~oOo~
I dragged myself into the condo, exhausted. I tossed my keys onto the table by the front door; the sound of them hitting the wood was loud in the near silence of the darkened room. It was two in the morning, and I figured Bella had gone to bed. I certainly hadn't expected her to wait up for me after the day she'd had. I walked though the condo making sure everything was shut off and in its place. I almost jumped out of my skin when I noticed Bella's form sitting stone-still, staring into the near blackness.
"Dammit, Bella! Fatal attraction much?"
"Huh? Oh. Sorry, hon. I was just thinking. I didn't even hear you come in."
Something was up. I could feel it. She seemed distant and I wanted to be sure she was okay. I was more than ready to just fall into bed with her pressed against me, but I knew there was no way I was going be able to sleep worrying about what was bugging her. I sat next to her on the couch and brushed the hair away from her face. She leaned into my touch. I took the opportunity to pull her tight into my chest. Bella settled against me, her soft curves yielding and molding perfectly to my harder edges. A deep sigh escaped her as her arms wound around my waist. Before I could ask her what was bothering her she spoke into the night, "What was the problem at the shop?"
"Nothing. False alarm."
"Really? What kept you down there so long?"
"Well, by the time we got there the police had shown up, and whenever they get called in there's paperwork to be filled out and they insisted on a walkthrough. Nothing was out of the ordinary, though. The safe was intact, and nothing had been disturbed so they just filed it as a false alarm." I didn't think it was worth mentioning that the police weren't convinced that it was a false alarm. No sense in worrying her when there wasn't any proof.
"Well, that's a relief."
"Yeah, but that's strike two. One more strike and they won't respond to any more calls for six months. I'd kinda hoped I'd get there before they did to see if we even needed them."
"But what if it hadn't been an accident and the place really had been broken into? Then what would you have done?" She sat up, the worry in her voice clear.
"Shhh, Bella," I soothed, guiding her head to rest on my chest. "It was probably just an animal that set off the alarm or some punk kids playing a prank. Everything's fine now. I'm sorry it messed up our evening, though. How were things around here?"
"Well," she started, her fingers swirling designs on my chest and stomach, "things were...interesting. Masen is clearly more upset about today then he's letting us all believe."
"What do you mean, sweetie?" The look of concern on her face both warmed my heart and worried me.
"After you left he woke up with a nightmare. He was inconsolable, Edward. I've never felt so helpless in my adult life. It broke my heart to see him so upset, and to think it was his 'mother' who did this to him!" I rubbed her back, trying to calm the tension that had her wound so tightly. "I think I got him to calm down enough to settle in for the night. Darcy's with him. I hate that he has to go through this."
"I know, baby. If I could think of a way to get rid of Jessica then I would, but it's a free country and unfortunately she can live where ever she chooses to. Until Congress passes a law against evil Ice Queens living in Florida we'll just have to get used to her being in town and try to keep our distance from her."
“I guess we can’t get a restraining order against her, she hasn’t really threatened any of us.”
“Exactly, and even though she’s bat shit crazy, I don’t think she’d do anything to hurt anyone. Let’s just hope she gets bored with small town living and moves on. Meanwhile, we continue to live our lives avoid her.”
"That seems so unfair!" She bolted up from my chest and I immediately felt the loss of her warmth. "Why do we have to adjust? Why does that sweet boy have to suffer through the selfish motives of that wicked bitch?" Bella was worked up, her voice just barely under control as she gestured towards Masen's room. "She doesn't want him, she just wants to get to you! How can she be so heartless?"
"Hey, sweetie, shhhh," I tried to calm her. I smooth her clenched hand and laid it over my heart, folding her into my arms. "We both know what Jessica is; we see right through her. She was wrong and it was definitely the worst possible time for her to approach Mini, but he'll get through this. He has plenty of people around him to love and protect him. And judging from your performance today, I'd say you are at the top of that list." She looked confused. A smile broke out across my face at the memory of the video I had seen of the incident and I kissed the top of her head. Carefully I slipped out from under her and went to grab my laptop. I pulled up the link to the clip the girls had sent me. I sat back next to my hellcat of a woman and nestled her close to my side.
Bella sighed against my shirt, sending shockwaves down my spine and straight to the growing situation that was becoming more difficult to ignore.
"Here, look at this...." I pressed play and a song started playing immediately. Two women stood toe to toe in what was clearly the produce section of a grocery store. Their voices were muffled, but you could still hear what they were arguing about. One was a stringy blond, the other a sleek, self-confident brunette. Could you guess who I was rooting for?
"What the...? Is that me? And Jessica? Is that from today?" Bella stammered as she watched the argument on tape.
"Yeah, Rose videoed the whole thing on her iPhone. You look so hot!"
"Shut it, Cullen. And is that 'The Warrior' playing in the background?" She was mortified.
"That's an affirmative! And you shush! This is my favorite part: when you set her straight and then tell her to fuck off."
"I never told her to 'fuck off,' Edward. Not in so many words. I can't believe Rose did this! I'm going to kill her. Oh, my god! Is this on YouTube?"
"Relax, Bella, it's not on YouTube, but it should be. Alice was in on it, too. Don't go off on them just yet. They wanted proof of what you'd done in case Jessica decided to make some shit up, and so I could see what kind of warrior princess I had sleeping next to me at night. And you make one hell of a hot warrior princess! I'm thinking that should be next year's Halloween costume!"
