All characters and recogniseable items belong to their owners. I own nothing, except for the attention span of a small child, at best.
Blue Skies Grey
...
I dive like a mad woman into my oversized handbag and furrow down, deep into the depths of my portable life looking for the keys to my BMW. My husband rarely questions the prices of the items I consistently manage to drag through the front door; however he does question the sanity of my choices.
Edward doesn't understand the need for a bag almost more than half my size yet he never complains when I have my moisturiser on hand in situations where his skin dries up and needs a quick refresher.
Unlike many other guys I have known throughout my life, Edward is very high and mighty on self-maintenance. He just can't help himself. I guess it had been ingrained as a child from his parents; especially coming from the sorts of money his family did. He liked his suits pressed, his car polished and waxed and most of all, his daily grooming regimen.
If he hadn't married me and loved me like he did, I would swear that he was as gay as the couple across the road.
Jasper and Emmett were good people and I could admit to stealing several peeks when the big burly brunette kissed his lean blonde lover goodbye in the morning. It wasn't just a standard 'have a good day at work, honey' kiss but more of an 'I can't wait to fuck you when I get home' soul stealer.
Emmett was attractive and appeared to be the more masculine half of the pair. I had automatically assumed Jasper played the female role in their relationship. But my annoying brother had his own opinion, saying that sometimes it's just about two guys falling in love and making it work; that in most cases gay couples didn't have the usual male/female roles. He did however forget to mention that just because two guys were fucking, didn't mean they had ruled out the possibility of sleeping with women as well.
Total mind fuck.
Several dinners ago, Jasper had happened to notice my inquisitive glances from across the room and had slid down next to me in the leather recliner of their beautifully decorated home. I'd been amazed at the beautiful home from the beginning and often scolded myself for not having such a delicate decorating touch.
Dark oak floors were subtly covered in cream wool rugs, tall lamp shades skittered the corners and fresh orchids floated in and around the kitchen giving it a Japanese style look. The furniture was exquisite and cared for, the wood stained impeccably showing off the maker's great skill and ability to carve perfection from hard dead wood.
Our home was of course far beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of and it always felt like I was living in a hotel rather than an actual house. Edward's baby sister had got her pretty little manicured hands on the designs of the house before it had even been painted.
To my horror and eventual acceptance she'd managed to decorate it via correspondence from cross country by emailing threats to local furniture stores, contractors and design companies, along with a set of instructions and payment details. She was a midget with a credit card, and she was not afraid to use it. Not that Edward would ever deny his only sister.
"Ms Leah," Jasper had drawled close to my ear, sending shivers up and down my spine like tiny bolts of blue electricity sizzling over my skin. My hand shook ever so slightly when I felt Jasper close his hand over my champagne filled one. I had to consequently bite my lip in surprise and conceal a gasp, it was a Hell of a lot harder than I thought it to be, even in a room filled with chatter and clanking glasses.
Glancing across the room I had tried to locate Edward in an attempt to have him swoop in and save me with the hero husband routine, however the jerk was enjoying what seemed to be a deep conversation with Rachel Lahote, the new woman who had moved into town with her husband and three teenaged kids.
She was a tall Native American woman like myself, however she seemed so much more refined and eluded far more sexuality than I could ever pull off. Her low cut wrap dress with chiffon inseam seemed to instantly have all the male counterparts in the room drooling at her feet, the material leaving barely a strip for the imagination. I was surprised that her husband barely batted an eyelash at all the attention she was pulling in the room and I figured he must just be used to it happening all the time.
Looking at her made me even more self-conscious of my plain and boring business based style of dressing that I wore day in-day out.
"Are you ignoring me on purpose ma'am, or am I not trying hard enough?" Jasper questioned snapping me from my thoughts, breathing hot air down the collar of my purple blouse causing my skin to prickle.
Coming to the party had not been a good idea on my part. Emmett I could deal with; the bright and bubbly aspect of his personality appealing instantly to me. But Jasper - Jasper was a whole different can of 'sexual tension' worms.
Edward had insisted we attended the welcoming party for the Lahote's, which Emmett and Jasper so kindly decided to host, and had even promised to leave work at the office for a whole week instead of bringing it home to our home office which sat just off the living room. For his sanity - and mine - I had agreed to his proposal.
Edward knew I hated when he brought his case loads home though he did always try in earnest to free up his sparse time. Enough time at least for beautiful dinners and plenty of 'cuddle time.'
