A/N: (Peeks out from behind the couch, hoping it's safe but preparing for the volley of rotten apples to be thrown...) Okay, I am hanging my head in shame at how long it's been since I've updated this story, and really, I have absolutely no excuse other than real life and a little writer's block, and I'm not going to promise it won't happen again, but I will try to be more attentive to my fans. I do love this story, I have high hopes that it will turn out even better than it's outlined, and I'm still excited to get it out there. You guys have been amazing, the reviews have kept me hanging in there, and getting new readers even this week when it's been soooo long?? You guys are awesom for sticking with me. I truly hope this chapter will make up for it, but I'm being a bad, bad, bad girl in posting it because it hasn't fully been beta'd (zgirl, I swear I was trying to be patient!!). She's read the beginning, and aimed the chapter the rest of the way, but here it is in all it's un-validated glory. Hence I am truly begging for forgiveness and asking you all to review and let me know what you think.
As always, I own nothing of Twilight. I do own a brand new deck (that I helped build all by my girly little self), a new patio set, and a lounger where I am currently sitting, typing, outside, in the dark (oh, what the neighbours must be thinking!!)
EPOV
I watched her struggling to reign in her emotions as the tears spilled over her cheeks once more. Gently, I tugged her hands to my chest, then wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my lap, slowly rocking us back and forth. With her curled tightly against me, I could feel her whole body trembling and I tightened my hold ever so slightly.
"It's okay Bella," I whispered, kissing the top of her head. Seeing her like this, so fragile, so obviously heartbroken, stirred such conflicting emotions in me. All at once I was consumed by a blinding anger, that someone could be so spineless and cruel to treat her like that, tossing her away like she was yesterday's trash. I wanted to hunt him down and rip his head off for what he'd done to her. I'd never been a fan of violence, nor had I ever felt like lashing out at someone like that, so it shocked me to realize how strongly that emotion resonated within me now. At the same time I felt very protective of her, that I couldn't stand to let her out of my sight. I wanted to keep her here, in my arms, forever.
Slowly I felt her relax into me and I loosened my arms, drawing soothing circles on her back with my fingers. She sniffled and took a deep breath before sitting up straight.
"Oh, I'm sorry Edward. I got your shirt all wet with my stupid tears," she stated quietly, shaking her head, her eyes cast down.
I cupped her cheek with my hand, turning her face up to me. "It's just a shirt," I replied, smiling, relief washing over me when I saw a small smile grace her lips.
Just then there was the distinct sound of her stomach rumbling, breaking the tension further, and we both chuckled. Leaning in, I brushed my lips across her cheeks, kissing away her tears before pulling back and getting up off the bed
"Stay here. I think I have the perfect comfort food for times like this," I stated, grabbing our now cold mugs of coffee and heading down the hall to the kitchen. I retrieved last night's dessert from the fridge, popping it into the microwave to reheat while I refilled our mugs with more hot coffee, then placed everything on a tray and returned to the bedroom. She was leaning against the headboard, staring out the window before turning back to me with a smile. When she spied the contents of the tray, she shot me a questioning look.
"What? Isn't chocolate the universal cure-all?" I asked playfully, setting the tray on the nightstand, grabbing the plate and fork and settling back onto the bed in front of her.
"For breakfast though?" she questioned, a shy smile playing across her lips.
"Drastic times call for drastic measures," I replied confidently.
I watched, amused, as Bella's face lit up and she licked her lips when I carefully cut into the cake with a fork and the molten chocolate spilled out. Gathering a bite and swirling it in the chocolate ganache, I held up the fork, offering her the first taste, warning her that it might be hot. It was hard not to stare at her lips parting, taking the dessert into her mouth, watching her tongue dart out to taste the sumptuous sweetness. When she closed her eyes and let out a groan of approval, I had to stifle my own groan, berating myself for thinking such lustful thoughts when I was supposed to be comforting her.
"So good," she mumbled with her mouth full, motioning for me to try it. I took a bite and closed my own eyes, savoring the silky smooth texture of the ganache.
"Um, Edward?"
My eyes opened to see her reaching up hesitantly towards my mouth.
"You have a little chocolate, right at the corner...here," she said quietly. Her finger grazed my lip before she held it up in front of me and I instinctively opened my mouth slightly, taking her finger in and sucking on it. I watched as her mouth dropped open and she drew in a breath. Without thinking, I let the fork rest on the plate and drew my fingertip through the chocolate and brought it up to her mouth, tracing it across her bottom lip, leaving a trail of of warm ganache. Her pink tongue followed the path of my finger before she drew my finger into her mouth and sucked it gently. My eyes rolled back momentarily as I got lost in the sensation darting directly to my groin. When my gaze returned to her, I noticed her eyes were equally filled with lust.
