A/N: I don't own any part of the Twilight universe, but you guys knew that already.
Wow! Edward on stage seemed to have struck a chord with you guys. We picked up a lot of new readers with the last two chapters. To all the new groupies, welcome aboard…we're not done yet. To all the long standing groupies, you have my heart felt thanks for all the love and support.
Chapter 29-Hot, Sweaty & Interrupted
EPOV
I could count on one hand the number of times I have ever made a split second decision. My anal retentive brain tended to inspire me to over-think and over analyze everything I ever did. But when Chip turned to me and asked me how well I knew that last three songs of the show, I couldn't resist the temptation of the scene I saw in his head. Me, on stage with Bella. The only reassurance I had of my decision at the moment I followed him, once again, down into the belly of the stage was the eager nodding of Alice's head.
"I think this will work best if she doesn't see you come onto the stage." Chip spoke as if this was a CIA inspired plot. He pulled a guy with very long black hair to the side and told him when the lights went out to let me onto the stage. The guy looked simply stunned, but he made no attempt to argue.
The rush of hearing the crowd roar and the feel of the stage lights was an experience I will never forget. I could understand why this was so appealing to musicians. There was a palpable feel to the energy on the stage. But nothing, I mean nothing, was as adrenaline- inducing as the look on Bella's face as she wheeled around to find the source of the strange voice that answered her as she sung out the chorus of the song. A hundred different emotions flew across her eyes before landing on shocked pleasure. I could not have looked at anything but her in that moment, even if under threat of dismemberment.
But when she ran up the small staircase that led to the top of the piano, it was my turn to be stunned. She stood atop the piano, dripping in sweat from her excursion and her body heaving in exhaustion, and looked like the embodiment of perfection. When she sung to me; my entire body physically felt every note. My body almost quaked with the force and emotion of her delivery. There was such a tremendous power in her performance, and I tried to return that power with my own voice. As she closed the song, I looked to my family. Carlisle was smiling at us like an indulgent parent that couldn't believe the trouble his mischievous children were causing. Esme and Alice had their arms around each other and were literally jumping up and down. Both wore smiles that stretched from ear to ear and they both blew me a small kiss. My brothers had their hands raised above their heads and were screaming a little too loudly to pass as humans. They were grinning and laughing as they showed their appreciation for "my little stunt" as Jasper was referring to it in his head. But Rosalie was the one that surprised me the most. She was not looking at me or at the family at all. She was on her feet clapping and yelling for Bella. Her thoughts were as loving toward Bella as they had ever been toward my siblings.
I wasn't sure how Bella would react to me playing "My Immortal" but I didn't want to leave her, even for the short amount of time it would take for her to play the two remaining songs. My unspoken thoughts were answered when JP leaned his body toward me.
"Dude, you know the next one?" I nodded my head as I looked over my shoulder to him. "Good, keep fucking going, the crowd is eating this shit up."
There was a moment of hesitancy when she turned to look at me as the first notes of her song rang out, but she recovered immediately. There were tears in her eyes, but the glorious smile on her face told me they were tears of happiness. She walked back toward the piano and the guitarist held his hand out to help her back onto the top. She sang the song as she walked toward me and then very gracefully, she knelt down and sat on her heels. But even that was further away than I wanted her to be. The fist chance I got, I pulled her to the edge of the piano. She knew immediately what my intentions were and pushed her legs down, across the keys and rested her feet on either side of me.
She sang the entire verse while she touched me tenderly. Everywhere her fingers caressed me; I felt that familiar spark rush through my body. It was simply amazing what she could express with a single gesture; the soft affection as she stroked of my cheek, the erotic tracing of my lip or the caring concern as she pushed the strands of hair from my eyes. They were all gestures of love and my heart swelled with each movement. But her eyes were what I drown in as I played. Her beautiful eyes, always so open and expressive, shown with unrepentant love and forgiveness and understanding.
I couldn't control my body when I stood up during the bridge; I just needed to close the distance even more. The emotions the lyrics had provoked just two nights ago were intensified exponentially while she locked her hands around my neck and pulled me as close as possible. The only space that we allowed between us was what was necessary for the microphone in her hand.
My world simply exploded when she kissed me though. I should not have been as happy as I was that she moved to kiss me first, but I was. I had thought of kissing her a thousand times in the last forty-eight hours, but I was ecstatic that her needs and desire were as overwhelming and compelling as my own. My petrified heart truly seemed to become reanimated in that moment. Her lips, so soft and warm and inviting, sparked a flame inside of me that all but brought about a rebirth of sorts. Every nerve in my body, every cell of my being flamed in the instant that she kissed me. This was not the reunion kiss I had ever imagined, but it was infinitely better.
