Waking up to Bella was the best fucking thing on the entire planet. Seriously, I woke up with her warm body pressed against mine, and the scent of her all around me. I could think of nothing better. Okay, well – I could think of one thing better, but you know what I mean.

I couldn't resist kissing the exposed skin at the back of her neck. I didn't even try. I kissed the back of her neck and then went to the bathroom. When I got back to the bedroom, I was surprised to find that she was awake. Then she ran past me for her own bathroom time.

I got back in bed and made myself comfortable, thinking that when she came back from the bathroom, I'd be able to entice her into some – for lack of a better word – cuddle time. She wasn't having it, though, and decided that she wanted to get dressed instead. It was amusing to watch her frantically search her room for her jersey. She seemed grateful enough when I pointed it out to her, and then I'd told her to come back to bed.

I hadn't missed the way she'd hesitated, how her face had flushed, or how she'd bitten her lip – or how tempted she'd looked. After some not-so-subtle suggestiveness from me, she'd bolted. Fuck. Did she think I was teasing her? I wasn't joking in the least. I would really rather skip the game, if it meant being in bed with her all day – whether we were sleeping or otherwise occupied.

When she re-entered the bedroom, I fought not to comment on her clothes. Her ass looked fan-fucking-tastic in those tight pants, and I could see every curve of it. I could also see through the tiny holes of the jersey that she was wearing something yellow underneath. Good to see that I wasn't the only superstitious fan around here. She still looked skittish though, so I asked if I could use her shower.

After the quickest fucking shower known to humankind, I followed the sound of Mumford & Sons to the kitchen. I watched her silently for a few minutes, admiring the fluidity of her movements around the kitchen. Then when I was ready to announce my presence, I sang to my two favorite lines of the song.

Pay attention, baby. These words are meant for you, because you already have my heart, whether you realize it or not.

Why won't she look at me? It looks like she's zoned out and gone somewhere else completely, because when I speak, she doesn't even blink. I have to ask her again before her head jerks around. I stand there and watch her, just because I like to watch her move. I don't even taste the soda she hands me, because I'm so distracted by her.

Then she's staring at the picture of us, and I can't pass up a chance to get close to her. I lean forward and barely brush the outer shell of her ear with my bottom lip as I speak. I don't miss the shudder that passes through her.

She needs to realize that we are a perfect fit. The photo speaks a thousand words. We look fucking spectacular together. Why not drive the point home and get some pictures of us together in our Steelers jerseys?

She seems surprised and a little reluctant at my suggestion, but I persist. When she pretends to search for a camera, I see my opening, and I pat her down, too. I take the chance and grab her ass, pretending to check her nonexistent back pockets.

Then she suggests taking her pants off. And because I would really, really love that, I tell her the truth – I wish she would. She gives me a highly surprised look, and so I offer to help her get rid of them, to prove my sincerity. Fuck, she looks like she's actually considering it – fuck me, please. Yes and thank you.

And then the stupid fucking timer goes off, and ruins the moment. Cockblockers aren't just limited to being my sister; apparently appliances can do it, too. Who knew?

I don't let the timer deflect me, though, and pester her again to take pictures. She looks hesitant, but she finally agrees and suggests going upstairs. I follow her up the stairs and unabashedly watch her ass the entire time – how can I not? It's right in front of my face, and it's being hugged so nicely by the pants she's wearing. She should consider herself lucky that I don't just lean forward and bite it like I really want to.

I must not have really looked at this room when I was up here yesterday – I didn't notice all of the Steelers paraphernalia. Not sure how I missed it, because the room was covered in it. I approve. I'm sure that if Emmett ever sees this room, he will tell her that I fought with him to try and cover the living room of our apartment in black and gold. Unfortunately, he didn't go for it – but I managed to hold him off of his weird teal color, too, so I considered that a win. This was definitely a girl after my own heart.

She sat down on the couch, and I sat down beside her and quickly snuffed out the space between us. I put my arm around her and started snapping away. Yeah, I definitely had a thing for pictures of me and my girl.

Not the tickling… shit! She looked so happy, though – she was smiling that mischievous smile of hers, I couldn't not let her do it. But I could beg her, and remind her that I didn't mind begging, if that's what it took.

And when the moment arose and I had a chance to kiss her – fuck if I wasn't going to take it. I went slow, trying to give her a chance to back out, if that's what she wanted, but she stayed put.

