AN: I have no real posting schedule. If I finish a chapter, I'll upload it for you. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far.

Thanks to my pre-reader, Brina.

All the grammar mistakes are mine. I try to catch them before posting, but miss some and will try to fix them if I see them after posting.

* to the guest who pointed out my error in this chapter, thank you for being a sweetheart by the way you informed me. I cherish your input.


Chapter Three

-No Take Backs-

Edward settles the tab, and we leave the club. We had both been drinking, and luckily, Edward had a driver prepared and he took us to Edward's apartment. When we got into the SUV, the attraction and pull we felt inside grew even more potent in the confines of the backseat. There's a buzzing and it hums loudly. Our bodies are pressing together with the heat of lust still radiating between us and it's making me sweat. The past twelve hours has been a blur, but being with him makes me feel alive and beautiful. It's exciting and new, causing the insane, tense fluttering of butterflies.

EC's larger-than-life presence is intoxicating and intimidating and his sage green eyes are always on me. Every time I blush, he draws his fingers down my cheek. That chaste touch causes shivers all over my body. He moves closer and closer until there is nowhere left to go. His hands engulf mine, and every nerve within me ignites. This man is a force in this world, and he leaves no room to breathe.

"Hey," Edward says and rubs my arms for warmth, but it only causes more chills. "Are you cold?"

"No," I say, "far from it."

"Then why are you shivering?"

"Because you're touching me."

He jerks his hands away and says, "I'm sorry."

"No!" I grab his hand before he can get too far away from me. "I didn't mean for you to stop."

Edward laughs at the way I responded to him.

As if he's never seen a girl act this way toward him, and I'm sure that's true. I couldn't help how much he turned me on, but also, I'd been dreaming and praying for this moment since I was twelve.

I mean, not so much in the rated R sense of grinding bodies, but a PG-13 version of holding hands and eating ice cream together.

From the moment we stopped kissing, all I wanted to do was do it again. Edward must have felt the same because his hands would come up to my face, directing my gaze to his own, but he always hesitated. The feeling of need, want, and lust ignited a fire in my chest; I couldn't remember the last time I desired someone this much.

Edward asks, "Are you okay with this?" He adds, "I don't want to rush you."

I answer, "I'm more than okay," and it's hard not to sound breathless or needy. "I want this."

"Good," he says. His eyes close briefly, then they snap open, darker than I've ever seen them. "So, it's okay to kiss you again?"

"Yes, it's definitely okay."

Edward slowly put his mouth to mine. It was tender, soft, and sweet, but it barely scratched the surface. He takes a forceful grip on my hips and pulls me closer as the passion intensified. I throw my arms around his neck and completely melt into him. The man could kiss; that was for damn sure. His lips were firm, and his tongue wasn't chaotic but stern, dominant. Edward slid his hands up the side of my body until he was palming my breasts. I didn't shy away but leaned into his grasp. That drove him crazy, and the gentleman became rougher, more urgent, and his kisses became feverish.

Taking fistfuls of his hair, I lay back in the seat until he's on top of me. Edward grabs my thigh, digging his fingers into my skin, and jerks my leg up. Every inch of him is strained and ready. The need for him heightens, and I yank him closer, nibbling on his bottom lip. He groans and thrust into me. My mind goes astray; I imagine how there was little fabric between us and it wouldn't take much to slip him inside.

If he wanted to, I would let him, and I didn't care that we had an audience.

Edward was hot, and I am barely managing to keep things between us PG-13. He even makes things more difficult for me when he drags the shoulder of my dress down and kisses my bare skin.

"Oh!" I moan, opening my legs wider and shifting my hips, giving him more leverage to grind into me.

The driver coughs and clears his throat; we've gone too far and made him uncomfortable.

"Time out, Bruiser," Edward says as he pushes himself off of me. He fixes his jacket and hair, but his lips are still red from my lipstick and swollen from the blood rushing to them.

"Yeah," I say, still out of breath.

