Edward's POV

I've had a nice day in Jacksonville. I had trouble hiding from Charlie during our flight here. I forgot he was a cop and had extra senses. I heard him think that he saw me once. I quickly ducked into a gift shop and managed to evade him. I had to travel coach because Bella and Charlie were traveling first class with the tickets Carlisle and Esme had given. It was after a very long time that I had to sit cramped up with tightly packed humans. I had hunted right before boarding just to be on the safe side. I had trouble with a lady of about 40 years old trying to chat me up and I finally managed to pretend I was asleep to get away from her. She had some vulgar thoughts about how young men were better bed partners than older men. I tried to focus on Charlie's thoughts instead. They were clouded as usual but I could tell he was happy. He had ordered some liquor and was enjoying the first class treatment. I watched Bella through his thoughts and she was huddled in her seat catching up on some reading for class.

She never took a break from her studies if she can help it. Except for the time she spent with the dog. I resented him for the easy camaraderie they seem to have. I noticed that he always seemed to ask her if she wanted something and he was always upfront with her when it came to Victoria and other things that I would have never considered worrying her with. Bella seemed to appreciate this. I thought about this long and hard while on the flight. I realized I had been treating her more like an incompetent person who didn't know what was good for her who I needed to protect rather than and equal in our relationship. All the people in our family had very close relationships with their mates and they treated them as equal partners while I had not. I realized that I had always thought of Bella being a human as a mark of incompetency. I was ashamed of my beheviour.

When we arrived Charlie and Bella went home with Renee in her car while I took a cab. Alice warned me not to try to run any where in the city. I really missed the forests around Forks. It was cloudy till mid day when the sun had come out as Alice predicted. I had spent the day in the shade of a tree by the side of the house. Charlie, Bella and Renee had gone to the beach while it was sunny outside and Alice had assured me everything would be ok. I had had a few anxious hours waiting for them. I had no way of following them due to the sun. They had returned safely. They were all now in bed.

It had started raining in the evening. I didn't really mind the rain. I decided to stay on the roof since it was less slippery than the tree branch I was on earlier. I had not brought a bag with me except for a water proof pouch with my passport, money and some of the scandalous new underwear just as a precaution. Bella seemed to be awake. I could hear her moving around in the room. I listened to every move she made. She opened the window. Should I move to the tree opposite and try to take a look inside? No that's not nice. I'd be no better than a peeping Tom.

"Edward…are you there?"

I stopped breathing she was calling me. I looked into the window while still on the roof.

"Yes Bella"

"Why don't you come in you are getting wet. Don't you have an umbrella or something? Didn't Alice foresee the rain?"

What would I need an umbrella for?

"Alice did see it cloudy so that was one of the reasons that made it ok for me to come."

"You are wet."

"In case you didn't notice it's raining out here." I was a bit upset that she hadn't tried to speak to me once since we got here this morning. She knew I was here and could hear her.

"Cut out the sarcasm Edward and get in here and dry your self."

She's inviting me in! I couldn't believe my luck. I thanked the rain. But I guess I should make sure she really wants me to come in. I didn't want her to get in trouble with Renee for making the room wet.

"It's ok Bella, I'm not cold. I'm used to the elements. Besides I would wet your room."

"Shut up and come in."

What? Bella had never spoken to me in this manner. She sounded angry like she was scolding a small child. I sort of liked this dominant Bella. She was always so very obedient and used to do everything I asked of her.

I carefully went through the window and closed it and stood on the carpet Bella put beside me.

"Get out of those clothes you are dripping all over the room. Here put your clothes in this." She gave me a plastic bag.

She was joking right? Vampires don't get cold and I don't have a change of clothes with me. What now? Well better tell her the truth.

"Bella….I..I don't have anything to wear. I didn't bring anything because I was planning to just stay on the roof or the trees around the house."

"Here put this on."

