Chapter 10 Pic Tease

Chapter 9 Outfits

Chapter 9 by Emmy415 featuring Jimmy Choo shoes

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 (BPOV)

"Emmett, no. I'm taking Edward with me tonight." I was pacing around my living room with my cell phone pressed to my ear. "I don't care if you want to go for the free food, you beast! You've gone with me enough times. Let someone else have a chance."

"Why are you taking him?" He whined. "I thought you were pissed at him. Wait...are you two fucking?" I could feel the anger in his voice seeping through the phone. I pulled the phone away from my head, looking at it in disbelief.

I sighed. "No, Emmett, we are not fucking, as you so crudely put it. We're friends. Always have been, I guess. We just lost our way for a while. Now, can I go back to getting dressed?"

"Sure, sure. Just make sure he doesn't try anything. I don't trust him." His voice had gone from anger down to concern.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Okay, Emmett. I'll be fine, I promise. I'm a big girl."

"Yeah, I know you are, Bells. I just worry about you. Have fun tonight, okay? Oh, and please call Rosie. She's been feeling a little neglected lately ever since Edward showed up."

I groaned. "I know, Em, I know. Tell her I'll call her tomorrow. I'll talk to you later. Love you." I shut my phone off, tossing it on the coffee table.

My bedroom was in complete disarray, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I walked in. I had spent the majority of the morning and early afternoon rifling through my closet and trying on dresses for the charity dinner. All of the ones that I had deemed 'not right' were thrown haphazardly around the room and now rested on just about every free surface. I couldn't help my need to find the perfect dress. This dinner was one of my favorites to attend. It was held at The Met, and all of the money raised went to the Children's Hospital at New York Presbyterian. I had gotten roped into going three years ago when Angela couldn't go, and had insisted on attending every year since. Emmett, of course, attended with me, and just raved about the food for months, which was why he had begged me on the phone to take him instead of Edward. Not much stood in the way of Emmett and food.

I stepped over a few dresses and shoes that were laying in my path, and stood in front of my closet once again. I normally didn't make such a fuss about my attire, but I was going to be seen with Edward, who would probably look drop dead gorgeous, and didn't want to look wrong walking in with him. After much deliberation, I finally settled on something, and laid it across my bed. I pulled off my clothes and got into the shower, washing, buffing, and shaving every inch of my body. When I got out, I wrapped my hair and torso in towels, and headed out to my bedroom, shivering as my heated skin met the cold air blowing in through my open window. I heard my phone chime from the living room, so I scampered out of my bedroom and picked it up, scrolling to my latest text message.

How fancy is this thing? Suit or black tie? -E

My mind wandered off for a second at the image of Edward in a tux, and had a thought to tell him to wear one, but I knew that he would be overdressed, so I decided to cut him some slack this time. Besides, the man could wear a paper bag and a pair of Crocs and still look good.

A suit is perfect. See you at 7. -B

I went to lay the phone back down, but it chimed with another message.

Can't wait. xoxo. -E

I grinned and set my phone back down, hitching my towel up higher on my body and went back into my room to start getting ready. I dried my hair, and pulled it into a low ponytail, sweeping it over my left shoulder. I did my make-up, making my eyes dark and smokey, and my lips glisten a pale shade of pink. I slipped my dress over my red, lace bra and panty set, and strapped my shoes to my feet. I smiled when I glanced in the mirror and saw my reflection. Damn girl. You will look good on Edward's arm.

I was just transferring my money and other essentials to my black clutch when I heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in!" I yelled, hoping Edward would hear me through the door, and finished stuffing as much stuff as I could into the small space. I dashed back into my bathroom and grabbed my lip-gloss, and about fell over my feet when I walked back into my bedroom. Edward was leaning on the doorframe, one foot crossed over the other, wearing a suit that looked like it was tailored specifically for his long, lean physique. One hand was stuffed in his pocket, and the other was holding a small hand-tied bouquet of gerbera daisies. I gasped loudly, my hand flying up to cover my mouth. My shock wasn't from the fact that he had flowers; it was from the fact that he had given me the exact flowers every year for my birthday. The sentiment of his gesture nearly brought me to tears, and I smiled at him through my slightly watery eyes.

"Oh Edward...you remembered," I said softly, taking the flowers out of his outstretched hand and burying my nose in their petals.

He leaned in to kiss my cheek before speaking softly. "Of course I remembered. How could I forget?" His lips were still hovering near my cheek, and I felt the day-old stubble of his jaw graze me slightly as he whispered his next words to me. "You look beautiful."

The cab dropped us off at the front of the Met, and I slipped out of the car first, straightening my hair and dress, waiting for Edward to emerge after me. He offered his arm to me, and I tucked my hand in the crook of his elbow as we ascended the set of stairs that lead to the front doors. The night was a bit cool, and the air was heavy with impending rainfall. The doorman opened the door for us, and Edward led me through with his hand placed protectively on the small of my back as we navigated ourselves towards the ballroom.

The large, circular room was lit with huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the tall ceilings. There were small, round tables around the entire perimeter of the room, with a dance floor in the middle. We took some seats tucked away by the bar as a DJ played soft classical music in the background. Waiters and waitresses were bustling about, carrying plates of food to each table. Edward leaned over, draping his arm over the back of my chair.

"I'm going to get us some drinks, okay?" he said, running one of his fingers softly up the length of my spine as he stood up.

I could only nod; his touch causing my entire body to shiver and my skin break out in goose bumps. I watched him as he walked away, his confident swagger made my eyes glaze over and my heart race. Several women stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. Not that I blamed them, but that shit was not acceptable. He was mine, and only mine to stare and ogle at. Wait...what? I shook my head, trying to will the totally inappropriate thoughts to go away. My eyes moved across the room, taking in the vast amount of people that had shown up for the event. Most of them were older, in their 40's and 50's, and I noticed that Edward and I were some of the only 20-somethings in the room. A glass of red wine appeared on the table in front of me, and Edward sat down in the seat beside me.

"A 50-year-old woman just hit on me. She was married. I feel dirty," he deadpanned, taking a long sip of the drink in his hand.

I giggled. "Can't say I blame them, really. Look around - you're like a shiny new toy compared to the rest of the men here." Then I reached over to pinch his cheek. "And you're just so damn adorable."

He scoffed. "I am not adorable. I'm rugged, and manly, and devilishly handsome."

Leaning forward onto the table, I rested my chin in my palm and grinned. "Gee, Edward, it's amazing there's enough room for all of us in here with your inflated ego."

A waitress set plates of food down in front of us, and I was forced to tear my eyes away from Edward's perfect face. Damn him and that perfect face. We fell into a comfortable silence as we ate, occasionally passing each other sideways glances and smiles.

I finally broke the silence, turning towards Edward. "So, Mr. Five-Star-Chef, how's the food? Does it meet your approval?"

He shrugged, swallowing a bite of his food. "It'll do, I guess," Then, he grinned at me. "It's great. Thanks for bringing me, Bella."

The waitresses soon came around and took our plates, setting down dessert in front of us. I eyed up the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake like it was my only source of water after being in the desert for nine days. I stabbed a piece of it with my fork and brought it to my lips, closing my eyes as the deliciousness hit my tongue.

"Mmmm...ohmygodthisissogood," I moaned, as I swallowed the first bite. I opened my eyes to see Edward staring at me, his mouth hung open, gaping at me. I raised an eyebrow at him, but went back to eating my cheesecake. As soon as I finished, I dropped my fork to the plate and rubbed my belly. I glanced over at Edward, who had now turned completely towards me, his dessert untouched.