Edward takes my hand and helps me sit up. My dress was pushed to my waist, revealing my best and sexiest black panties. His eyes widened slightly, but like a gentleman, he doesn't linger for long and pulls down the edge of my dress, smoothing it over my thighs. Finally, I am completely covered, and my virtue was again safe.

Not for much longer, I hope.

A minute or so later, the SUV pulls up to a curb and parks in front of Edward's apartment. It's an expensive neighborhood of Seattle, in one of those sky-rise buildings only rich people could afford to live in, but my only thought was how I lived less than twenty minutes away from him.

Edward hands the driver a hundred-dollar tip.

It's funny to watch the guy act more gracious afterwards. He's all, "Yes, sir," and "Thank you, sir," and "Have a great night, sir."

I laugh. "I get that a lot with servers," I say. "They assume I don't tip well because I'm a college student, so they will treat me poorly. It's funny to watch them kiss my butt after tipping them over thirty percent."

He shrugs. "I figured the guy deserved it. He put up with me trying to maul you."

"I believe I was the one who tried to maul you."

Edward grabs the front of my dress and tugs me into him. He's so massive and tall compared to me, and I feel defenseless under his heated gaze.

Edward smirks. "When did you become so sexy?"

"You've been gone for a long time, Mr. Cullen."

He leans away, only slightly, but keeps me at arm's length and does a quick head-to-toe assessment.

"Yes, it does appear so."

We move in for a kiss, but a random stranger across the street yells out Edward's name, ruining the mood. It's an unpleasant reminder that we're in public, and he's extremely famous. The last thing we need is to be the front page story of some sleazy tabloid. What would my mother think? And Emmett? How upset would he be when he reads that his little sister had hooked up with his best friend?

My mood changes, and I do a complete one-eighty. Edward is tuned into it instantly – as if he were dialed right into my frequency.

He says, "Let's get inside."

"That's a good idea."

He takes my hand and rushes me through the lobby. The doorman greets us with a tip of his hat, and Edward nods, giving him some money as we pass. The elevator takes us to the penthouse. As we zip up twenty floors there is only three feet of separation between us and we work hard at keeping our hands to ourselves. The camera in the upper right corner of the elevator with the blinking red light ensures that we stay well-behaved.

The doors slide open to Edward's penthouse apartment. My jaw drops at the sheer size of this place. It's beyond gorgeous. There are twenty-foot ceilings, a spiral staircase leading to a bedroom loft, and a wide-open floor plan. The kitchen, living room, and dining area were all in one space. Everything felt warm, lived in, and yet sophisticated. Edward stands back and watches me explore his home. His smile tells me that he's amused by my habit of having to touch everything.

I spin around and cock an eyebrow at him. "How many girls have you brought back to this bachelor pad?" The second that leaves my mouth, I regret it.

Why would I want to know about other women? I wouldn't, but I'm trying to be cheeky and conversational.

Edward steps closer and gently tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're the only girl I've ever wanted to bring back here."

"No cap?"

He laughs. "No, what?"

"That means your old," I tease.

"Hey, I'm not that old. Still under thirty over here, all right? Take it easy on me, kid."

"All right, all right. I'll educate you this one time and one time only, okay?"

"Fair enough."

"No cap is slang for being truthful. Like, you're not lying to me."

His eyes never leave mine and they're filled with sincerity. "I have no reason to lie to you. You're not some girl I met at the club. You're my Bruiser. We have a history."

"I'm also your best friend's sister."

Edward ducks his head and rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, I kind of wish that part wasn't true."

The tension between us became awkward again. I've wanted to be with Edward since, well, forever, but I can't seem to stop being so nervous around him. What if my anxiety causes him to rethink everything? Will he then realize that tonight wasn't worth the risk of losing Emmett's friendship?

"Edward, look..."

"Just don't say it." He looks away from me and stares up at the ceiling. The stress is evident in his face as he runs his hands through his hair and groans with frustration. "What am I doing?"

