~Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.~

The afternoon light began to fade as the morning's events replayed in my mind and I tried to determine exactly what it was that made such an impression on me. Alice and Rosalie had insisted that Bella accompany them to a salon. Not that my sisters needed haircuts, but they still enjoyed being washed and styled. Bella had agreed to get a haircut while they were there, and that was where it had begun. I sat on the other side of the room, watching, but the sounds and smells of it were still strong. Bella had been positioned in the chair so that her neck and throat were exposed, which was never something that failed to distract me. The stylist had run his hands through her hair and let it spill into the basin before wetting her hair and scalp. The smell of her throat had been nearly enough to pull me out of my seat, and once the smell of her wet hair was added, I couldn't help but fidget. The stylist, who had no idea how lucky he was, filled his hands with shampoo and began to massage her head. A small twinge of jealousy took me by surprise.

Firm fingers began what ended up being a ten minute massage and shampoo. I could see that Bella, who didn't normally submit to pampering, was uncomfortable at first. She sat tensely, waiting for it to finish. When it didn't, and she realized that she was trapped until he was done, she eventually relaxed. I was astonished at how sensual the whole experience was. The sound of the running water, the man's fingers in her hair massaging in the shampoo and conditioners, her even and increasingly relaxed breathing, the long involuntary sighs she made as her tension, tension she wasn't even aware of, dissipated... I sat in awe, matching my breathing to hers, wishing I could be the one with my hands in her hair. I didn't even hear my sister approach until Rosalie snickered in my ear. "Enjoying yourself, Edward?"

Yes, I was. But, of course, not without a bit of, ah, discomfort that was becoming more of an occurrence more often. For quite some time, allowing Bella her undisturbed human moments had been more and more difficult. Keen hearing meant that I could hear each bit of clothing as it was removed: the zip of her jeans, the little snick of her bra clasps, and the sound of each item as it hit the floor. My imagination was vivid. I could hear the water cascading around and over her in the shower, could smell the shampoo and soap as she used them and imagined her hands... or my own...

Alice giggled softly from my doorway as Rosalie said, "Something on your mind, Edward?" If I could have blushed, I would have. My sisters were going to tease me. About sex. Again.

"You have seen my bathroom, haven't you?" laughed Alice. "Feel free to take Bella in there to play sometime. She's going to love it."

When they had finally left me alone, I began to plan.

My family were planning to hunt this weekend, and it was my turn to stay behind. We never left Bella completely alone any more. She would be sure to resist, thinking it was silly, but surely I could "dazzle" her resistance away long enough to get her into the chair and then, once I began, I didn't think she'd want to resist any more.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Edward, this is absolutely ridiculous. I just washed my hair this morning."

"Please. Indulge me."

"Edward..."

I sat her in the chair and pressed her back, sliding my hands into her hair and down her neck as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Fine. Fine. Just... fine," Bella sighed. "I should probably worry that you can talk me into anything you want," she muttered.

"Probably. Hush, now. Just relax."

I took a long look at her throat, stretched out white and smooth beneath my fingers. I couldn't help but lean in and graze her neck with my nose. She sighed in content, which was, I have to admit much more enticing from this view behind her, which afforded a tantalizing peek down her v-neck shirt. I breathed out slowly, watching goose bumps form on her skin before standing back up and turning on the water. As I had discovered long ago, Bella's skin smelled even more amazing when wet. It was almost too much. But I had to pay attention. Massage would be tricky for a vampire: enough pressure to soothe but not enough to crush her bones. The smells and sounds and feelings quickly became the only realities in my world: her wet skin and hair, the shampoo, her erratic heartbeat and pulse, her breath as she exhaled in pleasure. I reveled in each separate component of it, while letting it combine into one complete and heady experience. I never wanted to stop.

Eventually, though, the hot water began to cool. I gently squeezed out her hair and toweled off some of the water before helping her sit up.

"Come with me." I led her to my room and took off my shirt as we entered. Her eyes widened and her heartbeat picked up speed.

"Edward?"

"Shh. Come here." I stretched out on the couch, leaning her back against me and spreading her wet hair across my chest. "Stay here with me awhile."

She wiggled about a bit to get more comfortable, lacing the fingers of one hand through one of mine and placing her other on my chest. I let my free hand play in her hair.

"Did you really enjoy that, Edward? I just seems... odd. I'm not complaining, but, I suppose I don't know why you would want to wash my hair."

I sat silently for awhile trying to decide how to answer, how to make her understand.

"I wanted to be him. When he was washing your hair. I imagined the feel of your skin, your hair, the smell of your throat... all of it. I have never understood why Emmett would consent to washing Rosalie's hair. It seemed ridiculous. Servile. Obviously, the pleasure was all hers and was purely the pleasure of making him do something for her. But now I see that I was completely mistaken. I may never let you wash your own hair again, Bella."

She sighed as she snuggled even closer, wiggling her body in a way that stirred my passion in ways she could never realize. Her cheeks warmed as she blushed. I wish I knew exactly what was making her blush, but knew her well enough to know that she'd try not to answer if I asked.

"You're too perfect, Edward." She was quiet for a bit before beginning to laugh.

"At least I can be sure to answer Charlie with a clear conscience. With you, it's always good, clean fun." Her eyes danced as she looked at me and I was dizzy again at the way she made me feel.

Chuckling at the thought of Charlie's interrogations and full of confidence at how well the day had gone, I slid her up to meet my mouth as my hands slipped under the edge of her shirt and she gasped in surprise. "Getting a little dirty never hurt anyone, did it? After all, I have plenty more shampoo."