A/N: So sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out to you. It's all Sarita's fault for being out of town for two weeks.

Thanks to our awesome friends and prereaders Caz, Keye and Sandy and the talented Jess (jkane180) for sharing her beta skills with us.

For those of you who didn't donate to the Fandom4SAA, there's a special teaser offer in our A/N at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 9

~Some Things Never Change~

~*Bella*~

While Charlie grills Edward and generally makes an ass of himself, I watch with fascination. With Edward's full attention on my father, I'm free to ogle him without fear of being observed.

Edward is always stunning, but in that suit... I'm left speechless. Despite the fact that Charlie is hell bent on giving Edward a hard time, I can tell that he's impressed with him. Charlie can appreciate a man who dresses nice, brings flowers, and is brave enough to face down the Chief of Police while he's cleaning a weapon.

When Charlie calls Edward 'Edwin,' I have the urge to cuff him on the back of the head—just like the five year old he's behaving like. But Edward takes that in stride as well, never missing a beat.

As I lean in the doorway, my mind drifts, and the voices of the two men that matter most to me are just white noise. My eyes are riveted on Edward—his smooth-shaven jaw, the tilt of his head, his green eyes burning with intensity over something he's telling my father—and once again, I thank God that I have a second chance with him. My attraction to him is stronger than ever, and my fingers itch to touch him, to tangle in that hair—yeah, he still has sex hair. I've always been fascinated by his long fingers running through it, which is an unconscious habit he has when he's deep in thought, frustrated, or nervous. My thoughts turn to how I want those long fingers all over me, and I press my legs together as a blush blooms over my chest and face.

Throwing off my inappropriate thoughts, I move closer to Edward's chair to stand beside him. I'm thankful he didn't notice me gaping at him; it would likely just distract him from dealing with my annoying father.

As I come back to reality, I catch the tail end of what Edward is saying to Charlie. "...earlier today, in fact. There's something about Bella that just holds me captive every time we're together. It's hard to explain; the term I used earlier—to my father, when he asked me this same question—was that she's my 'it' girl."

"Your 'it' girl?" Charlie booms with a scathing look.

"Yes, sir." Edward's Adam's apple bobs slowly as he answers.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Charlie snaps.

"Dad," I chide. He's really taking this too far, and I can feel the heat as my face turns a deeper shade of red. How old am I?

Edward squeezes my hand in his—even while he's being run through the wringer by my father, he's concerned about me.

Charlie continues with his third degree, questioning if Tanya was also an 'it' girl. Edward bites the bullet and admits that Tanya was wrong for him, that he never should have reached the altar with her. I'm so glad to hear him say that because it's been on my mind. A part of me did love Mike, but the longer we were together, the more apparent it became that I was never going to be in love with him. But Edward... he made it all the way up to the 'I do' part, and if I hadn't stood up, he'd be in Fiji right now, lying on a beach with Tanya—making love to his new wife. I've been trying to ignore this thought when it creeps up on me, but it's there. Maybe I just need some time.

"Hm. You seem to have all the right answers," Charlie says, and he almost seems disappointed that there are no heads to crack.

I try to hold back a grin as Edward's lips turn up at the corners; one thing my father doesn't like is feeling as though he's being laughed at.

Charlie gives Edward the 'she's my baby girl' speech—cringe—and then for the ultimate embarrassment, he does his best de Niro impression. I'm mortified, and I'd like nothing better than to curl into a ball and disappear. Thankfully, Edward has a great sense of humor.

"Holy shit. You weren't kidding about Focker," Edward murmurs as soon as Charlie has left the room.

"Told you." I giggle. Plopping down onto Edward's lap, I reassure him that he did fine, and my father was suitably impressed. Edward finally hands me the bouquet of flowers he's been clutching in one hand or the other since he got here. They're in remarkably good condition considering the workout he's been giving them. They're a mix of colorful wildflowers, my favorite—although Edward would have no way of knowing that.

