Author's Note: Alright. I told you that I wasn't going to post this chapter until after I'd finished "Lovestruck", but unfortunately, "Lovestruck" was taken off of the site for violating some rule about real life characters. Bullshit. I mean, who doesn't want to read a story about Robert Pattinson?
Anyway, I present thee with Chapter Two. Enter Edward Cullen. Be prepared for a little bit of lemon zest and a whole lot of steam.
By the way. I'd just like to give a huge shoutout to my super-wonderful reader/reviewer HappilyEverAfter7. Not only is she amazing at giving heart-warming reviews, but she correctly guessed both Alice AND Rose's "code names". Alice was Wendy...she's constantly compared to a pixie, so I gave her a name from Peter Pan, sort of tying her back to Tinkerbell. Rosalie's name was a bit more difficult. Her code name was Edith...as in Edith Piaf from La Vie en Rose. Get it? La Vie en ROSE? Yeah. I'm a tricky bitch. Haha.
Disclaimer: My name might be Steph, but Twilight isn't mine.
Previously on "Paint the Town": "Well, it's now or never," I whispered as I grabbed my purse off my bed and followed my two best friends out of the apartment.
Onyx was a pretty trendy club, and although it was fairly new, I'd been here several times before (most of those against my will). After skipping the line outside and walking into the hotter-than-hell club, Alice and Rose led me to our usual table in the back corner and I sat my purse down as I turned to face the dance floor.
"Wonderful," I mumbled as I watched the claustrophobia-inducing scene unfold in front of me. Couples were grinding to the beat of some song I didn't know, people were getting smashed everywhere I looked, and not a single one of the guys I saw appealed to me. This was going to be one enjoyable evening; I could just tell now.
Rosalie appeared beside me, holding a shot glass out for me to take.
"That was quick," I commented, taking the glass from her, and she grinned. "What is it?"
"Tequila. I figured that you'd have more fun if you were wasted." She giggled. "Go ahead, sweetie. Drink up."
Seeing some method to her madness, I put the rim of the glass to my lips and quickly tilted my head back, letting the liquid burn my throat as I swallowed it. I slammed the glass back down on the table and took a deep breath, turning to look at Alice.
She had a compact mirror in her hand and was playing with her bangs. She'd decided to straighten her short black hair tonight, and it made a perfect frame around her face. Her dress was ivory with a bubble hem and beaded detailing around the chest and hem, and she looked absolutely gorgeous in it.
Rosalie's dress was…different. I liked it, but I knew that I (or anyone other than Rosalie, for that matter) would never in a million years be able to pull it off. It was a sunset-colored floral print tunic dress, but that didn't mean that it didn't show off her assets. The dress was short, and I mean REALLY short. It made her legs looked so long that it took every guy who checked her out at least ten seconds to get his eyes up to her face (but maybe that was just because they loved looking at her). Her long blonde hair was worn in a curly ponytail with her bangs swept to the side of her forehead, and I'd never seen such a simple updo look so amazing. I'll admit it, I was jealous of her stunning beauty, but when I told her that, she just brushed me off and told me that I looked way hotter than her tonight. Yeah, okay. I'll believe that when guys start to flock around me.
No sooner had I thought the words, a man with dirty blonde hair and a sly smile came strutting over to where we stood, and Rose nudged me discreetly with her elbow. I smiled at the man, but he didn't see me because he was too busy looking at Rosalie. Perfect.
"Good evening, ladies," he purred, never removing his eyes from Rose's chest. He'd addressed both of us, but I had a feeling that I didn't interest him in the least.
"Hello," Rose said coolly, although I could tell from her stance that she thought this guy was a real looker. "How are you?"
"Oh, much better now that I found you, angel." You've got to be fucking kidding me. This guy hadn't said more than 15 words to her, and I could already tell that he was fake. I rolled my eyes and looked back to Alice, who smiled as if to say "what can we do?" She pranced up to me and took my hand, tugging me toward the dance floor.
"Come on, let's go dance."
"Al, you know I—" She cleared her throat, cutting me off mid-sentence.
"The name is Wendy, and Bella may not be able to dance, but Odette sure as hell can. So get your ass out there and dance with me!" My eyes widened at her outburst, and I let my arm allowed her to pull me into the center of the crowd.
A song that I'd never heard was playing, and it was so loud that I could barely hear myself think. Alice, however, was singing along happily, swinging her hips to the beat while I stood there awkwardly, staring at the people dancing around us.
"Odette! Do something!" Alice scolded. "Don't just stand there like an invalid. Dance."
"I can't!"
"Fuck you!" She said, laughing. "Yes you can! Here." She put her hands on my hips and literally moved me to the beat.
"Wendy? Wasn't the whole point of this evening to 'hook a hottie' for me?"
"No, silly. It was to have fun!" I glared at her suspiciously until she cracked. "And to hook you a hottie. Why do you ask?"
"Because no guys are going to talk to me if they think that you and I are together." She just laughed and pulled me closer.
"Wanna bet?" She still held my hips, and she moved against me to the rhythm of the song. I was shocked by her behavior, but I went along with it because Alice knew a thing or two about guys. Whatever. If she wanted to grind with me in a crowded club, who was I to stop her?
After a bit, I decided to go sit back down at the table while I watched Rosalie and her admirer dance on the edge of the dance floor. She was laughing at something he'd just said, and his eyes went right back to her chest while she was distracted.
God, why were all men such one-track-minded pigs? Was it really too much to ask to find a decent-looking guy who had an incredible personality? Was it too selfish to ask that he be polite and respectful, and not staring at your boobs every five seconds? Did anyone exist who would see me for me and want me because of the kind of person I was and not because I had a "smoking hot body" as Alice so charmingly put it?
I propped my head up and looked around for Alice, hoping that she could talk me into giving someone in this room a shot. However, given my current mood, that was highly unlikely. At that very second, my little pixie of a friend plopped down into the chair beside me, breathing heavily.
