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. ©2011 PeppahLouie. All rights reserved worldwide.


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CHAPTER 29 – PAY UP, PIXIE

"Don't even think about coming back, Renee – I just erased your code. The alarm will turn on in thirty minutes. When that happens, you'd best be elsewhere."

Bella

As soon as I'm inside Edward's door, I pull out my phone and call my bank. Thankfully, my advisor is at her desk and is able to look up the status of the transfer immediately. After some frustrating security questions that I normally appreciate but at the moment are hindering my progress, she places me on hold for an extremely long minute.

"Miss Swan?"

"Yes?"

"Your transfer is in the queue and should be complete this afternoon. Are you absolutely sure you wish to cancel the transaction?"

"I am one hundred and fifty percent sure. Please process the cancellation immediately, and can you provide me with a confirmation number?"

Alice hands me a pen and paper to record the number.

"Do you have any specific instructions for these funds, Miss Swan? Did you want to reinvest?"

"Yes, please reinvest one hundred thousand. The rest I would like to keep in my chequing account for now."

"Would you be able to drop by this afternoon to sign the authorization?"

"Yes, I'll be there in an hour or so."

"Hah!" I exclaim as I end the call.

Alice is staring at me, wide-eyed. "Bella, I know this is none of my business, but how much were you going to give her?"

I glance at Edward, who shrugs.

"She asked me for two hundred thousand dollars. It took the bank a few days to make the cash available."

"Holy shit."

"You know what? I'm hungry... adrenalin seems to do that to me. I need lunch, and then I have to go to the bank and sign some papers. Who wants to come with?"

Edward pulls me into his arms. "I'm definitely up for lunch."

"You guys go ahead. I'm going to stay here and do some laundry... and be available to turn off the alarm in case Renee doesn't make her deadline."

"Oh Alice, that's not right... we'll stay until she's gone. You need lunch too."

"No way, Bells. You have dealt with enough today. Let me take care if it... I'm sure Renee will be gone shortly. And besides, you two need some couple time. Go get one of those secret greasy cheeseburgers. There's lots here for me to eat, and I could do with some quiet time – I rarely get the place to myself. Go on, now... get out of here before she leaves so you don't have to see her again."

Edward takes my hand and smiles, jerking his head to indicate we should go. I give Alice a quick one-armed hug and follow him out. Thank goodness I remembered to grab my purse when we left my loft.

There's no sign of Renee in the hall or stairwell, nor on the street. Edward guides me to the Cayenne and opens the passenger door, leaning in to kiss me softly before I climb into the seat. "I'm proud of you, Bella. That took strength and courage."

When he gets in the driver seat, I turn to him. "Edward, I'm so sorry you had to tolerate my mother making a pass at you. I feel so embarrassed by her behaviour. I mean, I did notice her ogling Carlisle and Emmett, but she seemed to just look, you know? Oh god! Do you think she tried something aggressive with them, too?"

Edward starts the car and pulls out. "Bella, let's go through the drive through. There are some things I want to tell you, and I don't think it should be in the restaurant."

Oh no. This can't be good. "You're freaking me out, now. Forget lunch for the moment. Pull over and tell me."

"Okay, let me just get us there – it's only a couple of blocks away." We ride in silence, then pull into a parking space in the In-N-Out lot. Turning off the engine, Edward turns to face me.

"I'm just going to tell you everything I know, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it."

I nod. "Thank you. Please continue."

"Seven years ago, when my folks were in Port Angeles and met your father, Renee showed up unexpectedly one night and joined the three of them for dinner at my parents' place. She asked Charlie for money. We don't know if he gave her any or not. He asked her if she was going to go to Forks to see you and she said why should she as she had already had her two weeks with you that year."

I'm stunned. As far as I knew, my mother had not been back to the Olympic Peninsula between the time she left us and when she returned for the funerals. Before this past week, I would have been hurt that she didn't come to see me. Now, not so much.

Edward continues. "The next evening, my mother got home from grocery shopping to find Renee with her blouse open trying to seduce my father in their kitchen. Mom slapped her and told her to leave. They never saw Renee again until the pool party last week."

I feel physically sick. "Oh my god, that's... that's... disgusting! Edward I'm mortified."

"Please don't be, Bella. You're not responsible for anything she ever did. My parents didn't want you to know because they didn't want you to be mortified. They also never told Charlie for the same reason."

"Carlisle and Esme are amazing. But I'm still embarrassed. I should not have brought Renee to their house."

"Bella, Alice and I both offered to not go to the party so we could keep Renee away. My parents wouldn't hear of it. They were willing to move past an old mistake and give Renee a second chance. After all, people can change a lot in seven years."

"Apparently not my mother. All it seemed to do for her was give her the seven year itch."

He laughs sardonically and continues. "At the pool party, Renee asked me if I ever took girlfriends into the trails in the woods behind the house. I told her in high school there were a couple but that Emmett was much more the ladies man and had taken his fair share of girls down there. She then tried to get me and Emmett to take her into the woods together, ostensibly to show her the trails and the beach. I can't be certain, but I strongly suspect she was trying to instigate a threesome. I told her that Alice knew the trails better than any of us, but when I asked Alice to take her down there, Renee suddenly didn't want to deal with the bushes and rough terrain. She said she was clumsy and that you got your clumsiness from her. Just then, you brought a tray of drinks out to the patio and I pointed out that you were beautiful and graceful." He gives me a sweet smile.

"Thank you for that. Is there more?"

"She was very keen on staying in the kitchen to help Dad, Em and me clean up after dinner, but Rose and Mom insisted she go to the living room with you ladies. They practically dragged her out there."

I shake my head. "Jesus."

"There's one more thing... and this may make you very angry, but I don't want any secrets between us, Bella. You, and the honesty of our relationship, are far too precious to me."

I nod, bracing myself. Please, please, please don't let it be that Carlisle or Emmett... or god forbid, Edward, gave in to her.

"Alice engineered the situation this morning that allowed you to witness Renee's behaviour first hand. I started to figure out she was up to something when she texted me to pretend our stove was broken and go over to your place to make lunch... I became a willing participant in the deception."

"Your stove isn't broken?"

"No. Alice needed an excuse to get me in your kitchen for when Renee got back. She didn't leave a note because she wanted Renee to think you were safely tucked away in our loft. She banked on Renee taking the opportunity of you being gone to make a pass at me."

"So you were bait... willingly?"

He nods.

"And Renee's phone – it didn't accidentally fall out of her bag at the spa, did it?"

He shakes his head.

"Bella, I really hope you aren't angry with Alice or me, but I do understand if you are. Just let me say this: during these past few days, you appeared to be getting closer and closer to your mother, yet she continued to look at me suggestively and say inappropriate things when you couldn't hear. When you were at the clinic with Dad and Rose on Saturday, she asked me to come over to talk. When she opened the door, she was in a very short, low cut nighty. I told her I had to go check on something at the restaurant and I'd talk to her later. Of course, I never did, and she didn't bring it up again."

Thinking back to Saturday, I remember it was a crazy busy day at the clinic. Carlisle gave me my Depo shot after all the patients were gone and I didn't get home until two o'clock. Renee was cranky when I was late, but also told me she'd slept in until just before I walked in the door. I'm starting to wonder if she's ever spoken the truth to me... if she's even capable of being completely honest.

