood changed as she saw Edward's smile
over this woman. She couldn't be sad when her friend
was so happy. She playfully probed, "So what does she
look like?"

After Edward described her, Irina shook her head. "Not

my type. I like blondes. But she sounds pretty."

Edward heard Rosalie's car and excused himself so he

could greet Bella. As he opened Bella's door for her, he
discreetly grabbed her hand, but wouldn't go as far as
kiss her in front of his house. "Hi Bella."

Bella shyly replied hello. Edward then said to Rosalie,

"Can you go in and introduce yourself again to Irina? She
knows you're here. I want to talk to Bella for a few
minutes."

Rosalie looked at Edward strangely. "Uh. I guess so. I'm

not sure what I'll talk about with her. By the way, I need
to leave at nine."

Edward shot Rosalie a look. I would rather have Esme

around than you. He didn't respond, though, instead
quickly leading Bella through the door and into the
library. Shutting the door behind them, he smiled at her
and earnestly asked, "Does it sound strange if I say that
I've missed you?"

Returning his smile, Bella laughed. "No. I've missed you

too."

Edward's eyes narrowed with passion, and he clutched

Bella to his chest. Bella greedily grabbed onto his dress
shirt as she reached up to accept his kiss. At first, their
mouths tentatively met reacquainting themselves with
one another, but soon their tongues touched expressing
the sad absence each had felt. They kissed yearning for
more of one another as if to make up for lost time. His
hand entwined in her hair, and he dipped her back a bit
out of a need to show her how much he felt. Edward
didn't want Bella walking into the living room with any
thought other than he was completely crazy about her
and her alone.

After a few minutes Bella pulled away breathless.

"Shouldn't we go in there? I don't want to be rude."

Sighing, Edward smoothed Bella's hair. "Yes. You're

right." He waited a moment before commenting, "She
knows everything, and I think it will go fine."

Bella nodded and chuckled. "OK. It will be interesting, if

nothing else."

As they walked into the living room, Edward's eyes

widened a bit when he saw the scene on the sofa. Irina
was leaning very close to Rosalie as she examined the
necklace on her chest. Rosalie wore a tight, v-necked
sweater, with a pendent that hung close to her cleavage,
and she was smiling at Irina. His mind did a double take
for his eyes because, if Irina were a man, he would be
assuming only one thing – Irina is checking out
Rosalie's tits. And what is up with Rosalie letting her do
it? I should clear my throat to get their attention.
He didn't have to, though, because Irina immediately
stopped what she was doing and sprung up to greet
them. Edward swore she looked guilty for a moment,
before she smiled. Holding out her hand to Bella, she
said, "Bella, I'm so excited to meet you."

Bella rose to the occasion and shook her hand

responding, "I'm happy to meet you too. Edward has
said such great things about you."

Immediately, Edward offered everyone a seat as he got

them drinks. Coming back with the bottle of wine and
glasses, he found Irina still sitting next to Rosalie on one
sofa while Bella sat on the adjacent one by herself. Bella
decided that the most comfortable thing to do was to ask
Irina questions about her work, which Irina was thankful
for. Edward poured everyone a glass of wine before
sitting next to Bella and holding her hand.

As soon as he sat down, Irina smiled and announced,

"It's just great that Edward is finally dating someone that
I'm going to like."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "For once."

Laughing a little nervously, Bella remarked, "I guess

that's a compliment."
In Edward's opinion, the conversation was heading
south. "Can we change the topic?"

Irina chuckled. "Oh no. You're the one that put us in this
situation. You deserve a little ribbing."

Bella found some pleasure in what Irina was proposing.

"Irina is right. You should be the least comfortable of
all."

Happy to continue any conversation that made fun of

Edward, Rosalie chimed in. "The deal is that you've been
with real winners Edward. You should be held
accountable."

Agreeing Irina added, "Especially since you're now with

someone who appears to be more than you deserve."

"Again, can we just change the subject? Rosalie, tell Bella

about what you're doing to Carlisle's old Benz." Edward
pled in vain.

Bella grinned at Edward and disagreed, "Oh no. I want to

hear from Rosalie about some of these women."

"Well, we can start with the Republicans he's dated."

Rosalie held back from her usual remark about Edward
ever really "dating" anyone when they were never
together outside of a bed.

Turning to Edward in surprise, Bella interrogated him.

"You've dated a Republican? That's gross."

Edward was utterly dismayed and annoyed at the

degeneration of the conversation. He exclaimed, "Might
I remind you that so have you, Miss Smartass Swan?"

"Oh. That's true." Bella admitted, "Forgot about that."

Grumbling, Edward muttered, "Understandably."

"What's this about?" Irina inquired. After Bella gave

Irina an edited account of her relationship with Jake,
Irina giggled, "Well Bella, that is a feat. My compliments
on putting Edward in a very awkward position."

The group talked for another ten minutes, before Rosalie

announced she needed to start on her project of turning
Carlisle's old diesel car into one that would run on
vegetable oil. Irina's ears perked up, "You know, I have a
diesel Jetta. Can I see what you're doing? I can just take
a look on my way out."

Bella and Irina gave each other sincere goodbyes; they

were both genuinely pleased to have met the other
person and pleased that the meeting was now over.
Edward offered to walk Irina into the garage where
Rosalie had already disappeared. He did it out of
politeness and a desire for an answer to a most
important question. "So what do you think?"

Irina smiled at him. "She's adorable and good for you. I

like her."

Edward beamed back at her. "Thank you."

Irina looked at him slyly. "I never knew how interesting

Rosalie is."

Sardonically, he raised his eyebrows, "Interesting?"

"Um. Yes. And gorgeous. Why haven't I seen her here?"

"She doesn't live here."

She looked at him quizzically. "You wouldn't mind if I …"

Edward sighed and chuckled. "As far as I know, Rosalie

is straight. And don't you think it would be just a little
odd if you were with my sister?"

"Odd? Well, yes, but there have been stranger things."

"True."

"I'll be able to tell you how well you know your sister."

Edward shook his head smiling. "You let me know how it

goes. It's worth it just to hear Rosalie's response."

"Well, don't expect an immediate one. I'm going to take

my time."

When Edward walked back into the living room, Bella

was standing at the mantle looking at family photos. He
grabbed her waist from behind and whispered in her ear,
"Are you OK?"

Bella turned around, putting her arms around his neck.

"Of course. She's great. You were right to have us meet."

"Would you believe she's hitting on Rosalie right now?"

Astounded, Bella laughed. "Really? That's … weird."

"That's what I said, but I'm happy to let her try." He

leaned in and gave her a sweet, short kiss. "Are you
hungry? We could order something. I'm a terrible cook."

"No. I ate before I came over."

Looking up at the clock on the mantle, Edward groaned,
"I only have you for another hour. Damn it."

Reaching up to give him a kiss, Bella exhaled, "Then let's

make the most of it."

Edward leaned down and kissed her with slow

deliberation. He eventually pulled away. "I hate not
talking to you during the week. I'm going to need to
think of something."

Breathing an internal sigh of relief, Bella declared, "I

hate it, too."

"My mom wants to have us over to her place on

Saturday. How does that sound? And then maybe I can
convince her to spend some time here on Sunday. It
would be nice to see you two days in a row."

"Great. She's sweet."

With a smile, he offered, "Let's go to the library and talk.

We can have a fire again."

Bella looked at him accusatorily. "Another fire? We're

going to talk?"

Swatting her on the rear, he replied, "Of course we're

going to talk. I want to hear how you've been doing." He
then touched her long sleeves and quipped, "But, can I
complain that you have virtually no exposed skin?"

And with that, he led her by the hand back into the
library. As Edward began building the fire, Bella sat on
the sofa. They shared with each other the events each
had missed during the silence of the last few days.
Edward, in particular, was happy to have someone to
talk with about his work because he kept his thoughts on
that always to himself. At one point he turned to tell
Bella that, but saw her rubbing her arms to keep warm as
she sat on the floor.

"Sorry. This room is cold because of all the windows."

Grabbing a blanket from the back of a chair, he asked.
"How about you sit on the sofa with this until I can get
the fire going?"

As Bella began positioning herself on the sofa, Edward

was tucking the cover around her. "Edward, I'm not an
invalid."

Seeing that he had bound her in too tightly, he grinned.

"That's correct, and now that I see you here, I'm going to
join you. Move over."

"What about the fire?"

Edward snuggled beside her under the blanket and
laughed. "Fuck the fire."

"Are you going to make some lame joke about how we're
going to make our own heat?"

Now facing one another on their sides, he leaned over for

a kiss murmuring, "No. I'm going to show you." His lips
met hers, and immediately things did become hot.

The combination of missing each other from the week,

relief of having the Irina meeting over, and their two
bodies being cloaked under a blanket stirred them both.
It was only a minute into the kiss before Edward thought
to himself, I'm tired of keeping my damn hands off of
her. With that thought, he slowly drew one of his hands
down from her shoulder to below her hip. As he gently
kneaded her, he whispered, "Does it sound crude if I say
you have a fine, fine, fine ass, Miss Swan?"

Bella gasped, "No definitely not crude. It's kind of hot

actually."

After caressing around her derriere, Edward seductively

questioned her, "I'm not feeling any panty lines. Are you
trying to drive me insane?"
"No. I'm wearing a thong."

Edward groaned and threw an arm over his head in

dramatic fashion. "OK. I think hearing you say that
might be as hot as seeing you wear one. … No, that's not
true. I'm taking that back."

Laughing at Edward's drama, Bella referenced another

great political intern scandal, "I'm not going to be like
Monica Lewinsky and show you my thong."

"How old were you when that happened, 12?"

"I guess. The Arizona Republic published the entire Starr

Report. It's such a conservative newspaper – I think they
did it to embarrass Clinton more than to report the news.
Anyway, to a 12 year old, it was like reading porn."

The word "porn" made Edward's eyebrow raise as he

said, "Really?" and moved in for another kiss. After a few
more minutes of breathless kissing and discreet groping,
Edward moved onto his back saying, "I need to lie down
or I'm going to fall off."

Bella fit herself slightly on top of him, but with her back
to the sofa. When she looked at Edward again, he had
closed his eyes. Smiling she asked, "Sleepy?
He nodded, "And very comfortable here with you."

Resting her head on his chest, Bella closed her eyes

sighing, "This is nice."
--
Earlier that same evening, Sam Uley thought, Finally! as
Aro Marcus's assistant, Heidi, put him on hold. Sam had
been trying to reach Aro for the last week to find out
what happened last month between Jacob and Bella in
DC. Jacob had been less than forthcoming when Sam
asked him.

They had been at Sam's apartment in Seattle, sitting on

his black leather sofa, drinking beer. Faking a yawn to
indicate it was a tired topic and not worth discussing,
Jake muttered, "Cullen is exaggerating. I seriously doubt
I bruised her. Ridiculous. When I saw her on the street,
we just had a few words after I heard she was working
for him." His face turned down. "I still cannot believe
that she is working for that prick."

Jake could be volatile, especially about Bella Swan, so

Sam couched his words. "Yeah, Jake, Bella is crazy, but
it's important for Paul and me to know things like you
arguing with Bella in public. Did anyone see? Where was
it? Who were you with?" In reality, Sam was livid. What
the fuck? You were in Washington, DC not La Push! You
don't fight with someone on the street. Sometimes I
wonder if you're ready for primetime.

Even Sam's simple questions of fact made Jake feel like

he was being reprimanded. Already irritable from a long
day of campaign events, he replied with some
annoyance, "It wasn't a big deal. We were in front of the
Heritage Foundation. No one else was on the street.
Bella had some guy with her, probably just a friend, but
he was a ways away. He didn't hear anything."

Remembering that he had set up campaign donor

meetings for Jake that day, Sam became concerned.
Fuck. Did a donor see this? You are not capable of
handling things by yourself. You have got to be staffed
at all times from now on. His mind immediately ticked
through the donor meetings and feared what had to be
the most likely scenario. "So, if you were at the Heritage
Foundation, were you meeting with Aro Marcus?"

"That's right. We were heading out to lunch. They waited

for me while I talked to Bella." Up until that point, Jake
had downplayed the entire event. Having now admitted
that Aro Marcus saw his encounter with Bella, he finally
understood the extent of his blunder. He felt the need to
make amends. "Sam, I can see why you would be
worried. I'm sorry that I let my temper get the best of
me. I was calm afterward. I swear. Marcus and his
friends didn't notice anything."
But when Aro Marcus heard that Sam Uley had been
trying to reach him while he was on vacation, he knew
exactly what it was about. As the most influential funder
of conservative political causes in the country, Aro was
knowledgeable about where he made his donations, but
he also was a shrewd and crafty political hack. He knew
there were natural born winners in the political world,
and Jacob Black was a born winner, especially as a
Native American Republican. He also believed, though,
that there was a caste system in politics from the local to
state to federal levels. While there was mobility upward
among the castes, some politicians lacked the polish,
skill, and drive to take themselves to the next level. After
the incident in front of the Heritage Foundation, he
worried that Jacob may not be a good candidate for U.S.
Senate after all. Jacob was perfectly fine for state
politics, but Congress might be out of his league –
especially with Edward Cullen as his opponent.

Aro answered the phone cheerfully, though. "Sam, so

good to talk to you. Can I tell you that the fly fishing in
Chile is amazing? I was there for the last two weeks." He
then talked for the next five minutes without breaking
for a breath.

Sam rolled his eyes on his end of the line. Talking to the
idle rich about anything other than politics was the least
favorite part of his job. How about having the common
courtesy to ask how I am before I hear about you?

A slight pause in Aro's extemporaneous speech about

South American fish allowed Sam to jump in, "It sounds
like you had a great time. I'm calling about your meeting
with Jacob Black last month. Thank you so much for
your generous contribution – and the other
contributions you've brought in from Mr. Caius and Mr.
Demetri. On behalf of Jacob, we appreciate it."

"Happy to help. You know how much I want us to win

that Senate seat, but now that I've got you on the phone I
want to give you my opinion."

"That's the reason why I called. Your opinion is the most

important."

Now it was Aro's turn to roll his eyes because, like many
wealthy donors, he hated being schmoozed. Disregarding
the compliment altogether, he started, "Well, I saw
something that troubled me. Jacob got into a fight with
some girl on the street. Seemed like they knew each
other – he was angry enough to grab her arm.
Interestingly, she was with Mike Newton – that old
UCLA basketball player – my wife went to school there
so I follow the team. Regardless, Newton is bigger than
Jacob, and he stopped the argument. When Jacob came
back to our group, he was rattled. Eventually he calmed
down enough to put on a good enough presentation that
my friends felt comfortable contributing. But I have to
say – Jacob's behavior was unsettling."

"Yes, I heard about that. Jake told me. I wouldn't worry

about her. She's just a long-time ex-girlfriend who Jake
had just found out is working for Cullen.
Understandably, Jake was upset. Everything is fine
now." Sam's expression was grim as he ended speaking.
Jake is such a fucking idiot sometimes.

"OK. I can let a random incident like that slide once, but
it is a warning to me. This election is not a cakewalk for
Jacob. Yes, overall the next election should be a bad year
for Democrats. Republicans should win seats and that
Washington Senate seat is prime for the picking. Jacob
has a formidable opponent in Edward Cullen, though.
Cullen's a Democrat, but not a bleeding heart. He's a
hawk, and with that military background, he appeals to
moderates and independents – those are voters that
Jacob needs. And then, of course, there's the Cullen
family name. This is not going to be easy for Jacob. He
can't make mistakes."

Sam was annoyed by the lecture on the election. Like I

don't spend most of the day thinking about this. "Of
course. You're absolutely right. Don't worry, Jacob is
ready."

Aro sighed as he thought more about the situation. "This

is an election, though. It should be the year to take that
seat away from the Democrats and away from the Cullen
family. Jacob is a decent candidate – more than decent
given where he comes from. And nobody is perfect – not
even Edward Cullen. There has to be something that
could be found on him. I mean the guy does have a
reputation." Mulling the idea over, Aro muttered,
"Hmm. Something to think about."

The two talked a few minutes longer, catching up on

other races around the country. Just before the end of
the conversation, Aro remembered something from the
beginning of the conversation. "I need to run to a
meeting, but I just want to make sure that I heard you
right. An ex-girlfriend of Jacob's is working for Cullen?"

"I believe she's an intern, but that's right."

"Hmpf." Aro's mind was racing through various

scenarios that might occur when an ex-girlfriend started
working for an opponent. He then asked, "And Jacob
reacted that way toward her? Has he smoothed things
over with her? If he doesn't, it might come back to bite
him."
As much as Sam despised Bella, he had to admit that Aro
had raised an important point. Bella needed to be
neutralized. Sam lied to Aro, though. He didn't want to
appear not to have things under control. "I'm sure that
everything is fine with the two of them now."

The only thing that Aro hated more than being

schmoozed was being lied to. He could tell by Sam's
choice of words that at a minimum he was talking out of
his ass, but that more than likely Jacob hadn't
apologized to the girl, and Sam knew it. Aro shook his
head. This was his chance to flip that Senate seat
Republican and end the Cullen political dynasty. With a
problematic candidate like Jacob, Aro knew he was going
to have to be more involved. He ended his conversation
with Sam by telling him, "I want you to know that you
can come to me for anything regarding this race. Just
because I've maxed out on my contributions doesn't
mean that I couldn't be helpful elsewhere."

When Sam hung up the phone, he stared out into the

Seattle rain thinking about the Bella situation. He had
already planned for Jake to go back to DC soon. As Sam
began plotting how to approach Jake about the matter
and how to make sure that a meeting with Bella was
successful, his phone rang. Sam knew the caller, Felix
Larson – he was Aro's right hand man.
Felix started the conversation. "I just wanted to let you
know that Aro is starting a new project. He's calling it
the Washington Research Project."

Sam's ears perked up upon hearing that. He knew

exactly where this was leading – free opposition research
and private investigation of Edward Cullen. "Well, that's
very generous of him. What is he thinking?"

"He's not sure yet. The project won't get off the ground
until something … triggers it … that there's an issue …
warranting some investigation. Of course, it's just for
Aro's personal curiosity."

Smiling from ear to ear, Sam replied, "Felix, I'll call you
if I learn of anything that might be of interest to him …
something that he might want to know more about."

Immediately after his call with Felix ended, Sam

excitedly called Paul – even before Jake. Paul will
understand just how big this is.
~*~
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_Project
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-One ~
Paul immediately picked up Sam's call. "What's up?"

"Life has just gotten much better. Aro is setting up a 527

called the Washington Research Project."

"God. Life really has gotten better. So they're going after

Cullen. That's incredible."

Sam clucked over their stroke of luck again. "I know. It's
un-fucking-believable. We just need to feed them
information. I'm not sure how much money Aro is going
to put into it. It sounds like he's going to wait for us to
give him leads. The size of the project will probably be
based on what he digs up."

As soon as Sam used the word "we" Paul's election law

antennae went up. "Wait a second. There's no 'we' to
this. You know the campaign needs to stay out of it –
Jake especially. The campaign cannot coordinate with a
527."

"C'mon. Of course, I would be the one talking with

them."

"Sam, sure you're not on the campaign payroll as an

employee – you're a consultant. That's a gray area. I
can't be involved. Period. Besides it's always the guy in
my job that gets nabbed by the feds."

"I know. I know. I just need more eyes and ears. I can't
do it all."

"OK. We'll work something out. I'll talk things over with
you. But, just so you know, I do not want to be locked in
a room with an FBI agent and some goddamn federal
prosecutor interrogating my ass."

"Nothing is going to happen. And so what if something

did? There would be a fine on the campaign or
something."

Paul was not impressed with Sam's conclusion. "Yeah …

a fine or something … something like my career."

"Regardless. I need to start them with something. Maybe

there's incident in his past. God, what I wouldn't give for
Cullen to have paid off some girl to get an abortion."

Shaking his head, Paul spoke the truth. "Sam, that is

beyond the pale. You don't really wish that happened."

Sure I do. Thinking better of vocalizing his real feelings,

Sam simply muttered. "Yeah. You're right. Maybe he did
something in the military. Shot some civilians."
"Do you have to think so sinisterly? Even if he did,
people would forgive him for it. We're in the middle of
two wars. Anyway, the last thing I want to be talking
about is his military record. That's the second best thing
going for him besides his last name."

Not really listening to Paul, Sam's stream of thought

continued to flow. "Still. I wonder. But those jarheads
stick together. That would be hard information to get.
Let's get back to his weakness. Who is he dating right
now?"

"I think that hot actress, Tanya Hamilton and

Congresswoman Maggie O'Hara."

Sam frowned into his phone. "Forget about that. Only

good press there. He doesn't stick with anyone for too
long, though, and there still could be something in his
past with women. I'll need to think about it."

"Well, you could start with his family. Maybe old Carlisle
Cullen swept some things under the rug."

"We have to watch out going there. You know Esme

Cullen is the patron saint of Washington State; if we go
after his brother or sisters, they'll trot her out."
"But they would do that for Cullen too."

Shrewdly, Sam retorted, "He's the candidate. She can

only do so much for him."

"Well, I don't know what we get on the family, anyway.

His sisters live a public life. And that Rose … shit, she's a
babe."

Sam's eyes stared at the wall in front of him as his mind

focused on the one Cullen mystery. "But what about
Emmett? That guy is never seen. There've always been
rumors … especially when he hung out on the
reservation a lot."

Paul ticked through what he knew of Emmett Cullen. He

was a drunk who screwed a number of Quileute girls, but
was also a good friend to some folks on the reservation.
"I think someone could poke around there. I'm not sure
what we come up with, though. The tribal police would
have been on him in an instant if there was anything
criminal, and Emmett still has friends on the rez. But it's
a start."

"OK. I'll take it from here to keep your hands clean. I'll
also tell Jake what Aro is doing – only mention it,
though. Oh. I almost forgot. Aro saw what went down
with Jake and Bella in DC. Cullen wasn't lying. It was
bad. Aro thinks Jake should make amends with Bella."

"Shit. Why does Jake lie to us? It doesn't help him." Paul
scowled. "Amends? With Bella? Good luck on that. He's
obsessed with her in a bad way. Emily is too good for
him, really."

"I know. He needs to do it, though. I'll just broach the

subject and see where we get."

Late Saturday morning, Bella reluctantly decided she

had to lug a book bag around town that day. Even though
it was going to be a long walk to Esme Cullen's
apartment, Bella needed to show some evidence to her
roommates that she was going to the library. Stashing a
single book in her scuffed leather messenger bag, she left
her room only to run into Victoria walking into the
bathroom. Victoria gave her a once over and
commented, "You look cute for the library."

Bella wanted to grimace as she also looked down at her

clothes. She couldn't wear jeans to a lunch with Esme
Cullen – that just seemed far too casual dress for lunch
with such a proper woman. Trying to pick the middle
road, she wore her denim mini-skirt with brown tights,
boots, and her favorite fisherman's sweater. "Yeah …
Um. I thought that maybe if I didn't dress like a slacker I
would be more alert. What do you think?"
Victoria nodded saying, "I've done that before. Oh,
remember to come home for James' paella tonight. Have
a good day."

"Sure. You too."

Clomping down the steps in her boots, Bella breathed

relief. She believed me, but I am a terrible liar. How am
I supposed to keep this up?

The concierge had called Esme's apartment to announce

her, so Bella was expecting Esme to the answer the door.
Her heart fluttered when it was Edward who let her into
the apartment. He smiled, warmly welcoming her in.
"Hello Bella."

"Hi." As she entered, Bella wanted to say something else,

but she was once more distracted by his appearance. His
face was unshaven again, and he was wearing faded
jeans that hung on his hips just so, causing Bella's eyes to
wander below. A pressed, white button-down appeared
to be the only nod to the fact that he was having lunch
with his mother. Bella returned his smile and said what
she thought in that moment, "I like it when you don't
shave."

Taking her bag and sitting it on a nearby table, Edward

grinned at her. "Really? Why is that?"

Bella looked up at him coyly. "I don't know. It's sort of a

manly man thing."

"You like that? That's nice to hear because I hate

shaving. I have a heavy beard." He pulled Bella into his
arms and took her hand so she could feel his cheek. "It's
rough right now, but it gets softer as it grows."

"Hmm." Reaching up, Bella gave him a quick kiss.

"When would I get to feel that?"

Edward gazed down at her and touched his finger to her

nose. "When we go backpacking I suppose."

Bella arched an eyebrow. "You sound like you have

something planned." Oh my God. Alone in a tent with
Edward … when he's unshaven … maybe a little musky
… and … naked? Gah!

With a soft groan he replied, "Unfortunately, I'm not

sure how to arrange a trip … yet. It's just something I've
thought of. I think we would both enjoy being outside –
somewhere beautiful and quiet, and I know of a few
places where I've never seen another soul around. We'd
have some freedom." He leaned down to kiss her, but
before their lips met, he thought of his fantasy of making
love to Bella in a meadow. The image made him whisper,
"I want to take you … very much." He placed his lips on
hers and felt her open mouth waiting for him. His kiss
was slow and languid because he knew he would have
her alone soon enough.

Bella would have none of that, though, as she attempted

to speed up their kiss. She couldn't get over the
sweetness of his plans, and something else he said. You
want to "take" me? Was that a Freudian slip? She threw
her arms around his neck and pulled her body tight to
his, but her more prudent side broke through quickly
when she remembered where she was. Easing back a bit,
she whispered, "I'm forgetting where we are."

Chuckling, Edward assuaged her concern. "Can't you

hear her banging around the kitchen? It's OK." He
stroked her hair down to the twist of hair at the nape of
her neck. "Esme has a bridge game every Saturday. She'll
be at a friend's on another floor most of the afternoon."

A breath caught in Bella's chest as she registered his

words. We'll be alone … but in his mom's place. We
won't cross any lines here. She summed up her thoughts
with a simple, "Oh."

Edward motioned toward her bag. "Did you bring a

book?" After Bella nodded yes, he continued, "This
apartment has some terraces … very private. It's nice; we
could sit outside."

"That sounds great."

Esme's voice then carried over to them, "Edward, can

you please get the soup tureen from the buffet?"

Calling back to her, but smiling at Bella, Edward said,

"Sure Mom." And then to Bella, "That was Esme's way of
telling me that she wants to see you. Come on."

Bella admired the elegant rooms as Edward walked her

to the kitchen. Not wanting to have another talk with
Edward about his family's money, she held her tongue,
but she couldn't hold her thoughts. Apartment? This
place is bigger than any house I've ever lived in. She
noticed that it did seem more comfortable than Edward's
house. Yet, it was still what Grandma Swan would have
called "hoity toity" with oil paintings and porcelain
galore.

When they walked into the kitchen, Esme turned around

from the soup pot at the stove to affectionately greet her
new favorite person. "Bella, welcome. Thank you for
coming today. I'm so pleased."

Smiling back at the tiny, white haired woman before her,

Bella returned the thanks. "Thank you for inviting me,
Mrs. Cullen."

"Please. It's Esme – just like when we met."

Esme's reference to their meeting made Bella feel a little

awkward. Right. Like when we met. Before you knew
that I wanted to have a mad affair with your senator
son. "Well, thank you, Esme."

"Good. Now, Edward, I need that tureen."

Esme kept Edward busy with a variety of tasks like

setting the table and opening wine. After a few
assignments, he started to grumble like a kid, and he
looked at his mother suspiciously as she took all of
Bella's attention. Bella demanded to have kitchen chores
also so that her hands weren't idle during Esme's polite,
but direct questioning about her life.

When they all sat down to lunch in the dining room,

Esme continued to monopolize the conversation, talking
almost solely with Bella. Edward became even more
annoyed. He tried changing to a topic where he could
engage, too. "Mom, have you seen Alistair lately? He told
me yesterday that …"

Esme interrupted and sweetly, but firmly replied, "No."

Turning back to the center of her attention, Esme
prodded, "Now Bella, tell me about your holiday plans."

Bella had gotten accustomed to Esme's attention, which

felt harmless, and she thought Edward's annoyance was
amusing. She couldn't help smirking at Edward as she
answered, "I'm going to see my mother and her husband
in Florida for Thanksgiving. I'll be in Forks for Christmas
with my father."

"Well, that's wonderful to be able to see your mother

soon, and Florida will be lovely this time of year. I was
going to say that if you were going to Washington for
Thanksgiving that you should just fly with us. Instead,
please do that at Christmas. We have plenty of room."

His eyes blinking twice, Edward hesitantly asked his

mother, "Mom, are you sure about that? I don't know if
…"

Bella's own eyes slightly widened, and she remained

silent. She couldn't formulate a response while she
processed the fact that the Cullens had a plane that fit
their entire family, plus guests.

Looking at the two surprised faces at the table, Esme

happily asked, "Why not? Bella is my friend. And Seth
flies with us. He could even drive Bella to Forks."
Uncharacteristically, Edward fumbled around for the
right words. "Um. Mom. There are appearances. And
more importantly, we haven't … Seth … well, I never
planned on telling Seth about Bella and me."

Esme was quiet hearing the news. For all of her sweet,
little old lady persona, Esme was as much a political
animal as the rest of the Cullen family. Her lips pursed,
and she looked disapprovingly at Edward. "That would
be a mistake."

Still silent, Bella digested the thought of telling Seth. Oh

my God. Would it get back to Charlie? Even if Edward
is a senator, Charlie would not like me dating someone
10 years older than me. I'm an adult. I wouldn't stop
seeing Edward, but I would rather not hear any crap
from Charlie.

Edward looked at his mother quizzically. Occasionally,

she would have a perspective on something that no one
else had thought of, and when that was the case, she was
usually right. He wanted to hear what she had to say.
"Why? What are you thinking? My reasoning was that he
shouldn't get caught up in any harassment issues if
something were to come out. What's your take?"

"It's plain, Edward. It's self defense. Because of where

Seth comes from, he often hears things about Jake and
his campaign that you don't. It's happened repeatedly. If
Seth knows about Bella, he may pick up on something
useful that he otherwise wouldn't. You two need to keep
your relationship quiet much longer than her internship.
You benefit far more from Seth knowing than not
knowing."

Speaking up, Bella worriedly remarked, "Seth's parents

and my father are very good friends. I'm not sure it's
such a good idea that my dad knows some of …"

Then Edward stepped on Bella's words, reassuring her,

"Bella, you don't need to worry about that. Seth would
never do anything that would hurt me. I think my mom
is right."

Smiling at her own astuteness, Esme declared, "Then,

you and Alice should tell him on Monday. Let me think
about whether or not Bella should be there. Now, let's
have some sorbet."

As they cleared the table after lunch, Esme checked her

watch saying, "Oh my. I have to go. My bridge game
starts in five minutes. Please just leave everything in the
kitchen, and I'll take care of it when I get back. I should
be home at five or so … not earlier though. "
With Esme's last words, Bella saw Edward wink at her.
Bella blushed immediately and pretended to ignore the
wink, insisting Esme let her clean while she was gone.
Esme eventually relented, but demanded that the soup
pot be left for her to wash later.

When Edward heard the front door shut, Edward moved

behind Bella, who was washing the crystal. "You didn't
understand my wink."

Bella kept washing the glasses, but she looked over her
shoulder stating, "I chose to ignore it around your
mother."

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he said, "That's too

bad. I think she meant for you to understand what she
was saying."

"Oh." Bella's face became warm at the thought of Esme

thinking that her son needed to get some action.

She and Edward spent the next hour washing dishes and
talking about his mother. As Bella relayed the stories
that she heard from Esme about her life with Carlisle
before they had children together, Edward was amazed.
"First of all, I didn't know half of that about my own
parents. Secondly, she told you when she first met you …
before she even knew about us? She must really like
you."

Bella frowned at him. "You think she's been faking it."

"No. Not that at all. I just didn't understand why she was
so focused on you, and I didn't want you feeling
pressured by my mother. Now it makes more sense to
me."

When they were finished cleaning the kitchen, they

grabbed their respective reading material before going
onto an expansive terrace off the living room. Large
planters with flowers were placed across the patio, and
cushy outdoor furniture was positioned so to make it an
exterior living room. Edward led Bella to a large double-
size lounger that was big enough for both of them to sit
and read.

After they sat reading for a while, Edward began ogling

Bella's treatise on Kant that she was highlighting. He
muttered, "I'd rather be reading yours."

Bella looked at the briefing memo sitting before him with

a title that included the words "Federal Trade
Commission." She wrinkled her nose. "I'm not trading."

"You're smart not to."

The two sat and read quietly for almost an hour in the
autumn sun. As time wore on, Bella stretched and looked
over at Edward. He was wearing sunglasses as he sat
reading and scribbling notes on his stack of memos.
Bella considered him for a moment and thought to
herself that he looked just like a regular guy. A really
hot, regular guy, but still a regular guy … not Senator
Cullen.

Edward caught Bella staring at him. "What? What are

you looking at?"

"Nothing."

Setting aside his reading, Edward announced, "You were

looking at me. What were you thinking?"

Bella shook her head. "Not a big deal. I just thought you
didn't look … very senatorial sitting next to me."

With a sly smile, Edward took off his sunglasses and

moved toward Bella signaling that he had every intention
of kissing her. "Good. I would prefer you didn't think of
me as a senator when we're like this. And I certainly
don't want you being my employee."

"OK." Bella tucked her legs underneath her bottom so

that she sat a little higher to more easily reach his lips.
Both knew exactly the other's mind at that moment
because from the beginning the kiss was one of
abandoned roles and responsibilities. It was a kiss of
desire and need for something else that couldn't yet be
had. Bella raised herself onto her knees as she placed her
hands behind his ears so she could hold his face to hers.
Sitting up from the recline of the lounge, Edward's hands
traveled all around Bella's back, but her bulky sweater
meant that he felt almost nothing of her body. Frustrated
by the obstacle of her sweater, his hands moved down to
her skirt. There he stroked her hips, before allowing
himself a firm squeeze of her ass.

Bella immediately giggled. "What is up? Are you an ass

guy?"

Edward's eyebrows knitted together as he chuckled

gruffly. "No. I wouldn't say so."

"Then why are you grabbing mine again?"

"Well, you do have a very fine one – I've told you that.
But I also have … limited options for touching you." With
another chuckle, he added, "I've got to take what I can
get."

"Oh. Alright then."

Provocatively, Edward ventured, "No, I'm not an ass guy.
My preferences are for those parts of your body that I
don't have. I'm pretty elemental that way … more of a
caveman."

Smiling at him, Bella surmised his statements. "A

caveman. So you're a Venus of Willendorf kind of guy?"

"Um. I don't know who that is, but I'm guessing with the
word Venus it means she's beautiful – like you."

Bella laughed. "Right. Beautiful in kind of a prehistoric

way. The Venus of Willendorf is an ancient scultpure. It's
supposed to be the perfect female form – some kind of
fertility figure. She's not exactly proportional to the
modern ideal of a woman's body, but the essentials are
the same. She has enormous breasts and um …. very
large … genitalia."

His eyebrows rose with her last sentence, "Really?"

Amused, Bella gave a slight roll of her eyes before

commenting, "You cavemen haven't really evolved."

Edward laughed in agreement. "I assure you – I have not

evolved." Then tugging on her sweater, he petulantly
commented, "Which is why I find this sweater so
offensive. I can't see your body. If I can't touch it, at least
let me see it."

Looking down at her sweater, Bella recalled what she

wore underneath. Not thinking it a big deal, Bella smiled
at Edward and swiftly pulled the sweater over her head.
She sat back on her heels again, but this time she was
wearing a tight, long-sleeved t-shirt.

With an exaggerated sigh of relief, Edward commented,

"Ah. Much better." Then in a disapproving voice, he
added, "But still no exposed skin."

"You're crazy. It's cold."

His voice shifting to one of seduction, he agreed with

her. "You're right. I shouldn't complain. You look
gorgeous." Right as he said it, one of his long fingers slid
its way around the side and then under Bella's left
breast.

His finger never touched her breast – only her bra, but
the sight of it near her breast made Bella clench below.
She managed to sputter in response, "I'm not exactly
well-endowed."

He scowled at her words and started tracing the same

pattern along her right breast. "Darling, you're perfectly
endowed. Just beautiful." Edward repeated the sweep of
his finger around her breasts a few times as he
contemplated the color and shape of her nipples.

Bella trembled as he touched her and his words made

her mind melt. Impulsively, she decided to steady herself
by kissing him quickly. Edward felt the rashness of the
kiss and pulled her to him, but he carefully moved his
hands away from her chest and down to her lower back.
Bella moved with him as he reclined them both back
onto the lounge. With their lips and tongues now fully at
play, Edward roamed his hands further down, finally
landing on her thighs, while Bella felt her way around his
chest. She stroked with circular motions below his belly
button, causing a low groan to escape from Edward's
mouth. Almost immediately, he began to journey his
hands under her skirt, gently stroking her legs, which
were only covered by her tights. Bella was enrapt with
the feeling of Edward's hands on her legs. The flimsy
material between his hands and her thighs seemed like
nothing to Bella, making her feel almost naked under his
touch. She lost a hold on the present, so it took a
moment for her to realize that Edward's hands were now
at the bottom of her butt cheeks nearing her sex.

Her eyes flew open. "Edward, you need to stop."

Edward stopped his hands in place on her upper legs.

"Why?" Smiling devilishly at her, he noted, "You're
wearing tights. Your clothes are on."

Panicky, she agreed, "Sure. Right. Tights … but nothing

else."

It sounded like a growl coming deep from within

Edward's body, but the growl turned into a groan.
"Nothing? Not even a thong?"

In a small voice, Bella squeaked, "No. I hate how

everything gets bunched up when you wear stockings
and underwear."

Groaning again, Edward muttered, "The things you do to

me, Bella Swan." But he shifted his mood quickly and
with a look of determination he somewhat gleefully
announced, "Well, your lack of undergarments … that's
your problem. I'm not stopping."

"Wait. But … are"

Edward moved in for another kiss saying, "I won't break

any rules." They kissed again with his hands stationary
under her skirt. Soon, though, his hands moved over her
ass and onto her hips. He maneuvered his thumbs so
first they traced patterns over her belly. Her skirt was
hiked higher, but his hands were still hidden from her
view. She felt everyone of his movements, though, and
she started to squirm. Edward mumbled between their
kisses, "I'm not finished yet." Let's see how she responds
to this.

His thumbs then found her pelvis and followed the line
of either side of the bone. Bella gasped, though, when he
let his thumbs follow the natural narrow path between
her pelvis and leg. He never touched her sex, but coming
oh so close – his thumbs stopping just below the first
stretch of muscle and tendons before her inner thigh.
She didn't dare even wiggle the slightest bit, or his hands
would have surely landed exactly where she really
wanted them. Finding some sense in the sexual fuzziness
in her brain, she asked, "Edward … what are you doing?"

A smug Edward replied, "Being a tease. Do you like it?"

"Uh. Yeah."

"Good." And with that, he went back to kissing and

stroking along the v-shaped divide of her body. Bella
found his handiwork so arousing that soon she was quite
sure that she was engorged enough to look like the Venus
of Willendorf. It wasn't long before Bella whined, "I don't
think I can take this any longer." Or I'm going to grab
your hand and stick it flat on my crotch.

Laughing, Edward slowly removed his hands and

straightened her skirt. "Was I mean?"

Bella punched him in the shoulder. "Of course. You know

that you were mean. You should also know that payback
is hell."

Edward smiled as he kissed her nose. "When do I get to

experience this promised hell?"

With a slight pout, Bella replied, "I'm not sure."

The two stayed out on the terrace for the afternoon. Bella
rifled through Edward's briefing memos and quizzed him
on the various issues. She picked the most boring
subjects she could find and gave him grades after he
answered her questions.

"Let's see you've done very well on Veterans Affairs

hospitals, nuclear waste sites, and NASA funding, but
you utterly failed anything to do with the Federal Trade
Commission. That's an important agency, Edward. You
need to study."

He was more amused than annoyed by her comments.

"Give me a break. I have to read about so much that I
have absolutely zero interest in." With a sniff, he
admitted, "But, your questions do help me retain things,
although I don't like the grades."
"You're in charge of your own marks. You should work
harder."

Diving in to both tickle and kiss her, Edward chortled,

"Watch it smartass or I'll stop tickling you and start
teasing you again."

When Esme returned home, Bella stayed for a cup of tea

with her. At six, though, Bella knew she needed to leave.
Esme smiled and said, "Please come to the house
tomorrow. I need to plant bulbs in the garden. I go to
church in the morning so can we meet at the house at
two?"

Bella agreed and told her hostess good bye. As Edward

walked her to the door, he said, "I think that you should
take a cab tomorrow. I'll leave the gate open so the driver
can pull in."

It took a moment for his request to make sense. I can't

be seen walking up and then entering his house. "Sure.
That's not a big deal."

After she said it, Edward's happy face morphed into one
of chagrin. Standing in the front hallway together, he
stared into her eyes and shook his head. "I really am a
lousy date."
"What do you mean? I had a great time."

Edward ran his hand through his hair and looked away
before saying, "Where should I begin? I can't pick you
up. I can't take you home. I can't go out in public with
you. Hell, I can't even talk with you in public. I trap you
inside. My family is always around. And I certainly can't
touch you the way I want."

He looked so distraught that Bella reached up to smooth

his hair. "Edward, it's OK. It won't be like this forever."

Not saying anything, Edward sourly nodded.

"We can talk about it tomorrow, OK?"

Forcing a smile, Edward leaned down to give Bella a

long, sweet kiss goodbye.

As Bella walked back home down Connecticut Avenue,

she heard her phone ring. Bella didn't like talking while
walking down a busy street, especially when her
thoughts were elsewhere – elsewhere in this case being
Edward. She was curious to see who was calling her,
though, so she glanced at the number. It wasn't a
number she had programmed into her phone. Yet it was
one of the few 360 area code numbers she could identify,
and Bella immediately recognized it as Jacob Black's.
~*~
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/527_Organization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Willendorf

~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Two ~
It took a few seconds for Bella to accept that Jake was
calling her. So jolted by the sight of his number, she even
stopped walking. Why is Jake calling me? He never calls
me. And the last time we saw each other … When it
finally did sink into her brain, she tossed the phone back
in her bag, letting it go straight to voicemail. But Bella
remained standing on the street rather than walking
ahead; she panicked that maybe something was wrong –
with Charlie. No. Somebody else would call me about
Charlie – Sue, Harry, or somebody from the police
station. Jake must really want to talk to me … Oh God.

Edward was her next immediate thought; she wanted to

listen to Jake's message together with him. But I can't.
What am I supposed to do – go back to his mom's and
track him down? I should be able to call him … to see
him. Yet, it's impossible. Distressed by the reality of her
relationship with Edward, she began heading down
Connecticut Avenue. She was completely oblivious to the
teeming cars speeding past her because she was so
absorbed by Edward's last words about his own
frustrations with their relationship. I need to see him. I
need to talk to him. I want … I want my boyfriend. The
very thought of calling Edward Cullen her boyfriend
made her stop again. Her eyes instantly spotted an
Italian restaurant with happy couples enjoying dinner
together. The sight only reinforced Edward's comments.
There was nothing normal about their relationship. She
quickly decided that she would worry later about what
she was to him and he was to her. Whatever he is, there
is no one else I want to talk to right now, and yet I can't.

While Bella trudged home, Edward moped around his

mother's apartment, gathering his things to leave. It was
obvious to Esme that her son was bothered by
something. Wanting to draw it out of him, she offered
him dinner, which he declined saying he had work to do.
Esme decided not to press because she knew by his lack
of conversation he would be even more irritated if she
asked.

By the time he got to his car, Edward was immobilized

by the internal debate raging in his head about his
relationship with Bella. He tried to evaluate the situation
objectively as he sat staring at his BMW's steering wheel.
The fact was he was a happier man ever since their first
encounter in the backseat of his car. She made him
laugh, she challenged him, and he had never been more
physically attracted to a woman. He knew the first two
factors clinched the last one. Yet, they were in an
untenable situation. How can we carry on like this …
under these circumstances … and for how long? With a
sigh and a shrug, he acknowledged to himself that he had
no answer. He just wanted her to be happy also, and he
would stop everything between them if that wasn't the
case.

Later that Sunday, Bella picked up a cab on 18th Street

and gave the driver Edward's address. Three kinds of
cabbies drove the streets of DC. The first were recent
immigrants who would often ask their passengers for
directions or names of obvious landmarks such as, "Is
that the Capitol?" The second were long-time cabbies
who were far more interested in their Bluetooth
conversations or radio programs to care who they were
shuttling around or where they might be going. The third
were long-time cabbies who knew current political news
better than the editors at the Washington Post and were
highly interested in every passenger's occupation,
destination, and thoughts on the news of the day. Bella
held her breath as the driver nodded in recognition of
the neighborhood she was heading to, and she
immediately exhaled in relief when he simply turned up
the volume of the Redskins game and ignored her until
he asked for the fare in Edward's driveway.

Bella grinned at her first sight upon stepping out of the

cab. There was Esme Cullen wearing gardening togs and
a big hat while leaning on her hands and knees in the
flower bed. "Hello Bella! Isn't it a lovely day? I hope it
will be just as nice when these tulips appear next spring."
"Hi Esme! What color are you planting?"

"Oh lots. But these are my favorite – blackish purple.

Carlisle always thought they were macabre, but I think
they're fascinating."

"They sound very striking." Just as Bella finished her

sentence, the giant gate automatically closed behind her.

Esme pointed toward the door with her trowel, happily

telling Bella, "Feel free to go on in. Edward is waiting for
you."

"OK. I'll see you later." As Bella pushed the heavy door
open, it suddenly sprung more easily with Bella realizing
it was being opened from within. When she walked in a
step beyond the door, it closed, and she saw Edward
standing in its place. She smiled at the second day of
growth on his chiseled face. He was wearing a blue
hoodie with the word Navy written across the chest and
another pair of tattered jeans.

As he offered to take her jacket, he greeted her with a

grin. "Hey Darling."

"Hi Edward." Bella gave him her jacket, but kept her bag.
She needed access to her phone.
"Come on inside."

The two talked about their nights and mornings as they

walked toward the living room. Bella was just about to
tell him about Jake's call, but she eyed his stubble during
their conversation. She impulsively reached up and
rubbed her cheek against his. "Your scruff – it's gotten a
little softer."

She was going to give him a peck, but Edward's quick

murmured reply of, "Has it now?" turned into a full-
blown kiss of passion. She dropped her bag at once. It
was a kiss more appropriate for the bedroom than
standing in the living room, and to make up for the
location, Edward picked up Bella by her hips, placing her
on the back of a sofa. They continued to kiss, and when
his mouth did break from hers, his jaw began traveling
down her neck where he began kissing all along the
décolletage of her tank top.

Bella melded her body to his, pulling him by his belt

loops toward her so that she felt all of him, causing
Edward to chuckle into her cleavage, "I'm glad you're as
happy to see me, as I am you."

A little breathless, she agreed, "Yes, yes, I would say so."

"I'd also like to say how much I like this outfit." Bella
looked down at her jeans, flannel shirt, and Edward's
handsome face nestled into her chest above her tank top.
Edward added, "Lots of exposed skin in a very nice
place."

Bella giggled. "And I thought I was sloppy today, but you

like it."

Moving up to kiss her again, he replied, "Very much."

Seconds later, the crack of the front door opening

stopped everything.

Esme called out, "Edward! Are you in here? I'm just

getting some water."

An irritated Edward looked at Bella and apologetically

shook his head. To his mother, he simply responded,
"We're just heading downstairs." Then in a whisper to
Bella, he apologized. "I'm sorry about that. This isn't the
most private part of the house. Let's go watch football or
something."

As Edward led her through the maze of rooms in the

lower portion of the house, Bella again kept her thoughts
to herself about the Cullens' excess. The downstairs was
partially below ground, with French doors off some
rooms leading outside. There was a game room with
everything from billiards to fussball, a large gym with a
sauna, a theater that was more of a giant living room
with a large screen, and a bar with an additional sitting
area. Edward opened a couple of beers from the bar and
nabbed a bag of pretzels, before leading them into the
theater.

When he offered to take her bag before they sat on a sofa

to watch TV, Bella knew it was time to deal with Jake's
call.

"Um. I need to take my phone out. We need to listen to

something, and we need to talk."

Edward's brow furrowed as Bella took out her phone and

handed the bag over to Edward to set on a side table.
"OK. What's wrong?"

Both sat down, and Bella took a swig of beer before

starting her story. "I got this call yesterday as I was
walking home. I wanted to talk to you last night, but
well, you know, I couldn't reach you. Anyway, I haven't
listened to it yet because I wanted you there."

She needed to talk to me, and she couldn't? His voice full
of concern, Edward asked, "So who is it?"

Bella grimaced as she dialed her voicemail. "Jacob." She

then hit speakerphone, and Jacob's voice filled the room.

"Bells, It's Jake. Listen, I want to apologize for the last

time I saw you. I was really rude, and I'm sorry. In fact,
I'm sorry for all of the bad blood we've had. It's been
really stupid of me all these years. I want to start over
… as friends. And, I'm going to be in DC soon. I was
hoping we could have dinner and maybe drinks … to
catch up and for old time's sake. You know, we were
good friends before. We should be friends again. It
would make our dads happy. And I would be happy,
too. I think you would be, also. So give me a call. Love
you, Bells. Bye."

Without thinking, Edward immediately snarled, "Bells?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "It's just what he calls me.

No big deal."

"I hate it." Actually, Edward was disgusted with

everything he had just heard. He remembered to keep
his cool, though, at least until he found out what Bella
thought of Jacob's offer. Finding composure, he asked,
"So what do you think? How do you feel about it?"

Bella blinked repeatedly at the question. "I think … I

think … he's up to something, but also he's being sincere
saying that he wants to be friends. Anyway, I'm not sure
what it is, but there's something weird about this call. I
mean, why now?"

Still trying not to tip his cards, Edward inquired, "So do

you think it's in response to when I talked to him back in
Seattle?"

She nodded. "Probably."

"Do you think he wants to see you … romantically?" I

will not let him touch you.

"God, I hope not."

"Do you want to see him?" Say no.

"No. Not really."

"Are you going to call him back?" Say no.

Bella was quiet for a moment. "I think I should."

Staying calm, Edward quietly asked, "Why?" For the love

of God, why?

"To just get it over with. I don't want him calling me

again or complaining to Charlie that I won't talk with
him. Ugh. I hate having to talk with Charlie about Jake."
Edward pondered her explanation. I can accept it. She
wants certainty. She wants things over and done with.
That makes sense. He proposed his next question. "Do
you think that there's anything he could say that would
make you want to be his friend?" Please say no.

"No. I don't ever see us being friends." Bella looked at

Edward quizzically. "What do you think I should do? Do
you care?"

He was confounded by her last question and repeated it

back to her, "Do I care? Of course, I care."

"I was just checking. I know you care politically."

"Politically?" Edward was getting upset. "That's entirely

secondary. I've been asking about you, Bella."

"Oh." Bella liked the thought, but she was confused that
she would be his first reaction when the primary issue
should be for him that Jake was his opponent.

Unsettled by Bella's reaction, Edward ventured on. "My

girlfriend has a brutal ex who wants to take her out for
dinner and drinks, supposedly to restore their
friendship. But more importantly, the last time he was
with her he hurt her badly enough to cause bruises. And
by sheer luck, the only thing that stopped him from
doing more was the fact you had Mike Newton nearby
who by chance is actually bigger than him. You wouldn't
think that I would care?"

Bella instantly focused on only the first two words of

Edward's answer – my girlfriend. She decided that the
moment wasn't right to further question him about that.
Instead, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the
cheek. "Well, thank you."

"Don't thank me. It's how I feel." At that, he picked up

Bella's hand and kissed it. "Bella, it's your decision how
you respond to his call, but I'll admit that I don't like the
idea of you seeing him in person … alone."

"I don't want to." But, I wouldn't put it past Jake to

show up on my doorstep. He had done it many times
before, but Bella decided not to tell Edward that. It was
nothing either of them could control.

He was satisfied with her answer, though, and simply

said, "Good ."

"But do you think he's got some political angle for

wanting to see me?"

Edward's shrewd politico took over from there on.

"Without a doubt."

"You don't think he knows about us?"

"No." With a wink, Edward suggested, "Besides, there's

nothing to know. You're Esme Cullen's friend."

Bella smiled. "Right. My new best friend."

Edward waited a moment before giving the rest of his

assessment. "But, he wants to know about me – about
my campaign, about my family, anything he can get his
hands on." He looked at Bella as if he was appraising her
and then posed the question, "How good of a liar are
you, Bella?"

Her eyes widened. When she waited a second too long to

reply, Edward answered for her. "Bad. Probably really
bad. I can tell."

"Sorry."

"You should not be sorry for being a decent human

being." And I can lie well enough for both of us.

He sighed; for his own self-preservation, he needed to

request something of her that he had no reason to ask as
her boyfriend. Only a boss would need this, and only an
employee should feel obligated to comply. "Bella, you
can say no to my next question, and I'll never bring it up
again. I promise. But I'm wondering if you would play
the message for Rosalie. It would be … helpful for me if
she knew."

"Sure. I don't care. She should hear it. And Seth should,
too. Esme is right … Seth should know everything about
us … and Jake. You may not be aware of this, but his
sister, Leah, is a member of the tribal police. She's
definitely in the know on the reservation. She and
Charlie work together a lot. Anyway, that's how Seth gets
wind of a lot of stuff ... plus hearing it from his parents."

Straight away, Edward began justifying to himself the

answer he was about to give. "Yeah, I was aware of that,
and you're right." I was honest. I just didn't tell her how
much I know. But Jesus Christ, when am I going to
come clean that I've met Charlie and my whole family
knows of him all too well? We need to talk about
Emmett, so I can explain things - so she'll understand.
Edward decided that was not the right moment.

"Oh OK. Well, I don't feel the need to call Jake back
immediately. So whenever you want to let Rosalie listen
to it is fine with me."

"She's coming over today … I'm not sure when. We can

do it then. I'd rather she hear it sooner rather than later."

Bella nodded. She had made a promise to herself to

bring something up, and the right time had presented
itself. Taking a breath, she timidly remarked, "You know,
Edward, I didn't like not being able to talk with you
about this last night. It … well, it sucked."

Edward's face went grim. "I can imagine. I don't like

hearing that. I've been worrying myself … We're both
going to be on the road a lot this month. I'm going back
to the state later this week, and then there's
Thanksgiving. I don't like the idea of not talking with you
all that time. And I know it sounds conspiratorial … I
just feel cell phones are risky."

"I understand that … but frankly, if one of us is away, it

makes more sense that we can't communicate. I don't
like being here and not talking. I get anxious. It's a very
odd situation to be in."

Stroking her hair, Edward wanted to know more. "What

do you mean?"

Bella saw an opening to express the strange emotions

she had been penning up for the last week. "It's just
strange … primarily in the office. When we're together,
here, we're so … close, but it has this clandestine feel
about it. Then in the office, we don't even acknowledge
one another. And, I can't talk to you after work, either. I
don't know … I wonder if this is how a mistress feels."

"A mistress? You feel like a mistress?" Edward was

horrified that she might feel that way. Does she feel like
I'm using her?

She could see that he was upset by the conversation, so

she tried to crack a joke. "Well, obviously not exactly like
a mistress … I think you've noticed we're relatively
chaste."

Edward was quiet. When he finally spoke, he declared,

"You know I read part of Jane Eyre."

"Yeah. You said you were." Where is he going with this?

With playful annoyance, he announced, "First of all, you

didn't tell me Mr. Rochester was Mr. Edward Rochester."

"Whatever. It was a popular name then."

"Regardless, I just don't want you feeling like Jane when

Rochester asks her to be his concubine."

Bella smiled up at him bashfully. "I think that you've

made it known that you won't be asking that of me."
"True. But, you may feel isolated, and I don't like that."
Then making a joke at his own expense, he remarked,
"Of course, you've already had to deal with a mad woman
in the attic in the form of Irina."

"If she's the only one, then she was nothing. Are there
others?" Why did I say that? Of course there are. He's
going to get cranky.

Edward grumpily sighed. "Let's hope not." But with my

luck, there will be. The sour look on his face remained as
he continued, "Seriously though, I want you to be happy,
and if you're not …"

"Edward, of course, I'm happy with you. I just would like

it if I could talk to you once in a while besides when we're
alone together."

Nodding Edward considered the situation. "Let me think

about it. As I told you yesterday, I wish things could be
more normal between us too."

Trying to ease him out of his bad mood, Bella offered, "I
think it might have other benefits. Maybe we would be
more likely to keep our hands to ourselves, if everything
didn't seem so intense when we actually saw one
another."
He smiled at the thought. "You think that would work?"

"Well, it feels like everything is heightened between us

because … because of the secrecy."

"That's very perceptive. I think you're right about that."

Still smiling at her he said, "But, I'm not sure about the
rest. In fact, I'm quite confident that any opportunity I
have to touch you will only result in me touching you
more, not less."

Bella grinned back. "Is that a promise?"

"Oh yes." Edward reached over and pulled her in tight

for a long kiss. When Bella grabbed on to a bunch of
bulky sweatshirt in an attempt to close any distance
between them, she decided that was the perfect time for
payback.

"What did you say about my sweater yesterday? I think

you said it was offensive because you couldn't see me."

Edward chuckled. "That's right. So what? So you think

my sweatshirt is offensive."

"Very much so."

Without further comment, Edward leaned forward and
yanked the hoodie over his head, as only men do. He was
left in a white undershirt, which Bella eyed with
approval.

"Better," she said and reached up to kiss him again. Only

this time, everything was different. Bella's hands roamed
freely all over his torso. And as her hands lingered on his
lower abdomen, it didn't take long for Edward to say her
name in a warning, "Bella…"

She didn't stop her hands, though, as she retorted,

"Payback." While her hands wandered around the hem
of his shirt and the waistline of his jeans, Bella decided
to create her own loophole to the rule. Lifting his shirt
Bella let her hands drift along the taut muscles of his
stomach, Edward instantly reacted. "Bella, what are you
doing?"

"If you can have a silly converse to the clothes rule that
exposed skin is fair game. I can have one that says as
long as clothing stays on, hands are free to roam."

"Bella … I think we have to revisit these rules. Your

interpretation could lead to …"

At that point Bella found the tempting stretch of hair

from his belly button to below, and she began stroking it
up and down, but stopped at his jeans. She devilishly
questioned him, "Are you sure?"

God, I want her to touch my cock. She's so close. Edward

groaned, "We can talk about the damn rules later," and
his mouth found hers again in a hungry kiss.
Simultaneously, he reclined so that he was offering
himself up to her. Bella tentatively moved her hand
lower over his jeans and found his erection trapped at an
awkward angle. Taking matters into her own hands, she
repositioned him so that she could tickle and stroke his
length through the denim.

Edward's head lolled back at her touch. "My God, Bella.

That feels so good."

Thrilled with the power she had over him, Bella asked,
"And this?" promptly moving her left hand into his jeans
and boxers. When she first touched the soft, warm skin
of his penis, Bella smiled. There's no way I'm stopping
here.

Edward jolted up when she began to play with the head

of his cock, repeatedly pulling her five fingers from the
rim to the tip.

"Um. Bella. This payback thing should end. I'm not going
to be able to control myself."
"Then don't." Bella kissed him again and dived further
into his pants, encircling his erection with her hand and
caressing up and down.

"Oh God," Edward groaned. When Bella began gently

tugging his length, Edward succumbed. "Fuck. Yes." His
hands swiftly undid his jeans and pulled his boxers
below his testicles. With more access, Bella got a better
handle on his penis, while her other hand began fondling
his balls. Seeing Bella's hand on his cock was almost as
arousing as feeling her hand on him, and the
combination began to send him over the edge. "Bella …
you're going to make me come."

"I want you to." Bella admired his erection. Even his dick
is gorgeous.

It a little more than a minute more before Bella's

handiwork got the best of Edward. His orgasm was loud
and abundant. The sound made Bella jump, and the
blast of cum landed across his shirt.

Afterward, Edward shook his head, rattling around his

thoughts. The first one that came to mind was, "If that's
how I react to your hands … God help me."

"What do you think of my interpretation of the rule?"

"In legislative terms, I would say you gutted the
underlying law."

"Oh." For a moment, she thought that Edward might be

looking guilty. She remembered his original explanation
of why he wanted to limit their contact – he didn't want
to feel unethical. She offered an explanation. "Does it
make you feel better if you think of it that I attacked
you?"

Edward laughed. "You? You attacked me?"

"Sure."

Still smiling, Edward reminded her, "Bella, I'm kind of a

big guy. And, not to sound conceited, but there aren't too
many men that I couldn't handle if they were to attack
me. The idea that I couldn't handle a 100-pound woman
is kind of a joke."

Bella began to feel badly that she had made Edward

uncomfortable. With all sincerity, she offered, "Well,
none of those men care for you the way I do; none of
them want to make you happy. That's why I attacked
you."

Edward gazed into her doe eyes and placed one hand on
her cheek. So soft. "Bella, no one has ever made me
happier."

Beaming right back at him, Bella kissed him, but not

before saying, "That's very nice to hear."

When their kiss finished, Edward looked down at his

cum-stained shirt and flaccid dick hanging out. "I'm kind
of a mess."

As Bella giggled at him, Edward swiftly got his bottom

half together, and then without hesitation took off his t-
shirt.

Bella locked her jaw shut so as not to gawk at a half-clad,

perfectly-sculpted Edward sitting beside her. Gah!

Edward grinned at her stare, "What?"

"Um. Can you stay like that?"

"Not around my family. Come to my room. I need

another t-shirt."

His room! "OK."

Edward put on his sweatshirt and balled up the t-shirt.

As they walked upstairs, he opened a closed door and
unceremoniously threw the shirt inside. Looking at
Bella, he commented, "Laundry room."

When they got to upper story of the house, Edward

ticked off the names of the owners of each of the rooms.

Bella immediately asked, "Your brother and sisters still

have rooms here."

"Sure. They stay over occasionally. The whole family

piles in if there's going to be a snowstorm. This place has
everything – much better than being stuck in an
apartment."

He then pushed open a door revealing a very Spartan

bedroom. "This is mine."

Other than a long wall covered in shelves of thousands of

CDs and a stereo, the walls were bare, save for some
photography. There was a king-sized bed with decidedly
masculine, gunmetal gray sheets and duvet. Bella gulped
when she saw it. Oh my God. Edward's bed. The other
furniture consisted of a nightstand, dresser, and leather
sofa off to the side.

Bella wasn't sure what to do with herself while he

changed, and she wanted to keep her eyes off of the
intimidating bed. She began asking him about his music.
Reactively though, she turned when he started to
answer. By doing so, she saw him – half-naked again,
only wearing his jeans sloping off his hips. I really do
want to attack him now.

Edward eyed her eyeing him. The fact that they were
alone in his bedroom was not lost on him. Hell yeah. "On
second thought, I don't want to get dressed yet." With
that, he smiled as he walked over and picked Bella up in
his arms.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking you to my bed, damn it."

"Your bed?" Your bed!

He replied, "Sure," as he pulled his door shut. Grinning

at her, he told her, "I believe I owe you one."

Bella was stunned into silence by the thought that

Edward seemed to have every intention of giving her an
orgasm. Is this what it feels like to win the lottery? No,
this has to feel better. Gently, he placed her on the bed
with a pillow and slid up next to her. Bella looked down
at the beautiful man beside her and remembered the
perfectly formed penis that resided in his jeans. Her
crotch clenched. Also nervous by their location in his
bedroom, Bella leaned over to kiss him, simply because it
seemed easier to her than talking.

The kiss got Edward into his groove immediately, and

his hand began stroking her neck softly before it
meandered down to her cleavage. "I'm abiding by your
interpretation of the rules now."

"I thought you didn't like that interpretation."

"I didn't say I didn't like it; I just said it eviscerated their
intent." With that, he claimed her mouth again in a kiss,
while his long fingers reached inside her bra. Bella
moved toward him, as he cupped her breast moving his
thumb and index finger to play with her nipple. Arching
her chest up to him, Edward got on his knees astride her
– still kissing her, but allowing both of his hands into her
shirt. As his fingers pinched and pulled at her nipples,
Bella's hips rolled about in response. He broke the kiss to
watch what he was doing, and he admired the tawny rose
of her nipples. Nice tits. Very nice tits. To Bella, though,
he remarked, "You have beautiful breasts."

"Thank you." Smiling up at him, she added, "You've got a

nice chest, too."

Edward kissed her again with far more intention than

before. Still on his knees, he removed one hand from her
shirt and let it travel slowly down to her sex. She jerked
when he first touched her, but she quickly tilted her
pelvis up to him. Edward wanted to slowly coax an
orgasm out of her, so he avoided finding her clitoris right
away. Instead, two of his fingers traced along the curve
of her labia, making Bella quite certain her entire lower
body was aflame. Please, put your hands in my pants
now, please. By the time his other hand then joined its
mate below her waist, Bella was squirming impatiently
with unfulfilled need. But just as he began to unbutton
her jeans, there was a knock at the door.

"Edward, are you in there? It's Rosalie."

Their eyes met, and Bella saw that Edward was

supremely pissed. To her, he said, "This would be the
problem of living here. My whole fucking family still
treats it like it's their house, and we're all 12."

To Rosalie, he grunted, "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Not now. I'll meet you in the garage later."

"No. Come and talk to me now."

Whispering "I'm sorry," to Bella, Edward groaned and

went to crack open the door. "What cannot wait,
Rosalie?"

Rosalie smirked. "Nice shirt, Edward."

"Will you get the fuck on with it?"

"I just wanted to let you know. Irina is bringing her car
over in 20 minutes. I'm giving her an oil change."

He had to suppress his laughter, but he then

remembered Bella's phone call from Jacob. He needed to
talk with Rosalie before Irina got there. With much
reluctance, he said, "OK. I need you to hear something.
We'll be down in five. "

"Fine." She turned to walk away, but over her shoulder

yelled, "Hi Bella. Sorry for interrupting."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Three ~
Thoroughly annoyed at his sister, Edward turned around
expecting Bella to be lying on his bed patiently waiting
for him, but she wasn't there. A frown formed on his face
as he saw her standing by his stereo looking at a stray CD
case sitting by a speaker. Always an attentive lover,
Edward never liked leaving a partner wanting. Yet the
idea that Bella – of all women – would leave his
bedroom less than satisfied made him disappointed in
himself. As he walked toward her, he tentatively offered,
"We don't have to talk with her immediately. She can
listen to the message tomorrow."

Bella shyly smiled at him. "We should deal with Jake's

call now … and you know it."

Full of chagrin, Edward ensnared her against his naked

chest and kissed her hair. "I know it, and I don't like it."

"It's OK. I'll take an IOU." Bella let her cheek rest against
his skin while her fingers found his delta of springy,
bronze hair between his perfectly formed pecs. "I want
you like this again, though. That's my only requirement."

"You got it."

After Edward donned another t-shirt and his hoodie,

they walked downstairs. Rosalie sat rapidly texting on
her Blackberry and giggling to herself the whole while.
She didn't even look up to greet them after they sat down
on the sofa adjacent to her chair. Instead, she cooed at
her phone, "Irina, you are so funny."

Bella gave Edward a baffled smile. He shook his head

bemusedly, but in a sharp voice he insisted, "Rosalie, you
told me Irina was going to be here soon so we had to talk
now."

Still not raising her head because she was finishing a

text, Rosalie mumbled, "She is. She just got caught in
traffic getting on the Key Bridge. No big deal." She then
put her phone down. "Alright, what is it that you want
me to hear?"

As Bella played Jake's message, Rosalie's eyes shifted

around the room. Her immediate reaction was one of
purposeful glee. "Excellent . A nice development. So
Bella, when are you seeing him?"

"Um. I really didn't want to see him."

Edward saw where Rose was taking things. What was I

thinking? Of course, Rose would want Bella to play
along to get information. "No Rose. Bella is not doing
that. End of story. I will not have her around that guy –
he physically hurt her for Christ's sake. And I will not
have Bella be a pawn between the two campaigns."

Perturbed by her brother's protection of Bella, Rosalie

muttered, "Is that why you don't want to see him,
Bella?"

"Not really. I've got my own reasons. I just would rather

talk to Jake than deal with him in person. I need to call
him back, though. He's pretty persistent, and I want to
clear some things up with him."

Edward questioned Bella. "What do you mean by

'persistent'? He'll just call you all the time or what?"

"Well … in the past … yes, Jake would get a little crazy if

he felt like I was ignoring him, and he would just show
up at my job or my house."

With the tone of a dictatorial parent, he commanded her.

"Then you're calling him back tonight. I don't want him
at your door."

"Please, Edward. I can take care of myself. I'll call him

back. Relax."

That was all Rosalie needed to hear. "Great, Bella. I'm

fine with a phone call, too, if that's what you want. I just
want you to get as much information as you can from
him."

Growling at his sister, Edward commanded, "Watch it,

Rose. She's not working for the campaign."

The two siblings then began bickering over the issue.

Bella sat back watching them bark at one another. This is
so stupid. We're making a bigger deal of this than it
should be.

"Can you two hold it down for a second?"

Rosalie and Edward stopped stepping over each other's

sentences and stared at Bella as she began fiddling with
her phone. "I'm just going to call Jake right now. It's
going to go straight to voicemail anyway. He's pathetic
with technology."

They sat stone quiet as she held the phone to her ear,
and then, in response to the other line, mouthed
"voicemail" to them. "Hi Jake. It's Bella. Thanks for the
call, and I accept your apology. I'm happy to talk some
more, but we should talk by phone. Give me a call
tomorrow some time. Hope you and your family are
well." She ended the call and put down the phone.

"Nice move, Bella, reminding him he's friggin' married,"

admired Rosalie. "Especially since he drags Emily and
those kids everywhere … everywhere, but dinner and
drinks with Bella in DC."

Still unhappy with how the whole conversation was

unfolding, Edward petulantly grumbled, "Why is it OK
for him to take Bella out publicly like that?" But I can't?

Bella shook her head. "That's easy. If anyone said

anything, Charlie would be out there excusing it
immediately saying, 'He's an old family friend blah, blah,
blah…' and Emily would back him up."

Agreeing, Rosalie added, "Besides, the entire Republican

party would back him up. By now, those assholes Sam
and Paul know that Bella is interning in your office.
They'd make it known to party insiders that Jake was
just trying to get Bella back on his good side and doing
reconnaissance."

"You know, Edward, I'm fine talking with Jake. I can

even ask questions that you might want answered, as
long as it's on the phone." Bella placed her hand on
Edward's leg in summation; he was visibly unhappy.

Edward reluctantly conceded some ground. "I only want

you asking questions that you want answered yourself.
The whole discussion needs to be of your own volition. If
you want to share something with Rosalie or me, that's
fine."

Rosalie's phone vibrated, and with a quick check of it,

she announced that Irina had arrived. "I left the gate
open for her to drive in, and I think we're finished here.
Let me know how it goes tomorrow Bella, whether or not
you hear anything of interest." Edward scowled at her
knowing that she was going to wheedle information out
of Bella one way or another.

As Rosalie went to meet Irina at the garage, Esme walked

in the back door and asked Bella to look at her garden.
Edward begged off saying that it would be better if he
took advantage of the time to work.

Sitting at his desk, he stared at his laptop screen, as he

became increasingly worried about what was happening
physically between Bella and him. It's ridiculous. I could
have stopped her. I succumbed – not to her, but to
myself. I should never have let that happen. And
technically, we've only been dating for what – a week?
I've just wanted her for so long, and she wants
something, too. Whatever happens is mutual; we're
adults. And when we're alone it feels like a natural
progression. But is it ever really consensual if I'm
technically her boss?
He thought of them together in his bedroom less than an
hour before. The moment he caught her eye and realized
where they were, his only thought had been of touching
her … on his bed. I adore her in and out. That I know,
and I want to show her. But does she feel that she could
stop me? It must always be her choice, but could she
really say no?

The rest of the evening went as planned. Esme and Bella

happily cooked dinner together while Esme chided
Edward for his inability in the kitchen as he watched.
Rosalie popped in her head momentarily to announce, "I
won't be joining you. I'm going to dinner with Irina. She
wants to pay me back for the lube job."

Willfully ignoring Edward, Rosalie was out the door

before he finished spitting his wine all over the kitchen
bar. Bella muffled a laugh with him, causing Esme to
look up from her simmering clam sauce. "What's so
funny? I thought everyone liked Irina. Not anymore?"

"No Mom. We still do. It's nothing."

Before Bella caught a ride back to her apartment with

Esme, Edward pulled her aside into his office. He tried to
be more restrained in his kiss good night, but when
Bella's body melted into his, he kissed her as he felt with
untrammeled ardor. My God, I've lost all ability to hold
back … but I don't care … except for one thing.

Still holding her while cradling her head in his hand

from their embrace, Edward gazed at Bella. "I'll get Alice
to pull you into her office tomorrow, so we can catch up.
And if you're available on Wednesday evening, it would
be nice to see you before I leave on Thursday."

Bella nodded. "That's sounds good." Then with a quick

kiss, she said, "Until tomorrow then."

"Until tomorrow."
--

That same evening, Jasper and Alice were eating a light

dinner as they felt the oncoming effects of trans-
continental jetlag. Both were already mentally
acclimating themselves for re-entry into daily life at
home. As Alice began detailing her upcoming trip to
Seattle with Edward later in the week, Jasper began
chewing on some thoughts, in addition to his meal. "So
with Thanksgiving coming up also, Edward and Bella
won't be seeing each other very much for the rest of the
month."

"I suppose that's right."

"I imagine that will be hard on both of them."

"Yes, but there's really nothing that can be done about
that. She's dating a senator – one who represents a state
on the other side of the country. He's gone a lot. She
needs to get used to that. They both have to."

"True. I just don't see how they build any kind of

foundation considering all the issues they have to deal
with – his travel only being one of them."

Troubled by the thought, Alice asked, "So you think

they're doomed for failure?"

Jasper winced. "No. I wouldn't say that. They're just in a

tight spot."

"But, they know that. Personally, I have hope. Edward

hasn't been this happy in … well … years. I can't
remember how long. Definitely not since his friend Alec
was killed. I think there's a lot of potential between them
– as long as they can stay out of trouble."

"That would be the rub, wouldn't it?" Still in thought,

Jasper pulled on his bearded chin. "I'd like to have
dinner with Edward this week – hear how he is." He
leaned to his side and tousled Alice's spiky hair, jokingly
adding, "Without all you Cullen womenfolk around …"

Without missing a beat, Alice stood up for herself and

her kind. "Well, it's the Cullen womenfolk who are going
to get him re-elected, even with everything going on.
Just watch us."

Kissing her neck just below her ear, Jasper murmured,

"Of course, sweetheart, I would never bet against you."
Then before taking a sip of water, he remarked, "I just
feel for Edward."
--
The next morning, Edward held Rosalie and Alice back
as Seth walked out of the room after their morning
meeting. "I need to talk with you about something Mom
wants."

"No fucking way. I'm not feeding Thanksgiving dinner to

the homeless again. I can't stand the smell of those
shelters; it stays in my hair. You can do it, if you want a
photo op."

Alice scowled at her sister. "Rosalie, you're ridiculous.

Stay at home then. Besides I thought we had already
decided to do it again. And I forbid notifying the press.
This is something we do as a family. It's not a campaign
publicity stunt."

"Don't get all high and mighty on me Alice. I'll write a

check like I always do. I dare you to ask Jenks who
makes the most charitable contributions among all of
us."

That shut Alice up. She didn't need to go to their

attorney for that answer. Rosalie was the anonymous
donor that single-handedly kept a Seattle battered
women's shelter afloat. Her philosophy was that if the
law wouldn't allow for men's balls to be cut off for
beating a woman, she could at least help the women out.

Edward stepped into the silence. "It's about Bella and

me. Esme thinks we should tell Seth. I think she's right.
What do you think?"

As usual, Rosalie responded from her gut. "Absolutely.

He's critical." She smirked adding, "And it wouldn't hurt
you to have someone who Charlie Swan trusts on your
side when he hears you've been banging his little girl."
Not missing another beat, she snickered over out-
maneuvering Edward on Sunday afternoon. "Or at least
trying to bang her – not successfully thanks to me."

Not uttering a word in response, Edward glowered at

her. I loathe you sometimes, Rosalie. Truly I do. One
day, I will get you back.

Alice saw the exchange. This is why Jasper wants to talk

with Edward. He's alone with all these women
meddling in his life. With that in mind, she responded,
"I'm fine with it. I think it will be useful in the long run,
but I'd like to wait until tomorrow. I want some things
set up for it. We need to respect the fact that Seth is the
Chief of Staff in this office and has some HR duties he
needs to perform when he hears of a romantic
relationship in the office between a superior and a
subordinate. Seth is a conscientious guy. In private, he's
going to want to confirm with Bella that it's a consensual
relationship. Of course, if it was to ever come out – and
God knows we're doing everything to avoid that –
another employee could still say it was a hostile work
environment just because. We are putting Seth at risk by
telling him, but in the end, it's less likely to become
public if Seth does know. He has his eyes and ears
everywhere."

Nodding in agreement, Edward commented, "You're

right. I feel badly putting Seth in this position, but
obviously, I've already made my decision to be with
Bella."

Then Alice saw her opening. "One more thing, Edward.

Jasper wanted to have dinner with you tonight, and I
took the liberty of putting it on your schedule. I guessed
you'd want to. You two haven't seen each other in a
while. He might have some ideas on how to handle Seth
and some other things."
"Thanks. That's great. And so we'll tell Seth tomorrow
morning."
--
Later that day, Alice asked Bella to stay in her office after
she and Edward had their afternoon reunion of sorts.
Alice smiled as she saw how happy the two of them were
afterwards. And it was with a smile that she handed Bella
her cell phone.

Bella looked perplexed. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"You are now me; and after this evening, Edward will be
Jasper. We're giving you our cell phones. Jasper thought
it up this morning."

Realizing the thoughtfulness and love behind the

gesture, Bella grabbed Alice into a hug. "Thank you,
Alice. That is really kind of you."

Alice handed Bella a slip of paper. "Of course, it still has

my old password. Here it is; you should reprogram it to
your own. As long as you only dial the numbers that are
currently programmed in it, no one will be the wiser as
to who owns the phone. Since I use my Blackberry for
work, the only numbers are friends and family. Oh, two
things, though. The first is you shouldn't text. That's still
dangerous if anyone were to hack into the phone. And
the second is my hair salon's number is in there. Joey is
my guy. He's amazing. Frankly, his number is a bigger
gift than this phone."

"Well, thanks very much. I appreciate that. And no

texting makes a lot of sense."

"So I heard from Edward about Jake calling you. Has he

called you back today?"

Shaking her head, Bella replied, "No. I was pretty clear in

my message that any conversation was going to be all
business. I bet he's mulling it over before he calls me
back."

Alice rolled her eyes. "And no doubt talking to Sam and

Paul for pointers. Well, anyway, we both need to get back
to work." As they started walking to the door, Alice put
her arm around Bella's shoulders and warmly remarked,
"So I bet Edward will be calling you … maybe not tonight
if he gets home late from seeing Jasper, but definitely
tomorrow."
--
That evening, when Edward walked into Jasper's
restaurant of choice "Burma Star," he saw Jasper talking
to a couple near the kitchen who stood underneath a
large poster of Aung San Suu Kyi. A Monday night, the
dining area was largely empty except for a Burmese
family sitting at a large round table in the front. After
giving Edward the mannish handshake back-slap
combination, Jasper introduced him to the restaurant's
owners and gushed over their food.

The couple then ushered them over to Jasper's favored

table in the back, promising to bring out their house
specialties and two Tsingtaos. Jasper commented as they
sat down, "Some of my favorite folks, those two. Most of
their family is still in Rangoon living in pretty harsh
conditions. They visit them occasionally. So I'm happy to
provide them business when I can because they send
money back home. Thanks for meeting me here."

"Thanks for setting it up. It's good to see you."

"So I'm going cut to the chase here, Edward. I wanted to

visit with you to see if there was anything I could do to
help you and Bella. I feel for you."

Edward nodded in appreciation. "Thanks Jasper. Thanks

a lot. It's a dicey situation, but … I'm happier when I'm
around her. I can't deny that."

"Tell me what's so dicey. What gives you two the most

grief?"

"Well, Bella, in particular, hates not being able to talk

when we're not alone. It's a problem when the only time
we can communicate we're sequestered away in secret. It
just adds to the relationship being sort of unreal."

Smiling, Jasper reached into his pocket and produced a

phone. He presented it to Edward as Alice had to Bella,
minus the part about her hair stylist. Edward was
overtaken with gratitude. "Jasper, this is really, really
considerate. I appreciate it. You've outdone yourself as a
brother-in-law. Thanks very much."

Jasper chuckled. "Happy to oblige. Just no smutty

texting, OK?"

"No texting at all. Don't worry about that. Smutty or

clean."

"So what else is vexing you?"

Edward sighed. He needed to talk with someone, and

Jasper was a good person to confide in. "Honestly? It's
the sex thing."

Looking at him in amused disbelief, Jasper remarked, "If

you don't mind me saying, Edward, I wouldn't think that
would be a problem for you."

The comment made Edward laugh. "No. Oh no – that's

not the problem. Believe me, if I could, I'd have her in
my bed right now."

"What do you mean 'if I could'? That doesn't make any

sense. Of course you can."

"Well, there are a few things."

"Like what?"

Edward shook his head thinking about the problems.

"Where do I begin? How about we start with my sisters
who think that I shouldn't really be touching her?"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "I love my wife, but she's not
thinking clearly here. It's not like her – must be because
this is so personal. Regardless, this is a situation entirely
of perception. If you get found out, it doesn't matter
what you have or haven't done. You're cooked either way.
Everyone's going to believe that you were doing it."

"You are right about that." Edward immediately felt at

ease hearing Jasper's Texas brand of common sense.

"I know you Edward, and you wouldn't lie about your
relationship with her. Hell, we've set it up; she's a friend
of the family."

"It's true. That's my non-denial denial – 'Bella Swan is a

friend of my family.' No doubt Esme would demand to
stand beside me; she loves Bella so much."

"As would Alice. And besides, you wouldn't pull a Bill

Clinton and waggle your finger at the American people
and parse your words." Jasper then channeled his best
Bill Clinton imitation, "I did not have sexual relations
with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."

The imitation made Edward laugh in his belly. "No, I

wouldn't lie. And, I'm not Bill Clinton, and she's not
Monica Lewinsky. For one thing, I'm single, and she's
not giving me head in the Oval Office while I'm talking to
a Congressman."

"And, there's no ongoing federal investigation into your

finances or dealings with women. There would be no
question of you obstructing justice."

Still chuckling, Edward rolled his eyes, "No. I'm not

going to get into a debate with the feds before a grand
jury over what the definition of 'is' is."

Jasper shook his head with a grin. "In my mind that

means that you might as well do what you want. With all
this secrecy and subterfuge to throw people off, you two
should at least be enjoying yourselves. Go after it like
two horny farm dogs as far as I'm concerned." He
cracked himself up with his last sentence.

Jasper's laughter was contagious to Edward, plus the

analogy rang a bell. Here I am being compared to a dog
again.

His laughter ebbing, Jasper returned to the gravity of the

situation. In a more somber tone, he stated matter-of-
factly, "Of course, I don't mean to diminish the problems
you and the family would face if it came out you were
dating a 22-year-old in college who worked in your
office."

Edward nodded as the seriousness of the matter came

down around them. If it comes out, Carlisle's legacy is
over. His mouth turned into a hard line before he
replied, "That's why we won't let it come out."

"Of course." Jasper took a drink of beer before asking,

"Is there anything else?"

Not wanting to think more about the dire consequences

of his actions, Edward laid out what was most recently
weighing on him. "Well, there's also the ethical issue."

"What ethical issue?"

"I'm still her boss. Honestly, I haven't quite gotten

beyond that."

"What's holding you back?"

