A/N: Not mine. Thanks so much everyone for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it. Okay going to hide now.

Chapter 7: Safe Space

Edward was sitting on the bleachers at Plantation Park watching a group of kids play soccer. He had been waiting for 30 minutes already but knew he would wait as long as it took. He had the perfect vantage point to see anyone pulling into the park but he kept second guessing himself and scanned the park continuously for Bella. Edward was nervous but he wasn't quite sure if he was nervous that she wouldn't show or that she would. This was not how Edward wanted to get into a relationship. He had sworn off relationships in general after Tanya and now here he was falling in love with a married woman. But he couldn't stay away from her. He felt like he was subsisting on thoughts of Bella and he had never felt so out of control. Since his life was this soap opera what should he call it?

It felt like hours but only a few minutes later he saw Bella pull in. She had sunglasses on and he couldn't get a good read on her. He hopped off the bleachers and walked towards her car. He felt like was walking towards something…..definitive…..but he wasn't sure what was going to be defined.

Bella felt weak. She hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. When she pulled in with Jake and Jasper, Alice came barreling out the front door and was in Jasper's arms within 5 seconds.

"I felt you! I knew! I just felt you coming" Alice exclaimed between kissing Jasper's face, neck, and nose. Jake just laughed and started pulling out their bags but Bella turned away, embarrassed. That was the sort of homecoming she should have had with her husband. Instead all they had was mild pleasantries and distance. Always distance. Bella could picture Edward walking in the door after a long shift and catching her in his arms as she greeted him after a long day. Bella had no idea why this 50s sitcom image had entered her head but now she couldn't shake it. Whatever lustful feelings had attracted her to Edward they had developed into so much more and were taking over every part of her life.

Bella was jolted out of her daydreams with Alice screeching at her for not telling her Jasper was coming home to surprise her.

"Then it wouldn't have been a surprise," Bella smirked.

"Yes will still, a girl could use a little preparation time!"

"You're always beautiful," Jasper faux-whispered as he swept by dragging Alice to the door with him.

Bella hung back watching her best friend and her husband effortlessly float back into their romantic pairing. It was so easy for them, whatever resentment, guilt, anger, loneliness arose as a result of Jasper being deployed they managed to put it aside when they were together. They overcame the negative rather than letting the negative overtake them.

"Come on, babe. I'm starving!"

Bella followed Jake into the house and hoped that despite her happiness for Jasper and Alice they kept it down to a dull roar tonight. She had to talk to Jake and interruptions from Alice's sex noises were not going to help.

"Hey" Bella said as she got closer to Edward. She could barely look at him. He was beautiful. His face was empty of pretense and he radiated happiness at seeing her. She felt awful.

"Hi," he replied softly. "How are you?"

"Eh, I've been better. Thank you for meeting me, I'm sorry this is so….seedy."

"Bella, this isn't seedy. We aren't like that. I mean yeah, this situation sucks. Definitely. But well it's part of your package and I want the whole you. The seedy parts and all."

"Edward, I want to be with you. I hate this situation. I tried to talk to Jake last night…it's just….I…"

Bella's breathing started coming in static gasps and Edward thought she was going to pass out.

"Bella, calm down. It's ok just lets sit down and you can talk. Ok?"

Edward led her over to the bench near the water and gently massaged her neck while she got her breathing under control. As her breaths came in normal intervals he hugged her to his chest and softly kissed the top of her head.

"Bella, just talk. Don't look at me, don't think, just tell me what happened."

"He got home and it was just so…nothing….I felt absolutely nothing. And I don't know why I'm surprised because why would I be here with you if I felt something, anything. I'm not like that, I swear. And I feel like it is so unfair but at the same time its all my fault. I tried to rectify it last night, I really did. I tried to talk to Jake but every time I opened my mouth he cut me off with some inconsequential remark and then he was grilling me about what I had been doing while he was gone and checking my phone and I guess he was satisfied. I don't know. I tried to tell him I really did. I just can't. Not yet. He just got back and then he is going off to Iraq in two weeks and I just don't know how to say it or what to say really. Jake and I shouldn't be together but he deserves an explanation and I just don't know how to phrase it yet"

Edward was quiet while Bella purged her thoughts. He was trying to be understanding. He couldn't imagine being in her position and the pressure was a lot for him to handle, let alone Bella. All he could do was be patient and supportive.

"I know, Bella. I understand. I can't say that it doesn't eat me up inside that you are with him but I told you I knew what I was getting into and I stand by that. I stand by you. You tell Jake when you are ready and I won't pressure you."

