Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. Enjoy.
Edward started visiting my bedroom regularly at night. Aside from our visits to the meadow, the midnight hours provided our only way to be alone.
It was 9:36 p.m., and I'd just finished up in the shower. I made my way back to my bedroom, checking in on Charlie, who snored in front of the television. He looked peaceful, content and completely unaware that his twenty-four-year-old daughter had a gentleman... well, vampire caller coming into her bedroom after dark.
I opened my bedroom door to find Edward lazily sprawled across my bed. The first few times, I was surprised to see him so relaxed and comfortable in my room, but it was nice to see him like this. I could really get used to it.
I crawled across the bed to reach him. He pulled me down with him onto the heavy duvet.
"Why is the bed so warm?" I asked, sliding my hand along the fabric cover.
"I may have invested in an electric blanket. I thought it would help you not feel so cold when we are in bed together," Edward said shyly, covering part of his face with his hand and smiling behind it. He looked embarrassed at his thoughtfulness.
"My attempts at warming you up aren't good enough?" I teased, pushing his hand away from his face and straddling his lap.
Edward hardened against me. My hands caressed the fabric of his navy blue shirt and I marvelled at the marble-like feeling of his chest underneath. His face scrunched up slowly as he sucked in a breath, growing harder at our proximity.
"Love, your attempts are always very good," he purred. "Too good." He closed his eyes, his lashes fluttering.
I leaned down and placed hot, wet kisses along his neck. My breasts strained against my tank top, the fabric on the underside still damp due to my rushed attempt at towelling off.
Edward let out a soft grunt and I stilled. His mouth opened and short shallow breaths rang out, only stopping when he moistened the pink flush of his lips with his tongue.
Edward's and my physical relationship had been somewhat progressing since the phone sex, but not enough for me. I was an impatient human, frustrated by the inability to fully explore every inch of him, and I was horny...really horny. I sat upwards, and frowned at the layers of clothing between us. I snaked my hands under his shirt, feeling the hard skin of his abdomen. I ran my thumb against the waistband of his jeans. How would he react if I slid my hand inside? Would it be too much?
He reached his hand up to press against my heart, a habit of his when things became a little intense and he needed to be "grounded." I rocked against him, enjoying the friction of his jeans against the juncture of my legs. I leaned forward a bit, angling myself against him, desperate to scratch the itch.
"Oh!" There it was. I looked down at my chest and neck. My usually white skin was scarlet red, the blood having pooled against the surface.
Edward's hips rose to meet mine. He understood. His eyes opened and looked deep into mine as we started to grind against each other.
"More. I want to... more!" I leaned forward and placed my hands beside Edward's face, figuring the change of position would cause the pressure to build. The friction wasn't enough.
Edward bounced me to the side of the bed. Startled, I opened my eyes to see him across the room hiding behind my door. "Charlie!" he hissed.
Loud knuckles banged against my door. "Bella, are you okay in there?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry, Dad, I just woke up from a dream," I said, disoriented, my body splayed across the bed.
"Okay. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
I let out a sigh of relief as Charlie's heavy footsteps retreated downstairs, while Edward slinked away from the door frame and lay next to me on the bed. I turned my face and nuzzled into Edward's as he placed soft, wet kisses along my collar bone.
"Stop it. You're such a tease." Frustrated and needy, I tried to push Edward away. Too quick for me, he was already falling backwards into the bed, humoring me.
He took my hands into his own and traced the lines across my knuckles. "Bella, you're the only woman I've ever done this with. I'm a virgin. I don't even know what I'm doing," he replied almost in a groan. "Love, I don't mean to tease you, I just want to make love to you right. I don't want to hurt you."
"Edward, I don't care that you are a virgin. The only thing that I care about and that's hurting me right now is the female equivalent of blue balls, and I need to come - like now - or I'm going to explode!"
He laughed, burying his face into my nearby pillow.
"If you won't do it, I will!" I hissed at him. How had this escalated so quickly? I was so tightly wound, desperate to get off. As I locked eyes with him, I saw myself in his reflection. The thought of sharing this with him made my skin flush.
Edward's face peeked out from the pillow and he slowly turned to his side. "Would you show me?" He shifted on the bed, the needy look from earlier back in his eyes.
I lay down next to him, my head resting on my pillow. I reached out and ran my hand across his chest. "Do you want to watch?" I asked in a low voice that was hopefully seductive, my eyes bravely locked on his.
