Marked Chapter 11 - I'm No Angel

JPOV

"Ouch! Goddamnit!"

I quickly sucked on my thumb, trying to soothe the sting from having pricked the pad with a pin. After checking the strips of fabric I had been trying to pin together to make sure I hadn't bled on them, I pushed away from the table. I think that's my cue to take a break.

Since I had gotten the day off on Friday thanks to Mike's screw up, I had gone shopping to get the supplies I would need for all the Christmas presents I intended to make this year. With the help of the girl at the fabric store, I found a pattern for a quilt that seemed easy enough. It had taken me longer to decide on what prints to use for the blocks, and in the end, I opted for prints from Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit.

I spent the better part of the weekend either working on the sketches of my nephews or cutting the pieces for Bella's quilt - in part because it really needed to be done and I wanted to utilize the time I had available, and in part because it served to keep my mind off Edward and how much I missed him. It had already been a long week, what with my sudden trip to Portland, and though we'd managed to get together for a bit before he had to leave - time we had definitely put to good use - the fact remained that he was gone the entire weekend.

"At least Mack and Chuck's gifts got finished," I muttered softly. I still had to buy frames for them, but I was going to wait until all the pictures were done so I could just make one run to the store instead of several.

I glanced at the clock on my microwave as I pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge and took a long pull from it. Hmm...game'll be on in about an hour. With a sigh, I finished my water and went back to the table to clear everything up. There was little point in doing more, since my thumb hurt and the game was going to start soon enough, anyway. As I was putting all the pieces into the small bin I had bought to keep everything together, my thoughts wandered to Edward.

Wonder when he'll be home. I smiled, remembering being cuddled up on the couch with him. I wished he were here to do that, now. Not that I'd admit that to him. It was bad enough he had dubbed me "Cuddles" the other night, because I hadn't wanted to let him go. Fucking Princess. I chuckled softly, a fond smile on my lips as I shook my head at the silliness of it.

As if on cue, my phone rang, and I saw Edward's name flash across my screen. I grinned widely as I put the lid on the bin and answered the phone.

"Well, hello there, Princess. I was just thinking about you."

I heard a soft groan on the other end, and I could almost see him roll his eyes at the nickname. "Hey, Jazz. You were, huh?"

Wedging my phone between my ear and my shoulder, I grabbed the bin and took it to my room, putting it in my closet for later. "Yup. How was your trip?" I stood straight, running my fingers through my hair with a soft sigh. "I missed you."

"It went pretty well. Katie got all the shots she wanted and for once the models weren't too big of a pain in the ass." He chuckled softly before lowering his voice a little. "I missed you, too. That's why I'm calling, actually. I'm almost home. You doing anything this afternoon?"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes at myself. "Nah, was just going to hang out here and watch the game in a bit."

"It's on at three, right? You want to come over? Maybe we could watch it together?"

I bit my lip to stop myself from just jumping in and saying 'yes' before he was even finished talking. What the fuck, Whitlock? Are you that goddamn desperate? I cleared my throat before saying, "Sure, sounds like fun. Need me to bring anything?"

I could practically hear his smirk as he answered, "Depends on what you planned on doing, Cuddles."

He heard the playful growl that erupted from my chest, and he laughed as he said, "No, you don't need to bring anything, baby - just yourself. I still have a few beers in the fridge, I think, and I was planning on ordering take out later, so..."

We bantered back and forth for a few more minutes before hanging up. I had time before I had to leave, since he wasn't home yet, so I cleaned up the rest of the things I had been working on before heading out.

When I got to his place a little later, I was met at the door by Edward before I'd even had a chance to knock. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a dark blue, short-sleeved shirt that had "I Do It With My Sox On" plastered across his chest. I blinked twice before looking up at him with a grin, raising an eyebrow in question. "Planning on doing something, Dr. Masen?"

He tilted his head slightly, grinning as he curled his fingers into my belt loops and pulled me closer. His lips were a hair's breadth from mine as he whispered, "No plans, other than this..." and kissed me. My arms found their way around his waist as I tilted my head, deepening the kiss, my eyes closing as I just enjoyed this moment with him.

All too soon, though, Edward pulled away with a smile and tugged lightly on my belt loop. "Come on; game's about to start."

I couldn't stop from pouting, which made him chuckle and roll his eyes. He left me to take my shoes off, coming back with a beer in each hand right as I put my shoes under the bench. He gestured for me to follow him into the den, where the TV was already on the channel for the game, though the sound was muted. Edward sat down on the couch after putting our beers on the coffee table.

Rather than taking a seat next to him, I straddled his lap with a grin. His eyebrows shot up, but before he could say anything, I leaned in - my hands cupping his face as I did - and kissed him hard. It took him only the briefest of seconds to return the kiss with equal fervor, wrapping his arms around my waist. I loved the feel of his arms around me, and when I pulled my lips from his, I did so with a smile.

Edward looked at me, slightly breathless as he asked, "What was that for?"

I shrugged. "I wasn't done kissing you earlier. Don't tell me you minded," I challenged with a grin.

He rolled his eyes, pulling me closer to let me feel the effect I had on him, and I moaned softly. He whispered against my lips, "Does that feel like I minded?"

He pressed his lips against mine briefly and looked at me with a grin. "So did you want to watch the game, or...?"

I bit my lip, sorely tempted to just say "Fuck it," but as much as I wanted him, I also wanted to just spend time with him. I had missed him more than I really cared to admit - even to myself - and the fact that I wanted to just be with him didn't go unnoticed, at least not by me. Edward seemed to enjoy just being together too, though, so I was fairly sure that for him this went beyond anything just physical.

Before I let myself get too involved in my thoughts, I pulled up off of his lap, settling myself next to him on the couch, and I chuckled when it was Edward who pouted this time.

He glanced at me and gave a half-smile before turning the TV sound back on and taking my hand in his. It was such a small, casual gesture that was somehow intimate as well, and we sat comfortably together, our eyes on the TV as we talked about Boston's chances and Edward occasionally ran his thumb along my hand.

That lasted right up until the first inning, when he jerked his hand away to gesture animatedly at the TV as he huffed and cursed. I yelled right along with him, our words tumbling over each other, and he turned to me, agreeing before looking back to fuss at the announcers some more.

I watched him with a grin, the wind taken out of my sails as I found myself enjoying the sight of him all red-faced and excited - even if it wasn't in the bedroom this time. He caught on that I wasn't really paying attention to the game and rolled his eyes at me, laughing as he murmured, "Goddamn one-track mind..."

But when we kissed, he was the one pressing me into the couch back, his hand kneading my upper thigh as his tongue tangled with mine. He moaned, and I felt his fingertips graze my crotch, making me inhale sharply, but just then my ears caught the crack of the bat, and my eyes instinctively popped open.

"Go, baby, go!" I cheered, tilting my head to see the screen.

Edward's head jerked around, and then he jumped up, pumping his fist in the air as the first Red Sox run crossed the plate. He stood there watching the game for a little while until I chuckled and hooked my fingers into the back of his jeans, pulling him down beside me. "Join me, won't ya, gorgeous?"

His eyes were dancing as he smiled at me, and I could tell he wanted to say something about the name, but my eyes reminded him that "Princess" was always on the tip of my tongue. Besides, he was fucking gorgeous, especially when he was passionate. In the end, he leaned in to kiss me, but he stopped just before his lips met mine, murmuring, "You're gorgeous."

We kissed then, and I couldn't stop the little sound that escaped me at the taste of him. The longer we kissed, the more I was torn about what I wanted to do, and I was just about to start ripping his clothes off when the Red Sox scored their second run. I pulled away quickly, my attention completely on the game before I felt Edward lean into me with a groan, his head falling onto my shoulder.

I lifted my hand, running my fingers through his hair as I absently asked what was wrong.

"We have to stop," he said, drawing my attention at last.

I frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

He gave me a crooked grin and took my hand, pressing my palm against his erection. "Fucking blue balls hurt like a bitch, and I know we both planned on watching the Sox today." I resisted the urge to squeeze him, but my eyes widened with longing at the feeling of him so hard and ready for me. His eyes moved back and forth between mine as he studied my expression. He whispered, "Game?"

I took a breath to steady myself and then nodded, moving my hand away. "Game."

He nodded in response and moved to sit beside me, keeping his hands to himself as he settled in a couple of feet away. His thumbs tapped on his thighs the way they always seemed to do when he was anxious, but eventually he got into the game again. We watched the rest of it together, but by the end of the seventh inning when the Red Sox were up by seven, we took a little break to kiss some more.

Edward kept it largely innocent, and part of me wanted to pout. But then the Rangers scored in the eighth, and we were both yelling again. It pissed me off that the Sox had given up a shut out, and then Texas scored again in the ninth. I was worried for a while that they were going to come back, but by the time the dust settled on the ninth inning, Boston had won seven to two.

Edward leaned forward to grab the remote and turned the TV off. As he settled back onto the couch, I scooted over to him again since we were no longer in danger of injury from one of us suddenly jumping up to yell at the screen. He put his arm around my shoulders and pressed his lips to my hair, humming contentedly.

I rested my head in the crook of his neck as I relaxed against him. He was humming a wordless tune I didn't recognize, and the sound sent my thoughts back to the first day I arrived at his house to find him playing the piano. I hadn't heard him at the piano since, and I was dying for him to play for me, but when it had come up during our date, I had gotten the feeling it wasn't something he did in front of people much.

I bit my lip, trying to figure out how I could ask him - or if I even should. When Edward started rubbing my arm as if trying to soothe me, I sighed softly.

