Hollow || Edward Cullen

30. Jealousy

(Edward's P.O.V.)

Several episodes later, and she was sleeping peacefully on my chest as if I was a comfy pillow and not a cold, stone-like creature. I could quite literally feel my heart warming in my chest as I listened to her rhythmic heartbeat and the slow, steady sound of her breathing-This was my lullaby. It felt so wholly right having her in my arms like this. Despite the constant ache in my groin and burning in my throat, I felt perfectly at peace. I could lay like this forever. I hesitantly kissed the top of her head, feeling my heart swell as I did so.

Showing affection wasn't something I was exactly comfortable doing with the girl. Kissing her was a different story-In the heat of the moment, I could kiss her passionately without a second thought. But 'getting caught up in lust' and actually 'showing affection' were two different things in my mind.

Holding her tonight was a giant leap for me, but I still wasn't ready to 'be more' with her. Perhaps she doesn't even want anything more from me? Perhaps I'm simply reading into things?

Then, another question dawned on me. Do I want more from her in the future? The thought of our little 'arrangement' coming to an end caused pure panic to pierce through me; I couldn't lose her-I knew that much, at least. So, I was faced with the ultimate dilemma. I knew that, eventually, she would grow tired of whatever game we were playing with each other. She would either break things off or demand more from me.

Lynna Holloway wasn't the type of girl to wait around on someone; she knew her worth. So, I knew if the time came when she wanted a 'real relationship', she wouldn't hesitate to break things off if I didn't feel the same way. The thought alone caused me to tighten my hold on her. I gently squeezed her against me, relishing the feel of her warm body against mine. She hummed in her sleep and smiled softly, snuggling against me even more. I could have sworn I felt my heart flutter.

***

That morning, I left before sunrise-Not wanting to disturb her. When I arrived at my house, I snuck in through my bedroom window, terrified at the idea of my family smelling her on me. How would I possibly explain that?

Their thoughts were scattered throughout the house. Alice was surfing the internet for dresses. She was absolutely thrilled about the upcoming gala. Jasper was sitting beside her, appearing to be interested as she showed him different options. Emmett and Rosalie were locked away in their bedroom. I tried in vain to block out their obnoxious thoughts. I couldn't help but feel bitter that I could never be physical in that way with Lynna, despite how desperately I wanted to.

If she was immortal, she wouldn't be able to keep my hands off her. It was already a struggle. The only thing that kept me in check was fear for her safety. If I believed for even a fraction of a second that I could be gentle enough with her, I wouldn't hesitate to explore her body and bring us both to the brink of pleasure.

She wanted me. Knowing that was enough to drive me to insanity. She longed for my touch as desperately as I longed to touch her. In a feeble attempt to distract myself, I honed in on Carlisle's thoughts. He was reading a new medical book. Evidently, there was a new-found breakthrough regarding the treatment of Alzheimer's.

I then flitted to Esme's mind. She was sitting at the kitchen table working on a flower arrangement. Apparently, she would be visiting with members of the garden club today. Good for her. I was glad she was getting out more. Esme has always been more of a homebody than the rest of us.

I stepped into the shower fully clothed in a bid to keep them from smelling her scent that clung to my clothes. After scrubbing my clothes for a good minute, I stripped down and took the quickest shower in history, desperate to see her again. I tossed the wet clothes in my laundry hamper and changed into the first thing I saw before walking downstairs to greet my mother. Esme's eyes lit up when she saw me, pausing in arranging the flowers.

"Edward," she beamed at me, pulling me into a hug before kissing my cheek. "Where have you been running off to at night? You're never here."

I shrugged in faux nonchalance, thankful that Jasper wasn't around to catch my lie. "I've been exploring the surrounding area."

Her brows knitted together in worry. "Any particular reason why? Are you avoiding us?"

I was quick to shake my head. "Of course not. I just prefer to be.. alone right now."

She frowned, placing a hand on her hip. "You're alone enough as it is. How about Carlisle and I join you tonight, hmm? We haven't spent any quality time together in ages."

