Wild Chapter 21: Slow Simmer, a twilight fanfic

Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own an active and naughty imagination. Rated M for lemony goodness.

Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The original content, ideas, and intellectual property of this story are owned by PeppahLouie. Plagiarism is theft – so please no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorization.

CHAPTER 21 – SLOW SIMMER

Edward

YESSS! That... that was sheer fucking heaven, by far the hottest, most exquisite kiss I have ever experienced. Bella's soft, full lips moulded to mine perfectly... and her tongue, oh jesus her sweet, sweet tongue was like a seductive dancer in my mouth. The sensations that charged through me, and by the feel of it, through her too, were almost indescribable – electric, pulsing, primal pleasure reaching every inch of my body, virtually removing all awareness of anything outside of our tangled embrace. Beyond all else, though, was the absolute rightness of it. When we connected and melted into each other, it felt like two perfectly interlaced halves of a beautiful, unique whole.

"Chef?"

Startled from my thoughts, I look up to find a remorseful Alistair – the poor fucker looks like he's about to cry.

"Alistair – what's going on?" I continue striding to the kitchen with him practically running to keep up with me.

His words pour out like water through a floodgate. "Chef, I am so sorry for making such a stupid mistake. I jeopardized your reputation. You trusted me, and I let you down. I understand if you are going to fire me... but I was hoping you would let me resign instead."

Fire him? Resign? Over one mistake – albeit a bad one at one of the worst possible times.

I clap my hand on his shoulder. "Alistair, I am not going to fire you, and I am not going to accept your resignation. We all make mistakes. As chefs, the beauty of making mistakes like that is that we usually don't repeat them. It may sound strange, but tonight, and from here on in, I will have complete trust in the quality of fish from your station." Then I nudge him with my elbow. "Of course, I'll still check it. Now get back in the kitchen."

Blinking back tears, he mumbles a thank you and heads back to his station. As I approach the pass, everyone in the kitchen stops to hear what I have to say.

"Team, we had a minor setback but thankfully it did not reach the dining room. Now, we can let this shake our confidence, or we can place it firmly on our ladder and use it as an extra rung to help get us to the top. As far as our customers and the critics' table is concerned, it's business as usual. We've got ten entrees to put together in groups of four, then three, then three. I want them all out of this kitchen within ninety seconds of each other." I proceed to break up the orders so that all the beef will go out first, followed by the wild boar, and finally the halibut.

A turn to call for a server, but Bella and Angela are already waiting. Diverting her eyes from mine, Bella looks excited and flushed, and her lips are delightfully swollen in a way that makes my dick twitch... which is not good for me right now. I need to concentrate on making it through service with no more screw-ups. Talking with Alistair in the hallway a few minutes ago helped me focus, but the granite erection I was sporting after kissing Bella is now threatening to make a reappearance. And of course, that sexy-as-fuck little silver dress is doing nothing to dissuade the over-eager snake in my pants.

I clear my throat and check the plates, carefully this time. The sides all match the orders – good. "Ladies, four beefs."

"Yes Chef!" They answer together as they each take two plates.

Ben is next behind them with a large tray, ready to take the three boars, which are now at the pass. I check the plates. "Garrett, this pasta needs more sauce."

"Sorry, Chef."

He corrects the sauce and returns the plate.

"Ben, three wild boars."

"Yes Chef!" I help him get the plates on the tray. Just as he is leaving, Bella and Angela are returning for the final three entrees. Garrett brings them to the pass from the garnish station. "Three halibut, Chef."

Of course, the fish is perfect. I wink at Alistair, who looks much relieved. "Ah, ladies, good. The three halibuts are ready."

"Yes Chef!"

Bella

"Bella... we have to get back to work."

I nod.

"Are you okay?"

I nod again.

"Bella?"

"Yes?" I answer weakly, my entire being still whirling.

"You are the best thing I've ever waited for."

Edward stepped back from me, reluctantly, like he was fighting a magnetic pull. I couldn't look up – I just stared at the floor, willing my body to calm, catching my breath. My insides were goo, and every nerve ending in my body was quivering with some strange mix of joy and sparks – like a human Tesla ball on ecstasy.

"I'll see you back at the pass, okay babe?" Slipping his finger under my chin, he lifted my face and placed a sweet, gentle kiss on my forehead. He then dipped his head to whisper in my ear, "We. Are. Not. Done." before turning and pulling the door open. I watched him as he glanced back at me and winked before he disappeared.

And then there was a huge grin on my face! I hugged myself and squealed a little, quietly of course, and allowed myself about ten seconds of jumping in place with my head tossing from side to side. My need to celebrate somewhat sated, I smoothed my hair and dress, took a deep breath and walked back out into the madness.

Dear Santa, Thank you for my early Christmas gift! I will never ask for anything again.