"Hey..." I felt his lips press into my hair again, and I closed my eyes, a faint smile on my lips as he continued, "are you alright? What's got you so lost in thought all of a sudden?"

I shifted so that I was better able to put my hand on his knee, my thumb brushing over the fabric of his jeans lightly as I gave another sigh.

"I'm fine, darlin'. Was just wondering..." I tilted my head so I could look at him. "Would you play for me, Edward?"

He sucked in a breath as he frowned at me, his eyes searching mine for something, though I wasn't sure what. He looked as if he were warring with himself over how to answer.

My voice was low, pleading. "Please? I've been wanting to hear you play - to watch you - ever since that first day when I overheard you before the shoot."

His eyes kept flickering between mine, his hand still rubbing soothingly over my arm, almost as if he wasn't even aware of doing it.

"Jazz, baby, I don't know..."

He ran his fingers through his hair, but I couldn't tell if it was from nerves or agitation. He looked to the sitting room where the piano was, before his eyes darted over to the portrait of his family above the mantle. I wondered what was going through his mind, since he hadn't said anything else as the clock on the mantlepiece ticked the seconds away.

His eyes returned to mine as he sighed.

"Playing music... it's something deeply personal for me, Jasper. It's not just something I do for fun - though I certainly do enjoy it - it's what I do to process things, to let out my emotions...I don't play for many people..."

I nodded, lowering my eyes to try and hide the disappointment I felt, sure that he wouldn't play for me. I wondered what it would take before he would...or if he ever would at all.

We sat in silence for a while before he sighed, squeezing my shoulders to him as he pressed his lips to my temple. When I looked up at him, it was to find him smiling gently at me. There was something in his eyes, though - something I couldn't put my finger on, something I wasn't sure I was ready to learn.

His voice was soft when he spoke. "What would you like to hear?"

My eyes widened, and I could feel the smile spreading broadly on my lips as I sat up.

"Really? You'll play?"

He nodded, asking again what I would like to hear. When I told him I didn't care, just whatever he felt like as long as I could watch and listen, he nodded again. He got up after kissing me briefly, tenderly, and held his hand out to me. I grabbed it and got up to follow him to the sitting room.

He sat down behind the piano and glanced over at something. I followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at a picture of his family. I studied it, deciding that he seemed to be about the same age in it as in the portrait in the den, and then my eyes turned back to him. He closed his eyes with a soft smile on his lips as he put his fingers on the keys and began to play a melody I didn't know. It was soft and gentle, and it made me think of springtime and new beginnings, though I had no idea why.

I took a seat in a wingback chair that was close to the piano, angling myself so I could watch him closely. The more he played, the more absorbed in the music he became. It was as if everything in the world just fell away for him in that moment - it was mesmerizing to witness.

With a few final, lingering notes hanging in the air, he sat - his finger poised above the keys and a content smile on his lips, his eyes still closed. He opened them slowly, blinking a few times before turning to face me.

His smile widened as he took in my expression, and his voice was soft when he asked if I liked it.

I nodded, and I was equally soft-spoken in my reply. "It was beautiful. What was it?"

Running his fingers through his hair, I noticed his eyes flicker briefly to the picture of his parents again before fixing back on mine.

"It doesn't have a name. My mom..." He took a slow, deep breath, and I watched his brow furrow as he continued, his voice difficult to hear as he spoke barely above a whisper now. "My mom wrote it. I don't know why I played that, of all things..."

He turned and lowered his eyes to the piano then, his fingers caressing the keys reverently.

"She's the one that taught me to play when I was little."

We sat quietly for a while, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I wasn't sure what to say. When I asked him to play for me, I thought he would play something - anything - that was well known. Classical or jazz or...something. I hadn't been expecting him to play me something so deeply personal as a piece of music his mother had written. For him to share this with me... I wasn't sure what it meant, or even how it made me feel - other than in awe.

I got up and walked over to the piano where Edward still sat quietly, a faraway look in his eyes as if he was remembering something from his past. I almost felt like I was intruding as I sat down on the bench next to him. I hesitated for a moment before wrapping my arm around his waist and putting my head on his shoulder, shifting slightly so I could press my lips against his neck as I whispered, "Thank you...for sharing that."

He turned to face me with a sad smile. Kissing me tenderly, I felt something shift in his mood, and when I pulled away to look at him, I saw the determination in his eyes as he forced his melancholy mood aside.

"Any requests? I said I would play, so..."

I shook my head, giving him a half-smile as I brushed his hair from his forehead.

"No, no requests. I just love watching you play, darlin'."

He smiled genuinely then, nodding once.

"Do you need me to move?"

I didn't want to leave his side, but I would if it meant I was in the way. He shook his head, though.

"No, you're fine...though it might be a little easier if you sat up, instead." He grinned and kissed me briefly, then whispered, "Sorry."

Chuckling, I hugged him to me before letting go and scooting a few inches to the side to give him room. He just rolled his eyes at me with a slight grin.

Within seconds, the house was filled with music again. Edward played song after song, even singing along to a few of them. He played everything ranging from classical to jazz to the Beatles...and a few more pieces I didn't recognize at all.

And he said he didn't have any artistic talent.

Watching him as he swayed a little with the music, at times so absorbed in playing that he had his eyes closed, his emotions clearly visible on his face as his fingers caressed the keys of the piano - it was awe-inspiring.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there with him playing and me just watching him - but the mood was broken by the sound of my phone ringing. I muttered under my breath, "Shit," as I grabbed it from my pocket to check the ID.

Emily?

I glanced up at Edward apologetically. "Sorry, it's Lee-Lee."

He nodded and said, "Tell her I said hi."

I nodded as I hit the answer button. Standing up, I put my hand on his shoulder and mouthed that I was going into the den. He nodded again right as I said, "Hey sis, what's up?"

"Nothing much. Just talked to James and wanted to see if you had plans for lunch on Tuesday?"

Stifling a groan, I ran my fingers through my hair. James was the last person I wanted to be thinking about right now - or, more to the point, I could do without the nagging feeling that went along with any mention of his name.

"No plans, though I'm guessing I have some now. What time?"

She chuckled softly. "James says he isn't supposed to start his shift until two, and I have class until noon, so can we make it twelve-thirty?"

"Sure, shouldn't be a problem. Where did you want to meet up?"

She asked me to meet them at a small bistro that was close to the campus. It was a favorite of hers and, because it was close, neither James nor I would have to worry about picking her up or dropping her off after lunch.

"I thought that would give us a little more time together...you know, since you'll both be heading to work."

I told her that sounded good to me, and then she turned conversational, asking what I was doing.

She squealed - actually fucking squealed - into the phone when I told her I was with Edward and that he said hi. Pulling the phone from my ear briefly, I stupidly rolled my eyes at it as if she could see me.

"Jesus, Lee-Lee, what the hell?"

"Oh don't give me that, Spurs. Can't a girl be happy for her big brother?"

I frowned. "Happy about what, Lee?"

She sighed heavily into the phone. "Nothing, nothing. Just tell Edward I said hi back."

"I will; don't worry. So I'll see you Tuesday, right?"

After confirming our lunch date and exchanging I love you's, we hung up. I stood with the phone in my hands for another minute, trying to push back the unease that was threatening to settle over me again. When I heard the strains of music coming from the other room, I couldn't help but smile, though, and I was finally able to set my feelings aside to focus once again on Edward.

I walked back into the sitting room to find him playing still. He must have gotten up while I was talking to Emily, because his phone was now sitting on top of the piano. He smiled up at me once I stood by the side of the piano, leaning against it as I listened.

"Hey, I hope you don't mind, but I ordered food for us."

I shook my head, grinning crookedly at him. "No, I don't mind. I told you before, I'll try anything once."

He gave a low growl as he narrowed his eyes playfully. Raising my eyebrows, I feigned innocence as I told him Emily said hi back. He shook his head with a grin of his own.

"Oh!" His eyes widened, and he bit his lip as if he had just remembered something.

I frowned at him. "What?"

"Oh...nothing, I just remembered..."

Tilting my head, I felt my frown deepen as I watched him run his fingers through his hair. It was almost as if he was trying to make his mind up about something.

"Remembered...what?"

He glanced up at me, biting his lip again. I had no idea what was going through his mind, so when he didn't say anything for a few seconds, I pushed away from the piano.

"Edward, what's wrong?"

He grinned then and said, "Nothing."

Standing up, he grabbed my hand and began to lead me back to the den, pulling me down on the couch with him as he sat on one end. I must have looked as confused as I felt, because he chuckled softly as he took in my expression. He turned to grab something from the end table next to the couch, rummaging for a moment before shifting to face me.

I raised an eyebrow at him in question as he held out something to me.

"It's some of the pictures from our trip to the zoo. Thought you might like to see them."

My eyes widened as I glanced down at the stack of pictures in his hand; the grin that had started to spread on my lips quickly changed to an "O" of astonishment as I took in the size of the stack.

I looked back at him. "Are you kidding me? Some of the pictures?"

He chuckled and nodded.

Shaking my head, I grinned at him. "What is it with you and the gazillion pictures you seem to keep taking around me, hmm?"

He shrugged. "Hey, at least it's not all me this time. Quite a few of those..." - he pointed at the stack in my hands - "were taken by your sister."

I bit my lip, my eyes flickering to the pictures briefly. My voice was low when I spoke again. "True...sorry about that."

He waved me off with a small huff and encouraged me to go through them. He didn't say anything as I flipped through the images, just sat and watched my reactions to them. I felt a smile tug on my lips more often than not as I saw picture upon picture of Emily and me, and of the different animals we had seen.

