A/N: SURPRISE! The next update day was not supposed to be for another week, but I'm going to be traveling that day and unable to post. Therefore, I'm giving you this a week early! Please note, however, that this is an EARLY update, not an EXTRA update. Meaning, the next update will still be another two weeks from now. This one just came early!
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I do not own any Character names nor do I own Twilight or anything pertaining to it.
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Half way into our vacation in Belize, Edward and I decided to spend a day on the main Island. As enjoyable as it had been to lose ourselves in each other physically, my pussy needed a break from all of the sex. Furthermore, Edward wanted me to experience more of Belize than just our private little beach, as amazing as it was.
There was a long list of potential activities to do on the mainland included in the welcoming packet that had been left for us. Edward wanted me to pick one out, and I ended up selected cave tubing. It included a walk through the jungle and then floating in an innertube through a series of waterways that ran through several caves. The pictures were breathtakingly beautiful, and I figured it would give us a chill day of relaxing fun.
I was so wrong.
Not to say that it wasn't breathtakingly beautiful, or fun. It was both. Chill or relaxing, however, it was not.
It was not a mere walk through the jungle, as advertised. No, it was a damn hike, uphill the whole way…which turned out to be a long way. Not only that, but it was blistering hot, we were basically walking on rocks, and I had to carry an innertube essentially the same size as me the whole way. I knew it was still a great experience, but God, it was exhausting. It was a workout. An intense one, at that.
"You okay?" Edward asked, glancing over his shoulder at me.
"Why is it so fucking hot ?" I complained, shifting my tube from one arm to the other.
We were in a group of people, tourists, led by two local men. I was somewhere in the front half of our group, but it was only because I was exerting myself harder to try to keep up with my husband. Not only was he in phenomenal shape, but his legs were so much longer than mine that he could cover a lot more distance than me naturally.
"Let me carry your tube." Edward said as he slowed a little to keep pace beside me.
"No." I protested. "I can do it myself."
All of the other women in our group were carrying their own tubes, so I wasn't about to give mine to Edward. I was prideful. I didn't want to look like a pussy.
"I don't mind, Bella. I can carry them both just fine."
I knew he could, because he wasn't even breaking a sweat. I, meanwhile, was so sweaty that the hair that had come loose from my ponytail was sticking to my face. While I was huffing and puffing, Edward was acting like he was out for a leisurely stroll. It was incredibly annoying.
"How are you not even sweating?" I demanded.
"I work out every day." He explained.
He had a valid point. Every morning he woke up early to work out while I slept in. The work he put in daily had obviously paid off. I, on the other hand, had never felt more out of shape in my life. I thought I looked good, physically. I'd never had any problems with my weight or anything. My insides, however, obviously were not up to par with Edward's. I blamed a lot of it on smoking, but Edward smoked too. Apparently taking care of his body in other ways had helped make up for it a bit, while I was obviously still lacking.
Still, if I'd known then how much my physical endurance would improve once I eventually stopped smoking altogether, I probably would have stopped sooner.
"I need to start exercising."
"Are you going to start waking up at five O'clock with me, then?" He asked knowingly, like a total smartass.
I made a distasteful face and he laughed.
"Surely it can't be that much further…"
"Once we're in the water, it will all be worth it. Trust me." A female voice said from somewhere on the other side of me.
I looked over to see who was talking to me and found a woman smiling at me brightly.
"I hope so." I answered, blushing slightly as I smiled back at her politely.
I hadn't been aware that anyone else could hear our conversation.
"I'm sorry." She apologized quickly, apparently understanding the look on my face. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop."
"No, no, you're fine." I answered with a shake of my head. "I'm not usually such a whiney brat, I just didn't know this was so physically intense and I am sadly out of shape."
"That's understandable. It's a longer way than you'd think, but it's worth it once you get there."
"Have you done this before?"
"This is our third time." She answered excitedly. "It's such a wonderful experience we just keep coming back each time we're here."
"Oh, good. I'm glad to hear it's worth it."
"What ship are you guys on?"
"Oh, um…what?" I answered, confused.
"We're not on a ship." Edward answered. "We're just here for the week." When I looked over at him, clearly confused, he continued to me. "This is a popular port for cruise ships." He explained.
"Yes, yes, my mistake." The woman continued as I looked back to her. "I assumed. I thought everyone in the group would be from one of the ships at port today."
"Oh, you're one a cruise?" I asked, interested. "I've never been on one before. Do you like it?"
"Oh, it's wonderful. We go every year, my husband and I." She answered, gesturing to a man on her other side.
He waved at me with a polite smile, which I returned with one of my own.
"What other locations are you going to?" I asked.
"Mexico and Honduras!" She replied with an excited grin.
"Oh, wow, that's awesome."
"I'm Jennifer, by the way. My ball and chain over here is Jay." She joked.
Jennifer was a tall woman with deeply tanned skin and long, dark, silky hair. She had light grey eyes that were very intriguing, as I'd never seen eyes quite that color before. She was exotic looking, I would have guessed Brazilian, but she had no trace of any type of accent. Jay on the other hand, was very ordinary looking. He was average height and build with dark brown hair and a beard; very middle-America looking.
"I'm Bella." I answered. "And this is my husband, Edward."
It wasn't often that I had the opportunity to introduce Edward to someone new. It gave me a sense of satisfaction to call him my husband. He was an extremely good looking man with a strong presence. I was proud to be his wife.
"Hey there." Jay said, looking around Jennifer and I to wave at Edward.
