Hey, everyone! This is the story I submitted for the Fandoms for Hope and Relief and now that it's after February 28th, I can finally share it with all of you. I want to give a huge, HUGE, thanks to everyone who donated to this amazing cause. We raised a lot of money and definitely made a difference.
I hope you enjoy this outtake from The Blessing!
~A Beautiful Honeymoon~
BPOV:
"Can you believe it? I have you all to myself for ten days," Edward says with a handsome, yet suggestive smile.
I can't. I have ten days with him all to myself. His father sent us to the beach, and I can't wait to see my husband's sculpted, inked-up body drenched in salt water. I lick my lips just thinking about it. While I love our life back in Washington, I'm thrilled to steal him away for a while.
"What are you going to do with me?" I ask with a coy smile as I trail my finger down the buttons of his shirt. Since we've gotten married, I can't keep my hands to myself. "Did you have anything planed?"
"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," he says, before bursting out into laughter. "Honestly, I thought we could just go with the flow. I can't remember the last time I've been to the beach. Probably way back when my brother and I was in middle school. After that, he started going on vacations with his friends and I just chilled at home."
"Well, we'll have to make up for lost time. I haven't been on the beach since before my mom died, so anything we end up doing will be just fine."
As we leave the airport and pick up our rental car, I think about the first thing I want to do when I get Edward alone. Since leaving Washington, it's all I've been thinking about. If I weren't so shy, I would've pulled Edward into the airplane bathroom and we would've joined the Mile-High Club by me having my way with him in there. I ended up just fantasizing about it under the guise of listening to an audiobook while Edward took a nap beside me. Now that we're finally getting ready to go to our resort, my mind is running wild with ideas of what I'll do when I get Edward alone for the first time as husband and wife. It's getting late, so I know the most we'll do tonight is have dinner at the resort's restaurant, then retire to our hotel room, but that's just what I want to do.
"What are you thinking about, beautiful?" Edward questions, causing me to blush as I meet his gaze.
"I was just thinking about tonight," I say honestly as I take his hand in mine.
"Hmm, is that so? That's funny because I was thinking about the exact same thing," he responds with a wink.
We make it to the car rental place, which is located on the edge of the airport. I watch our things as Edward fills out the paperwork for our car for the next ten days. After the agent gives him the keys he follows a man out to the parking lot. I watch his ass sway as he's walking away. When I look around, I realize I'm not the only woman admiring him. He doesn't notice the amount of female attention he gets, which is utterly absurd to me because I find it hard not tonotice. I give the women a few looks of admonishment, unable to help myself, before texting Esme. I'm so used to being around Charlie every second of the day, so this trip will be an adjustment for me. I wonder if Edward's feeling the same way. I'm sure he's missing his son as much as I am, if not more. Charlie follows his daddy around everywhere. Hell, he'd even follow him into the bathroom if Edward didn't promptly close the door to shut him out. The way Charlie looks up to his daddy makes my heart melt.
Esme is quick to respond, and tells me that Charlie is just fine. It's only been a few hours since we've left and while we've had him spend several nights with his grandparents over the past month to grow accustomed to the idea, I don't know how he'll fare after two or three days. If it weren't past his bedtime, I'd call him right now, even though he can barely talk. I just want to hear his voice.
"Babe, you ready?" Edward calls out as he makes his way towards me.
I smile and stand up, grabbing as much of our luggage as I can. Edward grabs the rest and smiles at me as he leads up to our rental. He's rented us a nice black, spacious minivan. It was extremely clean, unlike the cars we have at home, despite my efforts. Like a gentleman, Edward opens the passenger door for me as soon as we have everything packed away in the back of the van. I give him a quick kiss, although I wish I could linger, before sliding into my seat. I know that if I kiss him like I want to, we'd end up having sex in the parking lot. Which… wouldn't be a terrible thing, except, I don't want to get arrested for public indecency on the very first day of our honeymoon.
"Are you ready for this?" Edward asks as he starts the minivan.
"Of course," I reply with a smile as I look out into the night sky, before my eyes return to Edward. I watch the muscles of his forearms twitch as he maneuvers the van through traffic on the highway. I doubt we'll be able to get to our hotel room soon enough. I don't think I have the patience. Seeing a rest stop approaching which looks practically abandoned, an idea sparks in my head. I know the first time as husband is wife is supposed to be 'special', but nothing about my relationship with Edward has been typical and I need him now. We have the rest of our trip to do things the 'right' way; besides, I've always thought the wrong way was so much more fun. "I have to go to the bathroom," I abruptly say as I point toward the exit for the rest stop.
