Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters. Story is inspired by the Mexican novela "Caer en Tentation"

Bella

We can't do this.

It's wrong on so many different levels.

We can't do this.

We wouldn't be any different than Emmett and Rosalie if we gave into temptation, but I'd never wanted something so desperately in my life. Just looking at him, his lips slightly parted, looking at me with an intensity that could melt me. I wanted it like the air I breathed. I needed it. Our lips were so close, just barely grazing each other when rationality finally took hold of me.

I sigh, defeated, and lay my head against his shoulder. Edward kisses my exposed shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You're right," he whispers against my hair.

I force a chuckle. It's almost as if he could read my mind. It was the right thing to do and it felt so wrong to do so. I pull away, patting the tears away with my fingertips and tug my hair behind my ears, trying to put some distance between us. Edward cups my face between his hands, gently caressing my cheeks, and for a second, I fear he changed his mind. I fear I wouldn't stop him if he leaned in again, not if he kept looking at me with those beautiful emerald eyes of his. A part of me wants him to take the initiative so that I can stop overthinking and feel his lips against mine. But he doesn't. Instead he places a gentle kiss on my forehead and leans his head against mine, our noses softly grazing each other. I took him in. His warmth, his scent, everything.

"I'll drive us to the school to pick up the boys," he said after a moment and stood. "I have to pick up Lucy from preschool."

"I don't know..." The last thing I need right now is to be in tight proximity with him.

"Bella, your car is still at the hospital. We'll go pick up the kids and then I'll take you to your car." He takes my bottled coke and hands it to me again. "Drink it. I mean it."

"Fine."

Downing another sip, I follow him out to his living room. I grabbed my purse that lay on his couch and took out a wet wipe, scrubbing away the remnants of my terrible morning. My phone, shooting Rita a quick text reassuring her I was okay before tossing my phone back in my purse.

Edward is standing by his front door, keys in hand when I look up.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nod, gripping my purse tightly. His eyes trail over me, stopping momentarily on my lips. His lower lip disappears, his mouth turning into a fine line before he exhales and forces himself to look away.

"You're going to be the death of me, Bella," he whispers, opening the door.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and forced my legs to move, to walk out of that damn house and get some fresh air. But even the air outside doesn't clear that sudden fog takes over. That desperate need inside of me as I look back, see him, muscles tightening under his black shirt, that copper air bright under the rare Seattle sun.

I think you're going to be the death of me, Edward.

Sitting in the car didn't help, as I knew it wouldn't because now I was trapped in tight proximity to him and the car smelled of his. Besides that cologne he wore, there was a smell in the car that was so him. Fresh and minty.

I squirmed in my seat, trying my best to put as much space between us as I could. I needed to get my shit together. I needed to clear my mind and stop thinking about him that way. It was wrong. It was so wrong.

Lucy's preschool - which was the same preschool Jaime and Noah had attended - was next to the boy's elementary school.

She's such a daddy's girl. Almost as soon as she sees Edward, she jumps in his arms and starts telling him all about her day. She's so bright and beautiful, just looking at her makes you smile. She also tells me about her friends and what they did as we walked to the boys school, Edward holding one hand, me holding the other.

Just as we're waiting for them to open the gates, listening to Lucy's day, a woman approaches us.

Edward shoots me a quick look as the young woman stops a few steps before us, clutching her phone to her chest. She looks nervous, but after a few cleansing breaths, she takes the final steps toward us.

"Excuse me?"

"Can I help you?" Edward asked, stepping forward, shielding Lucy and me.

"Yes." She smiles then, at him and then at me. "My name is Nicole. I was wondering if you wanted to partner up for a video documentary I'm doing on your spouses' case. We can get your story out. Your side."

"I'm sorry?" I couldn't have heard her right.

"Yes." Her smile grew. "Maybe this way you can help discredit some of the theories and speculations that are surrounding the two of you right now."

"Thank you, but we're not interested," Edward said, stepping back closer to me and Lucy. I pull her toward me, making sure Lucy is shielded from the woman and apparently the people who are also waiting at the gate and are now looking at us.

