First & Ten Chapter 3: Are You Sure You’re Not A Kicker?
BPOV
Edward Cullen was touching my hand and it felt like 10,000 volts of electricity were entering my body from his fingertips. Holy shit. That had most certainly never happened before! I watched as his gorgeous green eyes widened before he let go of my hand. Had he felt it too? Maybe the wiring was faulty in this place. Maybe he was a robot. That made sense. Nobody should be so naturally incredibly good looking. I could see the headlines now: Edward Cullen Robots Available Today! Complete with an accompanying picture of hordes of women waiting in line like it was one of those bridal store sales that would-be brides flocked to. Replica Edwards would take over the world but nobody would complain because he was so beautiful. How could it be possible that he was better looking in person than in sexy magazine spreads? It was inherently unfair.
I realized that he was sitting across from me now and watching me quizzically, drumming his fingers on the table. How long had I been fantasizing about Edward robots? Oh, God, they were all looking at me. Quick, Bella, say something! “You have long fingers,” I blurted out. Holy crap, what did I just say? I felt my face turning red and thanked God for the ridiculously dark lighting in this room. Maybe they couldn’t tell. Not that they couldn’t tell that I had just said one of the dumbest fucking things ever to the hottest guy on the planet. Alice burst into giggles and I heard Jasper trying to disguise his laughter behind his hand.
Edward opened his mouth and then closed it, taking one of those lovely hands and running it through his glorious copper hair. “Um, yeah I guess so. Makes it easier to throw a football.” He actually looked self conscious. Great first impression, Bella. I’m sure he’s used to women doing more than calling his fingers long. Maybe you should have said you’d like to feel them inside you. Women probably ask him to be their own personal gyno all the time. How humiliating.
“Right, of course. Good for grip and all.” Jesus Christ, why couldn’t I just shut the fuck up? Maybe I should fake a heart attack. I could later claim that my brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen and that’s why I said such stupid things. Also, it might lead to him giving me mouth to mouth resuscitation. His dad was a doctor so he probably knew how, right? Good idea, Bella. Then your heart really would stop and you would die. It would totally be worth it, though. Look at those lips.
Alice and Jasper were both still laughing at me and I was too damn scared at what might come out of my mouth to tell them to shut the fuck up. “So, how do you and Alice know one another?” Edward asked, saving me from blurting out something else idiotic. Bless him.
“We were college roommates,” I answered. There was plenty more to tell of course but I wasn’t going to say anymore than the absolute minimum for the rest of the night. It was the only way to avoid more verbal diarrhea.
Alice piped up then. I would bless her as well but she’d dragged me into this mess unprepared so she owed me this and a hell of a lot more. “Bella got to our dorm first and she had her stuff all organized. It looked like something out of military boot camp! Of course I came in and reorganized everything and made it look like we’d both been living there all our lives! Bella needed to break out of her rut immediately and it was my job to help her. I dragged her off to a party and we’ve been friends ever since.”
I laughed at the memory of Alice’s outrage at my boring side of the room. She’d proceeded to take a red sharpie and draw a picture of the two of us on my wall. Painting over it at the end of the year had not been easy but we’d had a blast. We always did. “It’s hard not to like Alice.”
Edward smiled that gorgeous half grin that made women’s insides quiver. Okay, maybe it was just mine. “I can see that already.”
Alice beamed at him and threw her arms around Jasper. “See, he likes me! I knew he would!”
Jasper ruffled her hair. “Alice, I believe I told you that he would. You were the one who was afraid he’d hate you.”
She shook her head. “Nope, that was all you Jazz. I distinctly remember…” he cut her off with a searing kiss that was far more appropriate for the bedroom than a crowded nightclub. I looked over at Edward and found he was looking back at me. He grinned and tilted his head toward the couple making out next to us and I laughed and rolled my eyes.
“I’m not sure why they even invited us,” he told me, leaning across the table so I could hear him. God, he was so long, I wondered if he was long everywhere. Do not fucking say that out loud, Bella. What was wrong with me? I sounded like a horny teenage boy. That was not acceptable. I wasn’t going to be one of those girls that I hated. He was just a man; a scorching, hot man, but a man all the same. I would treat him like I treated anyone else.
