EPOV

I had received four messages from Rose on the night of the Academy Awards.

Edward where the hell are you?

Tell the gold-digging bitch on your dick to get the fuck off. You know I can't do this shit without you.

Alright, I'm sorry about the last one, but I need you.

I'm drunk and I'm going home. I hope whoever she was it was worth ditching me over.

Fuck. I was the shittest brother ever. I knew Rose hated all the fucking photo ops with a bunch of people she severely disliked at the after parties as much as I did, but normally we did it together and got thoroughly fucking blitzed in order to deal with it.

I had fucking abandoned her so I could go home with Bella and I wasn't nearly as sorry about it as I should be.

I'd finally gotten the fucking gall to tell Bella that I cared about her and to get her to agree to start dating me. Even if she wasn't entirely sold on the idea yet.

When I called Rose back the following afternoon she was pissed and demanded that I come over to explain myself. I told her I couldn't make it until a few days later. I figured giving her some time to calm down before I went over there would be a smart move, seeing as how I didn't want my ass kicked, because I refused to hit a girl, even if she was my sister.

"Where the hell have you been?" Rose scolded when I arrived at her house the following Wednesday afternoon. I had my first date with Bella that night and I knew I should probably tell Rose I was seeing someone before she heard about it from someone else. Namely, Emmett.

That fucker could normally not keep a secret for more then five minutes and I was surprised my sister hadn't beaten down my door yet over it.

Ever since mom died, she had taken over the role, for lack of a better term and attempted to try to keep me in check. Not that I wasn't perfectly capable of doing that on my own, but she was my sister so I humored her.

"Hello to you too. I'm doing fine and the traffic was fucking terrible, thanks for asking," I responded sarcastically, taking a step inside.

She rolled her eyes. "Ed-wad, you went MIA on me for those hellacious after parties, you'll excuse me if I'm still a little pissed at you," she said closing the door and walking behind me.

She must really be mad, she hasn't called me that since we were kids and her Barbies "died" in a fiery dream car explosion. I was nothing if not authentic, and it was not my fault dad decided to leave the lighter fluid where I could reach it.

"If we're going to fucking revert back to our nine year old selves and start name calling, you better watch out Rollie Pollie."

"You swore you'd never called me that again!" she seethed.

"You fucking started it. Don't dish it if you can't take it, Sis. Of course it really wasn't the dish that was your problem, but the cake that was on it."

Rose was a fucking chunky little kid and it had always been a sore spot for her.

"As you can see I have no problem with cake now," she answered with a glare, resting her hands on her hips.

"As long as you keep making that fucking awesome Devil's Food baby, I'll eat it all up so you won't be tempted," Emmett claimed loudly as he charged into the kitchen. He grabbed Rose around the waist and planted a kiss on the side of her face.

"You could stand to cut back on the cake too, Iron Man." Rose asserted, patting Emmett's stomach.

"Bullshit, I'm in great fucking shape. Look at these guns baby!" Emmett exclaimed flexing his huge arms.

This was becoming more and more like a fucking scene out of a sitcom.

"So where did you disappear to the other night?" Rose asked changing the subject. "I ended up telling everyone you were feeling ill."

Which immediately translated into I was checking into rehab and had been battling a coke addiction secretly for months. Fucking Enquirer.

"Yeah, I saw that too. You know we never fucking use that excuse."

"I'm sorry, I was just so shocked when you ditched me that I panicked."

"Christ Rose, Emmett was there. It's not like I left you totally alone," I defended.

"Which brings me back to my original question."

"I was with someone," I hedged. I knew I had to tell her about Bella, but I didn't want to go into details just yet.

"Emmett has told me that much. Said she called him and arranged to be in the back of your limo when you were pulling away from the Kodak?" she said with an edge of disapproval in her voice.

Emmett's eyes darted to mine. "Sorry Bro, I had to tell her something, she was worried."

I muttered "tranny lover" under my breath and glared at him.

"So who is she Edward?" Rose questioned.

