I thought I was still dreaming when sunlight greeted me in the morning.
The forecast warned of an incoming heatwave, but like most of the town, I had laughed it off. Forks rarely saw the sun, and when it did, in no way could it raise the temperature any higher than sixty degrees. But today was different.
I lifted the shade, delighted to see the sunshine streaming in through the window. I spun, grinning, only to realize Edward wasn't there. Of course. Alice would have given him the word almost immediately, so he could get home in time.
His ring sparkled in the light, throwing diamonds across the walls. I smiled wider, wiggling my fingers. Even if he wasn't physically here with me, I still had a piece of him.
The phone rang. I skipped down the stairs to get it, pleased that I didn't trip once.
"Hello?" I sang out.
"Someone's in a good mood this morning!"
I recognized Angela's voice and laughed. "Must be the weather. What's up?"
"A few of us are going to the lake today," she answered. "I thought you'd want to come. It might be the last shot for everyone to see each other before summer's over."
I paused. She was right. With the wedding and my change approaching, this very well could be my last chance to see all of my high school friends. They'd be at the wedding, of course, but it wasn't quite the same. My eyes flickered to the window. Edward was always pushing me to have human experiences, right?
"I'm in," I decided. The Cullens would be stuck inside until sundown, and though I loved them, I wasn't prepared to spend this gorgeous day in their house. Of all things, they lacked an air conditioner, but the only one who'd get any use out of it was me. "Where are we meeting?"
As usual, we were to meet at Newton's Olympic Outfitters. We chatted for a few more minutes, and I wandered upstairs to get ready. Only a moment after I hung up the phone did it ring again.
Alice's chirpy voice greeted me. "I hope you have fun today, Bella!"
I cradled the phone on my shoulder, hunting through my drawers. "Some people might find your prior knowledge a tad creepy."
"Oh, nonsense," she giggled. "Also, look in the last drawer, on the left . . . there it is!"
What I found was a new bikini in a bright blue shade. I also noticed that the rest of my suits were missing and frowned. "Alice, seriously?"
"You're supposed to replace them every few years, Bella," she chided. "Well, that's what it says in the magazines." She paused for a moment, listening to someone in the background. "There's a grumpy vampire who wants to talk to you."
I giggled. "Let me guess, is it Edward?"
His melodic—but clearly disgruntled—voice came over the line. "I am not grumpy."
"You are," I corrected. "A nice day like this means indoor time for you."
"Not exactly. We could go to the meadow."
I stood still for a moment, digesting his offer. An afternoon alone with him, after weeks of wedding planning? It was almost too tempting to pass up. But somehow, I did.
"Sorry, pal," I chuckled, slipping on my suit. "I need some relief from this heat."
A sudden rush of air told me he had found himself a quiet place to talk. "I have my ways."
Oh, did he. Only last night was he in my room, snaking his arms around my waist and through my hair. As usual, the chill had been obstacle, but now . . . I shivered. "How about tonight?"
"That's hours from now," he whined.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," I quipped. With a quick I love you, I hung up and busied myself with packing for the trip.
Charlie left a note on the table. In my rush to answer the phone, I hadn't noticed. I skimmed it, then snorted. Fishing again. The good news was that he wasn't due back until tomorrow morning, giving me all night alone with Edward. I shivered again. If the warmth of the kitchen was a preview of today, I'd need all the relief I could get.
Crowding together into two cars was improbable in this heat, so everyone who was able became the drivers. Angela and Ben jumped into my truck, and the three of us followed the line of vehicles toward the mountains. While we drove, the three of us chatted about school, the future, and my wedding. I managed to keep my voice cheery, despite wondering if our paths would ever cross again.
I was grateful that we weren't going to First Beach; in light of recent events, I knew I would not be welcome there. I had made my choice, and I was going to stick to it.
I cut the engine and we hopped out into the tight, manmade parking lot. Apparently the lake was a big hangout spot for the high school kids when the weather was nice. When it wasn't, people came up here to drink. I noticed a few beers being opened already and wrinkled my nose.
Angela and I found a comfortable spot on the rocks, while Ben went after Eric in a splash fight. A few of the other girls came over, including Jessica, who plopped down next to me like the last month never happened. It was only when news of my engagement circled did she show an interest in being my friend again. For the sake of what we had, I didn't mind. The only issue was that she brought Lauren along, who pointedly ignored me.
Jessica leaned across her towel and winked. "So, the wedding's coming up soon."
I was busy applying sunblock to every inch of exposed skin. "Yup."
"How is the planning going?"
"Great," I said distractedly, trying to find areas I missed. "His mom and mine are doing most of it. And Alice."
She was watching me closely. "It happened so fast, you know? Is it college, or . . ."