Edward pulls me in for a kiss, and my heart starts thundering in my chest. Before we have a chance to deepen it, Charlie clears his throat loudly from the kitchen doorway. "Ahem! Watching you, Edwin," he repeats, pointing his fingers between them again.

Rolling my eyes, I suggest we go before my father finds some other way to embarrass me. I tug Edward by the hand, leading him past my father. As we go by, I smack my father in the chest with the flowers, and he instinctively catches them. "Would you mind taking care of these for me, Jack?"

"Jack?"

I glare at my father, who quickly understands that I'm referencing 'Meet the Parents,' which is one of his favorite movies. He has an unhealthy obsession with Jack Byrnes, believes he's the best thing to come on the scene since sliced bread. Did he really think he was fooling anyone with that de Niro impression?

Edward and I walk out the door, and I see an unfamiliar car sitting out front. It's sleek and black with tinted windows. Totally hot. My mind could go so many places right now... but I find myself still annoyed with my father.

"Edward..." I stop walking, tugging back on his hand "...do you mind waiting out here for just a sec?"

He turns to look at me—those eyes!—and I forget for a moment why I wanted to go back inside.

"Sure, Bella. Did you forget something?"

"Yes. I forgot to demand respect." I set my jaw and walk away, leaving Edward with his mouth hanging part way open.

I march back into the house, slamming the front door. Charlie has already taken up his post in the wing-back chair—beer in hand and bag of chips close by—waiting for the game to start. He looks up, startled as I stride in front of the TV and turn it off.

"Bells! What the –" He stops when he sees my expression, immediately looking contrite. "Come on, Bella... you know I can't let you go with just anybody."

"There's just one problem with this whole thing, Dad. I'm not seventeen anymore!" I hiss through gritted teeth.

My mind drifts back to the way he scared Mike when we were about to start dating.

Mike came to pick me up, and I brought him into the kitchen to meet Charlie—who just happened to be cleaning his service pistol at the table. Mike paled immediately and started stuttering.

"H-Hi, Chief S-Swan. Sir." He gulped loudly.

"So, you think you're good enough to take my daughter out, huh?" Charlie asked, squinting his eye through the site of his gun.

"No, sir." Mike shook his head. "I mean, yes, sir. I – I, um..."

Charlie tipped back his chair, balancing it on two legs, and stared hard at Mike while rubbing his jaw. He stared until Mike turned pale and clammy... and then stared some more.

"So are you or are you not good enough for Bella?"

"Pr-probably not, sir, but I really like her, and I promise to do my best to be worthy of her."

Charlie seemed to like that answer, and he patted the chair next to him. "Take a seat, son. I'll show you how to put a service revolver back together..."

Snapping back to the present, I see Charlie gaping at me. "Come on, Bella. Cut your old man some slack."

"No."

"I'll try to be nicer to Edwin next time, okay?"

I glare at him, and the twinkle in his eye lets me know he's well aware that he called Edward by the wrong name again.

"Dad, you need to respect that I'm an adult now. I'm old enough to make my own choices, and you need to trust in me."

"I do trust you, Bells—it's everyone else that I find suspect. Chalk it up to the cop in me, okay? If Edward can't take a little ribbing from your old man, then he's not worth it."

I realize this is the best I'm going to get from Charlie right now, and I don't want to leave Edward standing outside any longer than necessary. With a final warning look, I turn the TV back on and give Charlie a wave.

"What time do you think you'll be home?"

"I have no idea. Maybe not at all," I answer with a cocked eyebrow and a hand on my hip, my flashing eyes daring him to say something.

Charlie remains stoic; he simply nods and takes a long draw off his can of beer.

Point goes to me.

Making my way down the front walk, I take in the sight of Edward leaning against the sleek sports car, looking like a model off the cover of GQ. Again, I'm struck by how handsome he is.

"Is everything okay, Bella?"

