by

:

GreenEyedGirl17

Edward Masen is a 29 year old former NFL football player, now 
coaching high school football in Forks. He leads a quiet life until he 
meets a woman that will change his life forever. What's been missing 
from his life may be right in front of him.  

Rated: M ‐ English ‐ Romance ‐ : 2‐25‐10 ‐ Edward & Bella  

 

Hi! So, this is my new story and once again, I have a fantastic beta - Jessica1971 - who is still
willing to work with me. =) Thanks Jess. She has really helped me a lot with this story and we
have MANY wonderful ideas for it.

Summary: Edward Masen is a former NFL football player who was injured and could not return to
playing. After taking some time off to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, since playing
football was out of the question, he decided to go with coaching high school football. He leads a
simple, quiet life with his friends in Forks until he meets the woman that will change his life forever.
Bella Swan decides to move back home with her younger brother when she gets a teaching
position at her old school in Forks. AH/Canon Couples/alternating between Edward and Bella
POV. Rated M ;)

Illegal Contact - Prologue

I couldn't believe what this night had led to. One minute I was fine. Well, not fine, but suffering
slowly in silence because I wanted something so much that I couldn't have. And now everything
had changed because of that kiss. The kiss that he initiated. The kiss that he pulled away from so
quickly. I didn't even get to enjoy it.

I couldn't let him just walk away as though nothing happened. I wanted him from the moment I
saw him. When his lips pressed against mine, everything changed. We were no longer the
Edward and Bella that were just friends or mere acquaintances. I didn't know what we were now
and I had to find out. Had we lost our friendship over that kiss? Or could we ever be something more?

My small car drove down the dark and muddy road to his house. The rain was pouring down so
hard now. I had no idea how I would ever get back down that road to go home, but that didn't
matter right now.

I was shaking all over because of my soaking wet clothes and my nerves. What was I going to say
to him? I tried to prepare my speech of what I was going to say when I saw him, but I couldn't
come up with anything. This was going to be so awkward. I was going to show up at his house, so
late at night, and ask why he didn't want me?

I finally reached his house, parking in the circular drive behind his car. All of the lights were out in
the house except for a faint light coming from the living room window. I opened my door and I
could hear his music playing over the loud noise of the rain drops falling. I almost turned around
and got back in my car to go home, but I had come so far; I had to try.

I ran to the front porch, my clothes getting soaked even more than they already were with the
torrential rainfall. I knocked once and wrapped my arms around my torso, shivering as the cold
wind hit me. I could hear footsteps getting closer to the door as my nervousness grew.

"Bella…" Edward said in a low voice as he opened the door. "Get in here," he urged.

I stepped inside, my shoulder brushing against his chest as I moved. "We… need to… talk," I said
as my body shuddered from my shivering.

"You're freezing," Edward said. Very quickly, he walked into the living room, leaving me standing in

Chapter: 1

the foyer of his home. My clothes were dripping with rain, leaving moisture where I stood. I
groaned, realizing I was making a mess. I stepped back to stand on the rug when Edward reappeared.

"Don't leave… please?"

Just as I turned to face him, Edward placed a warm blanket over me, wrapping it around my
shoulders. His hands didn't leave my shoulders as he moved them up and down my arms, trying
to warm me up.

"I wasn't leaving," I whispered, looking down at my feet. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't
bring myself to look up at him.

Edward's hands left my arms, only to move up to cup my face. "Look at me, Bella." I shook my
head as my eyes closed involuntarily. "Bella…" I felt him shift, stepping forward, closer to me. His
warm breath tickled against my ear. "Come upstairs… you need to change out of these clothes."

I nodded, unable to say anything. Edward pulled away from me and I opened my eyes, only to find
his piercing green eyes staring back at me. I bit my lip out of habit, only to have Edward's thumb
move across it, pulling it from between my teeth. He leaned forward and I thought he was going
to kiss me again, but he grasped my hand in his and pulled me towards the stairs instead.

Our hands stayed locked together as we moved towards his bedroom. So many thoughts were
running through my head about being in his bedroom. I had dreamt so many times of being there
with him, but never thought those dreams would come true. Not like this.

The room was dark, with flashes of lightning beaming through his large windows. Edward
dropped my hand as he made his way over to the closet. I stood next to his bed, anxious and
jittery. He reappeared from the closet holding a t-shirt and sweat pants. I reached out for them
and our hands touched. I didn't want to leave the warmth of his hands.

Too soon, once again, Edward pulled away and left the room. I peeled my soaking wet clothes off,
piling them next to me along with my shoes and socks. I didn't know if I was making a mistake by
doing this, but I pulled off my bra and underwear, too. My naked body had goose bumps all over it
since I was still freezing. I brought Edward's shirt to my face and breathed in the scent, relishing
his smell before putting it on. The pants he gave me were too large, but I pulled the drawstring
tight and tied a knot to hold them up.

I picked up my soaked clothes and formed them into a ball before opening the bedroom door. I was
at a loss for words, not knowing what was going to happen next.

My shaky hand turned the knob and the door creaked open loudly. Edward was standing against
the wall across from the door. His eyes raked up and down my body as I stood dumbfounded,
leaning against the doorway.

"Thank you…" I said sheepishly. "For the clothes."

"You're welcome, but what are you doing here so late, Bella?" Edward asked.

"What am I doing here so late?" I repeated. Edward ran a hand through his hair and breathed
deeply. "You can't just… why did you leave like that? What do you-"

"I'm sorry," Edward said as he stopped my questioning. "I didn't mean to, Bella. I just, didn't know if-"

I shook my head. "You didn't know if I wanted you to explain what that was about? That kiss,

Edward… it was, God… like nothing I've ever experienced and then you just left."

My arms held my clothes and shoes tightly. Edward didn't say anything and I was growing
uncomfortable, realizing that he really felt as though kissing me was a mistake. Without a word, I
started to walk down the hall to leave, only to be stopped by Edward's arms. He moved so quickly,
I didn't realize what was happening until he had me pressed against the wall. The clothes that had
been in my hands were now dropped and forgotten. I could feel every inch of him pressing into
my body as his mouth moved close to my ear.

"I want you, Bella. I have for so long," Edward said as his lips grazed the tip of my ear.

I groaned as his hands moved along my side. "But why… why did you leave?" I asked, still
needing to know why. My legs grew weak as his hot breath moved down my neck, towards my
collarbone. I felt his lips press into my skin before he gently started sucking in the most irresistible
spot. My hands gripped his forearms, holding onto him for support, because I didn't know how
much longer I could stand.

"I didn't want to take you right there in the parking lot, Bella… I had very little control over myself."

Edward slowly kissed his way up along my neck and finally reached my mouth. His tongue
skimmed my bottom lip and I moaned into his mouth as our lips made contact once again. He
pushed me against the wall even more, causing his cock to press into my lower stomach.

Without breaking our kiss, Edward's hands moved to my ass, lifting me up. I wrapped my legs
around his waist and my hands still gripped his arms, feeling his muscles under the fabric of his shirt.

Edward pulled his lips away from my mouth, but only to move them to my ear. He sucked my ear
lobe into his mouth; his breathing was erratic as was my own. The heels of my feet dug into his
back as I held onto him tightly.

"Tell me to stop if you don't want this, too," Edward said huskily between gently sucking on my neck.

"Please don't stop," I said breathlessly. My voice probably sounded so pleading and whiney, but I
didn't care. I wanted nothing more than to have him inside me. Edward held me tightly against him
as he walked back to his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him.

Things between Edward and I would never be the same again.

So... what do you think? Sound interesting? Don't worry, I know you have many questions about
what gets them to this point, but that is what the chapters will lead up to. Everything will be
explained, but you need to review so I know if you guys will read this story (and if you've read
Falling For You, then you know I love love love reviews).

If enough people are interested, chapter 1 will be posted on 8/11. This story will start off slowly as
I'm still finishing up FFY. =( Anyway, hope you all like this story idea - it will be a fun, romantic story.

You can follow me on Twitter: www . twitter . com / greeneyedgirl00 (without the spaces) ... and
over on Twilighted it's: greeneyedgirl17.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!!

Very special thanks to Jessica1971, my beta... she is helping me so much with this story and I
couldn't do it without her. =)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed that very short prologue. We will eventually get up to that
point (and after), so stick around. Please keep reviewing - I am a needy person - I need reviews
to keep me motivated (don't judge). ;) Thanks again for reading and giving this story a shot. More
info as to when I'll post the next chapter at the bottom.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I am the proud owner of Coachward.

Ms. Swan.

The loud bell rang which meant the horrid school year was over. Wednesday, May 27th, was the
day I looked forward to all year long. All of the kids stumbled out of their seats, rushing for the
door as if I was actually going to lock them in. I wanted to run down the hallway, as well. This
school year had been the worst. My students were awful, the principal was a huge jerk, and Seth
was trying to find anything to get himself into trouble. Not to mention that on top of all that, I
found my boyfriend of three years in bed with another man a few weeks prior. It was pretty sad;
at twenty six years old, I wondered if my life could get any worse.

There was no way I could stay in Arizona any longer. I loved my job. Well, I did love my job until
we got a new principal who loved to find things wrong with all of the teachers. My job was the
only thing keeping me in this god forsaken town. It was going to be hard to go back to Forks
because my parents wouldn't be there, but I knew it's what I had to do. I was going to call Alice
and ask for her help as soon as I got home.

"Hey," Seth said as he walked into my classroom. "I'm sorry about earlier, Bell."

My dear brother was caught with a slutty girl in the boy's bathroom during lunch, and I had to be
called out of my classroom by my jerk of a boss to deal with the situation. He was hanging out
with the wrong crowd and I had to get him away from this place. Our parents would be so
disappointed in me if they knew I was allowing this kind of crap to happen.

"You're seventeen years old, Seth. You know better," I said as I gathered up my things to leave.
I had a ton of stuff to pack and still needed to put in my resignation, but I would do that later.

"I know, and I'm sorry…"

"We need to have a talk about things… let's go out for dinner tonight." I needed to tell him that I
had decided we were moving back home. Seth hadn't been back home since our parents died -
neither of us had. They were killed in a car accident on their way home from one of Seth's junior
high football games, and no matter what I said to him, he would always blame himself. We both
went to counseling after the accident and it seemed to be helping him get over the guilt, but
lately he had been rebelling. That was typical behavior for a teenager, but I wanted my parents
to be proud of the way I was raising him and I couldn't allow him to do it anymore. Seth had been

Chapter: 2

living with me for close to four years, and during that time I had to grow up a lot. When he came
to live with me, I had just graduated from college and had started my first teaching job, so raising
a teenager wasn't something I was prepared for.

We left the school and ate at a restaurant close to our house. I hardly spoke during dinner,
though Seth tried to start a conversation several times. I didn't know how to tell him about my
abrupt decision and I was afraid he would be upset that we were going back to Forks.

"Bella, I'm sorry… please don't be mad at me," Seth said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"It's okay, I know you're sorry and I'm not mad. I just… I made a decision today. We're moving
back to Washington." Seth opened his mouth to say something, but I kept going. "I hate my job
because Principal Boyd is an asshole, and Alice said that Forks has an opening for an English
teacher. I know it will probably be hard to go back home, and I'll get a different house if we need
to, but this is the best thing for us right now."

My parents' house was still vacant. I couldn't let go of it. It had been empty until Alice rented it
out to her cousin for a while until he moved a few months ago. Since then it had been empty. I
didn't know if Seth could handle living there; hell, I didn't even know if I could handle living there,
but anything was better than here.

"I want to go back to Forks. I hate living here," Seth said quietly, looking away from me.

"Good… because I want us to move as soon as possible. I'm going to call Alice and Jasper tonight
to talk to them about the job there and find out what I need to do. I hope I'll get it, but if I don't
then we're still moving. We have mom and dad's life insurance in savings, so we'll live off of that
until I find a job."

Seth chuckled. "You'll get it. You know Mrs. Cope will hire you in a second… favorite student
every year…."

Later that night I decided to call Alice as I got the urge to start packing a few things. This was a
rushed decision, but I just wanted to go back home. My friends were there and I needed them
more than I had admitted in the past.

"Hey, sweetie!" Alice answered, picking up on the very first ring.

"Hey, Al… I know you're probably busy, but I have a quick question. Can you ask Jasper if that
opening for the English teacher is still available?"

I had to hold the phone away from my ear as she screamed loudly. "Does this mean… oh my god,
Bella. Are you moving home?!"

"I hope I am… but I need a job," I chuckled as she continued to bounce up and down. While I
couldn't see her, I knew she was giddy with excitement.

"Hey, Bell… I stole the phone away from her before you lost your hearing," Jasper laughed, "but
yes, the job is still there… waiting for you. Want me to tell Mrs. Cope that you're interested? We
still have another week of school left."

Jasper and Alice had been married for a little over a year now and he didn't want to take her
away from her family, so he took a job at Forks High as the History teacher. Even though I
wasn't around Jasper very much, I considered him a very good friend. He and Alice had been
taking care of things back at home for me with my parents' house, and they even flew out to

Arizona last Christmas to spend the holiday with me and Seth. He was like an older brother.

"Okay, that sounds great. Thanks Jasper," I said with a big smile on my face. I felt so much
better now. I was going home.

"Anytime Bell… let us know if you need anything. I can help you two move as soon as school is over."

"Thanks, but we'll manage just fine and I still have so much I need to take care of before we
move." I didn't want him to go through all the trouble of coming all the way to Arizona. I could hear
Alice talking to someone in the background, squealing again. "Who is she talking to?"

"Rose…" Jasper sighed, laughing loudly.

I met Rose a few years ago when Emmett introduced us over one of the holidays. Rose and
Emmett, Alice's older brother, met in college and married soon after. When I first met her I
thought she was going to be one of those stuck up, model types. Rose was probably one of the
most beautiful women I had ever seen. After getting to know her, she quickly became one of my
best friends even with the distance that separated us. Rose, Alice, and I would usually call each
other on three-way every other night just to talk about whatever. I complained about my stupid
boyfriend and they complained about Emmett and Jasper's annoying habits.

"Great, I'm sure I'll be getting a call from her soon…" I groaned, knowing Rose would play the 'why
didn't you tell me first' game. "Tell Alice I'll call her later tonight or tomorrow. And thanks for
everything, Jasper."

"You're welcome. Make sure you answer tomorrow… I'm sure Mrs. Cope will be calling you as soon
as I talk with her."

As soon as I hung up the phone, I received a call from Rose. Emmett was the one squealing in
the background this time. I grew up with Emmett. He was always protecting me and Alice
constantly, whether it be from falling off of bikes, to dating jerks that he didn't like in high
school. He was more than thrilled for me to come back home. Plus, Emmett was so good with
Seth; he really looked up to him.

Seth and I were close to the entire Cullen family. My father and Carlisle Cullen were best friends
growing up. They both married their high school sweethearts, who were also friends, and after
college they all moved back to Forks. My dad was the chief of police, while Carlisle was the chief
doctor over at the emergency room in Forks. Carlisle was on-call when my parents were brought
in from their accident. Esme, his wife, told me that he worked on them until the other doctors and
nurses had to pull him away. Carlisle was the one that called to give me the bad news. He knew I
couldn't handle hearing it from anyone else. The Cullen's were the closest family I had left besides
Seth. They took care of Seth until I got to Forks.

I needed to go back home.

The next day I received a call from my old high school principal, Mrs. Cope. She was practically
screaming for joy over the phone as I explained my situation. I had a phone interview with her
and a couple of members from administration before I was officially offered the job, pending the
necessary paperwork. I had to contact the state of Washington to get my temporary teaching
license and fill out additional paperwork.

I contacted the school I was working for in Phoenix to inform them of my decision. I had to submit
my resignation in writing, so it was pretty simple. I wasn't under a contract, as we had to renew
our contracts at the end of every school year, which was a relief.

I planned to move at the end of June because we still had a lot of things to take care of in
Arizona. I needed to contact my landlord about breaking my lease agreement, which wasn't up
for another six months. I also needed to sell a lot of our possessions that didn't need to go to
Forks. Seth was ready to move the very day I told him my decision. He had a lot of friends back in
Forks and I knew he was glad he'd be getting back to them. Seth also told me that he might play
football since many of his friends were on the team. When I spoke to Alice and Jasper that
afternoon, I explained everything that I'd gotten done and also asked Jasper what I needed to
do to get Seth involved with the football team. Luckily, Alice's cousin, Edward, was the football
coach, so she gave me his phone number to contact him about the football team.

I was reluctant to call her cousin, considering all the things I'd heard about him. He was a big shot
pro-football player that got hurt and couldn't play anymore, so Jasper and Alice helped him get a
job coaching. He was probably one of those cocky jock assholes that thinks he's God's gift to women.

I dialed the number and sighed, waiting for him to pick up.

*****

Coach Masen.

"Jake and Paul… break it up right now!" I yelled. Jake was one of the best tacklers I had, but he
continued to get into fights and just do anything to piss me off. If it wasn't for his dad being such
good friends with my uncle, I would've kicked him off the team already. I had to put up with his
bullshit every day during my athletics period.

Jake laughed and shook his head. Cocky little bastard. "Sorry Coach…"

I walked onto the field, pinching the bridge of my nose. "The next time you do something like
that, you're off the team. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay, everyone run your two laps and then we're done for the day." I was exhausted and just
wanted to go home. I started walking back towards the school because I still had a detention
period that I had to monitor.

I got into teaching after my football career ended. I was the star quarterback that was expected
to do great things until I hurt my shoulder, ending any dreams I had. As a rookie, I led my team to
the playoffs two years in a row, but didn't succeed in getting to the Super Bowl. My name was
splayed across newspapers and websites: Edward Masen, Patriot Quarterback – Career ending
injury. I fucking hated hearing and seeing that. As hard as I had worked, none of it mattered
when I couldn't get my throwing arm back in shape.

For a little over a year, I moped. I hated everything around me. Life was nothing without
football. That was until Jasper talked me into coaching football or something similar to that. I
already had my degree in Biology, with a minor in Physical Education, so I had to go back to school
to get my teaching certificate. Once I got that, Jasper hooked me up with a job at the school he
was teaching at and the rest is history. So here I am, twenty eight years old, living the life of a
forty year old; however, I do enjoy leading a simple life even if it's not too exciting.

My detention period flew by as I graded papers and eavesdropped, listening in on the latest
gossip. Ah, teen drama was hilarious.

The move to Forks was shocking to say the least. I lived in Chicago throughout my childhood, only
visiting my aunt and uncle during family trips in the summertime. My mom grew up in Forks with her
sister, my aunt Esme, and moved to Chicago to be with my father after she met him in college.
My mom inherited a large plot of land on the outskirts of Forks, which was where I ended up
having my home built. Forks was a very small town; one of those towns where everyone knows
your business. I had nothing to hide, as my business had already been put out there for the public.

Some days I wanted to quit. The kids that I taught could be little fuckers at times, but at least I
was around something that I loved the most – football.

Lauren and I met through my uncle. Actually, my uncle Carlisle would never have introduced me
to her, but Lauren pushed her way into my life somehow. My aunt and mom always had someone
different in mind for me – like gossiping teenagers when it came to my now non-existent love life.
Lauren is a nurse in the emergency room, so when I went to visit Carlisle one day, Lauren "made
her move" and asked me out. She was excited to be dating someone famous, though my celebrity
status had disappeared to most people when they realized I wasn't able to play anymore.

I sort of enjoyed going out with her at first, just because I missed having the company of a
woman. Lauren wasn't bad looking at all, though she wore way too much make up and tried too
hard to impress people.

My regrets of ever dating Lauren were interrupted when Jasper walked into my classroom just as
detention ended. He taught History in the classroom next door to me. Jasper was inviting me to
a barbeque that he and Alice, my cousin, were having that weekend. He also informed me that
Alice's best friend was going to call me about her brother joining the football team. Jasper said
they were moving here and she was going to fill the English teacher position. I wondered what
the back story was; why was she making all of the calls about her brother? I didn't ask, waving it
off because I really had a lot of shit to deal with.

"Hi, Eddie!" Lauren squealed, causing my stomach to churn.

I broke away from my conversation with Jasper, turning towards the doorway of my classroom.
Lauren was dressed in a skin tight red dress that make her look so fucking cheap, ready to go out
to dinner that night. I wished that she wouldn't come into my workplace dressed like a whore, but
she never listened to me.

"Hey," I said, completely annoyed with her already. For weeks I had been trying to find an easy,
smooth way to break things off with her, but she never gave me a chance to. It was like she was
a mind reader or something and would always start crying or come up with some fucking crisis as
soon as I wanted to "talk" to her.

"Hello, Lauren," Jasper said politely. He turned back to me, smirking like the little bitch that he
was. "See you later, Eddie… make sure you check on the hotel arrangements."

Jasper, Emmett, and I were going on a guy's vacation. Rose and Alice always left them to go to
some spa or some shit like that, so we planned to go to Vegas for the weekend after school was
done for the year; we were also celebrating my twenty-ninth birthday that was coming up later
that month. I just couldn't wait to get away from Lauren.

"Hi, Jazz!" Lauren squealed, earning a groan from Jasper. He hated that nickname and everyone
avoided using that name for him except Lauren. I don't know what it was about skanky girls calling
him that, but for some reason they did. Jasper and I grew up together in Chicago and ended up
going to USC together when I got a scholarship to play football there. His very first girlfriend in
college called him Jazz. He never spoke to her again.

"Bye, Jazzy!" I said as Jasper turned to flip me off. I chuckled and grabbed my things, preparing
to leave for dinner with Lauren. She hooked her arm in mine and walked proudly down the hall
with me. A few lingering students stared as we walked by. The males stared at her mediocre
body and the females rolled their eyes at her barely there clothes.

Lauren and I went out to dinner in Port Angeles and the entire way she kept hinting that she
wanted to spend the night at my place. She knew I never brought women back to my house.
Even when we were having sex, which was months ago, we never did it at my place. We stopped
having sex months ago because she started talking about kids and starting a fucking family. If I
was being honest, I wanted all of that, but I never wanted it with her. Which was exactly why I
needed to end this relationship, or whatever it was, quickly. She wasn't what I was looking for.
Hell, I didn't even know what I was looking for or what was missing, but hoped someday I would
find whatever it was.

After I dropped her off at her car that was still parked at the school, I went home and began
making Vegas arrangements. The trip could not come soon enough.

I took my dog out for a run and got back just before it started raining. The rainfall was constant
in Washington. At first I loved it, but every single day is a little much.

"Herkie…" I yelled out the back door so my dog would get inside. He loved playing in the rain. His
name is actually Hercules, but I call him Herkie for short. My niece named him when I adopted him a
little over a year ago. I missed my family back in Chicago, but I needed to distance myself from
them. My mother tried to baby me as much as possible and my father wanted me to follow in his
footsteps and become a lawyer. I felt pressured there, which was a very big reason for my
cross-country move. I was still very close to my sister, Kate, mainly because of my niece. I
adored my niece, Abigail or Abby for short.

I had to dry Herkie off as he played out in the rain a little too much. He was soaked and starting to
stink. Once I was done, I heard my phone ringing. It was an out of town number so I figured it
must be Alice's friend.

"Hello?" I answered breathlessly from chasing my dog everywhere.

"Hi… um… is this Edward? Edward Masen?" A shy, sweet voice asked.

"Yes, it is. Can I help you?"

"This is Bella. Bella Swan. Alice gave me your number. I'm calling about my brother, Seth. We're
moving there and… you know what, it's so late. I'm very sorry that I called this late. I didn't even
realize how late it was. I'll just call back at another-"

"No, no… it's fine. Really." I probably sounded like a dick before, but I'm so used to prank calls or
tabloid assholes calling me about my non-existent football career. "Sorry… I was just chasing
down my dog," I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, okay. Well, anyway… Seth will be a senior at Forks High when school starts in a few months
and he wants to play football, so I was wondering if he could try out or whatever you guys do…
to be on the team."

I chuckled at her lack of football knowledge. Did she not realize that I coached football at a school
that was a fourth of the size of my high school in Chicago? "He doesn't need to try out… I mean,
we're always in need of players. Are you in Forks yet or-"

"No, we're not there yet. I'm going to be the new English teacher there next year… so we'll be
there sometime this summer. Probably in July."

"Okay, well… why don't you call me when you get to town and I'll meet with Seth to go over a few
things. Sound good?"

I honestly wanted to meet Bella. Her voice was so beautiful and soft; I wondered what she looked like.

"That sounds great," Bella sighed. "Well, thank you very much and, again, I'm sorry I called so late."

"It's fine, really. Have a good night," I said politely. If she was a friend of Alice and Jasper's,
then I knew she must be a good person.

"Thanks again… and you have a good night, too."

Bella Swan. There was just something about her, but I didn't know what it was. One thing was for
sure, I was looking forward to July.

Thanks again for reading! Now please hit that little review button.

Oh, and I forgot to thank another person - Heatherdawnc - you are the best banner maker out
there. Thank you so much!!!

Next chapter will be posted on Thursday 8/19. A teaser will be on the Twilighted forum sometime
this weekend. Be sure to visit the forum!! http:// www . twilighted . net / forum / viewtopic .
php?f=44&t=5620&start=40

....or you can follow me on Twitter: www . twitter . com / greeneyedgirl00

Thanks,

Jen

As always, very special thanks to my beta, Jessica1971. She makes this story awesome and
gives me the best ideas =)

I am overwhelmed with all the reviews I've gotten on this on story - thanks a million to everyone
that reviewed. I'm sorry that I haven't responded to your reviews - RL is killer and FFY has been
taking up so much time - regardless, there is just no excuse. I will make sure to respond to your
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FicRecs:

The Resolution by coldplaywhore (so freaking awesome... and I'm bribing her to post the next
chapter, so keep your fingers cross! ;)

The Best Man by Bratty-Vamp

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

Ms. Swan

I spent my week slowly getting rid of the unnecessary things I had lying around my apartment.
Seth and I were more than ready to leave town, but we were going to stay until the last week of
the month. I had a few things I still needed to take care of with my old job, and it would allow
some time for Seth to say goodbye to his friends. I didn't care for his friends as they usually got
him into trouble, but they were the kids he hung out with for the past few years since being in Arizona.

I had just settled down for bed when my phone rang. It was time for my nightly call with Rose and Alic

"Hey," I answered.

"Hi Bell!" Rose and Alice yelled in unison. "So when were you going to tell us that you broke up with Er

Shit. I confided in Emmett of all people and I should have known better. He just happened to call
me minutes after I walked in on Eric and his apparent lover. I was in the middle of a fucking
break down and told Emmett everything. He promised not to tell, but I knew if Rose pushed him
enough he would.

"Why did Emmett tell you?"

"Well, I was complaining to him that I knew you were hiding something from us because you
always complained about your pussy of a boyfriend… and Emmett's face turned so fucking pale. I
pried it out of him."

"Did he tell you why I broke up with him?"

"No… so spill," Alice demanded.

Chapter: 3

Fuck. "Well it would be so nice if he was going to blab my secrets that he could at least tell you
why so I don't have to repeat it."

"He didn't cheat on you, did he? I will fuck him up if he did," Rose said, completely determined.

"Yeah… he did. Do not laugh or I swear to God I will not move back home…"

"Who did he cheat on you with? That slutty bitch from his work?" Alice asked. Eric was a good
looking guy, but he was so into himself and relied on women to basically throw themselves at him.
Rose and Alice never liked Eric because he wasn't manly enough. And he really wasn't. He hated
to do any manual work like changing a tire, washing a car, etc., whereas we grew up doing those
kinds of things. He dressed like a model when we went out, always taking more time to get ready
than I did. I should have known.

I cleared my throat as my face turned bright red, even though I was just talking to my best
friends who basically knew every little detail about me, except for this one. "I don't know what his
name is… but I caught them together after Eric told me that he thought he might be…" I
stopped, suddenly feeling so humiliated but I couldn't help laughing about the situation either.
"Bisexual… he wanted us to experiment with our… s-sex life with other men."

"HE WHAT? THAT FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Rose screamed into the phone. I put the phone on
speaker so I didn't have to listen to the screaming right in my ear.

"Oh, Bella… I'm so sorry, sweetie," Alice said with a sad tone.

I was shocked when Eric asked me that, which caused me to go over to his house and see if he
had lost his mind. There was a car there when I pulled up, a red convertible, and I automatically
assumed that it was another woman. He was making the whole thing up because he wanted to
break things off with me. I fully intended on walking into his house and ripping him a new one. I
used the key that I had and opened the door to find an empty living room. I made my way over to
his bedroom and heard moaning. That fucking bastard. I turned the knob and his door swung
open, exposing my boyfriend of three years being fucked by another man.

I finished telling Rose and Alice all the dirty details. By the end of our phone conversation we were
laughing hysterically, not even able to talk. I should have told them sooner because they always
found a way to make me feel better. Ever since the break up, I kept thinking I was doing
something wrong and made him turn to men.

"Oh, hey Bell… did you call Edward?" Alice asked before hanging up.

"Yeah, I did… why?"

"Just wondering," Alice said, her voice full of mischief.

"Is he still dating Lauren?" Rose asked.

Lauren fucking Mallory. I hated that girl. We did not get along in high school and she was known
as the town slut. Surely the high school football coach was not dating that low life?

"Yeah, but hopefully they'll break up soon," Alice replied.

I kept my mouth closed, fearing I might say something bad about Alice's cousin. We finished up
our conversation, promising to call each other again tomorrow night. I don't know what I would
have done without those two in my life for the past few years. My parent's death was a shock to

everyone and for the longest time I felt like I couldn't go on. I was very close to my mother; she
was my best friend.

To try to get my mind off my mother, I decided to be curious and check out Edward Masen. I
typed his name in the google search and it came back with thousands of hits. As much as I
wanted to deny it, he was so fucking hot. 'Fucking hot' did not do him justice. I always knew that
Alice's cousin was a pro-football player, but I never asked for any details about him because I
knew exactly how Alice worked. She would have given him my phone number or set me up on
some wild blind date to meet him. But damn. All the wasted time I could have spent with that
man… Oh, who am I kidding? I turn men gay; he'd never want me. Plus, he was dating Lauren
which meant she was fucking him every chance she got. The slut always gets the hottest guy.
Damn the luck.

Am I being overdramatic? Hell, yes.

Who wouldn't be if they caught their boyfriend screwing another man?

I stared at Coach McHottie for a while before going to bed. I drifted off to sleep, praying I would
dream of the bronze-haired, muscular, chiseled abs, perfect smile… perfect man. Those dreams
never came, unfortunately.

I prayed that the next few weeks would fly by.

~*~

Coach Masen

I had just gotten back from my Vegas vacation with Emmett and Jasper. The entire time they kept
trying to find girls for me to hook up with, as if I needed that influence to break up with Lauren. I
fully intended on ending things with her as soon as we got back, which led to where I was now –
sitting outside Lauren's house.

Lauren wasn't going to take the 'it's not you, it's me' explanation. She would want some long,
drawn out thing that she could actually discuss and try to sway my decision.

"Hi honey!" Lauren squealed when she opened her front door, running out to my truck. God, she
was so fake.

I took a deep breath and got out of my truck, mentally preparing myself for some really pathetic
whining…

"Lauren… we need to talk," I began as I sat down on her couch, staying as far away from her as I
could. I made sure to protect my junk because Lauren was definitely the Lorena Bobbit type. Believe

Two hours later I left with a horrible headache and a burning hand print across my face. Lauren
did not take the news very well. She thought I hooked up with someone in Vegas. I probably
should have broken up with her before my trip, but either way she would have come up with
another reason other than the fact that I just didn't want to be with her anymore.

I went back home only to find Emmett and Jasper sitting outside my house.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too, asshole," Emmett said, walking towards my truck. "Don't bother getting

out… we need your help."

Great. "With what?"

"We're cleaning up your old rental house. The owner is moving back and we want to have it ready
for her."

"Bella?" I blurted out. Okay, so I may have been thinking about this mystery girl that everyone
seemed to talk about, even though I've never met her.

Jasper grinned like the asshole that he is. "Why, yes… and how do you know Bella?"

"Quit being a fucking girl, Jasper. She called me the other night to talk about her brother playing
football." They were like women, I swear to God. Both Jasper and Emmett had shit eating grins on
their faces.

Emmett nodded. "So what's with the red streak across your face?"

"Lauren… I broke up with her and she fucking slapped me because she thought I fucked someone
in Vegas."

They were both rolling with laughter. I knew they would be more than happy that I broke up with
Lauren because none of my friends got along with her. Lauren hated them and they really hated
her. Especially Alice. Alice grew up with Lauren and apparently Lauren caused all kinds of shit for
her and Bella. Yes, Bella. Since she was moving back to town, I started to hear lots more about this gir

After they were done harassing me over my break up, we went to the hardware store in town to
buy a few supplies. Alice and Rose were already at the house waiting for us. They wanted to
paint it, make it like new for Bella and her brother. Her parents died and she really dreaded
coming back to that house, so with her approval the girls jumped all over the idea of redecorating.

Alice squealed when she found out that Lauren would no longer be around to piss her off and
Rose just said that it was, and I quote, "about fucking time." We spent the day painting the
house, cleaning out a ton of fucking spiders that had accumulated throughout the house, and
fixed up the lawn. We used my truck to haul off tree limbs and a shitload of trash.

We were sitting in the back yard getting ready to paint the trim when one of my students, Jake,
jumped the fence. Jake is not your average size kid by any means. He is fucking huge… almost as
big as Emmett.

"What's up, Coach? Why are you in my future fucking hot girlfriend's backyard?" Jake asked,
earning eye rolls from the girls.

"Does your daddy know you're over here, Jakey?" Alice laughed.

"Shut up, Ali… Why are you all over here?" Jake asked again.

"We're fixing it up for Seth and Bella. And she's not your future girlfriend, kiddo," Rose said as
she stood on her tiptoes to ruffle Jake's hair.

Alice was talking to someone on the phone when she suddenly squealed and promised to call
whoever it was right back. "Jake! Will you take a picture of all of us with my phone? I want to send
it to Bell."

Jake mumbled as he grabbed Alice's phone and waited for everyone to get in position. I stood off
to the side because I didn't know Bella and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't want a picture of some
sweaty stranger hanging out at her childhood home.

"Get your ass over here, Masen," Rose demanded with an evil smirk on her face.

Alice pulled me over forcefully with her small arms. "Yeah, Bell needs to see what her brother's
coach looks like." And then she winked. Yes, she was definitely following in her mother's footsteps.

Once the picture was taken, Alice called Bella back as we continued to work on the yard. I would
by lying if I said I wasn't listening in on her conversation.

"Yeah, Bell… he's the hottie with his shirt off… whatever… Yeah, he's my cousin, but he isn't
Rose's cousin and she agrees." Rose and Alice giggled loudly, sitting on the deck that we had
framed out earlier that day.

"Geez, baby… just give her his measurements and be done with it already," Emmett yelled,
laughing at the girls.

Jasper slapped me on the back and chuckled. "You're in for it now, man… but I guess you'll have
some competition," he said, motioning to Jake.

"Yeah, Coach… she is mine… always has been," Jake said with a cocky smile.

"Oh yeah, little man… when you were in diapers and she was in high school, she really fell for
you, huh?" Emmett laughed.

Jake helped us haul some things to my truck before it started to get too dark out. The house
looked great once we were done for the day, though there was still a lot left that we needed to
do. Emmett said that Bella and her brother would be arriving before the fourth of July, so we still
had almost a whole month to fix up everything. I didn't mind helping because I had nothing better
to do in the boring ass town of Forks.

I did, however, plan a trip to visit my parents the last week of June. I hadn't seen my sister in a
while and kind of missed my parents. When I say kind of, that means I feel obligated to go see
them. I'm close to my mother, but she is so fucking nosey it kills me; and my dad… well, he is an
ass most of the time. Nothing I do is ever good enough. When I blew out my shoulder and couldn't
play football anymore, he acted as though it was his career that ended.

Later that night, I got in my hot tub, trying to relax my sore joints. Lauren called numerous times
throughout the day and was still calling, not giving up just yet. I was so fucking pissed when she
slapped me because I was just trying to be nice to her and then she goes and does something like
that? Not very cool. She tried to say that she might be pregnant, to which I replied that it must
be some other guy's baby because there was no way it was mine. I guess she forgot about the 'no
sex' rule for the past couple of months. I made up an insane story, saying that I was a born
again Catholic and was participating in lent. I'm not Catholic, but I do know that lent occurs
around Easter. It was summertime. Oh, and my lent lasted for one hundred days, rather than the
usual forty days. That was the 'Edward-Masen-Does-Not-Want-To-Have-A-Kid-With-Lauren-Plan',
and it worked very well for me. I love sex; however, when Lauren mentioned that she was going
to stop taking her birth control because she wanted a baby, I think my dick shriveled up
automatically. She only said that because I was hinting that we should end things. What we were
doing now really wasn't anything. Lauren knew our relationship was going nowhere, but every
time I brought up the subject she flipped the fuck out.

The next few weeks passed by in a flash as I worked with the guys doing odd jobs for Bella's
house and others around town. The guys liked to help out the elderly people in Forks by mowing
and all that kind of stuff. It was kind of fun and I think we ended up packing on a few pounds from
all the food that the people cooked for us. Before I knew it, it was time for me to go see my
parents. My sister and her husband were picking me up at the airport, along with my niece. I
couldn't wait to see them.

My mother had already gotten all the gossip from my aunt regarding my break up with Lauren;
needless to say, my mom wanted to kick her ass for hitting me. She was also thrilled that I was
going to meet the amazing Bella Swan. Apparently, my mother and Esme were good friends with
Bella's mom; they grew up together.

"I haven't seen Bella since she was a baby… and I couldn't make it out to the funeral," my mother
said sadly.

"What happened to them?" I thought someone had said a car accident, but I didn't know for certain.

"Car accident… someone fell asleep and slammed into them. They never saw it coming. It was just
a few years ago…"

"That's… awful."

"Yeah, and poor Bella had just graduated… started her first job… you know, having the time of her
life and then she had to start taking care of her little brother. Esme said they both had a really
hard time getting through it at first."

I hadn't even met her yet, but already I thought she was a selfless person. To give up your single,
fun life and become pretty much a parent overnight would be so difficult. And her brother… he
was so young.

"Seth blamed himself because they were coming back from a football game of his and… you
know, Edward… you need to take it easy on that kid. Esme told me that Bella contacted you
about Seth playing football."

Well, shit. Did everyone know every single fucking phone conversation I had?

"I'll be nice to him, mom."

"And Bella, too, dear."

"Yes, mother."

And then she winked. What the fuck?

I spent the rest of my time in Chicago hanging out with my family and a few old friends from high
school. It was kind of depressing, seeing all my friends with families and here I was, still single.
God, I was really starting to sound like a fucking woman. To be honest, I was just ready to settle
down. I wanted to find a woman that wasn't impressed with me because of my football career or
money. I wanted someone that was genuine and someone that I would enjoy spending the rest of
my life with. I was starting to give up on that and settle into the life of being alone. My sister tried
setting me up with a couple of her friends while I was in town, but I declined. There was no use
getting involved with someone to start a long distance relationship. Those never worked. And I
certainly was not moving back to Chicago. Forks may be the most boring town on Earth, but now
that I had lived there, there was no way I could leave it.

When I arrived back in Forks, it was pouring down rain, as usual. I made my way down the long
road, leading to the dirt road that led to my house. I had to get a truck when I moved to my new
house because of the constant muddy road. I put in a request to have my road paved; I would pay
for it, but the dumbass town hadn't approved it yet.

As I approached the turn off for my house, I noticed a small black car on the side of the road. I
pulled over to help whoever it was, noticing a flat tire.

Flat tire + Fucking rain… great.

Be sure to stop by the forum. A teaser will be posted on Sunday. The next IC chapter will be
posted on next Wednesday. Thanks for reading ... ILY!

Happy Hump Day :)

Thank you to everyone that's reading (and reviewing) this story. I cannot thank you enough for
all of the amazing reviews - please continue! ;) I completely fail at responding to your reviews
(again, which is why I'm posting a day early), but writing two stories at once is hard stuff...
anyway, I'm almost finished with FFY, so I should have more time to respond. Thanks and sorry again!

Very special thanks to Jessica1971 - beta extraordinaire (and great friend). LY! :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

Seth and I arrived in Forks the last weekend of June in the middle of the night. It was so nerve
racking just getting there with Seth following behind me. I was afraid we would get separated in
the bad traffic, but luckily we didn't. We had a fun time on our road trip, stopping at all the
touristy places. The only problem we had along the way was my car had a blowout, and thankfully
I had my strong brother to change it for me. My ex-boyfriend Eric had a flat once and he called for
help rather than change it himself – so embarrassing.

Carlisle arranged for a moving company to pack up everything from the apartment and transport
it to Forks. Everything would be there when we arrived, which would be very nice; however, I
didn't want him to feel like he had to take care of me. Carlisle and Esme treated us like we were
their children when my parents died. They wouldn't take no for an answer when they set up the
moving company. I was grateful for them.

When we pulled up to the house I immediately noticed the work that all of my friends did on the
house, and Edward. Coach Masen was hot as hell. Alice sent me a picture of the gang standing
in my backyard a few weeks ago, and I couldn't help but notice the sexy man with no shirt on.
Rose and Alice both teased me, trying to get a rise out of me over Edward, but I would never tell
them that I found him… fucking attractive.

He was dating Lauren, though.

"Let's just leave our bags in the car… we'll get them in the morning," I said to Seth as we both got
out of our cars. We were both exhausted and I just needed to lie down. Rose called the day
before to let me know that our things had arrived and Emmett set up our beds. I love that man.

I made sure to let them know prior to arranging some of the furniture that I didn't want the
master bedroom, as it was my parents' room. It just didn't feel right to be in their bedroom.

We both collapsed in our rooms, only sleeping for a couple of hours. Emmett, Rose, Alice and
Jasper all came over that morning, waking me up from my deep sleep. Once we caught up for a
bit, we went over to Carlisle and Esme's house for lunch. It was so nice to be back home.

I took Seth back home to start getting settled in. I was going to Port Angeles with Rose and

Chapter: 4

Emmett to pick up a few things for the house, and Rose wanted to show me her dress shop that
she and Alice owned. She and Alice had several dresses there waiting for me to take home. I
had nowhere to wear them so I didn't know why they wasted such pretty things on me, but Rose
insisted that I take them.

"It's so good to have you back home, Bell," Emmett said as we sat in the waiting area of the
boutique. "It really hasn't been the same without you here."

"I know… it's just going to be hard. I haven't really dealt with… their deaths because it's hitting
me pretty badly now." I hadn't spoken to anyone about it, but as soon as I stepped foot in the
house I grew up in, I missed hearing my mother's laughter fill the room and seeing my dad perched
in front of the television, watching the sports channel. In Arizona, I didn't have to face things
that I would miss on a daily basis, but being here… it brought back everything. I still needed my
parents, especially my mother. I was still young and it wasn't fair that I had to live without them.

"You can always talk to me, Bell… just remember that." Emmett reached over and pulled me
against his chest, hugging me tightly. "Remember, Bell… I'm your big brother."

And he was.

Rose walked back into the room and gave me a sympathetic look. "You guys ready to go or… do
you need a moment?"

"Nah, I'm ready," I said as I pulled away from Emmett and stood up.

We got back home early that evening, promising to get together the next day for a cookout at
Carlisle and Esme's house. Seth was busy playing football on his Xbox when I got back, so I
decided to do something I hadn't done since my parents died.

Thirty minutes later, I pulled up to the cemetery, grabbing the flowers I picked up from the store
earlier that day. Even though I hadn't been back to the cemetary since their funeral, I
remembered exactly where their grave was. I made my way through the maze of headstones and
sat down in front of my parents' marker. I ran my fingertips over the smooth marble stone,
thinking of how much my mother would have despised the fact that I picked out a standing
headstone, rather than a flat one. She didn't want 'anything flashy' she had said in the past,
though I never took anything she said seriously because I thought I had several years left with her.

"I miss you both so much – you have no idea. I had so many things I still needed to learn from
both of you. I hope that you are proud of the way I've handled things with Seth. We just moved
back home… it's going to be so hard without both of you here." I broke down for the first time
since their funeral. I left Forks, pushing all of my anger away… yes, anger, because I was so
frustrated that this happened to our parents… to us… "I'm so sorry I didn't move back home after
I graduated. I should have… you'll never know how much I regret that. I could have been here
at least… I could have seen you one last time."

I continued talking to my parent's grave, praying they could actually hear me wherever they
were. I stayed there until I heard thunder in the background, signaling a storm approaching. I got
in my car and left, promising myself that I would visit their grave at least once a week. My
parents weren't necessarily there, but it was a peaceful place where I could just let go of
everything that I held in for so long.

Once I was out on the road for a bit, my car started weaving slightly. I had a fucking flat tire.
Just great. Perfect. I didn't have a spare because I had used it when I got the flat on my road
trip to Forks. I tried calling out, but my cell didn't have a signal since the cemetery was a little

ways outside of town. I turned on my emergency flashers and just sat there… waiting for the
heavy rainstorm to let up so I could walk into town or get a better signal on my phone.

It was starting to get dark and I just couldn't believe the luck I had. I prayed Emmett or someone
would happen to be driving down the road, but that wasn't likely. Seth would start to get worried
if I didn't show up after a while; however, I didn't tell him where I was going.

As I sat there, waiting for whatever to happen, I made a mental note to change wireless
companies since mine obviously didn't work too well in Forks.

Bright lights flashed behind me as the only vehicle to show up all night was about to drive by, only
they didn't drive by. Whoever it was stopped their vehicle behind mine and I could feel myself
start to panic. This was like one of those horror movies – stranded, unable to call anyone and a
crazy killer on the loose, disguising themselves as a good patron. My imagination was in overdrive
as I heard a car door slam and footsteps sloshing up to my car. A timid knock on my passenger
window made me jump. I held my pepper spray in my hand, ready to attack if I needed to. I
really needed to fucking grow up.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I knocked on the driver's window, not too hard as I didn't want to scare the person. The window
rolled down and I was taken aback by the person sitting behind the wheel.

"Do you need any help?" I asked, memorizing every beautiful detail of the woman in front of me.
She was gorgeous; however, she looked completely terrified.

"I'm just waiting for my friends to meet me out here… I'll be fine, but thank you for stopping."

"Are you sure you don't need any help? I can change your tire for you… you don't even have to
get out." The rain was soaking through my shirt quickly and drenching my hair. I wiped my eyes
and smiled warmly, trying to reassure this woman that I wasn't some crazed killer.

"Well… I don't exactly have a spare. I just had a blowout a few days ago and didn't make it over
to buy another one yet…"

Something about her voice sounded so familiar. I ran my hand through my wet hair and sighed.
"Hmm… I can give you a ride somewhere or you can come back to my house to call someone. My
cell is dead or else I'd let you use it."

She seemed really nervous or worried.

"My name is Edward Masen… I'm a teacher at-"

"Oh my gosh," she whispered, but smiled widely at me. "I'm Bella Swan… we spoke on the phone
before."

Fuck me, she was gorgeous.

"It's nice to finally meet you," I said stupidly, holding out my hand. She reached out her small
hand, placing it inside my grasp. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh, no," Bella groaned as I chuckled. "I don't even wanna know…"

"Nothing bad, I promise."

I didn't even remember the fact that I was literally soaked from head to toe. Bella turned off her
car and grabbed her bag before getting out. I just stood there, dumbly watching her. Bella smiled
at me as we walked towards my truck. I followed her to the passenger side, opening the door for
her. She stuttered a sweet 'thanks' as she stepped up inside. Once I got in the truck, my interior
lights were on and for the first time I was able to actually see her face.

Bella was beautiful. My cock instantly hardened as I noticed what she was wearing – little black
shorts and a fucking white tank top that was soaked from the rain. I tore my eyes away from her
breasts, trying to look at anything else to get my mind off of ripping her shirt off. I focused on her
big brown eyes and breathtaking smile. I couldn't help but notice the redness under her eyes and
I wondered if she had been crying. I didn't ask as it might have embarrassed her.

"I just live down the dirt road up ahead," I said, breaking the silence between us. Bella shivered
and nodded, wrapping her arms around her small body. The rain was falling so hard that, even
though she wasn't outside for very long, her clothes were already soaked. "Are you cold?"

"A little," Bella replied timidly. I turned up the heat and reached in the backseat, grabbing my
jacket. "Here you go."

"Thank you… Sorry I'm getting your seat all wet," she said quietly.

"It's fine, I promise. It'll dry."

Once we got to my house, I immediately noticed a box sitting on my front porch. I parked in the
garage and led Bella to the living room, handing her a blanket as she shivered. I grabbed my
cordless phone and handed it to her so she could make some phone calls.

While she was on the phone I grabbed the box from my front porch. It was from Lauren. She
had drawn a sad face on the top of the box. Give me a fucking break. I took the box upstairs to
my room and changed into some dry clothes. I grabbed one of my old t-shirts and took it
downstairs, just in case Bella wanted to change.

"Emmett, Jasper, and the girls went to see a movie in Port Angeles… I can have my brother pick
me up, but do you think his car would make it down the muddy road?"

"Probably not… I can take you home, Bella."

Bella seemed hesitant at first, but nodded in agreement. "Thank you, really… I'm sure this isn't
how you wanted to spend your Saturday night," she mumbled.

I quickly disagreed with her. She couldn't be further from the truth because, honestly, I didn't
want to take her back home. What was wrong with me? I didn't even know this woman. However,
I really wanted to know more about her.

"You know, I have Ray's number… from the auto store in town. I'm sure he wouldn't mind
meeting us over there to get you a new tire," I said, hoping to spend more time with her.

"Oh, I don't want you to go to all the trouble… I'm sure my car will be fine overnight and I'll have
my brother-"

"It's not a problem, Bella… I was just going to be at home tonight anyway."

And then she blushed. God, she was gorgeous.

"If you're sure…"

"Definitely…" I stuck my hand out, holding the t-shirt. "Do you want to put this on? I'm sure you're
cold." I was willing to do anything to have her cover up her hard nipples standing at attention
under her tank top; it was distracting me too much.

She nodded, mumbling a shy 'thanks' and looked around. "Bathroom?"

"Second door on your left," I said, pointing towards the hall. While she was in the bathroom, I
unloaded my bags from my truck and carried them up to my room. As I made my way down the
stairs, Bella was standing at the bottom, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall.

"Thank you, really… I… I really appreciate this."

I chuckled at her uneasiness, still blushing the entire time. "Do you honestly think I would leave
you on the side of the road?"

"Well… I just wasn't expecting anyone to pass by… and you don't even know me," Bella said with a
small smile on her face.

"Like I said, I've heard plenty about you," I said with a wink, causing Bella to groan.

I called Ray Jones, the guy that owns the automotive shop in town. We met him at the shop to get
a tire for Bella's car, only he didn't take debit cards so Bella couldn't pay for it. He was going to put
it on credit for Bella because he knew her and her family, but I insisted on paying for it. Bella was
a blubbering mess at my insistence. So gorgeous. Was I crazy for feeling this way over someone I
just met?

We were just pulling out of the parking lot when my phone rang. Alice and Jasper were close by
and asked that I wait there. Alice was going to take Bella home while Jasper and I went to change
Bella's tire. Alice squealed through the phone when she heard that I picked up Bella on the side of
the road.

"It was nice meeting you… finally," I said as we waited for Alice and Jasper.

"Nice meeting you, too. I hope I can return the favor someday… you've been extremely nice."

I turned to face Bella, just wanting to look at her a little longer. Her scent filled my truck and I
hoped that it would linger there for a while.

"Are you glad to be back home? I heard you've been living in Phoenix for a while," I said, trying
to make conversation with her.

"Yeah, it's nice, but I'll have to get used to small town living again," Bella said with a quiet laugh.

"That's something I'm still trying to get used to… Chicago is definitely different from Forks."

"I bet."

Alice and Jasper pulled up, both had smug smiles on their faces. Bella bolted out of my truck as
she seemed very nervous or uncomfortable the entire time we were alone. I wished that she didn't

feel that way around me. Maybe someday things would be different…

I think Alice winked so many times that her eye was going to get stuck doing that. She kept going
on and on about how happy she was that I took care of Bella. Bella was still blushing the whole
time. I wished that Bella wasn't leaving with Alice, as I wanted to spend more time with her, but
it was better that she got back home; the storm wasn't letting up whatsoever.

We said our goodbyes as we got into different vehicles and went our separate ways. Jasper
drilled me the entire time, trying to fish for information like one of the fucking girls. I changed her
tire while Jasper held one of Alice's umbrella's over me. When we got back to Bella's house,
Jasper made up some excuse that he had to go talk to Billy who lived next door to Bella, leaving
me to take her key to her.

I knocked on the door and took a step back. I heard footsteps getting closer when she yelled,
"I've got it, Seth… don't bother getting up from your freaking movie…" I chuckled at her tone, a
mixture of anger and frustration, though even mad, she still had the sweetest voice. The door
swung open, revealing the fucking hottest woman I had ever seen. Bella had her hair piled on top
of her head in a bun or something… pajama pants… another fucking white tank top… and
glasses. Hot ass teacher.

"Oh, hi Edward," she said breathlessly, clutching a spatula in her hand. Bella had a dab of
chocolate on her wrist and I wanted so much to just lick it off.

"Hi… I um…" I held her keys out. "Here are your keys."

"Th-thanks… do you want to come in?" Bella asked as a slight smile formed, along with her blush.

I didn't want to bother her and really needed to get back home so I could take care of the problem
Bella had created with her wet tank top earlier. "No, I better get-"

"Just for a second?" Bella interrupted.

I nodded as she moved out of the doorway. There were still several boxes lying around and the
walls were bare, but the house was filled with the sweetest smell. Bella led me to the kitchen
where she had a table full of cookies.

"Do you like chocolate chip?" Bella asked as she waved her hand at the cookies.

"Who doesn't," I replied with a grin. "But these look… delicious."

"Thanks… I figured it was the least I could do to repay you." Bella's smile was overwhelming to say
the least. "Alice had to get home in a hurry, so we didn't get to stop by the ATM but I'll get it to
you quickly…"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, Bella. These cookies are worth the money," I chuckled.

"No, Edward…"

Jasper walked in just as I was about to protest again. "Mmmmm… I smell cookies!"

Once Jasper and I each had a plate full of cookies to take with us, we said our goodbyes and
left. As we drove away, all I could think about was a way to get to spend more time with her. I
wanted to know every little thing about her. I had never felt this way about another woman.

Jasper reminded me about the cookout Esme and Carlisle were having the next day, informing me
that I promised I would be there weeks ago. I agreed and told him I'd see them there.

I took a cold shower before going to bed, relieving my fucking aching cock from the tense build up
that Bella caused earlier that evening. My mind drifted to thoughts of her, only her, from the time
I stepped into the shower until I went to sleep. She was invading my every thought, though I had
only just met her.

The next morning I stepped out on my front porch, getting ready for my usual run, but stopped
dead in my tracks when I noticed a gift bag next to my door. I groaned, thinking that Lauren had
brought something else to me. The box she left while I was away contained several pairs of her
panties. Why? I have no fucking clue. I reluctantly picked up the bag and carefully peeked inside,
but was shocked by what I saw. It was my t-shirt that I loaned to Bella, an envelope, and a bottle
of wine. I ripped open the envelope quickly, which contained a small card with a yellow smiley face
on it and money falling out of the card.

Edward –

I just wanted to thank you again for helping me last night. I don't know what I would have done
if you hadn't stopped and helped me. The bottle of wine isn't much, but it's Forks finest… and I
really didn't know what you liked… Anyway, I really hope that I can return the favor someday.

Thanks again,

Bella

PS – My number is 602-355-0972 in case you ever need anything.

I was in shock. I had the phone number of the woman whose mouth I pictured around my cock in
my dreams. Fuck me.

The amount of money she put in the envelope was more than what I paid for her tire… like forty
dollars more. I couldn't let her pay more than she should have. I also wondered how she got to
my house. There was no way she could get down the dirt road with her small car. I walked down
the front steps, noticing footprints leading to my running trail. Did she walk here?

I reached in my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. There certainly was something I needed…

"Hello?" Bella answered on the first ring, sounding slightly out of breath.

"Hey, Bella… it's Edward. I just got your note and… well, I was wondering if you could help me out
with something…?"

Hmmm... what does he want?

Thanks again for reading and please review!

Check out the forum where I post teasers - next teaser will be posted on Thursday and the next
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FicRecs:

The Fan by Pears13

Home Run by jadedandboring

Have a great week!

Sorry this is late, but my mom has been in the hospital and I am a momma's girl... and RL has been
killer lately...

Thanks to Jessica1971, my beta and someone I consider a very good friend. Thanks to everyone
over at the forum for your thoughts and prayers - I really appreciate it.

And thank you for the fuckawesome reviews I've been getting - I love your comments and thank
you for the support. Congrats to MasenCullen for being the first one to guess correctly. :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

After Edward and Jasper left my house, I made sure his truck disappeared down the road before
letting out one of those really embarrassing, girlish squeals. Edward Masen was just standing in
my kitchen, eating my cookies…

I really felt like a moron when my teenage brother ran down the stairs to make sure that his crazy
ass sister hadn't lost her mind. I didn't tell him about Edward being in the house; he would have
seen right through me.

Once I was finished cleaning up the kitchen, I went into my bedroom and changed shirts, changing
back into his shirt. I felt like I was back in high school with a horrible crush on someone that was
out of my league. It was like déjà vu; Lauren dating the star quarterback that I dreamed of every
night. Only now… it was Edward.

Alice and Rose called to ask what happened and literally screamed over the phone when they
found out that Edward came into my house. I didn't see what the big deal was since they both
knew he was dating the skank.

I got up the next morning even before the sun started to rise. I had a lot to do and not much time
to do it. I sniffed Edward's shirt one more time before throwing it in the washer. Sick obsession? I
know. I hurriedly showered, dressed in my workout clothes, and left a note for Seth in case he
woke up before I got back. I stopped at the local gas station, which was also the mini grocery
store for Forks, and picked up a bottle of wine. I'm sure the store owner thought I was crazy for
getting alcohol so early in the morning; for all he knew I was a raving alcoholic that just moved
into town. Nobody in town would recognize me unless they saw me at the funeral. I was no
longer the bookworm with long hair and glasses that did nothing but study; I had changed
immensely since going to college.

I ran by the ATM and withdrew enough cash to cover the tire that Edward purchased for me,
plus money to fill up his truck from all the running around he did to take me everywhere I needed
to go last night.

I ran back by my house and picked up the t-shirt that was drying while I was running my errands.
I drove over to Emmett and Rose's house which was extremely close to Edward's place. I used to

Chapter: 5

go running out that way because the Cullen's property was surrounded by lush trees and it was
just a nice, quiet place to go. Edward's house just happened to be right in the middle of my old
running trail, I noticed last night.

I left a note on my car's windshield in case Emmett and Rose woke up to find my car there
without me anywhere around. Also, I wrote a quick note to Edward. Against my better judgment,
I scribbled my phone number on the note, just in case he ever needed anything. I grabbed the
bag with Edward's things and started walking along the trail through the wooded area.

Almost immediately, I spotted the tree that Alice and I sloppily scribbled our names in several
years ago. 'AMC + IMS = BFF'… We wrote that on everything. Alice was the kind of friend that I
would grow old with. We had run away from home the night that we carved our "slogan" into the
tree. Emmett joined a football camp his sophomore year of high school and Alice and I were
extremely depressed that he would be leaving us all summer. We looked up to our "big brother"
and we were mad that he was going to do something without us. Alice got a crazy idea in her
head for us to run away so that Emmett would stay home to search for us. Crazy? Definitely. We
were teenagers, though, and very dramatic teenagers at that. Anyway, we probably spent an
hour out in the woods before Emmett found us. He followed us out there, listening to us whining,
before breaking up our little plan. I loved him so much.

I didn't realize how close I was to Edward's house as I thought about old times. It was so dark last
night that I didn't get a very good look at his house, but seeing it in the daylight… it was
gorgeous. And huge. I wondered what a single guy would need such a huge house for, but I
guess that's how the filthy rich football players live?

Very carefully and quietly, I stepped onto his front porch and placed the bag in front of the door.
As soon as I put it down, I heard a rustling noise coming from inside. I did not want to get
caught by Edward. He'd probably think I was stalking him or something, coming to his house so
early in the morning. So I ran away from his house as fast as I could.

Too soon, my phone rang. I answered on the first ring accidentally when I meant to just push the
stupid silence button. Damn Blackberry.

"Hello?" I answered, as I held the phone away from my ear to see who was calling. 'Coach
McHottie' was displayed across the screen. Yes, I saved his number from when I called him about
Seth. What's wrong with me?

"Hey, Bella… it's Edward. I just got your note and… well, I was wondering if you could help me out
with something…?"

What could Coach McHot- Edward, possibly want from me? "Sure," I replied tentatively. "What's
going on?"

"Well, I love your cookies… and I have this dinner thing that I have to go to tonight. I need to
take something, so I was wondering-"

"Sure, I'll make a batch for you. It's the least I can do." I didn't want him to keep going on and on
about it. For some reason, it seemed like the smooth and suave Edward Masen was kind of nervous.

Edward cleared his throat and let out a deep breath. "I kind of… wanted you to show me how to."

"Why? I mean… I can tell you what to do, but-"

It was Edward's turn to interrupt me. "I want to know how to, and I'm more of a 'hands on' kind of guy."

Just hearing his smooth, deep voice did things to my body. Why was I letting him affect me this
way? "Um… okay. Do you want to come to my house or-"

"How about mine? I'm just going out for a run and then I'll be here the rest of the day, but I do
have that dinner thing later this evening."

So many thoughts crossed my mind. Who was he having dinner with? And as immature as it
sounded, was the skank going to be eating my cookies? "Just call me whenever you're ready, but
my car… will it make it down your road?"

"Probably not." I heard rustling from his end and his breathing picked up slightly. "I've got to go to
the grocery store anyway… to pick up the ingredients, which you'll have to give me a list for
anyway. Want me to pick you up?"

I heard more rustling in the background. He was running while talking to me. I started jogging
lightly, afraid that he might use the trail behind his house. Oh my God, what if he thought I was
stalking him or something?

"Bella?" Edward said, considering I was silent for several seconds.

"I'm here… sorry. Yeah, you can pick me up – just call me when you're coming."

My face turned beet red as I heard Edward call out my name from behind me. He had already
caught up to me. I stopped my slow jog and turned around to find Edward in his athletic shorts
and no fucking shirt. Yes… no shirt. I tried to look away, but I couldn't. His chest was muscular…
tight… perfect. Edward wasn't one of those overly muscular guys who looked like they were on
steroids or lived in a gym. He was just right. My eyes trailed down his body, leading down to the
defined 'V' shape where his shorts hung.

"Hey," Edward breathed. I still had the phone up to my ear, probably looking so stunned. "You like
to run?"

"Yeah… sorry, I used to run this trail in high school… and I didn't mean to interrupt your-"

"Seriously, Bella?" Edward grinned and gently nudged me with his elbow. "You're too uptight…
actually, I'd love to have someone to run with if you're interested."

I didn't know what to think about him. Over the phone he seemed so unsure of himself, but face
to face he was smooth and calm. I was the blubbering mess now.

"Sure," I said shyly.

Edward and I walked slowly as I explained that I was parked at Emmett's house, worried that I
might get stuck if I went down his road. He couldn't believe that I was out so early, which led to
my verbal diarrhea about never sleeping well, etc. The more we talked, the more comfortable I
felt around him. I found that he had a very calming, soothing voice and sometimes I would get
caught up with just listening to his voice, not even paying attention to what he was saying. He
was incredibly sexy, but I had to remember that he was taken. Taken by the skank.

"Well, I'm going to shower and get changed… call me when you're ready?" I asked as I nervously
shoved my stray hairs behind my ear.

"Okay… thanks for doing this, Bella," Edward said, placing his hand on my car, leaning

comfortably against it. "I hope it's not too much trouble…"

"No, it's fine… really." My face was blushing as I kept losing focus when I would stare at his body
for too long. "So…" I felt so awkward. "I'll see you later then."

"Yep," Edward grinned as he pushed himself off my car. "Have a good morning, Bella." I loved
the way he said my name. .. "Oh and thanks for the wine…" He had that devastatingly sexy smile
on his face again.

Edward walked to the other side of my car as I got in and drove away. I looked back in my
rearview mirror as Edward watched me drive away. There was definitely something different
about him. I expected him to be a jock… a jerk… but he wasn't. He was cocky, don't get me
wrong, but he was very kind.

I drove home and woke Seth up since he was still asleep. He had made plans to go fishing with
Billy and Jacob all day and they were going to camp out if it didn't rain. I wanted him to go to the
Cullen's barbecue with me, but I didn't want to push him if he wanted to spend time with his old
friends. Billy, like Carlisle, wanted to be there for Seth, the way my dad was. I knew my parents
would very much like it if Seth had men like that to count on as fatherly figures.

Seth jumped out of bed and hurried out before I could even say goodbye. I quickly showered,
shaving my legs, all the while wondering why I was being so particular; it wasn't like we were
going to do anything. I was going to help him make cookies, probably teaching him how to woo
the skank, and then I would leave to go to a barbecue and see all of my friends in perfect relationships

I kept my outfit simple, wearing blue jean capri pants and a black tank top. Edward called as I was
straightening my hair and said he was a few minutes away. I pulled my hair back into a pony tail
and slipped on my flip flops before running down stairs. And then I had a mild panic attack. What
in God's name was I doing? I just met this guy last night and I was going to his house, causing me
to be alone with him once again? Before I could come up with a good excuse to back out, I heard
Edward's truck pull up in the driveway. Seconds later I heard his door slam shut. I didn't want
some weird awkward scene like he was picking me up for a date, so I hurried out the front door,
meeting him on the porch.

"Hi," I said shyly.

"Hi," Edward replied with a small smile spreading across his face. "Ready?"

I nodded as we walked towards his truck. He opened the door for me as I climbed into the truck.
As he walked around the front of the truck to his side, my mouth started to water. Literally.
Edward was wearing khaki shorts and a white t-shirt with a USC logo and a cap covering his
usually messy hair. I did not know how I was going to be alone with him all afternoon without
making a fool of myself.

"Okay, so where to first, chef?" Edward asked, turning towards me before pulling out of the driveway.

I had just finished off my bottle of rum for the batches of cookies I made the night before. "Um…
well, we need to go to the liquor store first and-"

"Wait… are you trying to get me drunk already, Ms. Swan?"

"N-no! It's just… the cookies have rum in them," I said, fumbling over my words. I felt my face
flush as Edward chuckled heartily. Cocky bastard.

Once Edward was finished laughing, we headed towards the local liquor store, immediately
receiving odd looks from the clerks, as they usually didn't get customers so early in the morning.

"Coach Masen? What are you doing here so early, cutie?" The clerk said from behind the register.
I automatically recognized her voice. It was Sue, the wife of one of my dad's close friends.

I turned the corner, afraid she would recognize me. I wasn't ready for the whole town to know I
was back and she would definitely spread the word. Edward laughed loudly as he was talking to
Sue while I tried to find Kahlua vanilla rum. I heard the squeal coming down the aisle as Sue
approached me.

"Little Bella Swan… is that you!?"

I turned around slowly, face still flushed from being around Edward. After Sue's squealing and
catching up, Edward paid for his things, which included a case of strawberry daiquiri wine coolers
for his party later that night. Sue winked at us as we walked out and I thought I saw a hint of
blush on Edward's face, but maybe I was imagining things.

Edward and I went to the local grocery store next to get all of the ingredients for the cookies,
where I ran into more people that recognized me. They had all seen me for my mother and
father's funeral, but only during the funeral. I didn't attend the small memorial that the sheriff's
office had for my dad and I didn't go to the viewing of their bodies the night before the funeral. I
didn't care to see anyone anyway.

Edward talked about the school and some of the new teachers that weren't there when I
attended. He seemed to really enjoy teaching and liked being around the kids, but his face
beamed when he talked about football. Edward didn't talk about his football career and I didn't
ask because I knew it had to still bother him that he wasn't able to play anymore.

I found myself laughing… really laughing, for the first time in such a long while. Edward was funny
and tried to make me laugh on several occasions. Once we were back at his house, I was back to
my shy self, feeling uncomfortable and out of place. That didn't go unnoticed by Edward.

"Bella… can we be friends?" Edward asked with a completely serious face.

I thought he was kidding because it sounded so juvenile. I let out a small giggle and nodded. "Yes…"

"I'm being serious," Edward sighed. "I mean it just makes sense because my family and friends are
your friends… so…"

"Yeah," I sighed.

And so we were friends. The dreaded status. I pushed away my feelings of crushing on him
because I honestly wanted to be his friend. He was a nice guy, and even though Alice and Rose
tried to cheer me up for the past few years, he was the first one to actually do that after just
knowing him for a day. I wondered how long our friendship would last once his girlfriend found out.

***! !***

Coach Masen

This girl was going to fucking kill me. All morning long I had to hide my painful erection that would
not go away as long as she was near me or in my thoughts, which was most of the fucking time.

"So, friend… we need to soak the raisins," Bella said sweetly as she pulled out the contents of the
grocery bag. I stood quietly, just watching her as she moved around my kitchen. I still couldn't
believe I had actually talked her into helping me with this. Making cookies was the only thing I
could think of on the spot. I didn't even think twice when I called her, only wanting to see her again.

I grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet and handed it to Bella. "Will this do?"

Bella shook her head and grinned. "No, not for that, but I could use it for the other stuff. You'll
need a medium sized saucepan."

I bent over, rustling through the bottom shelf for a saucepan that I had probably never used. I
really never cooked anything because I didn't have anyone to cook for. "This okay?" I asked,
holding up the unused pan.

"Yep… now you'll need to pour about six cups of rum," Bella said as she measured out the flour.
"Just start pouring and I'll tell you when to stop."

I grinned at her obvious skill in the kitchen. Bella had definitely been doing this for a while. I
began to pour the rum into the pan, watching her face as I poured.

"Right about… there!" Bella said.

I stopped and placed the bottle of rum on the counter as I poured the bag of raisins in the pan.
Bella explained what heat I needed the stove on to boil the raisins. Once that was done, I sat
back and watched her again. Her eyes were gorgeous as she spoke, beaming the entire time as
cooking was something she thoroughly enjoyed. We both had a spoon full of the cookie batter
once she had mixed everything together. I had removed the raisins from the heat so they could
cool. Everything was going so smoothly between us until Bella stumbled backwards in the small
space of my kitchen, her back leaning into my chest. And my still hard cock. I didn't know if she felt
it, but there really was no way around it.

Bella blushed as she moved away from me. "Sorry, Edward… I'm a huge klutz, so you better get
used to that," she laughed.

Maybe she didn't feel it. "That's okay, Bella," I said as I cleared my throat and let out a girlish
cough. Fuck. "I've got to go to the bathroom. Are you okay down here?"

"I'm fine," Bella said softly as she stirred in the raisins.

I slipped away, rushing up the stairs to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I stumbled
over a pair of shoes as I made my way to my bathroom. Once inside, I locked the door just in
case, as I unbuttoned my shorts and shoved them down along with my boxers. I had not been
this affected by a woman… ever. For the millionth time since the first night I fucking talked to
Bella on the phone, I grasped my cock in my hand to relieve the intense pressure that she
unknowingly caused. What the fuck was wrong with me? I couldn't even stay in the room with her
for a few minutes before jerking myself off again.

I didn't last long as I pictured Bella underneath me, over me, her mouth around me… flashes
passed through my head as I released. Would it always be this way?

I cleaned myself off and put my shorts back on before joining Bella in the kitchen. "Sorry about that…"

"It's fine. So… I put the cookies in the oven and they'll need to bake for fourteen minutes," Bella
said shyly. I tried to get her to open up to me all day, but every now and then she would retreat

back to her shy self.

"Thank you, Bella… I really appreciate this."

Bella grinned as she fiddled with the spoon, scraping the sides of the bowl. "That's what friends
are for, right?"

I nodded, smiling at Bella.

Once the first batch of cookies were done, we put in the second set. We stood side by side a few
minutes later, washing the dishes that we were finished with. Bella washed, I rinsed and dried.

I was the first one to speak up, breaking our comfortable silence. "What are you doing tonight?"
I wanted to invite her to dinner, considering we would be around her friends anyway, but I didn't
want to push the friendship boundaries.

"Oh… um… I'm going to a cookout and then hopefully I'll be able to unpack some things. I hate
moving and I've decided I'll never move again," Bella giggled.

I nudged her softly with my elbow. "I can help you if you'd like," I offered.

"You don't have to do that, Edward," Bella said softly. Fuck, I loved how her voice sounded as
she said my name. "I'm sure you have better things to do."

"Not really… so the offer stands if you want some help… or company."

Bella nodded, jumping slightly as the timer went off for the cookies. She hurried over to the oven,
leaning down to pull the tray out. Damn it. I was hard again as I stared at her firm ass displayed
before me.

Too soon, we were finished with the cookies and I had to take her home. Before we left, we had a
small glass of rum, clanking our glasses together as we drank to making new friends. Bella was
the type of woman I wanted in my life.

I reluctantly drove Bella home, offering once again to help her unpack later if she needed help.
She said she would call me if she did, but I knew Bella was too shy to actually call me. I decided I
would text her later that night. Isn't that what friends are for?

When I got back home I took a shower, relieving my painful hard on again. I dressed casually,
wearing shorts and a t-shirt for the cookout. It was so fucking hot and more than likely we would
be outside all night. Emmett called to make sure I was coming just as I was walking out the door.

I drove the few miles down to Esme and Carlisle's house, parking next to Alice and Jasper who had
just arrived.

"Hey, cousin!" Alice exclaimed as she walked over to me, enveloping me in a huge hug. "Thank you
for taking care of my Bell last night. Isn't she a doll?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. I pulled away from Alice and grabbed the cookies out of my truck. "I brought
dessert."

"Yummy… look at my cuz, baking away," Alice said, standing on her tiptoes, ruffling my hair with
her hand.

I spoke to Jasper briefly as we walked inside the house. Esme was in the kitchen, mixing
together some of the food while Carlisle, Emmett and Rose were outside. Esme hugged me
tightly, complaining that I don't come over enough. I laughed, wondering how much more she
wanted to see me. We had our family dinners every weekend, so we definitely spent time together.

I left Esme in the kitchen after she insisted she didn't need any help. As I approached the French
doors, opening up to the deck out back, I heard her voice. Bella. She was here. I didn't see her
car parked out front, though. I chuckled at myself, not even realizing we were going to be at the
same place.

I took a deep breath as I pushed on the handle to open the door. Carlisle turned around from the
grill and greeted me as I stepped outside. Bella was standing beside him and turned around
quickly when she heard Carlisle say my name.

"Edward?" Bella said. I felt a million times better as a big smile spread across her face.

I laughed, walking towards her, completely ignoring Carlisle. Bella was stunning. I didn't think it
was possible, but she looked even sexier than she did this morning. Her long legs were on full
display as she wore a pair of khaki shorts and a light green t-shirt. How was I going to last all night?

"Nothing to say to your old uncle? 'Hello?' 'How are you?'" Carlisle said as he patted me on the back.

I broke my intense gaze from Bella and turned to Carlisle. "Hello uncle… how are you?"

"Smart ass," Carlisle grumbled as he turned back towards the grill.

Before Bella and I could say anything, Emmett interrupted by throwing a football at me. For the
next hour we played football while the girls watched. Carlisle even joined in, all of us beating up
on one another.

Dinner was spent laughing and eating as usual, only now we had Bella with us. I didn't feel so
alone as I usually did when we all got together, since I had Bella to talk to. Esme winked at me so
many times that I was beginning to worry that something was wrong with her eye, much like my mothe

Bella and I didn't tell anyone that we spent most of the morning together. I think neither of us
wanted to explain that.

As the night went on, the guys and I ended up playing a game of poker while the girls cleaned up
in the kitchen, though Bella described it as gossip time. I told the guys what Lauren left on my
porch. They all made sure that I didn't touch the probably disgusting panties. Just as we were
talking about burning the underwear, Bella, Alice, and Rose walked outside holding a beer for
each of us.

"Esme and Carlisle went to bed," Bella said as she giggled quietly.

"Fucking old perverts," Emmett mumbled. He hated the idea that his parents were still having sex.
I think he must have thought they that had sex twice, when they got pregnant with him and
Alice, and that was it. I wanted a marriage like that when I grew old.

Rose sat down on Emmett's lap and chuckled. "Come on, baby… wanna go up to your old room?"

"And listen to my fucking parents going at it… no, thank you!" Emmett pouted, causing all of us to laug

Bella sat next to me as our friends coupled up, the girls sitting on both of the guys. Emmett

announced that he and Rose bought tickets for a concert later next month, inviting all of us. Bella
said that she would go if Seth was going to do something with Billy and Jake, which was where he
was all day today. The concert was in Portland, which meant we would be spending the night
away from home. I daydreamed about the possibilities…

Jasper and Alice were driving up north the next day to go camping for the fourth of July and
invited all of us to go. Emmett and Rose planned on going as well, and Bella and I said we would
both think about it. I hated to admit it, but I didn't want to go if she wasn't; what was the point?

After we talked and laughed late into the night, everyone cleaned up as we were getting ready
to leave. I grabbed the wine coolers I brought over and put them in the refrigerator. They were
Esme's favorite.

"Hey, mind if I take a couple of your girly drinks?" Bella giggled as she stood by the fridge.

"Hey, they weren't for me," I protested. "My aunt happens to love these…"

Bella laughed harder as she playfully hit my shoulder. "I know, Edward… I was just teasing."

I could think of better ways for her to tease.

Bella grabbed a couple of bottles and walked out of the kitchen, following Alice and Jasper out of
the house. "Good night, Edward," Bella called out.

I walked them out, following close behind with Emmett and Rose. "Good night… See you around," I
said to Bella. "You guys be careful."

Bella grinned at me as Jasper held the car door open for her. She was riding with them, which was
why I didn't see her car before. Alice hugged me goodbye before leaving. As soon as they pulled
away, I turned around to find Emmett smiling like an ass and Rose with her arms folded over her chest

"We're on to you," Emmett chuckled.

"What?" I asked, not knowing what they were talking about. Fuck… did they see what I was trying
to hide down below?

"What?" Rose repeated my question. "We're just wondering how you managed to bring a fresh
batch of Bella's famous cookies to dinner…?"

***! !***

Review please! :)

The next chapter will be posted on Tuesday 9/08. A teaser will be posted on Friday over at the
IC forum, so stop by and say hi. Also, you can follow me on Twitter where I post small teasers.
www(dot)twitter(dot)/greeneyedgirl00

*Thanks so much for reading and reviewing*

I have the best readers - you guys have been so patient even though I'm so late posting this. RL
has been a pain in the ass lately, but hopefully I will be able to start posting IC more often...
especially since FFY is done :( (sad). Anyway, thanks a million for all the reviews and everyone
that stopped over at the forum. Love ya!

Special thanks to Jessica1971 - awesome ass beta - she rocks! :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Miss Swan

"So… tell me Bella, how did Edward manage to bring your cookies that you always make?" Alice
questioned as soon as we got into Jasper's car. "And don't say it was just a coincidence!"

I knew this was coming as Rose and Alice were eyeing me the entire evening. Every time Edward
would look away or walk into another room, either Alice or Rose would raise an eyebrow and
smirk at me.

"I… uh…" I stammered, wondering how I would explain myself. "I gave him the recipe because he
called me… Edward said that he had a dinner to go to and he needed to take something. I figured
it was the easiest thing for him to make and it's the least I could do, after what he did for me last night.

"So you didn't help him?" Alice questioned as Jasper chuckled.

"N-no," I lied. It was easier to lie than face the truth and deal with Alice squealing because
Edward and I spent some alone time together.

"Bella, you are a horrible liar, but I'll leave it alone for now," Alice said as she rolled her eyes.

The rest of the way to my house was spent planning out the upcoming camping trip. Alice and
Jasper tried talking me into going with them, but as much as I loved my friends, I really didn't want
to do that. They were practically newlyweds still and I hated to be the third wheel. I also didn't
want to leave Seth alone for that long. I didn't know if he would go along with me or if he'd want to stay

Once Jasper and Alice dropped me off at my house, I settled into bed quickly, wishing the house
wasn't so empty and quiet. Seth was still out and I had no idea when he would be home. Just as
I was about to go to sleep, my cell phone buzzed with a new message. I flipped it open quickly,
immediately finding myself smiling hugely when I saw who it was.

Did you get the third degree about the cookies like I did?

-E

I laughed and typed out a message back to him.

Yes. I'll never hear the end of it.

Chapter: 6

-B

Just the thought of Edward made me smile. Not only was he a very attractive man, but he was a
nice guy as well. It still bothered me that he was dating Lauren, but hopefully he would see her
wicked ways eventually.

A few minutes later, rather than getting another text message, Edward called me. I answered
quickly, feeling giddy that he was calling me.

"Hey… I hope you're not asleep…" Edward said nervously.

"Yeah, well I do text in my sleep… so…." I teased, giggling like a moron.

"Haha, very funny Swan. Anyway, I had Rose and Emmett questioning me for a while… I told
them that you came over and helped me make the cookies," Edward said, which meant we were
caught. I lied and Edward basically told the truth. "I figured you'd be honest, too, so I didn't
want to make up some wild story about making your cookies."

I groaned and sat up in my bed. "Oh no… we're caught. I said that I gave you the recipe
because you needed something to take to dinner."

Edward chuckled and sighed. "Great…"

"I'll come up with something," I said with disappointment. My friends were going to embarrass the
hell out of me and though I knew they would eventually find out, I just wasn't ready for it.
Edward had a girlfriend, which meant he was unavailable to me. I honestly didn't think I could
ever be with him anyway, knowing that he was with the skank. Oh God, they had sex. I groaned,
not realizing I made the sound out loud until Edward cleared his throat.

"You okay, Bella?"

"Yeah… I uh… I'm just getting sleepy I guess."

"Oh, yeah… it's pretty late. I should let you go."

"Well… I hope you have a good night," I said awkwardly. Why was I letting Edward Masen get to
me like this? I could just picture him lying on his bed, probably in just his boxers, talking to me.
Shut up… "I hope you had fun tonight."

"Yes, Miss Swan, I definitely had fun," Edward replied with a small chuckle. Was he flirting? No.
Just my imagination or wishful thinking. "Sleep well."

"You, too." I clicked the end button on my phone quickly before I blabbed more nonsense into
the phone.

I called Seth before going to bed to make sure he had a key in case he came home during the
night. Honestly, I hated being in my parents empty, too dark house, alone at night. I locked up
before running upstairs to get into bed, feeling like such an idiot. I clutched my phone tightly as I
laid under the covers, hoping that I would fall asleep soon. Thankfully, I did; however, I was
plagued with dreams about a hot football player that was "off the market".

The next couple of days passed by quickly as I was busy unpacking and setting up everything in
my house. Alice and Rose didn't nag me about Edward anymore, probably because they could

sense my frustration with the situation. They called me several times, begging me to camp out
with them, but I just didn't feel right doing that. Edward was going to be there and what guy
wouldn't bring their girlfriend to go camping. Tent sex? Nasty lake sex? Yeah, I'm sure no guy
would pass up that opportunity.

On Tuesday I decided to work on my new classroom since the school was practically empty. Mrs.
Cope's car was in the parking lot when I arrived and I couldn't stop laughing because I
immediately recognized her car. Even when I was in high school she was driving that red Mazda
Miata, which did not fit her school teacher persona at all.

I walked into my old school, remembering everything that had happened in that building. My first
crush, first fight, first kiss… the list goes on. Yes, I said first fight. Lauren hated me and tripped
me as I was going down the hall one day, which caused me to go Carrie psycho on her. I jumped
up from the gray tile floor and slapped her face as hard as I could. The next thing I knew we were
rolling around on the floor. Not my best moment. Especially when my dad, the chief of police,
showed up. It wasn't a good day for me at all.

I stood in front of the huge mirror that was placed next to the double doors, wondering why I
allowed myself to leave the house the way I was dressed. It was my usual outfit – tank top,
shorts and flip flops. I prayed I didn't see anyone besides Mrs. Cope.

"Bella Swan!" Someone yelled from down the dim hallway. "Is that you!?"

I squinted my eyes, adjusting to the dimmed light. It was Mrs. Cope. She pretty much sprinted
down the hall with a huge grin on her face.

"Hi, Mrs. Cope," I said with a smile. I was her office aide during my senior year and during that
time we became fairly close. She had high hopes for me, but now I wondered if she thought I'd
really come back to teach at Forks High. Was I really living up to my potential?

"I knew that was you, honey!" Mrs. Cope squealed. "How have you been, sweetheart?"

"Good… just glad to be back home. I thought I would work on my classroom for a little bit this morning.

Mrs. Cope pulled me in for a tight huge, patting my back. "Well, I'm glad you're here! I have
some paperwork for you to fill out whenever you get the chance, and you know where the old
English room is… right?"

"How could I forget?"

After catching up with my new boss, I closed the door to my room and turned up the old radio
that was left in there. Forks had five radio stations with a bad selection. Oldies, Old Country,
Heavy Metal, Oldies again, and Mix… I definitely needed to bring my own equipment up to the school.

I cleaned for a bit, feeling disgusted by all the dried gum under the desks. Sick ass kids. I was
there for maybe an hour before I got tired of the oldies music and decided to go check out Coach
Masen's lab room. As soon as I stepped into the room, memories of my high school days came
back to me. For the first time I actually missed being young. I still had my parents and I didn't
have the worries I now had.

***! !***

Coach Masen

After trying extremely hard to avoid Bella, I gave up when I passed her car in the parking lot at
school. I had been cleaning up the weight room all morning, trying to think of anyone but Bella. I
got the feeling that she wasn't interested in me, which sucked because I really had this thing for
her. Women never got to me like that. Ever.

The principal was just walking out of the school when I was walking in. She informed me that 'Little
Bella Swan' was working on her room and she was glad that I showed up so 'Little Bella Swan'
wouldn't be alone. I laughed the entire way to Bella's classroom, which happened to be right
across the hall from mine.

I slowly opened Bella's door, only to find the classroom completely empty. I looked around the
room before closing the door and walking into my classroom. As I opened the door, I found Bella,
sitting at one of the lab tables with her arms crossed, resting her head.

"Bella?" I said softly, hoping I didn't scare her.

Bella gasped and bolted up. "Oh my gosh… I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't think anyone was here…
and I was just… uh… I'm sorry."

"Hey," I said, holding my arms up, "it's fine, Bella." I immediately noticed that her eyes were red,
along with her nose. Had she been crying? I swiftly walked over to the lab table she was sitting at
and stood on the opposite side, leaning forward. "What's wrong?"

Bella smiled slightly, shaking her head. "Nothing… just thinking about the past."

Bella sat up and leaned on her elbows, resting her chin on her hand. Though she was sad, I
couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. Bella's brown eyes shone with unshed tears as she
sniffled quietly.

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked, hoping she would open up to me.

"I just," Bella paused as she wiped a few tears from her eyes. "I miss my parents. This was my lab
table my senior year. We had to do this stupid experiment that involved blood, which does not go
over too well with me… I ended up passing out and the next thing I knew, my dad was rushing in
here, carrying me down the hallway and putting me into his cruiser." She let out a small laugh and
so did I. I couldn't imagine not having my parents around, even if my father drove me absolutely insan

"Okay, so I guess I can't ask for your help during those kind of lessons, huh?"

"No," Bella giggled. "My dad panicked so much that day, but I know he thought I was insane
because I freaked over a drop of blood. Mrs. Cope called him since the station was just down the
road… I swear he was here within seconds."

"He sounds like a great father, Bella," I said sincerely.

"He was," Bella sniffled and I could tell she was holding in so many emotions. I freaked out. I
didn't want to see her upset. I ran my hands through my hair, trying to think of anything that
might make her feel better.

"Hey, by the way… I ran into Mrs. Cope on my way in here." Bella looked up and smiled. "Yeah,
she was so happy that someone would be in here… because she didn't want 'Little Bella Swan'
alone in this big building."

Bella groaned, but laughed loudly. I joined her laughter, feeling like I could let out the breath I

was holding while she was upset.

We settled into a comfortable conversation, talking about old times and growing up. I grew up
completely different than she did, just because my school was enormously huge compared to
Forks High. I didn't know half the kids I went to school with, whereas Bella grew up with the same
kids. When she mentioned Lauren, I choked on the drink of water I was swallowing.

"Sorry, but I hate your girlfriend," Bella said, laughing as she covered her face. "She's a bitch."

"Wow," I laughed, "Bella Swan just said a curse word. I'm shocked."

Bella nodded and smiled at me. "Sorry, that just kind of slipped out. Hope I didn't offend you."

"Not in the least. Actually, we-" I was cut off by Bella's cell phone ringing. As Bella answered the
phone, I started to wonder… did she think I was still with Lauren? Is that the reason she was so
standoffish?

Bella was arguing with someone on the phone, so I stepped away, erasing the drawings on the
dry erase board my students so "sweetly" left for me on the last day of school. I hoped that Bella
would stick around longer. While cleaning up, I glanced over towards her direction. She was
leaning over the lab table causing the back of her shirt to reveal a small amount of skin. I felt
myself getting hard already, just looking at her ass in those damn shorts. Did she like torturing
men with those fucking shorts? Before I was able to complete my daydream of bending her
further over that table, Bella waved her hand in front of me.

"Edward?" Bella giggled as her small hand flashed in front of me again. "Are you in there?"

I chuckled, shrugging my shoulders. "Sorry… I zoned out for a minute."

"I can see that," Bella said, still giggling. Her face blushed slightly as she moved past me. "I'm
going home."

I turned quickly. "Hey, wait up…" I moved closer to Bella, catching a whiff of her distinct scent.
"Are you going out to Baker Lake for the fourth?"

Rose and Alice had nagged me for the past couple of days to take Bella out there, but I didn't
know if she would want to go out there with me; however, at this point, I was desperate. I was
definitely going to make an ass out of myself around this girl.

"I-I… um… I don't really want to drive out there alone. Seth is going out there with Jake and a
couple of girls, but they aren't leaving until tomorrow morning."

And that right there… that was my chance.

"I could take you… I'm going out there tonight," I said quickly, forgetting to fucking breathe again.

Bella's face turned a deeper shade of red. "Well, I don't want to put you out or anything,
Edward… and I'm sure that Lauren is going… wedon'texactlygetalong."

I shook my head and laughed quietly. "I'm not with her anymore. I broke up with her a few weeks ago

Bella looked down at her feet, looking so shy. I wanted to fucking kiss her so badly.

"Oh," Bella sighed after a few seconds of silence. She looked up at me and grinned. "In that case…

I'll go in on gas?"

***

Later that day, the sun was just starting to set as I went to Bella's house to pick her up. I had my
things packed, but somehow forgot my tent, remembering it just as I pulled into Bella's
driveway. We would have to swing back by my house before leaving town.

Bella must have heard my truck pull up because she was practically running out of the house
before I could even call to tell her I was there. She threw her things in the back of the truck and
hopped into the front seat with a big smile on her face.

"Hi," Bella said breathlessly.

"Hey… are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's get out of- Oh shit…" Bella groaned as Jake, some freaking huge kid, and two girls
walked out of her house. "Fucking Jake…"

"Um… Jake was at your house?" I asked, fully remembering Jake's teenage obsession with Bella.

Bella leaned her head against the seat as the kids neared her side of the truck. "He's my brother's
friend – they grew up together."

The big kid, which I assumed was Bella's brother, knocked on her window. Bella rolled the window
down and stuck her head out. "What?"

"You were just going to leave without saying bye to us?" the big kid teased.

Bella hit his shoulder playfully. "Shut up… bye… Is that good enough?"

"Hi," the kid leaned in the truck, sticking his hand out towards me. "I'm Seth… and you are?"

"That's our fucking football coach dude," Jake yelled from the porch as he practically groped the
girl standing next to him.

I shook his hand and nodded. "Edward Masen… it's nice to meet you, Seth."

Seth's mouth hung open slightly as he continued to shake my hand. "Well, holy shit… Edward
fucking Masen-"

Bella hit his arm, causing him to lose his grip on my hand. "Quit cussing, damn it!"

I laughed at their small banter. I loved seeing the playful… no… feisty side of Bella.

"Sorry about that," Seth said. "I was a big fan of yours and fuc-… I mean, Em promised to take
me to a game of yours or something when you played… but… anyway, you're going to be my
fucking coach?" Bella hit him again. "Sorry about that…"

I laughed loudly because he was a funny kid. "No problem…"

We eventually left Bella's house after Seth made arrangements to come pick out some of my old
Patriots memorabilia I had packed away. I drove back to my house to pick up the tent, and when
we pulled up to the garage, Bella caught a glance of my motorcycle. Her eyes lit up with

excitement and if it hadn't been rainy, I would have taken her on it to the campgrounds. The
thought of her so close to me, sitting between her legs… Fuck.

Bella and I made small talk on the way to Baker Lake. She talked about growing up with Alice and
Emmett, and neither of us could believe that we had never met before. I would visit my family in
Forks during the summer and for some holidays, but we guessed that Bella was more than likely
out of town or something, every time.

When we arrived at the campsite, all of the lights were out. Everyone pretty much settled in for
the night at a rather early bedtime. I drove down the gravel road until I found Jasper and
Emmett's vehicles. I helped Bella out of the truck and insisted on carrying her things. Yes, I was
trying to fucking impress her. So?

Bella held the flashlight as we walked on the small path that was supposed to lead us to our
friends' tents. We didn't need the flashlight or trail because I immediately recognized moaning as
we got closer. Bella smacked her hand to her forehead and groaned.

"They're fucking."

I couldn't hold back my laughter. I stopped, doubling over, trying to hold on to our things. Bella
giggled along with me. Once I regained my breath, I stood up and looked at Bella.

"Wanna camp further down that way," I said, pointing to a different trail so that we would be
away from our horny friends. Bella looked hesitant. "My tent is a double cabin… so…"

Bella had planned on sleeping in Alice and Jasper's tent, but considering we didn't know which
couple was getting it on, that plan seemed to go to shit quickly.

"Okay," Bella said shyly.

I led her down another path, which happened to be close to a small stream of water. We put the
tent up together, working so well with each other. Bella made it so easy to be myself around
her. Once we had everything set up, I waited outside while Bella changed inside the tent. I
prayed she was changing into pants or something because being outside… camping… and the
thought of her in those tight fucking shorts… led my mind to making her scream my name.

And I was fucking hard again.

I was already in some gray workout pants, so I pulled my shirt off and stuffed it into my bag. I
grabbed a beer out of the ice chest and took a swig just as Bella stepped out of the tent. Fuck me.
Bella had on some pajama pants that hung low on her hips and a tight little tank top that showed
off her perfect breasts. She stared at me as I stared at her. Was she checking me out?

I cleared my throat and reached down, grabbing a beer for her. "Want one?"

"Thanks," Bella said with a sweet smile.

Bella sent a text to the fucking horndogs, as she referred to them, telling them that she was
coming in the morning. I took that as a good sign because she obviously didn't want them to insist
on us joining them. Hopefully she wanted to spend some time alone with me.

After we finished our beers, we both yawned. Bella went to her side of the tent and I went to
mine. There was a divider up, so I couldn't see her except for a slight shadow. I pulled the zipper
of my sleeping bag down and crawled in. As soon as I laid my head back, I only pictured one

person. Bella.

Sometime during the night, I woke up to a wet sensation on my cock. I looked down and found
Bella, her hot fucking mouth wrapped around me. Every time her tongue circled around the head,
I groaned. My hands immediately went to her hair, not forcing her down, but setting the pace. Her
small hand wrapped around the base, working in rhythm with her mouth.

"Fuck," I groaned as I felt myself nearing my release. I wanted this to last, but it was ending way
too soon.

Bella moaned, sending tingly vibrations over my cock. She stopped moving but continued to suck
harder than I had ever felt as I moaned her name, coming deep inside her mouth. I held her head
in place, running my fingers through her silky hair.

"Edward?" I heard Bella say. I sat up quickly, inches away from Bella's face. My hand was
wrapped around my still fucking hard on, needing a release so badly. It was a damn dream. I
wanted to pull my hair out. That was the best fucking dream I had ever had… if only it was real.

"Yeah," I answered, whispering.

"I'm sorry to wake you… but I kind of… gah, I am such a pussy… but I got scared."

I adjusted myself, pulling the sleeping bag over my waist. "Did you hear something?"

"No, I just felt… alone… and we're in the middle of nowhere. It's kind of spooky," Bella explained
shyly. "Can I sleep over here with you? I- oh… forget it. This is so embarrassing."

"Bella, wait! Sure you can sleep over here," I said excitedly, patting the spot beside me.

Bella grinned and placed her sleeping bag a foot away from mine. We both lay on our sides,
facing each other, not saying anything. I had to focus on keeping my hands to myself. After a
few minutes, I thought Bella had gone to sleep, but she asked me something in a whisper that left
me in shock and not knowing how to respond.

"So… you said my name earlier… were you… dreaming or something?"

***! !***

Like it? Review please! Please?!

The BJ dream is for the Twitter girls. Love ya'll (Texan slang but whatever)!

FicRecs:

Maybe I'm Amazed by AliceDances01 (Read it! You'll love the last chapter that posted!)

Anything But Conventional by kyla713 (I'm sure you're all reading this one, but if not.. then you're
definitely missing out)

You Belong with Me by kuntrygal (Based off of one of my favorite songs - I love it!)

And last but not least... The Resolution by coldplaywhore (I have recommended this one before,
but oh my gosh I literally squeal every time she updates, which is fairly often. It's like I'm reliving

my high school days. Frickin' awesome fic.)

Thanks again for being understanding about the delay. The next chapter will post on Monday and
the teaser will be posted on the forum on Saturday.

Happy Thursday and thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

As usual.. I love my beta to death - Jessica1971 - she helps me so much and is a great friend.
Thanks to everyone over at the forum... my twitter girls who supplied me with porn last night
that almost delayed this chapter... and to my freaking awesome readers who leave the best reviews.

And I forgot to mention on here last time, but HUGE thanks to The Fictionators blog for
recommending my story. I seriously squealed when I got the message - so thanks! :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I knew I probably sounded like an idiot, asking Edward if I could sleep closer to him, but I really
was scared. To be honest, I had always hated being in the dark. The only light I had out there
was my cell, and I probably would have kept pushing the button to keep it lit up, but I didn't want
my battery to die. I heard Edward say 'Fuck' and then he said my name. At first I thought he was
trying to scare me or something, but then I wondered if he was dreaming about me.

Yeah, right… keep dreaming Swan.

And then I had to open my big ass mouth, asking him why he said my name. Why didn't I just leave
it alone? Edward stared at me, and even in the darkness I could tell his face kind of flushed a bit.

"Well… uh…" Edward stammered. He sat up and ran his hands through his hair, which was
something I noticed him doing when he got anxious or nervous. "I think I was having a dream
about… something was chasing us out in the woods."

What a way to scare the fucking pussy girl that couldn't sleep alone in the woods. "Really?" I said
dumbly as Edward nodded. "I hate camping out like this… because of reasons like that."

"Bella, it was just a stupid dream… I think I probably drank too much or something," Edward explained

But I didn't think he had that many beers. "Okay."

"Em said you loved camping out…?"

"Yeah, in my back yard or theirs… Alice and I grew up doing things like that. And if we did go
camping I was clinging to Em the entire time," I chuckled.

