I rounded the corner at a good pace and reached up to wipe the sweat off my forehead as it began to run into my eyes. I'd been running for the last 40 minutes and I was really starting to feel the burn, the muscles in my legs groaning in protest, my lungs on fire.
The next corner took me into the park for the last stretch of the run before heading home. I glanced at my watch, noticing the time I pushed through the pain and sped up a little. 7.08am: I had two minutes to get to the fountain on the far side of the park. Two minutes before the best part of my run would be over. Any longer than two minutes and I would miss her - then I'd have to wait until Thursday to see her again.
I picked up the pace further as I headed past the playing fields and alongside the band rotunda. One minute to go, faster, faster. As I came over the small rise before the fountain my heart sped up, and not only from the burst of speed I had just put on. My heart raced as I caught sight of the water spurting up from the fountain and thirty seconds later as I reached the crest of the hill I saw her.
There she was, the beautiful stranger who had become my reason for finishing my run at exactly 7.10am in the park everyday. Long brown hair pulled back into a messy bun, long-sleeved black thermal vest with a bright pink Hello Kitty t-shirt over the top, black leggings and pink and white running shoes.
Before I spotted my gorgeous stranger, I used to change it up and take different loops from my apartment around the city. I would incorporate different streets with a mix of hills and flats, as well as the three community parks within my hour running time. All of this changed, however, the first day I noticed her rounding the fountain in the park. The instant reaction I had to her told me I knew I had to come back and see if she was a regular.
I had returned the next day at the same time and was devastated not to see her. Had I got my timing wrong? Was this not her regular route? Had I simply imagined her perfection? Not too put off, I came back the following day, spending longer in the park then usual and looking closely at all my fellow runners' faces. My relentlessness soon paid off. At 7.10am on the dot, I was rewarded with the sight of her long ponytail swinging behind her as she rounded the fountain. That small glimpse I caught of her as she disappeared out of sight was enough to put a huge grin on my face all day.
From then on, I made it my mission to finish my run at the park every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 7.10am to catch a glimpse of her. On those days everything always seemed a little better, my morning coffee was a little tastier and the people I worked with seemed to annoy me a little less.
As I followed her around the edge of the pond that housed the fountain, I felt myself being hypnotised by the gentle sway of her ass as she ran, and the way the bun in her hair bounced with every step she took. I knew I was bordering on being a stalker, but over the last few weeks I had been trying to build up enough confidence to talk to her.
It never seemed like the right time to strike up a conversation. I knew that before I 'met' the mystery Running Girl I always ran with an almost self-absorbed focus, not really noticing my surroundings. Just listening to the music from my iPhone strapped to my arm and pacing myself to the beat of the music was all I had ever done. I would run my route, cool down with a few stretches then head home to start the day, my head clear and clutter-free. What if the Running Girl was the same? I mean, who really wants to be hit on while they are working out?
This was what was stopping me from talking to her, well – this, and the fact that I was chicken shit. I had spoken to my sister Alice about it. More accurately, she had dragged it out of me and I had promised to talk to the mystery girl soon. Alice was my twin and had an uncanny ability to know what was going on with me. I know twins are supposed to have a psychic link thing going on, but sometimes ours was downright scary.
After only the second morning I had seen Running Girl, Alice called me at 7.30am, not long after I had arrived home. For Alice, this was unheard of. She managed a bar downtown, kept late hours and rarely rose before noon. As I fumbled to unclasp my iPhone from the stupid broken arm strap thing while laughing at this month's ringtone she had set, I answered, still a little shocked it was actually her.
"Hey Little Sis!" I panted, still slightly out of breath.
"Hey Big Bro" she yawned, sleepily. "I have two - no make that three - questions for you. Firstly, do you like the new ringtone?"
"Yeah, Alice. Its great, just what I needed - blasting thought the quiet of the lobby in my building at seven thirty in the morning!" I chuckled. She ignored me and ploughed on.
"Question two - Do you know the name of the song and the artist?"
I 'hmmmed' for a minute. "I might have to get back to you on that" I said wearily. For as long as you could download music to be played as ringtones, Alice and I had a silly tradition. Once a month when we had family dinner at our parents place, we would swap phones and download a tune for each other's personal ringtone. It was a race to see who could name the song and artist first. The winner of each month took the other, plus partner or friend, out for dinner at a place of their choosing. I'd had this ring tone for almost three weeks and time was running out.
