I paused at the edge of the water, my eyes drawn and held captive by the beauty of his form as he waited in the waist deep ocean. Warm waves lapped my toes, beckoning me forward down the bright path cast by the moon. The viscous, silken water felt almost alive as I waded into the moonlight, climbing my bare legs, laving higher and higher with each step. When I reached his side I paused; my heart sped and my breathing became quick and shallow as a wave of shyness overtook me.
He pulled me close and caressed my cheek with fingers warmed by the sunshine stored in the sea. "So beautiful..." he whispered. I glanced up at his perfect face and all hesitation disappeared. The look in his eyes, glowing with a silvern sheen, swept away all traces of timidity with a swell of joy so great I felt my heart might burst from it.
His fingers drifted down from my face, over my shoulder and chest, leaving a tingling glow in their wake, following a path he had never before allowed himself to take as he softly traced inwardly spiraling circles on my breast. I sensed his delight in the feel of my skin as he then cupped it, smiling as my nipple hardened even more against his palm.
I shivered and goose bumps spread across my flesh when his thumb teased the tip, his touch so light it was scarcely more than air brushing over it. I groaned as a thrill of expectation ran through me; my knees went weak and I had to lean against him for support. A spasm of pleasure gripped my midsection, and I wanted to feel him, all of him, around me, and in me; I pressed our bodies together, front to front, for the first time free of barriers, free of inhibitions, I was ready, so ready...my heart was no longer racing, it was pounding out a steady rhythm that I could see him listening to, and it added to rush.
I smiled up into his eyes, loving the look of adoration on his face...then...as our bodies connected, I felt it, poking against my stomach, huge and hard, and very warm! It seemed to have absorbed more than its share of heat from the sun bathed ocean.
I gasped and stepped back looking down into the water between us, startled. "Oh, wow!" I said, glancing up, only to immediately regret my response. There was such misery on his beautiful face, I wanted to kick myself; I knew how skittish he was about the consummation of our vows before changing me, determined to regard me as though fragile as china teacup. But, I had not expected it to be such a...presence.
He turned away, bowing his head and clenching his hands into fists and became stone; white, hard marble rising from the sea, a carving of a god left from Atlantis.
I waited, frantic with fear that I had ruined our wedding night with my thoughtless reaction. Had I not been watching so closely, I would have missed the quiver that ran over him. The realization that he was fighting the urge to do exactly what I so desperately wanted him to do, spurred me forward and I slid my arms around his waist, allowing my hands to enjoy the exploration of his satin-smooth flesh as he had enjoyed mine.
I felt him stiffen. "Bella," he said, his voice more harsh than I thought possible for him, "You probably don't want to touch me right now, because I'm having a very difficult time controlling myself, and I don't want to hurt you."
"I don't want you to control yourself, and you aren't going to hurt me!" I was almost snippy with frustration. Why could he not see how much I wanted this? I let my wandering hands drop lower, anxious now to see if the picture I had in my mind was right, or if there had been a magnification caused by some refraction of light.
"Bella!" he practically shouted, grabbing my hands. He continued, his voice calmer now, but still hoarse, "I saw the look on your face, you aren't ready for this, and I can only take so much!"
I swam around in front of him, laying my hands on his muscular chest. "I am ready...you have no idea how much I want you!"
"But, you..."
"I was just surprised," I interrupted him to explain, "I didn't expect it to be so...much!" I could not resist the desire to touch him, but I paused, looking into his eyes, willing him to see my need. "Is it Okay if I touch you?" I asked, softly, "I want to get acquainted, you know, so I'll know what to expect."
As I saw his expression smoothing out I grinned to let him know I was not freaked, at all. "It's not going to get any bigger, is it?" I teased.
He laughed, and I felt tears of relief sting my eyes. "No, I don't think so," he said, running his hand through his hair, one of my favorite of his little gestures. My fingers itched to follow his, but there were other things I wanted to explore, even more.
"Good, that's good!" I nodded my approval and he laughed, again.
For a moment my curiosity got the better of me. "Is it," I hesitated, blushing as my boldness deserted me.
"What?" he prompted.
"Is that what human men look like?"
"More or less.." He grinned. "I haven't made a study or anything..."
"I don't plan to, either," I assured him, "I was just curious." I chuckled and allowed my fingers to resume their 'get acquainted' journey over his steely flesh, eager to reach their destination.
"I should think not!" He sidetracked my questing hands when he pulled me against him and laid his face against my hair, whispering, "Are you sure, Bella? Completely sure? Because..."
I stopped his words with my fingers, then with my lips, savoring the taste and his intoxicating scent. "Yes," I assured him, keeping my lips on his, "I'm more sure of that than anything else, ever in my life. If you don't take me up to that big white bed and make love to me, right now, I just might explode! And you wouldn't want that on your conscience, would you?"
