A/N:

Wow guys! Thanks for the amazing response to the last chapter! I was blown away!

This chapter is a bit shorter but, if you've noticed, the rating has changed and that's because of this chapter… I've never written an intimate scene before so I was a little apprehensive about posting it but I thought it was critical to this story to have this moment because it's not just sex between Edward and Bella… So just be warned, there is a bit of a lemon here.

Just want to address something: I don't intend to make Jake seem like a pervert… He's a married man who is selfish and that is how I want him to come across… I know he seems forceful about his advances on Bella but she is his wife. That doesn't make it excusable by any means… He is just use to getting what he wants from her… Her relationship with Edward is changing her, making her more confident and more sure of herself… And she's beginning to see that things aren't the same with Jake and she isn't sure that it will ever go back to the way that things were. Their relationship is evolving and they are changing and sometimes, people don't change together and they grow apart. That is what I'm trying to show.

Now, one more thing… I big thanks to zgirl21 for reading the intimate scene and for the suggestions!

With all this in mind, enjoy the chapter and review! I love hearing what you have to say! I smile each time I see the review alert in my inbox!

You Found Me
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

Chapter Seven

I see the way he treats you
I feel the tears you cried
And it makes me sad, and it makes me mad
There's nothing I can do baby

'Cause your lover is my best friend
And I guess that's where the story ends
So I've gotta try, to keep it inside
You will never be, never be mine

If I was the one who was loving you, baby
The only tears you'd cry, would be tears of joy
And if I was by your side, you'd never know one lonely night
And if it was my arms you were running to
I'd give you love in these arms of mine
If I was the one in your life

If I could have just one wish
I'd wish that you were mine
I would hold you near, kiss away those tears
I'd be so good to you baby

You're the one I want next to me
But I guess that's just not meant to be
He's there in your life and he's sharing your nights
It'll never be, never be right

Yea baby, I wanna reach out and feel you beside me
Right here beside me, baby, take you in my arms right now
Scream, 'I love you' right out loud, some day I pray
That I'll find the strength to turn to you and say…

Ruff Endz, "If I Was The One"

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She felt the bed shift shortly after the alarm woke them both, though she remained still, not wanting him to know she was awake. He hadn't even bothered to check and she sighed a breath of relief as she heard the bathroom door close and the water turn on.

Her night had been restless at best, she was angry with Jacob and as he snored beside her, all she wanted to do was kick him out of the bed. Had she been willing to give up the bed, she would have gone into the guest bedroom but she hated sleeping there. As far as she was concerned, she hadn't done anything wrong and it was her bed. She spent more time in it then he did. Still, she felt dirty sleeping next to him and she hated that Edward's words swam through her mind all night and she couldn't help but wonder if he was right.

Was she merely a toy to him?

It hadn't always been like this. There was a time when she knew that he worshiped her, that he loved her for who she was, but it seemed that the more time that seemed to pass, the more he wanted her to be someone else, to be someone who he thought he needed. With every suggestion that he had for her physical appearance, it was like a knife to the gut.

You should wear make up more often. To her, that was code for, you're not pretty enough. You need help.

You shouldn't wear your hair up. Code for, the look is too harsh, if you wear it down your face looks softer.

Then there were the hypocritical comments. The ones where he would tell her to wear something that dipped low in the front and then proceeded to tell her that it was too revealing when some guy would give her the 'bedroom' eyes as Jake called it.

"What are you doing today?" His voice cut her thoughts short and she rolled over to see him standing there at the edge of the bed, the brown towel wrapped around his waist.

"What's it matter?"

"God damn it Bella," he growled and she just rolled her eyes. "Why are you being such a bitch?"

"Why are you such an asshole?"

He didn't respond, instead he walked to their closet and slammed the door behind him. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the tears at bay. She hated more than anything that he was able to do this to her, that he could cut her down and make her feel like crap when she had done nothing wrong. She couldn't figure out why this was. She had always done what he asked of her.

"Are you ready to be civil?" The door opened and he was dressed in his work suit. She pulled herself up from the bed, her eyes falling on the clock for a moment and she saw that it was almost nine.

"I don't have a problem with civility Jacob."

He chuckled, but it wasn't the hearty laugh that she remembered from the past. His mannerisms had changed and the noise that escaped his lips was menacing almost, dark and it scared her. "What are you going to do today?"

