Chapter eight
I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face. Two reasons had put it there; my successful date last night with Edward, and the fact that I had a rare day off today. I could hear Edward moving around in the kitchen and since he was already up, I supposed he wouldn't mind if I played a few tunes on the piano.
Being busy with coursework and my job, I hadn't had a lot of opportunity to play lately. The lid creaked when I lifted it, and I stared at the keys for a moment trying to decide what to play. Moonlight Sonata was the first piece that sprung to mind. I was a little rusty, but I closed my eyes and started to feel the music.
Teaching me to play piano was the only gift my mother ever gave me. Though, at the time, when she was knocking me off the stool for making mistakes, it didn't feel like it.
However, as the music coursed through me, I found it uplifting and the pride in having the ability to play such beautiful music was something I knew I would always cherish.
There was a soft rap on the door and I knew it was Edward. "Come in," I called, still playing.
The door swung open and he leaned against the frame to watch. I stopped suddenly feeling a little self-conscious under his scrutiny.
"Don't stop," he requested. "I just wanted to open the door so I could hear you better."
There was a wistful look on his face which reminded me of his melancholy the first time he had seen the piano. "Have you ever played?" I asked, turning back to the keys and resuming the tune.
He stepped into the room and sat on the edge of my unmade bed. "When I was younger I...um... my dad used to play." It was clear he was uncomfortable talking. I kept playing in the hope that he would continue. It pleased me when he did. "One of my earliest memories is of my dad sitting me on his lap at the piano. I think he might have been trying to teach me."
"Didn't you ever consider taking lessons when you were growing up?" I stopped playing.
He shook his head. "No." His curt tone took me by surprise.
"I'm sorry," I said in a rush when he stood up to leave. "I didn't mean to pry."
"No it's not that," he denied. "I have some stuff to do."
And with that he walked out, leaving me ruing my nosiness. I shouldn't have pressed him when it was clear he was uncomfortable talking about his parents.
While he was gone, I took the opportunity to do some long overdue cleaning in the apartment, but that took little more than an hour. By lunchtime I was bored, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone and read my book in the Laundromat while my clothes washed
However, it proved difficult to concentrate on the book. My mind kept drifting back to the previous night, and I couldn't keep the smile off my face.
"What are you looking so pleased with yourself about?"
My head jerked in the direction of Jasper's voice.
"What are you doing here?"
He held a large blue holdall up. "Laundry. What else?" he teased.
"Of course," I muttered, feeling foolish. "I just didn't expect to see you here."
I slid my bookmark into my book and dropped it into my bag, glad that I had some company to while away the boring afternoon with. Jasper began pulling clothes out of his bag and throwing them haphazardly into the large machine. I noticed that some of Alice's clothes were mixed in with his.
"I hope you checked the labels on Alice's stuff," I remarked, as he closed the door.
"Oh, don't worry about that. There's no way she let me sort her laundry myself." He grinned sitting beside me "She packed the bag and gave me strict instructions on what setting to use."
I suppressed a giggle when he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and studied it before squinting at the machine. His eyes darted back and forth between the machine and the paper, until he finally turned the dial and switched the machine on.
He dropped onto the bench beside me. "So you didn't answer my question."
"What question?"
"When I came in you were grinning like the cat that got the cream. What's got you looking so happy?"
Not ready to tell him the truth, I decided to lie instead. "I was just enjoying my book."
He leaned forward, regarding me suspiciously. "Are you actually attempting to lie to me?" he asked, feigning offence. "I know you better than you think, Swan. What's the deal?"
It was clear to me that Jasper didn't like Edward very much. I had no idea why, but whatever the reason; I didn't want him to try to influence my opinion of Edward. I knew Jasper well enough to know that if I told him the truth he would jump to all the wrong conclusions and interfere. So as much as I hated to do it, I continued to lie.
"Jazz, I'm having a nice day off catching up with my laundry and enjoying one of my favourite books, there really is no big deal."