Edward's eyes fluttered open and closed. He chewed on his bottom lip - a very human behavior. It was strange seeing him do this, knowing what I knew about him now.
"Yes… I-I want to watch." Edward's words came out stuttered. I held all the cards right now. I loved the idea of being in control just this once, as the power balance with Edward always seemed to tip in his favor. Yet nervousness still cascaded over me in waves.
I lay back against the pillows, stretching my hands above my head. My tank top slid up my stomach, the fabric tickling my skin. The lace trim of my panties creeped lower as my body stretched out. Edward looked at me longingly, his eyes trailing up my legs, fixated for a moment on my hip bones before settling on the gap created by my tank top. His hand reached for the sliver of exposed skin and my stomach clenched, my eyes fluttering.
"Hands off. You said you wanted to watch."
Edward pulled his hand back, his fingertips pressing into the duvet and groaned. "I really want to touch you."
"Not tonight." I murmured, feeling his eyes on me. If we weren't going to touch each other tonight, I needed him to hold back enough so I could at least get some kind of relief. "You watching me is going to be as good as you touching me… for tonight." I closed my eyes for a brief moment, a hint of nervousness alighting in my stomach. I can do this. I can show him. My heart thudded with an upbeat tempo. Like a drum in my ears, I listened and breathed along with each thud, thud, thud.
Looking at Edward through my lashes, I lazily lifted my hand to the strap of my tank top, tracing lazy circles with my thumb along the fabric before moving to my breasts. I skimmed my nipples with my nails, eliciting a groan from Edward. I made another pass but this time, on reaching the hem of my tank top, I lifted it up to my neck, exposing myself. I arched my back, enjoying the feeling of the cool air hitting my sensitive skin. I felt my nipples harden, a result of the combination of the air and the way his eyes trailed my every movement. He lay next to me, his cool hand resting on my hip, pressing gently into the skin. This touching I would allow.
My skin seared where he touched me, my pulse skittering and I kept my eyes fixed on his face. When his fingers pressed deeper into the flesh of my hip, my body answered. Could he smell the wetness between my legs? Would it be too much? Should I stop?
Edward was a virgin, and he'd never seen me naked before. I dragged my nails across my collarbone, my fingers dancing towards my breasts. Heat flushed through me as my fingers came closer. He'd never seen my breasts, but I could feel the burn of his gaze on my tight nipples now.
Edward's body shifted closer to mine. His mouth hovered over my chest, his cool breath feathering over my breasts, sending a delicate chill across my skin. I imagined his cool mouth enveloping my nipples and trembled, my eyes rolling back into my head. I stared as his pink lips puckered as he got close to my skin. I bit my lip at the sight of his tongue darting out only to then disappear.
"Keep going. Don't stop," he urged.
My hands travelled lower, down to my underwear. My thumb traced the lace hem, the fabric almost rough under my touch and my core throbbed, reacting to the new area of my body being explored.
Edward shifted further down the bed, his eyes lingering on the way my thumb caressed the flesh under the fabric. "I want to know exactly where and how to touch you."
Feeling the wetness beginning to seep through my underwear, my fingers moved down, delicately grazing the moist patch that formed at my center. The flesh behind the fabric ached to be touched.
Perspiration covered my skin, my hands red-hot and my breathing heavy. "Is it too much? My scent?" I asked between short breaths.
Edward's cool breath flickered against my thigh, his mouth so close to the place I wanted it the most. "No, keep going. Please."
My whole body quivered as Edward's hands sprang up onto my hips and began pulling at my underwear.
I squirmed, desperate to give myself a moment. I wanted this to last longer. "What did I say about touching?"
Edward placed a cool wet kiss against my hip bone, his breath feathering over the skin. "I'm just trying to help."
My hips instinctively bucked, and I lifted my hips as he pulled them down and over my legs. He slipped them over my ankles, but I did not hear them hit the floor.
I let one hand play over my breasts as the other went back between my legs. My fingers traced repetitive circles, spreading my wetness. My thighs began to tremble. I was naked, exposed, and unashamed. My eyes focused on the creases in Edward's forehead. I wanted to see his face, wanted to see his eyes. I imagined them black with arousal, replacing their usual golden amber hue. I really wanted to stretch this out, give him a show, but I knew I wouldn't last. My need was greater than my worry about his bloodlust.