“That’s a very good question. Well since Jasper obviously isn’t going to tell me about himself, why don’t you tell me about him?” Edward’s eyes widened and his grin lit up the room. He stood up and pulled a chair up to our table, closer to me, and sat in it. It felt like my body went on immediate alert at his nearness, tingles were racing up and down my arms and I actually had goose bumps. God, I was ridiculous. “Do you mind?” he asked, gesturing at his new seat. Uh no, why would I mind sitting next to Edward fucking Cullen? The only thing I did mind is that he wasn’t kissing me the way Jasper was Alice. I minded that quite a bit.
I silently congratulated myself on not verbalizing that fact as I shook my head. “I figured this was easier than being on the other side of the table from you. Now I don’t have to shout.” He gave me another devastating grin and I shivered. Did he practice that in the mirror? “So you want to know about Jasper?”
“Yes,” I managed to get out, glancing over to see he and Alice were still devouring one another. “Alice obviously left out several pertinent details when she mentioned him. Like his name and his profession. I assumed he was a musician with a name like Jazz.”
Edward let out the most rich, deep and gorgeous laugh I’d ever heard and I gripped the table edge to keep from launching myself at him. You are not one of those girls, Bella. He cannot know the effect he has on you.
“Jazz…he is so not going to hear the end of that in the locker room. I, uh, guess you know we play football?” He looked almost embarrassed by the question. That was surprising, I expected him to be cockier about it. Maybe there was more to Edward Cullen than met the eye.
I relaxed my grip on the table and decided to stop acting stupid. I’d likely never see him again after tonight so there was no reason to freak out. “Yeah, well, it’s kind of my job to know.”
He raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his seat. “What does that mean?”
“I’m a sports reporter for The Republic.”
Suddenly he was the one that looked tense. “Oh.”
He started to stand and I put a hand on his arm. “I’m not here for a story. Honestly. I didn’t even know who I was meeting, remember?” He relaxed infinitesimally and sank back into his seat and I reluctantly took my hand off his very strong forearm.
He ran his hand through his hair and glanced at me. “So, what do you cover?”
“Nothing major at this point. I’ve only been there for two years. I primarily cover high school sports and do fact checking. When Alice called me about meeting you guys I was crunching your passing stats for an article that Buddy was working on.”
He chuckled. “That sounds fascinating. Did you learn anything interesting?”
I tried not to bristle at his words. He was right; after all, it wasn’t exactly Pulitzer type work. “I learned that you throw to Jasper an average of 2.3 times more a game than you do Fitzgerald.”
He flashed a smile. “Guess I’ll have to see if I can get Fitz the ball a little more in our first game then. Can’t have either of my top receivers mad at me.”
“Neither one of them are divas,” I pointed out.
He nodded. “A fact for which I am eternally grateful. There were rumors that we were looking at TO during the offseason and I…” he broke off.
“What?” I asked. Terrell Owens had been moderately well behaved in Buffalo but he was well past his prime and you never knew when his attitude would make itself known again. Nobody seemed eager to take a chance on him.
“Nothing I can really talk about is all.” He shrugged apologetically. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” In other words, he shouldn’t have said anything to a reporter. Who did he think I worked for, The Enquirer?
I put my hand on his arm again and felt that warm jolt of pleasure at just touching him. “I promise you, Edward, I’m not going to go running back to my bosses with anything you say to me.”
He put his right hand over the top of mine and I nearly started hyperventilating at his touch. “Thanks, Bella, I appreciate that. It’s just hard to know who you can trust and we just met, so…”
“I get it,” I told him. He still had his hand on mine and I still had mine on his arm and I knew I should let him go but it just felt right to be touching him. It was weird but I liked it. Surely if he didn’t want my hand there he wouldn’t be practically holding it, right? “It’s not easy being famous, is it?”
He shook his head and gave me a rueful smile. “No. Don’t get me wrong, I know I have it easy compared to a lot of people. It just sucks that I can’t go anywhere without being recognized. Sometimes I forget who the real Edward Cullen is.” That was interesting. Was he that different from the guy I saw on TV every week?
“So who is he?” I asked, shocked at my own boldness.