My world has just changed irrevocably, my foundation forever altered. Yet, everything out here in the dining area is just as it was when I left it not five minutes ago. It seems inconceivable that there is no evidence out here of the enormous event that just took place in the office. And then Alice catches my eye, looking excited and knowing. Ah, there's the proof... that little bit of reality out here that tells me what happened back there was true, palpable, concrete. She beckons me, but I wave her off – I have to get to the pass. And see him.

Edward turns toward Angela and me, and our eyes meet briefly before I glance away. I have to collect my wits. I have to serve very expensive food to very discerning critics. I have to not climb Edward and lick him in front of the entire kitchen.

"Ladies, four beefs."

Okay Bella, get a grip – not on that! – Edward needs you to perform. Oh jeez. I swallow hard and glance up at him as I take the two plates.

Mission accomplished. I carry the plates out to the large table we formed in the middle of the floor.

"That's an interesting presentation."

"This tenderloin looks very well prepared."

"I wonder how long before the rest of the plates show up?"

We pass Ben with his platter of wild boar ribs as we head back to the pass. Just that long, you cranky cow.

"Ah, ladies, good. The three halibuts are ready."

I'm in better control now. I look up at Edward as he passes me the last plate, smiling at him with what I hope are twinkling eyes. He smiles back, but his eyes are less about smiling and more about raw passion... I perform an unintentional Kegel. Oh my... what have we unleashed?

I serve the last plate alongside Angela. We delivered all ten plates to the table in less than two minutes, and critics seem impressed.

"Excuse me, miss?" One of the gentlemen who ordered the halibut calls out to Angela.

"Yes sir?"

"Dear, can you tell me where this halibut is from and what the chef has done with this Mornay sauce to make it so unique?"

"Yes, of course. The halibut was caught this morning by inshore fishermen who use sustainable methods of harvesting. Chef Cullen used a fresh stock he made from the fish cuttings for the liquid component and a local artisan jack cheese to impart a subtle flavour so as not to overpower the delicate essence of the halibut."

The critic nods his head thoughtfully as he takes another bite and Angela retreats to a respectable distance.

"Young man!" The cranky cow beckons Ben.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Where is this wild boar from, and what is in the sauce?"

"Ah, yes. It's from an organic farm on San Juan Island that raises boar and supplies the meat to a large portion of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. For the sauce, Chef Cullen added a delicate pecanwood smoke and high-quality Kentucky bourbon to his own basic barbecue-style sauce to complement the slight gaminess of the wild meat."

"Hmph. It's quite tasty."

Then, a surprisingly young, incredibly beautiful blond woman glances up and signals to me.

"Ma'am?"

"Is this really Kobe beef?"

"It's American-style Kobe beef, ma'am, from a new organic farm near Yakima."

"And, this sauce on the pasta... it's delightful. What's the secret?"

I beam with pride. "Chef Cullen roasted heirloom tomatoes from his mother's garden, along with a number of other vegetables including bell peppers, eggplant, onion and garlic. He then processed them, added herbs and seasonings, and simmered."

"Mmm. Sounds wonderful. I do hope Chef Cullen will pay our table a visit before we leave?"

"I'm sure he would be delighted to greet you and your companions, ma'am. I'll be sure to pass it along."

"Thank you, dear."

Dear? She's no more than two years older than me. Jeez.

I make eye contact with Alice and indicate I need to speak to her. She hops over to me and I whisper flatly in her ear, "The perfect blonde requested a greeting from Edward."

She nods. "She always does. That's Chelsea Afton. She tries like crazy to flirt with Edward, but he's never so much as given her the time of day. It's almost embarrassing to watch, really..." She looks up and sees the less than impressed look on my face. I don't want her flirting with my boyfriend! "For heaven's sake, don't worry, Bella! Edward can't stand her... and in case you haven't noticed? I didn't win the shoes! What does that tell you?"

"Alice! How did you know?"

"Bella, please. You two stormed in there," she points in the direction of the office, "then left separately... Edward came out walking funny and you emerged with swollen lips and a goofy, dazed look on your face. Even though I am a genius, I didn't need to be one to figure that out! Look, I've got to go prepare Chef for granting an audience... but we'll talk later, okay?" She giggles as she squeezes my hand affectionately and then heads to the kitchen. As I watch her leave, my eyes travel to the pass and I catch Edward's intense gaze. I wonder how long he's been watching me? Thinking of his eyes on me and wishing it were his mouth, I flush all over.

When it's time to serve dessert and coffee, the critics are delighted to find that Edward has designed a special sampler plate for them comprising a small ramekin of sweet potato pie with a carmelized sugar topping, a tiny red huckleberry tart with vanilla cream, and a lemon curd-filled beigne rolled in cane sugar. As Angela, Ben and I serve the final plates, Edward appears in the dining room and strides confidently to the piano. When did Alice open the lid and uncover the keys? She's amazing.

