Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or its original characters. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

A/N: Welcome back and happy weekend! Many many many thanks to my girl BPlemons for pre-reading and doing some beta work for this chapter. She's the bestest and she's also nominated in the Best Screener category of the Twi-Fic Fandom Awards so please consider leaving her a vote because she deserves it and I absolutely adore her.

More fun news at the end. *wink*

Let's get back to Austin.

.o0O0o._Roadies_.o0O0o
 Chapter 9
 Trouble

...Bella…

I hate the rain, but I loathe a sporadic wet wind even more.

There's just something about having damp hair smacking me in the face over and over again.

I mean, unless I'm wet in other places, and I'm moaning someone else's name with my clothes off, I honest to God want nothing to do with it, and you'll rarely catch me outside if I think an umbrella might be needed.

Tonight I've chosen to brave the sporadic wet wind here on Dirty Sixth Street in Austin Texas, and I've chosen to do so for my boss, Edward Cullen.

By the time Edward and I get to our last planned stop of the night, an old stomping ground of mine called Casino El Camino, I'm feeling nice and loose thanks to the couple of drinks I've already swallowed down since parking my mom's SUV about two hours ago.

We step inside to get away from the sprinkling rain, and I pull off my hoodie to leave it on the coat rack by the door.

I look around and start to shake my arms down at my sides in a desperate attempt to dry myself before we head up to the bar to get a drink.

The guy who's serving tonight isn't familiar.

This is good.

It's actually very much welcomed because Kent, the usual bartender, he would've demanded my undivided attention and then he wouldn't have let go of it until I'd told him all about how Liam finally chased me away.

Once we have our beers in hand, I tug on Edward's sleeve to bring him toward my favorite back corner.

Up until about four months ago, this is where I'd park my ass to people watch with my ex and our friends after a late night of work at one of the clubs here on Sixth.

On the way to my favorite table, several people shout out my name to slow us down.

I even receive a few high five's and a couple of side hugs, but I don't linger with any one person for too long.

"Did you bring me here to show me how popular you are both on, and off the road, Swan?" Edward teases me with a half grin slowly finding its way to his lips.

"Nah," I laugh, "These guys just don't get out very much, and I was always their best late night entertainment. Plus I kind of left without saying goodbye. Most of them probably thought I'd died."

Edward's smirk softens, and then he taps his beer bottle against mine after we sit down in our booth.

I lean forward against the table to look up into his pretty green eyes.

He meets me halfway without breaking our stare, "What shall we toast to, boss?"

"How about we dedicate this round to, trailblazing."

"Trailblazing?" I laugh a little louder this time and raise my right brow, "And what trail is it that's being blazed this evening?"

The way he watches me before he answers my question, it causes my legs to cross firmly, and my lungs to fill with air.

I can feel my cheeks starting to flush, but no matter how hard I try, it's impossible for me to look away from him.

He knows he's winning.

I can see it in his eyes.

He knows, and that's not good because it means he's wearing me down, but I'm still not ready to give in.

Not yet.

"Well, Swan, the fun part about blazing new trails is never knowing where you'll end up until you get there. It's all about the journey… and also finding someone who's worth adventuring with."

Him and his words.

Always so perfect, and in the most deliciously dangerous of ways.

I shake my head, but I also make it a point to keep my eyes set on his own heated gaze for a few extended seconds in hopes of making him sweat a little.

It doesn't work.

Nope.

He still looks just as sure of himself with absolutely zero insecurities.

"Adventuring?" I smile, "You're good, Cullen. You and your pick up lines, paired with your fuck me now eyes."

"What can I say? I like to make you squirm."

"Do you? I hadn't noticed," I tease back and look away.

I'm so not used to this.

It's usually me making the boys squirm, not the other way around.

Still, I refuse to surrender.

Not on night one.

I mean, you'd almost think he was purposely attempting to pluck me from my comfort zone just to see if I would wilt right here before his eyes.

He doesn't know me at all if he thinks I'm going to make any of this easy for him.

"Making you squirm is probably my most favorite past time these days, Swan. I've been racking up all kinds of points in my head. Five at a time when I'm able to make you blush and look away. Ten when you don't look away. Twenty whenever I get you to laugh and tug at your hair. Fifty if I can get you to smile and then smack me."

