Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mothers-to-be out there! May you be blessed with health, happiness, and patience.
New readers, welcome. Returning readers, thank you for your support. I'm so glad many of you enjoyed the last chapter despite the unconventional "peep show".
Happy reading and enjoy!
7
On our wedding day, Bella was plucked from my bed at the break of dawn by the hands of my mother and sisters. I held on tightly not wanting to let her warm body go fighting with them much to Bella's amusement.
"The sooner ye let her go, the sooner she'll become yer wife and ye can have her all to yerself," Alice sang.
"Like he hasna already?" Rosalie smirked.
My eyes flew open at their comments and I stared down at Bella intently. "The next time I see ye, yer gonna be my wife."
"Aye," She agreed mirroring my grin.
"Up, both of ye. Edward, the Reverend is arriving in an hour. I trust ye to make sure he is in good hands. Do get up and make yerself presentable," My mother nagged long after Bella vacated the room.
I eventually called for a bath and dressed in my finest kilt of green and blue plaid. Over a white linen shirt, I draped the end of the plaid across one shoulder and preferred to keep a dagger in my belt. I quickly ate breakfast in my chambers before venturing downstairs to see if everything was in order. Constantly on my mind was Bella. I haven't seen her since she left my side that morning.
The dining hall was transformed into a wedding hall. A red carpet was rolled out leading to the altar where the vicar and I would stand to receive the bride. Since it was winter, fake flowers adorned the altar table and I wondered if Bella would be disappointed in that. I was anything but disappointed. Instead, I was happy, nervous, excited and worried all in one person. The end result only made me anxious.
By the time everything was set to commence, there was a tight coil of anxious energy in my stomach ready to spring free. If I didn't see Bella's face soon, I think I might just lose it. Blast my mother and my sisters for holing up in Rosalie's bedchamber and refusing to let me see or speak to my bride before the ceremony. Now, I was imagining all sorts of scenarios in my head as I waited for her at the end of the altar.
"Well, where is she?" I growled to Emmett as I rocked back on my heels.
"Would ye stop fidgeting? She'll be here in just a moment," Emmett replied.
I whip my head back to glare at him. "Ye said that a moment ago. What if she has cold feet or if she changed her mind? What if she snuck away? Nay, I have to go up there and demand that they hand her over to me so that I can see that all is well."
"Ye willna, brother," Emmett clasped a hand on my shoulder for fear that I might sprint off. "Fer yer bride descends the stairs now."
I saw only a fluttering of blue fabric as Bella descended. Gasps of awe and admiration from our people followed the closer Bella reached the bottom steps and then she was in my view. I stopped breathing at the sight of her.
She wore a dark blue gown with sleeves that were lightly embroidered with green vines at the ends. The dress wrapped around her silhouette before fluttering out as it reached the floor. The hem of her dress was also embroidered with green vines keeping with the color scheme of the Cullen plaid. Her hair was delicately braided with matching colored twine before it all fell in natural waves over one shoulder. In her cupped hands, she cradled a plump apple instead of fake flowers which symbolizes the hope that our union would bear fruit.
When Bella saw me at the end of the altar, the smile she gave lit up the entire dining hall. She gracefully walked toward me at a steady pace with confidence. I have never seen a more radiant woman in my life. She was there and she was mine.
There were so many things I wanted to say to her when she reached the altar, but I vaguely recalled that the Reverend was looming over us ready to perform the ceremony. So, I cupped my hands under hers and cradled the fruit between us. Through the introductory rites, I preoccupied myself with caressing her fingers instead of listening. Every once in a while, she would flick at my fingers with one of her own silently telling me to stop but I was having too much fun. I found the inside of one of her wrist and ghosted my fingers back and forth like a soft kiss. I heard her breath falter and smiled to myself.
"Edward, stop it!" She whispered under her breath beseeching me with her eyes. I only smiled devilishly in response.
Not soon enough, Reverend Francis finally called us to repeat our vows after him. I said my vows with enthusiasm while Bella was more emotional as she repeated the words that would bind us forever. Then, the apple between us was taken up and cut in half to see if there were seeds present. This would decide if our union was blessed or not. It was all very silly to me because I have never cut open a seedless apple.
"Their union is blessed!" Emmett declared happily holding up the two halves for our people to see.
Bella seemed relieved at his declaration and I had no idea that she was worried that the blessing of our union depended on an apple. I must remember to tease her about it at a later time.
Emmett held out our rings and I slid the simple gold band onto her finger.
"With this ring I thee wed."
Bella gingerly reached for my ring and smiled at the ridiculous grin I had plastered on my face since the ceremony started. "With this ring I thee wed."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and wrapped my hand behind her neck to pull her into a kiss.
"Ye may now kiss yer bride," Reverend Francis said a moment too late causing laughter to erupt in the audience.