"They said that? They called me a warrior princess? I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with your sisters giving me sexy nicknames."
"No, I did."
"Oh, that's okay then." Her mood flipped like a light switch. She hit the play button, and watched as the scene played out again. This time she laughed a little when it got to the part where she told Jessica to crawl back under her rock.
"Did you mean that?"
"Hell, yeah, I did! I'd strip the bitch bald in a heartbeat."
"No, hon, I meant the part about protecting Mini."
"Of course."
"God, I love you, Xena." I sighed against her hair.
"Xena, huh? Who does that make you? Hercules?"
"Well, I have been told that I'm god-like. Hercules will suffice; he's strong and all the ladies want him."
"You think a lot of yourself, pretty boy. Keep it up and you'll be sleeping alone tonight."
"Admit it. You think I'm gorgeous... you want to kiss me...," I sang to her teasingly.
'Did you just quote Miss Congeniality? I think I'm leaving now," she joked and tried to move away from me. I grabbed her arm and continued my serenade.
"You want to hug me... You want to love me... You want to touch me... You want to smooch me... You want to...," she cut me off when her mouth covered mine, consuming me with each brush of her lips. My heart and groin rejoiced when she climbed onto my lap, straddling me. I'd never been so happy to be pinned down in all my life. I'd have gladly stayed right where I was as long as it meant she didn't stop that circling thing her hips were doing over the quickly growing bulge in my shorts. The pleasure bordered on painful as she writhed and ground against me. The feel of her hands pulling at my hair had me pushing my hips up to meet hers. She was making these sounds that heightened my awareness of what she was doing to us both and came damn close to driving me insane. The air around us was thick with our need as we moaned our mutual desire.
"Take me to bed, Hercules," she ordered. Not being one to throw away an opportunity to get laid, I complied, lifting her easily and carrying her to my room.
"Your wish is my command, Xena." She buried her face in my neck and covered it in adoring kisses. I tiptoed quietly past Mini's door and into mine where she kicked the door shut behind us.
~oOo~
My son and I sat on our boards facing the horizon. This was our favorite place to just be: out past the breakers. We bobbed up and down on the gentle roll of the waves and watched a pod of dolphins swimming not far from us. The water was cold, but the air was unseasonably warm for January. It made the chill a little more bearable. That and knowing Bella was waiting on the shore with a thermos of hot chocolate. I could hear her playing with Mr. D behind us. I didn't have to turn around to know that her face would be flushed and her hair falling out of the ponytail I had watched her fix this morning. I could picture her perfectly. I felt the grin creep across my face at the image of my girl throwing a Frisbee to her mutt and watching us surf.
"So, Mini..." I started, my voice breaking the peaceful quiet we were cocooned in, "tell me about something new in your life."
"Like what, Dad?" He looked genuinely baffled by my request.
"I dunno. Anything. How's school?"
"Dad, you know how school is. I mean, you are dating my teacher."
"True, smarty pants, but that doesn't mean I know everything that goes on there. Are you learning anything interesting?"
"Yeah, sure. The Associative Property of Multiplication is fascinating stuff," he deadpanned and rolled his eyes. I noticed that he was in need of a haircut.
"Okay, so math is less than exciting. What else is going on at that school of yours? How are your friends?"
"They're good." A font of information this one was not.
"Make any new ones?"
"There's this new kid in class, does that count?"
"Well, are you friends?"
"Sure, I guess so...." It was like pulling teeth.
"Then, yeah, it does count." He made no effort to further explain his new friendship. I let the quiet settle in around us once again. We caught a few waves and resumed our posts. I looked back over my shoulder at Bella and reached up to catch the imaginary kiss she had blown at me.
"You've got it bad, Dad. Like really bad. I hope I never get like that. Uncle Emmett would say that you were puss-"
"Okay! I get your point," I cut him off, "and what have you been taught about repeating things you hear Em say?"
"Don't."
"Exactly. One day you'll be just as messed up over a girl as I am over Bella. This I promise you."
"No, I can promise you I will never catch kisses. Ever." His tone was adamant, and I chuckled at the memory of him and his friends having a conversation about cooties just last summer.
"You say that now, son, but one day..." I let the prediction of his future love life fade out over the water. After a few moments of heavy silence my son spoke up.
"Dad? What's it like to kiss a girl?"
"Uh, well, nice. Really nice. Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering. I see you kiss Bella all the time; it looks like it would be gross, but it has to be at least a little fun or you wouldn't do it so much. Right?"
"Yeah," I tried to suppress a laugh and ended up snorting. "It's fun, but it's more than just about having fun, son."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I kiss Bella because I love her, and I want to show her that. As nice as it is for me to kiss Bella, it's even nicer for her."
"Wow, think much of yourself, Dad?"
A laugh burst from my chest, "No, that's not what I mean, Mini! I meant that, for her, it's even better to know that I want to kiss her. It makes her feel special, and knowing that she wants to me to kiss her makes me feel like I've won the lottery."
"Okay, so let me get this straight, kissing Bella is like winning a million bucks?"
"Think more along the lines of Power Ball, son. Billions." I winked at him.
"Wow. That's lot of smackeroos."
"Yeah, literally."
