Stephenie Meyer owns the copyright to Twilight and all its characters

The original characters, plots, and storyline contained within this derivative work are the property of Brits23 and Lazykate

(Translation: if you steal it, we will send Bitey after your ass…and not in a good way)

Just as a reminder—Lazykate writes the girls and Brits23 writes the boys.

Chapter Six - The Monogamies

CPOV

I felt my body become colder the moment she separated herself from me.

Outside of my home, typical morning harmonies were making themselves known. Overeager birds, singing their song. Impatient travelers, laying on their horn. The heavy wind, composing itself after the brutal storm.

But there was nothing that existed in my world beyond the dark, spiraling hair flowing along the delicate curve of her spine.

I had no words for this level of beauty.

I watched with ample intensity as she lifted herself from the tangled sheets, each stretch and twist of her body captivating me entirely. She looked around the dim room for a moment, seeming to absorb what we had done as a little smile curved her lips.

I was preparing to reach out and grab her hand to pull her back into bed with me…until I realized that she was looking for her clothing.

It wasn't just my face that fell…I felt the whole world begin to crumble.

Did I do something to make her want to leave? Was the instantaneous connection we found not enough to make her stay?

I thought it was.

But the moment she sat back down on the edge of the bed, her small hand clasped to her bare chest and despair filling her breathtaking features, I realized that there had to be something more.

Maybe we were too much, too fast.

Not for me of course, but for a young woman who just got out of a five year relationship where she wasn't being properly worshipped, well…maybe the level of devotion I wanted to shower her with was too overwhelming for her to take on so suddenly.

I still couldn't bear it if she left me like this.

My heart began thrumming rapidly once she looked over her shoulder, brown eyes watery yet mesmerizing as she met my intense gaze. She looked ashamed as she covered her naked breasts and broke our eye contact. "I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I'm a doctor, I'm used to being a very light sleeper," I murmured softly, my eyes still intent on her every move. "Where are you going so early?"

Her eyes fell to the expanse of space between us…a space that was unnecessary and had no right to exist at all. "I don't know," she whispered.

Oh Bella, just stay with me…

I turned to face her fully and hummed in contemplation. "It looks like you were trying to sneak out on me."

Her stuttering response confirmed my fear.

The last thing I wanted was for her to be somewhere she didn't want to be. More than anything, my trepidation rested on the fact that perhaps she regretted this…regretted what we had found in one another so quickly.

I ran my hand over my face before burying it in my disheveled hair. "You can do whatever you're most comfortable with, Bella, but I truly hope you'll get back into bed with me. I'm not quite ready to let you go yet."

I watched her as she internally debated whether my morning would be filled with confusion and doubt, or if she would grant me a sweet finale to the hours she let me touch her skin, feel her heart race, and worship her miraculous body.

I just wanted to hold her…I just needed the calm euphoria she blessed me with every moment she sighed contentedly in my arms.

"Please…" I tried to keep the desperation out of my voice, my lips curving into a lazy smile as she stared back at me. My fingers twitched to grab her wrist and surround her in my embrace, but this had to be on her terms…this had to be something that we both mutually wanted.

I nearly cried out in relief as she gave me a shy nod of her head, lifting up the covers and sliding in until she was against me once more, warming my skin and causing my heart to flutter as if its frequency had been rewired completely.

I was only hers now…I belonged to a girl who couldn't be rushed into something serious. A girl who clearly wanted me but wasn't ready to dive back in so quickly. I couldn't blame her for her hesitancy, but it certainly didn't mean that I'd be giving up.

Because after one simple night of thunderstorms and mindless trivia, I had found the woman who not only held the power to awaken me from an endless fog, but also the woman who was the key to my healing.

Hours of therapy and years of distance from the person who broke me couldn't begin to fix my heart. But Bella could. In fact, Bella was. I couldn't deny the way she made me feel.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, letting myself feel nothing but my forearms sliding over the smooth skin of her abdomen as I held her, the rise and fall of her back against my chest as she breathed a steady rhythm, the soft moans of satisfaction as she leaned back against my body.

There was nothing more than this…

"Good morning, beautiful," I whispered softly against her ear, kissing the silken strands of her hair and begging the hands of fate not to take this away from me yet.

Just not yet.

~*~

EPOV

I sat on my leather couch, re-lacing my Nikes for what seemed to be the twentieth fucking time.

From the corner of my eye, I could see my dog staring at me unwaveringly.

"Don't look at me like that, Tay," I murmured, tightening my shoes for the last time and standing from the couch with a sigh.

I ran my fingers through my hair absently and swiped my keys off the counter, removing Taylor's leash from the hook next to the door. "Come on, wanna go for a ride?" I asked in a tone that was far too bubbly for my current mood.

She lifted an eyebrow at me but didn't move from her stationary position on the sofa. "Don't give me that shit, Tay-Tay…going for a walk is like your own personal brand of crack-cocaine, now get over here," I grumbled in irritation.

She wouldn't move and held her eyebrow in the upright position, judging me silently with the puppy-expression on her face.

"Christ," I muttered, walking back over to the couch and plopping back down in a heap. "Look, we're only going over there because the hot chick on the news said it was the place to run. You know me…I'm not some kind of pervy-ass stalker. I make the women come to me, this has nothing to do with her, so let's just go already!"

I did a double-take when my faithful dog seemed to roll her eyes at me. I stood from the couch and went back to the door, swinging Taylor's leash in front of her enticingly. "Come on, baby girl, you're gonna get fat if you don't get off the couch."

She growled softly and blinked at me in aggravation.

"I'll let you intermingle with the fellas…you aren't dating until you're at least seven years old, but I'll let you get your flirt on…"

She seemed to ponder this a moment before jumping off the couch and running to my side.

Hmm…apparently I wasn't the only one that was hard up.

I bent down to attach the leash to her collar and she licked my cheek before pushing her head beneath my chin to give me a hug.

"I know," I sighed, scratching behind her ear. "I love you too…and stop worrying about me, I'll get my shit figured out. Come on, let's roll."

The drive wasn't really that far to Coral Gables, especially with the top down and the music blaring. It would be hotter than normal today, the humidity already stifling my breaths even in the early morning hours.

It had been awhile since I'd gone on a run, but I needed the release. I needed to let go of all this pent up energy I had been carrying around with me the past few weeks.

The weight of something I had spent every waking minute trying to deny, but failed miserably to suppress.

That girl had turned my fucking world inside out, made me doubt everything I'd ever stood for, made me question who the hell I was, made me view every single aspect of my life in a new light…and as much as I craved seeing her again, I so desperately resented her for this.

I was happy with my life. I scratched my sexual itch when I needed to, surrounded myself with amazing family and friends, fulfilled myself professionally by doing good for the community…and yet ever since I woke up to a cold, empty bed that fateful morning weeks ago…I'd felt so empty.

