I decided to pull my chapter (38) after about 15 mins. on Friday, due to the ff . net boycott. I realized that most time zones had already started. Sorry for the tease :) I did not get to respond to reviews from chapter 37, because that would require me to login to ff , which I stayed away from for over 48 hours. Read all of your reviews and comments, loved them!

Beta'd by texasbella.

Did someone call for some lemon slices?

38

Edward is keeping a steady pace on the treadmill, sweat beading down his now naked torso, his shirt recently discarded on the floor next to him. His only thoughts are of Bella and the little time he has with her today.

Bella opens the door to the hotel gym and stops short. She assumed Edward would be there as he said he would, but she didn't expect a half naked, well defined, sweaty Edward. She has to stop and take him in.

After gaining her composure she approaches the available treadmill next to his. She notices he's lost in thought and doesn't notice her, until she bends over to stretch.

"BBB... Bella?" he half chokes.

She turns and gives him a sweet smile. "Good morning, Edward. I hope you don't mind that I joined you for a workout. I couldn't sleep any longer," she says. What she really means is she couldn't wait any longer to see him.

"No, I'm glad you're here. Now, I get even more time with you," he smiles.

Edward's eyes drift down her body, taking in what she is wearing, or moreover, not wearing. She has on some tiny cotton shorts, a white tank top with a sports bra underneath and running shoes. That's it. He looks around the gym expecting to see every other guy's eyes trained on Bella, but is thankful to find no one else in the gym with them.

"I'd give you a kiss, but I'm pretty sweaty," he says keeping his pace.

"Let's wait until we're both sweaty," she says with a wink. He chokes slightly when answering, "K."

They both run for a while, talking about everything and nothing. Edward notices the gloomy weather outside the gym window.

"You suggested we swim later, but the weather isn't cooperating. How about we take a steam and a jacuzzi and have brunch delivered to my room?" he asks.

"Perfect," Bella says, slowing her pace.

They change into swimsuits and enter the steam room at the gym together, Bella says, "Are you sure this is coed?"

"There's only one steam room in the gym, besides we're the only ones in here."

Before Bella can sit down, Edward grabs her and pulls her sideways onto his lap. "Can I claim that kiss now?" he asks.

He gives her a quick kiss, and pulls back. "Ummm, salty," he teases.

"Salty, huh?" she asks. In one swift movement she is facing him and straddling his lap. She leans in and licks and nips from his collarbone up to his mouth. She sits back, "I've been wanting to do that all morning."

He pulls her body forward on his lap, their sweaty bodies touching, and gives her a thorough kiss. "I've been wanting to do that all morning," he says against her lips.

She giggles, shifting slightly on his lap.

Edward grabs her hips, "Stay still, baby," he groans.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Only if wanting you so badly and not being able to have you is painful," he says, moving her down on his thighs, away from his growing erection.

She giggles shyly, dipping her head, "Sorry."

He tilts her chin up so they are eye to eye. "Never apologize for being irresistible and desirable. It's just, har... not easy for me," he smirks, almost saying 'hard,' which would be an understatement.

She giggles again. "It's not easy for me either, Edward," she admits.

"Yeah?" he asks. She nods, massaging his shoulders and neck as they finish their time in the steam room.

"Jacuzzi next?" Edward asks.

They settle into the warm water of the jacuzzi, sitting across from each other. Their feet touch and explore each others. Edward learns that Bella is extremely ticklish. He enjoys hearing her carefree and laughing.

"Come here, baby," he says, grabbing her and guiding her to sit close to him, their thighs pressed together. He gives her a kiss, "You were too far away."

They talk, kiss and innocently touch until they are both pruney.

"Hungry?" Edward asks as he helps her out of the spa.

He puts a towel on her shoulders, and looks down at her body and shakes his head, "You are sinful in a swimsuit, Bella. I think you need to put more clothes on," he groans.

