A/N: I owe a huge thank you to antiaol for the DBS banner, to manyafandom for several banners, mjinaspen for her banner, lambcullen for hers... and so many other people just for their love and support.

Thank you to TwilightMundi, who so graciously helped me clean this up a bit.

All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

I downloaded the attachment and loaded the song into my iTunes. It was You Owe Me Nothing in Return by Alanis Morissette. I had a few minutes of extra time, so I Googled the lyrics and read them as they were sung. While I took my shower and got ready for the day, I plugged my iPod in to sync.

It was Friday. Date day. I couldn't have been more excited.

EPOV

Once I got home from dropping Bella off, I changed and went for a quick run to clear my mind. I couldn't wait for our date on Friday and I was glad that most of my plans were falling nicely into place.

When I got home from my run, I sat at my desk to cool down and check my email. There were a few unimportant things along with something from Alice with information I might need for the date, and an email from my parents. I made a mental note to deal with those later and began scanning my playlist I had created for Bella. I knew the next song I wanted to send from the moment she agreed to a real date. I wanted her to know that I wasn't going to pressure her into giving me anything she wasn't ready to give and this seemed the best way to convey that.

Once I had my email composed and saved as a draft to send in the morning, I opened my web browser. I checked my Twitter updates, read some news, and got bored quickly. I saw a photograph of someone that reminded me of Bella, the long flowing hair I imagined weaving my fingers through and I could feel the blood headed south in my body. Time to give in to the bank on dry land, Cullen.

I was certainly no virgin, but I liked to keep things fresh with the few ladies I had been with. I went to one of my favorite sexuality websites to check out anything they might have updated since my last visit. Browsing through a few pages of random information, I spotted their recent addition of a positions page. I clicked through several, imagining myself with Bella in each one. There were the usuals – missionary, doggy style, up against a wall. Fucking Bella up against a wall… mmm. Then I spotted The Leapfrog. The model with her hand down between her legs, the man behind her.... I could very clearly imagine myself kneeling behind Bella, rubbing my hand over her smooth ass as she begged me to fuck her harder.

It didn't take long for me to bring that party to its natural conclusion and I was grateful for the box of Kleenex I kept at my desk. I disposed of the tissues and showered, then made my way into the kitchen to prepare a few things for my picnic with Bella the next day.

I woke up nervous as hell. I had a restful night of sleep, thank goodness, but this was the day of our first official date. We'd flirted enough that I was 99% certain she was interested, but there was still the 1% chance in my brain that she was just a flirty-type girl.

Usually I had an afternoon shift at the cafe and then a class, but I traded Tyler for the day off. I shot him a quick text to thank him again for the swap and set about picking out my clothes for the day. I wouldn't have time after my class to come back and change, but that was okay. For what I had planned, I'd be fine to wear the jeans, long sleeved t-shirt, and Vans to class as well. I put on a hoodie and scarf and took off for my day.

I smiled when I stepped outside; it was one of those magical fall days that wasn't too cold or too warm. Perfect for snuggling. I brought two blankets from my apartment and packed them in the trunk for later.

My class went impossibly fucking slow. I was literally staring at the clock at some points, making my best Hiro-style attempts to teleport myself into the future. Fucking Heroes infecting my brain. Love that show.

Finally, class was over and I was free to go. I'd packed the picnic basket the night before and Alice agreed to pick it up from my apartment and meet me on campus with it since I was cramped for time. She met me right outside my classroom and I hugged her tight, thanking her profusely for her help – all of her help since I'd met Bella. We talked about where I was taking Bella, the weather, and a few other things before she left to meet Jasper, Rose, and Emmett for their double date.

I walked to my car, put the basket in the trunk and made my way to the florist. I happily paid for my bouquet and drove the short distance back to campus. I walked at a quick pace to Bella's room and knocked softly once I got there.

She opened the door and I was momentarily stunned. Bella personified that classic girl next door sexy look. She had on those strange boots I see all the girls wearing these days but never remembered the name of, tight jeans, a black turtleneck, and a light green hoodie. Her hair wasn't overdone, but wavy and down, taunting me. She had on lip gloss and maybe mascara, I could never tell those things about a girl. She seemed to be glowing with happiness, and that was reassuring. I held out the bouquet of soft pink gerbera daisies. I'd made sure to request the florist include a vase, on Alice's recommendation, since the girls didn't have one. She'd need that for the future, since I intend to keep her well stocked in different flowers.

"Thank you," she said softly. Smiling, she leaned in and placed a kiss on my cheek. "Let me just put these in my room and we can get going."

