AN: Okay, so I have to issue a mea culpa. This chapter is NOT the surprise POV. That didn't quite fit into the plot we had now, and I wanted to move the story forward more. So, that will be upcoming, but I think this is pretty good for now.

Thanks to Angel for her awesome tattoo suggestion and WTVOC for giving me lots of tattoos to think about and Starshinedown for the hot swimmer website.

EPOV

Dinner was finally drawing to a close and for the first time in a week, I was a bundle of nerves. I'd gotten used to being with Bella and even though our time together was typically short and not nearly as frequent as I wanted it to be, we'd grown more comfortable in each other's presence. She no longer blushed and stammered and I finally managed to stop putting my foot in my mouth.

But tonight, I felt like I'd returned to square one with Bella. I kept telling myself that it was a simple enough request. We'd certainly had enough late night phone conversations when I couldn't sleep—this was just another one of those, except, of course, that we would be in the same bed.

I paid the check and we walked outside into the fragrant evening air. I could smell the vendors cooking various Chinese delicacies—and well, some not-so-delicacies—and though I'd just consumed a whole meal, my stomach perked up in interest.

And of course, Bella grimaced. "Ugh, food smells," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I'm so full it almost hurts to smell anything else."

"Full?" I laughed at her. "Full? You ate like a quarter of what I ate, and I'm ready to go some more."

Bella groaned again, her face turning toward mine. "I thought we'd agreed that our individual food consumption can't be compared."

I paused, pretending to ponder this for a minute. "I still think you should eat more."

She shook her head, a huge smile on her face, "Nope. Not possible. Besides, you burn about a million times the calories I do."

"That's true," I said, glancing around to make sure no photographers were present and I tucked her hand into mine.

Bella sighed contentedly, and we stood there, outside the restaurant, her eyes on me, no doubt waiting for me to say goodnight. Except that was the last thing I wanted to say and even though I was already being considered America's Hero, I couldn't even ask the girl I loved if she'd come back with me to my room.

"Uh," I stammered, and the corner of her lips quirked upwards in amusement, but I knew she could have no idea what was on my mind. She probably just thought I was being awkward again, and undoubtedly, I was, but not for the reason she thought.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked and the expression on her face wasn't concerned, but wary. Probably wary that we'd taken five steps forward only to take ten steps back.

"I'm fine," I told her with as much of a careless tone as I could muster. I was so damn nervous I was surprised I didn't squeak.

"Actually," I continued, after gathering together whatever nerve I had left, "I'm a little nervous."

"About tomorrow?" Bella's voice was definitely worried, and while I hated manipulating her emotions to get her to do what I wanted, I figured that having a little sympathy on my side couldn't hurt.

"Well no," I finally had to acknowledge. Races failed to make me nervous anymore, even though I was at the Olympics and attempting an unprecedented run of gold medals. For anyone else, the pressure would probably break them, but for me, the pressure was a motivator. And really, Bella knew that. I couldn't lie. I took a deep breath and continued. "Really, it's not about the swimming."

Bella looked confused. "You're not? What on earth would you have to be nervous about then?"

I ducked my head in embarrassment. Here I was bragging about being not at all nervous about the swimming, but I was going to admit that she made me nervous. If I hadn't sounded like a nutjob yet, I definitely was going to now.

Her hand squeezed mine, and she looked up at me, her gaze so trusting and true that I couldn't help but smile and confess all.

"I really enjoy our phone conversations when I can't sleep, Bella," I began.

She interrupted me, a sudden flash of disappointment in her eyes. "Oh no! Did Carlisle find out?"

"No, no, no. Nothing like that," I reassured her, all the while telling myself to man up. "I really like them too. In fact, I like them so much that I want more."

Bella's mouth fell open in the most adorable way. "You want what?" At first I thought she might be offended, and I momentarily steeled myself for what was about to come next, but instead, she threw her arms around me so suddenly I almost stumbled.

