AN: Everyone said Meadow, now I feel bad because they're not going to the meadow yet, but they will. Remember he was looking at her pathetic stack of cd's when he said let's go somewhere.....any last second guesses?????

Short Chapter, but I was eager to get one out today. Since the story started out with a bang the last two chapters have seemed slow to me but I don't want EXB to just "bam" be together. I plan to take my time with them, so I hope you're patient and enjoy the ride.

This Chapters dedicated to my first reviewer ever when I started this story - Magicaltears

Thanks to all the reviewers, your're the best! I got 8 Reviews last Chapter if we make it 10 for Chapter 10 I'll get out the next Chapter Super fast!!!!

Here's a story you should check out A Lesson in Release and A Lesson in Fate by the wonderful LillieCullen, it's a two parter and the second one is my favorite it's more Edward while the first ones more Jasper. I check it everyday for updates, I love it.

xoxo

I don't own Twilight!

BPV

Since I became a vampire running was my new favorite thing to do, which was odd because as a human I detested it, I tried to stay away from all physical activity if possible. But running now, was exhilarating! I felt free and at peace, I didn't think anything could top it. That was until this moment, riding on Edward's back while he ran, was so much better.

I liked all the Cullen's even though I didn't know them too well yet but Edward, Edward was different. I felt a pull to him whenever I was around him and tonight when we touched for the first time that was definitely……different, to say the least. I smiled to myself thinking about it, I think he felt it too.

He slowed down and came to a stop, we were still under the forest cover so I wasn't sure where he had brought me.

"Just a little further," he said sliding me down his body. I tried not to stumble over from the close contact.

"Tired? I asked playfully, poking his side.

"No," he flashed me his crooked grin, "I just thought it would be nice to walk the rest of the way." he finished and offered me his hand.

It was the third time tonight he had took my hand in his, not that I was keeping count, friends hold hands right?

He interrupted my inner musings.

"Bella,?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

God, I must of spaced out, way to go Bella. I took his hand and he chuckled.

"Where'd you go a moment ago," he asked softly as we walked.

"Um, no where." I lied, I was a horrible liar. "I was just wondering where we were going, that's all."

He shook his head and laughed. "What I wouldn't give to be in your head right now."

I laughed nervously, I was so glad he wasn't in my head right now.

************

When we cleared the trees I saw the Cullen's house come into sight. Every light in the house was on and it illuminated the clearing around it.

"Your house? That's where we're going." I pointed in confusion.

"Just come on," he said as he tugged on my hand playfully.

He threw me back around to his back again and scaled the wall and gently put me down on the balcony we now stood on.

He walked around me and opened the double doors and motioned for me to go through. I started forward walking through the flowing gold curtains whipping around me in the breeze. The door led into what looked like a bedroom besides the fact that it lacked a bed and was the size of the whole first floor of my house.

I turned to look at Edward, he had his hands in his pockets, leaning up against the wall, and he was looking at me shyly from under his lashes waiting for my reaction.

"Is this your room?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Yes," he answered me softly pushing away from the wall.

He took my hand in his and led me over to the far wall.

"This…," he gestured to the large wall of shelves, "is what I wanted you to see."

My mouth dropped open, the entire wall was filled with Cds. I walked slowly, skimming my finger across the cases examining some of the titles. The order made no sense, Lynard Skinnard was by Elvis Presley and John Mayer by Billy Holiday. He had music from every genre, I was impressed.

I looked over at him and he was staring at me intently studying my face.

"This is amazing," I breathed still running my fingers over the cases, "no wonder you thought my cds were humorous. I can't figure out how you have these organized though?" I mused mostly to myself.

He shrugged, "Genre, preference……" he trailed off, "I change it up all the time, it makes it impossible for anyone to take anything without me realizing it, Emmett especially," he said a little smugly.

"What, you don't like to share," I teased.

"I guess I'm a little…..protective of my collection." he admitted.

"A LITTLE?" Emmett's voice echoed through the house. "LYING GETS YOU NO WHERE, LITTLE BROHER!"

I laughed, but Edward didn't look too amused as he stalked past me mumbling, "Excuse me," and disappearing into the hallway. I heard him make his way down the hall, a door open, and a loud crash before I could make out the sound of Emmett jumping out the window and Edward making his way back. He entered the room still looking perfectly tousled and a little less stressed.

"Better?" I giggled. I couldn't believe how much I had been doing that tonight.

"Much," he flashed me a toothy smile, "Sorry about that, now where were we?"

"I was about to apologize for touching your precious cds," I half giggled, "I'd hate for you to pummel me too," I teased.