"Are you not going to eat that? That is a sin, Edward. Please, eat it...because if you don't, I might be forced to, and I really don't want to."

"No. I'm not going to eat it," he said, his eyes turning a darker shade of green than normal. His voice sounded a little demanding, and a lot sexy.

I groaned, and reached toward his plate. "Fine, but I'm really mad at you for making me do this, and -"

He stopped me, his hand reaching out to grasp my wrist. "Bella?" My eyes shot up to his, startled by the tone of his voice. It wasn't smooth like normal. It was laced with something else. Desire, maybe? It was low, and rough, and somehow still one of the best things I had ever heard.

He stood up, still grasping my wrist, and I looked up at him in total confusion. His expression grew soft again, and he looked down on me with something that might have been akin to adoration.

When he spoke, it was so soft that I barely heard him over the clatter of dishes around us. "Dance with me?"

With my hand still firmly encased in his, I nodded and stood up slowly, letting him lead me to the dance floor. When we got out towards the center, he stopped, put one hand on the small of my back, and pulled me up against his body. With the other hand, he raised my arm up and looped it around his neck, locking the fingers of our other hands together. Our torsos were pressed tightly together as we swayed back and forth. With my heels on, the top of my head just barely grazed his chin, so I tilted my head up to look at him. He smiled softly at me, his thumb making constant circles on the small of my back as we danced. This dance was so unlike the one at Jasper's show. While that one was fast and almost lust-filled, this one was slow and sweet. He held me tightly to him, and I felt at home in his arms. I heard the music in the background, and knew there were people surrounding us, but they didn't matter. Suddenly, all that mattered to me was standing right in front of me. My feelings were all over the map. He was my best friend, but deep down I knew that things were about to change. I didn't know whether to cry, laugh, or maul him, so I settled for resting my cheek against his neck. His head came down and rested on mine, and I took a deep breath, savoring his warmth and homey scent. It seemed like he was everywhere around me all at once, and at that moment, I felt calm...peaceful. The air around us had changed and I knew that we would probably come out of this night looking at each other in a completely different light.

The song changed and I heard a soft, melodic voice and familiar notes drift through the speakers around us. I started to pull away, thinking that he would want to sit down, but Edward fisted the back of my dress in his hand, and tugged me back towards him again. Well, okay then. I guess I'll stay right here.

Take time to realize,
That your warmth is crashing down on in.
Take time to realize,
That I am on your side
Didn't I, Didn't I tell you.

But I can't spell it out for you,
No it's never gonna be that simple
No I cant spell it out for you

Edward let go of my hand, and wrapped it around my waist with his other arm, and I swore I felt his lips brush into my hair.

If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another
Just realized what I just realized
we'd never have to wonder if
we missed out on each other now.

As I listened to the words of the song, I couldn't help but notice how accurate it was to mine and Edward's current situation. It was beyond obvious, even to me, that we were falling for each other. I had always loved Edward, but I never imagined myself falling in love with Edward.

Falling in love with Edward.

My whole body tensed as I thought those words in my head. That was dangerous territory, and terrified me to no end. I was so scared to admit that I was falling in love with him, but at the same time, I wanted to welcome it. I lifted my head and tried to pull out of Edward's grasp, but he wouldn't let go.

"Bella? What's wrong?"

I was having trouble catching my breath as I continued to struggle against him. "Edward...I can't. I just...please...I don't want-"

"Hey, hey, is everything alright? You don't want what?"

The few couples that were surrounding us were watching, and I felt very close to having a panic attack. Edward finally loosened his grip and took my hands in his.

My eyes locked with his and I whispered. "Edward, please. I just want to go home."

He nodded, concern and sadness etching his perfect features. His hands ghosted up my arms and took residence on each side of my face, his fingers wrapping around to the back of my neck. He leaned forward, his lips brushing my forehead softly as my eyes fluttered closed. I could feel my eyes starting to prick with tears, but I blinked them away.

"Alright, Bella, let's get you home." he whispered, leading me back to the table to I could grab my clutch.

Cool rain was falling from the sky as we exited the front doors of the Met. Edward grumbled a string of swear words under his breath, grabbing my arm, trying to get me to go back inside.

"Wait inside, I'll call a cab."

I shook my head furiously, breaking free from his grasp once again. "I don't live far from here, let's walk back. It's not raining that hard." Being trapped inside the small backseat of a cab with Edward at that moment would have probably sent me into a full-blown panic attack. I needed a bit of space from him. I tilted my head back, letting the raindrops fall on my face, willing them to wash away all of my stress.

He looked at me, still clearly concerned, but submitted to my request. We were silent as we walked around the outside of Central Park. The only sounds were the raindrops hitting the ground, and my heels clicking along the sidewalk. Edward strolled next to me, his head down, and his hands in his pockets. He looked defeated in the way his shoulders were slumped forward, looking the complete opposite of the confident man that had showed up at my apartment hours earlier. We walked leisurely until the rain picked up, falling from the sky at a much more rapid pace. We were fairly close to my apartment at that point, so I did the only thing I could think of in the moment.

I ran.

Laughter bubbled up from my chest as I jogged down the sidewalk as best as I could with heels on my feet. I could hear Edward's footsteps not far behind me, his velvety laugh ringing through the air. When I got to my building, I stopped and swung around to look at his face for the first time since we left dinner. He was breathing hard and droplets of water were falling from his bronze hair, catching on his cheeks before falling to the ground. I reached up, wiping a few of the drops away and took his face in my hands.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to freak out like that. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

He smiled softly at me, one of his hands reaching up to cover mine. "It's alright, Bella. I completely understand. More than you can possibly comprehend." His eyes burned into mine and they were smoldering with undeniable passion. My heart started racing, and I think in that moment I finally realized that he felt something for me.

Things were about to get interesting.

"Let's get out of the rain, Edward," I said, releasing his face. He opened the door for me, allowing me to walk ahead of him, and I moved to the elevator, listening to our wet shoes squeak on the tile floor. I could feel him behind me, the heat radiating off of his body in waves even though we were both soaked to the bone from running through the cold rain. The chime of the elevator rang out, and my heart kicked into overdrive. That elevator ride was guaranteed to be the longest one of my life.

We stepped into the elevator together, moving to opposite sides. Edward stood across from me, his arms crossed in front of him, his dark green eyes looking me up and down unabashedly. His hair was drenched from the rain outside, and it fell haphazardly into his left eye. His jacket was strewn over his right arm and his tie loosened. His shirt clung to him, accentuating his lean muscles underneath. I leaned back against the railing, arms across my chest, trying to protect my modesty as my rain soaked dress left little to the imagination. I lifted my eyes to above the elevator door and watched as the numbers changed colors…2…3…4…5…the number 6 flashed, and I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. The doors opened and Edward held his arm out, motioning for me to exit first. I strolled down the corridor towards my apartment, digging my keys out of my little clutch. Sticking the key in the lock, I suddenly felt warm breath on the back of my neck, and turned around, startled. Edward’s gorgeous face was mere inches away from mine.

“Bella,” He breathed, resting his hands on the door on either side of my head. “Why do you keep running away from this? You and I, we belong together. Can’t you feel it? I can’t go on being just your friend. I need you...all of you.”

I felt the air rush out of my lungs in one heart-wrenching movement. If we went forward with this, there would be no going back; I knew that in my heart. I didn’t want to lose him as a friend, but if we didn’t try this, I felt like we’d be losing out on a whole lot more. Turning off the thoughts in my head, I looked up at him. I would kick myself if I let this moment get away from me, from us. I needed to feel what it was like to have his lips pressed to mine...how it felt to have his glorious body pressed up against mine.

