Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: This chapter has been edited quite a bit for erotic content for ffn. The uncensored version will be posted on TWCSlibrary. I probably still didn't edit it quite enough, but many of the details have been removed.
I know Bella has been annoying the heck out of some of you, and she will to a degree this chapter, but we all have our issues. A perfect character with no flaws is boring…her insecurities happen to be one of her flaws that make her unique. She pushes past a lot of stuff this chapter, and I think she will annoy you less in future chapters…or so I hope.
Thanks to AgoodWITCH for her beta work. I barely got this chapter done in time and she was super fast getting it back. It's a long one…fourteen pages in word. Hopefully future chapters will be shorter again, so I can stay on schedule, but with all the disruptions this week (among them my son's ball team rainout games have all been rescheduled for this week…four games in the next five days), I can't promise with all certainty that the next chapter will post on time.
I have also had a new plot bunny arise. I posted a teaser on my blog acullenwannabe dot blogspot dot com. It's going to be a murder mystery/crime drama in the vein of Bones, Criminal Minds, etc. But will not begin posting until Breakaway is completed.
Without further adieu, I hope you enjoy the chapter...
A Cosmic Event
Edward watched with concerned eyes as Bella whimpered and tossed on the bed. Occasionally she'd mumble a 'leave me the fuck alone,' or 'none of your damn business,' but beyond that he had no clue what was haunting his Bella. He rolled closer, caressing her hair and whispering in her ear, but the crease in her brow did not relax, as Bella remained firmly entrenched in her bad dreams.
"Oh Bells! Ah yeah! Fuck me harder!" Paul jeered from the other side of the car as he humped the fender and pretended to spank it. The rest of the guys stood back and laughed as Bella glared. Her eyes cut over at Jake who was doubled over with the rest of them.
She hated when they carried on like this making fun of her love life with Jake. What probably bothered her more than anything was the fact that Jake never said anything to them about it.
Finally sick of it, she picked up the largest, heaviest ratchet she could find, she walked toward Paul smacking it menacingly against her palm. "Last chance to stop, Paul, or this sucker's going to knock your balls all the way into your throat!"
Paul stopped, backing away in fake fear with his hands in the air. "Oh Bellsy, Wellsy, pwease don't hurt me. The jewels don't deserve your vengeance. It's not my fault Jake fucks you like a bull in a rodeo!"
Bella froze turning to look in shock at Jake as his eyes bugged out at Paul. She looked back and forth at the silent conversation going on between them, saying more than any confession or plea of innocence ever could. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned toward Jake, throwing the wrench down on the floor with all of her might, a loud metallic ring echoing through the metal shed that served as Billy's racing garage.
"How could you, Jake? It's not even like that between us, you jackass! So not only are you talking about our sex life, which I told you I was not comfortable with, but you're making shit up? What the fuck? You are such a fucking prick!"
Bella stormed out to her truck, swiping at her angry tears and trying to keep her hands from shaking. She heard the sound of his feet running up on the gravel before she saw him appear at her side, holding the truck door closed.
"Bella…come on, Baby. It didn't all go down the way it sounds. I promise."
Bella's gaze snapped up at him, her vision tainted red with her fury.
Jake leaned his shoulder against the door, his hands up in front of him in supplication. "Please, Baby. I'm telling you the truth."
"How the hell did it happen then, huh? Because it sure sounded like you were trying to make the one time I decided to try being on my hands and knees sound like you rode me hard and punished me before putting me away wet. I thought it was amazing how close it felt, you holding me from behind, the trust I put in you to even try that position so soon after we started doing it. I thought it was special, and then you turn it into…"
She was sobbing, leaning against the truck as Jake made to hug her. She shrugged and pushed him away.
"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't…it was…" he trailed off, not finishing his sentence as they stood in silence.
"Want to know the worst part?" Bella whispered so quietly Jake could barely hear her. He shook his head. "You were laughing right along with them. You were making something so special to me into a joke. They do this shit all the time and you never stop them. It makes me feel…"
"What, baby?" Jake asked, reaching out again to hug her, this time she accepted, no longer trying to push back the tears.
Bella sighed, swallowing past the lump in her throat. "Cheap," she whispered. "It makes me feel cheap and dirty. It makes me feel like what we do is wrong when they make fun of it. It's not dirty to me."
