AN: Posting a few hours early, so y'all can get to it. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and continued support. Your love for these two is amazing. So here we are, the day after the gala and conversations need to be had.

A big thank you goes out to my prereaders and my beta. I couldn't do this without them.

**Fiddling was had. All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 6

"Killing me slow, out the window

I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes

What doesn't kill me makes me want you more

And it's new, the shape of your body

It's blue, the feeling I've got

And it's ooh, whoa, oh

It's a cruel summer

it's cool, that's what I tell 'em

No rules in breakable heaven

But ooh, who, oh

It's a cruel summer

With you."

"Cruel Summer" by Taylor Swift

~oOo~

The pull between Bella and Edward was magnetic; they couldn't keep their hands to themselves when they were together. In the early morning light, they lay in bed, sated and sweaty, as their heartbeats slowed to normal rates. They had taken their time with each other, basking in the physical pleasure and the connection that seemed like so much more. They were both surprised at how natural — how easy — this felt. Smiling softly at each other, legs tangled together in the sheets, they let sleep consume them once again.

Later, the morning light painted the room through the blinds. Millie, ready for the day, jumped up on the bed, rousing them from a peaceful slumber.

"Want some coffee?" Bella lazily stretched, not ready to get out of bed.

"Yes." Edward raised his head from the pillow, not quite ready to get up either. He knew he needed coffee to get him moving.

Millie came face to face with Edward, giving him some serious licks. He chuckled at the anxious little pup, figuring this was her sign that she needed to go out. He grabbed his boxers and slid them on.

"You make the coffee. I got her." He walked out of the room with an excited puppy in his arms.

~oOo~

Sitting at the counter, they sipped their coffee. The hot elixir brought them both back to life, one sip at a time. It was still early and they were moving lazily, making the idea of going back to bed quite appealing.

"How does a frittata sound?" Bella asked.

"That sounds great. What can I do to help?" Edward got up and moved around the island, ready to work.

"I have just about any veggie you can think of, and I also have feta, cheddar, and Swiss cheese. Tell me what you want, and it's yours," she replied as she opened the fridge to gather the items he called out.

Edward came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his chin on her shoulder. "Anything I want, and it's mine?" he whispered, his lips teasing the space between her shoulder and her neck.

Bella tilted her head back, moaning as he began laying warm kisses on her neck. She held onto the fridge door, tightening her grip to steady herself. Shivers zinged through her body, and she rolled her ass back into him, feeling exactly how hard Edward was.

Edward groaned at the contact, pulling her closer. He reached around her, palming her breasts over the tank top she'd put on that morning. He massaged them as he licked and nipped the column of her neck. Bella put her hands on top of his and removed them from her chest, attempting to slow him down. She turned to face him, winding her arms around his neck as her fingers found purchase in the thick hair at the nape of his neck.

Unable to resist, Edward dipped his head, slanting his mouth over hers. The kiss, which started out sweet, coaxed her with each pass of his tongue. The intensity was swiftly building between them, and Bella knew she needed to stop what was happening before they once again got out of hand. Bella put her hands on each side of Edward's face, giving him a few pecks to slow them down. The fever between them since they'd met had yet to cool, and Bella was becoming overwhelmed. She needed to stop throwing caution to wind where he was concerned and get her head out of this lustful haze. She rested her forehead on his chest, collecting herself.

Bella could hear the rapid staccato of his heart beating in his chest. It was a much-needed boost to her ego knowing she could bring him from zero to hundred in a matter of seconds.

Edward held her tightly against him, running his fingers through her hair as he laid feather-like kisses on the top of her head.

"Edward…" Her voice was a bit breathy. "Gimme a second, lover boy." Bella lightly chuckled. "You make me lose myself when you're this close."

Edward unwrapped himself from their embrace and held up his palms in surrender. "I'm sorry, shug. When you said I could have anything I wanted, well —"

"You aren't the least bit sorry, darlin'," Bella quipped. "And don't even try to justify it."

"Guilty as charged." Edward couldn't help but give her a cheeky grin.

Slightly admonished, he let his mouth curl into an adorable pout. His hair was all over the place. A lock had swept low over his forehead into his eyes. He looked like a five-year-old who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Of course, this was Bella's cookie jar his hand got caught in, not that either of them was complaining.

His breathing was heavy as he discreetly adjusted himself, his boxers still fully tented, aching for the attention he knew he was being denied.

"Oh, I get it." Her eyes moved to where his hand had just been, and she silently groaned to herself, knowing how much he wanted her. "You're not the only one who has difficulty keeping their hands to themselves. And with the way we are, we may not eat until next week." She giggled, arching her brow at him. "And someone I know has a game tonight."