"It's his porn star screamer!" Emmett laughed, and then covered his mouth, his eyes widened because he knew he had just fucking blabbed like the bitch that he was.

"Dammit Emmett! What the fuck is wrong with you? Did all the extra testosterone you sucked off that man boob alter your ability to fucking close your mouth?"

"Shut the fuck up E!" Emmett yelled back, looking between me and Rose.

"Okay. I can only deal with so much testicular infused stupidity at once. Edward, I want to know what the hell is going on right now. Emmett, go peel the carrots for me in the kitchen and don't come out until they're done."

"But Rosie," Emmett whined.

"It wasn't a request Emmett," she responded sharply, like she was his fucking mom, instead of his wife.

I tried to hold back a laugh, but failed.

She gave him a look that I'm sure caused his balls to jump up inside of his body before he flinched and started walking in toward the kitchen

"Pussy," I smirked as he walked past me.

"Fucker," he smiled, punching me hard in the arm before walking completely out of the room.

Rose then zeroed in on me.

"Who the hell is the 'porn star screamer', Edward? She better not be an actual porn star because I swear Vic is going to go ballistic, not to mention how that shit will play out in the tabloids, and then..." Rose started rambling.

"She's not a fucking porn star!" I yelled, a little louder than necessary to shut Rose up and correct her assumptions. "Her name is Bella, she's Alice's P.A."

Rose stopped talking and sat down next to me. "Oh. So, what's she like?"

"In a word? Challenging," I chuckled.

"How so? You mean she wasn't immediately a puddle of hormones lying at your feet when you spoke to her?" Rose was joking, but I could see what she was saying was exactly what she thought happened.

"No. In fact, the first time I spoke to her she insisted on calling me Mr. Cullen and had no desire to speak to me anytime I saw her after that," I responded, recalling our first meeting.

Rose stared at me in disbelief. "You're being serious?"

I nodded. "She's not like everyone else. She doesn't care who the fuck I am out there. To her I'm just a persistent jerk," I laughed. "I only just now got her to start dating me."

Rose busted up laughing. "After how long?"

"A while," I evaded, knowing I would never live down the amount of time I couldn't be bothered to find my balls and tell her I liked her. "We're actually going out for the first time tonight," I diverted.

"But obviously you guys have been fucking for a while?" Rose pressed. "I mean Emmett seems to know more about her than I'd like him to. She wasn't pressuring you for more?"

It was my turn to laugh. "I told you she's not like every other starstruck, giddy, bitch out there Rose.

That's part of my fucking problem, most of the shit that would have women panting and pawing at me doesn't do anything for her. Plus, she doesn't normally date."

A wary look crossed over Rose's face. "She doesn't normally date, and now she's dating you of all people?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on Edward," she scoffed. "She is going to be ripped into shreds by the media and she is not going to be able to handle it."

"What are you saying? That you think I am going to let those fucking parasites spread bullshit about her?"

"It's not like you'll have a choice, Edward. Your reputation with women precedes you. It will only take one picture of the two of you together for her to be added to your extensive list," she reminded.

"The medias fucked up version of things that never happened," I muttered.

I had never given a shit about what was printed about me, but knowing that it nearly cost me a relationship with Bella really pissed me off. And I knew Rose was right about what accusations there would be, but I was hoping since I had told Bella the truth about everything, and she knew it was all bullshit, that I could still keep her when pictures of us eventually were published.

Rose nodded. "Does she know?"

"I told her a couple of days ago."

"Which is why she finally agreed to go out with you," Rose guessed.

"I'm assuming so," I shrugged. "She said she liked me," I added lamely.

"Yeah, she likes his cock," Emmett interrupted, coming back into the room.

"Gotta start somewhere fucker," I growled.

"Too bad it's more like cock light," Emmett quipped.

"Fuck off Emmett. You really don't want to compare dick size with me."

Don't ask me how, but I knew I had a good inch over him.

"Only someone with a garter snake for a dick would say that. My anaconda is an XXL fucker," he bragged shamelessly pointing at his groin.