I gave her a far, far too quick kiss--I was still worried the paparazzi might be around and I would hate to expose her on the kind of international level that I dealt with on a daily basis--and told her in a teasing voice, "You don't even know what I want."

The look Bella gave me from under her long, thick sooty lashes was enough to make every muscle in my body stand at rigid, immediate attention. In fact, my reaction was so. . .pronounced. . .I was afraid she could feel it, and I moved away from her slightly, praying my hoody covered the worst of it.

"What do you want?" she asked and her voice was low and measured, almost hypnotizing. I was so far gone with her, I didn't even want to come back for air. I'd gladly drown.

"Come stay the night with me," I said.

"You mean, come stay the night and sleep with you," Bella replied and her voice, I had to give her credit, wavered just a little at the end. Other than that, you wouldn't have known she was making such an important clarification.

"No," I told her emphatically. "That's not what I meant at all. I just. . .I just want to sleep next to you. To hear your voice."

"That's all?" Bella asked, and I told myself that wasn't a twinge of disappointment in her voice. I was going to be a gentleman—I was in fact determined to be a gentleman, even though I knew it would be difficult.

"Yes," I told her valiantly.

Because I knew it would be closer to impossible.

"Are you sure I wouldn't distract you?" Bella didn't look won over to the idea yet, and I began to panic a little. She had to say yes. I didn't know what I'd do if she said no.

"Of course not," I insisted. "I'd just sit up and toss and turn and you know, I do have two important races tomorrow. . ." I trailed off, having just thrown my trump card into the pot. If Bella didn't go for that, I didn't know what else to try.

"So you weren't just kidding?" Bella asked, sounding more surprised than I'd been expecting.

"Kidding about what? You helping me sleep? Of course not."

"Talking on the phone really helped?"

I hated the way that Bella's voice was growing more and more incredulous. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she understood that I loved every thing about her. She might not know it yet, but she was mine.

"Yes. I couldn't sleep without your voice." I looked into her eyes and tried to impress on her that I was telling the truth.

She was silent for a good thirty seconds, sending my heart into the region of my stomach.

Finally, she spoke. "I thought that. . .I thought that you weren't being serious. You're Edward Cullen. Why would you need help from me to sleep? You're famous for being able to sleep anywhere!" She threw up her hands in disgust and I almost could see her walking away from me—but she didn't. She just stood there, arms crossed over her chest, giving me a level stare.

"I was being honest," I said. "From the first moment I met you, I haven't been able to get you from my mind, even when I should be sleeping."

"Wow," Bella replied softly. "I don't know what to even say to that." She looked down at the ground and I could sense her pulling away—in nervousness maybe? Honestly I didn't know why but I knew I couldn't let it happen. Maybe I shouldn't have delivered the unvarnished truth quite so fast.

I tilted up her chin so that she could look right into my eyes and I held her hands with my own. "Please, Bella. Please."

I didn't even remember the last time I had asked for anything and had to beg for it, but I'd do a lot more for Bella, if only she'd relent.

I knew the second she did, because she blushed and smiled, and I grabbed her into my arms, regardless of who was watching. She looked up at my ecstatic face and giggled. "Edward, does it mean that much to you?"

I nodded emphatically. "Yes."

"You should know," she said shyly, and her blush deepened, "it would be pretty impossible for me to deny you anything."

This was great news, but I forced the inner frat boy to promise not to exploit Bella's weakness.

"Let's go," I said, pulling her in the direction of one of the entrances to the Olympic Village.

"Wait," she said, resisting my pull. "What about my stuff? Shouldn't we go back to my hotel?"

I beamed at her. All my life it felt like I'd had Esme and Carlisle orchestrating every single detail of my life. I'd never had to take care of someone else before, especially someone that I loved and I was finding it was a unique and incredible experience that I intended to repeat as often as possible.

"It's all taken care of," I told her, and her jaw dropped a little again. "I got you a toothbrush and well, everything else you'd need."

"Just for me?" Her voice was incredulous, and I was sick of her thinking that she wasn't worthy, no matter how much I insisted otherwise.