I pressed my lips into a thin line. I didn't want to disappoint Esme, but I wasn't sure how much time I had left with Lynna before she grew tired of our 'arrangement'. I wanted to spend every second that I could with her.

"Not tonight," I said with a forlorn smile. "But I promise I'll try to be around more."

She released a deep sigh before she started arranging the flowers in the vase once again.

"I heard you have a gardening club meeting today," I tried making small talk, something that I wasn't used to doing as of late.

"Yes! It's at Leah Holloway's-Lynna's grandmother. I finally get to meet her," she said excitedly.

A sinking feeling settled in my chest. "Oh, that's nice," I forced the words out.

I wasn't sure why, but the idea of Lynna meeting the rest of my family had me incredibly on edge.

"Carlisle will be joining me. I think it's just wonderful that Alice gets to be a part of her life," she spoke in a wistful voice, her thoughts going a mile a minute.

Dread washed through me. "What makes you think she'll even be there? She isn't in the club. Her grandmother is."

Esme chuckled lightly. "Well, it is her house. I'm sure Leah will be more than happy to introduce us."

I pursed my lips at the thought. "So, it's just going to be you and Carlisle going?"

She eyed me curiously before responding. "That's right."

I exhaled loudly, knowing that I would probably regret getting myself involved but being unable to resist. "What if I tagged along as well?"

Her eyes widened in delight. I would love that more than anything. "That would mean so much to me, dear. Are you sure that's something you want to do? You've never been into gardening."

She didn't seem to be suspicious at all, for which I was grateful. Now I just have to keep it that way.

"I'm going for you. Not for my love of flowers," I chuckled, feeling at ease knowing that I would be there when they met Lynna.

A loving smile spread across her face. "It starts at three. Don't be late."

"I'll just meet you there," I said to her before running upstairs.

I dug through my drawers for an extra change of clothes, throwing it in a bag before I jumped out of the window and made a beeline towards Lynna's house. When I arrived, she was still sleeping soundly. It was a little past eight in the morning. I wasn't sure how long she would sleep in for, given that it was a Saturday, so I grabbed a random book from her bookshelf and sat down in the blue chair beside the window.

It was one of those Amish love stories that she was so fond of reading. Wanda Brunstetter was the author. The book was titled The Healing. It was about a grief-stricken widower whose wife passed away, leaving him as a single father to their children. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the simple book, though I couldn't help but envy the fact that humans could heal so easily. Physically-There wasn't much that could harm me. But mentally-I had been utterly destroyed. Whereas Samuel (the widower) was left with a broken heart after his wife's death-I was simply left without a heart at all after losing the love of my existence to another.

The reminder left a bitter taste in my mouth, causing me to slam the book shut much louder than I had intended to. The sound caused Lynna to jolt awake, sitting up in bed with wide, frantic eyes.

"Sorry," I muttered, flashing her a sheepish grin.

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. In one swift motion, I was sitting next to her, studying her tired face. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head in an endearing manner before locking eyes with me. She had a few fly-away curls that were sticking straight up on her head; I couldn't help but grin at the sight. She offered me an adorable sleepy smile that caused my heart to feel warm in my chest.

"It's okay," she breathed out with a faraway look in her eyes. "I didn't have a nightmare."

My brows knitted together in worry. "Do you usually have nightmares?"

She nodded. "Well, just the same nightmare."

"What about?" I wondered, feeling ill at ease at the thought of her having any sort of nightmare.

She breathed out a sigh. "The one about Grayson. It still hasn't went away." Fear wrapped around my non-beating heart, which dissipated at her next words, "I think you're the reason I didn't have one last night. Sleeping in your arms... It.. helped," she admitted a bit shyly, a delicious blush rushing to her cheeks.

I could have soared. Instead, I flashed her a tender smile. "Well, you can sleep in my arms every night if you'd like."

Her eyes of sapphire twinkled like twin stars. "Really?" She asked, skepticism laced in her voice.

I nodded. "Of course. It'd be an honor," I teased, sending her a wink that caused her blushing to intensify.

She eyed my shirt with a look of confusion before frowning. "You left," she stated dully.

"Yeah. I didn't want to disturb you," I explained. "I went home and took a shower."