It was nice to see me and Lee-Lee together. I tried to remember when we had the opportunity for something like this, and it hit me suddenly that the last time had been way back when we both still lived in Texas.

Edward's quiet voice startled me from my thoughts as he placed his hand on the back of my neck.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I looked up at him, only then feeling the frown that had marred my forehead. Shaking my head a little, I gave him a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking how long it has been since Emily and I had pictures like this taken. It's been years...not since we both still lived at home."

He rubbed my neck gently, a small smile on his lips as he watched me go through more of the pictures. When I got to the one Emily had taken of me sticking my tongue out, I laughed, shaking my head.

"Oh God, I can't believe she actually managed to get that."

Edward chuckled as he leaned closer, looking at the picture in my hands.

"She got lucky; that's a really good shot."

I turned my head to face him, my eyes narrowing slightly as he grinned at me.

"What? It is a really good shot."

Wrinkling my nose, I stuck my tongue out at him, which just made him laugh. He leaned in a little further, his lips brushing against my ear as he said, "You better be prepared to use that if you keep sticking it out like that..."

Fuck me...

I felt the blush creeping up my cheeks, for once not entirely sure how to react. Thankfully, the doorbell rang, saving me from having to respond, and Edward got up with a chuckle to answer it. I watched as he passed down the hallway, and he came back a few minutes later with a tray of food and two glasses of sweet tea.

Not wanting to mess up the photos, I put them aside while we were eating. He had ordered egg rolls, fried crab rangoon, hot and sour soup, cashew nut shrimp, and curry chicken. It all smelled delicious, and I didn't realize just how hungry I was until he put the tray down on the coffee table.

He left everything in the boxes so we could each pick out what we wanted. When I saw him plate the curry chicken, I quirked a brow at him. He shrugged, chuckling softly as he said, "It's not nearly as good as what you made me, baby, but it'll do."

I grinned and snatched a piece of his curry chicken off his plate with the chopsticks I had picked up while he was talking.

His eyes widened as he let out an indignant, "Hey!"

My shoulders were shaking with laughter as I chewed on the chicken, and after swallowing I was finally able to respond.

"Yeah, you're right. Not as good as mine, but it'll do."

I made another attempt at grabbing a piece from his plate, but this time he curled his body around his food protectively as he narrowed his eyes at me.

Once we were done eating - which took longer than necessary because we both kept trying to steal food from each other's plate - I helped Edward clean up. We loaded the dishes in the dishwasher, and I made sure to wash my hands so I wouldn't smudge the pictures when I looked through the rest of them.

I settled back on the end of the couch and tucked my legs under me after grabbing the stack of photos again. Edward opted to stand behind me, resting his elbows on the couch as he leaned down to look over my shoulder. I was keenly aware of his cheek hovering close to mine, but I resisted the urge to lean my head against his.

Instead, I turned my head, giving him a quick kiss before going through the pictures again.

I still couldn't believe how many they had taken that day, or that these weren't even all of them. I smiled when I came across the picture of the white tiger that had enchanted Edward so much - it truly was a magnificent creature. I remembered the awe on Edward's face that day, and I found my hand reaching up behind me, my fingers running through his hair as I turned to smile at him.

He kissed me lightly on the cheek before urging me to keep looking. I had a feeling he was waiting for something, but wasn't sure what.

I flipped through several more pictures before coming across one of Edward and me together - my arm around his shoulders and his around my waist as we both smiled at Emily. I stared at it for a long time, a smile tugging at my lips.

"You like that one?" His quiet voice finally interrupted, and I nodded, my eyes still focused on the picture as I took in the look of pure happiness on his face...and mine. I was amazed at how relaxed I seemed, how content, but when I thought about it, those feelings were all I could remember experiencing that day. For some reason, I had been able to let everything go and just enjoy the day with Edward and Emily.

I brushed my thumb along the image of Edward as if I could feel him that way, and then I realized that he had been silent this whole time. I glanced up only to find him looking at me pensively, the creases along his forehead making him appear nervous. I lowered the picture to the top of the stack and frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

He flashed me a brief smile. "Nothing, really. It's just...there are a couple more."

I lifted the stack and looked at him questioningly.

He shook his head, but his chuckle sounded anxious. "A couple more of us, I mean."

Why the fuck is he acting so weird? My stomach tightened with apprehension, but I tried to ignore it, shoving the feeling away. "Okay. So let's see 'em then."

His head tilted just a little to the right as he studied me, and then he walked around the couch, sitting on his end as he reached over to the end table. He picked up a magazine and pulled out a much smaller stack of pictures. My eyebrows raised, feeling like they were trying to climb off my damn forehead as I wondered why in the world he would hide them.

I kept my eyes on his as I took the pictures from him. His face gave away nothing, and I finally glanced down, blinking as I found myself looking at an image of us with our foreheads pressed together. We were smiling, holding each other close, and I swallowed as a feeling of longing spread throughout my chest. My eyes were drawn to Edward, as they always seemed to be, and I smiled reflexively at all the little things I recognized - the tiny dimple in his left cheek, his unruly auburn hair, that tragus piercing that drove me crazy. The man was beautiful, sexy as fuck, and...sitting right beside me.

I reached out, my hand settling on his thigh as I finally tore my eyes away from him in the picture. I barely glanced at myself, but I felt my cheeks heat as I saw other people passing by us. Most were ignoring us, watching the animals instead, but a few had definitely taken notice. A young woman was smiling at us, and there was a little boy - probably around Finn's age - pointing at us while his mom held his hand.

I wasn't embarrassed that people knew I was gay - that shit hadn't bothered me for a very long time. It was that we were so wrapped up in each other...our pose, if you could call it that, was so intimate, so natural, and I was stunned that I had been that relaxed - and that absorbed with Edward.

I squeezed his thigh before lifting my hand to look at the other picture he'd given me. I froze when I saw the two of us kissing, and the flame on my cheeks blazed when I realized that Emily had seen me like this, had taken this picture.

Fuuuck...

I cleared my throat, but I couldn't stop the smile on my face when Edward reached out, resting his hand on the back of my neck. He didn't say anything, letting me look while he gently ran his fingers through my hair.

In the picture, I had my arms wrapped tightly around him, and his knee was between my thighs. I shifted slightly at the memory of how his body felt pressed so closely against mine, and I was surprised at the visceral response I had to just that thought. Our heads were tilted, our lips parted, and I slowly licked my lips, wanting to taste him again. I knew he was sitting beside me, and I could do just that if I wanted, but I felt out of sorts. It wasn't like me to be that way in front of Emily. She knew I was gay. She knew I dated. She'd even met some of my...I had never really been able to call them "boyfriends" exactly, but she'd met some of the ones who'd stuck around longer than the others.

But this...this was different.

I tried to think of something to say, but everything seemed wrong. I frowned down at the image and still no words came to me. I wanted to tell Edward that he was special to me, but my heart sped at the thought, and I shook my head at myself.

Edward squeezed my neck and stood, murmuring, "I'll be right back."

I was still sitting there when he walked back in with two bottles of beer. He sat beside me, and I moved at last, flipping through the pictures of us until the one of the two of us smiling at Emily was on top. I wanted to ask him for it, but...

I wasn't even sure what stopped me. I knew he'd developed them himself, and he would likely have no problem with me taking it. The hesitation was all me, all the idea of admitting even to myself that I cared - a lot - about Edward, and I knew it, and...I hated it. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I wished yet again that I'd never met Paul. This time, though, it wasn't because I wished I'd avoided the pain he put me through - it was because I wished I could avoid the pain I caused Edward.

I know he's not Paul...so what the fuck is wrong with me?

I growled, trying to cover it by clearing my throat as I leaned forward to put the stack of pictures on the coffee table. I felt like a total asshole, knowing that he wanted more than I could give, yet I wouldn't give him up. I was too selfish for that. He tapped my knee with one of the bottles, and I turned to look at him at last, expecting to see disappointment, anger, resentment...something that told me that I wasn't good enough.

But I didn't.

Instead, I saw his crooked grin, his eyes somehow understanding as he said, "So what did you do with yourself this weekend anyway?"

I was grateful for the subject change, and I jumped on it. "Oh...actually, I just stayed in and worked on some Christmas gifts."

His eyes flew wide. "Christmas gifts?" I nodded. "It's September, Jazz..."

I laughed at his expression and took a sip of my beer before nudging his knee. "I know. But I have a lot of shit to do to get ready."

"What the fuck could take you four months?"

I smiled, relaxing a bit more as I turned to face him, resting my elbow on the back of the couch as I moved my knee in between us. "Drawings...a quilt." I shrugged.

"A quilt?" His voice was incredulous. "You sew?"

I nodded again, and I just caught his muttered, "Jesus...is there anything you don't do?"

I grinned, deciding to tease him a bit. "Not really. I keep telling you I'll try anything, and if there's something I want to do, I do it."

His eyes narrowed, and he leaned over, putting his hand on my calf between us as he brushed his lips against mine. "You know...one day, I'm going to put that to the test..." he threatened.

"I'm looking forward to it." I licked his bottom lip, and he growled this time, kissing me hard before he pulled away, sitting back to study me curiously.

"So you're really making your Christmas gifts?"

"Of course. Well, some of them, anyway...it's too hard to make everyone's every year, so I sort of rotate..." I stopped my babbling, looking at him pointedly. "You don't ever make anything?"

He snickered, running his fingers through his hair before taking a long pull from his beer. "Umm...no. I'm more a buy-it-the-week-before kind of guy, I guess." I frowned at him, and he frowned back. "Hey...don't look at me like that. It's not like I really do anything I can give away anyway."

I rolled my eyes. "That's a fucking cop out, you know..."