“I…weren’t we supposed to be talking about Jasper?” he asked nervously. A quick glance at the other end of the table showed that Alice & Jasper remained wrapped in one another. At least they were still fully clothed, though God knew what was going on underneath the table.
“We can talk about anything you want,” I reassured him. Clearly he wasn’t comfortable opening up to a virtual stranger. Neither was I, for that matter, so I wasn’t going to push him.
He looked relieved and gave me another of his killer smiles. “Well, Jas is a good guy. He’s funny as hell, though he tends to be on the quiet side so not everyone sees it. He’s got a big heart and would give you the shirt off his back if you asked. He’s a good listener; the man would keep secrets from his own mother if you asked him to.” I smiled at his description. He didn’t seem like Alice’s type at all but her type had never worked out before. Maybe this would be different. “He tends to keep things close to the vest, doesn’t really show his emotions.” I knew that, he was known for being calm on the field and he rarely got into altercations. Edward chuckled. “At least he used to not be demonstrative. Your friend seems to bring out a new side of him.”
“That’s Alice for you. She’s done that to me. I never really used to take chances on anything until she came into my life.”
His hand squeezed mine. “What do you mean?”
“I was unbelievably clumsy growing up. I loved sports but I was terrible at them. Always falling and scraping my knees, spraining ankles and in the worst cases breaking bones or getting concussions.”
“That sounds rough! So that’s why you write about them now?” he asked, looking at me with interest.
“Well, yes, I suppose so. I never really thought about it like that, but sure. I can’t do what I love but I can write about it. It’s kind of like participating, in a way.” I was pretty amazed that he saw that about me so quickly when I hadn’t even realized it myself.
“It’s great that you can be a part of something that you love, then,” he told me, stroking his fingers across the top of my hand absently.
“It is.” His touch was doing things to me and I never wanted it to end. “Anyway, I’d kind of given up on the idea of being a risk taker of any kind. I was content to just curl up with a book and lose myself in a fantasy world, you know?” He nodded. “Alice wouldn’t let me do that, though. She dragged me on hikes in the woods and scuba expeditions. We even hiked the Grand Canyon!”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Isn’t that kind of dangerous with your clumsiness?”
I laughed and shook my head. “I grew out of that. It only took me twenty years or so.” His rich laughter joined mine and he squeezed my hand again. “Not that I wasn’t petrified that it would return and send me to my death, but here I am.”
“Yes, here you are.” His eyes met mine and I swear I felt like I was being drawn to him, like his gaze was a tractor beam pulling me in. He leaned toward me and his tongue darted out to trace over his lips. Holy shit, he was going to kiss me.
“Excuse me,” a high pitched, squeaky voice sounded, pulling both of us out of the moment. “Are you Edward Cullen?”
Edward’s hand fell from mine and he turned to face the annoying voice that had just ruined what probably would have been the best moment of my life. I took my hand off his arm and looked at the bitch that interrupted us. She was blonde, naturally; platinum blonde with huge fake breasts. Her teeth were blindingly white, probably caps. I hated her on sight, which was a ridiculous reaction admittedly but it was instinctual.
“Yes,” he answered.
“Oh my God! I told my friends it was you but they said it wasn’t! I’m Sandy! Can I get a picture?”
I saw his shoulders bunch and fought the urge to put my hand back on him, whether to calm him down or stake my claim I wasn’t sure. But the last thing he probably wanted was me touching him in front of the blow up doll that was clearly making a move on him. “Sure,” he agreed, giving her that beautiful smile that had been mine just moments ago. I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach. Of course he wanted her.
She looked at me and held something out. Oh hell no. “Would you take the picture, please?” I wanted to throw it across the room but I took it and nodded. I could be mature about this. I could also make sure I cut half her head out of the picture. Or maybe I could just leave Edward out totally? Damn digital cameras and their screens, though, she’d know right away.
She knelt down next to Edward, who remained sitting in his chair. I couldn’t quite read the look on his face but he didn’t look happy. He was probably uncomfortable about blowing me off for the Barbie Doll. Well, I’d make it easy for him. The girl slid her arm around his neck and I gritted my teeth. “Ready?” I spat through my clenched jaw. She nodded and two beautiful smiles illuminated the screen. I snapped the picture and handed it back to her quickly, hoping she’d vanish.
