First off, if you are not turned on by unapologetically dominant Edward rescuing a helpless Bella, leave now before you vomit or get your retinas singed. I cannot be responsible for the unpleasant gagging noises you will make as this story progresses. Thank you.
Secondly, I'm putting this story up next to "Sharks" because I want to illustrate how "dominance" is not just the purview of sexually profligate, whip-bearing men (or women) in black leather. If you think of it conceptually as a Venn diagram, dominance is a very large (no naughty jokes, now) circle with BDSM being a smaller (but still sizable) circle that overlaps, but maybe not as much as you might think. Yes, there are truly dominant "Doms" and "Dommes" who like controlling every aspect of their submissives' lives, but -and I have this on very good authority, though not, I admit, from real-life experience, thank goodness, since it would have been devastating-there are plenty of BDSM practitioners who enjoy bossing sexual partners around but don't want any responsibility for them outside the act of sex. That's fine for people who find that spiritually and physically satisfying, but for emotionally-vulnerable people looking more for caretaking than an exciting sex life, it would/could be disastrous.
So, to make the exceedingly important point that BDSM reality is not the nirvana it may sometimes seem to those terrified of living and willing to do whatever they're told as long as they get some affection in return, I give you...oops, to make that point, I'd have to write a really depressing story about one of my precious passive Bellas getting into a bad BDSM situation. I have one that's a close call, and maybe I'll post that too someday.
I guess what I'm doing instead is offering an example of how needy Bella can-conceivably-be taken care of and efficiently-handed happiness by somebody other than a bossy sex powerhouse. This is also convenient because I suspect any lemons off my tree would be very...silly. So, I am relieved to give you: conservative Christian Edward.
Because I have to be able to fall in love with the Edwards I write, however, this one happens to be a politically-liberal conservative Christian. Yes, I know I have the common romance tendency to write about completely mythological men, although I'll bet there are some out there. That is not, however, a recommendation to go church-hopping in the hopes of scaring one up. On the other hand, there are worse ideas for searching out a dominant life partner, as previously discussed in my "Sharks" author note rant.
Finally, sorry for the lame title. I'm particularly bad with titles, probably because they require brevity. If you've got a better idea, feel free to message me. And if anyone out there thinks they could tolerate pre-reading for me, (and is a legal adult, because I don't want to corrupt any minors), please let me know. Thank you! xo (and yes, theoretically I'd hug any of you, whoever you are, although I'll admit the kisses are more for effect, unless we're talking quick cheek pecks or you've just told me where to locate a really-satisfying stash of new Edward/Bella emotion porn) liza
Disclaimer: As always, the Twilight characters, locations and plot elements are the intellectual property of the lovely Stephenie Meyer, whose talent is matched by her generosity in letting us use them this way. Blessings on you, SM! And the rest? It's all my fault. :)
It was just after 9 p.m. when there was a knocking on the door of the apartment I was sharing with Alice Cullen. I was startled by the noise, not just because I'd been immersed in the calculus homework spread out on the kitchen table in front of me, but also because we lived in a secure building with a locked front door; since we didn't buzz anyone in, it had to be a neighbor. I turned to ask Alice who she thought it might be, as she'd been in the kitchen too all night, arranging cabinets after unpacking more of the seemingly-endless boxes she'd brought with her from home. I hadn't even known Alice more than four months, and had been living with her just over a week; but already I was certain about two things: her family was rich, and she was kind. It was a fortunate combination.
Alice wasn't perched on the countertop anymore though when I turned to talk to her. She was already waltzing out of the kitchen, towards the door to answer it.
I felt anxiety settle in my stomach at the unexpected idea of meeting a stranger this time of night. Besides, I was in my pajamas, and not at all ready for polite company. Alice, however, didn't seem the least bit hesitant to answer the door, and had her hand reached out towards the doorknob before I managed to breathe out, "Who's that?"
"This is just my cousin, checking up on me," Alice said a little apologetically over her shoulder to me as she unlocked the door, then opened it. An incredibly handsome man was standing in the doorway, looking down – clearly expecting petite Alice to be letting him in.
"I didn't hear the chain moving, Allie," he said sternly as he walked over the threshold. "Why didn't you have it on?"
"Because I knew you were coming over in a couple hours, Mr. Bossy Pants," Alice replied tartly, dancing back towards the kitchen with the stranger—the very handsome… No, the very, very handsome stranger in her wake. The man followed her after first closing and locking the door behind him.
"How's the unpacking coming?" he asked her, more warmly, then followed up immediately with, "And it's my job to keep track of you, Mary Alice Cullen, so next time I expect to hear the chain lock being removed, you understand me?"
Alice just stuck her tongue out at him, which kind of horrified me seeing how much I dislike conflict and am afraid of boys—I mean, men—and turned back to the kitchen. Her gaze fell on my terror-stricken face I'm sure, because the next second she said with surprising enthusiasm, "Oh! Edward, you have to meet Bella!"
I had already been watching the whole exchange in a bit of shock, not knowing what to make of it and feeling unaccountably nervous, and overwhelmed. Which was nothing compared to the feelings when this man turned and looked at me for the first time. Blushing like mad, I broke his gaze immediately and dropped my head to study my calculus book intently, blinking back the tears that rose to my eyes for some inexplicable reason.
I barely heard Alice over the buzzing in my brain as she proceeded with the introductions, but I heard that voice as it addressed itself to me, saying, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Bella; I'm Edward, this rude young lady's cousin, and chaperone. I'm afraid you'll be seeing a lot of me this semester, unless" and here he turned away from me in order to send a warning glance in Alice's direction, "I have to send her home early for insubordination."
