Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chpt 4 POI
BPOV
Of course he came back, frightened the shit out of me in fact when he woke me up . . . .
Things have been awkward since, my brush with a mugger while he wasn't here has really upset him and he's had no real time to recover his equilibrium before I head off to Chicago.
He wants to do the vampire bat thing on the roof but I'm really against it for some reason.
I'm a human, humans get mugged all the time, we mostly survive it. Charlie's FedExed me some new pepper spray and Jasper and Em have given me a new handgun and made me practise with it.
Edward's going to know I left it behind but since Alice has taken him out on some errand I'm guessing it's no disaster . . . .
...
"Bellski! Nice carry on, Gucci?"
"Maybe?"
"So innocent, I like that about you."
...
The hotel is pretty basic, the Foundation doesn't waste money on fripperies, but that's something I can completely understand.
Unpacking, even with Alice's additions to my wardrobe, doesn't take long and as eager as a beaver I head downstairs to rejoin the group.
...
"All corporations are concerned about their image in this day and age." Greg explains as he tours the stands with Steffers and I. "That doesn't mean they care but that also doesn't mean we shouldn't take their money. Don't judge and don't scowl, all the CEOs will want to be photographed on our stand. Let them. Just smile like someone else's life depends on it."
...
The first day hurtles past in a complete blur of smiling and hand shaking. It could be delirium but some of these captains of industry actually seemed interested in giving something back, in time if not in money. Either way I'm too tired to judge, and my feet are killing me.
Never, ever, drink alcohol before you eat.
Two steps forward one step back eventually gets me to my room and I'm pretty sure my famished but inebriated brain fabricated an amused looking Em at the end of hotel corridor.
...
"Bells, this is Ty Morgan, lobbyist and friend to the Foundation."
"Ty, this is Bella Swan my protégé, you two should get to know each other, I know you'll work well together . . . . Simon, Simon, so glad I caught you . . . ."
And he's off . . . .
"Hi." I murmur offering Ty my hand.
"Enchanté." He chuckles, turning it over to kiss the back of it.
"That's really corny." I observe, easing it back into my possession.
"I know." He laughs. "My middle name is corn. Have you been down the food to go aisle yet?"
"No."
"You should, those guys feel so guilty they're practically emptying their wallets onto the floor."
And indeed its true, food miles, packaging for our convenience, waste, the air is fairly thick with guilt that needs to be assuaged . . . .
...
"Here he comes." Steffers growls.
"Who?"
"Ty Superhero Morgan."
"What's wrong with him?"
"Absolutely fucking nothing." Steffers sighs. "You won't even need a condom."
"What!?"
"What he means Bellski is that if you get the chance, boink away." Arthur informs me sotto voce as he sidles up to the bar next to me. "I would."
"Yeah, Arthur, Edward would love that."
"Pfft." He dismisses. "How'd he even know?"
"I'm not a cheater."
"You're a nice girl, we know this, but what's MDB up to while you're away? Visiting his cousin? Cosy."
"Fuck you Arthur."
"I wish. Oh look, incoming . . . ."
"Hi Bella."
"Hi Ty."
"Stephan, Arthur."
"Ty."
And the two of them just walk away, what the fuck . . . .
"Don't laugh." I instruct the very amused lobbyist.
"I wouldn't dream of it. The age of chivalry is not entirely dead and a beautiful woman should never be left in distress."
"I'm not, um, either of those things."
"Oh, I think you are . . . . another cocktail?"
...
"Seriously, he shook my hand then looked me up and I down like I was some new form of life. 'An environmentalist, really? You don't look like one' every witty come back I have went out the window."
"Why?"
"President of the United States."
"I guess, did you vote for him?"
"I did actually."
"So did I."
"Momentous isn't it?"
"In a weird way, my first."
"That's an odd thing to say but I think I know what you mean."
Yeah, Ty, you probably don't . . . . I've had the personal low down on pretty much all of his predecessors from one Cullen or another.
"Dance?"
"Oh, ah, um . . . ."
"Me neither." He laughs. "But I'm told it's often the right question to ask."
"I can't dance." I admit. "Massively clumsy, feet get crushed, drinks get spilt."
"Surely not? You're so graceful."
"Oh, ah, um . . . ."
"Chillax Bella, I'll get us another drink."
"Okay . . . ."
...
"Bella." Greg snickers. "You survived your first night, well done."
"Headache." I admit with a groan.
"Occupational hazard. You ready to secure some donations?"
"I guess?"
"Where do you want to start?"
"Food to Go."
"Smart, very smart . . . ."
...
"Let's adjourn to the bar for a drink." Arthur suggests as we finish our desserts.