"You're having way too much fun with this," he teased back. "But seriously, you can borrow whatever you would like Bella."

"But I thought…..,"I trailed off.

"That's why I brought you here, I noticed we had the same taste in music so I thought you would like something new to listen to," he said now running his own fingers down the covers of the cd's.

"Wow," I said taken back. "Are you sure?"

He shook his head yes and stared at me intently again.

"Thank you," I breathed looking down at my feet, his stare making me feel self conscious.

And that's how we spent the rest of the night, I would pick out my favorites and he'd play it on his stereo and then he'd show me and talk about his. I learned a lot about Edward through his music. He loved Jazz and Classical. When he told me he played the piano I made him promise to play for me sometime, with that he smiled, and I realized I loved his smile, he didn't do it nearly enough and it was now my new sole mission in life to make this man smile more. He told me about his life when he was younger and about his change. When he talked about his mother the sadness in his face made me want to cry for him and it made me think of my own mom and how strained our relationship was, which considering I would have to disappear sooner or later it was probably for the best. He told me about the time he "fell off the wagon" he called it, when he left Carlisle and he stared intently waiting for my reaction but I kept my face calm and understanding because that's how I felt. I hated the way he talked about himself, he did not see himself clearly, at all.

He took me home about an hour before Charlie was supposed to wake up, I told him I could find my way but he insisted, always the gentleman.

He turned to leave saying he'd see me at school but I caught his hand as he turned. He turned to look at me with a look on his face I couldn't read.

I gently squeezed his hand in mine and mumbled staring down at our intertwined fingers, "Thank you for tonight Edward," I looked up to meet his eyes and gave him a little smile, "I had fun."

He stayed frozen in place, a torn look on his face, before he brought the top of my hand to his mouth and gave it a chaste kiss, "It was my pleasure." he said staring at me with his eyes smoldering.

I was still standing there, eyes wide, my mouth slightly open, trying to slow my erratic unneeded breaths as he jumped out my window and disappeared into the night. All he did was kiss the back of my hand and stare at me with those eyes and I was completely dazzled. The next couple of hours couldn't go by quick enough until I got to see him again.

EPV

I made sure I was far enough away from her house before I stopped running abruptly and leaned against a tree. I had never grown tired or winded from running as a vampire it was impossible but that wasn't why I was trying in vain at the moment to slow my hard erratic breaths or that it felt like my non beating heart was about to explode from my chest. It was because of Bella.

I had held her hand a few times through out the night each time it sent that addicting sensation through out my body but this time was different. She had initiated it, she had took my hand in hers. Her shyness and innocence as she looked down was endearing and when she looked back up at me her eyes sparkled with hope.

I was torn. An uncharted feeling swept across me and I had to fight the urge to pull her into my arms, to touch my lips to her beautiful full awaiting ones and kiss her. But I couldn't, I knew that, she was broken, it would be selfish of me to even think about her in that way after everything she had told us tonight. She was not ready. So I settled for giving her a chaste kiss on the hand. No matter how innocently I had intended it to be when my lips made contact with her skin it was heavenly, I had to get out of there before I acted on my impulses and those impulses at the time were definitely not at all innocent. I shook my head, what was wrong with me, I prided myself in being a gentlemen and now my mind was constantly finding it's way back to Bella, I was almost as bad as those hormonal teenage boys at school, almost.

I made my way up the stairs and into my room to get ready for school. I chuckled to myself, I couldn't believe I was actually looking forward to going to school. Jasper came around the corner smiling at me, I braced myself, I knew what was coming.

"I had to come in here and see for myself that the feelings I was feeling from this room were actually from you," he chuckled to himself amused.

"Well, well, well," he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door frame, "how was your date with Bella? If I had to guess by the happiness, excitement, and lust that's emanating from you, I'd say you had a very good time." he laughed.

I slammed my dresser drawer and sat on my bed holding my head willing my out of control emotions to stop giving me away.

"It's not like that," I said, aggravation dripping from my voice, "we're friends, that's all we can be."

"Uh huh," he said sarcastically. "Edward I don't know why your denying yourself this, all you have to do is be in the same room with the both of you and you can see there's something there. In all my years with you Edward, I've never felt this much emotion from you, it's got to mean something."

"It doesn't matter!" I barked, not meaning to come across like an ass but Jasper hit a nerve, "You were in the room tonight, you know all Bella's been through, she's not ready for anything like that, it's still too knew."

Jasper shook his head, "Maybe that's something you should let Bella decide for herself, besides, maybe you're the one not ready."

"We're friends," I said softly as Jasper walked away, "that's it."

"I could be just her friend," I said out loud trying to talk myself into it more than anything, "I could do this."