What had this girl done to me?

I could try to lie to myself and my dog, the only two people who truly knew what my problem was, but I wasn't fooling either one of us. I was looking for any excuse to see her again and discover why the hell one night of passion had me second guessing everything I'd ever known.

The odds were slim to none that I'd see her just because I was on her turf. In fact, I probably didn't have a cold chance in hell of finding those dark brown eyes amidst the endless sea of people. In all actuality, I had no idea why I was doing this at all, but here I was, driving nearly an hour to jog a path I had no interest in whatsoever.

And the real kicker was, my best friend was dating her best friend.

The means of getting to Bella Swan were never ending. I could attain her number from Jasper, stop by their house with him, milk Jazz for every single detail available about the girl I couldn't get out of my head, sweet talk Alice in order to get to her roommate…

But my pride and pig-headedness stood in the way of every single opportunity that presented itself.

I refused to demand details from Jasper like a smitten thirteen-year-old girl. I refused to beg and steal for her phone number in order to pine away at her until she agreed to see me again.

I never wanted to be that person.

So instead of taking the easy road, I decided to take the long and winding one. Which primarily consisted of finding random, dumb ass excuses to visit a town I had no business being in just to possibly catch a glimpse of a girl I couldn't stop thinking about amongst the thousands of Coral Gables residents.

Christ, Taylor was right. I was a fucking idiot.

I pulled into the parking lot and groaned as the sweltering heat pelted me, immediately tossing my shirt into the back seat and slipping a bottle of water into my front pocket. I could just see the headline now.

Local playboy turned pathetic stalker passes out from the scorching heat during his desperate attempt to find the object of his pitiable affection.

Water was definitely the way to go.

I motioned for Taylor to get out of the car and pointed down at her authoritatively. "Stay next to me and you won't have to wear the leash, got it?"

She jumped up, pressing her front legs to my abdomen and barking cheerfully. I chuckled and began our slow jog, letting my mind wander as my feet pounded the pavement rhythmically.

The weeks since I brought Bella to my bed had disappeared in a flash, yet I felt like I had fought a battle in the wake of her onslaught. Because there was no other way to describe what she had done to me--walking into my world all beautiful and mesmerizing, fucking up my game and making me think of nothing else but the fire in her eyes when she climaxed on top of me.

The days following our encounter weren't particularly trying. I couldn't deny that I was disheartened when I woke up without her next to me. The only reason I allowed either one of us rest was because I had very real plans to make her scream my name while the sun's rays danced across her smooth skin.

But it wasn't the first time I woke up without the previous night's conquest, so I truthfully thought nothing of it. I went on about my life, feeling a nagging tug in the pit of my stomach every so often but ignoring it incessantly.

But I couldn't stop dreaming about her.

It wasn't just dreams of her coming or moaning or begging for my touch. No, my subconscious mind was torturing me with visions of her eyes crinkling when she smiled, the gentle melody of her laughter, the way her fingers felt with they were entwined with mine.

After three consecutive nights of my brain assaulting me with nothing but Bella fucking Swan, I realized that I potentially had a very serious problem.

And I knew exactly what I had to do.

The next weekend, my boys wouldn't go out to the club with me but it truly didn't matter. I was on a mission. By my fifth scotch, I had begun the hunt for my next conquest. It wasn't long before a bleached-blonde with blaringly fake tits and a spray-on tan bellied up to the bar beside me, batting her mascara-crusted eyelashes like she was some sort of walking, talking orgasm.

She was right up my alley.

Only this time, the nagging in my stomach turned into lurches. I found myself questioning why exactly she was my girl of choice. Why I would want to take her home when most of her body was man-made…and more importantly, why the hell I didn't even want to look at this girl in the first place. Fuck, I didn't want to look at any of them. Too blonde, too tan, too generic…not her.

This realization taunted me, and I was determined to prove myself wrong.

In forty-five minutes, I had Tiffany pressed against the pristine wall of Room 572 in the nearby Ritz Carlton as she mewled and clawed the shirt off of my back, thrusting her hips against mine.

My stomach was heaving.

I ignored every other impulse besides the need to prove that I wanted to fuck this girl. With a feral growl and a blinding determination, I lifted her skirt above her waist and pressed my half-hard cock against her wet pussy.

I closed my eyes and bit her neck as I imagined the dark brown eyes that haunted me day and night. I tuned out Tiffany and pictured what Bella would ask me to do if I had her pressed against the wall. How Bella would touch me if it was she who was wrapped around me right now.

I didn't stop imagining Bella's glorious face when I was released from my pants and a condom was rolled onto me, my cock now hard and aching from each vision of her that enveloped my mind.

And I didn't stop when Tiffany had her way with me on the hotel room floor.

God, all I thought about was her.

Brown eyes and a cute little grin. Busting my balls and exhilarating me to no fucking end.

I swallowed down her name when I came.

It was an eye-opening experience to say the least.

Tiffany left not too long after I had sex with Bella in my mind, and I was immediately overcome with guilt. While she had no idea I was absorbed in a completely different girl, it was still a despicable thing to do to remove myself from the situation like that. She was still a beautiful woman at the heart of it, and she sure as hell deserved more from me than a few random thrusts of my hips.

I left that hotel room feeling like the scum of the fucking earth…and lower than I'd ever been.

I moped around my loft the next day, feigning the stomach flu in order to prevent my loved ones from seeing me like this. I put blankets over my windows to block out the sun and acquainted myself with a large bottle of Johnny Walker, drowning out my misery and confusion with burning, intoxicating liquid.

Taylor rested her head on my thigh and looked up at me with worried, omniscient eyes the entire day.

She was so much more than an animal…sometimes I was convinced my baby girl held the long lost secrets of the universe behind her big brown eyes.

After my day of wallowing, I did my best to suppress the knowledge that just maybe I needed something more from Bella Swan than repetitive orgasms.

Maybe I needed her.

It was obvious that Jazz knew something was bothering me, but that sappy bastard was so involved in his new lady, he didn't even attempt to pry into it like he normally would have. I was thankful for his lack of attention. I wasn't ready to admit that I possibly could be feeling something more for a female than increased blood flow and tingling sensations…that maybe I could feel something in another vital muscle, located a little further north than as per usual.

One fucking night, and this is what that girl had reduced me to.

But I was so happy for Jasper. He was absolutely taken by Alice. He spoke of nothing but her, which made me all the more hopeful that he would bring up Bella.

The fact that he didn't really irritated me to no end.

See, I wasn't about to beg for information about Bella, but in my fucked up head, I completely expected Jasper to inform me of every single aspect of her life. I'd ask questions about Alice, their home, their life…but do you think that brainiac cockblocker would give me even a minute detail involving that girl? Fuck no…it was extremely frustrating.