His eyes narrowed a little and I prayed that my face wouldn't turn red.
After a few seconds, he settled back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him, the subject apparently dropped. We talked about the usual mundane stuff for a while, but just as I suspected it might, the topic of conversation eventually worked its way around to Edward.
"How're things going with Edward?"
Once again, I prayed that my cheeks wouldn't heat up and give me away. "It's actually going really well. I don't think we need to worry about finding a new roommate."
"Oh!" He sounded surprised.
"It's true," I continued, fighting to keep the irritation I was feeling out of my voice. "Alice was right; he really is serious about working hard. I hardly see him. He's usually holed up in his room studying."
"What about the weekends?"
"I don't keep tabs on him, Jazz." I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
"Does he come in drunk?" he asked. "Or bring girls back?"
I shook my head in reply to both questions. Knowing Jasper as well as I did, I knew he'd become suspicious if I tried to defend Edward, and I doubted I could keep lying to him if he started to really question me about our situation.
I really wanted to ask him what his problem with Edward was, but I decided it would be easier to protect our privacy if I didn't. The last thing I wanted to do was run the risk of Jasper finding out about what I'd asked Edward to do and warning him off.
He seemed to accept my answers, and I was relieved when we settled into an amiable silence.
When my wash cycle finished, Jasper helped me transfer the clothes to the dryer.
'I've been doing some thinking,' he said as we sat back down. "About that stuff you said about wanting to change."
"To change?"
"You said you wanted to make some new friends and loosen up a bit."
"Oh that," I said, stifling a giggle having known all along what he'd been getting at. "What were you thinking?" I pressed.
"Well, I know you don't like bars, but Alice and I are going to this open mic thing tonight and we thought you might like to come." He smiled. "We've gone a couple of times. It's not usually busy and Alice and I will be there to look out for you. What do you say?"
I was touched by his efforts, even though his reference to looking out for me annoyed me a little bit. Maybe it was ungrateful of me to feel that way. Jasper was just trying to be there for me like he's always been, but this was something I needed to achieve alone.
"Thanks Jazz," I said, squeezing his knee. "But I have some college stuff to catch up on. Maybe some other time?"
His knowing smile told me he was probably thinking that I wasn't serious about changing. He probably thought I'd be too scared to go to a bar with him and Alice, but that wasn't my reason for declining the invitation. I wanted to stay home so I could talk to Edward about arranging another date, and to apologise to him for making him feel uncomfortable earlier.
As soon as my laundry was finished, I left Jasper alone with the promise I'd call him the following day. The apartment was empty and I spent my evening alone waiting for Edward to come home. Jasper's offer started to sound more tempting as boredom set in. I didn't want to spend another evening alone reading or doing needlepoint.
Feeling a sudden burst of courage, I called Jasper and asked if it was too late to take him up on his offer.
"No you're in luck," he said. "Alice is just getting ready. We can pick you up in about half an hour."
I smiled feeling pleased with myself, but then it faded. "Jazz, what will I wear?"
He chuckled down the line. "Jeans and a t-shirt will be fine Bella. It's not a black tie function."
I stuck my tongue out at the receiver even though he couldn't see me, and then hung up before rushing to my room to change. Since I was going to a bar for the first time, I started to worry if I should make more of an effort and try to do my make-up again. Remembering Edward had said I looked better without it, I decided just to go with some lip gloss and mascara
Exactly half an hour later, as I was finishing up in the bathroom, I heard the front door open and came out expecting to see Edward.
"You ready?"
At first I was surprised to see Jasper, but then I remembered he still had his key.
"Alice is waiting in the cab," he said, holding the door open for me while I grabbed my jacket from the stand.
The bar was all the way across town. I spent the journey, wedged between Alice and Jasper in the back seat of the cab, hoping that I wouldn't feel like a fish out of water once we arrived.
