Official Description: This is an entry for the Love Through Lemons contest. Bella seeks refuge from horrible nightmares at a small all-night diner, where Edward is the new night-shift waiter. Together they help save and heal each other from their pasts…
Don’t miss the outtake, Valentines and Wonderwalls
–
Edward’s tragedy left him unable to speak; Bella’s left her unable to sleep. Aided by Emmett, in the role of accidental match-maker, they meet one night at a diner. They are a mystery to each other, but almost instantly share a connection that sparks more than just curiosity.
A short time later, Bella felt smooth fingers touching her arm, a bolt of electricity sparking her skin. She jumped at the unexpected contact and her eyes flew open. She found herself looking up into the most mesmerizing green eyes. Right now they were wide with shock…and concern.
Edward immediately moved his hand away when she jumped at his touch. He’d felt a jolt of heat when he touched her…did she feel it too?
After dancing around each other for weeks while getting to know one another, a misunderstanding finally gets Edward and Bella together, and boy is it magic! CB has created characters that are painfully sweet in their sadness and need. Her words are beautiful and I find my heart breaking just a little, despite the blush creeping up my cheeks after her lemons.
Edward couldn’t believe the feel of Bella’s body, the reactions he drew from her…how long had he watched her at the diner and followed her home, never believing she could ever want him. He felt like if he never received another thing in this lifetime, this one night with Bella would be more than he ever deserved. And yet, greedily he also hoped to have a lifetime of nights like this with her, if she’d have him.
***
He tapped his fingertips to his chest as if to say “My.” Then he placed her whole hand over his beating heart so she could feel it…then he slowly moved her hand back towards her, placing it on her beating heart this time, and just held it there, their hands entwined.
Bella didn’t need any words from him, she understood everything he meant. Tears sprang to her eyes too, and she took his hand and mimicked his motions, placing his hand on her heart and then back onto his. “Me too, Edward…me too,” she whispered quietly, as they each continued staring at each other for what felt like an eternity.
Gah!
Despite the disadvantages built into their relationship, you never feel sorry for them. Nighthawks is a hopeful story and we see Edward and Bella learn to cope with and overcome these disadvantages, showing us there’s nothing an iPhone and a little ASL can’t conquer.
There is also a separate Valentine’s Day out-take for your lemony enjoyment!
Wow. This story has my mind reeling. CherBella has written something absolutely beautiful. Because of the “angsty” content, it’s not something that I would normally read, but thank fuck this time, I did.
Nighthawk and Wonderwalls is full of romance, a little heartbreak, and some very steamy lemons.
Edward pulled away to catch his breath and tried to calm his aching body. This had seemed like a good idea, creating a “sensual study session” to distract Bella and calm her nerves, but he was remiss in ignoring the affect her body and her scent and her touch had on him. She was like a drug that completely consumed him and stripped away all of his own control.
Bella took advantage of Edward’s momentary pause to push him off of her. Startled he leaned down on his elbow to catch himself, which gave her the perfect leverage to fully push him to his back as she climbed over to straddle his body. He was already close to the edge but the feel of her naked body against his fully clothed one was amazing. At every point where her body touched his, the heat burned through the fabric.
Watching as these two overcome their obstacles (and believe me, there are obstacles) and grow closer in the process, is just half the fun. It’s also a definite reason to check this fic out.
I’m going to try very hard to discuss Nighthawks and Wonderwalls without flailing about like an idiot. I love this story so, so much, and CherBella has done a beautiful job creating a unique plot and circumstances for Edward and Bella.
If you’ve read the other recs above, you already understand that Edward is unable to speak. Since the purpose of the Love Through Lemons contest was for authors to show their characters’ love without words, CherBella did so quite literally. Edward’s impairment challenges him to constantly demonstrate his affection through gestures, large and small, and in turn, Bella’s connection to Edward grows, helping her heal from losing Jacob tragically. Their relationship is an on-going struggle, full of frustrations that they must overcome together.
After their first date doesn’t go how either of them expected, we see this scene:
“I thought you said you weren’t busy?”