Normally I would talk to my pop about shit that was eating away at me, but I truly didn't want anyone of the human species to know about these newfound stirrings of…emotions.

Not to mention, I knew it would secretly get his hopes up that his son was finished with following in his own deviant footsteps and ready to live a more conventional life.

When Carlisle was younger, our actions were practically identical for much different reasons, although I suppose at the heart of it, they were the result of the same heartless woman.

He had since reformed from random fucking, finally letting go of the shit my mother had put him through so many years ago and began dating again. He was afraid that I would follow down the path he did, waking up one day and finding myself middle-aged and all alone.

It wasn't a concern of mine at the time, but somehow one tiny, dark-haired girl had me completely questioning whether or not my pop was right.

Talk about a mindfuck.

Day after day I'd think of Bella Swan, and day after day, my need for her intensified.

Since Jasper was no help to me what-so-fucking-ever, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

I didn't have to work very hard at it, considering that night on the evening news, a perky young newscaster informed the greater Miami Metro area of an enchanting little park in Coral Gables, an ideal spot for first time runners and a great area for enjoying the bountiful nature around you.

I begrudgingly took it as a sign.

I still wasn't fully comfortable with taking that first ugly step towards the monogamies, but the idea of seeing her smile again was enough of a reason to ignore my hesitations.

I was stirred from my reverie with a sharp yelp from Taylor.

I looked down and furrowed my brow at her, wordlessly asking her what the hell her malfunction was. She sat right down in the middle of the pathway until we were both getting cursed for blocking the flow of running traffic.

Assholes.

I dragged Taylor off to the side of the path and knelt down to her level. "What's the deal, Tay? You need water?" I retrieved the bottle from my pocket and held it to her mouth, but she didn't attempt to drink. Her eyes were bouncing from me and then to the side, a little whimper coming from her throat like most dogs made when they needed you to realize something really fucking obvious.

I turned around…and not thirty feet away from me on the other side of the path was none other than Bella.

My airway immediately constricted.

I sat there choking like a damn idiot until Taylor bumped the bottle of water with her nose and I began chugging it heartily.

Holy shit.

While secretly the only reason I came here was for her, it didn't mean I actually expected to run into her. But now that I had, what would I do?

I watched as she bent at the waist, pressing her hands to her knees and taking a much-needed breath. Dear God, she looked fucking beautiful. Her pony tail was high on her head, her sports bra clinging to her ample breasts as her abdomen glistened with sweat. And sweet Christ, don't even get me started on her long, lean legs and the tight ass that was barely covered by her little shorts.

She was trying to kill me…and kill herself in the process. Did she really think it was a good idea to run around half fucking naked while perverts and stalkers--like me--where in the area? Looking like that would only get her into trouble, I didn't care how safe the neighborhood was. She was sex on fucking legs and here she was, strolling around with her ear buds in, ignoring her surroundings while some serial killer could be plotting his next move on her.

My fists clenched in blazing anger when a guy on a bike nearly tipped over from craning his neck to watch Bella stretch in the grass.

Serial killers and fucking perverts--it only furthered my point.

And then I froze…

What the hell was I thinking?

What was this anger…this uneasy sensation that took me over as I watched her being ogled? Why was I so pissed that she was running in the middle of the morning in a heavily-populated area? Why was I so convinced that her state of undress would target her for psychopaths? And why the hell was I so utterly worried about her?

Holy shit…I was jealous.

I was jealous…and I cared.

Taylor stared at me once more.

"Yeah, we're going," I muttered, running my hand through my sweat-soaked hair.

Hopefully I didn't stink.

She didn't notice me as I approached, her head still down as she curled her body to catch her breaths. I watched as a bead of sweat dripped down the side of her neck, and I wanted to lick it.

Was that normal?

God, this was going to be a disaster.

Her entire body seemed to still once she noticed there was someone standing in front of her. And her eyes damn near bugged straight out of her head once she realized it was me.

I just hoped that she couldn't see my heart thumping against my chest, because the adrenaline pumping through my veins was nearly painful. I quickly pulled my shit together.

"Funny," I said slowly, rubbing my chin as I fought my smile. "I would have thought you were really good at running in the morning."

"I guess not," she muttered after she recovered from her shock.

Christ, she was beautiful.

"I suppose that's just when you're sneaking out, huh?" I tried to conceal the hurt in my voice, because I was still pretty fucking resentful of the fact that it was there to begin with.

Taylor hopped up, probably trying to tell me in her own way to stop being such a dick, but I ignored her voice of reason. I was still irrationally pissed at this girl…even though her presence was making me damn near giddy. "Down Taylor," I murmured, giving her a look that clearly told her to let the Master work.

She acquiesced and sat down next to me.

"Cute dog," Bella cut in, obviously anxious to change the subject.

"Yeah, she's my baby," I said distantly, trying to keep my eyes on her face and not follow the trails of shimmering sweat along her flat stomach.

If I wouldn't let the other pervert-stalkers check her out, why should I allow myself the pleasure? "You didn't get a chance to meet her before," I downright accused.

Bella ignored me and asked if she could pet Taylor. I got really irritated when my heart started warming from the sight of the two of them introducing themselves to one another. It was too fucking hot to feel all warm and gooey inside.

It only reminded me how eager she was to fuck and ditch.

It got painfully awkward as we made an attempt at small talk, and the insecurities I felt when we first met at Secrets came back to me in a whirlwind. How do you try not to try too hard? Isn't that a contradiction in and of itself?

We talked about the park we were running in, the improbability of a pairing such as Jasper and Alice, and several other mundane topics to take away the underlying truth of this chance encounter: we had an amazing night, she ditched, I was too big of a pansy to call her, and now things were awkward as hell between us.

So what do I do when my nerves get the best of me? I act like the biggest tool in the entire fucking universe.

A gentleman would have bowed his head and smiled when he caught a lady blatantly checking him out. Not the case for me. "Sizing up the goods again?" I smiled crookedly.

"Ugh, why are you such an asshole?" she grumbled.

I wish I had the answer, Bella…

"Hey, you're the one who snuck out on me; I'm entitled to make you squirm a little."

"I didn't…sneak out. I just didn't see the point of waking you from what looked like a very sound sleep to tell you that I had to go," she explained, her fingers twisting together uneasily.

"Because there was somewhere that important you had to be on a Saturday morning?" I squinted at her in the bright sunlight, my pretenses beginning to crumble as I got to the heart of the matter that had been lingering over my head for weeks.

"Okay fine," she sighed, looking up at me beneath her lashes. "I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye."

"Or a note," I pouted.

"But I figured we'd both gotten what we wanted, I was awake, I decided to go…"

I touched her arm cautiously, a groan nearly escaping my lips at the sticky warmth of her skin and remembering how she felt just like this under very different circumstances. I decided to shoot for honesty, whether that made me an asshole or not. "I missed you when I woke up. You were fucking amazing, Bella."

