Thanks to 2brown-eyes for always reading and she jumped right into this one XOXO

Not beta'd so all mistakes are mine.

You shouldn't need to re-read the end of last chapter because we pick up right where it ended w/ExB.

LEG 9: Can I Get a Hot Tub

"That's a wrap," Alec says, lowering his camera.

Phil lifts his arms and motions around us. "What do you think of the pit stop?"

"It looks cool," Edward replies, swiveling his head to check out the place. "How long are we here for?"

Phil chuckles, pointing to a golf cart that's riding this way. "This will be a thirty-six hour stop, and we have a house for the teams to stay in. It has a pool, fully stocked kitchen, more than enough beds, and plenty other activities around here if you want to get out and explore."

"Oh, wow." I'm impressed. We've stayed in some nice places, but usually, it's a twelve or eighteen-hour stop. "Why so long?"

"The crew's batteries are wearing down," Phil says, "and we have four more LEGs to go."

"Makes sense." I bob my head.

"Looks like #teamgrandparents are on the way in," Phil says, motioning behind us. "Step to the side and you can catch a ride to the house together."

Edward takes my hand, twining our fingers, and drags me off the mat with him. He then spins me to face him, his smile brighter than the stunning African sun. "Two first places finishes in a row." He's all smirky and cute. "What do ya say we go for a third?"

I wrap my arms around his waist, smiling up at him. "Scoring first place is always the goal, but how about we leave the race on the mat and enjoy the beautiful experience we've been handed?"

He shrugs a shoulder, his eyes going over my head and searching the landscape surrounding us before coming back to mine. "Sounds like a date."

My mouth pops open in pleasant surprise. "Works for me."

"Good." He spins me to face Carlisle and Esme as they walk toward us but leans down so his lips are at my ear. "I can't wait to spend tomorrow exploring with you."

Carlisle enters our space, hands up for a man-five from Edward. "Teams one and two. How about that?"

"Congrats on beating all those youngins to the mat," I say, giving Esme a hug. "Did Phil tell you about the pit stop?"

"He certainly did," Esme replies, pointing to the idling golf cart. "And this is our ride."

"Let's get to it," Edward says, taking my backpack and stowing it on the luggage rack. "I'm curious to see this house."

The four of us load into the cart, taking in the area around us as we ride toward a cluster of buildings in the distance. Some of the houses are smaller with an igloo like dome, but there are also several larger homes with an A-frame type roof. The cart turns down the dirt drive that leads to those and then turns again toward the one with a large covered front porch. It has a tin roof and a foundation that's made from rocks straight out of the natural environment.

"This looks amazing," Esme says as the cart comes to a stop. "I can't wait to cook us dinner tonight."

"Heck yes." Edward rubs his stomach as he climbs from the cart. "A home-cooked meal would be awesome." He grabs our backpacks from the rack, and I join him.

Carlisle holds up a finger. "The plus-side of being at the top … room choice!" And he takes off ahead of us, his chuckles floating in the breeze behind him.

"Look at that," I say, shoving my shoulder against Edward's side. "You let the grandparents beat us."

Edward laughs, throwing his arm across my shoulder and leaning down to speak directly in my ear. "I don't care if we end up in a twin bed in a room with two other couples as long as we're together."

The way my heart picks up speed is insane, but I love every second of it. There's even a moment when I think it might take flight right out of my chest, but a simple smile when I look to him is all it takes to bring the pace down to a steady thud.

"You enjoy doing this to me, don't ya?"

"What's that?" He looks perplexed.

"Driving me insane." I say it in a duh way, because surely, he knows his power.

His confusion turns to cockiness as a slow smirk graces his gorgeous face. "I enjoy knowing that I drive you insane," he says, pausing so I can go up the steps in front of him. "But you have to know that you drive me crazy as well … in only the best ways."

"I'll take it." I laugh as he opens the door and does a sweeping gesture for me to enter before him.

The house is large and the first room we enter seems to be the common space. There's a sofa and chair near the door and a sink, refrigerator, and small stove along the back wall with a six-person table in between.

Carlisle is nowhere to be seen and Esme is bent over inside the fridge. "How's it looking?"

She lifts and shuts the door, turning to us. "We're fully stocked for breakfast and dinner, and there are five bedrooms in the house. They only have twin beds, but there's a room for every team."

When she says five teams, my chest clenches. "We're going to lose someone."

"Two someones," Edward corrects, driving the knife in deeper.

Esme smooths her shirt. "Who do you think it'll be?"

"It doesn't matter who," I say, perching on the arm of the sofa. "I've come to adore every single team."

"I just hope Rose and Em make it," Edward chimes, shrugging when I give him a wide-eyed look. "Sorry. He's my best race bud."