"What do you mean?" His voice was pouty, and I grinned a little to know that he didn't like me disapproving of something he did.

I hid my smile and said, "You take amazing pictures, you cook like nobody's business, you play music...you have a hell of a lot of options for some homemade gifts. You just gotta think about how to use your talents."

When I saw his lips twitch and that wicked gleam appear in his eyes, I knew I was in trouble, but fuck me if it wasn't the best kind of trouble to be in.

"My talents, huh?" His voice was lower, husky, and I felt my cock stir as he put his fists on the couch between us, leaning closer so that his face hovered just in front of mine. He didn't kiss me, and I realized I was lifting my chin, bringing my lips closer to his in the hopes that he would. Instead, he traced my jaw with his nose, making his way to my ear, where he paused to whisper, "I didn't think you'd want to share those..."

His hand moved to my thigh, and he kneaded it as he kissed me at last. I inhaled sharply through my nose, my fingers gripping his biceps as I pulled him toward me. He settled on top of me, his weight delicious and fucking perfect as his hips slipped between my thighs. Our lips parted, and I eagerly welcomed his tongue brushing mine, even as I wondered how the hell he could always have me hard and aching with only a few words.

Just as I was really getting into it, he pulled away with a playful grin as he sat back on his heels and helped me sit up.

What the fuck? I know the question was in my eyes because he chuckled. "Sorry, baby..." he said quietly, kissing me softly. "I got a little carried away. I know you have to work early..." We both glanced at the clock, and I frowned when I realized that it really was getting late. "Besides, I need to ask you something."

"You do?"

He nodded, furrowing his brow with a serious expression on his face. "What do you want for Christmas?"

I caught the way the corner of his lips twitched, and I rolled my eyes, punching his shoulder. He laughed and took my hand. "Sorry...couldn't resist. I really do want to know, though."

"I..." I trailed off, frowning. "I really have no fucking idea, actually...I guess I haven't thought about it."

He grinned at me. "I'm sure I'll think of something."

My lips curved into a tentative grin as I looked into his eyes. Much like I had been when I'd added him to my Christmas list, I was surprised to realize that I wanted him to be around for the holidays, to still be in my life. I hadn't had a relationship last longer than a few months...ever, really. At the very least, not since Paul, and he'd managed to fuck me over in just a few months' time, too.

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to avoid thinking about him as I was faced with Edward smiling at me. I wanted him around, and he wanted me around, and that was good enough for now. It had to be.

I really couldn't think of anything to say, so I kissed him. He was slow to respond at first, his lips moving tenderly but lightly. I couldn't tell if he was upset that I hadn't said anything or if he was trying to behave himself because I had to work, but it didn't matter either way. I needed to kiss him, needed to feel him.

My tongue teased his lips, and he slowly parted them. I flicked at his tongue ring, knowing it drove him crazy, and he moaned loudly, one of his hands going to my ass as the other tangled in my hair. I smiled, deepening our kiss as I guided him back to lie on the couch. Once I was lying on top of him, I took things slowly, flirting with the line between keeping things light and tearing off his clothes. A few times, I felt his hands fist the fabric at my hips as he paused, and I was sure he was struggling with himself. I didn't know what the debate was, but each time, he regained control of himself and let me lead, never pushing for more.

I had to admit that it felt damn good to be in control that way, and I probably teased him more than I should have. But in truth, all it would have taken was one word from him, and I would've given him anything he wanted. I felt both powerful and vulnerable, and the combination was strangely intoxicating.

I didn't know how much time had passed with us doing nothing but lying on his couch kissing, but I finally pulled away, pressing one more kiss on his lips. His eyes opened, and he looked up at me questioningly.

"I have to go..." I whispered.

I fucking hated the way his eyes tightened, and I saw the glimmer of something - rejection, I thought - that passed through them before he schooled his expression and nodded. "Work..." I reminded him.

I wanted to tell him that I wished I could stay, but I didn't really know if that was the truth, so I just left it at that. I ran my fingers through that crazy bronze hair one more time and kissed him gently before sitting up. I helped him up as well, and I was relieved to see that the sadness had disappeared as quickly as it came. I was glad he wasn't upset and more than a little relieved that I did have the excuse of work. I hated hurting him, but I wasn't quite ready to spend the night with him.

In fact, the idea sort of terrified me. It was irrational and probably ridiculous, but I was still worried about how strongly I felt for him, how I reacted to him on every level.

I stood up and stretched my arms over my head. Before I'd even lowered them, I felt his warm hand on my back. He walked me to the door, and we talked a little about the Red Sox as I sat on the bench and put on my shoes. We kissed in the entryway, and when I pulled back, he whispered, "Be careful, Jazz...sleep well."

I smiled at him and murmured, "You too, sweetheart." His eyes widened just slightly, the only betrayal of his surprise.

He was beaming as I walked away, and I actually whistled as I made my way to my car. I felt...good. Free, somehow, as I slid behind the wheel and pulled away from the curve.

I glanced in my rearview mirror as I drove down the street, loving that I knew he'd be standing on the stoop - and he was.

As I drove home, I thought about Edward and how different he was from anyone I'd ever known. He was smart and handsome and funny and sexy, but more than that, he was generous and kind, and I felt lucky just to know him. And beyond lucky that he seemed to want me just as much as I wanted him.

I felt that familiar panic rearing its ugly head when I thought of the way he was becoming part of my life, and I sighed. I wanted so badly to truly believe that Edward was different, that he wouldn't hurt me, but that little nagging, doubtful voice kept whispering, "What if...?" and I couldn't seem to shut the fucker up.

"He's not Paul, damn it!" I smacked the steering wheel with my palm, startled by the sound of my own voice. I pulled into my complex then, parking the car before slumping against the steering well, suddenly weary.

I lifted my head finally, killing the engine and pulling the keys from the ignition. I climbed out of the car and walked into the building. As I rode the elevator to the second floor, my mind was still on Edward, and I thought about the mixed signals I had to be sending him sometimes. I was so fucking confused that I couldn't even make sense of my own feelings half the time - how the hell did he have any chance of understanding?

I let myself into my apartment and didn't bother turning on any lights as I locked my door and went straight to my bedroom. I stripped, folding my jeans and putting them away before tossing the rest of my clothes into my hamper. After crawling between the sheets, I grabbed my phone to text Edward, but I stared at the screen blankly, trying to figure out what to say.

I honestly couldn't think of anything, and before I knew I'd done it, I hit the button to call him instead.

"Jazz? Is everything okay?"

I frowned at the anxious tone in his voice. "Yeah, Edward, everything's fine. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you..."

"Oh. Oh, good. Sorry, I didn't mean to overreact. I just...well, you usually text, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Guess I was too lazy tonight," I teased, grinning a bit as I shifted to lie on my back.

"Are you in bed?"

"Yup."

"Fuck." The curse was soft, under his breath, and my grin broadened. "What are you wearing?"

I laughed at the mock-seductive tone he put on, but I decided to play along. "Not a thing."

His voice was normal when it came through the line again. "Don't fuck around, Jazz."

"I'm not. I'm naked as the day I was born."

He growled and threatened to come over and teach me a lesson about teasing, but it didn't stop me. Soon, he changed tactics, taunting me in return, and I realized my mistake as I felt myself hardening.

Glancing at the clock, I sighed, but before I could even say anything, he broke in, "Hey, thanks for calling...and for coming over today. That was...really nice."

"You're welcome." I smiled. "Thanks for letting me come over. It was good to see you."

We talked for a minute or two more before Edward said he should let me go so I could get some sleep. I paused, trying to decide what to say, how to let him know a little bit of how much he meant to me. In the end, I said, "I really do like you, you know..."

I could hear the smile in his voice as he answered, "I really do like you, too, baby. Now get some rest so you don't fall asleep at your desk tomorrow..."

I groaned at the thought of work in only a few hours, and we finally hung up. I dropped my phone on the nightstand and barely remembered to turn on my alarm before I passed out.

Work seemed to drag by, or at least it felt like it to me. Monday was spent doing busy-work - nothing of major importance, but stuff that needed to be taken care of nonetheless. I tried to keep my mind on work, but my thoughts were torn between the time I'd spent with Edward the day before and the lunch that was looming with Emily and James the following day. When I finally got home, all I wanted to do was veg and relax.

Tuesday was a little busier, with meetings and phone calls packed in all morning. Near lunch time, I began to worry that I would be late to meet Emily, but there was little I could do as the minutes crept on and I listened to a potential client describe what his business needed. I had just hung up with him when Felix beeped in to let me know Emily was waiting on the other line for me. Thanking him, I switched over and sat back in my chair, my fingers running through my hair with a soft sigh. I had a bad feeling as to why she was calling this late in the day.

"What's up, little sis?"

"Hey, Jasper. Nothing much. Just got a call from James that he got called in to work again. Apparently there's a bug doing the rounds or something, because someone called in sick."

I frowned, both at the news and at the faint hint of forced enthusiasm as she talked.

"Lee...are you okay?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine, Spurs. Just disappointed, that's all. I really wanted you to meet him."

"Does he do this a lot, sis?"

"What? Get called in? Yeah, lately anyway. Like I said, there's a bug doing the rounds, I guess. He says he's taking as many hours as he can so he can save up and get out of debt quicker."

At my "Hmm," she huffed a little and said in a defensive tone, "He's being responsible, Jasper. This is a good thing."

I sighed. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'm sorry, sis. Hey, why can't we go have lunch where he works? That way we could still meet, and..."

"We can't, Spurs. James doesn't want me to come to his work. Or anyone, really. He says it's too distracting, and he doesn't want to get in trouble with his boss. He said a few of the other servers have had issues in the past with having their friends hanging out and taking up tables without really bringing in business."

