Hello everyone,

All I have to say is wow. While writing this particular story, I was very apprehensive about posting it because I wasn't sure how it would be perceived. Anyway, I'm thrilled you all seem to be enjoying it. It's a fun one to write.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following.

Please review ...

Edward sat in the Uber, ready to get home. How long had it been since he'd seen his father's condo? Nearly three fucking years, and honestly, if the house he'd been renting had central air, he wouldn't be in Chicago now.

After Edward had signed a scholarship with Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, he'd packed his bags and got the hell out of dodge. Why? Because he'd given in to temptation and kissed his stepsister. Who the fuck did shit like that?

Yeah, she wasn't blood, but the memory of her shocked gaze had been enough to kick himself all the way out of that after-party. Edward hadn't looked back as he'd loaded up an Uber with his luggage and went straight to the train station.

Why? Because he couldn't trust himself to keep his Goddamn hands off of Bella. Hell, even now, after three years and several states separating them, Edward still felt heat swirl in his abdomen just thinking of her.

On the rare occasions Edward visited home, Bella was normally out in Washington visiting her father, which worked out great for him. This way, he wasn't captivated by her scent or listening intently from his room to decipher her movements, and he certainly didn't have to look into her eyes.

That wouldn't be the case this visit, however. According to Dad, Bella had come home for the summer. His father had also informed Edward, he and Renee had opted out and headed to Florida. Which meant he'd be home alone with the one woman he couldn't get out of his head.

Well, almost alone. Edward threw a look toward the woman at his side. She served one purpose and only one. Tanya was a farce to keep Bella at bay, or at least the temptation of Bella.

The night of the after-party came to mind as Edward's gaze scanned the towering buildings of his home city. Since he'd given into that sordid conclusion and kissed her sassy mouth, she'd been forever on his mind. It was ludicrous. He hadn't seen her in three years; there was no reason she should still have this effect on him.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he cursed silently, forcing his thoughts away from the green-eyed brunette. His thumb tingled as the memory of touching the swell of her breast played through his mind. Slowly, Edward rubbed the tension from his brow as he attempted to push her from his mind with zero success.

His father told him Bella was in a committed relationship with some dude named Demetri. A fucking foreign exchange student from Italy, and apparently, Bella had sent her mother a few pics of the guy. His gut clenched at the thought of some guy enjoying that soft sweet flesh forbidden to him.

She had always been sort of withdrawn, which made him feel like a complete dick for how he'd acted the one time she'd chanced going on a date. Mike Newton. Even now, his hands balled into fists as the image of her kissing the quarterback entered his mind.

His blood crackled in his veins, and a growl emanated from his chest. Clenching his jaw, Edward refused to remember the pepperminty flavor he'd tasted on her breath. His jaw clenched as he pulled his gaze from the traffic surrounding them, glancing at the woman at his side.

Tanya. She was a cheerleader for Notre Dame and quite beautiful. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a body most women would die for. Edward should be totally enamored, yet besides a good fuck on occasion, there were zero feelings there. The only reason he'd brought her here was to maintain his distance from the temptation forever on his mind.

He brought her home last Christmas to thwart any possible encounters with Bella, yet it'd been for nothing. Bella went to visit her dad, and so Edward had been saddled with the blonde at his side.

"Are we almost there? I really have to pee," Tanya stated, wiggling uncomfortably in her seat.

Edward chuckled as Tanya squirmed closer to him. Automatically, his arm lifted to lay across the back of the seat, only a bit annoyed by her form burrowing into his. "You should've gone when we were at the train station."

"Yeah, right," she laughed with a shake of her head. "I'm not pissing in a public bathroom. There's no telling what kind of parasites are living on the seats."

"We should be there in like ten minutes," he informed her, his chest clenching when she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Just squeeze your legs together."

Edward was relieved when the Uber pulled up in front of the tower where his father's condo was located. Punching a few buttons on his phone, he rated the driver and tipped the guy before easing his door open. Taking Tanya's hand in his, he urged her to follow him as he exited the SUV and headed toward the back to collect their bags.

Edward handed Tanya her backpack and heaved his heavy duffle over his shoulder. Tucking his suitcase under his arm, he cocked his head, saying, "Let's get you upstairs before you have an accident."

Edward navigated the way through the lobby to a luggage rack. After unloading the bounty, he turned them toward the elevator and punched the button. With Tanya clinging to his arm, they chatted inanely as the car climbed. As soon as the door opened on his floor, he grabbed the keys from his pocket and worked the lock.

Edward went immobile as Bella came into sight. She was standing in the kitchen in nothing but a towel that was currently floating to her feet. The soda she'd been holding landed at her feet, spewing pop all over the kitchen and her naked legs. His navy gaze didn't focus on the soda, however, rather going straight to her small, heaving breasts as she fought for breath.