"It's the douche with the smallest fucking dicks that talk about them the most, Em."

You'll never hear me say shit about Slugger. Yes, I had adopted Bella's pet name for it.

Shit, I was so fucking whipped.

"Enough of the cock talk. This needless pissing contest is now over," Rose chuckled

While we were eating lunch, Rose started asking about Bella again.

"I wish you would have told me about her sooner," she sighed.

"Sure, let's see how fucking awkward that would have been," I paused rolling my eyes. "Hey Sis, this is the girl I'm fucking and trying desperately to get her to date me, because unlike all the women I've met she has no desire to tie herself to me in any way other than to my dick."

Emmett laughed. "She's not that kind of girl Rosie."

"What kind of girl?"

"The girl that you take home to the family," Emmett elaborated. "She's the kind you nail under the radar until you find out she's been clit flicking to your picture for over a year, but wouldn't give you a second look in real life,"

I glared at Emmett. "You're fucking dead." He ignored me and continued.

"Then you get pissed off because you knew she liked you, but shut you down anyway and then you trap her in her apartment until she agrees to go out with you."

Rose's looked at me the same way Bella had when I threw her keys down the disposal. Like I had a fucking screw loose. "Is that what happened?" she asked shaking her head, giggling.

"Emmett is now a good time to tell Rose about Vegas or should I wait for you to get a fucking cup on first and find a priest to read you your last fucking rights?"

I told him all that shit in confidence.

Who the fuck was I kidding? This was Emmett. I was lucky he had kept this shit a secret for days rather than hours.

"Emmett, what the fuck is Edward talking about?" Rose demanded.

"Nothing baby, he's blowing shit way out of proportion."

"I think you need to tell your wife about the he-she that was just aching to blow you."

"Fuck you dude. You were there for all of five fucking seconds."

"Just long enough to see you lick salt off those surgeon created man cans," I shot back.

It's not that I cared that Rose knew what had happened between Bella and I, but the way Emmett told it I sounded fucking pathetic.

"Enough," Rose yelled "You two are like overgrown fucking children. Edward, you must really like this girl in order to out Emmett's tranny body shot."

"You knew?!" Emmett asked, shocked.

"I had pictures and video within fifteen minutes." Rose smirked at Emmett.

Emmett's jaw was hanging open and he was gaping at Rose.

"So where are you taking Bella tonight?" Rose asked turning back to me ignoring Emmett's impression of a dying fucking fish.

"To play pool. Though if my plan has gone right, she thinks she's going on a yacht to Catalina at sunset."

Rose stared at me, her fork in midair. "Why would you want her to think that? She's going to be severely pissed off when she's sitting in some dive rather than cruising on the Pacific."

I laughed. "Actually, I think she is going to be relieved."

I knew Bella was not the type of girl who would be impressed with all the typical bullshit. If I was going to get her to fucking open up and finally let me in. I would have to make sure she was comfortable and me too for that matter. I fucking hated all that bourgeoisie crap.

"Well, good luck with that. If she would rather be playing pool with your ass then be doing something incredibly romantic, than you've found someone just as weird as you are."

"I'm just trying to fucking crack her Rose, she's got some serious walls up and I can't get her to open up to save my fucking life."

"Took you four fucking years to open up her legs," Emmett muttered.

Rose gaped at me, imitating Emmett's fish routine. "Four years?" she mouthed.

"It's not like I saw her all the fucking time!" I defended. "I was working and it's a good fucking thing I didn't make a bigger move because I would have screwed everything up if I had!"

"Bootylicious is like a Rubik's cube," Emmet said, shaking his head and chuckling.

"Excuse me? Who?!" Rose shot a sharp look at Emmett, causing him to cower.

"Uh, um. Bella," he choked out, his face immediately turning down to his plate like it was the most interesting thing in the fucking room.

"I don't want you calling her that again! Are we clear? Not only does it piss me off, but I'm sure Edward is not too happy about you referring to her by that."