Not another bed sheet! Well I guess I'd just have to do what she says. My clothes were really wet and if I wanted to stay in the room I guess I'd have to stay dry. I could put them on again when I leave the room. She was still staring at me. How do I go about this? If I move very fast will she be able to see me undress? She will still see a blur of movement…..and me without clothes…what if she catches a glance? I felt very embarrassed. What do I do now? If I ask her to turn around she might think I was a prude. But she's a lady and gentlemen don't strip in front of ladies. For that matter I have never in my whole life stripped in front of anyone. I don't think anyone has ever seen me naked since I was around 6. That was when I learned to wash and dress myself without my mother's help. I was feeling very self conscious. What do I do now?

"Now what?"

Oh dear she's angry with me. But I can't …I can't … let Bella see me naked.. guess I'd better ask her to turn around.

"Can.. can you turn around Bella?"

"Oh, sorry"

She blushed! Oh! She was embarrassed at the thought of me undressing. Had she wanted to see me naked? NO! My Bella would never want that. My deathly white skin must be very repulsive to her. I knew she liked me when I sparkled in the sun. She had told me I was looked beautiful. I quickly took off my clothes and put on new underwear and then wrapped the bed sheet around me to cover as much of me as I could. I handed Bella the bag with my clothes when she turned around.

The look in her eyes when she saw me was first one of shock then acute embarrassment. I quickly looked down. Holy…! The white bed sheet was partially transparent with the water and was now clinging to parts of my body. I was mortified. I have never been more thankful for the underwear! At least they covered the most indecent parts of me. I quickly turned around and tried to wrap the bed sheet in a less transparent manner. I was at a loss as to what to do. I couldn't just jump out the window… I wanted to stay with Bella but then again not like this. It was very impolite of me to even consider staying with this type of attire. I'd better get my clothes and then jump out.

"Here use this."

Bella threw me a towel and I saw her turn around again. I quickly took off the bed sheet and I wore the towel on my waist and wrapped the rest of me in the bed sheet. I'm sure I looked ridiculous but I didn't care. I was sure my Bella would never make fun of me in a situation like this. As long as Emmett didn't see me I was fine and I really wanted to stay in the room with Bella.

"It's safe to turn now." I called out to her. She looked at me thoroughly from my feet to my head examining me…. I felt very exposed and embarrassed as I stood before her although I was covered from head to toe in the bed sheet with the towel also covering more than half of me. I checked again nothing indecent was showing.

"Well now that you are dry I'll go back to bed."

Ha? After all this she was going to sleep. I was very disappointed. I had hoped she'd stay up a bit and talk with me… should I offer to sing her lullaby? I guess not. She must be hating it by now. I knew she didn't even listen to any music anymore.. It was all my fault. I had done this to her….. how I hated myself for the monster I was.

She didn't invite me to join her in bed… I didn't expect her to either not after what I'd done to her. She left her bed side lamp on. She quickly fell asleep. Her hair was spread across the pillow. She was glowing like an angel in the light of the lamp. How I longed to kiss her….. hold her in my arms… I remembered all the times I had watched her sleeping… I hope she talks in her sleep again….. like she used to. I haven't heard her talk in her sleep at all since I got back. I decided I should try to dry off the bed sheet. Renee might wonder how it got wet. So I draped it across two chairs. I also put my wet clothes to dry out in the clothes rack.

I must have watched her for some time when she turned restless. She was turning in the bed and was muttering.

"No Victoria.. no no…..no… don't hurt me…."

I went to the bed and stood near her debating whether to wake her and comfort her. Then I saw her open her mouth to scream and I quickly covered her mouth with my hand.

"Bella, Bella wake up. You are safe. I'm here with you. Victoria is not here love. Wake up." I anxiously whispered in her ear.

She opened her eyes and gave me a frantic look then suddenly pulled me to her. I almost fell on top of her when I landed on the bed with her. She wrapped her arms in panic around me and held on to me as if her life depended on it. So I cuddled her to me.

"Bella.. it's ok I'm here love. No one is going to hurt you. I'm here love. Go back to sleep."