Speak now, Bella, or forever hold your peace.

“Edward,” I whispered, my right hand trailing up his side and finally making purchase in his hair. “Kiss me…please…”

I barely got the last word out before his lips were pressed firmly to mine. I dropped both my purse and my keys before my other hand wound its way up into his locks, and my lips parted slightly, welcoming him in. We were wet from the rain, but he was warm against my body. My back crashed into the door, and he followed, the curvature of our bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. His lips, his breath, ignited a fire inside of me that I didn’t want to put out. His hands slid down the door behind me, and he wrapped one arm firmly around my waist and cupped my cheek with the other. His lips finally parted, his tongue darting out in search for mine. Our lips moved together with an intensity that I had not felt in my 26 years of existence. We stood there, kissing for what could have been seconds, or several minutes. I didn't know. All I knew was that kissing this man was one of the most glorious experiences I ever had, and I didn't want to stop. I was quickly running out of air, however, so I found the strength to pull away from his lips, leaning back slightly.

“Let’s go inside. We can get some dry clothes on and talk, okay?” He nodded with a sweet smile on his face as I retrieved my discarded items from the floor and we headed inside.

I made a beeline for the bathroom and grabbed two towels off of the shelf, handing one to Edward so that he could dry himself off.

He propped himself up against the door frame. "You wouldn't happen to have any more of Emmett's clothes lying around, would you?"

I let out a laugh as I slid past him into the hallway. "Actually, yeah, I do. He had me do his laundry once several weeks ago - when Rose was out of town, he practically begged me - and some of his stuff somehow wound up with mine. I've never bothered to give them back and he's never come looking for them."

Edward followed me into the guest bedroom and as I rummaged through the closet to find the clothes, I could feel his eyes practically burning a hole in my back. I broke out into a furious blush and I quickly produced the items for Edward to wear.

He chuckled and I turned to face him. "What's so funny?" I asked, walking up to him. He took the clothes from my hands and tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"That it takes virtually no effort at all to make you blush." His finger traced the shell of my ear, dragging down my neck and along the neckline of my dress. "It's beautiful."

He winked at me and strolled away, heading for the bathroom. I stared at his retreating form, flustered beyond belief. If he could reduce me to a pile of mush that easy, I was in trouble. Huge trouble. I grabbed some dry clothes for myself, and headed out to my kitchen after I finished changing. I put a pot of water on the stove for tea, and was grabbing mugs out of the cabinet above my head when I felt warm, strong arms snake around my waist.

His head bent down, and I felt the stubble from his face brush against my cheek. "Hey there, pretty lady. Whatcha doing?" he asked, squeezing me around the waist.

"Making tea. Want some?" I asked, taking the tea bags out of the cabinet. He nodded, and the motion tickled my face. He turned his head, inhaling deeply into my hair.

"Mmmm...you smell like rain and Bella," he said softly, kissing me on the head and then releasing me.

"Go sit down, I'll bring your tea out to you in a sec," I said, shoving him out of the room. I wasn't completely ready for our discussion yet and I needed to mentally prepare for it. If we started 'the talk' in the kitchen, I was liable to just jump him on the hard tile floor and nothing would get accomplished. Once the water was finished, I poured it into two mugs and brought them out to the living room, along with the tea bags. Edward was sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, and his head thrown back onto the cushion. His eyes were closed, and his damp hair was half sticking up, and half falling into his eyes. I took a few deep, cleansing breaths and lowered myself onto the couch next to him.

"Wake up, sunshine." I chortled, smacking him lightly on the knee.

He lifted his head and smiled at me, taking the mug out of my hands. I picked up my own mug from the coffee table and stared into it as if it would give me all the information and answers I was looking for; like a Magic 8 Ball. I was far too nervous for my own good, which was ridiculous, since it was just Edward.

Just Edward. Right. It's now or never. Let's do this.

"Edward," I started, finally looking up at him. "I'm scared."

His eyebrows furrowed with concern, and he leaned forward a bit, resting his elbows on his knees. "Scared of what, Bella? You don't need to be scared of me."

I shook my head. "I'm not scared of you per se. I guess I'm just scared of this." I motioned back and forth between him and myself. "Of us. I'm scared that if us being in a romantic relationship doesn't work, then I might lose you forever as a friend because things are weird between us."

He sighed and set his tea down, lowering himself onto the floor in front of me. He sat on his knees and took my hands in his.

"Bella, look at me," he said, and I raised my eyes to meet his. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, next week or a month from now. What I DO know is that I feel something for you that I haven't felt for anyone else. I think we would be stupid not to give this a shot. I don't know about you, but I felt something outside that door when we kissed. We can't turn our back on that. Give me a chance...give US a chance. I'm not going to break your heart, Bella."

"I did feel something, Edward. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. What if this doesn't work? What if we end up hating each other? I can't bear the thought of not having you in my life," I said sadly, dropping my eyes to my lap.

His finger grazed under my chin and he lifted my face back up. "But what if it does work? What if we miss out on something huge? Bella, I don't want to just go on a few dates with you and go back to the way it was. I'm not a one-night-stand kind of guy. Just please, let me take you out on a real date."

I smiled softly and brushed some of his hair off of his forehead. "Okay," I said simply.

He beamed at me. "Yeah?"

I nodded and he smiled wider. He took my hands in his again, and sat up on his knees, pressing his forehead to mine.

"You won't regret this, Bella. You'll see."

Chapter 9 Pic Tease

Chapter 9 *should* be up sometime tonight. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 8 Outfits

Chapter 8 by Emmy415 featuring Nike

Chapter 7 Outfits

Chapter 7 by Emmy415 featuring Diane von Furstenberg dresses

Chapter 6 Outfits

Chapter 6 by Emmy415 featuring Hurley bags

Chapter 5 Outfits

Chapter 5-Bella & Edward by Emmy415 featuring Dr. Martens shoes

Chapter 5 by Emmy415 featuring Rock Revival jeans

Chapter 4 Outfits

SS&S Ch. 4 by Emmy415 featuring Big Star jeans

Chapter 3 Outfits

The Interview by Emmy415 featuring Chinese Laundry shoes

Lunch w/ Bella & Rose by Emmy415 featuring Arden B tops

Chapter 2 Outfits

Chapter 2 by Emmy415 on Polyvore.com

Chapter 1 Outfits

Simmer, Steam & Sizzle Chapter 1 by Emmy415 featuring Louis Vuitton bags

Masen's by Emmy415 featuring Arden B dresses

Chapter 8

EPOV

"Move closer...right, ahh yeah...there."

"Lift your legs higher...ohh god, so good."

"Faster, unghh yes...harder!"

Her petite frame moved beneath my own as I pushed into her. If she wasn't clawing at the sheets, she was clawing at my shoulders, and Jesus Christ that felt good. Our bodies melted together as if we were one in the same. One of my large hands gripped her hip while the other supported my weight above her. She was beautiful. Her eyes were closed and her pink, pouty lips were parted as she made the most incredible sounds my ears had ever heard. I could feel the tension starting to build in the pit of my stomach.

"So close, Bella...fuuuck yes."

"Oh my God, Edward...yes! I'm..."

My body jolted itself awake and my eyes danced around the room, not immediately recognizing my surroundings. Then it hit me--Bella. I had fallen asleep on her couch the night before and she must not have wanted to wake me to send me home. My thoughts instantly shifted to the dream I had just before waking.

