Edward drove me home from school, just like any other day. At college, almost everyone carpooled, though Edward and I had a different reason to do so. Global warming seemed like such a minuscule annoyance when he and I were in different cars- and away from each other- in the fifteen minutes it took to get home. Fifteen minutes at fifty miles above the speed limit, that is...
We were currently attending our third college. Well, I was. It must have been Edward's seventy fifth or something. I don't k know how he can sit through classes, learning the same material over and over. I was already tired of it! But I wasn't tired of going to school itself. A day with Edward, no matter our surroundings, was a day worth remembering.
He smiled at me now, pulling his lips up into my favorite crooked smile. I melted- how could I not? His clearly defined features, full rounded lips, and those honey gold eyes I now had as well... His smile grew wider as I stared. I finally gained control of my body, and smiled sheepishly. He glanced back at the road for a moment, releasing me from his gaze. I turned to look out the window, realizing that we were almost home. Edward's convenient 'real-estate investment' proved to be absurdly perfect- not only did we have a house to ourselves, but we didn't have to stay on campus, with all those humans around. We out have so much self control, and pretending to sleep with a male model-god laying beside you gets old really quickly.
Edward's Volvo turned up our long winding driveway, closely lined with trees. As he maneuvered the car up the curvy drive, he said, "Alice will me visiting us today." He looked at my face, to gauge my reaction I guess. My whole face lit up. "When? We haven't seen her in ages! Is jasper with her? We should go visit them sometime..." The words tumbled out of my mouth one after another, leaving no room in between questions for Edward to answer. He smiled at me again. My torrent of words continued to spill from between my lips. "Are we going to see Emmet and Rose too? When are Carlisle and Esme going to get back from Asia? How are-" I would have kept spouting out questions, but Edward had leaned over to my side of the front seat and pressed his lips to mine, his hands pulling my lower back in closer to him.
I threw my arms around his neck and pressed closer, leaving no space between our bodies. My fingers twisted in his bronze hair, and he moaned quietly into my mouth. Though I didn't need the oxygen, I broke away from the kiss, gasping for breath. His lips never left my skin; they traveled down my jaw and neck to my collar bone. When I had stopped gasping, I pulled his face back up to mine and he kissed me passionately. His tongue crept out of his mouth to trace my bottom lip. I groaned into his lips, and clutched him tighter to me. Good thing we didn't have any homework today- we would be otherwise occupied with each other tonight. I felt him respond to my closeness, and then he was gone.
"Hey..." I said, a little dazedly. He was suddenly outside my passenger door, holding it open for me. "Apparently knocking isn't a skill Alice has mastered yet," he commented wryly, smiling. I was mildly confused, until my gaze landed on a yellow sports car parked next to the Volvo. "Ugh. She's here already, isn't she?" I groaned; I was still a little breathless from our kiss. Edward smirked at my reaction-we were both thinking of the things we couldn't do with company over- and pulled me from the car.
"Of course, you lovebirds!" A tinkling voice said from the
door that led into the house. "Did you miss me?" Alice
added, smiling hugely. Although Edward still looked a little petulant
about her coming into our house without our permission, he was
pleased to see his favorite sister. He ruffled her inky black hair on
his way past her through the doorframe. I, on he other hand, was
overly enthusiastic. Like I said, I hadn't seen my best friend/
sister in law for a long time! I bounded up to her and pulled her in
for a hug.
" Alice! I missed you!" she hugged me back,
then picked me up and spun me around like a child. "How have you
been?" I asked. She tried to put me back I. The garage floor,
but I clung to her like a monkey. She laughed, and said,
"I'm great, though a little starved for air." She tugged
lightly on my vice like grip around her neck. "How are you?"
Edward popped his head back around the corner.