"I don't care," I answered, trying to pardon Emmett. He had a big fucking mouth and was always getting his ass in trouble, the least I could do was throw in my half assed defense. "Besides, the name doesn't do her fucking justice anyway. She's beautiful."

Rose full attention turned back to me "What did you say?" she asked quietly.

My phone started playing my ringtone for Bella.

I'm so addicted to all the things you do,

when you're going down on me in between the sheets.

All the sounds you make, with every breath you take, it's unlike anything.

I told Rose to hold on a second and looked at my phone. Bella had sent me a text.

Hey Ahab. Your Moby Dick better be happy staying on dry land tonight. I don't do boats.

I laughed. I knew Vic would fucking tell Alice and Bella would find out. Time to play along.

Who the fuck told you?

I texted back, thankful that she had texted rather than called because I didn't feel entirely comfortable stringing her along.

I had a fucking psychic vision. Who the fuck do you think, Chatty Kathy? Alice.

We're still going...you'll like it. ;)

I knew that would rile her and potentially piss her off enough to not want to go out with me, but I didn't want her to have any indication that I was backing down from what she thought I had planned.

Sam I am! What part of no boats did you not get? Not near L.A., not in the S.F. Bay, no fucking way!

She had a fucking answer for everything and she was throwing it at me in Suess format. How the fuck was I supposed to get past her sarcasm bubble?

I'm leaving now. See you in a while.

I had totally ignored her complaints, one because they were unjustified, and two, she said I could pick what the fuck we did and if I wanted to spread a rumor that I was taking her on a boat, so be it. It wasn't only to throw her off, but to also stop anyone else who might overhear the gossip from knowing anything.

I said my goodbyes to Rose and Em, but not before promising Rose that I would bring Bella around sometime soon so she could meet her. In other words, she wanted to size Bella up to see if she was good enough for me.

Luckily, Rose's place was only a few miles from Bella's office, so I made sure to get there an hour early, knowing that she was probably pissed enough to stand me up.

Which in some fucked up way made me happy. Not the being stood up part, cause I wouldn't have that shit go on, but the fact that she wouldn't bat a damn eye over it because to her I was just another person and celebrity or not, I had completely dismissed her.

What can I say? I was new to this shit. I mean, I've dated women before, but never anyone like her. I had to stay two fucking steps ahead of her in order to keep her.

Which is why I was not surprised when she left the office shortly after I had arrived and parked off to the side of the door. She looked fucking amazing, wearing a white v-necked lacy top, RayBans and a pair of dark blue ass hugger jeans. Her hair was up and she walked like she fucking owned the earth, head up shoulders back and a slight sway to her hips.

Why did I suddenly have Bruno Mars lyrics stuck in my head?

She started walking to her car, eye humping me as she walked by. I thought for a minute that she knew it was me, but I knew it would be pretty impossible to tell since I was wearing a full fucking helmet and on a motorcycle that she had never seen before.

In her mind, she was checking out another fucking guy.

And I was really fucking pissed over it. She's supposed to be going out with me tonight and she's busy checking out some other asshole.

Yeah, but it was you!

Now I had managed to become jealous of... myself? Fuck. Staying the two steps ahead was starting to fuck with my sanity.

She had just gotten to her car when I revved the Ducati's engine, turned around and pulled up next to her.

"Where the fuck are you going?" I barked at her, still pissed that she had been eye fucking... me. Shit. I think I need a shrink or a couple of shots of Cuervo.

She was still getting a fucking eyeful as she stood there, she licked her lips and I noticed she pressed her thighs together.

Yeah, those panties were toast.

She made some smart ass comment about going crazy, which I knew was a fucking code for – "let me imagine fucking you on that bike for three more seconds before I have to come up with something coherent to say."

"You were going to stand me up?" I asked, knowing damn well she had every intention of doing it, which made me relax a little bit and made her even more fucking sexy. If that were possible?