Jasper intimidated the fuck out of me. That much I was sure of. The way he looked at me ricocheted me back to junior high and made me feel like the lanky, awkward teenaged girl I'd tried so hard to conceal behind my work, my husband's status and the designer clothes his sister stuffed me into ever since we got married.
It was like Jasper and his grey blue eyes could see straight through me and into my honey pot of buried desires, deep secrets and dark fantasies. Into the secrets even Edward hadn't known about.
Taking the champagne glass from my hand he placed it against his lips and made quick work of the fruity drink, my eyes locking on to his throat to watch his Adams apple slide under his slightly tanned skin.
Did he somehow know how much I loved that feature on a man? Could he see my memories of nipping and licking my own husband's throat and enjoying it just as much as he did?
Glancing at the strawberry at the bottom of the glass he retrieved it with his long slender fingers and looked back toward me, his gaze resting on my lips rather than my eyes. The silk of my blouse rubbed against my lacy bra just enough to make me clench my thighs together in utter embarrassment.
I had never been an overly open person when it came to the opposite sex let alone sex itself, and I felt the slight blush cover my neck given the situation.
"You have beautiful lips, so luscious and full. I bet your husband enjoys them thoroughly," he commented, both stunning and mesmerising me at the same time. Out of all the things to say to me he chose an intimate compliment, probably knowing how nervous it would make me.
"Open," he commanded and before I could gather up some of my usual personality and tell him to go fuck himself.
He drew the moist strawberry across my bottom lip leaving the juices to stain. "Now bite it softly. I want to watch those lips move."
His words had hypnotised me so much my lips moved automatically and my tongue flicked to locate the tip of the fruit before my mouth wrapped around it, taking his fingertips into my mouth also. Sweet yet slightly sour tastes exploded in my mouth making me hyper aware that he was still staring at my lips.
The groan that escaped his lips spurred me on even more so and soon I found myself staring back at him as his fingers rested against my chin. "You sure are beautiful. Even my Emmett agrees. Do you think it's possible to dream of people before you even meet them?"
Swallowing the red seeded slice of heaven soon felt like an attempt at swallowing steel. My cheeks flushed brightly when Jasper spoke, he'd offered only a smirk and a wave to Emmett who sat on one of the black wooden stools, just barely paying attention to Rachel's husband Paul and Joe, the local free-lance accountant who also lived in the gated community with us.
Mortified with my behaviour involving someone who already had a significant other, myself included, I stood from the leather chair and hurriedly made my way to the bathroom, stopping for no one nor looking the other guests in the eye.
Locking the door and sitting on the lid of the toilet I ran my hands through the slices of black waves that had freed themselves from my tight up do. I couldn't believe that had actually happened. In a living room packed with other people - our neighbours - and our significant others only two feet away.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
"Honey?" A voice called from behind the white pine door, a series of knocks soon following to drown out the silence of the lavender scented bathroom. "Leah darling what's wrong, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just need a minute," I whisper shouted as I ran the tap and splashed a scoop of cold water over my face and neck. The hoarseness of my voice probably sounded as though I was hiding something; however it was mostly to do with my vocal chords tightening just like my lower stomach had when Jasper had laid his hand over mine.
I loved my husband; there was no question about that. But then why was another man affecting me so? Not even during our early years had there been any temptation from another man, yet here at thirty two years old I was filled with slithers of lust and hungry for the confident charm that Jasper was offering.
"You are not fine. Open the door before I have one of the boys bust it down," Edward scolded, rattling his side of the metal handle like an impatient three year old wanting to get outside and play.
Sighing, I opened the door without too much more thought. The threat of Edward going to fetch Jasper or Emmett had my heart threatening to go into cardiac arrest. Had Emmett seen his lover flirting with me like it was the most natural thing in the world? Had he seen his partners fingertips in my mouth, my discreet thigh clench?
Edward locked the door behind him as he stepped inside and reached for one of the neatly stacked piles of face washers sitting on the vanity shelf. Handing me the cream coloured cloth I smiled thankfully at my husband, and used the washer to pat away the remaining water that clung to my skin.
"What happened out there? One minute I saw you on the couch with Jasper, the next you were running up the hall," he asked as he gently rubbed my shoulders with his hands, a motion he'd used on countless occasions to settle my nerves.
"Did Jasper say something to you?" his normally bright green eyes turned dark and stormy, immoral thoughts no doubt filling his pretty little head.