"Do you have a scarf?" I asked. "It's getting a bit windy, you might want it."

"Oh, yeah. Let me grab it while I'm in here," she replied.

When she walked back out, I realized we both had on the same scarf and we laughed.

"Shall we?" I asked, offering her my arm. She wove her scarf around her neck and linked her arm with mine, pressing her warm body into mine slightly. It's so going to be a good night.

"Did you have a nice day?" she asked.

"It was okay. I spent most of it anxious to see you."

I was beyond even caring if she knew how much I liked her. I didn't want to play games; we both had enough complications in our lives. Bella deserved uncomplicated and honest, for once. She smiled and I asked how her day was.

"Pretty much the same as yours." She blushed ever so slightly as she answered me.

We walked to my car side by side and I opened her door. She seemed pleased with that, surprised even? Alice's words rang in my ears, Treat her right, Cullen. She deserves only the best.

I walked around, got in and started the engine, turning on the heat and lowering the music so we could talk as I drove. It didn't take long to get to the park and I knew we had plenty of time before sunset. I got out, ran to open Bella's door, and offered her my hand as she stood. She kept hold of it even once she was out, squeezing and giving me a smile when I tried to pull it away. I knew I would need it to get the things out of the trunk, but I held on until I had the trunk open and it became obvious to her what we were doing.

"A picnic?" she asked.

My turn to blush. "Terribly cheesy?" I asked.

"Oh no, not at all. Wonderful. Perfect," she said while smiling at me, then grabbed the blankets out of my trunk.

I liked that she was easy and comfortable with me, that we could interact and talk as if we'd known each other far beyond the few weeks it had been. She put the blankets over her forearm, letting go of my hand, and I grabbed the picnic basket. We walked to a mostly sunny spot and spread out one of the blankets, sitting down next to each other.

"Hungry?" I asked.

She nodded and raised an eyebrow. "What's inside?"

"Oh, a few things. Let's sit and talk for a few minutes, okay?"

I pulled the portable iPod speakers out of the basket, doing my best not to let Bella see the contents, and set it up. Classical music played at a low volume as I sprawled out on the blanket beside her. She laid down and faced me, and soon we were going on and on, mostly about classes since I'd taken a lot of the same classes she was taking.

We talked about her summer and the trip out, then the discovery board in her room and the discovery list. I noticed her shiver and got worried.

"Cold?"

"A little," she confessed.

"Let's get some food. Can I feed you?" I gave her the biggest smile I could muster. Sure, it was cheesy, but doesn't everyone like a little cheese now and then? She laughed and nodded.

"Okay, but only the good stuff."

"Why, Ms. Swan, I personally prepared almost everything in this basket. It's all good." Winking, I opened one side.

"Okay, close your eyes."

Turning, I watched as she sat up, crossing her legs and closing her eyes. I brought a shrimp out from the case and stopped.

"Do you like spicy?" I asked, my voice cracking a little more than it should for such a generic question. She just looked so damn trusting, willing and ready for anything right then and there.

"Sure, a little spice is good."

I dipped the shrimp into the cocktail sauce and moved it to her mouth. Clearing my throat, I willed my body to stop reacting to her.

"Open up," I whispered.

She opened her mouth and I slipped the shrimp in up to the tail. "Okay, you can bite, just try not to get my fingers," I laughed.

She bit down and began chewing. Instead of the response I thought I might get, maybe a little nice soft moaning, her eyes flew open and she spit the shrimp into the grass.

"Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Oh fuck."

"Bella, what's wrong?" I asked, panicked.

"I'm allergic to shellfish, Edward. It didn't even click when you said to bite down, my brain was... uh... preoccupied. I'm so sorry. Shit, I can feel my mouth swelling already. We're going to have to get some Benadryl right away," she said.

I had already started to pack up the blankets and music. I was familiar with allergic reactions, so I stood and grabbed everything I could, as Bella grabbed the blankets.

"Oh God, Bella, I'm so sorry. Fuck. There's a drug store right down the road. Let's go."

I grabbed her hand and we ran to the car. I threw everything in the trunk and, for the sake of skipping a trip to the hospital, allowed her to open her own door and buckle in. I ran to my side, turning the car on before I even buckled my belt.

"Edward, slow down," I could hear the swelling in her mouth already, oh God, what did I do? "I promise, I'll be okay as long as we get to the drug store soon. It won't do anyone any good to kill us in an accident or get hurt because you're not buckled. Take a deep breath, buckle your seatbelt, then drive."

