A/N 4/29/13: I am working my way through this story and re-editing the chapters. Nothing about the plot will change. This was my first story and I just want to get rid of some of the rookie mistakes.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. This disclaimer applies to all chapters.

One Lonely Night

My fingers drummed lazily on the wood of the bar next to me. I glanced around the restaurant once again, then back to my half full glass of red wine. It had only been ten minutes, and already I was wondering if I had made the right decision by coming here tonight. My best friend Alice had assured me that I needed to go out tonight, and I tried to never bet against Alice and her nearly psychic abilities.

"I feel like there's something amazing waiting for you, Bella," she had said last night after apologizing yet again for not being able to go out with me on my twenty-fifth birthday.

I had asked her where I was supposed to go and what I was supposed to do by myself, but she just shrugged and told me that I would figure it out.

I thought about it all day while working at home. As an editor, I rarely went into the office because it was so much easier to do my job in the quiet of my own studio apartment. When I finished the project that I had been working on and emailed it back to my boss, I shut down my laptop and made my way into my closet, still wondering where I was going to go and how I was going to get the courage to go out on my own.

As I stripped out of my comfy yoga pants and tank top, an idea hit me. I thought of the hibachi restaurant two blocks from my apartment and decided that if I went there, I could be a little less alone. The restaurant mostly had tables for six, and seated groups of less than that together to fill as many seats as possible. I figured I could be seated with a few young couples, or maybe a family, instead of sitting alone all night. A brilliant idea if I ever had one, but now as I sat by the bar waiting to be seated, I had already run out of things to do.

I had grabbed a navy blue blouse and my favorite black skinny jeans. At 5' 4" the jeans gave me the appearance of longer legs. Black ballet flats completed the outfit. I ran a brush through my long brown hair and watched the waves bounce over my shoulders. My brown eyes reflected back at me in the mirror, showing my loneliness.

Before leaving the apartment, I had looked over the birthday cards from my parents once more, smiling at how typical they were. My mother was living in Phoenix with her new husband, and as scatterbrained as she was, I was surprised that she had even remembered to send a card. Renee's card was a silly one, with a note telling me how much she missed me.

My father still lives in Forks, a small town located a few hours from my Seattle apartment, and is known as a man of few words. Charlie's generic card was postmarked yesterday and arrived with today's mail. It was simply signed, "Dad."

I didn't have a boyfriend to buy me a thoughtful gift or take me out for a special evening. In fact, I hadn't had a boyfriend since my senior year of high school. And, I don't even think three dates with your dad's best friend's son really even counts as a boyfriend.

The restaurant was large but intimate. The lights were low, creating a romantic setting amidst the active environment. My shoe flopped off and on the heel of my right foot as my impatience and discomfort grew. I quietly toasted to myself with my wine to whatever future awaited this next year of my life. A small sigh escaped me as I resigned to the fact that it would likely be no more exciting than the last year.

The hostess saved me from myself after only a few minutes of reflection. She quietly showed me to a table where a family of four had been seated.

Leaving the extra seat between myself and the family, I enjoyed the easy interaction of the parents and the two young girls. The blond mother sitting close to me gave a small smile while reaching her hand toward me over the grill. "I'm Carmen," she stated simply. "I hope my daughters won't be too much trouble for you and your date."

I took her hand for a quick shake and put on my best forced smile. "I'm alone tonight, and I hope I won't be intruding on your family dinner."

"Nonsense, we're happy to have more company. These are my daughters, Kate and Irina," she said gesturing to the beautiful blond girls who appeared to be about eight and ten. "And this is my husband, Eleazar."

Eleazar quickly stood from his seat opposite me and walked around the table to shake my hand. "My name is Bella," I added as he approached.

"So nice to meet you, Bella," he said with a polite smile before returning to his seat.

A waitress came by to take the family's drink orders, while I continued to sip my wine. I planned to limit myself to only one more glass during dinner in order to keep my wits about me, even though the walk back to my apartment was short. I smiled to myself thinking about the bottle of wine in my refrigerator, waiting for me at home. My celebration would not end early tonight.

Carmen and Eleazar continued to make small talk while we waited for their drinks to be delivered. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the hostess approaching our table over Carmen's shoulder. My heart skipped a beat as the hostess moved toward me and I saw the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my twenty-five years trailing behind her.

