Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. A World Away Outtake:

Part 1: Introductions

EPOV

I needed a night out. Training had been brutal for the last week and all I wanted to do was drink a few beers and relax.

Emmett pussed out on us, saying that he was too tired, so it was just Jasper and me that headed to McP's. The first two beers went down entirely too easily, giving me a nice buzz to work with. The bar was packed with its normal Friday night crowd, which consisted of Navy guys, and the hot girls who wanted to be with us. It was lively and crowded and just what I needed.

"Hey, check out those girls who just walked in," Jasper said, slightly nodding toward the entrance. I turned my head toward the door as he said, "Cute, huh?"

Holy shit. Hot is more like it!

There were two of them, both very pretty, looking around for a place to sit. I hoped they weren't here to meet up with their boyfriends, as I was definitely interested in getting to know one or both of them. Luckily, they found a table alone and ordered drinks.

"Why don't you just go talk to them?" Jasper asked, noticing me occasionally glancing in the girls' direction.

"Nah, I haven't had nearly enough to drink for that. Give me a few more beers, and then we'll see." I didn't usually have to work that hard with women, and as a result, I was uncomfortable making the first move. Thankfully, I usually didn't have to.

"Well, then you should stop fucking staring," Jasper added with a chuckle. "Shit, you're worse than Emmett."

The truth was, I couldn't help it. Apparently, I wasn't the only one, because I noticed on more than one occasion, the one with the short hair glance over in our direction, trying to be coy. It seemed Jasper had an admirer. I watched as the girls downed their drinks, and made their way up to the bar where we were sitting to grab new ones.

Convenient timing, ladies.

The girls were coy; trying to act like they just happened upon us, but it had been obvious from the beginning that they wanted to talk to us. Alice, the short one, was quite talkative and hit it off with Jasper immediately. I guess his quiet nature was a nice contrast to her vivacious, outgoing personality.

Then there was Bella. She was absolutely stunning, yet seemed completely oblivious to that fact. Bella wasn't like any of the other girls that frequented this bar. She wasn't overly flirty. She didn't come on to me or act like she expected me to fall all over her. She wasn't stuck up. She was cool, and the longer we talked the more I enjoyed her company. I was definitely interested in her, but I couldn't tell if she was into me or not.

"You guys should come over to our place and have a few drinks," Alice said lightly. "We have an amazing view."

"Uh, sure. Sounds great," Jasper replied.

Jasper and I exchanged looks and shrugged as though we could take the offer or leave it. But the truth was that I really wanted to take it so I could spend more time with Bella. She was the first girl I had met who wasn't fake and all over me. I appreciated her calm confidence.

Alice and Bella's apartment was all that they said it was. It had an amazing view of the bay and Coronado, not to mention the downtown city lights, which sparkled off the water.

I walked around, checking out the pictures placed around the room. Bella seemed nervous, shifting her weight on her feet. Jasper and Alice grabbed beers for us all in the kitchen and brought them into the living room.

"Jasper, I don't think you've seen my room yet," Alice said as she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him down the hallway to her room.

And they were gone.

I ran my hand through my hair, as the tension in the room mounted. It seemed that Alice and Jasper would most likely not be making another appearance for a while. I sat on the couch, trying to diffuse the awkward situation. Bella followed reluctantly and I hated that she felt nervous around me.

I downgraded into small talk to ease the tension. "So, how long have you lived in San Diego?"

God, you sound like a moron.

"Since college." She was avoiding eye contact with me and I wanted nothing more than to put her mind at ease.

"Bella, I'm not going to attack you or anything. Let's just relax since it's obvious we won't be seeing Jasper and Alice again tonight."

She visibly relaxed and smiled at me. Her smile lit up the room. I vowed right then that I would make her smile again, and as often as possible. She was breathtaking.

"So, you're a Navy SEAL?" she asked as the mood lightened.

"Yep, for the last few years."

"When do you guys ship out? Don't you deploy sometimes?"

She was adorable with her lack of knowledge of what we did. She was trying to seem interested and I appreciated her effort. Usually the girls at McPs tried to act like they knew all about what we did in an effort to impress us. It was refreshing to talk to someone who was real.

"Actually, it's funny that you should mention that. We're leaving in a week," I said, taking a big sip of my beer. It figures that I'd meet a girl that I was interested in right before I shipped out.

"Well, you guys get to keep in touch with your families while you're gone a lot, don't you?" she asked, empathy dripping from her voice.

I didn't know why, but I felt like I could be honest with her. My family was not something I normally talked about, but I felt comfortable with her. "Yeah, most guys do. I don't actually have any family."