She took my hand and I let out a quick laugh that she was more calm than I was – here I'm the one in med school and she's the one with the swelling breathing passage. Ironic. I got us to the drug store in under two minutes and we both ran in, scanning the aisles for the Benadryl. I found it and ripped the package open, twisting the cap off and measuring out a dose carefully in the included cup before handing it to her. She drank it down and then laughed.

"This is so very Hitch of us."

I looked at her confused.

"Hitch? The movie? Come on, you haven't seen Hitch?" She looked at me as if I had two heads. As if this movie was some sort of required viewing in life. I had to hold a laugh in as she spoke, her tongue and lips now visibly swollen and impairing her speech adorably.

"Nope, I haven't. Are you feeling better at all?" I asked, still worried. I put my arm out for her to take again and we walked to the counter to pay.

"Not yet, but the swelling seems like it maybe stopped getting worse. It should be all better in fifteen or twenty minutes. Let's go to Blockbuster and rent Hitch?"

She actually looked kind of excited. This was new territory for me. Humble, smart, beautiful, and funny. She wasn't pretentious, egotistical, needy, or superficial. Her throat was closing because I fed her something she's allergic to and she was asking to hit Blockbuster on the way home for a movie? Keep this one, Cullen. Keep her close. I set the box down for the cashier to ring up her medicine and she moved toward her purse.

"You're kidding, right? I give you something you're allergic to and nearly require hospitalization on our first official date, and you're trying to pay? Coffee Girl, you're crazier than I thought."

I handed the cashier my Centurion and waited for her to swipe it. Once I signed the little slip, we walked back to my car, still arm in arm. That time I opened her door for her again, then closed it behind her, walking casually back to my side. I took a deep breath before getting back into the car.

There was a Blockbuster not far from the drug store and we walked hand in hand the entire time we browsed. Now and then I'd stroke my thumb across the top of her hand or she'd squeeze my hand and give me a smile. We found Hitch pretty easily and checked out with some popcorn and candy as well. By the time we got to my apartment, I realized Bella was mostly back to normal and that made me immensely relieved.

Once we got inside, I realized Bella hadn't ever been there before. I was grateful that I was a tidy guy, the rooms basically stayed company ready. There were a few beer bottles on the table in the living room, but that was it, and I cleaned those up in one sweep of the room. Bella looked at the photos I had around and joined me in the kitchen where I was getting the snacks ready.

The shrimp went straight into the trash and I looked around and threw out anything else that might have come in contact with them.

I stopped what I was doing in the kitchen and leaned against the counter to look at her. "So, do you have any other allergies I should know about?"

She had taken her hoodie and shoes off at the front door and I was once again overwhelmed with the urge to attack her. Just a kiss, Edward, that's all you wanted tonight, remember? The war in my brain raged on as she moved closer to me.

"Nope, no other allergies. Sorry, I forget about it sometimes since it's just habit to avoid shellfish. I feel bad that I diverted our date."

She looked up at me bashfully and I smiled.

"Oh my God, I just realized you must be starving. Shit, I'm sorry Bella. How about we order pizza or Chinese and get these snacks opened up? Also, I had a few things in here that didn't come in contact with the shrimp that should still be okay."

Rummaging through the picnic basket, I brought out the chocolate covered strawberries and pasta salad. I set the bottle of sparkling apple cider on the counter and opened it, pouring some into two wine glasses. I offered her the pasta salad and strawberries, but she turned them down, sipping on her cider.

"Do you mind if I just pop into my room to set my sweater down and take my shoes off?" I asked. "I'll grab some delivery menus and be right out. You can get the movie set up if you want."

She took the glasses and snacks into the living room and I went to my room to grab the menus from the desk. Kicking my shoes off, I put my sweater back in my closet, then brought the menus out to her. We agreed on pizza and once I'd ordered the food, I sat next to her on the large couch. She had set up the movie and paused it, ready to go at the beginning.

She picked up her glass and proposed a toast, "To disastrous first dates." Laughing, I tapped my glass with hers and took a sip.

Her eyes creased when she drank and for all of the confidence she exuded in our past interactions, she seemed downright nervous. I took her hand in mine and grabbed the remote to press play. She reached and grabbed the bowl of popcorn, settling it into her lap. I scooted closer to her, to reach the popcorn.

The pizza showed up pretty fast for a Friday evening and we both dove in, pausing the movie to eat and talk.

"At least our first date isn't that bad, right?" I asked.

"No, no, not nearly that bad. Hopefully our second won't be as terrible as theirs, either," she said, smiling.