Edward took a breath before disclosing, "She probably

would die if I told you this, but she's a virgin."

Jasper grasped the situation. "Ah, I see. How does she

feel about it?"

"We haven't talked specifics like that. I've only recently

been dwelling on it, and I feel it's a little presumptuous
for me to bring it up just yet."

"But you don't want to be her boss the first time you …"

Quietly nodding, Edward affirmed his sentence. "That's

right. I can't get over that it would always have the taint
of being non-consensual. I wouldn't want that for her …
for us."

Jasper's eyes narrowed. "Hmpf. I've got a bit of advice

for you Edward. You may not want that for the two of
you, but let her decide what she wants for herself. You've
got to let the woman in your life make her own decisions.
Just my two cents. It's made me a happier man in
dealing with my wife."
Edward nodded at Jasper's wisdom. "That looks to be
sound advice."

"I don't know if it's sound, but it's certainly the only way
that works … or should work for that matter."

"So can I ask a favor of you, Jasper?"

"Of course. Shoot."

"Could you and Alice spend time over at the house on

Wednesday evening? I'd like to see Bella before we
leave."

"Sure. Not a problem. I'm happy to spend the night."

Edward thought of having Bella in his bed for an entire

night – with the possibility of having her. That's too
good of an idea. "Yeah. That would be great, but I don't
think we're there yet." Then looking aside for a moment,
he thought aloud, "I wonder what Bella even would say
to her roommates. I bet they still think she's dating Mike
Newton."

"Well, when you want, we should plan a weekend at the

cabin in West Virginia. It can just be the four of us. In
the meantime, I'm happy to help you out on
Wednesday."
Later that night, Bella was sitting on her bed reading
when she heard an unfamiliar ring coming from her bag.
Oh my God. It's Alice's phone. Having scrambled off the
bed to get it, Bella ended up sounding a little breathless
as she answered it with a hello.

"Well, hello Alice."

Her grin could be heard by Edward. "Hi Jasper. I wasn't

expecting to hear from you tonight."

"I couldn't resist."

"I'm glad."

After the two caught up on their days, they talked of the

next day's work, in particular the votes Edward expected
to cast on the various bills on the Senate floor. As the
conversation edged away from routine, Edward became
curious about Bella's life that he was excluded from.
First, he inquired about her room. When he heard about
the sun porch, his mind started spinning. "That sounds
like an easy entry into your house."

"Um. Hello, Mr. Navy SEAL, that's nice that you can leap
tall buildings in a single bound, but you're a senator now.
How exactly do you explain if you get caught hanging off
the back of my house?"
"Not sure. But it would be fun to try. So what are you
wearing?"

Bella's mouth dropped open. What? "Edward, I'm not

sure Alice would approve of me talking on this phone in
that manner."

With a sexy chuckle, Edward retorted, "There was

nothing improper about my question. You could be
wearing a snowsuit."

"I'm not though."

"Then what are you wearing?"

"A tank top and boy shorts."

"Like men's briefs."

"Kind of."

"I'd like to see that." Edward thought twice and then

decided to add, "Maybe you should spend the night over
here sometime."

Bella couldn't believe what he had suggested. "What?

Really?"
"Yes. Or Jasper also offered that we should all do a
weekend together at my family's cabin in West Virginia."

"Wow. That … would be great."

"I think it would be. You'd really like it. It's beautiful out
there. Old sleepy mountains."

"It sounds lovely."

"So would you?"

"Would I what?"

"Spend the night at the house sometime?"

Hesitantly, Bella pondered aloud, "Are we scrapping the

rules?"

"Well, I don't know. We've certainly made a mockery of

them. We crossed the line a few times … and I don't
know about you I enjoyed every second of it." Every
single second... An image of Bella's hand on his cock
came to mind, and he shifted his posture at the thought.

Bella thought of Edward's hand on her body when she

was begging that he would get in her pants. "I did, too."
She took a breath before finishing, "So what are you
thinking?" Why am I feeling a little panicked? I want to
be with him.

"I want us to talk about it on Wednesday. I guess the one

thing I'd say is that I still believe in the underlying intent
of the rules."

"OK. I understand that." Do I, though?

"Alright darling, it's late. We both should go to sleep. I'll

see you tomorrow."

"Good night. Thanks for calling, Edward." After she

ended the call, Bella wondered again about Edward's
statement that he believed in the "intent of the rules".
What does he mean – no sex?
--
The next morning, the Senate had early votes scheduled
on a supplemental Department of Defense
appropriations bill. A defense spending bill was one of
those pieces of legislation that garnered much
bipartisanship support for various issues. Standing in
the center or "the well" of the Senate chamber, Edward
talked with various senators about the amendments they
were voting on. The well was an area where senators
talked in hushed tones with one another, cajoling,
twisting arms, and even trading votes, although none
would admit to the latter.
As Jane Volk talked with some of her Republican
colleagues, she spied Edward finishing up a conversation
with another senator. Smoothing out her red suit, she
casually, but unmistakably sauntered up to him. In an
undetectable voice, she spoke to him as he lowered his
head to listen to her. "I've been thinking about you.
Maybe we should get together again."

Not changing the look on his face, Edward gave a

response in an audible voice so those close around them
could hear it. The response was also one that could have
been in reference to any of the legislative issues before
the Senate that day. "I'm sorry Jane; I'm just not going to
be with you on that one." Smiling at her he added, "I've
voted. I need to go now. I've got a meeting."

As he walked away, she too spoke aloud, "I'm not giving

up, Edward."
~*~
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewinsky_scandal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Four ~
"So are we done?" Seth was eager to end the meeting
with Edward and Alice about the defense appropriations
bill press strategy; he had back-to-back meetings for
most of the day.

Standing up to hasten the end of the conversation, Seth

sat down at once when Edward answered. Somberly,
Edward said, "No, we're not done. I need to talk with you
about something else."

Edward leaned forward in his chair resting his elbows on

his legs as he joined his hands at their finger tips in
thought. How do I say this? I practiced it, but it's not
coming out. He looked over to Alice who was nudging
him with her eyes. With Edward obviously deliberating
about something, Seth became worried. "What's going
on?"

Alice spoke first, more out of annoyance at Edward's

silence rather than knowing what she herself would say.
"Edward has something to tell you."

Fear streaked through Seth. Am I going to get fired? No.

That can't be. It's something bad, though.

Seth's anxiety could be sensed by all, and it forced

Edward to quickly correct the situation. In a controlled,
plain-spoken voice, he reassured him. "Seth, there's
nothing for you to worry about." And then in the same
calm voice, he dropped the bombshell, "It's just that,
Bella Swan and I have started dating. Of course, the
relationship is confidential. My family knows, but no one
else does – neither of Bella's parents know about it. But
we all – Bella included – thought that you should know."

Dumbfounded, but staring Edward down, Seth flatly

declared, "You're dating Bella Swan." It was a
pronouncement, but one that begged for affirmation.

Edward nodded. "Yes."

"How long?"

Alice wouldn't let Edward answer. If these two continue

like this, we're never getting out of here. "Seth, I know
it's surprising, but it is what it is. They care for one
another. It's consensual. And we need to keep it
confidential. That's all there is to it."

Seth closed his eyes for a few seconds and shook his head
rejecting Alice's simplification of the matter. "No, that's
not all … at least not for me." This is a nightmare. A
political nightmare. And I'm in the middle of it in too
many ways.
Immediately, Alice sensed what was going on. Seth was
questioning his trust and loyalty in Edward who had just
revealed something that shook Seth's vision of him. This
was between Edward and Seth, and she couldn't do
anything about it. "I think I should leave you two alone
to talk. Edward, come get me when you're done. We've
got that lunch with the teachers' unions at noon."

The two men remained silent until Alice left the room.
Worried at Seth's reaction, Edward said, "You're right,
Seth. It's not all. There are things that need to be done. I
understand that you would want to talk about it to Bella
alone … to confirm what I've said."

"Well, yes. I have to do that, but I need to think about

this for a few minutes." Seth gave Edward a quizzical
look and in mystified curiosity slowly asked, "Why? …
Why, man? Why an intern? You can have any woman
you want." Edward pursed his lips and shook his head in
disapproval at the thought of having just any woman; he
was going to answer, but Seth's expression changed.

Seth's eyes then bugged out in disbelief. This time he

pressed Edward with a hint of resentment. "And why
Bella Swan? Do you know what kind of awkward position
that puts me in? My folks ask after her all the time."
Edward was deeply chagrined to have hurt such a
faithful staffer. Shit. He thinks I've let him down. It was
one of the worst situations for a politician – someone
who had given you blood, sweat, and tears had lost faith
in you. As a respectable soul, Edward owned up to his
failure. "Seth, I'm sorry. I have to admit that while I've
worried over Bella and me a million different ways, I've
never thought about how it would affect you. I now see
how uncomfortable it is for you … what a problem it is
for you. I've let you down. I apologize."

Seth shook his head, "Don't apologize. I can deal. I'm

just shocked that you, of all people, are telling me this. It
wasn't that long ago that we were sitting right here
listening to Bella tell that story about her run-in with
Jake. You've made all of his suspicions come true. I don't
understand why you would do that … why you would run
that kind of risk."

His response made Edward immediately think of Jake's

call to Bella. Seth had pinpointed the issue. "It's exactly
that, Seth. You know me. I wouldn't be involved in
something like this unless I felt … it was important."

Looking Edward dead on, Seth asked for confirmation,

"And you feel a relationship with Bella … while she's
working for you … is important?"
Their eyes locked, and Edward stonily replied, "Yes.
Because Bella is important to me." He sighed and looked
aside for a moment before adding, "And she won't always
be working here." He then smiled at Seth and laughingly
punctuated the statement. "Thank God."

The remark made Seth snicker at the ridiculous enormity

of the situation. He asked the question that he wanted to
know, "So when did this start? When we all went out
together to the brewpub that one night?"

"Er … I don't know. Over time, we just gradually started

talking more, and then, well, I talked it over with my
family and then …"

It was so unlike Edward to be so sheepish; Seth thought

him a combination of happy and embarrassed. He kept
smiling at his boss. "OK. I don't need details. How have
you two been seeing each other, though? When?
Where?"

"With my family at my house or my mom's place, they're

always around when Bella and I are together."

Recognizing the orchestrated effort, Seth saw the cover-

up. "Ah … I see. Good thinking. She's a friend of the
family."
"That's the press statement in case anything ever comes
out."

Then Seth thought about what it would be like to see

someone under those circumstances. "To have your
family around like that … your mom …. That must really
suck."

Edward couldn't agree quickly enough. "It really fucking

sucks."

Seth laughed hard, and when he saw Edward still smiling

he remembered something. "So Bella has to be the
reason why you're so damn nicer to be around the last
month or so."

"You think so?"

"Uh. Yeah. The entire staff has noticed. You're like a

different person."

"Hmpf." It's that noticeable? Odd.

"Don't worry. You had nowhere to go, but up." Realizing

he could poke some fun at his boss, Seth added, "You're
still a cocky bastard – just like every other senator."

Pretending to bat Seth on the head, Edward announced

with a smile, "Now, this meeting is over."

An hour later, after he had rearranged his meetings for

the day, Seth pulled Bella out of her cubicle. From the
moment he asked to go for a walk, she knew what the
topic was going to be. They avoided the issue altogether,
though, until they got far enough away from any ears.
And as they compared notes on their recent calls with
their parents, Seth realized that Bella knew what was up.

When they got close to the Taft Memorial and Carillon in

a remote part of the Capitol grounds, Bella decided to cut
to the chase. "So I know you didn't drag me all the way
out here just to show me this ugly memorial."

Seth laughed, but looked at her with the concern of an

elder brother. "Bella, I just need to know one thing. Are
you OK with what's going on with you and Edward? Is
this what you want? Do you want to be seeing him
romantically while you work for him?"

"Yes." Bella nodded emphatically.

"Are you sure?"

Laughing at his earnestness, Bella replied, "Of course.

I've gone into this eyes wide open. We both have."
"Eyes wide open? You know that if this turned into a
mess you could be personally humiliated? For one thing,
you could be the joke of your law school class or even Jay
Leno for that matter."

Bella winced at the thought. "I know. I don't like

thinking about it, but I know it's a possibility."

He exhaled. "OK. That's what I needed to know – both

for my job and because our families are friends. But also
because I think you're a great person … and so is he. I'll
do everything I can to make sure this stays quiet. I want
things to work out for you two."

His response warmed her heart, and she impulsively

hugged him. "I really appreciate that, Seth. You're the
best."

Seth hugged her back. "I'm just doing my job as your

friend and your boss." He then smiled warmly as he
remarked, "You know he's crazy about you. I've never
seen him like this before."

Unsure as to how to respond, Bella looked down and

then up with a smile. "I'm pretty crazy about him too."

As they began walking back, Seth began musing, "But

damn, this is going to be hard to conceal. Edward and I
talked about it. You two have a good plan. I just wish
that I could get you off staff, although at this point, that's
not really an answer."

Bella grimaced. "No. Not really. I mean I could, but then

people would want to know why I left. What would I
say? This internship is exactly what I want to be doing
right now. I would have to lie about wanting to do
something else … mid-year. I'd like to limit the amount
of lying I have to do. I'm not very good at it."

Seth nodded. "At the moment, there's no good answer."

He smiled at her, "Well, I'm an optimist. We'll work it
out."

"Thanks Seth. I'm lucky to have you around."

The comment jogged Seth's memory. "Say, I forgot. Just

as I was walking over to see you, Edward pulled me aside
and told me that I should ask you about a call from Jake.
What's that about?"

After Bella told Seth the story, he didn't say anything for
a few minutes as he ruminated on the matter. "I bet he is
sorry. He wants to make amends. But there's no doubt;
he's sniffing around."

"Well, he hasn't called me back yet. I'll let you know

when he does."

"Please do. And if he demands to see you in person, I'm

happy to lurk around whatever Starbuck's you end up
at."

"Don't worry. I do not want to see him."

--
The following day, it was late in the afternoon when Alice
pulled Bella into an unoccupied room. "So, I talked with
Edward about tonight. He said that when you two talked
last night that you agreed on coming over around 6:30,
is that right?"

Bella nodded. "That's right."

"Great. We'll be by your place at 6:15; we're picking up a

pizza first. Oh, and bring your swimsuit. Jasper wants to
hit the hot tub." And with a grin and wink, Alice said
good bye, "See you then."

Alice had already left the room, but Bella remained in it

staring ahead. Hot tub? There go the rules. Am I ready
for no rules with this guy? I think so. But what did he
mean by still believing in the "underlying intent"? She
shook her head as she focused on a more immediate
worry. Shit. I need to shave. Then her mind glommed on
to a single thought. Oh my God. Edward will be in a
swimsuit. Gah!

Later that evening, Alice, Jasper, Edward, and Bella were

finishing their dinner of pizza and beer. Most of the
dinner conversation centered on a debate over the best
pizza in Seattle. At 7:30, Jasper looked at his watch and
announced, "It's time for the tub before it gets too late."

Edward nodded toward the stairs. "Bella, if you want,

you can go on up to my room and change. I'll clean up
down here and be up in a few."

As Bella walked up the stairs, she noticed that Alice and

Jasper seemed more playful with one another than her
previous time with them. Maybe it's because they won't
see each other for a while.

When Bella entered Edward's room, her goal was to put

on her bathing suit as quickly as possible so that Edward
wouldn't walk in on her in mid-strip. She had chosen a
not too-revealing royal blue bikini with white belted
hipster bottoms, and was hooking the top in the back
when she heard Edward considerately knock before
opening the door. She turned to face him. "That was a
quick clean-up."

A lusty smile and focused green eyes replied, "I was

motivated." Walking toward her, he didn't break his
focus. "My God, Bella, you're so beautiful and … sexy."

Bella reached her arms around his neck as he slid his

hands down her sides following her curves. His fingers
then traced along her bikini line and then started to play
with the little belt and that wrapped along the top of her
bikini bottoms. As he gently fingered the belt buckle just
above her mound of Venus, she clenched her sex in
anticipation.

Grinning at her in admiration, he said in a low voice,

"This is so hot. That bikini reminds me of what Ursula
Andress wore in Dr. No. It's my favorite Bond film."

Still enrapt with where his hands were, she mumbled,

"And here I thought it was kind of modest."

Edward chuckled. "That's one way of looking at it." With

a tug on the buckle, he added, "Another is that this is
quite a focal point." Then raising his eyes to rest squarely
on her chest, he commented, "And for me to be
distracted from the rest of you is quite a feat." God, I just
want to touch her tits.

She poked at his white dress shirt covering his chest.

"You're making me blush. I don't want to be the only one
half-naked. Go change."
With his hands placed on her hips he leaned down for a
kiss murmuring, "You're more than only half-naked."
And I really hope to see the rest of you too.

The kiss was slow and languid until Bella began to throw
herself into it. Edward immediately pulled away, but he
kissed her nose first with a smile. "Later. We should get
down there."

Bella wasn't sure what to do with herself while Edward

changed so she started looking at some family photos
atop his dresser. She asked questions about the various
photos while he changed out of his work clothes. He
would walk back and forth from the room, hanging his
suit and putting dirty laundry in the closet, while
answering her.

Her eyes stopped at the photo of Edward and another

man kicking back on some rocks by a river with fishing
poles at their sides. Bella instantly guessed the
handsome hunk of a man with a finger raised in the
international sign of "fuck you." That has to be Emmett.
Damn he is hot. "This guy flipping off the camera. Is that
your brother?"

From the closet Edward answered, "That's Emmett. He's

flipping off Rosalie. I like the photo for that reason."
Examining Emmett carefully, Bella thought he and
Edward bore some resemblance, but Emmett was bigger,
darker with the smile of a lovable scoundrel. Thinking
back to the conversation she had with Esme, Bella
ventured, "Your mother told me Emmett is a really
sensitive guy."

Edward laughed. "She said that? Esme is such a mom,

but it's true in a way." Now standing at Bella's side, he
continued, "Emmett never wanted a part of the political
or society part of the family. He's very down to earth,
likes working with his hands and has a wicked sense of
humor. I'm finally going to get to spend some time with
him on Sunday. We haven't seen each other in a while."

As he finished his sentence, Bella looked away from the

family pictures for the first time to see Edward wearing
only faded out red board shorts that hung far low on
hips. Her eyes followed the trail of hair on his stomach
and then down to the muscles and bones of his pelvis,
and she remembered what was below. She then saw his
lean, muscular legs. He's half-naked! She sputtered out
exactly what she was thinking, "Is this my IOU?" What
did I just say? I feel like a fool.

Encircling her in his arms, he kissed her hair. "Ah, your

IOU. I haven't forgotten, but I believe that me being
without a shirt was only part of it."
Bella's face felt like it had been burned by the sun, but it
was only her blush. "Oh … I … didn't mean it that way. I
meant …"

Edward smiled at her and chuckled. "Really? Well, I

hope you did. I want to make it up to you. I hated being
interrupted the other day – although I have to say that
you in a bikini was worth the wait. C'mon let's get
downstairs."

After grabbing a couple of towels out of a hallway linen

closet, he led Bella down to the hot tub where Jasper and
Alice were doing nothing short of passionately making
out. Edward jokingly cleared his throat. They broke their
embrace, with Jasper saying, "She's my wife, damn it.
We've got a license to do this sort of thing."

Clearly embarrassed, Alice offered a beer to Bella and

Edward out of the bucket next to her. The four friends
lounged in the hot, bubbling water for the next half hour.
The outside air was cold and crisp, as was the beer,
making for a perfect late autumn evening. Jasper and
Bella talked most of the time about Jasper's trip to
Copenhagen for the UN climate talks in December.
Eventually, Alice tugged on Jasper's arm, "Jasper, as
much as I find the discussion of carbon offsets
fascinating, I'm turning into a prune. We've been down
here a while. Let's go upstairs."

Jasper nodded, and they excused themselves. As soon as

they were out of sight, Edward smirked and pulled Bella
over, but he met no resistance as she was already moving
through the water toward him. Their lips met before she
even landed on his lap. When she did nestle her rear
onto his thighs, she felt him. The physical closeness
overtook them, and their tongues reacted with forceful,
but sensual kisses.

Feeling Edward's hand gently rest on her breast sparked

something in Bella. I want to feel this … really feel this.
She repositioned herself so that she was sitting on him as
if he were a chair. Moving her ponytail to the side, she
simply asked, "Can you help me?"

Edward gulped at the opportunity. "I'd be happy to."

Carefully, he helped Bella out of her bikini top. When she
turned to present him with her finely formed breasts, his
entire being changed. He groaned at the sight of her
nipples getting more erect as they became acclimated to
the chilly air. "Oh, Bella."

She grinned wickedly as she felt her power over him.

Moving astride him, she kneeled on the bench with the
water bubbling at the middle of her thighs. Her position
raised her derriere out of the water and brought her
breasts to the level of his mouth. Edward groaned again
as he placed his hands on them. Running her hands
through his hair, she laughingly asked, "Caveman?"

As he moved his lips over her right nipple, he almost

grunted, "You have no idea." She stopped breathing for a
moment as he kissed and sucked and nipped at her
breasts. When his mouth was on one nipple, the other
nipple wasn't ignored, but was treated to his hands
tickling and then pulling on it. And Bella felt it all …
especially right between her legs. The feeling was so
intense she instinctively thrust her hips toward his chest.
That was his cue, and he moved one hand down to lightly
caress her labia just as he had done on his bed – only he
lingered there a little too long. Bella wanted to be
touched. Whimpering in need, she pleaded, "More,
Edward, please more."

His eyes found hers to confirm what she wanted. Staring

straight into her eyes, one of his hands pulled the crotch
of her swimsuit to one side, exposing her swollen sex to
the night air. When Edward saw her, he groaned
admiring the sight of her natural, but neat groom. I
knew she wouldn't be waxed. Now, this is a pussy. He
licked his lips before saying, "You're beautiful
everywhere, Bella. Let me know what you like … if I'm
doing something wrong." And with that, he ran a knuckle
up and down her folds, rubbing gently for a moment on
her clit. Bella moaned, and he began circling her most
sensitive part in earnest. After a minute of Bella's
undulating hips urging him on, he slipped his index
finger inside her center. "You're so wet … so wet." And so
tight. His erection bobbed at the thought of what she
might feel like. He continued to finger her, sliding in and
out of her depth while his thumb worked away on the
heat of her clit. Bella began sighing and moaning in such
a way that Edward had to say, "Wait, Bella. Don't come
yet."

"What? I want to … I need to."

Edward kept fingering her, while he kissed her right

above her clit saying, "Wait. I've wanted to do this for a
while." Bella's body shuddered at the hope of the most
intimate contact, yet she came out of her aroused daze
for a moment just so she could see what he was doing.
She clued back into reality, if only for a second. Oh my
God. Edward is going down on me. It really is
happening.

Just as he had with his knuckle, he swiped his tongue

along the length of her wet folds, before his tongue found
a home on her clit. She moaned his name repeatedly as
his tongue spiraled around her for a minute, and he slid
an additional finger and groaned himself. I want to be
inside of her … right now … but I can't. When he curled
his fingers inside of her locating her secret spot, the
combination brought Bella back to the edge and then
over it.

After her orgasm, Bella realized she had been holding on

to Edward's hair most of the time. When her mind was
no longer a blur, she looked at Edward's grinning face
and asked, "Did I hurt you? I grabbed your hair. I'm
sorry."

Still smiling at her, he replied, "Not at all. I was enjoying

myself."

Bella felt the heat rush to her face. "Obviously, I did too.
It was … worth the wait."

After giving her a sweet kiss, he adjusted her bikini

bottoms with care and grabbed her top. "I think we need
to put this back on before we go upstairs."

Bella looked at him questioningly, and then gently

stroked his erection, which was visible in his swimsuit.
"Wait. Why are we going in?"

Kissing her neck, Edward said, "Because we should talk,

darling."

"OK." I wonder what this is about. Bella began putting

on her bikini top.

Edward helped her with the hook before making a huge

fuss about whether or not her breasts were properly
situated in the cups. "I just need to make sure you don't
fall out."

"As if. What? Fall out into your hands?" She stroked his
face, feeling rather giddy by his fixation. "You are a silly
boy."

With one more pat of her bikini top, Edward smiled at

her, "Yes, I would say your breasts make me very silly."

When they got to the top of the stairs inside the house,
the unmistakable noise of a bed thumping came from
Alice's room. Bella's eyes darted up to Edward's, and he
smiled. After he shut the door to his room behind him,
he announced, "I think they're trying to get pregnant."

"Really? Have they been wanting kids?"

"Very much, but they keep putting it off. Alice wanted to

wait to try until the spring thinking that then the election
would be over by the time she delivered. I told her that
her life shouldn't be put on hold for a Senate seat; I'd
rather have a niece or nephew around. That was right
before they went to Europe. Maybe when they were over
there, they decided to give it a try."

"Wow. A grandkid. I bet Esme would be over the moon."

"Oh, yeah." His brow furrowed as he saw her clutching

the towel close to her body. "You're cold. Let's get
dressed. Go ahead and use the bathroom if you like."

When Bella walked out of the bathroom wearing her

jeans and sweater once again, she found Edward lying on
his bed in pajama bottoms and a fleece pullover reading
what looked to be work. Immediately, she asked, "Do
you need time to work? I can catch a cab home."

His face scrunched up with disregard. "No way. I always

work. That's a constant. So it's fine when I ignore it, and
that's what I want to do to be with you." He motioned for
Bella to sit beside him as he placed his work on the
bedside table.

As she nestled in next to him, Bella took a breath before

busting the question out. "So what is it that you want to
talk about?"

He held her hand and kissed her hair. "Well, I think it's
safe to say that we've pretty much crossed the line."

Bella nodded. "Beyond the point of return."

"Not quite."

Thinking for a moment, Bella corrected herself. "Oh.

Yeah. Right." That's right. No sex yet.

Edward took a breath before he stated, "And I think we

should stop right here."

With her thoughts to herself, Bella remained quiet before

she finally asked, "Because?"

"Because we are in a complicated situation. And I ….

would rather that our first time together not be this
complicated."

Their eyes held a gaze as Bella searched for an answer.

He doesn't want me? No. That's not it. Then,she thought
she found the reason. In a dejected tone, she remarked,
"You mean 'my first time' not 'our first time', correct?
This is about me being a virgin."

He kissed her forehead, and his eyes met hers again. "Oh
Bella. I do not want you to feel badly about this. It's
about both it being our first and your first. It's just that
… well … you told me that you were waiting for the right
guy, and I want to be him. I want that Bella because … I
think you're the right girl for me."
The words "right girl" made Bella's eyes blink twice in
comprehension. I'm the right girl for Edward?

Edward continued, "But I worry that it would be all

wrong if we acted now … while you work for me. If we
wait, then …"

Bella questioned Edward. "So this is an ethical concern

of yours? About violating any employment laws?"

"No. It's not that. I'd say we pretty much have flouted
those. It's that while you work in my office, I worry that
it's impossible for it to be consensual between us."

"What?" Bella couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"It's totally consensual. I told Seth today that it was.
What's not consensual? I'm here of my own free will."

Shaking his head, he disagreed, "That's not what I

meant. I meant that if we have sex now, it will always
have that taint of you working for me at the time. I want
us to be equals."

As Bella tried to sort out Edward's thinking in her brain,

he stroked her cheek. "I don't know what the future is
going to hold for us, Bella, but I do know that I want us
to have a future. And I'd like it without any moral
dilemmas. This is an awkward time I'd like to get
through and be done with."

The sincerity of his expression and words drew Bella to

his lips. The kiss lasted a minute before she spoke in a
breathy voice, "I want us to have a future, too." Edward
responded with a kiss strong with emotion that claimed
her. When they finally broke apart, Bella giggled, "You
know, I'm feeling like this line you've drawn is an
attempt at a categorical imperative."

Edward tried to make sense of what she was saying. "It's

Kantian. How?"

"Like virginity should only be lost if it is without

question consensual. That's the universal maxim you're
proposing."

He tousled her hair and laughed. "I suppose you're right.

Boy, you have your thesis on your brain if you're
bringing Kant into our sex life."

She giggled. "Well, he did die a virgin." Her tone then

became more serious as she said, "If this is important to
you I'm willing to go along with it, but I have a request."

"Absolutely, what do you want?"

"That we don't turn this into a bigger deal than it is. Can
we just let things happen between us naturally? I'll get
total stage fright and wig out if we set some pre-
determined date and time to have sex. And I would never
want that for us, anyway. It wouldn't feel right – just
totally unnatural."

"You got it."

"So you talked about me spending the night? How

exactly are we going to share a bed and not end up …"

Edward raised an eyebrow interrupting her. "While I

don't like thinking about it, I presume that you've slept
in the same bed with other men and managed not to
have sex."

"Er … yes. That's true."

"Bella, if you sleep over once in a while, things will just

feel more normal. Hell, I'd like it if you kept some things
here. Maybe it would give me some hope that we'll get
through these next few months."

Again, his hope for the future inspired Bella, but she
wanted confirmation of something. Giving him a kiss on
the lips, she agreed. "I'd like that too, but I have a
condition."
"What's that?"

"That if one night or morning or whatever, we do get

carried away that you don't regret it – because that
would make me feel bad."

Kissing her again, he murmured, "You got it. But that

won't happen. Trust me." Then he chuckled, "A
categorical imperative I will not violate."

The two then talked over their upcoming time apart. It

was then that Edward realized that they wouldn't be
alone again for almost two weeks. "Shit. I don't come
back until Monday night, and I've got that State Dinner
at the White House on Tuesday night. If you leave on
Wednesday for Florida, I won't see you again until the
following week."

Bella frowned at the thought. "I'm glad that we can talk,

though. That's almost two weeks."

He kissed her hair and murmured, "I'm going to miss

you, darling."

From the pit of her stomach, Bella felt the same way. "I'll
miss you too."
--
On Sunday afternoon, Edward was excited to be walking
up to Emmett's latest project – renovating and restoring
an historic Arts and Crafts bungalow in the Ravenna
neighborhood of Seattle. Emmett had bought the house
only recently after its long-time owner died at the age of
83. The house had been in the same family for 50 years,
hadn't been updated in 25 years, or taken care of at all in
the last 10.

As Edward walked up the sidewalk, he could hear the

moans and groans of loud sex coming from the interior
of the house. Who the hell is he with? And where are
they? It sounds close to the front of the house. He
wondered for a moment if he should go back to his car,
but he decided to wait on the porch on one of the
weathered Adirondack chairs. Edward tried to put out
the sounds, but they were omnipresent. They must be
right at the door.

A woman's voice gasped, "God, I'm gonna' come,

Emmett. Your cock is so big."

Emmett's burly, baritone voice groaned, "All the better

to please you with, my dear."

Edward rolled his eyes. This, I cannot listen to. He

decided to walk around the house and check out the
back. After about 10 minutes of surveying the house
from all sides, he wandered back to the front. A pretty
Asian woman walked down the sidewalk while she
smoothed out her hair.

When Edward knocked on the door, Emmett answered

only in his boxer briefs grinning at his brother. "Edward,
it's good to see you, man." After a backslapping hug,
Edward laughed, "And who was she?"

"Oh you saw her? That's Stacy. She's an interior

designer. She was dropping off some tile samples."

With a smirk and a snicker, Edward joked, "Yeah, I bet

you got a sample."

"I don't want to hear it from you, my brother. C'mon in."

Emmett asked Edward to look around while he took a

shower. Edward called to him over the noise of the
shower, "So Esme is helping you out with the details?
She mentioned something about it."

"Yeah, she found me some great Stickley pieces. They're

in storage while I'm doing the demo on some of the
rooms."

When the two brothers settled down on a crappy futon in

the living room drinking nothing harder than a Coke,
they caught up on each other's lives. At one point,
Emmett asked, "So are you still dating Tanya Hamilton?
That woman is fine. I've seen her naked in those PETA
ads that just came out. She's got one hot body. "

Shaking his head, Edward grimaced, "Nah. I broke that

off. She's a blooming idiot. I couldn't handle talking to
her."

"So who are you with these days?"

Edward took a breath and laughed at the

preposterousness of what he was about to say. He
decided to frame it as a question. "Would you believe I'm
seeing an intern in my office?"

"You? Mr. Law and Order? Mr. Officer and a Gentleman?

No fucking way."

He smiled as he thought of Bella. "Well, it's true. I'm

really happy."

"Damn. She must be something special."

"She is. And there's something else about her that we

need to talk about."

"What's that?"
"Well, her name is Bella Swan. She's from Forks."

It took a moment for recognition of the last name, but

alarm quickly rang through Emmett's expression. He
looked at Edward like he was speaking blasphemy.
"You're fucking Charlie Swan's daughter?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Five ~
In an effort to reassure Emmett, Edward smiled as he
corrected him, "Well, I can't say I've been fucking Charlie
Swan's daughter, but I have been seeing her." Then his
tone became more concerned for Emmett. "But, she
doesn't know yet … about Charlie and Carlisle." He
thought that might be the best way to phrase Emmett's
past entanglements with the law.

The two brothers sat in silence for a moment. Emmett

took a swig of Coke and, before putting the can back on
the table, looked at it. I could really use a drink right
now. He felt terrible having thought it; he had been
sober for a few years – the longest he had ever gone
without a drink. Without looking at Edward, he
grumbled, "What's she like?"

Tentatively, Edward offered, "You know, Emmett, I

haven't said anything to her … in part, I suppose because
I wanted to tell you first. I wanted to hear what you
thought."

Emmett's eyes shifted over to him. "Let me hear about

her, and I'll tell you what I think."

For the next half hour, Edward told the entire Bella story
to Emmett – leaving little out. Emmett occasionally
would ask questions or comment, but mostly he laughed
and shook his head at his brother. "You've got it bad … to
go to the lengths you do to see her … to risk everything …
you've got it bad."

Edward shrugged. "Yeah, I do, ….do… but I'm happy."

Something didn't ring true for Emmett, though. "Wait …

you said that you weren't fucking her. Right? That's what
you said in the beginning. What's up with that?"

"It's complicated," replied Edward with a wince.

Chuckling heartily, Emmett assured him, "Dude, if it's

about sex, I think I can keep up."

Thinking about the best way to explain the situation,

Edward thought about Jasper. "Well, let me tell you
about a conversation I had with Jasper. That's probably
easiest." After Edward replayed his dinner with Jasper,
he added, "But I just can't get over that it can never
really be consensual if she's working for me. If we wait,
then I'll have a clean conscience."

Emmett guffawed and placed his head in his hands while

laughing at his brother. When he looked up, he failed at
repressing his snickering as he talked. "Man, two things
here – first of all, you don't just have it bad – you're in
deep with her, way deep. But second, what in the hell?
She wants to, and you don't? She's chosen to be in your
bed for godsake. You've been seeing her for a while; you
haven't dragged her upstairs. It's consensual." He
laughed again before continuing, "You need to stay here
for the next week and just work on this house with me.
Use your hands for a while, and not your mind, because,
little brother, you are not thinking clearly."

Edward grimaced, "You always tell me I think too much."

"You do! So lay it on the line; do you love her? You

mentioned wanting a future with her. Do you want to
marry her someday?"

"I … don't know. I think it's too soon to consider that."

Edward shifted in his seat because the conversation was
becoming uncomfortable. The discomfort wasn't from
the way he sat, though – he felt it in his heart. He was
still trying to discern exactly what he felt for Bella
because the emotion was stronger than he had ever
experienced. He cared for her dearly, but he had always
believed that love was something that had to take root. It
didn't bloom automatically. Thoughts had fleeted
through his head about marrying Bella, but he dared not
think about them. He chalked it up to the fact that it was
entirely premature to be thinking about something so
serious with someone he barely knew and who was so
young.

Emmet thought Edward ridiculous, though. With a

groan that was full of laughter and exasperation, he
shook his head. "Jesus Christ, Edward. Consider it? She's
a woman not a piece of legislation. I don't understand
you. I either feel it or I don't – that's it."

Tired of being the one on the spot, Edward sourly

remarked, "Like with Leah."

Emmett's expression turned serious and a little sad.

"Yeah, like with Leah … if she would talk to me."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing right now. If I go see friends in LaPush, I see

her, too, and we have a great time. But she's … skittish
around me. … I don't know. I guess I deserve it, and after
Sam it's understandable. Does Seth ever say anything?"

"Never a word. And I'm not going to be the one to tell

him about you two."

Emmett nodded and sighed. "I just know what I feel.

She's the one for me. I'm keeping this house when I'm
done with it. I'm not fixing it and flipping it. That's why
I've got Esme getting me all that furniture. I want to live
here … with Leah … treat her like she should be treated
… have a life together … make little black-haired babies
with her. I'm ready for that stage of my life. I never
thought I would feel that way. Yet I do, and I want it with
her. But I'm not going to push her if she's not ready."

"And in the meantime? Until Leah comes around? What

was her name, Stacy?"

"Oh her? Nah. That just happened." Emmett smiled.

"Stacy's a little minx. It's not like I'm looking, but if the
opportunity presents itself, I'm not going to say no. Just
because I'm pining away for Leah doesn't mean I'm
celibate."

Deciding that the timing was right to turn things back to

the original topic, Edward asked, "So back to Charlie and
Bella. What do you think?"

Emmett raised his hand as if to waive an idea off. "Fuck,

I don't know. It's been a while. I owe the man my life –
multiple times over. But he always helped just for
Carlisle. It certainly wasn't for me."

When Edward didn't reply, Emmett continued, "He may

be pissed about you and Bella – like you've taken
advantage of his little girl or something like that, but he
won't do anything to stop you – at least I don't think so."
Morosely, he added, "He'll probably just think the Cullen
boys are all alike."

The way Emmett spoke made Edward feel terribly for his
brother. "That was a long time ago, Emmett. Her family
was a bunch of liars and extortionists. That's why Charlie
stepped in – he saw the situation for what it was."

His mouth fixing into a hard line, Emmett shook his

head ever so slightly. Things had changed for Emmett
after so many years in AA. "No Edward, I've accepted my
past. It was statutory rape. I wanted to believe she was 16
because I wanted to fuck her. All the reasons that Charlie
saved my ass are true, but that doesn't mean I didn't do
what I did."

Edward nodded. There was really nothing he could say.

Emmett began thinking aloud. "But you being with Bella

is different. She's an adult. And maybe if you put on the
charm, you can convince him you're more like the old
man than me. Hell, go fishing with Charlie like Carlisle
did."

"I don't really fish, Emmett. It's pretty obvious. You're

the one that would bond with Charlie on that.
Regardless, I still worry that he may say something to
Billy Black. They're friends."
Thinking of his brother's campaign, Emmett became
alarmed. "No. That would be awful for you. That can't
happen."

"It would be awful. I also didn't tell you one other thing.
I didn't tell you that Bella used to date Jacob Black.
How's that for irony?" Edward exhaled a laugh.

"What the fuck?" Emmett couldn't believe his ears. Then

smiling, he added, "Damn. Bella is one interesting girl. I
can't wait to meet her."

Edward didn't like the sound of that. "Hey big guy, hands
off. She's mine."

"Please." Emmett grimaced at the very notion. "I'd never

even think of doing that to you. Besides, she's not my
type."

"That's true." Edward knew he had nothing to worry

about – Emmett would never betray him, plus he had
always been drawn to women with black hair and the
darkest of eyes. That was one of the reasons why he
spent so much time down in LaPush.

Then, Emmett remembered something that he had

ruminated on long ago. "One more thing about Charlie,
though, before we head out."

"What's that?"

"Well, I don't know exactly how everything went down

between Carlisle and Charlie about the FBI thing. But
when I've thought about it, I think Charlie did more than
bend the rules when he warned Carlisle the FBI was
looking into the gambling thing. I think he broke the law.
I'm not sure, though – it would be a question of timing.
Exactly how much did he know about the investigation
before he intervened?"

Edward raised his eyebrows. "Well, that would make

Charlie complicit."

Streetwise Emmett took it one step further. "And that

might shut him up about you."
--

That same evening, Irina decided to act impulsively. She

wanted to see what would happen if she spent time with
Rosalie alone. They had a wonderful time when they
were together. Rosalie and Edward had some similar
personality traits – the ones Irina liked, but she wasn't as
moody or introverted as Edward. Not to mention Rosalie
was the right gender for her. And from the time she had
spent with her so far, Irina was convinced there was a
sweet side to Rosalie that she kept hidden away. So not
far from where she understood Rosalie lived in
Georgetown, Irina quickly texted her. After all, I've got a
great excuse. She told me I should come and see her
dress before Tuesday.

Near your house, I think. Can I see your dress

for the dinner? Is it an OK time?

Less than a minute later, Irina got a reply.

Great time. 1300 36th St. N St. See you soon.

When Irina arrived, Rosalie first gave her a tour of her

historic townhouse, starting with the garage in the back.
"I don't need all the space of a house – I really just
needed a condo, but I wanted a garage so I could work
on cars, although I do most of that work at the … family
house." Normally, she would have said "Edward's
house," but she hated bringing up his name around
Irina.

As Irina asked questions about her home, Rosalie

perfunctorily answered them, but her mind was
elsewhere. She was thinking about how she was
absolutely alone with Irina and that she liked the idea of
that. And I think that's why she's here. I don't know
what to do, though. I'm used to men being all over me.
I've never had to do anything. And how does it work
with a woman?

Irina knew what she was doing, though. "What's on the

second floor?"

"My office and the bedrooms. So come on up. I can show

you the dress."

Rosalie's stomach was all aflutter walking up the stairs.

The master bedroom was the last on the hall, so when
they finally entered it, Rosalie felt like she was
announcing the pièce de résistance. Decorated with
wallpaper and draperies with a delicate floral design, the
room was dominated by a queen-size, four-poster bed
with fluffy, white bedding trimmed in ruffles and lace.
The furniture was obviously all antique, and it included a
large Victorian vanity with an etched glass triptych
mirror and cushioned stool.

Impressed by the incredibly feminine room, Irina was

absolutely certain that Rosalie had a sweet side. "Rosalie,
the whole house is gorgeous, but this room is really
lovely. Did you decorate it?"

"Well, I knew what I wanted it to look like, but I had

help. Alice picked out the fabrics and wallpaper. And my
mother found some of the period pieces. But it fits me.
It's exactly what I had envisioned."

"Wow. Well, the three of you have great taste. So let me

see the dress."

Pulling the red chiffon

evening dress out of the closet,
Rosalie held it up on the
hanger. "It's a Valentino. I just
love it."

"Oh my God. That's amazing.

Can I see it on?"

"OK." Rosalie's answer came

out as a squeak. Why am I so
nervous? I'm never nervous.
The safety of the confined
closet appeared to be the least
awkward place to change, so
Rosalie ducked into it. Yet when she got to the point of
zipping the small zipper on the side of the dress, she left
it open. Maybe I'll let Irina help me with that. After
sliding into a pair of stilettos, Rosalie strode into the
bedroom. "Can you help me with the zipper? I don't want
to tug at it too hard."

Irina's eyes had popped out upon seeing Rosalie. "You,

look stunning, Rosalie … like a model. More beautiful
than a model, actually."

Rosalie smiled; she knew what was going on. This was
the effect she had on men, and she liked it coming from
Irina. "Thanks." Then pointing to her left side, she said,
"It's just a little zipper if you can get it for me."

Liking the idea of a task associated with Rosalie's body,

Irina smiled as she walked over to her. Rosalie lifted up
her arm so that Irina could access her side. Before
starting, Irina smoothed down the fabric following the
line of Rosalie's figure. "The fabric is so sheer and soft."
She then started to gently close the zipper, which ended
right at her ample breast; she avoided touching it,
though. Instead, Irina stood up – she was so tall that she
could meet Rosalie's eyes even when she was wearing
heels. When their eyes connected, Irina commented,
"And the color looks great on you."

Both women felt the anticipation of what might happen

next. Rosalie was entirely perplexed, though. I don't
know what to do. I've never seduced anyone in my life –
and certainly never a woman. I'm the one who is
seduced.

Yet Irina knew that she needed to take the lead. With her
right hand, Irina carefully followed the one-shouldered
neckline of the dress from the top of Rosalie's collarbone
diagonally down to the top of her right breast. She let her
fingers rest on top of her breast for a moment while
saying in a breathy voice, "How would you feel if I kissed
you right now?"

Rosalie swallowed before whispering, "I'd like that." On

cue, Irina leaned in, and Rosalie's lips met hers in a
sweet closed-mouth kiss. Warm, tender kisses continued
to flow between them, and after a bit Rosalie was curious
what would happen if she was a bit more forceful. Is it
always this soft with a woman? Throwing her arms
around Irina and melding her body to hers, Rosalie
plunged her tongue into Irina's mouth searching for an
answer to her question.

Responding immediately, Irina grasped Rosalie's hair

and kissed back with intense purpose. Rosalie could feel
her body responding, and she felt that she had to be
honest with Irina. She pulled away and gazed at her
saying, "I've never been with a woman before."

Irina smiled because she already had figured that one

out; quickly, she gave Rosalie a peck. "That's OK."

Hating not being in control of a situation, Rosalie

uncomfortably commented, "But I don't know what to
do. … I don't know what you like."
A smile grew and grew on Irina's face as she remarked, "I
like exactly what you like. I want exactly what you want."

Rosalie thought of what that might entail and liked that

idea – a lot, and she smiled. "That sounds nice."
"Just let me take the lead for now." And with that Irina
brought her hand to Rosalie's right breast, first feeling its
weight in her palm before caressing her with the lightest
of touches. She teased all around the breast, but took her
time venturing on to her nipple. Rosalie thought she
might die during the wait. Eventually Irina's thumb
traced her erect nipple peeking from the fabric. After a
moment, though, her eyebrows furrowed. "Rosalie, I
don't want to hurt the dress. It's really fine silk."

"Oh. You're right." Looking down at the dress, she

added, "I should change." Rosalie then bit her lip before
asking, "Can you help me take it off?"

"I'd love to."

--
It was Monday in the early evening that Bella raced up
the left side of the long, steep escalator at the Woodley
Park Metro Station. In only a few months, Bella had
acclimated to DC enough to be annoyed by the tourists
and newcomers who unknowingly stood on the left
rather than the right so to let those walking up speed by.
She was happily on her way home, knowing that she
would talk with Edward later that night, but, even better,
get to see him the next day. He had the state dinner with
Rosalie at the White House the following night, so she
wouldn't get to see him alone before she left for Florida.
Still, she had missed being with Edward so much that
she was happy just at the prospect of spending time with
him in person the following day.

Every day that he had been gone, they had long, late
night phone conversations. Sometimes the calls
contained a little elliptical phone sex, but the majority of
the talk was simply about their days and stories from
their lives. The call the night before held some
significance for Bella, though. During the majority of it,
Edward talked about his time with his brother, Emmett.
As they ended the call, Edward said his usual, "I miss
you, darling. Have a good night's sleep," but he then
cleared his throat and added, "You mean the world to
me." Bella was caught off guard by the sentiment and
simply replied, "And you to me."

Remembering the intensity of the feeling between them

on the phone after that exchange still made Bella feel like
her heart was going to explode. So she was already
smiling when Victoria caught up to her from behind
calling, "Hey, we can walk home together!"
The two roommates walked across the Duke Ellington
Bridge over Rock Creek Park, as they talked about their
plans for Thanksgiving. Engrossed in their conversation,
the 20-minute walk from the Metro to their house
seemed short. Bella was somewhat oblivious as to where
they were until she heard Victoria let out a throaty,
"Hummina, hummina."

Thirty feet ahead of them and leaning against a car

directly in front of their house was Jacob Black. He wore
his hair slightly longer than the last time Bella saw him,
but he slicked it back to keep it professional and
candidate-like. His suit was a dark olive green, and the
white shirt contrasted perfectly with his black hair. Bella
had to admit – he looked handsome. But he's still an
asshole. Of course, Jake shows up when Edward is out
of town and when I can't even call him because he's on a
plane.

When Bella didn't say anything, Victoria whispered, "Do

you know him? He's smiling."

Bella grimaced. "Yup. He's my ex-boyfriend."

In a whisper again, Victoria exclaimed, "Damn girl!

Where do you get these fine boyfriends?"

Bella didn't immediately respond. Shit. I need to tell her

about Mike. But God. If she only met my real
boyfriend…

When Jacob called out, "Bella! Good to see you," she

mumbled to Victoria, "Please do not leave the house,
OK? Stay home."
Victoria responded quickly in a low voice. "No, no. I'll
stay. I going to leave anyway." Although I would want to
be alone with that guy. What's her problem?

As they reached him, Bella flatly greeted Jacob, "Hi Jake.

What's up? You didn't return my call."

He grinned as if Bella had given him the sweetest hello.

"I decided I'd rather talk in person. I don't get to see you
that often." Then turning to Victoria he introduced
himself; she beamed and babbled in response.

Accepting her fate of an in-person conversation with

Jacob, Bella offered for him to come inside. She had him
sit on the ratty sofa and herded Victoria into the kitchen,
saying that she was getting Jacob some water.

She pled with her, "Victoria, please just stay in your

room. I'm sorry, but this is private, and I do not want
him in my bedroom. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking you
to stay away."
Victoria was a little startled by Bella's requests, but she
calmly replied, "Sure. Sure. Whatever you want."
Looking concerned for her roommate, she added, "Can
you come get me when he leaves, though? I want to make
sure you're OK."

Bella nodded, and while Victoria quietly slipped upstairs,

she filled two glasses up with water. As she walked into
the living room, Bella caught Jacob looking at the books
she had plopped on the coffee table. He really is a snoop.

Sitting down in the rattan chair next to the sofa, Bella

handed Jacob a glass. Before he could talk, she asked,
"So what brings you to DC?"

Jacob waited a moment by taking a drink in order to

compose himself before he answered. This visit was both
personal and professional, and he wanted to nail it on
both of them. "Fundraising. As usual." Then setting
down the glass and staring at Bella, his voice flowed with
sincerity. "But what brings me to your house is you. I
want to apologize Bella. I was an asshole. I should never
have even touched you, and certainly not like that. I was
… upset, though."

She sounded like a psychologist as she questioned him in

an even tone. "What were you upset about?" Asshole.
Jacob was annoyed by what he had to profess. "I was
upset that you were working for Cullen, and I didn't like
seeing you with that guy." His eyes shifted at her slyly.
"Are you still dating him?" Damn it. I shouldn't have
asked that.

Flatly, she answered, "On occasion." Lie number one.

She knew that she only delivered the line well because it
was two words and arguably correct. They had said they
would see each other again. Just not on a date.

His upper lip ever so slightly lifted into a silent snarl.

This made Bella happy because it meant her lie was
successful. Unhappy with her response, Jacob attempted
to ignore it. "Anyway, I'm really sorry, Bella. Like I said,
we should be friends. There's no reason not to be. We
were good friends once; we should be again."

Bella took a drink of water before agreeing, "We were

friends, but Jake, that was a while ago. I accept your
apology, but there's been a lot of water underneath the
bridge. I think we've grown apart. Maybe we should both
just accept it." I know I have.

Jacob looked at her quizzically. "How have we grown

apart? I don't see that."

"What?" Bella's face registered complete disbelief. "Jake,

other than our dads, we've had less and less in common
every year since I graduated high school, even when we
were dating. And now, you're married and live in La
Push, and hopefully, I'll be going to law school next year
– who knows where. Not to mention the fact that we
have so little in common that I'm interning for your
opponent."

The silent snarl came back to Jacob's face when Bella

mentioned Edward – only this time it was more
pronounced. "Cullen. Don't remind me. I don't
understand that at all."

"Fine. Don't." Shit. Why did I have to bring Edward up?

Jake looked at her curiously, and in a much nicer tone

asked, "Exactly, why did you want to work for him,
though? Why not Blair? There are two senators from
every state. You didn't have to pick him."

"I liked the committees he's on. You know, I've always
been into environmental issues."

"Hmpf. 'Drill, baby, drill' as far as I'm concerned."

She rebutted him brusquely. "That is such bullshit, Jake.

You do not mean it. If they wanted to put oil rigs off the
coast of La Push beach, you would be the first to protest
it."

"That's different."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Right."

"Anyway, what's Cullen like? Do you see him much?"

Sensing the dangerous territory, Bella blurted out, "Now

why would I know? I'm an intern. It's not like he talks to
us." Not quite a lie. I'm not sure I said it very
convincingly, though.

"Hmpf." She's still a crappy liar. I bet she has talked to

him. I'll drop it, though, for now. Instead he smirked,
"So Little Ms. Feminist, how do you feel about all the
women he sees? Do the girlfriends drop by the office?"

Her heart stopped at that. He really is here on

reconnaissance. I don't feel good about this. She took a
breath before declaring, "If I worried about that in my
bosses, I'd be facing a tough professional life." Not
letting him say anything else, she noted, "This
conversation isn't very friendly for someone who
supposedly wants to be my friend."

Instantly chastened by her statement, Jacob apologized.

"I'm sorry, Bella. You're right." But I'm gonna' ask you
about this again – some other time. Then he continued,
"But we have more in common than you let on. We have
a bond, Bella. I know that, and I know you do, too."

Bella shook her head. "I don't think it's healthy to talk
that way, Jake. You're happily married, and I'm happily
dating other people. Whatever bond we might have is
just history between us – nothing more."

Jake nodded, but he didn't like her bringing up Emily.

Instead, he went on the offensive. "History is right – plus
our families. In fact, Charlie is coming with Billy over to
our house for Thanksgiving. I'm even giving a TV
interview while he's there – kind of a Thanksgiving
greeting. Maybe you'll see him on TV. He says you're
going to be in Florida, or I would have invited you, too."

Staring at him dead-on, Bella demanded, "Don't do that

to him. You know Charlie doesn't do politics. We're going
to the Clearwaters' house for Christmas. Do not drag him
into your campaign"

He admired the rise that he had gotten out of her. "It was
a joke. Of course he'll be away from the cameras."

"Good." What the fuck is he up to?

With an evil snicker, he questioned her, "Guess that

wouldn't be too good for you in the office if Charlie
showed up with me on TV, would it?"

Bella's eyes flashed at him in anger. "You are not being a

friend. And it's late. You should go."

"Touchy. I was just joking. I'm sorry." Jacob smiled at

her and placed his hand on her knee. "Maybe when
you're out of Cullen's office, you'll see we can be friends
again."

"Yeah, maybe." She didn't mean it, but she said it as she
removed his hand from her leg. "Jake, thanks for the
apology. I appreciate it, but I've got dinner plans. You're
probably busy, too."

Standing up, Jake acknowledged, "I am busy tonight;

things have really picked up on the campaign. It's great.
But, I just wanted to clear the air with you, Bella. Thanks
for talking with me." He replied with a grin because he
was pleased with his performance.

"Consider it cleared. C'mon I'll let you out."

After Bella closed the door behind Jacob, she first ran up
to let Victoria know things were OK. When Victoria
poked around for more information, Bella just said she
wasn't in the mood to talk about it. For the next six
hours, Bella stewed on her conversation with Jacob
because she knew he was up to no good, but he was
oddly trying to be friends at the same time. Edward
called right as the plane landed, expecting a chipper
welcome from his girlfriend. When he instead got a
troubled, uncomfortable Bella, he wanted to see her
immediately. "Goddamn it. It's times like this that I
really resent our situation. I cannot believe that asshole
came to your house. I want to see you."

"Oh Edward, it's late anyway. We'll see each other

tomorrow. Let me just tell you what happened."

After she retold the entire conversation, Edward was

silent. She had to prod him, "So what do you think?"

"I think I want to wring his neck."

Responding to the anger in Edward's voice, Bella became

worried. "Did I say something wrong? Do you think he
learned anything?"

"No. You did everything right. He's the problem."

The next morning, Bella was surprised when it was Seth

who summoned her to his office "to look at something."
She was even more surprised when they took a wrong
turn. As they walked through the halls, Seth reported,
"Edward told me about Jake's little surprise visit. He's
such a jerk. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"It was fine. But I agree that he's a jerk."

Before Seth deposited her in Edward's office, he checked

to see that no one was around, "I'll stand at the door
reading my Blackberry."

Bella's eyes widened at the thought of Seth, a Chief of

Staff, patrolling Edward's door in order to protect him.
Seth saw her expression and understood her response.
He chuckled. "Don't worry. It's not obvious. He has me
standing outside his door waiting around all the time."
He then nodded for her to go in.

Edward was sitting at his desk reading, but quickly

jumped up to see Bella. Capturing her in his arms, his
green eyes gleamed with ardor, "I missed you, darling."

Reaching up to give him a kiss, she murmured, "I missed

you more."

"Highly unlikely." He placed a sweet peck on her lips, but

the kiss quickly morphed into something more. He
started into a series of tortuous kisses where his tongue
made fleeting, but erotic appearances in her mouth.
"Um. Senator. What is going on?" Bella was
flabbergasted at how passionately he was kissing her
given they were in his personal office.

Not opening his eyes, he muttered, "I missed you, and I

have 20 minutes with you right now until I see you again
next Monday. I want to feel all of you while I can."

They continued to kiss, and when his mouth did break

from hers, his jaw began traveling down her neck. Bella
melded her body to his, pulling him by his belt loops
toward her so that she felt all of him against her torso. As
they continued kissing, what had started out as a firm
bulge, soon turned into a hard erection.

Bella gasped just thinking about it. "I want to touch you,
but I shouldn't."

Edward groaned, "I want you to touch me, but you

shouldn't." Giving her a few soft kisses, he led her to the
sofa so they could sit and talk.

When Bella brought up Jacob's visit again, Edward

shook his head, "Thank God, your roommate was there. I
trust him about as much as the Israelis trust Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad. Jake says he wants to be your friend, but
he wants two things from you and neither of them are
friendship. He still has a thing for you, and he wants to
use you for information about me. I'm so sorry that
you're in the middle of this."

"Whatever. It's OK. But what do you take of his

comments to me about you?"

Rubbing his eyes with the thumb and index finger of one
hand, he stated, "He's looking into my past … and
present with women." Then he looked back into Bella's
eyes happily saying, "There is no present that he knows
of right now. So there's not a problem."

She hesitantly queried, "And the past? Is there a

problem?"

Edward grimaced, "I don't know, but doubtful. I've been

very … discreet ever since the beginning of the first
campaign." Then with a smile, he added, "And I'm
happily monogamous now."

Bella smiled back at him and squeezed his hand. The

discussion made her think of something else. "I'm going
to need to say something to my roommates – to explain
why Mike is out of the picture, but also why I'm still
spending so much time away from the house if he is. I
need to make-up a new boyfriend. I worry about being
able to keep up that lie." She let out a small sigh. "There's
no other answer though. It would be odd if I moved out
into my own place mid-year and all – not to mention I
can't afford to live alone."

Without thinking about the consequences of his

proposal, Edward offered, "Bella, don't worry about
money of all things. I'll pay for whatever you need. You
should never worry about that."

A deep line formed in between Bella's eyes. She was

uncomfortable just thinking about what that would be
like. "I can't have you do that, Edward. It's very generous
of you, but … it would make me feel like some kind of
kept woman."

At once Edward felt horribly. Goddamn it, Edward. You

have just proposed making her your concubine for all
intents and purposes. Look at her reaction. Earnestly,
he apologized. "Bella, I'm sorry. Please don't take it that
way. I just don't like you worrying about something
that's easily fixable. If it makes you uncomfortable,
though, please forget I said it."

Bella nodded. "OK. I know you meant well. Anyway, I

can handle my roommates. We all have such erratic
schedules that we don't notice everyone's comings and
goings."

Edward kissed her hair. "Well, I don't like the idea of you
going tomorrow morning. I wish I could see you
tonight."

"A state dinner is a big deal, though. Not that many

members of Congress get invited. Is Rosalie excited?"

"Very. She's been talking up her dress for the last

month." He then frowned looking down at their joined
hands. "I wish you could be my date, though. You would
look gorgeous. And you could charm Alistair some more.
You'd like his wife also."

Leaning over to give him a kiss, she tried to make him

feel better. "Well, I have nothing to wear, and besides, I'll
see you on Monday. That's not so far away."

Their kiss was long and loving, and during it, Edward
remembered Jasper's offers. Pulling away, his eyes held
hers, "Stay the night with me next week, or if Jasper and
Alice can, let's go to the cabin."

Bella took a breath and smiled. "I'd love to."

~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Six ~
At the state dinner's cocktail reception, Edward had just
gotten himself some water when he watched Rosalie get
cornered by a determined political consultant who had
been pursuing her the entire year. He said he wanted a
polling contract with the campaign, but it was quite
obvious that he wanted physical contact with Rosalie.
Standing a good eight inches taller than the guy, Rosalie
could look over him. She silently mouthed to Edward,
"Save me!" Edward chuckled and shook his head.

"What's so funny?"

Edward turned to the woman's voice that he recognized

instantly. "Nothing really. Good evening Jane."

Senator Jane Volk lightly touched his dinner jacket,

coyly saying, "You look dashing in that tux."

Glancing down at her deep chartreuse dress, he replied,

"And you look striking as always. Where's Smythe? I
understand that congratulations are in order."

Jane impishly smiled. "Yes. Thank you. Matt is over

there." She pointed at him. Congressman Matt Smythe
saw his fiancée, and they exchanged waves. Jane said in
a velvety voice to Edward, "But, I haven't taken any vows
yet."

Edward could see exactly where this was leading. He was

curt. "Maybe not yet, but you will."

"Oh, not for a while." She beamed up at him declaring,

"In the meantime, we're going to be working some late
nights in December on the healthcare bill."

"Yes. It's a busy time of the year." Edward looked over at

Rosalie. He was the one who wanted to be saved now,
but he couldn't catch her eye.

Jane's voice became increasingly breathy as she

suggested, "Well, I thought we could discuss some of it …
like we used to … over your desk." She wickedly grinned
at him. "We both used to get a lot out of it."

Knowing that he had to handle his reply delicately,

Edward smiled as he let her down. "Yes, but I don't think
so, Jane."

Taken aback by his answer, Jane's brow furrowed

slightly trying to understand his reasoning. "Why not? I
haven't seen you around with Maggie anymore." When
Edward didn't reply, Jane surveyed the room and
pointed to Rosalie. "You're here with your sister."
His annoyance with Jane verged on hostility, yet
outwardly Edward was cool. "I take my family members
with me to events all the time." He then remembered
that he had to keep things light with her. He forced a
smile adding, "They make the best dates for functions
like this."

His smile worked a little too well on Jane who grinned

back, "That's probably true – family members don't
require any commitment – good when you're wanting
some … variety in your life."

Looking away from her, he muttered, "Yes, something

like that." Bella is something very different to me.

Jane decided that this was not the place to pursue

Edward any further. Instead, she said, "Well, as I
mentioned before, I'm not giving up." As she turned to
leave, she followed up her vow with a prediction. "And
you know we always work well together."

Edward closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. When

he opened them, he saw Senator Alistair Makenna
walking up to him. "Good evening, Edward."

"Hello Alistair."

Standing next to him with his hands clasped in front of

him on his cane, Alistair quietly said, "You don't sound
very happy tonight."

"I just had an unpleasant conversation."

Alistair nodded his head. He always guessed something

had gone on between Jane and Edward. "So the chickens
are coming home to roost?"

Edward looked aside to Alistair and grimly replied,

"Maybe. Jane was not one of my wisest choices."

"You don't say?" Alistair guffawed at the idea.

Hearing his rollicking chuckle, Edward laughed too.

After a moment, Alistair composed himself and intently
asked, "So how are things for you, Edward, since the last
time we really talked … at the fundraiser?"

When their eyes locked on each other, Edward knew

Alistair was asking about Bella. He scratched his
forehead for a few seconds smiling and wondering what
to say. Finally, he answered, "Things are good … great in
fact, but this probably isn't the best place to talk."

Alistair looked around their perimeter. "Why the hell

not? There aren't people for 20 feet, and it's the White
House for godsake. No bugs here." Then more solemnly
he continued, "But I hope I'm the only person outside
your family, you're talking to. You know my Grams
always used to say, 'Your best friend has a best friend.'
You need to remember that."

"I consider you my second father, so I have no worries

talking with you."

"Well, you're like a son, so I want to know what's going

on with you." Alistair raised his eyebrows. "I gather that
you're no longer seeing Maggie."

"Over and done with, and we're on good terms. She

pretty quickly started seeing a federal judge in
Massachusetts – a much better fit for her."

"Yet, Jane persists."

Grimness overtook Edward. "Unfortunately, she has

returned."

Alistair snickered. "Looking for a last hurrah before she

marries that dolt, Smythe? Don't worry about her. I'm
pretty sure she's got a couple of other irons in the fire …."

Edward was curious. "You think so?"

"Absolutely. I'm good at spotting those sorts of things.

My daughter says I have excellent gaydar, too. That's a
great word you know. Next time, I'm inclined to
filibuster a bill, I'm going to work it into my statement –
something like 'you don't need gaydar to know they're
hiding something here.' The media would love it."

Still taken with Alistair's supposition about Jane,

Edward asked, "Er. Yes. So who do you think, she's with
these days?"

"Well, definitely Glynn, and I'm pretty confident about

Anderson."

Edward mulled over the names – both of them disturbed

him, but for different reasons. No one would ever guess
Anderson, a devout Southern Baptist and family man.
The thought of him with Jane upset Edward, and he felt
badly for the man. Despite their political differences,
they were very friendly with one another, both being
veterans. He has to be going through some kind of
personal crisis to be cheating on his wife. Glynn was
another matter altogether. He was divorced, he slept
around a lot, and everyone knew it. He and Edward
rarely even spoke. Jane coupling with Glynn disgusted
him.

"I hope she sticks with Glynn, but I worry she's still
going to be a problem for me."
"Because?"

"Because she just pointed out I'm not seeing anyone

else." Then he smiled at Alistair. "But actually I am."

Returning the smile, Alistair noted, "Yes, by the way you

reacted when I first asked about you, I would assume
you're very happy."

"I am." His smiled morphed into a smirk. "She's a friend

of the family, you know."

Alistair chuckled recognizing the cover-up. "Is she now?

That's wonderful to hear."

"My mother is particularly fond of her. We've spent a

good amount of time with Esme."

Alistair scanned the room. He still held his cane, but he

began to jingle the few coins in his left pocket. Casually,
he asked, "Really? So you're serious about her."

"Yes."

His voice now stern, he pushed further. "Serious enough

to damn the consequences?"
"Yes." Edward's mouth twitched. "I hope Carlisle would
have understood."

Alistair's now smiling eyes met Edward's. "He would

have."

Edward smiled and exhaled. "We are taking every

precaution to avoid any problems."

"Good. You need to." Quickly following up, Alistair

announced, "Well, Clare and I would be delighted to
have you two over for dinner."

Now staring at Alistair, Edward warned him with

concern. "I don't think you want to be involved in this,
Alistair."

The admonition made Alistair laugh heartily. "You've got

to remember I can do whatever I want, and the people of
Georgia will still re-elect me. I've been in office since
before most of them were born, and Atlantans drive on
the Alistair P. Makenna freeway every day. I've brought
home so much federal money to our state that I could be
caught with an intern and I'd beat any opponent by 20
points."

Edward recognized the incredible generosity of Alistair's

invitation. He was offering a cloak of respectability to his
relationship with Bella. "That is incredibly kind of you to
offer."

Alistair shrugged, "Well, I'd like to get to know her, as

would Clare. We'd invite Esme, too, if that would ease
your mind."

With a nod, Edward agreed, "Yes, it would, and thank

you again for the invitation."

"Not at all. It's not every day I get to spend time with a
woman who can hold your eye."
--

The next morning Edward checked his schedule soon

after he awoke. He remembered that he had a light day
planned before the family flew back to the state in the
late afternoon. As soon as he saw his 10 o'clock
appointment for his annual physical at Walter Reed
Medical Center, an unwelcome thought came to his mind
– he needed to request his usual battery of tests for
STDs. He ran his hand through his hair. I have been so
fucking stupid.

Edward always made this routine request because of his

occasional recklessness when it came to sex. And now it
was coming back to haunt him. Likening a condom to a
rubber band on his dick, he avoided using them
whenever he had trust in his partner – Irina, Maggie,
and – he had thought – Jane. Edward thought back to
Alistair's comment the night before about Jane being
with Glynn. He had had faith in Jane simply because she
was a senator and would do everything not to put herself
in jeopardy of any scandal. He had anything but faith in
Glynn.

Normally, he viewed the tests simply as a non-event, but

when he thought of Bella, they took on a whole new level
of importance. His was still struggling over whether or
not they should have sex. Emmett's arguments rang true.
The fire between them was a passionate desire to please
and be pleased. I want to be inside of her. I want to feel
all of her. And I want her to feel me. Envisioning the
sight of his cock sliding in and out of her dark curls made
his eyes cross.

He shook his head in an attempt to snap out of what was

turning into a full-on sexual fantasy. Bella wasn't just
anyone to him; he wanted to do right by her in every
way. Waiting until she was out of his office seemed like it
would be the start of a new era in their relationship. At
least one thing wouldn't be hanging over his head. Still,
he cared for her, and he wanted to show it in every way
possible.

Emmett's chiding him about his feelings for Bella came

back to him, but he still hadn't sorted out what he felt for
her. Is it love? He didn't want to think about it – it was
far too complicated of a matter to think about early in
the morning. He put the question back into one of his
mental compartments. Circling back to the issue of the
STD tests, he groaned out loud. Simply imagining telling
Bella that they couldn't have sex because he caught
Chlamydia or something like it from Jane Volk made
him cringe in shame. He knew it was highly unlikely that
he had caught anything, but there was that slim chance
that stuck in his brain.

Given the holiday, he expected that he wouldn't get his

test results back for two weeks potentially. He shook his
head. Even if he decided he wanted to let things get out
of hand with Bella, he couldn't for a while. The
realization that he couldn't have her caused a strange
gnawing at his heart. Feeling that he again was
encroaching on dangerous emotional territory, he
summarily rejected it all. Not now. He stood up and
headed to the shower with a clear mind.
--

On Saturday morning, a pajama-clad Bella trudged into

Renee's kitchen looking for a cup of coffee. When she
saw her mother, she mumbled, "Morning," as she poured
her caffeine.
"Well, good morning sleepyhead." Renee sat at the
kitchen table, thumbing through the stack of holiday
advertisements in the newspaper.

Bella sat down at the table and began reading the front
page while clutching her coffee cup. Dissatisfied with the
lack of response from her daughter, Renee pointedly
remarked, "Well, you've been up late on the phone the
past few nights. I've heard you talking well after
midnight."

"Really?" Bella tried to remain calm as she stared at the

article she had been reading. The time difference
between them had meant that her calls with Edward
went late into the night. Shit. I hope she hasn't heard
anything. She thought of all the things Renee might hear
– long discussions about their days, politics, books,
places they both wanted to travel, things they wanted to
do together, what they were wearing, what each hoped
the other wasn't wearing, etc. Thank God no phone sex,
but right on the edge.

A knowing grin controlled Renee's voice as she asked,

"So what's his name?" Bella's eyes flashed up from the
paper, causing Renee to reassure her, "I can't actually
hear what you're talking about. I just hear your voice and
all your laughing." With a big grin, Renee smugly stated,
"I know I'm right that it's a guy, so what's his name?"
"Yeah. It's a new guy." Bella knew she had to give Renee
some information, and nobody could catch Bella in a lie
better than her mother. She went back to staring at the
paper.

"Do you know him from school?"

"No, from work." The absolute truth.

"Is he interning too?"

"No."

Renee giggled. "C'mon Bella. To be this quiet about a

guy isn't like you. Why won't you tell me his name? What
does he do?"

Taking a deep breath, somehow the right words

appeared in Bella's mind. She could say these things
honestly and with the emotions that lay behind them.
"I'm sorry, Mom, but I don't want to jinx it. Things are
going really well … actually, amazingly well between us.
He's wonderful, and I'm just crazy about him. We just
haven't been together that long."

A superstitious person, Renee was completely respectful

of Bella's concern of jinxing a good thing. "Oh Bella, I
totally understand. I felt that way when I first started
with Phil. You don't have to tell me his name if you don't
want to, but I'd like to hear about him. Is he older than
you?"

Bella managed a smile. At least, I don't have to outright

lie. "Thanks Mom. I appreciate it. Yes, he's older than
me." Bella didn't want to say how much older, and
thankfully for her, Renee moved on to more important
facts.

"What does he do?"

"Um. Works at the Senate."

"In your office?"

"Yeah." Bella almost smirked at the ridiculousness of her

answer. You could say he runs the office.

"What's his background?"

"He's a lawyer." Of course, there was more to say, but

Bella thought the lawyer answer might stop the
conversation. It didn't, though.

"Do you have a lot in common?"

"Sure." In some ways … in some ways not – like the fact
he is a Senator and is wealthier than Midas.

"What does he look like?"

"Tall, lean. Green eyes. Light brownish hair."

"He sounds to die for."

Bella grinned at her mother. "Pretty much. Do you see

why I don't want to jinx things?"

"I'd be superstitious too."

Bella went back to reading her paper, only to hear Renee

ask a leading question. "And so you haven't been
together very long, but you're serious about him?"

"Um. I guess so."

Renee was quiet for a minute before going deeper in her

inquiry. "I don't mean to be nosy, but have you …?"

Her head jerking up in order to stop Renee from prying,

Bella shook her head. "No. And that is being nosy."

"Oh OK. I'm nosy, but it sounds like it would happen

sometime soon – he's older, after all."
"Mom, I know you're just being a friend, but I would
rather not talk about this with you." Because I'm dying
of embarrassment, and you're bound to say something
that will embarrass me even more.

"Fine." Renee wouldn't let up, though. "But as a mother,

I just need you to promise me two things."

Rolling her eyes, Bella promised, "I swear – like I always

have – that I won't get married or have kids before I turn
25."

"Good. I just don't want you making my mistakes. You

should learn from them instead." Renee was pleased
with herself, but something clicked in her mind.
Mothers' intuition already told her that Bella was still a
virgin, but she didn't want to make Bella uncomfortable
by stating it. Instead, she pretended to assume the
opposite and very softly asked, "Bella, what sort of
protection are you using?"

Bella bit her lip. "We're not there yet. I haven't thought
about it."

She shook her head. "Bella, you know you need to take
care of yourself, sweetie. You can't rely on a man to think
of these things before hand, and condoms aren't as
reliable as people think."

"Mom, please. I'm not ruining my career before I even

start it by getting pregnant. End of discussion. And I
have no interest in getting married." Even to Edward.
Exasperated, Bella took a drink of coffee and went back
to the paper. Of course, she didn't want to admit that her
mother had made some good points. I guess it's time to
go to the school clinic when I get back.

The following Wednesday night Bella left with Alice from

the office to go straight to Edward's house, while Edward
followed later in his Town Car. There wasn't another
option. Leaving the office together, getting in his car, and
then going to his house posed too many risks. As Alice
drove down Massachusetts Avenue, she remarked, "I
don't mean to be rude, Bella, but why didn't you bring an
overnight bag?"

Bella grimaced. "I think it's easier to explain to my

roommates where I was tonight when I walk in at 7:00 in
the morning wearing the same clothes as yesterday. If I
left the house with a packed bag this morning, it might
have signaled something. I just stashed some
nightclothes and a toothbrush in my backpack where
nobody would notice, and I told Victoria that I had a date
with someone new."
Alice giggled, "So you think a 'walk of shame' in the
morning is less obvious? Very funny."

"It's counterintuitive, I know."

"Don't worry. Jasper has to get to the office early before

he flies out tomorrow. We'll leave by 6:45, so that it will
be plenty obvious that you had an unplanned all-
nighter."

When they arrived at the house, Jasper was already

setting the table for the take-out Chinese food. As the
four sat down to dinner, he immediately apologized,
"You know, I'm really sorry that we couldn't go to the
cabin. Believe me, I'd much rather be there than in
Copenhagen trying to salvage the climate treaty."

Edward assuaged him. "Not a big deal. I think we should

plan for the weekend of the 19th. Maybe we'll see some
snow on the ground then."

The two couples retreated upstairs to their rooms not

long after dinner. Edward shut the door behind him and
grabbed Bella into a hug. He kissed her forehead and
then looked curiously at her. "So if you were home right
now – by yourself in your bedroom – what would you do
at this point in the evening?"
"Um. I would get into my pajamas and sit on my bed and
read. What would you do?"

"The same thing. Or play the piano if I needed to clear

my head."

She poked his chest playfully. "You still haven't played

for me."

Smoothing her hair around her face, he contemplated

the thought. "I want to do that, but I'd rather do it when
no one else is around but us. I have something I've been
working on that I want to play for you."

"Well, we're not going to be alone for a while, though."

"There's a piano at the cabin – an upright." Lowering his

lips to hers, he murmured, "Maybe there … when Jasper
and Alice are out." The kiss he gave her was sweet and
leisurely, as if he was communicating to her that they
would have more time together that night than they ever
had before. Bella's body wanted more than slow, languid
kisses, though, and she soon pressed her form against
him, arching her back to feel as much of him as she
could.

Edward responded by weaving his fingers into Bella's

hair, but he soon pulled away. Smiling at her, he thanked
her. "I'm so happy you're here. This feels more normal to
me. Thank you."

The glint in his eye made her catch her breath before she
replied, "I'm happy too."

Nodding toward the bathroom, he offered, "You can use

the bathroom, if you like." He winked and added, "I'll
even lend you my toothbrush."

"It's OK. I brought a few things."

When Bella got out of the bathroom, Edward was

reading on his bed wearing his white undershirt from the
day and blue tartan pajama bottoms. He raised his
eyebrows with a smile at the sight of her in her tank top
and boy shorts. "This is what I'm missing every night?
Maybe I should scale your house."

Bella looked down at herself. She thought she looked

normal – except for her nipples, which were fully formed
from the chill of the room. She smiled bashfully back at
him, "You're not missing much."

"I disagree."

Placing her clothes over a chair, she grabbed a pair of

socks and a book out of her bag and hopped on the bed.

Edward questioned her perplexedly. "Socks?"

"My feet get cold."

"Sit next to me then."

When she slid next to him on the bed, he put his arm
around her and tucked her into his side. The memo he
was holding was on the recent legislative machinations
on the health care bill. Bella read a few lines and
commented, "I think you're going to be here until
Christmas Eve."

"I think so too, unfortunately."

"I should buy a ticket to go home for Christmas. Leaving

on Christmas Eve with you and your family might get me
into Forks past midnight. I think explaining to Charlie
my absence that night will be very hard – even if we are
having dinner at Seth's the next day."

Edward kissed her hair. "No. Don't waste your money.

Maybe Seth can explain things to his parents, and they
can smooth things out with your dad. Even if we left
Christmas Eve night, we'd get you home for Christmas
morning."
"Well, let me talk with Seth to see how we could spin that
with Charlie. I think it's going to be kind of difficult, and
maybe going home early wouldn't be so bad. I could
work on my law school applications. That's also the
bright lining in us staying here this weekend. I need to
focus on them."

With a slight frown, Edward asked, "I'm sorry I haven't

asked about that more. How are things coming?" Law
school and Bella was something he no longer liked
thinking about. She could end up someplace far away
from him.

"I'm working on them. I just worry about not getting into

Georgetown. They have a loan forgiveness program if I
work for the government or a non-profit. UW's and GW's
are much less generous. I would have a lot of debt, and
I've already got undergrad loans."

After their last conversation about Bella's financial

situation, Edward bit his tongue, yet he fretted. I can't
stand the thought that she worries about money. It kills
me. Instead, he rubbed her arm, saying, "Well, don't
worry about it. Everything will work out."

Enjoying the comfort of being so close to him, Bella

craned her neck up and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."
Edward gazed into her eyes as he cupped his hand
underneath her chin. "I don't like you worrying."

Bella knew he was trying to be sweet, but she found the

statement paternalistic. "OK Dad."

"Such a smartass." He said it more lovingly than

teasingly.

"Well, it gets my point across." Then, holding his gaze,

she curled her hand around the back of his neck adding,
"But, I don't like you worrying either, and you do it all
the time."

"Then let's both not."

With that, Edward moved in for a kiss that was warm,

but strong from the moment his mouth touched hers.
Bella heard him move the memo that was sitting on his
lap onto the nightstand, and she decided to take its
place. Still kissing him, she maneuvered so that she was
straddling him, but sitting on the backs of her heels. The
position gave her enough height so that she could extend
herself so their faces were level.

As they kissed, Edward's hands spanned Bella's waist

rolling her tank top up. His fingers grazing the skin of
her belly made her quiver, and in response, he began to
lift up her shirt more. Bella reacted immediately. "Oh, no
you don't."

Completely befuddled, Edward came out of the moment

and apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't …"

Bella smirked at him. "Don't apologize. As long as you

take off your shirt too, it's OK."

With a smile, he yanked the back of his t-shirt over his

head and threw it on the floor. Bella was proud that she
didn't gape seeing his sculpted body before her. I don't
think I'll ever get used to seeing him like this. Her hands
caressed around his chest playing in the hair and
following the slopes of his muscles. Just as they traveled
to the washboard of his stomach, he gently grabbed them
with his own hands. He playfully reprimanded her, "We
had a deal, Ms. Swan."

"Yes, we did." Bella grinned as she crossed her arms over

her body and raised her shirt over her head. When she
turned back to see him after tossing it aside, he was
staring intently at her breasts. A guttural sound came
from his throat. She started to giggle. "Did you just
growl?"

His hooded eyes flickered up at hers, while he smiled a

sexy grin at her. "Maybe I did. The sight of you half
naked does that to me."

"I feel the same way. I wish I could growl."

Edward's hands went to her breasts, and his long fingers

rolled over them one by one as if he was playing the
piano. Slowly, he moved his thumb and forefinger
together, gently pulling and rolling her nipples. Bella had
her head down watching him tweak her nipples, and the
sight caused a sound from her that was somewhere
between a moan and whimper.

Amused by the effect he had, Edward commented, "That

was sort of a growl."

He hadn't really finished his sentence, though, before

Bella had moved her crotch flush with his erection and
her mouth to his. She rubbed against him, and her
tongue found his, which responded with force to all of
her movements. After a few minutes, she began kissing
and licking him, starting at his neck and moving slowly
down his torso. As her mouth travelled down his body,
she scooted back so that she had better access. When she
encountered his belly button, there was only her wet
tongue on the curls trailing down below.

Edward was mad with anticipation of what was coming

next. God yes, she's going give me head. Reflexively, he
raised his pelvis up as both her hands pulled down his
pajama bottoms. She had gotten them down low enough
that he kicked them off. When she realized that a
completely naked Edward was lying underneath her, she
took a moment to glance up and down at the perfect
male specimen before her. Oh. My. God. Her eyes
quickly settled on his erection, though – just like
everything else about his body – it really is perfect –
bigger than average, but not like a weirdo porn guy.

With a quick glance, she saw his face completely focused

on her actions, which made her smile. She then circled
her tongue around the head of his penis and soon took it
fully in her mouth. She gently jostled his testicles in her
hand as she slid her mouth up and down his length. The
dual movements made him groan. Eventually, he found
his voice, roughly saying, "Bella, this is so good."

When she reached the top of his cock, she stopped long
enough to ask, "What else do you like?"

Her simple request pleased him two ways – he thought it

sweet and hot. His eyes met hers with a smile as he took
her right hand and encircled their hands around his
cock. "Sometimes this too."

Both of them found the feel and sight of their hands

together on him incredibly erotic. But Edward pulled his
hand away, wanting feel the warmth of her mouth again.
She placed her mouth on him and began to move both
her mouth and hand up and down him in one
synchronized motion of sucking and stroking. When she
arrived at the head, she swiped her tongue around it for
good measure. The effect on Edward was quick and
intense. Immediately, he moaned, "Exactly … oh God,
Bella, this is perfect." Bella continued in her efforts, and
within a few minutes of Edward's primal sounds of
pleasure built into a crescendo of a climax. Bella
swallowed most of the cum, but some dribbled on her
hand.