Edward's voice regains my attention. "I shared this with Alice, because frankly, I didn't know how to broach the subject with you. I didn't know how strong a hold Renee might have over you, and I sure as hell didn't want to hurt you or lose you. And Bella... Alice's actions this morning were deceptive, yes. But she acted out of love for you and me. I believe she felt it would be easier on you if you witnessed Renee in action versus simply being told stories that might sound misconstrued."

"Huh."

"Huh?"

"I wonder how Alice knows about our In-N-Out burger addiction?"

He gives me his beautiful, wide, crinkly-eyed, happy smile. "Well, she is fairly perceptive."

"Damned omniscient pixie."

Reaching out, I pull him to me and kiss him hard, needing to feel his lips crush mine, to taste his tongue. He grasps the back of my head and obliges.

After a few moments, I remember where we are and what I have to do. I pull away gently, leaning my forehead against his. "Let's go in and eat. I'll get a table and call Alice while you get our food."

"Your wish is my command, m'lady." Oh I love that sexy smirk.

Sliding into a booth, I pull out my phone.

"Hi Bella."

"Hi Alice. Is she gone?"

"Yes, I watched her leave through the peephole a while ago."

Searching for one last shred of possible redemption for the woman who gave me life, I ask, "How did she look? Was she upset, crying?"

"Um... no. She actually looked rather pleased with herself, but angry at the same time. I was really worried, so when I saw her get into a cab out front, I went to check your apartment. I was concerned that she might have done some damage. But everything looked okay."

I feel the last thin strand of connection break. "I see."

"I'm so sorry, Bella."

"Edward told me everything... including how this morning's events came to play out as they did."

"I imagine we need to talk, then. If you can stand to be in my presence, that is."

"Alice, you're my best friend and I love you. Yes, we need to talk. But please don't think that I don't understand your motivation. I know you were acting out of concern for me. Edward is coming with our food. I'll see you later this afternoon, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Bells."

"Was that Alice?" Edward slides into the booth next to me and leans in to kiss my cheek.

"Mm-hm. Renee is gone. Alice said she looked pleased with herself and angry at the same time. She also checked to see if everything was intact inside my loft – it's all good." I sniff and blink back a tear.

He slips his arm around me and hugs me to his side. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"She wasn't even upset when she left, Edward. What kind of person is she?"

"She is a very selfish person who is hopelessly blind to the incredible gift she was given... and by that I mean you. I know it's hard, love, but you need to let her go now. She's made her choices. And trust me when I say this – she's too heavy a burden to carry."

I consider his words, realizing that he himself only recently discovered the freedom of cutting an anchor loose. I can learn from Edward's experience. I don't have to let Renee weigh me down... I don't have to become bitter because of her. In fact, I can use this whole situation as a reminder to cherish the people who do love me. My revelation lightens my heart considerably.

I turn to look, really look, at the incredible man sitting next to me. Sexy, tousled hair, thick eyebrows made for brooding, long eyelashes, the most uniquely green eyes I have ever seen – they make my heart skip a beat – high cheekbones, red lips, chiseled jaw and day-old scruff. He is truly the most handsome man I have ever seen. But inside all of that wonderful wrapping is a beautiful person whose soul has intertwined with my own irreversibly. He's mine. The thought makes me giddy. Reaching up, I place my hand against his cheek.

"I love you, Edward. I'm so very grateful to have you in my life."

His eyes twinkle as he breaks into a stunning smile and he pulls my hand from his cheek to his lips. "And I love you, Isabella. More than I thought possible."

Alice

"Emmett and I are coming over. We're bringing booze, lawn chairs and hotdogs – tell Edward to make sure the charcoal is ready. We need to party."

Rose is right. We all need something to lighten the mood, especially Bella.

When I hear Edward and Bella on the landing outside the door, I go out to greet them.

"Hey Bells... you still talking to me?"

She looks at me with a poker face for a long moment, then steps toward me holding out her arms. I jump into her hug.

"Oh Alice, of course I'm still talking to you. I understand why you did it... you were actually quite ingenious. You played Renee perfectly. And I did need to witness her in action, especially after the way she played me all week. She was really starting to draw me in."

"I'm so relieved, Bella. I was afraid you would think I was no better than Renee."

"Well, that would be hypocritical of me, considering you and I played Edward in a similar way to get him to notice me."

Edward, who has been hanging back to let us have our moment, steps forward. "What's this?"

Turning to my brother, Bella comes clean. "Um, Rose, Alice and I were in cahoots to get you to notice me. We staged the whole you walking in on me adjusting my stockings thing. Oh yeah, and Alice coached me on how to handle our conversation on the roof the night I made butter chicken – that was total manipulation."

Edward's eyebrows are reaching for the ceiling. "Is that so?"

Bella nods. "Yep. As long as were coming clean, I figured I should tell you."

And of course, my big brother, being the awesome guy that he is, simply breaks into a huge smile and pulls her into his arms. "Well thank goodness. If you hadn't done, I might still be brooding in my room trying to read War and Peace or something."

Bella turns, still in Edward's arms, and pulls me into their hug. "Okay, you two. Let's make a pact, right here, right now. No more 'playing' each other. We love and trust each other enough to be able to talk about anything... agreed?"

Edward and I nod in unison, and we all tighten our embrace.

"Oh, guess what! Rose and Emmett are coming over this evening. Rose said, and I quote, 'We're bringing booze, lawn chairs and hotdogs – tell Edward to make sure the charcoal is ready. We need to party.' Are you two up for it?"

Bella is the first to respond. "Alice, that sounds perfect. I totally need to let loose."

We turn to look at Edward. "I'll be wherever you are, babe. If that's on the roof, so be it."

Bella nods. "Excellent. Now, let's go see if we can figure out why Renee looked so smug when she left."

As we enter her loft, Bella sniffs the air. "I can still smell her perfume. Let's open some windows."

Bella climbs the stairs and heads to her closet.

"Huh."

"What, sweetheart?" Edward ascends to see what Bella has discovered.

"A few of my dresses are missing."

Shit. "Are you sure they aren't at the cleaner's?"

"Nope... I mean I do have some at the cleaner's, but I had another stack ready to go... and that stack has been pilfered. Weird... she didn't take the big name labels, though."

"What did she take?"

"Um... looks like my leopard print, the black wrap with the white print, the black velvet and leather, and the black ruched – damn, I really liked that one and the leopard print. Shit."

I watch Bella as she double checks her hangers. Suddenly, she starts to giggle. I head up the stairs as Edward asks, "What's so funny, Bella?"

"All the dresses she took were slightly too big on me... they were the only ones that would have fit her. Do you know she tried to tell me that my red bathing suit was too big for her? Jesus, I mean, she's like two sizes bigger than me. OH GODDAMNIT!"

"What?"

"She took my fucking Jimmy Choo black slingbacks... and my red Miu Mius. And bloody hell, my Yves Saint Laurents."

"Oh! No, Bells. Your Yves Saint Laurents are over at our place."

She smiles. "Oh thank goodness... they're my favourites."

Edward suddenly asks the strangest question. "Did she take those metallic ones with the bow on the heel?"

Bella looks at him with a raised eyebrow, then surveys her closet floor again. "Um, nope. They're still here. Why?"

Hah, Edward is blushing.

"Uh... I like them. On you. They're sexy."

"Oh really, Chef Cullen?"

"Really, Miss Swan. In fact, you should bring them to Forks."

"Okay, you two. Cut it out... you're getting me all excited and Jasper isn't back for another five days."