"Only for you, Bella," I told her firmly, putting my arm around her and guiding her towards the Olympic Village entrance.

As I expected, there was security in the gateway, checking badges of the athletes that were coming and going.

"How are we going to get through?" Bella whispered. "I don't have a badge."

I pulled the badge I'd managed to get my hands on and doctor. "You do now!" I announced, dropping it into her hands.

Bella was clearly shocked at my audacity as she examined the badge, but then she looked up at me, and I could see mischievousness sparkling in her beautiful brown eyes. I wanted to give a whoop that my girl was in on the plan, but I restrained myself as we neared the entrance.

The bored guard examined the badges lazily, barely glancing at them, and a lot of that probably had to do with who I was. Usually I hated being well known, but at least in this case, it got me something I wanted, which was Bella, next to me, all night long.

We raced up the stairs in my building instead of taking the elevator, and I was surprised to see that, like me, Bella wasn't even breathing hard. So was definitely more athletic than she let on. She might never make a swimmer, but I was curious to see what sports she did like. I resolved to interrogate her as soon as we got to my room.

I knew that Tyler had befriended a Swedish equestrienne, so he'd be out of the room the whole night. I'd definitely been jealous when he'd first told me, but I hadn't managed to ask him how he managed to keep his stamina up if he was busy depleting it every night. I was just too plain embarrassed to try to contradict Carlisle's admonition. Even with Bella.

Finally, I'd just resolved that I would wait until the races were over. I could wait a week, and besides, I definitely didn't want to rush Bella into anything. I could wait months--okay, maybe not months--but longer, if she needed the extra time.

I swiped the keycard and opened the door for Bella. Her eyes were huge as she took in the minimalist, streamlined white room.

"Do you ever feel like you're in a hospital?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.

I laughed. "Really, the only time I spend in here is when I sleep--or when I try to sleep."

Her face turned up towards mine and her eyes sparkled. "And where is that?"

"You're tired already?" I asked, hoping against hope that she was already ready to go to bed. I didn't want to tell her that all my nerves over asking her had exhausted me—not my races.

"Is there anything else to do?" Bella's busy eyes were taking in every little bit of the sparse rooms. And yeah, she was totally right. There was nothing to do. Clearly, the Olympic Committee was trying to encourage people to spend some time in the city of Beijing, but all I wanted to do right now was spend time with Bella. It didn't really matter where we were, though, really, if I had a choice, I'd definitely pick the bedroom right now.

"Do you want to go back out?" I wondered if we could possibly get Bella through security twice in a short time, but I'd figure it out if that was what she wanted.

Bella shook her head. "No. Definitely not." She scrunched her nose up. "Besides, how would we even get through security again?"

I laughed and pulled her close, dropping a single kiss on the top of her head. "My thoughts exactly," I told her.

Bella nestled herself against me and we just stood there a minute, enjoying that we were finally able to be alone. I'd made Bella promise not to be too demonstrative in public, no matter how much she felt like it, so that the international press couldn't latch onto her as well. And as much as I hated it, I kept my distance as well. The last thing I wanted was for Bella to get involved in the media circus surrounding my life.

"I wish we could do this all the time," she said, echoing my thoughts.

"Me too," I murmured into her hair. "I never want to let you go."

I could feel her breathing hitch, and I wondered if I'd said something wrong.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Nothing," Bella replied, "I just wasn't expecting you to say that." Her voice was low and I could tell she was pondering something through, but before I could even reply, she had my hand and she was yanking me in the direction of the bedrooms.

"Are you going to show me your bedroom or not?" she asked me, smiling, with a teasing lilt. It was as if the last thirty seconds hadn't even happened. I figured that maybe she'd figured out the answer to her own question, and I shrugged it off. I wanted to enjoy my time with Bella, not overanalyze her words and actions.

"Yes," I said, leading her down the hallway and opening the door to my room.

I'd certainly been expecting to see the one bed, and I knew that Bella hadn't expected anything different, but still, seeing it there in all its oneness made us both stop in our tracks.

