The Date

Bella stood in her bedroom, studying her reflection in the full length mirror. Surrounding her feet was a sea of clothing. She felt ridiculous. She never cared this much about how she looked before. Sighing in frustration, she fell back onto the air mattress.

It's just Edward, she told herself. He sees you every day.

Bella didn't own any really nice clothing. Everything in her closet consisted mostly of casual shirts and jeans. She didn't think Edward was taking her anywhere fancy, but she still wanted to look nice. Bella looked at the clock. It was a little past five thirty—definitely not enough time for her to supplement her wardrobe with something date worthy.

"Bella, you ready?" Edward called through the door.

"Yeah, just give me a minute." Bella jumped onto her feet and kicked the scattered clothing into her closet, not wanting to leave visual evidence of how crazy she was acting. She took one last look in the mirror. What she had on would have to suffice. She adjusted her shirt. It was her first time wearing it, and she hoped it wouldn't be bothersome throughout the night. If push came to shove, she could always leave her jacket on. Bella dug through an old jewelry box. It had been so long since she'd worn jewelry that she didn't even remember what she owned. She put on a chunky necklace and matching bracelet. Then she decided it made her look ridiculous and took them off. "Screw it," she said and slammed the box closed.

Edward waited patiently on the other side of her bedroom door, holding a red rose. Bella was relieved to see he was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. At least she had the comfort of knowing she wouldn't be underdressed.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he said shyly, handing her the rose.

"You already said that this morning." Bella smiled and sniffed the flower. "It's beautiful. Thank you. When did you get this?"

"I went out while you were in the shower."

Edward let his eyes wander over Bella's body. She was wearing tight blue jeans and a deep blue shirt with a neckline in the shape of a V. It went low. Very low. The stark contrast between the shirt and her pale skin only helped to draw his attention to her cleavage. He wasn't as discreet as he had hoped, and Bella caught him staring.

"Do I look okay?" She resisting the urge to fidget with the shirt one more time. "I can change."

"No, you look fantastic." Edward let out a deep breath. "It's going to be hard to keep my eyes off you." As he said this, he realized his focus had drifted back to her chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear the enticing visual from his head. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." Bella grabbed her jacket and purse, and Edward led her out the door.

The night was chilly, so they decided to take Bella's car. Edward opened the driver's side door for her. She surprised him by offering the keys.

"I don't know where we're going," she explained. "Besides, you have your license now, and I'd kind of like it if you drove."

Once they were situated inside the car, Edward reached across the center console and took Bella's hand. A large part of him was waiting for her to withdraw and tell him she was having second thoughts about their date. Instead, when their fingers wove together, Bella held his hand tightly.

"I hope this is okay," he said when they arrived at the restaurant. It was a small café off the beaten path. The parking lot didn't look busy despite it being Valentine's Day. "I wanted to take you somewhere really nice, but nice places serve liquor." He shrugged, his voice barely audible.

"I think it's perfect. Have you eaten here before?"

Edward hesitated as he remembered having lunch with Rose. "Yes. I came here with someone from work once. It seemed like somewhere you'd like." He reluctantly released Bella's hand so they could get out of the car.

Between the dim lighting and high-back booths, the restaurant had a private feel. The hostess showed the couple to their table. Bella slid into the booth, and Edward took a seat across from her.

"I like it," she said. "It's cozy."

"I'm glad." Edward waited until Bella opened her menu, and then he let his eyes drop down to her chest once again.

"They have stuffed mushrooms!" Bella suddenly exclaimed. "God, I love stuffed mushrooms."

"Order them."

"I don't know . . ."

Edward gave her a skeptical look. "This isn't one of those things where you won't order them because you think you're fat, right?"

"No!" Bella's eyes widened. "I mean, I do, but that's not why. It's just . . ."

"You aren't fat, Bella. You're beautiful."

Bella raised the menu in front of her face to hide both her blush and her smile. Unfortunately for Edward, it blocked the view of her chest as well.

When the waitress arrived, Edward ordered the stuffed mushrooms.

"You didn't have to do that," Bella said. "If you want, I can pay for half or something."

"Is that what this is about?" Edward asked in surprise. "You've been supporting me for the past month. The least I can do is buy you an appetizer."

"I know, but I feel bad. You just got a job. You shouldn't be wasting all your money on me."

Edward reached across the table and grabbed Bella's hand. "I'm not wasting anything. I'm spending money on my—" He paused, uncertain of how to label their relationship. "On someone special to me, as a thank you for everything she's done."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, so don't go ordering the cheapest thing on the menu, because I'll see right through you. And you'd better save room for dessert. And popcorn," he added. Bella didn't look convinced. "Please just let me do this for you. For once in my life, I want to feel like a normal guy."