"So how do you do it?" His voice was so quiet I almost didn't hear him over the waves crashing behind us. When I realized what he'd asked, I choked on the saliva that had flooded my mouth from thinking about kissing Bella. I was a real lady killer, alright.
"Do what, Masen?" I managed to rasp out. Please let him ask me how to change the oil on a chopper, or build a space shuttle. Don't let him ask what I think he's going ask me about.
"You know... kiss." I didn't know if I should panic or be relieved that I'd dodged the "sex talk" and could put it off a little longer.
"Uh, well, you just... you know... pucker up and press your lips to hers. It just comes naturally after that."
"Seriously? That's all there is to it?"
"Yeah, seriously. Nature will take its course. But I have to warn you, son, you had best be sure she wants you to kiss her or you may end up getting slapped or shoved. Or kneed in the nads. Just saying."
"How do you know for sure? You know, that she wants you to kiss her?" I was so not ready for this conversation. What if I fucked this up and turned my son into some perverted real life Georgie Porgie who would run around kissing all the girls and making them cry? The pressure was overwhelming.
Geez, Cullen! If you can't handle a simple talk about kissing how are you gonna deal with talking about bumping uglies?
I had a vision of Mini and me sitting in my kitchen; me showing him how to put a condom on a banana while he sat eating one as I demonstrated the proper technique. A banana. He was eating a banana in my vision, not a condom. That would be... never mind.
I fought to reign in my overactive imagination. After a few (dozen) deep breaths, I answered his question as best as I could.
"You don't, son. You watch for signals and hope like hell that when you kiss her she's not gonna pull back and clock ya in the kiester. That's the best I've got for ya. Sorry, I guess I suck at this fatherly advice thing." That upset me. Really upset me, because I had always thought that I'd handle all this a lot better than I was.
"No, Dad, that's great advice." Had I mentioned that I didn't deserve this kid? I so didn't.
"Thanks, Mini. You're a great kid." He chuckled at my praise.
"Sure I am, I have you for a dad, don't I?"
We surfed a while longer, and I managed to squeeze a little more information from him before we headed back onto the beach. I finally got him to tell me about Eleanor, his new "friend" at school. Bella had told me about her, but I wanted to hear it from him. Hence the Spanish Inquisition. Turns out he was asking me all the questions so he could be prepared when the time came to kiss "Ella." It didn't escape my notice that he called her "Ella" and not "Ellie". It sounded so much like Bella. I made a mental note to ask that woman what the little heartbreaker looked like. I had a feeling the object of my son's desires had deep, chocolate brown eyes much the like the ones that brought me to my knees. There's just something about a brown-eyed girl.
~oOo~
Bella and I decided to go to Savannah at the end of January. With a little shifting around we managed to scrounge up a four day weekend to drive up and enjoy just being together. Masen went to stay with my parents and managed to talk them into looking after Darcy as well. It didn't take much convincing.
We left on Thursday night and drove the two and a half hours to our bed and breakfast. The Marshall House was a beautifully restored 19th century hotel in the heart of the city. Alice had found it online and insisted it was the perfect place for Bella and me to stay. So I booked a room for four nights in the B&B without question. We both knew it would be amazing, but we weren't prepared for what we walked into. It was classic Savannah architecture outside with the cast-iron railings on the second story veranda. Our room opened up to the shady balcony and overlooked one of the beautiful squares the city was renowned for.
Our room was tastefully decorated, not overly floral, thankfully. The bonus was a large claw foot tub that would easily fit both of us. I made a note to put that to use at our earliest convenience. We called home as soon as we were settled and then made our way down to the bay front to check out the shops along the boardwalk. We stopped for a bite to eat at Bernie's Oyster Bar, where the motto was "Shuck me, suck me, eat me raw." Bella found that to be particularly funny and insisted on buying an Emmett sized t-shirt to take back to my brother. I begged her not to encourage him, but she wouldn't hear of it. We spent the evening wandering in and out of storefronts, buying things here and there. She decided that we'd take everyone a t-shirt after stumbling into a store that carried nothing but Savannah themed shirts. Bella's favorite was the one she picked out for Rose. It had a hideous depiction of the skull and crossbones and the words, "Don't hate me because I'm BOOTY-FUL" on it. That just affirmed her choice for souvenirs, and we stayed in that shop until she had a shirt for everyone. I loved watching her giggle and snicker at some of the more ridiculous sayings. We headed back to the Marshall House with bags of shirts and some beautiful handcrafted jewelry Bella had admired. I insisted she let me get it for her. It was just silver, but it looked perfect against her skin.
That night we went to bed early. Sleep came quickly with my girl curled against my chest. I slept deeper and harder than I could remember sleeping in a long while, but I woke up remembering images of my love wrapped in yards of fabric straight from "Gone With the Wind." She swore I was murmuring, "Fiddle-dee-dee" in my sleep. I think she was yanking my chain. After tickling her mercilessly for laughing at my dream Bella, we took our time showering before heading down to breakfast. Of course we shared the shower, being the environmentally conscious couple we were. Yeah, right. We just wanted to take the shelf in the shower stall for a test run. I have to say that it was very useful. We made arrangements with the concierge to take a trolley tour of the city, so that we could see the sights, get a little history on the area, and we had transportation all day long to anywhere in the city.