Edward's cool breath danced across the hot flesh of my thigh. I pressed my thumb into my clit and he let out a sound that was a mixture between an 'ah-ha' and a groan. Had he realized exactly where I liked to be touched? The thought spurred me on as the flame burned brighter and I lingered on the edge.
I reached out my other hand and tugged on Edward's hair. His head lifted slightly, his eyes level with mine. His piercing black eyes, filled with arousal, sent me over the edge as I pressed the heel of my palm into my center and squirmed. My other hand gripped onto Edward's hair, pulling at the tufts, his face now even closer to mine, staring straight at me, mouth open, eyes black like a moonless night. I took his hand and pulled on it to cover my mouth in an effort to muffle my sounds. I came undone, breathing heavily into his palm. His free hand stroked my hair, wiping the sweat from my brow.
"You're so beautiful." He planted cool kisses along my hairline. "The next time that happens, I promise it will be me doing it to you, my love. Only me."
Edward rolled away, lying down next to me, his hand tracing lazy circles on the exposed skin of my stomach. In my post-orgasm daze, I'd forgotten about my tank top, bundled up at the base of my neck. I scrambled to pull it down.
He wrapped his fingers around my wrists, gentling my awkward attempt to pull the tank down. "Don't hide from me, love. Ever," he said almost sternly. My hands went limp in his and they dropped beside me. I looked only at him. Ever so slowly, he began to move the fabric down from my neck to cover my breasts. The creamy white skin of my chest still painted the picture of the events earlier. I instinctively lifted my chest up, so he could pull the singlet down. His nose skimmed my chest and my whole body thrummed.
I reached out to touch him, my hands finding their way inside his navy blue shirt. He hissed when I scratched my nails against the skin above the waistband of his jeans, a response I didn't anticipate. Still feeling like jello, I somehow managed to climb on top of him. He lay like a statue, silent and heavy... at peace, with a smile across his face. I wriggled around on him, trying to break him out of his silence. I could feel him, hard against his stomach, but he made no effort to encourage my movements or respond.
"Edward," I whined. Still no answer, only a sly smile across his lips. "This is usually the part where one reciprocates." Testing my luck, I snaked my free hand to his jeans, running my finger along the seam of his fly.
"Stop."
I immediately removed my hands from him. I held them in front of myself like I'd been caught red-handed...which I suppose I had.
Edward opened his eyes and laughed. He took both my hands in his. "I really do want to show you. But I'm a little over-stimulated at the moment." He laughed again, his head leaning back into his pillow. "I just don't want to push it." He pulled me down so that I was lying on top of him.
"But what are you going to do about that?" I asked, looking at him through my eyelashes, gesturing to his very obvious hard-on.
"I'll take care of it...later," he said, winking at me. "But before that can happen, you need to go to sleep. It's getting late."
"Ugh," I grumbled as I rolled off him. This wasn't going where I had planned, but Edward was right. I needed sleep.
Within moments of getting inside my covers, I was asleep with my face pressed into Edward's chest. Getting my hands on my boyfriend would have to wait for another day. We had plenty of time.
Later that week Charlie and I visited the reservation for Billy Black's birthday. I fidgeted the entire car ride, picking at a hole in the knee of my jeans.
"You seem a bit off, Bella. You okay?" Charlie's concerned voice floated through the car.
"Yeah, just thinking about all the work I've got to do leading up to the end of the school year. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed is all."
Charlie nodded. "Well, tonight should be fun. Get your mind off it for a bit. Billy mentioned Jacob hasn't heard from you in a bit."
My stomach sank. I'd purposely been avoiding Jacob's calls. I would have to tell him that I was seeing someone and that I couldn't pursue anything further with him romantically, a conversation I wasn't terribly excited to have.
Parking just outside the Black house, my cell buzzed in my pocket as I began making my way out of Charlie's cruiser. I smiled as my eyes found the name flashing on the screen: EAM.
"Bella, you coming?" Charlie's voice snapped me back to the present. He was juggling a case of beer on his knee, closing the trunk of the cruiser with his free hand.
Like a child caught with candy, I hid my phone behind my back. "Yep, you head in. Just replying to a text from Angela," I replied.
Charlie nodded and made his way into the Black household, the door already ajar, in expectation of our arrival.
