Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: After much consideration, the rating for the TBW stories has been changed to M.

Playlist song: http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=aHx4BlF6V2o


Loosen My Lips

Looking up, all I see is her face, radiant and smiling. Her soft hair is cascading all around me and smells of strawberries.

"Edward," she whispers, licking her lips. Her eyes are bright and full of impure intentions.

I swallow hard, running my hand down her bare back. "Yes, Bella?"

"Make love to me."

"Jasper cell." Ring. "Jasper cell." Ring.

Turning over in bed, I snatched up the evil phone of perpetual frustration and flipped it open. "Damn it, Jasper, this better be good. I was having the most excellent dream..."

"Dream? It's after noon. Why the hell are you still in bed?"

"My flight back from the code camp was delayed, and I didn't get home until late." Finally waking up, I realized he seemed angry. "What's up, Jasper?"

"Think maybe you can tell me why your girlfriend keeps having lunch with my wife, who then gives me the stink eye all afternoon?"

Things between Bella and I were great, and we'd been almost inseparable since New Year's Eve. She hadn't mentioned anything unpleasant at work; she actually seemed to love her job. I was at a loss to explain what could be upsetting her and, in turn, Alice.

"Well, did you ask Alice about it?"

Jasper expelled an angry huff. "She said I should talk to my stupid brother."

"Really?" I sat up in bed, running my free hand through my bed hair. "That can't be good."

"Edward," Jasper said, his voice calmed, softened, "how did Bella seem last night?"

Even though my plane landed well past 11PM, Bella insisted on picking me up at the airport. I'd only been gone three days, but it seemed like I hadn't held her in forever. She melted in my arms without hesitation. We spent a couple of hours on the couch reacquainting ourselves with each other's taste, and she kissed me soundly at the door when she left.

"She was okay when she went home..."

"Went home? I thought you said you got in late." Jasper wasn't letting it go until he had his answer. "Why didn't she spend the night? Did you do something to piss her off? I swear, Edward, if you..."

"She doesn't spend the night, okay!" In my frustration, I revealed more than I meant to, and I blushed realizing it. "I mean, she hasn't yet."

"Geez...you haven't spent the night together because you haven't told her yet, have you?"

My silence was the only confirmation he needed.

"I figured since our New Year's talk it had become a non-issue. You've got to tell her."

"I know," I said, sighing.

"Edward, don't screw this up. She'll understand."

We spoke for several more minutes, Jasper apologizing for his initial irritation and again encouraging me to talk to Bella. As much as I appreciated Jasper's concern, it was mortifying on the whole. I hadn't talked to him about it again because I didn't want to talk to anyone about it, least of all Bella. But she had to be upset to go to Alice, and our lives together would be challenging enough without me placing more roadblocks in our way.

I'd tell her tonight.

~*~

"The chicken is at six o'clock and the slaw at two, which leaves the mashed potatoes at ten. Do you want a beer?"

Every time we ate, Bella remembered I preferred my food in a 2-6-10 configuration, and that tiny effort made me love her all the more. She even went out of her way to bring me Church's Fried Chicken, the best fast food fried chicken ever, to celebrate my returning home.

I reached out and found her, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her to me. Placing a kiss on her stomach, I sighed when she ran her fingers through my hair.

"A beer would be perfect."

My arms were once again empty, and I heard the fridge open and the beer bottles clink against each other. The distinctive pop of the bottle opening was quickly followed by Bella kissing my head before placing the beer to my right. She took her seat at the table, and we ate our dinner as we chatted about my trip and her work.

Connected, fused, melded...that's what we were. The instant she entered a room, I could sense her, feel her movements toward and away from me. I heard her every breath and could feel the reverberations of her heartbeat. And it wasn't some mystical blind guy superpower. I'd never felt this way about another person my entire life. As she sat across from me, these sensations gave her blur some shape and distinction, as if I could almost see her.

But something was bothering her, and I hadn't seen that.

Why didn't she tell me?

After we finished eating, I cleared the dishes while Bella put the leftovers away. When I placed the last fork in the dishwasher, I found her sitting on the couch, and she snuggled into my side as soon as I sat next to her. What I wanted to do was kiss her until we both couldn't breathe. What I needed to do was talk to her.

"Baby," I whispered before kissing the crown of her head, "Jasper said you had lunch with Alice today."

Her entire body stiffened, and she held her breath. Something was definitely wrong.

"You know you can tell me whatever it is that's bothering you, right?" My unanswered question hung in the air, and I wasn't sure she heard me.

She sat up suddenly, grabbing my face in her hands and turning me toward her. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Yes, Bella, I do."

"Do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"Then why don't you want me?"

"Bella..." My voice trailed off, and I hung my head, ashamed to look at her. The doubt in her voice was painful to hear, and for once I was glad I couldn't see the expression on her face.