My breath caught as I took in the gentleman approaching our table. Below a mess of bronze hair sat a chiseled jaw, strong nose and a slightly timid smile, but what captivated me were the bright, piercing green eyes. For a brief moment, our eyes met and I quickly looked at Carmen to attempt to hide my ogling. Nerves took over and forced my eyes to look into my suddenly captivating glass of red wine to avoid getting lost in this stranger's gaze. Both of my hands held the stem of my glass in an attempt to keep me from looking at the beautiful specimen.

Clearly, this man could not be joining our table, seeing as there was only one seat available. Someone as entrancing as he is would not be alone on a Friday night.

Still staring into my wine, I felt a sudden shift in the temperature of the room that wasn't coming from the grill in front of me. A warmth enveloped me from my left just as the chair beside me ground against the tile floor. Eyes still glued to my glass, a strong hand with long fingers came into my peripheral on the table. My mind flashed to having that hand gently but firmly caressing my hip and up the side of my ribcage. I felt my face flush with embarrassment at my thoughts and could do nothing but take another sip of wine to calm myself.

I was still reeling at the closeness and heat of this stranger as I tuned out everything else around me. It wasn't until a throat cleared and I felt a jolt of electricity in my left arm that I broke out of my thoughts.

Startled, I turned to see this Adonis withdrawing his hand from my arm with an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." His velvet voice seemed concerned. "Carmen was just introducing everyone, seeing as we will be spending the evening together. I'm Edward," he continued as he held out his hand.

"Bella," I squeaked out, barely able to get control of my voice. I reached over with my right hand to take his, and another jolt of electricity flowed as our fingers gently touched. It was far from an unpleasant sensation. My eyes were locked on where our hands were joined, my smaller hand engulfed by his larger one. My breathing picked up as I realized that he held my hand a few moments longer than was customary, and I finally lifted my eyes to his face. Our eyes locked and confusion set in on Edward's face.

As if suddenly recognizing the awkwardness of our embrace, Edward cleared his throat and quickly dropped my hand. I immediately felt the loss of that spark. I nervously looked around the table to see if anyone had noticed the exchange, but only found Carmen and Eleazar tending to their daughters. My hands instinctively wrapped back around my glass as a lifeline, to what I didn't know.

Once again, I became lost in my thoughts, wondering why a man such as the gorgeous specimen beside me would be alone on a Friday night. As if reading my mind, Edward nervously asked, "So, Bella, what is such a beautiful woman as you doing alone on a Friday night?"

Beautiful? Did the God-incarnate himself just call me beautiful? Surely he is poking fun at my loneliness. I quickly tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't sound pathetic, but my lack of verbal filter took over as I blurted out, "I didn't want to sit home alone on my birthday."

Immediately, I wished I could take back those words. For once, I wished I had listened to some of Alice's fashion advice, because surely a little makeup tonight would have helped cover the blush that I felt creeping over my cheeks. Trying to save myself some embarrassment, I retorted with, "And why are you alone this evening, Edward?"

Edward glanced around, sensing my discomfort. For the few moments it took for him to respond, I figured I must have been a bit too sarcastic. Great, what might have been a nice evening was now going to be uncomfortable. I may as well have stayed home, seeing that I was now all but alone at the table anyway.

But Edward surprised me when he quietly answered. "Um, I just moved to Seattle a few days ago. I've been eating take-out every day and haven't finished unpacking my kitchen yet, so I thought I'd treat myself to a real meal tonight," he said with a crooked smile. "I figured a hibachi restaurant wouldn't feel as lonely as going anywhere else."

"Hmm, I know what you mean," I replied under my breath.

"So, today is your birthday?" Edward continued confidently. "Seeing as you are now my only friend in Seattle, we should celebrate." The crooked smile reappeared and for a moment I was lost in it. I gave him a small smile back and looked into his green eyes which held a note of sincerity. We'll see, I thought to myself. I'm sure that by the end of dinner he'll be wondering why he tried to call me his friend. Most days I still didn't understand why Alice was friends with me. We had completely different personalities, Alice being outgoing and fun, while I was shy and reserved. I guess there was some sort of balance between us.

Realizing that Edward was actually waiting for me to respond, I simply said, "Sure, that sounds great."

Just then, the waitress walked over to Edward and asked him what he would like to drink. I could see the hunger in her eyes when she looked at him and leaned in to bring her large breasts closer to his face. A seemingly oblivious Edward looked over to me and said, "Actually, I don't think I'm staying."

All of the air left me in a rush and I internally chastised myself for having driven this gorgeous and intriguing man away so quickly. Hadn't he just said that we should celebrate? Why would I have even gotten my hopes up, I thought as I looked back at the remains of my red wine.

"Bella?" he questioned. I desperately tried not to look at his beauty, which would only cause me further pain. "Would you like to get out of here and go somewhere a little more quiet?"