My foot kicks at his leg from under the table, and he winks.

"Cha-ching! Another fifty up on the board! Today has been a very good day."

I cover my laugh with my hand and try to kick at him again, but he surprises me by standing up.

Without looking away, he walks around the table and slides into the booth right next to me.

"Yeah, my shins can't take much more of that," He softly explains, still grinning at me. "Plus, at this point in our evening, I'd much rather be sitting next to you."

"Let me guess, this is how you win over all the ladies back at home? With your suggestive words and sinful stares?"

"No, the ladies back home actually make it a lot easier on me, but I don't mind the extra work you've got me putting in. Not to mention, we only have seven days off the clock. Every second here needs to count."

His eyes scan my face looking for some kind of a reaction.

When I give him nothing, he lowers his gaze and reaches out to brush his fingertips against mine, and then he pulls my hand over to his lap to rest it on his knee.

"There's no danger in letting your guard down when no one else is around to see it happen. Haven't I taught you that yet, Bella?"

Yup, if he keeps this up, I'm going to end up fucking him in the goddamn bathroom.

Which wouldn't be a first for me here at this bar, but it would be a first for me to lock a stall with someone who isn't Liam.

That could cause some waves.

"Can I at least finish my beer before you start daring me to venture back over to the dark side with you?"

Edward smiles and shrugs his shoulders beside me, "Sure, I guess two more minutes won't kill me."

I pull my hand away from his and smack him softly on the arm before I bring my beer bottle to my lips and start to scan the crowd that's sitting in the bar with us tonight.

A few familiar faces are looking our way whispering.

They're no doubt wondering who this new guy is I'm flirting with, and probably contemplating on whether or not they should send my ex a text to let him know what I'm up to.

When I'd left town, it literally happened in a forty-eight hour period, so I'd had no time to say goodbye to the couple of anchor friends I'd made here in Austin.

There's no telling what Liam's told them, but I'm sure he made it a good story.

I jump in my seat when Edward reaches up to tuck some of my damp hair behind my ear, and I let out a rushed breath after he gently strokes the side of my cheek with his thumb.

Neither of us looks away.

"So, Bella, how's it feel being a visitor in the most stable life you've ever known?"

My bottom lip slides between my parted teeth and I bite down thinking his question over.

I've been feeling a lot of things today, but very little has had anything to do with being back in Austin.

I can't say that out loud though.

Not to him.

Ultimately, I decide to play it safe.

Playing it safe means I'll stick to all of the feelings which don't involve Cullen, his pretty green eyes, soft-spoken words, or delicious smile.

"On our way here tonight we drove by the house I lived in with Liam. I felt nothing. Not even a hint of regret. Even after seeing the mailbox we'd painted together… I just felt… nothing."

"Good," he whispers, then slowly runs his fingertips up and down my forearm where it's resting under the table over my thigh.

I release a rushed breath and lean a little further into him.

"Closure is important. You can't move on from something until you've closed all the doors, and left the key behind."

"Oh yeah, and how many long term relationships have you survived after locking all the doors and leaving a key behind?" I question with a slight rise in my voice.

He moves in even closer.

His smile is literally inches away from mine, and I'm now back to crossing my legs with purpose and holding my breath.

"I'm not speaking from experience. I've got zero long term relationships in my history, but I've seen plenty of movies to know that's usually how it works. Do you not watch the Hallmark Channel at Christmas time?"

In a perfect world I'd reach out and place my hand behind his neck and pull him in to kiss my lips, but our world is far from perfect, and we're still swimming in a sea of complications, so I keep my hands to myself.

"Ew, I don't watch Hallmark movies," I pause to take a quick sip from my beer and shake my head, "But you're a liar if you're going to sit here and tell me you've been in zero long term relationships. Especially, at your age, old man."

He's only five years older than me but still, not one romantic regret?

That's not normal.

Even I know this, and I'm far from normal.

His stare softens, and I find myself able to relax when he returns some space between us to laugh at my accusation.

"See, I always strive to make the impossible possible in my life, Swan. I guess you forgot, but you're looking at the least qualified SM in the history of SM's working a cross-country tour for a major label." He teases back, right as the music in the bar starts to get louder.