I frowned. Part of me felt it was ridiculous, while at the same time I knew this to be a valid issue...to an extent, at least. I knew some of my friends back in high school had been in similar situations at their jobs. But that was high school; this was slightly different, in my opinion. We would be there as customers, after all, and it wasn't as if we would demand he hang out at the table the entire time. A quick "Hello, I'm Jasper, nice to meet you," would be sufficient. Well, that, and the whole protective brother spiel, of course.

"Alright, fair enough...did you want to meet up for lunch anyway?"

There was a brief pause before she answered. "No, that's okay. I've got to get to the library anyway and do some research for a paper that's due soon. Might as well make use of the time, right?"

After a few more minutes of chitchat, Felix beeped in to let me know there was another client that needed to talk to me. I said goodbye to Emily after she promised she'd try to set up another time for me to meet with James.

The rest of the day went by quickly, and I spent most of it on the phone with clients. When I finally got home, I decided to work on the quilt for Bella again after I'd had something to eat.
Wednesday was pretty much a repeat of the day before, minus the call from Emily. I was working on the quilt again when Angela called.

"Hey, Jazz."

I smiled as I sat back in my chair, not wanting her to hear the sewing machine in the background.

"Hey, Ang. How's it going?"

I could hear the smile in her voice as she said, "Pretty good. Was just checking to see if you were sure about Saturday?"

I rolled my eyes even though she obviously couldn't see me. "Yes, Angela, I'm sure. I promised you that I'd look after Bella so you and Ben could go out and enjoy your anniversary. I'm not backing out of that; it's my anniversary gift to you."

She sighed softly, and I could tell she was a little anxious. "Are you sure you can handle it? She's not even eight weeks yet, Jazz..."

Stifling a chuckle, I said, "Are you sure you're not asking if you can handle it, Angie?"

I heard her mutter, "Oh, shut it..." before she cleared her throat lightly and said, "Yeah, okay...I know you'll be fine, really; it's just..."

I smiled. "It's just that she's your baby, and it's your first night away from her. I get it, Ang. Don't worry; everything'll be fine. I have dealt with babies before, remember?" I lowered my voice a little and added teasingly, "Granted, it's been a few years, but still..."

Angela all but growled over the phone. "Jazz!"

This time I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. No teasing the new mother. You and Ben still planning on dropping her off around five-thirty?"

"Yeah, Ben says he has reservations for us at six, but he won't tell me where."

I chuckled. I knew Ben had been planning their anniversary for the last couple of months. He wanted it to be memorable, especially since Bella was in the picture. He had reserved a table for them at Jacob Wirth's and was taking Angela to see A Chorus Line at the Boston Opera House. Ben had confided that he had even managed to book a hotel room at The Four Seasons. He was truly going all out.

I had joked with him that if he was doing this for his fourth anniversary, he would have a hell of a lot to live up to for the milestone celebrations. He had laughed and said that might be the case, but this was a milestone all its own and she deserved to be treated special.

I grinned as I thought about the night he had planned out, and I actually had to bite my tongue to not let anything slip to Angela as we continued talking for a little longer. After she asked me once again if I was sure about watching Bella, I told her she had better bring her over because I wanted time with my goddaughter.

When I walked into the office on Thursday, something just felt off. It didn't take long to figure out why. It seemed Bree had encountered a problem with some of the coding in one of the programs we were working on, and one of our clients had called asking for someone to come to their office - in Denver.

Mike came into my office looking frazzled. "Hey J, we need to..."

I held up a hand in a stopping motion, interrupting him. "Mike, I am not going."

He raised both eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak. I quirked a brow in challenge as I continued.

"I've got plans this weekend. You know this. It's Ben and Ang's anniversary, and I'm watching Bella. You and I both know that whoever goes to Denver will be there well into next week, if not longer. Jessica's going to be out of town, right?"

He nodded, and I could see he knew what was coming next.

"So you go. You know it's either you or me, and I'm telling you right now, it won't be me. There's no need for both of us to head over there; you can do it on your own. Conference call if you need my help, but I'm not leaving."

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Fine. I'll have Felix arrange for my flight and stuff. In the mean time, you and I need to discuss what you need to cover for me while I'm gone."

I nodded, and he went back to his office to grab his laptop. It wasn't often that we got called out on short notice like this, but it did happen from time to time. Mike and I spent the next couple of hours holed up in my office, getting everything ready so he could leave. The only interruption was Felix giving Mike his itinerary.

Mike was gone by lunchtime, leaving the rest of us to deal with the coding error and whatever else might come our way. Bree, Eric, and I ended up working late, ordering in some take out. By the time I finally got home, all I wanted to do was just get out of my clothes and into bed.

Friday didn't fare much better, and once again, the three of us ended up working late and ordering take out again. Eric had to call Senna to cancel their dinner plans. I felt horrible about it, but he assured me it was fine. In fact, he seemed almost relieved to be working right then, and I couldn't help but wonder what that was all about, but this wasn't the time for a heart to heart.

I had just walked through my front door when my phone rang. I was half-tempted to just let it go to voicemail because I was exhausted, but once I saw Edward's name on the caller ID, I smiled as I answered. My voice sounded as weary as I felt.

"Hey, Edward..."

I could almost hear him frown over the phone. "Hey Jazz, everything okay?"

"Hang on a sec, would you?"

Waiting until he said he would, I put my phone down so I could get out of my jacket and shoes. That done, I picked up the phone again and made my way to my bedroom, untying my tie as I walked.

"Sorry about that, I literally only just stepped through the door when you called."

"That's okay. Wait, you just got home from work?"

Sighing deeply, I ran my fingers through my hair after pulling my tie off. "Mhmm...things are kinda crazy at the moment..."

"Damn, I'm sorry, baby...I guess that means you're not up for hanging out tonight then, huh? You sound exhausted..."

"Sorry darlin'. I'd love to, but you're right...I am."

He sighed softly. "It's alright. Do you have plans for tomorrow? Maybe we could do something then?"

He sounded so hopeful, I hated the idea of telling him no again. Especially since I didn't want to say no. I wanted to spend time with him, too. I sat on the edge of my bed as I unbuttoned my shirt, the phone propped between my ear and shoulder. I worried my lip as I thought about what we could do with the time we'd have before I had to be back here to babysit. There wasn't a lot.

"I do, actually. I'm babysitting Bella tomorrow...my goddaughter? It's Ben and Ang's anniversary, so..." I paused, puffing my cheeks out as I pondered. "You're welcome to come here and hang out, though, if you'd like..."

"What time?"

I continued on, not sure I'd heard him right, "I know it's nothing exciting or anything, but..."

"Jasper! What time should I be there?"

I sat up straight, my shirt falling open as I took the phone in my hand. My voice sounded incredulous even to my ears. "Really?"

He gave a short laugh as he said, "Yes, really. Now please, what time am I supposed to be there?"

"Err, around six?" I ran my fingers through my hair again, frowning a little. There wasn't going to be a lot to do, not with Bella in the apartment. No way. Angela would kill me if she thought...I shook my head, not even wanting to go there.

He asked if he could bring anything, and we decided that he would bring something for us to watch and we would order pizza when he got here. I had considered asking if he wanted to come early, but I knew I had to do some shopping before they dropped Bella off, so I dismissed the idea. We talked for a few more minutes before I couldn't stop yawning and Edward told me he'd see me the following day and to get some sleep.

The next day, I woke up later than I had intended and ended up having to rush through the chores and errands I needed to get done. By the time five o'clock rolled around, I had cleaned the place from stem to stern and had bought groceries and put them away.

I had just sat down when the doorbell rang. I frowned as I checked the clock and saw that it was only a few minutes after five. When I opened the door, it was to an apologetic-looking Ben and an excited but anxious-looking Angela. Bella was asleep in her carrier and oblivious to it all.

"Wow, look at you two all fancied up." I grinned at Ben and winked before turning to Angela and kissing her cheek. "Has he given away his secrets yet?"

Angela giggled nervously, shaking her head. "No, he still refuses to part with them. Says I'll have to be patient."

"That's right," Ben chimed in with a grin. "No more trying to get my secrets from me."

I chuckled as Ben put the carrier on the table and Angela placed the diaper bag next to it before fussing over Bella. Ben rolled his eyes at me and spoke quietly, "Sorry we're a little early, J. Ang has been nervous all day, and she wanted to make sure Bells got settled in okay before leaving for dinner."

I patted him on the shoulder and grinned. "No problem, Ben. I get that it's hard for her. You guys need to go out, though."

Ben nodded before ducking back outside, and my eyes widened when he walked back in with two more bags and some sort of rectangular contraption. He put them on the floor beside the table as I said, "Something y'all aren't telling me? Just how long am I keeping her again?"

Angela laughed. "They take a lot, don't they? We wanted to make sure you had everything you needed."

The look Ben shot me said they hadn't left out anything, but my grin faded as I turned my attention to Ang, listening as she rattled off a long list of instructions. Just when I was beginning to worry that maybe I really would forget something, she smiled sheepishly and said, "I know you're going to be fine. I know that. But here...I typed it all up, just in case." I laughed as she reached into her purse and pulled out a few pieces of paper folded together. She unfolded them and smoothed them out, handing them to me as she pointed out the parts about feeding Bella and her bedtime routine.

"Where do you want me to put this, J?" Ben motioned to the rectangular object, which turned out to be Bella's Pack 'n Play.

"The guest room?" I hadn't intended it to be a question, but my eyes shot to Ang's face as I checked to see if this was alright.

