A/N: Oh, my. Not many of you trust Victoria. At. All.

Bella was getting tired just watching Edward pace.

"I should call and see how they're doing," he muttered.

"That's not a good idea."

"Just a friendly call."

"You know Victoria won't take it as a friendly call," Bella said gently. "She'll take it as you pestering her, and she'll be right."

"She didn't even see Elsie for six years. She can deal with a little pestering." Edward dug into his pocket for his cell phone.

Quickly, Bella stood, crossing the room to him. She grabbed his wrist, her palm over the phone. He glared, but didn't stop her from taking the phone from his hand.

Relieved, Bella put the thing on the end table and stepped toward him. Smiling, she wound her arms around his neck, tilting her head up. She kissed the underside his chin. "I think you're looking at things the wrong way," she murmured, pressing tiny kisses along his jaw.

"What way should I be looking at it?" His posture was stiff, but he'd closed his eyes and didn't jerk away from her.

"Well, we are alone for once."

At that, he did pull away, his eyes glinting with livid fire. "Yeah, this little arrangement has to be really convenient for you."

Bella flinched and stepped away from him, crossing her arms. "You're going to want to think long and hard about the next words that come out of your mouth."

His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to snap at her but quickly closed it again, his shoulders slumping. Stumbling back, he sat on the couch, looking miserable. "I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you shouldn't have," Bella agreed, sitting next to him.

"It's just... this isn't easy, you know?"

"I know." She ran a hand through his hair, cupping his cheek.

He sighed, leaning his forehead against hers. "I know you know. You've been so good to me these last few weeks." He let out a long breath. "You've been here for me every time I want to vent, and I hardly know what's going on in your life." He lifted his head, his smile wry. "I bet you know everything about Victoria and Elsie."

Bella tilted her head. "I listen," she allowed. "And I'm worried. You know I adore Elsie. I want what's best for her. You're an amazing father, and if Victoria had left you alone, I don't think Elsie would have suffered at all for not having a mother.

"So I do understand why you're worried. Elsie is fine. She's well adjusted. She's a great kid. After raising her all these years on your own, I can't imagine what it's like for you having to share that responsibility. It's a big change, and I wish like hell you didn't have to deal with it."

"It is," Edward agreed. "But my point was, you've been here for me, and Elsie, and I haven't returned the favor. I suck at being a boyfriend."

Bella laughed because his self-deprecating pout was probably more adorable than he wanted it to be. She kissed his cheek tenderly. When he turned his head to kiss her lips, she shifted, straddling him on the couch, her hands resting on his chest, his hands at her waist.

"We knew this was going to be tricky," she reminded, punctuating her sentences with little kisses - mere pecks to his lips. "Your daughter takes priority. If I didn't understand that, I had no business even trying to be with you."

"Yes, she takes priority, but relationships take work too. We hardly have any time to ourselves between school and Elsie. What have I been able to offer you? Movies on the couch with a first grader between us?"

"Well, exactly," Bella said with a gentle smile. "I know it's not what you want, but Victoria has Elsie for a nice chunk of time today. Midterms are over. Neither of us has a paper due, and you're caught up at work." She kissed him softly, lingering. "And I'm here with you now."

His arms tightened around her waist. "You're right." It was amazing how instantaneously his voice made the switch from worried to feral. The low, smooth tone sent a shiver down Bella's spine. "I do have you here all alone, don't I?"

"You do. The question, Mr. Cullen," she spoke between teasing kisses, "is what are you going to do with me?"

He rumbled as his hands slid up her back, holding her more tightly to him. Bella sighed against his mouth, running her hands first to his shoulders then up into his hair as he kissed her deeply, not letting her tease him. She loved the way he moaned when they were kissing. They were little moans, quiet noises, but they did strange and wonderful things to her body.

There had been a few boys in college, a few kisses, and even fewer instances where she'd ended up in a boy's bed. She and Edward had done no more than kiss, though their touches had wandered past the point they could claim complete innocence, and yet, it felt so different than it ever had.

It felt... more. Better.

There was an intensity even to their smallest touches. Bella had never known how intimate simply holding hands could be, how he could send a thrill through her body with a smile from across the room.

Beneath her, Edward moved, holding her tight, and suddenly Bella found herself horizontal on the couch, his body pressing into hers, one hand trailing down her side as he kissed her. She whimpered, adjusting herself so their legs were tangled.

When their kiss broke so they could catch their breath, Bella opened her eyes and instantly understood what was so different about her physical interactions with Edward.

She was in love with him.

Bella blinked sporadically, looking up with wide eyes, letting that realization spread over her.

She was in love with him, and the feeling wasn't new. In fact, it was very old, like it had been a part of her for a long, long time.

He watched her, his expression soft, but there was a recognition in his eyes. If she hadn't known better, she'd have sworn he could hear the trail of her thoughts, knew that she was turning that most powerful word over and over in her head. The look in his eyes carried tension, like he was holding his breath, trying to gauge how she would react to her realization.