"Care to come
inside, or were you planning on spending the day in the garage?"
he teased, smirking at me hanging off his sister. I dropped to the
ground and bounded into the house, tugging Alice in after me. Our
house wasn't that large, but it suits us just fine. The entryway
opened almost immediately into a large room with a vaulted ceiling
and large windows that served as our living room. The kitchen was
tucked behind a half wall in the far right corner, and the stairs
wound up immediately to the left. The tinted shades of white
amplified the natural sunlight streaming through the windows, and
made the house seem calm and peaceful. I watched the dust motes in
the air for a minute after everyone had settled themselves on a white
couch before Alice spoke.
"Jasper will be here in..."
She trailed off as her eyes became unfocused, looking to the future.
"...about half an hour. He had to make a hunting stop."
Edward grinned.
." Yum, elk!" he said sarcastically.
Alice trilled a laugh."So, don't I get a tour? It's the first
time I've been here after all." she demanded. I looked at her with
mock annoyance.
"As if you haven't already looked around yourself!" She smiled back at me unashamedly, and hopped up off the couch. "Come on!" Edward chuckled beside me. "She won't give up this time Bella. We'd better show her around before she starts breaking things!" he commented, trying to hold back a smile. Alice glared, and started stomping away. I jumped up, pulling Edward with me, to follow her. I wasn't sure if Edward was kidding about breaking stuff, but I liked my house in one peace, thank you very much!
"You probably could find your way around here in the dark, Alice." I said." it's almost exactly like all the other Cullen houses!" I chuckled, secretly pleased that I was now included in the Cullen plural. Alice did a graceful pirouette and stared at me incredulously. Edward too, seemed a little disbelieving, and looked like he was trying to hold in a smile. " What?" I asked, running my last few sentences over in my head. They continued to stare, waiting for me to catch on. "OH" I gasped, suddenly understanding. "I guess I can't say that anymore, can I?" I said, a little embarrassed, looking at the ground. "Huh, dark..."
"It doesn't matter to our eyes it its dark or light, remember love?" Edward reminded me, still fighting his smile. I harrumphed, still embarrassed. When would I ever get used to this vampire thing? Alice laughed out loud. Edward gave in too, chuckling lightly. I just studied the floor with absolute absorption as they laughed at my poor choice of words. Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind, and I found the humor in the situation. I smiled grudgingly.
As their laughter died away, Edward rested his chin on my shoulder and turned my chin to look at him. "I'm sorry I laughed love." he said earnestly. I sighed, my smile playing at the corners of my lips. "Cut me some slack, I'm still relatively new at this." He smiled, and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I know. You'll get used to it." "It was pretty funny though," Alice inserted. I ignored her- Edward had pressed his lips to mine. My fingers reached up to twine in his hair, both our breathing erratic. His arms tightened around my waist.
The romance was ruined, however, when I heard something shatter in the kitchen. I broke the kiss, my eyes wide. Had Alice actually broken something? Edward had the same expression on his face she. He scooped me up to run to the kitchen. Alice was standing in the middle of the stone floor, eyeing a pile of shattered glass smugly. "Alice! Why did you do that?" I wailed. She looked up. "Where is my tour?" she demanded. Edward groaned. "That was my gift to Bella, Alice. Now I'll have to get a new one." I smiled broadly. "Road trip to Brazil?" I smiled broadly. Edward was always... looser on vacation. "Thanks, Alice!" She scowled as her plan backfired. Edward growled. I looked questioningly up at his face. "She's contemplating breaking my piano next," he ground out. I could tell it took a lot for him not to pounce on her, so I wrapped my arms more securely around his waist. I felt his tense muscles relax at my touch, and smiled gently. "Alice, please don't do that. I'll miss my lullaby." I pleaded softly against Edward's chest. "Let's go, full tour. No charge!" I added. She smiled triumphantly, and stepped over the pile of broken glass delicately, leading the way.
We
walked through the whole house. She even insisted to see the attic,
with threats toward Edward's piano if we didn't comply. We explained
everything- our color choices, room layout, accessories, everything.