My face grimaces at the sound of bad house music, and then I lean my head against his shoulder after I've let out a low huff, "So you're what then, a habitual serial dater with zero interest in letting someone love you?"

He leans the side of his head against the top of mine, and I feel my toes begin to curl from the inside of my wet converse.

He smells really good again tonight.

Too good.

Christ, I want to mount him.

Simmer down, Birdie, it's only day one.

Slow and steady wins the race.

This is a race where you need to keep your pace.

Control is an absolute must.

"Yeah, I guess habitual dater would work. Getting locked down to another person has never been something I've wanted for myself. I enjoy the short term company, but I like my freedom more. Freedom is what gives me the ability to pack up at a moments notice and chase my dreams."

He couldn't have given me a better answer.

In fact, everything he's said, it's almost as if he's taken the words right out of my own head for my ears to hear.

There is, however, one significant difference between the two of us.

Falling in love has never scared me, but then again I've only ever felt it once in my life.

He, on the other hand... he is clearly scared shitless by the idea, and it would also seem he's been on the run from it his entire life.

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it's not something I need to figure out tonight, so I don't dwell on it for too long.

"We've been on the road together for what, four months now? Does that make Irina your longest running non-relationship?"

"Irina and I aren't anything. We hang out, we play music, and we talk about old times from when we were dumb kids in high school."

I smirk to myself and raise my brow with a click of my tongue, "And then you end your high school reminiscing with a quick finger bang and mediocre blow job, just like the good old days under the bleachers during lunch," I laugh. "She might not be your girlfriend, but she's your something. It's high time you admit it. You've made her Instagram feed six times now, and you even have your own hashtag. In the world of social media, that says something."

Edward sits up straight, suddenly sending me upright with him, "And that's why I don't do social media. Can we please not talk about Irina tonight? She's literally the last thing on my mind."

He really does seem bothered.

This surprises me, but I decide to leave it alone.

I also make it a point to return some space between us since seconds ago I was on the verge of running my hand up his thigh just to see how he might react.

It's a couple of a minutes before he finally speaks again and it's only because we've both finished our beers.

Edward grabs our bottles from the table, and then he slowly stands to throw them away, "Do you want me to get you another one."

"Nah, I'm good."

Tipsy dreams will be waiting for me, and I'll have no major hangover looming over my head in the morning if I stop now.

"Are you going to ditch me if I use the bathroom?"

I smirk at his ridiculous question and slowly shake my head, "No, I promise to make sure you find your way back to my parent's couch tonight with a pillow and blanket in your hands."

He winks one time with that panty-dropping smile on his face, and then he leaves me behind without saying another word.

As soon as he passes through the doorway of the men's bathroom, I pull my phone out to check it for any text messages.

There are two from Emmett taunting me for play by plays, and one from my ex which I choose to save for later.

Emmett I can handle.

Liam… he needs to stay out of my head.

When Edward comes back to the table, he slides into the booth and quickly takes his place beside me, pressing his shoulder into mine, "So, how long were you and Liam actually together?"

The sudden mention of my ex's name from his lips forces my eyes to narrow and my arms to cross.

"What, you won't let us talk about your wildly abnormal sexcapades with she-who-shall-not-be-named, but you think it's okay to bring up my very normal committed relationship with Liam?"

He lets out a soft laugh, and then he leans in closer to lower his voice, "PAST relationship, but you're right. That wasn't very fair of me. Changing the subject now—"

"No, it's fine. You might as well hear how the story goes," I cross my arms and start sinking into my seat with a heavy sigh leaving my lips. "If you don't get it from me, you'll get a blown up version from someone else on the crew."

"Well, if that's your motivation, you don't have to tell me anything because I've already gotten the blown up version."

He's teasing me again.

He wants me to relax.

He needs to make me smile.

"Don't worry, Swan. I don't believe for a second that Liam tried to sell you to a Saudi prince in Dubai after he lost a bet at a blackjack table."

I can't help it.

I'm done.

Edward's obscenely contagious grin wins, and I'm now hiding my face in my hands until I'm able to recover.

"Who told you that? Mike?"

He nods, and I laugh sarcastically into the air while I also make a mental note to kick our fellow crew member in the balls the next time I see him.