She closed her eyes and went back to sleep. I listened to her heart beat slow down with her sleep. But she was still a bit restless and she buried her head in my chest. Her warm cheek against my coldness.. how I craved her warmth. I had never felt this much of warmth from her against my …chest…Oh god….I was topless…. I had left the bed sheet to dry and I was only wearing the hopelessly indecent underwear and the towel.

She was holding me very tightly to her. I had held her like this so many times…. But never wearing only a towel… I'd only ever removed my shoes and jacket when I got into bed with her. It was a totally different experience having her skin touch mine at places. I loved it. I was very aroused. Those days when I held her I had wanted her but I had known that it was impossible to have her. So it had only been a dream to me. But now knowing that I could have her like that it was much more difficult for me to control myself. Was it wrong for me to stay like this with her? I was very indecently dressed to be with a lady. For once I didn't care. I was feeling exposed and shy but I was with Bella and she was sleeping. So she didn't know of my state of undress and hopefully she wouldn't find out.

I planned to get dressed just before dawn. I considered putting my clothes on now it self but then I'd have to leave Bella's side since they would still be damp and might make her cold. I really didn't want to move away. It was so lovely to have her hold me like this. I simply couldn't work up the will power to let go off her embrace. Little Eddie was having the time of his life again. I had already had one release as soon as she hugged me to her. I only had the towel on so I felt so much of her against my bare skin it was too much for me to handle. I had shaken to my core with the force of my release but I had managed not to crush Bella and she had held on to me very tightly. I don't think she realized what happened to me because she was in such a state of panic and fear. I had comforted her and lulled her into sleep again.

Since then I had willed myself to stay calm. I had so far managed to avoid any further mishaps. Carlisle was right. I was beginning to get control over my desire. It was still hard and felt the desire for her more than anything. I hoped Bella would not wake up. My erection was pressed against her stomach and there was no way she would not notice it. I tried to pull away a bit to put some space between us so that she wouldn't feel it. She held me tighter to her body and flung her foot over mine. Now I was tightly pressed against her. I felt her nipples harden under her t-shirt when they came into contact with my bare chest. It was with the greatest difficultly that I controlled myself this time. I decided it was safer to stay still if I didn't want to wake her or make her hold me even more intimately. The other option of moving away from the bed was one I didn't want to even consider. I took a deep breath inhaling her scent…oh! It was so intoxicating. She was aroused.. Was she having a …wild dream? Or was it my proximity to her?

She didn't talk in her sleep at all. Oh how I wished she would talk so that I could know what type of a dream she was having….. Another thought struck me… was she aware of how intimately we were tangled up together in her subconscious? Was that why she was responding this way? I slowly placed a small kiss on her head. I dared not kiss her any where else. She trusted me to hold her and protect her when she got frightened. I would be a total cad to take advantage of her trust and enjoy myself in her embrace by kissing her while she slept. I would not do that to my Bella. I couldn't help my body's lustful response to her proximity… which she unintentionally created but I will not behave in a derogatory manner and demean her. I loved and respected her too much for that.

How I wished she would return my love… I would do anything for her…..be anything she wanted… I hoped and prayed that she would forgive me some day….Alice was going to help me with it….

At the memory of the little pixie I remembered how she had insisted I should not take any extra clothes. I was planning to pack two extra pairs of denims and t-shirts just in case my clothes got dirty. But the little pixie had insisted that I would do fine with only the clothes on my back since it was only to two days and a back pack would only make me more conspicuous. So I had only brought the little pouch with me. The conniving little pixie! No wonder she was singing in Mandarin! I shouldn't have listened to her and packed extra. I would have been able to change into one of those when Bella asked me to come in…. well….. on second thoughts… I felt myself smiling… you shouldn't bet against Alice.. at least this lack of clothing… had brought me closer to Bella… in indecent ways…. I was the worst possible monster! Was I actually rejoicing the lack of clothing? I couldn't believe myself! I was so messed up….. it was as if I just couldn't figure out the line between what was right and what was not….. I hope and pray that I would not act in anyway that offended my Bella.