"Alice!"

"What? You guys have no idea how smouldering you are."

"Hey, Ali-cat? Remember our bet, and what I got if I won?"

I wondered when this would come up. "Yes, Edley. I remember."

"Bella, can I take you out to dinner and a jazz club tomorrow night? It's on Alice." The jerk is smirking.

Bella smiles happily. "I'd love that, Edward."

"Okay, here's the deal. Bella, I owe you a spa visit too. So, tomorrow morning, let's get up bright and early and head out to shop to replace your dresses and shoes. Then we can have lunch at the spa and spend the afternoon getting facials, manicures and massages, seeing as we already got our pedicures this morning."

Edward jumps in. "And then I get you for the evening. We'll go to Sky City for dinner."

"Will you be able to get a table on such short notice?"

"I know the chef... it shouldn't be an issue."

"Okay – it all sounds great! Oh, you know what, Alice? I've been saving my tip money. I should break it out for shopping tomor... shit."

Uh oh. Bella runs to the bottom drawer of her dresser and pulls out an old wooden box.

Bella

I open the box with trepidation. I have a bad feeling that Renee found my stash.

"Fuck. She got it." I want to throw the box through the window.

"She got what, sweetheart?" Edward comes up behind me, peering over my shoulder into the box that now contains a folded piece of paper where my tip roll used to be.

"My tip money. I know, I know. I should have put it in the bank. I procrastinated. I convinced myself that having a tidy sum of cash on hand would be a good thing... you know, with all those disaster survival shows on television... sometimes I even wonder if should buy three months worth of food and water, for god's sake."

"That's not a bad idea, Bella. In a disaster, all funds in banks would be frozen or unavailable for an indefinite period. Don't beat yourself up for being proactive, babe."

Alice's voice breaks into my self-castigation. "Bella? What's on that piece of paper?"

I laugh bitterly. "This can only be a note from Renee." I pick it up, unfold it and read it aloud.

"Isabella,
I see you managed to stop the transfer. Regardless of our differences, you know I am owed that money. I am considering your little stash here to be my cash advance, along with some dresses and shoes – my wardrobe is threadbare and I'm sure you can afford more.
Your Loving Mother"

"Well, shit. How much did she get, babe?"

I look up at Edward. "I had all of my tips in here. It was well over sixteen thousand dollars." He swears a quiet oath.

I shake my head. "Okay, you know what? It was a small price to pay to get her out of here. I want to party tonight, buy four dresses and two pairs of shoes tomorrow, have fun at the spa and then go out for a wonderful night with my amazing boyfriend."

I look back to Alice. "What do we need to do to get ready for tonight?"

.~.~.~.

Woo hoo! Celebrate good times, come on!

Alice, Rose and I clink our beer bottles and take another swig as we dance and sing to Kool and the Gang. I love Kool and the Gang – they're awesome.

"Ro-o-ose! This is a fan-tas-tic playlist you made for meee. Thaaaank you!" I love Rosie – she's awesome.

"You! Are! So! Welcome!"

"Ladies? Come and have a hotdog and some potato chips. You need to soak up some of the alcohol before you all pass out or fall off the roof." I love Edward – he's awesome.

"Pfft... Ed-leeee. We're not gonna fall off the roof!" Alice snorts, "Bu-u-t, we might passss out!" I love Alice – she's awesome.

Emmett comes over to us with three hotdogs on a plate. "Here girls... seriously, eat." I love Emmett – he's awesome.

We each grab a dog and hungrily devour it. "God-damn! Edwaaard! You make a fan-tas-tic hotdog! I love you – you're awesome!"

Chuckling, Edward walks over to me with some potato chips in a bowl and a bottle of diet soda. "I love you too, babe. Here, have some chips and soda, and I'll make you another hotdog. Mustard and sauerkraut this time?"

I nod happily and stuff a handful of chips into my mouth. "Oh Rose! I! LOVE! This! Song! It's awesome!" Whoops, I sprayed chips when I said that.

And the three of us are on our feet again singing our lungs out.

I get knocked down,
but I get up again,
you're never gonna keep me down...

Suddenly, the music is gone and all that's left is our three drunken voices screeching into the night. "What the hell?"

Emmett is standing by the iPod dock, smiling and holding a plate of hotdogs. "No more music until you ladies have a little more food."

Grumbling, we shuffle over to him. Edward grabs my arm and swings me around. He's got my mustard and sauerkraut hotdog all ready for me. "Yummy! Thank you, sweetie!"

He smiles and taps the tip of my nose with his index finger. "You're very welcome, my little Drunky McDrunkerton."

I scowl at him as I take a big bite of hotdog. Oh god, it's delicious. "Mmm," I mumble rudely through a mouthful of food, "there's nothing better than hotdogs in the open air at night after you've had a few too many drinks." I think I slurred that.

He laughs and takes a gulp of his beer, the bottle dangling loosely from his long fingers. Mmm, I love his fingers – they're awesome. "I can't argue with you there."

I look up, dazed from ogling his fingers, the givers of orgasm. "Huh?"

He looks at me with narrowed eyes. "What were you just thinking about, Isabella?"

I smile as I chew another bite of hotdog and swallow. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He pulls me against him and kisses me soundly, then pulls his face back and gazes into my eyes. He whispers huskily, "Yes, I would."

Mmm, I love Edward's green eyes – they're awesome. "Edward, you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. I wonder if there are any green eyes in my family history? 'Cause it would be so cool for us to have green-eyed children."

Oh shit, did I say that out loud? Okay, it's good that he's smiling. Change the subject...

"Your fingers!" I blurt out.

"What about them?"

"That's what I was thinking about... your long, amazingly talented fingers."

"Amazingly talented?"

I nod. "Oh yes, definitely." I lean in to whisper in his ear. "They are the bringers of orgasm."

He laughs out loud and tightens his grip on my waist. "Is that a fact, Miss Swan?"

I nod again, my eyes wide and serious. "Oh yes, Chef Cullen. Without a doubt."

He leans in to place a soft, lippy kiss beneath my ear before asking, "I see... are there any other parts of my anatomy that you find talented, Isabella?"

Edward

Bella licks my earlobe before answering, sending shivers through my entire body. She has no idea how easily she turns me on. "Umm... your tongue. Your tongue is also amazingly talented and another bringer of orgasm."

I groan, remembering the taste of her orgasm last week. Then, I pull her to my erection, grinding against her. "Oh baby, I've got something else that's going to bring you orgasms like you've never imagined."

"God, Edward..." She jumps into my arms and wraps her legs around my waist, locking her full lips to mine. "You say things like that and expect me to hold out another eleven days?"

"Don't worry, baby. Eleven days is nothing... and by the time we get to Forks we'll be so wound up we won't leave a single surface in your cabin unchristened."

Suddenly her brown eyes are on fire and her voice drops to a very sultry murmur. "Is that a promise, Chef?"

I lean in to kiss her, holding her gaze and answering against her lips. "It's more like a guarantee."

"Okay ladies! You can have your music back now!" Emmett presses play on the dock and all three girls squeal.

Bella's eyes widen and she exclaims, "I love Chumbawumba – they're awesome!" before wriggling out of my arms and bouncing off to join Alice and Rose, leaving me with a painful reminder of just how horny she can make me.

I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down...
I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down...

I shake my head at them as Emmett comes over to stand beside me, handing me another beer. "They needed this."

I nod. "Yeah. Bella's mom was a real downer."