"Um… okay. Why didn't you say anything a few minutes ago before we left the airport?" Edward chuckles as he complies and veers off the highway into the rest area.
Because I couldn't fuck you at the airport? "I didn't know I had to go then," I lamely reply.
Edward parks and looks around, seeming spooked by the lack of cars and rundown vision of the rest stop before us. "Do you want me to walk with you up to the bathroom and wait for you? I don't feel comfortable letting you go alo—"
I shut him up by unbuckling my seatbelt and climbing on top of him. Thankfully, I decided to wear a dress for the occasion, so I'm able to hike it up with ease. Edward gives me a surprised look, but I press my lips against his before he can say anything. God, he tastes sweet and feels so, so soft against me. Perfect. His rough hands run up and down my bare thighs before one of them disappears under my dress. I moan into his mouth as I feel his fingers push my underwear aside and feel one of his fingers slide into my slick pussy. When he adds another finger, I moan into his mouth one more time before pulling away to bury my head against his neck.
"Are you sure you want to do this here?" Edward asks with a groan. It's obvious that it's hard for him to restrain himself as well.
I nod against his neck and respond by rubbing my clit against the zipper of his jeans and shuddering at its effect. I feel him reach between his legs to free his cock before I feel him push down his pants and revel in the feeling of his bare skin against mine. He grabs my chin and brings my mouth to his as he uses his other hand to line himself with my entrance before thrusting inside. I grind against him, gasping with every thrust. The realization that this man is now mine is overwhelming, and I know it won't take long for me to find my release.
"I love you," I moan against his skin and with a few more thrusts I feel like I'm soaring. The sound of the van's horn scares the shit out of me and brings me back to reality.
"Careful there, Bella," he says with a pained chuckle, and I know he's close to.
He grabs onto my ass and grinds me against him, careful this time not to shove me up against his steering wheel. I feel a shudder shoot through his toned body before he explodes inside of me. For a few moments, I forget all about where we are and all that I'm consumed with is him.
"Well, that was certainly a surprise," Edward comments with a sly smile as he pulls away to clean himself up with the tissues I had in my purse.
"I couldn't wait," I reply with a shrug.
~A Beautiful Honeymoon~
"God, this is beautiful, babe."
I've never stayed at a place like this before. The last time I vacationed at the beach was with my family as a child, and this experience is definitely a complete 180 from that already. TradeWinds Island Grand Resort has already exceeded all of my expectations, and we haven't even made it passed the lobby yet. With the beautiful cream-colored marble floors, wooden accents, and the faint smell of salt water wafting through the wide windows and the opened bay doors, it's like an absolute dream. While Edward goes to check us in, I meander around the place, gazing into the bar and a several resort restaurants before making my way back toward him. A bell boy is gathering our things and Edward gives me a relaxed smile as soon as he sees me. I've got to say, my relaxed, vacation husband is insanely hot. He usually has the weight of the world on his shoulders, but now he looks so incredibly happy.
"Ready to go up to our room, babe?"
I'm definitely ready to be alone with him. "Of course," I say with a coquettish smile as we follow the bellboy to the elevator.
Our room is even more surprising. I can't believe my father and mother-in-law insisted on paying for all of this! It can't be cheap. We have a beautiful room on the second floor with large windows and a patio facing the beach. The first thing I do is open up the patio door, wanting to smell the fresh scent of sand and salt water. Maybe tonight we can go for a nice long walk on St. Pete Beach. I can't wait to feel the warm sand beneath my feet and the warm gulf water against my skin.
Edward tips the bellboy, and then we're alone. I feel shy all of a sudden. Which is humorous, considering we had just fucked in our rental van moments before. Edward slowly walks toward me, seeming to be slightly nervous as well. The fact that we're finally married is sinking in, yet I still can't wrap my head around it. I can't believe how lucky I am.
"Are you hungry? We can go downstairs to one of the restaurants and get some dinner." Edward suggests thoughtfully, although I know we both have the same thing on our mind.
"I'm hungry for you," I say, before closing the distance between us.
An hour later, and we're both sated beyond belief. Edward handled me with such care, yet, rocked my world like a God at the same time. We wash up under the many water jets in our shower, before getting ready for a late dinner. I put on one of my special white cotton dresses I bought for the occasion, and take a moment to admire the way it looks against my flushed, ivory skin. I can't help but feel beautiful whenever I'm around my husband. It's because of the way he looks at me… like I'm the only girl in the world.
Hand in hand, we venture down to one of the resort's restaurants. It's beautiful, just like everything else. We're taken to a table in the far corner with a beautiful view of the beach. I watch as a few families finish up playing in the sand for the night, and imagine what it'd be like to take Charlie some place like this when he's a little older.
