Disclaimer - I don't own Twilight or the original characters...but you already knew that.

Thanks go out to Keye for the prereads and Rita01TX who keeps me going and my words in line.

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Chapter 28

BPOV

The cool breeze chilled my skin to gooseflesh as Edward accelerated the bike out of Newton's parking lot onto the main street making good on his promise to take my breath away. Terrified and thrilled, I spread my fingers wide, gripping the smooth leather of his jacket to hold myself as close as possible.

This was my teenage fantasy come true. I was finally on the back of the Harley, all my most intimate parts…my inner thighs, crotch and breasts pressed tightly against his hard, leather clad back.

I'd never felt so alive, as if every synapse in my body was firing at once…exhilaration, excitement and sexual desire heightened by the wind whipping past as well as the vibrations and low rumble of the powerful machine beneath us.

Edward handled the bike like it was an extension of his body, effortlessly leaning into the curves as we sped along. I couldn't see the speedometer past his broad shoulders but we must've been hitting close to seventy by the time the buildings of the town gave way to the tree lined asphalt of the open road. He'd told me to move with him and, although every instinct screamed for me to lean the opposite way and keep myself upright on the bends, I grit my teeth and pressed closer, forcing my body to stay in line with his.

His face was hidden from me by the bulk of our helmets but I suspected he'd be grinning, enjoying the chance to show off his skills. If he were my boyfriend, would this be his preferred way for us to travel, leaving my truck behind in favor of this black leather saddle? If it meant getting to body hug him like this, I was all for it.

Edward Cullen, my boyfriend...the concept sent shivers down my spine. The man he had become was sexy as hell, all masculine, strong and ruggedly handsome. Inside the sanctity of the helmet, I had no idea what he smelled like. He didn't seem the type to wear aftershave nor spend longer preening himself in the bathroom than any woman and I doubted grooming played a big part in prison life, either. No, he was simply clean, his clothes freshly laundered. Still, I couldn't imagine he'd shy away from hard work so I decided he would smell of man…soap and musk. Soapy, wet, naked, musky Edward! Oh, God, a delicious, tingly warmth pooled between my legs, the kind that could only be cured by friction being applied directly to the affected area.

Groaning softly, I bit my bottom lip until it almost bled. Since dry humping him on the back of a speeding motorcycle wasn't an option, I turned my head to the side instead, resting it against his shoulders. My eyelids closed as I squirmed around a little trying to get comfortable in this new position. Inadvertently rubbing my swollen clit on the stitching of the saddle, my thighs jerked and clenched under his and, for a split second, I felt the bike wobble.

Shit. Everything snapped back into perspective. I was getting swept away under the magical spell of the speeding Harley. Edward was only being kind by offering to give me a ride home and it meant nothing more to him. How could it when he already had a girlfriend…Tanya. Was I wearing her helmet? I doubted she'd be pleased he had another girl on the back of his bike. A sour taste in my mouth had me feeling foolish for thinking he might ever be anything more than a casual acquaintance. Slowly, I released the grip on his waist, pulling my hands back to lay my palms flat on my thighs. Edward noticed immediately, his head twisting back a couple of times as he strained to see me, our headgear bumping together.

There were no intercoms in our helmets and the wind would carry his words away if he tried to shout but I felt the bike begin to slow as he eased off the throttle and steered us to a stop by the side of the highway.

Resting the bike on its kickstand, he twisted around on the saddle, flicked open his chin strap and pulled the helmet just high enough to speak without removing it completely and, after a bit of fiddling, I clumsily flipped up my visor.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, his face scrunched up as he squinted against the bright sunshine. "Was I going too fast?"

"No, it was fine," I answered flatly, managing a weak smile.

"But you let go of me."

What could I say? That I was enjoying a lovely fantasy about being his girlfriend and humping him on the bike before I remembered he already had one. Looking into the calm depths of his magnetic green eyes, I felt like a silly, pubescent schoolgirl so I lied.

"I was...cold."

His face softened as his eyes took in my bare arms and legs.

"Fuck," he muttered and my eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't think...I should have, I'm sorry."

He stood up on the footrests and yanked the zipper down on his jacket. Before I could protest, he was already stripping himself out of it and draping it around my shoulders. In spite of myself, I melted into the blissful warmth left inside by the residual heat from his body.

"Thank you," I said softly. The garment was far too big on me and I struggled to poke my hands out the bottom of the sleeves before doubling over the front flaps. Forgetting he was watching, I closed my eyes and deeply inhaled its scent…aromatic leather and a hint of citrus.

So he did wear aftershave after all.