As I reach him, he takes my hand in his. He's always touching me, and I love that. It embarrasses me that I crave his hands on me all the time—in a way, I still fear he's going to disappear, that I'll wake up to find out he really did marry Tanya and belongs to her now.

"Yeah. I just needed to clarify a few facts with my dad. Let's get to our date; I don't want Charlie's bad behavior to ruin our evening."

Edward smirks, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "Nothing's going to ruin our evening, Bella. Your father loves you—he just wants to make sure you're okay."

"He had no right to treat you that way, though! Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?"

Edward brings our joined hands up to his lips, kissing my knuckles, which sends shivers of pleasure all through me. My breath catches, and my heart begins to pound. He has the same exact effect on me he did in high school. His sexy green gaze meets mine over my hand, and I know I'm in big trouble. My feelings for Edward are moving too fast, I'm too attached, and I'm afraid to get my heart broken again.

Once we're both settled into the buttery soft leather seats of the car, he pulls slowly away from the curb. As we turn the next corner, he takes off like a bat out of hell, and I'm forced to hold on for dear life.

"Whoa! Somebody is a speed demon..." I look at him askance.

"Yes, well, Emmett rarely lets me drive the Vanquish, so I intend to fully enjoy the experience. Plus, I'm dating the Police Chief's daughter—he wouldn't throw me in jail, right?" Edward's lips pull up into a smirk.

"I wouldn't count on that..." I snicker. "Charlie is opposed to favoritism."

We drive for a few minutes, a comfortable silence between us, and this is another thing I love about Edward—I feel at ease with him even when we're not speaking. His thumb rubs gently over the back of my hand, keeping the electricity flowing.

"So, where are we going?" I ask curiously.

"It's a surprise."

"But I don't like surprises!" I pout.

"I think you'll like this one." Edward sounds confident.

He's already one hundred percent accurate—I don't care what we do as long as we do it together. Togetherness reminds me of all the issues we have to work through—such as living several states away from each other. I try not to allow insecurities about our living arrangements room to creep in. During Spring Break, we can see each other whenever we want, but after these few weeks are up, reality will come crashing down. He'll have to go back to Dartmouth... where Tanya is. And I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. My body stiffens, and Edward glances over at me when he feels the tension between our joined hands.

Before I know it, he's pulling to the side of the road and putting the car in park. Unbuckling the seat belt, Edward turns to face me, tightening his grip on my hand. He looks down at me—yes, even in the car, he's so much taller than I am—and his eyes are slightly troubled.

"Bella, I owe you an apology, and I want to get it out of the way before we continue our date."

"Apology? For what?"

"For, um... climbing into bed with you during the night. That was inappropriate."

"Well, if it was, then I enjoy being inappropriate. I can't deny that I was happy to wake up during the night wrapped up in your arms, Edward. Does that make me horrible?"

Edward swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing slowly. He seems surprised by my response, as if he was expecting something completely different. Reaching his other hand up, he caresses my face lightly. "There's nothing horrible about you, Bella Swan."

His fingers elicit zings of electricity under my skin, and my heart starts to pound. How can the simple touch of someone's fingers have such a physiological effect on me? But they're not just any fingers—I've never been affected by anyone like this before—this is all Edward.

He tilts his head, still touching my face and continues. "I couldn't sleep last night. All I could think about was you. My only intention was to check on you, but when I saw you... I couldn't stop myself from slipping under the covers. Once I felt your warmth, there was no way I could tear myself away."

"I forgive you, Edward—on one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you promise to do it again some time." Grabbing the hand that's touching my face, I place a kiss in his palm.

I hear Edward's indrawn breath, and his eyes darken. I love the way his eyes darken with strong emotion—right now, I'm thrilled that it's passion and not anger that's the cause.

Edward cups my face in his hands, bringing his lips so very close to mine that we're breathing the same breath. "I promise," he whispers.