She nodded and told Ben, "Just don't forget to set up the monitor."

I had an amused grin on my face as Ben picked up one of the bags and the Pack 'n Play. I led him to the guestroom, and as soon as we walked in, he glanced at me and whispered, "Sorry, man...thanks for doing this."

I grinned and crossed my arms over my chest, leaning against the dresser as I whispered back, "You're welcome...she always like this now?"

He chuckled quietly and shook his head. "Nah, man, she's usually pretty cool...she's just nervous because we haven't left her for more than an hour or two, and that was with Ang's mom. She'll be fine..."

I nodded. "I know..." He finished putting together the Pack 'n Play, attaching a bassinet and some sort of little platform at the top.

When I raised an eyebrow at him, he shrugged. "You can change her diaper there." His eyes flitted to the doorway as he lowered his voice. "Or on the floor or wherever else you happen to be, like I do."

I laughed as he set up the monitor, handing one part of it to me with instructions to plug it in wherever I was going to be and to make sure it was on channel 2. "This thing has channels?"

"Yup." He grinned. "Amazing how much crap they take, isn't it?" He shook his head as we left the room.

We walked back into the dining room and found Angela standing at the table, watching Bella with a quiet smile on her face. I clapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "You're a lucky man. You know that, right?"

Ben nodded with a soft sigh. The love he had for his wife was obvious in the look he gave her as she checked that everything was in the bag and that Bella was alright. With a deep sigh, she finally straightened up and turned to me, blushing slightly.

"Sorry, Jazz. I know everything'll be fine..."

I stepped up to her and wrapped my arms around her in a gentle hug, shushing her softly.

"Don't even worry about it, darlin'. I promise I'll take care of your little girl. If anything happens, you'll be the first to know. Now you and Ben need to go and celebrate your anniversary and just enjoy each other. Okay?"

Angela buried her face in my chest with a nod, tightening her arms around me as she did. I kissed the crown of her head and smiled.

"Now come on, silly woman. Your husband is anxious to woo you tonight, so get to steppin'."

She chuckled, and I saw Ben roll his eyes, his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Oh! I almost forgot...hang on."

I walked quickly to the kitchen to get the small bouquet of white calla lilies - their wedding flowers - I had gotten for Angela. When I walked back into the living room, her eyes lit up, and she beamed a smile at me as I handed them to her.

"Happy anniversary, darlin'."

"Oh Jazz, they're beautiful. Thank you!"

Ben grinned at me, winking. "Thanks, J. Trying to one-up me?"

"With what I know of your plans tonight...not possible."

Angela narrowed her eyes at us. "Alright, you two. That's quite enough. Either tell me what is going on, or we need to get going now."

Both Ben and I laughed, shaking our heads.

"Sorry, Angie. You had better get going, though."

With one last check on Bella, Ben finally managed to shepherd Angela out the door. She called over her shoulder with one last reminder - this time to put the milk in the refrigerator - before I closed the door. I shook my head as I walked back to Bella, watching her as she continued to sleep. Leaning over her carrier, I gently brushed my lips against her forehead. That baby smell pervaded my senses as I whispered softly, "Looks like it's just you and me for now, little one."

While she was sleeping, I searched through the bags, finding the milk. I took all the bottles to the kitchen, putting them in the refrigerator before getting everything ready for the night.

When Edward knocked on the door, Bella had just woken up, and I had taken her out of her carrier to check if she needed a change, so I had her in my arms as I opened the door. I looked up from Bella to see Edward watching us intently. I could see several emotions fleeting through his eyes.

The tenderness that settled on his face stirred something in me that I couldn't readily identify. He smiled softly at her as she watched him with her big brown eyes, following his every move. He caressed her cheek once before looking up at me as he said in a quiet voice, "She's beautiful, Jazz."

He leaned in and kissed me on the lips - it was short, and sweet, and somehow just right.

"Mhmm, she is. Come on in."

I stepped aside so Edward could come inside before I closed the door behind him. He stood for a moment, just looking around.

"Make yourself at home, Edward. I'll be right back."

He nodded, and I saw him walk to the couch as I headed to the guestroom. After changing Bella, I walked back out to see Edward placing his camera on the coffee table. He glanced up and gave me a crooked smile and a shrug when he saw my brow lift in question.

"You should realize by now that if there's a good opportunity to take pictures, I'll do so."

He raised his camera to his face and, after fiddling with it for a few seconds, took a picture of me holding Bella. I rolled my eyes at him and chuckled.

"Yes, you'd think it would not be a surprise to me anymore."

Bella had turned her head when she heard Edward speak and was watching him intently again. I sat down next to him on the couch, my eyes flickering between them.

"I think she likes you."

Edward leaned in, brushing the backs of his fingers against her cheek again as he smiled at her. I felt him put his other arm around my shoulders, and we just sat like that for a while. He was talking quietly to Bella, who was cooing and smiling back at him. It felt good to just be like this - calming, somehow.

After about fifteen minutes, I looked at Edward. "Did you want to order pizza? There's a menu for my favorite place in the drawer next to the fridge. I'm good with whatever, just no olives or anchovies, please."

"Sure."

He kissed me briefly before getting up and walking into the kitchen. He came back a few minutes later, holding up a couple of bottles of water.

"Hope you don't mind."

Shaking my head, I took the offered bottle as he sat down next to me again.

"Hey, you said the other day that you were working on some drawings and stuff. Can I see?"

He watched me for a moment with a hopeful expression. I bit my lip as I thought about it. When he added a, "Please?" I grinned, nodding.

"Alright. Here, you'll have to hold her, though."

He chuckled as he held out his arms to take her. "I think I can handle that."

I gently put Bella in his arms and was going to just get up and grab the drawings, but I couldn't make myself move. Edward was smiling down at her, humming softly under his breath as he swayed gently back and forth. Bella was watching him with wide eyes, and her lips were parted in a soft "O".

After about a minute of being mesmerized by them, I saw Edward's eyes flicker to mine as he quirked a brow. I shook my head to regain my senses. Edward holding a baby in his arms just seemed to fit.

"I'll be right back."

He nodded, bringing his attention back to Bella. I got up and decided to not only grab the drawings I had finished already, but also my pad and charcoal. When I got back, I took a moment to watch them. I had never really been in this situation before, but I found I kind of liked it.

I sat back down next to Edward and Bella, placing the pad and charcoal to the side for the time being. I carefully unrolled the drawings of my nephews, showing them one at a time before rolling them back up again. Edward sat and watched quietly as I showed him each drawing. Once the last one was rolled back up, he turned to look at me, shaking his head slightly. I couldn't quite figure out what emotions were playing in his eyes.

His tone was soft when he spoke, a note of awe in it as he said, "Those are absolutely amazing, Jasper. Your brother and sister-in-law are going to love them. Did you say you drew them from pictures your mom had sent?"

I nodded, pulling out the pictures I'd brought, having anticipated he would want to see them. He asked me to show him the drawing of Finn and Conall on horseback again. I carefully unrolled it, and he scooted forward while he held on to Bella. He took the picture of the boys and placed it next to the drawing, his eyes flitting between them.

After a couple of minutes, he shook his head.

"Unbelievable. It's so detailed, in spite of the medium..." He looked up at me. "Do you only draw from pictures?"

I shook my head. "No, sometimes I draw what I see, other times just from memory..."

I couldn't keep the blush from creeping up my cheeks, and I prayed he wouldn't ask about it. I wasn't quite ready for him to find out that my main subject had been him for the last several weeks. Luckily, Bella cooed and pulled his attention away from me.

I got up and moved over to the chair opposite them, grabbing the pad and charcoal as I sat down. Bella was fussing a little, so Edward scooted back in his seat and started swaying back and forth as he hummed to her again. While he was otherwise occupied, I began to sketch them. I really wanted to keep this moment with me, and though I could have taken a picture, this just felt right. This was my medium. The camera was his.

We sat like that until the pizza arrived, and by the time it did, I had finished a rough sketch. I put it down on the coffee table so I could answer the door and pay for the pizza. When I got back, Edward had turned the pad around to face him. He was looking at the sketch intently, but I couldn't see his face well enough to discern his thoughts.

I put the pizza down on the other end of the table and went to grab some more water. I wasn't going to have any alcohol while watching Bella - Angela would kill me - and I figured Edward would be okay not having any either. He was still looking at the sketch when I walked in.

I nudged his side gently. "Hey, you okay?"

He nodded, his eyes lingering for a moment longer on the drawing before he turned to look at me. His voice was soft, almost vulnerable when he spoke.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He frowned a little as he tilted his head. "Is that really what I look like?"

I blinked, looking from him to the drawing and back. I wasn't sure what he meant. It was only a rough sketch, but I didn't think it looked that off. I had started to fill in the details of Edward's face - mainly his eyes - but still...

He must have seen the confusion on my face, because he gave me a soft smile.

"I mean..." He frowned, running his fingers through his hair with an air of frustration, as if he couldn't quite put his thoughts into words. "Am I really that...intense, I guess...?"

I still wasn't entirely sure what he was getting at, and he looked like he wasn't pleased with his explanation. He shook his head, muttering under his breath too low for me to hear.

With another shake of his head, he sighed and said, "Never mind, I'm not even sure what I'm trying to ask..."

I frowned, looking down at the drawing with a sudden feeling of unease - did he not like it? I wasn't sure what to think at this point, or how to feel about Edward's odd query.

This time, it was Edward that nudged me. "Hey...I'm sorry. Please don't think that I don't like the drawing, Jazz." He ran his fingers through my hair and smiled at me as I turned to look at him. He added quietly, "I like it. A lot, actually. I can't wait to see it finished."