Edward wraps a towel around his waist and looks up at Bella. She is staring at his chest so he looks down, to see what she is looking at. She steps forward and traces one finger from his pecks very slowly down to his belly button and lower. She hooks her finger under the top of his towel. "I like you in... this," she says, tugging slightly on the towel. Edward swallows, hard, but can't form a coherent response.

When they get to Edward's suite, he heads towards the bathroom, yelling over his shoulder, "Check out the menu,"

He comes out wearing one the fluffy hotel robes and hands one to Bella, "I need you covered up," he mumbles.

Room service shows up and they stuff themselves with a variety of brunch foods, and sit back on the sofa satisfied.

"I need a shower," Bella says. "Can I take one here? I brought a change of clothes."

"Sure," Edward says, trying not to picture Bella naked in his bathroom.

She stands and extends her hand to Edward. "Take one with me," she says, surprising the hell out of Edward.

"What? No. We, it wouldn't..." he stammers.

"With our swimsuits on," she adds, raising a brow at him in challenge. "Come on, live a little."

He shakes his head, but follows her into the bathroom. She removes her robe and leans over to adjust the water temperature. She hears Edward mumbling behind her and she thinks she hears him say, 'this is a bad idea.' She smiles knowing that she affects him as much as he affects her.

She can't wait to lather him up.

Edward watches her in her skimpy swimsuit, bending over to adjust the water. He's talking himself down... literally. He wants to be a gentleman and go at her pace. He also wants to ravish her until she's screaming his name, repeatedly. He has that angel/ devil thing going on. One on each shoulder telling him what to do. That devil's ideas are so much more fun.

Bella enters the shower, leans her head back, closes her eyes and rinses her hair. Edward stands on the outside, watching her like some creepy peeping tom. Yet, he's unable to move and join her under the warm water.

She opens her eyes and looks at him. "What are you waiting for?" she says in a sexy voice, that Edward hasn't heard before.

"Shit, um, are you sure about this? I mean. I don't know if I can do this," he shakes his head.

"I'm the one who asked you. I'm sure. Now come on in. The hot water is wasting," she says, reaching for the shampoo. He moves then, because he wants to be the one to wash her hair. Dying from blue balls or not, he can't pass up an invitation to touch a very wet, very sexy Bella.

The noises of appreciation coming from Bella as he washes her hair are very erotic. Edward tries to focus on the task, but is failing miserably. They haven't even touched each other sexually and he's rock hard and leaking from simply washing her hair. He adjusts himself, seeking some sort of relief, but finds none.

"My turn," she says, nudging Edward under the spray of the shower. While he's wetting his hair and his eyes are closed, she takes the opportunity to gawk at him. He's tall and slim, but muscular. The water is sheeting down his tanned skin and his swim trunks are very...big. She wants to reach out and touch the outline of his cock.

Instead, she gives him a sensual head massage with the shampoo. She turns him so he is facing the tiled wall and she soaps up his back and massages every sculpted muscle. With his hands flat on the tile in front of him, he rests his forehead on the cool tile. She gets on her knees behind him and soaps up his legs, one at a time. She focuses on the muscles used for running. His trunks are long, so her massage area ends just above his knees.

"Turn around," she encourages him. He adjusts himself as he turns, trying to be all sly. Bella sees, and gives herself an internal fist pump.

She continues, massaging his chest, arms, stomach. He tenses every time her hands touch his firm stomach muscles. When she kneels to do the front of his legs, his eyes are closed and he is breathing heavily, panting even. She makes sure to take her time, venturing a little higher on his thigh. "Is this okay?" she asks. He nods, not opening his eyes. She, however, is eye to eye with his 'excitement,' it's difficult not to stare in appreciation of his... endowment.

His hand touches her face, "Baby, come up here. I can't take anymore," he pleads, his voice strained with need.

He helps her stand and she goes up on her toes and kisses him. He finally opens his eyes, smiling a lazy smile at her.

"Turnabout is fair play, little one. My turn," he says, grabbing the body wash.

