Hey all! I'm updating! Whoo!
Again, sorry for the wait. I haven't and I won't abandon this story. Like I said before, work takes precedence so it sometimes takes a while before I can find the time to write.
Thanks so much to those who've reviewed and alerted/favourited this little story! You have no idea how much I enjoy reading the reviews I get.
Kudos to katmom who bears with my questions and general obsessing over silly things. She gave a lot of suggestions for this chapter which I shamelessly took. Go read her "Dragon Stones." It's complete win.
This chap is kind of filler...please don't flame me.
I don't and will never own Twilight.
Elevators, Strangers and Surprises
Chapter 11
"Hello, Bella. It's James, I have to say, you looked lovely tonight."
Bella was paralyzed. James. The one person she wanted to avoid more than anyone. Her first instinct was to hang up, but she knew that would only be a temporary fix. He would see it as a challenge.
"How did you get this number?" she asked, her voice strained.
"Well, I could tell you, but where's the fun in that? It was a lot easier than I expected though. Have you thought about my earlier request?"
"I would never meet you," Bella spat. "High school was enough."
"Are you still upset about that?" James dismissed. "Water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned."
Feeling nauseated, Bella gripped her phone more tightly. "I can't believe you…that you would have the gall to follow me."
"Relax, Bella, I'm not stalking you and have no intention of doing so. That really would be too easy and a waste of my time. It was a happy coincidence that I happened to walk into that particular restaurant. In fact, to put your strange fears at rest, I'll be out of town for the next week or so. Though if I had my way – but we'll get to that," James gave a laugh. "You did look stunning this evening. I approved of the outfit you wore."
"Why are you doing this?" Bella whispered.
"Well, there are a number of reasons. The first, you, once again, are intriguing me. The second, Cullen's reaction at seeing me was just too amusing. I thought about approaching you this evening but it wasn't quite the time." He sounded regretful. "Have you told him about us?"
"There is no us, James."
"I'd have to say you're right, for the time being. I wanted to touch base with you. I hope you've found our chat as enjoyable as I have. I'll be seeing you once I'm back."
The line went dead, leaving Bella staring at her display screen. It showed that the number was private, so she had no way of blocking him should he try to call again.
Bella closed her phone, resting it against her forehead. Completely shaken, she decided to go back out into the living room to try and distract herself with some TV.
She found Alice outside, neatening up the coffee table.
"So, you decided to brave the…" Alice's teasing voice faded when she saw Bella's pallid face. "What wrong?"
"James."
"James?" Alice frowned. "What about him?"
"He just called."
Alice's expression changed to one of horror. "Oh, Bella. What do you mean? How did he even get your number?"
"I don't know. He only said it was surprisingly easy. Alice, why is this happening?" Bella looked at her friend plaintively.
Having no answer, and knowing Bella hadn't really been looking for one, Alice instead posed a question.
"Does Edward know about James?"
"Yes, we ran into him at the conference. I told him about James afterwards…in the parking lot."
"So he knows everything?"
"Just about. James left a message on my voicemail at work too. He wanted to get together and relive the 'old times' as he put it."
Bella watched Alice's face spark with anger. "That asshole!"
"Edward came in right after I'd listened to it and wouldn't leave me alone until I'd told him."
"Good. Are you going to tell him about this?"
"I – I don't know. It doesn't seem right to have to involve him in all this," Bella said, reluctantly.
Alice looked at her speculatively. "Bella, you would want to know if Edward was in some sort of trouble, wouldn't you?"
"Of course," Bella replied instantly.
"Then why is this any different?"
Having it put that way, Bella couldn't come up with any reasons that would be satisfactory. She nodded, exhaling loudly. "Okay, I see your point."
"If James knows your number does he know where you live as well?" Alice asked worriedly.
"I sincerely hope not," Bella said fervently. "He said he's not interested in stalking me. I'm not entirely sure what he's after."