Yyes! She was already giving me a chance to fuck up again

"No, next time we're going to an actual restaurant," I mused.

"Oh really?" She quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Yep. We're going the fancy date route, I think. In fact, what are you doing tomorrow night? Would you allow me the extreme pleasure of going out with you again?"

She smiled, a broad smile full of hope and happiness.

"Love to, Scone Boy."

We finished up our pizza and I put the leftovers in the fridge. I got out the strawberries to let them come to room temperature for after the movie, and joined Bella on the couch again. That time, I sat right next to her from the start.

I was feeling bold; we had date number two semi-planned, and she was clearly enjoying my company. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, I pulled her into me slightly. Once I turned the movie back on, she seemed to nestle into me, half resting on my chest, half on the couch.

"You smell delicious," I sighed.

The words came out like vomit, about three quarters of the way through the movie, when Sara's figured out that Alex is Hitch, at the zoo. My right arm wrapped on top of hers and I pulled her closer. My left hand pushed her hair back and I ran my nose along her neck. I could feel her giggle.

"You're distracting me. Don't you want to see the movie?" Her words protested my actions, but her body pressed into me more.

"Of course I do. Come here, we're moving around a little."

Scooting to the end of the couch, I reclined against the back and arm. I brought my right leg up onto the couch and pulled her back to me, my left leg dangling off lazily. She squealed when I pulled her back, but that was the end of her protesting. We watched the rest of the movie with my arms wrapped around her, resting on her stomach, her arms on top of them, fingers laced through mine.

Each time she took in a breath, I had to fight to focus on the movie instead of peeking down at her chest moving. Finally, Will Smith and Eva Mendes got their acts together and cleared everything up, paving the way to a blissful happily ever after. As the credits rolled, I noticed Bella's breathing had evened out. Shit. She'd fallen asleep on me. I gently moved us into a sitting position and she woke up. It wasn't even nine yet, so I had to take the opening.

"And I thought I'd be the one falling asleep early," I teased.

She stretched and yawned, apologizing. "Sorry, sorry, I'm really not tired. Must be the Benadryl," she explained.

"It's okay. Would you like me to take you home?"

"No, of course not. Mmm, do I remember that you have strawberries in the kitchen?"

"I do," I said. "One of the few things I didn't prepare for our date, but I'm assured they are delicious."

Standing, I reached out for her hand to help her off the couch. We walked to the kitchen together and I noticed that she wasn't keeping her usual distance from me. She was so close, in fact, that I could feel her warm body right behind me.

Once we got into the kitchen, she let go of my hand and leaned against the counter. I picked up a strawberry and held it to her mouth. As she opened her lips, I nearly groaned. Her little pink tongue snaked out and wrapped around the chocolate first, then she wrapped her lips around the berry, sucking it into her mouth slightly. She bit down and the juice clung to her lips after I moved the stem away. I bit my own lip to stop myself from licking her lips, then she reached over and grabbed a berry for me.

We stood feeding each other berries for a few minutes. There was some laughing, some teasing, lots of playfulness. It was perfect and exactly what I had imagined for the strawberries, albeit not in my kitchen. Bella yawned again as I cleaned up the strawberry stems and put the plate in the dishwasher.

"Ready to go home?" I asked. She shook her head no, even though her eyes were drooping. I decided to take another chance. "We could go lay down and talk. I swear, I'll be a perfect gentleman, just talking." More word vomit.

"Who says I want you to be a perfect gentleman?"

Her lips pursed together with the smirk she was fighting, and I was speechless. She took my hand and led me to the bedroom, having watched me walk there earlier.

"Ugh, Edward, that's not a bed. It's like big enough for ten people. Are you secretly a Sultan with a harem?"

I laughed, probably too loud. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I brought her between my legs, as I had the day before.

"The only person I want in here is you, I can assure you of that."

BPOV

When he said those words, my body went tingly right down to my toes. I wanted to set my knees on the bed on either side of his body, push him back and go crazy with him, just as I'd thought when we were in my room the day before. Another part of me wanted to just slow down, relish this experience. Edward had been in my life a handful of weeks and I already knew he was the kind of person I could see myself with long term. Forever? Who knew, but a long time? Yes.

Resting one knee on the outside of his legs, I propelled myself around his body to the other side of the bed. I let out a moan of pleasure as I sank into his comforter and pillows.

"Edward, this has to be the world's most comfortable bed," I sighed.

"Really? I suppose maybe I take it for granted. Perhaps I should love my bed a little more."

