A/N: officially, I have put this story on hiatus because I've had so much going on in my life the past few months that I've had no time nor drive to write. Also officially, I felt the drive tonight :) I hope you enjoy and I hope that I continue to feel the oh so satisfying flow of words.

As always all mistakes are mine, all Character are Stephenie Meyer's, and all reviews are love and inspiration!

***********STC************

After dinner Edward had his driver take us by a bakery where, surprise surprise, he knew the owner. He didn't let me come in but instead ran inside and emerged a few minutes later with a large paper bag and a huge grin on his face. As we headed towards my apartment he reached into the bag and produced a red velvet cake pop, presenting it to me in a formal manner that seemed very fitting in a way that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"Buttercup Bakery is one of my favorite places in the city. They're popular but a little low key and they make the best homemade ice cream," he said, gesturing towards the bag.

"How do you know I even like ice cream," I asked coyly before taking a bite of my cake pop. The icing was perfect, firm enough to keep shape but not hard like most cake pops I'd had in the past. Underneath the layer of red chocolate icing was a cream cheese and red cake ball that could have made a nun curse. It was soft, moist and the flavor exploded in my mouth like fireworks; I had to suppress a moan as I chewed.

Looking back to Edward he looked unsure of himself, eyeing the bag and seeming to second guess his decision. I swallowed the piece of heaven and nudged him playfully, giving him a smile to reassure him. "I'm only messing with you; who doesn't like ice cream?"

He frown turned to a full blown smile and he nodded in agreement, leaning over to place a kiss on my cheek as his driver pulled up to the curb outside my building. "Let me get your door," it wasn't a question. I guess that was something I'd have to get used to if Edward was going to be around for any length of time. Would he be around for any length of time? I guess he would if I chose to take him up on his offer. I'd be crazy to say it wasn't constantly in the back of my mind; then again, I'd be crazy to say that I was considering it, right?

I watched through the tinted windows as Edward and his driver both climbed out of the car and exchanged words. The man nodded in understanding and climbed back into the driver's seat while Edward walked around and opened my door for me. Like the driver before, he offered me his hand and helped me to climb out of the car. "Are you staying," I asked, trying not to sound too much like the all consumed school girl I felt like.

"Do you want me to say," he asked as if he already knew the answer; confident as ever. Something about his eyes though, his kind and beautiful eyes, made me question whether his confidence was a well adapted persona or a natural state of being. I chewed nervously on my lip and nodded, downcasting my eyes for fear of being rejected. Edward caught me under the chin and lifted my face to his. "Then I'll stay," he whispered, pressing his lips softly to mine. The kiss was over far too quickly and then he gestured for me to lead him in side.

I turned back to wave at the driver as we walked through the lobby doors and he gave me a kind smile before climbing back into the driver's seat. The night guard didn't acknowledge us from where he sat behind the counter, something I wasn't unaccustomed to Edward seemed displeased by this. I rolled my eyes at him and grabbed his hand, ensuring that he didn't stop to say something, as I crossed the lobby and called for the elevator.

"Your staff is less than satisfactory," he commented, almost sounding snooty but I knew that he was mostly commenting from a business perspective, after the door closed behind us and the elevator began to quietly hum as it ascended.

"It's a safe enough building, Edward; you worry too much."

He frowned, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me snuggly into his side. "On the contrary, I feel as though I do not worry about you enough."

I stuck my tongue out at him playfully, unsure of how to respond to that particular comment. "I'm surprised you aren't more concerned about your sister; Alice is, after all, very pregnant."

"This is true," he acknowledged. "But she has Jasper, whom I would trust with my life, and I assure you that they have no shortage of home security."

"Why do I feel like you're not talking about alarm systems," I asked, stepping off the elevator when the doors opened and leading him down the hall to my apartment.

Edward ignored my comment masterfully, "you should allow me to install a security alarm in your apartment."

