No beta. All mistakes are mine. And this is just for fun, so be nice. And ragey guest reviewer... take deep breaths and chill out. It's just a story. You don't have to read it if you don't want to, love. ;)

SM owns everything, except this plot.

Chapter 3

After the Short Dance...

Giddy. That's how it feels every time Edward and I skate a near perfect dance. The crowd can still be heard through the halls of the arena as we're escorted to our private rooms to cool off and pack up. Edward and I stare at each other silently and smile, although, things are still not quite right between us. And what's worse, I could totally feel it in our energy on the ice. We were just a little stiffer, just a little colder. There was uncertainty in our eyes every time they met even though there was no uncertainty in our dance. That, that, we can do with our eyes closed. Still in sync on the ice, although our balance had tipped slightly.

After our fight six days ago, we gave each other the silent treatment for the whole day. The last time that happened was when we were fourteen and we blamed each other for a failed routine at Juniors. But this wasn't a failed routine. This was a shift. This was a small tear in the tightly woven knit of our friendship. Although now, I don't even know what we are. Being an adult sucks.

But then during practice the next morning, Edward simply gathered me close and hugged the hell out of me, whispering he was sorry for being a dick. The feel of him warm and solid, smelling clean and Edward... that was a balm on my ever-anxious nerves, and my body relaxed immediately. I hugged him back. I didn't want to let go. Ever.

Then I looked into his eyes— those deep green eyes that know me so well and were now saying things I was afraid to admit for some time now.

That's when it hit me. Like those Looney Tunes cartoons with the anvil on the head and the stars and the little birds orbiting my skull.

I did the right thing with Peter. I couldn't marry him. I couldn't. That realization made my stomach drop at the time, but looking at Edward, I knew I made the right choice.

"You okay?" he'd said, concerned eyes roving all over my face. His grip on me tightened slightly. Could he possibly see the same thing I saw in him written all over my face?

I was confused. That's all. Too many mixed emotions with just being in Sochi at the Olympics— a dream that we both shared for so long. Of course there was bound to be high level feelings and anxieties. I could handle this, shelf this until I could analyze things clearly. Yes, that's what I would do.

I'd smiled and said, "Yes, I'm totally okay. I don't want to ever fight over stupid things again, though." Edward lifted one side of his mouth, which suddenly made my insides flutter, but again, I stomped on the implications of that feeling and had chosen to look ahead at the job we had to do, and I had to talk to Peter.

We were going to win gold. Irina and her perfect blonde hair be damned.

"Hey. You alright over there?" Edward asks, looking at me with a little grin of amusement as he absently takes off his skates and packs up our stuff in our duffles. I'm snapped out of my daydreaming and give him a small smile. "Yep. Totally okay. We kind of rocked it out there tonight, didn't we?" I look away and shrug on my jacket.

"Aside from my little slip up at the end there, I think we nailed it. Those scores are close though. The free dance has to be flawless." He stands and pulls his duffle and mine over his shoulder and takes a deep breath, like he does right before he has something to say. All kinds of warnings are going off in my head, and after the last four days of uncertain words and polite niceties, I know this can't go on forever.

"So, dinner with my folks and yours right? That's what Mom had mentioned earlier?"

Okay, not what I expected him to say. That deep breath was pretty damn deep.

"Um, yeah I think so. Alice had mentioned something about drinks without the parentals afterwards too. I think it's a good idea to loosen up a bit before tomorrow night, don't you?"

"Uh, sure. Is—" Edward pauses, causing me to look at his reflection in the mirror as I adjust my ponytail. "Is Peter coming along?" He finally asks.

See? That's what the deep breath was for. I know my Edward.

My Edward. There goes my stomach again.

"Uh, actually," How do I say this? Do I just come out with it? How do I make this big deal not such a big deal? "Actually, he's on a flight back to the States right now."

"Oh? Why? Some big emergency down at Corporate? Shit, I'm sorry—" Edward looks down bashfully, raking his hands through his hair while still holding our bags with the other. He'd promised no more passive aggressive comments about Peter. But now we're here.

"No. He... well, the truth is. Well, I told him I couldn't marry him. We broke up."

His head snaps up and our eyes lock in the reflection once more, but this time I see something totally different looking back at me. A man uncertain. I could see something Edward was trying desperately to reign in. I couldn't even dare to name it.

After a long uncomfortable pause he finally asks, "Why?"

Yes, well isn't that the fifty-thousand dollar question.

I gather my mixed up thoughts and think of something safe to say. The truth is after I told Peter I couldn't marry him, I felt nothing. Even Peter was the picture of composure. He wasn't happy, his pride had been hurt. Why shouldn't I, or any woman not want to marry a successful, young go-getter like him? He had the best of everything. Apparently, not what I really wanted or needed. So, we parted ways and he took the next flight out of Sochi. And you'd think I'd be sad or a mess. I wasn't. And I knew right then and there I'd made the right decision.

"I guess I just couldn't see myself married to him. You were right. He wanted a wife who could play the part. I wasn't it. I wouldn't have been happy. You were right."

Edward shakes his head slowly, inching closer to me as he drops the bags on the floor next to our feet, and suddenly the air in the room is too warm. Too warm.

"I don't want to be right, Bella. This was never about me wanting to be right. This has everything to do with seeing you happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you. I know have a crappy way of showing it and I know I act like a fucking juvenile some of the time, but you must know... you have to know that I... I care about you, Bella. You deserve better. You deserve everything you want." He inches even closer until he leans his head to kiss my forehead like he always does.