With a huge appreciative grin, Edward pulled Bella up so

that she was beside him. Kissing her, he murmured,
"That was amazing. You're incredible."

Bella kissed him back, but soon giggled. "Edward, do you

mind if I wipe my hand on your sheets?"

He looked at her laughed. "Fuck no. Go right ahead."

As Bella cleaned her hand, Edward reluctantly pulled on

his bottoms. He wanted to lie naked with her, but his
issues around intercourse with her nagged him into his
clothes. Anxious that she had only started the pill on
Monday, Bella was relieved when she saw him get
dressed. In a flash, he was hovering above Bella with his
weight on his arms. Pressing his lips to her, he
whispered a question. "Now, what would you like?"

"Um. What you did last time was pretty good." Like
damn good.

His lips were already on her neck after she said it. "I'll
see what I can do." And with that his mouth and hands
were again at work on her breasts, teasing and sucking at
her nipples while exploring their fullness. Bella lolled her
head back, enjoying the sensations both on her breasts
and in her sex. When she felt Edward's hand move to her
bottoms, she swiftly helped him wriggle her out of her
them.

Edward placed his entire hand on her sex from mound to

just below her vagina, sliding it easily back and forth. His
eyes widened, and he spoke without thinking exactly
what he was thinking. "My God, you're so wet." Luckily,
as he said it he was able to stifle himself from uttering
aloud the last part. And I want to be inside of you.

Bella grinned at him. "Yeah, you have that effect on me."

Feeling his cock twitch at the thought of her slick sex, for
the briefest moment, Edward thought of pulling down
his pants until he remembered everything that was
holding him back – the tests and his own conundrum.
Fuck. Cannot do it. Instead, he slid his index finger
inside of her saying, "It feels really nice."

"That feels more than nice." Her sentence ended up

being followed with a quick moan, as Edward spiraled
his thumb around her clit while he continued to finger
her. After a minute, he replaced his thumb with his
mouth. Bella thought only one thing – Yes, this again.
First kissing and sucking her clit, Edward then taunted
her with his favorite alphabet game before settling into a
succession of rapid flat-tongued licks of her clit. Bella
bucked her hips, and in response, Edward added another
finger inside of her. Within a minute, Bella clenched
herself around his hand gasping his name.
--

That same evening, but with the sun still up in LaPush,

Leah Clearwater sat staring mindlessly at her computer
screen playing Sudoku as she waited. "Where the fuck is
he?" Jared was 20 minutes late for his shift, and Leah
was tired of sitting around for him. He had called a bit
before complaining that he overslept and was on his way.
Leah wasn't sure whether or not to believe he was
actually driving when he called.

She heard the door open to the otherwise quiet police

station. "You owe me one, Jared. I've got plans tonight."
Grabbing her bag off the file cabinet, her mouth gawped
when she saw the man standing before her, but she shut
it at once. Motherfucker.

"Er. Hi Leah. I wasn't expecting you." And where the

fuck is Jared? I scheduled this appointment so I
wouldn't see you.

Leah glared at him. "No Sam. I wasn't expecting you.

Why are you here? I'm the one that's supposed to be
here, not you." You are up to no good. I can tell.

"I've got a meeting with Jared." I don't want you

hearing any of this. You better leave as soon as he gets
here.

"Well, he's late to work. Why are you meeting with him?"

"Just a friendly visit."

"You don't do friendly visits. You're sniffing around for

something, just like the dog that you are."
~*~
Link:
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/chickens+come+ho
me+to+roost
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Seven ~
Sam glared at Leah. She's calling me a dog? She's the
one that's turned into a fucking bitch. Glad I left you at
the altar. But I've got a job to do here. I need to cool it.
With a measured voice, Sam calmly stated, "I've come to
talk with Jared. You know we're friends."

Leah's black eyes were intense with malice for the man
before her. Such a lying sack of shit. "What did you say?
You and Jared are 'friends'? Since when? Besides, you
first said you had a meeting with him. Now, you're
saying you've just 'come to talk'? Bullshit. You want
some dirt because you're looking to smear someone.
That's what you do. Who is it this time?"

Rolling his fingers up into fists, Sam wanted to let her

have it, but he restrained himself. "I didn't come here to
fight with you, Leah. We've done enough of that."

At once, coldness came over Leah. Damn him. Why do I

always let him get to me? She was angry at herself and
muttered a dispassionate reply. "Yes, we have. And you
haven't been worth any of it."

As Leah finished her words, the station door banged

opened with Jared hurriedly apologizing. "Leah, I'm so
sorry I'm late. I swear it won't happen again." His face
registered alarm when he saw Leah and Sam staring one
another down.

Leah turned from Sam not even acknowledging her

departure. As she quickly walked past Jared, she simply
remarked, "Don't worry about it. Just remember your
duties while you're talking with him." She was out the
door in seconds.

Sam had no interest in telling Jared anything about his

exchange with Leah. He tried to downplay his visit. "So
Jared, I'm really not here to take up a lot of your time. I
just had a few questions."

After Leah's warning, Jared looked at Sam with some

trepidation. "Sure. Sure. Let's sit down in the office."

The station office had all of the charm of a hospital

room. Feeling like he needed some protection from an
uncomfortable situation, Jared sat behind the old metal
desk, while Sam sat in a puke-brown vinyl chair on the
other side of it. Sam took the lead again, but he wanted
to break the ice because he could tell that Jared was
uneasy. "So, how are you liking the job?"

"It's great. Leah and the other folks are good to work
with, and it's an interesting job."
"That sounds good. You're making your old man proud,
too."

Smiling a little sheepishly, Jared agreed, "Yeah. I guess

so. He would've liked it I bet. My mom always says that."

"So, I'm just looking for a little information on

someone." Sam had said it reassuringly, because his next
statement was a lie. "I'm sure that everything I'm asking
about would be open to the public." Sam very much
wanted information that he couldn't get from any public
records.

Jared nodded in agreement. Sam had effectively broken

the ice with him. Jared also had no reason to think
warily of Sam. He was known to be a professional
person, and Jared knew almost nothing about politics.
"Shoot then. What do you want to know?"

"Well, I'm just looking into something for a family

member of mine who is doing business with Emmett
Cullen. I understand that he had a lot of trouble with the
law in the past. Is this something you know about at all?"

Jared's brow furrowed. He wasn't the brightest man, but

he remembered the scene he had walked in on between
Sam and Leah. "Does this have anything to do with
Leah?"
In complete confusion, Sam asked, "Leah? What do you
mean? I didn't even say her name."

"You didn't have to say her name. You mentioned

Emmett Cullen. She sees him every once in a while when
he's over here from Seattle. I don't think they're dating
or anything, but they're friends."

Sam rolled his eyes. "No, it has nothing to do with Leah.

But, yes, they dated before we went out. She dumped
him. They're just friends. It's not a big deal." Sam
thought about the idea of Leah spending time with
Emmett. She's probably just taking pity on the drunk,
and you know he still hasn't slowed down in the number
of women he sees. She'll never put up with that.

Crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back, Jared
reluctantly asked, "OK then, what do you want to know
about Emmett?" He nodded over to the file cabinets and
said, "You can go through those, and they'll confirm all
the rumors you've heard. He's gotten arrested – a lot –
for public intoxication, assault, and maybe a DUI.
Nothing more than misdemeanors, though, and it's been
a pretty long time since he's been in trouble of any kind
at all."

With an eyebrow arched, Sam enquired further,

"Nothing more serious? All of that liquor usually means
a whole lot more crime than just that."

Jared laughed. "Man, you know how things work around

here. We've got our deal with Charlie Swan."

Sam actually wasn't aware of any arrangement with the

police chief of Forks. "What do you mean?"

Taking a more serious tone, Jared said, "We refer cases

back to one another, but it's under the radar. If a
member of the tribe gets caught up in something bad off
the reservation, Charlie tries to sweep everything under
the rug to quiet things down, and he hands the guy over
to us. We do the same for Charlie. And I'm telling you, a
son of Carlisle Cullen would certainly have gotten that
kind of treatment."

Curious about the arrangement, Sam questioned him.

"So who in this office works with Charlie to keep
everything quiet?"

"Well, now it's Leah, but before her, it was my dad. He

would have been the one to handle anything with
Emmett."

Unhappy at hitting a dead end for the day, Sam glumly

commented, "I'm disappointed that there's no one to get
some honest information from about Emmett."

A smile crossed Jared's face. "Well, you could ask Leah."

"I don't think so." That's the last thing I want to do.

Still amused, Jared offered, "She wouldn't know too

much anyway. If there's information to be had, you can
get it, but you're going to need to talk to Charlie."

"Right. Charlie Swan." Sam scowled at the thought.

That's just really fucking complicated. Jake would need
to do it, and his fingerprints can't be on this stuff for
Aro. But maybe there's a way. It might be worth the
risk.
--
When Leah drove up to her little cottage, she saw
Emmett whacking a hammer at her front porch swing.
His toolbox was at his side, and a bag of groceries sat
against the front door. The sight made her smile. Oh
Emmett, you really are such a sweet guy.

Emmett stopped his hammering as Leah got out of her

car. Grinning at her he said, "I couldn't sit and wait for
you, because I almost fell out of this swing it's so rickety.
How do you sit in it?"

Smiling back at him, she answered, "I don't, but thanks

for fixing it, Handsome." Both were shocked after she
said the last word. Her eyes fell to the ground for a
moment. Oh, my God. I can't believe I said that.

"Handsome" had been her pet name for Emmett when

they dated. Leah hadn't called him that for many years –
ever since she found him drunk and messing around
with a girl in his truck outside a bar. Emmett had been
her handsome, devoted, and loving boyfriend when he
was sober. When he was drunk, he was anything but
devoted.

So taken aback at hearing Leah call him that particular

term of endearment, Emmett swallowed hard as she
climbed the steps up to him. When she reached the top,
he gave her a hug as he whispered, "Did you say that on
purpose?"

She looked at him confusedly. "I don't know." Then, she

shyly smiled. "Are you happy I did?"

Squeezing her into a tight hug, he breathed in the scent

of her heavy, black hair and exhaled a muffled, "Yes. I
am."

When he pulled away, he gazed at her, inching forward

to kiss her – their first kiss in years, but Leah felt a
panicky need to retreat from the emotions that were
swirling around them. She turned her head and nodded
toward the groceries. "I bet we should get those inside."

He smiled as he agreed with her. I shouldn't push her.

"We should, and I need to get cooking if you want to eat
before midnight."

As the two cooked dinner together, they talked and

laughed, like the good friends they had become. Emmett
was making his signature spaghetti and meatballs, using
beef, pork, and veal and resulting in a gigantic mess.
When Leah complained about the state of her kitchen
and the time on the clock, he retorted, "Hey, good things
come to those who wait. And can I have another frying
pan? I've run out of space."

Finding another pan in a cabinet, Leah jokingly

grumbled, "Do you need to use every dish in my
house?"

Emmett turned around to claim the pan from her,

happily answering, "I do because I'm trying to cook you a
proper dinner." Then touching her shoulder, he added
with concern, "You've gotten pretty thin."

Leah looked down self-consciously while quickly

handing the pan over to him. "Yeah, well, it just
happened … over time." She folded her arms across her
middle as if to shield herself from any further discussion
of the weight she had lost since they had been together.
Any weight she had regained during the time she was
with Sam disappeared along with more when he called
off the wedding a week before the date.

Seeing how uncomfortable she was that he had called

attention to her body, Emmett kicked himself. Shit. Now
you made her feel bad. And you love her body, you idiot.
He immediately put the pan on the counter and then
placed both of his hands on her shoulders. "Leah, I didn't
mean anything by it. I only said it because I worry about
you." When she looked up at him with sad, black eyes, he
added, "You're still the most beautiful woman I know,
and I'll never meet anyone prettier."

Her eyes widened, and her lips pressed into an awkward

smile. Emmett took it as an invitation to do what he had
wanted for months. He leaned over to kiss her, but not
before saying, "I'm telling you the truth, Leah." And with
that, their lips and tongues began a slow, sensual
remembering of one another. Leah thought she might
cry at first, so she pushed away all the painful memories
of longing for him. Instead, she focused on the present –
his touch, scent, and taste. Emmett was overjoyed, but
held himself back because he was worried he might push
her too far. Yet, each few seconds that passed
encouraged both of them that the happiness they
currently were experiencing was real. It didn't take long
before they both wanted to act on the emotion.

Leah's body began to speak for her heart as her torso

moved against his. Emmett responded at once by pulling
her hips into an angle where they could most intimately
feel one another. The initial contact was a sweet surprise
to them, with small, pleasurable noises coming from
each of them. Leah urged on Emmett's growing erection
by rhythmically rubbing her sex against him. He groaned
in her mouth, "Oh, baby."

Emboldened Leah said in a breathy voice, "We should

turn off the stove. Let's go to my room."

Emmett froze. He needed confirmation as to her intent,

so he looked Leah in the eye and asked, "Are you sure,
Leah? We only just …"

She cut him off with another bashful smile. "I'm sure.
I've … I've missed you."

Shaking his head at the luck of a second chance, Emmett

chuckled, "You have no idea how much I've missed you.
You have no idea." His right hand moved over to the
stove to turn off the burners, and when he was done, he
picked her up in his arms, cradling her.
Leah yelped as she found herself off the ground, but she
threw her arms around his neck. She asked with a
combination of joy and hope, "Do you remember where
you're going?"

"Hell, yeah." Emmett's answer was infused with

happiness, and he carried her the short way from the
kitchen to her bedroom. They kissed and nuzzled noses
along route. When they got to her bedroom, Emmett's
eye twinkled at her before he dumped her on the bed
with no other warning.

At first, she exclaimed, "Hey!" in a playfully peeved way,

but her mood changed when she saw the heat in
Emmett's eyes as she pulled him down onto the bed. The
two said nothing as they began to kiss and ease
themselves out of their clothes. It wasn't long before they
were rolling around the bed reacquainting themselves
with each other's body.

When Emmett's hand stroked her belly and lingered a

moment on her hip bone, Leah stopped kissing him to
look down at herself. Her eyes met his as she glumly
stated, "I'm too skinny."

Reaching a hand around the nape of her neck, he pulled

her face to his so he could earnestly disagree. "Not at all.
You're as gorgeous as ever." Then with a wink, he added,
"I'll always want to jump on top of you no matter what
size you are."

Leah smiled. "Sometimes you're too nice, Handsome."

She kissed him with a passion she hadn't given anyone

for years. Soon to follow, her hand began stroking his
length before positioning him so that he could enter her.
Emmett almost placed himself inside of her
straightaway, but he thought better of it and slipped a
finger to see how ready she was for him. Deciding that
she wasn't aroused enough, he murmured, "Not yet," and
moved between her legs. He remembered just what to do
for her and circled his tongue around her clit many a
time. The first few licks sent Leah to another place,
whimpering away while thrashing her body against his
mouth and gripping her hands on the quilt beneath
them. Emmett could tell she was on a precipice, so he
kept licking her, and eventually extended his arms
upward so he could simultaneously pinch her nipples.
The effect caused an immediate and intense orgasm.

He found her still shuddering when he went to kiss her.

A little embarrassed by the intensity of her response,
Leah sputtered, "Um … sorry. No one has done that … I
mean I haven't experienced that in a while." Oh God. I
just told him Sam never went down on me. That is
embarrassing.
Emmett kept himself from rolling his eyes. Of course
Sam would be a lousy lay. He didn't linger on the
thought long, though, as something else came over him.
Sitting up, he gently pulled her over to him so she was
upright too. All of the pent up emotion he held for her
came spilling out, "You have got to know this, Leah. I'll
never forgive myself for how I treated you when we were
together. I never stopped loving you. I've always loved
you. I will always love you."

Leah's forehead crumpled as tears started to pool in her

eyes. Emmett kissed them as they started to roll down
her cheeks. She could smell the scent of herself on his
lips, which just compounded her confusion. She didn't
know what to say to him because she had never let
herself dream of being back with him. Her connection
with Sam was never like the one she had with Emmett,
and since Sam, she had shied away from any potential
suitor. She whispered, "But …" even though she didn't
know what to say next.

"Shh … don't say anything … don't feel any pressure. You

don't need to tell me anything. I don't expect it, and I
certainly don't deserve it. I'll hope, but I don't expect it."

Nodding in response, but still psychologically adrift,

Leah waited a moment before kissing him. Unable to
articulate any of the emotions she was feeling, she let her
hands explore his body to tell him what little she could.
--

Two weeks later, it was another late evening in the

Senate – the sort of night that often resulted in a few
senators sleeping in their offices rather than heading
home. Edward had been working such long hours due to
the health care bill negotiations that Bella had been
staying late with him. Sleepovers had been impossible
except on the weekends. That particular night, Seth and
Alice were at their desks while Bella and Edward made
use of their time alone and talked on the sofa in his
office.

The rest of the office was dead quiet, and the average
person who might walk into it would most likely scurry
out. It had the feeling of a place where only those who
were supposed to be there should be there. Of course,
Senator Volk never heeded anything like that; she did
whatever she wanted, confident in her impunity.

Jane strode through the office so quickly that she was a

blur for Seth sitting at his desk. Alice also only caught a
flutter of movement as she Skyped with Jasper who was
still in Copenhagen. So she was alone when she walked
into Edward's office and found him sitting casually on
the sofa laughing and talking with Bella. They were so
engrossed in one another, neither noticed her.
She sized up the cozy scene immediately. Bella sat
comfortably, with her pumps on the floor and her
stocking feet tucked underneath her bum. It was obvious
that she was completely at ease with the situation of
sitting alone with Edward. She leaned up against the sofa
with her head sometimes resting against her arm; she
appeared to be teasing him. Edward's body language was
that of a man interested in a conversation, and he had
assumed most of the rest of the space on the couch with
his arm astride the back of it. He rested his forehead on
his fist, but he could easily have extended it to touch
Bella's face if he wanted. His whole body was turned
toward her, with one ankle resting on his knee in the
most casual of positions. Everyone who might walk into
the room would agree on one thing – the two people
sitting on the sofa were very much enjoying each other's
company. Whether or not they were romantically
involved was open to debate, although a savvy person
would assume it. Taking in everything, Jane waited a
second before speaking as she considered the situation.
So Edward likes this young thing. Of course. I wonder if
they're fucking? Hmm. I can't tell.

Edward's sentry spoke first; he had been on Jane's heels

in a matter of seconds after she passed him. Seth,
inventing the lie of his career, called out louder than
necessary to Bella, "Hey Bella, I just got off the phone
with my dad. He says to tell your dad that he just made a
new batch of fishfry for the game this weekend, if Charlie
wants to come over." Without skipping a beat, Seth
pretended only then to see Jane. "Oh Senator Volk, I
apologize for not seeing you. Good evening."

Springing into action, Edward didn't even give Bella a

glance backward, as he lavished attention on the other
senator in the room. He came to her side immediately
and grinned at her. "Jane, what brings you here so late?"

Not knowing any better, Jane believed that Bella had the
look of a woman dropped from a man's radar screen as
soon as someone better showed up. Bella was biting her
lip and looked rejected, although in actuality it was
intense concern over being caught. Liking the reversal of
fortune, Jane smiled coyly at Edward, "Just to talk things
over … maybe we could return to some things we kicked
around in the past … get things started again."

Edward kept smiling at her, but refused to take the bait.

"Why? I don't think our positions have changed."

"Well, let's talk privately. I've got some new ideas."

Having walked in the room shortly after Seth began

talking, Alice saw where the conversation was going. She
made up a lie of her own that by the grace of God turned
out to be true. "Edward, I think there's going to be a
vote." Only a second passed before the blaring ring
notifying senators of a vote came through the speaker by
the Senate clock on the office wall.

"Shall we walk together, Jane?" Edward gestured toward

the door.

"Certainly." While it wasn't alone time in an office with

Edward, Jane was pleased she could still make her play.

Alice called to Edward from behind, "I'm going to follow

you two, in case there's some press outside the
cloakroom."

As they walked to the Senate floor, it took no time for

Jane to ask, "So who's the pretty young thing in your
office? Seth seems to know her well."

Edward shrugged. "That's Bella Swan. Their families are

friends. Her dad is the police chief of a little town back
home called Forks. I've known him for years. Carlisle
was close with him." Then, for the first time, he said his
non-denial denial outside of his family and inner circle,
"She's a family friend."

Smirking, Jane pointedly questioned him. "Well, you two

seem to be friendly. Is she a friend of yours?"
The practiced liar in Edward came forth, although he
wasn't going to lie. He rolled his eyes rejecting the
thought. "She's a friend of my mother's."

Jane bought the diversion for the moment. Plausible.

He's a man. He's going to flirt with someone like her …
even Smythe would and he's a puppy dog in love with
me. She abruptly switched topics. "So, have you thought
of my proposal?"

Silently exhaling the relief of his tension, Edward still

remembered to smile as he let her down. "Jane, I don't
see married women … ever."

She wrinkled her nose at the thought. "But, I'm not

married."

"You are engaged to be married – to a Member of

Congress, I might add."

Petulantly, she replied, "You're no fun." Then the image

of him talking with Bella crept into her mind. He may or
may not be interested in her, but he must be seeing
someone. Her tone changed immediately. "But what if I
wasn't engaged? This wouldn't be because of someone
else, would it?"
Alice's voice then rose from behind them. She hadn't
been able to follow closely enough to hear all of the
conversation, but she caught enough of it to know the
subject matter. She decided it was time to break it up.
"Edward, you need to talk to the Seattle P-I when we get
back."

Ignoring Jane altogether, Edward turned to wait for

Alice who was almost at their side. His mind was focused
on Jane, though. She's going to continue to be a
problem. Thank God she's engaged. His eyes expressed
boundless thanks to Alice, but only she saw it.
Outwardly, he simply addressed the matter at hand.
"Walk with us. What's the paper asking about?"
--

The next morning, Bella felt a tap on her shoulder, as she

stood at the copier making extra copies of maps of the
Capitol for the receptionist. She was shocked to see
Edward himself at her side.

"Come to Alice's office in five minutes." He winked at her

and was gone.

Alice was already yammering on her cell phone outside

her office when she walked up, so Bella quietly slid past
and closed the door behind her.
A grinning Edward immediately tugged her next to him
into a long kiss. Feeling frisky, Bella's hand grazed his
hardening penis. The movement caused Edward to stop
their kiss with a groan. He playfully asked, "Can't today
just be over already?"

Bella looked at him quizzically. "Why? You're just going

to have another long night."

"Not with the weather outside tonight." Then he

cheerfully announced, "Which is why I brought you in
here. Esme Cullen thinks it would be terrible for her
friend, Bella Swan, to be alone in her house during the
coming snowstorm. She's extended an invitation to join
the family at our house for the duration." He raised his
eyebrows suggestively. "What do you think?"

Giggling at the prospect of spending the three days and

nights with Edward round the clock, Bella replied, "I like
it. And it's true; most of my roommates have already left
for the holidays."

"Good. Come by as soon as you can after work."

She had one more question for him. "OK. But, not to be
presumptive, I'm wondering what are the sleeping
arrangements? Is Esme going to expect us to be in
separate beds?"
Edward's scowled at the ludicrous thought. "God no.
She's not that way at all. And I would never put up with
that. We're adults; she would have to get over it."

Bella was relieved. "Thank God. I would hate to feel like

the slutty girlfriend sneaking out of your room."

With a sexy laugh, Edward swatted her bottom. "I do like

the idea of you being presumptuous."

"Do you now?" Bella was trying to discern exactly what

he meant, and the thought that was meant to stay in her
head came out of her mouth. "Does that mean you've
changed your mind on this whole consensual sex
matter?"

He let himself think for a minute about the prospects. All

of his STD tests had come back negative. There would be
a lot of alone time this weekend. At a minimum, he
wanted to experience lying naked with her for a whole
night – something he had assiduously avoided until that
point. Something still didn't feel right, though. Shaking
his head, Edward spoke with regret. "No, Bella. I
haven't." His eyes scanned around the room, and he
noted, "Especially asking me in this setting, I have to say
no."

His negative response rambled around her mind. A

moment later, she came up with what nagged her about
his argument. "You're creating a situation of estoppel –
because you've made up your own rule that I can't
challenge. Right? That's estoppel?"

"You're right." Edward shrugged at the idea. "But, what's

the big deal?"

Bella looked at him like he was nutters. "The big deal is

that if I'm estopped from even challenging your rule,
there's no opportunity for consensus at all. You've
created a situation that undermines your entire
argument that all things must be consensual between
us."

Edward's mouth twisted into an adoring smile. I love the

way this woman thinks. But as he stared at the woman
he found compelling in every way, his continuum of
thought took the emotion one step further. No, I love all
of her. I do. I love Bella. She means the world to me. I'm
happier with her than without her, and now I can't
imagine ever being without her. As Alistair said,
consequences be damned. I love her. He grinned at the
realization of it all. The three words almost burst out of
his mouth, but he kept them contained. No, not here.
Not in the office – that's the worst place. Somewhere
else…
So lost in his epiphany, Edward was taking too long to
reply, causing Bella to prompt him. "Well, what do you
think?"

In reply, he chose a different set of three words that most

people are also happy to hear over and over. "You're
right again." Edward stroked her hair and then added,
"So not to estopp any further discussion, let's continue to
talk about it."

"OK." Of course, Bella was pleased, hearing that she was

right.

"Why are you grinning?" Edward asked, even though he

had a wide smile himself.

"I'm not sure. I can't tell if it's the subject matter or the
fact that you just conceded something. I think it might be
the latter – I beat you in an argument." Bella could sense
that Edward's demeanor had changed, though. He's
thinking about something. I wonder what it is.

Taking her back into his arms, Edward leaned down to

kiss her, but not before chuckling, "That was just round
one of the argument. There will be another."

When Bella took a cab over to Edward's at seven o'clock

that evening, the driver told her that she was his last fare
of the night. The snow falling all around them explained
everything. The first thing out of Esme's mouth as she let
her in the house was "Aren't you glad you're going home
with us next week? They say the airports are going to be
shut down for a few days. Your flight would never have
left anyway."

Nodding in agreement, Bella responded, "Yes. And if I

ever have to explain why I went with you, I can also use
the weather as an excuse." She smiled anxiously and
added, "I do wonder why Seth wasn't more concerned
about me flying back with all of you. It still makes me
kind of nervous."

Esme wrapped her arm around Bella's shoulder. Sweetly,

but with a hint of sinisterness, she explained to her,
"Bella, you haven't grasped something yet. I'm Esme
Cullen. I can do whatever I want." Esme squeezed her
shoulder at the thought of her own brand of power. "Isn't
that fun?"

Bella laughed at first. "It must be very liberating," but

she then sighed, "But Edward can't. And you can only
protect him so much."

Poopooing her response, Esme remarked, "Very true, but

we won't let it get to that point. And in the meantime,
I'm glad you're here spending what's going to turn into a
long weekend with us."

"I am, too."

The snow fell and fell the next few days, and the entire
Cullen family holed up inside the house. Edward still
worked most of the day in his study, with Rosalie and
Alice working alongside him occasionally. Otherwise,
Rosalie spent most of her time alone in her room texting
or talking with Irina who was stuck on a trip for work
unable to fly back from San Diego. Alice had similar
habits as Rosalie, but at different hours, because Jasper
was still in Europe. Esme putzed around the house –
cleaning silver, rearranging things, or joining Bella by
the fire with a book, where Bella spent most of her days.

The pelting snow was an obstacle for Edward's plans

with Bella. He was completely opposed to the idea of
telling Bella he loved her inside a house, in particular
with his family all around. He wanted to be outside,
ideally back in Washington State, but he knew he
wouldn't be able to wait that long.

On Saturday morning, Bella rolled over in bed to find

Edward staring at her from his pillow.

He smiled at her, but didn't raise his head. "Morning

darling."

"Morning." She smiled back at him. "Why are you

smiling?"

"I was thinking about how happy I am having you here

all the time."

Bella snuggled toward him saying, "I like it too."

Edward pulled her to him for a kiss that quickly

escalated into a full-on morning grope as Bella instantly
responded to his morning erection poking at her leg. In
no time, her legs were clasped around his body, and they
were in an erotically charged embrace and grind. Only
the humping between was like no other before. Edward's
naked erection poked out of the open fly of his pajama
bottoms, and so caught up in the moment, he didn't
place himself back inside his pants, leaving Bella's thin
cotton bottoms as the only thing between his penis and
her sex. When he would hit her clit just right, she was
gasping at the experience. Her mind was busy, though,
racing through the dates of her birth control pill. If I
have sex this morning and take my pill, that's only two
more pills before my period on Tuesday. There's no way
I would get pregnant. Then she asked herself the
question, she already knew the answer to. Do I want
this? Of course, I do.
Confident in her decision, Bella broke her stride with
Edward so they could talk. His eyes were lusty, but he
quickly came to. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't … I shouldn't
have."

Bella shook her head. "No Edward, we should. I want to."

Edward closed his eyes. "No. No." He rolled over on his

back. "I'm sorry. I got carried away."

The words carried rejection that Bella tried to dismiss,

because she knew in her heart that's not what he meant.
She closed her eyes, attempting to formulate a new
argument to persuade him, but the only one that came to
her she was frightened to say. Instead, she stared at the
ceiling questioning him, "How am I here against my own
free will?"

"You're not." He turned to his side to look at her, and she

did the same to see him.

Her eyes fixed on his, first she rationalized with him, but
then her emotions burst through her subconscious. "This
is ridiculous, Edward we were just practically having sex,
and we've been incredibly intimate. I want to be with
you. I know you want it too. More importantly than all of
that, though, is the fact that I lo…" She shut her mouth in
alarm as soon as she realized she was about to
spontaneously declare her love for him. What did I
almost say? Do I really love him? Not looking at him
again, she muttered, "We should just talk later. I need to
take a shower," and left the bed for the bathroom.

Her psyche was in overdrive. Once in the bathroom, she

didn't move. Instead, she viewed herself objectively in
the mirror. Oh my God, I love him. I do. I almost told
him. Bella's epiphany made her giddy, until she thought
through what Edward might think if she told him her
feelings. But under his stupid reasoning, a declaration
of love between us right now isn't consensual either. I
don't want to debate that with him. Dejected by her
predicament, she gloomily got in the shower.

Edward only let her walk away because he was stunned

by what Bella didn't say. Was she going to say she loves
me? But I love her. Edward then remembered the past
couple of nights mumbling in her sleep, but he had been
asleep too. Had she said that she loved him? Was that
also what made him happy when he woke up? But, I
want to tell her first. He thought for a split second about
barging into the bathroom and telling her, but the light
from outside distracted him. He looked out the window,
and watching the now gently falling snow, an idea
bloomed.

Bella was as cold as the air outdoors to Edward for the

rest of the morning. She was pissed at the nonsensical
position he had put their relationship in. We're
essentially stalled – for months – for some silly
principle of his. What kind of relationship is that?
Edward took her iciness toward him in stride; he was
actually rather amused by it, given his plan.

Shortly before noon, Edward wandered out of his office

and pulled at Bella's sleeve as she sat reading on the sofa.
"Rose and Alice are up for a snowball fight. Do you want
some fresh air? Please come with me."

Begrudgingly, Bella donned her snow gear and joined the

happy siblings outside. Cold and gray, it was still
snowing, but much less than before. The Cullen's private,
urban wilderness was a gorgeous scene of green and
brown, cloaked in white.

Snowball fights were a Cullen family tradition, although

Rose pointed out the problem. "It's not the same without
Emmett." It wasn't a team sport; rather it was every
Cullen for him or herself. Bella tried to keep up, but she
wasn't as athletic as them. The playtime did put her in a
much better mood, though, particularly when, after
many attempts, she finally hit Edward squarely on the
head with a snowball she had packed extra tight. He was
ticked when it first happened, but when he saw she was
the aggressor, he just smiled. I'm going to get you.
Eventually, Rose went inside complaining of the cold,
and Alice followed her shortly after when Jasper called.
Edward wanted to keep up the play. So when Bella
turned to watch Alice leave, he dropped some snow
between her collar and neck straight down her naked
back, causing her to scream, "Edward!"

Bella saw that he had that same grin on his face. What's
his deal today? She wanted to get back at him – badly,
but she realized she was totally out-powered by him. She
thought of one thing she could do. Giving him no
warning at all, she hurled her body onto his, which
caused him to lose his balance. Laughing together, they
sank into a large snowdrift, covering them both in snow.

Bella was giggling as she spit the snow out of her mouth.
Edward had stopped laughing and a knowing smile
appeared on his face. She was about to ask him what was
up, but she waited a moment when she watched him
quickly take off his glove.

His bare fingers stroked the snow off of her cheeks. So

soft. With a gaze of ardor, Edward finally spoke his mind
and his heart. "I love you, Bella."
~*~
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estoppel
~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Eight ~
A smile hesitantly appeared on Bella's face as her
consciousness absorbed Edward's words, "I love you,
Bella."

His fingers kept gently stroking her cheek, but Bella was
as silent as the snow falling around them. She stared at
him, searching his eyes to confirm that she should
believe her ears. Edward could tell that she was
evaluating the veracity of his declaration. With the
slightest nod of his head and a smile, he signaled that he
indeed meant what he said to her.

Bella inhaled sharply, "Oh, Edward," and upon exhaling,

she joyfully declared, "I love you."

Edward beamed at her, but still questioned her, "You

do?"

Giggling at the idea that Edward Cullen was looking for

verification of a woman's feelings for him, Bella slid over
the snow closer to him. Then with their noses an inch
apart, Bella gleefully replied, "I do, you silly boy."

He briefly closed his eyes and brushed his nose against

hers, remarking, "Bella Swan, you have no idea how
happy you make me."
"I could say the same thing."

Edward grinned. "Well, then I'm truly a lucky man." His

gaze warm and intense, he pressed his lips to hers. For
both of them, the kiss was one of a familiar discovery, as
if they had both happily found something lost, but that
had been sitting beside them all along. Their tongues
played together intermittently, until they gave each other
little kisses to punctuate their newly found love. Their
mutual affection was so palpable that Edward pulled
away, wanting to tell Bella more.

He adjusted her knit hat, lowering it over her ears for

more warmth, as he enthusiastically announced, "I've
been trying to tell you for days now, but we've been stuck
inside. I wanted to be outdoors when I told you."

Tickled by the thought that Edward had planned this

moment, she quickly chuckled, "Well, I almost told you
this morning, but I was too mad."

Edward laughed, "I know, and I'm glad you didn't."

Bella bemusedly inquired, "Why?"

"Well, you were pretty irritated with me, and because I

wanted to say it first." He smirked as he said it, knowing
how arrogant it sounded.

She rolled her eyes and sarcastically clarified, "You

wanted to say it first because you're hyper-competitive."

"Maybe." Then, his self-satisfied expression morphed

into a more earnest one. With his eyes focused on hers,
Edward said, "But I also wanted to be someplace outside
… someplace pretty … where it was just the two of us."

Inhaling his name again, Bella whispered, "Edward…"

He tightened his hold on her and said in a voice gravelly

with feeling, "I just want to do right by you, Bella.
Because of our situation, so many things are … awkward
… to say the least. What I can control, I want to do right."

The thought and emotion behind what he said touched

Bella's core, but she knew if she concentrated on it, she
might cry. Instead, she managed to softly say, "I love
you, Edward."

Edward first kissed her forehead, but before his lips

reached hers, he answered her. "I love you."

Their initially sweet kiss was transitioning to a heated,

needy embrace when they heard Rosalie call from the
French doors, "Edward! Where are you? Lunch is ready."
Still in mid-kiss, Edward groaned a groan of annoyed
exasperation. He pulled away from Bella to yell back to
Rosalie, "We'll be in later. Go ahead and eat."

Rosalie craned her neck to see if she could spot them,

but she couldn't since they were hidden in a snow drift.
She shouted more loudly, "Where are you? I can't see
you."

Closing his eyes in disgust at his situation, Edward held

his tongue before screaming his immediate thought. Will
you leave me the fuck alone! Luckily for Edward, Esme
helped her son out; her voice could faintly be heard
reprimanding her. "Rosalie, shut that door. You're letting
all the cold air in."

As the door slammed shut, Bella looked at Edward with

an amused frown. His eyes opened, and he smiled at her.
"You know, besides the fact that we both like being
outdoors, I'd much rather spend time with you out here
since it's the closest thing we can get to being alone."

Bella gave him a smiling peck. "I agree."

"Have you ever gone snow camping?" Edward winked at

her, since he could guess her answer.
"Um. No. And it's not something I've been dying to try."
She studied his smug smile for a moment before
continuing, "But I'm guessing you have, and it looks like
you like it."

"Of course. It's great. Very solitary, but it would be fun

going with you. And there isn't a chance in the world
anyone would see us. We could really be by ourselves for
once."

"Fun? I would freeze to death."

Edward's eyes twinkled as he moved to kiss her, "Not at

all. We would keep each other warm."

The warmth of his breath and kiss made Bella believe

that might be possible. She murmured, "I always like the
idea of being alone and warm with you."

"Me too, but Bella …" Edward pulled away with a

dismayed face, "you are not warm right now. Your
cheeks are getting icy. We should go inside."

"I guess I've been too distracted to notice." Bella giggled.

"See, you won't be able to keep me warm if we were to go
camping in the snow. I'll be freezing even in a down
mummy sack."
While getting the two of them upright, Edward retorted,
"Oh yes I will keep you warm. We'll zip our bags
together." Dusting the snow off of her, he mischievously
added, "You won't be cold. I'll make sure of it."

"That sounds very … cozy." And hot … that close to

Edward all night long with no one around to see … to
hear. Gah! That might be worth freezing my ass off.

When Bella and Edward entered the house, Esme had

just begun to clean the kitchen, so she continued to tidy
up as they sat and ate leftovers from the night before.
She chatted with them as she cleaned, but her mind was
at work. The two were suspiciously happy. It wasn't only
that they were in much better moods since they left for
the snowball fight; they were more light-hearted than
she had ever seen them together.

After lunch, a quick peck, and a whispered "I love you"

with Edward, Bella went upstairs to call Renee to let her
know the status of the snow. Edward grumbled his way
to the office to chip away at his pile of work. His head
was down immersed in the Congressional Budget Office
report on health care costs when Esme walked into his
office.

Edward raised his head to see what looked to be a tiny

piece of antique luggage made of toasty brown crocodile
leather and decorated with brass hardware. He looked at
his mother warily. "What's that?"

"Grandma Cullen's jewelry case – the one she travelled

with. Before she became bedridden, she culled through
all of her jewelry and put everything she thought worth
keeping inside this case."

"And?"

"And when she died, she gave both the case and its
contents to your father."

Shrugging, Edward stated what he thought was obvious,

"So now it's yours."

"Ha!" Esme laughed at the thought. "You know she

always hated me. I'm the last person in this family that
my mother-in-law would want her jewelry to go to. I've
never worn a single piece of it. And I haven't looked at it
since before she died."

"Well, Rosalie and Alice would probably love to look

through it. Just put it on the dining room table."

"I don't think so." Her motherly smile brightened her

face. "I didn't know if you had gotten Bella a Christmas
present yet."
Edward smiled, but shook his head. "Thanks mom, but
no. We made a pact that we wouldn't spend more than
$10 on our gifts. I'm making her a CD."

Unphased by her son's explanation, Esme commented,

"Nothing in this case will cost you anything."

"True." And I do want to give her something more …

something special. I don't know though... "But given
Grandma Cullen's tastes, I can't imagine there's anything
in there that would be right for Bella."

"Oh, I know there is. She had a lot of jewelry – including

some fine Art Deco pieces that were very simple if I
remember correctly. Let's look."

Edward smirked at his mother whose eyes were thrilled

that her plan might be working. He opened up the latch
on the case and peered into the sky blue satin interior.
Immediately, he cackled, "Come on … look at this crap,
mom."

He held up a platinum bracelet with a single charm – a 3

carat heart shaped diamond. "A big diamond heart?
Bella would hate it."

Pursing her lips in distaste, Esme agreed. "Well, that's

not something I like either, but dig around some more.
I'm sure there are some nice things in there."

"I will later. I need to get a little more work in."

She sighed with disappointment, "OK. Promise me you'll

look through it, though."

Edward nodded to her and shut the box as she left. Back
to his reading, his mind started to wander, and he began
thinking about Bella's Christmas present. He wanted to
record the song he had been working on for her, but he
didn't have much time. He glanced over at the jewelry
case. Esme never does anything without a reason. I
wonder what's in there.

Opening the case again, Edward immediately removed

the top tray that held the offending diamond heart and
other flashy baubles. That shit is ugly. He looked back
into the box and immediately spied it – a small ring box
covered in frayed, black silk. He knew what was in it and
quickly moved on from it. No … not ready.
--

Later that afternoon, Edward walked into his bedroom to

find Bella lying on her stomach and resting on her
elbows as she read her book propped up against a pillow.
The position of Bella's body drew his eyes to her bottom,
sheathed in a tighter than usual pair of skinny jeans. She
has such a fine ass.

Bella turned her head to look at him and cheerily asked,

"Do you want to join me doing nothing?"

"I do."

When he didn't immediately come to the side of the bed,

she thought he must be getting a book from the dresser.
She was surprised to feel him slink up from behind, but
her body went to red alert as she felt his half-erect penis
in the sensitive junction of her sex, bum, and thighs.

"Uh … Edward?"

"Yes?" He had moved her hair to one side so that he

could kiss her neck and behind her ears. As his lips
covered the sensual territory of the nape of her neck, he
pressed his now full erection against her, causing her to
reflexively raise her hips up to him.

"Mmm. I think I like this."

"Do you now?" He started to slowly grind himself against

her. In response, she parted her legs a bit so that they
could feel all of one another. Edward looked down to
watch them move together. "Have I told you how sexy
you are from this angle?"

Bella glanced backward also and agreed, "You look pretty

hot yourself." I wonder what sex feels like this way.

Inspired, Edward began nibbling her ear while his hand

trailed down caressing her bottom before gently
spreading her legs apart. Keeping his erection still
against her thigh and rear, he began to stroke her sex
from front to back.

Bella closed her eyes taking in every sensation; after a

moment she mumbled, "I may spontaneously combust if
you keep this up."

"Well, we don't want that to happen." Despite his words,

Edward kept pleasuring her with his hands while kissing
her neck.

Sensing an opportunity, Bella arched her head up to look

him in the eye. "Have you reconsidered … things … since
this morning?"

"No." His brow furrowed, and his hand stopped. "I'm

sorry if I gave you the wrong impression."

Bella maneuvered herself away from him and sat up.

Annoyed, she asked, "Do you get the feeling that
everything is backward? Traditionally, shouldn't I be
arguing your side, and you mine?"

"There isn't much that's traditional about you and me."

Edward grimaced at the thought. He hated these
discussions. Does she have any idea how hard it is for
me to say no to her? He thought back to his conversation
with Emmett. By now, he would think I'm completely
insane. What am I doing?

She stared at him for a moment as she wondered what he

was thinking. Then it came to her – the perfect
argument. She took a deep breath before saying, "I love
you, Edward – irrevocably."

He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "And I love you

irrevocably too."

Now smiling, she questioned him, "And, do you believe

that I love you, freely, without regard to your affection
for me?"

"Yes. And I you." He nodded as he said it, but he was

puzzled. Where is she going with this?

"This is what I don't understand. How is it that, despite

our situation with you technically being my boss, right
now we can have consensual feelings for one another,
but you believe that the physical act of sex can't be
consensual until I no longer work in your office?"
Pleased with her argument, she tacked on a reinforcing
question. "How is that, Edward?"

Edward couldn't suppress a crooked smile. I love this

woman. A full-blown grin appeared as he said, "You
know, I think you're smarter than me."

"Uh. Yeah, right. Our LSAT scores and GPAs are

empirical evidence that is not true. Don't change the
subject."

"I'm serious. You can be much cleverer than me."

Bella playfully poked him in the chest. "You're trying to

distract me. I won't have it. Please answer my question."

"I believe I had a two-part argument. One was a question

of consensual sex. I agree that you've blown a hole
through that prong of my argument."

"Excellent!"

He held his hands up as if to stop her. "Not so fast. The

other was that I don't want any ethical issues hanging
over my head."
"But it was the first prong that was hanging over your
head. I've debunked it."

"No. It was a personal thing. I'm the only judge of how

I'm feeling about something, and I want it to feel right …
for both of us."

Unable to negate his statement, Bella was quiet for a

moment.

"Bella, look at me." She turned to see Edward absorbed

by the sight of her. He cupped his hand around the shape
of her head, and she rested in his hand. His eyes set on
hers, he declared, "I love you more than I've ever loved
any woman, and I've waited for you longer than I've ever
waited for any woman. I just want it to be right."

She looked at him objectively for the briefest moment,

recognizing what he said. And he has been with a lot of
women – surely he felt something for some of them.
Based on what he said, she tried a different approach.
She entwined her fingers in his and with a steady gaze
stated, "Well, I'm very certain that whenever it is … it
will be right."

Edward silently held her eyes in his, but he quickly

smiled at her. "Now that I agree with."
With a giggle, she asked, "Will you think about it?"

"Think about it!" Edward laughed and hung his head, as

he looked back up he said, "Emmett would kill you for
saying that. He says I think about things too much –
especially this."

"Hmm. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say. Emmett

is right." Bella cocked her head as she realized
something. "You and Emmett seem close, but you don't
talk about him a lot. Why is that?"

He scratched the back of his neck as he pondered his

answer. I can't lie to her. How do I answer that question
without spilling all of the beans? I promised Emmett he
could meet her first. Then he saw an opening. "You
know, he wants to meet you. I was thinking that after
Christmas Emmett and I could come to Forks for a few
days. I'm going to miss seeing you every day."

Bella face contorted at the thought. "Edward, I'll want to

see you too, but don't you think that would raise some
eyebrows? I mean why is Senator Edward Cullen
hanging out in Forks? Aren't there more important
places for you to spend your time in the state? There
aren't a lot of voters in Forks."

"Ah … you see I've thought of that." He raised his

eyebrows as if to confirm it. "First of all, I am known to
get a day off here and there. Thank God. And during my
time off, most people don't recognize me because I don't
look the part. And we have a house less than an hour
away from Forks. It's on an inholding in the national
forest that my family has owned since the railroad days.
It's perfectly acceptable for a Cullen to be seen in the
area. Besides, as long as you and I aren't seen together,
Rosalie loves the idea. That's Jacob Black country. It's a
nice aggressive campaign move for me to be seen on his
turf. I've got to do a candidate forum with Jacob the
following week. Rosalie wants him rattled."

"OK. But why is Emmett coming, too? For cover?"

"Well, there's that. And Emmett and I don't get to spend

that much time together. Plus, he's seeing someone in
LaPush."

"LaPush? Who?"

"Leah Clearwater." Edward said her name very matter-

of-factly.

"Really? I didn't know they knew each other."

Edward answered apologetically. "I haven't said

anything. Emmett says Leah wants to tell Seth herself.
I've been waiting for Seth to say something to me, but
with the hours we've been working, it wouldn't surprise
me if he hasn't talked to his family since Thanksgiving."

"I'm confused. "Why does Leah want to tell Seth? What's

the big deal?"

"Well, Emmett and Leah have a pretty checkered history.

The Clearwaters don't like him." Edward stopped himself
from saying more because the discussion was going
down a road that could get dicey. I will not lie to Bella. "I
haven't said anything because … well, it was a bad time
for Emmett. He was drinking a lot. And frankly, I can't
believe that they're back together."

"Huh. OK. I won't say anything to Seth either."

Happy to have dodged a bullet, Edward began playing

with Bella's hair. "Of course, there's another reason why
I want to see you after Christmas. We won't have any
time alone before the holiday, and I need to give you
your present."

Bella looked at him with suspicion. "$10. That's the

agreed upon limit."

"I haven't spent a dime on it." He couldn't completely

repress his smile.
"Are you sure?"

"Very sure." Inwardly, he smiled to himself. I never

agreed to any limit on the actual value of the gift.

There was a knock at the door, and Edward called for the
visitor to come in. Alice smiled when she saw them
curled up together. "I don't mean to break-up the happy
couple, but Bella, you said you wanted to see Jasper's
chili recipe. I was going to start on it now."

Bella eagerly followed Alice down to the kitchen, while

Edward went back to his office. The rest of the day Bella
cooked with Alice and Esme, and Edward worked with
Rosalie on planning out his campaign calendar for the
coming year. Dinner was an event full of laughter with
Esme telling stories about politicians and their spouses.
Of course, they were all dead, because she wouldn't
speak ill of the living. Toward the end of dinner, cabin
fever had set in among them, and everyone wanted time
alone. Edward and Bella stayed downstairs to clean the
kitchen, as the family scattered to their respective rooms
for the night.

Edward said that he had to work for his meal, so he gave

Bella another glass of wine to enjoy while he cleaned up.
He was whistling and humming as he wiped down the
counters. Bella was curious, "What are you humming? It
sounds nice."

"You like it?" He grinned at the thought.

"I suppose. What is it?"

"Something I've been working on." Drying his hands on a

towel, he nudged with his head toward the living room.
"Come on. Let me play it for you."

Bella took Edward's hand, and he led her to the grand

piano. As Bella saw how comfortable Edward was just
sitting on the piano bench and preparing to play, she
shook her head in disbelief. "Is there anything you can't
do, Edward? I'm feeling very inferior."

"You shouldn't. I'm not very good."

"I bet you're wrong."

Edward smiled at her as he smoothed down her hair.

"Let's bet about something else."

"What's that?"

Raising his head toward the upstairs, he declared, "Let's

bet how long it takes for Rosalie to come down and tell
me to stop playing the piano because it's bothering her."

"She does that?"

"Every time she's in the house. My playing seems to stop

her from sleeping, watching TV, reading, talking on the
phone, working … There is no good time for her."

"Then why do you want to bet if you know she's going to

do it?"

"Because I'm hoping she's so distracted talking with

Irina that she won't notice for a while."

Bella looked at him curiously. "How do you feel about

them? Does it feel uncomfortable having your sister and
Irina … together?"

Edward was taken aback by the question, but then he

smiled. "I suppose I should feel awkward about it, but I
don't. That has to be because I'm so wrapped up in you.
So if they're happy, good for them." He shrugged after he
said it and started to play the tune he had been humming
in the kitchen.

"Edward, you're wrong. You're really good. This is

beautiful."
"You think so?" Edward kept his eyes on the keys as he
asked.

"Yeah. I think so."

"Good. Because I wrote it for you." He caught a glimpse

of Bella who was sitting with her mouth slightly open,
but with no words coming from it. He wanted to
continue playing for her, so his eyes went back to the
keys.

Bella choked out, "Oh Edward, thank you," but that was
all she could muster with the lump in her throat.

It didn't matter that Bella couldn't speak, though,

because Rosalie's voice came from somewhere upstairs.

"Knock it off, Edward. It's late."

Edward snarled toward the voice, and for a few seconds

he banged his hands on the keys resulting in a
cacophony rather than music.

When he stopped, Rosalie muttered, "Thanks." And the

sound of a door shutting soon followed. Bella giggled as
the predicted scene played out.

Drawing her into a hug, Edward kissed her hair and

remarked, "It's times like this that I wish I didn't live in
this house."

"Actually, why do you live here? Why don't you live in

the apartment and Esme here? This was her home with
your dad."

"She didn't want to live here without him, but she also
thought it would be more senatorial if this were my
home."

"Ah … no playboy bachelor pad … instead the family

estate. Much more respectable. Esme is very smart."

"Yes, she is." He didn't disclose that he was certain

Esme's ultimate goal was less about appearances and
more about him settling down.

Bella smiled at him and said, "Well, one day when

Rosalie isn't here, you can play me the rest of the song.
Thank you."

She gave him a peck on the lips, but his mouth opened
immediately inviting her in. There was an edge to his
kiss that made Bella grip onto his arms, as his hands
spanned her hips urging her toward him. Bella liked his
response. She murmured into their kiss, "Should we go
upstairs?"
Edward pulled back and shook his head. "The library.
More private. Why don't you get the rest of the wine, and
I'll start a fire?"

By the time Bella found Edward in the library, he had the

fire going and was sitting on the floor with his back to
the sofa. Even though she was now so comfortable
around Edward and saw him as a different person – a
whole person, at times the initial sight of him still made
her heart bound. She thought him incredibly virile
looking as she admired his handsome profile and his
long legs and bare feet extended in front of the fire. Gah!
Lost in thought, she tried not to stumble with the wine
and eventually found the presence of mind to say, "This
is nice."

"It's really warm. Sit with me on the floor. You'll be

closer to the fire."

For the next half hour, the two drank wine and talked
about their upcoming trip home. They plotted how they
might see each other. But Bella became worried about
Charlie noticing if she was gone too much.

She frowned as she said, "He may ask me why I'm out,
but I'll divert him as best as I can."
"It will be fine. I can only be down there a couple of days
anyway." But then Edward regretfully commented, "It's
too bad. I'd like you to properly introduce me to him. I'd
like to do things right." Especially considering how he
currently knows me. I want him to see me differently. I
want him to see how much I care for her.

Bella nodded and stared into the fire. Not knowing what
to say to that particular declaration of his, she abruptly
kissed him.

Edward matched her kiss and upped it with the same

sexual edge that he had at the piano. The pair soon
tumbled onto the bear rug, repeating their first
encounter there many weeks before. There was more fire
and urgency this time, though. Only a few minutes had
passed before the two of them were only wearing their
jeans. His hands molded to her breasts, while his mouth
was busy kissing, nipping, and sucking on her nipples.
He only took his attention away to say, "I love every part
of you Bella, but God, I love your breasts."

"When you're doing that, I would say the feeling is

mutual." He then pinched her left nipple as he sucked
the right, causing her to whimper and buck her hips
against him. As he lowered his hand to unbutton her
jeans, Bella's hand followed the same path to his. They
were soon completely entwined. For some time, they
rolled around together on the floor, kept warm by the
bear fur, fire, and the heated skin of their naked bodies.
All the while, Bella kept one hand exploring every part of
his erect penis. She loved the feel of the soft skin,
interrupted by the occasional ridge or ripple of skin.
Meanwhile Edward rubbed her clit as he eased one, then
two, then three fingers inside of her.

Focusing on the motion of most his hand sliding in and

out of her, Bella moaned, "Please. It's all I want. Please."
He took it as encouragement to let her come just as he
had learned she liked. As his mouth slowly traveled
down her body to her sex, she was a little disappointed
when she realized he misunderstood what she meant by
her plea. She soon got over it. Oh what the hell, that's
always good.

Bella tried to hold off, to enjoy the sensations longer, but

it was all too much. She came after only a minute of his
handiwork. Afterward, when he kissed her, the taste of
herself, the scene of the room, and his stunning, sculpted
body all emboldened her. She looked down at his
erection lying on her belly, and the words tumbled out,
"Now, Edward, now is right."

His eyes showed that he was obviously weighing all of

the ramifications in his mind, and he soon smiled, "It is
right. I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella."
He kissed her once as he slid his hand up and down her
slippery sex, but his hand and kiss soon stopped. Fuck.
"We don't have anything … I need to go upstairs."

"No you don't. I'm on the pill." She grinned as she said it.

Surprised at her response, he happily quipped, "Well, OK

then." He kissed her again, but his mind was
deliberating. It wasn't like he hadn't had sex with a virgin
before, but everything with Bella was different. How
should I do this? He suddenly remembered back to his
fantasy long ago when he watched her from afar as she
sat in front of the Court of Neptune fountain. The scene
came back to him, and he thought it a good idea.

Staring into her chocolate eyes, he took her hand and

placed it with his on his erection, saying, "Let's do this
together."

Bella smiled at the thought, and they both guided him as

he slowly entered her. She was quickly lost in the
strange, competing sensations of fullness in her center,
but separation in her muscles and bones. Edward wasn't
that far inside of her when he involuntarily groaned. She
instantly asked, "Are you OK?"

Edward exhaled with one snicker. "God yes. You feel

amazing." His attention quickly moved to her, "But are
you OK? I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm OK. It's not painful. … I just feel … stretched, but

full. I like it."

With a smile, Edward thrust himself so he was totally

enveloped by her tight core. He slightly shook his head at
the intensity. Shit, she's so tight; it's going to be hard
not to come. Breaking his focus, he told her, "I'm going
to move now, alright?"

"Yes. I want to." With everything being new to her, Bella

was detached from the event, so she grinned at Edward
who was obviously very much involved in what was
going on.

Edward kissed her and gently started thrusting. Bella

soon met his rhythm and began to respond physically
and verbally. "This feels incredible. I feel so close to
you."

"Nothing is better than being this close to you." As he

said it, he pushed into her very deeply, causing Bella to
flinch and yelp. He immediately stopped, "Are you OK?"

"Um. Yes. That was just deep. It sort of felt good, though.
Try it again later."
Relieved and somewhat pleased, Edward replied, "That's
good to hear." He realized that he was much further
ahead of her. To bring her more into the moment, he
started to tickle her clit as they moved together. "Let's try
this. It might help."

Bella instantly reacted. "Oh my God. Edward …"

Picking up the pace of his thrusts and caresses, Edward

laughed, "You like that?"

"Oh yes. That together is good."

"God, I love being inside of you, Bella."

"I … love it too."

But seeing Bella's intense response was a little too good

for Edward. As she moaned his name, the intense
pleasure and love of their first time together
overpowered him; he could feel himself about to come.
This is embarrassing. I cannot come this soon. She's not
there yet. In order to stave off an orgasm, his mind
quickly began to go through the Mariner's batting order.
Then he tried to remember every pitcher in the Mariner's
bullpen. Then he started to name every senator and the
state they represented. Nothing worked. He took his
hand away from her sex and braced himself.

"Bella, I … I can't wait any longer. You feel too good. I'm
sorry. I'm going to come."

Bella's eyes flashed open. "Don't say you're sorry. I'm

still getting used to this. I want you to come."

"Oh damn. Bella…." Edward burst into her repeatedly.

The experience was truly ecstatic for him, but he was
very embarrassed. Afterward, he breathed heavily as he
moved to kiss her and apologize. "I'm so sorry. That's not
what I wanted for you. It was incredible, but that's not
how it should have gone. You should have been there
with me. I'm sorry."

Running her fingers through his hair, Bella scolded him.

"If you say you're sorry one more time, I'm going to be
mad. That was much more than I ever expected for my
first time. I thought we did pretty well. Not to mention,
it's not like you've neglected me tonight." Then she
kissed him and happily said, "And I'm hoping we get lots
of practice. Can we try again later?"

"Absolutely." Edward grinned and kissed her before

saying, "I love you, Bella."

"I love you." She shivered as she said it, though, as her
body adjusted to being idle.

Edward rubbed her arms to keep her warm. "I need to

get you under some covers." And with that he slid out of
her.

Bella giggled after he did it, but quickly stopped

laughing, "Uh oh, I think I'm leaking."

"Er. Sorry about that. It happens."

"Well, that makes sense, but I think I got the rug dirty."

Edward chuckled and tousled her hair. "We got the rug
dirty. And it doesn't matter. We're lying on a bear. He's
had worse on him than cum. It'll wash off with water."

"Should we clean it now?"

"Nah. I'll do it in the morning. No one comes in this

room but me." He gave her a peck on the cheek. "Let's go
to bed, love."
--

That same evening Seth finally called Leah, returning

calls and messages that she had been leaving him for
weeks. "I'm a bad brother. I know. Work has been hell, if
you've watched the news."
Leah smirked into the phone, "So if I had left a message
saying to call me back because it's about your work, you
might have?"

"Probably." Seth laughed at his joke that was also true.

"Well, then I should have because I was calling about

your work ... mostly."

"What's up?"

"Sam Uley is up to something."

~*~
 ~ Chapter Twenty-Nine ~
Seth considered his sister's information before replying.
"What makes you think this is different than Sam's
normal political work? Jacob is one of his clients. I
expect Sam to be doing what he can to get the guy
elected. Why are you concerned?"

Since it was a phone conversation, Seth did not get to see

his big sister roll her eyes at his patronizing questions.
Leah huffed, "I'm a cop, Seth. I'm suspicious when I see
something that's out of the ordinary. And Sam Uley
interrogating Jared about Emmett Cullen is not what I
would consider 'normal political work'."

"What? He's asking about Emmett? Why didn't you tell

me sooner?"

"I've been trying to, but you won't return my calls."

"Well, I am now. Tell me what happened."

Leah relayed the entire story as Jared had faithfully told

it to her. Seth sat quietly and listened to the end, finally
saying, "And, you're sure that's all Jared told him?"

"Yes, Jared wouldn't lie to me. Besides I warned him

before I left. He won't disobey me. What I want to know
is why is Sam asking about Emmett? Emmett isn't the
one running for office. "

Seth was quick to explain. "It's simple. He doesn't have

direct information on Edward … yet. He's peeling the
onion from the outside, taking off every layer looking for
something, trying to get closer to Edward. While he's
doing it, he also wants to sully the Cullen name by
bringing up the bad boy brother who's been in trouble
with the law."

"Are you worried?"

"Some. Carlisle is gone now. The only one left to truly

protect Emmett, and thus, Edward is Esme."

"Oh, come on. Esme Cullen is untouchable. Who is going

to cross her?"

"You're right – she's untouchable, but we're going to

need her every step of the way. Wait 'til I tell Rosalie.
She's gonna' have Esme at every goddamn campaign
event from now on. It will be like 2008 when John
McCain trotted out his 96-year-old mother every day to
protect him from questions about his age. But back to
Emmett, if Sam didn't get anything from Jared, where
else could he get information on him?"
"Easy. Charlie Swan. He knows everything. He wouldn't
give the information straight out, though. He's apolitical.
But, Charlie might screw up … let something slip."

Seth's mind reeled at the thought of Charlie Swan giving

information to Jake that might hurt Edward. Surely, he
wouldn't if he knew about Bella and Edward, but he's
probably the last person they want to tell. This is dicey.
He grimaced as he thought things through even further.
Shit. I also can't disclose Bella and Edward's
relationship to her. He needed to respond to Leah, so he
summed up his thoughts simply be replying, "That's not
very reassuring."

"But Sam wouldn't ask him. He'd get Jake to do it.

Charlie might talk with Jake."

"Huh." Then Seth saw an opening. "Well, Jake can't be

poking around too much. At a minimum, he looks creepy
if it comes out. At worst, he could be coordinating with
an independent expenditure campaign trying to take
Edward down. That's a violation of federal law but
nothing has come out of the Federal Elections
Commission about a 527 being set up against Edward.
The FEC is so fucking slow, though. You never know."

Leah smugly pronounced, "I bet you'll never ignore my

calls again."
"You're right about that. So what else is going on with
you?"

"Um. Yeah. That's the other reason why I was calling."

"What's up?"

Her response sprang directly from the tension in her

stomach. "I wanted to let you know. … I wanted to tell
you … Emmett and I have started seeing each other
again."

"Are you sure Leah? Do you want to go there again? Has

he really changed?" How can she even think about that?

"Yes, he has changed. He's been sober for a few years

now and stayed out of trouble. And it turns out he's been
waiting for me." Irritated at his questioning Emmett's
intentions, Leah commented, "You know he's not like
Edward. He's been through a lot and has turned out a
better man. Edward is going to be an egomaniacal
womanizer until he dies."

Seth shook his head and smiled as he thought of how

besotted Edward was with Bella. If she only knew… He
decided to rebut her first claim instead. "You won't
believe me, but he's not an egomaniac – really."
"All politicians are egomaniacs."

"You're right, but Edward really is the exception. I swear.

I'm around him and other politicians all day long. He's
competitive as hell, but he isn't full of himself." Then
Seth laughed. "Believe me. Rosalie puts him in his place
every day. It's a wonder he has any self-confidence at
all."

"Whatever. He's still a womanizer. And, Emmett isn't

like that at all anymore."

"Just don't let yourself get hurt."

"I won't. So are you going to tell Edward and Rosalie

about Sam?"

"Of course. As soon as I can, but nothing can be done

tonight. We'll talk in the morning. And when I get to
LaPush, I'll do my own sniffing around of Sam."
--
The following morning, Edward and Bella were toward
the end of their second sexual encounter. Though still
sore from their first time, Bella gripped Edward's
muscled rear, pulling him deeper inside of her. She
gasped as she felt him hit her just right, and he picked up
the pace of his thrusts.
His thumb continued to rapidly press circles around her
clit, but his mind was lost in himself. He gutturally
mumbled, "So good …"

With their eyes locked, Bella felt herself slowly rising

into an orgasm. "Oh God. I want to see you come,
Edward. Come inside of me. Oh … I'm almost there."

Edward never had expected that Bella would be so verbal

during sex, and despite his desire to hold back for her,
her words drove him over the edge. Staring into her eyes,
he groaned as he orgasmed, "Fuck Love, you're making
me come!" He felt guilty again for another early release.
As soon as he could gather his wits, he slid himself out
and then reached a long finger deep inside her wetness,
arching it to tickle her special spot. A whimpering Bella
came within seconds, her core collapsing repeatedly
around his finger.

Slowly reentering the present, she smiled, but put her

fingers to Edward's lips when she heard him begin to
say, "I'm so…"

"Edward, don't you dare apologize again."

He chuckled as he positioned himself beside her on the

pillows, resting his head on his arm. "Well, I have to say
that if you hadn't told me that you wanted to see me
come, I might not have."

"Oops." She giggled, "Wrong thing to say?"

"Are you kidding?" He leaned over to kiss her

underneath her ear murmuring, "It was hot."

Bella bit her lip, as she got up the courage to ask him
something she had wondered about for weeks. She
moved her hand down to his now flaccid penis flopped
on its side. Gently coddling it for a moment, she asked.
"So if that was hot, what else should I say? … Like what
should I call this part of your body that I'm so fond of?"

His voice was serious, but he had a grin on his face.

"Bella Swan, if you start talking dirty to me, I'm never
going to be able to restrain myself."

Giggling at his response, she pressed him. "You didn't

answer my question."

"I suppose the penis is universally known as a 'cock'." He

smirked at her as he said it. "But, you can pick your
own."

She coyly smiled back at him. "Hmm. 'Cock' sounds

pretty hot to me."
Curious himself, Edward's fingers took a slow swipe
through the slick of her sex. "Then, what should I call
this beautiful part of you?"

Bella giggled again. "I don't know. There are a few

names. You could get all medieval on me – Chaucer's
'Wife of Bath' called hers her 'cunt'. Feminists want to
reclaim the word, so that might be kind of cool."

Edward cringed. "Nuh uh. I don't think I can do that.

Men are taught from a very young age that that is a
forbidden word. I'm not sure I could say it without
feeling like I've broken a law."

"See. That's why it's such a powerful word. You're not

supposed to say it. But, it's wrong that there's a
derogatory word associated with a woman's body. That's
why 'cunt' should go back to its original meaning."

"This is a very philosophical conversation, given the

subject of talking dirty." Moving his mouth over hers, he
offered, "In the meantime, maybe we should start with
'pussy'?" He languidly began stroking her sex up and
down, adding, "As in you have a sweet pussy, my Love."

Responding to both his touch and words, she whispered,

"Yes. The way you say it – that's a good word too," as her
hand wandered down to find him twitching and
hardening into form. Then kissing him, she happily
declared, "Now that we know what we're talking about, I
think we should practice again."

After a slower and more verbal round of lovemaking, the

third time was the charm for them. Each of their
pleasure culminated while they were joined. Later, as
they lay cuddling and laughing, a question struck
Edward. "If you don't mind me asking, have you always
been on the pill?"

Bella smiled and shook her head. "Of course, I don't

mind you asking. No. Not always. I started it right after
Thanksgiving."

"Why then?"

"When I was in Florida, Renee figured out I was dating

someone … seriously. She's not the brightest bulb, but
she's perceptive. She was pretty insistent that I get on
the pill." Shrugging, she continued, "I knew she was
right. She and Charlie both regret getting married and
having me so young. Renee has made me swear that I
would never get married or have a baby before I turn 25.
I'm not interested in doing either one in the next three
years, so it's an easy promise for me to make."

Edward's expression registered nothing, and his mind

continued thinking rationally, but a pang of hurt hit his
heart. Slowly recognizing the cause of the pain, he
commented on the part of her explanation that he could
understand, "It would be hard to have kids and be in law
school."

Sarcastically, Bella scoffed, "Just a little. Anyway, I'm not

the kind of person to do things out of order. Marriage
comes before kids, and I can't even imagine being
married." She then poked his shoulder, "You know what
I mean. You've managed to avoid both."

"Sure. Of course." He forced a smiled, but was altogether

uncomfortable. He quickly glanced at the clock and
remarked, "We should get up. Esme is probably cooking
breakfast." With a wink, he added, "And I need to clean-
up that rug."

As Edward walked downstairs to the library, Bella's

statements regarding marriage sank in. It was true that
when he was her age marriage never entered his mind.
But I didn't know her then. If I did, would I have felt
differently? He knew the answer instantly.
--

It was Tuesday morning when Mike Newton turned the

corner of the hallway and ran into Bella. He warmly
greeted her with big hug, "Bella! Long time no see."
Bella smiled up at him. Still hot; still sweet. "Hey. It's
good to see you. We work in the same place, but never
see each other."

"Well, nobody is in this place right now because of the

holidays. What are you doing here, anyway? All the
interns in our office are long gone. Did your flight get
cancelled because of the storm?" Mike was grinning as
he moved a few steps to lean against the short wall of the
atrium side of the Hart building.

Not wanting to disclose exactly why she was still in town,

she offered, "You could say I got caught up in the storm."

"So how are things going? How are your applications

coming along?" Mike admired her as she began to talk,
remembering how much he liked spending time with
her. She's great. I wonder what's going on with her and
Cullen.

Bella joined Mike standing aside the railing, and the two
struck up a friendly conversation about their respective
law school searches. From the floor of the Hart building
atrium, the vulture eyes of Senator Jane Volk easily
spotted them on the second level as she walked with
Edward back from the Senate chamber. Weary of Jane's
ever-presence and continued persistence, Edward would
not let any conversation between the two of them stray
from the events captured on the front page of that day's
The New York Times. Yet at every opportunity, she
attempted to change the topic to a more prurient one. So
he was already fit to be annoyed when she interrupted
him asking, "Isn't that your little friend up there? Is that
her boyfriend?"

Edward's eyes flew over the massive Calder sculpture

before them to the second floor and clung to the
animated scene of Mike and Bella casually talking and
laughing. His face remained impassive at the sight until
Mike spent a few seconds rubbing the top of Bella's arm
as he laughed at something she said. In response,
Edward's eyes narrowed, while his mouth set. The rest of
his expression and demeanor remain unchanged. He
matter-of-factly replied, "That's Bella Swan. And Mike
Newton. He's Haddow's LD. I believe they've gone out."
He should have looked away at that point. Instead, he
kept staring at them, as jealousy overcame him. Why is
she talking with him? He better not be getting any
ideas.

Only someone intently watching for a reaction from

Edward would have noticed any change at all in him, and
Senator Volk had been doing just that. Smelling blood,
but still uncertain as to what might be going on, Jane
slyly remarked, "They make a very striking couple."
"Yes, they do."

His emotionless reply made Jane suspicious. Hmm.

Something is going on, but I'm not sure. He can't
possibly be involved with her. He's too smart for that. I
wonder if it's that he can't have her, so he doesn't want
anyone else to either. Typical male.

Meanwhile, Edward was locating the quickest path to

where Mike and Bella were standing that didn't involve
him scaling any walls. He first saw a few of his colleagues
waiting for the elevator reserved only for senators, and
then he spied the nearby stairs. Stairs. Faster. And I can
get rid of Jane. She'll never take the stairs to her office
on the fourth floor. "Jane, I need to run to a meeting, so
I'm going to take the stairs. It's quicker for me."

She smiled knowingly. "Of course. We can talk later."

After he said good-bye and sped up the stairs, Jane

walked toward the elevator and continued to smile,
proud of her intuition. So Edward likes that girl, but she
has a boyfriend – a rather handsome boyfriend in fact.
Real competition for him. It will be very interesting to
see this play out. She chuckled to herself reassuringly.
He'll be back in my bed soon enough.
As Edward climbed the stairs two at a time, Mike finally
got around to asking the question that he had been
curious about long before he saw Bella that morning.
Gazing into Bella's eyes looking for any sign of an
answer, he asked, "So, the last time we talked, you were
considering something. Is that still…"

Mike was unable to finish his question because his eye

caught Edward quickly walking straight to them. The two
men's eyes held for a moment; Mike knew immediately.
Well, the answer to that question is yes.

"Good morning, Mike … Bella."

Edward's greeting had been polite, but cold, and it was

answered similarly by Mike. "Good morning Senator
Cullen." I'm getting the hell out of here. Mike's eyes
darted to Bella's. "I should get going, Bella. It was good
catching up."

Bella couldn't help sounding a little apologetic as she

said good-bye, but Edward and Mike exchanged icily
formal farewells. When Mike left them, Bella looked
around furtively. Why did Edward create a situation
where we're alone for the entire world to see? She
quickly spoke in a hushed voice, "I was just going to get a
Coke, Senator Cullen."
Now realizing the predicament his jealousy had caused,
Edward very respectably said, "Oh yes. Go right ahead.
And, Bella, have a good Christmas if I don't see you
again." His true feelings got the best of him, though,
when he finished with a wink.

Bella blushingly smiled and rolled her eyes, "Merry

Christmas, Senator Cullen."
--

At two AM on Christmas morning, Sam Uley was one of

only three people in the Go-nuts Do-nuts shop in Forks.
Sam didn't have very much family, and he didn't want to
be alone. With the bars long closed, he sat at the Formica
table sourly staring at, but not reading a newspaper as he
drank mediocre coffee trying to sober up before he drove
home. When the black Mercedes pulled up in front of the
shop, he was curious, but when Seth Clearwater and
Bella Swan got out of the car together laughing at one
another, he was altogether intrigued.

Both Seth and Bella were beyond exhausted from their

flight with the Cullens and then the drive to Forks. They
were so punchy that they decided to eat something –
even if it meant dinner would be donuts. Their laughter
evaporated when they saw Sam.

"Nice ride Clearwater. Who says government work

doesn't pay? Or is your boss letting you drive one of his
many toys?"

Although Sam's assumption about the car was correct,

Seth muttered under his breath to Bella, "Ignore him."
To Sam, he replied, "Merry Christmas, Sam."

"I'm surprised to see the two of you together."

"You know what, Sam? It's Christmas. That might be

hard for someone as heartless as you to comprehend, but
it is. Will you leave it be for one night?" Then more to
himself than anyone else, Seth added, "Even Jake would
do that."

Sam nodded in a gentlemanly way and got up to leave,

happily saying, "Merry Christmas" as he walked by them.
Can't wait to tell Jake about this one.

When the door to the shop closed, Bella quietly asked,

"Are you worried about Sam seeing us together? With
one of their cars?"

Seth raised his hands up signaling some ambivalence. "I

don't know. Is it helpful? No. Do we have a reasonable
explanation for everything? Yes. I'll tell Edward and
Rosalie though. You should stay out of it, Bella. Edward
wants you as far as possible from all the campaign crap.
Don't worry about it. "
--
The unseasonably sunny and warm Saturday following
Christmas Day, Bella's old truck pulled into the parking
lot at the trailhead of Rugged Ridge. Edward had picked
the trail for their hike because it was more remote.
Without his directions, she surely would have failed to
find it, and theirs were the only two cars in the parking
lot. He leaned against his mud splattered blue truck with
his arms crossed, dressed in a green henley shirt, brown
fleece jacket, frayed jeans, and a weathered pair of hiking
boots. Smiling at her, he got into the cab of the truck and
pulled out a daypack. Bella returned the smile, as she
slammed her truck door. If I entered a picture of him
like this in one of those Patagonia catalog photo
contests, they would put him on the cover.

Edward was at her side in seconds. "Hey darling. Nice

truck."

Bella beamed at him, "Thanks." She gave him a peck. "I

missed you."

"I missed you too, and I love you." He leaned in for a

kiss, and Bella responded with more force than he
expected. He caught up to her, though, and soon pinned
her to her truck by his pelvis. With one hand on his
scruffy face, her other moved to his chest where she
could tickle the bit of chest hair that peeked out of his
shirt. The feel of her fingers on his naked skin made
Edward want some privacy for the two of them. He
pulled away and seductively said, "Maybe we should
start our hike." Then joking, added, "I believe we'll have
the place to ourselves."

Pointing down to his pack on the ground, Bella inquired,

"What's in there?"

"Provisions." Then he looked at her craftily, "And, your

Christmas present."

"No fair. I've got yours with me too, but it's not
something to go hiking with."

"Well, I want to give you yours when we stop for lunch,

but you can give me mine here."

Bella was excited. "Really? Great." She looked around

and twisted her mouth, "But let's get inside my truck. It
will be easier to open if you're sitting down."

The two climbed inside the cab, where Edward observed,

"This has been really nicely restored. Rosalie would be
impressed." Then running his hand along the wooden
dashboard, he commented, "Very nice. Who did it?"
She was reluctant to answer. Maybe if I don't say his full
name, it won't sound as bad. So she mumbled, "Um.
Jake."

"Actually, I hate this truck." He was less than half joking.

Edward's snarled expression grew. "It's loud, old, and
most likely gets terrible gas mileage – like 8 miles to the
gallon. You call yourself an environmentalist. You should
get rid of it."

"Um. Edward, unlike you, I can divorce my feelings

about Jake and this truck. It's simply a mode of
transportation for me – the only one I can afford at the
moment, I might add."

Edward shook his head dismayed. "I should have gotten

you a car for Christmas."

"You know, you are ridiculously jealous given the reality

of things."

"How so?"

"Well, look at you! It's mindboggling that someone who

looks like you and is in your position is jealous. And
secondly, I will never give you a reason to be jealous. I'm
devoted to you."
"Your first arguments are invalid, regardless even if
they're on point for me, which they're not, by the way. A
person's appearance and stature has no bearing on how
jealous they are. With regard to your second point, I like
it a lot, since my jealousy is just a sign of my devotion to
you."

"So if you know I'm devoted to you, let's talk again about
Mike. Why did you pull that stunt with him?"

"You may be devoted to me, but I know what's going

through his mind, and I don't like it. Just as I told you
before, I wanted him to see me."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Please. Mike is my friend."

"Friend? Hmpf. I bet he wants to be your friend again.

He's going to turn into another guy I want to throttle."

"Can we get back to Christmas?"

"Sure."

Grinning at the opportunity to give him his gift, she

pulled out a small cardboard tube from underneath the
seat. "Merry Christmas."

Edward curiously looked at the cylinder. "What do we

 have here?" A
smile grew and
grew on his face as
he opened up the
tube and
recognized its
contents. Eagerly,
he unrolled an old
topographical
quadrangle map
of a section of
Hurricane Ridge.
As an outdoor
enthusiast and a
map lover, it was
the perfect gift for
him – a
complicated,
detailed map showing the geography and landscape on
area. But because it was of a place that Edward
cherished, he loved it even more. "Bella, this is fantastic.
I love it. Where did you find it?"

"I thought you might like it." Bella giggled. "I found it at
the Interior Department. One of your brilliant legislative
assistants sent me, the lowly intern, on a wild goose
chase over there. Anyway, as I was walking around the
basement I saw a giant bin with hundreds of topo maps.
Since everything is digital now, I guess these are
obsolete. Anyway, I looked through them until I found
some place you might like."

"You know me well. It's awesome. Esme will find the

perfect frame for it. Thank you." His adoring eyes found
her happy ones. "I love you, Bella." He gave her a kiss,
but stopped it short saying, "And now we need to hike, so
I can give you your present."

The two hiked the rest of the morning. Bella kept up with
Edward's long legs with his help – he slowed his pace for
her and picked her up over obstacles and mud patches.
She protested at the special treatment, "If I don't get any
mud on my boots, Charlie will be suspicious that I didn't
go for a hike."

"Listen ungrateful one, don't tempt me to pull both of us

down in the mud together. Besides, there's a meadow
where we should eat lunch that's probably a giant bog.
You'll get plenty dirty there."

When they got to the very wet meadow, Edward

searched for a dry spot, finding one on the edge next to
the forest where several fallen trees lay on their sides. He
spread out an old blanket, and Bella began digging food
out of his pack. "Bread. Camembert. Dried fruit. A bottle
of wine. Very nice."
"The plastic cups aren't so nice, but I thought the
atmosphere would make up for the lack of crystal."

Bella took off her hiking boots and snuggled next to

Edward. His Swiss army knife facilitated the meal, as
they lounged on the blanket chatting and eating. After a
cup of wine, Bella was emboldened. "So where is my
under-$10 Christmas gift?"

"I'm glad you asked." Eagerly rummaging in the pack, he

found what he needed, but first ordered her to "Close
your eyes and hold out your hand."

Feigning annoyance, Bella

huffed as she complied. She
soon felt soft fabric fill her
palm, and she opened her eyes
to see that it was a small blue
velvet pouch. With some
trepidation, she opened up the
pouch to find a small pair of
Art Deco sapphire and
diamond earrings. The rose-
like design and platinum was very discreet and elegant.
As she realized what she was holding, her breath caught
in her throat before she warily said, "Edward, thank you.
These are beautiful, but …"
He was smiling at her, hoping for her approval. "Do you
like them?"

"Of course. They're gorgeous, but what about our limit?

They're … too much."

Smugly, Edward retorted, "I didn't violate any rule. I

found them in my grandmother's things. They didn't cost
me anything."

Bella playfully shoved him. "Always looking for a

loophole."

Edward grinned. "It took me some time to find

something I thought you would like. I wanted something
that was nice, but you wouldn't think was too fancy."

"Well, you did a great job. I would definitely pick these

out for myself. Thank you." Removing her current silver
hoops from her ears, Bella replaced each one with the
new jeweled earrings. "How do they look?"

Pretending to be unimpressed, he commented, "Fine."

His smiled warmly as he said, "Nowhere near as
beautiful as you, love."

Bella reached up to kiss Edward with all the passion she

felt for him, only breaking away to murmur, "I love you.
Thank you again."

He lowered them both onto the blanket, replying, "Any

time. I love you," and his mouth and tongue met hers
again. It wasn't long into their embrace that they both
became frustrated by the effect of multiple layers of
clothes and fleece. Searching for a point of more direct
contact, Bella pressed her hips into Edward. He knew
what she wanted, so he moved his leg into between hers
so she could rub her sex against it. The agitation quickly
made Bella so aroused that she started to unbutton his
jeans until she heard him groan, "Not yet. Let me kick off
my boots."

But as Edward looked down to untie his laces, his eyes

found the felled tree trunk next to them. An image
popped into his brain, and he thought the trunk just the
right height for it. He smiled craftily. "I want to try
something." Before Bella knew it, he scooped her up and
lifted the blanket off the ground splaying its previous
contents like a yard sale.

"Edward! What are you doing? I don't have my shoes

on." Bella kicked her legs as he walked the few steps over
to the tree.

First placing the blanket on the trunk, he sat Bella on top

of it and stood between her legs. "How about this?"

She was intrigued. "What are you thinking?"

His mischievous green eyes connected with hers. "I

thought this might be fun." Bella couldn't reply because
he kissed her straightaway. Instinctively, she pulled his
hips flush with hers, receiving him with a moan as he
began to grind into her. She finally gasped a reply. "Oh
yes, this is fun."

"Let's make it a little more fun." He began to undo her

jeans, and she helped the effort by shimmying them off.
Hooking his fingers around the strings of her bikini
panties, he commanded, "These too." When they were
stripped off, Edward groaned at the sight of her naked
sex sitting open for him.

