Chapter 35 – The Iron Lady
BELLA
Peering up at the tower as it twinkled and sprinkled above me, I couldn't find the words to express what I was feeling. It wasn't exactly a "love at first sight" feeling, but being here, under the tower, I fell in a little in love with Paris.
With a gentle nudge from Edward, he and I walked to the elevator queue. The line was relatively short and soon we were looking out over Paris from the first platform.
"I thought about taking you to the Jules Verne restaurant, but the menu is very sparse and pretentious, not us at all," Edward whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms around me.
I gazed at him over my shoulder. "As pompous as Palisade?" I asked.
His chuckle was unexpected. "Palisade would be consider fast food when compared to Jules Verne, Bella. We're talking two-hundred and fifty dollars per plate, a tasting menu that is mostly fish. Not good for you and the baby I'm afraid."
A smile touched my lips at his consideration. "You know, I love that about you."
He quirked an eyebrow in question.
"The way you take my pregnancy into consideration," I elaborated, turning slightly in his arms and lifting my hand to ghost my fingers along his jaw. "I'm feel lucky to have you in my life."
The way his green eyes flickered in the light and held what he didn't say – I'm the lucky one. I shivered as he caressed my stomach. "Ready to go higher," he asked, still lovingly gazing at me.
"Yes."
If I thought the lower levels were impressive views, the view from the top blew me away. Edward had stood back, letting me move to the edge of the platform alone, much like he did on the lower ones. I had expected him to join me after a minute or two, but when he didn't, I turned and search the immediate area for him, not finding him. Panic started welling up in me. Closing my eyes and taking a cleansing breathe, I remembered the old adage "hug a tree." I stayed where I was. Edward would returned. Perhaps he went to the nearby souvenir stand or the public toilet. Turning back to the Paris skyline, I stared out into the night.
When a champagne flute appeared in front of me, I twisted around, finding Edward peering down at me with a boyish smile on his face. "If fish is a no-no, then so is champagne."
His smile became amused as he continued holding the flute in front of me. "Remember what you love about me," he whispered, having leaned into me.
It was my turn to raise an eyebrow in silent question.
He nipped at my lips. "Yours contains sparkling lemonade, sweetheart."
Mine? It was then I realized he hadn't wrapped one arm around me. There, in his other hand, was another champagne flute and I could see the bubbles floating up in the amber liquid. My eyes shifted back to the glass he offered me. There were also bubbles in the pink-tinged liquid.
My heart swelled as I took it. Lifting the flute to my lips, I took a small sip. A flavorful crisp taste of lemon and a hint of lime with the perfect amount of sweetness filled my mouth and made my tastebuds dance in delight. "Mmmm," I moaned.
Edward lifted his now free hand to cover his mouth in an attempt to hide his mirth. He wasn't fast enough, and I saw his lip curl up. A fleeting thought ran through lift my hand and slap his chest, but I let him have this moment.
Raising his glass, he saluted me as he said, "To my darling wife who stole my heart with a single look."
We walked around, taking in the differing views and sipping our drinks. Edward passed his phone off to one of the workers, who nonchalantly snapped a couple of pictures.
~~~ Reaching for Love ~~~
"Hmm, at least one of the pictures came out," I said, glancing at the photos over Edward's shoulder as he shifted through the tower pictures after downloading them to his laptop.
"Go shower, Bella, while I check my email."
Her hand appeared and lowered the screen. "You promised to join me."
EDWARD
Looking up I gulped, she was wrapped in one of the hotel robes, no longer standing behind me but in the window. When she leaned forward, I got a view of what lay beneath. We had been intimate several times, and all but the first time were initiated by me. Bella never complained, the willing participant.
She was initiating, so why in the hell am I still fighting what we both clearly wanted? Maybe it was because I didn't want to just have sex with her, not that any of our couplings were without expressions of love, not with words only but with our bodies too.
"Please," she whispered against my ear.
I couldn't deny her. Pushing away from the desk, I stood and motioned for her to lead the way.
The water was cascading down Bella's body as I closed the glass door. Damn, she was a sight to behold. I watched as droplets of water slid between her breasts and disappeared as they continued their downward path. My gaze moved up, finding she had her head thrown back, reminding me of photoshopped models standing under waterfalls. All those models had nothing on my wife, even if I represented quite a few of them. Bella was a seductress, and she didn't even realize what she did to me. And what was worse, it didn't matter her state of dress or what she was wearing. She tempted me.