"You. . .you," Bella hesitated. "You only have one bed."

Both of us were staring at it as if it might evaporate into thin air at any second.

I decided that I might as well try to pretend like this wasn't a big deal. Maybe that would make Bella feel more comfortable—if she didn't know that I was just as nervous and scared as she was.

"Of course."

Bella's expression told me right away that I'd made completely the wrong decision. Typical. I really was beginning to rue all the time I'd spent swimming that I could have spent learning some sort of normal social interaction.

"Of course," she replied back shortly, and her tone had taken on a hard edge that I didn't like.

"Bella, it's okay. I'm nervous too," I finally admitted. "More nervous than I wanted to tell you."

"Really?" She looked up at me, her skin luminous in the dim light. She laughed a little, and I could feel the tension in the room dissipating. "I thought you were all cool and calm and collected and I hated how nervous I felt in comparison."

"Trust me," I confided. "I may have sounded relaxed, but I wasn't. I was so afraid you'd say no."

Bella plopped down on the bed, clearly no longer upset, and I breathed an inward sigh of relief that she'd managed to relax despite how terribly I'd bungled the situation.

I sat down next to her and oh so casually rested my hand on her upper thigh.

"You ready to go to bed?" I asked, running my other hand through her brown hair, moving it to her other shoulder and exposing her beautiful graceful neck.

Bella nodded, and her head dropped to my shoulder. "What am I going to wear?"

I'd certainly done my part planning this whole thing, but who knew if she was going to like it. I'd already messed up enough tonight. Still, I forced the nervousness down and told her, "Well, I'd kind of planned for you to wear something of mine." What I didn't mention was that her wearing my clothes was quickly becoming a favorite fantasy of mine.

She seemed relatively unfazed by this revelation and I mentally crossed my fingers that what else I was about to tell her wouldn't be information overload.

"Clothes and toothbrush and toothpaste are all in the bathroom. I didn't know if you wore contacts or not, but there's an extra case and solution," I told her rather proudly. I'd spent a good part of the night before, and while waiting for my backstroke heat earlier today coming up with a complete list of what Bella would need.

"That's so sweet of you, to think of everything," she murmured, and snaked one hand up to rub the back of my neck. Before I could even register what was happening, she pulled my head down, and was kissing me. It was hot and wet and almost a little sloppy, but this was Bella, so it was really, just perfect.

When we finally broke apart, I was nearly panting with my desire to push her back into the bed and let the frat boy have his way.

"Maybe I should go get ready for bed," Bella whispered, and I had to clench the comforter to keep myself from pulling her lips back to mine.

"Okay," I agreed. "Bathroom's the first door on the right."

I watched her disappear out the doorway and I fell back onto the mattress, trying to reason a way back into my self-control.

Finally, I sat up and unbuckled my belt, tugging my jeans down over my boxer-clad hips. I pulled off the hoody, and glanced over in the mirror. I was still wearing a t-shirt and boxers—which was a t-shirt and boxers more than I ever wore to bed, but I certainly couldn't go to bed naked with Bella. I'd be breaking Carlisle's rule in under thirty seconds.

I adjusted the boxers and looked again. Okay. That might work. It was going to be super restricting, but I guessed that for Bella I'd sacrifice just about anything. Even creature comforts such as sleeping naked.

I was contemplating the day when comfort wouldn't have to be sacrificed when I heard a slight knock on the door, and I looked up to see Bella hesitantly entering the room again.

She was dressed in the same clothes I'd set out for her, but just as with the swimsuit I'd purchased, seeing it on Bella was a whole different beast.

The t-shirt dwarfed her, completely, but there was just enough shape to it that I could tell she'd taken her bra off, and I felt my knees weaken slightly.

I forced my eyes downward and took in her long slim legs, set off perfectly by my navy blue boxer shorts. Those were going in a hall of fame as soon as physically possible.

Bella twisted her hands together and I snapped out of it. My intense perusal was making her nervous. Whoops.

"Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. You're just so. . .breathtaking. Beautiful."

She raised one eyebrow as she walked over to the bed and climbed on, sitting down with her legs crossed.

I joined her, and I was almost a little embarrassed by how much the bed shifted when I did. Even though I used it as my weapon in the pool, I still felt huge and awkward and clumsy in my body. I'd stopped wondering if I'd ever feel comfortable. I knew I wouldn't. You have limbs as long as mine, you try not feeling like a bull in a china shop.

"I'm not beautiful," Bella confided, rather matter-of-factly, "but thank you for saying it anyway."

"You are," I insisted, holding my hand up when she opened her mouth to contradict me again. "No arguments to the contrary, please."

She sighed. "Okay, well, do you want to go to sleep or. . ."

I didn't feel at all ready to lay next to her, under the covers. I needed more time to prepare—if I could even really prepare at all.

"Do you want to talk for awhile?" I asked.

"Sure, that's a good idea, actually. I have a few more questions I want to ask you."

"Okay," I said with a bit of trepidation. I didn't like the sound of questions, but I couldn't exactly tell her no. The frat boy was yelling at me to throw her back on the bed and kiss her until neither of us could even remember there were questions to be asked. But, I was a lot stronger than that. At the very least, I hoped I was.

Suddenly she whipped out a small notebook from her bag on the floor by the bed, and I knew I got a deer in the headlights expression.

"Oh don't worry," she reassured me. "It's just a few things. Details, really."

"Sure, then, ask away." I was trying to be confident and glib, but my stomach was clenching. I hated reporters, and though I definitely loved Bella, I still didn't love that part of her. I was definitely wary of the reporter in her.

"How many tattoos do you have?" she asked, her head down and her long hair shielding what was certainly a blush from my eyes.

"Don't you have that memorized too? I thought reporters were supposed to do their research," I teased, reaching over and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear—effectively exposing a large slice of Bella's furiously blushing face.

"Ah. .uh. . .well. . ." she stumbled, and I grinned cockily. I'd caught her, red-handed.

"Well, I suppose I could look it up," she replied, raising her eyes to meet mine, and there was a definite challenge in their depths. "But, it would be so much easier if you'd just show me. Here and now. Live."

I think my jaw must have dropped. I considered my tattoos pretty private parts of myself—well, as private as they could be when I wore a fairly revealing swimsuit a good deal of the time.

All I knew was that Bella was smiling at me with the most flirtatious, sensual look on her face that I'd ever seen, and that I was pretty much honor bound to strip . . .well. . .all my clothes off so she could see them all.

Finally I got my voice back. "Um," I croaked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

She looked right at me, with no guile and still a bit of challenge deep in her eyes. "Is there a problem?"

I knew that Bella had realized I never backed down from a challenge. I set my jaw and told myself that I'd just have to maintain control, somehow.

"Are you taking notes?" I asked archly. "You'd better not miss this. You won't be getting a second showing. Or a third." Ha. I was such a liar. And Bella's secret smile as I got off the bed made it clear that she knew I was lying too.

I pulled off my shirt and threw it on the floor. Bella crawled to the edge of the bed, forgetting about her notebook entirely, I noted with amusement, and rose to her knees, her head still not even coming to my chin.

"Where's the first one?" she whispered, and suddenly the room felt about fifty degrees too hot, despite that I was shirtless.

I lifted one arm, and showed her the intricate tribal design that started just under my armpit and traveled down the side of my torso.

Bella reached out a single fingertip, and I shivered the moment it touched my skin. She traced the tattoo all the way down, and even though it tickled a little, I couldn't have moved even if I'd wanted to. Of course, there was definitely a part of my anatomy that this didn't apply to, and it had definitely grown a bit too hard to move.

"This is beautiful," she murmured. "Very intricate. Did it hurt?"

I supposed I could give her the manly, frat boy answer. "Of course not," I scoffed.