We rode through the tour once, and then hopped off to see some of the more well known sights. Bella wanted to see the "Bird Girl" from the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." It had been relocated to a small museum of modern art not far from our bed and breakfast. We walked around admiring the collection after finding the statue. We had discovered a series of photographs that were done by a local photographer that had chosen trees as his main subject. There were over five hundred images of trees from all over Savannah; some were in black and white, others had been brilliantly colored and manipulated, while some were simply left natural. My favorite were silhouettes of massive oak trees dripping with Spanish moss and the sunset glowing from behind. It wasn't much of a decision to stop in the gallery on the way out and purchase a few. It was while we were thumbing through the unframed prints that Bella chose to share some very interesting information. I had no idea that what she was about to share had the potential to change our lives forever.
"So, Edward.... I received an interesting phone call last week."
"Really? Who was it?"
"A Mr. Brandon Stewart." She looked at me like I should know who that was. The confused look on my face must have spoken for me, because she quickly added, "From the New York Philharmonic Orchestra...."
I still was not following her. Why was this guy for New York calling her?
"New York? As in... city?"
"Yeah, goomba!" she bumped me with her shoulder teasingly, "New York City. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps!"
"Okay, okay, I get it. Some guy called you from New York," I teased her back as I flipped through the print. "What did this hotshot want?"
"Um, well, he was kind of a hotshot; he's the talent manager for the Philharmonic, for Pete's sake."
"Right. Gotcha. So, what did Mr. Stewart want?" The conversation was so bizarre and out of left field that I was just trying to figure out where she was going with this declaration.
"It would seem that he wants me." I stopped browsing and looked at her. For a moment I wondered if I'd hear her correctly.
"For what?"
"I was caught off guard when he called last week and introduced himself. He said that the Philharmonic had an opening for a pianist, and that someone had recommended that he listen to some of the work I had done."
"But how was he able to do that?"
"Years ago I had made some demos on a whim, thinking I might like to audition for some of the minor orchestras around the country. I was still in college, and while I knew I wanted to teach, a part of me wondered if maybe I wouldn't want to do the professional musician route instead. So I cut a few CDs and sent them out around the country. Brandon somehow got hold of one of those old sessions and liked what he heard enough to call and offer me an audition."
"An audition? With the New York Philharmonic?"
"Yep."
"Wow."
"I know, right? I still can't believe it."
We were quiet for a few minutes while we both processed the information she'd just shared with me. I decided on five prints and took them to the register to purchase them. I asked about having them framed and the gallery director said he knew of an excellent shop. He offered to have them sent over for us and said the owner would be happy to ship them to us when they were finished. I okayed the framing and thanked the man for his help. Bella and I walked out into the bright sun-lit lobby of the museum and I navigated us over to sit on a bench. The air hung thick around us with unspoken words. I pulled our entwined hands into my lap and fidgeted with the tips of her fingernails. When I couldn't stand it any longer I spoke.
"So what did you say to him? Are you going to audition?" She was quiet for longer than I thought the question warranted. I could have never guessed what she would say when she finally spoke.
"I already have."
I was stunned. She already had? How? When? Where the fuck had I been and why hadn't I been privy to this information before now? My thoughts must have read clearly on my face, because she began to answer all those questions and more.
"It's not how it seems, Edward. After Brandon told me about the opening and possibility of an audition I didn't think anything of it. If anything it was flattering, but how could this man be serious? He was basing his decision on a recording that was more than three years old. For all he knew that was the last time I'd played. I actually told him as much and laughed at him when he started insisting that he knew that he wanted to hear me play live. That's when he asked if I had access to a piano. When I told him I was standing next to a baby grande he asked me to sit and play. Anything at all. So I did."
I had no words. I just looked at her, searching her face for some other answers that I could actually understand.
"When I came back on the line he said, 'Just as I thought. Still as talented as the day that demo was cut. Maybe even more so. I can hear the maturity you've developed even in the last few years. Bravo.' I thanked him for his overly kind words, and that's when he...."
I suddenly found my voice as she lost hers.
"He what, Bella? What did he do?"
"He.... offered me the Principal Piano position."
"Right then? On the spot?"
"I thought he was joking at first. Then he started talking about making arrangements to fly up to New York to meet the music director and conductor.... I almost passed out from holding my breath."
"I know the feeling. Trust me."
"Sweetie, please... don't be upset. I wasn't keeping this from you. I just wanted to have all my facts straight before I came to you about this."
"So when were you going to tell me, Bella? When you asked me for a ride to the airport?" I hated that my first response was to be angry and hurt, but dammit! She'd made a major decision that affected not just our relationship, but my son as well. Masen! How was I going to tell him Bella was leaving? I panicked as I tried to come up with something to tell Mini. He'd be crushed. I stared into the stark white expanse of marble that surrounded us. I could feel the sweat on my palms and let go of her hand to wipe mine off on my shorts.
"Hey, baby. Look at me. Edward," her hands cupped my face and gently forced me to look at her. "Sweetie, I didn't tell him yes. I told him I needed to think about it. I'm not going anywhere. I needed to talk to you about this first, before I went any further. You know that right? That I wouldn't make this kind of decision without talking about it with you?"