And that seems like the end for me, but I didn't want to leave things there. What I say next is my desperate attempt at trying to ease his conscience.

"If you're worried about 'Em, he doesn't need to know." I let my hands rest on his stomach and he doesn't flinch, but I can feel every muscle in his stomach, and I'm aroused again. "I can keep a secret."

Edward refuses to budge and shakes his head.

Well, I guess that's that. I had to go and open my big stupid mouth and mention Emmett - which would kill any mood - and now this beautiful man sees that sleeping with me is a risk not worth taking.

Before my heart breaks any further, I decide to end things cleanly.

"Okay. I understand. I should leave."

As I head for the door, Edward places his hand on my waist. The motion is quick; he spins me around and back into his arms. His lips are on mine before I can think, but my response matches his need. He opens his mouth, and so do I, and our tongues meet again. It's electric, the buzzing hum of chemistry we share is hard to deny.

Why did it take me so long to have him this way?

When Edward finishes kissing me, my legs feel like jello, and I sag against him. He pulls back and holds my gaze. "I know this might be a mistake, but I can't let you go, Bruiser. Will you please stay with me tonight?"

The pleading in his voice and the way he looks at me, so full of desire and need, sets me off. No longer willing to play bashful or coy, I throw my arms around his neck and thrust my body into him. He grunts at the sudden weight but rebounds quickly. Edward picks me up, and I wrap my legs around him. He palms my ass and lifts me higher. That one move gives me leverage to kiss him deeply and passionately, but it still doesn't feel like enough.

I don't want to come up for air and would happily die with his lips on mine, but Edward's smile against my mouth breaks through my frenzy.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Please shut up and take me to your room."

"Yes, ma'am."

Edward carries me with ease up the stairs and into his room. He playfully throws me onto his king-sized bed. I kick off my heels as he peels off his jacket and removes his shirt. I'm trying to keep a neutral face, but Edward's body was causing me palpitations. He's muscular, that much I expected, but not overly so, just long and lean. His pelvis has that glorious 'V' popping out as he unbuckles his pants and let them hang low on his hips.

My mouth goes dry, and I swallow profusely.

He beckoned me with his finger, saying, "Come here."

I rise from the bed and place my hands on his chest. I'm mesmerized by his soft skin and hard muscles. My touch lingers along his pecs, down his stomach, until my fingers graze over his happy trail.

"You're perfect," I whisper.

Edward chuckles and gently pushes me back onto the bed. He crawls on top of me, being mindful to keep all his two hundred and fifty pound weight off me. I wrap my arms around him as he leans in and presses our lips together.

How does kissing him get better and better each time?

Edward doesn't rush me or demand anything. He enjoys taking his time and allowing our tongues to explore. I can taste the wine still, but it's not the alcohol that gives me a buzz; instead, I am intoxicated by him.

I clutch the back of his neck and pull him further into our kiss. Edward allows only so much before he shifts away slightly, wedging his knee between my thighs, easing my legs open. He has more room to lie between them, and that's when I truly feel his desire for me. It's straining and pressing through his jeans. Any movement of my hips causes it to rub against me. He moans at the contact. It's so sexy, and I want to hear more.

"I need to…"

Edward hums but continues to kiss me along my neck and mouth.

"Edward, I want you."

"I want you, too."

He's breathless, but he doesn't understand my meaning. I reach down between us and palm his entire length. He twitches against me, his head snapping up and his eyes locking with mine.

"No, Edward," I smile coyly. "I want you inside of me."

He curses and attacks my mouth. The kiss is hungry, and I'm trying to keep up with his frantic, needy pace; but Edward's stronger. My head is spinning by the time he pulls away. I'm not sure if it was him or the lack of oxygen that made me dizzy.

"Can I see you?"

I bite my bottom lip and nod.

Edward shifts his body off me and stands at the side of the bed. He grabs my hands and helps me up as well. We are chest to chest, with no inch of space between us. Taking a step back, Edward gives me plenty of room to remove my clothes. My heart is pounding, but it's an exciting kind of nervous. I want him to see all of me and touch every bit of my skin.