We were making our way through the door of the hibachi restaurant before I even registered that I had given him an answer and was actually on my way to spend the evening with Edward. "There's an Italian restaurant just a block over that I've been eyeing since I moved in. Have you ever been to La Bella Italia?" he asked. "I've been dying to try it."

"No, I haven't been there," I responded with my verbal filter thankfully in place. He didn't need to know that I rarely got out, and had never really had a date.

Walking slowly down the street in the warm September air, Edward started an easy conversation wondering how long I had lived in Seattle. As we reached the restaurant, I had just finished explaining that I moved to Seattle for school at the University of Washington and stayed there after graduation.

The hostess greeted us and showed us to a table near the back of the restaurant. I caught her eyeing Edward and licking her lips, but he appeared to be ignorant of the attention he drew. I was thrilled when he thanked the hostess without even looking at her and made his way over to pull out my chair for me. Instead of sitting across from me, he chose the chair on my left and I felt the now familiar heat of his proximity when he sat.

I picked up my menu when the nerves set in, but decided I should take some initiative. "So, what brings you to Seattle?" I figured that was an easy place to start.

Edward looked up from his menu to look at me as he spoke. "I was looking to start over." Great, now I felt as if my simple question was the worst one I could have asked. Edward's pause was only momentary before he continued. "I grew up in Chicago, went to college there, and then started working out of my apartment. Even though I had friends and family around, I always had this feeling that something was missing. A few weeks ago I decided that I just needed to be somewhere else. To see what was outside of my comfort zone." That's something I certainly understood. "I don't really know what brought me to Seattle, but it seemed as good a place as any to take a chance. I can work from anywhere, so it didn't really matter where I ended up. I guess most people would have picked someplace warm and tropical though." He chuckled a bit and looked back to his menu.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean for that to be such a personal question."

"It's not a big deal. I don't know anyone in Seattle, so you really are my first friend here. For some reason, I feel very comfortable with you." Another beautiful smile graced his face.

My cheeks flushed again and I dropped my gaze into my menu to hide the embarrassment. If only he knew just how comfortable I felt with him, he'd probably be running back to Chicago on the next flight.

Saved by the waitress, who came to take our drink orders and tell us about the specials, I requested a Coke and Edward scowled. "It's your birthday. We need to celebrate. If you're worried about driving, I'll gladly pay for a cab so we can enjoy ourselves tonight," he whispered close to my ear.

I looked into his captivating eyes once again and could deny him nothing. I quickly changed my drink order to Chardonnay, while Edward ordered a beer for himself and once again flashed his crooked smile at me. I know my limits though, and driving or not I was not planning to get drunk tonight in the company of a man that I had just met.

We both busied ourselves with the menu for a few minutes while we waited for our drinks to be delivered. When the waitress returned with our drinks, I ordered the mushroom ravioli and Edward ordered chicken parmesan.

With no menus to distract us, Edward once again broke the tension asking more about me. I told him that I worked from home as an editor and in my free time I enjoyed reading and writing. Edward explained that he was a freelance computer programmer. He said his only real hobby is music, listening to it, playing it and composing it.

"What instruments do you play?"

Edward looked sheepish as he answered. "Um, piano, guitar, violin and drums. I could only bring my guitars and violin to Seattle for now though." Wow, I wonder if he'd ever let me hear him play something. One of his own compositions, maybe?

"Do you sing?"

"Yes."

Cue dreamy sigh. The thought of his velvety voice singing while he played the guitar was igniting a fire throughout my entire body. Thankfully I was saved by the waitress returning with our food.

While the waitress placed our plates in front of us, I gave myself an internal pep talk. Eat slowly, no clumsiness tonight. This cream sauce will NOT look good dripped down the front of my blue blouse.

Edward began cutting his chicken while I speared a piece of ravioli on my fork. The second it was in my mouth, I could not hold back the small moan that escaped my lips. Edward's eyes flashed to my mouth in a heated look that I didn't recognize. When his eyes rose to mine, I could feel my body heating once more. The fire in his eyes sent a shiver through my body.

I continued chewing my food while looking Edward in the eye. After what seemed like an eternity, he cleared his throat and looked down at his plate to continue cutting his food. I stabbed another bite of ravioli and watched as Edward brought the first forkful of chicken parmesan up to his mouth. I couldn't draw my eyes away from the way his lips wrapped around the fork, and I imagined what they would feel like pressed against me. They looked soft but strong and I felt my mouth go dry as liquid was diverted to other parts of me. He hummed in pleasure at his food and I licked my lips as I watched his strong jaw moving. I took a sip of my wine to try to calm my lusty body.