"Its fine," I muttered, glancing back in the mirror to check my make-up. "Just a little too much champagne," I smiled sadly, meeting his eyes in the mirror.
God, I looked nothing like the little Lee-Lee that ran around the Quileute reservation as a child, wearing cut offs and baggy t-shirts to hide my newly formed body that puberty had given me.
Now I was Leah Cullen, married to the most promising lawyer in all of Washington. I was the Leah Cullen that paid ridiculous amounts of money for seats at charity events and that had the mayor on speed dial.
Well, on Edward's speed dial.
I was grown up and sexy, not the insecure little girl that hid behind her father when men began to take interest. Damn it, I wasn't a coward and Jasper Hale would not box me back in to a place I fought so hard to escape from.
"I'll take you home darling," Edward whispered, his fingers sliding across the silk of my blouse to tug at the pearl buttons.
"I'd like that," I grinned, turning toward him and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "You're not too tired are you?" I whispered, knowing that Edward had had such a tough week at work.
Cupping his face I let my palm dance over the stubble of his chin, loving the feel and wondering how, after so many years married, Edward could still captivate me so.
"Never," he drawled, kissing my strawberry stained lips and pulling me out of the bathroom.
"Looking for these?" my smug faced husband asks as he stands in the kitchen swaying my keys back and forth on his index finger and ultimately snapping me from the thoughts of the Lahote's welcome dinner party.
"You hid them from me didn't you?" I ask suspiciously as I step forward and hold out my hand.
Shaking his head deviously a smirk slides over his lips as he drops my keys in his left pocket, wiggling his eyebrows at me in an attempt to dare me to play his game.
If I wasn't in such a hurry to get to the surgery office I would indulge my husband, maybe even given him a blow job with his morning coffee, the way we used to, but I had early appointments that I couldn't reschedule.
"Nice try Mr Cullen," I exclaim as my hand slides into his grey pants pocket, "but I have Mrs Gerandy coming in at 9am so I have to get going."
I sigh as I glance at the clock. It is only just after eight but I still need to take the forty minute drive to other side of town with a stop at the dry cleaners on the way. Silk is a bitch to wash and I hadn't yet learned the art of hand washing, much to the dismay of my mother. Old habits died hard with Sue Clearwater and unfortunately for me, she was just as hard to get rid of, as the stains on my blouse were.
"Why don't you just have the maid drop off the laundry? That way we'll have a whole ten extra minutes to ourselves," he pleads against my neck with his lips, his hands making their own plea by wandering all over my ass.
"Rose is not a maid Edward," I frown, grasping my keys and pulling away to grab my bag from the bench. "She's a house helper. And we don't pay her enough to run around town for us."
Walking over and kissing Edward quickly, I am rewarded with a little growl before he pulls me back and shoves his tongue in my mouth.
Holding the back of my neck I try to squirm but Edward's tight embrace holds me to him. His tongue strokes and swirls over mine so intimately I am light headed when we both finally pull away.
"Now that's more like it," he croaks out while I lick my lips, certain that one day he was bound to chap them from his awesome kissing skills.
"You're impossible Mr Cullen." I mutter, fixing his bent tie and placing it back in his suit jacket.
"Yes, but you at least I'm your Mr Cullen," he smiles back, pressing his lips to my cheek before spinning me out from his arms.
As I reach the door, I check my wristwatch and smile again. I am still on time to get my daily fix of hot man on man action.
There had been several times, when Edward had gone away for business trips, that I'd thought about not only Jasper and Emmett kissing, but my husband joining in as well. As much as the couple across the road turned me on, the thought of my handsome copper haired husband kissing and eventually fucking one of them like he did me, made me weak at the knees and made my underwear damp as fuck.
The week Edward went to New York with the DA who was prosecuting a rich industrial investor for tax aversion and money laundering, I'd almost masturbated every night in our marital bed thinking about the fantasy encounter. I swear I'd rubbed my clit so hard, by the time Edward got back into town I was almost too sensitised to be with him.
Almost.
The week had also given me a chance to explore the world of gay porn - my only real link to the happenings that went on behind the door across the road. I hadn't liked the rough dirty, filthy sex that most of them had to offer at first, but after a few more looks – along with finding a few more intimate ones, with more kissing and conversation - I found that l liked it.
A lot.
Even the rough stuff became orgasmic.
