A/N- Hello everyone! Thank you to Katydid2363 who has stellar skills. Fngrcufs, angstaddict09, & Dinx for their lovely pre-read skills also.

Chapter 5

Because the marching bands will roll
I'll find my city in my soul
Because I plan on growing old
On the Avenue

The Avenue, Cowboy Mouth

BPOV

I barely heard the knock at the door over the music blaring throughout my house. Not bothering to put on any clothes since it was most likely someone who had previously seen me in less, I walked though my open living room towards the door. On the other side was a distressed Edward Cullen. He took in my appearance and lack thereof attire, as he scanned the full length of my body. I leaned against the door jam and waited for him to get his fill. I wasn't going to be ashamed or embarrassed that I answered the door wearing next to nothing. It was hot and the city was humid. He'd have to get over it. He was the one after all that showed up at my house unannounced.

"Edward," I said flatly. "Is there something I can help you with?" I admit, I was enjoying our game of cat and mouse entirely too much. Just like the night before when he joked about kissing him before he left for the stage, much like in the same manner that Emmett or Jasper had done to Rosalie and Alice. I wanted to. Oh God, how I wanted to but I had to keep the upper hand in this. He was the one with the girlfriend. Not me.

He snapped his head up and looked directly into my eyes. His stance began to waver from one foot to the other. He was obviously uncomfortable with what I was wearing. Good. Maybe I'd be able to see just how uncomfortable he was through his clothes.

"Um… I tried to call you. I've left messages. Why didn't you answer?" He started to sound annoyed at my unintentional avoidance of his attempts to reach me. I pushed away from the door, keeping ground with one hand arched on the doorframe and the other on my hip.

"I'm sorry. Had I known that you were considering giving me a call I might have turned my music down." He licked his lips as he took in my new position and I had to laugh. "Come in," I said, waving him in.

I turned around headed for the living room when I heard him groan. Oh, that's right. White cotton panties, boy shorts at that. Yeah, he was definitely affected by my Sunday afternoon attire. I heard the door shut as I made my way to the kitchen. I pulled the refrigerator door open and bent down to look inside. Another groan escaped from his mouth. I stood up and smiled. "Can I get you something to drink?" I bent down again, sticking my ass out for him to see, egging him on. "I've got water, beer, and orange juice."

"Water will be fine." I heard him grumble out.

I walked over to the couch with two bottles of water. "Sit down," I said and handed him a bottle of water. "So, Edward, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I sat on the couch and crossed my legs Indian style. He sat on the opposite end, avoiding all eye contact with me now.

"I was talking with my parents earlier about the benefit and my dad said you were the lady to see." He began to peel the label back from his bottle, a sure sign of sexual frustration. I was pretty sure I could help him with that.

"So what about the benefit would you like to talk about?"

"I had some ideas for some songs and I wanted to run them by you," he said sighing. "Basically I just want a run down of how things are going to work. When are rehearsals? I need to make sure my schedule is flexible enough to accommodate this. I may not stay in New Orleans the whole time."

I took a sip of my water and waited before I began speaking. "I'd love to hear what you have in mind. You're amazing on the stage. As for rehearsals, we can start tonight if you want. I'd like to do them every Sunday at the club since it's closed on Sundays. Does that work for you?"

He nodded, still unable to look at me. "That works for me." He stood from the couch and turned to face me. "I guess I should get going then. I can make a list of the songs I have in mind and bring them with me to the club later."

I stood from my sitting position and faced him. "Edward?" I said, reaching out to touch his arm. He looked at me, a mix of fear and adoration in his eyes. "I know it's hard to come back and see the city like this. We've all been faced with that moment when we think that it can't get better, but it will. What we are doing for the city, even if it's something as small as the benefit, will help her get back to her former glory. Judy Deck was quoted as saying, 'If there was no New Orleans, America would just be a bunch of free people dying of boredom.'" He smiled at this and I had to smile back. "She'll rise again and when she does we'll all be there to revel with her."

He took two small steps towards me. We were so close that the only sound I could hear in the room was his heavy breathing. I knew that if I matched his steps that our bodies would be touching. I would be able to press myself into him and feel first hand the impact I had on him.

"Bella," he whispered. I tilted my head up. His was bent looking down at me.

"Yes, Edward?" I breathed all huskily. Being this close to him, being able to smell him or run my fingers though that amazing hair set me on fire.