She wanted him, and she would have gladly given in to the attention he wanted to give her, but she still had some of last night roaming in her head. She wanted a little space, some time when she could think. He consumed her whenever they touched, whenever they kissed, so going back to bed so soon would completely negate what she felt she needed to do mentally. She could feel herself getting attached, and that worried her.

"Okay…okay…" Edward got his head back in the game. "Let's get this show on the road." He clapped his hands together. "How about some mushrooms, green onions, spinach, tomato, and feta?"

"Perfect. Let me grab the veggies for you to start dicing, and I'll work on the eggs." She handed him a knife and a cutting board.

"And, Swan, thank you." His handsome, boyish look returned in full form.

"For what?" She laid the vegetables down in front of him.

"For thinking of me." He gave her a peck on her lips.

She kissed him back, letting it linger for a few seconds. Then, when she broke the sweet moment, her stomach growled loudly. "Oops. Guess we both need feeding."

"Sounds like we both do." He laughed as he laid out the green onions to slice.

They worked quietly, each doing their own tasks. Once they were finished, Bella popped the frittata into the oven and excused herself to take a quick shower.

Edward poured himself another cup of coffee and plopped down in front of the TV with Millie by his side. He went straight to ESPN to see who was playing today and get all the MLB news.

While Bella was in the shower, she took time to contemplate how fast her emotions were taking over where Edward was concerned. He was the whole package; she could feel it. He made her feel as though she was the center of his attention when they were together. The way he looked at her lit her on fire. That meant he had the capacity to hurt her, badly.

So far, everything about them had been carefree and easy. The expectations were non-existent from the start. She needed to take charge of the situation and devise some way to control the narrative. She had never been in the driver's seat of any relationship before. She knew how athletes could be; she was one. They had a nomadic lifestyle, and when they were away, they liked to play and have their egos stroked. At least that was her experience, and one she was guilty of as well. However, when she committed, she was all-in and monogamous.

The problem was that Edward didn't come off as a player. He always seemed so sincere and engaged with her. He had a way about him that drew her in. But last night, when he panicked about not using a condom, she couldn't help but take pause. Of course, she didn't want to get pregnant — that would hurt her career as well — but she couldn't shake the feeling that he thought what they were doing was not worth pursuing. That she was, well, a groupie — someone to have fun with. And fun they were having, but she wondered if he didn't consider her as someone to take home to Mom.

Bella knew what she had to do. She wanted to maintain the carefree way their relationship had been going. She wasn't ready to give him up — chalking it up to having some fun and then moving on. She was enjoying herself, and really loving the way she felt with him. He made her feel empowered. So empowered she would be, and in the process, she would protect her heart.

Instead of the guy always steering the relationship, if that was what it was called between them, Bella decided she was going to make the calls. As she rinsed her hair one final time, she formed a plan, anxious to put it into action. She just hoped it didn't backfire on her. Her heart was depending on it.

~oOo~

Bella walked into the kitchen just before the oven timer was about to go off. She wore her hair down, and was dressed in comfortable athleisure wear. She wasn't a fussy girl and preferred to keep it nice and simple. She certainly wasn't going to change who she was for him — or anyone, ever again.

Edward was deep into his phone and didn't notice she had walked in. Beating the timer, Bella took out the frittata and laid it on the stove, letting it cool. Grabbing the fruit salad out of the fridge, she put it on the table, along with some plates and silverware.

"Edward," she called. No response. "Edward!" She raised her voice to get his attention.

"Ooof, sorry. I was reading my stats for today's game," he replied as he walked into the kitchen and poured himself a final cup of coffee. He couldn't help but appreciate the view of Bella in her tight leggings before sitting down to the feast they had created. "Wow, this really looks amazing," he praised as he cut the first piece to place in front of Bella.

"Yeah, we had some great teamwork." She smiled, scooping some fruit salad onto her plate.

"That we did." He chuckled as he took his first bite of frittata.

"Oh my God, Bella. This is so, so good." He moaned.

"Mhmmm," she agreed with her mouth full.

They enjoyed their meal in companionable silence. It was a beautiful day in Atlanta, a perfect day for baseball, or really, any other outdoor activity. If he had the time, Edward would have wanted to go walk the belt line, maybe head into Ponce City Market and grab a coffee or a beer, and soak up some sunshine.

As he continued to eat, his mind wandered back to last night. He still couldn't believe he ran into Bella at the gala. Frankly, he couldn't believe his damn luck that he was sitting beside her, eating at her kitchen table, not to mention the fact that she invited him in. He entered with no preconceived ideas. He would have been just as happy escorting her to the door and stealing a goodnight kiss, but damn, she was so hard to resist. He knew he was one lucky bastard.

After he'd popped a piece of fruit in his mouth, he admired her natural beauty, accentuated by the healthy glow of her skin as the sunlight from the window shined on her.