But it doesn't feel like it always does. My thoughts are scrambled.

"You okay?" He whispers, and I want to cry at seeing my best friend again in those words. "You need to talk, vent, cry, throw things? Maybe burn a Peter doll in effigy? I'd totally be down with that." He makes me break out in a laugh and we both break down into fits of giggles and snorts. It feels so damn good to do this again. To laugh with Edward— it's like someone opened the door and let the fresh air swirl around us.

When we finally settle down, he's smiling as he picks up our bags again, ushering me out with his warm hand at the small of my back... just like he always does.

"Let's go eat. I'm starving."

After dinner, Alice, Edward's little sister and my best gal pal, tells us all to be in the lobby in thirty so we can take the car service to a little lounge just down a few blocks. We'd walk, but it's a little cold and we're not really in the mood to walk amidst the tourists. I'm wearing nice skinny jeans and heeled boots and a black, long sleeved fitted sweater and a pretty scarf, a leather jacket finishes it off because yeah, it's a little chilly. Edward's in jeans that fit just right and a beige v-neck sweater and black jacket, hair perfectly out of control, as usual.

He's very handsome. No, I guess I could say it and be honest— he's hot. Like smokin'. I have grown up my entire life knowing he was easy on the eyes, watching the girls in school or on the skating circuit stare and flutter their lashes at him, giggling like idiots at every word out of his mouth. I'm aware of his appeal. Oh, how I am aware.

He smiles easy and wraps a protective arm around my waist. Innocent. I think. I mean, he's always done it, but then again there are things he's always done that now mean very different things to me. I need to yell at my brain to stop jumbling every thought and emotion into an unrecognizable ball of mush.

The bar or lounge or whatever isn't crazy full, thank God. It's been pretty much set up as an athletes only hangout, the bouncers at the door pretty strict about entry. I don't mind the fans usually, but tonight, I'm grateful I won't be hounded for autographs and pictures. I just want to relax and de-stress before tomorrow's free skate.

An hour in and Alice, Rose, Emmett's girlfriend and I are pretty happy on the dance floor, soaking up the relaxed vibe of the place. For a few songs it's just us but soon the boys, including Jasper, Alice's fiance, join us. Everyone pretty much pairs off and of course that leaves Edward and I as the default pair. In other, more innocent and platonic times, this would've been easy, second nature. Edward and I always had fun together with no danger of it ever crossing the line. We were best friends and skating partners, our families were extensions of our own blood ties. But now at this moment, I can acknowledge things are very, very different.

For one, we're both a little tipsy, or at least I think he is. I never drink enough to get totally drunk because I hate the feeling of not being in control of myself, but a beer or two never hurt. His eyes are bright and happy, which could be mistaken with affects of drinking a few or he could just be happy. It's been a while since I've seen him this relaxed and carefree. He takes me by the hand and twirls me around as we let loose with the upbeat music. This is us at our best, but I can't deny what I'm feeling now, especially when the music changes to something slower and sexy. Lights turn low and the base of the track fills the space with slow thumps coupled with strings and a woman's voice.

It's like I'm floating when Edward suddenly brings me to him, arm wrapped around my waist until there is no space between us. I can feel his stubble on my temple where his chin touches me, his warm breath creating ripples of goosebumps all over. I'm intoxicated by everything around me— the sounds, the smell of him, the feel of his body against mine, so very different from our composed choreographed touches on the ice.

There are no words between us, the loud music wouldn't allow us to say much anyway, but not much is needed right now. I feel myself slipping under his spell as he sways us against the beats, his thigh slightly parting me until our bodies are touching from the waist up. My arms find their way around his neck until my hands press him towards me. What the hell are we doing?

His hands splay wide around my ribcage traveling to my back. The song buries itself in my head and in my bones and I can't stop myself from resting my lips on the sliver of flesh right above the ridge of his collar, where shoulder meets neck. His skin is hot and I can't resist kissing him there. His body suddenly shudders and he stops our movements. He leans away slightly to find my eyes. His are fiercely dark under these dim lights but I can see something I saw before but denied until now— desire. Want. With the swirling strings and vocals of Portishead wrapping around us like a cloak, his lips are on mine and I give in.

Slow and deliberate, this is not a kiss of sudden, unguarded passion. This is a smoldering heated kiss that had been waiting in the wings day after day after weeks, maybe months. It's sure, he's sure, and that's when I know with certainty that he wants me... has wanted me, for God knows how long. This kiss holds promise of things to come, If only I let it. And, Lord, I know now I want it. Want him.

Want us.

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A/N: Next chapter will include the prologue among other things and I think this will have one more chapter after that with a short epi ;) Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, although I can't reply, know I read all of them and laugh at the ragey guest reviews too! It's good entertainment!

A couple of fic recs! I haven't done them in a while because I've been reading BOOKS! lol But as always, 2 of my favorite authors are tearing it up yet again.

TheFicChick's Objects in Mirror Are Larger Than They Appear... WOW. Not for the wusspervs, that's for sure. This might not be for everyone but I fully trust her and I love REALISTIC situations within relationships. You need to believe in forgiveness and hope for this imperfect E & B.

Rochelle Allison's The Bitter, The Sweet... SAWEET JEEZUZ. Tatted/Soccerward is all swoony/sexy and all sorts of yummy.