I watched her as she mirrored my movement, swirling her finger through the chocolate on the plate, bringing it up to my mouth and spreading it across my bottom lip, but this time she leaned in and kissed the chocolate off my lips, slowly making a production of licking her own lips and then flashing me a sly smirk as she pulled back. Immediately I dipped my finger back into the chocolate, making sure to draw up a generous amount and leaned in towards her. First I traced the line of her jaw to her chin, then dragged my finger gently down her neck and across her collar bone. I paused to meet her gaze, her eyelids fluttering closed as my lips followed the path I had traced with the chocolate. The resulting taste sensation, the sweetness of the chocolate combined with the slight saltiness of her skin, was divine. I alternated kissing and licking away the trail of chocolate, and I could feel her breaths start to quicken, the blush of her cheeks evident as I came back up to capture her lips with my own. The kiss quickly deepened, her lips parting and inviting me in, our tongues swirling together, hints of chocolate still lingering.
Her hands came up to my chest, and she paused for a moment before I felt them descend to the hem of my shirt, tugging it upwards. I broke away momentarily, allowing her to lift the shirt over my head and toss it to the floor, before I returned to ravage her lips once more. She broke away from the kiss all too soon, and I was about to groan at the loss when I felt her warm finger tracing on my chest. Looking down I saw that she was drawing the shape of a heart in chocolate over my own heart. While she continued, I reached up to her shoulders, pushing the robe down her arms until she shrugged out of it, letting it pool at her waist before I ran my finger through the chocolate and began my own artistic designs on her shoulders and chest. I could feel her suppressing a giggle behind her now wide smile and when she looked up at me, her eyes were sparkling with a mischievous look.
I ran my hands up and down her arms tentatively, desperately wanting to ravage her, but holding back, wanting to let her lead the pace and direction of where we were so precariously poised to go. When she ghosted her hands up over her own chest and tugged the straps of her bra over her shoulders, reaching behind her back to snap open the clasp, her breasts gently falling free of their confines, my breath hitched. I watched as her gaze dropped momentarily and she instinctively drew her arms up to cover herself, but I stopped her by gently grasping her wrists.
"Bella, don't. You're beautiful," I whispered, dropping her wrists and trailing my fingers back up, tracing the swell of her breasts as they rose and fell with each breath. When my fingertips grazed her nipples, they instantly hardened at my touch and she let out a moan that went straight through me. I moved the plate off to the side and leaned in, placing both my arms on either side of her as she leaned back on the pillows. My eyes searched hers for any hesitation before I lowered my head, my tongue darting out, lapping at the chocolate as I made my way from one breast to the other, licking and suckling each one of her nipples. I slowly made my way further down, dropping open mouthed kisses in my wake, circling her navel as I glanced back up at her. She was panting now, her chest heaving with each breath, her eyes heavily lidded, cheeks flushed, lips parted.
Again I paused, my eyes silently asking her if this was alright. Understanding my unspoken thoughts, she nodded her head and whispered her reply. "Please." I didn't take my eyes off hers as I deftly hooked my fingers in the waistband of her panties, tugging them slowly down over her hips, discarding them over my shoulder.
"Absolutely beautiful." The words fell from my lips as I took in her naked form before me, and she smiled, my favorite shade of pink blush staining her cheeks. I nestled between her legs, kissing my way up her thighs, over her hips, and across her stomach, pausing for a moment to reach over her, dipping my finger in the remnants of the dessert and tracing one last line of chocolate over her center, my tongue following quickly. A gasp escaped her lips as she squirmed beneath me and I brought a hand up to her hip, stilling her movements as I continued to indulge in her, lapping at the sweet mixture of chocolate and the essence escaping her, swirling my tongue around her clit before plunging into her again with my tongue.
"Edward," she moaned, her fingers twisting roughly in my hair, tugging my head closer, urging me to delve deeper with my tongue. "Please, Edward. More. Don't...don't stop!" she panted.
"Hmmm...never," I hummed in return, the vibrations of my voice at her center clearly edging her closer to release as she moaned louder, gasping for breath, fisting the sheets at her sides in desperation. I again teased her clit with my tongue as I slowly dipped one finger inside her, and encouraged by the pleasurable sounds coming from her, added another, slowly pumping them in and out. I could feel her body tense as I pumped my fingers faster, finally plunging them into her a final time, curling them to press firmly on her sweet spot as I circled her clit with my tongue, sucking it between my teeth before biting down gently. She cried out, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, back arched, and the most beautiful, rapturous look on her face. Immediately it became my new favorite look and I vowed to make it my mission to bring her to that place over and over again.
I kissed my way up her body as she came down from her high, her body still trembling with aftershocks of her orgasm. Finally she opened her eyes, gazing at me, a lazy smile playing across her lips. As I dropped my lips to hers, she laced her fingers in my hair, pulling me down while deepening the kiss, her tongue tracing along my bottom lip, seeking entrance to my mouth, which I eagerly gave. Running one hand down the length of her body, I felt every curve as I passed over her hip, down her thigh, grasping just behind her knee, hitching her leg up over my hip. I groaned as my aching cock pressed into her, dropping my forehead to hers, closing my eyes to savour the sensation, all the while trying to fight the urge to take her right then and there.