Emmett nudges my arm. "Did Bella give her the money?"

"No... she was able to stop the transfer. But Renee did manage to find and take Bella's tip money and that was over sixteen thousand. She's kicking herself for not putting at least some of it in the bank."

"Shit, that's a tough break. Would she consider the police?"

"Nah. I think she just wants Renee out of her life. Wait... how did you know about the money?"

"Alice told Rosie, and you know Rosie doesn't keep anything from me. Which is how I also know that you got your first head in over two years last week."

"What? Jesus christ, Emmett. How the hell did Alice know that?"

"Alice didn't – Bella told Rosie in the kitchen afterwards, remember? Apparently, Rose was coaching Bella on how to do it."

I roll my eyes. "There are no secrets among Cullens."

"Dude, you're only now figuring this out?"

I just look at him.

With a wolfish grin he asks, "So, how was it?"

"Emmett, I'm not having this conversation."

"Come on, Edward. Spill... I want to know if Rose did a good job teaching Bella."

"I'm not having this conversation."

"That bad, huh?" He shakes his head. "That sucks, bro. Pardon the pun."

Goddamnit. Is it sick that I feel the need to defend the honour of my girlfriend's fellatio skills? "No. It wasn't bad at all, Em. It was... fucking incredible."

C&C Music Factory starts blaring and it looks like the girls are going to get quite a workout.

Everybody dance now!
Everybody dance now!

"Dude, I knew it must have been... given the way you were shouting about it."

"Jesus."

"And it sounded like you didn't forget your skills?"

"For chrissakes. Em... can we talk about something else? Or better yet, why don't you just watch your wife dance."

"I can multitask. I've been watching her bounce and jiggle all night... I can't wait to get her home."

We both take a swig of our beers and watch our women for a while.

"It's too bad Jazz isn't here. Where the hell is he, anyway?"

I shake my head. "Haven't a clue. It's top secret – Alice doesn't even know.

"Man, what a life that guy leads. Hey... have you used that video jammer Jasper gave you for your birthday?"

"Not yet. I might give it a whirl tomorrow night, though. I'm taking Bella to Sky City... that's a long elevator ride." I drag out the word long for emphasis.

Emmett grins again. "Dude, I knew you were kinky."

The music changes again and Alice starts to squeal.

"Oh no... Emmett, you didn't."

He shrugs. "It wasn't me, dude. Rosie made this playlist."

"Oh well. At least she's not falling-over drunk anymore." Alice's voice begins to ring out.

Sally called when she got the word,
She said: "I suppose you've heard -
About Alice".
Well I rushed to the window,
And I looked outside,
But I could hardly believe my eyes -
As a big limousine rolled slowly
Into Alice's drive...

Now Rose and Bella are joining in. This is going to get loud.

Oh, I don't know why she's leaving,
Or where she's gonna go,
I guess she's got her reasons,
But I just don't want to know,
'Cos for twenty-four years
I've been living next door to Alice.
Alice? Who the fuck is Alice?

Emmet and I look at each other and shrug, and then grinning like the idiot teenagers we were when we first played this Smokie song for our little sister, we join in.

Twenty-four years just waiting for a chance,
To tell her how I'm feeling, maybe get a second glance,
Now I've got to get used to not living next door to Alice...
Alice? Who the fuck is Alice?

After many more loud forays into confirming why our girls should not start a rock band, which include Nick Gilder's Hot Child in the City, Ozzy's Crazy Train, ELO's Don't Bring Me Down, Alice Cooper's No More Mr. Nice Guy and The Troggs' Wild Thing – to which we all sing and dance raucously – Bella is completely sobered up and good and ready to hit the hay.

"What time is it, Edward?" she asks, linking her arm into mine.

I check my watch. "Ten twenty-five. Not bad – you managed to party like a college student and you'll still get lots of sleep and be all fresh and ready to shop with Alice in the morning."

We've reached her door and she looks up at me with those gorgeous, espresso eyes. "Oh... so you're not going to stay?"

I kiss her nose. "No, sweetheart, not tonight. But I am hoping to stay over tomorrow night if that's alright with you?" She nods and smiles. "However, I will come in and look around, just to make sure everything's in order."

"There's no way Renee could know my security code, Edward. She never saw me use it. When we were together, I always insisted she use hers to help her remember it. Anyway, she never knew Charlie's badge number... and it would probably never occur to her that I would use a number like that."

"Okay, well if you don't want me to check... I'll just go on back to my place..." I turn to go, grinning to myself. Immediately, I feel her hand on my arm.

"No! Wait, um... I'd like you to have a look around... you know, just in case..."

"Of course, sweetheart." I smile and bend down to kiss her neck while she punches in her code. She moans and pulls my hand from her waist up to her breast, making me weak in the knees. She's not going to make this easy for me. And I love her for it.

She meets me at the top of the stairs as I come out of her washroom. "All clear?"

"Yep." I pull her into my arms for a kiss, and damn if she doesn't know exactly how to weaken my resolve by moaning into my mouth and tugging on my hair.

"Ahh, Bella... you should get some rest. You've had a very emotional day and a strenuous evening coupled with a lot of beer."

"Mmm-hmm," she murmurs as she kisses down my throat, "but I'm all sobered up now."

She slides her hands up and begins to unbutton my shirt. Why am I resisting her? Oh right – because I want her wound up tomorrow night. Honesty from now on.

Reaching up to clasp her hands, I lean my forehead against hers. "Bella, baby... I want to stay, honestly. But I really want tomorrow night to be special and fun. And quite frankly, I want us both feeling the anticipation. Don't you think that would be good?"

Her eyes widen and she licks her lips with that delicate, perfect little tongue...

"Yes... that would be better than good."

"Alright then. I'm going to go now before I lose all resolve and throw you onto the bed... because, trust me, I'm close to letting my inner caveman out to play."

She visibly quivers, her eyes burning with lust. "Okay. And for the record? You're not the only one with an inner Neanderthal. I have a horny inner cavewoman who is just as close to breaking through."

I squeeze her perfect ass and nibble at her earlobe. "It's going to be a hell of a good time when we let those two out to play."

Bella

Alice had me in a dressing room at Neiman Marcus by nine-thirty this morning. I managed to maintain my 'let loose' attitude from the night before and I ended up with five dresses instead of four, two pairs of shoes and various other items including tight back skinny jeans and yet more sexy underwear. We put together an ensemble for my night out with Edward which consisted of a one shoulder royal blue satin dress with a pencil skirt and a very scanty white lace strapless bra, panties and garter. We agreed I should wear my silver Louboutin slingbacks to match a beaded applique on the waist.

Later at the spa, after a healthy raw food lunch and our facials and manicures – I opted for the simplicity and elegance of a French manicure – I fell asleep during my massage. I was awakened by Alec, with whom Alice had booked me a surprise appointment to get my hair styled for tonight. After some hemming and hawing, Alec decided to put finger waves in my hair and some product that made it incredibly shiny. It looked beautiful. We also told him about the charity ball next month and booked appointments for Jasper and Edward as well as ourselves. When I described my dress, Alec agreed an updo would be best and he promised to think about it and come up with something spectacular.

So now I've put the finishing touches on my smoky eyes and I'm pressing my lips together to even out the dark red lipstick that Alice insisted would look spectacular with my pale skin, dark hair, and blue dress. She was right, as usual. I'm so glad I was able to get this colour in the non-smear, long lasting type, because I plan on kissing the hell out of Edward and I don't want either of us looking like messy vampires.