For the first time since she'd started talking my eyesight focused and I saw her – Bella - the woman I loved, and the reality of her not always being in our lives was overwhelming. I grabbed her and pulled her to my chest, wanting to keep her there forever.
"It's okay, Edward. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me to go. I promise."
"Oh, Bella! Never. I will never tell you to go. I am far too selfish to do that. I need you far too much to live without you."
"Then I'm here. And I'm not going. I'll call Brandon and tell him 'Thank you but no thank you.'"
"Baby...." I kissed her there on that bench like I had never kissed her before. I poured everything into that kiss: every "I love you" I had ever let pass without saying, every drop of fear I had over her leaving us, every ounce of desire and longing I had for the woman in my arms. I kissed her like it was the last kiss I'd ever be allowed to give her, and she returned it completely. We were lost to the world around us and everything going on in it.
Somewhere from the general direction of the information desk came the sharp sound of a throat clearing. Twice. I glanced up to see a lovely young lady grinning widely at us, but shaking her head in mock disapproval.
"Let's get out of here, baby. I have a feeling our hostess won't approve of what I really want to do to you; we probably need a bit more privacy for that." I was growing more and more uncomfortable in the confines of my shorts. I wanted her in our room and naked immediately. She simply nodded her consent and let me lead her out to the street to catch our trolley back to the B&B. We never broke our physical connection the entire way. I simply couldn't stand to be separated by even inches after having thought I had lost her. We sat side by side on the bench seat, one arm draped behind her shoulders, tracing designs along her arm. She shuddered and I bent to gently kiss her, reassuring her I was in that moment with her and not lost in my head.
We held hands as we walked through the lobby and up the flight of carpeted stairs to our suite. I tucked her into my side as I opened the door and directed us both inside. Bella walked ahead of me, but I tugged her back, not letting go of her for an instant. Silently I led her through the French doors that opened to the bedroom. Knowing I would have to relinquish my hold on her to undress her I made a request of her, "Look at me, Bella. Don't take your eyes off me. I need to see you." She nodded in agreement and gazed at me with those deep, brown eyes. I relished the way her soft skin gave under the gentle pressure of my hands as I ran them down her sides. Gathering the hem of her shirt, I slipped the cotton tee over her head. My hands retraced their initial path to her waist, the warmth of her skin cooling in the air-conditioned suite. Our eyes were locked in their own embrace even though our bodies were not. Pausing at her waistband I smoothed my fingertips along the pliable flesh of her stomach. The muscles underneath coiled and retracted from my tickling touch. She giggled when I touched her the same way again; and a low rumble deep in my chest answered her as I kissed the sensitive area.
Thoughts of all the things I wanted to do to her played in my head as I flicked open the button on her jean shorts. Everything from images of loving her slowly, deliberately to scenes of loving her with wild abandon filtered through my mind. My erection strained at an uncomfortable angle, reminding me how badly I wanted us both naked. She is so beautiful. She deserves so much, and I just pray she'll let me be the one to give it to her for a hundred forevers. I was the first to break our visual connection, but the physical tie kept us tethered to one another. My lips followed her shorts as they descended down to puddle at her ankles. Tenderly I lifted each foot, freeing her from the denim, caressing her legs as I made my way back up her long legs, nibbling and tasting as I went. I basked in the sensation of the feel of her mixed with her taste. Her hands combed through my hair, grasping and guiding me. Slowly I worshiped my way up her body. She stood there in tiny scraps of pink lace, allowing me to take my time in my pilgrimage.
I stood before her, kissing every inch of her bare skin. I traced the tip of my nose along the swell of her breast and breathed in the scent of the skin there. She smelled sweeter here than anywhere else. Another deep breath sent goose bumps erupting along her chest and caused the small buds under the lace to tighten and pucker. I greeted them with a languid swipe of my tongue, first one then the other. Bella moaned at the sensation, and I realized she hadn't said anything since before we left the museum. I whispered that I loved her and she mumbled the same in reply. It didn't take long for the thin material to soak through. Freeing her from the wet lace was my next goal, and I rejoiced when I was finally able to see her. I paid each breast homage, nibbling and kissing the soft skin gently until I was satisfied.
The air was quiet around us, charged into silence by the electricity that rolled off us in waves. The only sounds were our mutual gasps of pleasure and quick pace of our breathing. Bella began tugging my shirt up and I moved to let her pull it off. My mouth claimed hers and I felt my shorts hit the floor. I looked down at my nakedness, "My, my. Aren't we anxious, Dr. Swan?" The mood in the room shifted and suddenly there was a playful look in her eyes.
"I don't know about you, Cullen, but I'm more than ready over here. You, on the other hand, seem to be taking your sweet time." With a hand to my chest, she gently pushed me until I stepped backwards. I felt the backs of my knees hit the edge of the bed. "Fortunately for you I'm not the patient type." Before I could process what she'd just said, I found myself flat on my back. True to her words, Bella jumped on the bed, crashing onto my chest. Her mouth found mine, and I swear that kiss made my toes curl. Eventually I needed to breathe. I broke the kiss, reluctantly, leaving us both panting.
She began to kiss her way down my body, leaving a trail of sparks wherever her lips made contact with my skin. I gasped when I felt her hand wrap around my length and she began stroking.