He reciprocates the massage, but touching her is just as torturous as being touched, if not more so. Now his eyes are open. He's both touching and seeing her beauty, her curves. Her body responds to his touch at such a primal level, he can sense it. It's the same for him. He feels like a flame has been lit within himself, and it is fanned only by Bella.

When he's done massaging her backside, he pulls her back against his front, wrapping his arms around her to massage her arms and torso. They both gasp when their bodies meet, the evidence of his arousal poking her in the ass. She rubs against him slightly, "Be good," he hisses, causing her to giggle which in effect creates even more friction between their bodies. "Shit," he says, trying hard to maintain some control over his body and his thoughts.

His touch makes her throb. Even the most innocent of touches is felt to her core. Bella doesn't think she's ever been this aroused before. The sounds coming from her are foreign, not typical of her. His touch has unleashed a sexually repressed part of her, a part that is very vocal apparently.

Edward finishes massaging her torso, where he may or may not have inadvertently brushed against her hardened nipples a few times. He turns her to face him. She smiles up at him through hooded, lust filled eyes. He smiles back as he kneels in front of her to massage her legs.

He soaps up his hands and lifts one of her legs to massage her thigh. When he does, he is hit with her scent. The evidence of what his touch does to her. Without thinking, he leans in and inhales deeply, "Damn baby, you smell so good." His admission elicits a very sexy moan from Bella.

He focuses on massaging her legs. He tries to ignore his needs. Ignore her heavenly scent. Tune out the erotic sounds she makes, but it's nearly impossible.

Once finished, he stands and moves her under the shower spray. He notices her fists are clenched, her eyes tightly closed. He kisses her neck, just below her ear, "You okay, baby?" he asks with concern.

She shakes her head. He pulls back to look at her face. When she opens her eyes they are glistening with unshed tears.

"What baby? Did I do something wrong? What can I do? Don't be upset," he coos, trying to soothe her.

"I'm not sad. I'm very, very happy. You did nothing wrong. You did everything right. I'm just so... frustrated. I've never been so... I don't know. I feel like I'm going to explode," she rushes out.

"Thank god, I thought I did something wrong. Pushed you too far," Edward says, relief in his voice.

She steps forward, causing the front of their bodies to be flush. "There is nothing wrong about you, Edward, or anything you did. It was right, so very right," she whispers, reaching up to kiss him.

Her kiss is so unexpectedly passionate and demanding it causes him to stumble forward, pinning her against the cold tile wall. Without hesitation she wraps her legs around his waist. His erection trapped between them, in the exact spot she wants it to be. She grinds against him.

His hands cup her ass for support, but he leaves her in control. "Baby," he moans. "Shit, if you keep doing that, I'm, I'm gonna... ahhh... cum."

"I'm not stopping," she breathes out. "You feel too good, I want to feel you," she hisses, finding an angle so his cock hits her clit perfectly as she rotates against him.

"Are you close? Are you gonna cum?" he grunts, his orgasm approaching quickly.

"Yes. Oh, shit. So hard. So right. So... ohhh, Edward!" she yells, her orgasm ripping through her.

Her heat, her passion, the way she moves against him. "So hot, so, ahhhh... Beellllaaa," is all he can say before he explodes against her writhing body. Well, in his shorts against her writhing body.

He slumps against her. His head resting on her shoulder. Her hands making soothing passes over his bare back. "Will you go out with me?" he mumbles into her shoulder.

"Like, on a date?" she asks.

He nods. "Can I take you out this weekend?" He raises his head to look in her eyes.

"Isn't that going to be a little difficult? I'm in Seattle and you're in San Diego."

"I'll come to Seattle. If you say yes, that is," he says sheepishly. "I'm done recording for now, and I want to see you," he shrugs.

She nods. "Okay, if you're sure. Don't go out of your way just for me."

"I will go anywhere for you Bella. I hope Seattle is only the first stop of many."

A/N

Moving right along... how are they doing as a couple?

I'm seeing about five more chapters or so to this tale.

Let's see, *counts on fingers* Seattle date, Halloween, meeting the parents, oh and what's that last thing? Oh, sex!