Hello, folks –
I have an extra-long chapter for you. Here is the info you've all been waiting for. You'll get lots of answers here… but not all of them. The next few chapters will go into excruciating detail about Bella and Edward's "first time" and "the arrangement", but I have to give you context first.
Disclaimer: Twilight is Stephenie Meyer's baby. I'm just allowing Bella and Edward to play with each other for a little while… *cough, cough* Is that so wrong? Copyright infringement is not intended.
A big 'thank you' as always to my Twilighted beta, vjgm. Thanks to all of you for your reviews, comments, and thoughts about where we may be going next. Special shout-outs to all of you who have reviewed the story thus far. You are really keeping me on my toes! As always, I love your feedback. So, please read and review. Hope you enjoy!
EPOV
The warm spray from the showerhead felt great against my skin. My body, still hyper-sensitive from our kitchen exploits not so long ago, was begging for release. But instead of the typical cold shower, I decided to revel in the feeling and let the tension build within my body.
Wanting to stave my pleasure for as long as possible, I dipped my head into the strong spray and squeezed a healthy amount of Tea Tree Special shampoo into my palm. I worked up a gentle lather and massaged my scalp with the tips of my fingers. The smell of peppermint overwhelmed the small confines of my shower and I greedily inhaled the calming scent. I could feel the slight tingle in my scalp as the shampoo worked its magic, dreading the rinse that would soon follow. So I rinsed quickly and repeated heartily, savoring the scent and the tingling sensation once more.
After the final rinse, I felt recharged yet anxious; my cock was as hard as a rock and my body was begging even louder for release.
But I am a patient man. And delaying my gratification would make my orgasm that much sweeter.
So, my shower continued at an agonizingly slow pace. I grabbed my natural body sponge and squeezed a generous amount of body wash into its deep pores. Squeezing the sponge under the water, the bubbles appeared and disappeared under the gentle pressure and release. My eyes drifted closed as I the sponge slid along my neck and back, across my pecs and under each arm, switching hands to gain easier access across my body. The sponge grazed across my abs, which mimicked the growing tightness in my balls, and my hands were itching to alleviate the stress there.
But, again, I am a patient man.
The bubbles decreasing with every pass across my skin, I opened my eyes and squeezed more soap into my sponge before continuing my torturous bath. My eyes drifted closed again as the sponge moved southward, quickly passing over my right hip bone to my right thigh, careful not to draw the sponge inward or upward…past my knee, down my shin, and around my foot before I switched to the left side of my body. I followed the circuit upward, again ignoring my inner thigh and the hardness between my legs. I grabbed the sponge in my left hand and rubbed my ass gently, making sure every inch of my body was clean before claiming my prize.
Once I felt sufficiently clean, the sponge fell unceremoniously to the shower floor. My hands, still a little soapy from the sponge, grabbed the bottle of body wash in anticipation of what was about to come… no pun intended.
I looked down at my cock, long and solid, as it arched toward my stomach in search of something warm in which to sheathe itself. Unfortunately, since its preferred home was unavailable at the moment, I graced it with the next best thing.
My right hand was warm and slippery with soap and bubbles. Not wanting to end things before they got started, I gently pressed my palm against the right side of my shaft. As my thumb grazed the top of my shaft, a guttural moan rocked the glass shower walls and my eyes refused to stay open. My fingers wrapped eagerly around my cock and the scene from mere moments ago began replaying in my mind….
Bella's hand in my sweats, pumping my cock….
Suckling her breast while she tried not to moan at the immense pleasure she was receiving….
Kissing my way down her body, her ass writhing against the granite countertop….
Her boy shorts sliding down her toned legs as I exposed her gorgeous pussy…
Just thinking about her pussy made my dick jump. I sped up slightly and began teetering on my feet.… I braced my hand high against the wall, hoping to remain standing as my dick began to twitch and my balls tightened…. Fuck, I needed release…
Burying my nose in her pussy, inhaling her sweet scent….
Hitching her knee over my shoulder, restricting her movement and isolating my target….
Taking my first lick, having my first taste of her cum across my tongue…
Knowing her knee was buckling because of the pleasure I gave her….