"I don't know but I'm not staying here."

"Fine." He looked out the window, avoiding her eyes. "I'm leaving this afternoon."

"Where are you going?"

"Berlin." His response was short and she fell back against the pillows.

"How long this time?"

"Until Wednesday." It was Thursday.

"Fine. Have a blast with Leah," she replied haughtily before rolling onto her side and away from him.

"I will." He knew that it was a low blow of sorts but he didn't really care. He was angry and he was upset that she was still mad with him. He believed that he was justified in his possessiveness of her. He didn't want someone else touching her, and they had been at an industry party. Everyone knew who she was, they knew she belonged to him and she had been wrapped up in that pretty boys arms. He didn't like it. And what he hated even more was the way he looked at her and the way that she looked at him. She was far too friendly and far too happy to be in his arms and it sparked that jealousy that he always felt when someone tried to take something that belonged to him away.

Mentioning Leah would hurt her and at that moment, that was all he wanted to do. He knew he would regret it later, he always did, but in that moment he felt powerful. There was something about the fact that he could upset her so easily that he loved. He chalked it up to the fact that he hoped it would make her appreciate him more. He didn't realize that she was growing tired of it and that he was only helping to push her away.

----------

After she heard the door slam, she jumped from the bed and rifled through Jacobs things. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she wanted to find something, some kind of proof that something was amiss. In her mind she couldn't throw out the image of Leah and Jacob together and she saw that there was something between them. Still, there was nothing there. Nothing that pointed to any sign of infidelity.

She was hoping she would find something. She wanted some kind of justification.

Her phone buzzed and she saw that there was a message from Edward.

Lunch? The Botanist at 1?

She looked at the clock, it was nearing ten. She responded with a yes.

She wanted to get her mind off Jacob. She wanted his words, his threats regarding Leah, and his jealousy to be pushed as far away from her mind as she could possibly get them. But it was more than that. She wanted to see Edward. They had gone far too long without seeing each other and she just wanted to be near him again.

----------

Edward glanced at his watch as he sat in the restaurant. She was five minutes late.

"Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?" He heard the waitress as she stopped by the table. His eyes scanned the menu. He wanted to order wine but he didn't know if she would want to drink any.

He decided to go with it. "A bottle of the Pouilly Fumé."

She nodded and wrote it down.

He had no idea why he was deciding to purchase such an expensive bottle, something about this afternoon just felt different.

"I'm sorry I'm late." He looked up and nearly forgot to breathe. His eyes scanned the length of her body, taking the time to admire her legs in the tight jeans that she wore, the way the creamy pale color of her shoulders contrasted against the blue, sleeveless top that she wore.

"I hope you haven't been waiting long," she continued as she took a seat across from him.

"Just a few minutes," he shrugged. "I hope you don't mind, I ordered a bottle of wine."

"I don't mind."

The waitress reappeared a few moments later with an ice bucket and the bottle of wine that he had ordered. It didn't go unnoticed to either of them that she had glared at Bella when she saw her sitting there. He stiffened when he felt her hand graze his as she handed him the glass with a small amount of wine poured in for him to taste, he was afraid that Bella would notice and would become uncomfortable for the rest of the afternoon. But Bella didn't do anything, instead she sat there both amazed and perturbed. Amazed that he wasn't even paying attention to the waitress even though she was beautiful, and perturbed that she was so forward when he was with her. What if she was his girlfriend?

He nodded his head; his eyes not leaving Bella's face and the waitress filled his glass but slammed the bottle back down in the ice, pretending that Bella did not even exist.

"Well she just lost her tip," he muttered as he reached for the bottle and filled Bella's glass.

They ordered not long after and sat there talking. Each recounting what they had been doing over the two weeks that they had not been in contact. She sat there listening to him talk about his band and the music and he listened as she spoke about maybe going back to school for her masters.

She wasn't sure what brought it up, but eventually the conversation changed to Jacob and Edward was enquiring about how things were going. She felt her throat close up as he mentioned it, and she wanted to tell him about the last night, but at the same time, so much of her was ashamed that she let Jacob have this affect on her. His concern however, kept her from lying and she told him everything, how things had been going so well but after Rome he had changed, how they fought all the time, how she wasn't sure she was in love with him anymore, how she couldn't even stand to be in the same room as him anymore, how she hated how much he made her hate herself.