To my right, Angela scowled. In the corner of my eye, I could see the other girls leaning closer, listening. With an airiness I didn't feel, I whipped off my shirt and grinned. "Nah, I just can't wait until we're out of school to marry the guy."
The others sighed; Lauren rolled her eyes. I stood up, knowing they were watching, probing, studying. Mostly everyone had interpreted our early nuptials as a shotgun wedding. If they had been right, I would have been pretty far along at this point. I laughed, and then leapt into the water. Angela followed, giggling.
"Vultures," she whispered, then splashed me. I splashed back, laughing more than ever. Ben joined us, then Mike and Eric, and soon I couldn't remember what I was angry about.
Even with my sunblock, I knew I'd be baking if I stayed out for much longer. I drifted toward the shade, enjoying the crisp bite of the water.
A branch snapped not four feet from where I was wading. I whipped my head around, eyeing the trees. The sunlight broke through in a few places, and I caught a glimpse of something white and sparkling. My heart soared and I flashed him a secret smile.
The others would begin to wonder if I lingered for too long. With one last glance over my shoulder, I swam for the center of the lake, where everyone was congregating.
"I'll be waiting," I said under my breath, knowing he'd hear every word. I imagined his strong arms around me, cooling and soothing the heat. A tingle went through my veins at the thought.
The group of us spent a few hours at the lake, taking in the beautiful day. By the end, I was pleased to note that I only had a light sunburn across my cheeks. I must have forgotten my face in the rush to get in the water.
The humidity was still climbing when we arrived back in Forks, and it was safe to say that my air conditioner was no more. Panting, I rolled my window down on the way home, daydreaming of a cold shower.
It was too warm to cook any food, so I nibbled on leftovers and some fruit. All the while, I watched the clock, counting down the minutes.
Even with the windows thrown open, Charlie's house was no better than a sauna. Climbing the stairs was torture. I had been spoiled, I knew, in Phoenix. The dry heat had been easy to manage. This humidity was so much like Florida, filling my lungs and drenching me with sweat. I nearly tore off my clothes in eagerness to get to the shower.
The sky was bloodred when I got out, but the heat had not yet diminished. Desperate, I found the tiniest shorts in my wardrobe, and threw on a tank top. I entertained the thought of a bra, but shook it off. I was already sweating again, and it'd only make it worse.
The TV provided no distraction whatsoever, so I dove into my copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream. My thoughts drifted to Charlie as I read, wondering if his fishing trip had been successful. He always liked to eat the catch when he got home, so I made a mental note to look up some fresh recipes before tomorrow evening.
I read for a little while longer, but when the pages grew sticky and ink stained my fingers, I marched upstairs. It was barely eight thirty, but the stuffiness had soon become oppressive. Charlie said once that as the temperature rose, the crime rate followed. I wasn't about to run around committing murders, but I did entertain the thought of banging down the weatherman's door, asking why he didn't warn us better.
Sweat coated the back of my neck as I tore the sheets from the bed. My windows were open wide, prepared to catch a breeze that never came. I lay very still on the bed, uncomfortable. My skin was red and splotchy, itching against the roughness of the mattress. While I waited, I guzzled a bottle of water in less than three minutes.
Only a small gust of wind informed me of his presence, but I nearly wept with relief. His teeth glinted in the moonlight as I threw myself at him, relishing the iciness of his skin. He laughed through my kiss.
"Where's the fire?"
"Everywhere," I groaned, tugging at his shirt. "Take this off and hold me, please."
Edward did as I asked, staring at me all the while. It wasn't until we were curled up together that I remembered how much skin he was seeing, how I had decided to forgo a bra. My breasts were pressed flush against his chest, and I knew I wasn't the only one ignoring the tightening there.
We joked back and forth to break the ice, and he teased me about my declaration at the lake. I teased back, saying he couldn't wait a few hours to see me and went all the way to a mountaintop in broad daylight to do so. Our conversation made the time pass pleasantly. Even so, I was still burning.
"You feel feverish to me," Edward frowned when I rolled away in frustration. But I wasn't feverish; I was restless, exhausted but unable to rest properly. I groaned.
"It's no use, I've tried everything."
"Not everything," he promised, peppering my neck and face with cold kisses. I closed my eyes briefly, enjoying the attention. After a few minutes of this, I froze, paralyzed with a daring, extraordinary idea.
"You're right," I agreed, studying his face in the darkness. His hand was large and smooth against my hip, his fingers graceful. A musician's fingers. "Not everything."
He scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not being ridiculous," I snapped. "I'm offering a solution."
"I doubt that will help you right now."
"I'm not talking about having sex with you, Edward," I sputtered, but put more resolve in my tone. "Besides, that's at the end of the summer, remember?"
"Then what are you suggesting?" He was clever, I'll give him that. I decided to ignore his evasion of the sex topic and play ball.