The feel of her fingers as they wound through my hair and held my lips against her pussy….
Her body growing still as the first quakes of orgasm overtook her body….
My lips continuing to suck on her clit despite her protests, prolonging the overwhelming sensation….
My desperate need to plunge my cock deep inside her intensifying with every swivel of her hips….
My right hand stroked my cock with confidence, eager to see the fruits of its labor. The warm stream of water continued to gently massage my neck, cascading over my shoulder blades to follow a path down the curve of my spine. My breathing became more erratic as my body prepared for release. The fingers of my free hand found the grooves between the ceramic tiles and attempted to grip them for support. I wasn't sure how much longer I would last but…
Fuck, I was so close….
I slowed down and began to take my time, savoring every stroke and image that flashed behind my eyelids. I could feel Bella's presence in the shower stall with me, her breasts pressed tightly against my back. The droplets of water that caressed my back were Bella's fingers, sliding down my ribcage and settling on my hipbone. I concentrated on the feeling of my fingers – Bella's fingers – as they grabbed my cock and slid along its length. My eyelids slackened slightly as other unbidden thoughts came to mind.
Bella falling to her knees, licking her lips in anticipation of my cock fucking her mouth…
Her mouth sucking me off eagerly, my hands buried in her beautiful hair….
Her lips nibbling on my hipbone as her fingers massaged my ass….
Her tongue tracing the tips of my nipples, her teeth nipping gently….
Bella wrapping her legs around my waist and guiding my cock in her wet, tight…
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK…
My jaw dropped and barely a sound escaped my parted lips as I came all over the rear wall of the shower stall. I couldn't control the erratic bucking of my hips as a seemingly endless stream of cum was pumped from my cock. My orgasm was so intense that my body shook uncontrollably for a moment and my knees buckled beneath me. My anxious respiration became even as the stars behind my eyelids began to dissipate; my hand slowed as I regained consciousness and noticed the sudden chill of the once-warm shower spray.
I knew I needed to meet Em soon, but I had to get that out of my system before I met up with him for lunch. That was definitely worth the extra fifteen minutes in the shower….
I turned off the shower and jumped out quickly, noting that I had ten minutes to get dressed and on the road to meet Em in the city. I am so glad Emmett lives in Seattle now; it's nice to have at least one friend from Forks nearby when I needed them. And I definitely needed a friend today.
I made the quick drive to Blue Moon Burgers on West 34th Street in Fremont. I don't eat burgers all that often but Emmett insisted that we ate at the Blue Moon today. He had a hankering for a Double Bypass Burger. Part of me thinks he'll get a real double bypass in a few years if he kept eating those things.
It took me a while to find parking on this typical Saturday morning in Fremont. After circling the block four times, I found someone jumping into their car about two blocks away and waited patiently for them to pull out of their spot. Car parked and ignition off, I realized that I had not fully addressed one very important issue -
What the fuck was I gonna tell him?
I needed to get my story straight before I began to spill my guts. Obviously, I couldn't tell him everything – just the main details about my situation. All Em really needed to know was that I was having great sex with a woman who didn't want a serious relationship with me and I'm conflicted about it.
But the 'woman' in question is Bella… and I promised her that I wouldn't tell a soul about our 'relationship'. Coupled with the fact that Emmett knows Bella and Alice very well, I had to be particularly careful about what I told him. There's no need for Emmett to know any specifics; the 'who' or the 'where' is not important. I think I'll leave out most of the gory details and give Emmett a 'bare bones' retelling of my predicament – just enough so that he would understand exactly what was going on.
But where do I begin?
~ Four months earlier ~
The more things changed, the more things stayed the same….
The houses in our neighborhood looked exactly the same as they did five years ago… but I didn't recognize any of the kids riding their bikes up and down the block.
Mr. Harris still delivered the mail every day except Saturdays… but Mrs. Kennedy, who always gave Alice and me peanut chews every Christmas, passed away earlier this year.
My favorite oak tree at the local park was still standing tall and proud… but a new jungle gym was the focal point of the local park now, attracting more kids than my favorite tree ever did.