"Morning Doc," Emmett shouts from across the road as he places the bin to the curb, giving me a quick wave and a beaming smile.
His soft brown hair blows in the morning breeze and dressed in his sleep wear and bare feet he looks so warm and cuddly like. As if he is made to be held or to hold back. Fuck, he looks nice.
"Morning," I smile back, placing my things in the car and walking to the curb as Emmett crosses the road. "What can I do for you Emmett?" I ask wondering what was up.
"Can't a man just speak to a beautiful woman like yourself without any hidden agendas?" he comments, wiggling his dark eyebrows in playful humour.
"Of course," I gulp; pressing my hands against my white blouse and adjusting the thin belt of my skirt, in what probably looks like the female version of a 'ball re-adjustment.'
"Oh shit, are those the new Louboutin's from the fall collection," he hollers, crouching down to closer inspect the black suede, red bottomed, polished heels on my feet.
"Oh... yes," I squeak like an over excited virgin, ready to get her tits squeezed for the first time. They are probably a little extravagant for work but I'd gotten more confident over the last few weeks.
I blamed Jasper.
"Edward's sister sent them from New York. I often wonder if Alice actually works half of the time or if she just spends her days in department stores."
Letting out an impressed whistle Emmett grins glancing down at my stocking covered legs. "Ah - the magical world of siblings. At least you get to benefit right? Those shoes must have cost a pretty penny."
"You follow fashion?" I ask dumbly, not really knowing if it was a gay thing or-
"It's Jasper's sister Victoria's influence really. She recently moved to California to take on some acting gig; some indie flick with hookers and cupcakes or something along those lines. Anyway, every year we get her wish list of birthday presents in the mail and for some reason those shoes are always on the list."
"Oh. I'm sure if I spoke to Alice she'd be able to find you a great deal," I laugh as a small pout forms on Emmett's full lips. Slowly all my muscles start to loosen and I don't feel the uptight tension I had first felt.
This is why I liked Emmett.
"I'll talk to Jasper first. I think he was thinking about doing up an old motorcycle for her. He muttered something about an original piece."
I nod remembering Jasper had offered to give Edward a hand in fixing his father's old Mercedes that had sat in our garage for the last five years. I was hoping Edward would agree to the offer but he'd only managed to agree without actually doing anything over the past six months. "Well if you're unsure I could always give you Alice's number. She makes her own little business out of finding hard to get items."
Before I can turn back and riffle through my bag for Alice's cute little business cards she'd made up, Emmett's hand closes over mine and stops me. "Actually," he breathes stepping closer and whispering into my ear, "Jasper and I really wanted... your number, since you seem pretty hard to get yourself."
Swallowing my heart which has leaped into my mouth I breathe jaggedly as I the pad of his thumb presses over the pulse point in my wrist like he is checking my vital signs.
"We know you're curious doc and its okay."
I shudder feeling his fingers lightly brush my hair away from my neck and back over my shoulder. My face is still turned, eyes blazing towards the car and away from his pleading face.
"We were so close to having you after the dinner party."
Gulping I turn back, both curious and dumbfounded. "Having me? I'm a married woman Emmett. What are you saying?"
Trying to get out from his grip is like trying to stop the Jaws of Life: absolutely impossible. He's strong and so sure of himself and I wonder if he is going to leave a bruise on my skin, being partially turned on at the idea.
"What I'm saying is, Doc... you and your husband should contemplate our offer. We think you're both absolutely gorgeous and would love to see where this could go."
"This?"
"This attraction between us. I swear you won't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with. Jasper gets home Wednesday so why don't you and Edward come by for dinner and we'll be able to explain it a little better? We could be beautiful, Leah."
"Just dinner?"
"If you want it that way, sure. Just dinner," Emmett nods, allowing me a small sincere smile.
Contemplating his offer for only a split second I bite my lip and whisper my reply, "Okay Emmett. We'll be there."
...
After Mrs Gerandy's appointment the day seems to fly past me. Patients both young and old come through the doors and by the time the front doors finally shut I find myself staying late to file extended reports about the increased rates of childhood asthma we were getting through the door. Either I am typing slower than usual or I am dreading going home and telling Edward about the conversation I'd had with Emmett that morning. Where to begin didn't even seem to cover it.
'Oh hi honey. We're having dinner across the road on Wednesday because I think the gay couple that lives there want to fuck me? Us? Oh no don't worry, they said we don't have to, if we don't want to. Of course there will be hors d'oeuvres.'