When her beautiful face turned red from lack of air, Edward ripped his hungry eyes from the visible rosey tips and rushed inside. Instinctively, Edward patted her back vigorously. "Breathe, Bella."

Finally, Bella managed to suck air into her contracting lungs. Drawn to her scent, Edward forgot about Tanya as his head dipped next to Bella's, his hand encircling her waist … a very naked waist, his hand petting her along her ribs. "You okay?"

That's when Bella must've realized her situation. Ripping free from his hold, she ducked for the towel at her feet and desperately wrapped it around her form before darting in the direction of her room. Edward couldn't rip his gaze from the peek of flesh he got as she departed, her ass in full view.

Edward's blood boiled, and a flame rocketed from his gaze straight to his dick. The muscle pounded in his temple, and a ripple of sensation twisted his gut.

"Edward?" Tanya pranced near the door, still needing to pee. "Why on earth would she be standing in the kitchen in a towel? Seems a little inconsiderate if you ask me."

"No one asked you," Edward informed, tearing his lingering stare from the now vacant hallway; he pinned Tanya with a hard look. "What does it matter? She was fucking choking."

"Edward, she was naked in your kitchen."

There was a hint of jealousy in her voice, Edward detected. The hairs on the back of his neck rose, and he shook his head. "Didn't you say you needed to pee?"

He should've broken up with Tanya months ago. They were not on a level for jealousy, or at least in Edward's mind. Of course, he saw where it might be different for Tanya.

Instead of dealing with the fire, he spied in her eyes, Edward turned his attention to the soda covering the tan tiles. "Go find the bathroom while I clean this up. When you get done, we'll go find some lunch."

"This isn't over, Edward. But I do need to pee. I'm going to hop into the shower real quick. No telling what type of germs were floating in that train."

"Whatever," Edward mumbled, picking the can up from the floor. A thought accrued to him when Tanya beelined it towards his room. He'd been about to go on the hunt for a mop, but instead, he pulled the fridge open and retrieved another Diet Coke.

Without a backward glance, Edward located Bella's room and lightly rapped on the door. "Hey, Bells, I brought you a peace offering."

The flash of her naked ass flying out of the kitchen tickled his mind. The heat associated with Bella came to life, and his cock started to swell. Battling the urge to barge into her room, he prayed for a smidge of self-control.

She probably wouldn't even answer the door. Their past was riddled with fucked up encounters, from him behaving like a jackass to her mouthing off at every turn. Knocking again, he leaned on the threshold, almost positive he heard the patter of feet. When all remained quiet, he was about to give up his quest when the door cracked open, and a sliver of Bella's face appeared.

"What?" Heat climbed in Bella's cheeks as she regarded Edward. Of all the ways she'd envisioned encountering the brute, this had not been it. Her lashes dropped into a glare when Edward's smoldering gaze locked on hers, yet he remained silent. "Did you need something, Edward?"

Oh, he needed a whole-fucking-lot. Starting with that full bottom lip between his teeth. Gritting his teeth to withhold the urge, Edward's nostrils flared as her scent wafted, teasing his senses. "Ah … I brought you a peace offering."

Bella noticed the can of soda he held, and some of the embarrassment waned as she reached for the can. "Thanks. Is this for making me choke or hitting my date in the mouth?"

Edward shifted on his feet, his arms crossing his chest to keep from reaching for her. "Are you really bringing up Mike Newton to me?"

The gap in the door widened, and Edward's attention dipped to her chest, which was now covered from view by a Metallica T-shirt. Even with the black cotton covering her pink buds, Edward's mouth watered.

Bella was ever aware of the direction of Edward's gaze, and her nipples puckered in response. Even after years of separation, he still inspired inappropriate reactions from her ravenous form. Annoyed by her body's wayward reaction, she too folded her arms over her torso, only effectively causing her breasts to press against her shirt. Tapping her toe, she grunted when he licked his lips. "Edward, my eyes are up here. And you do owe me an apology for ruining that date."

"The fuck I do," Edward disagreed, adamantly shaking his head. "Just the thought makes me want to locate the sleaze and punch him again. You do happen to know he was caught fucking Jessica like an hour after that, right?"

Bella blanched at the intel. No, she hadn't known that. Feeling slightly better about Edward blasting him in the lip, Bella tipped her chin at a stubborn angle. "Well, then, thanks. I wish I had known. I would've kicked him in the nuts."

Edward laughed at that with a shrug, "Yeah. I cornered him on the field the next day. I told him if he came close to you, I'd kick his ass for real."

"Explains why I never did get a callback," Bella acknowledged, her gaze connecting with Edward's, hypnotized by the flash of … of … what was that?

Neither got long to contemplate what this look transpiring between them was about because Edward's door opened and Tanya appeared in the hallway. "Edward, can you bring my bag with the shampoo in it. I forgot it."

Please review ... Would like to thank my guest reviewer for helping find errors I have missed. Good looking out.