The tinkling melody of Esme's wind chimes greeted my ears as I made my way up the front steps of my childhood home… but Esme and Carlisle moved to San Francisco last year when Carlisle purchased a private practice from an old college friend.
Our front door still stuck a little when I tried to push it open… but my beloved baby grand piano was out of tune due to lack of use.
"Welcome home, baby brother!" Alice, dressed in a 'Love Pink' sweatsuit and matching bejeweled tank top, came barging down the stairs.
"I don't know why you keep calling me your 'baby brother,' Allie. I am fourteen months older than you."
"Well, I was here first. That's all that matters," she replied with a smirk and open arms.
I walked into her embrace and returned it with a smile of my own. "I missed you too, sis."
It felt good to be back… even if it was only for a short time.
"How's the packing coming along, Allie?"
"So far, so good. Mom and Dad took care of a lot of it before they left, so we just need to take care of our bedrooms and then we'll be good to go."
"OK. Em's bringing the truck around. I'll go upstairs and start bringing stuff down."
I began the familiar climb up the stairs, noting the dust-rimmed outlines that lined the wall on which our school pictures previously hung. Esme pulled the rug runner that covered the center of each step; my ears wer unaccustomed to the louder-than-usual squeaks that accompanied each of my steps. The flowers that typically adorned the side table atop the steps were gone, the table topped with a cardboard box labeled 'Alice' instead. As I finally reached the top of the stairs, I realized that there were so many little things that I took for granted while I was here. I didn't think it was possible before, but I was really going to miss this place.
I entered my bedroom for the first time in years. As I flipped the light switch and closed my door, I noticed that that my running cleats still hung from a hook on the back of my door. The clutter of papers and CDs that often littered my desk during my high school years was gone but my old desktop computer was still here. My old books were packed away long ago but the bookcase remained. Esme packed all of my high school trophies and placed the box atop the barren shelf. I grabbed my cleats and tossed them into the box as well. Alice took my rocking chair after I left for college; thankfully, she brought in the oversized black leather armchair from Carlisle's study to take the rocker's former spot. I tested it out to see if it was still as comfortable as it was when I was forbidden to sit in it…. Now that I could sit in it without being yelled at, the thrill is gone.
From my new throne, I spied one of my favorite childhood treasures – my electronic keyboard. Just seeing it brought a smile to my face. It has been such a long time. Unable to resist the urge, I walk over to my old familiar, power it up, and strike a few chords. Electronic keyboards never go out of tune but the sound doesn't compare to my baby grand.
I walked over to my bare mattress and lied on my back, staring at the ceiling fan as it circulates the stale air in the room. The whirling blades and the gentle whoosh that accompanied their rotation lulled me into a contemplative state, causing me to reflect on my childhood here in Forks. I had many good and bad memories here, some of which I tried to forget when I went off to Dartmouth. But as I laid there, surrounded by mementos from my youth, I felt like that lost, lonely kid again who lost everything he ever truly cared about.
I sat up slowly, using my left hand to brush away some wayward strands that block my line of sight. Sunlight streamed heartily through the blinds covering the window that sat above my bed. Enjoying the light and needing the fresh air, I knelt on the bed so I could raise the blinds and open the window. The blinds opened without a problem but, for some reason, the window wouldn't budge.
The window is locked, dumb ass….
Even the best universities can't teach you common sense….
I released the latch and tried to open the window once again. The window glided open beautifully this time, but before I could resume my position on the bed, a familiar glimmer caught my eye. I grabbed the refractive object and the deeply buried memories from my last night in Forks came flooding back….
My moonstone….
My Bella….
I don't know what came over me that night. I had always wanted to touch her, to run my fingers through her honeyed locks, to feel her warm, supple lips against mine. She was right here on this bed, sitting so close and radiating a sweet heat that I just couldn't resist.
I kissed her… and, for a few short moments, everything seemed to fall into place. I became greedy, throwing all of my pent-up feelings into that one kiss and worshipping her lips as if I would never kiss them again. I was not sure what shocked me more – the realization that I was actually kissing Bella Swan or the fact that she was kissing me back! I know I caught her off-guard but, after the initial shock, Bella returned the kiss as fervently as I gave it. Her lips were my lifeline and I refused to let them go. I wanted to consume her, tangling both of my hands in her hair to maintain our connection and pulling her even closer in an attempt to meld her body to mine. The sweetness of her breath made me dizzy; the lushness of her lips made me weak.
One kiss was all it took to brand her mark on my heart…. But my bliss ended before it truly began. She pushed me away suddenly and I was awestruck by her actions. She said my kiss was meaningless. She said that I didn't want her. And then she left me dumbfounded and alone on this very bed.
I tried to follow Bella out the door but Alice snagged me quickly when I finally made my way back downstairs.
When the music died down and the well-wishers disappeared, I went back to my room to see if she had returned without me noticing her. Of course, the room was empty.
I thought she would return the next day to see me off. She never did.
I left Forks believing that Bella was offended by my actions and wanted nothing to do with me ever again. I didn't deserve her friendship, and I surely didn't deserve anything beyond that. The moonstone that linked us for so many years would serve as a constant reminder of the relationship I sullied because of my spur-of-the-moment actions. So I left our special moonstone on this window sill and started my new journey alone, far away from Forks and the woman I always wanted but could never have.
I went off to Hanover and focused on my studies, completing my undergraduate degree in Biology with high honors. I was admitted to Dartmouth's M.D. program but, for some strange reason, my heart wasn't in it anymore. I always thought I was going to be a doctor. After watching my mother die of breast cancer and hearing about the lives Carlisle saved over the years, I thought I knew my purpose in life. But, after botching up the dissection of my first cadaver, I realized that medicine could be good or bad, doctors could heal and hurt … and I wasn't confident enough to hold the fate of someone's life in my hands. I would be doing myself and my patients a disservice if I wasn't confident in my abilities as a physician. I wouldn't want an unsure doctor operating on me or my family, and I hope other medical student prospects take that into consideration before they take the Hippocratic oath.
So I came back home, a home that I didn't want when it was so graciously given to me. Back to my old room, full of memories shared with a girl in pigtails with the pretty smile.
I may have left but she was never forgotten.
Now that Alice and I had to leave Forks for good, I am not sure how willing I am to leave any of my memories behind.
Without another moment's hesitation, I grabbed our stone and tucked it in my pocket.
Suddenly, I heard a loud 'thud' and a high-pitched squeal just outside my door. I quickly rose to my feet and made my way toward the door; obviously Alice needs my help. I grabbed the door handle and turned it quickly, throwing the door open with a start.
"Allie, are you –"
Fuck. Me.
The sight that greeted my eyes was unexpected but not unwelcome.
"Edward?"
The little girl in pigtails was not a little girl anymore.
Long, toned legs encased in grey skin-tight leggings, one shoulder peeking out from the cut-out collar of an oversized UW sweatshirt, the delicate skin of her neck exposed as her hair is swept into a high ponytail, random tendrils framing her flushed face, doe-like eyes boring into mine….
"Are you gonna stare at me all day or are you gonna help me up?"
Shit! Get it together, Cullen….
"Oh, I'm sorry….," I stammered and extended my hand to help her. "Are you okay?"
She hesitated briefly, staring at my open palm, then grabbed it gingerly as she steadied herself on her feet. She released my hand quickly and began to dust herself off. The box long forgotten, my eyes were focused on her and her alone.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Good thing there weren't any fragile items in there," she replied, chuckling at her own joke.
She's as beautiful as ever….
"Welcome home, Edward," she said timidly.
"Thanks, Bella."
An uncomfortable silence settled between us. It had been so long since I had seen her, let alone talked to her. And we didn't end things on the best of terms…
It's always good to start off with a compliment…
"You look great," I told her with the utmost sincerity.
A strange look crossed Bella's face as she gave me the once-over. "Thanks, um….so do you…. Yeah…."
She's just as uncomfortable as I am.
More silence.
Damn, this is hard.
Bella broke the silence this time. "How was Dartmouth?"
It sucked. Wish you were there. I was such a jerk. Can we be friends again?
"I got through."
Smooth, Cullen. Real smooth….
I gestured toward her shirt. "How was U-Dub?"
"I got through," she replied with a smile.
Touché…
Again, silence. It was almost as if we were complete strangers.
"Maybe we should, um…." Bella hitched her thumb toward the bruised box and its scattered contents.
"Oh, yeah. Right…." We both scurried over to the mess and placed the items back in the box. Once filled, Bella attempted to pick up the box again but I quickly took it out of her hands. She scrunched her nose at my chivalrous act but I didn't care. Actually, the nose-crinkling thing was kinda cute. I couldn't help chuckling a little.
I walked over to the top of the stairs and noticed the box sitting on top of the side table. I turned back to Bella and shouted to grab her attention. "Grab the box on the table, Bells. It's much smaller."
Bella looked at the pithy box and blew a huff of air before grabbing the smaller box. "Whatever, Eddie…."
She knows I only let Alice get away with that Eddie bullshit….
"Yeah, well, bells are for cats and altar boys. My name is Bella..." she replied with a slight snark in her voice.
I stopped mid-staircase.
I must have said that out loud.
I turned to face her, anger clearly written all over her face. I graciously conceded. "Well, I stand corrected…. Bella."
Her face softened a bit as I heard the tell-tale squeak of the front door. I turned to see Alice walking into the foyer.
Alice made her way into the living room, standing at the bottom of the stairs with her hands on her hips. "Need any more boxes, Eddie?"
"No, thanks, Allie. I think I have enough." Bella and I made it down the remaining steps, resting our boxes near the front door. "Allie, would you and Bella mind taking these boxes out to the truck?"
Bella's eyes narrowed and Alice stared at us curiously.
"Uh, o-kay..," Alice said warily. "C'mon, Bells…"
As Alice opened the front door and stepped outside, I cast a glance in Bella's direction, clearly amused by Alice using Bella's familiar nickname. Bella raised a palm and rolled her eyes, as if to stop the smartass comment dancing on the tip of my tongue.
"Don't even start with me, Eddie…"
I shrugged my shoulders, feigning innocence, but I couldn't keep my smirk at bay.
"What? I like pussy…"
That earned me a death glare.
"Cats, Bella….. Pussy cats." I was wearing a shit-eating grin now….
I just couldn't resist….
"Fuck. You."
"Maybe later…."
Another eye roll and Bella resumed her trek toward the moving truck.
Well, that went well….
As the door closed, I ran a quick hand through my hair and wondered how much additional damage I had done to our friendship with that off-the-cuff remark.
Emmett's big head peeked in from the front door. "Looks like the girls have the boxes under control. Ready for some heavy lifting, Masen?"
"Let's roll, McCarty."
There's nothing like manual labor when you need to clear your head. We moved Alice's and my furniture to the moving truck in quick order: the beds went first, followed by Alice's wardrobe, my computer desk, Carlisle's chair, and boxes upon boxes of Alice's garbage.
"Damn, Alice… are you bringing the whole house with us to Seattle?"
"No, Edward. Only the things that matter."
I peeked inside one of the smaller boxes. "Old magazines? Really?"
"C'mon, Eddie. What's old is new again. I have to stay on top of the latest fashion trends if I want to build a successful clothing line."
"Whatever, Allie. Just leave some closet room for me, okay?"
"Don't worry, Eddie. I have already cleared out some space for you."
The move to Seattle was going to be very interesting. Alice and I hadn'y lived together since we were kids. She had been living in Seattle for two years now, serving as an apprentice for a designer in Fremont. Now, with the help of a little seed money from Esme and Carlisle, Alice was developing her own clothing line – Cullen Couture. The Cullens are footing the bill for a bayside townhome in Queen Anne and, since Alice has tons of space and I have no clue what I want to do with my life, I decided to come back west and crash at her place for a while.
I hope I don't come to regret my decision.
Speaking of regretful decisions….
Bella was sitting on the front steps next to the cooler filled with beer and bottled water. She sat with her knees apart, resting her forearms on her knees with a bottled water in her hands. She was playing with the paper wrapper on the bottle, picking at the corner where the edges met.
Don't fuck this up, Cullen….