"Why not?" She turned her body to face me, giving me one hundred percent of her attention. The look on her face was not one of pity, but extreme empathy. Normally that shit would drive me crazy, but coming from her, I could tell it was just her kind nature.

"I never knew my father. And my mother, who did the best she could as a single mom, died about two years ago from cancer," I blurted out, trying to keep my voice steady.

"That's horrible. What about aunts and uncles? Or grandparents?"

She had a nurturing way about her that made me want to confide in her, to trust her. So I continued. "Well yeah, I have one aunt. She was a lot older than my mom and lives across the country. They weren't close, so neither are we. My mom's parents are still alive, but they are pretty old and they've got their own lives. Even after my mom died, they just did their own thing." I hadn't talked about this shit in a while, and I hadn't expected how emotional it would make me feel. But, I didn't want Bella to feel bad about asking, so I kept talking. "I feel like the guys I serve with are my family. Maybe not the family I was born into, but a family I fit with. Our squad is very tight. We have to be with what we do. I trust them with my life, and they trust me with theirs."

"I can see why you're so devoted. I'm sorry about your parents, Edward," she said softly.

I genuinely liked her. Earlier this evening, I thought she'd be the typical ditsy girl I was used to seeing at bars like McP's, but she was anything but that. I found myself intrigued and more than a little bit taken with her. We talked for a long time, never having a lull in the conversation. Shit, I told her more about myself in those few hours than I'd told anyone else except Jasper and Emmett. She was definitely different than other girls I had met.

Alice and Jasper finally came out of the bedroom, leaving no mystery about what had been going on behind closed doors.

Thank fucking God we hadn't heard them. Talk about awkward.

I was happy for Jasper. He was a little shy with girls, so it was nice that he hooked up. Alice seemed like a nice girl, too.

I wanted to kiss Bella goodbye so badly, but the timing never seemed right. She seemed genuine and interested. But she was definitely not the kind of girl to kiss a guy she just met. So, I settled for exchanging phone numbers. Then I went home and whacked off to the images in my mind of lovely Bella.

You're so fucking screwed.

The next day, we were meeting the girls at the beach. Being the horny bastard that I was, I couldn't wait to see Bella in a bikini. If I thought she looked great in clothes, I was sure that seeing her in a bathing suit would push me over the edge. The beaches in Coronado are amazing and the views are incredible. The girls were sitting in beach chairs, their legs extended out in front of them in a tempting display. I set my stuff down next to hers and smiled as Bella looked up at me.

I pulled off my shirt, as it was fucking baking outside, and noticed Bella watching me, which inflated my ego. I was in good shape, as it was essential for my work, so I knew I looked pretty good. But Bella noticing made me feel like it was paying off for other reasons.

Alice and Jasper started in right where they left off last night, so it was pretty much Bella and me for the rest of the afternoon. We had a lot of fun together in the water and I had to admit that she was a pretty good body surfer, which made me like her even more. She wasn't the typical girly-girl and she wasn't afraid to get wet and have fun.

But, holy shit was she clumsy! After I shook my wet hair on her heated back, she chased after me and bit it in the sand. It was a full-blown face plant. She was covered in sand and looked like she wanted to die of embarrassment.

I didn't want her to feel bad so I ran back to her, crouching down beside her. "Are you okay, Bella?"

It was hard not to laugh as she sat up and cleaned herself off. She was fucking covered in sand.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Would you believe my last name is Swan?" she said, wincing, obviously trying to save face.

Okay, that shit is funny.

"Swan, huh? Really? As in graceful swans?" I asked, as I helped her up.

Our faces were inches apart from each other as she stood. If I wasn't such a pussy and if she didn't have sand all over her face, I would have kissed her. But, I didn't. Instead, I did the next best thing. I reached out without thinking to wipe the sand off of her. I stopped myself when I realized that she might not want my hands all over her.

"Hey, don't laugh. I've actually learned to accept it. It's pretty common knowledge that I'm a total klutz," she explained, as I daydreamed about touching her all over.

I should have just fucking done it.

But the moment had passed. "Beautiful like a swan but graceful like a new puppy," I said as I held her hand to steady her.

"Yeah, a really clumsy new puppy."

The poor girl looked horrified. Her cheeks were all flushed and she was mumbling. She had nothing to worry about with me. She could have done pretty much anything and I'd still be impossibly attracted to her.

"Well come on, let's get you settled back down where you aren't a danger to yourself and others," I finally said, trying to make her feel better.