I take a deep, calming breath and unzip my dress, shrugging it off my shoulders. He assist me by slipping it off my body and then gently hangs it over the back of one of the chairs in his room. When he returns his attention to me, my bra and panties are nothing more than a puddle at my feet.

Edward gulps loudly, but he doesn't blink. The way he just never looks away from me is disarming. I blush and stare at my feet.

"My God, Bruiser," he whispers, lifting my head and brushing the hair away from my shoulder. He traces his fingers from my collarbone down to my navel. A burst of goosebumps erupt all over my body, and a shiver hardens my nipples. "You're so beautiful."

"I've shown you mine," I say, grabbing the buckle of his jeans and jerk him into me. "Now show me yours."

He smirks, turned on by my aggressiveness. "Gladly."

Edward steps back as I sit on the edge of the bed. He doesn't strip like a sexy dancer; he undresses like he would if I wasn't here, but still, it's so sexy. The world slows down until it stops: my breathing, my heart, my mind - everything.

I can't take my eyes off of him, and I finally understand why Edward didn't blink either. Most penis' I've seen have looked weird to me, but not Edward's. No, sir. His penis is beautiful. Like, crazy beautiful, and I'm completely stunned by how flawless he is—and far from lacking, let me tell you. He's cut and reasonably thick, but not so long that it would stab me in the eye. It does cross my mind that he might not fit, but I wouldn't run away. I'm not a quitter. I've wanted this chance with Edward for a long time and planned for him to be my first. For a while, I tried to save myself for him, but life happened. He moved away, and I had to move on.

I'm glad, though.

My experiences had made me confident and not afraid of sex. It felt good; I enjoyed it, and I wanted that with Edward.

"Come here," I say, mirroring his earlier statement and beckoning gesture.

Edward bends over and places his hands on the sides of my hips for stability. We kiss, but it's never enough, and I always want more. I put my fingers in his hair and grip a handful. He eases onto the bed to lie on top of me; as hard as it is to break away from his mouth, I want to put my mouth somewhere else on him.

Edward ask, "Is everything okay?" confused by my pulling away.

"Everything is perfect," I say, slipping my hand between us and taking him in my grasp.

His eyes narrow briefly as I twist my wrist, but it's too dry. Keeping my gaze on him, I lean forward and take him all the way into my mouth until he hits my throat.

Edward hisses and grips fistfuls of my hair. "Jesus, honey." He twitches and jerks inside my mouth. His eyes are wide, shocked at seeing my lips flush against his skin.

I hold him there as long as possible, and when I finally have to take a breath, I pull away. The gagging has created a lot of saliva. It's slippery now, and I can stroke him up and down with more ease. My mouth takes him fully again. The licking, twisting, and stroking drive him wild. Edward tries to let me lead, but his strangled grip on my hair tells me how badly he wants to thrust deep into my mouth.

I love feeling the softness of his skin and the taste of him on my tongue. It turns me on more than I thought it would. I've never been one to enjoy giving head, but if Edward would let me, I would gladly do this to him all day long.

He groans and pulls out of my mouth. "Let me feel you."

"Okay." I scoot up onto the bed, and he follows me.

Spreading my legs, Edward crawls up and wedges himself between them. Reaching down, he grips himself and slides the head up and down me. The aching neediness intensified and my hips lift to meet him, and just as the tip enters me, he jumps off the bed like it's on fire.

I sit up. "What's wrong?"

Edward's frantically going through his bedside drawer. "God damn it! I fucking...shit!"

"What are you looking for?"

"I don't have any condoms here."

Probably because he goes through them so fast; that's a bit snarky, and I feel bad for even thinking it.

"You must have a box of them somewhere," I say.

Edward slams the drawer shut. "Not fucking likely. I don't buy them often."