"You really should."

I closed my eyes and he laid down beside me, taking my hand in his. It was quiet for several minutes, the sound of our breathing the only noise between us.

"Bella, will you tell me more about them?" he asked softly.

I wasn't 100% certain who he meant, honestly.

"Hmm?"

"Your parents," he clarified. "I'd like to know more about them, if you're okay talking about them?"

"Renee, my mom, she was amazing," I said quietly. "A little bit of a flake. You know how they say 'free spirit,'" I made air quotes, "well, that was her all the way. She lived each day, truly, even before she got sick. She never met a project she didn't want to tackle or something new she didn't want to learn about. When she got sick, she started doing yoga faithfully and trying her best to take care of her body. She always ate healthy before she got sick, but she was extra vigilant after. She even started going to a non-denominational church near her house. I asked her about that once and she said that she didn't have the answers, but it could never hurt to have one more person supporting you," I said laughing, then paused for a moment.

"She was my best friend. She wasn't a perfect mom, but I wouldn't have changed her for anything. I try not to be angry about the time that I won't get with her now that she's gone and instead be grateful for the time I did get with her," I sniffled, holding the tears back, "but sometimes it's impossible. When I think about how she won't be there to help me get ready on my wedding day," I sucked in a breath and a sob escaped, along with several tears, "or to see my babies...."

I looked up at him to see if I'd freaked him out yet. Nope, still listening, still caring. My eyes fell back to the comforter we were laying on.

"Part of it isn't even just me – my kids will never get to know her, either, or my husband. It's not like I'm going to marry Jake, and he's about the only guy I know that knew her."

I felt Edward's hand stroking my hair and I looked up into his eyes again.

"Charlie, he was like the Yin to Renee's Yang. He was so grounded and settled in small town Forks. He loved to fish and was so dedicated to his job. He loved me fiercely and he loved Renee as well, until the day he died. He never stopped asking me about her, never stopped caring and wanting the best for her, even if that meant it wasn't with him." I thought back to Edward's most recent song choice for me and that made me cry a little harder.

The bed shifted and I realized Edward was wrapping his arms around me. His hands were on my back, my cheek flush against his chest as he comforted me. He released me slightly and I pulled back to continue talking. I could see his eyes again, but his hands stayed around me, warming me and making me feel so safe and secure. It was such an intimate gesture, this small comforting thing he did. I was certain in that moment that I'd never felt anything like that from Jake, and I made a mental note to scan through my memories later and think about whether or not Jake had ever really loved me, or if he was more in love with the idea of me.

"Last night I was thinking about how I had all of this time to prepare for Renee to leave. We got to say really important things to each other and reminisce. Time, we had time with each other; deep, fun, love filled, meaningful time. Charlie was just ripped away by something equally senseless, but utterly without warning. I wish I'd had one more chance just to tell him that I loved him, you know? I'm sure he knew, but we didn't say it enough," my voice trailed off.

"When you love someone, can you ever really say it enough?" Edward's voice was crackling and strained, full of unspoken emotion.

"No, I suppose you can't, really. One of the few things I am grateful for, that both of their deaths taught me, was that you have to take life by the balls, you know?" We both laughed. "I mean it, really. Phil set aside this money for me and I just feel obligated almost, to really live this life now. To make it count, because I was reminded twice in a row that someday I won't be here to enjoy it. I want to really soak in as much as I can, so that in those final breaths, I can say that I loved my life, experienced the most of it that I could, and am happy to have been given the chances that I had. I don't want to regret anything or hold my anger in and let it eat away at me."

"Not even at Jacob?" he asked quietly.

"No, not even at Jacob. How can I be angry? Hurt, sure. But angry? He was just a confused boy, trying to do what he thought was right. He didn't want to hurt me. He thought he was doing the right thing, but he deserves to be happy too. I'm just glad I found out now and not ten years and two kids later. I really value honesty. He taught me that, you know? Even if the truth is hard to swallow, I would rather choke on the truth than swallow a lie easily. I don't want to make you think I'm a saint; I get angry, I cry, I'm hurt, it aches. Last night I had a horrible time with everything overwhelming me. It's hard for me to just let go bits and pieces and really deal with all of them being gone, but I'm trying. Thank you for that, by the way. Your words stick in my head sometimes and I know that I can't move forward until I at least acknowledge the jumble of emotions in my head."

His hand was on my face, thumb stroking over my cheekbone. He tucked my hair behind my ear and gently lifted my chin so that I was looking him in the eyes.