Bella might have felt a little odd perched half naked on a

tree, with only her socks on below, but she didn't. She
was singularly focused on Edward whose eyes had not
moved as he watched two of his fingers stroke her sex up
and down. Not kissing her yet, he slid the fingers inside
of her. Bella flinched and clenched as he touched her
again and again just right. "Oh Edward. That feels so
good."

"You're so wet, Bella. Are you ready for me? Because I'm
dying to be inside of you."

"God, yes. I want you."

With one hand still fingering her, his other undid his belt
and pants. There was only a few seconds of delay in the
exchange of his fingers and his erection inside of her. As
soon as he gave one good thrust, Bella cried out his
name. It took her a minute to realize that Edward had
orchestrated them into a position where she could best
feel him. She braced herself on his shoulders while she
received and enjoyed each and every thrust. Her head
lolled back, Edward kissed and nuzzled her neck,
occasionally looking down to watch them move together.
"Your pussy is so tight … so sweet." It didn't take very
much commentary like that to cause a quick climax for
both of them.

They kissed afterward, and Bella started to snicker.

Edward stroked her hair off of her face. "Why are you
laughing?"

She looked at the log on both sides of her and asked,

"Can we get one of these in your room?"
--

Later that evening, the first noise that caused Bella to stir
from her too long nap after the tiring hike was the sound
of Charlie's cruiser pulling up into the driveway. She
jumped up, though, when she heard a second car follow
immediately after. Checking the clock, she saw that
Charlie was an hour and a half late. What's going on and
who's here with him?

Bella could hear Charlie outside using his "cop voice,"

but she couldn't make out what he was saying. When the
front door opened she scampered out of bed and started
heading downstairs. As she quietly took each step, she
heard a baritone male voice say, "I swear I'm as sober as
you. I decked him because he deserved it – saying what
he did about Leah. C'mon Chief Swan, you've gotta' agree
that Sam Uley is a motherfucking asshole."

Still on the stairs, her eyes reached the living room

before her body did. She wanted to walk further down
for physical proof of what she was seeing, but the scene
shocked her into immobility. For in the parlor there
stood: her father – thoroughly pissed and glaring about
the room, her boyfriend – no longer the hunky Patagonia
model, now clean shaven Senator Cullen in pressed
khakis and a dress shirt, and her boyfriend's brother –
Emmett Cullen, clearly in trouble for something.

"Bella, get back up the stairs! This is a police matter."

Charlie fiercely barked at her. Bella didn't move
immediately, though, because she and Edward were now
staring at one another. His eyes were trying to
communicate concern, worry, and apology to her all at
the same time. It might have worked, but another voice
came into play. Emmett had recognized Bella for who
she was and started smiling madly at her. Forgetting the
trouble he was in and the predicament Edward was in,
Emmett was taken with the idea of meeting the pretty
brunette who had stolen his brother's heart. Exuding all
of his Cullen charm, Emmett melodically called out, "Hi
Bella! Nice to meet you."
~*~
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountains_and_Clouds

~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty ~
Edward surveyed the disastrous scene playing out in
Chief Swan's living room. His only desire was to close his
eyes and wish it away. Instead, he had to see his
girlfriend barked at once again. Charlie sternly called out
to Bella who was still standing on the stairs, "Bella, you
need to leave."

Bella held her ground, though, and didn't move. There

was no way that she was going to leave that room. She
had too many questions that she wanted answers to,
because somewhere in the back of her mind she distantly
remembered seeing an incident like this before – in that
very room. Moreover, at that particular moment, she was
very curious about her boyfriend's charming brother who
was smiling at her. She continued walking down the
stairs. "Sorry Dad, I need to check on dinner. It should
be done. I'll be in the kitchen." Where I can still hear
everything.

Unwillingly, Emmett dragged his eyes away from Bella.

Damn. She's a little cutie. Then, he nodded at his brother
with a half a smile. Good work, Edward.

Emmett's reaction to Bella was not lost on either Edward

or Charlie who both glared at him. Wanting to alleviate
the intensity of the room, Emmett tried to calm things
down."Chief Swan, it's OK. I don't mind if your daughter
hears what's going on. Maybe I broke the guy's nose, but
I didn't break the law. And remember, Bella works for
Edward. Think of her as working for Carlisle – she's
working for your friend."

Then, ever the suave gentleman, Emmett stood up to

greet the lady now present in the room. Extending his
hand, he greeted her. "Bella, I'm Emmett Cullen. I've
heard so much about you from Edward. You're even
more beau …"

With an emergency situation unfolding before him,

Edward's naval training took over. He jumped into
action at once, interrupting his brother, "Yes, Alice and
Rosalie have spoken so highly of your work, Bella." He
stared Emmett down. Jesus Christ, Emmett. A Senator
wouldn't even know the names of his goddamn interns,
let alone talk about them frequently or say they were
beautiful. Not to mention, she doesn't know that Charlie
and Carlisle were on a first name basis. What are you
doing to me?

Bella shook Emmett's hand, but she was stunned by

what was going on. A memory came back to her of what
Esme had said to her when they first met, "My husband
had a great deal of respect for Chief Swan. I've never
met him myself, but I know Carlisle liked him." Bella
considered Esme's comment and now Emmett's
revelation that Charlie was a friend of Carlisle Cullen.
Her eyes darted sideways to a worried Edward. You have
some explaining to do.

To Emmett, she grinned and returned the greeting. "Hi,

Emmett. It's nice to meet you, too." Wow. He's so …
handsome … like ruggedly handsome. Renee would be
all over him.

Charlie's voice boomed, "Bella, you said you needed to be

in the kitchen."

Looking at him like the annoyed daughter that she was,

Bella retorted, "Dad, chill. If Emmett …" Bella's eyes
flicked over to anxious Edward again, and with a tinge of
sarcasm, she continued, "and Senator Cullen are OK
with it, then it's OK."

A cop through and through, Charlie had the ultimate

respect for authority. He addressed Edward deferentially
asking, "Is it alright with you, Senator?"

It most certainly was not alright with Edward, but he felt

trapped by Bella and Emmett. I have no choice.
Begrudgingly he replied, "Certainly. Let's sit and listen to
Emmett's story." He ran his hand through his hair in
tired exasperation. This is a fucking nightmare.
At that moment, Edward's cell phone rang. Seeing that it
was Rosalie, he excused himself into the kitchen, as
Bella, Charlie, and Emmett sat down in the living room.

Edward quietly grumbled into his phone, "I'm really

busy. What's up?"

"What's up?" Edward had to turn down the volume on

his phone as Rosalie screeched into his ear, "What's up?
I'll tell you what's up. A fucking shit storm is up. Emmett
clocked Sam Uley."

"Right. I know. I'm dealing with it. How do you know

about it?"

"Someone emailed video from their iPhone to the NBC

affiliate in Port Angeles. It's a great story, right? Senator
Cullen's brother beats the shit out of Jacob Black's
campaign guy. Luckily, Jacob's Campaign Manager,
Paul, got a hold of me before the station called us for
comment. The Black campaign doesn't want this footage
out there either."

"Why not?"

"I'll get to the why on that later. Anyway, we got the

reporter to deep six it. The video just shows Emmett
saying something like, 'That's it, Uley. I warned you.'
Emmett slams his fist into Sam's face, Sam falls, and
there's a lot of blood. Then things get really jumbled in
the video. It looks like Emmett tries to help Sam up.
Then somebody says, 'Stop that camera.' And it ends.
What happened exactly?"

"Emmett didn't have time to tell me everything. The gist

is that Sam insulted Leah, and Emmett hit him. I was
about to meet Emmett for dinner, but I got a call from
Seth saying Charlie Swan wanted me at the diner pronto.
I couldn't meet Charlie looking like I did, so I ducked
into a gas station bathroom to shave and change – the
fastest shave of my life. When I got there, Sam was still
getting cleaned up by Paul. Sam kept yelling that he was
going to press charges. Paul and Charlie kept telling him
to be quiet."

Rosalie interrupted, "Sam is such a little bitch. I hate

that guy. What was Emmett doing then?"

"Sitting at the diner counter like nothing had happened,

drinking his goddamn milkshake and chatting up the
waitress."

"Typical Emmett."

"Anyway, Charlie thanked me for coming. I thanked him,

but he said not to worry, he would have done the same
for Carlisle. He told Paul that he would deal with
Emmett, if Paul would get Sam to shut up because he
was beginning to disturb the peace. So Charlie had
Emmett and me come over to his house. Now, we're
here, and it's a mess. I need to go."

"Oh my God, Edward, you're at Charlie's house! Is Bella

there?"

"Yes, she's in the living room with Emmett and Charlie."

Edward then craned his head around the doorjamb to
see what was going on. As he did it, he growled, "And, I
will fucking kill Emmett if he makes a pass at Bella. I
don't care if he's my brother."

"Edward, you are insane. Emmett would never hurt you,

and besides that, he's totally pussy-whipped by Leah."

"Then, why is he fawning all over her?"

"He loves women, you dumbass. I'm sure he is paying

attention to Bella, but he's just being Emmett. He's not
interested in her romantically. And he probably also
wants to get to know your girlfriend. You are such an
idiot sometimes. I swear."

"I'm not an idiot."

"OK. You're a jealous fool. You need to watch it, or you're
going to get yourself in trouble."

Edward despised it when Rosalie was right. He quickly

changed the subject, "Well, Emmett was about to tell us
the full story, but then you called. I need to get back."

"No, wait. The reporter gave me some information – it's

why Paul wanted to keep the Sam and Emmett thing out
of the press. Jacob is announcing his fundraising
numbers tomorrow, and he didn't want the stupid fight
story to distract from the news about his campaign
money. He's raked it in – over a million – which is a lot
for one quarter for a challenger in a state this size."

"Shit." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking

hard about the situation

"Esme is worried, and she wants a family meeting. She

thinks we should put in family money if we have to."

"OK. Emmett and I can drive back to Seattle tonight."

"No. We're all coming over there tomorrow. Esme says

she wants some quiet time, but it's a real pain in the ass
if you ask me."
"Why? Esme has always liked spending time during the
holidays out here. You know that. What's your problem?"

"Irina is in town visiting. I don't want to be out in the

sticks."

Edward laughed into the phone, which Rosalie did not

appreciate. She snapped back at him, "You're just being
jealous again."

"Come on. I am not jealous of you and Irina. And

actually, I think it's a good thing, but it doesn't mean it's
not funny."

"You know what, Edward? You are like a 13-year-old boy

sometimes."

"I can't deny that. Bye Rosalie."

"Good bye, Edward."

He was sure he heard Rosalie mutter "asshole" as he

pressed end on his phone. Smirking at his bitchy sister,
he walked back into the living room. Charlie and Emmett
were completely engaged in their own conversation,
while Bella looked bored stiff.

Emmett remarked, "You're right. It's just too late in the

year for steelhead on the Yakima, but I've caught some
fine trout there lately."

Edward and Bella's eyes met. He tried to communicate to

her with his eyes, when he really wanted to go sit next to
Bella and pull her close into the crook of his arm. He
wanted to show Charlie Swan how much his daughter
meant to him, but he knew he must keep his distance.
Instead, he continued to stand as his eyes pled for
forgiveness from her. Missing his presence at her side,
Bella nodded acceptance of his apology and gave him a
warm smile.

Bella stood up and offered, "Before you sit down, Senator

Cullen, can I get you and your brother something to
drink? Water? Iced tea?" It then came to her that maybe
she should make the most of the situation, so she
cheerily added, "Actually, I've had beef stew cooking all
day. Do you two want to stay for dinner?"

Before Edward and Charlie could blurt out "No" in

unison, Emmett excitedly answered, "That would be
great! I was wondering what smelled so good. Thanks for
the invitation."

Edward turned to Emmett to object. "Uh … Emmett, we

had plans." What the fuck are you doing to me?
"We can cancel them." Emmett smirked back at his
glare. You need to lighten up, little brother.

Exhaling a little too dramatically and loudly, Edward

gave in. "OK. We'll cancel them." Then to Bella, he said
sincerely, "Thank you for the invitation, Bella." He
continued to look at her pleadingly. I promise to tell you
everything.

Bella raised her eyebrow first at Edward and then at her

father. "My dad and I are happy to have you, Senator
Cullen. Right Dad?"

Charlie didn't agree at all, but he was so stunned by his

daughter's commandeering of the situation that he
simply muttered, "Right. Sure. Yes."

Pleased with the answers, Bella proclaimed, "Excellent.

Let me just get things together in the kitchen, and we can
eat. It will only be five minutes."

As Bella headed toward the kitchen, Emmett stood up, "I

love to cook, Bella. I'll help you out."

Edward had to keep himself from snarling, and his lip

still curled up slightly as his eyes narrowed watching as
his brother followed Bella into the kitchen. I am going to
fucking kill you, Emmett Cullen. But he soon thought
better of the situation. You're just jealous that you can't
go in there too.

Then Edward got an idea. Turning to Charlie, he said,

"Chief Swan, I hope you don't mind, but I need to
respond to a few things. I'm going to take a moment to
do some work, and I need to get something out of my
truck."

"Sure. I'm just going to check some scores myself."

Charlie turned on ESPN and began staring at his TV.

When he got into the cab of his truck, Edward grabbed

Jasper's phone out of the glove compartment. In the
kitchen, Bella had Emmett slicing French bread, when
she heard a muffled beep from her bag sitting on the
counter. She was happily surprised to see that it was
Alice's phone that made the noise.

"Where are you?"

"Outside. In my truck."

"Oh. Crafty. You've been keeping some things from me,

haven't you?"

"Bella, I'm so sorry that this is happening. I want to see

you tonight - to explain everything. Can you tell Charlie
that you're spending the night with a friend?"

He sounded so earnest, Bella wanted him to feel more at

ease, she replied back devilishly.

"It would be great to spend the night with my friend."

Then she lowered her voice to a coy whisper. "Does your
bedroom have a log? I liked trying that today."

Keenly listening to her conversation, Emmett shot her a

look and commented with a smile, "Well, now!"

Bella blushed while Edward replied, "No log. But there's

a big brass bed, and … I will definitely have some wood
for you.

Chuckling at the thought, she remarked, "That is a bad,

bad joke, but a very good idea. I'm looking forward to it."

"You've given me something to look forward to now. I

love you."

"And I you."

She ended the call and heard Emmett mumble with a

smile on his face, "My little brother…"

When the foursome sat down to dinner, Charlie waited

to talk with Emmett until he had eaten a little. The food
in his stomach made him less cranky, so he was calm as
he asked, "So, Emmett, can you explain what happened
in the diner? I was mainly upset because I thought you
had been drinking again, but you obviously haven't been.
I do want to know why you resorted to violence –
especially in a public place. Forks is a peaceable town."

"Sure. I was sitting at the counter waiting for Edward. I

was passing the time talking with the waitress, Bree.
She's always great to talk to – a little crazy, though. So
then Sam comes up to me. I hadn't seen them, but I
guess Paul and him were eating dinner. Sam makes some
snarky comment about me drinking a milkshake with a
shot of Bailey's. I told him to drop it, but he kept pushing
my buttons. I didn't care about him ragging on me, but
he talked badly about Edward."

Edward interrupted, "Emmett, I could care less about

Sam Uley's opinion of me."

"Yeah, I know, but it still pissed me off." I bet you don't

want to be called a manwhore. Whatever the fuck that
is. "Anyway, then he brought up Leah, and I told him to
shut his trap. He kept going, though. I flat out warned
him that it would be physically painful if he continued,
but he's such a pompous pussy…"
Charlie sternly cleared his throat and nodded toward
Bella, who simply rolled her eyes at her father.

"Oh, sorry Chief Swan, sorry Bella. Sam is such a

metrosexual." Emmett smirked to himself as he said it.
Pussy.

Bella cocked her head toward Edward and smiled at him,

while he studiously ate his stew, suppressing his
laughter.

Not liking the direction of the conversation, Charlie

prompted him, "Just go on with your story."

"Well, I don't know if Sam thought I wouldn't hit him or

if I did, he could handle himself, but neither one was
true. When he said something that was beyond the pale,
I made sure he got what was coming to him."

"And, I'm guessing what Sam said that prompted you to

hit him is not appropriate for dinner." Charlie looked at
Emmett sourly as he said it.

Emmett thought of Sam's words. 'Every time you fuck

Leah, remember you're just lucky to have my scraps.'
He snarled, "His remarks would never be appropriate at
any time, and if he says anything like that to me again,
I'll kill him."
Charlie scowled at Emmett, but didn't press the issue
any further. Once the tense subject was dropped by
Charlie, the rest of the dinner went smoothly. Emmett
kept everyone in good humor – even Charlie who was
warming up to him a bit. At one point when Charlie and
Emmett were talking to one another, Bella teased
Edward by licking her lips and then biting her lower one
for good measure. Edward's eyes bulged out of his head
for a second before he winked at her as he thought about
the night ahead of them.

A half hour after Edward and Emmett left the house,

Bella was only able to lie to Charlie about what she was
doing that evening because she didn't altogether lie. She
told him she was going over to a friend's house for the
evening and would stay the night if she was drinking.
Since it was a Saturday night, Charlie took her
explanation in stride and wished her a good time. He
only warned her that they wouldn't see each other again
until dinner the following evening, because he was going
to be fishing all day on Sunday.

The Cullen's home was easy to find once Bella phoned

Edward for directions, and the drive took less than an
hour. Tucked away in a clearing with a forest all around
it was a giant Victorian home. Even in the darkness of
night, the white wood with its finials and other
architectural flourishes were impressive. Bella thought
herself going back in time as she walked up the front
steps onto the expansive, wrap-around porch. Edward
opened the front door before she made it to the doormat,
greeting her with a smile and a kiss, "Hi love. Come
inside. It's cold out there"

As Edward helped Bella out of her coat, she assessed the

foyer, which was paneled with a rich, brown wood that
matched the wood of the large staircase. The house was
spotlessly clean, although there was still the latent smell
only found in antique stores and old homes. Bella
thought she had entered a museum. "Wow. This house is
beautiful."

"You like it?"

"I love it. How could you not?"

"I don't know. It's pretty old fashioned. Esme refuses to

let anything be upgraded beyond 1901 – the year Queen
Victoria died. Rosalie hates the plumbing."

"You keep it up really well."

"It's all Emmett."

"Is he here right now?"

"He's in his room, talking with Leah. She had to work
tonight."

"How does she feel about everything today?"

"I think she's a little embarrassed, but probably very

happy that Emmett stood up for her."

Bella smiled at the thought, "I'd feel the same way."

Pulling her into his arms, Edward smiled and kissed her
forehead. "That's good. Because there's nothing more
that I'd like to do than break Jacob Black's jaw for
bruising you."

"That's not very senatorial behavior."

"My opponent isn't very senatorial either."

"Well, that's very true." Bella reached up on her toes to

kiss him. A languid kiss of tongues slowly meeting and
exploring one another ensued. As things became more
heated, Edward groaned into Bella's mouth. She
remembered that they needed to talk first, though.

Pulling away she told him, "I'm sorry to be a tease, but I

told Charlie that I wouldn't drive home if I had been
drinking. I need a drink, so that I don't lie, and you
promised to explain what happened today."

Edward smoothed her hair and declared, "You can tease

me any time. Let's get some wine and go up to my room."

As they entered Edward's room, Bella ogled the décor.

Gorgeous oil paintings of the Cascades and antique
photos covered the walls, and the large brass bed had a
beautiful patchwork quilt covering it. Everything about
the room was obviously period to the Victorian era.

"Is this all Esme's handiwork?"

"Yes. She's had some help in that most of the things in

the house have always been here."

Edward got the two of them situated on the middle of the

bed where they sat cross-legged and held hands as he
explained things to her.

"I have to be honest with you, Bella. That very first day in
the meeting with all the interns, I was appalled to hear
that you were Charlie Swan's daughter."

Bella's brow furrowed in sadness, causing Edward to kiss

her forehead. "I should also tell you that I thought you
were smart and beautiful and was a little scared by the
fact that we had things in common. You were very
dangerous to me just by that. But with Charlie Swan as
your father, I was very worried."

"Why? I remember now that Esme told me when we first

met that Carlisle respected Charlie. And I know that
Charlie respected him a great deal."

"I was worried that you might hear something in the

office, and it would get back to Jacob's campaign. Or that
you would hear something from Charlie about Emmett,
and you would spread it among the staff. Really, I was
paranoid for no good reason. Your father is the most
decent of men, and he raised you the same way. I just
didn't know."

"But, why haven't you told me anything about Charlie

and Carlisle? I don't understand. You're so open about
everything else in your life."

"I was doing it for Emmett. He wanted to meet you first.

He's done some things in his life he wish he could take
back, but he can't. While he accepts responsibility for
them, he's still ashamed. He thought you might think
better of him, if you saw he was a good guy."

"So Charlie and Carlisle's connection is around

Emmett?"
Edward nodded and took both her hands inside his.
"Yes. Charlie has been Emmett's guardian angel over his
life. The first time that it happened was when Emmett
was seventeen or so. Charlie found him passed out drunk
in his truck on the side of a road. When Emmett showed
him his driver's license, Charlie caught the last name and
called Carlisle's office. Somehow he got himself talking
directly to Carlisle without spilling any information on
Emmett to the staff. Carlisle felt indebted to him ever
since then."

Bella sighed and smiled. "It sounds like something

Charlie would do. He would consider that a parental
problem rather than a police matter."

"Unfortunately, Emmett continued to get in trouble, and

the offenses got worse. Charlie took care of all of them.
Most of them centered around alcohol – fights, public
drunkenness, and a few DUIs. Two were major, though,
and Charlie still swept both away."

"What were those?"

"Neither is good. The first crime happened when he was

19. He knowingly committed statutory rape. It happened
on the reservation, and of course he was drunk. He was
messing around with a girl. She told him that she was 16,
but she was really 15. As he tells it, he wanted to believe
her. They started seeing each other secretly, but things
went south pretty quickly. She told her parents who
figured out the math of their ages and the law. They went
to the tribal police, but they referred it over to Charlie. I
have no idea what Charlie would have done to Emmett if
the family hadn't quickly tried to extort my family."

Bella didn't like to hear of a woman being treated in that

manner. She somberly asked, "And then?"

"Our attorney handled everything. Carlisle paid them off,

and they stayed quiet. Emmett still carries the
transgression around with him every day, though. It's
part of his recovery."

"So what was the second?"

"10 years or so ago, Emmett got involved in a gambling

ring on the reservation." Edward rolled his eyes. "So
stupid. It's not like he was doing it for the money, and
there are better ways to get thrills. Anyhow, the FBI
started investigating, and Charlie heard about it from the
tribal police. Charlie knew that Emmett had been
hanging around some of the ringleaders. In total
violation of his duties as a cop, Charlie called Carlisle."

Stunned by Edward's story, it took a moment for Bella to

speak. "I can't believe that Charlie would ever do that.
He never does anything unethical. He must have
considered Carlisle a real friend."

Edward nodded in response. "I know Carlisle felt that

way about him." Running his fingers through Bella's
hair, he smiled. "And I hope he remembers their
friendship, when I finally tell him I'm in love with his
daughter."

Bella caught her breath in surprise. "What? You want to

tell him we're together? When?"

"I don't know, but I think soon. Don't you want to tell
him?"

She stared at the star-shaped patterns on the quilt before

answering. Raising her eyes to him, Bella smiled. "Yes.
But watch out. The man has a gun."
--

The following morning Bella slowly awoke realizing she

was in a strange bed, but with an altogether familiar
feeling on her body as she lay naked with Edward. He
was spooning her, holding her so that his morning
erection pressed into the junction of her thighs and
bottom. Liking the sensation, Bella pushed her bum
against his erection in an effort to rouse him.
Half-asleep, Edward murmured, "What are you doing?"

"Waking you up."

Edward kissed her hair and moved his hand to her

breasts, slowly plucking her nipples. "Consider me
awake."

Bella raised her head to the side and found Edward's

mouth. Unfazed by the residual sleep in their mouths,
the two began a passionate kiss while Bella began
grinding into Edward in earnest. He responded by
snaking his hand down to her mound. His index finger
slid between the lips of her sex, and after one stroke back
and forth, he announced, "So wet for me already."

"I'm always wet for you." With that, Bella moved onto
her back and widened her legs. Edward threw off the
covers and moved between her thighs. Smiling at the
sight of her special folds open to him, he took his
erection in hand and placed the head of his penis on her
clit. Bella thought the head looked like a giant, glistening
cherry tickling her most sensitive spot, and the slow,
circular motion of the head teased her into a soft
whimper. "That is so sexy, Edward."

"You like it?"

"A lot. Please, I want to feel all of you now."

Edward grinned. "Let's try something. Move on to your

stomach."

Bella clued in immediately. This will be new. Flipping

over onto her belly, she instinctively raised her bum
presenting her sex up to him. "Is this what you wanted to
try?"

Smiling at the opportunity, Edward answered, "Very

much so. God you're hot like this. Let's do this first." As
he said it, he slid his index finger inside of her. Bella
immediately moaned, and he chuckled, "You do like my
fingers, don't you?"

Barely able to answer as he stroked another sensitive

spot, she mumbled, "I love it when you finger me."

In response, Edward added another one of his long

fingers inside of her. "Your pussy is so ready, Bella. Are
you going to come?"

Bella's body answered for her, as she pulsed against his

hand and moaned into her pillow. After a moment
collecting herself, she smiled and waggled her bottom at
him. "This way now."
In seconds and without words, Edward slammed his
throbbing erection inside of her, causing her to yelp. He
groaned, "Sorry. I should have warned you; it's deep this
way."

Turning to see what was going on behind her, Bella saw

Edward looking absolutely feral, as he gaped at them
moving together. It was her turn to chuckle, "You like it
this way, don't you?"

Edward grunted in response. "It's tight and deep. And

watching me go inside you drives me crazy." Then he
commanded her, "Grab the railing of the bed. I'm going
to go faster."

Bella did as she was told. Both of them sped up their

motions, which caused the old bed to be even louder
than their own grunts and moans. After a few minutes of
the thumping, clanking, and clinking of metal, the two
joined in hard and fast orgasms. As they lay panting and
laughing, Bella remarked, "This bed is really loud. You
don't think Emmett heard us, do you?"

"Nah."
--
When Bella and Edward entered the kitchen for
breakfast, Emmett was sitting in little breakfast nook,
drinking his coffee. He immediately snickered, "It's
pretty amazing, but the house is still standing. I would've
thought you two had knocked it to rubble by now. What
were you doing this morning? Discussing the national
debt?" He guffawed with laughter at his own poor joke.

Bella scowled at Edward and playfully punched his chest.

"That's the last time I believe you."

Edward balled up a kitchen towel on the counter and

jokingly threw it at Emmett's head. "Knock it off."

Avoiding the towel, Emmett protested, "I'm just joking.

I'm jealous. I don't get to see Leah until tonight."

Looking up at Edward, Bella asked, "When do you have

to go back to Seattle?"

"Tomorrow morning. Rosalie and I will drive back

together. I've got events and meetings, for most of the
week, but I'll come back for New Year's Eve."

She kissed his cheek. "I'm glad that I've got a date."

Encircling Bella in his arms, Edward declared, "Darling,

I'm your permanent date." As he leaned down to kiss
her, Emmett groaned, "Back upstairs!"
Edward gave her a quick kiss before saying, "We can't.
Too many people coming over soon." His expression
turned serious as he looked at Bella. "I'm not sure if you
should stay for this meeting. I don't want you to get
involved in the campaign. It's going to be messy."

Bella's eyes narrowed at him. "I don't want NOT to be

involved in the campaign." Bitterly adding, "I'm tired of
being left out of things."

His mouth hardening together, he eventually muttered,

"We can continue to discuss this."

"Yes, we will, but I'm staying today."

Edward nodded. "I'll agree for today."

Bella smiled. "Great."

"I said for today." His face had soured again.

She saw the opportunity, though. "And we'll discuss

tomorrow later. Right?"

"Right."
--
It was midmorning, when the rest of the extended Cullen
clan arrived at the old Victorian. Seth also came for the
meeting and simply smiled when he saw Bella there too.
The entire family sat around the giant dining room table.
Esme had made tea and coffee for everyone with
shortbread cookies to tide them over until lunch.

She called the meeting to order, announcing, "Well, the

news is out now. Jacob Black has raised over a million
dollars in the last quarter. That's a significant amount of
money for someone like him. Before things get hairy, I
wanted a family consensus on whether or not we finance
the campaign with family money. Personally, I would
rather we do that for Edward, but only if we have to. He
agrees."

Rosalie commented flatly, "I think it's best. We just need

to handle it carefully."

"We don't want to appear to be 'buying' a Senate seat to

keep it in the Cullen name," remarked Alice. "Jacob
could have a field day with that in the media."

"I don't want it to appear that we don't have supporters

for the campaign. We do. At the moment, fundraising is
not an issue," stated Edward decisively.

Bella chimed in, "But these days people expect wealthy

candidates to contribute to their own campaign a bit."
"It's the amount that's the issue and timing." Seth shook
his head. "I would wait until the last possible minute and
the minimum amount."

Emmett concluded the discussion. "So we do what we

need to do. Mom, I think we're all in agreement."

"If it's settled, then let's talk about how we message this."
Alice was about to continue, but her Blackberry vibrated
on the table. Jasper handed the phone to her. Looking at
the caller's name, she frowned. "Washington Post. I need
to take it. I'll be right back. They're probably already
looking for a quote on Jacob's numbers."

Alice was out of the room for only a few minutes. When
she returned, her face was grim. "Aro Marcus has set up
a 527 to defeat Edward. What do you want to say? Stuart
Rosenberg is the reporter."

Edward was collecting his thoughts, but Rosalie was

already out of the gate. As soon as he started to speak,
she said, "No. I'm the Campaign Manager. This is
entirely political. I'm the appropriate messenger here."

Edward nodded. "She's right." Then he chuckled in

admiration of his fearless sister as she scribbled on a
note pad. "Let's see what Rosalie has to say."
Handing a piece of paper to Alice, Rosalie told her,
"Here. Read it to him."

Alice took the call off hold and said, "Stu. Hi. This is
from Rosalie Cullen, Senator Cullen's Campaign
Manager." She paused a moment before relaying
Rosalie's statement. "Quote: 'Bring it on. Senator Cullen
has never been afraid of a fight.' End quote." Waiting a
few seconds, she asked, "You got that?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-One ~
Bella heard a sharp knock at the door and whispered
bitterly to herself, "Shit. Who would come out in this
rain?" Assessing her flour-covered hands and forearms,
she decided she couldn't answer the door in a hospitably
quick fashion. She shouted toward the door, "I'll be there
in a minute!"

But the door began to open itself as she walked toward it

still drying her hands from their washing. "Edward?
What are you doing here so early? We said three."

"I'm sorry I'm barging in on you. I heard your voice, but I

couldn't make out what you were saying so I came right
in. The rain is loud right now."

"Come in. Please. Let's get you dry. I was just making a
pie." She looked down at her ratty sweats and dark t-
shirt lightly dusted with flour. "I'm kind of a mess." Then
she took in his starched shirt and dark jeans. "And you're
dressed for the occasion."

Getting out of his wet rain jacket, he grinned at her.

"You are always beautiful. A pie, though? Do I get
some?" But it only took a second for him to recognize the
purpose of the pie. "Wait. The pie isn't for me. It's to
butter up Charlie. Right?"
Bella shrugged. "Apple pie is his favorite. I'm also
making beef stroganoff using his mother's recipe. I'm
pulling out all the stops."

"Probably not a bad idea." He grinned at her thinking of

her sweet domestic side. Tugging on the dishtowel still in
her hands, Edward drew Bella into a sweet, slow kiss.
Bella dropped the towel so that she could mold her body
to his, as their tongues interplayed. After a minute, his
lips left her mouth and brushed along her jaw line
landing below her ear. "I missed you this week, love."

Bella gasped and smiled as he tickled her neck with the

tip of his tongue. "I missed you too. Is this why you came
early?"

"No." Remembering the purpose of his unannounced

visit, he straightened up and gave her a quick kiss on the
forehead. "I wanted to talk before we sat down with
Charlie."

"Why? You want to get our story straight? We went over

this on the phone last night. Did you want to change
something?"

Edward smoothed her hair as he nodded. "I want to tell

Charlie something, but I need to tell you first."
"OK. Let's sit down." Bella led Edward into the living
room and onto the old sofa, but her mind wasn't as
confident as her actions or her words. Why do I feel like
this could be bad?

His serious, somewhat anxious expression didn't make

Bella feel any better. After they sat down, Bella hesitantly
asked, "So, what is it?"

Edward held his sober stare upon Bella, until his face
slowly transformed into a happy one. Don't be stupid.
You want to tell her this. You practiced this. "Bella, I
love you."

"I love you." She giggled uneasily as she said it, still
perplexed as to where he was going with the
conversation.

"I like hearing that." He was smiling as he took her

hands into his. "And I know how I feel. It's not going to
change. I love you today, I'll love you tomorrow, and next
year … and the year after … and the year after that … and
so on."

A nervous chuckle betrayed him. "I'm not sure I'm

making sense," so he added, "How about this? I was
talking with Emmett last night. He said, 'Stick a fork in
you. You're done.' And he's right. Bella, I will never want
to be with anyone else."

She nodded and apprehensively ventured, "You've said

that before." Sort of. I think.

"It's not just that. I never want to be without you."

Bella's eyes widened as he finished. What is he saying to

me? Where is this going? Yet while her mind was slowly
processing the words he spoke, her heart was two steps
ahead of it. She exhaled, "Oh Edward," as she gave him a
kiss on the lips. "I don't want to be without you. I love
you."

He pulled away from the kiss to capture her eyes because

he wanted her to fully absorb what he was about to say.
"I don't expect an answer or even a response to what I'm
about to say. I understand where you're at, and I'm not
going to push you."

Taking a deep breath, he spoke with a resolute voice

declaring, "I want to marry you, Bella. I want to be your
husband, and you to be my wife. I want everything that
entails – a life together for the rest of our lives."

Even though she was speechless, Bella's mouth dropped

open as if she were going to speak. Nothing came out,
but Edward still gently put two fingers up to her lips to
silence her. Dropping his hand, he said, "Please. You
don't have to say anything. I can guess everything you're
thinking, and it's all very rational. We've only known
each other a few months and have been together for even
less than that. And, you're too young. Our futures are too
uncertain – well, at least mine is. Yours is on track.
Regardless, we both don't know what city either one of
us will be living in next December. I understand all of
that, and I don't want to pressure you. So I'm not asking
you to marry me."

He devilishly grinned and added, "At least not at the

moment. One day, I will. I promise you that." Then,
placing his lips briefly to her left hand, he explained, "I
just wanted you to know how I feel about you … how
important you are to me … because I want to convey all
of that to your father. I know it's trite, but I want to let
him know what my intentions are with you."

Stunned by his declarations, Bella began to parse them

out in her mind. She started with a whisper, "Because …"

"Because you're the most important thing in the world to

me – more important than my family or a stupid senate
seat or my career. I need for him to know that if
something terrible happened and our relationship were
exposed that I would never leave you. You are my life
now."

Bella maintained her gaze with his as she nodded. She

understood what he said, but didn't quite believe it. The
connection of their eyes caused her throat to close and
tears to brew. Pushing her voice through the ache in her
throat, she softly said, "You don't have to say any of that
to him… because of our … situation or the campaign."

"Don't have to? Of course, I don't have to; I want to."

Edward laughed and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I
am so ready to marry you. If I thought you were ready,
I'd ask you right now to elope with me tonight." His
mouth skewed to the side in an annoyed scowl. "Of
course, we'd have to go out of state because Washington
has a silly three-day wait for a marriage license. Stupid
law to protect stupid people, while penalizing the rest of
us."

"How do you know there's a waiting period?" Did he just

look that up?

"So maybe I did a little research." He guiltily smiled after

saying it. "I was just wondering."

"Um. Wouldn't that look really bad? Like I'm pregnant or

something." Bella thought of Charlie. Oh my God – like a
shotgun wedding.
"Yes. Rosalie would ring my neck for even thinking it. If
it weren't for Jasper, Alice would want to do the same."
Edward sighed with regret. "Frankly a wedding of any
sort looks awful – like we're hiding something or doing it
as a campaign stunt. That's the thing. Everything about
us together is so good, but to the outside world it looks
terrible. Whenever we go public, it's going to be rough
for a while, until time wears down the critics. We're just
going to have to live through it."

"Like Woody Allen and his wife – his former girlfriend's

daughter?" Bella giggled at the thought of Soon Yi Previn
being both 22 and Woody Allen's de facto stepdaughter
at the time of their outing.

Rolling his eyes at the thought, Edward bitterly

answered, "I suppose that would be the extreme
example."

Neither said anything for a moment, which sobered

Bella's thoughts. Even without her vow to Renee that she
would not marry before 25, it was hard for her to even
consider marriage. I haven't even graduated from
college. And people don't get married after being
together two months. Not smart people, not responsible,
mature people. Why does he want to do this?
Tentatively, Bella inquired, "But, why Edward? Why are
you even thinking about marriage? There's no reason for
us to get married. As you pointed out, it's not even
helpful to you for the campaign."

Edward smiled at her. "The reason is that there is no

place I would rather be than at your side. I want to spend
the rest of my life with you, and having decided that, I'd
like the rest of my life to start immediately. I want to be
with you every day and every night as partners, with the
blessing of our families, the church, and the state. Sure,
we could live together after the election, but it's not the
same as marriage."

Bella nodded, but bit her lip before explaining her own
heart. "I love you, Edward … unconditionally and
irrevocably. What you just described, I want too. But …
you're right, I'm not ready to get married. I mean I'm not
that girl. The one who gets married at 22 like some
small-town hick who got knocked up by her boyfriend."

Shaking his head, Edward chuckled and rebutted her

statement. "For argument's sake, can I point out a few
things? You may be from a small town, but you're not a
hick; you're going to be in law school in the fall. Also, I
don't really fit the "boyfriend" image; I'm 32, a decorated
veteran, and a Goddamn United States Senator. And
finally, you're not pregnant; nor will you be since you're
on a birth control method that is 99% effective when
taken as directed. There. See. The facts don't back up
your reasoning."

"Well, maybe, but you just said yourself that eloping will
still look bad."

"It would. No doubt about it. And it also would look

tacky if we got married in a big to do at the National
Cathedral with the pews full of Members of Congress.
That looks like a campaign stunt so I can be a family man
like Jacob."

"You just told me Rosalie would kill you for even

contemplating marrying me."

"She would." Resigning himself to his predicament,

Edward waited a moment before sourly commenting,
"And from her perspective, she's absolutely right. It's
stupid and selfish on my part."

Bella saw how unhappy he was becoming, and she felt

the need to ease the blows she had given him. Placing
her arms around his neck, she leveled her eyes with his.
"Edward, I want to be with you for the rest of my life, but
I can't imagine getting married right now. I know that
doesn't make sense."

Her words warmed his heart. "Actually, it does make

sense. And don't feel the need to say anything more. We
can drop the subject." He leaned over and kissed her
softly. Their mouths opened, and their tongues met
again. The kiss didn't linger, though, because Edward
started snickering. "Well, maybe now and then I might
bring it up, if I think you're stringing me along."

"Whatever. Like I would do that. You are so silly

sometimes." Bella pushed on his shoulder while her eyes
darted over to the clock. She cringed, "You should
probably go, if this is going to work like we planned. And
I need to get the pie in the oven."

"Why haven't you ever made me a pie? I like pie."

"I don't know. No opportunity." Then without thinking,

Bella sarcastically blurted out, "Maybe when we're
married." Her hand slapped her mouth as self-inflicted
punishment for the bad joke.

"That's not funny." Edward's eye twinkled at his own

mock horror. Smiling, he said, "Just so you know, if this
were court, a judge would give me ample latitude to talk
about marriage now because you brought it up."

"Well, Charlie considers himself judge, jury, and

executioner in this house. You need to go before him
first. So get going. I'll see you at three."
--
Bella stared at her bedroom alarm clock. It was 2:40.
The time of reckoning for her to talk to Charlie before
Edward arrived at three.

She labored down the stairs, finding Charlie entranced

by the college football game on the television. As she
plopped down on the sofa next to his recliner, he asked,
"Hey. Are you still going out tonight?"

"Um. Yeah. Later, though. After dinner here."

"It smells good, and the pie looks great."

"I hope you like it."

"Course I will. You know, Bella, I just want to remind

you no drinking and driving tonight. Stay the night
wherever you are if you need to."

Twitching her mouth rather than rolling her eyes, Bella

responded, "Yeah Dad." We'll see if he still feels that way
after all this goes down. She waited a moment to use his
remarks as a segue. You can do this, Bella. "Speaking of
going out, I want you to meet someone I've been dating."

"Hmpf. OK. Bring him by." The football game had again
taken Charlie's attention.
"Well, he's coming over in a little bit."

"What's his name?" Charlie's eyes didn't move from the

screen.

Bella swallowed and firmly said, "Edward Cullen."

At once Charlie turned his whole body toward Bella.

Utterly alarmed, he wailed, "Emmett Cullen? You're
seeing Emmett Cullen?"

"No Dad, not Emmett. Ed…"

Charlie wasn't listening to her, though. He cut her off as

he began a tirade. "I knew he was up to no good with you
when he was here the other day. And he's too old for you.
And …"

"Dad, Dad, listen to me. I said Edward Cullen. Emmett's

younger brother, Edward."

The alarmed expression never left Charlie's face, even

though he was silent as he absorbed the change in facts.
Eventually he questioned her in disbelief, "Senator
Edward Cullen?"

Bella nodded with a hesitant smile. "Yes, Edward."

"Bella, what are you doing? You work in his office!"
Charlie scowled. "You're an intern, for Godsake. Are you
two crazy?"

"Please Dad. Neither of us intended for this to happen,

but it has. He's important to me, and we're serious."

"Oh, I'll bet he's serious about you … about as serious as

he is with any intern. He's … he's unfit for public office if
he's doing something like that. A discredit to his father
that's what he is. Bella, this is not going to end well,
especially for you."

"Dad. It's not like that. I swear. Why else would he be

coming over to meet you?"

"Why? Because he's worried that when the crap hits the
fan, he wants me to be there saying everything is OK.
He's just finding some cover. Can't you see that?"

"That's not true. He's been wanting to properly introduce

himself to you."

"And he's too old for you too."

"Yes, he's 10 years older than me, but that's not

unreasonable."
"The whole thing is unreasonable!"

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Bella saw that it
was before three. Thank God, he's early. He must have
guessed this wasn't going to go well.

"That's him, Dad."

"So soon?" Charlie glowered at her, before turning his

attention back to the game. "Get him in here."

Bella let in Edward who was even soggier than his first
entrance from the rain. As he shook the water off of him,
in a low voice, he greeted her. "Hi darling. How's it
going?"

"OK." Her expression told him the truth, though.

"That well?" Edward was grinning as he said it, very at

ease with the situation. He whispered to her, "Don't
worry about it. I'll handle it."

When they entered the living room, Charlie

begrudgingly, yet dutifully stood up. Even the current
situation did not change Charlie's military-like belief that
you salute the rank, even if you don't necessarily respect
the man. He extended his hand to Edward and mustered
up the only welcome he was willing to give him, "Senator
Cullen."

Shaking Charlie's hand, Edward pleasantly said, "It's

good to see you again Chief Swan. Please. Call me
Edward."

Charlie glared and nodded in response, as Bella pulled

Edward over to the sofa and at her side.

With his bitterness barely veiled, Charlie sat down and

inquired, "So what's going on here?"

Edward's body language was the same as when he was

having a heart-to-heart with disgruntled constituents.
Confident and engaged in his response, he casually
leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and hands
clasped. "Chief Swan, I suppose Bella has told you the
basics, and I understand why you would be unhappy
about my relationship with her. No parent would want
this. I also wish I had met Bella under different
circumstances. But despite the problematic situation
we're in, I don't regret anything that has happened
between us."

"Hmpf." Charlie was not impressed with Edward's

explanation thus far.

Edward was undeterred though. He sat upright and

smiled at Bella, as he took her hand. Then meeting
Charlie's stubborn glare, he spoke determinedly, "I don't
regret anything because I love Bella. Truly. And if she
agrees, one day I hope to make her my wife. I
understand that I also will have to earn your blessing,
and I will endeavor to do that."

"You two want to get married?" Charlie was even more

surprised than when Bella first announced they were
dating.

Bella felt the need to confirm the mutual feelings she and
Edward shared, but she didn't want to dwell on the
marriage issue. So she simply replied, "Someday."

With his own timeline in mind, Edward wanted to be

more specific, "Of course, not now. It's an election year
for me, and Bella needs to get settled into law school."

"I can't believe this. You know what kind of scandal this
is. You may get out of it OK, but Bella will be the butt of a
million jokes. Her career will be over before it even ever
gets started." Charlie shook his head at their stupidity.

"Dad, I'm walking into this with eyes wide open. I'm
willing to take the risk." Irritated by her father, Bella
squeezed Edward's hand to punctuate her statement.
Edward tried another tack. "Chief Swan, my entire
family knows about and is supportive of Bella and me
being together. I promise you that we would do
everything to protect her reputation."

Charlie sternly rebuked Edward. "I don't believe that if

your father were alive today that he would be so
supportive."

Just as Charlie finished his sentence, the phone at his

side rang. Picking it up, he curtly answered, "Swan
residence." Seconds later he sputtered in surprise, "Good
evening Mrs. Cullen. It's good to hear your voice again,
too. It's been too long."

With Charlie listening and nodding as Esme invited him

over for a New Year's brunch the following morning,
Bella smiled at Edward. She whispered close to his ear,
"Did you know she would call?"

"Not at all." Edward answered with warm admiration for

his mother. "She just knew when I would be here. She's
much smarter than me."
--
After a stiff and quiet dinner with Charlie that evening,
Bella arrived at the Cullen's house, expecting it to be
loud with many people ringing in the new year. Instead,
only a little after nine o'clock, the house was as quiet as
the forest outdoors. When Edward let her inside, she felt
the need to hush her voice. "Where is everyone?"

"It is quiet. Isn't it? Rosalie is still in Seattle with Irina.

Emmett wanted to be alone with Leah, so they're at her
house. Esme never stays up late when we're out here.
And Alice was really tired – she's like that all the time
lately. Anyway, she and Jasper went upstairs early.
Maybe he'll come down later."

Close to midnight, the pair was still alone sharing a

bottle of champagne over a game of Scrabble, where
Bella had established a solid lead in points. Edward was
petulant. "I don't like losing."

"It's not my fault that you can't create words out of a few
little letters. You know this is something that you do in
first grade."

"You keep rejecting my words."

"Right, like this one. 'CANEX' is not in the dictionary."

"It's a contraction for 'cancel the exercise.' It's a word,

and I got to use that stupid 'x' that I've been sitting on."

"It's not a word. You're just using bogus, military terms

to expand your vocabulary. Besides, you can't use
contractions in Scrabble. Try again."

The clock struck twelve at that moment, and at once they

leaned across the game board to give one another a New
Year's kiss. The position of the board made for an
awkward smooch, so Edward broke away. "I love you,
Bella."

"I love you." Bella kissed him again, only a little more
forcefully that time. Her hand curved around the back of
his neck- as her tongue toyed with his.

He responded with a chuckle. "And with that, I think we

should call it a night and head upstairs."

After Bella got done changing and brushing her teeth,

she walked into Edward's bedroom to see him standing
at the dresser. His chest was bare, and he only wore a
pair of heather gray longjohns. The tight, long
underwear was fluid with each of his muscles. Her
eyebrows involuntarily went up. Who knew longjohns
were sexy?

He turned to speak to her, and her mouth dropped open

a bit at the sight of him bulging out of his pants. Oh,
that's hot.

Edward instantly knew where Bella's mind was. He

smirked as he asked, "Bella, what are you looking at?"

"Oh. Nothing." She averted her eyes and made her way
to the bed. Sitting on its edge, she began brushing her
hair. Her eyes darted back over to his lower-half, and she
finally admitted, "Those longjohns are very distracting."

"And why is that?" Edward was very amused and started

to walk toward her.

Bella smiled. "You know why. You usually wear boxers.

You're … a little more exposed in those."

Now standing in front of her with his arms crossed over

his muscled chest, his bulge was near her face. "It's chilly
in this house, so I wear long underwear under my jeans.
Tell me about this distraction you see."

Putting down her brush, Bella placed her hand over the
fly of the longjohns. "It's a … very good distraction." She
smiled up at him as she stroked the fabric, while his
erection formed beneath it. Touching the fly again, she
asked, "Do you use this fly?"

Edward's voice was roughening from his arousal as he

replied, "Not usually. It's easier just to pull down the
waistband. Although this fly is pretty easy to open."
"Is it?" Her hand sneaked inside, finding his hard length.
Tenderly, she drew out his erection and began tracing
the veins and lines as she fondled it in her hands.

Watching Bella's close inspection caused a drop of

moisture to escape the head. "Bella, that is so hot."

"Yeah?"

"Take off your top. I want to see your breasts when you
do that."

Happily following instructions, Bella whipped her tank-

top over her head. Edward groaned as her nipples
puckered in the chilly room. His hands immediately
went to her breasts, causing Bella to moan. He tweaked
her peaks and groaned, "God, I love your nipples."

Her hips squirmed, but she found her focus again and
asked, "How's this?" Not waiting for an answer, she took
him into her mouth straightaway. One hand held the
fabric of the fly away from his cock, while her other
guided his length in and out of her mouth.

Edward was spellbound watching a half-naked Bella

pleasure him with only her mouth. His hands moved to
her head, gently directing the speed and rhythm of her
movements. "This is so good. Just like this." His eyes
began to cross, when he realized what he really wanted.
"Oh God. I want to come inside of you. Let's get on the
bed."

The very mention of the brass bed made Bella's eyes

widen. "But it's really loud. I don't want to wake up your
mother."

"You'd be surprised at how quiet I can be." He teased

her. "Let's see how quiet you can be. Take off your
pants."

Slipping off her pants, she saw his remained on. "What
about yours?"

"Not just yet. Let's get you under the covers, so that
you're not cold."

Following instructions while giggling, Bella slid under

the bedding. Edward did the same, but snuck all the way
under, positioning himself between her legs. Tickled by
what would surely come next, Bella giggled, "I thought
you wanted to be inside of me."

"I believe in equal opportunity." Edward laughed at his

own joke.

"You did not just make a constitutional joke before you

go down on me."

"Sure I did. Now, close the covers and let me play around
down here for a while."

"Oh God, when you say it that way…" She drew the quilt
and sheet close to her shoulders. In only a few seconds,
she was lost in the sensation of Edward's tongue flicking
and licking away at her clit. Unable to see anything, she
concentrated on his fingers repeatedly sliding and
curling inside of her, while his mouth kept her sex warm
and wet. The delight her body felt at his touch soon
caused a shuddering orgasm, which she muffled in the
covers.

Afterward Edward's mouth found her lips in a long kiss,

and their tongues shared the sweet tang of her sex. With
a sharp thrust, Edward slid inside of her, causing her to
gasp at the effect. Her gasps for air continued when he
took her hand so they could rub her clit together as they
slowly moved in unison. Their efforts to make as little
noise as possible meant that their bodies were molded
closely together, with their eyes fixed on one another the
whole time. The overall effect was an emotional intensity
the likes they had never felt before.

As Edward came, whispering and groaning Bella's name,

she followed closely behind. Gradually, he left her body.
His face was so serious, as he snuggled in next to her that
Bella became a little concerned, "Sweetheart?"

He kissed her shoulder before answering, "I love you,

darling. I meant what I said this morning. I want to
marry you."

Bella bit her lip in response to his declaration and

nodded. "I love you, too. We will. Just not now."

"But soon?"

The earnestness of his expression took Bella's breath

away. After a pause, she answered, "Soon."

The following morning, Esme's brunch went off as

smoothly as she had planned. Her seating arrangement
of Charlie and Leah at her side with Emmett alongside
Leah and Bella alongside Charlie was perfect. Charlie felt
both important and comfortable with that company.
Meanwhile Bella and Edward sat near Jasper and Alice.
It wasn't long into the meal that Jasper tapped his glass
with his knife readying everyone for an announcement.

With a huge grin on his face, he declared, "I'll make this

quick. Alice and I have big news. We're expecting! And
the baby is due in August."
While everyone cheered and expressed their
congratulations, Esme clapped her hands in joy. "A
grandchild! Finally!"

Alice embarrassedly rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Mom."

Leah asked, "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

Shaking her head, Alice responded, "No. We're not going

to find out so it will be a surprise."

Jasper added, "How many true surprises do you have in

life?"

With a happy joke, Charlie muttered, "Well, I had a

whopper of one yesterday."

Everyone laughed at Charlie's joke, with both Bella and

Edward laughing also in relief that Charlie was now on
board. Shortly after, Rosalie's call interrupted the
brunch. While the others finished their meal, Alice
relayed her news to her sister. Their conversation took
longer than Alice expected, though. When she walked
back into the room, she had more news to share.

"So Edward, that candidate forum tomorrow … it's going

to be televised now."
Edward shrugged in response. "Fine by me."

"Rosalie is kind of nervous."

"Why?"

"She's says it's just her gut. She wants the whole family
there, since Jacob will have his."

Esme was giddy again. "Oh goody! I've missed the

campaign trail."

As soon as Jacob's name was mentioned, though, Charlie

looked to Bella at his side. In a low voice he warned her,
"You should have nothing, and I mean nothing, to do
with Edward's campaign. Promise me that."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Two ~
Edward hadn't even finished taking his morning piss
before Rosalie was banging on the door of his bathroom.

"Edward, we need to talk now."

"Do you mind?" Edward sighed as he jiggled his dick of

any remaining pee.

"Jesus Christ, Edward. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't

important. The Seattle Times has run a hit piece on you
… well … actually, it's all about Emmett."

Closing his eyes in disgust, Edward resituated himself in

his pajama bottoms before quickly running his hands
under the tap. He looked for a moment in the mirror.
Goddamn it. Emmett doesn't deserve this. Only a few
seconds later, he opened the door to see Rosalie leaning
against the wall and scrolling through the Blackberry in
hand.

"What do they say?"

"Pretty much everything you can think of … even the

gambling. Virtually nothing is on the record. Lots of
innuendo. You know it's got Aro Marcus's handprints all
over it. Shit. He had to have hired a private investigator.
There's no way that Sam Uley uncovered all of this stuff.
Motherfucker. We're going to have to put up with this
shit for the rest of the year."

Edward ran his hand through his hair. "I hate Emmett
being dragged into this. He should be able to keep his life
private."

Rosalie laughed. "Emmett? Oh I already talked with him.

He doesn't care. Honestly, he seems kind of excited
about sitting next to mom while they bash her son. He
says he wants to watch them hem and haw. He even
wants Alice to pick out his clothes – who knew the day
would ever come where Emmett would ask for that?"

"Well, I suppose that's looking on the bright side."

"The bigger issue is the theme of the article. Basically, it

says the Cullens will buy their way out of any problem –
calling us the Kennedys of Washington State."

"Not so far from the truth," muttered Edward mostly to

himself. To Rosalie, he asked, "So, is Alice over at
Emmett's already?"

"Not yet. She's puking. This time I don't think it's just the
morning sickness."
"Well, I need to talk with her. They'll hit me with all of
this today in front of the cameras. You were right to be
suspicious about this forum."

"Yeah, I was right, but it's not just this. They've changed
the moderator from Brady King to Renata Morris – that
little red-headed bitch. Supposedly, Brady's got the flu."

"So? I don't care who questions me."

"She was seen out a lot with Sam after he broke up with
Leah. It's been a while, and I don't even know if they
really dated, but I think she's a Republican. Even her
hair is red." Rosalie shook her head. "Plus, it is the Fox
News affiliate – 'Fair and Balanced' my ass."

At mid-morning that day, Rosalie hung in the back of the

studio while the rest of the Cullen clan greeted Jacob
Black's family in the front row of the audience. Jacob
stayed with Paul, his campaign manager, off to the side
of the stage, quietly talking, while Edward and Alice
conferred on the other side. After summing up what she
thought her brother should say, Alice wanted him to
relax. She whispered, "My personal goal is not to yack in
the middle of this taping."

The joke did the trick for Edward who immediately

lightened up. "Personally for me, I might welcome that
distraction."

Far in back, Rosalie alternated tapping away on her

Blackberry and glowering as she scanned the room. She
was so pre-occupied that she didn't notice Sam Uley
sidle up to her. She stifled a snarl as she acknowledged
him. "Sam."

Smiling smugly at her, he fawned, "You're looking

gorgeous as usual, Rosalie."

"Save your smarmy charm for Renata. Some of us are

working here. Run along and do your 'consulting' –
whatever that is."

"Feeling a little on edge, are we?"

This time Rosalie let her snarl rip. "No. I simply see no
reason to be friendly with someone I never care to be
friends with. It's a waste of time."

"Funny. On Christmas Eve, I got a lecture from Seth

Clearwater for not being friendly enough. Maybe your
camp should make up its mind." He looked at her slyly
before adding, "You know I was only asking Seth
questions … making a few observations, and he got all
defensive."
"And I suppose you want to now ask me the same
questions?" He is such a transparent tool.

"If you'll answer. Surely, such a pretty face has a sweet

side."

"Not for you." Her expression became one of warning.

Cocksucker. "But go ahead. Ask your questions. We'll see
if I know anything."

"Oh, I bet you do." Crossing his arms over his chest, he
self-assuredly inquired, "So tell me why were Seth
Clearwater and Bella Swan together at a donut shop in
Forks on Christmas Eve?" The rush of his interrogation
made him grin as he continued, "And why were they
driving what had to be one of your family's cars?"

"That? That's what I have to answer?" Rosalie rolled her

eyes and kept her worries about his innuendoes to
herself."Should we start with the obvious answers? We
loaned him a car. They are friends. Their families are
friends. They work together."

"Hmpf. Plausible."

"Plausible? Facts. Facts are what I just told you."

Sam was miffed that he wasn't getting what he wanted,

so he mentioned, "I asked Jake about it. He thought it
was strange."

"Whatever. Consider the source." Shit. I'm not supposed

to know about Jake and Bella.

"What do you mean by that?" His eyes narrowed as he

asked it, and his thoughts turned to the same place as
Rosalie's had. Does she know anything about Jake and
Bella?

Rosalie recovered quickly. "I mean naturally he would be

suspicious about anything to do with Seth – he works for
Edward. Jacob can't seem to grasp facts either." She gave
him a simpering smile and changed the subject. "If it
were otherwise and you two comprehended facts, you
wouldn't be Republicans. Are we done now?"

Deciding to go back to his initial strategy, Sam began to

ingratiate himself again. "You really are a feisty one,
Rosalie. I like that in a woman. Maybe after this election
is over and done with, we should go out. No hard
feelings. After all, you know I'm mostly in this for the
money."

At least he's honest about that. For a brief moment,

Rosalie considered the offer and immediately thought
back to Emmett always calling Sam a pussy. She eyed
him objectively. Even if he wasn't an asshole and a
Republican, he's too much of a pretty boy for me.
Although new to playing on both teams, Rosalie had
already realized that she liked her men masculine and
her women feminine. She couldn't comprehend anyone's
interest in the middle ground. "Sorry Sam. As you said,
I'm feisty, and you're not man enough for me. Now if
you'll excuse me, I need to go watch my brother school
your candidate."

The forum had been designed so that it wasn't a debate.

Rather, the two candidates were sitting in armchairs
along with the moderator, Renata Morris who posed
alternating questions. Renata had a sharp bob to her
hair, a sharp nose, and a sharp mouth. She gave time for
rebuttal between the two candidates, and without a
doubt the questions that she lobbed at Jacob were far
easier, than those Edward received. It still wasn't a
problem for Edward, who knew the issues of the day
better than most of his staff and was a far more
impressive public speaker than Jacob. More than once,
Edward was able to position himself to the right of Jacob
on national defense issues, which confounded Jacob
every time.

What Jacob had on Edward was his inspiring life story –

growing up on the reservation, becoming a Republican
despite his traditionally Democratic background, and
rising quickly through local and state Republican
politics. And there sitting in the front row was his
beautiful wife, Emily, and their children. Throw on top
his good looks and laid-back personality, and Jacob
Black appeared to be a very likable person. He was the
kind of person voters cast their ballots for simply
because they could identify with him somehow –
regardless of whether or not they actually have anything
in common with the person.

So of course it was after an exchange between Renata

and Jacob during which he showed off many of his salt-
of-the-earth attributes that she chose to ask Edward
about that day's newspaper article. Holding up the front
page of The Seattle Times, she asked, "By now, Senator
Cullen, I'm sure you've seen this article. I'll read the
headline: 'The Elusive Cullen Family – how fame and
wealth have eased and paved the way'. What is your
reaction?"

Edward was sober in his response. "Well, you can

imagine that my family believes there are a great many
inaccuracies and untruths in that piece. Nor does it say
anything about the hard work my father and mother,
Carlisle and Esme Cullen, have done in the service of this
state. In the end, it's just a distraction from the real
issues facing America – the need for new jobs, a clean
energy economy, and a strong national defense."
"Are you saying that the article is an example of yellow
journalism?"

"Not in the least. I think The Seattle Times is a great

paper. With respect to this story, though, their normally
high standards were not met. Much of it is either
factually inaccurate or based on off-the-record sources,
who can never be questioned. And as I said before, it's
really not a relevant story."

"I understand where you're coming from Senator, but

bear with me here. I just would like you to address some
specific issues within the story. First of all, the article
highlights the extensive criminal record of your brother
Emmett Cullen who..."

Edward interrupted Renata at once. "As a former King

County prosecutor, I believe I have some credibility in
stating that's an exaggeration of my brother's record.
And he's here in the audience today, sitting right by my
mother, Esme."

A camera panned over to Emmett who was smartly

dressed in a sportcoat and slacks, with a sky blue shirt
that matched the blue of his eyes. Esme sat beside him
smiling warmly despite the topic and looked smashing
herself in her signature azure blue wool boucle suit,
replete with an American flag on the lapel. Emmett
maintained the same small smile as the camera
remained on him longer than necessary.

Taking in the scene, Renata kept her own smile from

forming and her most immediate thoughts to herself.
Damn. He's good looking. Instead she maintained her
game face, as she pressed further, "Regardless of that,
the article indicates that many question whether or not
your family has used its influence and wealth to get your
brother out of some troubles with the law. It indicates
that your brother was engaged in much more criminal
activity than he was ever charged with. You say the
article has hearsay, but the crux of the issue is if there
are different rules that apply to the Cullen family than to
the rest of the citizens of Washington. What are your
thoughts on that, Senator Cullen?"

As Renata recited the article's thesis, Edward somberly

listened, while Jacob did everything not to crack a smile.
He was loving it. Aro is brilliant. This is exactly what I
needed. Just tarnish that stupid silver spoon family.
Who the fuck cares whether or not it's true?

Edward knew that Jake was bursting with glee, but it

didn't affect him at all. In a firm voice, he spoke
contemplatively. "I have to go back to when I was a
prosecutor to answer that question. It is a very sad sight
to see a defendant all alone with no family or friends
around him as he sits in a courtroom. When you see that,
it's hard to imagine how that person will find the path to
reform his ways by himself. The data backs that up. On
the other hand, there's a lot more hope for a defendant
who has two parents and the rest of his family and
friends at his side. In that respect, my family was no
different than any other caring family. My question to
you is would you rather a family not stick together? I bet
not. My brother has battled alcoholism like hundreds of
thousands of citizens of this state. My family has stuck by
him, doing everything we can for him. He's a different
man today because of it. It's a real illustration of family
values."

The sincerity in Edward's speech caused Renata to forget

that he really hadn't answered her question. Moreover it
had the dual effect of also lulling the majority of the
studio audience into silently nodding in affirmation of
his words. Even Jacob was moved a bit having seen the
effects of alcoholism on the reservation.

But Sam Uley stood in the back of the audience and

scowled as Renata began winding down the event.
Goddamn it. This guy … this family has a soft
underbelly somewhere. He's got to have an Achilles
heel. We just have to find it.
Later that day at lunch, the entire Cullen family sat
around the dining room table in their palatial family
estate. Emmett tried assiduously to steer the
conversation away from politics, but there was nothing
doing. No one could think of anything else.

Jasper was optimistic. "I think you struck the right chord
today, Edward. Most families have troubles in one way
or another."

"We got out of today relatively unscathed," agreed

Rosalie, but she studied the ceiling and shook her head,
adding, "But we're going to hear about that article and
those bullshit allegations in TV spots. It won't die. I bet
Aro will have an ad on the air in less than a week."

Esme sounded confident as she offered her two cents.

"Well if this is the worst that they're going to hit us with,
then I think we're doing just fine."

Edward studied the table. Resignation resonated

throughout his voice. "We all know that there's more out
there. They're going to find every woman I've ever been
with."

"Well, that's going to be a challenge." Emmett chuckled

heartily at his own joke, but Edward didn't crack a smile.
Neither did the rest of the family, especially his mother
who shot him a look that made him feel like an eight year
old.

Edward continued thinking aloud. "They may even look

into my military record; although, that's a tough one for
them."

Then he grimly announced what the rest of them had

been thinking. "My relationship with Bella is just waiting
to be discovered. And if Aro has hired a private
investigator, we are very vulnerable. We're going to have
to be doubly cautious."

Shocked that Edward would bring up the topic, everyone

at the table was silent. Instantly, Emmett decided that it
was time to unleash all of the jokes he had been thinking
of regarding Bella and Edward, even if it did irk his
mom. Edward had slipped into too dark of a mood.

But Esme also saw that her son needed some bucking up.
Resolutely, she declared, "But even if it were uncovered,
we have explanations. We have contingencies."

Alice pursed her lips as if she had a sour candy in her

mouth before making her assessment. "Well, we'll need
them because I've gone through a million different
scenarios of how this will all play out in my mind, and
none of them are good. It's a bad year for Democrats. A
scandal is the last thing we need."
--

Later that month in the wilds of West Virginia, Edward

was turning off the various flashlights to darken the tent,
as Bella giggled inside their conjoined sleeping bags. She
was stripping out of her clothes and stowing them at the
bottom of the bag to keep them at least a little warmer
during the cold night. "OK. You promised to keep me
warm if I went on this ridiculous expedition with you.
We could be in your bed back at the cabin where it's
warm."

"Just give me a second, and I promise to warm you up. I

want to get out of my clothes too."

The tent was pitch black, so Bella couldn't see what he

was doing. She raised both of her eyebrows, as she
remembered something. She asked hopefully, "Are you
wearing long underwear again?"

"Of course," he answered, lowering the zipper just

enough so that he could join her. He also stashed his
clothes at the bag's foot. Smirking to himself, he added,
"Do you like that?"

"Yeah, it's too bad I can't see," she replied, still giggling.
Her hand searched for him and found his lower back.
Nudging her body toward him, she commented, "But, I
can feel, which is nice." Her hand then went to his fly,
where she traced the trim of the opening as his erection
formed under her touch.

Without warning, Edward's lips landed on her chin and

then slowly made their way to her mouth. Starting with a
peck, their mouths parted for their tongues to slowly toy
with one another. The languid strokes of tongue on
tongue inspired Bella to murmur, "You're right. I am
warm despite the cold, but I think it's because I'm
forgetting where I am."

"That's nice to hear, because all I can think about right

now is you, especially with your hand where it is. You're
driving me crazy." With that said, Edward moved his
hand to her chest and was surprised to only feel the thin
silk of Bella's long underwear. Gently he squeezed her
breast, while his thumb flicked over her tensed nipple.
Happily he questioned, "No bra?"

"Er. I sort of thought it might get in the way."

"Don't get me wrong; I like it." He sounded even more

pleasantly surprised as he then clutched on to her rear.
"No panties, too? Exactly what did you think we might
do in this tent tonight?"
"Well, I haven't seen you all week."

Regretfully, Edward agreed, "I know. I hate my schedule

these days, although it makes Rosalie happy that we're
not spending as much time together. There's less chance
of us being caught."

"What did she think about us coming here then?"

"For some reason, she was OK with it. I'm sure Esme's
presence helps." Then kissing her neck, he chuckled,
"But Rose doesn't need to know that we escaped from
everyone. We have all the privacy in the world out here."

He moved his hand inside of her silk bottoms, and her

body jolted a little feeling the warmth of his hand against
her bare skin of her bum. Bella coquettishly told him,
"Well I'm hoping that because we don't have any of your
family around, we don't have to worry about being too
loud."

Edward kissed his way back behind her ear. Placing a

slightly wet kiss under her hairline, he declared, "If you
keep teasing my cock like that, I promise I'll be very, very
loud."

"Really?" Bella smiled into the darkness and slipped her

hand into his fly, brushing the soft skin of his length.
"God yes." Edward groaned before finding her mouth
again for a decidedly more heated kiss than their first.
He stopped the kiss only long enough to breathily
announce, "These need to go." Using both of his hands,
he yanked down her bottoms, which she maneuvered off
with her stockinged feet. He was just about to hike her
leg over his hip, when she retorted, "Yours too."

Just as he made himself free of his longjohns, he tugged

Bella's leg over the top of his. She kept kissing him, as
she rubbed her sex against the hair on his thigh, enjoying
the friction of his leg hair. Soon, she wanted a little more
stimulation. Moving to her back, she let her legs fall open
and guided both of their hands between her legs.

Edward took her direction to heart. He fingered her,

while she quickly circled her clit as if she were alone in
her own bed. He admired the sight of her. "Bella, you
look so fucking hot right now."

The dual effect caused her to orgasm in no time, and

there were no quiet whimpers as she called out his name
and a curse word or two into the night.

As soon as she stopped shuddering, he groaned, "Not

enough room. This way," and eased her over so that she
was on her side with her back to him. Parting her legs, he
entered her from behind and quickly thrust into her. She
tensed at the new position, which made him moan,
"Fuck Bella, you feel so good like this." After another
stroke or two, it almost sounded like an order when he
huskily directed her, "Touch your pussy. I want you to
come again."

Dirty talk out of Edward's mouth always made Bella

want to squirm. In haste, she started to rub her clit and
maneuvered herself so his hard warmth hit her just
right. "Oh, I've missed this…"

"God, I have too, darling." When Edward eventually

came loud and hard, she was not far behind him. Ten
minutes later, their after sex "I love yous" and laughter
finally died down, and they held hands, falling asleep as
perfectly shaped spoons.

The next morning at dawn, an elderly gentleman and his

dog were out for their morning constitutional,
snowshoeing around his property. The snow did little to
muffle the sounds of very rowdy sex coming from the red
tent a hundred yards away. Initially, the gentleman
rolled his eyes in disgust, but he caught himself quickly.
Under his breath, he mumbled, "Aw, hell. You're just
jealous." Then thinking back to his younger days of
unchecked mayhem, he smiled.
When he got to the tent, he called out in a booming
accent born of the hollows of West Virginia, "I'm glad to
hear that whoever in there is enjoying themselves, but I'd
like to inform you that you're trespassing unless your
name is Clements or Cullen. I know it's not Clements
because I have no living relatives and no heirs. And I
seriously doubt you're a Cullen."

Inside the tent, Bella's wide eyes stared in shock at

Edward, who had almost screamed her name in orgasm
not even a minute before. Sliding himself out of her, he
just closed his eyes and shook his head smiling. Quickly,
he opened them and called out to answer. "Actually, it is
a Cullen, Judge Clements."

Bella mouthed to Edward almost silently, "Judge? A

local judge?"

Edward whispered back to her, "Federal."

She closed her eyes in horror and shame, as she

absorbed the fact that she had just had an ear-splitting
orgasm in front of a great jurist. Judge Clements was
famously known for his decisions in the 1960s and 70s to
integrate West Virginia schools. Bella threw an arm over
her face to shield her from the embarrassment.

Meanwhile outside, Judge Clements asked curiously,

"Eddie? Is that you? What are you doing out here?"

Donning his shirt at once, Edward propped himself on

his elbows and zipped open the door of the tent enough
so he could peer outside. Before him was Judge
Clements poking his head into the tent's vestibule.
Edward smiled at the dear Cullen family friend.
"Morning Judge. I'm sorry. I must have crossed over
onto your property."

Judge Clements began laughing. "Well, it's good to see

you son." Even though he knew the answer was
otherwise, the Judge asked, "Are you here alone?" He
smiled as he said it, signaling to Edward that it was only
for the lady's benefit that he was asking.

Edward caught the hint, and he grinned, "No. I have a

friend with me." Turning to Bella, he saw that she had
lifted her arm enough so that she could properly gape at
him. He kept smiling, though. "Bella, I'd like to
introduce you to Judge Peter Clements."

Glaring at him in a perfect mix of shock and irritation,

Bella grabbed her own shirt. Once clothed, got herself on
her elbows like Edward, not taking her pissed off eyes of
him. You are humiliating me.

The tent door opened slightly more, as Edward unzipped

it while introducing Bella. "Judge Clements, please meet
Bella Swan. She's a very good friend of mine and my
family."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Swan." The judge

grinned a welcome to Bella as she shyly peeked out the
tent door. Well now, I see why Eddie likes this one so
much.

"Good morning, Judge Clements." Bella fumbled for

something else to say. The judge's dog bounding around
in the snow in the background gave her a topic. "I see
you're not alone either. Your dog is very pretty."

"That's Buster. He's a mutt just like me." Then to Edward

he offered, "Why don't you two strike your camp and
head over to the house? I'll make you breakfast."

Edward knew a meal at the judge's house might push

Bella too far. "Oh Judge, that's very kind, but …"

"Please, breakfast is the one thing I know how to cook

well."

Bella had good manners, though, and nodded politely, all

the while thinking to herself, It's just getting worse!

"Then, we would be honored, Judge. We'll be there in

about 20 minutes or so."

When the Judge went on his way, Edward zipped the

tent door. When he turned back to Bella, she wasn't to be
seen. Her body was hidden in the bag, but her voice filled
the tent. With a pause after each word she declared, "I.
Am. Mortified."

After they arrived at the judge's cozy lodge, Bella

immediately took him up on the offer of his guest bed
and bath. A hot shower sounded wonderful to her, but
the opportunity to escape from further embarrassment
was irresistible. While she was ensconced in privacy,
Judge Clements planned to discreetly question Edward
about his bunkmate.

As he assembled the makings of steak and eggs, Judge

Clements commented, "So Eddie, I haven't seen you up
here for a while now. Is the busy life of a senator keeping
you away?"

Edward leaned back in his chair at the kitchen table. "In

part." He smiled as he continued his answer. "But,
there's also Bella now."

Judge Clements nodded silently as he seasoned the

steaks with a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
He didn't look up, but began another question, "And she
…"

"And she is special." Edward smiled, but his tone had a

serious edge.

The judge met Edward's eyes and returned the smile.

"Well, that's obvious."

Worried that Judge Clements was jumping to all the

wrong conclusions about Bella, Edward rallied behind
her. "No, it's not what you're thinking, Judge. It's more.
Bella is different. She …"

"Of course, she's different, Eddie. All evidence points to

that." Judge Clements grinned and crossed his arms over
his chest. "I've never seen you even hike out here with
anyone besides your father – let alone go camping with
someone. I'm a confirmed bachelor with 86 years to
prove it; I was pretty certain that you were following
behind me. So I know if you're bringing a woman into a
part of your life that has always been solitary, she's very
special to you."

Edward thought back to months ago when he had spied

Bella walking to work while he was in his car. He
remembered how his mind had wandered to the idea of
going on a hike with her and how he had dismissed it as
a crazy thought. Smiling at the judge, he simply
answered, "You're right."

The judge went back to his cooking and then asked the
hard question as delicately as he could, "She's lovely.
Seems smart. She's a little young, though. Correct?"

"Correct." Edward took a drink of strong coffee before he

elaborated, "And our relationship is not public; nor will
it be because she's an intern in my office at the moment."

Judge Clements raised his eyebrows to the point of

crinkling every bit of wrinkled skin on his forehead. After
a pause he remarked, "But you said she was a friend of
the family. I'm guessing Esme knows then. What does
your mother think of all this?"

"She approves … very much. Bella has become part of

our family."

Without skipping a beat, Judge Clements smiled again at

Edward. "Well, if that is so, I also approve."

Pleased with the warm acceptance in the judge's voice,

Edward was quiet for a moment while his mind sped
ahead. Impulsively he asked, "Then, I'm wondering if
you would be willing to do a favor for me one day."
--
As the health care debate raged through January,
Edward kept long hours again. After the previous close
call with Senator Jane Volk, Bella rarely stayed late with
him. The office was particularly quiet at night because
Alice had cut back her hours due to the exhaustion of her
pregnancy's first trimester.

So on the night Seth saw Senator Volk again stride

through the office as if it were her own, he was alone as
he chased after her. Calling ahead to her he warned,
"Senator Volk! Senator, can I help you?"

When she got to Edward's office door, she turned and

smiled at him flatly replying, "No." As she shut the door
behind her, she said something that would require it to
remain closed. "This is an urgent Intelligence Committee
matter."

Chatting on the phone with Bella, Edward quickly told

her he would call her back when he saw Jane in his
office. Before he greeted her, he put on his suit coat as if
it were a flack jacket to protect him from whatever she
might be up to. "Good evening, Jane. I was just about to
get a Coke with Seth. Do you want to join us?"

"Not really." She smiled as she slowly took off her own
suit jacket and threw it on a chair. "I want to show you
something."
Edward sought another exit from the situation. "I'm very
sorry. I don't have time. I need to return that call."

Barely listening to what he was saying, she started

quickly unbuttoning her black blouse. "Oh you have
time."

"I really don't …" I can't believe she is doing this.

In a throaty voice, she disclosed, "I've kept this secret

hidden … just for you." With that she took off her shirt
exposing herself.

Edward's eyes bugged out, but then he wanted to cringe

as he beheld Jane's newly minted, surgically enhanced
breasts. An Agent Provocateur black lace bra barely
covered her large, brown nipples.

Unfortunately, Jane took his silence as encouragement.

"You like them, don't you? I knew you would." Moving
her hands to her back to unhook her bra, she walked
toward him offering, "Tell me. Do you like how they
feel?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Three ~
Stupefied into silence, Edward's mind reeled at the sight
he beheld for it was one he had seen before – just not
recently. More than once when they were seeing one
another, Senator Jane Volk had pranced into his office
rapidly removing her clothing. In the past, Edward
would respond in kind by unbuckling his belt for their
usual office quickie.

So as Jane sauntered toward Edward, she assumed that

his silence was the encouragement she had become
accustomed to. His mild rebuffs of her over the last few
months were now all forgotten. She expected that they
would go back to their old habits. They would again
share forceful, yet slightly perfunctory kisses, while he
played with her breasts for a minute or two. She would
then beg him to take her, and the deed would be done
within 5 minutes or so.

She was not expecting his reaction. He closed his eyes

and exhaled in a punctuated cadence, "Jane. Please. Put.
Your. Clothes. Back. On."

"But, why?" While she was slightly confused by his

statement, she wasn't deterred as she unclasped her bra.
No man had ever rejected her – especially not her naked
body presented to him for their entertainment. She also
was quite confident that she looked even better than
usual, so she added, "You know you want it."

Edward opened his eyes to see Jane standing with one

hand on her hip and her other hand dangling her bra off
a finger as if she were in a burlesque show. Objectively,
she was a titillating sight. She was a beautiful woman
wearing an impeccable – if conservative – skirt with
sheer stockings and high heels, while completely bare
from her waist up. Only months earlier, Edward would
have eagerly explored her body to both of their
pleasures, but Edward found nothing sexual about her
that day.

Can she just get her clothes on and get the fuck out of
here? He knew he was walking a delicate line with her
though, and what he had initially said to her wasn't
helpful. He needed to let her down gently – and
believably, as if he were the Edward of old.

Using the lower tenor voice of Edward Cullen, the

smooth operator, he explained, "Baby, you know I want
it, but I can't. You look amazing – really so fucking hot.
You're engaged, though, and I'm up this year. I can't
have any scandal – and neither can you."

"Oh, no one will ever know." She tossed her bra over the
chair where her blouse and jacket rested and walked a
few steps toward him. "It's just like old times." Then
cupping her augmented breasts and plucking at her dark
nipples, she strengthened her argument as she purred,
"But with these, it will be even better."

As she came closer, Edward backed up and to the side.

He decided he had no choice, but to be firm. "It's not like
old times, Jane. Things have changed."

Instantly, Jane comprehended the situation for what it

was. Being a female United States Senator meant that
she was equipped with more than just women's intuition.
She had a shrewdness and tenacity uncommon among
most women. Despite the fact that women comprised
over 50 percent of the American population, only 17 out
of 100 senators were women. Regardless of political
party, each of those women was astute and savvy far
beyond the men in the chamber. How else could they rise
above millennia of sexism?

Her demeanor stiffened immediately. Arching an

eyebrow, she asked, "Exactly how have things changed,
Edward?"

"There's too much at stake for both of us." Edward began

to worry. Shit. She suspects something. But how much?
He couldn't change the subject, but he wanted to remind
her that she was vulnerable too. He needed to make her
also feel uneasy about her own situation. "It's more than
just my election. You're engaged. You're exposed now
too. "

"But no one will know, Edward." She gave an insincere

smile before pointing out the reality that had controlled
their relationship to date. "And more to the point, we've
always had mutually assured destruction. Both of us lose
if this gets out, so neither one of us will let that happen."

"Come on, Jane. That doesn't mean that others aren't

ready to pounce on anything they can get on me,
regardless if you're collateral damage in the process."

Jane knew what was going on within all of the

Republican Party's campaigns. She shook her head, "No
way. You're talking about Aro's little project on you,
aren't you? He wouldn't jeopardize my seat just to get
Jacob Black elected." Jane smiled as she thought of a
night she and Aro shared together at a fundraiser in
Palm Beach. "Besides he's a friend of mine." A very good
friend.

Edward couldn't help a frown form as he thought of

Jane's use of the term "friend." Jesus. She's fucked him
too. He covered it up with a retort. "That may be the
case, but Jacob Black's campaign is no friend of yours.
And it doesn't even have to be someone with the
campaign. One of his crazy supporters could act on
something they found out about us. I'm not going to risk
it … for both of our sakes."

"Hmpf." Tired of dancing around the issue, Jane decided

to go for the jugular. Her eyes narrowed and her voice
became accusatory as she revealed the truth. "Maybe you
are worried about things between us getting out, but I
think there's something more. You're seeing someone
else. I can tell. And that's the reason you won't touch
me."

The actor in Edward came out because he couldn't feed

into her suspicions that something had changed with
him. He shrugged it off. "Of course, I'm seeing someone
else. So what."

"Nuh uh. This is different. If you were just screwing

someone else, you would at least touch me. I'm standing
in front of you half naked, and you've done everything to
keep looking me in the eye, rather than at my breasts. I
know you – that's not normal."

"I told you …"

"No, Edward. I'm not buying it. Who are you seeing?"

"We've never asked that of one another. Why start now?"

"Because I want to know about this woman. I know all
the women you dated when we were seeing each other
and …"

Then Edward made an uncharacteristic mistake when he

corrected her with a chuckle, "You don't know all the
women I was with when …."

He stopped talking when Jane began coldly staring at

him. She didn't think it was very funny. No woman
wants to hear that she was kept in the dark about other
women. Even with her own colorful sexual history, Jane
was no different. She sneered and huffed, "Fine."

Knowing that he had to salvage the situation, Edward

placed his hands on her naked forearms stroking them,
but avoiding her breasts. "Baby, I'm sorry. That came out
badly. You know what I mean. We had a good thing.
Let's not wreck it right now."

For good measure, he stepped back and gazed at her

breasts. "And your tits look fucking hot." Smiling, he
squeezed her arms before he let them go. "But you
always knew I thought your breasts were gorgeous."

Jane was vain enough to be at least a little mollified by

Edward's compliments. She decided to keep her
suspicions to herself – for now. I'm going to find out
what's going on with him. Something is not right, if he
won't even touch me. He's with someone he doesn't
want to cheat on, but he's keeping her a secret. I wonder
who she is.