My eyes fluttered open and caught him watching me, his gaze roaming over my spread legs and I realized he could probably see the lace panties I was wearing under this hitched up, stretched out skirt. For one second, I held my breath. Would he be inflamed by passion and make a move? God's mercy, I wouldn't resist if he did.

I watched the rise and fall of his chest inside the tight fitting white t-shirt, the way his jaw flexed, his hands curled into tight fists and when he slowly licked along his bottom lip, I felt like I would burst from the tension.

"I'd better get you home."

And there they were…five softly spoken little words that instantly deflated me. I guess it made him the good guy, not cheating on his girlfriend by giving in to temptation when it was quite literally laid out before him. All the same, it stung.

He took a few seconds to get situated on the saddle before deciding he was comfortable enough to get us moving again and I reluctantly slid my arms back in position around his firm waist.

It wasn't a long ride back to the small wooden house I called home. The driveway was empty and Edward gunned the short distance before bringing the Harley to a halt close to the porch. I sighed inside my helmet before clumsily dismounting.

How he could make it look so effortless, I didn't know. Me, I stumbled off like I'd had one too many vodka cocktails. He watched with his mirrored visor down and, from the way his shoulders shook, it looked like he was laughing at me.

"It's not funny," I grumbled, yanking my skirt down before fumbling with both the overlong sleeves of his jacket and the chin strap I was having trouble unclipping.

"Yes it is," he chuckled, pulling his own helmet free in one smooth move. "I've never seen anyone look so adorable in leather."

Holy crap! This man dazzled me without even trying. Failing to notice the effect his words had on me, he rolled his shoulders back before slipping off the bike and rummaging in the saddlebags for my groceries.

After setting the bags down on the porch, he swiftly came to my aid, his fingers nimbly working to undo the buckle under my chin. There, with only an inch or so of space between our bodies, I was hyper aware of his height and physique. Slowly easing the helmet off, my eyes met his.

"There you are," he murmured gently, holding my gaze as I used my palms to brush a few stray strands of hair from my face.

"Here I am," I replied.

His eyes dipped lower, glancing at the jacket before lifting back to my face.

"I meant it, you know. You look damn fine in my jacket."

My fingers stretched out and brushed the soft cotton of his t-shirt, stroking the firm muscle beneath. Suddenly, I couldn't care less if he had a girlfriend or whether she'd be pissed off if she found out. Riveted by the deep bob of his Adam's apple, I watched him swallow hard and lick his lips.

This was it, the moment I'd waited almost seven years for. Edward Cullen was going to lean forward to kiss me and I was going to enjoy the hell out of it. I lifted my chin a little higher, closed my eyes and opened my lips slightly in invitation for the touch of his own, but he didn't move. His muscles tensed beneath my hand as he seemed to resist what I considered the inevitable.

"Uh, Ella, we can't do this," he whispered, his eyes scrunched up like he was in pain.

"Tanya," I sighed bitterly and he frowned.

"Tanya?" he repeated looking baffled, my over-active pheromones clearly giving him amnesia.

"Yes, Tanya. Your girlfriend, remember?" I reminded him perhaps a little too sarcastically.

"Wait wait wait! You think Tanya and I..." I could almost hear the cogs turning before he laughed. "Ahhh, because she was in the bar."

I nodded.

"Ella, she's only a friend. I'm single."

"Then why didn't you kiss me?" It made no sense.

He pursed his lips.

"Because your father is the Chief of Police and I'm an ex-con. He wouldn't want you to..."

Sick to the back teeth of other people telling me what I could and couldn't do, I rolled my eyes. Damn it, I was twenty-two years of age and if Edward Cullen was available and felt any small part of the attraction I felt for him, it was now or never.

I silenced him by stretching up on my tiptoes and yanking his face toward mine. Startled at being manhandled, he dropped the helmet at my feet. As soon as our lips connected, he loosened up, his hands sliding around my hips to draw me close.

Oh. My. God! It was every bit as good as I'd imagined. Lips sweet and soft, nose chilled from the ride his large, warm hands cupped my ass, stroking and gently squeezing. I wasted no time letting my fingers twist through his thick hair. Things turned a little clumsy when he broke away to change the angle of the kiss and our teeth clashed causing us both to chuckle. I supposed it was to be expected he'd be out of practice.

"What the fuck is going on?"

My father's bellowing voice popped my bubble of bliss. Edward pulled away as I wiped my lips on the back of my hand surreptitiously.

"Chief Swan, I was..." Edward started but Charlie cut him off.

"Oh, I can see what you were doing. Now take your hands off my daughter and get the hell out of my yard," he ranted, his face beet red and furious.