I pulled her entire body onto my lap to finish the song out of sheer desperation to not be parted from her touch. This was by far the most intimate position I had ever found myself in with Bella, but it seemed so natural it was almost frightening. Her hold on my neck never lessened and she pulled herself as close as possible to finish the song. Her body fit perfectly into mine and her scent absolutely invaded my senses. It was Heaven on Earth to have her so close to me.
The soul searing kiss that we shared as the last notes died out solidified my belief that we had both been created for the sole purpose of loving each other. One would never be whole without the other.
As we began the last song of the show, I could not have been any more impatient for it to finish. The need to feel her, to kiss her and hear her sweet voice whisper her love for me was all encompassing. All through the song, I touched her. I could not allow any form of separation between us. To my relief, she seemed to be of the same mind set. Every time I touched her hand or put my arm around her, she smiled at me, even as she continued to sing. Her voice flowed so effortlessly that it was easy to believe it was just the two of us on the stage. It was an incredible high to be surrounded by the force of such a bizarre scenario. Her presence on the stage was all consuming. Neither I nor the audience below us could resist her as she belted out the final notes of the song.
As the lights came down to cover the stage in darkness, I pulled her body fully against mine. Every curve fit against my body in the most familiar and unfamiliar way. My own body remembered the feel of her skin against mine, of her chest pressed against me and of her arms encircling me. But my body allowed reactions that it never had before. Ok, so maybe it wasn't my body but my own fucking head that had never allowed the reactions she was inspiring.
"Forever, baby. I'll love you forever." I whispered it to her as a promise, as a dream and as a prayer.
Her response was a kiss that would probably leave the skin around her lips bruised. She gripped the back of my head so hard it was almost painful for me. Almost. Her mouth immediately opened to mine and my tongue dove inside to claim the fire that I had been without for far too long. Her arms were wrapped around my neck in what would have been a strangle hold if I were human and her eyes stared into mine. I could see the love and joy I felt in my own chest shining back at me. I was home, where I had always belonged, even when I was too stupid to know it.
There was a part of my brain that was aware of everything that was going on around me. I could feel myself being pulled backwards away from the front of the stage by someone whose thoughts were in a total state of shock. I could hear the voices of the other members of EverClear yelling various forms of congratulations to Bella. I was also aware of the turmoil that the crowd was in, their thoughts running from stunned disbelief to outright jealousy. But none of it mattered. The only thing that held any importance to me was Bella. My Bella.
As we reached the edge of the stage that led to the dressing rooms, I lifted her feet from the ground, turned us and headed down the stairs. I knew which room was hers and I could think of nothing but getting us there. There was a lot that we needed to talk about, there were bound to be a multitude of people that we needed to speak to about what had just happened and I'm sure there were things that needed to happen with her band to finish up the night. But I truly didn't give a shit about any of it. My one and only goal was to be alone, for just a few minutes, with her. I needed to feel her body against mine to reassure myself that I had not, in fact, gone insane and that this was not some cruel hallucination.
I walked the few steps down the hallway in a daze as her lips never lost contact with my skin. She kissed my jaw, my neck, my ear. Any part of me that she could reach. Her need for reassurance was as frenzied as my own. I recaptured her lips as I stepped into the small room that smelled so pungently of her beautifully torturous scent and kicked the door closed behind me. The feel of her tongue in my mouth was the most exquisite pleasure I had ever experienced. She pushed into my mouth with a force I didn't know she possessed. Her arms grasped at my shoulders and neck frantically. I could feel her heart beat out of control and her lungs were straining with the effort to obtain the oxygen her body needed. Reluctantly, I pulled back from her to allow the much needed air to fill her lungs.
"Bella…breathe."
She shook her head from side to side and crushed herself against me. My instincts kicked in at that very moment. But not the monstrous instincts I had always feared. The human man in my reared his head in desire and need. My arms tightened around her and I pressed myself against her hips. I trailed my lips down her neck to the point just below her ear. I could hear and feel the blood rushing just beneath the skin, but there was no siren's call for her blood. There was only the call of her heart and her body.
I spun us around and backed her up to the door, lifting her further off the ground and pushing her slightly higher. Her legs wrapped around my waist and I was immediately aware of the heat pouring from her body. I licked a trail of perspiration as it trickled down her neck and over her exposed collar bones. The taste was mind altering. Her essence, intensified with her exertion from the night, was just short of orgasmic in its flavor. My right hand cupped her perfect almost completely exposed ass and my left was pressed against the door in an attempt to balance us.
