Hello again, dear readers! So, I just want to say thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing and also rec'ing my little fic. I've never written a 'slow burn' before, so this is a challenge for me, believe me. But thank you for not breaking out the pitchforks when I ended it where I did last chapter LOL. I hope you will all think the wait was worth it when the time comes. Let's catch up with them now, shall we?

I never believed in the old adage of 'time flies when you're having fun, but slows to a crawl when you want it to go fast'.

Until now.

By Wednesday night when I spoke to Edward from my hotel room in New York, it felt like a week had gone past instead of just forty-eight hours. Missing someone this much was quite new to me; none of my previous relationships had came with such a level of intensity. For the first time ever, I was one of those girls. You know the kind; they daydream all the time and have silly smiles on their faces for no reason. Alice actually called me out on it Tuesday afternoon when she'd had to say my name three times before I even realized she was trying to get my attention.

I wondered if this is what my parents felt when they met, this instant connection which led to them being so completely wrapped up in each other. It was a somewhat scary thought. Charlie and Renee were totally dependent on each other, they were hardly ever apart. I didn't want a relationship like that. However, the more I thought about it, I knew that wasn't likely. With the way both of our work schedules were, Edward I wouldn't be able to spend that much time together even if we wanted to. And we were very different people from my parents.

Still, I couldn't deny that I was longing for the weekend to hurry up and get here.

Work helped to distract me somewhat. The meeting with my linen supplier had gone well and I was very pleased with the new bedding we would start featuring soon at Luxe. I prided myself in the quality of everything we used at the hotel, from the shower curtains to the door-stoppers, and I always wanted to see the products firsthand before deciding on anything. I could have easily had samples shipped to me, but I really enjoyed visiting the warehouses and factories of my suppliers when my schedule allowed.

After the meeting, I opted to grab dinner at my favorite sushi bar in Manhattan. I went there every time I was in New York because they had the most delicious red snapper sashimi I'd ever tasted, plus the Spicy Tuna roll was amazing.

Tomorrow, the weather was supposed to be crisp and cool, a perfect autumn day in the Big Apple. Alice usually accompanied me on trips like this, but she had a function to attend, so I was solo this time. I really didn't mind. I did have acquaintances in New York, and with very little effort I could be catching up with any number of them, but I honestly just wanted to relax and do as I pleased, now that the business portion was complete. I was planning on visiting Central Park Zoo in the morning and having lunch at Tavern on the Green before catching my flight back to Tampa later in the afternoon.

When I returned to my hotel after dinner and a little bit of retail therapy, it was half past eight, and I kicked off my shoes with a contented sigh. It had been a successful trip, I'd had a delicious dinner, and was now looking forward to a nice soak in that huge bathtub that my suite offered. My plans for tomorrow made me happy, and then it would be one more day closer to seeing Edward.

Edward.

My mind strayed to him as I began filling the tub. There had been lots of texting, and we spoke on the phone last night for over an hour. I'd sat out on the terrace for the duration of the call; being in the same place where we'd kissed and touched and confessed our feelings made me feel closer, somehow.

Feeling so connected to him after only a few days was surreal and a bit mind-boggling, and I'd even brought it up in our conversation last night.

"But do you ever ask yourself why? Why does it feel so easy? Why is it so completely different than it's ever been with anyone else?"

"I don't have any concrete answers for you, Bella. This attraction. . . Well, that's the wrong word actually, because it's so much more than just an attraction. What I can tell you for sure is that I've definitely never felt this way with anyone else I've ever dated. It's just you, angel."

I smiled as I recalled his sweet words, rifling through my shopping bags until I found the peaches and cream bath bomb I'd bought earlier with the hotel tub in mind. As the bathtub filled, I washed off my makeup and brushed my teeth before quickly stripping out of my clothes and pinning up my hair. I tossed in the bath bomb and then slid beneath the hot water with a sigh of pleasure.

After a few minutes of soaking in creamy, peach-scented heaven, my phone chirped at me from the small stool beside the tub. I reached for it and grinned when I saw a text from Edward.

I'm jealous that you get to visit the zoo tomorrow.

I wish you were visiting it with me. Have you been to Lowry Park? We could go sometime.

Not since I was a kid, but I'd love to go with you. How was your sushi?

Delicious as always. Did you have dinner?

Just finished up. Grabbed Thai on the way home. Panang curry.

I'm a pad Thai girl, myself. Especially with extra peanuts and minus the bean sprouts. You must have had a late day if you're only just finishing dinner now?

Court took until almost five. Definitely part of the job I could do without. Then had to take care of a few things at the station. Can I call you or are you busy?