“So, Edward, what are you doing tonight?” she asked in some seductive voice that made me want to hurl. Of course I wasn’t lucky enough for her to take her camera and get lost. Maybe I was the one that should leave.
“I’m having drinks with some friends,” he answered, gesturing at us. Alice and Jasper remained completely oblivious, though they weren’t kissing anymore. They just appeared to be looking into one another’s eyes. I’d never seen her like this before.
“Well, maybe when you’re done, you could give me a call and we could hang out?” She took a napkin off the table and jotted her number down with a pen she just happened to have on her. Whore.
“Um, yeah, well I don’t know, I have to get ready for the game,” he murmured, taking the napkin from her hand and folding it. Of course he was going to take the number. Typical. She wasn’t interested in getting to know “the real Edward Cullen” but that didn’t seem to bother him, now did it?
“I can get you ready,” she purred. Seriously, I was going to be ill if she stayed her for another minute. Edward flashed her that smile and brought the napkin down to his side to put into his pocket. I don’t know who I was more disappointed in; him or me for thinking he was different. Hadn’t I learned anything from dating James? I, Bella Swan, am an idiot.
The whore went to rejoin her friends, tittering over her future date with Edward Cullen. He turned back to me and smiled. “Where were we?” he asked, reaching for my right hand. Was he fucking serious? Did he think that I wanted him to kiss me after he’d just made plans to fuck another girl later?
“We weren’t anywhere,” I told him coldly.
The smile slipped off his face and he looked confused. “What? I’m sorry we were interrupted. It happens, unfortunately. I’d really like to hear more about you.” His voice dropped, sounding very seductive. He was giving me his sex voice right after taking another girl’s number. Maybe he thought I’d join them for their sexcapades. Asshole.
“I’m sure it does, Edward.” My voice could have given him frostbite. “I’m not interested in talking anymore about myself. But maybe we could talk about you.”
He looked baffled as he ran his hand through hair again. “Okay, what do you want to know?”
“What’s it like being the most sought after bachelor in Arizona? Or is it the whole country by now?” I asked acidly, a fake smile stretched across my face. I’m sure I looked ridiculous but I couldn’t help myself.
“Bella, why are you asking me that? Is this about that girl? That was nothing.” Of course it was nothing, just a typical night in the life of Edward Cullen. I’d clearly imagined the connection I’d felt to him.
“Of course not,” I replied, trying to sound bored. “I was thinking maybe I would do a story on you. Forget the stats; this is what the readers really want to know.” I made a show of reaching into my bag and taking out my digital recorder. He gaped at it for a second and then glared at me.
“So, you were just pretending to be interested in me for a story? All that who is the real Edward Cullen stuff was just a show?” He had the gall to sound hurt when I was the one who’d had her heart crushed.
“Yes,” I told him, letting out a slight laugh. I wasn’t going to let him know that he’d gotten to me. That I’d thought maybe someone like him could possibly want someone like me. He’d just laugh if he knew.
He pushed away from the table and stood up abruptly. “I’ve got to go.” Of course he did, he had a night of sex with a Barbie Doll to attend to. “Alice, it was nice to meet you. Jas, I’ll see you in the morning.” They looked up, finally.
“You’re leaving already?” Jasper asked, sounding surprised. “But I thought…” he broke off, looking between me and Edward. Whatever he saw stopped him from saying whatever he was going to say. “Okay, I’ll see you.” Edward nodded and stalked off. Why did I feel so empty now that he was gone? I wanted him to go. He was nothing but a player.
“Jazzy, can you get me another drink?” Alice asked him.
He nodded and stood. “Bella, can I get you anything?”
“Yes, I’d like four shots of tequila please.” My night had gone from incredible to shitty in the blink of an eye and I wanted to feel good again. Jasper raised an eyebrow but went to get the drinks.
“Bella, what happened? It looked like you two were getting along.” Alice tugged on my arm.
“Like you even noticed! You were all wrapped up in Jasper!”
She sighed and shook her head. “Yes, I was but that didn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention to you. You were enjoying yourselves so I decided to let you talk. He’s gorgeous and you have football in common. You both seemed into one another. So what happened?”
