A/N: Ermagawd. An update! Miracles will never cease.

The small crowd of paps was back outside his gate again. Edward could see them from his window on the top floor of his house.

"If looks could kill…" Rosalie said. She rubbed his arm.

Edward turned to look at his sister. "You'd have been in prison years ago, Rose."

She grinned. "True. And you'd have been a crispy critter." She looked over his shoulder at the photographers in the street below. "Do you ever get used to them?"

"Sometimes I think I do. Sometimes, when they aren't being aggressive, I talk to them. They joke. They tell me about their families, and it's easier to remember there's a normal human being in there instead of a vulture." Edward shook his head. "But the minute they catch a whiff of a story, they'll throw the kinds of questions at you that would make even Mom hit them."

Rosalie snorted. "Of course she would hit them. They're hurting her baby."

Edward sighed, scratching his chin as he debated with himself over what to tell his sister. "I think that's part of my problem. If this was just about me, I would deal with it. I do deal. I always think to myself, if it meant I wouldn't have to deal with them, would I give up everything else? I do like my job."

"I'm sure the money doesn't hurt."

"Ha. No. Anyone who tells you money can't buy happiness is lying." He shrugged. "But this time, if I had the choice…" He shook his head. "It's the first time I've felt unsatisfied being who I am."

Rosalie cocked her head. "Are you really that concerned about your safety? I didn't think you were so scared. The way Mom's been talking, I thought you weren't concerned enough."

"My safety?" It took Edward a moment to realize they weren't talking about the same thing. "Oh, that."

"Yes, that. The threat to your life."

"Don't exaggerate." He wagged a finger in his sister's face. "I hadn't even thought of it that way, though I suppose you're right. If my friends out there didn't feed this frenzy for my personal life, maybe this asshole wouldn't believe he or she knows me. Maybe I'd land on the cover of People magazine because of the movies I make, not because I'm the most eligible bachelor of 2015. My movies are the only thing the public should be interested in me for." He ran a hand through his hair. "I know I should be more concerned about this person. They obviously have a screw loose, but that's not what I was talking about."

Rosalie furrowed her brow, but then she grinned. "So the tabs did get it right for once, huh? I take it Bella was the one you were caught with."

"It was a brief moment, but yes. It was her."

"Hmm." Rosalie tapped her lips. "You know, she was pretty high on Emmett's list for a while. Of possible suspects I mean."

"I know." Edward shook his head. "She was on the top of my list too, for as little as I've thought about it. The paranoia does get to me occasionally. But it's a ridiculous notion."

"Is it? Why?"

"Because she could have me if she wants me, and I'm pretty damn sure she knows it."

Rosalie whistled. "So you can say goodbye to People's most eligible bachelors list in 2016?"

He grunted. "No. There's a barrier." He gestured out at the paps.

"She can't be camera shy. Not as many times as she went out posing as Gianna."

"It's not about the cameras. It's the combination of the cameras and the famous significant other. She gets burned, and she's the one being torn apart by complete and total strangers with no fans of her own to balance that out."

"Hmm. I see her point. That's a huge risk on a normal day, but you've got an admirer who likes to play with knives." Rosalie studied him. "And her only perk is you. Yeah, that's a no-brainer. Not worth it."

Edward smacked his sister with a pillow.

Before they could get into it further, Emmett breezed back into the room. "Cops got nothing so far," he said, flopping down on the sofa beside Rosalie. "There's always so much traffic on a movie set. Tons of people went in and out of Gianna's trailer. So far, all of them had a legitimate reason to be there. Though that doesn't matter, right? I mean, it's not likely they snuck on set. Not into the studio. It must be one of the crew." His brow furrowed as he thought it out for the millionth time.

"How's Jasper taking this, by the way?" Rosalie asked. "It's gotta be killing him that this happened on his watch."

"He'd be a pain in my ass if it wasn't for Alice." Emmett grinned at that. "I think that mother-trucker is in love. So it's like a bi-polar thing he's got going on. One second,he's going out of his mind, pissed as hell because this bastard is so tricky. The next, Alice has him all googly-eyed. She's been there for him, so that's good."

Edward grumbled and ran a hand over his eyes. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.