"Our break up was nothing epic. In fact, it was probably the most boring thing about our entire relationship," I start to explain. "We were exclusive for a year before he proposed, but we've known each other since I was sixteen. He was nineteen and working his first tour with my dad. Eventually, we hooked up for a summer as soon as I was no longer jailbait and we did the Warped Tour together. Then we made things more official when we were on the road with Blink. By the end of week one, we were sharing a bunk, and everyone knew I was off limits from that point on."

"Bunk sharing?! Damn, that is serious!" Edward teases, shaking his hands out as if he's just been burnt by something.

I flick at his knee and roll my eyes, "Shut it, newb. You don't share a bunk on the road unless you mean it! Anyways, he ended up proposing on the last night of the tour after we'd cleared the stage. We were doing the final walk together and all of the sudden the spotlight came on and there he was, down on one knee being cliché as hell with everyone on the crew sitting in the middle of the arena cheering him on."

When Edward remains quiet, I look over and find a blank expression on his face.

It's so unlike him to not have something witty or clever to say.

His silence makes me nervous.

Even more so when I realize he's already thinking hard about something I've said.

"So," He finally starts to speak, but then he pauses again, "Let me get this straight. You had no idea he was going to ask you to marry him?"

"Nope. None at all. Everyone else did, but not me. I'd told him a hundred times I'd never be that girl. He called my bluff though, and he dared me to prove him wrong. Honestly, he always let me believe he'd never want a typical nine to five anchored life either, so I guess you could say I raised his bet thinking he would eventually fold and I'd beat him at his own game."

"Well, he sounds like a manipulative little shit, but I'd already figured that out so no surprise there."

Cullen seems to be enjoying story time.

Good for him.

Maybe someday I'll be able to look back and enjoy this story too.

Doubtful, but stranger things have happened.

"Once we were in Austin… before I could even catch my breath to breathe... us renting a place together for a year or two turned into us buying a place together, and us taking a year or two off from touring turned into him constantly talking about us staying put and starting a family together. It was like a snowball of someone else's life that kept getting bigger and bigger with every-fucking-day that passed us by while I was stuck in this damn city with no end of it in sight." I pause after realizing how fast I'm speaking, but I keep my eyes focused on my hands where they've been folding a cocktail napkin over and over again for the past two minutes.

"What finally made you leave?"

"I don't know. I guess waking up one morning and having a panic attack before I'd even opened my eyes?"

"Jesus," he grumbles shaking his head, "It got that bad?"

"Yeah, it did. We talked about it for an entire day. Literally locked ourselves away for twenty-four hours and just… talked. By the time the sunset, we'd both agreed it would be best for us to go our separate ways and he helped me pack boxes. For what it's worth, I did give him a choice. I asked him to join up on the tour, and then we could still be together. He didn't want that, but he did promise we would always be friends. So, I left without him."

"What a dumb fuck," Edward snickers.

The panic on his face lets me know he hadn't actually meant to say anything out loud.

"It wasn't always bad. For a while I got to believe not changing was scarier than actually changing. That was a first for me. I started to hate him though when I wasn't able to change. It made me feel like I'd failed. I've told you before, I don't like to fail at things. It's an easy trigger for me. He should've known better. He never should've stuck me in a cage."

"Duly noted. No cages. No anchors. No mentions of a future with a white picket fence."

I smirk with a shrug of my shoulder and then I slowly shift my weight on the bench we're sharing, "I'm not sorry it happened. Liam and me. We were a good thing for a long time, as friends, and then more. When the me he fell in love with wasn't enough anymore, I knew it was time for me to go. So, I went. Now here I am sitting with you… and you like to make me smile."

Edward places his finger under my chin and forces me to look up into his eyes, "Wrong. I love to make you smile."

His correction causes me to laugh and then close my eyes, "You're ridiculous."

"Nah, what's ridiculous is Liam wanting to tame you. That will end up being the biggest mistake of his life."

I'm surprised by how little I actually care, "Que, sera-sera. Everything happens for a reason."

"I couldn't agree more, but I'm also starting to feel like we've got our own giant spotlight shining down on us in this bar because of that reason."

When I look around, I notice he's right.

My laid back behavior with a stranger has definitely ignited some very nosey interest with the regulars who are sitting at the bar.