"You were going to make me go on a fucking boat," she answered weakly. Which I determined was code for, "I'll go on a fucking boat as long as I can keep visualizing riding you with the leather threads on."

I laughed at the expression and unspoken admission. "You think that sounds remotely like something I'd do?"

"Until a few days ago, I thought you used Slugger like a pussy divining rod! How the hell am I supposed to know?" she replied, starting to get irritated.

"All the more reason to do this Bella," I responded.

"So I can learn how to fuck with dangerous people's heads?" she yelled.

Her arousal was becoming quickly replaced with irritation and out of fear of her actually driving away from me, I told her the truth.

"I know how girls fucking gossip," I sighed. "Did you think I was actually going to tell anyone what the hell we were doing? Plus, I wanted to see your ass squirm," I added purposefully.

She said if I didn't look as hot as I did she would be beating me with my own helmet.

I fucking love getting her riled up. She refused to put up with my shit and nothing I said intimated her or caused her to melt.

It was a blessing and a fucking curse, given that she was the only woman I actually wanted to melt.

Then that Jessica chick busted out of a side door. Bella looked at me, her eyes wide and panicked. She was actually worried about being seen with me. It was so funny to see how she behaved. Completely opposite of anyone I had ever been with. They would have been screaming at the top of their lungs "look who I'm with bitches!"

"I'll only put mine back on if you put yours on," I teased, holding out a helmet for her knowing that she would mostly likely put it on and come with me at that point, rather than letting Jessica see us.

She begrudgingly put it on and jumped on the back of the bike, wrapping her arms around me.

I knew I was taking a risk taking her out into a public place. The sports bar wasn't exactly my first choice for my date with Bella, but given that it was out of the way and would allow me to implement my idea of getting to know her, it would have to do.

I picked out a table in the back. Bella took a quick look around, noting that the place was fairly empty. She seemed to relax and made her way over to join me.

"You brought me to Burbank to play pool?" she laughed.

"No. I brought you here to kick your ass at pool," I smiled at her and began to rack the balls.

She said that I was dreaming and that she spent most of her free time in college at a pool hall.

"Then we should make this a little more interesting," I offered.

She asked me what I had in mind.

Oh, if you only fucking knew, Beautiful.

"Simple. Every ball you knock in you get to ask me a question and vice versa," I answered, hoping that she wouldn't fight me too much.

"Don't you have enough people interviewing your ass? Besides, I know a fuckload more about you, than you do about me," she justified.

"You only think you do," I countered. "At any rate, I don't think I'm going to be sharing much anyway."

I knew I wouldn't be if my plan went like I hoped it would.

I was attempting to break when she unexpectedly flashed me her tits, I had already been trying not to think about fucking her on the goddamn pool table, so of course I not only didn't break any of the balls apart, but missed entirely, jumping the ball clean off the table.

Great fucking start to your plan you douche.

"So, that's how you're gonna play this? Cheat by distracting me with your tits?" I questioned.

"I'm not cheating. It's not my fault if you can't handle your stick under pressure."

Fuck that shit. She thought I was just going to stand back and let her make comments about my stick she had another fucking thing coming.

I grabbed her waist and gently ran my tongue around the shell of her ear. I was already fucking hard and I had a brief thought of bending her over the table. I could think of worse things to be arrested for than fucking in a public place.

"Turnabout is fair play, Beautiful," I told her before leaving a deep kiss on her neck.

She totally surprised me by turning around and pushing me up the wall and shoving her tongue past my lips and darting it furiously around my mouth as she ground her hips into mine. Then she pulled away and told me not to do that again, unless I wanted to fuck her on the pool table.

How was I supposed to ignore my dick when she fucking teased me like that?

It will be worth it, I kept telling myself trying to get some of the blood to return to my brain. She then bent over the damn table again to break so my eyes went immediately to her fuckawesome ass.

"I guess this means I get a question and you're stripes," she said, breaking me out of my "fucking Bella senseless on the pool table" fantasy.