Edward laughed and laid back down, facing me. I guess all hopes that he was actually 'dreaming'
about me were tarnished with a fucking nightmare. Great.

"I promise I won't let any crazies, bears, or snakes get you, Bella," Edward said. I could have come
right at that second, just listening to the sound of his voice. It was different from any another
man's voice. Husky. Sexy. Smooth. And deep.

Chapter: 7

"Snakes?" I gasped, eliciting another laugh from Edward.

Edward smiled with his eyes closed. "Good night, Ms. Swan."

"Night, Coach Masen," I said with a sigh.

***

I woke up the next morning, with the weight of something draped across my side. Sometime
during the night I had shifted my body, facing away from Edward. I looked down, immediately
recognizing the hand that was close to my thigh. It was Edward's, of course. Oh my God. And then
I felt him pressed up against my back. I carefully moved my head to look around at my
surroundings and groaned when I realized I had moved to my current spot. My sleeping bag was
off to the side, my pillow in the same spot where I had fallen asleep. And for my third heart
attack that morning, I realized that my head was resting on Edward's arm.

Fuck. He must think I'm crazy.

I slowly moved my body, praying I didn't wake him up. Just as I was almost free from his arm that
was resting over me, his arm moved, gripping me to him.

"Ms. Swan… I am still sleeping and sleeping quite well, so could you please not move for at least
ten more minutes."

Completely mortified, my face heated as I wished I could just crawl into a hole. Not just any hole.
The bottomless pit or something where I would never have to face him again.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled against his arm, trying to bury my face.

Edward was still laughing quietly as I suffered from an insane amount of embarrassment. "Hey, it's
fine, Bella… actually I think I'll pay you to come sleep with me every night. That was the best sleep
I've had in a while."

"You'll pay me to sleep with you?" I asked, acting as though I was offended.

"Fuck…" Edward sighed. "That didn't come out too well…"

I giggled at Edward's awkwardness as I sat up quickly. The only problem now… Edward's hand
that was on my side had slipped down to my upper thigh, which left his fingers so fucking close to
where I dreamed of having them. Edward jerked his hand away quickly and I let out one of those
weird, choking coughs.

"I… uh… I'm going to walk down to the bathrooms." I scrambled my way out of the tent,
grabbing my bag on my way out. On my way down the trail, I heard giggling coming from the
direction where my friend's were camping. Hopefully they weren't getting an early start on things
just yet.

I didn't know if Alice and Rose would give me a hard time about sleeping in the same tent as
Edward. I was supposed to shack up with one of them when I got there, but considering one of
them was obviously busy, that plan kind of went away. I kept walking to the bathrooms, hoping I
would come up with some wild story to prevent telling them where I slept for the night.

I was in one of the bathroom stalls when I heard Rose and Alice's voice nearing the building. Rose

was laughing about Emmett's girlish moans from last night, which almost caused me to laugh out
loud. I covered my mouth to hold it in. I thought I was safe until one of them got in the stall next
to me – it was Rose. She was going on and on to Alice about something, but stopped talking suddenly

"Isabella fucking Swan… I recognize your damn long toes!" Rose yelled.

"Bella?" Alice squealed.

Of course they would recognize my toes that they loved to tease me about. The second toe was
slightly longer than my big toe, which I never heard the end of, and also, Alice had painted my
toes a few days before. It was an insanely bright pink color that I usually wouldn't wear, but Alice
insisted.

"Yes…" I groaned. I changed my clothes quickly before exiting the bathroom stall. Once I opened
the door, both Alice and Rose were standing across from me with their arms crossed and evil
smirks on their faces.

"When did you get here, young lady?" Rose asked, tapping her foot on the floor.

I looked up at the ceiling, rolling my eyes. "Right about when Emmett, I'm assuming, screamed
'Yessssssss' or something along those lines."

The three of us erupted in laughter. I explained that Edward drove me out there so I didn't have
to drive out by myself and I slept in his tent. As soon as their little questioning eyebrows started
to raise, I immediately told them I wasn't ready to be in a relationship so I would really appreciate
it if they didn't try to 'hook us up'. They both understood and didn't push the idea any further,
which I was very relieved about.

Once we were finished with our morning rituals, we walked back to the campsite. Edward was
talking with Emmett and Jasper about some hiking trail he wanted to try out. I loved hiking, so I
hoped that the guys would let us tag along.

"I don't want to go hiking," Alice complained right away.

Edward turned around and smiled. He was looking right at me, but shifted his gaze over to Alice.
"Nice to see you, too, cousin."

"You men can go hiking, but us girls are staying here," Alice said, looking at Jasper. Alice walked
over to Edward and hugged him. "Nice to see you, cousin… and thanks for taking care of Bell again."

Rose wrapped her arm around my shoulder and laughed. "Yeah, we're staying here… might go
into town to shop or something."

The guys nodded, but I decided to speak up. "I kind of… want to go hiking. Can I go with you guys?"

Alice knew I loved that sort of thing, so I knew it wouldn't surprise her. I didn't mind shopping, but
it wasn't like my absolute favorite thing to do.

Emmett clapped his hands together and walked over to me, picking me up and squeezing me in a
tight hug. "My little Bell is back!"

After we ate breakfast that the guys cooked, I changed into my tennis shoes and Jasper
sprayed me down with some outdoor spray. Rose and Alice made sure that I had my cell in case I
got separated from the guys, which wasn't likely considering the guys were so over protective…

even Edward. I called Seth and made sure he was coming out to the lake. He was already on his
way, so the girls were going to keep an eye out for him.

The hiking trail that we went on wasn't too strenuous; it was more of a scenic hike anyway. I
luckily brought my camera with me and took several pictures. There was a long bridge that we
crossed and at first I didn't think Jasper would make it across, as he had a hard time with
heights. Emmett shaking the bridge didn't help, though. I even started to get a little scared, but
Edward reached out and grabbed my hand. I gripped it very tightly and thanked him.

Jasper and Emmett got ahead of me and Edward as I was stopping to take pictures. Edward
waited for me. We were deep in conversation about outdoorsy stuff. He probably would cringe if
he heard me say outdoorsy stuff. Somehow our conversation shifted to both of us being sickened
with our latest relationships and how we both wanted to take some time off from dating. I was
glad that we were having this talk because I wanted to be friends with him… without the worry of
being involved. Though I would be lying if I didn't think about being with him. Honestly, who wouldn't?

"So… you're going to that concert, right? The one that Emmett bought the tickets for?" Edward
asked as he helped me step up on a huge boulder.

"Yeah… it should be fun, but I'll have to make sure Seth can stay with Billy or something."

Edward nodded and smiled softly. "You know, I think it's just… really great of you… to take care
of your brother the way you do. You seem like a really strong person."

If he only knew. "I'm not strong," I said quietly.

Edward stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards me. "Yes you are, Bella. I couldn't have
done what you did…"

I didn't want him to make me feel better about the situation or get sympathy, even though I
knew he was being genuine. Nobody knew how many nights I would go out to my car to get some
alone time and just scream out of frustration. I constantly questioned why all of this happened to me.

"Thanks," I said with a smile. "Anyway… are you going?"

"Yeah, and I was wondering… I'm going to take my motorcycle. Wanna ride with me?"

Fuck. My mind was so dirty.

***! !***

Coach Masen

As soon as the words left my mouth, I couldn't help but think dirty thoughts. I was such a horny
asshole around her and I really wished I could push aside those things that got my dick hard
constantly because I sincerely liked Bella. She had opened up to me slightly about raising her
brother, though I knew she could have said more. I knew one day she would talk about it more
with me. Bella needed someone to talk to. And here I was… saying things that made me picture
us in compromising positions.

"Um… sure. I'd love to, if it wouldn't be too much trouble," Bella replied after a few seconds of silence.

"Great!" I said, probably a little too excitedly. "I guess we'll work out the details when it gets
closer… but I'm staying overnight. Is that okay? Or were you planning to?"

"Yeah," Bella nodded, "it's a pretty long drive to come back that late at night."

Bella and I continued talking as we caught up to Jasper and Emmett. We started to head back to
the campsite as we were all starting to get hungry. I didn't realize we had been out for so long,
but by the time we got back it was after lunch. Alice and Rose had picked up some sandwiches
from town and Bella's brother, along with his friends, had arrived while we were gone.

Jake and Seth both had their girlfriends with them, but that didn't stop Jake's shameless flirting
with Bella. I would have been jealous if he wasn't a kid. He still annoyed me, though.

That evening, everyone piled in the back of my truck to go into town for a parade that the girls
wanted to see. Bella sat in the cab with me. She complained about the girl that was with her
brother, thinking the girl looked very "experienced". Bella kept an eye on her brother throughout
the parade, but sat next to me, which made me very happy.

After the parade was over, we all went back to the campsite and cooked steaks and baked
potatoes before the fireworks started. Bella and I moved my tent closer to our group of friends,
hoping we wouldn't get a "show" again. During the fireworks show, Bella sat a few chairs down
from me and I really wanted to move closer to her, but I knew that would be too forward. Our
friends would probably make a big deal out of it. Bella was busy keeping an eye on Seth and
Jake. She felt like it was her responsibility to look after Jake since Billy did the same for her with Seth.

Once the show was over, everyone decided to go for a swim in the lake. And I might as well have
just gone back into the tent and jerked myself off already because Bella yanked her shirt off,
revealing a red, white, and blue bikini top that I couldn't tear my eyes away from.

"Gotta be patriotic," Bella laughed as she slipped out of her shorts.

I stared at her as she walked over to the lake to join everyone else. How in the hell was I just
going to be friends with this woman?

"You coming in, Coach?" Bella asked with her hands on her hips.

I nodded, but waited until she had turned around facing the water. Everyone had swam out into
the middle of the lake which thankfully took their eyes off of me. It wouldn't be too good for Seth
and Jake to see their coach with a fucking hard on that would not go away because of Ms. Swan.

I made my way over to everyone, positioning myself in the gap between Bella and Jake. He may
be a teenager, but I didn't want him spoiling my fun with being around Bella. The couples were in
their own conversations, some separating from the group. Bella and I stayed close to each other,
our shoulders bumping every now and then as we made small talk. Bella was a fan of scary
movies, even though they caused her to have nightmares, which made me laugh a lot. Since I
had a huge collection of movies, we made a deal to watch my top twenty scariest movies of all
time during the summer. I knew it would be hard to be around her… alone… but I could restrain
myself. I think, anyway.

Some people were still popping fireworks which made a really awesome display close to the lake.
Bella's eyes lit up every time she saw a pretty one. I had the urge to reach over and kiss her, but
more than likely she'd end up slapping me or something. Damn, she was so beautiful.

"Oh my god!" Bella shrieked, clinging to me suddenly. "Something just touched my leg!"

I couldn't hold back my laughter as she held onto my arm. "We are in a lake, Bella."

"But that's so nasty!" Bella said loudly. "I wanna get out."

I chuckled and grabbed her arm. "Here get on my back."

Bella didn't hesitate, quickly moving around to my backside, locking her legs around my waist. Her
delectable breasts smashed against my back, along with her pussy that I so badly wanted to
touch. And holy shit… I think her small foot just brushed up against my hard on. Hopefully she
didn't realize that's what she was touching.

Bella loosened her grip on me as we neared the shoreline, but not before squeezing my shoulders
tightly and whispering "thank you" in my ear. I had never wanted another woman as much as I
wanted her.

I ran over to the tent and grabbed two towels, hurrying back over to Bella who was now
shivering. I draped the towel over her and rubbed her arms, trying to warm her up. For a summer
night it was slightly chilly and considering her tight, tiny ass bikini was barely covering up
everything, she was practically naked. I dried off as we walked over to the campsite and sat next
to the small campfire.

"Thanks," Bella said, smiling at me as we sat on a big log surrounding the small fire. I threw a few
small sticks in the fire to keep it going. She still just had the towel wrapped around her, which was
killing me.

"You're welcome, Bella."

Bella turned her face toward mine and I stared into her deep brown eyes, wishing more than
anything I could kiss her. I almost thought she was going to lean towards me, until our dumbass
friends came running over to the campsite for towels. Bella jerked her body back and stared at the
fire in front of us.

"I'm gonna go change…" Bella said quietly. I watched her walk away, unable to take my eyes off
of her. This didn't go unnoticed by someone.

"Coach…?" Jake said, clearing his throat.

I turned to Jake who looked like he was fuming. "Yes, Jake?"

"Nothing… just wondering what you were looking at," Jake replied. Little ass.

"Just making sure Bella made it back to the tent. She said she was afraid of the dark," I
explained, hoping he would just leave it alone. This was adult business… not teenager business.

Jake nodded. "Yeah, but I'll look after her."

He was a determined little ass. I chuckled as the others walked up and started talking about ghost
stories. There was a specific ghost story that supposedly took place at Baker Lake and Emmett
wanted me to tell it to the girls. Carlisle had brought us up here one summer when we were kids
and scared the shit out of us with that story.

Once we all changed into dry clothes, we gathered around the campfire to try and scare the crap
out of the girls. Bella picked the open spot next to me, even though she could sit next to one of
the girls. I was rather happy about that.

"Okay… so Edward wants to tell you guys about this ghost that hangs out by the dam," Emmett
began, chuckling the entire time as Rose dug her nails into his arm.

Bella leaned over just as I was about to begin, scooting close enough that our shoulders were touchin

"Alright, well… this is all information that we got from Carlisle… but back in the early nineteen
hundreds this girl and her boyfriend drove out here… wanting some 'alone time'." I said with
quotations, considering there were kids present. Meaning Jake. "Anyway, the boyfriend heard
something outside their car… he got out, but disappeared, so the girlfriend freaked out and got
out of the car to look for him. Well, the only thing they found left of her was her head. It turns
out there was some psychotic killer on the loose, looking for anyone he could kill. He decapitated
his victims. So… years later when a family was out camping, a dad and his son were out exploring
the lake and got off of the trail slightly, ending up at the dam. It was getting kind of dark, but in
the distance, standing on the dam, was a ghost… with no head. It was a girl because she had a
dress on."

All of the girls gasped as the guys laughed. Bella actually moved closer to me and shivered. I
wanted to put my arm around her, but I didn't know if that would be too forward.

"And the messed up part… the girl was facing away from the man and his son, but she must
have sensed their presence because she shifted her body to face towards them, as if she would
be looking at them even though she didn't have a head."

"Thanks a lot, Edward… now I'm not going to be able to sleep!" Alice whined as she moved to sit
in Jasper's lap.

The kids all stood up and said they were going to walk down to the dam, Bella protested but since
they wouldn't listen to her, Emmett stepped in. He told them they absolutely could not leave
because it was too dangerous to go down there since it was so dark. Seth eventually agreed, but
Jake kept trying to go. I could tell that Jake might be trouble for Seth and Bella.

Emmett and Jasper took turns telling ghost stories until the girls were scared to death. Seth and
Jake were too busy making out with their girlfriends to notice. Once it was time for bed, Bella and
I walked to my tent. I unzipped the entryway, allowing Bella to enter first with me following close behin

"Wow, I'm going to have the worst dreams now…" Bella whispered, laughing quietly.

"Me too," I said jokingly. "Hopefully Emmett and Rose will keep us entertained."

Bella put her hands over her ears and grinned. "God, no… I'd rather have nightmares than listen
to them get it on."

We settled into our sleeping bags, but I felt like Bella was too far away. I loved sleeping with her
the night before and almost came in my fucking boxers when she rolled over to get closer to me,
brushing up against my hard on. Yes, I was still hard. I'm telling the truth when I say that I am
constantly hard when I'm around the woman.

Bella groaned when we heard moaning noises nearby. "That's my fucking horny ass brother…
shit, I hope he has a damn condom. Why does he have to do this shit with his sister around?
Little perv…"

I sat up and grabbed my bag, pulling out a box of condoms. Bella looked at me with questioning
eyes when she saw what I was holding. "I'm a man, Bella… always prepared…."

Bella giggled, nodding her head. Her face blushed a bit, which made her even more beautiful. I
got up and unzipped the door to head over to Seth and Jake's tent. It was a double cabin tent like
mine, so I unzipped one side, not bothering to see who it was and threw a few condoms and did
the same on the other side.

"Just in case," I said before walking away.

Bella had the shyest look on her face as I got back into the tent. When I laid down next to her,
she was burying her face into her pillow. I immediately noticed that while I was gone she had
moved her sleeping bag over to where it was touching mine. Fuck, yes.

"?" Bella mumbled into the pillow.

I rubbed her back, not realizing what I was doing until I was actually doing it. If that makes any
sense… But regardless, I just wanted her to feel better and quit worrying about her brother.

"I didn't even look in there… so I don't know who it was, but either way… they're both covered,"
I answered. "He's a teenage boy, Bella…"

Bella lifted her head up and looked at me. "Yeah a very, very horny teenager."

"Bella, I think that's the norm for his age…"

I changed the subject soon after, talking about the scary movies I was going to make her
watch. Who would have thought that I would be giddy to watch scary movies with a girl… when
I'm almost thirty years old?" Bella eventually drifted off to sleep, snuggling close to me, but
keeping her hands to herself. I loved the fact that we could be close like this as friends. I wanted
more, of course, but if I could have her like this for a while, I was content.

As I watched Bella sleep, I couldn't help but picture in my mind her riding me, putting my condoms
to good use. Though with her, I would hate to use condoms. Hopefully she would be on birth
control because I would so fucking love to come inside her, feeling every bit of her tightness
wrapped around me. The term blue balls didn't even come close to describing me by this point.
Last night my sleep talking, jerking off dream was interrupted, and now there was no way I could
relieve myself with Bella right next to me. My cock was going to fall off.

I finally fell asleep a little while after Bella, dreaming of the things that I thought of before I went
to sleep. I loved my fucking dreams.

***! !***

Miss Swan

I woke up sometime during the night, feeling something hard pressed against my ass. Edward's
arm was draped over me, pretty much the same as the morning beore, and to be honest, I loved
it. However, I had a good feeling that I knew what was pressed against me. I blushed… all over.
But that was normal for guys to be hard in the early morning hours… right?

I thought that might be normal until I heard my name come from his sexy ass mouth again.
"Bella…." He whispered in a moan.

Oh my gosh.

Like it? Review please?! :) Thanks! Oh, and what are some really, really scary movies that I can
use for the next chapter? I know of plenty, but I would like to hear your requests - so let me
know in your review. Movie nights should be fun with Hardward... LOL.

The next chapter will be posted on Friday and the teaser will be posted on Tuesday over at the
forum on Twilighted. Stop by and say hi, or you can follow me on Twitter:
www(dot)twitter(dot)com/greeneyedgirl00.

FicRecs:

I Hate You, Kiss Me by

Embodiment by Cullen312

Make Me Believe by bellasunderstudy1

3, 2, 1 by heather dawn

If anyone is reading a really awesome story that is just starting out or one that is just freaking
awesome that you know of, please let me know. I'm always looking for new ones to read.
Thanks, the FanFicaholic...

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews. I love reading them and can't thank you enough
for your comments. To answer one question that I've gotten a few times... when the prologue
happens (which isn't too far away now....), the story will not end. That's actually a huge turning
point in the story, so I wouldn't end it there. Much more to come in this story. :)

HUGE thanks to Jessica1971, my beta. She is great and helps me with this story so much! And
thanks to all the girls over at the forum and on Twitter - you all give me such great support (and
Twitterporn....) and I consider you all great friends- Love ya! :)

One more thing... want to enter in an Erotic Esme contest? I do and I am in the process of writing
a one-shot right now just because coldplaywhore asked me to... and I would do anything she
asks me to do because she is the TPQ (twitter porn queen). This is being held by coldplaywhore and
kikikinz. Here is some info: Submissions for kikiwhore's Esme Erotic Ecstasy Contest held between
September 15th and October 31st. Bring on the Esme, Bring on the Fun! Check out the community
http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/kikiwhores_Esmes_Erotic_Ecstasy_Contest/74117/3/0/1/
.. so check it out! :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I got up before Edward, pretty much right after I felt his freaking mammoth arousal pressed
against me. I didn't want another awkward moment between us and honestly I had no idea why
he would be dreaming about me that way anyway. I knew I wasn't ugly, but I wasn't the type of
girl for a former all star football player to lust over.

Did I mention mammoth arousal? Holy crap, that thing was freaking huge. Damn it, why did he
have to be so perfect?

We drove back to Forks later that day, leaving a little earlier than everyone else. Edward and I
had plans to look at his movie collection and pick out scary movies to watch for the next two
weeks. The idea sounded so crazy for two adults to plan out watching scary movies together, but
I was so freaking giddy over it. I wanted to get to know Edward better because he was a really
nice guy. A nice, horny guy I might add.

Edward took me over to his house before taking me home and we sorted through his movies,
determining that we only found fourteen extremely scary movies. Since we both weren't tired,
we drove to Port Angeles, where we each picked three more. Of course he laughed at my
choices, saying they weren't scary at all, but I thought they were.

And so… the scary movie marathon began that night. We watched the first one at my house. It
was Edward's choice first, as he won the coin toss. Edward picked 'It' and I was terrified to watch

Chapter: 8

that movie anyway, because I hate fucking clowns.

Seth called to let me know that he was on his way home and I told him that Edward was over to
watch a movie. My brother, being the little jackass that he is, insinuated that there was
something going on between me and Edward, but I denied it all the way. If only my stupid face
would stop blushing when someone mentioned Edward's name….

"So, Bella… what kind of pizza do you like?" Edward asked, looking over the coupons in the phone
book. "I bet you're one of those girls that only like the veggie pizza… or cheese, huh?"

I playfully hit Edward's arm as I walked by with a couple of drinks for us. "Haha… um, no I don't
like the veggie pizza… I hate onions, olives and mushrooms… I actually like the meat lovers."

"Perfect… but you hate onions?" Edward asked with a shocked look on his face. I nodded and
laughed at his facial expression. "You do know they add the best flavoring to any meal, and oh
my God Bella… I am so going to make you eat an-"

"Oh, no you're not! They are disgusting… actually I think I'm allergic," I explained, lying through
my teeth. I used that excuse with everyone because I hated the damn things. And they did
make me want to puke, so technically they did make me sick. I sat on the opposite end of the
couch that Edward was sitting on.

Edward stood up, walked over to me slowly and leaned over me with his hands propped up on the
back of the couch, staring into my eyes. "Tell me the truth Ms. Swan."

And I melted.

"Umm… I…" I let out a long sigh, feeling so overwhelmed because Edward was so close to me and
looking so damn sexy. "Okay… I'm not allergic, but they do make me sick to my stomach… so…"

Edward laughed and ruffled my hair with his large hand. "That's what I thought."

We eventually ordered the pizza and talked about life in Forks. Edward missed the big city and I
honestly couldn't complain about living in Forks again. I hated living in a big city and felt so lost.
Edward's eyes lit up when he talked about growing up in Chicago. He even mentioned if we ever
went to Chicago he wanted to show me around town. I didn't know when an experience like that
would ever come up, but I would be more than willing to have Edward show me around.

I just met this guy a week ago and already consider him a friend. A pretty good friend that was so
freaking well endowed… How crazy is that?

Seth got home just as the pizza arrived. He talked to me and Edward for a few minutes before
piling his plate full of pizza and going up to his room. During his short exchange with us, Edward
made plans with Seth to go out to the football field the next day to practice Seth's throw. I was
thrilled that Edward was going to be a great role model for Seth. He was exactly what Seth needed.

Edward insisted on turning off every single light downstairs. The house was silent as we waited
for the movie to play, except for the small amount of noise from Seth's television in his room.
Edward loved it. He was definitely trying to make it creepy.

I sat at one end of the couch and Edward was at the other. I grabbed a throw and pulled it over
me, clutching it tightly as Edward chuckled.

"I thought you liked scary movies?" Edward asked as I was already covering my eyes, just from

hearing the creepy ass music.

"I do… I just… this music is really scary," I complained.

Edward yanked my blanket away and laughed. "No hiding behind the blanket, Bella. And if you
close your eyes, I'm starting the movie over."

That's how our movie nights began. We planned on alternating watching movies at each other's
house. If Edward was at my house, he'd pick the movie and if I was at his house, I picked.

*******

Friday night: The Sixth Sense (my choice) – Edward's house.

I inched my way closer to Edward, but keeping my distance. Edward restarted the movie three
times that night because I put my hands over my eyes. He was a determined ass, that's for
sure. Edward turned the air conditioner on to freeze me out, "setting the mood" for the movie. He
definitely wanted to freak me out and it worked. Edward ended up following me home that night,
walking me up to my door because I was so freaked out.

The one thing I proved to Edward – I was a pussy when it came to scary movies.

*******

Saturday night: Ju-On (Edward's freaky ass choice) – my house.

I moved another inch closer to Edward than the night before. Edward laughed during the scariest
parts and I couldn't figure out if he was actually laughing at my pussy behavior, or if it got his mind
off of the scariness that is Ju-On. I thought 'The Grudge' was scary as hell, but this one was
just… damn. I usually walked Edward out to his car after the movie, but I made him walk me up
to my bedroom after that movie. Seth was spending the night over at Jake's and I was terrified
to be home alone. I felt so childish, hiding under my covers, clutching my cell phone after Edward
left. What Edward did next amazed me…

My cell phone rang and I immediately smiled as I recognized the ringtone that I picked for Edward's
calls. It didn't have an actual meaning behind the song... I just really liked it.

Save me, I'm lost
Oh Lord I've been waiting for you
I'll pay any cost
Save me from being confused
Show me what I'm looking for
Show me what I'm looking for

I giggled like a giddy idiot, feeling relieved that I had someone to talk to. Not just someone… but
him. Even though I had just met Edward, he was slowly becoming one of the best friends I had
ever had. Sound crazy? I know, but it was true.

"Hey," I answered with a big smile on my face.

"So, I've just pulled out of your driveway… I'm at the stop sign now… Has anything crawled into
bed with you? Come out of the closet? Opened your-"

"Stop it!" I screeched. "I'm going to make you drive back over here and spend the night with me

if you don't quit it!" My voice was whiny and desperate, but fuck I was scared.

Edward chuckled into the phone loudly. "Aw, poor baby," he cooed, trying to irritate me. "I'm
going to stay on the phone with you until you go to sleep… sound good?"

"Please," I sighed.

"We'll watch a less scary movie tomorrow night, Bella. It's your choice anyway," Edward teased.

True to his word, Edward stayed on the phone until I was drifting off to sleep. We talked about
anything and everything, but never bringing up the relationship topic. I was curious about what
he had against relationships, but didn't know if I should ask. I complained to him about my all day
shopping trip coming up with Rose and Alice the next day. They were coming over to pick me up at
eight o'clock to "get a move on" as they liked to call it. I felt bad because since I had been back, I
spent more time with Edward than I did with them. This would be our first girl time together. I
remember Edward wishing me good luck for my shopping experience the next day before falling aslee

********

Sunday was spent at the mall in Port Angeles. Rose, Alice and I were fully stocked up on Victoria's
Secret when we got back home, though I had no one to wear the stuff for. I was only asked
about Edward once, though I knew it was killing them not to get all the details.

"So, Bella… are you and Edward getting along well?" Alice asked, gnawing on her lip.

I nodded, unable to hide the smile that spread across my face. And the blush.

"He's a good guy, Bella," Rose said as she rubbed my shoulder. "And we're not going to push
anything, but if you chose a guy to be with… he definitely gets the friend approval."

"Thanks," I said. I turned so Rose could zip up the back of my dress that I was trying on. It was
black and strapless and made me feel sexy. "Does this look okay?"

"You look fucking hot, sweetie!" Alice exclaimed proudly.

That was the extent of our talk about Edward.

Sunday night: The Ring (my choice) – Edward's house

Edward teased me constantly that my selection of scary movies was not scary at all, but I thought
I picked a pretty good one for Sunday night.

"I'm amazed, Swan… though I don't know how you're going to sleep at night with your television
in your room…?"

I stared at Edward with a horrified look on my face. "You… you are so…" I stammered. "Mean!"

Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me to sit next to him on the love seat. I noticed that he had
moved his living room around since Friday night, placing the smaller sofa in the perfect position to
watch the television. Did he want to be closer to me?

Being somewhat bold… Edward put his arm around me and grinned. "Am I so mean now, Bella?"

I shook my head, staring at the screen, unable to look directly at him. I felt tense and so nervous,

sitting this close to him, even though I had slept even closer to him when we went camping.

"Are you mad?" Edward asked as the movie started.

Without thinking, I turned my head to the side, looking up at him. "No, of course not… I was just
kidding."

"Good," Edward replied as his hand lazily rubbed my shoulder. "You know… I was thinking that
rather than you driving over here every time… I think I'll just pick you up, so I can take you home.
And if it rains really bad again, your little car will get stuck."

"You don't need to do that, Edward… I'll quit acting like such a little girl," I said, laughing lightly.
"That's too much trouble… and by the way, I do not have a little car."

"Whatever, Bella… you'll be crying for me to take you home tonight… and yes, you have a little
car," Edward teased.

And I couldn't really argue with that. Edward lived down the creepiest road with trees surrounding
his property. It was the perfect scene for most of the scary movies we were watching.

During the scariest part of the movie, with the freaky little girl crawling out of the well, Edward
asked me something to get my mind off of how scared I was.

"So… why did you and your last boyfriend break up? You said he ruined relationships for you
when we were camping… I'm just curious."

Well, shit. I really didn't want to discuss it just yet, but honestly, I felt like I could talk to Edward
about it. I wasn't still upset over it, but it was still embarrassing.

"I…" I began, but Edward cut me off.

"It's okay, Bella. I understand if you don't want to talk about it," Edward said sincerely. What's up
with this guy always being so nice?

"No, it's really fine… just a little embarrassing. He… cheated on me," I said, trying to find an easy
way to put it. "I found him with the person."

Edward and I were now facing each other. I had my legs scrunched up against my chest and
Edward had one leg resting against my feet, the other hanging off the couch. His facial
expression was so sweet and kind.

"I'm sorry, Bella. Whoever the jerk is… well, he didn't deserve you."

"Thanks," I said, looking down at my hands. I couldn't help but glance over towards Edward's
direction, particularly his crotch area. My God, what is going on with me? All I could think about
around Edward was sex. And that is what kept my mind off my really fucked up relationship with
Eric. I don't know why, but I kept putting off getting tested for any diseases. Part of me was
embarrassed because I didn't go sleeping around and shouldn't have to worry about that shit,
and the other part of me was worried.

"Did you know the girl?" Edward asked, which made me laugh loudly. Now here was the funny
part of my story that I could kind of laugh about. Edward looked at me as if I was insane.

"No, I didn't know 'her'", I said, using quotations. "Actually, he would have liked a guy like you… a

buff football player…"

Edward's eyes were bulging now as he took in what I said. "Are you fucking kidding me? Your
boyfriend slept with a… and you caught them… was he… oh my god, Bella." Edward laughed
loudly, throwing his head back as I laughed along with him.

"Yep," I sighed, "I think I may have turned him gay… although he used the term 'bi-sexual' and
wanted me to try out things with both of them. The other guy… I don't know his real name, but
he goes by Tanya when he's in drag… he likes women as well and was very open to the idea."

I went on to explain to Edward about my current dilemma that I needed to be tested. I could go
to the hospital where Carlisle worked and get tested, but I really didn't want to explain what was
going on with Carlisle. He would step in as my father and want to kick the guy's ass if he knew
what happened. Edward found a way to ease my worries, as usual, since becoming friends with him.

"I need to get tested, too," Edward said plainly. We hadn't even begun to discuss his relationship
problems and I guess he was ready to spill as well. "Lauren is, well… you know… and I don't really
trust her, though we…" Edward paused, looking so conflicted. "I don't really want to talk about
specifics with you, but anyway… I'll go with you to get tested."

To be honest, I didn't want to even think about the skank having sex with Edward. He was too
good for her. I was already jealous, knowing she had been with him that way. Pathetic.

"Sounds good," I finally answered after a short pause. "But since I told my story… you have to
tell yours. Bad relationships? You said multiple the other day… so what happened?"

***! !***

Coach Masen

Shit. I kind of dreaded talking to Bella about my past girlfriends or problems. I was going to sound
like a man whore to the one person that, for the first time, I genuinely cared about. Would she
think less of me?

"Edward! Hello?!" Bella grinned, waving her hand in front of my face.

I chuckled, blinking my eyes, snapping out of whatever I was in. Oh yeah, I was thinking about
how to explain my fucked up former life.

"Sorry about that…" I said lamely. Bella shifted on the loveseat, sitting Indian style to face me.
And fuck me, she was wearing shorts that should be illegal on someone as fucking hot as her. I
could see a tiny sliver of her black underwear as she moved. Yes, they were fucking black and I
wanted nothing more than to pull her into my lap, ridding her of the annoying ass shorts that
kept me hard most of the time. But I didn't.

"Anyway… Lauren and I broke up because she was hounding me about a future. She wanted
kids and everything, whereas I saw no future with her." Bella nodded, biting her bottom lip. "That
started a few months ago… and I had been trying to end it with her the entire time."

"I don't blame you for not wanting a future with the skank," Bella replied, but immediately put her
hand over her mouth as her face blushed. "Sorry…"

I placed my hand on her knee and laughed. "Bella, it's fine… and that's really a good nickname for her.

"I promise, I'm not just some mean person that goes around calling people names. She just…
really made high school miserable for me, especially after Emmett went away for college."

I wished that I had met Bella years ago. For a while, my parents almost sent me to live with my
aunt and uncle in Forks. They were traveling a lot, leaving me with a nanny, if you want to call it
that. I always felt like I missed out on an actual childhood sometimes because my parents were
away so much. It hurt a lot when they didn't go to my games. All of that had been forgiven now,
and it took a big falling out years ago for the apologies to happen. I guess part of me was still
hurt, but they learned from their mistakes. I really did love my parents.

Anyway, looking back, I wish I had given in to my parents' requests for me to move to Forks
during high school. I didn't want to leave my school just because I was "King" there. If only I had
gone to Forks… I wondered what would have happened.

"Bella, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I think you're a really… sweet person. And I'm
sure that Lauren was a bitch back then… she still is," I chuckled, trying to ease Bella's tension.

"So…" Bella sighed after being silent for a minute or so. "You don't want kids or-"

"Yeah, I do… just not with her. And honestly, I don't know if I'm ready, anyway. Lauren was the
first relationship I had been in since my days playing football… I'm still looking, you know."

Bella's cheeks turned back to a light shade of pink as she tucked a few strands of hair behind her
ear. Yes, I was really fucking attracted to her and thought pornographic thoughts of her
constantly, but she was extremely beautiful as well. I don't think that she realizes how perfect
she actually is.

"Me, too," Bella said quietly. "After my parents died, everything just… well, nothing mattered. I
worry constantly about Seth and hope that I'm doing a good enough job with him. I never
expected to practically raise a teenager and he is a kid that tries to find trouble… so I don't know
if I have time for another relationship. That and I'm going to have to find like the manliest man
ever because I don't want my next boyfriend to find a boyfriend as well…"

I noticed that when Bella talked about something emotional, she would always end it with
something funny. I knew she was quite ready to open up about her parents and I wasn't going to
push her because I didn't know what to say when and if she did open up to me. The hospital has
those brochures about coping and dealing with death, so the next time I went to the hospital to
visit Carlisle, I was definitely going to grab some handouts. Dipshit? Fuck yes, but I wanted to help Bel

"Bella, I wouldn't worry about the whole boyfriend thing… you'll find someone great and I mean…"
I struggled to find the words. I wanted to say that I could be all the man she'd ever need, but
yeah, that wouldn't have been the best time to come up with my "great line" or whatever the fuck
it was. "That guy was wrong to drag you along… if he felt that way, then he should have been honest."

"Eh, it's okay. I knew Eric and I weren't really going anywhere… and I really pushed him away
after my parents died because I was upset over them. Plus, he didn't get along with Seth too well."

Bella and I continued talking about her ex-boyfriend. Thankfully, we didn't discuss any of my
other past girlfriends, which I was majorly relieved over, but I knew it'd come up someday.
Hopefully by that time, Bella would know me better and not judge me by my past. I wasn't into
hookers or anything like that… just money hungry women that may have looked like… sluts? None
of them stood a chance against Bella.

The movie had long been over and kept replaying the short clip on the dvd menu by the time we

finished our conversation. We cleaned up, carrying our left over dinner to the kitchen. The next
night we would be at Bella's house for movie night and she was going to cook quesadillas for us.
Seth and I were going out to the football field in the morning to practice again. He had stopped
playing after his parents died and wanted to warm up a bit before practicing with all the other
kids. I enjoyed spending time with him and wanted to help him get through everything he was
dealing with. He was a great kid with a terrific sister.

*******

Seth and I ended up spending the morning and afternoon together. The only break we took from
practicing was to meet Bella at the diner for lunch. She was sorting through everything in her
classroom part of the time we were practicing. This woman was invading every thought in my
head no matter what I did.

On my way over to Bella's house that night, I received two desperate calls from my agent,
begging me to accept an offer made by a very high profile team. Their quarterback was dealing
with an injury and they didn't know if he could make it through the season. I knew I could still
play because my throwing arm had gained back the strength it needed, but up until this point, I
really hadn't considered going back to that life, though I missed playing so much.

I declined again.

Monday night: The Shining (my choice) – Bella's house

After we finished cooking together, the three of us ate together, laughing over Bella's mishaps
growing up. Apparently she was a very clumsy kid and had a thick medical record over at the
hospital. Bella turned pale white when Seth pulled out an old picture of her. She was probably
nine or ten and had a pony tail on the top of her hair, looking like she had used a bottle of
hairspray to make it extra poofy. A pair of those early nineties red plastic rimmed glasses framed
her face, along with a few barely there freckles on her cheeks. With a huge smile on her face
and bouncy curls, she was a very cute kid.

"Oh my god, Seth… I'm going to kill you!" Bella exclaimed as I tried to hold back my laughter.

"Aw, come on… you were a cute kid," I grinned. Seth doubled over, laughing heartily.

"Oh, Edward… shut it!" Bella said as she hit my shoulder lightly. I pulled Bella to me, wrapping my
arm around her waist so she couldn't get away.

"Swan, you were such a cutie," I teased as Seth was breathing hard from laughing so much. Just
as our laughter had died down, there was a knock on the door. Seth answered it as Bella and I
continued cleaning up the kitchen.

I heard loud footsteps behind us as I put away the leftovers.

"Well, well, well… hello, Bella!" Jake said, coming straight out of my nightmare. The kid was here
to ruin my fucking night with Bella. Seth always left Bella and I alone, not that I seemed to mind
because I really got along well with him, but I knew Jake was over to snoop around. I turned
towards Jake with a smirk on my face, receiving an instant frown from him. "Hi, Coach Masen."

"Hey, Jake… how are you doing?"

"Fine. Seth invited me over for movie night," Jake said, looking at me but turning to Bella. "I hope
that's okay?"

"You Jackass… I did not invite you over," Seth replied, earning a slap on the back from Bella
because of his cursing.

Jake and Seth began arguing back and forth, normal teenage stuff until Bella and I were finished
with the kitchen. We moved around each other, silent the entire time, but working so well together.

I walked into the living room and settled down on my usual spot on the couch. Seth sat on the
recliner over to the side of the room and Jake conveniently placed his large body in the middle of
the couch. Well, fuck me… you're blocking my view!

Bella walked into the living room and placed her hands on her hips as we waited for the movie to
start. "Uh-uh, Jake. That's my spot."

Jake looked at her with wide eyes and grinned, patting the empty spot next to him. "Right here,
Bella… plenty of room."

Bella walked over and tugged on his arm as Seth and I laughed. "Nope, get up… I like to stretch
my legs."

Jake huffed as she walked over to the other recliner and plopped down. Bella winked at me and
smiled as she sat down, stretching out her long legs so that her feet were almost touching me.

We lost the boys about ten minutes into the movie, both of them saying it was too fucking boring.
I was more than happy when Jake left. Seth went over to Jake's house to hang out for a little
while and came back home close to the end of the movie. He went up to his room and passed out
quickly as we heard his snoring echoing from upstairs.

After Bella's slow inching towards me all night, she finally ended up next to me, pressed against my
side. I couldn't stop laughing as she clung to my arm, hiding her face. My fucking horny side took
over and the movie was no longer on my mind at all. This couch… I wanted Bella to fuck me on it.
I wanted to see her face as I pleasured her while she rode me. Not fast, but slow so I could
savor every fucking moment of her.

"That was scary," Bella whispered once the movie credits scrolled up the television screen.

"Yeah," I said, letting out a long breath. I shifted slightly, trying to hide my Bella-hard-on. That's
what I called it these days because I swear that shit never went away when I was around her.

Bella yawned and looked up at me, smiling widely. "Sorry," she sighed, letting go of her death
grip on my arm.

"It's okay."

We were quiet for a few minutes, still sitting side by side. I looked down at Bella who was now
resting her head on my shoulder. Her eyes were closed, her breathing evened out, which meant
she was asleep. I slowly got up from the couch, trying not to wake her. Gently, I slipped my arms
under her small body and lifted her effortlessly into my arms. The fact that my hand was inches
away from her fuckhot ass did not go unnoticed by me.

Bella didn't even wake up slightly as I carried her up the stairs to her room. I hadn't been in her
room, but knew which one she was in since I helped paint it before she moved here. I felt so
awful for her because she was too upset to sleep in her parents' old room even though her room
was really fucking tiny.

Just as I stepped into her room, Bella's hand moved over my chest and she smiled, looking up at
me. "You're too good, Edward."

I could show her really good. I really could. Fuck, now I was rhyming. I settled for the reply that
would make her giggle, which was something I loved hearing. "That's what all the ladies say."

I placed Bella on her bed and turned on her bedside lamp as Bella laughed quietly.

"Thank you, Edward…"

"Anytime, Bella… Sleep well," I said as I walked over to the door to leave.

"Wait!" Bella said, jumping up from the bed. I stopped quickly, praying she would have a change
of heart and push me against the door or something. Damn it, I really needed to stop thinking
dirty thoughts all the time around Bella. "I'm so rude… not even walking you out."

I shook my head and grinned crookedly at her. "Don't worry about it… you're exhausted and I'll
lock up for you."

The next thing I knew, Bella's arms were wrapped around my body as she hugged me tightly.
"Thank you for being such a good friend, Edward. I know we haven't known each other very long,
but I feel… close to you."

Friend. I didn't want to just be her friend, but if that's what it took to get closer to her… to make
her realize that we could be more someday, well then that's what I would be. Not just to get into
her pants, which I really wanted badly, but I wanted all of her.

I hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "I feel the same way, Bella." I squeezed my
arms around her small body once more. "Now get into bed Ms. Swan… you need your sleep
because after movie night tomorrow… I think you'll be too scared to sleep."

Bella pulled away from me giggling. "Nope. It's my pick tomorrow night!"

I shook my head. "No… you see, my dear Bella," I said as I put my arm around her and walked her
over to the bed. "You kept your eyes closed during most of the scary parts of The Shining… and
rather than start the movie over, I just took away your movie choice for tomorrow night."

"Ass!" Bella whispered loudly.

"Hey, now… stop that cursing, Ms. Swan. Your brother is in the next room!" I demanded
teasingly. "Now, sleep tight and I'll see you tomorrow."

I walked out of the room as Bella sat on her bed, still arguing with me. I loved being around her.

As I pulled onto the highway towards my house, my phone rang.

My brown eyed girl,
You my brown eyed girl.

Do you remember when we used to sing,
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da

Yeah, I was a corny asshole, but that was the song I thought of when I pictured Bella. Bella

thought she had plain brown eyes, but they were so much more than just plain. I picked up
before the chorus ended.

"Already? Geez, Swan… you're scared already?"

"No! I just… wanted to make sure you… got to your truck okay."

"Yes, I'm fine… no insane ghosts are in here with me," I teased.

"Edward," Bella sighed. I loved hearing her say my name. "Can I ask you something personal and
you can tell me to go to hell if it makes you mad…?"

"Ask away, Bella… you can ask me anything."

Bella let out a long breath. "Did you and Lauren ever have sex in my room?" Before I could even
begin to answer, she continued her ramble which was so quick that I could barely understand
what she was saying. "Because if you did, I think I'll need to burn this room or something."

"No, Bella. We never had sex in that room… actually we never had sex in your house while I lived
there."

"How come?" Bella gasped.

It was time that I tell her about the massive lie I told Lauren. "Well, first off, I never bring girls
back to my place because that just leads to awkwardness… and I wasn't even dating her when I
lived there, Bella… or anyone for that matter… so no sex for me in your house."

Bella groaned into the phone as I felt the surge of success run through my body. Bella had
thought about me. She had thought about me and sex. Bella, Edward, Sex… that's a really good
fucking combination. Just hearing the word 'sex' come out of Bella's mouth made my cock hard.

"I'm so sorry," Bella whispered.

"No worries, Bell…" I waited to see if she was going to say anything, but she remained silent,
probably blushing furiously.

Eventually Bella spoke up and I almost choked with her next question. "Why didn't you… have
sex… I mean you're, well… you and, oh forget it."

I loved hearing her get flustered. "Quit worrying so much about what you ask me. You can ask me
anything, Bella. And to answer your question… I just always felt like it made everything awkward
to bring a girl home with me… as for Lauren… if I tell you, you can not laugh. Okay?"

"Okay," Bella said quietly, probably still so embarrassed from her sex question.

"A couple of months ago, I lied to Lauren and told her I was taking up Catholicism… participating in
lent and I was giving up sex." Bella laughed loudly, already breaking my no laughing request, but
I was laughing as well. Plus, I loved hearing her laugh. "So… Lauren actually believed me, even
though it wasn't the actual time for lent… and mine lasted for over one hundred days, rather than
the usual forty. Fucked up, huh?"

"Yeah," Bella giggled, still trying to catch her breath. "So… wow," Bella breathed. "I figured you
were a very… active guy."

Bella was really pushing my restraints now because we were having the conversation that I
wanted to have, only I wish that we were still in the same room because if we got this far,
maybe we would've let go. By letting go, I mean have sex. After debating with myself many times,
I finally figured out that Bella was attracted to me, or at least I hoped that was what all the
blushing was for. I sure as fuck was attracted to her. And now she was thinking about me and
sex at the same time.

"Nah… maybe when I was younger, but I'm kind of trying to settle down now… you know?"

"Yeah," Bella replied, almost whispering.

I decided to go out on a limb and ask her something personal, since I felt like we were at that point
in our friendship or whatever it was. "What about you?"

"Me?!" Bella gasped. I was silent, waiting for her to answer me because she knew exactly what I
was talking about. "Well… I haven't… you know, in a while because Eric stopped wanting me…
and the whole time I thought he just didn't find me attractive. April first… was the last time for me."

"You remember the date?" I asked, laughing quietly. I had been sitting outside my house for the
past few minutes, but I didn't want Bella to think that I was ready to go because I was home. I
loved talking to the girl.

"Yes… especially because, well… he just wasn't into it that night… and one of my friends found
out that he had been out with his boyfriend earlier that night, before he came to see me."

"I'm sorry, Bella."

Bella giggled, then sighed. "It's okay… I just mainly worry about the fact that he could have been
sleeping around for so long and I was completely oblivious to it. It's not that he was with another
man… it's just how could he cheat on me, and put me in danger that way… you know?"

"I know, Bell… Sorry I brought this up. I really didn't want to make you upset."

"Edward, I brought up the sex thing," Bella said, her voice sounding a little more cheery than
before. "And it's really okay because I haven't exactly talked about the dirty details like these
with anyone… not even Rose and Alice. They would seriously go kick Eric's ass if they knew everythin

"Can I?" I asked. That Eric guy did not deserve Bella at all. No guy did.

"Nah, he'd probably want you too much," Bella laughed.

We talked for a few more minutes as I made my way into the house and up to my bedroom. Like
the jackass or horny ass that I am, I ran my hand over my hard on as Bella talked to me. It was
her damn voice. Fucking sexy as hell. Bella started yawning just as I was ready to finish myself off
in a cold shower.

"Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay…"

"Sleep well, sweetie."

"Night, Edward."

I sent her a text after my shower before I went to sleep, just a simple note to say thank you again
for dinner. Bella replied shortly after, though I figured she would be asleep. Her reply was simple,
like my text. It was the end of a great night, though a perfect night would have been spent
sleeping next to her…

*******

The next couple of weeks went smoothly. We had our routine down, alternating houses and
getting to know one another even more. Rose, Emmett, Alice and Jasper joined us a few times.
Emmett was definitely worse than the girls about starting gossip. As soon as Bella left the room
one night, Emmett made sure to warn me to be careful if I was fucking Bella because he would
'fuck me up' if I hurt her. I once again had to explain to him that nothing like that was going on
and we really were just becoming good friends.

Whoever said men and women can't be just friends… well, they were close to the fucking truth. I
didn't know how much longer I could hold out. I wanted to tell her how I actually felt about her,
but I knew she had just gotten out of a relationship with an asshole that didn't deserve her and
I wanted her to know I would never treat her that way. I would never cheat on her. I would only
want to be with her. I needed to show her the kind of guy I could be for her.

It was the day before our trip to Portland for the concert and Bella and I were scheduled at the
hospital clinic to get tested. I picked her up early that morning as we were going to breakfast
afterwards. When I pulled into the parking lot, I wanted to go back home. The shiny red car
parked next to Carlisle's was Lauren's vehicle. She would see me. She would see me with Bella.
Lauren and Bella hated each other. And fucking shit… Bella and I were going to get tested for
STDs. How great is that?

"Are you nervous?" Bella asked as I broke out in a cool sweat.

"Nah," I lied, shaking my head. "Just ready to get out of here so we can eat… I'm starving."

"Me, too," Bella agreed, patting her already growling stomach and smiling so sweetly at me.

We made our way to the entrance of the hospital and I nervously shoved my hands in my shorts
pockets. Bella stopped in front of the sliding door and looked at me.

"Are you sure you're alright, Edward?"

I almost passed out as Lauren crossed the hallway that we were about to walk into. Lauren
stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed me.

Fuck. It was going to be a hell of a morning.

***! !***

Lauren is back...... not for long so don't freak out or anything. :)

**We're over halfway there until the prologue... just sayin'.

Review please!! The next chapter (9) will be posted on next Friday or Saturday. I know it's a long
wait, but my AWESOME beta is taking a much needed vacation. The best part about it... I'm
already half way finished with the next chapter which means I'll get a couple more chapters
written during the week so I will post the next one (10) on Tuesday 9/29. A Teaser will be posted

over on the forum on Monday, so stop by and say hi! And one more thing... if you're not on
Twitter, you should be. The girls on there (you pervs know you who are) post the best "stuff"
and you're definitely missing out. My screen name is greeneydgirl00.

TGIF!! And thanks for reading! Hope you all have a great weekend.

Thanks to my beta, Jessica1971, who got this chapter back to me right after she got home from
her vacation. I planned on posting Friday, so THANKS JESS for being so freaking awesome! :) And
it's almost her birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS :) Love ya!

Also, thank you for all the reviews - I'm overwhelmed by your comments and I am so happy that
everyone likes this story. Thanks to everyone that stops by the forum - you guys are great and
my Twitter friends... I love all of you pervs over there!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

The drive to the hospital was spent in silence, and when we arrived, Edward looked like he was
going to pass out. And I thought I was the one that had a bad reaction to blood…..

When I asked Edward if something was wrong, I noticed his eyes darting back and forth
between me and something behind me, so I turned around and wanted to puke when I saw the
skank standing there. Lauren stood behind the sliding doors with her usual evil smile – some
things never change. I wished more than anything that she wouldn't recognize me, since I had
changed a lot after I graduated, but luck was not on my side.

"Edward!" Lauren squealed as the loud doors slammed open, making way for the devil's spawn.
"What are you doing here!?" The skank asked excitedly, as though he was there to see her. She
completely ignored my presence, which really pissed me off. As her arms wrapped around him, I
choked back the bile rising in my throat and turned to walk into the building.

Edward would understand.

I walked quickly down the hallway towards the clinic entrance. If only I had run, then I wouldn't
have heard the skank calling out my name. I turned around slowly, wishing I could just shoot
myself because I really didn't feel like dealing with Lauren now. I was already nervous over the
tests I was about to have done, and now this?

Edward had a horrified look on his face as Lauren walked in front of him.

"Hi Bella! I can't believe it's you… you're so… different…"

"Hello," I replied dryly. I had nothing beneficial to say to the bitch. That's exactly what she was –
a bitch, a skank, a whore… you get the idea?

Edward stepped around Lauren to stand beside me, putting his hand on the small of my back. My
body tingled all over from his simple touch.

"We better get going, Bella," Edward said as he looked down at me. He turned towards Lauren

Chapter: 9

and smiled slightly. "See you around, Lauren."

Lauren didn't say anything as Edward and I turned to walk into the clinic. I thought we were rid of
the skank, but then she had to open her big mouth and remind me of her relationship with Edward.

"Oh, Eddie… I almost forgot! You forgot your shirt at my house… you know, your favorite USC
shirt. Want me to come drop it off?"

I left Edward at the doorway so he could deal with Lauren. It wasn't really my business and,
frankly, I didn't want to hear her nasty voice. She had one of those nasally voices, but tried talking
like a valley girl. "Like, oh my god" and "Like, what the hell". Learn how to fucking talk. The skank
definitely put me in an even worse mood.

They stood in the hallway, whispering loudly, both of them seeming to be angry. The moment I
heard Edward say "she isn't my fucking girlfriend" and "no, we're not fucking" my heart dropped.
It was true, of course, but I just felt… defeated? I don't even know how I felt at that moment,
but it wasn't a good feeling.

I was already sitting down and filling out paperwork when Edward walked in with a noticeable
grimace on his face. He checked in with the receptionist and grabbed his clipboard. Once he was
seated beside me, I could hear him mumbling to himself, mostly curse words. He was angry.
Edward was so fucking hot when he was angry, I might add.

"I'm sorry about that…" Edward sighed, leaning into me.

I turned my head towards Edward, leaving me inches away from his face. "No need to apologize
to me… Is everything okay?"

Edward nodded, still looking at me with his intense eyes. "It's fine. She wants to talk, but I told her
I didn't want to… I don't even know what shirt she's talking about. I think she's jealous or
something and wanted to try to cause trouble for me."

"Why is she jealous?" I asked dumbly.

"Because… of you."

We stared at each other, not saying anything else.

"Isabella Swan?" the nurse called. I hadn't even finished my damn paperwork. Why, why, why…
did they have to call me back now?

Edward sighed and sat back in his chair. I was greeted by the nurse, which happened to be an old
friend of my mother's. I wasn't in the mood to talk about my parents, but most of the people in
Forks didn't realize that. Kathy, the nurse, ran the usual tests and drew some blood before I had
my pap smear. I hate that fucking exam.

When I was finished I walked out to the lobby. Edward was sitting out there still, though he had a
purple bandage wrapped around his arm where he had blood drawn. I felt bad that he had been
sitting there, probably waiting forever for me to finish with my tests.

"You okay, Bella?" Edward asked as I stood in front of him, not really knowing what to say.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah… just hungry."

Edward grinned as he stood. "Good… I am, too."

We went to the diner to have breakfast before traveling to Port Angeles for the day, trying to
forget about seeing the skank that morning. When we arrived in Port Angeles, Edward had to pick
up a few things and I wanted to find a few things for our trip.

Our trip?

We stopped by Rose and Alice's shop before heading back to Forks. They had something special
in the back room that they were holding for me. It was a black leather jacket and black leather
pants. Biker clothing. I laughed so hard at the sincerity behind their gift, but I couldn't see myself
wearing those clothes.

Edward begged to see what I had in the bag when we left the shop, but I knew he would just
tease me endlessly.

I didn't watch a movie with Edward that night. Seth and I had hardly spent any time together
since moving back to Forks, so I decided to spend an evening with just him. Edward understood,
which felt really nice because even my ex-boyfriend got in a fight with me if I wanted to spend
time with Seth rather than him. I had to get ready for our trip anyway. We were leaving the next
day, early in the afternoon. It was a five hour trip and those five hours would be spent on
Edward's motorcycle. I would basically have my legs wrapped around Edward. How in the hell was
I going to make it through that?

Seth and I watched a few shows together and cooked hamburgers on the grill that night. He
told me how Edward had really helped him in football and was really happy to have met Edward.
I was overjoyed that Seth actually had a good male role model in his life.

My parents would definitely be proud of Seth and the way he was handling everything now.

The next day, Seth went next door to Billy's house. Billy assured me that he would take good care
of him. He wanted me to have fun and, honestly, I wanted to have fun. I needed to take a step
back and just enjoy things.

I probably changed thirty times before finding the right "motorcycle outfit". Alice and Rose called,
trying to talk me into the leather pants because that would really "appeal" to Edward, but I
couldn't see myself wearing those for five hours. I settled on a light pair of blue jeans, a vintage
Rolling Stones t-shirt, and the leather jacket. I pulled my hair into a pony tail, not wanting it to
fly everywhere during the trip.

I packed a very light bag with just the necessities because I didn't really know if I could take a lot
for the trip. I was never one of those girls that packed their entire closet anyway, but I hoped I
wasn't leaving out anything important. I was shamefully trying to impress Edward.

Just as I was walking down the stairs I heard a rumbling engine in my driveway. It was Edward
and he was a few minutes early. I ran to the front door and peeked out the peephole, and when
I did… I gasped. Edward - so gorgeous that I literally could not move to open the door. I just
stood there, watching him as he pulled off his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. Edward
looked towards the house and grinned crookedly. I wondered if he felt the same way I did. After
all, he did moan my name that night when we were camping…

One could always hope. Right?

I finally moved away from the door to pull it open. Edward heard the door creak open and waved

as soon as he saw me.

"Sorry I'm early…" Edward said with that sexy grin on his face. "I was just going to wait out here
for you… so take your time."

I stepped outside, holding my bag. "I'm ready."

"Nice jacket," Edward commented.

"Thanks… I'm trying to look like a biker bitch or something along those lines…."

Edward laughed loudly, shaking his head back and forth as I handed him my bag. "Biker babe… not
biker bitch."

It was so nice finally being able to laugh. Since meeting Edward, not a day had passed by that I
didn't laugh so hard that I had tears in my eyes. He made everything enjoyable.

Once I locked up the house, we were ready to go. Edward showed me the basics of the
motorcycle as he strapped down our bags and adjusted my helmet before slipping it on me.

I stood still as he slipped it over my head. "Does that feel comfortable?" Edward asked as the
heavy thing sat on my head. I nodded and Edward flipped the visor open. "You look… cute."

Cute? As in goofy girl wearing a helmet? I didn't want to be cute…

"I mean… definitely a biker babe," Edward corrected with a wink, which made me laugh. And blush…

Edward put on his helmet and lifted his leg over the bike straddling the seat. I licked my lips,
noticing the evident muscles under his shirt that fit him perfectly. Edward grabbed my hand as I
moved my leg over the bike, very awkwardly. Once I was seated, I didn't know where to put my
hands. This would be my first time riding a motorcycle and while I was very excited, it was also
kind of scary.

"Hold onto me, Bella… I won't bite, I promise," Edward teased, still clutching my hand inside his
large one.

I playfully hit Edward's side as I wrapped my arms around his torso. Edward reached back with
his hand and patted my leg before backing out of my driveway. The ride was exhilarating. The
drive through our small town of Forks was slow, but once we were on the highway and Edward
was going the full speed limit, I felt free.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I couldn't begin to describe how great it felt to have Bella on the back of my motorcycle. It was
hard to focus on driving because my brain was constantly telling my hand not to reach back to
feel her sexy thighs.

With her arms wrapped tightly around my torso, Bella rested her chin on my shoulder. I caught a
whiff of her hair, which smelled so fucking good and that put the thought of Bella taking a shower
in my head. Washing her hair. Her wet naked body. Fuck, this trip was going to kill me.

Bella and I were sharing a hotel room. At the time it just made sense. Why would two responsible

adults get a separate room when we would both have different beds in the same room? I'll tell
you why that doesn't work out... Because it was going to take everything I had in me not to crawl
into bed with her and feel every inch of her sexy body.

About an hour into the trip, I pulled over to a roadside travel center. It was empty, which was a
good thing because I didn't feel like dealing with annoying families crowding around as I tried to
adjust the world's fucking worst hard on. I stopped the bike and Bella finally loosened her grip on me.

"I thought you might need a bathroom break," I said to Bella as I pulled off my helmet. "I do."

"Yes, I do," Bella replied, revealing a big grin when she pulled her helmet off. "I forgot to go
before we left and I'm dying now!"

I watched Bella run towards the bathrooms. No, I didn't just watch, I fucking stared because of
her ass in those jeans. Fuck. Once Bella went inside the bathroom, I finally stopped drooling and
walked over to stand by the entrance. I didn't trust any weirdos that might be out, so I wanted
to make sure she got out okay.

Bella walked out of the bathroom quickly, jumping slightly from my presence I assumed. "Sorry, I
didn't mean to scare you… I just… well, there are some freaks that hang out at these places."

"Thanks, Edward," Bella said softly, her face slightly blushing as she tucked a strand of hair
behind her ear. She shyly looked down at her feet and I wondered what brought on the sudden
bashfulness.

"Anything wrong?" I asked, moving a few steps closer to her.

Bella shook her head and looked up at me, squinting her eyes as the sun was directly behind me.
"No… it's just nice that you're… protective?"

I hoped I wasn't being too pushy or anything, but I cared for Bella. In the few short weeks that I
had known her, she had definitely become a very good friend. I just hoped that someday our
friendship might turn into something more. We had potential.

"I hope that I'm not… offending you, but I just-"

"No, you're not offending me, Edward," Bella sighed. "Even my ex didn't watch over me the way
you do…"

I really didn't know what to say to that, but I blurted out the first thought that crossed my mind.
"Well, he was an asshole, Bella… I thought we covered that much already?"

Bella giggled. "Yeah, I think we did."

I had Bella stand outside the men's room and talk to me the entire time, so I knew she was safe.
That wasn't a very good idea because even her fucking voice turned me on. Once we were both
finished with our business we stood beside the motorcycle and adjusted our helmets. Bella pulled
her jacket off and so did I, as it was pretty hot out. We would stop later that evening if she needed it.

I did the very responsible thing next, which was spray sunscreen on Bella. I really didn't need it
because my skin was pretty used to the sun from being outside so much, but her skin just looked
like it was sensitive. Bella was thankful that I thought of sun screen because she actually did burn
really badly if she was out for too long. Once Bella was covered, she insisted on spraying some
on my arms. Lifting up my visor, she sprayed a tiny bit on her fingers and reached up, patting

some on my nose and then on hers. I loved the way her nose scrunched up as she made sure my
face was covered.

Once I was finished with my shameful staring, Bella and I were on the road again, enjoying the
scenery. Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rose were leaving later that night after Emmett was done
with work. So Bella and I would be in Portland alone for a few hours. Bella and I had made plans
to have dinner and go see a movie. It was pretty much a date, but we still labeled ourselves as
just friends. I hated being just her friend. It took everything I had in me not to kiss her every
second I was around her.

Three stops later and we finally arrived in Portland. I didn't know my way around very well, but
Bella did, as she and Alice went there a few times when they were younger. We found the hotel
soon after and checked in. I wished something cliché would happen, like we would accidentally
get the honeymoon suite, but that, of course, didn't happen. Or at least luck out and just have a
king bed available… but no….

Bella showered and got dressed as I waited patiently on the bed, flipping through the limited
amount of cable channels. I couldn't even focus on what was on the television as I mentally
pictured myself slamming into Bella as we showered together. I really needed a distraction.
Unfortunately, my agent calling me for the millionth time was not something I wanted to deal with.
I pressed the end button, sending him straight to my voicemail.

I was completely floored when Bella walked out of the bathroom. Her clothes were simple, but
even simple looked fucking hot on Bella. Her blue jean Capri pants were going to be the death of
me and the black and white tank top was not helping things either. Bella was facing the mirror,
pulling her hair into a pony tail, smiling the whole time. She looked genuinely happy.

After ogling her some more, I finally took my shower and changed, wearing jeans and my old USC
shirt that Bella borrowed the first night I met her. I still couldn't get over the fact that my damn
shirt had touched Bella's breasts before me.

Bella and I ate at a small restaurant just down the block from our hotel, which happened to be
close to the movie theater. I may have sensed a small amount of jealousy coming from Bella
when the waitress left her phone number for me. I tossed it when we exited the building, earning
a big grin from Bella. After dinner we walked down to the theater to see the latest scary movie
that had been released.

Bella's body molded against mine as she clung to me. Lately, she started to get more comfortable
around me, clinging to me during our scary movie nights. I chuckled as she jumped at every scary
part of the movie.

"Stop making fun of me!" Bella whispered as she looked up at me in the dark movie theater.

"I'm not making fun of you!" I whispered back, wrapping my arm around her shoulder.

"Uh huh!"

"You're cute when you're scared, Bella!"

Bella laughed and shook her head, leaning against my chest.

When the movie was over we awkwardly pulled away from each other. Bella walked in front of me
as I followed closely behind her, resting my hand on the small on her back. If only I could lower
my hand by a few inches…

My cell rang as we walked down the sidewalk. It was Emmett, letting us know that they were
pulling into town. Alice and Rose were asleep, so they were going to bed earlier than expected.
We were planning on going to a few clubs, but since everyone was so tired that plan didn't work out.

Bella and I stopped by a gas station on our way back to the hotel and stocked up on snacks. We
decided to rent one of the hotel movies as neither of us was tired. I wished I could get the nerve
up to ask Bella if she wanted to go to the club, but I decided against it. I knew she would be
more comfortable if she had Alice and Rose with her at the club, but I really wanted to see her
perfect body move as she danced. Fucking hell, she would be so damn sexy.

Bella changed into her fuck-me shorts and her suck-on-me tank top when we got back to our room.
I put on some gray sleep pants and pulled my shirt off before settling into bed. I loved the way
Bella's face blushed when she looked at me. Did she have the same thoughts I did?

Half way through the movie, I was already dozing off when I heard light footsteps pad their way
around my bed. I opened my eyes, adjusting to the dark room, and found Bella standing on the
other side of my bed.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I sat up.

Without saying a word, Bella crawled into my bed, settling in close by my side. "I'm being a baby…
this movie freaked me out and I know that me getting in bed with you would probably look bad if
someone caught us, but we're both adults and I can keep my hands to myself… so, I'm sleeping in
this bed with you, Edward. I hope you don't have a problem with that."

Bella spoke so quickly that she had to take a deep breath after her small speech. I wanted to pull
her even closer to me, but decided against it. She would probably feel my non-stop hard on that
was perking up again, and that would not be good.

"I can keep my hands to myself, too… though you make it very hard," I boldly said. I decided to
stop ignoring the way she made me feel. Bella needed to know just how sexy she was and I
wished that I could actually tell her how much I wanted her.

"Oh… uh… I'm sorry?"

I laughed as I adjusted my pillow and blanket. "Don't be."

We laid on our sides, facing each other, not saying anything. My cell phone broke our silence as I
received a text message from my agent, begging me to allow him to set up an interview with the
team that was interested in me.

"I'm sorry, Edward… you probably need some privacy," Bella said quietly and shyly as I read my
message.

I pretty much threw my phone back over to the side table before turning back to Bella. "No, of
course not…" I hoped she didn't think I had a girlfriend or anything. I wasn't even interested in
anyone at the time, except for the beautiful woman lying next to me. I had to explain what was
going on to her, so she didn't think anything. "It was just my agent…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah. There's a team that's interested in me… they think I can still play."

"Edward, that's terrific! Em was saying how much you've missed playing."

"I do miss playing, but I don't know if I'm up to it… plus, I don't even know if I'm ready to go back
to that life," I explained.

Bella placed her small hand over my large hand and smiled. "You know you can… Seth said he's
never seen anyone throw a ball like you, and that was just a few days ago. I mean, he talked
about you for hours the other night." I laughed, shaking my head as Bella squeezed my hand.
"So… you should do whatever makes you happy."

She didn't realize that right at that moment, I was doing just that. Being with her made me happy.

Shifting my hand under hers, I pulled her hand to my mouth and kissed the skin just below her
thumb. "I know, Bella… and thank you… for everything."

***! !***

Ms. Swan

Spontaneous Combustion. Yeah, that's it. That's what almost happened when I felt Edward's lips
on my skin. Yes, he only kissed my hand, but oh my God… he kissed my hand! Even a simple kiss
like that wasn't just a simple kiss to me.

We finally fell asleep and some time during the night I woke up to find myself, once again,
pressed against Edward. His arm was wrapped around me, holding me close. I wondered if he had
the same feelings for me as I did for him. Things were changing between us, though I was afraid
to admit those feelings out loud. I knew it was too soon for me to jump into another relationship
and it was probably too soon for Edward, but we just fit together.

When I heard my name fall from his lips before I went back to sleep, I knew that it was going to
get harder and harder to stay away from him. I just didn't know how long I could hold out.

***! !***

So... it seems like they're getting a little closer now... things start to get a little heated in the
next chapter :)

Review please! I love hearing from all of you!

And make sure you stop by the forum where I post teasers. The teaser for chapter 10 will be
posted on Saturday and the chapter will be posted on Tuesday. If you don't have twitter, you
should. Coldplaywhore posts porn constantly over there, so you're definitely missing out (and I
might contribute slightly.....). I'm greeneyedgirl00 over there and freakingawesomebeta
(Jessica1971) is SmokeyRosey.

****

FicRecs:

Maybe I'm Falling For You by coldplaywhore and flightlssbird11 --- Just starting out and already,
I'm addicted.

If You Could Read My Mind by bella c'ella luna --- I read this story today and it is one of those

that you are glued to your computer (or in my case, my phone) because it is so good. Read it -
you'll love it!

Between the Madness and the Fire by ForeverYoung82 --- Sexy teacher Mr. Cullen.... yeah... very hot.

****

Thanks again for reading - hope you enjoyed it!

Happy Frickin' Thursday! The weekend is almost here!

I'm posting this a little early because my VERY awesome beta got it back to me so quickly, plus...
it's her BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS! :) HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY! LOVE YA!

Thanks to everyone reading IC and HUGE THANKS for all the reviews - please keep them coming
because I love hearing your thoughts :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I woke up early the next morning with my arm around Bella. Her back was pressed into my chest as
I listened to the little noises that Bella always made while she slept.

I propped myself up on my elbow and looked down at her sleeping face. A small smile was forming
and I wondered if she was starting to wake up. Very quickly, I shifted my lower body, hoping that
if she was awake that she hadn't felt the fucker that would not go away. Yeah, I referred to my
cock as the fucker. As always, when I was around Bella, I was hard. It was like I was a teenager
all over again, dreaming of my English teacher. Maybe I just had a thing for English teachers? No,
it was definitely just Bella.

I turned over onto my other side, facing away from Bella, trying to think about anything other
than fucking the sexy woman next to me. Soon after I moved away, I felt Bella's body moving
around behind me.

"Oh my god," Bella whispered with a groan. "What is wrong with me?" She whispered again.

I didn't know if she knew I was awake or not, but when I spoke my voice startled her.
"Everything okay?"

Bella jumped slightly and let out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm… good." A few seconds later, Bella moved off
of the bed and grabbed her overnight bag. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Okay," I replied, wondering what had Bella all flustered.

After Bella was finished I took my shower as well. We met everyone down in the hotel lobby.
Everyone piled in Emmett's truck to go to breakfast. The girls made plans to spend the day at the
mall, though I knew from the look on Bella's face that she was not looking forward to that. The
guys were just going to a movie or something close by, since we were dropping the girls off.

I knew that Emmett was ready to get some answers as soon as Bella and the girls got out of the truck.

"So… what the fuck man? You're just going to sit there and act like a fucking girl… being all quiet
and shit?" Emmett began, which made me and Jasper both laugh.

Chapter: 10

"I don't want to hear it," Jasper said. "Bella is like a little sister to me and I really don't want to
hear about-"

"We haven't even done anything," I interrupted. "Are you guys seriously going to ask me this shit
every time? I don't know what else to tell you other than the fact that Bella has labeled us as
'good friends' and I can't get the girl out of my fucking head twenty-four hours a day."

I had strong feelings for Bella, not just sexual, either. Yes, she turned me on just by walking into
the room, but there was so much more to her. I had hope that one day something more would
happen between us, but with my future being undecided at the moment, I really didn't know how
to handle the situation with Bella. How could I start a relationship with her when there was a very
good chance of me leaving Forks to go back to playing football? It would just make things harder
for both of us.

"Well, sorry asshole, but you're with Bella all the fucking time… so of course we're going to
assume something," Emmett answered.

"Great," I groaned. "Rose and Alice are probably doing the same thing you're doing right now…
but making it fifty fucking times worse for her."

I didn't want Bella to be pressured. If things had to stay this way between us, then I would be
happy with whatever I got from Bella. I knew that if Rose and Alice made Bella question what we
were actually doing, it would cause her to back off and I didn't want that. As hard as it was to
hold myself back from the things I wanted to do with Bella, I really enjoyed what we had. I really
never knew I could be friends with another woman the way I was with Bella.

A couple of hours later, after wandering around town, we met the girls for a late lunch. Each one
of them had a few bags, all of which looked fully loaded. Bella blushed when I grabbed her bags
to put them in the truck.

"Did you have a good time?" I asked as we took our time walking into the restaurant to join our friends.

"Yeah… but now I need a nap," Bella sighed, letting out a small laugh.

"Me, too… we didn't do very much, but I'm exhausted."

"Oh, please… you try going into every store in the mall and trying on tons of clothes. Then you
can say you're exhausted," Bella teased, nudging my arm with her elbow.

I opened the door for her, smiling crookedly as she entered.

We enjoyed our time with our friends; however, Rose and Alice had to make the comment that I
was stealing Bella away from them, preventing them from having enough girl time. I was shocked
when Bella pretty much told them she would rather be at home watching movies with me rather
than shopping. Rose and Alice knew Bella loved them very much, but from what I could tell and
from what I had heard previously, Bella had changed quite a bit since her parents' deaths.

After we finished lunch, we headed back over to the hotel. Bella convinced everyone that we
should rest up for a bit, considering we were going to be out pretty late. We had plans to go to a
few clubs after the concert and I really couldn't wait to see Bella's dance moves. I was sure she
would be the sexiest woman I had ever seen on the dance floor. Her body was unlike any I had
seen. She was perfectly proportioned… amazing breasts, long legs, a toned stomach, and curves
that I wanted to run my hands over.

Bella and I both slept for a couple of hours before we got up to start getting ready for the
concert. I dressed casually – khaki shorts and a t-shirt. Bella on the other hand, was fucking hot
as usual. She blushed almost instantly when she walked out of the bathroom, dressed in a pair of
sinfully short shorts and a black tank top. My hands literally shook as I watched her move across
the room, brushing her long strands of hair. I didn't know how I was going to keep my hands off
of her that night.

"Ready?" I was finally able to speak after watching Bella put the finishing touches on her hair and
light make up. I loved that she didn't wear a thick coating of make up like most of the women I
had dated. She was a natural beauty and didn't need anything to enhance her features.

Bella nodded and grabbed her jacket, slipping her arms in. Without thinking, I pulled the jacket
over her shoulders, assisting her and trying to be a gentleman, although I wished that I could
"accidentally" graze her breasts. I seriously thought she was trying to kill me. Her cleavage was
visible as the top she wore was tight across that area. Fuck… what was I going to do?

"Oh, hey… can I give you my money to put in your wallet? I don't want to carry my purse, but
Rose said we're going out right after the concert…"

"Don't worry about it… I've got you covered for tonight."

"I can't let you do that," Bella groaned. One thing I had learned about Bella, she did not like
anyone paying for her. The entire way to Portland, she insisted on paying for gas, even though I
would have been traveling down there anyway, so it didn't make a difference to me; plus, I
wanted to "provide" for her. I was afraid it was just because I was offering, but Rose and Alice
assured me that she was the same way with everyone.

"Yes, Bella… you can. I found out that you cancelled my card with the hotel and placed the bill
on yours… am I right?"

Bella blushed, looking down at her feet as a small grin crept up on her face. "Yes," she admitted shyly.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the hotel room gently. "Well then, your drinks are on me
tonight."

Bella and I waited in the hotel lobby for our group. Emmett was driving all of us in his truck. I
didn't want to take the bike, knowing there were going to be a lot of drunk assholes out on the
road after the concert.

Rose sat in the front seat as Emmett drove. Alice and Jasper were going at each other as though
they were fucking teenagers, so Alice was perched in his lap in the backseat with me and Bella.
Bella smashed herself against me as much as she could, considering she didn't want to go
anywhere near Alice and Jasper's lovefest, or whatever the fuck it was.

I didn't mind at all that Bella sat so close to me. I caught myself glancing down her shirt a few
times and mentally argued with myself, knowing that I could get caught and then it'd be a really
awkward situation.

Emmett hit just about every bump he could, trying to break up Alice and Jasper, and it worked a
few times, though most of the time it just caused Bella's body to jerk awkwardly next to mine.
When Bella's arm accidentally flew into the air, landing on my inner thigh, I just about came in my
shorts. Damn it, she was so close to where I wanted her hand… so fucking close.

We had to park pretty far away from the concert area. It was actually at an outdoor theater

that was tucked away behind a thick bunch of trees. Carolina Liar was one of Bella's favorite
bands and she was very excited as we walked towards the theater. Bella and I walked ahead of
everyone else, both of us wanting to get a good spot.

Every now and then, Bella would trip or stumble over a rock, which caused me to reach out and
grab her hand. "So you won't fall…" That was my explanation.

"Thanks, Edward," Bella said softly. Her face blushed once again. With every blush, I felt like
maybe she wanted me like I wanted her. I hoped that was it.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

There were so many people at the concert. I never dreamed it would be this jam packed. We
were an hour early, but it looked like several people had been at the theater all day camping out
or something.

Edward was still holding my hand once we reached our location as we searched for a good place
to stand. I couldn't wipe the goofy grin off my face as I realized that Edward Masen was actually
holding my hand. I thought I was past my teen years, but that time in my life felt like it was
happening now. I had not crushed on any guy the way I did with Edward.

We finally found a good spot, pretty close to the stage, but off to the side. The guys left us for a
few minutes while they searched for the concession stand that was selling bottled water. And
that's when the questioning started.

"You look like you're in a daze or something, Bella," Alice giggled.

"Yeah, sweetie… are you okay?" Rose asked sarcastically.

They knew what I was thinking and feeling. I didn't want to admit it yet because I felt like as soon
as I admitted it, things would start to become complicated.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled, looking around at the crowd.

"We're not going to tease… or pry information out of you… just admit it, though… you like him,"
Rose said with a serious face.

I groaned and looked up at the sky. "Yes… I fucking like him. I have the biggest damn crush on him
and it's really embarrassing because I'm just making a fool out of myself."

Rose and Alice's smiles grew. Alice clapped her hands together and Rose nodded, grinning smugly
at me as if she was saying 'I knew it'. Of course she knew it, though. It was fucking obvious, but I
just hoped that Edward didn't know.

"Okay, that's all we wanted to know. We'll drop the subject now," Rose said calmly.

Yeah, I bet they were just going to drop the subject. If I told them I saw a hot guy at the grocery
store, they were ready to help me hunt down the mystery guy to ask him out. Me crushing on
Edward…? That would not be forgotten.

The guys came back with water for us a few minutes later. I thanked Edward as he handed the
bottle to me, grinning crookedly. He definitely knew how to charm the pants off a woman. That

smile would make me do just about anything. And yes, I do mean anything.

The band finally came out and did a short intro before starting their series of songs. I loved their
music and was so excited when Emmett told me who was playing. Edward stood behind me as we
listened to the music. Emmett and Rose and Alice and Jasper were in their own little worlds. And I
guess you could say Edward and I were also in our own little world.

Just as my favorite song was about to be played, a tall ass man and his tall ass wife stood in front
of us, blocking our perfect view. Edward looked around us, shifting me to his side, hoping I could
see then. I didn't really care as long as I heard the music, but it was still irritating.

Edward squatted down beside me suddenly and tugged on my hand to look down at him. "Get on
my shoulders."

"I can't do that! What if I hurt your bad shoulder?"

"It's fine, Bella. I promise."

I had never been on a man's shoulders before. I remember vaguely, riding on my father's
shoulders. I didn't want to put too much weight on his shoulder, so I resisted at first, but Edward
insisted. I awkwardly climbed onto Edward, feeling so nervous because… well, his freaking head
was between my legs. And just as Edward stood up, wrapping his large hands around my thighs,
Rose had that fucking smirk on her face as I looked down.

I rolled my eyes and looked away from her, still feeling so self conscious and nervous. I didn't
know if Edward was trying to break me or what, but his hands slowly moved down my legs,
where he ended up holding my calves. Just feeling his hands roam my legs turned me on more
than ever before.

Rose and Alice ended up sitting on Emmett and Jasper's shoulders as well and as soon as Rose was
level with me, she leaned over and whispered, "Well, his head is between your legs… too bad he's
facing the wrong way, huh, Bella?"

My mouth hung open in shock and though the sun was already setting, my face burned like I was
standing right next to it. "You… I can't believe you're going to-"

"Love you, Bella!" Rose squealed with excitement. She was excited over me being so flustered.

Edward moved his head slightly, looking up at me. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," I answered, nodding my head. Edward grinned before turning back to the stage.

I looked over to Alice and Rose who couldn't stop laughing. Silently, I mouthed 'bitch' to both of
them, which made them laugh even harder.

"You love us, Bella!" Alice giggled. Emmett and Jasper both rolled their eyes, probably knowing
what I was being teased about. I was extremely surprised that Emmett hadn't joined in on the teasing.

Every time I felt that Edward and I were getting closer, things would pop into my head, making me
wish I could pull myself away from him. I still cringed every time I thought of him telling Lauren
that I wasn't his girlfriend and we weren't 'fucking'. I don't know why it bothered me so much, but
it did. For once I would love to see the skank be jealous. I wished that she was right…

One of my favorite songs was playing and everyone was encouraged to sing along, making it very

loud. Edward reached up and patted my side, tickling me slightly. My legs were against Edward's
sides and I could feel the vibrations of his deep voice singing along. Everything about him was sexy.

Save me, I'm lost
Oh lord, I've been waiting for you
I'll pay any cost
Just save me from being confused
Wait, I'm wrong
I can't do better than this
I'll pay any cost
Save me from being confused
Show me what I'm looking for
Show me what I'm looking for
Show me what I'm looking for
Show me what I'm looking for…oh lord

To any strangers, we looked like a couple. Not just at the concert, but at home as well. I wasn't
even paying attention to the concert as I thought about the past month, spending all my time
with him. Edward and I ran together in the morning, cooked dinner together, watched movies at
night and during the day, if I was at school, he would keep me company. It wasn't normal for a
guy to spend all of his time around a girl if he wasn't interested. The thought of Edward actually
liking me thrilled me.

As the songs continued, I absentmindedly ran my hands through Edward's hair. I had never done
this before and I really wanted to. His hair was silky and I loved the way it felt between my
fingers. Edward leaned his head back slightly and I looked down, finding that he was smiling with
his eyes closed.

"That feels good," Edward said. I could barely hear him, but I could read his lips. God, his lips…

I had to get down. I felt like I was crossing lines that we had yet to set up, though we both knew
they were there. I was letting myself get too close to him even though it's exactly what I wanted.

I stilled my movements, but leaned down just a bit. "Can you let me down now?"

Edward look confused, but nodded. He awkwardly maneuvered me, reaching behind him and
pulling me down to his side. His arms and hands were wrapped around me as my feet hit the
ground and he continued to hold me close for a moment.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Edward asked, his warm breath tickling close to my ear.

I stood on my tiptoes, leaning against him. "Yeah, I was just afraid you might be getting tired."

"Bella…" Edward groaned. "Do you think I'm a little shit or something? Like I'm not tough enough
for you…?"

I knew that Edward doubted himself a lot, especially when it came to his strength. A major
football franchise wanted him, and he wasn't even willing to give it a try, just because of his doubt.

"Of course I don't think that, Edward!" I replied quickly, wrapping my arms around him to pull him
closer to me. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean it like that… I mean you're just about the strongest guy
I've ever known…"

Edward's arms squeezed around my body and I felt his lips against my forehead. "Well, then stop

treating me like I can't take care of you. Okay?"

I was still in shock from Edward's mouth being against my head. I mean the kiss on my hand just
about caused a heart attack and having his lips against my face… holy shit, it caused my knees
to go weak.

"Okay," I agreed breathlessly.

I spent the rest of the concert leaning against Edward's chest. I ignored the looks from Alice and
Rose because I knew I would blush even more than I already was. Once the concert was over,
we walked silently back to Emmett's truck. It was dark and I could barely see anything, but
Edward grabbed my hand like he did before.

Emmett drove us back to the hotel. We wanted to change before we went to the club and I was
actually determined to impress Edward. Alice and Rose both wore strapless short dresses, but I
wore jeans, heels, and a black tube top that Alice insisted I wear. It definitely made my boobs
look bigger, which was a good thing, I figured. I wore my hair down; it was wavy because I didn't
straighten it out. Once I had a little bit of make up on, I was ready to go. Alice and Rose were still
getting ready. I knew it would be a while until they were done, so I walked downstairs and found
the pool area. Nobody was there, so I sat down and leaned back in one of the chairs as I waited
for everyone.

A few minutes had passed when I heard the gate open. I turned around and I'm sure my eyes
bulged out as Edward walked towards me. He had changed into jeans and a gray button up shirt
with the top buttons left undone. The sleeves were rolled up to his forearms. And his messy hair…
it was messy and so freaking sexy.

I must have looked like a fool as I stared at him. Edward grinned as he moved closer to me.

"Hi," Edward said.

"Hey," I breathed. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"No… Jasper said the girls need twenty more minutes."

I laughed and rolled my eyes as I stood in front of Edward. "That figures…"

I felt Edward's eyes roaming my body and I suddenly felt underdressed. "I forgot my jacket
upstairs," I said softly as I moved to walk past Edward, only he grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Here you go," Edward said as he handed me my jacket. "Rose said you forgot it in the room and
I… I didn't want you to get cold."

"Thank you," I said, my voice so low that it came out in a whisper. Edward moved behind me,
helping me get the jacket on. I turned around to face Edward, wrapping my arms around myself
as a cool breeze blew through. "Edward, I-"

"Come on guys!" Emmett yelled from the doorway, interrupting my brave attempt to be honest
with Edward. "They're actually done earlier than expected!"

I sighed and closed my eyes, completely frustrated because I knew I would never get the courage
to actually ask Edward how he felt about me or tell him how I felt about him. Edward ignored
Emmett as he stepped forward, leaving little distance between us.

"What's wrong?" Edward said, his voice low and rough.

I shook my head and smiled slightly, trying to ease the tension. "Nothing is wrong… I just have a
headache."

Edward reached his hand out, the back of his hand ran along the side of my face. "Are you sure?
You don't seem to be running a fever, but… maybe we should just stay in?"

"I'm fine, I promise."

"Come on people! I'm ready to dance!" Emmett boomed. Edward and I both laughed as we made
our way inside the hotel.

An hour later, I found myself pressed up against several people as Rose and Alice practically
dragged me out on the dance floor. The guys were sitting at our table, drinking more than they
needed to. I opted not to drink because we needed at least one sober person to drive us back to
the hotel. Though dancing was not my favorite thing to do, I had fun with the girls. We had not
been out like this since they visited me last spring, so it was nice to do something fun again.

The entire time we were dancing I kept glancing over towards Edward's direction. The stupid
waitress and I assumed a few of her friends were hanging out around our table, blatantly flirting
with Edward and the guys. Emmett and Jasper kept flashing their wedding rings, but of course
Edward was single so they knew who to hit on. That and they actually recognized him. When one
of the big boobed, blonde, slutty girls pulled Edward to the dance floor, I cringed and hurried to
the bar. This sober thing was not going to happen. Not tonight. Not after seeing him dancing
with another woman. What would hold him back from being with someone? I didn't show him that I
was interested in him, so I had completely lost my chance.

I grabbed my ID out of my back pocket and flashed it at the bartender as I ordered a beer. I took
a big drink and immediately made a face. Beer really tastes nasty. Rose always says it's an
acquired taste, but no matter how many times I tasted the crap, it sucked. As I took another drink,
I felt a body pressed into my back.

"I heard that you hate beer…" It was Edward and he was whispering right into my ear. I wished
more than anything I could get drunk and forget this entire night. "So I can't understand why
you're sitting over here drinking this shit when you could be out there dancing."

I stared at the shelf of liquor in front of me. "I don't like dancing."

Edward placed his hands on either side of me on the counter. "I think you do…" he said so close
to my ear that I felt his lip graze the top of it.

I shuddered and breathed deeply. I wondered what had gotten into him. Edward kind of flirted
with me before, but this… this was different. This was so freaking sexy. I couldn't even begin to
explain the ache I felt just because of his voice.

"Come on," Edward said softly, tugging on my arm. When Edward pulled on my arm, my stool
spun around so that I was facing him. He smiled crookedly and grabbed my hand, pulling me off of
the stool, crashing me into his chest. "Dance with me?"

I nodded as Edward led us out into the crowd of people. I didn't even concentrate on what song
was playing. It was loud, there were tons of people around and all I could think about was the
way Edward's eyes stared so intensely at me.

Edward held me close, moving our bodies with the beat of the music. When I felt too
overwhelmed because of his stare, I broke free of his arms and turned around, leaning against
his chest. His hands moved down my sides, stopping when they reached my hips. We began
moving again and oh my god… I could feel every inch of him. Every inch. My eyes literally rolled
into the back of my head.

We took a small break, in which Edward consumed more alcohol. He was absolutely wasted by our
third time out to the dance floor. His words were slurred and he leaned on me most of the time. I
knew it was time for us to go, but I was really enjoying the way I was so relaxed with him.

I wrapped one arm around Edward's side and led him to our table. Rose and Emmett were making
out and Alice and Jasper were having a drinking competition. I was the only sober one,
considering I only took two drinks of my beer. I took Emmett's keys as we made our way out of the
club. The girls and I sat in the front and the guys in the back. I kept glancing in the rearview
mirror. Edward was directly in my line of sight with a sloppy, drunk grin on his face the entire time,
staring right at me.

I pulled up to the front of the hotel so that my drunk friends didn't have to walk too far. They all
mumbled their thanks as they exited the truck, but Edward didn't get out.

"You're nottttt walking in by yourself," Edward slurred.

I let out a quiet giggle, shaking my head back and forth. "Okay," I sighed. "That just means I'll
have to drag you even further to our room."

"I can walk just fine, Bella," Edward retorted, drawling out my name.

I was afraid to park Emmett's huge truck in one of the tight parking spots, so I ended up having
to park at the very back of the lot. Edward stumbled out quickly, walking around to my side. Even
drunk, he was still trying to be a gentleman.

"Let me help you out," Edward mumbled as I slid down to the ground.

"Thanks, Edward… but I'm fine. Let's get you to bed."

"You're going to bed with me?"

"Well, we're in the same room," I answered as Edward wrapped his arm around me. I slid my arm
around his back, gripping his side as we walked.

"I never drink this much. I hope you don't think I'm a fucking asshole now," Edward groaned.

I squeezed his side and looked up at him with a small smile. "I don't think you're an asshole, I promise.

"Bella, you're beautiful." Edward ceased walking any further, stopping right in front of the hotel
doors. "Really fucking beautiful, and I don't think you realize it."

I was so relieved that the lights weren't bright where we were standing, and also that Edward
was drunk. My face was beet red from hearing the man that I considered the sexiest man alive
call me beautiful. Fucking beautiful.

"Thanks, Edward," I said shyly.

I tugged on Edward, pulling him into the building. We didn't say anything on our way up to the

room. I felt claustrophobic in the elevator, feeling like the way I felt about Edward was completely
visible to him. I needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Thankfully, we were only on the
fourth floor, so the ride wasn't too long.

Edward still had his arm around me as we approached our room. He looked like he was going to
pass out anytime. I felt awful because I should have made sure he didn't drink too much. I would
have wanted my friends to help me out like that. Instead, I sulked at the bar and tried to distract
myself as much as possible so I didn't see him with another woman.

I wanted him. And I didn't want any other woman near him.

I felt around in my pants pockets, trying to find the key card, but remembering I didn't grab mine.

"My back pocket," Edward slurred.

Very carefully, I reached my arm around him, slipping my hand down the back pocket of his
pants. Temptation was overtaking my mind as I had to pry my hand away from his ass. I was
never one of those girls that looked at guy's butts. I just didn't really care about that asset. I was
more likely to notice their eyes or smile or voice. However, with Edward, I wanted to rub my hands
all over him, including the exact spot where my hand was now.

Edward's breathing hitched noticeably as I pulled out the key card. "Find it?"

"Yeah," I said, letting out a long breath as I moved to pull away. Edward stopped me from moving,
placing his hands on the door behind me, essentially trapping me.

"Bella," Edward whispered my name as he bowed his head down, his mouth inches away from my
neck. I felt his warm breath move across my sensitive skin. I let out an involuntary gasp as his
mouth made contact with my collarbone. His tongue darted out, licking my skin at an
excruciatingly slow pace.

My arms automatically wrapped around Edward's neck as I ran a hand through his hair. There
was no space between our bodies as Edward pushed me further into the door. I wanted him so
badly. More than I ever expected.

I had a choice to make.

That choice was being distracted by the way Edward nibbled my skin.

The choice… do I allow this to happen? Edward was drunk and I didn't want to be a drunk fuck
that he had. I wanted him to remember this… to know what was going on. Was he just doing this
because he was drunk and horny?

I needed to make my decision very quickly because I couldn't take much more of what he had to
offer. I either had to stop this right away, or all hope was lost as my will quickly crumbled.

***! !***

Review please!!! And thanks for reading :)

Next chapter will be posted on Friday 10/02... the teaser will be posted on the forum on
Wednesday, but check throughout the week because the girls over at the forum got two or three
teasers for this chapter... And if you're on Twitter, Tweet me :) I'm Greeneyedgirl00 on there.

FicRecs:

Master of the Universe by Snowqueens Icedragon

Meant To Be by jjuliebee

Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry by justaskalice

Have a great day! xoxo, Jen

Thank you to my amazing readers - I'm overwhelmed by all the reviews and can't thank you
enough for them. Thanks to the girls over on Twitter who supply us all with "inspriration". And last
but not least, thanks to Jessica1971 - my beta - I couldn't do this without her. :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I woke up during the night with a horrible headache. I had drunk way too much at the club and it
was a fucking miracle that I got back to our hotel room. How did I get here? I sat up quickly,
looking around the room. Where was Bella? She wasn't in our room.

Still feeling extremely woozy, I stumbled out of bed to search for Bella. I hoped that I didn't do
anything to piss her off during my drunken state. This was my first time being drunk in several
months, so it wasn't like I did it often. What a way to impress the girl that I wanted more than
anything…

I stumbled my way over to the bathroom, throwing open the door. I had to use the bathroom
before I went out and looked for Bella. I didn't know if she stayed with one of the girls or what,
but I had to apologize for my possibly shitty actions.

I squinted my eyes as I walked through the bathroom, heading over to the toilet. I quickly
unzipped my pants and as soon as I did, I heard a small gasp behind me. I covered up my
exposed junk and turned around to find Bella in the bathtub. She was covered in bubbles so I
couldn't see what I desperately wanted to see.

"I… I…" I fucking stuttered, unable to form any words as I stared at her.

Bella crossed her arms over her chest as her face turned maroon. "I'm so sorry… you were
passed out… and the freaking lock wasn't working on the door… oh my god," she groaned,
placing her wet hand over her eyes.

Unfortunately, I did the right thing and turned around, though I really wanted to stare at her a
while longer. When she moved her hand, I could see a small sliver of her left breast and I wanted
nothing more than to suck on it, but that would be kind of… forward? Right?

"I'm sorry, Bella. I was just kind of out of it and I didn't know where you were. I was going to go
find you after I finished…"

Bella let out a small giggle and I realized right at that moment that I loved hearing her make that
sound. I loved it when she was happy.

"I'll close my eyes," Bella said as her nose scrunched when she closed her eyes tightly. "No
peaking… so you can finish your… business."

She was so fucking beautiful.

Chapter: 11

I chuckled as I finished my "business" as she called it. And it was hard fucking business. Literally.
I was actually surprised that my cock hadn't turned purple and fallen off by now, especially after
seeing Bella in the tub. The tub that I could easily fit into with her. I could make her feel so
fucking good. I would spend all my time worshipping her magnificent body if she would just let me.

Once I was done, I turned back to Bella. Her eyes were still closed and she had her small arms
covering her chest. With strict restraint, I walked over to the bathtub and sat on the edge,
enjoying watching her gnaw on her bottom lip nervously.

"I'm done… and it's all clear," I said with a laugh as Bella slowly opened her eyes. "So… why are
you taking a bath in the middle of the night?"

Bella grinned at me and looked down, checking herself over, making sure she wasn't exposed at
all. "I couldn't sleep… and you snore when you're drunk, so…"

"I'm so sorry… I'm a horrible drunk. I don't even remember getting back to the room."

"Oh…" Bella gaped at me as her eyes grew wide. "Don't be sorry… you didn't need much help."

Bella stuttered so much and seemed so nervous.

"Regardless… I shouldn't have drunk so much. I rarely do that."

Bella smiled and I had to remind myself to stop staring at her. I reached down and wiped a small
amount of bubbles off her forehead. I should have known that was a mistake because once I was
touching her, I didn't want to stop. I wanted to move my hand down her body, feeling her
breasts… her ass… every inch of her.

Pulling my hand away quickly, I rubbed my face. "I'll give you some privacy."

"O-okay…" Bella said with her shy voice. I stood up and walked towards the door. "Hey, I put
some Tylenol on the nightstand… and a bottle of water," Bella said as I was walking out.

"Thanks, Bella."

I was amazed that she actually cared about my drunken ass. The thought that Bella might actually
feel the same way about me as I felt for her seemed unreal. Last night at the club, before I
consumed an insane amount of alcohol, I let the slutty blonde girls hang all over me because I
wanted to see if Bella would get jealous at all. It was Emmett's idea. I had no interest in those
women at all, as my eyes were glued to the beautiful brunette that consumed every thought I had.

And when we were dancing… fuck. Bella definitely had one of the most phenomenal bodies I had
ever seen or touched.

I took the medicine and tried to clear my mind of Bella. Leaning against the headboard, I turned
on the television and flipped through the channels, trying to find something interesting to
watch. Moments later, Bella emerged from the bathroom. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and I
could not fucking tear my eyes away from her body. She wore a tiny pair of black shorts and a
white long sleeve t-shirt.

"Long sleeve?" I blurted out, feeling really disappointed that she wasn't wearing one of those tank
tops that drove me insane, though anything she wore just about killed me.

Bella giggled as she nodded her head. "I'm cold…"

"Don't you think pants would actually help, rather than shorts?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Yes, smart ass… but I didn't bring any pajama pants. Just shorts." Of course she didn't bring
pajama pants. She was out to torture me all weekend.

Bella plopped down on the bed, lying on her back with her legs dangling off. I felt my cock grow
hard as I pictured myself settling between her sexy legs. I honestly did not know how long we
could keep up this charade of hiding our feelings towards one another. What was holding me back?

A few minutes passed as I tried to stop thinking about being inside Bella when I realized she must
have fallen asleep. Her body was on top of the covers and I didn't want her to get cold, so I got
out of bed and lifted Bella off the bed as I pulled the covers back. I gently placed Bella back on
the bed, still reeling from the feeling of her body being in my arms.