"This is delicious," Edward sighed. "Would you like to try a bite?" I could only nod my head in answer, afraid of my voice failing me.

As I reached over with my fork, I realized that Edward already had a mouthful on his fork and was bringing it toward my lips. Our eyes met once again as I opened my mouth and let him feed me. The food was delicious, but not as delicious as the look in his deep, green eyes.

I offered him a bite of my ravioli in return, which he accepted and ate off my fork. I could watch him eat every day and never get enough of the sensual look on his face as he accepted the food into his mouth.

We fell into easy conversation as we both returned to our own plates. Favorite authors, musicians and family being the main topics of conversation. When Edward spoke of his mother, Esme, I could see the love in his eyes and hear the respect in his voice. His parents sounded like wonderful role models with a great marriage, which brought me a bit of sadness since I didn't have that growing up. He told me stories of his brother, Emmett pulling pranks on him and his father, Carlisle. I couldn't help but wonder why someone who seemed so close to his loving family would pick up and move to be alone.

I shared a little about my parents, how they had divorced when I was young and I spent time with both my mom and dad until I turned seventeen and went to live with my dad to finish high school so my mom could travel with her new husband. Even though Charlie was just a few hours away I didn't see him often.

Finally, Edward steered the conversation back to what I was dreading. "Why were you spending your birthday alone?"

I decided that honesty was the best option at this point. Edward was either going to like me for who I was, or he wouldn't. "I've never been big on birthdays, and my friends know that. My best friend was busy tonight. I normally would have just stayed home, but somehow I let Alice convince me to go out by myself tonight.

"I still can't believe I agreed to have dinner with you after knowing you for about a minute," I added with a blush. "I'm usually pretty shy, and this really isn't like me at all."

"I appreciate your honesty," Edward said. "And I have to tell you that this is completely out of my character also. This may sound forward, but the moment I saw you I just felt like I had to get to know you." Edward timidly reached over and took my hand in his. I felt the electricity flow through me again at his touch. I looked into his eyes while our hands were joined and I could see the sincerity. My mind was doing flips at where this might lead.

The waitress reappeared to clear our plates and asked if we would like any dessert or coffee. Edward looked to me, and I shook my head. He thanked her and asked for the check. I realized my mistake a minute too late. Dinner was now over, but I didn't want my time with Edward to end.

As if sensing my concern, Edward began rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand in a soothing gesture. "I really don't want to end the evening yet, Bella," he said quietly. "My apartment is only a block from here, but if you're not comfortable joining me there then maybe we could find someplace else to go for a drink?"

And then my mind was really spinning. Could he possibly feel the same attraction that I felt? Did he really want to get to know me better? Offering the option of staying out in public for my benefit was such a sweet thing to do. But did I want that? I knew I wanted to get to know Edward better. Thinking back to my reason for going out by myself tonight, I realized I knew all along what my answer would be. I took a chance by going out tonight, expecting nothing but hoping for something. Something wonderful was sitting right next to me, asking me to go to his apartment.

Was I scared? Definitely. Was this outside of my comfort zone? Absolutely. Was I going to take the chance anyway? I don't think wild horses could have held me back.

I had no idea how long I sat pondering Edward's question. He looked a bit nervous waiting for my answer, but he hadn't let go of my hand yet. My decision made, I gave a gentle squeeze to his hand as I looked him in the eye. Confidently, I replied, "I would really like to join you in your apartment." He seemed to let out a relieved sigh.

The waitress brought our check, and I tried to pay for my share but Edward wouldn't have it. "Obviously, I didn't get you anything for your birthday," he said with a smile. "The least I can do is take you out for dinner."

The nerves started to set in while Edward paid the bill. I knew where this could lead, I mean I'm twenty-five, not a teenager. Clearly we hadn't gotten to the topic of sexual history, or in my case, lack of sexual history, during dinner. How would Edward feel when he realized I was a fumbling virgin? I knew how I felt about it. I was a virgin out of circumstances, not by choice. I wasn't saving myself for that someone special or my wedding night. I would probably be relieved to get that first time out of the way, but I worried that my lack of experience would cause Edward to run for the hills. I certainly didn't want him to think I was going to be some needy, clingy woman just because he took my virginity … assuming he was even that interested.

Edward finished with the bill and raised his beer. "To new beginnings," he toasted. I raised my wine glass and tapped it against his beer with a smile. We both took a last sip of our drinks before Edward reached for my hand again and said, "Shall we?"