Her hands fell away from me, and she moved to the other end of the couch. "It's okay, Edward. I just thought...I mean I can feel something when you touch me...at least I thought I could." Standing up, she walked past me and toward the door. "I'll just go now. We can talk later...when I'm less humiliated."

Her voice had an angry edge to it. She picked up her keys and was almost to the door before I finally spoke.

"I dream about you every night."

She sighed. "What?"

"I dream about you every night. About the softness of your skin and the weight of your body on mine. About the way your hair would fall around us...how you must taste."

I jumped when I felt her fingers thread slowly through my hair. So intent on stopping her, I hadn't heard her come back to me. I bit my lip, trying not to moan as she tenderly, lovingly massaged my scalp.

"Then why..."

I tried to look down at my feet, but she tugged my hair until I looked up at her.

"Because I've done...stuff...but I'm still a virgin, Bella."

A tiny gasp escaped her lips. "Wow, that's...huge." She continued to stroke my head, but, after a few moments of silence, her hands froze. "Do you not want your first time to be with me?"

Throwing my arms around her hips, I pulled her down until she was sitting in my lap, her head on my shoulder. "I do. I want that more than anything."

"I don't understand, Edward. If you want me, why haven't you done anything about it?"

"First times are always awkward and clumsy, and I'm afraid it would be doubly so for me." I lifted her face and kissed her cheek. "I'm terrified I'll disappoint you."

She curved her arm around my neck and pulled me closer, whispering as she brushed her lips against mine. "You could never disappoint me."

Opening my mouth, I captured her bottom lip between my teeth and bit down gently. At the sound of her soft moan, I surrendered, crushing her against me and plunging my tongue into the warm sweetness of her mouth. I kissed along her jaw until I reached her ear, sucking her earlobe while she writhed in my lap.

"God, I want you, Bella," I whispered against her ear. "You don't know how much."

"Show me."

Her husky voice wasn't requesting; it was demanding. Pushing her back on the couch, I followed her, kissing her unrelentingly and determined to give her all she wanted. Based on the way her body embraced mine, I was sure she wanted everything.

Suddenly breaking our kiss, she pushed me away. "Wait! No, not like this!"

Panting, I dropped my head onto her heaving chest. I might be a virgin, but I was positive there was no way I'd already managed to screw up. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I want your first time to be special, not some fumble on the couch." She brushed my wild hair from my damp brow and kissed my forehead.

I ran my hands up her sides and felt her shiver as I began licking across her exposed collarbone. The salty tang of her skin made my mouth water. "I love you. Anything between us, especially if it involves being naked, will be special." I bit down on her shoulder and smiled when she groaned. "Of that I'm absolutely positive."

"Edward..."

Oh no, it was the singsong pleading that always resulted in me doing exactly what she wanted.

I let my head fall back onto her chest and sighed loudly and dramatically. "Okay." Then I flashed the crooked smile that always resulted in her doing exactly what I wanted. "Do I at least get to know when the big day will be?"

"Of course." She giggled, turning my insides to mush. "Valentine's Day."

~*~

I'm not sure what I expected. It's not like Bella was going to appear at my door naked at 12:01AM on Valentine's Day offering to deflower me.

Okay, maybe I hoped a little.

What I didn't expect was to spend Valentine's Day with my family. Alice, who I love most days, was the bane of my existence when she decided that Valentine's Day falling on a Sunday meant we should all get together for a triple date brunch. Once she had Mom on board, we all knew we had to fall in line.

I couldn't tell you what we talked about or whether the food was good. All I can remember about brunch was the heat radiating off Bella's body and the sound of her giggles as she got a little tipsy on Mimosas. Oh, and the feel of her hand stroking my thigh under the table, a silent promise of things to come.

When we reached my apartment door, my hands shook so badly I couldn't get the key in the lock. Bella gently wrapped her fingers around mine, steadying my hand and guiding me. I leaned down and buried my nose in her soft hair, inhaling deeply as the lock finally clicked. We walked inside, shedding our coats, and Bella excused herself for a minute. I sat on the couch, my leg bouncing nervously. I began to wonder what was the correct way to ask your girlfriend to have sex with you.

"Dear, may we have relations now?" No, too formal.

"Hey, there baby, like what you see? Wanna see more?" Oh, God, I wanted to bleach my brain for even thinking that.

"Please, can we just have sex already?" Yeah, needy and desperate...that's exactly the way to go. I mentally rolled my eyes.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely felt her approaching. Her fingers rested on my shoulder, and she slowly stroked down my arm until she reached my hand, taking it in hers. Tugging it, I knew without her asking that she meant me to follow. I recognized the path to the bedroom, and my breath caught. She led me to the bed, and I sat on the edge, unsure of what to do next.