Hovering over her body, I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight, beautiful."

***

After we got back from our trip, things were different. It had now been four days since I last saw
Bella. I dropped her off at her house and instead of us making plans to get together for dinner or
a movie, Bella said that she thought she was getting sick or something. I would have taken care
of her, but she insisted that she would be fine, not wanting to get me sick as well.

Four fucking days. I was going insane from not seeing or talking to Bella.

The only contact I had with Bella was a few text messages. I called a couple of times, but she
didn't answer, only responding with a text. I wondered if she really was sick or just avoiding me.

It was Friday morning and I decided to go up to the school to get a few things done. I needed to
order equipment for the school year as we were getting new gym machines. Once I was done
with the boring shit, I decided to take a run around the track. On my fifth lap, I noticed Seth
walking onto the field. He had come by a few times during the week to practice with me. I didn't
want to make it so obvious to him that I had strong feelings for his sister, so I nonchalantly
asked how she was feeling every time. He assured me that she was okay, but just having a hard
time with her allergies.

"You're early this morning," I said as I jogged over to Seth.

"Yeah… I didn't sleep well…" Seth said with a raspy voice.

"Everything okay?"

He didn't say anything, but nodded his head.

We started our usual routine which was standing on opposite ends of the field, throwing the ball
back and forth. With each pass, we'd both take steps back to see how far we could actually
throw the ball. Seth was impressive for a high school kid and I knew if the he stuck to it, he'd be
playing pro someday.

I launched the ball down the field, feeling pretty proud of myself that I could still throw such a
long distance. And it didn't hurt. For the longest time after my injury, I could barely move my arm
without having a piercing pain rip through my shoulder.

"That's fucking awesome!" Seth yelled from down the field. "Over seventy fucking yards, Coach!"

I laughed, shrugging my shoulders. Just as I started to walk down the field to where Seth was, I
heard someone clapping from the bleachers.

"Very impressive, Edward," the person yelled. I turned around and noticed my nosy fucking agent
sitting in the stands with two other men.

I couldn't believe that he had set this up, going against my wishes. I wanted to be left alone. My
life at this point was enjoyable and getting better every second. Especially since Bella came along.

"Who is that?" Seth asked.

The men started walking down the bleachers and I knew they were going to discuss the offer
they had for me. I didn't want Seth around because I was really about to lose my temper.

"Nobody," I said, completely distracted with anger. "Listen… can you go lock up the workout room
and I'll meet you later for lunch?"

"Sure… but I'm going to Port Angeles. You might check on Bella later…"

The mention of his sister's name snapped me out of my thoughts. "What's wrong with her? Still sick?"

"She's better… but today is our mom's birthday and I know she's kinda upset…"

"Oh," was all I could say, feeling so awful that Seth and Bella had to go through this. "Are you
okay, Seth?"

"I'm fine, Coach… just going to spend the day with some friends."

I patted Seth on the back. "Well, be careful and… why don't you come to my house for dinner?
I'll make sure Bella is there, as well."

"Sounds good," Seth muttered as he walked towards the workout room.

I needed to get to Bella, but first I had to deal with the asshole that is my agent. As the men
approached me, I only had one thought in my head. Bella.

"Nice to see you, Edward," Garrett, my shitty agent, said.

"Hello," I said curtly, shaking his hand.

"Edward, this is Tom Ciskowski… and Jared Baker. They're the scouting agents I told you about
from the Dallas Cowboys franchise." Garrett turned to the men and smiled like the jackass that he
is. "Gentlemen, this is Edward Masen."

"Nice to meet you both," I said as we shook hands.

We ended up going to my office to talk things over. I had no interest in what they were saying
because at the moment, I didn't have an interest in playing pro football. Sure, it was exciting, but
I didn't think I was up to the task.

By the time our short meeting was over, I walked the men out of my office, hoping I wouldn't see

them again anytime soon. Garrett was persistent and promised that he would be in touch with me,
but I had planned on not answering his call. The offer I got was an amazing one, but I couldn't
just leave the life I had in Forks. And that's exactly what the offer required. I would have to
leave Forks immediately, leaving everything behind.

I locked up my office and, just as I was exiting the building, I noticed Bella's car exiting the parking
lot. She had been going up to the school to work on things for the upcoming school year and I
wondered why she didn't come by to talk to me. I rushed out to my truck and pulled out onto the
highway, still able to see her car in the distance. She made a turn that was near the highway that
was close to my house, but I knew exactly where she was going. Bella wasn't going to my house,
she was going to the cemetery.

I needed to be there for her.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

When Edward and I got back from Portland, I decided to go on an Edward-diet. It sounded so
freaking crazy, but I had to distance myself from him a little bit. I didn't know if he would realize
what almost happened between us when he was wasted, and I felt so ashamed because I let
things go too far. I was the sober one. I knew exactly what I was doing and he didn't.

"I want you," Edward breathed against my neck. His lower half was pressing hard into my body
and I could feel his obvious arousal. "See what you do to me constantly…" His lips moved against
my neck, making my legs feel as though I would collapse soon. "All the fucking time, Bella."

I could have screamed because I wanted him so badly.

I couldn't speak because I was so overwhelmed with the way his mouth felt against my skin. I
knew he was drunk and Edward would never admit these things to me if he was sober. Edward
and I both had feelings for each other, it was obvious, but neither of us was ready for a
relationship. I wasn't ready to be a fuck buddy, either.

Very gently, I placed my trembling hands on Edward's chest and pushed him away. "You're
drunk, Edward, and we need to go to sleep."

I turned towards the door, fumbling with the crappy key card that would not scan.

Edward ground his erection against my ass as he began placing kisses along my shoulder to the
back of my neck. "Fuck going to sleep, Bella."

He didn't know what his words did to me. God, how I would have loved to rip my clothes off in that
freaking hallway and finally have our way with one another, but I could never forgive myself for
doing that. If Edward and I crossed that line, especially while he was drunk, things would never
be the same between us again. I already considered him my best friend and I didn't want to lose him.

With everything in me, I ignored the sensations my body experienced. "Come on," I mumbled as I
finally got the door open. Edward followed close behind me as his hands were still on my hips.
"Lie down, Edward."

I turned to him, pulling him towards the bed. Edward moved towards me and I knew he was leaning
in to kiss me, not on the neck this time, but on the mouth. I didn't want my first kiss with him to be
a drunken one, so I ducked out of the way as Edward stumbled to his bed.

As soon as Edward landed on the bed, he passed out. I prayed that he wouldn't remember what
happened between us.

And that is what started the Edward-diet. I bought three tubs of cheesecake bites and placed
them in the refrigerator the night we got back home. I also had to buy cold medicine because I
really was getting sick. Anyway, I made a deal with myself that if I could avoid going to see
Edward or calling him, that I could have five cheesecake bites at night. If I gave in to my
temptation, I couldn't have cheesecake. It sounded simple, but I lost the bet with myself. I ended
up driving past his house or driving past the school every single day just to try and get a glimpse
of him. Though I didn't actually see him, it was still the point that I couldn't stay away.

Running a fever and feeling like shit actually helped in my effort to distance myself from him.
There was no way in hell I would ever let Edward see me like that.

Esme came over a few times to check on me, along with Rose and Alice. They were all
concerned, knowing what day was coming up. Friday was my mom's birthday and being back at
home made it even harder to handle. In Arizona I was able to push aside all of the memories, but
being back in Forks, I remembered everything.

The year my dad and I surprised her with breakfast in bed.

The year my mom and I left for a girl's only vacation.

The year I was five and stayed up really late, breaking the rules, to make her a card.

I still missed her so much.

I stopped by the local flower shop and purchased a fresh bouquet of flowers to place on her
grave. She loved white roses, so that's exactly what I got for her. I also had a card to go along
with the flowers. I hoped nobody would read it, but it just felt good to get my feelings out. I felt
like I was really talking to her or something. As I drove away from the florist, I passed by the
school and saw Edward's truck parked near the back of the school, along with Seth's vehicle. He
usually worked out with Seth every morning, which was one of the sweetest things. Edward
didn't have to do that for Seth, but he told me that he really enjoyed it.

I wanted to talk to him so much.

I kept driving and decided to stop off at the police station. Emmett would make me feel better.
He always knew how to make me laugh.

As soon as I walked through the door, I was approached by several of my dad's old friends.
Everyone there still missed him like he had just died yesterday. My dad was the type of person to
help anyone he knew, even strangers. There was a homeless person that stopped off in Forks
several years ago and, every single day, my dad would go buy the man breakfast. When it
started to get cold outside, he bought the man several blankets because the man refused to go
stay at the shelter. My dad was an extremely caring man.

"Hi, sweetie!" Emmett hollered from his office. I quickly said my goodbyes as I made my way to
back to Emmett.

"Hey, Em… I'm sorry… I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

Emmett walked over to me and closed the door before hugging me tightly against his chest.

"Don't ever be sorry for stopping by, Bella."

"Thanks," I finally answered after trying to hold myself together. I didn't want to break down in
front of him already, but it was just a really awful day.

Emmett had an old leather couch in his office that he led me over to. "So… it's your mom's
birthday today, right?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "I'm having a bad day."

As soon as Emmett wrapped his arm around me, I started bawling. The ugly crying that you can't
control the weird faces you're making. That kind of cry. Emmett had seen me like that so many
times, I didn't really care.

"Shhh… it's all going to be okay, Bella. You have so many people that care about you… and I'm so
glad you came to me. You are my little sister."

"Thanks, Em. Love you," I mumbled against his chest.

"Love you, too, Bella."

Emmett and I sat in silence for a while. He held me as I cried and it felt good to get it all out
finally, but something was missing. I missed Edward. He made everything better and it was hard
to admit that because I had extremely good friends that helped me through very hard times, but
I knew deep down that Edward was the only one to make me feel better.

"Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?" Emmett asked.

"Nah, I'm just going to stay in… maybe order a pizza or something."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Well, make sure you call us if you need anything… or Alice and Jasper… mom and dad… and you
know you can count on Edward, too."

"I know… Edward is… a really good friend." I had to admit that to Emmett. He could see right
through me. I was sure he already knew how I felt about Edward anyway.

Emmett smiled brightly. "Yeah, and I think he is really good for you, Bella. Maybe someday-"

"Stop right there, gossip queen…" I interrupted, laughing so hard because Edward had
mentioned Emmett's gossiping ways.

We talked a little bit longer and Emmett walked me out to my car, making me promise to call if I
needed anything. I drove away from the station, knowing exactly where I needed to go. To see
Edward.

On my way to the school, I received a phone call from Seth. He let me know that he and some
friends were going to hang out in Port Angeles since he was done practicing with Edward. It was a
little earlier than their usual quitting time, but Seth said a few men showed up at the practice field
to talk to Edward. He also mentioned that Edward wanted us over for dinner, which was very
sweet of him to think of us. I hung up the phone and decided to go to the cemetery before I

saw Edward. I knew we would end up going to lunch or something and I didn't want to miss going
to the cemetery.

I parked my car at the side of the cemetery and grabbed the flowers and a blanket out of my car.
I walked up to my parents' grave, still not believing that they were actually dead. Every time I
visited their grave, it just didn't seem real. I spread the blanket out once I placed the flowers next
to the headstone. I sat down on the blanket and laid back, closing my eyes as I thought about our
fun times.

As I wiped the tears from my cheeks, I heard footsteps nearby, which caused me to sit up
quickly. I opened my eyes and found Edward standing in front of me, holding a small bouquet of flower

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt you or anything… I just saw you heading out this way and
thought you-" Edward stopped talking as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I thought you
might need a friend?"

God, I missed him.

I stood up and without thinking, wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes, I do."

His arms wrapped tightly around me, slightly lifting me off the ground. "I'll always be here for you, Bella

"Thank you," I managed to say as my tears soaked through the front of his shirt. I pulled away
and looked up at him. We both had goofy smiles on our faces and I realized then that I couldn't
go another day avoiding him. His shirt had a wet spot on it and I cringed when I saw it. "Sorry," I
said, pointing to the spot.

"Not a problem, beautiful."

I blushed when he called me beautiful because he had never said that to me before... well, not
when he was sober, anyway.

"I love that," Edward mumbled as he ran his finger across my cheekbone. "I don't like to see you
cry, but your eyes are gorgeous when you do cry. Big brown, glossy eyes."

As if blushing the color of a tomato wasn't bad enough, I now felt like my face was more like a
burgundy color.

Edward grinned and held up the flowers. "These are for… your parents."

"Thank you." My hand was grasping one of Edward's tightly and I couldn't seem to let go. "It's my
mom's birthday today."

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward said with a sympathetic smile. "I didn't realize… if you need to be alone
I can come back… but I'd really like to be here for you."

I tugged on Edward's arm gently and pulled him to the blanket. We sat down facing towards my
parents' headstone as I placed the flowers Edward bought next to my bouquet.

"I need you here."

Edward put his arm around me, pulling me close to his side. After sitting in silence for a while,
Edward was the first to say something. "What were they like?"

"Crazy… overprotective… loving."

Edward chuckled at my openness, but it was true. "My dad was definitely the type to be cleaning
his gun when a guy showed up at my house. My mother was a spur of the moment type person.
She would get these crazy ideas to do something wild and fun, but they were two of the most
loving people you'd ever meet."

"I wish I had met them… you know, my mom knew them."

"Yeah… your mom called when they died. She apologized that she couldn't come to the funeral
and, honestly, Chicago is so far away…"

"Have you ever met my mother?" Edward asked.

"No… my mom and her kept in touch, writing and talking on the phone occasionally, but no, I've
never actually met her."

"She likes you a lot."

"Anyone is a step up from Lauren," I blurted out.

Edward laughed along with me, tightening his hold on my body. "True… but I was visiting her,
actually, right before we met… and she warned me to be extra nice to you."

"And I bet you never imagined that you'd have to be nice to me so soon… changing my tire for me."

"It wasn't a big deal," Edward said sweetly. "I like to help the little girl in the rain… not able to
change her own tire."

I smacked Edward's leg. "Haha… very funny. I would have changed it… eventually… the next
morning, in the daylight."

Edward laughed loudly, his body shaking as he did. "Exactly."

"Thank you… for staying with me. I don't like coming out here alone."

"Just call me, Bella… anytime."

"Okay," I sighed softly as I leaned into Edward even more. "Sorry I haven't talked to you all
week… my throat has been so sore… and-"

"I thought you were avoiding me or something… but your voice is scratchy… still extremely cute,
but scratchy, so I believe that you were sick. However, I wish you would let me take care of you.
I could've brought you soup or something."

It felt so good to have someone like Edward. I knew I could count on him for anything. I didn't
want to lose our friendship, though. My mind kept drifting back to his mouth attached to my neck
in the sexiest way possible.

"I didn't want you to get sick, though."

"Last time I checked, you can't really catch allergy problems."

"I know," I groaned. "But I looked like a piece of shit… you probably would have gotten sick just

from seeing my appearance."

"Oh yeah, seeing you with your cute little red nose and your pajamas on… that would have been
awful," Edward said mockingly as he brought his hand to his forehead. Gently, Edward placed his
finger under my chin, tilting my face up to look at him. "Call me next time."

"Okay, I will."

I told my mom 'happy birthday' a while later and so did Edward. I had never met a sweeter man
than him. We left a little bit later and Edward followed me to my house so we could drop off my
car and grab my swimsuit. Edward mentioned that we might go swimming later that day. After
leaving my house, we stopped off at the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner. Edward
was cooking steaks for him and Seth, and grilled chicken for me. He gaped at me when I told him I
didn't really care for steak.

It was still early in the day when we got to Edward's house, so we changed into our swimsuits and
relaxed in the pool for a bit. I had to keep pushing my dirty thoughts away as I stared at
Edward. The word 'sexy' did not do him justice. He was breathtakingly handsome.

The water was up to my breasts as I sat on the pool stairs, watching Edward swim his laps up
and down the pool. On his last lap, he swam right over to me and had a big grin on his face when
he looked up.

"Bored?" Edward asked.

"Nope… wishing that I could swim that fast."

"Years of practice," Edward chuckled. "Anything on your mind?"

"Yeah," I answer honestly. "Seth said that some strange men came to see you at the field
today… anything wrong?"

Edward sighed as he moved to sit next to me. Our hips were touching and though I had just asked
him a question, all I could think about was climbing onto his lap to straddle him.

"Well… you know how my agent has been bugging me?" I nodded. "He and two men from the
team showed up today… they saw me practicing with Seth and said it further proved that I was
still able to play. They offered me… a rather amazing contract deal."

Without realizing what I was actually doing, I lunged towards him and hugged him. "That's great news!

Edward shook his head against my shoulder and, once again, I felt his warm breath on my skin.
"It's not… I didn't accept."

I pulled away from him and stood up, standing between his legs. "Why, Edward!?"

"Because…" he groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not ready to just up and leave my
life here… and they want me as soon as possible… I have to worry about the kids I'm coaching and-"

"Bullshit, Edward… they could find another coach for the team. This is such a huge opportunity…
what you've been waiting for!"

"It's not that easy, Bella… I would be so far away and it would just be so… different for me…"

"What team is it?" I hated the thought of Edward moving away, but I knew he was miserable not
being able to play anymore.

With a regretful look, Edward said, "Dallas." And I wanted to cry. That was so far away from me.

"That is far," I mumbled, "but I know that isn't the real reason, Edward…."

"You're right… I just… what if I can't handle it? I'm twenty nine years old and I would be going up
against young guys… just out of college."

"If they didn't think you could do it, then they wouldn't offer you a contract, Edward." I sat back
down next to him, nudging his knee with mine. "Just don't give up on yourself yet… think it over for
a bit before you make your final decision."

"Thanks, Bella."

"Anytime," I said, wrapping my arm around him. It was my turn to be there for him.

Edward and I continued swimming for a while until we realized that it was getting close to dinner
time. Edward cooked the chicken and steaks and baked potatoes while I made a salad and a
cake. Edward insisted that we have cake to celebrate my mom. I think I fell in love with him even
more when he said that. Fell in love? No. Just as friends. We were just friends. The way I loved
Emmett and Jasper.

Seth arrived just as we finished cooking and played with Edward's dog, Herkie, for a bit. We
laughed throughout dinner and Edward got our mind off of the sadness that had plagued us all
day. He was exactly what we needed.

The three of us cleaned up the small mess in the kitchen after eating cake and ice cream. Once
we were done with the cleaning, Edward put in National Lampoon's Vacation because Seth
mentioned it was his favorite movie. We needed something to keep us laughing and that was perfect.

I sat in my usual spot on the loveseat; however, instead of Edward sitting by me, like he usually
did, Herkie plopped down beside me, resting his head on my lap. Edward complained that he stole
his seat, but Herkie just looked up at him momentarily, as if he was saying 'And, asshole?'

All too soon, I found myself drifting off to sleep, unable to keep my eyes open.

***! !***

Coach Masen

Seth and I laughed as we tried to keep Bella awake, but she eventually fell asleep and there was
no way we were going to get her to wake up.

"Why don't you guys just stay here tonight?" I asked Seth, since it was so late and I didn't really
want him out driving.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Seth asked as his own eyes were heavily lidded.

"Sure," I replied as I grabbed a couple of blankets out of the living room closet. "You can sleep
down here or upstairs in the guest room?"

Seth settled in on the couch and offered to help get Bella up to the guest room, but I assured him

I could handle her. Before I was able to get Bella out of the room, Seth was already snoring.

Herkie followed me upstairs as I carried Bella to the bedroom. I wanted nothing more than to take
her to my room, but I knew I couldn't. God, how I wanted her in my bed.

I was jealous of my dog when he jumped onto the bed and cuddled next to Bella. My damn dog
was getting to cuddle with my Bella and it wasn't fair. I turned on the bedside lamp so it wasn't so
dark if Bella woke up. Very reluctantly, I left the room and headed to my bathroom to take a cold
shower. I hated being such a horny bastard, but I had to go take care of the usual daily Bella-hard-on.

Once I was done with my shower, I sat in bed, flipping through the television channels. Skinemax
and Hotime were showing their night time shows, which used to hold an interest for me, but now
that I had Bella to fantasize about, I'd never turn to porn again. However, there was so much
more to Bella than my attraction for her. She was smart and beautiful and sweet. I felt so
connected to her. I knew if we could ever get over our fears of admitting our feelings that we
both obviously had, then we'd be great together. Great for each other.

As I settled on an old episode of 'Friends', I heard a noise coming from the other room. I hurried
out of bed and headed over to the door. Just before I reached for the knob, the door opened
and there stood Bella.

"I… woke up and didn't know where I was…"

"Sorry, I tried to wake you up, but you were out cold." I leaned against the door frame. Bella was
just inches away from me and I wanted to pull her close to me so badly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but where's Seth?"

"Downstairs… he fell asleep on the couch."

Herkie was standing next to Bella, nudging her hand with his head. He loved to be petted and he
absolutely loved when Bella petted him. Bella giggled and squatted down to his level and began
petting his back.

"I don't really want to be alone…" Bella admitted shyly.

"Sleep in my room..." I gently grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. "You take the bed and I'll
sleep on the couch." Don't ask why I had a couch in my bedroom. Alice picked out all the furniture.

"I can't let you do that… I'll sleep on the couch."

"Nope… not gonna happen, Bella."

"Well… I'll just sleep in the bed with you. It's not like we haven't done that before anyway… would
that be okay with you?"

"Definitely," I answered, wanting to jump up and down like a dumbass. I looked over to Herkie
and smiled smugly. Who gets to sleep with her now? Uh, that would be me.

Bella needed something to sleep in and I found a pair of pajama pants and an old t-shirt. She had
to tighten the drawstring to keep them up, and fuck if she didn't look so damn cute.

We climbed into bed at the same time. I still had that smug smile on my face because I felt so
proud to have her sleeping in my bed. If only we could have some fun? That would be perfect. I

pushed those thoughts away though, knowing Bella needed me to comfort her after the
emotional day she had. Usually we kept our hands to ourselves but always ended up finding
ourselves wrapped around each other in the morning. I decided to show Bella I really cared about
her. Bella was facing the other way when I swiftly placed my arm around her and pulled her body
back against my chest.

Bella's small hand gripped my forearm as she sighed sleepily. "Thank you for being… you, Edward…"

That night I held Bella as she went to sleep and I did not know how I was going to make it another
night without having her beside me. I gladly turned in my so called man-card because that girl
had me wrapped around her finger.

I didn't know how much longer I could hold out, holding my feelings back, but it wouldn't be long
before I told her how I felt. I just had to figure out how and pray I didn't lose her in the process.

***! !***

So... they're starting to get closer... and we're getting much closer to the prologue (if you follow
me on Twitter, you know just how close we are because I blab way too much over there..).

Review please! I love hearing your comments :)

Thanks for reading! The next chapter will be posted on Wednesday (might post earlier than that,
but we'll see...) and I'll post the teaser on Sunday over at the forum, so stop by.

--TGIF--

FicRecs:

A Rough Start by ItzMegan73 (A very realistic story - read it, you'll love it)

The Naked Guy Upstairs by AngryBadgerGirl (I am in love with this story)

The Boy in the Window by hopefulhappenings09 (Edward is strange in this one... but it is so
freaking good - loving demanding Edward)

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing - you guys are awesome and I love reading your
comments. THANK YOU! :) Also, thanks to everyone over at the forum and my TwitterPornGirls.
Love ya!

Jessica1971, is the best beta EVER!

Oh... and IC has been nominated for an award!! Eek, I'm excited (probably more than I should
be but whatever.. it's the first time one of my stories has been nominated)!!
http://thesparkleawards(dot)webs(dot)com/nominees(dot)htm So.. um.. vote for me? Please? :)
Voting begins Oct. 16th. Thanks!

SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

The next few weeks flew by as everyone prepared for school to begin. Bella and I spent almost
every day together, whether it was watching movies or just hanging out. Seth spent a lot of time
with us also, and I really enjoyed being around him. He was a good kid, but he had so much guilt
that it was heartbreaking.

While spending time with Bella, I began to notice every little detail about her. When she had a shy
smile, she cast her eyes downward. When she had a playful smile, she would sometimes bite the
tip of her tongue. Everything about Bella enthralled me.

I avoided my agent's constant calls, emails, texts, etc. Football just wasn't an option for me
unless I was coaching it. Bella kept being so damn positive and tried reasoning with me, afraid I
was passing up a good opportunity.

"Edward, are you ready to go?" Bella asked as she strolled into my classroom.

We were driving to Seattle, following Seth and his friends to go shopping for school clothes. Bella
didn't want Seth to go so far away from her and I didn't want Bella to put up with those kids all by
herself, so I came up with the idea that we should spend the day in Seattle.

"Yeah," I finally answered as I got caught up in staring at Bella. "Where's Seth?"

Bella groaned as she stretched her arms out in front of her. "He and Jakeperv are out in the car
with a couple of other guys. Paul and Embry?"

Lately, Bella was annoyed with Jake, which started the nickname 'Jakeperv' because that's what
he was. I caught him staring at Bella constantly, which I admit to doing the same thing, but Jake is
a fucking kid and should not be looking at her like that. The little fucker even walked in on her
"accidentally" while she was changing one night. Yeah, I bet… accident, my ass.

"Ah, well, I guess half of my offensive line is going shopping with us." I grabbed my computer
bag and walked out, hooking my arm inside Bella's to pull her against my side.

Chapter: 12

"You wanna drive? I'm kind of tired…"

"Your truck?" Bella asked with a shocked face, her big brown eyes wide open.

I chuckled and nodded as we made our way out of the building. "Yes, my truck. Why not?"

"It's huge, Edward!"

"I'm tired… and had to get up way too early."

"It's not that early and you better get used to it because we'll be getting up a lot earlier next
week when school starts…" I started to say something, but Bella continued, looking so cute as
she spoke. "And why were you even up here so early, Coach Masen?"

"Some of the football equipment was being delivered, so I had to be here for it."

"Oh… I thought it might be something exciting, like you were getting it on with Mrs. Cope or
something," Bella said, giggling as her face blushed slightly.

"Oh, yeah… I've always wanted a cougar. Oh baby, oh baby."

Bella hit my arm playfully as I led her to my truck, opening the driver's side door. "Hop in."

Bella shook her head and smiled, grabbing the keys out of my hand. "Fine, but if I wreck it,
remember… I warned you!"

"Sure thing, Bell."

I ran over and talked to Seth, making sure they were following behind us. Seth thought he would
be fine in the traffic, but Bella was worried, considering he had never driven to Seattle before.
I've been to Phoenix and if he can make it through that mess, then he can handle anything.

Once we were on the road, I fiddled around with the radio, finding all of our favorite songs. Bella
looked so happy and free and I hoped that I could always make her feel that way.

Bella was the only girl shopping with all of us guys, and I felt bad that some of the younger guys
were rushing her. I knew she wasn't into shopping, but like all women, she liked to try on the
clothes she was buying. I made a deal with Seth that we would meet later in the afternoon for a
late lunch so I could stick around for Bella.

"Okay, I'm coming out and you have to be honest this time…"

And this is where I found myself – sitting outside the dressing room area, giving Bella a thumbs up
or thumbs down on the clothes she picked, though everything seemed to be a thumbs up. She
looked so fucking hot in anything she wore.

The last outfit literally had me adjusting my pants. It was a simple pant suit, but on Bella… fuck.
She was only picking out a few "formal" suits to wear because Forks was so laid back with the
dress code. We could wear jeans everyday, and I was able to see a few pairs that Bella tried on
and pictured myself tearing them off of her the entire time.

As Bella stepped outside the small dressing room, her face was a light shade of pink. She was
looking down at her feet, not making eye contact, which was probably because the dress she

was wearing was beyond words.

"You can't wear that dress to school," I said, being completely honest, but teasing as well.

Bella giggled. "I know, goof… well, actually I… don't know where I'll wear it, but I like it…" She was
standing directly in front of me, just a few feet away and I wanted to pull her to me so badly as
she stood there, looking so shy and blushing. And then I fucking freaked out because what if she
was buying it for some date that she had or something… I needed to do something quickly
because I didn't know what that side of her life was like. I didn't know if Rose and Alice were
setting her up with guys, which would be the normal thing to do for your friend.

"Well… it looks gorgeous on you," I finally said, feeling slightly flustered myself.

I smiled widely as Bella blushed everywhere. "T-thank you… And, no, to answer your question, I
won't be wearing it to school."

After our awkward moment in the dressing room, Bella paid for her things and we walked around
the mall for a bit. I bought both of us an ice cream just so I could see Bella lick the ice cream. Yes,
I'm a fucking pervert, but the girl was driving me insane.

We met the guys at a restaurant near the mall for a late lunch. They were already seated in a
large booth as we walked over to the table. Jake saved a spot for Bella to sit next to him, which
didn't go over so well with Bella. She ended up making an excuse to go out to the truck, dragging
me along with her, saying she forgot her purse or something. When we came back, Bella told Seth
to take my old seat, as Bella and I decided to split our meals.

I couldn't hide the smug smile on my face as Jake stared angrily in our direction.

After leaving the restaurant, we went to a nearby movie theater, trying to wait out the bad
rainstorm that was pounding down. Bella didn't want Seth driving back in such heavy rain, so we
hoped that it would be over soon, but it didn't. When we walked out of the movie theater, it
seemed like the rainfall had gotten worse.

Bella decided to drive Seth's car back so he didn't have to drive. That plan didn't go over too well
with Seth. He didn't want to be babied and that's sort of how Bella was treating him. I felt bad for
her because I knew she was just trying to protect him and do what her parents would have done.

"Can we just stay here for the night?" Seth asked.

Bella sighed as she rolled her neck around. "Call your parents and check with them…" She turned
to me with a small smile on her face. "Do you mind?"

"Nope," I said quickly. I didn't mind at all that I would get to spend the night with her.

Within seconds the guys had called their parents and gotten the okay to stay in Seattle with
Bella and me with no objections, considering the parents knew who Bella was and I was the kid's
football coach.

I paid for one room and Bella paid for the other, although she tried paying for both. The rooms
were conjoining rooms, which meant the guys hung out with us most of the night because Jake,
Paul and Embry were shamelessly trying to flirt with Bella. Seth and I both rolled our eyes most of
the night, watching them fawn over Bella.

"Hey, coach… are you still hitting that NILF?" Paul asked, causing Bella's eyes to bulge out.

I groaned and shook my head. "No, Paul… even though it's not your business, I'm not with
Lauren anymore."

"NILF?" Bella asked with a confused expression.

"Nurse I'd like to fuck," Jake said in a low voice, sounding out the word 'fuck'.

Seth slapped Jake on the back of the head. "Dude, she is my fucking sister… don't talk that way in
front of her."

"I agree… you boys should not talk this way in front of a lady. It's rude," I said, trying to sound
like an authoritarian. I felt guilty, though, because the thoughts I had when it came to Bella were
so dirty and a little obscene. At least I kept my thoughts to myself, though.

"Sorry, Bella," Embry said, grinning flirtatiously. "But you're a TILF, so you should feel good."

"A TILF?"

"Teacher I'd like to-" Jake began to explain, but earned another slap from Seth before he could finish.

Bella blushed as she stood from the bed. "I'm taking a shower and I hope that you're all in your
own room when I get out. It's late."

Paul and Embry were mumbling something to each other and I couldn't quite understand what
they were saying, but I did hear them say Bella, so it was probably something perverted.

"Get your nasty asses over to our room," Seth demanded as he opened the conjoining door.
"She's my fucking sister," Seth grumbled as the guys walked by. Before closing the door, Seth
turned to me and shrugged his shoulders. "Will you tell her I'm sorry that they're fucking pigs?"

I laughed, nodding my head. "Not a problem… and I'm sure she isn't mad or anything, Seth."

"Yeah… probably… anyway, goodnight Edward."

"Night, Seth."

I waited for Bella to step out of the bathroom, mentally preparing myself because I had a vivid
imagination while she showered. I wished we could get over this… whatever it was holding us
back. I wanted to join her in that shower so fucking badly.

"Is it all clear?" Bella asked as she cracked the door open.

"They're gone," I chuckled.

As she opened the door, her scent filled the air and I was floored by everything about her. She
was wearing the pajamas that she conveniently purchased at Victoria's Secret earlier in the day.
That was the only store I didn't go into because it was just too much for me to handle – seeing all
of the sexy lingerie that I wanted to see Bella in. I didn't know what exactly she bought, but the
outfit she was wearing tonight was breathtaking. Who knew pink pajama pants and a white tank
would make me come undone?

Bella put her things away and crawled into her bed, lying on her side to face me. "Are you sleepy?"

"Kinda…"

"Me, too," Bella replied with a quiet voice.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… just… gah, they are so… they like to embarrass me."

I laughed at her stuttered words as she crinkled her nose. She wasn't just sexy, but also
extremely cute. "Well, they were just being honest… you gotta admit…"

There, I said it. I put it out there that I was attracted to her without directly saying it. Bella had
to know how I felt.

With her big brown eyes wide open, Bella opened her mouth to speak but didn't say anything.

We were both silent, just looking at each other like we didn't know what we were supposed to say now

"Well… I guess if I'm a TILF, then you would be a CILF?" Bella whispered, her voice sounding so
innocent and sweet… and sexy.

I laughed loudly. "So… you think I'm a CILF?" I teased.

"Oh, quit… don't start your teasing ways, Edward."

Without saying anything, I got out of bed and stood beside Bella, grinning as I looked down at
her. Her brows furrowed as I climbed over her, which took much restraint as I had to practically
make myself not stay on top of her.

"What are you-" Bella asked as she turned over to face me.

"I'm sleeping with my best friend," I said, cutting her off as she blushed furiously.

As she blushed, a big smile spread across her face and she shifted her body to move closer to
me. "Good…" Her small arm draped over my side as she snuggled closely. "I like sleeping with you."

The amount of restraint I used to hold myself back was insane. Bella had her face buried in my
chest and I could feel her warm breath hitting my skin. I didn't know how I could keep this up. Or
keep 'it' down.

"Bella?"

"Yeah," Bella mumbled against my chest.

"Why did you avoid me after our trip to Portland? Did I do anything… to make you mad?"

I still didn't understand why she didn't talk to me, even if she was sick. On our way back to Forks
she didn't really talk to me, only answering 'yes' and 'no' when I asked if she needed to stop or
anything. I knew I had gotten drunk and I desperately prayed that I didn't do something to offend her.

I felt the heat from her face on my chest.

"I… you didn't do anything…"

She was lying and I knew it. Her tone changed every time she wasn't telling me something.

"Are you sure, Bella?" I asked, pulling back slightly so I could look at her face.

"Yeah… I just… I'm always with you and I wasn't blind to the fact that you had women hanging all
over you at the club, so…"

"So what, Bella? None of them mattered to me at all…"

"Well, I didn't mean it like that… I just meant, I didn't want you to feel like you were stuck with me or-"

"I never feel that way with you. Ever. I'd rather be sitting at home with you, watching a movie,
than messing around with some trashy woman at a bar."

"Thanks, Edward," Bella whispered shyly. "And it's the same with me… I'd rather be with you than
be with some trashy guy at a bar."

We both laughed and I kissed her forehead, lingering there for a moment, once again holding
myself back from doing more.

Bella was a big part of my life now and I didn't see that changing. Ever.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

The first week of school flew by as I settled into a routine. Edward and I continued to spend a lot
of time together and I think we were both wondering where this was going. And by 'this' I mean
our relationship. We were basically together most of the time, except for bedtime. A stranger
would think we were romantically involved, although we never kissed or did anything further than
small hugs here and there.

I wanted so much more with Edward.

Our first day back to school, we both received calls from the clinic, letting us know that our test
results came fine. Edward bought stuff from banana splits to celebrate. It was definitely a fun night.

It was now Friday night, the end of our second week of school. Seth was starting as quarterback
in the first actual game they were having. Last week was a scrimmage and he played for just a
short time, as Edward was trying out a couple of guys as quarterback. Seth was the best.

I arrived at the game a little bit early so I could get a good seat. I ended up saving the front
row, as Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rose were coming to the game. They wanted to support Seth
and were very proud of him. This was a big step for him.

I was sitting in the stands, watching Edward talk to the assistant coach as the other team was
setting up on their side of the field. Every now and then he would glance over at me and smile or
wave, which made me feel like a giddy teenager all over again.

And all of the giddiness was ruined as soon as I saw the skank walking up the ramp to the stands.

"Well, hello there, Bella. Nice to see you here," Lauren said snidely.

I couldn't understand why she would be at a high school football game, considering she had no

younger brothers or sisters that still attended Forks. I already knew the answer to my question.
She was here for Edward.

"Hello, Lauren," I replied curtly.

Just I as I was trying to find an excuse to get away from Lauren, who was sitting in the row
behind me, Edward walked over towards the stands.

"Hey, baby… can you go make sure my truck is locked up?" Edward said, dangling his keys. I sat
stoically, wondering what was going on. Was he talking to me? Did he call me baby? "Bella? Please?"

I heard Lauren huff from behind me and I suddenly couldn't stop giggling as I got up and bent
down to grab the keys from Edward.

"Thanks, baby," Edward said with a wink.

I could have kissed him right at that moment because that just caused the worst form of jealously
from Lauren. She was livid. I turned around and asked Embry's mother to save my spot. Lauren
glared the entire time.

I couldn't stop the laughter as I walked over to Edward's truck.

I checked his truck and made sure the doors were locked, though I was pretty sure it was just an
excuse for him to get me away from Lauren. Just as I turned to walk back to the football field,
Edward ran up to me, still smiling.

"Hey," Edward said as he let out a long breath.

"Hi… it's all locked up."

Edward took another step forward, leaving little room between us. "She isn't being a bitch to you,
is she?"

"Nah, I can handle her, Edward."

As soon as the words left my mouth, Edward's strong arms wrapped around me, hugging me
tightly. "Tell me if she says anything to you… I don't want her treating you like crap."

"O-okay," I stuttered, feeling completely flustered with how close we were. His arms were still
tight around me, holding me flush against him. "Are you nervous about the game?"

Edward finally loosened his grip, moving to put his arm around my shoulder as we started walking
back to the football field. "No… just ready for it to be over so we can start practicing tonight."

Edward and I came up with an agreement recently – if I taught him how to cook, he'd teach me
how to play the piano. It was a very odd agreement, considering cooking was not hard at all and
he already knew how to anyway. Piano was going to be difficult because I was musically
challenged, but Edward assured me I could learn. So Friday night, right after the game, was going
to be my first practice. I was just nervous because anytime I pictured a piano and Edward, my
mind immediately thought dirty things. God, I was turning into such a pervert.

"About that… do you really think it's such a good idea? I mean, I am going to suck, Edward."

Edward grinned, looking straight ahead as we walked. "We're not even going to discuss this,

Swan. We're going to put those talented fingers to work tonight."

I. am. a. Pervert. Or a Nympho, maybe? Whatever was going on with me was something
completely new and different.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" Edward asked as I continued thinking of having
sex on his damn piano.

"Noth-"

"Don't say 'nothing'!" Edward said quickly, cutting me off.

I laughed and nudged him in the side with my arm. "I just think I'll be sucking it up tonight."

Edward sucked in a deep breath and squeezed my shoulder. "No, you will not…"

We had finally reached the field and it was time for Edward to go get the guys riled up for their
big game. They were playing a neighboring town that went undefeated last year, so the guys
were nervous. Edward pulled me in for another hug, which was odd because he usually tried to
keep his distance. Being that close to him reminded me of the night after the club, which still
plagued my mind. The feel of his mouth on my skin was the most erotic feeling ever. And Edward
still didn't remember what happened.

"So… I'll see you after the game?"

"Yeah," I said, letting out the breath I had been holding. "Seth is taking my car home because we
rode together… so can I just ride home with you? I can get him to pick me up later tonight."

"Don't be crazy, Bella. I'll take you home… anyway, come find me after the game. Okay?"

"Alright… good luck, coach," I said with a big smile on my face.

"Thank you, TILF." Edward laughed as he walked away, not giving me time to object to his
comment. He teased me relentlessly with 'TILF' since our trip to Seattle.

My friends showed up soon, all of them ignoring Lauren who was still sitting close by us. Alice
despised Lauren, as did Emmett… and even though Rose and Jasper didn't grow up with her, they
didn't like her either. They knew her from the time period that she and Edward were dating, and
from what I'd heard, she was a big bitch to them. That didn't surprise me one bit.

"GO SETH!" Emmett yelled as he jumped up from his seat. We were all screaming, but our cheers
were drowned out by Emmett's very loud ones. Seth had just scored the third touchdown of the
night, only this time he couldn't find an open receiver and took off running the final ten yards
towards the end zone.

"THAT'S OUR BOY!" Jasper yelled proudly.

Edward was cheering from the sidelines and patted Seth on the back as he stood beside him.
Edward was so proud of Seth, which was clear to anyone who saw his face. From across the
field, Edward winked at me, which made me blush uncontrollably.

Our team ended up winning the game, beating the once unbeatable team. Jake and Seth left right
after the game, both of them going back to Jake's house for pizza with a few of the other players.

Rose, Alice, and the guys left right after the game was over, leaving me to sit in the stands
alone… only I wasn't exactly alone. Lauren stuck around. All the other parents and students had
left, but the skank was still there. I knew she was waiting for Edward, but I didn't know why
because he made it completely clear that he didn't want anything to do with her.

"You know… Edward isn't the kind of guy that sticks to one woman. If he is fucking you, which isn't
really a possibility for you… that's all it is… a measly fuck and then he'll move on," Lauren said,
breaking the uncomfortable silence as I waited for Edward.

I shook my head, trying so hard not to turn around and punch the bitch out. "Lauren, we're
adults now… one would think that you might grow up a little bit."

"Oh, Bella… fuck you… I don't know who you think you are, coming back into town like you are the
shit… but there are plenty of people that remember nerdy, fugly, Bella Swan, who had no life
outside her homework and books."

When I didn't say anything, Lauren came back with a response that made my temper flare,
setting me off like never before.

"Aw, Bella doesn't have anything to say now? Too bad daddy isn't here to take up for you."

I jumped up from my seat, ready to lunge at her, only to be held back by a pair of extremely
strong arms.

"Lauren, you need to leave right now," Edward said firmly, holding me against his chest.

Lauren giggled evilly, grabbing her purse and jacket. "Oh, Eddie… calm down, I didn't mean to
hurt her feelings."

"Leave!" Edward growled. "And don't you ever talk to her again!"

Lauren laughed as she walked by us, ignoring Edward's demanding tone. I probably would have
cried if Edward ever talked to me that way, but Lauren deserved every bit of his anger.

"You okay, Bell?" Edward said quietly, his warm breath tickling the side of my ear.

"I'm fine," I sighed as I tried to erase the last five minutes from my mind. I didn't want the skank
to ruin my night because I was still the one going home with Edward… even if we weren't together.

Edward released me from his tight hold, but turned me around to face him. "Are you sure?"

"I promise, I'm okay."

"Ready to go home…? I mean, my house?"

"Yeah," I said with a grin.

"Good… get on my back and I'll give you a ride to the truck," Edward chuckled. "And I don't want
to hear any of that 'I'll break your back' shit…"

I laughed as I wrapped my arms around Edward. He reached behind me, grasping my thighs in his
large hands, holding me firmly against him. I screamed as he took off running like a mad man to
the truck.

I kept dozing off during the short ride to Edward's house. When we arrived, I called Seth to make
sure he made it over to Jake and Billy's house. He was staying with them, so I didn't have to
worry about being home anytime soon, which was a good thing because I ended up falling asleep
soon after we arrived.

Edward was playing the piano as I sat next to him on the small bench. One minute, I was
awake, amazed by his wonderful talent, and the next, I was being lifted into Edward's arms. He
carried me to his bedroom and left me alone in there for a few minutes so I could change into one
of his t-shirts. I snuggled into the pillows, waiting for Edward to return. He did eventually,
bringing some water alone with him for both of us.

I don't know how I was able to keep my hands to myself. Edward pulled his shirt off in front of me,
only leaving him in a pair of black sleep pants. Once Edward was lying next to me, I was pulled to
his chest where he held me close.

"Goodnight, beautiful."

"Night, Edward."

I spent Saturday with Rose and Alice. We went shopping most of the day and met everyone over
at Carlisle and Esme's house for dinner when we returned. Seth was also there, as well as his new
girlfriend. It amazed me how my brother was able to get a new girlfriend every week when I
couldn't even get just the one guy that I wanted.

I woke up early on Sunday morning, deciding to go for a run. Sunday was the only day that
Edward didn't run, but he did do some type of easy workout. He liked taking care of his body,
which he did extremely well.

I dressed in my workout clothes and threw my hair up into a ponytail before leaving the house.
Edward's driveway was muddy, since it rained so hard the night before, so I didn't want to
attempt going there and getting stuck. I didn't like running through town as I liked a peaceful,
quiet kind of trail. My house was fairly close to the main road that ran through Forks, so I went
to Rose and Emmett's house. I left a sticky note on my windshield wipers, letting them know what
I was doing in case they got up early, which wasn't very likely for them anyway.

Unable to stay away from Edward, I ran the trail that led me right to his house. I didn't plan on
knocking on his door or anything, I was just a freaking lovesick woman that wanted to get a glance
at his house. Shit, was I a stalker or something? I very much felt like one as I got closer to his house.

The patio door to his den was slid open and I hoped that he hadn't fallen asleep with it open. I
quietly made my way up to the deck, cringing every time my noisy shoes made a sound against
the wet ground.

I stood at the side of the door, peeking in. I could see the lower half of Edward's body, sort of
sitting up on the couch. I couldn't see his face, which made me feel better because I didn't want
him to think I was spying on him. I held my breath as there was some movement on the couch and
held in the loud gasp that almost escaped as the blanket that was covering his legs fell to the
floor. He was naked.

I stared into his house, covering my mouth as my eyes were filled with shock. Edward began
stroking himself, making little moaning noises with each stroke. My legs were wobbly and I seriously
felt like I couldn't continue standing there, watching the man I wanted more than anyone or
anything pleasure himself. In my mind, I always thought it was so raunchy for a man to jerk
himself off, but seeing Edward… my hands shook with need.

Another thing that I would never forget was how huge he was. Well endowed did not even begin
to describe Edward. I had not seen many dicks in my lifetime, but the ones I did see didn't even
come close to Edward's.

"Mmmmm…." Edward moaned, his breathing picking up slightly. His pace started to speed up and
his knuckles turned slightly white as he gripped his shaft. "Fuck…"

When Edward cursed, it was the biggest turn on for me. I was slowly coming undone, aching to
be with Edward as he got closer to his release. I knew he had to be close based on his erratic breathin

"Fuck… oh… Bella…." Edward moaned as the liquid began oozing out.

He said my name. Oh my god. He said my name.

I backed up slightly, feeling like I was going to pass out. My foot knocked into a flower pot,
making a small noise. That small noise probably would have gone unnoticed, however, Herkie
picked up on it immediately. He started barking loudly and I knew he was running towards the
open door, but thankfully Edward had the screen up.

So I ran. I ran as fast as my weak legs would take me. I could hear Edward yell at Herkie to be
quiet as I got further away from his house. Thankfully, I made it to the line of trees around
Edward's house, disappearing through the thick brush.

I was such a freaking peeping bitch. Though I felt intense shame, I would never forget the
sounds Edward made, or the sheer need to replace his hand with mine.

I got back to my car pretty quickly, still running as fast as I could because I didn't know if Edward
would check outside his house to see what Herkie was barking at. For all I knew, he could run up
behind me any minute.

The drive back to my house was spent in shock. I was even more in shock when my cell phone
rang, displaying Edward's name – Coach McHottie.

The chorus to my ringtone played for a few seconds before I could find my voice to answer. "H-hello?"

"Hey, Bell… I was just wondering if you'd like to go out for breakfast this morning? I'm starving
and I knew you'd be up this early."

"Um… sure," I said, my answer coming out more like a question.

"Great, I'll pick you up in twenty… I've just got to hop in the shower right quick."

Of course he needed the shower… after the mess he had just made.

One problem – how in the hell was I supposed to face him now? After hearing him moan my
name… after seeing him in the most intimate way…

Shoot me now.

***! !***

Like it? Review please! :)

Next chapter will be posted on Thursday... teaser will be posted on the forum tomorrow, so check
it out. We're getting extremely close to the prologue now.

Thanks again for reading!

FicRecs:

Someone To Watch Over Me by flightlessbird11

High Anxiety by EdwardsBloodType

And check out all of the DILF entries.. I've been reading through them today and all of them are
really great, only now, I wish the authors would write a full story based on some of them. :)
http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/The_Twilight_D_I_L_F_Contest

Happy Crappy Monday~

SURPRISE! I decided to post a day early because you guys are so awesome! Over 2500 reviews!!
:) Those who read FFY know that I am a review whore and so I'm freaking excited. Thanks for all
your sweet, and slightly pervy comments about 'Wankward' - 'Hardward' - 'Strokeward' and the
Pervy Bitch. I laughed my ass off at the reviews -- so please keep those dirty thoughts coming!

Huge thanks to Jessica1971, my super awesome beta - ILY! And thanks again to the girls over at
the forum, TwitterPorn Girls, and once again my readers.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

The first few weeks of school flew by, and I never knew teaching would be so much fun. That is,
until Bella came along. During class, I kept finding myself glancing over to Bella's classroom,
watching her lecture the kids. She was beautiful, graceful, and definitely lived up to the hot
teacher persona. The glasses Bella wore to school made me want her more than ever.

And the clothes, I mean, the pajamas she wore were so fucking sexy that I could feel my cock
begin to harden instantly. Yes, Bella was wearing pajamas. It was homecoming week and
throughout the week there were special things planned to celebrate. Monday was pajama day.
Tuesday was cap day. Wednesday was crazy hair day. Thursday was crazy sock day. Friday was
Spartan day, which meant we all wore the school's colors. Some of the things were really stupid,
but pajama day was by far my favorite. Even plaid pajamas looked sexy on Bella… anything did.

All of the young men at school were obsessed with her, constantly whispering back and forth
about how "fuck hot" she was, which was inappropriate for them to be talking about a teacher
that way. Plus, she was mine.

Yes, Bella was mine, even if she didn't realize it yet.

It was Bella's twenty seventh birthday today and I had something special planned, even though
she hated surprises. During lunch, I had all the kids sing happy birthday to her, which made her
blush furiously. She was so beautiful.

I was leaving school early because I had to go pick up Bella's birthday present and I needed to
go change out of my pajamas. I sent Bella a quick text, reminding her to go to my house right
after school. We were going to Carlisle and Esme's house for dinner and a small birthday
gathering that Esme insisted on having later that evening, so I wanted plenty of time to show her
what I got.

The drive to Port Angeles to pick up the present was a quick one. I drove quickly, hoping to make
it back to my house in time to set up everything.

I bought Bella a puppy. She loved Herkie so much, and I knew she would love to have a dog to

Chapter: 13

keep her company at night if Seth was out, though I hoped she would call me if she needed someone.

The puppy was a German Shepherd, just like Herkie, and I found her through a friend of a
friend. She was only two months old and so fucking cute. Bella would love her.

I stopped by Home Depot and picked up the materials for a doggy door, in case Bella wanted one.
After I had already paid for the puppy, which was a few weeks prior because I was waiting for
the puppy to be weaned from her mother, I started to worry that this might be too much for
Bella. I was putting a big responsibility on her. What if she really didn't have time for a puppy?

My next stop was at PetsMart where I got a dog house, a dog carrier, food, toys, and a collar
with a pink bow on it.

After a quick stop by the breeder's home, I had Bella's cute puppy sitting on my lap as I drove
back to Forks. I made it back just after four and prayed Bella was still at the school. Once I got
to my house, relieved that Bella wasn't there yet, I parked my truck in the garage, hiding all the
things I bought at the pet store, except for one thing. The pink collar. I put the collar on the
small puppy, who was shaking, probably from nervousness, but also because it was starting to get
chilly as the season was quickly changing.

Just changed out of my pjs… Can I come over now? –B

Her little text had me smiling like an idiot.

Yes, I'm ready for you. –E

I sat on the floor of my living room, playing with the puppy and watching Herkie sniff her with an
odd look on his face. He was pretty much pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what that
puppy was.

As soon as I heard tires running over the gravel in my driveway, I quickly placed the puppy in her
carrier and ran out to meet Bella on the porch. I took in Bella's appearance as she stepped out of
her car with a big smile on her face, still unable to believe that I was lucky enough to spend time
with this woman. Her hair was pulled up into a pony tail, the sexy glasses she once wore were
pushed back, holding a few strands of hair back on the top of her head.

"Hi," Bella said anxiously as she stepped onto the porch.

"Hi, Bella."

"So…" Bella wrung her hands together, her face blushing a slight pink color. "Give me my present,
coach."

Silently, I stepped around Bella and placed one of my ties over her eyes, tying it loosely but
securely so she couldn't see.

"Edward…" Bella groaned. "I'm going to fall… you know how clumsy I am!"

I stood behind Bella and wrapped my arms around her torso, hugging her against my chest. "I
won't let you fall, Bell."

I had to be careful to make sure that my fucking erection didn't poke her. It was a constant
reminder of how much I wanted Bella. It desperately needed some attention from Bella, not my
hand anymore, as nothing was relieving that pressure.

I kissed the back of her head as I led her into the house. Almost immediately, her puppy started
barking, which sounded more like a small whine. Herkie was barking, still going crazy from the new
addition. Bella giggled as he licked her hand, excited to see her just like I was; however, I didn't
get the pleasure of licking parts of Bella like he did. Bastard.

Edward Masen… jealous of a fucking dog. Pathetic.

"Okay… now if you don't like it or feel too overwhelmed to handle it, don't worry… I will help you
or you can just give it to me and I can handle it."

"Edward, I'll love whatever it is… can we take this blindfold off now? Please?"

"Stand right here." I released her from my arms and hurried over to the carrier to grab the
puppy. Standing in front of Bella, I held the puppy in my arms. "Okay, you can take it off now."

Bella flicked the blindfold off and opened her big brown eyes as soon as the words left my mouth.
A big smile spread across her face and she blinked a few times.

"You got me a puppy?"

"Yeah…" I replied hesitantly. "And Bella, if you can't handle her or-"

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed, lunging towards me, hugging me but being careful not to crush the
puppy. "I love her!"

Bella held on to me so tight, but pulled back slightly and kissed the side of my face. "You are the
sweetest man I have ever known."

"Well… I try…" I said cockily. "Do you wanna hold her?"

Bella nodded eagerly, holding her arms out. I placed the puppy in her arms and she pulled her to
her chest and kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to name her Harley."

"That's a cute name… had it picked out a while, I guess?" I asked with a chuckle. I didn't expect
her to come with a name so fast. Women were usually indecisive about that kind of stuff.

"Not really… but Herkie and Harley sounds cute together…."

I took Bella out to the garage and showed her everything I bought that Harley might need. Bella
insisted on paying for some of it, but it was her birthday present, so I did not budge at all. I made
plans to install the doggy door over the weekend since we had so much to do during the week.

I followed Bella to her house a little while later so that we could drop off everything. Bella brought
Harley to Emse and Carlisle's house to show her off. Everyone, including Seth, loved Harley.

Esme cooked a chicken, broccoli, and cheese casserole, as it was Bella's favorite meal. We had
birthday cake and laughed for a while, hearing old stories about Bella, Alice, and Emmett growing
up together.

I never even knew Bella back then, but I felt like I had missed out on so much. I knew my life
would be extremely different now if I had met Bella before my football days. There was no doubt
in my mind that we would have been together. I'm definitely turning into a sap, but it's completely
true. Isabella Swan meant more to me than any other woman ever had.

Bella rode with me over to Esme and Carlisle's, so I drove her home after dinner. Seth beat us
home and was already in his room, finishing up some homework when we arrived. I carried
Harley's things to the back yard and set up the pet "taxi" in Bella's bedroom. She was going to
keep Harley in there while we were at school. We planned to run over to Bella's house during the
lunch hour to let Harley out since it was just down the road from the school… and I would be able
to go over there throughout the day because I didn't have classes all day long.

Bella was sitting outside on her back porch on my last run to the truck. I had one thing left to give
to Bella. I ordered a special cupcake from the local bakery and had it decorated with several icing
shaped flowers. Once I placed the single candle in the cupcake, I lit it with the lighter I borrowed
from Esme's house, as I completely forgot to get one.

I quietly walked over to Bella, holding the cupcake, hoping that she would think it was more
romantic than friendly. Over the months, I had slowly eased my way into Bella's life, and now I
wanted more.

"Happy birthday," I said with a low voice.

Bella looked up at me, smiling hugely as she stood. "You… I…" Her words were jumbled and she let
out a small huff of frustration as she couldn't figure out what to say.

"I just wanted this to be a special birthday for you…"

"It's more than special, Edward. I am so lucky to have someone like you… don't tell Alice and the
others, but you're the best friend I've ever had."

Friend. We were still at that fucking stage. It wasn't about the sex because God knows how
badly I wanted that with her, but it was so much more. I had never felt this way for another
woman. Ever. And as much as I hated to admit it, I would gladly wait for her… as long as it took
for her to realize we could be much more than friends, I would wait.

"You're welcome," I said hoarsely. I handed the cupcake to Bella and she blew out the candle,
closing her eyes afterwards to make a wish.

"Thank you, Edward… for everything." Bella placed the cupcake on the porch railing and stepped
forward, closing the distance between us. Her arms wrapped around my neck as I wrapped mine
around her small frame, both of us holding onto one another tightly. "I don't know what I'd do
without you."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that… I'll always be here for you." I didn't know if she
would take my words seriously, but I was being more truthful than I had ever been. I could never
let go of her.

Bella shifted her head and placed a small kiss near my jaw line, her lips lingered there for a few
seconds. I had to leave before our situation became unbearable.

"I better get going… it's late and we've both got school, bright and early," I explained as I
reluctantly released her from my arms.

"Yeah," Bella replied, letting out a small yawn as she stepped away from me. "Thanks again for
everything, Edward."

"You're welcome." I squeezed her hand that I didn't even realize I was holding until that moment.

"Sleep well."

"I will… and will you text me when you get home? So I know you got there okay?"

I chuckled, nodding my head. "Okay."

I beat myself up the entire way home. What would it hurt if I came clean with Bella? Let her know
that I wanted her since the day I met her? Told her that I wanted more than a friendship with her?
Well, it could cause me to lose her… and that was not a risk I was willing to take.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

It was now Wednesday and I was utterly exhausted, since I had to get up extra early to fix my
hair for crazy hair day. All of the teachers were required to participate, encouraging all of the kids
to get involved as well. I called Edward after I was finished with my hair to see if he needed any
help and to make sure he was actually going through with it, messing up his perfect hair, but he
said he had the situation handled on his own.

Normally it wouldn't bother me if he turned down my help or whatever, but since Monday night,
he had been acting strange. We usually had lunch together in the cafeteria, but he went to his
office in the athletic building, saying that he had several things to prepare for Friday night's
homecoming game. Not only that, but usually throughout the day he would glance over at me from
his classroom and smile or wink, causing my heart to feel as though it was beating out of my
chest. He hadn't been doing that since Monday night, either.

By lunchtime on Wednesday, I was fully prepared to go confront him to see what was going on. I
walked with Jasper to the cafeteria, but turned back just before entering, making up a lame
excuse to get away. My feet moved faster to Edward's room, which didn't allow my stupid brain to
think through what I was going to say to him. Was this going to be it? Would I finally confess my
feelings for him?

Standing outside his classroom, I took a deep breath. The door was cracked and that's when I
heard Mrs. Cope talking to Edward, telling him something that completely broke me.

"Edward, I would just really appreciate it if you would take Jane out… just this once. She is new
in town and doesn't know her way around. If you don't want to make it a date, then don't, but she
is a sweet girl and just needs someone to talk to."

Jane was Mrs. Cope's niece that had just graduated from college. It was her first year of
teaching. I didn't know her very well as she was one of the first grade teachers in the building
next to us.

"I'm really not looking for anyone to date right now… so it wouldn't be anything more than that. I
can help her get around, though."

Edward was nice to everyone. Would he be a friend to Jane like he was to me? Would he get
drunk and kiss her? Would he… God, I couldn't even fathom him spending time with another
woman. It was me he wanted to be with. I heard him from his porch that day as he thought he
was alone.

I was jealous.

"I know that… but maybe you could just take her to the bookstore in Port Angeles tomorrow
night? Maybe dinner? Just get to know her Edward… she just wants a friend…. But please don't
let her know I approached you with this. She's shy and that's the only reason I'm doing this."

"I understand."

"Okay… but this won't cause any problems for you and Ms. Swan, I presume?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I see you two together and… well, I didn't know if you two were exclusive or-"

"We're just friends, ma'am. Very good friends, but we're not dating."

No matter how true his words were, it killed me to hear them. Tears formed in my eyes as I
quietly stepped away from his door and over to my classroom. I shut the door and sat down at
my desk, trying to calm myself down. Edward was going to take another woman, as a friend, to
dinner. It was a simple gesture, but the thought of another woman with him made me want to throw up

He wasn't mine.

Because I couldn't be honest.

Because I was a fucking idiot when it came to expressing my feelings.

The lunch period passed by all too quickly and I found myself feeling so sick that I knew teaching a
classroom full of kids was not an option. I only had one class left and the rest of the time was my
conference time, so I went to Mrs. Cope and explained my situation, making up a fake stomach
virus. Jasper had his class watching a movie about Indians for his history class, and Mrs. Cope
thought it would be okay if my class went over to his to join in on a historical lecture.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Jasper asked worriedly as he felt my forehead with the back of his hand.

"I'm fine… I just think something disagreed with me… I think I just need to rest."

"Okay, but you'll call us if you need anything?"

"Yes, but I'll be fine. Could you tell Seth that I'm going home early? He's in Edward's class right now."

"Okay… Alice will be calling you later, so you better answer unless you want everyone at your
house," Jasper warned as I walked down the hallway.

I couldn't help but laugh because he was speaking the truth. Alice would freak out if I was at home
sick and didn't answer my phone. "I will."

Once I got home, I stripped out of my work clothes and into my pajamas before crawling into bed.
I hated crying over guys and rarely let that happen, even when I found my ex in a rather
compromising position with his boyfriend. And now I was crying over Edward, when I couldn't even
call him mine. I knew he had feelings for me, but he never pursued those feelings, so did he really
feel that way? So many times I would hug him or kiss him a little longer than a friend would,
praying he would make a move or do something to show me that he wanted more than just being
friends, but he didn't.

I slept for a while and was awakened by Seth's loud voice booming from downstairs. I hollered at

him, letting him know that I was in my bedroom and when he opened the door to my room, I put a
fake smile on my face so he didn't worry.

"What's wrong, Bell?" Seth asked as he sat down on my bed beside me.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Whatever…" Seth groaned. He moved to lay down beside me, lying on his side to face me. "I
know I'm your little brother… but you can talk to me."

I choked back the sob that tried to escape. "I'm just… frustrated."

"About…?"

"I like someone," I admitted, feeling so stupid for telling my little brother this.

"Edward," Seth stated.

"How did you-"

"Bella, it's so obvious… and he feels the same about you. I swear, for two adults, you two really
are retarded sometimes."

"He doesn't feel-"

"Yes he does… you should see the way he looks at you. I mean, if it was anyone else I might have
to kick their ass for looking at my sister that way… but it's Edward and he's a good guy." I smiled
at his protectiveness over me. "And when Jasper came into my class to give me the note saying
you had left… Edward pulled me out into the hall, freaking the fuck out because he was worried
about you. In fact, he's downstairs right now… sitting in the living room because you never replied
to his texts."

I shuffled through my covers and found my phone. I had six texts, all from Edward.

Jasper said you were sick. What's wrong? –E

I'm worried about you… call me when you can. –E

I'm bringing soup to you after school. What's your favorite? –E

Okay, you aren't responding to me, so I'll just get several kinds for you to sample. –E

I'm at the diner right now, picking up a selection of soups for you and dinner for Seth. –E

I'm really worried about you. –E

I wiped the tears from my eyes and smiled. "Wow."

"Yeah… so give the guy a chance, Bella."

"He's going out with Ms. Andrews… Mrs. Cope's niece that just moved here. I heard Mrs. Cope
ask him to take her out during lunch today."

"So…? Did Edward knowingly go ask the woman on a date?" I shook my head. "No, he didn't.

Does he spend time with you every night?" I nodded. "Okay then… it wasn't his idea and I'm
pretty fucking sure he'd rather be spending time with you, so let him in, Bella. He isn't going to
treat you badly and he definitely will not be caught in bed with another fucking guy… or girl."

We both laughed together for a few more minutes until Seth left the room to go get Edward. I
heard a light knock on my door before Edward entered and, once he did, every bad feeling I had
drifted away.

"I told you I'd be here to take care of you the next time you were sick…" Edward said with a grin,
holding a paper bag from the diner. "And I have soup… tons of it actually."

"Thank you," I said as I sat up in my bed and leaned against the headboard. "I'm really okay… I
just fell asleep when I got home and ended up sleeping on my phone, which is why I didn't get
your texts."

"It's okay… I was just worried about you, but I'm glad you're okay. What was wrong anyway?
Allergies again?"

I shook my head as Edward began unloading Styrofoam containers from the bag. "I just felt sick
to my stomach…"

"Cafeteria food will do that to ya," Edward chuckled.

"I didn't eat in the cafeteria. I went back to my classroom during lunch because I felt sick… I was
going to come by and say hi, but Mrs. Cope was in your room, so I didn't want to disturb you."

Edward's eyes widened, which worried me even more. If he kept it from me then maybe he really
did want to get out and date women, which would be normal for a guy his age; however, if he did
tell me, then it really didn't mean anything.

"Yeah," Edward groaned, rubbing the back of his neck as he sat down beside me. "She wants me
to show her niece around… Jane Andrews, she's a first grade teacher that just moved here. I
guess she doesn't have a lot of friends and Mrs. Cope thought I might-"

"You don't have to explain," I said, feeling so relieved that he was telling me the truth.

"I do, Bella… because-" Edward paused, shifting on the bed to face me. As much as I wanted to
take my eyes off of him, I couldn't. "Hey… have you been crying?" Edward asked, lightly running
his fingertips under my eyes.

"No."

"Don't lie to me, Bella."

"I'm not."

"You are. You can't even look at me when you lie."

I made myself look directly into his eyes, and when I did I felt all the emotions coming back. "Fine…
I just don't feel good. It's been a crappy day."

I couldn't even breathe as Edward moved closer to me. He lowered his face to mine and softly
kissed below my right eye, then moved to my left, placing another kiss there. "Let me be here for
you, Bella…"

Nodding my head was the only thing I could do.

"So… anyway, Mrs. Cope wants me to take her niece to dinner and I don't really want it to be like
a date, so we're all going out tomorrow. Em, Rose, Alice, Jasper and you…"

"Edward, I can't do that, I mean-"

"Yes, you can, and you will. I'll carry you out of here if I have to."

I could never say no to his demands.

We spent the rest of the night in my bed, talking about the homecoming dance on Saturday.
Edward signed both of us up to be chaperones. He told me that he would come by to pick me up
that evening so we could ride together, but I was going to go home with Seth to make sure he and
his friends got home safely.

It was almost going to be like a date.

I could tell something else was bothering Edward, so I nagged him until he finally came clean.

"Okay... My agent called this morning and the guys from Dallas want me to meet with them. Not
this weekend, but the next. They're flying me to Dallas, which works out perfectly because we
have a three day weekend..."

"That's great!!" I said, probably a little too loudly, considering I was inches away from Edward's
ear. I honestly was happy for him, but wanted to curl up in a ball and cry all over again. I wasn't
ready to lose him.

"Yeah..." Edward grinned. "It's pretty crazy and I hate to admit that I'm really excited about it..."

I reached out and squeezed his hand as I rested my head on his shoulder. "So... What's wrong?"

Edward let out a long sigh and grasped my hand a little tighter. "Same stuff as before... But I
was wondering if you and Seth would like to go with me? Please?"

"Edward... I-"

"I know I'm asking a lot, but you mean a lot to me Bella and it would-"

"Okay," I blurted out quickly. "Of course, I will. I just don't want to get in the way."

Edward let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around me, holding me close against his side.
"You'll never be in the way, Bella."

Edward left later that night and I felt so much better about everything, even with the new
developments. Developments that could not only affect his future, but mine, as well. I wasn't
sure he realized how much he affected me, but he still wanted to spend time with me. He didn't feel
like he was missing out on dating someone. And he needed me...

The next day at school, things were back to normal. Edward talked to me throughout the day
and even picked up some lunch for us because he didn't want the cafeteria food to disagree with me.

On our way out of the school, we ran into Jane. Edward told her about his plans, casually inviting

her to hang out with him and his friends so she could get to know some other people. I might
have picked up on some disappointment in her eyes, but I didn't know if it was just my own
jealousy seeping through or not.

Edward picked me up around five, looking so handsome. He wore a light blue polo shirt and jeans.
It was a simple outfit, but on him it was so much more than simple. That, plus his sex hair… he
was breathtaking.

On our way to Port Angeles, Alice called to let me know that they were already at the restaurant
and Jasper spotted Jane. They had a table already and were just waiting on us to arrive.

Edward and I were quiet on our way there and it felt like we were changing so much. After
spending the summer together almost every day, I think we had both had enough of the games.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, Edward led me to the table, his hand on the small of my back.
Jasper introduced me to Jane and I swear that woman pretty much squealed when she officially
met Edward. Like everyone from around our town, they all knew of Edward Masen. Plus, he was
insanely hot, so of course she would be excited. Also, Edward had mentioned she just graduated
from college, and she definitely seemed to be sort of… immature? Once again, my jealousy or
competitive side was killing me.

After dinner, Edward excused himself to go to the restroom, leaving Jane to talk to us.

"So… is he seeing anyone?" Jane asked, looking over to me.

My eyes went wide as I stared at Alice.

"Yeah… he is seeing someone," Rose said. "He just doesn't talk about it often, so I wouldn't really
bring that up… but he's unavailable, unfortunately."

My cheeks flushed.

Rose and Alice both knew how I felt about Edward. They wanted me to be happy, but they also
knew I was shy when it came to my feelings about him.

"Dang… he is hot!" Jane frowned.

Edward returned and sat back down, his side touching mine. I almost gasped when I felt his hand
graze my thigh, resting it there, which drove me absolutely insane. I turned to look at him with a
shocked look on my face. Edward had a crooked grin on his face as he shrugged his shoulders.

The conversation after dinner was spent talking about sports – football in particular. High school,
college, and pro. Edward hadn't mentioned to everyone else that he was offered a position for
one of the most recognized football teams, so I of course didn't say anything.

Jane had the audacity to ask for Edward's phone number even though she was told that he was in
a relationship. She said she might need it in case she ever needs help with something… whatever.

When Edward dropped me off at my house, he walked me to the door, which wasn't unusual as he
did that most of the time. However, this time he held my hand, holding me close to his side.

"So… I'll be pretty busy tomorrow… but I just wanted to make sure we're still on for Saturday night?"

I smiled dumbly, like some wide eyed teenager, finally being asked out by the guy of her

dreams. "Yeah…"

"Okay, well, I'll pick you up at six. Is that okay?"

"That sounds good to me."

Edward kissed my forehead before walking back to his truck, leaving me wanting more.

Friday was definitely a busy day. Edward and I spoke briefly throughout the day, which I
expected since he had warned me already. I literally squealed when I found a homecoming mum
sitting on my desk. It said 'To B, From E'. I wore it proudly.

Good god, how stupid I felt… Since when did I turn into the girl that had a horrible crush on a guy
that I couldn't even open up to and tell him how I felt?

After the game on Friday night, which we won, Edward and I joined the team at the diner to
celebrate. His arm was wrapped around my shoulder all night as he laughed and talked to his
team. I was tired and almost falling asleep all too soon, so Edward followed me home and made
sure I got in safely.

Saturday was spent getting ready for the homecoming dance. Alice and Rose came over and it felt
like I was in high school all over again. After being silent for most of the summer, Alice and Rose
lectured me all day. I was told that if I didn't make my fucking move, I would get my ass kicked by
both of them, including Jasper and Emmett. Yeah.

I had to push Alice and Rose out of my house so that they weren't there when Edward arrived. I
must have checked myself over in the mirror fifty times before I sat down in the living room. I
heard Edward's truck pull up and my heart started racing as it always did when he when was
around me, but this time it was different. I had to let him know how I felt.

"Hi," Edward grinned as I opened the door.

My face flushed as Edward's eyes roamed up and down my body. "Hi."

I suddenly felt so exposed and uncomfortable. I was wearing the dress that I bought with Edward
in Seattle.

"Well, I must say I am pleased that I get to take you out… wearing that dress," Edward said,
waving his finger up and down towards me. "You look gorgeous."

It was a simple dress, but it fit me perfectly and made me feel… sexy. It was a black strapless
dress that ended just above my knee. I usually didn't wear something so revealing, as this dress
definitely showed all of my curves, but I knew those faithful workouts of mine would pay off someday.

"Thanks," I said shyly.

After I got over my initial shyness, I was finally able to focus on how sexy Edward looked. Black
slacks and a dark gray button up shirt never looked so good. I probably stared at him longer than
I should have before finally inviting him in.

Edward went to the kitchen to get some water while I went upstairs to slip my heels on and check
my hair. I nervously shoved my hair behind my ears, wishing I would stop blushing. And for the
love of God, why did even my ears turn slightly pink when I blushed?

After putting on my small silver hoop earrings, I waved my hands up and down, fanning my face,
trying to cool myself down when I saw Edward's reflection in the mirror.

"What's the matter?" Edward asked, his face full of genuine concern.

"I have no idea…" I grumbled.

"Trying to impress those high school guys, huh?" Edward chuckled as he leaned against the door fram

"Oh yea…" I giggled.

"Well, you look beautiful, Bella… so no worries there." Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me
out of the bathroom, ushering me out of the house. I grabbed my sweater as I was dragged out to
his truck, laughing the entire time.

When we arrived at the dance, I took my place at the entrance, holding the door open for all of
the kids. I received many compliments, especially from Jake. Perv.

Edward mingled with the students, joking and playing around with all of them. He was definitely
the "cool" teacher that everyone loved. I was too, I heard, but Edward was a guy and since he
was an extremely attractive guy, the girls were in love with him.

"Dance with me," Edward stated simply, standing behind me, his warm breath tickling my ear. All
of the students had arrived and our principal had now taken her place at the entrance, checking
to see who was leaving. Once the kids left, they couldn't come back in. Stupid rule, but oh well.

I turned around to face Edward, and almost gasped as I saw how close he was to me. Edward
looked down and winked at me as he pulled me out to the dance floor. After receiving several
whistles from the loud students, Edward pulled me against his chest, swaying us back and forth
to the beat of the music.

We didn't say anything as we danced.

I noticed Jane walk in, gazing around the room, probably looking for Edward. And that reminded
me of what I needed to do. Not because of jealousy, but because he had to know I didn't want
him as just my friend anymore.

"Edward… can we go outside and talk?"

"Sure… everything okay?"

I nodded, but pulled away from him. I walked towards the exit with Edward following close
behind me. Once I was outside, I turned around and took a deep breath. Edward had his hands
shoved in his pockets, his face full of worry.

"Bella, did I do something to-"

"No!" I said, cutting him off. "I just… I can't do this anymore. I can't keep pretending that we're
just friends. This," I waved my hand between us, "is not just a friendly relationship… and I'm so
tired of holding back how I-"

I was cut off as Edward placed his hands on my hips, pulling me towards him. His lips pressed
against mine, stopping my rant that was basically going nowhere. The kiss started out frantic as
we were both breathing nervously, but ended up as a slow, soft kiss. My body molded against

his, my arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close to me. His hands never left my body,
gripping me tightly.

I pictured that kiss in my head for so long, but it was so much more amazing than my dreams.

I may have stumbled or lost my footing as Edward broke contact, but only to place soft kisses
down my neck. An involuntary moan escaped me as I felt his mouth against the sensitive skin
near my collarbone, only this time he was sober and definitely knew what he was doing. Just as
Edward moved his mouth upwards, heading towards my mouth again, a loud thunder roared as a
heavy downpour of rain started.

We broke apart and as soon as I glanced over to my side, I found Jake and Seth, along with their
dates, gaping at us. Seth already knew how I felt about Edward, so I knew what just happened
wouldn't surprise him… however, I wasn't used to the whole PDA thing. With Edward… it didn't matter.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward said, backing away from me. I stared at him, so confused because why
would he apologize for something like that? "I've… I'm going home."

And before I knew it, Edward walked hurriedly to his truck, driving away before I even had the
chance to figure out what exactly went wrong.

There was no way I could stay at that dance and act as though nothing had happened. Seth
knew I needed to get away and I felt so awful for ruining his time, even though he assured me I
didn't. Seth and Jake both said they were ready to leave, so I drove their dates home and when I
got to my house the guys went to Jake's. Seth said he was staying over there and promised not
to get into any trouble. He took Harley with him so she wouldn't be alone during the storm. I
didn't want her to get scared.

I didn't allow the unshed tears to fall as I stripped out of my dress. I threw on a pair of pajama
pants, a t-shirt and my tennis shoes before running out of my house. I had to confront him. I
couldn't just let him walk away with no explanation.

I had to know if he felt the same way I did.

***! !***

Like it? Review please (since I'm already told you how I feel about them.. and who knows, I do
post early sometimes. Just sayin' *wink*)!

So... the next chapter will be posted on Monday. I posted an early teaser for chapter 14 over on
the forum, so you might wanna go there to check it out. I will post another one on Friday. check
out my profile for a few things that I posted under IC extras.

Illegal Contact was nominated for an award for Best Romance -
www(dot)thesparkleawards(dot)webs(dot)com - Voting begins Oct. 16th. Thanks to whoever
nominated IC! :)

Happy Hump Day!

FicRecs:

Into the Grey House by pdd912 **It's a dark fic.. really dark, but so good**

Living Our Happily Ever After by alphadork **This is a hilarious fic with some really sexy lemons**

Huge thanks to my beta, Jessica1971, who encouraged me and kept me going all week. Also,
thanks to coldplaywhore, MaggieMay14, and flightlssbird11 -- You girls helped me so much and I
can't thank you enough. Also, all my twitter friends and the girls over at the forum - Love ya!

Thanks for the HUGE amount of reviews I received for the last chapter - I hope this chapter
doesn't disappoint.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I didn't think twice about kissing Bella, but when I did, it felt so right and I got lost in the moment.
It wasn't until I heard snickering noises and the rain falling that I realized I was making a
mistake. What was I thinking? Bella had been pushing me and encouraging me to take the offer
out of Dallas, so even though I couldn't believe it, she must not have seen a future for us like I did.

So I walked away.

I was a fucking coward and walked away.

Once I was in my truck, I beat myself up the entire way home. I didn't know how I could face her
again, but being apart from her wasn't a possibility. I had to see her. I had to be near her.

The fear was consuming. Fear of being rejected. Fear of losing her when I just got her. Fear that
she'd never speak to me again after my jackass behavior when we finally fucking kissed.

Finally.

And now she was probably crying. I had to fix what I royally fucked up. I never wanted to make
Bella cry. She meant more to me than anyone ever had. The more and more I thought about it, I
knew we would work it out even if I did move. I would fly her to wherever I played and if I ever
had a few days off, I'd come back to Forks. It would be hectic, but for her I'd do anything.

I would never have accepted the offer to meet with the Dallas officials and was even tempted to
cancel when my agent set up the meeting without my consent, but Bella was so thrilled for me and I
finally felt good about it. She was proud of me and that made me feel like the luckiest man on earth.

Did she see me in her future? Because I sure as hell saw her in mine.

Once I got home, I checked on Herkie and put him in the sunroom as the rainfall was coming
down harder every second. By the time I finished chasing him around, I was soaking wet. I
grabbed a few towels out of the dryer and went upstairs to shower and change. On my way to
the shower, I turned on my stereo system which still had Bella's CD in it. Carolina Liar. She loved
their song, 'Show Me What I'm Looking For' and I didn't know if it held any significance for her, but

Chapter: 14

it did for me.

Bella was what I was looking for all along.

I hurried out of the shower with one thing, or person rather, on my mind. I had to go to her. I
had to apologize for being a dumbass. We needed to talk things over. Both of us were confused
about what we should do, but I was never confused about the way I felt. The very first day I saw
her, I knew she was someone special.

Just as I was going into the den to turn off the music, I heard tires crunching over the gravel
drive. I ran to the window, expecting to find Emmett there to kick my ass, but instead, I found my
Bella, standing out in the rain. She looked conflicted, like she was going to leave.

As I made my way to the front door, a light timid knock echoed against my door just once. I
swung open the door and immediately wanted to pull her to me… to hold her. She looked so
upset, but determined at the same time.

"Bella… get in here!" I said, moving to the side. Her shoulder brushed against my chest as she
moved past me, and that simple touch reminded me that I couldn't let her leave here questioning
my feelings for her.

"We… need to talk," Bella said hoarsely. Her small body was shivering as she was soaking wet and
in desperate need of some dry clothes. I left her in the foyer to grab a blanket out of the living
room. When I wrapped the blanket around her, I rubbed my hands up and down her arms, trying
to warm her up a little faster. The look on her face was heartbreaking. There was a slight redness
under her eyes and I knew she had been crying. I knew as soon as I left her there at the school,
standing in the rain after our kiss, that she would be crying. Seeing what I had done to her killed me.

Bella wouldn't even look into my eyes. "Look at me, Bella." She didn't, though. Instead, she shook
her head and closed her eyes, and I knew by the way her facial expression had changed that she
was close to crying again. "Bella," I said lowly, stepping forward, closing the distance between
us. "Come upstairs – you need to change out of these clothes."

Finally, she opened her eyes, looking directly into mine. I wanted to kiss her again, but at this
moment I didn't know where things stood between us. Did she want me the same way I wanted her?

Bella gnawed on her bottom lip, which she did when she was nervous. The pad of my thumb
gently skimmed her lip, freeing it from her mouth. She was so sexy and I didn't know how much
longer I could stand in the foyer with her before I lost control.

I grasped her hand in mine and pulled her up the stairs, to my bedroom. She had been in there
before, but things were different now, which meant she was retreating back to her shy self. As I
grabbed clothes out of my closet for her, she stood beside my bed, looking down at the floor.
This was not what I wanted. I wanted her to open up to me, but I knew I had caused this. I had
walked away from her, leaving her to question everything about us. I didn't want to push her,
especially after seeing how closed off she was being towards me, not that I could blame her.

I left her alone in my room, allowing her some privacy as I paced up and down the hallway. A
million things ran through my head – what I wanted to say to her, how much I cared about her,
how I couldn't let her get away from me…

The door creaked open as Bella walked out slowly, wearing my clothes which turned me on more
than ever. I felt like such a dickhead for thinking about sex when so much more needed to be said.

"Thank you," Bella whispered shyly, "for the clothes."

I was only standing a few feet away from her, but that was too far for my liking.

"You're welcome… but what are you doing here so late?" I asked dumbly. Yes, very fucking
dumbly because why else would she be here.

And with my dumbass question, gone was my shy Bella. Her eyes widened as she stared at me
with an exasperated expression. "What am I doing here so late?" I took a deep breath, waiting
for her to continue. "You can't just… why did you leave like that? What do you-"

"I'm sorry," I blurted out quickly, cutting her off. "I didn't mean to, Bella. I just… didn't know if-"

Shaking her head back and forth, Bella clenched her eyes shut. "You didn't know if I wanted you
to explain what that was about? That kiss, Edward… it was God… like nothing I've ever
experienced and then you just left."

I was dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say. After a few seconds of silence, a tear slid down
Bella's face as she pushed off the door frame and started walking slowly down the hall. I couldn't
let her leave.

Within a matter of seconds I had her pressed against the wall, mentally restraining myself from
what I wanted so badly. It wasn't just about sex. I just wanted her. All of her.

"I want you, Bella…" I whispered near her ear, my hands slowly roaming her body. "I have for so long."

Bella gasped with my sudden closeness as her wet clothes fell to the floor. "But why," she
swallowed hard as I breathed heavily on her neck, "…why did you leave?"

I didn't know how to answer her question. How could I explain my dumbass actions? Instead of
trying to explain right away, I lowered my mouth to her shoulder, kissing along her collarbone.
Her shaky hands gripped my forearms tightly as her breathing grew erratic.

"I didn't want to take you right there in the parking lot, Bella," I mumbled against her sensitive
skin. "I had very little control over myself."

Kissing my way along the column of her neck, I finally reached her mouth and didn't hesitate to
kiss her plump lips. Bella moaned as I pressed myself against her even further, finally allowing her
to feel the arousal that had not gone away since the day I met her.

I could feel her legs shaking slightly against mine and I didn't know if she was still cold or if it was
from nervousness about what this was leading to… hell, my legs felt weak as well. My hands were
on her hips and slowly, I moved them around to grip her ass and fucking hell, I almost came right
at that moment. I effortlessly lifted Bella as her legs wrapped around my waist with my cock
crammed between us.

Our lips moved in sync as her tongue shyly touched mine. And I say shyly because I could tell
she was uncertain or bashful to do so, but the more my hands roamed, the more Bella moaned
and let go of whatever held her back.

I finally broke our long kiss only to move beneath her ear, sucking gently. Bella's fingers dug into
my arms, my hands squeezed her firm ass.

"Tell me to stop if you don't want this," I managed to say as my breathing was beyond erratic.

Almost instantly Bella said, "Please don't stop." And that's all I needed to hear. I held her firmly
against me as I pulled away from the wall and walked to my bedroom, kicking the door shut behind me

The lights were off and the only light we had was from the flashes of the lightning bolts outside
my window. The music downstairs had stopped playing, leaving only the sounds of our out of
control breathing to fill the room.

I carried Bella over to my bed, but instead of laying her down, I sat on the end of my bed, holding
her to me. "Are you sure you want this, Bella?"

"Yes, Edward…" Bella sighed, or maybe groaned as her hands began to explore my body, easing
their way under my shirt.

I needed to take a minute to think things through. It wasn't like I didn't want her because I was
pretty sure she could feel how much I wanted her, but I had been waiting since… well, the day I
met her to share this with her and I didn't want it to be some rushed, frenzied sex. She was so
much more than just a quick lay.

"I'm sorry for leaving you earlier… I don't know what the fuck I was thinking," I explained,
placing my hands on either side of her face so she'd look at me.

"It's okay," Bella whispered as her face started to look sad all over again.

I leaned forward and kissed her gently on the mouth, still holding her incredibly beautiful face in
my hands. "It's not, baby… I should have never left you like that. You mean so much to me, Bella."

Bella stared at me, wide eyed and grinning.

"What?" I asked.

Her cheeks blushed as I felt my fingertips warm over her skin.

"Nothing."

"Bella…" I groaned.

"Edward, do you not want me?"

"What the… fuck, yes, I do!" I said loudly, my hands leaving her face to squeeze her ass, pulling
her body further against mine and grinding her against my cock that was more than ready for her.

"Then why are we talking? Why are you-"

I stopped her nonsense talking, kissing her hard and standing up from the bed. Turning around
quickly, I bent over and laid Bella down on my bed as she let out a drawn out moan. We were both
losing our patience, needing to make that final step to be together in all the ways that we both
imagined. Yes, I knew Bella was attracted to me, but I never knew that she was ready to cross
that line until tonight. The first experience might be rushed, giving both of us the release that
we needed, but I would make sure to make love to her soon after. I had never made love to
any woman. It was always just sex for me. Bella needed to know the difference.

I whispered in Bella's ear how much I wanted her and needed her as she wrapped her arms
around me, holding me close while kissing my neck. I sat up, leaning back to pull my shirt off ,and

just as I did Bella did as well, both of us throwing our clothes on the floor.

I felt her nervous hands lower between us, making their way down below my navel, reaching the
waistline of my pants. Letting out a shaky breath, Bella lowered her hand down my pants, her
fingers grazing my cock that already had a small bead of liquid forming on the tip. It had been so
long since I had been with a woman and now here I was… with Bella… literally, the woman of my
dreams. I was not going to last long.

"Lay down, Edward," Bella whispered as I held myself up above her.

My arms were like Jell-o, so I gladly took her offer and laid on my side, facing her. Bella turned
over onto her side and began pushing my pants down. I lifted up to kick them off the rest of the
way. Bella didn't waste any time as she grabbed my erection in her hand and began stroking it slowly.

"I wanted to do this to you so much…"

"Bella…" I moaned her name as she moved her hand up and down my shaft at a slow pace. "You
have to… fuck… need to stop, baby… I won't last."

Her hand was warm and wrapped tightly around me. When I felt her thumb run over the tip,
spreading some of the pre-cum that had surfaced, I almost lost it right at that moment. Bella let
go of my cock and I almost whimpered at the loss, but noticed she was lifting her lower body,
shoving her pants down her legs. "I'm ready, Edward," she said with a serious tone.

I had to make sure, of course. My hand drifted down her body, skimming all the parts that I
wanted to touch so badly during the summer. Bella moaned, her body shivering as she rolled onto
her back. I leaned over her body and placed a kiss on the tip of her exposed nipple, causing Bella
to arch her back.

I was so fucking mad at myself because I wanted a light on so I could see her face when I
touched her. One of her small hands gripped my bicep as I placed my hand over her pussy,
slightly teasing her entrance. Bella squeezed my arm tighter, urging me to continue. I dipped in
one finger and found that she was soaked.

"Oh my… fuck," we both said at the same time.

My finger lightly stroked the most sensitive part on her body as Bella moaned and ran her hand
through my hair.

"Please, Edward… I need you… inside, now."

"Okay, Bella," I whispered, leaning up to kiss beneath her ear. "I'm going to go get a condom."

"Do you have to? I mean… oh, nevermind. Okay."

"What, baby?"

"Do you have to use one? We're both… clean," Bella gulped nervously, as though I would actually
turn her down. I did not want any barriers between us, but I didn't want to assume that she was
okay with that. "And I had the shot at my appointment…"

I reached under her body, grabbing her ass once again and kissing her hard, trying to show her
how much I wanted her. I felt her tongue dart out, moving against mine as I maneuvered my
body so that I was between her long legs. My cock rubbed against her wetness that was there

for me… Fuck, I needed her.

"Spread your legs a little more, baby," I moaned, pulling away from her swollen lips. Her legs were
clenched to my hips, leaving me not much room to move. She was nervous. A few seconds later,
she complied with my request, just a little bit though, so I ducked my head down to her neck,
placing open mouth kisses as my hand that was planted firmly on her ass moved around to the
front of her body to massage her inner thigh. "Just a little more, beautiful."

Bella finally relaxed, allowing me to move. "Better?" she asked shyly with a small smile on her face.

"So… you're sure you want to-"

"Edward!" Bella groaned loudly as she lifted her hips to meet mine, the tip of my cock pressing
against her wet center.

In one swift movement, I was sheathed inside of her, feeling her clench as I inched my way in.
"Bella…" I moaned rather loudly from the effects of feeling her tightness. "You have no idea how
long I have wanted you… waiting until the right time… fuck, you feel amazing." I couldn't believe
how much I was rambling, but I had no fucking filter on my mouth at the time.

"Are you okay?" I asked, a little worried because she gasped.

"I'm… Mmmm… fine," Bella managed, moaning as I completely filled her. "You're just huge…"

I grinned like an ass because that is the one thing you want to hear from a woman… especially
Bella. "Is that a good thing?" I asked, my voice husky as I began to pull out, only to thrust back in
with a little force, earning another gasp from Bella.

"Fuck…." Bella moaned. "Yes…" she breathed, leaning up to kiss my chest. "It's just been a while
for me…"

I kissed her deeply as I picked up the pace slightly, thrusting faster with each move. "Fucking
shit…" I moaned, grunting as I held off on my release. "You feel so fucking good, Bella… so good."
I leaned on my elbow, quickly moving inside her, feeling Bella lift her pelvis with each movement.

My hands roamed the side of her body, squeezing her perky breasts as I continued thrusting deep
inside of her. Bella's legs began to shake and I knew she must be close. I gently sucked the skin
between her neck and shoulder as I lowered my other hand between us, seeking out her clit,
because I was not going to last much longer and I wanted to make her feel good.

"Edward…" Bella moaned, drawing out my name. "I'm… oh my god… going to…"

"What Bella?" I mumbled against her neck.

Her moans got louder as I circled her clit, feeling my cock slip in and out of her.

"I… fuck, you feel so good, Edward…"

"Come for me, baby… please come…" I pleaded, almost in a begging tone.

Almost instantly, I felt Bella clench around my cock as her legs shook. I thrust myself inside her,
pushing deeper as she came. Her eyes were closed as her fingers dug into my back.

"Open your eyes, Bell…" I grunted.

Bella opened her eyes and smiled at me as she placed her hands on either side of my face. "I've
wanted you for so long," she whispered softly before leaning up to kiss me.

I completely let go, pulsing inside the most beautiful girl in the world, moaning her name the entire
time. My body slumped against hers as we both breathed rapidly. Bella lightly rubbed my back with
her fingertips while kissing along my jaw. I had yet to pull out of her, not really ready to leave her
just yet.

I didn't want to crush her, though. Slowly, I pushed up only to be pulled back down by Bella's legs
that clasped behind me.

"Wait! Please… I just need to feel you…"

"Anything, baby," I breathed deeply, resting my forehead against her shoulder.

I eventually pulled out of her before I got hard again. She could have kept me going all night, but
I knew Bella was exhausted. We didn't say much as we clung to one another. The talk that we
needed to have could wait until the morning.

Things would never be the same between us again and I was more than happy with that. I didn't
want to go back to being just her friend. The only reason I walked away after I kissed her was
because I was afraid I had lost her when I just got her… but we would make it work no matter what.

I wrapped my arms around Bella, holding her close to me, her back against my chest. "Good night,
beautiful," I whispered, kissing the shell of her ear.

I held Bella for a while, still amazed at the huge step that we took. We both let go of the fears
that held us back from being together and I had to convey to her in the morning how much she
really meant to me, in case she thought this night was only about sex.

Sleep was the last thing on my mind as Bella drifted off and smiled in her sleep. Every now and
then I would lean down to kiss her…. the most important woman in my life. To be honest, I was still
really fucking turned on. I was lying in bed with, as I said before, the most important woman in my
life, and we were both naked.

I got out of bed before I started assaulting Bella in her sleep. I regretted our quick lovemaking,
only because I didn't make it romantic for her and I knew Bella was one of those girls that liked
that kind of stuff – what we did before wasn't anything like what Bella would do, not that I
regretted having sex with her at all. I just wanted her to feel… romanced?

I went down stairs and grabbed a couple of candles to bring back to my room. Once I lit those, I
decided to start a fire in my room. The fireplace in there had never been used, but on a night like
tonight, it would be perfect.

Bella never woke up as I did these things. I was careful to be very quiet because I wanted to
surprise her for when she did wake up. Once I crawled into bed, Bella whispered my name as I
pulled her against my chest again. I felt so… overwhelmed by the beautiful woman in my arms. As
corny or whipped as it sounded, this was where she belonged. Always.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I woke up at some point during the night feeling so… complete. However cliché that may sound,
it was so true. There was no way to describe what exactly that meant, but being wrapped up in
Edward's arms felt amazing. I was so mad at myself for falling asleep after the best sex I had
ever experienced.

My eyes remained closed as I lay awake, still in shock that I was in Edward's bed. Naked.

One of Edward's arms was under my neck, the other one was resting on my side as his fingertips
brushed across my bare hip. I felt his warm breath against the back of my neck, which in turn
caused my breathing to hitch.

Peeking through my eyelids, I could make out the soft glow of a candle burning on the night
stand. Edward was being romantic and it was definitely working.

I moved slightly, as goose bumps spread all over my body, and then I felt Edward's soft lips press
into the back of my neck as his hand left my hip to pull the blankets over us.

I sighed, my body enjoying the wonderful sensations he was causing.

"Are you awake, Bella?" Edward whispered, his voice rough and deep.

"Mmmhmm…" I mumbled, absentmindedly jutting out my behind against his already hard cock.

Edward groaned, pressing himself harder into me, rocking his hips slowly. "You're perfect, Bella,"
he whispered as his hand drifted upwards, stopping at my breast where he massaged gently. His
mouth moved to my shoulder, nipping and sucking softly as my breathing grew out of control.

"Edward," I moaned breathlessly.

"What, baby?"

I loved when he called me that. Even when he said it just to piss off Lauren, I freaking loved it.

"I… want you… again," I managed to say, gasping as his hands settled between my thighs.

Edward let out a growl as he shifted his body, flipping me onto my back. His eyes were heavy
lidded as he lowered his face to mine, kissing me passionately. My arms wrapped around his neck,
running my fingers through his hair while he sucked my bottom lip into his mouth.

"I want to taste you, baby…" Edward mumbled against my mouth. "Can I?"

I nodded, in complete and utter shock, because I wanted him to do that, but to be honest, he
would be the first one to ever do that to me. A million things ran through my head as the
nervousness seeped in.

Edward's fingers circled around my clit, stroking towards my entrance at an excruciatingly slow
pace. He hovered over me, propping himself up on his elbow, never breaking eye contact with
me. Inch by inch he made his way down my body, as his very talented fingers brought me closer
to my release.

The room was silent except for our breathing and my embarrassing moans that I could not control.
I think my entire body blushed as Edward came in contact with my clit. His warm breath spread
against the most sensitive spot and my body actually jerked as his tongue lightly came in contact
with my clit, teasing me. He was literally trying to kill me.

"Are you okay, beautiful?" Edward asked huskily.

"Yes," I whispered, nervously nodding my head. "I just… I've never…"

"Nobody has ever been here," he asked, licking and sucking my clit softly, "before?" I shook my
head, feeling so insecure and shy. I wasn't waxed. I mean… who in the hell was I trying to
impress? I had an ex-boyfriend that made up excuses so we didn't have sex and he really only
wanted attention paid to his body, not mine.

As my insecurity set in, my hands moved over my breasts, covering them up though that wasn't
really doing any good because Edward's face was now in direct contact with my pussy. I knew
some day I would regret not getting waxed. And now was that time.

Edward brought one of his hands to rest on my hip bone, rubbing me soothingly. "You're the most
beautiful woman I've ever seen… I mean that." With a sweet smile on his face, his hands reached
up to mine, pulling them away from my breasts and placing them on his head. "Don't be shy, baby…
it's just me… and I want to feel your hands in my hair. Is that okay?"

With a small nod, Edward finally gave me the relief I so badly needed. I threw my head back as
his tongue replaced where his fingers once were. Never in my life had I experienced such
pleasure. My hands stayed in his hair, clutching it like my life depended on it as he moved up and
down my slit with his tongue, pausing to suck on my clit.

"Oh my God…" I moaned. Edward brought one of his hands up to my breast, kneading it gently
as he continued. "I'm going to…"

Edward looked up at me through lustful eyes. "What, Bella? What are you going to do?"

"Mmmm…." I breathed. With one of his hands, he began rubbing my clit furiously as his tongue
moved in and out slowly. "Come…"

The sexiest noises came out of Edward as my legs shook uncontrollably, his hand squeezing my
breast even more. The most powerful orgasm ripped through my body while Edward continued his
ministrations, humming quietly around my thighs. I chanted his name several times, still clinging to him

I lay completely spent and still relishing from the way his mouth felt against me as he peppered
kisses along the inside of my thigh.

"I need you, Edward. Please?"

Very quickly, Edward moved up my body and kissed me hard, moaning into my mouth. "I need to
be inside you," Edward said, pulling away from my mouth as he positioned himself at my entrance.