Bella looked up at Edward and crashed her lips to his. Her kiss was fierce and almost painful. Their lips and teeth and tongues were mashed together and she could hear her breaths mingling with Edward's and their breaths together formed a sort of tunnel effect. All she could hear was their breaths. All she could feel was the skin of Edward's lips, slightly chapped from the wind, but soft and wet and perfect. Bella had never felt like this before, it was as if every kiss, touch, glance with Edward was the first and last one all rolled into one action.

Edward broke their kiss first and her disappointment at the lack of touch was abated when he pulled her up behind him and made his way over to his car.

"Edward?"

"What time do you need to be home?"

"An hour, maybe an hour and a half and then Jake will be back from the bar."

"I'd like more but it will do."

Bella didn't question what Edward was talking about and silently climbed in the car as he opened the door for her.

Bella realized they were driving towards Edward's house but wasn't focusing on her surroundings. She kept replaying the night before in her head.

Bella was sitting on the bed, clasping and unclasping her hands together as she waited for Jake to get out of the shower. She had made him three sandwiches and listened quietly while he complained about his time on the boat, the money he lost at the casino in Guatemala, and made fun of his teammates. She cringed when he mentioned what a great Team Leader Leah had been but said nothing. She never said anything. Jake had told her he was going to shower and demanded that she be in bed when he got out. Bella knew Jake would be expecting sex and the thought turned her already weak stomach. She knew it was fucked up but any touch from Jake just made her feel like she was cheating on Edward. She had never really minded having sex with Jake before, and occasionally he stopped his insistent need to orgasm first by pleasuring her, but she knew that anything with Jake would never match with just the slightest touch from Edward.

Bella felt angry. She was angry at Jake. She was angry at Edward. She was angry at herself. Why did this happen now? But if she had not married Jake she might not have ever met Edward. Why did she have to go so long feeling empty, misunderstood, and just blank only to have someone bring her to life when she was already married? She gave up on the feelings that Edward brought out in her a long time ago and yet here they were, amplified and it was the worst possible time to have them. Bella never thought of herself as weak but she knew that she let Jake push her around and she was letting her fear of his reaction hinder her resolve to tell him how she felt and end this marriage.

Bella was still fuming as Jake emerged from the bathroom. It wasn't until Jake had crawled onto the bed next to Bella and started pushing her down onto her back while planting sloppy kisses on her neck did she realize the lettering on his chest.

"What the hell is that?"

Jake didn't break in his ministrations and said sarcastically, "What does it look like, Bella? It's a tattoo."

Jake had started getting tattoos as soon as he joined the Coast Guard and while Bella thought tattoos could be sexy she was always unimpressed with Jake's. They were so pedestrian; a tribal tattoo on his shoulder and arm, a pirate ship on his ribs, and pin-up girl on his back. Jake and his buddies always thought of themselves as modern day pirates and their unoriginality, and immaturity, extended to their ink as well.

"I can see that. Why did you get another one? And what the hell does it say?"

"Ummm I don't need your permission for anything, Bella. You would do well to remember that. It says 'Walk Soft and Hit Hard'. All us guys got it when we were in Panama."

Jake resumed his clumsy foreplay and began to shove Bella's pants down her legs. Bella pushed against Jake and rolled out from under him.

"Jake Stop! I thought we agreed that you wouldn't get any more tattoos without at least telling me! I mean what will my parents think?"

"Aww Bells stop it. Your parents love me and I was going to tell you I just forgot."

"Jake, you don't let me do anything without clearing it with you and here you are marking your body permanently without even telling your wife!"

"Bella, I just got home. I don't need to deal with this nagging. Just shut up."

Before Bella could respond Jake was on top of her again, both of her hands clasped together above her head as he covered her body with his large frame. Bella's declarations of "no" were smothered by Jake's hot mouth on hers. Bella was furious. How could she be in this position? Jake wasn't even bothering to pretend to listen to her anymore and he had amped up his sexual aggressiveness. Bella felt her control slipping and when Jake brought one of her hands down and began to rub it on his erection she let go of all pretenses.

"Jake, Stop It! I am not doing this, you don't even care!"

Bella forcefully nudged Jake in the stomach with her knee and rolled out from underneath him and off the bed. She looked toward Jake and instantly backed up against the wall of their bedroom. She had never seen Jake look so furious before. His face was red and his chest was rising and falling at an alarmingly rapid rate.