Esme lets out this tinkling laugh, shaking her head. "Boys."

A smile at her, but now that reality has dawned, it's taken a little piece of my happiness. "Where's Carlisle?"

"In the shower," she replies, moving back to the refrigerator. "We've taken the last door down the hall." She points to the ceiling. "There's a loft up there with two twin beds and high ceilings. We thought you might like it."

"Thanks," Edward says, heading for a ladder that disappears into the ceiling at the back corner of the room.

But just as I go to follow, the sound of another golf cart meets my ears. The room freezes, our eyes jumping toward the door. Before anyone else has the chance, I rush toward it and fling it open, stepping out onto the porch.

My heart is thundering like I just ran a twenty-mile marathon as I squint, trying to make out the people on the cart. There are four of them, and the first thing that becomes clear is Jake's dark skin tone and bulging muscles. Beside him sits Tanya. It isn't until the cart swings sideways to a stop when I see Leah perched in the back seat beside Emily. That means it's either Alice and Jasper or Rose and Emmett who's going to Sequesterville.

"Congrats, guys!" I say as they join me on the porch.

Jake flicks his T-shirt. "You're looking at team number three."

"Awesome." I throw up a hand for a high five. "Any idea on the other two teams?"

"No clue," Leah says, shaking her head. "Emmett and Rose were behind us at the PLAY detour."

"And Alice and Jasper were at WORK," Tanya adds. "So it's anybody's game."

"Shit." I'm a nervous wreck as I settle into a woven chair on the porch. "This is nerve-wracking."

Edward pops out then, fist-bumping with Jake before coming to my side. "Everything okay?"

"I'm just anxious," I reply, taking his offered hand as he settles in beside me to wait. "No matter who pulls up on that next cart, I'm going to be overjoyed and heartbroken at the same time. I never thought we'd be in this position this soon."

"Me either." Edward shifts, crossing his ankle over his knee. "I'm worried for Rose and Emmett. Alice and Jasper are vicious, and I don't see them going down easily."

I open my mouth to respond, but a distant hum takes my breath. My entire body tenses as the sound draws nearer. "Here it is."

The door whines as Tanya pulls it open. "Is that another cart I hear?"

"Yep." Every muscle within me is tense as the vehicle comes into view down the long dirt path.

Several other people join us, but I can't take my eyes off the cart to see who they are. I'm intently focused on figuring out which couple is staying and which is going home.

"Is that …" Edward jumps up, and he's dancing around like an overly excited toddler.

Even though I can't make out his face, Emmett's bulging form is a clear indication that it isn't Alice and Jasper in the cart. I allow myself a long moment of melancholy before putting it back in the box and standing to wait for my friends.

Edward is down the steps without missing a beat as the cart swings in to stop. "Holy shit, man!" he exclaims, grabbing Emmett in a back-slapping embrace before he can properly stand. "You put Alice and Jasper out of the race! I can't believe it."

"Pshh." Emmett throws his hand like it was nothing, and we let him get away with it, but we all know it was a huge feat. "They didn't have a chance." He flexes his large bicep.

"Either way," Edward says, chuckling. "It's good to see you."

When they finally move and let Rose by, I grab her in a hug, albeit one lacking the over-excited level Edward put on display. "Congrats, girlie," I say, pulling back to get a good look at her. "Was it a race to the finish line?"

"No," she says, sighing. I can tell she's been crying. "But they were only a couple minutes behind. We got a chance to say goodbye."

"That's good." That pang from earlier returns to haunt me. "I'm stunned to see them go, honestly."

"You thought it would be us?" she asks with a laugh.

"Maybe."

We break into a fit of giggles as the group starts moving toward the house. By the time we get inside, Carlisle is in the kitchen with Esme and delicious smells are wafting through the air.

"Edward and I are in the loft, but there should be an empty bedroom down the hall." I motion Rose to where she and Emmett can unload their bags. "I think I'm about to hit the shower."

"What's that?" Edward asks, appearing from nowhere. "Did you say you needed someone to wash your back?"

"No," I say way too loudly, and the room falls silent as every single person turns to me. My cheeks burn. "What? Stop looking at me like that."

"Girl," Leah says, shaking her head. "Put that boy out of his misery."

"I'm not in misery." Edward laughs it off. "It was a joke."

"And he surprised me," I say in weak defense of my overreaction. "I didn't realize he could hear me talking."

"You mean," Emmett says, pointing between us. "You still haven't done the deed?"

"It's not up for discussion."

"What she said," Edward agrees, giving everyone a glare before taking my hand. "We're out of here."