"I had a great time last night," he said, focusing his attention back on Bella.

"Me too." Her voice was sultry and her eyes held a flicker of fire behind them.

"I meant at the gala, Bella," he said with a smirk. "Wasn't it just beauti —"

Bella flung a grape at him, hitting him right on the nose. They broke into laughter, and she snorted at the shocked look on his face.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself." She giggled some more.

"I guess that's what I get for being a smart ass," he said with a shrug.

"You said it, not me." She quirked an eyebrow at him.

They continued to tease each other relentlessly, laughing at the other's expense. Once they calmed down and went back to eating, the banter took on a more conversational tone.

"So Edward, I was wondering. Do you…do this often?" she asked nervously, knowing she was about to open a can of worms.

"Hmmm? Do what?"

"Sweep unsuspecting women off their feet with your southern charm and good looks." She tried to keep it light and funny, though she meant every word. She knew she was setting a stage.

"You think I'm good-looking?" He gave her a crooked grin, wondering where the conversation was going.

"You know I do, Edward." She shifted in her seat as the nerves began to get to her. "And that's not an answer to my question." She gave him a semi-serious look.

Edward started to feel uncomfortable. What had started as fun and lighthearted, was now turning into a question about his integrity. He looked pointedly at her. "What exactly are you asking, Swan?"

"I was just curious if this was a habit you made, or what? You know…dazzling women and such."

"Do I dazzle you, Bella?" Amusement washed over his face as he leaned in, anticipating her answer.

She blushed. The question rendered her speechless for the moment because hell yeah, he dazzled her. That was the problem. She couldn't think straight when he was around her.

"So, you're asking if I'm a player? Is that your question?"

"Not exactly a player…just wondering, how many of us there are out there."

He looked at her as if she'd slapped him.

He wiped his mouth with the napkin, his brows furrowed in confusion as he placed his fork loudly on the plate.

"You want to do this now, Swan?"

The awkward silence was deafening as Edward waited for a response. Bella nodded her head with trepidation at what she knew she had unleashed.

Edward rested his elbows on the table, his fingers entwined tightly as he looked into her wide eyes. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak, irritation laced in his tone.

"Do I date? Yes, I date, but nothing serious. Do I have women in every town? No. Have I met women while I'm on the road? Occasionally, yes. Next question."

Edward was annoyed. That was not how he thought the morning was going to go. Sure, he understood she might want to know the type of man he was, but this line of questioning stuck in his craw. Feeling a little salty, he decided to dish it right back at her.

"Are you a player, Swan? Do you have men in every town you play in?" He stared into her eyes, his green gaze cutting sharply into hers. He wasn't going to let her off the hook easily.

"No, I don't. I date as well, but nothing serious. Like you, I don't have time for a serious relationship." She felt like a complete idiot, asking him those questions. She was basically interrogating him. Of course, he would be offended.

Then Edward started to laugh. "Well, look at us. Aren't we the most pathetic people we know?" He couldn't stay mad at her, and he wanted to lighten the moment. It was getting too…well, too damn heavy, actually.

Bella was relieved he was laughing. It allowed her a second to laugh and relieve some of her own nerves. The absurdity of the conversation she started was not missed on her.

"Hey! We aren't pathetic, just busy." She giggled. The laughter broke what could have been an even more awkward and uncomfortable moment. She wanted to lead into the second part of her plan more delicately to alleviate any more unpleasantness. She sat there, took a sip of her coffee, and decided what she wanted to say next.

"I like the casualness of us." She paused to see his reaction, gauging the mood. "Neither of us has felt any pressure, yet we seem to enjoy ourselves when we're together. It's all been very…organic."

"I agree. We have a lot in common, and well, I'd like to think we've struck up a pretty nice friendship."

"Friends who like to…play a little?" She simply couldn't refuse. Anyone with two eyes could see they could barely keep their hands to themselves.

"A little?" Edward coughed. "What's your definition of a little?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she locked eyes with him. "It's all a matter of perspective, Edward."

"All right, I'll have to keep that in mind." He waggled his eyebrows.

"You do that, big guy." She snickered.

They continued eating, yet the room felt thick with unknown words and unexpressed thoughts.

Finally, Bella thought it might be her chance to bring up what she had been thinking about in the shower.

"Edward, listen. I didn't mean to offend you earlier. I was just…trying to get to know you better. I'm not quite sure what we're doing here?" She motioned between them. "I don't normally do…this. I know this sounds bad, but I try to stay away from athletes. I know the grind. I know the road and the egos. They don't usually mix well." She knew the implications of her words, but she didn't want him to take it the wrong way. He had been a perfect gentleman to her, and very upfront with her about how he operated.

"Swan, we're doing whatever you feel comfortable with. Now, not all athletes are bad. Remember, your sister is married to one, and Emmett is a hell of a guy from what I know so far."