Leaning against the cruiser, I excitedly opened Edward's message. Thinking of you x
I'm always thinking of you x - I replied.
Alice can't see you. The wolves block her vision...Please let me know when you're home?
I replied with a simple 'will do x,' put my cell into my pocket, and followed the short gravel pathway to the inside of the Black home.
"Bella, it's so good to see you." Billy Black's voice rang through my ears as I walked into the kitchen that led out to the outdoor dining setup. Billy was placing cans of beer into the fridge and I moved towards him quickly, leaning down to give him a brief hug.
"Happy Birthday, Billy." I clapped him on his shoulder as I stood back up.
"Jacob's out back. He'll be happy to see you. Thanks for the beers, by the way!"
I nodded and followed the noise, leading me to the backyard. Charlie stood with Sue and Harry Clearwater near a large bonfire, and as I stretched out my hand to wave, I felt its warmth radiate against my fingertips. At the edge of the yard, a familiar young group of kids jostled amongst each other, their laughs ringing through the air. Walking past the small crowd that lingered around the barbecue, I scanned the yard looking for Jacob or anyone else I knew. I found him quickly, sitting next to Leah, whom I had met at the school. He whispered something into the curve of her neck. She shied away, nudging him gently, a smile plastered across her face. The moment we made eye contact, Jacob's eyes widened, his hand darting up to scratch his head.
I walked towards them, picking up a bowl and a bag of corn chips on a nearby table. I waved the bag at Jacob, tucking the bowl under my arm, as I weaved through the noisy crowd to reach them.
"Uh, Bella. Hi," Jacob stammered, standing up awkwardly.
"Hey, Jacob. Hey, Leah." I nodded my head towards each of them and sat down on the empty woven chair next to Jacob, pulling the blanket that hung over the armrest over my lap.
"I'm gonna head inside and get a beer. Anyone want one?" Leah's voice cut through the awkward silence.
"I'm good. Designated driver tonight." I titled my head towards Charlie, who was still talking to Sue Clearwater and opened the bag of chips, pouring them into the bowl.
"I'll take one, Leah, thanks," Jacob replied, still clearly embarrassed. "Uh, Leah and I are just-"
The bowl rested on my lap and I toyed with the blanket that hung heavily around my legs, my fingers sinking into the crotched holes. "You can stop. I've actually just started seeing someone. I was going to tell you."
"Oh. Okay. That was quick."
I raised my eyebrows at him. Where did Jacob get off? We'd been on one failed date, which ended up in a trip to the emergency room. We'd barely even held hands. The prospect of a romantic relationship between us was essentially over before it had even begun. In fact, it had been weeks since the last time we'd interacted one on one. Did I owe him an explanation? I certainly didn't feel as if I needed one from him.
Leah swung past on her way back with the beer, but then drifted away into the humming crowd.
Looking out to the backyard, my mind wandered to Edward. I hoped he was at home and not lingering around the edge of the reservation. Would he be in my room when I returned tonight?
Jacob's large hand rattling around the bowl brought my attention back to the backyard. "So, has your dad told you about what's been happening in Seattle?" He asked, shoving a corn chip in his mouth and then reaching down beside him to grab his beer.
"Yeah, apparently some random attacks?" I darted my foot back as two young boys came hurtling past us carrying bowls of food.
"It's them, Bella. Cold ones. Not the ones from Forks, though. Others." His voice was low.
"Huh?" I sputtered slightly, half-eaten corn chips falling onto my sweater and looked around, wondering if anyone was listening in on our conversation.
Jacob whispered. "Ones that eat humans."
I sunk further back into the chair, lifting the blanket up to my shoulders. "Have you encountered them? Have they been passing through the land?" Edward hadn't mentioned anything about other vamps being around.
"No, but Dad and the elders think that might be next. We're not sure, but we're ready if they do." Jacob let out a breath. "To be honest, I'd give anything to get into it with one of those… blood suckers."
I raised an eyebrow at Jacob, the tone of his voice had shifted. "'Get into it?' What do you mean, like fight?"
"The more I think about them, the angrier I get. I'm finding it hard to believe that the ones in Forks are actually different."
I stared straight at him. "What do you mean, Jacob? The ones in Forks don't eat humans, they eat animals. You told me that," I said confidently, curious at what else he would tell me. Jacob's eyes grew wide as his hands twitched, reaching towards the bowl. "They've obviously been following all your rules, because nothing happens here. What do you think they have to do with what's happening in Seattle?"