He leads me to the loft ladder and stands with his arms over his chest, giving everyone else the evil eye as I climb up and away from my embarrassment. To be truthful, I'm not opposed to Edward washing my back or any other part of me. I've known him long enough and care enough about him that it is time. It's just not going to happen in a communal house or in a tent among other tents.

"Sorry," I mumble when he appears up the ladder.

He firmly shuts the lift door to the floor below and comes over, stopping me from digging through my bag. "You have nothing to apologize for. You didn't know I was there and when I surprised you, instead of jumping, you yelled. I'm not offended in the least."

"I hate the attention on our relationship, though," I reply, my embarrassment fading as Edward's reassurance settles inside me. "They all think they deserve to have an opinion."

Edward chuckles, taking a seat on the twin bed beside me and pulling my hand so I'll stand between his thick thighs. His large hands land on my waist and I suddenly forget what we're discussing.

"Okay, reality check time," he says, pulling my focus from the way his thumbs feel as they gently caress my sides. "We signed up for this gig, to be a blind date experiment, so we have to be prepared for opinions and advise, here and out there when it airs."

"Ugh." I crinkle my nose, the reminder of the real world and their thoughts and unpleasant side effect we'll still have to face. "So true."

"The important thing, though," he says, continuing as if I haven't spoken, "is that we let it all roll off our backs. We know where we are and where this is going. We have no expectations to live up to except our own."

His eyes are so bright and honest that I can't help but want to fall into them, so I bring my hands up, propping one on each shoulder, and stare directly into their depths. "I'm ready," I say without preamble, but then I shake my head. "I mean, not here with all these ears, but I'd let you wash my back this very second if we were alone."

He grunts, his fingertips tightening ever so slightly on my waist. "And I'm there whenever you'd like." His voice is low and throaty and raw, and it makes me burn.

Feeling like I'm on the brink of tossing my modesty out the window and having him fuck me right here on the floor above them all, I take a step back. And then another. "Sorry," I squeak, fighting the overwhelming need. "I can't let you touch me right now."

He props his hands on the bed and leans back, looking as unruffled and relaxed as can be. "How about you do all the touching instead?"

It's as if every grain of sand on my body is suddenly magnified by a thousand. My mind screams at me to escape, to run and hide in the shower, while my foot lifts to take a slow step toward him.

His brow quirks at my hesitancy. "Is there a reason you're not already on my lap?"

"Mostly it's because I can suddenly feel every kernel of grime on my body," I say, taking another slow step. "But when I compare that to what I'm being offered, it's almost a dead heat."

"A dead heat." He snorts before becoming so serious his eyes beckon me without words. "I like you dirty."

A whimper travels up from somewhere deep and slips past my tightly clamped lips without permission. Without another thought, I release myself from the self-imposed prison and accept what's being offered. He stays true to word, fingers clenched tightly in the woven blanket that adorns the twin bed as I straddle his thighs. Our eyes are locked as I adjust to get the maximum benefit of this position, and when I brush against his hardness, a hiss escapes.

"Fuck, babe," he groans, lifting his hips ever so slightly. "More. Please."

I thrust against him, choking back a moan. "Is it wise to start something we can't finish?"

"Who says we can't finish?" His gravely voice shoots straight to where we're joined, and I pick up the pace.

"There are"—I release a breathy sigh—"people right below us."

"We can be quiet." His voice is low as his right hand goes from the blanket to my hip, adding to the momentum. I don't protest as he continues speaking in a raspy whisper. "It's no one's business what we're doing right now. They shouldn't know that I'm about a explode from the heat of your pussy against me or that you're quivering beneath my touch."

"Oh God," I pant, and his left hand comes up to cover my mouth.

"Shhh." His eyes are bright and tender, filled with that emotion. "I've got you, babe."

He thrusts his hips, and his fingernails bite the skin of my waist, but it only intoxicates me more. Sensations ripple through me, each one distinct—the sting of my skin, the pulsing where we're connected, and even the muffling of my voice, they all combine in a swirling tornado of need that's spinning out of control.

Light bursts behind my tightly clenched lids, and I lose control of myself as euphoria washes over me like fresh rain on this parched landscape. I cling to Edward as he guides me through my own orgasm and follows with his own quiet groan.

He collapses back on the bed, taking me with him, and his hand absently strokes my back. "You're so fucking hot when you come."

I laugh, and it's this girly, tinkling sound. "I'm sure it's the same for you, but I can't seem to stay present long enough to watch."

He smacks my ass, causing a slight stinging sensation, and he sits us back up. "That means I'm doing it right."

"Yes," I say, nodding furiously. "You're absolutely doing it right."

His lips go to my ear. "Just wait until I can be inside you."