"No biggie" she said sweetly, "but the real reason I'm ringing is question number three." She paused for dramatic effect. "When are you going to talk to her?"
I almost tripped over my shoes as I kicked them off inside the front door of the apartment I shared with our brother Emmett. I shot my hand out to steady myself on the wall, causing the hallway mirror to shake.
"You alright Eddie?" Emmett yelled from the kitchen. I walked in rather than yelling back.
"Yeah, I'm fine" I said. Alice giggled in my ear.
"Spill, Big Brother" she deadpanned. "Now, before you answer - I know you can't say much 'cause Em is there, but how about over lunch today? Twelve thirty at that cool café by your office, okay?" She told rather than asked me - and before I could even reply she hung up.
I put my phone down on the table and slumped into the chair wearily.
"Demonic Pixie?" Emmett asked, using our nickname for Alice.
"Yep" I sighed, grateful for the glass of water he pushed my way.
"She get something on twin-o-vision?" He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"Yep" I sighed again, slumping further down in my seat.
"Good luck, Bro!" he patted my shoulder as he walked towards the door. "Don't forget we have Jasper, Ben and Mike coming over for poker night tonight!" he yelled back at me over his shoulder.
"Got it" I sighed, and waved silently at him as I collapsed my head down and rested it on the table. Lunch with Alice was going to be interesting. With that thought, I dragged myself to the shower to get ready for work.
Before I knew it, the morning had passed and my lunch date with Alice had arrived. I was wondering if I could fabricate a meeting to try and get out of it when Alice's unidentifiable ringtone rang out again. I really needed to do some research about that. I answered the call.
"Don't even think about skipping out on me today" she trilled before I had a chance to greet her.
"I'm on my way, I would never dream of skipping out on you Little Sis" I said, dryly.
"Okay good. I'll see you in five" and with that, she hung up.
I arrived at the café to find Alice at one of tables in the back, talking to a waitress while holding a menu in her hand. As I approached the table the waitress said "I'll be right back with your drinks" and walked away.
"You know I hate it when you order for me!" I kissed her cheek before sliding into the chair opposite her.
"I know you do" she said sweetly, "and that's why I do it, now quit stalling and tell me about the mystery girl you should be talking to but aren't."
I reluctantly told her about seeing the Running Girl, how I had looked for her the following day, and how I was planning to look for her tomorrow. I also told her about how, even without talking to her, she had evoked more feelings in me those past mornings that my past seven month relationship with Charlotte had.
Alice raised an eyebrow. "I am hoping when you say 'evoked feelings' we are not only talking about feeling in your trousers?"
I spluttered on the sip of coke I had taken before assuring her that while there was some evoking going on in my trousers, that this was not the only place.
She reached over to clasp my hand. "I'm so glad, Edward" she whispered before sitting up straight and looking at me expectantly. "So, what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to talk to her" I said quietly, "just when it feels right."
I looked up to see Alice looking at me disapprovingly.
"Soon!" I promised.
"Well, you better" she said, sternly. "Because if she is going to be as important to you as I think she is, you better take action or the universe will intervene and do it for you" she said ominously.
I just shook my head, laughed a little and finished the rest of my lunch.
###
Almost three weeks later I had finally built up the courage to talk to the mystery girl. Well actually, not talk just yet - but make contact, of some description.
Yes, this morning I was going to give her the 'good morning' head-nod. You know the one, that runners give to other runners - that little head-nod of recognition. This was how I was going to play it nice and slow. A head-nod for a few mornings, before moving into a 'hello', then maybe a passing comment.
I was going to ease gently into it and hope she was receptive. The coward's way to hit on a girl. I knew I should just grow a pair of balls and talk to her, but I couldn't, she was just too important to fuck this up. As I turned the corner that would take me to the park, I felt my hands get all sweaty and my heart speed up. I tried to tell myself it was my increased pace that caused this but I knew it was the prospect of giving Running Girl a head-nod. Fuck I was pathetic.
Fuck. I had it bad. Pull yourself together, Cullen.
I pictured Emmett giving me a pep talk like he did when I trained with him. Emmett was a personal trainer and on the days I didn't run, I trained with him. I took a deep breath and tried to picture what he would say.
"Come on Eddie, you know you got this. You own this. It's all you brother, you are a smooth fucker and you can do this. Make me proud little bro." A small smile crossed my lips as I pictured him saying just that, followed by an ass-slap of encouragement.