"Hey, man." Edward nodded back at him.
"So, you guys are here for a whole week?" Jennifer asked. "That's awesome, I was just telling Jay that I want to do that sometime. We've only been here as a stop on cruises, but it's always my favorite!"
"It's our first time, but it has been amazing so far. We're actually staying on a little island off the coast, so this is really our first day here on the mainland."
"Well you picked the perfect excursion." Jay interjected. "You're gonna have a blast."
We chatted with Jay and Jennifer the rest of the way, which ended up being a nice distraction from the hellish trek. We found out that they were from Texas. Jennifer was an aspiring photographer who worked in the meantime as a tennis coach to young kids. Jay was a private investigator, which I found intriguing. I asked him tons of questions about his profession and he seemed amused with my fascination.
To my surprise, Edward seemed to take a great liking to Jay. After I'd finished questioning him about the life and times of a real P.I., Edward moved around Jennifer and I to go walk beside Jay. They struck up their own conversation and left Jennifer and I to start a separate one of our own. I wasn't so much surprised that Edward was so interested in Jay as I was surprised that he was so interested in anyone at all. Jay was as interesting a guy as they came. Edward, however, wasn't a particularly casually social individual. It intrigued me, and I couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about.
As miserable as I'd been on the hike up, Jennifer had been right. Once we'd finally made it to our destination, I was blown away. The water was a bright bluish green, even more vibrant than the water at our private beach. It was impossible to forget we were in the jungle, as thick trees canopied the waterway in every direction. Birds chirped around us and monkeys swung through the trees above. It was a tropical paradise. I didn't know that places like that actually existed, much less dream that I would ever go there. While I'd been whining just minutes prior, I was now feeling incredibly lucky for the experience.
The group formed a line as our tour guides helped us get our tubes in the water and then spotted us as we sat down into them. They connected us in groups of four so that nobody would get separated, so we placed ourselves at the end of the line with Jay and Jennifer so that we would all be connected together. Edward and I sat side by side in our tubes, the other couple in front of us.
"Edward, this is incredible…" I sighed dreamily, looking up and around. "I've never seen anything so beautiful…"
"I told you it would be worth it!" Jennifer called back to me.
"You were right." I conceded. "You were so right."
As we started to float about, Edward stretched his arm out until his hand rested on the side of my tube. I took it in mine and held it up next to my head, leaning into it so that my temple rested against his knuckles. This part of the excursion was super relaxing. As we drifted about we passed by waterfalls and through beautiful caves. The sound of the water and the birds chirping provided the perfect ambience. All grumpiness from earlier was gone in a flash.
Jennifer and Jay chatted in front of us the whole time, but Edward and I were quite. I was content with our silence, though. I was occupied enough taking in the beauty of Mother Nature all around me. At one point, however, I looked over at Edward and was surprised to find that he wasn't doing the same. He wasn't looking at the scenery around us as everyone else was.
Instead, he was watching me.
His face was so content, so peaceful, that I couldn't help but smile at him. When I did he shifted the hand that I was holding to brush the back of his fingers against my cheek. I turned my head up to kiss his knuckles and he squeezed my hand in his gently.
I wonder now if he saw it then on my face as our eyes remained fixed on one another; the reason that made my stomach turn and my heart beat faster when I looked at him.
I was in love.
One of the tour guides loudly spoke suddenly from somewhere ahead of us, alerting us to a unique rock formation somewhere to our left, and breaking the trance that we seemed to be in as we gazed at each other. I sighed contently as I looked over to see what we were supposed to be looking at as Edward laced our fingers together.
Our journey on our tubes ended at a large pool of water with a huge waterfall serving as a perfect backdrop. It was the most beautiful scene we had come across all day, which is why I was surprised when most of group chose to get out of the water right away and head back with the first tour guide to the rest area where the bus was that has brought us there. I, however, wasn't about to leave without getting up close to that waterfall. Therefore, Edward and I hung back with the last of the group, including Jennifer and Jay.
While everyone else waded around in the shallow area, I had my sights set on the waterfall. So, taking Edward with me, I began to swim across the bright blue lagoon before us. The middle of the water was too deep to touch the bottom, but as we got close to the waterfall, it started to get shallower and then we came upon several huge boulders that we could climb up onto. I climbed up first with a boost from Edward and then he followed behind me until we were standing just in front of the waterfall. Water sprayed us, but we didn't mind. It was cool and refreshing in the raging heat.
"This is amazing!" I yelled to Edward, to be heard over the roar of the water.
"It's beautiful" He yelled back in agreement.
I closed my eyes and stretched my arms out as I looked up towards the waterfall, letting the water spray over my face. I spun around once before I was stopped by Edward with one hand on my side and the other turning my face towards him. He leaned forward to place a kiss on my lips, which I returned, but then squirmed and started to push him back when he lingered.
"Staahhppp…" I complained when he began kissing across my jaw, to my neck. "I'm all hot and sweaty."
"I like you hot and sweaty." He replied quickly. "It reminds me of having sex with you."
I laughed as I continued to push at his chest, albeit with much less effort now.
"We're taking the day off from sex, remember?"
"Right, because I wore out that sweet pussy of yours…"
"Shut up!" I laughed as he pulled back from my neck to look at me.
"Seriously, though. We're in public. You're safe from me." He placed his hands on my hips to pull my body against his. "…For now, at least."