"Why's he gone all broody?" Emmett asked his wife.

"Oh, you know. He's just a boy standing in front of a girl asking her to love him."

"Christ, Rosalie. Why would you give him that kind of ammunition?" Edward said, raising his head to glare at his sister.

"Because it's fun." She ruffled his hair.

Emmett, as could be expected, guffawed. "Hey, you'll be okay. It's a good lesson for you."

"A good lesson?" Edward asked.

"Sure. You're an actor, Edward." His brother-in-law smiled at him goodnaturedly. "You can't help but be a little bit spoiled. You get almost everything you want, and you could have almost any woman you want. Except this one."

"That's probably why you're so fixated." Rosalie patted his leg.

Edward didn't answer either of them. It was possible. The thrill of the chase and all that. He thought about it long and hard, not really listening as Emmett went over some of the other elements of the case.

By the time Emmett and Rosalie left to get ready for the party, Edward had his answer. No, it wasn't just the thrill of the chase. Maybe it had started that way, but the chase was over. He knew that. He knew, had known for a while now, that if he wanted her in his bed, he could get her there. She wasn't unwilling. In fact, he thought perhaps part of her was eager for it, waiting.

He knew Emmett was wrong. He realized he'd had every chance and hadn't taken it. Because he was hedging his bets. Because he wanted more.

Edward was a romantic at heart. A softy, Emmett used to say. Fast and easy was just that-fast and easy. It was nice to be with a woman, share a piece of himself in trade for a piece of her. But he wanted more than that. He wanted what his parents had-long lasting companionship. What Rosalie had-a partner who kept her on her toes.

No. Emmett was wrong.

But what Edward was going to do about it, if anything, he had no idea.

~0~

Edward took an obnoxious amount of time to get ready. He didn't usually spend much time thinking about his clothes. Everything he owned looked good on him. It was yet another perk of the job. Why shop for his own clothes when there was a whole department whose sole purpose was to make him look good? He got new clothes, perfectly tailored to his body, with every movie he made. That was without taking into account the free designer clothes that appeared in his trailer

He ended up consulting the Internet, Googling himself to find out what his fans thought was his best look. It was ridiculous, he knew. Besides the fact it bordered on pathetic, he'd also said he wasn't going to seduce her.

Of course, he still liked teasing her. There was nothing wrong with that. They'd built their friendship on mutual jests. He liked the way her eyes raked over him when he was wearing something she liked or did something she found particularly attractive. Did she realize her mouth hung open a tiny bit at such moments, her lower lip jutting ever so slightly?

Edward was, as always, amused, perplexed, and a little frightened of his fans' fervor. If he thought about it too long, it was slightly creepy that they could rhapsodize about his ears, his nose, a particular way he smiled. They had opinions on his hair at any length. His beard. It was strange how people took his hair and beard-whether for jobs or his own preference-personally. He'd had to shave his head completely bald for a part once, and there was no escaping the strange backlash. Did these people not realize that hair grew back?

Finally, Edward determined a button-down, gray shirt-with just one too many buttons left undone-and black jeans was his best look. His hair-longish for his current job-was best left to its own devices, the more disheveled and wild the better.

The party was at Jasper's house. Edward, not caring to limit his drinking after the last couple of days, called the car service to drive. He was about to step out back-where his annoying friends couldn't go-when he ran smack into Emmett, about to open his door.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked in shock.

Emmett gave him a cool look. "I sent your car away. Dude, what has to happen for you to take this threat seriously? I've told you a million times not to go out without me. Just for now."

"It's not like I'm going out on the town. I'm going to Jasper's house."

Emmett tilted his head. "Straight there."

Edward shifted on his feet. "It's impolite to show up without something. I was going to stop for-"

He cut off when Emmett shoved a brown paper bag. "Overly-spendy booze. Check. Let's blow this pop stand."

"You know, you're really cramping my style, McCarty."

"Cry me a frickin' river, superstar. Let's go."

~0~

Sometime later, as they were heading up Jasper's walk, Edward stopped short. He saw through the window that Bella's friend Seth was there.

"You guys go on in. I'm going to hang out here for a minute," Edward said.