Jake sighed, running his hand through her hair. "It's not dirty to me either, Bella. I'll talk to them. I promise."
Bella wiped at her eyes and tried to look better, but inside she knew that he wouldn't really talk to them, not in any way that would change anything. Jake never did follow through on any of those kinds of promises.
Bella woke up; her eyes wet as those feelings of helplessness and being made to feel cheap and dirty remained fresh in her mind after her dream of her past. It still didn't make sense. In so many ways, those guys were protective of her like a group of big brothers, and yet they teased her about Jake in such horrible ways.
She let out a long, shuddering sigh as she rolled over, smiling slightly to see Edward curled up next to her, his large hand resting heavily on her stomach. He looked so peaceful in sleep; she couldn't help but smile as she wiped the moisture away from her face. She knew Edward wasn't Jake. She trusted Edward in a way that she never trusted Jake. Edward's touch and simple kisses brought out so much more pleasure in her than anything Jake had ever done. Even with all of that considered, she still couldn't help but hesitate just a bit.
She thought about the memories as she thought about her current life. Sure the team teased about Rose and Em, and Alice and Jasper, but they never were crude like Paul had been. With the team, it was all in good fun, a nudge here, a wink there, a few mumbled grumbles if they kept someone from getting a full night's sleep. The two couples didn't seem to have an issue with it either, Emmett sharing high fives with the guys just before Rosalie smacked him on the back of the head or Jasper beaming and pulling Alice close as she leaned up to kiss his nose. There was no shame, no sense of feeling cheapened. It was simply a fact of life, a facet of their love. As Bella watched Edward's chest rise and fall with his steady breaths, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe it would be the same for the two of them as well.
Shortly after Bella awoke, so did Edward. They quickly washed up and dressed before moving out to the main living area to see if anyone else was up. They were surprised to see Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper all sitting in the little booth holding cups of coffee. Emmett looked up with a waggle of his eyebrows.
"So I hear two little lovebirds snuck out of the mall last night to have some alone time in the RV." He began to wiggle his hips in his seat with his hand behind his head as he sang, "Bow chicka wow wow!"
Bella flushed crimson, looking down at her feet, not noticing Edward's actions until she heard the growl. She looked up to see a furious Edward standing in front of Emmett with his finger in the large guy's face.
"Listen here, jackass. You're her friend. You know how shy she is about stuff like that. Why on earth would you tease about us like that? What we do or do not do is none of your business, and giving her shit about it isn't helping her. Okay?"
Emmett stared up with wide eyes, blinking a few times before darting his eyes toward Bella with a look of contrition on his face. He nodded, gesturing for Edward to move before crossing to stand in front of Bella. Bella blinked up at him in surprise as he leaned down and spoke quietly enough only for the two of them to hear.
"I'm sorry, Izzy. I wasn't thinking. Everyone gives us shit and I thought you'd laugh. It was my bad."
Bella smile shyly up at him, her cheeks hot from her deep blush. "It…its okay Emmett. I'm too sensitive sometimes I guess. I just…" She sighed as she trailed off before squaring her shoulders to look up at him with a bright smile. "Thank you for apologizing."
He nodded before turning to go back to the table to sit next to his glowering wife as Edward crossed back to Bella's side, handing her a cup of coffee, already lightened with milk and sugar. She smiled as she took a small sip before leaning up to kiss his lips. Edward's eyebrows rose in surprise, as it was the first kiss she had ever given him in the presence of their friends. Bella winked before moving to sit on the bench across from the booth with a smile, sipping her coffee slowly.
The caravan pulled into Talladega a couple of hours later, at which point Bella was caught completely off guard as Alice and Rose yanked her into the back room, tossing clothes at her and telling her to just shut up and do what they say. She felt like she was being hijacked by fashion terrorists. Half an hour of pulling, tugging, painting, and fastening later, Bella emerged fully dressed and ready for whatever it was they were preparing her for.
She stumbled slightly as she walked out of the bedroom to find Edward watching with round eyes a big goofy smile. He stepped forward handing her an orchid. "You look stunning, Bella."