His lips descended upon mine as I laughed and I gave in to him, lifting my arms around his neck as I kissed him back. We stood there, making out under the waterfall, and the cheesiness of it all didn't even bother me.
Once everyone else had gotten out of the water, we swam back to the shore. While we were drying off with the towels provided to us, Jennifer approached us.
"So, did you end up loving it, or what?" She asked with a big grin.
"We did, it was incredible." I answered as I attempted to dry my hair, rolling it between my hands between the towel.
"Good, I'm glad!"
"Was it as awesome as you remembered?" I asked.
"Totally! And hey, not to sound like a total creep, but I was playing around taking pictures and I snapped some awesome shots of you two over there by the waterfall."
I stopped, a little caught off guard, and glanced at Edward before looking back at her.
"Oh, wow…"
"I'm sorry, is that totally creepy? It's just the photographer in me. My eye is drawn to beautiful things and I just have to take photographs of it."
I blushed suddenly at being described as a beautiful thing.
"It's not creepy. I'm just surprised, that's all. I…didn't know anyone was even paying attention to us."
"I don't think anyone else was, but like I said, it's just the photographer in me that was drawn to you two. Would you like to see the shots?"
"Yeah, sure."
She pulled a digital camera out of the cross-body bag slung over her shoulder and pressed a few buttons before holding it out to me. I took it and held it close to me to examine the picture on the screen. She was right. It really was a beautiful picture. Edward's hands were on my hips and I had a big smile on my face, in the middle of laughing, as he kissed me.
"There are a few, just press the right arrow button." She informed me.
I pressed said button a few times as I looked through the few different photographs. There was another similar one of us kissing with my arms around his neck, another with us laughing and our foreheads together, and another of us holding hands and looking at each other.
"Oh, wow, these are really good pictures." I told her.
"Let me see." Edward requested, holding his hand out for the camera.
"You really like them?" Jennifer asked excitedly as I passed the camera to Edward.
"Yeah, they're great."
"They are great." Edward agreed as he looked through the photos.
"Well, you two are truly a beautiful couple. The way you are with each other is just captivating. I can see how in love you are just watching you."
I looked over at Edward and he looked up at me and we looked at each other a bit awkwardly for just a split second before he looked over at Jennifer and smiled.
"Thank you." He said warmly as he handed her the camera.
"Well, hey, just give me your email address and I can send you all these pictures."
"That would be great." I answered as I continued to dry off.
I gave her my email, which she saved in her phone, and she promised to send them as soon as she got service again.
Our group piled back onto the bus, which took us back to where we'd all gathered, near the port for the cruise ships. Edward was supposed to call for our car when we were ready to go back, which would take us back to the tiny port we'd come from and the little boat that would take us back to our island. Before hand, however, we decided to hit a bar with Jennifer and Jay since they didn't have to be back on their ship for another two hours.
An hour and too many margaritas later, Jennifer and I had ventured just outside the bar, where a band was entertaining a crowd of people gathered on the pier. We laughed together as we danced our way to the front, to see the band better. It was crazy that I was having such a good time with someone I had literally just met, but I really had a connection with Jennifer. She was a mature woman, but she was still a blast to be around.
"Bella!" I heard suddenly from behind me.
I turned to see Edward coming towards me with an irritated expression on his face. Jay followed behind him, looking much less hostile.
"Hey!" I called back to him before taking a sip of the half-melted margarita I held in a plastic cup.
He sighed as he closed the distance between us until we were standing face to face.
"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving the bar?" He demanded.
I felt myself recoil a little, taken aback.
"We just kinda slipped out to check out the music." I retorted. "What's the big deal?"
He glanced at Jennifer before looking back to me, lowering his voice a little when he spoke again.
"I was just worried about you. I didn't know where you went."
"My apologies, Edward. It's my fault," Jennifer intervened. "I was the one who suggested coming outside."
Edward looked back over at her and suddenly seemed a little uncomfortable. I scoffed. He should have thought about that before he started bitching at me in front of her.
"You don't have to apologize, Jennifer." I turned to Edward then. "And I don't have to tell you where I'm going every second. I'm an adult."
"Jenn, honey, we need to get going." Jay said, stepping around Edward. "There will probably be a bit of a line to get back on the ship."
"Aw, man, I was having so much fun with you!" She said to me.
"I was having fun with you, too." I answered with a smile. "I wish you guys were going to be here all night."
"So do I, but it's been so nice meeting you guys." She replied.
"It has." Jay agreed. "You guys are a great."
Suddenly Jennifer was hugging me, and I hugged her back.
"I'll email you as soon as I can, and send the pictures." She told me as we pulled away.
"Yeah, please do."
"Edward." Jay said as he shook my husband's hand.
"It's been a pleasure." Edward responded politely. "Enjoy the rest of your travels."
Jennifer and Edward exchanged pleasantries next while I said goodbyes with Jay, and then we watched as they departed and headed back in the direction of their cruise ship. As soon as they were out of earshot, I turned to glare at Edward.
"Why did you have to embarrass me like that in front of them?"
"I was worried." He said defensively.
"Yeah, you already said that. That doesn't mean you had to treat me like a fucking toddler in front of them."
"Look, Bella, I don't want to argue with you right now. We're both a little drunk. Let's just leave it."
Truthfully, I was a-lotta drunk. I was sobering up quickly, however, now that he'd pissed me off.
"I hate it when you treat me like a little kid." I continued, ignoring him. "You know it pisses me off to no end, but then you always end up doing it again. I just don't un – " I stopped abruptly when Edward turned and bent over, placing his hands on his knees. "Hey, are you okay."