DING DING!

My heart does a flip flop and I grab my evening bag, dropping my lipstick and face powder in it. I hear the beeps as Edward punches in the security code.

"Hey babe – can I come in?"

"Of course!" I call out. "I'll just be one minute!"

I take a final look in the full length mirror and whisper, "Damn, Bells, you look good." I smile and wink at my reflection and then turn to go meet my man.

When I reach the railing and look down to see him, my knees go weak and I almost feel faint because he literally takes my breath away. He's standing tall in a black suit with a dark royal blue shirt and a silver-grey tie, and on the counter beside him in a vase are a bouquet of calla lilies and a solitary sunflower.

I break into a wide smile. "Thank you, they're beautiful!"

Edward watches me with wide eyes as I descend the staircase ever so carefully. He meets me at the bottom and lifts my hand to his mouth. "Isabella..." His voice is low and raspy, his vibrant eyes burning. "You're absolutely stunning."

"So are you," I whisper. He chuckles and dips his head to kiss me, looking in my eyes before claiming my lips. But his kiss is quick and chaste, and he pulls away before I can even get my arms around his neck.

"Shall we go, Miss Swan? We have reservations for eight and it might take a few minutes to get through the elevators." He winks and gives me a mischievous grin.

Just as we close my door and key in the code to lock it, I hear another door open and Alice's voice sings out, "Show me the love!"

I look around to find her standing there with a camera.

"Jesus, Alice. Stop acting like this is a prom date or something, will you?"

"Shut up Edward and stop ruining my fun! This night is on me, so I get to take a picture. Now smile, both of you."

I smile up at Edward and he turns to grin down at me, and Alice snaps a photo.

"Here Bella! You might need this if you go up on the Observation Deck." Alice hands me a white jacquard pashmina shawl that is surprisingly lightweight.

"Thank you, Alice... that's very thoughtful."

"We have to go now, Ali-cat. Don't wait up."

Alice bounces and squeals a little. "Have fun you two! You both look amazing!"

Edward rolls his eyes as holds out his arm and I link mine through it, turning back to wave at my best friend. She's nodding and giving me the thumbs up.

The Vanquish is parked outside the door and I squirm a little when I get in, remembering the fantasy he told me about last week. In fact, I've dreamt about it several times since and have decided I'm going to make sure that one comes true.

So he can hold my hand and still drive his car, Edward pulls my hand to the gear shift and then settles his hand on top. I giggle to myself as he changes gears, thinking of another stick I wouldn't mind shifting.

"You should drive the Vanquish for part of the trip to Forks."

I look over at him, stunned. "Really? But I thought you didn't let anyone drive this?"

He shakes his head and chuckles. "Yeah, and then you came along. Remember how you fell asleep on the way home from Mom and Dad's on the Fourth of July? Well, I lifted you out of the car and then Jasper offered to take it to the garage for me. I handed over my keys... didn't even think twice, because someone else driving my car was suddenly nowhere near as important to me as keeping you in my arms."

I smile widely at him.

"This car is just a thing, Bells... and an insured thing, at that. Compared to you, it has no value for me."

I utter the only words I can summon. "I love you."

"And I love you, sweetheart." He squeezes my hand, caressing softly with his thumb.

A few minutes pass in comfortable silence.

"Bella?" Edward glances over at me and smiles. "I like this."

"What?"

"You and me, dressed up, going out to dinner and a club. I like the way it feels." He squeezes my hand again.

"I like it too, Edward. It feels... right." I blush a little and look down at our hands.

At the next stoplight, he pulls my hand to his mouth and gently grazes my knuckles with his teeth as he regards me through the corner of his eyes. "So... that's obviously a new dress... and it's lovely, by the way... but, are you wearing anything else new?"

I grin at him wickedly. "Wouldn't you like to know!"

He turns and and his smouldering eyes drill into mine as he growls, "Yes."

Oh my... he's getting me all hot and bothered with just a look and a word.

I fan my face as the light turns green. "Is it getting hot in here?"

"It's always going to be hot when you and I are in close proximity, Isabella. You'd best get used to it."

I try to answer him, but all I can manage is a squeak.

We pull up to the valet post at the Space Needle and a young man in a red tasseled uniform rushes to open my door.

"Hey, kid." Edward is out and rounding the car, holding up his keys. "I'll do that."

The valet straightens up and exchanges a ticket for the keys, and Edward reaches down to open my door. He takes my hand as I step out of the car and then slips his arm around my waist, pulling me closely to his side. "Let's go, beautiful."

We enter the lobby but he steers us away from the elevators toward a corridor. I look at him curiously. "Edward? The elevators are back there."

He nods. "Yes, the public elevators are. But we're taking the service elevator. It's private, and nobody can see inside."

My stomach knots in anticipation of why he wants privacy in the elevator.

When we reach the doors, Edward pulls out his phone and holds it up to a scanner. The doors open and he pulls me into the car.

Answering my questioning look, he explains. "It's a bar code scanner. I know the chef here quite well – we went to school together – and he emailed me the bar code so we could use this elevator." Edward holds his phone up to the scanner again, and the elevator slows to a stop. "It gives me control of the elevator. I can stop it, prevent it from stopping even if it's called... oh, and with this little gem from Jasper," he pulls out his keychain and clicks the button on a small black fob, "I can scramble the video cameras so no one can see what's going on in here."

He shoots me his lop-sided sexy grin and steps toward me, giving me goosebumps.

I swallow, my mouth drying out. "Um, how long can the elevator remain stopped before it raises concerns?"

He traps me in the corner, settling his hands on my hips and squeezing. "Oh, at least fifteen minutes, maybe longer."

I clear my throat. "Really? Well that's conv..." Edward's mouth is on mine, hungrily kissing me as his hands slide down and back to cup my ass. I whimper and slide my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

He slides his lips to my throat. "Bella, you look amazing."

He drags his nose along my neck and jaw, inhaling deeply. "You smell heavenly."

He runs his hands from my backside to my hips and waist. "And you feel... god, you feel perfect."

All I can do is moan as he places small but firm kisses all over my throat and collarbone, his hands gliding up my body to cup my breasts. And then he does that thing with his thumbs on my nipples, causing tingles to charge to my pussy... and I find my voice.

"Oh god, Edward. You make me want you so badly... the things you do to me..."

With a groan, he captures my mouth again, his warm tongue sliding between my lips and caressing my own. He pinches my nipples, eliciting a deep moan, then trails one hand to my lower back, while the other keeps going until it reaches my thigh. The hand on my back pulls me firmly against his erection, and I eagerly slip my hand down to grasp him. He lets out a deep, guttural moan, his hand grabbing the fabric at my thigh and pulling it up to my backside.

"What have we here, sweetheart?" he mutters against my lips as his fingers trace fire along the top of my stockings, hook into a garter clip and snap it against my excited flesh. "I think I need a closer look at your new finery."

In an instant, he's on his knees in front of me, pushing my hemline up to my hips. I'm panting and trembling – it's taking all my strength to keep my knees from buckling.

"So pretty... white lace. You know how I love you in white, baby." He places light, ticklish kisses along the top of my thigh, working his way in toward my sex. Then, he gently hitches my leg over his shoulder and reaches up to slip a finger inside my panties, dragging it along my slit and swirling around my entrance. Ahhh...

I moan loudly. "Edward, please... I need..."

