A/N: I only know about this restaurant thanks to the wonderful world wide web, since I have never been to Seattle before. So, for those of you that might know about this place, please forgive me if I happen to smudge a couple of facts.

I can't remember who coined the phrase 'sex hair', but I used it in this chapter. Sorry for not giving you the proper credit that you deserve, but if you tell me who you are, I'll change this to include your name.

This is the first date. Enjoy!

Chapter 8 - The Date

EPOV

The red one or the green one? I eyed the two different colored ties that I held in my hands. Well, Alice says I look good in red, but she picked out this green one to match my eyes.

Sighing in annoyance, I looked at myself in the mirror.

When did you become such a girl? I asked my reflection. It only stared back at me. I knew the answer before I had asked the question. I wanted to look my best for Bella, to reassure her with my charm and I'm-not-going-to-kill-you good looks that I wasn't a crazy stalker boy. I knew showing up at her classroom yesterday morning spooked her, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to present a normal front around her as much as possible from here on out.

And it all comes back to which tie to wear.

I decided on the green, it being the calmer of the two colors. Thank God I occasionally listened to my sister. Glancing at the digital clock next to my bed, I straightened the tie around my neck. Okay, a couple more minutes until I need to leave.

I busied myself by making sure my hair wasn't too unruly and checking my outfit one last time. Looking at my hair, I vaguely recalled a date a long time ago when the girl had nicknamed my hairstyle 'sex hair' because it looked like I had just finished having sex. Chuckling to myself at the absurdity of the nickname, I grabbed my wallet and keys and headed out of my apartment.

I walked to my car, unlocked the door, and slid into the seat, just as my phone rang. Briefly, a minor panic attack set in that Bella was canceling on me, but I brought myself to look at the screen. Whew, just my annoying sister. Relief washed through me.

I flipped open the phone and calmly addressed her, "Alice."

"Hey Edward," she said, her chirper tone coming through the phone chirper than normal.

She knows.

"What's up?" I asked, refusing to be the first to break. I buckled myself in and started the car.

"Just seeing what you're up to. I'm over at Jasper's and he says you're not coming tonight?" she replied, all innocence.

My eyes narrowed suspiciously, even though she couldn't see me. "Yes, I told Jasper I couldn't make it tonight. Something came up."

"Oh. Okay… it's just that I really want to talk to you about something."

"Then it's a good thing you have me on the phone," I retorted sharper than I had intended, a little exasperated at the way this conversation was going. I stopped the car at a red light.

"True. But –"

I cut her off, "Look Alice, just ask and let's stop this charade."

"Where are you taking her? How did you meet? Is it someone I know? Are you wearing the green tie I got you last month?" she asked excitedly, shooting off one question after another in one breath.

"A restaurant. On campus. No and yes," I responded, rolling my eyes at her enthusiasm. It wasn't as if I never dated.

She squealed in that way only some girls can pull off, not sounding retarded while doing it. "You have to let me meet her! I can't believe you're going on a date! And that you tried to keep it from me. Didn't you know I would find out? I always know what's going on. Shame on you for doubting me."

Half-smiling at Alice's rant, I turned right, down the road that led to the university's campus. "I apologize for attempting to get away with having a life without telling you every detail of it."

"Apology accepted," Alice said earnestly.

That elicited a full smile from me. She knew I was kidding, but that never stopped her from demanding control of everyone's life, especially mine. Just because we were born to the same parents, she somehow believed that entitled her to run my life.

"Are we done now? I need to concentrate on the road."

"Alright. But I want a full report tomorrow and a description of what she was wearing," she said sternly.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied in mocking agreement. Hanging up the phone, I focused on the road. My nerves were getting the best of me. I couldn't remember ever being this nervous about meeting a girl before. Emmett would tease me mercilessly for years if he knew how I was feeling right now. I was usually the calm, collected one around members of the opposite sex.

Turning into Bella's apartment complex, I took a couple of deep breaths, scanning the numbers above the doors for the right one. Spotting it, I parked my car and stepped out, pausing for a second, I ran my hand through my hair and walked up to the door.

Yep, that's me. Calm and collected.

I knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. A minute later, a cute, dark-haired girl opened the door and smiled at me.

"Hi! You must be Edward. I'm Rachel. You can come in. Bella's not ready yet," she said enthusiastically, swinging the door open wider to allow room for me to step inside. She closed the door behind me and motioned for me to take a seat in the living room. She went over and sat down on the couch, so I chose to occupy the armchair beside her. When I sat down, her eyes slightly narrowed, studying me. Then she smiled.

I guess I passed the roommate test.

"So, where are you taking Bella?" Rachel asked exuberantly.

