I'm not usually one to read or watch entertainment news, but this story about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (the tight end from the Kansas City Chiefs) is too cute to ignore …

How will Edward react?

Chapter Three

Staring at his phone, he felt parched. He blindly reached for his water bottle, chugging it. He was so focused on the phone that he did not notice Emmett sitting down next to him, wearing only a towel, and dripping all over Edward. "What are you doing?" Emmett asked, roughly rubbing a towel through his dark, curly locks, splattering Edward with his cast-offs.

"Picking up my jaw off the floor," Edward answered, showing him the text from Bella.

"Fuck me sideways," Emmett laughed. "Are you sure it's her?"

"No, but I don't recognize the number," Edward replied, turning off the screen and scrubbing his face. "I mean … what if my insane plan worked?" He stood up, shaking his head.

"Are you going to respond?"

"When I get home," Edward said, plucking several clean towels from the bin.

"You should, at least, text her back," Emmett countered, reaching into Edward's locker, and holding out his phone. "Tell her you got her message, and you want to rock her body."

"Why am I friends with you?" Edward deadpanned, walking to the showers. "I'm not going to say that, asshole. It may work for you, but that's not my style."

"And, when was the last time you got laid?" Emmett asked, standing up and rooting around his locker.

"That's not your concern," Edward choked out, trying to finagle his way out of this conversation. It had been over a year since he'd had sex. It was with a woman he'd been seeing, but there was no connection. Shortly after they'd had sex, she'd ghosted him.

It turned him off to dating, making him turn into a proverbial monk …

Though, he'd fantasized about Bella Swan more times than he'd cared to admit, wrapping his hand around his cock imagining her beauty - her heart-shaped face, deep brown doe eyes, pale skin and chestnut hair falling over her shoulders in soft waves with a voice like an angel that sung him to sleep.

Darting into the showers, Edward washed off the practice and his mind circled about the message innocently waiting on his cell phone. Finishing up, he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked back to the locker room. A few of teammates were getting dressed. Thankfully, Emmett had left, but not without leaving a note in Edward's locker.

Rock. Her. Body.

Picking up his phone, he took a picture of his middle finger and sent it off to Emmett. Dressing in a pair of jeans and team hoodie, Edward left the locker room and drove to his condo. Parking his car, he rode up to his penthouse and made himself some dinner. Once he was done with his meal, he sat down on his couch. He read and reread the message from Bella. Or was it Bella?

"Fuck it," he proclaimed, pressing the text message, and dialing the unfamiliar number. It rang twice until before a sweet voice picked up.

"Hello?" she asked.

Edward gulped down his nerves, shifting on his couch. "B-B-Bella?" he replied. "This is Edward Cullen."

She giggled, "I know. I have your number programmed into my phone. It's nice to meet you, Edward Cullen. I'm Bella and I have to say that this is the most unique way to pick up a woman."

Edward barked out a laugh. "I'm normally much smoother, but I'm kind of having fanboy moment."

In her hotel, Bella blushed and smiled softly. After her research, she was having her own fangirl moment. Edward Cullen was fifty shades of hot. "I think the bracelet thing was very smooth, Edward." Looking down to her arm, she saw the sweet token of his flirtation around her wrist. "Who helped you make it?"

"I'll have you know that I did it myself," he snickered. "Those beads were tiny, but I persevered. I was determined to get it right."

"Well, I'm impressed," she smiled. "You also impressed my assistant, Rosalie."

"Tall and blonde?" Edward asked.

"With a pencil in her hair and running around like a chicken without its head?" Bella clarified.

"Yeah, her," he nodded with a quiet chuckle. "She came to the box to check to see how we were doing, and I slipped it to her, asking her to give it to you. At first, I thought she was going to throw it back at me." Edward thought back to when he handed the bracelet to Rosalie. She furrowed her brow, eyeing Edward dubiously, but when she saw his earnest expression, she slid it into her pocket.

"Rose usually has a good read on people," Bella said. "She saw something in you, something good and kind."

"Most of the time. When I'm losing in the fourth quarter? Not so much," Edward snorted. "I still can't believe you texted me. You are the most popular singers on the planet … not to mention absolutely gorgeous."

Bella's face flamed at his compliment, "Says one of the People's most beautiful. I've yet to make that list." She bit her lip. "Thank you, though. So, tell me about yourself. Something that can't be read on the internet."

"Well, I was born in Chicago and grew up in Wheaton," he said. "I played football from the time I could start walking. I took my high school to the state championships two years in a row before I went to college at University of Texas, majoring in business with a minor in music."

"A minor in music?" Bella asked. "Do you play an instrument?"

"I can play the piano, guitar, bass and I sang in the choir," Edward answered, feeling his own face flame. "I had to sing in the choir for my part of my scholarship."

"Perhaps I should make you sing with the band," Bella quipped. "Or play the keys."

"I don't know about that," Edward said dryly. "It's been some time since I've done anything musical. I think the last time I sang was four years ago at some karaoke place, when I was a drunk off my ass. That was shortly after we were eliminated from Superbowl contention, ending our season."

"Please tell me there's video evidence?" Bella pleaded. "I'd love to see it."

"Emmett might have proof, but I'm not about to ask him," Edward replied, kicking up his feet. "What about you? Tell me something that I can't find on the internet?"

Bella curled up on her bed, biting her lip. "I was raised by a single father. He's the police chief of the tiny town where I grew up, Forks, Washington. My mom? She disappeared and I haven't heard from her … except when she wants to exploit my celebrity." Bella adored her father, and she knew he'd do anything for her. Her mother? She always tried to finagle money out of her famous daughter.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward frowned. "Have you heard from her recently?"

"She's constantly in contact with my team and they know to ignore her bullshit," Bella said, yawning.

"I'm keeping you up. I'm so sorry," Edward stammered. "I don't even know where you are …"

"I'm in St. Louis," she said. "I've got a concert tomorrow."

"I'll let you go, Bella," Edward said, feeling disconnected and sad that their conversation was so short.

"I want to talk to you again," she whispered, snuggling around the pillows. "Can we?"

"I'd like that," Edward breathed. "Also, feel free to text me anytime. Or, email? I know as a singer, talking might be challenging and you have to go on vocal rest."

"That was me earlier today," she said. "Lots of tea and not talking. I love touring, sharing my talents with my fans, but it's taxing on the mind, body and spirit. It's better when you have a support system. Rosalie and my father? They mean everything to me."

"I get the taxing aspect of your job. I literally throw myself in harm's way every Sunday, where I could lose it all, being tackled by a three-hundred-pound lineman. My family and my teammates … they've got my back," Edward explained.

"Be safe, Edward," Bella murmured.

"You, too, Bella," he replied.

Neither one of them hung up. Bella giggled. "Normally after saying goodbye, the call ends."

"I don't want to hang up," Edward said honestly. "I'm afraid that this was just a dream."

"It's not a dream," Bella assured. "Sleep well, Edward Cullen. Thank you for reaching out in the most adorable way."

"Thank you for responding to my unconventional flirtation," Edward chuckled. "Talk to you tomorrow?"

"It's a date," she grinned.

A/N: So, they've spoken … a little flirtation and getting to know each other. We heard about Charlie, her loving father and money-hungry mother, Renee. We also found out about Edward and his life prior to being the quarterback to the Seattle Seahawks.

Leave me your thoughts … thanks for reading!