"What do you need, baby?" he asks huskily as he pushes the lace aside and slips a finger inside me, pressing his lips to my labia.

"Oh god... Edward... I need you to lick me."

"Like this?" He pulls the lace further aside with his other hand and extends his tongue to lick from my vagina to my clit in one firm sweep. Oh! The sensation is just...

I let out a high pitched "Yes!" and he chuckles against me, delivering several more long licks and a couple of swirls around my clit while his finger slowly pumps in and out of me. Thank goodness there are handrails.

"Holyshit, Edward... ohmygod, ohmygod..."

His tongue is concentrating on my clit now as he alternates gentle sucks with firm swirls and firm sucks with gentle swirls. He slips a second finger into me, and as he pumps and curls them, he drags his thumb along my slippery labia with the same rhythm. The effect is mindblowing. When I start to clench and bear down, he flattens his tongue against my clit and slows his fingers, coaxing a powerful orgasm that makes me lose all other awareness for a few seconds.

"Jesuschrist... JESUSCHRIST EDWARD! Ohgod ohgod OHGOD! UNGH!"

He's smiling against me, I can feel it. He kisses my still throbbing pussy once more and slowly withdraws his fingers, pulling my panties back into place. They'll be soaked through in seconds. Who am I kidding – they already were.

He sits back on his heels as I open my eyes and look down at him, then he very deliberately puts his two fingers in his mouth and sucks them clean, holding my gaze. "There's nothing on the menu that will even come close to that." I'm speechless, still squirming and squeezing my legs together to prolong the pleasurable sensations, and he chuckles as he pulls my dress back down into place.

Edward jumps to his feet and quickly brushes off his pants, then pulls me against him, licking my lips before kissing me deeply. I moan as I taste myself and I reach up to twine my hands into his hair.

Still kissing me, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. "We'd better start this old crate moving again." He flashes his phone up to the scanner and the elevator creaks as it begins to ascend. Then, he pulls out his keychain and depresses the little button on the fob.

"You're like James Bond," I murmur weakly. I'm still recovering from the hottest, raunchiest experience of my life.

His eyes twinkle at me. "I guess that would make you a Bond girl."

"Oh yeah? Which one would I be? Honey Rider? Holly Goodhead? Plenty O'Toole?"

He chuckles and kisses me lightly as the doors open to Sky City restaurant. "I'm thinking Pussy Galore."

.~.~.~.

We sit side-by-side at an elegantly set table next to the huge windows, each with a glass of Oregon pinot noir, sharing an appetizer of prosciutto-wrapped local artisan cheese and watching the Seattle skyline as we revolve in a clockwise direction. Edward insisted I sit next to the window, which is on my right. As I sip my wine, I consider our orientation and how long it takes for a full revolution.

"Edward, did you choose the table and time so we would be facing the Olympic Range at sunset?"

He smiles. "I thought you might enjoy that, sweetheart. And as we approach, we can switch sides of the table for a better view."

I turn and place my hand on his cheek. "I love your thoughtfulness." We kiss softly, sweetly... mmm, his lips taste of the food and wine... and me.

The deep sound of a clearing throat pulls us from our moment. We look up to find a man in chef's whites standing before us, a big gentle grin on his friendly face.

Edward introduces me to Eleazar, the head chef here at Sky City, and he joins us for a few minutes, chatting about his menu and asking about Wild. With a knowing grin, he also asks if the elevator bar code worked to Edward's liking. Of course, I blush.

Grinning back at him, Edward nods. "Yep, it did exactly what it was supposed to do."

"Excellent. So, have you two decided on your mains?"

"What would you like, Bella?" Edward asks.

"I'm going to try the ahi tuna, please."

Eleazar nods supportively. "That's a great choice. How rare do you like it?"

"Very rare... like sashimi," I smile at him.

"Excellent, Bella. I won't disappoint you." Then he looks at Edward. "And you, Cookie?"

Edward's eyes widen at the moniker and he shakes his head slightly at his friend.

"What's this?" I ask. "Cookie?" I'm stifling a giggle.

"It's nothing, Bells, just a nickname from school. Eleazar, I'll have the eight ounce filet, blue."

"Very good, my friend." Eleazar turns to me. "It was lovely to meet you, Bella. I hope you enjoy your meals. Oh, and Cookie? I'm bringing Carmen to Wild next week for our anniversary. She's been after me for months to take her there. Is your sweet potato pie still on the menu?"

"It normally wouldn't be, but it's such a popular item, we're going to extend it indefinitely. So yes. Text me with the date and I'll make sure we don't run out that night. It tends to go fast."

"Sure thing. Alright, you take care now."

As the chef walks away, I turn to Edward with a raised eyebrow and a smirk that I am fighting to prevent from turning into a full blown guffaw.

"Don't go there, Bella... I'm serious." I'd believe him, except he too is smirking.

"Edward, if I don't laugh at it now then I'll laugh at some inappropriate time in the future... maybe in front of Alice or, god forbid, Emmett, and I'll have to explain why."

He just glares at me and I can hold it in no longer. I burst out into giggles. "Cookie Cullen?"

He's laughing. "Bella, I swear... if you tell anyone..."

"I won't, I promise... Cookie!" I let out a terribly unladylike snort and hide my face in my hands until my giggles die down.

The server returns to refill our wine glasses and we sit back, holding hands, to watch Lake Washington and the Cascades Range inch past.

"We're so fortunate to have a clear day," I comment.

"Mmm..."

I glance to my left to find Edward is watching me intently while sipping his wine.

"Don't you want to watch the view?" I hold up my hand to gesture to the skyline.

"I'm rather enjoying the view in the foreground."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Chef."

"I'm counting on that, Isabella."

"Really?" I have to ask. "Are you saying you'd like to... move up the date?"

He chuckles. "Well... as tempting as that is, I'd still like to wait until we go to Forks. I'm rather enjoying the anticipation..." He leans in to murmur into my ear, making me shudder. "Aren't you?"

Am I? Hell yes.

"Yes, absolutely I am. I just..." I lower my voice, "I want you so badly, Edward. And then you do things... like earlier in the elevator..." I swallow and dip my head, looking up at him through my lashes. "You make me crazy."

"Baby, you make me crazy just by existing."

"See, and then you say things like that and you make me melt inside and all I want to do is..."

His eyes grow intense as he whispers, "All you want to do is what, sweetheart?"

Blushing some more, I lean over to him and speak softly into his ear, my lips brushing his warm flesh. "All I want to do is give myself to you completely, body and soul... for hours and hours."

With a deep rumble in his throat, Edward slides his hand up to grasp the back of my head as he brings his mouth to mine. His kiss is hungry and deep, his tongue invading my mouth, claiming me... and I surrender willingly.

"I beg your pardon sir, ma'am."

We break our kiss reluctantly and look up to find our server has arrived with our plates. Edward thanks him cordially and then turns back to me, his eyes on fire. "I want your body and soul, Isabella. I want everything you've got, and I want it for more than hours, baby. I want it for days, months..." his voice breaks, "...years."

I reach for his hand and bring it to my cheek. "It's yours Edward, with love."

A passing server stops to refill our wine glasses, breaking our bubble, and we finally turn to our food. The sunset over the Olympic Peninsula is spectacular with shades of red, pink, purple and orange streaking across a pale blue canvas, the black silhouette of the mountains a striking contrast to the palette of the sky above. It's perfect.