He listened and didn't interrupt. In his mind he was yelling at Jacob. He didn't understand it. He didn't understand how someone could treat her like that. She was perfect and he was merely using her for his own personal needs. And even more than that, he hated that it seemed Jacob was always doing something to tear her down. He listened until she finished, and then he just sat there, the silence enveloping them both.

"I don't know what else I can do anymore," she said softly as she looked down at the plate that lay before her. "Every day I struggle with the desire to just pack my things and fly back home but I can't leave."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because there is too much I'd be leaving behind." He watched as she bit her lower lip. "I keep thinking that he'll snap out of it. That he'll go back to the man that I married but I'm not so sure about that anymore. I think that person is gone."

"What are you going to to?"

She shrugged.

"He's a fool for not seeing what is right in front of him," he finally said after a lull. He reached across the table and placed his hand on hers, rubbing his thumb gently on her soft skin.

"I should have just left last year when things started to go south." She looked up at him and he could see the glassy glaze in her eyes and he knew she was fighting the urge to cry.

"It's not your fault for trying to make things work."He said softly, lifting her hand up and entwining their fingers. It was a perfect fit, a perfect match.

They sat in silence for a while, his eyes on her, his mind yelling at her to look up at him but she kept her eyes trained on the white table cloth. When he couldn't stand the silence any longer he reached across the table with his free hand and lifted her chin up so that her eyes would meet his own. He felt his heart break a little as he saw the wet streaks down her cheeks from the tears that had managed to escape. He couldn't bear to see her cry anymore and he had to tell her how he felt, he couldn't hide it any longer. He wanted to make her happy; he wanted to bring her back to life and right now, he knew it was the time to tell her. "Bella… You deserve so much more than this. You deserve to be happy, to be with someone who loves you… You should be the center of his world and he is an idiot. God if you were mine…" His voice trailed for a moment as he searched for the words.

"You want me?" She squeaked, surprised by his confession. They had kissed two weeks ago and she had loved it, savored every moment of it but he had pulled away, he had called it a mistake and from that point on she figured that he saw her as nothing more than a friend.

"Bella, I've wanted you since I accidentally spilled your coffee all over your shirt." He smiled ruefully. His hand was still on her face and he was brushing away the tears that were falling. "If you were mine I would make sure you knew just how much I loved you each and every single day."

"Edward?" She whispered.

"Yes?"

"Can we go to your place?"

With those words, their fate was sealed and it was exactly what he wanted to hear her say. She was giving him a chance and he was going to take it and run with it. She would see that they worked, that he could make her happy and then she would leave Jacob and they could be together.

He looked at the bill and tossed the money in the black folder before standing up and pulling her against his side. He knew there had been a reason why he had chosen a restaurant so close to his flat.

----------

The air in his flat was different than it had been in her past experiences alone with him. Between them were the unspoken words that they had been too afraid to admit to each other and to themselves. The air was charged with three months of pent up desires and fantasies about what it would be like to be with each other, to feel the connection that was so obvious in their interactions, and the questions of whether that passion would follow them if they were intimate. But there was something more, something greater that she knew had never existed in her relationship with Jacob. She could feel it all around her, the purest and most raw emotion of them all and she wasn't sure why it took her so long to realize it before, she was irrevocably in love with Edward Cullen and there was no turning back.

She could hear faintly the sound of the door being closed and suddenly she couldn't hear anything else, just the frantic thumping of her heart in her chest and she bit her lower lip. She wanted this, she told him that she wanted to be here, that she wanted to take this step and yet she had never been more scared before in her life. She was no longer a virgin, but she felt like one. They were about to cross a boundary that she had never imagined crossing before and if things were to blow up in her face, she wasn't sure what the future would bring. She was excited and scared and didn't know what to do with herself or how to act.

His warm breath tickled the nape of her neck when she felt his arms slide around her waist, pulling her against the hard contours of his chest as he dipped his head down and pressed a kiss against her bare shoulder.

"I don't know how to do this," she admitted timidly when he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.

His eyes scanned her face and for a moment he thought about telling her that she didn't have to but the selfish part of him wanted her to give herself to him, to make her his, even if it were only for a little while. "Just be with me Bella… Be with me," he breathed against her ear and as his fingers trailed down her bare arms. She shivered. "Let me love you."