We ended up back in the living room, looking out the floor length
windows into the small stand of trees in our backyard, a little ways
away from the back corner of our deck. Alice's crazy interest in our
house had finally been sated, and she was finally getting g edgy
about Jasper. "Where is that man? He told me..." she
mumbled, and looked to the future. She suddenly beamed. "Soon,"
she said, and we continued with our small talk. Within five minutes,
she grabbed Edward and my wrists and pulled us to the garage door. We
tagged along, assuming that Jasper was close to arriving.
Sure
enough, before we had even reached the door the handle turned and
Jasper walked in, tall and leonine. Alice smiled, and took both his
hands. "What took you so long, Jazz?" she asked him
playfully. "You missed the grand tour!" I sighed
theatrically, and Edward grimaced. Jasper said "my loss, I
guess," looking around at each of our faces and tasting the
emotional climate. Alice suggested, "Hey, maybe if Edward and
Bella are up to it they can give you a tour too!" my eyebrows
scrunched together and I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me
off." Or maybe Edward's piano is up for a nice swim in the
lake..." Edward's stance shifted slightly, his lips pulling back
from his teeth. "You wouldn't." he growled menacingly. "Try
me!" Alice snarled back, just as fiercely.
"Guys, guys! I don't need a tour! I think I can manage."
Jasper cut in before things could get out of hand. Edward snapped out
of his defensive pos immediately, and looked sheepish at his
behavior. Alice just stuck her tongue out at him, and turned to
Jasper. "How was your hunting trip?" she asked. Jasper
smiled tentatively, and then a dazzlingly triumphant smile lit his
face. "You... You still think I went hunting?" he
questioned. Alice met his eyes with a blank look, but Jasper just
continued to smile. "OH!" Alice gasped. "You..."
she couldn't seem to get a full sentence out."I thought..."
Quick as a flash Jasper has his hands around Alice's neck, then
he stepped back just as quickly. She lifted something off her chest-
a necklace- and gazed at it. "Oh..." she repeated, looking
at the intricately crafted gold rose than now hung from a chain
around her neck."I took a detour. I thought you might want a little
something... It's been a while since there's been a new addition to
your jewelry collection." Jasper commented. Alice finally met
his gaze. "I guess I was concentrating so hard on when you were
coming back that I didn't look at where you actually were."
Alice murmured. They shared one of their intimate looks, and I felt
the need to look away.
I focused my gaze on Edward- he was already looking down at me. He pulled me into his chest, resting his chin on her top of my head. I sighed and wrapped my arms around his waist, tracing patterns on his lower back. This was my favorite place- in Edward's arms. He and I started moving toward the couch, and Edward lifted a hand from my hips to beckon to Alice and Jasper, telling them to follow. We spent the next three or so hours just talking. Alice sat with Jasper's head in her lap, softly playing her fingers in his hair. His body stretched down the length of the couch, his feet a few inches from falling off the end. Edward had sat down and pulled me on top of him, and had curled his arms around me. I had my legs pulled up, and was smuggled into his chest, completely content.
The
hours slid by, and soon the sun was beginning to set.
Jasper took
note of the lowering sun. "We should get going if we want to be
home by morning. We don't want to have to explain to Mrs. Dubois
where we were when the car is in the driveway." he told Alice in
a muted voice. Alive had told me about Mrs. Dubois. She was a crazy
old lady that lived two doors down from them, and who was never
satisfied with the manners of young people these days. I couldn't
understand why she didn't like Alice and Jasper though- they had
manners older that she had been alive! "I guess..." Alice
replied as she lowered her eyes to Jaspers face and sighed, bringing
me back to the present. Jasper smiled at her regretful tone." We
have our lives to get back to," he reminded her. Not for long
though! Esme had declared that once everyone graduated from college
the whole Cullen family would take a break from being human. We all
missed the collective family unit- we were scattered across the
country now. Soon we wouldn't have to plan around. Passes we'd taken
already or sunny days. We'd be alone to be together. I sighed in
contentment again just as Alice let out a groan of defeat. She got to
her feet and Edward followed suit, nudging me off his lap into a
standing position. "Well, thanks for inviting us, Bella,
Edward!" jasper said, smiling. "Yeah, thank you!"