"You are normal."

"I don't feel like it."

"Why not? You're free. You have a job. Friends."

"I can't bring you somewhere where you can order a drink. I can't even go to the bar with my coworkers." Edward wondered if they would even want to hang around him now that they knew the truth.

"So? Not everyone goes to the bar."

"I have to go to meetings."

"Lots of people go to meetings."

"I'm sharing your one bedroom apartment."

"It's called having a roommate."

"Yeah, but I'm not paying."

"Neither am I! Pay for something if it makes you feel better. I don't care." Bella leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, silently challenging Edward to continue. He sighed in resignation. "Normal people go on dates, right?'

A smile threatened the corners of Edward's lips. "Yes."

"And we're on a date, so that makes you . . ." Bella motioned for him to finish the sentence.

"Lucky," he said, even though he knew it wasn't the answer she was looking for.

"Darn right, you're lucky," Bella teased. She looked down at her menu and noticed her shirt had shifted, revealing more skin than she intended. Discreetly as possible, Bella adjusted the neckline. When she glanced up, she saw Edward quickly look away. He smiled and laughed to himself, knowing he was caught. Bella decided maybe the shirt wasn't so bad after all.

o.O.o

"What do you want for dessert?" Edward asked once their plates were clean.

"I can't." Bella rubbed her stomach. "I ate so much already." As she spoke, a server passed by the table carrying a tray with a large slice of chocolate cake. Bella pointed after her. "Oh, my god. Look at that!"

Edward ordered one piece of chocolate cake—two spoons. When the waitress brought the dessert to the table, he slid the plate away from Bella.

"Wha—" Bella scoffed.

"You said you were full. You don't get any." Edward shoved a large bite into his mouth.

"No fair! I wanted the tip. It's the best part."

Edward choked on the cake he was chewing. Bella took the opportunity to steal the plate from him. She took a bite and moaned.

"Wow, this is heavenly."

Edward tried to attack the cake with his spoon, but Bella swatted his hand away. "Get out of here, chocolate hater. Go find some Funfetti or something."

After a few more attempts to recover the plate, Edward changed tactics and plucked the spoon from Bella's hand.

"Hey!" she protested.

"Shush." Edward slid the plate back to the middle of the table. "There's something I want to try." He took a spoonful of cake and held it up to Bella's lips. Her cheeks flushed as she took the spoon into her mouth. She hoped Edward wouldn't notice in the dim lighting. He did. He also noticed how her blush went all the way down to her chest.

Edward was disappointed when they were finished, but it was quickly forgotten once they left the restaurant and he was able to touch her again. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to the car.

Bella brought up the topic of money again at the theater. One look of warning from Edward was all it took for her to drop the subject.

"What do you want?" he asked as they lined up for concessions.

"Seriously, Edward, I'm so full. How can you even think about eating more?"

"It's been twelve years since I've had movie theater popcorn. Twelve years!" He held up his arms dramatically. Bella giggled and rolled her eyes. Edward stepped behind her and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "What do you want?"

"Um . . ." Bella was looking up at the menu when she felt Edward's arms encircle her torso. Her breath caught in her throat, and she lost all train of thought. Letting out a deep breath, Bella crossed her arms over his and allowed her head to fall back onto his shoulder. Edward immediately tightened his hold, pulling her body so it was pressed against his.

Bella focused on the menu, trying to keep herself calm. The feel of his breath fanning across her cheek wasn't helping, and she wondered if he could feel the way her heart beat out of control. With how tightly she was pressed against him, Edward wondered the same thing.

"We could get the combo with the jumbo popcorn and two drinks." Bella's voice was weak and shaky.

Edward hummed against her neck approvingly. When the line moved, he walked her forward, still holding her closely. "Is that all you want?"

Bella wondered if he was still talking about movie concessions. "For now." Goose bumps covered her skin when she felt Edward brush his lips against the spot below her ear. She pouted when they reached the counter and Edward released her in order to pay. Her expression gave him the courage to be a little bolder, and he guided her toward their seats with his hand on her lower back. When her shirt rode up, he took the opportunity to slide his thumb across her bare skin. He loved how soft and warm she felt.

"Pick a seat." Edward followed Bella as she selected the perfect row to sit in. It didn't matter to him where they sat, and by walking behind her, he was able to appreciate her body from a new angle. Edward didn't look for long, though; he wanted to remain a gentleman, and he'd already been caught checking her out more times than he would have liked.

Bella stopped and turned to him. "Is this okay?"

"Perfect."

When they were seated, Edward placed the popcorn between them and rested his arm across the back of Bella's seat. He paid attention to the movie as best he could, but his focus throughout was mainly on the woman next to him.