He didn't get a verbal response, but he did hear her breathing quicken and her lips found his and before he knew it, he was picking her up, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, gripping him and creating a delicious friction against the rigid denim of his jeans.

He laid her on the bed, stopping only for a moment to admire the flush of her cheeks that seemed to trail down her neck and to her chest. Her eyes were shut tightly and he didn't want that, he wanted her aware of everything that he was about to do to her, do for her. The way her body was responding was a sure sign to him that she hadn't been properly loved in a long while and he wanted nothing more than to do that for her, to show her just how wonderful she was and just how much she deserved to be worshiped.

"Love," he murmured against her neck as his hands found the hem of her shirt and he began to pull it up along the smooth expanse of her stomach, "look at me."

Her eyes flickered open and she was met with the burning intensity of his green ones.

"You are so beautiful," he said softly as he pulled her shirt off, looking down upon her. Her long, wavy hair was fanned out behind her head and she blushed with his compliment and he admired the way her creamy skin looked against the dark blue material of the undergarments that she had chosen to wear that day.

She wasn't use to someone taking such time and care with her and when she reached down to help him with the button of his jeans he stopped her, his hand encasing hers before removing it gently and placing it against the cool fabric of the sheets.

"No. This is about you," he smiled and she thought to protest but before she could, he was placing kisses against every inch of skin that was exposed while his hands worked to remove what was left.

She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as his lips touched her chin. She wanted to touch him, to feel him the way he was feeling her but he had said no, so she lay there, watching him as his hands moved down her body. He reached towards her, cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand and holding it there as their eyes met just as his other hand pulled down the cotton panties so he could touch her there too.

She whimpered as he touched her; her head falling back into the pillow as she pushed against him.

"Look at me Bella," he continued and she fought her lust heavy lids until her eyes were open and she was looking at him. She nearly came undone with the look that had gazed over his eyes causing them to darken. "Tell me what you want."

His lips found her neck and she moaned while he breathed her sweet skin; his nose assaulted with the lightness of strawberries and freesia.

"I want you."

"This isn't about me love…"

She whimpered and moaned as he explored what she liked and what she didn't. He wanted to learn everything about her and he took his time despite the gentle protestations that she occasionally spoke and once he had kissed and caressed every inch of her body and he knew that he couldn't hold out any longer he entered her with slow and gentle thrusts instead of the hard and fast ones that he had been fantasizing about. There would be more time for that later.

"Bella…" He repeated over and over again and she had never heard her name sound as beautiful as it did as it rolled off his lips. He was worshiping her and that was not lost on her part and she had never had such an attentive lover before. His thrusts were about her; he was listening to and reading her body, giving her what she didn't even know she needed until the act was in motion.

She reveled in the feeling of his body on top of hers and when his head would fall to the side as he moved within her, she would bring her lips to it and kiss him, savoring the low, guttural moan that would accompany it. As she grew bolder, her fingers found their way to his hair and she moved his face so his lips were positions just above her own and he was kissing her, just as she had wanted. One hand moved from the nape of his neck and gently ghosted down his bare spine which elicited a shiver through his entire body, and a quicker pace. He was getting closer and she was on the brink.

Her body tightened and he heard her moan his name and all self restraint was lost on him as he moved harder and faster until his own stomach tightened and he collapsed above her, rolling himself to the side and pulling her with him, not bothering to pull himself out from her warmth. He draped one leg over her own to keep her close as he worked to steady his breathing, afraid to open his eyes and find that it had all been just a delicious dream; afraid that she wouldn't be there when the light hit his eyes.

----------

They had made love two more times before they fell asleep wrapped in the sheets and each other's arms and they would have stayed that way had his phone not started to ring.

"Hello?" He asked quietly. "I'll be there in an hour."

She moaned softly and he placed the phone back on the night stand before pulling her closer to him. Her arms tightened around his chest and she nuzzled his shoulder.

"Bella…" He whispered and she whimpered. "I need to get up."

"Where are you going?"

"I have a gig."

"Oh," she replied as she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Can I see you again?"

"Jake's out of town until Wednesday."

"So you can stay tonight?" His voice was hopeful. He hadn't been anticipating anything that had happened today and everything was only getting better with the thought about how he might be able to share a bed with her for nearly a week.

She nodded and he grinned.