Alice quipped.
Edward smiled impishly- a surprising emotion. "I think the
correct sentiment would be 'Thank you for letting us barge into your
house without invitation and demand a full tour. Oh, by the way, it
was fun threatening your furniture', right Alice?" he teased.
"That's my girl," murmured Jasper into Alice's ear. She
just smiled. "Your piano should be on its guard. Tell it to
sleep with one eye open!" she shot back at Edward. He grimaced
good naturedly, but I groaned." Ugh! No more torturing inanimate
objects, Alice!" I said. "They haven't soon anything to
you!" She laughed, and we all joined in.
"Well, I guess
this is goodbye." Jasper said, taking Alice's hand. "For
now," I stuck in quickly. I had really liked this afternoon.
Alice smiled over her shoulder. "For now," she agreed, and
she and Jasper were gone. The garage door shut with a soft click. How
strange. I could have sworn the emotion that flitted across her face
in the fraction of a second before she slipped out the door was...
Mischief? Now what had she done? I wondered idly. I was sure I'd find
out soon enough. It WAS Alice after all. I felt Edward's arm tighten
around my waist. I looked up into his face; it dazzled me, as usual.
His mouth twisted up into my favorite crooked smile when my breathing
stopped. He suddenly bent at the waist and knocked my knees out from
under me, catching me inches before my body hit the floor. I would
have felt sorry for the wood. "Oomph." I said, the air I
didn't need rushing out of my lungs. I tried to catch the breath as
Edward lifted me bridal style and began walking. He didn't give me
the chance.
His lips collided with mine forcefully, but somehow still tenderly. He held my body higher, giving him a better reach. Of their own accord my arms. Flung around his neck, and my body pressed closer to his. As he continued walking he shifted my position in his arms untill my legs were wrapped around my waist, his hands supporting me under my thighs. His lips moved to flutter kisses over my face, gradually shifting to my throat. I lifted my chin to grant him better access, and one of my hands dragged between our bodies down his chest. His defined muscles tensed as my fingers traced them through his light sweater.
I must have been more distracted than I thought, because I forgot to moderate the pressure I used with the hand I was drafting down his chest. The thin fabric of his shirt tore effortlessly, popping off the couple collar buttons. Edward chuckled into the skin of my throat, and shrugged out the remains of his shirt. It slumped on the stairs we were ascending, looking bedraggled. "Sorry," I gasped out, my hand continuing to trace the newly exposed planes of his chest. "It's fine, I like it better this way." he soothed my remorse for tearing yet another if his shirts, and pressed my body closer to his. "It's not like I don't rip something of yours on a daily basis," he said sexily. I knew he was referring to my severe lack of whole underwear, and a gush of fluid grew between my legs at the thought of how they became unfit for wearing. As Edward brought our chests closer, my hand was forced to move elsewhere on his body. It fluttered around over his back but finally settled on his shoulder, gripping it hard. Edward groaned into my collar bone, and brought his lips back up to meet mine.
Our lips moved in unison, and my breathing grew ragged again. He pulled an inch away, staring into my eyes with his. His breath washed sweet and cool over my face, and I parted my lips slightly to breathe it in. He took advantage of the opening, and thrust his tongue into my mouth. I gasped, and threw myself into the kiss with more force than was necessary. Our tongues entwined in a fiery dance, and my grip around Edward's torso with my legs tightened. The connection of our hips sent heat flooding my body.