Edward didn’t have an answer for her and he just stared down at the table, moving his finger absently back and forth over a deep groove in the table. He looked so depressed, Bella’s heart ached.
She grasped his hand, stilling its movements.
“Edward, look at me,” she said sternly.
He grudgingly lifted his head, his eyes dull as they looked into hers.
“I know we both were disappointed in everything that happened last night. But that’s all it was…one night. So some things went wrong–we’re going to have some missteps, Edward. But we can’t let them get the best of us. We can’t give up after one date.”
She could see a flicker of change in his expression, and could tell the wheels were spinning in his head, and she knew she had him.
“Please, Edward? Come with me tomorrow?”
Edward immediately felt ashamed. He didn’t deserve this beautiful woman. She had seen right through him. He was ready to give up. And although he still wasn’t completely sure that she wouldn’t be better with someone else, she wasn’t giving up, she wanted to try again. And he couldn’t say no to that.
A smile slowly spread across his face, and he wrote two letters down.
O.K.
Slowly, they learn that being together is worth all the difficulties and differences, and they figure out how to make things work. Other people have their concerns for this couple, especially Bella’s father, but she knows that it’s the heart that matters most. The connection she feels to Edward is deeper than anything she’s ever experienced, and that alone fuels her determination. In time, they find ways to aid their communication. That doesn’t make things perfect by any means, but it helps, and they grow closer.
A visit home for Charlie’s birthday creates a little trouble, as Jacob’s friends respond negatively to Edward, but it is Billy who steps in and uses his spiritual wisdom to give Bella the reassurance she needs the most.
“The spirits have been showing your light growing brighter and stronger for a while now. You don’t know how good it did my heart to see that Bella. You were dark for so long, a weak, barely flickering ember.
“Edward is good, Bella, his heart is strong, and pure. His light surrounded you and built yours up until you both became equal in intensity. Your lights, your individual spirits are fused together now, a strong, vibrant bond, stronger than any I’ve ever seen. The great spirits like this bond very much. They give it their blessing. And I give it mine.”
Bella’s eyes widened as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Billy’s eyes were sad but wise as he smiled wanly. “I know you loved Jacob and he loved you … but your flames were not bright, they were not compatible. And Jacob … the great spirits had shown me long ago that Jacob … ” Billy’s voice broke just briefly and he took a moment before continuing on. ” … that Jacob’s light would not last. I always knew something was coming, I just didn’t know when.”
He reached out and grasped Bella’s hand. “Go, Bella … go and have a happy life. It’s okay. And it’s what Jacob would have wanted.”
::Sigh::
Things are not perfect for these two, and they never will be, but the romance is strong and the story is beautiful. I hope you’ll give this story a chance and experience the fluffy, sweet goodness with me!
Though this story deals with two people who have serious obstacles to overcome, it’s sweet and light. I really love the way CherBella portrays Bella, especially, as a character who is strong in spite of feeling weak. This story also has a great Charlie and a wise Billy, which I love *waggles eyebrows*
The lemons are sweet and definitely are swoon-worthy Nighthawks and Wonderwalls a great read, but the sheer emotion that the characters experience are what makes this story such a great read.
He leaned his head back further into the soft pillows, eyes closed, a smile on his face. When she reached his lips, she swiped her tongue across his lips and he opened them eagerly, their lips caressing each other, their tongues starting to massage and stroke the other’s.
Suddenly Edward’s lips stopped moving. His eyes shot open in terror and he moved out from under her, leaping out of bed. Bella fell back onto the sheets, looking up at Edward in concern.
“What’s wrong?”
Edward leaned over nervously pulling the covers over her body, all the way up to her chin.
“Edward … what the … !”
His fingers shook while he signed so fast she almost couldn’t keep up.
Your father! He stopped and pointed at the open door and then motioned back and forth between the two of them.
What if he saw us? Saw me … in your bedroom … He already hates me!
If you are looking for a fun, yet thoughtful story that’s a quick read and definitely hot, check out Nighthawks and Wonderwalls.
Love this story