"Edward, try this tuna – it's fantastic. The crust is a delicious blend of Japanese seasonings and it's seared perfectly. It practically melts in your mouth."

I lift my fork to his mouth and he stares into my eyes as he wraps his lips around the tines, slowly sliding the tuna off. "Mmm... you're right. It's delightful." He's so sensual, he makes my insides quiver.

Then he lifts his fork, offering me a small bite of blue rare tenderloin with a dab of red wine reduction. Maintaining eye contact, I taste the sauce with the tip of my tongue before slowly taking the meat in my mouth, uttering a low moan and closing my eyes in pleasure.

"Fuck, baby. Steak has never looked so appetizing."

I smile seductively, licking my lips for him, and he growls in response.

We finish our meals in relative silence, simply enjoying the delicious food, the elegant atmosphere and, most importantly, each other's company.

Sipping his wine, Edward seems lost in thought, staring out at the view. I reach over and squeeze his leg, my hand resting almost inappropriately high on his thigh. He blinks and turns to smile at me. "Would you like to go up to the observation deck, Bella?"

"Not particularly, unless you do... I was there last week with Renee." I can't help but roll my eyes.

He shakes his head. "Nah, I've been up there a hundred times. Did you want to have a look at the dessert menu?"

I bite my bottom lip and shake my head slowly. "I've got something else in mind for dessert, Chef."

Edward swallows, his eyes widening, and signals our server to bring the check.

Watching idly as he pulls out his gold-embossed black credit card, I notice something that reminds me of a very basic piece of information I have yet to learn.

"Edward A. M. Cullen? What does the A. M. stand for?"

"Anthony Masen. Both are surnames from recent predecessors on my mother's side of the family. Emmett's middle name is McCarty – it's a surname from Dad's side."

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. I quite like the way that rolls off the tongue. It sounds very... distinguished. Much more so than Cookie, yet not as playful." I can't help but giggle a little more at his culinary school nickname.

"Oh yes?" He leans in to kiss my neck, sending shivers down my spine. "Well I think Isabella Marie Swan sounds exotic."

The server returns for Edward's signature, which he scrawls quickly. Then he is on his feet, his hand held out for mine. "Shall we, Bella? There's a wonderful jazz bar a few blocks south, and I would love to dance with you again."

I smile and take his hand, and we head to the service lift. As we step in, Eleazer pokes his head out of the kitchen and waves goodnight.

As the door closes, I look him up and down, again feeling weak in the knees at his sheer physical beauty. I step into his arms rise up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

"Stop the elevator Edward."

His eyes widen, anticipation lacing his expression as he pulls his phone from his pocket and holds it up to the scanner. I slip my hand in his front pocket, and maybe accidentally on purpose brush my fingers against his growing erection as I fumble to find his keys. I extract them and press the little black button, then drop them back in his pocket.

Grabbing his hands and bringing them to my breasts, I inform him, "It's time for dessert," then snake my arms around his neck, moaning into his mouth and twisting my fingers tightly in his hair.

Our kiss deepens and I suck on his tongue, sliding my lips from base to tip and back. Reaching down to grasp his fully erect penis, I look straight into his eyes and whisper against his mouth.

"I want to do that to your cock."

"Christ, Bella," he rasps as I slowly slide down his body to my knees. Gazing into his eyes, I unbuckle his belt and open his pants. He's straining against his boxer briefs and he lets out a growl when I free him, wrapping both hands around his length and using my thumbs to distribute the pre-cum around his shaft.

"Mmm... you look like you could use a little attention here, Chef." I pump him a few times. "Is your pressure cooker ready to blow?"

He gently tangles his fingers into my hair as I extend my tongue and slowly circle the head, my eyes never leaving his. "Fuck, baby. It's too bad there are no mirrors in here, because that's the only thing that could make this hotter."

I file that tidbit away as I take his head into my mouth, keeping my lips tight, and lave him with my tongue, swirling and pressing into the opening where he continues to leak.

"Jesusfuck, Bella..." He throws his head back and grips more tightly into my hair. I respond by giving him several long, firm licks from base to tip, taking care to drag slowly along that sensitive ridge on the underside.

"Ohmygod, baby, you're unbelievable..."

It's time to take it up a notch. With one hand I reach around to grab his ass, pulling his hips forward, while with the other I grasp the base of his shaft and squeeze. At the same time, I plunge onto him, taking his length all the way in to the back of my throat and then moving back and forth and continuing to press firmly against his cock with my tongue. I moan with the excitement of what I'm doing to him, and his body responds by trembling as he tightens his grip on my hair.

I hold my head steady and my lips tightly sheathed over my teeth as he thrusts so his tip just touches the back of my throat. "Sweet fuck, baby. You're going to make me come like this."

I hum appreciatively and he increases the tempo. After a few moments, I feel him tense and then I swallow when his hot jets shoot into my mouth.

"Fuck! Jesusgod! Bella, baby, you're fucking amazing... UH, UH, UHHHH!"

I continue to suck and lick until his hips stop moving and he releases my hair. I slowly withdraw and let him slip out of my mouth.

Smiling and feeling rather pleased with myself, I tuck him back into his boxer-briefs and stand, brushing off my knees as he fixes his shirt and does up his pants and belt. When he's put back together, I slide my arms around his waist and snuggle my face into his neck. He embraces me tightly.

"Bella... that was... extraordinary. I wasn't too rough, was I? You need to tell me if I was."

"No, not at all. It was... incredible... very hot. I, um... I liked doing it. A lot. " Now I'm blushing?

"You're a goddess, do you know that?"

"Only for you, Edward. Only ever for you."

He slides one hand up to cup my cheek and pulls back a little so he can look into my eyes, and then he kisses me deeply, our tongues slowly but purposefully gliding against each other in an erotic exchange.

Eventually, I pull away reluctantly. "Babe... we're going to start attracting attention to the elevator. Maybe we should start it moving again, hmm?"

He sighs heavily and steals one more lingering kiss before pulling his phone out and flashing it at the reader.

Edward

I am the luckiest man on earth. My insanely hot girlfriend just gave me an insanely hot blowjob... in an elevator. I actually have to fight the urge to whistle happily.

And now I am taking said insanely hot girlfriend to an intimate little jazz club where it's Big Easy Tuesday and slow, sexy music is the flavour of the evening.

The owner is a regular at Wild, and he has assured me I can park the Vanquish in his spot right out front where his doorman will keep an eye on it.

"The Sugarbowl?" Bella asks as she studies the red neon sign above the door.

"Yeah – named for Nina Simone's I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl."

She smiles. "Brilliant!"

Inside, the club is stylishly decorated with non-flame tea lights illuminating the small booths and tables, and framed autographed black and white pictures of jazz greats on the dark red walls. There is a live performer and a small dance floor, which is occupied by several couples. It's a very romantic atmosphere. We head to an isolated booth in the far corner, ordering two glasses of shiraz when the waitress comes by.

After a few minutes of cuddling and sipping our wine, I take Bella's hand and lead her to the dance floor. The singer begins a cover of Norah Jones' Turn Me On and pull my girl into my arms. We continue to dance, holding each other as closely as we can while remaining somewhat decent in this semi-public place. I sing Unforgettable softly into her ear, gaze into her beautiful, soulful eyes through I Put A Spell On You, and kiss her madly all the way through Fever. We return to our table and as she lifts her glass to drink, Bella suddenly looks up at me and blushes.