I really am a perv.

Rubbing the heels of my hands against my eyes, I stretched, catching the faint whiff of Bella's scent that still clung to my clothes. I smiled until I looked down and realized I had a particular...situation...to deal with.

I muttered a low "Fuck" to myself, wondering how the hell I was going to manage. Just then, I heard a throat clearing and my head whipped around to find Bella standing at the entrance to the living room, coffee in hand.

"Morning," she said quietly, walking towards me.

I quickly pulled the blanket over my lap, thinking of whatever I could to make my harder-than-normal morning wood disappear.

My God, this is so unbelievably inappropriate. She'd be disgusted if she knew.

"Morning," I said back to her, sitting up to make room for her on the couch. I groaned as I moved because it hurt. That shit physically hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to wish the pain and discomfort away.

Puppies. Nana Cullen. New York City traffic. Dining room tables. Bending Bella over my dining room table...damn it, no!

I opened my eyes again to find Bella staring at me, one eyebrow arched, completely confused.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked softly, perching her tiny body on the edge of the couch. She was still looking at me with confusion, and I tried even harder to will my problem away.

Maybe if I ignore it, it will go away. Kind of like a dog.

I smiled halfheartedly at her, trying to make it look like I was completely at ease. "Slept like a rock. Thanks for letting me crash on your couch. I must have been exhausted after the week I had. Sorry for falling asleep though, it was terribly rude of me." To be honest, I did feel horrible for falling asleep. I internally chastised myself for being so rude, but I really couldn't have helped it. The couch smelled like Bella...like flowers and coconuts...it was familiar and soothing, and made me get the best night's sleep that I'd gotten in months.

She patted my thigh, and I flinched, because her gesture did nothing to help my now-throbbing hardness under the blanket. "Nonsense, Edward. I'm sure you've been really busy lately, and you looked so peaceful I couldn't bear to wake you. My couch is always here for you if you need it."

Oh Bella, it isn't your couch I want. Let's just go back into your bedroom and...goddamn it, Edward!

"There's coffee in the kitchen if you want it. Help yourself to anything in the cupboards, although, I don't have much in the way of breakfast. I'm going to go take a quick shower. I'll be right back out," she said, standing up gracefully, and heading for her bedroom.

I flopped back on the couch and covered my face with a pillow. She was going to kill me; death by blue-balls. I slowly uncovered myself and stood up, stretching out my limbs and adjusting my twisted clothes. I padded into the kitchen and poured myself a huge cup of coffee, sitting on one of the stools at the counter. What was I going to do about Bella? I mulled my options over and over in my head. I didn't want to flat out tell her I wanted to be with her, but I couldn't just avoid it. I knew it wasn't just a simple crush and would go away eventually. I truly believed I was falling for her. She seemed to be getting more and more frustrated around me, most likely from the blatant flirting I was doing. I wanted to show her that I was interested in her, but knowing Bella, she wouldn't pick up on that fact. Not that she was stupid or oblivious, but she tended to think that men weren't interested in her, that she wasn't good enough for anyone to be interested in. I sat at the counter, sipping my coffee, lost in my thoughts, until I saw Bella come into the kitchen. Her hair was still wet from the shower, and little drops of water were dripping down her bare shoulders. Her neck and collarbone were flushed a light shade of red from the heat of the shower, and she was dressed in her workout gear.

"Good Morning Sunshine," she said, hopping up on the stool next to me.

Reaching up, she ran her small fingers through my unkempt hair. I could only imagine how it looked, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Her fingers running through it was almost the best thing I had ever felt. My eyes fluttered closed and she laughed.

"Do you have to work today?" she asked, twirling one of the pieces in between her fingers.

"Mmmmm...yeah...but I'd rather stay here and have you do that all day," I replied, peeking one eye open to look at her.

She giggled. "That would be fine with me. Your hair is soft, and it's kind of relaxing."

Her fingers moved to the base of my scalp as she absentmindedly played with my hair. She wasn't kidding when she said it was relaxing; I could have fallen asleep sitting up if she continued.

"So what are your plans for the day?" I asked, still reveling in her touch.

"Well, halfway though my shower I decided I wanted to go for a run in Central Park this morning. I have to stop by an art exhibit later, but other than that, just hanging around the apartment."

"Mind if I join you? On your run, I mean."

"Sure," she said, standing up and taking my coffee cup to put in the dish washer. "Go home and change and I'll meet you in front of The Plaza."

I made it back to my apartment, sprinting to my bedroom to change into my running gear. I stripped off my wrinkled, slept-in clothes from the night before, and slipped on a t-shirt and my running shorts. I threw on my running shoes, grabbed my keys and was back out the door within ten minutes.

By the time I got to the Plaza, Bella was in front of it, fiddling with her shoelace. She was bent over, her black pants deliciously tight. I trotted over to her, and she stood up, smiling when she saw me approach. She had swept her hair up in a ponytail, and it was swinging side to side as she twisted her hips and stretched out her limbs before our run.

"I hope you can keep up with me, Cullen," she teased, as she hopped on her toes.

"Keep up?" I said with a grin as I stretched. "Swan, you'll be eating my dust." I reached out and smacked her ass before taking off across the street towards the park. As I trotted along the sidewalk, it wasn't long before Bella caught up to me. She was taking two steps for every one of mine and I laughed out loud.

"You better ease up, shorty. Don't want to wear yourself out with those short little legs of yours."

She scoffed and swatted my arm playfully. "Edward, I've got phenomenal endurance. You'll see. You'll be panting before I even break a sweat."

I nearly tripped over my feet at her words. I knew she hadn't meant for it to be dirty, but it seemed to be a natural instinct for my brain to take it there. Picking up speed, I turned around and started jogging backwards directly in front of her.

"Show off," she said, rolling her eyes. She was fighting hard to hold back a grin, but was unsuccessful. I grinned back at her then spun back around to take my place at her side as we continued on our run. We ran past The Great Lawn, The Met, and The Lake, our breathing becoming more ragged the further we pushed ourselves. My hair was getting matted down from sweat, and I could see tiny beads of moisture glistening off of Bella's neck. We finally looped around and slowed down to a walk when we got to the Carousel.

"I love coming here and watching the kids' faces as they go around and around. They all look so carefree and happy." Bella stopped and admired a little curly haired brunette girl giggling as she sat atop one of the colorful horses. "Wouldn't it be nice to be that carefree just for one day?" she asked, smoothing back a few pieces of hair that had crept out of her ponytail.

"Who says we can't?" I replied with a shrug. "Just because we're adults, doesn't mean we always have to behave like one. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.'?" I looked down at her out of the corner of my eye and she nodded, not taking her eyes off of the carousel.

"I just feel like we are constantly running; constantly responsible for something. This may seem funny, but even with my job, where I go out to fancy restaurants, and clubs, and art galleries, I still feel like I don't get to play enough."

I put my arm around her shoulders sympathetically, and led her away from the carousel, walking side by side down the cement pathway. "Never fear, my Bella. I'm here now, and I see many fun times in your future. I won't let you work too hard, alright?"

She nodded, and wrapped her arm around my waist, squeezing my side lightly. We walked that way, arm and arm, through the park. To any onlooker, we looked like a couple on a Saturday stroll through the park. It felt nice, being with her like this.

Then, out of nowhere, she yelled "Race ya!" and took off. Before I could even fully comprehend what she was doing, she was already a good distance ahead of me as I started running after her.