We walked the short distance to Edward's apartment in comfortable silence, my hand clasped in his in a relaxing manner. Edward released my hand when we reached his building so he could unlock the door and I followed him up the stairs to the second floor. He unlocked his door and opened it, gesturing me to go in first.

I took a few steps in and looked around, noting the few boxes that were scattered throughout the spacious living room, although the place looked mostly tidy. Not at all what I expected from a young bachelor. No pizza boxes or dirty dishes left on the coffee table. The carpet was a warm beige with cream colored walls. There was a large, brown couch that looked extremely fluffy and inviting, and a matching oversized chair to the side. Across from the couch was a large entertainment center with a flat screen TV, and a stylish wooden coffee table in between.

Edward placed his keys on an entry table near the door. "Can I get you a drink? I have a bottle of white wine and some beer, or iced tea or water if you prefer."

"I'll have a beer," I answered.

"Make yourself comfortable," Edward said gesturing to the couch as he walked over to the open kitchen and grabbed two beer bottles out of the refrigerator. I could see that there were a few more boxes in the kitchen than there were in the living room. I took a seat on the end of the couch, fidgeting with my hands and tapping my toes inside my shoe when I didn't know what else to do.

Edward returned with the beers already opened and handed one to me while placing his on the coffee table. He looked a bit nervous as he said, "I'll put on some music." He turned to the stereo and plugged in his cell phone, scrolling through his music until some soft, classical music filled the room.

I took a sip from my beer and placed it on the coffee table when Edward came over and sat next to me on the couch. His proximity once again caused my body to flood with heat and I took a deep breath to calm myself. His delicious scent assaulted my senses as I breathed in. He didn't smell like cologne, it was more a natural aroma of man and spice. I let out the ragged breath and tried to regain my composure.

Edward looked at me with an intensity in his eyes, and I could only imagine that my responding gaze was similar.

"Edward …"

"Bella …"

We both started at the same time, and then chuckled at the situation.

"Go ahead," I told him.

"I don't want you to think that I brought you here because I expect anything. I mean, I feel this connection with you, a spark when I hold your hand, and comfort when you're near me," he continued nervously. "I really want to get to know you more, and where ever this goes or doesn't go tonight is ok with me. I just wanted to get that out there so you don't feel any pressure or anything."

My mind was reeling at the fact that he felt the same connection, the same spark. Not that I had many experiences to compare with, but there was something about him. Something in the way he looked at me that made me feel like I was home. Something in the feel of his hand in mine that made me feel alive.

"Edward, I need to be really honest with you. I need to get this out there and then we can figure out what comes next." As uncomfortable as it was to discuss this, I knew I needed to be upfront about my history, or lack of it. Although it seemed like he was willing to take things slow, if I scared him off it may as well be now instead of after my heart was fully involved. And, I didn't really want to take this slow, but again I thought that he may put too much meaning into taking my virginity. I needed him to be comfortable with the situation.

Edward looked at me with thoughtful eyes. "Before you go on, I just want to try one thing," he said as his tongue snuck out to lick his lips. He leaned closer to me across the couch, his right hand slowly coming up to cup my cheek in a gentle embrace. My body was on fire at his light touch. Leaning closer still, his eyes never left mine. My heart beat faster as my body moved on its own accord, helping to close the distance between us.

Edward's lips found mine in a feather-light kiss. Every nerve in my body sparked at the touch and I felt the increased pressure of Edward's mouth. His tongue swiped across my bottom lip as his hand moved from my cheek to the back of my neck and into my hair, anchoring our embrace. I willingly opened my mouth to accept his tongue, and welcomed it with my own. His strong lips were surprisingly gentle, moving almost gracefully. As our tongues swirled and lips moved together as if made for each other, my hands found their way behind his neck and into his bronze hair.

A soft moan escaped Edward as my hands gently tugged at his hair, letting me know he was enjoying this as much as I was. I felt moisture flood between my legs from his touch and sounds. He reluctantly ended the kiss with a chaste one and pulled back a bit to look me in the eyes again. "I'm sorry," he said. "I've wanted to kiss you since we were at the hibachi restaurant, and I really couldn't wait anymore."

I think that was the best first kiss in the history of first kisses; even better than my imagination had conjured up earlier.

My breathing was still ragged when he nodded to me, letting me know he was ready to listen to what I had to say.

What did I want to say again?

