Chapter Sixteen - Those Three Words (Teaser #3)

“You ready for this?”

“Nope,” I replied truthfully as I climbed off his lap and he reached over for one of our bags to pull out the phone. “You?”

“Nope.”

We both laughed, and Edward leaned forwards to give me a quick kiss before switching the phone on and waiting for it to load up.

“I’m nervous,” I admitted, watching him type in the number for Carlisle’s office.

“Me too,” Edward murmured, taking my hand in his and smiling as he pressed the call button and held the phone up to his ear.

I squeezed his hand tightly as we waited.

“Be-” Edward began, then inhaled sharply when someone picked up on the other end of the line. “Hello?”

Chapter Sixteen - Those Three Words (Teaser #2)

“I have… plans for us tonight, and since we forgot to pack a certain bottle…”

“Oooooh. I see.” Forcing myself to push through the nausea, I slid my leg over both of his and straddled his lap, focusing my gaze on his. “And what makes you think I’ll be letting your plans become reality?”

He smiled slowly, then slipped both his hands below my skirt and cupped my ass, pulling me closer. I settled down against him, wrapping my arms around his neck, then sighed softly as he moved his lips to my ear and whispered, “I need to buy a disposable cell phone for you to use when you call them.”

I smirked, trying to stay in character, then rolled my hips against his and leaned back as he started kissing my neck. “Okay, then. And, uh… when, exactly, are you going to carry out your… plans?”

He grinned. “That depends. Once we get up to our room, how long do you think it’ll take you to get rid of these?” He gestured to my clothes.

“Hmmm…” I leaned in until my lips were beside his ear and whispered, “Twenty-five seconds.”

Chapter Sixteen - Those Three Words (Teaser)

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I told him, moving back to put some space between us and smiling. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just… I was just thinking.”

“About?” he prompted, turning round to face me fully now.

“Nothing,” I lied. “I was thinking about nothing.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” His brows furrowed briefly, but then understanding seemed to dawn on him. “Is this about… Yesterday, did I…”

“I don’t…”

“It’s not that I… Bella, what I said yesterday, about us not planning on having children? That wasn’t-”

“It’s fine,” I cut across, shrugging. “Seriously. You don’t have to explain.”

“I do,” he countered, then moved closer and took my hands in his. “I do, because I upset you and hurt you and I was…” He shook his head in frustration. “I was an ass, okay, Bella? I wasn’t thinking straight, and I spoke without considering the effects it would have on you.”

“Edward…” I squeezed his hands and tried to pull him towards me, but he wouldn’t allow me to.

“It’s not that I don’t want to have kids. I just… Now isn’t the right time for that.” He looked straight into my eyes. “One day… Maybe. But not right now. Not when so much is at stake and our lives are not our own.”