I was so wrapped up in giving myself an Emmett-style pep talk that I was no longer paying attention to where I was going. This was highlighted when, a few seconds later, I was lying on the ground with the wind knocked out of me, my arms filled with something soft and warm and my vision obscured by hair. Long brown strawberry-smelling hair.
Please please please, let the person on top of me be Running Girl. Whoever it was, I was enjoying the sensory overload I was experiencing way too much. The smell of strawberry mixed with vanilla, the soft body moulding to my own and the sound of the White Stripes. I shut my eyes, inhaled as best I could with someone on top of me and groaned a little. Fuck, this was heaven.
"Well, fuck me sideways. I usually make a guy buy me dinner before getting into this position." The body on top of me giggled before attempting to untangle herself from me and get up.
"Ow, I'm stuck!" she winced as her hair got caught somehow on me, stopping her from moving any further. I looked down to where her hair was stuck to the Velcro on my stupid broken iPhone armband. The armband that now no longer held my iPhone. I untangled her hair as quickly and gently as I could.
"There you go, you're free, you can get up now" I said. She pulled back from me, rubbing her head where her hair had pulled, slowly looked at me - her eyes locking with mine.
"Holy shit" she breathed, "it's you". Her hand floated up to cover her mouth as she spoke.
I sat there, still tangled in her legs, a little unsure of how to react to this. Did she mean 'holy shit - it's you, you big psycho stalker'? Or 'holy shit - it's you, you strange geeky looking guy'. Or could she possibly mean what I desperately hoped, she meant – 'holy shit it's you, the guy I've been noticing every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for the last three weeks.'
I cleared my throat and said the first thing that popped into my head. "Yep it's me."
She laughed a little self-conscious laugh before shaking her head, looking down and noticing - as if for the first time - that she was still sitting half on top of me and we were in the middle of the park.
"Oh goodness!" she stammered, as she realised how she was sitting before scrambling in an effort to get up. I tried to get to my feet and realised that we were tangled by more than just limbs. My phone had fallen out of the stupid broken armband. I was still wearing one of my ear buds but the other one had somehow become wound around her necklace. Since I had the remainder of the cord threaded up through the neck of my shirt, it meant that she was heading nowhere fast.
I was sure we must have looked like a comedy show, with her pulling one way and us springing back together, only to untangle and try to pull away again to discover yet another place we were stuck.
I quickly pulled my ear buds free from my t-shirt and handed them to her to untangle from her necklace. While she was doing that, I leaned back on my hands and took the opportunity to look at her while she was busy. The same pink and white running shoes, black leggings and black long sleeved top - only the t-shirt was different. It was pink with a picture printed on the front, but I couldn't tell what. She had a look of concentration on her face as she tucked her chin into her chest to try and see what she was doing.
After a few seconds I realised that she couldn't actually see what she was doing.
"May I?" I offered, gesturing to the tangle of my ear buds in her necklace. By the looks of it, she had made the knot worse with her blind fumbling.
"Thanks, that would be great. I'm feeling around like a blind man in the dark here!" she laughed. I inched closer to her and gently unwound the cord from her necklace. It was a silver chain with a round pendant. As I was unwinding, I noticed some words in cursive script on the pendant. What if the Hokey Tokey is what it's all about? I laughed.
She glanced down and saw that I had the pendant in my hand and giggled. "My friend Rose gave it to me. She said she saw it and thought it would be something that I would find amusing."
We stared at each other, not speaking, before the connection was broken by a yappy little dog running up to us and barking. I reluctantly tore my gaze away as she turned to look at the dog.
"Princess, come here this instant!" a harassed woman in a purple tracksuit yelled out, walking towards us with another two dogs on leashes in tow. "Sorry about that kids" she called as she got closer. "Princess is such a naughty girl!" with a wave, she walked away, leaving me with Running Girl.
I looked back to her and saw clearly what she had on her t-shirt. There was a picture of a guy in 80's style clothing and underneath were the words 'I heart Jake Ryan, - Sixteen Candles' I looked back up to her face. She couldn't have been much order than early 20's, which would have meant she wasn't even alive when that movie came out. I looked back to her shirt and her gaze followed mine.
Her hands came up to cover the picture of Jake and she laughed. "Another present from Rose, we are huge John Hughes fans, and Sixteen Candles is one of my favourites" she admitted sheepishly.
"You would get along brilliantly with my sister Alice then!" I said, grinning. "She has the whole John Hughes 80's DVD collection. Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off…" I trailed off. a little embarrassed.
"Seems like your sister isn't the only one who's a fan" she teased.