She started off asking me about my first fuck. Which I only gave her limited details on, even I wasn't stupid enough to tell her that I threw up afterwards because I was so drunk. I quickly sank in the twelve and asked her the same question.

"Okay," she finally conceded. "11th grade, while I ditched school with my boyfriend at the time. The fucker wouldn't stop bothering me about it, so I finally just said 'what the fuck ever' and let him go to town," she answered.

I was fucking shocked. She had a boyfriend before? For some reason I had the immediate impulse to want to kill that fucker.

I'm sure he didn't have to work this fucking hard to get her to date him. So, I figured something must have happened to her to be so anti-commitment. I knew I would have to do it slowly, but I was severely determined to find out what the hell had happened.

She was combative at first, most of her answers to questions I asked were vague and guarded. We finally ordered something to eat and a couple of beers. By the middle of her second drink her answers started coming more easily. She was laughing and relaxed and was almost like a completely different person. And that's when I figured out the key to getting her to initially open up to me. Liquor.

Now not only did I owe Armani, but the fucking Sammy A brewers too.

I immediately ordered her another beer. Noticing her shots were getting worse as she continued to drink and spill her secrets. She told me about her trip to Seattle when she was sixteen to get her belly button pierced and that she refused to take it out when her parents threatened her. Which made me laugh because it showed that she had always been a stubborn and headstrong girl.

I made the mistake of telling her about my aversion to clowns and how It had scared the shit out of me when I was a kid.

I was only seven and Tim Curry is one scary motherfucker.

She then asked me if I had any single friends which immediately peaked my interest and frankly had me a little worried.

She finally told me that Alice wanted to be set up. Which I thought was interesting. Jasper had recently asked if Bella had any single friends I could hook him up with since he planned on making a permanent move out to Cali soon.

Considering I owed Alice a favor for setting up the thing with Vic at Spago, I figured the least I could do was introduce the two of them. Maybe they'd hit it off.

Bella had missed her attempt at pocketing the seven and I only had the eight left.

"Last ball of the game, think I'll up the ante for this one," I told her running my hand along the table eyeing her.

She rolled her eyes. "Just spit it out and cut the dramatic bullshit, you're not on the clock."

Time to go in for the kill.

"If I sink this...which I will," I grinned, "then you'll tell me why you don't normally date."

She narrowed her eyes at me, and folded her arms over her chest. "Go for it, you'll fucking scratch and I won't have to tell you shit," she smiled, but I could tell she was nervous.

"You think so?" I goaded, trying to wind her up.

"Those were fucking lucky shots. This will actually take some skill. Which you don't have," she responded, leaning over the table. Her cleavage falling into the V of her shirt.

I started for a couple seconds, but quickly thought of the most boner baring thing I could think of. Emmett in a tutu did the fucking trick and refocused me enough to make the shot easily.

A look of shock and anger flashed across her flushed face.

"Do you regularly hustle the women you date? No wonder you're not a frequent snatch ride holder."

I smiled widely. "Anytime now."

"Because I fucking don't," she answered shortly.

Dammit! I thought I had gotten her loose enough for that.

"I was hoping for something a little more elaborate," I pressed.

"You should have specified," she retorted.

"I'm specifying now," I argued.

"Too fucking late, I already gave my answer."

Emmett was right, she was a fucking Rubik's Cube. I used to "solve" those fuckers by taking the damn stickers off and putting all the colors together. Too bad I couldn't take Bella's stickers off. Those things were stuck on with a thick layer of "don't fuck with me" glue.

"It's not on the list," I heard her say hurriedly.

"List?"

"Yeah, I have a list. And dating is not on it," she admitted, shifting on her feet.

Fuck she was talking to me about something intimate. Be cool Cullen.

"It sounds like a really limited list," I commented, tentatively.

She took a sip of her beer, eyeing me. "Well, some of us can't fall ass backward into the highlife. Some of us have to be a gopher to the people who get your asses photo ready," she barked.

"So being a gopher is on the list?" I asked stupidly.