It was going to be one Hell of a conversation.
"Mrs Leah, I'm off," Tina the front receptionist and all around paperwork guru states from my door as she slips her red coat over her shoulders and ties an electric blue scarf around her neck.
"Alright, Tina. By the way, thank you for today. I really appreciate you coming in on such short notice," I sigh truthfully.
Having to call Tina on her days off is always ridiculous however my search for a suitable replacement staff member had been nothing but disappointing after one of the other girls moved cross continent. I'd had several people interview well for the position but when it came down to the crunch, none of them met my expectations. Tina was single-handedly staffing the whole clinic's front counter, a job originally reserved for three.
"That's no problem," she continues to drawl in her sweet Caribbean accent which I love to hear each morning. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to pick up the grand babies from dere mother's house. Seems that girl is all about the making but not about taking care of 'em."
"Of course, go. I'll see you tomorrow and I promise that when you put in for your next holiday, an extra week will be added on for all this trouble I've put you through. I feel so bad calling you at home, but between the patients and general duties its damn near impossible to have this place run without you."
"That's sweet of you to say child, but it's no hassle. Goodnight and don't stay too long. Wouldn't want that sexy husband of yours to be kept waiting."
"Edward's probably just working anyway," I sigh, signing off on the very last case report involving a three year old with suspected juvenile asthma, something which if treated correctly could be completely untraceable by the time the child reached ten years of age.
"Everything alright Mrs Leah, at home I mean. That boy ain't treating you right?"
"Of course he is. Edward is a very loving man, the best man I've ever known. He's just busy sometimes and he forgets about certain things."
"A husband too busy for his wife? It should be a crime. You go home to that man right now and you demand some attention Mrs Leah. A beautiful woman like you could snap up another man in a second. You best go home and remind him of such."
With a chuckle exchanged I wave Tina from the door and check my diary of patients for the following day. Other than Bob Dewing and his ever growing list of imaginary aches and pains it looked as though the day was going to be fairly slow.
By the time I make it home Edward is already working in his office and Rosalie is preparing a dessert dish.
"This smells great. I can't believe you find the time to - oh god, is that a pumpkin pie?" I grin, two steps away from jumping for joy as I sneak a peek through the glass covered oven. My grandmother had been a beautiful baker and just the smell alone brings back warm memories of cold mornings and hot homemade pies.
"I was down at the store and the pumpkins looked so good I thought I'd try out a recipe I found in the cupboard. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all, it smells like heaven in here. You'll have to teach me sometime." I reach for three plates and cutlery from the cupboard and set them down carefully on the island bench. Watching Rose pull the pie tin from the oven and slice the piping hot culinary delight into pieces has me just about salivating.
"Oh, by the way, are you still looking for full time work?" I ask, cutting off a mouthful with my fork and blowing on it to cool it down before I burn my mouth.
"I've been looking but it's so hard. With the economic shit and having next to no qualifications it's been pretty uneventful. So it's either this or some telemarketing scam which I'm not sure I have the guts to do. Swindling people out of their hard earned money just doesn't sit well with me," the young blonde explains taking a seat across from me.
"Have you thought about going back to modelling?" I ask, stopping to slip the cut piece into my mouth. Explosions of flavour burst inside my mouth and I feel warm inside knowing that the pie was not one of the store brought, frozen ones but a fresh, hot and real one.
"Urgh - too degrading," she replies as she waves me off, her own fork swirling in the air in exclamation.
"Well - I have a job opening at the clinic. It isn't much, just reception stuff and some filing, but it's permanent and it comes with benefits. There will be training and some courses you may have to do in regards to medical terminology standards, but – it's yours if you want it."
"Really?" she gasps holding a shaky hand over her mouth.
"The way I see it is - everyone who has looked promising on paper has let me down. So I figure, why not employ someone who is less experienced but isn't afraid of hard work. That - and you deserve to do something better than this. I mean, how exciting can vacuuming the floors around here be?"
"Well it is a nice house," she smiles, silently accepting my offer of employment without actually saying the words.
"It is," I nod back, groaning when my taste buds finally got a hold of the next fork full of pie.
AN - I've struggled with this story for months. It's killed me over and over again but I've got the jump on it now. I think. Whatever. That's not important. What is important is that I finally posted it. My shoulders already feel a little lighter...