Happy Tuesday folks! This one is short. Haven't had a lot of time last few days.

But something to keep us going! MWAH!

The Fragile- Nine Inch Nails

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Chapter 45: I won't be pushed around.

EPOV

I waited in the car for Bella while she showered, my imagination doing nothing for my already excited nature.

Right now, Bella was naked and in the shower. And I was hard and horny in the car, with nowhere to relieve myself.

Not that I really wanted to.

I wanted Bella to do that now.

I fiddled with my IPod, trying to distract myself from…myself.

Because with the horniness came the guilt which then became remembrance of my session, which then reminded me of my therapist, Alice.

After the surprise of seeing her in the bakery, my anxiety wore at me while I waited.

How did I tell Bella about her? How did I feel about Alice knowing who Bella was to begin with? Wouldn't that make sessions a little odd, knowing whom I was speaking about? It was easier to talk about my needs when Bella was simply a name, and not a person to Alice Whitlock.

Not that I was embarrassed about Bella. I wanted everyone to know we were together.

I only hoped that Bella wouldn't be upset once she found out who Alice was to me, and what that meant for Bella.

It was just a matter of waiting for her to come out and hop in my car so that I could whisk her away and talk to her about it.

Although truth be known, it was the last thing I had wanted to do tonight.

Imagining her naked again made it into my head again and I groaned at the temptation.

I doubted I would see much tonight, given the conversation we would need to have.

I looked through my music again and picked a little Nine Inch Nails.

I was feeling frustrated and needed something to keep me from climbing back into her window.

"Nice music," Bella commented as she opened the car door and slid into the seat.

I jumped at her sudden appearance and let out a nervous laugh, feeling foolish.

"You like Nine Inch Nails?" I asked, putting the car into gear.

She smirked and nodded.

"Of course," she said, laughing.

"You never cease to amaze me," I replied, feeling my anxiety wane some simply by her smile.

"So where are we going?" she asked, eyeing me in such a way that I wished we could be alone.

For hours.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, thinking our discussion was best done over food.

She nodded and I drove towards the diner, not wanting to waste time with a trip all the way to Port Angeles. I wanted to spend a good deal of time for after dinner.

Once we were seated at the diner, Bella cut to the chase.

"So what happened at the bakery? How do you know the Whitlocks?" she asked, sipping her coke.

"I know Alice," I said. "It was the first time I had met her husband."

She put her drink down thoughtfully and offered me her full attention.

"How do you know Alice?" she asked, her voice a little frail.

I hated that sound, of her feeling unsure.

"She's my therapist," I confessed after a moment, watching her eyes widen slightly before she composed herself again.

"Oh," she said quietly and frowned. "So your dad knows you are seeing her then?"

I nodded, a little nervous.

"So how does you dad know Jasper?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"I didn't know he did," I replied, confused. "Why?"

She frowned and looked down at her glass.

"Your dad came into the bakery, wanting to talk to someone about taking away what was his," she whispered.

I immediately tensed and could feel the anger bubbling up.

"Did he say anything to you?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

If he threatened her, or told her more about me that I couldn't yet…

"It doesn't matter, Edward," she said, her eyes finding mine. "He's not going to scare me."

She sighed and then told me everything that had happened, my anxiety building again.

He was still trying to control us, through people we didn't even know.

"It sounded like Jasper knew him from the past," she concluded. "But you don't know Jasper?"

I shook my head.

"He knows Alice though. They have some kind of history. And Alice knew my mom before they adopted me," I explained.

She tapped on her lips, deep in thought.

"There's more mystery in your life than a David Kessler novel," she said, sighing. But her face had softened and her hand reached out to take mine. "It'll be okay, Edward. I'm going to talk to my dad, tell him what happened. He wasn't too happy with your dad when he came to the house. He can't hurt me."

"I just don't know why he'd even come to see you, unless it was to scare you," I murmured.

"Well," she said, straightening up. "He messed with the wrong girl. I won't be pushed around."

I was impressed with her courage. I wondered if she felt that way about everything.

I had a pretty screwed up life. And she took it so easily.

"You're not upset about Alice being my therapist?" I asked.

"Why would I be? She seems nice. If not a little strange like Jasper. It might be a little weird having her husband as my boss, but I'm sure she respects your privacy," she replied.

"She didn't ask you about me?" I asked, a little curious.

Bella blushed and a smile crept up on her face.

"Just if I had a boyfriend, and what I had made for him," she whispered.

I leaned forward and pulled her a little closer.

"And what did you say?" I asked softly.

"She doesn't need to know about my cookies, Edward," she replied, grinning.

I pulled away with great effort, trying to behave.

"No, she doesn't," I agreed. "I don't know what to think now that she knows you."

"Do you talk about me in your sessions?" she asked, tipping her head to the side.

It was my turn to be a little embarrassed.

"Some," I murmured. "Some of it is my fears about what I feel."

"What are you afraid of?"

I sighed and looked around, wondering how much of this conversation other people could hear. I leaned in close, whispering.

"Things I want, Bella," I said softly. "And if you'll be offended by it."

"I think I've made myself clear that you won't offend or scare me, Edward," she replied simply.

We ordered and sat there quietly for a few minutes, Bella eyeing me as I worked up the courage to talk about those things I wanted.

"Do you want to go back to my house after dinner?" I asked.

"I'd like that," she said, smiling. "What do you want to do there?"

I could see the wicked gleam in her eyes.

"My mom might be there, so probably not what I want to do," I retorted, enjoying the blush on her face.

We ate and talked about very little, simply enjoying the comfortable company of one another. But when we were settled in the car, Bella surprised me when she leaned over and brought her lips to mine, moaning into my lips. I was a little taken aback by her enthusiasm.

"What was that for?" I breathed, feeling my body heat up from her attack.

"I just wanted to get that in just in case I have to behave when we get to your house," she said quietly.

I held her head in my hand, taking my time with her. She was right of course. More than anything, I wanted to take her home and explore one another in the confines of my room. I wanted more of the night prior.

Just Bella and me.

The sun was setting when I finally drew away from her, a dazed smile on her lips.

She was as affected of me as I was of her.

I got us on the road, heading towards my house.

We'd behave if Mom were there.

But on the slim chance she wasn't…

Well, I couldn't guarantee anything then.

~~oo~~

AN: I know, short… cough cough. Tech rehearsals have been busy.

Next update I hope by Friday, hang in there my dears!

Big MWAH!

Steph