I might sound like a broken record, but I'm so grateful for all of you reading and reviewing. I appreciate the little time you spare to share your thoughts.
Edward kept the bike on idle, waiting in front of the two-story-tall duplex Bella had indicated. She texted him, telling him to wait outside, otherwise Harley would start howling.
The front door of the building opened, and Bella stepped outside. There was a smile on her face. Her hair was caught up in a ponytail, which swung left and right as she bounced to his side. She had a leather skirt on, paired with a soft black blouse and a leather jacket.
Edward handed her the red helmet.
"Thanks," she grinned, pulling the helmet over her head. She braced on his shoulders, as she straddled the bike. "I promise not to faint or throw up this time."
Edward laughed, revving the engine. "Hold on tightly."
She pushed her front to his back, clinging to his waist.
"Maybe not so tightly," he called out, as he pulled onto the road. "We don't want me to faint from lack of oxygen."
Bella loosened her grip. One of her hands travelled up his chest, making him gasp. She had no idea what she was doing to him.
At a tight turn, her other hand clutched at his thigh so close to his hardening dick.
They pulled up safely in front of his house in the late afternoon. He kept a close eye on her, as he led the way inside.
"I'm fine, I promise," she said in a small voice.
"I see." He went to the sitting room. "Please, have a seat."
Bella took her jacket off, draping it over the back of the couch, looking around. She hadn't been able to do that the last time she'd been over.
"Anything to drink?" Edward opened the cabinet holding the liquors.
"Whatever. But no tequila or gin."
"Bad memories?" he checked, pouring straight vodka into two clear glasses.
"I wanted to try everything. As a bartender, I have to know what I sell to the customers," she said, amused. "Let's just say gin tasted the worst, and tequila left me with no memories the next day."
"Ouch." Edward knew all about what tequila could do. "Here." He offered her one of the glasses.
She looked at the glass, and then raised it in a salute before taking a sip. "Absolutely amazing." She winked.
It should have worried Edward that she could distinguish the types of vodka by taste, but like she said, she was a bartender.
"Aren't you a little too young to own a pub?" He sat on the short end of the couch.
Bella sat close to him, biting her lower lip. "I told you that my brother left it to me when he skipped town. For the longest time, I resented the idea of owning a pub. Thankfully, Gary helped with it. He used to be Jimmy's best friend." She took another sip. "When I turned twenty-one, I decided to embrace this job. Everyone was nice and friendly before, but once I opened up and took some hints on how to act from Paul, I became better than him."
"I might be biased, but you're the best."
"You definitely are biased. I still mess up drinks, but most of the patrons are too drunk to notice." She shrugged. "You should come over and have Paul make you an Old Fashioned. You'd forget about that excuse of an attempt I made for you."
"I doubt it. I remember it tasted decent." He winked, drinking from his own glass.
"Tell me about how you'd make me forget about my miserable life. Teach me how to be free," she whispered, meeting his eyes.
"You haven't given it much thought?"
"I tried, but nothing makes sense. We ruled out suicide," she smiled ruefully, "And you said no to riding your bike."
"How else do we escape routine?" Edward asked softly, emptying his glass. He leaned to place it on the coffee table.
Bella held his gaze. "Sex." Her face was flushed, as she mirrored his actions – emptying her glass in a large gulp then leaning to place it beside his.
Edward noticed the shoulder of her blouse had dropped, leaving it bare, exposing a beautiful tattoo of a delicate dandelion blown in the wind. The seeds of the flower morphed into little birds.
He slid closer, tracing a finger over that tattoo. "This kind of freedom can be found," he whispered.
She shivered violently, but she didn't move away, which he took as a good sign. He was surprised at not being repulsed by the tattoo. He'd always detested them, not understanding why people chose to paint their skin.
"Where?" Bella's wide and expressive brown eyes met his.
"With me," he answered simply, still tracing the exposed skin with his finger. "I can give you this freedom. You only have to become mine."
"Become yours? Are you asking me out?" She frowned.
"As in dating?" He had to make sure that was what she was thinking.
"I guess?" She shrugged, blushing.