"Carnegie's, it's over on Market Street," I said, not in the least taken aback by this girl's energy level. Rachel reminded me of Alice when she did that.

"Oh! That place is great! I eat there all the time. Bella's going to love it," she responded, giving me a huge smile.

"How much longer do you take she'll be?" I asked, impatient to get out of here and have Bella to myself for the next couple of hours.

Rachel glanced over her right shoulder to look at a door behind me, and then turned back to me. She shrugged. "I don't know."

She was reminding me more and more of Alice. She was obviously bouncing on the couch. They could be long-lost sisters. That thought was too scary for me to dwell on.

"So, I loved the flowers you sent to Bella. I thought it was very romantic that you sent lavender roses," she said, sighing a little on 'lavender roses'.

All of a sudden, the door behind me opened, causing me to swerve around quickly. I was thankful for the distraction, since I didn't have a response ready for Rachel.

My breath caught as a vision of loveliness stepped through the opening, in the form of Bella, dressed in a simple button-up navy blouse and similar colored flowered skirt. I loved the sight of blue against her skin and was dying to tell her that, but decided that would be coming on too strong, so I took it down a notch.

"Bella, you look absolutely stunning. I love that outfit," I said, smiling at her.

She fiercely blushed, ducking her head to allow her hair to cover her face. After a second of silence, I thought I might have screwed everything up before we even started. But thankfully, she looked up and smiled at me. My heart pounded violently in my chest in response.

"Thank you. I found it in this cute boutique downtown," she said softly.

"Are you ready to leave?" I asked slowly, not wanting to spook her again.

She nodded and walked toward me. I ushered her toward the door. Not wanting to be rude, I turned back to Rachel. "Good night. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Rachel responded quickly, lifting one eyebrow and smirking, as if she could read my current thoughts. Something along the lines of Bella in a dark blue matching bra and panty set, in my bed.

Well, I wasn't going to apologize for those. I was a guy, after all. And I was getting to spend the evening with this beautiful woman, who agreed to be alone with me even after I stalked her and probably scared the crap out of her, right before asking her out.

I figured my luck was running out soon, which is why I had decided to play the nice guy tonight and not push her toward anything she didn't want to do. So, those thoughts of mine would have to stay just that – thoughts, until I received some sort of sign or word from her that suggested otherwise.

We left Bella's apartment, bundled up against the cold night air. I opened the passenger's door for her and then closed it once she was safely inside. Opening the driver's side, I took one last deep breath to stabilize my beating heart before I slid onto the seat beside her. I closed the door and turned on the car, then twisted my torso so I could see her entire profile.

"You really do look beautiful," I said, feeling the need to reiterate it. When I said it before, she had looked as if she didn't believe me.

"Thanks, Edward, but you don't have to keep saying that. I know I'm not all that pretty. I probably only pass for cute on good days," Bella countered, blushing faintly, and looking at me from the corner of her eyes.

I didn't know how to respond. A part of me knew it wouldn't do to start an argument before we had dinner, and the other part felt like I was committing a criminal act to allow her to continue to see herself as anything less than breathtaking. How could she not see how jaw-dropping gorgeous she was?

I decided to let it go, putting it down as a discussion to have at a later time, and went with a safe topic.

"Do you like seafood?" I asked, pulling out of the parking space.

"Yes. Is that where we're going? To a seafood restaurant?"

"Kind of. It has great seafood specials, which is why I asked, but they offer other items as well."

"What's the name of the place?"

"Carnegie's." Mentally, I said 'Du-oh' and slapped a hand against my forehead. I should have offered up the restaurant's name first thing.

"Oh, my roommate, Rachel, loves that place. She insists on all her dates taking her there," Bella remarked, seeming more comfortable around me now, tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Maybe if we drop her name, we'll get specially treatment," I said lightly, trying to make her smile again. It somewhat worked, she half-smiled at my lame attempt at a joke.

Come on, Cullen!

Trying a different tactic, I quickly switched subjects. "Do you enjoy teaching your class?"

"I love it. Trying to make freshmen see the benefits of learning how to write correctly is very rewarding… and very difficult at times."

I laughed softly. "I'm sure it is. I know trying to get my students to practice their scales is enough to make me want to pull my hair out some days, but it's worth it for those few seconds when I see them enjoying playing."

"Yes, exactly. Except for that playing bit," she said a little more adamantly than before, her face becoming more animated. And she was looking at me now. She was warming up to me.

Okay, don't screw this up, I warned myself.

"What made you choose English?" I asked, sneaking quick glances at her as I drove.

"I've loved reading for as long as I can remember. There never seemed like anything else for me to do."