My fingers hovered over the keyboard on my phone. Did I want him calling me while I was naked? This could be dangerous. Still, I didn't want to have to wait to talk to him.

Call me

My phone immediately rang, the photo of the two of us popping up on the screen.

"Hey, there," I said happily.

"Is it Saturday yet?"

His tone was on the verge of whining and I laughed.

"I wish it were, baby. I really can't wait."

"Baby, huh? Hmmm, I think I like that."

"Glad you approve. So, court all day?"

"Unfortunately. Like I said, not my favorite part of the job."

"Necessary evil," I replied. "I get it. It's the same way I feel about meetings with my accountant. I understand the need for them, but honestly they bore me to death."

"Exactly," Edward replied with a laugh. "Thankfully, I don't have any more court days coming up for a while."

We chatted a little bit about my day in New York and his upcoming trip to Miami with Jasper. He couldn't tell me anything about the case, of course, but he was happy they'd be making a lunch stop at his favorite Cuban cafe down there, a place he swore made the best Picadillo he'd ever had.

"Hey, do you know what today is?" I asked him during a small lull in conversation.

"I do. I wasn't going to bring it up, but yes." His voice was soft, and once again I wished he were here with me instead of so far away. It was one month ago today that James attacked me. I'd woken up this morning knowing it and had thought about it off and on all day.

"You know, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. I mean, it's not an anniversary that I really want to remember," I told Edward. "So, I decided that instead of dwelling on today's date, I'm going to celebrate tomorrow's instead. Because, that's the day I met you."

"I can't believe it's only been a month," he replied. "Somehow it feels like I've known you much longer."

"I feel the same," I whispered, missing him so fiercely in that moment. I cleared my throat, not wanting to get all emotional right now. "So, I was curious about this weekend, if there are definite plans in place or if we're just gonna go with the flow. Do you have ideas?" I asked.

"Oh, I've got some ideas," he told me, and the suddenly husky timbre of his voice made my pulse jump.

"Yeah?" I asked, slowly, sinking deeper into the hot water. It lapped at my nipples and I reached down to rub one gently.

"When it comes to plans with you? Most definitely."

"I'd like to see where you live," I confessed. And I really did. I wanted to see what he surrounded himself with, where he slept, where he relaxed.

"I would love that. Do you want to meet at my place on Saturday? I'll text you the address."

"Sure."

"I'm going to make a suggestion."

"Which is?"

"I suggest you pack for a sleepover."

The meaning of his words was unmistakable, and I pinched my nipple firmly as images came to my mind. Skin. . . mouths. . . .groans. . . .whispers. Slick sounds and searching tongues. Hands everywhere. Edward's bed.

God, I wanted it.

"That sounds like a great suggestion," I told him, shivering in the water as I tugged harder. My back arched involuntarily, causing a small splashing noise.

"Bella?" His voice was low.

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention I was in the bathtub?" I asked, moving to my other breast, rubbing my palm over the hardened peak.

"I believe you did neglect to tell me that, yes. Jesus, woman, you're killing me here," he groaned. "Now I gotta think about you all naked and wet and you're so fucking far away."

"Sorry," I said with a giggle. "But, I love talking to you, and I didn't want to wait until I was finished."

"I love talking to you, too. And, I really can't wait to see you again."

"Hold on a sec, okay?"

"Sure."

I put his phone call on mute and then opened up the camera, switching it to forward facing. I sank down in the tub deep enough that only tops of my breasts and naked shoulders showed above the milky water. My hair was in a messy pile on top of my head, and my face was scrubbed of makeup, but the warmth of the water and our conversation had caused my cheeks to flush pink, and my smile was happy. I wanted him to see me like this. Tilting my head a little, I snapped the picture. Not bad. I texted it to him with the caption So you can have a picture to go with your imaginings before switching back to his call.

"Edward?"

"I'm here. Hey, hold on, someone just texted me. . ."

His voice moved further away from the phone, but I clearly heard his words.

"Oh, fucking hell, Bella."

"I see you got my text," I whispered.

"You're the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, angel. And believe me, there will be lots of imagining between now and Saturday. I cannot wait to get my hands on you."

"Mmm, I can't wait to get your hands on me either," I said truthfully with a sigh, trailing one of my hands below the water this time and sliding it between my thighs, circling a finger around my clit and rubbing it gently. I wished it was Edward touching me instead.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"Would you tell me the truth if I asked if you were touching yourself right now?"

"Well, there's really only one way to find out, isn't there?"

There was a long pause before he answered me.

"You know. . . I think I'd rather not ask that question at the moment."

"Why's that?" I asked, slowly tracing around the opening of my sex. I felt the silkiness of my arousal mixing with the bath water.