Fucking miraculous. The first time our mouths touched, it was nothing short of fucking miraculous. I was in so deep already, it wasn't even funny. Our lips were barely touching, and already she owned me. When her hands grabbed the front of my jersey and pulled me closer, I felt dizzy. Crazy with want already, I plunged my hands into her hair and opened my mouth to catch her bottom lip between mine. I knew I was shaking, but I could feel that she was, too. Was it at all possible that this kiss was affecting her the same way it was me?

I could have stayed like that all day. Hell, I could've stayed like that for the rest of my fucking life, and died a happy fucker. Over and over I captured her lips with mine, and every time I did, I felt sparks. Every time our lips parted and then came back together, I felt it shoot all the way down to my toes. I would never have believed that something so simple as a kiss could make me feel like this; it never had with anyone I'd ever been with before. Not even Tanya. If I was this gone over a kiss, what was I going to be like for sex with Bella? My whole body heated at the thought.

I touched her lip with my tongue, and she opened to me immediately. I thought briefly of the way a flower opens to the sun, and then I was lost. Fuck, if this was what kissing was supposed to be like all the time, I had been missing out for many, many years. I felt cheated.

She pulled away from me, and I watched as she pressed her palms to her cheeks. Fuck. That blush was so fucking enticing. Screw the doorbell shit – let's just ignore them and see where this goes. I don't even care about the fucking game anymore, and that's saying something.

But Bella took the opening, and ran away again. One of these times, I was going to corner her so she couldn't run away, and see what happened then. I went downstairs and planted myself on the sofa, trying not to look too smug about what had just happened – so far, it was definitely the best few minutes of my life.

When Bella came back with Alice behind her, I tried to tone down my satisfied expression. Alice knew better, and Bella ran to the kitchen.

"Edward," she hissed, as soon as Bella was out of sight. "What the hell is going on? I thought you were dead- you haven't answered any texts or phone calls, and that's just not like you."

"I've been here the whole time," I said, shaking my head at her. "You knew that. Sorry that I was otherwise occupied. What was so important that you felt the need to seek me out?"

"Nothing really – I just wanted to know how things were going. Do you need any advice?" I rolled my eyes.

"Alice, I'm a big boy, in case you haven't noticed. I've been with lots of women – I think I can handle it."

"Bella's not like other women, Edward," she said, frowning at me. "And you weren't in love with any of those other women, either." I could feel my eyes widen and my mouth drop open.

"What the- have you been talking to Dad?"

"You told Dad before you told me?" she screeched. I glanced towards the kitchen, then looked back at my sister.

"I needed a male perspective. Emmett only cares about getting laid, and Jasper's so gone on you he may as well be neutered." She smacked my arm. "And I know Bella's different, for the record."

"Just be careful with her," she whispered hurriedly, hugging me. "And next time, answer your damn phone so I don't have to have Jazz drive me across town! Love you – bye!" Then she was gone. Meddling pixie. She was lucky I loved her so much.

When I went into the kitchen, Bella was pulling a beer from the fridge. She seemed skittish, and I wondered if the mood could go back to the way it was before my sister had shown up. When she turned away from me, I decided to find out if the moment had totally passed.

It hadn't.

Fuck, this girl always surprised me. I expected her to run when I'd cornered her, but she'd upped the ante on me. I pressed my lips to hers once lightly, because if I did any more than that, we were not leaving this fucking kitchen.

Fucking Christ on a cracker, she was touching my face! Soft fingertips gently explored the scruffy skin of my jaw, then my cheek; fingers turned to palms, and she was rubbing my face. My heart was beating so hard, I'm sure she heard it.

Jesus. She pressed her soft cheek against mine, and I was done. I wrapped my arms around her and held on for all I was worth. What may have seemed like a small gesture to her was a huge fucking deal to me. In some strange way in my mind, what she'd just done equaled total acceptance. She wanted every part of me. Okay, maybe she hadn't necessarily meant it to be such a meaningful gesture, but goddamn, she liked the scruff. Tanya (along with any other chick who'd gotten past the first date with me) had always hated facial hair of any kind. I had the feeling that Bella wouldn't have cared if I'd grown a full beard.

Fuck, I was so in love, it hurt.