"Oh, damn, Bella. That...that feels amazing, baby." Gently she grazed the tip collecting the moisture that had begun to seep out and slid back down. My hips lurched from the mattress, trying to meet her every move. As much as I was enjoying what she was doing to me, I knew that if she kept working me I wouldn't last long in her very capable hand. So I decided change the game plan. With a grunt I flipped us over. She was now beneath me, but still had a firm hold on my cock.
"Hey," she protested, "I wasn't finished. I wanted to taste you." The little minx pumped me a few times to make her point.
"I have plans for you, woman. That can come later." She released me, but continued to torture me by trailing her finger tips along my cock. I hissed at the sensation. "You make it hurt so good, baby. Don't stop."
"I have no intentions of stopping until I get a big finish out of you. I was hoping for dinner and a show. Since you gypped me out of my 'dinner' I'm demanding a show. Preferably, fireworks."
My hands roamed over the curves and valleys of her body, exploring the dips and swells. A soft moan escaped her lips, betraying her own need. She was so damn hot. From the moment I'd seen her in that classroom I'd known that there was more to this woman than a fucking hot package. I'll admit it was difficult to see through the lust induced haze she had me in, but something in me knew that there was so much more to Isabella Swan. Thank God we had come this far and I could finally see exactly what that something was.
Suddenly I didn't want to "play" anymore. I wanted to love her. Just her, not some vixen she was portraying.
"Bella...," her name whispered over my lips.
"Yes, love?"
"I need you. Only you. Let me love you, please," I begged.
"Oh, baby. I'm yours."
"Yes, you are, and I am yours. We belong together. Just like this," I slipped my hand under the elastic of her perfect pink panties. Alliteration is a beautiful thing. I shall forever remember these as the three P's. She cried out when my fingers reached soft flesh of her sex. She palmed her breast trying to alleviate the ache that was building. I loved watching her take control.
"Edward, don't tease me. Please baby, I need...."
"Tell me, love. Tell me and it's yours."
"You. I need you. Please...."
I mercifully pulled the perfect pink panties down her hips and sent them to join the rest of our clothes on the floor. Like a gift she lay there. A fucking perfect gift. Her ink caught my eye. I stared at it as it drew lazy designs on her pelvis.
"When are you going to tell me the story behind your tat, Bella?"
"As soon as you get me off! Now stop stalling and start get busy!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
I gently slid first one, then a second finger deep inside. The gasp that broke free nearly drove me over the edge. I purposefully moved inside her, searching for the spot that would make her come undone and scream my name. Repeatedly. She was so soft and wet. My own need was becoming painful. Curling and driving deep inside, I found what I was looking for. When I felt her begin to tighten and constrict around me I knew she was close.
"Uh, Edward.... right there! Don't stop, I'm so close...."
Once, twice, three times she cried out my name. Each time louder than the last. She was about to cry out a fourth time, and I covered her mouth with mine, wanting to taste her, consume her.
Unable to wait any longer I covered her body with my own as she lay there still trembling from her ecstasy.
"Oh, god, Edward, that was intense," she managed to squeak out.
"I'm just getting started, Bella."
The room echoed with our moans as we reveled in the mutual pleasure of coming together. I pushed deeper until our hips were flush. Slowly I pulled back and was rewarded with a quiet, almost inaudible moan. When I push into her the previous moan was overtaken by a much louder, more forceful cry. Back and forth, I slowly rocked over her, each movement pleasurable nearly to the point of being painful.
"More, Edward. Harder. Just.... MORE!" Her demands were easily met. I shifted our position before I quickened my pace. I draped one of her legs over my shoulder, allowing me to reach that spot deeply hidden. A sharp cry of agonizing bliss rang out each time I felt my tip hit against the very spot I was hoping for. She was close, and I was right with her. A few more thrusts and we followed each other into orgasmic bliss. I watched as her face contorted and then relaxed. It moved in sync with the contractions I felt gripping me. It was the most beautiful symphony of sound and imagery. I would take that image of Bella in bliss to my last day. It would be one of my most cherished memories. Knowing I had been the one who brought her to that moment, and that she wanted me and only me to be that man, was the most precious gift she could ever give me.
I moved to lie along side her, dragging the sheets over our rapidly cooling bodies. Her breathing was returning to normal. I was enveloped by her scent and what we had just done to one another. By chance or by habit, my hand rested on her hip over her tat. It traced the image there of the bird and the flower without my eyes needing to see the ink to guide it.
"I love you, Bella," I kissed her temple and smoothed the glorious mess her hair had become. I did that. I made her a glorious fucking mess, and she's never looked more beautiful.
"Ummmmm. I could tell," she quipped and ran her hand along my chest and shoulders. My little smart ass.
"Really? How could you tell?"
"That was a pretty fucking amazing show you put on there, Mr. Cullen. I'd suggest you take that show on the road, but you and I both know that's not gonna happen."
"Bella, baby?"
"Yes, my master of ceremonies?"
"Seriously? Well, at least I'm the master."
"Oh, believe me, you are the master. Of my lady bits."
"Nice. And what about your heart? Am I the master of that, too?"
Suddenly she was serious.
"Edward. You know you are. Every part of me is yours."
"So, your hands?" I pressed a kiss to her hand.
"Yours."
"Your lips?"
"Yours." Again, I kissed her.
"Your present?"
"I'm here, aren't I?" I nodded and caressed her temple with my nose.