"Okay, yeah. Let's get out of here." Without saying anything else, I slide myself out of the booth and Edward follows me toward the door.

A few people shout out their goodbyes as we pass them by, but I know better than to slow down.

"Aw! Don't fly away with your worm, Birdie!"

"Yeah! Liam should be here any minute. It's been a while since we've seen a good bar fight!"

Even though their taunts mean nothing to me, I throw both of my middle fingers up into the air and hold my head high.

As soon as we're outside Edward helps me get my hoodie on.

He even pulls the zipper up to the center of my chest and covers my hair with its hood.

We walk in silence on the busy sidewalk, passing a few more crowded bars along the way to get to the parking lot where we'd left my mom's SUV earlier in the night.

I can tell he's still thinking hard about something.

I can see it all over his pretty face thanks to the way he keeps clenching his jaw and narrowing his eyes.

"Don't you want to know where I'm taking you next?" I finally question, keeping my gaze set on the ground so I can avoid any major puddles.

"Nah, I trust you."

I look up and find him smiling my way.

"Well, that makes you a fool, Cullen."

"It wouldn't be the first time. I doubt it would be the last."

My smirk slowly raises at the corners of my mouth, and I link my arm with his to lean my head against his shoulder.

It's freaking chilly tonight, which is weird for Austin this time of year.

The rain hasn't helped, but I refuse to show weakness when it comes to the weather.

Edward notices though because he misses nothing.

He stops us from walking, and I watch him take off his own jacket to drape it over my shoulders.

I push my arms through the sleeves, and then he tugs it closed in front of me without ever looking away from my eyes.

For a second I think he's actually going to kiss me and I start to panic.

It smells like him.

His jacket.

I kind of love it.

There's a very good chance he won't be getting this jacket back anytime soon, but I'll find something worth trading.

We round a corner, and I tug on his arm to take a short cut down a dark alleyway that will open up to the street where the car is parked.

Just before we clear the alley, he pulls me back into the shadows, and he guides me with his hands at my hips until my back is being pressed against the brick wall and his mouth is less than an inch away from my ear.

"The space between our lips… it's really starting to mess with my head, Bella."

Edward's right-hand leaves my waist to slide up my arm and then he cups the side of my face to run his fingers through my hair, successfully locking our heated stare so that I can't look away.

I close my eyes and suck back a deep breath, willing myself to not react to his touch.

"This is when I'd normally say something cheesy like, what happens in Austin can stay in Austin, but lately… I'm not so sure I'll ever want to leave anything I experience with you behind."

I smirk with my eyes still closed and begin to tilt my head side to side while I silently argue with myself to find the courage I need in order to stay ahead without any regrets.

"Sorry but, nope."

I open my eyes.

He looks hurt.

"Nope?"

And now he's confused.

"If you really thought I'd make it that easy for you, then you still don't know me at all, Edward Cullen."

My lips plant an impulsive kiss to his cheek and then I duck my head under his arm to escape his hold and skip myself back out onto the street, successfully leaving him behind.

He's laughing, but I don't slow down or bother turning around.

"Come on, Cullen! Life doesn't begin until well after midnight!" I shout into the air, then do several quick twirls between my strides as I move across the wet sidewalk.

He catches up to me, and with words absent from his tongue, he takes my hand back into his and then purposely slows our pace.

I pause to look down at our fingers where they're laced together, but I don't pull away.

Edward notices my apprehension.

His crooked grin returns and with it so does mine.

"I don't know about you, Swan, but hand-holding in public places has yet to get me into any serious trouble."

My eyes roll to the side, and I slowly increase my grip around his fingers, "That's too bad Cullen because, after midnight, I'm all about getting into trouble. I just like to be the one who directs it."

"Yeah," he laughs and jumps over a puddle after giving me a light shove to save my own sneakers, "I've noticed you have a thing with being the leader. Lucky for you, I've recently decided you might be worth following to the ends of the earth… so lead the way."

His scripted words send the beating of my heart into overdrive, but I still refuse to give in to him and his temptations.

When we reach the car he opens the passenger door for me, and I slide inside with a soft huff leaving my lips while I shake out my arms to get warm.

As soon as he's sitting behind the wheel, he starts the car and turns on the heater, "Alright Captain. Where to now?"