My nerves were starting to get the better of me as I waited on the side walk with Alice while Jasper paid the cab driver.
Two intimidating doormen, muscular and bald and resembling bookends, flanked the door and glared at us menacingly as we approached.
One of them clamped his beefy hand on my shoulder. "ID!" he demanded.
Despite my trembling hands. I managed to fish my ID out of my bag and shoved it under his nose. He snorted contemptuously at me, but stepped aside to let us in.
"Don't worry about him," Alice whispered in my ear as she swung the door open. "It's probably his time of the month."
I giggled and felt Jasper come up behind us as I stepped inside. "You okay?"
I nodded, trying to dampen down the regret I was now feeling. Suddenly, doing needlepoint didn't seem like such a bad way to spend an evening.
The bar wasn't busy but I still felt a little out of place. Walking behind Alice and Jasper, I took a good look at the place. A cloud of smoke hung in the air like a gossamer curtain, rendering the dim lights above the bar, and around the stage, hazy. A woman was singing on the stage, but it looked like less than half of the twenty or thirty people present were listening to her.
"What would you like to drink?" Jasper yelled a little too loudly, and one of the men near the stage glanced at us with annoyance etched on his face.
"I'll have a beer," Alice answered, and then looked at me with enquiring eyes.
"Um... do they sell wine here?" I asked gingerly. "I don't like beer."
Jasper walked over to the bar and I followed Alice to an empty table. It was no surprise to find that I didn't recognise a single person, even though a lot of them looked like students.
Jasper brought the drinks to the table and handed me a glass of wine served in a beer glass.
"It's not the classiest join," he said with a laugh when I grimaced at it.
The wine tasted very thin and vinegary, but I didn't want to be a nuisance so took a sip and laid it on the table in front of me. Jasper threw his arm across Alice's shoulder and we turned our attention to the stage. It amazed me that people would just get up and sing in front of everyone. Some of them weren't very good but it didn't seem to bother them. I couldn't imagine ever having the courage to do it. I could barely play piano in front of Edward.
After about an hour the door swung open again and I was vaguely aware of a group of people coming in. By now I was too engrossed in the music to pay any attention, but my head whipped round when I heard a familiar voice rise above the music.
"Hey it's Jasper and Alice!" Emmett called, striding towards us.
My heart sunk when I saw Lauren and Rosalie following close behind him.
"Mind if we join you?" Emmett asked, despite the fact that he was already dragging another table over towards ours. He pushed them together, almost knocking our drinks over. He didn't seem to notice. "How's my little dancer?" He shot me a grin so infectious, I couldn't help but grin back.
The two girls sat down at the table, barely acknowledging us.
"What are you drinking?" Emmett asked, eyeing our glasses.
"Beer for Alice and me," Jasper answered amiably, seemingly unconcerned at the intrusion. "And a red wine for Bella."
"Do they sell wine in here?" Emmett asked, frowning at my glass.
When I held the glass up, I was surprise to find it almost empty. Emmett turned towards the bar. "Edward," he roared, and I was horrified to see Edward standing at the bar. "Two more beers, and a red wine." Emmett lowered his voice at the end as if he was almost embarrassed to say the words 'red wine'.
While Jasper and Emmett began pulling over another two chairs, I watched Edward at the bar. He was talking to a tall dark-haired guy, and I wasn't sure if he'd noticed me. If I'd known he would be coming here with Lauren I would never have come. My palms started to sweat and I felt the almost overwhelming urge to run for the door.
After a few moments I realised I was still staring at Edward and when I glanced at the guy beside him, I was embarrassed to see he was staring back at me. I dropped my eyes to the table in embarrassment.
There was much shuffling of chairs as everyone sat down. I was grateful that Emmett sat beside me, he was certainly large enough to block out my view of Lauren and Rosalie who were sitting on the other side of him. Alice scooted to the other side of me, leaving two free seats for Edward and his friend.
Edward's friend held the tray while Edward handed out the drinks. When it came time to hand me mine, Edward quirked an eyebrow at me conveying that he was surprised to see me. I raised both mine in reply, letting him know that the surprise was mutual. Seemingly satisfied with our private, wordless, conversation, he smiled.
He turned towards his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "This is Jacob Black," he said addressing all of us.
Jacob flashed a bright grin that was almost blinding, and shook all our hands, before sitting down in the chair opposite mine. "Good to meet you all," he said, even though he never took his eyes off me while he spoke.
Edward sat down in the last chair beside Jasper and took a long pull of his beer. I turned my attention back to the stage, glad that it meant I had to turn my back to Edward. Now that I was hyper aware of Edward's presence, I found that I couldn't really concentrate on the acts on the stage. I was dreading the moment he would sit beside Lauren.
During a break from the acts, a DJ played some music and Alice and Jasper got up to dance. I kept my eyes trained on them, and was just becoming conscious of the fact that I still had my back to the rest of the table when I felt a tap on my arm.
"Can I get you another drink Bella?" Jacob asked.
I looked down at my glass to find it empty. "Um, I haven't bought any drinks yet," I said.
He beamed at me. "That's okay. It's my turn to buy them, but you can come to the bar with me and help."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed for the bar. After only taking a few steps, he turned back. 'Are you coming?'
In my peripheral vision I could tell Edward was watching. I got up and followed Jacob, careful not to look at Edward.
"So you're Edward's new roommate?" Jacob asked after he'd ordered the drinks.
I nodded.
"How do you know him?" I asked.
"I met him here when we were both doing the open mic thing. He's way better than me on the guitar, so we've had a couple of jamming sessions." He started putting the drinks on a tray. "Plus, we work at the same hospital."
"You're an intern too?"
He paid for the drinks before answering. "No, I'm just a porter."
I got the impression he was slightly embarrassed by this as he immediately walked towards the table without saying anything further. Alice and Jasper were now wrapped in each other's arms on the dance floor swaying to a romantic song. After Jacob had given everyone their drinks, he surprised me by sitting beside me in Alice's seat.
"So what do you do?" He asked, leaning into me slightly.
He was very handsome with smooth russet skin, silky black hair and big brown eyes that reminded me of a teddy bear I'd had when I was a child. His lips were full and dark, accentuating the impossible whiteness of his teeth.
"I'm doing an English degree." I smiled. "I want to be a teacher."
"Cool." He nodded his head in approval. "It's always good to have goals."
There was a tinge of regret in his voice. "Don't you have goals?"
He laughed. "Sure, I want to own my own body repair shop one day. But for now I have to work at the hospital to pay the bills while I build up my reputation."
"So you do both?"
"Yep, I work on peoples cars from home between shifts at the hospital."
I was impressed. We talked for a while longer until Jasper and Alice returned to the table. Jacob offered to give Alice her seat back, but she waved him away, opting to sit on Jasper's knee instead. As I leaned forward to ask Jasper if I should buy some drinks, I felt a warm hand on my back.
"Jacob!"
I was shocked by the harsh tone of Edward's voice. When I turned to look at him he was looking at Jacob and nodding his head in the direction of the stage.
"You're up," he continued in a softer tone.
I felt the cool air on my back when Jacob removed his hand. He smiled sweetly at me and strode confidently towards the stage.
I shot a glance at Edward but his eyes stayed fixed on Jacob.
It was stupid of me to think that Edward might be jealous, and the disappointment I felt worried me. Needing a few moments alone, I hurried to the restroom.
I sat in the stall for a few minutes mentally berating myself for reading too much into the situation with Edward. My presence here had probably annoyed him, and I hated the fact that I'd likely ruined his date.
I avoided looking in the mirror while I washed my hands. I didn't want to see my own disappointment reflected back at me. All I wanted to do was go home and forget that I'd ever been here.
However, when I opened the door to leave, I almost jumped out of my skin because Edward was standing right on the other side of it.
'Are you okay?' he asked, taking hold of my arm and guiding me around a corner. The only light was a soft glow from the street lamps filtering in through the window to our left. He stood over me with one hand on the wall beside my head.
I tried not to think about how close he was.
"I didn't expect to see you here tonight." There was no reproach in his voice. "I thought you didn't do bars."
"I...um...I" I had no idea why I was stammering. "Jasper and Alice invited me. If I'd known you'd be here with a date, I wouldn't have come." I glanced up at his face. "I'm sorry."
Annoyance tightened his features slightly. "I'm not with Lauren,' he snorted. "I came with Jacob. We met Emmett and the girls outside, though I can guess they probably knew we'd be here."
"Oh." Embarrassment washed over me again. "Will you be singing?" I asked, desperately changing the subject.
He shook his head. "Not tonight."
He seemed distracted.
I waited for him to say something else, but he just stood there staring at me in a way that made me aware of the thudding of my heart. He was so close I could smell the intoxicating scent of his warm skin. His gaze was unwavering, and I saw the same glint in his eye that I'd witnessed last night just before he kissed me.
Emboldened by it, I turned my face and pressed my lips to his arm. A strange mixture of fear and excitement ignited within me. I knew I shouldn't be doing this but I was driven by a force of nature that I couldn't seem to control.
His breath fanned across my cheek, and I almost melted to the floor with relief when instead of pushing me away, his hand gently cupped my cheek and tilted my face towards his.
"We are getting bold aren't we?" His voice was seductive and almost reverent.
It was all the encouragement I needed. Threading my fingers up into his hair, I pulled his head down to mine and moaned with delight when our lips met. The kiss wasn't gentle like it had been last night. It was stronger, more urgent and entirely delicious.
Like a frenzy had come over me, I pressed myself against his body harder than I had last night. This time he didn't restrain me. This time his arms wound tightly around my body, moulding it perfectly to his.
I traced his broad shoulders, feeling the hard knot of muscles beneath my fingers. The solid muscles in his thighs pressed tight against mine when he pulled me closer still. Warm anticipation zinged through my body.
The warm, velvety, wetness of his tongue brought a whimper from my throat when it slid between my lips. He tasted wonderful and I couldn't resist sweeping my tongue across his.
His warmth surrounded me. I could feel it all the way down the front of my body and in the strong circles he was rubbing on my back. Despite the fact that we were pressed so tightly together, I still felt like I wasn't anywhere near close enough to him, yet I could find no way to get closer.
With a soft groan, he pulled back, his chest heaving slightly. I hardly had time to breathe before he grinned and his lips descended again.
This time he trailed hot, wet kisses across my cheek and down to the delicate skin just beneath me ear.
"Bella," he rasped, as his hands delved into my hair, cradling my head as he angled it for better access to my neck.
Shivers of pure pleasure shot down my spine when his lips slid over my sensitive skin. I couldn't help the soft whimpering noises I was making as he kissed his way back towards my mouth.
I licked slowly across his bottom lip, luring his tongue into my mouth. His fingers dug into my sides and I felt a strange tingling all over my body that seemed to pulse between my legs. As his hands brushed higher, I felt a brief moment of hesitation, but the kiss was too delightful to break.
"Bella?"
Alice's voice had the same impact as a bucket of cold water. We jumped apart like we'd shocked each other.
Her voice had come from around the corner and I knew she couldn't see us yet. Without saying anything to Edward I rushed around to greet her. "I'm here," I called. My voice sounded high and shaky.
I hurried forward to prevent her from coming any closer and spotting Edward.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern.
"I just needed some air," I lied, cringing at the sound of guilt dripping from my voice.
"Bella, you shouldn't go outside alone."
"I didn't, I was just standing at the door."
"Jasper was worried about you."
"It wouldn't be like him," I said, rolling my eyes good-naturedly.
She smiled. 'I know he can be overbearing at times, but it's just because he cares so much.'
'I know,' I conceded.
Jasper asked me a bunch of questions when I got back to the table. I was still reeling from Edward's kiss so I probably wasn't making any sense in my responses.
Thankfully, he and Alice thought I was drunk and decided to take me home. I said goodbye to everyone, noticing that Edward hadn't returned. I seemed to be the only one who noticed. I thought about asking Jacob to check if he was in the men's room, but since that would draw attention to his absence, I decided against it.
I pretended to sleep in the cab on the way home to avoid any more questions from Jasper and Alice. I felt giddy by the time I reached the apartment, and was planning on waiting up for Edward so we could continue our make out session. I hadn't factored on the possibility that he would already be home.
He was sitting on the sofa, hunched over, head bowed and his elbows resting on his knees. My heart dropped like a stone in my chest. There was the unmistakable air of regret surrounding him. Surely I was the one meant to be feeling that way, yet for some reason all of this was coming easier to me than I'd thought it would.
It didn't feel wrong at all. In fact, it felt so very right.
I didn't want Edward to regret it, because I never would.
When he finally looked up at me, his eyes were hooded not filled with the regret expected.
"Hi," I said, more glibly than I felt.
"Are you drunk?" he asked.
"I had two glasses of wine." I grimaced at the thought of the sour, vinegary liquid the bar had been passing off as wine. "Maybe I'm a little bit tipsy, why?" I walked slowly to the couch and grinned when the oddest thought occurred to me; I was moving slowly as if he was my prey and I was afraid to scare him off.
"Why are you grinning?" He sounded cautiously amused.
"I like kissing you," I blurted. I had no idea why I said that, because I hadn't been thinking that at all... well not at that moment.
"You certainly are tipsy," he noted as I sat down beside him.
For a long moment he didn't move. I listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing, hoping that he would reach out to me again. He didn't. He slid back on the sofa, putting himself behind me.
I turned to look at him. "Maybe we should consider tonight our second date." My voice sounded weak, almost a whisper.
"Bella, it's the alcohol. You have to be aware of that. It makes you do things you wouldn't normally do." He tried to smile but failed. "Like kissing your roommate in bars."
"You were kissing yours," I accused lightly.
"Touche." This time he did manage to smile. "I'm supposed to be the...um... teacher here. I've got to be the responsible one, and I have to protect you." He chuckled a little. "From yourself."
"So, are you drunk?" I asked. He shook his head. "Then why did you kiss me back?"
The smile fell from his face and his eyes swung away. I instantly regretted asking. "Oh!" I gasped.. "A pity response."
He scooted forward. "You only kissed me because you were drunk. I shouldn't have allowed it to happen."
"That's not true," I denied bitterly. "I've been thinking about last night's kiss all day, even when I wasn't drunk, and I couldn't wait to do it again."
"Really?" His brows shot up in surprise.
"Really," I insisted. "You must remember what it was like when it was all new to you. It's wonderful. I never realised it would be this easy to actually enjoy that kind of thing," I raked my fingers through my hair, lost in my musings and, perhaps, not entirely aware that I was spewing the inner workings of my mind out loud. "If I'd known it could be like this, I'd have let Mike Newton kiss me all those years ago. God, I've deprived myself of this for too long."
He stared at me with hard confused eyes. "So you think you're ready to unleash yourself on the male population of Seattle?"
I shook my head. "No. I just know that I can do this now, and I want to explore it a little further."
His jaw dropped. "Further?"
I slid towards him on the sofa. "I hate to sound like an inexperienced sixteen year old, but really that is my level." I was trying to keep my tone light despite the tingling sensation revving up within me. "Can't we just treat this as our second date and make out some more without over-analysing everything?"