Piano Man... yes, he said that was his favourite song. Wow, it sounds wonderful. Virtually every customer in the restaurant has stopped talking or eating and is watching Edward play. How peculiar it is for all the noises of the restaurant to be replaced by the filling, melodious sound of the piano. As I watch his beautifully sculpted face emote with the music he is producing and his delicious red lips move as he sings to himself, I become mesmerized by his magic. This extraordinary man is mine! My boyfriend... my man. My lover? Soon.

The end of the piece is met with applause and even a couple of whistles. Several of the critics, including Chelsea-the-gorgeous-blonde, call for an encore, and Edward flatters them with another performance – Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. It's so lovely... sweet and reverent... it makes my heart sing.

After he strikes the final chord, Edward stands and simply nods his head to the applause, then walks confidently over to the critics' table.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I do hope you have enjoyed your meals this evening?" He flashes his panty-dropping smile and I suddenly realize that I'm not the only one who practically swoons in response to his charm. Chelsea-the-gorgeous-blonde, cranky cow and the third female critic are all simpering and batting their eyelashes at him... even a couple of the males seem enthralled.

Chelsea-the-gorgeous-blonde practically squeals, "Oh, Edward, it was just as wonderful as ever!" Jeez, lady... where's your decorum? You're a critic for heaven's sake!

"Thank you, Miss Afton. What did you order?"

"The American-Style Kobe beef tenderloin, buttered broccolini, and pasta with Bella Marinara sauce. Your sauce was absolutely wonderful!" She looks so proud of herself. Gag.

"Oh, well thank you again, Miss Afton. But I have to give credit to my wonderful girlfriend, Bella, for the pasta sauce recipe."

Squeee! Oh, poor Chelsea-the-gorgeous-blonde looks rather... deflated. Too bad, so sad. Wow, I have a very catty inner bitch!

"Chef Cullen?" One of the more mature gentlemen seems to have had enough of Chelsea-the-gorgeous-blonde's yammering.

"Ah, Liam. How are you, my friend?" Edward shakes Liam's hand and claps his shoulder.

"Very well, Edward, thank you. I just wanted to say that your food and service here tonight were stellar and I shall be writing up a flattering review for you and Alice."

"Liam, that's great to hear. I'm pleased that everything was satisfactory."

"More so, Edward. And tell me, were the huckleberries local? The flavour was... vibrant!"

"Yes, they were handpicked two days ago from wild sources on the Olympic Peninsula."

"Such quality in your food, Edward. It's always a pleasure."

After about five more minutes of the critics' adulation – even cranky cow couldn't help but praise the food – Edward excuses himself and with a quick nod and wink at me, makes his way back to the kitchen to finish service.'

The critics are fair. Paying together, the group tips three-hundred and sixty dollars. Their bill came to about one-eighty per person. Considering the appetizers and desserts are each twenty-five and the main course is sixty, and that each of them had an aperitif, wine, coffee and port or scotch... the tip is precisely where it should be. I have to admit, critics are not as scary as one might expect.

At the end of service, the wait staff and Alice finish the closing chores long before the kitchen. "You two go on home and start a nightcap," Edward tells Alice and me. Then with a meaningful look directly in my eyes, he adds, "I'll be along in about half an hour. Wait up for me, yes?"

"I will," I answer, charged again by his fiery intensity.

As we reach the landing, I turn to Alice. "I just want to change into something comfy, Alice. I'll be there in about five minutes, okay?"

She smirks at me knowingly. "Sure Bells... see you in a few."

I head up to my bed, kick off my heels and strip my dress over my shoulders. Ahhh... if feels so good to stand on flat feet. Picking up my cash wad of tips, I marvel again at how I can make over four hundred and seventy-five dollars on a Wednesday night. I pull out my bottom dressed drawer and dig into the back to pull out Charlie's old hand-carved wooden valet box that Billy made for him so many years ago. I've been keeping my tips in it. I know I should deposit the cash into the bank, but I'm somehow comforted by the idea of having a secret stash of cash, in case of an emergency or something. It never hurts to be prepared, after all. I've got twenty-six nights of tips here, at an average of five hundred dollars per night. Jesus... around thirteen thousand dollars. I've paid for my makeover and two shopping sprees. I shove the box back behind my dad's flannel shirts and close the drawer.

After changing into a royal blue tank top and black Lulu yoga pants, I step onto my leather thong sandals and head back over to Alice's loft.

"Grasshoppers!" Alice sings as I close the door behind me.

"I've never had a Grasshopper, Alice. Is it just creme de menthe and cream?"

She dances over, passing me the small glass of creamy green liquid. "Oh no, Bells. It's way better than that! It has creme de cacao too... chocolatey, minty goodness!"

I take a sip. Oh yummy! "It's like mint chocolate ice cream... mmm!"

She leans into my ear. "And it will freshen your breath!"