"Will you come to the gig?"

She bit her lip. There was always the possibility of running into one of Jake's coworkers at large venues.

"Where is it at?"

"12 Bar Club."

"Okay." She replied. She had only been there once before with Jake when he had gone with a few coworkers. It was fairly dark inside and the risk of being caught was slim. But more importantly, she didn't seem to care anymore. Being with Edward was changing everything. She wanted to be with him, and she just didn't care who knew.

----------

"Alice, this is Bella… Bella, my sister Alice." He begrudgingly introduced them as they met at the bar. He hadn't wanted to but he also didn't want Bella alone while they were playing. He had encouraged her to ask Rose to come but she knew that if she did, she would only be faced with a multitude of questions from Rose regarding the change in the relationship.

Alice grinned and hugged her. "It's so great to finally meet you! He hasn't shut up about you."

He was blushing and he was thankful that the club was dark and no one could see.

"It's good to finally meet you as well," Bella smiled as she hugged her back. She was taken aback by the small woman's energy but shrugged it off. She was in too good of a mood to have it bother her too much.

He pulled Bella into him once his sister had released her and his lips brushed against her ear.

"When we are done we are going back to the flat. I just want to be alone with you."

She nodded and felt his lips as they grazed her jaw before he pulled away and walked towards the stage.

----------

He played with the band but his heart wasn't really into it. He hoped that it didn't show. The fact of the matter was, he was finally getting everything that he wanted and he just wanted to be back in his flat, tangled in the sheets with her wrapped around him. He wanted to make love to her again, he wanted to kiss every inch of skin and worship her all over again. He didn't know how long it would be before he could do it again and each moment that he was spending on that stage was just time away from her that was being wasted. He finally understood. Understood everything that Alice and Jasper had been trying to tell him when they explained why they always spent so much time together, finally understood what it meant to love someone with all your heart, but he also understood that it could end at any moment. She wasn't a sure thing, and that terrified him. The thought that she could go back to her husband, the thought that when he came back from his trip that she would be waking up in his bed, in his arms, was enough to send his mind reeling into a fit of jealousy. Her husband didn't appreciate her the way that he did, he couldn't love her the way that he did. She would figure that out… right?

The band finished their last song and he was off the stage and putting his guitar back in it's case.

"Ready for some drinks?" He turned and saw Garrett stalking towards him.

"Sorry mate… Can't tonight."

"We always go drinking after a good show."

Edward shrugged. "I have plans."

Garrett eyed his friend closely. He saw the smile that hadn't been there over the prior two weeks, and he saw the post coital glow that lit his face.

"You banged her."

"No, I didn't," he responded truthfully and watched as Garrett furrowed his brow. "I loved her."

"What's the difference?"

"You'll figure it out someday," he smiled as he picked up the hard black case. "When you find the right person, you'll figure it out."

Garrett watched as his friend retreated towards the front. He wanted to ask him if she had left her husband. He could only see this ending terribly if she hadn't and he wasn't sure he would be able to pick up the pieces. The past two weeks had been difficult and they hadn't been intimate, now apparently he had 'loved her' and he knew that next time, things would only be worse.

----------

"Thanks for looking after her," Edward smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. He was thankful to finally be touching her again. It was all he could think about when they had been on the stage and he was certain that he never once looked away from her.

"It wasn't a chore at all." Alice grinned as she looked between her brother and the brunette that had managed to capture his heart.

"It really was a pleasure meeting you," Bella said softly as she leaned into Edward's side.

"If you are free later this week, I'd love to have lunch with you."

"Alice…" Edward warned.

"That sounds good."

"I'll get your number from Edward later," Alice replied and Bella nodded.

"Ready to go?" He whispered in her ear and she nodded.

"Alright, bye Ali," he said quickly, giving her a one armed hug before quickly turning towards the door. Bella was being pulled with him and she just smiled over her shoulder at Alice who grinned knowingly at them as they retreated towards the exit and back to his apartment.

----------

"How long do I get to keep you?" He asked as they lay in his bed. His arms were wrapped around her body holding her tightly against him.

"How long do you want to keep me?"

"I'd never let you go if I didn't have to." She could hear the truth behind his words and she wanted to cry. It was different than with Jake, she was happy. For the first time in years she felt content, and more importantly, she felt like she was finally home.