"Thanks," Bella responded in a confused voice, "Why don't you come in for a minute and dry off?" she offered.

She doesn't seem scared or nervous...not at all like she was just with a vampire. Billy was alight with a feverous fanatical burn.

Bella opened the door and showed them in. Before the door was shut I was out of the truck and pelting through the woods.

Each step dragged as I was contemplating going back and scoping up Bella and running for it. The only reason I didn't was because Billy was right about everything. She shouldn't be with me. She should realize the appalling creature that I am and run away screaming. But she didn't; she continued to pull herself ever closer to me and I allowed it. I embraced her and wanted her in my arms. The love I was feeling for her was overwhelming. If anything were to happen to her... I stopped running in the forest to take several unneeded deep breaths. When the fear and anxiety finally dulled I swiftly made my way back home.

For the first time in ages Alice wasn't waiting for me at the porch steps; Emmett was.

"Hey! I heard that you and Bella are coming out to play ball tonight!" Emmett laughed loudly while his face twisted with glee.

"No, Bella will not be playing," I said with a grim smile.

"Oh, damn it. I was hoping to see Bella with a bat in her hand," Emmett smiled sinisterly.

"Please, like I would place a bat in her hands!"

Yeah, yeah I get it. You just don't understand how funny it is when she does something human, Emmett chortled a wild little laugh as he walked into the house.

Alice walked over the threshold then, You know this is going to be a good game. There will be a tie breaker. Do you remember what happened last time between Jasper and Emmett? Esme is going to have to come up with a better idea for tie breaking.

I smiled at her, "So are you pitching?"

Of course, you can't let Carlisle do it; he's just not that good at pitching. Alice thought.

We were both silent for a few seconds and I could tell what topic of conversation Alice really wanted to cover, "Go ahead, ask me," I suggested.

When can I take Bella shopping? Please let me take her soon! Have you seen the dreadful attire she was wearing? Just wait until you see what she is wearing tonight. Ugh! Alice pouted.

"We'll see," I replied.

Fine, okay... Want to throw the ball around? Alice asked, bored.

"Sure."

Alice flew through the house, grabbed a baseball and flew to the backyard. I was already waiting for her. We threw the ball back and forth for several minutes until Jasper and Emmett came outside to join us. Emmett and Jasper decided that throwing the ball back and forth was 'boring' and needed some spice.

They began throwing the ball as far as they could to see who would be the first to not catch it. This went on for several long minutes. I sat on the grass watching the sun slowly descending behind the trees. I got up in a hurry to pick Bella up.

Take Emmett's Jeep. Trust me. Alice sent a vision of us running through the forest, She would appreciate it if part of the way there wasn't on your back, she giggled.

"Hey, Emmett, I'm taking your jeep," I informed him.

"Okay, bring it back in one piece, oh, and you better help Bella get into the Jeep. I wouldn't want to see her get hurt trying to get in it," Emmett's bellowing laugh echoed and reverberated off of the trees.

"Funny," I muttered.

I could hear Charlie and Bella's conversation from a mile down the road. I caught the very end of it. Bella had informed Charlie that we were going on a date and Charlie was having a hard time comprehending the match. "Where is he taking you?" he asked protectively.

I could hear Bella groan loudly, "I hope you're getting the Spanish Inquisition out of your system now. We're going to play baseball with his family," she explained.

Baseball? Hum, maybe I had things all wrong with this Edward kid, Charlie mumbled in his thoughts, But, Bella, playing ball? A loud chuckle erupted from him. "You're playing baseball?" he asked in disbelief.

I was extremely pleased that she finally told Charlie the truth about our plans.

"Well, I'll probably watch most of the time," she responded.

All of the time, I amended in my mind.

"You must really like this guy," Charlie observed suspiciously.

I heard Bella sigh as I parked in the driveway. I heard the water going in the kitchen. "Leave the dishes, I can do them tonight. You baby me too much," said Charlie.

I promptly made my way to the front door and lightly pressed the door bell. Bells began ringing throughout the house. I heard Charlie's footsteps followed by Bella's coming towards the door. He opened the door swiftly sending their scent flying out into the rain. Every particle of air around me began soaking up Bella's scent instantly. Charlie's scent could have been non-existent compared to hers. I could almost catch her taste on the saturated air.

"Come on in, Edward," Charlie greeted me.

Bella exhaled a large gust of air sending another tantalizing scent ripping down my throat and sending my stomach into knots at the fragrance.

"Thanks, Chief Swan," I replied respectfully.

"Go ahead and call me Charlie. Here, I'll take your jacket," he reached for it.

I pulled it off quickly and replied, "Thanks, sir," before handing it over.

"Have a seat there, Edward," he ordered while pointing to the seat.

I saw Bella's face in my peripheral vision and she looked like she was going to be sick with anxiety. I sat down in the only chair. Bella and Charlie sat on the sofa. Bella glared at me with her arms folded around her stomach. Her kittenish out-rage was comical at best and so I winked when Charlie's back was turned. Her cheeks turned bright pink - in horror or embarrassment I wasn't sure.

"So I hear you're getting my girl to watch baseball," Charlie mused.

"Yes, sir, that's the plan," I answered courteously.

"Well, more power to you, I guess," he said incredulously and we both broke into hooting laughs.

Blood had boiled to the surface of Bella's face and rage flowed out of her mouth. She stood up, "Okay. Enough humor at my expense. Let's go," she ordered.

I waited for Charlie to stand up and then followed him. We met Bella in the hall while she angrily pulled her jacket over her flannel shirt. I don't care what Alice said, the flannel looks pleasant on her. When she flipped her hair it sent a wave of her bouquet my direction and I inhaled deeply at the pleasurable pain that was echoing in my throat.

