Hello lovelies! Sorry for the delay. I got stuck yesterday at work till too late…

Really going to have to work on a buffer this weekend.

Here's date night…

I Can Love You Better- Dixie Chicks

~~oo~~

Chapter 32: Oh. That.

BPOV

I sat beside Edward in his car as he drove us to Port Angeles, a thousand and one thoughts rushing through my mind.

A lot of what he had said had blasted past me as he had confessed his issues, but now in the car, I could work my way through them. I was astounded again and again by how normal he seemed, given the history he had told me.

Mother and father gone.

Troubled childhood.

Having been seduced by this woman, Tanya into a relationship that seemed more like sexual slavery than a partnership. And what she had done to him.

I was thankful that he didn't go into specifics.

Knowing that she didn't offer him what he needed was bad enough. But then to find out it was some sort of master and servant thing made me sick to my stomach.

Don't get me wrong. I had fantasized about Edward tying me up and making me beg.

Or maybe even a little spanking.

Talking dirty while he had good and rough sex with me.

Things like that were normal.

Right?

But to deny someone pleasure, or to hurt them. That was crossing a line.

Would he want that with me? He had said no. But was that why he was keeping it so slow?

Because he was afraid to let that beast out?

How did I show him that I wanted him, in a way that made us both happy?

That bitch had completely screwed up his perception of sex.

And his dad hadn't helped.

What kind of father doesn't protect their child?

I shoved that thought from my head before I got angry, wanting to enjoy this night with him.

I wanted to show him normal. I wanted to provide Edward with that bit of happiness that he had been lacking for too long.

He seemed so much happier after his confession that I didn't want to bombard him with the questions I had, only to see him clam up or feel awkward at my ignorance.

I knew asking about his issues would be difficult to do, especially with just how recent his epiphany was. Less than twelve hours and he was a changed person.

Yesterday he had been reserved and cautious of me, like a cornered animal.

Today, the animal was there, but it was as if I had fed the beast a tasty bone and it was eager to please in order to get another.

Edward smiled and even laughed at my jokes. He seemed to have lightened his load immensely.

At least one load.

There was still one obvious issue that I knew I wouldn't be discussing with him until we were both a little more comfortable with one another.

I had been an idiot for asking him about his erections.

But seriously, how did he put up with it? It had to hurt.

And like that little girl in Poltergeist, I was drawn to the bright light that was his button flies. Today however they were baggy navy Dockers, so I had to look a little harder for it, which was perhaps not being respectful.

I figured it was only fair though.

For every time he looked at my breasts or my thighs while he drove, I was going to take a gander at him. And since he was supposed to be watching the road rather than my hardening nipples, I deserved to ogle.

If I was going to die in a fiery car crash, I wanted to remember him.

"What are you thinking about?"

I looked up from his long thighs and smiled.

"Right this second or in general?" I asked teasingly.

He chuckled and looked back out towards the road. I loved that he could laugh so easily and still be nervous and awkward. Definitely not Creepy Hot Guy anymore.

Hot Guy.

My guy.

"Can I ask you something else?" I asked, his eyes glancing at me sideways.

I hated that cautious look.

I wanted him to trust me more than that.

I hated that woman for doing this to him.

"I guess so," he replied haltingly.

I turned a little so I could see him better in the waning light.

"I'm not really used to dating, Edward" I prefaced. "So I just want to know how you view us? I mean I know how you feel, but I just want to be sure I have it right?"

He pursed his lips together and frowned as he watched the road ahead.

"You mean if we're going out? Or something different?" he asked. His voice was back to that guarded timbre, rather than the lighter one after the kiss.

I didn't want him to worry so much over us.

"Are we going out, like boyfriend-girlfriend. That's what I'm asking I guess," I replied quietly."

His pursed lips tightened for a second before one side of his mouth crept up, his eyebrows rising before he chanced a look at me.

"You tried to feel me up yesterday, and we just spent the last hour and half making out in your kitchen, Bella," he replied in amusement. "I think that means I'm your boyfriend."

I pretended to pout at him before moving towards him to kiss his cheek.

His cheek was much firmer when he was grinning.

I liked that a lot.

Port Angeles came into view, busy on a Saturday night. Edward had been cryptic on where we were going, so when we pulled up in front of Bella Italia, I was completely surprised.