Bella struggled to focus on the movie as well, especially once Edward began caressing her arm with the tips of his fingers. She found herself slowly leaning further into his side. Something softly grazed her chest, causing her to jump. She looked down but didn't see anything. The second time it happened, she felt Edward shake with silent laughter. She glared at him, but he kept his eyes glued to the movie screen. When she looked down again, Bella spotted a piece of popcorn down her shirt. She dug it out and tossed it at Edward.

"Pay attention," she whispered.

"I am."

"To the movie!"

Edward's smile grew impossibly larger, and he hugged Bella closer to his side.

o.O.o

"Where are we going?" Bella peered out the car window as Edward turned down an unfamiliar road.

"It's a surprise." Edward did his best to sound normal, but internally he was struggling to hide his excitement.

Bella couldn't imagine where he was taking her. It was past ten on a Sunday night, and she couldn't think of anything that would still be open. The night was too cold to be outside for very long. She crossed her fingers that his plan included something indoors.

Edward parked in front of a large building. Bella squinted through the darkness, trying to read the sign over the door.

"Is this your work?" she asked. Edward didn't reply. Instead he got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side to open the door. "What are you doing? Are we supposed to be here?"

"Quit asking so many questions." Edward took Bella's hand and pulled her out of the car. "Come on." He led her to the front door and fished a key out of his pocket, grinning when he unlocked the door for the first time. He quickly disarmed the alarm system with the code Carlisle had included in the envelope and locked the door behind them. Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's shoulders and guided her to the back of the store. Her eyes lit up when she saw the black grand piano.

"Are you going to play? You're going to play!" Bella practically vibrated with excitement. She had imagined what it would be like to hear him play since they first started writing each other.

Edward's smile was enormous, something Bella didn't see very often. He slid his hand down to her hip and pushed her toward the piano. "Sit."

Bella sat on the end of the bench, and Edward took a seat in the center. She watched intently as he positioned his hands over the keys.

"You'll have to forgive me if I'm a little rusty," he apologized. "I haven't really played since I've been out."

"Go on!" Bella encouraged. She didn't care if he wasn't as good as he used to be. She didn't care if he messed up completely. All she wanted in that moment was to hear his music come to life.

"Okay."

Edward took a few deep breaths. A look of deep concentration slowly replaced his smile. When he began to play, it wasn't the song Bella expected to hear—the one he had written for her. She kept the thought to herself, remaining silent as his fingers danced across the keys.

Traces of a melody seemed to form, but every time Bella thought she could pick it out, Edward would change what he was playing. The music was strange. Disjointed. He kept stopping. His brows would furrow, and sometimes he would nod as if he approved of what he heard. Sometimes he would concentrate on the keys. Other times he would gaze across the room, not focusing on anything in particular. Bella was confused. It barely resembled a song. It wasn't at all what she expected from someone who had created something so beautiful on notebook paper.

Edward stopped playing, looking at Bella for the first time since he started. He smiled nervously and wiped his hands on his jeans. Then he began to play again. The melody began the same, but this time the song flowed. Bella recognized the different parts he had been playing, and that's when the realization hit her. Edward wasn't just playing the piano.

Edward was composing.

Bella listened in disbelief as the song came alive. It was beautiful, and he played it with so much passion that it brought tears to her eyes. As the last note hung in the air, Bella flung her arms around Edward's shoulders. He laughed as his hands fell from the keys.

"I wasn't finished," he whispered into her hair.

"That was amazing! I can't believe you can play like that."

Edward ducked his head. He wasn't used to receiving praise, and Bella's excitement was almost more than he could process. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Bella released Edward from the bear hug, and he slipped his arm around her, not wanting to lose the physical contact. It had been far too long since he'd received any kind of affection. Without knowing what tomorrow would bring, he was determined to get as much now as possible.

"You have to know how I feel about you." Edward swallowed back his nervousness and met her gaze. "I know you said you want to be friends, and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that, but Bella . . . if anything has changed for you in the last month . . ." He left the question in his mind unasked, hoping Bella understood what he was trying to convey.

Bella wasn't sure what to say. In a way things hadn't changed. Her brain still warred with her heart over what to do, but every day her feelings for Edward grew stronger, and her heart was winning the battle. She decided he deserved her honesty.

"Yes, things have changed. But that doesn't mean we should."

"Why not?"

"We live together. What if it doesn't work out?"

"What if it does?" he argued. Bella gave him a warning look. She didn't want to be the only one taking this situation seriously. "I'll leave if things don't work. I'll get my own place now if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not just that."

