Chapter Two:

Epov

I swear Bella could feel my heart beating three times it's normal rate through my chest. Having her back in my arms was like heaven. The smell of her shampoo played in the air as she gripped me tightly.

As embarrassing as it is, I felt my body's natural reaction to it. Leaning back a bit, I tried to keep our lower halves separate and not let my angel see me shame. Despite my efforts, Bella seemed determined to torture me and squirmed closer until her body lined against mine.

She stilled as she felt my reaction to her and my cheeks burned red hot and my eyes closed in horror. Waiting for her to run from me screaming, I let go of her and backed away until my back leaned against my apartment door. My eyes were still closed as I whispered apologies, "I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't mean for that to happen. Gosh, this is mortifying."

Then, the most horrific thing happened. The thing I had dreaded since I realized I was in love with Bella in the ninth grade when she went out on her first date.

She freaking giggled.

Laughed her ass off while I couldn't get redder in the face.

Then something crazy happened. Something even crazier than when I imagined punching Bella's first date in the face, kissing her senseless, and getting her to promise to marry me at fourteen.

She walked over to me, determination swirling around her luscious form, and pinned me against the wall. I stared down at her in shock and she said, "my reaction might not be as obvious, but trust me, you affect me just as much, if not more. Gosh, I remember on my first date, when I walked down the stairs in that tiny skirt to go out with that disgusting pig Newton. Whom, by the way, I still can't stand. But the look on your face and the smoldering feel of your eyes on my body was worth having to punch Newton for coping a feel." She saw my confused look and leaned even closer to my face, not close enough, in my opinion. And I'll be damned if she didn't look like a seductress as she gazed up at me through her dark eyelashes. "I only did it to impress you. You never seemed more interested in me than as my brother or something. And, not to freak you out, but my thoughts weren't so sisterly, if you know what I mean."

(Okay, if you're under the age of about fourteen, you probably need to stop reading until my next note)

I released a ragged breath, unable to believe that I was actually hearing this from the star of many a high school fantasy. "Y-y-you…A-Are you sure you're talking about the right Edward from high school? I-I-I thought you only thought of me as a brother? When did that change?" A slightly rejected look crossed her face and she stepped back, but I wouldn't stand for that. Twirling us around so that she was now pinned against the wall, I mirrored her earlier position. "Bella, you can't honestly tell me you think I'd reject you. Trust me, my thoughts were no where near brotherly to you. When you walked down the stairs in that tiny thing that had the nerve to call itself a skirt, I wanted to punch Newton, bend you over the porch swing and fuck the shit out of you." I watched her eyes darken and her breaths grow heavier as I spoke dirty to her.

"Better late than never," She whispered. Reaching behind her, she opened my door and simmered out of my arms. She walked in, turned, and gave me a hungry look. The come-and-get-me look that I had fantasized about many times. She beckoned me and I stalked toward her. The door slammed closed and it stayed that way for two whole days before she insisted on leaving my bedroom to call Alice and Rose. I had pouted and moaned, but she wouldn't give in.

(People under the age of fourteen can start reading again)

Apparently, while me and Bella had been holed up in my apartment, Alice and Jasper had gotten unofficially engaged and Alice was now planning their kids names, with Jazz encouraging her all the way. Rosalie and Emmett had followed our lead, but had ended up spending a lot of the time talking about the future. Wow. Bella and I were behind schedule. Well, Bells was, anyway. I had already called six jewelry stores while she was using the bathroom or cooking and had set up a special appointment with the best Jeweler in Washington.

Hey, some might say we were all moving to fast, but to us, this was just the right pace. My mom always said I would know when the One came and that each of us boys would jump the gun so far we'd leave our common sense behind.

And you know what they say. Mom's always right.