It was pure lustful instinct that led me as my mouth found the small thread that laced the front of her dress together. In a movement I'm not sure she was even aware of, I pulled the offending string between my teeth and bit. The venom of my teeth disintegrated the offending ribbon in less than a second and the material fell away, exposing the tantalizing swell of her chest. I had been a fucking idiot to deny myself the perfection of her skin. I kissed the smooth, all be it soaking wet, skin just above her heart. I could feel the rapid beating beneath my lips. I could feel the muscles deep in her body as they worked furiously to pump the sweetest blood on the planet through her veins.
"Ed…Edward?" Her words broke as she gasped for breath.
I looked into her eyes, expecting hesitancy or fear or anger. What looked back at me was unbridled lust. The sheer force of her desire sent shock waves through my body that all ended in my cock. In less than a second, I was steel fucking hard with Bella locked very firmly around my waist. I should have been embarrassed at my display or fearful for her reaction. But I wasn't. Instead, I was enthralled with her obvious desire for me. The scent of her arousal was all consuming as it combined with the sheen of sweat that covered her body and the lingering fragrance of her dressing room.
"What, baby? What do you want?" I hardly recognized my own voice as I answered her. I had "dazzled" Bella often when we were together, but this voice was something new. It was low and gravely and totally foreign.
"Couch," she panted into my neck.
Fuck human pace. I made it to the couch and had her on her back before her heart could complete a solitary beat. I pressed my body into hers as our mouths continued their exploration of each other. I was very aware that her dress had hiked dangerously high up on her hips when I laid her back. She shifted beneath me slightly and opened her legs. My body instinctively nestled itself in the inviting space and our hip bones ground against each other.
I was about to fucking lose it. She felt so God damned good beneath me. If I had gotten any harder, I was going to shoot my load without ever touching my pants. Not exactly the impression I wanted to make. I worked very hard to concentrate on the sensation of her wrapped around me and not the throb that was steadily picking up pace in my groin. But as she wrapped one leg over my hip and rocked against me, the heel of her boot scraped a path from my ass to my thigh and I moaned into her mouth with abandon.
It could have been seconds or minutes or days that passed. We were tangled into each other, hands exploring, mouths seeking, hips pushing into one another. It was the most sinful feeling I had ever experienced. Her tiny fingers found their way to my chest and in a lightning quick movement, she pulled my dress shirt apart, sending buttons scattering across the room. Her hands traced the planes of my chest. The feeling was so reminiscent of our first day in the meadow when she had stroked my hand and arm so hesitantly that I was momentarily taken back to that most perfect of afternoons.
Her mouth on my chest brought me crashing back to the present. Her tongue followed the pattern her hands had carved. I tried very hard, but failed, to stifle the growl that erupted from my chest. I pulled back slightly to look at her, afraid I had frightened her. It had, after all, been a very long time since she was as close to a vampire as she was at this moment and I didn't want to frighten her.
But, as usual, Bella did exactly the opposite of what I expected. She didn't pull away or hesitate or even shudder. She moaned. Fucking moaned.
Much to my displeasure, there was a loud series of bangs on the door that interrupted.
"I'll count to five and then I'm coming in. I do have the key to this door, so don't think I won't." Chip's voice rang through the wood of the door.
"Oh, fuck me. Does he have to do this now?" Bella's mouth never left my chest as she spoke. Fuuuccckkk. Dirty talking Bella was lying beneath me, hot and sweaty and very aroused.
"Ignore him," I mumbled as I pulled the fabric away from her breast and place an open mouth kiss on the inside curve of it.
"Can you ever ignore Alice?" She looked up at me, her eyes heavy and hooded with desire.
"Point taken." I had just nosed the fabric back over her chest and started to push myself up and off of her when the door burst open.
Chip's eyes took in the scene before him and his thoughts went wild. The image from his mind was not an unpleasant one. The two of us stretched out, hips crammed together, her dress hiked up nearly to her waist, the bodice unlaced and open nearly to her navel and my shirt hanging wide open.
"Holy hell! You two don't waste time do you?" The little man stared wide eyed and amused as he shamelessly ogled the two of us.
"Will you close that fucking door on your way out Queenie?" Bella's hiss was nearly as impressive as if she had actually been a vampire.
"No can do, baby girl. I must say though, I much prefer finding you like this in the dressing room as opposed to face down and unconscious."