She pushed my legs further apart and stood between them. Instinctively raising my hands to her hips, I found her soft, full curves draped in silk. I continued to carefully explore and realized that she was wearing a short silk chemise, delicate stitching at the hem. "What color?" I asked, examining the thin straps over her shoulders.

"A medium coral pink." She placed my hand on the stitching. "This is caramel."

My fingers inched under the hem until my hand rested flat on her leg. Running my hand over her hip, I found nothing but bare skin. I looked up at her, smirking.

She giggled, surely torturing me purposely. "I figured it gave us one less thing to fumble with."

Clasping her hands, I pulled her down, searching for her mouth with mine. After a kiss on the cheek followed by one on the chin, our lips finally met. Taking her bottom lip between mine, I could taste traces of champagne and orange. I yearned to taste her deeply, and, when her mouth slowly opened, I did. I pulled back, kissing my way along her jaw. My face buried in her hair, I sucked hard on her neck, hoping to leave at least a faint mark of possession. Her head fell back, and I pulled her closer, pressing her into my chest. Quiet moans spurred me on, her sounds reassuring me.

"Bella, I need you to tell me how I make you feel." I kissed my way to her ear and nibbled around the shell. "I need you to be loud."

Pulling one strap over her shoulder then the other, I heard the rustle of the chemise as it fell to the floor. I began to explore her bare body, running my fingers over the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips, and roundness of her bottom. No silk could compare to the feel of her skin, milky smooth under my hands. Her flesh warmed to my touch, and she gasped, her sounds so much louder now.

She began to unbutton my shirt. "You are entirely too dressed up for the occasion."

Tugging my hand until I stood, she continued to undress me, helping me shed my shirt before unbuckling my belt. I held my breath as she unzipped my pants and hooked her thumbs underneath the waistband of my boxer briefs. She slowly pushed my pants and briefs down to my ankles, and the cool air and her touch caused goosebumps to break out across my legs. I stepped out of my clothes, kicking them to the side. Her splayed hands ran fiery paths from my feet to my hips then over my chest to rest on my shoulders. Once there, she applied gentle downward pressure.

"Sit back down, baby."

I did as I was told and was rewarded with a tight embrace, finally feeling her naked body against mine. My hands clamped over her hips, crushing her against the unrelenting hardness that plagued me every time I was near her. We both groaned, and she writhed against me, teasing me, before letting me go. My whimper was immediately followed by a fierce blush.

Her giggle came from a bit lower than I expected, and it was quickly followed by tender kisses and licks along the inside of both thighs. Reaching out, I touched her soft hair, caressing the back of her head. When I felt her hand wrap around me and slowly stroke, I almost lost it.

"Does that feel good?" Her voice sounded a bit smug.

"G-G-God yes, you know it does."

I was quickly losing the ability to speak, and all she'd done was touch me. Before I could gather myself, her tongue began making lazy circles around the head of my cock, and my eyes practically rolled into the back of my head. Placing one quick kiss on the tip, she parted her lips and consumed me. My hand buried in her hair, I tried not to push down or thrust up, instead letting her control everything. There was something exquisite about surrendering to her, allowing her to take the lead. I was finally able to relax and simply feel the beautiful warmth of her mouth around me.

Pulling away, she pushed me down the bed. I swung my legs around until I was nestled in the center of the bed, and the mattress dipped as she climbed and lay down beside me. I turned toward her, and my outstretched hand made contact with her breast. Cupping it, feeling its weight in my hand, I brushed my thumb across her nipple, which was puckered and hard. She moaned, and I repeated the action so I could hear her again.

"What color is your nipple?"

She laughed. "You're fixated on colors, aren't you?"

I began pinching and pulling. "It helps make the dreams more realistic."

"What..." She paused to moan loudly. "What do you see when you dream?"

"Because I lost my sight when I did, I see everything when I dream." I leaned toward my fingers, finding her breast with my mouth, and lapped against her nipple. Another moan. "Since I don't know exactly what you look like, you always end up looking sorta like Sandra Bullock."

She was panting now, her hand cradling the back of my head. "Sandra Bullock?"

"Yeah, Speed was one of the last movies I saw before the surgery." Wrapping my lips around her nipple, I sucked gently, which caused her to arch her back and press herself closer to me. "Come on, baby," I whispered against her skin. "Tell me the color."

"L-l-l-light rosy brown."

"Mmmmm." Licking a path to her other breast, I took the nipple in my mouth, flicking my tongue against it before sucking it hard.

As I moved back and forth, kissing, licking, and sucking, she let her hand fall from my head. Covering my hand with hers, she guided it downward, over her quivering stomach, until it came to rest between her legs. There was so much heat, so much wetness there. She felt amazing.