I clench his T-shirt tightly. "Yes, please."

"Soon." It's a promise, and one that I intend to hold him to.

I reluctantly crawl from his lap and go back to my bag, the shower even more of a necessity now.

"I could still wash your back," he sing-songs as I bundle up my clothes.

I laugh. "So, you'd just follow me in the bathroom in front of everyone, then?"

He smirks, standing and grabbing my shoulders. "Or I could just jump in with you over there," he says, turning me to face the corner of the room.

I haven't paid much attention to our surroundings, aside from the double twin beds pushed together in the center, but this corner is covered in rocks much like the ones on the outside of the house. As I study it closer, I see the primitive shower head and a piece of white plastic hanging against the wall.

"Is that …"

"A shower?" Edward flops down on the bed. "Yep."

"Oh wow." I turn back to him, uneasy because I refuse to bend to the whims of other people. I won't allow them the satisfaction of thinking they get credit for anything that happens between Edward and me. "While it's an amazing offer, I'd still like to stick to my guns here. I don't want anyone to take credit for our natural progression."

He grabs his chest like he's been wounded. "I shall survive."

I snap his leg with my leggings and wink when we make eye contact before skipping across the room and cowering behind the flimsy plastic barrier. It doesn't keep me from wishing, hoping, expecting him to join me anyway, but like the gentleman he is, he doesn't. Once I'm clean and dressed, I give him a thorough kiss and disappear down the ladder so he can shower alone. Unlike him, I'm not sure I'm strong enough to stay away.

Edward makes it down just before dinner, and the remaining five teams gather around the small table and enjoy good food, each other, and great conversation. It isn't deep or soul-affirming; it's just a crew of people who've bonded and become lifelong friends through a shared experience.

Edward tosses his napkin on the table and stretches his arms high above his head, yawning. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat."

"Aw, man," Emmett whines, tossing his own napkin and jumping up to open the fridge. "You gotta at least have a beer with me on the porch."

Edward shrugs, pushing out his chair and standing. "I guess I can do one beer."

"Anybody else?" Emmett asks, scanning the table.

"Definitely not me," Rose says, grabbing another roll from the breadbasket. "It's been a long day."

"We're hitting the hay," Emily says as she and Leah stand. "Everything was wonderful, Esme."

"Thank you, dear," Esme says, watching as her husband begins to clear the table.

I jump up to help, but Jake beats me to the punch. "I got this," he says, grabbing up a stack of empty plates. "I'm from a family with four women, I'm used to doing after-dinner cleanup."

I slowly sit back in my chair, impressed. Apparently, Tanya and Rose are too if I'm judging by their expressions. Jake's never expressed interest in anything other than his muscles and young foreign women for the entirety of this race.

With nothing but us women left at the table, we make small talk until each of our men finishes their tasks. After Emmett and Edward return to collect Rose and me, Esme and Tanya are the final two, and they sip a glass of wine while Jake washes the dishes and Carlisle dries.

We sleep in the next morning and then enjoy a home-cooked brunch before heading out to explore the area. We team up with Emmett and Rose and Emily and Leah as we grab some fat bikes and explore the mountain trails. It's obvious why this place is considered an oasis when you really get a bird's eye view of the area. Dry, sandy mountains surround the only water and greenery as far as the eye can see.

We end the afternoon in the small restaurant to enjoy local cuisine and then a stroll through the animal park where our pit stop friends are housed. By the time we're packing up to get ready to begin LEG 9, I feel completely refreshed.

"Yo." Alec's voice carries up the ladder and into our loft. "T-minus twenty minutes."

Edward shoulders our bags and walks over to the ladder, dropping them down to the floor below. "On it," he calls, motioning me over so I can go down before him. "Back to the race."

I lean up on my tiptoes and press a kiss to his cheek. "This was an amazing date. I look forward to the next one."

"Ditto."

In a blur, we're standing at the starting spot like we have so many other times. The envelope is gripped in Edward's hands and his fingers are waiting for the go-ahead to pull the tab.

"And 3, 2, 1 … Go!"

He rips the tab and reads the clue. "We're headed to Amsterdam!" He sounds like a little boy in his excitement, his voice high and squeaky. "Shit, yeah!"

ROUTE INFO

Teams will now travel all the way back to Europe, flying more than 5,000 miles to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. After touching down, they must catch a taxi to T Jagershuis, where they'll find their next clue.

When we arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, we realize that all the teams will be traveling together. "We've been equalized," Edward says, taking our tickets from the nice lady behind the counter. "Our plane doesn't leave for four more hours."

"Sounds about right." I sigh, pointing to a coffee symbol. "Let's go find a cup of coffee."

