Thanks everyone for their support. SAYAx13 yes this is all human, I wanted it just as simple as possible. Hope everyone is still loving the story.

"Go" I said in a whisper. My heart and head started screaming at me 'NO!' I had to clench my fists to stop myself from turning around. He didn't move 'please move, please move, please move' I chanted in my head. He took a deep breath, which caused his breath to touch my neck. It literally made me weak in the knees.

"Is that really what you want?" he asked. I could almost feel the smirk. I sighed "honestly, no but it's what should happen" I said as I pushed my way around him so there was some much-needed space.

He lent against the counter as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Why?" he asked. My mouth opened and closed several times attempting to answer that very simple question.

He pushed himself off the counter and came to stand right in front of me. "Tell me, what is so bad about getting to know someone new?" he asked as he placed his hands on my arms. A jolt of heat raced through me, it made me gasp. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I stood still, for once allowing the heat of man's touch to warm me. I eventually opened my eyes, there was his big brown ones looking back at me. "Look, I'm not asking you to marry me or move to another country with me. All I am asking is for you to get to know me and let me get to know you, I mean after all we are neighbours" he said with a chuckle as he stroked my arms.

I wanted to argue with him, I wanted to tell him to leave me alone, to get out of my house but I couldn't. The words wouldn't come out.

"How about we start small, let's have dinner tonight. I will cook dinner, you come over to mine at around seven and we will just talk. Ok? Just talk." he said. "You promise?" I asked shyly. He smiled and stroked my cheek. "I promise" he said with a smile.

I nodded, and he stroked my cheek one more time. "I will see you at seven o'clock sharp. You don't need to dress up, come in your pyjamas if you really want too" he said whilst laughing.

I watched him leave before I allowed myself to breathe. Then it hit me, I had a date, sort of, with Paul. I looked at the clock, I had spent more time outside then I had thought. It was now four o'clock I had three hours until I was due at Paul's. I raced upstairs and jumped into the shower. I allowed my mind to clear as the hot water cascaded down my body. My mind started to drift …

… come on Bella don't be like that

… I only want to make you feel nice

… this will feel good

My eyes snapped open, nope not gonna think of that not gonna go there. I got out the shower and focused on getting ready for dinner. My hair took the longest time to sort out. First drying it and then sorting out the frizz. I was eventually ready just ten minutes before seven.

I took a deep breath and walked over with a case of beer. I felt as if everyone in the street was watching me. I knocked on his door and looked around to my great relief no one was at their windows or doors. It was all in my head. He opened the door with a smile. "Bella, you look beautiful" he greeted. I had eventually decided on some leggings with one of my favourite long comfortable but cute tops. He was wearing a black shirt with dark jeans, that made him look very sexy. "You don't look too bad yourself" I said.

He moved aside and gestured for me to come in. the smell coming from the kitchen made me pause. I looked at him with a smile. "You know how to cook?" I asked. He actually looked a little embarrassed, he rubbed his neck "yeah, a little bit. My mother taught me when I was younger". I followed him into the kitchen, placed the case of beers on the side and smiled, the dining room table was set out beautifully. I watched him check the pots "what did you do with your father?" I asked. He smiled "nothing, never knew him".

I turned to him in surprise, he seemed so care free about it. "I'm sorry, Paul" I said sadly. He smiled at me and shrugged my shoulders "it's ok, the men in my village taught me everything I needed to know, and my mom filled in the rest" he explained. I nodded as I took a seat and smiled. He brought me a beer, I raised an eyebrow at him. "What?" he asked with a chuckle "I didn't think you were a wine kinda gal, if I'm wrong I can take it back and get you some wine, however I will have to go to the store" he said as he reached for my beer. I pulled it back and laughed at him "don't you dare" I warned.

He eventually placed a plate down in front of me, I smiled. "I hope you are hungry" he said. "Spaghetti Bolognese?" I asked with a smile. He nodded as he dug into his food. "Yeah, when I suggested dinner I forgot that I actually needed to do a food shop. Luckily I had enough food in for this" he laughed. I smiled "I wouldn't have minded if you cancelled for another night".