I took a moment to gather myself before I started. "Wow, um …" I looked up to see Edward with a beautiful crooked smile playing across his face. "I don't really know where to start. I'm sorry if I start to babble." I fidgeted with my hands in my lap. "I'm sure you've figured out by now that I'm a bit shy. I mean, I'm still surprised that I accepted your invitation to dinner, let alone to come back to your apartment. I haven't dated much, and I don't have much experience," I said simply, hoping that Edward would understand my meaning without having to spell it out. "But I also feel this connection that you feel. Something drew me to you from the second you held my hand when we met and I'd very much like to see where this takes us."

I sighed at having gotten that much out. Seeing that Edward was still smiling gave me courage to continue. "I'm hoping that you're not going to run scared just because I'm a virgin …" My cheeks instantly heated up as the words fell from my mouth. It seemed that I left my verbal filter at the restaurant. I quickly looked to Edward for a reaction while I stammered to cover my faux pas. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

Edward just chuckled and stopped me from wringing my hands by taking hold of one of them. "I told you that I'm willing to take this as slow as you want," he said sincerely, again rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand. His touch was so calming.

"But that's the problem. I don't feel like I want to take this slow," I mumbled to my lap. This is the part where I expected running, or kicking out seeing as how we were in his apartment and not mine.

I felt Edward's other hand at my chin, gently nudging my face up to meet his eyes. "Bella, I don't want to take this slow, either. And I'm not running scared," he said gently, still looking deep into my eyes. Releasing my chin he asked, "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" I shook my head. "Then would you like to dance with me?" he asked as he stood up, still holding my hand.

I allowed him to lead me up and around the side of the coffee table, where he wrapped his right arm around my waist and pulled me close, leaving our clasped hands close to his chest. He began to softly sway to the music as I let my head rest on his chest and I drank in his scent. He lowered his head to nuzzle in my neck and his warm breath sent shivers throughout my body.

"You smell wonderful." His words caressed my ear before he placed a small kiss just below my lobe. My pulse was racing, and I was sure he could feel how much he affected me.

Our bodies were still moving to the soft music when I leaned back to be able to see his face. The look of adoration in his eyes left me breathless. I leaned in and captured his lips with mine, not caring if I seemed desperate or needy. Because I was needy. I needed to feel him. His lips, his strong hands, his body pressed up against mine.

Edward returned my kiss with his own eagerness. As our lips and tongues moved together, the hand around my waist drew me closer while his other hand caressed the back of my head. I took the opportunity to feel his broad, strong shoulders beneath my fingers until my hands found their way back into his soft hair. I let out a moan as the intensity of our kiss grew, which seemed to urge Edward on. His hands began to wander, up from my waist and down from my head until they matched on either side of my ribs. The fire inside of me continued to grow as his hands became familiar with my body.

Our bodies pressing together caused butterflies in my stomach, with the buzz of excitement concentrated low in my groin. I could feel his hardness pressed up against my abdomen and I began to imagine what it would feel like inside of me. Wetness again pooled in my underwear at the thought of it. Edward eventually broke our kiss when we were both breathless, but his mouth continued to explore. He lavished hot, open mouth kisses on my jaw, my neck, my collarbone. My hands began to move as if possessed, feeling his chiseled chest, then lower to explore the ripples in his abs which set off a low groan from his chest.

For once in my life, I allowed myself to stop thinking and start feeling. I let my body do what felt right. My fingers moved up and began unbuttoning Edward's dress shirt and I planted my lips repeatedly on the skin that became exposed. When I reached the last button, I looked up into his eyes as I ran my hands over his shoulders and arms, pushing the shirt to the floor. The beauty of his naked torso sent another wave of pleasure through my body, while the look in his eyes made me hungry for more of him.

Edward's lips met mine once again in a searing kiss. I felt his arms snake around my waist as he leaned down and placed his hands on my ass. He didn't break the kiss as he firmly lifted me up and my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Our lips remained locked as he made his way across the living room and down a short hall, finally into his bedroom. I ground my body against his as he moved, seeking friction in the place where I needed it most. Gently, he lowered us both to the bed before pulling his lips from mine.

His right hand caressed my forehead and cheek, brushing some of my long hair out of my face. With his thumb still rubbing my cheek and his fingers in my hair, he stared intensely into my eyes. "You are so beautiful." I gasped at the emotion in his voice. "Please, tell me you want this as much as I do," he pleaded.

"I want you, Edward." I had never been more sure of anything in my life.

With that, Edward poured all of his passion into our kiss. Our frenzied hands explored each others' bodies as we let the passion take over. Edward unbuttoned my blouse and placed reverent kisses on my neck and shoulders. With my blouse open, he looked at my pale skin and black lace bra, then back into my eyes. "Beautiful," he whispered.