Pulling me to the couch, Alice asks, "So, Bells, I'm dying to know! How was it?"

"Alice, where's Jasper?"

"He's asleep."

"Oh. Well, we should be quiet, don't you think?"

"No... he sleeps like a log. Quit stalling!"

"Oh, Alice... it was amazing!" My smile is huge and my blush is extensive. "We were so angry at each other. Alistair made a mistake and put almost raw fish on a plate... I tried to get Edward to have it re-plated but he refused... it forced me to reveal Alistair's mistake in front of everyone... then Edward wanted to speak to me in private and said I called him out in front of his staff... and Alice I was so mad at him because if he had only listened to me and trusted me it would have been fine... and then we were yelling at each other and I was just about to slap him... and suddenly he asked me what the date was... I told him it was the thirteenth and then he grabbed me and kissed me so passionately..." I'm out of breath.

Alice is beaming with an ear-to-ear grin. "Wow... what a perfect storm for your first kiss. Bella. I am so jealous!"

"What do you mean, perfect storm?"

"Well, let's see... you've got all the tension and frustration of the past thirty days. Add that to the lack of sleep and anxiety on Edward's part, and general horniness on both your parts, which of course was augmented by the gratuitous consumption of raw oysters last night... it's no damned wonder you two exploded like that. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you stopped at kissing!"

Will I ever get past this ridiculous blushing? "Alice! Of course we stopped at kissing... there was a restaurant full of people and a table full of critics waiting."

"Speaking of which, I believe we pulled that one off with flying colours!"

A velvety voice that sends bolts through my body comes from the direction of the door. "I think you're right there, Ali-cat."

Edward

Thank god she changed out of the silver dress... I don't know if I could have handled that anymore tonight, especially if I can get her alone like I want.

"What are you drinking, ladies?"

"Grasshoppers. There's one in the freezer for you."

"Thanks Alice. I'm just going to grab a t-shirt." I unbutton my chef's jacket and step down the hall to the laundry closet. Excellent, a pile of clean, folded shirts. "So, how were the critics afterwards? Any complaints?" I grab my foo-foo drink from the freezer.

"Nah... you totally nailed it, bro. They were totally happy. Well... except maybe for Chelsea Afton. She asked me who your mysterious girlfriend Bella was."

"Why the fuck would she ask you that?" Fuck, that annoys me.

"Because, Edley, she's got a mad crush on you. Couldn't you tell?"

Jesus Alice. I glance at Bella - the last thing I want is for her to feel insecure about some stupid bimbo. When did she develop such a good poker face?

"Nope. I didn't take enough notice of her to even register what colour her hair is." I saw that smirk, Isabella.

I look at Alice and try to gesture with my eyes that I want her to go to bed and give me some alone time with my girlfriend.

"Well... I'm feeling pretty tired." Alice downs the remainder of her drink in one gulp. "I think I'll go cuddle up with my sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow, Bells."

"Goodnight, Alice. Thanks for the chocolatey, minty goodness!" Bella, too, downs the rest of her drink in one swallow. I hope she's not going home yet.

"Bella? Would you like to come up to the roof? It's a warm night and the sky is clear – should be a pretty view." Jesus, I sound lame.

Rising from the couch, she grins shyly. "I'd like that."

I drain my glass and take her hand, the ever-present tingles sweeping from our point of contact throughout my entire body.

As we make our way up the stairwell, Bella let's out a heavy sigh. "What's wrong, babe?"

"I... um, you... uh... shit."

We exit the door onto the roof. It's quiet and private – perfect. I pull her to lean against the solid railing, facing me. Reaching up with one hand, I cup her cheek and gently stroke her cheekbone with my thumb.

"What is it, Isabella? Tell me."

"Well..." She's wringing her hands. "It's just, you know, the way those women were falling all over you tonight... I mean... when you could have someone as worldly and stunning as that Chelsea woman, why would you possibly want plain, inexperienced me?"

Is she serious? One look into her deep espresso eyes tells me she is... very serious.

"Isabella... Bella. My sweet angel. How could you even entertain such a thought? Don't you see yourself at all?"

"I see a bumbling, small-town hick who can't hope to compete with the sophisticated likes of Chelsea Afton or... or swim suit models." She casts her eyes down and away.

Damn Tanya to the eternal fires of Hades.

I cup her beautiful, delicate face with both my hands.

"Sweetheart, you are soft and warm, elegant but genuine, pure and exquisite, intelligent, sensual, independent, challenging, sexy..."

She looks up at me now with wide 'really?' eyes.

I answer her unspoken question. "Yes, you are all those things. But most importantly, Bella, you've got something I can't live without..."

"What's that, Edward?" Her innocent eyes are wide and wonderful.

Lifting her hand, I place it flat against the left side of my chest. "My heart, Isabella. You've got my heart."

She gasps, her beautiful lips slightly open, and I descend to claim her sweet mouth once more.