Edward eyed him calmly. The sight of my father thundering up in his uniform, gun belt on show, would have been enough to make any man run away screaming in panic…not Edward. He stood his ground with jaws clenched, his face impassive.

For one split second, I was truly afraid Dad was going to draw his piece but he turned his anger on me instead.

"I told you I didn't want you getting mixed up with that boy," he snapped.

Edward's eyes flickered over to me. Under any other circumstances, having him know I'd already discussed my interest in him would be mortifying. Strangely, today it wasn't.

"You can't tell me what to do. I'm a grown woman," I yelled back.

"I can and I will. I'm your father."

Throwing my hands up in exasperation, I retaliated.

"What? The few minutes a day when you're not out working or fishing or spending time with your buddies."

"Get in the house," he snarled through gritted teeth. "I'll talk to you later."

I crossed my arms over my chest defiantly, figuring if Edward could stand firm, so could I. He shook his head and turned his attention back to Edward.

"You still here?"

Edward ignored the spitting ball of fury that was my outraged father and turned to me.

"Are you going to be okay, Ella?" he asked calmly, no hint of fear in his voice, and I nodded. At the end of the day, Charlie was my father and, while he was hardly what you'd call attentive, he'd never raised a hand to me and I didn't expect he ever would.

Satisfied by my response, Edward bent slowly to pick up the discarded helmet, without taking his eyes off my father.

"I'm not gonna tell you again…plant your ass back on that bike and get the fuck off my property. I don't want you anywhere near my daughter. She might not see what you are but I do."

Edward stiffened visibly and I desperately hoped this wasn't going to boil over into a fist fight.

"You don't have to go," I shouted as Edward climbed back on the saddle.

"It'll be easier all around if I do," he said, pulling on his helmet, the visor hiding his face from me.

"Good riddance," my father muttered, stomping past me into the house as Edward revved the bike and pulled away.

Feeling like he'd taken a piece of me with him, I watched until he was out of sight before storming up the porch steps and into the house.

Dad was in the kitchen pouring coffee into a thermos with a face set like stone.

"I can't believe you threw him out like that. He only gave me a ride home."

"Yeah, I saw what he was giving you," he said calmly, one eyebrow raised.

"I kissed him!" I spat the words, wanting to make an impact. "I'm not a kid anymore, Dad. You can't expect me to be chained to this house for the rest of my life. I want things, too."

It was about time he realized I was a grown woman. A woman who wanted what everyone else had…romance and a little fun. In a nutshell, I wanted a life.

"I know," he sighed, his shoulders relaxing before calmly adding. "I just don't want to see you with someone who's only going to bring you heartache."

"How can you even know that?" I protested.

"Because I've seen it a hundred times. Being inside changes a man, makes them unpredictable."

I wanted to argue but what did I really know about the workings of Edward's mind? I hardly knew him and, if my father had his way, I never would.

"What about that Newton guy?"

"Mike?!" I exclaimed in horror, maybe throwing up a little in my mouth at the prospect.

"Sure, why not? He always seemed sweet on you. You could do worse."

"Really? Well at least Edward hasn't tried to get me to put my hand down his pants."

Blushing, I cringed at being so blunt with my father, especially since the thought of slipping a hand down Edward's jeans was so much more appealing. Charlie's eyes widened but, thankfully, he didn't ask for more details. Turning away with an urgent need for some space to clear my head and think, I headed upstairs to the calm of my bedroom.

"And I don't like you being on the back of his bike, either. The damned thing doesn't look roadworthy to me," he called out to my retreating back.

Biting my lip to stop myself unleashing a torrent of curse words, I didn't bother answering. Instead, I let my feet show my annoyance by stomping hard on each step like a petulant child.

Reaching my bedroom, I slammed the door shut and slumped against it. The rational part of my brain could understand why he'd be concerned about me getting close to a convicted criminal. However, my heart screamed that this was Edward, someone I'd known for years and who came from an otherwise decent family.

His temper was what had landed him inside but it hadn't escaped my notice he'd shown remarkable restraint when both Mike Newton and my father had antagonized him. Surely that was a good thing, a sign he wasn't as dangerous as Dad would have me believe. Hell, he'd even resisted kissing me until I'd literally attacked him...

My stomach clenched at the memory of his lips on mine.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I stroked the supple leather of Edward's jacket and sniffed at the collar finding the scent comforting.

Whether Charlie liked it or not, I would be seeing Edward Cullen again, if only to return his jacket.

Well, they finally got their hands on each other...even if it wasn't for long.

See you next week.

Claire x