Gently, I placed my hands on Edward's chest, pushing him off of me and onto his back. He had a
shocked look on his face, but grinned cockily as I climbed on top of him. No words were said, only
soft moans filled the room as I lowered myself onto his cock. I still didn't know how it could even
possibly fit inside, but it did and fuck did it feel good. I could feel myself stretch with every
movement as Edward placed his strong hands on my hips, guiding me up and down his length.

"Lean back, baby," Edward rasped out as he sat up, kissing me softly. His tongue met mine,
massaging it as we moaned in each other's mouths.

I leaned back and placed my hands on his thighs, loving the new angle which made him go even

deeper. Edward wrapped one arm around my waist and brought his other hand down to my pussy,
circling my clit in such a teasing way.

Edward's hands were everywhere all at once. One minute he would be cupping my breasts and
the next, they were roaming my sides and I rode him lazily, enjoying… everything.

"Fuck, you feel so good around me… look so fucking beautiful riding my cock.. I can't, fuck, I'll
never get enough of you," Edward moaned, his green eyes locked with mine. "Talk to me, Bella,"
Edward pleaded, thrusting each time I slid down his length.

It was an emotional experience and I had to push that aside because the last thing he needed to
see was me falling apart. He meant everything to me. I was in love with him.

"I've never felt this way before, Edward," I said with a hoarse voice, my words filled with
emotion. "I never knew it could be like this."

"We're perfect for each other, Bella… fucking perfect," Edward grunted.

In one quick movement, Edward pushed me on my back and thrust hard, so deep inside of me.
"You're mine, Bella… forever… I'll never… baby, I'll never want anyone else."

I wrapped my arms around Edward's back, pulling him to me. Pressing my lips to his, I gasped as I
felt another wave of pleasure rolling through my body. Edward hitched my leg over his hip,
pounding into me, grunting each time. To see Edward like this was amazing. I never thought I
would be with him like this.

"Oh God… Bella… baby… I can't stop…"

Seconds later, I think I may have screamed his name as he spilled inside me, kissing and sucking
along my neck. Like before, I wasn't ready for him to pull away just yet so I kept my legs
clamped around him. Edward whispered over and over again how beautiful I was and how good I felt.

I loved him.

I already knew I loved him because he was my best friend, but now he was something different…
not just my friend, but my lover? So many thoughts ran through my head as I wondered what
this meant for us. I wanted everything with him. I didn't want things to go back to the way they
were, but I didn't want to lose my best friend either. We had so many things to talk about, but I
knew we would eventually have that talk in the morning. For now, I would enjoy being in his arms
where I felt safe and loved.

"Come here, my sweet girl," Edward said softly as he pulled out of me and practically lifted me to
the other end of the bed, laying me against the pillows.

Edward always said extremely sweet things to me, but seeing him like this… hearing him talk to me
this way. It was too much. But I loved it and never wanted it to end.

I brushed my hair out of my face as Edward settled down beside me and pulled the blanket over
us. Once again, I found myself in Edward's arms, wishing it would never end. He kissed my
temple and squeezed his arms around me.

"This is a dream come true," Edward whispered against the side of my face.

"You have no idea," I replied, my voice thick, holding back the unshed tears, but it didn't work as a

single tear slid down my face. I wiped it away quickly, but my quick movements didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you crying, baby?" Edward asked as he sat up with a concerned look on his face.

"It's just… a lot to take in. I'm sorry, Edward." I tried to bury my face away from him, but he didn't
allow it. His hands cupped my face, causing me to look directly at him.

Leaning down to kiss my forehead, he grinned sweetly. "I know, Bella… and I also know that we
have a lot to talk about, but I've wanted this… you… for so long. This isn't just about the sex,
which was amazing… but it's you. Just you."

I couldn't say anything. Edward kissed my lips once more before he settled back down into the
bed, pulling my back against his chest.

"We'll talk in the morning, Bella. Thank you for being here with me."

I never wanted it to end.

***! !***

Like it? Hate it? Review. And about reviews... I received an extremely mean anonymous review
the other day, and I am pretty sure I know who did this, but in the future... for all those sissy
people that hide behide anonymous reviews... sign in and show who you really are. I was told by
many that I should just disable anonymous reviews, but wouldn't that be me just giving in to the
bitch that doesn't want to sign in? I have many anonymous reviewers and this is my first mean
comment for this story. One very mean comment makes me question everything that I write
even though I should just be a big girl and brush it off... but I can't. I do not have thick skin like
my beta does - and yes, this person even went as low to knock down my beta for my "worse than
high school kids" writing. So, just a simple request - quit being scared to admit your comments and
sign in so I can respond to you. To my readers, I only put this out there because I know this low
life person is reading, so that's the only reason this comment is here. I appreciate reviews and I
like constructive criticism, so please do not hold back on your comments. If you don't agree with
something, let me know -- I will more than likely stick behind my outline because every decision I
make goes off of my outline, but I want to know what you're thinking anyway. And if you hate
this story and think its a waste of time - I recommend not reading past the first chapter (normal
people can tell if they don't like the story and do not waste their time reading all the way through
to review on the last chapter... just saying..).

Sorry for the rant.

Hope you all enjoyed the early surprise.

Happy Sunday~

FicRecs:

Late Night Encounters by kyla713 (I just started this one last night and already I know it's great)

I Will Follow You Into the Dark by SydneyAlice (Several chapters in and very romantic)

**Also, if you are an author, please let me know what your story is in your review. I'm always
looking for new stories to read. Thanks!**

Thanks to my beta, Jessica1971 -- couldn't do this without her :) She is the best beta out there
and I'm happy to have her as mine!

Huge thanks to everyone reading this story and for the enourmous amount of reviews for the
last chapter. I was so nervous about it, hoping I'd get it just right and was happy to read through
all of your encouraging comments. I can't thank you all enough :)

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted. I hurt my wrist during the week and it slowed
down my typing slightly... anyway, I'm VERY sorry!

******************edited: updated w/the beta'd chapter -- I accidentally uploaded my messy
chapter and not my beta's hard work -- sorry!!!******************

Also, a very big thank you to The Backporch Blog for their rec for IC and FFY! :)
www(dot)thebackporchrecs(dot)blogspot(dot)com

And voting is now open for the Sparkle Awards -- vote for IC which is up for The Edward Award -
Best Romance, please!! www(dot)thesparkleawards(dot)webs(dot)com -- Thank you!! It's quick
and easy to vote :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I woke up very early on Sunday morning, wishing I could stay in bed with Bella a little while longer,
but I had things I needed to do. I didn't want her to wake up with no clothes to wear, and I was
pretty sure she'd rather have her own clothes rather than my pajama pants that were threatening
to fall off of her small hips, so I rolled out of bed, careful not to wake Bella up as I moved. On my
way out of the room, I turned around to look at the beautiful woman lying in my bed, still not
believing last night actually happened. She was still here, in my bed, and it wasn't a dream.

The smile on my face had not gone away as I walked into the hallway, grabbing her wadded up
clothes off of the floor. I went downstairs to put in a load of laundry. After putting the clothes in
the washer, I took Herkie outside and walked around with him for a bit.

Breakfast. I would cook a huge breakfast for her.

So many thoughts ran through my head – what was I going to say to her, how was she going to
act around me, how was I going to act around her, etc. I wanted to be in a relationship with Bella
so badly and I really hoped she wanted the same.

I had no idea what to cook because, to be quite honest, I was trying to impress her. I knew she
liked pancakes, but some days she just wanted bacon and eggs. I ended up cooking an array of
food choices, hoping something might sound good to her.

I threw Bella's clothes in the dryer halfway through my cooking excursion. I hoped that I would be

Chapter: 15

finished with everything soon because I wanted to maybe surprise her with breakfast in bed? I
didn't know how to approach her. Things would be awkward between us, of course, but I wanted
to make that awkwardness disappear quickly. I never brought breakfast in bed to any woman
before, except for my mother and she seemed to think it was really sweet, so I hoped that Bella
would stay in bed until I was finished.

Just as I put the biscuits in the oven, the dryer timer went off, alerting me that the clothes were
finished. I folded the clothes and placed them on the table until I was ready to take them up to
her, but I heard the water running in the shower.

Well, fuck. There went my plan.

I didn't want her to wake up to an empty bed, wondering why I wasn't there, and that's exactly
what happened. I definitely needed to fix things… very quickly.

I hurried up the stairs with her clothes, wondering what I should say to her.

My bed was empty as I walked into the room and I missed seeing her naked body covered only
with my thin sheet, but I had high hopes that we would have a chance to do that again. Pacing
back and forth, I decided to knock on the bathroom door to give her the clothes. I kept her shirt
she wore the night before and replaced it with one of mine, an old football shirt that said 'Masen'
on the back. I wanted to see her in my shirt.

Softly knocking on the door, I cracked in open, noticing the steam filling the room. "Bella?"

"Yeah?" Bella responded, her voice already sounded so shy. So fucking sweet.

I stepped in the bathroom and placed the clothes on the counter. "I washed your pajama pants
and stuff last night," including your fucking sexy underwear, but I didn't say that part out loud,
"…and there's a clean long sleeve shirt of mine here as well, just in case you're… cold."

"Th-thank you…"

I could see her reflection behind the shower door and already felt my body reacting to her. I had
to get out of there soon before I embarrassingly asked if I could join her.

"Okay… well, I've got breakfast cooking down there… so come down when you can."

"I'll be out in a few. Thanks again, Edward."

"Not a problem, beautiful. Oh, and there is an extra toothbrush in the left side drawer if you want it..."

"Kay," Bella replied.

I forced myself to leave the bathroom, closing the door behind me quickly so the cold draft didn't
get in. Nervously, I went back to the kitchen to wait for Bella to join me. We had a lot to talk
about and I really didn't know what the outcome would be. I just knew one thing… I had to
convince her that we're better together than apart.

I cut up some fresh fruit and placed it on the table along with the other foods I prepared for Bella.
I was rushing around so much that I didn't even realize that when you grab a hot iron skillet with
your bare hand, it really fucking burns.

"Fuck!" I said loudly as Herkie looked up at me while he munched on his dog food. Thanks for the

concern, Herkie. I dropped the skillet full of eggs onto the stove, feeling like such a dumbass.

"What happened!?" I heard Bella's concerned voice close behind me.

"I grabbed the handle without a potholder…" I mumbled, pointing to the eggs.

"Ouch… come here," Bella said sweetly, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the sink. "You
need to get the heat out… keep it under the water for a few minutes."

Bella turned on the tap and gently grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand under the cool water. She
soothingly rubbed her thumb across the underside of my wrist, careful not to touch my injured hand.

"Thank you, Bella," I said as I caught myself staring at her. She was gorgeous. There was nothing
better than seeing her in my shirt. Her hair was still damp and started to develop waves. She
always told me that she hated how her hair would end up wavy if she didn't dry it or straighten it
– I thought she was beautiful either way.

Bella looked up at me and smiled, nudging her foot against mine as her face turned a slight shade
of pink. "Wow… that is a lot of food. Inviting everyone over?"

"No," I chuckled. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, not even realizing what I was doing
because it was just a natural reaction, but when I did, Bella's eyes widened as her facial
expression looked kind of… nervous?

"I… uh… I didn't know what you'd want. Sometimes you just want something simple in the
morning, but other times you like pancakes or fruit… you're a very difficult woman, Swan."

Bella giggled as she lifted my hand from the running water. "Well, you're a difficult man, Masen,"
she winked. "Burning your hand and all… just to get some attention."

"If that's what it takes," I laughed, leaning against the counter while Bella rummaged through my
junk drawer.

"Here it is! I knew I saw it in here once before," Bella said proudly as she held up some first aid
burn cream that I didn't even know I had. "Now we need some gauze. Got any?"

"It's not that bad, baby… I promise."

Bella looked up at me, the same expression that she had last night – kind of shocked.

"Come here," I whispered. Very slowly, Bella moved towards me, standing directly in front of me.
With my free arm, I reached out, wrapping it around her waist to pull her body against mine. "Are
you okay?"

"Mmhmm," Bella replied quietly as she rested her head on my chest. "Are you okay?"

I laughed as my arm tightened around her. "Better than ever… except I feel like a dumbass now."

Bella looked up at me and grinned. "Why do you feel like a dumbass?"

"Because I cooked all this crap that you probably don't like… and then I burned my stupid hand…"

"I think it's really sweet that you cooked all of this, Edward… and as much as it sucks that you did
burn your hand, I'm glad it wasn't me for once," Bella giggled, sounding so fucking sweet. "I

always have kitchen accidents."

Our awkward moment or nervousness regarding our activities throughout the night was forgotten
as we laughed with each other. Bella fixed our plates, not allowing me to fix my own because I was
"injured".

Throughout breakfast, Bella and I would catch ourselves glancing at the other a little longer than
usual. I wanted to kiss her again.

After breakfast and after assuring Bella for the umpteenth time that my hand wasn't even bad
enough for burn cream, we settled down in the den. Sitting side by side on the couch with Bella
was harder than I thought. I chanted to myself 'keep your fucking hands to yourself, keep your
fucking hands to yourself' over and over again, but my restraint would not hold up for too long.

"So… can we talk or are we going to ignore what happened last night?" I asked, mentally beating
myself up for blurting it out like that.

Bella let out a small, nervous gasp as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "I, um… I don't
know what to say…"

"Lay down with me?" I asked. Bella nodded as we situated ourselves. I laid on my side, my back
against the back of the couch and Bella on her side, facing me. "That's much better. I needed to
see you."

Leaning slightly closer to Bella, I kissed her lips gently. Just a small kiss, but something to show her
that I didn't regret anything that happened. I could tell she was very worried or unsure and those
worries needed to go away because what happened the night before was phenomenal.

"So, um…" Bella began, letting out a long sigh. "You don't think it was a mistake?"

"No, baby… not at all. Do you?"

"No," Bella replied bashfully.

"Like I said before, I've wanted you for so long. It's not just about the sex, which was fucking
amazing by the way, but I wanted you. You're beautiful and sweet and… my best friend."

"Wow," Bella whispered. "I mean… I kind of thought so, but..."

"I was that obvious?" I chuckled as I kissed her forehead.

"Well, let's just say… you sleep talk a lot and when you're drunk, you really tell all…"

"Oh my god," I groaned. "What did I do?"

Bella giggled. Her face heated up as I could feel it on my arm where she rested her head.
"Nothing too bad… just um, moaning in your sleep sometimes? And, uh… um… you may have
kissed my neck, like this," Bella said lowly, leaning towards my neck.

When her lips made contact with my skin, my hand instinctively cupped her ass, pulling her
against my hard on. Excruciatingly, painfully slow, Bella moved her mouth against my collarbone,
trailing up the column of my neck. She wasn't sucking hard, just kissing softly while her hand
gripped my upper arm. My fingers dug into her ass, not too hard, but enough to show her I
wanted her very fucking badly.

"Baby…" I moaned. I didn't know how much more I could take before I ripped her pants off.

Bella smiled widely as she pulled away to look into my eyes. "Yeah… you kissed me like that, on
my neck… and may have grinded your," she paused, nodding down on my cock that was fully
tenting my pajama pants, which made me laugh so hard because she was being so shy, "into my ass."

"I'm so sorry, Bella… I'm such an asshole…"

"You're not, Edward," Bella assured. Her hand moved from my arm to the side of my face. "It was
really hard turning you down."

"So, you really wanted… this," I motioned my finger between us.

"Yes. I just didn't know how to tell you because I didn't want to lose you as a friend."

"I don't want us to be just friends, Bella… and not friends with benefits or whatever the hell that
is… I want you."

"But how will it ever work, Edward? You're going to move to Dallas, which is so far away and-"

"Couples make long distance relationships work all the time, baby… and I'll have a couple of days
off which will be spent here… with you." Bella opened her mouth as though she was going to
protest, but I kissed her quickly before continuing on. "I'll fly you to my games… we'll talk every
night. I mean, it's not like I've accepted their offer yet, anyway…"

"You have to accept it, Edward. It's your dream and I won't let you just let that opportunity pass
you by."

"I know… but I just don't want you to have any doubts."

"I don't… I mean, of course I'm worried and sad that you're more than likely leaving, mainly
because I was so used to spending most of my time with you, but we'll be okay."

We discussed the topic a little further, both of us making the other feel better about our worries.
Bella stayed calm and kept me calm throughout the subject. I just needed reassurance that she
felt as though we could make it. I wanted to make her happy.

"Alice is going to go fucking ballistic over this," I chuckled while Bella buried her face into my neck.

"Can we please just keep it between you and me for now? I'm not ashamed or anything, but Alice
is just so…"

"Loud and obnoxious sometimes?"

Bella laughed into my neck. "I love her to death and she is a great friend, but yes, she will be both
of those things when she finds out."

"Yeah… so will Emmett. It must be a Cullen thing…"

"Yep," Bella giggled, nuzzling her face in the crook of my neck.

I don't know how long we laid there, but both of us ended up dozing off. It was one of those
perfect mornings that I always wanted to spend with Bella – rainy day, lying on the couch. Herkie

ended up waking us a little later as he barked continuously at a bird that was perched on the deck
railing. Bella got up from the couch and grabbed a rawhide to keep him busy for a bit.

I must have fallen asleep for a bit after she returned to me because I woke up to Bella's hand
rubbing lightly over my cock as she nipped at my neck.

Nothing was said as my hands moved along her side, lingering along the outside of her thigh.
Bella breathed deeply as I let out an involuntary moan when she gripped me even harder through
my pajama pants.

"A couple of weeks ago… I went for a run," Bella whispered close to my ear as her hand slipped
down beneath the waistband of my pants. "And I was going to stop by to visit you… you had the
door wide open… remember that?"

There was no way I could think straight as she stroked me. "No," I grunted as her thumb skimmed
across the tip of my cock.

"You called me for breakfast that morning…"

Holy shit! Bella saw me whacking off? Fuck me…

I think it was my fucking turn to blush now.

"I wished more than anything that I had the nerve to come in and help you out," Bella said, her
voice so low and sexy.

"Mmm," I gasped, moving my hand between her thighs. "I would have liked that."

Bella moaned loudly as I rubbed over her covered pussy. "Edward… are you too tired…?"

"Never… you never have to ask me that question," I said, letting out a deep laugh as I rolled
Bella onto her back, settling myself on top of her amazing body.

Best. Morning. Ever.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I reluctantly had to leave Edward later that morning. I didn't want to, but I needed to get home
to Seth and Harley. When I first woke up that morning, I called Seth and let him know everything
was fine. He didn't even tease me or anything, which I was extremely grateful for.

Edward pulled out one of his sweatshirts for me to wear home as it was a really chilly morning. He
was driving me home since his road was not fully unusable for my small car. I still had no idea how
I got down it the night before, but I guess it was just meant to be or something…

"Are you ready, Bell?" Edward asked, sitting on the bed as I walked out of his bathroom.

"Yeah… so I'll see you later tonight?"

Esme had sent both of us texts the night before, telling us that she was having a big family
dinner and wanted us there. I didn't want to cancel on her, and Edward always went over for
their family dinners, so it would have looked odd for us both to cancel. I was going to ride over

there with Seth and not even mention that my car was still at Edward's house. Everyone knew
that I had slept over at Edward's house a few times, but my guilty conscience would be the death of m

"Of course, baby… can I come over to watch a movie with you after?"

"Please do," I said, unable to rid the huge smile on my face. I couldn't believe we were actually
doing this.

Edward led me out of the house, only stopping when I leaned down to pet and say goodbye to
Herkie. I laughed the entire time because Edward actually admitted earlier that morning that he
was jealous of Herkie sometimes, as he was able to get closer to me when Edward wasn't able
to. Sweetest and cutest thing ever.

The ride to my house was spent in silence, not uncomfortable silence, though. Edward insisted that
I sit next to him in the truck, which felt like some old fifties movie or something, but very sweet.
His hand rested on my thigh as I leaned my head on his shoulder. He was perfect.

But he would be leaving soon. I knew it was going to happen, no matter how many times he said
that it wasn't a sure thing. Bella Swan, the pessimist.

Edward helped me out of the truck slowly, both of us looking so gloomy even though we'd see
each other in a few hours anyway.

"I may sound like a chick, but I'll miss you," Edward chuckled, causing me to laugh as well.

"Aw, honey… I will try to call you later. Does that sound like the guy thing to say?" I asked.
Edward pushed me up against the truck door and kissed me passionately.

"You better call me later," he whispered.

"Like I said… I'll try," I teased, earning a slap on my ass as I walked away. I stood in the doorway
and turned towards him, mouthing, "Miss you" as he started to back out. He grinned hugely and
that made my day even better.

To an outsider, our affections might seem odd for a couple that had basically just gotten together
the night before, but as I had said before, it was pretty much like we were already dating all summer.

Although that dating had no kissing.

So much time had been wasted.

Seth was sitting on the couch as I entered the living room. He grinned like the little ass that he
was, knowing that something happened the night before.

"I don't want details, because that is really fucking gross considering you're my sister and all… but
I hope you two kids were safe," Seth laughed.

"Haha, very funny… and quit saying 'fucking'. That's bad!"

"Oh, dear sister… and sleeping with my coach isn't bad?"

"Ass."

"Love you, too, Bella."

"Listen," I said, my face completely serious, "do not tell Alice, Emmett, Jasper or Rose… or anyone
for that matter, but especially them. We don't want everyone knowing and-"

"Don't worry, I won't say anything."

"Thanks… and by the way, Edward is going to Dallas next weekend and he asked us to go with
him. Sound like something you might want to do?"

Seth's eyes widened. "Hell, yes, I do! But why is he going to Dallas?"

I felt bad for Seth because I wasn't the only one losing Edward if he accepted the deal.
"Remember those guys that visited him?" Seth nodded. "Well, they were with the Dallas Cowboys
and apparently Edward's agent had been trying to get him to play again… to make a long story
short, they talked him into going out to Dallas just to hear their offer."

"Wow. Are you okay with that?"

I sat down beside him on the couch, leaning against his side. "It would be hard enough if we were
just friends, and now… it's going to be harder, but I've been the one encouraging Edward the
entire time, always saying that he should take this opportunity. I wouldn't take it back now
anyway because it's his dream, you know?"

"Yeah, but…" Seth sighed, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Bella."

"It's fine, it really is. I mean, he hasn't even accepted it yet, but if he does, we can still try…"

"Yeah," Seth replied sympathetically.

Later that day, I baked a Sunkist cake to take over for dinner. Esme insisted that I didn't need to
bring anything, but I hated going somewhere empty handed. Plus, it was Edward's favorite kind of cak

Seth drove us to Esme's and I sent Edward a text to let him know we were on our way. Seconds
later, I received a text from Edward.

Missing you – looking forward to seeing you, baby. –E

I smiled like a love sick fool.

My smile grew wider when we pulled into the driveway as I immediately noticed Edward's truck. I
already knew he was going to be there, but just being near him again felt great. I was definitely
in over my head.

Esme, Alice, and Rose met us at the door. Seth retreated to the backyard where all the guys
were, leaving us to gossip in the kitchen. Edward had mentioned to me that he still hadn't told his
family about Dallas, but he was going to come clean tonight. Alice winked at me every time
Edward's name was mentioned as we helped get dinner ready… oh, if she only knew how
complicated things would be in a week or so.

"Something smells great!" Carlisle said from behind me. I turned around and smiled at him,
hoping Edward had walked in with him, but he was alone.

"Hi, Carlisle," I said as I walked over to hug him.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"Pretty good… you?"

Carlisle pulled back from our hug, but kept his hands on my shoulders. "I'm great, but are you
sure everything is okay? You seem… upset or something."

Over the years, I learned that Carlisle was the one person you could not lie to. He could just
sense when something was wrong. As his blue eyes gazed down at mine, I almost felt like crying. I
didn't know why exactly, because I was really happy that Edward and I were secretly together.
Deep down it was going to be so hard for me to let him go.

"I'm fine, I promise."

"Carlisle! Quit using your weird mind reading ability on Bella!" Esme chided as Carlisle and I
laughed. "Go outside and tell the boys that dinner is ready!"

"I will," I interrupted just as Carlisle was about to walk out of the kitchen.

I practically ran out of the room, ready to see Edward. As I walked into the den, making my way
to the sliding door, I got a quick glimpse of Edward which absolutely took my breath away. His
arm was pulled back, gripping the football in his hand as he was about to throw to Emmett. His
body was amazing, but now that I knew what was underneath all of his clothes, my mouth
watered. I loved the way his arms weren't extremely huge, like some steroid-filled football player,
but he was a very strong man. My mind went back to the night before, seeing him move above
me, his muscles flexing with every movement.

How was I going to be in the same room with him now?

I slowly slid the door open, catching Jasper's eye. "Hey, Bella!"

"Hi," I grinned, my eyes darting over to meet Edward's. "Dinner is ready…"

"About fucking time!" Emmett boomed as he hurried up the porch stairs. "Hi, Bella," he said,
giving me a quick hug.

Jasper and Seth followed behind him, along with Edward. His eyes never left mine.

"I've got to go to the bathroom," I announced to Seth and Jasper. "Tell them I'll be down in a
few? My stomach isn't feeling so well," I lied.

The guys nodded and walked out of the room. While they weren't looking I winked at Edward,
hoping he would catch on. After sitting in the bathroom for approximately one minute, there was
a knock on the door.

"Bella?" I heard Edward's caring voice through the door.

I swung the door open with a huge smile on my face. As soon as Edward walked past me, he shut
the door behind us and pushed me up against it.

"God, I need to kiss you, Bella," Edward said, his voice husky and low.

I didn't say a thing, but stood on my tip toes, pressing my lips against his. It was a frantic kiss, but
felt so wonderful. His hands gripped me tightly, his body pressing into mine. My legs already felt

weak, just as they did the night before. All too soon, Edward pulled away, but pressed his
forehead against mine, both of us breathing deeply.

"I don't know how I went so long without this," Edward whispered sweetly as he brought one of
his hands to the side of my face. "I will never go back to that, Bella… I want you so badly."

"I do, too," I replied breathlessly. "We need to get down there… they'll start wondering what's
going on."

"I know, baby…" Edward groaned. "Promise we can do something tonight?"

"Of course," I grinned. I pressed my lips against his once more, wrapping my arms around him.

I went downstairs first and Edward came down a few minutes later, making up an excuse that
something at the school dance must have made us sick. If my blushing face didn't give us away,
then I didn't know what would…

"So, Edward… you have some news to share?" Esme asked, causing everyone to look towards
Edward. I was sitting across from him as his foot kept nudging mine underneath the table.

"Yeah…" Edward said nervously as he fiddled with his napkin. "As you all know, my agent has
been trying to get me to play again… so, he somehow set up for a few of the Dallas Cowboy reps
to come out and visit with me. They happened to show up as Seth and I were practicing one day,
and now they've set up for me to meet with them formally, next weekend in Dallas."

"Oh my god," the girls gasped.

"This is really fucking big!" Emmett said proudly, patting his hand on Edward's back. "So, you're
going there to work out all the arrangements or what?"

Edward shook his head and sighed. "I haven't accepted anything yet. I'm still not too sure about it."

"Well, I think it's great, Edward," Jasper said with a warm smile. "We'll miss you at school,
though… that's for sure." I looked down at my plate as I felt all eyes on me.

"Do you need us to go with you or are Ed and Liz going?" Carlisle asked.

"No, luckily Bella and Seth are going with me, so I won't be alone. It's a big decision, so I asked
Bella to go along."

They all knew we were close, so that shouldn't have been a big surprise to them. If only my face
wouldn't give me away. I noticed that Rose looked sort of upset or something, and as soon as
she gave me one of her sympathetic smiles, I almost lost it.

"My parents don't even know yet… I haven't called them," Edward explained. "Dad will think it's a
mistake no matter what and mom will be worried, of course."

"Well, dear… you need to tell them. Don't keep them in the dark on this," Esme said softly.

Edward agreed and everyone continued talking about how great of an opportunity he was being
given. I agreed and was proud of my boyfriend. Was that what he was? Or were we just dating?

Once Esme packed up Tupperware containers of food for all of us, we left to go home. Edward
followed Seth and I to my house. He was going to watch a movie with us, though I hoped I could

talk him into spending the night. I didn't know how we'd work it out since we both had school the
next day, but I wanted to sleep next to him again.

Edward and I didn't sit next to each other as Seth was in the living room with us, and to be
completely honest, I didn't trust myself to sit by him. However, as soon as Seth headed up to his
room for the night, Edward was on me almost instantly.

"I can't be apart from you," Edward whispered against my neck, causing my body to shiver from
excitement. "I spent way too long apart from you… always holding back, when I wanted nothing
more than to hold you like this," he continued, pulling me onto his lap, my legs resting on either
side of his. "Wanting to kiss you like this," Edward whispered against my mouth, his tongue tracing
along my lips.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to mine as our mouths moved against
one another. His very evident arousal was pressed into my thigh and every few seconds Edward
would thrust upwards, pushing it hard against me. I wanted him so badly.

"Let's go to my room," I pleaded while one of Edward's hands moved between my thighs, tracing
my panty line. I needed him.

Effortlessly, Edward stood, holding me against him, his hands grasping my ass tightly. He grabbed
the television remote off of the couch and turned off the random movie we were "watching". I
kissed his neck softly, causing him to let out a deep growl, which was the sexiest sound I had
ever heard. As he made his way over to the staircase, he turned off the living room light and I
took that as a good sign that maybe he was going to stay with me. I didn't want to sound like one
of those nag-a-lot, clingy girlfriends, but I just wanted him with me.

Edward closed my bedroom door quietly so that we didn't wake up Seth, and as soon as the door
was closed he stumbled to my bed, practically throwing me down with him landing on top of me.

"Sorry," Edward laughed. "I think I tripped on a shoe."

My head fell back against the bed as Edward began assaulting my neck with his mouth. My
fingers clawed at his back, needing more from him. As if he could read my mind, Edward sat up
and pulled his shirt off. My eyes were glued to his tight stomach muscles and broad shoulders.
Who knew shoulders could be so sexy?

"This needs to go," Edward grumbled as he pulled my shirt up and over my head. His hands
gently moved down my body, teasing my sensitive areas that desperately needed his attention.
"You are so beautiful, Bella."

Minutes later, our clothes were thrown all over the room as we slid under the blankets, our bodies
clinging to each other. Breathless moans filled the room while Edward's skilled hands roamed my
body. I couldn't take anymore of the touching. I needed more.

"Please, Edward… I need you inside me," I whispered as my hand grasped his hardened cock in
my hand.

Edward kissed along my collarbone while positioning himself. "Me too, baby… God, I need you so
much, Bella."

We quietly moaned as Edward entered me, filling me up completely. He stayed still once he was
fully sheathed inside, allowing me to adjust to his size. I placed my hands on either side of his face
and kissed his lips softly.

"You feel so good, Edward."

"You're perfect, baby… completely fucking perfect," Edward groaned. He began moving slowly,
pulling out extremely slowly, only to slam back into me very hard. One of his hands massaged my
breast, while the other was gripping my headboard for leverage.

"Touch yourself, Bella." His voice was husky and low as his breaths grew erratic.

My hand moved between our bodies, passing below my stomach, finally reaching my clit, which
was extra sensitive. My hips bucked as I rubbed slowly, one of my fingers brushing against my
entrance, feeling Edward's cock moving in and out of me.

"Oh, fuck, baby…" Edward whispered loudly.

With my free arm, I wrapped it around Edward's neck again and pulled him down so I could whisper
in his ear. "Can I ride you?"

"Mmmm… shit, Bella. You can't say stuff like that, baby…"

I grinned as Edward wrapped his arms around me and lay back, pulling me on top of him.
Edward's hands massaged my body as I moved above him, his eyes locked with mine. With one of
his hands placed on my hip, he guided me up and down, pushing me down hard each time, while
his other hand rubbed furiously around my clit, causing my walls to clench all around him. Still
being very quiet, I moaned his name as I came, Edward following close behind me.

"I'm… oh, baby… I'm coming," Edward moaned as he sat up in the bed, our chests flush against
each other.

I feel his warm liquid spread inside me. Our arms were wrapped tightly around each other as
Edward kissed me softly, whispering my name between kisses. Each time I had sex with Edward,
it was more of an emotional experience. I had never felt that way about any other man.

I was in love with him.

And I would have blurted it out if we weren't kissing. Thank God for Edward's urgent kisses.

Edward laid us down on my mound of pillows and pulled the blanket over us. "I know I should
probably leave, but I can't, Bella. I want to sleep next to you."

"Good," I sighed happily. "I was going to beg you to stay."

"You'd never have to beg me to stay, baby…"

"I didn't want to pressure you or presume that-"

"This is different for me, Bella," Edward interrupted, squeezing me even tighter against him, my
back against his chest, his warm breath tickling my ear. "It's never been this way for me… I want
everything with you… my sweet girl… you're mine. I refuse to share."

I let out a quiet giggle as Edward chuckled against my back. "Well, you don't have to worry about
that because I don't want anyone else. But I don't share either."

"You're all I want, Bella," Edward said, his tone completely serious as he placed a small kiss on the

back of my neck.

We didn't say anything else because that was all that needed to be said for the night. I knew he
was speaking the truth and I'm pretty sure he knew the same of me. I cared deeply for him, more
than I ever did for Eric.

I dreaded the morning. We had school to deal with when all I really wanted to do was lock him in
my bedroom and enjoy the time we had together. I didn't know what the next week held since
he was meeting with the Dallas guys – either option he chose would be hard for us to handle – if
he chose to go, we'd be separated. And if he didn't, I would always wonder if he would regret his
decision one day. I didn't want to be the reason for that decision, but if I was being honest, I
didn't want him to go.

I was so screwed.

***! !***

Thanks again for reading and please review! :)

The next chapter will be posted on Friday, but I'll try to get it out sooner than that. Keeping my
fingers crossed. Check out The Fictionators Blog for teaser Monday -- I'll post a teaser there, and
I'll also post another teaser on Wednesday over at the forum.

Happy Sunday -- hope you all have a great week!

Thanks to Jessica1971, SUPER beta and great friend. :) Love ya! She makes this story so much
better and I couldn't do it without her.

Also, special thanks for all the reviews - I love reading your comments (some of you guys are
freaking hilarious) and really appreciate everyone for taking the time to review. Thanks to my
TwitterFriends and everyone who stops by the forum -- lovin' the Rob porn. :)

Important stuff at the end of the chapter -- so check it out!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Coach Masen

I had to get up very early on Monday morning, five-thirty to be exact. Spending the night with
Bella was worth my suffering through lack of sleep. I was able to hold Bella all night and watch her
sleep with a smile on her face. She was absolutely gorgeous.

Luckily, I woke up just around five o'clock and the horny teenager inside me decided to make
good use of my time in bed with Bella. My cock was already hard and pressed against her tight
ass, but I wasn't thinking about myself right now. I wanted to wake her up and shock the hell out of her

My hands slowly slid down her naked side as goose bumps appeared on her skin. We had both
fallen asleep naked, though I was sure to lock the door and check it several times, just in case by
some odd chance that Seth might barge in.

Very gently, I moved from behind Bella and positioned her on her back. She didn't wake at all and
let out a soft sigh as I leaned down to kiss between her breasts. I continued moving down her
body, my tongue swirling around her navel as my hands massaged her breasts. Bella still didn't
wake up, but was moaning quietly as her hands fisted the sheets.

I skipped over her warm and inviting pussy to kiss the inside of her thighs as I spread her legs
open for me. That's when her pretty head popped up, her mouth hung open as she realized that I
was giving her a very fucking good morning wake up.

"Oh my god," Bella whispered loudly as my tongue made contact with her wetness. She threw
her head back against the pillows and her hands gripped my hair, pulling slightly.

"Good morning, baby," I whispered, looking up at her with a smirk on my face.

***

Once Bella and I were done with our good morning sex session, I had to leave. Herkie was at
home alone and I needed to check on him. It wasn't the first time I had left him alone all night, but
still, I felt bad because a thunderstorm passed through overnight. As brave and protective as
my dog was, he was still scared of storms.

Chapter: 16

Though I would be seeing Bella in just a couple of hours at school, I already missed her. I had
officially lost my manly ways and was now one of those guys that wanted to be with their
girlfriend twenty-four-seven. I smiled the entire way to my house, thinking of my beautiful girl
that I was in love with. There was no doubt in my mind that I loved her, though I had never been
in love before. This was new for me, but I wasn't scared or worried. Things would work out between us

At school, the kids were groaning from their Monday morning blues, and so was I. I pulled one of
those evil teacher tricks. A pop quiz. I wasn't in the mood to be cool Coach Masen today. I was
pissed because I wasn't able to kiss my girlfriend when I saw her walk in.

I kept my door open, glancing over to Bella's classroom every few minutes. I was fucking
obsessed, but I couldn't help it.

"Hi", Bella mouthed, her hand lifted for a small wave.

I winked at her and smiled, but quickly looked around the room to make sure my students weren't
watching our exchange. They weren't because they were too busy focusing on my pop quiz from
last week's studies.

***

"Good morning, Edward," Jane said with a beaming smile on her face. She sauntered her way
into my empty classroom and my first thought was of the woman across the hall that I was madly
in love with.

I stopped grading the pile of pop quizzes and looked up at Jane. "Morning… how can I help you?"

Actually, I was wondering why she would be in the high school building. Didn't she have a classroom
of little kids to teach?

"Well, I was just wondering if you'd like to get a drink after work tonight?" Jane asked with a
flirting tone. She stood in front of my desk and just as I was about to turn her down, Bella walked
in, looking gorgeous as ever.

"Hey, Edward, do you want to-" Bella paused, her face confused as she spotted Jane flipping her
hair in front of me. "I'll come back later… sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

I didn't think twice about what I said next. "No, baby… come here." And with those four words, I
just made our relationship public.

"Oh my…" Jane mumbled, shuffling back and forth on her feet.

Bella blushed and smiled softly as I walked over to her, standing a few feet away.

"What'd you need?"

"I just wanted to know if you wanted me to order lunch for us at the diner? I was going to get the
order in early so there wouldn't be a long wait."

"Please do. I just want a burger and fries…"

"Kay," Bella said, her face full of concern and some confusion, but still smiling. We had planned to
keep our relationship private so we could actually enjoy ourselves and not hear everyone saying,
"I told you so." I didn't know if Bella would be mad at me now, but judging by the smile plastered

across her face, I didn't think she was too angry.

Bella walked down the hallway, her head turning back every few steps as I watched her. I
completely forgot that Jane was still standing over by my desk until I heard her clear her throat.

"Um… I guess I should go," Jane said quietly.

"Oh… uh, yeah. I've got to get these papers graded."

"Was the whole dinner thing last week just a game or something?" Jane asked, glaring at me.

I was shocked by her forwardness. "What?" I asked dumbly. I honestly had no idea what she was
talking about because I didn't make myself seem available when we went to dinner with everyone.
In fact, I pretty much had my hands all over Bella.

"Don't play dumb, Edward. You and Bella? You should have just told me rather than lead me on,"
Jane huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Listen," I groaned as I pulled at my hair, "Bella and I are together, but our relationship is really
new. Mrs. Cope came to me, asking that I take you out because you didn't know very many
people in Forks. Rather than turning her down, I invited you, along with my friends and family. I'm
sorry if I led you on at all, but that wasn't my intention at all."

Before Jane could respond, Seth and Jake walked into my classroom. Jane gave me one last
glare before exiting without a goodbye. I didn't know what her problem was, but I was not in the
mood to put up with her. I was just trying to be a good guy and mainly do a favor for Mrs. Cope,
which it turned out to make me an ass. Oh well.

"What's up, guys?"

Jake stood by the door while Seth walked over and sat down at one of the lab tables.

"We just wanted you to know that we weren't going to say anything to anyone... about you
know, after the dance, what happened..." Seth explained. "I told Jamie and Kristi not to say
anything either, so you're covered."

"Thanks, Seth, but we're not really trying to hide anything. I mean, yeah, we don't want the
whole school to know... and I'm pretty sure that we could probably get in trouble for PDA," I
chuckled, feeling like a high school kid all over again as I had a chance to get in trouble for kissing
her. "Anyway, thanks for looking out for us, Seth," I patted him on the back and turned to Jake.
"You, too, Jake. Thanks."

"I think that Bella is making a big mistake, but that's all I'm going to say," Jake mumbled.

Ass.

"Dude, shut up already..." Seth groaned. "And it's Ms. fucking Swan to you."

I coughed, trying to hold back my laughter. Seth hated that Jake was practically obsessed with his
older sister, not that I could blame him, but she was mine anyway, so I didn't want him thinking
about her sexually. It really fucking pissed me off when Bella mentioned that Jake walked in on her
while she was changing once. Pervert kid.

"Okay, guys, aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Library and study hall period... so boring," Seth answered.

"Well, get back over there, I don't want Mrs. Weber all over my ass because you're skipping class
to talk to me."

***

Bella and I skipped lunch in the cafeteria and took ours to the announcer's booth in the stadium.
I wanted to be alone with my girlfriend, and if I was being an honest asshole that was insanely
horny because of his sexy girlfriend, I was praying she'd let loose and have a quickie with me.
That wasn't really something Bella would do, but one could dream.

"So… what did Jane want?" Bella asked, emphasizing Jane's name and breaking the silence as we
ate our lunch. She was so cute when her jealousy broke through, though she had no reason to worry.

I wrapped my arm around Bella and pulled her closer to me, kissing her temple. "She wants me,
but I had to tell her that I'm a one woman man."

Bella giggled and slapped my chest playfully. "Very funny, Coach."

"Seriously… she was asking me to go out for drinks after work when you came in. Thank you for
saving me, by the way."

"What a bitch!" Bella exclaimed, her face turning red from her small outburst. "She knows that
you're not available!"

"How did she know that?" I asked as I tucked a strand of hair behind Bella's ear. Before today, I
never really had to outright explain my relationship status to Jane.

Bella ducked her head into my neck as I held her body close to mine. "She asked if you were
available at dinner the other night, when you went to the bathroom. I didn't know what to say,
but I didn't want her to think that you were free, so Rose spoke up. She just blurted out that you
were seeing someone and not looking. She did that for me. Sorry."

I loved when Bella had the bashful look because she looked so innocent and sweet, such a change
from the girl that was riding me, getting off on my dirty talk earlier that morning. "Don't be sorry,
baby. I wasn't available then and I'm not now."

"Good," Bella whispered as she climbed onto my lap, straddling me. "I'm not available anymore, as
well..."

"Hmm... so I guess that makes you my… girlfriend?"

Bella giggled and leaned forward, kissing the side of my neck. "Yes, nerd, even though you never
actually asked me."

I grabbed Bella by the shoulders and pushed her back so I could look at her. "Baby, will you be my
girlfriend?" I asked sweetly, smiling crookedly at her.

"Yes, smart ass, I will," Bella laughed, rolling her eyes at me.

The transition from just being friends to being so much more now was odd. There were so many
times that I wanted to reach over and kiss her during our movie nights or cooking dinner, well,

most of the time I was around her I wanted to... and now I could do that any time I wanted. I
had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't breaking some rule when I kissed her.

"Cute ass," I chuckled, slapping her behind, but leaving my hands there, pulling her even closer to me.

Bella could obviously feel my excited cock pressing against her. Yes, I was really fucking excited -
she kept me that way constantly Bella surprised me when she walked into school today wearing a
skirt because she hated Mondays and usually just wore jeans. My girl dressed up for me and I
wished more than anything that she wasn't wearing panties. Oh, the possibilities...

As I kept my hands firmly on her ass, Bella slid her hands between our bodies, lightly brushing my
hard on with her finger tips. Her hand pressed harder into me and I groaned as she kissed along
my jaw, moving slowly to my ear. "How much time do we have?" Bella whispered.

Oh fuck. I looked down at my watch and grinned. "Thirty minutes. What do you have in mind, baby?"

Bella smiled and shrugged her shoulders. Without saying a word her hands went to work on my
belt buckle and I pretty much almost came in my pants.

Ms. Swan was the sexiest woman I had ever known. And she was officially mine.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I absolutely could not believe that Jane was going to ask Edward out even though she knew he
was unavailable. I hated being the jealous girlfriend, though I had no reason to worry. And I
wasn't necessarily jealous, because it was me that he woke up to give another mind blowing
orgasm to that morning, but still… I didn't like someone else lusting after him. With a man like
Edward, that was to be expected, I suppose.

I was in the middle of teaching my last class for the day when one of the substitute teachers
came into my room. She said very quietly that Mrs. Cope needed to see me in her office and,
though she said it quietly, all of the kids heard.

"Oooooo… Ms. Swan," the students drawled as I rolled my eyes.

Ignoring their teasing, I did something to get them back to their work. "Okay guys, homework for
tonight… read chapters five and six, and I want a one page summary covering what you read.
Due on Wednesday." It was a bitchy teacher day for me.

On my way to Mrs. Cope's office, I wondered what she wanted to discuss with me that would
make it necessary to pull me out of class. My question was answered as I rounded the corner to
find Edward sitting on the bench outside of her office.

Edward smiled crookedly at me and stood up. "Hi, Ms. Swan," he said, keeping things very
professional, though he had a seductive edge to his tone.

"Coach Masen," I said curtly, but winked and gave him a small smile.

"You in trouble, too?"

"I'm guessing… since you're here as well…"

Edward moved closer to me, leaning close to my ear. "I hope nobody saw our lunchtime
activities," he whispered, his sexy voice absolutely killing me.

My face blushed, and before I could respond, Mrs. Cope's door opened and she ushered us in.
Once inside her office, we were seated across from her desk and it felt as though we were in
trouble. All my years of going to school here years ago, I had never been in trouble and sent to
the principal's office, but now that I'm teaching there – I'm in trouble? What the hell?

"Well, I just have something quick to go over," Mrs. Cope began as I wrung my hands together.
"I'm sure you two know why you're here, but I just wanted to go over the policy covering
teachers dating. Romantically."

Edward chuckled and Mrs. Cope pretty much gave him the stink eye. "Mrs. Cope… I-"

"You both just need to be aware of your surroundings and keep your dating life outside of school.
Not a big request. Think you can handle it?"

I nodded frantically, feeling so embarrassed, like I was caught making out in the janitor's closet
or something. "Yes, ma'am."

For the next twenty minutes we were read the school policy and when Mrs. Cope was done with
the policy, she put it into her own terms. I could almost sense that this was brought on because
Edward didn't date her niece. I loved Mrs. Cope and was always close to her in high school, but I
honestly felt like she was giving us a harder time than she needed to.

"So, I think we're done here, but please just remember everything we went over."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Cope," Edward said coolly. "But can I ask what brought this on? Or who might
have said something about our relationship? Because this is new for Bella and I… and I'm pretty
sure that we have been pretty careful."

Edward and I waited for her response as she tapped her fingers on her desk. "Well, a student
might have seen you two kissing in the parking lot during the dance, and this student felt
uncomfortable about it. Also, Jane informed me."

Jake.

And Jane.

My brother, Jake and their two girlfriends were the only kids in the parking lot that night. Believe
me, I scanned that parking lot for several minutes and I did not see anyone besides them.

We finished talking with Mrs. Cope and began walking back to our classrooms. Edward's next
period was athletics and I was done for the day, so Edward asked me to walk out to the football
field with him. I, of course, didn't turn him down.

Neither of us said anything as we walked out of the building, but once we were outside, Edward
grabbed my hand and held it tightly inside his. I smiled, looking straight ahead. Once again, I felt
the urge to tell him I loved him. I loved Edward before we were together, or whatever we were
now. He was my friend first and I cared about him so much, but now he meant so much more to me.

As we walked under the bleachers, Edward stopped in front of the storage room and jerked me
inside with him, closing the door behind us. I was pressed into the door, Edward's mouth firmly
against mine as our hands roamed.

"I've couldn't wait to kiss you again, Bella," Edward whispered against my lips.

Never had I ever felt so close to another person. "Me, too," I breathed, "but what if we get
caught? After all, we were just told to-"

"It's kind of fun, baby… wondering if someone will catch us. Kind of makes me think what it would
have been like if we had gone to school together," Edward explained, pushing his erection into
me. "Plus, I didn't hear you complaining earlier... and we could have gotten caught then," he teased.

"I think you're trying to kill me," I groaned, or more like moaned, as Edward's mouth attacked my
neck and shoulder.

"Yes, baby, that is my goal," Edward chuckled.

We eventually left the storage room, both of us peeking around to make sure we weren't
spotted coming out. I waited in Edward's office for him to finish up his coaching session. Once we
were done with school, we went to the grocery store to get some things for supper. Edward was
cooking for me and Seth at my house, and before we went to my house, Edward stopped by his
house to get Herkie and his overnight bag.

He was spending the night with me.

I knew Seth could care less what happened, as long as he didn't hear what went on in my
bedroom. And as hard as it was to be quiet, it was possible; anything was possible with Edward.

That was how our week went. We didn't talk about Dallas at all, both of us avoiding it. Our
weekend in Dallas would determine what our future would be like, but it was definitely going to be
a future together. I couldn't see myself without Edward and I wasn't ready to give up our
relationship just because I wouldn't see him every day. It would be hard being separated from
him, it would have been even if we were still just friends, but Edward kept a positive attitude and
so did I.

Friday was an early release day and it worked out so well that the team didn't have a game that
week. It was their week off, so Seth, Edward and I left school and headed towards the airport in
Seattle after taking Herkie and Harley to Emmett's house. Rose and Emmett were dog-sitting for us.

The entire way to Seattle, Edward and Seth discussed everything related to sports, mainly
football. Seth was very excited that Edward might be playing again and was almost giddy over
the possibility.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, I was being lifted out of Edward's
truck. "Come on, sweet girl," Edward said lowly against my ear.

"Okay, guys, I am not carrying all this crap by myself," Seth hollered as he unloaded the truck.

Edward laughed and continued scooping me up into his arms. "Edward Masen! Put me down," I
ordered, still sounding groggy. There was no way I was going to allow him to carry me
everywhere. He refused, so I did what any woman would do to get a man's attention. I nuzzled
my face into his neck and slowly slid my tongue along his skin before biting – not too hard, but
enough to make him completely lose it.

"Fuck, Bella!" Edward grumbled as he turned his face towards mine. "Baby, I can't spend hours on
a flight just sitting next to you… how could you start something like that? Just to torture me?"

I giggled and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Aw, you'll be fine."

"When we get to Dallas, I'm going to f-"

"I can't wait to take a nap, sleep all night, maybe sleep in a little bit tomorrow since you're not
meeting with them until lunch…" I interrupted, completely teasing him before he could finish his though

"Touché, Swan," Edward chuckled, but moved his mouth close to my ear again. "But no more
good morning wake ups, baby," he whispered seductively.

I laughed, knowing I could change his mind on that with hardly any effort. The physical part of our
relationship was phenomenal, which was to be expected, and I was so proud of myself that I
could be somewhat open with him. I still felt slightly intimidated when it came to Edward because
he could literally have any woman he wanted, but he was choosing to be with me, and that was a
lot to handle. But Edward constantly made me feel like a beautiful woman, always giving me
compliments and his arousal was evident most of the time, so that made me feel bold around him. I
felt sexy and confident. I constantly wanted him.

Seth was psyched the entire plane ride as we were flying first class. He thought it was "fucking"
cool. The closer we got to our destination, the more my stomach turned to knots. I may have
been pessimistic, but I knew without a doubt that Edward would be taking the Dallas deal.

"What are you thinking about, Bella?" Edward asked. His hand gripped mine tightly as he leaned
over to gently kiss my temple.

"You," I said simply.

"Hmm… good, I hope?"

I nodded and lifted his hand to my mouth, placing a kiss on his knuckles. "Of course."

"Whatever happens this weekend," Edward began as he wrapped his arm around me, "we'll be
fine, baby. You're everything to me, just remember that, okay?"

"Okay," I replied. "You're everything to me, too, Edward." I love you, I almost said, but held it in. I
didn't want him thinking that I was saying that to keep him with me, but eventually he had to
know how I really felt about him, in case he hadn't figured it out yet.

***! !***

Like it? Review please! :)

The next chapter will cover the Dallas situation and it will post on Wednesday. I'll submit a teaser
to The Fictionators for Teaser Monday, and I'll post another one on the forum on Tuesday, so
check it out.

Voting is now open for the Sparkle Awards -- IC is up for Best Romance - The Edward Award -- so
go vote, please!! :) www(dot)thesparkleawards(dot)webs(dot)com/vote(dot)htm Thanks!

**FicRecs**

University of Edward Masen by SebastienRobichaud

The Cocky and The Cougar by ikss

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***! !***

Coach Masen

Seth and I discussed all things football during our plane ride. Bella ended up dozing off and had
her head resting against my shoulder. Our hands were linked tightly together under the blanket
that was covering her. As much as I enjoyed talking to Seth, I was highly distracted by my worries.

If I could talk Bella into moving with me to Dallas, I would. However, she just moved back to
Forks, which was hard for her to do in the first place. I couldn't ask her to uproot herself and Seth
again, just as she had gotten settled in. Plus, we had only been together for a week and, not that
I didn't think we would last, I just knew that Bella was still getting over her relationship issues
that were a result of her previous boyfriend. Bella was a strong woman and didn't need a man in
her life, telling her what to do and where to live.

But my God, how would I live without her nearby? I could barely stand living a few miles down the
road from her, much less living several hours apart…

The pilot announced that we would be landing in an hour or so and Seth decided to listen to his
iPod, so I focused all my attention on Bella. Her facial expressions were changing and she must
have had an awful dream because she looked like she was about to cry as her hand squeezed mine.

"Baby, are you okay?" I whispered in her ear.

Bella sniffled, but didn't wake.

"Bella, wake up, beautiful," I whispered again, kissing the soft skin just beside her ear.

Slowly, Bella fluttered her eyes open and sat up from her slumped position. "Are we almost
there?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, almost. Baby, what's wrong? You were having a bad dream or something."

Bella raised her hand to her eyes, wiping the wetness from the corner of them. "Nothing… I mean,
I can't really remember. It was a sad dream, I do know that much."

Bella was lying to me. She always forgot that I could tell when she wasn't telling the truth, but I
wasn't going to push it now. I prayed that it had nothing to do with the possibility of me moving,
but more than likely that was it.

I kissed her forehead and smiled. "Sorry, sweet girl… If you want to talk about it, just tell me, okay?"

Chapter: 17

"Okay, Edward," Bella said, her face blushing. She always blushed when I used my little nicknames
for her and I really loved that about her.

The plane started descending and the announcement was made for us to buckle our seatbelts. I
reached under the blanket to make sure Bella's was secure and my hand accidently brushed
between her thighs. Bella gasped and gave me the 'I can't believe you just did that' look.

"What? I had to make sure my baby was buckled in correctly," I replied nonchalantly, smiling crookedl

Bella giggled and shook her head. "Sure."

Once we landed and grabbed all of our luggage, we searched for the driver that was picking us
up. The Cowboys had arranged for a car to pick us up and take us to the hotel, though I would
rather have rented a car. That would be the first thing I did the next day because I wanted Bella
to have her own way around while I was busy with my meeting that would more than likely be an
all day thing.

Seth and I were starving and planned to find someplace to pick up fast food or order something
once we arrived at the hotel, but first we had to find the driver. Bella scanned the crowd in the
airport, which was really fucking busy for so late at night.

"There he is," Bella said, pointing towards a man in a black suit. In his hands was a sign with the
Dallas Cowboys logo and my last name.

I groaned as I recognized the person standing next to our driver - my agent, and he wasn't
alone. Standing next to him was a woman in a pant suit and a man wearing an ESPN t-shirt holding
a rather large camera.

I was more than fucking pissed off. I told my agent that I did not want any exposure about the
possibility of me playing again and he assured me that he wouldn't set up any interviews until
things were certain, but he obviously lied to me.

"What's the matter, baby?" Bella asked, and just her sweet voice could calm me down instantly.

"There is a woman from ESPN standing with my agent… I didn't mean for this to happen, Bella. If
you and Seth want to go get the rental now, I understand. It will take me just a little longer to get
to the hotel, but-"

"Hey," Bella interrupted, her voice soft and sweet. "I want to stay with you, Edward. That is, if
you want me to?"

"Of course I do, Bella. I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable," I explained. Seth was
standing nearby, waiting for us to make up our minds.

Bella stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. "I just want to be with you."

I loved her more than ever.

Holding Bella's hand in mine, I grabbed my suitcase and walked towards the driver. My agent had
a weary look on his face, considering he knew how pissed off I would be for going against my wishes.

"Edward Masen?" the woman said, and I immediately recognized her from previous reporting specials.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, still gripping Bella's hand as Seth stood on the other side of me. I glanced

over towards my agent and glared.

"I'm Erin Andrews." Her hand thrust out towards mine and I complied, letting go of Bella's hand
and shaking her hand firmly. "I think we've met before, maybe a couple of years ago."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied dryly. Bella stood stoically next to me. "Garrett, this is my girlfriend, Bella
Swan," I smiled as I introduced her as my girlfriend, "and this is her brother, Seth." I put my arm
around Bella, pulling her in close to me. "Guys, this is Garrett, my agent."

Garrett pulled Bella aside as I was being interviewed. He was trying to charm her, saying that he
wanted to get to know the girl that finally got me to settle down and how lucky I was that Bella
chose to be with me. I could hear everything he said to her and I really didn't appreciate the fact
that he was making me out to be some playboy asshole. Bella and I hadn't really talked about our
pasts very much and that was something that I wanted to avoid. I didn't want her knowing what I
was like during my football days because I didn't want her worrying that I would go back to those
ways if I did start playing again.

Once the interview was over, I grabbed Bella and led her and Seth to the limo that was waiting for
us. I completely ignored Garrett, afraid of what I might say to him. Bella and Seth didn't need to
be around when I showed my anger towards Garrett.

"I'll meet you at the training facility tomorrow, Edward… ten o'clock sharp. A car will pick you up at
nine-thirty," Garrett hollered as I slid inside the limo.

I waved my hand at him, acknowledging that I heard him.

"This is so fucking cool, Edward," Seth chuckled as he looked inside the mini-fridge that was fully
stocked with alcohol and bottled water.

"Stop staying the 'f' word," Bella scolded as Seth ignored her, putting on his earphones to listen to
his iPod.

I leaned over and pulled Bella against me. "Hypocrite. I do believe you said that word earlier this
morning," I teased, whispering directly in her ear so Seth couldn't hear, just in case his music was
turned down low enough.

Almost immediately, Bella's face flushed, her cheek against mine as I could feel the heat spread.
"Edward Masen, you are so mean."

"Ah, but I do believe I will be quite nice when we get in bed tonight," I whispered again, my
tongue darting out to flick her ear lobe.

Bella gasped, her breathing hitched.

The rest of our ride was spent in silence. I was so fucking ready to carry Bella to bed because I
needed to be inside her so badly, even though I was just with her earlier that morning, but it
wasn't enough. I always needed to be closer to her, never fully feeling like I had accomplished my
goal, if that makes any possible sense at all.

Once we arrived at the hotel, Bella and I walked with Seth to his room, which was down the hall
and around the corner from our room. We both trusted Seth and knew he wouldn't get into any
trouble, which made us feel at ease with him being further away than planned. As soon as I
found out what hotel I was being put up in, I made arrangements to book another room because
I was going to beg Bella (and Seth) to come along with me, and I requested it to be next door, but

it wasn't available.

Seth was in shock by the size of the room and all of the amenities. I was thankful that my request
to have the wet bar locked up had been taken care of. Seth was a great kid, but if I had been in
his shoes at that age, that would have been the first thing I went for.

Bella and I left Seth to go get settled into our room. The concierge had already taken our bags to
our room and I had a little surprise planned for Bella. She needed to relax and rest after the long
flight and Seth and I were going to go out and pick something up to eat which would allow Bella
some time to relax.

As I opened the door, I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face as I saw what I
ordered, placed right in the middle of our king size bed.

"Oh my God," Bella groaned as she stepped inside the room. Her mouth was wide open as she
scanned her surroundings, focusing in on our bed. "Chocolate covered strawberries."

"You like?" I asked, still grinning.

"Edward, this is..."

"Good? Romantic? Too much?"

"Perfect," Bella sighed as she turned to me, wrapping her arms around my body. "You're
perfect," she mumbled against my chest.

I kissed the top of Bella's head and tightened my hold around her body. "No, baby, but I just
wanted to do something special for you, to thank you for being here with me."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Bella said sweetly.

Suddenly, I positioned my arms around Bella and scooped her up as she let out a shriek and a
giggle. I swiftly carried her to the bathroom and sat her down on the counter. Bella looked over
my shoulder and noticed the bathtub that was waiting just for her. I didn't know if I had gone
overboard, trying to pamper her and make her feel special, but I prayed she'd like it. The
enormous bathtub was filled with a mixture of bubbles and light red rose petals.

"I think you're trying to spoil me," Bella giggled softly.

Wordlessly, I grabbed the bottom of her shirt and lifted it slowly up her body. Goose bumps spread
all over Bella's skin as my fingertips grazed her abdomen and breasts. I kissed her forehead before
pulling her shirt over her head. My hands moved towards the button and zipper on her pants.
Bella leaned back, placing her hands on the marble counter top and lifted her bottom so I could
pull her pants down.

My cock was already hard and when Bella wrapped her legs around me, she felt every inch of
how much I wanted her. I bent my head down to kiss her naked shoulder as Bella dug her heels
into my ass. Her legs were shaking as she tried to pull me even closer. I moaned, feeling her small
hands grip my back as she kissed my covered chest.

"I have to go with Seth, baby," I mumbled against her neck.

Bella took a deep breath and moved her hands to my front, rubbing over my hard on. "We have
time… just really quick, Edward. I need you."

I gripped her ass and pulled her to the edge of the counter while Bella unbuttoned my pants and
shoved them down. Bella still had her underwear on, so I quickly yanked them down her body.
This was frantic, needy sex that we both were desperate for.

We both let out a rather loud moan as I pushed myself inside her, still amazed that I was able to
be with Bella this way. As if I wasn't already insanely turned on by my beautiful girlfriend, I almost
came instantly when I felt her hand move between us, rubbing herself quickly.

"Fuck," I groaned, moving in and out of Bella quickly. "I love it when you fucking do that."

"I love… oh god… I love feeling you inside me. Seeing you move in and out of me, Edward," Bella
gasped, her breathing erratic.

I pounded into her fast and hard, just the way we both needed it. Seconds later, my hand joined
Bella's. I needed her to come because there was no way I was going to last any longer. I pinched
her clit, my fingers coming in contact with her slippery fingers from her arousal.

Bella moaned my name loudly against my chest as her walls clenched around me, setting off my
release as I spilled inside her. Bella kept her legs locked around me, holding me still to keep me
inside her just a little longer. She always did that after we both reached our release, which I
found extremely… sexy and sweet. She just wasn't ready for us to be apart and I could
understand that completely because I felt the same way. Being inside Bella, being connected
that way, was so much different for me. Never had any other woman made me feel that way.

I eventually had to pull out of her and get re-dressed. I placed her in the bathtub and kissed her
goodbye as I had to leave to get Seth. Seth and I ended up walking just down the block where
we found various fast food restaurants still open. I got Bella something small, hoping she would
eat something, though she had mentioned when we were exiting the plane that she felt kind of
queasy. We both figured it was from the long plane ride, but I thought it might have been
because she didn't really eat anything but an early breakfast.

I was so in love with Bella. It killed me that I couldn't get the nerve up to tell her.

"Baby," I called out as I entered the room.

"Still in the tub," Bella laughed.

"You better get out before you turn into a prune," I hollered as I walked towards the bathroom.

I heard Bella let out another giggle and I really loved hearing her laugh. She had an adorable
laugh, but more than that, I just wanted her to be happy. That's what she deserved.

Unable to tear my eyes away from her naked body when I walked into the bedroom, I stood
dumbly in the doorway. Bella smiled as she stood up from the tub, fully exposing herself to me.
She reached over for the towel, but couldn't quite reach it, so I grabbed it and reached around
her, wrapping it around her body.

"Thank you," Bella said softly.

"You're welcome, sweet girl," I replied, holding her hand as she stepped out of the tub.

I sat on the bathroom counter, watching Bella dry off and go through her nightly routine. She
dressed quickly in a gray tank top and a pair of black boy shorts before brushing her teeth and

cleaning her face. We were so comfortable around each other, which was a result of our great
friendship we had before we became more, though we were still new to the relationship stuff.

"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked as she brushed her damp hair.

"Just… well, I'm kind of nervous about tomorrow, I guess."

"Don't be nervous, Edward. You're such a great football player and they'll see that. You have
nothing to worry about when it comes to your performance and-"

"It's not that, Bella," I interrupted. Bella sighed with a confused look on her face. I gently grabbed
her arm and pulled her over to me, standing between my legs. "I'm nervous because I don't know
what it will mean for us if I get the job."

Tears formed in Bella's eyes as she tried to look away from me, but I placed my hands on either
side of her face. "Baby, look at me. I didn't mean it like that. I just didn't want you to have
doubts about us. I can handle spending a few days away from you even though it will be so
fucking hard, but can you handle that?"

"Yes," Bella answered quickly. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked into mine. I smiled and
kissed her forehead before wrapping my arms around her, holding her body close to mine.

We didn't need to say anything else because we were both being honest with one another. I could
tell Bella was determined and so was I.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

Edward got up early the next morning to go work out a little bit. I felt awful because I knew
without a doubt that he did not get enough sleep. That was partly his fault, considering he woke
me up two times during the night to make love. I never thought a man could go on and on like he
did, but everything Edward was able to do amazed me.

I ordered room service so that he'd have breakfast waiting for him when he was through with his
workout. Once Edward returned to our room, he shoved the food down and showered quickly. I
laid his clothes out for him that he had planned to wear as he dried off. He was breathtakingly
handsome in his khaki pants and charcoal gray button up shirt.

"Good luck," I said softly, kissing him on the cheek.

"Just a kiss on the cheek – that's my good luck kiss?" Edward teased, chuckling lightly.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. Edward wrapped his arms around me as well,
lifting me off of the ground. I kissed Edward's neck and whispered how proud I was of him,
because I really was, even though I was still worried about how it would affect our relationship.

"I'll call you when I can, Bella. And the rental is out in the parking lot, so go have fun with Seth,
okay, baby?" Edward said, pulling out of our strong embrace.

"I will, and please don't worry about anything, Edward. Everything will work out, so just focus on
showing them how great you are."

I loved him deeply and wanted him to be happy. This was his dream and he was so close to having

it come true.

After Edward left, I showered and dressed to go meet up with Seth. I called him to make sure he
was awake and, much to my surprise, he was already waiting and ready to go. We had never
been to Texas and I was honestly a little scared to drive in Dallas, seeing as I had no idea where
I was going.

Seth and I got directions from the hotel receptionist to one of the malls, which also had a movie
theater. After driving for what seemed like hours, we finally found the mall. We shopped for a
little while and grabbed some lunch before going to see a movie. It was one of those teeny
bopper horror movies, so I got bored and decided to text Rose and Alice, letting them know we
had made it in safely.

Seconds later, I received a text back from Alice.

Little B, you have some explaining to do. Edward as well. We know. Love, A.

Before I could respond, the next text came through. It was from Rose.

Just a warning, Alice and everyone else knows about you and Edward. And yes, I figured it out
at dinner last week. How long has this been going on? Xo, Rose

I sent the same message to both of them.

I'm sorry we didn't say anything to any of you. Honestly, we've been together since homecoming,
so it's still new. We were both on edge because of the Dallas thing, and finally admitting our
feelings… Sorry. Love, B.

As I waited for their response, I received a text from Edward which made me smile very much.

Hi, beautiful. Just finished showing my skills ;) We're going back to the office to meet again… work
out the details. I'll call you in a bit. Miss you. Love, Edward.

I knew using 'Love' was normal between lots of people, but when he put that in the text, I
wondered if he loved me like I loved him. I loved Edward when we were just friends and it turned
into a deeper love when we took the big step to be together, officially.

Aw, my boyfriend has skills… Cute. Good luck with everything and I can't wait to hear back from
you. Miss you as well.. Love, Bella.

My next two texts were from Alice and Rose.

Don't be sorry, Bella. We just want both of you to be happy. I want details though – ASAP! Love ya, A.

You two were trying so hard to be sneaky… pretty cute and funny. I love you both and I'm so
happy for you. Call me when you can so we can talk about it. Xo, Rose.

I completely forgot to ask how they knew, but I planned to call them later anyway, so I'd find out
then. I'm sure it was either Jane or Jake. Edward and I still didn't know who went to Mrs. Cope,
but whoever did probably didn't just tell her. The entire town of Forks probably knew by now.

Seth and I ended up going to the zoo after our movie. Everyone kept recommending it and we
really didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to go shopping again because I just wasn't in the
mood, and Seth could care less about shopping. We were about half way through the zoo when

Edward called. He said that some members of the Dallas organization invited him and his guests to
dinner. Edward was going to go to the hotel to change and a car was going to pick us up at
seven-thirty. Considering who we would be dining with, I knew I needed to dress up, but I didn't
actually bring a dress. I had no idea that I would be invited to dinner with them, and that led to
Seth and I going back to the mall in search of dinner attire.

I ended up buying a black dress at Victoria's Secret after much debate. I knew how to dress
myself, of course, but I needed Rose and Alice's help. They encouraged me to step out of my
usual dressing style which was to cover up as much as possible because I just didn't feel
comfortable showing so much… skin. So I probably looked like a moron, taking pictures with my
phone and sending them to Rose and Alice as they lectured me on getting something skimpier…?
Not once did they ask about my relationship with Edward, and I was so relieved because I was
already so nervous over dinner. I wasn't quite ready to have that conversation with them.

I found a pair of black heels and some light jewelry to go with the dress while Seth bought a couple
of things since he hadn't packed for an outing like this. Edward called me and asked if I would
pick up some slacks and a shirt for him, which I gladly agreed to do. He also mentioned that he
wanted me to use his credit card that he slipped inside my purse before he left – I never even
noticed it inside my wallet. Much to his dismay, I declined and used my own money to buy him someth

Edward was still out when we got back to the hotel. I quickly showered and dried my hair, pulling it
into an up do. I was just applying some light make up when I heard the door open to our room. I
was standing in the bathroom, wearing nothing but my underwear and my robe. I tied the robe
closed and walked out of the bathroom, running into Edward on my way out.

"Hi, gorgeous," Edward said sweetly, holding a bouquet of daisies.

"Hi," I blushed, which was a usual occurrence when Edward would compliment me. I hated
blushing and had wild dreams that one day there would be a cure for incessant blushing. It was
embarrassing.

"Yeah, I think we should skip dinner," Edward chuckled as his fingertips grazed my silk covered breast

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his chin. "Nah, we'll have our fun later tonight."

"But I wanna have fun now, baby," Edward whined, causing me to laugh. "Oh, you think this is
funny?" Edward asked as he backed me against the counter.

"Yep."

We teased each other in the bathroom as we got ready together. That playful teasing ended
when Seth came over to our room. Edward filled Seth and I in on what was going on. Apparently,
they thought Edward was playing hardball, wanting more money, but he really was just trying to
make his mind up. The offer was on the table; a huge amount of money to play for three years.
Edward wanted a short term contract as he wasn't really sure that he wanted to play that long. I
secretly wanted him to have the short term contract as well because I didn't want to think about
him being away for three years. This dinner was being held to settle the details.

A limo picked us up just as it was starting to get dark out. We went to Reunion Tower for dinner
and it was so gorgeous. Edward kept his arm wrapped around me during the elevator ride as my
insides churned from nervousness. I had no idea what I should be nervous about because it
wasn't me being offered a million dollar deal to play football; I was, however, possibly being
separated from the only man I had ever loved. And I couldn't even get the nerve up to tell him.

Seth and I were introduced as we sat down at the long table. There were several men there,
and though I didn't watch a lot of football, I did recognize the coach. Edward had the men and
their dates laughing throughout dinner, as he was a very funny and charming guy, as usual.

But after dinner – that's when they had to come to an agreement.

"Edward, we would really love for you to come and play for us. I think you could provide great
leadership for this team and I am incredibly impressed. That being said, we will agree to your
requests – one year, short term contract, one-point-five – and if all works out, that will increase
immensely if you decide on a longer term contract. How does that sound?"

Edward nodded and leaned forward, his hand cupping his chin. I watched him closely, wondering
if he was going to say yes, since they basically went against what they previously wanted just to
suit him. Edward looked over at me with concerned eyes. I smiled reassuringly and, beneath the
table, placed my hand on his thigh, squeezing gently.

"Okay, that sounds like a good deal to me," Edward finally responded. "So you'll send the
paperwork over to my lawyer and my agent, correct?"

"Yes, sir," the man responded gladly. "We'll get the paperwork sorted out immediately."

"Thank you very much, sir," Edward said with a grin, reaching his hand out to shake a few of the
men's hands.

"We'd like you and your guests to stay for the game tomorrow – there are still some things to get
sorted through and I'd really like you to meet with your teammates. Can you do that?"

"Yes, my, uh… brother, my girlfriend's brother would love to see a live game," Edward chuckled,
looking past me, towards Seth.

"Yes, I definitely would," Seth answered quickly.

It didn't go unnoticed by me that Edward almost referred to Seth as his brother. As if I didn't
already love him, that just increased it even more.

Once the men congratulated Edward, and me, since I was the lucky girlfriend of a now starting
quarterback, we left the restaurant. Instead of going down to the car, Edward led us up to the
observation deck. For a Saturday night it wasn't busy at all, and as Seth snapped pictures of the
night sky with his cell phone, Edward and I stood off to the side, staring out into the dark.

"What are you thinking, Bella? Please tell me," Edward pleaded and I hadn't even realized that I
had been quiet for a while until then.

"Nothing," I replied, turning towards Edward and stroking the side of his face with my hand.
Edward raised an eyebrow, looking so worried. "Really, I promise. I'm just so happy for you."

"I couldn't do this without you, Bella."

I wrapped my arms around Edward and kissed where his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "I
don't know what I'd do without you, Edward."

"I just want to make you happy, baby… I never want to make you upset. If this upsets you,
please tell me."

"It doesn't, I promise. I mean, let's be honest that we're in a new relationship and it's going to be
tough sometimes, but I think we can handle it."

Edward looked down at me and smiled so sweetly that I almost cried. "I can handle it. I can never
go back to just being friends with you; I've said it before and I hope you know that I mean it.
You're… you're it for me."

"Edward, I-"

"Bella! Edward! You've got to freaking see this," Seth yelled, interrupting me as I was about to
tell Edward exactly how I felt about him. I inwardly cursed at my brother's bad timing because
now I had no idea when I'd get the courage up to tell Edward.

Edward chuckled and pulled me along to see whatever Seth was looking at. I didn't pay any
attention to what the guys were saying as I was still reeling from what Edward had just told me.
He said I was it for him. We had only been together, officially, for a week, but even before,
when we were just friends, I knew he was the one.

He was the one and now he would be across the country from me. Football season sucked.

The next day we went to the football game and Edward met some of the other players. He had
played with a couple of the players previously, one in college and one from the Patriots and I
think that made Edward feel more confident, since he actually knew someone on the team.

I maintained my positive attitude throughout the day and really did get excited for Edward. He
would be playing in next week's game, which would be in Dallas once again. I already made up my
mind that I would attend that game whether I had to take a day off from school, or whatever it
took. I needed to be there for him.

The Cowboys lost their game against the Giants that day, proving even more that they needed
Edward. I couldn't wait to see him in action.

Edward, Seth, and I ordered pizza that night and watched movies until very late Sunday night.
Our plane ride the next day was exhausting and long, but I enjoyed being next to Edward,
because on Wednesday he would be going back to Dallas.

The ride back to Seattle was spent with Edward holding my hand tightly. The tension and
uneasiness between us was evident. Once we got back to Forks, Edward took us home, but made
plans to stay over at my house. He was going to pick up Herkie and Harley and was going bring
Herkie over to spend the night as well. I busied myself by unpacking my things.

It was still light outside, early in the evening, when I finished unpacking and needed to go get a
few groceries for dinner. On my way to the store, I decided to stop by the cemetery. I felt like I
could go there to clear my head and talk to my mom, even though I knew she wasn't actually
there. It just helped.

I parked behind a black Mercedes and picked a couple of wildflowers growing just outside the
gate entrance. As I walked towards my parent's grave, I noticed a woman bent over, placing
flowers in the cement vase attached on the side of their headstone.

I cleared my throat as I got closer, which alerted the woman, causing her to turn towards the noise.

"Hello?" I said softly, wondering who she was though she looked vaguely familiar.

"Hi, dear. Bella?"

"Yes, ma'am…"

The woman smiled brightly and pulled me in for a tight hug. "I knew that was you, sweetheart. I'm
Elizabeth Masen, but everyone calls me Liz."

I felt like I was going through an emotional meltdown and now, here I was, hugging my
boyfriend's mother, but also my mother's best friend that I had never met.

"It's so nice to meet you," I choked out, her arms still holding me tight.

"Oh, sweetie, I have wanted to meet with you for so long…" Liz said, her voice full of emotion as
she pulled away, placing her hands on my shoulders. "And especially now that you've stolen my
son's heart; I couldn't wait any longer."

She knew that we were together. Did Edward tell her? Did she have to hear the news from the
Cullen family? How did she know? So many things ran through my head as Liz motioned for us to
sit on the bench near the grave.

I was speechless.

***! !***

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***! !***

Masen

After I dropped Bella and Seth off at their house, I dropped my things off at my house and
repacked an overnight bag. I was spending the night with Bella again because, to be honest, I
didn't want to be apart from her any longer than I had to be. On Wednesday I would be going to
Dallas and, as good as it felt to have the chance to play again, I didn't know what my life would be
like without Bella there.

Since June, when I was lucky enough to meet Bella, she was always there. We spent all of our
time together and now we would be apart – I had no idea what I was going to do.

My next stop was at Emmett and Rose's house. They were dog-sitting for us. I pulled into their
drive and saw Emmett riding on his lawn mower in the distance. He waved as I walked up to the
house to find Rose.

"Well, hello, Edward," Rose grinned, tapping her finger on her chin. "Where's your girlfriend?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "And who is my girlfriend?" I asked dumbly.

"Don't play that shit with me. Bella tried it. You both tried it at dinner last week, but by the way,
you are both so obvious. I'm just surprised that everyone didn't catch on," Rose explained.

"And Emmett? Does he know?"

"Yes. Everyone does, but not because of me."

"How then?"

"Mrs. Cope ran into Esme at the grocery store and mentioned that you and Bella were together…"

I couldn't believe that our boss was gossiping about our relationship. First she tells us to be
responsible adults around the kids, and then she talks to my aunt about my personal life? Unbelievabl

It wasn't like we were hiding it, because I wanted everyone to know she was mine; however, our
family is just really involved in our lives and we just wanted time to process this new step without
outside pressure. We had enough stress.

"Is Esme disappointed that we didn't tell her?"

Chapter: 18

"No, Edward. We're all very happy for you guys, though we wish you didn't keep it a secret from us."

I began to explain to Rose how we felt about it and why we were keeping it quiet. They all
assumed that we were "together" all summer long, but I assured her that this just happened and
so it was really new for us.

Rose showed me the footage of my ESPN interview that Emmett proudly recorded. The camera
guy caught me grabbing Bella's hand after the interview was over and just seeing the way she
smiled at me was breathtaking. I was in love with Bella and from the looks of it I thought she
might love me, too.

Emmett finally came inside once he was done mowing and we talked about the specifics of my new
deal. There was still a lot of paperwork – reinstatement, contract signings, etc. – that my
attorney was handling and everything seemed to be happening so quickly. Emmett was excited
for me and was very supportive; he even booked his plane tickets for the next game.

Just as I was walking out of their house to go meet up with Bella, Rose said something that
stopped me dead in my tracks. "Oh, Edward… your mom is here, by the way."

"My what?" I asked, spinning back around towards Rose.

"Yeah, she and Esme are going on some girly trip, so your mom decided to come here so they
could fly out together."

I hadn't told my parents about the possibility of me playing again and I knew it was wrong, but I
just wanted to put it off as long as possible. My father would look down on me. I could never
keep him satisfied or make him proud. When I did play football, he never really complimented me if
I played well; then when I stopped playing, I didn't go into the correct career field that he
approved of. So now with me going back to football, well that was going to be a major problem for him.

I did feel awful for not telling my mom. She was always supportive no matter what.

Emmett warned me, though. He said that my parents saw the footage and heard the news that I
was going to play for Dallas. Esme and Carlisle warned me before I left that I needed to let them
know what was going on and I should have taken their advice. Oh well, I am an adult after all. I
can make my own decisions.

I loaded up the dogs and left Emmett's house to head over to Bella's. When I arrived Bella's car
was gone, but I took the dogs to the back yard anyway. Seth was outside carrying the trash out
as I walked up.

"Hey, Seth," I said, locking the backyard gate. "Where's Bella at?"

"She went to the grocery store, but she's been gone for a while so I'm sure she went by the
cemetery. Bella does that all the time," Seth sighed. Bella and Seth kept their feelings about their
parents inside most of the time and I needed to remind myself to talk to them about their parents,
if they wanted to. I wanted to be that person for both of them – the one they could rely on, the
one they felt comfortable talking to.

"Hmm… well, I think I'll go to the store to see if she needs help. Want anything while I'm there?"

"Cookies – make her buy some cookie dough," Seth chuckled as he made his request. Bella tried to
keep the junk food out of the house so that Seth wouldn't eat so much, plus she hated being

tempted by the sweet stuff.

"No problem," I said as I got back in my truck. I drove to the grocery store first, but didn't see her
car, so I kept driving and headed towards the cemetery. When I arrived, I saw Bella's car and
another black car that looked a lot like Esme's.

Very quietly, I walked through the maze of gravestones, saddened by the thought of losing
someone that I loved. As I got closer to Bella, I recognized the one voice that I hadn't heard in
quite a while. My mom. I got a little closer, feeling guilty for eavesdropping, but I couldn't walk
away from their deep conversation.

"I just miss her," Bella cried softly.

"I know, sweetheart, but your mom would be so proud of you. You're taking good care of your
brother, I hear… and you have a great job… a great support system. You're a strong woman,
Bella," Liz said, her voice soothing and warm.

Bella sniffled. "I don't feel strong at all… and now that Edward-" she paused, obviously catching
herself from spilling the info that I had yet to explain to my mother.

"Honey, I heard that Edward is leaving. As a mother, I'm so proud of my son, but I worry about
him getting hurt, as well. And I can tell you right now that Edward loves you, Bella. We talk about
once a week and he just tells me what has been going on… and it shouldn't surprise you that you
and Seth are all he ever talks about."

"Really?" Bella asked with one of those hiccup cries.

"Yes. Esme said she heard that you two were officially together, and I knew eventually Edward
would come to his senses. You know, Renee and I used to joke around when you kids were
little… we had dreams of setting you and Edward up, though you had never met him. Meddling
mothers, you know," Liz chuckled lightly.

"Maybe my mother is meddling still," Bella giggled. That laugh. I loved that laugh.

"I will miss him, though. I mean, even if we were still just friends I would miss him… but I don't
know if we were ever really just friends. There was always something so much more between us,
but we were too scared to admit it."

"Do you love him?"

"I… well, I…"

"You don't have to answer that now, sweetie. Especially since I think we have a visitor," Liz said.

I heard leaves rustling as my mother peeked at me while I stood behind one of the stone tombs nearb

"Hi honey," my mom said sweetly.

I smiled, feeling so guilty for keeping her out of the latest big change in my life. "Hi mom."

"Edward?" Bella said, her voice sounding slightly shocked and probably worrying that I had heard
everything she said.

"Yeah, baby," I replied, stepping around to see her. I immediately wanted to hold her. The area

under her eyes were red and I knew she must have been crying for a while for her to look like that.

I hugged my mom quickly, whispering, "I missed you, mom."

"I missed you, too. Go take care of that beautiful girl, Edward."

I kissed my mom on the cheek before hurrying over to Bella, pulling her into my arms. Bella sighed
and sniffled as she buried her face in my chest.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"Just… one of those days," Bella choked out.

I felt so torn because I couldn't imagine not being here for her when she was having one of
"those" days. I probably needed Bella more than she needed me and she didn't even realize that.

"I'm going into town for a bit… I need to meet with Esme, so I'll call you later, Edward," Liz said, as
Bella pulled away from me.

"Why don't you have dinner with us?" Bella asked.

My mom smiled widely and reached out to hug us both. "I would love to Bella, but I know that
you two need some time… alone," she ended with a wink.

"No, please come," Bella pleaded. "I can't have him all to myself. You haven't seen him since the
summer. And I'll cook."

"Let's just get some pizza, baby. You're exhausted; I think we all are."

"That sounds great to me, Bella. And I'll pick it up while I'm in town, so you guys just go home and rest

My mom ended up leaving a few minutes later. I held Bella as we sat at her parents' grave, neither
of us speaking. If they could see us, I prayed that they could see how much I loved their
daughter. Bella was my world.

Bella and I left a while later but stopped by the grocery store for a few things. A few of the local
men stopped me in the store, congratulating me on my new deal. It just felt wrong to be
celebrating, though – it meant I was leaving Bella.

I wished more than anything that she would move to Dallas with me, but that wasn't a possibility at
the time. Bella had to think of Seth and I would never put her in that position, putting pressure on
her to uproot both of them for a second time this year, just to be with me.

Once my mom arrived with the pizza, I introduced her to Seth. She was very motherly to Seth and
Bella, much like she was with me, and I loved that she was trying to form that kind of relationship
with them. In no way was she trying to overstep her boundaries, but she talked about old times,
growing up with their mother and I really thought that made them feel a lot better. We looked
through old picture albums and actually found pictures of my mom, Renee, and Esme as
teenagers. At the end of one of the old photo albums was a picture of Bella as a baby and one of
me as a toddler. The pictures were side by side and written underneath was something that made
all of us smile.

'Maybe someday.'

We knew exactly what Renee meant.

My mom left just as it was starting to get dark. I made plans to meet her for lunch the next day. I
had to go into the school and talk with Mrs. Cope. I felt awful for quitting my job at the school.
Coaching football was something I grew to love, and now I was going to leave during the
season… That was going to be hard on the guys. I knew I was putting the school in such a jam
because I was leaving with basically no notice. The school administration would hate me.

Seth went to bed early as Bella and I cleaned up the kitchen. Once we were done, I pressed
Bella up against the fridge, desperate to kiss her.

"Hi," Bella giggled shyly.

"Hi, beautiful."

"So… what's up?"

I looked down at my cock that was "up" just from being near Bella.

Bella laughed and kissed my chin. "Wow… it's always up, huh?"

"Around you… yeah," I chuckled, being completely honest with her. "Sorry, baby."

"Don't be. I like to know that you want me."

"Do you want me, too?" I asked, my voice already lowering.

Bella nodded as her face blushed.

"Hmm… I think I need to check this out," I teased as my hand dipped below her pants.

Bella squirmed underneath me, laughing the entire time. "Let's go to my room."

As though I had turned into a caveman, I swiftly picked Bella up and put her over my shoulder,
slapping her sexy ass lightly. We both laughed as I ran up the stairs to Bella's bedroom. Once
inside, I locked the door and grinned at Bella as I placed her back on her feet.

Bella laughed breathlessly as she smiled.

"I love you," Bella blurted out, but quickly covered her mouth, as if she had said it by accident.
She turned around and walked over to the window, not looking back at me whatsoever.

"Do you mean that?" I asked after several seconds of silence.

Bella didn't turn to face me, but nodded. My heart soared. I slowly and quietly walked over to
Bella, standing directly behind her.

"Look at me, Bella."

I smiled as she took a deep breath and turned around so I could see her. I almost let out a chuckle
as I saw how red her face was. Actually, it was a deep burgundy.

"Did you really mean it?"

A single tear fell down Bella's cheek as she nodded once again. "I'm sorry, Edward. I know it's
soon and I don't want you to think I'm saying it because you're leaving, but I have for a while
now… loved you, that is."

"I love you, too, Bella," I said, my voice raspy and emotional. It was a very difficult time for us.
And we were in love. "And I know you're not saying it because I'm leaving… and it is not too soon.
I don't think we admitted it soon enough, baby."

"You really love me?" Bella asked shyly.

"I have for a while now, Bella."

***! !***

Ms. Swan

Inwardly, I was jumping up and down, screaming for joy because Edward admitted that he loved me.

"You're the first and only woman I've ever loved like this," Edward whispered as he leaned into me,
his lips making gentle contact with mine. "It feels so good to say that, Bella."

I grinned, completely speechless because, honestly, what do you say when the man of your
dreams says something like that? There were no words.

We both smiled dumbly as we got ready for bed. Edward stripped down to his boxers as I changed
into a tank top and shorts. Well, I had shorts on but Edward quickly reminded me that there was
no need to wear them.

"Talk to me," Edward whispered as we lay in bed on our sides facing each other. The lights were
off and the moon lit up my bedroom as it shined through the window.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything. Everything."

"Like?"

"What's on your mind, Bella?"

"I'm scared."

"Why, baby?"

"I'll miss you… and what if things change, Edward?"

"I'll miss you, too, of course, but things will not change. I told you before that you're it for me."

"But what if-"

"Nothing, Bella. Nothing will change the way I feel about you."

"Your agent said that you aren't the 'settling down' type, so he was surprised to see you with me.
What if you get to Dallas and go back to however you were before?"

"I won't, Bella. I didn't have you in my life back then. I'm sorry for how I was in the past because
that will make you question how I am now, but I can assure you that I have changed. It wasn't his
place to say anything to you, especially because I still needed to explain myself and-"

"No," I interrupted, feeling guilty for bringing it up even though it was kind of bothering me. "You
don't have to explain yourself to me. It was before… before we were together."

"Yes, it was, but please never doubt me, Bella. You're the only woman for me and I am so in love
with you. I will never want another woman."

"But we're just starting a new relationship… and long distance relationships rarely ever work out, so-"

Edward interrupted me quickly, kissing me softly and wrapping his arm around my waist to pull me
closer to him. "For other people it might not have worked, but for us…" Edward paused to place a
small peck on my lips. "For us, it will work."

"We can make it work," I said, trying to keep myself in that determined mindset that Edward had.

The smile on Edward's face was so… perfect. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead before
moving down to nuzzle his face in my neck. "I love you, Bella."

Those three words meant so much to me.

"Love you, too."

Edward and I continued talking until very late that night. I wished more than anything that I could
call into work the next day, but it was already going to be a hectic day for Mrs. Cope,
considering she was losing our Biology teacher and Coach, so I didn't want to add to those
problems. I just wanted to spend as much time as I could with Edward.

For the first time in my life, I was in love and I could admit it to the person. Life was great.

Edward and I left the next morning a little earlier than usual to get to school. He wanted to speak
to Mrs. Cope as soon as she arrived and I just wanted to be with him. I didn't go into the office
with him, though, because it was a personal business matter that really didn't involve me. I waited
in my classroom, extremely nervous for Edward and our situation.

My first period class had already started when I saw Edward walking into his classroom. His class
was being watched over by one of the substitute teachers. As he turned to walk into the room,
he smiled and winked at me which made me completely melt. He was mine.

Thankfully, time passed by quickly and as soon as the bell rang and the students were out of my
room, I hurried over to Edward's empty room.

"Hi," I said softly, walking towards his desk.

"Hi, baby," Edward replied, looking at me with his deep green eyes that I loved so much. "Shut
the door and lock it."

I walked back over to the door and did as Edward asked. I knew we needed to be careful, as
Mrs. Cope requested that in our last meeting, but I wanted to be alone with him. I had to know
everything was okay.

"How'd it go?" I asked nervously as I walked back over to his desk. Edward motioned for me to sit

in front of him, which made me want him so badly. All those mornings that I daydreamed about
him, and I was now seated on his desk, with Edward sitting in his chair below me looking so
insanely sexy.

Edward grinned as I blushed. "It went fine, Bella. Mrs. Cope was actually happy for me, I think
mainly because it will bring a lot of exposure to Forks… Anyway, she said that Andrew will
become head Coach and my usual sub will take over my class."

"Wow," I breathed. It was all happening so fast.

"Yeah. Crazy, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, and Mrs. Cope admitted to me that Jake was the student that came to her about us. He
actually had the nerve to say that we were constantly making out in the hallway when we
thought no one was around. She said that Jane told her as well, but she just simply said we were
together… nothing more than that."

"That little prick. I could get him in so much trouble with Billy after all that he has done to irritate me…"

"What else has he done?" Edward asked.

"Nothing big… I mean you already know that he walked in on me while I was getting dressed.
Other than that it's just his constant and shameless flirting from a horny teenager. Not that big of
a deal."

Edward chuckled darkly and rolled forward in his chair, eliminating the gap between us. His hands
gripped the outside of my thighs and moved to cup my ass. "That big of a deal? It's a huge deal,
baby. Nobody can see this body besides me," Edward explained, squeezing his hands around me.

I ran my hands through his hair as he rested his head on my thigh. The more time I spent with
him, the more I would miss him. Edward's voice calmed me. His gentle touches made me feel more
alive. He was everything to me.

"I love you," I said, still shocked that I could actually say those words to him.

"I love you, too, beautiful."

From two o'clock until three, Mrs. Cope had all of the students and staff move to the gym for an
important announcement. During that time, she explained to everyone that Edward was leaving
and what he was leaving for. All of the students were very excited and happy for Edward. The
new Coach was announced and as much as everyone liked Andy, he still wasn't Edward. Edward
had a special bond with his kids and I knew they would miss that.

After school was over, I made dinner for Liz, Seth, and Edward, but after that, Edward and I went
to his house to pack some of his things. He was leaving the next day, late in the evening. I was
driving him to Seattle so we were leaving right after school. Rose, Alice, and the guys offered to
go with us, but we opted to be alone. I needed to be alone because I didn't want anyone seeing
the breakdown that I was bound to have after he got on that plane.

Edward's mother was leaving late that night with Esme for their yearly trip they took together.
Carlisle was driving them to Seattle. They stopped by Edward's house and Liz hugged me goodbye
after she finished her long goodbye with Edward, promising to see him play in Dallas that

weekend. Liz said we were definitely going to stay in touch and I felt a sense of closeness with
her already, much like I did with Esme. Just knowing that they were best friends with my mother
and grew up with her made me feel comfortable around them.

A few tears welled up in my eyes and I cringed, feeling like such a moron for being so emotional,
but just standing in Edward's closet, smelling everything that was him, killed me. I couldn't
believe he would be moving the next day. We lost so much time during the summer that we could
have been together if we had just been honest with one another. However, I did not regret our
friendship one bit because it made us stronger.

I grabbed several button up shirts out of the closet and placed them in the garment bag that lay
across his bed. Edward was in the bathroom, busy packing up some of his toiletries. He didn't
know what he would need when he arrived, though his agent and attorney already had a house
for him and were stocking it with many things.

I would get to be with Edward on Friday. That wasn't too bad, I kept telling myself over and
over. When did I become one of those girls that couldn't be separated from her boyfriend? I think
if he had been a few hours away it would have been completely different, but he was so far away
that he'd be in a different time zone than me. Texas was extremely far from Washington. But I
would have Herkie to keep me company. We made plans that Herkie would stay at my house
until Edward was settled in Dallas.

As I walked into the closet, there was an empty space where the group of shirts that I just
grabbed had been, and below that space I saw a box labeled, 'Edward's Stuff – Love, Lauren'.

Curiosity killed the cat.

I bent down and glanced over the contents inside the box. My eyes settled on a pair of lacy
panties tucked away in the corner, half covered by a CD. I grabbed a hanger that was lying on the
floor and picked up the fucking-sick-I-don't-know-where-they-came-from-panties with the hook of
the hanger. I wasn't mad, I guess you could say, but I was very curious as to why he would
keep a woman's underwear.

I made my way over to the bathroom where Edward was placing his shampoo in the bag.
"Edward, what are these?" I asked, holding the panties up in front of him.

A look of shock registered immediately across his face and I began to worry as my mind raced with
questions.

"It's not what you think, Bella."

***! !***

Like it? Review please!! :)

As for ficrecs, I don't have anything new that I'm addicted to that I haven't already mentioned...
the fic that is killing me right now -- University of Edward Masen -- and anything by coldplaywhore.

Have a great Sunday!

**Check out The Fictionators tomorrow for a teaser to the next chapter.

***And... remember that voting is open for The Sparkle Awards:

www(dot)thesparkleawards(dot)webs(dot)com/vote(dot)htm -- Please vote for IC! Also, I was
informed yesterday that someone nominated me for The Silent Tear Awards for best author,
which completely amazes me and I can't thank you guys enough for your suppport -- as well as, my
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Happy Thursday :)

Thanks to the usual people - Jessica1971, Twitter friends, everyone over at the forum and my
awesome readers. Love you guys and can't thank you enough for all the support.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Masen

Bella walked into the bathroom, her nose crinkled, holding Lauren's nasty panties with a hanger. If
she didn't look so serious, I would have laughed my ass off at her facial expression. She was so
cute. But she was holding my ex-girlfriend's panties that I put away and forgot about.

Fuck me.

"Edward, what are these?"

With wide eyes, I prepared myself to answer her in the best way possible. "It's not what you
think, Bella."

No words came from Bella's mouth as she stood in front of me, waiting for my explanation.

"Well… uh, when I broke up with Lauren, she brought this box of crap over to my house and
inside the box, she also included her underwear… I guess something for me to remember her by
or maybe make me want to be with her again? I have no idea why she included that in there…"

"Okay," Bella said with a long sigh. "So why did you keep them?"

Why did I keep them? Why did I keep them? What the fuck was I thinking?

"I just threw that box in the back of my closet and forgot to throw them out… honestly, Bella, I
just forgot about them."

My face flushed as I worried that this might turn Bella away from me. This was exactly what we
didn't need before I moved to Dallas. How can I keep my girlfriend believing in me when I keep my
ex-girlfriend's skanky underwear?

Taking me by surprise, a slow smile spread across Bella's face as she carefully placed the
underwear in the trash basket, along with the hanger that was "infected" by touching the
disgusting piece of material. "Well, Edward… if you had a fetish for underwear, you could have
just told me. I would have helped you out."

Chapter: 19

She was playing with me. My girlfriend was understanding… and so fucking hot. I lunged towards
Bella and lifted her onto the bathroom counter. "Very funny, baby."

Bella giggled as I buried my face into her neck, laughing loudly as she squirmed. My hands tickled
her sides and I was so relieved that our stressful time of packing was lightening up. I needed to
hear her laugh – it meant so much to me and made me feel better instantly.

"We are so burning those later tonight, by the way," Bella giggled breathlessly.

"Whatever you want, baby," I mumbled against her neck, kissing softly as our playfulness turned
into something completely different. Suddenly, everything changed. Bella shivered as goose
bumps spread all over her body and her legs wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer.

"I want you." As soon as those words left her mouth, she moved her hands to my shorts and
pushed them down quickly. "Now, Edward."

Just as Bella slipped her hands down my boxers, she pulled away and pushed gently on my chest.
With a small grin on her face, she placed her hands on my arms and turned us so that we had
switched places. I leaned against the counter, watching my fucking hot girlfriend move down my
body, ending up on her knees.

Bella had yet to give me a blow job, which I couldn't really complain about because I'd much rather
be inside her, but just picturing her mouth around my cock almost made me come just thinking
about it. All those times we would cuddle as 'friends' on the couch with Bella resting her head in my
lap, I constantly had to cover up my bulge, afraid it would poke her in the head, but the entire
time wishing so much that she would turn around to give it a try.