I walked over to the cooler, grabbed a beer, and took a seat next to her. She didn't even acknowledge my presence.
"Thanks for helping us out today," I told her as I pried the bottle cap off of my beer.
Bella's eyes remained trained on her bottle.
"Alice is my friend. I always come through for my friends."
Ouch….
"Look, Bella –"
"Edward, don't worry about it," she said with a hint of resignation in her voice. "It's all water under the bridge, alright?" Bella turned her head in my direction and her sights were finally set on me. She offered her hand in reconciliation. "Truce?"
I gladly accepted her gesture and shook her hand in friendship. "Truce."
Bella gave me a timid smile and returned her gaze to her bottle.
Well, I guess some things never change….
"Hey, Bella…. Alice, Em, and I are heading over to the diner for a quick bite before we hit the road. Wanna join us?"
Her smile fell as she turned toward me. "Can't. I'm meeting Renee and Phil for dinner tonight and…," she says as she checks her phone, "…it looks like I need to head back to the house to get ready."
Shit… I'm not waiting another five years before I see her again….
Bella rose to her feet and dusted off the back of her thighs in the process. As distracting as this sight might have been, I couldn't afford to let the moment pass.
Think fast….
I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward me, flashing a tentative smile. "Maybe you can stop by the house the next time you're in Seattle… we could grab a bite to eat, catch a movie maybe?"
Bella mimicked my trademark smirk, her eyes equally roguish. "We'll see, Edward."
My hand slipped from hers as she began to walk toward Alice. My chin fell to my chest in a pitiful attempt to hide the shit-eating grin that had spread across my face.
"Oh, and Edward?"
My head popped up to catch her parting message. "Yes, Bella?"
"I'm glad you like pussy."
My jaw dropped at her admission. Huh?
"Cats, Edward…. Pussy cats," she added with a smile.
She got me good….
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Fuck you, Swan."
"Maybe later… Cullen."
And, with a wink, she was gone. Bella said her goodbyes to Allie and Em, then made the familiar trek down the block.
As I watched her walk away, there were three things of which I was certain:
First, the Bella Swan I used to know – my moonstone, my friend – was all grown up now.
Second, the older, sexier Bella Swan was much more dangerous… and I think I like it.
And, third, if I'm not careful, I could fall hard – even harder than before.
But I was more than willing to take the risk.
Present Day
Blue Moon Burgers on a Saturday afternoon – not too crowded because we missed the lunch rush but not really quiet enough to have a serious conversation either.
As I spy my friend sitting at a table near the rear of the restaurant reading a USA Weekend, I begin to have second thoughts about telling Em about what is going on.
Maybe I don't need to have this conversation anyway.
Maybe I can handle Bella all by myself.
It's not too late to run out of here. He probably hasn't even noticed I've arrived yet.
As soon as the thought enters my mind, Emmett's head pops up and shouts from the back of the restaurant in true Emmett fashion, "Haul your ass, Masen! You're late and I'm hungry!"
Well, there goes that plan….
Resigned to my fate, I walk over to my friend's table and grab the seat opposite him.
Let's get this show on the road….
****INSERT EVIL CLIFFHANGER MUSIC HERE****
Yes, I know…. Bad Dye, bad Dye….. *smacks herself on the wrist*
Whadya think? "Fuck yeah!" or "What the fuck?" Let me know! :)
ADDITIONAL END NOTES:
Tea Tree Special shampoo by Paul Mitchell is freakin' awesome! It's great in the wintertime. It makes your scalp all tingly. My boyfriend loves the stuff. Strong enough for a man, I guess… and I think the tea tree scent fits Edward, n'est ce pas?
Fremont and Queen Anne are real neighborhoods in Seattle but I am using poetic license and online resources as bases for my writing. Blue Moon Burgers does exist but, since I haven't eaten there, I cannot endorse the food.
BTW, I am posting pics of the Queen Anne house that I am using as my inspiration for Alice and Edward's place in Seattle on my profile at www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net (slash) ~dyenessa. I will also post links to the resources I am using for this particular story. I had to change web servers, but I will let you know when the new website is up and running.
PLEASE REVIEW!