"Not too late, Bell," Charlie instructed.

"Don't worry, Charlie, I'll have her home early," I promised.

What he didn't know was that I would be staying the night in his daughter's room...again. Holding her tightly against my body and tracing every line of her face, arms, and shoulders. I imagined her trembling under my touch when Charlie finally distracted me.

"You take care of my girl, all right?" Charlie ordered and I could hear the mental humming of his love for his only daughter spilling from his mind in large waves crashing into me all at once. I wondered briefly if this is what Jasper felt like when he absorbed someone's mood.

Bella groaned again but we both ignored her.

"She'll be safe with me, I promise, sir."

There was no doubt that she would always be safe with me, that I would never let any harm come to her. Charlie's thoughts became muffled like they did at times but I could still tell that he believed me. I grabbed my jacket and watched Bella walk angrily down the hall. Bella, still in her kittenish rage, turned to look at me and then marched out of the house. Charlie and I both laughed and I followed her. When she reached the porch her jaw almost dropped to the ground when she caught sight of the Jeep. Charlie came into view of the Jeep too and whistled.

"Wear your seat belts," he stammered.

Bella finally got her act together after taking in the whole jeep. Her eyes had roamed from the monster tires to the metal guards over the headlights and the crash bar. She stalked forward and I followed her, opening the passenger side door. I saw her look at the ground and then at the seat while her eyes slightly popped. She crouched like she was about to spring up into the seat. I sighed remembering Emmetts taunts and I carefully grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into the Jeep with one hand. It was pouring down rain and her scent was teasing me by swirling around my nose and deep in my lungs as I inhaled.

I walked around to the front of the Jeep while watching Bella struggle with the seat belt. I suppressed a chuckle. I opened the driver's side door and she looked at me confused, "What's all this?" she asked pointing to the buckles.

"It's an off-roading harness."

"Oh-oh," she looked nervous.

I watched her struggle some more, delighting in the blood flushing her face at her frustration. She wasn't going to give up the fight and I finally sighed, reaching over her to help. I brought the seat belt over her neck caressing her lightly and brought my finger tips across her collarbone. Her hands went limp in her lap and her heart was like a humming bird's wings. She began breathing heavily. The scent of her breath hit me like a ton of bricks, sweet and delicious. I pulled away once she was buckled. I did enjoy dazzeling her.

I turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared the life. Bella was looking rather nervous. "This is a...um...big Jeep you have."

"It's Emmett's," I informed her, "I didn't think you'd want to run the whole way."

She was still breathless, "Where do you keep this thing?"

"We remodeled one of the outbuildings into a garage," I explained.

She looked at me with one eyebrow raised, "Aren't you going to put on your seat belt?"

I threw her a disbelieving look. She was being ridiculous. She continued to stare at me and her look suddenly became horror struck, "Run the whole way? As in, we're still going to run part of the way?" her voice rose a few intervals.

I tried to prevent a grin from spreading across my face but it was a hopeless attempt. My lips turned up at the corners no matter how hard I tried to suppress it, "You're not going to run."

"I'm going to be sick," she pulled her lips together tightly like she was preventing herself from getting sick right then.

Again, I tried to prevent a smile from appearing and yet there it was.

"Keep your eyes closed, you'll be fine."

With her normal nervous gesture she began biting at her lower lip. When she did this it always made me a little anxious that she might hurt herself, but she never did. I watched her carefully as the panic was racing through her veins. Her pulse was hammering and her breath was heavy on the air. Her hair was slightly wet from the rain and I couldn't help it - I brought my nose to her head and kissed her hair. A groan came out of my throat without my permission. I pulled away and she gave me a questioning look.

"You smell so good in the rain," I explained.

I took more air into my lungs, a whirl wind of her warm scent swirled into them. I held it there for a second before exhaling and doing it all over again; reveling in her aroma.

"In a good way or a bad way?" she gave me a furtive look.

I sighed, "Both, always both."

Once our journey took us off the paved road and into the forest conversation became impossible for Bella because she was bouncing up and down. I swear I could see her eyes rattling around. I couldn't help but smile at her look. It was hilarious and no matter how hard I tried to hide my smile, it was brilliant and brightly plastered across my face. The end of the path loomed into view and we could no longer drive any farther. I stopped the Jeep turning the key as the engine became silent.

"Sorry, Bella, we have to go on foot from here," I explained.

"You know what? I'll just wait here," she answered sarcastically.

"What happened to all your courage?" I asked with a smile, "You were extraordinary this morning."

Her face started draining of all color, "I haven't forgotten last time yet."

I wrenched the door open and hopped out of the Jeep and in less than a second I was on her side of the Jeep unbuckling her seat belt. She stared at me indignantly.

"I'll get those, you go on ahead," she protested.

I finally unbuckled all of the straps and decided teasing was the best way to go, "Hmmm...," I mused, "It seems I'm going to have to tamper with your memory."

I pulled her into my arms and sat her gently on the ground.

"Tamper with my memory?" she asked anxiously.

"Something like that," I teased.

It was no longer raining and the mist was falling into her hair sending the sweet seductive scent evaporating into every particle of air around us. I took in a generous amount of the air in between us. I decided a distraction was needed so I could get her into the clearing.

She was leaning against the Jeep and I took two hasty steps until I trapped her there by placing both of my hands on either side of her. I brought my body ever closer to hers. She backed away slightly but didn't seem to mind my closeness. Her warm body enveloped me as I brought my face ever closer to hers. I wanted to place my lips to hers. I was nervous to see what her reaction would be this time.