A/N: Okay, so first of all, I have to say that this is my first time writing smut, so I'm sorry if it's not up to standard or something. I've written sex scenes before-inevitable when you're a writer, apparently. But smut?? Different matter. I hope this is good. And thanks for your reviews, I really appreciate them. P.S. This chapter is a little short because it's only ExB's first time, nothing else.

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. At least not in the real world…In fantasy, though, I've got my own room in the Cullen household.

Rating: M

Chapter 2: And Then We Become One

"I can't wait for us to be husband and wife," he whispered.

Our noses were so close, we were basically Eskimo kissing. I smiled up at him, and ran my nails lightly along the exposed skin of his neck. It is so hard for me to imagine that this amazing Adonis is all mine.

"Me, too."

Edward's eyes had darkened, I could see that even in the dark of the night. He scooted closer, closing the distance between us, and pressed his lips to mine. He was taking the initiative again. I wasn't going to complain. Who knew when his overprotective side would kick in again, and he would pull back? I didn't want to rush that. I'm taking all I could get.

Our tongues met again, in a wild frenzy of passion. I gasped into his mouth when he maneuvered us so that he was on top of me. I felt none of his weight, but I still felt the shiver running down his body.

He was a lot less restrictive tonight. I wonder why that is. I gasped again as he pressed down into me, his obvious arousal pressing into my thigh. I blinked, looking into his eyes. They were intense gold, almost going to black now.

I knew I should be afraid. I knew I should stop him, or fear if he had enough control.

But all I felt was safe, and happy, and warm.

And ready.

So I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to me, crushing my lips with his, pressing my body to his.

I was shaking, and I couldn't stop it. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was trying to control myself. I knew that if I continued behaving this way, Edward would think I was afraid and he would stop. Even when he lost control with me, he was still reserved. I probably should be thankful-his strength alone, if used to the maximum, would be enough to kill me. But I'm not. I want Edward. All of him. With me. All the time.

Still, this is my first time. If it were to progress that way. What more could a girl want right now? It had been the perfect night for us. And here we are, surrounded by candles, in our meadow-the one place we could truly be alone, might I add…The way I've been feeling lately, it's a wonder I haven't exploded.

I'm ready for this. Judging from the responses I'm drawing from him, he is too.

Edward pulled back, and I groaned. Why couldn't he just forget being traditional, and wanting to do this after marriage? For a vampire who's good at everything, he's pretty dense about this.

"Bella," he gasped, and my eyes fluttered open. His voice was rough. Was he alright? Oh, God. His eyes…They weren't black, the way they are whenever he's thirsty. They were the most striking shade of gold I've ever seen. Thank God I'm already on the ground because the desire I see in his eyes would have made me fallen over.

"Edward," I whispered. "Don't think. I want this. I want you. I love you," I reminded him.

Edward was breathing hard, drawing in oxygen he didn't need. He dropped his head to the crook of my neck, and I suppose he was trying to regain control of himself. I felt the hope in me getting dashed. So this was it for tonight. And when he's the usual, overprotective Edward with the annoying amount of self-control, he'll berate me for trying to seduce him.

I would have giggled, thinking of the first time he'd told me that, if our situation weren't so complicated at the moment.

Before I could say anything, I felt his cool lips touch the skin at my neck. He trailed a slow burn of kisses from my neck, to my throat, to my jaw line. He hovered above me when he reached my lips, leaving an inch of space between us. He looked into my eyes, his darkened eyes causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"I love you too, Bella."

And just like that, we begun.

His lips pressed very softly against mine, but I wanted more. This was controlled, not passionate like before. I wanted passion. I shifted so that I would be pressed into him once more, and ran my hands down his back.

I brought my hands to his front, and pushed his jacket from his shoulders. I was surprised when he didn't try to stop me. Instead, he helped me by shrugging the material off his arms. I was even more surprised when he allowed me to undo the buttons of his shirt. The only other time this had happened was when we were in his room, when he proposed to me.

I hope this wasn't his way of tricking me into another compromise where he was ultimately the winner.

He tossed the shirt out of the way as well. Then he brought his hands to the hem of my dress, and slowly lifted the garment up, his thumbs brushing the newly exposed skin as he went up.

I started to panic. Sure, I want this. But I didn't know what to do. I've never done this before, and though I knew he hadn't either, he's spent a century being a mind reader. He's seen things, maybe not intentionally, but he has. What have I ever done, or seen?

Absolutely nothing.

What if we were to do this, and Edward realizes that there's nothing remotely special about me? I know that our connection is more than just a physical one, but intimacy is important.