Sweet... sweet and minty and deliciously Bella... and she is eagerly returning my kiss. Sliding one hand to her lower back and the other under her arm and up her spine to cup the back of her head, I pull her tight against me. She moans and snakes her arms around my neck, grasping my hair and pulling me closer. That's all the encouragement I need – I angle my head slightly and deepen our kiss.

The slow erotic dance of our tongues is almost hypnotizing and I can feel my entire being reshaping as I envelop this incredible woman with my body and my soul.

I've never been so physically aware of every nuance of a woman's body. I can feel every dip, every swell as she moulds to me – a perfect fit. And it's like she somehow knows exactly what to do to drive me mad with desire... the way she's playing with my hair – tugging on it, then scraping her fingernails along my scalp... the way she moves her body against mine – squirming and pressing her chest and hips to me, making me wild... the way she sighs and moans into my mouth – making me want to taste more, so much more.

Yet, standing here under the stars, simply holding and kissing my Bella, is enough. Of course, I want to make love to her... I've wanted that since her first night at the restaurant, and my desire for her in that way has only increased over time. But tonight – the night of our first kiss – tonight I am most happily satisfied to simply kiss her and feel her beautiful body pressed to mine.

And maybe roam my hands over that beautiful body a little... feeling here, squeezing there. She really likes it when I knead her perfect ass, or graze my thumbs along the side of her breasts. Remembering her response to me a couple of nights ago, I gently caress her nipples with the pads of my thumbs... oh god, she feels so fucking good.

It seems like we've been here forever, kissing, sucking and licking each others lips and necks, and moaning and groaning into each other's mouths, hands roaming – exploring, feeling, tracing lines and curves. Bella finally pulls her face far enough away to look up onto my eyes, and the wanton passion I see there just makes me harder and more desperate to maintain as much contact as possible.

"Edward?" Her voice is low and raspy, so fucking sexy. "What time is it?"

I glance at my watch. "Jesus. It's two-fifteen."

She giggles. "We've been up here necking like horny teenagers for over two hours!"

"Shit, I'm sorry babe. Are you tired? Your legs must be ready to collapse."

More giggles. "Um, I am anything but tired. Supercharged would be more like it. And my legs are just fine. My lips are tingling, though!"

"Mmm..." I lean down for another taste of those lips, "so are mine."

"I had no idea it could feel this amazing... I mean, why doesn't everyone spend more time kissing?"

"I don't know, Bella, because I honestly don't see how I'm going to keep my lips and hands off you anymore. I have never felt anything like this – kissing you is magical, electric, all-consuming, perfect and... and just plain right." I rest my forehead against hers. "I don't want to let go of you."

"I don't want that either, Edward... but I'm starting to feel a little chilled. Maybe we should go inside?"

She pulls out of my arms but keeps holding my hand and we head back inside.

Outside her door, I pull her into my arms again, licking and kissing from her shoulder to the base of her throat and then up to her ear and finally along her cheek to her soft, swollen lips.

"Bella, you taste so good," I say against her mouth. She responds by chasing my tongue with her own, swirling around and licking, the rough surfaces creating electric friction with each other, sending a whole new round of tremors to my cock.

"Oh, god... so do you Edward."

And our kiss deepens again as I grab her ass and pull her tight against my aching erection. Fuck, she just bucked her hips at me – I am seconds away from dragging her inside and showing her everything I want to do to her.

I pull back. "Ahhh... Bella. Um, I think we should probably ease up a little here. I'm close to losing control, and I don't want to do that."

She looks at me worriedly. "Do you mean ease up overall, or just ease up tonight?"

Fuck. "Oh jesus, no – not overall. After tasting your sweet mouth and kissing you for hours, I couldn't possibly go back. No, babe. I just mean that right now, tonight, we should probably cool it down before we do something that you're... and maybe I'm... not ready for. Yet."

She smiles and nods, looking relieved and maybe a little disappointed.

"So, I'll see you in the morning?"

"Definitely."

"Will you come over for breakfast? I make a mean scramble."

I pull her hands up to my lips, kissing the backs. "I'd love to. What time?"

"Well, it's two-thirty now...let's say eleven-thirty and we can make it brunch. Just the two of us this time, okay? Now that we don't need a kiss-preventing chaperone anymore?"

She smiles wryly at me.

"It's not that I don't want Alice and Jasper around... you know that right? I just want us to spend some time alone together."

"Of course, babe. I want the same thing – we need a couple of days of 'us time'. We can do brunch or lunch with Alice and Jasper, and maybe Rose and Emmett on Saturday."

"Oh, I was going to go to the shelter again on Saturday. I really enjoyed helping out there, and I think Rose could use the extra body, especially when it gets busy."

"Okay, we can all go for a late lunch afterwards. I'll even pick up mom."

"That sounds wonderful!"