And then there's a moment that seems to stretch on forever, even though in actuality it's only seconds. His mouth is hovering there, right over mine, and I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. All thoughts are quiet as I wait with anticipation for his kiss—I've only felt anticipation of this magnitude one other time in my life—the night of the party, in Mike's backyard. Part of me knows that I'll never feel this with anyone else. If things don't work out between us, this feeling will be forever lost to me. I'm willing to take the chance, to put my heart on the line. What's that phrase people throw around? It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. I've heard it said so casually, but it's true. And that's the moment I realize that I love Edward Cullen—that I've loved him since high school. I also know that I'm going to fight for him, and I intend to win this time.

My thought process is obliterated when Edward's lips finally touch against mine. They brush across, light as a feather, and that's all it takes to melt my insides. My hands reach out, finding the crisp cotton of his shirt, the silkiness of his tie... the heavier weight material of his suit jacket. I slide my hands up into his tousled hair, reveling in how soft the strands feel between my fingers. Soft, just like Edward's touch.

He pulls me closer, his hands moving to lightly rest on my back. His kisses are still gentle little whispers fluttering against me. I want more of him. Heat builds inside me, and I clamp my thighs together.

"More, Edward," I whisper.

I don't have to ask twice.

Edward's lips move over mine, and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. The moist warmth of his tongue drags ever so slowly over my bottom lip, and I lean in closer, opening my mouth under his. He slides his tongue slowly into my mouth, teasing it against mine.

My fingers tighten their grip on his hair. I feel so much, and I don't know what to do with it. I feel torn—part of me has loved Edward for four long years, while the other part is vulnerable and scared because this is so new.

Gentle little kisses are pressed along my jaw until I feel his warm breath in my ear. "Relax, Bella. I know this is hard, but I'm here—and I'm going to be here."

"I know that, Edward. I do."

His tongue lightly traces the shell of my ear, and sensations explode through me that I've only ever felt just before climaxing. Is it possible to have an orgasm by having your ear licked? Your lips kissed? I'm embarrassed when I hear a soft moan, and I realize it's coming from me.

"Bella, I know we just found each other again, but I want you to know you mean so much to me. Just being near you the past few days made me realize that what I had with Tanya was a sham. Even if she hadn't turned out to be a lying, scheming bitch, I never felt for her a fraction of what I feel for you."

"Why did you stay with her... you were going to marry her, Edward." It's something that's been on my mind, and since he brought it up, I ask.

Edward sighs deeply. "I settled. I thought you were lost to me, so I settled for Tanya. It's pathetic, but it's all the explanation I have, Bella."

"I settled, too," I remind him.

"No." Edward shakes his head. "Not the way I did. Even without knowing the truth, you were leaving Mike. Maybe it's something inside me that doesn't want to look like the family fuck up. Everyone in my family is happily paired off, and perhaps I wanted to belong instead of being on the outside. I just don't know." Pulling back, he grinds the heels of his hands against his eyes.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You can't turn back the clock—all we have is what's before us. I want nothing more than to move forward with you, Edward. I'm not making any judgments—I don't see how that would help anything, do you?"

"That's what I want, too, Bella." He takes my hands in his. "I want to spend time with you, get to know you—I want to snuggle up behind you and fall asleep with you in my arms more often."

My breathing hitches. "Oh..." This man will be the death of me yet with the way he makes my heart do all these funny little flip-flops.

"I don't mean anything sexual by that—although, I can't deny... well..." For the first time, I see Edward turn as red as a tomato.

I put a finger up to his lips to stop him. "It's okay. I understand exactly what you're saying, and there's nothing I'd like more. I haven't slept so well in..." I hesitate, looking down before finishing, "...a really long time." Truthfully, it's been four years, but I just don't feel comfortable telling him so.

A crooked grin spreads across Edward's face. "Me, too," he whispers. "A long time."

We're in silent agreement to continue on our date now that we have some of the heavy stuff out of the way. With the tension gone, the rest of the ride is pleasant. Edward pulls me in close, holding me against his side as he drives, and I lay my head on his shoulder, feeling content.