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the sun and talking. It was amazing how comfortable I felt around her.

"So, what do you think of Bella?" Jasper asked as we got into the car at the end of the day. "It seems like you guys are hitting it off."

"I don't know if it's like that for her," I confessed lamely. "She's cool, though, so we'll see what happens."

Jasper shook his head. "You really have no idea what to do if you actually have to work for it, do you? Pathetic shit."

"Hey Man, don't hate me because I'm beautiful!" I hit him in the arm as we both laughed. But there was a part of me that knew he was right. I was screwed. Bella Swan was definitely fucking with my head.

We met up with the girls again to hang out and play some pool. I vowed that I wouldn't be a pussy tonight, but Bella made me incredibly nervous. I tried to play it off, but I liked her a lot more than I let on. She was really cool and fun to hang out with. I laughed more with her than I had in months. At times I thought she was flirting with me, but it wasn't overt so I couldn't be sure. I didn't want to ruin things by being overly forward, but fuck I wanted to kiss her. Maybe Jasper was right. I sucked at this.

As if my humiliation couldn't get any worse, Jasper and Alice decided to have a make out session right in front of us. I wanted to die. There was no way I could kiss Bella in public like that. So we just sat there. I leaned against the car, while she kicked the pebbles on the sidewalk around until Jasper and Alice were done. It was fucking awful.

"You are such a dick," I said to Jasper once we were in the car. "What the fuck?"

He laughed, not even remotely caring about my plight. "What?"

"Did you really have to make out with her right in front of us? Jesus." I was fucking pissed. And embarrassed. And fucking bummed.

"Dude, she was flirting with you all night. Even Alice said something about it and she's her friend. The fact that you didn't act on it isn't my problem."

Was she flirting?

Fuck if I knew.

I spent as much free time as I could over the next several days with Bella. It helped that Alice and Jasper were inseparable, so I had an excuse. It took the pressure off me. I could go along as his wingman, instead of how I really meant it, which was just to spend more time with Bella.

She amazed me. The more time I spent with her, the more I liked her. So, I was thrilled when Jasper and Alice left us alone on the couch at Bella's on our last night. Finally I would get some alone time and maybe I'd get that kiss that I'd been wanting since I met her.

Bella seemed like she liked me, but I honestly couldn't tell if her feelings for me were more than friendship. Even if they were, I was leaving the next day and I started to think that maybe it would be a mistake to get involved with her right before I left. I mean, what girl would wait six months for a guy she only kissed a couple of times?

So instead, my plan was to be her friend. Maybe then, I'd have a chance when I got back to pick up where I left off.

"I'm going to miss you, Edward," she said nervously after we'd been sitting there awhile. "Who else will keep me on my toes?"

Her words were like music to my ears. She was going to miss me. "I'm going to miss you too. But don't worry; I'll still be around to help keep your head on straight. We do have email, you know."

"Will you really write me?" she asked enthusiastically.

Yeah, she really has no idea how I feel, does she?

"Of course. You can be like the family I left behind since I don't have any." I wanted her to be there for me. I wanted to know that I had someone to come home to, particularly if that someone was Bella.

It was getting late and we had to be up early, so as much as I didn't want to leave, I knew we should go.

I pounded on Alice's door to get Jasper.

"Come on, man," I shouted, annoyed. "It's getting late. We've got to go."

At least someone's getting lucky.

Jasper came out of the room and I nearly choked when I saw him. His hair looked like he hadn't brushed it in months and his face was all splotchy.

"What the fuck happened to you?" I asked, laughing hysterically.

Jasper gave me an annoyed look and spat, "Shut the fuck up!" He ran his hands through his hair trying to tame the tangled mess.

I was definitely going to give him shit for this one.

As we walked to the door, the tension mounted. As much as I wanted to kiss Bella, I wouldn't. Not tonight. Not like this. She deserved better and all I could do was hope that she'd still be available when I got back.

There were times when I absolutely loved my job. This was not one of them.

I hugged her tightly, and the feel of her skin against mine almost broke my resolve. She was so soft and warm, and she smelled fucking amazing. She was perfect.

I pulled away when I heard her crying and gently wiped the tears from her face. It broke my heart to see her cry. "Hey, don't cry," I said softly. "We'll still talk. All the time, I promise."

She nodded, trying to put on a confident front, but I knew that things had changed for her too. I wasn't sure how, but I knew that she was as affected by my leaving as I was to be going. It gave me hope that maybe I had a chance with her.

"Goodbye, Bella," I said taking my last opportunity to stroke her cheek with the back of my hand. I waved over my shoulder as I left, unable to break eye contact.