"What are you thinking about, beautiful?" Edward asks as he looks up from his drink menu.
I blush, as I reply, "I was just thinking about how nice it would be to take Charlie someplace like this sometime."
Edward sighs, and looks out at the water. "It would be nice. I'd bet he'd love to spend every day swimming. Of course, I'd be nervous having the little guy swimming in this water. Even with his floaties. We'd have to take a lot of time practicing in the pool before I'd feel comfortable bringing him here."
"You two practice in the pool all of the time already," I tease him.
"I know. He fucking loves the water. Maybe he'll grow up to be a swimmer or something. I could see him doing something athletic, otherwise, he wouldn't be his father's son. Seth was sports obsessed."
Edward's getting so much better about discussing his brother without looking so heartbroken. He's finally grown comfortable with remembering his brother without dwelling on what he's lost. He's able to reminisce on the good times and appreciate the time he had with Seth. It took me a long time to come to terms with my mother's death; ergo I'm sure Edward doesn't even understand how impressive his progress is.
"Now that you said that, we have to bring him here."
"I've got to admit, I know we haven't been gone for that long, but I already miss the little guy," Edward says with a wistful smile.
"I know. I thought about calling him earlier, but I know it's already passed his bedtime. Maybe we should just enjoy ourselves, because we might not get any 'us' time very often. Especially if we're thinking about having another baby."
Edward's eyes widen at this, but he doesn't object to the idea like he used to. I think, now that Charlie's a little older, part of him wants another baby around. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but I definitely know him better than he knows himself sometimes.
After dinner, I convince Edward to take me on a late-night walk on the beach. It's practically empty right now, and I'm sure if we walk down the beach far enough we could find some place to be alone. I grab one of the hotel towels before we leave, just in case we do find the 'alone time' I've been desperately craving since we sat down to eat. I wonder if I'll always burn for him the way I do now. The way I feel towards him is a feeling I never thought I'd experience toward anyone. It's all consuming and completely overwhelms me.
"This is incredible," I say as I slip out of my sandals and enjoy the feeling of the warm sand against the soles of my feet.
Edward looks down and grins at my pedicured feet before taking his sandals off as well. He holds our shoes with one hand and takes my hand in his with the other. We walk near the water and enjoy the soft sound of live music coming from the nearby entertainment, as well as the sound of the crashing waves beside us. As we walk along on the beach I enjoy the way the faint lights from the hotels illuminates my husband's face. I take a mental snapshot of him, before rising to my tiptoes to kiss him.
"Do you want to head back to the hotel?" Edward asks with a soft moan.
"Why don't we walk a little further?" I ask, staring toward a little alcove that looks like a good place for me to have him alone. Edward follows my gaze and seems to get the idea. "I'm sure no one would notice," I comment with a suggestive smile.
Edward grins and I yank on his arm, pulling him with me as I hurry toward the alcove. I'm too paranoid to completely undress, but I fan out our towel on the ground before laying down on top of it and pulling up my dress.
"No underwear?" Edward asks with a smile as he kneels between my legs and unzips his shorts.
"I thought it'd be easier," I reply with a coy smile as I shimmy down the towel toward him.
Edward gives me a smile of approval before he lies on top of me. He lines himself up with my core before covering his lips with mine as he thrusts inside me. The feel of him, plus the thrill of having sex out in the open, makes me want to come already. There's something so primal about it. I feel like I can't be close enough with him as I dig my heels into his ass and urge him to take me harder. I run my hands up his shirt and rake my nails along his back, enjoying the way he groans at the sensation.
"Fuck, I love you, Bella," he moans as he bucks harder against me.
"I know," I smugly respond before I find my release.
~A Beautiful Honeymoon~
"Come on, Bella. This is nothing you haven't seen before."
He's right. It's nothing I haven't seen before, but that doesn't mean tearing my eyes away is any easier. I lick my lips as the ocean water trails along the V of his hips, trickling over his tattoos before disappearing into his swim trunks. I smile at him, knowing he's all mine. Well, he's been mine for a while, but now he's finally mine, officially.
We've been away for four days and it's been absolutely incredible, yet I can't help but miss Charlie while we've been away. He's staying with his grandparents, who have the entire week planned out for him. I know he's in the best of hands, but hearing his voice only once in the morning and once at night isn't enough. Although, Edward and I could use a nice vacation by ourselves, it's hard to not have our baby here with us. If our entire family hadn't convinced us to go on our honeymoon alone, he'd definitely be here.