I closed my mouth, suddenly unsure. What did I want, anyway? I knew for sure that I wanted this wedding hoopla over with, because I was so horny for the honeymoon, I could barely stand it.
But for now, I just wanted relief. My eyes fell on his still, white hands while my imagination—and my pulse—ran wild. My voice dropped to a whisper. "There are other things . . . we could do."
His own voice was curt. "Like what?"
"You know," I said desperately, trying to still the trembling of my body. My brain had seized on the idea and refused to let go. I knew now that if he didn't help, I wouldn't sleep. "Don't make me say it."
He stared at me for a whole minute. "How is it any different from intercourse?"
I suddenly grew shy. "You mean you've never . . . done that? Ever?"
"Maybe when I was a human. I don't remember."
"No wonder you're so wound up," I muttered, knowing full well he could hear me. "How do you think I cope when you're off hunting?"
His eyes, narrowed before, widened. "Really?"
I blushed. "It helps me sleep . . . it eases the tension. I always feel a million times better afterwards. And it could be . . . practice. It's not intercourse, but we both can enjoy it."
Edward studied me for a moment, eyes trailing from my flushed face to my chest, and down, down past my waist all the way to my wiggling feet.
He propped himself on one elbow and pressed his left hand to my stomach. There was a curiosity about him now. Maybe even anxiety. He pushed the hem of my shirt upwards, unabashedly exploring what lay underneath.
The chilliness of his hand felt wonderful to my boiling skin. I sensed he was trying to spook me, to test the boundaries of what he could and could not do. I wasn't about to tell him that everything was fine by me, and right now, surrounded by a dense heatwave with awful humidity, there were no boundaries at all.
"I have thought about it before," he admitted, now committed to the task. Breathless, I watched him swing the other leg over me, so I rested underneath him, his body matching mine. My eyes rolled back as he bent to kiss one of my breasts, his hand moving to caress the other. His wintry breath hardened my nipples instantly, making me squirm at their sensitivity. Even I couldn't have induced a reaction from my own body, and he hadn't really started yet.
His voice was silky now. The gold had bled from his eyes; now, there was hunger in the black irises. "I can smell it in your sheets, Bella. Whenever you walk by, I know. Once it was during my gym class . . ."
I remembered that day very well. It was one of the last, sleepy days of senior year. One of my teachers had needed information about the basketball team from Coach Clapp, and I was tasked with playing the go-between. While I waited, I watched Edward and Jasper dominate the volleyball game, and gawked as he tore his shirt off on the way to the locker room. He didn't need to, of course. It was a human habit he learned over the years, but it had excited my fantasies all the same.
His tongue circled the points gently, but I was still quivering. This was going much better than I imagined. Edward moved on, dusting my ribcage with kisses. My hips jerked up reflexively, and he chuckled. "Not so fast."
It was agony to wait. An embarrassing whimper escaped my throat. I knew if Charlie was home, this probably wouldn't be happening right now. I was too excited, too loud.
Edward rose up suddenly to kiss me hard and then disappeared again, this time leaving one on the slope of my hipbone. My breathing had suddenly become very uneven, and his teeth flashed in the moonlight. Finally, his hand slid all the way down into my shorts and inside the underwear. I gasped.
His fingers were icy against the overheated skin. From this angle, I could see his eyes darken, his lips part with want. It was pure heaven when he slipped a finger inside, then two, experimenting. Too much! my brain was wailing. But not enough.
I realized that he had leapt through several hoops to get to this point. I'd have to show him the rest; though he was pretty good at this, this was uncharted territory for the both of us. He always insisted he could hurt me. His rules about our physical affection had always prevented this sort of thing for that very reason. Even now, I was still shocked that he had let us get this far.
We locked eyes as I guided his wrist in the way I liked. I fell back to my place on the pillow as soon as he got a rhythm going, and my body started going haywire.
Suddenly his fingers were gone, and a pitiful whine flew out of me. I hadn't even formed a word of protest when Edward pulled the shorts and panties both from my legs, pushed my thighs open wider, and drew his tongue over me. I felt like screaming. My hands were threaded through his hair, twisting and tugging at this perfect sensation. I could scarcely imagine that his mouth could feel better than his hand, but again, he proved me wrong.
My release came soon after that, hips and thighs trembling all around him. Edward leaned close to my face, his tongue tracing across his lips in apparent delight. "You taste like sunshine and summertime. Exquisite."
He planted kisses over my throat, watching me shiver with the aftershocks. Already, my eyelids were drooping as chills skated across my skin. He chuckled.
"Good?"
"Amazing," I said sleepily, cuddling up next to him. In the process, my elbow brushed against his pants. My eyes snapped open, tiredness forgotten, and I smirked.
"Your turn."