"Not me, my feet are killing me and I haven't recovered from last night." I groan. And I've eaten way too much to want to do anything except lie down and watch TV for a bit.
The others head off in high spirits and head back to my room, sighing in relief as I ease off my shoes and shrug out of my business suit.
"Thank god."
I stretch out on the bed and dial Edward.
"Hey." He greets me.
"You sound cheerful."
"Just been for a run in the tundra."
"Denalis okay?"
"They are, how about you, having fun?"
"Not exactly." I laugh. "I'm shattered and my feet are killing me."
"I'll give you a foot rub tomorrow night."
"Thanks." I sigh, he's so good at it they feel better just thinking about it. "I can't wait to see you, I can't remember the last time we were apart this long."
"We haven't been."
"We haven't?" I ask, surprised.
"No. Never."
"Wow."
"Quite." He laughs quietly. "No wonder I feel like I've had a limb amputated."
...
"There he is." I screech, zipping through the crowd at Anchorage airport with uncustomary haste.
God he smells so good, and feels so good . . . .
"Bella." He breathes into my hair and we both sigh.
"Young love." Greg chuckles, coming to join us.
"Sorry." Edward apologies, letting me go and very briefly shaking Greg's hand. "You know how it is."
"I think I can just about remember. Bella said you've hired a car?"
"Yes, Sir, if you're ready I'll drive us back to the hotel."
Greg quizzes him good naturedly about his Alaskan family while I relax in the back of the car, meeting Edward's gold eyes from time to time in the mirror and sharing a smile with him.
...
Edward's lounging on our bed in his boxers when I come out of the bathroom, always an attractive sight, but it's the dark coal black of his eyes that captures my attention.
Feeling brazen I slowly open my towel and let it drop to the floor, which gets me a sharp and very sexy intake of his breath.
"Touch me Edward." I whisper, keeping completely still as he appears suddenly in front of me, my nipples brushing his cool chest. I wonder if he'll let me . . . . he sometimes does when he's like this . . . .
Holding his eyes I reach out and slowly stroke the erection tenting his boxers, his nostrils flare but he doesn't stop me, so I close my hands around it and stroke them gently up and down.
He closes his eyes and his head falls back slightly.
Encouraged I slip my hands into his waistband and ease the boxers out of my way, taking the chance to look down as my hands find him again. There isn't a part of Edward that isn't beautiful, that I don't long to touch, or taste . . . . one day, maybe . . . .
"Bella . . . . please . . . ." He groans but since he hasn't moved I assume that's permission for me to continue.
I tighten my grip, knowing I can't hurt him, and speed up my movements. Edward described the feel of my hands on him once as the most divine slow torture.
After a few minutes he snatches his hands away from me and tangles them behind his back.
"So close Bella . . . . so close . . . ."
The force of his climax sends him to his knees and after a moment he relaxes enough to wind his arms around my waist and bury his face in my stomach.
"Thank you, I love you."
"I love you too." I answer, threading my hands through his glorious thick hair.
It's so hot, when he lets me do that, so hot . . . . and I know he can smell it, I don't care though, he and I are well past awkward embarrassment, we've had to be . . . .
He lifts me easily and carries me to the bed hovering over me and kissing me deeply before turning us over so that I'm on top and I moan in anticipation, he only lets me do this when he's already cum . . . .
Closing my eyes I begin to move myself back and forth over his straining erection, flexing my hips to get just the right pressure over my clit each time I slide back down him. He won't move or touch me while I do this, which is a shame, though I understand why. I know it's a bad idea to linger too long with his tip at my entrance but I can't help it, the temptation is just too much, and the feel of him pressing against me is just too good . . . . he'll stop me if I go too far . . . . he always does . . . .
Eventually I can't bear to torture myself any longer and I change positions so that I'm rubbing him harder and faster against my clit, I need to cum, I need the release . . . .
"Edward!" I scream as I finally tumble over the edge, collapsing onto his chest.
After a few frantic beats of my heart his arms close around me, holding me close.
"I suppose a foot rub's out of the question now?" I murmur into his chest and his laughter jostles me off him and onto my back.
...
After a full day of meetings I fall asleep on the flight back to Boston as Edward and Greg chat quietly.
...
"Home sweet home." I sigh happily as I drag my bag into the bedroom.
"Tired?"
"Exhausted."
"Off to bed with you then."
"But I haven't spent any proper time with you in days." I object.
"I'll be here in the morning, we can have a lazy morning in bed if you want, its Saturday."
"How lazy?" I demand, my mind already going back to our Anchorage hotel room.
He throws his head back and laughs, he knows me too well it seems . . . .