I knew I was starting to analyze this, to think, but I couldn't help myself. I was just about to stop him, to ask him, when he pulled back slightly and whispered the same words I had said to him moments before. "Don't think, Bella."

The dress was now above my thighs, above my hips, my stomach, my chest. He pulled it swiftly above my head, and threw it in the same direction his clothes had went. Pulling me up slightly, he pressed his lips to mine, and I felt his tongue pushing lightly against my lips. Eager to taste him the way I had at the restaurant, I opened my lips and my tongue met his. Wrapping his icy cold tongue with mine, I hardly even noticed that the rest of my clothes were gone.

"Edward," I whispered again, suddenly conscious. I made to wrap my arms around myself, but he shook his head, gently pushing until I was lying on my back again.

"You're beautiful, Bella."

He kissed me again, then moved down. His smooth, marble lips pressed soft kisses down my throat, lingering at my pulse point, between the valley of my breasts, down my navel. I gasped when I felt him at the heart of me, pressing sweet kisses there, his tongue probing me open just as he had with my lips just moments ago.

His hands ran up my inner thighs, rubbing circles, drawing eight figures…I was trying so hard not to lose control. He wasn't making this any easier.

When his mouth left my center and started upwards again, I didn't know if I felt more relieved or more disappointed. All I knew was that I felt like I could start sobbing right then and there. It was probably not the response he was looking for.

His lips crashed down on mine, and all rational thoughts flew out the window. With shaking hands, I reached for the buttons on his pants. I think I managed to undo one before Edward helped me.

If Edward had ever looked beautiful, it was nothing compared to him now. He was magnificent, ready, beautiful, and all just for me.

He leaned over me, and brushed a few strands of stray hair from my face. "You are beautiful, Bella," he whispered. I wanted to tell him that he'd said that already, but I couldn't. Speech wasn't an option at this point. He dropped his head a little and planted a little kiss on my shoulder blade. "Are you sure about this?"

Again, words failed me. Instead, I gave him a little smile which I hoped was reassuring, and nodded my head. Edward slid one hand behind my back, holding me to him, and cradled my head with the other.

And then he slid inside of me. I gasped, closing my eyes.

We were one.

I felt the trickle of a single tear running down the side of my cheek, and felt the icy tip of his finger brushing it away the next. When the pain subsided, I opened my eyes, and smiled at him, telling him it was okay to continue.

When he moved inside of me, everything else disappears. It was like nothing else existed. Just Edward and Bella. Bella and Edward. It didn't matter that we were different. It didn't matter that we're going against the odds.

It just mattered that we were together, moving together, as equals.

My eyes were open, as were his, as we moved. I wanted to see him, watch him. Ever so often he would lean down and kiss me, kiss me until I couldn't breathe anymore, and yet I craved to be even closer to him.

I felt the heat inside me pooling, more and more until it felt like I was catching fire, burning slowly from the inside. I started to shake again, but this time, it was good, I can tell. I wrapped my arms around his neck tighter, steadying myself with him, as I felt myself letting go. "Edward," I whispered against his shoulder.

I felt him let go, too, deep inside my womb. We rode the waves together, and came crashing down together.

When I could finally remember that I needed to breathe, I fell back on the blanket, trying to catch my breath. All I could breathe in, however, was Edward's sweet taste. As if it were firmly imprinted in my mind, I kept seeing us together, again and again, feeling it.

Edward, still inside of me, laid his head on my chest. He was listening to my heartbeat again, waiting for it slow down. His finger drew circles on the peak of my breasts, his other hand still trapped between the blanket and my back.

"I love you."

I didn't know if it was me who said it, or if it was him. I closed my eyes, intending to rest for a little while.

So was it a bad thing that I didn't know where I ended and he began? We were one, nothing else mattered?

"What? Did she actually say that?"

I cracked my eyes open a tiny bit. "Edward, why are you speaking of me in the third person?"

His eyes widened. I could see the fear and amazement reflected in them. "Bella…Bella, what did you say?"

"I said, why are you acting as if I'm not even here? I can hear what you say, Edward…Is something wrong?" I watched in concern as he watched me, eyes wide, mouth hanging open, eyes unfocused.

"Bella," he said slowly. "You do realize that neither of us has opened our mouths to speak to one another?"

"What are you…" I trailed off, then noticed he was right. I was too tired to speak, too tired to open my mouth. But he could hear me.

And I could hear him.

Be brutal. Was it your worst nightmare? Or was it okay? Or was it slightly better than okay? And what do you think of the two-way mind connection thing? I know it's probably been done a million times, I just always thought that Bella and Edward would get to read each other's minds once they have their first intimate moment together. Seems fair, at least to me.

Read and review, please. Next chapter coming up soon!