ROUTE INFO

All teams are now flying together to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Seat placement on the plane and luck in hailing a taxi will be all that separates the front of the pack from the back. They'll arrive at 1:42 PM local time.

"Let's move," Edward says, his hand on my back urging me as we weave through people at the airport. "I'm pretty sure Jake and Tanya are ahead of us already."

"And we're hot on your heels," Emmett chimes, his feet scurrying to stay close.

"Stalker," I mumble under my breath.

Edward laughs, giving my hand a light squeeze. "We'll lose them in the taxi."

"Not if we get there first," Emmett says as he drags Rosalie past us.

It's a footrace then, and we didn't even realize that Emily and Leah were also just behind #teamblond(e)bombshells. We all three make it outside just in time to see #teammuscleheads take off in a cab. It's a mad scramble for us to communicate with the nearest untaken cabbie and make sure they know where we're headed before agreeing to let them take us. Edward shoves our bags in the trunk, and we take off just behind Emmett and Rose with Leah and Emily falling in line right behind us. We see Carlisle and Esme exit the airport as we pass the door, and all eyes turn ahead as Edward urges our driver to pass Emmett and Rose.

The trip to our next destination is a nail-biter because we're all so close. The expressway provides an opportunity for us to jockey for positions the entire way. In the end, #teamfitasafiddle pulls to the curb first followed by Emmett and Rose, and then us. It doesn't really matter, though, because we're all practically on top of each other as we race to the clue box that's located on the sidewalk outside the store.

We each grab one and step aside to read them with our team members. Edward, as usual, has ours and he rips open the tab. "Roadblock," he says. "Who's got a nice set of klompen?"

"Shit," I hiss, having no clue what a klompen is and the store gives no clue from out here. "It's my turn, so let me have it."

ROADBLOCK

The Dutch have been wearing klompen, wooden shoes, for nearly 800 years. This ROADBLOCK will let our teams pick out a pair of these Dutch kicks. Searching through hundreds of the intricately decorated klompen, they must find a perfect match to the one their partner is holding. Therein lies the challenge because the devil is in the details. Once they've found a matching pair, the cobbler will hand them their next clue.

Edward is taken into one room while I'm shown the three other rooms which hold thousands of almost identical shoes that only vary with the hand-painted shapes being slightly different.

"Oh, boy," I say, taking in the rows and rows of yellow shoes.

Tanya is already searching, and she gives me a defeated look. "It's like finding a needle in a haystack."

I'm taken back to the room where Edward, Jake, Emmett, and Leah all are sitting with a shoe in hand. I hurry to Edward and take the shoe. It feels impossible when I look at them because, on first glance, it appears they're all holding the same one.

They're not.

Each one has some slight difference.

"You got this, babe," Edward says, massaging my shoulder as I study his shoe.

"You haven't seen the other rooms," I reply, already feeling defeated. "I don't know if I can do this."

"But I do," he says sternly, causing my eyes to jump to his. "I have every confidence that you'll go in there and find this match."

I bob my head, allowing his confidence in me to bolster my own as I try to commit the pattern to memory. "A triangle, lines only on two sides, three lines above that, a rectangle with six bird-looking drawings, three on each side."

Jumping up, I take one last look before racing into the first room. By now, everyone is here, but I can't worry about anyone else. This is a game that depends solely on me finding that matching shoe. Most everyone else is grabbing shoes, running to the backroom, having them checked, and returning to look some more. But I'm not doing that. I want to at least think I have the correct shoe when I make my first selection and have it checked.

I skim row after row, working my way around the first room completely before moving into the second. I'm about a third of the way through that room when I hear the first triumphant yell. It's Carlisle. Esme has managed to find her match, and just like that, they've moved from fifth to first.

Feeling nervous and out of sorts, I grab the first shoe that even slightly resembles my pattern. I know it isn't the one, but I have a driving urge to be doing something that feels productive. The cobbler turns me away, and I take another moment to get a second look at Edward's shoe.

"No worries, babe," Edward says, brushing my arm. "Take your time."

Tanya is the next one to find her match, and by this point, I'm starting to get frustrated with myself. I'm halfway through the third room, so either my shoe is hiding in the back corner, or I've overlooked it.

"Got it!" Emily yells, holding up a shoe and racing away.

I double down, refusing to let this get to me. I'm skimming, skimming, skimming, frantically picking up a suspected match and tossing it as soon as I notice a difference. Rose is taking a different approach, strowing shoes everywhere as she rifles through each and every one.

When Emily returns, looking defeated, I feel a moment of glee followed closely by a surge of guilt. I don't like taking pleasure in someone else's disappointment, but that's what this race does to you. Without much thought behind it, you resort to your worst instincts.