On the drive, I tell him about my initial conversation with Charlie and how Mrs. Stanley informed my father that I was carrying Edward's love child. Edward nearly chokes, but when he sees that I don't mind, he laughs loudly—the first honest-to-goodness belly laugh I've ever heard from him. By the time he stops the car, I'm nearly in tears, doubled over and gasping for breath. When I describe Charlie with the sombrero perched on his head, we laugh even harder.

"Here we are," Edward says when our laughter has calmed.

We're parked near the docks in Port Angeles. Then I see a white sign with fancy blue writing.

~Port Angeles Dinner Cruises~

Fine Dining and Dancing

~Reservations Required~

"No way!"

"Do you like boats?" Edward raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, my God... I've always wanted to go on one of these!" I squeal, throwing myself into his arms.

"I'll take that as a yes."

~SN~

~*Edward*~

I suspected that Bella would be amenable to the cruise—considering the rumors around town that her father is an avid fisherman; surely she practically grew up on a boat—but her reaction is even better than I hoped. As she throws herself into my arms, I make a mental note to thank Alice—again—for giving up her tickets for me, especially considering I spent most of the day avoiding my family, save for Emmett. Alice really came through for me this time, though. I carefully set Bella down on her feet, taking care to keep our hands joined.

We approach the boat, and I remove the tickets from the inner pocket of my suit jacket, handing them to the man standing on the shore. "Welcome aboard," he says, gesturing us onto the dock that leads to the ship and handing me the ticket stubs back.

"Thank you," I reply, placing my hand gently on the small of Bella's back, guiding her onto the boat.

Though the vessel isn't huge, the décor is reminiscent of the Titanic. Everything seems to be carefully planned in an old-world style, and it's done well. The main floor is completely enclosed, but there are several windows on either side of the ship which let in plenty of natural light. Since it's late March, Daylight Savings Time has already started, so it won't be dark for at least two more hours. Half of the room is taken up with round tables, each with eight chairs; the other half is open, and there's a small stage in one corner, where the band will eventually set up for the live music portion of the evening. The open area is designed for dancing, according to Alice.

There are low hanging lights, one over each table, which aren't currently turned on. I suspect that as the sun sets, they'll adjust the artificial lighting to compensate. Each table is dressed with a white linen tablecloth, and each place is set with what appears to be sterling silverware and crystal goblets—no plates.

Several of the chairs are already full; a quick glance at my watch tells me that the cruise starts in five minutes. "Shall we find our seats?" I murmur to Bella, wrapping my arm around her waist and holding her close to me.

She looks up at me, and her eyes are sparkling with what I think is anticipation. "Yes," she replies, and it's apparent that she's reigning in her excitement. She seems to be walking a fine line between wanting to squeal like a little girl and being mature. I smirk at her, pleased to see that our first date is obviously such a hit. Couldn't have planned it better myself.

I glance down at the ticket stubs still in my hand, make note of our seat assignments, and slip the stubs into my jacket pocket. We walk side by side across the room to the tabled area, and I scan the placards at each place, finding our seats quickly. There's a handsome elderly couple at the table already, and they both smile warmly at us as I pull out Bella's chair, then help her scoot back in once she's seated.

"Thank you," she says quietly, smiling at me as I sit next to her.

"My pleasure," I reply just as quietly, holding her hand on my thigh underneath the table.

"Welcome aboard the Port Angeles Dinner Cruise, ladies and gentlemen. If you could find your seats please," a loud voice booms over the speaker system. "We'll be departing in three minutes, and your waiters and waitresses will be serving the food shortly thereafter."

There's a flurry of movement all around the cabin at that point as the people standing on the dance floor talking begin to disperse, coming over to the tabled area. When everyone on the ship is seated, I look around and see that it's only about three-quarters full; our table is empty save for the elderly couple and us. At the table furthest from us, I spot Lauren Mallory sitting with a young man I don't recognize. Sighing internally, I hope she won't cause any problems for us later. In high school, Lauren and Tanya were close friends. They stayed in touch during college, despite having attended different schools, and the only reason she wasn't a bridesmaid in the wedding yesterday was because Tanya had three sisters, and she wanted everything exactly symmetrical for the wedding. I had exactly three men I'd wanted standing up there with me—no more, no less. I know Lauren was in the congregation yesterday afternoon, though.