"Not even a bit?" Nicole asked, arching a brow. "Are you aware of the allegations that are being put out against you? The theories circulating all around the news and social media? They think you two are responsible for the accident. They think that you two somehow found out about the affair and what you were going to do, and paid someone to make it happen. It's also not like the two of you are doing anything to disprove those allegations. Is it true that you picked her up after she was interrogated by the police? Is it true that she went to your wife's funeral?"

At that point, they opened the gate, letting parents in to pick up their kids. Everyone moved except for us. I was stunned. Speechless. Did people really think that about us?

I looked around, catching the glances of people who were openly staring at us. Talking discreetly to each other while pointing.

Yes, they did.

"That's enough from you," Edward snapped. He turned back to us, beckoning us to go on. "Let's go."

He doesn't give me time to respond. He turns me and Lucy to the gate and begins guiding us inside.

"Is it true you assaulted your unconscious husband?" She yelled at our backs.

Both Edward and I stopped on our tracks. We looked at each other, stunned. How the hell did she know that? Something that happened only hours ago?

More people were staring as Edward turned back and stalked toward the woman. I wasn't sure what he said to her that made her finally leave because I was too busy taking in the people who stared at us. At the one woman who had her phone pointed in our direction.

I spot Jaime and Noah at our designated spot, waiting for us. They both run to us the moment they spot us, Noah giving Lucy a hug while Jaime hugged me.

"Hi, Ma! Are we going to their house again?" Noah asked excitedly.

"I-uh."

People were staring.

People were staring.

"Bella?"

My body jolted at the sound of Edward's voice. I turned to him, grabbing each of my boy's hands and said, "We need to leave. Now."

Edward nodded, picking Lucy up.

The drive to the hospital was quiet. My head kept swirling around what that woman had said, at what she knew. How did she know about what happened mere hours ago? Was she right? Was this - whatever this was that I had with Edward - just fueling allegations? Doing more harm than good?

When we finally get to the hospital, Edward parks the car next to mine. I get out of his car quickly, taking my boys as fast as I can.

"Come on, boys, let's go."

"Bella, wait." Edward tries to stop me. "Just wait a second."

"But I thought we were going with them." Noah pouted.

"Me too. I wanted to play with Edward's Xbox," Jaime said.

"Not today, boys," I said, opening the door to my car.

"Bella, please, just wait."

"I-I need to spend the day with my boys," I said as I secured Noah in his booster seat. "Just please give me the day with my boys."

Edward stood next to the driver's side. He opened the door for me and I slipped it, but he stopped the door with his hand before I could close it, looking at me worriedly. "Will you please call me when you get home safely?"

"I will," I told him, though I wasn't sure if that was wise.

I shut the door.

I felt bad for leaving him so suddenly, but today was testing my limits. I needed the day alone with my children, I needed some normalcy, something to ground me once again because I felt as if my sanity was slipping slowly from my fingers. It was the last thing my children needed. They already have a father who tried to abandon them and is currently in a coma, the last thing they need is a mother locked in a loony bin.

It's time, I decided as I drove us home. I need to make an appointment with Dr. Wyatt, and I need to do it for my children. My eyes kept drifting to them in the back seat through the mirrors. I needed to make sure they were safe from everyone, including me.

I send the boys to wash up before dinner as soon as we get home. Rita - the person who calls me an open book - takes one look at me when we arrive and follows me to my bedroom.

"What happened today, sweetheart?" She asked.

I toss my purse on the floor, cupping my face with my hands. I couldn't hold it in. I sit on the edge of my bed and sob. Rita comes to me and wraps her arms around me.

"I... I think it's time I go see Dr. Wyatt," I tell her, pulling away. "I need to make an appointment."

She doesn't ask for specifics. Rita knows well if I wanted to share them I would, but today has been draining as it is and the last thing I need is to relive them all over again.

"That's very good, sweetheart," she said, squeezing my shoulders. "It's all going to be okay."

