6.

Nothing physical happened with Edward that first night we met at Whit's for drinks. Heck, nothing happened with him for a long time after that.

As much as I wanted him, I didn't want to be his rebound girl, and as much as he wanted me, we both knew he wasn't ready.

His confession had been a revelation on his part. He hadn't told anyone why he was here, not even Kate.

I was humbled to be the one to keep his secrets. I had plenty of secrets of my own to keep, and for whatever reason, I liked that he trusted me.

We said goodbye that night with a hug that might have been longer than necessary, but meant a lot more than what it looked like. I kissed his cheek, my lips lingering on his skin for a moment too long as my eyes closed and my lungs filled with his intoxicating scent. I wondered briefly if I was making the right decision, but for the sake of our future, if I wanted us to have one, being friends first and foremost was a far better choice.

We had been meeting for coffee every now and then, and sometimes I could feel his eyes on me in the OR. Some might have thought it creepy, but to me it was comforting.

All in all, things were going really well in my little world.

My internship was coming to an end in a week and Irina was packing for the East Coast. "So you're sure about this Peter guy, huh?"

"Bella, you're saying that like I'm moving in with the guy." She blew her bangs out of her face. "Please, don't worry about me. I'm moving in with a friend from high school. Don't you remember how I even came across Peter?"

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "Fine," I conceded. "Just make sure they treat you right, okay?"

She stood and sauntered across the room. "Oh, sweetie, none of them will hold a candle to you." She pulled me into a hug. "I'll miss you."

I nodded, burying my face in the crook of her neck and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Me too. This house will be empty without you."

"You know how to fix that, Bella. He's still living with Kate, you know?" She pulled back and smirked. I'd told her everything that happened between Edward and me. She'd agreed it was a good idea to take things slow with him if I wanted any kind of a future for the two of us.

"Yeah, yeah … I'm still … We're friends, you know? We both want more, but it's weird … like we set the tone and now neither of us can cross that threshold. Does that make sense?" I asked, knowing full well that leaving Edward at Kate's was mean, considering I had plenty of room for him here.

Besides, there would be plenty of nice places available in a few weeks once school let out. Problem was that part of me didn't want him anywhere else. I kind of liked living with someone, but I didn't want to live with anyone I didn't know.

"Oh, honey." Irina gave me a sad smile. "Time and communication are your best allies right now."

I nodded. "I know."

"All right, I need to get back to doing this so I can get it shipped." She motioned to the pile of books and clothes littering her bedroom floor.

"Let me help you out." I picked up a box and proceeded to fill it with a few books and knick-knacks.

I spent the rest of the night helping Irina end a chapter in our lives. I was sad to see her go, but excited about whatever was going to happen to both of us in the future.

…

I knocked on Kate's door, knowing full well that Edward wasn't home. I had crossed paths with him in the morning as he was coming through the front doors of the hospital and I was leaving. He'd greeted me with a quick hello and sexy smile, while I bit my lip and stared at his freshly shaven jaw line and well-rested, sparkling gaze.

We chatted for a few minutes about random things and made plans to get together later in the week. This had become typical for us. Friendly banter and lingering gazes seemed to have become our thing.

Needless to say, my sexual frustration was at an all-time high and my feelings—that had been all over the place before—were starting to teeter toward giving in and letting Edward shack up with me.

I wanted to talk to Kate alone and hear her thoughts on the roommate matter. This was one of those situations where having my mom around would have been helpful. I needed some sort of reassurance that my decisions, and their repercussions, weren't going to completely blow up in my face and leave both Edward and I in a world of even more hurt.

"Oh, Bella, it's so nice to see you." She pulled me into a hug. "Edward's not home, though." She pulled back, her eyes meeting mine. "You two seem to be getting quite cozy." Her left eyebrow shot up into her hairline. I could never get anything past her.

"Yeah, that's sort of why I'm here. I know he's at the hospital and I wanted to talk to you alone, if that's okay?" I bit my lip, looking away shyly.

"Of course, honey, let's have a seat in the living room." She grinned, taking my hand in hers.