"No," he said, sweeping me up in his arms, laughing against my mouth, "we definitely don't want any explosions on Isle Esme!" He pulled back to wiggle his eyebrows at me and made a lascivious face. "At least, not that kind of explosion, anyway."
I laughed and pulled him, unresisting, back to my lips.
His kisses continued, lingering, savoring, and oh so sweet, as he carried me effortlessly up the beach, straight to the shower, where we rinsed off the salty seawater and toweled each other dry.
I giggled when, moving with inhuman speed, he grabbed me and took me to the bed, giddy with the knowledge that he was as eager as I for what was to come.
He placed me gently in the center of the white coverlet and stepped back to regard me with such profound adoration it took my breath and left me feeling cherished beyond measure. I knew that I would treasure forever the memory of his face at that moment.
He came to me and I took him into my arms, running my hands over his smooth, hard flesh, cooled slightly now without the heat of the ocean, but warming once more to my touch.
The obvious pleasure he found in touching and tasting me excited me to such a fever pitch I felt as though I might combust.
My nipples were aching for his touch, my breasts felt full and heavy as he trailed soft kisses from my lips all the way down and around them, so ready for it, that when it came, the flick of his tongue shot a jolt of pure pleasure through me, a straight line to my core. I whimpered and squirmed with desire as he took his time, giving both the attention they craved.
I was briefly disappointed when he moved his lips down to follow the path his fingers had been tracing; lightly stroking from my knee up over my stomach and back down the other side. But then, as he kissed and nibbled, my thighs parted and my hips rose up to meet his questing tongue of their own accord.
I could not believe that I could be more ready, but as his tongue slid in and circled the center of my being I could feel myself flooding with moisture. I stiffened and cried out in ecstasy as he continued, murmuring against me... "Mmmmm," He laughed, the enchanting laugh I fell in love with, whispering, "It's a good thing I didn't know exactly how good this was going to be, or I'd have never been able to wait!"
"No, you were right, it was definitely worth waiting for," I panted, pulling him up to lay on top of me, loving the way it felt as he carefully settled his weight along my length. This would forever more be my favorite place in the universe, underneath Edward. "I don't think I can take much more, if you keep doing...that, I think I might die, my heart will just...stop. I'm ready, I want you...in me." I whispered into his ear, smiling as I felt him shiver in response.
"I could tell you're ready," He informed me, and kissed my nose.
"Well, then, give it to me!" I demanded, spreading my legs. Astonished at my own boldness, I clutched his hips and showed him the way.
He entered, stretching me strong and steady, like the slow, sweet pull of a bow across the perfectly tuned strings of a violin; my entire body resonated at his touch. I felt as though we must be giving off light, so much heat could not be contained in darkness.
I felt one sharp stab of pain, and I winced, but it was gone before I even had time to cry out. Always so sensitive, so aware of my responses, he struggled to pull back, to let me set the pace. My hips invited, then insisted, arching to drive him deeper.
Abruptly he stiffened and stopped moving, laying his chin on top of my head.
"Why did you stop? Don't stop!" I cried out; impatient for more, thrusting my hips against him.
He groaned, a sound filled with so much anguish, I was, for a moment, distracted from my body's urgent demand for his touch.
Then he began moving again, stroking powerfully, thrusting deep and hard, driving every last thought from my head as I rose to take him, mindless with sensation. I felt something building, something so intense I was afraid I might not survive the pleasure of it, and when it exploded through me in wave after wave, I wasn't sure my heart wouldn't stop, but I didn't care, I was lost to the world. Nothing could have prepared me for the delicious sensations flowing from between my legs, spreading out in every direction, from the top of my head, to the tips of my fingers and toes. Every hair, every pore was electrified; I would not have been surprised to see sparks shooting out from my skin.
I was aware, and it was part of the pleasure, that Edward had found his release as well, and I collapsed back against the pillows, completely enervated, unable to move. The only sound was the pounding of my heart.
After a moment, Edward moved to roll to the side, no doubt afraid of crushing me. I did not want that, ever. I wrapped my leaden arms him and held on, tight.
"Bella, I'm too heavy," he chided, kissing my neck.
"No, you're not! I like it under here." I told him. Miraculously, his kiss was stimulating the urge for more and I pulled my hair out of his way, relishing the feel of his cool lips on my overheated skin. "Oh, Edward, I didn't know, I had no idea, I mean, I knew it would be good but..." I didn't have any words that could convey my feelings. I settled for a warning: "You know, I'm going to want more of that, right away!"
He laughed, continuing to rain gentle kisses along my neck and chin "It's probably a good thing you're with a vampire, then, because, if I were human it would take me at least a week to recover from that!"
"But, since you're not human...?"
"Hmmmm, well, let's see, shall we?" he said, leaning down to claim my lips once more...
Hours later, after he had proven over and over that, oh yes, it was good to be a vampire, I drifted off, a silly smile plastered onto my face, permanently, I was sure. Just before sleep claimed me I thought I saw a downy cloud of white fluff floating in the air around us, then, I knew no more.