"What's wrong?" Bella whispers; apparently she noticed me tense at the sight of Lauren.

"No—" I cut myself off. Nothing isn't the truth, and we've promised that we're going to work extra hard not to keep anything from each other—we have enough to work through without lying. "Not nothing. Lauren Mallory is on this cruise. She's one of Tanya's closest friends, and she was at the wedding yesterday."

Bella's eyes widen as she inhales sharply. "Do you think she's going to say anything to us? Should we get off the boat now, just avoid any confrontation altogether?"

"No," I state firmly. "I don't give a damn who sees us, Bella. Even if it does get back to Tanya, I couldn't have been clearer with her that it's over between us. Besides, it's not like she hasn't figured out that you and I are moving forward together. I mean, I kissed you in front of her, remember?" I smirk down at her, and Bella blushes a violent shade of red.

"Yes, I remember that quite clearly." Her eyes drop to her lap, and her blush deepens at the memory.

"Hey." I reach over with my free hand and lift her chin until she's looking at me again. "I'm serious. Don't even think about her, okay? Tonight's all about us. Just you and me."

She smiles and nods.

We're approached by a waiter then, and he places dinner plates in front of each of us. I expected this; Alice told me that food orders were placed in advance, so we were eating her choices. Regardless of the fact that I didn't technically choose it, the food looks amazing; the waiter returns less than a minute later with an offer to fill our wineglasses. Bella and I both agree quickly. I don't know about her, but knowing that Lauren is here makes me feel like I need the wine tonight. I don't want to spoil the evening by being uptight about Tanya's friend, and a bit of alcohol will keep me relaxed.

Our conversation is hushed, as is that of the other couple. They seem to be simply enjoying each other's company just as Bella and I are, so I'm not offended that they don't talk to us, nor do I feel the need to speak up and bother them. To an outsider listening in, the conversation might sound unimportant and inconsequential, but to us, nothing else matters. The time is spent learning things about each other that we would have known had we not had four years stolen from us. I didn't even realize that I had no idea where she was going to college (Florida State) or what she was studying (early childhood education). It strikes me as odd that the only two women I ever dated even remotely seriously are both aspiring teachers. I even wonder for a brief moment just how badly Emmett is going to rib me about being 'hot for teachers.' Her favorite color is green, though she blushes when answering that particular question. I make a mental note to find out why later. Whether intentional or not, serious conversation—things like what will happen at the end of spring break when school starts up again—is avoided.

When the food is gone and the wait staff has cleared the tables, a brass quartet takes the tiny stage. The music is loud and lively, and I have a strong desire to dance with Bella. Other couples have already vacated their seats and made their way to the dance floor, so I turn to Bella. "Dance with me?" I ask.

She looks hesitant for about half a second before a huge grin breaks out over her face, and she places her hand in mine. "I'd love to dance with you."

I lead her to the dance floor and, holding her hand above her head, twirl her around once before pulling her close to me and leading her in a simple swing dance. It's been years since I've used these dance steps, but they come back to me quickly, and by the end of the second song, it's like Bella and I have been dancing together for years. We move together flawlessly, and the smile doesn't leave either of our faces during the next three songs, either. The band finally slows down for the sixth song, and I happily pull Bella close for a more intimate dance.

I lean my forehead against hers, not talking, just holding her flush against me and swaying to the music. There are no words necessary now; we've done so much talking over the past thirty-six hours that I really just want to feel like a normal couple for awhile. I know in the back of my mind that we're far from done as far as working through things, but tonight's not the time for reliving the drama again.

"What are you thinking?" I ask about halfway through the song, because I'm honestly curious. I want to know everything I can about her, want to learn what makes her Bella.

