A/N: I am so in love with all of you for being so awesome! I get so much love from you guys over this story. I seriously can't believe it's already gotten over 200 reviews. I really hope everyone continues to read and love my story as much as I love it. I consider this story my baby. Oh, while I'm here, I might as well mention my other story. Take One For the Team is seriously where I channel all the sexual frustration of this story, haha. If you like sexy times (and DTE, which I know most of you do!), then please check it out to tide you over! Also, I'm starting a new story once I get closer to finishing the two I've already got going. I don't want to overload you with my stuff, haha. That being said, I hope you enjoy this next chapter….

Previously:

"Bella, unless you want to spend the rest of the night making out like a couple of horny teenagers afraid of second base, you better stop looking at me like that," he said gruffly.

I couldn't help it, I snickered. I definitely wanted to spend the rest of the night making out like horny teenagers. I bet Edward had been hot, even as a teenager.

His eyes popped open in warning and I choked as he flipped me over on to my back, pressing his chest against mine. His mouth swooped down and claimed mine, and the heat was undeniable.

His delicious lips moved over mine as I tried to remember to breathe. I felt consumed with a sense of rightness so profound that I was left shaken. I wrapped my hands around his neck and lost myself in his presence.

Maybe being a horny teenager had more going for it than I remembered.

BPOV

The sunlight was drifting through my blinds, making me groan. My head felt heavy, like it was full of stuffing. I couldn't imagine why I would feel this way, it's not like I had anything to drink last night.

Then I remembered what last night had brought to my doorstep, or rather who. I reached my hand out across my bed, blindly searching for Edward. My grasp came up empty, and I began to wonder if maybe I had just dreamt everything that had happened the night before.

I felt panic settle in my chest just as my fingertips brushed something hard and smooth. I raised my head carefully, feeling really tired from staying up all night making out with the most amazing person ever created.

The pillow next to mine had an indentation from his head, but his head was not there. Neither was the rest of him. I felt sadness wash over me, but I noticed he had left something for me on the empty pillow.

I picked up the book, noting that it was raggedy and well loved. There was a bookmark stuck in it, with "read me" written on it in Edward's beautiful script. Beneath the book was a mix CD. A dreamy smile drifted across my face as I hugged both items to my chest. I quickly scanned the list of songs, realizing this was made up of some of the most romantic songs in indie music history. Some of the songs were unfamiliar to me, but for the most part, I knew the songs already. Edward wasn't playing around; he knew exactly what a mix like this would say to me.

I got up and popped the mix into my stereo, pushing play before I settled back onto my bed to read from the book. I smiled as the sound of Sam Beam's gentle voice filled my room with its sweetness.

"Love and some verses you hear
say what you can't say
love to say this in your ear,
"I'll love you that way"
from your changing contentments,
what will you choose for to share?
someday drawing you different,
may I be weaved in your hair?"

I couldn't help but swoon over the promise held in those words. Edward was insanely romantic. I felt my heart splutter in my chest as I opened the book he'd left on my pillow. It was a book of love poems by Pablo Neruda.

My eyes consumed the poem greedily, and I felt my face grow warm, as I had to remind myself to breathe. This was too amazing. I would never have thought Edward already felt this way about me. I finished the poem quickly and started to re-read it once more, this time savoring the elegant words.

"It's good to feel you close in the night, Love,

invisible in your sleep, earnestly nocturnal,

while I untangle my confusions

like bewildered nets.

Absent, your heart sails through dreams,

but your body breathes, abandoned like this,

searching for me without seeing me, completing my sleep,

like a plant that propagates in the dark.

When you arise, alive, tomorrow, you'll be someone else:

but something is left from the lost frontiers of the night,

from that being and nothing where we find ourselves,

something that brings us close in the light of life,

as if the seal of the darkness

branded its secret creatures with a fire."

The poem fit so perfectly with last night. I felt the electricity zing across my skin as I relived our heated kisses. The feelings were mutual. I could not escape the warmth pooling in my heart; I was already lost to Edward.

I knew without having to check that I wouldn't find Edward somewhere else in the house. My senses were so attuned to his presence by now that I could feel the lack of it. I pushed the disappointment away and tried to focus on the good things. Edward showing up at my door last night was the single most romantic gesture any guy had ever done for me; I would be lying if I didn't say I was insanely glad I'd called him.

I wandered around the house, my hands trailing over each piece of furniture that he had touched. I felt silly, acting as if I were some tragic romantic heroine pining for her true love. I laughed at myself and tried to shake off the feeling of loneliness settling in my chest.

I heard my phone beep from the kitchen, indicating I had a text message. I ran to find it, holding my breath in the hopes that it would be from Edward. I felt a ridiculous grin break over my face as I read what it said:

From: Edward

To: Bella

I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye. You were too beautiful and I knew if you were awake, I'd never have the strength to go.

I hit "reply" and typed my response, my stomach dancing in unbelievable joy.

From: Bella

To: Edward

I got your presents, thank you. They are both beautiful.

His response was quick, and I smiled before responding in kind:

From: Edward

To: Bella

I miss you. The tour should be over in a few more weeks, though. Then I won't have to let you out of my arms for months!