He leaned in closer, his lips barely touching my cheek. "Thank you for the water and the words of wisdom. I'll see you tonight."

He turned around and walked towards the door. I was left standing in the middle of my living room stunned and turned on. It took me a second to get my thoughts straight. "What the fuck dude?" I yelled as he opened the door. He stopped and slightly turned around, a wicked smile on his face.

"That," he said stressing the word, "was for answering the door in your goddamn underwear. Put some clothes on! Who answers the door like that anyway?"

"Are you fucking serious? I answer the door like that because it's my goddamn house. If it makes you so uncomfortable then maybe you shouldn't have been checking out my tits and ass."

He stepped out of the door and down the stairs. I ran to the balcony that over looked Bourbon hoping to get one more jab in. He came out of the door down below and onto the street towards a parked car in front of my building.

"You better pray that I don't show up tonight in nothing at all," I yelled from above. He stopped dead in his tracks, with his hand on the door of the car. After a second he pulled the door open and climbed in. Before the door shut I yelled out once more. "By the way, nice car asshole."

I turned around and shut the french doors without looking to see if he had even heard me. I heard tires squeal outside and figured he must have. The clock on the wall showed that it was almost five. I ran to my room and opened the doors of my closet. I was in a mad rush to find something totally revealing and inappropriate to wear to rehearsal tonight. I'd show that fucker. I'd show him just how uncomfortable I could make him.

I showered and applied a fair amount of makeup. I ran the blow dryer through my hair just enough to give it that half-dried, half-messy look. Flipping my head upside down, I tousled my locks so that they would give off this sex kitten vibe. I pulled the shirt I had chosen to wear over my head and tied it around my waist so that it would show off a good amount of exposed stomach.

The shirt was something I had stuck in the back of my closet for some time now. It was a red checkered plaid, short sleeved, tie in the front shirt. I found my shortest pair of cutoff shorts and pulled them over my thighs. I turned and looked in the mirror, shaking my ass a little to ensure that just a hint of my checks were hanging out. Lastly, I slipped on a pair of old, worn cowboy boots. I smiled as I surveyed myself in the mirror. If this didn't set him off the only thing that I was assured of would be me, in fact, in nothing.

I ran out of my house, walking at a reasonable pace to the club. It was almost seven by the time I arrived and from the fancy ass stupid shiny Volvo out front, along with Emmett's jeep and Jasper's bike, I realized I was the last to arrive. Perfect.

Rose and Alice were sitting at the bar looking through some magazine when I walked in. My dad was no where to be seen but Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle were all on the stage playing with their instruments. Jasper noticed my arrival and whistled as I walked in and set my things next Alice and Rose. Rosalie smiled knowing what my purpose for looking so hot meant. She winked as Jasper continued to hoot and holler at me. I surveyed the boys in one fluid motion of my head. Carlisle was smirking, Emmett was stepping off the stage, headed for my direction and Edward looked like a deer in headlights. I smiled proud of what I had accomplished.

"Look at you Ellie Mae. You got a hot date or something?" Emmett asked grinning.

I shrugged my shoulders. Leaning against the bar so that my upper half rested against the top and my legs were outstretched in front of me, I sighed and fanned myself. "Not really. I think something's wrong with my AC. This was the coolest thing I could find to wear."

"You need me to come by after work and take a look at it?" Emmett asked.

"No, that's all right. I'll call my handy man when we wrap up and see if he can take a look at it."

Rose snorted while Jasper broke out in song singing James Taylor's 'Handy Man'. I looked at Edward who couldn't take his eyes off of my toned legs. He looked at my face at the same time I lifted one off the floor, pretending to scratch at an itch.

"My handy man is very good with his hands," I said directly to him.

"I bet he is," Rosalie said snickering.

"We ready to start this?" My dad asked coming out of his office.

I smiled at Edward and made my way to the stage. He didn't smile back but it wasn't like I was expecting him to. I got my point across to him and I think he knew it.

"Bella," he said acknowledging me as I picked up my clarinet. I bent down, right in his line of vision to pick up a piece of trash off the floor and turned to smile at him, my ass stuck up in the air.

"Edward. You look a bit tense. Is everything okay?"

He shook his head and cleared his throat. "Everything is fine."

"Hmmm…" I said, walking around and standing directly behind him. I put both hands on his shoulders and began massaging away the tension I had caused. "I don't know Edward. You feel really tense." I leaned down so that I could whisper in his ear without anyone else hearing me. My chest was pressed firmly against his back. I heard him take in a big gulp of air at the contact. "I hope this outfit is better than the underwear I had on earlier. I tried to find something that would make you less…uncomfortable."