Rosalie quirked an eyebrow. "You pick up smoking or something?"

"I just need some air."

"Right. The fresh Los Angeles air." Emmett took a deep breath and then pretended to hack. Cackling at himself, he looked to Edward. "I can stay out here with you."

"Emmett, come on. It's a gated community. There's no one out here." He swept his arm wide, indicating the street which was noticeably free of paps or anyone looking their way. "I promise I'll be fine for a minute on my own."

"I keep telling you. Your sister will divorce me if you get hurt."

"Eh," Rosalie said with a shrug. "Mostly, I'd be fine with it."

"I love you too, Sister."

Rosalie blew a kiss at him, and then she elbowed Emmett in the side. "Come on. No one's going to jump him out here."

They finally left Edward to his own devices. It wasn't that he disliked the kid. Seth was funny and very sweet. However, rather than get used to Edward, the kid's inner fangirl seemed to get worse by the day. Bella had passed on his Kik ID, with his permission, and Seth had slowly started asking him all kinds of questions. They weren't personal but obsessive, and he seemed disappointed that Edward didn't remember tiny plot details of the cult classic film he'd done over a decade before. He kept pressing, as though Edward lived the same reality he did.

Edward liked Seth. This was another drawback of his life, his fame. Edward wanted to be able to enjoy people the way anyone else could. He wanted to get to know Seth, but how could he from the pedestal the man put him on? Seth got stuck in the shallow waters of what the public thought they knew about him.

Wasn't that the rub of his life at the moment? It was no wonder Bella didn't want to start anything with him. If she was his, she would spend a good part of her life in those shallows. She would wade through streams of strangers who thought they knew something about her, about their relationship. They would judge her against whatever fictional reality they decided was true.

A warrior yell startled Edward out of his morose thoughts. He swung around, but too late. Something jumped at him-high on his back, arms wrapped around his neck. He swung his arms, off balance but only enough that he stumbled. He didn't fall.

A jolt of panic went down his spine. He was about to swing his body wildly to throw his attack off when he heard a familiar laugh. "You're a sitting duck, stud. Your bodyguard is epic amounts of fail," said a voice near his ear.

"Bella. God damn."

She laughed again and was about to slide off his back, but he caught her. He pulled her legs around him, hoisting her into a more secure position. "Going somewhere, spider monkey?" he asked.

"I heard there was some kind of shindig going on today." She pressed the palm of her hand to his chest. "Damn. Your heart is beating so fast. I scared you." She sounded gleeful.

"I'm becoming more and more convinced you're actually trying to kill me. First, you throw me down stairs. Now you try to induce a heart attack. I have to hand it to you, Swan. You made it so everyone thinks we're friends. No one will suspect a thing, you murderess."

She sighed. Her breath was hot against his cheek. "I'm so devious."

"You are. But I know just what to do with you." Hoisting her again so she was firmly in his grasp, Edward turned them and took several too-quick steps backward.

"Edward. What are you- Ack!" Her arms tightened around his neck even as she tried to wrest her legs from his grasp. He pinned her between his back and the door-not as hard as it seemed he was going to, of course. "What are you doing?" she asked again, pounding lightly at his shoulders.

"Squishing you, of course," he said, his tone matter of fact. He pressed back again, delighted at her squeak.

He almost didn't hear the turning of the doorknob over the sounds of their scuffle. When he did, he pulled away from the door, bringing Bella with him, just in time. The door swung open, revealing Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice staring at them. "Just what the hell is going on out here?" Jasper asked.

Edward smiled serenely, still not letting go of Bella. "Looks like you were wrong, Rose. Someone did jump me after all."

~0~

They were doing a dance around each other.

Something had changed; that much was obvious. There was an odd awareness between them that hadn't been there before. Edward had gone to the party determined not to start anything. He even made a concerted effort to mingle with everyone else. He didn't try to ignore her so much as he tried to remember everyone else in the room.

She seemed to be on the same page there. He wondered if she'd made it look as if jumping on people was something she was intothat evening. he was imagining that she went out of her way to make it look like what she'd done out in the front lawn-jumping on him the way she had-was just a thing she was into that evening. She jumped on Seth's back and even eyed Emmett before he stopped her.