One more long, lingering, delicious kiss, and I open her door for her. "Goodnight, beautiful."

"Goodnight, handsome." She grins at me as she pushes the door closed. I wait to hear her put the deadbolt and chain in place and then head to my own bed, where memories of Bella's mouth and body will help me deal with this rolling pin in my pants so I can get some much needed sleep.

Bella

I really do feel like a horny kid sneaking in the door way past curfew. I wonder if Charlie ever realized how good he had it with me as a teenager? Jacob always had me home on time and never challenged him. He was every father's dream boyfriend for his little girl.

Enough of that! I have just been making out with the hottest man I've ever met. And I want to do so much more with him, I embarrass myself just thinking about it. Jeez, if this is how I feel now that I'm fully grown and mature, I can see how easy it is for teenagers to get into trouble with rampaging hormones that they can't control or understand. Hmm... I'm strangely grateful that I didn't meet Edward when I was younger. I think I am at the perfect age to fully appreciate the kind of relationship we are building.

As I slip into bed, completely nude because I'm feeling incredibly sensual at the moment, I look up and see my sunflower smiling down at me. Oh Edward... I am so in love with you... and my body is like a live wire. I'll never get to sleep like this.

Nestling my hand between my legs, I slide a finger down my lips to the opening, which is absolutely sopping wet from two hours of intense necking. Swirling my finger around, I drag some of the moisture up to my clit and then firmly place my thumb over the sensitive nerve bundle. I slide two fingers inside my vagina and slowly pump them in and out as I imagine his hands on my breasts and his impressive erection pressed against me. Mmm, his thumbs swirl over my nipples, teasing them to hardness and sending waves of pleasure through my torso to my pussy. My own hand is a poor imitation, but it will help me achieve my release tonight. My fingers are pumping faster now, my thumb creating a rhythm of pressure on my clit that starts to build the intense feeling inside.

His tongue... oh god, just the thought of watching his wet tongue twirling around my areola and then his lips sucking it into his mouth, his fiery green eyes watching my face as he works me... "Uhhhh..." and now I'm Imagining sitting astride him, both of us topless in jeans, him pleasuring my breasts as I writhe and rub myself back and forth on his erection... oh god, the friction... I rub my hand back and forth, finding that perfect combination of pressure and tempo... I'm panting and writhing, and a final twisting pinch of my nipple pushes me to my orgasm... "Ohh, ungh, uh uh uh, uhh... mmm... uh ah ahh..." I stretch and push against my hand, riding out the last few moments of pleasure.

I slowly pull my hand away, squeezing my legs together now, enjoying the tingling and throbbing sensations in my pussy. Oh... so much better. I feel myself relax immediately and squirm in to a comfortable position to fall asleep. Reaching out, I grab the plush swan that Edward bought for me at the zoo and cuddle it into my neck.

.~.~.~.

Let's see. Fresh blueberry muffins, check. Ingredients for a tasty, healthy scramble, check. Strawberries and honeydew melon, check. Freshly ground Pike Place blend brewing, check. Tight jeans that make my ass look good, check. Sleeveless white cotton shirt unbuttoned to show a tease of super-cleavage created by miracle bra, check. Hot boyfriend... I look at the clock. It's eleven twenty-nine.

DING-DING. DING-DING.

Hot boyfriend, check!

I hit play on my iHome remote – The Beatles, light and fun – and bounce to the door.

Swinging open the door and intending to launch myself into his arms, I stop short so as not to crush the beautiful bouquet of irises and small yellow orchids he's holding at chest height.

"Oh Edward! They're beautiful! Thank you!" I reach out and take the flowers from him, bringing them to my face to inhale. They're not perfumed, but they smell fresh and plant-like.

Okay, I can wait no longer for his kiss. I lay the flowers on the small table by my door and turn to climb into his arms. But I'm blocked again... this time by a single sunflower that he was holding behind his back in his other hand.

I look up to his handsome face, and his smile changes to a look of intense emotion. "This lone sunflower represents your singular beauty. The sturdy stem is your tenacious spirit, the yellow petals are the glowing light of your soul, and the dark centre is the deep brown of your eyes that captivate me whenever I gaze upon them."

"Edward..." I manage to rasp out as a tear trickles down my cheek and I reach out to accept the flower from him.

He chuckles. "Can I come in?"

"Of course!" I step aside and close the door behind him.

"Edward... these flowers are... you are so..."

"You've got to learn to finish your thoughts, Bella, or else I'll never be able to understand what you're trying to say!" He's smiling, teasing.

"Edward, these flowers are lovely. You are so much more wonderful than I ever could have dreamed. Thank you."

He raises my free hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles. "Anything for you, Isabella. You've become my sun and my stars and my world, and I will endeavour to make sure that you know that every single day."

Oh my!

I lay the flowers on the counter. "Edward, if you don't kiss me within the next half second, I'm going to explode!"