He glanced over and up at me with a queasy look on his face.
"I'm fine. Or, I will be. Just one too many shots, I think. It's been a long time since I drank like that."
As pissed as I was at him, it didn't seem to matter much when his well-being was in question.
It took a step toward him to close the distance between us and placed a hand on his back, rubbing gently up and down. As my hand made a pass upwards I touched the back of his neck and he was burning up.
"Let's go get some water." I suggested.
"Yeah, okay." He agreed as he stood up straight again, nodding.
I took his hand and led him back towards the bar we'd come from. It was even more crowded now, and I knew being in a tiny area cram-packed full of sweaty drunk people was probably the last thing Edward needed at that moment.
"Stay out here." I told him as we approached the door. "I'll be right back."
I left Edward outside as I slipped in and fought my way towards the bar. I had to yell at the bar tender to get his attention and he seemed annoyed when all I asked for was two bottled waters. I paid him and pushed through people to get back outside, where I found my husband perched on a stone half-wall nearby. I screwed the top off of his water as I approached and handed it to him. He took it and downed half of it at once.
"Thanks." He sighed once he pulled the bottle from his lips.
"Can't hang with the young people anymore, huh?" I teased.
He glared up at me with just a hint of a smile.
"Hush."
I grinned as I reached to run my fingers through his hair.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," He paused and took another small sip of water. "I'm okay."
"Do you want to call for the car to take us back?"
"I already did, while you were inside."
"Oh, okay. Do we need to go back to where they dropped us?"
"No, I told them the name of the bar. They'll get us here."
"Oh, alright."
I moved to sit down beside him as I started to open my own water.
"I just want to get back and take a shower." Edward sighed.
"But I like you hot and sweaty." I retorted. "It makes me think of having sex with you."
He looked over at me and a smirk spread slowly across his lips.
"Using my own lines on me, are you?"
"Hey, I learn from the best."
"I'm sorry I pissed you off."
"I forgive you. I'm getting used to it, anyway."
He laughed and shook his head at me.
"Smartass."
Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long for the car. The driver took us back to where our little boat was docked. The man to take us back over to the island was already there waiting for us, and we left promptly.
When we got back to the island, to the house, I immediately noticed that everything had been cleaned and straightened up. Edward informed me that a maintenance crew had been in that day to clean up and restock us with food. I was glad that they were already gone. We'd only been there a few days, but it already didn't seem right to see anyone else on that island besides us. And coming back, it already felt like home.
The first thing we did was trudge towards the bathroom, towards the shower, peeling off all clothing on the way. I moved slowly, my feet feeling like they weighed fifty pounds each. The heat and the alcohol had drained me, and Edward looked even more out of it than I felt. We showered together under cool water, and that alone made me feel so much better. I was still tired when we got out, but I felt so much fresher.
After our shower, Edward wanted to check his emails. I took that time to make us some grilled cheese sandwiches, since I didn't know how to make much else. We ate them in bed while we talked about what classes I would be starting when we got back home and what my schedule would be like for the semester.
After dinner I logged on to Netflix on Edward's laptop and we fell asleep watching some old Marilyn Monroe movie, my head upon his shoulder and my hand upon his heart.
I woke sometime in the early hours of the morning, just as the darkness outside was starting to lighten to grey. I was still curled into Edward's side and he was in the same position too, with the computer on his lap. We hadn't moved at all, and I took that as a testament to how exhausted we were.
I closed the laptop and took it from Edward's lap, placing it at the end of the bed instead as I sat up. I rubbed at my eyes as I turned to scoot to the end of the bed and stand up, groggily making my way to the bathroom. When I went back into the bedroom after relieving myself, Edward was shifting around on the bed.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
I was sorry, but I wasn't surprised. Edward was a light sleeper, and I was used to waking him when I got up to use the restroom.
"It's okay."
He turned over and groaned uncomfortably.
"You okay?"
"I feel like shit." He answered with another groan.
"Are you hungover?"
"Yes."
I looked at him sadly, even though he couldn't see because his back was to me now.
"Hang on, I'll be right back."
I went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and then back to the bedroom again, stopping off at the chair near the door to dig my bottle of Advil out of my purse. I took it over to the side of the bed and extended the bottle of water towards Edward.
"Here."
He opened his eyes and took the water from me, moving to prop himself up on his elbow.
"Thanks."
I opened the Advil bottle and shook two out into my palm. I held my hand out to him and took them, eagerly tossing them into his mouth. I watched as he washed them down with a gulp of water, proceeding to drain the entire bottle. He probably had cotton mouth. I knew that feeling after a night of drinking.
I took the empty bottle from him when he was finished and placed it on the bedside table, with the medicine bottle.
"That should help."
"Hopefully." He sighed.
"It will. You'll feel better when you wake up again."
I walked back around the bed to the other side and slipped between the sheets once more, scooting up behind Edward. I slid towards him until my body was against his, my chest to his back. I slipped one of my legs between his as I cuddled up to him and my arm around his waist, moving it up under his arm until my hand was at his chest. He moved his other arm to place his hand over mine, holding it against him. I kissed the back of his neck gently before nuzzling against him, taking in his warmth and breathing in his scent.
"You okay?" He asked suddenly, surprising me.
"Yeah." I answered softly. "I'm fine."
"Good."
I ran my free hand up into his hair, feeling the silkiness of it between my fingers. He sighed contently.