She breathed out a laugh before standing up and stretching once more. My eyes trailed up and down her body as she did so, lingering on the exposed portion of her stomach as her shirt rose up. I clenched my fists and jaw at the sight, wanting nothing more than to trail my hands along her lower stomach, leading down between her thighs.

"I told you you'd get bored," she teased, a sexy smirk springing to her lips as she grabbed her bathrobe.

I quirked a brow at her, feeling desire coursing through my veins at the sensual look playing in her eyes.

"I didn't get bored," I assured her. "I never get bored when it comes to you."

Blood pooled beneath her cheeks in a delicious manner, flavoring the air which only added to my worked-up state. My feet had a mind of their own as I used my full speed to teleport in front of her, causing her to look up at me with wide eyes that were full of surprise. It was so easy to be myself around her that I never gave it a second thought. She was never fazed by my strange, supernatural behaviors and now was no exception.

I flashed her a crooked grin as I attempted to run my fingers through her hair, only to be met with tangles. "You have bedhead," I teased with a chuckle.

She rolled her eyes and laughed, playfully smacking me on the chest. "I'm sure I do. I slept like a baby last night."

She pulled away from me, walking towards the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom. She spun around, hovering in the doorway as she wore a sensual smirk. "Care to join me for another shower?" She teased.

My groin throbbed painfully at the thought. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine that I could say yes. Seeing her naked form, her body glistening as the water poured over her-That would be a recipe for disaster.

Her smirk grew as she spoke in a sultry voice, "I promise I'll be good."

Desire gripped me. Would it be so bad if I simply watched her? Surely, I could handle that much. As quickly as I had the thought, I dispelled it. Immediately, I realized that that wasn't an option.

"As tempting as that is, I'll have to politely decline," I said to her, struggling to hide the lust I felt for her.

Her smirk didn't falter. No doubt, she knew my answer all along. She was simply trying to get a rise out of me-Little does she know how well that worked.

"Suit yourself," she responded, her eyes dancing mischievously. "But if you change your mind..."

To my dismay, she walked into the bathroom and left the door slightly ajar. Was she trying to drive me insane? Yes. Yes, she was.


(Lynna's P.O.V.)

After showering and getting changed, I stepped inside my room where Edward was waiting patiently. He was sitting in the recliner reading one of my Amish books, to my surprise. I leaned against the wall and smiled when his eyes met mine.

"Is it any good?" I asked, quirking a brow at him.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's alright, I suppose."

I hummed in response, simply admiring him from afar. He seemed to notice my ogling; a smirk sprung to his lips before he rose to his feet and approached me, wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling his face against my neck. The feel of his cool breath against my flesh caused me to shiver. He peppered gentle kisses along my jaw; I melted against him, sighing out of pleasure as I closed my eyes, simply relishing the feel of his lips against my skin. All too quickly, he pulled away, putting me at arm's length.

"You're such a tease," I murmured, narrowing my eyes at him.

He flashed me a crooked grin that caused my heart to stutter. "You want more; is that it?"

I nodded once, unashamed, as I pulled my lower lip between my teeth. "I do, actually. Are you going to give me more?"

His eyes darkened dramatically as a low, guttural sound echoed within his chest. "I wish I could."

I rolled my eyes and stepped away from him, running my hands through my damp hair. He reclaimed his previous position in the recliner and simply watched me from afar as I brushed my hair.

"Do you have any plans today?" He asked, tilting his head to the side as he studied my every move.

I quirked a brow at him. "Alice didn't tell you?"

His eyes widened before a 'v' formed between his brows. "Tell me what?"

I chuckled at his puzzled expression. "Aren't you supposed to be a mindreader?" I teased, leaning against my dresser and smirking at him.

He rolled his eyes so forcefully that I feared they were going to get stuck. "Perhaps I've been too... preoccupied," he purred the word, causing my heart to stutter before he continued, "to sift through my sister's every thought."

I pursed my lips; couldn't argue with that. "Alright. I'll give you that."

He continued staring at me before a look of annoyance flashed across his face. "Are you going to tell me or what?"