Alice shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Bella. This is the last thing you need. But," she looked directly at the brunette, "Promise you'll tell Edward, you can't leave him in the dark over something like this."
"I promise."
*****************
At work the next day, Bella worked mechanically, without really taking anything in. She typed letters, sent out memos and returned some calls to clients.
She fully intended to talk with Edward about James' latest stunt, but couldn't find the right time to bring it up.
The end of the day found her standing at the photocopier, automatically pressing the 'start' button while staring at the wall in front of her.
"Bella."
The sound of her name brought her out of her trance. She saw Edward and his head of tousled hair standing beside her, a mystified look on his face.
"Edward. Sorry, I zoned out for a second. What is it?"
"I wanted to know if Anders had called?"
"Anders…oh, yes. I have the accompanying fax too. I'll bring it round to your office."
"No rush." Edward gave her a warm smile which she tried to return.
When he left she glanced down at the copier, realizing she'd just copied her grocery list. Sighing, she tore it up, depositing the pieces into the recycling bin. Evidently she was more distracted than she had thought.
Retrieving the fax, Bella made her way to Edward's office, knocking before she entered.
Upon entering she stopped short, staring at him. Edward gave her a puzzled look.
"You look shocked. Do I have something on my face?"
"You wear glasses?" she blurted.
"Is that it?" Edward chuckled. "Yes, on occasion, when my eyes get tired. Are they bothering you?"
"No," Bella said emphatically.
Glasses on men were one of her weaknesses. She wasn't sure why she found poor eyesight so alluring but she had always thought glasses made a man look sexier. With Edward already sexier than ought to be legal, the wire-rimmed specs perched on his nose were making it difficult for Bella to focus.
"Okay then," Edward said, amused by her vehemence. "Is that the fax?" he added when she continued to stare, holding the thin paper.
"Fax? Uh…yes. Here..." Bella handed the fax over. She started for the door, but paused, turning back. Changing her mind, she pivoted around, putting her hand on the door knob before hesitating again and casting a glance at Edward over her shoulder. He was watching her with a raised eyebrow.
When she shook her head, turning back to the door once more, Edward interjected:
"Is this a new dance you're premiering?"
Bella couldn't help giggling at his comment, but sobered as she considered the reason behind her vacillations.
"Edward, I need to tell you something, but I don't know if I should do it…here," Bella began, awkwardly.
"Why can't you tell me here?"
"I don't want to seem – inappropriate in front of the others," she explained, gesturing to the door.
"Are you going to be discussing something inappropriate?"
"Well, no…yes. I… want to go somewhere else is all."
Seeing that she wasn't going to budge on the subject, Edward acquiesced.
"Okay," he agreed. "I need to finish up a few things here first. Can I meet you somewhere?"
"I'll be at Crave."
"I'll see you there…give me half an hour."
"Thanks."
Bella pivoted again, this time making to the door and out of it. She was neatening her desk when she felt a pair of eyes on her. Looking up she saw Lauren staring at her, jealousy and malice clear in her blue eyes.
"You ratted me out, I've been fired because of you," she hissed. Bella ignored her, instead continuing to put her desk in order.
She gathered her purse, locking her top drawer as she took it out. Brushing past Lauren, she walked towards the door and was freshly irritated when the blond followed her.
"You think you're better than the rest of us, don't you? Just because you've turned Edward's head. You're going to regret what you've done to me, Bella."
Finally at her limit, Bella stopped so abruptly that Lauren bumped into her, staggering back a few steps as she regained her balance. Bella looked her squarely in the face.
"Lauren, you're such a child. You've brought everything on yourself and you know it. Good luck."
Bella pushed through the doors, leaving an infuriated soon-to-be-ex secretary behind her.
*****************
At Crave, Bella was sitting with a coffee, playing with the sugar packets on her table.
She had finished telling Edward about James' latest stunt and he was sitting across from her, looking absolutely livid. The emerald eyes were flashing with anger.