Before, with those other boys, Bella had felt disconnected when she was kissing or... otherwise. There was a large part of her that wasn't in the moment, wasn't focused on the pleasure she was sharing with another person.

Even just touching and kissing, it had never been that way with Edward because there was always a strong emotion tied to their physical connection.

Bella raised her hands, cupping his face. When she smiled, she felt a profound peace spread through her, and she knew it showed. Her movements - as she skimmed the line of his jaw, his cheeks, the arch of his nose - were tender and reverent.

Edward closed his eyes, his breath stuttering as she touched him. When he kissed her again, his lips moved slowly with hers. It was amazing how a single kiss could capture the emotion of passion wordlessly.

Arching up, pressing her body into his, Bella couldn't deny how much she wanted him. It was a need that was almost anxiety, as if the world couldn't be right until she had him against her, inside her.

Edward's shoulders went stiff under her hands, and he gasped, breaking their kiss and holding completely still. Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking a little lost as he looked down on her.

Bella scratched her fingers gently through the small hairs at the back of his neck, pressing kisses to the underside of his chin. She swallowed hard. Shy, though she knew exactly what she wanted, what she thought he wanted.

She wasn't a virgin, nor was she so experienced in seduction that she could get a man into the bedroom without blushing. But then, though he had a child, Edward was, if anything, less experienced. She knew he hadn't been with anyone in all these years.

In the end, she chose the simplest route. "Take me to your bed?" she entreated in a whisper.

His eyes widened for a moment and he breathed sharply through his nose before he calmed. "Yes," he agreed, the word no more than a breath.

He leaned down, kissing her cheek, the side of her neck, before he sat up again, pulling her up with him. They smiled at each other, and both giggled like school children with a secret. Their cheeks were flushed, their eyes bright, and their smiles wide.

They walked down the hallway slowly, hand in hand, staring into each other. In retrospect, Bella was surprised they didn't run into the wall.

When they got to his room, Edward wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her up against him as he kissed her. They walked - him forward, her backward - until she felt the bed against her legs and sat.

He stood in front of her, pressing the pads of his fingers against her spine in a nonsensical pattern. Looking up at him, Bella bit her lip, spreading her hand on his stomach under his shirt. It wasn't new territory, but he shivered anyway.

With their eyes locked, the atmosphere between them seemed to get thicker, more physically present and wired. This was the world turned up a few degrees. His eyes seemed a more vibrant shade of green, his lips a perfect red. The emotion - the newly identified love she'd found for him - intensified, becoming almost too perfectly painful to bear. Her heart pounded hard in her chest, and as she moved her palm up his body, she could feel his heart hammering at the very same tempo.

His long fingers found the hem of her shirt, and he tugged it up. Off. It was the only time he broke their stare, glancing briefly down. He licked his lips.

Bella had never been more turned on in her entire life, and he'd hardly touched her.

Bella scooted back on the bed, inviting him. Before he joined her, he took his own shirt off, tossing it to the ground. He crawled over her, brushing a kiss against her bared tummy and to her collarbone before he claimed her lips again.

They rolled as they kissed, back and forth, laughing when they parted to breathe. She pressed him onto his back, and he unhooked her bra before he flipped them again.

"I love you," she said breathlessly, her lips against his neck. He pulled back to look at her. Raising her hand to stroke his cheek, she said it again. "I love you." So he would know she meant it.

"Bella," he whispered. "I love you, too." He ran the tip of his nose against the side of hers. "I love you."

She kissed him, reaching between them to undo the button of his jeans, pushing them down his hips.

Edward rolled over again, not taking her with him this time as he rummaged through his nightstand.

"What are you doing?" she asked, curious. Her thoughts felt thick. She couldn't quite understand why he wasn't kissing her.

He looked back, his cheeks lighting up as red as a stop sign. Wordlessly, he held up a packaged condom.

"I'm on the pill," she said, her mind still a little slow.

He ducked his head. "I know. I just..." He looked up, his expression sheepish. "Humor me?"

Bella nodded, understanding what he needed and why. She climbed to her knees, sitting up straight, giving him what she hoped was a sexy grin as she unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down.

Edward groaned and stood. He rid himself of his boxers, but before she could see him, he was over her, pinning her back on the bed. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he growled, kissing her fervently.

She grinned, breathless as she reached between them, wrapping her hands around his length. "Some," she said, knowing she was being cheeky.

He groaned again.

The mood between them sobered somewhat as she took the condom from his hand. Their eyes were again locked, so she could see the desire, the love, in his eyes when she slid the thing on him.

He closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers, hovering over her for a few heartbeats before he thrust forward. One, two, three thrusts and he was inside her.

"Shit," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Bella... Fuck. I'm..."

Bella stroked the back of his hair, shushing him. She understood his sudden anxiety. It had been a long, long time since he'd done this, and she could feel the way he held his body with tense control. "It's okay," she murmured, kissing his cheek. He opened his eyes, and Bella had to grin because they were almost crossed with effort. "You're young, and we have at least four more hours," she said with a wink.