From: Bella

To: Edward

I miss you too. I can't wait for you to get home.

EPOV

I sighed miserably after putting my phone away. I was quickly becoming frustrated with this tour; I just wanted it to be over so I could go home to Bella. I was surprised by how quickly she had become the center of my dreams, when just a handful of months ago this tour had epitomized everything I'd been working for my entire life.

It was hard to ignore the ache in my chest when I thought about where I'd woken up this morning and where I was now. Bella's sleeping form had been wrapped so deliciously around mine, her hair tickling me where it was spread out like a breath across my chest. I had wanted to stay entwined with her that way, forgetting momentarily everything waiting for me back on the east coast.

I ran my hand through my hair, trying to focus on the task at hand. Emmett was talking to the club owner and Jasper and Alice were carrying in some of the equipment. We always tried to convince Alice to hang out with Rosalie at the merch table while we unloaded, but that little spitfire would just roll her eyes and ignore us. She always reminded us that she was a part of the band, too, and so she should be able to pull her own weight.

I joined them and carried in my drum kit, setting it next to the rest of the amps and cords. I loved playing the drums in a hardcore band; it was amazing how much power you could put into a double bass beat when the crowd was worked up and dancing. The feeling of watching our fans shout along with Emmett was a heady experience. I loved everything about playing music… or at least I had, until I met Bella and felt like I had tear myself physically away from her.

The local band was doing their sound check when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, hoping it was Bella. I sighed when I saw our manager's name on the screen.

"Hey, Lex," I said.

"Hey, Edward. How goes the tour?" he asked.

"It's going really well, but you already knew that. What's up?" I responded.

"Well, the label called and they're really excited about how well the tour is going. The EP is selling like hotcakes and the fans are screaming for more on the message boards…"

I felt the excitement and satisfaction bubble up inside my chest. "That's great, man," I replied.

Lex finally got down to the business end of the phone call. "They want you guys to record the Volturi album when you get home from this tour, and then they want you guys to go tour over in Europe for a few months."

My good mood came crashing down. I mean, I was excited at the prospect of touring Europe with the band, but how could I leave Bella? She had school and she couldn't just leave her life for months at a time to come on the road with us.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to focus on Lex's words. He'd been sitting on the other end of the line, waiting for my response. I tried to shrug off the black mood and give him the reaction that was expected from this news.

"That's awesome, man. I can't wait to tell everyone else," I replied.

We finished our conversation and I hung up, wondering how long I would actually get to be at home with Bella before I had to turn around and leave again. We weren't "official" or anything like that, but I felt like that was exactly where we were headed; it was only a matter of time.

I sighed, frustrated all over again. If only I could be at home, I was sure things would have already been settled by now. Bella would be my girlfriend and things would be amazing.

I went to find my family to tell them the good news. I knew it would go over really well for them because they all had their significant others on the road with them.

I tried to escape the black cloud hanging over my head, reminding myself that this was an incredible opportunity and I shouldn't mess it up with a bad attitude. So many people would die for the chance to have their band signed and touring Europe. I needed to put these things into perspective.

I found everyone and relayed the conversation with Lex for them. They all seemed genuinely excited, and their celebratory mood was infectious. I felt the weight lifting off my shoulders as we laughed and enjoyed the feeling of creating something that made people want to be a part of it. I was seriously flattered by all the attention our band was getting.

During our set, Emmett announced we would be recording our first full-length album as soon as we were done with this tour, and the crowd went wild. We finished playing our set list and decided to throw in one of the new songs as a bonus. Once again, the crowd went insane and I felt high on the sounds of their shouts and whistles.

After the show, we all walked down to a diner near the club and sat around talking and eating. I wanted to call Bella, but I figured she would probably be asleep already. I knew she had school the next day, and as much as I wanted to talk to her, I didn't want her to lose sleep.

I kept my hand off my phone as long as I could, but as soon as we were settled back into the van and on our way to the next town, I couldn't resist any longer. I pulled it out of my pocket and scrolled down to her name on my list to call her.

The phone rang a few times and I started to hang up when her voice came on the line. "Hello?" she asked, sounding all sleepy and adorable.

"Hey you," I said quietly. Everyone was asleep except Jasper, since he was driving. I was sitting at the very back of the van by myself, so I knew we had a small amount of privacy.

"Edward! I'm so glad you called," she said, sounding a little more awake this time. I felt my face split open in a big grin as I relished the cadence of her voice caressing my ear. I missed her so much.

"I'm glad I did, too. I'm sorry for waking you," I said sincerely.

"Psh, I'd much rather talk to you anyway. Though there is definitely something to be said for the dream I was just having about you...," she said slyly.

"Oh really?" I asked, instantly intrigued. I wanted to hear this for sure.

She laughed softly before saying, "Yeah. It was a good one."

"Tell me more!" I demanded playfully. She was teasing me; I knew it and she knew it, too. I would play along, though. I wanted some insight into her fascinating mind.

"Well, we were on this carousel…," she began.

Random, I thought. "Go on."