"Um…Chip; is there something we can help you with?" I really did try to sound polite, but I'm pretty sure I failed miserably. All I could think of at that moment was continuing our exploration of each other.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but we are supposed to go back to Bacchus' Cellar tonight. Contractual obligation and all. I think we are going to have an issue with the owner if you don't show up. So, get that over heated ass out from under the vampire and let's get you dressed."
"No" She fisted the material of my shirt and tugged me back toward her. I complied easily, wrapping my arms around her and laying my head on her chest just above her heart. I could literally listen to it beat for the rest of eternity. Once I was were she apparently wanted me, her hands left my chest and burrowed into my hair. She lightly scrapped back and forth across my scalp with her nails, earning a very grateful moan.
"I swear if you start purring, I am having your vampire card pulled. Now get off her!"
"No," we chorused in unison, although she sounded angrier than I did. I was too lost in the perfection of her to be truly angry at anything.
"Bella, fuck, come on. You have never bailed on an appearance and you can't start now. There are five hundred different cell phones with video of your little performance that will be downloaded onto YouTube by tomorrow morning. You have to show up tonight, if for no other reason than to dissolve the rumors that I am sure are flying right now."
"Like what?" I didn't even try to hide the curiosity in my voice.
"Oh, like who the hell are you? What the hell was that out there? Are you the mysterious man of the songs? Are you part of the band now? Are you fucking heavy metal's most infamous virgin? Basics. Just wait until the internet chatter gets started."
I looked into her eyes with true remorse. I really had not meant to cause any problems for her or the band. I just couldn't stay away from her any longer. I expected to find her blushing, but what I got was a devilish grin that reminded me of the cat that ate the canary.
"Let them talk. I don't care." She tugged on my hair and shrugged her shoulders slightly. Then she smiled that demon's smile at me and purred, "Would it really be so terrible for people to think I'm fucking this gorgeous man?"
Dear. God.
I was going to spontaneously combust if another word came out of her mouth.
I kissed her as hard as I could and ground myself into her body shamelessly. Jesus, I was really starting to be a little scared of this Bella. This was a much more dominating Bella than the girl of so long ago. And I fucking loved it.
"Enough with the tongue wrestling. Get your ass off her please. I cannot have her out in public looking like shit." Chip's hand tugged at the sleeve of my jacket, trying in vain to pull me from my love.
She huffed out a breath, making it obvious how displeased she was.
"I will give you thirty minutes and then we're gone. And I want our family there also. I haven't seen them in so long. Make it happen and I'll be a good little girl." She was so adorable when she was being demanding and difficult.
"No dice, one hour minimum. But, I'll go let everyone know the plan. In the meantime, please extricate your self from the man's pants."
I couldn't help but laugh. As the door clicked behind him, I looked at my Bella. She was mine, once again and this time I would never let her go.
"Baby, I love this side of you. Such a little bitch." I kissed the tip of her nose to make sure she knew I was teasing her.
"I love this side of you too. I have never heard you curse until tonight. I kind of like it. It's quite the turn on. And when did I become 'baby'?" Her eyes danced with amusement.
"You've always been 'baby' or 'love' in my head; I just quit filtering it a long time ago. As for the cursing, well, my brothers aren't the best example of a clean vocabulary. Does it bother you?" I gave her my best smirk as I ground my hips against hers.
"Mmmm…," she pushed her hips back into mine, "not at all. I told you, quite the turn on. And as for "baby", I really like that. It's very endearing. But I think we need to get up before Chip returns with a fire hose." Her eyes were wicked with excitement. But then they turned serious in the next heart beat. She swallowed hard and looked at me from under her lashes as she spoke so quietly I had to strain to hear her. "Please don't ever leave me again. I don't think I could survive it. I know there is a lot we need to talk about, but just promise me that. I can't go through that again. I won't make it out the other side a second time."
I sat up and pulled her into my lap facing me. I cupped her cheeks in my hands so that she had to look at me.
"Never. I will never again leave your side. I promise…no, that's not good enough. I swear on all that I hold dear, Bella, I will never again be parted from you. As long as you want me, I'm here and I'm yours. I love you. I have always loved you. I will always love you."
Tears sparkled in her eyes as she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to mine. This was not the unbridled fire that had consumed us just moments before, this was love. Deep and pure and promising and needful.
"GET OFF THE FUCKING VAMPIRE!" Chip stood in the once again open doorway red-faced.
"Will you lower your voice? Jesus, just get on the mike and announce it one time." Bella snarled.
He completely ignored her. He closed the door and walked to a rack of clothes in the corner. He only flipped through a few hangers before he turned and looked at me.
"What do you want, pants or a dress or a skirt?"