He cupped one breast through the lace and pulled the bra cup down off of my other breast. His hands gently kneaded my flesh, causing shivers of pleasure to rock through my body. The moment his mouth touched my exposed breast, I let out a gasp and arched into his touch while a fresh pool of wetness gathered between my legs. I flicked the bra open and pushed the blouse and bra off while Edward's eyes devoured my naked flesh. He continued with his hands and mouth while my fingernails scratched at his scalp and across his broad shoulders.

He began to move his hot kisses down my torso, across my ribs, over my stomach, using his tongue to taste my skin. When he reached the waist of my jeans, his nearly black eyes looked at me to silently ask permission. I nodded slightly for him to continue.

All of my nervousness had been replaced with indescribable pleasure. Every touch of Edward's hands and mouth was sending shockwaves through my system. Edward made quick work of my jeans and underwear and he began kissing my ankle and slowly working his way up my leg. He continued his worship on my other leg, and sucked in an unsteady breath when he reached the inside of my thigh.

"So wet, Bella," he groaned.

"All for you, Edward," I replied, not knowing where the courage to utter those words had come from.

When his mouth met my bundle of nerves, I thought I would lose myself right then. None of my own pleasure seeking had ever been even remotely close to what one touch of his magic mouth and tongue felt like against my hot skin. A long moan escaped my mouth as his fingers began to trace teasing circles at my entrance while his tongue continued lapping at my clit in long, slow strokes.

"You like that, baby?"

"God… yes!" I hissed as I felt one long finger thrust into me. My hips bucked to meet his hand. Edward continued to thrust lazily in and out of my hot center, twisting his finger and hitting my g-spot while his tongue moved faster against my clit.

He added a second finger and I felt myself nearing the edge. Pleasure coursed through my veins and my hands involuntarily fisted the bedspread. My breath was coming in shallow pants. He curled his fingers up inside of me as he sucked my clit between his lips and growled against my skin. The vibration did me in and I screamed his name as I came. White hot sparks flew through my body and my toes curled as I lost myself in the pleasure he gave me.

Edward placed soft kisses along my inner thighs while I came down from the most intense orgasm I had ever had. It took me a minute to regain conscious thought and slow my breathing, but when I did I immediately sat up and pushed back on Edward's shoulders, causing him to sit up on his knees in front of me.

Startled at my sudden forcefulness, Edward's eyes grew wide as I attacked his mouth but he recovered quickly and kissed me back with as much enthusiasm. Tasting myself on his lips should have disgusted me, but instead I found it intensely erotic. Still functioning on instinct alone, my hands reached the waist of his pants and fumbled with the button, taking two tries before it came undone. I lowered the zipper as I slid his pants and boxers down his hips. He fluidly got up to remove them and returned to me.

I kissed my way down his torso, allowing my tongue to explore the definition of his perfect abs and across his hips. Finally being able to see his cock, I silently wondered how this was supposed to fit inside of me. I grasped it in one hand and felt Edward's hips buck slightly. Looking up at him, I slowly stroked with my hand as I lowered my mouth to where I most wanted to taste. My tongue darted out and licked the head of his shaft, tasting the salty pre-cum that had gathered there. Edward hissed and his body shook with that one, small movement.

"You don't have to do this," he whispered.

"I want to. I want to taste you," I replied, still stroking with my hand. "I've never done this before, so you have to tell me if I do something wrong."

Edward's dark eyes held mine as he nodded. My tongue came back out to lick around the head once before I wrapped my lips around him. "Ahh, Bella …" he whimpered as I began to move up and down at a slow pace. Hearing his sounds spurred me on, giving me a feeling of power knowing that I was the one to give him this pleasure. My hand was still wrapped around the base of his cock, moving in conjunction with my mouth over the part of him that I couldn't take in. I enjoyed the silky feel of his skin as my tongue traveled up his length.

Hearing more breathy moans from Edward caused another round of wetness to flow from me. I picked up the pace of my movements. His hand reached the back of my neck and wrapped in my hair, gently tugging but not pushing or pulling my head. I felt his abs tighten under my hand as he said, "Back up, I'm going to cum!"

Instead, I sucked harder and took more of him in until I could feel him hit the back of my throat. "Oh, God!" he screamed, just as I felt a stream of his hot liquid sliding down my throat. I swallowed around him and continued to suck as several more streams shot out of him, and his shaft began to soften in my mouth and hand.