She leaves, promising to bring me back a tea and as soon as she disappears down the hallway, Jaime shows up. He had the little V shape between his eyebrows which happens when he's thinking too much. He's worried. I wipe my tears away.

"Hey, baby, is everything okay?"

He leans against the door frame, his fingers playing with the loops of his jeans.

"You're crying again. You stopped crying like that a long time ago."

"I had a bad day, that's all," I said, brushing it off.

"But you've been sad since dad is in the hospital."

"I'm just worried."

Jaime shakes his head. "You're mad at dad. He made you sad again."

I sigh and gesture at him to come closer. He stops right in front of me and takes my hands in his.

"It's a grown up thing between your father and I. But I love you and I don't want you to worry about me, okay? I should be worried about you."

Jaime shrugs. "I'm okay, but I don't like it when you cry. I promise to look after Noah better so you're not too worried."

I smile, cupping his cheek in my hand. "You're such a wonderful boy, James. I love you so much."

Jaime smiles and wraps his arms around me, giving me the biggest hug he can. I try my best to hold back my tears but I can't. I just hold him tighter.

"I love you, mom."

That night, after I tucked my children to bed and kissed them goodnight, I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep and as much as I wanted to call Edward, I couldn't stop replaying that moment where we almost kissed and what that woman had said. It felt wrong to want to kiss him this badly. It felt wrong wanting to be close to him, even after what we learned today.

Deep down, I wanted Edward badly.

But what if this want was only hurting us? Hurting the case? Forcing the detectives to look elsewhere? Forcing them to look at us when they should be looking for the real killer?

I groan, rolling over the side of the bed, taking my phone.

He answers at the second ring.

"Bella?" His voice is hoarse with sleep.

"Did I wake you?"

"I was just drifting off." I hear him shift on the other side of the line and clear his throat. "I was worried, you didn't text me earlier."

"I just... I needed the day," I admit. "It's been a crazy last couple of weeks."

He chuckles humorlessly. "Yes, it has. But I'm glad you called."

"What is this?" I ask. I felt like one of those cliche women asking what are we? but I needed to know what this was to him. Was it revenge? "What almost happened today was stupid... and what if... what we almost did was for the wrong reasons."

Edward takes a moment to respond. "And what reason would that be?"

"I don't know... are we just seeking revenge to get over being screwed over by our spouses?"

"Do you think I'd use you like that?" His tone was gentle, like he was concerned that those were my beliefs.

"I don't, but if recent events have shown me anything it is that I'm a bad judge of character. And you heard what that woman said today-"

"It doesn't matter what she said."

"It does. How did she know about the hospital? We have people watching us, Edward. Everywhere. How do you think it's going to go?"

Edward sighs on the other side of the line.

"I don't care what people think. You and I know the truth. We know we had nothing to do with this, and-" he paused. "Bella, I think that after everything Emmett and Rosalie have done, we deserve something good, don't you?"

My heart skips a beat.

"Do you think you and I can be something good?"

"I believe it," he whispers. "I know I shouldn't want it this bad, not after everything that happened, not so soon after I buried my wife, but I can't help how I feel."

It is wrong.

So wrong.

"Is that your way to tell me you like me?"

Edward chuckles, lightly. "Yes, yes I think it is. Gosh, I feel like I'm in high school trying to tell a girl I like her all over again."

He likes me.

I kind of want to kick my legs, but I limit myself to hugging my pillow against my chest. My smile widens from ear to ear. "It sure does feel that way." But we need to be smart. "Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams."

We don't hang up.

I leave my phone on the pillow next to mine, on Emmett's pillow, listening to Edward's breathing. And his words echo in the back of my mind as I drift to sleep:

We deserve something good.

Author's Note:

I missed Friday's update cause I was away from my computer all day, but here we go! Edward and Bella are getting awfully close ;)

Chapter Nine Preview -

"'Bella.' He breathes my name. He looks at me like he's asking for permission. 'Do you want this?'"