"What can I say? The man is a directorial genius. With his non-linear montages and strong emphasis on pop songs and music cues, what's not to love?" I grinned at her.
I stared at her for an instant longer before I caught sight of the time on her watch. 7.38am. "Shit, I have to run. I've got an early meeting and I need to sort stuff out."
I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, typically. The one day I can't be late I literally run into the girl of my dreams.
She glanced at her watch. "I really should get going too" she stammered weakly.
I realised that my early meeting had sounded like an excuse to leave. "I really wish I could talk to you a bit longer, maybe grab a coffee or something." I went to go on but she stopped me with a hand.
"Look, its fine. I understand, sorry about knocking you over."
And with that, she reached down and scooped up both our iPhones, handed me one, turned on her heel and started to jog away.
Almost as an afterthought, she looked back over her shoulder. "You felt like everything I was hoping you would." With a sexy little wink, she was gone.
I stood there for a few moments, wondering what had exactly gone down and how the fuck I messed it up so badly. I looked down at my watch, I was really going to be late if I didn't hustle. With a sigh and one last look in Running Girl's direction, I turned and ran home.
It was only as I waited for the elevator to my apartment that I realised I had never gotten her name.
###
"Oh my god Rose!" I shrieked as I burst into the apartment and slammed the door. "I talked to Fuckhot Running God today!" I ran through the apartment looking for her. "Where are you?" I screamed in frustration.
"You what?" she screeched as she tore out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her and a bottle of moisturiser in her hand.
"I, Bella Marie Swan, actually spoke to Fuckhot Running God today!" I said, a huge smile on my face.
We both screamed and did that giggling jumping dance-around-in-a-circle thing that girls tend to do.
"Tell me everything!" she led me to the table to sit down.
I was greeted by the clock on the wall. "Shit! I really need a shower and we're running out of time before work. Give me ten to shower and dress, and I will tell you all on the walk to get coffee."
"Done" she confirmed with a nod, and we both ran to finish getting ready in time.
###
Fifteen minutes later, we were walking downtown towards our favourite coffee place. I was just getting to the part where I had thrown him that suggestive comment and wink, when one of my all time favourite songs started to play.
This is a love song to John and Leisha's mother But it's you that I love
This isn't easy
I might not write another
And it's more than what it might be
But I knew this was love
And it's you that I love
And it's love not given lightly
"Is 'Not Given Lightly' by Chris Knox coming from you?" I asked Rose as we entered the coffee shop.
"Nope not me" she replied, "my ringtone at the moment is Pink." I didn't think anything more of it as we joined the line.
The song stopped and we moved forward. A few minutes later it started again.
This is a love song to John and Leisha's mother But it's you that I love
This isn't easy
I might not write another
And it's more than what it might be
But I knew this was love
And it's you that I love
And it's love not given lightly
Rose and I shot each other strange looks. "I think it's coming from your bag Bella" she whispered loudly to me.
"It can't be," I replied as I rummaged through my bag to check. "My ringtone is Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes." The song stopped again typically just as I pulled my phone out.
At least I thought it was my phone. I turned the iPhone over in my hand. It looked like mine, it had the same cover and was equally as battered, but when I looked closer I realised it wasn't mine.
"Holy shit!" I breathed. "This is Fuckhot Running God's iPhone."
Rose and I looked at each other in panic as the phone started to play Not Given Lightly again.
This is a love song to John and Leisha's mother
This isn't easy
I might not write another I looked at the screen.
Demonic Pixie – mobile
"What should I do?" I asked in a panicked voice, as the dulcet tones of Chris Knox floated around us.
But it's you that I love
And it's true that I love
And it's more than what it might be
But I knew this was love
And it's you that I love
And it's love not given lightly
Rose looked at me with an 'uh duh' expression on her face. "Answer it."
So I did. "Hello?" I asked in a near whisper.
"Hi!" the voice on the other end chirped at me. "Now, I know you're not Edward, so tell me who you are and exactly why you have his phone, please" she said cheerily.
"I'm Bella" I stammered. "I think – no - I know, that I must have picked up the wrong phone when we collided the morning."
"Hmm… interesting" Demonic Pixie said thoughtfully.
"Who exactly are you?" I asked in a voice that sounded more confident than I felt. 'Please let it not be his girlfriend' I prayed - but then, why would he call his girlfriend 'Demonic Pixie?'
"Oh sorry!" the Pixie trilled. "He has me listed as Demonic Pixie doesn't he?" before I could answer, she continued. "I'm Alice, his sister. His twin sister."