Closing my eyes briefly to enjoy the feeling of his fingers massaging my scalp lightly, I sighed. When I opened my eyes again, they searched out his, and my voice was low - my insecurity apparent even to me - as I spoke. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes, really. I hope you finish it tonight. I'd like to see it before I leave."

"I'll try to... For now, though, how about some pizza before it gets cold?"

He chuckled softly and got up to put Bella in her carrier - he brought the carrier back to the couch, placing it at his feet so she could watch us. As we ate, I told Edward about all the stuff Angela and Ben had brought along for tonight, and I showed him the list Ang had made. He skimmed it, chuckling softly at everything on it.

"Shit, this is just for tonight?" He looked at me with widened eyes.

Since I had just taken a bite of pizza, I simply nodded and said, "Mhmm."

He shook his head, then turned to look at Bella. "Don't worry, Cara Bella. Jazz and I will look after you."

I looked at him with raised eyebrows. Cara Bella? He grinned at me and answered my unspoken question as I finished chewing.

"'Beautiful beloved'."

Swallowing, I nodded. "Sounds about right."

We finished eating, playing with Bella and talking about what we would do the rest of the night. Edward had brought the second season of Stargate Atlantis for us to watch, and he asked about the other things I was working on.

Once we were done eating, I showed him the quilt for Bella - the front was almost all sewn together already, and the backing was finished, so there really wasn't a lot left to do. Part of the beauty with baby-quilts, I told him, was that they were quick to finish. He chuckled at that. He said he would very much like to see it once it was all finished, so I promised him I would show it to him.

He asked me when I had learned to sew, so I told him about Mama teaching all of us when we were little. I told him that Chuck had hated it, but Mama made him do it anyway, saying it was important for any person - man or woman - to at least have basic skills.

I showed him the patchwork quilt Mama had made for me when I moved into this apartment. She had made it out of remnants and scraps from clothing she'd gathered while I was a kid. Every piece was a little bit of my history, and I loved the detail she had put in it. Edward touched the quilt with something akin to reverence, and I couldn't help but smile as I watched him.

"She made one of these for all us kids. Emily'll get hers when she gets her own place, too. I know she's already collecting stuff for one for Finn and Conall, as well."

His voice was just a whisper as he said, "That's a wonderful tradition, Jazz."

I watched him for a moment, my heart aching for him when I thought about all the things he never got to experience with his mom. I wondered whether she would have made him a quilt like this if she had lived, or if she would have had different traditions to pass on to him.

He looked up at me with a soft smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes as they held a hint of sadness in them. I wrapped my arms around him, just hugging him to me and wishing I could take that pain away for him. He rested his head on my shoulder and we stood like that for a while, neither one of us saying anything.

Bella started crying, forcing us apart finally. When I looked in his eyes, I frowned as I saw them shimmering with unshed tears. I cupped his cheek with my hand, my brow furrowing slightly as I whispered, "Are you alright, darlin'?"

He placed his hand over mine, kissing my palm as he turned his head a little.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just thinking about my mom... She's been on my mind a lot this week, it seems."

I kissed him briefly before checking on Bella. Edward looked over the list again and said he would fix her bottle since it was about that time. As he walked to the kitchen, I picked Bella up and settled back onto the couch. After a couple of minutes, Edward came back and handed me her bottle.

"Thanks, darlin'."

I had to shift her a little so I could check the temperature of the milk. Once it was cool enough, I put the bottle to her lips, and she eagerly started to drink. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and I felt a smile tug at my lips.

I didn't look up until I heard the sound of the camera going off. I smirked at Edward who was watching us with a tenderness - and longing - that took my breath away. He sat in the chair opposite us, his knees spread apart as he rested his elbows on them.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to decide what that look - and his mood - might mean.

"Nothing." He shook his head and then hesitated, studying me. "You just look...you look really good holding her."

I swallowed, not saying anything. To be perfectly honest, I didn't know what to say. What did he mean?

His eyes widened, and when he spoke again, his voice was quicker, a little higher pitched. "I just mean you look...comfortable." He trailed off, and a smile ghosted across his lips. "You look happy, Jazz."

I looked down at Bella again, a small smile playing on my lips as I said softly, "I think I am..."

I wasn't sure if he heard me or not, or even if I had meant for him to hear me, but when I looked up at him again he was smiling - camera at the ready.

Once she was done with her bottle, I made sure to burp her. Edward asked if he could hold her again, so I handed Bella back to him and took my previous seat across from them with the intent of finishing the drawing.

I was so focused on what I was doing, it didn't register with me that she had fallen asleep. It wasn't until I put the finishing touches on the drawing and got up to show Edward that I realized she was out.

I whispered, "Why didn't you say something?"

He looked a little sheepish as he said, "I didn't want to interrupt you...and I don't mind."

I rolled my eyes at him, chuckling softly. "Come on, we'd better put her in her Pack 'n Play."

He nodded and held her out to me so she wouldn't get jostled too much while he got up. As soon as she was in my arms, she started whimpering a little in her sleep.

Edward walked behind me to the guestroom and watched as I carefully put Bella down. We stood and looked at her for a few minutes, Edward slipping his arms around my waist as he leaned his chin on my shoulder. He kissed my neck briefly before asking me where the monitor was. I had to look around for a moment, trying to remember where I had put it after Ben had given it to me.

I saw it on the dresser by the door so I slipped out of his arms and went to grab it. When I turned to look at Edward, he was watching Bella again. Clearing my throat, I tilted my head to the living room. He blushed slightly as he walked past me, muttering, "Sorry..." under his breath. I just shook my head and gave him a light slap on the ass, which earned me a raised eyebrow as he looked at me over his shoulder.

When we got back to the couch, Edward gingerly took up the drawing of him and Bella. I watched his face, anxious to find out what he thought now that it was finished. He didn't say anything for the longest time and just stared at it. I couldn't read his expression at all, which made me antsy. After a couple of minutes, I couldn't take it anymore and began to fidget in my seat, which caught his attention and he finally looked at me.

"Jazz, this...I don't even think I have words to describe..."

I lowered my eyes, the sudden shyness I felt confusing me as I spoke in a hushed voice. "You like it?"

From the corner of my eye I saw him put the drawing down on the coffee table before shifting around to face me. Cupping my face in his hands, he lifted it carefully and I raised my eyes to meet his.

"Are you kidding? Jasper, it's beautiful."

My eyes flickered between his as I tried to make up my mind. Part of me wanted to keep the drawing, and another part wanted to give it to him - for him to have this part of me with him. I frowned, worrying my bottom lip. Edward gently ran his thumbs over my cheekbones, a small frown forming on his forehead as he watched me.

I took a deep breath as I came to a decision and said softly, "I want you to have it..."

He blinked, tilting his head as his eyes searched mine. "Baby..."

I put my finger over his lips. "It's yours, Edward."

Taking his hands in mine, I gave them a gentle squeeze before leaning over and grabbing the charcoal again. I pulled the drawing to me before writing in a corner Edward and Bella, 9-13-2008 and putting my customary scribble of my initials under it. I picked the paper up as I got up and started to walk to the bathroom.

I heard Edward's confused, "What are you doing?" as I entered the hallway, and he got up and followed me. I turned the light on in the bathroom and put the drawing on the counter as I looked for a new can of hairspray, having emptied the other one earlier in the week.

Edward stood, leaning against the doorframe as I shook the can.

"Turn the fan on for me? This stuff smells to high heaven, which is why I only do this in here."

He frowned but flipped the switch as he asked, "Do what, exactly?"

Popping the cap off the can, I grinned as I picked up the drawing and held it as far away from me as I could and started to lightly coat it with the hairspray. I chuckled at Edward's soft gasp and "Jazz!"

When I was finished, I carefully put the drawing back on the counter again and capped the can before putting it back under the sink. I turned to look at Edward who was wrinkling his nose; his eyes still held a little shock.

"You're right, that stuff does smell...but why...?"

Picking up the drawing, I stepped up to him and said, "The hairspray keeps the charcoal from smudging; it's to protect the drawing."

"Ohhh...huh, learn something new every day." He smiled and kissed me briefly before wrinkling his nose again and asking if we could please go back to the living room. I told him to go ahead, needing to wash my hands before joining him.

After I carefully rolled the drawing up for him and placed it by the door, I sat down next to him on the couch. He had put the first disc of Stargate Atlantis in and was looking for the remote. I grinned as I reached under the coffee table and pulled it from the small cubby that was hidden beneath it.

He grinned at me as he said, "Clever. I would've been looking for that thing forever."

I snuggled up to him as I turned the TV on and hit play before handing the remote to him so he could navigate through the disc. Edward put one arm around me, and with his other hand he lifted my chin, placing a tender kiss on my lips.

He murmured, "Thank you for that drawing, Jasper. It means a lot to me that you would give me something like that."

I blushed. "You're welcome, Edward."

He pecked me on the lips again before turning his attention to the screen as they re-capped the end of last season. I burrowed myself a little closer to him, causing him to tighten his arm around me and chuckle as he muttered under his breath. I was almost positive I heard him say, "Cuddles."

I ignored it. It felt too good to have him here, and the evening had been too enjoyable to let him goad me into responding. I put my arm around his waist, slipping my hand under his shirt so I could feel his skin against mine.

Every now and again, I would let my fingers trail up to his chest, lightly grazing over his nipple, causing him to moan softly. After a few times, Edward covered my hand with his, holding it in place as he looked at me. I tilted my head up, my fingers twitching under his hand and brushing against his nipple again.