And now I was looking down at her, staring into her big brown eyes as she smiled sweetly. I could
tell she was nervous just by her facial expression, but she also looked very determined.

As Bella pulled my boxers down my legs, she bit her lip, skimming her hands over my thighs. "Is
this okay?" she whispered.

I nodded, afraid to say anything because it might come out the wrong way. I couldn't formulate
the words to say 'Yes, baby, suck me now' because even thinking it sounded offensive.

With a slight nod, Bella grasped her hand around my ready cock, stroking me slowly as she looked
into my eyes. I looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath, trying to get some control over
myself. It was too much – she was too much.

I looked back down just in time to see Bella take me in her mouth, her warm, wet mouth. I let out
a rather loud moan at all the sensations she was causing. "God, Bella…"

My hands clenched the edge of the counter as Bella moved her mouth up and down my shaft,
sucking lightly, but not enough to make me come too soon. And honestly, I wanted this to last as
long as possible. As if she was sensing that something was wrong, my cock slipped from her
mouth, even making a popping noise as she released me.

"What's wrong?" Bella said lowly as her hand continued to stroke me.

"Nothing, baby," I groaned, feeling her pace increase. "You just feel so fucking good… I don't want
it to end too soon."

Bella grinned and kissed the tip. "I love you, Edward."

I hissed as she continued her earlier motions, taking me in her mouth again. One of my hands
reached around her head, fisting her hair, slightly controlling her movements. Bella moaned all
around me, which almost made me come undone.

"I love you so fucking much, Bella," I moaned once again, feeling myself hit the back of her
throat. Seconds later the primal side of me took over as I reached beneath her arms and pulled
her up to me.

"What's the matter, baby?" Bella said with a confused look.

"I have to fuck you, Bella. I need to be inside you now."

Her breathing picked up and she moaned as I slipped my hand inside her panties, feeling her wet
pussy to make sure she was ready for me. "Jesus, Bella… do you want me?"

"Please, Edward…" Bella moaned as I stroked teasingly around her clit.

I spun Bella around, bending her over the counter as I hastily pulled her shorts and panties down
her long legs. No words were spoken as one of my hands grabbed her hip, while the other ran my
cock along her slit.

"Is this okay, baby?" I had to ask because I had not taken her this way before and I didn't want
her to feel like I was being too rough.

Bella giggled lowly, looking up at me in the mirror. "Edward, shut up already and… fuck me."

Her face blushed as soon as the words left her mouth. I knew it was not like Bella to talk that
way, but fuck it was a turn on.

I looked down between us just as I pushed inside. Watching myself move inside her was enough
to make me come right away, but I was determined to make this good for her. I moved slowly at
first, leaning down to kiss along her back. Bella began to push against me, moving quickly, trying
to show me that she needed more. I increased my pace as our quiet moans echoed throughout
the small bathroom. I stared into Bella's eyes and she did the same with mine as we moved
against each other. Her face was so beautiful as she got closer to her release - face flushed and
a sheen of sweat glistening on her skin.

The tightness around my length increased, clenching as Bella cried out my name. I thrust two
more times before releasing inside her. Completely spent, I leaned down and placed a small kiss
on her back as I took a moment to catch my breath.

Wordlessly, I pulled out and turned around to lean against the counter. Bella stayed leaning over
the counter as she breathed deeply. I slid down to the floor and pulled her with me. Placing Bella
in my lap, I kissed her deeply as her arms held me tightly.

I don't know how long we stayed that way, and even though we were sitting on the cold tile floor,
I had never felt better in my life. Neither of us said anything, but stared at one another lovingly.
She was the love of my life and for the longest time I was very reluctant to believe what so many
had said – there was a person out there made for you. The one. She was it, and my entire life
she was so close, but somehow we never met. I was thankful that she hadn't met me years ago,
which sounds crazy because I was now wishing we had more time together, but I was a different
man before. Bella was the kindest and sweetest person I had ever met, and to be completely
honest, she probably would have taken one look at me and said I wasn't worth her time years ago.

The words of my mother plagued my mind as I remembered what she told me several years ago.
She told me that I would regret my actions one day. I wasn't doing anything necessarily bad, but I
certainly was not looking for the kind of woman I had in my arms now. I was an ass, and now I
was afraid my past would come back to haunt me. I didn't want Bella feeling unsure about me, but
I would make damn sure that I tried to show her every second that no one would ever compare to her.

"Bella, I know we talked about this before, and I know you said it didn't matter because it's in the
past… and I really don't know what Garrett told you, but I swear to God I'm different now."

Bella looked up at me, smiling sweetly as she raised her hand to my face, stroking softly. "I trust
you completely, Edward. What I said before, well, I meant it completely. You are a good man… a
very good man, and I know you're not like however you were back then. You were practically a
kid… a kid with a lot of money and women throwing themselves at you. What guy wouldn't go for that?

"But, baby, I-"

Bella put a finger over my mouth, cutting me off. "And now you're going back to the money and
women throwing themselves at you… but I'll tell you one thing, I will kick a bitch's ass if they
touch my man."

I was caught by surprise as Bella lightened the situation. Chuckling, I kissed her forehead as Bella
giggled. "You amaze me."

"Yeah, well… you amaze me, too. And I want you to quit worrying… we were both different
before, and probably made bad choices, but we're together now… and I feel so lucky to have you
in my life."

I held Bella in my arms, feeling so comforted just by having her near me. I tucked a piece of hair
behind her ear and kissed her temple. "I love you so much. Moving away from you is going to be
the hardest thing I've ever done in my life…" I hesitated for a moment before I continued
speaking, but it had to be said. "You know, I'd be thrilled if you moved with me? I didn't want to
ask you before because I know it's nearly impossible, but I don't want you to think I didn't want
you to come with me."

"I love you, too, Edward… and you know that I would move with you in an instant if I didn't have
Seth to worry about. I really would move with you, Edward."

"I know, beautiful," I whispered, tightening my hold on her. "Please don't feel like you need to
explain yourself – that's the reason why I never asked, because I didn't want you to feel guilty
for saying no. I just had to put it out there so you knew that I would love it if you came with me."

"Thank you for asking, Edward. It kills me to say no, but I'm glad you understand."

"You're a wonderful daughter and sister… and girlfriend, Bella, and someday you'll make a perfect
wife and mother." Did I admit to her that I pictured myself marrying her someday? Soon, hopefully?
"I'll be the luckiest man in the world if I get to experience that with you."

Bella lifted her head and looked into my eyes. "You… think about that with me? I mean, I-"

"Yes," I responded quickly, not wanting her to doubt my intentions with her at all. "It may be too
soon to some people for me to admit that to you, but we can cut past the crap that we've only
been together for a couple of weeks because honestly… I think we need to admit that all summer
long, we were never just friends. Yes, we didn't kiss or touch, but I did hold you in my arms and

fell in love with you – my best friend."

"I never knew it could be like this… I didn't think I'd ever feel this way," Bella explained.

We were both very passionate and emotional about our love because it was new and it was a
love that was going to endure heartache no matter how hard we tried to stay happy. I never
expected to be like that, to show emotion and all of my feelings, but with Bella all of that changed.

The conversation I had the day before with my mother played in my head over and over.

"Are you happy, Edward?"

"Happier than I've ever been."

With a long sigh, my mom looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "Do you really think football is the
answer? I mean, I'm so proud of you, honey, but what if it's not what you wanted. What if you
miss being here? What if things change?"

"I know it seems crazy, but I just… I have to try, to prove it to myself that I can still play. They
wouldn't even give me a chance to come back after all of the physical therapy I went through…
they just shoved me out of the way and went onto the next big thing." That was the first time I
admitted my anger about what happened after my injury. "Of course I'll miss being here… and
things will change, but the way I feel about Bella will never change. Mom, I'm going to marry her
someday. I'm sure of it."

From a sympathetic face, my mom had a huge grin now forming. "I knew it! Oh, sweetie… she is
beautiful, isn't she?"

"God, yes… and so sweet… As much as it killed me just to be friends with her for so long, I really
think it helped us. She is the very best friend I've ever had, besides you," I said, ending with a wink.

"I'm so happy for both of you. She needed you and you needed her. You're great for each other."

"Thanks, mom."

"When you're ready for the ring, let me know. I'm sure it will be soon." My mom had a determined
look on her face and while we both knew it was too soon for me to ask Bella to marry me, the fact
didn't go unknown that it would definitely be happening someday.

I nodded, picturing my Bella… with my ring on her finger. Bella Masen. I couldn't wait until that day.

"Hey, you… whatcha thinkin' about?" Bella smiled playfully as I was brought out of my zoned out state.

"You."

"Wow, what an interesting thing to think about," Bella giggled.

"That you are, baby."

"Ready to go burn those moldy, disgusting panties?" Bella said with a raised eyebrow, still grinning
beautifully.

"Ick, they were moldy?"

"God yes… and I think I saw a few bugs drop off as I picked them up with the hanger."

"That was very cute, by the way. You're so beautiful."

Bella giggled and tickled my side. "You thought your girlfriend was cute, holding your
ex-girlfriend's panties?" I nodded dumbly because regardless of what Bella is doing, I always think
she is cute. "You're crazy."

I released Bella from my arms and stood from the cold floor to find my clothes. Once I dressed in
my boxers and t-shirt, I pulled Bella up and kissed her forehead. I held up one of my shirts and
motioned for Bella to hold her arms up. Blinded by her naked breasts as I was about to dress her,
I bent down and took one of her erect nipples in my mouth, sucking gently.

"Edward," Bella groaned breathlessly. "We have a mission, remember… operation burn skank
panties. Remember." Her hands were locked in place as she held my head in place.

I pulled away slightly, but placed a small kiss on the tip of her nipple and looked up into her eyes,
grinning like the horny asshole that I am. "Sorry, baby… they were just too tempting."

And the blush was back. God, I was in love.

Once Bella was dressed in my shirt and her sexy panties, we walked downstairs to the fireplace.
Bella carried the hanger with Lauren's underwear as I started a fire. It was a cold night anyway,
so it would be nice.

I was a lucky man. I would make love to the woman that was my entire future as my slutty
ex-girlfriend's underwear burned a few feet away from us. It was a way to close that chapter of
my life, and very good pay back in Bella's eyes.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

If I had a video camera I would have taped the panty burning and labeled it 'Lauren's Demise',
but then again, I'm not that cruel.

As the fire crackled, Edward grabbed several blankets and made a pallet on the floor for us to
sleep. Edward didn't know, but I wasn't going into work the next day. The day we returned home
from Dallas, I put in for the day off, not giving a reason why other than personal reasons. Our
relationship was already out and I knew that everyone would know what I was doing, but it wasn't
like I could actually teach properly when I knew he would be leaving as soon as I got out of school.

I told Seth beforehand that I more than likely wouldn't be coming home that night and he didn't
give me any trouble over it. Maybe I was being irresponsible and immature over raising Seth
because I wasn't at home with him, but I couldn't justify being away from Edward and he needed
to be at home to get everything ready.

I had been a crying mess, trying to picture myself sitting at home by myself… lying in bed by
myself… doing all the boring and uneventful things by myself without Edward. I couldn't see
myself without him. Was this love or was I going insane? I never expected to feel this way. I was
an independent person, always, but Edward came along and now I feel like I'm going to be lost if
he leaves me? What was happening to me?

"So… I am taking you out Saturday night," Edward mumbled as he played with strands of my

hair. "Something romantic for you, Bella."

"You don't have to do those things for me, Edward. Being with you is enough for me."

"Would you just please not say that… I'm trying to woo my freaking girlfriend and you're denying
me that?"

I laughed and kissed his cheek. "Sorry, boyfriend. Okay, so where are we going?"

Edward chuckled as he shook his head back and forth. "Not telling this one, sweet girl. You'll see
soon enough."

"What should I wear?"

"Hmm… a dress for dinner, sweats and tennis shoes for after, and nothing when we get in bed."
How this man's voice could make my body tremble with need, I had no idea, but he did it every time.

"You are so bad," I whispered as his mouth moved to the column of my neck where he kissed me
softly. "But so freaking good…"

His hand roamed my side, slipping beneath my shirt. "I love you, Bella… and I need you again. Are
you tired?"

"Of course not… I'm always ready for you. I love you, too."

We made love late into the night, savoring our time together. Edward worried that I would think
he was just after sex or something, but I never even thought of him that way. It was a deep
connection that we had and I wouldn't have changed our passion for one another at all.

A few hours after we fell asleep, I found myself protected by his strong arms, holding me firmly
against him – my back against his chest. I laced my fingers with his as I felt his morning arousal
poking me in the back. The perfect way to wake up.

I turned my head to the side and kissed his thick bicep as I wiggled my behind against him. Edward
let out a soft moan and squeezed my body gently. I was seriously trying to hold back my inner
emotional nutcase and not cry, but knowing I wouldn't wake up with him like that the next day killed me

I trusted Edward completely; however, I did not trust the skanky women that he would come in
contact with. After his agent filled me in on Edward's previous life when he played for New
England, I honestly could not picture my Edward as a man-whore. I didn't want to think about all
the other women he had been with, though it really didn't matter considering we didn't know each
other back then. Women can say it doesn't bother them about their significant other's past, but
they are likely lying their asses off.

A few tears fell from my eyes and landed on Edward's arm where my head rested. He must have
felt the wetness as I wiped it away from his skin because he was awake very quickly, and
whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

We made love slowly that morning, taking our time. It was special and so sweet, the way he
made me feel. As the morning went on, I knew deep down that we would make it. It would be
hard, but we were strong.

Still inside me, Edward pulled a blanket over us and kissed my shoulder. "I hate to remind you, but
don't you need to get ready for work?"

"I took the day off. When we came back the other day, I put in the request and I wanted to
surprise you, but if you have something you need to do, don't worry about me. I can just-"

"Are you kidding me, Bella? Anything I have to get done today is going to involve you."

"Okay," I said happily as Edward began to grow hard again.

"Sorry," he chuckled softly, kissing behind my ear.

"Are you kidding me, Edward?" I said with a giggle, mocking his earlier statement. "You never
have to apologize for that."

Edward smacked my butt and laughed loudly as he rocked back and forth slowly. "Oh, Ms.
Swan… what am I going to do with you?"

I turned my head back and grinned as Edward's sex face took over. Yes, he had a sex face and
it was so cute. His entire face would tense up as he tried to control his breathing. "I hope a little
more of this," I said, pushing back against him as he thrust inside me, causing him to go even deeper.

"Fuck, baby…" Edward moaned as he picked up the pace.

Perfect morning goodbye sex.

After our morning shower, I called Seth to make sure he was up for school. I had written a note to
get him excused from school at lunchtime so he could say goodbye to Edward. We were all
meeting at Emmett's house for lunch since we didn't do anything with them the night before.

Any other day, the morning would seem to last forever, but not today. Why it always works out
that way, I'll never know. We soon found ourselves packing up my car with all of Edward's things
that he was taking. Edward gave me his house keys so I could keep an eye on things for him
while he was gone. The situation could have been worse – he could have been selling his house
or something like that, but he wasn't because he would be back. After every game he had two
days off and promised to come home during that time, though I was sure that he would need that
time to relax, but Edward assured me that he would get plenty of rest in Forks like he would in
Dallas. I had to keep telling myself that it wasn't as if I wouldn't get to see him for long periods of time.

Our lunch with the gang was fun and tear filled as everyone said their goodbyes. All of them kept
offering to go with me to Seattle to keep me company on the way back, but as I explained before
to them, I just wanted that time alone. I didn't go into detail, but I was positive that the girls
understood what I meant.

When Seth hugged Edward, I almost lost it, as if the painful lump in my throat couldn't get any worse…

"Take care of your sister," Edward said to Seth as he patted his back.

"I will," Seth replied, his voice sounding strong and determined. This was killing him, too, because
he was close to Edward. Seth looked up to Edward, like he was an older brother to him.

Edward looked over to me and smiled crookedly, making my heart drop. It was time for us to go.
Edward's plane didn't leave until seven o'clock, but we were going to get there earlier than
planned, since I had the day off. I didn't know what we were going to do once we arrived, but
we were ready to get out of Forks.

"I'll call you when I'm on my way back," I said to Seth. "And Herkie's things are ready, by the
utility room." Seth was going to get Herkie for us because we forgot to take him over to my
house when we left Edward's, and considering how tightly my car was packed with his things,
Herkie wouldn't have fit.

"Sure thing, Bell. Be careful," Seth said as he hugged me as well. Once he was hugging me, he
whispered lowly in my ear, "Don't worry… he is a good guy. Don't cry too much."

Seth was being sincere and trying to find the right words to say to me, but just hearing my
brother try to comfort me… well, it was the sweetest thing.

"Love you," I said, hugging him back tightly.

Edward drove my car to Seattle as I fiddled with the radio and kept him entertained with various
articles from my magazine I was reading. We took the quirky quizzes and according to one of the
quizzes, yes, we were truly in love. The quiz said so. It made Edward laugh and that was all I wanted.

Once we got to Seattle, we went to the mall. I needed a few things for my trip to Dallas and
Edward helped me pick out those things. One of them was a dress for our date night. I was pretty
excited for our date because we really hadn't had any of those since we made our relationship
"official". It didn't really matter to me, but getting dressed up to impress him seemed kind of fun.

"Just so you know, that dress will be off of you so quickly…" Edward said, gawking at me as I
tried on the perfect dress. "Like I'm saying, we walk into the house and it's off."

I laughed at his mock seriousness and blew a kiss. "Whatever you say."

We shared a pretzel at the mall before it was time to go to the airport. My legs were already
weak and wobbly, knowing what was coming. I kept playing it over and over in my head, how I
would say goodbye to him and leave, but nothing seemed right. I didn't want to watch him walk
away, but I didn't want to drive away from him as he watched me leave. Why in the hell did it
have to be so difficult?

I drove us to the airport and Edward held my hand the entire time. To the outside person, we
looked like a couple of babies, but nobody could understand our situation unless they were… us.

I drove to the drop off location at the airport and put the car in park so I could help unload
everything. The Cowboys had actually hired someone to help Edward with his travel needs. The
person had a cart to load all of his things onto, three huge suitcases and a couple of smaller
bags. Edward had most of this things shipped overnight, but the rest he brought with him.

After everything was unloaded from my car, it was time for him to go.

"So… I'll call you when I land, okay?"

The lump in my throat was painful as I held back my tears. "I'll be waiting for your call."

"Will you text me when you get home? I won't get it until the layover in LA, but I just want to
make sure you get home safely, baby."

As hard as I tried, the tears spilled over as I looked into his worried eyes. He was such a caring
man, so loving and kind. "Yes, I will."

Edward brought his hands to either side of my face and wiped a few tears away with his thumbs.

"I love you, Bella… and just remember Friday… just us on Friday."

Though it was Wednesday, Friday seemed so far away. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

One last kiss and it was time for Edward to go inside. One of the airport officers hollered for me
to move my car. I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly.

"Be careful, baby… please?"

"I will. You, too."

Edward released me from his arms and walked me over to my car. I rolled down the window and
he leaned in to kiss my forehead. "I love you so much, Bella."

"Love you, too." That was all I could manage to say because I was holding my breath. If I
breathed, I would have started crying and at that moment I was surprisingly holding myself
together better than I thought.

Edward smiled as he patted the top of my car. I slowly pulled away and looked back just for a
second to see Edward wave to me. I felt like an idiot for being so upset over this, and kept
justifying my emotions because he was moving so far away.

Before leaving Seattle, I stopped at a Starbucks for a hot chocolate and to text Edward. Just as
I was about to type out my text, I had an incoming call. From Edward. I pressed send immediately.

"Hi, baby," Edward said lowly into the phone. "I'm not supposed to have my phone on, but I'm
breaking the rules. They're still boarding the plane anyway."

I had the biggest smile on my face just from hearing his voice. "Well, I'm glad that you're breaking
the rules."

"Where are you?"

"I stopped to get some hot chocolate before I left… it's starting to get really cold out."

"Yeah, it's that time of year. I miss you already, Bella."

"I miss you, too."

"Promise me you'll be safe on your way back. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

"I'll be fine, I promise."

"Okay, well, I guess I better get off the phone before I get thrown off the plane," Edward said
with a light chuckle. "Love you, baby."

"Love you, too. And don't worry about anything."

"Bye, my sweet girl."

I loved when he called me that. He just sounded so sweet and caring. I loved everything about him.

I stayed calm during my drive back to Forks. I knew I didn't need to get upset while I was driving,
but once I got home and said goodnight to Seth, I crawled into bed and let go. I sent Edward a
text letting him know that I was home and going to bed, but asked that he called as soon as he
got into Dallas even if it was late.

Thirty minutes later, I was still clutching my phone when I got a call from Edward. He had arrived
in LA for a short layover and then would be headed for Dallas. He sounded exhausted. I held
back my yawns as we talked because he wouldn't have called me when he got to Dallas if he knew
how tired I was.

As Edward spoke, I realized that we were like a normal couple and this separation thing wouldn't
bring us down. All those inward talks I had with myself, saying that we would be fine, really helped.
I felt stronger knowing that we shared a really tight bond and neither of us would let that go. My
tears stopped and I sucked it up because I wasn't losing Edward at all. This would make us even
stronger.

***! !***

Kind of a sad chapter to write - leave me some love, please. :)

Just a couple of things:

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Chapter 20 Teaser will be posted on The Fictionators on Teaser Monday, so check it out over
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Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

An early update :) I'll post the next chapter on Thursday or Friday. A teaser for 20 will be posted
on The Fictionators blog tomorrow.

Jessica1971 - you are an awesome beta and a great friend ... Tammy - thanks for being such
good friend. Love you guys :)

Voting ends today for The Sparkle Awards -- IC up for Best Romance. Thanks to anyone who votes
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You guys amaze me with your reviews and I can't thank you enough. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

"Sit down, guys," I mumbled as I walked into my classroom. Thursday morning was the hardest
day I had since being back in Forks. My first day back was tough because I missed my parents so
much, but then I met Edward and he took my mind off of how sad I was. I never stopped missing
my parents, but Edward just made everything better. Now I was alone, well, not completely
alone because I had Seth and my friends; it wasn't the same, though.

Edward called me very early that morning just to say hi even though he traveled most of the
night and early morning. There was not a sweeter man out there, and I prayed that Seth would
grow up to be just like Edward.

"Well, Ms. Swan, it's nice to see that you're back at school," Jake said in a teasing tone. As much
as I tried to deny it, the urge to slap the brat across the face was overwhelming at that moment.
"Upset that Coach is gone now?"

All of the kids made their "OoooOooo" sounds and usually I wouldn't let kids get to me, but I was
still dealing with my emotions. I held back the tears and sat at my desk, ignoring their sounds.

"Jake, do I need to send you to visit with Mrs. Cope?"

"No ma'am… I was just worried about-"

I stared at my lesson plans and desk calendar, figuring out what I could do to keep them quiet
because I really needed some quiet time. Still staring at the things on my desk, I spoke quietly but
firmly to the little ass. "Ah, ah, ah… Jake, say one more word and you're out of the class."

And he didn't say another thing to me.

I gave the class their assignment, which was to write a summary about the chapters they were
assigned to read by the substitute the day before. That definitely shut them up. I hated to be

Chapter: 20

that kind of teacher, but five days a week of dealing with snarky kids could be exhausting, and I
soon learned after being a teacher that you can do these things to get a break from them.

Geez, I sounded horrible.

I definitely needed to regroup once I got home because what I was doing now wasn't working. I
couldn't let my emotions get to me at work. That was wrong of me.

As I worked on a weekly quiz for my students to take the next day, my phone buzzed with a text
from Edward.

I love you, sweet girl. I have "practice" until eight, but after that I have a very important phone
date with a very sexy girl. –E

Edward always knew how to make me completely swoon.

I miss you. Love you so much – hope everything goes okay during practice. Phone date? For me? ;) –

I put my phone in my purse, smiling brightly because of his sweet message. As I looked up from
my purse, I glanced over to Edward's classroom and almost lost it because I was so used to
seeing him wink or wave to me… or even just seeing him when he didn't know I was watching him.
I missed that.

Thankfully, the day went by quickly, and when I was done with my last class, I left town to go see
Alice and Rose. Not only had I received a few text messages from Edward, but also from Alice,
Rose, and Emmett. Jasper helped me get through the day at school and even took me to lunch.
Seth also checked on me throughout the day. I figured a little time with my girlfriends might help
my gloomy mood.

As soon as I stepped into Rose and Alice's shop, they squealed and wanted to hear more about
my very sweet relationship with Edward.

"So… I've held off long enough. I want details, Bella. It will help if you talk about how great things
are for you two," Alice said, grinning and raising her eyebrows.

"Well… what do you want to know? I mean he is your cousin. Do you really want the details?"
Alice, Rose, and I shared everything together and as much as I didn't want to hear about
Emmett's stamina (and neither did Alice), we still told each other everything.

Rose laughed, knowing exactly what I was talking about. "Yes, details. Family or not, we need to
know. I love Em, but I can not deny how sexy your boyfriend is."

So for the next hour, I shared the sweet stuff about our relationship, explaining to them how
loving and passionate he is. I never expected a jock of a football player to be so attentive and
sensitive to my needs. Both of them stared at me, wide eyed and grinning the entire time. They
were happy for me, considering how badly things ended with Eric, and honestly, I was never
really happy with Eric in the first place. Being with Edward was so different from any relationship
I had ever been in.

Knowing that Edward was thinking about a future with me had me very excited. There were
times when I thought I might end up single because all of my friends from high school and college
were either married with kids, happily married, or in a long term relationship. Edward said that I
was "the one" for him and I very much believed he was the one for me. I had my doubts about us
getting through this long distance relationship, but it just had to work because, as cheesy as it

sounded, we were made for each other.

"Anyway, I'm flying out tomorrow, as soon as my last class is done and-"

"Let us pick you up from school. We'll drive you to Seattle so you don't have to leave your car
there," Alice beamed, clapping her hands together. She was eager to help and I couldn't deny her
that. Alice was one of those people that needed to be needed.

"Okay… if it's not too much trouble?"

"Sweetie, we own our company. We can leave when we want to," Rose explained with a laugh.

Seth was going to stay with Carlisle on Friday night and fly out with everyone on Saturday. Esme
was sure to call me before she left for her vacation with Liz to explain the details. They didn't
want me to worry about a thing and wanted to help with Seth as much as possible. It really
helped things that Seth got along with the Cullen family so well, and he really felt like he could
depend on them, and so did I. Billy Black was also a good family friend, but the issues with Jake
caused me not to want Seth to stay over at their house too much.

I felt awful because Seth had a football game on Friday night, and it would be the first one
without Edward coaching so I knew it would be tough. However, Seth reiterated several times
that he wanted me to go see Edward and since Carlisle, Alice, Rose, Jasper, and Emmett would
be at the game cheering for him, he'd be fine. I still felt like an awful sister.

I really did have the world's best brother.

"Thanks, guys… you're both way too good to me."

"We love you, Bella," Alice said sweetly as she hugged me.

"I kinda need some help for Saturday night," I began, knowing they would literally squeal if I asked
for their help with picking out a really hot dress for me. I had picked out a dress with Edward in
Seattle, but I decided that I wanted to surprise him with something different – something new
that he hadn't seen yet. "Edward has this date planned, since you guys won't get in until really
late that night… so I was hoping you might find a good dress for me."

I was right about the squealing. They were extremely excited to help me in that area, and
thought it was really sweet how Edward was surprising me about what we were doing on the date.
Alice had a shirt made for me with the Dallas Cowboy star on the front and 'MASEN' written
across the back, so I planned on wearing that for the second part of our date – the part that
Edward said I would need to wear sweats or something warm. Alice and Rose had a small lingerie
line at their shop, so I picked out a sexy corset and thong set – lacy and light blue. Edward would
love it. That would be worn for the third part of our date, though it wouldn't be on for very long
considering Edward teasingly mentioned that no clothes were required.

I missed him so much.

As I drove back home, I stopped off and picked up some pasta from Seth's favorite restaurant for
dinner. Edward sent me a text saying that he would call me around seven o'clock my time. I ate
quickly and talked to Seth for a bit before I took my nightly shower. As I was drying off, my phone rang

"Hi," I answered quickly, unable to hide the huge smile on my face.

"Hi, gorgeous," Edward replied, his voice low, sounding exhausted.

"How'd it go?"

"Okay, I guess. I have never been so ready to lie down," he chuckled. I felt bad for keeping him
up. He needed his rest after his first day of training.

"Go to bed, Edward. I'll be with you tomorrow night anyway, so you'll need your rest."

"I'm fine, baby, I promise. My body is just achy, but I just need to get used to the routine and
drills… and believe me, I will be very ready for you tomorrow night."

"I love you," I sighed.

"Love you, too. How was your day?"

I skipped past the details of how Jake tried to irritate me. Edward was happy that I spent some
time with Alice and Rose; he knew they would help me get through this rough time.

"So what are we doing Saturday night?"

"Well, my main goal is to get you out of your clothes…"

I giggled, feeling like a teenager swooning over her complimenting boyfriend. "You didn't answer
my question. Where are we going?"

"Can't a guy romance his girlfriend a little? Geez, baby."

"Okay, okay. I'll stop nagging."

"I'm kidding, sweet girl. I'll tell you if you really want to know…"

"Aw, yeah, and steal your surprise for me. No, I was just kidding."

"I can't wait to see you, Bella."

"Me, too… I'm going crazy even though you just left yesterday." There was a pause of silence
on Edward's end and I worried that he might have fallen asleep, seeing as he sounded so tired.
"My plane lands around eleven o'clock tomorrow. Is that okay? I can catch a cab if I need to."

Responding extremely quickly to my previous statement proved he was indeed awake. "I'll be up,
Bella. Don't even think about getting in a cab."

"Okay, but-"

"But no. I will not have my girlfriend traveling across the country to see me, only to have her get
in a cab. And don't worry about me, baby. I get to sleep in until nine tomorrow, so I'll get plenty of rest."

We continued talking a while longer until Edward started yawning. He was two hours ahead of me
and I needed to remember that so I didn't ever keep him up too late. Just as we were saying our
goodbyes, Edward told me to look under my pillow before I went to sleep. He left a surprise for
me, but I had to wait until I got off of the phone with him.

The second I ended the call, I threw my pillows off the bed, not knowing which one he was
talking about. Under the pillow that Edward slept on was a small blue box. I quickly grabbed it and

pulled the top off. Inside was a sterling silver bracelet with three charms – a heart, an 'E', and a
'B'. I cried as I read the very small inscription on the heart. 'It's yours, always.'

I typed out a small text to Edward, thanking him and once again telling him how much I loved
him. He was too good to me. How did I get so lucky to find someone as great as Edward?

***! !***

Masen #7

I didn't tell Bella how mentally drained I was because she would just worry, but I was utterly tired.
I ran so many drills and worked through so many plays with my teammates all day long and I
would do the same the next day. I was starting on Sunday, though I still had so much to learn
before the game. The second I arrived to meet everyone, my coach handed me a very thick
binder with plays that I needed to learn.

I suddenly felt too old to be doing this. Had I made a mistake?

Talking to Bella cheered me up in more ways than one, mainly because her support never
wavered. She stood behind me and encouraged me throughout everything. I would not have
been able to play again if she wasn't in my life.

I had forgotten to tell her about the surprise under her pillow the night before and was thankful
that I did forget because she sounded like she really needed something to help her sadness.

The next day was busy, once again, and I was thankful when they let us go home at five. Bella
texted me throughout the day, letting me know when her flight was leaving and what she was
doing during her layover.

I picked up things around my new house and unpacked my clothes as I waited for Bella's plane to
arrive. I couldn't wait to see her even though it had just been two days.

I had an assistant that my agent hired for me to help get me situated. She bought some of the
necessary things that I needed, like bedding, so I made my bed and left a small bouquet of
flowers on Bella's side. She loved little things like that, but never expected me to do those
things. The smile I would receive from her was worth being one of those mushy love couples.

Like a crazy man, I paced the kitchen floors, wondering if I should cook dinner for her and have it
waiting, or just pick up something. I didn't know what she would want, but I would imagine that
flying all day would make her hungry. Her plane had a layover in Vegas and she mentioned that
she had a pretzel for dinner, so I was definitely going to feed her a nice dinner.

I cooked up some chicken alfredo and put it up until she arrived, that way she could choose what
she wanted.

God, when did I become one of those over-thinking guys?

Ten o'clock rolled around and it was almost time for her plane to land. I headed out to the airport a
little earlier than needed, but I wanted to make sure that I wasn't late for Bella.

I had to stop myself from skipping after I parked and walked up to the airport. There was a
camera crew by the entrance and I prayed they didn't recognize me. I put my cap on that I
carried, just for times like that. I found a corner chair to sit in, waiting for Bella's text. I was
surprised when, seconds later, I received one from her.

I'm here! :) I'm just getting my bag, so I'll be out there to meet you in a minute. Are you at the
airport now? –B

Of course I'm here, baby. Can't wait to see you. I'm in the waiting area and I'll be looking for
you. Love you. –E

Twenty minutes later, I looked up from the newspaper I was reading and saw Bella searching the
crowd of people for me. I stood from my chair and she was still looking in the opposite direction.
The huge grin on my face grew even more as I neared her.

Standing virtually right beside her, I leaned in, sniffing her sweet scent that I missed so much.
"Hi, baby."

Bella jumped and turned to face me. Tears formed in her eyes almost instantly as she smiled
crookedly. "I missed you!" she whispered loudly as her arms wrapped around my neck.

I planted small, simple kisses on her neck, holding her tightly to my body. "I missed you, too,
baby." Tears fell easily from her eyes and I pulled back to look at her. "Why are you crying?"

"Because… you know…"

"Are you happy, though?"

"I am now," Bella replied, burying her face in my neck.

After a few minutes as our embrace lasted, I noticed we had a few onlookers and some
whispered my name and pointed. It was announced all over the local and national sports news
that I had replaced the Cowboys once loved quarterback during the season. I didn't want my time
with Bella to be interrupted, and if we had stayed there much longer there would have been a scene.

We walked swiftly out to my car, holding each other's hand very tight. Bella noticed a few guys
with a camera walking behind us, so we didn't say a word as I loaded the car with her bag. Once
inside the car, I just grabbed her hand and held it as I maneuvered my way out of the difficult
airport parking lot. There was a long stretch of highway that I had to take back to my house, as it
was a shortcut, rather than driving through the busy Dallas streets.

Still in silence, relishing the fact that my Bella was back with me, I pulled over after a few miles of
driving. The road was deserted and I pulled over enough to keep out of the way. Not saying a
word, I dropped Bella's hand and exited the car, walking around to her side quickly.

As I opened the door, Bella was already unbuckled and ready to step out. I pulled her into my
arms and slammed the door to the car.

"I cannot be apart from you, Bella," I said as I hugged her tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Edward… I was going crazy without you."

I pushed Bella against the car and kissed her passionately. Her hands roamed my chest as she
tried to grind her pelvis into me. My hand slipped beneath her shirt in search of her breasts. I
squeezed them gently as I rocked my covered cock into her, though it ended up pressing against
her stomach. Needing to feel her heat beneath her pants, I reached behind her, grabbing her ass
and lifting her up.

Bella gasped as she felt my eager erection. "I need you, Edward. So badly."

"I know, baby," I groaned as my hand moved between us, cupping her warm pussy in my hand.
"Let's get home. I can't risk some fucking hillbilly seeing my sexy ass girlfriend."

Bella laughed and kissed around my collarbone. "You are so cute."

"Yeah, yeah… and you're fucking hot."

I placed Bella back on the ground and helped her slip back inside my car. On our way back to my
house, we talked about the little things. Bella liked the new car and I was happy that she did
because that was going to be her car for when she was in Dallas, which I hoped would be a lot.

We barely made it inside my door before all of our clothes were shed and I was inside her. I didn't
want it to be rushed, but we both needed a quick release, which would probably happen during
most of our future "reunions".

I carried Bella to my bedroom and laid down with her, holding her close to me. We slept for a few
hours, but Bella soon woke me up in the best way possible. I opened my eyes and a thousand
sensations ran through my body as I realized that Bella was riding me. Fuck, she was a dream
come true.

I had to go meet with the offensive coordinator the next day to go over plays once again. Bella
went with me and watched me practice. I introduced her to some of the other guys that were
there with me and everyone complimented me on being a "lucky ass guy" to have someone like
her. I already knew that, though.

After practice, I showed Bella around Dallas, still learning the town myself. I had been there a
couple of times in the past, but still had no idea how to get around. We ate lunch at a small
restaurant near my house and rented a couple of movies to watch during the day. I also had to
pick up bedding because all of my family would be arriving later that night and the next day – I
didn't want them to have to stay in a hotel when I had plenty of room.

My dad was coming to Dallas as well and I was nervous about seeing him again. He never
approved of my choices and I knew that playing football again would be extremely foolish in his
eyes. He certainly would not approve, considering I was approaching thirty and going back to football.

"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked as we drove back to my house.

"Ah… not much. My dad will be here tomorrow and I really haven't talked to him in a while," I said,
putting the whole situation lightly.

Bella brought my hand to her mouth and kissed it lightly. "Don't worry, he'll be so proud of you
when he sees how great you look out there."

"I wish it was that simple…"

Shifting in her seat to face me, Bella smiled sweetly. "Edward, you are a good man and if your
father can't see that, then it's his loss. I really think that if he just takes a moment to see how you've-"

"But Bella, see that is the problem… he didn't even approve of me being a coach. If I'm not doing
what he dreamed of me doing, which was taking over his firm, then it's not good enough."

"Well, fine… it's his loss."

I chuckled at Bella's attitude because so many times she seemed so shy, but when it came to
defending me, she definitely had a few choice words to say. That was just one of the many things
that I loved about her.

Later that night, Bella and I got ready for our date. I ended up taking her to one of the
restaurants downtown, which was nice because since we had been together, I hadn't really been
able to woo her with a perfect date. After dinner, we stopped by my house so that we could
both change. Bella had a Cowboys shirt on with my name on the back and as much as I loved
seeing that on her, I really wished I could just strip her of the clothes and ravish her at home. But
I had other plans. The next part of our date was to go see a drive in movie. Bella had never been
to one and squealed with excitement when she figured out what we were doing.

And just like all of those old cliché movies, we made out like teenagers during the entire movie.

I lived up to my promise that she wouldn't need clothes when we got back home, though Bella
had on the sexiest undergarments I had ever seen. We made love long and slow that night, both
of us needing that connection because it would be a few days before I would be with her again.

Our family called around midnight to let us know that they were at the airport. I had arranged for
a car to pick them up, so Bella and I got out of bed and dressed so that we would be somewhat
presentable for them.

I was extremely happy to see Seth and show him all of my football gear they sent home with me.
I had a few shirts for him, and even got a lot of the guys to autograph a football for him. I knew
he would love that.

It was really late and everyone was exhausted, so they all went to bed soon after they arrived.
My mother and Esme were arriving the next day, along with my father. I was thankful I had more
time to prepare for his arrival.

I held Bella all night, praying that the next day would go smoothly. The game was going to be
nerve wracking considering I was still learning everything. I didn't know how I would perform
during the game, but I only hoped that I learned what I needed to and that I could remember.

Very early the next morning, I had to get up and do a small workout. Everyone was asleep, or so
I thought. As I walked downstairs, I heard my mother's voice, which was surprising because she
was supposed to arrive later that morning. Not only did I hear hers, but also Esme's and my father's.

"Hi, honey," my mom said as I stood in the entry of the kitchen.

"There's our football player!" Esme squealed, pulling me in for a tight hug.

"Uh… hi," I replied, still shocked to see them there.

My father stood from his chair, holding his cup of coffee and smiling smugly. "Good morning, son."

He may have sounded sincere, but that was just him warming up. "Hi, dad."

***! !***

Please review!

Make sure you stop by the forum where I'll post another teaser during the week... or you can
follow me on Twitter - greeneyedgirl00.

Just a reminder, I'm offering 3 one-shots, first come first serve for The Fandom Gives Back, so
check that site out. ** thefandomgivesback(dot)proboards(dot)com/index(dot)cgi ** You can
pick a one-shot for Falling For You, Illegal Contact or a something new. I love getting new story
ideas so, feel free to put your idea out there.

Have a great week!

Thanks to my awesome beta, Jessica1971. ILY :) Also a big thanks, Tammy, my Twitter girls and
everyone over at the forum. HUGE thanks to my readers and your sweet reviews - I can't thank
you all enough.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I woke up early on Sunday morning, alone and wondering where Edward had gone to. He had
mentioned something about a light morning work out, but I never dreamed it would be at six o'clock.

Jumping up from his comfortable bed, I threw on some clothes and pulled my messy hair into a
ponytail before heading downstairs to start some breakfast for everyone. As I reached the
bottom of the stairs, I could hear Edward and another male's voice in a quiet, uneasy conversation.

Almost instantly, Edward saw me standing by the stairs out of the corner of his eye. "Excuse me,"
he said to the man that he was talking to. The man looked just like Edward, only he had speckles
of gray in his hair. I assumed that was his father, though I thought he was going to arrive later
in the morning. Edward headed towards me with a small smile on his face. "Good morning,
beautiful. I hope I didn't wake you up?"

"Good morning to you, too," I said, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him softly. "And no, you didn't
wake me up. I just couldn't sleep."

"Good…" Edward sighed. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the kitchen where the man
was still standing. "Bella, this is my father, Ed. Dad, this is my girlfriend, Bella."

Behind Ed, I saw Esme and Liz sitting on the bar stools grinning at me.

"Nice to meet you, sir," I said to Edward's father, jutting my hand out towards him.

Ed smiled, but he seemed very tense. His hand met mine as he shook gently. "Nice to meet you,
too, Bella."

"Why don't you go back to bed, baby?" Edward offered as Ed let go of my hand and returned to
the kitchen. "I'm going to go for a quick run, but I'll be back in a bit."

Edward's arms were wrapped tightly around my waist and usually I would feel uncomfortable with
the PDA, especially in front of his parents and aunt, but nothing else mattered at that moment. I
loved being in his arms.

"I'm fine, and plus, I want to make you a good breakfast before you kick…" I paused, feeling so
dumb because I had forgotten who he was actually playing later that afternoon.

Chapter: 21

"Carolina?" Edward chuckled.

"Yes… before you kick Carolina's ass!"

I was trying to be the supportive girlfriend.

"I am so in love with you, Bella Swan," Edward whispered directly in my ear as he pulled me in for a
tight hug. "So much…"

"I love you, too," I replied.

Edward led me into the kitchen as Liz and Esme both stood to hug me. Edward was giving his
father awry glances the entire time and I really didn't know what had happened before I came
downstairs, but whatever it was caused Edward to be slightly pissed off. I hoped that his father
hadn't said anything to cause Edward to doubt himself because he was already doing a good job
of that on his own. He didn't need a parent to tell him anything negative, as that's all he was
doing to himself lately.

As I started mixing up egg yolks for scrambled eggs, Edward announced that he was leaving
briefly for his run. He winked and grinned at me as he left the room. Esme and Liz both squealed
with delight at seeing him be so loving towards me.

Ed made small talk with the older women while I worked away. I didn't really know what to say to
him, and, honestly, I was worried that he wouldn't even approve of me, considering he didn't
approve of anything Edward did. The things I brought along to our relationship could be seen as
conflicts, seeing as I was raising my younger brother; no matter what happened, he would
always come first. I didn't choose to be in that situation, but I wouldn't have changed it for the world.

Everyone soon came down to the kitchen as the smell of bacon filled the house. Edward returned
very quickly and sat down to eat breakfast with all of us. He would be leaving separately from us
and we wouldn't see him until the game was over. That really sucked because the game was late
in the afternoon, which meant right after the game our plane was leaving. Seth and I would get
back home very late and we still had school the next day; it would be rough on us, but it was
worth it. Seth assured me that he would be fine, especially since he usually stayed up all hours of
the night anyway and still had good grades, but I still felt awful for keeping him out so late.

Edward was planning on going back to Seattle with me, but since he still had so much to learn he
had to stay in Dallas. I wouldn't see him again until the Denver game, which would be hard, but I
had to get a grip on myself. I was fine before Edward came along; well, not exactly fine, but I
survived. I just didn't know how nice my life could be until Edward came along, and now I had to
deal with the fact that I wouldn't see him often. When Edward first accepted the job, he told me
that he'd be home for two days after the game, but who were we kidding? There was no way
that would be happening any time soon. I wasn't going to be one of those not so understanding
girlfriends because I knew what his career was going to be like when I encouraged him, but still, it
would be hard.

This two day separation thing… it was nothing compared to what we'd face down the road.

Edward showered and dressed in a Dallas Cowboy t-shirt and sweat pants, and I swear I had
never seen a man who looked sexier than he did right at that moment.

"Take a picture, Swan," Edward laughed as I was caught staring at him.

"Ha ha," I mumbled as I dressed, too. I really had no idea what to wear to his first game. What

did the quarterback's girlfriend usually wear? I laid some of my clothes out on the bed and looked
at them, still questioning myself as Edward stood closely behind me.

Leaning in, breathing deeply, Edward kissed just below my ear. Just a peck, but enough to make
me go insane. "Quit worrying so much, Bella. I can't wait for everyone to see my sexy girlfriend…
as long as they don't try to steal her away from me."

That part. I was going to be on camera, more than likely, per the information that Garrett
provided the previous day. He told me that Edward's new assistant would be meeting with me
during the game to go over a few things, like what I was supposed to say and how I was
supposed to act in front of the cameras, just in case I was approached. This was all so much,
especially for a person that hated to have their picture taken.

Edward had nothing to worry about because the girls were already swooning over him – the
evidence was clear when I googled his name. I got bored the night before and fiddled around on
my laptop after he fell asleep, wondering what Garrett was talking about when he spoke of
Edward's earlier days. Feeling like an awful person because I had held out for so long not looking
at past stories about Edward, I didn't open any of them. I just looked at the new ones and was
completely amazed that women – old, middle aged, college girls, mothers, teenagers – had his
picture already posted on their blog and myspace pages. A few news stories about Edward and
not only were women going crazy, but so were the guys. Edward was the new hope for Dallas.

"I'm wearing that top," I said, pointing to the jersey Edward had ordered for me with his name
and number on it. "Should I wear jeans or shorts? Will it be cool there?"

Edward laughed lightly and kissed my forehead. "Well, it's going to be very hot outside, but you'll
be in one of the suites, so I'm sure you'll be cool. Jeans, I think… mainly because I don't want all
those assholes staring at my baby's legs."

I rolled my eyes playfully as Edward winked. "Yeah, yeah… but why am I in a suite? I thought I'd
have a seat close to the field...?"

"Well, I wanted you to be comfortable and… I don't think you've ever been to an NFL game, but
it's… you'd come in contact with some pushy people, and I just want to make sure you're okay
during the game."

I understood what he was trying to say and he really didn't need another worry to add to his list,
though I knew I would be fine. I really just wanted to be outside, feeling closer to him, but I would
sit wherever he needed me to.

"Thank you for thinking of me," I said sweetly. Standing on my tiptoes, I wrapped my arms around
his neck and kissed him, his tongue immediately slipping inside my mouth to meet my own. As
Edward's hands squeezed my ass, lifting me slightly, I realized that I was still only in my
underwear and t-shirt.

Edward pulled away, whining cutely. "You're killing me…"

After our short but sweet make out session, Edward had to leave. I dressed quickly and walked
him out with everyone else. Garrett was picking him up and I couldn't help but make a face when
I saw that slimy guy. He was the typical asshole, blinded by greed. I hated the way his hair was
slicked back, and I swear to God that man had to have taken hours to get ready. Every time I
saw him, he was always had that 'I'm better than everyone' attitude. I had no idea how Edward
put up with him for so many years.

"Good luck," I whispered into Edward's ear as he hugged me. "I love you, and if I don't get to see
you after the game, don't worry… we'll see each other soon. Call me."

My sudden disappointment that I would not see him as planned was brought on by Garrett's
comments. He made all of us aware that Edward would be in a post game press interview directly
after the game. Edward had planned to go with us to the airport, but he wouldn't have time after
all. I was insanely disappointed, but smiled reassuringly at Edward. He would have started to
doubt his decisions if he thought I was sad or unhappy.

"I love you, too, baby… I promise I will make this up to you."

"Quit!" I smiled, slapping his behind. "Stop feeling bad and get your head into the game, Edward!"

"Sure thing, coach," Edward chuckled as he hugged me one last time.

After Edward left, Carlisle took everyone out for lunch to celebrate Edward's first game. Ed was
quiet throughout lunch and Liz looked conflicted as I was sure that she wanted Ed to support his
son regardless of how much he disagreed with his choices.

Once we arrived at the stadium, we were ushered to our suite which was unbelievable. Soon
after, the players were brought out and the loud and exciting music played to get everyone
pumped up for the game. I think I screamed and cheered out loud when Edward's name was
announced. I was so proud of him and his beaming smile was enough to make me almost cry.

The first half of the game, I cringed most of the time. Edward's offensive line was just not doing
a good enough job of protecting him, causing him to be sacked, or whatever they call it, way too
many times. I prayed constantly that he would not get injured. The hits he had to endure looked
like they would kill him.

All of the men, including Edward's father, yelled out of frustration. Edward was playing extremely
well for his first game; if only some of his teammates played the same, there wouldn't have been
any problems.

I kept wondering when Edward's assistant would be by, but thankfully she never showed up.
That was one less crappy problem I didn't have to deal with.

During the half time show, everyone was silent, our nerves shot as we waited for the team to
come back out on the field. The Cowboys came back and had possession of the ball first, and as if
the coach ripped them a new one during half time, they played so fucking awesome.

Edward threw for forty nine yards, getting a touchdown easily right when the game started back
up. The crowd cheered for Edward and his bright smile did not go unnoticed as he ran off the field.

Three more amazing touchdowns that were a result of Edward's long passes, and the Cowboys
had a big win to be proud of. Cowboy fans were in awe of Edward's "skills" and already
supported him when they saw that he could play under pressure. I mean, these people had to
know that he had just signed the previous week and only practiced a couple of days – who does
that and then wins their first game? As the fans would say, 'EDWARD FUCKING MASEN', that's
who! Yeah, so I was a little fan crazed and cheerful, but my boyfriend had just won his first
football game after not playing for several years.

I was beyond proud.

***! !***

Masen #7

I was speechless after the game and so thrilled to hear the jubilant crowd. As good as it felt to
win, I was still so down that I couldn't see Bella off at the airport. The separation thing was going
to be harder on us than I thought, but not hard enough that it wasn't worth it.

The guys in the locker room were laughing and joking with one another, all of us so happy that we
actually won. I sat down on one of the benches as soon as I got a moment to myself and called Bella.

"YOU WERE SO GREAT!" Bella said loudly into the phone.

I laughed loudly as I heard her sweet voice. "Thanks, baby."

"Are you okay?" Bella questioned, her voice softening. "Because you were hit so hard…"

"I'm fine, Bella. I promise."

"I wish I could give you a massage."

God, how I would love a massage from her. "I might take you up on that when I see you next."

"Good…" she replied and her voice lowered as she whispered, "I miss you already."

"I miss you, too," I answered, not caring if the guys around me were mouthing 'PUSSY' the entire time.

We spoke for a few more minutes before I had to go change for the press conference. Bella
promised me that she would call as soon as she got home and I was so relieved that she had a
direct flight back to Seattle. Though she was very uneasy about it, I booked the flight for her,
choosing the flight and seats. If she had gone with coach, the earliest flight out would have had
two stops and put her back in Seattle way too late – that was unacceptable since she had school
the next day. She was so stubborn sometimes, and I had to remember that for a few years she
never had anyone taking care of her, so it was something new for her when I took care of things.
I loved taking care of her and hoped that I would be able to for the rest of our lives.

After the press conference and the huge mess to get out of the stadium, I was finally back at
home. My parents were there waiting for me, along with Esme and Carlisle. They were staying
there until Tuesday and I loved them, but to be honest it wasn't fair that Bella couldn't be there.

"You did so great, honey!" Liz said cheerfully.

"So proud of you!" Esme said at the same time as my mother.

Carlisle expressed his sentiments and my father simply nodded. Ass. I was used to his attitude,
but after so many years of proving that I could be successful to him, it was never enough.

I was starving since I didn't exactly have anything to eat for most of the day, so Carlisle ordered
all of us some pizza. We made small talk, most of the conversation pertaining to Bella and Seth.
My mother very much loved Bella and thought she was such a good person, which I fully agreed
with. She also loved Seth. Everyone thought he was an amazing kid, and he definitely impressed
my mother.

It was getting late and I finally made my way up to my empty bedroom. I wished more than
anything that Bella was with me. In such a small amount of time, Bella had impacted my life more

than anyone else that I had ever known. I wasn't lying when I said she was my best friend
because it was true; I could talk to her about anything, ask for advice, confide in her with all of
my struggles and worries. She could do the same with me and I would never think differently of
her because of anything that she told me.

I had to figure out a way to see her more.

My plans were to go back to Seattle and at first it seemed so simple that we wouldn't let the
distance get between us, but actually seeing how difficult it was now to spend time together was
a real eye opener. I knew I could handle it, but would our relationship progress even more, or
would we be stuck at this stage where we're wondering what our future will be like together? I had
tried to express my need for Bella to be in my life… for the rest of my life, but I didn't know how
sure she was. I couldn't see myself with anyone else but her.

As I sat on the bed, I noticed something sticking out from underneath my pillow and I immediately
started laughing because she had done something for me like I did for her when I left. I threw the
pillow out of the way and my smile grew at the sight before me.

Bella's lacy red panties.

A picture of us together.

And a small note.

Edward,

I knew the pervert inside you would be excited over these…

But do you see that picture? We look like the happiest, goofiest couple ever. I love you so much
and I already miss you… I wish more than anything that I could stay with you. I hate being apart
from you. Please be safe because I don't know what I'd do without you. I'll call you when we get
to Forks – make sure you get some sleep until then.

Love Always,

Bella

PS – Sorry this is short, but my boyfriend is almost done with his shower… I gotta get ready to
stare at him for a while. ILY.

I read her small note many times, picking it apart, wondering if she ever considered staying in
Dallas with me. Were those subtle hints Bella was leaving for me?

I took a shower, taking care of my problem that Bella was not there to help me with. Just picturing
her in the underwear that she left fucking killed me. For a fairly shy person, Bella definitely did
something bold. I loved that she felt open and comfortable to do fun and sexy things with me.

After my shower, I was insanely bored and wishing I could talk to Bella. Unfortunately, that
boredom did not last long because my stupid agent and the assistant he hired for me showed up.
Talking to them was the last thing I wanted to do.

"Edward, Heidi is going to handle things here on out, regarding appearances, interviews, and
such… I've got to go back to LA for a bit, but I will be in Denver."

Heidi, my assistant, was already very flirty with me and I was determined to make her realize that
there would never be anything between us. I knew that Garrett picked her for one purpose only,
which was to try and tempt me. Years ago, the woman who started out as my assistant, Irina,
managed to tempt me and turn my life upside down. He picked the worst of the worst; not the most
skilled or the best person to do the job, but the sexiest and bitchiest.

Besides, tall, skinny blonde model types did nothing for me. I was all for the big brown eyes and
long dark haired girl that I fell in love with months ago.

"Okay, well, I hope you already set up accommodations for my girlfriend to be at the game. If
not, please do so as soon as possible. She'll be staying with me in my hotel room, so she won't
need a room, but I do want a rental car there at the airport waiting for her just in case for some
reason I'm not there, which isn't likely," I added, just to let Heidi know Bella was my main priority.
"She's able to leave around six or seven from Seattle, so if you could get that flight set up… and
on Saturday my family, along with her brother, will be arriving, so we'll need five hotel rooms
booked." Bella wasn't going to come until Saturday with everyone else, but Seth, being the very
supportive brother that he is, insisted that Bella leave on Friday. He had his usual game on Friday
night and Bella felt bad because she had missed the last one, but Seth didn't mind; he had the
Cullen clan, which was practically family for him, cheering in the stands.

Emmett, Jasper and the girls were coming, along with Seth, Carlisle and Esme early Saturday
morning. My parents had to be at a conference in Florida, which my mother was so upset over,
but I understood.

Heidi was writing everything down on her notepad as I spoke. "Okay, and your girlfriend… will she
be attending the dinner with you on Saturday night?"

The crew from ESPN was taking a few people from the team to dinner on Saturday night after our
interview – I just happened to be one of the unlucky ones, but I supposed this was what I signed
up for after all.

"Of course," I replied dryly.

"Will I need to purchase something appropriate for her to wear?" Heidi questioned.

Fuck no. "No, thank you. She already has something more than appropriate to wear."

"Yes, sir," Heidi mumbled.

I turned to Garrett with an obvious glare on my face. "Are we done here? I'm really fucking tired and
it's late."

"Absolutely, Edward. You were so fucking great today. Keep it up and we're on our way to the
Super Bowl."

I once again mumbled a goodnight to my parents, Esme, and Carlisle before going back to my
bedroom. I wondered what my mother thought of Heidi, knowing that the skank-like woman
would remind her of Irina. I only hoped that she would know I would never fall for someone like
that again. I had Bella and nothing would ever change that.

One I was in my room, I pulled off most of my clothes and flopped down on the bed, lying on my
stomach and clutching the sexy red material that was left behind from Bella. What seemed like a
short while later, my phone rang as Bella finally called me. I shot up out of bed to get my phone
off of the nightstand and noticed how very late it was. Bella and Seth were only going to get

maybe two or three hours of sleep. Fuck, they were going to be exhausted for school the next day.

"Hi!"

"Hi," I answered groggily. I didn't mean to fall asleep, but my body was exhausted. "Did you make
it home okay?"

"Yeah, we just walked in. How are you feeling?"

"Good, just tired," I replied as Bella started to interrupt. "But not too tired to talk to you."

"I miss you, Edward."

"Miss you, too, baby. I wish you were here in bed with me."

"God, I wish that, too, Edward… so much."

"Though I don't think we'd be getting much sleep." My voice instantly lowered, sounding husky almost.

"I don't think so, either…"

"Yeah, because this pervert has been dying over the underwear that his girlfriend left behind
purposely to cause him harm."

Bella giggled and I wished more than anything I could see her smile. "Well, I aim to please…"

"Oh, and yes, you definitely please, baby." If the two of us weren't yawning between every
other word, I would have suggested phone sex because that really was the only way we could be
intimate during our time apart. Everything in our relationship wasn't based on sex, but there was
no use in us denying our attraction for one another. "I think we should go to bed. You sound so
tired and you have school in the morning…"

"I guess so… maybe we can do this tomorrow night?"

I almost choked, wondering if she was thinking what I was thinking.

"You know… talk a while longer."

Damn. I was one horny bastard. "You bet your hot ass we will talk a while longer," I chuckled as
Bella laughed, too. Maybe if I teased she would get the hint. "Until then, I'll have to just picture
you in my head, only wearing these sexy panties." I couldn't be blunt with her because while she
was used to me being a horny ass most of the time, I was still the sweet talker with her.

"Hm… you're going to picture me wearing the panties and not completely naked instead? That's
how I picture you," Bella said, her voice sounding so sexy, but still a little on the shy side. I held in
the laugh, just picturing her face turning a beet red color.

"Baby…" I groaned. "You're killing me, and now I have to go to sleep with this thing in the way."

"What thing, Edward?" Her voice was even deeper, and she was really trying to push me now.

"My cock, Bella. I am always hard for you and you're making it even worse."

Bella giggled sweetly. "Well… do something about it, Edward."

"Not now… tomorrow night when we have more time, we're definitely picking back up on this
conversation, Swan."

"That's something to look forward to."

Her reply alone almost made me come. Holy shit, I was going to have phone sex with my fucking
sexy girlfriend tomorrow night. "I love you, Bella."

"Love you, too, Edward. Call me when you can tomorrow."

"I will, baby. I hope you sleep well and call me anytime if you need anything."

"Kay. Good night."

As the call ended, I wondered if this would ever get easier – being thousands of miles away from
my girlfriend, feeling alone, and saying goodbye to her, the one person that I needed the most.

***! !***

:) Like it? Review please.

-- Throughout the story, I am going to stick mostly to the Cowboys schedule, but I may change up
the times and possible location of the game, just a warning. Believe me, I have an addicted
husband in the house that knows all things regarding the Cowboys, so yes, we do have the
Cowboys schedule posted in our office that has one side decorated with Cowboys stuff and the
other side decorated with girly stuff... I am just trying to make the schedule work with my FF
story. Just wanted to put that out there.. :)

A teaser will be posted on The Fictionators for Teaser Monday and I'll post another one over on
the forum soon.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

*---FicRecs---*

Breaking Trinity by VvDeadRosesvV

Fourteen by crimsonmarie

I have a long list of ficrecs that I'm working through and I just wanted to thank you all so much for
the recommendations. If you have any more, please send them my way! Thanks :)

Huge thanks to my awesome beta, Jessica1971 and to all of you for your awesome reviews – I
am amazed by you all and love you guys so much!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I once again had another long and boring week without Edward around. We did try to make the
best of our time by watching movies together over the phone, of course, and we attempted
phone sex, though I had a hard time spitting out the words cock and pussy. Sure I could write
about it and think it, but actually saying it, well, I thought my face was going catch fire.

Since phone sex wasn't working and we really wanted to be "intimate" with one another, Edward
thought it'd be better if we had a webcam to talk to each other. You know, so he could actually
see my flaming red face as I listened to him describe very eloquently what he wanted to do with
my body. So I shouldn't have been surprised Thursday night when there was a knock on the door
from FedEx with a fairly small package for me.

The package contained a brand new lap top with a webcam installed. He couldn't have just
bought me an actual webcam? Had to go all out with a whole new computer?

After staring at the new computer sitting beside its empty box, I decided to call Edward.

"Hi, baby," Edward answered after the first ring.

"You have got some explaining to do… a computer? Seriously, Edward?"

"Well, I… you needed a new one anyway and… we have matching ones now." That was his excuse?

Unable to hold in the laughter, I let go and rubbed my jaw that was now hurting from smiling so
widely. "You are unbelievable. Matching computers… Alice? Was this her idea? Has she
brainwashed you or something?"

"Haha, very funny, Swan. I just wanted to do something to impress my fuckhot girlfriend. Got a
problem?" he asked with a chuckle, though being very serious at the same time.

"I love you… and I've missed you today. So much." We hadn't been able to talk because I was
insanely busy with school and Edward didn't get out of practice until late in the evening. He was
leaving Dallas in the morning, but had to meet with different reporters and such.

"I love you, too. Today has been such a shitty day."

"Bad practice?"

"Eh, just so much shit to go over and… I'm thinking about getting a new agent. I've been with
Garrett for so long, and the main reason I was with him before was because he was an

Chapter: 22

established agent in the field and could really get me out there, you know… exposure and all that
shit." Edward's grumbling voice showed that he was really angrier than he was letting on. And the
fact that he rarely cursed unless it was during sex, which was such a fucking turn on. "Anyway,
it's going to be difficult finding someone new, but I'm going to."

"What happened?" I asked softly, knowing he wasn't telling me everything.

Sighing loudly and shifting around, Edward began to tell me what was going on. "He fucking tries
to get in all of my business and I think he wants me to look like some jackass that isn't ready to
act my age. I mean, I'm almost thirty fucking years old and he… baby, I just, I'm sick of this. It
was a mistake playing again. I never should have come out here."

"Edward, don't say that. You're a great football player and you need to stop doubting yourself. I
don't really know what you're getting at when it comes to Garrett, but if he pissed you off this
much, then start looking for another agent. I mean, do you even need an agent? I don't know
about these things, but regardless, do whatever makes you happy." Edward was quiet, so I
continued. "Maybe you should talk to Garrett about your issues before you let him go… since
you've worked with him for so long, and if he screws up again, then drop him."

"You're right. You're always right, Bella. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that because I'll always be here for you."

"I can't wait to see you," Edward said, his voice sounding so broken.

"Same here… we are not leaving that hotel room until absolutely necessary."

"Gah, you just want me for my body, baby."

"Shut up," I laughed. His voice was finally getting a little life inside it, instantly making me feel at ease.

Suddenly, Edward's breathing picked up and he let out a small groan.

"What are you doing? Everything okay?"

Edward let out a low, deep laugh. "Fine, baby. I'm just…"

"Just what…?"

"I need you."

"I need you, too."

"I want to make love to you, baby. God, I don't know if I'll be able to keep my hands off of you
before we get to the hotel room."

I blushed at the thought of Edward pulling off of the highway, maybe to a little side road hidden
behind the trees, and taking me in the backseat. "So don't…"

"Mmm… Bella," Edward breathed. "The first time might be fast, but I promise I'll make love to you
all night if you want me to."

Timidly, my hand slid beneath my shorts as I could imagine what Edward was doing on the other
end of the line. "I want to fall asleep with you inside me. Is that even possible?"

A small whimper, or moaning sound, escaped Edward. "Baby, yes… fuck. Yes, I want to stay in
your warm pussy all night. After you ride me, I just want you to lie down on my chest so I can
hold you all night. I want you so bad, Bella."

I was extremely wet, drenched actually, just from hearing his voice and his dirty words. My legs
shook as my finger stroked where I so badly needed Edward to be. "Edward, are you…?"

"Yes, baby. I'm stroking my cock, wishing it was your hand wrapped around me. Is that what
you'd be doing if you were here?"

"No," I answered quickly, letting out a strangled moan as I touched my most sensitive area. "I'd…
have you in my mouth. Your hands tangling in my hair as I tried to fit all of you in my mouth."

"Baby," Edward moaned, his breathing picking up even more. "No matter how much of an ass this
makes me sound, I love seeing your pretty mouth wrapped around my cock."

"I love when you control my head, Edward. Next time I want you to move your hips, pushing
inside my mouth… you holding my head, moving me at the pace that you need."

"You want me to fuck your sexy mouth, baby?"

"Yes," I moaned, nearing my orgasm with every dirty word that came out of his mouth.

Edward chanted my name several times, and I did the same, saying his name over and over until
my legs shook as I reached my release. When Edward moaned 'I'm coming', I was on fire and
wishing more than anything that I could be with him right at that second.

We were silent for the next few minutes, just breathing into the phone, not really knowing what
to say. As I said before, our previous attempts at phone sex always ended with us laughing at
my shyness, still leaving us both unsatisfied, but this… this was amazing.

"Baby? You didn't fall asleep on me, did you?"

"No," I squeaked. "I'm here…"

"Good. You are so fucking sexy, Bella."

"You're not so bad either," I whispered, giggling quietly because I just felt giddy for some reason.

"Get some sleep, sweet girl. You will not be getting any sleep tomorrow night, so be prepared."

"Oh, a threat, huh?"

"Yes, ma'am. I love you, Bella."

"Love you, too. Sleep well."

I waited on the line for Edward to hang up, but he didn't. This was our usual dilemma at night.
Neither of us would hang up, both begging for the other one to do it. It was our little immature
quirk of a long distance relationship, I guess.

"Hang up, Edward. I had to last night… it's only fair that you do it now."

"Okay. On the count of three…"

We would never tell anyone about this small part of our relationship, but ending our phone calls
was hard. Edward and I went from spending almost every night together as friends, but knowing
we'd see each other the next day, and now we were in a very committed relationship, only we
wouldn't see each other the next day. However, tonight was different. I would see him the next
day. I would see him in the next twenty four hours and I kept reminding myself that I didn't have
to go another week before I saw him again.

~*~

My flight went smoothly and when it landed I turned my cell phone back on to find that I had a
few messages from Edward. His flight had been delayed and he was probably going to end up
getting there at the same time as me. I checked the flight arrivals and found that Edward's plane
was set to arrive very soon, so I made my way over to the gate that he would be exiting and
took a seat in the small waiting area, looking out the window.

To tide myself over while waiting, I got my small make up bag out and did a few touch ups,
wondering how Edward could find me attractive. Seriously. My hair was flat, my face was pale,
except for my flushed cheeks, and my eyes were almost dilated from lack of sleep – I looked like
shit. I didn't really compare myself to other women before because I really had no reason to; I
was fine with my appearance and I still was now. However, my extremely handsome boyfriend
was always going to be surrounded by extremely attractive women that would stop at nothing to
have him.

I put away my things when I saw Edward's plane land. What seemed like hours later, people
started to exit the plane. I stayed in my seat until I saw Edward walk out, looking so
breathtakingly handsome. I stood and gathered my things, but when I looked up, I noticed that
Heidi was following close behind him. Edward looked annoyed and Heidi just looked… well, to be
honest, she looked like a slut. Who wears stiletto heels and a shirt tight enough to choke your
cleavage to death for a flight?

Edward didn't see me as he pulled out his phone. Heidi was saying something to him, but Edward
continued looking at his phone, effectively ignoring her. Seconds later, my phone buzzed with a
text as I felt like a huge moron, distantly following my boyfriend.

I'm here baby and I need you more than ever. I'm coming to find you now. Love you, E

I trusted Edward more than any other person I had ever met and I knew there was never a
reason to suspect that he'd want someone else. Just knowing that slutty Heidi could possibly
have been putting moves on him all night, only to get an annoyed reaction out of him as he tried
to contact me, made me felt ecstatic.

Stop. Turn around and look behind you. Love you, B

I watched Edward, only able to see his back and barely able to see that much of him as the
crowd was thick. He stopped suddenly, seconds after I sent my text to him, and turned around
just as I finally reached him. Heidi was still walking, not realizing that Edward had stopped.

Without saying a word, Edward wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly to his body. It
was cliché, like something out of a movie, the way he held me with people grumbling as they tried
to move past us. I didn't care at all, though. I had just gone through the longest separation
from Edward since I met him and now I was finally with him and things were right again.

"God, Bella… I missed you so much," Edward breathed into my hair, his lips brushing my ear as he sp

"I missed you, too." My arms instinctively tightened around him.

Placing a sweet kiss on my cheek, Edward pulled away and grinned. "Why didn't you say
anything, baby? I didn't know you were behind me."

Edward moved us over to the side, close to the wall so that we weren't in the way of others. "I
just… I thought you might be busy or something, so I was just going to call you."

"I'm never too busy for you… don't you understand that, Bella?"

"Yes," I said, nodding my head because I truly believed him. He would drop anything to be with me.

Our quiet moment was interrupted by the shrill voice that belonged to Heidi. "Edward, where did
you run off-"

Edward's back was to her as he held me close to his chest. She stopped talking when she made
her way around him to find me.

"I wasn't really paying attention, Heidi," Edward replied curtly to her. "Besides… I found what I
was looking for."

I couldn't have been more proud right at that moment as she had defeat written across her face.

***! !***

Masen #7

Bella and I eventually left the airport after being hounded by a few people wanting to take a
picture with me. I was polite, but declined their requests. My main goal was to be alone with Bella.

After Heidi arranged for our rental, she took a taxi to the hotel while I chose, of course, to be with
Bella. It was just beginning to snow when we exited the airport and I drove very cautiously
through the town and I really had no idea where I was going. Bella was busy entering the hotel
address in the GPS system to help us get there. I had planned on pulling over somewhere to
ravish my sexy girlfriend, but it fucking had to snow…

Thankfully, the hotel was not too far away from the airport and I managed to get us there in one
piece. Bella breathed a sigh of relief as we pulled into the hotel parking lot.

"I love you, Edward."

I smiled widely at hearing those words that I valued more than anything.

"I love you, too."

I asked Bella to stay in the car while I grabbed our things. Once that was done, I went around to
her side of the car to help her out. The ground was very slick, so I was sure to hold her close to
me, not that I needed that excuse anyway.

Check in was quick and I denied the request for the concierge to carry our things to the room.
The need to have Bella alone was bursting at the seams. Once inside the elevator, I dropped the
bags to the floor and pressed her against the wall, kissing her passionately as my hands gripped

her sides. Bella moaned and I groaned as the elevator dinged, stopping on our floor.

I pulled away from Bella reluctantly and grabbed our things as she led us to the room. Her shaky
hands fiddled with the key card to get it working while my mouth found her neck, nibbling gently.

As I pressed myself into her backside, I had a few faint memories flash before me, déjà vu of a
previous encounter I had with Bella. Groaning aloud, I remembered my drunken night with her,
regretting that I was "pushy" with her.

Sensing my uneasiness, Bella stiffened as she turned towards me, my arms still wrapped loosely
around her. "What's wrong, Edward?" Her small hand ran through my hair as she stared at me
with worried eyes.

"I kind of remember that night…" I tried explaining without further embarrassing myself, but she
looked at me, still confused by my sudden behavior. "That night, Bella."

"Oh," Bella grinned. "Why are you so upset then?"

"Because Bella… what if I had… well, you know…"

"Kept going? Pushed me against the wall? Stripped off my clothes?" Throughout her questioning
she giggled softly.

I chuckled and bowed my head, nuzzling the crook of her neck. "Bella Swan, always the joker."

"Well, I was kind of looking forward to my boyfriend," Bella began speaking in a quiet voice, but
tiptoed to move her mouth closer to my ear, whispering extremely low, "fucking me against the
door possibly?"

I pulled away and stared into her eyes, shocked by her boldness because, frankly, she was
amazing me with how open she was being with me every day.

"Or the wall?" Bella giggled nervously.

Grinning wickedly, I kissed the sensitive skin beneath her ear. "Or the shower…?"

Wrapping her arms tight around my neck as we still stood out in the hallway, Bella kissed along my
jaw, nodding her head. I dropped the bags I had in my hands and picked her up, situating Bella
to wrap her legs around my waist. She let out a small squeak as I pushed her against the door,
gently sucking near her collarbone.

"This good, baby?" I grunted.

"Edward…" Bella breathed. "We're going to put on a show for the other guests if you don't take
me inside the room right now." The seriousness of her voice did not go unnoticed by me.

I pushed the door open, still holding Bella firmly against me as I kicked our bags inside the room. I
wasn't about to put her down just yet. The lights were off and I couldn't find the switch, so I
stumbled my way over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Bella moved back and forth on my
lap, creating the friction that we both needed as I discarded our shirts to the floor.

I pushed Bella off of my lap abruptly and yanked her pants down along with her barely there
panties. Just a slight lift of my body and Bella had pulled my pants down as well, freeing my aching
cock from its confines.

No words were spoken as I pulled her back into my lap, straddling me as her pussy rubbed
against me. "Fuck me," I groaned before kissing Bella hard, our tongues pressing firmly against
one another.

Bella broke our kiss and smiled. "That's what I'm trying to do." My hands gripped her hips tightly
and I started to loosen the grip as I worried that I might be hurting her, but she noticed right
away. Placing her hands over mine, Bella lifted her body, looking down between us as she
lowered herself down my length. "Show me what you want, baby."

"You, Bella… just like this, baby," I said, my breathing erratic as I guided her up and down.

With most women, this would be a fuck and I would be ready for bed afterwards; but with Bella,
yes we were frantically fucking, however, going to sleep was the last thing on my mind when we
were finished. We made love late into the night, each time better than the last. I wondered how
that was even possible, but with Bella, of course, it was.

***

I had to spend most of Saturday with my teammates. We were locked inside a huge conference
room that the hotel had as we practiced a few plays. Bella couldn't believe we were actually
practicing inside, but Emmett assured her this was a normal thing for NFL teams. We couldn't
exactly go practice at Arrowhead stadium. Once practice was over, I spent a small amount of
time with my family before Bella and I had to get ready for dinner.

Bella looked gorgeous as ever, wearing a dark gray strapless dress that ended just above her
knees. Her long dark hair was pulled up into a twist with a few loose strands pushed behind her
ears. Seeing her bare neck just about killed me. I was actually nervous about all those horny ass
men seeing her tonight, worrying that one of them might try to steal her away from me.

Heidi stopped us in the hotel lobby to make sure we knew where we were going and to inform me
that Garrett would be here in the morning. Like I cared. I was still furious with the way he was
treating me and trying to portray an image of what he wanted me to be. I don't think Garrett
was outwardly telling me to get rid of Bella, but he kept saying that the more I looked like a
single man and ready to have fun with people, the more exposure I got, which meant more
exposure for the Cowboys. I pretty much brushed off his simple comment by making it known to
him that Bella would be everywhere I went, and if she wasn't with me, there had better be a
fucking phone so that I could keep in contact with her.

Dinner went well and everyone was impressed with Bella. She laughed at all of their jokes and
even came up with a few of her own. I loved her gracefulness and willingness to do anything
with me. She was so supportive of everything I did and I really needed someone like her in my
life. I prayed that one day I could marry her… one day soon.

"My, my… Edward Masen! You have been in another world lately," Bella whispered as I held her
arm while walking out of the restaurant. "Nervous about tomorrow?"

I kissed her forehead and moved my arm to wrap it around her waist. "Nah, it's not that… I just…
love you, Bella."

"I love you, too," she replied apprehensively, probably wondering what was going on in my
fucked up head.

"You know you are my life, Bella? The only woman I will ever love?"

Bella nodded slowly as we stopped walking. Her eyes gazed into mine and I moved to stand in
front of her. "You're stuck with me for the rest of your life. Just thought you should know so you
can start preparing yourself."

Bella let out a small laugh. "I'm more than enough prepared."

The next day came and my mind was somewhere else, nowhere near the game that I needed to
be focused on. I kept thinking of the woman that I loved, sitting in her box seat, probably
worrying her ass off about me. I was hit so many times during the game that I actually lost count.

Needless to say, we lost that game. We all played like shit and though I felt responsible just for
my lack of effort, my teammates assured me that it wasn't just me. Losing a game, however, was
really fucking bad because of the fact that I had to go back to Dallas the next day. I had planned
on flying back with Bella to spend Monday and Tuesday with her, but we were informed right
after the game in our brief team meeting that everyone would be flying back to Dallas together
and we had to be at the practice field at nine o'clock the next day.

I sulked as I walked down the hallway to my hotel room. Bella and my family had left the stadium a
while before I was able to, so she was going to be waiting for me. As I walked in, my heart was in
my throat as I saw her sitting on the end of the bed. Her eyes were hopeful, but quickly turned
to sadness as she came to the realization that, again, it would be another week until we saw each oth

"I, uh… have to go back to Dallas tonight."

"It's okay," Bella choked out as her eyes were glued to the floor beneath her.

"It's not, baby," I said as I rushed over to her, kneeling between her legs. "I'm sorry."

"Edward, it's your job," Bella sighed, kissing my forehead. "Of course I'll miss you and wish you
were going with me," she said softly as a tear fell down her cheek, "but I support you
completely. What you need to be focusing on is getting some rest, because your coach did not
look happy."

"He wasn't," I replied dryly. "That doesn't matter to me, though. I hate leaving you."

"I love you, Edward, and I will be fine. You'll be fine. I'll talk to you throughout the week and we'll
see each other next weekend."

"You're so… understanding, Bella. I love you."

I helped Bella pack up her things as she had to leave very quickly. Once I said my goodbyes to my
family and Bella, I headed back up to the room to gather my things. Heidi waited down in the
lobby for me, but soon realized that I was going to ride on the charter bus with my teammates, so
she left. The sooner she was gone, the better.

The entire way back home, I kept thinking about what I would do the next week. I played Kansas
City on Sunday, but after that I was done for an entire week. It would be our bye week, which
meant I would get to spend that time with Bella. I knew she would have to work, but I could make
the best of our time in Forks. I didn't care where I was as long as I was with her.

***! !***

Like it? Review please!

The next chapter will be posted on Tuesday 11/24 and I'll post a teaser this weekend on the
forum, plus there will be one on The Fictionators on Monday.

I know that some of you are ready for some HF/angst because the distance thing can only last so
long, but it's coming – I just wanna have fun with them for a little while. ;)

Hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy watching New Moon – my showing is at 12:02 AM
and I am so freaking excited! :) Have you guys seen the trailer for Remember Me? Looks so good
– check it out!

Happy Thursday!

:) Big thanks to my awesome beta, Jessica1971. She is always super quick at getting these
chapters back to me, so send some Twitter-Tweet love her way.

I can't thank you all enough for the reviews, as well as your sweet words during this tough time
for me. Love you guys and hope you all have a great and safe Thanksgiving!

So did you guys like New Moon? How many times did you go see it? I fucking loved it, got even
sicker standing out in the freezing cold wind with my hubs at midnight with the annoying
Jacob-lovers (Come on people...), and due to a death in the family, I haven't gotten to see it a
second time (feel like such a bitch for even saying that..). Anyway, I am definitely going to see it
again, tomorrow I hope! :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

My week after getting back from Denver was tough. I wasn't feeling too good on our way home,
but quickly dismissed it, thinking my body was just aching for Edward. So fucking cheesy, but
true. Some nights away from him, I'd cry like a big freaking baby until I fell asleep. Anyway, this
time it wasn't just me making myself sick over missing him so much.

I was diagnosed with having a bad case of the flu on Tuesday night. Alice and Jasper practically
dragged me to the hospital to get checked out by Carlisle. I was so sick that I could barely stand
on my own and couldn't really keep anything down. Carlisle feared I was going to become
dehydrated and wanted someone to stay with me. Alice and Jasper had been trying to get
pregnant, so I knew they couldn't be around me, and Emmett and Rose both had weak stomachs,
so being around a nauseated sick person would not work out for them.

That left Esme. She worried about me like my own mother would, and since she already had her
flu shot, she demanded that I allow her to take care of me. I ended up staying over at her house
while Carlisle stayed over at my house to be with Seth. Seth could have stayed by himself, but
Carlisle wanted some bonding time with him. He, like everyone else, kept trying to make me realize
that if I did happen to move to Dallas, Seth would be fine living with Carlisle and Esme. Seth even
hinted that I should consider it. I couldn't, though. I wanted to be with Edward so badly, but I
had already let my parents down before when I stayed in Arizona rather than moving back home,
and I wasn't going to let my own wants get in the way of family again.

But Edward was my family. He was, and I didn't feel crazy to admit that. Edward knew me better
than anyone else, even though we had only known each other for not even six months. I was torn.

Esme was at the hospital within minutes when she heard what was wrong with me, and it was on
her way there that she did the demanding to take care of me. I pleaded with Jasper and Alice to
leave until they finally gave in. I didn't want them to be around me in case Alice was pregnant or
something. It was something that she wanted more than anything, and after two failed

Chapter: 23

pregnancies, I didn't want to be the cause if something went wrong.

Carlisle was able to leave early and called Seth to ask what kind of pizza he wanted. Esme drove
me to her house and settled me into bed before going to my house to pick up some clothes and
things. Esme was babying me so much. To be honest, it felt kind of good, although it made me
miss my mother even more. Twenty seven years old and I still needed my mother…

I hugged the pillow next to me as I closed my eyes, thinking about what I would say to Edward.
It was only the flu, and I wasn't dying from it, but Edward would flip out over something that
small. Since he couldn't be there to take care of me, he'd feel like a failure and be mad at himself
once again for making the decision to play football again. Lately, that was all Edward thought
about – thinking he made the wrong choice.

I didn't think Edward made the wrong choice, even though I missed him so much. Seeing him out
there, people cheering for him because he was such a great player, and unlike some cocky
players, he was humbled over the experience. And when they lost their last game, even though
some of the other teammates didn't play to the best of their ability and didn't protect Edward from
getting hit to an extreme level, he still praised the guys he played with. "At the end of the day,
it's only a game. The things that matter in life, like family, well, football is nothing compared to
them." That's what he told the reporter during the press conference after the game. Emmett sent
the YouTube video to me the day after we got back and I probably watched it thirty times at
least. The love in Edward's eyes showed how wonderful of a man he is.

Lying in bed, Alice's old bed that I spent many sleepovers in, I thought back to my childhood and
wished so much that I had met Edward back then. There is no telling where we would be today if
I had met him when we were growing up. I imagined meeting him when he came to visit for a
holiday and instantly falling for him. Edward always told me that I would have hated him back
then because he was a jerk to all women, but I still think there would have been something
different that I would have seen in him.

A jerk. That's what he kept describing himself to be during his younger days. I knew what he
meant, though. A man-whore.

Did it bother me that Edward was with so many women that he probably lost count? No, because
that was his past, not the present. Did I feel threatened by his previous relationships? Absolutely
not. Did the fact that Garrett picked Heidi to be Edward's personal assistant, having an
underlying reason for it, worry me? No. However, when I say no, that means that I trust
Edward, not Heidi. I could clearly see Heidi lusting after my boyfriend and just knowing that
nitwit was able to spend more time with Edward than I did pissed me off beyond words.

My phone buzzed with a call just as I was about to drift off to sleep.

"Hello?" I answered, not bothering to look at the screen to see who it was.

"Bella? Baby? Are you okay?" Frantically breathing, I could tell Edward was worried, which meant
he spoke to someone in Forks.

"I'm fine…" I answered, upset because I didn't want him to find out. He lost his previous game
and I knew from experience what would happen if he lost the next one – he'd have to go back to
Dallas, which I did not want happening. "I promise."

"Bella, you have the flu," Edward said, his tone somewhat exasperated. "And I'm not there to
take care of you like I should be…"

"Edward, I'm fine. Really."

"Yeah, how so, baby? Because from what I heard you had been feeling bad since leaving Denver,
but you're just now getting checked out? Come on, Bella… Carlisle is a doctor, it's not like-"

Tired of him being upset that I didn't get checked out sooner, I interrupted. "I didn't go because
I knew you would flip out if you found out, and whoever told you is in big ass trouble when I do
find out who it was. I knew you would freak out over this and it's not that serious."

"Do you know how many people are dying from the flu? Especially when it goes untreated?"

"Um, for healthy adults, the number is extremely low and the last I checked, I am very healthy."

"Very healthy, but very fucking stubborn…" Edward mumbled dryly.

I was sick and coincidentally missing him like crazy; the last thing I wanted to do was fight. "I am
going to take a nap now, Edward. I'll call you in a little while." I wasn't really tired, but I knew if
we continued he would continue beating himself up over our current situation.

"Bella," Edward sighed, drawing out my name. "I'm sorry, baby. I just hate that I'm not there to
take care of you."

"I know, and I wish you were here, but you can't be so there isn't anything we can do about it, so
don't get any crazy ideas in your head." I was fully aware that he would do something insane like
book the next flight out of Dallas just to spend a few hours with me.

Emse walked into the room, smiling warmly as she placed a tray with soup on it beside me, along
with a bag filled with some of my things from home.

"Edward, Esme just got back and brought some soup for me, so I'll call you in a little bit, okay?"

Esme tensed as she realized who I was talking to, which only meant one thing – she either told
Edward or she knew who did, and she knew exactly how he would react.

"Okay…" he finally said with a pained voice. "Please call me if you need anything."

"You'll be the first to know."

As soon as I ended the call, Esme began explaining that Carlisle and Seth thought it was
necessary to call Edward because they knew he'd want to know and I would definitely try to keep
it from him. I understood where they were coming from, but they just didn't understand how
worried he would be. The week before, I jammed my finger in the door and he freaked out over
that. So for me to have the flu, it was like the end of the world for him.

Esme and I laughed over Edward's worrying nature when it came to me, and for once in my life it
felt good to have someone constantly looking out for me. I didn't allow my parents to express
their worries about me and I never took their concerns under consideration while I was away at
school; I will always regret that. All they ever wanted to do was care for me, surround their whole
life around me, and I didn't let it happen.

Tears started to form in my eyes as I thought back to the week before they died; my mother was
begging me to come home early for Thanksgiving, but being the horrible daughter that I was, I
acted like a brat and told her that I would be there on Thanksgiving day, flying back to Arizona
the next day. I let a few bad high school experiences keep me away from my parents. My mother

died knowing that I wouldn't even consider spending some extra time with her during the holidays.

My throat constricted as I held in the sobs, and the only thing that would make me feel better was
talking to Edward. I needed him so much that I couldn't breathe.

Esme must have sensed my discomfort as she made up the excuse that she needed to clean,
though there was really nothing to clean in her spot free house. As soon as the door closed, I
picked up the phone and dialed Edward.

"Hi, baby," Edward answered on the first ring.

"Hi," I replied, my voice low, almost hoarse.

"Did you rest at all?"

"Yeah." I lied, pausing for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain what I was feeling
without making him feel guilty for not being here with me. I decided to keep it simple. "I just miss
you so much..."

"Baby, I miss you, too. You have no idea… I would be on a plane within the hour if you'd let me.

"You can't, though. We both know that."

"So you would want me there if I could?"

"Of course, Edward. I hate being apart from you."

"Me, too. I knew the separation was going to be hard, but I never thought it would be this bad."

I sniffled quietly as the tears started to flow. I usually tried to keep my emotions in check, but I
guess since I was sick and feeling terrible, I started to feel sorry for myself.

"Bella… baby, what's wrong?"

"I… I just started thinking about my parents. I have so many regrets with them, and I don't want
to make that same mistake with you. I want you to always know how much I love you."

"I do, baby. I really do. I've never had the kind of love you give to me, and I don't think I could
live without it. And your parents knew how much you loved them, Bella. You were young, and just
starting your career… they knew you were busy with that."

"I just never showed them enough, and then they were gone… and I couldn't do anything about it."

I could imagine what Edward was doing right at that moment, probably pulling at his hair or
rubbing the back of his neck. "I am not going anywhere, Bell. Like I said before, I don't have a life
without you in it, and yes, we've only been together for a month now… I disagree with that
because you were a permanent fixture in my life from the moment I first met you. I would marry
you right now if you would agree to it."

Edward always knew the right things to say, and I completely believed every word he said to me.
That wasn't the first time he'd mentioned marriage to me and the thought really was so tempting.

After a long pause, as I was speechless and didn't really know what to say to his mention of
marriage, Edward was the first to speak again. "Are you feeling better, baby?"

"A little bit. It's just mainly my head that hurts."

"How about we stay on the phone until you fall asleep? You need your rest."

"Sounds perfect. Thank you."

Sighing loudly, I could hear Edward's movements through the receiver. "I wish so much I was lying
there next to you, holding you in my arms because you belong there Bella, especially when you're
sick. I should be there to take care of you."

"You are… just by talking to me you make everything better." And I wasn't lying to him because
it was more than true.

A short while later, I did end up going to sleep, clutching my phone the entire time as Edward
spoke softly about things he wanted to do with me. He was getting an entire week off from
football after his Kansas game, and I couldn't be happier. It really sucked that I had to work, but
he had plans for us to go away for the weekend. He wouldn't tell me what he wanted to do, and I
didn't press him for information because it was really sweet how he wanted to surprise me.

Thankfully, the week went by quickly. I wasn't able to go back to work as the school officials were
really being careful about preventing the flu from spreading around. Esme and I spent a lot of
time together and she made it loud and clear to me that she wanted to fill the motherly role in my
life. I knew that was something my mother would have wanted, her best friend "taking care" of me.

Against my wishes, Edward begged me to stay in Forks and not go to his game. He wanted me
well rested for our week together, and so did I, though I hated to miss his game. Seth flew to
Kansas with Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper, while all the girls and I stayed together at Esme's. We
had fun together, but all I could think about was Sunday night.

***! !***

Masen #7

As soon as my game was over and the press conference was done, I joined Seth and the guys at
the airport. I was finally going home to Bella. I was thankful that we won the game because if we
hadn't I would have had to go back to Dallas for a few days before I could enjoy my bye week.

Seth and I talked for most of our flight to Seattle. He told me what had been going on back home
with the football team and their games, and Bella. I asked for him to be honest with me, and he
was. Apparently, Bella had been missing me more than she let on. I knew that she missed me, but
Seth said that she wasn't eating much and spent a lot of time in her room.

I called Bella once we landed in Seattle. She was very excited and so was I. I could not wait to
hold her in my arms again.

Hours later, Carlisle drove Seth and I to Bella's house. I practically jumped out of the car to hurry
into the house as he rolled into the driveway. The lights downstairs were off, but I could hear
sounds of a television coming from Bella's room.

As I walked up the stairs, Bella was walking down the hallway. The biggest smile broke out across
her face as she launched herself into my arms. I picked her up and continued walking back to her
room as she squealed from my quick movements.

I kicked the bedroom door shut as I pulled her face to mine, kissing her hard out of desperation for
her. It seemed like it had been forever since I last kissed Bella.

Leaning against the door, my hands wrapped tightly around her firm thighs as we continued our
kiss, we were unable to break apart just yet. How could I go back to Dallas when I was going to
be spending so much time with her now? It was going to kill me to leave her again.

Bella slipped her tongue out of my mouth and pulled away, smiling brightly as her hands stroked
the back of my head. "Welcome home."

"It's so good to be home," I said with a grin before leaning in to kiss the side of her neck. "Are you
feeling better, baby?"

"Tons better."

That was a relief. "Good, because I can't wait to spend all week with you, and I need you feeling good.

Bella smiled sweetly and kissed my forehead. "And what is it that we're going to do?"

"That's for me to know. You'll see soon enough anyway."

And she did, because we went down to say goodnight to Seth before I made love to her most of
the night. I worried that she wasn't going to get enough sleep, but Bella initiated most of it.

Throughout the week we watched movies and I played with Herkie and Harley while she was at
school. I had dinner ready for Seth and Bella every evening and it just seemed like things were
back to normal. My old life with Bella where we spent so much time with one another, only now I
could pull her into my lap and kiss her the way I wanted to. And my God, I had a kinky girlfriend
that made many appearances throughout the week; my week with her was an unforgettable one.

Bella was out of school by noon on Friday and we spent the afternoon packing for our weekend
away. We were leaving late that night after Seth's football game. I was looking forward to seeing
my former team play, especially Seth. He was such a good kid and I really could see him going far
with a football career.

"Do I need a swimsuit?" Bella asked as I was giving Herkie and Harley some treats.

"I'd prefer you wear nothing considering it's a private hot tub…"

"Hm… okay, so we're getting somewhere with this now," Bella said, tapping her finger against her
chin. "A private hot tub… so that means it's not a hotel more than likely."

I chuckled as Bella tried, once again, to figure out where we were going. It wasn't a huge
surprise, but she had mentioned that she wanted to visit the Oregon coast and I happened to
find a small house to rent for the weekend. It was beautiful and had a private beach, hot tub,
and a huge bed. Emmett and Rose had visited the coast during this time of year and said that
the weather was perfect at this time, so I knew Bella would enjoy it.

"You are so mean," Bella huffed.

She was bent over the bed reaching for something when I stood up and moved behind her.
Bending over her lean body, I kissed the back of her neck gently as Bella let out a shaky breath.

"And you do things like that to change the subject," she continued, her breathing picking up slightly.

"I don't really think you're complaining, baby," I mumbled against her neck as chill bumps broke
out across her skin. My erection was evident and I knew she could feel it pressing against her ass.
Bracing myself with one arm, I moved the other beneath the hem of her shirt, gradually making
my way up her body. "You don't like this?"

Bella let out a small moan as her arms gave out and her chest collapsed against the bed. "Yes, I
like this… so much, Edward."

I pulled my hand from beneath her body, moving to pull her shorts down. I think I probably let out
a small whimper when I found that she wasn't wearing underwear. She let out a small giggle as
my hands grasped her hips, massaging her behind.

Bella pressed her naked ass against my jean covered cock and within seconds, I lowered the zip
and freed myself, completely ready for her. As I ran the tip along her slit, the door bell rang,
causing me to curse loudly, along with Bella.

What the fuck? WHY NOW!

I pulled up my boxers, my pants still pooled around my ankles as I fell back to the chair a few feet
behind me. Bella pounded her small fist into the bed as she mumbled her complaints.

"Sorry," she whispered regretfully as she pulled up her shorts and left the room quickly. I felt like a
dick for complaining, but I knew Bella was aware that I wasn't mad at her or anything. Just frustrated.

After a few minutes, Bella didn't come back and I wondered who was downstairs. I pulled up my
jeans and pulled on a t-shirt before joining her in the living room. When I found Bella, I was
practically in shock when I saw Garrett sitting across from her. She was holding something in her
hand, reading intently and looking so upset.

"What the hell? Garrett why are you here?"

"Fixing a problem, Edward," he replied, pointing to whatever Bella was reading.

I looked down at Bella, her eyes glistening as though she was about to cry. "What's wrong?"

Bella shook her head as Garrett began to explain. "It seems that somehow this picture," he
pointed towards the magazine Bella was holding, "was taken when Bella was leaving the hospital
earlier in the week… I have no idea who took it and why any 'reporters' would be in this small ass
town, but regardless, they-"

He stalled as I pulled the magazine from Bella's hands and flipped to the front page. And right
there, in an enlarged photo, was Bella leaning on Carlisle as he led her out of the hospital. But
that wasn't the thing that stood out… the bold letters above her picture pissed me off to the extreme.

'Masen's Clingy Girlfriend Claims Pregnancy to Bring Him Back Home.'

"Fucking shit," I mumbled, throwing the tabloid onto the coffee table. "Who the fuck do we need
to contact about this?"

As I sat down next to Bella, she smiled sadly, but relaxed when I put my arm around her. I
never wanted anything bad to be said about her, and it was because of me that some assholes
were making up dumbass rumors about her.

"I've already called their headquarters and denied their claims – no pregnancies, but you two
better get used to this kind of shit. You're the main topic when it comes to football, and that
doesn't include the women that want to be all over your balls."

I scowled. "Watch it, Garrett."

"I'm just stating the facts. This is going to be a normal way of life for both of you now. Can you
handle that, Bella?"

Bella nodded quickly. "I could care less what they say about me. Edward knows none of it is true,
so it doesn't matter to me."

"And if it gets worse? You're not going to flip out?" Garrett asked.

"Garrett, fucking drop it. We're fine with whatever happens."

I had no fucking idea why he would come all the way to Forks just to show us some dumb tabloid
that was never a trusted news source. All I wanted to know was who the fucker was that
followed my girlfriend around. I needed to protect her from some fucking weirdos.

"Okay, Edward. I'm on my way to Seattle to meet with another client, so I'll let you to get back
to whatever," Garrett said, his attitude cocky. I had no idea what his fucking deal was, but when
it came to Bella he always started getting this attitude like she wasn't good for me? "Good to see
you again, Bella."

"Yeah… you, too," Bella mumbled. She grabbed the magazine from my hand to resume her
reading, which I really didn't know why she even wanted to give the assholes any of her time.

"I'm going to walk Garrett out, baby. I'll be right back," I said, leaning down to kiss Bella's forehead.

Garrett and I silently walked out to his car as I tried to think of why they would even consider
coming after my girlfriend. A lot of the other football players had girlfriends that were already in
the spotlight and that's the reason they were in tabloids often, but Bella led a quiet life in a small
town. I didn't want this to be something that caused Bella to back off from our relationship or
worry about every little thing she did, afraid someone would be watching her or judging her.

"So… are you going to contact the magazine?"

"And tell them what Edward? They don't give a shit what we say. It's news about you, and that's
all they care about. What you need to do is explain to your girlfriend that if she goes to the
hospital again, she needs to not look like she's dying or depressed."

Rage. I was fueled by it.

"She did nothing wrong, and I'm sorry if my girlfriend had the fucking flu, which practically caused
her to look like she was dying."

Garrett laughed sarcastically, and that laugh just solidified my next decision.

"You're fired. You've already gotten your payment, so I don't need you around anyway. I'll hire a
publicist."

"You are making a mistake, Edward. You wouldn't even be playing again if not for me getting you
this deal."

"Yeah, well maybe you should have just left me alone. You kept pushing me into this, and maybe I
didn't really want to play. So… I don't need you around anymore, basically insulting my girlfriend…
and I really do not need Heidi around."

"You've just fucked yourself, Masen," Garrett said, getting into his car.