"Go back to sleep." I whispered.
I listened to his breathing grow slower and felt his heart beat against my hand on his chest. There, spooning him, I had everything I never knew I needed right there in my arms.
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When I woke again, around noon, we were once again in the same exact position we'd fallen asleep in. I had been woken by Edward moving in my arms, moving to get out of bed. I reached for him, not wanting to let go, and made a whining noise when my fingers slipped from him.
"Where are you going?" I asked groggily, not even opening my eyes.
"Bathroom." He grunted sleepily. "I'll be right back."
I yawned as I rolled onto my back, rubbing at my eyes. I felt super groggy, which I attributed to the fact that we had probably slept way too long. My muscles even felt stuff, and I couldn't help but moan a little as I lifted my arms above my head and stretched.
Suddenly, I was very aware of my own full bladder. I decided to get up and relieve myself as well. I walked into the giant bathroom just as Edward was exiting the toilet area. I smiled as I walked in after him.
I was blessed with a husband who actually put the toilet seat back down.
I went to wash my hands at one sink while Edward brushed his teeth at the other. We looked at each other in the mirror and I couldn't help but smile at the sleepy look in his eyes. It was rare that I actually got to see him right after he woke up. It was cute.
"How are you feeling?" I asked him as I went about preparing my own toothbrush.
He leaned forward to spit toothpaste into the sink.
"Much better than earlier. Hungry, though." He answered before beginning to rinse his mouth out.
"I could make you something." I offered.
He laughed as he straightened back up and put his toothbrush back in its place.
"I think I had my fill of grilled cheese sandwiches last night, thanks."
I blushed a little as I looked away. It was obvious that he was making a jab at the fact that I didn't know how to make anything else. It wasn't far from the truth, but it was the first time that I felt embarrassed about it.
At the time, I didn't know why I felt that way. I think maybe it was because I was just starting to feel like a real wife. Those feelings mixed with the fact that I really didn't know how to be domestic in any sense left me in a strange place.
Really, I was in a strange place in general. We were in a strange place. My relationship with Edward was at a crossroads of sorts. We'd transitioned from business partners to a great friendship and then from that to lovers. We were falling in love with each other, and that changed things. I felt like I was trying to find my footing again in this new relationship of ours, but I was so out of my element. I had never been in a real relationship before, much less one of such a deep magnitude. It was changing me, and although I didn't know it yet, I was in somewhat of a place of purgatory. I was still growing up, still finding myself, but now there was someone that I genuinely wanted to share my life with. I wanted to know how to do things for him, how to be a real wife to him.
I wanted to be better for him.
What a beautiful feeling that was.
"Hey, what has you thinking so hard first thing in the morning?"
I jumped when I felt Edward's arms encircle my waist from behind. I hadn't even noticed him move over behind me. I'd been so deep in thought, I was just standing there staring at my toothbrush.
"Nothing." I answered quickly before shoving my toothbrush into my mouth and beginning to brush vigorously.
"Okay, crazy." He turned his head to place a gentle kiss on my neck. "I'm gonna go make some coffee."
I nodded and watched in the mirror as he exited the bathroom.
A strange place Edward and I were in, indeed. We had totally skipped so many imperative stages of a natural relationship, and I wasn't even sure what I should feel that his relationship to me was. He was my husband, but if our relationship had began conventionally, we wouldn't be married at this point. We would be…well, dating.
I laughed a little as a spat some toothpaste into the sink. The thought of dating Edward just seemed weird. I couldn't imagine referring to him as my boyfriend. I figured we just weren't meant to start that way. Still, a part of me couldn't help but wonder if the way our relationship had begun was entirely healthy. Realistically, I knew that Edward and I would have to talk about the contract soon. That was another topic, however, that I figured should wait until we got home.
After I finished brushing my teeth I went back into the bedroom, over to Edward's suitcase, and stole one of his T-shirts to put on. As I sifted through his clothes, I found my iPod. I'd almost forgotten that I'd thrown it into his suitcase last minute while we were packing, along with my little speaker. I pulled them both out, taking them with me as I went to go find Edward.
The aroma of coffee brewing was rich in the air as I entered the kitchen. Edward was tying up a bag of bread and he looked up at me when I walked in.
"I've got toast going. Do you want eggs?"
"Yeah, sure." I went to put my little speaker on the counter and plug it in. "And for the record, I could have handled making toast."
"I never said you couldn't." He responded as he pulled a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator.
"Well you did make that comment about me not being able to make anything."
"That's not what I said."
"Might as well have."
He was quiet for a moment as he put a pan on the stove and turned on the gas.
"Did I offend you?" He asked simply.
One of the things I liked about Edward was that he was a no bullshit kinda guy. He was straight to the point, cut to the chase about everything.
"Not really." I answered ambiguously.
"Well, I'm sorry if I did at all."
"Thanks."
That was the advantage that he gained from said straightforwardness. He was no bullshit, always sincere, and it made it difficult to be mad or annoyed with him for such things.
"So, how do you want your eggs?"
"However you're making yours is fine."
I plugged in my iPod to the speaker and searched for something to put on. Because it just felt like that kind of day, I selected Led Zeppelin and set it to shuffle through all of their songs. The first song started and I went to search for a coffee cup. I was caught by surprise when suddenly, as the words to the song began; Edward began mumbling along with them.