"How did you know I liked Italian food?" I asked awestruck.

He tugged at his hair as he helped me out of the car.

"I just liked it for the name," he admitted, and took my hand in his to walk me into the restaurant. "But now I've learned something new."

As soon as we were settled in our booth, I leaned in close.

"You can ask me anything you know. I know so much about you, it's only fair for you to ask me things, Edward."

Our waitress interrupted us before he could ask me any questions. Her eyes wandered over Edward for a little longer than I liked, all but ignoring me until she realized that he was ignoring her.

He was too busy looking at me to notice her.

When she didn't leave immediately, he finally broke eye contact with me to look up at her in question. She glanced at me before excusing herself. I'm not the jealous sort. I know where I sit on the hierarchy of wanted women.

But with Edward, I was a little more possessive.

Would this be how it was? With all the girls?

Was Jessica and Lauren just the beginning of a long line of women who would tempt him?

"Hey."

I focused back on him, wondering what he had seen of my reaction.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worried.

"Nothing," I replied and scooted a little closer to him so that I could feel him against me.

He scowled at me and shook his head.

"I told you about me," he said teasingly.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Fine. I was just wondering if I was going to feel all jealous with every girl that looks at you," I huffed.

His smile widened and he wrapped one arm around me as if to stake a claim.

"Maybe as much as I am towards you when Newton looks at you the way he does."

"Do you get jealous?" I asked, interested in this part of him.

"Of course," he admitted seriously.

"You don't need to be," I mumbled.

"Well, same for you," he whispered against my ear, his mouth lingering and sending a shiver through me.

He was making it incredibly difficult to not want to molest him in the restaurant when he breathed me in. He hummed softly as his nose edged over the curve of my neck, pulling away slightly when the waitress reappeared. She took our orders in short order and left us alone once more, leaving Edward to pull me closer, his free hand taking mine that rested on my thigh.

Wrapping his fingers around my hand meant his knuckles brushed across the expanse of my thigh. His mouth returned to my ear, kissing it softly. I let out a stuttered breath, causing him to pull away reluctantly.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I can't stop wanting to kiss you."

He smiled and took a deep breath, settling back into the booth to watch me.

It was a little unnerving to see his eyes travel over me like they had that first day I had met him. There was lust there in his eyes, and it was then that my mind clicked.

"You were interested in me since the first day," I said, matter of fact.

The one corner of his mouth rose and he nodded.

"But you disappeared," I argued. "And you avoided me all that period."

"Bella, if I let myself do what I imagined that first day, I would have broken the microscope on the table and maybe gotten us expelled for indecent exposure," he said in that low gravelly voice that made my thighs clench.

He must have noticed because he looked down at his hand in mine resting on my thigh.

"You really need to stop doing that," he whispered, flexing his hand so that he could touch more of my thigh.

I swallowed and look down at his hand, stroking the top of my thigh lightly.

"Then you need to stop doing that," I replied back and intentionally clenched my thighs once more.

He sighed and wrapped his hand back around mine, pulling it up onto the table.

"You are entirely too tempting," he said and put a little more distance between us.

We remained quiet until dinner arrived, the waitress all but handing herself to Edward when she put his plate before him.

Yes, I may have definitely been jealous.

I may have definitely put my hand on his thigh.

I may have definitely felt his thigh clench.

It sent the waitress retreating with his heated look drilling through me.

"Behave," he breathed, a strained smile on his face.

"It made her disappear, didn't it?" I shot back.

He groaned and picked up his fork, trying to move on to dinner.

I turned to my food, not interested in it nearly as much as the leg of Edward sitting beside me. This slow thing was going to kill me.

Edward seemed to be able to suppress his desire so easily, but I supposed he had had much more practice than I had. He took a bite of his meal, watching me with a cautious smile as he chewed. He didn't speak until I had a ravioli in my mouth.

"So I can ask anything about you?"

I paused in my chewing, wondering if I should agree to it.

It wasn't like I had any dark secrets.

Not like he did.

I nodded and he put down his fork to give me his full attention.

"Okay," he said brightly, tapping his finger to his lips in thoughtful contemplation.

Why was I dreading this?

He started out easy.

The general favorites.

Favorite color.

Favorite book.

Favorite music.

"You like a lot of different music," he commented after I had listed off my favorites that I listened to.