"Mother fuck" Jake whispered. "You are so fucking lucky that Jasper and Alice are here because I will not put up with this from my wife. I just got home from defending our country and you won't even take care of me? I do not deserve to deal with this nagging and bitching. I leave you for a few months and you are already turning into one of those Miami diva bitches. This is not okay Bella. Now if you aren't going to act like a real wife then go sleep somewhere else. I'm exhausted and can't deal with your bullshit right now."

Bella was stunned. Jake had always been hotheaded and a bit ignorant but he had never acted so misogynistic and aggressive before. Before she could even process what to say Jake had rolled over and flicked off the bedside lamp. Bella slammed the door on her way out the bedroom and didn't care if Alice and Jasper heard. She ran to her car and sat in the driver's seat her keys poised for the ignition but then realized she had nowhere to go. Alice was in the house and she had no other friends in Florida. She desperately wanted to run to Edward but knew that if Jake woke up and found her gone he would go crazy. She didn't want to bring that trouble to Edward; he was involved in enough drama already. Jake was just tired and cranky. She would talk to him tomorrow after she met Edward. When Jasper and Alice were home just to be safe.

Bella slowly walked back inside and set up a makeshift bed on the couch. She set her phone alarm to make sure she was up before Alice and Jasper and prayed to a God she didn't really believe in to give her courage to end this and be happy. She hoped God listened to the prayers of cheaters.

"Bella, Bella, are you ok?"

Edwards voice and his hands on her shoulders startled Bella.

"What? Yeah I'm fine. Sorry I was just thinking."

Edward didn't know how to get Bella out of her head and he could feel that she was holding back from him but didn't want to push her.

"Come on, I want to do something."

Edward led her up to his apartment, through the living room, and to his bedroom.

"Sit," he pointed toward the bed.

"Edward, I don't know if I'm ready for this yet," Bella replied. She wanted to have sex with Edward more then anything but she knew that it would only complicate things even more and she hated feeling this out of control.

"Bella, just trust me ok?"

And because she did trust him she slipped off her shoes and crawled onto the bed. She rolled onto her back and watched from her peripheral as Edward bent down to untie his own shoes. She quickly stared straight up as she felt the bed dip next to her. Suddenly his strong arms twisted her until she was lying on her side and was melded to his body. Edward breathed in her scent and just held her for a few minutes. Her breathing was soft and regular and he moved his thumb until it was resting over her pulse point on her wrist. Steady.

Bella felt calm and ethereal. She could smell what she was coming to realize was Edward's distinct scent; cinnamon, lotion, and boy. His strong chest was supporting her back and she could feel the sinewy muscles in his forearm and biceps. All her thoughts of Jake and fear and her parents and adultery were locked up in the recesses of her mind. All she thought and felt and smelled and saw was Edward.

"Do you feel this?" he whispered.

"Yes."

"This is our safe space. Regardless of the bullshit surrounding us this will always be our safe space. We can always come back here. You are safe here."

Bella was floored at how easily Edward understood her. She had never shared how unstable and unsafe she really felt around Jake but he just read her. Before she could start ruminating on how unfair it was that they had to be thrown together this way Bella turned inside Edward's embrace and tilted her head up to kiss his chin.

Edward sighed and pulled her up until they were level.

"Safe space. Right here."

Edward softly kissed her and Bella responded with an equally soft kiss. They continued like that for some time. Soft kisses led to soft touches which turned into panting and groping until eventually Bella had wrapped her legs around Edward and was grinding her center furiously on his hardness. She wanted more. Bella sat up and pulled Edward's shirt off and followed with her own shirt and bra. Her confidence momentarily waned as she realized she was half naked in front of Edward, the most beautiful man she had ever seen, but he was looking upon her with such lust and adoration that she swallowed her insecurity and bent down to reclaim his mouth. Edward was letting Bella take the lead in everything and in the back of his head he thought he should slow things down but he was tired of being the good guy, of waiting. He wanted Bella and who knows what would happen. He would do everything he could to have her but he didn't want to miss out on any opportunity to be with her. He wanted this. Needed this. And as long as she felt the same way he was not going to resist. He lifted his hips as he felt her soft hands pull at his shorts and then slid his hands down the side of her body, grazing her breasts, as she shimmied out of her own pants. Now the only barrier between them was Bella's thin underwear.