"Goodbye, Edward," she said through her tears. "Don't forget to write."

And that was it. The date was July 20th. It would be six months before I'd see Bella again.

Part 2: Letters from Afar

I had forgotten how much I hated being on ships. They were claustrophobic and stunk. Since we weren't part of the regular crew, we were a bit on the outs, and everywhere I went, I felt like I was interrupting the guys' routines. It sucked.

Really, I was just finding reasons to be annoyed. I found myself thinking about Bella all the time and that had put me in a foul mood.

I sat down a few times to write Bella, but chickened out. I felt like a total douche. She had said that she wanted me to write her, but what if she was just being nice? Plus, we'd only just left the day before and I didn't want to seem overly eager.

About the fourth time I sat down to write, I didn't chicken out.

July 21st

To: Bella Swan

From: Edward Cullen

Subject: Miss you

Wow Bella, I wasn't expecting to meet someone like you. Hell, a week ago I didn't even know you. But it took all my willpower not to scoop you up and bring you with me in my duffel. I can't imagine six months without seeing you.

Anyway, we got settled in today. The ship is hot and stinky, but at least we're busy. Not having much space or any privacy will take some getting used to. At least I won't get into any trouble.

Can't wait to hear what you're up to.

Edward

I hit send before I over-analyzed it. I closed my computer, knowing I'd be too tempted to check my email compulsively and I already felt stupid enough as it was.

The next time I opened my computer, though, there was a response from Bella.

She wrote me.

I clicked to open it, eager to see what she had to say. I was surprised at how happy I felt getting it.

When did I turn into a teenage girl?

July 21st

To: Edward Cullen

From: Bella Swan

Subject: Re: Miss you

Thank you for your email. I didn't know if you were serious last time we talked about keeping in touch, so you can't imagine how happy I was to see your name in my Inbox.

Since we're being honest, I should tell you that you leaving has left a void in my life that I wasn't expecting, a void I'm finding I don't want to fill with anything else. It's weird to say that to you after only such a short time, but it's the truth. I hope you don't think I'm some stalker for admitting that. I just wanted to be honest.

I hope that the next six months will feel like an adventure for you instead of a sacrifice. You guys work so hard and have to give up so much that I hope all your exotic travels make up for that.

Anyway, I'd love to hear about what you're up to, even if you think it's boring. I'll never know what it's like to be on a ship like yours, so I'm sure I'll find it fascinating.

Anyhow, don't worry about me. I'll still be here, doing the same boring thing when you get back.

Bella

A void in her life? Me?

I was fucking ecstatic.

That opened the flood gates for us and we began emailing every day. I told her about things on board the ship and she told me about her job and things she had been up to. I felt comfortable talking to her and each day, I got to know her a little bit better. I found that getting her emails were the highlight of my day.

"Dude, you're whipped," Jasper teased over dinner one night. "That girl's got you by the balls."

I hit him with the back of my hand as I shoveled a piece of garlic bread into my mouth.

"You're one to fucking talk," I rebutted. "And I told you, it's not like that with Bella. We're just friends."

Jasper actually choked on his food as he laughed. "Yeah right, and I'm the Jolly Green Giant."

Jasper always was very perceptive, but in this case, it annoyed me. First of all, what if he told Alice about my true feelings for Bella? It might ruin everything. Second of all, I hadn't even figured out what the fuck was going on and I certainly didn't need Jasper fucking hounding me about it.

Luckily, there was an email waiting for me from Bella when I got back to my desk, which cheered me up considerably.

August 10th

To: Edward Cullen

From: Bella Swan

Subject: Golf

I don't think I ever asked you. Do you play golf? I love it, but I suck. I mean, I can hit the ball okay most of the time, but I'm pretty inconsistent. Suffice it to say, I'm not going pro anytime soon. A group of us went out the other day and it was really nice. The weather was great and the beer cart girl made sure to keep us well stocked. What more could I ask for? I couldn't help thinking that it would be really fun to play with you. You make a cute face when you're concentrating. I'd like it, I think.

Anyway, I shot okay, but my friend, Jake, almost got a hole in one. We were screaming and jumping up and down on the tee box after he hit. It almost rolled in and only missed the pin by about a foot. It was exciting. Maybe you had to be there.

Now I can't even golf without thinking of you. You've ruined me, I'm telling you…

Bella

Jake. She was playing golf on a beautiful San Diego day with a guy named Jake, while I was stuck in some shit-hole ship with a bunch of stinky guys. Just fucking great. On the bright side, at least she thought of me even if she was with Jaaake.