"What is it, sweetheart?" I slide closer to her, nuzzling into her neck.

"Um..."

"Tell me, Bella... are you feeling unwell?"

"What? Oh, no... no, not at all. I, um... I was just remembering a dream I've had a few times... about you... well, about us really."

My curiosity is piqued. "Is that so? Care to share?"

She blushes more. Damn, she's so cute.

"Well... it's sort of a fantasy sex dream."

I reach over to tilt her face up toward me. I can feel my eyes burning with intensity. "Describe it to me, baby."

She seems a little dazed as she looks into my eyes. "It's basically... um, we have hot, sweaty sex in the dark corner of a loud bar... and it's easy to do because I'm, uh, dressed for it, so to speak."

Instant hard-on. I give her my best sexy smirk and lean in to her ear. "We'll have to give that a try, Miss Swan."

After finishing our wine, we dance one more time to When I Fall in Love, and I can't help but sing it to her. As the song draws to a close, I kiss her softly. "I know what he meant."

Bella looks up at me questioningly. "Who?"

"Nat King Cole. You see, I've fallen in love... completely and forever."

She hugs me tightly and whispers in my ear, "Me too."

.~.~.~.

"Edward, why do you sometimes call me Isabella?"

We're lying in bed, facing each other. Her fingers are gently caressing my chest and I am playing with her hair, mesmerized by it's satiny texture and rich deep colour.

I chuckle. "I did defer on that one, didn't I? Well, it's... it's hard to explain."

"Try?"

Taking a deep breath, I gaze into her eyes. "I guess I would say that I tend to use your full name when I'm feeling a surge of emotion toward you. It's such a beautiful, sexy name... Isabella... it just seems like I'm saying more when I use it... like it intensifies everything I'm saying, thinking, feeling. Does that make any sense?"

Her eyes are glistening and she nods. "I love it when you use my full name. It feels intimate."

Pulling her to me, I kiss her softly, reverently. Images from earlier in the evening flash through my mind. God, I want her so badly, and she obviously wants me too. But does she know... does she understand that it is so much more than sexual?

I break the kiss and lift her hand to my mouth. "Theres something I need to say, if that's okay?"

"Of course, Edward." She looks a little worried and her brow furrows. I kiss that cute little wrinkle above her nose before continuing.

"I don't want you to think that I'm only interested in sex, Isabella. I mean, goddamn, all of my sexual experiences with you so far have been the best of my life... because they are accompanied by so much emotion. And because you are exquisite and sensual and trusting and adventuresome and just plain incredible. But there's so much more, baby... so much more. I want to hold you, to feel the comfort of being wrapped around your soft, warm body. I want to smell your hair and taste your skin and rest my cheek against you. I want to trace little patterns on your arms and link our fingers and just admire how perfect they look connected like that. I want to twirl a lock of your hair around my finger and watch the way it loosens and falls back against your delicate skin."

"Oh Edward..." She cuddles in close to my chest and kisses me tenderly over my heart.

We lie quietly for a while holding each other tightly, her head tucked under my chin and our legs entwined.

"Tell me about a happy memory with Jake. It doesn't have to be something romantic... just something that illustrates your friendship."

"Hmm. Well, we once rebuilt a pair of old motorcycles. Jake took each of them apart, and I mean completely apart - down to each nut and bolt. We meticulously cleaned every little piece, then put them back together. It was a long process, and Jared was often there too."

She shakes her head and looks up at me, a shadow flickering through her expression.

"They worked great, nice and solid. We rode them around the back roads of La Push. My dad was a bit pissed off at first, but he came around."

"So you have a motorcycle license?"

She nods. "Mmm-hmm."

"You never cease to amaze or surprise me."

"I also have a license to carry a concealed weapon. But I never have."

I'm a little shocked. "What? Why do you have it?"

"Because my dad was a cop and strongly believed I should have every option for self-protection available to me. He taught me to shoot when I was twelve."

I smile against her hair. "Are you a crack shot?"

She chuckles quietly. "I have pretty good aim. Your turn. You tell me about a happy memory."

I think about it. "Hmm, let's see. When I was seventeen, I caught a very dangerous strain of flu and had to be hospitalized."

She shakes her head slightly. "That doesn't sound like a happy memory."

"Ah, but it is, because my dad stayed with me in the hospital for the entire time I was there. You see, I was the middle child and I had no great talents like Emmett, who was excellent in all kinds of sports, or Alice, who was only twelve but doing amazingly well in both ballet and all of her subjects in school. Unlike my siblings, I didn't get a lot of attention or praise - I was just a steady presence in the house. But when I was in hospital, my dad and I got to know each other really well. He told me things I never knew about his childhood and his parents and grandparents, and I told him things about myself and my interests and opinions that he never realized or recognized. We became very close, and when I recovered and was released from hospital, that closeness remained. He also began treating me like a man instead of a boy. So, even though I was terribly ill, it was still one of the best times of my life."

She kisses my chest. "You're right. That is actually a very happy story."

"Now how about you tell me a funny memory... maybe something about your dad?"

She pulls away and sits up, rolling her eyes. "Okay. So, I was about fourteen and we were fishing for sea trout at the beach, on a point where the river flows into the ocean. I caught a huge trout and I was so excited I was screaming and jumping and laughing... I just barely managed to reel it in. My dad was standing behind me, coaching me on how to land it, and then he yelled 'now yank hard!'"

Bella imitates the way she pulled on her fishing pole.

"I yanked so hard that I pulled this big three or four pound fish out of the water and around my back where it collided solidly with Charlie's head. He fell to his knees and the trout continued to sail all the way to the river where it fell back into the water and escaped my hook. It was so funny that I brained my father with the one thing he treasured – a fish – and then it got away! It was like the fish was getting revenge against Charlie for all of the friends he'd lost to him over the years."

She giggles and looks at her hands, and I laugh with her. "That must have been hilarious from a third-person point of view."

She nods, smiling. "Hey... how about you? Tell me a funny story about Emmett and Alice."

"Okay - I've got one. When Alice was eight and Emmett was almost sixteen, she was sneaking around in his room and found his porn stash, only she thought they were 'Daddy's doctor magazines.' So, she dutifully brought them to Mom and Dad's bedroom and placed them on Dad's pillow... where my mother found them a few hours later. Poor Dad spent the entire evening claiming he had no idea where they came from or how they got there... and Emmett had to resort to a Victoria's Secret catalogue that he stole from me until he could replenish his stash. Of course, both Emmett and I received the third degree on the origin of the magazines. Fortunately, I had the truth behind me so I just stuck to my story and reserved commentary on where I thought they might have come from. The next day Alice innocently ratted him out when she asked Dad if he found his doctor magazines that Emmett had borrowed and she had returned."

Laughing out loud, Bella shakes her head. "Oh my god... that is such a perfect Emmett and Alice story. How much trouble did Emmett get in?"

I pull her back so I can spoon around her. "He didn't really get in trouble per se... but he did have to endure a horrifically embarrassing American Pie type of talk with both Dad and Mom."

We giggle together and fall silent for a long while. Then Bella murmurs sleepily, "I love you, Edward."

"I love you too... Isabella."


A/N: Next chapter: Forks, for all your shlicking pleasure! So, how about you show me the love and click on Review... and then maybe head on over to The Sunflower Awards dot blogspot dot com (no spaces)... voting is open from May 4th to May 25th. Love to you all! (And of course, Reviewers get a teaser!)