"God, I just love dancing!" She exclaimed as she tried to catch her breath. "Don't you?"
"Yeah, it's the best," I replied sarcastically, giving up on the idea of a relationship pep talk and rising from my chair. "I'm going to go get a drink. You want anything?"
"Uh, yeah. Could you grab me a martini? Please and thank you!"
I nodded and left the table, making my way through the smoke and crowd until I finally made it to the bar. Leaning over the wooden surface, I ordered a martini for Alice and a Cosmopolitan for myself. I was sick of shooting that foul-tasting crap, and I was in desperate need of something fruity. While I waited for my drinks, I noticed a nerdy-looking guy with greasy black hair and glasses two seats down who was staring longingly at me. When he caught my gaze, he smiled widely, but I quickly dropped my eyes to the table and took my drinks from the bartender.
"Thanks," I mumbled as I passed the bills over the counter and got off of my stool. "Keep the change."
I had started to walk away when I heard the guy who'd been staring attempt to get my attention.
"Hey, wait!"
I pretended I didn't hear him as I picked up my pace, weaving through the tightly-packed crowd. If I could only get Alice's attention, she would get this guy away from me in a heartbeat.
"Slow down!"
I did the opposite. I sped up. I was walking as fast as I possibly could through the club, and that alone was dangerous for me. I was the clumsiest person alive, and I should have thought about that before I tried to make a mad dash from a stranger in a crowded club. Also, I really should have known better than to attempt all of the above in four-inch heels.
One second, I was walking briskly toward the table, and the next, I stepped the wrong way on my heel and my ankle rolled painfully. That caused me to crash into the person beside me at the time, and I spilled my drinks all over the front of their shirt.
"Oh no," I cried. "Fuck. I'm so sorry. I didn't—I was—" A deep chuckle resonated from the body that I was currently pressed up against, and I let my eyes wander up the person's chest (which was currently stained with my Cosmo and Alice's martini) and to their face. My heart stopped.
I was currently looking at the single most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my life. He was tall, probably around six feet, with a head full of tousled hair in a color that I'd never even imagined naturally possible. It was a warm reddish brown, almost like a bronze, and it stuck up in crazy angles that made it look as though he just rolled out of bed. My breath caught at the mental image of this man rolling out of my bed, and I shook my head subtly to clear it. What the hell was that? There was no denying that he was beautiful, but thoughts like that were so not me.
It was then that I noticed his eyes. They were the most striking emerald green, and the way they shone as he looked at me made it seem like he was looking straight into the very core of my being, reading my thoughts and emotions and dreams and reflecting them all back to me. I could get lost forever in those eyes…
My little trance ended when I felt his arms snake around my waist, holding me tightly against him. I know that I was attracted to the guy, and I wasn't trying to deny it, but wasn't he jumping the gun a just a little bit?
He held me tighter, and I felt an inexplicable shock rocket through my body, originating from the spot where his hands were glued to my skin. It was far from unpleasant, but I was still uncomfortable with the fact that a stranger was holding me like this.
I struggled slightly in his grasp, but he never loosened his hold on me, even as I put my hands on his chest and tried to shove him away. All he did was move closer so that his mouth was beside my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin.
"Will you just trust me for a second?" He whispered roughly, his deep, velvety, melodic voice containing a faint undertone of irritation. A sudden warmth flooded my entire body as he spoke, and I shuddered against him, eliciting another chuckle from him. I expected him to call me out on it, but I definitely wasn't expecting what he did say.
"Hey there, beautiful," he said, this time more loudly. "I was looking everywhere for you. Where did you run off to?" He glanced at me expectantly, but I just stood there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot. What was he doing?
"Never mind, it doesn't matter. What do you say that we get going? I'm sure the babysitter would like to get home sometime tonight. You know how our kids can be…"
What the fuck was this guy going on about? I'd never met him before in my life, and now he was rambling on about the children we had together? Maybe he was crazy. Like an ex-mental patient who was having a sudden relapse.
He craned his neck slightly, looking over the top of my head.
"Listen man," I started. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but I—"
"He's gone," he interrupted, releasing his hold on me and stepping back. I stared at him in confusion, and he raised an eyebrow. "The guy following you. That is why you were practically running, was it not?"
"Uh, yeah, but—"
"Well, he's no longer after you. It was surprising how much effort it took to get him to leave, though; he didn't take the hint to back off until he heard the word 'kids'." He smiled to himself, and I watched him in awe. This perfectly gorgeous stranger that I dumped my drinks on had just saved my ass, and now that his work was done, he was giving no hint that he wanted to leave.
"I'm, uh, sorry about your shirt," I said quickly as I pointed to the stain, trying to fill the silence so that he would stay and talk a little longer.
"Oh, this? It's not a big deal. I have another one just like it at home." One corner of his mouth pulled up into a crooked grin, and it was the single sexiest thing I'd ever laid eyes upon. "If it were any other time, I would accuse you of purposefully spilling your drinks on me, but I witnessed your predicament firsthand, so I'll let you off with a warning." Oh. My. God.
He was flirting with me. Honest to God flirting!
Okay, Bella, I thought. Showtime.
The thing was, I didn't feel like I was putting on a show at all. I actually wanted to flirt back with this man. I wanted him to look at me and think that I was sexy. I wanted him to want me.
And as much as that scared the shit out of me, I put on a confident mask and said the first thing that came to mind.
"Is that so?" I asked condescendingly, smirking at him. "And what makes you think that I would ever spill my drink on you on purpose?" His eyes lit up when he saw that I was going to play his game, but he shrugged nonchalantly.
"Oh, I don't know. I was thinking something along the lines that you wanted to give yourself some reason to approach me." I shook my head at his cockiness, folding my arms across my chest. "Though I must admit, if that were the case, I would have been slightly disappointed by your tactic. The whole 'spilling your drink on a guy's shirt' is the oldest trick in the book." I smiled ruefully at him, planning my rebuttal.