He had pushed his plate to the side and was leaning on his elbow, watching me as I answered all of his questions.

Every question he asked, I answered readily. It was a nice way of learning his own favorites. I had never opened up so much to a boy before. I felt I could tell him almost anything.

"So you said something that has me curious," he said, looking away as if bashful suddenly.

"What?"

His nerves always made me worried.

He played with his fork, keeping his eyes focused on it as it spun before him in his long fingertips.

"What you said in the woods."

"I said a lot of things, Edward."

His eyes flitted up to mine for a second, only to chuckle and look back down.

"That you were not the only virgin."

Oh. That.

I was definitely not hungry anymore. I pushed the last couple of ravioli around in my plate, waiting for him to continue.

"So you are?" he asked, the fork stalling on the table.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

He remained quiet.

Weren't guys supposed to be eager to break in a girl?

Was I never going to get someone to help me with that pesky thing?

"It's not a bad thing at all, Bella," he said finally and shifted closer to me. "All the more reason to go slow, for both of us."

"So you're not upset that I am?" I asked, looking up into his deep green eyes.

"Would you be upset if I was?" he asked, serious.

I frowned.

"But," I stammered. "You aren't."

He continued to look at me, straight faced.

"Are you?"

"Does that upset you that I am?"

"No. I just assumed, with all you did…"

He leaned a little closer.

"We're on the same level on at least one thing."

He pulled me to him and kissed me deeply, not caring that the entire restaurant could see. He left me breathless as he threw down some money and slid out of the booth, offering me his hand. Heart pounding, I took it and seemed to float beside him as we made our way back to the car.

He was on the road once more, gripping the wheel tight before he spoke again.

"I don't want to sound rude, but perhaps we should cut tonight a little short," he said, trying to smile as his eyes drifted down my body again.

My body felt overcharged as he reached out to hold me hand, bringing it to his side to rest on his lap.

Tempting me.

We were both teetering on the brink of doing something that would possibly hurt him.

Which of course made me feel guilty once more for tempting him.

So we headed back in silence, my hand burning against him.

I had to bite my lip to force myself not to move up higher.

When we neared my house, I felt him tense and let out a long breath. Charlie was home, which made the decision to come inside or go home clear. He stopped just short of the house, the large tree in front of our yard blocking the car from view of the front windows.

Which made my heart beat just a little harder.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" he whispered, looking out towards the house.

"I would like that."

He squeezed my hand gently and turned to look at me, keeping his eyes on mine. He leaned in slowly, as if he moved slowly enough he would be able to control himself. I on the other hand felt myself getting more worked up with each tiny inch he moved. I just wanted to grab him and tug him to me.

His lips touched mine, barely there, making my breath hitch at the anticipation.

For him to draw me deeper.

To devour.

But he slowly withdrew, his eyes fluttering as he licked his lips at the taste of me on them.

He was going to drive me crazy.

"Walk you to the door?" he whispered.

"Do you want to get interrogated by my dad?" I asked, smirking.

I saw the concern in his eyes and laughed.

"Relax, Edward," I said, opening the door. "He wouldn't do that. Call me when you want to come over? We can work on the project."

He grinned and looked down, shaking his head.

"That's not what I really want to do, but okay," he grumbled.

"Goodnight, Edward," I said and climbed out of his car. I looked back and smiled. "Thank you for dinner."

He nodded and I could tell he was watching me as I walked up to the house, seeing him when I turned before I opened the door to step inside. He smile and slowly pulled out, leaving me with a smile that wouldn't be easily lost.

"Did you have a good time?"

I jumped and turned to see Charlie in the kitchen doorway, eating one of the cupcakes Jasper had given me. I pulled my coat off and put it on the hook, still smiling.

"Yes, I did."

"Uh huh," he said and turned back to the kitchen.

"Do you get these goodies every week?" he called out.

I shook my head and made my way up stairs.

Leave it to Charlie to think that pastries were more interesting than his daughter going out with a boy.

Thank god.

I didn't want to have that conversation.

~~oo~~

AN: nice little date night? A little temptation. Wonder how long they'll last….

One day at a time…

Sorry for the delays. Will update probably in the afternoons my time the rest of this week. Makes it a little easier. My apologies to my European dears.

MWAH!

Steph