As I toss one shoe, another catches my eye. I run my gaze across it, only two sides of the triangle lined, three lines above that, and six bird-looking drawings in the large rectangle. I snatch it up, my heart thundering so loudly I can barely hear my footsteps as I race toward the shoe cobbler.

I don't take a single breath as his keen eyes survey the shoe. When he nods, I nearly faint, but my trusty partner is always there to keep me up. "Good job, babe!"

The old man gives us the next clue and we step to the side before pulling open the tab. "Ride bikes along the Amstel River into the city of Amsterdam, and search for your next clue at the Munttoren."

ROUTE INFO

There are more bicycles in the Netherlands than people. Teams must now ride along the Amstel River, using their peddle power, all the way to Amsterdam's 17th Century Mint, the Munttoren.

"Yes!" I fist pump. "This is right up my alley. Maybe we can catch one of the other teams."

When we exit the store, a line of bikes greets us, so we pick two and helmet up. Like he often does, Edward takes on the burden of both backpacks, even though I try to tell him that I can ride and tote my pack.

"I'm not suggesting that you can't," he counters, straddling his bike. "I'm showing that you don't have to."

I shrug, lining my foot on the pedal and taking off. "I'll still expect you to keep up," I call behind me, my laughter drifting through the wind.

It's on then, and Edward and I fly down the bike path that runs along the river. "The Pontveer ferry is up ahead," I yell to him. We've slowed to a respectable pace and are riding side-by-side now. "We'll cross the river there."

Edward bobs his head and races a few paces ahead, smirking as he passes. If he wasn't so damn cute, I'd show him just how proficient I am on a bike, but since he thinks he's king and he looks sexy as hell doing it, there's no reason to rain on his parade.

He slows for me to catch up. "#teammuscleheads are at the ferry."

My feet move faster without him having to say it, and we skid onto the ferry as Jake is doing his damnedest to make it leave us. "Aw, man," he says, tossing up a hand for a high five from Edward. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

"Yeah," Edward says, dragging out the ending. "You're fucked now."

"Dude," Jake says, "let's team up or something."

Edward shakes his head in the negative. "Not happening. We'd be stuck waiting for your slow asses to finish the ride."

"He has a point," Tanya concedes, causing Jake to huff.

"Whose side are you on?"

We block them out as the ferry docks on the other side of the canal and push our bikes off in quick fashion before taking off again. This time, we're full-on racing because we want to put some distance between us and second place and maybe even catch up to first. James is waiting for us at the DETOUR clue and Alec is riding with us. Every little while, we have to slow and allow him a breather. It's annoying, but he's a pretty fit guy and we're putting him through the paces.

"Is that it?" Edward asks, pointing to a tall clocktower-like building ahead.

I roll to a stop and check out the map. "Yep, looks like it."

"There's Carlisle and Esme," he yells, taking off toward them.

They already have read their clue by the time we arrive, but Edward drops his bike and grabs ours before I've come to a complete stop. He's already waiting as I drop the kickstand and hop off.

Ripping the tab, he says, "Soak or Shuffle?"

DETOUR

SOAK will let our teams drive an electric-powered hot tub along Amsterdam's waterways, spotting a series of symbols along the way. Once they've solved the rebus, they'll have their next clue.

SHUFFLEboard dates back to the fifteenth century and now teams will go back in time and play a Dutch version of the game, called Sjoelen. If they can master the art of this frustrating game and score 51 points with their pucks, they'll receive their next clue.

"Soak all the way, babe," I say, tapping the clue. "We're hot tubbing it through Amsterdam!"

"Hell yeah!" He throws his hand up and we high five. "I like a woman who knows what she wants."

We grab our bikes and follow the directions to where the hot tubs are awaiting us. Not only do we have to ride down the channel in 37-degree temperatures, but we have to change into swim trunks and a bathing suit. Lucky for us, the actual water in the tub is hot.

"Can I get a hot tub?" Edward asks, a cute little smirk on his lips.

The guy gives us the rundown: a map with instructions, a pen, and an idea where we're supposed to look for rebus clues. Flags will mark the path to make sure we stay on course and people up on the sidewalks are looking down on us like we're a bunch of fools, or they're catcalling. There's not much in between.

"Come on over, babe," Edward says, ignoring the leering crowd as he puts his arm around my shoulder and draws us deeper under the warm water. "I think we can definitely consider this a bucket list item."

I lace my fingers with his, the juxtaposition of the cold air and warm water coupled with Edward pinned to my side makes for a unique combination. "Once in a lifetime."