"Then what?" Edward's desperation was dangerously close to the surface. His voice shook as he spoke. He stared at Bella, waiting for her to answer, to say something. Anything. She wouldn't meet his eyes. Suddenly he was hit with the realization that no matter what Bella's feelings were, it might not be enough. Maybe she didn't want to settle for him.

"If my past is the reason you don't want a relationship with me, then please just say it. I'll understand," he said quietly. "You deserve to be with someone who can give you everything you'll ever want. Someone your parents will approve of. If I were stronger, we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now. I'd walk away and let you live your life. But I'm selfish, and I want you for myself."

"This isn't about me and what I want, Edward; it's about you. The last thing you need is to be worrying about me. You need to focus on yourself. I know adjusting has been a struggle. You need to take some time to—"

"Don't presume to know what's best for me!" Edward's angry voice echoed in the empty store. He dropped his arm from around Bella and rubbed his face with his hands. "I have spent the last decade waiting to start living again. I know what I want. I don't want to waste any more of my life."

"That's what I'm worried about." Bella spoke so quietly, Edward wasn't sure if he heard her correctly.

"What is?"

"I'm afraid . . ." Bella hesitated. Edward watched intently as she silently ran her fingers across the keys in front of her. She dug her teeth dug into her bottom lip, ignoring the pain it caused. "I'm afraid you only want me because I'm the first girl who's come along."

"You think I'd be settling for you?"

Bella shrugged. "I think you like the idea of having someone like me."

"Are you serious?" When she didn't answer, Edward shook his head in disbelief. He didn't understand what he had done to make her feel that way. He wanted her because of who she was, not because it was convenient. "If all I wanted was a warm body to pass the time, I'd have found someone else by now. It's not like the opportunity hasn't presented itself."

The moment Edward saw the dejected look on Bella's face, he wished he could take back his comment. He wrapped his arm around her again.

"Believe me when I say I want you."

Bella molded against his side and leaned her head on his shoulder. She liked being in his arms, and she didn't want to think about him holding anyone else.

"Come on," Edward said when she didn't reply. "I'll take you home."

o.O.o

The car ride was spent mostly in silence. Much to Edward's disappointed, they arrived home all too quickly. He followed Bella closely as they walked down the halls of the apartment complex. He wanted to tell her how much he enjoyed their date and how he'd like to do it again, but the right words escaped him. He wanted to know what, if anything, had changed between them. What would happen when they crossed the final threshold? Would the date officially be over? How should they act now? After an evening of touching her freely, the thought of going back to being strictly friends made his heart ache.

As Bella began to open the door to the apartment, Edward sprang into action. She jumped as he reached in front of her and pulled the door shut.

"Edward, what are you doing?" She turned to face him. He stepped closer, and Bella backed up against the door.

"Saying goodnight."

Edward brushed his fingers across Bella's neck before taking her head in his hands. He moved in slowly, and when her eyes fluttered closed, he kissed her. Bella parted her lips, allowing Edward to kiss her deeply. She brought her hands to the back of his head and tangled her fingers in his hair. Edward moved his hands to her hips. His body pressed her against the door.

Edward was completely lost in her; he never wanted the sensation to end. When he felt Bella pulling away, his kisses became frantic, and he squeezed her tighter. She began to move backward into the now open apartment, her fist gripping Edward's shirt and tugging him along. He followed blindly as she led him into the bedroom and fell onto the air mattress. Edward dropped to his knees and crawled on top of her. When his lips found hers again, she pulled him closer. He left a fiery trail of kisses down her neck. When he reached her chest, he stopped and smiled against her skin.

"You taste like butter."

"That's because someone kept throwing popcorn down my shirt all night."

"You were asking for it," Edward groaned. "Do you have any idea what this shirt was doing to me?"

With their bodies pressed so closely together, Bella had a fairly good idea.

Edward's touches were tentative. He gauged Bella's reaction carefully, not wanting a repeat of his first night in the apartment. His hands shook as he explored the curves of her body. They undressed slowly, taking time to kiss and caress every new piece of exposed skin.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked when Edward tensed and pushed her hand away from his body.

"Nothing. I'm just . . ." He buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath. "A little too excited."

Bella's soft laughter filled the room. "It's okay."

"Sorry."

"Don't be." She kissed him again. "There are condoms in the drawer."

The words were not something Edward expected, but he wasn't about to question her now. Rummaging through the nightstand, he quickly found the small package. Bella took it from his hands.

"Let me."

In that moment, there were many things Edward wanted to say. Mostly, he wanted to tell Bella how special she was and that he thought he was falling in love with her. But as she pulled him close, the only thing he could concentrate on was the warmth of her body and how perfectly they fit together.