I smiled smugly. "Sure."

Garrett peeled out of the driveway and down the street. I felt almost relieved that I didn't have
to deal with his shit anymore. But that relief was short lived because I still had to go inside and
make sure Bella wasn't letting this get to her.

As I stepped inside the house, Bella was standing at the entrance of the kitchen, ripping the
magazine apart.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I said as I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"It's fine, Edward," Bella chuckled. "I guess I should be upset over it, but I'm not. At first I was
upset… and I don't even know why I was. We both know it isn't true and anyone that reads that
magazine knows most of their stuff is all lies anyway."

Relieved that she wasn't ready to dump my ass, I put my hands on her shoulders and turned her
to face me. "Thank you for being so understanding, baby."

Her smile was sweet and soft and just… perfect. Placing her hands on either side of my face, she
leaned up to kiss me on the lips. "Don't worry so much, Edward. I'm not going anywhere."

Bella and I finished packing our things so that we'd be ready to leave after Seth's game. I
explained to Bella that I fired Garrett, which she worried that I rushed it too much. I think she
was worried that he would retaliate against me or something, but I wasn't worried. He didn't
really have anything to go against me with, anyway.

I was just ready to get away for a bit, alone with Bella, away from everything and everyone.
We needed that time together.

***! !***

Like it? Know who took the picture? Review please! :)

Just a few things:

-- Make sure you have me on author alert because I will be posting one-shots from the Fandom
Gives Back auction. Thanks to those who paid for me to write the one-shots -- you guys are AWESOM

-- Next chapter will post on Tuesday 12/1. I'll post teasers on the forum -- sorry for the lack of
teasers for this chapter, but I wasn't home very much to post them.

-- I forgot to announce this last week, but I was featured on P.I.C.'s FanFic Corner, so make
sure you check it out! Authors like coldplaywhore and flightlessbird11 have been featured there,
so I completely blushed when they contacted me about it (don't judge me... lol). http://
picffcorner (dot) blogspot (dot) com

-- Sorry about the HF warning last week -- we still have a couple of chapters to go before it
happens and I will post a Tissue Warning when that time comes. It isn't going to be some childish,
drama thing because I think Bella is pretty mature in this fic and handles things (as seen in this
chapter) with a pretty laid back attitude. Edward isn't going to cheat and Bella isn't going to get
the impression that he is cheating (so no convenient surprise visits where she catches him being
kissed or anything like that). I know a lot of you have been majorly worried that Edward might
cheat or it might look like he is cheating and I just wanted to ease that fear. He's
HardforBellaward. He wouldn't cheat. :)

***FicRecs***

Maybe I'm Falling For You by coldplaywhore and flightlessbird11 -- I've rec'd this one before, but
I'm urging you once again to read this one. I LOVE it!

Fourteen by crimsonmarie -- And I've also rec'd this one before, but if you aren't reading this one,
you're definitely missing out.

*I'll have more recs next time, but I'm just in a hurry to post this chapter*

I have the absolute best readers out there (and the sweetest Twitter friends). Thanks again guys!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Big thanks to Jess - my beta, everyone over at the forum, my Twitter friends and most of all, my
freaking awesome readers. Thank you so much for the reviews - I read every single one of them.
Love ya!

Read the a/n at the end before you freak out and get mad over the lack of weekendawaysex. Kay?

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

"Seth… I'm not discussing this anymore with you. I'm not leaving and that's final."

Seth started arguing with me as soon as he got home from school. He was convinced that I
should move to Dallas to be with Edward, and he would move in with Carlisle and Esme for the
rest of the school year or until football season was over for Edward. This was not the first time
that I had to listen to his propositioning and, as good as it sounded, I just couldn't. I loved
Edward, but I couldn't put my "love life" ahead of Seth. I planned on moving there, if his playing
professional was going to be a long term thing, after Seth graduated. Edward and I were both
confident that we could handle it, even though it was hard on us both.

"I know that I'm just a kid and I have no fucking life for dwelling over these things, but he needs
you… and you need him. You're starting to get all depressed like before," Seth said, his tone
angry and firm at first, but ending softly.

The "before" period that he was talking about was when my parents died. I was nowhere near
that kind of depression. Yes, I was sad, but I felt like I hid it pretty well. Seth just knew me too
well, that's why he noticed.

"I'm fine. Please stop worrying about me. I was fine before Edward and I'm fine now. I think
everyone misses him and-"

"I don't want to be the reason you're holding back on your own life," he said quickly, interrupting
whatever I was going to say. For a teenager, Seth was extremely mature and smart. He walked
over to me, sitting down next to me on the couch. "Just stop worrying about me. Stop using me
as an excuse."

I leaned over, resting my head on his shoulder. "Okay," I sighed. "This is ridiculous… my younger
brother giving me advice."

"Whatever, Bell," Seth laughed, squeezing his arm around my shoulder.

We changed the subject and started dinner together. That was our routine for most nights. He'd
get home from football practice and we would usually watch a movie or television after cleaning
up our mess. It was nice, but Edward was missing. That was our routine before he left for Dallas.

Chapter: 24

It had been a few weeks since his bye week. That time we had together was exactly what we
needed. The only bad part was telling him goodbye after sleeping next to him for so many nights.
To add to the disappointment, I had to miss his Philadelphia game due to time restraints. I hated
not being there for him, but I was glued to the television and ready to answer my cell phone as
soon as he called after he was done. However, he did play Seattle and Atlanta, winning both of
those games that I was more than happy to be present for.

We were making it work for us even though it was hard. He was worth it.

***

By midweek, I was mentally drained and ready to see Edward. He was playing at Green Bay the
next Sunday and would be flying to Forks if he won. I kept my fingers crossed all week that he
would win. Green Bay seemed to be one of the Cowboy's biggest rivals, so everyone was geared
up for this game.

Alice's car was parked in my driveway when I arrived home. Seth was going to be home late,
needing to work on a school project with his lab partner, so I was kind of glad that Alice and I
would have some alone time. I hadn't been able to talk to her lately, which was my fault. I spent
most of my time sulking and waiting for Edward's phone calls rather than spending time with my friend

"What are you doing here?" I asked happily as I discovered her sitting on my front porch.

Doubled over, looking down at the ground, Alice finally raised her head and I immediately noticed
that she had been crying.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant," she replied quickly. "I'm two months along and we are scared to tell anyone." She
and Jasper had definitely felt heartache, having gone through two miscarriages. "But I needed to
tell someone… and I wanted it to be you."

I sat down next to her, wrapping my arms around her. "Oh Alice… you are going to be a terrific mother

"What if I lose this one? What am I going to do, Bella? I can't go through that again."

I hadn't been in Forks when she lost the other two, but just talking to her over the phone I could
tell how much pain she was in. And now just seeing her scared that it was going to happen
again, my heart broke for her.

"We just have to pray, Alice. Don't think that way… that you're going to lose this baby. And… if it
does happen, well, you have plenty of people around you to support you… you have a
wonderful husband and a great family. We're all here for you, Al."

"I'm so glad you're home," Alice sobbed, her tears soaking through the material on my shoulder.
"I've wanted to tell you about the baby since we found out a few weeks ago, but I just didn't want
to jinx it, ya know?"

"I know what you mean." Alice rested her head against my shoulder, sniffling quietly. "I'm going
to be an Aunt!" I exclaimed, cheering the mood a little bit.

"So exactly how far along are you?"

Her smile grew even bigger. "Nine weeks. I'll have my first sonogram just before we leave for
Dallas for Thanksgiving, since I'm considered high risk." The big smile on her face was so sweet as
she sat up to look at me. "I love you, Bell."

"Love you, too, Al."

I don't know how long we sat outside, but a while later, Jasper's truck pulled up in front of my
house. When he hopped out, his eyes were frantic, worrying if something was wrong with Alice.

"I've been calling you, honey," Jasper said as he walked across the lawn hurriedly. "You had me
so worried!"

Alice jumped up and hugged him as he stood in front of us. "I'm sorry! I completely forgot my cell
phone in the car."

He hugged her tightly, and just watching their sweet exchange made me ache even more for
Edward. I wanted him home. I wanted to be married to him and I wanted to have a baby with
him. God, how good it felt to admit that to myself. Tears formed in my eyes, not only because of
my own selfish needs, but also for my friends that were going through a stressful time that should
be a happy time.

Jasper grinned at me as he sat Alice back down on her feet. "So you heard that you're going to
be an Aunt?"

I loved that even though we were not blood related, everyone considered Alice and I sisters.

I nodded and stood up to hug him as Alice smiled proudly. "I'm so happy for you two."

"Thanks, sweetie. It was hard not telling you… hell, we still haven't told her parents or my parents…"

"Wow," I laughed, pulling out of his tight hug. "I feel so special. That kid is definitely going to
know that Aunt Bella gets to know all the important stuff first."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Alice giggled. "Just don't tell anyone because I think we'll have death threats
if everyone knows we kept this a secret."

"We're going to announce the news at Thanksgiving dinner," Jasper added.

This Thanksgiving, we were all flying to Dallas. Edward had a game that afternoon and since we
all wanted to spend the holiday together, it just made sense for us to go to him. His parents were
going to be there, along with his sister and her family that I had yet to meet. Jasper's parents
were flying in as well, so it was going to be a huge affair. Edward was excited and we already had
a list made up of everything we needed to buy at the grocery store. We were going to have
Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday rather than Thursday so that Edward could actually enjoy it.
He was going to help me cook, which meant he was going to rub his always prominent arousal
into my ass while I cooked. Not that I was complaining… because I loved his reaction to me. He
made me feel so… sexy.

And the holiday also allowed more time for us to be together. I was flying out to Dallas on the
twentieth to spend time with him before the game in Washington. Per Edward's request, I was
going to stay home for the Washington game because he had to fly there with the team anyway,
so I would be separate from him if I did go. He would be flying out to Washington early on
Saturday and would be coming back home Sunday after the game, and plus it was allowing me
time to decorate his home. He was tired of it looking so bland and so was I, so I offered to "fix it

up" a bit. Anyway, due to school being closed for an entire week, I didn't have to go back home
until the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and Edward was going back with us until mid-week. I was
already feeling spoiled with all the time we would be spending together.

***! !***

Masen #7

"Fuck!" I yelled, slamming my fist into the wall as I prepared to change out of my football gear. We
lost our game against Green Bay and the only thing I could think about was the fact that I
wouldn't be able to go to Forks. Once again, I wouldn't even get to say bye to her because her
plane would be leaving while I was being interviewed for the post game press conference. I was
confident that we would win against Green Bay and just figured that I would be seeing her a few
hours after the game anyway, but I was wrong.

Most of the guys were upset because we lost and that wasn't good for our team, but I could care
less. That fact alone further proved to me that I should not be playing football. Once this season
was over, it would be my last. I wanted to go back to my life with Bella. We would get married
soon, I was determined, and I would finally start my life with her.

All of my teammates were sulking as we dressed and made our way to the press conference. I
sat down at the long table, alongside my coach, our offensive coordinator, and a few other
teammates. As I sat down I noticed Garrett standing off to the side. He represented a player
from Green Bay, so I wasn't surprised to see him there, but the smug look on his face was one I
wanted to slap off.

I answered their mundane questions dryly, still fucking pissed off that I wouldn't be able to go
back to Forks because we lost. I called her right after the game, before my small blow up, and of
course she understood, as usual. Sometimes I wished that she would just blow up and give me
reason to quit it all, but she never did.

The only thing I had to look forward to was Friday. Bella would arrive late that night and that's all
I could think of.

My time during the week was spent getting to know my new agent better, when I wasn't getting
my ass kicked during practice. I ended up being referred to a personal assistant that was working
for one of my teammates. I hired Jackson Jenks immediately. He was older, well, my age, and had
a staff that was family oriented. I didn't want any single women working for me that would get
the wrong idea. In the few short weeks since I had hired him, he was becoming a great friend. He
wasn't pushing me about playing and understood my reasons behind it. In other words, he wasn't
all about the money like others were.

Disappointment set in as I expected to be able to pick Bella up on Friday, but a last minute
meeting was set up regarding our upcoming games, which prevented me from being at the airport
to get her. I made last minute arrangements for a car to pick Bella up and bring her home.

I stared at my watch as we were grilled by our coaches. Cell phones were not allowed in the
meeting, so I couldn't even text Bella to make sure she made it in okay. Fucking assholes, treating
us like children.

Practically running to my car after the meeting was over, I ignored my new friends' requests to go

out for a beer. I pulled out my cell phone as I drove and saw that I had five new text messages
from Bella. Sitting at a stop light allowed me some time to read through them.

The plane landed and I'm going to get my luggage. I love you! –B

A limo? Really, Edward? I miss you. –B

Thank you for the food. You're too good to me. I want to be extra good for you, Edward. ;) –B

Bella fell in love with Taco Cabana, which was not available anywhere near Seattle, so I made
sure to stop off and pick some up for her for when she arrived.

I'm getting in bed now. Waiting for you. I love you, baby. –B

Something about Bella calling me baby made me feel almost giddy. God, help me to stop being
such a fucking woman.

I'm afraid I might fall asleep, and so help me God, Edward… if you do not wake me up when you
get home, I will be so mad. I need you. –B

The drive from the stadium to my house was quick and the run up the stairs to my bedroom was
even faster. My legs moved extremely fast, needing to be with her. She needed me.

There was a small candle burning on the bedside table and that was the only light inside the room.
Bella was curled up on the bed, lying on top of the covers. I let out a small gasp as I realized
what she was wearing. My jersey.

I stripped off my clothes, only leaving my boxers on as I slid onto the bed quietly, settling in
behind Bella. She sighed, making the sweetest noises as I wrapped my arms around her, pulling
her back against my chest.

I happened to glance towards the headboard and noticed a sticky note placed just above our heads.

Wake me up. Major punishment if you don't. Love you!

Trying hard not to laugh so that I didn't wake her up just yet, I buried my face in her hair,
breathing in her scent. I never knew I could miss someone so much. I thought that our situation
would get easier, that we'd get used to the separation, but it just seemed to get harder as time
went by.

Moving her long hair out of the way, I softly kissed the back of her neck. Bella shivered slightly
and I leaned up to look at her face. A small smile formed and I realized that she was actually awake.

"Well, well, well… faking, are we?"

Bella giggled and turned her head up to look at me. "I just had to see if you'd actually wake me up
or let me sleep all night. You passed the test, Masen. I'm pretty proud of you."

My hand gripped her hip as she grinded against my cock. "Mmm… so what's my reward?"

Before I even realized what was going on, Bella had pushed me onto my back and was now
straddling my waist. She didn't say a word as her hands snuck their way into the slit in my boxers.
Pulling my more than ready cock out through the slit, she stroked me a few times before abruptly
stopping, causing me to let out an audible whine. Raising herself to her knees, Bella tugged on

my boxers to pull them down. I lifted my hips to help her out, my breathing ragged, as was hers.
Fuck, I loved kinky Bella.

My boxers were down to my knees when Bella positioned herself and sank down on me. She was
so fucking wet.

Shocked. I was shocked because she wasn't even wearing underwear to begin with.

My hands were tightly grasping her hips, and I didn't realize how tight until Bella stopped riding
me, my cock fully inside her.

Running her hands over mine, I eased my grip, feeling awful because I was afraid that I'd hurt her.

"Sorry, baby."

"Don't apologize. I'm fine," Bella whispered, rocking slowly back and forth. "I've missed you so much."

I sat up, needing to be closer to her. "I missed you, too, baby. You have no idea." I grabbed the
hem of the jersey and pulled it up and over her head, earning a concerned look from Bella. "As
sexy as you look in my jersey, I needed to see all of you."

Lowering my mouth to her firm breast, I circled her nipple, causing Bella to throw her head back,
moaning loudly. Stopping her movements, rocking back and forth, she began lifting herself up
and down my length, slowly at first, but picking up the pace as my mouth was still attached to her
breast, never losing contact. I bucked my hips a few times, deepening our connection.

My hand reached between our bodies, rubbing furiously around her clit, earning a low and
constant moan from her.

"I fucking love being inside you, baby. You have no idea how good you feel. I always want to be
inside you, Bella… and someday I want to try here," I moaned as my finger ran along the crack of
her ass.

Moaning loudly, Bella lowered her face to mine. "I love you so much," she whispered against my
mouth before kissing me gently. I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth while her hands gripped
the back of my head.

Breaking away from our kiss, I smiled lazily as she continued riding me. "I love you, baby. More
than you'll ever know."

Seconds later we both released, moaning one another's name. Like always, Bella wouldn't move,
needing us to stay connected as long as possible. I still thought that was one of the sweetest
things about her.

"Welcome home, baby," Bella whispered, resting her head on my shoulder.

I tightened my arms around her, kissing her shoulder softly. "Welcome home to you, too, sweet girl."

"Best welcome home ever," she replied, whispering against my skin.

And it definitely was.

***

Bella and I woke up early Saturday morning, but opted to stay in bed to spend as much time
together as we could. The serious discussion about our future took place as we held onto each
other tight.

"Seth wants me to move here. He keeps telling me that he would be glad to move in with Carlisle
and Esme, since they have offered many times."

"And what do you think about that?"

"It's tempting, Edward… because I'm miserable without you. I'm really thinking about it," Bella
said, her voice low, sounding like she might cry.

I tightened my hold on her and kissed her forehead. "Whatever you want to do, baby, I'll support
you. But I feel like I can't ask you to do that, considering it's my fault that I put you into this
position anyway… I just-"

Bella put her finger over my mouth, interrupting me. "You didn't do this to me, Edward. It wasn't
like I begged you to stay; I mean, I sometimes feel like I might have pushed you into it."

"You didn't, baby… I mean, you did support me, and that's what I needed." I never wanted her to
feel guilty for my poor choices. "I can tell you that I'm not playing after this season is over. After
playoffs, if we make it that far-"

"And you will," Bella said with a grin.

I chuckled and kissed her lips sweetly. "Anyway, I'll be home right after that. For good. So, I
think you should keep that in mind when making your decision."

"Yeah, I didn't even think about that… we can make it a few more months, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, baby, of course we can make it. I think you're just jumping into this decision, not
that I don't want you here, but I think you'd regret it too much – quitting your job."

"You're right. I feel so stupid for even considering it. I guess I'm just feeling kind of… emotional
or something right now. One of 'those' days."

Kissing her softly, I smiled against her lips. "You are anything but stupid, Bella. And I have those
days, too… days where I just want to leave Dallas for good."

Bella was a strong person before I came along and I wouldn't let her grow weak just because
everyone was tempting her with the idea that she should move to be near me. We could handle it
and so far we were doing pretty well. I didn't let the distance cause me to doubt our relationship;
if anything, it really did make us stronger.

I pushed Bella onto her back, nuzzling my nose into the crook of her neck, nibbling gently. "I'm
such a lucky man. And baby, if you ever do consider moving here, I'll support you with whatever
decision you make."

Bella sighed quietly, running her hands up and down my back. "I think I wasn't thinking clearly
when I said it, and besides I wouldn't move here just to mooch off of you. I'd have to get a job,
and everything which would be hard to do during the middle of the school year."

"Nope… I couldn't allow that," I said firmly, cutting off her crazy idea. I leaned up on my elbows
to see her face. "Baby, it'd be crazy for you to get a job if you did move here, and plus, if you

insisted on doing something, you can be my personal assistant, especially in the bedroom."

I was glad that Bella realized that leaving everything in Washington because of a hasty decision
would be a mistake. I knew that Seth felt guilty, feeling like he was holding Bella back because he
constantly talked to me about it; as well as everyone in my family, constantly telling Bella that she
should be with me if that makes her happy. For some reason they thought she was going to have
a nervous breakdown or something, but I spoke to Bella every day and I knew that she was
handling our distance the best she could.

Bella slapped my shoulder playfully and laughed. "So you'd be paying me to have sex with you
and take care of your personal needs?"

"She works hard for the money… so hard for the money," I sang, earning another slap on the shoulder

Surprising me, Bella pushed me off of her and straddled my waist. "You didn't even sing the lyrics
right," she giggled, proving even more to me that I had the perfect woman. We were able to
joke around with each other about everything. Moving down my body slightly, Bella wrapped her
hand around my growing erection and smiled. "It's, 'so hard for it honey'."

I was left speechless by her playful side, once again, and just as things started to heat up, the
fucking doorbell rang. I groaned and pulled a pillow over my head. Jay, also known as Jackson
Jenks, was coming over to go to the airport with me. I hadn't realized that Bella and I had spent
most of the morning in bed. All fucking morning long and I didn't even get to make love to her one
more time before leaving.

Sighing, Bella stood up from the bed and put a pair of pajama pants on as I reluctantly did the
same. I answered the door and introduced Jay to Bella. I could tell by the look on her face that
she already approved. Jay brought his wife, Jessica, along, who was pregnant with their first
child. I saw Bella's eyes light up when Jessica had her feel the baby kick against the palm of her hand.

Pregnancy scared the hell out of me. I wanted a child with Bella and I knew that it would happen
in the future for us, but I wasn't ready quite yet. After I moved back to Washington, I wanted
Bella and I to do normal couple things that we had yet to experience. Maybe even take a year
off eventually and travel to places that she had dreamed of going to; that idea worked out
perfectly in my head because Seth would be away at college for the next four years anyway,
leaving us time to do whatever we wanted. My bank account was full and provided a life for Bella
and me to live comfortably, considering I still had much of it left from my time playing for the
Patriots. Babies didn't allow for those plans to go through, but I did want children with her. Just
not now.

A million thoughts ran through my head as I showered quickly. Would Bella understand if I told her
I didn't want a baby just yet? I didn't want to hurt her if she wanted to start a family right away,
and I would probably keep my mouth shut about my feelings, not wanting to hurt her. Hurting
Bella was the last thing I wanted to do. She was giving up a lot to be with me, though I felt like I
didn't deserve her or her strong love for me.

After I dried off and dressed, I went into the bedroom to do some last minute packing, but found
that Bella had already beat me to it.

"You don't have to do that, baby," I whispered in her ear, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Leaning her head back against my shoulder, she sighed and smiled softly. "I don't mind… plus
you're going to be late if you don't leave soon."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

I left my house feeling relieved, knowing that she would be there when I returned; that made
leaving so much easier. I would get to spend all of next week with her. Though my house would
be crowded with my family, it would still be wonderful.

This would be a perfect Thanksgiving.

***! !***

Like it? Review please!

Okay, so their weekend away will be written in a one-shot, as well as a kinky Halloween one shot.
Also, another one shot will cover some bonding time between Edward and Seth. So I'll be posting
those soon - hopefully within the next couple of weeks. *Keeping my fingers crossed* Huge
thanks to those that bid on me in the Fandom Gives Back auction. :)

I'll post a teaser for the next chapter over on the forum on Thursday.

Happy Monday! :)

Thank you to: Jessica1971 (beta), Twitter friends, everyone over at the forum, my awesome
readers, etc. I love you guys and can't thank you enough for your support and feedback. In case
you aren't already, you might want to follow me on Twitter where I give out way too much info -
greeneyedgirl00 - or make sure you stop by the forum. You offer RobPorn and I deliver teasers. Deal?

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

Ms. Swan

While Edward was away for his Washington game, I busied myself with readying his house for all
the guests. He still didn't even have a decent set of dishes, or pots and pans. Edward left his
credit card with me and insisted that I buy everything he needed since we were going to have so
many staying at his house for Thanksgiving. Being the sweet man that he is, he said that he
would end up donating everything to a charity once it was time for him to move back to Forks.

Back to Forks.

God, how I wanted him to be back home.

During my sudden lapse in judgment regarding moving to Dallas, all I could think about was being
near him. My only excuse for even considering a hasty decision such as quitting my job and
moving to Dallas was… well, I must have been out of my mind. I've been extremely independent
these past years because I had to be, and I've never changed anything for a man. Even though
that man was Edward now, I still couldn't change my entire life for him. After all, we had only
been together since September, which wasn't very long.

During those times of complete and utter confusion, I wish that I had my mother around. Even as
I shopped through the store, I would feel envy when I spotted all the mother/daughter encounters.

Daughters asking their mother if they thought so and so would blend in with the kitchen.

Mothers insisting on buying their daughters something for their new house.

It was insanely depressing and I rushed through the store as fast as I could, hoping I got
everything we needed.

Once all of the beds in the house were made and the dishes were washed and put away, I hung
some pictures, put out some candles, etc. Anything to make the white walls less boring and more
"home-like".

Edward arrived home late Sunday night and I ended up picking him up from the airport. The
sweetest smile was plastered across his face as I stood by the car. I loved moments like those.

"I missed you so much," Edward whispered into my ear as he crushed me to his body.

I squeezed him tighter and I couldn't help but notice the small cringe I felt from him. "I missed you,
too, but what's wrong?"

Chapter: 25

Leaning back and smiling warmly, Edward shook his head. "Nothing, sweet girl, just a little sore."

"A little sore?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I can tell that you're in pain."

"Nothing that a little lovin' can't take care of," he said, laughing and placing a kiss on my
forehead. "Maybe we'll stop by the store to get some muscle cream."

"Good boy," I teased, swatting his butt as I walked around to the driver's side.

We stopped by a Wal-Mart close to his house to get just a few things. Apparently after a game,
Edward got the munchies. I happened to have my Thanksgiving list with me and, getting his
second wind, Edward insisted that we buy all the groceries even though it was close to midnight.

Just as I thought we were about to check out with all of our things, Edward came up with another
wild idea.

"Wanna buy a Christmas tree?"

"Umm… before Christmas?"

"Yes, baby. My mom used to put it up the day before Thanksgiving, so everyone would see it
when they came for dinner." His fidgeting hands moved to grasp my face in his hands. In the
middle of Wal-Mart. Standing in a crowd of beer craving college kids that noticed immediately
who Edward was. He kissed me hard, but pulled away all too quickly, smiling sweetly. "Besides, I
want to decorate a tree with my girlfriend. Is that a crime?"

Minutes later, Edward had thrown all kinds of Christmas decorations, lights, garland, etc., into
the basket, along with hauling another basket that contained a very large pre-lit tree. He was so
excited about it and once again amazed me by how sweet of a man he was.

How would I ever live without him?

We ended up staying up all night, first putting away all the groceries, and afterwards putting up
the tree. Around five o'clock in the morning, we fell asleep on the floor, staring at our wide array
of Christmas decorations.

Edward was happy, which made me happy.

Alice, Jasper, Rose and Emmett arrived early Monday afternoon. Seth, Carlisle and Esme had
taken a different flight as they had to take the dogs to a kennel in Seattle, which delayed them
from arriving until later that evening.

I was very nervous for Tuesday. Edward's sister and her family, along with his parents, would be
arriving. Liz was amazing and I felt very comfortable around her, but his dad… not so much.
Edward kept warning me that his sister takes some warming up to and I really didn't know what
that meant. Was she a bitch? Was she going to hate me for a while?

"Just ignore her for a while. She is really protective over Edward and no matter how many times
it's told to her, she has to see for herself how you feel about him," Alice explained. "She'll love
you, but she is just kind of… I don't know. She thinks highly of herself, I guess you could say."

"From what I've heard, after Edward's ex treated him like shit while she paraded around as the
slut that she really was, Kate became really aware of the type of women that were after
Edward," Rose added.

Like that made me feel any better… Would she think I was some money grubbing ho that wanted
her brother's money?

"Aunt Liz has been gushing about you for weeks, Bell. You have nothing to worry about. Just
expect Kate to be quiet for a bit, and since you're quiet around new people anyway, then there
shouldn't be a problem," Alice said, trying to calm my nerves.

Regardless of what they both said, I was still nervous.

Rose grinned evilly as she placed her hand on my shoulder and pushed me to sit on the bed. Still
grinning, which kind of freaked me out, she held out a red gift bag. "This is an early Christmas
present from Alice and me… and I'm not sure whether it is meant for you, or for Edward. Either
way, you'll both enjoy it."

"It's super kinky and Edward will love it… so actually, it's really for him," Alice added with a giggle.

I slowly opened the bag and probably blushed ten shades of red when I peeked inside. All I could
see was red and lace. Pulling it out slowly, Alice and Rose giggled as if they were little girls. It was
a red lacy bra, completely see through, along with a matching g-string. They were right, Edward
would love it.

"Emmett loves that kind of stuff," Rose said, still laughing as Alice and I covered our ears.

"I do not want to hear about that!" Alice and I both said at the same time.

In the middle of our fits of laughter and my insane blushing, Edward swung the door open. "Baby,
I-" he paused, afraid he had interrupted something.

"What's up?" I asked casually as I slid the kinky bits of material back into the bag.

"Well, I was just wondering if you guys want pizza for dinner. Emmett is hungry."

Rose rolled her eyes. "He just ate a couple of hours ago."

"Traveling makes you hungry," Edward chuckled.

Alice and Rose excused themselves, saying that they were going to go down to decide what kind
of pizza to order. Almost as soon as they left the room, Edward practically pounced on top of me,
kissing my neck.

"What has you so excited?" I asked breathlessly as his mouth moved towards my ear, nipping it gently

"You, Bella. Always you. And I get you all to myself this entire week."

It definitely was going to be a great Thanksgiving.

***! !***

Masen #7

Bella and I emerged downstairs a little while later, longer than we meant to as I talked her into a
quickie. Everyone could see right through her as we both made up an excuse that we were
changing or something. Her face blushed as Rose and Alice snickered. I scowled and rolled my

eyes at Emmett as he tried to give me a high five.

Soon after dinner, Seth, Carlisle and Esme arrived. We gave them a tour around the house,
showing all the things that Bella did to fix it up. It really did look nice, but I very much wished
that we were back in Washington, my real home. I wanted to see Herkie, as well as Harley. I
hated being away from both of them, sort of feeling like a bad parent, I guess you could say.

Regardless, I had to remind myself a million times a day that I made this shitty decision and now I
had to deal with it.

The next day, Bella was running around doing last minute things before my parents and sister
showed up. It had been a while since I got to see my niece, and Kate, so I was very excited. I
just hoped that Kate would realize Bella was unlike any other woman I had dated. She was perfect.

"Baby, slow down," I said softly, grabbing Bella's arm just as she was hurrying past me to vacuum
the living room.

Smiling sweetly, she nodded, but pulled away from my grasp and continued her busy morning. I
helped with whatever she needed me to do while everyone else went shopping.

Seth and I left a little earlier than needed to go get my parents at the airport. I took him to the
stadium for a private tour. He was absolutely thrilled and we ended up having a very good
conversation. Basically, Seth more than supported Bella and me and was sure that his parents
would have liked me. I loved how Seth felt so comfortable talking about his parents, whereas it
just about broke Bella down whenever she thought of them. Seth said that she probably didn't
tell me the whole story of how hard it was on her when they died, but he didn't go any further
than that, and I didn't want any more information from him. I wanted Bella to talk to me about
them. I wanted her to confide in me.

I loved Seth like he was truly my brother and I really looked forward to the future. He and I
would always be close; I knew that much. He was like a good friend to me, even though I used to
be his coach and teacher. And I promised to take care of and love his sister for the rest of my life.

Once we were through with the tour, we headed over to the airport. Seth mentioned to me
that my mom reminded him of Renee, and I wondered if that made Bella feel uncomfortable or
safe with my mother. I already knew that my mother would kick my ass, along with everyone else,
if I ever hurt Bella, which I never planned on doing. I was very glad that Bella not only had Esme,
but also my mom now, whether she knew it or not.

We got to the airport and my niece was overly ecstatic to see me, which thrilled the shit out of
me. As much as I didn't want kids at this point in time, I definitely wouldn't mind having one of
Abby around. She was a joy to spend time with. I couldn't wait for Bella to meet her.

My sister, Kate, was married to a fine young mold of my father. I hated the prick. He worked for
my father and constantly put down my decisions, which consisted of coaching football now. I could
just imagine the disgusting look on his face when I started playing pro football again. He agreed
with my father, thinking that I was too old to be playing such a childish sport. Oh well, it's not like
his opinion ever mattered anyway.

"You look happy, Edward," Kate said, smiling brightly and she hugged me.

"I am. I'm very happy. How are you, sis?"

"Great… but ready for a little nap. Abby wouldn't let me sleep very much all night long – too

excited to see Uncle E," she laughed, ruffling her hand through Abby's hair as she clung to my leg.

I introduced Seth to everyone and my mom instantly went into parenting mode with Seth. Asking
him if he had been eating right, not exercising too much, helping out his big sister, etc. He was a
good sport about it and ended up laughing every time he looked over at me, rolling my eyes.

My dad didn't say a word to me, well, except for a mumbled 'hello'. Can you even count that as
talking to someone?

I was able to ignore his rude behavior, busying myself with catching up with my niece, sister,
and mom. Abby was talking a mile a minute, telling me about her friends back at home, her new
cat, and how much she loved seeing Uncle Ed on television. She asked about my new girlfriend,
asking if I was going to get married soon. Her enthusiasm was a joy to see.

Oh, and I definitely planned on marrying Bella soon.

I sent Bella a text as we got closer to the house. I knew she would want a little warning before
everyone arrived. My dad intimidated her; I learned that when she finally talked to me about
what was on her mind just as we were falling asleep the night before. My dad intimidates
everyone, which is why he is so good at his job. I had to explain to Bella that I could care less
what my dad thinks of my life.

Bella was the one thing I had actually done right in my life. If he couldn't be proud of me for that,
then I didn't know what would make him happy.

Carlisle and Esme were outside when I pulled into the drive. They were unloading Esme's
purchases from their shopping trip out of the car. She had warned us all that she was going to
get her Christmas shopping done, so we expected to see her loaded down with things.

Everyone scattered out of the car as Seth and I carried in their things. I hurried as quickly as
possible, trying to get inside the house so I could introduce Bella to my sister. Luckily, she was
upstairs with Alice which allowed me some time to get inside. When she walked down the stairs,
both she and Alice's eyes were red and I worried that something was wrong; however, her
reassuring smile soon put me at ease.

I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her tightly against my side. "Kate, Abby… Andrew, this
is Bella. Bella, this is my sister, Kate… my niece, Abby, and my brother in law, Andrew."

Jutting her hand out nervously, Bella smiled sweetly. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Kate replied warmly, shocking us all because she seemed genuine, which
wasn't the likely case when she met someone new. "I've heard a lot about you."

Bella blushed and before she could respond, Abby flung herself at her. Abby's small arms
wrapped around Bella's waist as she hugged her tightly.

"It's nice to meet you," Abby mumbled against Bella.

Bella laughed quietly. "It's very nice to meet you. Edward talks about you all the time."

And Bella was 'Abby approved' already.

Surprisingly enough, Kate spent most of the day getting to know Bella. And she wasn't smug about
it. She really liked Bella and I could see how relieved Bella felt. It didn't really matter what Kate

thought anyway because Bella was it for me, but knowing that she was instantly impressed with
Bella put a permanent smile on my face.

After catching up with my family all night, everyone went to their rooms to turn in for the evening.

"She really likes you, baby," I whispered, standing behind Bella with my arms wrapped around
her. She was staring out the bedroom window, seeming to be deep in thought.

I rested my chin on her shoulder and turned to kiss the side of her neck softly. "I love you."

Sighing contently, Bella leaned her head back against me. "I love you, too. Thank you for everything."

"I should be thanking you, Bell."

Shaking her head back and forth, giggling quietly, she brought my hand to her mouth and kissed
the inside of my palm. I knew exactly what she was laughing about. We would get into the
whole argument of thanking each other and who was sweeter; I loved those simple, sweet arguments.

We were soon dressed for bed, or I should say undressed for bed, and lying in each other's arms.
Ever so slowly, Bella began to move her ass against my cock that desperately needed some attention.

"Can you be quiet?" I asked, whispering directly into her ear.

Gasping quietly, Bella nodded, urging me to continue.

***

The next morning, Bella was out of bed at the crack of dawn. In fact, all of the women had their
alarms set to get up early to start cooking. Bella had told me in previous conversations that she
missed cooking Thanksgiving dinner with her mother like she did growing up and I felt so
saddened by the fact that she wasn't able to do that now. I couldn't imagine how hard the
holidays would be on her and Seth.

We were eating around one o'clock and I had to be at the practice field around nine that
morning. Our coach was sure to have us done by twelve which put me home at the perfect time.
The food was almost done and everyone was beginning to shower and get changed when I got
back home. I had already showered in the locker room, so I changed as Bella was showering.

The water shut off as Bella stepped out of the shower. Peeking through the doorway, I grinned
at her as she smiled back at me. Bella did a circular motion with her finger for me to stop staring
and turn around; I gave in, allowing her just a little bit of privacy.

I sat on the end of the bed, ready to eat the wonderful food that she cooked for us, when a small
picture frame poking out of Bella's bag stood out to me. Feeling kind of bad because I was being
nosy, I walked over to the bag and pulled out the frame. Inside that frame was a picture.

Not just a picture, but one of those black and white sonogram pictures. A small sticky note taped
to the side said 'Love you!' and I let out an audible gasp as my mind raced. Bella was pregnant
and already had a sonogram? Without me? I wasn't ready for children and now I had no choice
but to be.

I was furious, wondering why she would keep it from me. All the signs were there, slapping me in
the face week after week, but I failed to realize it.

The crying. Lately, tears were almost constant when we said our goodbyes.

The constant sexual need. Yes, I didn't know too much about pregnant women, but from hearing
others talk about their wives, pregnant women had an increased libido.

And no fucking period. How could I not notice that we never had to take a break from having sex
because of her period? What the fuck was I thinking?

Oh, and the flu. Was it even the flu or was my family just fucking covering for her? Why would
she keep this from me? I asked myself that question over and over as my hands started to shake
slightly. I wasn't ready for this. What in the hell was I going to do?

I gripped the picture in my hand. My vision blurred and I was feeling so confused. Seconds later,
Bella emerged from the bathroom, wrapped up in her thick white robe. I looked up at her, still
holding the picture. When she registered what I was holding, she turned pale.

"Would you like to explain what this is, Bella?" I raised my hand. "Why would you keep something
like this from me?"

"Edward, it's not what you think," she sighed with wide eyes.

Fuck.

Like it? Review please! :)

I'll get the next chapter posted as soon as I can. I'm about halfway through it now, so it shouldn't
be a very long wait. Thanks for staying patient, waiting for updates -- hectic holiday season, ya
know? Anyway, I'll post a teaser on the forum today if you guys want one.

Happy Monday!

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Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

Throughout my relationship with Edward, I had never seen him get mad, not with me anyway.
Seeing him angry, angry with me specifically, completely strained my train of thought. He gripped
the picture frame in his hand as I tried to spit the words out. I shouldn't have kept Alice's secret
from him. I usually told him everything and this was definitely something I should have confided in
him with.

"It's not what I think? Bella? Fuck, I have so many questions for you. Like why would you keep
this from me? How did it happen? I thought you were on birth control…" Pulling at his hair, he
continued before I could interrupt.

"I should have known. I mean, you haven't even had a damn period. And the crying… And…
God, how far along are you?" I opened my mouth to answer, but he kept rambling on. "Bella, I'm
committed to you, but I am not ready to have a baby yet… and now we're stuck in something that
I don't think either of us are ready for. I… fuck, baby, I would have used a condom if I had
known you weren't on birth control."

I was getting angrier by the second because he had no right to talk to me like this, as if I were
some irresponsible adult; furthermore, I was heartbroken that he seemed to not want children. I
had wanted a house full of kids since I was a little girl, playing 'mom' with all of my dolls.

Did he even look at the fucking picture? It says Alice Whitlock across the top, though the picture
frame cuts into the lettering, it was still readable. I didn't think he even really looked at it and
just assumed the worst.

The worst being me carrying his child.

I was not going to let myself cry even though tears formed in my eyes.

"You have nothing to say, Bella?"

I stood up, breathing deeply, trying to control my temper. "I have plenty to say, and before I say
it, I just want you to know that I do not want to hear your apologies because they will mean
nothing to me today… and believe me, you will feel the need to apologize if you'll let me explain."

I couldn't even look directly at him as I held in my emotions. A painful lump formed in my throat
and my hands were shaking as I struggled to stand up to his asshole, overreacting behavior. Stupid bo

"That picture," I said, pointing to his white knuckles still gripping the frame, "is of Alice and
Jasper's baby. They are announcing their happy news to everyone today."

Chapter: 26

A shocked look spread across his face, the anger disappearing quickly as he realized that he had
just made a huge mistake. He opened his mouth to say something, but I held up my hand as I continu

"I am on birth control. If you'll remember, I am on the depo shot and in most cases, it stops a
woman's period… so there is your answer for that. The crying… well, I guess it was because I
loved you so much and being apart from you is hard, but I will suck it up from now on so you don't
get the wrong idea."

"Baby, I'm-"

"Don't even say it, Edward… I told you that your apology will mean nothing to me." I took a step
closer to him, finally able to look directly at him because I felt proud of myself that I was actually
standing up for myself. "I would never keep something like that from you. I have always
considered you my very best friend, and if that did happen, you would be the first to know;
though now that I've seen your reaction, I'm thankful that we're not having a baby."

Taking a step forward, Edward closed the small distance between us. I took a step back. I wasn't
ready to handle being so close to him now, and yes, I was probably overreacting, but he really hurt me

"I didn't mean it, Bella. I just… fuck, I'm so stressed and then I saw this… and just assumed-"

"You just assumed that I was adding more stress to your life? Well, guess what, Edward… I'm not
ready for children either; however, I will be someday and I wanted it to be you that I shared that
with because I can't see myself being with anyone else," I continued, trying to get my point
across, but feeling like I was failing miserably as the tears began to fall. I wiped the tears away
from my cheeks and looked away. "I just… I don't even know what I'm trying to say now, but I
need some space today, Edward. Please at least give me that."

Somehow, I made my way over to the bed and grabbed my clothes before hurrying to the
bathroom. All control that I had over myself was gone as I sobbed into my damp towel. I was
careful to stay quiet, the towel muffling my sobs. I knew that Edward knew I was crying, but I
wanted to be stubborn and act as though I was strong. I wasn't strong, though.

It killed me to know that Edward would freak out so much over having a baby with me. I did
understand some of his panic, but to automatically assume that I would keep something like that
from him? Yes, we weren't engaged or anything like that, and honestly hadn't dated that long,
but I would never be dishonest with something that would affect our future.

I knew the idea of having a baby with Lauren freaked him out enough that he stopped having sex
with her, but I figured it was because it was Lauren. I thought I was different.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want to have Edward's children, because I did. And I was ready
anytime he wanted to further our relationship. That thought changed now because of the
reaction he had earlier.

And would he ever really be ready for kids?

Was he going to be ready to build a life with me soon? I thought that was what we both wanted.

I even considered leaving everything in Washington to be with him.

I sucked it up, telling myself that I needed to be strong. I put on my comfortable jeans along with
a thermal long sleeve with my Forks High t-shirt over it. Luckily, the Cullens and Masens were like

my family, dressing comfortably for the holidays rather than getting all gussied up just to stuff
ourselves full of good food.

I put my hair up into a pony tail and slipped on my shoes before exiting the bathroom. Opening
the door as quietly as possible, I stepped out to find Edward sitting on the edge of the bed. He
was slumped over, resting his elbows on his knees, his head hanging in between.

Once he heard my obvious movement, his head shot up. His eyes looked so sad and I felt awful for
our fight or whatever it was, adding to his stress, but then I remembered how much of an ass he
was before and that sympathy quickly went away.

"Let me make it up to you, Bella. I… I love you, baby. I know you don't want to hear this, but I
am so sorry. I'm an asshole."

I shrugged my shoulders, silently agreeing with the asshole part. "Just forget about it. We have
a house full of people and I really don't want to ruin it for them, too."

"I didn't mean to ruin the day for you, baby. Please forgive me, Bella. I can't stand knowing that I
hurt you… and I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

Every time he called me 'baby' my heart melted even more. I hated that he had that affect on me.

I sniffled and wiped my eyes once more. "Let's just go out there… and you can be thankful and
relieved that we're not the ones having a baby." Yeah, I wasn't ready to be mature yet; I still had
a lot of pissed off feelings to get rid of.

***! !***

Masen #7

I fucked up so much.

The look on Bella's face was heartbreaking and I wanted to kick my own ass for hurting her like
that. Of course she would tell me if we were pregnant. She was my best friend and I trusted her
more than anyone else I had ever known. How could I ever accuse her of keeping something like
that from me?

I followed her out of the room, prepared to be on the receiving end of her anger all day, which I
fully deserved.

As if she were a mind reader, my mother raised an eyebrow as I followed Bella into the dining
room. I shook my head and offered a slight smile as I passed by her. Everyone was carrying the
food from the kitchen over to the long table we were sitting at.

Once everything was placed on the table, we all sat down, but we forgot to grab the tea pitcher.
Bella mumbled that she would go get it as she hurried out of the room and through the swinging doors.

I followed behind her because I was going to take every chance I had that day to remind her
how much I loved her.

She stood over by the counter, resting the palms of her hands against the surface. The same
counter that we christened a few nights ago. She was fucking perfect for me, never asking for
anything, always being so loving, and there I went… fucking it all up.

I stood behind her and placed my hands over hers. "I know you said to give you space today,
but I… baby, I hate myself for what I said to you. It was uncalled for. And of course I want to
have babies with you. I'm just so fucking stressed over everything that-"

"Edward, please stop. I don't want to talk about it anymore. We'll talk when we go to bed tonight,
but please don't make this day harder than it already is."

She was missing her parents, which was to be expected because it was a holiday that you want
to spend with the ones you love.

"Okay. I love you."

I stepped away, grabbing one of the tea pitchers. Bella grabbed the other one and walked past
me hurriedly, not making eye contact at all. My heart was literally in my throat as we neared the doors.

Surprisingly, she turned around and looked into my eyes. "You know I love you, too," she said sadly.

I breathed a sigh of relief when she said 'I love you'. People were right when they said those three
little words can change your life. They certainly can if it's coming from the right person.

Our late lunch went smoothly and everything tasted wonderful, thanks to my girlfriend. She
definitely could cook and impressed everyone. Though all of the women helped cook, Bella did the
majority of it.

As we were clearing away our plates to have dessert, Jasper stood up and cleared his throat.

"As you all know, Alice and I have been trying to have a baby for quite a while now… and
though we have suffered much heartache in the process, we've kept our hopes up."

Everyone stared with wide eyes as Jasper continued.

"I'm very happy to announce that Alice is almost three months pregnant and our doctor seems
extremely hopeful that she will have a successful pregnancy."

My family squealed and offered hugs of congratulations to both of them during one of their
happiest moments. Bella smiled widely with tears in her eyes. She was absolutely gorgeous and,
for a moment, I felt a twinge of envy, wishing it was Bella and I sharing the same news. Why did I
ever feel the need to freak out before? I could have a family with Bella. I would love to see her
stomach grow with my child inside.

Fuck. I messed everything up.

I maneuvered my hand beneath the table, placing it on the top of Bella's thigh.

After dessert, the women kicked all of the men out of the kitchen so they could clean up. I could
hear Bella laughing from the other room and I prayed that she was finding some relief from my
nasty words earlier in the day.

The guys went out to the backyard to throw the ball around, but I stayed inside to get some
rest. My body was still kind of sore from the last game and I got thrown around during our short
practice earlier in the day, so I needed all the rest I could get before our game tomorrow.

Just as I was about to doze off, Alice walked into the empty living room and stood over the
couch where I lay.

"You had better be kissing her ass for the next couple of weeks. She told me, and don't think that
she is in there gossiping or anything about your private life together… I forced it out of her
because I knew she was more upset than usual on this day."

"I know, Al, and I am going to make it up to her."

Shoving her finger against my chest, Alice continued. "She thinks that you don't want to have a
baby with her, which has her questioning if you really want a future with her… I mean, most
people want to have kids when they are serious about the other person."

"I am serious with her. I just flipped out this morning and… I lost my fucking mind, okay? I would
marry her today if she'd agree, and yes, I want to have children with her, but I do want some
alone time with her. That doesn't mean I don't want a baby with her…"

"Well, stop telling me that information and tell her. I love you, and you are my favorite cousin, but
she is my best friend… my sister… the one person who has always been there for me, and I will
not let her get hurt by my jackass cousin because he is scared."

Alice was really fucking scary when she was pissed. Pregnancy hormones.

"I know, Alice. She is my best friend, too, and I will make sure she knows how I feel about her."

"Good. And don't tell her I said anything. She would kill me, pregnant or not," Alice said with a
laugh as she stood to walk away from me.

"Al… thanks," I sighed. "For everything. And congratulations."

"Thanks," she beamed, grinning from ear to ear.

Throughout the evening, everyone watched Christmas movies and played card games. I sat
back and watched, trying to survey the damage – making sure that Bella was somewhat enjoying
herself. I was extremely thankful that she had friends like Alice who were very willing to kick my ass
if I got out of line.

Around ten, I was getting sleepy and needed to be alert for the game tomorrow, so I had to
announce to everyone that I was going to bed. My mom hugged me tightly and whispered in my
ear, asking if something was wrong between Bella and I. I assured her that everything was fine
because at this point I really didn't want to experience the wrath of my mother before going to bed.

Bella smiled slightly, a small crooked smile as I pulled away from my mother. I leaned over the
coffee table where the girls were in the middle of a serious game of Phase Ten.

"Love you, baby," I whispered, kissing her softly right beside her ear.

Bella let out a shaky breath. "Love you, too. I'll be up in a sec."

What a depressing fucking day? And it was all my fault.

I stripped out of my clothes and put on a pair of pajama pants before crawling into bed by myself.
Since my relationship with Bella began, when we were spending the night together, I never went
to bed by myself. She was always right there, showing me how much she loved me.

I couldn't believe that I jumped to conclusions before just taking a step back to realize that Bella

would never keep something like a baby from me.

After a few minutes of lying in bed by myself, I heard the door creak open and quiet, light
footsteps move across the bedroom floor. I didn't turn over because I didn't want Bella to think I
was expecting anything out of her. Maybe she was just tired?

The bed dipped slightly as she crawled in next to me.

"Goodnight, Edward," Bella whispered, her voice was rough and strained. I knew she was near
tears more than likely, which I understood completely.

That was my cue to turn over because she actually spoke to me. Her back was pressed against
my chest as she somewhat relaxed against me. Very carefully, I put my arm around her, pulling
her even more against me.

"Goodnight, baby."

Soon after, her breathing evened out, alerting me that she was asleep. I finally let myself drift
off, trying to stop thinking about my huge mistake that I made that day. To someone else, this
might seem like a stupid argument, but for us, it was big. It was something that could change the
way Bella thought of our future together.

I woke sometime during the night to Bella sniffling beside me. I sat up quickly, peering over her
to see what was wrong. Her small hands wiped away the tears, trying to hide them from me.

"What's wrong, baby? Are you okay?"

Looking straight ahead, staring at the wall, Bella shook her head. "No."

"Tell me, Bella. Talk to me, please," I pleaded desperately.

"I guess I'm just waiting for you to go on the sex ban with me now… like you did with Lauren," she
explained, hiccupping with every other word.

I hated myself for the problems and the pain I caused. Biggest asshole, Edward Masen.

***! !***

Like it? Review please!

I'll get the next chapter posted as soon as I can. A teaser will be posted on the forum tomorrow,
so check it out. :)

Off to watch Glee! Have a great night!

Big thanks to: Jessica1971 (super beta), Teacher1209, everyone over at the forum,
TwitterFriends, and my AMAZING readers. Love you guys! Also, thanks to LauraACullen for
rec'ing IC on Twigasm, as well as, Vickitori303 -- awesome writer of Waiting for Dr. Right who
always recs IC. Thanks for the IC love girls! :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

I knew I was being irrational now and would probably continue to be that way, but I was still
extremely mad. Keeping those feelings inside would just come back to haunt me later. I needed to
hear that I was more important than the crappy relationship he had with Lauren.

Edward leaned up against the headboard and pulled me up from my sleeping position, right into his
lap. "You are everything to me, Bella. Lauren… fuck, she was nothing to me, you know that." I was
sitting sideways on his lap, but he placed his hands on either side of my face, causing me to look
directly at him. "Baby, I love you so much it hurts sometimes, and I am so sorry for what I said
earlier. I know you're doubting everything that we're about, but you shouldn't. It's my fault… I
caused all of this, but you have to listen to me. Please trust me."

Tears were falling quickly down my face as Edward swiped them away with his thumb. I didn't
know what to say. Emotional didn't even begin to describe what I was going through at that point.

"I do want to have kids with you, Bella, and I was being honest when I said that I'm not really
ready, though. I want to marry you… build you your dream house… travel… build our life
together, before we have babies. And if by some chance it happens before then, I will not be
mad. I wasn't… I wasn't mad before, and I know it seems like I was, but I was just shocked. I
just saw the picture and thought, 'how could she keep this from me… this far along and she
already had a sonogram done without me, but never said anything to me'. A million things were
running through my head, and I let the stress of everything that's going on right now come out at
that moment. I am an ass and I will spend every day making it up to you, Bella."

He kissed my forehead before continuing. "I didn't want a future with Lauren, but I do with you."

"But you obviously don't trust me," I stated dryly, trying not to cry again. I felt really stupid
crying around him now because he pointed out my "excessive" crying. It wasn't as if I was
bawling every time we parted, but I did have tears in my eyes. Isn't that how people in love act?
Especially new love? And especially new love going through separation?

"I do trust you, Bella. There is no excuse for my behavior, but I trust you completely. I don't
know what I wasn't thinking before… well, I wasn't exactly thinking, anyway," he mumbled dejectedly.

I let out an audible sigh. "What if I just started going off on you every time I see a tabloid with
another woman standing beside you… or when I see the headline, 'Masen tired of plain' with my

Chapter: 27

picture next to it… or blogs where women are putting me down, saying how you could do so much
better. So what if I just suddenly accused you of cheating on me? What would you do?"

"I would be hurt, baby," Edward whispered, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"Why?"

"Because I'm committed to you and you have every reason to trust me…"

I nodded. "See my point?"

Edward simply nodded, not loosening his grip on me as his face was still buried.

Inching slowly from his grasp, I moved out of his lap. "We need to get some sleep. You have a
big game tomorrow."

Even after I moved, his head was still bowed, not looking at me. I knew he was upset, but he
really deserved it after the way he treated me earlier that morning. He could sweat it out a bit.

"Promise you aren't going to leave me one day? I know it's my fault, baby, but I feel like you're
pulling away from me and I can not handle that. I need you."

I maneuvered my body so that I rested on my knees facing him. I gently placed my hands on
either side of his face, making him look at me. "It's just a fight, Edward. I wouldn't leave you that
easily." The small smile on my face grew as Edward grinned back at me. "Can't I bit pissy for a little bit

Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss on my lips. "You can be anything you want as long as you
never leave me."

"I can't."

We made it through our first fight, and I knew there were going to be other bumps along the
way, but hopefully we would both be strong enough to handle them. And by we, I actually just
mean me.

We assumed our usual position – Edward behind me, cradled around my body. It was comforting
and something that I definitely missed when we were apart. Just as I was about to drift off,
Edward kissed the back of my neck and hugged me tightly.

"And just so you know, you are far from plain. Those women are just jealous because you're so
fucking gorgeous, baby. Beyond perfect."

***

The next morning I woke up early to Edward's morning arousal pressed against my backside. He
usually woke me up to a special morning surprise, but I was up too early for him to 'put the moves
on' as they say. I didn't like withholding sex from him at all because our lovemaking was
indescribable, but he had to pay some way.

And then it dawned on me. I was going to make him wear condoms for the next few days. He
would hate that, and so would I, but he had to go and make those rude comments. A little
punishment was in order.

I went out before anyone was awake and picked up some breakfast, along with some other

essential items from the pharmacy. When I got back to the house, Edward's dad was in the kitchen
as I carried the food in. I almost wanted to do the very immature thing and slip out before he
noticed me, but I was caught before I could make that decision.

"Good morning," he said with a nod as he read the newspaper.

"M-morning," I stuttered, feeling like a really big moron. "I, uh, picked up some breakfast if you'd
like some."

He simply shook his head, not breaking away from his important reading. I couldn't imagine
growing up around a man like that. Had he always treated Edward this way or worse? At least he
didn't give me the dirty looks that he constantly threw Edward's way. I wondered what could
make that man so unhappy. He had a wonderful wife, two children that were making great livings
and not relying on him for anything. Plus, from what I had heard, he had one of the most
successful law firms in Chicago. Why would he feel the need to be an ass most of the time?

Silently, I retreated back to Edward's bedroom, clutching the bag from the pharmacy in my hands.
I suddenly felt so silly for making him use a condom, but remembering his exact words from the
day before quickly eased my mind.

Stuck.

He didn't want to be stuck.

Edward could try to justify his outburst by saying he was stressed, which I believed and
understood, but sometimes when you aren't thinking the truth comes out. I definitely believed
that he did want to have children with me someday because I trusted what he said to me;
however, I couldn't get that stupid word out of my head.

Stuck.

Stuck.

Stuck.

He would be stuck in something he wasfn't ready for, though he used the term 'we'. What if I did
get pregnant? How would I ever tell him? And the worst part of it all, what if I wanted to have a
baby with him now?

I was twenty seven years old. Most of my friends had children. Before meeting Edward, having
children didn't really cross my mind, but being with Edward made me want kids with him. A future
with him.

I knew we weren't ready, but if he thought I was going to wait five or so years before having a
baby, he was completely wrong.

Damn it. I felt so stupid for even thinking about having babies with him. The thought probably
wouldn't have crossed my mind had he not made such a big deal about it. I did sometimes
wonder what would happen if I did get pregnant by accident. I imagined Edward smiling widely
and holding me as we tried to figure out what to do. But those happy thoughts were gone. All I
envisioned now was a very angry Edward, upset at me for letting his happen.

Condoms.

Birth Control.

Double coverage.

Even better – sex ban.

As hard as it would be, Edward and I would refrain from having sex. I didn't know how long I
could pretend to be tired, or maybe I could even fake my damn period. It would be hard on him,
but it would also be hard on me as well.

Oh well.

As I walked into the bedroom, I could hear the water running from the adjoining bathroom. I
wasn't going to start up the fight again, though I was still angry as I remembered his mean words.
I had to be an adult and get over it, though. He had an important game that the crazy Texans
would probably kill him for if he lost, so I wanted his head to be in the game.

I would save the condom surprise until after the game.

Walking into the bathroom, Edward heard my movement and poked his head out.

"Hi, baby," he said, his voice sounding somewhat relieved. "Where have you been?"

Hiding my lustful eyes away from his wet body, I kept my head down. "Just… um, I went to get
breakfast for everyone. For you."

I peeked through my eyebrows to see his killer smile plastered across his face. "Thank you, Bella."

I nodded but quickly escaped, because as much as I wanted to be mad at him, those feelings
went away when I was near him. I waited patiently in the bedroom, watching the Thanksgiving
parade as he finished up in the bathroom. He would be leaving soon to go to the stadium, but we
didn't have to be there until much later. I planned to spend the morning lounging around, trying to
avoid his asshole father.

As I covered up with the thick blanket on his bed, Edward walked out of the bathroom with a
towel hanging low on his hips. He knew he was sexy and he was flaunting in front of me now.

***! !***

Masen #7

She was gorgeous, wrapped up in the blanket, lying on our bed. I wished more than anything I
could skip the day and spend all day making it up to her for ruining Thanksgiving. And then a
thought popped in my head. It was still Thanksgiving. I may have ruined our pre-Thanksgiving
meal that was held only so I could attend, but the actual Thanksgiving didn't have to be ruined. I
would make it a great Thanksgiving for her after the game.

I sat down on the bed next to her and watched the television for a minute. "I loved watching this
when I was a kid."

"I still do," Bella said, laughing quietly.

I leaned over her body and kissed her forehead, lingering there for a moment. "I love you, Bella."

She lifted her face, leaving my mouth right above hers. "Love you, too, Edward. Please be
careful today. I don't want you to get hurt or something because your head isn't in the game.
What we had yesterday was just a fight… and while I admit I'm not completely over it, it doesn't
change my feelings for you."

I shifted, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, baby. I'll be careful."

And I was careful. We ended up winning the game and when all the guys wanted to go celebrate
at one of the linebacker's houses, I declined. I wasn't missing out on anything, except getting
drunk, which I really had no desire to do. A few of the other guys weren't going which made me
feel better that I wasn't the only one declining. There happened to be a few on my team that
focused on just their families rather than football, like I did.

As I walked out from the locker rooms, I spotted Bella standing at the end of the hallway with a
teammate's wife. They had a newborn baby, just a few weeks old. He was wearing a tiny
Cowboys jersey and looked so cute.

Coincidentally, we were surrounded by the topic of babies lately, which made our fight that much wors

"Hey," Bella grinned as she saw me walk towards her.

"Hi, baby," I said, pulling her in for a tight hug. "You ready to go home?"

Bella nodded against my chest, not even attempting to pull away. I loved that she was
affectionate with me even in public. My ex-girlfriend, Irina, was never that way unless we had
cameras following us around. And the reason Irina popped into my head after blocking her out
for several months… I saw her standing at the end of the hallway with Garrett.

"Edward, this is Andy," Bella said, pulling me out of my sudden shock. She pointed towards the small
little guy in the Cowboys jersey.

"Hi there, Andy," I said with a chuckle. I put an arm around his mother, and peered down at the
baby, wondering what mine and Bella's would look like. "Hi, Lindsey. How have you been?"

"Eh, I can't complain. Is Jared almost done?"

From talking to Jared, Lindsey had been exhausted and pissed off most of the time from being so
drained on a daily basis. This baby talk had been such an eye opening experience for me because
as soon as I had my meltdown, I actually wondered what it would be like to have a child with
Bella. Moments like these reminded me of how difficult it would be, though. I didn't want Bella and
me to be unhappy and tired and basically just sick of each other.

Fuck, I was confused.

"Yeah, he'll be out in a few minutes. I think we're going to head on out. You guys have a great
night," I said as Garrett and Irina started walking down the hall towards us. I didn't know if they
would stop and I had nothing to hide from Bella, but I really didn't want to deal with more bullshit.

And Irina was nothing but bullshit.

"Have a great night," Lindsey hollered as I tugged Bella away from the crowd.

I looked back just in time to see Garrett smirk and Irina wink. I knew the only reason Garrett
brought her along was to see if it got a rise out of me; however, I could have cared less. Irina

was a pretty woman, but she was nothing compared to my Bella. Bella was gorgeous, inside and
out. And I also knew that the only reason she would be hanging out with Garrett was for money.
Garrett was made of it.

"Do you need anything before we go home, baby?" I asked as I opened the car door for Bella.

"Nope," she replied, sliding down into the seat. I leaned down to kiss her forehead before going
around to the driver's side. Once inside, I quickly started the car, wishing I had warmed it up a bit
before we got inside. Dallas was freezing this time of year, especially with a bad winter storm
that was moving into the area.

Bella and I both reached to press the heater button at the same time. She backed her hand away
quickly and smiled sweetly. "Sorry."

Things were somewhat awkward between us and I didn't want that.

Before I could respond to her weird apology, Bella spoke again. "So everyone is headed over to
that special hotel you booked for them… an early Christmas present?"

When I left my house earlier in the day, I made arrangements and informed my mom to spread
the word that everyone was going to stay at a special resort hotel, The Gaylord Texan Resort. I
had stayed there once before and did a radio interview there as well and knew that my family
would love it. They had a replica of the San Antonio Riverwalk as well as beautiful Christmas
scenery. Bella would have loved it as well, but I was planning to recreate Thanksgiving dinner for
us to try to make this day better for her.

"Yeah, I just figured they'd want to be closer to the stores anyway, for Black Friday… plus, my
mother will really love that hotel. I'm hoping maybe you and I can stay there sometime."

"That would be nice," she replied with a quiet, shy voice.

I grabbed her small hand, grasping it tightly in mine. "I love you, baby, and I just wanted us to
have some time alone, considering we don't see each other enough."

She nodded, squeezing my hand slightly.

"And I have some major making up to do because I am an ass… so I wanted our house to be empty."

The rest of our ride home was quiet and I really wanted to know what she was thinking. I could
tell she was focused on something, but I didn't want to pry information out of her.

We walked into the house, holding hands, and I tried to think of last minute things to do to "woo"
her. Judging from her demeanor, I knew sex wasn't going to be in my near future, which I
completely understood. Why would she want to be intimate with me when I insulted her the day before

I wasn't going to stop trying, though, because I wanted to make sure she knew that I wanted
her more than anything.

"Wait in here, okay?" I asked, leading her to the couch.

Bella nodded and smiled once again. I wanted to kiss her so badly, but I was trying to be
standoffish, waiting for her to give me a sign that it was okay to be as I always was with her.

I hurried into the kitchen and pulled everything out of the oven where it was warming. Jess, my

agent's wife, helped me get everything ready when I called her earlier in the day. Jenks was
going to be at my game, but Jess didn't really feel like going as she usually did, so I slipped the
spare key to Jenks earlier in the day to give to Jess.

By some miracle, Jess was able to acquire a fully cooked, smoked turkey along with all the fixings
and dessert. Yes, we had leftovers from the day before that probably tasted much better because
Bella made everything, but I wanted to do something special for her.

I laid out everything and lit a couple of candles before retrieving Bella, but when I turned towards
the dining room exit, Bella stood in the entryway.

"Need some help?" she asked sweetly.

The lights were dimmed and the candlelight shined, showing Bella's eyes glistening. She was
insanely beautiful even when she was sad and trying to be happy for me; it was heartbreaking
that I hurt her the way I did.

I swiftly walked over to her. "Now you've ruined the surprise," I said with a chuckle.

Bella giggled, which was something I longed to hear all day. "Well, I could smell the food, Edward,
so it wasn't a huge surprise. And you know I hate surprises anyway."

"I just wanted to make Thanksgiving special for you. Yesterday… that wasn't Thanksgiving. It was
just a regular dinner with our family, so the day isn't necessarily ruined. Right?"

"Right," Bella replied with a nod as she moved past me. Her fingertips ran along the surface of the
table. "This is beautiful."

The table was set right in front of the huge glass window. Candles were lit up and down the table
and Jess even threw in some flower petals to garnish the table. Add in the fact that it was
snowing outside, and we had a romantic dinner ahead of us.

Once we were seated, we picked up a normal conversation while we ate as though nothing had
happened. I wanted so badly to take back what happened the day before. I wished that I had
just known that Bella would never keep something like a baby away from me. I wished that I had
looked at the photo and noticed it was my cousin's name, not Bella's. And I wished more than
anything that I had never put any doubts in Bella's head about our future.

"So… I don't want you to keep apologizing to me over yesterday. What's done is done, and I
don't want you worrying about it constantly. However, I think that when we do start having sex
again, we should have more protection. Like condoms, which is why I bought a supply of them
this morning."

Fucking hell. I did not want to wear a condom when I made love to Bella.

She could probably tell that I was utterly disappointed. "I know you probably think I'm being
irrational, and maybe I am doing this because your choice of words still hurts, but I think it's for
the best. You aren't ready for a baby, and as much as I do want children one day, I'm not ready
right now either."

"Baby, if this is about trust, I-"

"I know you trust me, Edward, but I don't want to deal with that situation if I don't have to. I
wouldn't even know what to do and would probably be scared to tell you… so why wouldn't we

use more protection to cover all of our bases, you know?"

"Yeah," I mumbled as I stared at my empty plate in front of me.

That topic didn't last too long, and I wasn't going to argue with her about it. We cleaned up our
mess in silence and walked hand in hand to the bedroom. Bella changed into pajama pants and a
tank top while I chose to just wear pajama pants. During our limited time together, Bella and I
usually slept naked, considering everything came off as soon as we were in bed, sometimes
before we made it to the bedroom.

I wasn't getting any and I wanted to pout like an asshole, but I couldn't. I deserved it.

She did let me hold her in my arms and that was enough to sooth my nerves. I needed her close
to me as she always was. I was thankful that we had this time to spend together, not having to
leave our fight to deal with the next time we saw one another.

Our bags were packed for our trip the next day. We would be going to see our family before our
flight and then we were off for our weekend getaway. I was taking Bella to Los Angeles. We
weren't doing anything in particular, but just wanted to go somewhere different. I hoped that we
could put this fight behind us and just enjoy being together again.

"I love you, sweet girl."

"Love you, too."

Bella was my life and I couldn't ever live without her. I had to prove that to her.

***! !***

Like it? Review please!

So there is a little break from the HF. Hope you all liked it and maybe you don't want to cut E's
balls off, but maybe you still do... I'm torn on the situation. :)

I'll post a teaser for the next chapter on the forum tomorrow night -- link on my profile. You can
follow me on Twitter: greeneyedgirl00.

IC got second place in the Sparkle Awards for the Best Romance so a HUGE thank you to all of
you who voted for it!

*** FicRecs *** (sorry it's been so long since I listed my latest favs)

Back to Us by LauraACullen (she wrote 'The List' ... need I say more?)

The Cannabean Betrothal by itzmegan73 (I know it's a repeat, but I literally drop everything to
read this when it updates -- a must read)

A Rough Start by itzmegan73 (same as above)

Waiting for Dr. Right by Vickitori303 (I've rec'd this before, I think during FFY maybe, so go read it
if you aren't. Who doesn't love that hot doc!?)

~ Happy Sunday! :) Have a great week ~

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

"So where are we going again?" I asked, my hand grasped tightly inside of Edward's as we walked
along the beach. Our hotel was beachside and probably the most romantic place I had ever been.

We put our fight behind us and I tried to forget his angry words because I knew deep down that
he didn't really mean for them to come out the way they did. I didn't want him kissing my ass all
weekend, so I kept reminding him to stop apologizing. I wasn't even acting as though I was mad
and he was still feeling guilty.

Thursday night he just held me in his arms, not asking for anything more than that, and honestly,
I was relieved. I loved our intimate times together, but I wasn't exactly in the mood for it that
night. Friday night we both passed out from flying and site-seeing all day. It still didn't make sense
that Edward didn't initiate anything during the day; that wasn't normal.

I hoped that tonight we would go back to the way things were before.

Was it honestly because of the fucking condoms? Sex wasn't worth it if he had to use a condom?
I was going to try to stick to that rule anyway, so we would have double coverage.

Stuck.

"For the millionth time today, baby, I'm not telling you," Edward chuckled. He dropped my hand,
only to wrap his arm around my waist, pulling me close to his side. "It's nothing big, Bella."

I laughed at that statement. "Yeah, right. Everything is big with you."

He laughed loudly. "Geez, baby, is your mind always in the gutter?"

"Ha ha, very funny. It's true, but anyway…"

Edward stopped suddenly and pulled me around to stand directly in front of him. Smiling
crookedly, he leaned in to kiss my forehead. "I missed you, Bella. So much."

I understood what he meant. We had been guarded the past couple of days because of what
happened and that just wasn't us. It never was.

Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed his chin. "I missed you, too. I hate this… this fighting or whatever it is.

We talked about our faults, though Edward wouldn't let me blame myself for any of it. I also didn't
really know what I was blaming myself for, but I never wanted him to think I would stop loving
him. That would never end.

Our walk continued until we reached a beachside restaurant. The table we were sitting at was a

Chapter: 28

few feet away from the shoreline and away from the other guests. Leave it to Edward to do
something insanely romantic and out of this world.

"I think you're trying to seduce me, Coach," I smiled with a wink.

Edward chuckled as he pulled my chair out. "I don't have to try, baby," he said lowly, just so I
could hear. The waiter walked up as Edward sat down with a sexy smirk on his face.

He was right.

We ordered and our food arrived shortly after. Our conversation was light, discussing what we
wanted to do during the summer since neither of us would be working. I felt so relieved that he
would not be returning to football. Not only because of the distance, which was a selfish reason,
but also because I was worried about him getting hurt. Every week he was getting hit and
knocked down, which was to be expected, but after his last game, I gasped when I saw the
bruises develop so quickly.

"Has Seth mentioned what schools he's interested in?"

I shrugged, feeling guilty for not exactly knowing. "He's hoping to get a scholarship to play for
UW, but that's all I've heard. If he doesn't get a scholarship somewhere to play football, I told him
to pick wherever. My parents left a hefty fund for Seth and I both, so he doesn't really need to
worry about money."

"Maybe I'll talk to him about it… and I better make it soon because he has got to get those
applications in. I know he put in a few-"

"He did?" I interrupted. Seth never told me that he had already applied to some colleges.

"Yeah," Edward replied hesitantly. "He, uh… he's having a hard time moving away from you."

Seth and I were both like a broken record. We worried too much about the other. Constantly. I
loved that my brother cared about me so much, just as I did for him. I guess it's like that when
you only have each other to rely on.

I nodded.

Edward reached across the small table, his hand rubbing lightly over mine. "I told him he'd never
have to worry about you. I'll always be here."

My parents would have loved Edward.

***

"Did you have fun tonight, baby?" Edward asked as we walked back to our hotel.

After dinner, we talked for a long time – nothing specific, just anything and everything. We made
plans for our future, which thrilled me to no end. I needed to hear that after our fight. Edward
could say that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, but some of the words he said
were hurtful and overpowered every sweet thing he had ever told me.

He talked about where he wanted us to live one day, where he wanted us to vacation, and even
said he hoped our children would look like me. Yes, he was definitely trying to make me realize that
his use of words was wrong the other day, and it was working. It would still take a while to

forget, but we were slowly making progress.

"Yes, I did," I grinned before swaying to the side, only to be caught by Edward. We had both drank
a little bit, just enough to make us both tipsy. That led to us giggling like a couple of kids over
everything. It was fun to just let go of everything that was stressing us at the moment.

We couldn't get away from the paparazzi. Edward was getting so mad because they actually had
to be escorted off the premises of the restaurant. He was hot and everyone wanted to know
more about him, but that unfortunately involved me, as well. We were asked so many questions:
Was I pregnant? Were we breaking up? What were we fighting about? Who was Edward seeing on
the side?

Annoying shit.

We did our best to ignore them.

Back to the present time. I really wanted Edward. It had been too long and the alcohol flowing
through my system gave me the extra boost I needed to show him how much.

I looked right, and the left down our hallway, making sure nobody was around. Clear of any
nosey people, I pushed Edward against the wall beside our door and stood on my tiptoes, kissing
him roughly.

"I want you."

"I want you, too, Bella," he groaned as my hand cupped his hardening member.

"So why haven't you done anything… you've kept your legs crossed," I said awkwardly, and then
laughed as I repeated the words in my head.

Edward chuckled loudly and turned us quickly so that I was pressed against our door. "Baby, I
did want you. I just didn't want you to cut my dick off if you were still mad at me…"

"That would be such a waste, though," I giggled, placing a kiss over his heart.

We fumbled with the door, both stumbling towards the bed. Minutes later, our clothes were shed
and I found myself bent over the bed as Edward slid the condom over his erection. He
remembered; I didn't have to tell him to, although I was kind of disappointed that we were using them.

The sex was raw, lustful, and just what I needed. We would make love slowly later that night; I
knew this because Edward wouldn't have just sex with me if he wasn't planning on savoring it
later that night.

"Mmm… baby," Edward moaned breathlessly, his hands gripping my ass as he pushed into me,
going so fucking deep. "I hate fucking condoms. I need to feel you."

What he said made a lot of sense. It just wasn't the same. I could feel my resolve slowly
breaking down and I kept trying to remember his nasty words from before, but I couldn't think straight.

"What if… fuck… what if I got pregnant? You'd never blame me for it? Or be… stuck?"

"No, baby," he rasped, his movements slowing slightly. "I'd… be a fucking lucky man if you would
ever have a baby with me."

"You're not just saying that because it's what I want to hear?"

"No, Bella." He stopped moving altogether, my ass flat against his pelvis as his cock was fully
sheathed inside me. "I trust you more than anyone in this world, and I will prove that to you, baby."

I wiggled around a bit, needing to feel him move inside me again, but he gripped my hips, holding
me in place.

"Please say you believe me, Bella. I need you to know that I'm so fucking sorry that I ever put
doubts in your head. I'll never hurt you like that ever again."

"I trust you."

He maybe moved half an inch.

"And get rid of the stupid condom. But I swear to God, Edward Masen, if you ever accuse me of
not being on birth control when we're fucking like we always do… I'm taking sex away."

Edward laughed lowly and pulled out of me. I turned my head to look over my shoulder. A
shudder ripped through my body as I saw his eyes clench with need when he pulled the condom
off, throwing it to the floor.

Stroking himself a few times, he walked back to me and kissed my back softly. "I love you, Bella."

"Love you, too," I moaned loudly as he entered me again, this time actually feeling him.

***! !***

Masen #7

Our weekend ended too quickly and my plans to go back to Forks were interrupted as I was called
back to Dallas for a week long practice. We were losing our mojo, if you want to call it that, and
barely winning games, so our coaching staff didn't want us to get too comfortable during our long brea

I walked Bella to her gate, hating to say goodbye to her again, but I had to. We kissed each other
softly, ignoring the whispers of people staring at us.

"I love you more than you can imagine," Bella whispered.

"I love you, too, sweet girl."

I kissed her once more before she walked away from me. If I had known what was going to
happen during the next week, I would have made it a much more meaningful kiss, because now
everything was different. In a few short days, I had lost her – my life, my meaning for everything.

***

Tuesday

It was like any other day and I should have known that my life could not turn out to be "normal". A
shit storm was about to hit and like a moron, I just sat back and acted as though nothing would
happen to me. Us.

I fell asleep after getting home from an early morning practice. When I woke up in the afternoon,

I noticed I had several missed calls.

Jenks

Jenks

Jasper

Mom

Kate

Jenks

Jenks

I had several messages from each call, and a few text messages, but rather than checking all of
them, I called Jenks. He had called several times and probably would know what in the hell was
going on.

He answered on the first ring. "Edward, we've got a big problem."

"What?"

"The tabloids are spouting off some really bad shit about Bella… so much that I had to call her to
make sure it wasn't true. They said she tried to kill herself this morning. I didn't get a chance to
actually talk to her about it because she was in class at the time… I just asked if she was okay and
I don't really think she had any idea about what was said."

"That's fucking ridiculous." I didn't quite understand why this would be such a big deal. Pregnancy
rumors. Breakups. We didn't care about that shit.

"Yeah, it is, but the biggest problem was the information that was leaked about her."

"What information?"

"Someone at the hospital leaked her medical records and judging by the things they released…
well, she has suicidal tendencies. This was from years ago and I assume you know, but-"

"What? No, she doesn't."

"Well, her personal information leaked, Edward, and I think you really need to contact Bella as
soon as we decide what attorney to use. We've got to find out who did this and-"

I was so fucked. I should have known Lauren would do something insanely crazy to get back at
me, but ruin her career? I never expected that.

"My dad. He'll know what to do. I'll call him, but I've got to call Bella. Can I get back to you later?"

"Yeah. Listen, I left a copy of the magazine on your doorstep. You slept through my door
banging. You okay?"

"I was okay… just tired. Now I'm just fucked. Talk to you later."

After hanging up with Jenks, I ran downstairs as I called Bella. It went to voicemail and I prayed
that she was still at school and had no idea what was going on. I wanted to talk to her about it –
to let her know that I would take care of everything.

I was in the middle of redialing Bella when I opened the door to find the magazine Jenks left for
me. I wanted to tear it up when I saw it, but I wanted to see just how fucked that company was
after bringing up this bullshit.

Masen Stuck in Relationship – Girlfriend Suicidal… Again

There was a picture of me saying goodbye to Bella. I immediately recognized it to be at LAX, just
a few days ago. We both had our usual pained look plastered across our faces, which was normal
for any couple living apart. Why were they always bringing shit up about us?

I flipped through the magazine quickly, trying to locate the article and when I did, I cursed
loudly, knowing this was going to be a breaking point for Bella.

… according to a close friend, Ms. Swan is very unstable and Masen is dealing with her needs as
much as he can. "She is a… sweet person, but very… she constantly needs to be reminded that
Edward isn't going to leave her." Further reports indicate that the couple has had a lot of hard
times lately with Ms. Swan's emotions taking over their relationship. This was not her first try at
suicide; medical reports indicate an overdose a few years ago, though it could be considered accident

I couldn't read anymore of it; especially when I got to the part about Bella attempting suicide. I
knew she would never do something like that, and even if she did, I couldn't blame her.

I scrolled through my phone, finding my dad's number and praying for once he would have time
for his only son. Surprisingly, he answered.

"This is Ed," he said.

"Dad, it's me. I need your help."

He sighed loudly. Asshole. "Yes, and I'm aware of that. Your mother tried to contact you a while
ago. I've already contacted an associate in Seattle. He is trying to get in contact with Bella."

"Thank you." I didn't know what else to say to him; it wasn't as if he was being the father that I needed.

"Well, I just hope you see that you are too old for this shit, Edward. Football is not a career, and
it's certainly not a way to find out your girlfriend's skeletons in the closet."

"None of that shit is true about her, dad. And yes, once again, I hear you loud and clear about
how I've fucked up everything. I don't need a lecture."

"You certainly need the lecture, son. Someday you have to learn that you need to grow up and stop-"

I had heard enough. "I've got to go."

I hung up with him and dialed Bella. She still didn't answer. I left a desperate voicemail asking her
to call me back. I needed to hear her voice.

Jasper had called me as well, so I figured he might know where Bella was. He answered on the first ri

"Edward… did you hear what's going on?"

"Yes, but I can't get in touch with Bella. Do you know where she is?"

It was only one o'clock her time, so she would have still been at school. I held my breath, waiting
for Jasper to speak. Something was wrong.

"She left school when one of the kids pulled up the story on their phone. TMZ and a few other
gossip sites have the story and they just get worse with each one. Anyway, we've all been trying
to call her, but she isn't answering."

"Fuck!" I yelled loudly, slamming my fist onto the kitchen counter.

"That's not the worst part, Edward… Child protective services was contacted or some shit, and
now they have an open case against Bella. One of their caseworkers stopped by the school
looking for her this afternoon after she left and Alice went by her house to check on her… she
found a note from CPS asking for her to contact them."

"Why are they making such a big fucking deal about this? It's a gossip magazine. We all know that
shit is made up anyway."

"Edward, I… what was said about her medical records was true. She didn't, fuck… she did
overdose after her parents died, but it was accidental. We all kept it a secret because she was
going through so much and we didn't want anyone in this hick town to think she was actually trying
to kill herself. Carlisle and the therapist that checked her out made sure that she was stable
and… anyway, when we found her, and she was brought into the emergency room, they thought
it was a suicide attempt, so that's what was written on her chart."

I was in shock. Bella always said that she had a hard time after her parents died, which was
understandable, but I never knew it was that bad.

"Why didn't anyone ever tell me about this? I think this is something that I should have known about?"

"And why is that?" Jasper snapped. "Would that have changed your mind about her?"

I liked that he was being defensive over Bella, but he didn't need to be that way with me. "Fuck,
no, Jasper. It just… I don't fucking know, but… why wouldn't she ever tell me?"

"Probably because she is really ashamed over the whole ordeal. Edward, she was going through
so much. Seth got really mad at Bella after the funeral; he was just an angry kid, wanting to lash
out at anyone so he unfortunately picked the one person that could not handle it." I wished more
than anything that I had known her back then, so I could've been there for her.

"He yelled at her and Bella ran out of the house… we searched for her all night and everyone that
was close to her searched the woods. She didn't have her car so we all knew she was out there
somewhere. Carlisle ended up finding her at some spot where she and Alice used to hang out,
and when he did she had taken several of her nerve pills, or whatever the fuck the doctor
prescribed her when she first found out about her parents.

"She was in shock, pretty much, and didn't mean to take so many. She kept mumbling that over
and over, 'I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to' and we of course, believed her."

I felt like breaking down for the woman I was in love with, to be so young and go through a tragic
event like that must have been so hard. And now it was public for all the assholes to see.

"I've got to go… need to try to get her to answer. Thank you for telling me," I said solemnly.

"I'll let you know if I hear anything. Call me if you get in touch with her," Jasper said before
ending the call.

I pulled at my hair as I called Bella five more times, and on the very last try I was shocked that she
finally answered.

"Baby, are you okay?"

She sniffled and took a deep, trembling breath. "I, um… I can't do this anymore."

***! !***

Big thanks to Jessica1971, my beta, everyone over at the forum, Twitter friends, and all of my
amazing readers. I can't thank you guys enough! :)

I'm hoping to have the next chapter posted before Christmas, and if I don't then it will be soon
after. Also, I posted one of the outtakes from the FGB, so if you didn't get the alert, you might
wanna check it out. I'll be posting the other two outtakes pretty soon as well.

If I don't post before Christmas, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and stay safe!

*FicRecs*

Into the Mystic by 107yearoldvirgin

The Cannabean Betrothal by itzmegan73

Thanks for reading!

Tissue Warning (maybe).

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Ms. Swan

Being apart was hard, as usual, but I really felt secure in our relationship since we got over our
first fight. I could hear the sincerity in Edward's voice when he explained his intentions for our
future. I trusted him before, but any doubts I had before were cleared up now.

I didn't get to talk to him very long on Monday night because he had a late practice and I had a
school function that I had to attend, along with clean up afterwards. He was in bed by the time I
was done and I really didn't want to disturb him, considering how much pressure his coach was
putting on him. I didn't really understand why they were acting like jackasses towards him;
Edward wasn't the one goofing up during games.

I got up a little earlier than usual on Tuesday to talk to Edward before he left for practice. His
sweet words always got me through my long days at school.

"Sit down, please," I said loudly as my students ignored the bell that had just rang. "I'm allowing
you all to work independently on your project that's due next week. No talking or else this free time
will turn into a pop quiz. Got it?"

Mumbled responses, thanking me, filled the room. I began grading their small assignment that
they turned in during class yesterday and tried very hard to concentrate on the task at hand. My
mind constantly drifted to Edward, thinking of what he was doing at that moment and wishing he
was still in the classroom across from mine.

Time seemed to pass by quickly and as I glanced up at the clock, two of my students were
snickering and whispering in the back of the classroom. I quietly walked over to them with my
disciplinarian face on, ready to be mean if I had to be.

"Ladies, I thought I made myself clear… no talking."

"Well, uh… see… we just got a text on our phones and-"

"And, what? You know you're not allowed to have your cell phones on during class. Hand them
over," I demanded, holding my hand out.

"But you don't understand," Amanda whined. "It's news about you."

"News about me?" I gasped, instantly wondering what was said about me this time.

One of the girls put their phone in my hand and I scanned the small screen to see what it was.
The TMZ site was pulled up on the phone, and one of their headlines just about made me pass
out. My face drained of all color and my hands started to shake.

Chapter: 29

Masen Can't Catch a Break – Girlfriend Threatens Suicide

… previous attempts in the past

… accidental overdose

… insider information from hospital treating Ms. Swan

My eyes glistened with unshed tears as I tried to keep myself together. Still in shock, I handed
the phone back to the girl rather than keeping it even though she was blatantly breaking the
school policy. When I looked up, all eyes were on me. Jake gave me a very sympathetic look, as
he knew what happened in the past.

"So, Ms. Swan… did you like, cut your wrists or something? Overdose?" one of the
jerk-off-asshole-teenagers asked with a demented giggle.

Just as I turned to face the jerk, Jake jumped up from his seat, roaring profanities at the
student. Before I even realized it, he had the kid pinned to the floor and was throwing punches
left and right. "Don't you ever talk that way about her!"

"Guys, stop it right now!" I yelled. Some of the other boys tried pulling Jake off of Michael, the jackass.

Luckily, Jasper was so close to my room, he came running in and yanked Jake off of Michael. "Stop
this right now, Jacob!" Jasper demanded, his voice deep, but so angry and loud.

And just my luck… Seth ran into the room, seeing as he was in Jasper's class at that time. "What
the fuck happened?!"

"Language!" I screeched, not wanting Seth to be involved with going to the principal's office.

"Your sister tried to kill herself, and now she's pissed that everyone knows!" Michael laughed,
wiping the blood from his lip.

Jasper tightened his hold on Michael, muttering that he needed to watch his mouth. I ran a hand
through my hair, trembling from the embarrassment of what I was going to endure for a while
now. It was my secret, a secret that was kept by my family and close friends. But now, everyone knew.

"What the fuck did you just say Mikey?" Seth glared as he walked towards Jasper and Michael.

"You heard me, Swan. I said your sister-"

Michael wasn't able to finish his nasty statement as Seth lunged towards him, along with Jake,
again. By now, there were several teachers, all female, gawking at the sight in my classroom. My
mind was blank as I heard the principal calling for a couple of the male teachers down the hall.
Fists were swinging and Jasper ended up getting punched by someone; we couldn't really tell who
it was as all the boys were hitting one another.

Our new head football coach walked into the room and blew his whistle. "Stop this right now!
Jacob, Seth, and Michael, you will report to Mrs. Cope's office right this second!"

While the fight that was breaking out, the bell had rang. All of the students were in shock, along
with me and pretty much every other adult in the class.

Regaining some of my composure, I turned to Amanda and Jacklyn, who started the whole
problem. "Girls, you two need to report to the office, as well." I turned to Mrs. Cope, tears still in
my eyes and my face flushed with extreme embarrassment. "They had their cell phones out…"

"You heard Ms. Swan, girls. To my office, now!"

All of the students dissipated out of my room and onto their next class. None of them made eye
contact with me. I was beyond humiliated and as much as I would have loved to brush it off as
just another rumor, I wasn't able to hide my discomfort with the topic. I was never able to lie very
well anyway, and regardless of what I said, they could see it written all over my face. It was a
lie though; I didn't try to kill myself. I did everything I could not to think back to that day, but I
couldn't stop myself. It was one of the worst days of my life. The day we buried my parents…

I didn't get to see them before they were buried. It was a closed casket and Carlisle said they
were unrecognizable because they suffered a lot of head trauma. I didn't even get to kiss my
mother goodbye. I just had to go on with my life, knowing that I would never see her again,
never hear her voice again…. And my dad…he wouldn't be at my wedding, he wouldn't gloat over
his grandchildren. Nothing.

Everyone was worried about me because I hadn't been able to sleep; that should have been a
given, though. Who could sleep at a time like this?

Carlisle made me talk to one of his friends at the hospital, someone dealing with mental health. He
cleared me, said I was just going through the usual depressed feelings after a death. Two
deaths. He ended up prescribing me nerve pills, which were supposed to help me sleep.

How could I sleep? All I heard when I laid down in my childhood bed was my mother's voice.

"Bella! I miss you, sweetie. When are you coming home?"

"I think Phoenix is dangerous. I'm sure you could get a job in Forks."

"Bella, I need you here. I know I sound selfish, but I hate being so far away from you."

Countless times my mother wanted me to visit more or to be near her; I could have lived in
Seattle and she would have been thrilled, but no, I was being a stubborn bitch. I couldn't get over
the problems I had with assholes in high school and I let that push me away from my mom. She
was my best friend.

I changed out of my mother's black dress and into some old sweats. Everyone was bringing food
over to the house and as much as I tried to put on a thankful smile for all of them, I couldn't.

I sat on the bed, sniffing my mother's dress that I had just worn, unable to let go of the familiar
scent. Esme was concerned about me and I knew she was waiting outside my bedroom for me to
change, but since I was taking so long, she walked into the room with a sad smile on her face.

"Oh, Bella," she cried as she moved to sit next to me on the bed. Her arms wrapped tightly
around my body, holding me close. "I am so sorry, sweetie. God, I would do anything to take this
pain away from you."

I bawled. I literally let go and bawled my eyes out. And she let me. She whispered encouraging
words the entire time, reminding me that I would get through this. She also told me that no
matter what, she and Carlisle would be there for us.

Seth and I. I couldn't even begin to process the fact that my brother would be living with me
now. He wouldn't even speak to me, and I really didn't know how he would feel about moving to
Arizona, but I had just started my new job. It wasn't like I could just drop everything.

Eventually, Esme coaxed me out of the room to get me to eat something. Food was the last thing
on my mind, but since everyone was starting to worry about my health, I decided to give in a
little and eat.

When I walked downstairs, Seth was standing next to Carlisle, talking to Emmett and Jasper. For
the first time since I arrived in Forks, he made eye contact with me. His eyes were angry and tired.

"You…" Seth began, "why are you even crying, Bella?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

Seth shook his head and laughed sarcastically. "Don't act so stupid. I don't know why you're
here now. Mom always wanted you to come home… she cried over you never spending more time
with her, and now you come since she's dead?" He was yelling by the time he finished his hurtful
statement.

Tears streamed down my face and I tried to ignore the fact that all of our close friends were
witnessing this.

He ignored the protests coming from Carlisle to stop talking. "Stop crying!" he roared. "You don't
deserve to cry!"

Unable to form words, I hurried back up the stairs and into my bedroom. I locked the door behind
me just in time, because Rose, Alice, and Esme were knocking on it, trying to get me to talk to them.

I needed to get out of that house. I couldn't spend another minute there. Grabbing my bottle of
water off of my desk, I swallowed down two of the nerve pills, praying they would make me feel
better like everyone said they would. I opened my window that I used to sneak out of to meet up
with Alice in the past and climbed down the lattice, gripping the pill bottle in my hand. I would
take more until they lived up to their promise.

I ran. Behind our house was a wooded area that I used to cut through to get to Alice's house. It
was a long way away, but I loved taking that route to just be alone sometimes.

One thing led to another, and by the time I looked down at my watch, I couldn't make out the
numbers because of the darkness. I was freezing because I failed to remember to bring my jacket
with me. I was completely alone and although I had been in the woods many times, I somehow got
off track and was lost. And throughout my dazed behavior, I had taken most of the pills in the bottle.

I laid down on the cold ground and made a promise to myself that I would find my way out the
next morning when there was light. I just needed to sleep now.

I shook my head and wiped the tears from my face as I gathered my things. There was no way I
could spend the rest of the day at school, especially because of the fact that Seth had gotten into
a fight; he would be facing suspension now.

My phone rang, breaking me out of my thoughts. It was Jenks. I really didn't feel like talking, but
I knew he had probably heard of this information. To my surprise, he just wanted to make sure I
was okay. I was relieved that he wasn't a jerk like Garrett would have been. I didn't talk to him
very long, knowing that I had other things to take care of.

As I walked out of the classroom, Jasper met me in the hallway. He explained to me that Seth was
going to be suspended for two days and I would need to take him home. Mrs. Cope was arranging
for a substitute teacher to take care of my classes for the rest of the day. I thanked him for
everything and waited outside the principal's office for Seth to be released. As I waited, I
grabbed my cell phone out of my purse and noticed I had a voicemail. I didn't recognize the
number of the missed call.

"Ms. Swan, this is Abigail Lester with Child Protective Services. I need to get in touch with you as
soon as possible. Please call me back at…"

I deleted the call before I could take down the number. I didn't know why I did that; I guess I
was somewhat panicked.

Panic didn't even begin to explain the way I felt. It was one thing to have everyone know about
the lowest point in my life, but now CPS was contacting me. Were they going to take Seth away
from me?

I leaned my head back against the wall, taking deep breaths. I was really about to lose it. I
couldn't take much more.

Mrs. Cope walked out of her office with Seth, Michael, and Jake. She explained that Jake and
Michael's parents were on their way as they were being suspended, too. Michael apologized to
me, though it didn't really matter now. The damage was done, and even though he didn't spread
the rumor like the media did, he still acted like a jackass about it. I couldn't forget or forgive his
behavior just yet.

And then the day got even worse.

The main door to the school opened, and in walked Emmett. He had a horrid look on his face as he
pulled at his hair, much like Edward did when he was mad or stressed.

"Bell, where are you going?" he asked, noticing I had all of my things with me.

"Long story, Em," I said shakily. "I've got to go home."

He kept looking over his shoulder, back towards the front door. "Well, uh… let's walk out the
other way. I'll walk out with you."

"What's going on, Emmett?" I asked warily.

He sighed loudly and shook his head. "There are a few people wanting to confirm that you…
well, somehow a rumor got started by someone that you killed yourself this morning. They are
being escorted off the premises, but I just didn't want you to be around them, Bell."

I'd had enough. "Take Seth to your mom's house. I need to take care of something," I lied. I just
needed to get away from everyone. I didn't give either of them time to respond as I hurried
down the hallway, leaving through the rear entrance.

I don't know how I made it to my car, able to avoid whoever it was that wanted to talk to me, or
cause more gossip about me, but I did. I sped out of the parking lot, not knowing where I was
going to go, but I just had to leave Forks. I wasn't running away from my problems; I just needed
a break.

I wasn't able to leave Forks. On my way out of town, I passed by Edward's place and, needing
to be near some part of him, I drove down the dirt road that led to his house. I had a key to the
house and the garage opener, so I parked inside, hoping nobody would find me while I tried to
deal with everything.

I walked up the stairs to his bedroom and crawled under the covers of his bed, relishing in the
smell that kept him close to me. I clutched my cell phone tightly, listening to it ring over and over
again. I didn't look to see who was calling, but every time it played the specific ring tone that I
usually would jump to answer, I knew who was calling me.

I didn't know what to do. How could I face anyone now? How could I face Edward? Would he be
mad that I never told him about what happened? I would look so weak, and I didn't even know if
he would trust me.

My heart broke every time he called, and I finally worked up the courage that I would answer the
next call. Seconds later, he called again.

"Baby, are you okay?" he asked. His voice was desperate, but sounded a little relieved, I guess
because I answered.

I didn't know how to respond to his question, because I wasn't okay. I was far from okay and I
wouldn't be okay for a while. This was one of the worst things that could happen to me.

"I, um…" I paused. "I can't do this anymore."

"Baby, what do you mean?" His voice trembled and I knew this was hurting him as well.

The painful lump in my throat made me feel like I was going to choke. "This… everything. Edward,
I… oh my God, what do I do now?"

"I'm going to fix it, Bella. I promise I'll take care of it."

I cried into the pillow. His pillow. "You can't, Edward. Everything is so fucked up now. CPS is
calling me. What if they see me as unfit for Seth? What do I do?" My voice sounded whiney and
needy, but I couldn't control it.

"I know, baby, but it will be fine. Please believe me." His voice was calming, but even that didn't
help now. "Bella, I'll come home, okay, baby? I will be there by tonight."

"No!" I said loudly. "If you come here now, they'll all believe it… like you're coming home to take
care of your unstable girlfriend. That will just make everything worse."

"But I need you, Bella." I sobbed even louder when I heard those words because I knew he meant
it. I needed him just as much. "I want to be the one to take care of you."

"Do you believe it?" I asked dryly.

"Believe what, Bella?"

"What the stories say… that I tried to kill myself?"

"Of course not, baby, and even if it were true, that wouldn't change the way I feel about you."

I may have been out of my mind, not able to think clearly at that moment, but I felt like when he

said that, he may have had some doubt like everyone else did.

Part of me doubted myself sometimes.

***! !***

Masen #7

"If it were true?" she repeated my words. "So you think it's a possibility that I did then, right?"

Her voice had changed and I could have slapped myself over my previous words.

"Bella, I'm just saying that no matter what happened before, you're still the strongest person I
know. I just want you to know that it wouldn't change anything, baby."

Her cries were louder and I feared that this was her breaking point. "Sometimes… I wonder," she
whispered, her voice trembling, "what if I was trying to, Edward? I knew better than to take all of
those pills… I just wanted to stop hurting. I hated myself." She gasped loudly. "I have fucked up
all the important relationships in my life. I'm bound to ruin things between us… I mean, look at
us! Now you have to deal with all of this because of me."

I panicked; she was slipping away from me. "Bella, it's not because of you. It's because of some
fucked up people that want to hurt others with nothing but lies. Please do not get upset over
this, baby. I am not having to deal with anything; my dad is filing a complaint with the news
sources that started all of this and I already know that Lauren had to have been the one to leak
the information from the hospital… I am only worrying about you because I'm not there, baby."