"And the whole 'save girl from irritating guy so that she'll give you the time of day' is the second oldest, I suppose?"
"Touché," he said laughing, extending his hand toward me. "I'm Edward." I placed my hand carefully in his, and a shock ran from my fingertips to every other nerve ending in my body as his skin touched mine. It was cool, but not cold, and it felt like heaven.
Tell him your real name, the less-responsible side of me urged. This guy is totally worth it. However, I couldn't allow myself the luxury of hearing this man speak my name because A) it would probably make me want to tear his clothes off and B) I would regret it after he left and I'd never see him again.
"Odette," I informed him as I tried not to drown in his deep green eyes.
"Odette?" he asked, still holding onto my hand. "As in the princess that was turned into a swan?" My mouth fell open with a tiny "pop".
"You know Swan Lake?" He smiled at my disbelieving tone and released my hand, casually rubbing the back of his neck.
"I've seen it once or twice before," he admitted shamelessly, as though he would see it again if he got the chance.
"And you liked it?"
"Yes, actually. It's one of my favorites." I still couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. His perfect mouth with his luscious lips…I couldn't help but imagine them all over my body… "I take it that you're a fan as well?" He probed.
"Of course. My parents loved the ballet, and Swan Lake was the first I ever saw. It's always been my favorite." Despite the pseudonym that I was currently using, that bit of fact was actually true. My parents had taken me when I was five years old to see Swan Lake, and I'd immediately fallen in love with the beauty and grace of the dancers, considering that grace was something I would never have. It was a known fact that I was the clumsiest person alive, and I'm sure that that fact only added to the magic of the ballet. I'd even taken lessons for a year or so, but nothing I did could compare to the awe-inducing talent of the dancers. Out of all the ballets I've seen, however, Swan Lake was my all-time favorite.
"I suppose you've seen The Nutcracker as well?"
"A few times," I answered. It was my parents' favorite. "You?"
"Once. I liked it well enough, but the story line of Swan Lake can't be beat." I smiled as I remembered saying almost the exact same words to my parents when I tried to explain why I preferred Swan Lake over The Nutcracker.
"I completely agree."
We were quiet after that, both of us unsure of what to say next. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, and for some reason he seemed to be just as fascinated by my presence.
"So Odette," he said finally, running his hand nervously through that thick bronze hair. "Why don't you let me buy you a drink?"
"You really don't have to," I told him, conveying that while I was tempted to accept, it wasn't at all necessary.
"I insist. Besides, it appears that your drinks are all over me, so I'm obligated to buy you new ones." I considered his offer for a moment before remembering what Alice had said to me earlier:
"If a hottie wants to buy you a drink or dance with you, you should let him."
"Alright," I agreed with a smile. "But just one drink."
"Of course."
With his hand barely touching the small of my back, he led me over to the bar where we found two open seats and sat down. The bartender wandered toward us a few minutes later and asked what we'd like.
"I'll have a scotch neat," he answered before turning to look at me. "What'll it be for you?" He smiled and my heart skipped a beat.
Come on, Bella! Order!
"A Cosmopolitan, please," I said, turning to look directly at the bartender. "And could I maybe get a little extra lime?"
"Sure thing," he replied.
"Thank you so much." I smiled warmly, and he walked away to get our drinks. When I looked back to Edward, he was trying to cover up his amused grin with his hand. "What?"
"Nothing," he said, still trying not to smile.
"Well it's obviously something."
"Not really." He shrugged. "I was just thinking about how refreshing it is to meet someone with actual manners."
"Thanks. I guess I can be pretty polite when I want to be."
"And what happens when you don't want to be polite?"
"I could tell you," I said with aloofness. "But then I'd have to kill you."
Oh God. Did you actually just use that line? What the fuck is wrong with you?! Now he's going to leave. Way to fucking go, Swan.
But then the craziest thing of all happened.
He didn't leave.
He laughed.
He threw his head back and laughed at my pathetic attempt at comedy, and I could tell that it wasn't just out of pity. He really thought that I was funny.
It was official: this guy was too good to be true.
And from personal experience, I'd learned that if someone seemed too good to be true, that probably meant that they were. Edward seemed to be everything I looked for in a man: polite, funny, sweet, attractive… which meant that there was no way he could possibly be interested in me.
Shit. I thought. Maybe he's gay.
Although unfortunate, this wouldn't have been the first time that I was hardcore flirting with a man who turned out to be interested in other men. It was just my luck.
I guess that explains the interest in ballet.
"Odette?" he asked, waving his hand in front of my face. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"
"Yeah…fine…what?"
"I don't know, you sort of spaced out for a moment there. What were you thinking about?"
"Are you gay?" I blurted out before I could stop myself, and I watched in horror as his expression went blank before me.
Fuck. Now I've done it.
But then he laughed harder than before, the sound like mellifluous music to my ears. At least he's not pissed.
"I take that as a 'no'?" He kept laughing, and I myself chuckled a little at the bluntness of my question.
When he finally got his laughter under control, he looked at me, smiling.
"I'm most certainly not gay. I promise, I'm 100% heterosexual."
"Well that's a relief," I sighed, grinning sheepishly at him.
"Do I seem like I would be gay?" he asked me curiously, and I blushed at the awkwardness of the situation.
"No, it's just that I've never exactly had good luck as far as guys go, and I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't wasting my breath trying to impress you."
"You were trying to impress me?" Damn it. He picked up on my slip of the tongue.
"A little," I admitted as the bartender brought our drinks over and Edward handed him a few bills. "But don't let it go to your head."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he told me sincerely, taking a sip of his scotch. "But still, I can't believe that you thought I was gay. It was the ballet, wasn't it?" I giggled as I lifted my Cosmo to my lips.