I stifled a chuckle at the irritation in his voice. "I'll tell you..." I trailed off, smirking devilishly.

He rolled his eyes again and groaned in frustration. "Alright. I'm on the edge of my seat. Now, tell me."

I pulled my lower lip between my teeth to keep from cracking up as I grabbed my hairdryer and plugged it into the wall. "I'll tell you as soon as I finish drying my hair," I told him, enjoying getting under his skin.

His jaw went slack. Before I had time to comprehend what was happening, he seemed to teleport right in front of me, unplugging my hair dryer with a stern stare. He backed me up into a corner and placed his hands on either side of my head, caging me in. His proximity was doing crazy things to my body. I had a feeling my heart would never not race in his presence.

"You're going to tell me..." He whispered huskily, leaning towards me and brushing his lips against my ear, causing me to inhale a shaky breath. "...Right now," he growled; the erotic sound had me pressing my thighs together.

"Fine," I choked out, pushing lightly against his chest.

I couldn't think straight given the intimate position he had me in. Wearing a smirk that the devil himself would be proud of, he took a step back and folded his arms across his chest as he stared down at me. He looked mighty pleased with himself.

"Remember how the 'Suds N Studs'," I used air quotes before continuing, "car wash got canceled last week?"

He nodded once, signaling for me to continue.

"Well, Alice has it all planned out for today. I figured she would have told you," I said to him, fighting back a smirk of my own at his perplexed face. "But then again, she probably figured you'd want nothing to do with it."

He pursed his lips, his jaw clenching. "So, you're planning on participating then?"

I raised my brows, as if to say 'duh'. "Obviously. Hence, why I said I have plans."

He pressed his lips into a thin line, nodding once. "Okay."

He turned his back to me and walked over to the window, gazing out into the woods wearing a solemn frown. Clearly, something was on his mind.

"What's wrong?" I asked him as I plugged my hairdryer into the wall for the second time.

He wasted no time in responding. "I take it Tyler is going to be there?"

Ah. I should've guessed. "Yes?" I drawled out the word.

He spun on his heels in a blinding speed, narrowing his eyes at me from across the room. "So, you're going to be washing cars in a bathing suit with Tyler?"

I furrowed my brows, struggling not to find his aghast expression humorous. "Is that a trick question?" I asked, my voice wavering from stifling a chuckle.

For someone that says he's 'not jealous', he's sure as hell acting like someone who is.

He shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "It's a yes or no question, Lynna."

I shrugged back. Without missing a beat, I said, "Then, yes."

His jaw ticked. Something flashed in the depths of his eyes, but it vanished so quickly that I thought I might have imagined it. "Alright then," his voice was void of emotion.

I arched a brow, studying his stoic face. He was trying to appear impassive, but his jaw was still clenched. He was clearly upset. Guilt swept through me. I shouldn't be trying to get a rise out of him.

"Are you going to be there?" I asked him, tilting my head to the side.

He scoffed. "What do you think?"

I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, knowing the effect that doing so has on him. Even from across the room, I noticed how his eyes visibly darkened, his gaze flickering to my lips.

"I think you will be," I whispered, flashing him a sultry smile.

He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, giving me a disbelieving look. "And why do you think that?"

My smile transformed into a smirk as I approached him. His entire body stiffened when I planted myself directly in front of him, looking up at him as I batted my eyes at him.

"Because you want to watch me," I whispered lowly, in an attempt to sound seductive. I placed my hand on his clothed chest before gripping his t-shirt in my fist. His mouth fell open in response, his midnight eyes searing into my own. I wasted no time in saying, "You want to keep an eye on me. Plus, I'll be in a bikini so there's that." I laughed airily as I released his shirt and took a step back.

"You're wrong," he stated sternly.

My heart dropped at his tone. "So, you don't want to-"

He interrupted me before I could finish the sentence. "I'm not going to be there. I have a prior engagement."

Now, I was curious. "What sort of 'engagement'?"

"One that I was convinced you were going to attend." He frowned. "Your grandmother is hosting the meeting for the garden club today, which my mother just so happens to be a member of. She was hoping to meet you."

My heart could have soared. He was.. going to introduce me to his mother?