Bella dropped her eyes, mumbling a thank you as Emmett and Jasper smiled from behind him while Alice and Rose watched from the doorway to the bedroom behind Bella, making her feel a bit like a fish in a glass bowl. Edward watched her, guessing her reaction and getting them underway as quickly as possible. He led her out to where a rented sports car waited, the convertible roof up so as to keep her hair from getting windblown. When she asked about it, he promised they would put it down later before speeding off to their destination.
Bella found herself surprised as they drove up to a huge brick house with beautiful gardens and a circle driveway sitting on the shore of a lake. The car came to a stop in front of the house where a man and woman waited with smiles on their faces. Edward walked forward to introduce himself before introducing Bella just before the man and woman handed the keys to Edward, informing him that they would not return until Thursday before getting into their car parked at the mouth of one of the many garage stalls and driving away.
Bella blinked at Edward and then at the departing car before looking at Edward again who smirked at her, his eyes twinkling with mirth. Her mouth opened and closed a moment before she turned back with narrowed eyes.
"Edward Anthony Cullen, what did you do?"
Edward chuckled as he walked to the door to open it before gesturing for her to enter. Bella gasped as she walked into the beautiful foyer of the massive house with cream walls and beautiful wood floors. The house smelled amazing, like freshly baked pastries mixed with an apple pie smell.
"Welcome to our home for the next couple of days. I've arranged for us to stay here as long as we make it to the track for all of our duties. I would have tried to get it the entire time we're here, but it's a bed and breakfast and has had guests booked for the weekend over a year in advance. Best I could get was for us to stay until noon Thursday so the owners would have some time to get it clean and ready for the first guests to arrive Friday morning."
Bella's eyes bugged out as she started to calculate in her mind what the nightly rate for a single room must be and then multiply that by the number of days. She shook her head, not even wanting to know how much extra Edward offered above what they could have made off of a full house in order to get the place all to themselves.
Edward took her by the elbow, exploring with her as they took in the large open sitting rooms and the recreation room with the tournament sized pool table. Almost every room in the back of the house had breathtaking views of the lake that apparently had its own wooden pier lined with benches that jutted out into the lake.
After exploring the downstairs, they walked hand in hand up the large staircase to the upper floor where five beautiful guest rooms with massive beds topped with soft sumptuous looking bedding awaited for them from which to choose. After looking around, Bella decided to be kind and not stick Edward in one of the brightly flowered bedrooms, instead finding herself drawn to a room with the name Paradise on a wooden plaque on the door. The room looked somewhat plain in comparison to the rest, but the beautiful four posted bed with the thick soft-looking mattress and golden bedding looked so inviting.
Bella turned to see Edward standing in the hall behind her, waiting for her to make a choice. She reached behind her to tug him by the sleeve to the room she was examining with a smile.
"What do you think?"
Edward smirked down at her. "The more important question is what do YOU think?"
Bella smiled up through her lashes, already feeling emboldened by the freedom of being alone in the massive house. "I think that the bed in this room looks incredibly inviting, don't you?"
Edward's eyes widened a bit as he sucked in a quick breath. Bella smirked up at him, arching a single brow that was driving Edward mad already. He tried to school his reaction, but the obsidian weights dangling between his legs were too demanding to resist.
Bella squeaked as Edward grabbed her, spinning her around as he claimed her lips greedily until they reached the edge of the bed. The mattress was so high that she couldn't simply fall back onto it, but rather needed a slight boost to get atop the plush bed. Edward chuckled as he reached down to grasp her ass, lifting her slightly to sit her on top of the welcoming bed and leaned over her as his hands slid up and down her thighs, pushing up the bottom hem of her skirt a little more with each pass.
Bella moaned into Edward's mouth, arching and shifting, needing to feel everything he was doing and more. If it hadn't been for her damn aversions to being intimate in the vicinity of others, she's sure she would have already attacked him on the RV bed long before this point. There was only one thing that bothered her though, why did she have to get all dressed up if they were simply going to get straight to the fun stuff?
She was just about to dismiss the thought completely as Edward's hand reached the bottom hem of her lace panties when a doorbell sounded making her jump and Edward groan. He rested his head against her forehead breathing deeply and grumbling to himself as the doorbell rang again. With a sigh he pulled away, frustration burning in his eyes as he stepped back.