"Wanna tell you 'bout the girl I love, my she looks so fine…" He began, muttering under his breath so lowly I almost couldn't hear him. "She's the only one that I've been dreamin' of, maybe someday she will be all mine…" I looked over at him, at the back of his head, totally surprised that he knew all the words to the song. "I wanna tell her that I love her so, I thrill with her every touch. I need to tell her she's the only one I really looo – oove…"
I continued to watch him with a big smile on my face. He probably thought that I hadn't even noticed his mumbled singing, but really, I found it adorable…and surprising, of course.
"I gotta woman, wanna bawl all day…"
"I ball all day." I interjected, grinning at him.
He started laughing throatily as he looked over his shoulder at me.
"Oh, yeah?" He asked, obviously amused.
"Why are you laughing at me?" I asked, starting to laugh myself.
"One, you're cute." I blushed at that. "Two, the context that you just meant that in is not at all what the context is in the song."
"Oh."
"And three, I don't think you want to relate yourself to this song at all, Bella."
"Why not?"
I had never paid close attention to the words, but from what I'd just heard Edward sing it sounded like a pretty sweet song.
"Well it's about an unfaithful, drunken whore."
"It is?"
"Yes."
I was quiet for a moment as I listened to a little more of the song. Sure enough, he was right. It had started out nice, but quickly turned into something depressing.
"I'm had no idea you were so knowledgeable about Led Zeppelin." I commented as I watched him slide some fried eggs onto a plate.
"My dad is a big fan."
"So was my dad. He's the whole reason I ever listened to them and put them on my iPod in the first place."
"I remember listening to their songs with my dad all the time when I was a kid." He answered.
I smiled, taking my coffee mug over to the pot as it finished its brewing.
"I like imagining what you were like as a kid." I said as I started filling my cup with steaming coffee.
Edward was such a powerful and authoritative man, it was difficult to imagine him as a child. It was fun to picture, though.
"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that I was a rather ordinary child."
The song began to change as I went to the refrigerator for my half and half and chocolate syrup. It was the song I'd been thinking of when I'd selected Led Zeppelin, one with a tropical sound to it that was perfect for our current environment.
"I find that hard to believe." I responded as I went back to my mug to fix my coffee up just the right way.
"I think your perception of me is greater than that of the rest of the world."
"I don't think so." I countered as I stirred my concoction. "I think your perception of yourself is just one of humility."
"Hmm. Interesting."
"What's interesting?"
"A thought I just had."
"What's that?"
"That I wonder how different the world would be if we all saw ourselves the way others do. Through the lens of love, for example."
I stopped stirring. My first impression of Edward wasn't a great one. But the way I saw him now…well, I'd never thought more highly of another person. I attributed that to simply getting to know him better, but maybe it was really because I was seeing him through a filter; lenses of love.
Before I could give any more attention to my train of thought, I was suddenly being turned around by Edward. He took my hands in his, pulling me into the middle of the kitchen, and then suddenly my body was against his. He held one of my hands in his while the other arm held me tightly around my waist, holding me to him. It took me a second to register what he was doing.
He was dancing with me.
I was so caught off guard that it took me a moment to begin to move with him, placing my hand on his shoulder. I laughed as he spun me around the room, the whimsical voice of Robert Plant crooning around us.
Oh…oh, oh, oh…oh, oh…
Every breath I take
Oh, oh…oh, oh
Oooh every move I make
Oh baby please, don't goooo
"What are you doing?" I laughed.
"Dancing with my wife. This is a good song… Zeppelin's take on reggae music."
I yelped in surprise when he dipped me suddenly. Once I was upright again he pulled me tight against his body.
"This is a sad song." I commented.
"It is, isn't it" He agreed.
"You, on the other hand, are in a very good mood this morning."
"Yes, yes I am." He answered, smiling down at me.
"I think we need to go away more often."
He leaned down to kiss me and I smiled against his lips.
"Yes, yes we do."
In a turn of events, since I had planned to spend every moment I could there, we didn't go out to the beach all day. Instead, we went back to bed.
And we talked.
We did nothing but talk all day. Edward told me stories from his childhood, and I told him stories from mine. He told me all about how he built his empire of wealth and power and I answered his questions about my parents; why they had broken up and how I'd never been very close to my mother. He told me all about his close relationship with his grandparents, everything he'd learned about business from his grandfather, and I shared with him the precious memories I had with my grandmother. We filled in the gaps; all the minute details that we didn't know about each other. Everything from the bones we'd broken to the sports we had played as kids.
We even talked about the future. He talked about investments that he wanted to make and businesses he was in the works of purchasing, which he planned to liquidate and sell off in pieces for profit. I talked about what I wanted to do after I graduated, and he spoke passionately about the potential he saw in me; the things that I could accomplish if I wanted success bad enough. He dreamed bigger dreams for me than I did for myself, and I wondered if he saw me through the same lenses that I saw him through.
Love.
.
.
.
.
Well rested from our day in bed, we spent the next and final two days of our vacation back on the beach. We swam. We lounged on the beach, under the sun. We talked. But the best moments were when we were quiet, just enjoying each other. My favorite time spent in the water was when Edward held me, my legs around his waist and my head on his shoulder. He waded through the water mindlessly, and although we didn't speak, we were completely aware of each other through touches. Every time he stroked my hair, every time I kissed the skin over his shoulder…it was all intentional communication; nonverbal expressions of the language of our hearts.
On our last night, Edward laid a sheet out on the beach again and we lay upon it as we gazed up at a full moon. We spoke about nothing of particular importance until we somehow ended up back on a topic of two days prior; a company he wanted to buy and break apart for a profit he hoped would be in millions.