"Um, thanks," she muttered quietly, breaking our eye contact. "You were…amazing too."

It sounded like a compliment, but she was so completely detached from this conversation. Did she really not want me? I resorted to my charm and smiled widely at her. "Hey, it's a standing offer if you're interested."

Anger flashed in her dark eyes. "Oh my God, are you serious?"

"As a heart attack."

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say, because she looked like she was going to knee me in the junk and bitch slap me across the face. Christ, this shit was complicated. No wonder I made it a habit of sending the ladies along their way once we climaxed. This level of confusion was a first for me…I hated the feeling of never knowing what to say, and the beautiful girl in front of me wasn't cutting me any slack for being a noob to this situation.

"How about a first date, you pompous jerk?" she growled at me.

A date?

A date…

The smile spread slowly across my face as I realized this girl had asked me out and insulted me in one breath. That was pretty fucking amazing. "Damn, I forgot what a ball-buster you are."

I almost laughed as she balled up her fists and scowled at me. Someone as adorable as her had no business being so angry. Moreover, a jerk like me had no right to make her that way.

"Why? Because you're offering up sex like you're doing me a favor and I have the temerity to say I'd like an actual date this time? You've got a lot of nerve, Masen."

Check and mate, Miss Swan.

I tried to save face by telling her that I had a great time with her even before we went back to my place, but all that did was dig me deeper into this giant hole of fuckery.

"Okay fine, you want to go out on a date? What are you doing tonight?" There was a slight tremor in my voice as I walked quickly to keep up with her retreating form, desperate to fix what I had so clearly fucked up.

"I'm busy," she spat.

Would this ever make sense? I was doing what she asked of me and yet she was still pissed.

Women…

"Doing what?" I pried.

"I have a date with a guy who has more class than to assume I'd be free to drop everything and go out with him the same evening."

A date?

A date…

"Hey wait, Bella, hold up!" I chased her pathetically until she turned on her heel.

"What, did you really think I'd just sit around waiting for you, Edward? You could have gotten my number and called."

She was right, but my wounded ego wouldn't allow me to take the blame. "Jasper is a cockblocking asshole," I grumbled.

"You're telling me that you did ask him for my number and he wouldn't give it to you?"

Fuck, didn't she know how difficult this was for me? Didn't she know that I had no idea what I was doing since the moment she left my bed all those weeks ago? Christ, this was by no means cut and dry. But how did I begin to explain that?

"Well, no."

The hurt flashed through her eyes, and it damn near buckled me.

Why were the odds so persistent in stacking up against me? I felt an array of conflicting emotions from the moment she basically informed me that I had competition, and while it terrified me to man the fuck up and take this monumental step, I just knew she was worth it…

"Well what are you doing next week? What day would be good for you?"

After some deliberating, we decided on Tuesday. She suggested a double date with Jazz and Alice, but I quickly shot that down with a truthful, somewhat cheesy comment that I wanted her all to myself.

This brought back the ball busting, ten-fold.

Her messages were loud, clear, and a little wounding, but she made valid points--I was trying too hard, I was cocky, I was used to getting what I wanted with little to no effort on my part. But at what point does it switch from overbearing seduction to making a solid effort to change yourself for a girl--for no other reason than the fact that she makes you feel something more?

She softened a bit as we prepared to part ways, her lip trapped between her teeth as she gazed up at me.

"Hey, for what it's worth…I really did want to call you."

She shrugged and fixed her eyes on the ground. "It doesn't really matter."

"I think it does," I murmured, running my fingers through my hair. "I don't try to be a dick, Bella. It's just so natural for my douche-baggery to come out when I'm this nervous."

"I make you nervous?"

That fact really seemed to please her.

I winced slightly. "Yeah, pretty much."

She smiled and turned on her heel, offering Taylor a pat to the head before looking at me over her shoulder. "I'll see you Tuesday, Edward."

**

"Dude, you look like shit," Emmett observed, lounging on the sofa as I walked through my door.

"Go! Home!" I yelled, throwing my keys on the counter and kicking off my shoes. I was in no mood for company when I had a fuckton of things to think about before Tuesday.

"Damn, untwist your panties, I was just giving you shit. What's your problem anyway?"

"I don't have a problem," I lied, internally screaming that my blessing and curse was a 5'4" brown-haired vixen that completely mesmerized me and ball-busted me at the same time.

Emmett chuckled. "Whatever, bro. So have you met Jazzy's lady yet?"

I popped open a bottle of Gatorade and chugged it, my calves already starting to cramp from my run. "Yeah, I was there the night they met, remember?"

"Oh yeah," he mumbled, his eyes never leaving the flat screen. "Hey, you banged her roommate that night, didn't you?"

My fists clenched at his vulgar term. "I don't really see how that's any of your business."

Emmett looked at me like I had three heads. "Uh…since when do you not dick-down and dish?"

I sighed so deeply that my stomach muscles ached. "Since now, I guess. I'm gonna go take a shower. Order a pizza, all right?"

He nodded. "I'm all over it."

I paused in the hallway. "Emmett…do you think I'm an asshole?"

"Yep."

"Fuck off, I'm serious," I spat.

"So am I," he chuckled, his smile wide and goofy. His laughter trailed off once he took in my expression. "Shit, I don't know, man. I don't think you're an asshole but you probably come off as one to the people who don't know you like we do."

"Why?" I questioned earnestly, as if Emmett held some sort of infinite wisdom.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Cuz you're always fronting, man. You come out balls blazing like you have something to prove, when you really don't. Now I'm done playing therapist. If you still need to talk about your assholish ways, call Dr. Phil or Oprah or some shit."

I chuckled and shook my head, walking down the hall and closing the bathroom door, my head falling against the wood with a thump. I didn't know whether to feel relief or sheer terror…all I knew was that I'd been given my opportunity with Bella Swan, and I was determined not to fuck it up.

**

The weekend passed by uneventfully. As if I was attempting to officially complete my emo-makeover, I felt overwhelmingly lonely Saturday and Sunday. Emmett was forever with Rose, being dragged around by the scrotum to this event and that. Jasper was completely wrapped around Alice's little finger, which clearly suited them just fine. My pop was bogged down with preparations for the grand opening of his private practice, and Taylor was consumed in the new doggie crack I had purchased for her that came in the form of a squeaking stuffed moose.

In my state of estrogen, I almost felt as if the world was moving forward without me. I spent the majority of my day sitting in the sun on my deck, sipping a Rolling Rock and thinking about the one who started all this.

Bella.

I knew what it felt like to be inside of her body, yet I didn't know what her favorite song was or if she was a dog person or a cat person. I didn't know what she did for a living or if she enjoyed the sun or preferred the rain.

I found myself desperate to uncover the little details that made up the brilliant woman she was…and worried that I had already blown my chances.