"I'd rethink it, girlie. My wife is the jealous type, and she has claws," Emmett teased, amused.

So she'd jumped Jasper instead, since Alice had waved a distracted hand at her antics.

Still, though he couldn't say he didn't feel a twinge of jealousy, it was different with the others than it had been for them outside. Everything was different. They talked to the others but inevitably gravitated toward each other. Every time, their gaze lingered longer than the conversation. She touched him much more than she did anyone else. Absent touches-her finger tapping his hand, her hand on his shoulder when she leaned over him to reach a drink.

Edward was buzzing pretty hard when most of them settled down for a poker match. Bella had declined card playing and was having an animated conversation with Alice. They were standing and had wandered toward the table since the chips and dip were there.

"Yo, Cullen. Get your head in the game," Emmett said when Edward hadn't noticed it was his turn.

"Shut up, Emmett," Jasper said, smacking his boss and friend on the arm. "The asshat is usually a card shark. Let me enjoy winning for once."

Edward tried to concentrate, but it was difficult. Bella's nearness was disconcerting. He kept trying to tell himself the warmth in his cheeks and at the center of his chest had everything to do with the alcohol. But that didn't explain the thrills going down his spine, through his bloodstream. He was going out of his mind; it was hard to think strategy and numbers.

When she rested her hand on his neck, it took all of Edward's considerable will power not jolt. There was a current between them-strong and steady and tightening low in his gut. He shuffled the cards in his hands.

Bella continued her conversation with Alice. They were talking about something they'd witnessed when Alice visited the set with Jasper a couple of days earlier. As she spoke, Bella's fingers moved at his neck, stroking through his hair in a familiar but absent way, as though it was normal for them. As though it was her right to touch him like that.

Her touch did things to him. The pads of her fingers skimming along sensitive skin made him wistful. He indulged in the daydream that this could be the norm for them, that any second she would lean over his seat and duck down for a quick, affectionate kiss. The sensation stirred his desire. He did want her, after all.

"I got nothing," Edward said, putting his cards down. "I fold." He drummed his fingers against the tabletop as though he was irritated by his lack of good cards.

Bella laughed at something Alice had said, her fingers stilling at his neck. Edward couldn't take it anymore.

"Finish out this round. I'm gonna break the seal," he said, pushing his chair back as he stood.

He found himself face to face with Bella who looked startled at his sudden nearness. He was startled too. He'd known, of course, that she was close, but they ended up nose to nose. She blinked.

"Sorry," they said together, eyes locked. Neither of them moved for three long beats. She had a look in her eyes like she wanted the same thing he did-to kiss him. Edward swayed. Waited.

The moment passed and he stepped around her, heading for the bathroom. There, he slapped cold water on his face. The alcohol was making things worse. His mind was more muddled than usual, his inhibitions beginning to slip.

If she'd tilted her head a fraction of an inch just then, he would have kissed her in front of all their friends. That wouldn't have been a good idea at all.

When he opened the door to the bathroom, he found himself propelled back into it. Bella was there, her eyes intent, her hand firm against his chest, shoving him. When he'd stumbled a few steps back, she stepped into the bathroom with him, closing the door behind her. He hardly had a fraction of a second to process what was happening before she lunged at him, arms around his neck, pulling him down to kiss her.

Edward didn't need to be coaxed. He attacked her mouth with just as much fervor. She'd been drinking something that tasted heavily of lime and salt. He licked it from her lips, his hands at the bare skin of her lower back, pressing her against him.

They were urgent, wild kisses. She pulled and he pulled, as though they both believed the other was about to let go. His hand shot out, trying to find purchase against the counter. He knocked over a bottle of lotion and the soap. The noise was too loud, but neither of them cared.

In all their pulling and flailing, Bella won. She was the one who turned them around. She was the one who broke their kiss-they were both out of breath-splaying her hands wide over his chest. She pushed him backward, against the door, and was on him again in the next heartbeat. Her hands trailed along his sides, and then he heard the telltale click of a lock.

Oh, hell yes.

Bella pulled back again, panting. Edward licked his lips, tasting the remnants of alcohol, lime, and her. She looked at him, soft brown eyes gone dark and wanting. "You want to know something?" she said, still breathless.