"Last one back to my building is a rotten egg!" she called out, her laughter filtering out behind her as she ran. My feet pounded on the pavement as I trailed behind her, weaving in and out of people as I gained on her. Her long ponytail was swinging behind her as she went, her legs taking long strides ahead of me. I finally caught up to her, panting heavily, as she slowed down to cross the street.

"Damn it," I said, trying to catch my breath. "You're fast." I glanced up at the crosswalk signal and saw it change to 'walk'. "But not as fast as me!" I yelled as I took off ahead of her, sprinting across the street and down the sidewalk that would lead me to her building. I could hear her footsteps behind me as she tried to catch up to me, but my legs were much longer, and there was no way that she was going to catch me.

I stopped when I got to her doors and hunched over, grabbing my side that was starting to hurt from running and laughing. Bella screeched to a halt a few seconds later doubling over also. The front of my shirt was partially covered in sweat, and Bella's chest and face were flushed a deep shade of red.

"You have freakishly long legs, Cullen," she said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

"We've known each other our whole lives, and you're just now realizing this?" I asked as I followed her into the lobby. We went up the elevator, and I continued following her down the hall and into her apartment. I shamelessly admired her figure, clad in the tight fabric of her sweaty workout clothes. Most men might be turned off by a woman just after a workout, but I was slightly aroused by the sight of Bella, fresh from her run. She opened the door ahead of me and we both entered, kicking our shoes off just inside of her apartment.

"Bella, do you not lock your door when you leave?" I asked, slightly appalled as I followed her into the kitchen.

She motioned down to her tight clothes. "And just where would I put my keys? We weren't going to be gone long."

I shook my head and laughed as I leaned up against the counter. Bella took a step and leaned into me, reaching into the cabinet next to my head. She placed her tiny hand on my chest and stood up on her tip-toes, her soft curves molding against my body. It took every ounce of strength I had not to grab her and kiss her right there in her kitchen. Feeling her pressed up against me was, without a doubt, the most sinfully delicious feeling in the world. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to feel her flesh against mine and I had to fight back a groan that was threatening escape.

She pulled back and looked at me, a small smile gracing her face. "Water?" she asked, holding up two glasses and walking over to the sink.

"Please," I said with a nod.

We stood in silence for a short while, stealing glances at each other and sharing smiles.

"Hey, Bells," I said, staring into my glass of water.

"Hmm?" she hummed, thumbing through a magazine.

I grinned to myself, knowing she wasn't expecting what I was about to do. "Remember what I said about growing up being optional?" I asked, stepping up beside her.

She turned to look at me. "Yeah, what about it?"

"This!" I shouted, dumping my entire glass of water over her head. She shrieked and jumped at me, causing water to fly all over the kitchen. She reached for her glass to dump over me as well, but I grabbed her by the wrist, causing the water to slosh out onto the floor. She wrestled with me for a good couple of minutes, but it was only when I started tickling her ribs that she surrendered.

"Okay, I give! UNCLE!" she laughed out as I pressed her against the counter. I slowly released my grip on her and started to pull away when I was suddenly hit in the face with a stream of water. I coughed and sputtered, reaching in front of me blindly as she continued to spray me with the nozzle from the sink.

"How's that Cullen?! Yeah, not so big and bad now, are ya!!"

My hands finally made purchase as I tried to pry the weapon from her grasp. "You are in so much trouble!" I yelled, as I finally was able to pull the nozzle from her hands. I bent over, grabbed her behind her knees and flung her over my shoulder. Her feet kicked wildly in the air as her fists beat on my back.

"Edward, put me down! I swear to God, I will never speak to you again if you don't put me down right now!!"

I could do nothing but laugh as I carried her down the hallway and into her bathroom. With one hand wrapped tightly around her thighs, I used the other to pull back her shower curtain and then carefully climbed into the tub. Thankfully, she had one of those detachable shower heads, otherwise my plan would have been shot to shit. Her kicking and pounding stopped as she realized where we were.

"What the hell are you doing Edward? Don't you even dare think about doing what I think you're going to do."

Still without speaking, I pulled the shower head down off the wall before sliding her down off of my shoulder. As soon as her feet hit the shower floor, she was trying to wresting the device from my grip. Her back was to me, hunched forward, while I was behind her, my tall frame completely enveloping her. Both sets of our hands were gripping the nozzle for dear life, trying to pry it out of the others' hands. Then, without warning, I reached around her and turned the water on full blast. She screeched and squealed with laughter even though she was still fighting me. Water was spraying everywhere and since I forgot to close the shower curtain, her bathroom floor was quickly becoming drenched with water as we wrestled.

"Give it up, Swan! I win!" I said, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her still. Both of us were soaked to the bone, and it didn't escape me that Bella's shirt was leaving little to the imagination.

"Alright, fine!" she said "I concede! You win! Turn the water off!"

Keeping one arm around her to keep her from running, I dropped the shower head and shut the water off. I collapsed in the tub, pulling her down with me. Our breathing was ragged and shallow as we stared at each other. Bella was trying so hard to be mad, but she just couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up out of her throat. I quickly joined in and pressed my forehead against hers. Her big brown eyes were bright and dancing with happiness. She reached up and pushed my wet hair out of my face, gently sliding her fingers across my scalp and then down to my neck where her hand came to rest. One of my hands that was resting on her waist crept up slowly, stopping to tangle itself in her hair that fell to the middle of her back. Our laughing slowly died down, until we were just a mass of tangled limbs and heavy breathing. We were still staring at each other, our foreheads still glued together.

"Bella..." I whispered, unable to talk any louder. My face moved towards hers a bit until our noses were touching. Oh god. This is it.I thought, closing my eyes. I moved in to kiss her, but was surprised when I felt the soft skin of her cheek instead of her lips. I pulled back slightly and saw that she had turned her head to the side, dodging my lips. My heart sank, crushed, and a little embarrassed.

"Let's get up and dry off," she said, standing up, careful not to slip on the wet shower floor. She offered me her hand and helped me up as well, and together we stepped out onto the wet tile floor. Bella reached over and grabbed two white fluffy towels off of a shelf and handed me one.

"I think I have some of Emmett's clothes here if you want something dry to wear," she said, running the towel through her wet strands and over her body. Her clothes were soaked, clinging to her curves even more than they did when they were dry. I watched her as she exited the bathroom, rounding the corner into her bedroom. I quickly toweled myself off, and then went to work cleaning the water off of the floor.

"The dry clothes are on the bed," I heard her call from the bedroom. "I'm going to change in the spare room." I heard the bedroom door click shut and I got up to change. A pair of track pants and a t-shirt were waiting on Bella's bed when I entered her bedroom.

I dressed quickly then padded out to the living room in search of Bella. Hearing movement in the kitchen, I went in to find Bella on her hands and knees, sopping up the rest of the water. I leaned against the wall, silently watching her. She was still in her wet clothes, and I admired the way they clung to her in all the right places. The thought of our almost-kiss in the bathroom made my heart beat erratically and I had to adjust myself in my pants. Finally, I announced my presence in the room.

"I thought you were going to change?"

She jumped and squealed, quickly turning to face me. "Jesus Christ Edward, you scared the shit out of me. How long have you been standing there?"

I shrugged and smiled. "Long enough."

As she stood up, she sighed, completely avoiding eye contact with me. We stood in awkward silence, her shifting her weight back and forth between feet and chewing on her bottom lip while I tried to use Jedi mind tricks to get her to look at me. Her eyes flicked to my wet clothes in my hands.

