A/N: I don't own this, we all know who does. If I did, Rpattz would be driving someplace to buy me some breakfast. I don't wanna cook...

This is unbeta'd, so any and all mistakes belong to me. I'm distracted by the sounds of the garbage truck outside. I remember when guys used to ride on the back of those things. :D

This is for my wifey, Mrs. Robward. She's writing me a story. It's so good... :)

Thanks to Luxure & EdwardsBloodType for prereading this. They make me laugh and smile and giggle like a school girl. It's fun. :)

**disclaimer **

This story is a bit taboo. I'm relatively sure you're aware of that by now. If not, you obviously haven't been reading all my other chapter a/n's. :D

~:O:~:O:~:O:~

… Chapter Thirty One - Bare … Bella …

~:O:~:O:~:O:~

You. You're here, in front of me.

It takes me a minute or two before I realize I'm almost naked in front of you.

Not that you haven't seen me naked before, it's just different now.

I'm older, as are you. And I can't believe it.

If someone had told me six years ago that you would be even more handsome, more mind blowingly gorgeous than you were then, I would have laughed in their face.

Time has been good to you. Your jaw is more defined. Your eyelashes seem even longer, more curly. Your hair is wild, yet tamed. You have the scruff of a three or four day beard. Somehow I don't think it's more than a day, two tops. Your button down shirt highlights your neck and adam's apple perfectly, drawing my eyes to your collar bones, that are just peeking out.

I look down at your arms, bare from the elbow down. Your hands, your long fingers that always knew just how to touch me.

I don't see a ring, though that doesn't mean much these days.

When I look back up, your eyes are watching me closely, as if I'll run. Like I could ever walk away from you. I did it once, and barely survived. Now that you're in front of me, I'll never be able to leave.

"Edward, what are you doing here?"

I need to know. Was this on purpose, or is this a happy coincidence, a happy accident?

"I'm here for a bachelor party. Then I saw you." Your words seem shy, hesitant. "I hid until I knew you only had an hour left, then I paid the man outside for an hour with you in this room."

I let out a laugh. "Edward, that's five hundred dollars. You can't afford that."

Your smile lights up your whole face.

"I can if it means I get to see you again."

Carefully I choose my next words, conscious of the destruction your response could do to me.

"Do you want to see me again?"

You sigh, looking at the floor for a moment. Soon your green eyes are burning into mine.

"Yes. I want to see you. I need to see you."

"But what I am, what I've become... This isn't me, Edward. Not really. I only do this for the money, so that I have time with Claire and for school. I'm not doing this forever."

You smile. "I know, Bella. I know you."

A sigh of relief slips from my chest. I don't know what do to. We have another forty five minutes in this room, and then I go home for the night. To our daughter, who's sleeping soundly.

Our daughter.

Claire.

That thought leaves me frozen, shaking. What have I done?

What do I do now?

How can you ever forgive me if I tell you the truth?

I let you believe the lies because it was easy, it gave you options. I couldn't be like him, stealing all of your opportunities in life.

I wonder now if I made the right choice.

~:O:~:O:~:O:~

A/N: Sound good? See, Bella had her reasons for walking away from Edward. I think when you're controlled by someone else, the thought of YOU controlling another person is a little bit horrifying. I know it is to me. :)

Klrtwiluver FanFic started a secret group over on Facebook. If you want in, find her over there & friend her, or on twitter ( at KlrTwiLuver ) and she'll let you in. There are videos, pictures, songs...all kinds of stuff. I think the crazy theories everyone has are my favorite part. I love it. :)

Reviews are better than Edward's collar bones peeking out of the open collar of his shirt. (YUMMY!)

Leave one.