Title: Manifesting Destiny

Summary: When Bella travels West to find her father she instead finds herself befriending a man who falls in love with someone else's mail-order bride. A romantic at heart, Bella offers to help the couple and speak to the intended husband. If only he would listen.

Disclaimer: Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyer.

Author's Note: The M rating for this story is about to be earned.

Chapter Seven: First Touch

The room was warmed by a fire, and they had both shed their outer clothes and hats. She had seemed slight at the train station, but without her overcoat and shawl, in just her traveling clothes she struck him as delicate. Breakable. And obviously still in shock.

So he plied her with wine.

He'd had a rather uncomfortable conversation with his uncle weeks earlier, and the suggestion that his bride have a little drink in her had been made. He figured now if one was good, surely three was better?

When the dinner was finished and the bottle of wine empty, he placed everything on a tray and set it outside their door. He gave himself a moment in the hallway to steel up his courage, and came back inside to find his new wife still sitting in her chair by the fire, nursing her last glass of wine.

It was time, he decided, and so he gathered his night things and retreated to the adjoining washroom to clean up and change. He made quick work of things, but tried to be thorough, all the while envisioning his bride sneaking out the door of their room while he was busy. He emerged to see her instead dozing by the fire, and cleared his throat before suggesting she prepare herself for bed. If his voice shook as he spoke she didn't acknowledge it.

In the washroom Bella took her time. The weeks of travel and the hectic day were wearing heavily on her. She had resigned herself during dinner to having married a man she didn't know, and who thought she was someone else. She'd run through all sorts of animated daydreams on how to get out of her current situation until her very imagination was tired. She had never in her life been more drained, and the wine was beginning to make her dizzy. So she went through the motions, washing up, taking the pins out of her hair and exchanging her stiff traveling clothes for the comfort of her night clothes.

She tried to braid her hair but her arms would not cooperate so she gave it up.

She emerged from the washroom to find the room darkened, and climbed into the bed, ready for sleep. It was only when she felt the other side of the bed dip that she realized she would not be sleeping alone.

Edward was slightly surprised when she went came out of the washroom and climbed straight into bed without a word. He wasn't sure what he expected, but he expected some sort of reaction. He had already darkened the lights, leaving only the fire to light the space, and even then he had placed the mesh grate in front of the hearth to help darken the room. It had been another suggestion of Carlisle's, that his bride would likely be very nervous about him seeing her.

He wasn't sure whether her lack of reaction proved that false or was due to his taking measures to darken the room. He wasn't sure of much, really.

With a steadying breathe, Edward pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed. He took a moment, his eyes adjusting still, and then reached out to the still form of his wife. She was laid on her side facing away from him, so he put his hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. Her gasp at the contact was audible.

His eyes had adjusted to the faint firelight now, and so he took in her pale face in the dark. Her wide eyes looked up at his, their faces closer now than ever before. Slowly, gently, he moved closer, his lips lightly touching hers in a tentative first kiss.

He held the kiss for a moment, taking in the way her lips felt pressed against his, then he pressed forward.

Bella received his soft kisses. When he had touched her shoulder her nerves had shot through the roof while her stomach seemed to fall through the floor. She had honestly not thought this far ahead. But the tender way he kissed her lips was like a balm, calming her. She had never been so close to a man before, and the scent of him, the feel of his large hand still pressing on her shoulder was overwhelming.

He nudged her mouth open with his tongue, and suddenly she could taste him too. It was sensory overload, with so many new things to focus on. As their kisses turned deeper he shifted over her. His hand left her shoulder and skimmed down her side leaving a trail of gooseflesh under her nightclothes. It stopped at her outer thigh, gripping the fabric, and began to pull back up. With his other hand he cradled her head, holding her to him as he delved into her mouth. He had never kissed someone like this, and neither had she, but they both followed their instincts.

At one point he pulled back slightly to look at her, flushed as she was, but she reached up without thinking twice and pulled his face back to hers. Her hands slipped into his soft hair and her nails scratched lightly at his scalp.

The sensation she caused sent a shiver through him, and he responded by dropping down onto her further. A familiar pressure was mounting in him, and the need for friction grew. She was so soft below him, his hand skimming bare skin now beneath her night dress. He had not imagined it would be like this. He had tried not to imagine anything at all.

Below him Bella was swept up in the moment. She was drunk on the wine and his kisses in equal measure. She was wrapped up in the sensations he brought out in her, having trouble focusing on any one thing. She felt his hand brush her breast, having not even realized it was beneath her shift until that moment, and surprised herself when she pressed her chest up towards him, wanting to feel more. He responded to her fervor.

The action caused her to gasp roughly, tearing their mouths apart as she drew in a shuddering breath. The sound shot straight to Edward's groin and he released her head, his free hand going between them. There were entirely too many clothes between them now, and the time, he decided, had come.

The only sounds now were their gasping breathes and the rustling of fabric.

Edward adjusted his position, bringing them into alignment. He steeled his nerves and returned his lips to hers. He gave a lighter kiss now than they had just shared and pressed forward.

He could feel the tension in her body as he moved, and the moment she cringed away from him. Pausing his motion, he ran his hand along her side in what he hoped was a soothing gesture as he pressed small kisses to her lips. The heat of her was intense, and it took great effort to still his natural movements as he waited for her tension to relax. When she finally seemed to, he moved again, letting his instincts guide him now.

It didn't take long after that, both of them overwhelmed as they were. When it was done, Edward rested his head at the crook of her neck, both of them calming their breathing. Eventually he shifted over and they both straightened their clothes. Exhaustion was prevalent now, and a growing embarrassment. Sleep claimed them quickly.

WWWWWW