"How would you feel about us maybe, possibly, sneaking into the park to check out the ACL layout a little early?" I casually question before biting down on my mischevious smirk with my brow playfully raised.

"I think I'd feel pretty pissed off if I get fired before I've even started my first day, but I've already told you I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, so... let's do it. Let's find some trouble, Bella Swan."

I laugh out loud and reach down to take his hand into mine, and then I rest them over my knee as he backs the car out to get us on the road.

The park is just across the river, but I take him through a lesser used entrance to avoid running into security at the main gate.

It's so late there's really no one around when we find a place to leave the car, although I do see a few flashlights walking in the distance closer to the main stage.

"How are you at climbing fences?"

"Pft, how am I at climbing fences?" Edward instantly repeats after me as if I've just told some hilarious joke.

I watch him high tail his ass up the chained links to jump from the top, and he lands on his feet at the other side with an adorably triumphant-looking grin spread across his face.

"Nicely done boss!" I clap.

He bows and then gestures with his arm that it's now my turn.

"I'm impressed, really I am, but next time maybe wait for my follow up?"

I walk about five more feet to the right and extend my hand to open an unlocked gate, then walk through like I own the place before taking my own bow.

"Are you fucking serious?" He grumbles while rubbing at his calve.

"Oh no! You didn't pull anything did you?"

I can't help but tease him at least a little bit.

Especially since he's still breathing heavier than normal and also looking as if he's ready to kill me.

"Paybacks are a bitch, remember that!" He comes at me to toss me over his shoulder and once he has me he starts to spin me around.

I laugh and smack him with my hands, "Stop it! You're going to make me throw up!"

When Edward finally sets me back down, he keeps his hands at my hips, "Seriously, that was just wrong."

"Nah, that was me helping you find some trouble." I further taunt, then pull on his arm to run us behind a concession stand after I see a beam of light heading our way.

"Shhhh!" I warn through my teeth, "Security. Stay low."

"You're going to get me arrested tonight aren't you?"

I cover his mouth with my hand, "No worries. I have an uncle with connections." I softly explain as I smile sweetly into his slightly panicked eyes.

He slowly shakes his head, then reaches up to grab at my wrist, and lowers my arm down to my side.

I suck back a deep breath when he takes his other hand to cup the side of my face and leans in to close the gap between us.

"There are much better ways to shut me up, Bella."

His challenge is obvious, but I'm still not ready to accept.

Nope.

Not yet.

As soon as the guard is gone, I jump and pull on his hand again to take off behind the VIP tents, bringing us closer to the main stage. "Hurry! We have about five minutes before he'll come back around," I warn with a returned grin.

"Do you do this every year?"

"Nah. The last time was probably three years ago with Emmett. He actually did go to jail that night."

When I look over, Edward's eyes are wide with fear, and his mouth is hanging open.

"I'm joking ya dope! Now come on! I need to do something, and then we can go."

Honestly, I can walk these fields with my eyes closed, and I'd know every stage set up, and tent because it's the exact same every damn year.

"How come you never call me Birdie?"

It's a question I've wanted to ask.

I'd only noticed it the other day, but it's been bothering me ever since.

Why it's come pouring out of my mouth right now… well, that's a mystery, but it's too late to take it back now.

"Have I earned the right to call you Birdie?"

My lips smirk, and I bump him hard with my hip even though I understand what he's saying.

There's a pretty good chance I would've bitten his head off if he had used my nickname prior to my hand accident.

"I've had the name since I was three. I'm pretty sure everyone who's known me for longer than six months uses it, so I guess you've got three months to go before I'll be able to grant you permission," I tease. "My dad started it as a joke because I'd had this obsession with climbing trees, and the light rafters whenever my parents would stop paying attention to me for a few minutes. Then my mom said I kind of grew into it with my non-grounded personality. To be totally honest, we've never really talked about it much. I think it's probably far too deep of a metaphor for us to discuss at this point in my life, but I get it. Maybe when they're on their deathbed… maybe then they'll finally fill me in."

Edward chuckles lightly and jumps over a puddle, "I've actually been working on my own nickname for you."

I glance over, feeling thankful for the night sky and the fact that it's hiding the way he's turned my cheeks a dark shade of red again.