To him, she simply acquiesced, "Oh, alright. I'll leave you

alone." She smirked as she reached over to the chair for
her bra. "But, you know I'm here waiting for you, and
you would never regret it." Placing the bra over her
breasts, she turned around. "Can you help me with the
clasp?"

Facing her back, Edward could roll his eyes undetected

as he crooned, "Sure." He hooked her bra together and
then patted her back hoping to put the issue to rest for
good.

As she found her blouse and jacket and began putting

them on, she mused, "So you're really worried about
keeping your seat?"

"Of course. You've seen the polls. I was ahead. We're now
dead even. Add that to the fact that it's a bad year for my
party, it's not good." Lines of worry creased Edward's
brow at the thought.

"Well, if they ask – and they probably will, I won't go out

there and campaign for Jacob Black. I'll sit this one out.
It will piss off the party, but I'll make an excuse." Jane
thought about what she said for a second and realized
that she might have taken her loyalty to Edward a step
too far. Oh well. He'll understand if I have to renege. I
think he'll win anyway.

"I appreciate that, Jane. I would do the same for you."

Unlike Jane, Edward wasn't lying; he would never turn
on someone like that.

Dressed again, she walked back to him and grinned

wickedly as she stood before him. Without any warning,
her hand snatched his flaccid penis and began fondling
him. His eyes widened as she demanded, "But I expect
this again, the day after the election." When he started
to involuntarily harden under her touch, she smiled full
of self-satisfaction. "I knew you still wanted me."

At once, she turned and strutted toward his office door,

but not without calling back to him, "And whoever she is,
which I am very curious about, I know she's not as good
as me."

Ignoring her curiosity, Edward snickered in reply, "Well,

you're right about that." As Jane closed the door behind
her, he muttered his addendum, "She's better."
His feigned good humor instantly vanished as he
plopped down on the nearest chair he could find.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he grappled with
everything that just had transpired in the office. He
stewed on the matter only a few seconds before yelling,
"Fuck!"

Straightaway Edward began pressing numbers on his

phone. He knew the whole family was at the house that
night, including Emmett. After the recent press about
Emmett, Rosalie had demanded that he maintain a more
public profile. She said that she didn't want it to seem
like the Cullen family was hiding anything.

Esme backed her up, but Emmett didn't put up much of

a fight. Begrudgingly, he agreed to occasionally visit DC,
where he would escort his mother to public events. Yet,
he happily promised to make every campaign event he
could back home in Washington. The prospect of
needling the Black campaign was too tempting. He
jumped at Rosalie's request, "Oh yeah. I'd love any
opportunity to scare the shit out of that pussy, Sam."

Edward skipped all pleasantries when Rosalie was the

voice saying hello on the other line. "Rosalie, we need to
meet now."

"It's late, Edward. Whatever it is it can wait until the

morning. We're finishing dinner, so I'll see you in the
office early if you want."

Almost growling he was so annoyed, he replied, "No. It

can't wait. And we can't talk in the office. I need to talk
with everyone." He then relayed a 20 second, yet still
graphic synopsis of his encounter with Jane to reinforce
the need for a meeting.

After hearing the words "new fake tits," Rosalie

responded from her gut. "Ewww. Gross."

"Please Rosalie. Can we skip the commentary?"

"Hardly! You know that. Wait til Emmett hears it.

Anyway, let's meet. It sounds like we're in a world of
trouble now." Then she remembered the personal
trouble he might also be in. She enquired, "So are you
going to tell Bella?"

Edward gulped at the prospect of telling the love of his

life about one of the biggest mistakes of his life. "Of
course, but not tonight – tomorrow when I have some
time. I'll see you in 20 minutes." But before he ended the
call, he demanded one more thing. "And I don't want
Esme in the room; we'll brief her tomorrow. Can you get
her to stay upstairs?"
"Bah! Good luck on that one!"

When Edward walked into the house, the entire family

was already assembled in the living room awaiting his
arrival – including Esme. After giving a routine exchange
of hellos to his family, Edward's eyes darted over to his
mother before he glared at Rosalie. In a pissed off
whisper, he reiterated, "I asked you to …"

She interrupted him with a shrug. "I tried. She wouldn't

go. What am I supposed to do?"

Esme piped up, "You two are talking about me. I'm not
going anywhere Edward. I want to hear what happened.
If it's important enough for you to call a meeting, I need
to hear it."

More like an embarrassed teenager than a 32-year-old

man, Edward pled with his mother. "Please Mom, no.
We'll let you know the outcome, and we can revisit any
decisions, but please don't make me talk about this with
you here."

"Oh Edward. Sometimes you really are silly. I'm an old

woman, and I can guess where this is going. It's nothing
I haven't heard or seen before. I diapered you for
heaven's sake. And that Jane, well she is just a tart.
Takes after her uncle really. Your father served with him,
and he was just notorious for his dalliances."

Edward thought of having to tell his mother about Jane's

hands on him. No way am I telling her the whole story.
Exasperated at the prospect, he groaned, "Mother…"

Unexpectedly to most everyone in the room, Esme rose

out of her seat. They didn't know she was pretending to
be more annoyed than she actually was. "Oh phooey. I'll
go upstairs, but I'm taking my sherry with me."

Relieved by her easy change of heart, Edward breathed a

sigh of thanks. "Thank you, Mom. I appreciate it. I
promise you won't be left out of any decisions."

Pursing her lips, Esme nodded, but she caught Emmett's

wink out of the corner of her eye. She ignored it in front
of the others. Emmett knew what she was going to do.
His room was the closest to the stairs, and everything
that went on in the living room could be heard from his
door. He had gotten in trouble more than once while he
was growing up for eavesdropping on his parents and
their friends.

Edward didn't start telling the story, until he heard a

door shut upstairs. He was completely unaware that his
mother had found a comfortable spot on the floor to
listen to his tale while sipping her sherry.
Hoping that Rosalie had maybe whispered some of the
story to his siblings and Jasper, Edward offered, "I'm
guessing that you told them why Jane came to my
office."

Rosalie snickered an evil laugh. "Oh no. I saved that for

you."

Edward closed his eyes in disgust for a brief second. Of

course, she wouldn't make things easier for me.
Composing himself, he sped through the reason for
Jane's visit and how she displayed herself. He was going
to continue racing through the story, but the strong
reactions around the room caused him to stop.

Alice giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. "I
think I'm gonna' puke."

Also finding some humor in the situation, Jasper

followed his wife. "And it ain't because you're pregnant."
Then to Edward he smiled and tried to make things
easier for him. "That had to be the last thing you
expected this evening."

Emmett chuckled and made himself a little more

comfortable on the couch. Stretching his legs out, he
declared, "Damn. I should come to DC more often. Who
said this town is boring? This is my kind of story. I want
to hear this one."

Having already heard some of it, Rosalie simply

remarked, "That woman is foul. I can't believe you ever
fucked her. This is your own damn fault."

Up in Emmett's room, Esme took a sip of her sherry and

nodded at her eldest daughter's comments. Oh, Edward,
Rosalie is right.

Edward grimaced at his siblings and brother-in-law.

"Can you give me a break, here? OK?"

Worried what her brother might have done, Alice asked

what was going through all of their minds. In a timid
voice, she asked, "Edward, I'm sorry, but I have to ask.
Did you and she … well, did you two do anything?"

"No! Of course not!" Thoroughly pissed at his sister for

doubting his loyalty to Bella, he scowled at her. "I can't
believe you would even ask me that. I would never do
that to Bella. Nor do I have any desire to."

Esme sighed a motherly sigh in her little hideout. That's

my Edward. I just knew it.

Meanwhile, Rosalie wanted to move things along. "Cut to

the chase, Edward. Besides you having to stare at her
plastic boobs, what happened?"

So Edward relayed the entire tawdry tale, focusing on the

fact that Jane was out to find out who Edward was
seeing. Upon him finishing, no one said a word for a
moment. Alice had a sour look on her face, and she
closed her eyes shaking her head to rid her mind of the
images of Jane and their prospects in the election.

When the room was still silent, Emmett tried to lighten

up the room with a joke. "Dude, she just grabbed your
unit? What's up with these Idaho senators? You've got
Larry Craig trying to pickup men in airport bathrooms,
and now Jane Volk is stripping and copping feels from
other senators."

Jasper also tried to keep it light and smiled. "She's a

feisty one." Edward wasn't smiling, so Jasper recognized
his worry. adding, "And it's not good. Hell hath no fury
like a woman scorned."

Rosalie simply looked at her watch to check the time on

the West Coast. She decided the work day of the family's
attorney wasn't over yet. "I'm calling Jenks. I want a
private investigator put on her tomorrow."

"You want a PI? What? No. There's no reason for

anything like that." Edward was dismayed that Rosalie's
first reaction was so extreme.

Esme said aloud – almost in too loud of a voice for

someone lying low, "Oh, yes there is!"

Downstairs Rosalie responded similarly. "Like hell I'm

not. I will not be caught flat footed by your bimbo
eruptions." Rosalie chastised him like he was a political
neophyte. "Somehow, someway, she's going to put two
and two together about you and Bella, and she'll leak it. I
want some ammunition to keep her quiet. She's such a
slut that I'm sure there's some nice dirt on her we can
use against her. Let's keep up this game of – what do you
two call it? Mutual assured destruction?"

Edward thought back to his conversation with Alistair at

the state dinner in the fall. Alistair had given him names
of other senators whom he was confident that Jane was
sleeping with. The first name was Tony Anderson who
was divorced. There wasn't a scandal there – Jane was
engaged, but she wasn't married. They were two
consenting, single adults. Even if there was a scandal,
though, Edward thought him a jerk and didn't care about
him.

But, the other senator, Matt Glynn, was a friend of

Edward's. A fellow veteran, Senator Glynn was a devout
Christian. Edward thought he had to be in some personal
troubles to be associating with the likes of Jane. Since
hearing Alistair's suspicions, Edward had tried talking
with Glynn to see if he was doing alright. He always
thanked Edward for his concern, but told him he was
doing fine. Edward still didn't believe him.

Worried about what might happen to a friend, Edward

revealed, "Well, I know a few of the men she's been with
lately, and it's not helpful. Matt Glynn is a good friend of
mine. I won't let him be collateral damage due to my
own mistakes."

After Edward detailed what he had learned from Alistair

about Anderson and Glynn, Rosalie looked at him like he
was an idiot, "Friend? Whatever. And of course, it's
helpful. We'll find out what's going on with Jane and
Glynn. That's great too because if it had to get out, it
would be a two-fer. Both Jane and Glynn are in a scandal
– that's two Republican seats in trouble."

Edward was firm. "We will do no such thing. We're not

like that. Carlisle would never approve of this."

Emmett thought back to all that his father had done for
him to cover up his problems and shook his head. "I
don't think you're right about that, Edward. Look at the
difficult positions he put Charlie Swan in to save my
butt."
Up in Emmett's room, Esme nodded again. Oh, Edward.
You've always had such an idealized view of Carlisle.

Quite certain that Edward had gone crazy, Rosalie cried

out, "Are you nuts? Emmett is right. You have got to be
fucking kidding me. Carlisle would stop at nothing to
protect us. Besides, do you think that for one second
Jane would do anything differently if she were in your
situation? Do you think the Republican Party would act
any differently? Don't be naïve."

It was a full minute before Edward responded. The very

honorable Navy officer couldn't stand that he may have
to act so dishonorably. Standing up in order to signal the
end of the conversation, he muttered regrettably, "No
private investigator, but you can speak with Alistair – see
what he has to say. And we're done talking about this
tonight. I'm going to bed." And with that he stomped up
the stairs to his room, ripping his tie off in disgust at his
decision.
--
The next night Edward made sure that he and Bella were
alone and comfortable in the library before he told her
the story with Jane. Bella knew something was wrong
with him by the way he grumbled at his family and only
gave her a few forced smiles. When they were once again,
in front of a cozy fire, he led off the discussion with a
summary.

"Bella, I have to tell you about a new predicament we're

in. It's entirely my fault due to past mistakes, which have
now come back to haunt me. Things are now very
precarious. Someone is suspicious about me – about
whom I'm seeing. And this someone is very tenacious
and unrelenting. We could be exposed, and it could be
ugly. More than ever, I could lose the election."

Bella swallowed hard in response to everything she was

being told. She was terrified as to what might come next.

Sensing that Bella was scared by what he was saying, he

pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair in
reassurance. "But, I need you to know that it doesn't
matter. I don't want anything to change between us. I
love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
That's all that matters."

Nestling into her favorite crook between his arm and

chest, Bella was still despondent. "Edward, I don't want
to change anything either, but it may have to. Who is this
'someone'? What has happened?"

Edward summoned some courage and began at the

beginning. "It's Senator Volk. Jane and I were … together
and …"
Bella sat silently staring off as Edward recounted his
history with Jane. Of course, she knew Edward had been
with countless women before her, but she hated it when
the subject came up. Having to hear in depth about his
time with Jane Volk was particularly difficult. She
listened, though, resigned to the facts that were being
laid out. It was only when Edward began telling her
about the evening before that she ripped herself away
from him and exclaimed, "She did what? In your office?
Who would do that?"

He winced as he replied, "She would. It wasn't

uncommon for us to … uh … meet there before."

Anxious about what was coming next, Bella bit her lip
and prodded, "OK. Move on. She's standing half-naked
before you." But, her heart started beating double time,
and her speech was wobbly as she continued with the
fateful question, "And what did you do? Did you … touch
her?"

The fact that she had to ask hurt Edward to his core. He
gazed into her eyes wanting her to understand. "No,
Bella. I realize that I deserve to be asked that, but the
answer is no. I mean it every time I say I don't want to be
with anyone else, but you. You should never worry about
that."
Bella nodded in relief. "That's good to hear."

"I want to be fully honest with you, though. In trying to

calm her down, I did hold her arms and touch her back."
He shuddered at the thought. "She asked me to help with
her bra. I wanted to get her out of there, so I did it."

Cringing at the image, Bella muttered, "OK. That's all I

need to hear about that. What else happened?"

Edward detailed the rest of his encounter with Jane and

then the subsequent family meeting. After hearing it all,
she came to the same conclusion as the rest of the family,
although something else nagged at her deeply. She
decided to stuff it away until she could think about it
more. So when Edward asked, "So, I need to know how
you feel about all of this, darling. I want you to be
happy."

The utmost thing that Bella wanted in the world was for
Edward to be happy too. After such a difficult
conversation, she placated him, "I'm OK." Then she
wrinkled her nose with a smile, "Although I still don't
like Jane Volk showing off her fake boobs to you."

"Don't worry. There was nothing sexual about it for me."

"That doesn't mean it's not gross."

"True, but you shouldn't fret."

"Oh yeah?" Bella wanted him to see where she was

coming from. "What if Jake came into my house and
dropped his pants in front of me showing off his junk?"
She giggled at the thought.

A growl came from Edward's belly, but then he shook his

head, thinking better of the situation. "There's no
comparison there. They're just her tits after all. It's not
like she's exposing her genitalia."

Bella pushed him in the chest to make her point. "Oh,

you are crazy. Let's change the analogy. What if he
touched my breasts? Would you care less than if he
touched my vagina? Don't you think the situations are a
little more similar than you make them out to be?"

Edward's mouth went into a snarl as he ran his hand

through his hair. "OK. You've made your point. We're
just talking fractions of degrees of my desire to kill the
guy based on where he touched you."

Wiggling in self-pride, Bella declared, "I love being

right."
Taking her hand into his, Edward's voice became
smooth, and he kissed her cheek. "You are mine. I can't
stand the thought of anyone else touching you – let alone
Jacob Black. And I certainly don't like the thought of him
touching you in my favorite places on earth."

"Are you saying you just love me for my body?" Bella said
it jokingly, but she was curious as to what he might say.

Placing a smiling kiss on her forehead, he replied, "No, I

love your mind, first and foremost." Then he moved his
hand to her chest and said sweetly, "And your heart
second." Sliding his hand over to cup her breast, his
voice was more seductive. "And to be honest, these
beautiful breasts of yours are third."

He kissed her on the mouth slowly, but with a forceful

tongue as his hand then traveled down her stomach and
rested between her legs. Sliding his hand up and down
her sex, he announced in a husky voice, "But, there is no
place I would rather be than inside of you."

Bella wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a

heartfelt, but sensual declaration. Looking into his eyes,
she leaned in for a kiss. Two whispered words summed
up all of her feelings. "I agree."
--
In the middle of the night that night, Bella woke up in a
panic. She sat up looking around Edward's dark room,
trying to get her bearings. A light sleeper, Edward awoke
at her stirring, but he was still half-asleep, "What, Bella?
What is it?"

What she had stuffed down inside of her earlier in the

evening came bubbling through. She blurted it out. "I'm
ending my internship. Right now."

Edward groaned into his pillow, "We've been through

this, Bella. It doesn't help. We got together while you
worked in my office. Who cares if it was one week or 3
months?"

She shook her head. "I don't care. And … and we should
stop seeing each other … until the election is over."

Not speaking, Edward sat up and put his arm around her
as if to claim her for his own. "That, I will not let
happen."
~*~
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collateral_damage
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Four ~
The panic attack that had awoken Bella gave her an
adrenalin rush. She was ready for this conversation.
Leaning into the warmth of Edward's arms around her,
Bella was firm as she responded to his adamancy that
they stay together. "No Edward. It's the only way. So far,
we've managed to keep everything quiet. No one knows,
and if anyone suspects, we have a good alibi. Let's quit
while we're ahead."

Despite her confidence in what she was proposing, her

voice was quieter and slower when she added, "We could
just take a break. The election is only nine months away.
That's not so long. We could still talk."

She wasn't finished, though, and the same panic hit her,
as it had for some time. What if things change between
us if he loses? The fear caused her closing statement to
sound more like a hopeful question. "And in November
maybe we could pick up where we left off."

Now fully awake and fully alarmed, Edward looked at

her incredulously. "What do you mean by 'maybe we
could pick up'? I don't like your idea at all about not
seeing one another, but I'm more concerned by what you
just said." He blinked rapidly as if to believe his eyes.
"Are you … are you having doubts … about us? Is that
why you're proposing this?"

"No. No. Not at all. I don't have any doubts." Bella

actually felt relief that he had picked up on what she
said, and it opened the floodgates of her pent-up
emotions. "It's just overwhelming, Edward. You're used
to this kind of pressure, but I'm not. And I'm the cause of
all you and your family's problems. I feel incredibly
guilty. And I worry what's going to happen between us if
you were to lose."

Wincing, she added something else that brewed bile in

her stomach, "And I've got my own crap. It's small and
inconsequential compared to your problems, but I'm
anxious about it. I'm worried about law school – where
I'm going. I don't know where I'm living in the fall. And
depending on what happens with the election, we may be
spending most of our time on opposite coasts." She
shook her head, as she ended with the kicker. "I don't
even know where I'll be living in May. I'm nervous."

Edward's eyes had grown bigger as Bella spoke and he

took in what she was saying. A looped message kept
running through his brain. How could I not have picked
up on this? I'm such a shit. But she hasn't said anything.
Still, I should've figured it out. He wanted to address
everything she said, but her last sentence was a red alert.
"Wait … I want to talk about all of this, but what's this
about May? Is your lease up or something?"

"No, but if I go to school at UDub, I'll need to move back

home, especially because I'm going back for graduation.
There's no reason for me to be here this summer. And I
need to get a job this summer to make some money
before school."

Keeping his right arm around her, his left hand began
rubbing his temples, as he absorbed what she said. Still
thinking, he commented, "OK. Before we talk about
anything else, first, I've got to ask why haven't you
brought up any of this before? I admit I should have
been thinking about these things too, but you have
been."

Bella didn't respond immediately, so Edward turned

toward her and took both of her hands in his. "Why
haven't you told me? We talk all the time. How could it
be that we don't talk about how you're feeling about
these things?"

Uncomfortable, embarrassed, and a little ashamed, Bella

frowned. "Well, my stuff seems pretty inconsequential
compared to your campaign, and the harder things get
for you, the guiltier I feel about it … And … and I worry
that if you lose the election that things are going to
change between us. That's really not something I like to
thinking about."

Edward shook his head. This? This is what she's been

thinking? "Bella, I love you. I want to marry you. I would
ask you at this very moment, if I thought you would say
'yes'. The results of the election have nothing to do with
that. I will love you the same regardless if I win or lose."

"But if …"

"No. No buts. And you cannot feel guilty. Listen to me.

Say that we are exposed, and it's ugly, and I do lose the
election. The truth is that I will be a happier man if I
lose, but we're together, than if I win and we're apart. I
told you. You are my life now."

Silently nodding, Bella understood how he felt, because

she felt the same way. Long ago, she had made the
decision that even if she became a joke of late night
television, she would still be happier with Edward than
without him. She leaned over and kissed him tenderly. "I
love you."

"And I love you." After responding in kind with a sweet

kiss of his own, Edward said solemnly, "But, I can see
why you feel the pressure. It's not just me; everyone in
my family is obsessed with the election."
Then he chuckled before he corrected himself. "Actually,
that's not true. Everyone talks about the election all the
time, but not everybody is obsessed. Only Rosalie is
obsessed, although Alice would be right there with her if
she and Jasper weren't distracted by the more important
matter of having a baby. And Emmett doesn't obsess
about anything – and certainly not an election. But Esme
… Esme is strangely at ease about it all. I'm not sure
what's going on in her mind sometimes. She acts like she
knows something we don't."

"I get that sense too, but I just assumed she thinks she's
seen it all so she's unfazed by some stuff."

"Maybe. I don't know." He kissed her forehead before

continuing, "I do know that my family supports us –
even Rosalie does. They would much rather I be happy
and with you than be the miserable bastard I was before
I met you."

For a brief moment, Bella thought of the photos in the

gossip rags of Edward smiling with Tanya Hamilton.
With a little sourness, she commented, "You weren't
miserable."

Placing some stray hairs behind her ear, he retorted,

"Compared to how happy I am now, yes, I was
miserable." He then smiled. "And as to what coasts we're
spending the majority of our time on when you're in law
school, let's not worry about that for now. We'll make it
work no matter what."

"But … but if I go to school in Washington and you win,

you'll be here most of the time."

"I would come back more often, and you could come
here. We have a plane. Things would be easier than you
think."

Bella thought of the bizarre notion of flying in the Cullen

plane by herself. She didn't like it. "I think I'd rather fly
on an airline."

Edward rolled his eyes at Bella's stubborn requirements

that she not benefit of the Cullen's largesse. "OK then.
We would still work it out. I promise."

"But what if … but if you … lose and I'm in school here,

you won't want to be in DC. I would think this is the last
place you would want to live."

"Well, that's true." Edward didn't like that scenario at all.

The thought of remaining in DC after losing his Senate
seat made him nauseous.

He knew that his life was no longer just about him,

though, and he would need to compromise because
Bella's future mattered just as much as his now. "But I
would do it for you for a few years. The White House
would offer me an appointment of some kind – at Justice
or the Pentagon. It would work out."

Then he winked at her. "Or maybe I would be like all the

other defeated senators and get an ambassadorship
somewhere good – like Australia. You could take a year
off of school. That would be fun."

Bella looked at him like he was nuts. "Right. As an

ambassador, you're going to take your girlfriend along
with you – like the State Department would let you do
that."

"Maybe you wouldn't be my girlfriend." He squeezed her

hand and smiled.

Unsure as to what to say, Bella responded with her

standard, "Whatever."

Edward ignored her and pushed ahead. "So can we talk

about the two other possible outcomes? If I'm re-elected
and you go to school here, obviously that's the best
outcome."

"Yes it would be." She sighed at the easiness of that

situation.

"But another outcome where I would be just as happy …

and I swear it's true … is if I lose and you go to school in
Seattle."

"You would be happy with that?" Bella couldn't believe it.

"Do you remember that night in the car when we talked

about that LBJ book, Master of the Senate?"

"Yeah."

"What did I say about it?"

"You said … you said something like that you didn't

aspire to be master of the Senate."

"Exactly. I will be OK. Life will be a little different than I

had envisioned it at one time, but it will be better
because of you."

"But what would you do?"

"I don't know. For a while I probably would just help out
Emmett on his house. Then maybe I'd go back to being a
prosecutor … maybe as a federal one this time … at the
U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle. Hell, if I wanted, I could
be the U.S. Attorney for the state if the job opened up."

Bella giggled. "You would be easily confirmed by the

Senate."

"Exactly." Staring into her eyes, he offered hopefully,

"And we could get a house together … maybe in
Emmett's neighborhood. It would be a very nice life."

Holding his gaze, Bella could see that he was right. As

much as he enjoyed all the power and trappings of being
a senator, he would be equally happy with a quieter life.
And that's one of the reasons that I love him. Bella
leaned into kiss him. "I would like that life too."

The intensity of emotion the two shared set Edward's

heart ablaze with love. Kissing her, he had the impulsive
thought to pop the question right then and there, but he
fought it back. Not here … not now … but when?

He decided it was time to deal with the most immediate

issue she had raised. Breaking the kiss, he asked, "So,
about that issue of where you live in May. Why can't you
continue to live in DC for the summer? You could go
back for graduation and come back to your same
apartment."

She shook her head. "Not if I'm going to school in

Seattle. It's cheaper to live there, and I need to make
some money. I'm going to have to take out too many law
school loans as it is."

"No. I can't hear this anymore," he groaned. "Will you

please let me put my great-great grandfather's ill-gotten
gains to some good use? He kicked whole tribes off their
land and then he destroyed their mountains and rivers to
build a railroad. Can't I do something good with it and
help you out? Can't I at least pay for law school?"

Bella shook her head. "Non-negotiable." No way.

Another two words leapt into her mind immediately.
Kept woman. She knew that that was the last thing
Edward meant for her, but she still couldn't shake the
tawdry feeling about it. That would be so … weird.

Edward formulated a new argument. "Bella, is it only a

matter of time before we get married?"

"Um. Yes."

"If you have it your way and we wait, it would be in two

and a half years, right?"

"Yeah."

"Will you still be in law school, then?"

"Yes." Suspicious of him, she skewed up her mouth to
the side realizing where he was going with his cross-
examination.

"At that point, because we will be a married couple then

and what's yours is mine and mine is yours, will it not
make more financial sense that I pay your law school
tuition, rather than for you to continue to take out
loans?"

"Yes, but…"

"In fact, wouldn't we decide to immediately pay off your

loans? Wouldn't that be the wisest thing to do?"

"I suppose, but that's not the …"

"Then can you at least think about how your principle

about me not paying anything for you doesn't make
sense in the long run? Why should you take out any
loans if we're just going to pay them off as soon as we get
married anyway?"

By then, Bella had thought of the best rebuttal. "Set my

principles aside. Wouldn't it look awful if it came out this
fall that you were paying for your girlfriend slash former
employee's apartment and law school tuition? Wouldn't
that just look sleazy?"

"Yes." Edward pursed his lips to stop a smile and to not

reveal his additional response. But not so bad if you
were my fiancée…

"There. I rest my case."

Shrugging his shoulders, he responded, "I'm willing to

give that to you." Unable to stop a smile as he thought of
the future, he added, "I see … a lot of variables out there.
Can you just put off worrying about the summer for a
while? Let's see where you're going to school first, OK."

"OK. I'll wait to worry until it's a problem." Bella smiled

and nuzzled into his chest, sighing, "I love you, Edward. I
feel a lot better."

"I do too." He murmured into her hair, "Promise me,

you'll let me know how you're feeling about things –
including what you may think is insignificant, because
it's not. We need to be able to talk."

"I will." A yawn escaped from her mouth. "Can we go

back to sleep now?"

Before dawn the two woke up entwined in a cuddle. Bella

looked at the clock and sleepily muttered, "Alice and I
need to leave soon."

Tightening his hold on her, Edward replied, "Not yet,

though," as he pressed his erection against her.

"Uh uh." With Emmett now in the house, someone now

occupied the room adjacent to Edward's. "I've listened to
Emmett snore all night long. No way. He'll make fun of
us again."

"Take a shower with me. He'll never hear us with the

water running."

"You know every time you say no one will hear us

someone does?"

"I promise that he won't hear. Our bathrooms adjoin, but

his bed is on the other side of his room. And he sleeps
like a rock. Listen … you can still hear him snoring right
now." Kissing her neck, he snaked his hand under her
shirt, finding a warm breast to fondle. "We don't get to
see each other enough, and you never take a shower
here. Come on."

It was true that Bella only showered at home. Most often

she could sneak into the house without her roommates
knowing she hadn't slept there that night. If they asked
about where she was so late the night before, she told
them she was at the library. It was the one lie she had
become good at, only because sometimes she did go to
the library before heading over to Edward's. Luckily for
her, everyone in her group house had very independent
lives that often kept them from home. Plus, Edward's
schedule simply didn't allow the two of them to spend
the night together that often. Bella hoped that she could
keep it up, but lately she thought Victoria was becoming
suspicious, although she hadn't said anything yet.

After their soul-searching conversation during the night,

Bella wanted to be intimate with Edward as much as he
wanted to be with her. She waggled her bum against his
erection. "OK. Will you wash my hair?"

"Sure." He kissed her neck again, while taking one of her

nipples between his fingers. "I'll wash every part of you
… thoroughly."

And he did. In fact, he was so thorough that when they

left his room to meet Alice downstairs, Emmett was
grinning widely as he opened his own door. Even though
he looked as if he had just woken up with tousled hair
and sleepy eyes, he greeted them with bravado. "Well,
well, well. Look who's freshly showered."

Bella greeted Emmett and then quickly glanced at

Edward. He offered his own hello to his brother, but not
without a look of warning at him also. Don't go there,
Emmett. If you do, I'll never get laid in this house again
– other than the library.

But Emmett did go there. "I thought the cold weather

was busting the pipes this morning. The strangest noises
seemed to be coming from my bathroom. I swear it
sounded like a whinny." Then he faked a cough. "But I
see that … other things were going on with the
plumbing."

Bella fiercely jabbed Edward in the ribs, as he grumbled

to Emmett, "What are you doing to me?"

"Just trying to lighten things up around here, my

brother. Everybody's always so uptight."
--
Unfortunately Emmett was not the only one to remark
on Bella's wet hair. Victoria had her own internship on
the Hill that semester and had begun waking early. She
was walking down the stairs to make coffee when Bella
tiptoed into the house. With a surprised smile, she
startled her, "Morning Bella, I see someone had a good
night … seeing as how you've showered already!"

Still wanting to hurry upstairs, Bella stopped only for a

moment to say, "Um. Yeah. It was … fun."
"Who was it fun with? Are you back with Mike?"

"Um. Er." Bella knew her cheeks were reddening, as she

grasped for an excuse. She had danced around the Mike
issue with Victoria for months now. Victoria had only
backed off because Bella was very uncomfortable when
they talked about him.

Victoria knew she was on to something, but she couldn't

tell what. She ventured, "You know, you never really
explained what's happened with you two."

"We … um … well, sometimes …"

"Ah! Sometimes … well sometimes is very …

convenient and … nice – especially with someone as hot
as him." Victoria then looked at her mischievously. "So is
Mike as hung as he looks? Cuz he looks like he would be
awesome..."

Had Edward been in the room to see the giant smile

appear on Bella's face, steam would have spewed out of
his ears like Yosemite Sam. Bella was smiling, though,
because she knew the answer to this one and she wasn't
going to have to lie. "Yeah. Actually even better than he
looks."

"Damn. I knew it."

Then Bella checked her watch in order to change the
subject. "And um … after last night… I should get going."

"Me too. Hey, we can go to the Hill together."

"Yeah. Um. Great." Bella smiled insincerely and fled up

the stairs. Please don't let her ask me any more
questions.

As the two roommates joined the exodus from the Union

Station Metro toward the Senate, Bella kept Victoria
talking about her slowly imploding relationship with
James. It appeared that James would be moving out
soon. Bella was genuinely curious and concerned about
the quiet demise of her mated roommates, but she also
was working to keep the conversation away from her
alleged night with Mike.

Unfortunately, she couldn't control Mike himself who

had seen her walking ahead of him. He called out to her,
"Hey Bella, wait up."

Bella cringed when she heard his voice. Mike? This

morning of all mornings I see Mike? Fuck! I cannot
catch a break today.

Turning around to face the music, Bella smiled anxiously

first at Victoria who was now grinning and then at Mike.
He looked dashing in his long camelhair coat with a
burgundy scarf at his throat. It set off his dark skin
perfectly. Under her breath, Victoria whispered, "Yum.
He's so gorgeous … and hung? You lucky bitch."

"Hi Mike." Bella was stunned. How do I get out of this

one? Victoria thinks I spent the night with him.

Now at their side, Mike greeted Victoria. "Hey Victoria,

good to see you again."

"Good to see you." Victoria gave both of them a knowing

look, thinking they were doing a pretty good job of
appearing nonchalant after rolling in the hay all night
long.

Wrapping his arm around Bella's shoulders he gave her

half of a hug saying, "It's been a while, Bella."

Bella laughed anxiously. She knew that she needed to

show Victoria some sign that she might have been with
the guy the night before, so she clung a few seconds
longer to Mike. Honestly awkward in the situation, Bella
sputtered, "Yeah, a while," to which Victoria couldn't
help snickering.

It was at that moment that Edward spied the threesome.

Occasionally, he would see Bella from afar during the
day. Not wanting to cause a stir, he would normally go
about his business – albeit begrudgingly. He was always
curious as to what she was up to. That morning his
breakfast meeting had run overtime, and he was going to
be late for the Democratic caucus. But the sight of Mike
Newton holding onto his girlfriend was too much for him
to ignore.

"Stop the car, Jim."

"Really? Shouldn't I take you around? If you walk, you'll

be even later."

"I don't care."

The dutiful driver pulled over to the side of the curb, and
Edward headed out the door.

Bella stepped away from Mike's arm and fidgeted with

her scarf. Victoria could tell Bella was nervous. She
thought it was simply due to the fact she had rolled out
Mike's bed just a few hours earlier. So Victoria took it
upon herself to smooth the way for the couple. "Mike,
you should come around more."

Mike raised his eyebrows, surprised at the invitation. He

looked over at Bella who was plainly jittery. So damn
cute. Maybe things have changed. He wanted
confirmation that he was actually welcome at her house.
His eyes met hers with the intent of asking the question
they both knew he was thinking. You still with Cullen?

Bella smiled with her teeth clenched, hoping she was

successfully conveying contradictory messages. She
wanted Victoria to think she was thankful for inviting
Mike over to their house, but she wanted Mike to think
that she was off the market and he really wasn't welcome
in that way.

Unbeknownst to the three staffers, Edward approached

them from behind, but he was really only there to talk
with one of them. "Good morning, Bella." Edward smiled
as he said it, but his voice had an edge to it.

Shocked that her day could get any worse, Bella kept her
frozen smile. Oh shit, oh fuck, oh shit. "Hi, Senator
Cullen." Her brown eyes widened as they bored into
Edward's. What are you doing here? Are you crazy?

Edward ignored her wordless reprimand. "Good

morning, Mike." He extended his gloved hand to Mike.

Shaking Edward's hand, Mike almost sighed in

exasperation before answering, "Hello, Senator Cullen."
This guy is relentless. He is always around her – at
least when I'm around.

With Victoria gawking at her boyfriend, Bella instantly

chirped up, "Senator Cullen, this is my roommate
Victoria Swanson. She works for Senator Bengston."

As Victoria began babbling like a thunderstruck teenager

through her introduction to Edward, Mike looked over to
Bella to see what was up. She had the same tense smile
on her face, and he knew immediately. There's my
answer for me, but I wonder what's going on. They've
been together for a while now. He's so possessive that
he must be crazy about her.

Bella could tell that now Mike really wanted to know if

she was still seeing Edward, so she nodded in
affirmation. Yet, Mike still wondered exactly what was
going on. In a quiet voice that Edward couldn't hear
because of Victoria's frenzied prattle, Mike suggested,
"We really should get lunch soon and catch up. I'll shoot
you an email."

"Um. Sure." Bella had also kept her voice low. Yikes.
What have I just agreed to? Then she realized that Mike
might just be extending a friendly offer.

Mike raised his chin silently confirming their lunch date,

and then he announced, "Listen I gotta' go. Good seeing
you two. Goodbye, Senator."

After everyone exchanged goodbyes and Mike walked on,

Edward knew it was time for him to leave, too. He was
pleased that he had accomplished his goal of breaking up
the conversation, but he needed to exit before anyone
noticed his extended conversation with a couple of pretty
interns. "I should be getting on my way also. You two
have a good day."

Victoria gushed, "It was so wonderful to meet you,

Senator Cullen. I hope I get to hear you speak some day.
Maybe I can work on your campaign this summer."

Wanting to roll her eyes, Bella more pointedly said,

"Goodbye, Senator Cullen."

With a smirk, he gave her an additional farewell, "Yes,

I'll see you in the office, Bella."

As soon as Edward was unable to hear, Victoria declared,

"Oh. My. God. That is Senator Cullen? He is your boss.
He's a hundred times hotter in person than the pictures
of him."

"Yes, he is." Bella slyly smiled as she said it. Despite her
lousy morning, this particular topic made her want to
laugh.
"He is gorgeous. If he were my boss, I would do anything
that man asked me to."

Bella snickered, because she immediately thought, He is

really hard to say no to. Instead, she replied, "It's not
like I work with him. Remember. I'm an intern."

"Yeah, but he was so nice to you. Senator Bengston

would never stop to talk with me. He doesn't even know
my name. Not that I really care because the guy is like a
billion years old, but wow. It's so cool that Senator
Cullen pays attention to you."

"Oh, he's just really friendly to his staff." Bella knew that
she had just told a whopper of a lie. I hope that Victoria
doesn't ask anyone about him. Friendly Edward is not,
and everybody knows it.

Victoria then giggled, "Don't you just want to jump his

bones?"

"All the time."

--

A month later, Senator Jane Volk was walking home to

the condominium she kept only a block away from the
Senate. When she worked late, as she had that night, she
hated having to go all the way out to her home in
Arlington just to rest her head for a few hours before she
had to turn around and get back to the Hill.

It was a pleasant night, and she enjoyed the brisk air. As

she always did when she passed her side of the Hart
building, Jane looked up at her office. It never ceased to
bring a smile to her face, as it reminded her of her
rarefied place in the world. She was about to look away,
when something out of the ordinary caught her eye.

Just a few floors down from her office was Edward

Cullen's. Given the number of times she had been in his
office, she knew its location well. She stopped on the
sidewalk and stared at the windows of his office.
Something was different – the curtains were closed.

Since Edward had rejected her the month before, Jane

had reflected on her times with Edward. The two of them
shared nothing emotional. For as much as she liked to
fuck around, she did love her fiancée – in her own way.

And as she thought about Edward, she realized that all

that they shared was very routinized and convenient sex.
When they would see each other in his office, there was
one step in their routine that Edward never skipped. He
always shut the curtains before anything happened
between them.
At that moment, Edward's rejection of her cut at her
pride once again. Staring at the curtains, she sneered. So
Edward's fucking someone in his office. She wondered
who that woman might be.

Then it hit her. She thought back to all the conversations

she had had with him in the last few months. As she
gaped at his windows, it came to her, and she was
shocked by her own conclusion. She had no proof – no
real reason to believe. Yet her intuition told her it was
true. No, Edward's fucking someone IN his office.
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Five ~
Jane couldn't believe her discovery. The sneer was gone
from her face as she stood gawking in astonishment at
the shuttered draperies of Edward's office. He's with that
girl. Glimpses of Bella Swan darted into her mind. Jane
didn't know that was her name, though. Maybe she had
heard Seth say it, but she never would have remembered
it. The scene she had witnessed of the girl curled up with
Edward on his office sofa laughing and talking that one
night came into focus. She works for him … and he's
with her … right now … in there. While Jane knew it in
her gut, she was flabbergasted and wanted to retrace her
memories to confirm her theory. I gotta' sit down for
this.

Looking behind her, she spied a large, concrete flower

planter that the Capitol groundskeepers kept in
perpetual bloom regardless of the climate. She perched
herself on the planter so that her coat avoided the frost-
proof red pansies and her legs stretched comfortably
before her. The hounds-tooth pattern of her suit pants
caught her eye, as Edward's words from months ago
resurfaced, "She's a friend of my mother's."

Oh I bet she is… It was a reflexive, sarcastic answer, but

Jane stopped instantly when she realized that it could
very well be true. She thought back to her last encounter
with Edward when he spurned her. That night she knew,
He's with someone he doesn't want to cheat on, but he's
keeping her a secret.

Jane quickly put two and two together. The girl was
special – special to his mother and special to him. In
fact, the girl needed to be exceedingly special for Edward
to risk everything for her. Edward had the trifecta –
wealth, fame, and good looks; 99% of men with the
trifecta slipped up when it came to women. Yet, Jane
knew that Edward Cullen should be part of that one
percent that would not fail. He was too smart, too
disciplined, and carried too much family honor. So in
order for Edward to make such a colossal mistake –
especially when he was up for re-election, something
dramatic must have happened to him.

It came to her. Jane closed her eyes and shook her head.
So Edward is in love … or at least thinks he's in love.
The girl probably threw herself at him, and he fell for
her.

She then recalled the girl chatting with Senator

Haddow's incredibly handsome legislative director. Since
that time, Jane had noticed him around the Capitol.
More than once, she had surreptitiously glanced at his
trousers to see if she could catch an outline of something
that later became the subject of her private time. The
simple thought of her active fantasy life with the man
made her shift her seat. So the girl gave up him to be
with Edward. That's a tough choice… The memory of
Edward's jaw locking and his terse response about them
dating told her something. She was wrong. Edward had
pursued the girl, not vice versa. Thus, the girl truly was
very special to Edward. He was in love.

While still jealous of the girl, she was taken in by what

she could tell was a sweet, if improbable story. Jane was
a political animal, though, and she knew that
improbability and unlikelihood occurred all the time.
One of the rules of politics was that the briefest period of
time was always a lifetime, because in the political world
anything could happen and it often did. Elections could
be lost and won in only a few days.

So what should I do now? She had no instinctual

reaction. Party loyalty aside, she harbored no ill-will
toward Edward. She still liked him as a person, even if
she thought his views on the world detrimental to the
future of the American way of life. He also might grow
tired of the pesky girl and toss her aside; Jane could have
him once again. Above all else, though, Edward certainly
had dirt on Jane herself that would only do her harm
with the good citizens of Idaho – not to mention her
fiancée.
Jane followed the advice of Vito Corleone in life – she
kept her friends close and her enemies closer. You never
knew when you might need some leverage over someone,
especially in politics. She may not wish Edward ill, but
she wanted to make sure he knew his secret was not safe.
She justified it thinking that it was for his benefit too.
Edward needed to know that she was aware of what was
going on with him and the girl. It was no longer a secret.
She smiled at the thought of having one up on Edward.
Oh, I can't wait to tell him…

Not one to dilly-dally, Jane wasted no time. The next

morning in the well of the Senate she caught up to
Edward just as he was leaving after a vote. She normally
would have been miffed by his quickened step at the
sight of her; now, she was amused by it. "Oh, Edward!
Do you have a moment?"

Edward knew that he had to keep up his façade with her,

so he instantly transformed back to his old self. "For you,
Jane? Always."

As soon as she angled them to a vacant corner of the

room to talk, Edward winced at what she might say.
Christ, could she pick a worse place to hit on me than
the Senate chamber?

"Sorry I wasn't with you on your amendment, Edward."

"I never expected you would be."

"You look tired. That was another late one last night,
wasn't it? I'm exhausted."

"I know. Last night was grueling." He kept a straight face

because the night before had actually been great. The
memories were wonderful. In particular, Bella had
shown a new ability to compromise that he was planning
to capitalize on. He just needed to pick the right time.
Plus, there had been Bella's demand to make her mark
on the office. His dick twitched in remembrance of
fucking Bella on his desk, making sweet love to her on
his sofa, being woman-handled by him on each
armchair, and finally plopping her in his desk chair
where he licked her to her final orgasm of the evening.
As far as he was concerned, it had been a great night.

Then Jane dropped her nuclear bomb. "I wanted to let

you know that as I was walking to my condo last night I
happened to notice something … your office drapes were
closed."

Edward didn't flinch, despite the jolt to his world.

Goddamn it. That was so stupid of me. To Jane, he flatly
inquired, "So?"
"So, I know what was going on behind the curtains."
With a simpering smile, she added, "And with whom."

Edward blinked twice, betraying nothing of his internal

reaction. Oh shit. How much does she know? He decided
his only recourse was to take the issue head on and play
it straight. Crossing his arms over his chest, he chuckled,
"Really? Inquisitive, aren't you?"

"Oh yes. Inquisitive and intuitive. You know how women

are."

"My mother is Esme Cullen, and I have two sisters. I

know a little about women. So what exactly do you think
you know?"

"For starters, I know why you close your curtains." She

raised her eyebrows salaciously.

"Now Jane, how do you explain why you might think that
such an extraordinarily mundane act like closing some
drapes means anything other than I closed my drapes?"
It was the question that founded their mutually assured
destruction.

Jane shook her head and laughed. "That is something I

hope never to explain!"
"Good. I'm glad we still have a deal."

"Oh, yes we have a deal. I'm not about to break our

mutual non-aggression pact. But … what about the girl?"

"The girl? I'm sorry. I don't know what you're talking

about."

"I believe you called her a family friend. She must be a

very good friend of yours to be in your office so late."

Edward could lie easily and effectively, but even he

couldn't lie when there was factual evidence to the
contrary. Bella had been on the Senate floor the night
before, and there were witnesses. Rather than tell a
ridiculous falsehood, he blunted the facts. "I believe
you're referring to Bella Swan – an intern in my office.
Yes, she is a family friend, and you probably don't
remember it, but she's also a family friend of my Chief of
Staff. Bella was at work late yesterday; there's no secret
there." Then, he called the question asking her
incredulously, "Are you suggesting I would risk my
career with an intern?"

"Yes." The one accusatory word was all she needed to

say. She was sure she was on to something because he
wasn't denying it. She stared into his eyes, but he gave
her nothing – only a prompt, terse response.
"But unlikely."

"But not out of the question."

He let it slide. More conversation would only lead to

more risk, so Edward cut his losses. He rolled his eyes
playfully as he turned to walk away, "Always good talking
with you Jane. We'll have to do it again."

"Yes, we will!" Jane smirked at him. She was pleased

with her performance – and with his reaction. Oh, I can't
wait to see how this plays out.

As soon as he was safely away from prying ears, Edward

was on the phone to Rosalie. He explained the situation
immediately and curtly. "Jane knows about Bella."

"How?" Rosalie was just as direct as her brother.

"It doesn't matter." There wasn't a chance in hell Edward

was going to tell Rosalie about being with Bella in his
office. Furthermore, he didn't think anyone – including
Bella – would want to know the details of how Jane
figured it out. Of course, he would tell Bella about Jane's
knowledge of them, but there was no reason to make it
worse for Bella than it had to be. He gave Rosalie the
same summary he would give Bella. "Anyway, I've got
things under control with Jane."

"Why is that?"

"She agreed we still have a mutual non-aggression pact."

"For now…" She was bitter, and Edward expected the

same from Bella.

"Yes, for now." Under his breath, he muttered, "Let's just

hope she's not Hitler …"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. Stupid World War II reference. Listen, I've

got a busy day. Can you tell Alice and Esme? I don't
think there's anything to do right now."

"Sure I'll call them." Rosalie disagreed with his last

statement, but she would take that up privately with
Esme. Besides, she couldn't let Edward get out of this
without at least one good dig at him. "So Jane Volk is the
first to know…. What a cunt. I don't suppose you want to
hear me say I told you so about her?"

"No, I don't." Without saying goodbye, he ended the call

just to emphasize his point.
Later that evening when he broke the news to Bella, she
listened stoically, but she was not happy. It was one
thing for them to be found out; it was another thing
entirely for Senator Jane Volk to be the one to do it. Bella
hated her. Edward apologized profusely for causing the
mess, but Bella was miffed. She was reaching her boiling
point with Edward's past constantly being thrown in her
face. She pointedly asked only one question, "So … based
on your … experience with Jane, you think you can keep
her quiet?"

"Yes." He nodded affirmatively, but added a hopeful

qualifier, "God-willing."
--

A few weeks later, Victoria skipped dinner again. Her

break-up with James and his subsequent moving out had
depressed her appetite, and with no roommates yet
home, another solitary dinner was even more
unappetizing. Instead, alphabetizing her CDs seemed
like a better use of her time. The late evening ring of the
doorbell surprised her. Who's that?

Her eye widened into the peephole when she saw the
profile of Bella's ex-boyfriend, Jacob Black, whistling
and staring off into the night. Without a tie, he looked
like he was ready to kick-back. Hello daddy! Tall, dark,
and hot. She swiftly opened the door.
"Hi Jake. …. It's Jake, right?"

"Yes, it is. Evening Victoria." Even if Jake hadn't been a

politician, he was personable and remembered names –
especially those of pretty redheads. "Is Bella home?"

Victoria grinned at him. Oh my God! This is such a

bootie call! I don't care what Bella says. She's going to
be sorry that she missed him, but maybe he'll let me
take her place! "No, she's not. I'm not sure where she is.
Do you want to come in and wait?" In actuality, she was
quite certain Bella wasn't coming home that night, as she
spent many nights away. Victoria assumed the nights
were spent with Mike, but she didn't know for sure.
Since she wasn't presently in the mood to hear about
happy couples, she didn't press Bella for any information
regarding her love life.

Jacob met Victoria's grin with an equally knowing one.

He liked the idea of an easy opportunity to find out
information about Bella, and he always liked an inviting
woman – even if he wouldn't take her up on her entire
offer. "Sure. Thanks for the invitation."

After Victoria had gotten Jake his requested water, the

two settled down on the sofa together. Victoria was
bedazzled by him. He playfully teased her for working for
a Democrat and still answered all of her questions about
his campaign. She flirted and leaned into him on his
every word, and his smiles only egged her on. Jake knew
what he was doing, though. It had taken him a while to
get back to DC. If he wasn't going to get to see Bella, he
wanted to make the most of a chance to learn what was
going on with her.

"So is Bella often out this late?"

"Well … um … sometimes it's even later." Victoria

ventured a calculated statement, knowing that Bella
didn't really like the guy. She also wanted her own offer
to be known. "You know, Bella has a boyfriend, right?"

"Yeah, that … guy?" Jacob tensed as he censored his

words thinking of Mike Newton staring him in the eye
and more than matching him in physique. He then
recalled Bella's answer to him about Mike when he asked
about him on his last trip. "Really? Last time I was here
she said they weren't seeing each other as much."

"Oh. Huh. Well, I think it's picked up again with Mike

because she doesn't spend a lot of time here lately."
Reflecting on how little she talked with Bella about guys,
Victoria snickered, "Or maybe there's someone I don't
know about."
"Seth Clearwater?" The name shot out of Jacob's mouth
with a force. Is that why they were together on
Christmas Eve? His face became red at the thought.

"Like her boss, Seth? The one her dad is friends with? I
don't think so." She shook her head with a look of
dismay. Then her overeager flirting and political naïveté
landed Bella in trouble. Unthinkingly, Victoria giggled,
"But, I know she wouldn't mind dating her boss's boss,
though."

Jake's lip curled. "Cullen?"

Oh shit. Wrong thing to say. I am such an idiot. "Oops.

Sorry. Sometimes I forget things. He's your opponent. It
was just a stupid joke. I didn't mean to offend you."

"No offense taken." He lied convincingly, even though he

was thinking something entirely different. Cullen. Of
course. I knew Bella would like him. I knew it! He
cracked his knuckles, physically punctuating his internal
dialogue.

The loud pop of his knuckles drew Victoria's eyes to his

wedding ring, but she ignored it. She was lonely and
wanting a little rebound action to rid her of James. In
between a whisper and a coo, she offered, "So, are you
sure you don't want a drink? Or … something else?"
"Sorry … I … er … I don't drink." Jacob had never been
unfaithful to Emily, and he certainly wasn't going to
cheat on his wife during an election. For a split second,
he wondered if he could maintain that resolve if it had
been Bella making the offer. He knew the answer to that
one. Victoria was the woman in front of him, though.
Studying her for a moment, he decided she was a useful
person to have in his life and he should keep open his
line of communication. He winked at her. "At least not
tonight … maybe after the election."

"Maybe then …" His wink had worked on her. Damn,

he's so fine. Maybe he means it.

"So, just between you and me. You think Bella is with
Mike tonight?"

"Between you and me, yes. … At least I think so."

"So, they're not serious?"

"Nah, no way. I mean she's moving back to Seattle in a

couple of months, right?"

Jake smiled at the prospect. Good. Away from this guy

Mike … away from Cullen. I like it. He kept smiling as he
asked, "So can we keep my visit here tonight our secret?
I'd like to surprise Bella when I do see her." Giving
Victoria an additional wink, he added, "And … she
doesn't need to know everything we talked about, right?"

"Sure. I don't mind keeping a secret for you." She

regretted saying it at once, but she had been taken in by
his vivid black eyes shining into hers. She brushed it off
her conscience. Oh well. She won't see him anyway. It's
not a big deal.
--
The next night Bella was the one alone in her house, as
she lounged on her bed talking with Edward who had
just finished an inordinately long day at work – even for
him. It was after midnight, and he interrupted her not
long into the conversation. "Wait. You're telling me that
it's almost one in the morning, and you're completely
alone in your house? You have so many roommates.
What's going on?"

"Remember I only have three roommates now. Laurent

is back in Canada, Riley is at his girlfriend's, and Victoria
skipped town to go skiing to get her mind off of James."

Edward's mind went to work, and he immediately

interrupted her. "Bella, can you give me a few minutes?
I'll be right back with you."

A little unclear as to why he needed to run, Bella still

consented and pressed end on the phone. After a few
minutes, her eyes got heavier and heavier, so she decided
to lay her head down while she waited for Edward to call
her back. She awoke with a jerk when her phone rang
and a ratta-tat-tat on a window occurred simultaneously.
She grabbed the phone first, exclaiming in a panicky
whisper, "Oh my God, Edward! There's someone at my
window – not the one in my room, but the one on my
sleeping porch."

"I know, darling. It's me."

"What? Where are you?"

"Hanging on the side of your house." Edward chuckled

into the phone, as he watched her walk toward him with
her mouth agape. "Can you open the window for me? I
can jimmy it open, but it would be better for your
window if it's opened from the inside."

With a grin on her face, Bella ended the call and laughed
at her boyfriend teetering on a ledge and clinging to her
window sill. She threw open the creaky window
whispering, "What in the world are you doing? You're
crazy! Get in here!"

Climbing through the window, he answered, "There was

no way I was going to pass up an opportunity to be
completely alone with you."

"Edward, this is so dangerous."

"What? This was nothing. I can climb something twice

this high no problem."

"I didn't mean dangerous that way, Mr. Navy SEAL. I

meant dangerous for us, silly."

"Nah. I drove Carlisle's old car, and I'll leave before

dawn. It's also dead quiet in your alley."

She should have reprimanded him for taking yet another

risk just so they could spend time alone, but she was too
touched that he was there. Instead of a reprimand, she
gave him a peck before asking, "Are you going to tell
Rosalie?"

"No fucking way. She's on my ass enough as it is." Taking

her into his arms, he planted a deep kiss on her, but he
pulled away sooner than she expected. "So, will you show
me around?"

Bella obliged with a tour of her group house – the

starkest example of the difference in their stations in life.
Edward could have cared less, though. It was just as he
had imagined and had lived himself at one time.
At the end of the tour, the pair ended up drinking beers
sitting on the futon couch on Bella's porch. In no time,
their laughing conversation turned into a smooching
conversation and then into a hardcore make-out session.
Bella maneuvered herself between his legs, which were
stretched out before him. The futon was so low to the
ground that she had easy access to all of him from that
angle. Taking off his t-shirt for him, she declared, "I want
to thank you for coming over."

"No, thank you. The pleasure is all mine."

"I hope so." She giggled as her hands began wandering

strokes across his chest, venturing further and further
toward his jeans. She stopped before she got too far
along his treasure trail, so she could whip off her tank
top. He groaned at the sight of her breasts and leaned
forward to take a nipple in his mouth. As he sucked and
kneaded her breasts for a few minutes, Bella stroked his
hair. "Mmmm. That's so good." When she noticed her
hips flexing toward him, she knew she had gotten ahead
of her plans. "But wait, sweetie. I was doing something."

With a flourish of his tongue around her nipple, he

asked, "And what was that?"

"This." Straightaway her hands undid his fly and tugged

off his jeans, as he kicked off his shoes. A taut hard-on
was waiting for her, but she wanted to tease him just a
little. Arching her back and taking him in her hand, she
stuck out her chest just enough so that she could use her
breasts to tickle the rosy head of his cock. Edward
gasped. Like every man, he loved his penis immensely,
but he was also partial to Bella's breasts. The sight and
feel of his favorite things touching one another made
him groan. "You have no idea how sexy that is."

"Really?" Bella smiled and swirled his dick around her

nipple once more, before replacing it with her mouth.
While one hand found his aching balls, her other
wrapped around his shaft. She went to work slowly, but
he reacted quickly, laying his head back on the futon
taking in each one of her delicious slides of her hand,
lips, and tongue. He soon called out, "Fuck Bella, I'm
gonna' come."

She looked into his eyes to signal that her mouth wasn't
going anywhere. He grunted her name and an expletive
or two, as he came hard in her mouth. After the two
caught their breaths, they snuggled and giggled for a few
minutes before Edward started snapping the band of
Bella's boy shorts.

"Um. Edward, what are you doing?"

"Annoying you."

"Why?"

"Because I was hoping you would take these off." He

finished his sentence with a hard snap of the elastic.

"Why?"

"So I can return the favor."

Bella grinned at the thought and whipped off her shorts,

leaving her as naked as he was. He smiled. "I think we
should try a new angle." With that, he maneuvered her
through much laughter so that she was standing on the
futon astride him. He leaned his head again on the back
of the futon and raised his eyebrows at her. "Now, you
can sit on my face."

"Are you serious?" She was a little taken aback by the

generous offer.

"Hell yeah."

"Oooookayyyy." Accepting the invitation, Bella

positioned herself so that he had the most access.

He groaned again at the sight of her. "This is going to

make me want to be inside of you."

She would have answered had Edward not instantly

started licking the outer lips of her most private parts.
The position she was in didn't allow her to see what he
was doing. So instead, she crossed her arms against the
wall, laid her head on them, and closed her eyes. She
fully absorbed every suck, lick, nibble, and finger he gave
her, while she was lost in her own world. When things
became too intense, she braced herself against the wall,
and losing control, she smashed her sex into his face –
just as he had invited.

After recovering from her intense orgasm, she slid down

onto his chest, where she could properly kiss him. Her
scent seemed to be all over his face, a sweet reminder of
what he had just done for her. She responded to it with a
heart-filled kiss, to which he responded with an eager
erection. When her leg bumped into it, she delicately
traced its length, causing another moan from him. He
murmured into her mouth, "I want you on your bed."

"Are we going to get any sleep tonight?" She chuckled as

she said it.

"Darling, after I'm done with you, we're going to sleep

like babies." And with that he carried her to her bed.
--
The following morning Jacob Black was as giddy as a
schoolgirl as he left a meeting at the Republican National
Committee. The party was so encouraged by his tight
poll numbers with Edward Cullen that they were
planning on dumping significant money into his
campaign war chest. Word on the street was that
Republicans were poised to not just take over the House
of Representatives, but maybe to also secure the Senate.
The U.S. Congress could once again be controlled by
Republicans. The GOP would need every last seat in the
Senate, though, and Jacob's race was high on their list.

Sam and Paul were alongside him and equally happy;

Sam couldn't wait to relay the news to Aro. The grin on
his face disappeared, though, when he saw Bella Swan
emerge from the South Capitol Metro station across the
street. Due to her raucous night with Edward, Bella was
late out of her house that morning so she went directly to
the hearing she was supposed to cover in the obscure
House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines,
and Hazardous Materials. There were parts of her
internship that she couldn't wait to be over.

Of course, Sam wasn't the only one to see her.

"Bella!" Jake was already cutting across First Street to

meet her on the corner by the Canon Building. He
completely ignored the pesky Capitol police officer,
permanently stationed at that corner to bark at
jaywalkers.

Bella's face fell upon seeing him, but she forced a smile
when she saw Sam and Paul across the street. "Morning
Jake."

"It's great to see you here!"

"I live here. Why are you here?" Then she remembered
what building was across from them. "Oh, wait. You've
been visiting your friends at the RNC."

"Yes, I am, and boy, are they happy to see me. The
campaign's great!"

"I'd say good, but I work for your opponent. You seem to
forget that."

Jake thought back to his conversation with Victoria a few

nights before. "Well, not for long, right? You're coming
back to Seattle soon."

Bella gulped. She had decided to stay in DC for the

summer to be with Edward, but she hadn't told anyone
her plans yet. "Um. Yeah. Not sure when, though." It
wasn't a lie, but it wasn't quite the truth either.
At that moment, Edward exited the Canon building and
saw the two of them. He had been on the House side for
a Democratic caucus meeting, and he had his own
meeting at the Democratic National Committee not far
away. Jim was waiting with his car across the street to
take him there. The sight of Bella talking with his
nemesis stopped him in his tracks. He desperately
wanted to jump into the conversation. But how? I could
say I was just wondering why my employee would talk
to him? How would that look? Or I could be friendly
and say that I didn't know we had a mutual friend?

From afar, Sam saw Edward standing staring at Jake and

Bella. Sam knew there were many reasons why Edward
would take interest in a conversation between the two of
them. For a moment, though, he wondered whether
maybe there was something more. Does Cullen look
jealous?

The next person to walk out of the building was Senator

Haddow with her legislative director in tow. Mike
Newton immediately saw Edward and then glanced over
to see what he was glaring at. Mike shook his head. To
his boss, he simply said, "Excuse me for a moment,
Senator. I need to speak with someone."

Brushing past Edward's jacket, he leaned in just close

enough so Edward could hear him say in a low voice,
"You owe me one." Mike then bounded down the steps
heading straight for Bella and Jake.
~*~
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifecta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov%E2%80%93Ribb
entrop_Pact
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Corleone
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Six ~