Then she pulled away, and it was game time. Was I so whipped already that I was okay with whatever we were doing, so long as we were together? Hell fucking yes. I would probably get down on my hands and knees and bark like a fucking dog if she told me to – thank fuck she didn't know that yet.

The food smelled amazing. The view of her svelte ass was nearly a religious experience as we went upstairs. She practically ran the whole way, she was so anxious for the game. Before I'd even reached the top of the stairs, she was cursing at the TV. This was going to be a good game, I could tell.

Without even really stopping to consider whether or not it was okay to do it, I kissed her after the first touchdown.

My girl was a rabid fan. I'd known it before, but hearing her tell me and actually seeing it firsthand are two very different things. I joined her as she cussed, stomped, and threw obscene gestures at the TV. This was the most fun I'd ever had watching a football game.

She'd drank so much beer that she had to run to the bathroom. I turned and looked, and she was just standing in the middle of the doorway, smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back, and I had to ask why she was smiling.

I look good on her couch? Fuck. Me.

Did she think I looked good in her bed, too? Because I wanted to know that shit.

I've said it before – it's the little details, right?

Halftime came, and to me, that meant some more physical contact. She didn't even protest or giveme a funny look this time – no wisecracks, either. That was a good sign; she was getting more comfortable with the contact.

Fuck me. I love this easy teasing. She likes a man in black and gold, and I match the room? I'm telling her exactly how I feel when I tell her I love a woman in black and gold. I just don't specify and tell her that it's the woman sitting next to me.

Then I told her that the pants she's wearing make her ass look hot. Fuck, baby, do you really not know how good you look? I'm willing to be a little embarrassed and admit that I check out your ass all the time – then maybe you'll believe me. I won't ever lie to you. I wonder if she'll ever walk up the stairs before me again, after my admission.

Apparently I said something right, because she rewards me with a kiss. I think it was meant to be a quick peck, but I wasn't letting that happen. I deepened the kiss, hell bent on tasting her again. Goddamn but this woman could kiss – it was perfect; not too wet, not too messy, and it was turning me on beyond all fucking belief.

Then I heard the third quarter begin, and I pulled away, because I didn't think she'd want to miss any of the game. I kept my arm around her, though, and every now and then, I would rub her hip with my thumb. A few times when I did it, she shivered.

She was on her feet a few more times, cursing at the refs and the moronic commentators who kept making comments about how our O-line needed some help out there. I finally told her to come and sit down, and she made it sound like I was asking for more – and I can't resist teasing her back when she does that. She was visibly flustered, but she swung her legs over my lap anyway. Fuck, yeah.

I made the suggestion about watching the game with Emmett, and she went along with it. I was mildly surprised, considering she didn't really know my brother, but I think she'd be amenable to it if her realtor friend came too. I wondered if she realized that I'd made it sound like we were living together and about to have company, like it was an everyday thing.

Fuck, her friend is a Patriots fan? If Emmett knew that, he wouldn't have fucked her. My entire family hated the Patriots with a passion – even my mother, who knew next to nothing about football.

She seemed surprised to hear that Emmett and her friend had been fucking in the hotel room. I'd been surprised, too, the first night when I'd been woken from a good fucking dream about my girl. Trust me, it's not a pleasant thing to wake up to the sound of Emmett getting some. I didn't bother to let them know that I was awake – they probably wouldn't have cared, anyway. I shoved my earbuds in, turned my iPod up, and went back to sleep. At least they had the courtesy to do it in the shower the next night – though the water didn't act as a buffer like they'd probably hoped.

Have I mentioned how much I fucking love her laugh? I need to make her do that shit more often.

Fuck…

Did she-?

…did she actually just tell me that I could stay here? With her?

Does she realize that that meant that we'd actually be living together? Maybe not in the sense that I was thinking, but still… for a girl who was more than reluctant to be in a relationship, this was a big deal. I was so stunned, I didn't answer for a few minutes.

Once she'd said it was okay for me to start tonight, I changed the subject, because my girl was clearly uncomfortable. That only made her offer mean that much more to me. I knew she'd been uncomfortable when she'd made the offer, but she'd done it anyway, and she had no idea what that gesture said to me.

Kissing and staying over and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, we won.

The whole day had felt like one giant win for me.