There was silence on the other end, except for her quiet sniffling, sounding muffled by something.

"Bella, where are you?"

She took a deep breath. "In your bed. I'm sorry, I just had to come here. I missed you and you're
the one person that makes everything better. That's what the problem is."

"That isn't a problem, baby… I feel the same way. I can go through hell and back, as long as I
have you waiting for me."

I could hear her shifting in the bed. She whimpered quietly, a small sob escaping. "I'll end up losing
you, too, Edward. I always screw up."

Now she was just talking crazy. "You could never do anything to lose me. Please stop talking like that.

"I can't… I think that," she paused, letting out a small huff, "we were better off as friends."

"You're lying," I said with determination. "You know that isn't true. We're going to spend the rest of
our lives together, Bella. And we were never just friends… you know that."

"I just need a break, Edward," she whispered as she cried.

I have only cried once in my adult life - when my grandfather passed away. He was the only male
figure in my life that had faith in me. However, at this point, tears rolled furiously down my face as
I lost the best thing that ever happened to me.

I cleared my throat, taking in short breaths. "If that's what you need, then I'll respect your

wishes, but just know that I will never give up on us. I had no life whatsoever until I found you on
the side of the road that night. My life has been great since then, and I refuse to live without
you. So… I will back off and let you figure things out, but you're not getting rid of me, Bella."

"I'm sorry," she whispered again.

"Don't be sorry, baby. I understand that you are going through a lot and just need time; this will
only make us stronger. I love you."

"Love you, too," she managed to say between sobs.

And then the phone call ended. I felt like everything had been ripped away from me. Some would
say I was being irrational, blaming myself, but I couldn't avoid those thoughts from filling my head.
If I would have just continued on with my life in Forks, which was perfect because I had Bella, we
would never be going through this. She wouldn't be hurting.

Regardless of how much Bella supported me, I should have realized that football was never
something that was missing in my life. It was her. She was the one thing missing from my life.

I called Jasper to let him know where Bella was. He was going to send Alice and Rose over there
to check on her and promised to call me once he knew more. He also mentioned that Seth was a
mess, so I decided to call him.

"Hey, Edward," Seth answered.

"Hey. You okay?"

"Not really… I'm worried about Bell. She… I caused this. If it wasn't for me being such a fucking
asshole when I was younger, then she would never have gone through all that."

I could hear Esme in the background, reminding him not to use that language. Any other time I
would be laughing, because everyone seemed to need to remind Seth to watch his words.

"You can't blame yourself, Seth. I promise this will get taken care of… but in the mean time, just
be there for her."

"Have you talked to her?"

A burning sensation ripped through my throat. "Yeah, she's at my house. Rose and Alice are on
their way over there."

"Are you coming home?"

I clenched my eyes closed, remembering our conversation. "No. She doesn't want me to… afraid
that it will just lead to other rumors. I guess that kind of makes sense."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Listen, I'll, uh… call you back later," I said as another call beeped through on my cell. It was my
dad. "Call me if you need anything at all, okay?"

"I will. Thanks, Edward."

I quickly switched over to the other call. "Dad?"

"Edward, I just wanted to let you know that my friend in Washington has filed against Forks
Community Hospital and Lauren Mallory and we're in the process of filing complaints against the
companies that started this. We're asking that they pull their stories and admit that their 'source'
was not accurate."

"Thank you, dad, but you guys already figured out it was Lauren for sure?"

"Yes, well, Carlisle and one of the hospital administrators were able to see who looked up Bella's
chart; their computer system is very secure and you pretty much have no privacy through that
system. Anyway, Lauren made a copy of Bella's private records, which breaks the HIPPA
guidelines. She is facing very serious charges, and it helps that we have proof of her doing so."

"Is the hospital going to get into trouble, though?" After all, my uncle was in charge of the
emergency room. I didn't want him to face any legal charges because of that dumb bitch. Yes,
she was a dumb bitch.

"They might get fined, but since they're able to show that it was a staff member's wrongdoing,
they should be in the clear."

"I can't thank you enough for helping."

"You're my son, and… well, I haven't been there for you like I should have been." He was never
the type of man to admit his faults, and definitely never showed any emotion towards me. "So,
anyway, it's not something you should thank me for, Edward."

I was really kind of speechless.

"Well, I've got to go make a few more calls, but call if you need anything and make sure that you
call your mother. She is worried sick over both of you."

"I will. Bye, dad."

"Bye, son."

I spent the next few days making phone calls, releasing statements, and praying that Bella was
okay. We hadn't talked since the day everything happened, only exchanging text messages. She
didn't feel like she was good enough for me, which was absurd, but I knew that only time would
show her that she was all I needed. As much as it killed me to wait, I would; I would do anything
to make her feel better again.

My mom stayed in contact with Bella, filling her in with all the details. Lauren was terminated from
the hospital the day the news story happened; Carlisle made sure of that. The attorney that my
dad hired out of Washington was in contact with Bella as well. I would send Bella a text every
day, making sure she was okay. It was killing me to be distant with her. I hated it.

My family flew out to New York for my game against the Giants. Two people were missing: Bella
and Esme. Seth came along with Carlisle, but Esme didn't want to leave Bella alone. She tried to
get everyone to leave so she could have some alone time, but Esme, being the motherly woman in
her life, insisted on staying with her. I sent a simple text to Bella before going out on the field.

I miss you. –E

As I was putting away my phone, it buzzed with a message.

Miss you, too. Please be careful out there. –B

I took comfort in the fact that she was thinking of me and would more than likely be watching from
her television at home. She was obsessed with me not worrying about anything during the games,
afraid I would get hurt if I didn't focus enough.

We ended up losing, but it had nothing to do with my head not being in the game. The other team
just played better than us. I was sure I would be blamed for losing the game, but I didn't
necessarily do anything wrong. To be honest, though, my head wasn't in the game. How could I
focus on a fucking game when it was just keeping me apart from my life?

Jenks made arrangements with my coach that I was not flying back with them that night.
Everyone knew of the personal problems I was facing and, by some miracle, they allowed it. I
did, however, get fined for not going back with them.

I should have just let them fine me after every game so I could have seen Bella. All those times I
just let her go back to Forks without kissing her goodbye, all so that I didn't get a fucking fine.

We ordered pizza back at the hotel. The entire ride over there, I was anxious to talk to Seth. A
lot had happened with him during the week. I didn't get to hear all the details, but I did know
that he was living with Carlisle and Esme for the time being. His request.

Once we were finished eating, I motioned for Seth to go out on the balcony with me, so we could
talk in private.

"How is she?"

"She's a mess, but holding up pretty well. Just so you know, I think she is being so fucking stupid
about her little break with you."

I shook my head, staring out into the darkness. "Don't talk that way about your sister. She isn't
being stupid, Seth. If this is what she needs to cope with everything, then I'm not going to say
anything."

Seth nodded. "I guess so. I'm living with Carlisle and Esme for a while."

"Yeah, I heard. What brought that on?"

"The stupid caseworker was starting to investigate Bella like she's been a bad guardian for me or
some shit, so I offered to live with them until all this bullshit blows over. She comes over after
school and has dinner with us, and then leaves to go home for bed. Rose has been staying with
her at night."

"I've fucked up everything," I sighed, hitting my fist against the railing.

Seth patted me on the back. "You haven't, Coach. I have faith that both of you will pull your
heads out of your asses soon and get over whatever it is that makes you two blame yourself for
shit that is out of your control."

I couldn't help but laugh at his bluntness. "Like I've always said, for just a teenager, you can be
pretty smart sometimes."

"That's what I've tried to fucking tell Bella, but she doesn't listen to me."

"Dude, watch your language," I chuckled. "And thanks for talking to me."

"Anytime, bro. I mean, Coach… I mean… Edward."

We walked back into the hotel room to join everyone and I had made up my mind. Bella may have
been trying to push me away and put up her walls to protect herself from heartache, but I wasn't
going to allow it. I would show her that I would never give up on her.

***! !***

Thoughts? Review please. :)

Thanks to my beta, Jessica1971, everyone over at the forum (loving your feedback),
TwitterFriends, and my awesome readers. I appreciate every single review and can't thank you
all enough for your comments (and support).

The next chapter will be posted on Sunday - possibly sooner if I don't get insanely busy with
Christmas stuff. I'll post a teaser on the forum tomorrow. If you'll stick with me, I'm sure you'll all
love the outcome of it. In my opinion, these kind of things only make a relationship stronger. And
as I've said before, try to keep an open mind with Bella -- she is a shy, quiet person and to have
something like this exposed, for everyone to see, has to be hard. Some have said that she
pushed Edward into playing again... and I guess does that mean she deserves this now? I just
think we can't blame Bella or Edward for this -- it's something that is really out of their hands and
they just need time to figure out how to deal with it now. Lauren will get what's coming to her...
more on that in the next chapter.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy time with your family and friends. Be safe
and God Bless!

~*~

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Masen #7

"She started seeing a therapist last week. We didn't even suggest it, she just thought it was
something she needed to do," Emmett explained. My family was filling me in on how Bella was
doing. I would ask her in text messages how she was, but I'd always get simple answers.

I'm fine.

Doing okay.

There was no way in hell that she was okay. I would have been a complete mess if my past was
exposed for everyone to see and judge. She was being judged, and though we filed complaints
against the initial news source that released the story about her, all of the gossip sites and
magazines were still talking about her - her weakness. But she wasn't weak; she was stronger
than any of the other assholes.

The thing that made her stronger than anyone else was the fact that she was doing this on her
own. I wanted to pick up the pieces for her, but she knew that she had to do it or else she would
never get over it. That was why I could step back and know that just because we were on a small
break didn't mean that we were over. She was the one I was going to spend the rest of my life
with, and I fully intended on making that valid as soon as she was ready. For now, I'd give her the
time she needed. Love was never a problem between us and it wasn't as if it was going to
disappear overnight.

"That's really good. I'm proud of her," I finally replied.

"Yeah, we all are. I mean, I think she never got over their deaths anyway… she just pushed
herself back into the real world, taking care of Seth and going back to life in Phoenix."

"She didn't have to deal with it until she went back to Forks," I said.

"Exactly."

I sat at my desk, staring at the picture I had framed of me and Bella. It was before we were
technically together. We were at the concert in Portland, Bella on my shoulders with a huge smile
across her face. My smile mirrored hers and we just looked… perfect together. She made me
happy and I made her happy, as well.

I traced the outline of her face, soothing my nerves because I missed her so fucking much. "She
just needs time to grieve I think… this brought up their deaths all over again."

"She'll be fine, Edward." Emmett paused for a moment. "Your mom is here. Did she tell you she

Chapter: 30

was coming to Forks to visit?"

"Dad said she was thinking about it, but I didn't know when she was actually going to do it. How
long has she been there?" My mom wanted to help Bella in whatever way she could. I felt
somewhat better knowing that my mom was there for Bella, although practically my entire family
was trying to do whatever they needed to, to help Bella.

"She just got here today. Mom picked her up this morning in Seattle."

Bella had taken a leave of absence from work. She just had too much shit to deal with and Mrs.
Cope, as well as the school administration, was very understanding. Bella was busy meeting with
the attorney and would be attending court very soon when Lauren was faced with criminal
charges. Lauren's nursing license was being revoked and she pretty much would never get a job
in the healthcare industry again. She was getting exactly what she deserved.

"That's good. Hopefully, they can get her mind off of all this shit."

"Yeah, that's what mom said. Anyway, I've got to go… Rose has an appointment this morning."

"Everything okay?"

Emmett chuckled. "Oh, we're just going to see how far along she is…"

"Are you serious?" I asked excitedly. They had been trying to get pregnant for a while now and
when Alice announced her pregnancy, I knew that Rose took it pretty hard because she wanted
a baby so badly.

"Yep," he answered proudly. "She took a test… well, several tests, the other night and they were
all positive."

"That's awesome, Emmett. I'm really happy for you guys," I said, my voice trailing off as I wished
it was Bella and I experiencing something exciting like that.

I was a fool to ever think that I didn't want a family just yet. I wanted everything with Bella.

"Thanks, man. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, keep me updated."

Once I ended the call, I made a phone call to my mom. She and Esme were getting ready to go to a
late lunch with Bella. I was surprised that she was even making plans to have Bella go back home
with her to visit Chicago. She wanted to get Bella out of Forks, saying that she needed some
time away to "regroup" and figured Bella might like to see where I grew up.

After my phone calls, I got ready for another grueling practice and headed to the stadium. We
were literally getting the shit kicked out of us because we had lost our last two games against the
Giants and the Chargers. Our next game was against New Orleans and they were undefeated for
the season. The way we had been playing, we didn't stand a chance against them.

Over the next few days, I began to get more and more texts from Bella. She was cheerful and
seemed genuinely happy, though with a text it was hard to tell. I still hadn't heard her voice since
the day that everything happened. She told me that she was afraid if she heard my voice that
she would crumble and need me too much. I wanted her to need me too much, though. I needed
her too much. I didn't feel inferior because I depended on Bella; maybe we were in too deep or

something, but our connection was just very strong. I know that most couples would say that, but
it was overly true for us. My mood depended on hers and vice versa.

I loved her more than anything… that's why.

My mom somehow talked Bella into leaving Forks. I knew she only agreed to it because CPS
dropped the ludicrous case against Bella. They were only doing their job, but I knew once they
saw how great Bella was for Seth, they had no reason to worry. Seth stayed with Carlisle while
Bella and Esme flew back to Chicago with my mom. Seth didn't mind Bella leaving, and I think he
just wanted her to feel better. I knew he would do anything for his sister.

Seth was also going to see the therapist that Bella was seeing. He still had some issues deep
down, which was to be expected, and was getting the help that he needed.

Knowing that Bella was in my home town without me was disappointing; however, I was excited
for her to see Chicago for the first time. I couldn't wait until the day when I could be there with her.

I'm in your old bedroom, and I have to say, even younger Edward was a neat freak. –B

I laughed loudly and typed back my response.

Just don't look under the mattress. I didn't have you to look at back then, so… yeah. –E

I received a very quick response back.

Ew! Thank God your mother hasn't looked under here. Seriously Edward? It's nothing but boobs…
you had an infatuation, huh? –B

I was a teenager… a very horny teenager. ;) –E

I missed her more than I could even begin to explain.

Please tell me you didn't bring girls up here. I know it's the past, but still… I'm sleeping in your bed
tonight. That would be…weird. –B

Picturing her in my bed, my teenage fantasy dream woman, lying in my fucking bed, killed me.

Ms. Swan, you are the first woman to lie in my childhood bed. –E

Thank you… I'll actually be able to sleep now. Can I call you? Are you busy? –B

I didn't even respond. My fingers dialed her number as quickly as possible.

"That was fast," she giggled as she answered. My heart soared at hearing her voice and her laugh.

"I've missed your voice," I said honestly.

"I missed yours, too," Bella said quietly, her voice saddened.

Now that I had her on the phone, I had no idea what to say. "Did you get the fruit bouquet
before you left?" I had been sending flowers, simple ones, every day and decided to change
things up a bit.

"Yes, I did. That was very sweet," she said and I could hear the smile in her voice. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby."

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "Yeah, it actually arrived right before we left for
the airport, so we had that for breakfast."

"I'm glad you guys enjoyed it."

There was a long pause as neither of us knew what to say; so much to say, but how do you say it?

"So…" Bella said quietly.

"Hmm…"

"When are you coming home for Christmas? Or I mean, to Forks? Your mom said that everyone on
your side of the family is going to Forks as well, so that will be nice, huh?"

And by my side of the family, my mom meant everyone; cousins from my dad's side, aunts and
uncles, etc. I knew they would all be staying with me, which would be pretty fucking unpleasant,
but I would have to deal with it anyway. Freaking holidays.

The only thing I thought of was getting to see Bella again, if she wanted to see me. I was going to
take things slowly with her. Maybe she would let me take her on a date, since we really never
went on those simple dates. Sure we had movie nights at our houses, but I never got to take her
to dinner and a movie. We needed to do those simple things.

"Yeah, but my family can be annoying, so I'm sure I'll be in hiding most of the time."

Bella sighed softly. "Kate is bringing her friend along… she said that you were close friends with
her in high school, as well. Bree?"

I dated Bree briefly in high school and our families were close friends. She was harmless, but I was
afraid that Bella might feel awkward around her. I decided to be honest with her, to avoid any
possible future disputes.

"I went out with her in high school for a little while, nothing big though. Why is she bringing her?
Did she tell you?"

"Apparently Bree just went through a nasty divorce and her husband has the kids for Christmas.
Kate doesn't want her to be alone. We went to dinner with them earlier… she's pretty nice." I
wondered what she was actually thinking. "Did you, um… you know?"

"What?"

"Get physical," she laughed loudly, "with her?"

I laughed along with her because the way she said it was so cute and shy. "No, baby, as much as
you think I'm a man-whore, I didn't fuck every girl I knew."

"I know," she gasped, and I could just picture her face blushing brightly. "It's just… you know…
that would be awkward, I think."

"I know what you mean, sweet girl."

To be honest, if I had to be in a room with a man that had been with my Bella, I'd probably want to
kick his ass. I couldn't even think of her with another guy.

"I've missed you so much," she admitted quietly. "I'm sorry for the things I said," she gulped
loudly, "before. I didn't mean any of it."

"Bella, you don't have to explain anything to me. You were going through a hell of a time and… I
know you love me."

"I do, Edward, so much."

"I love you, Bella, and this time apart… it's nothing. Like I said before, we're going to spend our
lives together and-"

I didn't know what I was going to say next because I could ramble on and on about spending my
life with her. Bella interrupted me before I could continue.

"I want to be better for myself… for you… for us. I know that everyone watches what they say
around me when you guys talk about your parents, and you shouldn't have to do that."

I did always try to avoid talking about my mom or dad, but I didn't know she noticed. "Baby, if I
had lost both of my parents the way you did, it would take a very long time for me to get over it.
I would feel jealous that everyone else still had theirs when I didn't have mine. Like right now…
when I see another couple, I get jealous because I don't have you with me." It was the first time
that I had been able to talk to her since our mini break or whatever; I was going to tell her
everything. "And that isn't just during our break… it's all the time. When I'm here in Dallas, and
you're in Forks… when we were just friends and I'd be in my bed and you'd be in yours… hell, I
hate being in the shower when you're still in bed."

Bella giggled and I laughed along with her. I would do or say anything to make her happy.

"When I'm in Forks for Christmas, do you think I can take you on a date? I'll be there Tuesday
through Saturday… although I'm leaving very early on Saturday. We have to practice all day."

I wished more than anything that she would be going back to Dallas with me, but I didn't want to
assume anything. I was going to play it by ear and just see what happened when I got to Forks.

"A date?" she asked sweetly, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Yes. Dinner and a movie, or whatever you'd like to do."

"That sounds great, Edward."

Relief overcame me as I heard Bella let out a quiet yawn. "You should get some rest, baby. My
mom will definitely keep you busy tomorrow."

"Yeah," she laughed. "I'm sure she will. Are you okay, Edward?"

"I'm great now… now that I've heard your voice. Are you okay?"

She paused for a moment before answering. "I'm a lot better. Thank you for being so understanding."

"Thank you for loving me."

***! !***

Ms. Swan

For the past couple of weeks, I dealt with my mistakes. I had made many of them, but I was
trying to forgive myself. My parents would have been so mad at me if I held all of this regret
inside and let it ruin my relationships.

I decided to go to counseling. Again. I went after my parents died, when Seth and I got situated
in Phoenix. At the time, I thought I was only going to help Seth with his anger, but I realized I
needed to be going for me. The embarrassing accidental overdose should have pushed me to get
more help, but I kept telling myself that I didn't mean to harm myself. It wasn't until Edward called
me after the tabloid crap was released that I finally admitted out loud that I really did know better
than to take all of those pills. I was an adult. I knew that it could have killed me, but I was in some
kind of shock. I needed to learn how to cope with my emotions in a better way, and that's why I
decided to go to counseling. I wanted to be a good wife and mother someday, for Edward and
for myself.

Edward was my future and the time apart from him absolutely killed me, though it confirmed the
fact that I would be spending the rest of my life with him. There were so many times where I
wanted to pick up the phone and beg him to come to Forks just to hold me, but I felt like I would
be giving into the weakness of needing him too much.

He was caring, loving, and everything that I needed. For the first two or so weeks, we only sent
text messages to each other. He never failed to mention how much he loved me and I felt
comforted by that fact. No matter what had happened in the past, he still loved me regardless.

When Liz showed up with Esme, trying to cheer me up, I sort of felt closer to my mom. The two
women that she grew up with were trying to fill the void that she couldn't. Plus, Liz was Edward's
mom, and even though I didn't have Edward near me, I did have his mom.

Liz talked me into going to Chicago with her and I felt guilty almost, considering how Edward was
always excited to take me there. Someday we would go there together…

Their home was gorgeous and insanely huge. I couldn't imagine growing up in a house like that.
Liz offered me the choice to stay either in the guest room or Edward's old room. I chose his room.
Once I was inside his room, I felt more at ease than I had in weeks. Our texts that night led to us
finally talking on the phone. Every word he said to me assured me that he was being completely
honest regarding his love for me.

I would never question his feelings towards me again.

The next day when I woke up, I quietly made my way downstairs to find Liz. I was shocked to
find Ed standing in the kitchen, reading his newspaper. He was supposed to be out of town. I still
didn't know how to act around him, especially since everything had happened.

"Good morning," he said as I stood in the entryway awkwardly.

"Good morning," I replied shyly.

He put his paper down and smiled warmly at me. I wondered what had changed since the last time
I saw him. Ed wasn't the charming, warm type like Edward was.

"I picked up some breakfast," he said as he pointed towards an array of food on the kitchen

counter. "Edward said you liked a variety."

"Th-thank you," I stuttered. That meant he actually called Edward to ask. I'm sure Edward was
shocked when he got that call.

Thankfully, Liz and Esme joined us in the kitchen and eased my tension. She informed Ed what we
would be doing today and he made plans to take us out to dinner that evening.

The more I actually looked at Ed, the more he reminded me of Edward. His hair was the same
color, though he had some gray mixed in. Their jaw lines were identical, and when Ed didn't use
his stern voice he sounded just like Edward.

Esme, Liz, and I spent the day shopping. They said that I had very similar taste in clothing to my
mother. I heard stories about them growing up together – sleepovers, high school stories, etc. It
was a very fun day. Edward sent me messages throughout the day, trying to get me to tease his
mom like he would have done had he been there.

For the first time in weeks, I spent the day laughing. I didn't get upset once, even though we
talked about my mom and dad for most of the day. In the past, I would usually get choked up if I
even thought about my parents. I didn't know if Liz and Esme realized just how much they were
helping me.

When we got back to the house we carried in the abundant number of bags from our shopping
excursion. I bought way too much, but was excited about my purchases. I was never one to
enjoy shopping, but I had a boyfriend to impress, which resulted in buying many pieces of
clothing and undergarments that would make Edward go mad. My face flushed when his own
mother pointed out something I should buy at Victoria's Secret, but as the day went on I shopped
with her like I would with any friend.

Ed was taking us out to a nice restaurant that evening and I was still slightly nervous to be
around him. He just seemed to not like me very much in the past, and I guess I was maybe
intimidated by him now. He was, after all, my boyfriend's father. I knew Edward would have felt
nervous around my parents if he had gotten to meet them.

I took great comfort in the fact that my parents would have loved Edward. He was a charmer, a
gentleman, and my best friend. The way he was trying to take care of the huge mess we had
going on right now would have been further proof to my parents about how much he cared about me.

Your dad is taking us to dinner. I'm kind of nervous. How was your day? –B

I should have just picked up the phone and called him, but I didn't know if he was sleeping or
busy. To be quite honest, I was tired of texting him. I missed hearing his voice, and two weeks
without hearing him was too long for me.

Thankfully, he sent a message back to me quickly.

Don't be nervous, beautiful. My dad likes you a lot. He thinks you're really good for me. My day
was crappy until now. Can I call you?

I didn't respond; instead, I called him.

"Hi," he said, and once again, I was reminded of how much I missed his voice.

"Hey," I replied with a big smile on my face. "So why was your day crappy?"

He chuckled. "Doesn't matter now, since I'm talking to you."

I wanted him to talk to me and let me know his problems. He always wanted that from me, but he
wouldn't be honest with me either most of the time. "It does matter… please?"

Sighing loudly, I heard movement on his end. "Oh, I'm just exhausted. They are really pushing us
hard, and I guess I'm just sore." He let out another laugh. "And when I hear myself talk about it, I
just sound like a whining asshole."

"You don't sound that way, Edward," I assured. "Of course you're tired and sore… although they
shouldn't be so hard on you; you're not the one sucking ass out there. It's the other players."

My choice of words caused him to laugh even more. "Thank you, baby."

"You're welcome… I wish I was there to give you a massage."

He let out a quiet moan which literally sent chills down my spine. "Don't tease me. I love your massage

"You should take a long, hot bath. I'm sure that would help."

"That's what I'm doing now," he laughed as I heard water splash around.

"Oh," I said, feeling surprised and turned on at the same time. I blushed at the thought of lying in
the tub with him. His house in Dallas had a huge bathtub that we were never able to enjoy
together, only showers. "Well, I've got to finish getting ready for dinner…"

Edward cleared his throat and I heard more splashing. "What are you wearing?"

I huffed, looking down at myself. "An insanely expensive dress that your mother insisted on
buying me earlier today."

"I bet you look gorgeous… could you send me a picture?"

I didn't say anything at first, feeling goofy for sending a picture of myself to him.

"I mean… I just miss seeing you, but if you-"

"Of course I will," I interrupted. "I just… you know me."

"My shy girl," he whispered. "But remember… not so shy in the bedroom, right baby?"

I laughed and blushed furiously. "Very funny, Masen. Anyway, I'll send it to you as soon as I get
dressed."

"Wh-what are you wearing now?" he stuttered.

"Hmm…" I teased, "wouldn't you like to know?. I've got to go now, though, so I'll call you later.
Love you!"

"Oh my… fuck, Bella, you can't just leave me like that."

I laughed. "I'm running late!"

"Okay, okay," he mumbled. "I love you, and call me when you get home. Please?"

"Kay. Bye," I said, feeling awful that I had to end our call.

I finished dressing and fixed my hair quickly. Slipping my shoes on as I hurried out of Edward's
old bedroom, I hurried downstairs, hoping that I wasn't keeping everyone waiting.

Esme grinned as I stepped into the living room. "You look absolutely beautiful, Bella!"

"Thank you," I said, blushing all over. I hated my blushing. "This is going to sound embarrassing,
but can you take a picture with my phone. Edward wants to see my dress."

Esme winked with the grin still on her face. "I'm sure it's not the dress he wants to see, sweetheart."

Once the picture was taken, I sent it to Edward and almost instantly received a text back from him.

Tell my mother that I'm going to kill her for buying such a sexy dress for my girlfriend when I'm
not around… You are gorgeous. –E

I laughed as I read it and Liz happened to take a peek at my phone as she walked into the room.
She laughed loudly and agreed with Edward that I was beautiful. She said I definitely took after
my mother and that made me feel so… great.

Our dinner with Ed was fun and he made us laugh most of the night. Esme whispered to me that
she had never seen him so laid back before, but said it was probably because he was so proud
of Edward. I didn't understand why he was just now feeling proud of Edward, because he always
had reason to but chose to ignore it.

We had a slight run in with reporters taking pictures of us exiting the restaurant. Ed has his arm
wrapped around me tightly, and basically told them to 'fuck off' and leave us alone. He didn't give
them time to ask questions.

Over the next few days, I was taken to see some of the most amazing things, but wished that I
had Edward with me. The only thing I had to look forward to was knowing that Edward would be
back in Forks on Tuesday. He would be arriving late that night with his family, and although I
wouldn't get to see him, I was still overjoyed just knowing he would be so close to me. We made
plans to go to dinner and a movie on Wednesday, which excited me very much. A simple date. I
hoped that we might have a little privacy. Edward was going to drive to a small town near Forks,
an hour or so away, where we hoped that he wouldn't be recognized.

On my last night at the Masen residence, Liz, Esme, and I sat in the living room watching old
home videos. They were mostly of Edward and Kate growing up. I couldn't help but laugh at the
younger Edward I had never really seen. He wore braces in junior high school and wasn't very
fashionable at all. Liz said that he was really shy growing up, not really doing anything athletic
until his Grandpa encouraged him to play sports. It was like day and night. Nerdy Edward in junior
high turned into insanely sexy high school football jock. He still had that same crooked grin as his
mom taped him walking out the door with his date for prom, and when he stood to accept an
award for football, he nervously ran his hands through his messy hair.

I missed him so much.

After we scanned through all of the videos, photo albums were pulled out and I was able to see
many pictures of my mom. It was from their high school days – prom, football games, sleepovers,
etc. Her hair was lighter than mine, but we had the same eyes and same smile.

I choked back a few tears and held myself together proudly.

"Sweetheart, I think that you try to hide how much you miss your parents, but you need to know
that it's okay for you to let out your emotions. When you hold all of that in, it builds up so that
it's unbearable. Your mom and I spoke every single Sunday, regardless of what was going on in
our lives… and the first Sunday after she was gone, it really hit me that I would never talk to her
again. I have regrets like you; I could have flown to Forks any time I wanted or I could have
flown your mom here to visit me, but I didn't… I was so busy with my life, raising the kids, raising
my husband," Liz laughed as tears fell down her face, "and I'll always regret that. I know that you
miss her and your dad more than anyone else, but we all have regrets, sweetheart. The point
that I hope you realize is that your mom loved you and was so proud of you. She did want you
back home, but believe me, she would be so upset if you let that hang over your head."

Esme wrapped her arm around me, pulling me to lean on her as Liz wiped away her tears. "I think
you're afraid she dwelled on the fact every day that you weren't near her… and that's not true,"
Esme said. "We would go walking together… shopping… playing cards… it wasn't like she was
depressed over it, Bella."

It was true. I just kept picturing her crying at night, wishing I would quit being so damn stubborn
and just move back home.

"We miss our best friend, too," Liz said with a shaky voice. "And you know what makes it better?"
she asked, patting my leg. "You. We have her daughter… and you're living the life she prayed
you would have. You have a wonderful job, you're a terrific sister, and you will be marrying a
good young man that just happens to be my son," she added with a wink.

"Exactly," Esme agreed. "Your father and mother will live on through you and Seth, so please
remember that they aren't gone… you'll see them again one day, and you wouldn't want them to
see you upset like you have been… right?"

I nodded.

"And Bella, if you ever need to talk, call me anytime," Liz said. "Or call Esme, she's basically down
the road from you. Though the best piece of advice I can give you is that when times get tough,
you need to be open to Edward. I'm not just saying that because he's my son, but he is an
understanding person and loves you, probably more than I've ever seen a man love a woman."

"I know," I whispered, looking down at my lap. "I can't thank you both enough for all of this."

"We love you, sweetheart, and just wanted you to know that we do understand some of what
you're feeling," Esme said with her caring voice.

I went back to Forks with Esme, feeling better than I had before. We even ran into some
photographers at the airport, along with noticing some nasty articles saying that I was getting
help at a mental facility in Chicago. A week ago I probably would have gotten upset, but I
laughed uncontrollably at the lies, probably looking crazier than the photo on the cover. With some
digital help, they added some crazy hair and put my head on the body of someone dressed in
hospital clothing. How stupid.

I was ready to get back to my life in Forks, and I couldn't wait to see Edward again.

***! !***

Thanks for reading! :)

Big thanks to my beta, Jessica1971 and my amazing readers. You guys are awesome!

Send me your fic recs -- I need more stories to read!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

A/N at the bottom.

This world keeps spinning faster
To a new disaster, so I run to you
I run to you, Baby
When it all starts coming undone
Baby, you're the only one I run to
I run to you

***! !***

Masen #7

Monday night I packed my things, ecstatic over the fact that I would be going back to Forks the
next day. I couldn't wait to see Bella. Deep down, I was nervous because I didn't know what to
expect with her. I didn't know if we could go back to the way we were before, or if things were
sort of starting over with us.

Would she let me kiss her?

Could I hug her? Not a little wimpy hug that was usual for friends. I wanted to hold her tight
against my body, trying to show her how much I needed her.

And the most important thing of all - would she smile? Actually smile. I didn't want to see a smile
that wasn't genuine, one that hid the sadness that was still hidden inside her. I prayed that the
therapy she had been going to was really working. On the phone, she assured me that she hadn't
felt so free in such a long time. I trusted her, but I just wanted her to feel like she could talk to
me about anything that bothered her.

Bella and I spoke before I went to bed that night, both of us excited to see each other again. I
couldn't believe it had been almost a month since I last saw her. We didn't talk for too long
because I had to get up early for my flight. I had a layover in Denver and we worked it out so
that I would meet up with my family there as well, so we would all fly into Seattle together.

If things had just gone smoothly like I planned…

But they didn't, of course.

My flight was fine and I arrived in Denver on time, though we had a tough landing. Denver was
being hit by a huge snow storm, which led to my flight to Seattle being delayed. My parents' flight
in Chicago was delayed, as well.

Chapter: 31

Disappointment and anger took over my mind as I was still in Denver at six o'clock at night, when
I should have been in Seattle, on my way to see Bella. I called Bella throughout my waiting,
complaining to her mostly, but she always knew how to cheer me up.

"Well, you could find me a cute souvenir at one of the gift shops. Maybe a 'Stuck in Denver' shirt
or something?" Bella teased with a giggle.

"Ha ha, very funny…"

"Or how about a snow globe? Yeah, definitely a snow globe."

Her laughter made me smile and I instantly forgot about my current problem. "Well, I guess I'll go
stock up on your Christmas presents… nothing says 'I love you' like airport gift shop surprises, right?"

"I know! I mean, I went shopping at the gas station down the road for yours…" she laughed
harder, as did I, which caused several disgruntled awaiting passengers to glare at me for cracking
a smile.

"I can't wait to see you, baby."

"I can't wait to see you, too. Herkie, Harley, and I are at your house right now."

I somehow felt comforted by the fact that she was at my house. "Oh yeah? What are you doing
over there?"

"I stocked your fridge with groceries… put some fresh sheets on all the beds… oh, and Emmett and
I picked up a tree, so I'm rearranging your living room."

"Bella," I sighed. "You shouldn't be moving that furniture around. You might hurt your back or
something."

She huffed and let out a small laugh. "I'm fine, Edward. Don't worry about me so much!"

"Okay… Thank you for doing all of that. You're too good to me."

"It's not a problem. I love decorating your house." I could hear the smile radiating through her
voice. I wanted to ask her to move into my house because as soon as football season was over, I
would be back home. Once I was living in Forks again, there was no way I would live apart from
her. That was a conversation that needed to take place face to face, though.

"I'm sure it looks great." I was hesitant to ask her my next question, but I couldn't hold back any
longer. "Would you consider staying at my house tonight? I'll be getting in late, and I planned on
going to your house to surprise you anyway, but-"

"To be honest," she interrupted, "I actually brought over my clothes for tomorrow anyway… It's
snowing here already, too, so my car probably wouldn't make it home through all that."

I grinned like a crazy man. "That's… great. There was no way I would be in the same town as you
and actually have to wait to see you."

My mind drifted for a moment, thinking about waking Bella up in my bed when I got home. I was
giddy like a child or something. Just as Bella called out my name because I zoned out for a
second, I caught a glance of my parents and my whole fucking family walking towards me.

"My family just got here, baby. Can I call you in a little bit?"

"Sure, and tell them I said hello," she said sweetly. We finished up our quick goodbyes as I stood
to hug my mother.

Everyone was grumpy and tired. There was no telling when we would get to Seattle, and Abby,
my niece, was a very unhappy six year old.

Several hours later, our flight was finally loading. I called Bella quickly to let her know that we
were leaving Denver, but getting to Forks was going to be hard. Washington, specifically the
region I would be traveling in, was also being hit by a winter storm.

One thing after another was going wrong and I felt like something was trying to keep me away
from Bella. Although she urged me to stay in Seattle overnight, I went against her wishes. I had
two large vans reserved; however, we luckily worked a deal with the rental company once we
arrived to instead rent three four by four vehicles that would be safer for the current weather
conditions. My dad would drive one, I'd drive one, and my dickhead brother in law would drive the othe

My mom rode with me, while the two other vehicles were full with passengers. My dad had his
brother and wife, along with a couple of cousins as passengers, and my mom and I truly felt sorry
for my dad. My uncle was one of those people that never stopped talking. Needless to say, my dad
isn't a big talker so this was pretty much his worst nightmare.

My sister had her husband, Abby, and Bree in one vehicle. I was cordial to Bree, but I didn't want
to give her the wrong idea if she thought something might happen between us. I was confident
that my sister didn't bring her along to see if there was chemistry or something. Kate knew I
would never want anyone other than Bella.

Our usual three and a half hour trip turned into just over five hours. However, I did have a deep
conversation with my mom. She talked to me in depth about Bella's parents and told me what they
were like. I made my plans clear to my mom about my future intentions with Bella. I fully intended
on asking her to marry me soon, but I felt odd not having to get her parent's blessing. She
suggested that I talk to Seth about it because it was his sister, after all. I put myself in his shoes.
If I didn't have my parents, I would have wanted my sister's boyfriend to talk things over with
me, though I would have said 'fuck no' to my brother in law if that had that happened.

We pulled up to my house around two o'clock in the morning and the grin on my face was huge as
I noticed Bella's reflection in the living room window. I had attempted to call her before we got
into town, but she hurried me off the phone, wanting me to focus only on driving. I had to
remember that her parents were killed in a car accident, so I knew the fact that I was traveling in
this weather worried her to the extreme.

My legs actually shook as I got out of the car. I completely forgot about my family as I walked
towards the house, ready to see Bella after being apart from her for a month.

Just as I reached the top step, the front door opened and there stood a very tired Bella with a big
smile on her face. "Hi," she said softly. I immediately noticed that she had gotten a haircut. Her
hair was long before, ending in the middle of her back, but now it was just below her shoulders
and rather than straightening it like she usually did, it was wavy. Most gorgeous woman I had ever
laid eyes on.

I didn't say anything as I closed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms. "God, I've
missed you so much," I whispered finally after holding her for a moment.

I literally went through a tortuous month without her, and with just a simple touch of her hand
running through my hair, it made that pain go away. It really was painful being away from her and
I didn't realize just how bad it was until I was finally holding her again.

"I've missed you, too," she said breathlessly. Her lips gently pressed into my neck with a small kiss.

We stayed that way, unable to part until my very loud niece began calling out my name. Bella
chuckled against my sensitive skin as I shook my head and groaned. It really fucking sucked that
my family was going to be around to interrupt an important time for me and Bella.

"Come on, let's get everyone unloaded," Bella said softly, her voice sleepy as she held back a yawn.

I reluctantly agreed, but held onto Bella's hand. I couldn't let go of her yet.

Abby was still calling out my name. She didn't want to walk in, too tired to stand, so while her
dickhead father groaned annoyingly at his child, I picked her up and carried her inside. Bella had
walked over to the vehicle I was driving and hugged my mom. I loved the fact that they were
close and Bella saw her as someone she could count on.

Every guy wants their mother's approval, right? And I definitely had that.

I took Abby upstairs to one of the guest rooms and laid her on the bed, tucking her in tightly.
She was out and would not wake up for quite a while, which would be nice for Kate so she could
get some much needed rest.

Bree and Kate passed by me as I exited the front door. Both of them carried in one bag,
complaining about the long trip they had to endure. But one bag? Really? After all the crap they
brought along, they were only able to carry in one bag, especially when Bella walked up the
snow packed steps carrying a bag on each shoulder, pulling a suitcase as well?

"Baby, don't get so much," I pleaded as I pulled the heavy bags from her shoulders.

Bella narrowed her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine, Edward," she sighed sweetly, placing her hand on
my chest. She tugged on the bags that I pulled from her. "Let me get these in and you go help
your mother!"

I turned and threw the bags inside the entry way, not allowing her to carry them any further.
"They can carry their own crap to their rooms," I mumbled, kissing Bella on the cheek as I walked
away to help with the other luggage.

My dad, dickhead, and I carried the remaining bags while my mom introduced Bella to Bree. I could
tell just by Bella's body language that she didn't feel threatened by Bree, which made me feel ten
times better. Knowing that Bella trusted me that much just confirmed the fact that we were ready
for the next step in our relationship.

Once the bags were inside and everything was locked up, I found Bella in the kitchen, talking to
my mom. Her eyes lit up as I walked into the room, both of us grinning like fools.

"Well, I'm off to bed, you two," my mom said with a fake yawn and sly wink for me. She hugged
Bella and confirmed that they were going to brave the snow for an all day shopping trip the next
day. I didn't care as long as I had Bella to myself for our date that evening.

"Goodnight, Liz," Bella said sweetly. "Sleep well."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," my mom said to me, giving me a quick hug before leaving the room.

Bella leaned against the counter, looking down at her feet nervously as we were finally alone. I
stalked my way over to her, wanting to ravish her against the counter, but I pushed aside those
feelings, not wanting her to think I was only thinking of sex with her.

When I found myself standing directly in front of her, a faint blush spread over her cheeks as
she peeked up at me. I could never stay away from her like that again.

"A month is too long to be away from you," I began as I lifted her chin with my finger. She nodded,
smiling softly with unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

As I leaned in to kiss her forehead, Bella wrapped her arms around me tightly, pulling me close
against her small body. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I was so stupid before…"

"No you weren't," I argued. As much as I hated our time apart, it made our relationship even
stronger and I knew that she needed that time to basically put herself back together. "I just don't
want to be away from you again."

"I know. I feel the same way, Edward."

I pulled away slightly, my eyes raking over her body and her cute but sexy sleep attire. "I love the
pj's, baby," I chuckled. She was wearing a pair of my old sweatpants from high school, a baggy
USC t-shirt, and snow boots.

"Haha, well, I forgot to bring actual pajamas with me and I figured your family wouldn't really
appreciate it if I wore boyshorts and a tank," she giggled, knowing what kind of reaction she
would get out of me.

As my mind began to think of ways to strip Bella out of my baggy clothes, we were unfortunately
interrupted again. This time it was Herkie barking loudly from the other room. Bella laughed and
led me to the den where Herkie and Harley were lying in my chair.

Herkie ran to me as soon as I stepped into the room, basically attacking me considering I hadn't
seen him in quite a while. Bella and I sat on the couch, playing with the dogs for a bit. When Herkie
finally crawled over to his dog bed with Harley following close behind, I was ready for some
private time with Bella.

I turned in my seat, leaning partially against the arm of the couch. "Come here," I requested,
motioning for Bella to sit on my lap.

Much to my surprise, she did sit on my lap, but straddled me, staring directly in my eyes. She ran
her hands through my hair as my hands rested on her hips. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too, baby," I rasped out, but gasped when her mouth lowered to my neck, kissing slowly.

She breathed heavily against my neck as my cock grew harder than ever before. My hands
moved from her hips to her ass, squeezing gently. We both moaned as I grinded her covered
pussy against my erection. I needed her so fucking much. So much that I was ready to rip the
pants from her body.

Bella sat up and I whimpered at the loss of her mouth on my skin. Her eyes were heavy lidded,
her mouth parted slightly. The blush on her cheeks had increased, though it wasn't due to being
embarrassed – her face would often flush when she was turned on. With one hand still glued to

her ass, I brought the other one to cup her face, pulling her mouth to mine.

"I need you so much, Bella," I whispered against her lips before kissing her deeply. Her tongue
slowly slipped inside my mouth, making contact with my own as I felt her hand move between us.
She rubbed the length of my cock, moaning in my mouth, and I slipped my hand beneath her
pants, squeezing her delectable ass cheek in my hand.

"Edward," she moaned, breaking our long kiss. "I need you-"

Her declaration was cut off by yet another fucking interruption. Abby was calling out my name
from the top of the stairs. Cockblocked by my niece.

"Uncle Edward? Momma? Nanny? Pop?" she cried. I did notice that she didn't call out her father's
name, but it didn't surprise me because he was a dickhead to his own daughter most of the time.

Bella mumbled a quiet 'fuck' as she rested her forehead against my shoulder. "She's probably
scared, baby."

"Yeah, I guess so. We have plenty of time for that, right?"

She sat up and grinned, nodding as her face blushed even more. God, I loved this woman more
than anything.

Bella climbed off of me and both of us went to the stairs to see what was wrong with Abby. Bella
was right; she was scared as she woke up in a strange room and didn't know where Kate's room
was. Abby was happy to see Bella and my love for Bella grew as she picked up Abby to carry her
back to bed. As Bella carried her down the hall, she pointed to the room that Kate was in as well
as our room, just in case she woke up again.

I stood in the doorway, watching Bella tuck Abby in once again. As Bella lay down beside Abby,
running her fingers gently over Abby's forehead, causing her sleepy eyes to close, I imagined
what it would be like when she did that for our child. I had to tell her soon that I wanted a family
with her; I had told her before, but this time I wanted to be sure that she believed me. Bella was
my future.

I kissed Bella and Abby goodnight as I retreated to our room to get the bed ready. The sexual
side of me was disappointed as I knew I probably wouldn't be getting any tonight. We were both
exhausted and as much as I needed to be inside of her, I didn't want to be tired for that. I
wanted to make love to her all night long, but I needed some rest before I could do that.

I stripped out of my clothes and changed into a pair of pajama pants that Bella had laid out on
the bed for me. She took such great care of me. When I pulled back the covers, I noticed a balled
up Kleenex next to my pillow and my heart dropped. I remembered that when all hell had broken
loose, she had gone to my house and was lying in my bed to feel closer to me.

Just as I started to feel angry again for what Lauren had done to Bella, I heard the door close.
Bella smiled sweetly, but her face dropped when she saw what I was holding. Yes, it was just a
Kleenex, but it was something that represented such heartbreak.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to change your sheets and… it's not snotty or anything," she laughed, which
eased the tension completely.

I laughed loudly and walked over to her, holding her body close to mine. "I wouldn't care if it was,
baby. Do you realize how much I love you?"

Bella pulled back to look up at me and smiled. "Yeah, I think I do."

"You think?" I questioned, tickling her side softly.

"No, no… I know, Edward." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my chin. "I trust you more than
any other person, baby."

We stood there for a while with our arms around one another, relishing in how great it felt to be
together again. Eventually, I suggested that we get some sleep because Bella couldn't stop
yawning. I crawled into bed first and watched Bella pull off her snow boots she was still wearing.

"Since my family isn't around now, can I see the boyshorts and tank top?" I asked with a crooked
grin, knowing she loved that smile.

She giggled and stripped out of the baggy clothes, revealing her insanely sexy body. Though we
were both exhausted, I didn't know how I would lay next to her all night and keep my hands to
myself, but I did somehow. I kept my mind busy, knowing that the next day I would have a talk
with Seth.

A very important talk.

***! !***

Bella

Waking up with Edward made me realize even more that I couldn't be apart from him again. He
talked in his sleep most of the night, mumbling incoherent things, and I wished so much I could
understand what he was saying.

I slipped out of bed early Wednesday morning to cook breakfast for everyone. Much to my
surprise, I found Liz in the kitchen already starting breakfast.

"What are you doing up so early?" I asked as she cracked open several eggs.

"Couldn't sleep, sweetie. And why are you up so early?"

I walked over to Liz and she leaned over and gave me a small hug. She was so… motherly to me.
Leaning against the counter, I watched as she stirred the eggs to scramble. "I just wanted to
make breakfast for everyone. I didn't think anybody would be up, though," I chuckled.

"Go back to bed, honey. I've got this under control."

"Nah, Edward is finally sleeping peacefully and I really don't want to wake him up. He's been
restless all night." If he wasn't talking in his sleep, he was rolling over from side to side, pulling my
body every which way. I caught myself laughing when he was so sleepy, but still managed to pull
me on top of him. There was no doubt in my mind what his horny mind was dreaming about; the
evidence was poking me all night, not that I was complaining.

"Well, let's get started on these pancakes then," she said with a wink. I held in my laughter,
remembering how Edward said his mom always winked at him when she spoke about me, before
he had ever met me.

Once breakfast was made, Liz and I ate by ourselves before waking everyone else. We talked

about what we were going to do as soon as the girls were finished with breakfast. She still had
shopping to do and so did I, so we were going to try to make it to Port Angeles. The blizzard
outside had not let up throughout the night and though the gusty winds had stopped, snow
flurries were still coming down.

I loved this weather. It had been so long since I had seen a white Christmas; it was absolutely beautifu

When Liz and I were finished with our breakfast, and our list of places we needed to go, I went
upstairs to wake up Edward. Except when I went inside the room, he wasn't there. I heard the
shower running and noticed steam seeping out through the crack in the door. I walked inside
and Edward must have heard me as he peeked his head out right away.

"Morning, baby," he said, his voice rough and still sleepy.

"Hi," I said happily. "Breakfast is ready downstairs when you're ready."

"Mmm, I know," he moaned lowly. "The smell woke me up."

I walked over to the shower where his head was still poking out and stood on my tiptoes to kiss
him on the lips. "It's so good to have you back home."

"I'm glad to be home, baby. I hated being away from you." He kissed my nose before sticking his
head back under the water to wash out the shampoo.

I moved back to the counter and sat down, waiting for him to finish his shower. My eyes roamed
his body as he stepped out, water droplets covering his body as he grabbed his towel and quickly
dried off. He wrapped the towel around his waist and briskly walked over to me, standing
between my legs.

"You are so gorgeous, Bella." His hands stroked the side of my face softly as he kissed my
forehead. "I love the haircut by the way… I noticed last night, but forgot to mention it."

"Thanks," I said, my face blushing from his simple compliment. "I figured a change would be nice."

He toyed with the ends of my layered shirts. "Got enough layers on, baby?"

I laughed and shook my head. "It's freezing outside and your mom and I are going shopping with
the girls, remember?"

"Ah, yeah," he groaned. "Well, just so you're back in time for our date…"

"Where are we going anyway? I don't mind staying in if you'd rather, since the roads might be
bad tonight."

"I'll be fine driving, unless you don't want to-"

"Yes!" I interrupted quickly. "Of course I want to go."

"Great," he said with a crooked smile on his face. "No need to get dressed up… you'll probably
need to wear your boots tonight, anyway."

"Okay," I said quietly as his mouth moved towards mine.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered before kissing me softly. I had no idea how I was able to go so

long without feeling his lips against mine. I couldn't be apart from him ever again.

"Love you, too."

I somehow managed to let Edward get dressed as I called Seth to check on him. Edward told me to
tell him to be ready to go out for the day. He was going to pick Seth up after we left for shopping.

I was giddy over our date and I really didn't know how I was going to focus on shopping when I
had that to look forward to. Edward was going to sweep me off my feet as he usually did, but he
was putting so much into this date, wanting everything to be perfect. I knew it would be fantastic.

Once everyone was finished eating and everything was cleaned up, we drove over to Carlisle
and Esme's house down the road. Edward followed us over there so he could pick up Seth, and
probably so he could make sure I was able to drive in the snow. Protective Edward was present,
as usual.

We ended up taking Rose's Tahoe as it was able to seat all of us without having to take separate
cars. Everyone teased me as Edward pulled me out of the car for another kiss goodbye. My life
was by no means perfect, but Edward made it better than ever before.

Once we were in town, I picked up everything on my list, which included the rest of Edward and
Seth's presents. I was overjoyed when I picked up the ring I had ordered earlier in the week from
a local jewelry store. It was a sterling silver band with a cross on it and I had a small inscription
engraved inside the ring. It was just something for Edward to wear to remind him that I would
always love him, just in case he ever needed that reassurance when I wasn't around.

Edward texted me throughout the day, checking to make sure we were doing okay with driving on
the snow packed roads. He and Seth were together and doing their "guy things" and I didn't ask
exactly what that entailed; Edward wouldn't have told me anyway because it was some kind of
secretive thing they were doing. I assumed it was something to do with them getting me a
Christmas present or something.

The hours passed by as our feet became sore from walking through all the stores. On our way
home, everyone tried to guess where Edward was taking me tonight. He said we were not going
to stay in Forks, but we weren't going to Port Angeles either. He wanted to go to a small town
where people might not recognize us. We just wanted a quiet night to ourselves.

I can't even begin to explain how much I love you, Bella. –E

His sweet texts were making me an emotional wreck; happy tears only, of course.

You're too good to me. I love you, too. We're almost home. –B

You deserve the best, baby. I'll be waiting for you. Is it okay if we leave when you get here? –E

Yeah, I just need to put my things away and I'll be ready. Are you sure it's okay for me to wear
jeans tonight? It's not exactly date attire… -B

It's freezing cold outside and as much as I'd love to see you in one of those little black dresses
that you have, I don't want you getting sick. Besides… your ass is so fucking hot in those jeans. –E

I laughed out loud, causing everyone to look over at me. I shrugged my shoulders and typed a
message back, trying to stop smiling so much but I couldn't control it.

Thank you :) We're turning down the road to your house now. See you in a few. –B

Edward was waiting on the front porch when Rose pulled into the driveway. His sweet smile from
earlier that morning was still on his face, his bright green eyes gleaming with excitement.

I silently prayed that when we did have children one day that they'd get their daddy's eyes.

Edward kissed me quickly before unloading the car that was loaded down with our packages. Ed
came outside as well and helped unload, as did Seth. I was a little taken aback when Seth stopped
by to give me a huge, tight hug before helping unload. His smile matched Edward's and I
wondered what they were up to.

When our things were put away, Edward practically dragged me out of the house, yelling
goodbye to everyone.

"So where are we going?" I asked, his hand grasping mine tightly as he pulled out onto the highway.

"You should know by now that I'm not answering that question…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mister secretive, I know," I laughed as I pulled his hand to my lips, giving it a
quick peck. Edward chuckled and shook his head.

A little over an hour later, we pulled up to Breakwater Inn, a small restaurant located in Clallam
Bay. I had passed by the restaurant several times, but I had never eaten there.

When we walked in, Edward walked us to one of the booths in the back. The waitress brought a
couple of menus to us and smiled warmly as Edward moved to sit next to me instead of across from m

"I know this isn't much, but I-"

I leaned over and kissed him, interrupting the start of his rambling. "This is perfect, Edward.
Exactly what I wanted."

"A greasy burger?" he asked, pointing to the menu.

I laughed and nodded my head. "Yep. And you, of course."

Our waitress came back over and took our orders. Edward ordered us a piece of pie to have
before our food came out. He liked doing things backwards, I think.

"I should have done this when I first met you," Edward said as he lifted the fork with a bite of
apple pie to my mouth. "I should have stopped being such a pussy and asked you on a date right awa

Once I swallowed the pie, I kissed his cheek. "Are you saying you regret us becoming friends first?"

"Of course not, baby, but it was just… I wasted so much time not being able to kiss you when I
wanted to. Not just kissing you, but holding you… and telling you how I felt about you."

"Well, it's my fault, too. I wanted to tell you how I felt about you, but I was too chicken."

"Promise you'll always be honest with me, Bella," he said, staring into my eyes. "I want you to
always tell me what's on your mind."

"I will. Will you?" I asked.

Edward nodded and wrapped his arm around me. "I promise I will, sweet girl."

Swoon. Still to this day I would swoon over his sweet sentiments.

We ate our dinner, discussing simple things like what we were doing for Christmas Eve. Esme and
Liz were cooking a huge dinner for all of us and we would open our presents afterwards. We'd all
have to leave fairly early to get Abby back to the house and in bed before Santa came. It was
kind of exciting to have a kid around that still believed in him.

I planned on spending the night at my house for Christmas Eve. Edward was going to take
everyone home and then spend the night at my house. He didn't have me explain why I felt the
need to sleep at my house that night, and I was glad for that because I didn't really know how to
explain it.

I just wanted to be in the house I grew up in and spent so many Christmases with my parents. It
just felt like my parents were there, even though they weren't. If that makes sense at all…

Edward and I chose not to go see a movie, opting to watch one at home. The roads were pretty
bad and even though we had a good vehicle that could handle it, we didn't want to risk getting
stuck or in an accident.

We watched 'A Christmas Story' in Edward's room, curled up in bed together when we got home.
It reminded me of our old movie nights, especially because he wasn't feeling me up or attacking
my neck, much like our 'friends only' days. I didn't know why he felt like he couldn't do those
things; I wanted him to do those things. It could have been that he was tired or something, but
Christmas Eve night, he wasn't getting off with the no-touching action.

The next day, we were busy wrapping presents and cooking food all day. When we arrived at
Carlisle and Esme's, the guys played football out in the snow. I had no idea how they could do
that because Edward threw the football so hard, and with the freezing temps outside that had to
hurt their hands.

When dinner was ready, I went outside to call the guys in and as everyone passed by me,
Edward pulled me outside with him.

"Dance with me," he breathed, pulling me against his chest with his arms surrounding me tightly.

I let out a girlish giggle as though I was back in junior high or something. This was one of those
moments I had dreamed about as a little girl. I didn't picture me stepping all over the guy's feet,
but snow boots weren't exactly dancing shoes.

"I'm going to break your toes."

"Nah, I'm unbreakable, remember?"

"Yeah, I forgot…"

He tickled my sides and nuzzled his face in my neck. "This is the best Christmas I've ever had."

"Me, too," I answered. Part of me felt guilty for saying that because I had so many great
Christmases with my parents who weren't here to enjoy it with me now, but I remembered that Liz
told me how my mother would be so happy for me if she were here. My dad would be sad that he
was losing his little girl, but he'd be happy, just hiding it behind his over protectiveness.

It was a perfect Christmas.

We went inside when I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering loudly. Dinner was excellent as
always, and as Edward held my hand in a tight grasp, Rose and Emmett stood to announce that
they were having a baby. I was envious of Alice and Jasper when they announced their good
news over Thanksgiving, but that was because I didn't know what Edward really wanted; hearing
Rose and Emmett so excited and happy, I knew Edward and I would have that one day. I couldn't
wait until it was us.

"I'm so happy for you," I whispered to Emmett as he pulled me out of my seat for one of his huge
hugs. "You'll be a wonderful father."

"I hope so, B."

Rose squealed when she hugged me, saying that she hated keeping her secret from me, but
wanted to tell everyone at dinner. They were going to make great parents and spoil that kid
beyond belief.

Next on the agenda was opening presents. Edward and I saved our presents to open in private;
he suggested the idea, which made me wonder what he got me. It was probably something
kinky, knowing how repressed his horny side was lately.

Alice and Rose didn't mind giving me something embarrassing to open in front of my future in
laws, a sheer white and red negligee that Edward just about drooled over. Seth got me a gift card
to Old Navy and a necklace with a heart pendent with my birthstone embedded in the center.
Everyone else got me gift cards, except for Liz.

Liz had a picture of me, my parents, and Seth blown up and framed. I don't know how old I was,
eleven or twelve, and Seth was a small toddler. My mom was kissing my cheek with my dad
laughing holding a sign that said 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' in my handwriting as Seth cried, clutching
his blanket.

"Your mom sent that to me instead of a Christmas card one year," Liz said as I held the frame up
for Edward to see. His arm was wrapped around me and I could tell by the stiffness that he was
worried I would probably lose it.

"I would have done the same after she sent me that, but Edward was 'too cool' to do something
like that," she chuckled as Edward groaned.

"Thank you, Liz, I love it," I said with tears in my eyes as I kissed her cheek.

"And here is your actual gift, sweetie," she said as tears formed in her eyes, too, handing a small
white box to me.

I nervously opened the box, hoping it wasn't something too extravagant, but it was. A beautiful
sterling silver bracelet lay inside the box. It had four hears intertwined together.

"I thought it would be perfect for you to have because it, ah…" she paused and swiped a tear
away. She leaned in closer so that only I could hear her, though everyone was busy ripping their
packages to shreds so they wouldn't notice anyway. Edward watched us closely, worry all over his fac

"It represents four best friends, Bella… and it's just a reminder of what I told you before. Renee
will always be here through you."

I nodded and wrapped my arms around her neck. "Thank you so much."

She patted my back, sniffling quietly. "I tried to find a little charm in the shape of a gun as a
reminder for Charlie, because God knows he would have scared Edward with his gun when he met
him for the first time…"

We laughed loudly, including Edward though I didn't know if he really understood the truth
behind her words. My dad probably would have done something macho like that just to scare the
shit out of him.

The presents were finally opened and everyone was ready to go home. Seth asked me repeatedly
if I was okay and I reassured him that I was fine. Being at home for Christmas Eve, didn't really
matter to Seth like it did to me or else I would have insisted that he come home as well. To be
honest, I silently hoped that he didn't change his mind on going home with me; it was selfish, but
I wanted to be alone with Edward. Besides, it was nice knowing that Carlisle and Esme treated Seth
as if he was their own.

Edward and I were able to go straight to my house as Kate and everyone else rode in the other
car. However, our alone time was cut short just as we pulled into the driveway. Kate called,
panicked because Abby's presents from Santa were hidden in the back of the car we were
driving. Apparently she had wrapped them out in the garage earlier in the day and hid them in
the car we happened to be driving.

Against my wishes, Edward got me to stay at my house while he took the packages over to his
house. I hated that he was going to be in that weather alone, but he wouldn't let me go with him.

I started a fire and heated up some chocolate chip cookies for us both, along with cocoa. It was a
tradition that my mother and I had growing up and I wanted to share that with Edward.

Thirty minutes later, I heard footsteps running up the steps of the porch. I swung open the door
and found Edward, covered in snow, his face red from the coldness.

"What happened?" I gasped, not seeing the car anywhere around.

"Got stuck down the road on my way back," he said between breaths.

"Edward!" I scolded, pulling him inside towards the fireplace. I quickly stripped him out of his wet
clothes and wrapped a blanket around him, neither of us saying anything. The entire time, his
hands were clenched at his sides, his hands fisted as his body shivered.

"Why didn't you call someone, baby? You could get sick or hurt doing something like that!"

His eyes were focused on me as I ran my hands up and down his arms. My eyes watered as I got
a small glimpse of what Edward held tightly in his hand. "I needed you, Bella."

***! !***

Like it? Review please.

As always, thanks to all of my readers. I love you guys so much and can't thank you enough for
your continued support. Thanks to my beta, Jesscia1971 for her support as well.

Just a reminder, you might want to put me on author alert as I'll be posting a one-shot of Seth
and Edward's day together (FGB one-shot). That will be posting sometime during the week. Also,
I have another FGB that covers their Halloween fun together. And I have started a new story
which is called Anchor Me. It started out as a one-shot for the Officer and a Gentleman contest
(which I haven't submitted yet) and I've decided to outline it to make it a full story. I can't make it
into a full story until the contest is over, so hopefully I'll get a lot written in that time. I have
outline for another story as well, so I might be posting that one soon, too.

We only have 4-5 chapters left for IC, just letting you all know. More will be revealed as to why Ed
Sr. is suddenly being so nice, as well as what punishment Lauren received.

Come over to the forum for teasers throughout the week, or you can follow me on Twitter:
greeneyedgirl00.

Thanks for reading and have a great week! :)

So this is a little "extra" that shows us just what Edward and Seth were up to when the girls when
shopping. Torres, one of my always sweet readers, wanted Edward/Seth bonding time and I
thought this would be perfect to show their closeness. This wasn't going to be included in the
actual story, but it has some major points to stregthen the relationships between
Edward-Bella-Seth, so thank Torres for this sweet idea! Hope you all like it, and thanks again to
Torres for contributing the FGB. ILY :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

After being apart from Bella for so long, I hated to spend the day away from her, but I had to.
My mother and her evil genius plan kept Bella busy all day while I took care of some very
important business.

I was going to ask Seth if I could marry his sister and I needed to go pick out her ring. I was going
to give Bella my grandmother's ring, but it was yellow gold and I had never seen Bella wear that
kind of jewelry. During our drive from Seattle to Forks, I asked my mother if she would be hurt if I
didn't give Bella my grandmother's ring, but she didn't care; she was just happy I was going to ask
Bella to marry me.

I was asking Bella to marry me.

How would I even find the words to ask her something that would change our lives forever?

My mom gave me her famous wink as she and Bella climbed into Rose's SUV. I laughed loudly as
all the men in my family stared at me. If only they knew what my mother was putting me through…

As soon as they were out of sight, I asked Seth if he would like to go into town with me and,
thankfully, he said yes. I didn't know if he would or not, considering the fact that it was hard to
separate him from the insanely expensive home theater system Carlisle and Esme had gotten him
for an early Christmas present. That kid was fucking spoiled already.

Being the smart kid that Seth is, he knew something was up as soon as he got into the car.

"Alright, so what's going on?"

I chuckled but kept my eyes on the road. "I need to talk to you about something."

"You have my blessing," he said.

"Dude, how do you even know what I'm going to say?"

"Coach, you're sweating buckets, and your voice is fucking squeaky, which I might add you should
really try to fix that, because Bella will laugh her ass off if you squeak out a proposal…"

I almost had to pull over because I was laughing so hard. I was so fucking nervous all night and
morning long and had an entire speech planned out to say to Seth, but he didn't even give it
another thought.

Chapter: 32

"You aren't even going to drill me on shit?" I finally asked.

"Like what? You're rich as hell, so I know you can take care of her… your mission in life is to make
her happy, which is really evident to all of us… and I know my dad would have liked you."

"You think?"

"I'm sure of it… I mean, Bella was okay before you, but she is so happy now; I've never seen her
like this. 'Bi-man' back in Phoenix, well, I wanted to rip his balls off when he cheated on her, but
at the same time I really didn't want to grow up with that asshole always around."

Bella never really talked about her relationship with the other guy very much, and I never really
pressed her about it because I knew how sensitive she was to the fact that he cheated on her.
With a man. "Did he treat her right… before the cheating happened?"

"He was okay, but he was one of those prissy kind of guys. Go figure," he mumbled with a
chuckle. "And he just… I don't know, he was odd. I think Bella wanted to be happy, so she made
herself believe she was happy."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

Seth suddenly had a serious expression on his face. "She tried to think of anything and anyone
but our parents… and it's not like I helped matters very much. I'm guessing you heard what
happened after the funeral?"

I nodded, not really knowing what to say.

"I wish she had you back then, so you could have kicked my fucking little ass. I needed the shit
knocked out of me, ya know?"

But I didn't agree with him. He was a kid, and as much as it hurt Bella, she wholeheartedly did not
blame Seth for anything. When we finally started talking on the phone again during our
separation, Bella explained to me that if she were Seth's age when their parents died, she would
not have been able to go on. Seth was at an age that where he needed their guidance and love.
As much as I "disliked" my parents when I was a teenager, I would have lost it if they were both
taken away from me like that.

"You were just a kid, Seth. Bella has talked to me about it… a lot actually, and you were both
stressed to the point that you kind of lost control. Nobody blames you for that."

"I know, but you don't know what it did to her, Edward. She changed so much… I mean, when we
finally found her and she was brought into the hospital, she looked dead. I don't even know how
she lived through it… and I apologized to her right away because," he paused and I was afraid
that he was getting choked up, which really scared the shit out of me because I didn't know what
to say at times like these. "She's all the family I have left…" Seth stared out of the window and
cleared his throat. "Anyway, she was just getting by, pretty much. Bella laughed all the time
before they died, and she was just a genuinely happy person, but after I hurt her like that… she
wasn't the same."

"You can't think that way, Seth. Yes, she was hurt by what was said, but that wasn't the problem.
Bella said that she honestly forgave you for everything, but she had just lost her mom and dad…
and from what I've heard, your mom was pretty much her best friend."

Seth nodded, still staring out the window. "She was. Every night they talked for at least an hour,

and they'd always call each other during the day, even if it was just because they saw a funny
fucking commercial."

I laughed, not only at the sweet moments between Bella and her mom, but also at Seth's choice
of words.

"Bella would be kicking my fucking ass if she heard me talking right now," Seth chuckled and I
laughed along with him. "Anyway, like I said, she wasn't the same after everything happened…
until now. I think the day she first met you, I saw the old Bella for the first time in years. I have a
lot to thank you for."

"Thanks, Seth. I just want you to know that I love her more than anything, and I know you don't
want to hear that sentimental shit, as you would call it, but I do. I never saw myself being this
kind of man… crazy in love with a woman, but I am and I wouldn't change it for anything."

"Hey, as long as you don't let her stop our love for football, I don't have a problem with all this
fucking love talk. You know how some women won't let the guy watch the game with their friends
or go to games and shit…"

The kid could bring tears to your eyes from laughing so fucking hard.

"That won't be a problem, I assure you. Which, by the way, have you heard from any schools
that are interested in you?"

"A couple, but I haven't decided yet."

"Which ones?"

"UW… Nebraska… University of Texas, and that surprises me because why would they ever think
of picking up a kid out of Forks, Washington?" he asked, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

I played dumb. "Hm, that's pretty cool, though, huh?"

"Oh, don't act like I don't notice your hands gripping the steering wheel while you lie your ass off,"
Seth laughed, shaking his head.

"I have a friend of a friend that scouts for UT," I admitted. It was actually a guy I played with at
USC who was now on staff at UT. His job was to find the best and I may have suggested that he
go to our small town to check out Seth. "It's a great opportunity."

"Yeah, it is, but it's really far away from here…"

"Well, I mean, Bella and I can travel there whenever we want to, if that's what you're worried about."

"Yeah…" he nodded, thinking deeply. "I hate to admit this because I sound like a pussy, but… did
you ever get homesick when you went away to school?"

"Yep. It was pretty much the same distance for me to go to USC from Chicago, but you make
friends, especially the guys on the team, and you'll have the time of your life. College is a blast,
but you also have to focus on your grades, especially because your coach will be riding your ass
if you don't keep them up."

"Can't be any worse than you," he added, still laughing.

After laughing with Seth for so long, I didn't even realize how close we were to Port Angeles.
My mom was going to text me throughout the day, making sure I knew where they were at all
times. I didn't want to run into Bella, holding her newly purchased ring and completely ruining the
surprise.

There are two malls in Port Angeles. I was at one of them, while Bella was at the other one. Seth
and I did a little shopping before it was time for me to meet with the jeweler. I had called earlier
that morning while Bella was cooking breakfast to let them know what I was looking for.

I couldn't believe I was actually going to get the ring that would stay on her finger for the rest of
our lives. I never thought I would be this guy – this person that cannot function without… her.
Bella had no idea yet, but this was one of the most important days of my life and I had to pretend
like everything was completely normal.

I sent Bella texts throughout the day, unable to not have some form of contact with her. No
matter how much I tried to think about other things, all I could think about was what would happen
later. I didn't even have a speech planned out and I had no idea what to say, but I prayed that it
would come to me later in the day.

Seth gasped several times as he saw the price of the ring, mumbling that a tiny piece of metal
should not cost that much. I added in a pair of diamond earrings for an extra Christmas present,
even though she would be mad that I spent so much on her. I hadn't really gotten her anything
special since we had been together, so it was time for me to have fun with our relationship.

Once Seth and I were done with our shopping and I had the ring in my possession, we headed
back to Forks. I laughed, knowing that Bella was completely oblivious that we were probably a
few blocks away from each other all day.

When we finally got back to Forks, Seth spoke after being silent for most of the way. "Could we…
could you take me to the cemetery? I know the snow is probably too deep over there, but could
we just try?"

Finally. Bella told me that he had yet to go to the cemetery, so this was a big step for him.
"Absolutely!" I said, probably sounding like a cheerful little girl, but I was really happy for him.
"This SUV will make it through anything."

And then I started to panic as I got closer to the cemetery because I didn't know what to say to
Seth. Did he want me to get out with him? Did he want privacy? Was he going to breakdown? I
had no idea how to handle the situation and I wished more than anything I could talk to Bella for
guidance. She would know what to do or say, as always.

I parked on the side of the road because the entrance was piled so high with snow that I began
to doubt the abilities of the rental I was driving. The snow was up to our knees, and though Seth
hadn't been to his parents' graves since they died, he knew exactly where to go. Snow covered
most of the stones, and I silently prayed that I wouldn't step on any of the flat surfaced ones,
although we were pretty sure we were on the narrow pathway anyway.

When we finally reached their graves, Seth reached down and began shoving snow off of the
stone as it was covering up their names.

Charlie Andrew Swan & Renee Marie Swan

I felt Seth's pain as he closed his eyes, squatted down with his hand resting on top of the stone,
and bowed his head. I never wanted to feel that pain. Realizing how awful Bella and Seth's pain

was for losing their parents helped me let go of my bad feelings towards my dad. He was an
overbearing ass and wanted me to do what he wanted, but he always wanted the best for me.

While Bella and I were on our "break", my dad flew down to Dallas during one of those weeks and
I assumed he just wanted to inform me of everything that was going on with our legal case. He
apologized first and commended me on taking care of the important people in my life. He admitted
his faults and I admitted mine. The only reason he was ever hesitant with Bella around was
because he thought I would turn out to be an ass to her like I was with most women in the past,
but he finally saw that I was mature and serious about Bella. She was my life. She made me a
better man, and my dad saw that. I was empty without her and he saw me at the worst time of my
life when I didn't have her.

When I thought my football career was over after my injury, I moped and pissed off everyone I
was around because I acted like a spoiled jackass, but that pain and disappointment was nothing
compared to the pain I felt when I thought I might lose her.

Coming to that understanding with my dad took so much weight off my shoulders because I
always wanted him to be proud of me. We were both stubborn men, and for both of us to admit
that was a major feat in my eyes. He was a real asshole, no exaggerating, sometimes when I
was growing up and even as an adult, but he admitted it – genuinely – and was extremely sorry
for his actions. I apologized for the things I did, as well.

Seth would never get that chance to talk with his dad.

He would never have his dad arguing with him over what he thought was best for his future.

He would always wonder if his dad was proud of him.

I crouched down to Seth's level and put my hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, wiping wetness from his face, still keeping his head down. "I just wish I had
done this a long time ago…"

"They know you miss them, Seth. Not coming to their grave doesn't mean you don't care."

He nodded in response.

In a silent prayer of my own, I prayed that her parents were able to hear me when I promised I
would always take care of Bella. And Seth. I wanted to be someone they could both count on.

Eventually, we made our way back to the car and headed over to Carlisle and Esme's house to
wait for the girls to get home. Before we got out of the car, Seth thanked me for everything.

"And thanks for taking me there. Without getting all sentimental and shit, just know that I'm glad
you're going to be my brother in law. Thanks for making my sister so happy," he said, getting out
of the car with a sincere smile on his face.

I sat in the car by myself, staring down at the ring box, trying to figure out ways to ask her. She
wasn't the type of woman to want candles and grand gestures for something like this, but I didn't
want to just be lying in bed and ask her nonchalantly, though she'd probably swoon over that,
too. She was too easy to please most of the time.

It was a huge question to ask her, and even though I knew she'd say yes, I still didn't know what
words to use for such a big moment in our lives. When in the hell did I turn into such a fucking

emotional sap?

Our date night flew by and I almost asked her in our corner booth of the restaurant that reeked of
fried foods and pie, and though Bella was simple, I just felt that was way too simple. The ring was
burning a hole in my pocket as I carried it around, just in case the perfect moment happened.

I wanted to ask her when we were alone, because as much as I loved my family, it was just a
private moment for us. I decided to ask after our Christmas Eve family night thing, once we got to
Bella's house. I worked up my courage and nerve as we drove to her house, only to be shot
down as my sister called because she forgot Abby's presents in my car. I was so mad at first,
especially when I got stuck in the snow just down the road from Bella's house.

But as I made my way through the thick snow, running as fast as I could, I came up with a great
idea on how to propose.

Like a kid, home on a snow day from school, I wrote out a simple message in Bella's front yard
using my feet. The Christmas lights on her house and the porch light lit up the snow covered
ground, making those two words clear to see.

My shaky and nervous legs carried me up the porch, only to be met by my worried, soon-to-be
fiancée. She panicked and pulled me in before I could even ask her to come out for a minute.

Wordlessly, she stripped me out of my clothes as we stood in front of the fireplace. I clenched the
ring in my hand, pulling it out of my pants pocket before she threw them to the floor.

"Why didn't you call someone, baby? You could get sick or hurt doing something like that!" she
said with a worried tone.

I want to marry you and I had to get to you as soon as possible to ask you that little question. "I
just needed you, Bella."

Like it? Review please :)

I'm working on the next actual chapter, so I'm hoping to post soon. I'll post a teaser on the forum
tomorrow. Whoever said Edward was holding a condom in his hand... thank you so freaking
much because I laughed all night thinking about that.

And I said I was going to post a one-shot for the PPSS An Officer and A Gentleman contest, but
I've decided not to. I suck at writing one-shots beacuse I start thinking about it way too much
(ended up writing three versions of the one-shot) and decide to make it into a full length story. If
I posted the one-shot it would have given away too much and I wouldn't have been able to write
an interesting story, and I really want to write this story. I'll post more details soon and hope to
have the first chapter posted in the next week or so... So keep an eye out for that to be posted
and let me know what you think. ;)

Thanks for reading - I can't thank you all enough - and thanks to my beta, Jessica1971.

The next FGB outtake will cover their kinky times during Halloween. Top Gun Flightsuit Edward and
Dirty Dancing Bella, anyone?

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Edward, cont.

"But Edward, I-" And I noticed her eyes darting down to the shiny band peeking from my hand.
Her eyes glistened and I panicked.

"We need more firewood," I blurted out, earning a confused look from Bella. I pulled away from
her sweet embrace and grabbed clothes out of my bag that I had at her house. Dressing as
quickly as possible, I threw on my boots and hurried out the door, leaving Bella standing in the
living room, completely clueless as to what was going on with me.

I shoved the ring deep in my pockets, because it would have really fucking sucked if I had dropped
it. I fumbled with the firewood at the side of the house, even though we really didn't need it. Once
I placed it on the front porch, I walked around the big letters drawn out in the snow.

Standing directly above 'Marry', I took a deep breath and called out her name. "Baby, can you
come out here and help me for a second?"

I pulled the ring out of my pocket and put it on my pinkie finger for safekeeping as I waited for
her to come out. Seconds later, literally seconds, she swung the door open and flipped on the
porch light. Her eyes met mine before she scanned the ground. The smile on her face was exactly
what I needed to see.

"Bella, I know this might be a little fast, but I-"

"Yes!" she yelled, interrupting my whole speech I had planned out.

"But I didn't even get to finish," I said with a chuckle.

She shook her head, a few tears falling down her face as she stumbled her way over to me. "You
would never have to convince me to marry you, Edward."

I wrapped my arms around her body, pulling her against my chest as we stood outside, freezing
our asses off. I didn't care, though. She wanted to marry me and I didn't even have to persuade
her that we should get married. "I love you so much, Bella, and I promise that I'll make you
happy. I know I've made mistakes before, but I-"

"Edward," she sighed, still with a big smile on her face. "Stop. You've always made me happy…
you've always protected me… and those mistakes, they're nothing. The minor disagreements
we've had have only made me realize that I can't be without you. Ever."

"Damn, Bella… I'm trying to propose here, and you go stealing my speech?"

She giggled and buried her face in my chest. "I love you."

Chapter: 33

"I love you, too, sweet girl. Do you want the ring now?"

"Yes," she said shyly.

I pulled away from her and raised my hand, removing the small ring from my pinkie. "I hope you like
it. Your brother didn't really help out too much yesterday."

"Seth went with you?"

"Yep. I asked him if he was okay with me asking you…"

Her body was trembling as she closed the distance between us again, my hand crushed between
us and conveniently placed on her breast. The horny side of me never went away, even during
moments like these, but that was just me and somehow I had gotten her to fall in love with me.

I needed to get her inside, because I really didn't want a sick fiancé on Christmas day because I
kept her out in the snow for so long. My fiancé. Holy shit, I was engaged. And not only was I
engaged, but it was to my dream girl. Seriously, one of those girls that you'd see when you were
growing up as a teenager and think, 'wow, I want a girl like that someday', though I was pretty
much thinking dirty thoughts as a teenager, but you get the idea.

Regretfully removing my hand from her breast, I bent my knees and lowered my hands to her ass,
picking her up as she wrapped her legs around me. Breast to ass… not too bad. "I need to get you
inside, baby. You're going to get sick."

She nodded against my shoulder as I climbed up the steps and into the house, kicking the door
shut behind me. I sat down on the couch, my arms still wrapped tightly around her as she began
placing small kisses along my neck. I was already hard, seeing as she had her legs wrapped
around me, now straddling my waist, but the neck kissing thing just about killed me.

My hands were placed on her thighs as I pulled back slightly. "The ring, baby?"

She nodded happily and looked down between us. "I love it, Edward. It's perfect!"

Her hand was shaking as she held it out for me to slide the ring on her finger. I brought her hand
up to my mouth and kissed where the ring rested on her finger. "Thank you, Bella. It sounds
cheesy, but you really have made me the happiest man."

She laughed and kissed my forehead. "I love your cheesy side."

"Well, good, because you're stuck now. That ring isn't coming off your finger, ever."

"I didn't intend on ever taking it off," she said, spreading her fingers out, staring at the ring.

I wanted to make love to her, and was kind of happy that we hadn't done anything since I had
arrived in Washington, because it would sort of mean more now. But I needed to get her warmed
up. She was still shaking from the coldness, her teeth chattering as she smiled sweetly.

"Let's take a bath to warm up," I suggested.

"But my tub is so small compared to yours."

"And?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow. "We don't need a lot of room, baby."

Bella nodded her head, smiling playfully as she crawled off my lap and stood in front of me. She
was just as horny as I was, though she was able to hide her evidence better than I could.

My control quickly disappeared as we walked up the stairs, especially since Bella's ass was directly
in my face. At about midway up the stairs, I stopped and wrapped one arm around her waist,
pulling her back to my face. I leaned my head over and kissed her side, raising her shirt up to
reveal her soft skin. She yelped and giggled as I kissed her side, sucking gently, but gasped when
I snaked my other arm around her, moving my hand along the inside of her thigh.

"Edward," she whispered. "I know you want to make it super sweet and romantic, and I love you
so much for that… but I need you now."

I growled, literally growled, because Bella rarely ever said what she wanted. She was so shy and
bashful most of the time, so I knew she was really desperate.

"Where, baby?" I asked huskily as my hand slipped beneath the waistband of her pants.

"The floor," she breathed, "the stairs… the bed… anywhere, just don't make me wait."

She was never this way. I just about came in my pants.

I was like a wild man. I lost the little control I had over myself. My hands went to her waist,
pulling down her pants and underwear swiftly. "Bend over," I rasped out, stepping up on the next
step. I shoved my pants down, leaving them gathered around my ankles.

My cock was so fucking hard it hurt. I stroked myself a few times, running the head along Bella,
spreading the wetness. I don't think I could recall a time when she was so wet. She cried out my
name when my hardness rubbed against her clit roughly, causing her body to shudder.

My legs were shaking as liquid seeped out of me slowly, mixing with Bella's glistening pussy. When
her hand reached up between her legs and wrapped around my cock, pulling me to her, I
mumbled several expletives and grasped the railing to keep standing.

With one final push, I was inside of her, finally. And I didn't know how I was able to manage
without this for a month.

We moved against one another frantically, allowing me to push in deeper with every thrust. I
ran my hands over her ass, squeezing probably a little too roughly, but her moaning urged me on.

Our breathing was erratic, both of our legs shaking furiously as I fucked her harder than ever
before. I fucked my fiancé. That made me feel guilty even if she wanted it like that. I wanted to
go slow with her, taking my time to show how much I loved her. This was purely about need.

"Keep going, baby," Bella moaned and I realized my movements had slowed down somewhat as I
questioned what we were doing.

"I love you, Bella," I groaned, grasping her hips, pulling her against me hard.

"Love you, too."

"You're gonna marry me," I stated, still not able to believe that this was all true. I was actually
going to wake up the next day and be one step closer to marrying Bella.

She turned her head back, looking over her shoulder and smiled. "That's the plan."

I finally snapped out of my sappy thoughts and finished us off quickly, leaving us chanting each
other's names simultaneously. We both collapsed on the stairs, lying back, side by side. Her hand
grasped mine tightly as she turned her head to smile at me.

"I'm sorry I was so… insistent," she said shyly, her face blushing a deeper shade of red.

"Psh," I sighed, chuckling quietly. "That was fucking amazing, baby."

"It was," she replied breathlessly.

"Time for that bath," I said with a wink. I was nowhere near finished with my soon to be wife.

***! !***

Bella

"So… what are you thinking about?" I asked as Edward focused on kneading my wrinkled foot.
We had been in the bathtub for a while as I lost track of time, but it was so relaxing and perfect.

Edward grinned crookedly and placed a small kiss on my toe before placing my foot on his chest.
"When do you want to get married? I hope you don't want one of those super long engagements…"

"Of course not!" I replied quickly. Edward grinned even more than he already was. "I will marry
you whenever you're ready."

"What if I said tomorrow? Would you?"

I didn't even have to think twice about how to answer. "Yes… without a doubt."

"Good answer," he said with a grin. "And our wedding… do you want a big one…? Small one…?
Just me, you, and the minister…?"

That was a hard one. I wanted to keep everyone happy and I knew that Rose, Alice, Esme, and
Liz would want to be a part of our wedding, which meant they would be doing all the planning.
Those women planning a wedding would lead to an insanely huge wedding that I didn't want. I
could tell them I wanted something small, but small to them would be more than a hundred people
attending.

Me, Edward, and the minister sounded perfect, but selfish.

"I don't really know yet… nothing big, though."

"Whatever you want, baby, and whenever. I would go find someone right now if it meant I could
finally call you mine."

"I've been yours, Edward."

"I'm just ready to start our married life together. Bella Masen."

I couldn't fight the huge smile from spreading across my face. My hand immediately fanned out,
gazing at the ring that he placed on my finger.

"You will take my name, right?" he asked nervously. "I mean, you don't have to, but-"

"Edward!" I scowled, unable to fathom not taking his name. "Yes, I want to be Bella Masen."

"Good, because I love the way that sounds," he said smoothly, running his hand along my leg,
spreading water droplets across.

This was pure happiness. The past month was forgotten and any regrets or mixed feelings I had
before were gone. I felt complete and thrilled that he wanted to spend his life with me.

"What kind of wedding do you want?" I asked.

"Anytime, anywhere… alone, or with thousands watching… anything, as long as you're there."

He tried to "dazzle" me every chance he had. My face flushed as I shook my head, laughing quietly.

"And what are you thinking about…?"

I shrugged.

Shoulder shrugging wasn't an answer and Edward did not accept that. I gasped as his large
hands wrapped around my thighs and pulled me forward, closer to him.

"Now… that's better. What are you thinking about?" he asked with the kind of grin that makes
any woman swoon.

I took a deep breath. "I just wish my parents could have met you. They would be proud of me for
being with someone like you. You're a good man, Edward." He didn't give himself enough credit. I
didn't know what my life would have been like if I had never met him. Forks was more miserable
than I thought when I first moved back, but then I met Edward, and he made everything better. I
felt bad because I knew my friends wanted to be there for me, but the connection I had with
Edward was indescribable.

His hands were placed on either side of my face, his thumbs rubbing my skin gently. "I wish I
could have met them, too. I, uh…" he paused for a moment, his eyes wide with concern. "Seth
and I went to their grave yesterday… after I got the ring."

Before I knew it, tears fell freely down my face. Seth had not gone to their grave since their
funeral, and him going there was a huge step. He went there with Edward, and the thought of
marrying the man that my brother depended on made me love Edward even more… if that was
even possible.

"Baby, don't cry," he whispered, wiping away my tears.

"I'm just happy…" I managed to say. "Really happy."

"Funny way of showing it," he chuckled, pulling me to his chest. "I don't know if you realize how
happy you make me. I've never… I feel alive with you. I was never fully living my life until you
came along, and I know that it took us a while to get here… but I wouldn't change a thing. Except
for what you had to go through, because, baby, I-"

"Stop, Edward. It wasn't your fault and I know I was horrible for that break or whatever it was, but
I'll never do that again."

His hands roamed my back, massaging gently. "It was miserable for both of us, but it made me

realize that I couldn't spend another day away from you… I couldn't keep going on just as your
boyfriend because that wasn't enough. And I completely understand why you did it, Bella, but I
never want you to feel weak if you need me… or feel like you can't tell me your true feelings. I
would never think less of you, and like I said before, I want to be that person you go to."

I pulled my head away from his chest and stared into his deep green eyes that were almost
pleading. "You are, Edward. I just needed to… well, I don't even know what I needed to do, but I
promise, I'll always be honest with you."

"Good," he said happily.

We sat that way, my legs wrapped around his body, his arms wrapped tightly around me, for I
don't know how long. The water started to get cold, which made us finally move from our
comfortable position.

We dried off in silence, both of us lusting after one another, and somehow we made it to my bed.
I knew the quick sex on the stairs, which was insanely hot, was going to eat away at Edward,
because he would want it slow and romantic, considering he had just asked me to marry him. I
wanted it slow, too, but I just couldn't wait any longer.

As we crawled into my cold bed, the quiet room was filled with chattering teeth and giggling.

"Your feet are so fucking cold!" Edward shrieked as I rubbed my feet against his legs. "Socks,
woman… haven't you ever heard of them?"

A wicked smile spread across my face as I lowered my hand to his never ending hardness. "But it
wouldn't be too sexy wearing socks with my legs wrapped around you. Right?"

He coughed girlishly and stumbled over his words. "You… we… fuck."

"That's the idea," I whispered against his lips, my hand stroking him lazily.

"Where in the hell did my shy girl go?" he chuckled lowly, letting out a deep moan.

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled as I pushed him onto his back.

"Bella Swan, soon to be Masen, you are going to be the death of me," he growled, pulling me on
top of his body.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you, baby."

We made love late into the night and fell asleep wrapped tightly around one another. I slept
better that night than I had in several months. My life was good, great actually, and I was
excited to grow old with Edward. He was truly my best friend and I felt privileged that he wanted
me as his wife.

Edward got up early the next morning and cooked breakfast for us. He made me stay in bed,
and when he finished our breakfast he brought our Christmas presents for each other to bed, as
well. I couldn't remember a happier Christmas. We opened presents as though we were children,
throwing the ripped paper on the floor.

He got me a Denver t-shirt, a Denver snow globe, a leather jacket with a sterling silver pin that

said 'My Biker Bitch', diamond earrings, and several other little things. In addition to the ring I
got Edward, which he absolutely loved, I also got him a watch, a few shirts that I thought he'd
look sexy in, pajamas, boxers with a bow design over the crotch area, a Forks baseball cap from
the gas station, and a specially designed shirt that said 'Left My Heart in Forks'. I think the "gas
station gifts" were his favorite of all.

I was crying from laughing so hard over his "thoughtful" gifts. And I was shocked by how much he
spent on me, but he insisted that I stop complaining about that.

My gifts to him were small compared to his gifts to me, but he opened every one of them as
though they were the greatest things he had ever seen. He kept saying the greatest gift I gave
him was agreeing to be his wife, but I couldn't even begin to believe that he would actually think I
would have turned him down. Since I first met him, I knew he was the one.

"Merry Christmas, sweet girl," he said sweetly, holding me against his chest.

My hand was splayed against his torso as I stared at the ring he had given me. My face actually
hurt from smiling so much, but I couldn't hide my happiness. "Merry Christmas to you, too… and
thank you for making this the best one."

***! !***

Let me know if you liked it? Review please? :)

The next outtake will be posted *hopefully* sometime next week, so be looking out for that.
NavySEALward will start posting on Monday Feb. 1st because if I stick to the schedule I've
created for myself, we'll almost be finished with IC. Updates for the new story will not delay IC at
all, so no worries there.

Come over to the thread for teasers, update info, etc. Oh, and let me know what you'd like to see
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Big thanks to my beta, Jessica1971, my amazing readers, TwitterFriends, and everyone over at
the forum. Love you guys!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Masen #7

After spending Christmas morning in bed, I dressed in my sweats and boots to go dig out the SUV.
I was more than happy to see that Forks brought out the snow plow, clearing the way down
Bella's road. I honestly didn't know if we would be able to make it there to be with our family
because of the large amounts of snow.

Once Bella and I were both dressed in our comical shirts we had given each other, we headed
over to Carlisle and Esme's house. Seth was the only one that knew of my plans on Christmas
Eve, and he promised to keep it quiet, so Bella and I were excited to announce our news to the
family. My mom knew I was going to ask her, but didn't know exactly when.

I held Bella's hand, my thumb running over the ring. Her smile from last night had not gone away
and I was overjoyed that I could make her that happy.

"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked, squeezing my hand gently.

"Not much. I just wish I didn't have to go back to Dallas. I don't want to be away from you." I
hated that the holidays were passing by so quickly because that just meant my time with Bella was
limited.

"Well, I'm still on my leave of absence. I don't go back until the first of February… so I was
thinking about staying with you in Dallas." I almost had to pull the car over when she told me
that. "I mean, I haven't really talked to Seth… or Carlisle and Esme about it, but I know they
wouldn't have a problem with it." She let out a long sigh, looking directly at me. "I just can't see
myself being apart from you now… after everything that's happened, especially after not seeing
you for so long."

I pulled her hand up to my mouth and placed a kiss on the back of it. "I am thrilled at the idea of
you coming back with me." And then I let out a girlish laugh, which would have been embarrassing
under normal circumstances, but I didn't care. "That makes me feel so relieved, baby… you can't
imagine what I've been going through, hating the idea of not seeing you."

"It just doesn't make sense for us to be separated when we don't have to be, ya know?" she said
with a grin.

When we pulled into the driveway, Seth was standing on the porch, waiting for us. I sent him a
text before we left, letting him know that we were on our way. I figured he might want to see
her before the stampede of tears began with all the girls.

"Did he know you were doing it last night?"

Chapter: 34

I nodded and kissed her hand once more before we exited the car.

"Merry Christmas," Bella said happily to Seth while I unloaded a cake that Bella made for everyone.

Seth chuckled and walked over to Bella. "What is that God awful thing on your finger, Bell?"

"Oh, this?" Bella replied, holding her hand out, flashing the ring in his direction. "Nothing much…"

Still laughing, Seth pulled Bella in for a tight hug, congratulating us both as they hugged. He was
such a good kid and sincerely loved his sister; it was nice to see how much they cared about each
other. I was glad to have him as a brother and felt even better knowing that he was always
looking out for Bella.

The three of us made up a quick plan to keep the engagement a secret until someone noticed the
ring on Bella's finger. I figured it wouldn't take very long for someone to notice, but we thought it
would be fun anyway.

We made our way inside the house and it wasn't until we all sat down for lunch that I noticed Alice
staring at Bella's hand, her eyes wide with emotion.

"Is that a ring on your finger, Bella?" Alice asked, her voice eerily calm, though I knew she was
ready to jump up and down.

Bella and I looked at each other and smiled as she nodded. And just as I thought, the women
squealed with joy and all the guys patted me on the back. Our food was forgotten as Bella was
bombarded with questions and more squealing over her ring. Her face was flushed, so beautiful,
and she smiled bigger than I had ever seen. I loved that I was able to make her that happy.

"Who woulda thought that a flat tire would lead to this?" Alice whispered in my ear, hugging me tightly.

"I know," I agreed.

"Just so you know, I'll still kill you if you ever hurt her," she added with a chuckle, but I knew my
cousin was being completely serious.

"Of course, and I hope that you would."

We spent the day with our family, eating, laughing, etc. - Christmas type things. It was fun and I
couldn't remember a better Christmas, mainly because Bella wasn't there.

Also, my dad was different now. He treated me like his son, which was very different from our
previous encounters. I was still hurt by his past behavior and comments, but I was trying to push
that aside because I knew he was trying now. We had a long talk while Bella and I were
"separated", and I think when he saw I would give up my "childish football wishes", he realized
that I had grown up. Football was something that I thoroughly enjoyed and I knew that,
someday, I hoped to have a son that would love it as much as me; however, if he didn't like it, I
would never force him to play. I would support my son no matter what because I knew what it was
like to grow up with a father who didn't show any support. And football was fun for me in the past,
but I just wanted my life back. My life was with Bella, living a quiet life together in a boring town
because I would have her, everyday.

"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked, plopping down in my lap as I sat by myself in the
den. Everyone else was playing games or watching a movie when I slipped away to think.

I wrapped my arms around her body and squeezed. "Nothing, baby… just tired, I guess."

"You wanna go home?" she asked with a smile.

Home. Her home, my home… wherever she was, that was home to me.

"Whenever you're ready… no rush."

She smiled and kissed the side of my face. "I need to pack, so we should probably leave soon."

I was beyond thrilled that she was leaving with me. I came back to Forks wondering where our
relationship was headed, praying that we hadn't taken a step back after all that had happened.
And now we were engaged and closer than ever before.

"Yep… have you ever been to DC?"

"No. I'm kind of excited," she said with a grin.

"Good. Maybe you guys can go sightseeing while I'm practicing on Saturday?"

"Yeah, I think Seth will love it."

I could see a hint of sadness when she mentioned his name. I knew that it was going to be hard
for her to go to Dallas with me because she felt bad leaving him. She wasn't even technically
moving there… just staying until I was finished. Seth didn't care one bit and he is definitely the
type of kid that will let you know his true feelings if he doesn't like something.

"I think so, too. And I was thinking… why don't you ask Seth if he wants to come to Dallas until
school starts back up?"

"You wouldn't mind?" she asked shyly, her eyes hopeful.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Baby," I sighed, "He's going to be my brother… and I already
consider him one… and I like having him around."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… but," I moved my mouth to her ear, whispering lowly, "he'll need to stay in the
downstairs bedroom… I don't think he'd like hearing the sounds his sister makes at night."

Bella gasped, blushing everywhere.

"Jesus, can't you guys stay away from each other for like two fucking seconds," Rose groaned
as she walked into the room.

I patted Bella's leg and laughed. "No, Rose, we can't."

She rolled her eyes before running towards the bathroom. Pregnancy was not agreeing with her
and that was about her fourth or fifth run to the bathroom for the day.

"We really can't," Bella whispered and I felt her lips form a smile against my neck.

***! !***

Bella

Early Saturday morning, we flew from Port Angeles to Seattle so that our drive wasn't so long.
From there we flew to Washington, DC. We were staying at one of the nicest hotels I had ever
been to and Edward made sure to make our short trip as romantic as possible.

I didn't get to see very much of him as he was practicing with the team almost as soon as we
landed. I felt awful for him because he was exhausted and I could tell he just didn't have the love
for playing like he used to. I asked him repeatedly if it had anything to do with me, and I knew he
was being honest when he said no. We didn't keep anything from each other anymore and I
loved the way our relationship was now.

I'm tired. Missing you. And horny like a teenager. Need help. –E

I laughed loudly and then blushed when Seth and Carlisle gave me an odd look as we walked
through the mall. Everyone scattered throughout the insanely large mall, but I stayed close to
Carlisle and Seth, trying to find something "guy-like" for Edward to cheer him up.

I'm tired, too – shopping… Missing you, of course… And wow… horny like a teenager? Sorry,
baby. I am, too, though. Make it up to you tonight? Massage included? –B

I had become one of those master texters – the kind that can talk, walk, eat, do anything, while texting.

I just need a frontal massage, in the lower region to be exact ;) Can I give you a massage, too? I
love you, Bella. –E

Always the horny mind… but I loved him even more for it.

Definitely YES to both. I love you, too, future husband. –B

I loved the fact that we were engaged. I still couldn't get over his sweet proposal. It was
different and romantic and perfect. Perfect for us. Edward wasn't sure about when I would be
ready to marry him, but I would have married him that night, honestly. There was no doubt in my
mind that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, so why wait?