"Do you, um, want a bag for those?" she asked as she started searching through cabinets, quickly producing a grocery bag. I nodded, and she handed it to me. I stuffed my wet clothes into the bag, and dropped it on the floor next to my feet.

"Well...I should probably go. I have to work tonight, and I want to get home and take a shower," I said, trying to get the uncomfortable air around us to dissipate.

She smirked. "I thought we just did shower."

I laughed, and walked over to her, plucking the wet towel out of her hands, and dropped it in the sink next to us.

"No Bella. Showering involves soap...and being naked." She gulped loudly, and chuckled nervously. I could tell that I was still making her a little bit uncomfortable, so I walked back over to my bag, and picked it up. I started to walk out of the kitchen, but I felt Bella tug on the back of my shirt, trying to get me to stop.

"Hey Edward?" she asked, tugging on her shirt nervously. "I have a favor to ask. Ummm...I have to go to a charity dinner next Saturday, and I don't have anyone to go with me. Would you want to come?" She peered up at me from under her eyelashes, a stray piece of hair falling in her eye.

My internal 13-year old did a fist-pump, and it took every spare inch of power that I had not to jump around her kitchen with joy. I composed myself, and smiled at her. "Of course, Bella. I'll call you this week, and we'll work out the details." I pulled her into a hug, not caring that my dry clothes were going to get all wet from our close contact. Her small arms wrapped around my waist and she gave me a small squeeze.

"Bye Edward," she mumbled into my chest, and released me.

"See ya," I said, kissing the top of her head. "I'll talk to you later."

When I got out into the hallway, I did a real fist-pump, excited at the prospect of being Bella's date for the charity dinner. Yes date. I don't care what she says, if we were dressing up and going to this thing, it was a date. I smiled to myself as I got on the elevator, and rode it down to the lobby. I could tell I was starting to break her down. She was growing more and more frustrated around me, and I could tell she was holding back. I wanted her to cave while we were hanging out on her couch. This was not just a game to me though...I really, truly wanted Bella for my own. I wanted to be able to take her out on dates, and kiss her, and make her breakfast in the morning while she hung around in my shirt. I wanted it all with her...and only her. I just needed to make her see that we had been missing out on something wonderful. There was a reason that she showed back up in my life, and we needed to make the most of it. Call it fate, or destiny, or just dumb luck...we were meant to be together. I knew that and I think she did too. She just needed a little bit more provoking.

Saturday. I would make her mine on Saturday.

Chapter 7

BPOV

Friday. Doomsday. Why doomsday, you ask? Because Edward, 5-star chef Edward, was coming over to my house for dinner, and I was to cook for him. What do you cook for a 5-star chef? Hell if I know. Cooking for him was completely opposite of anything we've ever done. From the time he could reach the counter all he ever did was cook for me, not the other way around. I didn't want to screw it up, and have to order Chinese food instead; that would be completely mortifying. I couldn't just go for the old standby and make pasta, because he did it. But when he made it, it wasn't just a standby; it was his mom's recipe. It was infuriating. I wasn't trying to top him, or be better than him in any way; I just wanted to cook him something that didn't taste like dog food. I was sure he'd had tons of food a million times better than anything I would set in front of him, so I was on edge. I was on the edge of a high, rocky cliff, ready to take a dive, unless I found something suitable for him by lunchtime. I slammed the cookbook I had in my hand down on my kitchen island and took the last swig of my coffee, depositing the empty mug in the sink. In a haste, I walked to my bedroom, flinging open my closet, looking for something to wear for work. Dressing faster than I ever had in my life, I threw on a dress and some heels, grabbed my purse, and darted out the door.

I groaned when I got to the front doors of my building and noticed that it was raining. How did I not notice that from upstairs? I scampered to the door that led to the parking garage and found my car, hitting the unlock button on my key ring. I slid into the driver's seat, fired up the engine, and turned up the radio. Somehow, listening to the radio loudly on the way to work always seemed to relax me and get me out of my bad moods. It's Friday, Bella. Don't be in a bad mood, I repeated to myself over and over again as I sat in the horrendous New York traffic.

My day was so busy that five o'clock rolled around before I even realized it. I felt as if I got nothing done but yet had been constantly moving since arriving at the office, which consequently left me no time to browse for dinner ideas. I gathered up my bag from my chair, and was just about to walk out of my office when Jake traipsed in, and leaned against the wall across from my desk. His arms were crossed in front of him, making his arms bulge and look even more disgusting than they normally did, and he had a scowl on his face.

"Can I help you?" I asked. I know I sounded rude, but I needed to get out of the office, and he was not going to help the cause. I turned towards him, putting my hand on my hip, trying to look intimidating and fierce.

"How come you didn't tell me you were dating somebody?"

I huffed and walked towards the door. "Jake, I don't have time to deal with this right now. I have to get home and I'm running late."

He moved quickly to block me before I could get out. "Come on, Bella, what does this Edward guy have that I don't? He's pale and scrawny and he's kind of a jerk. I just don't think he's the type of guy you want to be with."

"First of all, Jake, it's really none of your business who I date. Second, I'll be the judge of what type of guy I want to be with and third, Edward has plenty of things that you don't; respect and class being at the top of that list. Now will you please get out of my way?"

He reluctantly stepped to the side, and I brushed past him, shooting him a death glare on the way by. "You'll see it my way, Bella. Mark my words!" he shouted after me, as I walked hastily down the hallway, trying like hell just to get away from the miserable little shit. I pressed the elevator button three times, willing it to open, all the while glancing over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't following me. Once I was safely tucked away inside the confines of the elevator, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes briefly. I didn't want to be in a bad mood when Edward came over, so I needed to calm down. I took two cleansing, deep breaths, and exited the elevator, smiling slightly when I saw that the miserable rain from the morning had passed, and the sun had come out. I dug through my purse for my keys, and climbed into my car, pressing the button to open the sunroof and let the sunshine hit my face as I sped out of the parking garage.

By the time I made it home, it was almost six and I was starting to panic. I was worried I wasn't going to have enough time to make a dinner worthy of Edward. I pulled the cookbook - my one and only - off the shelf and thumbed through the pages.

Takes too long. Too many ingredients. Too fancy. Not fancy enough. How the heck do you even pronounce that?!

I opened my fridge and rummaged through the contents. Surely I'd be able to come up with something. As it turned out, I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. All I had was left-overs, and I wasn't even sure they were edible. I closed the refrigerator door harder than I intended to because the whole thing rattled on impact. Think Bella. I rested my arms on my island and turned my wrist to check my watch. 45 minutes. Damn it. Should I text him? My fingers began rhythmically drumming on the countertop, and I started getting jittery. No...I told him almost a week ago I would cook for him. I eyed my cell phone, sitting on the corner of the island.

Just then, I had an epiphany. "Rachael Ray!" I said out loud to myself and raced to my computer. "Thank God for 30 Minute Meals!" I furiously clicked around on the website, instantly deciding on Mexican. I scanned through the recipes, looking for something fairly easy.

"Hmm, Spanish chicken and rice. Sounds good to me." I wrote down the ingredients I would need, suddenly extremely thankful there was a market right across the street from my building.

Roughly an hour later, Edward called and said he was running a few minutes behind. I was never more relieved in my life. Dinner was almost finished, but I still hadn't showered or changed from work. I turned down the heat on the stove, and rushed into my room, stripping off my clothes as I went. I turned the shower on, not really caring what temperature it was, and yelped when I jumped into the frigid water. After taking the fastest shower I had ever taken in my life, I dashed to my room, and threw on some yoga pants and a tank top, not bothering to get dolled up since we were staying in. I ran a brush through my long hair, and swiped on some mascara and lip-gloss. Just as I got back into the kitchen to check and make sure I wasn't burning dinner, there was a knock on my door.