Praise Be, there is a God. "His sister, not his girlfriend" I whispered to Rose, breathing a sigh of relief. Alice must have heard as she started to giggle.
"Now Bella, the funny thing is, I'm going to be meeting Edward at the Green Turtle café downtown for lunch today. Do you know it?"
"Uh, yeah" I replied, not really sure where she was heading with this.
"I think it would be a real blast if you met us for lunch there, if only to swap phones."
Shit. Of all the days to have this happen, it had to be the day I had fucking scheduled a gynaecologist appointment for my lunch hour. I had been putting it off for months and finally, after my fourth 'gentle reminder' phone call I had made an appointment. I knew I had to keep it as it was the second time I had cancelled.
Dr Denali's waiting list was so long that they had a strict 'three strikes and you're out' policy. There was no way I was losing her, she was the best gynaecologist in the city. But there was no way I was telling Fuckhot Running God's sister this.
"As much as I'd love to, I can't, sorry. I have an uncancellable appointment this lunch hour. Maybe if you give me his number, I can call him to make a time."
"Don't worry, Bella. I'll text you Edward's home address and let him know at lunch today that you'll drop it off tonight."
"How do you know that I'm not a psycho stalker who wants to chop him into little pieces and bury the evidence?" I rambled. Rose raised her eyebrows at me as she handed me the coffee she had ordered and paid for while I had been talking to Alice.
"Just trust me, Bella. I know you are not a body chopping up psycho stalker. I also know that you and my brother are going to be great together."
I just stood there, more than a little stunned.
"Oh, and Bella?" she said, almost as an afterthought. "Do you have pink and white running shoes?"
"Uh, yeah I do" I replied slowly, "why do you ask?"
"I just wanted to make sure I had the right girl before I imparted this piece of information."
"What information?" I was really curious now.
"Well, firstly - Edward is single. Secondly - he has spent the last three weeks running the same days you do in the park, trying to get up enough courage to talk to you."
I gasped.
"But you didn't hear it from me! Bye, Bella! See you soon." And with that, she was gone.
"Holy shit" I said as I put the phone back in my bag. "Demonic Pixie is Alice, Edward's sister."
"Who's Edward?" Rose looked a little confused.
"Fuckhot Running God" I replied.
"You have Fuckhot Running God's iPhone! Rose squealed.
"Not only that," I replied, "but I have the phone of the same Fuckhot Running God who had changed his running routine to see me every day in the park, and has also spent the last three weeks trying to get up enough courage to talk to me."
We both stopped walking and turned to look at each other. Not caring about what the other people around us thought, we did a little circle-jumping-squee-dance on the footpath.
###
That night, as I followed the instructions that Alice had text me to Edward's apartment, I had a swarm of butterflies performing Riverdance in my belly.
True to her word, Alice had spoken to Edward at lunch and we had arranged through Alice to meet as his place at 7pm. It wasn't until I was standing in the lobby of his building that I realised that I could have just called Edward directly.
After a bit of snooping in his phone, I knew a bit about him. I knew where he worked, which gym he trained in and that he had an older brother whose ringtone was the 'GI Joe' theme song.
His phone had been ringing and chirping all morning with calls and texts. Each time it did, I had a glance to see who it was before experiencing a pang of disappointment when it wasn't Edward before ignoring the call. I'm not going to say I was a little perplexed that Edward hadn't called, but when a text from Alice came through just after 1pm I was overjoyed.
The elevator doors to Edward's floor slid open and I turned down the corridor towards his apartment. The closer I got to his door, the more erratic the butterflies got and I had to take a steadying breath before I knocked.
A few moments later, the door swung open and Edward was standing before me in jeans and not much else. From his wet hair and the towel in his hand, he had obviously just taken a shower. My eyes lowered as I noticed his jeans were zipped but not fastened. I knew I was standing there with my mouth open, but he was so hot I was lost for words.
"It's you" he said, when he recovered enough to talk.
"Yep, it's me" I said, echoing his words from this morning. With that I launched myself at him.
I wound my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his. After his initial surprise he responded eagerly. Our tentative shy kiss deepened and I could feel his hot tongue probing into my mouth, causing me to moan. I let my hands roam over the smooth expanse of his naked torso as if committing the lines to memory.
His mouth moved to my neck, nipping and teasing along my jaw and up towards my ear.