I took a cautious step toward her, drawing her into my arms as the water washed over the both of us. Capturing her lips, I picked her up and pushed her against the shower wall. Her legs wrapped around me, her heels pressing into my back. I drew back, my forehead coming to rest on hers.
"Did you enjoy today?" I asked, taking a calming breath and keeping my fantasy of making love to her in the shower in the far recesses of my mind. Holding her the way I was, was dangerous, even though I was sure of my footing. Slipping and falling would be bad for both of us. Bad for the baby she carried. And I would be a fucking wreck if she lost the baby, even if I wasn't the father.
"Umm… not really," she replied, but I could hear the teasing in her voice.
Leaning in, I started peppering her neck with kisses. "It that so," I mumbled against her silky skin. "From all the smiling and laughter, I thought you had fun."
My lips went back to her neck. She squirmed against me, as a breath "Edward" left her lips. My grip tightened as I pressed her harder against the wall. Smiling against her skin, I nibbled my way up, nipping at her ear. I willed myself to pull away, not wanting my fantasy to become reality.
"Sweetheart, we need to stop." I lowered her back down, reaching behind her for the washcloth. Dousing it with soap before rubbing her body in gentle circles, covering every inch of the front of her body in suds. "Turn around," I whispered.
Once her back was sudsy, she turned as I pulled her under the spray. Her arms wound around my neck, pulling me down to her, pressing her lips to mine.
My hand slammed against the shower wall when her tongue ran along my lower lip. Damn, seductress, I thought as I opened and let my tongue dance with hers. Drawing back, I tried to catch my breath. And goddamn it if she didn't move to my jaw and neck. A moan left me, whether out of arousal or because she was stealing my moves. I didn't know how I managed it, but my hand found the faucet and twisted the water off, having come to a decision. Stepping out of Bella's reach, I opened the shower door and reached out for a towel. Turning back, I found her frowning back at me. I said nothing as I moved to her and began drying her.
"Edward, you're cruel."
I pressed my lips together as I squatted down and swiped at her feet. "How so?" I queried, standing and chucking the towel over my shoulder and out the still-open shower door. Blindly reaching out, I retrieved another and began meticulously drying myself with the other.
"You know how."
Gazing over at her, I found her hands on her hips. "I don't, so please enlighten me."
Again, I chucked the towel out the door before stalking toward her. Confusion lit her eyes, as I came to a stop in front of her.
I smiled down at her. "I'm waiting."
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. She let out a frustrated, "Arghhhh," and tried to step around me. I caught her around the waist and drew her to me. Another frustrated, "Arghhhh," left her.
With a startled shriek from my darling wife, I lifted her into my arms and left the stall, walking into the section of the suite the bed occupied. Laying her down as close to the center, I climbed next to her, settling on my side, caressing her body with my left hand. Leaning forward, I devoured her lips as I swallowed her moans. Withdrawing, I gazed down at her. "I'm still waiting, my love."
Her hand shot up and tried to drag me back down, I took this to mean 'a little less talk and a little more action.' I held back and chuckled, winking at her as I ghosted my fingers over her stomach as I continued staring into her eyes. Leaning down, I kissed her neck and moved tantalizingly slow up to her ear. "We have all night, Isabella."
Time lost all meaning as I took my time, driving Bella insane with need when I refused to touch her in a more intimate, sexual way.
"Edward, please," she whimpered, after a particularly long and sensuous kiss. Her impatience was showing.
I smiled against her shoulder, before shifting and retrieving a condom. Once it was rolled down my length, I settled between her open legs. I rolled my hips forward, eliciting an "Ooh," from the beauty beneath me as I entered her.
There was still no rush to my movements, as I withdrew and rolled my hips forward again. My hand moved up to caress her face and neck. "I love you," I whispered when her eyes opened and connected with mine. She didn't have to say her word, her emotive eyes shone with her love for me.
She reached up and stroked my jaw before traveling down and around my neck. Her fingers tickled and skimmed through my hair, causing me to shudder. I shook my head when she tried to pull me down, needing to see her as she came undone beneath me.
I sped my hips up. Her eyes closed again. "Isabella," I murmured, "look at me."
She blinked her eyes open. I held her gaze and lost myself when she spasmed around me.
Lowering my head to her shoulder, I withdrew from her as I tried to catch my breath. Her hands came up and caressed my back and shoulders.
Resituating myself on my right side, after tossing the used condom in the can I moved next to the bed, I drew her back against me.
"The sun's coming up," she whispered on a yawn.
I hmm'd, kissing her cheek. "So it is."
She nestled further back against me, yawning again. "I love you," she whispered.