Edward stood on the other side of the door, wine bottle in one hand and a DVD in the other. I nonchalantly ran my eyes over his body, mentally appraising the way his jeans sat low on his hips, and his t-shirt stretched over his chest perfectly. I cocked my head to the side and sighed in appreciation before looking back up at his face.

"Can I come in, or are you going to make me eat in the hallway?" he quipped. He had a smug grin on his face that told me he knew exactly what I was just doing.

"Uhh, yeah..." I said, clearing my throat, the traitorous blush covering my face. "Sorry, come in." I stepped aside as he walked through the door.

"Smells good in here," he said, handing me the wine bottle, and laying the DVD on the coffee table. I walked into the kitchen, taking a few glasses out of the cabinet. Edward followed me in, leaning against the island in front of me. I uncorked the wine bottle, filling our glasses about 3/4 of the way, and handed him one.

"So how was your week?" he asked, as I grabbed plates and silverware and went to set the table.

"It was alright. I was really busy today. I ran around constantly, but I don't really feel like I accomplished anything." I set the plates across from each other, and laid down the silverware next to them. "How was your week?" I asked him, turning around to make eye-contact with him.

He smiled. "It was great. We were busy...which is good. I just hope it stays that way once the novelty wears off, ya know? Oh, I also found out that Alice thinks that Jasper is her soulmate, and she's moving here."

I almost spit out the wine I had in my mouth, and my jaw dropped open. "Are you serious? She's only seen him what, twice? How can she possibly know that? And how are you so calm about it? What happened to the overprotective big-brother I once knew?"

He shrugged. "She's a grown-up, and she's capable of making her own decisions. Plus, New York is a logical choice for her career. I guess I can see where she is coming from. If they hit it off, who am I to keep them apart? Plus, I think Jasper is just as smitten with her."

I walked across the kitchen, setting my glass down, and pulling the pots off the stove. "You threatened him, didn't you?" I asked, glancing speculatively in his direction.

The grin that spread across his face was a mile wide even though he tried to hide it with his wine glass.

"I knew it!" I yelled. "You just couldn't resist. We may have spent a significant amount of time apart, but you haven't changed one bit. Well, except for the seriously sexy car and the bitchin' motorcycle."

"Hmmmm...." he said, looking at me with a small grin on his face. Whatever was going on in his mind was not good...I could tell.

"What?" I asked, and his grin got bigger again, almost matching his previous one.

"So...you think my car is sexy, huh? Just the car, Bella?" he asked, setting down his glass and walking towards me slowly. The look on his face was enough to melt me into a puddle. I stared back at him trying to form a coherent sentence.

"I...well, um...yeah..." I managed to spit out.

Holy shit, is it hot in here? What the hell.

"Dinner is ready!" I yelled, trying not to show how flustered I was on the inside. I didn't know what was happening to me, or how he kept making me lose my mind. I didn't remember him ever being this smooth...it was infuriating, because I wasn't capable of resisting his charms. I grabbed one of the pots and dished out the rice onto a platter, and put the chicken on top, carrying it to the table. Edward grabbed the wine bottle on his way over, and filled both of our glasses back up as I sat down. I went to dish out the food onto our plates, but Edward took the spoon from me, putting some on my plate, then his own. We ate in relative silence. Edward stared at me most of the time, which made me feel extremely self-conscious, but he had a look in his eye that I couldn't decipher--again.

What is his deal lately? Shit is getting weird.

After dinner, I gave Edward a brief tour of my apartment. When we got to my office he noticed a photo album open on my desk.

"What's that?" he asked, approaching the desk.

I stepped up beside him. "Oh, that...it's...I was just looking at these last night. They're pictures from high school." I moved my fingers across one of the pages. In one of the photos, I was perched on Edward's back, much like I had been the night at the Highline Ballroom. It was taken the summer before our senior year of high school when we took a camping trip with his family. I smiled to myself before the album disappeared from in front of me.

"Hey!" I laughed. "What are you doing?" I turned to watch Edward make his way out to the living room. I followed him as he took a spot on the couch and was patting the cushion next to him.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I haven't seen some of these pictures in years, Bella." He looked so happy, that I couldn't say no to him, so I sat down, folding my legs underneath me. He moved the album so half sat on my left leg, and half sat on his right leg. His arm snaked around my back and rested on the back of the couch, and he leaned towards me a little so our heads were just about touching. We started flipping through the pictures, which started with our freshman year.

There were too many pictures that made me cringe. I was so awkward in high school and I never felt right in my own skin. I was the epitome of disastrous because I was constantly tripping and falling over my own feet. We came across a picture from my 16th birthday. I was dressed up in a pink frilly dress, while Edward stood next to me beaming in a suit and tie. I remembered that birthday fairly well; his parents and my parents had taken me out to dinner. I stared at Edward in the picture...how had I not noticed how good looking he was? Normally teenage boys went through some sort of awkward phase but I didn't think he ever did. I stood beside him in the picture, my arms crossed over my chest, hair in some god-awful ponytail, and no make-up at all on my face. I just looked really uncomfortable. My face must have shown how awful I thought the picture was because Edward turned his face towards mine, and nudged me a little with his shoulder.

"What's wrong? You don't like this picture? I think I look dapper, don't you?"

I scrunched up my nose, and shook my head at him. He clearly looked offended by my response.

"Well...you look good compared to me, but seriously, look at your hair. Total fashion don't. Too much hair gel, pretty boy." His fist slammed down on the book in mock outrage.

He looked at me sideways and then smiled. "Yeah, it was pretty bad, wasn't it?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Most definitely." I flipped through the album until I came across what I was looking for and pointed to the picture. "But not as bad as that. Lauren Mallory. WHAT were you thinking??"

"Ohhhh we're going to play that game, are we??" He laughed as he turned back one page and pointed excitedly to a picture of me with my boyfriend of all of two months, Eric Yorkie. "I could ask you the same question about that! Eric Yorkie, Bella? Seriously? I never said anything back then, but I hated that kid and never could understand why you dated him in the first place."

I laughed out loud, flipping the page quick to get rid of the picture. "I don't know what I was thinking. He was kind of weird. And he was a really sloppy kisser."

"Oh man," He groaned, covering his face with his hand. "Bella that was an over-share. If you want me to keep my dinner down and maintain any sort of respect for you, I suggest you not mention that again."

"Oh, fine. I won't tell you about how he tried to jam his tongue down my throat, or how I could fill one of the Great Lakes with the amount of spit he tried to swap with me."

Edward's hands flew up to his ears, and he started yelling "Stop! My ears! Stop!" while I giggled beside him. He slowly took his hands off of his ears when he was sure that I wasn't going to say anything else, and started flipping through the pages again. We stopped every so often to re-tell a funny story, or re-count a memory that we were fond of. I didn't tell Edward, but I looked at this album once a week since high school. I never thought I'd actually get the chance to sit down and look at it with him. I took a minute to study his face while he was gazing at the pictures. He was so animated...his expression would go from frowning at something, to smiling happily, or he'd raise his eyebrows at something he'd found surprising. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and noticed me staring intently at him.

His arm snaked back around and rested on the cushion behind my head, and he leaned back in closer to me, his mouth only a few inches away from my ear.

"You're staring at me, Bella," he whispered, his breath causing tingles to go up and down my body. I shivered and turned my head slightly to look at him.