"Oh fuck, that feels so good" I moaned. It was if the sound of my voice caused him to see some sense and he pulled away.
"I don't even know your name" he said, while running his hand through his damp hair, taking another step back as if to further assess the situation.
"I'm Bella, Bella Swan, and I have your iPhone. Alice rang it this morning, and when I answered she said we arranged that I would drop it off to you."
"Alice, that bloody meddling demonic pixie" he mumbled under his breath.
I was having second thoughts about launching myself at him now. I thought we had shared a moment in the park this morning, but now with the hesitation written very clearly on his face I was second guessing myself.
"I'm sorry about before" I said, the blush no doubt creeping up my cheeks. "I guess we should just swap back phones and I will let you get back to the rest of your night." I pulled his phone out of my bag and held it out to him.
He wordlessly turned and fished my phone out of the suit jacket that was draped over the entrance way table. "Uh, sorry the battery is dead" he murmured.
"That's ok" I said, not meeting his gaze. "It was nice to meet you, Edward." I looked up to take in his perfect features one last time. With that, I turned on my heel and headed back to the elevator.
Thankfully, the elevator came within seconds of pushing the button so I was saved the embarrassment of having to wait in Edward's hallway. I walked into the elevator and pushed the button for the lobby as the doors slid quietly shut I allowed my head to drop and tears to fall.
###
As she turned and walked down the hall, I wondered what the fuck was I doing. The girl who had been haunting my dreams since I first laid eyes on her had just turned up at my apartment and kissed me, and I had done nothing.
Was I fucking crazy? Before I let the beautiful Bella walk out of my life forever I strode down the hallway towards the elevator, just as the doors were closing. I threw my arm out to keep the doors from fully closing and pushed my way into the elevator.
Bella's head snapped up at the sound, allowing me to get a good look at her face. Were those tears? Fuck, I was an asshole. Without giving it a second thought, I gathered her into my arms and carried her out of the elevator and back towards my apartment. I her gasp as she realised my intentions.
"Bella, I am so, so sorry" I murmured into her hair. "I was in shock over you just turning up at my door, it was like all my dreams had come true. In case you didn't work it out, Alice didn't tell me you were coming. I was expecting it to be her boyfriend Jasper, and when it was you I couldn't think straight." I knew I was rambling, but I had to make things OK.
"I wish I could've done things differently. Please let me make it up to you." I was still holding her, so I gently set her down on her feet, allowing her to look up at me. "Do you forgive me for being an idiot? Give me another chance?" I pleaded, flashing her a small smile.
"OK" she said, all traces of her tears gone. "I'll give you another chance." With that, she walked out to the hallway and shut the door behind her. I stood there, a little dumfounded, and then I heard a knock.
I opened the door and Bella was standing there as though the past five minutes had never happened. Then the penny dropped.
"It's you" I said.
"Yep, it's me" she replied, a big grin spreading over her face. "My name is Bella, I accidently got your iPhone this morning. I also want you to know that I've wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you a few weeks ago, running in the park."
My mouth dropped open at her admission and she winked at me. I recovered quickly. "Hi Bella, I'm Edward and I accidently have your iPhone. I've wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you too, three weeks ago." I couldn't resist any longer. I launched myself at her.
Kissing her was like coming home. She was everything I ever wanted and I couldn't get enough. Without breaking the kiss, I scooped her up again and carried her into the apartment, kicking the door shut. I carried her into my room and set her down on her feet.
I scooped her hair away from her neck and kissed gently like I had before. Again, that same moan escaped from her lips. My cock instantly hardened and I knew I had to have her, right now. I stepped back enough to unhook her handbag from her shoulder and drop it gently to the floor before pulling her shirt up and over her head, exposing her breasts. Fuck me, they were amazing. Many a time I had admired them through the quirky shirts that she wore running but seeing them in the flesh took my appreciation to a whole other level. Before I could even attempt to undo her bra she had reached behind her, unhooked it and slipped it down her arms before throwing it to join her shirt on the floor.
A small hiss of breath escaped my teeth. "Fuck me, Bella."
"Oh I plan to, Edward, I plan to…" her voice was husky as she reached for the zipper on the side of her skirt. Without breaking eye contact, we stripped out of the rest of our clothes and came together, a mass of frantic lips and tangled limbs. I pulled her leg up over my hip to press her centre against my hard cock, eliciting another moan from her.
"Oh Edward, that feels amazing." I reluctantly dropped her leg and slowly walked her backwards towards the bed, my lips on hers and my hand cupped around her perfect breast.