"Bella, I know we've only known each other a few weeks, but I already feel like I've known you for years. My heart knows you. Don't laugh, I know it's cliché. I'm not saying it to get in your pants or to get anything from you. I just want you to know that I'm here for you. If you just need to text and vent about a shitty day, or call me and talk about the rainbow you saw that inspired you, or if you need a pair of arms around you while you cry, I'm here for you."

My heart was beating so hard that I felt each and every ka-thunk reverberate through my body as he spoke. I wanted to thank him in some way, to show him that I appreciated his kindness and friendship. It seemed like the most perfect and most awful moment to kiss him. So I did what I thought was best right then: I buried my face in his chest and let go just a little more. His arms tightened around me, rubbing soothing lines and patterns on my back as I cried until I literally couldn't cry anymore.

Once my breathing returned to normal, I wrapped my arms around Edward just a little tighter. Hooking my top leg over his, I brought myself as close to him as I could possibly get. A muffled groan vibrated from his chest against my face. Oh, Edward, I would already give you the world if I could. Shit, I am so fucked.

"Thank you," I said.

"For what?"

"Everything. Thank you for everything, Edward."

"Oh good. Does this mean you don't think I'm an asshole anymore, Coffee Girl?"

Laughing, I reluctantly pulled back to look at him. I ran the back of my hand over his cheek, sweeping my hand up into his hair.

"No, Edward, I don't think you're an asshole anymore."

"Good," his voice was rough, "because if you still thought I was an asshole, I wouldn't be able to do this."

Edward leaned down, his body pressing into mine, and looked me in the eye. He ran his nose against mine, a quick nuzzle that made me smile, before he softly touched his lips to mine. He moved back slightly and let out the cutest sigh ever before his mouth turned up into his crooked grin.

Closing the distance between us, I wrapped my lips up with his, pressing slightly harder than he had. As if he'd been waiting for a sign, he took this encouragement and ran with it, moving his lips against mine. One of his hands wove through my hair and gently stroked my scalp with his fingertips as we kissed. I kept my eyes open and he had closed his after the first kiss, which made me smile.

Pulling back, I rested my forehead against his and took a few deep breaths. What a night.

"Amazing," he whispered. "You are simply amazing, Isabella Swan."

"You're not so bad yourself, Edward Cullen," I laughed.

We looked at each other then. Not a surface glance, we really looked at each other.

"Bella, it's pretty late. Do you want to spend the night? I can sleep on the couch and make breakfa-"

I put my fingertip to his lips, willing him to just be quiet for a moment.

"I'd love to spend the night, Edward. I trust you. If it won't be awkward for you, I can just borrow a t-shirt and you can stay here." Was that really what I meant? "I mean, I want to be clear, Edward. I would really like it if you stayed here in your bed with me. I'm not saying I'm ready to sleep with you, but we're grown ups. We can share a bed for one night without going crazy, right?" Right.

He nodded and we got out of bed. Edward gave me a huge t-shirt to sleep in. I went into his bathroom to wash up and change, and by the time I came out, he was in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and an off-white wife beater tank. Edward walked around me and into the bathroom. He grabbed a new toothbrush for me, which I was grateful for, since all of the crying had made my mouth sticky. We brushed our teeth together, sharing the small sink, exchanging glances and smiles back and forth. He finished and took out his contacts as I kept brushing and watching him.

Edward walked behind me when he was done and let his hands swipe across my hips and over my lower back as he passed. It again struck me as the kind of thing couples shared, an intimate everyday moment. I liked it, and I wanted him to do it every night. I finished brushing and he was already under the covers in bed by the time I walked out. He had his glasses on, holy mother he is hot, and he was reading a book.

The tank he was wearing allowed me to see his shoulders and arms for the first time, and I stopped and looked at him for a moment. Each page he turned, his arms flexed and relaxed and I could see the definition of his chest as well. Edward wasn't what you would call ripped, but he was well defined and clearly in shape. Watching him made my breathing pick up and my mind wander.

Smiling, I walked out and climbed under the covers next to him. He set his book down on the nightstand and turned off the small table lamp. We turned toward each other and wrapped ourselves up together. We were once again as close as we could be, his hands resting on my lower back, my cheek on his chest listening to his heart beat, our legs twisted together. I could feel every part of him in this moment and I was struck at his lack of embarrassment. Really, what was there to be embarrassed about, anyways? Didn't I want him, too?

Damn right I did.

A/N2: Don't kill me yet. Remember, they have another date Saturday now! Hit 'review' and show me the love, ladies.