"We were riding the horses and you were getting frustrated because our faces kept going in opposite directions, so you couldn't kiss me. I was teasing you about it, so you grabbed me and pulled me off the carousel while it was still moving. The guy running it was seriously pissed, but you didn't care. You dragged me over to the Ferris wheel…" she trailed off, giggling endearingly. Usually giggling girls annoyed me, but her laugh was so infectious I couldn't help but smile at the sound.

"So we rode the Ferris wheel?" I asked, wondering if this was going where I hoped it was.

"Yeah, even though I'm afraid of heights but I guess I wasn't in the dream. You were all satisfied because we got to sit next to each other and you spent the entire ride kissing me." She sighed dreamily, sounding like she was reminiscing about the dream.

I grinned and encouraged her to continue. "So, the real question is: at what point did I seduce you in the fun house?"

Bella let out a full-bodied laugh and I joined her, still trying to be quiet so I wouldn't wake my siblings. "Well, it was more along the lines of in your bedroom after we came back…" she drifted off, this time sounding a little shy.

I felt myself get hot around the collar as I realized she was serious. She'd been having that kind of dream about me. I cleared my throat and tried to speak a coherent sentence. "So, was I any good?" I joked lamely.

She laughed softly again. "Oh yeah, definitely."

"Well, hopefully when I get home, you can tell me if I live up to this slutty Dream Edward," I joked, feeling my heart race and my blood heat.

"Hey, don't call my Dream Edward a slut! He happened to very romantic, if you must know. I think that maybe I should date him instead. He would never leave for a silly tour when he could stay home and make sweet, sweet love to me!" she joked.

Her joke reminded me of the real reason behind my call. I sighed and frowned, not really wanting to tell her about the European tour now that she'd made that joke.

She must have thought I was upset by her joke, because she hurriedly said, "I was just joking, Edward. I think it's awesome that you're on tour and the band is doing so well. I was only teasing…"

I cut her off, feeling bad. "No, no, it's okay Bella. I was just thinking of something else."

"Oh, okay then. Whew. So what were you thinking about, then?" she asked curiously.

"It's nothing; I'll tell you when I see you. In the meantime, I just wanna talk about you. What did you listen to today? What did you learn about in class? What are you wearing right now?" I slipped the last question in slyly.

She squeaked and laughed uproariously before answering, "Your mix CD, the electoral college, and nothing, in that order."

My brain ground to a halt and my pants magically shrank about five sizes. My breath huffed out and I struggled to remember what we were talking about before all the blood pooled in my lap. "Ahhh… so… how about that Electoral College, huh?" I joked half-heartedly.

Bella's sweet laugh rang out over the line once more, and she said, "I'd much rather talk about you. What did you listen to today? What city did you play today? Why didn't you jump me when you had the chance?"

I groaned; this woman was trying to kill me for sure. Here I was, trying to be a gentleman and take it slow and she was busy destroying my carefully erected wall of self-control.

Erected, eh? I know of something else that is "erected," my inner dialogue teased. I shoved that thought away and focused on Bella once more. "I listened to Death Cab's new album, we played in some Podunk town in Kansas, and good lord, did I want to!" I replied.

She sighed and I waited for her to say more. Finally, she said, "I wanted you to, too. I can't wait for you to get home."

My heart spluttered in my chest and my breathing became erratic. I was pretty sure I would need a cold shower as soon as possible. This sexy girl had no idea how much I wanted her.

"Oh, you have no idea how much I wish I could be there with you right now," I finally replied, my voice sounding husky. My pants twitched in agreement.

Bella's breathing began to get slower and deeper, and I realized she must have been falling back asleep. "Bella? " I asked gently. "Are you falling asleep?"

"Mmm, Edward, will you just talk to me a moment longer please? I want your voice to be the last thing I hear before I fall asleep," she said softly.

"Sure, beautiful. What would you like to talk about?" I replied.

"Whatever you'd like," she said.

"Well, let's see. I could quote some of my favorite poetry to you. You could fall asleep out of boredom," I joked.

"That would be amazing," she said, her voice growing fainter.

"Okay, let's see. Here's one from Rilke:

'Again and again, however we know the landscape of love

and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names,

and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others

fall: again and again the two of us walk out together

under the ancient trees, lie down again and again

among the flowers, face to face with the sky.'"

"That's pretty, I don't know if I've read that one before," she said sleepily.

"I read a lot of Rilke's work growing up," I said, feeling slightly corny now. Bella was the kind of girl who deserved to be romanced, and I wanted to be the one to do it. I just couldn't help feeling silly, all the same.

I could hear her breathing even out and I knew she'd finally fallen asleep. "Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams," I said softly.

"Mmm 'night, Edward. Miss you," she mumbled before we hung up.

I put my phone back into my pocket and pulled my hood up over my head before settling back into the bench seat. I sighed and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep with Bella's face in my mind.

A/N: There you go, AlexandraaaCullen! A character named Lex, just for you;) Sorry Lex is a dude, but oh well. I hope you all liked this chapter, and I would really love to hear what you thought! The first poem is by Pablo Neruda, no title, and the second is by Rainer Maria Rilke. Two of my favorite poets in one chapter, wowee! -HIE