As Mike Newton sped down the steps as fast as he could

without causing notice, on the other side of the street,
Jacob Black asked, "Bella, what do you mean that you're
not sure if you're coming back to Seattle?"
"Well, I don't know. I'm not sure where I'm going to law
school, although, I should find out soon." Bella was
worried that Jake could tell she was lying about her
plans, so she continued rambling. "Then again, I might
go see Renee, or I might work on Senator Cullen's
campaign, or … maybe I…"
She was unable to finish her sentence because Jacob
almost roared, "You're going to work on Cullen's
campaign!" Realizing that he had just raised his voice
with Members of Congress and God knows who else
swirling around him, he finished with a wicked whisper,
"What in the hell?"
At once, Bella realized she had just gone one step too far.
So this is why Charlie didn't want me working on
Edward's campaign. Jake thinks I've betrayed him.
Damn it. This is just the kind of thing that sets Jake off.
His emotions spewing out of him, Jacob continued, "It's
one thing if you intern in his office. You want to work in
the Senate, and there are only two Senators from
Washington – both Democrats. No big deal. Hell, I don't
even care if you vote for him. It's not like your vote is
going to change anything. But it's another if you actually
work for him and against me."
There was no good response for Bella. She downplayed
the whole conversation, "Jake, it's not a big deal … Don't
worry about it. I probably won't do it. I need to make
money this summer anyway."
"But Bella, why would you? Why would you do that to
me?" He was still angry, but now also sounded like a hurt
puppy.
"I wouldn't do anything to you, Jake. Listen, can we just
drop it? I don't even know why I said it."
"Whew. You got me worried there." Jacob's whole
posture relaxed in relief. His face softened, and he added
contemplatively, "I know you've always wanted to do
your own thing … be independent … that's why we didn't
work out. I just want things to be good between us.
We've got too much history. And you never know…"
"You never know what, Jake? Things aren't changing
between us." God, when is this ever going to end? Jake
has got to get it that I don't want him. If only I get into
Georgetown, Edward wins the election, and we come
out as a couple. Nothing else will do it.
Only audible to Bella, he mumbled, "You never know
about us … things could change."
"Change how?"
"Well, I … may not be married forever …"
"No Jake. Don't even say that."
"It's true. I didn't get married for the right reasons." He
winced as he said the truth he had been facing for some
time now.
Bella saw his expression and knew there was some pain
behind it. Whatever reason that Jake might want to
eventually end his marriage, Bella didn't want him to
think that she would ever be there waiting for him. She
decided to tell him the truth, but without details. "Jake,
I'm not an option. I'm seeing someone."
Just at that moment, Mike Newton walked up and
immediately clutched Bella's hand with a light, flirtatious
squeeze. "Hey, babe."
Hearing a romantic term of endearment from anyone
other than Edward startled Bella. When she looked up at
Mike, first she was shocked, but she quickly recognized
him as an angel from heaven. Thank God. She touched
Mike's arm in a possessive way – far friendlier than she
would anyone, save Edward. "Hi Mike. This is a
surprise."
"I just wanted to say hi. And I see that you've bumped
into an old friend." Even though Mike was talking to
Bella, he stared at Jacob, and the words came out
sounding like a warning to him.
Jacob held Mike's stare for a moment, sizing up the man
he thought his rival. He better not be fucking her. I'll kill
him. He looks like he could handle himself, but I could
still kick his ass. Despite the enmity that he felt for Mike,
Jacob was in campaign mode. He faked a smile. "Mike,
right? It's good to see you again."
"Yes, you too. I gotta' run, though." Mike stopped
glowering at Jake and turned back to Bella with a sweet
smile. "Let's catch up at lunch, OK? Meet me in the
cafeteria at one?"
"Sure." I guess I have lunch plans now.
With another squeeze of Bella's hand, Mike fled back
across the street and to the side of his boss still talking
with her colleagues. He caught Edward's eye as he stood
on the steps enrapt with the scene playing out before
him. Edward gave him a slight nod acknowledging the
very large debt to Mike that he had just incurred. Even
though he was late for his meeting at the Democratic
National Committee, Edward continued watching Bella
and Jacob. I'm not leaving until he leaves.
But Jacob wasn't leaving. He watched Mike walk away
and then accusatorily asked Bella, "So that's the way it is,
is it? You and him. He's the guy you're seeing."
"Um. Yeah." Bella hoped Jacob would chalk up her
obvious nervousness to the usual awkwardness of talking
to an old boyfriend about a new boyfriend.
"Hmpf. Well, you let me know how that goes."
"Yeah. Um. I need to go Jake. Have a good trip back
home."
"Yeah, back home." Thoughts of home overtook Jake,
and he soon smiled at the thought of again seeing Bella
in the environment he thought she belonged. "I'll see you
there soon, right? You've got your graduation in May,
right?"
Bella nodded, but couldn't get out of there fast enough.
"Right. Charlie is stupid excited. Anyway, I really gotta'
go now. See you, Jake."
"Bye. Take care of yourself." An idea popped in his head.
Maybe I should go with Charlie and Billy to the
ceremony. I'd get to see her alone…
As Bella hurried away to the hearing she was supposed to
be attending, Edward was satisfied that she and Jake
were no longer conversing and headed toward his
awaiting Town Car. Just as he was about to open the car
door, he looked back at Jacob, Sam, and Paul privately
conferring with one another. Sam noticed Edward
looking at them and shortly after his car left, but Sam
kept quiet, mulling over the preceding events. Something
was weird there. Why was Cullen so interested in Bella
and Jake talking? Sure she works for him, so he should
be suspicious of her talking with Jake, but she's also
friends with Seth. Cullen has to trust her, if she's good
enough friends with his chief- of-staff to spend
Christmas Eve with him. Why did he stick around until
they stopped talking? He's a busy guy. Why does he
care? He couldn't put his finger on it, and Jacob's angry
prattle about Mike Newton started to catch his attention.
Jacob was fuming, "I can't believe she's with that guy.
What do they possibly have in common? What does she
see in him?"
Paul shook his head. "Jake, will you get over it? You need
to learn to ignore her. She's a distraction."
"Ignore her? I can't do that. Our dads are best friends."
Jake then muttered to himself, "I'd love to find out more
about that guy … I bet he's got some skeletons that she
doesn't know about, but should. I wonder how I could
find that out…"
"Mike Newton? The scholar athlete? Are you kidding
me? Why are you wasting your time? Like anything you'd
find would scare her away from him?" Paul rolled his
eyes. "And for once can you remember that you're
married?" Paul saw that Sam wasn't participating in the
conversation. "Sam, can you talk some sense into him?"
Sam's mind had been elsewhere, but he kept his
thoughts to himself. Instead, he jumped into the
conversation. "Jake, don't be stupid. You need to forget
Bella Swan and instead keep your eye on the ball. Focus
on the campaign. You need to worry about Edward
Cullen, not Mike Newton."
A little after one o'clock, Bella trudged through the
tunnel from the House side, as Mike Newton waited for
her in the Senate cafeteria. She apologized for being late,
but Mike would have none of it. "Pfft. I just got a pass
from my boss for the rest of the day. I'm celebrating."
"Why the pass?"
"This morning, I found out I got into Yale."
"Mike! That's great! Congratulations."
"Thanks. My dad is pretty happy."
"That's wonderful. I'm happy for you too. I've gotten into
UW, but I'm still waiting to hear from DC schools – most
importantly Georgetown. I'm a little tired of inspecting
my mail chute to see if any letters got lost in it."
"Oh, I bet you'll get something soon."
"I hope so. I'm getting antsy."
After going through the cafeteria line, Mike chose a table
way off from the crowd where they could talk quietly and
without any inquiring minds listening in. He let both of
them eat some lunch before beginning his investigation.
"So it's good that we're finally getting together, Bella.
Too bad that it took Jacob Black to get us here."
"Yeah. Sorry about that." Her mouth went askew in
embarrassment, realizing that she needed to thank him
for saving her. "How did you get involved in that?"
"Well, I was walking out of Canon with my boss after
that caucus meeting this morning. Senator Cullen was
standing right outside, obviously staring at you and
Jake."
Bella's eyes bugged hearing Edward's name, but she
didn't dare utter it herself. "He was there? He saw?"
In an instant, Mike decided not to tell Bella his comment
to Edward. I wanted to help her, not him – he was an
afterthought. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Cullen
looked like he was about to launch himself at Black. I
don't know what came over me – probably I was worried
for you, considering what Jacob Black did to you the last
time I saw you two together. So I decided I should
interrupt your conversation with him – just to see what
was happening and give him a warning. It seemed like it
worked."
"It did work. I can't thank you enough. The conversation
was not going in a good direction, and you showing up
changed everything."
Mike chuckled. "That's good. So, Black thinks we're still
dating, right?"
"Pretty much." Bella smiled. "Thanks."
His face became more serious, and he arched a brow.
"But you're actually still seeing someone … else?"
They both knew whom he meant, but Bella simply
nodded. She wasn't sure how much she should say aloud.
Mike pressed further, "And how is that going?"
Continuing with a snicker, he concluded, "He's hella
possessive, so I would gather things are going OK."
"More than OK."
Speaking about her relationship with Edward with
someone other than their families made Bella blush, and
Mike noticed it. He was curious as to how much of a
couple they were. "Who knows about you two?"
Looking around their isolated table, Bella saw that it was
safe to whisper, "Um. Well, his chief of staff – Seth's a
friend of mine anyway, but also for legal reasons in case
anyone brings a sexual harassment claim; his family; my
dad; and a couple of family friends." Bella didn't want to
mention Senator Jane Volk.
"Wait. His family? Your dad?" Mike was incredulous at
the seriousness of the relationship. "For real? And
they're cool with it? They're on board?"
Bella nodded again.
"This is … serious then."
Still not wanting to elaborate too much, Bella nodded,
but added, "We're hoping we can be more open … after
the election … when there will be less scrutiny."
"You realize the odds of you keeping this secret for that
long are very slim, right?"
"I do, but we have a lot of … cover, if anything comes
out."
Mike cringed just thinking about it. "Cover is good, but
still … the basic facts … a senator and an intern … it just
looks terrible…"
"Believe me. I know." She shrugged. "Sometimes I think
he doesn't care anymore. I mean he does … of course …
he wants to keep his seat, but he's prepared himself for
the worst. And his mom is just unfazed by it all – like she
knows things will be OK. It's still odd to me. I don't know
if it's because they're so privileged or it's just stupid
hubris, but they don't dwell on how bad it could all be."
"Of course, they're not thinking about how bad it could
be – life won't be that different for them. They'll still be a
rich, powerful family – even if he is out of office for a
while. He can always run again, or someone else in his
family can."
"True."
Mike shook his head in dismay. "The person who it's
going to be bad for is you, Bella. You're the one who's
risking the most."
"I know, but … it's the right thing to do. I know it in my
heart. We're going to be together." She was revealing so
much that she knew she sounded like a blind fool – just
like every other woman involved in a hopeless affair.
Wanting to assuage some of his concerns, she smiled and
tried to make a joke. "Stranger things have happened."
"You're right. Strange things can happen. Let's hope you
beat the odds."
"Well, I've got some confidence in his sister, Rosalie;
she's vigilant about keeping things under wraps. She's
tough."
Smiling at the thought of Rosalie Cullen, Mike mused,
"She's beautiful; that's what she is." He laughed. "You
know, I'm still single. I need a date. Any way she might
be interested in me?"
Bella thought of Rosalie swinging from Irina to Mike.
Stranger things had happened. "Um. She's dating
someone right now, but I'll let you know."
"Thanks." His smile sobered, though, as he revealed to
her. "I've got to let you know that I was happy to help
you this morning, but I'd prefer to stay out of this from
here on out."
"Mike, you've already done way more than I would ever
have felt comfortable asking of you."
"As I said, I was happy to do it, but I just need to keep
my nose clean." He grinned. "But you can pay me back
one day."
"How's that?"
"Get me a date with Rosalie Cullen."
As soon as Bella got to the Cullen house that night,
Edward led her into the library, while the rest of the
family was off watching college basketball downstairs.
Edward had back-to-back meetings all day and had been
unable to talk with Bella about her encounter with Jacob
Black. Now in addition to the event itself, he was
irritated by the wait to learn more about it. They sat on
the sofa together, but at some distance because Edward
wanted to interrogate her about Jacob.
Bella was smiling, though, ignoring her boyfriend's
determined demeanor. She scooted over to him, tickled
with excitement. "I've got something that will put you in
a better mood."
Edward took a swig of his beer and shook his head.
"Doubtful. I've been pissed ever since I saw you with
Jacob Black this morning. And then having to let Mike
Newton – of all people – save my ass … I'm not happy."
Reaching into her bag, Bella pulled out an opened, large
envelope from Georgetown University Law School. She
smiled as she handed it to him, and Edward knew what it
was at once. "Bella, you got in! That's great!"
He was so visibly happy for her as he read the
admissions acceptance letter that Bella ripped the letter
out of his hands and hopped in his lap. Snuggling into
him, she kissed his neck. "I'm glad you're happy."
"I'm ecstatic. Why wouldn't I be happy?"
"I don't know. I've got to make a decision now. Plus,
you're pretty upset about Jake."
Edward's lip curled. "That's true. I hated seeing him with
you. I wanted to go over there and ask why he was
talking to one of my employees, but I thought better of
it."
"Huh?" Bella looked at him like he was an idiot. Why are
you so jealous? It's going to get us in trouble. "I'd like to
tell Jake to quit bothering me too, but it would only
make more problems. If you had done it, it would be a
thousand times worse. We would have been so exposed."
"I know. That's why I didn't do it. And I was trying to
think of something else I could do, when Mike Newton
walked up." Edward shook his head. "I owe him big time
now."
"Well, his coming over definitely did the trick."
"So tell me about the whole conversation from the top."
Bella relayed every word from her meeting with Jake.
When it got to the part about Jake saying he might leave
his wife one day, Edward exploded, "What?"
"I know. Can you believe it? I was shocked. I don't think
he's happy with her."
"That would explain why he's never given up on you."
"I guess so. I felt like I had to say something to make him
stop believing we could be together again. So I told him I
wasn't an option … that I was seeing someone."
Edward's brow furrowed in concern. "You did?"
"Yeah, and just at that moment Mike walked up. It was
perfect. You saw that Mike was there for only like 30
seconds, but it was enough to get the point across to
Jake. He wasn't happy. That was pretty much the end of
our conversation."
"I really do owe Mike."
"Well, Mike and I went to lunch today."
"Really?" Suspicion crept across Edward's face, and Bella
reacted.
"Please. Will you not be jealous for once?"
"That's hard for me." He scowled at being called out for a
very obvious failing
"Hard for you? Hard for you?" Bella was exasperated.
"Can you consider the crap I've had to put up with from
your antics with Senator Volk? Stripping in front of you!
Touching you. Please. Don't give me that it's hard for you
that I have a 30-minute lunch with someone who you
yourself said 'saved your ass' today."
"I know. But I'm sorry about Jane, and I've told you
that." Edward began to pout. "I think I'm so crazy about
it because no one knows we're together, so all these men
think you're available when you're not."
"But Edward, it won't always be this way."
"It feels like it."
"Let's talk about something else – something more
important. I need to make a decision about school."
"Right, so you want to go to Georgetown. You got in.
What's there to decide?"
"But we talked about it." She hesitated before saying,
"The worst case scenario is that you lose, and I'm in
school here. DC is the last place you would want to be."
"I don't think you should make a decision about your
education on my re-election. I'll be fine wherever you
are. And we should think positively about the election;
it's a tight one, but winnable." Remembering something,
he waited a moment before reluctantly admitting, "But I
have to tell you that Alice and Rosalie sat me down the
other day. They don't think you should be back home in
the Fall. If anything comes out about us, Alice thinks the
press will be a hundred times worse back home. The
local media will follow you everywhere. If you're here,
you're more isolated."
Bella hadn't thought of that, but her mind quickly leapt
to other result of such a situation. "Great. Then I can
have the national press following me everywhere – like
the Enquirer or something."
"True, but there would still be less of it." Edward didn't
mention that Rosalie had thought of the same thing and
concluded that she didn't care as much about national
press. Instead, he told her what he truly felt, "You should
go wherever you want. I'll be happy if you're happy."
With a long peck on his lips, Bella murmured, "Then I'll
go to Georgetown, and we'll both be happy."
--
In early April, Washington, DC was having an unusually
hot spring day. The forecast was finally warm enough
that Tanya Hamilton agreed to fly in for a special event.
At 7 AM that morning, she stood stark naked on the back
steps of the U.S. Capitol. Two miles away down the
National Mall at the Lincoln memorial, the immense
statue of President Abraham Lincoln had a fine view of
her bare ass.
The camera and make-up crew were scattered all around
her on the steps, checking the lighting and angles and
tending to her tresses and face. Tanya made one of her
trademark comments that coming from someone
intelligent would sound sarcastic, but coming from her
sounded like genuine idiocy.
"I'm not sure what angle you're going to use. But
someone needs to tell the PETA people that they're
probably going to have to do some airbrushing because I
only got waxed yesterday. I'm a little red and bumpy
down on parts of my butt." She playfully wiggled her
bum in the direction of President Lincoln. "You know
how that is."
More than one of the crewmembers around her averted
their eyes so they could roll them at her – as did the
PETA representatives. The PETA Communications
Director hurried the crew along. A very savvy
professional, the woman announced, "We've got to get
this shot in before the cops arrive. I'm sure whatever we
get, we can make it work. And we've got to get you ready
for the hearing later. We need to go over your
testimony."
Tanya whined, "But I wanna' look good."
Tanya's publicist snippily weighed in. She wanted the
publicity from the actual ad campaign, but not from her
client getting arrested for being naked in front of
Congress. "It's OK. Tanya. Let's go with it. If there's a
problem with the photo, we'll just slap the 'I'd rather go
naked than wear fur' banner right over it in the ad."
It turned out that in a few hours everyone was happy. An
advertisement of a nude Tanya Hamilton professing her
belief in animal rights was all over the airwaves, creating
great publicity for PETA and its cause. Tanya Hamilton
was happy that her butt looked good in the photo. And
PETA was pleased that Tanya hadn't completely botched
her testimony before the Congressional Animal
Protection Caucus's special hearing on fur labeling in the
United States.
The first person to be displeased was Alice, as her mouth
gaped reading the AP story on her Blackberry. The
second person was Rosalie, who instantly became irate.
She stormed out of Alice's office and screamed down the
hall, "Edward, get the fuck in here, now!"
In mid-conversation with Seth, Edward slowly turned his
head toward Rosalie. He was also enflamed with anger,
but he simply gave her the look of wishing her death. He
walked as leisurely as possible toward her. When he was
close enough for her to hear, but no one else, he bitterly
muttered, "This had better to be good for you to address
me in such a manner in my office."
"Oh, it is, dear brother. It is." Then to Seth, she
whispered, "Go get Bella."
"Isn't it kind of obvious if I do that?"
"Who the fuck cares? It's her last day in the office
anyway. She should hear it." Under her breath, she
added, "Bella is his girlfriend."
A minute later everyone was assembled in Edward's
office, and Esme was on the speakerphone.
Alice began with a summary. "This is about some
publicity stunts Tanya Hamilton has done for PETA this
morning, and some things she's said about Edward."
Esme's voice blared out of the speakerphone, "Now, I'm
in complete agreement with them. I got rid of all the
family furs twenty years ago. I hope everyone knows
that."
"Nice to know, Mom. I'll make sure the press knows,
too." Alice was so sarcastic because they had much
bigger issues than Edward's position on fur production.
Flustered with impatience, Rosalie demanded, "Cut to
the chase, Alice."
"OK. Here we go. This is from the AP story, but it's been
picked up everywhere, and my phone is blinking. I'm
sure reporters are calling for a comment.
"'Hollywood starlet Tanya Hamilton lent her body and
her name to the cause of animal rights today, posing
naked on the U.S. Capitol steps for the People for Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) longstanding advertising
campaign against fur products. She then testified before
the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus's special
hearing in support of fur labeling in the United States.'
"The story goes on from there, but here is our problem.
It's one of Tanya's quotes. 'I'm going to see my
boyfriend, Edward Cullen, later today. I'm sure he'll do
something about it. He's in the Senate, you know.'
"End quote." Alice looked around the room. "Anyone
have any bright ideas on how to get out of this one?"
Rosalie snarled at Edward, "Yeah, Edward. How are you
going to handle this ghost of girlfriends past?"
He scowled at her. "I'll call Tanya. And then I'm out of
here for the rest of the day and can't be reached for
comment. And per usual, no comment on my personal
life. Alice knows what to say." His eyes shifted to Bella
who was seething just as much as Rosalie. Shit. This is
just the kind of thing that she's been talking about.
Alice was terse. "Go get her to shut up. I've got enough
problems fielding all the press about the new ads
bashing the Cullen family that they're running these
days. The Black campaign is going to have a great press
day already just with Tanya calling you her boyfriend."
Rosalie agreed with Alice. "Exactly. There's your playboy
image again. Call her right now. I don't want Tanya's
bony ass …" Rosalie looked at Edward disapprovingly,
"Which she does have a bony ass, by the way. I looked at
that photo. Anyway, I don't want her bony ass in this
office. And I don't want her to say another word about
you."
Edward wanted to retort back, but he bit his tongue. She
sleeps with a woman for a few months, and now
Rosalie is an expert on women's asses. Instead, he took
charge. "OK. Everybody leave. I'll call her. Get Mrs. Cope
to get her number for me; I'm sure I still have it."
Realizing how horrible it all sounded and how terrible
Bella must have felt, Edward knew he had to say
something to her. "Bella, um … are you OK with this? I
just have to leave her a message. Maybe there's a bright
side … maybe we could spend the afternoon together?"
Bella was icy. "No. I have to work on my thesis when I
leave." She stood up and was the first one out the door.
While the Tanya fiasco blew over in the media that day,
Edward spent the afternoon at home with Esme and
Emmett. His brother couldn't get enough of the story.
When their mother wasn't around, Emmett immediately
commented, "So, I saw the photo of Tanya. Good for you,
Edward. I would have liked to have had her. She's got a
pretty nice body. Her tits look nice from the side." He
frowned a little as he further remarked, "Though her ass
looks a little bony."
"Did you talk with Rosalie?" Edward wasn't amused.
"Uh. No."
Grumpy with all the events of the day, Edward was short
with him. "I need to go do some work."
But even in his home office, he couldn't work. He felt
incredibly guilty about putting Bella in yet another
awkward situation. He knew he was in the doghouse
because she hadn't returned two messages. When Esme
wandered into his office, he was happy to have the
distraction. "Hi, Mom."
"Oh Edward, you don't look very happy."
"I'm not." Sourly he added, "And neither is Bella."
Esme smiled reassuringly at him. "I can understand that,
and I think it's time we talked about you and Bella."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Seven ~
Edward slumped back in his chair and turned it toward
Esme as she sat down on his office sofa. Running his
hand through his hair, he sighed, "What about Bella and
me?"
"Well, you know I've been supportive of your
relationship with Bella from the very beginning. I liked
her even before I knew you two were involved, but I have
been watching her over the months. I wanted to see how
she would handle the stress of being with a politician … I
wanted to see if she has the necessary mettle."
"And?"
"And I think she does. In fact, she's dealt with every
situation that has come up very well. She's grounded and
keeps a cool head. From what you've said, she's never
picked a fight with Jacob Black, no matter how awful or
strange he's been to her."
With more than a touch of reproach in her voice, she
added, "And despite the difficult circumstances and
unsavory … characters you've dealt with – like Jane Volk,
she's taken it all in stride. She's even agreed that your
responses have been politically necessary. Given her age,
I'm rather impressed with Bella."
Frowning, Edward thought of the cold shoulder he was
currently receiving from her due to Tanya Hamilton's
stunt that day. He felt guilty, but at the same time he
reasoned he couldn't be held responsible for Tanya
calling him her boyfriend. He questioned his mother,
"But what about today? Bella didn't like my response to
the Tanya problem."
Esme pursed her lips disapprovingly at Edward. "Today?
Well, everyone has their breaking point, dear. You
treated Bella very poorly. You didn't even acknowledge
that she was in the room – that she might take some of
the discussion personally. Instead, you immediately
jumped to the conclusion that you weren't going to
comment on your personal life to the press. That's a
nondenial – you're letting the public believe what it
wants about you and this Tanya person. That had to have
hurt Bella."
She shook her head further reprimanding him, "And
your comment that you were sure Mrs. Cope still had
Tanya's number was not helpful."
He winced at his own words. "OK. You're right about the
last one."
"If your father had done that to me, I'd keep him in the
doghouse for a while too."
Throwing his hands up, Edward justified the rest of his
actions. "But what else was I supposed to do? You agree
that it was right to ignore Tanya's comment? I couldn't
say the truth, 'No, I'm involved with someone else whom
I love dearly,' and then have them ask me who I'm
dating."
"Oh, I agree with that. Not commenting at all was the
right thing to do. In fact, I think Tanya's statement that
you're her boyfriend is actually helpful to you. It's a
deflection from you and Bella." Her voice became
earnest and emphatic as she continued, "But, Edward,
it's time to come clean. You two need to out yourselves
before someone else does."
Edward took a moment to comprehend what his mother
was saying. "What? After all of this trouble to keep it
under wraps? You want us to out ourselves in the middle
of the campaign?"
"Yes. As soon as possible. I want you to publicly admit it.
Admit all of it in a very public way and move on with the
campaign. It's the only way – politically and for the
health of your relationship with Bella."
Edward's mind raced through all the possible scenarios
that might happen from disclosing his affair with an
intern – no matter how much in love they were. Esme
didn't allow him to speak, though. She took a breath
before stating her prerequisite. "But I would counsel you
… and as your mother I would prefer it if you disclosed
your relationship with her in the form of announcing
your engagement. The public will be more forgiving of
your relationship with an intern if you intend to marry
her. They might even like the love story."
"Engagement?" Edward whispered the words as he
blinked repeatedly as if to find his bearings. He never
imagined his mother would be so presumptuous. She
had always avoided his personal life.
"Oh, I know. Normally, I'm not so direct, but I feel like I
must be."
"Well, I …" He considered the frankness of their
conversation and decided to tell his mother everything.
He declared with a smile, "Well, I'd be happy to ask Bella
to marry me tonight, if I thought she would say yes."
"Why won't she say yes?" Esme smiled at her son. "It's
obvious that you two are extraordinarily taken with one
another."
"She doesn't want to get married until she's 25. I hate to
say it, but I think that's a reasonable thought – even
though I don't like it."
Esme was momentarily silent as she meditated on Bella's
sound reasoning; she also counted the months ahead to
November 2 – Election Day. In short order, she came up
with her answer, "After her college graduation. You
should ask her after she graduates. Let her get that one
big rite of passage out of the way. You don't have to get
married for a while, but you'll at least be engaged. That's
a nice compromise."
"That's funny. I had considered engagement as a
compromise, also." He cocked his head to the side as he
focused on the urgency of Esme's request. "But what's
the hurry, Mom? I get your reasoning for getting it out
there – so we can all move on, but why the engagement
and why so soon?"
"Well, all mothers want to see their children happily
married. I'm no exception. And believe me – getting you
and Emmett settled down with nice women has been
something I've wanted for both of you for quite a while
now."
"But what's the urgency? Why can't this wait? You just
said we bought some time today with Tanya's little stunt.
I've got Jane Volk under control. Why are you in such a
hurry?"
"Edward." She rolled her eyes at the thought of
explaining the facts of life to her son. "As soon as you say
that you're engaged everyone is going to think she's
pregnant. The sooner we get it out there the sooner it's
obvious that she's not. If you announce your engagement
in June, then you've got 5 months before Election Day.
People will see in just a few months that she's not
pregnant, and they'll accept you as a real couple – not
some shotgun relationship. If you wait too long, it won't
be self-evident and the question will hang over the
election."
"Oh." It was a typical male response when faced with the
basics of reproductive biology. After a moment he found
some words. "OK. I'll think about it." Then he
remembered that he had one more marital issue with
Bella. "But there's another thing. Bella doesn't want to
take 'Cullen' as her last name." He frowned again. "I
don't like it."
"Well, why doesn't she want to take your name?"
"Principle … and … she thinks Bella Cullen sounds bad.
It's a stupid reason." Edward was grumpy again.
"Even though I'm old-fashioned, I can understand the
principle. After all, Alice kept her name. Hmm … When I
think about it, she's also right about how it sounds. 'Bella
Cullen' doesn't really work. Bella Swan Cullen sounds
fine, though. What about that?"
"She said she was fine with that when we had kids."
"Oh, she'll come around before then. I promise."
"How can you be so sure?"
Esme snickered. "Wait until she sees how much better
she's treated when she uses the Cullen name."
"Knowing Bella, that will make her even less likely to do
it."
"Well, when she sees how happy it makes you, then she
might change it – a nice gift for you."
Edward shrugged; he wasn't sure how much more he
wanted to talk with his mother about the topic. Esme
took the silence as an opportunity to finalize the
discussion. "Now I gave you Grandma Cullen's jewelry
case…"
"I know, I know. I'll look in it."
"There are a few things to choose from in there. But
please save some things for Emmett. He may soon need
a ring, also." Esme grinned as she said it.
"He had mentioned something about that to me. It's your
dream come true, right? Marrying off both of your
wayward sons?"
"Maybe. I'm allowed to be happy after all the grief you
two boys have put me through."
"That's true." Laughing at his mother he asked, "So do
you have any ideas on how I get out of the doghouse?"
"I suggest you grovel. It usually works." Standing up
Esme declared with a smile. "I feel much better now after
this little talk."
After his mother left the room, Edward found the jewelry
case he had stashed in a small closet. He rummaged
through the contents and soon spotted the frayed silk
box he was looking for. Taking the ring out of it, he
studied the large pear-shaped diamond which was
surrounded by fine, tiny diamonds and perched on
delicate diamond band. It's beautiful, but … big. Maybe
too big for Bella.
He still decided to keep the ring in its box in his top desk
drawer. After putting away the jewelry case, he brought
out the ring again for another inspection. He shook his
head. I want to give it to her, but what if she hates it?
He gently rolled the ring around his palm as he
ruminated on the matter. Then picking up the nearest
pen, he began a sketch of something he thought she
might like better.
--
The following month, Bella held her mortarboard hat
and diploma in each hand as she hugged Charlie after
her graduation. Husky Stadium was crammed with over
40,000 people attending the University of Washington
commencement, and it had taken her some time to find
Charlie. Of course, she first saw Jacob Black, standing
taller than the crowd and alongside Charlie and his
father, Billy.
Hanging in the back was Paul, Jacob's Campaign
Manager. Sam had refused to let Jacob go to such a
public event without a staffer. Paul was bored to death,
but he had to agree with Sam's conclusion. God knows
what Jake will say to somebody…
As soon as Charlie let her go, Jacob trapped her in a hug
picking her up off the ground. "Congratulations Bells!
I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks." Bella's reply was flat and uncomfortable, both
from Jacob's tight hold onto her and from the emotion
that rang in his voice. She wasn't the only one who
noticed it as Billy cleared his throat and Paul's face lit up
with alarm.
Extricating herself from his vice-like arms, Bella turned
at once to Billy and then Paul who respectfully shook her
hand. Just as she accepted their congratulations, Bella
saw Renee and Phil standing 20 feet away and waving to
her. "Oh, there's Mom. I should go over."
Charlie immediately agreed, but let her know, "We'll be
over there on the side. It's too crowded here." The truth
was Charlie never wanted to be anywhere near Renee
and certainly not when Phil was with her. So Charlie
walked his party far enough away that he didn't have to
see his happily remarried ex-wife.
Bella began walking over to her mother, when she felt an
abrupt strong pull of her arm – a pull that felt somewhat
familiar. When she looked up, she saw Edward pulling
her into his arms and inside a throng of screeching
graduates and their families hugging one another.
Wearing a UW purple t-shirt and a Seattle Mariners cap,
he blended in perfectly into the crowd. But Bella still
scolded him, albeit with a big smile. "What are you doing
here?"
"I wanted to congratulate you, so I stopped by." Edward
was beaming at her as he stole a quick kiss and brushed
her nose with his. "I'm only here for a minute. Trust me."
"Oh Edward, I love you." She sighed as she said it,
wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
"I love you, and I've missed you. I should leave now,
though, before … well, you know. But can you come over
… next weekend when I'm in Forks? I've got a campaign
event in the area, so I can spend the night at the house."
"Of course. My mom and Phil will still be in town, but I'll
make an excuse."
Then Renee's voice piped up over the clamor around
them. "Oh, you don't need to make an excuse. I
understand." Renee's maternal intuition about her
offspring told her exactly what was going on, and she
was quite pleased with the situation. "Are you going to
introduce us, Bella?"
Bella was terrified as she pulled away from Edward to
face her mother. Oh my God. Do I tell her his name?
"Hello Mrs. Dwyer. I'm Edward Cullen." With his hand
extended and a smile on his face, Edward exuded charm.
"Well, hello Edward. It's very nice to meet you. I'm
surprised that you know my name."
"Yes. Er … in my line of work, you've got to be good with
names. It's practically a requirement. But Bella has told
me a lot about you and your husband. I'm a baseball
fan."
Renee eyed his Mariners hat. "I see that. Let me
introduce you to him."
Bella thought her life was unraveling before her eyes, yet
she saw Edward was unruffled by the scene. She stared
at him, her eyes full of questions. What are you doing? I
can understand meeting my mother, but with 40,000
people around and Charlie back there? Shit. Jake and
Paul are back there too!
Edward simply shrugged and grinned as he began
shaking Phil's hand and introducing himself. As the two
men began talking baseball and Renee studied Edward's
finer features, Bella reconsidered the situation. Maybe
this isn't the worst place. Edward is pretty incognito, all
things considered. She looked around her and couldn't
see Charlie and company.
Within two minutes, Edward claimed that he was late for
work that day and needed to run. After an exchange of
goodbyes and a quick kiss for Bella, he was off. At once,
Renee eyed Bella suspiciously. "So now I know why
you've been hiding him from me. I wouldn't want to jinx
things with him either."
Bella's eyes widened as she babbled, "Oh … yeah … um …
I don't know …"
And then the politically unaware Renee asked the
question that made Bella feel much more at ease. "You
met in Washington, DC at your internship, right? What
was it that he does in the office again?"
"Oh, he kinda' runs it. No big deal." Bella smirked as she
said it. Her eyes darted over to Phil who seemed none
the wiser than Renee. Of course. Neither one of them
cares about politics. Renee doesn't even know the
difference between a Congressman and a Senator.
As Renee started talking about where they might go for
dinner that evening, Bella was pleased and relieved. That
was a close one … I guess we're OK, though.
But they weren't OK. While Charlie, Billy, and Jacob
talked amongst themselves down the way, Paul had been
walking the ramp in a vain attempt to get a cell phone
signal and a quieter spot to talk. As he walked around
annoyed, he stopped abruptly when he saw something
out of the corner of his eye that stunned him. He thought
he saw Edward Cullen give Bella Swan a kiss on the lips
before disappearing into the masses of graduation gowns
and UW regalia.
Paul's heart raced as he confirmed to himself that he had
in fact seen Edward Cullen just seconds before and that
he had witnessed him give Bella what was most certainly
not a platonic kiss goodbye. He stared over at the site of
the incident. Bella Swan stood there talking with her
mother and her husband. Bella definitely got kissed by
someone. He knew that for sure. Was that really
Edward Cullen? It seems too good to be true…
He shook his head remembering that campaigns were
very often won and lost on events that were too good to
be true. It happened all the time. Straightaway he called
Sam and relayed the events.
Sam responded with shock and excitement. "Are you
fucking kidding me? I can't believe it."
"I can't either." Paul then reported what he saw so
quickly that Sam made him repeat himself twice, before
asking conclusively, "And you're sure it was Cullen?
Kissing Bella?"
"Yes." Then beginning to doubt himself, Paul amended
his statement, "Well, I'm pretty sure. I wasn't that close.
It looked like him … a lot, but he wasn't dressed normally
at all. He was in a baseball cap and a U-Dub t-shirt."
"Jesus, Paul. There must 20,000 guys there in baseball
caps and U-Dub t-shirts."
"I know it sounds shaky, but I think it was him. And it
definitely was Bella – that I'd lay good money on."
"I need more information – especially from the inside of
Cullen's office. We need to know if there have been any
suspicions …"
Sam paused a second at that word because he had been
curious about Bella for some time. Could Bella be having
an affair with Cullen? Is that why he wouldn't leave
when Bella and Jake were talking that day? Is that why
Bella was with Seth on Christmas Eve, driving around
in what had to be a Cullen family car?
It made Sam giddy to think about, but he didn't want to
get too far ahead of himself. Then he remembered the
news from the month before. "But didn't that actress
Tanya Hamilton call Cullen her boyfriend recently …
when she did that ad for those animal rights freaks?"
"She did. And we all thought Bella was dating Mike
Newton. But I'm pretty sure, I saw Edward kiss Bella.
That I know, but I have no idea what it means."
Sam shook his head and declared, "We need to watch
Cullen's every move from now on."
"But I don't want the campaign's hands on this at all."
"Of course not. I'm gonna' call Aro. We can find out what
we can on our own, but Aro should do most of the work
here. If there is something to what you think you've seen,
then Aro is the one that should feed it to the press."
"Absolutely. All we do is wait."
"In the meantime, do not tell Jake. I repeat do not tell
Jake. He will flip his shit, and there's no telling what
crazy, fucked-up thing he'll do."
"Do you think I'm an idiot? There's no way I'm telling
him."
"I don't think you're an idiot, but we need to do
everything to keep it from him. Jake has to be the last
person to find out about this. Only when we have all the
facts and a plan in place do we tell him."
"Got it. Not a problem. Knowing Jake, he'll probably
shoot the messenger, so you can be the one to tell him."
After Sam ended the call with Paul, he immediately rang
Aro himself, bypassing his usual go-between, Aro's
staffer, Felix. This was such sensitive information he
needed to go to the top. He was in luck that Aro actually
took his call, but it was only after Sam told his assistant,
that it was an urgent matter.
Aro replied to Sam's hello with a question. "Heidi says
this can't wait. What's so urgent? I'm going to see you at
that RNC fundraiser soon."
Sam blurted it out in one breath. "We think Edward
Cullen is having an affair with an intern … well, I
suppose now she's a former intern, but still."
"Well, well, well." Aro leaned back in his chair in
satisfaction. "It's always nice when something like this
happens … except when it's with one of ours, of course.
So why do you think this? What happened?"
Recounting all of the events that made him suspicious,
Sam saved the best for last. As he detailed Paul's
encounter, Aro remained silent. A brilliant man, who
remembered every detail of every candidate he
supported, Aro first addressed his side's own weakness.
"Please tell me this is not the same girl who Jake got in a
fight with on the street last year. Please tell me it's not
that intern."
"Um." Sam had completely forgotten that Aro knew
about that. "Yeah, actually it is."
Aro rolled his eyes. "Of course it is. We couldn't be so
lucky that Cullen would simply be with some nobody."
Contemplating all the ramifications of Jake's
involvement with the girl, Aro waited a few seconds
before continuing, "I will look into it. We will dig deep
into Cullen, and if there's something there, we will get it
out. Jake must be managed though. This is a delicate
situation. How Jake reacts publicly to the news will be
very important. The story could turn into a stupid one
about a salacious love triangle, rather than one about
Cullen being a sleazebag who's sleeping with an intern."
"Don't worry. I've already told Paul that Jake is the last
person to know. If something does come out, we'll make
sure he sticks to his talking points."
"Good luck with that." Aro grumbled thinking, about
how loose mouthed Jacob Black was with the press. "His
honesty is endearing him to the public, but boy, does he
say some dumb shit."
"I swear I'll have Jake under control. He'll shut up. After
all, he could win the election on this news alone."
"Yes he could." The thought made Aro smile again at
their potential good fortune. "Indeed, he could."
--
The following week Bella pulled up to the Cullens' home
outside of Forks and saw Edward sitting on the front
porch in one of the weathered Adirondack chairs. As she
walked up the porch steps, they said hello, and she
noticed the picnic basket and blanket at his side.
"What's that for?"
"Well, I wanted to have a celebratory dinner … for your
graduation … just the two of us. It seemed like a picnic
somewhere around the house would be the only way for
us to be alone."
"That's sweet of you. Thanks."
After a round of kisses made fonder by their long
absence from one another, Edward stowed Bella's bag
and led her down a path to the right of the house. As they
entered the woods, Bella asked, "Where exactly are we
going on this picnic?"
"Well, there's a nice meadow about a half a mile from
here. Believe me, I wish we could go somewhere along
Hurricane Ridge, but there are just too many people up
there this time of year." He looked at her with a grin and
added, "And I want some private time."
"Am I going to like this private time?"
Bella had said it flirtatiously, but Edward responded in a
serious tone, "I hope so."
The couple picked their picnic spot in the middle of a
field of wildflowers, ablaze with the colors of lupine,
paintbrush, shooting stars, and many more. After dinner
and downing an entire bottle of champagne, Edward
found the nerve to ask what he had wanted to ask for so
long.
"Bella, I've been thinking about some things for a while
now."
"Yes? What's that?"
"Well, remember when Tanya pulled that stupid stunt?"
Bella muttered sourly, "How could I forget?"
"I know. It was bad, and I was wrong to have treated you
that way. I made that clear, right?"
Remembering how sweet he was in his contrition, Bella
smiled and placed her hand at the nape of his neck
caressing the short hair there. "Yes, you were sorry, and I
accepted it." Then she chuckled, "I still don't like her
though."
"Understandably. I still don't like Mike Newton, even if I
do owe him one." He then took her left hand and gently
stroked her fingers. "I just wish, Bella, that there was
something between us that I could point to … that you
could point to … that showed how much I love you.
Because I do, Bella. I love you with all my heart."
Bella was unsure where the conversation was going, and
her heart picked up its pace in anticipation of the
unknown. She felt the love in Edward's voice, though,
and responded in kind. "And I love you, sweetie."
Sliding his hand into the front pocket of his jeans, he
pulled out his grandmother's diamond ring, but he didn't
show it to her yet. He swallowed hard as he gazed into
the doe eyes he adored, and he asked the question
joyfully and emphatically, "It doesn't have to happen
next year. It can wait as long as you want, but Bella
Swan, will you marry me?"
She drew in a breath appreciating the moment – both
the question he had asked and his happy eyes searching
for her response. She responded confidently, seriously,
but with a smile, as she knew the answer in both her
head and her heart. "Yes. … Yes, I will, Edward."
Then throwing her arms around his neck, she asked
herself aloud, "How could I not?"
"Oh, Bella, that's how I feel about you." And with that he
kissed her, sharing with her more joy in that moment
than either could have imagined.
After a minute, Edward
pulled away, saying, "I want
to give this to you," as he slid
the ring on her finger.
Bella gasped at the beauty of
it, but was also taken aback by the size. "Oh my, Edward.
It's beautiful, but … but it's too much."
"Too much how? Too valuable? Too big?"
"Well, it's amazing. I've never had anything like this."
"But you should. This is yours. It's been in my family
forever."
"But Edward …" Bella was dumbfounded by the dazzle of
the ring.
"It's yours, Bella. You're the rightful owner."
"Oh my God. I … I don't know what to think."
Tipping her chin up so he could look into her eyes, he
put her at ease, "I want you to have it, but if it's
something you're not comfortable with … wearing all the
time, I have something else."
Bella smiled with curiosity, "What's that?"
"I … made something for you. Well, I didn't actually
make it. I just sketched what I wanted it to look like and
then had it made. I thought you might like it as another
option. It's more discreet."
And with that he pulled out yet
another diamond ring from his
pocket. This ring, though, was a
fine filigree of a circular vine of
platinum and diamonds. He slid
this one on her index finger, complementing the glittery
ring to its left. "It's your choice. … I didn't know how
visible you wanted things to be…"
She almost purred as she remarked on the ring, "It's
perfect, Edward. It's just what I would want." Then she
smiled at him. "It's not like I don't like the other ring. It's
just that it's going to take a while for me to get used to
wearing something like that."
"Is it too visible?" Edward began to worry about the next
conversation he needed to have with her – the one about
outing themselves. He hadn't planned on having it that
day, but he would if there was an opportunity.
"Yes … but also no." Her brow furrowed as she felt the
hurt again that had built up in her over the months. "I
wish … I wish we could be more visible. I'm tired of
hiding. And I truly hate that the world thinks you're
dating Tanya Hamilton." She thought she might sound
whiny, so she tried to make light of it. "It kinda' bums me
out."
Edward chuckled. "It bums me out too." Then he seized
the opportunity. Stroking her cheek, he said, "Esme
thinks we should come clean. We should come out – just
get the news out there and move on with our lives. She
thinks it would be better for the campaign and for us. It
would be a very tough going for us – for a number of
months. But I think she has a point."
"Really?" Bella was shocked, but the reasoning had
merit. "What does Rosalie say?"
"Oh, I'm sure that Esme hasn't asked Rosalie for her
opinion."
Bella smirked thinking about his crafty mother. Esme is
very, very astute. Somewhere in the back of her mind,
Bella recalled the first time she met Esme – and the story
she had told of how she and Carlisle had confronted their
own problems with their relationship. It jogged another
memory – a memory of Edward and her sitting on
Charlie's couch and talking about marriage. He had had
an idea; maybe it wasn't a bad one.
But we can't do that … I can't do that. Yet despite the
rules she had set for herself and her vow to her mother,
Bella jumped to a conclusion out of the blue and that
simultaneously made no sense at all and all the sense in
the world. Because my life isn't turning out as I
expected, and I want to be with him. I don't want to be
with anyone else … ever.
Leaning into Edwards, Bella's lips met his with a short,
but deep kiss. She added a quick peck and a smile that
came from her heart. Then she made a surprising
proposal of her own. "Maybe we should just elope?"
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Eight ~
"Elope? … You want to elope?" So shocked by Bella's
suggestion, Edward felt the need to say it repeatedly to
make sure he had heard her correctly.
"Well … maybe … you had mentioned it once back in
December … and maybe it's not such a bad idea."
He gave no audible response. Instead, he crushed his
mouth to hers with a kiss of exuberance and intensity.
After a moment, he pulled away murmuring, "I think it's
a great idea."
"If you do say so yourself." Bella giggled and nuzzled his
nose.
"What made you think of it?"
"The whole idea of us coming out. If we were to out
ourselves tomorrow, we would be engaged, but there
would still be whispers – like it was an engagement of
convenience. And people will think that I'm pregnant.
Even when it turns out that I'm not pregnant, they could
say that we're just engaged for show and that we'll break
it off right after you get re-elected. If we're married, we'll
be taken more seriously."
"You're right, but Bella, people are still going to think
that you're pregnant, regardless if we're married or not."
"Oh I know. We can't get around that. Yet when it's
obvious that I'm not knocked up, I'll still be your wife."
"Yes. I like the sound of that – you'll be my wife…"
Finishing neither his sentence nor his thought, he kissed
her again.
Bella laughed. "I can tell you're smiling as you kiss me."
"I am. I couldn't be happier."
"Wait. Isn't Rosalie going to go ballistic, if we do this?"
"Fuck Rosalie." He snickered, thinking about how irate
his sister would be at the news.
"So … maybe we should go to Idaho. Lots of people do.
There's no waiting period. We could even drive there …
tonight."
Edward skewed his mouth in thought for a moment.
"Hmm. … No … I don't think we should. We should do
this quickly, but not rashly."
"OK. I get it. We're eloping, but it needs to look
respectable."
"Exactly." Then he casually ventured, "So, do you
remember Judge Clements?"
Rolling her eyes, Bella groaned as she remembered the
Judge happening upon the two of them in flagrante.
"How could I forget him?"
Immediately, putting two and two together, she
exclaimed, "No! I know what you're thinking. Absolutely
not. I can't be married by someone who has heard us
have sex. That's too weird. I'll be so embarrassed."
"Bella … he doesn't care. Trust me. He doesn't think
anything of it."
"Right. That is such BS – like he didn't think it was
funny."
"Well, of course he thought it was funny … who
wouldn't? But he doesn't think you're a slut or anything.
Quite the opposite. He knows how much you mean to
me."
As usual, Edward's sincerity caused Bella to melt. She
gave him a kiss. "I love you."
"I love you, too, darling." After that, he knew he could
win the debate. "Think about it, Bella. Judge Clements is
the perfect choice. He's a family friend, and his
reputation is impeccable. He'll help keep things quiet
beforehand and stay on message afterward."
"Well, maybe. But are you sure he would do it? He seems
pretty reclusive. This would cause him a lot of negative
attention."
"Um … I … sort of already asked him." Sheepishly, he
shrugged his shoulders in apology for being so
presumptuous.
"What? When?"
"When we were at his house, I just asked him if I ever
needed a favor, would he do me the honor … We didn't
talk specifics, but he knew what I meant."
Bella shook her head. "Oh Edward, what am I going to
do with you?"
"Marry me?"
"Of course, I said I would." She smiled and gave him a
peck. "OK. So we go with Judge Clements. Where do we
get married? At your cabin?"
"Yes, but not inside … someplace else on the property.
Esme's rose garden is nice this time of year."
"Don't we need a witness? I remember he had a dog, but
I bet we need a human."
"Oh … I've thought of that too."
"How long have you had this planned?"
"I wouldn't say I've had it planned because I didn't
expect you to say yes so quickly. I just have been
thinking of contingencies depending on how things
played out."
"You're incorrigible. So who is our witness? Esme?
Because I'm sorry, but I can't have her there. As much as
I love your family, I can't get married with your family
attending, but not mine. I wouldn't like it, and my
mother would kill me."
"No, no. Not my family. That's no fun." He winked at
her. "It's not really an elopement if you tell your family
you're doing it."
Bella smiled and climbed on top of him so that she was
kneeling over his chest. She smirked before giving him a
kiss. In a breathy voice, she asked, "Edward Cullen, can
you not even get married without being naughty?"
"Eloping is sort of naughty, isn't it?"
"It's kind of respectable and naughty at the same time."
"Very fitting. That's the story of my life." He kissed her
quickly before adding seductively, "I can't wait to get
naughty with my wife."
"I don't know about that … can you be naughty with
someone you're married to?"
"I certainly hope so. As Jasper says, we'll have a license
for it." Edward pulled her flush with his body, and they
shared a slow, slick kiss.
After a minute, Bella murmured, "Aren't we planning our
elopement?"
"Yes … I suppose so." Raising her up, he sat cross-legged
and positioned her in his lap. "Now where were we
before you distracted me?"
"You said you had a witness."
"Oh, that's right. I'm sure I have two witnesses."
"Who?"
"Alistair and his wife, Clare."
Bella was surprised. "Are you sure? We ate dinner with
them that one time, but would he risk himself further for
you?"
"Are you kidding? He'd do anything for Carlisle's family;
we're like his own kids. And frankly, he'd get a kick out of
it. Any bad press he might get, he'd turn it into good
press by making jokes of it all."
"I can see that. It could be fun politics for him. And
having both him and his wife there makes it even more
respectable." Thinking it over, she continued, "They're
sort of like substitute parents and grandparents all rolled
into one."
"Our parents might be a little more forgiving with them
there."
"So … when then? When do we do this? And how?"
"I think that if you decide to elope you do it as soon as
possible, don't you?"
Smiling she nodded, "I think you're right."
"Well, before we do anything, we need to contact Jenks
… our family lawyer. We need help with logistics so that
we can keep this quiet."
"If he's your family lawyer, won't he tell the rest of your
family?"
"No. I'll make sure he knows he's only representing me
on this matter."
"So how does he help with logistics? He's here, isn't he?"
"He comes to DC occasionally when he has to. The first
thing we need is a marriage license. West Virginia has a
three day waiting period."
She shook her head in amusement at his preparatory
research on the matter. He acknowledged her response
with a smile. "I told you back in December that I had
done some research. Anyway, although I should be less
conspicuous in West Virginia, we need to both get in and
out of the state separately, unseen and unnoticed. I'll get
Jenks working on that. Maybe the Judge also can help
with finding the least nosy county clerk."
"Do we have time? You're leaving tomorrow, and I'm not
flying back until Monday."
"That's OK. We'll get out there on Tuesday, go back to
DC, wait our three days, and get married on Saturday."
He smiled. "At least the three days gives me some time to
get things planned and you to get your trousseau."
Bella returned the smile. "I suppose I need to find a
white dress."
Brushing his nose with his finger, Edward announced,
"Jenks will get you a credit card. No more worries about
money, OK?"
"Isn't it kind of weird that you would buy my wedding
dress?"
Edward rolled his eyes. "Alright. This will be the last
time, though. Drain your bank account. Buy the dress
yourself, but nothing else – no more after that. I'm
serious. Jenks deals with the accountant who handles
our money, and he'll give you a credit card and a
personal bank account. From now on, please put my
great-great-grandfather's ill-gotten gains to some good
use."
Shifting in her seat, Bella didn't want to acquiesce just
yet. "I'll think about it."
"Eventually, I'll wear you down. It's only a matter of
time."
"After we're married, I'll give in."
"We're talking a matter of days here."
"We'll see."
"Alright, I need to ask one more thing, though. It matters
a lot to me."
"Sure."
"Please don't make me wear a tux … or even a tie. If we
were in a church or even the Judge's chambers, it would
be one thing, but outside … at our cabin …"
"A tux? Of course not! That's not you at all." She gave
him a quick kiss. "I'll make sure my dress is appropriate
for a rose garden in the summer."
"Wear whatever you want. You'll be beautiful no matter
what."
"Oh, Edward." Unable to control her bursting heart,
Bella gave him another kiss – a much longer one this
time. Then she asked, "So what about wedding rings?"
Taking her left hand, his thumb grazed over the two
rings on her hand. "This one … the band … might make a
nice wedding ring."
"I like that idea." Bella stared at the filigree ring on her
finger. "Do you care what yours looks like?"
"Not at all. I'm not really a jewelry kind of guy, but I'll
wear my wedding band happily."
"Good. I'd like anything to discourage all these women
who are after you."
"That's something you should never worry about –
whether or not I'm wearing a wedding band." With a
note of precaution, he suggested, "I think you should
work with Jenks on getting the band, though. He'll help
you out with all the shopping, so that it can't be traced to
us."
"OK. But this seems far beyond the average family
attorney's role."
"It is. Don't worry. He's well compensated and never
complains. We trust him implicitly."
Momentarily shy about the subject of a honeymoon,
Bella looked up at Edward through her lashes. "So after
the wedding, we'll stay the night at the cabin?"
He responded by kissing her hair, murmuring, "Out in
the country … under the stars … I can't think of a better
honeymoon."
"I can't either." She kissed his neck.
"Then … in the morning … we'll drive back to DC the
next day to tell our families."
"Drive back in the same car?"
"Absolutely." He grinned. "We'll be husband and wife.
Who cares?"
"Won't Alice want to manage the press on this? I mean …
just telling our families is going to be crazy."
Then it hit Bella, as she thought of the person who would
have the most crazed response. "Oh my God. What about
Jake?"
Edward smiled at the image of his opponent
spontaneously combusting at the news. "What I wouldn't
give to be a fly on the wall when that he finds out…"
"But Edward, I should tell him. He can't hear it in the
press or even from Sam or Paul. I should be the one. I
owe him that."
"Maybe." Edward soured thinking Jacob Black might be
let down easy, so he added, "We have time to work these
things out."
"OK. I'd rather not think of that right now anyway."
Actually, I never want to think about it, but I guess I
have to.
Nuzzling into her hair, he declared, "Let's just think
about getting married."
"Happily."
"I'm excited. I get to give you a wedding gift."
"Oh yeah, what's that?"
"You're getting a car – next Sunday. I'll have it at the
house. You can give the truck to Charlie." Or send it to
the junkyard where it belongs.
"Edward, a car? You're getting me car? That's so
extravagant. No!"
"I told you. I'm only extravagant with cars." Chuckling,
he amended his statement. "But now that I have a wife, I
might be extravagant with other things, also."
"Do I get a say in what kind of car?"
"Tell me what color, but that's it. The only thing out of
this entire mess we've created for ourselves that will ever
make Rosalie happy is if I buy a car she wants to work
on."
"But I want an electric vehicle or at least a hybrid."
"Er … Rosalie only does combustion engines … besides
you've spent the last however many years polluting the
earth with that hunk of junk you drive. You can live with
biodiesel for now."
Bella griped, "Oh … OK. Rosalie is never going to really
like me, though."
"She likes you as much as she likes anyone. On Sunday,
she's going to like me even less – which is hard to
imagine. If I lose this election, she's not going to forgive
me for at least a decade."
--
The following evening Felix checked in with the private
investigation firm, Collin and Brady, to see how their
work on Edward Cullen was coming along.
"Anything new for me?"
Mr. Collin was apologetic. "A little, but not a lot. We
couldn't get anything out of Tanya Hamilton's
management, so we tracked her down – she was walking
out of a bar. Our guy asked her if she was dating Cullen.
She giggled and said they were quote 'still good friends'
end quote. Then she ran off with one of those vampire
guys. So we know Cullen is no longer with her, but we're
having a hard time linking him with Bella Swan."
Felix grumbled at the slow pace. "What else?"
"Well, both in DC and Washington, he's kept pretty
boring habits. He doesn't even go out to dinner."
"Where was he last night? It was a Saturday night. He
must have gone out."
"No. He's out in the sticks outside of Forks. Had some
campaign event in the area earlier in the day. Then he
went to his family's house."
"Did anyone visit the house?"
"Not really. Our guy down there just saw a couple of
pick-ups out front."
"That's not very specific. Who drove the pick-ups?"
"Um. We didn't check. Why would a girl drive an old
pick-up?"
Felix's nostrils flared. "I need you to get your game on
here. This is ridiculous. I want to know every last step of
this guy. I want to know every person who comes to his
house. And you need to get to Bella Swan. Talk to her
roommates … former co-workers … anybody. I'm calling
again in 48 hours. I want a better report."
--
That same evening, Bella's phone rang, and she knew the
caller immediately. Edward had prepped her.
"Hello. Is this Mr. Jenks?"
"Indeed. Good evening Ms. Swan. I've just had a lengthy
conversation with Edward who shared with me the good
news. I know you'll be very happy together.
Congratulations."
Still accustomed to receiving congratulations for her
graduation, Bella didn't blink at first. Then she was
shocked. Oh my God. He said, "Congratulations,"
because I'm getting married. Wow. This is for real.
"Thank you. … Um … It's still sinking in."
"I'm sure it is, and I'm here to make things easier."
"Well thank you."
"Not a problem. First, I've arranged to have you fly out
early tomorrow morning to Seattle."
"But my flight doesn't leave until the evening."
"I'm sorry, but we don't have much time. We need to
rearrange things. Your connecting flight to Washington
Dulles is now in the afternoon."
"Alright then. I guess."
"Good. A Super Shuttle van will arrive at your house
tomorrow morning at seven. I hope that's not a problem.
I apologize about it being a van, but I thought it wouldn't
look out of the ordinary."
"You're right. It's what I use if my dad can't take me, and
he'll have left for work by then."
"That's what I assumed. At the airport, please go
immediately to the Hertz car rental. There will be a car
there waiting for you. I'll meet you in the Bellevue
Neiman-Marcus on the third level in the personal
shopping section. I've arranged that we have a private
room to discuss logistics for the week. Afterward, I'll
leave, and a personal shopper will take care of whatever
you might need. Our entire visit and all transactions will
be kept entirely private."
"Thank you. I was a little worried about how to buy
everything without my roommates noticing."
"Yes, I'll have everything sent to West Virginia. And, I
understand that there is one purchase that you want to
make yourself. I've been instructed that all other
purchases must go onto the Cullen account. I'll have a
credit card sent to your DC address by Wednesday.
Edward was very firm about this."
Admitting defeat, Bella sighed. "Fine."
"He did say that the name on the card and your new
bank account should remain your maiden name, Isabella
Marie Swan. Is that correct?"
Bella grinned. I love my husband.
--
On Tuesday morning, Bella walked into the Pocahontas
County Clerk's Office in West Virginia. Standing to the
side, Edward read the local paper and looked like the
proverbial everyman of the county in a plaid shirt and
jeans. He lifted his eyes to Bella's and smiled. "My bride
has arrived."
Scanning the room to see if anyone was looking at them,
Bella walked the few steps over to Edward. Not one of
the other two people in the room paid them any
attention at all, so Bella answered, "And here's my
groom."
"How was the trip out here?"
"Fine." She kissed his cheek and whispered, "Actually, a
little odd. Jenks had me take three different Metro lines
just to get to Metro Center. I eventually met him inside
the Marriott parking garage. It felt like a scene out of All
the President's Men."
"I drove myself, but Jenks made me take a similar route
to get to the rental car – minus the Metro, though."
"Yeah. You taking the Metro would be a sure sign that
you were up to no good."
A familiar West Virginia brogue made both of them turn
their head. Judge Clements held a door open for them
and happily announced, "Eddie, Bella, I see you're ready
for Shirley now. She'll take care of you."
--
That night, Felix called Aro. "Collin and Brady suck.
They suck. Who found these guys? Sam? These guys
couldn't sniff out taco in a taco truck."
"Felix, can you calm down?"
"Sure. I'm just saying they're getting me nothing. They
lost … completely lost both Bella Swan and Cullen today.
They let them totally fall off of their radar. That's
inexcusable."
Aro's ears perked up. "They lost them? … At the same
time? That's curious."
"I don't know if it's curious, but it's boneheaded."
"Well, have they found anything?"
"Yeah, well something. We know for sure he's no longer
with that actress chick."
"Any other women?"
"None at all."
Chuckling at the thought of the playboy with no one to
play with, Aro remarked, "Now that is something."
"I agree. On another subject, they got a tip that when
Cullen was in the Navy he shot some Somali dude point
blank – murdered the guy. The Somali had just killed his
best friend … Alec something or another. Anyway, it
might be useful. Remember when Bob Kerrey caught all
that grief for killing civilians in Viet Nam?"
Aro shook his head at the phone. "Uh yeah, but we're not
going there unless we're desperate. I don't want to talk
about his military record. The odds of it backfiring
against us are very high. The country is still in the middle
of two wars. The public might be sympathetic to him."
"Well then, we have very little. We still need to connect
those two."
"Keep these stupid hounds hunting. What's going on
with the girl and Mike Newton?"
"We're stuck. He's on some two-month trip to Africa
before law school. They could still be dating. Who
knows?"
"Well someone knows. She's a 22-year-old girl. She has
to have friends that gossip."
"One would think. She seems to be pretty shy, though –
not many friends. I've got them working on roommates
and other interns from the office."
"Fine. Get them cracking. In the meantime, I'm going to
see what I can find."
"Really?" Felix was surprised that Aro would do any
digging himself. "Who are you going to talk to?"
Thinking of a particularly steamy night in Palm Beach,
Aro replied nonchalantly, "Oh … a lady friend of mine…"
--
On Saturday morning, Jenks dropped Bella off at the
Cullen cabin before he went over to Judge Clements
place to report that Bella had arrived. Bella hesitantly
poked her head inside the front door of the cabin,
"Hello?"
Clare Makenna's voice came from inside the house.
"Hello Bella! Come inside. Don't worry. It's just us girls."
As Bella walked in, she noticed the difference in the
rooms. Flowers were everywhere. The dining room was
properly set for a romantic dinner for two. She looked
out the French doors onto the patio, and another table
was set for six for what looked to be a post wedding
brunch. When she finally made it to the kitchen, she
found Clare busily cooking.
Greeting Bella with a soft Georgian fluttering voice, Clare
offered her welcoming congratulations. "Good morning
Bella. It's so nice to see you again and on such a happy
occasion."
"Yes, it's good to see you too. Thank you for coming out."
"I wouldn't miss this for the world! So I've got your
dinner marinating now. I hope you like lamb."
"Oh Clare, this is too much. Thank you. Really, you're
incredibly kind, but …"
"No buts. I would never forgive myself, and Esme
certainly wouldn't forgive me if I left this day up to
Edward."
"But Clare …"
"Please. It's my pleasure. Edward asked me to get some
flowers for the place. I just happened to think of a few
other things that might be nice."
"Well, thank you again."
"It's been fun too. I have only one daughter, so it's nice to
help with another wedding. Now all of your things are
laid out in the first bedroom on the right.
I steamed your dress.
It's gorgeous, by the
way – and perfect for
a hot day like today. I
also made a bouquet
for you and a boutonniere for Edward
out of Esme's roses. That will make
her happy."
Checking her watch, Bella deduced her time to primp.
"So I've got an hour, right?"
"I'm guessing you want to wear your hair up. I can get
you a few flowers if you like … maybe something blue?"
Bella tried not to blush as she thought of the racy blue
panties she had planned to wear under her dress. "Um …
sure … flowers would be nice. Actually, I think I've got
everything else – old engagement ring, new dress … um
… something blue. I'm just missing the borrowed part."
"I thought that might be the case." Reaching her hand
into the pocket of her pink linen dress, Clare pulled out a
lacy handkerchief. "So I've got a hankie for you."
"You're amazing. You've thought of everything."
"If I haven't, I will by the ceremony. Alistair wouldn't be
a senator without me thinking ahead his entire career."
Bella smiled at the smart woman before her. "That's
usually the case, isn't it?"
When it came time for the nuptials,
Clare had everyone in place before Bella
walked out the few
steps from the
house across the
patio and to Esme's
garden. Edward
caught his breath
before smiling at the sight of his
bride in her silk charmeuse dress,
which discreetly showed some skin
and leg while still being formal
enough for a wedding
announcement in The New York
Times. Bella thought Edward dashing in his casual suit,
sans tie, but with a matching red
rose to her bouquet.
Standing in the center was Judge
Clements and his dog, Hero, and
off to the side stood Senator
Makenna and Clare. Of course, ever
the Southern gentlemen, the two
elderly men dressed for a summer
day and wore seersucker suits in
different shades. Jenks stood in the
background with a camera, trying to be unobtrusive.
The actual ceremony was short, legal, and very, very
sweet. Edward couldn't have said his vows with more
enthusiasm and determination, and Bella recited hers
intently, but with misty eyes. Even though she already
had seen the combination of her now wedding band
alongside her engagement ring, she let out a giggle of
delight. And Edward grinned with appreciative surprise,
as Bella slipped on his finger a masculine ring that had
an engraving of the same vine on the ring he had made
for her. When the time came to seal the marriage,
Edward pulled her to him and she placed both hands on
his face before they shared a loving kiss.
After Jenks had taken a round of photos depicting a very
respectable, romantic, and – above all – official wedding,
the six sat down to Clare's elaborate brunch.
Sneaking a piece of Virginia ham for Hero, Judge
Clements commented, "You know, Mr. Jenks, I've never
known an attorney to provide so many services to his
client. You're a combination attorney, photographer,
chauffeur, personal shopper, jewelry maker, and spy. I'm
sure I'm missing something."
A man of few words, Jenks summed up his work, "I have
a varied practice." He then cleared his throat before
announcing, "I hate to break the festivities, but we need
to all talk about the unlikely, but possible situation that
the press is tipped off before we choose to contact them.
I want to make sure that everyone here is on the same
page."
Edward spoke first. "Personally, I'd prefer it if no one
comment until we tell our families and talk press
strategy with Alice and Rosalie."
"That's very understandable. As a mother, I would like
that courtesy." But decades of Yellow dog Democrat
politics made Clare add, "But I also think that if the press
calls before you're ready, either Judge Clements or
Alistair should make a statement."
The Judge exclaimed, "Hell yeah, I'm talking if asked –
only if asked, mind you – but I'm talking. I always give
my opinion."
"What will you say?" Edward smiled, but he also dreaded
the response.
"Oh something like, 'Yesterday morning, I was proud to
perform the marriage of a longtime friend. In the
afternoon, I went fishin'."
Everyone laughed at the Judge's statement, and Senator
Makenna jovially responded, "Mine will be similar. I was
happy to stand up for a Senate colleague and family
friend. If you want to know about the dress or the
flowers, ask Clare."
With everyone still chuckling, Bella asked Clare, "And
what will you say about that?"
"I'll bore them to death with every last detail of your
dress, hair, flowers, and rings." She then winked, "And if
Jenks let's me, I might leak a photo."
Edward twisted his mouth, hating to bring up the
elephant in the room. He looked at Bella apologetically
before asking, "And what if someone suggests it's a
shotgun wedding?"
"Pshaw. I'm a judge in West Virginia. I've been to plenty
of shotgun weddings; I've officiated shotgun weddings; I
know a shotgun wedding when I see one; this wasn't a
shotgun wedding."
Alistair agreed laughing, "I'd just comment that despite
the bride's father's rights under the Second Amendment,
there was no need for firearms at the ceremony."
After brunch, Judge Clements left for his house with
Bible and dog in hand, while Clare ordered Alistair to
help her with the dishes. Bella and Edward used the time
to square away with Jenks the following day's
announcement of their wedding to their families; it
would be a feat to keep it orderly. When everything was
taken care of, the newly married couple bid their guests
farewell.
As soon as they were out of sight, Edward lifted Bella off
the ground, spinning her around and yelling, "You're my
wife, we're alone, and for the rest of our lives, we don't
have to hide anymore!"
"I know!" Bella kissed him hard before asking, "Why
didn't we do this sooner?"
"Oh God. Don't you dare revise history here. I had this
idea a long time ago."
"But I came up with it at the better time."
"Are we going to debate everything?"
"Yup. For the rest of our lives."
Edward put her down and kissed her joyfully. As his
hands wandered up her bare back, he touched the
tendrils of her hair, damp from the heat. He murmured,
"Maybe we should go for a swim. You haven't been to the
swimming hole, yet."
"Sure. Let me get my suit."
Raising his eyebrows mischievously, he countered, "I
don't think that's necessary today."
"Really?" Bella was still surprised by their newfound
freedom.
"Really."
When they reached the large deck jutting out into the
partially dammed creek, Edward began unbuttoning his
shirt. Bella looked to the assorted outdoor furniture,
finding a chair to lay her dress on. Having ditched her
ridiculously expensive stilettos at the house, she only had
her dress to worry about. Just as she reached behind her
neck to undo her halter, Edward corrected her, "No. Not
a chance. That's my job."
Smiling at her husband, Bella silently turned around.
As Edward gently dropped the dress
down so she could step out of it, his
eyes bulged at the sight of her blue
panties. "Oh, my naughty bride."
Bella impishly explained, "I was
supposed to wear something blue."
Edward's hands ghosted over her
curves and the blue silk. Admiring
his wife, he asked with a groan,
"You won't mind if we're outside for
our first time."
"Not at all." She turned to face him with a smile. "I think
it would be nice."
Picking her up at once, he grinned as he took her to the
large, double-size lounger, which was only slightly
raised. He placed her on the cushion, and on her knees,
she unbuckled his belt as she stared into his eyes, saying,
"Let me help you with this."
"I'll take your help every time." Reflexively, he thrust his
pelvis toward her, as she coyly stripped him of his
clothes.
Pulling her naked husband onto the lounger, he lay back
as Bella climbed atop him, only wearing her blue
lingerie. She positioned herself, both so that he could
admire her breasts and so his erection was perfectly
situated flush against her sex.
Edward laced his fingers into each of her hands and
smiled at the image of his beloved bride happily waiting
for whatever might come next. "Seeing you like this, Mrs.
Cullen, is rather hot."
Bella arched an eyebrow. "Mrs. Cullen?"
"Only in bed." He smirked. "How's that for a
compromise?"
She answered with a breathy reply, "That's fine. Kind of
fun actually, Mr. Swan." And with that, she leaned
down for a kiss, while rubbing her sex back and forth
over his length. In minutes, her wet panties clung to his
cock. Edward declared the lingerie still very nice, but
now very much in the way.
He slipped them off of her, and Bella seized the moment.
With their smiling eyes joined, she straddled him, slowly
taking him inside her. While Edward appreciated the
depths of her he could feel in this position, he wanted to
be closer to his wife. He sat up, and she instantly
wrapped her legs around his hips and pressed her chest
to his so they were as close as possible.
Relishing the combination of sex and joy, Edward smiled
at the woman he loved, who finally was his wife. "I love
you, Bella."
~*~
Chapter Link:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/nv/neva
da_senate_angle_vs_reid-1517.html
~*~
 ~ Chapter Thirty-Nine ~
The following morning, Bella and Edward were giddy as
they sped down Interstate 66 through Virginia, getting
closer and closer to Washington, DC. It wasn't just the
speed of 75 miles per hour that gave them a rush; it was
also the awareness they felt being out publicly as a
couple – albeit in a car at high speed. Edward had been
checking his messages, which were mostly annoyed pleas
of, "Where are you?" from Alice and Rosalie. Yet when
his cell rang and saw it was Senator Jane Volk, he
actually took the call.
First respectfully acknowledging Bella, he put the phone
on its speaker before he spoke. "Good morning, Jane.
How are you? I'm sorry I didn't get back to you
yesterday."
Jane purred into the phone, "I'm good, Edward,
although things always get better when I talk with you."
Bella sneered with hatred at the phone, and Edward
simply shook his head apologetically before he quickly
admonished Jane. "I've got you on speaker because I'm
driving … with my family." He winked at Bella, who
smiled.
Annoyed at Edward's businesslike attitude, Jane
snipped, "Pull over and take me off speaker. I need to
talk with you about my Idaho border security
amendment on the approps bill."
"OK. Just a second." Edward muted the phone and said
to Bella, "She actually does want to talk work. She's been
trying to get me to vote for this stupid thing for weeks
now. The vote is on Wednesday, and I need to get her off
my back."
Immediately taking the next exit and driving straight
into a gas station parking lot, he took the call again, but
not before increasing the volume. He wanted Bella to
listen to both sides of the conversation. Staring out the
window, he announced firmly, "Jane, I'm sorry, but my
position hasn't changed. I can't vote for that
amendment."
"Edward, this is important to me. It was a campaign
promise. I'm not sure when I can sneak it in again."
"But you're not up again for two years. You've got plenty
of time."
Jane's voice became sharp, "Edward … I'm counting on
you for this one. I need your vote."
"No Jane." Becoming irritated by her persistence on this
and all other matters, Edward snidely commented,
"There's no way I'm taking money away from the Port of
Seattle, which actually has real national security threats,
to fund some of your crazy, bigoted Idaho militias. If I
had it my way, I'd sic the ATF on them, because they
probably obtained most of their guns and explosives
illegally."
Bella suppressed a giggle and gave Edward a nod of
approval. But on the other line, Jane's blood boiled at the
slam against some of her most devoted constituents.
"Edward Cullen, take that back now."
"No. It's the truth." Realizing he needed to make some
amends, he softened it by adding, "Come on, Jane. I
accept it when you can't support my bills. Please do the
same for me."
"This is different."
"No, it's not."
Jane Volk always got her way in life, and she was tired of
Edward being the one person saying "no" to her. "Do I
have to remind you that you are in no position to reject a
request from me?"
Edward's eyes opened wide in anger. "Do I have to
remind you that you're in no position to ever threaten
me like that?"
"Oh really? Who has more to lose?"
Catching a glimpse of his wedding ring, Edward smiled
at his wife before answering, "At this point … I might say
you, Jane"
"What does that mean?"
"Just speculating. … Jane, you're playing a dangerous
game here. Drop it."
"Hmpf. I'll think about it." Her line clicked, as she ended
the call in a huff.
Bella asked timidly, "Is she going to be a problem?"
"Not any more than usual … if she knows what's good for
her." Edward squeezed Bella's hand and rubbed his
thumb over her wedding band, a constant reminder of
their new found comfort in the world. Without saying
another word, he tapped on his phone a few times so that
it rang his mother's line.
"Hi, Mom."
"Hello, Edward. Are you back from your fishing trip with
Alistair yet?"
"Almost. I need you to call a family meeting in an hour at
the house, and please tell Alice to get Seth there too. It's
important."
Esme grinned the biggest grin since she found out she
was going to be a grandmother. Her intuition told her
that a formal engagement was in the works. "So … are
you going to make an announcement?"
Smiling at Bella, he happily answered, "Yes. Bella and I
have something to tell everyone."
The closest human sound to a mother hen's cluck came
out of Esme. "I can't wait! I'll go do it right now. Bye,
Edward." Then making a good guess, she added, "And
goodbye, Bella."
Initially shocked by the all-knowing Esme, Bella soon
smiled at Edward before quickly replying, "Goodbye,
Esme."
After they ended the call, Bella asked Edward at once,
"Do you think she knows?"
"She doesn't know that we're married, but I'm sure she
knows something. She always knows something."
--
In less than an hour, Edward and Bella entered the
house together hand in hand. Before any morning
greetings were said, Rosalie barked, "Why haven't you
returned my calls? Why is there a new BMW in the
garage? And above all, why did the two of you just pull
up together? What the fuck is going on?"
Esme placed her hands on her hotheaded daughter's
shoulders, "Now Rosalie, calm down. Let's all sit in the
living room before you interrogate your brother. I'm sure
he'll answer all of our questions."
Edward smirked at his sister. "That I will."
The entire family plus Seth assembled on the sofas and
chairs. Before Edward could say a word, Alice spotted
the diamonds on Bella's hand. She gasped out loud,
before she turned to Edward's left hand. The sight of his
wedding band made her exclaim, "Oh my God! You
eloped!"
The reactions around the room varied.
Like any good staffer, Seth kept his emotions in check
when dealing with his boss. Of course, he was shocked at
first, but his heart soon warmed to the happy couple
before him. Then, he quickly got back to work on the
necessary political triage as he sorted out all the
implications for his boss. Wow. This changes
everything.
Emmett shook his head and snickered. "Well Goddamn
it, little brother. I didn't think you had something like
this in you." He peered over at the rings on Bella's hand
and commented, "Nice set of rocks." Upon seeing the
ring Edward had chosen for her, he secretly became even
happier. While Bella had received the sentimental family
engagement ring, Leah would now be getting the much
bigger diamond still in the jewelry case.
Still reeling at her discovery, Alice took her hand off her
big, pregnant belly and placed it on Jasper's hand. She
looked him in the eye before resting her head on his
shoulder, mewing, "I feel sick."
Jasper clenched his wife's hand as his smiled widened at
his brother-in-law and new sister-in-law. "Well, hot
damn. Congratulations!" Then he kissed his wife's hair
and whispered, "I think it's a good thing, darling. They
didn't have any good options. Why not take the one that
makes them happiest?"
Alice also saw the joy radiating from Edward and Bella,
and she couldn't help but join them in it. "Please, don't
get me wrong. I am happy for you two – really I am."
Almost jumping out of her seat with glee, Esme babbled,
"I'm so happy! I'm so proud of you two. This is just like
Carlisle and me. I want to hear all about it. Oh, I can't
wait to see the pictures!" Then she said what sounded
more like a warning than a question. "You do have
pictures, don't you?"
Edward nodded, "Of course, Mom. Jenks took them."
As Esme eagerly clapped her hands in anticipation,
Edward turned to Rosalie who had been quiet.
Staring Edward down, she snarled, "What. The. Fuck? I
swear to God you are trying to lose this race."
"Now Rosalie, that is no way to speak to your brother
and your new sister-in-law." Esme disapprovingly shook
her head at her daughter. "I will not have it. Even
Carlisle would put aside politics at this moment."
Slightly chastened, but really more undone by the
situation confronting her, Rosalie hung her head down.
She rubbed her temples, as she tried to dampen her
anger to focus on the upcoming damage control.
In the meantime, Jasper had gone over to the bar to grab
bottles of champagne and Emmett's celebratory drink of
choice, tonic water. Handing out the crystal flutes, the
room erupted in hugs and cheers, as questions flew
through the air of how they had pulled it off. Everyone
admired the rings, but they were far more impressed
with the wedding story. As the impromptu party swirled
around her, Rosalie, deep in thought, continued to press
her fingers into her forehead.
Jasper was the one to confirm what no one yet had
asked. "So you're going public, correct?"
Bella and Edward smiled at one another before he
nodded cheerfully, "Of course! As soon as possible."
Alice giggled, "It's going to be one hell of a news day, and
I'll love it."
Rosalie lifted her eyes long enough to take in the news,
but then glanced downward again, calculating the next
political moves. After giving her family enough time to
hear Bella and Edward tell all the details of their
wedding tale, she piped up with a determined smile.
"OK. I've thought about it, and I'm fine with it.
Congratulations."
Bella looked anxiously at Edward, but soon understood
that Rosalie felt the same way about her as she always
did, which was just fine. Edward gave Bella a reassuring
smile before he sourly muttered to his sister, "Don't
knock yourself out there, Rosalie."
"Don't worry. I won't – although I have to admit that I'm
intrigued by this challenge. I don't know if a politician
has ever tried to avert a sex scandal by eloping. Let's see
if it works."
"I wouldn't call my marriage to Bella as my trying 'to
avert a sex scandal'."
Giving Edward an uneasy look, Bella shrugged, "I think
that's what people will call it, Edward. Rosalie is right."
Rosalie always loved hearing she was right about
something, and she grinned appreciatively at Bella.
"Thanks Bella." She gave Edward a simpering smile. "I
like your wife. She's smart."
"Smarter than you … and a better person."
Knowing that Rosalie and Edward could go after it all
day long, Alice interrupted the squabble, "Can we talk
about the announcement strategy?"
"Well, I'd like to tell my parents first, of course. I want to
call my mom, but Edward and I have talked. We're going
to tell Charlie together."
Esme smiled. "Lovely, then I'll place a call to him also.
I'll tell him the truth – Carlisle would be so happy our
families are connected."
Very matter-of-factly, Rosalie commented, "Good move
on both parts. We need Charlie standing beside you and
Edward at the press conference."
Bella sucked in some air. She had hoped that a full-
blown press conference could be avoided, but she
understood if they thought it necessary. "OK. My mom
and Phil will want to be there, too." But I have no idea
how we get Charlie there. He may feel like it's a
campaign stunt.
Thinking of the campaign reminded Bella of the name
that had weighed on her since she and Edward became
engaged the weekend before. She blurted it out to get it
off her chest, "Jake. As for Jake, I don't want Jake
finding out from the press. I need to tell him."
Edward hadn't discussed the matter again with Bella, but
he had thought about it. He didn't like the idea at all.
"Bella, I know you feel that way. And honestly, I'm
saying this not because he's my opponent, but I don't
think you should tell him. I worry for your safety. He's
volatile. He's grabbed you before when he was jealous.
We don't know what he would do."
"I don't think he would hurt me – really I don't. He
deserves to hear it from me."
Emmett responded under his breath, "He deserves to be
knocked upside the head for treating a woman that
way…"
"Oooh. I love the idea of Bella telling Jake herself."
Everyone in the room turned to Rosalie who was
grinning with anticipation of the spectacle.
Edward glared at her as if she had threatened Bella's life.
"Why in the hell would you say that?"
Rosalie kept her smile. "It's a brilliant idea. It will defang
that stupid dog. I want Charlie there too, so they can tell
Jake together. Obviously, Jake still has feelings for Bella
– she can play to his emotional side. Maybe he won't
come after you as hard, if she softens him up."
Seth hadn't said much until then, but he had to jump in.
"Rosalie is onto something. I'd get Billy there too. That
way Charlie can appeal to him also."
Bella agreed, "It's a really good idea."
Looking around the room for support, Edward found
none. Every member of his family was nodding in
agreement with Bella and Rosalie. Esme summed it up.
"Tactically, it's very smart." Realizing that she might
sound too mercenary, Esme glanced over to Bella. "It's
also the decent thing to do."
Edward sighed in defeat, "OK. But only because Charlie
will be there." Then he looked aside at Bella. "And I
won't be far away."
Alice had been scribbling notes as the debate went on
around her. "I think we should handle things this way.
Bella calls her mom right now, and we get them to
Seattle tomorrow. All of us fly out to Seattle tonight, but
Emmett, Edward, and Bella continue on to Forks."
"Do I get to go to Forks to pick up Leah?" Emmett was
happy that she might be included in such a public family
event.
Shrugging, Alice admitted, "Sure, but I was really
thinking you should be there in case Edward does
something stupid."
As Emmett chuckled and Edward growled, Alice
continued, "So first thing tomorrow morning, Bella and
Edward tell Charlie, and Esme does a follow-up call.
Bella and Charlie then tell Jake and Billy a few hours
later. In the meantime, I will have pitched The Seattle
Times an exclusive interview with you two that will run
the next day. That way the full story is out when we hold
our press conference the next morning where you
answer all questions. We need to get the whole story out
on our terms, but we've got to give the media more
information rather than less and sooner rather than
later. We're not hiding anything anymore."
Emmett snickered. "So in that sequence you just laid out,
when does the shit hit the fan?"
"The moment the reporter calls Jake's camp for a quote."
Alice had laughed as she said it, but she looked at Bella
and Edward and sobered up. "Of course, then they'll
begin investigating every last thing that happened in the
office, trying to figure out if Bella is pregnant, … and
then start probing Bella's past."
Shifting in her seat, Bella admitted a little sheepishly, "I
don't really have one of those."
"But you do have roommates. You need to talk to them
after you tell Jake." Rosalie was adamant as she
continued, "You need to keep them quiet … and that guy
you dated before Edward. You should find him, before
the reporters get to him."
"Luckily, Mike is in Africa for a couple of months."
Bella was thankful as she said it, and Edward said her
unspoken thoughts. "Good for Mike. He doesn't need to
be caught up in this."
Not liking the somber mood the room had taken on,
Jasper clapped his hands together, "I, for one, am very
happy to be caught in this. Two wonderful people have
gotten married."
Bella smiled at Jasper's sincerity. "Thanks Jasper." She
looked up at Edward and remarked, "I think it's time to
tell Renee."
Getting out of his seat, Edward extended his hand. "If
you don't mind, I want to come too. After you explain
things to her, I'd like to talk with her."
"Thanks. That's nice of you, and I'll probably need some
help." Bella stood up and gave him a kiss. "You're a sweet
husband."
Esme almost bounced in her chair in excitement, "Oh
Bella, I would love to meet your mother. Can I introduce
myself?"
--
Later that evening, Aro Marcus rolled off of Jane Volk, as
they both panted from their second round. The smell of
sex mixed with the lingering scent of disinfectant
common to every Courtyard Marriott. Aro had
specifically asked for the rendezvous to be outside Dulles
Airport in Virginia so that they wouldn't be noticed
together. After a grueling day of twisting senators' arms
for votes, Jane was happy for the distraction. What she
didn't know was that the sex was secondary for Aro; he
was there for the pillow talk, and he wasted no time for
it.
Holding her in more of a platonic rather than romantic
way, he asked, "So Jane, we're friends. I hope you don't
mind me asking something of you."
"Not at all."
"Please don't be offended."
Jane looked up at him with curiosity. "Why would I be
offended?"
"Well, some women might find it insulting."
"How so?"
"Well, I'm guessing that you've not really been faithful to
your fiancée."
Laughing at the fact that she was naked in bed with Aro,
Jane inquired, "What makes you say that?" Not letting
him answer her rhetorical question, she commented, "I
like the fact that Smythe and I are engaged. I like that
I've found someone to have kids with, but I'm not quite
ready to settle down. Don't worry, though, if you're
concerned about my re-election. I'm very discreet."
Aro had to chuckle, thinking that the conversation might
be easier than he expected. "So I'm guessing if you're
discreet, you stick with your Senate colleagues – men
who have just as much to lose as you?"
"That's right." Jane gave him a wicked smile.
"Have you ever crossed party lines?"
"Yes … that's not unheard of …"
Then Aro bluntly went to the meat of his inquiry.
"Pardon me if this is too forward, but have you ever been
with Edward Cullen?"
Jane couldn't help but sneer a little hearing Edward's
name; she was still angry with him from the morning.
"Hmpf. Well, yes, but who hasn't?"
"Funny you bring that up. I was wondering if you knew
any of his other … companions." Then deadly serious, he
laid his cards on the table. "You know I'm heavily
invested in that Washington race. And we have a lead
that he's been with an intern this year. Do you know
anything about it? I wouldn't ask if the race weren't on
the line. We could take the Senate with that seat."
In the end, Edward's opposition to her amendment
weighed little on her mind when she replied. Instead
party loyalty made her divulge the truth, yet even Jane
Volk felt slightly ashamed betraying a colleague. She
turned her head aside and looked blankly out the
window, as she announced, "I believe her name is Bella."
--
The following morning, Charlie Swan ate his Grape-Nuts
as if it were cud, slowly chewing it as he ran through all
the potential reasons his daughter was unexpectedly
back in town. Her call the night before was unsettling
because he knew something was amiss. The cop in him
kept coming back to the one thing that was out of the
ordinary in his daughter's life that was otherwise
seemingly "on track". Of course, her involvement with
Edward Cullen stood out.
Over the months since Christmas, he had heard brief
snippets of Bella spending time with the man. When she
would mention him, Charlie would often ask how Esme
was doing, and because Bella always had a detailed
answer, he had warmed slightly to the relationship,
thinking maybe it wasn't so unrespectable after all. Yet
he would still warn his daughter, "I know you're being
cautious, but I just want to say again – don't get involved
in his campaign. That's a whole can of worms I don't
want to get into."
So Charlie wasn't surprised when Edward entered the
house right behind Bella. After the perfunctory morning
greetings, the three settled in the police chief's living
room. Bella fidgeted on the sofa in anticipation of the
potential disaster. She didn't expect the conversation to
go as smoothly as it had with Renee.
Once Bella flatly denied Renee's immediate conclusion
that Bella was pregnant, Renee then made a half-hearted
complaint about her being so young for marriage. Bella
spent most of the conversation explaining simple facts –
what a senator was, who Edward was, how he was up for
re-election, and the scandal of it all. Surprisingly, Renee
quickly caved as she heard the love and joy in their
voices; listened to the details of the wedding;
remembered how poised and handsome Edward was;
and more than anything else, considered his
wherewithal. All in all, Edward Cullen was a catch for her
daughter, and Renee wasn't going to get hung up on her
age. Besides, she was excited about the idea of a press
conference.
Charlie was another matter. He stared them down before
bitterly asking the accusatory question, "You're
pregnant, aren't you?"
"Jeez. Dad. No." Bella rolled her eyes, hoping to play
down her embarrassment.
Then Edward launched into a soliloquy. "Chief Swan,
Bella and I are married. I realize that I haven't gone
about this in the traditional route. I mean no disrespect;
I did tell you at Christmas that I wanted to marry her.
But Bella is an independent person, and I didn't want to
diminish her choice in the matter. So instead of asking
you for her hand, I'm asking for your blessing. We eloped
on Saturday and were married by a family friend who is a
federal judge, with my father's best friend, Senator
Alistair Makenna and his wife Clare, acting as witnesses.
It was a very respectable wedding. I love Bella more than
anything in the world, more than my own life and
certainly my career, and – by some miracle – she loves
me that way too. Will you give us your blessing?"
Charlie sat in silence maintaining his expressionless
stare. His eyes flicked down to the rings on their hands.
His eyebrows rose at the number of diamonds now on
Bella's fingers and the band on Edward's left hand. After
a moment, he commented, "You told me you wanted to
marry her. You told me you wanted to earn my blessing.
But you also told me you were going to wait until after
the election. What made you change your mind?"
"I wanted to, Dad." Bella's voice was strong as she
claimed her own ground as an adult. "It was the right
time. There was no reason to wait."
"Hmpf." Charlie looked around the room, taking in the
situation before assessing, "Well Bella, you certainly
have made your life more complicated than it needed to
be, but it is your choice."
To Edward he declared, "You have my blessing – not
because I think this is a choice Bella should have made,
but because you've acted as honorably and honestly as
you could given your situation, which is something I
always admired in your father. I see you take after him."
He then muttered under his breath, "Don't you dare
screw it up."
As if she was on cue, the phone rang beside Charlie with
Esme Cullen greeting him, "Charlie? I'm so glad to hear
your voice. Isn't it wonderful news?"
While Esme chatted up Charlie about the wedding and
how happy she knew that Carlisle would be that their
families were connected, Bella looked at Edward and
sighed in relief. He simply squeezed her hand before he
kissed it. They sat quietly listening to only one half of the
conversation, but knowing that Esme was asking Charlie
to attend the marriage announcement the following day.
Even though it was something he would never want to
do, Charlie agreed because he simply couldn't say no to
the woman.
After he hung up the phone, Bella knew it was time to
make the last request of Charlie – as if asking him to
bless the elopement of his only child to a man 10 years
her senior and to participate in a nationally televised
press conference was not enough. Bella held her breath
as she asked, "Dad, will you help me tell Jake the news?"
--
Climbing into the cab of his truck, Edward left Bella
alone with her father to organize their meeting with Jake
and Billy Black. As he drove to pick up Emmett, he
listened to his messages. There was only one from Alice,
saying, "Call me now. I just talked with the reporter. He's
received a tip about you and Bella."
Edward yelled into the phone, "Fuck!"
The word was no sooner out of his mouth than the phone
rang with Alice on the line. "I got tired of waiting for you,
so I called again. Did you get my message?"
"Just now. Tell me everything that happened."
"I called to pitch Stu Rosenberg the interview. He
listened to my whole spiel about your relationship with
Bella, our family histories, and your elopement. Then he
said something like 'Well, this is very interesting. I was
planning to work on a story today abut Senator Cullen
because I just got a tip this morning that your brother
had an affair with an intern. I thought the story was
going to take me a couple of days to work up, but it
sounds like you're going to hand it to me – or at least
hand me your brother's side of it.' So I asked if it was
from Jake's campaign, and he said no that it was from
another source not affiliated with the campaign, but of
course working against you. When I said it must be Aro
Marcus, Stu didn't deny it. Anyway, I told him that he
would be able to ask you and Bella any question that he
wanted. We would arrange an in-person interview by
mid-afternoon – just as soon as you could fly back from
Forks."
Alarmed, but still under control, Edward inquired, "So
Jacob Black's campaign has to know. Does Jacob know?"
"I have no idea."
"OK. Well, this is a wrench in our plans, but not the end
of the world."
"Do you have any idea how someone might have figured
this out? Were they following you? Oh God. Did they get
on the property at the cabin?"
"They may have been following me, but I doubt they
were there. Jenks was very careful in orchestrating how
we got in and out of there. He also paid a bunch of good
ole' boys an exorbitant amount of money to guard the
property. I saw one of them – he looked like he was
straight out of Deliverance. There's no way anyone
would have crossed him."
"So where did things break down?"
Venom practically spewed from his mouth, as Edward
answered without a question in his mind. "Jane Volk."
"Oh my God. I can't believe it, but I guess I can. Rosalie
will roast her alive in the press."
"Yes, Jane knows not what she hath wrought."
--
As if Bella had not been nervous enough at the thought
of telling Jake and Billy, she was sure she was going to
puke when she learned that Jake might already know.
Edward had changed their plans, so that now he and
Emmett would be parked across the street in case there
was any trouble. The only person who seemed to be
taking it in stride was Charlie oddly.
He kicked back on his recliner, reflecting on how his
world had upended itself. "I never have been involved in
politics, but now I'm smack dab in the middle of a
firefight. This is more excitement than I ever wanted in
my life, but it's sort of interesting."
Bella looked askance at her father, sarcastically
remarking, "Thanks Dad. That's really comforting."
The moment that Jake entered the house, Bella knew he
was completely oblivious to her marriage. He gave her an
even bigger than usual bear hug. It was obvious that he
thought it was a good thing that he and his father had
been called over to an abrupt meeting at the Swans'.
Bella was dismayed, though. He must think we need his
help in some way, or maybe I want to work for his
campaign, or some other of his delusions.
Sitting in a side chair so that she didn't have to be next to
Jake on the sofa, Bella collected her thoughts as the men
sat down. It was then she noticed that she had forgotten
to take off her engagement ring. She hadn't wanted to
seem like she was flaunting her new wealth to Jake.
Unfortunately, Bella's eyes on her hand brought Jake's
there too before he even sat down.
The sight halted all of his movements. He didn't breathe
or even blink. Bella looked up at him and saw his face
turn red and then a rouge bordering on purple. When he
finally moved, he rocked back on his heels as if he might
pounce. Bella also stopped breathing, terrified by him.
Billy knew his son was about to erupt, but he wasn't sure
about what. He quietly said, "Jake, calm down. Tell me
what's going on."
Charlie saw the scene for what it was. Moving next to his
daughter's chair, he put his arm around her, as he said,
"Billy … Jake, we've got some good news. Bella has
married someone – someone she loves who loves her – I
truly believe that. And I'm happy for her for that reason.
I hope you can be too, although I know it will be hard."
Jake spit out his assumption. "It's that black guy. Isn't
it?"
Bella shook her head, whispering "no" before she took a
deep breath. She promised herself she would be the one
to tell Jake whom she had married. Firmly, but
pleasantly she declared, "Edward Cullen and I got
married this past weekend. I've been seeing him since
last fall. I'm sorry that I've lied to you, Jake, but there
was no other way, given the realities of the situation."
Blinking rapidly as he absorbed her words, a silent sneer
slowly curled Jake's lip upward. Then he shouted,
"Edward Cullen! Edward fucking Cullen! How dare you?
How could you? You little bitch…"
Charlie kept one hand on Bella's shoulder as he held up a
hand as if to back Jake off. "No, Jake, don't you dare.
You need to accept this like a man."
Billy nodded at his son. "Charlie's right, Jake. You're a
better man than this."
Jake's breathing became rapid, but he seemed to settle a
bit at least enough to nod toward Bella's hand, "So it's
the money, isn't it? That's why you're with him."
"Of course, not. When have I ever cared about that? I
can't believe you would say that …"
The sneer came back to Jake's face. "Well, I can't believe
you at all …" He motioned his father toward the door
before saying, "I'm leaving now."
As Jake turned his back on them, Billy looked
apologetically at Charlie and whispered, "I'll work on
him." To Bella he said as graciously as possible, "I'm
sorry that it's turned out this way, Bella, but I wish you
luck and happiness. You've always been like a daughter
to me."
"Thanks, Billy."
Before Billy closed the front door behind him, Bella
could already hear Jake's voice on the phone, "Paul, get
Sam … now." What she didn't see was Jake spy the truck
across the street with his political opponent and
romantic rival sitting in the cab. Edward saw Jake look
at him. In response, Jake simply shook his head in
disgust before getting in his own car and speeding away.
--
The day only became increasingly surreal for Bella as she
sat in a borrowed pantsuit of Alice's while awaiting The
Seattle Times reporter to arrive at Edward's office. She
sat there worrying about the fact that she hadn't been
able to reach any of her roommates. I just hope no one
else has either. Adjusting the suit, she wished she had
been able to go back to her apartment before they left the
night before.
Edward held her hand, which had started to sweat. He
stroked her hair, trying to ease her mind, "It's OK, Bella.
Everything is going to be OK."
"How can you say that? This day just gets worse and
worse."
Edward shrugged, "I don't know. I talked to Esme, and
she's fine. She's a little upset that we're behind the eight
ball with Aro's shenanigans, but we'll find out more
about what's going on as we answer Stu's questions. He'll
also give us information. We just need to tell him our
story."
"I know. I know." She then smiled at her husband, "It is
a pretty good story."
He responded with a kiss on the cheek and a whispering
in hear ear. "Of course it is. It's a love story, after all."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Forty ~
Jacob had said few words since he left Charlie Swan's
house that morning. The combination of anger and
shock had left him silent. On the drive back to LaPush,
his father calmly spoke to him about how no one's life
turns out as they expect. Billy told him to "let go" and
"move on" – the good advice that makes the adage "time
heals all wounds" possible. But Jacob heard almost none
of it; he was still too focused on the word "why". Why did
she marry Edward Cullen? Why?
That afternoon, Sam finally made it back to Forks, so
that he and Paul could meet with Jake about the scandal
and decide their response. As soon as Sam shut Jake's
office door and the three men were alone, Jacob asked
angrily, "So you said you knew ... When? Why didn't you
tell me?"
"We didn't know for sure … we just had suspicions." Sam
shrugged as he said it. His lips almost cramped as he
forced them to stay turned down, when he really wanted
to smile as wide as he could. The fact that Edward Cullen
was in trouble was too good for him not to enjoy it.
But Sam's answer frustrated Jacob, as he demanded,
"When, though? When did you first suspect something?
What made you think of it?"
Paul downplayed the truth. "I don't know. I guess it was
a few weeks ago that I first thought of it … I thought I
might have seen Cullen at Bella's graduation when we
were there.
"Her graduation?" Jacob bellowed and banged his hand
on his desk as he cut Paul off. "Cullen was at her
graduation? I was at her graduation. You didn't tell me?"
Fumbling for the right explanation, Paul defended their
actions. "With 40,000 people you can't be sure. … I
mentioned it to Sam. We started to think about it and
called Aro. He's been working on this for weeks, and he
…"
"You called Aro before me? I should have been told right
there, on the spot!"
"We thought it best not to say anything to you until we
knew for sure." As he began explaining again, a scared
Paul looked to Sam for some assistance. Give me a hand
here. Why am I the one telling him all this? He may
punch me!
Nodding to Paul that he understood that Jake was
unglued, Sam took over. He reminded Jacob of his fatal
flaw that was currently on display. "We thought you
would get upset … that you might cause a scene. C'mon
Jake. Look at you right now. That was a very public
setting. We couldn't have you acting like this there."
Somewhat chastened by the man he paid to keep him in
line, Jacob eased back in his chair to brood on the
situation. He then mumbled out loud something that he
should have kept to himself. "If I had known, I could
have stopped it."
"Stopped what?" Paul was pretty sure that he knew the
answer, but before he scolded his boss he wanted to
make sure.
"I could've stopped her from marrying … him." Jacob
stared at his hands as he said it – still unable to
comprehend that Bella not only had gotten married, but
that she had married his rival.
Paul was about to speak, but he first looked to Sam, who
was rubbing his eyes in thought. It was obvious he was
debating the best way to coax Jacob back into reality.
Seeing Sam's reaction, Paul knew that he shouldn't
lecture Jake; he needed to be handled with kid gloves.
The room was quiet for a moment before Sam spoke.
"Jake, from what we've learned from Aro, I don't think
that would've ever been possible. They've been together
for a while … since last fall. I'm sorry, but I doubt it's
something you could have stopped."
"But that can't be… she's been with that guy Mike."
Paul shook his head. "Not for a while. Aro's guys talked
to Bella's roommate – some chick named Victoria. Turns
out Victoria hasn't seen Bella in ages. At first, she
assumed that Bella was with Mike Newton, but when he
left for Africa and Bella was still AWOL, she got
suspicious. When they asked Victoria if she could ever
believe that Bella had been with her boss, she said yes
immediately. Apparently, Bella even joked about it."
Jacob's temper began to simmer again, as he
remembered all the times he had brought up the
possibility with Bella that maybe she was interested in
Edward Cullen. Every time she had clumsily answered.
Now reflecting on her answers, he realized she probably
had been lying because she was such a lousy liar. Still,
something didn't add up for Jacob. "But since the fall?
That can't be. Cullen has been with … well, he's with
everybody."
"Yeah … who knows what disease Bella caught from him
… besides also getting pregnant." Paul chuckled
unthinkingly as he said the joke, but his humor vanished
when he saw Jacob.
Jacob's eyes widened as his simmer turned to boiling
rage. Thinking about Bella with another man had always
made him angry, so he liked to tell himself that Bella was
still a virgin. But thinking about her having sex with
Edward Cullen sent Jacob over the edge of sanity. With a
fierce grunt, Jacob responded by knocking his open
laptop off of his desk. His swipe was so forceful that glass
and plastic shattered everywhere when the computer
slammed against the wall. He punctuated his violence by
screaming "Goddammit!"
Sam glared at Paul. Why the fuck did you say that? Now
he's 10 times worse. Shaking his head at Paul's gaffe,
Sam decided that the only way to deal with Jake was to
jump ahead to the decision that needed to be made.
"Jake, I know this is hard for you, but you need to think
of the campaign. Too many people are depending on you
right now. I need you to focus. We don't have much
time."
A snarl escaped under Jacob's breath before he asked,
"Why?"
"Tomorrow morning, The Seattle Times is running an
exclusive interview with Cullen and Bella. They told the
reporter that they would disclose everything, and he
thinks they've been pretty open. They're also holding a
press conference tomorrow morning where Cullen's
camp is saying they'll answer all questions."
Wincing as he listened to Sam, Jacob slumped back in
his seat, but he remained silent. He hadn't thought that
he would have to make a full statement so soon, and he
wasn't sure what he wanted to say.
Sam continued, "We need to make a statement, and it's
got to be carefully crafted. At the moment, there's no
reason for us to rub their noses in it. The press and Aro
are going to do that. Let's just say our piece, sit back, and
watch for the time when we need to pounce."
Jacob nodded at the universal rule in politics – there
wasn't any reason to get his hands dirty in a fight if
others were ably fighting for him. "OK. What else?"
"Well, we need to be as forthcoming as they are, or this
could blow-up in our face. I've talked with Aro. He's
adamant that we need to disclose that you and Bella had
a relationship. We don't have to say it was romantic. He
suggests something like, 'Bella Swan has been a lifelong
friend, and our parents continue to be good friends.' I
think it sounds pretty good."
Begrudgingly, Jacob groaned, "Great." For the first time
since he left Charlie Swan's house, Jacob thought about
his wife, Emily. She didn't know very much about his
relationship with Bella, and he needed that issue
handled delicately.
Paul explained, "We just need to get it out there, so the
story gets passed over quickly."
"Yes, then the press can focus on the main story." Sam
smiled as he further explained, "You know … the story
that Cullen is a sleazy scumbag, who seduces young girls
in his office. He's a sexual predator and unfit for public
office."
Jacob nodded silently. He liked the way it sounded.
Seeing that Jake was calmer, Sam got into the nitty-
gritty. "As for Bella being pregnant, personally, I don't
think she is. If they're being as forthcoming as they
supposedly are to the press, then they would say if she's
knocked up and they haven't."
"OK." Somehow it made Jake feel better knowing that
Bella wasn't pregnant, but he became uneasy again as
Sam continued.
"Aro wants to keep the suspicion alive, though. He's
going to start a whisper campaign that they had to get
married because she's pregnant and Cullen has paid
Bella off to marry him, just to avoid the story. It's
obvious they got married to avoid the story, but the
paying off stuff is great to add. It's the same narrative
we've been running in ads for months now – the Cullens
use their family name and wealth to get out of their
problems."
Something about Sam's explanation struck Jacob. He
whispered to himself, "By that story, Bella's a gold
digger." The more he focused on the feeling, the worse he
felt. And as he pinpointed exactly what was bothering
him so acutely, he closed his eyes in pain at the thought
of hurting Bella. Despite everything, he still cared for
her. I can't drag Bella through the mud. I can't do that
to her.
Even though he had accused Bella earlier that day of only
wanting to be with Edward Cullen for his money, he
knew that wasn't the case. She wouldn't do that. He also
remembered his father's words to Bella, "I wish you luck
and happiness. You've always been like a daughter to
me." He knew that slamming Bella would be like
slamming his father.
When he opened his eyes, he responded hesitantly, "I
can't … I can't have that. I can't have Bella smeared like
that along with Cullen."
"What?" Sam's annoyance with Jacob's never-ending
crush reached new heights. He snapped, "Damn it, Jake.
Open your eyes. She will never be with you, man. You're
crazy. You're married. And most importantly for this
campaign, we can win this election on this scandal. Don't
you realize that?"
"I know that! But I won't take Bella down with Cullen."
Jake shook his head, resolved that he was doing the
decent thing. "She is family. I'd never be able to look my
dad in the eye again. I don't care what anyone says about
Cullen, but she's off limits."
An infuriated Sam looked at Paul, who simply shrugged.
"I can see why Jake feels that way. She is family."
Sam rolled his eyes. Thank God I left this Podunk town.
These people are all inbred.
"This is what I want to say." Jake began scratching out
on a piece of paper his statement. He handed it to Paul
who read it once to himself before he read it aloud.
"Bella Swan is a lifelong friend, and our families
remain good friends. I wish her the best of luck in life,
but I fear she is the victim in this situation. As for my
opponent, I am very disturbed by his obvious lack of
ethics and potential violation of the law. His actions
should be thoroughly investigated. The people of
Washington State deserve better in a senator."
Silently evaluating the statement, Sam bobbed his head
as he parsed the words. After a moment, he concluded,
"Fine. I'm OK with it." Yet again, he had to keep himself
from smiling because he knew what was going to
happen, regardless of what Jake wanted. I don't care.
Jake can do what he likes, but he can't control Aro. And
Aro will do whatever it takes to win this election.
--
It took until later that evening for Bella to reach all of her
roommates. Sitting in Edward's childhood room in the
Cullen's giant estate on Mercer Island, Bella called each
roommate repeatedly until she found them. By then, it
was late on the East Coast. She first caught up with
Laurent, who had just come home from dinner. Laurent
was quiet as Bella relayed her story. While the interview
with the reporter had gone rather well, she nervously
faltered telling her story to her roommate. His silence
made her worry. "Laurent, I'm sorry. I know this is …
odd."
"Odd? Maybe. I suppose. I don't know … I'm Canadian. I
guess it's surprising, but it doesn't seem like that big of a
deal. I kinda' don't care as long as you're happy."
Riley was another matter. Catching him as he walked
home from the Metro, Riley was completely shocked and
unsettled by the news. Riley asked many questions,
though, needing to get the whole story. Because he
worked on the Hill for a Democratic Congressman, he
wanted no part in any scandal – especially one that was
close to him. His response was quick once he heard her
out. "Um. Congratulations Bella. You sound happy. I'm
happy for you, if that's the case. But you understand I
can't really back you up, right? My boss would kill me,
and I'd lose my job like that. The best I can do for you is
promise to keep my mouth shut, OK? I swear I'll never
talk about you to anyone … especially the press."
Considering the political jam Riley was in, Bella decided
silence was golden and thanked him for the pledge.
Unfortunately, Victoria couldn't make that promise.
Bella found her taking a break from her waitressing gig
at an Ethiopian restaurant on Eighteenth Street. As Bella
told her story, Victoria responded to every tidbit with
"You're kidding me." or "Oh my God!" or "No way." or
"No fucking way." or "For real?" or "No, you did not!"
Her enthusiasm made Bella smile, and she thought
maybe things weren't going to be so bad after all.
Of course, then Victoria conjectured, "I guess this is why
those guys came around the other day asking after you."
"Who? What guys?" Bella started to panic at once. "And
what did you say to them?"
"Um … I don't really know who they were. They said they
were friends of yours from Forks. Anyway, I didn't tell
them much … just that I hadn't seen you in a while.
That's about it. Listen I gotta' go back to work. Call me
when you're back in town."
"Sure. But …" And then Victoria's line went dead.
Bella stared at her phone for a moment, hoping that the
bad feeling she had about Victoria was just her
imagination. She worried, though. Friends from Forks?
Did Victoria spill some beans? She doesn't know much,
but maybe she said something.
A knock interrupted her thought. The bedroom door
opened, and in walked Alice and Rosalie carrying
clothes. Alice was all smiles. "I'm so excited about
dressing you for tomorrow. I've got some things that will
look super on you."
Rosalie was businesslike, though. "Yes, you need to look
good, but it's got to be the right image. You need to look
older and professional."
"Why don't I just wear another pantsuit like today? That
worked well."
Taking the clothes from Alice, Rosalie assessed them as
she hung the hangers around the room. "No. That won't
work for the cameras. I need you in the most figure-
flattering outfit possible."
"But you just said you want me to look professional."
"I do, but I also don't want you to look fat." Rosalie's face
was dead serious as she said it.
Sitting cross legged in short shorts on Edward's bed,
Bella looked down at her flat tummy, narrow hips, and
skinny thighs. She looked at Rose like she was crazy.
"But I'm a size two – sometimes even a zero. Alice's suit
was a little big on me."
Alice explained kindly, "Well, that's sort of the point,
Bella. You need to wear something that shows off that
you're not pregnant."
Bella chuckled at the sight of Alice sitting on a desk chair
with a swollen belly hanging down between her parted
legs. "Can't I just stand next to you?"
With a potential outfit now in hand, Rosalie's face lit up
at the idea. "I'd love to get a shot like that!" Then she
presented the clothes to Bella, "Here. I think this will
work. Try it on for me."
Gently touching the sheen of the silk blouse, Bella
smiled. Edward does like blue. Years of dorm living
made Bella not modest in the least; she quickly disrobed
and slipped on the form fitting Hugo Boss blouse and
black pencil skirt. She liked the look immediately –
feminine, but professional. She turned to Rosalie asking,
"What do you think?"
Rosalie considered the outfit for a moment. "Hmm.
Something is missing. I'll be back. You need a belt and
shoes."
In less than a minute, she arrived back with the widest,
tightest belt possible and four-inch, black and blue Mary
Jane pumps. Cinching the black belt around Bella's waist
to the point where Bella could barely breathe, she
announced, "There. This is better."
Bella gasped, "I don't know about this…"
Thinking aloud, Rosalie wondered, "Maybe you should
start working out with Irina and me. We run four miles a
day. We also weight-train, but I don't think you should
do any weights. I don't want any muscles on you."
"Huh?" Bella couldn't think of anything she would want
to do less than workout every day.
At that moment, Edward walked in the room
pronouncing Bella, "Absolutely gorgeous."
"I think I need the belt loosened a notch or two if I'm
going to talk tomorrow."
Rosalie grumbled, "If we have to, but it's not as
flattering. Don't blame me if the media says you have a
pooch."
Edward rolled his eyes at Rosalie. "You've done your job.
Can you just leave?"
"Fine." Rosalie turned on her heel and started for the
door.
Knowing that her new sister-in-law meant well, Bella
called out sweetly, "Thanks, Rosalie!"
Alice picked up the remaining clothes and sheepishly
apologized before she left, "I'm sorry about that, Bella.
You look great. No one would think you're pregnant."
"Thanks, Alice."
When his two sisters left the room, Edward encircled
Bella's waist with his hands. "My hands can almost span
your waist. You have nothing to worry about."
"Are they always this … intrusive?"
"Unfortunately, yes. It's one of the downsides to the job."
Bella smiled at Edward's frown and gave him a kiss.
"Well, you as my husband makes up for any downside."
Edward's unhappiness changed immediately, as he
smiled before he gave her a slow kiss. His tongue tangled
with hers long enough for movement to start in his
pants. Through the kiss, he mumbled, "Let's get you out
of this."
The kiss continued as they shed each other's clothes,
caressing and groping along the way. Bella's breathing
hitched in surprise when Edward cut to the chase and
slid a finger inside of her. Moving his finger through her
slick and soft sex, he groaned at what he found. "God,
you're wet …"
"When you touch me like this, how could I not be?"
"Well, I get to touch you all the time now, Mrs. Cullen."
Edward grinned as he said it, while adding another
finger to play inside of her.
Bella chuckled, but also clenched around his fingers.
"You're only supposed to call me that in bed, Mr. Swan."
"Pardon me." Giving her clit a slow rub with his thumb,
he nodded toward the bed, "Let's get in bed then."
Smiling, Bella tilted her pelvis toward him, so he could
more easily pull his fingers from her. He did so, but not
before taking the opportunity to stroke her wetness some
more. She then led him the short distance to the bed and
maneuvered both of them so that he was between her
legs. He looked down, lustfully watching her tickle his
cock before taking it in her hand and rubbing the head in
circles around her clit. She announced somewhat
huskily, "I like this."
"Funny. I do too." He smirked as he enjoyed not only her
touch, but also being the source of both of their pleasure.
With that, Bella gave him a happy kiss, widened her legs,
and took him deep inside of her.
After a round of muffled sex due to family in adjacent
rooms, Edward held Bella in his arms and remarked,
"We're married now. Why is my family always still
around?"
"Um. I don't know. We've been married less than 72
hours, and I haven't even moved in yet."
"Speaking of which, Esme had an idea."
"What's that?"
"How would you feel if we switched places with her? She
could live in the house, and we would move into the
Kennedy-Warren."
"Sure. Fine by me, but why?"
"She thinks it would give us more of a public presence.
We wouldn't appear like we were hiding something."
Bella hadn't really considered the fact that she and
Edward would be living in the family mansion behind
that giant, wrought-iron gate. When she thought of it,
she didn't like it. An apartment building – no matter how
fancy – sounded more appealing to her. "I like the idea.
It seems more … normal – like most newlyweds living in
an apartment."
Edward kissed her hair. "We are average newlyweds."
"Right…. Average newlyweds don't have giant press
conferences to explain their relationship to the entire
fucking world. I'm nervous."
"Oh that? Tomorrow?" Chuckling, Edward squeezed her
tight trying to ease her visible tension. "That's a piece of
cake."
--
As soon as The Seattle Times posted on its website its
exclusive interview with Senator Edward Cullen and his
former intern, now wife – Isabella Swan, the 24-hour
cable news cycle kicked-in. Reporters around the nation
and even the world began scrambling for any bit of novel
information they could find. It took CNN no time to
track down Shirley Davis, the Pocahontas County clerk
who issued their marriage license. Unfortunately, for the
media, Judge Clements had picked the right clerk for
Edward and Bella. When CNN's Brian Todd met Shirley
on her way into the County Courthouse, she happily
agreed to be interviewed. His first questions were
friendly, but pointed. "Can you tell me more about
Senator Cullen and Isabella Swan? What were they like
as a couple?"
Shirley smiled at the camera and in her deep West
Virginia accent, she remarked, "Oh, they were real nice."
"There must have been something that stood out about
them – something that was different from the average
couple looking for a marriage license around here."