Bella ended the kiss while blushing fiercely. All I could think was that she was fiercely beautiful and all mine. Cheers roared in our ears before the crowd converged with their blessings. Bella was pulled away from me and into my mother's arms while my brothers' thumped me on the back with their congratulations.
Our wedding celebration lasted late into the night with plenty of ale, food, and great entertainment. All the while, Bella was by my side feeding me with her fingers and laughing along with the entertainers. I kept my eyes on her whenever she was pulled away because both the men and women were on a trip to get her drunk before our bedding. She probably had about a cup already and I could see a group of men playfully trying to talk her into another.
I kept her at my hip for the rest of the night after that and she was content to just be next to me.
Not long after, Bella started to yawn during a song that a group of men were singing.
"Is it time for bed?" I asked against her ear.
She nodded and we rose to leave. When people began to notice our departure, catcalls rose and fell as we ascended the stairs together. It was tradition to have witnesses at our first bedding but due to Bella's traumatic experience with such things. I chose to forgo tradition and agreed to present the bedding sheets instead.
Once in our chambers, Bella sat awkwardly on our bed as I undressed and pulled on sleep trousers. She was staring at the center of our bed where a large, white handkerchief laid embroidered with tiny flowers at the corners. It was obvious why it was there.
I walked over and pulled her gently to her feet. The happy, carefree Bella downstairs had vanished and a haunted more fearful Bella took her place.
"Donna worry so. It upsets me to see ye this way," I said as I start to loosen the clasps at the back of her gown. She stood rigid but did not stay my hand as I worked on the gown.
"What if I can't go through with it? Even now I can't forget the images of that girl," Bella confessed.
"Think only of us and how I would never hurt ye thusly. If I wanted to, I could've on any of those nights ye spent in my arms. So, donna let yer mind wonder to unhappy memories." I slid the gown from her body to reveal only a thin, white chemise.
The flickering shadows of the fire casted upon her skin caused me to think of the finest porcelain. Just like that night when she found me in the library, I could make out the flesh beneath the thin layer of cloth.
"Yer so beautiful lass." I ghosted my lips across her bare shoulders.
She turned around in my arms and I couldn't help but pull her close molding her to my body.
"I will try, Edward," She glanced at the bed with a frown before looking back at me.
"That is all I ask."
Slowly, I leaned into her aiming for her lips but stopped just a hair's breath away to test her willingness to receive me. Bella only closed her eyes giving me all the invitation I ever needed. I pressed gentle kisses at the corners of her mouth before capturing her lips with my own. When I flicked my tongue out to taste her, Bella parted her lips to grant me access.
I dove into her mouth with all the eagerness and passion of a man. Knowing that I could do so freely because I was her husband now lit a fire within the pit of my stomach. I never wanted a woman so desperately in my life but I willed myself to take it slow for her sake.
Bella took to the kiss by tilting her head to one side and placing her arms around my shoulders. The moment I felt her tongue gently exploring my mouth, I felt the fire leap in my belly. I have taught her well with all of our stolen kisses and many more when we lay in bed at night. She knew just where to stroke the underside of my tongue to provoke me. Usually, this is the part where I regained control of my desire and stopped her before we crossed a line.
I realized that I didn't have to stop now and that there was nothing to stop us from seeking pleasure from one another. At that thought, I broke our kiss and swept her into my arms before laying her in the middle of the bed. I gripped the hem of her chemise and slide the fabric over her legs all the while keeping my eyes firmly on her.
Bella's brows were furrowed with worry and I could see the fear beginning to take purchase behind her eyes.
"Donna fear me, love. I am yer husband and have no wish to harm ye," I reassured.
My hand brushed across one creamy thigh where I let the fabric settle for now. Kneeling between her parted feet, I nudged her knees apart with my hand but she didn't budge.
"Trust me, lass."
Apprehensively, Bella parted her legs. I moved between them at which she had to part them wider to accommodate me as I leaned forward to hold myself up by my elbows so I didn't crush her. She was so magnificent lying beneath me with her hair sprawled across the pillows.
I toyed with the strap of her chemise. "Bella, will ye let me see ye in the flesh?"
"What if you do not like what you see?" She asked fretfully.
"That is impossible. There is nothing that I donna love about ye," I confessed.
Her eyes grew wide as she took in my words and pressed a palm over my heart in question. "Aye, lass." I nodded answering her silent question. "I love ye."
"When did you know?"
"I think I have always loved ye since the moment I laid eyes on ye, but I knew for certain when I thought I nearly lost ye."
Bella didn't say a word but instead she slipped the straps of her chemise off of her shoulders and shakily pulled her arms free of them. She trusted me, I knew that but whatever horror Black Wolf forced her to witness was still lingering behind her eyes and I could see it as easily as if I were reading a book. I could only tread lightly.
