Every humorous/sweet story needs a tiny bit of angst... like adding a teaspoon of salt to your dessert baking recipes. It actually makes the sugary stuff taste better.

SM owns. PC and I own Yoda dashboard saints and one pissed off Edward.

I must've stepped into some twisted soap opera, I swear I heard a string section announce the pivotal scene when everyone freezes before going to commercial.

Dun dun duunnnnnnnn!

All I could see was him, though. Copperish, wild hair sticking up in all the right places, face red with ire, hands fisted at his side, breathing heavily.

Was he pissed at me?

I stood there dumbly, not able to say a damn word. My mouth was open like those creepy blow-up dolls Charlotte attempted to sell about a month ago, trying to make them chic and high end. No, they were still just plastic blow up dolls that skeevy guys used to get off with.

We vowed to never carry them. Ever.

Edward stalked towards me, and in my post-drunken haze, it was like tunnel vision as he was the only thing in sharp focus.

When he reached me, his eyes softened as his previously tense fists unfurled to cradle my face. The warmth felt so good against my skin.

"Don't go," he said for only me.

"How much did you hear?" I finally managed to ask.

"Enough. I'm sorry. Please stay," he pleaded. His eyes. He could make me do anything with those eyes. But I couldn't stay there. Not tonight.

"Edward, I really can't. I have to get away from here. Not forever, just not tonight. Please understand," I pleaded right back before sighing and pulling away.

Maybe Rose was right. I wasn't good enough for him. Maybe it was better to cut my losses and detach before things got heavier. Gah... I was such a loser.

Edward caught my hand making me stop my movements.

"Okay. Then at least let me take you home."

"No. Please. This is your party, you shouldn't leave. I have no problem taking a cab."

"Yeah, but I do, so I'm taking you," he responded, grabbing his keys off a table and waving to I don't know who.

I caught Jessica's eyes as she nodded silently to agree with Edward.

So without another glance at the dwindling party guests, Edward ushered me out towards his car, his arm wrapped securely around me. I'm sure it was to keep me upright.

I didn't really notice much of Edward's car, other than the fact it looked expensive and smelled like him. I felt the seats warm up as I practically melted into them.

After giving him my address, I closed my eyes, not wanting to focus on the fast moving trees outside and definitely not wanting to see my beautiful delivery boy's face. I couldn't deal with whatever his eyes communicated- rejection, disgust, anger, resignation.

So the silence continued until I felt the car stop and felt his hand on my face.

"Bella. Bella... sweetheart, we're here."

He called me sweetheart. I would've swooned if I were more than half-coherent.

His warm breath fanned over me as I felt his lips ghost over my cheek and the corner of my mouth.

"I'm sorry about tonight. This isn't the way I had envisioned it going," he whispered against my skin. Was I dreaming all this?

That's it. I must've been hallucinating all of it.

"No," I replied, my voice rough from not using it. "I'm sorry. I should've never come. Your sister is probably right, you're way out of my league. I mean you're kind, generous, and you're so pretty and smart and you have a really nice apartment and a really nice car... I don't have any of those things. I just work writing descriptions for sex toys and marital aids because no publishing house or advertising firm would hire me..."

Annnd, there was the word vomit yet again.

"Woah, woah, woah, Bella, look at me," he implored as I opened my eyes to find his inches from mine. They were so, so green.

"You are beautiful. You're funny, and you're successful. I could give a crap where you work. I don't care what my sister's opinion is. She's bitter and she hates people. She's getting over a bad breakup with some idiot who cheated on her. Her sense of judgement is skewed and severely lacking in logic. She doesn't know you..."

"Yeah, but neither do you," I argued.

"I know more than she does, and I would really, really like to know you more. Please don't listen to Rose. She thinks she knows what's best for me. It's been like that all my life. But she's not going to be a problem anymore, Bella. Please. just... trust me, okay?"

I stared in awe as he poured his heart out to me. As if I didn't have enough reason to fall harder for this guy. How could he be so sweet, hot, sexy, and playful in equal measure?

I nodded silently and watched as his smile grew and he sighed in noticeable relief.

"C'mon, I'll help you up," he said, kissing the tip of my nose. As I was about to open my door, I noticed a little something.

"Hey, is that Yoda on your dash?" I asked, holding onto his surprisingly sculpted forearm.

Edward looked back and chuckled when he realized what I was referring to.

"Yeah, that's my dashboard saint."

"Your dashboard saint?" I arched an eyebrow, giggling.

"Yeah, you know. Haven't you ever seen those cars with the Catholic saint statues perched on the dashboard? Yoda's mine."

"Wise, he is."

Edward leaned over and kissed me hard.

"You have no idea how hot it is that you're a closet geek," he growled, eyes dark and dilated. Holy crap.

I giggled nervously. If I hadn't been still feeling a little yucky, I would've jumped him right there in his pretty car.

In a flash, Edward was at my side walking me up the stairs to my humble little one-bedroom. When I protested him wanting to come in and make sure I made it to bed alright, he kissed me again, this time gently and slowly.

Damn him. He already knew how to make me speechless.

Taking the keys I was fumbling with, he quickly opened my door and found his way around, asking me which way to my bedroom.

It had been a long time since a guy asked me that. I wish I wasn't so out of it.

I don't remember a lot after that. I basically flopped onto my bed, my eyes like lead as I felt him taking off my shoes and tucking my duvet over me.

"Are you gonna be okay?" I think I heard him whisper in my ear. I could feel his hand smoothing over my hair.

Hmmm. I wish you didn't have to go...

"I'll stay with you then."

Wait. I said that out loud? Ugh. Oh well.

"You don't have to..." I tried to recover the situation. I didn't want him here out of obligation, that much I knew.

"Little Package, nothing would make me happier. Do you want me to stay here, or I can just sleep on the couch..."

"Wherever you're comfortable." Would he stay here with me? Please say you're comfortable in bed with me. God, I was so insecure sometimes.

"I'd like to stay here with you," he whispered after a moment of silence.

"Okay."

Closing my eyes again, because I really couldn't even keep them open anymore- which was a shame because I could hear his belt hit the floor and God knows I wanted to see what he was working with up close- I finally gave in to sleep when I felt the heat of his shirtless body press against my back, and his arm encircle my waist.

"Sleep, Bella."

Yes. Sleep. Sleep was good.

.

.

.

A/N: Aww... Nite-nite, Bella. At least E's there with her.

I hope that wasn't too bad... tune in soon as we find out what the morning after holds in store for our dear Little Package and UPS/Gamerward ;)

Thanks for all the reviews, FB mentions and tweets! We love every single one, even though PC & I are both HORRIBLE at answering reviews.