I thought this was a lot shorter than it is but I'm about to fall asleep. Thank you all for your wonderful, sweet words. I love them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight but I do own Balletward.

My throat made a weird humming noise from deep within its glands. This was exactly what I wanted to avoid but how could I? I wasn't going to lie to him so instead, I stood there with big eyes and a slack mouth, hoping I had a cocoon I could crawl into and hide.

Those green eyes stayed locked on my unimpressive brown ones. If eyes could smolder, his would be. I'd be a puddle of goo on the floor if it were possible. "Bella? You think I don't want to eat you up?"

Either way I answered, I'd sound like an idiot. If I said that I thought he didn't want to, then I'd sound like I was clingy and lacked self-esteem, and it wasn't that I lacked confidence but it was more along the lines that I knew he didn't date dancers and I'd hate to assume more. On the other hand, if I said that it did look like he wanted to eat me up, then I'd sound like a cocky bitch.

I blubbered, ducking my head and mumbling something along the lines of "Well, no..." Even as the words came out of my mouth, I felt stupid. I felt young and immature. Did I need him to assure me that he thought I was pretty? No. Yes. Maybe. Emmett had no problem telling me what he thought but that was him.

Cool fingertips made me lift my chin to look at him. His face was even closer than it'd been before. "Do you think—," his lips moved just a couple inches away from mine. "That I don't find you attractive?" he asked, and I nodded. His head shake was so curt that I almost missed it but I didn't miss his face inching closer to mine. "Bella."

"Yes?" I shuddered. What other reaction could I have when the most handsome face I'd ever seen was right there? His skin was so smooth and his jaw was just so angular, I wanted to cry.

Edward wasn't the kind of man who asked what others wanted so I shouldn't have been surprised when his mouth — those full, warm lips that I'd looked at numerous times when we passed by each other — pressed against my own. He was rough, sucking my top lip between his, and quickly tracing the seam, trying to find an entrance. My dad would probably be screaming from the rooftop of our Seattle home if he knew how quickly I opened my mouth to let him in. Even though his mouth moved against mine like he was punishing us, his lips were soft and his tongue was prepared to wage a battle with my own.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me to him, pressing our chests together tightly. The noise he made in his chest was deep and more of a grunt than a moan when his free hand slunk its way down to grip the back of my naked thigh. I probably should have wondered or cared that this man had no interest in dating dancers but here was with me, taking my bottom lip and gently biting down on it.

"God damn it," he groaned, running his hand up and down my leg. I was so fucking happy that I'd shaved before going out. His hand was cold but I couldn't have cared any less because all I could focus on was that his lips were soft and that his mouth tasted like a hint of tequila. He was sin in the flesh.

I pulled away from him just a little but he took that as an incentive to kiss a path from the corner of my mouth down my chin and throat. "Edward," I tried to say but it came out like more of a moan.

He groaned against my neck, sucking the sensitive skin, making me wonder how the hell I didn't dissolve right then. His body was warm and wrapped around mine so tightly I couldn't even arch at the delicious, hot sensation that immediately made me feel alive. He was hard muscles over the entire expanse of his body and I could feel them tensing around me.

Edward flicked my earlobe with the tip of his tongue. "Bella—," he started to say but the loud honk of a car horn broke through his words, shattering our moment.

I think I realized that there was always the small chance that he'd regret what had just happened so I rose up on the tips of my toes to plant a lingering, close-mouthed kiss on his lips. My face felt warm and his, as I took a step away from his slackening embrace, was flushed. The arm he had around my lower back loosened enough to allow his hand to slide and rest on my hip, while the hand that had been holding my thigh, brushed up once more before dropping to his side.

He smiled at me first, this crooked, lazy smile that quirked up the side of his face higher than normal. I would've figured he was drunk by the glazed look in his eye if I wouldn't have known that he hadn't drunk very much. "That was so much better than I thought it would be," he purred out. The thumb he had on my waist snuck up the hem of my shirt, rubbing the pad in short lines up and down. "You're beautiful, Bella. I can't believe you'd think I believe otherwise."

I wanted to open my mouth and correct him, tell him that I never used the word beautiful but I couldn't. I looked down instead, feeling dumb but in all honesty, how was I supposed to know what he was thinking? Men were horn dogs, I couldn't even assume that this meant something to him. Maybe he did this on a regular basis...

Edward dipped his mouth to mine again, kissing me so sweetly that any other kiss I'd gotten in the past would seem biter by comparison. The words that came out of his mouth next, whispered millimeters from my lips made me ignore the sirens going off in my head. I didn't care. I wanted to be reckless for once in my life. "You're so beautiful."