He's still hard as a rock, and I hate wasting such a perfect penis. The debate in my head isn't much of a discussion. Condoms are used to prevent pregnancies and STDs. I'm on the shot, and I'm assuming Edward is clean.

So, okay, my excuses for having unprotected sex with Edward are silly and flimsy, but I'm bursting at the seams. I want to be with this man more than anything, so I decided to take a chance.

"I'm on birth control," I say.

His hopeful eyes shot back at me. "Yeah?"

"Yes, I am. We're good, unless you think there's something else I should know."

Edward grabs my ankles and yanks me to the edge of the bed. "No, we're fucking good."

He spreads my legs open and moves in between them. I hold my breath as he licks his palm and strokes himself. It's the hottest thing ever, and I become a puddle of goo beneath him. My heart is racing, and I feel the blood pounding behind my eyes. The excitement and anticipation of feeling him inside me overpower all my thoughts.

It's difficult to stay focused.

"Stay with me, honey," he says, cupping the side of my face, and I stare back into his eyes. They're so dilated with lust and they're no longer green; they're just straight black.

"I'm here," I say, but he teases me again by rubbing his head against my engorged nub. In times like these, I want to scream out every curse I know, but I bite my lip. "Mmm, yes."

Edward smirks all smug, but then goes completely catatonic the second he enters me. That look of bliss on his face matches my own – and yes, he's a tight fit, but I wrap every one of my limbs around that boy and hold him to me. We're both holding our breath, too afraid to ruin this feeling, this perfect moment.

Then moves an inch and my hands fly up to his shoulders as he sinks deeper into me. He hits my resistance. It's painful, and I grit my teeth, but with his hips and pelvis flush against mine, I am as close to Edward as humanly possible.

And it's still not enough.

I reach up and push the hair away from his forehead. "No take-backs."

His eyes bore into mine. "No take-backs."

Whatever guilt we harbored is lifted, and we allow ourselves to just be and enjoy each other.

Edward eases out of me slowly, and my breath ceases as the tension rises between us. He puts a gentle hand on the side of my face, and it's tender, but as his gaze darkens, his grip lowers until it's resting on the nape of my neck. I clench around him, making the fit even tighter. Pushing into me, Edward pauses and holds it there for a second, savoring our closeness. He moves his hips back, achingly slow, enjoying every inch he touches, before ramming into me with force. I moan and arch my back in pleasure. Edward continues this pattern; each time, his pace picks up, and he hits that spot that makes my toes curl.

"Oh, God, yes!" I cry out, digging my nails into his shoulders.

"Fuck!" Edward yanks me up by my neck and kisses me hard. "You are so gorgeous."

I love you; I think it loudly in my head, but outwardly, I can only manage a whisper. "Please."

The power and intensity of his thrusts build, and the tightness in my stomach grows stronger, signaling that I am close.

Edward settles his weight and sits up. He grabs my knee, pushes my leg up to my chest, and twists my body to the side. That gives him a better angle to hit my G-spot and rub that throbbing ache. He takes full advantage of this position, let me tell you.

The sway of Edward's hips is like waves in an ocean. He rolls into me, fully and completely. I'm grasping at the sheets, trying to hang on to this rocking ship. He watches my face as his hands multitask. One of them is on my breasts, caressing and tweaking, while the other hand is down below, only using two fingers to make me come. The massaging of my nub sends shivers throughout my body. He works it in tandem with each thrust of his hips.

The itch that only Edward can scratch is right there on the surface. I see it in his eyes as well—the faraway look of trying to think of something else and away from the feelings of pleasure.

I push my butt into him, needing him more and more, and he grips my waist, trying to maintain his head but really losing control over me.

"Oh, honey!" he says, his brow furrowing in concentration. "So good."

I close my eyes and it takes over.

An orgasm is hard to describe. It's a feeling you chase, even though it lasts no longer than ten seconds, but it's a serene bliss. I scream his name, and Edward smothers me with his mouth. He goes harder and faster, relentlessly seeking his own rapture, but he hesitates, still unsure.