I just sneered his name in my head. Seriously, I am a teenage girl.

Each day was the same. I'd go to work and spend my time wondering what email was waiting in my Inbox. It was pathetic and if I wasn't so hooked on this girl, I'd feel like a fucking loser.

Thanksgiving was especially hard for all of us on board the ship. Everyone was bitter about being away from their families and the general mood was pissy. I had spent the last couple of years with Jasper and his family, but being at sea on a major holiday sucked. I wanted to be drinking, watching football, and celebrating instead of working and training.

My Inbox spared me from feeling too glum, though.

November 26th

To: Edward Cullen

From: Bella Swan

Subject: Thanksgiving

You should be here right now, not on a boat away from everyone who loves you. It's still warm here, although there are signs of fall. At least I have football to keep me company. I'm going to my dad's house today and cooking a big turkey- the whole enchilada. He can't cook at all, so I'll be on my own.

I wish you were here. The family you left behind misses you, especially on Thanksgiving.

Bella

I knew that she wasn't literally saying she loved me, but there was a certain joy I felt at seeing her endearing words on my screen. Even if she didn't love me in the traditional sense of the word, there was something special between us and I think we both knew it. Defining what it was, that was a little harder.

If Thanksgiving on the ship sucked, Christmas really sucked. I'd been sick for about a week and was finally on the mend. Thankfully, we were in port, so I didn't have to deal with work and all that bullshit. I needed to get out and feel better and at least I could explore and shop a little. I wanted to get Bella something.

I went to an outdoor market that was teeming with people. I couldn't help but wonder where they all lived, since I'd hardly seen any houses. It was an exciting environment, though and the people were very friendly. Something about the uniform brought out the best in people.

I stopped by a jewelry booth and the very pushy saleslady was trying to sell me everything she had, assuring me that it was all real. I scanned the selections until I finally saw something that stood out to me as being perfect for Bella. It was an amber pendant that was set in silver. I had noticed that her eyes had flecks of gold in them and this pendant reminded me of that. I liked it because unless you were close to her, you'd never notice that detail about her. Most people probably thought her eyes were flat brown. But I knew better. It made me feel like there was something about Bella that only I saw.

I couldn't decide between that or a charm bracelet. There were a ton of charms to choose from, but my favorites were the sand dollar and the seal. The sand dollar was for our amazing day at the beach, when I first got to know her. The seal was a little corny, but it made me feel stupidly special that she'd have it on her wrist, as though it was some sort of commitment.

Jesus, you are whipped.

I quickly paid for the items and made my way back to the ship where I promptly typed up an email for her. I wanted her to know that I was thinking of her on Christmas. Hell, I was thinking of her all the time, but I couldn't very well admit that to her.

I kept repeating my mantra over and over in my head.

Only one more month.

New Years Eve came and went. Nothing like being on a ship with no alcohol to ring in the New Year. I actually took the opportunity to catch up on my sleep and truth be told, I needed the rest. It felt rejuvenating.

Bella, apparently, had not been so fortunate. She'd gone out with her friends on New Year's Eve and I could picture in my head the kind of scene that had happened in downtown San Diego. I wished I could be there. Even worse than the fact that I was here and she was there, was that she'd been hit on by a bunch of guys.

Well, that fucking sucks.

I tried to sound nonchalant and blame Jasper in my response. I didn't want Bella to know how whipped I really was.

January 2nd

To: Bella Swan

From: Edward Cullen

Subject: Re: Last Month

I'm not sure I like the idea of random guys hitting on you while I'm across the world and unable to beat the shit out of them for you. Or would it be for me? Either way, I'm glad Alice took care of them. Jasper will be relieved. That boy is whipped.

Happy New Year!

Edward

I got the call from Lt. Marcus on the seventh of January. He wanted me to see him in his office, which on land would be considered a closet. I knew it was about our mission and how much longer we'd be needed. I was on pins and needles.

January 30th.

That was only a few short weeks away and I couldn't wait to tell Bella about it. As I typed the email telling her my news, I couldn't help but wonder how things would go for us. We technically weren't a couple, yet I felt closer to her than anyone else.

What if she's seeing someone else?

I briefly panicked, but I had to ask her to come to the base and meet me anyway. What was the worst she could say? No?

I didn't want to think about that.

To my complete relief, she agreed to meet me and it gave me something new to focus on. I literally counted down the days.

