Southern Comfort: Chapter 9

Southern Comfort

Chapter Nine

His hands are on my hips.

His tongue is halfway down my throat.

His boot covered foot nudges mine, effectively stubbing my big toe.

I pull away with a yelp of pain and grab at my foot. My big toe is throbbing; I take a look in fear that I'll lose a toe nail. Glittery Spiderman Blue stares up at me and my thoughts diverted from the pain in my foot.

"Jessica," I manage to get out as I lean against the couch.

My lips tingle from his assault.

I'll be damned if I want more.

"What about her?" Edward asks, taking my foot in his hand and gingerly wiggles my toe.

"Oh, I don't know. You were kissing her last night at the carnival and now we're seconds away from ripping each other's clothes off. You tell me, Edward," I huff, trying to pull my foot out of his grasp.

He's so damn strong. I'm not willing to break skin to skin contact.

"I'm not a home wrecking whore like she is. She might be a bad person, but I could never go behind her ba-"

"Bella."

"-ck." My eyes narrow accusingly. "I thought you were gentlemen. And all along you're a man wh-"

The hand that isn't holding my foot covers my mouth.

His smirk drives me wild.

"Will you shut your gator and let me talk for a minute?" I nod behind his hand. "Jessica was my date last night. We danced right under the entrance of pavilion and as a member of the decorating committee I'm sure you can come up with what decoration adorned the entire ceiling of that place."

Tyler kissing Lauren before planting a friendly kiss on my cheek.

Jasper handing me my hot white chocolate before kissing me on the same cheek.

I'm positive my face is a brilliant red at the moment. Edward's smirk is taunting now, his lips just a tad swollen from our impromptu make out session.

"Mistletoe." It's barely a whisper, but he hears it.

"Uh-huh. Had I known about the ceiling, I would have steered clear of that place, but Jess pointed it out and I had to uphold tradition." His cheeks are flushed.

Could it be embarrassment?

"On the lips?" My brow is raised.

"Well, she told me that she could feel that I wasn't into it." Edward stands up and takes my hands in his so that I can stand. "She also told me to get my head out of my ass and make a move before someone else scooped you up."

The guilt is a ton of bricks in the bottom of my stomach. I'd thought of Jess as a bad friend and thought bad thoughts about her and she was only trying to help me. I owed her a margarita. A big one.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." He leans down and presses his lips to mine softly. "Hmm, seven whole years. Well worth the wait."

"Agreed."

"And you want to rip my clothes off?" he adds cockily, earning a harsh slap to the chest.

"Don't flatter yourself." I try to pull away, but he holds tight.

"Are you trying to say you don't want to rip my clothes off?" His voice is warm white hot chocolate on the coldest winter night, flowing through me and settling in the very pit of my stomach.

"Oh, I find you attractive, Edward." I place a hand on his chest and push him away. "But I've been crying nonstop for the past two and half days and I have to be at the ranch early in the morning to see Maggie about the new colt."

"So I should go?" His arm is still around me, squishing me to his chest.

Edward doesn't work out, but having worked with horses for the better part of the past six years, he's incredibly fit. If he wasn't wearing his thick as hell jacket, I'm positive he'd feel my nipples pebbling up for him.

I want him to stay, but I'm not stupid. People don't go from being the best of friends to being in a sleepover relationship in the matter of an hour. Sure he's stayed the night on my couch before, but having him stay in my house, having him get in my bed after that kiss we shared would be a bad choice. A bad choice in the best possible way, but it's not happening.

"If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right, Edward," I mumble, looking him in the eye.

He nods and leans down to capture my lips with his once more. This kiss is short lived but it's filled with love. My heart is hammering in my chest. When he pulls away, I'm gasping for air I didn't realize I needed.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the ranch then?" He is stalling.

"Yep. I'll be there around ten." I lean up and plant a kiss on his chin. "I've always wanted to do that."

"By all means." He pokes his chin down. "I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful."

Even though I feel like anything but beautiful at the moment, I blush under his sentiment. Shaking my head at his absurdity, I walk to the door and hold it open for him.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Edward."

He kisses my forehead before running out to his shiny black truck and rather than the earth shattering sobs that I've emitted every time I've been left alone as of late, I let out a wicked sounding squeal and dance on the spot the second my front door clicks shut. I'm dancing around my living room for about thirty seconds when I hear a faint knock on the door.

Part of me is hoping that it's Edward and that his truck won't start, abandoning him at my house for the night because that would just be oh so unfortunate. The rational side hopes it isn't Edward because I'm sure he heard my solo celebratory party. Both sides agree that it's gotta be him.

I throw the door open and low and behold there he is.

"I forgot something," he smirks. I can see the exhaust of his truck emitting puffs of smoke so he's probably letting it warm up.

"You did huh?" I look around for a stray glove even though I know he doesn't wear them.

"Yep and only you can give it to me."

My perverted side is ready and waiting for him, but the logical side knows he's going to ask a question.

""Uh huh?" I motion for him to get on with it.

"Will you go out with me?"

"Like on a date?" I cock my head to the side.

"No. Coon hunting. Of course a date," he snorts. "Please?"

"I'd love to, Edward." I make a move to shut the door, but stop short. A bright smile takes over my face. "You can cook me dinner. At your place."

"Really? I cook chili and cornbread." His eyes tighten when he realizes what I'm getting at. "Really Bella?"

"Uh huh." I smile widely. "I'll eat whatever you want to make for dinner. My only request is-"

"Berry cobbler," we say simultaneously.

"Do you know how hard it is to make that?" he huffs.

"Do you actually think you can tell me you love me and not have to actually woo me?"

"You need to be wooed? Are you even wooable?"

"Oh, I'm wooable Edward," I whisper in my most seductive voice. " Very wooable."

And with that I kiss his gaping mouth and shut the door in his face. And this time I manage not to make an ass out of myself as he shuffles out to his truck and drives out of my driveway.