"At the mention of Swan Lake, most guys respond with 'that's about a bird, right?'." We both laughed at this, and I reveled in the sound. "But really, you just caught me off guard."
"Yeah, I guess ballet isn't something that most men are interested in, but open-mindedness about music and the arts is sort of in my job description."
"And what is it that you do, Edward?"
"I'm a producer at CastleMark Records," he answered casually, as if it were just your average, everyday job.
"Wow, that's very impressive." CastleMark was well known for representing many of today's most well-known artists, and it was surprising to meet someone who was in charge of such a successful company.
"Thank you," he answered shyly.
"How did you get into that business? I mean, did you always want to be a producer at a prestigious record company like CastleMark?"
"Not particularly. In college I started as a Music major, specializing in piano, but when I graduated, my father's friends persuaded me to join them at CastleMark. They're the head haunchos over there. Maybe you've heard of them. Calvin Aro, Dylan Caius, and Simon Marcus?"
"Of course I've heard of them! They're like music industry royalty," I said, in awe that Edward had such close ties with people so high up on the music hierarchy.
"They've always been like uncles to me. In fact, I think they've even been to a few family barbeques." I smiled as I took another sip of my drink.
"That must have been nice."
"It was." He ran his hand through his hair again and finished off his scotch. "Enough about me. What do you do?"
"I'm a full-time student at Seattle University."
"Oh? What year?"
"Senior." He mulled that over for a minute, and I took that opportunity to drink a little bit more of my Cosmo.
"So if you're a senior, that would make you how old?"
"I'm twenty-one."
"Ah," he sighed. "I remember when I was twenty-one. Good times…good times…"
"Oh yes, because I'm sure that it was so long ago," I teased. Edward looked like he couldn't have been older than twenty-five.
"Only three years. I'm twenty-four."
"Mmm. Well I guess you're in luck then, because I happen to find older men attractive," I said seductively, turning on the charm yet again, and he seemed to respond.
"Really?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. "Well how would you feel about dancing with an older man?" I gulped, and he definitely noticed. "What's wrong? Not really a dancer?" I shook my head, and he smiled. "It's okay. I'll lead you." I laughed.
"Fred Astaire couldn't even help me. Seriously, I'm awful."
"Nonsense. C'mon, it will be fun."
I shook my head again, and he smiled.
"Trust me," he purred, and before I knew what I was doing, I was standing up and placing my hand in his, letting him lead me toward the dance floor.
Um…hi. God? It's Bella. Please do not let me make a fool of myself in front of the sexiest man I've ever met.
We weaved our way through the crowd, and he stopped and turned me toward him, placing a hand on my waist. I had concentrate hard on not shivering at his touch.
"Put your arms around my neck," he prompted, running his free hand along the underside of my arm. I did as he said, locking my fingers together on the back of his neck while my forearms rested comfortably on his shoulders. A new song began, and he held my hips loosely, moving us to the beat. I didn't have to do a thing because Edward was doing all the work for me. It felt so right to be dancing with him, and I found myself actually having fun.
I soon recognized the song as one of Rosalie's favorites, and although I wasn't too fond of it, I began singing along with the chorus.
"My lips like sugar, this candy's got you sprung. So call me your sugar, you love you some..."
I saw Edward's mouth move, but I couldn't make out his words over the blaring music and the roaring crowd.
"Huh?" I shouted, and he leaned a bit closer to me.
"You like rap music?" He asked. I shook my head vigorously, causing my curls to bounce around my shoulders.
"Not at all," I said, laughing. "But this is one of Edy's favorites, and it plays constantly at our place."
"Edy?" He looked at me questioningly.
"Yeah, it's short for Edith, but don't tell her I told you that; she'd kill me." He smiled "She's one of my best friends."
"Is she the little one with black hair that you were dancing with earlier?"
"No, Edy is the blonde, supermodel-like one. The little one is Wendy. She's my other best friend, but she doesn't live with Edy and me anymore. She shares an apartment with her boyfriend."
I just now noticed what he'd actually said, and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Wait. You were watching me dance with her?" He shrugged his shoulders, glancing away from me. "You were, weren't you?" It looked like he had a faint blush across his cheeks, but the flashing lights of the club made it hard to be sure.
"I wasn't creepily stalking you or anything," he muttered, clearly embarrassed. "But I'd be lying if I said that I was completely unaware of your presence." I just looked at him, a slight smile on my face, and he took my silence as a cue to continue. "You walked past me when you came in. Please forgive me if I'm being forward, but at that point every other woman in this club lost their appeal to me." My smile grew, and he seemed to grow more anxious by the second.
"So when I tripped and fell into you…?"
"That was pure luck on my part, I assure you. In no way did I set myself up for such a thing." He grinned ruefully. "But I'd like to thank those four-inch stilettos of yours. Without them, I might still be trying to find the courage to approach you." I blushed at his remark, and I could feel my entire body growing warm under his gaze.
What the hell was happening to me? I never reacted to men this way, and suddenly I was all tingly and had that warm fuzzy feeling inside. There was just something about this guy that had me hooked, not to mention that little smile of his that had me wanting to rip his clothes off.
Rip his clothes off? Is this the mind of Bella Swan? Because I've never thought like that before. Ever. It's always been, oh, he looks like an attractive guy. I wouldn't mind getting to know him, but suddenly I was all, I want this man to have his way with me as soon as possible? It was unusual.
I must admit, however, I nearly combusted when he leaned into my ear and sang, "Girl you're my sugar, I call you 'candy'. And tonight I'm gonna get me some."
I pulled back a little bit, but I was still holding onto him as I said, "You didn't tell me that you were a fan of rap."
"It's not my favorite, but I listen to some," he informed me as my arms tightened around his neck.