"Bella, leave the poor boy alone and let's get started," Charlie called out from across the room. "I don't want to be here all night."

I laughed silently and stepped away from the visibly shaken Edward. "Sorry Daddy." I sat on the edge of the stage, sitting the clarinet by my side and leaned back against my palms. I threw my head back and swung it from side to side so that my hair brushed over each of my hands. "Edward was just telling me how he has some song ideas for us. I was just trying to find out what they were."

"Yes, Edward was also telling me earlier he had some ideas," Carlisle added. There was a hint of laughter in his tone.

"Well let's hear them. Bella, why don't you write all of this down and we can start a set list."

"Sure thing Daddy," I said, sitting up and swaying my hips a little more than necessary as I walked to the bar. Rosalie and Alice smiled brightly as I approached.

"You are evil Bella Swan. Pure evil," Rosalie said, handing me a pen and paper.

"I learned from the best," I said without fault.

"I've never seen my brother so affected by a woman before," Alice added to the conversation. "I don't know what you're doing Bella but keep it up. You've got him by the balls and he doesn't even know it."

I smirked at Alice and took the pen and paper back to the stage. We spent the remainder of the evening contributing ideas for the set list. In all, we had come up with about thirty different songs. Some songs were instrumental, some had vocals. We choose songs that would showcase everyone's talent. A few might play more heavily on the trombone where others might rely a little more on the piano. When it was all said and done we had a good start for the benefit.

Charlie suggested that we also consider talking to the boys in Gentilly about helping out on a few numbers. The more musicians we had the better we would sound. Between him, Carlisle, and myself we were certain that we could get them on board to play with us.

It had only taken us a couple of hours to settle everything. By nine we were closing up, headed in separate directions. I said my good-byes and began walking down the street when Edward called after me. I stopped and turned around. He was holding himself up against his car with one arm. The sight of him so carefree made my lower half tingle. The top four buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a little skin and chest hair. His sleeves were rolled up and he had one leg crossed in front of the other.

"Can I give you a ride home?" he asked rousing me out of my stupor.

"It's only four blocks, Edward. Thank you, but I think I can manage."

I gave him a half smile and turned back around starting my journey home. I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I stopped to see Edward jogging after me.

"Bella, please let me drive you. I know it's not far but I'd really like to."

I looked him over carefully. I wanted to make sure he wasn't about to repay me for the show I had put on earlier. It seemed he genuinely wanted to give me a lift. I decided to concede. "Yeah, sure, why not? These shoes aren't really made for walkin'," I admitted. He smiled and began walking back towards his car. I followed behind him far enough back to enjoy the view.

When we got to his car, he was waiting for me on the passenger side. He opened the door for me and I looked at him in surprise. It was a very gentlemanly thing to do. A lost act some might think. But this was Edward and I was sure that Carlisle and Esme had raised him right. I smiled and nodded my head, silently thanking him as I climbed into his car. Within seconds, he was in the driver's side.

"Bella, I'm sorry."

"Edward, I'm sorry."

We started at the same time. Laughing, we broke the tension that had filled the car. "You first," I said.

"I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. It was rude and inappropriate of me. I should have never made any kind of judgements about your choice in clothing."

"Edward, it's fine, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gone to such drastic measures with the outfit I'm currently sporting. Truce?"

He looked over and nodded his head. "Truce. Let's start over."

We pulled in front of my building and Edward put the car in park. He shifted his body to face mine and extended his hand.

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen." He smirked referring to himself as Cullen and not as Masen. "I'm originally from New Orleans, Uptown, but I currently reside in New York. I play the cornet just like the great Louis Armstrong."

I shook his hand and followed his lead. "Hello Edward. I'm Isabella Swan but I prefer to go by Bella. I'm from New Orleans, the Treme to be exact, but I live in the Quarter now. My passion is the clarinet but I've been told I can sing just like the great Ella Fitzgerald."

"Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you." He leaned over the console, closer to me. "And you do sound like Ella."

I released his hand finding it hard to do so. "I should get inside. Thank you for the ride, Edward."

"Bella," he said, placing his hand on my thigh. I jumped at the contact but loved the fact that his hand was so close to the place that he affected me so. "There was something I wanted to run by you about the benefit."

"Ooh, okay."