"It's okay, baby." I say against his lips. "I want you to come in me."

That does it, sending him spiraling. Edward lets out a whimper, a rough grunt, and I feel him let go. The jerking and pulsating are jarring, and I can't believe this beautiful man has just released everything into me.

"Shit," Edward says as his body goes limp against mine. He's heavy, and I gasp as the air gets knocked out of me. "Damn, honey, I'm sorry."

He rolls off me but doesn't go far. We are hip to hip, and we are both trying to catch our breath. The second I feel a chill, Edward's back at me, wrapping me up in his strong, warm arms. He kisses my shoulder and nuzzles his nose into the back of my neck. I close my eyes and try to burn this moment into my brain. The night's end is fast approaching and Edward will go away. I know this is it for us, and I will never see him again, but while we are here, and this perfect man is holding me, I can pretend he's mine.

"You will stay the night, right?" His voice is faint, and I barely hear him.

"What do you mean?"

He props himself up, and I turn to face him. Those green eyes are killing me for the millionth time tonight.

"Stay with me tonight." I blush, and he touches my cheek. "I mean it."

I smile. "You've twisted my arm."

He smiles back. "I bet."

It wasn't long before we were both cleaned and dressed for bed. Edward lent me his shirt. It was a simple cotton tee with his team's logo. I loved it because it was soft and smelled like him.

Turning off the overhead light, Edward slips beside me in bed. He pulls me close by the hips, and I throw my leg over him, intertwining our bodies.

"Good night, Edward."

"Good night, Bruiser."


I am up before the sun wakes up Edward. Thankfully, he's a hard sleeper, and I am able to leave without him knowing. The last thing I want is for him to give me a speech about remaining friends. I'm not stupid. What I had with Edward last night was wonderful, but not what's real. The morning light tells me that's where my fairytale ends. I am just a home-game fling to EC, and I'm okay – really.

However, I did take a moment to appreciate Edward's beauty when he slept. The stress of his days disappeared when he closed his eyes, and his boyish good looks returned. I could watch him forever, but knowing our time together was limited helped me protect my heart.

Once I got downstairs, I called an Uber to take me back to the club to pick up my car. The overnight parking ticket was a nightmare. It cost me more than I wanted, but after the night I had, there's no doubt I would do it again.

On my way home, Emmett calls, and I panic, letting it go to voicemail. Then he texts me: Hey, Sis! I hope you had a great time at the game. Did you get to see Edward? Call me when you get a chance.

What was I going to tell him? Not the truth, obviously.

I look up at my reflection in the rearview mirror; my eyes were bright, and a small smile played on my lips. Wow! Look at me; I feel like the cat who caught the canary.

The reality of what I'd done was sinking in, and a knot of dread grew in my stomach. What have I done? I had a one-night stand with Edward. Yes, I definitely did that, but what does that mean for us now? He was my brother's best friend. It wasn't like I could just ghost him and pretend like it never happened. Emmett and Edward still talk and see each other from time to time, and running into EC was inevitable. And what would I say to him if we came face to face again? Could I keep my feelings for him under wraps?

I'm in love with him.

And I realize I have never stopped being in love with him.

No amount of time or distance would ever lesson that.

"Ugh, you are so dumb, Belly," I say to my reflection, but I can't take what I've done back. So, there. I try to smile, but it's weak. "You know what? We had fun, right? But now it's over. It meant nothing. Just some wholesome hookup with the man you're in love with."

I sigh, gently beating my head on my steering wheel while I'm stopped at a red light.

That little pep-talk of mine only made me feel worse, and half of it is an outright lie, but it doesn't matter. Things right now are too complicated and I don't want to think about it anymore. All I needed to do is get home, shower, sadly wash the smell of this gorgeous man off me, and get back to my life.

That's the only way to protect my heart.


AN: I had some wonderful ladies make some banners for this fic, and since I can't choose between them, I'm just going to rotate them every chapter.

Again, Thank you, Sue Gilreath and Brier Lynn Rose.