I decided not to wait because I wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, so I told her I was going to run back to the hotel and get my shit. I swear to god, I sped the whole way across town to that fucking miserable hotel. I grabbed whatever I could find that looked like it might belong to me, and I shoved it into my duffel bag. Of course, most of my shit was in the giant fucking U-Haul that was sitting in the parking lot of Emmett and Jasper's new building, but it was in the same truck as the fucking office furniture they'd hauled across the country with them. I think they had two days left before they had to turn the truck in, but what the fuck ever – I had what I needed to be with my girl.

I went back upstairs and dropped my bags, and of course, there was music playing… and a fucking mouthwatering smell in the air. I went to the kitchen and had to bite back a laugh – my girl was singing and dancing.

I wanna fall like a waterfall falls

Leap like Superman can, over super tall walls

Soar like an eagle, roar like a lion

Never give up, never stop trying

Jesus Christ. My chest got tight at the sight of her.

I was so in love – I was totally fucked.

Then I announced myself, and she told me the smell was chocolate chip cookies. She didn't have to say it twice; I was all over that shit. I was going to get fucking fat from whatever she made, and I wasn't going to complain a bit.

Some chit chat back and forth, and then the fucking air is sucked from my lungs when she asks if I'm going to make a habit of sleeping in her bed with her. I asked her if she wanted me to, and because she was flustered, she turned it back on me.

I was all over that shit.

And I was not going to lie to her – because otherwise I would surprise the fuck out of her tomorrow morning when she woke up and I was right fucking there.

She surprised me again and told me that I may as well put my things in her room – so I did, before she could change her mind.

In another attempt to make her feel more comfortable after an intense moment, I asked her if she wanted to watch another game. She said yes, but I could tell she wasn't really as into it as the Steelers game. Another surprise – she sits down and rests her legs across my lap, which I fucking love. She's getting comfortable with me.

Why is she smiling at me like that? I don't know, but I like it. A lot.

The fuck? She thinks she doesn't know me? She's seen more of me than anyone else outside my family circle. I tell her that people have gotten married knowing less about each other than she knows about me, and she replies with the fucking comment. I can feel my breathing hitch, and I wonder if she notices.

Why don't we try it and see how it works, baby?

Fuck. I don't want to hear about past boyfriends, or flings, or one-night stands. I don't want to think about the fact that other men have had the chance to touch her the way only I should be able to. Clearly she's uncomfortable again, so I do my best to fix it.

Why the hell won't she tell me what song made her blush like that? I want to hear it even more now. I was honest with her – I think we have some musical vibe going on, and I just wanted to see if it was still going with the new song. She really doesn't want me to listen to it, does she?

You're not going anywhere, baby, unless it's with me to the bedroom. Fuck, my brain is about to short circuit from the feel of her on my lap.

Then she turned the fucking tables on me again. Goddamn, I love this woman. She keeps me on my toes. When I tell her the song I'd play, I see the recognition in her eyes, and I watch as realization washes over her. She must at least suspect that I've done it purposely, because her cheeks pink. Finally a moment of honest clarity from her, and then our mouths are fused together.

This is how I want to die.

Our mouths attached and her on my lap – sensory fucking overload.

Electricity when we touch, fire when we kiss. Her fingertips scorch my jaw with their gentle, feather-light touches, and I'm lost.

And all we're doing is kissing.

Obviously I have been doing something wrong for a very, very long time; if this is what kissing is supposed to feel like, I have been missing out.

I realized at that moment that I don't want to ever be part of another kiss that doesn't feel like this. I can't know what this feels like, and then go back to what I've known before. If that means that I will only ever kiss Bella again… well, so be it.

Her stomach growls, and I feel like a dick for not having ordered dinner when she told me to. I call it in and follow her downstairs, upset that I'd let the mood be ruined. I jump at the chance to listen to the song, though, and I'm not the least bit surprised when I like it. I picked up what had probably made her blush, but she needed to know that she could take the initiative with me. I told her so, because fuck if I wasn't getting turned on at the thought of her just attacking me and taking what she wanted from me.

We ate dinner with a bit of light chatting, and then she was ready for bed. I pulled off my jersey and jeans and yellow socks, and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. I considered putting on a shirt, but decided against it when I thought of Bella touching my bare skin. She hesitated in the doorway, but it was only for a moment. Then the lights were off, and she was in my arms, where she belonged.