"That would be the rest of the surprise. I need to go let them in so they can set it up. Why don't you take a moment to straighten up?" He smirked looking at the disarray he had made of Bella's perfectly put together outfit. "I'll go let them in and bring the bags up so you can get settled in if you'd like.
There's a veranda up here, so if you want to go settle in and relax, please do so in there. I'd really like you not to go downstairs though, or it will ruin the surprise."
Bella sighed before nodding as he smirked again and winked just as the doorbell rang again. Edward grumbled once more before turning to jog out of the room and down the stairs. Bella could hear the door open and Edward greeting someone just before she walked into the adjoining bathroom to check out the damage in the mirror and straighten herself out.
She couldn't help but chuckle at the state of herself, her giggles dying in her throat as a red wave of excitement colored her cheeks at the thought of what the rest of the night would hold. If someone had suggested she was ready for everything with Edward yesterday, she would have laughed at them, but after the events of the morning, she realized just how better of a man Edward was than Jake. Edward looked out for her on and off the track. If he saw something was bothering her, he took steps to change it. Not only that, she could tell that he wasn't the type of man to kiss and tell. With Edward, she felt safe, safe to be herself, and safe to let herself be with him completely. He was the man she loved, and later that night, she knew that she would be giving herself over to him body and soul.
Edward returned immediately with their luggage in hand, something Alice and Rose must have packed for Bella, since she certainly didn't. He gave her several long kisses, his hands getting a bit greedy the longer they kissed before finally pulling himself away with an annoyed sigh.
"We have plenty of time for that later. I'll be back up to get you soon…an hour tops. In the meantime, I will bring you some lunch up in just a little bit and Alice and Rose put several movies and books in your bag for you, so hopefully you won't be too bored. I hope you don't mind, but this was the only way it would all work out."
Bella smiled, stepping forward to wrap her arms around his waist again. "Actually relaxing with a book sounds like heaven about now. I won't mind that a bit."
Edward sighed in relief before taking lunch requests and scurrying back out of the room. Bella picked up her bag and peeked inside, smirking at the treasure trove waiting for her. She had never seen so much silk and lace in a single location before, much less owned that much. Suddenly the surprise Memphis mall stop made perfect sense. It was all in order to buy her a mini wardrobe for the week that apparently consisted mostly of lingerie.
She picked carefully through the bag, placing the dainty underwear in a drawer, being careful to fold them neatly before doing the same with the silk nightgowns and matching robes that were also included. In yet another drawer she placed her casual clothes for going to the track and sightseeing before hanging the two dresses they had sent along in the closet. In the bottom of the bag were a few of her favorite books and a worn copy of The Time Traveler's Wife.
She smiled as she picked up her beloved book and moved down the hallway, glancing briefly toward the sounds below before stepping out onto the small veranda that faced the lake. She walked to the edge of the banister and looked out at the gorgeous view beyond before glancing down to see that there were people walking in and out of the house below her, but she could not see what they were doing. After enjoying the view for a while, she settled into a comfy chair and began to read, enjoying the peace and quiet she so seldom managed to find since she began traveling for racing.
Edward brought her sandwich and soup a bit later, apologizing for the fact that things were going to take a bit longer than he had anticipated. Bella smiled, showing him her book with a contented smile and saying she didn't mind. He stole another kiss before departing once more to leave her alone with the sad love story.
Two hours later, Edward quietly slinked up the stairs to find Bella curled up in the big chair he had left her in, the worn book she had been reading laying on her thigh, barely clasped in her hand as she slept peacefully, a small smile on her lips. He knelt down in front of her, feeling bad for leaving her alone so long, but he wanted things to be perfect. He ran a hand down her arm, taking her book and putting it down in such a way as to save her place before turning back to brush her hair back from her face.
She shifted with a contented sigh before whispering. "I love you, Edward."
If Edward's face could have cracked from smiling, it would have in that instant as a huge happy smile broke across his face. He definitely preferred hearing her proclaim her love over hearing her whimper and tell people to leave her alone. He leaned forward to brush his lips across her forehead as he took her hand in his, massaging the back with this thumb.
Bella's eyes fluttered open slowly, the small smile growing into a much larger version of itself. "Hi," she whispered in a sleepy timid voice.