Sunday evening Jasper had managed to detach from Alice long enough to stop by and say hey. I decided to stop pretending that Bella didn't matter to me and hit him up for her phone number.

And wouldn't you know it, that little fucker wouldn't give it to me.

I tried to explain to him that she agreed to go out with me and that it didn't make me a stalking creeper, but he stared at me warily. "Edward," he drawled, pushing his glasses up his nose. "While I myself know of your integrity, I couldn't easily just betray the trust of Bella and Alice by giving you her contact information without knowing for a fact that Bella is interested in hearing from you."

I stomped my foot like a two-year-old. "Fuck off, Jazzabel. Let me talk to Alice then."

After a bit of negotiating, I was finally put on the phone with Alice. "My, my," she mused. I could almost see the snarky little smile upon her face. "I hear you want my girl's phone number, Mr. "Don't Worry About My Testicles."

"Alice."

The tone in my voice silenced her laughter instantaneously.

I ran my fingers through my hair and spoke honestly to a girl I barely knew. "I'm not messing around here."

She was quiet for a moment and I looked up at Jasper to see him studiously observing the art hung upon my wall. "You're serious about her aren't you?"

I lowered my voice even further and huddled into the corner of my couch. My face scrunched up as I pushed my forehead into my palm. "I just…I can't stop thinking about her. And yes I'm an asshole and I'll be the first to admit it but…I don't want to be an asshole to her."

Alice was quiet again, muttering a fleeting "holy shit." I could only assume that it was quite a feat to silence that tiny ball of fire.

"Look, I don't know how much you've heard about me, whether from Jasper or Bella. And maybe my track record isn't exactly honorable but I know that your best friend is fucking beautiful, and I don't just mean her creamy skin or her big brown eyes or the way her lip turns up when she's busting my balls." I paused and sighed, knowing I probably sounded like a total douche. "I just want to prove to her that I'm not like every other man…maybe more like I don't want to be like every other man."

"Well why didn't you try to get her number sooner than three freaking weeks after the fact?" she squeaked.

"I don't have an excuse," I winced, pulling incessantly at a stray thread hanging from my t-shirt. "All I can tell you is that it's been a hell of a week, and your girl has made me second guess everything I've ever believed…in a good way, and in a terrifying way."

"Holy shit," she muttered once more.

She didn't speak for a long time, and I anxiously needed to fill the silence. "Alice, I can't promise that I'm the best guy for her at the moment, but I can promise you that I want to be. I'm really confused right now, but I just know that I need more of her."

"What, more sex?" she growled.

"No!" I nearly shrieked, rising up from the couch hastily. "Christ, I see where she gets her ball busting skills from."

"Yeah, insult me dipshit, that's a surefire way to get Bella's number."

"I like the ball busting, most of the time," I muttered, pressing my face against the window. "Fuck Alice, maybe you shouldn't give it to me. You're clearly protective of her and you should be. If I were you and some assbag was begging for her number, I'd probably tell him to piss off too. Christ, she needs to be with someone who has more than blackened ash for a heart and a verbal filter that is clearly defective. And it's not like I'm all sex, sex, sex, all the time I'll have you know. Okay, maybe a little, but only because Bella blew my fucking mind. But for the past three weeks, I've thought of nothing but her, and I miss the way she fits beneath my arm, because she just fits with me--"

"Edward…" Alice interrupted my rambling, and I prepared myself for the final shut down, knowing full well I had it coming.

"Yes?" I sighed.

"Get a pen, and shut the hell up."

And just like that, I had hope again. As I hastily scrawled Bella's number onto an old receipt, I felt my hesitation about taking this huge step slip further from my mind.

Because I was tired of over thinking things to death. Maybe instead of concentrating on what I thought I had to be, I needed to focus on what felt right, and more importantly, what was right for Bella.

~*~

Monday had been a particularly long and trying day. I had a nine a.m. orchidectomy--AKA, stealing away a young basset hound's manhood--which I never particularly enjoyed. While I knew it was vital for population control and all that, I always had to put myself in their um…paws. How would I feel if someone chopped my balls off because they decided I was too horny or too promiscuous?

Fuck, I was probably more worthy than anyone of castration.

I threw myself into my desk chair and dragged my fingers through my hair, my other hand remaining permanently in my pocket. While it probably appeared that I'd been playing pocket pool all day--which would definitely explain some of the hungry stares from the nursing staff--I was really fondling the piece of paper with Bella's phone number on it.

After winning the small battle of getting Alice to give it up to me the previous evening, I was still waiting for the right time to actually use said number. Not that I needed the damn paper; I'd had her digits memorized since the second Alice rambled them off to me.

I'd probably rubbed the numbers off the paper anyway, given how obsessively I'd been squeezing it between my fingers.

I took the monumental step of removing it from my pocket and setting it on the top of my desk, staring at it like it was going to grow legs and gnaw my face off or some shit.

I was convinced that there was still a man left inside of me somewhere, so with a steady resolve, I flipped my cell open and began punching in her number.

Just as I was about to hit the send button, my office door swung open. "Fuck!" I growled, my phone flying in mid air as I jumped out of my seat, the shit very thoroughly getting scared the fuck out of me.

"Sorry, Dr. Masen," Bree sang, swinging her ponytail from left to right. "Just wanted to remind you of your 2:30 with the family that adopted the Dalmatian mix two weeks ago? Their follow-up appointment?"

I nodded hastily and began searching the floor for my Blackberry. I scooped it up after locating it and pulled at the buttons of my white dress shirt, needing some room to fucking breathe.

"Are you okay, Dr. M?" Bree questioned, looking at me like I sincerely needed some sort of professional help, which I probably did.

"Yeah, I'm good, you just startled me," I muttered.

Bree closed the door behind her and I sat back down, staring at the numbers that were already typed onto the screen.

All I needed to do was press send.

So I did.

It seemed like it rang for hours, when a sweet, slightly questioning tone blessed my ear drums. "Bella Swan."

"Bella," I breathed.

She was silent. "This is Bella…who is this?"

"Um, it's Edward. Edward…Masen?" My voice squeaked like a prepubescent teenager as I ended my statement as a question.

"Oh!" I heart a loud clunk on the other end of the line, followed by some scuffling. "Edward…hi."

"Hey," I murmured, my smile not easily contained. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Hmm…she sounded panicked. "Things are fine, I'm just busy, work has been crazy."

I nodded. "Yeah, it has been for me too. Did you uh, have a nice rest of the day after parted ways?"

"Yes."

Okay…

I wanted to ask her about her date, mainly because I wanted her to tell me that it sucked, but then I imagined the alternative answer she could give me and decided against it. "I've been…shit, I've been thinking about you," I muttered, positively certain that I sounded like a complete moron.

"Oh," she whispered, almost as if she were in a state of confusion.