Even though we weren't permanent members of the ship's crew, they allowed us to be a part of their pomp and circumstance as the ship pulled into port. The crew dressed in their whites and stood at their posts while the ship pulled into port. I saw the lighthouse at Point Loma and my heart pounded in my chest. We rounded the corner into the harbor and I could see our berth. I knew Bella was there and it was all I could do not to jump overboard and swim; likely I could have beaten the ship with the pace we were keeping.

I gathered up the remainder of my things and checked in with my C.O. before walking off the ship.

The sounds of happiness and laughter surrounded me. I wanted my own, and I could only find it with Bella. I looked around but I didn't see her in the crowd. There were so many people and kids running around everywhere. I just needed to find her.

I almost pulled out my cell phone to call her when I was tackled and Bella's small, delicate arms were tightly wrapped around my neck.

Home.

"Bella," I said, barely able to get the words out. "I'm so happy to see you."

And holy shit, truer words had never been spoken.

Part 3: Homecoming

I was really home. The San Diego air hit me like a warm embrace. There is something incredibly serene about the smell of home. For me, it was the scent of the salt off the ocean, the temperate breeze blowing softly about me, and of course the intoxicating scent of Bella in my arms.

I reluctantly pulled away from her and gathered up my things. I wanted to be with her in a non-military setting.

"So, what's on the agenda?" I asked, trying not to sound obsessed. I tried to keep my hopes to a minimum in case she already had other plans for the rest of the day.

Relief surged through me when she suggested we go to my place to unpack. The idea sounded logical, but I wasn't really feeling logical. I just wanted to get Bella alone, not deal with unpacking. I guess when it came down to it, I was too fucking happy to see her to care.

She reached over and squeezed my leg as we drove and it took all my willpower not to pull over and kiss her.

What are we? Friends? More?

I reluctantly agreed to unpack my clothes, even though it seemed entirely too benign for the emotions I currently felt. I was finally home, with Bella…unpacking. Having her here with me, in my house, in my room, was overwhelming. There were so many things I wanted to do with her that I almost didn't trust myself.

"Okay, no more uniforms to put away," I said as I moved closer to her. "Let's go out. I want to have some fun with you."

She smiled and grabbed my hand again, leading me out the door to her car. She chose a restaurant that overlooked the carriers and it was amazing how monumental they looked.

"I can't believe you lived on that," she hummed, looking out the window toward the ship I'd departed only hours before.

"I wouldn't call it living," I replied. She chuckled but it was true. This was living. That was existing.

There's a distinct difference, one I only became aware of after meeting her.

Our hands intermingled as we ate and drank, talking about everything and anything. It was everything I remembered and more. Holding her hand, touching her, was wonderful, but like on the beach that day before I left, I wanted to touch all of her, caress her with my hands and my lips.

After dinner, we walked along the boardwalk, enjoying the coolness of the ocean breeze. I held her hand and she didn't pull away.

That's a sign, right?

I was seriously messed up in the head when it came to Bella. I was normally confident, but she reduced me to rubble and I was powerless to stop it.

I couldn't stand it anymore, so I stopped walking and pulled the jewelry box I'd gotten on Christmas from my pocket. I hoped she'd like the gift.

"Do you remember when I told you that I bought something?" I asked sheepishly.

She took the box and opened it cautiously, and then the biggest grin I'd ever seen graced her face.

Breathtaking.

"Oh my God, Edward, it's beautiful," she said enthusiastically.

It felt good. I put that smile on her face. Me. I did that!

I explained where it came from and why it inspired me, even including the part about having a seal on her wrist.

So cheesy, but true.

She pulled me into a hug and I was unprepared for the surge of emotions that followed. It seemed like the perfect time to kiss her. If I read her cues, I'd have said that she wanted it too, but I was so fucking nervous of losing this. It was the first real thing I'd had in a long time and I didn't want to fuck it up.

So instead of kissing her, it became awkward for both of us and the moment passed.

Fuck.

I didn't want the night to end, so I was grateful when Bella invited me in at her place. I didn't want to read too much into it, but I hoped it was a sign that she wanted me the way that I wanted her.

"Where's Alice?" I asked as Bella grabbed us a couple of beers from the fridge.

"Are you kidding?" Bella said with a chuckle. "Jasper's home. I'll be lucky if I see her before Christmas."

I had to laugh because I'd just talked to Jasper and he was as anxious as I was; only he had confirmation of Alice's feelings, unlike me. I was envious. They were able to show their emotions, while I was stuck in some sort of emotional purgatory.

We talked but after a while, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to know if there was more.

I stood up and pulled her to standing. She looked at me as though I had three heads.

"Are we going somewhere?" she asked, lightly.

