A/N: Apologies for taking so long... trust me, I wanted to post this much sooner than now. But since it is now, let's just consider it a slightly belated birthday/back to school/hump day present for my BFF. Hopefully the sheer volume of sexy times will make up for the delay... ;)
BPOV
There was no better distraction than Edward Cullen.
From the auburn tips of his tousled hair to the expertly-sculpted planes of his chest and everything in between, he successfully eased Bella's thoughts away from suspicious stories about owls and the ongoing Wi-Fi password hostage situation. She spent the last week convincing herself she could resist him if she wanted to and then those intoxicatingly green eyes would penetrate hers from across the expansive dinner table, amidst the gaggle of staff and sporadic family members, and her resolve would vanish.
Not a good enough reason to use the word 'penetrate.' Bella could practically hear Alice plucking the phrase from one of their favorite movies. And while the thought initially made her smile, her happiness was chased away by the idea of yet another thing Edward had managed to distract her from.
Bella could blame the Great Wi-Fi Battle of 2017 for why she hadn't been in contact with Alice in days but the blame lay solely on her shoulders. After all, Edward may be sex on a stick but it was Bella's decision to raid the popsicle stand night after night. The pride she'd felt at being able to withstand his charms during working hours was rapidly deflating.
At least the infatuation isn't one-sided, Bella reasoned with herself. She may not hesitate to get naked whenever Edward was around but he was stalking her just as much as she was indulging him.
Point in case: the very naked body of Edward Cullen currently exhibiting the side effects of an orgasm-induced coma. Their legs tangled together beneath a swath of the softest cotton sheets Bella ever had the pleasure of rolling around on. She looked over Edward's handsome face, still and peaceful in sleep, focusing on the dark stubble that lined his jaw. The skin along her inner thighs tingled with the pleasant memory of just how good it felt when his face was buried there. Needless to say, it wasn't just the stubble she remembered fondly.
A low rumble emanated from his chest and his hand tightened into a fist, crumbling the sheet in his grip. Bella pursed her lips as she watched a slight wrinkle form between his eyes. He hadn't been lying when he suggested it was he that needed the distraction. And while she convinced herself it was stresses from handling the family business that drove him to seek her out, she wondered just how much work could haunt a man. It certainly shouldn't be the sort of thing to lose sleep over. Bella stifled a laugh at the thought. If there was one thing Edward was losing sleep over, it sure as hell wasn't work.
She untangled her leg from his, eliciting another frustrated moan from the man sprawled out across the bed. As she slipped beneath the covers, her movement didn't appear to wake him but he did shift, bending his leg and inadvertently tenting the sheet for her. Her fingers itched to touch him. She wanted to stroke the strong muscles roping the length of his legs. She longed to rest her hand low on his stomach and revel in each and every twitch that would further contract his impressive six pack as she brought him right to the very edge.
Instead she kept her hands to herself. Moving carefully, she eased her mouth to hover just over his rigid cock. It strained against his stomach, a bead of moisture dampening his perfectly smooth skin and making her mouth water. Every inch of him tasted fantastic. From the rich sweetness of his lips to the masculine heat of his cock. Bella opened her mouth and slipped her tongue out to gently stroke his sensitive head. She felt his groan more than she heard it this time and it only urged her on.
Suctioning her mouth around his engorged head, she eased his cock away from his stomach and sucked languidly at him. It was the slow sort of pace that usually drove his hands into her hair so that he could properly fuck her mouth. Only now she used it as a wake-up call. A force of pleasure to combat whatever demons he dreamt of.
Lapping quietly, Bella allowed more of his generous length to slip into her mouth. One precious inch at a time, she swallowed him down until he reached the back of her throat. With a slow, sucking draw on his cock, Bella eased her mouth back to just his tip and was pretty damn sure Edward's next moan contained her name.
She smiled around him and teased his slit with the tip of her tongue. Using her teeth, she nibbled lightly at the rim around his head and was rewarded with another groan as his cock swelled to fill her mouth. He was definitely awake now.
From beneath the sheet Bella heard what sounded like a knock followed by a litany of hushed curses. So far Edward had yet to make good on his promise to let Emmett watch and Bella wondered if today was her lucky day. That was when she heard Carlisle's unmistakable voice calling into the room.
"Edward."
"Jesus Christ, Dad."
Bella knew she appeared to be nothing more than an indistinct mound beneath the sheets but that didn't stop Edward from placing a firm hand on the back of her head. Of course, if his goal had been to stop her, he failed spectacularly. Her lips were stretched wide around his cock and although it would be difficult to lift her head, she still had complete control over her tongue.
"Is it too early to go over that paperwork now? You're always so busy later in the day."
"You couldn't wait till I was out of bed? Or dressed maybe?"
Carlisle chuckled humorlessly. "I was there when you were born, Edward. Naked as jaybird. But if you'd like to discuss business in a more formal setting I'd be happy to wait in your office."
"Great," Edward said with an exasperated sigh.
"Let me be clear," Carlisle continued although his voice grew quieter as he seemed to move away from the bed. "I won't be happy to wait for long."
The door slammed and Edward's grip on her head relaxed as he let loose another sigh. This one more relief than exasperation.
Bella took the opportunity to sit back on her heels, pulling the sheet down at the same time. It fell off her head and down past her shoulders just in time for Edward to glance her grasping his cock in her hand. It was slick from her saliva and her hand glided along his silky skin with ease.
"Now that is cockblocking," Edward said with a nod toward the closed door. "I've got to start locking the fucking door."
"I don't know," Bella teased. "It sounded important. Far more important than this."
She leaned over and placed a sucking kiss to his cock. Leaving her tongue to trace lazy circles around the skin there, she lifted her face toward Edward. His gaze was focused on her tongue and she rewarded his rapt attention with another kiss and a quick swallow that him fisting the sheets again.
"More important," Edward mumbled.
"Mmm-hmm," Bella agreed, her mouth too full to speak.
"Fuck." Edward made a move to pull away from her mouth. "I have to go. He'll just come back."
Bella pouted playfully and allowed Edward to scoot back, sitting at the head of the bed, for the sole purpose of being able to follow his movements in a seductive prowl. This time when his gaze left hers, it settled on her breasts as they swayed gently with each step. In no time at all her mouth was back on him, sucking at his erect cock as it jutted up from his lap.
His hand fell to her ass while he uttered the word 'fuck' again. He kneaded her flesh and she rose to her knees.
"I like the sound of that." She smiled up at him, matching his pumping grip on her ass with her own on his cock.
"Bells." Edward groaned the nickname he'd started calling her somewhere over the last week. The butterfly horde in her stomach took flight. "I'll be right back."
"What if I don't let you go?" Bella twisted the corner of her lip between her teeth and played her fingers up over the slick head of his cock. "I've been practicing the Quileute Mount and I really think I could take you this time."
It hadn't taken Bella long to connect the dots that the shredded Adonis in the photos lining the gym walls was none other than Edward Cullen. It was the Celtic Wolf tattoo that gave him away as his face was rarely featured. Or maybe it was and Bella just had a hard time looking away from all his delicious muscle to notice. He'd been the top fighter for Cullen Corps for years before retiring, a story Bella still hadn't gotten Edward to spill. In the meantime, she'd had plenty of fun practicing all his old moves. The Rear Naked Choke definitely ranked as one of her favorites… minus the choking, of course.
Edward gripped her wrist as another growl erupted from his throat. "Isabella Swan." Somehow him saying her full name had a similar effect on those damn butterflies and she squirmed closer to him.
"I'll tell you what," she practically whispered as she closed what little distance remained between them. "Tell me the Wi-Fi password and I'll let you go."
Edward claimed her mouth in a searing kiss and she nearly forgot her demand by the time he pulled back. "Will you be here when I get back?"
The things a man would do for sex. Bella smiled and removed her hand from his cock as she rose onto her knees. Pressing her breasts against his firm chest, she nodded until their lips were melded together. Edward bit at her lip and finally pulled back. Two seconds later he was on his feet and striding across the length of the room to extract a pair of shorts from his walk-in closet. Bella could make a serious hobby out of watching that man's perfect ass all day long.
From within the cavernous depths of his closet she heard him call out, "Screw Ohio 06."
When he emerged, and took in Bella's arched eyebrow, Edward let loose with a chuckle. Leaning down for a quick kiss on his way past the bed, he continued on his way before Bella could wrangle him back into bed.
"The first match I lost. Ohio, 2006. Underscore between 'screw' and 'Ohio.'"
Bella laughed. "I never would've guessed that."
"That's the point," Edward said with a wink. His hand was on the doorknob and he paused just long enough to turn back and direct a heated look in her direction. "Oh, and Bella? Don't change. I love what you're wearing."
EPOV
"And just like that, you get in bed with the enemy." Carlisle pounced the moment Edward walked into the office, before he'd even had a chance to close the door.
The five seconds Edward took to make sure the heavy oak door was firmly shut afforded him just enough time to school his expression before turning back to Carlisle.
"What are you talking about?"
"This." A stack of papers fell from Carlisle's hand and landed on Edward's desk with a resounding smack. Jabbing a pointed finger, Carlisle gritted his teeth. "Just what the hell were you thinking, Edward?"
Edward took his time crossing the room, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall just which of his recent deeds was causing his father so much ire. Carlisle, however, didn't appear to notice. He was too busy muttering to himself. His gaze now unfocused but no less deadly.
"…knew I should've put Rose in charge… my life's work… Volturi's will be thrilled…"
"You mean the same Volturi's who are responsible for Jasper's death?" Edward huffed.
Carlisle's steely blue gaze snapped up to meet Edward's. He waved his hand flippantly. The move was a direct contradiction of the serious look on his face. "He was one of them," he finally said.
A cold shiver ran down Edward's spine. He knew his father to be ruthless but to see him dismiss another man's life so easily was a new low. "Should that matter?"
"Yes. Better him than one of us." Carlisle bobbed his head once but didn't bother wasting any additional energy on looking sad.
A cascade of words built up on Edward's tongue. Accusatory words that blamed Carlisle for Jasper's death. Fury that Carlisle chose to put Edward in charge instead of Rose. Disappointment that despite all that had happened, Edward still wanted no part of it. He could take this opportunity to change things and turn the organization around. Force his father to play clean and fair for once. And that's when it dawned on him. That's exactly why his father was upset with him.
Edward didn't fight the small smile that curled the corner of his lip as he approached the desk and nodded toward the papers. "And just what would you have done in retaliation?"
"Edward," Carlisle practically growled his name. "This is not retaliation. This is rewarding the enemy. You just up and give them our latest shipment? We have a very strict protocol we follow when it comes to dolling out our product-"
"Drugs, you mean." Edward replied. "You save the 'good stuff' for our fighters and sell off the lesser quality drugs to the competition."
"It's more complicated than that and you can't even begin to understand the intricacies of the operation that you've been so reluctant to be a part of."
A boiling fury rolled through Edward's chest. "I fought for Cullen Corps for five years, Dad. Five years I had your trainers and doctors pushing every drug imaginable into my system all so I could win the fight."
Carlisle had leaned over the desk and the if not for the reliance on his cane, the two men would've been nose to nose. "Do I need to remind you just how well you did without them?"
With a deep breath, Edward took a step back and willed the darkness crowding his vision to recede. Carlisle's specialty was riling people up. It was how he retained the upper hand. Anything was possible when you made the enemy lose their cool.
Just when did I become the enemy, Edward wondered.
"No, Dad." He finally responded. "I'm reminded every time I check my email."
Carlisle chuckled and Edward clenched his fists at the sound of it. It was pretty easy to see why Carlisle chose the particular mode of intimidation that he did. He was damn good at it.
"As for the shipment," Edward said. "I wanted to get inside the Volturi's operation. The way you supply to them now – through third, fourth and sometimes fifth-party dealers – doesn't afford much contact. This way we can have direct contact with them."
Carlisle appeared to consider this with a miniscule – yet surprised – look of pride on his face. Maybe that could be Edward's main objective: shock the enemy into submission.
"Who are you using? It can't be Emmett," Carlisle said.
"Sure it can," Edward replied. "We were infiltrated. Unknowingly took on an employee from another family to guard the head of our household. Why would we trust anyone now? Send Emmett around on errands and see if he meets the same end as Jasper."
"Now who's being callous?" sneered Carlisle.
"Emmett's not a traitor. And he'll find out what we need to know fast." Edward strode toward the door, eager to escape to a room which promised far better company. Namely, his bedroom. "Someone is clearly targeting you, even with Jasper gone."
Carlisle knew better than to deny the incident to Edward. He wasn't going to fall for some phony story about an owl.
Opening the door a crack, Edward hesitated. He didn't relish the idea of his father poking around his office unattended but wasn't about to kick him out either. Luckily the old man could take a hint. He made his way across the room in steady, measured steps. Bella was doing both of them a world of good. A thought that made Edward cringe the second he had it. The idea was a little too close for comfort.
This time it was Carlisle who paused at the door, stopping just before crossing the threshold. "Oh, and Edward? Sleeping with the help? Really?"
BPOV
Before Bella could locate her clothes and storm out in anger or embarrassment – she hadn't decided which just yet – Edward walked into the bedroom. From the look on his face, he knew she'd heard what Carlisle had said. And his expression was enough to make her abandon either.
"Bella. I'm so sorry. My father… he's…" Edward closed the door with a slam as he stalked toward her. "He's… what can I say? There's no excuse for him."
That fact didn't seem to sit well with Edward. His jaw clenched shut, fists balled at his sides as he stood just beside the bed. Whatever Bella may have been feeling when she heard Carlisle's jab about sleeping with the help didn't appear to compare with how Edward felt.
Bella dropped the sheet she'd held clutched to her chest and made her way to where Edward stood, clearly too distracted to appreciate just how naked she was. Rising to her knees, she laid a hand on his chest. Despite her light touch, he jerked and clamped his hand over hers. She could feel his heart beat against her palm and wondered at the sudden jump in her own pulse as he looked down at her.
"I'm sorry," he repeated.
Bella shook her head with a sigh. "I must admit I thought he was one of the good ones." She crinkled her nose at the memory of how she fell for his charms. "Handsome older gentleman always ready with a smile and a kind word."
"Handsome?" Edward lifted an eyebrow along with his mood. "My father?"
"You had to get these good looks from somewhere," Bella said with a laugh as she brought her other hand up to stroke at his rough jaw.
He snapped playfully at her fingers before his expression turned serious once again. "But you didn't deserve to hear that. It's not true, you know."
"Sure, it is," Bella replied.
"Bella-"
"What? I am the help."
Edward let out a sharp huff and dropped her hand from his chest. "You're a well-educated professional with a thriving career."
"And your chef isn't?" Bella waited just long enough to enjoy Edward's slack-jawed silence before letting out a loud laugh. "Relax, Edward. I know what you were saying but I guess you can't really deny what your father said. I am helping him."
A growl rumbled through Edward's chest and Bella jumped at the sudden firmness of his hands gripping her bare waist.
"Have you been naked this whole time?"
Arousal flooded Bella's body with a burning heat as Edward's serious gaze took a turn for the sexy. She nodded, biting her lip against a moan that threatened to escape.
"You said you liked what I was wearing," she said breathlessly.
"I really do," he replied as he leaned in to bite her lip for her.
The roughness with which he captured her mouth soon eased into something slower and almost tender. Bella's hands found their way between their bodies and beneath the soft cotton of his t-shirt. It was about time to divest him of those pesky clothes he'd thrown on. When Edward pulled back, Bella expected his shirt to hit the floor in record time but instead she was met with a deepening crease between his eyes that matched the stern set of his mouth. His hands never left her, moving from her waist to stroke up and down the length of her arms.
"I'm really not like him," Edward said.
Bella had to wonder just who he was trying to convince. Her or him.
"Except for the handsome part," Bella reminded him with a small smile that he returned with a grimace.
"It'd be great if you could stop talking about how handsome you think my father is."
Bella dropped back on the bed with a laugh. Tugging the sheet up to cover her breasts, she looked up at the serious and seriously distracted man standing over her. "He can't be all bad. Some of that man I'd gotten to know has to be real. It's not all an act, is it?"
Edward's jaw clicked and he stared at the bed hard enough to make Bella wonder if he'd ignored her in favor of brushing up on his x-ray vision. When he finally did look up at her it was to stare at her in silence for a good thirty seconds. The intense look on his face was doing all sorts of funny things to Bella's body and had her seriously considering dropping the sheet and avoiding any and all conversation. That's when he spoke.
"You heard what he said." Edward's voice was rough, spoken through clenched teeth.
Bella nodded and flexed her fist against the knot of fabric clutched to her chest. "And it wasn't my favorite thing to hear but, Edward, he runs a successful business. He's been married to the same woman for fifty years. And he raised you." The tension around Edward's mouth softened a little. "I know a little something about having a successful parental figure. They don't get that way by being all sunshine and rainbows. You have to be a little ruthless."
"Ruthless," Edward repeated the word with a humorless snort. He sat down on the bed, leaning back against the headboard with a sigh.
Bella relinquished her hold on the sheet and made her way over to Edward. His continued state of dress wasn't ideal but didn't deter Bella from crawling over to straddle his lap. Edward's hands found a home along the crease of her hips, his thumbs pressing delicate circles into the soft skin there.
"So maybe you run the family business without the callous ruthlessness," Bella said with a shrug. She used the move to land her hands on his broad shoulders and close a little of the distance between them.
"And what if I don't want to run the family business?" He asked.
"Then you carve your own path," Bella responded matter-of-factly.
A slow smile touched his lips and his hands tightened on her hips just enough to allow her to feel a growing hardness positioned beneath her center.
"Is that what you did?" Edward asked.
"Maybe," Bella replied. A sigh escaped through her smile but Edward's hands stilled. He was waiting for more. So was she. Rocking her hips once against him, she decided both of them could have what they wanted. "When you're the daughter of a high-profile police chief, there are certain expectations. Pressure even to follow in those law enforcement footsteps."
Edward held her in place, pressing her down hard against him. "Your father is chief of police?"
Bella laughed and tried to move under Edward's forceful grip but to no avail. She settled for leaned in to nip at the strong line of his jaw. "Mother. My mother is chief of police."
It was almost easy to forget that Bella was supposed to be mad at Carlisle when they met up later in the afternoon for his therapy session. His disarming smile and easy charm drew her in like always and it was only when she cracked a smile at his comment about her buff arms as he took the one she offered in assistance that she remembered what he'd said about her.
"I suppose helping invalids around all day would give you the arms of a superhero," Carlisle said.
Bella halted her smile before it became a full-on grin and negotiated their way through the French doors and onto the expansive patio leading to the backyard. "I don't see any invalids here," she finally replied.
The leaves were beginning to turn. The tinge of orange outlining the tips of the trees bordering the large yard was amplified by the glow of the early evening sun. Despite the obvious sign of the impending autumn and the time of day, the air was warm. Carlisle was right. As impressive as their home gym was, it was definitely more appealing to work outside on day like this.
"Are you sure Edward is okay with us working outside?" Bella asked as she closed the doors behind them.
Carlisle made his way to one of the patio chairs. "I didn't know I needed to run it by him."
"Uh uh uh," Bella said when she saw Carlisle moving to sit down. "You're out here to work, no sitting."
Carlisle stood with a mock huff and Bella removed a small ball from where she'd lodged it beneath her arm. Tossing it into the air and catching it with a smile, she gestured for Carlisle to follow her toward the grass. "I just thought Edward wanted us to stay inside until… the owl's nesting season was over."
"I think we're safe back here," Carlisle said with a wink.
Bella leveled a serious look at Carlisle who didn't seem to notice before stepping back a few paces and holding the ball out. "Ready?"
"For?"
"You catch it with your left hand and throw it back to me with your right. Alternate between underhand and overhand. Okay?"
Carlisle nodded and caught Bella's first toss easily. The ball sailed back and forth, Bella taking small steps back with each throw.
"So, Edward was actually telling me how you only bought this place a few years ago…" Bella began.
This time Carlisle didn't laugh or smirk or wink or do any of the other charming things he was known for but he did catch the ball.
"Was he?" Carlisle said coolly. "Perhaps he's confused. This home has been in my family for generations."
"Huh," Bella mused. "That's probably it. He's so busy running the business. I imagine he can't afford to be distracted."
The ball came sailing back to Bella, a bit harder than his previous throws. "No, he can't." Carlisle replied.
Bella crouched down and touched the ball to grass. "Ready to work on some balance? I want to you stop the ball with your foot, then kick it back. Keep it rolling, no bouncing." She sent the ball off with a push. "Alternate feet."
The focus on balance required more concentration and the two worked in silence that was punctuated only by Bella's mild praise and the occasional bird call until it was interrupted with the soft chime of a text message. The sound came from Bella's phone and naturally she ignored it. After all, she was with a client. But the sound didn't go unnoticed by Carlisle.
"You get reception here?"
Bella stood from her crouch as she sent the ball off toward Carlisle again. This time when he returned it, she sent it rolling right back with a little kick. "Just recently, yeah."
"Huh," Carlisle said without the slightest bit of surprise in his voice. "Most people find the house to be a bit of a dead zone."
"I've got a good service plan," Bella said with a shrug. She couldn't keep a smile from touching her lips. The combination of Edward and the Wi-Fi password went well beyond good service.
The ball came rolling back to Bella on a bounce that sent it careening away from the house. As Carlisle apologized, Bella jogged after it with a laugh. It'd been so long since she'd been outside for any reason, let alone a good run, that she didn't care. Scooping up the ball, she lobbed it back toward Carlisle, who managed to stop it under the toe of his left shoe with only the slightest wobble.
"I'm impressed, Mr. Cullen. You've come a long way in such a short time," Bella exclaimed as she trotted back toward him. "You'll be lacing up those dancing shoes in no time at all."
Her phone pinged again and then again, a machine gun-burst of electronic chimes that signaled the Wi-Fi floodgates opening. Bella was willing bet every last text and voicemail was from Alice.
"Sounds like someone's trying to get ahold of you," Carlisle said, gesturing toward the waistband pocket of Bella's spandex capris.
She waved her hand. "They can wait."
"Maybe they can, but I can't. I'm hungry." Carlisle bent to pick up the ball. "It must be close to dinner time."
As if on cue, the outside lights flicked on, bathing the patio in soft light. Bella and Carlisle stood on the grass, just beyond the yellow rim.
"Ah, it's a sign!" Carlisle announced with a wide grin.
Bella's shoulders slumped just a little at the thought of heading back inside so soon. She imagined the grounds were fabulous in the peak of summer. Sprawling green with hidden treasures just over the gentle rises and slopes. She'd already spotted the pool from her bedroom window and was pretty sure there were tennis courts somewhere on the property as well.
"One last throw," Bella bargained. "Give it all you've got."
A dark glint flashed in Carlisle's eyes, or was that a trick of the fading light? Whatever it was, Bella didn't have long to consider it because the ball went sailing overhead, too high for her to catch even with a jump.
"I won't apologize for that one, Bella." Carlisle called out as she ran off after the ball. "After all, my strength is a testament to you."
Bella laughed despite herself. Even knowing how Carlisle felt about her involvement with Edward, Bella couldn't help but find a small part of her still liked him. He was nothing if not determined and that was a quality to be admired, whether it worked in her favor or not.
"Go get ready for dinner, you've earned dessert tonight!" She shouted back to him.
His deep, jovial laughter followed her as she ran into the shadows that stretched toward the house. Bella finally spotted the ball and jogged toward it. She turned just in time to see Carlisle disappear into the house. Instead of heading straight in after him, she ran along the tips of the shadows, enjoying the fresh air for a little while longer. By the time she'd made her way back around to the patio, it was just in time to hear the angry, yet indistinguishable, sounds of two men arguing. As her steps transitioned from grass to stone pavers, she heard her name called out.
"Bella!" It was Edward.
The door closed behind him with a slam and Bella caught a glimpse of a retreating Carlisle just seconds before Edward's large frame blocked her view of anything.
"What the hell are you doing out here?" He thundered.
Bella pressed her hand to his chest and yet he didn't stop advancing until her fingers were nearly crushed between them. "Working. What's going on?"
"I told you to stay inside." His breath was coming hard and fast and his eyes were dark with anger and something else. Worry?
"Your father said it was okay-"
"My father," Edward scoffed. "And just what has he done to earn your trust lately, Bella? I can think of a pretty damn good reason not to trust him, in fact."
Bella flexed her fingers against his shirt. "He may not like us sleeping together but my job has nothing to do with that."
Edward's arms encircled her, holding her close. The move wasn't romantic or gentle. "He's killed people for less."
"What?" Bella asked. The longer Edward took to respond, the more Bella thought she must've misheard him. No one said anything about killing anybody. Carlisle may be a dick but he wasn't going to murder her.
The color drained from Edward's lips as he pressed them together in a hard line. When he finally spoke, his teeth were clenched in a poor show of restraint. "Never mind. It wasn't him anyway."
Now he was mumbling. Despite their proximity to one another, Bella wasn't sure what he was talking about. She brought her other hand between them and reached for the collar of his shirt. She couldn't deny how good he looked all worked up, especially while wearing a crisp button-down shirt and tailored pants. It was a hell of a lot more clothes than he'd been wearing earlier in the day and Bella had to admit the change wasn't all bad. Her fingertips crazed the sliver of skin available to her through the undone top button of his shirt.
"What is going on?" Bella finally asked.
Edward's gaze darted around the grounds, his arms pulling her in closer. When he finally loosened his grip to look down at her, Bella was surprised to see fear in his eyes.
"It's not safe out here. You know that, right?"
Bella rolled her eyes. She sure as hell knew it wasn't an owl that went streaking past her a week ago but an errant bullet from an irresponsible hunter wasn't reason enough for total house arrest in her book. "It was a freak accident, Edward. An accident that wasn't even an accident because I'm fine."
"What about next time?"
"There won't be a next time. Lightning doesn't strike twice."
He squinted at her, holding back whatever it was that he wanted to say. Finally, he settled for pulling her back into his arms, pressing her head to his chest. The beat of his heart almost overpowered his next words. "It's not just you that's in danger."
When he removed his hand from her back to gesture toward the corner of the house, Bella immediately missed the warmth of his touch.
"He goes where you go." In the darkness Bella could just make out Emmett, standing still and silent. His gaze was trained on them. "So now both of you are in danger."
Bella shivered against Edward and his arm wrapped back around her. She still wasn't sure what he was talking about or why she was in danger but none of that mattered when he was holding her.
EPOV
Edward couldn't get his heart to slow down. Or his thoughts. They were racing with the possibilities of what could've happened. The very idea that his father had talked Bella into going outside was outrageous. If he hadn't been so determined to get his hands on Bella and know that she was alright, he most definitely would've gotten a hand on his father and it wouldn't have been nearly as gentle. Not that his grip on Bella was particularly soft. He squeezed her once and pulled back, forcing his hands to release her just a little.
"You have Emmett following me?" Bella asked.
The naïve incredulity in her voice would've been endearing if it wasn't so infuriating. Edward was well beyond being rational and it was a serious struggle to keep his voice low and calm.
"That's his job," Edward growled. "To protect this family."
A flash of amusement flickered across Bella's face. She didn't laugh but her eyes sure as hell were smiling. Edward narrowed his own at her. "What?"
Bella bit her lip and glanced down, choosing that moment to fiddle with the buttons on his shirt. "It's just that I'm not family." She glanced up at him, that smile struggling to get free from the grip of her teeth. "I'm afraid I'm just the h-"
He could've yelled or cursed or punched a hole in the wall like a damn Neanderthal but he silenced her with a kiss. One that channeled all his anger and fear and threatened to tear him apart. She pressed against him, giving herself over and yet she was just one more thing he couldn't control. For a man who was used to winning, it was strange to be surrounded by those who knew better or thought they did. He was powerless but Bella didn't need to know that.
His fingers tangled in her hair, wrapping the long dark strands into his fist and pulling her closer. The force of his lips on hers were going to leave a mark and he didn't care. He sucked at her lips, biting at the fine flesh there she was so fond of nibbling on. Bella moaned on a sigh and Edward didn't let her catch her breath. His tongue stroked against hers and he devoured every last sound she made. The groans, the whimpers, the panting breaths that struggled to get free. He wanted all of them.
His own breath was hard and fast when they finally broke apart. Bella was on her toes, her hands clenched in his shirt, half of the buttons undone. He bent down to press his forehead against hers. If his overly-possessive kiss wasn't proof enough, Edward growled in a low voice. "You're under my protection while you're here. Nothing will happen to you."
"While I'm here?" Bella asked, her voice a breathless whisper. "And just what are you protecting me from? Your elitist father or something more… dangerous?"
She squeezed his biceps for emphasis yet Edward couldn't think of anything beyond the litany of real dangers she could face once she got tangled up with the Cullen family. A threat that most likely would extend beyond the boundaries of the Cullen Estate. The thought that Bella might be in danger once she left the compound sent another surge of fury rocketing through Edward. Bringing her there had been a mistake. One that was too late to correct.
"You may not believe me," Edward said. His finger grazed the side of Bella's face, her pale skin smooth beneath his touch. "But I'm more dangerous than my father."
For forcing you to come here, he thought.
Bella captured his hand and leaned into his touch before turning to capture the tip of his thumb between her teeth. She sucked at his skin and let it pop free with a slick sound that shot straight to his cock.
"Am I in danger now?" Bella asked.
"Most definitely," Edward responded.
This time he offered a modicum of restraint as he brought his lips down on hers. Her mouth opened to him and with a single sweep of her tongue, his tenuous control was shattered. Slipping his hand back into her hair, he dove deeper into her mouth and pressed his hips against her. The force pushed her backward until suddenly they stopped moving and every last inch of space between them was erased.
Bella was backed up against one of the columns rising from the patio to support a second-story balcony. One that Edward sincerely hoped would still be standing once he was done with the sexy woman in his arms.
From where they were standing, the exterior lighting barely touched them. A thin, illuminating halo cut just over Edward's shoulder so that when he pulled back, Bella's alabaster skin practically glowed. The light danced in her eyes as she fluttered them open to look up at him. A brief flicker of a shadow and Bella's blink to the side reminded Edward they were not alone. Emmett was there. And in a minute, he would be gone. He was under orders to be dismissed from his protection duties whenever Edward was around.
Bella's gaze was back on Edward's and he was reminded of another promise he'd made to her. One that he could more readily keep. He would give anything to ensure her safety but that sort of a plan would take time and resources, neither of which were on his mind at the moment. And Emmett deserved some sort of acknowledgement for all the extra work he'd been putting in. He'd been doing his job well if Bella hadn't noticed him trailing her all week. Especially since she hadn't been allowed to leave the house.
Letting Bella's hair fall from his fingers, Edward raised his hand and spoke a single word to the retreating shadow behind him. "Stay."
Bella's gaze shot back to Edward, an unmistakable spark in her eyes. And still there was a question there. Was this what Edward wanted?
"I want you," Edward said in a low voice as he leaned in to brush his lips against her neck. Pulling back to see a rush of color flood her cheeks, Edward couldn't help but smile. "And I've never seen you more turned on."
The column was put to the test as he pressed against her, seeking some relief for his aching cock. Her sigh mingled with a moan and Edward slipped a hand between them, seeking out the waistband of her skintight pants. Bella grasped his wrist, holding his hand at bay. "Every time you touch me you turn me on." Her gaze held his for one serious moment. Then she moved his hand, guiding it beneath her pants.
Edward didn't waste any time bringing his other hand around to slip against the silky spandex covering Bella's firm backside. He squeezed her there, pulling her against him and stroking a finger against her heated center at the same time. She gasped and bit into that delicious lip again. Her eyes were wide with desire and focused solely on him and yet Edward could sense Emmett there in the shadows, watching.
Ducking his head down, Edward brushed the tip of his nose along Bella's jaw. When she lifted her face to allow him better access to her neck, he took full advantage. His lips ravaged the smooth skin there, sucking and kissing and growling against her. Glancing up, he noticed Bella's gaze blinking between himself and the shrouded figure behind him. Edward kissed the thumping pulse along Bella's neck and rose to his full height, no doubt obscuring Emmett's view.
Edward's shadow fell across Bella's face and her eyes focused on his, widening an infinitesimal amount at the subtle stroke of his finger. She was wet against his hand, soaking his finger and making his cock impossibly hard.
"He can watch," Edward began. "And he can see you…" He left his right hand buried between her legs but brought his other one up to slip the strap of her tank top down past her shoulder. Bella obliged him and shimmied out of the top, gasping when he brought a finger up to pinch at the aroused tip of her nipple as it strained against her sports bra. He cupped her breast and then lowered his head at the same time he pulled the fabric down and out of the way. Lavishing her nipple with sucking kisses, he pulled back only briefly to look up at her again. "But he can't see all of you." He punctuated the demand with a thrust of his finger into her heated center.
Bella rose onto her toes, riding his finger as he teased her nipple with the tip of his tongue. She clutched at his hair and Edward groaned against the pain of her fingernails, his cock throbbing in its confinement.
"Fine," Bella finally breathed her agreement. "But I don't just want your fingers. I want your cock."
That word falling from Bella's lips was like a bolt of lightning. Edward's body went rigid with tension, mimicking the unyielding stiffness of said cock. He held his finger deep within her, fluttering the tip against her own quivering walls, an animalist snarl growing in his chest.
"Since when aren't my fingers enough?" The words came out in a low, harsh voice. Anger was his best defense at the moment. After all, he hadn't expected to find himself in such a situation on his way to dinner. He really had to start carrying condoms with him everywhere he went as long as Bella was around.
Despite his tone, Bella offered a soft smile that rapidly verged on wicked. "I love your fingers. Long, deep, finding my orgasm better than my own ever could…"
Edward stilled his hand and slipped another digit alongside his first, stopping her commentary with a shuddering gasp. He smirked as she blinked back the pleasure, barely holding it at bay if her stilted speech was any indication.
"Want your cock- need– deep inside. Now… Edward- now. Please. Please, Edward."
It was the begging that did him in. The moan that her words rolled out on, the bright red of her lip where those teeth dug in against the inferno that threatened to rage through her body. Her hands clawed at his pants, finding the thickening bulge of his cock with little trouble. And before he could acquiesce or distract her with an earth-shattering orgasm, she was unzipping his pants and pulling him free.
A barely audible grunt sounded from the shadows behind him but Bella didn't let Edward get distracted by Emmett's presence. She pulled on his cock, stroking root to tip and drawing his attention back to her.
Stepping toward her, he sighed as the head of his cock slipped along the soft and silky fabric of her pants. He thrust there as Bella worked her hands over him, finally holding him against her, wedged just beneath where his hand was buried. With a slick stroke, he pulled his fingers out of her and brought them to his mouth. The taste of her arousal was like honey on his tongue. He hummed around his fingers until Bella cut him off. A firm hand to the back of his neck pulled him toward her, her mouth searching his for a taste of what he did to her.
The sudden proximity afforded Edward the perfect vantage point to thrust against her. Her legs parted just enough to allow his cock nearly unobstructed access to that sweet heat at her center. He could feel her throbbing just a breath away, separated by thin fabric that was suddenly not thin enough. Angling his hips just right, Edward was able to test the integrity of those skintight pants. With low, shallow thrusts, the head of his cock was briefly swallowed by her barely covered, slick center.
She bit at his lips and battled his tongue, moans escaping the seal of their lips. Her thighs clutched at his cock, drawing him into her just as far as her pants would allow. He wanted to get his hand in her pants again. His mouth on her breasts. His cock buried deep. And yet all he could do now was pull her closer in his arms and pray for dinner to be over by the time they got back inside. He needed the day to be over. Because then he'd have her in his bed again. Naked and ready to receive all the pleasure he longed to give her.
Bella wrapped her arms around his head, lifting her mouth off his to gasp into the evening air. Edward clutched at her leg, curling it to wrap around his hip. His cock ached, ready to burst and needing one good, deep thrust to get the job done. Wrapping his fingers around his straining cock, Edward stroked back and forth against the seam of her pants. A pleasurable thrumming settled into his balls and he pressed against her, the sheath of her thighs stroking him into oblivion.
Bella began gasping his name until it devolved into little more than "E!" He knew she must be watching Emmett watching them and Edward couldn't help but wonder what she saw. Was Emmett visible from where he stood? Was he silent and still or unable to control himself? Part of Edward hoped Emmett's cock was hard, an unrelenting pressure beneath his cupped hands, because the only thing better than fucking Bella was knowing that no one else was.
With Edward supporting most of Bella's weight, her hands were on the move again. She reached down to stroke at his balls, hefting them in her palm. Edward brought his hands to her waist and pulled her down on him. The head of his cock slipped against her spandex-clad center and dragged across her clit. She shuddered against him with a sudden cry and Edward angled to do it again. Releasing his grip on her with just one hand, he guided his cock to make the same circuit again and again until he was ready to burst.
Bella's hands slipped along his cock, pulled at his belt and tore at his shirt until somehow her hands were suddenly against the bare skin of his chest. The heat of her touch set him on fire and Edward captured her lips once more with a final thrust against her. He swallowed the cry that came after, the one that seemed never-ending as she fell apart in his arms.
Her limbs grew heavy, fingers turning from rigid claws into soothing strokes as he set her feet back down on the ground. Edward surveyed the damage. He was thoroughly pleased to find her flushed and disheveled, yet still appropriately covered. Even her sports bra slipped back up in their frenzied coupling. Edward didn't fare as well. Several of his buttons were missing, no doubt scattered about the patio, his shirttails barely tucked in. The one that hung lose did little to disguise his still-hard cock jutting out from his open pants front.
Bella's gaze tracked down his body and she reached for him when she stopped suddenly. It wasn't Edward that stopped her or even Emmett's silent presence. What stopped her was anything but silent.
"Well, well, Emmett. Why is it that every time I run into you, you seem to have your cock in your hand?"
The voice that usually froze Edward in his tracks had him moving faster than usual. Painfully shoving his cock back into pants, Edward zipped up and turned to face the intruder.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"I stopped by for dinner, of course." The statuesque blonde in six-inch designer heels stepped onto the patio with two sharp clicks. "I'm so very anxious to meet the famous Bella."
Edward's lip curled up in a warning snarl. "Bullshit, Rose."
A/N: Rose! Finally! And she sounds like a peach, right?
As much as I wish I could get on a regular writing schedule for this little slice of lemony goodness, that's proving to be a difficult task at the moment. But that's where you - lovely readers - come in! Who doesn't like a little eye candy along with their fanfiction? If you stumble across the perfect pic of our beloved Mobward or his minxy little Bella, pass it along to me on Pinterest (send it to KJ Elison). I've got a Celtic Wolf board all ready and waiting! I'm always up for requests as well... got a sexy scenario you'd like to see pop up? Pass it along! Show me your idea of sexy MMA fighter Edward, conniving Carlisle, wallflower Emmett or even the elusive North American Barn Owl. ;) Let's create a space that adds a visual element to this story and maybe gets me writing a little faster. I can't wait to see your ideas! (I'll be sure to add mine too!)
And as always, I'll take the reviews too... :D Thanks so much for reading!