“What happened is he took some girl’s phone number right after we had a moment,” I answered grumpily, putting my head in my hands. I didn’t want to talk about it, I just wanted to get drunk and forget that I’d ever been stupid enough to think that Edward Cullen could want me.
Alice’s grey eyes widened. “He did? That’s terrible! I didn’t think he was like that at all. From everything Jasper’s told me…”
“Well, they’re friends and I’m sure he’s not going to tell his girlfriend that his best friend is a manwhore,” I informed her frostily.
“Bella, I’m sorry. I really thought you two were getting along. I should have paid more attention.” Tears welled up in her eyes and I slipped an arm around her.
“It’s not your fault, Alice. I thought we were too. I should have known better.”
“Not every guy is like James, Bella,” she told me gently.
“I know, Alice.” I didn’t want to get into it anymore and thankfully Jasper appeared with our drinks. I slammed the first shot and felt the warmth go through my body. It tingled, reminding me of how I’d felt when he’d been touching me. I slammed another shot. “Someone’s going to have to drive me home tonight,” I told them, feeling slightly better as the alcohol moved through me. I hadn’t eaten much today and it wouldn’t take long before I was completely trashed.
“Jasper lives nearby. I’ll drive your car there and we’ll both spend the night, okay?” Alice asked.
“Fine by me, slumber party at Jazzy’s!” I took another shot and grinned at them. I was starting to feel good. Edward who? I shifted in my chair and my toe brushed something underneath the table. What was that?
I bent down and my fingers felt something soft. I picked it up off the floor. It was just a napkin. I set it back on the table and that’s when I noticed. It wasn’t any napkin. It was the napkin that girl had given Edward with her number on it. He hadn’t put it in his pocket after all. He threw it on the floor. Yes, I was a giant idiot.
“Alice, I fucked up.”
EPOV
What the hell had just happened? Those words kept going through my head as I shoved my way out of the club. The VIP room had been quiet but it was chaos once I got out of those doors. People were screaming my name and though I usually at least managed a wave and a smile, this time I just kept my head down and kept on moving. I wanted to get the hell home and try to figure out how this night had gone from completely right to completely wrong so quickly.
I gave the valet my ticket and ignored the group of girls that had followed me out of the club. I took out my cell phone and pretended to be on a call so they might not try to talk to me. It didn’t always work but sometimes it deterred a few of my less persistent fans. They kept their distance, much to my relief. I inhaled deeply when my Mercedes pulled to a stop in front of me. I tipped the valet and got in my car and made the short ride home, all the while repeating the night in my head and trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong.
Bella had been a breath of fresh air most of the night. She had blurted out that thing about my fingers, which still confused me, but then she’d seemed to recover from whatever that was and had an actual conversation with me. And she was bright and beautiful and engaging. She treated me like a normal guy instead of a celebrity and that was a rarity. Then there was just her…she was so interesting. This sports loving girl who couldn’t play so she chose to write about it instead. She claimed to be boring and structured yet she let her friend drag her on all these adventures. She loved Alice; that much had been clear. Instead of pushing me to talk about myself, which most women did, she’d asked me about Jasper.
And then there was the whole electric thing that seemed to be between us. When she touched my arm, I felt like I’d been tasered, minus the searing pain. And I had been before, thanks to Emmett and his stupid pranks, so I knew what it felt like. I’d never had a woman make me feel the way she had in only a matter of moments. And then it had all gotten fucked up thanks to that bimbo that approached.
I’m not an idiot; I figured out rather quickly that Bella was put off by the girl. I thought that by giving her the picture, she’d go away quickly and Bella and I could resume our conversation. Or…well, whatever had been about to happen. I’d been about five seconds away from kissing her and it sure seemed like she was going to kiss me back until the groupie appeared. Now, I didn’t exactly expect her to kiss me after seeing that but I didn’t expect her to turn on me the way she had either.
And now I was wondering if she’d been playing me all along. Was the sweet, somewhat awkward woman that I’d been talking to just an act to get a story? It wouldn’t be the first time a journalist had ambushed me somewhere. But it was the first time that it really bothered me because I found her so attractive. She was beautiful really, especially when she blushed after her finger comment. Her eyes sparkled with humor and intelligence and her body in that slinky black dress…damn it! Why did that girl have to come over?