"No. They paid in cash, just like everybody else."
"Is there anything else you can tell us?"
"Pocahontas County is a lovely place to get married. It's
got to be the prettiest place in God's creation."
A few hours later, the press briefing room inside the
Seattle Federal Building was packed with local, national,
and international media holding cameras, microphones,
and reporters' tablets. The room was charged and loud as
they shared information with one another and awaited
the start of what could be an historic conference. Ever
punctual, at nine sharp, Edward led Bella into the room,
with Seth and then the rest of the Cullen, Swan, and
Dwyer clans filing in behind them.
Edward looked his daily senatorial self in a dark blue
suit, white shirt, and red tie. He stood at the podium
with Bella at his side. She looked impossibly svelte in her
tight belt, which she had cinched in another notch
making Rosalie smile in appreciation. With their families
flanked around him, Edward wasted no time in making
his statement.
"Good morning everyone. Thank you for coming for
what we view as a very happy announcement. We'd like
to make short statements and then open it up for
questions." Letting the press corps nod in agreement, he
continued,
"I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Isabella Swan."
Pausing for a moment, he looked to Bella, and they
shared a smile. "We married on Saturday at my family's
cabin in West Virginia. A long time family friend, Federal
Judge Peter Clements, performed the ceremony. Our
witnesses were my father's best friend, former colleague,
and my current colleague in the Senate, Senator Alistair
Makenna and his wife Clare. It was important to me to
have a reminder of my father at our wedding, as his
presence has weighed heavily on my mind since I first
met Bella. It is true that Bella worked as an intern in my
office. I was taken with her from the moment I first met
her, but I steadfastly denied my feelings for her. I
continually asked myself, 'If he were in this situation,
what would Carlisle Cullen do?' My answer was always
that my father would stay away from such a politically
dangerous relationship.
"It was only when I found myself in too deep with Bella
that I spoke with my mother, Esme Cullen, who gave me
quite the opposite answer. She can tell you herself that
she said that above all, my father would want me to be
happy, and if my happiness depended on pursuing a
relationship with Bella, then I should do just that. Bella's
and my relationship started off as a friendship, sharing a
love of the outdoors, public service, books, and our
families. I mention our families since we had a bit of an
old-fashioned courtship with my family almost always
around us. With so much in common, our relationship
soon turned romantic. In December, I sat down with her
father, Charlie Swan – the Police Chief of Forks – whom,
I should add, was also a friend of my father's. At that
time, I told Chief Swan that I had ever intention of
marrying Bella one day. That day came this past
Saturday, and I've never been happier."
Smiling again at Bella, he moved aside and offered the
microphone to her. She had been coached for two hours
that morning by Alice and Rosalie. While anxious about
the spectacle of it all, she was confident in delivering her
remarks, which were designed to show she was a very
normal, down-to-earth person.
She happily greeted the room. "Good morning. Please
first let me apologize if I stumble; I'm not accustomed to
making headlines." The line was perfect, showing her as
both humble and humorous. She then continued,
"I, too, am happy to be here today as we announce our
marriage with our families at our side. I never expected
that my life would turn out as it has, but I feel very
fortunate to have met my partner so early in life. I know
that many will say that ours was a whirlwind romance,
and it will never last. I look forward to proving everyone
wrong." Laughter filled the room in response – just as
Alice had predicted.
Bella waited for the chuckling to die down before adding,
"I went into this relationship with my eyes wide open to
the risk I was taking to my personal reputation and
future career. I soon realized that I would make no
greater mistake in my life if I didn't share it with
Edward." She smiled up at Edward for a moment, and
then turning back to the room, she offered, "Of course, I
could say more, but I know you have questions for all of
us."
Bella then stepped aside, and Edward moved back to the
microphone to field the onslaught of questions,
answering each one – no matter how personal.
"Could you tell us more about the timing of the
relationship?"
"We started seeing each other in late October, early
November."
"When did the relationship become inappropriate?"
"I would say the relationship was never inappropriate.
Internally, we followed all the rules and simple good
judgment. My Chief of Staff talked with Bella to ensure
that it was a consensual relationship. While we kept the
relationship private, our families were well aware, as
were some friends."
"According to press accounts, you were seeing other
women last fall. When did you stop?"
"As soon as I set my mind upon Bella."
"Just a few months ago, the actress Tanya Hamilton
said you two were still dating."
"Well, she was wrong."
"Why did you elope?" The local news station poked
further. "What does it say that you didn't marry in
Washington State?"
"Obviously, I couldn't get a marriage license in
Washington without it becoming public, and a public
wedding would be a news event. We were lucky to have a
private ceremony, even if it meant that our families
weren't there."
"How do you respond to the comments that you only
married to avoid a scandal?"
"Considering the hundreds of millions of people that will
read or hear about our marriage, I would hardly say that
we avoided any public scrutiny."
"Are you worried about the Senate Ethics Committee
investigating you?"
"Not at all. I have nothing to hide, and I've broken no
rules."
"Why did she continue to work for you after you started
dating?"
"Quitting really wouldn't have solved many problems.
Suspicions would still be raised. The fact she had worked
in my office would still hang over us."
"Are you concerned about the impact that this scandal
will have on your re-election?"
"No, because it's not a scandal."
"You said that your friendship turned into a romantic
relationship. What does that mean?"
"What do you think it means? It went from a platonic
relationship to a romantic relationship. I'm not going to
elaborate more than that."
"The timing seems odd to many people. Is there any
other reason why you married?"
"Other than we love each other? No." He then looked
over at Alice and Esme. "My mother is expecting only
one grandchild."
Seeing that the questions were headed downhill, Edward
offered the floor to the others. "I'm sure you would like
to ask questions of Bella and our families."
"Senator Cullen introduced you as Isabella Swan. Why
aren't you taking his name?"
"Because Isabella Swan is my name." Then looking to
Esme, she added, "And I think there's only room for one
Mrs. Cullen in the world."
"But is there any significance to the fact you're not
taking his name?"
The Fox News reporter felt like he might be on to
something, but Bella was annoyed by his question. She
spied his wedding ring and quipped, "I don't know. Was
there any significance to your decision to keep your
name when you married?"
"Jacob Black has issued a statement saying that you
two are friends, but he calls you a victim in this
situation. What's your response to that?"
"Yesterday, I told Jacob the news about my marriage –
in person and with my father at my side supporting me.
I'm not a victim at all."
The local ABC affiliate pounced on Charlie next, and
Bella held her breath. Charlie had refused to be coached,
saying he talked to the press all the time. The reporter
asked a deadly question, "What did you think when
Senator Cullen first came to your house?"
"Well, I've known the Cullens for decades. I didn't think
much of it. His family had been there before."
"But what about when he announced his intentions with
your young daughter? He's 10 years her senior and was
her boss at the time. You must have thought something
of that."
"Yeah, I wanted to kill him." The room gasped, but
Charlie just continued matter-of-factly, adding, "But
then I pretty much got over it when I talked with Mrs.
Cullen." Looking at Bella he smiled, "And in the end, I'm
like any father. I'm happy when my daughter is happy."
"Chief Swan, if you're friends with the Black family, but
now related to the Cullen family by marriage, where
are your political allegiances?"
"I'll continue to keep by political beliefs to myself, just
like always."
Then it was Renee's turn for a question. "Mrs. Dwyer,
how do you feel about your daughter having an affair
with her boss and now eloping with him?"
A very attractive, if dim woman, Renee smiled for the
cameras and replied, "I think it's terribly romantic, don't
you?"
When the press conference was over, the extended
family met in Edward's office conference room to go over
the remaining press strategy. As Alice laid out the
additional interviews everyone would be doing that
evening and following morning. Rosalie stared at the
television monitoring the current news, which she
deemed, "Pretty damn good – all things considered."
Her smile quickly disappeared, when a commercial
started. She muttered to no one in particular, "Well, shit.
They wasted no time."
Rosalie got up and adjusted the volume, turning
everyone's attention to the commercial. The room
gasped when Bella's innocent looking high school
yearbook photo came upon the screen. But everyone was
instantly silenced after the commercial's narrator read
the caption as it flashed below Bella's photo, "Edward
Cullen. Sexual Predator."
It was if there was no air in the room for a few seconds,
until Emmett burst out laughing. "Bah!"
Esme chided him. "Emmett, this is not funny."
"Yes it is. How many times do I have to tell you that you
all take this stuff too seriously."
Then turning to Bella and Edward he remarked, "Look at
you two. No one is going to think that you're in high
school and Edward is some common perv who preys on
little girls. Besides you've got something like four months
to show to the world you're a perfectly normal married
couple. Go on a date to a popular restaurant tonight. By
tomorrow morning, everyone will think the commercial
is a joke."
Both Bella and Edward eased hearing Emmett. Bella
even smiled. "A date? We've never really gone on a date."
"No, we haven't." Then he nodded toward Emmett,
"Thanks bro. You're right. We need to focus on the fact
that's it's a little over four months out from the election.
We can change perception."
Jasper touched Alice's pregnant stomach and announced
happily. "A lot of good is going to happen to this family
in those four months."
Emmett grinned. "Exactly. And if Leah says yes this
weekend, there will be another Cullen wedding
announcement."
As the room broke into lighter conversation again,
Rosalie began typing furiously on her Blackberry.
Edward asked curiously, "What are you doing?"
"Contacting an Idaho reporter – creating a diversion."
She said it craftily, still typing away.
"Idaho?" Edward then smiled, realizing what his sister
was up to. "Ah … Idaho."
"Yes, Idaho. Emmett's right. We've got time, but this race
is going to be ugly. We need to pull out all the stops."
Looking up from her typing, Rosalie announced, "So in
the meantime, I'm dropping my first bomb on Jane Volk.
The media is about to have another sex scandal to chase
after."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Forty-One ~
It already had been a very bad day for Senator Jane Volk.
Just as she always did, she woke that morning at 5:30
and immediately picked up her Blackberry off of her
nightstand to begin her day with the news that took place
while she slept. The blinking light alerted her that she
had voicemails, emails, and text messages that needed
her attention. Annoyed by the amount of
communications she had missed, she started with the
texts, as they were usually the most urgent and always
the most concise.
The number of messages surprised her, so she went to
the first from her State Director back in Idaho, Joe
Riggs. Along with her Chief of Staff in DC, Joe was her
closest confidant. Since he lived a few time zones away,
he often had news from overnight occurring after the she
had gone to bed.
Catching her breath in shock, she placed her right hand
on her chest as she read Joe's first text:
Unbelievable! Cullen eloped w/ his intern on Sat.
Announcing today. Rumor is she's pregnant. Another
Dem bites the dust!
Instantly, scanning the remaining texts and the subject
lines of emails, she saw that every one of them was about
the scandal. She gasped aloud, "Oh my God. What did
Edward do?"
At once, she turned on her television. Because she rarely
watched anything other than Fox News, it immediately
appeared on the screen. The plastic morning news show
personalities were filling up the airtime by picking apart
Edward and Bella's Seattle Times interview, which had
posted online only hours earlier. The female announcer
would read a quote from Edward or Bella, and then her
male counterpart would bat it down. His retorts were
based on the talking points that had been discreetly
provided to him by Aro Caius's Washington State
Project. Yet the forthrightness of Edward's and Bella's
answers made his job of right-wing talking head very
difficult, so he kept repeating the same insinuating lines.
His retorts ran the gambit.
"Let's be honest here. Senator Cullen has been quite the
high-profile ladies' man. He's been linked to everyone
from Hollywood starlets to an Admiral's daughter to
Members of Congress. All of a sudden he's fallen in love
with an intern?"
"Just a few months ago, the actress Tanya Hamilton
called the Senator her quote 'boyfriend'. Now, she's
saying it was just to get some animal-rights bill through
Congress. Was he seeing both of them at the time?"
"The Senator started seeing this girl while she worked
in his office. You have to wonder if he's been with other
staffers. Is this really a one-time incident? That's not
usually the way these things turn out."
"If they had a relationship while she worked for him,
wouldn't the other staff know at the time? Do other
members of his staff feel they've suffered sexual
harassment?"
"They say they're in love, but some would call him a
playboy. Why would he pick an intern to marry unless
there was something else going on? The interviewer
never asked outright if she was pregnant."
"Apparently, rumors have been swirling about their
relationship in the last week. The question – is did they
elope just to get ahead of the news?"
"There's a pretty big age difference between the two.
She's from some tiny town, and her dad's a sheriff or
something. He's a United States Senator from one of the
wealthiest families in the West. What do they have in
common? Something doesn't add up."
"The Senate Ethics Committee is going to have to take a
look at this. Even if there's no law against a consensual
relationship between a Member of Congress and a
staffer, it certainly doesn't pass the smell test –
especially with someone with so young."
"How will the voters in Washington State view a sex
scandal like this? Is this the kind of behavior they want
in a senator? Not many voters in the United States
would put up with this. After all, this is America, not
France."
Jane listened intently to the chatter, but also hurriedly
read through her other messages and listened to her
voicemails, devouring every bit of information. It didn't
take long for her to question herself. Did Edward only
marry her because they had been discovered? Did I
cause this?
Her stomach turned at the thought that she might have
had a hand in putting Edward permanently out of her
reach. It has to be that, though. After all, why would he
want to marry her? I can see wanting to fuck her,
maybe even date her, but marry her? Is she pregnant?
When her phone rang, it showed the name of her fiancé,
Matt Smythe. She let it go into voicemail, knowing that
he wanted to gossip, but that he wouldn't have any new
information for her. Instead, she tapped away on her
Blackberry, pulling up the newspaper interview.
As she read the interview, she shook her head repeatedly
because what she was reading could not be the truth, but
her intuition told her that it was. Both Edward and Bella
seemed very candid in their answers, and the
conversation with the reporter appeared very easygoing.
The level of detail they disclosed added to the
authenticity. And so did their adamant protection of
their privacy regarding when their relationship became a
physical one. All in all, they came across as a happy
couple, truly in love.
A practiced liar herself, Jane could detect when others
were skirting the truth, especially when she knew the
person. She had to admit that in the interview, Edward
came across as being completely honest. When she
finished reading, she spoke aloud once more,
announcing her opinion of the matter, "I think he's in
love with her."
She shook her head and curled her lip in disgust. But
why? He should be in love with me. Not that I would
want to marry him – he's a crazy liberal with an
annoying family – especially that cunt, Rosalie. But
still. I am … me … after all. He should want to be with
me. Everyone wants to be with me.
Thinking more about the one who got away, Jane
became increasingly sour toward Edward. She
considered again the idea that she had caused the
marriage by disclosing Bella's name to Aro. Jane didn't
like that feeling, so she dismissed it. She shrugged her
shoulders, shaking away any guilt she felt about outing
Edward and his current predicament. As she got out of
bed, she concluded aloud to her empty room, "Serves
him right."
As the day wore on, though, Edward and Bella's
marriage irritated her more and more. Along with a
hundred million other Americans, she watched their
press conference, taking in every word. Hearing Bella,
Edward, and all of their family members speak about
their relationship only reinforced her earlier assumption
that they weren't lying.
The marriage received a seal of approval above reproach
when Judge Clements issued a statement relaying his joy
in performing the wedding of a family friend. Then, there
were the interviews with Senator Alistair Makenna and
his wife – with Clare revealing every romantic detail of
the wedding and Alistair providing the color
commentary. Everyone vouched that Bella and Edward
were truly in love, and their families and close friends
supported them. In short, their marriage was for real.
That pissed Jane off.
But when the GOP attack machine kicked in earnest later
that day, Jane felt a twinge of guilt again – but only a
twinge. She knew if she hadn't tipped off Aro, the
Republicans would not be so ready with the ads against
Edward. Most people would have had a moment of
personal candor, feeling badly for what they had done to
a friend. Jane did not. She started to appreciate what it
might mean to her career. If we take over the Senate, I'll
be chair of an appropriations subcommittee!
Relishing in her glee of potentially running one of the
Appropriations Committee pork barrel entities, she
smiled as she picked up Joe Riggs's call. She assumed he
wanted to gossip and gloat. Instead, she heard him reply
to her greeting with a panicked demand.
"Jane, I've got Chelsea on. We're having a three-way call.
We're both alone in our offices with closed doors. You
should do the same before we speak."
Jane thought it odd that Chelsea Norquist, her Chief of
Staff, was taking the call while sitting in the adjoining
office to hers, but she simply answered, "Alright. My
door is already closed. What is this about? I don't have
much time before my next meeting."
Joe spoke in a determined, yet sympathetic voice. "Jane,
this is a difficult call for me to make to you. I'm sorry
that I have to do it, but we must deal with this
immediately."
"Well, what is it? Get on with it." By now, Jane was
piqued.
"I will be blunt because there's no other way. The Idaho
Statesman has graphic videotapes of you and Tony
Anderson having sex. I'm not sure where, but it looks to
be a storage room maybe in a hotel or something. The
videos were taken by security cameras, but they're very
close up. It's very graphic."
Divine retribution caused Jane's hands to shake in fear.
She swallowed hard at the news and started to breathe
heavily, as she remembered exactly what she and
Senator Anderson did in that storage room. My God.
This could ruin me. Her voice was gruff with anxiety as
she asked. "How graphic?"
"It's … well, it's pornographic … there's no other way to
describe it."
Everyone on the line was silent, as the Senator
envisioned an ugly demise of her political career. After a
moment, Chelsea felt the need to propel the conversation
forward. "Jane, Joe and I have talked. We have a plan. It
requires full disclosure, though. We believe it's the only
way for you to survive."
"Of course." Jane knew it was the only answer, but she
needed more information. She cleared her throat before
demanding, "I need to know who else has seen these
tapes. Who is their source?"
Joe replied matter-of-factly. "Well naturally, they won't
reveal their source. I don't know who's seen it. If you ask
me, the timing is odd. You're not up for a few years. The
Dems in Idaho don't have a real candidate to run against
you. Who would do this? And why now? I don't see who
…"
Chelsea interrupted him, "Who and why don't matter,
right now. Let's get back to what we need to do. Jane,
you probably should take some time to think about all
this, but we don't have long. As a courtesy, the
newspaper is holding the story until we decide upon our
response. I apologize for being presumptuous here, but
you need to tell Matt. None of our plans will work
without him."
It was true, and Jane knew it. Politicians only survived a
horrible sex scandal when their spouses stood at their
sides at their confessional press conference. Of course,
99.9% of the time the wronged spouse was a wife. In this
case, Matt Smythe would be put in the unenviable
position of standing by a cheating woman. It would take
a level of humility unfound in most men – especially a
politician. Jane took a deep breath. "OK. I'll call you
back."
With that, she ended the call. She closed her eyes, taking
in the enormity of her predicament; but she couldn't
dwell on all the horrible ramifications. Instead, her eyes
flashed open at her most important task. My God. What
in the world am I going to tell Matt?
Fumbling for her phone because her hands were shaking
again, Jane found the name of the person she always
turned to for advice. The line only rang once before he
answered, "Aro here."
"Aro, it's Jane. I need your help."
"Yes. I've been waiting for you to call."
"What? What do you know?" Jane was incredulous that
word had spread so fast.
"I know everything Jane – just like I always do."
"What? Who told you? Do others know?"
"I have my sources, and I would say that your secret is
contained at the moment. You need to act soon, though,
in order to deal with this on your own terms."
"I know I do, but I need advice on how to tell Matt."
Aro chuckled into the phone, "I have no advice other
than to tell him everything and to be contrite as hell –
even if you don't mean it. I've seen the tapes – they're
definitely X rated. You're at your fiancée's mercy here.
And he must stand by you, or you're a goner. You've
really gotten yourself into a pickle."
That was not the advice Jane expected from a trusted
counselor. Aro's nonchalance at her political demise
riled her, so she lashed out. "Well, there has to be a
vendetta against me. There's no other way security
videos would surface unless someone was tracking me
closely. That means they might also know about us. You
need to watch out yourself."
"Jane, Jane, Jane." Laughing at her predictable attack,
he pedantically countered, "You know the way things
work in this world. Guys like me never get caught, and if
we do, we always shake it off. That's just the way things
are."
--
The following morning, Bella nuzzled into Edward's neck
as they lie in bed. "Wake up sleepy husband. It's late."
Edward tightened his squeeze on her waist and groaned.
"One more hour? Can I have one more hour of
irresponsibility?"
"Sweetheart, it's almost 10 o'clock. We're supposed to fly
back to DC in three hours."
His eyes fluttered open and he smiled at his bride. "Good
morning, wife."
"Morning." Bella gave him a sweet kiss. "I hope you slept
well. Last night was fun."
"It was great." He winked at her. "Which part, though?
Dinner? Or when we came back here and you had your
way with me?"
"What? I thought you had your way with me?"
Edward kissed her, saying, "I think it's a good thing that
we can't tell the difference."
"I do too." She kissed him back before adding, "The date
was fun, too, though."
"It was fun to be out and about like a normal couple."
"I'm surprised by how nice everyone was to us – even the
photographers were nice."
Checking the time, Edward saw it was the top of the
hour. He switched on the radio on the alarm clock. "Let's
see what the news has to say about our date."
The voice emanating from the radio announced, "The
time is 10 o'clock. This is NPR News. I'm Carol Van
Dam."
At once, they looked at each other with confused alarm
when Ms. Van Dam continued,
"The newspaper, The Idaho Statesman, has obtained
videotapes depicting a graphic sexual encounter
between United States Senators Jane Volk and Tony
Anderson. The videotapes were taken by security
cameras in a storage room of the Willard Hotel during
a recent Republican National Committee fundraiser.
Senator Anderson represents the State of Nebraska and
is divorced and single. Senator Volk represents the State
of Idaho and is engaged to Wyoming Congressman
Matt Smythe. Congressman Smythe has issued a
statement, saying quote, 'To describe this as anything
less than highly embarrassing is to mince words. I ask
for your prayers, as I work through this matter
privately.' Sources say Congressman Smythe will not
join Senator Volk for her upcoming press conference on
the matter later today where she is expected to resign
from office. A spokesperson for the Republican National
Committee gave a brief comment, stating, "We are
disturbed and saddened by this news. Obviously, this
behavior does not reflect the high moral values of the
Republican party." In other news, China's artificially
low currency rate continues to exacerbate America's
trade deficit …"
Edward switched off the news and stared at Bella in
shock. "Rosalie has certainly knocked us off the front
page, but my God, what has she done?"
Faking a yawn in order to cover her smile at Jane's
troubles, Bella answered uncaringly, "I don't know, but
it's worked."
"Yesterday, Rose said she was dropping 'her first bomb'
on Jane. She made it sound like she was dribbling out
information on her – not a sex tape! That's not just
dropping any kind of bomb. Jane will never recover from
this. This is Hiroshima."
"Why do you care? You're pretty certain that she was one
of the leaks."
"I know, but ruining her is not what I had in mind."
A few minutes later Edward and Bella were downstairs
in great room of the Cullen mansion on Mercer Island.
Edward's siblings were scattered around the living area.
Lounging together on a sofa, Jasper and Alice were
giggling away, while Rosalie tapped away on her laptop
in an adjoining chair.
Emmett sat in the middle of a loveseat by himself
snorting in laughter as he pointed at the screen of his
computer sitting in his lap. "Damn … you go Jane. I
swear the security guy caught every angle possible, and
he even zoomed in. Rose, did your investigator have a
hand in this?"
"Maybe…" Rosalie smiled, but didn't look up as she said
it.
Edward's voice boomed across the room. "Rosalie, what
have you done? We just heard the news. You're going to
destroy her."
"That was the idea." She snarled this time, but again
didn't look up. Under her breath, she added, "Dumbass."
"No. It's one thing to tarnish her name and force her out
of office. I'm fine with that. It's another thing entirely to
make it so she can never even work again. A sex tape
lasts forever. She's going to be an outcast. Who would
ever hire her?"
Rosalie finally looked up and answered dismissively,
"Esme says Jane has plenty of family money. It won't be
a problem for her."
"Esme knew about this?" Edward shook his head. "I
don't believe it."
Before Rosalie could answer, Emmett started back with
his narration of the tapes. He had every one of them
open on his computer, switching back and forth. "I gotta'
say she's got a hot little body. A lot of the action is doggy
style, though, so you mainly see her ass, which is pretty
nice. I like the video taken from the side where you see
more of her. That's the best view. "
Then he acknowledged Edward with a knowing smile. He
had, after all, spent the better part of the last hour
watching one of his brother's past conquests in action.
"Morning, Bro." To Bella, Emmett straightened up a bit,
"And … uh … good morning, Bella."
Bella grinned back at him. "Having a good time,
Emmett?"
Realizing that his sister-in-law was enjoying Jane's
demise, he loosened up again and chuckled, "Uh … yeah.
This is pretty funny stuff. You wouldn't believe some of
the things she says."
"Like what?" Bella looked over at Edward who was
perturbed being the only person in the room who had
any reservations over Rosalie's actions.
Emmett motioned for Bella to sit beside him. "Take a
look. Let me back it up. It's early on. Anderson asks Jane
if she ever gets it at home. Jane says sure and that she's
even convinced Smythe to tie her up."
The thought of Jane liking a bit of bondage made Bella
flash her eyes directly into Edward's to see what he
thought of it. Edward knew immediately he could be in
hot water with his new wife, and he was happy he could
honestly answer, "Never. No way. Not my thing."
Not noticing the exchange between Bella and Edward,
Emmett continued, "She also says that Smythe is hung
like a horse, but that she likes variety – that's why she's
with Anderson. Can you believe that? She tells this guy
Anderson all that, and he still fucks her."
Edward muttered, "I doubt he was really concentrating
on what she was saying."
Jasper jumped in, "You know, in this whole scandal, I
think Smythe is going to do OK. He's dumped Jane.
That's the right move both for his political future and his
personal life. After all, who wants a woman like that for a
wife? I think he's going to come out just fine."
"Hell yeah!" Emmett snickered countering, "In fact, he's
gonna' end up better than OK. He's gonna' have women
crawling all over him. He's not bad looking; he's
powerful. And now every woman in America knows he's
got a big dick and will do whatever she wants in bed.
That guy is money."
Jasper agreed, "Exactly. He actually comes out ahead.
Anderson will do OK, too. He's a known horndog. All he
has to do is make some sort of public apology for his
unscrupulous behavior, say he was drunk, and announce
that he's going into rehab. He never really has to go in.
He just needs to say he is. He'll be fine."
Raising an eyebrow in question, Edward asked Jasper,
"And Jane? What do you make of her future?"
With a wince, Jasper foretold, "It's going to be a rough
go for her. It's one thing for a man to be caught in
something like this, but a woman... I think that's pretty
devastating, but maybe in a few years she might be able
to rehabilitate herself. Eliot Spitzer did. If he can,
anybody can."
Before Edward could reply, Rosalie piped up, "You need
to get over this, Edward. My plan is working out
perfectly. Jane's reputation and career have been
annihilated, and the media and public are so pre-
occupied with the tape that they won't end up
investigating any other people she might have slept
around with – like your friend, Senator Glynn, you were
worried about … or you for that matter."
Edward had to nod in agreement at that. Rosalie had
found a way to destroy Jane without causing any
collateral damage.
Rosalie summed up the situation succinctly. "Most
importantly, though, you and Bella are no longer the
news of the day. In fact, you two look like puppy love
compared to Jane begging for it while on all fours."
Half-listening to the conversation, but mostly watching
the videos, Emmett chuckled, "Yeah, I'd say she's
begging for it. That's not an exaggeration." Then he
exclaimed, "Dude! It's up on Youporn! Somebody has
already edited all the footage together into one video. I
need to bookmark this shit."
Edward glared at Emmett in disbelief. In a low voice, he
asked, "You're not seriously going to jack off to that, are
you?"
Sheepishly, Emmett tried to find some words. "Uh …
well … no, but it's pretty good stuff."
"You all are crazy. I still can't believe Esme signed off on
this." Edward looked around for his mother. "Where is
she?"
Alice pointed outside. "On the patio. Enjoying the sun."
Walking out onto the patio, which was appointed so that
it had an expansive view of the Cullen's vast grounds,
Edward found his mother knitting a baby blanket for her
soon-to-be-born grandchild. She greeted him first,
"Good morning, Edward. Do you like the blanket?"
She held up the almost completed blanket with a large
giraffe in the middle of it. Edward nodded, "Sure, Mom.
It's nice."
"I think so. This giraffe is a little challenging, though.
Lots of different colors. I think I should have gone with
the zebra." She smiled. "Sit with me and tell me about
your date. The Seattle Times had some great photos of
you and Bella. It looked like you enjoyed yourselves."
Sitting on the plump, cushioned lounger next to his
mother, Edward replied, "It was great, but Mom, I came
out to talk about Jane."
"Oh yes." Esme began counting stitches, as she said it,
and her remark sounded like she was commenting on an
annoying minor occurrence in their lives.
"Let me preface this by saying, I'm not defending her. I
just don't think we had agreed to destroy her life. In fact,
I don't believe I even signed off on you hiring an
investigator."
Esme went back to her knitting and answered as the yarn
flew through her fingers and into the blanket. "Oh that.
Yes, I talked with Rosalie that night you all discussed it. I
agreed with her. I thought it was the prudent thing to
do."
She smiled at her son. "And I've been proven right. Jane
now must deal with Karma, and you and Bella are no
longer the most interesting news out there. In fact, now
you two look rather boring."
"But Mom, we have permanently ended her career and
potentially even her private life."
Esme's warm, motherly side vanished for a moment, as
her harsh, political side came out. She declared tersely,
"It was necessary."
Considering the issues settled with her simple sentence,
Esme then nodded over to a basket of yarn near
Edward's feet. "Can you please hand me the dark brown?
I need it for the giraffe's horns."
Edward blinked at his mother's indifference. "Mom, I
can't believe Carlisle would've allowed this to happen."
"Hmm." Esme considered the situation. "Oh, he might
have balked a little at first, but he would see the benefit,
just as you will."
She then placed her hand on her son's, "Edward, this
isn't just about you and keeping this Senate seat in the
family. It's highly likely that the Democrats will lose the
House. We must keep the Senate. Taking down Jane
Volk has many advantages – another seat is in play and
the Republicans have to defend themselves. Don't worry.
She's a cat. She'll land on her feet."
Nodding, Edward acquiesced to his mother's shrewd
political acumen and plain common sense. "OK. You're
right." He smiled back at his mother. "As usual."
"Now we just need to get on with our lives. You and Bella
need to go back to DC and set up house in the apartment.
The movers will be switching our things and some
furniture around the next few days. I'm sure there are
lots of things you'll want to do with the place. And you
two should to be out – all the time. You need to be a very
public couple to combat these ridiculous ads they're
running against you and all the other criticism out there.
I know you don't like social things, but you're going to
need to endure it for a while."
"I know. I actually think it will be more fun to go to all
those stupid functions with Bella there."
"I'm sure it will be. Frankly, I'm looking forward to it.
Now I don't have to be out all the time! I'm thankful for
that."
"I bet Emmett is too. He was sick of being your escort."
"Yes, Emmett is very happy to be able to stay in Seattle. I
think he has some plans."
Edward gave her a curious grin. "Really? Is he going to
pop the question?"
Esme didn't answer out loud. She simply smiled and
went back to her knitting.
--
Later that week, Leah noticed that Emmett was
uncharacteristically nervous, as he cooked her dinner.
She tried to pinpoint what might be making him so
anxious. The media scrutiny on his family was nothing
new. In fact, since they focused now on Bella and
Edward's relationship, there was almost no talk of
Emmett in the press.
Letting Emmett have his space in the kitchen, Leah told
him she would give herself a tour around his house.
Emmett nodded, "Please. Go ahead. I … er … hope you
like it."
As she moved through the rooms, she wondered how
anyone couldn't like it. The spacious Craftsman had been
impeccably renovated. All of the exposed woodwork and
floors were perfectly stained, and the built-in cabinets
had shining leaded glass once again in their doors.
Throughout the house, beautiful Mission style furniture
was placed in every room. She wondered what it would
be like to live in such a beautiful home.
After dinner of roast pork, Emmett left Leah in the
dining room to go pull the molten chocolate cakes out of
the freezer for baking. He had planned that this would be
the time. He would ask her as the cakes baked, hoping
that dessert became a fun time of planning a wedding.
He tried not to think about how lousy dessert would be if
she said no. The thought lingered in his mind, though,
and it made him bobble the ramekins, almost breaking
them. Once they were safely in the oven, his hand went
into the front pocket of his jeans, looking for reassurance
as he touched the giant diamond.
When he went back into the dining room, Leah declared,
"This house needs a dog."
"Really?" Emmett had never thought of having a dog.
"It's so big, and you're all by yourself. I can see why you
spend so much time down in La Push. You probably get
lonely here."
"I spend time in La Push to be with you. That's the only
reason."
Leah blushed at the intensity of his statement and tried
to think of something to say, but Emmett continued,
"You think a dog would make good company?"
"Maybe a nice big one."
"Would you help me pick one out?" He started to smile,
as he saw an opportunity to make his task ahead easier.
"Of course."
"I'd like to get a puppy. Would you help me train the
little guy?"
"You bet. Growing up, we always had dogs. I know them
pretty well."
"Would you help me take care of him?"
Not knowing where he was going with this, Leah
shrugged. "Sure."
"In sickness and in health?"
"Um. Yeah." Then complete shock set into her soul, as
she watched Emmett silently get on one knee before her
chair.
Taking both of her hands in his, Emmett asked her with
every bit of his heart, "For as long as we both shall live?"
"Em … Emmett, what are you doing?"
Emmett answered first by slipping
the exquisite 10-carat diamond
ring on her finger. "Leah, I've
always loved you, even when you
thought I didn't. I've made
mistakes that only a woman as
special as you could ever forgive.
For the rest of my life, my only goal is to make you happy
because you being at my side is the only happiness I'll
ever want or need. Will you marry me?"
"Yes … oh yes." Whimpering through tears of surprise
and joy, she added, "With all my heart, yes!"
Later that evening after a most happy dessert course, the
giggly betrothed sat on Emmett's sofa cuddling. Leah
kept admiring the singular diamond on her hand, "It's
gorgeous and enormous."
"It's a family heirloom, and you deserve it. I'm just glad
you like it."
"You're too good to me. Thank you."
"You're welcome, my love."
Emmett gave her a long kiss, but he pulled away, as he
remembered, "I have to ask a favor about a wedding. I'm
happy to have whatever kind of wedding you want, but I
just ask that either we do it in the next month or after
November. Alice isn't going to be up to travel past the
middle of July being pregnant and all, and the whole
family will be absorbed with the election after Labor
Day."
"Oh. OK." For a moment, Leah thought back to the
wedding she once planned with Sam. She didn't want her
wedding with Emmett to be anything like that one. And
even though Emmett had said he didn't care about the
kind of wedding, Leah wanted one where he would be
comfortable. "We both like the beach. It would be nice to
be married by the ocean with just our families."
Emmett thought about it for a moment. He wanted
something special for her – not just a wedding on a
beach on the reservation. "We could get married in
Hawaii."
"Really?" Leah had never dreamed of something so
extravagant.
"Sure. It's beautiful. Lots of things to do. Everyone would
like it."
"Well, I would love it!"
"Great. So when?"
With a big kiss on the cheek, she answered, "Next
month. The sooner the better."
Emmett smiled at his fiancée and gave her a passionate
kiss in agreement. Eventually he pulled away, and they
began planning. After a few minutes of discussing the
merits of Maui versus the Big Island, Emmett chuckled.
"This is great. Everyone is going to love it – especially
Bella and Edward. They're actually going to get a
honeymoon."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Forty-Two ~
That following Sunday morning, Edward mentally
detached himself for a few seconds from the pounding
sex he was having with Bella. Her cries were so loud that
he needed to reconfirm the privacy of their room in
order to reassure himself that no one would hear them.
Windows closed, interior room, penthouse floor. We're
OK.
With that conclusion, his mind clicked back into his
singular focus on making Bella come. "Baby, touch
yourself. I want to watch you touch yourself while I'm
inside of you."
Less than half listening to him because she was so in the
moment, Bella fumbled her fingers onto her clit and
began clumsily circling herself, but she was too late. She
called out his name as she rose into her orgasm with her
legs pressing against his sides to brace herself. Of course,
seeing, feeling, and hearing Bella come undone released
Edward into his own oblivion, and he also didn't bother
to stifle any of his own noises.
After she had caught her breath, Bella started to giggle.
"We're pretty damn loud, aren't we?"
"We are." Still panting, Edward pulled out and rolled
onto his back. "And I've loved every minute of having our
own place where we can be as loud as we want."
Curling up next to him, she commented happily, "It is
our own place, isn't it? I think the lack of furniture and
lamps is fitting since we're newlyweds."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to be this empty." He
tucked her into the crook of his arm and kissed her hair.
"I'm just sick of living with my parents' stuff all around
me."
"It's not a problem at all. I wouldn't want to be
surrounded by all of your mom's antiques either."
"That's what I thought." He smiled and gave her a peck,
liking that they agreed on the simplest of things.
"So Alice wants to decorate for us?"
"It's her thing, but we don't have to let her."
"Actually, I'm kind of thankful for it. It's not really
something I would want to spend a lot of time on."
"Then it sounds like a win-win."
Bella nodded, "She can do it all as far as I'm concerned. I
would want the exact opposite of whatever Esme had in
here. That might be pretty modern. Is that OK?"
"Great. I'm all for it – as long as the sofa is comfortable. I
don't want one of those European torture devices."
At that moment, Edward's phone buzzed the ring that he
had assigned for Emmett. Because Emmett rarely called
him, Edward glanced at Bella acknowledging he would
take the call, despite their embrace. Then he answered,
"Hey Emmett? What's up? This is early for you."
"Morning. Yeah, it's early, but I had great news and I
wanted to tell you as soon as I could." Emmett snickered,
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Not at the moment." Edward winked at Bella and then
asked the question he knew the answer to. "So what's the
news?"
"I proposed to Leah last night, and for some crazy
reason, she said yes!"
"That's great!" To Bella, he said, "Hey, Emmett and Leah
are engaged."
Already smiling because Edward had previously told her
of their likely engagement, she proclaimed, "Oh
wonderful news! Tell them congratulations for me!"
Edward then relayed her good wishes to Emmett, and
they began discussing the wedding since it would have to
be arranged around his schedule. Emmett didn't flinch
when he heard that in order for Edward to attend the
wedding, it would have to be in less than a month. "Not a
problem at all. The sooner the better as far as I'm
concerned. That way Leah has less time to back out."
"Pfft. That won't happen. So can you convince Rosalie to
cancel some campaign events and give me a couple of
extra days to enjoy Hawaii with Bella?"
"I'll try. Maybe I can convince her that the photos of you
two on the beach with Bella in a bikini will help with PR.
That's about the only way."
After Edward sent Emmett on his way to work on
Rosalie, Bella gave Edward a peck saying, "Thanks for
thinking of that, sweetheart."
"I promise to give you a real honeymoon in December –
wherever you want to go. We just have to wait until after
the lame duck session."
"At that time of year, I'll want to go some place warm, so
it would either be an island or some place in the
southern hemisphere."
"Hmmm. Let me think about that." Of course, Edward's
mind already went to the island off of Brazil where Alice
and Jasper honeymooned. The thought of being some
place with Bella without a single other soul around made
Edward's mind go into all sorts of naughty places.
Grinning, he pulled her on top of him, so she straddled
his chest. "In the meantime, I think we should practice
for our honeymoon."
"Practice? Don't you need a breather?" Bella smirked at
her rhetorical question.
Sliding his hand beneath her hair and over her naked
back, he beckoned her lips to his. "We'll take it slow this
time."
An hour later, Edward called out from a closet in a guest
bedroom, "I found some Christmas lights! Now we won't
be in the dark."
Closing the front door behind her with the morning
papers in hand, Bella replied, "Great, but let's sit on the
patio right now. It looks nice outside."
As she walked back into the apartment, she scanned over
the front page, quickly digesting the stories the
newspaper editors deemed most important to be placed
"above the fold." The New York Times was focused on
the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. She then turned
to The Washington Post, and she gasped as she read the
headline: Senate Ethics Committee to Investigate
Senator Edward Cullen
Standing before her now holding strings of Christmas
lights, Edward asked, "What do you think? Should I put
these on the mantle?"
Bella didn't reply. Instead she held the paper up so that
Edward could read the headline. He frowned and shook
his head. Eventually, he remarked, "The thing is that
even if you know that something is coming, when you see
it as a headline, it's still a shock."
"That's exactly how I felt."
Taking the paper from Bella and looking at the whole
front page, Edward dryly commented, "Oh good. There
are three different stories dedicated to us. There's one
about our time together, one about you, and one about
my past." Flipping into the paper's interior, he added,
"There's also a timeline of our relationship inside." He
muttered sarcastically, "Can't wait to read that."
"I guess they were working on them all week to publish
so many today." Then Bella was confused. "Why didn't
Alice or Rosalie call to warn you? They always tell you
when something like this has happened."
"I bet Esme told Rose and Alice that they had to let us be.
We can't do anything about it on a Sunday morning
anyway." Then he kissed her forehead and patted her
back. "Let's sit outside. I'll get the coffee. The fresh air
will do us both some good as we read this shit."
Sitting out on the spacious lanai, the two devoured the
papers as they drank their coffee. Edward dissected The
Washington Post, while Bella read The New York Times,
resisting her habit of skipping the news and heading
straight for the Style section and Book Review. She first
skimmed all the stories to take measure of the amount of
damage.
"I don't think the Times story is that bad. In fact, it's
kind of helpful. There's a chart of all the Members of
Congress who've had affairs with staffers and whether or
not the Member resigned."
Edward scowled at her. "Were any of the staffers interns
10 years their junior?"
"Um. I don't think so." She smiled at his grumpiness.
"But a few of them got married and are still married."
Then she remembered something and happily looked
around the scattered papers for her favorite Style
section. "Speaking of which, our wedding announcement
might be in the paper today."
Finding their photo and announcement in the paper,
Bella declared, "Alice is a genius. This is perfect. We look
like your average couple – except for your job, and the
blurb doesn't make us sound like sleazebags."
Still unhappy with what he was reading, Edward
muttered, "Well, there are parts of these stories that
definitely make me look like a sleazebag. They also have
Aro-Fucking-Caius and his damn Washington State
Project written all over them. Jacob's camp is still
sticking to his original statement that he wishes you well,
but there's a lot of conjecture in here about me taking
advantage of you and hitting on all of my staff. That stuff
has to come from Aro." His eyes then darted over to
Bella, "And by the way, your old roommate Victoria has a
few choice quotes about me leering at you when she met
me."
"Bitch. No wonder she wasn't home when I went over to
get my stuff."
Edward picked up his phone from the side table and
immediately began punching numbers. Bella asked, "Are
you calling Rosalie or Alice?"
"I'm calling Jenks."
"Why?"
"We need a lawyer."
"Oh." Bella nodded at the reality that if they were going
to be investigated, they would need counsel. She listened
to Edward's short conversation which he had on speaker.
"Morning Jenks. I hope it's not too early."
"Not at all. I've been up."
"So you've seen the papers?"
"Of course."
"Well, we'll need a lawyer."
"Yes, I thought of that. We have Greg Craig on retainer to
represent you, and I took the liberty of scheduling a
meeting with him for you and Bella tomorrow at ten."
"Really?" Edward chuckled at the thought of being
represented by the attorney who successfully defended
President Bill Clinton's and many other high profile
clients. "I have to give it to you Jenks. You never do
anything half-ass."
"I don't suppose that you've read lately that Seattle
independent paper, The Stranger?"
"Er. No."
"Well, just in the last couple of days they've started
something called 'Bump Watch.' Every time there's a
new photograph of Bella published, they analyze her
figure to see if there are any signs she's pregnant."
Throwing her hand over her eyes, Bella moaned, "God,
that's embarrassing. I'm going to be the laughing stock of
my law school class."
Edward grimaced. "Jenks, is there anything we can do
about that paper?"
Jenks responded quickly, "No. I talked with Rosalie and
Alice. They think we need to let the joke play itself out. It
will end on its own as time shows that Bella isn't
pregnant."
Bella shook her head and groaned. "Great. In the
meantime, I'm going to be paranoid that I'm getting fat
and 'Bump Watch' is going to be measuring my stomach
everyday."
"Oh don't worry, Bella." Jenks' reassurance wasn't
reassuring at all as he continued, "I disagreed with
Rosalie on her idea to put you on a low-carb diet."
"Thanks." Bella then flashed a look at Edward who
quickly followed up with, "Er. Yes, thanks Jenks.
Nothing like that will be necessary."
Edward continued talking with Jenks about the
investigation, and when he ended the call, Bella asked,
"How worried are you about the Ethics Committee,
Edward?"
Edward shrugged. "A little, but not a lot."
"How come?"
"Well, for all the reasons we've laid out before. We have a
good, honest story, and we're living, daily proof of it. And
as the Times points out, we're not the first
staffer/member relationship."
Bella smirked at his confidence. "And then there's the
elephant – or should I say the donkey in the room?"
He raised his eyebrows in agreement. "And the fact that
the Dems control the Senate so a Dem chairs the Ethics
Committee doesn't hurt."
"You don't think that they would want to rake you over
the coals just so they appear that they're unbiased."
"I doubt that the Republicans will be saying too loudly
that the Committee is going soft on me. Do you think
they want an investigation of Jane's Senate sexual
exploits?"
Giggling, Bella offered, "I think those videos would
certainly liven up C-Span." Then she recalled something
missing in the day's news. "You know, there wasn't much
coverage of Jane in the papers."
Edward shrugged. "Since she resigned so quickly, there's
not much more to say."
"But if her story is over now, did it do us much good to
take her out?"
"Oh yes. It's been a solid diversion. We just need to make
sure that we stay ahead of this investigation. Hopefully,
Jenks will see to that." Edward chuckled, "Jane is
probably on a beach somewhere taking stock of her life –
if she's capable of that."
Schadenfreude overcame Bella, as the same tune that
had been dancing in her head for the last few days
started jingling once again. Ding-dong the witch is dead!
The wicked witch. The wicked witch. Ding-dong the
wicked witch is dead!
--
Later that week, Sam sat at his desk on interminable
hold, as Aro finished another call. He tried not to take it
personally, but he couldn't help it. Is Aro getting less
interested in Jake's campaign? Thinking better of it, he
shook his head. No way. Edward Cullen's seat is in play
– moreso than ever.
When Aro finally got on the line, Sam eagerly blurted
out, "I'm calling with some good news for you."
"What's that?" Aro was always surprised when someone
knew something he didn't.
"Our fundraising for this quarter has shot through the
roof."
"Ah yes! I had heard that people had stepped up their
giving to Jacob. It's good to hear it's true."
"There's no way that Cullen can beat these numbers.
We'll blow him away this quarter."
"Good. You'll need it because I'm sure whenever she has
to, Esme Cullen will start writing checks to their
campaign to keep her boy in office."
The skepticism in Aro's voice concerned Sam. He wanted
an honest assessment. "So Aro how do you think we're
doing?"
Aro squinted as he looked out his window, weighing
their prospects. "I'd say it's a mixed bag."
Sam didn't like hearing that, but he tried to keep his
voice even. "Really? Tell me about it."
"Well, we just got the results of a poll we did over the
weekend. Cullen's unfavorable rating has gone up by 15
points, which is great. Unfortunately, he only has lost a
couple of points to Jake in a head-to-head. If you factor
in the margin of error, nothing has really changed. That
concerns me. If the race were held tomorrow, the
numbers tell us that Cullen could still win."
Sam's heart sunk. He had hoped Edward's relationship
with Bella would be the silver bullet. He mumbled into
the phone, "Yeah. Right. Do you have any good news?"
"The good news is that the Ethics Committee
investigation will keep up a slow drumbeat of negative
news about Cullen. Of course, there is bad news with
that. Cullen lawyered up by hiring Greg Craig – he's
formidable. Plus, the facts aren't proving to be on our
side. I'm a lawyer at heart. Even if the law or ethics are
on your side, it can't make up for bad facts."
"How do we have bad facts? He fucked an intern for
God's sake – at a minimum there's a sexual harassment
case here."
"That's true, but their marriage changes things –
especially because by all appearances they're happily
married. Even I think that – not that I would say it to the
press."
"Just because they're smiling all the time?"
"Well, they certainly are out in public as a content
couple. Plus, they've got their families and all these
solidly reputable folks lining up behind them. It makes
them look normal … respectable. And it's pretty obvious
she's not pregnant, although, I like keeping that rumor
out there."
Aro exhaled before continuing, "Of course, then there's
the problem that a Senate Ethics Committee controlled
by Democrats is not really a fair forum." He scrunched
his nose at the distasteful accompanying thought that
Jane Volk had done them no favors by creating an ethics
mess for Republicans also. Not wanting to dwell on it, he
enquired, "So how's Jacob doing?"
"Jake? Jake's … OK." Sam kept it at that. He didn't want
Aro to know about Jake's downward spiral since he saw
Bella and Edward's press conference. The video of Bella
and Edward easily handling the media while smiling and
doting on one another had sent Jake into a rage as it was
confirmation that he had lost Bella forever. He had
destroyed three laptops in the last week, and Paul
refused to buy him another until he proved he was calm.
But Aro saw through Sam's bluff. "He's OK? That's not
what I hear."
"Oh. What do you hear?" Sam scowled at his phone.
Shit? Why does the guy have to know everything? It's a
blessing and a curse.
"I've heard that he's lost some enthusiasm – that he
looks tired at events and that his heart isn't in it. I don't
care how much we have against Cullen – if Jake's not up
for the race, it's not worth it."
"He'll be fine. He was just taken aback by Bella. They
always had a thing for one another. I mean … shit … she
told the guy herself that she was marrying Cullen."
"Hmpf. Well, it was the right thing to do both personally
and politically. He won't go after Cullen on this stuff
because of it."
"Don't worry. He'll get the fire back in his belly."
"How so?"
"Sure he won't attack Bella, but if he hated Cullen before,
he really fucking despises him now. His feelings toward
Bella are more complicated, but he detests Cullen. He'd
kill him if he could. Watch out for him in the debates.
He's going to be prepared to eviscerate him."
"That's good to hear. If the Democrats weren't totally
flailing this election cycle, I'd be very worried, but since
the Dems are completely pathetic, I'm feeling confident.
Plus, I still have a trick or two up my sleeve."
"Oh yeah. What's that?"
"Oh I'm looking to discredit Bella's dad – Charlie Swan."
"Whoa now … That will send Jake over the edge. Charlie
is best friends with his dad." Sam was alarmed at the
prospect. "It could even backfire. Jake might even say
something in Charlie's defense, and I certainly couldn't
stop his dad from doing it."
"Whatever. I don't care. If it's good stuff against the guy
it will live on in the public's mind, you know that."
"Well, what is it?"
"It turns out that the Chief of Police might have been in
some shady business with the Cullens. We might be able
to show that he was indebted to them in some way – at
least for his reputation."
"How so?" Sam thought that highly unlikely, so he was
very curious.
"It's not a great lead, but Charlie might have bended
some rules for old Carlisle in covering up Emmett
Cullen's criminal activity. We just got The Seattle Times
working on the story – the same reporter who did their
interview. He wants to look balanced and all."
"I just can't imagine that Charlie would do something
like that. He's such an up-and-up, tell-it-like-it-is guy. I
mean look what he said about Cullen at their press
conference. He stood by his daughter, but said he wanted
to kill her husband at one point. I don't see him doing
anything illegal."
"Well, I don't really care if he did anything illegal or not,
I just need enough information to give the appearance of
him doing something illegal. That'll be enough to put
another cloud over Cullen and the elopement. Perception
is reality."
--
From the moment that Bella and Edward left Seattle for
Hawaii, they kept their pact not to worry about the
hounds nipping at their heels. All in all they were in
better stead politically than they had ever hoped, which
Edward chalked up to Esme always being right. Yet, the
niggling media attention was an annoying problem. The
Senate Ethics Committee investigation kept their names
in the papers, although no longer on the front page.
Their attorney, Greg Craig, was just as confident as
Edward that the investigation would clear his name.
Because his profession called for him to be in the news
every day, Edward normally allowed bad press to run off
his back. The written media didn't faze him, and given
Jane Volk's antics, there weren't that many late night
talk show jokes about him and Bella to be bothered with.
But the constant cable news chatter about their
relationship irritated him to no end, and his anger
reached Mach 10 speed when negative things were said
about Bella.
In contrast, Bella just ignored the television chatter and
didn't even mind the gossip column stories detailing
their every last move. What Bella didn't like was the
blogosphere, which treated her with a hatred usually
reserved for dictators and child molesters. Of course, the
worst criticism came from her own sex. Other women
attacked her for her appearance and being a gold digger,
and they were quick to say that any photo of the two of
them not smiling at one another was evidence that their
marriage was a sham and they were breaking up. Her
daily annoyance was "Bump Watch", as it had gone viral.
Bella despised the pissy comments that people registered
under the photos, but she still had it on email alert so
that she could scrutinize her belly along with everyone
else. Bella had more self-confidence than most 22 year
olds, but no one could be immune to the barrage of
insults hurled at her. Edward's response to the attacks
on her was sinisterly dismissive. "I hate every one of
those women. They're dumb as rocks if they think
anything less than that."
Leah and Emmett's wedding took place a few days after
the Fourth of July on the leeward side of Maui at The
Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua. It was truly a family affair with
only immediate family members present. As best friend
of the father of the bride and also father of a sister-in-
law, Charlie Swan had been invited, but he begged off
due to his fear of flying. Even Jenks declined his
invitation, saying that he was the only one who could be
spared to tend the Cullen political hearth why the family
was away.
The other person who should have been there, but who
wasn't was Irina. Rosalie had wanted to use the occasion
as an opportunity to formally bring Irina into the family
fold. Irina rejected the idea, though, saying that it was
highly likely that photographs of the wedding and the
family's time at the resort would make it into the press.
As long as the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy ruled the
Pentagon, Irina couldn't risk her career as a Naval officer
by being seen with Rosalie. It was hard for Rosalie to
take it any other way than a rejection, even though she
knew that wasn't what Irina intended. In a rare moment
of self-reflection, she confided to Alice, "It's all fun and
games being a lesbian, until you fall in love with
someone. Then you realize how hard the world really is."
With the island of Lanai in the background, Leah and
Emmett married on the beach at the resort. The
ceremony was simple and officiated by an island
minister, who was always on call for those sorts of
things. Wearing a white Guyabera shirt untucked, khaki
pants, and a ti leaf lei, Emmett looked perfect for the
occasion of an island wedding, while Leah looked like an
island bride dressed in a long white sundress with her
black hair cascading down her bare shoulders and back.
The elaborate lei at her neck and plumeria in her hair
provided just the right amount of color for her ensemble.
As with all weddings, the happily married couples
present felt they were renewing their own vows. Seth
Clearwater looked over at his mother and father and saw
Harry and Sue looking at each other very much the same
way as they did almost 40 years before. Jasper hugged
his own bride from years past, embracing both Alice and
her pregnant belly. And as Emmett took his vows to love
and cherish Leah for the rest of her days, Edward's and
Bella's eyes connected, reconfirming their own
commitment.
The wedding festivities meant that Bella and Edward
didn't get any free time until the day after the wedding.
With Congress still in session and a re-election
campaign, Edward could only afford two days off. They
made the most of it, though. On their own, Bella sat on
the beach burning through a few novels, while Edward
went surfing – a sport he had picked up while stationed
in San Diego. Together, they snorkeled, swam in the
warm water of paradise, slept in a hammock together,
and relaxed on the beach playing chess.
The late morning of their second day together, Edward
reclined on a straw beach mat, wearing nothing, but a
pair of faded green board shorts. Bella lay on her
stomach with her legs crossed and bent at the knee. With
a scanty black and white striped bikini, her hair in a
ponytail, and a chess piece in hand, she looked like a
cartoon of a French pin-up girl.
"Um. Edward. It's your turn."
"I know I'm just going through some moves."
"I don't know why you do that. I don't play strategically."
"That's the problem. I can't figure you out. Your moves
are very unpredictable. That's what makes them
challenging."
"Playing chaotically is the only way I have any kind of leg
up against you."
"I thought you liked chess."
"It's OK. I just like watching you get all flustered."
A flash of sparkle from the hibiscus bushes caught
Edward's eyes. Straightaway, he stood up to get a better
look - only to hear and see a rustle behind the bushes. He
sat back down and grumbled, "I think we just got
papped. Damn it. The hotel was supposed to control
these things after the wedding. Those were supposed to
be the only public photographs."
"Come on. We knew this was bound to happen at some
point. If they catch us playing chess, it's not the worst
thing in the world."
Edward skewed his mouth and sighed, "I can't imagine
that's all they caught."
A phone call from Rosalie a few hours later confirmed
Edward's prediction. "You two should come to Esme's
suite so you can see the photographs of you swirling the
web. They're choice."
"Bad or good?"
"I don't know. This much PDA and skin could go a lot of
ways. I'm reading the comments right now."
When Edward and Bella made it into the suite, the
family was huddled around Rosalie as she hopped from
gossip site to site assessing the response to the photos.
Everything they had done outside in the last two days
was now floating around the internet. The first on the
screen was one of Edward surfing, which could have
been an image easily taken from the movie The Endless
Summer. His buff chest was taught and his legs sinewy
as he caught a perfect wave.
Esme turned up her nose to it. "I don't like it. You don't
look senatorial."
Alice disagreed, though, "I'm not sure, Mom. If the
President of the United States can boogie board,
shouldn't a young senator be allowed to surf?"
"What about when John Kerry went windsurfing? That
was disastrous."
Bella kept her thoughts to herself, but Emmett uttered
them aloud. "That's cuz he looked like a dork. He wasn't
cut like Edward or President Obama. I think it's fine."
Then Rosalie clicked on a photo taken from the day
before where Edward and Bella walked hand-in-hand
down the beach into the sunset. The only problem with
the photo was that Bella's itty-bitty white bikini had
ridden up a bit, exposing more of her little derrière than
one would want in a family newspaper. Bella shook her
head, "You know I felt that just when it happened and
fixed it immediately. Nothing gets by these
photographers though."
Rosalie scanned through the comments and pronounced,
"OK. This is awesome. Very good news. The vast
majority of the comments say that you two are adorable,
romantic, perfectly normal, blah, blah, blah."
But she then wrinkled her nose. "A few of the comments
say you look too skinny, and some of them say you're a
slut." Rosalie's beauty had long made her the victim of
undeserved spite, so she concluded, "Jealous bitches."
Thinking about how the photos might affect the way her
future law school classmates would receive her next
month, Bella remained silent. Emmett sought to
reassure her that everything would be just fine. "Aw
Bella, don't worry about it. Any straight guy looking at
that photo will say you've got a nice ass."
Edward and Esme both shot Emmett a look, but Leah
was the first to laugh at her sex-driven husband. She
tried to reassure Bella, "Don't mind him, Bella. He's just
saying not to worry."
"You know, I think these photos are actually helpful in
the long run. You two look happy. That's what matters
most," announced Rosalie. She then smirked at Bella,
"And this has got be the end of 'Bump Watch'. Only an
idiot would say you're pregnant after seeing these pics."
--
Later that month, Charlie Swan was sitting at his desk as
he started the ritualistic cleaning of his guns just as he
always did on Monday morning. When his direct line
rang, he didn't want to interrupt his project, so he put
the call on speakerphone.
"Charlie Swan."
"Hello Charlie, I'm Stu Rosenberg from The Seattle
Times. I was wondering if I could talk with you for a few
minutes."
"Yeah, I've got some time. Shoot."
"Well, I've been given some information that questions
some of your work years ago when you dealt with
Emmett Cullen's criminal matters."
Charlie raised an eyebrow but he continued oiling and
wiping down his firearms. "How so?"
"There's some question as to special treatment given to
Emmett Cullen by you – maybe that you bent some rules
for him – specifically that you alerted him to an FBI
investigation of a gambling ring that he had been
involved in."
"And?" Charlie frowned, but was stoic.
"And we're conducting an investigation."
Charlie cocked the gun and practiced his aim at the wall
in front of him. He simply answered, "Good luck with
that."
The reporter was startled by Charlie's nonchalance. "Um.
Can I quote you?"
"Yup."
~*~
 ~ Chapter Forty-Three ~
Like many politicians, Senator Carlisle Cullen had
hundreds of acquaintances, but very few friends other
than his wife. Alistair was his best friend in the Senate,
and Judge Clements was a longtime fishing buddy. For
most of his adult life, those were the three souls closest
to his. There were numerous reasons why. He was
introverted with little time to develop relationships, and
being a political figure and patriarch of a prominent
family, he protectively held his cards close to his chest.
Yet in 1990, it was only after a few encounters with Forks
Police Chief Charlie Swan that Carlisle decided he would
like to spend more time with him. Carlisle was curious
about Charlie as a person. He respected him
professionally and admired his quietly confident ways.
Plus, Charlie's encyclopedic knowledge of the best
fishing spots in Washington State was also an attractant.
When Carlisle first asked Charlie to go fishing, he was so
nervous that it reminded him of the first time he asked
Esme to go on a date. After all, Charlie could easily reject
him, and it would be in Charlie's upright nature to do so.
Their early meetings centered around one misdeed or
another of Carlisle's eldest, but still teenage son,
Emmett. It would be understandable if Charlie had
misgivings about spending any social time with him.
Charlie could easily conclude that Carlisle had asked
only as some form of obligatory payback for dealing with
his wayward son, or he could think Carlisle was
ingratiating himself to him given it was highly likely that
Emmett would err again.
So Carlisle tried a casual approach on a day Charlie
called with some expected news. He informed Carlisle
that the Quileute tribal prosecutor wouldn't be pressing
charges against Emmett for beating up the widely
recognized asshole of the tribe. Carlisle pretended to
absentmindedly mumble, "Yeah, I'll be going down your
way in a few weeks."
"Port Angeles?"
"No, I was planning on doing some fishing. I heard of a
good place for Cutthroat on the Sol Duc."
"Hmm." Charlie mulled over the possibilities during the
current season. "Not this time of year. You need to go to
the Bogachiel."
"Really? You know, for all the time I've spent over there,
I've never been on that river in the fall."
"Oh, I love going right about now."
Carlisle pounced upon his words. "You should come with
me." Worried that Charlie might find him an unsuitable
fishing companion, he added, "I don't talk much, and I
always bring beer."
The lure of good fishing, quiet company, and cold beer
was too good for Charlie to pass up. In fact, he didn't
even think twice about who was offering the trip. He
immediately agreed, and a friendship slowly began to
take root.
Until Carlisle died unexpectedly in 2007, he and Charlie
spent a few days throughout each year fishing together.
Of course, they saw and spoke to each other much more
than that during the year due to Emmett's escapades.
Their relationship was largely bifurcated, though. There
were their interactions about criminal matters, and then
there were their times out in the wilds of the Olympic
National Forest.
From public drunkenness to disorderly conduct to
assault and battery to drunk driving to statutory rape,
Emmett's crimes varied, but they always included
alcohol. His parents were at a loss as to what to do
because early attempts at rehab did nothing for him.
When his drinking problem first emerged at 16, Esme
demanded a tough love approach.
They signed Emmett up for an eight week wilderness
boot camp where he had to sleep on the ground with
only a wool blanket, fish and gather most of his food,
whittle his eating utensils from sticks, and talk about his
addiction. What most teenagers would think would be a
living hell, Emmett found it to be a damn good time. He
was in his element in the outdoors, he loved to talk, and
late at night after the councilors had gone to bed, he
snuck off with a girl who was just as much a horny
teenager as he was. In short, the program was a complete
failure at changing his ways, and future efforts of
rehabilitation had little effect either.
In general, Charlie treated Emmett no differently than
he would any other troubled youth. Charlie's first
conversation with Carlisle was one Charlie would have
had with any parent of a drunk kid he had found on the
side of the road. Emmett spent most of his time on the
Quileute reservation, though, and most of his
wrongdoing took place there. The town of Forks had an
unsaid reciprocal agreement with the reservation of
handing over to one another minor crimes that occurred
by outsiders in their boundaries. That agreement
allowed for a great deal of police and prosecutorial
discretion in deciding which crimes would be charged.
More serious and repeated crimes required prosecution,
but it was common for both sides to let a minor incident
go with the perpetrator receiving nothing more than a
firm talking to. Emmett benefited greatly from that
tradition and was treated just like everyone else – for the
most part.
Soon after Charlie and Carlisle began their fishing trips,
Charlie started giving Carlisle a special courtesy. If
Emmett wasn't going to be charged with a crime, Charlie
took him to his house and let Carlisle pick him up there.
It allowed Carlisle to avoid to the police station and any
publicity of Emmett's misdeeds. Twenty years later, that
December evening when Bella walked down the stairs
and saw Charlie, Emmett, and her boyfriend, Edward, in
her living room, the memory that flashed in her brain
was from when she was a young girl when she once saw
Charlie, Emmett, and Carlisle in a similar setting.
The time Emmett was accused of statutory rape, Charlie
also got involved more than he normally would. He had
no doubt that Emmett most likely knew the girl was
underage, but the fact that the family was trying to extort
Carlisle was also unseemly to him. Charlie worked with
the tribal police to keep things as quiet as possible. The
police were willing to hush things up because if news
leaked out of the extortion it would be bad PR for the
tribe. Of course, Jenks was the one to sweep the entire
matter away by simply paying off the family, but Charlie
also saw to it that his friend Carlisle was spared from
some public shame.
Yet when Charlie and Carlisle were fishing, their
relationship was entirely different, and they never talked
about legal matters. In fact, they talked very little at all.
Charlie was a quiet man to begin with, and Carlisle had
to talk so much in his job that a peaceful afternoon was
like a vacation to him. They both enjoyed the silence of
the wilderness. If they did converse, they mostly chatted
about what flies the fish were biting on or about the river
and land around them. Charlie kept Carlisle appraised of
how the Forest Service was managing the lands. More
than once he muttered something about a proposed
timber sale that would harm a favorite spot of theirs.
Charlie knew what he was doing because every time he
quietly complained, the timber sale was cancelled. The
rest of the world didn't know that the cancellation was
the result of Charlie Swan inspiring a well placed call
from Senator Carlisle Cullen to the Chief of the U.S.
Forest Service.
Now and then, Charlie and Carlisle would talk of their
families. Carlisle realized early on that Charlie still held a
flame for his ex-wife, so he avoided asking about her.
Instead, Carlisle asked him about Bella. While Charlie
was shy when discussing his daughter, he was obviously
very proud of her and missed her when she lived with
her mother. He was over the moon happy when she
eventually moved to Forks for her last two years of high
school. Carlisle always hoped to meet her just so that he
could have another glimpse into his intensely private
friend.
Only once did Charlie ever bring up Emmett while he
and Carlisle were out on the river. It was just a few words
that were never discussed again, but it was life-altering
for Emmett. Charlie and Carlisle were fishing near one
another, but each was still in his own private solitude.
They hadn't spoken for almost an hour. Then, staring
straight out over the rushing water, Charlie cast his line
and declared sternly, "You need to get your boy off the
reservation."
Surprised that Charlie had spoken at all – let alone that
he had spoken about Emmett, Carlisle stared at him.
Charlie met his gaze, and in a somber tone, he
demanded, "Now." With that Charlie walked away to fish
on his own for the next few hours, never bringing the
subject up again.
Upon hearing the story, Esme immediately decided that
Charlie Swan had been far too good of a friend to the
Cullen family to ignore his advice. She mused to Carlisle,
"Charlie Swan knows something we don't."
"I agree. I don't know what, though. Frankly, I'm not
sure I want to find out."
Esme wrinkled her nose mulling over the political
ramifications for her husband. "I think it's best you
don't. Let Jenks handle it."
So with the help of Jenks, they convinced Emmett that
he needed to correct course, although he hardly needed
convincing. The sight of Jenks was enough. A few days
later, he visited Emmett at the family house outside of
Forks where he had been living by himself. Emmett was
just about to get into his truck and head out to LaPush
when Jenks pulled into the drive. The moment Emmett
saw Jenks, he knew that there was trouble – serious
trouble. That would be the only reason for Jenks to pay
him a special visit all the way out there.
As Jenks got out of his car, he asked, "Where are you
heading?"
Emmett looked at him warily, but with a small smile.
"Nowhere now. How're you doing, Jenks?"
"Just fine. Just fine. So, you know I wouldn't be here if it
wasn't important."
"Of course."
"You need to come home, Emmett."
"Why? Has something happened there?"
"No. Not at all. Everyone is fine. I just want to stop
something from happening here."
The two men stared at one another and came to an
understanding. Emmett realized that Jenks, knower of
all things and divulger of none, knew exactly what he had
been up to. Jenks knew about his gambling and the
extensive criminal records of some of his partners in
crime – plus a whole lot more that Emmett really didn't
want to think about. Jenks tipped his chin down silently
acknowledging that Emmett had guessed correctly.
Giving the dirt a good kick, Emmett sighed, "Aw, hell. I'll
come home."
"That's very good to hear."
"But why now? I know why. But why today?"
"I received a tip, and I investigated it."
"A tip? From whom?"
Jenks would never disclose Charlie's name – that wasn't
his style. Instead, he replied, "A friend of your father's."
Emmett nodded knowing exactly who that friend was.
Charlie Swan. He sighed, "Let me just pack my stuff."
"Pack everything. You won't be coming back for quite
some time."
What moved Emmett to accept so quickly that his life
had to change was always a mystery to most of the family
– except Esme. She always had faith that their
perpetually prodigal son would one day come home
permanently. At that time he was 28, and she knew
Emmett was old enough to know he was heading for real
trouble and time was running out for him to change his
ways. Emmett spent the next four months at the
Hazelden treatment center deep in Minnesota farm
country. His stay there didn't cure him, but it did help
him. It also kept him out of Washington State as the
gambling ring on the reservation got busted by the feds.
From that point on, Emmett's troubles with the law
dwindled away. He was still always up for a fight with
someone he thought a jerk, but for the most part, he kept
his nose clean. Occasionally, he would fall off the wagon
– unfortunately he was with Leah during much of that
time. Losing Leah had a profound effect on him,
especially seeing her turn to Sam Uley, a man Emmett
had zero respect for. Emmett's commitment to sobriety
and straightening up his life intensified because of his
singular goal to win back Leah's heart. When Carlisle
died, Emmett was very happy that his father last saw
him sober and working hard.
And it was two weeks before Carlisle died that he met
Bella Swan. Having arrived a little early for a fishing
appointment, Carlisle sat in his truck across the street
from Charlie's house making a few phone calls before he
arrived. He noticed when Bella's red pick-up pulled into
Charlie's driveway. He had never even seen a photo of
Bella, but he knew the truck was hers. The truck had
created a stereotypical image in his mind of the kind of
girl who would drive such a thing – a husky, country gal
wearing Wranglers and Ropers.
When Bella's slight frame hopped out of the cab with her
dark hair bouncing in a ponytail, Carlisle leaned forward
in surprise to confirm what he was seeing. That's Bella
Swan? She's really pretty. I wonder what she's like. He
had limited personal information about Bella – she was
smart enough to have gotten a scholarship to UW, she
also worked her way through school, and she took care of
Charlie when she was in town.
Adding those characteristics to the attractive young
woman before him caused Carlisle to want to meet her.
He checked his watch. Charlie wasn't due for another 25
minutes, and Carlisle knew when he did arrive they
wouldn't go into the house, but instead immediately
leave for the river. So after dithering over what to do for
a few minutes, Carlisle jumped out of his truck and
knocked on the Swan residence's door.
Bella answered visibly flustered, and not recognizing the
visitor, she asked, "Hi. Can I help you?"
As Carlisle instantly admired the doe eyes that greeted
him, he answered, "Hello, I'm Carlisle Cullen. I'm
meeting your father to go fishing. I just wanted to let you
know I'm in my truck outside in case he calls."
That Bella didn't recognize the Carlisle Cullen before her
as Senator Carlisle Cullen wasn't because she was dumb.
Indeed, if you asked her to write down the names of the
two Senators from Washington State, she could have
done that, adding also their party affiliations and
something they were known for. Bella was in a hurry,
though. All she saw before her was an old guy in a flannel
shirt and jeans with a pick-up truck out on the street.
The majority of the men in her father's world looked like
him, and they were all interchangeable as far as she was
concerned.
So Bella simply nodded, "Oh. OK. Hi, I'm Bella. I hope
you don't mind, but I'm cooking and I need to get it in
the oven so that it's ready by the time Charlie gets back.
You can sit in the living room if you want. I'll be done in
a few minutes." Opening the door further, she gestured
to the living room, "Please come in."
"Oh no, I can stay outside. I need to make some calls. I
just didn't want you thinking I was lurking out there."
Then he grinned as he took in more of what he just
heard. "It's nice to meet you, Bella."
With her mind on the beef she was browning on the
stove, Bella didn't even catch his name. She felt a little
badly that she only could say, "Yes. It's nice to meet you,
too. Have a good time this afternoon."
"You too. It smells good whatever you're making."
"Thanks. It's just a pot roast. It can cook while I study."
"Good for you then." Carlisle gave her his most
enchanted smile and said, "Have a good afternoon,"
before he walked away.
As he made it back to his truck, he was grinning. She's
awfully nice … and very pretty … and not pretentious.
Hell, I don't even think she figured out who I was. Or
maybe she did and didn't care – just like Charlie. I have
to tell Esme about her. Maybe Edward might like her…
A few minutes later, Carlisle still had Bella in the back of
his mind as he sat in his truck reading the paper.
Movement at the back of Charlie's house made him look
up to see Bella laying out a blanket on the lawn and
holding a book. She had changed into cut-offs, and
Carlisle's eyes widened at her shapely bare legs and
slightly exposed midriff. Edward would definitely like
her.
When Bella settled onto her blanket reading her book, an
almost panicked intuition came over Carlisle as he
considered the combination of his youngest son and his
good friend's daughter. I bet they'd get on very well.
Edward would take to her immediately – I can just tell.
I know him. And I hope she could see he's not the
arrogant bastard he pretends to be. A younger woman
might be good for Edward – maybe he wouldn't take
himself so seriously all the time. It might be like Esme
and me. How can I get him over here? No. She goes to
school in Seattle. They could meet there. Maybe she
could come by the house or …
But just as his matchmaking spun out of control, he
stopped himself. What am I thinking? I want to
introduce Charlie Swan's only daughter to my
philandering son, ten years her senior? That's crazy.
Carlisle became sullen with disappointment, as he
thought of Edward. Given his own history with women
prior to meeting Esme, he couldn't fault Edward too
much for his womanizing. Yet, he couldn't help feeling
like his son might respond differently to Bella just as he
once had to Esme. I just think he would want to get to
know her better. He wouldn't be that way with her.
She's … different. He would see that; wouldn't he?
He shook his head, imagining how horrible it would be if
Edward did treat Charlie Swan's daughter shabbily. I
can't risk it. I can't do that to her – or Charlie. Full of
regret, he stared at Bella quietly reading. Too bad,
Edward. I think you're missing out. Maybe one day...
Two weeks later Carlisle died of an unexpected heart
attack. Charlie was invited to both the large public
funeral and the family's private memorial service later
that day, but he didn't attend either. He went fishing
instead.
--
By the end of July, Stu Rosenberg had handed in his
story about Charlie Swan's potential breach of ethics
when dealing with Emmett Cullen. He sat in a
conference room with all the senior editors of The Seattle
Times as they evaluated the story. It was hard for him
because he had invested a great deal of time on the story,
but it wasn't as strong of a piece as he would like. He did
think there was a story there, but he still didn't have a lot
to go on.
The impatient national news editor of the paper, Keith
McHough, sneered, "It's thin. It can't go on the front
page this thin. Go beef it up."
Stu shrugged, "There's no more beef to be had. The fact
is that old man Cullen and Charlie Swan were friends.
Any information that was exchanged was given between
them privately. There is no smoking gun."
"I'll put it on my front page," chuckled Barbara Peters,
the living section editor. She smirked at all the men in
the room, confused by her statement. "This is a great
human interest story – two unlikely men become
longtime friends – the one with less power helps the one
with more. I think it's great. Plus, there's that nice touch
that Emmett Cullen is now married to Leah Clearwater
who is the sister of his brother's Chief-of-Staff, Seth
Clearwater. The Clearwaters are friends with Charlie
Swan. It makes it all very connected and homey. I like
it."
"And that's why I don't like it," declared Dick Ridley, the
crotchety Editor-in-Chief. "I can argue that this story is
round or square –in one way it's tough news and in
another it's a feel-good piece. It's needs to be one or the
other. It can't be both. That's not good."
Stu argued for his work, "I've spent a lot of time on this
story. It's worth running. I've got guys on the reservation
willing to go on record that they were suspicious of
Charlie Swan when Emmett Cullen conveniently skipped
town a few months before everything went down."
Dick Ridley scowled, "Unlike them, Emmett Cullen was
never charged – let alone convicted – of anything. Hell,
we'll never know if he was even ever questioned by the
FBI."
Stu looked over to Keith McHough for some help, and
Keith responded wanting to help out one of his dedicated
reporters, "Dick, you know there's something to this
story. It's worth running." He shot a look at Barbara,
"And not just as a fluff piece."
Quiet for a few moments as he weighed the choices, Dick
stood up and tossed his copy of the story across the table.
"Run it, but bury it."
Of course, even burying the story deep in the local news
section didn't put it out of sight of FoxNews. Most of the
other media outlets gave it brief or no mention because
the story was "thin", but the national FoxNews gave it
some choice airtime during the course of the day, as did
their Seattle affiliate. Their anchor who had moderated
the candidate forum between Edward and Jacob Black
back in the winter, Renata Morris, received a call from
Aro's right hand man, Felix, touting the story. She made
sure that they were first to catch Charlie Swan that day.
As Charlie walked up to the police station that morning,
a young reporter trying to make a name for himself with
the story stuck a microphone in his face and barked,
"What's your reaction to today's story that you violated
your ethical duties? That maybe there's been some shady
dealings with you and the Cullen family in the past? That
maybe that's one of the reasons behind your daughter's
marriage to Edward Cullen?"
A cameraman stood in front of Charlie pointing his
camera at him like it was a gun and Charlie was prey. But
Charlie Swan was unfazed by guns. Still holding his
coffee from his daily morning pilgrimage to the donut
shop, Charlie took a sip of coffee before answering
pleasantly, "My conscience is clean." Smiling, he quickly
added, "Is yours?" Then he walked into the station and
gave no more statements on the matter. In Charlie's
mind, the issue was over, and he was right for the most
part.
When Sam Uley read the story that same morning, he
called Jake immediately. Sam tried to calm him down,
but nothing worked. Jake was apoplectic.
"Why the FUCK did Aro do this? Why did you let him?
Now I've got to DENY it. I can't do this to my dad. I can't
do this to Charlie." Jake's hands were shaking, as he
pinched his nose trying to hold back the torrent of
emotion that anything to do with Bella brought on. In a
quieter voice, he admitted, "This is making things worse,
not better for me."
"Jake, I'm sorry. You've got to think about it from his
perspective, though. Anything negative on Cullen is
good. We're losing traction with the guy. Somehow he's
bouncing back from any bad press around … the
situation." Sam was careful not to say Bella's name to
Jake.
Jake was silent. He didn't like being reminded that the
race had tightened again. Eventually he asked, "Have
you thought of my statement?"
"Well, I knew you would want to defend Charlie. This is
what I was thinking: 'Charlie Swan is my father's best
friend. He is like a father to me. He has unquestionable
ethics.' I kind of like it actually because it insinuates that
on the other hand, the Cullens' ethics are questionable."
Nodding as he absorbed the statement, Jake responded,
"Fine, but we'll have no more comment on the subject. I
want this story to die – now." Still angry that he had
been put in the predicament between his campaign and
his closest personal relationships, he added, "And tell
Aro to fuck himself."
"No way. I'm not biting the hand that feeds us. He's
running an independent campaign. He can do whatever
he wants. And you know he will anyway, regardless of
what I say to him."
--
A few weeks later in August, Alice's hospital room was
crowded with almost the entire Cullen family, welcoming
the latest family member – Scarlett Cullen Whitlock.
Alice had wanted a name that was dramatic, and Jasper
had wanted one that sounded southern. Esme couldn't
have cared less what the child was named; she was too
ecstatic at being a grandmother. Rosalie also took special
pride in her niece, pronouncing that, "She's a very lucky
girl. I think she looks just like me."
Not wanting to miss a moment of being an uncle,
Edward and Bella left the campaign trail in Washington
State and flew back along with Emmett and Leah.
Edward was able to pry little Scarlett away from Esme,
and as he held her, he gazed at her with wonder. To
Bella, he remarked with some astonishment, "It's kind of
unbelievable. They made a little person."
Bella squeezed Edward's arm. "They made a really cute
little person."
"When do we get one of these?" He made sure to laugh
and wink after he said it because he was well aware that
pressure didn't work on his wife.
"Talk to me in six years." She smiled though, not wanting
to dash all his hope.
Edward couldn't argue with her timing. Hopefully, he
would have another term in the Senate under his belt,
and she would be well into her legal career. Giving her a
peck on the cheek, he concluded, "I'll hold you to that."
Alice piped up over the crowd. "I thought you all might
not be as excited about a girl, but it seems you are."
Jasper frowned and then smiled. "Why on earth would I
want a boy when God gave me a girl?"
Emmett agreed, "Who wants a boy? Boys aren't any use
to anybody. Don't you think I'm proof of that?"
--
Later that month, Bella left Edward back in Seattle and
headed to DC to start law school. Edward had wanted to
be there for her, but he couldn't waste a moment of the
August Congressional recess not campaigning. Rosalie
actually wanted Bella to stay longer in Seattle because
she had a hunch that Bella was proving to be an asset to
the campaign, rather than a liability. Like many political
wives, she said little at events, but she smiled and was
charming when she did talk. In fact, she was so
approachable that women wanted to spend time with her
– even if it was just to glean some information on how
she wrangled Edward Cullen.
When Bella arrived in DC, the empty apartment made
her a little sad. She soon thought better of it, though. She
had to be independent at school. She needed to blend in.
She needed to be just like every other student – not the
girl still embroiled in a middle of political sex scandal.
Even though as each day passed it layered on another bit
of public acceptance of her relationship with Edward,
she knew it would be in the forefront of her fellow
students' minds when they met her.
The moment she arrived for her first day of new student
orientation, the stares and whispers confirmed her fears.
Yet when she sat in the room and her name was called
out as "Bella Swan" and not "Bella Cullen", many in the
room were surprised – and impressed that she wasn't
trading on the Cullen name. The fact that she walked
back and forth to the Metro with her classmates every
day helped also. But her professors helped her out more
than anyone else. As Edward told her on the phone one
night, "Most law professors rival politicians in their egos.
They could give a fuck who is in their class. They torment
everyone equally."
That first Saturday night after school started, Bella went
to a party that a classmate was holding at his group
house in Mount Pleasant. It was around eleven that Bella
was feeling the tug of home. Edward had said he would
talk to her late that night her time, and she wanted to be
home for the call.
When Edward walked into the house, most people didn't
really notice him. The lighting was low, the music was
loud, and everyone was drinking. He was dressed in an
unassuming green button-down shirt and jeans. A few
women caught a glimpse of him and immediately
wondered why they hadn't noticed this handsome
classmate of theirs before.
As Bella stood there talking with a few new friends, she
was just about to check her watch when she felt a
familiar hand on her arm. Looking up, the sight of
Edward made her throw her arms around him, as she
gasped, "What are you doing here?"
"You said there was a party." He was grinning and gave
her a quick kiss.
"But you've got an event tomorrow."
"It's not until noon. I just have to leave by eight. Thank
God for the time difference."
Bella playfully pushed his chest. "How much
unnecessary carbon did you just emit into the
atmosphere tonight?"
"A lot. I promise to buy more offsets to make up for it."
Then realizing that her small circle of friends was staring
at them, Bella turned to the group. "Um. This is my
husband…" Knowing how he would want to be addressed
by them, she continued, "Edward."
Whatever came out of Bella's mouth had no effect on her
friends, though. They knew who they were meeting.
Standing a little straighter and looking him in the eye,
they each greeted him, by offering a handshake and
calling him, "Senator Cullen."
Edward instantly held up his hands and shook his head.
"Please. Only call me Edward."
Edward's presence that night could have been a disaster
for Bella, but it had the opposite effect. Her classmates
met Edward in the most casual of settings, wearing jeans
with a beer in hand. If asked questions about the Senate
or his campaign, he would answer them directly and
happily. The conversation eventually trended away from
him, though, and went to more common topics of classes
and gossip. And by the end of the night, most of the
people they talked to thought he and Bella more normal
than not.
Late that night, Bella and Edward wasted no time
sleeping when they could be together in person. Edward
grabbed a few beers and met her on the patio to enjoy
the warm, summer darkness. Just as he sat down, Bella
straddled him on the lounger and gave him a long kiss.
He murmured in response, "This is nice. I should
surprise you more often."
Bella smiled, but was quiet as she yanked at his shirt
pulling it out of his jeans. When her mouth went straight
to his treasure trail, he laughed, "And what are you doing
now?"
Unbuckling his belt, she replied, "Thanking you."
"For what?"
As she maneuvered his pants and boxers down to his
thighs, she was quiet until she saw his naked erection,
hardening in anticipation. With long licks up and down
his length, she answered, "For being a sweet, sweet
husband."
Edward responded with a long groan. Relaxing his body
deeper into the lounge cushions, he closed his eyes and
enjoyed the pleasures of his wife.
~*~
 ~ Chapter Forty-Four ~
Unlike most people involved in politics, sports, or a war,
Rosalie actually admitted to praying that she would win.
Public decorum found it unseemly, even blasphemous, to
pray for the other side's demise. In politics, the proper
thing to do was to say one prayed for a good race for the
benefit of the people, so that God's will be done. Rosalie
would have none of that. She proudly declared, "I know
I'm right. Why would I ever ask God for anything else?"
So when Edward first got the news that the Senate Ethics
Committee decided to clear him of any wrongdoing,
Rosalie was happy. "Thank God!"
"Thank God is right!" seconded Edward. While the
outcome had always been expected and he didn't put too
much stock in the power of prayer, Edward was thankful
nonetheless.
"It's worked out exactly how I wanted – the ruling came
out before Labor Day. We have a full two months to put
it behind us before the election." Rosalie was smug.
"Take that, Sam Uley, you little shit."
Over Edward's shoulder, Bella looked at his laptop
screen and read the one-page letter dismissing the
complaint against him. She commented, "It's awfully
short."
She continued reading aloud, "It says, 'Despite the
potential appearance of impropriety with a young staff
member, the Committee finds no substantial credible
evidence that your behavior violated Senate ethics rules.
The Committee dismisses the matter.' After all that –
almost three months of meetings, depositions, lawyers,
and documents, this is all they have to say?"
Edward chuckled sardonically, "That's all they want to
say – just in case it happens to one of them one day."
Rosalie nodded her head. "Even Larry Craig only got a
nasty admonishment letter, and he'd been arrested for
cruising for sex in an airport restroom."
Not looking up from her knitting, Esme arched an
eyebrow and declared more to herself than anyone else,
"It's true. Even with all of today's partisanship, some
things don't change. The U.S. Senate still is 'the Club'.
They're loath to criticize their own."
Esme realized she sounded too cold, so she instantly
switched from her political operative side to her
motherly one. Smiling at Bella, she reassured her, "But
in this case, it was the right outcome. I'm very happy for
you two."
"Thanks, Esme." Bella squeezed Edward's shoulder,
whispering, "Can we put this behind us now?"
Edward took her hand and kissed it before firmly
answering, "Honestly, I think we can."
The decision of the Senate Ethics Committee played
favorably in the press for them, but it was their daily
behavior that most helped Edward politically. The public
recognized them for what they were – two people hiding
nothing and enjoying everyday life.
That September, Bella and Edward fell into a normal
domestic routine – as normal of a routine as one can
expect for a sitting senator in the middle of a re-election
campaign and a young law student. Their mornings
would start ahead of dawn, with one or the other getting
up to do a little work ahead of the day. Around a half an
hour later, the early riser would slip back into bed to
nudge the sleeping spouse into the new day. On some
mornings, Edward and Bella would go for a run together.
Until then, Edward had always worked out alone because
Bella found nothing fun about exercise. When he
mentioned once that he had started running through the
National Zoo and the animals were lively in the early
morning, Bella was curious enough to tag along one day.
Her presence turned his six-minute miles into eleven-
minute miles, but he couldn't have cared less about the
slower pace. They always had a great time observing the
giant pandas lazily munching on bamboo or the little red
pandas scurrying about or the orangutans swinging
gracefully through the air. Occasionally, they would
happen upon a pair of animals mating, which always
caused Edward to suggestively pinch Bella's butt, for
which he received a playful rebuke. After a few days,
Bella kept running with Edward not because of the
animals, but because it gave them more time together
than his packed schedule would allow.
In their home they comfortably lived with each other –
cooking, cleaning, reading, working, watching movies, or
playing games. As with all contented couples, there were
times of the day when each would go about his or her
thing with little observation of the other. It wasn't that
they took one another for granted, but rather that they
were so in tune that they knew what the other was up to
without even seeing. There were times, though, when a
simple glimpse of the other person would sharpen into
an objective focus.
Edward might be tying his tie for the day and glance for a
moment into the bathroom where Bella was standing in
her bra and panties brushing her teeth. Bella was no
longer simply his wife getting ready for the day. The
roundness of her breasts and the lace across her skin was
an image that would arouse any man – only she was his
wife. Bella was his own special brand of gorgeous and
there, happily ready for the taking.
At that moment, the twitch in his pants was always
enough initiative for him to strip off his tie. Knowing full
well the answer to her question, Bella would ask, "What
are you looking at?" with her mouth full of toothpaste. In
response, Edward would smile wickedly and begin
unbuckling his belt.
Hurriedly spitting out her toothpaste, Bella would jump
on their freshly made bed. Usually Edward wasted no
time with introductory kisses or upper-body foreplay. He
pulled her to the edge of the bed and spread her legs and
began one of Bella's favorite turn-ons.
Pulling the crotch of her panties to one side, Edward
would begin delicately licking her sex. There was
something about still wearing her panties that reminded
Bella of those first times a boy ever touched her down
there. The long ingrained sexual memories made it so
Bella was ready for Edward in short order.
After stripping off her panties, Bella might move to take
her bra off also. If it was black lace, he always grunted,
"Leave that on." Then disrobing just enough to free his
erection, he would thrust into her, taking only enough
care to make sure he wouldn't have to change his shirt or
suit.
The scene would play out conversely also. With a heavy
beard, Edward had to take his time shaving. Every
morning, still wet from the shower, he would stand only
in a towel and tackle his whiskers. Sometimes Bella
would be checking her email on her iPad, and her eyes
would catch Edward's movements in the bathroom. His
muscled body glistened with the residual drops of water,
and his hair was still uncombed and wet. Photographers
worked for hours to create images as sexual as he looked
every morning. When she spotted him like that, Bella
became just as direct as her husband.
She would casually walk up to him and tug at his towel,
loosening it, but not yet taking it off. Edward always
knew what was going on. "Mrs. Cullen, what are you
doing?"
"I think we should skip breakfast, Mr. Swan."
"I think that's a great idea."
Edward would stop his shaving – sometimes less than
half shaven – before Bella led him back to their bed,
holding both his hand and his towel. When they got to
the bed, Bella would strip him of his towel and push him
down so he was naked on his back. The anticipation of
sex would already be hardening his penis into an
erection. As Bella began kissing away the remaining
water on his body, he would press himself against her,
trying to be as close as possible. Both of them would
work to rid Bella of whatever clothing she was wearing,
and as her skin was revealed, Edward would kiss, suckle,
and stroke whatever he could get his lips and hands on.
Cutting to the chase, Bella would sometimes take his
hand and place his index finger inside of her, while she
rubbed her clit. A little of that was sometimes all that
was necessary for Bella to have a quick orgasm. More
often though, her other hand would stroke him
simultaneously, and both would watch their own erotic
scene until one or the other would demand that he be
inside of her. Afterward, Edward would always make the
same old joke that it had been much better than
breakfast.
They rarely saw each other during the day. Edward's
schedule didn't offer a lot of time, plus Bella hated
dressing up only for a quick trip to the Hill. There was no
chance Bella would let herself be caught anywhere near
the Senate wearing anything other than a suit or dress.
She was the spouse of a Senator now and had to look the
part when on stage.
She would get gussied up for an evening reception or
dinner that Edward may need to attend. A few nights a
week they would also go out to dinner occasionally and
face the occasional photographers, who dissipated in
numbers as their scandal became old news. Sometimes
they would see his family – most frequently Alice and
Jasper because with little Scarlett around, Esme and
Rosalie were never far away either.
Most nights, though, they would stay at home because
they were both happiest there – especially Edward.
While Bella cooked, Edward would sit in the kitchen
drinking a beer and talking with her about their days.
They had an agreement that she cooked and he cleaned,
so she cleared out as he brought the kitchen to order.
Later, they would do their respective studying for school
in her case or work in his. That might be interrupted if
one of them got a little bored and randy, making the sofa
or living room floor a fine spot for a little sexual release.
More often, though, as the clock got closer to eleven,
they would make their way toward bed and a nightcap of
touching and feeling before the night's sleep.
The month of September drifted along for Bella and
Edward. Life would change dramatically the final days of
the month when the Congress adjourned for October to
concentrate on the upcoming November elections. The
day the Senate was to adjourn, Bella bumped into Mike
Newton on the Hill. As she searched for a cab to relieve
her of walking in her heels, she heard from behind, "I
understand congratulations are in order, Mrs. Cullen."
She turned to see Mike wearing a starched white shirt
and darkest blue jeans. Bella may have been married
now, but she wasn't dead. Her first thoughts still went to
the beauty of the man before her. Gah! My God, he's hot.
But whatever his looks, she would always know him
mostly as a good friend to whom she was forever
indebted. Had he not provided cover – knowingly and
unknowingly – for her for so long, she and Edward
would not have been able to out themselves just at the
right time and on their own terms.
Giving him a tight hug, she exclaimed, "Mike! It's so
good to see you! I haven't even called because I thought
you would be busy at school. What are you doing back in
DC?"
"Ah well, Mrs. Cullen, I met a girl when I was in Africa.
She's a grad student here. I'm just visiting."
Bella teased him, "Now, stop calling me Mrs. Cullen. I'm
guessing you've read some stories, so you should know I
didn't change my name."
"Course I know that! I'm just kidding. And those stories
even made their way to Africa." Then looking at her
svelte figure all fashionably dressed in a Tracy Reese suit
that managed to be funky, fitted, and professional
simultaneously, he added, "Look at you. You've got to be
the hottest spouse in either the House or the Senate."
"Yeah. Um, considering the average age of a Member of
Congress is like 60, that's not too hard."
"Still. You look good. Marriage suits you."
"So tell me about this girl. What's her name?"
"Her name is Funmbie. She's Nigerian-American,
gorgeous, makes me smile, and my dad loves her."
"Aw. That's great, Mike. I'm happy for you."
"It's good. Real good." Then his face became more
serious, as he announced, "I just was listening to the
news. I'm sorry about …"
"About what?"
"Well…" Mike wasn't sure how to address Bella's
husband, so he decided to call him what he always had,
"Senator Cul…"
"You mean Edward." Her correction was full of concern
for what Mike might say.
"Yeah … Edward … those new attack ads. They're awful. I
can't believe that they're swiftboating him. Black's
campaign must be getting worried, if they're stooping
this low."
"What ads? What swiftboating?" Bella shook her head.
She just had lunch with Edward, and he hadn't said
anything, which he most certainly would have if his
military record was under attack.
"Oh I'm sorry, Bella. I thought you knew, but I guess the
story just broke. That 527 against him found some
random vets who served with Edward who are bashing
his service – saying he was reckless, put American lives
at risk, killed civilians … no doubt a bunch of lies."
Bella responded by immediately throwing her arms
around Mike one more time. Her voice wavered, as she
whispered, "Thanks Mike. You've been nothing but great
to me … and Edward. I gotta' go back to his office."
When she entered Edward's office, he sat in his desk
chair with his arms on his knees and his head in his
hands. He looked up at her with tears and anguish all
over his face. Straightaway, Bella kneeled before him
stroking his hair. "Oh Edward, I'm so sorry."
Holding back the rest of his tears, he declared, "Not this.
I can't believe they did this."
Honor had always been the guiding principle for Carlisle
Cullen, but for Edward it was even more so. The idea
that anyone had questioned his moral intentions struck
his conscience to the core. Had he done things in life and
in battle that he wish he hadn't? Yes. Had he every
rational reason to act in that manner at the time? Yes.
Did he always act in the best interest of his country and
fellow servicemen? Without a doubt.
"It's OK, Edward. It will be OK. You'll tell the truth."
"I could tell the truth, but …" Edward chuckled as he
wiped his eyes. "But as Donald Rumsfeld might say, 'War
is messy.' Many people – especially many Democrats –
won't understand."
Bella was desperate to lessen her husband's pain. She
had never expected to see him like that. "Everyone will
understand."
With a hard swallow, Edward first searched for some
forgiveness in his wife's eyes. "Regardless, first you need
to understand."
He solemnly took her hand and brought her over to his
couch, where he told her his entire military history.
Without breaching national security, he detailed as much
as he could about his missions and the enemies he killed
– both regular military and quasi-civilian. Finally, he
confessed to an act that could only be described as
retributive justice – when he shot the surrendering killer
of his best friend Alec.
If Bella hadn't been the daughter of a cop, she would
have been more intimidated by Edward's stories. In
Charlie's law and order world, Bella was used to guns
being a part of life. While it was very rare, Charlie had
used his weapon in the line of duty, and physical violence
subduing suspects was common. Bella knew about those
things, but she also had seen the emotional scars of
Charlie's life. He was quiet about it, yet he was wrecked
to his core anytime he encountered physically abused
children or raped teenagers. So Bella simply listened to
her husband without judgment as she held him trying to
ease his damaged soul.
When he was exhausted from his confessions, Bella
quietly asked, "So how do you want to respond?"
"I'm not sure. I want to defend myself, but it's dicey."
Instinctively, he looked at his Blackberry's flashing light.
He muttered, "That's probably Rosalie. I should call her."
After he punched a few numbers, Rosalie's voice was
loud enough that she didn't need to be on speaker. She
didn't greet Edward at all either. Instead, she yelled,
"There is no fucking way I will be swiftboated. No
fucking way – especially by Goddamn Aro Caius."
"Er. Rosalie, I believe I'm the target here."
"Uh uh. No. You may be the target, but the campaign
I'm running is taking the hit. And I'm not going to take
it. You're not going to be a pussy like John Kerry and just
let them do this to you."
"Rosalie, that's not fair. Now, I know how Kerry felt. He
knew it wasn't true. He was a decorated veteran. He
thought it was obvious to everyone."
"Whatever. He waited too long. We're going on the
defense tomorrow morning. I've already got ads in the
works. "
"Rosalie, I want to defend myself more than anyone, but
the fact is that if they're attacking me for this, they must
be feeling unsure of things."
"Of course, that's true. The good news out of this is that
it confirms our internal polls and further questions the
public ones. This means their internal numbers are just
like ours, and they show us ahead by 5."
Edward nodded in agreement. "That is good news."
"And don't worry about the ads being too defensive. I'm
trying to strike a balance between fighting back and
taking them on. The ads defend your record, but mostly
are a bunch of flags, old people, kids, and all that purple
mountains majesty bullshit in the background. My goal
is to nip this in the bud in a very dignified way."
"Good to hear. I'll make a short statement in a couple of
hours." He looked over at Bella to notify her that she
would be needed at his side. She looked down at what
she was wearing to confirm it was suitable for a press
event. He nodded and mouthed, "You look great."
Then to Rosalie, he continued, "Everyone will stick to my
statement. I'm not saying anything more."
Rosalie agreed, "That's fine. Just make sure Alice signs
off on it."
"Of course."
"What are you going to say?"
"I think something like …" Edward mulled it over for a
moment before stating firm, "Like this: 'I can answer to
the American people and my maker that I served my
country honorably. I hope my accusers can say the
same."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"What about questions?"
"I'll only answer general questions about my service. No
specifics – just like always."
"This is where being a SEAL and needing to protect
national security is a help."
"Yes, it is."
"I like what you've laid out. Call Alice. I'll be in your
office in 30 minutes."
As he ended the call, Edward huffed out a sigh. He
looked over to Bella, who was noticeably worried. Pulling
her to him, he kissed her head repeatedly. "Thank you. I
love you."
"Don't thank me. I love you." She nuzzled into his chest,
and they sat like that for a minute. A nagging question
lurked in her mind, though, and she had to ask. She
moved so that she could look him in the eye before
asking, "Do you think Jake's campaign had anything to
do with this?"
Edward shrugged. "I don't know. I bet they knew it was
coming. They've got to have some connection to Aro's
527. It's illegal for them to coordinate, but they seem
pretty coordinated."
"I guess we'll have to see what Jake's response is. I mean
he's been surprisingly measured for all the crap they've
thrown at us – and Charlie." Bella scowled – she
despised that her father had been dragged into the
campaign.
Shaking his head, Edward announced, "One day … one
day I will get Aro Caius."
"But how? Why would you ever interact with him? And
he protects himself … he's sort of above the fray."
"I don't know how. I don't know when – it might be long
after this election. But I will get him."
--
When Jacob Black saw the ads attacking Edward's
military record, he felt awful. Some of the ill feelings
were because it was a very slimy thing to do. Even if he
personally had nothing to do with it, he knew his
campaign was involved with Aro Caius. That was proving
to be a deal with the devil, as all independent
expenditure campaigns were. They were helpful, but you
couldn't control them. He never thought he would be the
kind of politician who would go to the level of
swiftboating.
Yet, most of his unhappiness over the ads had to do with
what Rosalie had conjectured – his campaign was in
trouble. Sometimes Jacob would lie in bed staring at his
alarm clock's red numbers in the night, waiting for them
to move every 60 seconds. While his devoted wife lay
beside him in quiet slumber, Jacob would try to
comprehend how in the year that Republicans were
bound to rake it in politically, he could very well lose.
How was it possible?
It shouldn't have been that way. He was a rising star,
with a great personal story and wonderful people skills.
From the day he announced his candidacy for Senate, he
had been right at Edward Cullen's heels. Since it was a
mid-term election for President Obama and history said
that the opposing party would win handsomely, Jacob
should have been winning. A Republican tsunami was
predicted to take over Congress. Why wasn't he riding
that wave – especially when his opponent was in the
middle of a sex scandal?
Jacob tried to blame it on everyone around him, but
deep down he knew it was his own doing. He had heard
Sam mutter before that he wasn't ready for primetime –
too hotheaded, too immature. Jacob recognized there
was something to that. When he thought about Edward
Cullen objectively, he admitted that Edward was very
much ready for primetime. He was a smooth operator
politically, knowledgeable about the issues, and
charismatic. And Jacob hated him.
When his thoughts turned to Bella, Jacob always became
unsettled. How could Bella have chosen Edward Cullen?
How?
Jacob thought himself just as good a catch as Cullen –
minus the money. But Jacob fit into Bella's family, which
he thought should've been more important. Jacob was
certain that Bella loved him in a way – didn't she? Sure,
when they were together, Jacob had miscalculated that
Bella would want to stay at home and raise his babies,
but he had loved her too. They would have had a good
life together. Why could she never see that? Why
wouldn't that life be enough for her?
Nights filled with questions such as those were horrible
for him. The answers were the same no matter how
many times he asked the questions. They made it so he
never got back to sleep, and he started another day stuck
in the quagmire of the last.
--
As soon as the ads started to backfire on Jacob's
campaign, Sam started hounding Aro, but he never took
his call. Instead, Felix finally returned it for him.
"Aro asked me to call you back. What's up?"
Sam tried to downplay the urgency he felt. "Oh, I was
just checking in to see what was going on."
"We're busy. There are a number of races in play that
we're working on."
"Where are you concentrating most of your time?"
Because it doesn't seem like you're giving us much
attention right now – at least not anything helpful.
"Well, we're very confident about the House. We're going
to do well there. With House districts, the Tea Party is an
asset and does well – not that Aro likes the Tea Party."
He bitterly added, "We're not feeling as good about the
Senate, though, thanks to them."
"That's what I'm seeing too." Sam was happy that Jacob
never tacked right toward the Tea Party. They were a
double-edged sword, bringing some vigorous life to
campaigns, but with policies and beliefs too extreme for
moderates. There was legitimate fear they couldn't win
statewide in states with historic independent streaks,
liberal big cities, and strong unions – all of which was
true in Washington State.
Felix had better things to do than chat with Sam Uley, so
he cut to the chase. "So I'm sure you're wondering about
our spending. We'll be running ads for the next two
weeks – until the debate. Depending on Jake's
performance, we'll decide if we spend any more money
there before the election."
"Oh, he'll do well." Sam wasn't as confident as his words.
He was worried about the debate being so close to
Election Day. If Jake botched it, there wasn't much time
to play catch-up.
"He needs to. Nothing appears to be sticking to Cullen.
It's frustrating."
"I know. It's a problem." Sam rolled his eyes. Biggest
understatement of the year.
"Aro has started to think that the Cullens have that
Kennedy mystique. It's impossible to beat."
"No. No way. They're stoppable."
"I don't know. They've got a black sheep in the family
like the Kennedys, and they get away with it. Cullen has a
major scandal, and he's surviving it. Everything we've
thrown at him hasn't worked. Aro likened him to JFK
and Bella Swan to Jackie O."
Sam almost uttered what he thought. I think I'm gonna'
puke. Instead, he waited a moment before closing what
had been a very depressing conversation. "Well, tell Aro
thanks for his support."
Then Felix sandbagged him. "Oh, I forgot to say that Aro
has caught wind that the FEC is looking into our 527s –
including the Washington State Project."
"What?" Sam was on the phone right then – blatantly
coordinating campaigns and violating the law, but it still
hit him in the gut.
"It's not a big deal. If we get a slap on the wrist and a
fine, Aro will pay it. He suggests you and Paul get
lawyers, though – separate ones, of course. Nothing will
happen to you, but you should look out for your
reputations."
Sam shook his head. It always worked that way. The rich
donors and the candidates themselves got off relatively
unscathed when there were election law violations. Aro
and Jacob would be OK, while Sam and Paul would have
to pay for attorneys out of their own meager pockets just
to save their careers. Sam snarled into the phone.
"Thanks for your concern."
--
In early October, things picked up for Edward's
campaign when the full results of the last quarter's
fundraising were released. Edward had done OK, but not
great with a scandal hanging over his head and many
Democrats scared to give to a potential loser. Luckily, his
family could self-finance as much as they wanted. When
Jacob's numbers came in lower than everyone expected,
showing a dwindling interest in his campaign, Rosalie
grinned wickedly. "We just might win this one."
While Edward and Bella had been on opposite coasts for
most of the month, Bella skipped school for two days in
order to be with Edward for the debate. Few people
actually watched a debate for a Senate seat, but the spin
on who won and lost was played endlessly in the media.
Going into the first night Edward was confident that he
would do well – he knew how to work a crowd, his time
as prosecutor made him quick on his feet, and he knew
the issues. Plus, Bella's calming presence helped him,
too.
Jacob was anything, but confident. The pressures of the
campaign had gotten to him, and he was worried about
his performance. To top it off, he was apprehensive
about seeing Bella.
When Jake first saw Edward and Bella together for the
first time, it was his wife who immediately noticed the
change in his demeanor. Emily wasn't a fool. She was
simply the shallow species of political wife, enjoying the
spotlight and a comfortable life while willfully ignoring
the wandering eye of her husband. Despite her efforts to
squelch her feelings, she still carried the scars.
Women generally sensed if their mate still carried a
flame for someone in the past. Emily was no different.
Jake talked about Bella differently, and damn him, if he
didn't always find a reason to do something for her.
When she heard that he went to Bella's graduation,
Emily's response was to quietly exit their house and go
for a long walk. She never confronted him because she
knew it wouldn't change anything. And really, she wasn't
sure if she wanted her life changed. Having her head in
the sand seemed like a safe place to be.
So when she observed her husband eye Bella and then
clench his fists and glare at Edward Cullen, Emily took it
in stride. She knew the role and life she had chosen for
herself, and she wanted it to continue. So she decided to
fulfill the role. She snuck over to Paul and whispered in
his ear her only acknowledgement of the situation, "Tell
Jake not to let it get to him."
Paul's eyes widened because he knew what Emily was
referring to. He had been watching the disaster unfold
himself. Immediately, he went to Jake. "Shake it off.
Shake it off. Don't let her get to you. Don't let him get to
you.
It was too late, though. When Jacob and Edward did the
customary handshake before they headed to their
respective podiums, he tried to crush Edward's hand.
Edward masked his surprise with a frozen smile, as he
said, "Good evening, Jacob."
But even Edward couldn't hide being startled when
Jacob replied through a gritted smile, "Evening,
Edward," then adding a faint, "Motherfucker."
Edward quickly recovered, though, as he walked back to
his podium and put on his microphone. He looked over
at Bella who was seated next to a proudly smiling Esme.
Bella gave him a reassuring nod and grin, and he was
instantly at ease.
To everyone's surprise, Jacob rose to the occasion on the
debate's substance. He had studied hard to prepare for
the debate, and he handily answered questions. Yet, he
destroyed himself with his ego and petulance. Like
George W. Bush in his first debate with Al Gore, Jacob
would groan and snarl and huff and puff and pout every
time Edward spoke. The average voter was turned off by
his annoying antics, and the media was already tweeting
lampoons of him as the debate went on.
Concentrating on the incredibly important task at hand,
Edward was the only person who didn't notice what was
happening at the podium opposite to his. He had been
busy talking during the debate and was unaware of
Jake's antics. In fact, Edward was worried that Jacob
had actually done well. When Jake hurriedly shook his
hand and with a static smile, thanked him before calling
him an asshole, Edward shook his head ever so slightly,
wondering just what had happened during the hour.
While Jacob headed over to his wife and children to
show his family side to the voters, Edward hugged Bella.
She leaned into his ear. "You were great, sweetheart. It
went really well."
Esme clucked as she got the second hug, "Carlisle would
be so proud of you."
Emmett gave him the handshake backslap. "Nice work,
my brother. If you ask me, you've got this thing wrapped
up."
Alice and Jasper simply hugged, congratulated, and
smiled, as they handed over Scarlett for the proverbial
politician with a baby photo-op.
Rosalie grabbed his arm and gave him a genuine smile.
"Nice job, but you only won it because he screwed the
pooch."
In shock, Edward turned to his trusted staffer, Seth, to
see what he had to say.
Seth shook his hand respectfully and told him, "She's
right. Jake imploded. It was obvious." Then he grinned
and predicted the outcome of the election,
"Congratulations, Senator Cullen."
--
Due to Washington State's ballot by mail voting, the final
results of the election weren't out for a few days. Bella
skipped school the entire election week. She knew she
would have to buckle down as soon as she returned, but
Edward would be back in DC for the lame duck session.
Life could go back to the comfort they had found in
September, and she could concentrate on school once
again.
As the election results trickled in over the days, it
became increasingly apparent that Edward would win.
While his family, friends, and colleagues were already
congratulating him, Jacob wouldn't concede, so he
couldn't celebrate publicly. Jacob's refusal to make a
concession statement, despite the gloomy numbers, was
due to his usual combination of stubbornness, spite, and
childishness.
Jacob withdrew into himself and wouldn't even take Aro
Caius's call. Aro left him the simplest voicemail message,
"Take your time to lick your wounds, and then get back
up on your feet. I still expect great things from you. I'll
be in touch."
When the AP finally called the race for Edward, he and
his family were ensconced up in a suite at a hotel, while
his victory party went wild down in the ballroom. As
soon as Alice told him the news, he ecstatically grabbed
Bella and commanded her, "Come here."
He took her to one of the bedrooms, and no one thought
it strange that Edward might want to savor the moment
alone with his wife before they needed to head to the
party so he could make his victory speech.
Just as he closed the door, Bella pounced on Edward
with a giant hug. "You did it! You did it! I'm so happy for
you."
"No, we did it! You and me." At once, Edward crushed
her with a hard kiss. The kiss lingered on hard and wet,
and Bella arched herself up against his body, wanting
only to be closer to her partner. Their meshed bodies,
coupled with the headiness of the moment, made
Edward erect within a minute.
Not waiting a second, Bella started unbuckling his belt.
Edward groaned in response with a half-hearted, "We
don't have time."
"No one will notice if you're a few minutes late…"
Kissing him again, Bella began unbuttoning his pants,
but she stopped when she heard his phone ring. She
murmured, "You should get that."
"Nah. Voicemail."
"It might be someone important."
Begrudgingly, Edward gave his phone a perfunctory
check and was about to put it down again when his eyes
widened. "That's a White House number."
If there was one call that Edward would take while his
wife was unbuttoning his trousers, it would be a call
from the leader of the free world. Immediately, he
answered, "Edward Cullen."
"Good morning, Senator Cullen, I'm Jennifer Cartwright,
a White House operator, I have the President on the line
for you."
Hearing the entire conversation, Bella smiled giddily, as
the operator switched lines.
President Barack Obama's voice then boomed through
the phone. "Congratulations, Edward!"
"Thank you, Mr. President. I'm very happy. It's a
wonderful feeling."
"It is, isn't it? Especially these days. Thank you very
much for giving the party some good news. We're short
on it this November."
"Well, it was a long time coming. I'm sorry it was such a
nail-biter."
"Oh, I always knew the Cullens would pull it out."
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate your confidence."
"Not at all. I hope to congratulate you in person soon."
"Excellent. Thank you very much."
"Please tell your wife congratulations also. Michelle and I
both want to meet Bella."
Bella's mouth dropped open in astonishment at the
President saying her name. Edward smiled and clutched
her hand before replying, "Bella and I look forward to it,
Mr. President."
~*~
 ~ Epilogue ~