"Yes, because running out to get Alice tampons in the middle of the day just makes my life fucking complete," she quipped, exasperated.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't understand what you just said," I responded. She was definitely, starting to open up, but I had no fucking interest in hearing about Alice and especially not anything related to her and tampons.

"You weakling, you're getting defunct over the word tampon?" Bella laughed shaking her head.

"Moving on," I guided hopefully. "Obviously something happened to have you leave out any plans for a relationship."

Shit this was like the million dollar fucking question, I was the one waiting for an answer, but I felt like I was the one who needed the damn lifeline.

"No," she answered.

Fuck. I was going to have to just fucking beg her to give me something.

"Well, not to me anyhow," she began. "I had these two roommates in college, we shared an apartment. They were both older than me. Toni, the flirty, confident one was always out at night. She'd come back home the next morning with a smile on her face, after getting fucked by some random guy that she'd never called back. She prided herself on it. No strings, no heartbreak. She graduated the top of her class and is now working as a set designer on Broadway."

"And the other?" I asked, hoping that I would get some clarification.

"Violet, the shy sensitive one, she would always date and be on the phone with the guy like twenty four hours a fucking day, giggling over all the cutesie shit they did. Then it would end. Sometimes she'd break it off because he wasn't paying enough attention to her, but more often than not, he would end it and it crushed her. She would be this sniveling fucking mess for days, lamenting over some douche or another and draining my entire fucking ice cream stash, while she watched old romantic movies to torture herself further."

"What happened to her?"

"She's divorced and living in the valley, working two menial jobs," she started again. "So to answer your question, I don't want to be the sniveling bitch eating up all the damn ice cream, because I got too fucking attached for my own good and end up living in the valley, busting my ass for something completely unrelated to what I want," she admitted.

Holy shit. She had actually confided something and I finally fucking understood. She had been dodging relationships in order to focus on a career that obviously had not panned out for her.

"You wanted to be the one who kept her shit together and never made any real emotional connection with anyone," I surmised, feeling almost sad for her.

"Something like that," she confirmed finishing of her third beer. "But you make it sound like it's a bad thing. Relationships gum up the works and are fucking distracting."

"That's one way to look at it," I acknowledged.

"Then your ass comes along and fucks everything up."

What?

"I fucked everything up?" I asked, amused.

"I'm sitting here on a date with you spilling my guts like a fucking insecure little girl, because somehow you managed to sneak your ass past all my goddamn defenses," she confessed looking up at me through her lashes. And for the first fucking time since I met her she looked completely vulnerable.

She had finally let me in.

She made a joke about me being out of balls and her being drunk, but I kept pushing.

"Maybe, I was the only one who was meant to get past them."

She looked up at me and swallowed. I had actually rendered her speechless with my response, but she quickly recovered.

"Shut the fuck up Hollywood," she giggled and looked away from me.

"I don't think I will, I think you like that I've gotten past all your defenses." I insisted, brushing her arm.

She kept trying to put the walls back up, but I wouldn't let her. I knew she fucking liked me and that deep down she really didn't want to keep me at arm's length, but she didn't know the first thing about having any type of connection.

The song playing in the bar couldn't have been any more perfect and I knew I was taking a huge leap but I started singing to her.

"I'm sorry but I'm just thinking of the right words to say." I sang into her ear, then started to kiss along her neck and around the tops of her shoulders.

Her breathing started to increase and her skin broke out into goosebumps as I continued to sing.

"I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be, but if you wait around a while I'll make you fall for me." I brushed my lips over hers catching her eyes as I did. The vulnerability, still ever present mixed with fear and lust.

"You're too fucking charming for your own damn good, Edward," she said through a rough breath. A look a surprise on her face afterwards.

I was trying to keep my emotions in check, but I was so fucking happy it took everything I had not to lose my shit.

"Maybe," I answered as casually as I could manage.

"Definitely," she affirmed, crushing my lips to hers.

Game over. And I was already standing on the podium collecting my trophy.

A perfectly solved, brilliantly color-coded Rubik's cube.