The silence was ear-piercing, and this sure as hell wasn't the way I wanted things to go.

"I um…I wanted to send you flowers but then I thought you'd think I was being seductive again, when really I would have just wanted to make you smile."

"You wanted me to smile?" she questioned softly.

I nodded, but then realized she couldn't see me. "Yeah."

"I figured you would have sent me a bouquet of multi-flavored condoms or something, you know, for that standing offer?"

Fuck me.

"I'm such an asshole," I grumbled.

"You are…but then you're not at the same time. It's really weird," Bella murmured. She cleared her throat and sounded abruptly more assertive. "Was there something I could do for you Edward?"

Five hundred and seventy two sordid replies flitted through my mind, but I squashed every single one of them. "Well since I skimped on the flowers in fear of trying too hard, I just wanted to let you know that I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," she murmured distantly.

Fucking hell, if she forgot about me I was going throw myself right out the goddamn office window.

My fingers pulled through my hair to the point of pain. "Um, yeah…our date?"

"I know," she said sharply, her tone softening as she took a deep breath. "I haven't forgotten, Edward."

God, my name on her tongue…

"So I'll pick you up at seven-thirty then?" I questioned, wiping my sweating palms against my black pants.

"Yes," she breathed. "That is what we agreed upon."

She sounded almost morose about the idea of going out with me, but I passed that off as her averseness to my manwhore ways. I'd fix it if it was the last thing I did.

I laid my forehead on the cool surface of my desk and sighed. "Can I bring you flowers?" I murmured, wishing this call would have made us feel closer together instead of furthering us apart.

"You can if you'd like to."

"Bella, can I tell you something, and then I'll let you get back to work?" I cradled my phone against my ear gently.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"I want you to know that I'm sincerely sorry for not calling you. It wasn't right of me not to contact you, no matter what I was going through at the time. You were perfect…are perfect, and I don't deserve the time of day from you. But I'm trying…and I don't mean I'm trying to get in your pants or to 'dazzle' you. I mean I'm trying to make up for the way I treated you and make you see that I have only one intent--and that is to get to know you better."

She sighed forlornly. "It would be so much easier if you could just be an asshole to me right now, Edward," she practically begged me.

"Why?" I asked forcefully, feeling like we were getting close to the truth that lingered between us.

"Because I...shit, I have a call on the other line. It's probably a client, can I call you back or…"

I ran my hand over my face and sighed. "It's okay, baby. I shouldn't have taken up so much of your time. I'll see you tomorrow."

She murmured a quiet goodbye and I shut my phone, only then realizing that I called her baby and just how naturally it rolled off my tongue. It's what I called her when she was with me…when we were together…

Fuck, I needed some wisdom bestowed upon me.

I decided to call my pop and evasively ask for some advice without blatantly telling him I was coming down with the monogomies. I knew he was busting his ass to prepare for the practice's grand opening, and I felt a little selfish for demanding some time, but I was going to anyway.

I dialed his brand new office number, smiling when I heard the warming voice of Gladys, the grandmotherly receptionist he managed to steal away from Mercy. He convinced her to work for him because she was the sweetest lady in existence, not to mention she was the only one who didn't blatantly ogle my father. Well, I had caught her checking out his ass on numerous occasions, but that was a secret between me and Gladys.

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen's office," she sang.

"Ooh, what a beautiful voice," I crooned, smiling crookedly. "I was going to make an appointment with Dr. Cullen, but maybe you and I should play some doctor of our own."

She giggled obnoxiously, sounding more like a sixteen-year-old than sixty-five. "Oh, Edward! What are you doing talking to an old woman like that?" she breathed in shock.

"Come on Gladys, you know that Cougars are all the rage. Women are like a fine wine, and you are as delicious as they come," I chuckled, listening to her flustered breathing.

"Behave now, you despicable boy!" she chastised, letting out a few errant giggles. "Are you calling for your Daddy, sweetpea?"

"Yes, ma'am, only if he has a minute."

"Let's see," she drifted off, the sound of a chair rolling across the floor ringing out on the other end of the line. "I'm going to put you on hold hon, it looks like he's chatting on his mobile phone in his office. Just hang on a minute."

"Gladys," I groaned, clasping my chest. "You're breaking my heart; aren't you going to talk to me until he's through?"

She sighed and clucked her tongue. "I have a job to do, Edward Masen, and you are far too handsome to be fawning over an old bat like me. Now keep your shirt on, your daddy will be with you in a moment."

I tapped my pen against the desk, listening to the cheesy on-hold elevator music and making a mental note to tell Carlisle to spruce up the tunes a bit.

After a minute I was taken off hold, when my pop murmured, "Hang on a second, son." I heard some ruffling as if he put his hand over the receiver and continued speaking in the background. "I can let you get back to work…my son is on the landline anyway…yeah, me too. Okay, I'll call you tomorrow?" More silence. "That's fine, sweetheart…why don't you just call me when you find a moment, all right? Okay, you too, I'll talk to you soon…bye."

Hmmm…

Sweetheart?

It seemed as though I wasn't the only one withholding information.

"Sorry about that, Edward. What's up?" Carlisle chirped, sounding much more cheerful than normal.

"I don't know, sweetheart, what is up?" I questioned accusingly.

He let out a harsh chuckle. "You know, since I didn't get to discipline you throughout your childhood, I think now's a great time to start. No women for two weeks, kid, you are officially grounded for eavesdropping."

I laughed, knowing by the sound of his voice that he was embarrassed. "Well I have a date tomorrow, so fat goddamn chance."

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"A date?!" Carlisle's voice rose an octave on account of his utter fucking bewilderment.

"Don't read too much into it," I said hastily, pacing my office. "I'm still an asshole, douche bag, womanizing prick, afraid of the monogomies."

"Who are you trying to convince, Edward, me or you?"

Damn him and his wisdom.

"Whatever, Pop, quit changing the subject. You got a lady or what?" I pried eagerly.

He sighed. "A gentleman never tells."

I laughed boisterously. "Gentleman…yeah okay, says the Senior Manwhore."

"Hey, I've handed that title off to you, son, not that I'm exactly happy about it," he grumbled.

"Well, maybe I'm sick of that shit," I murmured distractedly, staring out my window.

"Yeah?" he questioned hopefully.

I shrugged and attempted to change the subject. "So did the silver fox land a hot piece, or what? Why won't you tell me? It's fucking Gladys isn't it? That's messed up, Carlisle…"

He laughed earnestly. "There's nothing silver about this fox, kid. I'm all gold."

I scoffed. "Christ, you're starting to sound more cocky than that asshole son of yours."

"He's not so bad, once you get to know him," Carlisle chuckled.

There was a significant amount of silence and I figured it was now or never. "I don't want to go into detail and I don't want you to go all parental on me and size me for a tux or some shit, but there's this girl that…theoretically I can't get out of my head."