Edward broke away from the kiss first, his gaze filled with lust and excitement. It was then that I noticed that we had stopped moving, and he was standing outside our bedroom door. I unwrapped my legs from his waist, setting my feet firmly on the floor. As my body lowered and dragged down from his, I noticed a certain hardness pressing against my lower stomach. The kissing had aroused Edward as much as me- I knew he could smell my wetness in the air. I was suddenly glad I had decided to wear my blue panty set- I knew he loved the deep blue color on me.
I pushed against Edward's chest with force, and he managed to turn
the door handle before we stumbled through the frame. My eyes were
closed, so I was surprised when Edward's body suddenly became tense,
and his lips tightened. "What?" I asked breathlessly,
trying to determine the source of his preoccupation. "Bella,
open your eyes." he demanded softly, a little incredulously
even. I complied, and was momentarily distracted. Where were we
again? It certainly didn't look like the master bedroom Edward and I
had left this morning. Instead of a four poster bed there lay a huge
circular one, with purple sheets and white gossamer netting drifting
from the ceiling. There was a newly installed bench swing- of all
things- installed in the far corner, and tea lights were sprinkled
around; lit, of course. Edward's desk was missing in action, having
been replaced with a very large, very gaudily gift wrapped box about
the size of a minivan.
A note was hanging from the ceiling,
waving in front of Edward's face. It read: 'Hello guys! I bought your
life could use a little spontaneity. I would say have fun, but I
already know you will! Yours forever, Alice'. "Unh!" I
groaned." when did she do this?" the mischievous smile on her
lips as Alice darted out the door made more sense now. "If you
remember, her tour didn't extend to the master bedroom." Edward
pointed out. OH! I smacked my forehead. I was so caught up in her
desire to see all the strange things-like the roof- that I had
completely overlooked the obvious. Edward kissed my forehead, then
chuckled. "Ill bet my next college tuition that Alice got to our
closets, too."
"...You would know..." I said slowly, thinking of his mind reading capabilities. He chuckled again. "Alice was very careful not to think of her little surprise, I assume. I had no idea." I sighed, and pulled Edward to the closets, completely ignoring the gift wrapped box. I pushed open the door to my closet and gasped. My closed, and Edward's too, no doubt, was full to bursting with new cloths of all sorts. Shorts, dresses, fancy shirts, lingerie, shoes, everything. I looked at my vanity, and everything doubled in the mirror. "Oh no!" I fingered the article of clothing closest to me- the price tag said it had cost 200 dollars. What in the world prompted Alice to spend a small fortune on cloths? Especially when they would most likely en up shredded. Like Edward's shirt, torn and tattered, currently residing on the staircase.
The thought of Edward's hopeless shirt reminded me that he no longer had one on. My insides burned- I dashed out of my closet to see him. He had obviously been coming to see me; I crashed into him halfway to his closet. He caught me and held me in a strong embrace, then smiled wryly. "Alice will be Alice, I suppose," "Yeah, and expensive, completely unnecessary Alice!" I wailed, burying my face into his shoulder. He held me tighter, and said," Now, can it actually be that bad?" he steered me back to my closet with a strong grip. I was more than willing to comply- resisting his strength would only cause broken furniture, and I wasn't done having his hands on my hips yet...
"Wow, yours IS worse!" Edward laughed incredulously. I tried to twist out of his hands to investigate his closet, but his iron muscles didn't let me budge an inch. "Oh no you don't," he murmured into my ear, pulling my back flush against his chest. He continued to examine my newly obtained wardrobe until his eyes fell on the overflowing shelves of undergarments and lingerie. I tipped my head up just in time to see a mischievous grin creep into his face, mixing with lust. "What would you say to a fashion show of sorts?" he questioned, slowly moving us in the direction of the lingerie. I was about to protest, but I felt his erection press against my lower back. There was no way I could argue with that kind of persuasion. His smirk grew more pronounced when he realized I was going to play along. "Remind me to thank Alice. This is going to be fun," he purred seductively in my ear, nibbling on my earlobe. I believed him with all my heart.