Edward lifted her hand to kiss the back before whispering a 'hi' back to her and helping her to stand up. She stretched; arching her back and extending her arms, making Edward's body get ahead of his plans. Thankfully, this time his head won out over his libido as he led her to leave her book in their room before carefully leading her down the stairs to see what waited below.
Bella followed carefully, feeling confused since nothing really looked different at all…that is until they reached the recreation room which had been transformed. The couches and pool table had been moved to the edges of the room, which was now set up with a dance floor with shiny blue and silver tinsel decorations hanging from the rafters above it. A table was set up on the far side of the room, a single candle burning in the middle. Behind it was a sign in silver and blue, which read 'A Night in Time.'
Bella turned back with tears in her eyes as Edward smiled nervously down at her. "Is this okay? After you told me about the disaster of a night that was your senior prom with Jake getting drunk and you taking care of him and his friends instead of enjoying the night, I couldn't help but want to try to give you a better experience. The theme was too perfect to pass up."
Bella reached up to wipe away a tear before wrapping herself tightly around his waist, resting her head over his quickly beating heart. "It is perfect. You really didn't need to do all of this, but it is very sweet."
Edward sighed, his shoulders relaxing as he wrapped her narrow shoulders within his warm embrace, resting his cheek atop her head. After a long moment enjoying the feeling of the intimate embrace, he released her, taking her hand to guide her to the long bar at the end of the room. He picked up a bottle of wine, filling two glasses with a mischievous grin.
"One plus side is that we can legally drink if we want to at this prom. I promise not to get drunk through. Tonight is all about you."
Bella took the glass and lifted it in a toast. "No, tonight is all about us."
Edward lowered his head in a single nod tapping his glass to hers before taking a small sip. Technically, it was still only late afternoon, but it didn't really matter. They took a few more sips of their wine before Edward asked if she wanted supper early or a little later. Still full from lunch, Bella opted to wait on the meal.
Edward smirked before moving to a wall that had a sound system, turning on music before walking back to Bella. He took her hand, kissing the back before leading her to the dance floor placed in the middle of the room under a ridiculous disco ball that made Bella laugh as she noticed it. Edward glanced up and smiled before looking back down at her.
"May I have this dance, Miss Swan?"
Bella chuckled, a pink blush rising in her cheeks before she moved forward into his waiting arms already holding a formal dancing frame. "I would be delighted, Mr. Cullen."
Bella was never what she would consider a good dancer, but with Edward, she felt so light on her feet. Having always been a bit of an independent control freak, she had a hard time letting go enough to allow a guy to take on the lead, always making dancing a little awkward and stiff. For some reason, she didn't have this problem with Edward as she melted into his chest and let his body direct hers in smooth arcs around the dance floor.
At the end of the first song, Edward shifted their bodies, wrapping his arms around Bella's waist and pulling her close, getting lost in the dark pools of her eyes as they stared up at him. No longer able to resist, he leaned down to kiss her soft, pink lips. They both sucked in a long, soft breath as the desire quickly began to build the moment their lips met between them, altering the rhythm of their hearts and breathing.
The next two songs were spent slowly swaying as they kissed deeply, Edward's hands getting braver the longer he held her warm body close to his. He couldn't help but be turned on with the sensations of having her so close, and he knew that his condition wasn't lost on her as she rubbed her body against his, providing delicious friction between them.
By the forth song, what they were doing could no longer be considered dancing as they rubbed together, hands and lips roaming as Bella whimpered with closed eyes, encouraging deep moans from Edward. Things were just getting hot and heavy when Bella's stomach grumbled loudly; making Bella blush deeply in mortification as Edward chuckled, resting his forehead against hers.
"Let's go eat some of this food I paid for. It will help us keep our strength up for later." He winked as he spoke, making Bella blush deeply.
They settled in at the beautiful table in the corner, eating the meals hiding under the covered dishes. As they laughed and talked, Bella's eyes drifting around the room often to take in all of the work that Edward had done just for her.
Once they finished their food, Edward led her into the back yard that was also decked with matching decorations that led a path to the dock that stretched out over the lake. He led her carefully onto the wooden pier to a bench that had been perched at the far end. They sat wrapped together as the sun set on the horizon in beautiful shades of red, gold, and lavender. It was a clear night and once the sun finally disappeared completely from the sky, the stars twinkled above them like diamonds strewn across a black velvet cloth, the scene above reflected below them in the calm waters of the lake. They cuddled quietly, whispering and sharing kisses in the romantic night. In that moment, all felt right with the world. Bella didn't worry about races or media, she didn't think about past flames or previous loss, all she thought about was the man beside her and how utterly wonderful he was.
