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not beta'd

storyline - Countdown

prompt - finger

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Just because." I huff, blowing my hair out of my face.

"Use your words, Isabella," Edward says faux-condescendingly, earning a punch in the arm.

"I just don't believe in shacking up before marriage," I say, shrugging. "And no, that's not a thinly veiled plea for a proposal."

He smiles, and if there is anything that could make me change my mind it's that face right there.

"Bella…"

I turn away, putting down the box I've been packing. "Ok, what's next?"

He sits back on the couch and pulls me down with him so that I lose my footing and topple on to him. "Oof."

"That's what you get," I laugh, twisting and putting my arms around him. "Manhandling me that way…"

"While I respect your slightly archaic beliefs –"

"You obviously don't if you're calling them archaic."

"—I think we've established that I do, in fact, see something long term with you. Cohabitation is the natural next step."

"We've only been together for six months, Edward."

"Yeah, and I sleep over all the time. Or you sleep over here."

I sigh, trying to get up, but he holds me in place.

"If loving you is wrong then I don't wanna be right," he croons.

"Gross." I lean in to kiss him, and one kiss turns in to several before I can get away. "Seriously… if we don't keep going we'll never get done."

"Fine." He gives me a little push and then stands beside me, pushing a hand through his hair. We've reached something of an impasse; he wants me to move in to the house he's just bought, and I think it would be better to wait. Living together is a big deal, and I just wasn't raised that way.

It's not who I am, and Edward knows that. It doesn't stop him from trying, though.

"What time is Emmett going to be here?" I ask.

"In about an hour. He just had a couple of errands to run first." He runs his hand down my back and steps away, somewhat reluctantly. "Come on. You can finish the guest room."

It's late, nearly midnight when we collapse in to my bed. His new place is still too much of a mess, so it makes sense to stay at mine.

Yawning, Edward runs a towel through his hair before dropping it on to the back of a chair.

"Aha, you see? That's one reason right there we couldn't live together," I tease, pointing at the towel.

Rolling his eyes, he picks it up and goes to hang it in the bathroom. Seconds later he's beside me in bed, naked and tickling me mercilessly. "Maybe you're right," he says, rolling me on to my back and pinning my arms. "You just might nag me to death."

"I am not a nag!"

"Hmm." His eyes twinkle as he presses his weight on to me, settling in between my legs.

I wrap my legs up around his hips. "Thought you were too tired."

"I'm sure we can work something out."

I push my hips up and he pushes back, showing me just what he wants to work.

Sometimes I feel like we lose time when we kiss, it feels so nice. It's not always this crazy, transcendent experience; sometimes it's simply sweet and good. But it's always perfect. My body misses his body, and so I pull my hands out from under his grip, wanting to hold on to him.

He traces his hand down my side, across my stomach and beneath my panties before shifting on to his side.

I kiss his mouth, his jaw, his neck.

He teases me, using just a finger.

Eventually it's not enough for either of us and he yanks my underwear off before helping me sit up so I can remove my tank top. I love his skin against mine, especially when he's just showered and he's extra warm.

"How do you wanna do it?" he whispers, rubbing against me while we kiss.

"Did you have something in mind?" I ask, gripping him down below.

He moves down my body so that his face is between my legs and while he doesn't use his words he most certainly uses his mouth.

Later, we're drifting off when he takes my hand in the dark.

"You'll be in my house one day," he says.

"Okay," I say, yawning. I kiss his cheek and start to doze.

He holds me close. "And we'll do it your way."