I couldn't quite explain it, but I felt like I needed to be closer to him and thankfully, he must have felt the same way because as the song changed, he held my hips more tightly and pulled me right up against his body. This time as I moved my hips, they ground against his pelvis, and I watched him close his eyes momentarily in pleasure. The knowledge that I could do this to any man left me feeling empowered, and I flashed him a smug smile as I slid one hand up his neck and into his hair. It was soft and thick, and I loved the way it felt between my fingers. I rolled my hips upward, and he groaned and slipped one of his legs in between both of mine. My core was now grinding against the top of his thigh, and I shivered as I locked eyes with him. His eyes, once a playful emerald, were now dark forest green and clouded with lust.
We danced like this for an immeasurable period of time, increasing our tempo with each passing song. I couldn't believe that I was acting so forward with a man I just met, but for the most part I didn't give a damn. Edward had so far proven to be a gentleman, and I was attracted to him. Hell, it went way beyond attraction. I fucking wanted him.
A small sigh escaped my mouth, and one of his hands moved to carefully cradle the side of my face. It took a moment for me to realize that we'd stopped moving, but I was hyperaware of how close our faces were. I could feel his breath against my skin, and I made sure to never break eye contact with him.
"Odette?"
"Yes?" I breathed.
"I'm going to kiss you now."
I nodded my head slowly as he lowered his mouth toward mine, and I let my eyes drift close in the last second before we made contact.
In the instant that his lips first touched mine it felt like everything on earth had come into perfect focus, but it blurred again just as quickly as it had put itself together. I could concentrate on nothing but the intoxicating scent of him, or the way his mouth felt as it moved against mine, or the way he tasted…
He took my lower lip between both of his and gently nibbled on it before sweeping his tongue across, begging for entrance into my mouth. I complied immediately and his tongue entered my mouth, slowly exploring everywhere. I clutched him to me, my fingernails raking down his back as I was hit by a tidal wave of raw desire.
I craved Edward. I wanted him more than I'd ever wanted any man before, and I knew that I had to have him. My body yearned for him, and by the way he was acting, it seemed as though he desired me just as much.
I pulled away from his hot kisses and bit my lip, staring at him from under my lashes.
"Can we get out of here?" I pleaded breathlessly.
"Are you sure?" Okay, maybe Edward wasn't as crazy about the idea as I'd thought he was. Most guys were usually the ones asking me to leave with them, so I had no idea how to go about this. Maybe I'd asked too soon, or wasn't sly enough about it.
Or maybe he just wasn't interested.
Well, only one way to find out.
"Do you want me?"
"Absolutely," he answered confidently, and I grinned, happy with his reply.
"Then I'm positive."
He smiled that beautiful crooked grin once more, and I felt the throbbing between my legs increase tenfold.
"My place is just a few blocks away from here," he informed me. "We can go there."
"That sounds perfect."
He kissed me again, and this time it was slow and sensuous as if he were trying to convey how much he wanted this. Wanted me. I moaned into his mouth, and he broke away from me, breathing heavily.
"Why don't you go tell your friends that you're leaving," he suggested. "And I'll meet you by the door."
I nodded and disentangled myself from him, immediately regretting the loss of his body heat. I began to walk away, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me back to him. After bumping into his chest, he slid his lips along my jaw and up to my ear, causing me to tremble.
"Be careful on your way over there," he murmured, and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. "I wouldn't want a broken ankle to foil the plans I have for you tonight."
Oh dear God.
My breath caught in my throat and I could feel my panties grow damp as my hold on his arms tightened.
"P-plans?" I stuttered, unable to form legitimate words. I swallowed hard. "What kind of plans?"
"Oh, I could tell you." He chuckled darkly, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up at the sound. "But then I'd have to kill you."
I normally would have laughed, but I had to focus every last bit of my energy on not ravishing Edward in the middle of the dance floor. Because let me tell you, I was just seconds away from doing exactly that.
"You know, I can just text my friends on our way out," I said, moving in the direction of the door.
"Someone's eager, I see."
"Shut up," I joked as he wrapped his arm around my waist and led me out of the crowd. We were nearing the door when I spotted Alice sitting at our table with Rosalie and her admirer. Al looked up and saw me being led out by Edward, and her jaw dropped as she nudged Rose's arm. Rose saw me and smiled, flashing a thumbs up as Alice clapped her hands excitedly. Edward briefly released his hold on me so that he could grab his jacket from coat check, and I immediately felt the loss of his warm arm around my waist.
Although I thought he was busy with his coat, Edward must have seen my friends as well, because he smiled smugly down at me as he held the door open. The February air outside was freezing cold, and once we had exited the club, Edward took his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders. I felt all warm and fuzzy at his polite gesture, and I leaned into his side as his arm once again slid around my waist, holding me to him as we walked briskly toward the parking lot.
I saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a set of keys, pointing them toward the side of the parking lot closest to us. The lights flashed on a sleek silver car, and Edward led me over to the passenger side and opened the door, allowing me to slide in before shutting it again. I watched him as he walked around to the other side of the car, studying the fluidity in every single one of his steps. It was funny how a man had more grace in a few steps than I ever would in my life, but it made him that much more attractive. When he got into the car, I couldn't look away for a moment. Every little move he made heightened my arousal, and by the time we were driving down Main Street, I was fidgeting in my seat, trying to alleviate some of the ever-increasing ache between my thighs. Everything about him made me wetter: the way he moved his perfect lips in sync with the words on the radio, his broad hands on the steering wheel…everything.
Suddenly I felt his hand on my thigh, and I almost jumped out of my skin.
"Sorry," he said smoothly, his finger rubbing circles on my sensitive flesh. "You just looked a bit uncomfortable over there."
"Uh-huh," I choked out, trying not to focus on his fingers inching slowly up my thigh.
"What's wrong?" He sounded amused, as though he knew exactly what my problem was. I closed my eyes and worked on keeping my breathing even, but then his hand reached the hem of my dress.
"Odette? Are you alright?" His fingers played with the fabric before slipping underneath it, tracing intricate patterns up my leg.
"Yeah," I gasped. "Fine."