He was silent for a long moment. "I'm not going to press you for details, son, but I can only imagine how freaked out you are over this."

I snorted. "Vast understatement, old man."

"Would you quit with the 'old man' remarks? If you only knew…" he trailed off.

"Then tell me!" I yelled.

He chuckled shyly. "No. Now if you really think you could have something more meaningful with this girl, then you need to see where it has the potential to go."

"Yeah, I'm going out with her tomorrow, I'm just worried I'm going to be a dickhead to her. She has a real knack for busting my balls. I deserve it completely, but when I'm trying to honestly be sincere, she sees it as an act. I don't know how to convince her otherwise."

"Just take it slow, Edward," Carlisle offered. "The only way to assure her that you're intentions are honorable is to prove it over time. Treat her the way she deserves, show her that there's more to you than your…deviant ways."

"Thanks, Pop. That's great," I groaned sarcastically.

"Any time, son. Hey listen, my next appointment is here, I'm conducting a few interviews today. Can we finish this later?"

"No, it's cool. You're so wise, Carlisle. Now I will ask her to marry me and we will have two-point-five children and a white picket fence," I deadpanned.

Carlisle grumbled. "Now you're grounded for three weeks, smart ass."

I laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I'll talk to you later."

"Yep. Love you."

My throat constricted and I walked nervously back towards my desk. "Yeah, you too, Pop."

**

I was literally going to throw up in her fucking bushes.

My hands were so clammy that the bouquet of flowers I brought her practically slid out of my grip. I pulled at my black dress coat and checked the buttons on my dark blue shirt, hoping like hell I didn't look like an idiot. Was I overdressed? Did I look stupid?

Was this something I could do?

As I walked up the pathway to Alice and Bella's home, I noticed Jasper's Prius in the driveway and was glad to know that my best buddy would be here to have my back.

I wiped my wet hands on my pants and cracked my neck, preparing to man the fuck up. I rang the bell and the door was immediately flung open. I was met with Jazz smiling widely, taking in my shaken state. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" he said in a mock-stern voice, pushing his glasses up his nose and giggle-snorting obnoxiously.

I just stared at him with a furrowed, judgmental brow. "How did you manage to land such a hot chick, man?" I questioned earnestly. "I'll never understand it."

I was pulled into the house by the lady in question. "Because he's far more eloquent and masculine than you will ever be, Edward Masen."

She giggled and pulled me to the couch, sitting next to me. "Wow, you're the same shade of green as Bella," she laughed, muttering something about 'different reasons.'

"What was that?" I questioned, clearing my throat.

"Oh, nothing," she waved her hand, before linking arms with Jasper, who had just joined us on the couch. "So where are you taking our little girl?" she giggle-snorted just like Jazz had moments ago, and suddenly the room felt very hot.

I pulled at my collar. "Um, we're going for dinner and then I was thinking a walk along Biscayne."

Alice's eyes widened. "I hear they do parasailing there," she gulped.

I nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not taking her parasailing, not tonight anyway. Unless she wants to go…"

I anxiously looked down the hallway, searching for the girl I was here to collect.

"No, no!" Alice said in a rush. "I uh, don't think she'd like that."

I shrugged my shoulder and looked around, my knee beginning to bounce rapidly.

"So Edward," Alice mused. "The last time I saw you, you were all smooth and debonair. Right now I'd say you're nervous and fumbling. What's the deal?"

Jasper coughed awkwardly and began looking around the room, crinkling up his nose at the ceiling.

"I don't know what the deal is, Alice. I guess I'm trying to figure that out myself," I spoke honestly.

"Hmm. I suppose that answer will do for now."

I nodded my head in thanks and wiped the sweat from my brow. "Is Bella coming out soon?"

"What? Oh yeah, she'll be out soon. She's a little nauseous…I mean nervous! So, can I get you something to drink while we wait? I made some delicious spinach dip earlier, are you hungry?"

Jasper's eyes widened as he shook his head from side to side hastily behind Alice. "No thank you, I'm fine," I smiled.

She rose from the couch and ruffled Jasper's curly hair. "Well, I'll just bring some for Jasper. He loves my cooking, don't you, pop tart?" He gave her a weak nod as she exited the room.

I smiled, glad to have something to focus on besides my anxiety. "Let me guess, Alice's cooking leaves something to be desired."

"She works so hard and takes such pride in cooking for her loved ones," he drifted off, gazing past me to the door she just exited. "I'll eat her cooking and tell her how immensely I enjoyed it, if that's what pleases her."

"Holy shit, man, you're in love with her," I said incredulously.

He swallowed thickly and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Most adamantly," he murmured.

Just then, a soft 'hi' sounded out from behind me.

And everything stopped.

She was glorious in her emerald green cocktail dress, her hair swept to the side but left down, just how I liked it. She looked so unsure, so nervous as she stared at the floor, glancing up to meet my gaping stare momentarily before looking down once more.

The first thing I wanted to do was pin her up against the wall and tear her dress down the middle. The second thing was to ask her what her favorite book was and what her childhood was like.

I truly was fucked up.

I walked to her slowly, the flowers hanging loosely from my hand as saliva began collecting in the bottom of my mouth. I didn't stop walking until I was closer to her than socially acceptable, her forehead nearly pressing against my chest as I halted in front of her. "Bella," I murmured, closing my eyes at the heavenly scent that had been absent from my life for far too long.

"Bella, look at me," I whispered, urging her to look up at me but hesitant to touch her in fear that I would disintegrate where I stood.

Finally she lifted her head until our eyes met, and I couldn't help but smile wide and crookedly. My hand reached out on its own accord, my knuckles brushing along her cheek as she stared up at me with apprehension in her eyes. "You look so beautiful," I murmured, clumsily handing her the flowers. "Thank you for agreeing to see me, I promise I'll try not to screw up."

Her bottom lip came between her teeth as she shook her head. "I just want you to be yourself, Edward," she spoke softly. "And if I've given you any other impression, I'm truly sorry."

I swallowed thickly and let my knuckles fall from her flushed cheek, my fingers drifting along her forearm before settling to my side. "I'm trying to be myself, Bella. I just get so paranoid that you won't like the real me, that I do anything I can think of to impress you."

She gave me a small smile and pressed the flowers to her nose. "They're beautiful, thank you. Are you ready to go?"

I nodded, my eyes reluctant to leave hers as she walked past me and stopped in her tracks. "Do you want me to get you two some popcorn?" she growled at Alice and Jasper, who were watching our quiet moment rather intently.

Alice put her hand on her stomach and groaned. "No, sweetie, I couldn't possibly eat another bite. Thanks for the offer though."

Jazz just smiled like a fool as Bella handed Alice the flowers to put in some water. "Jeez Bella, flowers, flowers everywhere…" she sang as Bella shot her a menacing glare.