"Your future?"
"For as long as you want me."
"That would be forever, love." I kissed her tenderly, hoping to convey the truth in what I said. "What about your past, Bella? Is that mine as well?"
She didn't answer me as eagerly as she had before. We both knew where I was going with this. I wanted to know the meaning behind her tattoo.
"Edward...."
"Don't 'Edward' me, Bella. Either I am the master of this too, or nothing at all. You have all of me. Every. Single. Moment. I want that from you, too. Don't shut part of you away. There's too much between us. Please." Quiet. Nothing came from her. I had begun to wonder if she'd fallen asleep. Just as I was about to begin to get frustrated she began.
"Mom and Dad were my world. They loved me with abandon. Dad used to call it the 'Swan Family Love Bubble.' He was a bit corny back then. Still can be at times. When Reese came along the love bubble expanded. You know how much she meant to me; we were each other's best friend, security blanket; she was my sunshine."
She took a calming breath and I pulled her closer to me. I silently caressed the hair that laid across her pillow.
"I can remember when it was just me, before Reese; Mom would tuck me in each night, tell me a bed time story and sing me to sleep. When Reese was born I helped her do the same for the baby. It was love at first sight when they brought her home. I couldn't get enough of my 'real' doll. As she got older I loved that she would come to me first when she wanted or needed something. And I loved that it was me that read her stories and tucked her in at night.
"She had a favorite bedtime story. I remember Mom telling it to me, but it was never my favorite...."
"What was your favorite, Bella?" I asked trying to bring her back to me. She'd begun to focus somewhere behind me, and I wanted this to be something she told me, shared with me specifically. It worked, because she looked me in the eye and smiled sadly.
"Rapunzel. As a little girl I was seduced by the miles of golden tresses, but as I grew up and life happened, she became who I related most to. She being locked away in a stone tower and me be being locked inside myself, it resonated with me. I so desperately wanted someone to stand under my window and call for me to 'let down my hair.' It's silly, I know. But you asked." She smiled a little more warmly.
"No, not silly. You should have had that, baby. That should have been your parents."
"But they couldn't, Edward. They were devastated when Reese died. I pray I never experience the loss of a child, but I have a feeling I have a pretty good idea what it feels like. Renee and Charlie tried so hard... I don't fault them for not seeing past their own grief. Hell, I'm just starting to see past my own."
"You're right, Bella. I shouldn't judge how they handled that. Please continue."
"Well, Reese loved the story about the Daisy. To this day I still don't get why she loved it so much. It was dark, and so sad...." her voice trailed off.
"Tell it to me?"
"Huh?" she looked genuinely confused.
"Tell me the story about the daisy, please."
"Um, okay. It's long."
"I don't care. I want to hear it."
"Alright. It's actually called 'The Daisy'."
"How original," I deadpanned.
"Stuff it, Cullen. Do ya wanna hear this or not?" she threatened, but her words held no bite.
"Stuffing! I'll be a good boy and listen to my bedtime story quietly. Cross my heart..." I traced an "X" over her symbol that was embedded my skin just above my heart. Her hand fingered the ink that represented her presence in my life. With a deep breath she told me Reese's "Daisy" story.
In the country, close by the road, stood a farmhouse. There was a little flower garden with a painted wooden fence in front. Close by was a ditch, and on its fresh green bank grew a little daisy. The sun shone as warmly and brightly upon it as on the magnificent garden flowers, so it grew strong and proud. One morning it opened, and its little snow-white petals stood round the yellow center, like the rays of the sun. It didn't mind that nobody saw it in the grass, and that it was a poor despised flower; on the contrary, it was quite happy, and turned towards the sun, looking upward and listening to the song of the lark high up in the air.
The little daisy was as happy as if the day had been a great holiday, but it was only Monday. All the children were at school, and while they were sitting at their desks and learning their lessons, it sat on its thin green stalk and learnt from the sun and from its surroundings how kind God is, and it rejoiced that the song of the little lark expressed so sweetly its own feelings. With a sort of reverence the daisy looked up to the bird that could fly and sing, but it did not feel envious. "I can see and hear," it thought; "the sun shines on me, and the forest kisses me. How rich I am!"
In the garden close by grew many large and magnificent flowers, and, strange to say, the less fragrance they had the prouder they were. The peonies puffed themselves up in order to be larger than the roses, but size is not everything! The tulips had the finest colors, and they knew it well, too, for they were standing straight and tall like candles, so one might see them better. In their pride they didn’t see the little daisy, which looked over to them and thought, "How rich and beautiful they are! I am sure the pretty bird will fly down and sing to them. Thank God, that I stand so near and can at least see all the beauty." And while the daisy was still thinking, the lark came flying down, crying "Tweet," but not to the peonies and tulips- no, into the grass to the poor daisy. Its joy was so great that it didn’t know what to think. The little bird hopped round it and sang, "How beautiful soft the grass is, and what a lovely little flower with its golden heart and silver dress is growing here." The yellow center of the daisy did look like gold, while the little petals shone as brightly as silver.