"Really? Because you seem sort of…uptight."
He stroked the inside of my thigh and I shifted in the seat so that my legs were parted a little more, granting him better access. He snickered before removing his hand completely, and I looked at him in panic. What a bastard! Was he trying to kill me?
"Don't worry, sugar, we're almost there. And then I can help you relax."
Be still my heart.
A few minutes later, we were parked in the parking garage of the Lafayette Building, an enormous apartment complex that no one with a salary below six figures could afford to live in. Edward got out of the car and came around to open my door for me, offering his hand to help me out. I grabbed it and stepped out of the car, shutting the door as quietly as possible behind me. Still holding onto my hand, Edward led me toward an elevator in the corner of the garage, and after pressing the button to summon it, he turned to me.
"This is normally used as the service elevator, but it's much faster than traipsing through the lobby. I hope that's alright with you."
When the doors opened and we stepped inside, we separated, standing several feet away from each other.
"Of course," I answered as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I don't mind at all." I glanced over at him and was immediately overtaken by the urge to launch myself at him, and when he looked at me with the same longing in his eyes, I couldn't hold back. I took a deliberate step toward him, and he was about to meet me halfway when—
"Hold the elevator!"
Fuck my life.
Edward sighed and pressed his thumb to the "doors open" button as a fake-looking blonde bounced into the elevator
"Thanks so much, Edward. For a second I thought I was going to have to wait for another elevator."
Edward grinned halfheartedly. "What floor?"
"Seven, please." It was then that I noticed what other button was highlighted. The button that indicated what floor Edward and I were traveling to.
PH. For penthouse.
Holy shit, Edward was a kajillionaire.
I bit my lip as Edward snaked his arm around my waist, and I couldn't help but glance over at the blonde, who was now eyeing me with obvious contempt. I wanted nothing more than to toss a smug smile in her direction, but I just nuzzled Edward's neck with my face, loving the soft growl that emerged from his throat.
Not soon enough, the elevator doors slid open and the girl stormed out, to which Edward chuckled and kissed my temple.
"It looks like someone forgot to take their anti-bitch pill this morning."
"That's Casey," he informed me. "She's convinced that we belong together, but I've politely informed her on several occasions that I don't share the same interest."
"Wow. No wonder she hates me; I'm moving in on her man."
"Mmm, her man doesn't mind, though," he whispered, catching my earlobe between his teeth. "He rather likes it." My breathing hitched, and my eyes went to the digital indicator of what floor we were on. Ten.
"How many floors are in this building?" I asked breathlessly.
"Twenty four." Smiling, I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling my body flush against his.
"Good. Then we have plenty of time."
I crushed my lips to his and he responded enthusiastically, tightening his grip around my waist until my feet lifted off the ground. I squeaked and let my tongue enter his mouth, tasting every square inch of him as he held me tighter. He broke away from me, his lips moving down to my collar bone and sucking on my skin. I shivered, and when he bit down on the tender flesh, I was surprised to hear the loud moan that ripped from my chest and echoed around the elevator, driving us further and further into our lustful frenzy.
Before I knew what was happening, the elevator opened with a ding and Edward had stepped away from me. He grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the elevator and across the hall to the single door on this floor, and he maintained his hold on me as he fiddled with the lock. Finally, the door swung in and he motioned for me to go first. I stepped inside and heard Edward shut the door behind him as a light flicked on.
I barely caught a glimpse of a perfectly decorated living room before Edward spun me around to face him, his hands roaming up my sides and into my hair. I sighed and closed my eyes, savoring the way his fingers felt against my scalp.
"You are so damn beautiful, you know that?" he whispered huskily, and I blushed.
Edward brought his lips slowly to mine, and I kissed him with everything I had, all the while growing more eager to move into the bedroom. As if he could read my mind, one of Edward's hands gripped the side of my thigh and gently pushed me toward the hallway. I went willingly, my mouth never leaving contact with his, even as we entered his bedroom and he pushed me against the wall. My fingers roamed his chest, feeling the pattern of his muscles under his shirt, and when I reached the hem, I grabbed it and pulled upward. He broke away from my lips long enough for me to get his shirt over his head, and when I threw it to the ground and looked back to him, he was wearing this sexy as hell smirk that made me want to undress as fast as possible and jump in bed with him. So I grabbed the straps of my dress and yanked them off my shoulders before reaching around to try and unzip the dress itself. Before I could succeed, Edward trapped my hands in his, bringing them to his lips and kissing my knuckles.
"No, no." He shook his head slowly. "Allow me."
I dropped my hands and took in the marvelous sight that was his bare chest while he worked at the zipper of my dress. His skin was pale, almost luminous in the moonlight that was streaming through the huge window, but on him, it looked absolutely incredible. Not to mention the fact that he had the best body I'd ever seen. His chest was sculpted, and without his shirt, I could now fully appreciate his muscular arms. How the hell did I get so lucky as to have this man want to bring me home? He was damn near perfect, and he wanted me.
My dress fell in a silky pool around my ankles, and I stepped out of it, now only dressed in my black lace push-up bra, matching thongs, and my high heel shoes. Edward stepped away, his eyes roaming my body hungrily while his hands settled on my hips.
"Jesus, I want to taste every inch of you."
He kissed the base of my neck, making sure his tongue grazed my flesh. I shuddered.
"I want to taste you here."
He moved down past my collarbone and placed an open-mouthed kiss on the swell of my left breast, eliciting a gasp from me.
"Mmm. And here."
I whimpered as he lowered himself onto his knees, kissing the whole way down my torso. He stopped with his lips just above my hip and smiled mischievously up at me before he scraped his teeth across my hip bone.
"Edward," I moaned loudly, and he stopped.
"Yes, ma cherie?"
Oh God. I gaped down at him, stunned into momentary silence.
"Y-you…um…parlez-vous français?" One corner of his mouth pulled up into a smirk, and he nodded his head slowly.