Edward let his hands roam over her back, the curve of her ass, and back up to rest in her hair as she rubbed against him. Edward was nervous. He had been with his fair share of women but Bella was so different. So special. This felt like a culmination of every emotion he had ever had. He felt like he would burst from the buildup and the energy between them. The only way he could stop freaking out was to take control. Edward flipped Bella onto her back and began claiming her body. He kissed her everywhere, her ears, her neck, her eyelids, her breasts and nipples, her stomach, her thighs, her calves, her instep and then back to her hot and wet center. So wet. Bella was whimpering and slowly moving on the bed his name falling from her lips quietly but insistently. He breathed her in and slid his finger into her as his tongue traced circles on her clit. The volume of her whimpers immediately increased and he felt her thighs tense.

"Relax, Bella. You're safe."

Edward lavished her with attention and Bella slowly felt she give into the sensations and lost herself in Edward. She had never known it could be like this. He was the perfect mixture of gentle and forceful, bringing her right to the brink of orgasm and then backing off, every nerve ending felt like it was on fire and her hearing felt tunneled until the only thing she heard was her own pants and Edward's voice telling her how beautiful she was, how sexy she was, and how he couldn't wait to be inside of her.

Bella hadn't had much experience sexually. Her first time was with Jake and it was neither pleasant nor wanted. Jake had forced himself on her one night in the backseat after a date to the movies. She had been too confused and wound up to say anything. They had agreed to wait until she was ready but one minute their make out session led to him clumsily fingering her and then next thing she knew he had torn through her and ignored her cries. Bella had just lain there while Jake pounded into her. He was her boyfriend and this was what she was supposed to do. Jake always said she was teasing him and everything had just happened so quickly. Afterwards he had tenderly rubbed her back and told her how great it was and he promised that the first time always hurt for girls and that it would get better.

And it did, somewhat. Bella became more familiar with her body and learned that some things could be pleasurable but she had never felt this build up. This gathering of touches and kisses and pressure before. She felt like she was drowning in Edward and he kept pulling her out only to pull her back under with newfound pleasure. All of a sudden her body felt as if it was curling into itself and she felt incredibly hot and cold at the same time. Edward lightly sucked on her clit and she immediately felt her orgasm take over her entire body. She shook and cried and grasped at nothing while Edward brought her back down. Bella had orgasmed before but she was not prepared for the symphony of sensations that Edward's attention would bring her. Before she could catch her breath Edward was on top of her again, lightly kissing along her collarbone and neck whispering how sweet she tasted and how sexy she looked when she came.

Bella reached down to feel Edward hard and throbbing and wanted more. More. More.

"Condom," she panted out.

Edward never broke from his current position of tickling her earlobe with his tongue and he reached over and produced a foil packet from the bedside table. Bella broke from running her hand up and down Edward's impressive length so he could slide on the condom. Bella felt him poised to enter her and looked up at Edward.

"Please. I need you."

Edward slowly slid into her and paused as she adjusted to his size. He took time to collect himself and methodically began moving in and out, gauging Bella's reactions and softly kissing her, slipping his tongue into her mouth to mimic his actions. Bella grasped Edward tightly and marveled at the way his muscles moved under her hands as he moved. She felt full and electric and high.

All too soon she felt the tight coiling in her belly and the heat and cold creep up from her toes.

"Edward, I'm so close…Oh God…more…faster….more….please"

Bella's panted begging was pushing Edward over the edge and he lifted one of her legs to wrap around his waist and increased his speed. The new angle gave Bella the friction she needed and as the pressure took over her she bit down on Edward's shoulder to muffle her scream. The pressure of her teeth and the wet from her mouth kicked Edward's own orgasm into place and he grasped Bella tightly in his arms as he shuddered through his release.

They lay together, joined, for several minutes. Bella caught her breath and felt her body relax and sink farther into the bed as Edward lightly kissed her chest.

"That was amazing," Bella breathed.

"I wish there was a better way to describe it. But yes, you were amazing."

Edward slipped out of Bella and after disposing of the condom crawled back onto the bed and tucked her up against him.

"Safe space," Edward said.

"Yes, safe." As Bella lay in Edward's arms she decided that she needed to tell him everything that happened with Jake. He deserved to know exactly what she, they, were dealing with because after what had just happened between them Bella knew that she could not lose Edward. She didn't know how she had fallen for this man so quickly or how he seemed to know her body and mind better then she knew it herself but she knew enough to realize that this was not something she could let go.

Before Bella could finish collecting her thoughts their cocoon of peace was interrupted by a loud banging on the door and Edward quietly cursing.