How happy the daisy was! The bird kissed it with its beak, sang to it, and then rose again up to the blue sky. Half embarrassed, yet happy as it could be, it looked over to the other flowers in the garden; surely they had witnessed its pleasure and the honor that had been done to it; they understood its joy. But the tulips stood more stiffly than ever, their faces were pointed and red, because they were jealous. The peonies were sulky; it was a good thing they couldn't speak, otherwise they would've given the daisy a good lecture. The little flower could very well see that they were unhappy, and pitied them sincerely.
Shortly after this a girl came into the garden, with a large sharp knife. She went to the tulips and began cutting them off, one after another. "Ugh!" sighed the daisy, "that's terrible; now they are done for."
The girl carried the tulips away. The daisy was glad that it was outside, and only a small flower; it felt very grateful. At sunset it folded its petals, and fell asleep, and dreamt all night of the sun and the little bird.
The next morning, when the flower once more stretched open its tender petals, like little arms, towards the air and light, the daisy recognized the bird's voice, but what it sang sounded so sad. The poor bird had good reason to be sad, for it had been caught and put into a cage close by the open window. It sang of the happy days when it could freely fly around, of fresh green corn in the fields, and of the time when it could soar almost up to the clouds. The poor lark was unhappy as a prisoner in a cage. The little daisy would have liked so much to help it, but what could be done? The flower became very sad. It entirely forgot how beautiful everything around it was, how warmly the sun was shining, and how splendidly white its own petals were. It could only think of the poor captive bird, for which it could do nothing. Then two little boys came out of the garden; one of them had a large sharp knife, like that with which the girl had cut the tulips. They came straight towards the little daisy, which could not understand what they wanted.
"Here is a fine piece of turf for the lark," said one of the boys, and began to cut out a square round the daisy, so that it remained in the middle of the grass.
"Pluck the flower off," said the other boy, and the daisy trembled in fear, for to be pulled off meant death to it; and it wanted so much to live and go with the square of turf into the poor captive lark's cage.
"No, let it stay," said the other boy, "it looks so pretty."
And so it stayed, and was brought into the lark's cage. The poor bird was lamenting its lost liberty, and beating its wings against the wires, and the little daisy could not speak or utter a comforting word, much as it would have liked to do so. So the morning passed.
"I have no water," said the captive lark, "they have all gone out, and forgotten to give me anything to drink. My throat is dry and burning. I feel as if I have fire burning in me, and I can barely breathe. I can feel myself dying, and will soon part with the warm sunshine, the fresh green meadows, and all the beauty that God has created." It thrust its beak into the grass to cool itself what little it could. Then it noticed the little daisy, and nodded to it, and kissed it with its beak and said, "You must also fade in here, poor little flower. You and the piece of grass are all they have given me in exchange. You remind me of all I've lost."
"I wish I could console the poor lark," thought the daisy. It couldn't move one of its leaves, but the fragrance of its delicate petals scented the air. The poor bird noticed it, though it was dying with thirst, and in its pain cried out for mercy.
The evening came, and nobody came to bring the poor bird even a drop of water. It opened its beautiful wings, and fluttered about in its anguish; a faint and mournful "Tweet, tweet," was all it could utter. Then it bent its little head towards the flower, and the Daisy's heart broke for want and longing. The flower couldn't fold up its petals and sleep while its friend suffered, so it just drooped sorrowfully. The boys came the next morning. When they saw the dead bird, they began to cry and went out to dig a nice grave for it. The bird's body was placed in a pretty red box; they wished to bury it with royal honors. While it was alive and sang they forgot it, and let it suffer in the cage; now, they cried over it and wished it were alive again. The piece of turf, with the little daisy in it, was carefully planted over the bare dirt. There the two remained together throughout the season; the poor, humble daisy marking the final resting place of its beloved songbird.
I pulled her tight to me when she'd finished and kissed her head as if she were still that small child who needed this comfort all those years ago. She felt so small in my arms. Minutes stretched by before either of us spoke again.
"Reese is the lark," I whispered to her and my hand covered the image of the bird on her hip.
"Yes."
"And you are the daisy."
"You're very astute, Dr. Cullen," she quipped.
"They don't call me 'doctor' for nothin', doctor." The mood lightened a little. This was our way; serious tempered with the inane.
"Doctor Feelgood, maybe."
"Oh, yeah, 'cause I make you feel soooo good!"
"Okay, keep it up and I'll be forced to rename you something less flattering."
"Pft! Like what?"
"Not sure, keep it up and you'll find out," she put on her best "bitch face," but it was just an act.
"You love me."
"More than you'll ever know."
~oOo~
The rest of the weekend strolled by at a leisurely, southern pace. During the day we passed the time sitting in beautiful oak-shaded squares, walking hand in hand down cobbled streets, stealing kisses as we inappropriately displayed our mutual affection in public, and enjoying being tourists for once. We ate and drank at some of the most amazing places. Every night was dedicated to working off the tension we'd built up teasing each other throughout the day. When it was time to head home we were both ready to get back to our crazy family.
Once the car was packed with the hundred or so pashminas -- whatever those are -- Bella had gone apeshit over, we merged on to I-95 for the short trip home. Bella leaned across the console of the car and wrapped her arms around my bicep. She shifted to be able to cuddle against my shoulder. She was asleep in less than ten minutes. I stole glances at her while I drove, and I couldn't help think of how far we'd come in such a short while. Five short months. She had come into all of our lives and changed us. It was pretty clear that we were changing her, too. It was funny how love can do that.
~oOo~
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