"Thank you, so much, Edward." She whispered toward him moments before she leaned in to claim his lips. The kiss started slow and sensual before slowly gaining intensity. Two hearts and two sets of breath began to speed quickly as the intensity grew. After several long minutes and the tentative twitches of anxious hands, Bella broke the kiss with a smile before standing up, offering a hand to Edward.
"I'm ready to go inside now."
Edward's eyes burned as he kept them locked on hers while bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss. "As you wish," he whispered with a smirk as he stood slowly before her, wrapping his arm around her waist to bring her body closer.
Bella smiled up at him, knowing he had said that because of The Princess Bride. She lifted her hands to his hair, brushing her nails against the nape of his neck before pulling his face down to hers, holding nothing back as she kissed him.
Edward moaned into her mouth as he wrapped his arms tighter around her, bringing her impossibly closer as she was once again reminded how ready he was for more. When she finally broke the kiss, they both panting as they rested forehead to forehead.
"I love you, Bella. I want to make sure you know that first and foremost."
Bella locked her eyes with him, staring past the green irises to pierce directly into his soul. "I know…I really and truly do."
Edward smiled, his heart clenching painfully in his chest, but in a good way. It was an ache that told of adoration and longing, of devotion and worship.
"I hope you know that I love you too, Edward. Totally and Completely."
He didn't think it was possible, but the ache in his chest grew more intense. They had said the words, but for some reason, to hear them in that moment felt so much MORE… All he could do is nod as his hand rose to caress Bella's cheek, brushing her high cheekbone lovingly before tipping her face back up to lean down and claim her lips once more.
The kiss lasted a few seconds before Edward caught Bella by surprise by sweeping her into his arms while still continuing the kiss. A part of her worried that they might fall off the pier in the dark as Edward carried her bridal style back toward the house, continuing to kiss her with wild abandon.
Within moments, they had entered the house and made it to the second floor where Edward swept them quickly into the bedroom, closing the door behind him with his foot. He carried her carefully to the bed, where he lovingly laid her on the bed, her head resting upon the pillows. He stared down at her in awe as her hair fanned out behind her on the pillow and her eyes burned up at him.
They stayed frozen for a time, just staring at one another before Bella broke the trance by reaching up to grab Edward's button up shirt, tugging him down to her. The kiss they shared was mind-blowing as their bodies settled together atop the luxurious mattress. Within moments, Bella's hands began tugging at the bottom of Edward's shirt before making quick work of the buttons. She shoved it free of his shoulders before running her hands back up the smooth, firm planes of his chest and stomach.
Edward reveled in the feel of Bella's hands on him, shifting to do the same for her, lifting the soft pink silk v-neck shirt that had taunted him all night over her head to reveal the most mouthwatering sheer bra, hiding no part of her beautiful chest, which he'd only barely gotten to explore before the interruption in Memphis. He licked his lips in anticipation of tasting the rosy tips once more.
He went to remove the bra when Bella stopped him with a raised brow. "I'm at a disadvantage here, Mr. Cullen. I sincerely think that you should have to lose the pants before you see any more."
Edward paused with a smirk before kneeling on the bed beside her and reaching for the button of his dress slacks. Bella reached out again to stop him with a smirk that made his impossibly hard cock twitch.
"Here, let me," she intoned huskily, making his hardness twitch even more.
Bella took control as she unzipped Edward of his pants, her actions causing him to hiss as she teased him. She found it empowering to create such a reaction in Edward. Jake had reacted to her, but nowhere near as intensely as Edward did. It was almost as if each touch from her were maddening. She and Jake had never had that kind of chemistry at all.
Bella shifted on the bed as she grasped the material of the pants, lowering them as far as she could before ordering Edward to stand next to the bed to let them fall in a puddle at his feet. She knelt before him on the bed with a pleased smirk as Edward stood before her, his arousal very obvious, begging for her attention. Her eyes left the groveling body part before surveying the beauty of Edward as he stood before her.