Bella gave me just one look, and I crumpled. "Like hell," I conceded. "But, I'll admit the pain is rather cleansing, in a way."

The look on her face told me she definitely doubted the veracity of that statement, but I certainly wasn't going to contradict myself again.

"Next," she ordered, and her manner was again businesslike. The notebook was back, and I'd have believed the act, if I didn't see her hands tremble as she picked up the pen.

And yeah, things were about to get a hell of a lot hotter.

I turned around, and her fingers again traced the bright orange sun I'd had done on the high nape of my neck, almost under my hair. "For California," I clarified, and I turned around to see her scribbling on that damned pad again.

Okay, Bella, let's see if you can keep your composure with this.

"You've probably heard about these," I admitted, pushing the right side of my boxers down on my hipbone, until almost all the Olympic rings were exposed.

I was honestly a little afraid to pull them down any farther, because I was so hard it hurt, and though she could hardly be unaware, I didn't want to shove that particular part of my anatomy in her face. Okay, so I did. But tonight was definitely not the right moment for that.

Naturally, Bella didn't want to be prudent. She took control herself and lowered the fabric of my boxers the rest of the way, and I almost gasped at the feel of her hands on me.

When she spoke again, her voice was conversational and there was no blush in sight, almost as if this was surreal and she'd forgotten I was nearly naked in front of her. "You know, I've been thinking about licking this."

I commended myself on not falling over.

"You what?" I spluttered. "Bella, really, that is. . .that is. . .the hottest thing I've ever heard, but you're going to have to keep that to yourself."

Her eyes, hot and filled with tenderness, met mine. "Why not?" she asked simply.

I felt the control slipping out of my fingers. There was one long, tenuous moment, where I wasn't sure I could wrestle the frat boy under control, and I nearly felt her underneath me, moving hard against. . .

Snap out of it, I ordered myself sternly.

"There's more to see," I said, breaking the heat of the moment.

"Okay," she replied, clearly okay with that too.

I made sure to shift my boxers back up before I moved down the left side of the elastic to expose my USC logo. The burgundy and gold glowed dully in the low light as I glanced down, following Bella's gaze.

"Are there any more?" Bella's voice was hushed, and the temperature raised again. Her hands rested on my chest, and I barely refrained from flexing and showing off.

"Just one more," I said, and I couldn't help the gravely, lust-filled edge tone.

"Where is it?" she asked, craning her neck upwards until our mouths were only a breath away. I lost focus and almost forgot what she was asking about.

I hated to do it, but I took her hands carefully off my chest, and turned around, lifting the hem of my boxers almost all the way up to my butt.

I heard her little intake of breath when she saw it, and nothing had ever sounded so hot.

"It's a . . .cat," she said, sounding definitely surprised.

I nodded. I was about to correct her by saying it was a stylized portrayal of a cat—the cat that had died when I was 19—when I distinctly felt her tongue touch my skin.

Oh no. She was doing it. She was licking the tattoo on my back thigh. I nearly jumped out of my skin, and I could feel my control definitely slipping.

"Bella," I warned, feeling the frat boy begin to take control.

"What?" she asked, way too innocently.

"That's it, you've asked for it," I growled, turning around and pushing her back against the bed. My mouth met hers, hot and hard, and Bella squirmed against me. I loved that she was trying to get closer, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her flush against me, letting her feel just how much she'd turned me on.

We kissed and kissed, until we broke apart, panting for air.

"Wow," Bella breathed. "I had no idea that would happen."

I looked over at her, and saw the smile playing on her lips.

"Liar," I laughed. "You totally did."

She shrugged, admitting yet denying, everything.

"Come here," I told her, and she didn't hesitate, but wrapped herself around me, laying her head on my bare chest. Holding her felt strangely better than any of the gold medals I'd won this week. Maybe even all of them combined.

"Are you tired?" I asked, noticing that her eyes were closed.

She nodded slightly, and I reached over and turned the light off, and dragged the comforter over us. The last thing I remembered was the feel of her breaths on my bare skin. And I loved every single one.