May 2016
Shuddering and panting onto her chest, Edward waited a
minute before he slowly rolled off Bella. His orgasm had
been so loud that his bellow reverberated throughout
their house. This was always the case when the two
mates finally saw each other again after a long time
apart. Even though they had lived in their Capitol Hill
row house for six years with nary a knowing glance from
their neighbors, Bella still worried that the connected
homes could hear them. Edward maintained that he
couldn't care less, "Big deal. Senator Cullen and his wife
have loud sex."
As Edward sidled up next to her, Bella giggled at the
residue from her period that streaked Edward's falling
erection. "Oops. Sorry. I'm at the end of my period."
Not giving it another thought, Edward gave her a kiss on
her cheek. "You know blood doesn't bother me and your
blood never would."
Bella realized this could be the entrée she had been
waiting for. "So when I'm in labor … one day … would
you want to be in the delivery room? Like Emmett has
been for Leah."
"Absolutely, I'd want to be there for you. And watching
you give birth will be the most amazing thing I'll ever
see."
"Really?" Bella began to get excited.
"Yes, really." Edward grazed his hand slowly over her
belly and smiled at her. "It's a special thing … only you
can do."
With a small smile, Bella softly declared, "I think I'm
ready, Edward."
"Ready for what?"
"Ready for a baby."
Edward's eyes widened in surprise and then joy. "You
are? Seriously?"
Bella nodded. "I've been thinking about it a lot for the
last few months. I even stopped taking the pill last
month. I … uh … didn't think you'd mind."
"Mind? Are you kidding? This is great!" Edward had
been waiting for Bella to be ready for children for many
years. They had made a deal there would be no
conversation of it while she was in law school, but once
she graduated she said she still needed more time. She
told him she wanted to start her career, not start a
family. Having his own satisfying career, Edward
couldn't begrudge her that, so he kept quiet. He knew
eventually she would want children. It was just going to
take time.
Almost eight years after their wedding, the moment had
arrived. He was ecstatic, giving her a happy, soft kiss.
"I'm surprised, though. I'm in the middle of a campaign."
"Sort of." Bella rolled her eyes. "It's not like you have real
competition this time."
"True," Edward agreed in her assessment of his feeble
Republican opponent. Since the drama of his marriage to
Bella and re-election in 2010, he had established himself
as a formidable political foe. In 2010, he had withstood
everything that they could throw at him – both true and
untrue – and had since become a very popular and
effective senator, respected by his colleagues on both
sides of the aisle. It was widely said that the ancestral
Cullen mystique was back in full force with the
handsome young senator and his beautiful lawyer wife.
The Republican Party had difficulty finding a decent
candidate willing to take on Edward for his 2016 re-
election battle. Their eventual candidate was the little
known state treasurer who was also small in stature and
mind.
"Besides, Rosalie hinted that she'd love to see me
pregnant during this election cycle."
"My sister knows no shame." He chuckled, "But once
again she's got a point. The media would love it if we had
kids."
She winked, "They've been waiting almost as long as
you."
"And now … finally!" He leaned down to give her a kiss,
but stopped midway, "Wait a minute. Speaking of cycles,
you've been off the pill for a month. You could be
pregnant right now!"
Bella giggled at his excitement. "Um. I just had my
period. Not likely."
"Oh." Embarrassed by his lack of attention, he quickly
recovered, "So does that mean that you were ovulating
while you were gone in Ohio?"
"Maybe. Or maybe we just didn't have sex at the right
time."
"Well, how do we fix that?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should just do it every day. I
don't want to be stressed out about getting pregnant."
After many years of marriage, Bella and Edward had an
intimate rhythm to their lives that didn't always include
daily sex. Both had busy schedules that included a great
deal of travel. They couldn't be together as much as they
liked, and sometimes they were both so tuckered out that
a cuddle was all that was possible before they closed
their eyes for the night.
Edward playfully raised his eyebrows. "I'm happy to put
a little action at the top of my to do list each day."
"Are you now?" Bella was coy as she went in for a kiss.
The kiss lasted so long that Bella was sure they were
about to start another round of lovemaking, but Edward
pulled back from her kiss.
He looked at her suspiciously. "But you've got to go to
Ohio again next week … for a while, right?"
"I can't help it. I'm in trial."
"But that's supposed to last at least a week. Can't you ask
…?"
"No, Edward. I can't ask for a continuance – not with
this case."
Grimacing, he sighed, "Oh hell. You're right."
"I know I'm right."
"Of course you are." He admitted as he usually did, "You
know a hell of a lot more about practicing law than I do."
It was true. Even with only three years under her belt as
a prosecutor in the environmental crimes division of the
Justice Department, she still had been practicing law
twice as long as Edward ever had. He had learned to
defer to her on matters of the court.
Wanting to make her husband happy, Bella moved on
top of him and began kissing him from his lips to his ears
to his neck murmuring, "Even if the timing isn't perfect
this month, we can still try."
The following week Edward was a man on a mission. As
soon as he learned from Bella that she was finally ready
for kids, he began scouring the internet to figure out how
quickly they could conceive. Bella had said that she
didn't want any stress around getting pregnant, so he
took it on himself to do the math as to when she might
be ovulating. He casually asked when her last period
started and then privately hit the online ovulation
calculators.
Unfortunately, the days that came up were during the
very time she would be in Columbus for her trial. He
looked at his own calendar, which held a few important
hearings those two days, although no scheduled votes.
His reaction was quick. "Aw fuck it. I'm skipping."
He kept his plan for a conjugal visit secret from Bella.
Only Mrs. Cope and Jenks knew of his whereabouts –
Mrs. Cope in case there was an emergency and Jenks to
handle the arrangements. He needed to be able to slip in
and out of Bella's hotel room at the Hyatt with no one
knowing, including her. So that Wednesday night as his
limo drove out of the Columbus airport, Edward made
sure that the window was closed between him and the
driver before he began the fun part of his scheme.
"Hello Love."
"Hi Sweetie. Where are you? You didn't call me back
earlier."
Edward didn't flinch as he told truths that covered little
lies. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got caught up in something. I'm
driving now. How are you? How was jury selection?"
"It went poorly. It's going to take a while to find jurors
not associated with this company in some way. Everyone
in this town is related to someone who has worked
there."
"That's too bad. Are you busy right now?"
"No. I'm burnt out. I took a bath and now I'm flipping
channels."
With a seductive chuckle, he asked, "So what are you
wearing?"
Bella gave an appropriately sly response, "Now Edward,
why do you ask?"
"Just wondering."
"Well, I'm in a hotel bathrobe."
"Anything else?"
"No." Bella sighed, "Too bad you're not here."
Edward smiled to himself, "Yes, too bad. Last week was
fun. I liked having you as the number one thing on my to
do list."
"Your 'to do' list? As in you had to 'do me'? Oh, that's a
bad joke."
"Sorry. You always bring out the 15 year old boy in me."
His voice lowered again, "Let's go back to talking about
your bathrobe."
"What about it?" They had been apart enough that Bella
knew exactly where he was going with the conversation.
Phone sex had become a welcome interlude when one of
them traveled.
"Can you open it up for me?"
"Sure." Bella dutifully unbelted the robe and let it open
onto the bed. To make things go more smoothly, she also
put him on speaker.
Edward's voice filled the room. "If I was standing
directly in front of you right now, what would I see?"
"Well, I'm lying on my bed. My knees are bent, and my
robe is open." Bella sounded huskier as she went further,
"And you can see my breasts."
"Spread your legs for me."
"OK." she answered as she widened her stance on the
bed.
"What do I see now?"
"If you're standing right in front of me, you'd have a very
good view of my pussy."
"Very nice. I like that. But let's start for a second with
your breasts. Play with them for me." Edward's
imagination got the best of him, so before he could
continue, he adjusted himself in his jeans. Then he
added, "Tell me exactly what you're doing."
Their erotic conversation went on throughout his drive
into Columbus. When he arrived at the hotel, he muted
the phone as he got his bags, carefully holding his
briefcase in front of his jeans to hide his full-blown
erection. By the time he got in the hotel elevator, the
slow build-up of dirty talk and masturbation was making
Bella climax fast and furiously.
The elevator doors opened to her floor, and as he walked
out, Edward spoke quietly into the phone, "I bet you look
hot right now."
"Mmm. I wish you were here."
"Do you?"
"Of course."
Edward spied her room number on a nearby door. "I
wish I were there too."
Then she heard his knock at the door. "Shit. I need to get
that. It might be Dave. He was borrowing a file. Can you
hang on a minute?"
"No problem." Edward smirked as he awaited her shock.
Clad in a quickly thrown on pair of sweats and
Georgetown t-shirt, Bella opened the door, and upon
seeing the surprise of her husband standing before her,
she jokingly cried, "Get the fuck out of here!"
"I came all this way and you want me to leave?"
Bella tugged him into her room. Closing the door behind
her, she went straight into his arms, "Why are you here?"
He grinned before he kissed her. "To make a baby."
A little over nine months later, Bella realized that there
was nothing that she cared about anymore. That night,
lying on the hospital bed in the throes of labor, Bella
could focus on one thing alone – pain. When is it going
to end?
The pain meant that Bella could no longer speak without
cursing, "Why isn't this fucking epidural working?"
Edward looked over her bare, left leg that he held back
for the doctor's access and tried to explain, "It is
working, darling. It's just that the baby is really big."
"Don't tell me it's working, damn it! I need more
anesthesia!"
Dr. Meyer raised her head from between Bella's legs,
"Bella, you're almost there. Just focus on breathing. The
baby is going to be in your arms in no time."
Bella bit her lip and rolled her head to the side. Edward
grimaced as he felt badly for his wife, but he was also
enthralled by the live birth that he was witnessing. He
went back to staring at her crotch and then shouted,
"Bella, I can see the head!"
Looking back toward him, Bella whimpered, "What?"
The nurse holding Bella's other leg kindly offered, "I can
get a mirror for you, if you want to see."
Sneering at the thought of what she might look like at
that moment, Bella snipped, "Absolutely not."
She looked back at Edward who was still engrossed by
the events below her waist. She hadn't wanted any family
members in the room other than her husband, but now
she surveyed the strangers in the room all focused on her
exposed crotch. With her dignity and decorum thrown
out the window, Bella moaned, "Edward, are you ever
going to want to touch me again?"
"What a stupid question. Of course!" Then he snickered,
"You'll snap back."
Bella was about to respond to Edward's lame joke, but a
contraction hit her. She hollered, "Fuck!"
The doctor barked at her, "Don't push Bella. I know you
want to, but don't. The baby is crowning."
"But ….!" Bella screeched as she closed her eyes while
her body absorbed the pain.
In awe of his wife's power, Edward soothed her by
stroking her hair, "It's OK. It's OK. I'm so proud of you.
You can do it."
And it was OK. In a matter of minutes, a big baby boy
was in Bella's arms. Edward curled around them on the
bed and crooned in Bella's ear, "We have a baby!"
Other than the nurses, the pediatrician was the first to
visit the following morning. The young doctor, barely out
of his residency, looked at the chart on the baby's plastic
hospital basinet. "9 pounds 11 ounces. Vaginal delivery."
Then he unthinkingly gave his blunt, professional
assessment, "Impressive."
Edward laughed while Bella simply muttered, "Thanks.
… I guess."
Afterward Bella demanded to take a shower before the
slew of visitors descended upon the newest member of
the Cullen clan. Feeling much better primped and with a
fresh icepack between her legs, Bella drank her coffee
and picked at her breakfast. Beside her, Edward changed
the baby's diaper with the same care as he used when he
handled a gun in the Navy.
Arriving early that morning, Emmett went straight from
the airport to pick up his mother, and the two were the
first in the room. Emmett's voice boomed as he
announced their arrival, "I've got a nephew!
Congratulations, you two!"
Esme gave a grandmotherly giggle, "I'm so happy for
you!"
Renee and Phil were next to enter. Bella let Renee be the
first of the family to hold the new baby. Her response
was generous and kind, "He's beautiful. Charlie will be so
proud."
Then the threesome of Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper arrived,
bringing the same joy and excitement as the rest of the
family with congratulations and squeals of happiness.
After hugging Bella and giving Edward a combination
slap on the back and fist bump, Emmett was the first to
ask the most important question. "So between Alice and
me, we've had five girls in the family. What's this guy's
name?"
Edward looked over to Bella to confirm their agreement.
She smiled in affirmation and announced, "Carlisle
Charles Cullen."
Everyone in the room cheered in approval, save for one.
Emmett couldn't hide his lukewarm response, and
Edward noticed it. "What? You don't like it?"
Trying to choose his words carefully, Emmett slowly
commented, "Well, I know you want to respect the old
man."
Esme glared disapprovingly at her eldest son. "And
Carlisle would be very proud." Then she turned to Bella,
"And I know Charlie will be very excited."
"I know, Mom. But …" Emmett searched for the right
words. "But … the name is kind of … stuffy."
Rosalie dismissed her brother's opinion. "I like it. He'll
have immediate name recognition with voters when he
runs for office."
Alice laughed and chimed in, "Right, Rosalie. He'll
appreciate that in about 30 years." To Bella and Edward,
she remarked, "It's nice that it's so traditional."
Only Jasper hinted at some agreement with Emmett.
"It's a big name for a little guy, though."
Emmett frowned. "But it's not just that. I gotta' say, a
guy named Carlisle Charles Cullen kind of sounds like
he's a pussy."
"Emmett!" cried Esme in a stern motherly rebuke.
"It's true, Mom!"
Staring at one another, Edward and Bella silently
discussed the situation and found some agreement. Bella
asked Emmett, "So what would you call him instead?"
"You can keep the big name. He just needs a nickname."
Emmett smiled. "If it were me, I'd call him Chuck!"
Edward laughed, as Bella cocked her head considering
the name. "Chuck?"
"Yeah. Chuck Cullen. Chuck Cullen is the name of a guy
you want to have a beer with." Then Emmett turned to
Phil. "Chuck Cullen could be the name of a ball player.
Right Phil?"
Phil answered approvingly, "I could see signing a guy
named Chuck Cullen."
Emmett continued with a salacious smile, "And Chuck
Cullen does well with the ladies."
Bella had to laugh at her brother-in-law, but she still
questioned him, "OK. But it makes me think of Chuck
Norris."
Rosalie grinned, "It makes me think of Democratic
Senator Chuck Schumer or Republican Senator Chuck
Grassley or former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel."
She looked at Emmett, "None of whom are pussies."
"Children, can you stop saying that word?" asked an
exasperated Esme. Then she spoke more calmly, "It's
true that Carlisle would want his grandson to have an
identity of his own."
Jasper agreed. "He can be his own man this way."
Alice smiled, "I think 'Chuck Cullen' is a name that will
look good in print."
Edward raised his eyes to Bella looking for her opinion.
She nodded with a grin, and he laughed in agreement.
From that point on, the name Chuck stuck.
--
Three years later, Edward was rushing to the Senate
chamber for a vote. His cell phone rang, and seeing it
was the Washington State governor's office, he
immediately picked up. He was surprised when the
operator told him that Lieutenant Governor Jacob Black
was being patched through. Nine years after their bloody
election battle, Jacob had ascended in Washington
politics to the second highest office in the state, yet the
two former rivals rarely spoke with one another. Only at
a public event, where it necessitated some formality of
nicety, did they ever even say hello. They still hated each
other's guts.
Jacob wasted no time, "Edward, I've got some bad news.
Governor Taketa has been in a plane crash."
"What? I was just watching CNN."
"The media doesn't know yet. I just got word from Park
Service. Her plane slammed into a side of a mountain on
the peninsula. There's heavy fog there right now. A
backcountry park ranger just happened to be in the
vicinity of the crash because he was looking for a lost
hiker."
"Oh my God. That's awful. How is she? How is her staff?"
"The Park Service doesn't want to make an
announcement yet. They're still on the ground, but there
don't appear to be any survivors."
"Jacob, I'm sorry." Then Edward thought of the
Governor's spouse. "And I'm so sorry for Bob and the
kids."
"I know. It's terrible."
Hesitantly, Edward asked, "Are you making
arrangements to be sworn in?" The question left a bad
taste in his mouth. I can't believe that tool is going to be
Governor.
"Yes."
Still the gentleman, Edward graciously told him, "That's
good. The state still needs a governor." He rolled his eyes
after he said it.
"Thanks." As much as Jake had dreamed of being
governor, he admitted, "I wish I wasn't taking office
under these circumstances."
The two men had little more to say after that and quickly
said good bye. Almost as soon as he got off the phone,
Jacob's assistant walked in the room, "Aro is holding for
you."
Picking up the phone again, Jake chuckled, "Are you the
first to know everything?"
"I make it my business to know everything."
"Well, it wasn't the way we planned it, but I'll be the
Governor of Washington State in just a few hours."
"Excellent. I've checked everything out. Under
Washington law, a special election will be called for in
the fall."
"I thought that might be the case." Jake mulled over his
chances. "That gives me a good four months in office. I
should win easily."
"True." Then a thought came to Aro's mind – something
that he had never considered. It was something that
could derail his careful plans. He tentatively formulated
his thoughts, "Unless …"
"Unless what?"
Aro pursed his lips before replying, "Unless Cullen enters
the race."
"Cullen? I just spoke with him. He's not going to run. He
didn't even hint at it. He'll die in that Senate seat just like
his dad."
Aro sat in silence. It was very, very rare, but occasionally
the universe was against him. He did everything in his
power to make sure that he was ahead of fate. Now, his
past actions were coming back to haunt him. In 2010,
Aro had run a coordinated attack against Edward Cullen
within an inch of his political life, yet Cullen had
survived to become a revered statesman and dedicated
family man. He was often mentioned as one day being a
presidential contender. Now there was a political crisis,
and Edward Cullen could make the most of it. Jesus
Fucking Christ. President Edward Cullen.
Scowling, Aro predicted, "Oh, he'll run … if he wants to
be President one day. This is a golden opportunity for
him. The chosen son can save the day and become
Governor, and it's an easy stepping stone to the
presidency – a lot easier than trying for it from the
Senate."
Jacob's heart sank hearing Aro's shrewd assessment.
"Fuck." He took a deep breath and contemplated another
race against Edward Cullen. While he'd gotten over his
feelings for Bella for the most part, he still despised
Edward. He thought of being at war with the couple once
again, only this time they'd have their happy little family
in tow. Jacob hated having to admit what he felt, "I don't
know if I'm up for another race against Cullen."
A man of action, Aro never dwelled on mistakes too long
though, and he always found a silver lining. He
responded at once, "Yes, I think you should sit out of
that race."
While he knew it was the right thing to do, Jacob didn't
like hearing Aro agree so quickly. "Why do you say that?"
Aro smiled into the phone. "Because you should run for
the Senate seat he'll be vacating."
That evening, the DC based Cullen family members were
joining Esme for the weekly dinner she prepared at
them. The conversation centered on the death of the
Governor and Edward and Bella's trip later that week for
the funeral. Rosalie commented dryly, "I'm really happy
I don't have to go. I couldn't sit through that crap. Taketa
was a bitch, and seeing that cocksucker Jacob Black as
Governor makes me want to puke."
Straightaway Esme reprimanded Rosalie nodding
toward all of her grandchildren within hearing distance
as they played in the living room. "Rosalie, your
language."
Jasper chuckled, "It's alright, Esme. My kids know that
Aunt Rosalie has a potty mouth."
Bella agreed, "She's our example of what not to say."
Rosalie ignored the topic and forged ahead, "Well, Jacob
won't be Governor for long." She smiled, adding,
"Hopefully, Edward will scare him out of the race. You'll
run, won't you?"
Looking at Bella, he saw her nod, giving him her
permission to speak about their earlier discussion. He
raised his eyebrows, "The party wants me to. Bella and I
have talked about it."
Alice prodded him in anticipation of his answer, "And?"
"And Bella and I wouldn't mind moving back to
Washington to raise Chuck and Grace. She can get a job
with the U.S. Attorney's office there. Neither of us would
travel as much as we do now. We'd see each other more."
Jasper nodded, "That would be good for your family. Are
you OK with giving up the Senate seat? Your family has
had it for years."
Bella laughed. "Well, he's got siblings. One of them could
run for it."
"No way!" Alice answered. "I'm a behind the scenes
person."
Rosalie shook her head laughing. "Ridiculous. Emmett
and I are not Senate material."
"Your father would be proud for you to be Governor of
his home state, Edward. He wouldn't care if you vacated
the seat." Then the politically astute Esme stated what no
one else in the room had yet said, "But, Edward there's
really only one reason to run …"
"I know." Edward turned and grinned at Bella. Her arms
were full with happy baby, Grace, and she completed his
thought, "The only reason to run is if he ever wants to be
President…"
~*~

The End
The Gentleman From Washington
State Outtake’s & Extra’s
Extra #1 – Quorum Call – Takes Place During
Chapter 34
The words coming out of Seth's mouth had become so
garbled together in my mind that I had no idea what he
was talking about. Normally, I was perfectly adept at
thinking about an entirely different subject than the
conversation I might be having with someone. Today
was another matter, though.
Why I had ever agreed to do this amendment? With
everything that was going on in my life – with Bella –
with my re-election, why did I want to waste any
available brain matter on electricity transmission lines? I
could care less about transmission lines. No matter how
I looked at it, I couldn't decipher why I was supposed to
care, so I had to ask for a reminder. "Seth, tell me again.
Why am I offering this amendment?"
It really wasn't such a ridiculous question. Members of
Congress frequently offered legislation on issues in
which they had no personal interest at all. But Seth
thought my question was ridiculous. He even thought I
might be playing joke on him and was confused for a few
seconds by my question. Then, he realized I was serious;
he looked at me like I was absurd. "Because you're
running on it."
"Huh?" Granted I hadn't been listening to him, but it
didn't make sense.
Seth was more worried than annoyed as he began to
lecture me on something I should have known. "Because
energy is critically important to the American economy
and national security. Because creating clean energy jobs
from wind and solar production and ending our
dependence on foreign oil from countries who hate us
are platforms of your re-election campaign. Because
expediting renewable energy from its generation source
is critical to achieving those things. The only way you do
that is by building new transmission lines." He waited a
moment before adding a pointed "OK?"
I nodded, but it must not have been very reassuring
because Seth felt the need to confirm, "You still want to
do the amendment, right? Because we've got to offer it
tonight. Otherwise, we should pull it."
"I'm sorry. I've just been distracted. We'll still offer it
tonight."
I didn't say it very convincingly, though. My most loyal of
employees then whispered a muttering that let me know
how frustrated he was with me. For the last few weeks I
had been preoccupied with worry over the campaign.
With his face behind the memo he was holding, I swore I
heard him say under his breath, "Well, don't fuck it up."
Shit. I really must be a pain in the ass right now, if he's
saying something like that. Groaning, I ran my hands
through my hair, but then I realized something. I looked
over at him. "Wait. Where's Randall? Why are you
briefing me? Did you write my statement?"
"Randall's back in Olympia with his mom again, and we
can't take the leg director off of health care. This won't be
on the floor until eight or nine tonight, so I figured I'd do
it. It's not a biggie. It'll pass easily."
All of that made sense, but he hadn't answered my
question. "So who wrote my statement? Who did all the
exhibits and posters?"
"Yeah … um … Bella did those, and she wrote the
statement." He obviously didn't want to bring up one of
the sources of my distraction.
"Really?" That was the most interesting thing I had
heard in hours. It got me thinking. "So, she's still here,
right?"
"I think." He looked at me suspiciously and then
chuckled. "She's your girlfriend. Don't you know?"
I took the memo I was holding and swatted him on the
head. "You deserve that. Now come on. Get her in here."
"Ah ha! So if Bella briefs you, you might actually learn
the legislation? Or at least your statement?"
"Well, you know I'll pay attention." I couldn't help
smirking.
"Sure, you'll pay attention to her, but will you actually
listen to what she's saying?"
Jokingly, I raised my eyebrows. "I can chew gum and
walk at the same time." Then I thought of something
else. "Hey, it's a slow night. Let's get Bella to the floor for
my statement at least. She'd get a kick out of it, and no
one will be in the chamber."
The same look of absurdity from moments earlier came
across Seth's face. "Right. No one is in the chamber, but
it's televised around the world on C-Span. I don't think
it's a good idea."
He was right, but I didn't care. There was a 95% chance
that the cameras would never show her, and who really
watches C-Span anyway? I swatted his answer down with
my hand. "Don't worry about it. We'll make sure she's
not actually near me."
"Rosalie would kill me if …"
"I'll deal with Rosalie if she finds out. Let's have a little
fun around here for once."
He winced as he thought it through, but he knew I was
right. "Yeah, you're right. No one will notice if I sit with
her off to the side."
Unfortunately, when Seth brought Bella into the office,
the same pang of unease hit my gut as it had for the last
few weeks whenever she walked through the door.
Entering very slowly, she looked around the room with a
look of both apprehension and disgust, and it killed me
to see her so uncomfortable around me. But she actually
wasn't uneasy around me, it was my office. Ever since I
told her that Jane and I had had sex in my office, Bella
hated being in it. She shied away from it every time I
asked her to come in.
While her reaction was completely illogical, I never
talked with her about it. After all, I had sex with plenty of
women in my bedroom, and Bella was perfectly at home
there. I knew that logic was completely irrelevant to a
woman in this situation. Although truth be told, logic
wouldn't have worked on me if the roles were reversed.
And logic didn't change the fact that it was my own cad
behavior that created a situation where Bella was
uncomfortable. The whole issue was depressing for many
reasons – not the least of them being we had so few
places to be alone when we were both at work.
Wanting her to be at ease in my private space, I was at
her side giving her a quick kiss as soon as Seth shut the
door.
She kissed me back, but her big eyes looked perplexed.
"What's going on? Is there a problem?"
Leading her to the sofa, I happily answered, "The only
problem is Seth is having a hard time getting me to
concentrate on this stupid amendment. So I thought
we'd bring in the expert."
Before sitting, Bella looked at the leather couch like she
wanted to douse it with a bottle of anti-fungal
disinfectant. She gingerly sat down, making sure her
body only had limited contact with the leather. Then she
let her sarcasm rip. "You need an expert? Right… I'm no
expert in this stuff. I just do as I'm told around here.
Well, I guess I'm an expert at answering your phones and
making copies."
"Ridiculous. Now tell me what this is all about. And we
should go through my remarks that you wrote … they're
really great, by the way. I'm impressed."
Bella gave me her "Don't patronize me" look before
launching into the background on the amendment, the
underlying bill, and the politics around it all. As she
talked, my mind was able to return to its normal state of
doing two things at once. I listened intently to what Bella
said and occasionally broke in to ask a question, but the
real thinking part of my brain concentrated on her.
I hated that she thought I was patronizing her every time
I paid her a compliment about her work or even her
schoolwork for that matter. Her thesis was very
interesting, but she had stopped talking with me about it.
I wasn't sure what had happened. Was she embarrassed
by it? Did she think I was being insincere? I tried to
dissuade her of both, but she just brushed me off.
The fact was that even if we weren't boss and employee,
the age difference was still at work creating an inequality
in our relationship when there should be none. There
was only one way to rid ourselves of these artificial
divisions between us – and a number of our other
problems. We needed to get married. Of course, that
wasn't the main reason why I wanted to marry Bella. I
loved her – that's what made me want to be with her for
our lifetimes.
Here she was – this beautiful, sexy woman who I could
talk to, joke with, and make love with like no other. She
was the full package, and I wanted to take her off the
market – permanently. I would have felt that way even if
we weren't in such a predicament. How was I going to do
that? How could I convince her that now was the right
time – for so many reasons? She was adamant against
getting married, but couldn't we get engaged?
Just as I was about to ponder how to persuade Bella to
reconsider marriage, something she said forced me to
come back to the issue at hand. I abruptly interrupted
her. "Wait. Wait a second here. I don't want this to be a
bureaucratic nightmare. I don't want the power delayed
for years while everything is studied to death. I want to
put in language to limit the amount of environmental
review before the facilities get built."
"No, you will not." Bella's rebuke was instantaneous and
firm. In fact it was so effective, it sounded like it came
straight out of Esme's mouth. I would have been taken
aback, if it wasn't so funny.
Before I could answer, Seth jumped in, "Come on, Bella.
He's right. Let's just say that the agency only has to do a
smaller environmental assessment – not a full
environmental impact statement."
"No way. You're permanently altering public land by
placing God-awful looking transmission towers and
power lines across the West. These are beautiful lands
that are also habitat to thousands of species of birds and
other animals. There should be a real scientific
assessment of the impact on the environment if those
things are built."
Seth shrugged at her reasoning, "OK. How about we
exempt a few states from full studies? Like Idaho or
someplace…"
"Seth, please. Since when do animals … say wolves for
example … respect state boundaries? Like a wolf knows
when it's in Washington rather than Idaho? That's silly.
And as a rule, government actions of this size deserve a
complete scientific analysis."
Her final argument was the one that had won me over,
but I wanted to play with her a little more. "Bella, both
us and the wolves are going to be cooked by global
warming the way things are going. Don't you think it's
more important that we combat climate change with
renewable energy rather than worry about whether or
not wolves have enough land to roam?"
"They're both important." She rolled her eyes at me. She
knew I was toying with her because she added, "And you
know that."
"OK. I'll cut a deal with you. Let's put a date certain for
the agency to finish the review."
Bella wrinkled her nose at me. "I don't like the idea that
scientific studies would be rushed by an arbitrary
deadline you pick out of thin air." Then her cute,
upturned nose became a snickering grin. "But I'll take
your deal."
"You know, you're a very pragmatic idealist."
Her eyes narrowed, but she was still smiling. "I'm willing
to consider a compromise in order to get something good
done."
I stared at her mulling over the last few things she had
said, and I waited a moment before replying. "Well, if
that's the way you feel, I may take you up on that another
time."
Microphone in hand, Senator Nathan droned on about
the National Strategic Petroleum Reserve as I sat down
at my desk in the Senate chamber, awaiting my turn for
the floor. The chamber was void of senators except for
the two of us and Senator Phillips – poor guy had the
mind-numbing job of presiding over the Senate as
president pro tempore. They stuck the duty with junior
senators in order for us to learn Senate procedure, and I
always dreaded it. Considering the current issue and
boring speaker on the floor, I felt doubly bad for him.
I absentmindedly began fiddling with the desk drawer,
looking at the names written inside of all the senators
who had owned the desk before me. It looked like the
scrawling of schoolchildren rather than senators, but in
fact each historic name had been written by the man
himself. My desk had a special significance to me,
though, as it had been previously sat in by multiple
Cullens.
Of course, any senator with more seniority than me
could claim my desk at the beginning of each new
Congress, but each of them had left it for me out of
senatorial courtesy, out of respect for my family's
history. It was gestures like that, which made the U.S.
Senate a special place. Because it was the "family" desk, I
knew some stories behind some of the graffiti on it.
Ever the philanderer, my grandfather had carved rows
and rows of hash-marks. Family rumor had it that the
marks represented women he had been with. I used to
find the story and marks amusing, but now I ignored
them as much as possible. Instead, I liked to focus on
Carlisle's fine etching of my mother's name located on
the base of the drawer where few would find it. During a
boring debate, I could idly run my hands over it and
remember the best parts of my family.
It was while I was touching Esme's name that Seth
walked into the chamber with Bella in tow. I nodded
toward them – just as I would if it was only Seth. But
something happened that would not have occurred if it
were only him. Right behind Bella, came Senator
Galbraith who wasted no time checking her out. I wanted
to strangle him.
Galbraith was happily married, with grandchildren and
never even a whiff of scandal to his name. Yet all the
women in his office were gorgeous. He jokingly called his
female staffers "The Dream Team". Somehow his wife
laughed when he said it in front of her, but it was still
painful for everyone else in the room to hear.
Bella had smiled at me and then looked at Galbraith who
took it as a sign of encouragement. Galbraith's eyes
settled on Bella's ass. She was wearing those same pants
that made me want to give her ass a nice swat and grope
every time I saw her in them. Galbraith had the same
idea apparently, grinning appreciatively as he gave her a
long once over.
Eventually, Galbraith noticed Seth, and being a fellow
Democrat, he knew Seth worked for me. Instantly, he
looked over to me sitting at my desk. He nodded at Bella
and then winked at me. I faked a smile back, which took
some work because I was sure I had some sort of venom
pooling in my mouth. He strolled by me, stopping just
long enough to say, "Pretty little filly you've got there,
Cullen. Wish she was in my office."
Just as any senator might in that situation, I simply
raised my hands and smiled, as if I just happened to luck
out with a pretty intern – which undeniably I had.
Galbraith responded with an absolute truth. "I bet you
wish she wasn't in your office, too!"
I couldn't deny that – truer words had never been
spoken. So I raised my hands just like I had before, and
he winked at me and walked away.
Shaking my head in order to get him off of my mind
didn't work; I was a possessive bastard. I tried not to
think about the fact that men were constantly after Bella.
Every time I saw her with Mike Newton, which was
becoming more frequent lately, I went out of my way to
break up their conversation. It wasn't lost on me that if
we were married, men would show her a little more
respect. Of course, they would still ogle her, but at least
most would restrain themselves from an all out flirt with
her. And if need be, I could threaten to beat the shit out
them with impunity. At the moment, I had to sit there
and take it, driving me to insane jealously.
I looked back at Bella and saw that Seth sat them away
from the cameras, but close enough if I needed a
question quickly answered. Bella was admiring the
handsome Senate chamber. It made me think that
somewhere on the grounds of the Capitol might be a nice
place to propose to her. After all, we had met here. I
reconsidered it, though, thinking anywhere on the
grounds would be too public. I was approached all the
time when I walked around the building.
There was one place, though, that only a Member of
Congress could access – the cupola of the capitol's dome.
I had only been up there once – as a kid with Carlisle. It
was a magnificent, private spot and a place befitting of a
marriage proposal. I could see myself on bended knee
there.
But the coldness of reality came over me. I could very
well lose my re-election. Even with all that we were
doing to hide our relationship, we could be exposed. The
ever present 24-hour cable news cycle would have a field
day scrutinizing our time together. Once it was out,
Jacob Black and his henchmen wouldn't have to lift a
finger to keep the story going. The media would work to
detail every step of our relationship, focusing on this
time while she worked in my office. It would dominate
the campaign, regardless of any effort to focus on the
real issues of the day. Would the public believe our
story? Could they accept us even with Esme and Charlie
at our side? I didn't know. What I did know is that Bella
would feel guilty about it, even though it was all my own
doing.
The capitol was out then as a potential location. I looked
back at her again. She appeared to be daydreaming, as
Senator Nathan began concluding his remarks. I caught
her eye, though, and we shared a smile. Immediately, I
knew I should find a place outdoors. Maybe one of the
meadows we both loved. But when to do it? That was the
question I couldn't answer, because she still didn't seem
ready and I certainly didn't want "no" for an answer.
After my time on the floor, I was just shutting my
computer down for the night when Bella startled me by
appearing in my office. When she locked the door behind
her, I was stunned even more.
"It's nice to see you in here, Bella, but what are you
doing? You know I don't lock my door."
Walking over to my desk, she mischievously announced,
"I'm taking extra precautions. I asked Seth if he could do
me a favor and stick around for another hour. I told him
we needed to talk – in person."
"About what?" She had me concerned.
"Well, Seth probably thinks that we're having a fight, but
that's the last thing I want to do."
"But you still want to talk." Now she had me really
concerned.
When she reached me, though, she wrapped her arms
around me saying, "Actually, I don't want to talk."
"What do you want to do?" I got the feeling that things
were looking up.
"I'm tired of thinking about Jane and God knows
whomever else you've been with in here. I started to
think this afternoon that maybe I needed to lay claim to
the place. Then I wouldn't think about her; instead, I
would think about us."
With that she gave me a kiss that started as a smolder,
but flamed into a fire as her tongue stroked mine
followed occasionally by her teeth gently tugging at my
lips. I was hard within seconds, but I knew I had to take
care of something before we went any further.
Immediately, I pulled away and closed the curtains
behind me; I only closed them when something like this
was going on. No one could see anyway, but it was better
to be safe than sorry.
Right afterward, I kissed her again and pressed my
erection against her. After a minute or so, I commented,
"I really like how you're planning on making your mark."
"Good." She smiled the same sly smile as before and
began moving papers over on my otherwise clear desk.
Next she hopped atop it and kicked off her shoes. As she
began unbuttoning her blouse, I took a deep breath at
the sight. She responded with a smirk. "I thought we
might make use of your desk."
I remained quiet while she stripped off her pants too,
leaving on only a sweet, but sexy pink bra and thong –
and socks. I chuckled. "This wouldn't be the first time I
made love to you with your socks on, you know."
She looked down at her feet still covered in argyle.
"Oops."
"No. Don't take them off. It's kind of kinky."
"Kinky?" She looked at me bemused.
"You kind of look like you're in a schoolgirl porn, but
you're much hotter than that."
"Hmm. A porn movie, eh?" Then in a very
uncharacteristic move, Bella grinned and moved her
thong to the side, flashing me her beautiful pussy. My
God did she look ready for the taking. Straightaway I
started unbuckling my belt; my dick needed to be freed.
She continued grinning. "You look pretty … focused.
Maybe I should do that more often."
My lips found hers, and I murmured, "Bella, I could look
at your pussy all day long."
I kissed her fiercely, as my hand pushed aside the thong
again so my fingers could play with her. She was so slick
already that I slid my middle finger insider of her and
got an immediate moan. I knew it would work instantly
– she loved being fingered. As I finger fucked her, my
thumb rubbed her clit until her whimpering
accompanied her clamping around my fingers. She was
trying to be quiet, so she whined in a low voice, "Oh
Edward … so good" as she came.
There wasn't a sound in the world that I loved to hear
more than Bella having an orgasm. I took a ton of pride
in giving her pleasure; it was an ego rush for me like no
other. It also made me want to be inside her at once. I
pulled her thong off of her, and she responded by taking
my dick in her hand. We both gaped as she maneuvered
her pussy and my cock so they could easily meet. I
moaned at the sight, but it turned into a hard groan as I
landed deep inside of her. The height of the desk was
perfect for me to get us both going, really quickly.
Grabbing her ass for leverage, I gasped, "God, I love
being inside of you like this."
"Me too" was all that she could muster as she started the
climb to another orgasm. I alternated looking into her
eyes and staring down at my wet cock sliding in and out
of her. The sight always made me want to come as soon
as possible, but I held out for as long as I could, waiting
for her to let go. I followed hard and fast and as quietly
as I could.
Panting from the intensity of it all, I pulled her tightly to
me and kissed her hair. "I love you, Bella. You are my
love."
She nuzzled into my chest. "I love you, too." Then she
giggled. "Can we move to the sofa now?"
"The sofa too?" The woman was on a mission.
"I told you I wanted to stake a claim."
I tugged my tie off for round two. "If it means you're
going to woman-handle me again, I'm all for it. Give me
a second, though. I'm an old man."
"Please. You're not that old."
Kissing behind her ear, I whispered, "And you're not that
young, darling."
I had to say that I had never been fully naked with a
woman in my office, but I found myself that way with
Bella on the sofa. She had achieved a first. After a slower
and gentler round of lovemaking, I grabbed the throw on
the back of the sofa and covered ourselves in it.
Bella wrapped her fingers in the holes of the afghan. "So
who made this?"
"Esme, of course."
All of a sudden looking a little guilty, Bella remarked, "I
bet she didn't think that um … you would be using it like
this."
She didn't know it, but she had just given me an
opportunity. "You mean lying naked with you – the
woman she would love to see as her daughter-in-law? I
think she would wholeheartedly approve."
Bella started to blush. "You think she thinks that."
"You mean wanting you as a daughter-in-law?
Absolutely. She's all but said it." Then I ventured a little
further. "She wants us married almost as much as I do."
Softly, Bella crooned my name, "Oh, Edward. I love you.
I want that, too, but not yet."
"But when? When do I get to make you a Mrs. Cullen?"
Her forehead immediately wrinkled. With disdain, she
asked, "Mrs. Cullen?"
"Yes. What? Don't you like the sound of it?"
"Honestly. No." She shrugged apologetically. "I never
thought I would take my husband's last name. And
frankly, Bella Cullen sounds kind of stupid. It doesn't
flow."
She might as well have punched me in the gut. In the
end, I was a pretty traditional guy. This meant a lot to
me. I couldn't believe she felt this way. "It doesn't flow?
Are you serious about this?"
"Of course. Is that a problem?"
Those brown eyes I loved were staring at me with a sweet
sincerity. I swallowed and tried to think rationally. "Um.
I don't know. Intellectually, I understand why. Many
women choose not to. But I always thought … well … I
like the idea of you being part of the family."
She looked at me incredulously, "Why would my
changing my name make our marriage any different?"
"I don't know. It just would … to me."
"But my parents thought long and hard about my name.
And it's a good name. Why should I change it to yours?"
I started to feel uncomfortable. "As I said, I understand
why you wouldn't. It just would be nice if you would –
especially when we have kids."
Bella could tell this was an emotional issue for me. She
kissed my forehead a few times before landing a kiss on
my lips. "I don't want you to be sad. I'll think about it.
Maybe when we have kids, I would change it to Isabella
Swan Cullen, but I would still use my given name
professionally. That's common. How would you feel
about that?"
Kissing her forehead with some relief, I commented,
"That would make me feel a little better. It might be a
compromise."
"Good."
She gave me another long kiss, when I thought to say one
more thing on the topic. "You know, you can be very
good at compromise. I'm going to ask you for another."
Smiling at me, she questioned me, "Oh yeah? What's
that?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm not ready yet. I need to think
things through." Grinning back at her, I added, "Not yet,
but sometime soon."
~*~