"I can understand that. I've played the piano since I was four. It's almost like oxygen for me now – essential for my survival."

She smiled at me, a genuine full smile. She was so lovely when she smiled like that. I forced myself to look back at the road before we crashed into something.

So far, so good.

Arriving at the restaurant, I quickly found an empty spot and parked. I got out and walked around the car, opening the door for Bella. She stepped out of the car, in a slightly less than graceful way. Reaching out, I silently offered my hand for balance, if she needed it. She took it and I closed the door behind her, making sure it was locked.

I loved the feel of her soft skin against my hand. Small sparks flew up my arm the longer we held hands. I didn't want to let go and she didn't try to pull away. This was going better than I anticipated.

Letting her enter the restaurant in front of me, I regretfully released her hand and followed her inside. After giving my name to the hostess, she led us to a booth near the back. It was closed off enough from the rest of the restaurant that it lent some manner of privacy to us. I was grateful for that. It would make this incredibly less awkward if we weren't scrutinized constantly by the other restaurant patrons during our meal.

Sliding into the booth, I smiled at Bella, but she was looking at our hostess, faintly frowning. Maybe she didn't like the seating choice?

"Is this okay?" I asked Bella, watching for any sign that she was just going to be nice and not tell me the reason behind the frown. The hostess said something and left, but I didn't look away from Bella.

"Hmm? Yes, it's fine," she assured me, turning the frown into a small smile, and then dropped her eyes to the menu spread out on the table. She didn't appear to be lying to me.

It was times like these that I really wished I could read minds. Although with my luck, Bella would end up being the one exception to my power, and I would still be as lost as I am right now.

"So… are you from Seattle originally?" I asked, eager to continue our conversation and learn everything there was to know about this woman.

"No. I grew up in Phoenix, but moved up around here during high school."

"Where did you graduate from?"

"Forks. It's this small town about four hours away," she explained, sneaking a peek at me from underneath her lashes. "What about you? Are you from around here?"

"Kind of. I guess I have a similar story to yours. I grew up in Chicago, but my family moved to Seattle when I was a freshman in high school." At least she was asking questions. I took that as a good sign that she was interested in me.

The waitress appeared then, a blonde young girl who was smiling a little too wide. "Hi! My name is Jennifer and I'll be your server tonight. Can I get you something to drink?"

I looked at Bella for her to respond first, but she was frowning again, this time at the waitress. What was going on?

She asked for a soda and I got the same, asking Jennifer to give us a couple of minutes to decide on what to order. Once she left, I knew I had to confront Bella about what was upsetting her. "Is everything okay?"

"First the hostess, now our waitress…" she trailed off, mumbling something under her breath that I didn't catch.

"I'm sorry. What are you talking about?" I asked, genuinely confused. What exactly was it about the wait staff that troubled her?

"The flirting. They are all flirting with you, completely ignoring me and just staring at you."

I was flabbergasted, and my jaw dropped a little bit. "What? They've been ignoring you?"

For some reason, I apparently was focusing on the wrong thing because she frowned at me this time. "You seriously haven't noticed? Does this happen to you so much that you've gotten used to it?"

"No, never. I sincerely apologize. I'll say something to her the next time she comes by."

"No! Don't do that. Really–," she began, then stopped suddenly because Jennifer had come back to the table.

This time I made it a point to watch Jennifer as she interacted with us. Sure enough, I quickly caught onto the fact that she pointedly ignored Bella's existence. Since I didn't want to upset Bella further by calling our waitress out on it, I made sure to continuously focus on Bella as I was ordering.

Jennifer left our table after writing down our orders and Bella gave me a small smile. "She seems a little put out that you didn't look at her after I ordered."

I laughed. "She should know better than to hit on someone while they're on a date with a beautiful woman."

Bella blushed bright red, ducking her head again. I smiled at her inability to receive complaints, knowing if she consented to continue seeing me I would soon break her of that habit.

"So, tell me about growing up in Phoenix," I requested, longing to hear her voice already.

This was not good. I was falling and I hardly knew her.

BPOV

Edward and I talked all through dinner, each of us taking turns to ask a question. Sometimes they were stupid, and sometimes they required a long explanation, but we switched off every other one in a sort of unspoken game that only we knew the rules to.

After telling Edward about our waitress, and the way he refused to look at her every time she came by, I couldn't help chuckling quietly when she finally gave up and left us to converse and eat our food without interruption.

I felt comfortable and safe with him here, not unlike when he had stopped me from falling flat on my face outside the English building Monday morning. Of course, I wasn't pressed against his chest right now, but I hoped it might come to that at the end of the night. Watching his lips move as he talked, my reoccurring thought was, Those lips should be outlawed. They are a danger to women everywhere. They're too full for most men, but they fit perfectly on Edward.