"You still thinking about Charlie, momma?" Edward teases me as he shakes the water out of his hair and sits down next to me on the sandy beach. He kisses my shoulder and trails his lips down to my chest before I shoo him away. "I miss him too," he admits quietly before his smile returns.
"He's probably having a lot of fun," I muse, as if I were trying to convince myself. "Esme told me they're taking him to the zoo today."
"Again?" Edward asks with a chuckle. "I thought they just went."
"Well, I guess Charlie really loved it because he convinced your parents to take him again." As I stare at my husband's wet body, it practically shimmers in the sunlight causing my thoughts to drift elsewhere. While we'd planned different activities during our stay at Big Sur, we've spent most of our time locked up in our hotel room. Edward hasn't seemed to mind, and truthfully, neither have I. In fact, he complained when I persuaded him to leave the confines of our room to spend the day on the beach.
"Come on, Bella. Let's get you in the water. You've been lounging on the beach since we got here," he says as he wraps his arm across my body and hugs me to him.
I put my book down and fall backwards onto the beach, taking him with me. I know we're in public, but I can't help myself when he's near. Before I know it, I'm rolling on top of him, pressing my lips against his. We kiss until we hear the voice of a woman complaining in the background. I pull away and smile at him, before turning around to give the woman my best apologetic smile. She doesn't seem to buy it and walks off looking irritated.
"Stop getting me into trouble, Bella. Here I am, trying to be good, and you're doing your best to corrupt me."
"Corrupt you?" I tease. "Is that even possible?"
He rolls his eyes at me, then jumps to his feet before lifting me up off the ground, bridal-style. I squeal in surprise and wrap my arms around his neck to keep from falling. He runs towards the water, and I try not to blush as I notice all the people on the beach watching us. Most glances are fleeting, but some are long and judgmental. Those make me giggle.
My skin becomes covered in goosebumps the moment the ocean water hits me. I don't stay cold for long, though. Edward's lips are on mine in an instant and any thoughts of discomfort are gone. Any thoughts of anything besides him are gone. This entire trip feels like a dream. I can't believe I'm married and became a mother, all in one breath. I can't believe how quickly my life has changed for the better. It's our honeymoon and I can barely wrap my head around the fact that Edward is really mine. I wonder if I'll ever come to terms with it, or if my life will forever feel like a euphoric dream.
"Edward, stop!" I squeal with a laugh. "People are staring at us!"
"When has that ever stop us before?" Edward asks with a laugh before he brings his lips back down to meet mine.
He's right. For the past few days we haven't been able to keep our hands to ourselves. I haven't cared about who's watched us or who we were disturbing. Well, I cared at first, but after a while all my thoughts would be consumed with my husband. However, it was only adults we were really disturbing then, but now that there are kids around, I feel suddenly embarrassed.
"Edward," I plead, feeling my cheeks flush. "Come on, babe, there's kids everywhere."
Edward pulls away with a sigh. "Fine, but you owe me later."
I roll my eyes at this and smile. "You don't have to threaten me with 'owing' you anything. I'll be a willing participant," I say with a wink.
Edward carries me out to deeper water, before letting me go so we can swim side by side. I turn onto my back to float and soak up the sun's rays with a smile. Hopefully, the amount of sunscreen I put on today will do some good, because God knows I'll turn pink after too much sun exposure. Edward has already made it hard enough for me to sit down comfortably - not that I'm complaining - but, why add a sunburn into the mix?
Edward swims up beside me and flips onto his back so we're floating in the water side by side. "I wish we could stay here forever," he muses as he smiles up at the sun.
"I know. We need to bring Charlie along and go on one long family vacation. As much as I love Washington, I've got to say, Florida is definitely growing on me."
"I'm sure any place would be incredible, as long as we're together," Edward says after a long moment, causing me to grin. He says the sweetest things sometimes. He also says the stupidest things as well, but these sweet comments always make up for that. God, I love him. His flaws and all.
"I can't imagine going back to our normal life after this is over," I muse as I run my fingers through the cool blue water.
"Well, I guess our life will never be 'normal' again. Not anymore. Not now that we have each other. I bet everyday will be like this."
I smile at his comment and flip over so I can stand up in the water, then wade over to Edward so I'm facing him. "I'm sure we'll have our difficult days, but I know we'll get through anything together. You're right, our life will never be 'normal' again. I only thought I was happy before you and Charlie entered my life. Now, I can't imagine a life without either of you in it."
"You'll never have to," Edward assures me, flipping over so he can stand up and pull my wet body up against his. "This is just the beginning of our forever together."
He's right. This is only the beginning of a life that I'm so blessed to be living.