"Isn't that a big risk?" I asked, my eyes remaining fixed on the sky above. "I mean, I know it's something you've done several times before. But doesn't it worry you that you'll end up losing money?"
"Risk is the fastest way to making money."
"It doesn't make you nervous?"
"I never invest money I couldn't live without."
"Well, that's smart."
"Risk and reward is a part of who I am, anyway. It's what I do. It's how I've made most of my money."
"Oh."
"And I don't just practice the theory in business, but in my personal life as well."
"How so?"
"Well, look at you, for example."
I turned my head to look over at him curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"You're my greatest risk of all."
"I am?"
"Yes. Of course. Asking you to marry me was a huge risk, and not just monetary. I brought you into my home, into my personal life. It could have gone very badly."
I contemplated that for a moment.
"Yeah, I guess so."
He turned his head to look at me, his emerald eyes rich as his gaze met mine.
"You're also my biggest reward."
Blood rushed to my cheeks.
"That's a really sweet thing to say."
"It's the truth. When I fashioned the agreement that I proposed to you I knew, specifically, the way that I hoped it would pan out. I knew what I wanted this relationship to look like. Reality, however, has surpassed my most optimistic conceptions."
My heart fluttered.
"Mine, too." I responded.
"I was nervous about our agreement at first, you know." He admitted. "But it's become the single most significant decision I've ever made. The best decision."
"Me, too." I felt I didn't have significant enough words to offer him, but I knew I had to give him something more. "I was nervous at first, too. I almost said no. But I'm so glad I said yes. I feel lucky."
He lifted his hand to stroke along my jaw line with his thumb.
"Luck isn't enough to be responsible for bringing you to me. Divine intervention is a possibility. Not luck."
I sighed as I reached up to take his hand.
"How do you always know the perfect thing to say?"
"Because I'm speaking to you with blatant honesty."
"But the way you say things…"
"What do you mean?"
"You have a way with words that stuns me."
"Hmm." He hummed thoughtfully. "Before you, I was a man of few words. I guess you've changed me."
"Maybe."
"It's peculiar, the way people can change you. We go through life meeting and interacting with so many people…" His eyes shifted away from the gaze they held with mine. "…faceless, insignificant people. And then one day one of them stands out; color in a backdrop of black and white. And then they color your whole world. Or maybe it's always color, and they just make you see it differently."
"Am I color?" I whispered so softly I wasn't entirely sure if I'd even said it aloud or simply thought it to myself.
He looked at me again, his face harsh with the lines of consuming thought.
"You weren't when I first met you."
"And now?"
He inhaled sharply as his body visibly relaxed with the physical release of what he revealed in his answer.
"Brighter than the sun, Bella."
The way he looked at me then, I knew exactly what he meant days before when he spoke about seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. I knew what he meant about looking at each other through a lens of love. Love was a lens that filtered out everything bad. After all, isn't the whole essence of being in love with someone that you completely disregard all of their faults? A filter of love could buffer out all flaws, allowing us to see only the good side of someone.
I knew what he meant because I saw it in the way that he looked at me. I saw the way that he looked at me, and in his eyes I saw what he saw; the beauty of everything good in me.
It was the same thing I saw in him.
"Edward…"
We moved to kiss each other at the same time, our lips meeting hungrily. I wanted to consume him, to pull him inside of me and absorb him. My hands pulled at him frantically, as I wasn't able to press my body to his as closely as I needed to. Even once he was over me, my hands continued to pull at him…pull him onto me, into me, however I could.
I wanted to scream at the slightly younger and much more naïve version of myself that first met Edward. I wanted to yell at her for being so cynical. I wanted to tell her, to tell her that she just didn't know. She didn't know what love was. She knew the love of a daughter. She knew the love of a friend. She didn't know the kind of love that I did, now. She didn't know the kind of love that made you want to rip out your heart and hand it to someone because they'd made you realize that it was never yours in the first place, it was theirs.
His.
Edward's.
"Why are you crying?" He breathed against my lips.
I hadn't realized I was, not until he'd said that. But sure enough, two slow and heavy tears had escaped my eyes.
"I…I don't…" I shook my head as I pulled him closer against me still. "Please, just…just kiss me…"
He kissed me again, his tongue moving against mine this time. I felt him. I tasted him. I breathed him in, but it still wasn't enough. I needed him in me, because I needed to be whole.
I broke our kiss only long enough to pull his shirt off of him, tossing it carelessly aside. His hands snaked up my own shirt to caress my bare breast and I shivered as I moaned into his mouth. He settled between my legs and I felt the hardness of him through his shorts, against my center.
I felt almost panicked in my haste to get him inside of me. Foreplay wasn't even in my vocabulary. The idea of it didn't make sense to me. He was the other half of my body. I needed no foreplay. I just needed him where he belonged.
Our kiss broke a second time as both of our hands worked to remove my own shirt. I cried out when my bare nipples met his stone chest.
"Please…" I begged.
His body parted from mine, just inches, but miles too far. I was just about to protest when I realized he was removing his shorts, and I figured I should use the time wisely to remove my own. I slid out of my panties with them, kicking both garments off past my feet and out of my mind. They could be taken by the ocean, I didn't care.
I parted my legs for him to settle between as I pulled him to me once more. Relief washed over me that we were both completely naked. I detested the thought of clothing, of anything that would keep his body from me.