His reaction had grown more and more incensed as she told him about their short but disturbing phone conversation. He had long ago crushed his paper cup, holding the remnants in a white-knuckled grip.
"That fucking bastard. And after what he did to you…I'm going to kill him…" he swore in a low tone.
"Edward, calm down. People can hear you." Bella placed her hand over his, trying to soothe him.
It took a few moments but eventually his hand uncurled from the destroyed coffee cup. He grasped her hand, enveloping it in both of his.
"You should call the police," he said, his expression serious.
"I thought about that, but what would I say? This guy called me at work and on my cell, but made no real threats? In any case, my father would get wind of it and insist on putting me into witness protection or something."
"Your father?"
"Yeah, my dad, Charlie, is with the LAPD. They all know I'm his daughter. I told him what happened back in high school and he was ready to go 'take care' of James on his own."
"Did he?"
"No, it took both my mother and me, plus a few of his workmates, to talk him down from it. In the end there wasn't enough evidence to press charges against James and, honestly, I wanted to forget the whole thing. Not to mention he was a minor at the time so it would've been cleared off his record anyway."
"I like your father already."
"I think he'd like you too."
Bella thought back to her father's rage at the incident. She had never seen the usually easy-going Charlie so angry before. She didn't want to bring up James' name to him again, not until she knew for sure what was going on. In any case, she didn't have enough for the police to go on.
Edward's reaction was very similar to that of her father, all those years ago. The same protectiveness; the same fire in his eyes. Around him, Bella felt safe. He wouldn't let anything hurt her.
"What are you doing?" Bella asked as she saw Edward take his phone out.
"Making sure McAlister's story about being out of town matches up." Dialing quickly, he brought the phone up to his ear. "Hi, I need the number of Seeker Inc., Los Angeles." A short silence followed. "Yes, please put me through."
Bella kept her gaze on him as he pushed a few buttons then listened. After a few moments, Edward ended the call.
"According to his voice mail he's out of town until next Wednesday," he said in answer to her unspoken question. "The fucker told the truth."
"He likes to do things that are unexpected," Bella commented, acidly. "His strange bouts of truthfulness were what my father hated the most."
"I'd like to meet your father. And mother."
"We'll put them next on our list. They'll love it," Bella smiled, then grew serious again. "Maybe by the time he gets back, James'll be over this whole thing."
Edward looked skeptical, and even Bella didn't believe her own words.
**************
The rest of the week passed relatively quickly. Edward was kept busy with La Push's account, forcing him to put in a lot of late hours and thus limiting their personal time together.
One evening Bella had stayed to help him, along with two others. Unlike the last time, nothing untoward transpired between them what with having a proper buffer this time round.
With James out of the picture for the time being, neither Edward nor Bella brought him up again.
They had only been able to squeeze in one short dinner date after which Edward, with great reluctance, had to return to the office.
While she would, of course, have loved to see more him, Bella was somewhat glad that her plan to stay abstinent wasn't threatened. She was sure that had they had more time together she would have given in by now.
Friday came and brought with it a fresh wave of apprehension for Bella. Today was the day she was going to meet Edward's parents. She knew that nothing short of a natural disaster would keep Edward at work this evening.
After work, Bella went straight home, intending to shower before going over to the Cullen's. Edward would be picking her up around 6:30 which left her an hour and a half to get ready.
She chose her from her wardrobe carefully, opting for a dark blue shirt-dress that buttoned down the front, pairing it with tan flats.
Following her shower, Bella dried her hair, pulling it back into a demure knot at the base of her skull. Observing herself in the mirror, she decided the knot was too severe, pulling it back out so that her chestnut locks tumbled around her shoulders in waves.
Some blush, a light application of eye shadow, mascara and gloss completed her look. The clock showed she still had fifteen minutes to spare which she used to return some long overdue emails.
The buzzer sounded right on time.
"Hello?" Bella asked into the intercom.
"It's Edward."
"I'll be right down." She took one last look at herself before letting herself out the door.
She saw Edward waiting for her outside the lobby doors, looking impeccable as usual.
"Do I look all right?" Bella asked, tugging unnecessarily at her dress to smooth it out.
"More than all right." Edward's eyes raked over her slender form, the green taking on a darker hue. "I love your hair like this," he said, reaching out to tuck a stray lock behind her ear. He trailed his fingers down her jaw and neck, resting at the base before pulling his hand back.
Bella stood, transfixed by his touch. Edward opened the car door for her and she hastily scrambled into it.
"I still don't see why I can't drive once in a while," she grumbled as Edward dropped into the driver's seat.
"Well, for one, I know the way, and two, I want to take you there, not the other way around." He darted a quick glance at her. "Too caveman for you?"
Bella snorted, "So long as you don't start dragging me around by my hair. But I get to drive next time."
"Deal."
The freeways were remarkably clear, considering the time of day. Bella found herself growing more anxious the longer she was in the car.
"Nervous?" Edward asked, glancing at her.
"What gave it away?"
"Your white-knuckled grip on your purse," he grinned. "Don't worry, it'll be fine. You've already won Carlisle over." Edward turned off the freeway and, after a few turns, onto a quiet street, pulling to stop in front of a large, elegant, grey-brick house.
They walked up the stone path to the front door where Edward rang the door bell. It opened so promptly, Bella wondered if Edward's mother had been waiting behind it.
A striking woman with caramel coloured hair and Edward's green eyes stood in the doorway, wearing a broad smile.
"You must be Bella!" she exclaimed. "I'm Esme. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you for having me," Bella smiled, stepping into the house.
"Hello, Bella." Carlisle came up behind his wife. "It's good to see you again."
"That's a charming dress you have on," Esme observed. She looked like she was going to ask more about it when Edward interjected.
"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen, your son. Remember me?" he said, with mock hurt.
The other three laughed and Esme ushered them into the dining room where the table was already set.
"Carlisle, take Edward and get us some wine from the basement, won't you? Bella can help me bring out the food."
"Mom…" Edward started to protest.
"C'mon, son. Let's give the ladies some gossip time." Carlisle forcibly dragged Edward out of the room.
Bella looked around, admiring the artfully decorated home. It was stylish and classic, something she hoped to achieve with her own home.
"Your house is lovely, Mrs. Cullen," Bella complimented, following her into the kitchen.
"Thank you, I like it myself," she smiled. "And call me Esme. I can't tell you how nice it is to finally meet you. Particularly after hearing Edward talk about you so much."
"He talked about me?" Bella asked, surprised.
"Well, he didn't bend my ear off but he mentioned you enough that I knew you were more to him than just a good assistant. That and Carlisle had seen the two of you together. My husband quite likes you, you know."
"I like him too. I didn't think he approved of our…situation."
"Relax, you look so worried. Carlisle had some reservations at first but, after meeting you, they disappeared. You can't help how you meet. You and Edward are both adults. I'm sure you'll handle the work aspect just fine."
Seeing that Bella still looked troubled Esme leaned forward to touch her hand.
"Bella, we didn't invite you over here to be critical. I wanted to see this woman that Edward was so taken with. He's very private, always has been. The fact he even told us he was dating you was huge. Not only because you work for him, but also because he never saw reason to discuss relationships with us before."
"He's a good man and, meeting both you and Carlisle, I can see why."
Esme smiled warmly at her. "We did try to instill good values in him, but really a lot of it is simply how he is. I can't remember a time when Edward's behavior got out of hand. I mean he did a lot of funny things as a kid, but by the time he was a young adult he was pretty much what you see now. Though I suppose, being a boy, he didn't tell us everything," she mused.
Upon hearing the footsteps of the men coming back up the stairs, Esme handed Bella a large bowl of mixed greens and a smaller one full of liquid.
"Here, would you mind tossing this together? We might as well try and make it look like we were working."
Bella willingly took the proffered bowls, pouring the dressing into the leafy vegetables and deftly mixing it together. She was fast growing to like Esme and her candid way of speaking, she didn't see how anyone couldn't help but like her. It was probably where Edward garnered some of his charm from.
Once she was done with the salad, she brought it out to the table. When she went back in the kitchen to grab another plate of food, she found Carlisle and Edward were there.
Carlisle was in the midst of uncorking the bottle they had brought up, while Edward was attempting to balance a rather large platter of baked salmon on his hand.
"Here..." Bella steadied the platter for him, earning a smile and quick kiss to the forehead.
"Thanks." Edward went outside to the dining room. Bella's gaze followed him until he disappeared around the wall.
When she turned back, she saw Carlisle and Esme exchanging glances. Carlisle went back to the wine bottle, ducking his head while Esme beamed at her.
Baffled, Bella snatched up the bread basket, the last thing to be set on the table. Carlisle and Esme followed.
"Sit down, sit down!" Esme urged, grabbing her husband by the hips and steering him to one side of the table. She sat a bewildered Carlisle down, taking the chair beside him.
On the opposite side, Edward had a grasp of one of the chairs and was staring at his parents.
"Mother, since when do you manhandle Dad like that?"
"He was blocking my way, and I'm a little excited," Esme offered. "Now, sit down."
Edward pulled the chair out for Bella, waiting until she was seated before taking the one next to it.
Esme passed the food around the table while Carlisle poured wine for the four of them. Conversation started, predictably, centered around Bella, her likes and dislikes, education and hobbies. It seemed remarkably like a first date.
During dessert, they got to the topic of Bella's childhood which, in turn, sparked a lively discussion about Edward as a child.
"Do you remember when Edward started school?" Esme asked her husband. Carlisle started laughing.
"He hated the idea, begged us to let him stay at home. He threatened to run away if we didn't do what he wanted."
"Really? Did you?" Bella asked, shifting to look at Edward who had a rather pained expression on his face.
"Yeah, the prospect of school terrified me. I thought it was a place kids were sent because they were bad."
"Edward's version of 'running away' was hiding in his closet," Esme continued. "He was banging around in there so it was pretty obvious. I pretended for a while I didn't know where he was, to make him feel better."
"Tell her about his actual first day," Carlisle said.
"Both Carlisle and I had to literally drag him to the classroom, he was carrying on so much," Esme recalled. "You should have been a singer, Edward. That lung power is still in there somewhere. We finally got you to the room and all the other kids were staring at you screaming. We were so embarrassed."
Bella was giggling at this point, picturing a small Edward bawling at the top of his lungs. It didn't seem possible when she looked at the self-possessed, controlled man sitting next to her.
"He seemed to calm down some and joined the other kids," Carlisle went on. "I had to go back to work and Esme went home. About half an hour after we'd left him, I got a phone call from her."
"Guess who had showed up at the front door?" Esme and Carlisle both looked to Edward who was grinning. "I couldn't believe it. I didn't think he even knew how to get home! Yet there he was, my son, standing on the front steps." She said it so dramatically they all burst out laughing, Edward included.
"What were you thinking?" Bella asked.
"I don't know, I can't remember much of it," Edward said. "I guess I figured I didn't like it there, so why stay?"
"I took him back immediately. His poor teacher was frantic and so relieved to see him with me. Luckily, you seemed to take to school after that, thank goodness. I don't think I could have endured that every day."
"It was lucky too that he was past his 'naked' stage by that time," Carlisle remarked.
"I'd almost forgotten about that!" Esme exclaimed. "What you had against clothing was beyond us. As soon as I got something on him, he'd rip it off and run…"
"All right, I think we're done reminiscing for today," Edward announced, standing up. He began to gather the dirty dishes from the table.
Carlisle winked at Bella and followed suit. "No, stay put," he said when Bella started to help. "Our rule here is if Esme cooks then I clean up, and vice versa. And by I, I mean Edward."
Edward caught the last part of his father's speech as he came back into the dining room.
"Pawning off your duties again on me, I see?" he said, making a mock-angry face.
"Just keeping you humble, son," Carlisle grinned, slapping Edward on the back. "Come on, I'll even help."
The two men, almost exactly the same height, traipsed off to the kitchen, leaving Esme and Bella alone once more.
"Why don't we go into the living area while we wait for them to finish?" Esme suggested.
Bella assented, following Esme into the classically decorated sitting area. She sat on the plush sofa next to Edward's mother.
"Bella, I hope this doesn't send you running for the hills, but I have to say, I'm very glad Edward met you. You don't know, but Carlisle and I, we see the difference in him."
Surprised, Bella only stared at Esme who gave a rueful smile.
"Too much?"
"No, no. I just wasn't expecting to hear you say that. It's surprising."
"Is it?" Esme looked surprised herself. "You're a lovely young woman. Edward thinks very highly of you."
To this Bella didn't respond except to blush and lower her head.
With a perceptive smile Esme changed the subject. "Come on, let me give you a brief tour of the house."
By the time the two women descended back down the stairs, their respective companions were waiting for them.
"There you are," Edward said, looking up, his face brightening when he caught sight of them.
"I was showing Bella the house. Including your room." Esme grinned mischievously.
"All right, I think we're done here." Edward leaned forward to give his mother a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm taking Bella out of your clutches." He went to the front closet retrieve the light jackets they had worn.
"Fine, but you'll have to come back soon." Esme said, turning to Bella.
"I'd love to if you'll have me."
"You're always welcome here," Carlisle stated.
Edward returned with the coats, helping Bella into hers.
"It was lovely meeting you, Bella," Esme said sincerely. "Drive safely."
After they said their final goodbyes, Carlisle and Esme stood in the doorway watching their son put his hand on the small of Bella's back. His tousled head bent down towards hers and he murmured something that produced a silvery laugh.
"Bella's a fine girl, isn't she? I know Edward thinks so," Carlisle commented.
"Edward worships the ground she walks on," Esme responded. "And I think he may be almost worthy of her!"
Carlisle laughed. "Like you're almost worthy of me?"
"Oh, you're in trouble now, Carlisle Cullen," Esme said, chasing him into the kitchen.
******************
"Bella, do you want to get a nightcap?" Edward asked, as he steered them back onto the freeway.
"Yes!" Bella said, happy that he didn't want the evening to end either. "Where did you want to go?"
"Actually, I thought I would take you back to my place…not for anything else but a drink," he hastened to say. He raked a hand through his hair. "I've seen your place, I wanted you to see mine, if that's all right."
"I'd love to see your place," Bella consented readily.
Edward didn't take his eyes off the road, but the corners of his mouth rose in a pleased smile.
As it turned out, Edward owned a condo situated in Santa Monica. For some reason, Bella had been expecting an ultra-modern layout and was pleasantly surprised when he swung open the door.
While it was obvious that a man lived there, the flat also had a welcoming air. The foyer entrance was hardwood, but the other rooms, with the exception of the bathroom and kitchen, were carpeted.
Bella laid her purse on the kitchen counter, her eyes busy taking in her surroundings. The living room was large, supplemented by a modestly-sized flat screen TV, plush suede sofa and dark-stained coffee table.
Edward checked his phone and frowned. "Sorry, Bella, I have to make a quick call." He disappeared into his bedroom.
Bella continued to look around Edward's place. A few pictures were set about the bookshelf and coffee table, showing Edward with his family. One showed Edward sitting with his father, laughing together. Others showed him at graduation both from high school and college.
Wandering back to the kitchen, Bella hoisted herself up onto one of the chairs that lined the counter, knocking Edward's wallet to the floor in the process.
She slid back off the chair, stooping down to collect it. The wallet had fallen open and a square piece of paper fluttered out of it when she picked it up.
Curious, Bella plucked the paper off the floor with her free hand, her eyes widening as she processed what it contained.
It was a small picture of her at the gala, dressed to the nines in her dark blue dress. She was sitting at a table, smiling at something off camera.
That night was clear in her memory with the intense dance where they had nearly kissed for the first time. The night when she realized her feelings for Edward ran deeper than mere physical attraction.
Bemused, Bella wondered who had taken the photo and how long it had been in Edward's possession. Had he kept it since that night?
Bella was still staring at it when Edward finished up his phone call and came back to the kitchen. He came up to her, taking the picture from her hand. His face was unreadable.
"There are always photographers at those gala events," he said in answer to her unspoken question. "I usually get the proofs to see if we can use them for promoting the company. When I came across this one I couldn't resist keeping it." He looked embarrassed. "It's a little creepy, I know. I swear I don't sneak in and watch you sleep or anything like that."
Still speechless, Bella only gazed at him, making him visibly uncomfortable.
"Bella?" He sounded concerned at her silence.
She moved closer to him, so that her legs were touching his, placing a hand at the back of his neck.
"I think it's incredibly romantic," she murmured, pressing against his neck so that he would bend towards her. Lifting up, she touched her lips to his.
Bella wasn't exactly sure what she had intended with the kiss, but she found herself locked in Edward's arms, his mouth hard upon hers, demanding deeper access with his tongue.
She readily parted her lips, allowing for his tongue to find her own. Edward was holding her so tightly she could feel every inch of him against her. It made her body start to burn.
Of their own volition, her hands found the bottom of his shirt, sliding underneath to touch the warm skin of his abdomen. Impatient, she pushed the shirt up, wanting it off of him so she could see his naked chest, completely uncaring of the fact she'd wanted them to slow down. Her body wanted this too much.
Edward broke the kiss, panting. "Wait, we should stop…I only have so much willpower."
"I don't want to stop," Bella breathed into his neck, producing a groan. He pulled back to look down at her.
"What happened to waiting?"
"Screw it. I've waited long enough for you. I need you."
She watched Edward's expression change, a fire lighting in his eyes.
Taking her face in his hands, Edward kissed her hungrily, threading his hands into her hair. He turned them so that Bella's back was against the living room wall.
Bella moved her lips under his, marveling at the softness of his touch. Her hands went to his shirt once again, this time successfully removing it from his body. She nipped at the skin she had exposed, running her fingers over the firmness of his muscles.
"Not fair," Edward mumbled. "You're still fully dressed."
His fingers went to the buttons at the front of her dress, nimbly working them until the material parted, showing Bella clad in only a matching set of black lace underwear.
Edward pushed the dress off Bella's shoulders, it fell to the floor, pooling at her feet. Bending down, he kissed his way down from her neck to the top of her breasts.
Bella grabbed at his hair when she felt his hot breath through the thin material of the lace. Unfastening the bra with one hand, Edward watched as it fell away to reveal the rounded flesh underneath. She audibly moaned when he took one breast into his mouth, teasing the nipple with his tongue.
Her head fell back when she felt him leave her breasts and mouth a wet trail down to the top of her lace panties.
"Bella." The sound of her name seemed loud in the room. She tilted her head down. Edward's eyes were smoldering up at her. "I want you to watch."
Bella's already labored breathing hitched as Edward used the tip of his tongue to trace around her navel. It stopped altogether when he hooked his two forefingers into the waistband of her bikini briefs. He moved his hands down, peeling the fabric from her, leaving her completely bare.
Raising his eyes to her one more time, he hitched one of her legs over his shoulder, his lips scorching the inside of her thigh.