I like the sound of that, baby. –E

The definite yes to horny massages? Or the other? –B

Both, but especially the future husband part. I can't wait to marry you. –E

I'm ready when you are. –B

Same here, sweet girl. Let's go find someone to marry us. –E

I didn't know if he was really being serious, but I took it seriously.

Okay :) –B

Okay then :) Gotta get back to practice, baby. I'll see you in a little while. Be ready for me tonight… -E

And that ended my time with Carlisle and Seth. I snuck away to the nearest lingerie shop where I
found something sexy to wear for Edward, and there just happened to be massage oils there, as
well. I couldn't wait for our pre-game session.

When everyone was done shopping, everyone meaning Alice and Rose, we went back to the
hotel where we met up with Edward. Dinner was spent with several of his teammates where we
received even more congratulations on our engagement.

Edward yawned throughout dinner and I hated that he wasn't getting enough rest. Our early
morning flight didn't really help matters. I should have insisted that we fly out on Friday so he
could have rested up a little bit before his hard practice. I just didn't want him getting hurt during
the game, because if something ever happened to him I would hate myself. Edward was
constantly running around, trying to please everyone, me mainly, which he didn't have to even
try with me because as long as I had him, I was fine; but he never stopped going. I mean, what
kind of guy can get five hours of sleep and travel cross country, and then practice for seven
hours straight?

Once dinner was over, we headed to our room, Edward holding my hand tightly and smiling widely.

"You seem really happy," I noted.

"I am," he replied.

"And what's got you all happy?"

"Frontal body massage," he said, dropping my hand only to wrap his arm around me tightly, my
body crashing against his side. "And I'm gonna marry you."

I laughed at his giddiness.

"What?" he asked with a wide grin, looking down at me. "I still can't believe I get to marry you. It
will take me a while to get used to that."

"Why is it so hard to believe? Did you honestly think I wouldn't want to?"

We finally reached our hotel room as Edward swiped the key card. He opened the door,
motioning for me to enter the room, still not answering my question. Once inside the room, he
came up behind me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Because… I'm just… I never thought I would find someone so perfect for me."

I looked down at his protective arms, wrapped around my body, feeling so… I don't know. There
was no way to explain the way he made me feel.

"I know what you mean," I managed to say, watching my hand stroke his arm, my shiny new ring
on display for me. I loved my ring, though he could have gotten me just a band and I would have
been happy with that. A lot of women were picky about their diamonds, but that kind of thing
didn't matter to me.

Edward yawned once again as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Lay down," I said softly, "while I go shower and change. Okay?"

"Mmkay, baby," he said sleepily.

He practically fell on the bed, completely exhausted and needing sleep. I showered and changed
into his favorite black nightie, rather than the one I bought earlier that day.

I wasn't surprised to find Edward snoring loudly, still wearing his khaki pants and button up shirt.
He had managed to kick off his socks and shoes. His body lay in the middle of the king size bed,
arms and legs sprawled out.

Leaning against the wall, I smiled, knowing I would get to spend the rest of my life with Edward. I
didn't have to worry that he would find someone else, I didn't have to worry that he would stop
loving me, and there was no doubt in my mind that he would always take care of me and our family.

Our family. I wanted a baby with him so badly, it was all I could think about. I hadn't told anyone
and I didn't really want to talk about it anyway. Kids would be in our future, but for now, like
Edward, I wanted to just have fun with him. Of course, having kids would be fun, but I wanted a
little time alone with Edward. But the day his child grew inside me, I knew that would be the best
time of my life.

I made my way over to the bed and unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his perfect chest to me. Next,
I somehow managed to pull his pants down without waking him up. His cock was hard and his
body jerked when my hand brushed past it. I laughed quietly, knowing he would be so mad at
himself for falling asleep before the frontal body massage, but he needed his sleep.

I wasn't surprised at all to find him not wearing any boxers, and once I managed to get his shirt
off of him, I pulled the blankets around us and snuggled to his side. He let out a contented sigh as
he held me close.

Around six, I woke up to my phone buzzing. I set the alarm before falling asleep, wanting to
wake up before Edward had to be up. He had to meet up with the team at seven-thirty, so he
was going to get up at six forty five, giving me forty five minutes to wake him up the proper way.

I kissed my way down his body slowly, savoring every square inch of his body. Edward was in the
middle of a snore when he let out an awkward moan, and I tried to hold back my laughter, but couldn't.

My hand wrapped tightly around his erection, stroking up and down, taking my time, knowing
that Edward loved it that way. He was still asleep from what I could tell, though his snoring had stoppe

Resting on my knees beside his body, I leaned down, taking him in my mouth. Just as my mouth
made contact, his head popped up as his hands fisted the sheets.

I cocked my head to the side, my lips just around the head.

"Fuck, Bella… baby, that feels so fucking good," he moaned while my tongue circled around him.
And then he realized that he had been sleeping all night. "Oh my god, I fell asleep before the
fucking frontals…"

I pulled away, laughing. "Are you going to complain about frontals, or enjoy the one I'm giving
you now?"

"Please continue, Bella," he said seductively while placing his hand on the back of my head,
pushing me downwards. I could almost feel his eyes staring at me as I moved along his length.
This was never something I enjoyed doing before, but with Edward I liked it, especially when I
heard his uncontrolled dirty words.

"Never… fuck… never seen anything better than this, seeing your lips around my cock." He
moaned while one of his hands gripped my ass. "Come here, baby… put your pussy over my
face. I want to taste you now."

I kept my mouth attached to him as he pulled on my legs, situating myself above him. I had never
done this before and honestly didn't know how I would be able to concentrate on pleasuring him
while his tongue was buried inside me. How did women do this? I didn't have time to process my
dilemma as Edward went to work quickly on me, sucking, kissing, and touching the part of me that
ached so much for him constantly.

"You like that, baby?" he asked, his lips brushing against my clit teasingly. I moaned in response.
His hips jerked, thrusting even deeper in my mouth. Grasping my ass in his hands, he moved me
back and forth against his tongue. "Ride me, Bella," he said huskily.

God, what was he doing to me…

I complied and began stroking him, the part that I couldn't fit inside my mouth. He was moaning
even more and thrusting with each move. I knew he was getting close, and so was I.

I felt so erotic. This was so different than anything I had ever done before.

I practically screamed around his cock when he not only sucked my clit into his mouth, but his
teeth nibbled the sensitive flesh.

"Mmm… you like that don't you, baby? Are you going to come for me? Come in my mouth, sweet
girl." His voice was strangled as our hips moved together. "Bella," he moaned, "baby, I'm coming."

I swallowed as soon as he released in my mouth and cried out when I pulled away as my own
released hit me. Edward continued licking along my slit before kissing the inside of my thigh. I
placed small kisses against his pelvic bone.

"Come over to me, Bella… I need to see you."

My face was burning up, flushed with embarrassment over what we just did, but I moved to lie
next to Edward and rested my head on his shoulder.

"You don't have to be shy around me, Bella. That was… so fucking incredible."

"It was," I agreed, my voice barely audible.

"Shower with me?" he asked.

I agreed, of course, because when would I ever turn down a shower with him? Fifty plus years of
this would be very nice.

***

Edward won his game against the Redskins and was given three days off. However, he would get
those days off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We would get to spend New Years Eve
together, though we wouldn't be alone. Everyone flew back to Dallas with us, except for the
parents, as they had to get back to work. Emmett had taken some vacation time. With the help
of Rose and Alice, we planned to spend those few days at Padre Island. We wanted to go
somewhere warm, but not too far away from Dallas. Rose found a huge beach house for us to
rent, away from all the action, giving us some privacy.

"Look at that," Edward said, pointing his finger towards a small gathering of people on the beach.
It was a wedding. A small wedding and exactly what I wanted.

"It's beautiful." It was right at sunset, perfect timing. "I'd love to get married like that."

"You would?"

I nodded, watching the couple kiss. They only had four other people and the minister with them.
Alice and Rose would hate it if I had a wedding like that because they both had huge,
overzealous weddings, but that just wasn't me.

Edward stopped walking and turned towards me as I held my pink umbrella that he bought me
earlier in the day. It had been raining off and on all day, but I actually loved the rain.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

I laughed because we had already been through this. "I think I already said yes, baby…" I held
up my hand, flashing my ring in his face.

He stepped closer, closing the small distance between us. "No, I mean, would you marry me now?
If I go talk to that minister… and we set up the arrangements tomorrow… to get married… would
you marry me?"

"Yes," I said instantly, not thinking twice about my answer.

"Yes?" he repeated my answer.

"Yes."

"Yes!" he yelled, and before I even realized it, he reached down, scooping me up into his arms.
"You're marrying me?"

I was laughing so hard at his outburst, and now the newly married couple along with their small
wedding party was looking at us.

Edward eventually placed me back on my feet as we made our way over to the minister. I stood
next to Edward as he pulled the minister aside, asking if he would be able to marry us the next
day. We still had to get our marriage license, pick out some simple clothes to wear, and explain to
our family that this was what we wanted.

We apologized for pulling the minister away from the happy couple and offered our
congratulations. After making arrangements to meet with the minister at our beach house the
next day to go over a few things, Edward and I headed back to the house. He called his mom who
literally screamed with excitement over the phone. She was booking the flight while they were on
the phone and Esme reacted the same way when we told her.

Now we just had to tell everyone else. That would be fun.

And regardless of how they reacted, I was marrying the man of my dreams in less than twenty
four hours. I wished more than anything that my parents would be there, but Edward reminded
me that they would be watching.

I believed him.

***! !***

Thanks for reading -- sorry for the long wait!! And BIG thanks to my super quick beta, Jessica1971.

You can follow me on Twitter - www(dot)twitter(dot)com/greeneyedgirl00 - for updates, or make
sure you check out my new blog - www(dot)greeneyedgirl17(dot)blogspot(dot)com. I'll post
exclusive teasers there, as well as on the forum. My new story will be posting next week, so check
it out and let me know what you think, please! :)

Have a great night!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Edward

Irritated did not even begin to describe how I felt as we stood at the county clerk's front desk.
There was a seventy two hour waiting period to get married once you got your marriage license
in Texas. Bella was devastated as I stood there, arguing politely with the clerk.

"I'm sorry, sir, but there really isn't anything I can do about it," the clerk said sweetly. I knew it
wasn't her fault and it was just one of those pesky laws, but it was still disappointing.

My parents were already on their way to Texas, along with Esme, Carlisle, and my sister. We had
yet to tell Alice, Rose, and the guys, and were waiting to surprise them.

"Hey, take a walk with us… we're gonna get married a little ways down the beach…"

Or…

"Hey, please don't take over our happy day. We just want to make it official… finally… even
though we've only been engaged for a week…"

Yeah, either way, the girls would go insane with madness because they couldn't plan some huge
shindig. That, in addition to their bitchy pregnancy hormones, was a very bad combination.

I didn't know why we were so disappointed with the waiting period because it wasn't like we had
to get married, but I guess it was just the let down. I was so ready to put that ring on her finger
and call her Bella Masen, and she was just as excited as I was.

I needed to take a step back and be there for Bella. This was already a hard task for her - getting
married without her parents present - and here I was complaining over a policy. Stupid.

"Thank you, ma'am," I conceded.

I put my arm around Bella and led us out of the office, hearing the clerk offer her timid
congratulations to us. And then I realized that she might not follow the confidentiality policy if
she thought I was a complete ass, so I turned back and pleaded with her to keep this private.
Bella and I wanted to keep our marriage a secret. We had just gotten over this huge hurdle,
dealing with suicide and pregnancy rumors, and I really didn't want our happy news to be
tarnished. I told Bella the night before about keeping our marriage silent to the media and my
teammates, and she understood and was grateful that I came up with the idea. She felt the
same way, but didn't want me to think she was ashamed of being married to me.

I walked out of the office and found Bella sitting on a bench in the hallway. "Are you okay, baby?"

Chapter: 35

She shrugged her shoulders and gave me a sad smile. "It's just our luck, huh?"

I sat down beside her, leaning into her body slightly as I kissed the side of her face. "Nah, my bad
luck would have been you saying no… so this is nothing."

Bella let out a small laugh and grabbed my hand, squeezing gently. "You'd be crazy if you had
any doubts that I wouldn't have said yes, Edward."

She was my everything, and I don't think she could ever really understand how much I meant that.

I sent my parents a text as Bella sent one to Carlisle and Esme. My sister was traveling with my
parents, bringing along Abby but leaving her dickhead husband behind. They had just landed
and were waiting in line for their rental car. I gave them the directions to the rental house and
told them I would meet them there later that day.

Bella was talking to Esme and walked to the end of the hall, just a few feet away from me. "I
know," she said softly. "It's just… yeah, you're right… he's perfect as always… I haven't told
them yet, would you when you get there?... Yeah, but… yes… Nah, I don't believe in that
superstitious stuff. Okay, I think so. That sounds good… Love you, too, Esme. Thanks for everything."

As we walked out of the courthouse together, I shoved my cap down and put my sunglasses on,
hopeful that no one would recognize me. "What did Esme say?"

"She said she was going to talk to everyone at the house… and that you and I should go
shopping for wedding stuff. I mean, it's not like we're not getting married… we're just delayed."

And just like that our bad day went out the door. We headed towards the nearest line of shops,
dress shops to be exact. I picked out a pair of light gray slacks and a new white shirt. Bella didn't
want me to wear a tie or anything, wanting to keep it casual; plus, she said I looked sexy like that,
so I followed her orders.

I didn't see the dresses she tried on. All I could see was the store clerk grabbing several for Bella
and taking them back to a dressing room. Bella came out ten minutes later, breaking the record
for the fastest dress chooser… if that's even an actual term to describe her. Ten minutes - that's
all it took for her to find the dress. Alice took two weeks, shopping in various cities to find her
dress, and my sister was the same way. Bella was simple and just ready to be married.

With a huge smile on Bella's face, we walked out of the shop, clutching the garment bags holding
our purchases. Then we stopped off where Bella picked out my ring and I might have gotten her a
small wedding gift.

I called the minister that was going to marry us and let him know that we had no idea about the
marriage license policy in Texas. He had assumed that we already had our marriage license when
I asked him to marry us. I had no idea what day we could come back, but Bella and I were both
set on getting married at the beach, that one in particular, and it would be soon, very soon. He
told me to call him whenever we were able and ready.

The dread seeped back in as we drove back towards the beach house. I didn't want the girls to
give her a hard time because I knew that she was still pretty upset, and so was I.

"I love you," I said as I held my hand out to Bella as she got out of the car.

She smiled softly. "I love you, too."

When Bella and I walked into the house, I very much wished at that moment that most of our
family would just disappear. Meaning, I wished Rose and Alice would disappear. Everyone was in
the kitchen area, and as soon as they spotted us walking in, Alice and Rose stood with their
hands on their hips, looking like they wanted to scream at us.

"So you were just going to get married without telling us?" Rose questioned bitterly.

"Yeah, after all these years, Bella… and you wouldn't even let us know so we could help plan?"
Alice added.

"I mean, we have been nothing but supportive and-"

Bella squeezed my hand and cleared her throat before interrupting their rants. "I wanted a
wedding that I would enjoy and I didn't want it to be blown out of control… I love you both so
much, but I'm not in the mood to listen to this right now, so just drop it, please. I don't need a lecture."

Her voice was desperate and she really did just want to stop talking about it, but, of course,
they were hormonal and being fucking bitches -excuse the language.

"A lecture, Bella?" Alice repeated angrily. "You're my best friend and you didn't even bother
telling me that-"

"Enough," Bella interrupted again. She was never one to stand up to anyone and let everyone
walk all over her most of the time. "I'm going upstairs to rest and I don't want to hear any more
about it. You can both rest assured that Edward and I aren't getting married today, so just be
happy and leave it alone."

And with that, she left the room.

***! !***

Bella

I was drained and didn't have the energy to listen to my two best friends complain about my
almost wedding. I had no idea why I was so upset about not getting married that day anyway; it
wasn't as if we were never going to get married. And I knew that I would hear bullshit come from
Rose and Alice's mouths, which pissed me off even more.

They would be pleased - Alice and Rose. Their weddings were huge and expensive, and I knew
that they wanted to plan some extravagant thing for me. A huge, fancy wedding for Edward and
I was just not… us.

I think Edward made me fall in love with him even more, if that is even possible, when he asked
me to marry him on the beach. He had to be the sweetest, most romantic man I had ever known,
almost unreal, and I was going to spend my life with him. I just couldn't believe it.

And then our hurried plans to be married were shot down by a Texas law. How annoying…

I stripped out of my clothes and climbed in the big bathtub, relaxing as the hot water heated my
body. I sighed and opened my eyes to see Edward standing before me.

"I know I was bitchy, but-"

"Don't, Bella," he said, his voice softly cutting me off. "You don't have to explain yourself to me…

I'm actually glad you stopped them, because I was afraid I would say something much worse."

He knelt down beside the tub and kissed the back of my hand. "You okay, baby?"

"Yeah… just tired… and disappointed… and hating Texas right about now…" I complained with a
small laugh. "Wanna get in here with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Edward grinned widely.

Seconds later, his clothes were off and he was positioned behind me, my back resting against his che

Placing a small kiss on my shoulder, Edward had his arms wrapped tightly around me. "So… talk
to me? Tell me why you were so upset. We're still going to get married, baby… if I have it my way,
it will be early next week."

I shrugged my shoulders and willed myself to keep my emotions in check. I wasn't going to sit
there and bawl because I didn't get my way. "I don't really know why… it's just I had it in my
head, even though we only had it planned since yesterday… I just… I don't even know."

"I understand, sweet girl, but I'm serious… we're going to come back down here after the game
next weekend, if I make playoffs, and we'll get married on Saturday or Sunday. Seth can fly back
with everyone that night… and I'll spend the night making love to my wife. Sound good?"

Seriously. How was he single for so long?

He chuckled and I didn't realize I had said that out loud.

"Well, it's true… I mean, you're perfect."

"You make me want to be better, Bella. I've never felt this way about anyone else."

I leaned my head over to the side and looked up at him. "I honestly don't know what I did before
I met you…"

"Me, too, baby."

I started to get emotional for about the millionth time that day and a painful lump formed in my
throat as I held it in. I hated looking like this sobbing woman who cried too much. Edward was
sweeter than ever, and so understanding.

"It's the holidays, Bella. Everyone is emotional around this time… and you miss your mom and dad.
It's understandable."

I covered my face with my hands and nodded.

Edward removed my hands from my face and wiped my tears away as he kissed my temple. "And
you never have to hide that from me."

"I feel like such an idiot, Edward… I don't even know why I'm crying."

"Could you be pregnant, maybe?"

I shook my head. "No. I had my shot a few weeks ago, I promise."

Before I knew it, I was being turned around to face Edward, sending the water to slosh
everywhere. With a determined and serious look on his face, he placed his hands on either side
of my face. "I am a dickhead, Bella. I will never forgive myself for the things I said when I
thought you were pregnant before," and I opened my mouth to protest, but he kissed me,
silencing me completely.

"I want a child with you. Several, actually. Well, I mean like three, maybe four," he said with a
crooked grin and moved one of his hands over my stomach. "When you carry our baby inside of
you, that will be one of the happiest times in my life… second to marrying you, so please never
worry about my reaction if we do get pregnant unexpectedly."

I think he was just trying to make me cry even more, though he quickly got my mind on other
things as he picked me up out of the tub and carried me to the bed. Once the door was locked,
we made love quietly and slowly.

My mother always told me that when you meet 'the one', they'll be your rock. The person you
can depend on through good times and bad; the person you can cry in front of without shame;
the person who will be there when you've lost your parents. Your best friend.

I remember that conversation vividly. I was always a 'momma's girl', even as a teenager and
young adult. Before I left for college, I had a horrible nightmare that my mother died. It was so
horrible and real that I had to sneak into her room during the middle of the night just to make
sure she was breathing. She must have heard me leave the room, because a few minutes later
while I was sitting in our dark living room trying to clear my head, she came and sat down beside me.

"What's got you so upset, sweetie?" she asked, placing her arm around me.

I took a deep breath. "I'm just stressed over leaving… and I had a horrible dream. It seemed so real."

"Hmm… let's go eat something, so you can talk to me about it.

We weren't really superstitious people, but mom had a rule about eating breakfast before you
talked about your bad dreams. We ate a piece of toast for breakfast, at three o'clock in the
morning, to ward off any bad luck, but years later I would find that it didn't work.

"You died in my dream, while I was away at school. I didn't get to tell you goodbye."

"Bella… Bella… Bella… what am I going to do with you? You have to stop worrying so much, baby.
You are going to meet so many people and have the time of your life at school. I'll miss you more
than you can imagine, but this has been coming for quite a while."

"Yeah, but I should have just enrolled at UW. It's not far away and-"

"It's not far away, that's true, but you got a full scholarship at Arizona, and we're so proud of
you… this is a new adventure for you, Bella." I nodded my head. "So do you wanna talk about
the dream?"

"I don't know what happened to you. You were just gone and I felt like I had no one."

Her arm tightened around me. "Bella, whether you're fifty or twenty, losing a parent will be life
changing. When my momma died, I felt so alone, but you know who I depended on? Your dad. He
is my best friend and he listened to me cry, night after night… I still miss her and I still cry over
her. I miss my dad, too, but I had a relationship with my mother like you and I have… Anyway,
someday you'll meet someone wonderful and he will be there when you need a shoulder to cry on.

That lucky man will be your rock, and you'll be his."

"Mom, let's not even talk about this…" I hated even thinking about losing her. It terrified me.

"We have to, sweetie… because you have to realize that I'm not always going to be here. I want
you to remember our good times and never feel guilty. I've had the best life because of you…
and Seth… and your daddy. You guys have made my life extraordinary."

It almost felt like she was saying goodbye to me, or preparing me.

The years passed by, and what seemed like a short time to me, I found myself realizing that I
would never feel my mother's hugs and never hear her calming voice again.

But I had my rock now.

My mother would have been proud and she would have swooned over Edward. He was the kind
of guy she prayed I would meet. When I got upset over missing her and my dad, I would picture
the big smile she would have had on her face when she heard of his sweet proposal and our
quick wedding plans.

***

I cheered loudly as my soon to be husband won his game that Sunday night, taking him to the
playoffs. Alice and Rose had apologized to us on our way back to Dallas, and they were still feeling
guilty for their bitchiness towards us. I really shut them up when they saw my beautiful dress I
picked out.

I allowed them to plan out some of the wedding. They were handling the flowers, cake, food, and
colors. So, yeah… they were planning pretty much the whole wedding except for picking out my
dress and Edward's suit. I didn't really care what they did, because we were having it outside, on
the beach, with only my family and close friends present. Oh, and I was marrying the most
amazing man I had ever met.

Seth left the game at half time with Esme and Carlisle. He had to go back to school and didn't
need to get home so late. Edward had set up for a private plane to fly them directly to Forks
from Denver, where they had a layover.

Alice, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett, were flying back home the next morning. Edward's parents,
Kate, and Abby left the next day, as well. Kate admitted to me while we made breakfast together
that she was divorcing her husband. She found out that he was having an affair just before
Christmas. I think she was more relieved than upset; he wasn't a nice man and from what I could
see, he didn't value his family.

Edward called the minister and we made plans to meet with him the next Sunday after his church
service. We planned to get married around five o'clock that Sunday. A honeymoon was not an
option for us just yet because Edward had to report back to Dallas on Tuesday to practice for his
upcoming game. They were really strict when it came to practicing for playoff games and were
going to go at it non-stop all week.

I heard so many apologies from Edward about our honeymoon and many promises to make it up
to me eventually, but I didn't care at all. The most important thing that mattered to me was that
we were getting married.

His next game was conveniently scheduled on Saturday afternoon, and after he won the first

playoff game for Dallas, breaking their ten year bad luck streak, we celebrated the entire way to
South Texas.

My wedding day was perfect; I woke up that morning, face to face with Edward's huge smile
brightening my day. Edward and I broke the rules again, sleeping in the same bed the night
before our wedding. I did make Edward keep his clothes on and his hands to himself, though. He
was tired anyway, exhausted really, and needed to save his energy for our wedding night anyway.

The minister met with us for lunch at the beach house, where he met our family, as well. We
decided on traditional vows and wanted to keep the wedding quick. There wasn't going to be
music or chairs. Our family would stand behind us as we made that big step, and my brother
would walk me from the house to Edward, giving me away instead of my parents doing so.

I didn't see Edward for the rest of the day. The girls locked us in the bedroom upstairs and
forbade Edward from seeing me for the next few hours before the wedding, though he still sent
me sweet texts that I was able to secretly check.

My dress was strapless and simple. It ended a little bit below my knee, and rather than wearing
uncomfortable shoes, I was going barefoot. Everyone was. Alice and Rose surprised me with foot
jewelry. Foot jewelry? Yeah, I had never heard of it but it was popular for beach weddings,
apparently. I loved it.

Kate gave me a pedicure and manicure while my hair was being fixed by Esme and Liz. My hair
was down, but pulled back loosely with a few bobby pins.

I somehow held in my tears when Esme and Liz gave me a beautiful white gold locket with my
parents' picture inside, to remind me that they were there even if I couldn't see them. That was
my 'something new'. Rose gave me a light blue garter belt and Alice let me borrow, or rather
made me borrow, her yellow diamond earrings. They matched my flower color.

My bouquet of flowers was just a few light yellow orchids, held together by a white ribbon. The
wedding cake was three tiers, even though my total wedding party consisted of fifteen, counting
the minister and his wife. It was a beautiful cake, decorated with orchids and topped with a silver 'M'.

It was time for the ceremony to begin and everyone left the room as Seth walked in. He looked
so handsome and grown up. The men were dressed like Edward – gray slacks and a white button
up, not tucked in, and the sleeves rolled up a few times.

"You ready?" he asked, holding out his hand with a cheesy smile on his face.

"Yep."

"Edward's fuc- I mean, freaking out."

"How so?"

"He's been pacing all afternoon… I had to tell him a few times to lay off the drugs or caffeine," he
said, laughing loudly. "He's okay now, though."

"Good." I could barely speak, trying to hold in my emotions.

"Love you, Bell," Seth said as he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly. "I wish mom
and dad were here for this." He said that so quietly that I could barely hear him, but I nodded my
head, silently agreeing with him.

Seth and I made the short walk outside to our small gathering where Edward stood, beaming with
happiness. Tears streamed down my face, not from sadness at all. It was as if we ignored
everyone standing around us when Edward swept his thumbs across my cheeks, wiping away the tear

"What's wrong, baby?" he whispered, his own eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"I'm happy, Edward. Absolutely nothing is wrong right now," I replied.

He kissed my forehead before the minister began. Our vows were short and sweet, and what
seemed like an hour later, though it was really just a few minutes probably, we were finally
married. My husband kissed me softly as we listened to the squeals coming from our family.

Isabella Marie Masen. Has a ring to it, huh?

Like it? Review and let me know ;)

Thanks for reading -- I really can't thank you all enough for your sweet comments. I'm sad that
this is coming to an end - I have really enjoyed writing this story, so it's hard to end it. Only one
more actual chapter (it could turn into two, so we'll see...) and an epilogue. Anyway, thanks to my
loyal readers, reviewers, everyone at the forum, Twitter friends, and my beta, Jessica1971.

Check out my blog for wedding stuff: .com

Happy Friday :) Have a great night and weekend!

Oh, and did you check out my new story? The first chapter of Silver Strand Nights posted the
other night, so go check it out! Please?

Love ya, Jen

Happy Valentine's Day -- sorry for the delay of this chapter!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

"And you may now kiss your bride…"

That was one of the best moments of the night, apart from seeing Bella walking towards me with
Seth. Actually, I couldn't pinpoint one specific thing because everything about the night I married
her was perfect.

Bella was beyond gorgeous and the smile she had on her face was priceless. Our hands were
locked together as our family congratulated us and took pictures. Once we were finished on the
beach, everyone walked back to the beach house where Alice and Rose had the back deck
decorated for our very small reception.

Even though we had a very small and simple wedding, they still had us do the traditional things,
like cutting the cake, listening to a few small speeches before the toast, etc. It was fun, and the
only thing that mattered to me was that Bella was happy.

"Are you guys ready to go, Edward?" Jasper asked with a wink, holding the car keys.

Bella looked confused, especially when she saw Emmett carrying our bags down the stairs.

"Yeah, I think so," I answered Jasper, but turned to Bella. "Are you ready to go, baby?"

Bella laughed and shook her head. "Um, yeah… but where are we going?"

"Secret," Emmett, Jasper, and I said at the same time, laughing heartily. I spent the morning
working out a special getaway for us to spend our short honeymoon at. We were taking a short
helicopter ride, being taken directly to a small place I rented until Tuesday. I hated not being able
to take her on a longer honeymoon, but she assured me that it was okay. I just wanted to make
it as romantic as possible for her because she certainly deserved it.

"We love you both so much," Alice said as she pulled us in for a tight hug. "I packed everything
you'll need, Bella. And just remember, if he ever hurts you, I will kill him -pregnant and all."

Bella giggled. "He isn't going to hurt me, Al… love you. Thanks for everything."

I was kind of smashed between the two of them as everyone else stood around us laughing.

Seth and Bella hugged once again before we left and it was a very heartwarming sight to see
how much they both cared about each other. They had been alone for so long, but they weren't
anymore, and I loved that I could be there for them.

Several hugs and well wishes later, Bella and I slid into the backseat of the rental car. Bella
shivered slightly as the breezy winds picked up; she still just had her tiny little white dress on.

Chapter: 36

Luckily, I grabbed my suit jacket that was useless all day until that point and wrapped it around
her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said softly with a sweet smile.

Jasper and Emmett made small talk with us as we made our way to the heliport. Once we arrived,
I received more warnings that if I ever hurt her, I'd get my ass kicked. It was comical, mainly for
the fact that I would want my ass kicked, or worse, if I ever hurt her.

Our helicopter ride was beautiful and the smile had not faded from Bella's face all day. She was
happy and I loved that I could make her feel that way.

When we landed, her eyes glistened with tears. "This is beautiful, Edward."

It was a secluded little beach house and I had a special surprise out on the back deck that she
would love. For our wedding night, we could either sleep inside on the king size bed, or sleep
outside on a bed, with that girly netting draping over it that women always loved. Alice suggested it.

I grabbed our bags and carried them to the front door while our pilot helped Bella out of the
helicopter. I was running around like a crazy ass, but I was still so… I just felt overly excited that I
was finally married to Bella.

"Okay, come here, you," I said, crouching down to scoop Bella up into my arms. She let out a
surprised yelp and laughed. "I have to carry you over the threshold… it's tradition."

"You're too sweet to me," she whispered, kissing the side of my face.

Once we were finally inside the house, I kicked the door shut and locked it behind me, still holding
onto my wife without dropping her somehow. I sat down on the sofa with Bella sitting sideways
on my lap.

"We're actually married," Bella said. Her statement was simple, but we were both still grinning like
fools. It just meant so much to us.

"Yep. You're stuck with me now, Swan."

Bella nudged me playfully. "Masen. It's Masen now, not Swan. Get it right, husband of mine."

I kissed along her jaw line, slowly and softly. "Isabella Marie Masen. Sounds perfect… very
perfect, baby."

"I know, right?" she sighed and moaned as my mouth moved to the spot between her neck and
shoulder. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, sweet girl… Mrs. Masen." I kept saying 'Mrs. Masen' or 'Bella Masen' over and
over in my head. It still didn't seem real to me. I was the luckiest damn asshole to have a woman
like Bella agree to marry me.

Minutes later, Bella was straddling me, locked in a heated kiss that neither of us could break. My
hands were threatening to rip the fabric of her pretty dress as I tried to control my horny self. I
had to keep in mind that I had something special out back for her and I didn't want to ruin it with a
quickie on the couch.

"Bella, baby… we should stop," I panted, both of us breathing roughly. "Let's get out of these

clothes. I'm about to rip this dress off of you." My hand was awkwardly beneath the dress,
grasping her breast tightly.

Bella nodded, but let out a long, drawn out moan when she ground herself against my erection
that was basically begging me to stop being a romantic pussy and let my new wife fuck me right
there on the couch.

Sighing, Bella climbed off of my lap. "I'll just go get changed," she said with a wink and a smile.

I leaned my head back against the couch and ran my hand roughly over my cock, needing some
kind of relief. "Meet me out on the back deck in a few minutes. I'll be waiting for you out there."

Bella carried her things to the bathroom as I pulled out a pair of black sleep pants, stripping quickly
like I was some kind of professional or something. I didn't bother leaving my boxers on, because,
honestly, I would probably be naked the second Bella crawled into bed with me anyway.

I went outside and pulled back the blankets on the air mattress. I was surprised to find that it was
an electric blanket, but very grateful. Alice thought of everything. I turned on the electronic
lanterns before crawling into bed, hoping that Bella wouldn't be too cold. The wind was picking up,
but it actually felt good underneath the warm blanket.

When Bella stepped out onto the deck, I had to remind myself to close my mouth. I was literally in
shock by her beauty. She wore a white sheer robe and underneath it was a silky white negligee,
just long enough to slightly cover her backside.

"You're gorgeous," I managed to say after openly gaping at my new wife.

"You're not so bad, either," Bella said, winking at me. She shivered and wrapped her arms around
her body.

"Come here, baby… it's warm under the blankets." I patted the space next to me and grinned.

It wasn't a very big air mattress, probably full size, but I figured the smaller the better. It's not
like we needed a lot of space, seeing as Bella would either be on top of me or me on top of her.

Sliding in next to me, Bella let out a satisfied sigh. "This is really nice."

"Alice's idea," I blurted out with a chuckle.

"That was sweet of her to help out."

We were lying on our sides, facing each other, still smiling. My jaw actually hurt from smiling so
much. I stroked the side of her face, my fingertips tracing her jaw. "You are so beautiful, Bella."

"Thank you," she blushed. I fell in love with that blush the moment I saw it all those months ago.
Her hand moved from my forearm, slowly trailing its way down my body, slipping beneath my
pants. "Is my new husband still excited?"

And I probably let out a weird gasp-like sound when I felt her hand wrap around my cock, which
by the way, was still very excited. "Yes."

"Mmm… I'd definitely say you're still excited," she whispered before placing her lips on mine.

My tongue darted out, tracing her lips gently as Bella's hand stroked me, moving at a very slow

pace. I couldn't help but thrust into her hand.

I broke our kiss. "I need you, baby. Please."

"I need you, too, Edward," Bella breathed, nibbling my ear lobe.

Rather abruptly, I pushed Bella onto her back, kneeling between her legs. My hands explored
her body and I kissed every inch of exposed skin as I undressed her. We didn't speak, and didn't
break eye contact for a second. I slid her thong down her body, leaning forward to kiss the inside
of her thigh. My hands moved to her lower stomach as I leaned down, placing a small kiss on her clit.

Bella moaned loudly, but sat up, grabbing my shoulders and looking at me directly. "Inside me,"
she said breathily, "now, Edward."

I complied, pushing Bella to lie back down. Reaching between our bodies, I grabbed my cock and
ran it up and down her slit, causing her body to jerk every time I passed over her clit.

"I love you," I whispered as I pushed inside.

Our bodies moved slowly, our mouths attached to one another, never breaking contact. Our
lovemaking was always amazing, but finally making love to my wife was different. I was going to
be with her for the rest of my life, and knowing that made me a happy man.

"I love you, Edward," Bella said with a trembling voice.

"Are you okay, baby?" I asked, still keeping my slow pace.

"Yes, Edward," she moaned, placing her hands on either side of my face. "I'm so happy to be
married to you."

I moved inside her, slowly, staring intently into her eyes. "Thank you, sweet girl."

And as I made love to my wife, I felt like the luckiest man in the world, knowing that she'd be mine
for the rest of our lives. I couldn't wait to start our lives together and have a family with her –
things I never thought I'd want. Bella opened my eyes to how wonderful my life could be.

"I'm close, Edward," she whispered, leaning up to kiss my shoulder. I slid my hand between us,
finding the spot that always made her come undone. "So close," she gasped.

A few seconds later, I felt Bella clench around my cock, allowing me to finally release inside her. I
remained inside of her body as I kissed her neck, whispering how much I loved her.

With her arms wrapped tightly around me, Bella kissed the side of my face. "I hope you're not
sleepy tonight…"

"Are you kidding, baby? We're not sleeping at all tonight," I chuckled against her skin, already
feeling myself harden again.

With a wink and a smile, Bella moved her lower body, ready for our second time around. "I think
I'm gonna love this… sleeping in your bed every night… feeling you next to me…waking up to you
making love to me."

We both fell asleep very soon after round two, despite our 'stay up all night' plans. Sometime
during the night, I got up and carried Bella to the bed inside the house. It was chilly and I didn't

want her to get sick during our first few days of being married.

I was married.

"I love you, Bella Masen." I held her in my arms, her naked back against my chest, feeling more
complete than I ever had in my life. Bella was the missing piece in my life.

***! !***

Bella

I flew with Edward to Minnesota, where he was playing his second playoff game. We had been
married for less than a week and successfully kept it a secret from the media. In our public
outings, we didn't want to wear our rings. I hated for us to take them off, but we just wanted to
hold off on anyone outside of our family finding out until football season was over.

Edward was ready to get back to Forks, ready for his life to get back to normal. In a matter of
days, he had all of these trips planned for us to take during the summer, and he wanted to show
me all of these places back in Chicago that I didn't see during my trip without him. And then he
said something that shocked me. He wanted me to stop getting my depo shot after we were
married for six months. Apparently, he did some research while I was asleep one night and read
that it took some time to get pregnant after stopping the shot. He didn't want to wait so long to
start our family. I cried when he told me that, feeling happier than ever.

Sitting in the suite with our family, we watched Edward walk out onto the field. I wanted this night
to fly by because he was just ready to get it over with. His body was sore and beaten up,
desperate for rest as he practiced non-stop all week.

It was a crappy game and we were barely hanging on. To make matters worse, the offensive
line was not protecting Edward like they should have been. He was sacked at least three times
before the first quarter was over. I cringed every time he was knocked to the ground, sometimes
being hit by two huge guys.

My heart stopped when his helmet flew off and he didn't get up after the latest hit that caused
him to fumble the ball. The entire crowd cheered and the cameras zoomed in on the Vikings
earning a touchdown, but everyone, except for the Cowboy fans, failed to notice my husband
lying on the ground.

"Calm down, Bella… he's fine," Emmett reassured, wrapping his arm around me.

I shook my head back and forth, praying he'd get up.

But he didn't.

The trainers were out on the field almost immediately as the other players motioned for them to
come over. As the announcers showed the replay over and over again, saying how bad the hit
was, I felt nauseated. Luckily, Edward's dad must have felt the same way, because he stood up
and turned off the television.

I panicked as a golf cart drove out on the field. Edward was placed on a backboard and driven
away, disappearing down a dark corridor.

The phone rang and Carlisle answered it before the first ring was finished. "Okay… yes, sir…
one-thirty-nine, section A? Thank you."

Carlisle hung up the phone and told us that we were able to go down to see him, but only two
people. Edward's dad was going with me.

I walked swiftly beside his father as he led us to where we needed to go. I was so lost and felt
relieved that his father was with me.

"He'll be fine, Bella," Ed said quietly. "I'm sure he just blacked out for a moment."

"Yeah," I said, though I was scared to death it was something worse. I didn't allow myself to cry
because I didn't want to seem like I couldn't handle this kind of stress.

Glancing down at my fisted left hand, I realized that I had forgotten to take my rings off. I don't
know why, but I put them back on when the game started and we were hidden away in the suite.
I didn't think twice about keeping them on; if the reporters noticed them, then so be it.

After walking for what seemed like miles, we finally found the section we were supposed to be
at. Reporters lined the hall, asking questions as we passed by, but we ignored them.

A security guard stood at the end of the hall. We gave our names and waited for him to radio
back to someone else. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but only family can go back," he said.

Without thinking, I blurted out my next revelation for everyone to gasp over. "I'm his wife."

The security guard seemed confused.

"Yes, she is his wife and I highly advise that you allow us to go back right now," Ed warned.

People didn't disagree with Ed. He was demanding, but polite, and wasn't going to take any shit.

We were taken down a few dim halls before reaching a small sitting area. One of the team's
doctors came out to speak to us, explaining what was going on. Edward was getting a CT scan
done and was starting to wake up. They assumed all he had was a bad concussion, which was
somewhat scary, but the best news I could have heard.

He was waking up.

Ed and I sat in the waiting area for what seemed liked hours, neither of us saying a word. I
stared at my left hand resting on my lap, still thankful that I could call myself his wife.

"Mrs. Masen?" The doctor from before called out my name, which I had not heard since being
married to Edward. "You can go back now if you'd like… you as well," he nodded towards Ed.

"I'll let you two have a moment alone, Bella," Ed said with a calming voice and a sweet smile.
Edward definitely got his smile from his father.

I nodded and gave him my thanks before following the doctor into another room. Edward was lying
flat on his back and I rushed past the doctor and a few others in the room.

"Edward," I whispered, stroking the side of his face. His eyes opened slowly and he smiled.

"Hi, baby," he said with a hoarse voice as though he had just woken up after a long sleep.

I bent down, kissing his forehead. "I was so worried about you. Are you feeling alright? Is your

head hurting? Of course it's hurting… what kind of question is that…" I asked stupidly.

Edward chuckled and grinned. "I'm feeling fine, Bella. I promise. I just have a headache and my
body is fucking sore from all those hits… but I promise I'm okay, sweet girl."

He wiped a few tears away from my face, and I hadn't even realized I was crying until that point.
My throat actually hurt, a lump had formed as I had been holding back my emotions the entire time.

"I love you."

"Love you, too," he replied sleepily. "Did we lose?"

"I think so… the stadium has been howling for pretty much the entire game since you left. I'm sorry."

Edward shook his head, still smiling, as he gently tugged on my arm to pull me closer. "It just
means we get to start our lives together sooner, baby."

His father came in a few minutes later and it was so heartwarming to see Ed show his son how
proud he was of him. For years, all Edward ever wanted was recognition from his dad and he
finally had it.

Edward gripped my hand as his dad apologized for everything that he felt he did wrong in the
past. Edward tried to interrupt several times, but his dad insisted.

I gave them a moment of privacy, stepping away to call Liz. She was relieved and thanked me for
calling. Edward would be able to leave soon, so everyone was going back to the hotel to meet us ther

It was dark when we finally left the stadium, being driven to the hotel in a limo. We were informed
to give him Tylenol every 6 hours, and to call immediately if his symptoms worsened. I felt
somewhat at ease with Carlisle being present, since he was probably the best doctor I had ever know

"I'm really okay, sweetheart," Edward whispered. I hadn't realized I was staring at him during the
ride over to the hotel. "Just sit back and rest, Bella."

I scoffed at his request. "You're the one that just got hurt… and you're telling me to rest?"

Grinning widely, he nodded his head. "Yes, I am. Got a problem with that?"

"Yes. You should be the one resting."

"And I am, baby. This seat is quite comfy. Lean back with me."

Ed laughed at our exchange.

"You're taking this too lightly," I retorted weakly.

Edward wrapped his arm around me, pulling my body close to his side. "I don't want you to
worry, baby… my head isn't pounding now… I'm not so dizzy anymore… and concussions are an
everyday thing in football… it's not that serious."

I buried my face in his chest. "It's serious when it's you."

Once back at the hotel, everyone greeted Edward and helped him get around, getting settled in
the bed. I added some ice to the ice pack we were given before leaving and wrapped it in a

towel. He had a knot forming on the back of his head and we were instructed to ice it around the clock.

Esme and Liz went out to get dinner for everyone while Emmett kept us all entertained with his
crazy stories: "The Life and Times of Emmett and Edward". I actually felt sorry for their mothers.
During the summers when they were young, they spent a lot of time together and I couldn't
believe the torture they put their parents through - specifically their moms with their surprise frog
attacks.

"Let's all hope that Edward and Bella's kids take after Bella… Edward was a handful," Carlisle joked.

Edward looked over at me and winked. "Yes, I hope they're like their mother… and have her
pretty brown eyes."

"Oh, God… just because you guys are newly married doesn't mean we wanna hear that gushy sh-
stuff," Seth complained, causing everyone to burst out with laughter.

"What?" Edward asked innocently, shrugging his shoulders. "She has pretty brown eyes… that's
one of the first things that I noticed."

"I think the newlyweds need some time alone, guys… let's go pack up some of our things," Rose
suggested.

Everyone agreed and said they'd bring the food over when Esme and Liz got back. When we were
finally alone, both sitting side by side on the bed, leaning against the headboard, Edward
grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently.

"This is going to seem like an odd question… but where are Harley and Herkie staying at?" Edward as

"At a kennel in Port Angeles… I'm ready to get home to see them."

"Me, too," Edward replied. "I'm just ready to go home, in general."

"Yeah… so are we going back to Dallas or-"

"Wherever you are, baby… and I consider Washington home. I'll need to have everything packed
up in Dallas, but I can hire a moving crew to do that."

"I'm so glad that you're coming back home… for good."

His fingers stroked my hand gently. Calming me. Soothing me. "Are we going to live in my house
or your house? I don't care either way, Bella. It's really up to you."

I sighed, wishing I didn't really have to make that decision. I felt bad for leaving my parents'
home so soon after returning to Forks, but I really loved Edward's house. It was pretty much my
dream house and had plenty of room for us to expand… and so many memories, our memories as
a couple, were made there.

"I would love to live in your house… I just feel guilty for leaving my… well, I mean, it's crazy to
even think that way, but I hate to give it up so soon. I sound so stupid," I sighed, resting my
head on his shoulder.

"No you don't, baby. I understand completely; however, I do have an idea… to keep it in the family."

"What is it?"

"Well, my mom may have mentioned that Kate wants to move away from Chicago, but still wants
family around… she just wants to get away from her asshole soon to be ex-husband… and she's
decided to move to Forks." My eyes were wide with shock. I was not expecting that. "So… she
could always rent it, I mean if that sounded like something you'd like to do or-"

"That's perfect, Edward… I mean, I'll have to talk to Seth about it, because he might want it
when he gets older."

"Yeah, and I'm sure that when he graduates college and moves back home, Kate will have a place
of her own by then."

"Wow… this is just… great, Edward!!"

I felt so relieved.

"Yep. It'll be nice to have Kate and Abby around." He lifted my hand to his mouth, kissing it
softly. "And mom and dad," he added.

"What?" I asked loudly, surprised once again.

He nodded. "Well, dad is retiring this summer and mom has always wanted to move back to
Forks… and with both of their kids living there, it'd be kind of crazy for them to stay in Chicago."

He went on to explain that they were already looking into having a house built in Forks, which
would be on the property that the family owned. Edward said that he was told all of this the day
we were getting married and he somehow forgot to mention it to me.

"Oh, god… you're already filling in the role of a typical husband… forgetting to tell me things," I teased.

Edward laughed heartily and pulled me into his lap, not forgetting to slap my butt playfully. "Very
funny, Mrs. Masen."

"I love when you call me that."

"Well, I love saying it. And I can't wait to take my new wife home," Edward said with a soft kiss on
my lips.

Home. We were going home.

***! !***

Like it? Review please! ;)

One more chapter left and then the epilogue.

Big thanks to my beta, Jessica1971, as well as my awesome readers. I can't thank you guys
enough for your reviews, tweets, etc. Thanks so much!

Did you check out my VDay one-shot? It might be a future outtake for one of my current stories.
Check it out!

Happy Sunday!

See A/N at the bottom :)

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

I was running late. Again.

--

Where are you?! Gracie is freaking out. Be careful. Love you.

--

That was the third text I received from Edward in the last forty five minutes. Our daughter,
Gracie, was playing in her first soccer game, and though her daddy coached her day and night,
she was nervous. Yes, my little four year old already had her father's genes when it came to
competitive sports.

Edward was the coach for Gracie's team and, surprisingly enough, he loved it more than coaching
his high school football team. He'd resumed his job as head coach for Forks High as soon as he
moved back to Forks. Mrs. Cope adored him and it worked out perfectly that the coach who
replaced him to begin with was moving to Seattle when the school year was over.

The summer after we got married, we traveled the entire time, which Edward called our
summer-long honeymoon. I had so much fun with him and we definitely enjoyed our alone time
together, but when we got back home, Edward made sure that I wasn't going back to the doctor
for my scheduled birth control shot. He was ready for children and so was I. It's crazy to think
that I had only known him for a year, and in that year I fell in love for the first time, got married,
and was now ready to start a family. I never thought something or someone so wonderful could
ever happen to me, but it did and not a day went by that I wasn't thankful for everything.

The first time I found out I was pregnant, which was just a couple of months after we had started
trying, I was ecstatic and so excited to tell Edward that I interrupted his practice after school.
We were both thrilled, and Edward wouldn't stop staring at the pregnancy tests that confirmed I
was carrying his child. However, our first pregnancy ended too soon, and broke our hearts.

--

"Are you sure?" Edward asked the emergency room doctor. "Because… it could be a mistake. It
wasn't a lot of blood… and… Carlisle is on his way here. Maybe we need a second opinion." His
eyes were wet and reddened as we were given the news.

"I'm very sorry, but this is common in the first trimester…"

I was speechless and didn't really have anything to say. I felt disappointed, and I wondered if I
did something wrong even though the doctors and nurses assured me there wasn't anything I
could have done.

Edward's parents stood outside the room, ready to step in if either of us needed them to. Liz had

Chapter: 37

been a mother to me in every way, as much as she could, and when I called her from work to find
out if spotting was normal, she thought it was best for me to get checked out. I was only ten
weeks pregnant.

As soon as I got off of the phone with Liz, I explained what was going on to Mrs. Cope and went
to get Edward from his classroom. He had his 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' book in his
bag and immediately began flipping through pages as we walked out of the school.

Carlisle happened to be in Port Angeles for a meeting with one of his colleagues, so he wasn't at
the hospital when we arrived. Esme was, though.

We were in the emergency room until late that night, and by that time our entire family had
arrived, except for Seth. He was away at school and I didn't bother calling him because he would
have just felt like he needed to come back home.

Once the doctor and nurse left my room, Edward wiped his eyes and leaned over my bed, resting
his forehead against my hand.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling my throat burn as I held back the sobs that I so badly wanted to
let go. I didn't want to breakdown in front of the doctor, or anyone else for that matter, except
for Edward. I wanted him to hold me and tell me that it was okay and that we'd try again, even
though I was terrified I would have to go through the same ordeal again.

Looking up at me, Edward placed a soft kiss on the top of my hand. "Baby, don't apologize… you
didn't do anything wrong."

"I could have-"

But he wasn't going to listen to my 'what ifs' and 'should haves' or 'could haves'. Edward stood up
and bent his body over mine, pulling me into a tight hug. "Don't, baby… I love you so much,
Bella… please don't blame yourself for anything. We'll try again, when you're ready, and you will
be a terrific mother, I promise."

--

Edward was my reason for everything, and just as he promised, we did try again. A short while
later, I found out I was pregnant just a few days before our first wedding anniversary. I kept the
information to myself for those few days, which absolutely killed me, but I wanted that to be my
surprise for Edward.

--

"Wow, baby, the food smells so fucking good," Edward said as soon as he walked into the house.
He had been out all day with Jasper and Emmett doing "guy stuff" because the other guys
needed a break away from their girls. Jasper and Alice had a little girl, Lily, and Rose and Emmett
had a little girl as well, Emma. With a family full of girls, Jasper and Emmett felt overwhelmed most
of the time.

Edward prayed for a little girl.

"Where are you, Bella?" he hollered. I could hear him shuffling up the stairs as I stood inside our
bedroom, holding a small pink gift bag.

When he stepped inside our bedroom, I smiled and held out the bag. "Happy Anniversary!"

"I get to open it early?" Edward questioned, raising an eyebrow as his eyes zeroed in on the pink
bag. I nodded and patted the bed beside me for him to sit down.

I suddenly got nervous and hoped he would be excited like me, even though we were going to be
scared to death that this pregnancy would turn out like our last. "I… I don't know how you'll feel
about this… but I thought it would be the perfect anniversary present…"

My shaking hands held out the bag. Edward took it from me and pulled out the small amount of
tissue paper, throwing it to the floor. Grabbing the yellow pacifier out of the bag, his eyes
widened and his smile grew even bigger.

"Really?!"

"Yes," I replied, feeling tears roll down my face. Already so emotional…

His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me to stand between his legs. He kissed my stomach
several times, telling me and our unborn child how much he loved us both.

"This is the best gift you could have given me, Bella."

--

Gracie, Grace Renee Masen, came into this world to the best father a little girl could have. She
was a daddy's girl from the very beginning. I had Gracie by c-section because she was breach. I
was afraid that Edward was going to pass out when I was wheeled into the operating room, but
he held strong through the entire process.

After Gracie was cleaned up and I was being stitched up, Edward held our little girl for the first time.

--

"There's my Gracie-girl," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently. "You'll never understand how
much I love you."

--

It was the sweetest moment I had ever seen in my life - my ex-quarterback, muscular husband,
holding our tiny little girl. Four years later, and she still has her daddy wrapped around her finger.

I sent Edward a text, letting him know that I was unloading the car and would see him and Gracie
in a just a few minutes. Not only did I need to unload the juice and oranges for after the game,
but also our four month old son, Ethan.

Ethan Charles Masen looked exactly like his father, green eyes and all. Gracie had my eyes and
my nose, but Edward's hair color. Ethan was still completely bald, not one hair on his little head,
whereas his sister was born with a little bit of hair.

Ethan was born the day Lauren left town. Emmett saw her loading a U-Haul on his way to the
hospital that day. She somehow worked a deal to stay out of prison, but had to pay several fines
and lost her license. We honestly didn't care as long as she left us alone. The media followed us a
while after Edward left pro football, but eventually the hype wore off concerning his overnight
wedding that I mistakenly announced the night he was hurt. When Lauren left, I breathed a sigh
of relief, just knowing that stupid woman wouldn't be near us ever again.

Our little boy was completely different from his sister. Gracie liked to sleep and was that way from
the time she was born; Ethan pulled an all-night, almost every night.

One person could calm down Ethan like no other. His daddy.

"Say hi, daddy," I said, waving Ethan's hand at Edward as we sat down on the bleachers. The
moment Ethan saw Edward walking towards him, his arms started flapping, reaching out for him.

"Hi there, little guy," Edward cooed, which was so freaking sweet to see. He kissed Ethan on the
forehead before giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, sweet girl," he whispered next to my ear.

"Sorry we're late… your son was hungry…"

Edward chuckled and took Ethan from me so I could visit with Gracie. She was sitting on the
bench, holding a soccer ball, nervous over her first game.

"Hi, sweetie," I said while tying a red and white ribbon at the end of her French braids. We got up
extra early that morning before preschool started to fix her braids because she wanted her hair
fixed like her older cousin, Emma.

"I don't think I can do it, momma…" she said with a sad voice. "There's a lot of people here." Her
voice was barely a whisper as she looked back at the crowd. The rest of our family had arrived
and was now gushing with Edward over our newest addition.

"Sure you can, sweetie. Daddy says you're the best one out there," I whispered, not wanting the
other kids to hear because that would cause uproar among four year olds.

While Gracie was very competitive, she also inherited my shyness and had a problem dealing with
big crowds.

"Just ignore everyone out there, baby. Listen to what daddy says when you're out on the field
and pay attention to the game. You'll do fine."

"Promise?"

"I promise. And after the game is over, you get to spend the night with Lily and Emma at Nanny's
house. Won't that be fun?"

Gracie nodded and announced that she was going to join her friends out on the field. It was the
cutest thing to watch little kids try to kick a soccer ball around.

"Mrs. Masen," Edward grinned and sat down by me.

"Hi, Coach."

"So… Mom wants to keep Ethan tonight, too. What do you think?"

It was still hard for me to be apart from Ethan and Gracie, even though Liz and Ed lived just down
the road from us. And when I say down the road, I mean you could walk for maybe two minutes
and you'd be at their house.

"Sounds good," I finally answered because, honestly, I wanted some alone time with Edward.

"Good," Edward said sweetly, smiling widely. "Because I have a great night planned for us, so
prepare to be swept off your feet."

I laughed and hugged Edward tightly before leaving the field to join everyone else in the stands.

Throughout the game, Edward would turn around to wink at me, or just to give me one of his
famous smiles. My husband was the biggest flirt I knew. Luckily, I didn't have to worry about him
flirting with anyone else. So the winking and crooked smiles, that was his way of flirting with me
from a distance, preparing me for what was going to happen later that night.

He was also extremely proud because our little girl kicked the other team's ass. Seriously.
Granted, they were just four year olds, but she was still a tough little thing. And the smile on
their very proud Coach's face was priceless.

Who would have thought that the single guy I met all those years ago would be standing on a
field with several little four year olds, cheering loudly for their team.

"Abby is here with her new boyfriend," Liz whispered, nodding her head towards the end of our
row. Having Abby and Kate live in Forks was wonderful and it was amazing seeing Abby grow up
over the years. She was now in junior high and had her first boyfriend. He was terrified of her
uncle, though. I wonder why.

Kate remarried a few years after her divorce. Emmett introduced her to one of his cop friends
and they hit it off after their first date. Tyler, her new husband, got along great with the family
and cared for Abby like she was his own.

It was wonderful having such a close family, although I missed having Seth around during the
year. He was home during the summer and came home for every holiday. Sometimes he would
surprise me and fly home for the weekend; I loved when he did that and so did his brother in law,
along with his niece and nephew. Gracie adored Seth, though she pronounced his name as 'Sef'.

Seth could have gone to a few schools on a football scholarship, but he decided against playing
football after seeing the stress Edward was put through. He was going to school to be a doctor,
and I, once again, wished more than anything that our parents were here to see him. They
would have been so proud of him, just like Edward and I were.

"He looks like he is going to crap his pants soon," Rose whispered, talking about Abby's boyfriend.

I would have felt that way as well if I had an uncle, a grandpa, a great uncle, a step dad, and
some raving women watching every move I made.

"Poor kid," I chuckled.

"Edward looked the same way when you two were dating or being friends… whatever was going
on between you guys," Alice giggled.

"Yeah, Liz… You should have seen your son sweating bullets around Bella when they first met,"
Rose added.

Esme agreed and the five of us were still laughing when Edward walked over.

"And just what are you all laughing about?" Edward asked, cocking an eyebrow.

I was about to say 'nothing', but Rose, being Rose, decided to be bluntly honest. "Oh, just

about how you acted around Bella when you two first met… almost jizzed in your pants a few times."

I blushed. Edward laughed. Well, everyone laughed.

Edward never got embarrassed, even though his mother and father were sitting right next to us.
"Yep, I could not control myself around this girl," he admitted with a grin. Pulling me up from my
seat, Edward wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground in a tight hug. "I can't wait to
be alone with you, baby," he whispered in my ear.

Always the sweet talker I fell in love with…

***! !***

Coach Masen

Our soccer filled summer flew by, and before we knew it we were buying school clothes for our
baby girl who was starting kindergarten. I dreaded that day since the day she was born; I wasn't
ready for her to grow up.

I wanted life to slow down. It was going way too fast. I wasn't ready for our kids to get older
and I wasn't too keen on getting older, either.

"Lily and Emma will be right down the hall sweetheart… and Daddy's classroom is in the building
right next to yours. I promise you will love it, baby," Bella said sweetly, trying to convince Gracie
that she could make it through her first day of school.

I was the lucky one who would get to take her to class that day. It was going to be bad,
considering Gracie didn't even want to get dressed. Bella had been giving Gracie and me pep talks
all week about going back to school. I didn't want Bella to go back to work until Ethan got a little
bit older, so we both had to be convinced that we had to go back to school. I would miss having
Bella across the hall from me, and to be honest, I was a little too spoiled when it came to
spending time with my wife. I loved spending every day with her during the summer. Bella kept us
busy during the summer, whether it was picking a simple little road trip for us to go on, or going
camping, which happened to be my favorite thing to do.

"But will… will daddy walk me into class?" Gracie asked. Her voice was raspy and she was
definitely about to cry. She didn't cry much, but when she did it was heart breaking, much like her
sweet crying when she was a newborn.

--

Bella sat in Gracie's room, rocking her in the middle of the night for another feeding. At two weeks
old, Gracie got an ear ache and was taking medicine, but it wasn't working fast enough for our liking.

"Shh… momma's got you…" Bella whispered.

I stood by the doorframe in silence, just watching the two most important people in my life cry together

Bella was having a hard time with her emotions. The doctor said that sometimes women went
through "the blues" which explained why Bella would cry over the simplest of things. She cried
earlier in the day when she couldn't find the match to one of her socks. Yes. It was that bad.

"Gracie, momma doesn't know what she is doing at all… and we need to be quiet so we don't
wake up your daddy," Bella cooed as tears fell down both of their faces.

I didn't want her to worry about me losing sleep. "Baby, do you guys need anything?" I asked,
stepping into the room.

"I'm sorry," Bella said with a sad face. "I'm just trying to get her back to sleep…"

I crouched down beside the rocking chair and smoothed my hand over Gracie's fuzzy head. "Don't
apologize, sweet girl. I'd rather be hanging out with you guys than sleeping anyway."

Leaning up a bit, I kissed the tip of Bella's nose. "You are the best mother, baby."

"I don't feel that way…" she began as more tears fell down her face. I literally ached to see her
cry. "I wish my mom was here. She would know what to do…"

I really didn't know what to say to that comment. She had been saying it often since we came
home from the hospital. My mom told me that every woman wants their mother after something
like that, especially when they've had their first child, so it was going to be hard on Bella. Ah, "the
blues" were going to cause a flood in our house.

"Come downstairs, baby. Let's put on some music… I bet that'll calm her down." Our little miracle
loved music and most of the time she'd stop crying when we played something for her.

Our miracle. I called her that the day we found out Bella was pregnant again. The ache in my
heart never went away for the first baby that we lost, and I never wanted to feel like I took my
child's life for granted. I thanked God every single day for giving us another baby.

We had a special oversized chair in the living room, so the three of us settled into the chair,
getting comfortable as we listened to the music. Bella sat sideways in my lap with my arms
wrapped around her, holding our baby.

I bought that large chair, which Bella claimed as her "special" chair during her pregnancy. She
couldn't get comfortable during the last trimester of her pregnancy and would often fall asleep in
that chair; of course, I would fall asleep in the chair with her.

"This is comfortable," Bella whispered.

Gracie cooed as her eyes fluttered.

"It is," I agreed. "I'm sorry you miss your mom, Bella. I wish she could be here to see you… you're
so great with Gracie." Even though it would bring on more tears, I wanted to talk to her about it. I
didn't want her to think I was ignoring her thoughts or wishes.

"I'm not, though. She cries all the time with me, and… and I just suck at this, Edward," she sobbed.

My hand stroked her arm soothingly. "Baby, she has an ear ache, so of course she's going to cry.
You're not doing anything wrong."

"But-"

"No 'buts', Bella. I'm so proud to have you as the mother of my child. I'm more in love with you
than ever before."

The crying from both of my girls stopped eventually, and I couldn't wipe the smile from my face all
night as I sat there, holding my meaning for everything in my arms.

--

With a little coaxing, Bella got Gracie dressed and her hair fixed so she was ready to leave for
school. Bella and Ethan were going to pick her up after school to get an ice cream. I had practice,
so ice cream sounded much better to Gracie than watching a bunch of goofy high school kids run
around outside.

Bella stood in the kitchen, fixing a quick breakfast for us all. I knew this day was just as hard on
her, judging by the sad look on her face all morning.

"Smells good, baby," I said as I walked up behind Bella, wrapping my arms around her.

Turning her head to the side, she smiled and kissed the side of my face. "You smell good today,
Coach. And you don't look too bad… who are you trying to impress?"

I chuckled and brought my lips to her neck, placing a few small kisses there. "You know better than
that, Mrs. Masen."

Just as I was beginning to think I could sneak her upstairs for a quick morning romp, Ethan started
crying.

Bella sighed and dropped her head tiredly. "I just got him back to sleep before you guys got up…
he decided that he wanted to play pat-a-cake from three to five."

"I'm sorry, baby. You should have gotten me up. I would have sat up with you guys."

"And have you fall asleep during your first day of school? I don't think so!" she said with a wink.

I really did feel awful, though. During the summer we stayed up together and suffered through
our lack of sleep together, as well. And Bella being, well, Bella… she wouldn't admit that she was
exhausted.

"I'll pick up dinner tonight, and you are going to take a long bath when I get home. Okay?"

"Yeah, but it's really not necess-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Masen," I interrupted, "go get your son and stop arguing with me."

Bella laughed as she walked out of the kitchen and passed Gracie on her way out. Gracie
plopped down at the table and waited for her breakfast.

"So… are you even a little bit excited, sweetie?" I asked.

She nodded. And that was an improvement.

"Anything special you want for dinner tonight? I'll get anything."

Tapping her small finger on her chin, a huge smile spread across her face. "A cheese pizza, but no
red stuff… and bananas."

Our daughter was a picky one, much like her mother, and found that she loved pizza, but hated
the pizza sauce. I dreaded ordering pizza every time because I would get the strangest response
when I said no pizza sauce, but oh well, if that's what she liked…

"Bananas?"

"Yep," she replied, smacking on a few cheerios. Her big smile faded suddenly. "Why doesn't Ethan
have to go to school? It's not fair that he gets to stay at home all day with momma…"

Herkie and Harley sat beneath the table as Gracie, very smoothly, dropped a few cheerios to
them. Their favorite snack was cheerios and before we knew it, we'd end up with an empty box of
cereal within just a few days. Gracie didn't think it was fair that they had to eat dog food when
they loved her food so much.

The most important thing… Where was Bella? Where was she when I needed her? I wasn't ready
to deal with Gracie's wrath this early in the morning. Gracie loved her baby brother, but was
extremely jealous of him.

"You stayed at home with your momma until preschool, baby… Ethan isn't ready for school yet."

"It still isn't fair," she pouted.

To be quite honest, I wanted to pout right along with her.

Our morning passed by quickly and soon after breakfast, Gracie and I were rushing out of the
house. Bella kissed us both, and so did Ethan, though it was more of a slobbery open mouthed
kiss on the cheek, but I loved those kinds of kisses.

After walking my sad little girl to her class and helping her get everything situated, I barely made it
in time for my first class. The kids were okay and seemed like they were going to be good
students, though they were always that way at the beginning of the year; by the end of the
school year, I wanted to strangle them. Not literally, but… yeah, they were horrible most of the time.

Have a good day, Coach. I love you. –B

My wife sent me that text just before class started and that kept me sane throughout the day. I
missed seeing her across the hallway, and though I suggested that she stay home with Ethan
until he started school, I wished more than anything that she was in that classroom.

I love you, too, baby. I hope we can get the kids to sleep early tonight. I have plans for you. –E

Our sex life had slowed down slightly, not because we weren't attracted to each other as much
as we had been in the beginning, but because our kids drained us most of the time. One night, I
found Bella asleep at the kitchen table, unable to stay awake as she tried to eat her late dinner. I
fell asleep with Gracie a lot of the time, trying to get her to sleep in her own room. And if we were
lucky, she would stay in her bed all night; otherwise, we'd end up with our small daughter
sprawled out across the bed separating me from the warm body I loved to be next to. I couldn't
really complain, though, because Gracie was truly a blessing, but I did miss having Bella all to
myself at times.

Anyway, we tried to keep the kids on a specific schedule: Dinner, bath, bed. And if we were
lucky, we would get a couple of hours to fool around before Ethan woke up.

Oh, Coach… I have plans for you as well. Don't work out too hard this afternoon. ;) –B

God, I loved that woman.

My day ended up passing by quickly and before football practice I received a call from Seth. He
wanted to let me know how his first day in med school went. Bella and I were both so proud of
him and were thrilled when he transferred schools over the summer, moving to Seattle. We could
go visit him anytime and vice versa, plus it just felt better knowing that he was in the same state
as us. Over the years, I grew extremely close to him and he was more than a brother to me; he
was a best friend, a terrific uncle to the kids, and almost like a son to me. I felt very protective
over him and was more than willing to help him with anything that he needed.

Seth made plans to come down that weekend for a cookout and so he could be there for the
pre-season football game. He still enjoyed football, but was happy with his decision not to play
college ball or go pro, even though he definitely had the potential to do so.

Bella sent me a text to let me know that Gracie had decided she was dropping out of
kindergarten, but was happy that she was getting ice cream. It was going to be a "fun" morning
on Tuesday…

When football practice was over, I picked up the pizza and stopped by the grocery store for
some bananas because we were out of them at home. On my way to the house, which was just a
few miles away, I saw a black SUV on the side of the road with a flat tire.

I have a flat tire. Come get me :) Love, B

I laughed loudly as I pulled my truck to the side of the road behind Bella. I could see Bella
laughing through her rear view mirror, shaking her head.

Bella stepped outside of her vehicle and leaned against the door, waiting for me. "Déjà vu, huh?"

I placed my hands against the car on either side of Bella, standing just inches away from her
body. "Care to relive that night…? Do what we wished would have happened then?" I asked,
teasing, of course.

"And just what did you want to do?" Bella grinned.

I stepped forward, pressing my body against hers suggestively. "I thought all night about taking
you up against your car… standing in the rain, not caring if someone passed by."

"Mmm… that sounds really good. So why didn't you act upon that urge?"

"Because I was a dumbass," I chuckled, my lips grazing hers.

Before our horny asses got out of control, Gracie's window lowered. "Hi, daddy!" she squealed.
"Got my pizza?"

I groaned, mainly because my cock was painfully hard already and I still had to change a tire. And I
still had to go through our nightly routine before I could get some special alone time with Bella.

I wouldn't have changed it for the world, though.

"Yes, baby… the pizza's in my truck, along with the bananas."

"Thanks, daddy!" Her sweet smile was my undoing.

"Da!" Ethan hollered from his car seat.

"You want a banana, too, buddy?" I asked, reaching my hand inside. His small hand latched onto
my finger and squeezed tight as he grinned from ear to ear.

Ethan cooed and finally released my finger to clap his hands together.

I kissed Bella before getting to work on her flat tire. She helped as much as possible, but just as
fate would have it, rain started to pour down so I insisted that she get inside the car.

The smile on my face never went away. I thought back to that night, thankful that I saw her little
black car on the side of the road. More than likely, we would have met and still hit it off, but the
way we met would always be remembered as something unforgettable for us. And it was just us.
We didn't have our friends trying to set us up on a surprise date or awkward dinners together; we
did that all on our own, and, thankfully, Bella had the balls to admit how she felt first.

Who would have thought that a flat tire would bring me the love of my life and open my eyes to
how great life really could be?

Flat tire + rain… brought me a lifetime of happiness.

The End

So that's all of IC. I may end up writing future one-shots because I love writing this story and
love these characters...

I have so many people to thank and not enough time to list you all. First off, my beta,
Jessica1971, Tammy, Shawna, Heather... ALL OF MY LOYAL READERS, everyone over at the
forum and my Tweeties :) ... You all have been so supportive and I really appreciate everything
you have said and done.

Sorry for the delay in posting this... I felt like my life turned upside down this past weekend and
needed a slight break from everything. Those of you on the forum and on Twitter who were
worried because I disappeared -- I think you guys are the sweetest people in this fandom and
really can't thank you enough for your sweet words. Jessica and Tammy - you two are truly
wonderful friends. Love you all!

Review one more time? Let me know what you thought of the ending?

Thanks and have a great night!

The END

Illegal Contact Outtakes

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Chapter 1 to 2

Thanks to flightlssbird11 (go read her stories if you aren't already) and coldplaywhore
(flightlssbird11 said you were SO stubborn ;) ...) who bought me in the Fandom Gives Back
auction. And thanks to my beta, Jessica1971 for making this readable. :)

This is just pure smut and at times I think I caught myself blushing as I wrote this out at work...
worried that some other perv might walk up and read what I was writing. Anywho, hope you all like
it. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

***! !***

Edward

2:02 A.M. … The blinking numbers flashed on Bella's alarm clock. It was Wednesday night and
Bella had planned on staying up all night with me for a movie marathon as she was calling out sick
for work the next day, but by eleven o'clock, she was passed out. During her deep sleep, a rather
loud thunderstorm passed over us and knocked out the electricity.

Even when my phone rang with a call from Seth, she was still out. He was calling to make sure we
were okay, considering it sounded like the house was going to be ripped apart by the high
winds. We had the house to ourselves because Seth was spending the night at Jake's house,
working on a project for Biology.

Just as I slid out of the bed, careful not to disturb my exhausted girlfriend, the alarm clock stopped
flashing and the television blacked out again. The electricity was out for about the fourth time
within the last couple of hours.

Clumsily, I stubbed my toe against something, which caused me to whisper several profanities.
With my cell phone in my hand, I hit one of the buttons to light my way slightly. I sat down in the
oversized chair across from the bed and surveyed my toe that hurt like a fucking bitch. It wasn't
broken or bleeding, but I sure as hell felt like a pussy, clutching the throbbing thing.

I finally stopped complaining to myself and leaned back, gazing over at Bella. Shining the light
from my cell phone towards her, she had a small smile across her face. Though she had been in a
deep sleep, she was restless most of the night. My name was mentioned several times during her
slumber, along with a few giggles. I wondered what she was dreaming about.

I yawned from the boredom of just sitting there in the dark for so long, which led to me thinking
dirty thoughts about Bella. I thought back to earlier in the evening, after we ate dinner and
cleaned up in the kitchen. Bella bluntly asked me to fuck her. Those words came out of her mouth
and, I swear to God, I just about came in my fucking pants. Every single day she was surprising
me with her boldness. I fucking loved it.

Those thoughts led to me rubbing my hand over my cock. I leaned my head against the back of
the chair, stroking myself lazily, wishing it was Bella's hand. Or mouth. For someone who claimed

Chapter: 1

she was inexperienced, she was really fucking great with her mouth.

I let out an involuntary moan as I lowered my pants, freeing my erection and quickened my
pace. Her words from earlier seared through my mind, urging me on. "Fuck…" I groaned.

A throat cleared and I jerked my head up, opening my eyes quickly. Bella stood in front of me, just
her silhouette visible as the lightning flashed through the room. I didn't stop my movements
because, to be honest, having her watch me turned me on even more.

Without saying a word, Bella lowered herself in front of me, positioned between my legs. My hand
stroked faster as she licked her lips and grinned. I actually jumped when her hand covered my
own. Moving with me, she ran her thumb across the tip, spreading the clear liquid.

"Let me," she whispered.

I quickly obliged. My hands rested against the arms of the chair as Bella lightly stroked me, not
gripping me tight enough. She was teasing me. I couldn't say anything after all the sexual teasing
I had done to her in the past, but I was dying for more.

I didn't have to ask for more.

My hips lifted off of the chair when her mouth came in contact with my cock, sucking on the head.
With that movement, I thought I heard a gagging sound come from Bella as I pretty much
shoved my way down her throat. I tried to pull her up to make sure she was okay, but she
gripped my forearms, holding me in place.

"Oh, fuck, baby…" I moaned, along with several other choice words as she moved her mouth up
and down my shaft. My hands gripped the back of her head; my body slumped down in the chair as
I tried to hold off on my release. She was good. Too good.

With a small pop, my cock was out of her mouth, immediately missing the warmth.

"You okay?" she asked quietly, grinning sexily. She knew I was okay. More than fucking okay.

I nodded, and still gripping her head, I pulled her mouth back down. She moaned loudly. She once
told me that it was a huge turn on for me to take control, show her what I wanted, and at that
moment I wanted nothing more than to see her lips wrapped around me.

With a few strokes around the base and sucking harder than she ever had, I grunted as my
release neared. By now I knew that Bella didn't mind swallowing, and she knew that my usual sex
induced grunt was her warning.

"Fuck, you're so fucking sexy," I moaned loudly as I finally released inside her mouth. She sucked
gently until it was all gone. My now flaccid member fell from her sexy mouth as she leaned back,
sitting back on her feet.

Leaning forward, she kissed my thigh and giggled quietly. "I love your dirty mouth… you only
speak that way during sex."

I chuckled and pulled her up to sit in my lap. "I can't control my mouth when I'm 'in the moment', I
guess you could say."

Bella kissed the side of my neck and I could feel her lips smile against my skin. "Well, don't ever
stop. I fucking love it."

We made love slowly, both of us enjoying just getting to be together any time we wanted without
the fucking distance between us. I kept my arms wrapped around her tightly as we moved to lie
in bed. An old thought popped in my head and I chuckled quietly against the back of her neck.

Bella turned over to face me and smiled. "What's so funny, Coach?" she asked with a wink.

I kissed her forehead. "Just thinking about the day you helped me make cookies."

"Oh, yeah? What's so funny about that?"

"It's so… God, I sound like a horny asshole, but… remember how you fell back against me?" Bella
nodded, a playful smile spreading across her face. "You didn't feel anything?"

"Feel something towards you? Like my feelings for you? I've told you before, baby… I had a major
crush on you as soon as we met."

I shook my head, grinning widely just knowing that we were both fucking crazy over one another
from the very beginning. "You didn't feel how hard I was?"

Bella let out a gasp and giggled. "No way! You have got to be kidding me!"

"Nope," I chuckled. "It's true. And remember how I hurried out of the room… disappearing for ten
or so minutes, I think?"

"Yeah, but-" she paused, her mouth hanging open as she realized what I was trying to say. "You
jerked off while I was downstairs?!"

I nodded. My body jerked as I felt her fingertips graze my erection.

"What were you thinking about when you did it?"

"You. Your hands. Your mouth. Bending you over my couch, fucking you from behind. The list
goes on, baby."

"Wow," she breathed.

"Yeah. You pretty much killed me that day, and have ever since. Well, actually that first night, in
the rain; that's when it all started, when I couldn't get you out of my head."

"What makes me different from any of the other women you've been with?"

I kissed her slowly, pulling her body against mine. "Because… you're my Bella. My everything, baby."

***! !***

Bella

Edward's "bye" week passed quickly and so did our weekend trip. He certainly knew how to make
me swoon. We had a great time and I definitely looked forward to a lifetime of sweet moments with hi

We were now in Texas on our way back to Edward's house from the stadium. He won his game
against Atlanta and was in a very good mood, though he said it had nothing to do with the game.

However, as soon as we got to the house, he realized that he had left his wallet in the locker
room. I don't know why, but I was in the mood to ride his motorcycle; his new motorcycle that he
bought to have in Dallas. He could've had the one in Forks shipped to him, but I think he wanted
an excuse to buy another one.

Very happily, Edward parked the car and pulled the motorcycle out of the garage. In an
awkward movement due to the heavy helmet he had placed over my head, I turned to kiss the
side of his neck as he pulled out of the driveway.

"Baby," he moaned, "you can't do that… you're going to make me wreck."

I laughed, but stopped trying to turn him on. My plans for later that night would kind of be ruined
if we did wreck. I settled for wrapping my arms around his tight body, thinking of all the things
we were going to do when we got home.

The stadium had cleared out for the most part when we arrived, especially the locker room.
Edward was one of the last ones to leave and the few that were there when we did finally leave
were gone, leaving it empty and dark. Edward fumbled around, trying to find the light switch,
but was not successful. I flipped open my cell phone to lead the way to where we needed to go.

It didn't go unnoticed by me when Edward flipped the lock on the door as we moved towards his
locker. My hands shook with excitement.

"So, I guess we're completely alone?" I whispered, clinging to Edward's side.

He didn't answer, but pulled be roughly against his body, kissing me deeply. My arms wrapped
around his neck as my feet left the ground with his tight hold on me. I don't know how long that
kiss lasted, at least for several minutes, before Edward broke away due to a noise from outside
the room.

We breathed quietly, waiting for whoever it was outside the room to pass. Edward still held me
close to his body, so much that I could feel his arousal straining against his pants, pressing into me.

"I love you, baby," he whispered, his lips grazing my ear.

I shivered and clutched my hands even tighter around his body. "I love you, too."

"Wanna go somewhere… a little more private?" Edward asked with a grin.

"Sure. Exhibitionist tonight?" I laughed, placing a small kiss on his cheek.

"Absolutely. Come on," he said, pulling me over to the door. He listened for a moment, careful to
make sure that we weren't going to be caught roaming around wherever he was taking me.

We walked hastily down several dim hallways, and up a few flights of stairs. Edward stopped
every once in a while to press me against the nearest wall, kissing me passionately. I didn't know
what had gotten into him, but whatever it was, I loved it. He was always passionate anyway, but
tonight was just fucking exciting.

Finally, we reached a door that Edward had a key to. Upon stepping into the room, I immediately
recognized that this was the reserved suite that we watched the game from. He led me over to
the large black leather couch, pulling me into his lap, my legs on either side of his.

"Hi, gorgeous," he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Hi," I whispered back as his thumb swept across my bottom lip. With his hand cupping the side of
my face, I leaned into his warmth, feeling so relaxed, but insanely turned on.

My lips moved to his neck, while his hands gripped my ass, grinding me against his cock. Our
breathing was erratic, our hands everywhere.

Abruptly, Edward stood up, still holding onto me, and carried me over to the big glass wall that I
stared out of during the game. He placed me on my feet and positioned me to look down at the
field. As he moved around to stand behind me, he kissed the back of my neck softly, sending a
chill through my body.

"I don't know if you realize this, baby, but during that game… the only thing I'm focused on is
finding this little room out of all the glass windows in this stadium, because it holds the most
important person in my life. And I don't know if you realize this as well, but I can never live
without you, Bella.

I immediately had tears in my eyes from the sweetness of his simple words that meant so much to
me. I loved how he made me feel. He made me feel like the most loved person ever. I trusted him
completely.

Breaking out of his tight hold, I turned to face him to find his heartbreaking smile spread across his
face. "You can't imagine how great you make me feel, Edward."

Before I could even realize what was happening, both of us had shed our clothes and were
basically pawing at one another. Edward's very hard cock was pressed between us and actually
kind of hurt when he poked me pretty hard in the stomach. I couldn't help but laugh and so did Edward

"Gah… that thing," I teased, "always getting in the way."

Edward laughed loudly – huskily. "I can make it disappear. Wanna see?"

I nodded with a huge grin on my face. Fuck, he was sexy.

He pushed me against the thick glass window behind me and lifted one of my legs to rest on his
hip. His large hand gripped my thigh, squeezing it gently. I leaned my body against the glass, not
even thinking about who could see us, but considering the stadium was completely dark, I didn't
think we had a lot to worry about.

With his other hand, Edward reached down and gripped his hardness in his hand, stroking it a few
times before running it along my slit. He slowly pushed in, both of us moaning with the new sensation.

Once he was fully inside me, he leaned forward and kissed beneath my ear, not moving, just
staying still. "And now it's gone."

"Magic?" I moaned, feeling him pull back only to have him push back in even harder.

Edward kissed my lips, his tongue sneaking its way inside my mouth as he moved slowly in and out
of me. He pulled away with a crooked grin on his face. "That's my disappearing act."

I laughed huskily, resting my forehead on his chest. I loved the way we were with one another.
He was fun and just… wonderful.

Tired of slouching so much, Edward grasped my behind and lifted me up so that my legs were

wrapped around his waist. He walked us over to the couch, never removing his cock from my
body. Once he was seated, I began riding him, slowly, relishing in the way his hands felt on my
body. One hand was grasping my ass, massaging it almost forcefully while the other rubbed
circles around my clit, driving me absolutely insane.

Edward leaned forward, flicking one of my nipples with his tongue. I began moving faster and as
soon as I felt his hands gripping my hips, I lost it. I leaned down and kissed him roughly as my
orgasm hit, not wanting to make too much noise, just in case anyone was around.

Edward let out a grunt as he moved me up and down his shaft, so close to his release. "Mmm…
baby… you feel so fucking good. I… fuck, I don't want this to end," he said, breathing deeply, his
voice pleading almost.

I kissed his neck, moving up to his ear where I nipped gently. "Let go, Edward. We can always do
this again when we get home."

One final thrust and he did let go, his warm liquid releasing inside me as he moaned my name.
Seeing Edward completely lose himself like that was the best thing I had ever seen. And I agreed
with him, I never wanted it to end either. The way we moved together… as corny as it sounds, we
fit perfectly together.

All too soon, he removed himself from my body and we dressed in the dark, trying to find all of
our clothes. I did not want to leave behind any evidence, seeing as our family joined together in
this room to watch his home games. That would be a little embarrassing.

We rode back home on his motorcycle, taking the long way home to see the city lights. It was
beautiful and I wished for a moment that I didn't have any obligations back at home because
being with Edward every single day would be like a dream come true.

Emmett and Rose stayed in Dallas, deciding to leave with me the next day. Seth had went home
with Alice and Jasper because he had school the next day. I had an afternoon doctor's
appointment, so I used that to take the entire day off. I could fib a little bit, "yearly check up…
wouldn't feel like coming in after it". Oh, and yes, I lied, saying that it was in the morning rather
than in the afternoon. God, I was going to hell one day for all this lying.

Once we entered the house, we caught Emmett and Rose making out on the couch like they
were teenagers, groping each other wildly. I snickered as Edward announced our presence.
Before my eyes burned any more from seeing my brother-like friend and best friend basically dry
hump, we ran to the bedroom.

Breathlessly laughing, we fell onto the bed, our legs tangled together.

"Ready for round two?" I asked.

My clothes were off again seconds later, along with Edward's.

Fun times in Dallas…

***! !***

Review please? Let me know if you like it.

I'm working on the next chapter and hope to have it over to my beta soon. There are two more

outtakes that will be posted. I'm hoping to have the next one up by next week.

Thanks again for reading and Happy Thursday!

This is the last FGB outtake -- special thanks to Angel41939 who paid for this to be written in the
FB auction :) And thanks to my beta, Jessica1971 for making it readable.

Halloween was skipped over in the actual story, so I thought you guys might want to see what
happened. Hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

"You've got to wear that for him. He will flip out," Rose giggled as she scanned the costume lying
on the bed. Alice surprised me with a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader costume, only it wasn't some
cheap knock off – it looked like the real thing.

Just thinking about wearing that made me blush. It showed off most of my body, not covering
very much. I couldn't fathom wearing it to the Halloween party we were going to in Dallas. One
of Edward's teammates was throwing a big bash the Friday before their game. Emmett, Alice,
Rose, and Jasper were going as well, which made me feel better about the whole thing, because
I would actually know someone at the party. Of course Edward would be there, but I knew that
there might be a chance of him being pulled away or separated from me. Oh, who was I
kidding… we would be glued together like we always were.

To be honest, I just needed the support from Rose and Alice because being surrounded by tons
of model type women was very daunting. I had a great body and didn't feel bad about myself, but
to be truthful, everyone feels like a slob when standing next to the next Heidi Klum. Right? And
somehow every single, party-hard, football guy had these girlfriends that were so perfect; I
wondered if they were actually real at times.

"I'm going to wear it when we get home… a bedroom surprise," I said with a wink. "I can't go to
that party, which will have the actual cheerleaders, wearing that. And besides, it's a theme party
- favorite character from a movie."

"So… shit, that just ruins my plans," Alice complained. "I was going as a naughty nurse."

Rose and I both laughed because Alice always dressed up as a naughty nurse. Jasper seemed to
love it and as much as I loved my friends, I really didn't want to know their kinky details.

I was going as 'Baby' from Dirty Dancing. Edward secretly told me how much he loved that movie
and would totally get his ass kicked by the other guys if he ever admitted his love for dancing, so
I knew he would love that costume. I felt self conscious wearing so little and how much the
spandex showed every inch of my body, but I knew that others were going to be "out there" with
their outfits, so I took comfort in that. I found a small wrap around to go around my waist, and
that made me feel more comfortable. I even went to an actual wig shop and found a dirty blond,
curly wig.

Before I knew it, it was Friday night and I was in Edward's room getting ready with the other girls.
We all giggled at each other's costumes and had so much fun. Alice and Rose both dressed in
sexy dresses, saying that they were from 'Pretty in Pink', though no girls dressed like that would
have been allowed in a 1980s school.

Chapter: 2

The girls left the room as I was slipping on my extremely tall heels. I heard the door open and in
walked Edward. Top Gun flight suit and all…

Yes, flight suit. Raybans. Greased back hair. And a killer smile.

"Are you trying to fucking kill me before we leave, baby?" he groaned, his eyes raking up and
down my body.

I smiled and nodded my head. "Yes, I am trying to fucking kill you. And are you trying to kill me?
Top Gun, Edward… really? You know that's like-"

"Baby," he interrupted. Stalking towards me where I sat on the edge of the bed, he dropped to
his knees, placing his hands on the top of my thighs. "Fuck, you look hot. How am I going to stay
away from you all night?"

I shrugged my shoulders innocently.

Edward stood up quickly, pulling me up along with him. He grabbed one of my hands and placed it
over his growing arousal. "How am I going to walk around all night with this?"

I rubbed slowly, feeling him harden even more with my touch. His hand was still over mine, not
loosening his grip, and I loved it. "I could always… help you out right now?"

He moaned, resting his forehead against my shoulder. "Bella, if our family wasn't downstairs right
now, I promise I would've already stripped you out of these clothes and had you bent over the
bed." Lifting his head, he grinned crookedly. "In fact, I'd tie you up and tease you… not allowing
you to come for torturing me so much. What do you think about that?"

I was speechless.

"Nothing to say, my little tease?"

I chuckled and shook my head. Yep, still speechless. I somehow regained some composure and
pulled my hand away from his engorged member. He let out a small groan and his eyes widened
when I began unbuttoning his flight suit. I sat down on the bed behind me, and with Edward's help
his costume was lowered to the ground, leaving him in his white t-shirt and nothing else. Edward
was going commando and I think I let out an embarrassing whimper when I realized it.

Wrapping my hand around his cock, stroking him slowly but firmly, I looked at Edward, smiling
playfully as his head rolled back. I leaned forward and placed a kiss on the tip, however, we
both jumped when Emmett banged on the door.

"Quit fucking up here and get your asses downstairs now! We're ready to go!"

Several expletives left Edward's mouth as he tried to control his breathing. I stood up and
wrapped my arms around him.

"Sorry, baby… we'll finish that later," I whispered, pulling back slightly to wink at him.

His face was red with frustration. I loved seeing Edward all worked up. When we got home later
that night, I knew it would be an unforgettable night and I couldn't wait.

***

"So, how did you two meet?" one of the barely dressed women asked.

We had been at the Halloween party for maybe two minutes before Edward was hauled off to
chat with the guys. I was left with other football players' wives, but thankfully had Rose and
Alice. They immediately began talking about what a catch Edward was. Like I didn't know.

"I had a flat tire and he just happened to be driving by."

"Wow, that's pretty sweet that he even stopped. Jared doesn't even know how to change a tire,
I think," the red head laughed heartily.

"You don't look like someone he would usually date," one of them added, which put Rose into a
bitch session.

"And why doesn't she look like someone he would usually date?" she asked snidely.

The woman chuckled and shook her head. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that she actually
looks nice… not trampy like most of the women in this room."

"Thanks," I said stupidly.

She went on to explain that compared to Edward's past girlfriends, I was extremely different.
Her husband had apparently played with him or against him or something, and so they had
known Edward for a while. I never did look up his old girlfriends because I didn't want to start
comparing myself to them. I knew they were probably all models and completely flawless, so why
subject myself to that? Though I wasn't ashamed of myself, I knew I wasn't the prettiest, or had
the best body, even though Edward made me feel like the sexiest woman ever. I didn't want that
feeling to go away.

"Excuse me, ladies." I heard the voice I loved the most behind me. "I'm going to steal this one,"
Edward said with a charming tone, grabbing my hand, "so we can dance. I'll give her back later."

I laughed as Edward pulled me to his body, holding me tightly.

"Pshh, you think I'm going to be away from you for more than five minutes… when you're dressed
like that?" he chuckled. "Gotta show these assholes that you're mine."

"Yeah, because they're just jumping all over me."

"They're fucking you with their eyes, baby… all of the men, and possibly a few women."

I laughed and rolled my eyes while he led us down a dark hallway. "Where are we going?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I was pushed up against the wall as Edward kissed me.
Hard. "Somewhere so I could do that."

"Are you trying to kill me?" I asked, repeating his words from earlier.

***

I couldn't keep my hands off of her. When I said that people were staring at her, I was being
honest. All of the women were being stared at, but when my baby is stared at by my perverted
teammates, that doesn't go over well with me. I felt like an ass, putting my hands all over her,
showing all of them that she was only mine, but I couldn't stop myself.

"I can't stay away from you tonight," I answered breathlessly.

"You think I'm doing any better over here…? You're dressed like my childhood fantasy and those
women stare at you regardless of what you're wearing… but tonight, I know they're wishing they
could strip you out of that suit and have their way with you."

"But they can't, because only you get to do that," I panted. I literally panted because we were
both grinding against each other and it took everything in me not to rip the clothes from her body.

Before I could convince her to sneak away to the bathroom with me, we heard someone clear
their throat. It was Emmett. Again.

"Dude, quit molesting my kid sister and get your ass out here. We've got some drinking to catch up on.

Okay, Emmett's protection over his "kid sister" would have struck me as a nice sentiment on any
other night, but tonight I was sexually frustrated and needed to fuck her. She felt that way, too.
I knew she did just by the way she kept grinding herself against me.

"We'll be there in a minute," I said with a scowl.

Once he walked away, I rested my forehead on Bella's shoulder, breathing deeply as I calmed
myself down. I hated being away from her all week. I hated sharing our time alone with other
people. I hated ever going to Dallas in the first place.

"I love you, Edward," Bella whispered, her own breathing still at a rapid pace.

"Love you, too, baby," I whispered. My hands wrapped around her waist and I picked her up,
holding her against my body. "I need you… later… and I hope you're going to be ready."

She kissed my neck. A small kiss, but it lingered. "I will be, baby."

****

Three long hours later, Bella and I were completely wasted. We joined in the fun with everyone
else doing shots, not keeping up with how many as we laughed and talked with our friends.

Bella and I had taken my motorcycle over to my friend's house, and when it was time for us to go
I had to leave it there. We ended up riding back to my house with Alice and everyone. Alice was
driving because she didn't feel like drinking while we all decided to fuck ourselves over for the night.

This was the first time I was around Bella while she was drunk, and even though I was drunk, I
fully remember everything she said. Her not so subtle attempts trying to work her hand down my
costume, or whispering the dirtiest fucking things in my ear, all while sitting next to Rose and
Emmett in the back seat; she was beyond sexy. Rose and Emmett were "busy" and I was thankful
that they didn't notice Bella trying to sex me up, trying to straddle my lap.

"Calm down, sexy girl," I whispered, and couldn't help but suck on her ear lobe lightly. "We're
almost home."

"I want you. Now, Edward." She rubbed her ass over my erection, moaning quietly, which made
Alice and Jasper laugh, though they both told all of us in the backseat to shut the hell up.

As soon as the car pulled into the drive, I exited the car, pulling Bella out with me. I left the keys

in the door, not even worrying if one of the others would grab them for me, which I assume our
sober Alice did.

I picked up Bella, throwing her over my shoulder, and ran up the stairs to my room. The door
slammed shut and I remembered to lock it, just in case we had another interruption, though this
time everyone would be ignored. The house had better be burning down for them to even attempt
to interrupt us.

I placed Bella on the bed, and just as I was about to strip out of my clothes, she jumped up and
smiled. I stared at her as she walked over to the couch and grabbed her bag before going into
the bathroom. I didn't ask what she was doing, but assumed she just wanted to change out of
her clothes or something. To be honest, I would have loved to have seen her dance in her sexy
get up, but I knew she would be too shy for something like that.

Oh, how wrong I was.

A few minutes later, she stumbled out of the bathroom wearing a cheerleader costume. A Dallas
Cowboy cheerleader costume. And believe me, she looked hotter than the actual cheerleaders
we had. My mouth hung open as I stood beside the bed, staring at her amazing body.

"You like?" she asked shyly with a wink.

I laughed. Scoffed. Huffed. Because how could she even ask such a question? She was my
teenage wet dream fantasy. I simply nodded, still in shock.

"Are you sure?" she asked with a small, nervous giggle.

I pulled her to me, pressing my body against hers, letting her feel how much I loved it, though I
really wanted to strip her out of the costume. That's all I could think about.

"Mmm… I guess you do like it then," she gasped, running her hands down my torso.

Approximately ten seconds later, my clothes were off and thrown across the room as I struggled
to remove her clothing as well. We were both stumbling and completely drunk, so how we
remained standing was beyond me. I managed to kiss and suck her neck while working my hands
beneath the flimsy top she had on.

Bella abruptly pushed me away and dropped down to her knees in front of me. "I've wanted to do
this all fucking night, Edward," she breathed, her mouth so close to my cock that I could feel her
warm breath. Her hand grasped my cock, stroking it fast, holding it tight. When her mouth made
contact with the tip, my body jerked and I almost came right them. Her eyes were locked with mine
as I lightly moved my hand through her hair.

"Edward," she sighed, pulling back for a moment. "Baby, I want you to fuck my mouth, and do not
hold back."

Fuck me.

Her demanding side was the biggest fucking turn on ever and I wanted nothing more than to fuck
her mouth. Taking her advice, I placed both hands on her head and pushed her forward. Still
staring into her eyes, I guided her head, my cock moving in and out of her mouth. That sight
alone made my body shake.

"You have the sexiest mouth, baby," I groaned, pushing myself deeper inside her mouth. I tried

to slow down, not wanting to make her gag or anything, but she placed her hands on my hips
and squeezed, pulling me towards her at a faster pace.

I was so close, but I didn't wait all night just to come in her mouth. I somehow found the strength
to pull her mouth off of me. She stood up, looking confused and disappointed, but I had better
plans for us.

"Turn around and bend over, baby," I said, my voice low and desperate.

Once she was turned around, I shoved her tiny shorts down her legs. I leaned over her body, my
cock pushing into her back as I kissed along her spine. Bella was moaning and I hoped that
everyone else had ear plugs, because my girl was going to be loud. We were both going to be loud.

Seconds later, not able to hold out any longer, I pushed myself inside her, moaning loudly at the
sensation. Every time it just seemed to get better. We fit together perfectly and I never wanted
to lose that feeling.

My hands held her hips firmly as I thrust inside her, pounding hard with every move. This was
the roughest sex we'd ever had, but I could tell she was more than enjoying it. She pushed her
ass back, meeting every thrust as I delved deeper.

I probably let out an involuntary whimper when I snaked my hand beneath her, ready to rub her
clit, but instead found her hand already rubbing furiously over her most sensitive part.

The moments after were a blur as I felt like I had the most powerful orgasm ever rip through my
body. We held on to one another, both of us breathing erratically. Just when I was about to
suggest that we get some sleep, Bella jumped from the bed and bolted off towards the bathroom.
I followed her and quickly heard and saw why she was trying to get to the bathroom so fast.

She was a sick drunk.

I held her hair in place as she emptied her stomach, crying because she hated throwing up. Her
face was flushed when she was finished – part of the reason being just from her nausea
moments ago, as well her embarrassment.

"Sorry," she groaned, wiping beneath her watery eyes. "I'm sure you didn't want this on our sex
filled night together…"

I sat on the floor beside her, stroking the side of her face gently. "As long as I'm with you, I'm
fine, baby."

"You have got to be lying," she huffed.

"Nope. You're all I needed. Throw up and all."

She giggled, making my heart swell with love for her. I could definitely spend the rest of my life
enjoying our wild, crazy, and romantic times together. I was going to marry her someday.

Thanks for reading and have a great night!!

The END