Edward just watched her as she took him in, marveling at how confident she seemed. It seemed in their interactions up to that point that intimacy was the one place where Bella lacked confidence, so this left Edward wondering what had changed. He definitely wanted to know what had caused this confident sexy as hell Bella to reemerge after hiding most of the week so that he could make sure it was a constant in her life.
Edward was further surprised when she pointed to him, ordering him to get rid of the pants at his feet as well as the socks and shoes. Edward moved so fast, one would be forced to wonder in that moment that if Bella asked him to jump, he would ask how high. There was nothing he wouldn't do if she asked.
As soon as he was finished, he stood before her, waiting for her to make the next call. What he hadn't expected was for her to reach behind herself to remove her bra, exposing the beautiful mounds of soft flesh, this time free of any confines. Edward groaned, as he watched with fascination as Bella shifted closer to the edge of the bed, running her hands up his chest to wrap around his neck. Her lips began to nip at his neck and collarbone as bare chest mashed up against his, the skin on skin contact feeling like absolute heaven.
Bella's mouth drifted across Edward's chest, her tongue flicking across his nipple teasingly, leading one of Edward's hands to bury in her hair. He was so focused on her mouth and feel of her breasts that he lost track of where her other hand had gone until he felt her touch below his waist.
His other hand rose to Bella's head, tipping her face up to capture her lips, his tongue plundering deliriously as her warm hand caressed him. After a while, he broke the searing kiss to pant down at her.
"Not that I'm complaining…at all…but where did all of this confidence come from, sweetheart? You went from freaking out that someone might know what we are doing to taking control. It's hot as hell, but I have to know what brought this on."
Bella sighed; stopping her hand, which made Edward want to cry in defiance, but he held his response. She looked up at him through wide brown eyes, wetness pooling at the corners as her hand left the confines of his boxers to rest on his chest.
"Today you have shown me how much you love me and how much you are willing to protect me. I…I trust you…and I guess with that trust comes…well, you say it's confidence…I say it's freedom. I feel free to be myself right now, with you, to do what I want to do. Is…is that okay?"
Edward chuckled, grabbing her face in his hands to kiss her lips before pulling away with a beautiful, bright smile. "Okay? It's more than okay! It's the sexiest thing I've ever experienced. I don't want it to stop…I just wanted to know so I could make sure whatever it was that brought it out happened more often."
Bella blushed, her hand moving back to slip into boxers. "Then keep loving me like you have been and I think we'll be just fine."
She leaned forward to place an opened mouth kiss on his pec next to his nipple before her kiss turned into a strong suction, her tongue teasing the flesh as she continued to suck and nip at the narrow space. Edward's eyes rolled again as his hand slid around to the front of her chest.
Bella broke away from her attempt to brand Edward, moaning loudly and tossing her head back her body reacting to his attention. Edward smirked watching her, loving how she was bending back and enjoying his actions. He moved a hand behind her back to support her as he used his lips to caress her smooth skin.
They took turns shedding the remainder of their clothes before Edward took his time exploring her most intimate flesh with his mouth. Bella shrieks of pleasure emboldened him as he continued to lavish her with worship. When she finally came down from her climax, she lay panting on the bed, her messy hair splayed over her pillow in a tangled brown halo as she looked up at him with hooded, satisfied eyes.
Bella shifted, attempting to move to return the favor when Edward stopped her. He caressed her hair back from her face, his eyes shining with adoration for her.
"We have plenty of time for that, love. To be honest, if you do that I'm going to explode almost right away and I'd really like to save that for a more special moment, if you know what I mean."
Bella blushed through her smile as she laid below him, a single finger twirling a strand of hair as she stared up at him in wonder. After a quiet moment of staring, she moved her hand up to his cheek, cupping it gently.
"I'm ready. I…I want you to make love to me, Edward."
Edward closed his eyes with a relieved smile before leaning down to kiss Bella's lips softly as his other hand reached under his pillow to find the stash of condoms he had hidden there. When he pulled it away, Bella's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden appearance of several foil packages.
"I...um…I know some women have issues with latex, so I bought a variety. What would you prefer?"
Bella blushed, blinking in surprise, not even realizing that there were other options. She looked back at Edward in flustered bewilderment, causing him to laugh.