I released him and worked my way back up his body until we were kneeling in front of each other with our lips locked together. With one hand cradling my head, he gently laid me back on the bed with his body hovering over mine. He pulled back with a crooked smile on his face and asked, "Are you sure you've never done that before?"

I blushed as I shook my head. "This blush is so alluring," he said as he brushed the back of his fingers across my cheek. He leaned in and kissed me deeply, while his hands resumed their expert exploration of my body. Reaching my breast, his thumb brushed across my pert nipple causing me to shudder. I felt his dick twitch against my thigh in response.

My hands moved across his back and down, not stopping until they reached his muscular ass. I pulled his body closer to mine and ground my hips into him. I knew little about male recovery time, but was empowered by feeling his hardness against me so quickly with just our kisses and touching.

I shifted underneath Edward so he was resting between my legs and I crushed my hips into him again. We both moaned at the contact. My body was eager to feel all of him. I knew there would be pain the first time, but more than anything I wanted to feel Edward inside of me, to feel that closeness with him.

Edward reached away from me toward his nightstand and I knew he was going for a condom. I put my hand on his arm to stop him and shook my head. "I want to feel all of you, Edward."

He stared at me for a moment and I got lost again in his gorgeous green eyes before I broke the silence to alleviate his concern. "I'm on birth control."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, I'm clean, but I don't want you to worry."

My mind knew it was stupid, but my heart couldn't agree. I knew nothing of his sexual history, yet I wanted to feel the full intensity of our connection. "I'm sure," I said with confidence.

Edward kissed me again and I felt it all the way down to my toes. I felt the tip of his shaft brush down my clit as he lined himself up at my entrance. "I don't want to hurt you. You have to tell me if I hurt you," he rushed out. I nodded my agreement.

He was staring into my eyes as he slowly pushed just the head of his cock inside of me, looking for any sign of pain. There was some discomfort as my walls stretched to accommodate him but I was drowning in his eyes and the intensity of the fire flowing between us. My breathing picked up as I adjusted to the feeling.

He began kissing my neck, up to my jaw, and then sucked my earlobe into his mouth as he withdrew a bit and then thrust a little further into me. The combined sensations did not allow for any focus on the pain. He continued this way, slowly working further inside of me, while kneading my breast, kissing my mouth, licking the shell of my ear. "God, you feel amazing, Bella," he groaned in my ear and I answered with a whimper.

I knew I didn't have a barrier from a bike accident when I was a pre-teen, so I was thankful that at least there wouldn't be any blood. The stretching discomfort continued until I felt Edward's hips meet mine and he stilled. We both took a moment to adjust to the feeling of him fully inside of me. The discomfort subsided as I focused on the feel of Edward's hands on my body and his tongue in my mouth. I hummed in response to the pleasure coursing through me and I fisted his soft, bronze locks in my hands. For the first time in my life I felt whole, complete.

My hips began to move against him without conscious thought and it didn't take Edward long to follow my lead. "Oh, Edward," I moaned as our gentle thrusts became more frenzied. I could feel my body heating up as the pleasure started to build, small moans and gasps escaping us both as we moved.

Edward reached between us and rubbed my clit, slowly at first, then picking up speed to match the thrusts of our bodies. "I want you to cum for me, Bella. I want to feel you cum on my cock."

Like magic, his words sent me into oblivion and I felt my muscles clenching his cock over and over again. Pleasure raced through my body and I was only vaguely aware that I was screaming his name. Edward's thrusts became erratic and I felt him throb inside of me. He roared my name as his own orgasm took over, prolonging mine as I struggled to breathe.

Edward collapsed on my side as we both worked to gain control of our breathing. Still joined, he pulled me over so we were facing each other on our sides and began kissing me again, running his hand over my side and my hip in a soothing manner. He had been gentle and caring all night, but these touches were reassuring. I expected things to get uncomfortable, figuring now that he had gotten what he wanted I would have to find some way to make a quick escape.

But that seemed to be the furthest thing from his mind.

He cuddled me into his chest and intertwined our legs. He pressed soft kisses to the top of my head and ran his hand up and down my back. I was so comfortable, lying naked with a man I had just met, feeling like I could stay there forever.

I didn't want to make Edward uncomfortable by forcing him to kick me out, so I started to pull back, intent on making a quick escape to avoid the awkwardness. But Edward's grip on me only tightened.

"Stay with me."

I looked up at him in shock.

"Please." His eyes pleaded with me. "I don't want to let you go. I want to wake up next to you tomorrow and know that this wasn't a dream."

I poured everything I had into my responding kiss.

A/N: Reviews are always welcome. Come find me on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic).