Chapter 3

Bonding

"I don't think it's safe to go back. They saw my face at the hotel. We could lead trouble right to his doorstep." I didn't want to tell her that he might be angry enough to attack us. I didn't think he would, but there was just enough doubt in my mind to make going home feel like the wrong choice. I was just starting to lament how unprepared I was to travel, when she showed me the money she brought along.

"I've been saving this for quite a while. It was for my trousseau, and I'm certainly not going to need that anymore."

"Don't say that. You could still marry..."

"That's impossible. You said yourself we're rare. Let's just say that half of the thirty are male, and let's say that half of those are unattached, that leaves me with eight men to choose from? In that wide pool, do you really think I could find someone?" She laughed bitterly. "I'm damaged goods Edward. I'm a spinster who will never dry up."

"You're beautiful." I don't know why I said it, but she stopped and looked at me in the pale moonlight.

"So are you." We stood face to face, and I thought again about kissing her. I wanted to, but her thoughts begged me not to try. "Beautiful isn't enough, is it? It's what gets us noticed, but not what makes us memorable. I was beautiful and naive, and he treated me like I was garbage. I wish I could trade beauty for the wisdom to recognize what a snake he was. I wish I could trade beauty for the chance to rock my own baby to sleep just one time. And I would gladly be hideous if I could be alive again. I would trade everything I have to grow old with a man who loves me."

Her words resonated within me. To be loved was the very thing I wanted. I pulled her to me and kissed her. At first she was frozen with shock, then she tried to resist and pull away. I relaxed and gave her space. She looked at me with wide eyes, then I saw her calm, and heard her agreement in my head. We kissed again, and her willing lips were heavenly.

It wasn't my first kiss, but it was only my third, and the first since being changed. Her mouth was sweet, and I touched her lips with my tongue, tracing the perfect outline with the tip. When her mouth opened to me, it took me by surprise. I'd seen open mouth kissing in the nightclubs, but never before then. It just wasn't done. Her tongue met mine, and it felt electric. Moist, and soft, and sweet, she timidly moved it against me. It was a heady sensation, and I wanted more! I heard her invitation in my head; she wanted me to deepen the kiss.

I held her tight and slid my tongue against hers, seeking, tasting, and exploring the inside of her delicious, soft, mouth. It was so intimate, and yet I didn't love her. But in those moments when we were holding each other and kissing so deeply, I wanted to lover her. The headlights of an oncoming car broke us apart.

By mutual unspoken agreement we began walking, and kept silent, neither of us wanting to talk about the kiss. But her thoughts weren't silent, and she was dissecting everything about it, from the way it felt, to mapping out our whole future together should it lead to something more.

I pretended I couldn't read her thoughts, even when she thought of things to try to provoke me. I told her the same thing I'd told Carlisle – that the mind whispered it's secrets, and I had to listen closely to hear. I think she wanted to believe me, but she kept glancing at me to see if I flinched, especially when in her mind she admitted she liked the kiss.

Once outside of the city, she hid in a stand of trees and changed out of her dress. When she emerged she was wearing my pants and a clean shirt she said belonged to her father. She was once again barefoot

"I may not like being dead, but I love the freedom. If I don't want to wear corsets, braziers, stockings, shoes or skirts, there's no one to make me." I smiled. I didn't tell her she looked quite fetching in her brazen outfit. Once she was dressed for comfort, we ran. Our speed took us far from Rochester, and we steered clear of human towns and settlements. Once we were deep in undisturbed nature we hunted again. I taught her how to kill cleanly, so she didn't come out bathed in blood. Afterward we retreated from the site of the kill. We walked for a few miles to a clearing where we relaxed and stared up at the stars. She asked me what human blood tasted like.

"You don't want to know." Just thinking about it made me want it. "Once you taste it, it's hard to ever be satisfied with animals. It's like the perfect food, and the best taste you can imagine." I found myself very close to her in the silence of the forest. "It's not like anything I've ever tasted." I could see her eyes glittering in the starlight as she listened raptly. "When I was human my favorite foods were fresh baked bread, and Mom's apple tarts, and Sunday's fried chicken, and cold lemonade. But the blood was better – much better. It was like everything I ever needed and wanted was right there, flowing down my throat like milk and honey from the land of Canaan."

"So why did you go back to the animals? What's to stop you from ridding the world of every foul creature that ever crawled from a mother's womb?"

"I've thought about it. But the last man I killed was..." I looked at her, and it was so strange to see such a beautiful creature so attentive to me. "Evil doesn't happen naturally. I mean people are selfish and grasping, and sometimes uncaring, but real evil and depravity have to be cultivated. The last man seemed to be completely evil from his plans to his thoughts. But when he was dying his final thoughts were on his childhood. His evil came from what had been done to him, over and over again. I heard the thoughts of his shattered spirit, and it made me feel... vile and unclean. He'd been a victim, he'd victimized others, and in his death he was once again a victim – because of me.

"Rose, taking his life made me feel exactly like him." I reached out and laid my hand on her cheek. "I hope you don't go down that path. I hope for your sake today was the last time you'll ever take a human life. When I said it changes you, I meant you'll carry them with you forever. It's good you couldn't read them, but I did, and George's last thought was longing for his mother. Calvin was thinking of what he would do to you if he could get free. They're with me now for as long as I live."

"Why do you say that? Just forget about them, and they'll go away. I bet when you wake up tomorrow you won't remember half of it." I laughed bitterly at her naivete.

"Oh Rose, I keep forgetting how new you are and how little you know. We don't sleep – ever. And we don't forget. Our memory doesn't degenerate. The best we can hope for is to create new memories." She gasped at the realization. She wondered if she'd ever dream again. "No more dreams either – unless you count daydreams.'

"So I'm always going to remember what they did to me? I'm always going to remember the feel of his hands on me? I'll never escape the smell of whiskey on his breath? I'll always feel like a fool for thinking the worst they could do to me was tear my dress?" She was on her feet in her agitation. "Why would anyone want this? The feeling of dying... the pain of him shoving into me... the humiliation of what they did to my mouth... the way they used me! You mean I'll always remember? One of the men shoved a whiskey bottle into my backside! How am I supposed to live with that?" I could see even more horrifying memories flashing through her mind.

"Stop it, Rose. You have to think about something else."

"Why? Do you not like how they tore my clothes off of me? Don't you want to see how they held my legs apart? Does it bother you to see how they all took a turn?" She sneered and taunted me with both her words and the images in her mind.

"Yes! Yes it bothers me! For god-sakes Rose, any decent man would be horrified at what they did, even if they only heard about it. But I can see it! I can feel it through you!" I heard my voice raised, and I held her upper arms – I wanted to shake her. "Every time you think about it, you're giving them control over you – stop it!"

"How Edward? How do I stop thinking about it when it's there forever?" I pulled her into my arms and held her tight. She was trembling, and my hands caressed over her back, trying to calm her. The images left her mind and she was suddenly present in the moment. She was absorbed in the way I felt pressed against her, and my hand caressing over her body felt good to her. She wanted me to kiss her. I did.

Her arms came around me and she kissed me with unrestrained passion. She tasted sweet, and she knew how to kiss. It was more than I'd ever experienced with a woman, and she took my breath away. I was so caught up in just kissing her, tasting her, touching the curves of her back, and running my fingers through her silken hair. It was wonderful. Our tongues played with each other and her fingers slid through my hair and clutched it in handfuls to hold me for even deeper kisses.

Her chaotic thoughts about how good it felt, and how much she liked it resolved into one clear thought she intended me to read: 'Make love to me, Edward.' I tried to pretend I didn't 'hear' her, but my unconscious gasp let her know I did. I pulled away.

"You don't mean that." I could see her well in the light from the half moon. She was lovely, and I wanted to be wrapped in her arms again. But I had never been intimate with a woman. I wanted to be in love, and Rose was complicated. I didn't even know her last name. "I don't even know your last name."

"It's Hale." She smiled and stepped closer. "I know you've never done this Edward." Her arms slid around my neck and she looked up at me. "I've never made love either. To be honest, I don't know if I can. It scares me to death." She giggled. "I guess that was a poor choice of words, since we're already dead."

"Why do you keep saying that? I don't think of it as dead, I think of it as changed. To be dead we'd have to be human, and we're not human anymore."

"You changed the subject. Will you make love to me? Or do you find me revolting?"

"No. I mean I don't find you revolting. You're amazing. My god, you're beautiful, and so... desirable. I would want to, but..."

"But what?" She kissed my cheek, and placed soft little kisses along my jaw. "What's stopping you, Edward? We no longer have to follow human conventions." Her hands moved from my hair, down to my shoulders, touching me, and totally distracting me from my thoughts.

"I don't love you." Oh no, I wanted to find a nicer way to put it. "I mean... you deserve better, and it's so soon. I want to..." She laughed softly.

"Hush." She kissed me then, with her firm body pressed against me and her arms holding me tight. She was overwhelming all of my senses and I was helpless to stop her. I could feel her hands moving over me, touching me down to my waist where she pulled my shirt out from the waist of my pants. Her hands moved underneath, touching my bare skin, and I'd never felt anything so exquisite.

"Take off your shirt, Edward." I wanted to resist what was happening, but my fingers worked the buttons like she owned them. I stared at her, slack-jawed with wonder as her fingers unbuttoned her own shirt like we were mirror images. When I pulled mine off, so did she, and we stood there eye to eye and half naked.

"Now take off your pants." I heard the clink of the belt buckle as she did the same. I fought not to look away from her face, and she didn't take her eyes off me. I had to bend to slide my pants all the way off, and I removed my shoes and socks as well. I heard the rustle as she removed hers too. I stood, suddenly afraid to look at her. I was aroused, and very much so, and I resisted the impulse to cross my hands over myself.

"Look at me Edward... please." I heard the uncertainty in her voice, but it was in her thoughts as well. As beautiful as she was, she feared there was something wrong with her. Something that made men want to be disrespectful, or hurt her. Every little self-doubt washed through her mind, and it confused me.

My eyes met hers, then I smiled. I looked at her body, at first just taking in the whole image, noting Venus had never been so lovely. Then I went through her mental list: No, her breasts weren't odd shaped, her hips weren't too wide, her legs weren't too strong, her stomach wasn't fat, and on and on. She was perfect.

"You're perfect, Rose. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I could just stare at you forever... but I want to touch you." My words had made her happy, but she was also nervous about me touching her. I stepped closer and placed my hands in hers. "You decide. I won't do anything you don't want. I won't hurt you."

"I know you won't hurt me, Edward." She took my hand and placed it high on her chest. She sighed in relief. Her skin felt so soft to me. Then she guided me to her breast. "Touch me. I want you to." My hand seemed to have a mind of its own and her breast fit perfectly in my palm, so soft and yielding, but with a firmness that seemed to invite a gentle squeeze. She gasped. "I like that. You have gentle hands."

She placed my other hand on her other breast, and I closed my eyes. Just the sensation of touching her like that made me want her. I could feel my body aroused to the point of demanding need, but I didn't know how to proceed, especially without scaring her. Then she moved closer and put her arms around me. I gasped, realizing I was naked, and her hands were shyly touching my body. I never knew what lust felt like before, but it raced through me and it took all my will not to grab hold of her and make her mine.

"Oh Rose... please. I want you, darling." My hands moved from her breasts, to her hips, and around to her soft rounded curves, and I pulled her against me. My hands explored over her body, glorying in the feel of her perfect skin.

"Yes, Edward... I want this." Her breathy whisper in my ear almost unmanned me. The restraint was more difficult than I imagined. I kissed her, with all thoughts of gentleness buried in waves of lust. We sank to the ground, kissing hungrily, tasting, touching, feeling, and learning each other. She relaxed onto her back, and I covered her with my body. I kissed her deeply, and my hands moved over her, loving the way she moved against me.

I was so excited, I didn't even listen to her thoughts, I was so overwhelmed with new sensations, of skin, and kissing, and curves, and the feel of her body, and her sighs. I parted her legs and moved close, knowing soon I'd be inside her and we would be one – and I wanted it so badly!

'Please stop.' One tiny thought from the chaotic confusion of her mind. I didn't believe it. Surely she can't be serious after all this. I prepared to enter her. 'Oh god, no!' Still no words, but her breathing was shallow. 'No. No, no, no, no, no, no... I can't... Oh god, please don't let them!' "Stop!" Her panicked eyes looked through me and her hands pushed against me, and she was suddenly screaming, and I was pushed away from her – hard!

I landed several yards away. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. Her hair covered her face as she hugged herself tight. "Are you okay, Rose?" She looked so small.

"Go away." Her thoughts were so disjointed, but I understood she wanted to be alone. I walked away. I was still close enough I could hear her, when I found a rock outcropping and sat down. I was embarrassed that I was still aroused. It showed no signs of going away as it would have if I were human.

I looked at it in the dim light. 'It's your fault she's upset,' I mentally accused. No, it really wasn't. I hadn't paid much attention to that part of my body since being changed. I didn't even need to touch it anymore since I no longer urinated. It was just there, almost useless, and certainly harmless. But it wasn't harmless now. I wrapped my hand around it and stroked. Oh... how I'd forgotten such intense sensations! I closed my eyes and let my hands take care of my unexpected need. It was bigger than I remembered, almost like it had grown up. It felt good, but it was even better when I imagined it was her. I was momentarily shocked when I realized the woman I wanted touching me wasn't Esme, whom I'd loved, but Rose. In fact, I couldn't even imagine being so intimate with Esme. She was above and beyond that now.

But the things I did to the lovely Rose in my thoughts made me grateful she couldn't read minds. It also took longer than I remembered from being human. Or maybe I was just trying to draw out the pleasure – and it was pleasure, without a doubt. Afterward I sat there, wondering how long I'd be exiled from her presence. My member was back to being placid and harmless, but I wondered at how easily she managed to arouse me. Was it all her beautiful body, or was there more?

"Edward, can you come back please?" Her voice was small, and still I heard it clearly. I felt like a puppet answering that call so quickly, as if she pulled my strings. I was surprised to see her still sitting as I'd left her. And she raised her head to look at me with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on and then push you away. Can you please hold me?" Oh god. I didn't know if I could.

"Maybe you should... get dressed first?"

"No. I just want to feel you next to me."

"Rose... I don't know if I can stop myself..."

"Just hold me Edward. If something happens, I'll try not to stop you." It wasn't much assurance that all this wouldn't happen again, but she held her arms out to me, and I went to her. I sat beside her, and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She was stiff for a second, then she snuggled against my side and put her arms around me.

"I don't know why that happened. I feel safe with you. I think it was the feel of you on top of me, and the way you spread my legs...I'm sorry I let myself remember."

"Shhh, it's not your fault. You're not sending out some silent invitation, Rose. You didn't do anything to deserve what happened. No more than the maid at the hotel did. They would have killed her, you know. The one who answered the door already knew where to dump her body." She didn't say anything, but held me tighter.

She was stronger than me, and she easily pushed me onto my back until she was lying partially on top of me. With her breasts against my body and her head tucked under my chin, I held her as my hands lazily moved over her nakedness. Her mind was at peace, and I couldn't stop touching her. She was intoxicating, and I was almost content just to lie with her and run my hands over her lush flesh. I gazed into the sky at the multitudes of stars, and wondered if anyone looking at those stars felt as good as I did at that moment.

She moved up and kissed me. Her mouth was a drug and in minutes we were clinging and I just couldn't get enough of her. Her tongue was in my mouth, and her hands were on my body and I held her head with my fingers anchored in her hair, as our mouths feasted on each other. When her hand moved between my legs and touched me, I was already so aroused I groaned aloud.

"Rose... you're making me crazy! I won't be able to resist you girl, I'm not that strong." She kissed me, and her hand stayed there. Her bold but inexperienced touches had me gasping.

"Show me how to touch you, Edward. I want to make you feel good." I felt it leap against her hand at her words. I didn't think about it, but put my hand over hers and showed her. In minutes she knew what to do and eagerly took over. She was fascinated with how easily she could get to me and control me. Then she kissed me as her hand continued to stroke. It was heavenly!

My hips moved with her hand, and I closed my eyes and imagined it wasn't her hand, but her perfect body against me. My climax came, quick and volcanic, and she was awed that she'd given me such a response. For all of my supernatural strength and stamina I lay spent and panting, staring at her in wonder.

"Rose... Rosalie... " I breathed her name, struck speechless as no words could encompass all I felt in those moments. It was happiness, peace, satisfaction, and joy – and maybe love. I smiled as I thought about it. I recognized that in those wonderful, intimate moments with my Rose, I felt a connection to her that defied all the ethereal longings I'd had for Esme. It was as if the string that had connected my heart to Esme had been snatched by the determined fingers of my Rose. She totally captivated me.

She resumed her position, lying on top of me, but she didn't kiss me. "I think I'm going to miss sleeping. I used to have the wildest dreams, and my mother would laugh when I told her." She looked down on me, with the curtain of her hair falling beside me. Her chin rested on one hand while her other continued to move over my chest, shoulder, neck and face. "I last told her that in my dream I was driving a car, and it was rainbow colored. And there were six children in the back and they were three sets of twins. They each had a different animal as a pet, including a duck." She giggled. "Can you imagine a pet duck, Edward?" I smiled up at her. I didn't have the heart to tell her that animals were afraid of us and we couldn't have pets. In her mind it wasn't the pets that held her fascination, but the six children. She imagined having a large family. "Do you remember any of your dreams, Edward?"

My human memories were dim and I didn't recall my sleeping dreams. But I wanted to share like she had. "I was playing baseball in the World Series. I was seven when the Cubs won the title, and it's always been a dream of mine, whether awake or asleep." I felt foolish admitting it to her, but she enjoyed that I shared.

"Why don't you do it now? I'm sure you could outrun or out pitch anyone living." I sighed. She was so relaxed and lighthearted I didn't want to bring up the other restrictions.

"We're not allowed to draw attention to ourselves. Those European vampires I mentioned have kind of made the laws for us. If we don't keep the secrets, they will hunt us down and..."

"Kill us dead-er," she supplied. I nodded. "That's good to know. If I can't continue like this, they'll put me in the ground for good."

"Is it so bad?" I looked up at her and touched her face.

"Not right now. I like being with you Edward." 'I like being with you a lot,' her mind echoed. I pulled her face to mine and kissed her.

"I like being with you too, Rose." We laid there for several hours, just talking about our human lives, touching, and kissing. I wondered idly what Carlisle and Esme would think about our absence, but I didn't want to rush back. As the sun came up and the birds began to sing in the trees, I was more than content to stay with Rose, wherever that happened to be.

The way the sun laid the shadows of the trees against us in alternating stripes with the sparkling of white skin fascinated me. It made me so much more aware that I was lying with a naked woman, now that I could see her in the light of day.

"What are you thinking?" She kissed my chin and looked down into my eyes.

"My thoughts are most impure, Miss Rose. You would be appalled."

"Maybe not." She gazed down at me, then kissed me. For several minutes we kissed greedily, then she pulled away. "You're so handsome Edward, but you're not my type." She smiled impishly and kissed me again, deeply.

"And what is your type?" I felt a touch of insecurity as I looked up into her teasing grin.

"Oh, I've always been attracted to men like my daddy. Tall, strong, dark curls and blue eyes. Big, muscular, hairy chest, and legs like tree trunks...

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" I grinned at her teasing.

"Is it working?" Her fingers played through my hair, and then brushed across my lips.

"You already know I want you, Rose. And yes, it's working. I've half a mind to see if I can change your type. The things I want to do to you would make you blush if you still could." It surprised her to know she couldn't blush. It was so hard remembering how new she was and all the things she didn't know.

"Show me Edward. I want to try to be yours." In her mind I heard how her fiance had been her type, and she really did want me because I was different. I moved with her, gently lying her on her back. I raised up to just gaze at her, seeing her nakedness before me in the sunlight took my breath away. Her skin glistened like wet opals, and her hair was spun gold, as if Rumpelstiltskin himself had been at work. Her eyes were twin rubies set in the perfection of her cameo face.

I didn't lie on her, but leaned over her to kiss her perfect mouth. So soft and sweet she returned my kisses, with her arms around my neck and her fingers twisted in my hair. From her lips I moved to kiss her chin, then to kiss and trace my tongue lightly around her ear. She rewarded me with a startled gasp, and encouragement in her thoughts. From her ear I moved to her neck, laying a necklace of tiny moist kisses around her throat. She arched her back and sighed.

I was almost afraid to move further, knowing where her attackers' preoccupation had been. I let my fingers lightly tease over the sides of her breasts, then drew the tip of my tongue down between them. She moaned softly, and her thoughts told me she wanted to feel my mouth on her. With my tongue wide and wet, I licked beneath each of her perfect mounds.

"More please... Edward!" From there I licked upward, to her tiny blushing nipple. I kissed it softly and she writhed beneath me. Her hands moved to pull me closer and I resisted. Instead I gave the same treatment to the other one, and she moaned again when I kissed it. "...feels so good..." Her whisper encouraged me. I gave one more kiss to each side, then moved down.

I kissed, licked, and even rubbed my face against the smooth skin of her belly. The way she moved made me know she enjoyed it, but I listened to her thoughts as well, not wanting to push her too far or too fast. I was nervous when I moved down. I'd seen it in the minds of some of those in the nighttime businesses, and it intrigued me. But I worried that Rose was too decent and upstanding, and I didn't want to offend her sensibilities.

I placed tiny kisses outlining her patch of dark blond hair. She gasped at the sensations and I felt her tremble when I kissed the fold at the top of her thigh. When I let my tongue move lower along that fold, she panted, and moved her legs apart. I monitored her thoughts, and I was surprised to learn of a woman named Vera who had shared forbidden secrets of wedded bliss with her best friend Rose.

With her unspoken permission I moved my tongue through the patch of hair first, then to the place where the hair parted. Her gasp and moan was almost a mirror of mine. She was fragrant, sweet, and moist, and just the tiniest touch of my tongue at the tip of her sex made her writhe and reach for me. Her legs at first barely parted, now spread wide for me, opening up her womanly treasure to the exploration of my tongue and lips. Sweet, slick, pink, and wanting, it was all new to me and I wanted to just bury my mouth against her and drink. Her hips rose with the movements of my tongue when I learned to move it into the tiny opening. She cried out, a sound of joy intermixed with longing.

I knew longing as well, seeing her all spread out and inviting. I could easily see how we would fit together, but I was afraid to make the attempt. Instead I kissed the sensitive little pink nub, and she pressed against me and moaned.

"Edward! That feels so good. I love this... please don't stop!" Her eyes were closed, her fingers were in my hair, and her body writhed and pressed against me. I remembered how good she made me feel the night before, and I wanted to do the same for her. And so I pushed my own needs aside and set about giving her what she wanted and needed. It was so good to taste her and feel her and listen to her sounds of bliss, and when I read her mind I could feel too how overwhelmed she was with pleasure. It was a stunning circuit that left me gasping and threatened to make me lose control of my own arousal. Her hands guided me and her words encouraged me, and I knew she was getting close to a release like she'd given me.

When it happened I wasn't prepared for how strong she was. Her hips moved against me and her hands held me as she moaned and cried out in ecstasy. I was lucky I didn't need to breathe, and she couldn't actually hurt me. Her hips moved until she finally shuddered with her release, then she fell back, seemingly exhausted. I smiled, knowing just how she felt.

I slowly kissed back up her body, and her legs remained parted as my mouth found her breasts. "Edward, you're going to drive me crazy!" Again her hands guided me and I lavished attention on her sweet mounds. No matter how she encouraged, moaned and writhed, I was gentle, knowing she needed it that way. The feel of her flesh in my mouth was exquisite, and my tongue teased the tiny peaks to hard alertness. They were so beautiful to look at, with her skin so pale and the tips the color of her name.

"Make love to me, Edward." I felt a sense of excitement at her words, but I was also worried it was too soon. I continued to lavish attention on her body with my mouth and hands. "Edward please..." I moved up to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around my head and kissed me passionately – then she flipped me onto my back.

I was looking up at her, astride my body, and I just drank in the sight of her. She was smiling down at me. "Do you want me, Edward?" Her coy smile left no doubt what she meant.

"Yes. But I don't want to scare you or hurt you. I'm afraid it's too soon." She leaned forward and kissed me, with her firm breasts pressed against my chest. When she sat up again she was radiant, and her smile put me at ease.

"It's not too soon. I want this. I want you." She moved down my body til she was straddled across my hips. Of course I was still aroused, and she took it in her hand and carefully guided it to her opening. We were poised like that, staring at each other for long moments. 'Do it, Edward.' Her thoughts were clear, and I raised up just a bit, pushing just the tip inside her. Her eyes widened and she gasped. She pressed back against me slowly, and little by little we became one.

"Oh...!" she breathed as soon as we were fully joined. "It doesn't hurt." She moved a little, adjusting her position, and sighed. "I never thought it would be like this. Edward I feel so full... and it's good!" She rose up a little and pressed back down. "Oh... I like this!" She sighed again tossing her hair back, and it brushed against my thighs. She was a goddess and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I wanted desperately to throw her down and pound into her. But I waited with as much patience as I could muster. She needed my gentleness more than I needed to satisfy my lust.

Fortunately it didn't take her long to realize the friction between us felt good. I watched her rise up again and I thrust my hips up to meet her, and she cried out with the pleasure. That was all it took, and she started to move on me. Her rising and falling and my hip thrusts obliterated every coherent thought I had. It was the best thing I'd ever experienced and I wanted it to last forever. I don't know how I lasted so long, watching her impale herself on me, seeing the pleasure on her face, hearing her cries of joy, watching her breasts bounce, and feeling the indescribable friction of our union. It seemed to go on forever, or maybe I was just locked into that moment in time and my mind refused to move forward.

But it had to end, and when it did it was tempestuous as a storm, with her frenzied movements and her loud cries echoing off the silent, witnessing trees. My voice joined hers; a baritone counterbalance to the lovely sounds of her joy. I was lost in sensations and it was impossible to stop the dam from breaking. Her mind spilled it's thoughts into mine, like sparkling jewels of sensation, and I lost all control – writhing, thrusting, clutching, holding, feeling, and desperately wanting all of her. My mind was overloaded and I spun into bright oblivion.

I heard her contented sigh as she laid her cheek against mine and rested her chin on my shoulder. My arms were around her and we were still somehow connected. I held my eyes closed, as even my mind was at peace. I'm not sure how long we rested there, but it was pure bliss to me as my mind was amazingly empty.

It was the feel of her skin. The first thought I had was my hand caressing over her smooth back and feeling her soft, naked skin. One by one like the first tiny raindrops of a shower, my mind began to sort through the images. Her contented breathing, so human-like in it's regularity – a habit left over from her recent life. Then the feel of her soft breasts pressed against my hard chest took all my attention as I tried to feel where I left off and she began.

She moved then. Just a shift that allowed our spent bodies to separate. I felt the disconnection and mourned the loss of perfection.

"You know, I think maybe you are my type." Her soft whisper was followed by even softer kisses to my face, neck, and ears. "We're lovers now, Edward." She raised up and smiled down at me. "I think I could get used to this change.... if you're with me." The uncertainty was sharp in her mind if not her words. She needed the reassurance that I wouldn't betray her.

"Just try to get rid of me now. I'm yours as long as you want me " I was stunned that she wanted me. I looked up at her and the sun shone through her hair, making it look like a golden corona, and I couldn't imagine a more beautiful woman ever existed.