He huffed. His thoughts were far from concrete just then. "What's that?"

She reached out, not dropping her gaze as she began to unbutton his shirt. "If anyone ever told you this color looked good on you, they were lying."

"Is that a fact?" His hands were at her waist, his thumbs tracing patterns on her skin.

She smirked. "Yeah. You look horrible."

"Uh huh. That's why you want it off, right?"

"It really is for the greater good."

He shrugged his shoulders, helping her take the shirt off. Her hands were warm as she pulled his undershirt halfway up. She finally broke eye contact to look down. "Christ," she muttered under her breath.

He chuckled. "No. I'm afraid I can't do the water to wine trick."

And then, he was abruptly done. He'd wanted this woman for too long now, and having her hands on him, her eyes devouring him, was too much. He surged forward, his hands firm at her side, holding her to him as he kissed her.

Just as quickly as he'd begun kissing her, he stopped. He spun her around and pushed forward, trapping her between his arms with his hands braced on the counter. He ducked his head, kissing her cheek. "I'm not going to tell you this little thing doesn't drive me crazy," he said, tugging on the edge of her midriff-baring shirt. He reached up, brushing her hair over her shoulder so he could press his lips to her ear. "I'm not a liar like you, Swan."

He took another step forward so he pinned her against the counter with his hips. She had to feel how hard he was for her. He took her earlobe between his teeth as his hands went up under her shirt. He sucked at her neck, palming her breasts through her bra.

"Oh, god. Oh, hell," she muttered, catching herself on the edge of the counter as he had. Her pert, round ass pressed back against him, making him groan.

"You want me?" he asked, his lips back to her ear.

She whimpered. "Yes," she whispered.

"You want this?" he ground against her.

She moaned. "Yes."

He let his hands skim down her belly and play at the button of her jeans. He pressed his cheek against hers, watching her eyes in the mirror. "You like this, hmm? You want to watch me fuck you?"

She swallowed a whine at the back of her throat, bucking her ass against him, encouraging. "Edward," she said. He'd never found the sound of his name more erotic.

He could see in her eyes she wanted this. She was willing. More than willing. She was aching as badly as he was, needy for him as he was for her.

But there was also something else in her gaze. Something decidedly not sexy. Resignation? Relief, maybe.

His hands stilled, and he closed his eyes tightly, both trying to summon is rationality and trying to push it further away. Who cared? She was here in his arms. She was tucked up against his body, and in another minute, he could be buried deep inside her.

"Fuck," he muttered, because he had the sense that if they did this, if they made this about sex, one night, one quick fuck, was going to be all he got. Because he'd be just like everyone else-interested in her body and answering the electric pull of attraction.

He was a risk for her. He knew that. If he wanted her to take that risk, he had to do better than a quick fuck in the bathroom. Much, much better.

He groaned, but he stepped backward. Away from her. Completely away. He let his hands drop to his sides.

For another second, she was still-mostly bent over the counter. He could see in the mirror that her brow creased in confusion. She turned around slowly. The air between them was alive with static and something heavier now. Surreal and uncertain.

Edward tried to summon some bravado. He wanted to joke with her. Say something blasé but alluring. He couldn't find the words. He also knew he had to do something, say something, quickly. Hurt was beginning to creep into her features, and that was the last thing he wanted.

He managed a smile at her, reaching out to take her hand and pull her toward him. "You and I are more than a little tipsy."

Her lips tugged up and down, up and down as she looked back at him. She was so lovely-flushed and beautiful. He couldn't help but cup her cheek and kiss her. It was a hard kiss but not a deep one. Damn, he wanted her. And he wanted more.

He wanted.

He kissed along her cheekbone to her ear. "Honey, if I'm going to have you, I want much more time and a lot more privacy."

She shivered and turned his head to kiss him. "I don't know, stud. Looking at you, who wouldn't need beer goggles, you know what I'm saying?'

He chuckled and kissed her one last time. "Liar," he said against her lips.

And then he let her go.

For now.

A/N: Phew! Don't worry. Femme and Songster already yelled at me. How are you, my lovelies?