"I have to hand it to you Bella, this is a nice place." Edward took a deep breath as stepped out onto the spacious concrete deck of my apartment. "You sure you aren't going to be taking over my company?"

"No," I glanced down at the floor in shame.

Damn my awkwardness.

"I had some unwanted help from my family unfortunately." I said finally.

"Family help isn't a bad thing," he smiled as he handed me a glass of red wine. "That's why they are there, isn't it?"

"They're there to help when you scratch your knee on the sidewalk or have a bad day at school. Their purpose in life isn't to buy you the place that is supposed to symbolize your freedom and independence."

"I bet it meant a lot to them to help you out like that," he said as he took a small sip from his glass.

"I know it did," I sighed a I leaned against the wrought iron railing of my balcony. "I just really wanted to start this adventure on my own, you know…become my own success story just like you."

"I had help too Bella," he sighed and took down the rest of his wine glass before pouring himself another. "They didn't get me an apartment, but they took out a second mortgage so I could make it through Grad School."

"Oh," I said quietly.

Way to assume Bella.

"It just doesn't seem like that would be the case for you. You just seem so….polished."

I so just shoved my foot in my mouth….fantastic.

He chuckled at my word choice, his well sculpted body was leaning heavy on the railing now.

I found the next for the extra support myself as I finished of my second glass of wine; the effects of the alcohol were beginning to take a hold of me.

Damn me and my lack of drinking.

"I've never had anyone call me that before," he said after the chuckling subsided.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, my gaze immediately cast down to the floor.

"Remember what I said about that." I felt two of his fingers rest underneath my chin, directing my gaze back up towards him.

"I know," I said in a hushed whisper. "I just keep feeling like I am putting my foot in my mouth."

"You're doing fine," he smiled at me.

"I just feel very intimidated by you." Breathe Bella, remember to breath.

I felt lightheaded as I stared into his beautiful green eyes. I couldn't tell if it was the wine or the mere presence of him that was spending my world spinning.

"You have nothing to be intimidated about Bella," his voice was soft as it reached my ears.

"Of course I do," I found myself blushing slightly as I spoke. "It's just surreal…you know….that you're up here….on my balcony…with me."

"Well believe it," he breathed, his fingers now grazing my cheek.

"What are we doing up here anyway?"

"Getting your keys remember?" He whispered, causing a small chuckle to erupt from both of us, "And seriously overstepping my boundaries as your future boss of course."

Oh my god, I thought as my heart began to beat fiercely in my chest.

"As your future employee, I have to say that I don't mind your overstepping your boundaries."

God, that wine had a bigger effect on me than I thought. I wasn't usually anywhere close to being this brass.

"I was hoping you'd say that," he breathed and quickly closed the gap between the two of us.

The sensation of his lips moving against mine was incredible. There was so much emotion, striking both of us in one fluid rush of emotion.

I groaned against his mouth as he kissed me deeper, his tongue slowly prying my lips open to gain access to my mouth. I allowed his advances as I ran my hands roughly through his already messy brown hair.

One of his hands remained flush against my cheek, while the other wrapped around in waist in an effort to keep us close. He kissed me with such urgency, with such want. He kept his tight grip on me as he began to move us back inside the apartment, his lips not breaking from mine. His movements were smooth and elegant as he steered us around the furniture.

I gasped as my back met the wall that was separating the kitchen from the dining room, my body immediately sandwiched between that wall and Edward. His body was so warm against mine; his well defined abs could be felt easily through his dress shirt.

Damn that pesky shirt, I thought as my hands reluctantly left his hair and found their way to the buttons of his shirt.

I didn't know what I was doing. This whole thing was completely out of character for me. I hadn't been on a date in years, and as far as the direction that our actions were taking us in…well…I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said years as well.

Frustration took over me as I struggled to slip the small buttons through the fabric while maintaining our embrace. He must have sensed my frustration as his hands left body and rest on my hands, guiding them. The dress shirt he had been wearing dropped to the floor in one final swoop, leaving only a white t-shirt covering his sculpted chest.

Damn layers.

I wanted to see him. Hell, I wanted to see ALL of him.

My hands immediately went for the hemline of his shirt, my lips reluctantly leaving his for just the few seconds it took for me to get the pesky white fabric off of him.

He stared at me for just a moment, his eyes dark with lust and desire. His pale, yet sculpted chest caved in and out as we stood in silence. And then, suddenly, a playful grin spread across his lips. Edward's finger tips traced the outline of my hips before slipping them under the soft fabric of my blouse.

I shivered as his warm and soft hands rested on my skin, sliding up and down my abdomen before he began his task of ridding me of my shirt. The room was spinning now and I closed my eyes, lifting my arms over my head as he slid my shirt off. The air was cool against my skin, providing a sharp contrast to his warm body.

What is going on? What am I doing?

This wasn't me. None of what was going on here was…

My troubled thoughts left my mind as his lips met mine again, the same passion exploding within me once again.

The room was spinning faster right now.

A deep moan escaped his lips as I wrapped my arms around his neck, my mouth hungrily searching his. I pressed my body against his as I pushed off of the wall, running us both into the dining room table.

A chuckle escaped our lips as we regained our balance, neither one of us breaking the kiss. His hands gripped my hips as he spun me around, butting me up to the dining room table. I tried not to squirm as he pressed against me; the edge of the table began digging into the small of my back.

"Sorry," he whispered as he reluctantly broke our kiss. His grip around me tightened as I felt myself being lifted off of the ground, my legs wrapping around his waist. His smiled against my lips and began to kiss me again, gently resting me on the surface of the dining room table.

I didn't say anything; I just continued to kiss him feverishly. My legs remained around his waist, my arms around his neck. I could feel the excitement that was building up within him resting on the inner part of my thighs. The unfamiliar desire to feel him inside of me shot through me hard, sending a low moan from my lips as I gently rocked my hips against his.

"Bella," he gasped against my lips.

The rough and low tone in his voice drove me crazy. I didn't think that my nerves could take much more of this, I felt like I was going to explode from the inside.

"Are you okay?" He asked, gasping for air.

I hadn't realized that, in my troubled thoughts, that my lips had stopped moving against his. He arms were still pressed firm against the skin of my back as we remained frozen in place, neither one of us sure of what to do next.

"Bella, are you…?"

"I'm fine," I said calmly. I had to regain my composure. I was worrying him and was working on worrying myself.

"I wasn't pushing my boundaries was I?" Edward asked, a slightly embarrassed smile crossing his face.

"No," I smiled as I pressed my forehead to his.

I was amazed at how comfortable I felt with him. Even sitting on top of my dining room table with my half naked body pressed against the warm flesh of Edward's sculpted chest.

"I can't stop touching you," he sent a tingling sensation flowing through my body as I felt his hot breath on my neck. "I can't stop kissing you either."

"Well," I smiled as he kissed my neck. "That shouldn't be a problem. I never said I wanted you to stop."