The sternness in his tone at the end made me shiver, but Alice merely stuck her tongue out again, then hopped back up on the counter and returned to organizing cabinets. "Don't mind him, Bella; he's all bark and no bite. He'd never rat me out to my parents."
"Rat you out for what?" I couldn't help asking curiously, my brain finally kicking in again.
"Ah, that's the ten-thousand dollar question, Miss Bella," Alice's cousin—Edward—said, with humor in his voice. "I'm counting on you to be my informant; let me know when she's up to something she shouldn't be."
Before I had a chance to think, my mouth blurted out, "Oh, you mean Jasper."
There was a clatter as Alice dropped a plate on the countertop, before crying out "Bella!" in consternation, paired with a chuckle from her cousin.
I was mortified, and immediately started apologizing profusely to Alice. "Alice, I'm so sorry; I didn't think! I promise I won't—"
I was cut off in my desperate pleading by her cousin, who walked closer to me and said consolingly, "Now don't you go apologizing for telling the truth, sweetheart. Alice has only herself to blame if she does something... ill-advised."
Then, mercifully pausing in his approach towards me, he turned towards Alice, leaned against the refrigerator and said, "As it so happens, I already know about this Jasper, and have had some words with him after his visit here Friday night."
"Edward! You didn't!" Alice whispered, horrified.
"Oh, but I did," Edward confirmed, gleefully. "And from now on any… assignation the two of you have after daylight hours will take place in my apartment, under my watchful eye, and with my prior approval."
Edward let that hang in the air for a moment. Then he stepped away from the fridge towards Alice, picked up the plate that had fallen, handed it to her and said in a conciliatory tone, "He has my cell number, and I expect him to be using it, so don't be too upset Alice—he took his upbraiding like a man, and I found I rather liked him. Although not as much as I suspect he likes you." Edward grinned at Alice as she finally snatched the plate away from him, madly setting it down with a crash on the stack. I watched transfixed as Edward grinned, shaking his head, and started moving away.
The next instant, he stopped as if suddenly remembering something, turned on his heels and walked over to Alice, managing still to seem as if he was towering over her even with her perched on the counter. With his hands on his hips he stared her down—for Alice was looking not just mad, but rebellious—and said, "But if you try to pull one over on me again, I will take you home to Uncle Carlisle. Am I understood?"
Alice stared right back at him for one intense moment, but then she sighed, and nodded meekly if obviously reluctantly too. It must have been good enough for Edward though, because he smiled warmly, leaned in and kissed Alice on the cheek, then cheerfully turned away to tell me good-bye. I was stunned he had even remembered I was in the room (boys-I mean men-usually don't), so he caught me looking straight at him. My head dropped fast when he started talking though.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, sweet Bella, and don't you let Alice give you a hard time tonight," Edward said warmly as he finally came to a stop right to the side of where I still sat at the kitchen table. My heart was pounding but all I could do was keep staring blankly at the black shapes on my textbook page.
He waited just a moment, and I tried to think of something polite to say back when Edward started speaking again, a little quieter this time, almost gentle. "I can tell you are going to be a good friend for her, and that you only have her best interests at heart."
Of course I started crying, but I at least managed to nod and croak out "Thank you," before I was immediately silenced by the weight of a hand descending on my shoulder. I froze, terrified and elated in equal measure. Edward was touching me.
"You be sure to come to me if there's anything I can help you with too, all right?" His hand was still on my shoulder, as his offer was hanging in the air, and my heart was beating so loudly I knew everyone could hear it and my throat was closed and I was crying and I just wanted to die right there. Instead, I simply nodded, being too overcome with emotion to speak.
'I can't even talk to a man without losing it! He won't ever want to have anything to do with me again!' I thought desperately. But somehow, Edward didn't seem to agree with my unspoken assessment, because he stood there peacefully another couple moments, his hand still on my shoulder, his head still angled towards mine—I may not have been looking at him, but I could feel his gaze—the dynamic between us not one of derision, but of…Actually, I wasn't sure what it was, but I liked it. A lot.
Finally, Edward gave my shoulder a parting squeeze then removed his hand as he turned to leave the kitchen. I felt a ridiculous surge of panic as he moved away from me and towards the door.
Somehow, I managed to stay still. Alice stayed in her spot on the counter too, both of us watching him leave. "See you two ladies tomorrow," he called over his shoulder as he let himself out. Before he closed the door behind him, he turned and added, "I'm using my key to lock it, Allie, but I'm waiting in the hall until I hear the chain slide into place."
"All right, all right," she muttered under her breath as she walked over to the door and put the chain on as he had asked. I heard the lock turn as well, and it was then I registered what he had said.
"He has a key?" I squeaked at Alice, shocked that she would give someone else—a male someone else—access to our apartment without telling me.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you that," she said mildly. "I had to give a spare to Edward, and one to my parents as well. Are you giving a spare to anybody?"
I shook my head, too embarrassed to tell her that there wasn't anybody that would want one. I didn't think Charlie would think it was necessary, although he would probably be glad to know there was someone taking such an active interest in our security measures.
"I can't believe he talked to Jasper," Alice said dejectedly as she threw herself on the sofa. "No wonder Jasper hasn't called me today!"
"I'm sure Jasper was just busy with school. Remember he said that today was his long day?" I reassured her, grateful that her focus was on Edward's conversation with her boyfriend and not my verbal misstep.
Just then her cell phone rang, and she flew up to grab it off the kitchen counter, squealing happily "Jasper!" before running to her room and shutting the door. I tried to return to my calculus homework, but found it exceedingly difficult to concentrate. Finally I gave up, deciding I would get up early to do it before class the next day, and went to bed.
I fell asleep to wildly unrealistic fantasies of Alice's cousin caring for me the way he cared for Alice.