"You better make it good," I warn while wishing I could straddle his body under a tree somewhere and eventually go to sleep in his arms tonight.

"Like you, I always aim to please, and I typically don't stop until I do. Especially when I find something that's worth the trouble."

My heart thumps harder against my chest, and I find it impossible to look at him, even though I can feel his eyes staring at only me.

He should just take your panties now, Birdie, because he's clearly going to be tonight's winner.

"Tomorrow is going to be nuts!" I rapidly spit out and tug at my hair.

I'm feeling beyond desperate to change the subject so he'll stop looking at me with those eyes of his that are making me want to do very bad things to his body.

"Yeah, I'm kind of jealous you'll be running around with zero responsibility while I'll be killing myself backstage. Hopefully, your dad won't work me too hard so I can sneak away and see some bands with you."

He grins when I look over at him and then runs his hand through his fluffed up hair without breaking eye contact, "Nice subject change by the way. Not at all obvious, Swan."

I have to laugh, but not because he's called me out.

No, I'm laughing because he has no idea what he's in for working a festival of this magnitude on the main stage under the direction of the Charlie Swan.

"To be totally honest, I'll probably have to kidnap you. Otherwise, my dad will ride you into the ground until the very last set each and every night."

"Whatever it takes. I'll be happy with fifteen minutes of one-on-one time with you, and a couple of thousand strangers, just so long as you let me hold your hand while we're standing in the crowd together swaying to the music."

I reach up and pinch at his cheek and then tap his nose with my finger, "You do love your danger don't you, Danger Boy? Maybe that should be my nickname for you?"

"Nah, you can do better."

He's right.

I can do better.

It's good he knows that.

When we finally get to the main stage, I look around and feel my smile grow.

Our timing couldn't be better.

Not a single flashlight is in sight.

The moment is ours to take.

"Come on! Now's our chance!"

I grab at his shirt and pull him up the steps with me and then rush us to center stage.

Tonight is the only night where this place will be zombie-like dead.

There's something about experiencing peace and quiet at the middle of an outside stage with the moon and stars above you and no one else around.

"My dad used to say if you ever needed to find yourself, this is the spot to do it. To just close your eyes, take in a deep breath, let it all out and then bring it back in until your feet can touch the ground again. "

My body backs into his chest, and I wrap his arms in front of me.

I turn us around to face the field where a massive crowd will stand tomorrow, shouting and singing toward all of the amps that are stacked and hanging above our heads.

"I love standing here, in this spot, with nothing but silence and darkness surrounding me. It's magical," I whisper with my eyes closed.

"I think you're magical."

Just as Edward finishes his adorably cheesy line, a bolt of lightning ignites the sky, and then a loud boom of thunder sends me further into his arms.

Heavy rain begins to fall hard all around us.

I don't even care.

We're soaking wet, but for the first time in my life, I have zero issues over my damp hair sticking to my face.

We stand there laughing together, looking up at the sky.

The clouds are covering my stars and the moon now.

He draws me in even deeper against him and brushes my hair from my eyes to tuck it behind my ears.

"You are so damn beautiful. Even when you look like a wet dog with eyeliner and mascara running down your face."

Yup, Edward Cullen has officially made himself a contender in my world and in doing so, he's forced me to question everything that's always given me the upper hand.

I'm so tired of fighting it.

It's time to give in.

"Shut up and kiss me, Cullen."

I reach up to grab at the back of his neck, and then I slowly guide his mouth toward mine.

My fingers get lost in his soaked hair, and I smile into his pretty green eyes just before our lips are about to meet.

We notice the security guards who are running our way, but we don't blink or turn to make an escape.

Nope.

This is our trouble, and for now, he's who I've chosen to be in trouble with.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Progress has been made, but what will it mean? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

**Reviews make me smile!**

As thanks, I've shared an outtake from Edward's POV that will pick up at the exact moment when the security guards catch up to B & E.

You can find it under; Roadies Outtakes on my profile.

*wink*

(Chapter 10 will pick up bright and early the next morning.)

In other exciting news, Two Makes Three, Two Makes Five, Nothing Gold Ever Stays and myself have all been nominated for various things in the Twi-Fic Fandom Awards for 2018, which is absolutely amazing!

If you love those stories and enjoy my writing please consider hopping over to cast a vote.