"I have a deadbolt," I countered, the key sticking slightly as I pulled it out and turned the knob to gain our entrance, Edward snorted. "Besides, what do I need an alarm system for? The night guard may be a little lazy on the job, but he gets it done, and I like my day time doorman."

I tossed my keys on the table I kept beside the door and stepped out of my shoes, using my foot to swipe them aside and out of the middle of the floor. "Aside from your choice of occupation, this can be a very dangerous city."

"Really," I asked, my voice a challenge. Edward's face shown regret as I turned to face him and I saw him hesitate as he closed the door, as if he weren't sure if he should be on the other side of it. "We've had such a great evening and those are the words you choose to start the finale?" He raised his hands in both surrender and showing the bag of frozen goodness before shuffling into the kitchen. Mute Edward, that was novel. I liked it.

I made myself comfortable on the couch, tucking my feet underneath me and fanning my hair over the backs of the pillow cushions. Edward emerged a few seconds later balancing two bowls of ice cream and two glasses of white wine, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, Bella; please forgive me. It was, indeed, a poor choice of words. I only meant that I have a great deal of concern for your safety. Admittedly, your profession makes me uncomfortable, but only because I fear for your safety- both physically and legally."

I sipped from the glass of wine he'd handed me, unsure how to respond and turned my focus towards my bowl of ice cream. We sat in an almost awkward silence, each enjoying small spoonfuls of the sinfully delicious ice cream. Should I tell Edward that I hadn't been working? Surely he was aware, the man was practically James Bond, but was he aware that I'd been considering giving it all up and pursuing a 'real' career?

I'd sent a text message to Alice earlier in the day and asked if she could help me in writing a proper resume or if she knew anyone who might be hiring and willing to overlook my lack of work history. She hadn't responded before dinner and I wasn't sure where my phone was at the moment, I was continually losing it or forgetting to charge it. Humorously, so was Alice which meant that we rarely had efficient conversations via text message but I'd been too embarrassed to ask in person.

Edward took my spoon from my hand and placed it in my nearly empty ice cream bowl, taking my now empty hands in his and bringing them to his cheeks. The warmth of his skin felt good against my chilled fingers and a shiver ran through me as I relished the sensation. "Talk to me," his voice was soft, almost small. I felt my heart skip a beat as my eye rose to meet his and I was taken aback, as was often the case with him, by the overwhelming green of his eyes.

"I don't know what to say," I responded honestly, worrying my lip between my teeth.

"Tell me I'm a jerk," he offered and I giggled which caused a small smile in the corners of his mouth. "I'm sorry for what I said, I have had such an amazing evening with you and I don't want it to end on such a horrible note."

I considered his words carefully and shook my head, "you're not wrong. It is a dangerous city and in the wrong circumstances my occupation has the potential to be very dangerous. It is, however, all that I know.. and that's why.. that's why it's so hard, so scary, to leave it behind."

Edward seemed to taken in my words and then his pupil dilated, almost animalistically, like something you'd see on the Discovery Channel. The next thing I knew he had pulled me into his lap and was kissing me ferociously, our teeth clashing unattractively and tongues fighting for dominance. I was fighting him, I knew that but couldn't understand why so I surrendered and let him take me. He needed this, for reasons I didn't quite comprehend but there wasn't much I grasped as I should these days. Edward did that to me; he tore me up inside and made me dumb, I was a weaker sex around him.

Moments later our clothes were torn from our bodies and strewn across the floor around the couch. He was poised and ready to enter me, I was a writhing bundle of nerves; he lined himself up, leaned forward to place his lips against my temple and I swear I felt him tremble. "Isabella, I love you," he said, manifesting our mutual feelings into words for the first time. Tears filled my eyes, though I couldn't explain it, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into the crook of my neck as he slid home and we became one.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered, my own body shaking now, the words catching in my throat and making them sound even more emotional than I'm sure they already did. It was the first time I'd felt like this, the first time I'd ever truly felt as if my soul was a part of another's before, and I knew that there was no taking it back. I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.