He laughed, the sound turning into a whine and a groan when she tightened around him.

"You'll be the death of me," he accused, burying his nose against her shoulder and neck as he began to move with her.

"No." Bella arched her neck back, running her hands down to feel the flex of his ass as he thrust against her. "I think we're only beginning to live."

~0~

For a day that Edward had been dreading, he felt like he was walking on air. He still resented that he was going to pick up his daughter from her mother's house, but despite that, he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Edward hadn't realized how utterly goofy the look on his face must have been until Victoria opened the door, took one look at him and scoffed.

"Daddy!"

Ignoring Victoria, Edward stooped to catch the red-headed blur that came shooting for him. He greeted his daughter with a bear hug and a daddy-sized smooch to her cheek. "Hey, little lion. Did you have a good time?"

"Oh, yes," Elsie nodded enthusiastically. "Mommy let me put stickers all over the table!"

"Let is not exactly the right word for it," Victoria grumbled. Edward glanced at her, and she made a show of smiling at Elsie. "Did you throw away your trash?"

The little girl said nothing, studiously ignoring her mother to bury her head on Edward's shoulder.

"Leona! I'm talking to you," Victoria snapped.

Bristling, Edward set his daughter down. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Elsie, did you make a mess?"

She grimaced. "Just a lil one." She held up her finger and her thumb, making the space between them small.

"What do you do when you make a mess?" Edward prompted patiently.

"Clean it up," Elsie said with a dramatic sigh.

"Why don't you go do that so we can go home?"

Elsie brightened and this and nodded, quickly taking off back to the house.

Victoria sighed. "Oh, sure. She listens to you."

"Not always. In fact, not frequently. She's just testing you."

"Well, it's annoying."

"Yeah. Newsflash. Kids aren't all fun and games, Victoria," he snapped.

Victoria glared, her mouth set in a thin line, and Edward took a deep breath.

"It gets easier," he finally said. "It'll just take time. She's only seen you as a playmate so far. Just be firm with her, and she'll understand the difference."

"If we could spend more time together, it would help."

Edward had to struggle not to grind his teeth. "You got your wish. You had her today, and you have her for three hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays."

"That's not enough," Victoria insisted. "I don't understand why you're still being so difficult. Let me take her for the whole weekend."

"No," Edward said flatly.

"It's going to happen anyway."

"Yeah, but I'm not ready for it now."

Victoria looked over her shoulder, making sure Elsie was still out of hearing range. "Why are you being such a hard ass about this? You don't have to be a dick." She eyed him. "I would think you'd be eager to be rid of her for a weekend."

"Are you kidding me?" Edward hissed back. "Today was long enough."

"Right," she snickered, laughing derisively. "It looks like you found a way to pass the time."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, please. You're freshly fucked. It's written all over your face." She rolled her eyes. "Let me take Leona, and you and your little girlfriend can get right back to it."

"Be a little more crass, please." Edward ran a hand through his hair, trying not to fly off the handle. "Not that it's your business, but I think we'll manage just fine. I'm not letting Elsie stay over yet. You heard the judge. You'll probably get overnight visits in another sixty days."

Victoria looked furious. "I don't know why you're being such an asshole. You'd think getting laid all the time would put you in a better mood," she groused. "Speaking of which, if you're letting our daughter see-"

"We have had this discussion, and I'm not going to have it again," Edward said sharply. "Bella and I hardly so much as shake hands around Elsie. You know this."

"Make sure it stays that way. She doesn't need to be more confused. She already has a mother."

Edward narrowed his eyes but chose not to acknowledge Victoria's statement. Besides, he saw when Elsie moved into eyeshot behind her. Her tiny face was apprehensive, and she was chewing on the ear of a stuffed rabbit. She only sucked on things like that when she was anxious. They were talking low enough that she couldn't have heard what they were saying, but it was obvious she knew they were arguing.

"Are you ready to go home, Elsie?" he asked, making his voice smooth and gentle despite his irritation.

She nodded, stepping closer to him, and looked up at Victoria uncertainty.

Victoria stooped, hugging the girl to her tightly. "I'll see you very soon, Leona. We'll have fun again, okay?"

Edward took his daughter's hand, and as they walked away, Elsie quickly forgot she'd ever been ill at ease.

"Is Bella coming over tonight, Daddy?" she asked as he buckled her into her car seat.

Edward glanced over his shoulder, noticing that Victoria was glowering in their direction. She'd obviously heard.

"It's just you and me tonight," he said quietly.

"That's good. I like it when Bella comes over, but I like it when it's just you and me, too."

At her words, all the tension from his conversation with Victoria faded away. "Me too, baby," he said, kissing her forehead tenderly.

A/N: Thank you to my beautiful girls and all of you! Your kind words make me smile.

So really. That pledge-a-thon thing? Gotta tell ya, I'm not doing so well here. What do I gotta do to earn your love (and $5 for a good cause? hmmm?) *puppy dog eyes* bit . ly/ptblkris