Like lightning he grabs me and lifts me to one of the bar stools, stepping between my legs and wrapping his arms around my waist. And then his wonderful mouth is claiming mine and I melt into his arms. Our lips part, our tongues desperately seeking what they have so sorely missed. When they meet and swirl in their familiar sensual dance, I moan into his mouth and tighten my hold on his neck. He responds in kind, pulling me tightly against him. Oh! I can feel his erection pressing against me between my legs... holy shit! Closer, I have to get closer. Arching my back, I press by chest to his and squeeze his hips with my thighs.

He groans and thrusts his iron cock against me... oh god. I'm so wet, and all I can think is I need him closer. His hands loosen their grip and I whimper into his mouth. No! Don't let go... But he's not pulling away... he's sliding his hands around to my aching breasts. OH GOD! He's squeezing, rolling my nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. Fuuuck... oh sweet jesus... Instinctually, I buck my hips against his erection and tighten my legs, finding delicious friction that both eases and increases my need. "Oh god, Edward..."

"Isabella," he moans into my mouth. "Jesus christ, we have to stop this." He loosens his embrace, but I'm not ready to let him pull away.

"Why, Edward? Why do we have to stop? It feels so good."

He reaches back to take a firm hold of my ankles and gently extricates himself from the grip of my legs.

"Because, Bella. It's too soon. I can't take advantage of you like this. You need some time... you know, to get used to all the sensations. Right now, your hormones are in overdrive. And if I were less of a gentleman... well, just believe me when I tell you that there is a very primitive, very horny caveman sharing my body and he is ready, willing and able to throw you over his shoulder right now and drag you up to your bed."

I'm a little wounded. "Jesus, Edward. I'm not a sixteen year-old, you know."

"Shit, I sure hope not. No... I know you're not, Bella. I didn't mean it like that. But you are inexperienced, yes?"

I nod, not meeting his eyes.

"And you've never experienced this kind of... sensual interaction... before me?"

I shake my head. Fuck, am I pouting? Christ, I'm acting like a sixteen year-old!

"So, taking it more slowly, more typically, might be a more... prudent way to proceed?"

"What do you mean?" I finally look up and see nothing but sweetness in his eyes.

"I mean, Isabella, that you are not the kind of girl a guy should just jump into bed with. You're the kind of girl who should be cherished and worshipped and lovingly prepared for an active and fulfilling sexual relationship."

"You don't want to take me to bed?" Blush!

"Christ Bella, just the opposite. But I want to build to it. I want to get to know you and your body, so that when we do go to bed, we'll be making love and not just fucking like two strangers who met in a bar."

Oh jeez – my hormones and heart are duelling to the death, and my hormones currently have the upper hand. "You don't think... fucking... would be good, too?"

He leans in to my ear. "Oh, I will fuck you Isabella. Hard and fast until you scream with pleasure... but not before I've worshipped and cherished and learned your body, and made slow, sweet, passionate love to you."

Holy shit! There are jolts of tingling anticipation throbbing through my body. I swallow and manage to choke out one question. "Um, when do you think that will be?"

"I don't know... but we will both know when the time is right. And in the meantime, I intend to thoroughly acquaint you with all of the bases that lead up to it."

Mamma mia!

.~.~.~.

The next morning, Jared delivers my truck. He knocks on the door while Edward and I are entangled on the couch, feeding each other pancakes and scrambled eggs, licking syrup off each other's lips and generally driving each other crazy.

Reluctantly, I untwine my legs from Edward and go to answer the door.

"Hey Miss Cook! I got in late last night, so I decided to crash at Laurent's before bringing your behemoth truck over this morning. Hey, is that pancakes I smell? You got any extra?"

I stack some pancakes and eggs on a plate for Jared while Edward shovels down the rest of his and starts cleaning up my kitchen. He's eager to see my truck. He's mentioned it a few times since the pool party... I think he's already in love with it. What is it about men and cars?

As Jared scrapes his plate clean and drains the last of his coffee, Edward impatiently grabs his plate and mug and puts them in the dishwasher.

"Okay, let's go see this 'behemoth' of yours, Bells!"

He's out the door and down the stairs before I even pull my door closed behind me. Jared chuckles and shakes his head. "What is it about men and cars?"

I look at him questioningly. "You don't know?"

"Nope."

"Then I have no hope of knowing. I hereby forfeit ever understanding and just accept it as a fact... like gravity."

Jared puts his arm around me – familiar comfort – and leans his head to mine. "Miss Cook, let's just accept that the men we love will always confound us, yet always enchant us."

I pat his hand on my shoulder. "Well stated, Jared my friend. Well stated indeed."

"Holy shit! This truck is sweet. I have to hand it to Jacob – he knew how to modernize a classic."

Edward is walking around the truck, sizing it up.

"Hey Bella, has it been converted to unleaded?"

"Of course, Edward!"