Edward could tell by the tone of her voice and look on her face, she'd been hurt. Whatever went down between her and Black had to be a doozy. His heart clenched at the thought of anyone hurting her. Bella tended to wear her emotions on her sleeve, something he noticed on the very first night they met. It was why he made sure she knew where his head was, and how invested he was with his time and his efforts to the game. He never wanted to hurt anyone again.

He continued, wanting to make sure she knew he was always going to be straight with her. "Have I enjoyed our time together? Absolutely. Have I thought about you since our time together? I'd be a liar if I said I hadn't. Am I ready for a commitment? I'll be honest with you…I'm not. But I don't think that's what you're asking."

"It's not," she agreed. "And thank you for your honesty." She really did appreciate all he brought to the table—honesty being one of them.

Bella looked him in the eyes. "I've liked not feeling the stress of a relationship, and so far, what we've been doing seems to be working. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to continue to see you."

"Me too." He squeezed her hand and smiled. She'd brought him to a good place in his head. The unrealistic expectations weren't there. She was tenacious and independent, and that was a huge turn-on for him. She didn't "need" him.

"So, I was thinking…" Bella inhaled, grounding herself for the words she was about to speak. Holding his hand tighter, she began to lay out her idea. "How about we continue what we're doing? Stay friends, call, text, whatever, when we can, and when we're in Atlanta, we can meet up, date, do whatever we want, and no one gets hurt. Nothing exclusive. And…how can I say this? What happens on the road stays on the road?"

Edward looked at her questioningly. "Are you sure this is something you can live with, Bella? 'Cause I don't want to hurt you."

"I think it is a deal I can definitely live with. Can you? I mean… I am pretty hard to resist."

"That you are." He beamed at her and leaned in for a kiss.

Edward was apprehensive about this "arrangement" she was proposing, but he couldn't help also feeling relieved. The pressure and expectations were gone, but he also didn't want to take advantage. It felt like a double-edged sword, and he wasn't sure which side of that sword he should walk on. Bella seemed to want to make things easy, so he decided to let her take the lead and see how it all worked out. He knew for sure he wanted to keep seeing her, date her when he could, and see how it could all play out. This idea of hers definitely made things easier on his end.

"And may I add one more thing?" she interjected.

"Shoot."

"Can we not tell anyone? Keep it just between us? I dread hearing what Rose would think. She would never let this go."

Laughing, Edward responded, "I'm with you. The ribbing I'd get in the locker room is all the motivation I need. But we have to tell them something. You know they can smell blood at fifty paces."

Bella sighed. "Damnit, you're right. Rose is a bloodhound."

"Let's just go with what's the most obvious. We're friends. They don't need to know any more than that. Deal?" Edward questioned.

"Deal."

They got up and cleaned the kitchen, an air of ease floating around them. Looking at his watch, Edward knew the time was drawing near for him to go.

"I'm gonna need to leave soon."

Looking at him, she nodded, still not sure what to say to him. How would they end the wonderful time they'd just had, only to put their deal into motion. Had she ruined things? She truly wasn't sure.

Edward pulled Bella to him, wrapping his strong arms around her waist. He stared down at her for a moment. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as his fingers lightly tickled her waist.

"Don't people seal the deal? Just asking for a friend." He grinned, his cocky smile gleaming at her.

Her voice was low when she replied, "I believe they do."

He put a finger under her chin, tilting her head back just enough for him to capture her lips, kissing her senseless.

"I still have a bit of time," Edward panted into her mouth. The kiss damn near killed him. He was instantly hard against her again, which he noticed happened a lot when she was around. Damn, he needed to get a grip.

Bella groaned, accepting his invitation. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, greedily kissing him.

His hands gripped her ass as he held her against him to show her exactly how much he wanted her.

"Take me to bed, Edward," she whispered into his mouth between kisses. "We can be quick." Her legs tightened around him.

"Deal."

AN: So how are we doing? What do you think of this deal Bella proposed? Stupid, right? I'm sure y'all thought Edward would pull this, but nope, our Bella is carrying some baggage, as well as Edward, and took the bull by the horns. Do you think it will work, or do you think their chemistry will continue to break down those walls she is putting up? It's hard trying to find your footing when you both have a past, so Bella is doing the best she can at the moment. Don't be hating on her, she is protecting that heart of hers.

Just so you know, if you haven't read my bio on FFN, I am Edward and Bella all the way. Total HEA girl, so TRUST ME. Take the ride and see how they get their HEA.

You can find me on Fb as Pamela Lorraine and also in the For the Love of Sportsward group. Come chat about the story on any of the posts anytime.

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and theories, so please kindly review.

See you in two weeks.

~Be Happy

~Be Kind

~Be Blessed

~DrivingEdward