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23

"This wasn't exactly the date I had in mind." Edward says as we make our way out of Amici's. After spending the day packing, we all decided to have dinner together. While it wasn't the one-on-one time we anticipated for the evening, it was still a lot of fun. I liked getting to know Emmett and Rose better. Emmett, while intimidating to look at due to his sheer size, was funny as hell and a big teddy bear around Rosalie. It was clear they really loved each other.

Rose and Angela had bonded over their social media knowledge, and Rose spent the day giving Angela tips on how to help us grow our following. She'd even posted a few pictures of the moving process on her stories and shouted us out, telling her followers our new address. The post had resulted in us getting a few hundred more followers, and the email for commissions had been consistently blowing up all afternoon.

I shrugged, wrapping my arm around him and burrowing into his side. "I still had fun."

He pulled me tighter against him, kissing the top of my head as we continued to make our way down the sidewalk to his car. "I was just hoping to have some alone time with you."

I bite my lip to contain my smile because I also wanted that, too. Between the craziness of the move and taking of my mom, we hadn't had time just the two of us in what felt like weeks.

When we got to his car, he opened the door for me before getting in the driver's side. Instead of starting the engine, he grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. It was the first quiet moment we'd had all day, and it felt good to relish it.

"How long have you known Emmett?" I asked him, watching his thumb run along the back of my hand.

He sighs, a smile on his face. "Since elementary school, first grade, I think. I was being bullied by a third grader on the playground, and he came to my rescue. I was a pretty scrawny seven-year-old, but as you can imagine, Emmett was built like a wall, even at seven. We've been friends ever since."

"I can so see him doing that." I replied, smiling. Emmett struck me as the type to be protective over the people he loved.

"He's a good guy. Rose has really softened him. Not that he was ever hard, she's brought out a side of him I don't think I'd ever seen. They're good for each other."

"They are; they just fit together."

He brings our hands up to his lips, kissing the back of mine. "We fit together." He's looking at me the way he did the night before, and I swallow thickly.

"That we do." I agreed as he placed another lingering kiss on the back of my hand. In the silence of the car, my thoughts go to the conversation that I had with Angela, and I know that I'm ready to have this conversation with him. Biting my lip, I say, "Edward?"

"Hm?" He hums, looking at me with soft, tired eyes. "What is it, baby?"

I pause, biting my lip to gather my courage. "There's something I need to tell you, and I'm nervous about how you'll take it."

"Okay." He replies, more alert. He sits up in his seat, turning to face me, but he never lets go of my hand. "Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"

I can't help but let out a laugh at his question. It was such an Edward thing to do, even after I'd said that I didn't know how he would take what I had to say. He was still more worried about me.

"Unfortunately, no." I give him a self-deprecating smile.

"You can tell me anything, Bella. Whatever it is that you have to say, it's not going to change how I feel about you. I'll still be here."

My heart melts at his words, and I know they're true. Out of the two of us, I'm the one making a big deal out of something that, in the grand scheme of things, isn't. Beyond possibly being shocked, I don't see him freaking out over my lack of sexual experience. The one with the inadequacy problem is me.

"I just…" I take a breath, trying not to be nervous, but I can feel how fast my heart is racing. I try to force the words out of my mouth, but when I can't get them to come, frustration replaces the nerves. "I don't know why I can't just say it."

Edward, who had remained quiet and patient, squeezed my hand encouragingly. "Take your time."

I looked into those green eyes I was falling in love with, seeing so much understanding and encouragement that I was finally able to just… say it. "I'm a virgin."

If he was shocked, he didn't show it. He just kissed my knuckles and gave me a soft smile. "Okay."

Relief rushes through me at his words, and I feel utterly ridiculous for making telling him such a big deal in my head.

"I built that up to be way bigger than it needed to be." I admitted, feeling embarrassed. I stroke his knuckles. "Are you surprised?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. He kept his expression so schooled, that I couldn't tell exactly what he was feeling.

"I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't." He admitted. "You're so fucking beautiful, funny, and talented; any guy would be lucky to be with you."

His words made me fall that much deeper for him. "But there was no one that I wanted to be with in that way… until now."

The sigh he released through his nose was weighted, and I saw everything I felt for him reflected back at me in those green irises. "Bella." My name was filled with so much emotion.

Unable to find my voice, I leaned over and kissed him, pouring everything I felt into it. He kissed me back with equal fervor, and I delighted in the shiver that ran through him when my hands buried themselves in his hair.

"It's getting late." He said, when we parted, to breathe. "I should probably get you home."

I smiled at his words. He knew that I liked to be home in case my mom needed me to help her with her nighttime routine.

"My mom's not home." I replied, biting my lip. "She texted me while we were having dinner. She and Kate got into a box of wine, so she's crashing at her apartment."

"Really?" he asked, and I could hear the eagerness in his tone that he was trying to control.

"Yeah. I'm off duty tonight."

"You're all mine for the evening?" There was an excited sparkle in his eye over having me completely to himself. While I knew he understood and respected what I did for my mom, I knew all too well the frustration of not being able to just be. I came with a lot of baggage, and one of the consequences was that my time wasn't always my own.

"I'm all yours." I matched his excitement with my own. I felt lighter than I had in a long time at the prospect of having uninterrupted time with him.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"You could show me your place."