I know my chapters are short. :( I write for fun and it relaxes me and gets me out of real life for a bit, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me with this story so far!

As always sadly Stephenie Meyer has not given me these characters I am only borrowing them for my pervy little story and with the help of my DEAREST BETA Binky911 I will continue to write.

Hope you enjoy and please please leave me a comment. Oh and follow me on twitter! PLEASE! 24Rob7 I'll follow you back!

CHAPTER 7

~ EDWARD POV ~

I didn't know if I was fooling anyone staring at this newspaper, flipping pages and glancing at articles. Whenever I looked up no one seemed to be paying attention to me so the fire that was raging through my body was only apparent to me. Alice had taken my iPod from me at some insane hour this morning and added some music to it. I was half listening while trying to interpret this strange feeling in my gut ….okay, definitely horny but beyond that... maybe, anxious? The infectious rhythm on the next song caught me and I glanced at the iPod screen, July Flame by Laura Veirs. I closed my eyes trying to decipher the lyrics. Just as the chorus started I opened my eyes and there was Bella coming down the stairs. She looked apprehensive and I thought that may have to do with what happened between us yesterday.

"Morning Bella." I winked without thinking. Stupid Edward. I stole a quick glance at the others at the table; it seemed to have escaped anyone's notice. I needed to be more careful.

On and on the chorus of the song flowed…

Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?

It hit me like a punch in the chest. I did want to call her mine. Bella the young, sexy, beautiful, brazen girl-woman; I wanted her.

Laura Veirs sang on...

July flame
Ashes of a secret heart
Falling in my lemonade
Unslakable thirsting in the back yard

Unslakable? Was that a word? I scrolled through my iPod touch, brought up Safari to look up the word. I read the results of the search.

Main Entry: un·slak·able

Pronunciation: \ˌən-ˈslā-kə-bəl\

Function: adjective

Date: 1820

: unable to be slaked : unquenchable an unslakable thirst an unslakable desire for excellence

Well now, that sounded like a challenge. I had an unslakable desire for Bella Swan. I brushed my ankle up Bella's leg barely glancing up at her. Her reaction caused me to smirk. I stole occasional glances at her as she ate and spoke animatedly with the others at the table. I absolutely did not want my father to see me taking any extra interest in her. I continued to flip through the paper like it was the most interesting thing in the world but I turned down the volume on the music. I could hear her; the sound of her laughter sent that strange unfamiliar feeling through my gut again.

I hadn't had a girlfriend since high school. I had always wanted to start my own business and my focus had remained unwavering. University was the place for me to learn and then fine-tune my skills. You don't take on handling people's money by half-assing your way through school but I probably got more than my fair share of women.

As I had gotten older, women had become conquests and once conquered held no more interest for me. The more needy they were the less interested I became so it was better to not lead anyone on. Sex was sex and that's it. They were told up front not to expect more, but how many thought they could 'change' me?

I had always assumed that after I was insanely successful I would look for 'the' woman that would compliment me. I'd always admired the amazing relationship my parents have. I know it sounds corny but I wanted a woman like my mother. She always gets what she wants from Dad without arguing. They never seem to fight. She gently coerces him to see how she would like things. She looks after him, the house, and the family; just what I wanted.

I was brought back from my wanderings as I noticed the table clearing. As it was getting close to just being Bella and me, I realized how short the time was that we had left. I had no way of contacting her. I was sure that Rosalie had her number but asking her for it would open up a conversation I didn't want to have with her right now. My mind raced for a solution.

"Hey Alice was telling me about your new phone. Can I see it?"

She looked a little put-off that I asked to see her phone when we finally had a moment alone but with so many people in the house I couldn't risk asking her for her number. After she handed me the phone I sent myself a BlackBerry Messenger contact request and handed it back to her. I wanted to say something so she understood last night was not a one-night stand (although it was totally in my character). I really didn't know what it was. I just knew that I wanted to see her again.

"About last night…." I started but was interrupted when Emmett loudly announced his presence.

"Yo! 'Sup guys?"

I nodded in his direction and tried my best to smile. If he wasn't so damn big I might have considered throttling him.

Before I knew it I was watching Bella and her mother back out of the driveway and drive off down the road.

I wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep until we had to leave for the airport but Uncle Eleazar asked me to come and sit down with him and Dad. He asked about my company, and to give him some advice as to what investments he should be considering. Oh well, it would take Bella almost three hours to get back to Forks and I couldn't BBM her while she was driving.

We were running late for the airport and Dad was pacing the hall looking at his watch. We were waiting on Rosalie who we all assumed was in the bathroom fixing her hair and makeup as usual.

"Son, would you mind encouraging your sister to join us before we miss our flight? Perhaps she needs some help with her bags."

I turned and started up the stairs calling out to her when I reached half way. "Hey Princess Rose. Let's go. We're going to miss our flight."

Just as I reached the top of the stairs Emmett appeared in the hall.

"Uhh. Rosie needed some help gettin' her bag closed."

I raised my eyebrow. "Rosie?"

"Come on dude. You ... well you know right?" Emmett was not the most articulate man but I completely understood what he was saying, only too well.

"Yah it's okay. Will you help her bring the bags down?" I patted his upper arm as he nodded his compliance. I really wasn't interested in bruising my fist by punching it again. I called over my shoulder as I headed back down the stairs. "Come on Rose! Let's go!"

"Wait on me. You can't leave until I say my goodbyes." Alice bounced down the hall from the den. I assumed she was responsible for putting the room back in order. My mind wandered a little to my time in the den last night. As Alice was breezing past me she suggestively whispered. "So how are you today?" then she giggled and passed me on the stairs to say her goodbyes. I followed behind her giving Emmett and Rose another minute to finish their goodbye.

We got to the airport with barely enough time to check in. I was itching to send Bella a message. It was pretty clever of me if I do say so myself; connecting our phones through her contact list. I looked at my watch. I wasn't sure if she had reached home yet but I would send a message that she could read later. I was pleasantly surprised when she responded to the message right away. Our easy banter had me smiling.

- GOOD AFTERNOON PASSENGERS. THIS IS THE PRE-BOARDING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR AIR CANADA FLIGHT 8092 TO VANCOUVER. -

I wrapped up my conversation with Bella and made my way back to my family so we could board the flight. I hope I had surprised her by sending that little message, I wish I could have been there to see her beautiful smile. How am I going to get through this cruise?