"Whoa, this must be serious if it's a living room conversation," I joked. Kate always had us sitting in her kitchen, drinking tea, unless it was a serious discussion needing tissues and warm blankets, only then were we to go have our talk in the living room.

"Well, that depends entirely on you," she said, motioning for me to take a seat beside her on the sofa. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I'm not sure." I frowned, playing with a loose thread on my sweater. "How bad did she hurt him?" I had a sense Kate knew, even if Edward didn't tell her.

"Oh, my dear Bella, you're not her and he knows that; trust me. I think you're so cute together. You're all he talks about, you know?" Her voice was kind, motherly. Just what I needed.

I looked up, meeting her eyes and grinned. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah. Edward never even told me about his ex, I had to force it out of his mother. You, on the other hand, are the only thing he's been talking about since the first day he ran into you." She took my hand in hers. "Bella, you have to start letting people in." Her tone was very warm and I was glad I had decided to come see her. If anyone could help me put all of this in perspective, it was her.

"Irina's moving to New York," I blurted out. "I'll be all alone again."

She smiled sadly, squeezing my hand. "I know someone who's looking for a place," Kate hinted, while I narrowed my eyes. "What? I love the boy but I'd really like my exercise room back." She giggled, and gave me a sympathetic side hug.

"Gahh," I huffed. "Why is everyone telling me that about Edward?" I rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. I missed my mother.

"Maybe they're all seeing something you're not," Kate hedged.

I gulped, seeing the truth in her words. I saw it. I had seen it since the beginning. I'd probably known Edward was meant to be mine before he'd even asked me out. There was just something about him that drew me in, but it scared me. A lot.

"I'll think about it," I said. "I'm just so afraid we'll screw it up."

"Oh, honey, if you don't take a chance, you'll never know." She squeezed my hand softly.

I nodded, swallowing the knot in my throat and let her words sink in for a moment.

"Now, what's going on with Garrett?" I asked; needing to change the subject before the living room conversation truly became all about tissues and tears.

We discussed Garrett's plans with his band and what they'd been up to since the last time I'd been over. Whenever I was at the bar, we didn't talk much. They were always too busy and it wasn't really the place to discuss our feelings.

I left Kate's house that night feeling lighter, but still unsure about what to do with the living situation.

…

"So, Dr. Swan, I hear you're going to be in the market for a roommate," Alice said as she handed me a file.

I had the sudden need to hit my head against a wall, but refrained because I wasn't in the mood to nurse the impending headache. I was getting tired of hearing everyone around me say that. They didn't know me or my situation.

Okay, so most of them probably did, but still, I was over it.

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet, I mean, Irina's not even gone so …" I shrugged, giving her a pointed look. Seriously, I loved her, but the woman needed a hobby. Evidently her cat wasn't it.

"Pish pash, young woman like you shouldn't be living all on her own." She rolled her eyes, giving me a pointed look of her own.

"Alice, please," I huffed, annoyed and bit my tongue to keep some semblance of peace between us. "Is Mr. O'Connell still in room one-oh-three?" I looked over the file I had in my hand, trying to distract her.

"Oh, yes dear. I'm sorry," she conceded, giving me an apologetic smile as I headed off to see my patient. "He's waiting for you in his room."

…

"So, why didn't you tell me you were looking for a roommate?" I heard him before seeing him and felt a bit of déjà vu at his question.

He sounded hurt and I closed my eyes, wanting to disappear. "Because I'm not," I whispered, afraid of what was going through his mind.

I wanted to yell and scream, but yet part of me really wanted to beg him to live with me. In the end, that was the perfect situation for both of us, but I wasn't sure it was for the right reasons.

"Bella." My name rolling off his tongue was like truth serum. I couldn't keep it all inside any longer.

"I'm scared, okay?" I took a deep breath, looking around the bar. It was a quiet Thursday night and Edward had invited me out for drinks.

"What are you scared of?" He frowned. "I'm not going to hurt you, Bella."

I knew he wouldn't. At least not physically, but emotionally was a whole other matter. We'd grown leaps and bounds over the past few weeks, but there was still this uncertainty lingering between us that I couldn't shake.