"I was thinking of another song and I was wondering if maybe you and I could work on it. Kind of like our side project."

I thought about the possibilities for a moment before answering him. It had its bonuses, working on a song with Edward. The inevitable alone time. The close contact. I could see the benefits of this.

"Would you like to come inside and talk about it? I can brew us some coffee or we can have a beer?"

"Yes, I'd like that." He turned the car off and followed me inside the building. For the first time I felt self-conscious of Edward as he walked directly behind me. All this awkwardness coming from the person who waltzed around her living room in her underwear and then proceeded to throw her body on his while rubbing his shoulders.

We reached my door and I led him in. I offered him a beer and we sat on the couch, silent for a moment.

"So what were you thinkin' Edward?" His head snapped up and he looked at me with fire in his eyes. "About the benefit?" I elaborated further.

"Oh right, that. We've got so many of the great staple songs covered, New Orleans classics and such. I had thought that maybe you and I could do some Ella and Louis. You know, one of their great jazz love songs."

I sat stone cold with my beer in my hands. Tentatively with a close eye on Edward, I took a sip from the bottle. "Any song in particular?" I asked.

He cut his attention to me. "No, but I might have made you this." He leaned forward and pulled a jeweled CD case from his back pocket.

I took the CD from him and smiled. "You made me a mixed tape?"

"CD. It's a mixed CD and it's just a few songs I thought you might want to try out with me."

"Thank you, Edward. I'll listen to it and let you know what I think. Do you maybe want to meet later this week at the club to talk about them and try some out? Wednesday is usually slow for us."

"Wednesday is good. I'll be there around one if that works for you."

I nodded. "Wednesday at one is good."

Edward let out a nervous laugh and then stood from the couch. "I should get going, Bella. Thank you for the beer and the truce."

"Anytime. Thank you for the CD."

He began walking to the door but suddenly stopped. "If you want, I could take a look at your AC. You mentioned earlier that it wasn't working right and it might save you the trouble of having your handy man come by and look at it. I'm actually pretty good with my hands."

"Oh, about that. Yeah, there was never anything wrong with my AC. Sorry. But Edward," I said, stepping a little bit closer. "I'm sure you're amazing with your hands."

"Bella," he breathed dropping his head a little. "Never mind," he said and shook his head. "I should get going."

"Edward, wait," I called out, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt as he turned away. He stopped and faced me. My hand still gripped his shirt. "What were you going to say?"

He bit his lip but then looked at me. The fire was back in his eyes and it made me want to melt. "I shouldn't say this."

"Say what? Edward, please just say whatever it is," I pleaded.

He stepped closer, our chests touching and our breaths on each other's skin. "Don't ever be sorry for the things you choose to wear. I should be sorry for reacting the way I do, and I am. You have to know though that you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"Edward," I said as I reached up to touch his face. He grabbed my hand and stilled my movements. He placed a kiss on the inside of my wrist and slowly released my arm.

"Bella, I have to go. We can't…not now. I'll see you on Wednesday."

I stood motionless at my front door. He closed it behind him as he left, leaving me in a mass of confusion. What had just happened? Had he just admitted to me that he was into me? I knew I had left some sort of impression on him. That much was given but to actually hear him say the words? And what did he mean by we can't, now?

I went to bed with these questions running through my mind. Wednesday couldn't get here fast enough but it was undoubtedly going to be the longest, sexual tension filled day in my entire existence.

~xxx~

From Sunday to Wednesday it felt like the days dragged on. I was, in part, excited to see Edward. I had spent the time and distance away from him picking his words apart. He called me beautiful and not just beautiful but the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. I smiled remembering how close our bodies were when he said it. I wanted nothing more than to take his lips between my teeth and urge him to stay and keep from leaving.

But then he said we couldn't. Not now. That was what left me wondering. I still couldn't place what he had meant by not now. Was he hoping for a possibility in the future? I could easily arrange that. He on the other hand had more of an obstacle in the way. Maybe that was what he was referring to. Maybe his girlfriend was what he meant. Then that just led to more questions. Was he planning on getting rid of her?

I decided not to dwell any longer on the issue as I wiped down the bar from the few customers we had seen over the course of the morning. I looked at the clock to see that it was twelve forty-five. He would be here in fifteen minutes. Was he an on time kind of guy or did he normally run a few minutes late?