"That I hope you'll kiss me again," she says quietly, gazing up into my eyes through her lashes. I can barely hear her over the live music, but I'm sure that's what she's said.

"Well, who am I to deny such a wish?" I smirk at her then lean down slowly, covering her mouth with mine. Her hands, which are wrapped around my neck for dancing, drift upward, tangling in my hair and holding me in place. The grip is unnecessary—there's nowhere else I'd rather be at this moment—but welcome nonetheless. Our lips move together, slowly at first. When Bella's tongue peeks out and sweeps against my bottom lip, I'm done. After my embarrassing slip up earlier tonight, in which I essentially told her that I was anxious to sleep with her—and not just in the literal sense—I'm especially self-conscious of my body's reactions to her. It's completely involuntary, but I still don't want to even remotely imply—verbally or otherwise—that sex is the only thing on my mind. Because this time it's her making the first move to deepen the kiss, I grow hard almost instantly. When I'm the one making the moves, it's easier to keep my body under control. Now, though, I have to take half a step back, which to be perfectly honest, is the last thing I want to do. I'm unwilling to risk pushing Bella, though.

I keep my position of not-quite-touching-below-the-waist while our tongues do a kind of intimate dance of their own, independent from the dancing the rest of our bodies are doing.

"Oh, God," she mumbles, pulling away from me, and I swear, it looks like she's squirming. She's panting, resting her head on my chest. All I want is to grind against her, but I refrain—how, I'm not entirely sure.

Ice water, baseball, Mom, Dad, Em, Alice, Aunt Gertrude… wait, I don't have an Aunt Gertrude… The fact that the elusive Aunt Gertrude doesn't exist is okay—the mere thought of her is enough to get my erection under control, and I step closer to Bella again.

The next sound I hear is more effective than images of Aunt Gertrude at eliminating all thoughts of sex from my mind and body.

"Well, well, well. You certainly move fast, don't you, Edward?"

I sigh heavily. Rather than address the comment, I simply address the speaker. "Lauren." Though I'm speaking to Lauren, I haven't turned away from Bella.

She tenses in my arms, looking into my eyes with what can only be described as fear. It's okay, I mouth.

"So it's true, then?" Lauren asks, ignoring the silent conversation Bella and I have just had.

I pull Bella somehow closer to me, feeling the need to protect her right now. Tearing my eyes away from her, I look over at Lauren, who's standing with the same man I saw her with at the table earlier. They're not dancing, and he looks as uncomfortable as Bella.

"What's true?" I'm not entirely sure why I'm engaging her; I must be a masochist.

"That you left Tanya because you knocked up Bella," Lauren sneers. Her date's mouth falls open, and he looks mortified at her accusations.

Bella gasps, and I tighten my grip around her. "No," I state flatly. There's no reason to elaborate. I'm already pissed at having allowed myself to get sucked into this conversation in the first place, and I'm not going to offer a single word beyond what's necessary. The sooner I can shut Lauren down, the happier I'll be. It doesn't hurt that Bella's already heard this rumor—thanks to Mrs. Stanley and the Chief. The fact that we laughed at it already tonight has somehow prepared me for dealing with the accusation now.

"Why else would you—"

I cut her off. "Lauren, it's none of your business. You can tell Tanya whatever you want about this little encounter—and I'm sure you'll tell her plenty—but we're done here." Hugging Bella close to my body, I twirl her away from Lauren and the mystery man.

"Wow, that rumor's really gotten around," Bella says when we're out of earshot of Lauren.

"Never underestimate the power of the town gossip," I reply, grinning down at her to let her know that it's not her I'm mad at.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the same voice from before booms over the loudspeaker again. "The band is going to take a thirty minute break. We invite you to the upper deck during this time to watch the sunset over Port Angeles Harbor."

"Do you want to watch the sunset?" I ask Bella. Honestly, I don't care whether we go up to the top deck or stay here, just as long as we're together.

