Chapter 4: Like lightning

~* Bella *~

I couldn't remember the last time I'd done this. I used to join the girls from the office for drinks after work on a Friday...that is until Jake started complaining about having to make his own dinner. We tried to compromise and agreed that I would go out twice a month. But, when the time came, he'd tell me we couldn't afford it or guilt trip me into staying by saying he'd barely seen me all week. I always gave in and I hated myself for that now. I found myself feeling anxious about the night ahead, my stomach tying itself in to tiny knots. I wasn't entirely sure what the source of my unease was, so I mentally scolded myself for feeling nervous. It was just girl time with Alice and Rose, and it sure as hell wasn't the first club I'd ever set foot in. Being at Alice's had given me reassuring feelings of comfort and normality, which made the whole situation with Jake easier to deal with, but I just couldn't shake the niggling feeling that everything was about to change.

I looked down at my chest. "Okay, so whose bright idea was it to walk? I'm so damn cold my nipples are protesting down here!"

Rose joined in. "I think there are icicles forming in my panties. Can we sue her ass for frostbite induced trauma?"

I giggled. "It sounds like a plan; compensation in the form of a very large drink would be a start."

"Jesus, you're so cheap, B! Make it two drinks, and I'll consider."

Alice finally gave in and spun round on her tiny heels. "No one in their goddamn mind should ever try to negotiate with you, Hale. They'd soon live to regret it!" She grinned and pulled at our hands. "Come on you whiners, we're here now anyway."

I glanced across the road, slightly taken aback by the scene before me. Two police cars were parked outside what I could only assume was the club, their lights flashing and doors open. The crackling of radios filtered through the air, and I could hear the dull thump of the music coming from inside. I opened my mouth to ask Alice exactly what kind of dive she'd dragged us to, and I saw him.

Leaning up against a police car was a man who, with a single sideways glance, managed to take my breath away. He was tall and slender, with a shock of messy bronze hair and a jaw you could cut glass with. I looked down at his feet to find him sporting a pair of black and white Nikes, and I smirked, my eyes travelling upwards. He was dressed in what looked like yesterday's jeans and a plain black t-shirt. I couldn't help but notice his shirt had ridden up slightly around his waist, the top of his boxers clearly visible. His jeans were slung low, allowing me a small glimpse of the skin at the small of his back, and I was mesmerized by it. I suddenly found myself wondering how soft and warm he would feel and what he would taste like. I was hit with the overwhelming urge to touch and kiss every inch of him in a bid to find out. I could feel the flush creeping up my neck and over my cheeks, I had to look away.

I was broken from my thoughts by the sound of someone arguing, a string of expletives rolling off of their tongue. I looked up and realised that the smooth but angry voice belonged to him.

"Ali...who's the pissed off guy cussing out the cop?"

"What? Oh! That's Edward"

Huh? "I thought you said he owned this place?"

"He does."

I looked at her blankly, I still didn't understand.

"It's a club Bella. He gets some undesirable customers every now and then that's all."

I looked to my left to see a dishevelled looking guy in a crumpled suit being shoved roughly in to the back of the other police car while he drunkenly protested at the top of his lungs. The door was slammed, and he pressed his face up to the window. I noticed the swollen eye, cut lip, and bloody nose, wondering who he'd been stupid enough to pick a fight with. I couldn't see anyone else there except for Edward, and, as far as I could tell, he didn't have a scratch on him. The guy that threw the punches must have managed to slope off in all the commotion. I couldn't help but smirk. The asshole probably had it coming.

We waited for the police to leave before crossing the quiet road, the clacking of our heels alerting Edward to our presence; he'd been watching the cars drive away.

"Alice, Rose…" He nodded in their direction.

I looked up from my feet to find that his glance had travelled and was now firmly fixed on me. I bit down on my lower lip. His stare was intense, and his eyes were a startling shade of green. He took a step towards me, and my breath hitched. Jesus Christ, he's beautiful.

"You must be Bella?"

I swallowed hard before speaking."Um...yes…Edward, right?"

He nodded and shot me a lopsided little half smile causing my heart to start frantically pounding in my chest. My skin was tingling and the atmosphere felt charged. I could feel a hum in the air, half expecting to be struck by a sudden bolt of lightning. Our eyes travelled downwards until we were both staring curiously at each other's feet. My thoughts were side tracked for just a minute....

B: Black Nikes with white ticks...

E: Jesus, is she wearing fuck me heels?

B: Understated…very cool...

E: She is. Fuck. Fucking fuck.

B: And kinda hot actually...

E: Fucking thank you, Alice.

B: Dear Nike, you owe me new panties.

Rose interrupted the silence, her crooning voice breaking my train of thought.

"Nice to see you're still knuckle-happy, Cullen. The douchebag in the suit looked a pretty shade of purple."

Fuck! The battered drunk leaving in the cop car, that was his doing? I snapped my head up, turning to Rose who was smirking.

Edward just shrugged. "They know the rules, Rose, but there's always one asshole out to break 'em. Now are you ladies coming inside for a drink or not?"

I was watching Alice chatting away at olympic speed on her cell, no doubt irritating Angela with endless questions about the boys, when I realised he was staring right at me again, his eyes vivid pools of green. I flushed from the neck up. Fuck, he has got to stop looking at me like that, or I'll spend the entire night blushing like a complete idiot.

Rose grabbed my hand, pulling me out of my daze. "Come on, there's a very large Margarita waiting in there with my name on it. Alice, quit harassing Angela and get off that damn cell before it needs to be surgically removed....and I don't mean from your face!."

I had to laugh at the look of shock on Alice's face. She was giving us her best death stare as she finally relented and hung up. "You bitches are gonna dance for that," she huffed, shoving her phone in to her bag and stalking towards the club.

I noticed that Edward was waiting at the door for us, leaning casually against the wall. Alice twirled past him, winking as she went, and Rose sauntered past without so much as a glance. I swallowed hard as I stepped forward to pass, planning to just smile and nod, because I didn't trust myself to not say something stupid at this point. I was concentrating so hard on not making a complete fool of myself that when I felt his fingers gently grasp my elbow, I jumped at the unexpected contact, a small shock shooting up my arm and, at the rate it was now beating, probably straight to my heart.

I stood frozen to the spot as he leaned in to me, so close I could feel his warm breath on my ear. "Welcome to Masen's, Bella."