"Then, no." Her eyes saddened. He reached to cup her cheek. "That doesn't mean I don't want you – all of you."
"That explains it," she said sarcastically.
"I won't ask for much in return."
"There are conditions?" Her eyebrows shot up.
"You'll have to respect me and be faithful."
Bella blinked. Then, she scooted to the other side of the couch. "You mean, like, in those erotic novels? Like, in the clips from the wrong side of the porn industry? You have kinks, and you like to spank and punish women?"
Edward cringed. "I'll have to admit, all those have some truth at the base, but it's nothing like that."
"You won't hurt me," she stated loudly. "I won't obey you, or anyone else. No one else can own me."
"Did I say any of that?" Edward tried to contain his amusement.
"Then, what do you want from me?" She wrapped her arms around herself, watching him warily.
He hated the way society painted his lifestyle. It was either too mild, or too intense, seldom getting anything right. Sure, there were extremes, but he wasn't one to take pleasure in bruising women or beating them into a pulp.
"It's all about your pleasure and how it'll intensify if you allow me to take you to highs you've only dreamed of reaching."
"I can't say I have a fabulous sex life. I don't even remember the last time I've been with someone," she mumbled. "But I can't," she added.
Edward blanched. She wasn't even trying to keep an open mind. "What scares you?" He had to keep her there for as long as possible. The moment she left, he'd lose her forever.
"Being hurt," she admitted in a small voice, "and not just physically."
"I won't hurt you like that."
"How do you know? What if it's too much for me?" she challenged, her eyes wild.
"You'll have the power to stop me."
"And will you? Stop?"
"Yes," he answered loud and clear.
Bella chewed on her lip. "Look, I've never wanted this with anyone – a relationship, to date…whatever you want to name it. But I have no idea what it is about you that has me so interested. Maybe it's this dark side that I didn't know about; maybe it's just your beautiful face."
Dark side? Edward wanted to scoff, but he refrained.
"I want that with you as well. What I told you is part of me, and I won't do it every day."
She seemed to relax a little. "What if I say no to all that?" Her eyes held his, shining defiantly.
"I'll have to learn to accept it and live without that. You're too important to lose over my ways…over what I like." Jasper had told him not to go down that route, but Edward knew that if he didn't make Bella see how invested he was in what they could have, she'd leave.
"But then you won't be happy," she mumbled.
"I'll be happy to have you happy by my side."
She looked away. "Let me think about this. You'll have to give me examples of what you want to do with me."
Edward tried to find some of the softest fantasies, so he wouldn't scare her.
Bella held up a hand. "Not now," she gulped. "Is other stuff off the list until I decide?"
"Other stuff?" he asked, confused.
"Like kissing," she explained, her cheeks so red.
"Kissing me might scare you. I always pour my feelings into my kisses."
She stood abruptly. "I should go." A second later, her eyes narrowed at the glasses on the coffee table. "Was this your way to keep me trapped here? You drank as well. How am I going to get back home? Or did you plan on keeping me a prisoner in your torture room?"
"There's no torture room," he answered, clearly amused.
He extracted his phone from his pants. "Felix," he said softly when his man answered on the first ring. "Please bring the car up."
"Oh, so your bodyguard is taking me home?" Bella snorted.
"Felix is my driver."
"Whatever. Don't hold your breath for an answer anytime soon."
"Well, we'll have to see each other. How else am I going to tell you my fantasies?"
"Pull up your Notes application and type in my email address," she said impatiently. He had no choice but to comply. "It's bellaswan – one word – at gmail dot com."
Edward nodded, leading the way to the front door. He stopped her before she could reach for the handle.
She tilted her head to watch him, confused, but fear and excitement flashed in her eyes, as he pushed her up against the door with his body. Then, his lips molded against hers. He didn't try to open her mouth, simply giving her a taste of what could be hers if she accepted his offer.
When they left the house, Felix held open the back door of the Caddy. Edward nodded to him, as he helped Bella inside.
She huffed, snapping the door shut.
Pictures of Bella's tattoos in my FB group for anyone who wants to get a better idea of them.