She released my hand, allowing me to explore on my own. Massaging her slowly, I tentatively slipped my fingers between her lips and quickly found her swollen clit. Each pass of my fingertips made her gasp, and I laid my ear against her chest, listening to her heart as it pounded faster and louder. I slowly plunged my index finger inside her, grazing her clit with my thumb, and began to thrust in time with her heartbeat.

"Oh, God, Edward...just...like...that."

I knew from the sound of her voice that I was seconds from making the most beautiful woman in the world fall apart. I loved that sound, and I wanted to hear it again and again. Turning my head, I took her nipple in my mouth, and one hard suck and one final thrust of my finger was all she needed to go over the edge. Her cries filled the room, and I waited until she came completely down before I pulled my hand away from her. I brought my fingers to my mouth and heard her groan as I sucked them clean. Her taste was indescribable, so unlike anything else. It was something I knew I'd want more of.

Lying on my back, I pulled her on top of me, relishing the weight of her body on mine. She rained kisses along my jaw and down my neck, finally resting her mouth over my ear. Her hot breath made me shiver, and she giggled.

"Are you ready, Edward?" she whispered seductively.

"Yes...please." When she began to move off of me, I grabbed her hips to stop her. "No, like this."

Her hands on my shoulders, she lifted herself and straddled me. Not sure what to do with my hands, I dug my fingers into the soft flesh of her hips. She raised further, her hand around my shaft guiding me to her. I gasped as I felt her take me inside her, slowly lowering herself onto me. When we were completely joined, she stopped, a deep moan echoing through the room. I'd never wanted to see her more than I did at that moment, and I willed the sorrow away, instead focusing on the warmth and wetness of her surrounding me.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Edward."

Her movements were like slow torture as she rode me, grinding hard against me each time I was fully inside her. I tried to stay still, let her control me, but soon I was thrusting my hips up to meet her. What began as easy, deliberate strokes became forceful crashes, each of us desperate for the other. Her heat and my hardness increased exponentially, and I wanted nothing but to feel the same sensations around my cock that I'd felt around my finger.

I ran my hands up her sides until I found her hands and, clasping them, pulled her down on top of me. Enfolding her in my arms, I rolled us over, thankful to have remained inside her. I rested my weight on my forearms and began thrusting deeply. She wrapped her legs around my waist, opening herself further for me. I sighed, feeling her fingers brush over my ribs and up my back. Shifting my weight to one arm, I ghosted my fingers over her face. Slick with sweat, her skin was on fire, and her swollen lips formed a perfect O.

"So beautiful," I whispered, nuzzling my nose against her ear.

She turned her head and tenderly kissed my cheek. "Come for me, Edward."

Her words incited me, and I thrust harder and faster. Feeling her body respond as it had earlier, I knew she was close. She was panting and gasping each time I filled her, and I begged her to let go, to let me feel her come around me. Arching her back, she screamed, and her body clenched and throbbed. It was all I'd ever wanted and more than I'd ever imagined, and, burying myself deep inside her, I exploded, repeating her name over and over again.

Reluctantly pulling away from her, I lay on my back, snaking my arm around her waist and bringing her to my side. She threw her arm over my chest, drawing random figures on my skin with her fingertips.

She giggled. "You know, for a first-timer, you're pretty good with those position changes."

"I've had lots of time to imagine them, and you know they say visualization leads to success." I kissed her forehead, licking the salt from my lips. "You think it would be too weird if I wrote a thank-you note to the guy that invented the pill?"

"I'm sure you wouldn't be the first. But," she continued meekly, "you are the first I've let...um..."

"Really?"

"You were giving me such a gift, letting me be your first, and I wanted to give you something in return." Her beautiful sentiment ended in a rather loud yawn.

"Seems I've tired you out." I hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead again. "Go to sleep, love. After a nap, we can have some dinner, and maybe you could stay the night."

She yawned again. "I'd really like that...both dinner and the night."

I listened as her breathing evened out and she began to softly snore. I'd been worried about my virginity scaring her away, but instead she viewed it as something special that I'd allowed her to have. She was happy to be my first. It was too soon to tell her I wanted her to be my only, but I would. Someday.

Wrapped up in her arms, I let her quiet sounds sing me to sleep.


A/N:

A huge thank you to my lovely beta and Team Blindward Fan Club president, erikasbuddy, and my awesome pre-reader, cutie_sstb. They both have stories on FFn, and you should really check them out.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated to Haiti relief during mskathy's fundraising drive. Your efforts raised $85,712.98 for Haiti relief! Many thanks to mskathy for coordinating the effort, and to manyafandom for her work on creating the compilation.

This Year's Love, the TBW story I contributed, is on page 1328 (yes, there are a lot of pages!). On March 1st, it will become the 2nd chapter of this story.

Thank you to everyone who voted for TBW for the Best Kiss Golden Lemon Award. It was a great thrill to be nominated, especially with authors I love so much myself.

Last but not least, thank you for the continued love for my Edward (heart).