"Since when did I get left out of the decision?" Her pout was maddeningly erotic as she snipped her displeasure to Chip.
"Please, Honey, you never had any input. If you could make that choice on your own, you wouldn't need me so desperately."
"It doesn't matter. She looks beautiful in everything."
She smiled so sweetly at me it almost hurt. She slid off my lap, skirt still hiked high and walked to the small table surrounded by lights. Without hesitation, she peeled her dress off and picked up a towel. She stood with her back to me in absolutely nothing except very small dark blue panties and her thigh high boots.
"Fuck me." I stared unabashedly. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked back at me. The sweet smile from moments ago was replaced with the mask of a true vixen.
"Are you a fan Mr. Cullen?"
"You two stop that shit right now. We have to leave in fifteen minutes and you, my sweet girl, stink. Get your ass in the shower pronto."
She blew him a kiss and then dropped the towel as she walked to the small door that apparently concealed the bathroom. The vision of her bare hips swaying so seductively in the mile high heels with her hair flowing down her back would be forever burned into my memory, even without photographic recall.
A small chuckle pulled my from the indecent fantasy that flooded my mind.
"Stunning isn't she. If she ever realizes how gorgeous she really is, we may all be in trouble."
"I'm open to any suggestions on how to make that happen. I tried to tell her every day, but she never wanted to hear it."
"I know. I picked up where you left off. Edward, you know I have to say this once more. If you ever pull a stunt like you did five years ago…"
"I know, Chip, I know. You'll hunt me down." I looked at him with stern seriousness in my eyes. I wanted him to understand, as much as possible, how serious I was. "I'm going to ask her to marry me tonight. Fuck the big wedding, fuck the all the production. I just want her always. I want her to be secure in my arms and my love and in her trust for me. I know it will take time for her to completely trust me, but I want to do anything I can to help her feel safer about allowing me back into her life."
He just stared at me, mouth slightly agape.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"100%. If she'll do it tonight, the arrangements are already in place. All she has to do is say 'yes'."
"Shit. This little rock and roll fairy tale just gets better and better. You do realize there will be fall out from all of this? The label, the band, the fans…everyone is going to have an opinion about this whole situation."
"We'll deal with it together; however she wants to handle it. Do you think it will damage her career?"
"Not if it's handled properly. If we do this right, this could push the band over the edge and into the big times. If that's what they want. I think you'll be surprised how little the fame means to any of them. This has always been about the music and the emotional release for them. That's what makes them so damn good."
He pulled several garments from the rack and laid them out on the end of the couch opposite from me. I could hear the water cut off in the small bathroom and I turned my head just in time to see him walk directly into the room without a moment's pause.
What the fuck?
As he stepped back into the larger room, he caught my expression. I was apparently not doing a great job of hiding my anger.
"Relax, pretty boy. She has nothing I am remotely interested in. Besides, I can promise you I have seen more of her body than you have. At least for the time being." His smirk would have been humorous if his words had not been true.
"So, do you still want me to add more fabric to her outfits?"
"On stage, abso-fucking-lutely. But what you provide for her to wear during the day, decrease the fabric by more than half. You know what, on second thought, I don't think she really even needs clothing when she's not on stage."
He snorted as she reappeared wrapped in a very small towel. She looked at me and smiled the most beautiful smile as she tilted her head to the right slightly.
"I have waited a long time to see you waiting for me after a show."
I was over to her in an instant, wrapping my arms around her. I pulled her close to my chest and she tucked her head into the crook of my neck.
"I will be waiting for you at the end of every show you ever do, Baby." I kissed her forehead and closed my eyes as we gently rocked back and forth.
"Oh, God, you two are going to make me vomit any moment." His face told a very different story. He looked positively elated at the scene he was witnessing. His thoughts were completely open to me in that moment and he was relishing in seeing her so peaceful.
She stepped away just a little and looked at Chip menacingly, or at least as menacingly as Bella could ever look.
"All right, you have a very limited amount of time here and I am only caving because I want to see the Cullens. So let's get this over with. What are you stuffing me into?
I picked the outfit out of his head and smiled very widely at him.
This was in no way, shape or form the reunion I had ever envisioned for the two of us. But it could not have been any more perfect. We were together, peaceful and surrounded by people that loved us. I hoped she could feel the enormity of my happiness at this moment.
"Oh, shit, I'm in trouble aren't I," she asked as she looked between the two of us. We both nodded.
Chapter Notes: You guys are so going to hate me (or Chip) after this one. I'm almost scared to hear what you have to say. But let me have it, I can take it.