My eyes found his. "I like you, Edward." I swallowed my nerves, then continued, "Probably more than I should, and if you live with me, there are boundaries, okay? And I don't think I can live with them if you're there and I'm there and we're there together," I rambled, sounding like a complete lunatic.

He grinned. "So you're worried that I won't be able to keep my hands off you?"

I shook my head, sighing. "Quite the opposite, actually." I drank about half my bottle of beer before meeting his eyes.

What I saw there nearly made me choke. The desire in his eyes was clear, and for the first time since we had discussed anything about our pasts and our presents, I could see that he was finally ready for a future. A future that hopefully would include me in it.

"Bella, can you at least show me the place? What if it's not even somewhere I'd want to live?" He grinned that sexy little smirk that practically had me salivating, leaving no room for argument.

I gasped, a smile playing on my lips as I felt myself relax. "It's a nice house, Edward. I resent that," I teased.

He smirked, his eyes lingering over my face, making me nervous and excited. "Take me home, Dr. Swan."

A warmth settled over me at hearing his words. "Are you saying you want to put sugar and cream in my coffee, Dr. Cullen?" I remembered his lame pick up line from weeks ago and giggled.

He shook his head. "You're going to be the death of me, woman."

"Not if you kill me first." I extended my hand to him, palm up. "Come on, I'll show you the way home."

He wrapped his hand around mine, twining our fingers together as he walked behind me. Kate gave us a knowing smirk, which made me giggle and roll my eyes.

We walked silently, hand in hand, the evening air warm on our skin. It wasn't very late, but Irina was on one of her last shifts at the hospital and I had the house to myself.

"So, this is it." I stopped on the sidewalk in front of the house. "It's a quiet neighborhood, walking distance to the hospital. I have a car. Irina never had one, but if you have one there's parking available," I rambled.

"Bella, are we really going to talk about parking?" He took a step, facing me, our bodies within inches of each other.

I gulped, licking my lips. "Well, erm, if you want to live here, I mean, you need to know your options, right?"

"I've been learning about options for weeks. I like them. A lot. More than I've liked a lot of options given to me in the past." He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

I had never wanted to be kissed as badly as I did in that moment. "Your options are open, though, Edward. What if you regret it?"

He shook his head, wrapping his palm behind my neck, his fingers skimming the base of my skull. "I don't think I'll regret it, Bella." He licked his lips, his gaze flickering between my mouth and my eyes.

"If you're sure," I whispered, ever so slightly closing the distance between us.

"It's our fate, remember?" he whispered back; his lips ghosting over mine.

It wasn't dark outside and it wasn't very late, but on the sidewalk in front of the house I grew up in, Edward kissed me. It was soft and sweet, full of promises. His lips capturing mine and his arms wrapped around my shoulders, protecting me was all that mattered in that moment.

I wasn't sure how long we stood there, lost in each other, until a car beeped, breaking us apart. I giggled awkwardly. "Shit, I hope that wasn't Mrs. Cope."

Edward kissed my forehead, pulled me flush to his body and moved his arms down around my waist. "I don't care about good old Mrs. Cope. Now, show me the inside of this place, would you? I'd really like to kiss you again without prying eyes this time."

I wrapped my arms around his middle and slipped my hands inside his back pockets, and squirmed, feeling the inevitable bulge he had going on in his pants. If kissing me like that made him hard, I wondered briefly what other things would get him going.

"Yes, sir." I grinned, resting my cheeks against his chest and closing my eyes, enjoying the rapid thump-thump of his heart.

He kissed the top of my head then brought his lips to my ear. "Christ, Bella, you're killing me," he growled lowly, before nipping at my earlobe, making me squirm some more.

"You keep saying that like it's a bad thing." I shook my head, laughing. "I'll have you know, I am terrific with CPR." I inhaled a shuddering breath and pulled away slightly.

Edward then took my hand in his and let me lead the way to the front door of my home, and maybe, soon to be his.

...

As usual, Midnight Cougar rocked this out spectacularly. I love that woman!

Joey and Mandi assured me this was tooth-achy enough. Go me!

And you guys blow me away with your kind words. Thank you.