He's opened the driver's door and jumped inside. "One hundred and three thousand miles... is this the original odometer?"

I look to Jared, who shrugs, before I answer. "I think so, Edward. I'm not one hundred percent sure, though."

"What about tires?" He's out again, on his knees by the front wheel. "I see Jacob replaced the old steel rims with modern alloy. Are they the same size as the originals? I'm glad he got you radials instead of restoring to bias ply. Radials are much safer."

He jumps up and pops the hood. "Very nice! Wow – he installed anti-lock brakes. Jacob really knew what he was doing!"

Good lord. Will he be like this on Christmas morning? I am suddenly flooded with warm emotion at the thought of sharing Christmas morning with Edward.

He drops the hood and is crawling back into the cab. "Is this the original upholstery? Wow! Hey, come on, let's take it for a spin!"

I shrug and turn to Jared. "I guess we should give you a ride back to Laurent's?"

"That would be great, Bella, thanks. And you should probably let Edward drive... you know, to prevent him from spontaneously combusting."

I laugh at his joke... but it might not be so far-fetched. Edward is in an absolute tizzy.

"How fast will it go, Bells?"

"Um... I've had it up to fifty. I've never tried to go faster than that." I pat the swell of the bumper over the front tire. "Its a senior citizen after all; I don't like to push it too hard."

Edward looks at me with one raised eyebrow.

"Would you like to drive it, darling?" I ask, knowing full well he would be insisting on it anyway.

"Yeah, I'd like that! Alright, let's go!"

Laurent lives only a few minutes away in a condo near Pike Place. When stop to let Jared off, he looks back at us. "Hey you guys... you want to go out for an hour or so after work? Maybe somewhere other than Escala? How about Luna? It's a quieter place with more slow dancing, and it's just a couple of blocks from here."

I look at Edward. "What about Saturday night – you said you were going to the clinic tomorrow morning." I nod.

"Can we do it tomorrow night, Jared? We'll see if Alice and Jazz and Rose and Em will come along. But I can't go tonight – Rose and I have to be at the clinic for Carlisle tomorrow morning."

"That will work." He smiles. "We'll come by the restaurant tomorrow night. See you later!"

We watch Jared head into the building. "So, Chef, how do you like driving this beast?"

"It's fucking awesome, Bells. I feel like I just walked into American Graffiti or something."

.~.~.~.

"Edward gave Alistair and Garrett the night off because they came in on their day off to help prepare for the critics, so he probably won't be getting out of here early tonight." Alice looks at me sadly.

"Yeah, I know... but it's cool. I actually have to get up early anyway. I've decided to help out Rose and Carlisle on Saturday mornings."

"I think that's awesome, Bella! And I know Rose will appreciate the help and the company."

"Edward mentioned getting the family all together for lunch afterwards. Is that still a go, do you know?"

"Yep. Edward even set it up with mom to pick her up around eleven fifteen."

Poor Carlisle... he's going to miss his blooming onion tomorrow.

It's quite calm for a Friday... just steady go with no big rushes or slow periods. Before I know it, it's ten forty-five, and Alice emerges from the office and her nightly meeting with Edward.

"Bella? There's something for you in the office." She grins and winks. My last table just left, so I smile back and head for that 'something' back there.

Edward is sitting at the desk, looking at the computer display. I waste no time and head straight to him, planting myself firmly in his lap and wrapping my arms around him.

"Hey Chef..." I lean in and kiss him. He moans and slides his arms around my waist, hungrily kissing me back.

"Hey babe," he murmurs against my mouth between kisses. "Jesus, Isabella, you look fucking fantastic tonight. I love this dress." He slips a finger down the front of my dress to pull out on the fabric, grazing my cleavage as he does. "Who's the designer again?"

I giggle. "Versace."

"Ver-satch-ee." He sounds out the word, rolling it off his lips. "Well... he makes a mean dress... of course, it takes a beauty like you to make it stunning." He leans in to kiss my neck under my ear while gingerly slipping his hand down to cup and squeeze my breast. I moan and cover his hand with my own, showing him how hard he can actually squeeze and how I like him to push in and up before squeezing.

"Oh christ, Bella, that is so fucking hot – you showing me what you like."

"Cosmo says it's a good way to get to know each other's bodies so you can... you know... really enjoy each other." My blush is inevitable.

"Cosmo, huh? First the drink and now the magazine. It seems I learn a lot about you when a Cosmo of some sort is involved." He squeezes my breast again and leans down to place a gentle kiss on the swell, making me shudder with pleasure. "I'm looking forward to our lessons."

A/N: From now on, I am going to post teasers for the next chapter on my profile - they should be there by Tuesday or Wednesday every week.

Thanks to everyone who has rec'd my story - I am most grateful for your support! And to my readers and reviewers: I LOVE YOU! Please continue reviewing - your feedback keeps me motivated!