His erection poked at my thigh and I shifted myself towards it, my body moving in relation to his like a magnet, eager to take him in. It was instinct. He pushed himself up onto his hands, in a push up position, to allow him to look down between us as he aimed himself to penetrate me. I looked up at his face as my hands stroked his arms from his wrists up his forearms, over his biceps and back down again. I wanted to touch him everywhere, anywhere I could reach.
"Please…please…please…" I chanted as I watched him, my eyes still on his face.
His chest heaved up and down with his forceful breathing. His hips rolled forward just enough for the tip of his erection to make contact with my folds and just that was enough to set body off in sparks. I felt like I was literally buzzing with electricity, like an electric fence. I needed him like I needed air.
"Unh – " He grunted as he began to penetrate me.
I felt myself stretching to take him in and my toes curled. I gasped for air. I felt every cell, every atom of him as he entered me. My body pulled at him as my hands did, with need. I cried out as my hands squeezed his forearms, my fingers digging into his flesh.
"Take me…" I moaned.
Still looking down to observe our joining, he watched the entirety of his length penetrate my body with one smooth roll of his hips. I cried out loudly, hoarsely. He looked back up at my face then and there was fire in his eyes, a burning need that seemed to reflect what I was feeling inside. His balls rested against me and I felt him, felt all of him, inside of me. He filled me; giving me a completeness I could only ever know from the body that was made to fit mine. I was a vice around him, milking him of anything I could take.
Normally, in this position Edward would remain with his weight on his hands in a push up position. Tonight, that was way too far away from me. I pulled at him until he caught on and dropped himself down onto his forearms, so that I could reach all of him. My hands grabbed at his back. My lips attacked his in a desperate kiss.
When he began to move, I realized the benefits of this position versus the very slight modified way we would normally do it. As his erection moved in and out of my body, his pelvic bone moved right against my clit. I moaned loudly into his mouth as my inner muscles squeezed at him, and I knew immediately that one slight difference was a game changer.
I bent my knees, pulling my legs up just slightly higher, and he slipped impossibly deeper on his next pass into me. We both cried out in response and my nails dug into his back.
"Hard…" I instructed breathlessly.
He knew what I meant, and he obeyed me. He thrust into me with a force that had him grunting on every pass, and me whimpering. We fell into a quick but intense rhythm, and my body responded more quickly than ever before. I don't know if it was the double stimulation, the fervor with which I hungered for him, or my newly realized feelings for him, but my body melted for him. I was a moaning, whimpering, groaning mess. I was so wet that I felt it on my inner thighs and beads of sweat were forming on my forehead even though he was doing all of the work.
"Baby…" He breathed as his forehead touched mine and our eyes met.
"You…" I whimpered breathlessly. "You are my color…you are my light…" He inhaled sharply but didn't miss a beat as my hands held his face. "You are everything…"
His pelvic bone rubbed against my clit just one more time and that's all it took. In less than five minutes of intercourse, I was orgasming.
I fought to keep my eyes open, to hold his gaze, as I cried out. A rush of heat crashed through my body. Every muscle in my body tensed. I rippled around him inside of me and he cursed under his breath. My nails dug harder into his back and I wasn't sure if the look that broke over his face was from pleasure or pain.
He started to slow as I came down from my climax and I shook my head at him as I panted.
"No, no…keep going…keep going…"
And he did.
We did.
For hours.
.
.
.
.
The next morning was a sad one. It was the day that we were leaving the island, and even the sky seemed a little more grey in a perfect reflection of my mood. I stood on the beach, looking out over the water one last time as Edward finished packing his bags inside, and tried to take a mental picture of it in my mind so that I would never forget.
I heard him approaching from behind, but I didn't turn around. I just stood there and waited until I felt his presence next to me.
"What are you doing just standing out here?"
"Just looking...one last time." I answered gloomily.
"Are you really that sad to leave?" He asked me quietly.
"Yes."
I didn't understand then exactly why I was so heartbroken to leave, but the truth was that I had changed on that island. My life had changed on that island, in just the one week I spent there. You see, I went to that island falling in love with Edward.
I was leaving that island utterly, irrevocably, and maddeningly in love with him.
"Don't be sad. We can come back."
"Promise?"
"Of course."
"Okay."
He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, and I turned towards him to hug him. I wrapped my arms around his middle and nuzzled against him, resting my head against his chest. I closed my eyes and listened to the soft thumping of his heartbeat as his warmth enveloped me. And then, it hit me. I wasn't leaving anything behind on that island, not really. My memories I would have forever and even those weren't the most precious things I'd gained there. The best thing that had come from my time there was the deeper connection I'd created with Edward.
And that, I was taking with me.
.
.
.
.
***PLEASE READ***
The first Led Zeppelin song referenced was "Hey, hey, what can I do"
The second was "D'yer Mak'er"
Also, the song "Colorblind" By Counting Crows inspired everything at the end, at night on the beach. I promise if you listen to it while reading that part, it will totally enhance the experience, as I listened to it while writing it. I STRONGLY encourage it.
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A/N:
As I said above, Please note that this is an EARLY update, not an EXTRA update. Meaning, the next update will still be another two weeks from now. This one just came early!
Also, you guys have completely spoiled me with sharing your favorite parts with me. You don't know how giddy it makes me to hear which parts gave you chills or made your heart flutter. So please, continue with this chapter! It inspires me, truly.
Follow me on Twitter JennaRayFF, where I tweet about sex and the shit I'm watching on TV! :D