"Have you ever had a problem with latex?"
Bella shook her head, feeling embarrassed to admit the specifics. "I…um…we never…um…I wouldn't know from experience."
Edward frowned. "You never used condoms?"
Bella sighed, feeling frustrated that the subject was coming up now, killing the mood more than a little. She shrugged. "I was on the pill and we were each other's firsts…or so Jake said. I have to wonder now if that was true or not."
Edward didn't like the frown that marred her pretty face. He hated himself for bringing up her past. It was as if he had just poked a hole in her confidence balloon as he watched it all wilt away in an instant. He hated to see her looking so shy and defeated. Without hesitation, he leaned down and kissed her, choosing the lambskin condom and rolling it on carefully.
"I've been tested and I know I'm clean, but I'm not willing to take any chances with you just yet. We can discuss it more later, but right now I just really want to make love to you. Do you still want to?"
Bella smiled a tiny smile as she looked up at him. "I love you, Edward. I really want to, but…"
Edward sighed with a nod before sliding onto the bed next to her. They had two more nights before they would be back to their RV's with metaphorical revolving doors. There would be plenty of time later. His arousal began to wilt for a moment until he felt the still very nude Bella curl into his side, tossing her leg over his and resting her head on his chest. He reached down and removed the unneeded condom and tossed it aside before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and closing his eyes.
He was just about to drift off when he felt soft warm fingers tracing his abs one by one, drifting lower and lower. Just as the soft hand met the v of his groin, her face turned, landing warm, open mouthed kisses on his chest. Edward hummed in appreciation as the tiny fingers drifted around to the tops of this thighs and along his hipbones before finally coming to rest where he wanted it most. He threw his head back and moaned as she continued to touch him before maneuvering her kisses to return the favor he had shown her earlier.
Edward's eyes shot open as his hips reacted. He watched her in fascination before he could no longer stand it.
"Bella, please, baby. I need to be with you."
Bella looked up at him, releasing him as she panted, "Please, yes."
An instant later, she was resting up on the pillow beneath Edward who hovered above her, his body begging for hers as Edward kissed her deeply. He reached for another condom when she reached out to stop him.
"Edward, I trust you."
"But…" Edward began to protest when she yanked the condom from his hand and threw it across the room.
"No, Edward. I trust you. You've been tested. You don't sleep around. You are very responsible, obviously. I trust you. I was tested too, and I have come back clean every six months for the past two years. I've also been on the pill since I was fifteen for medical reasons. I want to feel you, Edward, not a condom."
He rested on his forearms above her, staring down at her soft, loving eyes. "Are you sure?"
She reached between them to grasp him and place him where she wanted him to be. "Absolutely positive."
Edward groaned, unable to resist any longer as he united with her. He had always been responsible. Even with Tanya, in spite of her being on birth control and being his first serious relationship, he always wore a condom without fail, just to be safe. Bella was right, the sensations without a condom were so much better.
He stared into her eyes as they melted together completely, feeling overwhelmed by the feelings of completion he felt in his heart. They were lost as they stared at each other while Edward moved within Bella, both overwhelmed at how amazing it was. It was like when people talk about the stars and planets aligning and causing this cosmic event for them as they moved together. It wasn't just sex; it wasn't anything they could explain. Every word fell short besides 'perfect.'
Tears escaped Bella's eyes as she stared up at Edward staring down at her with nothing but love. His motions were selfless as he worked to please her, putting her pleasure and ease before his own. She only thought she loved him before that moment, but their union seemed to make her whole body explode with a new depth of emotion she couldn't even begin to understand.
Her eyes began to roll up in her head, as with a shriek she fell over the edge, screaming his name. He fell right after her, calling her name as well. When it was done, they lay together, Edward still resting heavily atop her, neither one wanting to move or break the connection of their bodies.
After a long while, they finally shifted, Bella returning to Edward's side, leg hitched over his, head on his chest, as her hand played with his light smattering of chest hair. He wrapped his arms tightly around her small shoulders, kissing her forehead and dreaming of a future with the two of them together in the big house in Concord. What were once fuzzy dreams of Bella living with him in the new house, was now vibrant and alive. Edward had a new goal now, to get Bella to skip the small house and move in with him as soon as humanly possible.