"Sure," she replies with a smile.

Most of the group has opted to go up, so we follow the crowd. The upper deck is open and much roomier than the dinner and dancing area. While it hadn't felt crowded down thereper se, it's even less so here. We make our way to the edge of the ship and stand side by side, leaning against the safety railing and looking out over the water while we hold hands.

With our fingers intertwined, I mindlessly bring Bella's knuckles up to my lips, ghosting a kiss across them. I can somehow feel her smile without needing to look at her.

"Beautiful," she murmurs, looking out over the strait.

I turn to face her, the sunset forgotten. "Yes, you are," I whisper back.

We stand there silently until the sun has fallen behind the horizon, Bella watching the sun, me watching Bella. She shivers, wrapping her arms around herself. Recognizing that she's gotten a chill from the lack of direct sun, I swiftly remove my jacket, step behind her, and drape it over her shoulders, rubbing her upper arms to warm her with the friction. At one point, there's a collective gasp from everyone on the upper deck. The sunset over the water is stunning, I must admit that. I've never been much of a sunset-watching type of guy, but in this moment, I know that I want to watch all of my sunsets with Bella by my side. The realization is somewhat of a shock to me—what does it mean that I don't ever want to be away from Bella? The only thought that comes to mind is love. But how is that possible? For all intents and purposes, I've only really known Bella since yesterday. I never took the time to get to know her well in high school, and we went to different colleges. I can't possibly be in love with her. Not yet. I can definitely see myself falling in love with her, but settling or not, I was ready to marry someone else yesterday. Besides, no one will believe me if I tell them that I'm in love with Bella.

A memory flashes through my mind—a daydream, really. Standing at the front of the church yesterday and imagining myself lying on a warm, sunny beach with Bella. Was my mind trying to tell me even then that I loved her? Between my thoughts just moments ago and the memory of the beach daydream, I realize that, ready or not, I've been in love with Bella since the first time I laid eyes on her when she was a transfer student in the twelfth grade. From the very first time I saw her blush, I was a goner. That's why it hurt so badly when I saw her kissing Mike at the party. Ironically, I think that's also why I ignored her the rest of the school year. If I hadn't been in love with Bella, I wouldn't have cared.

"What's wrong?" she asks, reaching up to rub my forehead smooth. "You look worried."

"Do I?" I muse. This new policy of openness and honesty is great, but regardless of that, I can't tell her the mental process I just went through. It's way too soon. I blink and look down at her. "I'm not worried. Quite the opposite, actually." I smile my reassurance at her. It's true, too. I've never been less worried about anything in my life.

~SN~

A/N: So, what do we think now? As always, we love to hear the reactions of our awesome readers. Just an FYI... we will be pushing the story ahead a bit after their date. We realize that all of this story has taken place within a span of a few days so far, but it will be moving in a new direction in the next few chapters.

Thanks so much for reading! Reviewers will receive a teaser for the next chapter. Please note that if you have PMs disabled, you won't be able to receive review replies/teasers.

Sarita has entered the TWCS Original Fic contest with her story 'The Weight of Roses.' The summary is listed on this profile. Here's a link: h t t p : / / tinyurl . com / 6f9ewhy The prologue and first two chapters are up, and the next chapter will be posted in the next day or so. She also has a fairly new one-shot out called 'In the Wings' which was nom'd for Best Romance and Best Bella/Edward in The Single Shot Awards. I'd like to thank everyone for the awesome response to the story.

Wendy's new story 'Music of the Heart' is out. As her beta, and having read the first several chapters, I say you need to put her on your author alerts. It's an AH, E/B story with James as his usual lovely self.

**To read a Tanya POV teaser from our outtake 'Penitence and Retribution,' which we donated for the Fandom4SAA, you can take a look on Sarita or Wendy's blog. The entire outtake will be available after August 1st for those who did not receive the entire compilation by donating.

www . saritadreaming . wordpress . com

www . wmr1601 . wordpress . com