Edge of Desire

Pt. 1

- Stef, are you coming to bed? - Christian shouted from their bedroom in the hotel they were staying.

- Yeah, I just need to brush my teeth. - Stefani answered.

She was feeling overwhelmed, excited and just, overwhelmed. Tonight was their movie premiere in Venice and she couldn't have been more happy about the way it turned out.

- How do you feel? - Christian asked when she came back to bed.

- So wonderful. I can't even explain it. It feels surreal.

- I'm so proud of you, - he said kissing her cheek.

- I love you, thanks for being here with me, - she replied wrapping her arms around his chest.

Soon, Christian fell asleep, but Stefani couldn't. She had too many thoughts, too many emotions running inside her. She decided to untangle their hug and go to make some tea, hoping it will help her calm down all the adrenaline from tonight. While she was boiling the water, she was scrolling down some messages from Bobby, her friends and family. Suddenly, she gets a message:

- Are you asleep?

It was Bradley. He was texting her at 2 in the morning.

- No, - she simply replies.

- Can I call you? - he of course knows that she is staying at the hotel with Christian and doesn't want to bother them.

She can't hide her smile when she reads his message. Once she finishes making her tea, they make the call.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- What are you doing? - he asks in a low voice, like he doesn't want anyone to hear him.

- I'm curled up in a sofa of the hotel room, which is by the way, amazing, and drinking tea because I can't fall asleep. What about you, B?

- Same, I'm just too excited about tonight, can't shut my eyes for a few minutes. She smiles at his statement as she knows exactly what he feels.

He was now sitting on a sofa, facing a huge window that opened up the view of the whole night city.

- I just can't believe the flash hit the screen, - he laughs. - My first movie premiere as a director and that happens. Should I take it as a sign to not do it again? - he wasn't asking desperately, he was rather just making a statement while smiling.

- Oh cmon Bradley, since when do you believe in those things - she giggled, thinking of how calm she feels when she talks with him like this. 

- What can I say, maybe I'm a changed man from tonight, - his mouth curves a small smile.

- Even with all those imperfections, tonight was one of the best nights of my life.

- Mine too. You were radiant tonight. That dress...

- That dress was a mistake, - she laughs, I barely could walk in it! Had no idea It would be so hard.

- I loved it, - he admits and moves on the couch to get more comfortable.

- If not for you, this night wouldn't have happened. Thank you again. You are so amazing.

- Stef, please don't thank me. I honestly don't know how I got so lucky to find you. I can't even imagine the movie with anyone else now. I'm so so..happy.

- You're sweet.

There was a moment of silence until Bradley spoke up again - Thank you for being so understanding by the way, you're probably the only person I can talk about these things.

She smiles, feeling the same way.

- Are you planning on going to bed? - He asks hoping she would say no and they could talk more.

- I was thinking of watching a movie and then going.

- Why don't we watch it together? - Stefani gets confused. Does he want to come over? Does he want her to come over? She thinks to herself 'am I overthinking this?'

- What do you mean? - she asks uncomfortably, but with a cheeky smile on her face.

- We can turn on a movie at the same time and watch it together.

A few moments later, she was sitting in her room, alone, curled up with a blanked and a phone in her hand. Bradley was lying on a sofa, legs crossed, phone in his hand. They both were watching Californication and talking.

- He is so handsome but I just don't like his tone, he seems so..so.. I don't know - She elaborated when talking about the main character.

- Stef, are you serious? How can you not like David Duchovny? - he laughed.

- I don't know, don't judge me! - she laughed, pretending to be annoyed.

- Have you not seen the X-files? - he asked predicting she has.

- No. What is it? Is it good?

- Oh my good, Stef. You have to watch it! It's one of the best shows of all time! I promise you, after we watch it, you'll change your mind about David, - he says shocked and laughs.

Little did he know that Irina was woken by the sounds coming from the living room in their hotel and was standing in the corridor, listening to him talk and laugh with another woman. Irina knew they had a deep connection with Stefani but she always chose to trust him and hope he will stay faithful to her and their daughter. She never asked him about her or made a scene about it, doesn't matter how jealous she got. Even now, while she was hurting knowing that he would never talk that way with her, she decided to pretend she didn't see or hear anything and just went back to bed, while Bradley and Stef kept talking for a couple more hours, until they both fell asleep.