"Because if I do . . . and you are . . . then I'll be unable to stop myself from taking this further. I'll want to know all of the details. I'll hear you, and I'll most definitely encourage you until you get what you want. I'd absolutely get what I want, too. But honestly, as fucking amazing as that would be, I hate the thought of sharing something like that for the first time over the phone. I want to be able to feel you, smell you, touch you. I need your skin and your lips and your breath on me."

Edward's words alone were almost enough to push me over the edge, and I couldn't stop the moan that escaped when I slid a finger inside myself. I could understand his point, and I even agreed with him. Phone sex could be very fun, but we weren't there yet. The first time I heard his voice urging me to come, I wanted it to when we were skin to skin with nothing between us. Yet, I was so fucking turned on at the moment that I literally couldn't stop touching myself. Not enough to finish the job, but definitely sufficient to keep me on the edge. It was a dangerous balancing act.

"I will agree with you under one condition, baby," I said softly, using two fingers to pinch my swollen clit.

"Which is?"

"Later on, at some point this weekend, you have to tell me exactly what you did the minute we hung up from this conversation."

"And will you tell me as well?"

"Absolutely."

"Deal."

I hummed in approval and returned my hand to my breast, plucking at my tight nipple.

"So. . . going back to plans for this weekend," Edward said, and I laughed lightly at his determination to change the subject. "If you're over at my place around noon, then I was thinking we could go to Armature Works for lunch. I haven't been there in a while and I'd like to see what's new."

"I love Armature Works," I replied. And I really did. It was an awesome food hall right on the river. Some of the stalls were permanent while others rotated. "I love the Riverwalk, too. I always end up eating too much whenever I go there, so the walk is nice afterwards."

"Well, I think that should be the start of our weekend. Great food, a walk along the water, then we'll see where we want to go from there. Sound good?"

"Mmm, count me in." My hand trailed back down to my pussy, just to very gently stroke over the swollen lips, and I knew that once I hung up from Edward I would be coming in record time. It was inevitable.

"I'm gonna let you get back to your bath, angel," he murmured. "There is something here that needs my. . . immediate attention."

I laughed.

"I bet I could guess what that something might be. Remember, I want to hear all about it."

"What a naughty, sexy, thing you are," he said huskily. "We'll talk more tomorrow. Good night, Bella."

"Good night, Edward."

I hit 'end' on my phone and dropped it back onto the little tub-side stool. One hand covered my breast, squeezing and massaging, while the other slid under the water and between my thighs. I rubbed my clit firm and fast, my head full of images of Edward. I thought about the weekend, knowing I'd finally be able to explore his body the way I'd been aching to. I knew without a doubt that he'd be an amazing lover; his kisses alone set me completely on fire. I remembered the thick steeliness of his erection pressed against me when I'd been straddling his lap. I couldn't wait to actually expose all of that hot, smooth, skin, to feel him in my hand, take him in my mouth, welcome him into my body.

My fingers rubbed harder, pressing and circling. Oh, I had so many plans. I wanted hard and fast, but also deep and slow. I wanted frantic and gentle, tender and desperate.

I just wanted him.

I wondered if he was stroking himself and thinking of me right this minute. I pictured the look of need that would highlight his handsome face; his eyes would be closed, head thrown back, sharp jaw tightly clenched as his hand slid up and down his straining hard cock. The thought was unbearably hot, enough to push me right over the edge. My back arched and I orgasmed in wave upon wave of deep, throbbing pleasure.

Quite a while later, I finally found the strength to pull myself from the now-cooling water. I opened the drain and stepped out of the tub, wrapping myself in a thick towel and making my way to the bedroom of the suite. There was nothing I wanted more than to just crawl naked under the soft-looking feather duvet and slip into sleep. My bones felt like pudding, and I let out a huge yawn, jumping a little bit as my phone on the nightstand beeped with a text.

I wanted to, angel. More than anything. But I think it would have made the waiting that much harder. 3 more days, Bella. Then everything that we've both thought about becomes reality. 3 more days and you're mine xo

I blinked back a sudden tear. I knew I was being overemotional, but that amazing orgasm made me miss him more and he said such sweet things. My heart was just overwhelmed.

I'm already yours, baby. In 3 days I'll prove it xo

*TBC*

Awww! We're getting closer, guys! Please let me know your thoughts on this one. I know this chapter was a bit shorter and some might say it was "filler" but it gets us where we need to be for what comes next. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my words, and for those faithful readers that come back to read and review every chapter I post, I love y'all! I try to answer all of my reviews, but please forgive me if I've missed any xoxo