He brings his lips down to capture mine in a slow, toe-curling kiss. The catcalls get louder, but I tune them out and put all my effort into this moment and this man who quite literally stumbled into my life. Sure, we took actions that brought us into the same sphere, but it was pure dumb luck that made us race partners.

He ends the kiss with a throaty growl, and I cling to him like a desperate wench. The flash of a sign in my periphery is the only thing that stops me from going at it again. "There's the first one!" It has two capital Is and then three more capital Is below it.

"5 eyes?" Edward says, his brows scrunched in the center of his forehead.

"I don't know. Let me write it down."

TEAM CHECK-IN

Carlisle and Esme choose SHUFFLE and are currently at that DETOUR. They have 8 pucks per game to score the 51 points required, and they aren't able to do it on either of their first two tries.

Jake and Tanya choose SOAK, but they're lost between the clue spot and the spot where you get in the hot tub.

Emmett and Rose are the fourth team to leave the shoe store, and they're just now arriving to the DETOUR clue box. They choose SOAK and start toward the hot tubs.

Emily finally finds her shoe and they have just left the shoe store. They still have a bike ride ahead of them before they have any chance of catching up with the other teams.

END TEAM CHECK-IN

"There's the second sign," I say, grabbing my pen. "That's skis minus is, so sk plus the square root of 64, which is 8, plus ring minus r."

"So that's sk-eight-ing. Skating. Yes!"

"One more." I train my eyes up ahead and spot the final sign. As it becomes clearer, I try to work it out. "So R plus … what is that?"

"A splat?" Edward scratches his chin at the dark blob on the sign.

"Oh, ink!" I say excitedly. "Rink! Skating Rink!"

"Five Eyes Skating Rink?"

When he says it all out loud, it hits me. "Ice skating rink!"

"Fuck yeah!" He does a weird hot tub shimmy, flexing his biceps for the crowd. "My girl is so fucking smart."

"Dude," Alec says, shaking his head. "Give me some clean shots. America doesn't want to hear bleeps all the time."

Edward rolls his eyes. "Fine." He makes a big show of "gathering" himself and points to me when he's ready.

"Ice skating rink!" I hit my line like a pro.

"That's totally it!" he says, still doing the whole bicep flex thing for the gawking crowd. "You're so smart, babe."

"Thanks, guys." Alec lowers his camera. "Now let's make haste and get out of this tub."

Edward chuckles, and it's that rich deep sound that vibrates through the air and fills me with joy. He snuggles closer, hunkering down beside me. "I kinda like it here myself."

"I probably would too if I had a companion," Alec replies.

James is up on the walk that lines the bridge constantly rolling to get the wide angles now that our puzzle figuring is finished. As we pass under the bridge, Jake and Tanya are leaned over, poised to yell down to us.

"Where do you get on?" Jake asks while Tanya stands beside him with her arms crossed in annoyance.

Alec's already lifted his camera and is back to filming as Edward motions toward the hot tub launch site. "Just up that way. We're done and headed back."

"Yo, yo, yo," Emmett yells as their hot tub boat comes toward us. "What do we look for on these puzzles?"

Edward glances at me for a beat and holds my gaze until I give him a nod. Then he leans toward them and speaks lowly. "There's three of them, white signs, easy to spot. The first one is a little tricky though." He pauses, looking around to make sure he doesn't see Jake and Tanya. "It works out to ice. You'll get the other two without any issues."

"You get that, Rosie?" Emmett asks her.

She finishes scribbling it down and looks up. "What was that? I was making a grocery list."

They travel on down the river, too far for us to hear what they're saying, but Emmett's hands are as animated as ever.

Edward shakes his head at their antics. "We're going to have to make sure we keep in touch with them."

"You keep doing that," I say, looking up at the cute little pucker that forms between his brows. "The we stuff. It's this automatic thing, like it's a done deal."

"Isn't it?" His question is so simple that tears prick the corner of my eyes.

"Yes." My voice is barely a whisper, but I know he hears me because his smile is blinding.

He cups my cheek, but the moment is broken by Jake as we pull into the dock. "How about giving us the answer?"

"No can do," Edward replies, standing and holding out his hand to help me up. "It's easy, though."

Once we're docked and out of the boat, the guy gives us a couple of robes and a handheld whiteboard type thing to write the answer on. Edward takes it and writes out "Ice Skating Rink" and hands it back to him. He bobs his head and reaches inside his warm coat to bring out our next clue.

PIT STOP

Teams must now get on their bikes and find the Rijksmuseum, home to over 900 years of Dutch history, and the Museumplein Ice Skating Rink, which is the next Pit Stop.

The last team to check in here may be eliminated!

"Yes!" Edward leads me to the changing rooms. "Pit stop, baby!"

"You think we're first again?"