"Edward," she chanted my name between kisses. "Edward."
"Bella," I breathed her name in reply as I reached up to sweep a stray lock of hair from her forhead, tracing the lines of her cheek.
"Please, I need you...I need to feel you inside me," she whispered finally, all movements between us ceasing for a moment, our gaze unfaltering.
I hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Bella...I want you so much, but we don't...we don't have to do this." I struggled, not wanting to make her feel like I was rejecting her, but I didn't want to do anything that she might later regret. My eyes darted back and forth between hers, searching for any clue as to what she was thinking. I wanted so much in that moment to read her mind, to hear her thoughts.
She closed her eyes for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "Please Edward," she whispered again.
I cupped her cheek in my palm, stroking along the planes of her face gently.
"Bella, look at me," I pleaded, watching as her eyes slowly opened to meet my gaze. "Are you sure?"
She smiled softly at me as I continued to stare into the depths of those dark brown pools, and it was then that I saw something in her eyes that gave me the answer I needed even before she spoke.
"Edward, I've never been so sure of anything in my whole life," she stated with certainty. I felt her small hands run a trail up my back, curling around my shoulders as she pulled me down, her lips capturing mine in a slow, steady kiss that quickly deepened, our tongues entwined, our hands roaming every inch of eachother's bodies. Her hips rocked against me as her hands tugged at the waistband of my pants, sliding them over my hips along with my boxers, before I kicked them the rest of the way off. I hovered above her, my eyes never leaving hers, as I reached between us and guided myself to her centre.
My heart was beating wildly in my chest, so loudly I was sure she could hear it. Both of us were panting from the intensity of the moment, and I noticed a thin sheen of sweat glistening on her chest as it heaved up and down with each breath. Our eyes met again as I entered her slowly, revelling in the feel of her, so tight around me that I almost came in that instant. She bent her knees up, wrapping her legs around me, pulling me deeper within her until I was fully sheathed inside her warmth. She held me there, her body adjusting around me before she rocked her hips ever so slightly, encouraging me to move and set a pace, meeting my every thrust.
"Bella...so warm, so wet, so...wonderful," I moaned, my voice breaking as I tried to contain the raw pleasure threatening to consume me. I dropped my weight to my elbows as our fingers laced together on either side of her head, as we stared into eachother's eyes, her breath fanning across my face. With every thrust I tried to convey to her through my body and my eyes how much I wanted her, needed her...how I was quickly falling in love with her. I knew it was too soon to say the words; she was too fragile right now, but I needed her to feel the depths of my emotions. In that moment, I had never felt so completely connected to someone, like we were one body moving together in our own unique rhythm, dancing to our own music.
"Edward...I..." she started but then paused and instead bit her lip. I squeezed her fingers with my own, urging her to continue whatever it was she was trying to say, but she closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. Confused, I was about to stop when she finally spoke, her voice pleading.
"Please, Edward...kiss me."
My lips crashed into hers in that next instant and I didn't hold anything back. She clung to me, clawing at my skin, dragging her nails down my back, which only served to fuel the fire burning through me. I felt the pace and intensity of my thrusts increase almost of their own volition as the fire between us raged out of control. Our kisses became frantic, skin slapping against sweat slicked skin, breaths coming in erratic gasps interspersed with the most erotic sounds from both of us.
"Bella...I'm so close, baby..." I panted, trying to hold out for her as I sensed she was close to the brink again.
"Uh...Edward...yes..." was all she managed in reply.
"Come with me, Bella..." I whispered hard as I felt her walls tense around me, sending me off the edge into oblivion as I thrust one last time, feeling myself explode inside her as she cried out, my name falling from her lips. I collapsed on top of her briefly, completely spent, before rolling off to the side, pulling her with me and wrapping my arms around her. I felt her breaths slowing as we both calmed down, and I kissed the top of her head softly.
"Bella...I..." I started, not knowing quite what to say when all I really wanted to say was how much I loved her.
She nuzzled her face closer to me, and whispered against my neck.
"Me too, Edward. Me too."
A/N: So, there you have it! Now, let me have it...good, bad or indifferent!!
And I know that I snuck it in there while no one was really paying attention way back, but S.O.F.T. the little outtake from this story was posted (link on my profile page). Don't forget to review that little sucker!! As thanks, you'll get the link to my blog and all the hot pics of my co-workers in the firefighters calendar contest once that particular chapter in the story is posted (yes, I know, another waiting game...but I promise it's worth it!!!) Hell, even I was drooling, and remember, that novelty was supposed to have worn off!! Guess this story is good for moral...lol!