"I don't know. I'm just skeptical about them, you know? Why do these ones not eat humans? Isn't it a part of what they do?" He jammed another handful of corn chips in his mouth. "After hearing about the attacks in Seattle, I'm finding it hard to believe they're not all bad guys. Like what happened to those people in Seattle could happen to you."
I rolled my eyes. Wolf or not, he had never even encountered a vampire, let alone any of the Cullens. His braggadocio and ill-placed confidence in his narrow-minded outlook made him sound like a petulant child. "I really don't know where this has come from, but I can assure you that the ones in Forks aren't the bad guys."
Jacob retorted. "And how would you know that?" He lifted the bowl from my lap and placed it on his own.
"Well, I'm actually pretty sure I'm teaching one, and aside from acting like a teenager, he hasn't tried to eat me." I lifted the blanket further up my body and wrapped it tightly around myself.
Jacob leapt out of his seat. "What?!"
Pulling him back down into his seat, I hissed. "Keep your voice down. Jesus."
Jacob's eyes darted around the backyard. "You're teaching one?"
I was purposely evasive. Standing up, I took four steps to the nearby drink table, grabbing a can of lemonade. I turned back to face him, keeping my voice low as I sat back down. "I think I am, I'm not sure."
"Isn't that dangerous?! Aren't you scared?" Jacob's hands gripped tightly on the bowl. Seth Clearwater waved as he walked past and Jacob gave him a firm nod in response before leaning close to me. "Your dad would be furious if he knew this! Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"I don't even know if it's true. It's just a guess!" I hissed back, trying to backtrack somewhat and get myself out of the conversation.
Jacob fidgeted in his seat, eventually placing the almost empty bowl to the side of his chair. "What do they even look like? Do they look human?"
Exasperated, I turned and faced him straight on. "He looks like a normal seventeen-year-old boy, Jacob. As I said, I'm not even 100% sure."
Harry Clearwater interrupted our conversation, urging us to start eating. Dinner had been laid out in the kitchen. Jacob and I filled our plates and set about mingling. The hours soon passed, and the night eventually ended as the clock struck 11:00 p.m. I drove a very buzzed Charlie home and felt relief wash over me on finding Edward in my room waiting for me.
"Hello, love." Edward lay sprawled across my bed. His too-long legs dangled over the edge.
"Hey, you." I walked towards him and placed a kiss on his lips.
His body recoiled slightly. "Not to be rude, but maybe a shower before bed? You smell like a wet dog."
"Edward!" I picked up the shoe that I had just toed off and threw it at him. "I'll have a shower, and maybe while I'm in there, you can think of a good reason why you didn't mention rampaging vampires in Seattle?" If Edward could look any paler, he would have.
When I returned to my room Edward sat quietly on the edge of the bed. I went about getting changed, putting on my pyjamas and leaving my towel over my chair to dry before making my way to sit next to him.
"There have been some of our kind nearby. They are not like us, though. They feed on humans and yes, they've been feeding in Seattle."
"Does your family know them?" My fingers played with the duvet, my eyes downcast, watching the way our feet crept closer and closer to each other.
"No, they are unknown to us. Alice has just seen them in her visions. Emmett and Jasper made some attempt to track them, but it wasn't fruitful. I know that the wolves have also been involved. Not your friend, but the elders." Edward sighed, tapping the toe of his foot against mine.
I sighed and turned around, making my way to the head of the bed and lifting the covers back. I turned as I slipped inside. "Why didn't you tell me then? Because Alice didn't see them coming here?" I pulled the blankets up around me. "You still should have let me know."
Edward crawled towards me, his expression flat. "I know, and that was a mistake. I should have told you."
"If this is going to work, Edward, we have to be honest about everything." I held out my hand to him, wanting him to get inside the covers with me. "Please don't keep secrets from me."
Edward turned my hand over and kissed my open palm. "I just want to keep you safe."
His cool body was now beside mine and I buried my face into the soft cotton of his sweater. "I know, but being safe and being honest are not mutually exclusive, and we need to find a balance."
Edward kissed my forehead goodnight.
A massive thank you to Cris, JennaReads, Teaandsolitude and TheBaseBallGirl for helping me get my ideas onto the page!