He looked up and smiled "…. and give you a chance to think of ways to avoid me" he started to laugh as I glared at him. We ate in comfortable silence, neither of us felt the need to speak as we enjoyed our meal. I thought I would feel uncomfortable, I have spent so much time alone I didn't think this would be enjoyable, even in silence.

Once dinner was done we moved into the living room and took a seat opposite each other on the sofa. He watched me fidget for a minute before finally stopping me. "How about I tell you about myself first?" he asked. I smiled and nodded.

"Well, I grew up on the Quileute reservation in Washington DC. It was just me and Ma for as long as I could remember. Like I said the men of the reservation taught me what I needed to know about how to be a man. Ma passed away when I was sixteen. She had been sick for such a long time that it was kind of a blessing when she finally went, she wasn't in pain anymore". He stood up and walked over to his mantlepiece and picked up a picture. He passed it to me when he sat down.

A beautiful young native woman stared back at me. Her long straight hair and dark eyes was reflected in Paul. I smiled at "she's beautiful" I said as I passed him the picture back.

"Yeah, she was a real beauty, and she was just as kind. When she passed I was able to still live in my home and the women in the village would bring me meals each night until I started cooking myself. They really took care of me" he explained. He looked lost in his memories, as he smiled to himself. He shook his head and smiled at me.

"Now, the next part you may not like" he said which had me curious. "Go on, I promise I won't judge" I said as I turned, more comfortably, onto my side. He took a deep breath, "ok, well as I grew up I started dating women, lots of women. I wasn't interested in getting too close to a woman after my mom died, I didn't want to love another woman and lose them, like I lost her, So I kept women at a distance, we would go on dates, sleep together then after a while I would move on to someone else. There were some women I didn't even date, I just slept with them. I admit it wasn't a good way to be, but I didn't know or want any better at the time." He looked sheepishly at me I guess he was waiting for some bad reaction from me.

I expected him to be a bit of a Lothario, given how he looks and at the sex appeal coming off him in waves. I smiled at him, he seemed relieved with my response. "I upset many women at first but then word got around and most knew what the arrangement was and never expected more. There were a few women who thought they could change me, but it never worked. No one could". I smiled "no offence but I kind of thought that you were that kind of guy, so this is no surprise" I laughed to make it into a joke, so he would know that I wasn't judging him.

He started chuckling, "yeah, I bet you did" his eyes shone with unshed tears as he laughed. "I went through many years of woman after woman, until I met Liza. She was a, and pardon my words here, paleface. She lived in Forks, a small town near my reservation. Her father was the newly appointed preacher there. I hadn't planned on pursuing her, she came onto the reservation with her father to meet with the chief and I happened upon her. She had no interest in me, the first woman in years to not want me. I tried talking to her, she said she had been told about me and wasn't interested in being a notch on my bedpost". He smiled at the memory "I like this girl" I said.

He started laughing "yeah I did too. I made it into a game, pretended to want to change and I just didn't know how. She was sceptical at first, I expected her to. So, I made sure that she saw me spurn women and it worked. She started to warm up to me. It was hard at first you know, she was a typical religious girl. No sex before marriage". He shifted in his seat seemingly uncomfortable.

"We would spend time walking around, talking. Before I knew it, I started having feelings for her. I enjoyed spending time with her, I actually looked forward to seeing her every day". He stood up and walked to an ornate box beside the fireplace, he rooted through it until her found whatever he was looking for. He returned with a small photo and passed it to me. I stared at the photo, Paul stared back at me, his eyes were filled with happiness as he posed with a young woman. He was stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her shoulders and her hands were gripping his arms. Both were laughing. He looked truly happy in the photo.

I looked at him "she's beautiful too" I said. He nodded "yeah she was" he smiled at the photo sadly a moment before putting it down. "was?" I asked. He nodded "yeah, she was beautiful and sweet and kind. Until …." His demeanour changed with that one word. "Until what?" I asked as I placed a hand on his arm.

He looked at me and then smiled "I have been doing all the talking tonight it's your turn" he said. He was smiling at me, "Smooth move" I said. He shrugged at me with a cheeky grin. "Sue me" he said with a big smile. I knew what he wanted to know, could I tell him. He told me a lot of personal information I could tell him a little bit of my history I guess. Here goes …

Here it is, let me know what you think.