But I didn't want jovial banter anymore. I wanted Bella.

I reached out and cupped the sides of her face, inching closer to her. This time, there would be no mistaking my intentions, nor would there be any distractions.

My lips brushed against hers, softly urging her to open up and let me in.

She didn't pull away!

I paused to catch my breath and come to grips with the fact that I was finally kissing Bella, but moved in again quickly. I needed more.

She moaned into my mouth as our tongues touched for the first time, dancing a playful dance. She was fucking exquisite.

Not wanting to take advantage of the situation and remain somewhat of a gentleman, I pulled away from her.

"I'm sorry Bella, I just couldn't help myself," I said, hoping against hope that she wouldn't view this as a mistake.

Her eyes took on a dreamy look as she smirked at me. "I'm not sorry," she sighed. "God, you're good at that."

Game on.

I hugged her as the biggest sense of relief passed through me. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to kiss you. I was afraid you didn't want me like that."

Without saying another word, she took my hand and led me to the bedroom. I'd never felt more alive as I did in that moment. Every nerve ending on my body was on full alert.

It was my time to show Bella how I felt. Once we reached the bedroom, I took charge.

I lifted her shirt over her head as I kissed her gently, trying to pace myself. My need for her was so strong that it was difficult to control myself. Her hands moved to the hem of my shirt, removing it in a sensual quid pro quo.

Her hands roamed my body and I shut my eyes, relishing in the feel of her hands on me. Her touch was light but I felt a trail of heat left on my skin from where she grazed me. I had dreamt about this so many times and it was finally coming to fruition.

I wrapped my fingers into her hair, controlling her movements, needing her to feel my desire. My erection was prominent and I knew there was no hiding the effect she had on me. She was everything I'd ever wanted and I didn't want to hold back any longer.

"God Bella, you are so beautiful," I whispered in her ear. "I want you so badly. I've been dreaming about this since the day I met you. I just can't help myself."

Her hands slid down to my chest and continued to move lower until they reached the button of my jeans, lowering them slowly. I knew where she was going with this, but there was a part of me that was still in disbelief that this incredible woman wanted me.

Her hands moved up my legs, after successfully removing my jeans and it was almost too much to take. I hadn't felt a woman's touch in a long time, and I'd never felt a woman's touch that was as exquisite as Bella's.

Pulling me from my mental calisthenics, she wrapped her hands around my cock and I moaned, unabashed.

As if the feeling of her hand around me wasn't enough, she reached out her tongue and licked my tip and I felt the shudder spread throughout my body.

This woman is going to fucking kill me.

And then her mouth was around me.

Jesus Christ.

"Fuucccckkk…Bella…your mouth…ahhh…so good." I couldn't say anything coherent at that moment. It just felt so fucking good.

But I wanted to watch what she was doing, so I moved the hair out of her face so I could see her.

Bad idea.

As much as I wanted to see her, it was pushing me too far and I didn't want things to end yet. But I didn't want her to stop either.

So I decided to let go and let the moment be what it was and just enjoy the feeling of being with her. I placed my hands in her hair, gently guiding her movements as she loved me. Each time she took me into her throat, I almost came. The sensation built within me until I knew it was inevitable. I didn't want to disrespect her by coming into her mouth. It was bad enough that she was on her knees in front of me, but I couldn't stop myself and she was relentless in her movements, not pulling back, despite my warning.

"Bella…fuck…I'm gonna come…shit…" I couldn't stop as I came in forceful spurts into her mouth.

I was stunned. My body felt things that I'd never felt before. Bella rose to stand in front of me and I pulled her into a tight hug.

"Jesus Christ, that was good," I mumbled.

I needed more of her. I began to kiss her passionately as I maneuvered us over to the bed. Bella took the initiative and lay down, pulling me with her, never breaking contact. She spread her legs for me and wasted no time positioning my body between them. I was fierce with need for her.

My fingers grazed her sides as I lowered my hand to her waist, dipping my fingers lower.

I needed her naked. Now.

"Can I take these off?" I asked, already lowering her pants.

She nodded with a devious look on her face as she lifted her hips, allowing me to finish what I had started. Once she was naked, I let my body fall onto hers, our legs intertwining, and every surface of our bodies flush with each other. The feeling of being this close to her with nothing between us was overwhelming.

I began my exploration of her body by kissing her mouth and then I slowly descended down her body, worshipping each curve. My hand led the way as it grasped and massaged her breast, my lips following close behind. I pulled her erect nipple into my mouth and she moaned loudly, arching into my touch.