She seized his shoulders, her nails digging into the skin, when Edward's mouth found the most sensitive part of her. The sensations he was evoking were so acute it was almost painful. Her knees began to give way as he continued his assault, circling her with his tongue.
He brought one hand up to grasp her hip, steadying her, using the other to part her folds to give him better access.
Unaware of the sounds that were coming from her throat, Bella felt herself growing ever hotter as her body began to tense. She could barely hold herself up, as the sensations from her core grew stronger and began to envelop her completely.
"Open your eyes, Bella," Edward's voice vibrated against her, making her to whimper. With great effort, Bella attempted to obey. His eyes appeared nearly black as they locked on her. "I want to see you come apart."
He roughly tugged at her with his mouth, his gaze still on her. That action, coupled with his words, caused the agonizing tension to burst within her. Bella threw her head back, giving up on keeping eye contact as her body contracted, intense pleasure coursing through her. Her hands found Edward's hair, gripping it tightly, a long moan escaping from deep within her.
She felt like a rag doll, trying to catch her breath, one leg still hanging over Edward's shoulder. Coming down from her high, she dimly heard a harsh curse and a belt being unbuckled.
A pair of strong hands grabbed her ass, lifting her up. Her legs fell on either side of Edward's newly naked hips, his body supporting her weight. She could feel his hardness at her entrance.
"I…I can't wait…" His voice sounded strained.
"Hurry," Bella gasped. "I want to feel you inside me."
Edward buried his face in her neck and thrust his hips up, entering her halfway. Drawing back, he repeated the motion, this time sheathing himself fully. She could feel his breath, hot against her ear.
"God, you feel so good," Edward grunted, starting to move within her.
His controlled thrusts pushed her back into the wall. Bella had one arm around Edward's neck and one on the wall, supporting herself as she moved in time him.
She could feel herself building again, not having fully recovered from her earlier orgasm. Throwing her other arm around him, she tried to quicken their movements. Edward growled, positioning her right leg over his arm and driving even deeper into her. Bella cried out as he reached a place never touched before.
"Edward…I can't…oh…keep going," she hissed. Her legs were wrapped closely around him, her breasts mashed against his chest.
Edward's arms tightened around her, his thrusts becoming faster and increasingly unrestrained. Bella could feel his chest heaving with the effort, a thin sheen of sweat appearing on his face, neck and back.
All she could feel was him, engulfing her senses entirely. She'd never felt such a connection with anyone else, only him.
Abruptly, Edward shifted the angle of his thrusts slightly, making Bella's eyes open wide. He started to shudder, signaling his impending climax.
"I want you to come with me," he said, fully pinning her against the wall, as he roughly pushed into her.
The changed angle and force of his movements triggered Bella's orgasm. Her body jerked, spasming around him, a high pitched wail emanating from her open mouth.
As her muscles clenched around him, he drove into her hard, reaching his peak, his entire frame stiffening next to her. He muffled his incoherent shout in her shoulder as he came inside her.
Spent, Edward lowered them both to the floor, unable to continue supporting their weight, ending up on his back with Bella half sprawled over him.
They lay together, in an exhausted heap, their breathing slowly going back to normal.
Bella lifted her head to look at him. His hair was an even worse mess than usual, his face flushed and damp with sweat.
He had never looked better, she thought, smiling lazily. Edward caught her smile.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, running his hand up and down her spine.
"That we never did get around to that nightcap."
Edward laughed then pulled her so that she was directly on top of him.
"We could fix that and get one now." He raised his head to kiss her.
The chaste peck quickly intensified, and Bella found that, perhaps, she wasn't satiated after all. And from the feel of it, neither was Edward.
"How do you feel about christening my couch?" Edward murmured into her ear.
Bella quite liked the idea, and the nightcap went forgotten.
A/N: Fluffy eh? I figure with upcoming chapters the fluff should come when it can. Thanks again, katmom, for helping tons with flow and the dinner scene, you made it work!
Show me some love and review! They make me smile.