Thanks to Fran, my beta, and Dani, Ariel, and Gemma for prereading. All mistakes are mine.

"I think it would be more entertaining to hear your guesses," Edward laughs as he walks over to the window and sits comfortably on the sill. He crosses his arms over his chest, amused at the face I make as I'm trying to guess.

"Hmm," I muse. "You were bit by a radioactive spider?"

He laughs and then makes a confused face. "Not sure how Spider-man specifically is the master at self-defense, but go on."

"Retired cop?"

He shakes his head. "I'm too young to retire at thirty-seven," he says and slides over so I can sit next to him.

"My dad had the years in to retire by the time he died," I say, "but he'd probably still be working if it weren't for the accident."

"He was a cop?" Edward asks, his voice softening as we uncover more layers to each other.

I nod. "A damn good one, too."

Edward reaches for my hand, bringing it up to his mouth to place a kiss on the back of it. "I'd be honored to share the profession with him, but no. Not a cop."

I turn slightly, so I'm standing in front of him, his eyes watching as the distance between us lessens with each move I make.

"Well, you're impeccably skilled at certain things. And fast," I say, my arms sliding up his chest as his legs shift so I can stand between them. His hands, once resting against the windowsill, find my lower back and gently push me closer against him. "Strong."

"Like Spider-man?" His laugh is low and husky against my cheek. This time I pull back, smacking him lightly in the chest.

"Oh, so now you see the similarities?" I laugh, but he pulls me back to him before our conversation goes any further.

And I'm completely fine that he distracts me with his mouth, especially when his tongue does that thing against mine that makes me tug on the ends of his hair as the intensity between us becomes impossible to ignore.

I know what he's doing. I know he's holding back, giving me just enough to keep me satisfied and comfortable. He knows there are boundaries he's not sure I'm ready to cross yet, and it makes those lines blur a little more each day. He pulls away as my fingers weave through his hair, his lips leaving mine to trail down my jaw, towards my neck beneath my ear.

"Green Beret," he says against my skin, his two-day-old scruff burning my skin as his lips and tongue leave me breathless.

"Army?" At this point, I'm only capable of one word at a time as our bodies are pressed flush against each other, Edward standing from his spot on the windowsill. I feel him nod, coming to rest his forehead against mine as we try to catch our breath.

"Former. I put in my years and came back home when my family needed me."

"Here in Forks?" Our fingers entwine as we settle ourselves.

"In town. Carlisle, my stepdad, had gotten sick, and I didn't want my mom to be alone. So, I finished out my tour and spent as much time with him and my mom here before he died."

"Here at the cabin?"

"The cabin was Carlisle's," Edward explains, sitting us both on the sill again. "He left it to me. Fitting, since he had been taking me to the cabin since I was a kid, and he knew I loved it up here."

It's easy to picture Edward as a little boy here; the trails and the lake and the open outdoors is a child's dream. I can easily say it's just as cleansing to me as an adult. "What are the odds?" I shake my head in disbelief. "Me, a fleeing housewife, and you, a former special OPS Green Beret, living next to each other?"

Edward chuckles. "Meant to be?" He whispers, his arm wrapping around my waist to pull me against him so he can place a kiss on the top of my head.

Maybe he's not wrong—maybe it is as cliche as it sounds that everything does happen for a reason.

"I think so," I breathe. I turn my head to look up at him. "Convince me."

So he does.

So many of you guessed it from the beginning about Edward being former military. And all errors are mine - Google research can only take me so far. According to my research (LOL), Ariel and I did all the maths correctly if Edward were to head for training at 18 years old, put in his time, and be 37 years old. And again, I know so little about military specifics that I could be wrong - and if so, be kind. I definitely don't get paid to do this - and if I did, I would make sure to be completely accurate.

See you tomorrow!