He gave a low growl as he lowered his lips to mine, stopping just shy of touching them as he murmured, "You are a goddamn tease. What if Bella wakes up?"

I brushed my lips against his. "That's what the baby monitor is for..."

He gave a quiet moan as he captured my lips with his, the TV all but forgotten as we spent the next however long kissing languidly. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was aware of Bella sleeping down the hall, and I knew on some level that we should probably stop, but he tasted so damn good, and I was aching, needing for him to touch me. Before I even thought about it, I shifted on the couch, straddling his lap, and he wrapped his strong arms around my waist, pulling me closer so that our hard cocks brushed against each other through the denim of our jeans.

"God damn..." he whispered breathlessly, his lips moving away from mine. I felt the tip of his tongue trace my jaw...

And then I heard a cry through the monitor.

"Fuck!" My mind was instantly clear, free from the Edward-induced fog of lust that seemed to cover me so often. I climbed off his lap, shooting him an apologetic look, but he waved it away with a smile as he started to follow.

"I got it," I said, and he nodded, settling back on the couch. He picked up the remote as I turned around and headed down the hall.

I walked into the bedroom to find Bella red-faced and waving her little fists. I scooped her up, resting her head against my shoulder as I murmured, "Shh...it's alright...shh, little one..." She didn't quiet at all. If anything, the volume of her screeching rose, so I laid her down gently on the little changing platform and kept a hand on her as I reached for a diaper and her wipes.

As soon as I unsnapped her sleeper, I could tell she definitely had a dirty diaper, so I changed it as quickly as I could. I held her feet to keep her from kicking, and pretty soon, I had her all cleaned and buttoned up again.

She was still crying.

I glanced at the clock, confirming that it was still a couple of hours before she was supposed to eat again, and I returned her to my shoulder. I bounced her lightly, whispering to her as I walked around the room. My head began to ring dully from the sound of her crying right in my ear, but I wasn't worried about that - I could take some aspirin. I was more concerned with the fact that she was so upset.

"May I?" I swung around at the sound of Edward's voice just behind me. I hadn't heard him coming down the hall.

He was holding his hands out toward Bella, and I stood there patting her back for a moment before gently placing her in his arms. He gave me a tentative smile and cradled her, bouncing and swaying as he shushed her. He began to walk slowly around the room, and at first I didn't hear him singing.

Gradually, though, Bella's cries began to lessen, and I heard Edward's voice breaking through here and there.

"And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me. Shine until tomorrow; let it be..."

I leaned against the dresser as I watched them, a soft smile on my face as I hooked my thumbs into the pockets of my jeans. Edward's attention was focused entirely on the baby in his arms, and I felt warmth spreading through me as he sang to her. Her big brown eyes watched him as she gave a small smile, and he smiled in return, a soft expression on his face. It seemed so natural for him. Like everything else, he was just good at this, and I swallowed against the lump in my throat as I thought of him perhaps having a child of his own someday.

I wondered if he ever would...and if I would know him then.

I didn't let myself wonder if the baby would be ours.

Mercifully, Edward's song ended, and when he switched smoothly to another, I bit back a laugh.

"I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus's garden in the shade..."

He heard me and glanced over, grinning as he shrugged. He never paused in his song, and Bella's eyes drifted shut. As he neared the end of the melody, he made his way to the bassinet and carefully lowered her into it. He sang through the chorus once more, his voice nearly a whisper, and then he gently caressed her hand before turning to look at me.

We watched each other across the room in the light from the hallway before I inclined my head toward the door. He nodded, and we turned to walk out together. I stepped to the side so he could go to the living room while I closed the door silently.

I didn't speak until I was settled beside him on the couch again. I turned to him, kissing him briefly before I raised an eyebrow and said, "How'd you know to do that?"

Edward grinned sheepishly and reached for something on my coffee table. He held it up so that I could see it was Angela's instructions and then shrugged. "I just wanted to help...Angela said she liked the Beatles."

I couldn't help it. I snorted. "She actually included Bella's musical preferences in there?"

"Yup." He chuckled and let the paper fall back to the table. He leaned back on the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him as he picked up the remote. "Where were we?"

I looked at him pointedly.

"I meant in the episode." He rolled his eyes, grinning. "I think we should probably behave ourselves..." His voice trailed off, but I still caught the, "Unfortunately," he added.

I snickered and stretched my legs out in front of me as well, trying to help him figure it out. In the end, we started the episode over again, since we'd been so distracted the first time through. At first, we watched closely as I asked a few questions for clarification, but then Edward put his hand on my knee...and then I leaned over to kiss his neck...

And soon we were kissing again, though we did keep it a lot more innocent than before. When Edward got up to use the restroom, I stretched out on my side, just needing to change positions. I paused the DVD, even though I knew he'd seen it, and stared ahead blankly as I waited for him to come back.

When he walked into the room again, he gave a half-smile at the way I was lying and started to walk to my arm chair. I stopped him, asking where he thought he was going, and after just a little bit of convincing, he came to lie in front of me. I rested my forearm on his hip, my hand hanging down, and I traced lazy patterns on his abdomen as we watched more Stargate Atlantis together.

My head was resting on the arm of the couch while he was a little further down so that I could see, and he had his arm tucked under his head so he was more comfortable. I felt utterly relaxed and comfortable.

I must've drifted off that way because the next thing I knew, Bella's cry was coming through the monitor again, and I felt a rush of cold air. I opened my eyes, sitting up with a confused, "Huh?"

"I'll get her...go back to sleep, baby." Edward's quiet voice accompanied his fingers brushing against my cheek, and I blinked, trying to clear my vision and my mind.

I heard him shuffle down the hallway and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands. When I opened my eyes again, I saw that the TV was on the DVD menu screen and frowned. I stood up so I could pull my phone from my pocket to check the time. I was surprised to see that it was time for another bottle for Bella, and I wondered if Edward had fallen asleep as well, or if he'd just lain there while he let me rest.

I felt a rush of emotions - nerves and happiness and who knows what else - at either possibility, but I tried to hold it all back as I yawned. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of milk from the refrigerator, running it under hot water the way Ang had told me to until I thought it was warm enough.

When I stepped into the hallway, Edward was just coming out of the room with Bella in his arms. "Oh," he said softly. "Thanks...I was just going to do that."

I tried to smirk, but I think it came out as a gentle smile. "You're thanking me? You know I'm the one who agreed to babysit, right?"

He shrugged and whispered, "I don't mind..." Just as he passed by me, I heard him murmur, "Especially since I get to spend the night with you."

I followed behind him as he took Bella into the living room and sat in my arm chair. I walked over, handing him the bottle, and he gave it to her once he had her settled in his lap comfortably. He let his head fall back onto the chair, yawning with his eyes closed, and I ran my fingers through his hair as I watched my goddaughter.

Her eyes were drifting shut as she drank, so I knew it wouldn't be long before she was asleep again. Edward's eyes opened as he smiled at me and then he lifted his head, looking down at her. "Oh no, you don't..." he whispered, tickling her feet so that she squirmed and started drinking again.

When she finally finished, I took the bottle from him as he stood, and he paused, cupping my cheek before he placed a soft kiss on my lips. "I've got her, baby...go rest."

He turned to go back to the guest room, so he missed me shaking my head before I padded silently behind him. I stood in the doorway as he walked in and put her back in the bassinet. She didn't even stir as Edward smoothed the little bit of hair she had and smiled down at her. I walked up behind him, slipping my arms around his waist, and he pressed back against me, his hands covering mine as we both watched her.

Her tiny chin was working, moving up and down as she seemed to think she still had the bottle in her mouth. Otherwise, she was completely still, and watching her sleep was so peaceful, so relaxing, that I rested my chin on Edward's shoulder, feeling a strong urge to sleep as well.

Edward patted my hands and whispered, "Come on..."

I just wanted to get back to the couch with him, so I frowned in confusion when he went to the door and reached for his shoes. "What the hell are you doing?"

He turned to me, surprise clear on his face. "It's late, Jazz...I should get going so you can sleep. Who knows when she'll wake up again?"

I frowned at him, and he straightened, smiling at me. "You need some rest. You look exhausted."

I ignored his words. "Stay a little longer?"

He stared at me for a moment before dropping his shoes with a nod. "Alright," was all he said.

I led him back to the couch and stretched out again, opening my arms to him. He hesitated for a half-second and then reached for the remote, starting the next episode. When he laid down, though, he didn't even bother pretending that he was watching. Instead, he faced me, slipping his knee between mine as he put his arm around my waist and nestled his face in my neck with a soft kiss. I hummed quietly, my fingers slipping beneath his shirt as I rubbed the small of his back. I let my eyes close and then felt Edward's lips on mine again.

We kissed tenderly, slowly, and though my body responded to the feeling of him pressed so closely against me, I was enjoying the moment too much to push for more. He must've felt the same because even though he never tried anything else either, I heard his little whimpers and moans that let me know he was as content as I was.

Eventually, he pulled away, and I felt his eyes on me as he stroked the hair at my temple. I didn't open my eyes, though, and I gave a quiet yawn. "Sorry..." I murmured, my fingers still tracing idle patterns on his back.

He started to roll away, but I wasn't thrilled with the idea of him going anywhere, so I tightened my arms around him. "I should go," he whispered. "There's no sense in you staying up."

"Uh uh," I mumbled, burying my face in his hair. It smelled good, clean and sage and cedar and Edward all mixed together.

He relaxed against me, and I vaguely felt his shoulders shake before he breathed, "Good night, Cuddles." I felt his warm lips on mine, and then the weight of his head settled on my shoulder again, and I knew nothing else that night.

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Chapter 10 ~ Chapter 12

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