We left the restaurant, and he reached out for my hand again. I readily gave it over, wanting as much contact with him as I could get. I don't know why I had ever thought he was a Patrick Bateman. That was the farthest from the truth as you could get.

And we had so much in common. From books, to movies, to how we felt about teaching. It was amazing connecting with someone on so many levels. I didn't want this evening to end. I fervently hoped he would ask me out again. I needed this sort of social interaction. Somewhere back in my mind, I knew that I kept to myself too much. I did need to go out more, as much as I hated to admit it.

Edward parked his car in front of my apartment door and turned off the engine. I started, unaware that we had been driving for that long in silence. I had been completely lost in my thoughts. Sneaking a glance at his face, I figured he didn't seem upset by the lack of conversation.

He got out and came around the car once again, opening the door for me to exit. And once again, he reached out his hand. I took it, even though I didn't need it for maintaining my balance. I was just feeling greedy tonight. We walked to the door and I turned to him, smiling.

"Good night," he said, his voice huskier than it had been before as his attention drifted down to my lips. "I had a great time tonight."

My lips parted on their own, a silent plea to be kissed. His head swooped downward and he captured my mouth in the kiss I had wanted from the moment he had appeared in front of me, apologizing for running into me.

Oh God, yes. This was it. Exactly what I wanted.

My lashes fluttered downward as Edward's lips moved over mine with a demanding tenderness. He tasted of… heaven. This was heaven. I never wanted it to end. Sparks flashed and smoldered behind my closed lids as his tongue stroked over my lower lip and then dipped into my mouth.

My breath caught. His tongue brushed over mine and I let out a faint moan.

Yes. Oh, more. Please, more.

My stomach clenched and my fingers clutched at his coat as I went up onto the tips of my toes. Warmth raced through my body, spreading to places that had been long dormant.

Edward's arms encircled my waist, pulling me relentlessly to the hardness of his body. Instinctively my hands lifted to tangle in the satin softness of his hair.

"What have you done to me?" he rasped, pulling away ever so slightly, his lips brushing soft, urgent kisses over my jaw line and returning to my lips. "Have you cast some spell of enchantment?"

I was quite certain I was the one under the spell. The way he kissed me left me speechless, but his words had me reluctantly regain at least a portion of my fogged senses. I wrenched my eyes open. "Edward…"

Finding a delicate spot just below my ear, Edward seemed to devote himself to sending chills of pleasure down my spine. "Mmmm?"

My eyes nearly rolled back in my head. Holy heaven. This needs to stop soon or I'm going to do something I'll regret in the morning. Thinking about it, I revised that to something I'll regret eventually, but maybe not in the morning. Especially if he continued to do that with his tongue.

"I, oh. I should really go to bed," I breathed.

His soft chuckle tickled my ear. "Do you want some company?"

I gasped at his words, too shocked to respond. Was he really suggesting we do this on our first date? I bit my lip, partly to keep myself from saying yes to the delicious sounding offer.

He pulled back to look at me. "I'm sorry. That was rather untoward of me. Could you please forget I said that?"

Forget that he asked to join me in bed? Ha! I would sooner be able to build a spacestation in my backyard with only a roll of duct tape and a chair than to forget that moment. I didn't tell him that, however.

"Don't worry about it. But I think I'll have a go at it alone tonight," I said unevenly, trying to make him feel better. Images of Edward, naked and sprawled out on my bed, was too much for me to handle right now. I had no idea if I could survive the real thing without hyperventilating, but I hoped he stuck around long enough for me to find out.

That dazzling crooked smile appeared on his face. "Okay," he said, the laughter in his eyes lightening the shade of green to more the color of grass.

My hands slowly lowered to his shoulders. I should step away completely, but it seemed wise to wait until my knees weren't threatening to give way.

"I had a great time, as well. Thank you for" – that kiss, asking me out, making me think about you naked – "tonight," I said, blushing at my thoughts.

"You're welcome, my sweet Bella," he whispered, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "Would it be alright if I called you when I got home tonight?"

I nodded, feeling myself weaken with not wanting him to leave. Stay strong.

"I'll talk to you soon, then." Edward promised, gently brushed his lips over mine one last time before turning and walking back to his car.

I fumbled for my keys in my purse and opened the door. Shutting it behind me, I leaned back onto it and sighed, half expecting to be attacked by Rachel for date details. That had to be the best first kiss of my life.

I am in so much trouble with this guy. I hope he doesn't end up breaking my heart.