Her knees hit the bed and I gently lowered her down, lying on top of her, being careful to support my weight on my elbows. I kissed down her neck, reluctantly removing my hand from her breast only to replace it with my mouth. Her hands instantly went to my hair, scratching my scalp gently and tugging on my hair. I let out a small moan around her nipple.
"Is that OK?" she asked, concerned.
"It feels amazing" I said, as I switched to her other nipple, licking and sucking it to a hard point. I could feel her hips grinding up against me, not quite able to get exactly what she needed.
"Edward please, I need…" she moaned.
"What do you need Baby?" I asked, around her nipple.
"I need… I need your mouth on me, please, please can you go down on me?"
"Whatever you need, Baby" I started to slowly but eagerly kiss my way down her belly. She spread her thighs eagerly, and all but pushed my face between her thighs.
"I've been dreaming about this since that first time I saw you running around the fountain in the park" she said breathlessly. "You raked your fingers through your hair, and all I could think of was those fingers thrusting inside me and playing with my clit. You have been my number one fantasy while I've been pleasuring myself lately" she moaned.
Oh my fucking god. She had been thinking of me while touching herself. Fuck, that was hot. She needed to know how much what she was saying was affecting me.
"Bloody hell Bella, that is - without a doubt - the hottest thing that I've ever heard. Just in case you were wondering, you've been my number one fantasy too. Now stop distracting me and please let me get back to the task at hand" I lowered my head back down to start kissing her thigh.
I gently parted her folds and gave a long, slow, lick. Her hips arched off the bed, straining to get closer to my mouth. Rather than teasing her, I decided to just dive right in. I gave gentle licks to her clit, increasing the speed as her moans and sighs increased in tempo and intensity. She had hardly touched me and I was already rock hard and ready to go. I was so eager to get inside her.
As she began to moan louder, her hands slid back to my head and she alternated between tugging my hair and pushing my face further in. I freed a hand and slid my fingers up to her slick entrance, sliding up and down a few times before sliding a finger deep inside her. She groaned in satisfaction before gripping my hair tightly.
"More, Baby. I need more…" she moaned. I obliged immediately, and slid another finger in, she moaned in appreciation. I worked her clit furiously with my tongue while slowly pumping my fingers into her.
"Oh god, Edward that feels so good, I am so close, please keep doing that, don't ever stop." Her hips arched off the bed to meet my thrusts. I flicked my tongue as fast as I was able, at the same time pushing my fingers deeply into her and hooking them around to touch her g-spot. That seemed to do the trick as I felt her clench around me, her wetness increase as well as hearing a low moan escaping from her lips. I continued to gently lap at her clit as she came down the other side.
"Mmmmm Edward, that was amazing" she practically purred. "Now come up here and let me see if that cock of yours is as talented as your fingers are."
Not wanting to keep her waiting, and not able to hold off any longer, I slid back up the bed towards her. As soon as I was within range she pulled me up to her face and kissed me.
"Oh my god, that was amazing. You surpassed all my fantasies, now please, I need your cock inside me now." I leaned over to the bedside table, grabbed a condom from my bedside table and quickly sheathed myself. I gave her a long kiss before she pulled me on top on her and wrapped her legs around me, effectively pulling me into her.
A deep moan escaped from both of us as my cock slowly sunk into her, I slid in effortlessly and every inch felt amazing. "Oh my god" I growled into her ear in between kisses. "You feel like heaven."
She felt so amazing, I knew that I wasn't going to last very long so I needed to make this good for her, hoping she may just want to do it again. I sat up a little bit, pulling her hips onto my thighs, increasing the depth of penetration. Using one arm to support her body, I slid the other between us to caress her clit. She linked her ankles behind my back and began to meet me thrust for thrust.
I picked up the pace, of both my thrusting and the hand that was working her clit. "God, Bella you feel so amazing. I don't think I can last much longer, but I promise I'll make it up to you later."
"Just as long as you keep doing that, I don't really care" she moaned. "But I do expect you to make it up to me later, at least three more times…" she moaned again as I flicked her clit a little.
My movements were getting a little choppy and I knew all it would take was one small movement from her and it would be all over. I was concentrating on pleasing her and making sure she climaxed again so I wasn't really expecting what she did next. Her hand snaked up my chest to tweak my nipple and that was all it took.
As I continued to stroke her through my orgasm, I felt her clench around me again. I kept my fingers flying over her clit as she moaned out my name then collapsed underneath me, her body exhausted and sated.