Gripping her chemise, I tugged on the fabric and watched as it slid past her breasts. Pink, supple nipples rose to greet me. I reached up to cup her right breast in my hand and rolled a nipple between my fingers. Bella released a sharp gasp at the new sensation and wiggled beneath me causing my cock to stir against her belly. I repeated the motion causing her to let out a soft moan.
Dropping my mouth onto her breast, I pulled her pert nipple into my mouth relishing in the way she arched her back and gave a throaty moan in response. Bella made use of her hands, pushing fingers into my hair and the other found my back. Her touch encouraged me to continue. Using my free hand, I shifted the rest of her chemise above her thighs and trailed my fingers from her stomach to the soft curls of her sex.
I released her nipple with a kiss and turned my attention to the other one before she could exhale a breath. I parted the folds of her sex with my fingers and tested her readiness. Slick wetness gave me the answer I needed. With my thumb, I gave her clit a few gentle passes.
"Oh, Edward…" She sighed breathlessly bringing her hips off of the bed.
I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to have her. Releasing her nipple with a small pop, I rose on my knees between her legs and tugged at the string to loosen my sleep trousers.
"Edward?" Bella called slightly dazed from my ministrations.
"I need ye, lass." I told her before tugging my trousers from my legs and tossing them over the side of the bed.
I heard her sharp intake of breath before realizing what startled her. She was gaping at my erection which stood proudly at my stomach. Sliding between her opened legs once more, I aligned myself to her entrance.
"Edward, I-"
I cut her off with a harder kiss sucking her bottom lip into my mouth. Once again, I checked to see if she was ready with my fingers and poised myself at her entrance when they came away wet with desire.
Bella ripped her mouth away from me as I began to push forward.
I was so close to her moist heat that all I could think about was finally being surrounded by it. To feel her walls wrapped around my cock as I pleasured her. She was so tight that the head of my cock could only feel her heat but not penetrate her if I didn't apply more pressure. The flame of my desire leapt a foot in the air at the feeling of her tight resistance.
But something was wrong, I could feel it. Bella was pushing on my shoulders shoving me away instead of pulling me closer. Her eyes were frantic was fear and pain and she was shouting something I couldn't quite hear. I paused and took a breath clearing away the haze of my passion.
"Bella, what's wrong?" I asked.
"Edward, please stop. Please!" She cried. There were tears welling in her eyes and I immediately recoiled as if she slapped me.
The moment I let up, Bella scrambled across the bed away from me and pulled a fur across her naked body with shaky hands. I watched her body began to quiver and I realized I had done that to her.
"Bella, I'm sor-" I tried reaching out to her so that I could comfort her but Bella shrank away from me. Grabbing my sleep trousers, I quickly tugged them back on so that I could comfort her without her fearing my intentions.
A loud knocking at the door caught my attention.
"What?!" I shouted.
"We're here for the bedding sheets," A man replied.
I raked a hand through my hair and grabbed a dagger off of the mantle.
"W-what are you doing?" Bella stuttered through her shivers.
I placed a finger over my lips signaling her to be quiet. Over the white handkerchief, I firmly pressed the blade of the dagger into the pad of my finger making a cut large enough for a few drops of blood. Bella watched wide-eyed but said nothing as the crimson drops stained the once pure cloth. I also smeared some blood on there for good measure before taking it to the door with me.
I cracked the door wide enough to slip my uninjured hand through until I saw the man who came to collect it.
"I come to fetch the bedding sheets," James smirked as if he didn't think I could complete the task. He also had the nerve to let his eyes roam past me and into the bedchamber. I blocked his view with my torso.
I thrust the bloodstained handkerchief toward him.
"Interrupt me again and I will do much worse than kill ye," I warned before slamming the door in his face.
Turning around, I saw that Bella was in the same spot clutching the fur against her body. I went into our wardrobe and pulled a fresh shift for her to wear. When I presented it to her, Bella timidly took them from my hands as if I had some sort of trick up my sleeve. To ease her mind, I turned around to let her dress comfortably.
"Donna fear, Bella. I willna lay another hand on ye. Proof of yer maidenhood has already been given. No matter what happened tonight, yer my wife now." I spoke to her with my back still turned. "Fer what its worth, I'm deeply sorry. The haze of desire got the best of me and I honestly thought ye were ready."
I walked to the fireplace to throw in enough wood to keep the bedchamber warm throughout the night. Then, I settled into bed facing away from Bella feeling like a complete arse of a man. She didn't make a move to lie down.
"Sleep, lass. I already said I willna touch ye. I'm a man of my word."
I felt the bed move a moment later as Bella settled in quietly. We only an arm's length apart but suddenly, I felt like we were a million miles away.
It's two steps forward and one step back, isn't it? Let me know your thoughts down below!
For3ver