I should be thankful, though, because if Bella really was using me for a story…she would have gotten a good one. I was going to kiss her for God’s sake, and then who knew what? I had felt the urge to let her in, to let her get to know me, only a minute after sitting down next to her. What kind of disaster would that have been if she was just using me to make a name for herself? I had never wanted to trust a girl so quickly before and of course the first time I did, I was dead wrong. Never again.
I pulled into my parking spot in the garage and stepped into the elevator, punching the button for the 9th floor. I had a penthouse close to the stadium because it was just easier. I didn’t have time for a house and a yard even though sometimes I yearned for them. This sleek, modern building was convenient and made sense for Edward Cullen, quarterback. I was nothing if not practical.
The first thing I did after I opened my door and tossed the keys on the coffee table was kick off my shoes and grab another beer from the fridge. I sat down on the couch and flipped on the remote. I may as well watch film after all, since the night had come to an abrupt end.
I put on the recording of the Colts Super Bowl loss to the Saints and watched Brees handle the defensive front. Freeney cheated a little at the line, he would lean on his right hand a little more when he was coming on the blitz. Nothing new here. Jasper was right, I had the tapes memorized and watching them at this point was overkill. I was just trying to get my mind off a certain brunette.
She’d been so beautiful though, even when she was angry at me at the end there. I was stunned when she pulled out that recorder. Was she really just there to get a story? It hadn’t seemed like it and usually I was pretty good at reading women. I thought she was genuinely trying to get to know me. Fuck…why were women so damn confusing? This was why it was easier to stay in relationships with crazy girls like Tanya. Yes, she was insane but at least I always knew what she wanted from me.
Everything had been fine until that girl came up and then it wasn’t. So maybe she’d just been jealous? Was that possible? Could she possibly think I’d be interested in that plastic girl when I had her sitting right to me making me feel incredible? Alive…that was it. She made me feel the way I did when I was on the football field and a 300 pound defensive end was coming at me unblocked. Everything slowed down in that moment and I could hear my own heartbeat. I was focused in on my target and it was like my only purpose in life was to get the ball out of my hand before that hit came. I wondered how Bella would feel about being compared to a lineman but I suspected she would get it. She might be the only woman I’d ever met who did and now she was gone.
I had to leave though, before I said or did anything stupid. If she was after a story, I needed to be away from her. And if she wasn’t…then I’d probably missed out on something great all because I’d let a groupie ruin our night. But if Bella couldn’t handle that, then I really couldn’t be with her anyway. It happened all the time. I couldn’t exactly date her in the privacy of my apartment could I? Actually that idea held a lot of appeal but it was a pointless train of thought anyway. It had ended before it could even begin.
Why did that make me so damn sad? I’d been with the girl for an hour tops, but she had gotten under my skin in a major way. Why couldn’t it all be simple? Why couldn’t I be a normal guy interested in a girl and have an evening getting to know her? And why was I sitting here feeling sorry for myself when I should be focusing on the game tape?
I focused back in on the screen and winced in sympathy as Peyton Manning took a huge hit from Will Smith. He’d screwed up his shoulder on that play, though he didn’t come out of the game. I saw the wince when he rolled it getting up and his throws from that point on were slightly off target. The announcers didn’t pick up on it but I did. If only I’d picked up something else tonight.
And there she was, back in my head again. Damn it. Fuck this. I’m off women and I’m staying that way. Life is easier. I flicked off the TV and went to my bedroom, shedding my shirt and jeans and sliding into the covers. I had a game to get ready for and didn’t need the distraction of beautiful brunettes with doe eyes anyway. Bella would be nothing but a faint memory tomorrow.
My apologies. I have reread this whole thing and it now makes sense. I was confused at first, but now I get it, and what’s more I like it! I’m intrigued. I like that Edward is cocky and so sure of himself. I like that Bella is more confident and adult then in other stories. I look forward to reading chapter 4!
I’m glad you like it! It’s fun writing them a little older and more secure in themselves. Edward is definitely sure of himself but still has a sweet side that just wants to be with a girl who likes him for who he really is, not his fame. Bella’s pretty cool and I love how she blurts things out 🙂 I hope you continue to like it! Thanks for reading!