I rolled off her, discarded the condom then pulled her tight into my body. She snuggled into my chest while pushing her damp hair out of her face.
"Edward, that was amazing. I know this sounds like a cheesy line, but it has never been like that for me before."
"I know exactly what you mean" I said as I peppered kisses over her brow. I was just about to ask if she was hungry and wanted to either order in or go out for something to eat when I was interrupted by the most annoying sound in the world.
This is a love song to John and Leisha's mother But it's you that I love
This isn't easy
I might not write another
And it's more than what it might be
But I knew this was love
And it's you that I love
And it's love not given lightly
"Alice" I sighed. "I'm sorry, I have to get this or she will just keep calling until I pick up."
"I know" she giggled, "I did have your phone all day. Actually do you mind if I answer it when she phones again?"
"Be my guest" I said. "By any chance, do you know the name of that song that is my ringtone?" She looked at me strangely.
"Uh, sure. It's 'Not Given Lightly' by Chris Knox."
"Great! Do you mind just dropping that somewhere in the conversation?"
This is a love song to John and Leisha's mother But it's you that I love
This isn't easy
I might not write another
And it's more than what it might be
But I knew this was love
And it's you that I love
And it's love not given lightly
###
"Hi Alice" I said, as I answered Edward's phone.
"Bella! What are you still doing with Edward's phone? I thought by now that you would have met up with him to swap back."
"Hmmm. Yes Alice, we have met up but the funny thing was he actually wasn't expecting me."
"Sorry about that, Bella. It kind of slipped my mind" she replied sweetly.
"Alice, I know that we've only spoken to each other on the phone, but I really like your brother and if he's keen, I'm pretty sure we are going to be seeing each other again."
I looked to Edward, who was nodding.
"Yep, Edward has confirmed we will be seeing each other. So, cut the bullshit and tell me the truth."
"Oh Bella, I think we'll get along just fine" she trilled. "Now, the reason I didn't tell you was 'cause you'll soon find out that Edward has a tendency to over think things, and in the long run, that's not a good thing. So, I'm sorry but I think you'll thank me, eventually."
"I'll have to get back to you on that" I replied, still a little annoyed but on my way to being placated.
"Well Bella, I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing and we will have to go out on a double date sometime soon."
"Sure Alice, that sounds great. I'll let you arrange it with Edward. Did you actually want to talk to him or did you just call to torment me?"
"It's no biggie, I just had the oddest feeling that Edward knew what the ringtone I put on his phone was."
"Oh yeah," I replied. "He did mention when you called the first time that the song was 'Not Given Lightly' by Chris Knox. Did you know that song was first released in New Zealand in 1990 and was actually a love song written for his partner Barbara? Did you also know that when Chris suffered a stroke in 2009 that it was a sad day and a great loss to the New Zealand music industry? Is that what you meant?" I asked sweetly.
Alice seemed to be at a loss for words and a quick glance at Edward revealed the same. Edward recovered first and rolled over towards me to take the phone out of my hand.
"Uh, Alice? we have to go now. Don't bother calling back for a few days." With that, he hung up.
He threw the phone onto the bedside table and rolled over to pin me onto the bed. "I think you're my perfect woman. Anyone who knows that much information about obscure bands and is that dynamite in bed is more that I could ever want. Now come here, I have something to make up to you from earlier. Since it's Saturday tomorrow and we don't have to get up for a run, we have some serious exercise to do."
I sighed as his lips covered mine. "I'm so glad you weren't watching where you were going this morning and that Alice is an interfering Demonic Pixie with some psychic abilities."
"Me too Bella," he chuckled throughout kisses, "me too."
###
A/N- Not Given Lightly is one of my favourite songs and it has sadly been ruined by being played on the Vogel's bread ad.
If you have never heard it, I totally recommend that you go onto Chris Knox's website (www dot chrisknox dot co dot nz) and buy or download the album 'Stroke'. It's a compilation of Chris Knox songs covered by other New Zealand artists and all the proceeds go towards assisting Chris with his recovery.
Please note I have used a bit of creative licence with the ring tone as this is taken from the middle not the start of the song.
As always, big love to my fab Fic-Bitch, TwiKiwi50, who spends hours even with a sore wrist primping my stories. Big love also to Jaymes805 who proof read this fic and helped me convince TwiKiwi50 that the ending was ok. You ladies are rock stars xxx
I hope you enjoyed this fic and please review
Jul xxx