I found it best not to ask, and just scratched absently at the back of my neck.

They walked us to the door, my feet managing to move one in front of the other miraculously, considering my brain had completely checked out. Jasper held out his fist for me to bump and I chuckled at his awkward movements as Alice pulled Bella to the side.

They embraced for a long moment and I tried not to eavesdrop--ok that's a lie, obviously I'm an eavesdropper and that was the exact reason I was grounded--but I heard Alice murmur something to Bella about having fun and not to worry about anything.

Alice walked Bella over like a small child, depositing her hand into mine. I quickly intertwined our fingers and let out a sigh of relief, missing this feeling more than I even realized. I opened my eyes to see Alice looking at me intently.

I flexed my fingers between Bella's and gazed down at her. "Is this okay?" I whispered softly.

She nodded and squeezed my hand, her eyelids fluttering a moment before we turned towards the door.

Alice caught me and kissed my cheek, pulling me down by the lapel of my jacket until she could reach my ear. "You hurt my girl and I'll be wearing your testicles as earrings, Masen. They'll coordinate swimmingly with my favorite Jimmy Choos." She patted my cheek twice and I rose to full height, conspicuously covering my balls until I was out of her reach because in all actuality, I would probably do something stupid tonight.

It was in my nature.

I held Bella's hand like my life depended on it as we approached my Mercedes. The silence was blaring as I opened the passenger side door, and I couldn't take it anymore.

I slammed the door shut just as she was about to move towards it, causing her to jump. "Shit, I'm sorry," I groaned, pushing my hair away from my forehead before resting my palm flat against the top of my car. "Bella, I need to know what you're thinking."

She was uncharacteristically quiet tonight, and it was unnerving me. Where was my snarky, confident girl?

"I'm thinking that…even though I'm a little peeved at you for not calling me and assuming I'd be the kind of girl to have no strings sex with you, I also realize that I did have no strings sex with you, and I shouldn't be so judgmental when you couldn't possibly know what kind of girl I really am."

"But Bella I do know," I said assertively, bringing her hand to my chest. "I was an idiot for suggesting that open invitation bullshit. It's just…I don't develop feelings, okay? You have completely turned my world upside down and I've spent the past three weeks denying every lingering thought I've had about you. In the park…I acted like an arrogant asshole because I was too freaked out to tell you the truth."

Her fingers curled around the fabric of my shirt as she met my frantic eyes. "What's the truth?" she whispered.

This was the moment I had been fearing and anticipating simultaneously.

I pressed her hand against my heart and looked at her with unwavering intensity. "The truth is that I have no idea what I'm doing, but I've ached since the moment I woke up and you weren't there."

Her bottom lip trembled and a thousand different emotions passed through her endless brown eyes. "The truth is that I've never had the urge to pursue a girl the way I need to pursue you. It's not about sex, Bella…it's about you."

She shook her head and looked past me, her eyes seeming to glass over. "How can this be happening…"she whispered almost to herself.

"Bella, I can't promise you that I'll be any good at this, and I'm not stupid enough to think that you'll even want to date me, but if you do…if you feel anything in return for me at all, then let's just see where it goes."

She looked up at me warily and yet I still couldn't shut the hell up. "Do you?" I questioned.

She nodded slowly, tightening our interlaced fingers. "Our hands fit perfectly together," she whispered, and my chest constricted in a mixture of relief and pure fucking elation.

Her eyes bounced between mine and the night sky, and I suddenly feared that I had overwhelmed her. I pressed the back of my hand to her cheek and she leaned into my touch almost subconsciously. "No pressure, baby," I whispered, caressing her skin slowly. "Just spend time with me, and see what we become. Maybe nothing, maybe everything, but I just know that we can't give up on this."

She smiled and I pulled her to my chest, my eyes closing as she stealthily tried to inhale my shirt. "Let's go have some fun, huh? We'll get blazing drunk and see if you can stay off of me long enough to walk along the bay, cool?"

She began beating me with her little clutch and I laughed heartily. "Sure, go from being completely charming to an enormous dickhead in two-point-one seconds," she smiled, rolling her eyes.

I opened the door for her and held her hand tightly as she hesitated to get in. "That's me, Bella, equal parts sweetheart and raging asshole…still with me?"

She looked into my eyes a moment before smiling shyly. "I suppose," she sighed dramatically. I kissed her hand gently before helping her into the car.

"Edward?" she called, just before I closed the door.

"Bella?"

"Just be good to me, and show me who you really are…that's what I want from you."

My heart trembled to the point of most welcomed pain as she gazed up at me, honesty and pure magnificence surrounding the unbelievable girl I somehow convinced to go out on a date with me.

"Bella, no matter what happens, I'll never mistreat you again. Never again…and I'm still trying to figure out who I really am. I hope that's enough."

She was quiet a moment, absorbing my words until her lips turned into a smile. "It's enough," she whispered.

That was all I needed to know.

A/N

Brits: So Kate, are you Team Playboyward or Team Dr. FuckMeNow?

Kate: tugs nervously on Team Dr. FuckMeNow baby tee

Brits: Hmm...you look a little unsure of yourself Brits dangles Team Playboyward cut off tank in front of Kate Come on....look how revealing it is, you know Edward would love to see you in it...

Kate: fiddles with Team Dr. McYummy baseball cap

Brits: You could wear both?

Kate: Hey yeah, that works! Gimme that tank top, it'll go nicely with my new Team I WANT THEM BOTH tattoo!

Brits: Pshh, honey I know where you got that tattoo and believe me, no one will be able to see it from that angle. Just sayin...

Kate: That's not what Carlisle told me last night, but whateva...DAMN twin, I can't believe you actually got me, ME of all people questioning which Team I'm rooting for! This is unheard of!

Brits: Ha, I know right? I'm done picking sides, I'm just going to take them both repeatedly and often, until I can't walk again...what? I mean, I'm not choosing between them, as I am a contributing author to this story, and it would be unethical of me to pick one over the other. Ahem.

Kate: Right, well while Brits is trying to convince herself that she wouldn't bang both of them ten ways from Sunday, I just want to thank you all again for the fuckawesome amazing reviews you leave us...we have Dr. FuckMeNow and Playboyward read them aloud to us while feeding us bonbons.

Brits: Mmmm...bonbons....

Kate: OH, and before we forget, Brits and I have been amassing quite the collection of porn...er...lovely photos of our two hawt men, and if you go on over to the Twilighted thread, you might find a surprise! www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)?f=44&t=8305&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Brits: Oh sweet Jesus, yes. Just think of it as a "Thank you for being fuckawesome readers and corrupt perverts like us, we heart you" porn. I mean photos.

Kate: So give Brits some love for finally letting Playboyward out to play, and we'll see you again soon!

Brits waves Bye!! :D