"I don't know." We're talking through the curtains as we change back into dry clothes. "Carlisle and Esme must've done the other DETOUR, so it depends on how easy it was."

"True," he agrees, "but it also depends on the ride to the pit stop. Maybe we have a chance of catching them if they are ahead of us."

I pull up my athletic leggings and shove my arm in my jacket, already exiting the changing enclosure. "Let's go!"

Edward shoulders our bags, and we head to our awaiting bikes. "You going to be able to keep up?" He eyes Alec. "This is a big push for first place."

"I'll do my best," Alec replies, grabbing his radio. "If not leave me, and I'll make sure James is stationed at the pit stop to get the shots."

Edward gives him a thumbs up and huddles close to look at the map. I trace my fingers along the closest route, and Edward nods along, folding the map and shoving it into his back pocket before straddling his bike.

I snap my helmet and motion for him to take off. And it's a race. We fly through the streets, both of us peddling as if our lives depend on it. Sometimes he's in the lead and other times I pass him with a laugh, but it's all in fun.

To have a partner who's your equal in so many ways is a unique experience for me. I always go for the cocky type who talk a big game but can rarely back it up. Though Edward has made it clear he's a perfectionist when it comes to his job, he's the exact opposite with race tasks. He doesn't pretend to be an expert at everything, yet I'm unable to name a single thing he hasn't excelled at.

"Is that it?" He motions to a large expanse of grass ahead of us.

The Museumplein is a large public space with three museums, a concert hall, and the skating rink. The buildings sit in differing spots much like a college campus, and our goal is to find Phil located somewhere near the outside rink.

"Looks like." I let my bike coast as we turn into the drive and look around for the rink. "It should be a little farther back." I spot James first, and that tells me we're close. "That way. I see James."

Not much farther behind him, I see the fencing around the rink. Phil is standing on a wooden footbridge that crosses over the top of the ice. Edward screeches to a stop and drops his kickstand before hurrying over to grab my hand as I hang my helmet on the handlebars.

"Ready?" His smile is wide, and I take a minute to enjoy the excitement in his bright eyes.

"Absolutely."

Since there's no other team to be seen, we don't race to Phil, but we walk together, hand in hand, and jump on the mat.

Phil smiles, looking between us. "Edward and Bella," he says, taking a break to make us squirm. "You are team number … two."

"I'll take it," Edward says, pulling me tighter on instinct. "We tried to catch up to #teamgrandparents, but I guess we chose the wrong DETOUR."

Phil lifts his brow. "How do you know Carlisle and Esme are team number one?"

"Let's call it an educated guess."

FINAL TEAM CHECK-IN

#teamgrandparents were, in fact, team number one. They won a trip for two to Seoul, South Korea.

Edward and Bella continue their top streak with an easy second-place finish.

Despite leaving the shoe store in fourth place, Emmett and Rose were able to pass #teammuscleheads at the DETOUR, with thanks to Edward and his helpful clue, and end up in third place.

Leah and Emily were way behind the other teams, but due to Jake and Tanya's misfortune with getting lost and being unable to figure out the rebus on the first try, #teamfitasafiddle end up passing #teammuscleheads by choosing SHUFFLE. They come in at fourth place and win the Date Night.

"What happened today?" Phil asks a weary-looking #teammuscleheads.

"Someone wasn't interested in listening to their partner," Tanya says, and she's obviously bitter. "I pointed to the correct street, and he refused to listen."

Jake shakes his head, speaking through clenched teeth. "I apologized for that."

"Too little, too late."

Both are angry and closed off as Phil shakes his head. "I am sorry to tell you that you are the last team to arrive."

"Figures," Tanya snipes.

"Good," Jake adds, glaring at her.

"But the good news is," Phil says, looking between them to see if it actually is good news, "this is a non-elimination round."

"Hmph."

"Come on, Tan," Jake says, his attitude fading. "Let's move past this. We're getting another chance."

She turns to walk away and Jake chases after her.

"You will have to complete a SPEED BUMP next LEG," Phill calls after them.

Jake tosses up a hand in acknowledgment.

Sooooooooo SORRY it has taken me so long, but these chapters are monsters and just the idea of starting one of them is daunting. I will absolutely sit my ass down and start LEG 10 today, though. We're going to get this finished in a timely manner from here out.

Race stuff: I took liberties w/their African break, and Tanya and Jake's bickering is a little bit of Blair and Hayley from the actual show. They did get lost at some point and he didn't listen to her.

You should expect LEG 10 no later than 2 weeks!

Pictures for this LEG are on my FB page Fyregirl Fics, including a shot of one of the rebus clues in the comments section.

See you as soon as it's written :)