He blew out a harsh doubtful breath. Desperate to keep the momentum going, I placed my hand gingerly on his wrist and pulled his arm up so I could snuggle into his side. He seemed frozen for a few beats, but then his hand squeezed my shoulder and I knew I was winning.
"Kiss me," I whispered, turning my face to his.
My heart soared when he complied.
As soon as his lips claimed mine, I was sucked back into that bubble of pleasure that had surrounded us earlier. He kissed me long and hard, his tongue tracing mine and his teeth occasionally nibbling my bottom lip.
I was in heaven, but before long the uncomfortable position caused me to wince as my neck started to hurt.
"Are you okay?" He lifted his head to check.
"Yes," I responded, my breath coming out in little gasps. "But I'm not very comfortable."
He slid his hands down my thighs before curling his fingers around my knees. I swallowed hard when he lifted my legs and stretched them out on the sofa. His eyes were intense as he stretched out beside me and pulled me close.
"Better?" he asked, and I nodded before attacking his mouth again.
Before long I was on my back with Edward looming over me planting exquisite kisses on my face and neck. I'd never felt anything as thrilling as this in my life. My heart was hammering in my chest, my breathing was laboured, my skin was practically crackling with electricity and still I felt that same throb between my legs. I wanted more.
"Edward?" I gasped between kisses.
"Hmm?" he answered, his mouth still nibbling around the shell of my ear.
"What's the next...um...stage?"
His head shot up and his eyes searched mine "What?"
"I...um... I never really understood what first and second base meant."
His eyes softened. "I think we're definitely hitting second base territory here."
I smiled. "Then don't stop."
He frowned at me. "I need to, and you need to tell me when."
I promised I would.
He bent and gave me the gentlest kiss he'd given me all night, but before long the heat enveloped us again. The heat of his palm permeated my shirt when he slid his hand out from underneath me and rested it on my abdomen.
His lips nibbled along my jaw line and up to my ear. "Do you want me to touch you Bella?" The whisper of his breath against my ear and neck made my eyes roll. I swallowed hard and nodded. "Stop me if you need to," he said.
The mere thought of him touching me, ignited an emotion in me that I didn't recognize. My hands flew to his hair and I clung to him as I kissed him as hard as I could. His loud moan echoed in the empty room. His hand stilled on my abdomen, but I kept kissing him until it finally began to move.
Achingly slowly, he brushed his fingers over my shirt in upward circles that gradually travelled up my torso. My senses seemed heightened by the contact and shivers of anticipation rippled through my body. When his fingers brushed the underside of my breast, I sucked violently on his tongue, vaguely frightened that I might bite it.
One finger traced a tiny pattern on the curve of my breast. A tremor of guilt caught me by surprise, and I pulled his hair a little too forcefully. He winced, but thankfully he didn't seem to realise why I had pulled his hair.
I wanted this. I couldn't let long suppressed feelings instilled by mother ruin it. I fought to keep control, concentrating on Edward's lips on mine, his tongue soft against my own. I focussed on the wonderful warmth of his body against mine. Pleasure started to win out and I relaxed into the sensation of it all once more.
"Is this okay?" he whispered.
His hand covered my breast lightly.
"Yes." I sighed, and arched myself into his eager palm, gasping in pleasure when he squeezed gently.
His lips and tongue lapped at my neck and my nipple hardened in his hand. I squirmed beneath him. Something hard dug into my hip and he groaned loudly.
And then as if the energy supply had been cut off he sat up abruptly and raked his hands down his face.
"Did I do something wrong?" I asked, panicked by the abruptness of his movement.
"No... not at all." He stood up and straightened his clothes. "That was second base... definitely second base." His voice was a little shaky, and his mood not as light as he would have me believe. "Lesson over."
I felt bereft as I sat up and faced him. I reached for him but he moved out of my reach and perched on the edge of the sofa. He turned to look at me, and was gratified to note that his eyes were still burning.
He stood up again. "I'm going to take a shower. You should go to bed, it's late."