"Un peu."
"Oh, mon dieu," I moaned, and he placed his lips against my hip bone once more, chuckling softly.
"Does someone have a thing for the language of love?"
"Uh-huh." I'd taken a few years of French in high school, and I thought I'd loved it then. Now, hearing those words roll off of Edward's tongue, my appreciation for the language was on a whole different level.
"Ah, I see," he murmured, letting his hands drift up my sides as he got to his feet. When he was standing at full height, he leaned in as though he was going to kiss me, stopping just inches from my lips. "Je veux être dans vous."
I cocked my head, trying to quickly mentally translate his sentence. It took me a moment, but I got it eventually. I want to be inside you. My knees went weak, and if I hadn't been holding onto his forearms with all the strength I could muster, I would have crumpled to the floor. My breathing accelerated, and Edward smiled.
"Voulez-vous couchez avec moi?"
I swallowed hard, searching my head for words."Oui, monsieur."
He attacked my lips then, and whatever resolve I had left crumbled into dust on his floor as his hands slid behind my back, reaching for the clasp of my bra. I was prepared to offer my assistance since most men had trouble mastering the bra clasp, but within seconds, he had tossed the offensive scrap of material to the floor.
Wow. I wonder what else those talented fingers can do.
He broke away from me, his eyes trained on my exposed breasts, and I blushed furiously, fighting the strong urge to cover myself. Edward must have sensed my discomfort, because he tenderly grabbed my wrists and extended my arms out to the side, holding them against the wall. His head dipped down, and he unexpectedly trailed his tongue along the patch of skin between my breasts. A whimper escaped my lips as my back arched into his face, my body begging for more. He mumbled something against my skin, but I didn't quite catch it.
"Huh?"
"Shoes," he clarified, the stubble on his chin grazing my nipple and making me jump in surprise. "Take them off."
Instead of obeying immediately, I thrust my hips forward, grinding them against his very apparent erection. He groaned, his grip on my wrists growing tighter, and I smiled in satisfaction.
"Your pants go first."
I swear it was only seconds later that his shoes, socks, and pants were laying on the floor at our feet, leaving him only in his black boxer briefs.
"Much better," I commented, now fully able to appreciate almost every inch of his glorious body. His legs were toned as if he worked out a lot, and I could now see that delectable "v" that his hip bones made as they trailed down into his underwear. I wanted to lick those wonderful hips, but I resisted, knowing that I'd get my chance later tonight. Following his hip bones downward, my eyes fell on his colossal erection. I swallowed convulsively, and my trepidation must have shown clearly on my face, because Edward smirked, brushing his fingers up and down my sides.
"Intimidated?" he asked smugly, already knowing the answer.
"A bit." I admitted shyly, running my hand down his chest and stopping at the waistband of his boxer-briefs. My fingers danced along the elastic before slipping underneath, and I looked up at Edward to see him watching me with wary eyes. With an innocent smile, I pulled his waistband two inches away from his body before releasing it, letting it snap back against his skin with a sharp crack. A low hiss escaped from between his clenched teeth, and he ripped my hand away from his waist, pinning it above my head.
"Shoes," he demanded in a clipped voice, and I immediately kicked them off, which resulted in a severe loss of height on my part. Now, instead of being eye-level with his neck, I was left staring at the gorgeous dips and lines of his chest, a fact that didn't bother me one bit.
In a bold move, I moved my head forward to brush my lips carefully over his nipple, and he responded with a growl as he picked me up and carried me over to the bed.
Well it's about time.
Edward practically threw me down on the huge bed, crawling up my body until he was hovering over me on all fours. Our heavy breathing cut through the silence of the room, and he sat back on his knees, tentatively reaching for the waistband of my practically nonexistent panties and pulling them down my legs with achingly slow movements. I fidgeted under his feather-light touch, and before I knew it, my thongs were being flung across the room, landing God knows where. Before I had time to protest that I was completely naked and he was still in his boxer-briefs, Edward was gone from my body, standing by the side of the bed and removing his last article of clothing. My breathing sped as he was fully revealed to me, and my center was nearly aching in anticipation.
I reached out and made a beckoning motion, and with that insanely sexy crooked grin on his face, Edward crawled back on top of me, capturing my mouth in a heated kiss. As he broke away from me, my name fell unexpectedly from his lips.
"Odette."
Well, not really my name.
The rest of the night was filled with the sound of our slick flesh colliding, the shallow breaths ripping from our chests, and Edward's moans of a name that was not my own. In the back of my mind, I knew that it didn't seem right that he should be calling out for another woman as he worshipped my body. Bella's body. But Bella's body was too blissed out to allow me to care.
***
The warm sun streaming in through the windows caressed my face, gently waking me from the most restful sleep I'd ever had. I opened my eyes slowly, part of me wanting to sleep for just a bit longer. It was Saturday, after all. Maybe I could go back to sleep and get up in a few hours. Rolling over to glance at the clock on my bedside table, I noticed a few things. The sheets didn't feel like mine, this room didn't look like mine, and as I listened carefully, I could hear deep, steady breathing coming from the other side of the bed.
I flopped over in the bed to look toward the source of the breathing, and my eyes were met with one of the most glorious sights they'd ever known. A man was lying beside me, his reddish-brown hair shining brightly in the light of the midday sun. His chest was bare, rising and falling with each quiet breath he took. He was possibly the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. I wondered what I was doing in his bed…
And then the memories of last night hit me with the force of a bullet train. Me spilling my drinks all over his shirt…the way we danced in the club…how he kissed me…the feel of his hands all over my body…Edward. Oh, hell.
Just relax, Bella. It's not that big of a deal, my naïve side tried to reason with me. So you had sex with a complete stranger. And now you're lying naked in his bed. Things could be worse.
Yeah. He could be ugly.