That's it, Bella.

Wanting to hear more of her sexy moans, I continued exploring her, moving lower on her body in a painstakingly slow process. My fingers slid over her hips, moving lower between her legs. She was so fucking wet for me and my fingers moved easily, dipping inside her. Once again, I almost came on contact. I imagined myself buried deep within her, my cock taking the place of my fingers.

"I need to taste you," I finally said, looking up at her face to gain permission as I removed my fingers from her and placed them on her hips in preparation.

"Yes…please," she muttered.

Her face was flush, with rosy cheeks and a thin layer of sweat. She looked fucking amazing when she was aroused. I would have to see more of this look on her, it was sexy as hell. I took one last glance at her face, memorizing it, before I let my tongue slip out of my mouth to touch her in one long lick.

"Oh God, Edward," she moaned, lacing her fingers into my hair.

Ah, so she likes it.

Her body jerked upward into my touch, but I wanted to be the one in charge. I wanted to make her feel the intense emotions I had just felt under her touch. With one hand stilling her hips, my other hand moved between her thighs, running my fingers slowly along her slick folds, finally pressing into her. Seeing her react spurred me on, so I began to lick her clit again, moving in sync with my fingers.

She sucked in a deep breath, almost a gasp, as her body shook.

"Relax, Bella," I hummed, as I continued my assault on her body.

She tasted so fucking good and I loved that I could elicit this response from her. Her body gripped my fingers as I moved them slowly in and out of her. I felt her body tighten beneath my mouth and I knew that she was close.

"Oh God…shit…so close…fuck…" Bella screamed as her orgasm took over her body, twitching and clenching under my touch.

Feeling immensely satisfied at having brought her such pleasure, I kissed my way back up her body, finally coming to rest beside her. I wanted to be gentle with her, but I was hard again and knew I couldn't hold out much longer. I needed to be inside of her. I stroked her hair gently and kissed her neck, but that only fueled the fire burning inside of me. I brought my hand around the back of her neck and then passionately kissed her mouth.

I didn't want to wait another minute, so I furiously grabbed a condom from my wallet and slid it onto my cock, which was throbbing by this point.

She opened her legs for me in anticipation as I grabbed my cock and guided it to her, coating it with her slick juices. I was frantic with need and I could tell that Bella felt the same. We had been leading up to this point since we met.

"Edward please, I need you inside me," she said breathily.

Oh God, yes!

That was all I needed.

In one powerful thrust, we were joined.

Fucking Christ.

I groaned in pleasure at the sensation of being inside of her. I stilled briefly, as her body writhed beneath mine. She pulled me in deeper as her hands moved to my ass and I struggled to maintain control. I had no idea how amazing it would feel to be with Bella like this. I could never have imagined something so amazing. It had never been like this for me before. Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, I lifted myself up slightly and looked into her eyes.

"Fuck…Bella, you feel so good…. better than all my fantasies." There was no way I could ever put what I was feeling into words.

She smiled and hummed back at me, which gave me the encouragement I needed to move. I pulled almost all the way out of her and then forcefully thrust again. Each time I moved within her, I felt myself falling deeper and deeper. For the first time, I knew what it was like to make love. This was love.

We moved together, our bodies seeking release that only the other could provide. Bella's breaths shortened and her body tensed as she screamed out my name. She gripped onto my back, clinging to me, silently begging me to stay. Seeing her like that, so open and vulnerable, made me feel special, like we were the only two people on Earth.

I desperately needed release so I picked up my pace and exhaled sharply as I spilled into her, my body wracked with spasms.

I couldn't move. I just lay there, with Bella underneath me and her legs wrapped around me. I kissed her tenderly on her neck and shoulders. I had never felt like that before and I wanted to make the moment last as long as I could.

"Bella, I didn't know it could be like that. I've thought about being with you so many times. It's hard to believe that you're actually here, in my arms," I quietly confessed in a whisper, needing her to know how different and special she was. "I missed you so much. It feels so good to be home."

"Welcome home, Edward."

For the second time since I got back, I knew exactly what 'home' meant.

I slept soundly.

A/N: So, there you have it. Our boy was smitten from the get go. I hope you enjoyed it. The epilogue is with my betas and should be up later this week.

I'm posting a bunch of pictures on the Twilighted thread of the various things they've done in San Diego, including the restaurant they went to and Bella's apartment. The link to the thread is in my profile. Also, I'd be happy to post them in my profile, but I can't figure out how, so if one of you knows, please let me know.

I love your reviews, so please take a quick moment and tell me what you thought.

Thanks again for reading!