"Am I?" I asked, my voice low, trembling slightly.

"Mmmm-hmmm..." he said, his voice dropping. He brought his face so close to my ear that his nose touched my cheek. My breaths started getting shallower as I tried to keep my composure. This was getting to be too much. This man was a first-class flirt, and he was going to make me give in to his charms...and then I would ruin our friendship and regret it forever. I wasn't even sure if he meant to flirt with me. Maybe he was like this with every female? It was highly unlikely that he would want to be with me. Or was it?

"Why were you staring at me?" he asked, taking me instantly out of my thoughts.

Lie, Bella. You need to lie. "You, ah, have something on your cheek." I said, swiping the non-existant smudge off of his face with my index finger. "Got it," I said, and smiled happily at him. I hoped my smile was convincing to him, though by the look on his face, he didn't look very convinced.

He smirked at me, and went back to the book. His arm came off the back of the couch, and I could feel his fingers lightly graze the back of my neck. His touches were so light that I was surprised I even felt them, but every stroke of his fingertips sent my nerves into oblivion. I tried to keep my focus on the pictures that were in front of me, but I was too busy trying to figure out what Edward was doing to me. We had been pretty touchy-feely back when we were younger, but never like this. The feeling of change that I got at the Highline Ballroom was increasing tenfold, and I didn't know what to do.

"E-Edward?" I squeaked out quietly, trying like hell to keep my voice steady.

"Yes, Bella?" he asked, picking the book up slightly to get a closer look at one of the pictures. His fingers still kept the same figure-eight pattern on the back of my neck.

"Let's watch a movie," I said, jumping up from the couch, grabbing the DVD off of the coffee table. I groaned when I saw the cover.

"The Hills Have Eyes, Edward? Really? Do you want me to have nightmares for a week?" I rolled my eyes when he grinned at me. I gingerly took the DVD out of its case, and stuck it in the DVD player, then took my seat beside Edward again. This time, though, I kept my distance, sitting up against the armrest. I pulled the large blanket off the back of the couch, and laid it across my lap, slinging the other end over Edward. He reached over next to us, and clicked off the lamp next to the couch, plunging the room into darkness, except for the light from the TV. I glared at him. He just shrugged and hit play on the remote.

"Can't we keep it on?" I whined, kicking his leg with my foot.

He smiled smugly at me, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Nope. We're watching it with the lights off...and you can't put your head under the blanket either. Watch it, Bella. The scary monsters aren't going to get you, I promise."

I huffed and pulled the blanket up to my chin, sinking down into the cushions. I hated scary movies...Edward knew that. Last time he made me watch The Exorcist, I couldn't sleep for a week. I called him about three times a night, complaining of noises outside of my window or in my closet. I drew my fingertips into my mouth, biting on my nails as the movie started getting more intense. Edward seemed to be enjoying it...he chuckled along next to me, obviously amused at my discomfort. About halfway through the movie, I found myself on the middle cushion of the couch, no longer plastered up against the armrest in fear of being too close to the annoyingly beautiful man on the other side. At this point, I was more frightened of the deformed "people" on the screen than of him.

Never taking his eyes off of the screen, Edward's right hand came up to rest on my forearm where he started lightly stroking it from my elbow to my wrist, trying to calm me. My heart leapt into overdrive...his calming strokes were making me want to jump out of my skin. My eyes darted back and forth between the TV screen and Edward's face. My anxiety was bubbling up to the surface, and it was only a matter of time before I would jump up and run away screaming. Edward's hand stilled on my arm, and his long fingers wrapped delicately around my wrist. He tugged a little bit on my arm, and I angled my body towards him.

"Bella?" he asked. His eyes searched my face; they were swimming with concern. "You're trembling, honey. Please tell me what's wrong. Is the movie scaring you that much? We can turn it off," he said gently, tucking a stray piece of my hair behind my ear.

"No, I'm fine," I said, trying to reassure him. I threw the blanket off my lap and stood up. "I'm going to go get a glass of water. Do you want anything from the kitchen?" I asked, as I walked away.

"Water would be great, thanks!" he shouted after me. Still on edge, I pulled two glasses down and filled them with water. I leaned against the island, taking a sip, letting the cold liquid run down my throat. I closed my eyes, taking a few deep, cleansing breaths before I grabbed both glasses and walked back into the living room. During the time I was in the kitchen, Edward had shifted, his head now resting on a pillow, his legs stretched out over the length of the couch.

"Comfy?" I asked, setting his glass down on the table in front of him. I straightened up, putting my hands on my hips, trying my best to look annoyed.

"Yeah, but can you move? You're blocking the TV," He said, smirking at me.

"You move, and I'll move," I said, picking up my foot and tapping him in the hip with it. His hand shot out, gripping my shin. With a devilish grin plastered on his face, he gave my leg a yank, pulling me onto the couch. I ended up half-straddling him, my right foot planted on the ground, and my left leg bent at a weird angle, trapped between his hip and the back of the couch. My torso was bent over him, my hair falling over us like a curtain. I tried to stand up but his hands were on my hips pinning me down.

"Edward, let me go! This isn't very comfortable."

"Actually, Bella," he said with a smirk. "I'm quite comfortable."

I squirmed on top of him, gripping his shoulders so I could try to push myself off. "Well you aren't twisted into a pretzel, of course you're comfortable," I whined, nodding towards my leg. He cringed, his face looking pained.

"Bella? Please, don't squirm. You're um...I'm...I mean, it's...shit," he croaked out, loosening his grip, and somehow maneuvered us so I was laying next to him instead. I froze, my eyes getting huge, when it finally registered what he meant.

Did he mean...? Oh my...

He shifted his body so that his back was against the back of the couch, giving me enough room to lay without falling on the floor. I sat up, pulling the blanket back over us, laying down in front of him, my back to his chest. I tried to focus my attention back on the movie, but my mind was on the man behind me. The TV screen was just a series of pictures and words that I couldn't make out. He was so warm, his chest hard, but somehow soft at the same time. I could've melted into him. I felt his breath, warm and steady on the back of my neck. I felt his fingers slide into my hair, pulling it to the side and draping it over my shoulder.

"Sorry...it was in my way," he whispered, pulling the blanket up around my shoulder, tucking me safely inside. He retracted his hand, resting it back on his leg, and I couldn't help but wish he would keep touching me. I somehow longed for him to wrap me up in his arms. I knew it was wrong--so wrong--but I couldn't help it. He was treading on thin ice with his constant flirting and touching. We were dangerously toeing the line between 'friend' and 'friendlier', but was I ready for that? Could I just drop my inhibitions and start a relationship with him, if in fact that is what he wanted?

My mind kept racing as the movie came to an end. We had been laying in complete silence for about 20 minutes, and I had assumed he was engrossed in the movie. As the credits started rolling, I turned my head, and saw that his eyes were closed. His face was serene, his long eyelashes settled on his cheeks. A wayward piece of hair was draped in his eye, so I gently pushed it aside, careful not to wake him. It was doubtful that he had gotten enough sleep with the restaurant opening and he was probably exhausted. I quietly slide out from under the blanket, covering him completely with the blue afghan. I picked up our empty glasses, padding across the living room to deposit them in the sink. On my way back through the living room, I clicked off the TV, plunging the room into complete darkness before carefully making my way to my bedroom.

I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed, snuggling under the covers. As I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts were centered on the green-eyed man sleeping on my couch, and if I was ready to give myself over to him.

More importantly, was I ready for him to fall for me?