That's when I went into panic mode. My breathing sped, and my palms started sweating like crazy. What the hell was I thinking last night?! The only person I'd ever had sex with before last night was Mike, and I'd made him wait months before I'd agreed to do anything. I'd never been exactly what you'd call "easy", and I was appalled that one night with a good-looking, sweet-talking, panty-dampening sex god had shattered my entire record. And the worst part of it was that I didn't even have alcohol to blame. The whole evening, I'd had a shot and a Cosmopolitan, and being a college girl, I knew how to hold my liquor. I'd been drunk off Edward alone.
Oh God, but the sex… it was like nothing I'd ever experienced. Every little movement he made set off new waves of pleasure, and after each orgasm ended, it had felt like only seconds until I was coming undone once again, screaming his name at the top of my lungs. And then, no matter how exhausted I was after I came, I always wanted more. He would try to roll off of me to give me some breathing room, but I would just wrap my legs tighter around his waist, holding him deep inside me. And then we'd go at it all over again. When it was over, and we were both too spent to move a muscle, he'd pulled out of me and just held me in his arms as we drifted off to sleep. That's right. He'd fucking cuddled me. Willingly. I hadn't even had to ask.
That's beside the point! The rational part of my being scolded. The point is that you slept with a total stranger. You spent the night in his bed, Bella! How the hell do you think that makes you look?
Like a whore. That's how it made me look. He probably thought I was some trashy, slutty, whore who slept with every guy who looked her way. And after he woke up, he would probably want to go again. He would expect me to just roll over on my back and spread my legs, willing him to fuck me like he had last night. Like I'd begged him to last night.
I had to leave. I had to get out of here before he woke up to find that the sexy, confident woman he'd slept with was just a shy little girl, afraid to let herself lose control.
Carefully, I pulled back the comforter on my side of the bed, swinging my legs around to place my feet gently on the floor. Trying to make sure that the sudden absence of my weight didn't alert Edward to the fact that I was leaving, I stood up as slowly as I could, making sure that the mattress didn't shift too much. I looked around the room, searching for my clothes. Fortunately, they were all scattered around the wall by his bedroom door, where we'd hastily stripped down last night. I tiptoed over to them and had started digging around for my panties before I remembered that he'd flung them across the room. I half-contemplated going to look for them, but then Edward moaned in his sleep and rolled over, his arms feeling around the bed for me.
Yeah. I could skip the underwear. No harm in going commando.
I got dressed quickly and slid my shoes onto my feet, turning one more time to look at Edward's sleeping form. He really was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen, but my chagrin toward last night's activities kept me from feeling any sort of desire toward him right now.
As eager as I was to get out of there, it felt so wrong to leave him without any sort of farewell. I noticed a desk in the corner, so I walked over and quickly scribbled a note on a post it that I found, laying the small piece of paper on the bed where I'd been. I then turned and walked purposefully out of the apartment, away from Edward. Away from everything that had happened last night.
I caught a taxi back to my place, and I spent the entire ride beating myself up over what I'd done. How could I have been so careless? I was on the pill and I'd made him use a condom, so pregnancy wasn't a possibility, but that didn't mean that Edward was clean. I mean, what if he had an STD or something? I would definitely be getting tested this week, I decided.
When the cab pulled up to my apartment complex, I threw the driver a twenty and raced through the lobby and into the elevator, willing it to go faster. Not soon enough I was on the fourth floor, and I hastily walked to my door, pulling out the key to unlock it. As soon as the lock clicked, I pushed the door in, throwing myself into my apartment and slamming the door behind me.
"There she is!" I heard Alice's voice from behind me, and I turned to see her on the couch, watching some show about makeovers and what styles were in and out. Rosalie was in the tiny kitchen pouring a cup of coffee, and once the steaming mug was in her hands, she walked toward me, her eyes appraising my body the whole time.
"So," Alice called from her spot on the couch. "How was last night? Did you and that total babe you left with have a nice evening?"
I tried to answer, or say anything, but my words caught in my throat as a fresh wave of embarrassment washed over me.
"Did you guys go to a coffee shop and have a nice long talk about the national debt?" she continued. "Or did he take you to a library so that you could chat about your favorite books?"
"Shut up, Alice," Rose commanded, her eyes still doing a head-to-toe scan. "I think she may have done a bit more with this one."
"Nuh-uh, Rose. This is Bella we're talking about. There's no way."
I bit my lip as Rosalie tried to look me in the eye, dropping my gaze to the ground.
"Al, she definitely slept with him," she said with confidence, grabbing my chin and trying to force my face upward. "She looks guilty. And she has that weird post-coital glow about her."
"No fucking way." I heard Alice get up from the couch and pad over to where we were standing near the doorway, and when I looked up, I saw her examining me as well. "Shit. I think you're right. Bella, did you have sex with him? And if the answer is 'yes', then how good was he?"
I ripped myself away from their interrogation, making my way down the hall toward my room.
"Bella, sweetie," Rose called after me. "It's okay. We've all done something like this before."
"Not me," I replied curtly before slamming the door forcefully.
After a long moment, I turned toward my room, my eyes immediately falling on the floor-length mirror on the wall across from me. My hair was a wreck, my dress was rumpled, and I looked like I was about to pass out. But besides all that, my eyes were wide, almost excited, and I realized that Rosalie was right. I was glowing. And it made me sick.
I slumped down against my door then, and I cried. I cried because I was ashamed of myself, and because I'd thrown away all of my morals for one night of physical satisfaction. I cried because I felt…dirty. And I knew that I could take fifty showers in a row, and the filth would still sit heavily on my shoulders.
Most of all, I cried because I knew that, despite the wrongness of it all, last night had been the most incredible night of my entire fucking life.
A/N: Well? What dost thou think, my dear readers?
Tell me, tell me! I want to know!
Let me just warn you that it may be a while before I post Chapter Three. I'm still adjusting to college life, and things have been really hectic.
Please review!
Love you all.