I had been listening to the CD he had given me every moment I could. The songs he had chosen were classics in their own right. No one sang jazz quite like Ella and Louis. It dawned on me then. In some weird way we were like them. Louis Armstrong, a prized cornet player himself was much like Edward. Ella was a beautiful singer. I never thought of myself in the same league as her however. My mother could belt out tunes like her and people even told me that I sounded like her but I couldn't hear it. But all the same here we were, our own modern day version and much less famous at that, like Ella and Louis.

I wondered also, when he showed up, if he would mention what had almost happened Sunday night. I for one wasn't about to bring it up. I had concluded that I was going to pretend like nothing had been said or that our bodies weren't so close to one another's. I was going to act like nothing had happened, except for the truce. That was where I was going to start our session off. We had called the truce and I wanted us to act upon that. Not our burning sexual desires for one another. Or, my burning sexual needs for Edward.

I looked up when I heard the door of the club open. Edward walked in, his cornet on his shoulder. He smiled and being polite, I smiled back.

"Hey," I said warmly.

"Hey." He looked around the bar and saw how empty it was. "Wow. This place is different when it's not packed."

"Tell me about it. It's kind of eerie. You ready to get started?"

He nodded. "Are you alone?"

"For now. Charlie had errands to run and Rose won't be in until later."

"Is that safe?"

I found his concern endearing. "I'm well trained on using a shot gun, Edward. I'm pretty sure no one would want to be in my direct path once I take aim."

"I'll keep that in mind." He said with a smirk.

I walked out from behind the bar and over to the stage. "I listened to the CD you gave me. There are some really great songs on there."

"You liked it? Thanks. They're some of my favorites. Do you want to try one of them out? Get a feel as to how you and I work together, one on one?"

Edward moved to the piano and sat down. "You play?" I asked impressed.

He shrugged his shoulders. "A bit. I mean, I'm no healer like the Doctor but I can get by." He began playing a few notes and it quickly morphed into one of the songs from the CD.

"You wanna take the first stanza?" he asked, keeping in tune with the piano.

"No, I've shown you mine, I want to see yours," I said with a sly smile.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," he said shaking his head. "Those are dangerous words." He looked up from the keys and smiled. "Alright, we'll switch off and take the chorus together. How's that?"

I nodded and he played the intro to the song once more before he launched into the song. I was shocked when I heard his voice. I wasn't sure what I expected. Maybe because I had listened to the CD so much over the past few days, I imagined him having that throaty sound like Louis Armstrong himself. Instead, Edward's voice was soft and calm but it had just enough kick to make you take notice.

"Heaven, I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek"

I leaned forward on the piano and smiled as Edward continued to play. As my verse kicked in, he looked up from the keys and grinned.

"Heaven, I'm in heaven
And the cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek"

I loved the vibe we were throwing off one another as we continued to trade verses. Our attention never wavered from each other as we sang note for note. The only thing that would have made this any more perfect was if we were actually dancing cheek to cheek.

Joining our voices together, we belted out the last part of the song.

"Yes, dance with me
I want my arms about you
The charms about you
Will carry me through to

Heaven, I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

Cheek to cheek
Cheek to cheek
Cheek to cheek"

When it was over, Edward finished out the song with a snazzy ending on the piano. We both couldn't keep from grinning after our performance. It was magical and amazing. I was surprised at how well we sounded together. Like two halves of a whole.

"We make a pretty good team, Swan," Edward said from the piano bench.

"I won't argue with you there Cullen."

"Say, my folks are cooking next Sunday at the house and everyone is invited. How about we move the rehearsal to their house and maybe show them what you and I can do together?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'm looking forward to it."

Edward gazed at me a little longer than I'm sure he had planned to before he finally replied. "Me too, Bella, me too."

~xxx~

A/N- If you'd like to hear the song that Edward & Bella sang it's called Cheek to Cheek. You can find it, if you shuffle through all the other music I have, on my blog. Holly-hollister (dot) blogspot (dot) com. I made a massive playlist of songs that I associate for this story. Y'all can thank Lizf22 for that. Also, I've decided that on Friday's I'll post teasers for the upcoming chapter. Make sure you're following the blog or have it bookmarked.

I want to rec a story real quick. It's called Osa Bella by myg. It's so so good! It kept me, Lizf22, & Anna_Faze up all night reading. Link is in my favorites if you want to take a gander.

Until next week, let me know if you're enjoying the hot and cold vibe from Edward and Bella or if you're ready for things to progress, lol.

Holly