Edward and I drift back into sleep, only to wake at the sound of his alarm.
"Stay," he whispers, kissing my cheek before rolling out of bed.
He undresses while walking to the bathroom. First his shirt and then his boxers. Briefly, I'm greeted with the sight of his muscular backside that matches the rest of him.
While Edward's in the shower, I lazily recall the memories of last night. His eyes on my body, his gaze on me down there, the words and how he helped me; his explanations that didn't make me feel like an idiot. My heart warms at the silent thoughts.
Edward cares for me.
Edward consumes me.
Edward lusts for me.
Images of his erection, his cock, play through my mind. Long and thick, not at all like Jake, as he gripped and touched and exploded all over me.
It was single-handedly the most intense, delicious, sensual night of my life.
And I can't wait to do it again.
Edward reappears with a towel around his waist, wet hair, and a fresh smile.
"You do realize that I can hear you?" he teases.
"Sorry," I say.
Edward sits on the bed next to me and shakes his head. "Please do not be. Never hide your feelings from me. I agree that last night was … titillating," he says with a laugh, leaning in to kiss my neck. "And I do quite enjoy knowing that boy you were with does not compare to me."
I can't formulate a thought, so I simply nod. Jake definitely doesn't compare to him in any way, shape, or form. Edward's kind, gentle, and intense. And yes, their erections look vastly different, but that's beside the point. Edward is Edward because of who he is on the inside, not the size of his—
"I was explicitly talking about our dick sizes, Belle," he laughs, shaking his head before honestly saying, "but thank you for the other compliments."
He shoots me a wink before he snaps his fingers to dress himself in tight, black ankle slacks, a black button-up, and some loafers.
"Wow," I whisper, sitting up on my elbows. "You're so beautiful."
He smiles bashfully and kisses my forehead. "I will be home earlier this evening. Perhaps you would enjoy accompanying me to a dinner function of sorts?"
"Really?"
He nods. "There is a specific dress code. I will lay out options for you to choose from later."
Edward stands back, looking so sinfully handsome it almost hurts and winks again before disappearing. He's relaxed and free this morning, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep him this way.
I'm not ashamed to say I fell back to sleep for another hour. Living here, in this home, in this Court, with nothing to do has calmed me in ways I never knew I could be.
Growing up in Court 6, something always had to be done. If we weren't pulling wheat, sweeping dust particles off our porch before the next storm, or haggling milk prices at the store, then we were replacing wood floors in the living room, hand pumping our plumbing when it broke, or hunting the wild animals that lined our property, so we'd have fresh meat for dinner.
Living in Court 3 with the beautiful sky, the colorful views, and the relaxation makes me feel guilty.
My parents deserve this leisure, too. My brother, although now in Court 4, deserves this as well.
I briefly wonder what he's up to. When he traveled for schooling, we didn't talk much as he was busy. I kind of resented him for it, and I felt like he abandoned us, but now I get it.
I make another mental note to see him in Court 4 as soon as I can. He and Rosalie always made me smile the way they'd playfully banter. It wasn't always the sickeningly sweet love like my parents, and that gave me hope.
Alice and I spend the afternoon walking through Edward's neighborhood. He doesn't have many neighbors, but we count six wild animals I have never seen before.
When we return, sweaty and sticky from the heat and exertion, we shower and do our own thing. Alice says she's worried for Jasper. He's acting weird and quiet, and she gives me a detailed plan of the sexual menu she's going to offer him tonight when we leave.
When I hop out of the shower, three dresses lay on the freshly made bed.
The first is a deep black that cuts low to my belly button with long sleeves and a high slit. There's a thin, silver belt that ties around the waist.
The second is a short sparkly one-shoulder that's an itchy mess. I immediately nix this one.
The third dress is lilac and satin with a very tight bodice, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and a slit up the middle. This would be the winner if my entire vagina wouldn't be showing.
Clitoris, I think to myself. Everyone would see my clitoris.
Well, we cannot have that, can we? Edward laughs.
Rolling my eyes, I decide on the first. It's simple but sophisticated.
Edward lets me know when to be ready, and I enlist the help of Alice, who's more than happy to oblige.
We decide the look needs to be polished and simple, so Alice straightens my hair and pins it back into a sleek, low bun. She wings out black liner at the corner of my eyes and paints my lips a deep merlot.
"It's kiss-proof," she giggles before thinking hard at her words. "Not that either of us is kissing anyone…" Alice trails off.
"When are you going to get it over with?" I ask.
She smiles. "Soon."
I nod. "Can I go to your wedding?"
She scoffs. "Duh!"
Alice smiles as she softly dusts my cheekbones with an iridescent color before nodding at her work just as Edward walks in.
He's got his phone to his ear, listening to someone on the other end and offering short hums in response, but his attention sticks to me.
Alice smirks and exits the room silently as Edward walks closer and closer until he's inches from my face.
"Kate, I have to go," he says into the receiver. I hear the female on the other end whine and complain as he ends the call and tosses his phone behind him onto the bed. He's not bothered in the slightest to see where it landed, and that makes my belly tingle.
"Hi," I whisper nervously.
"You are fucking stunning," he says so honestly, it wakes the butterflies under my skin.
Edward snaps his fingers, and he's suddenly and easily dressed to perfection. His hair is just as wildly bronze, but now he's in an emerald suit darker than his eyes paired with a light shirt and dark tie.
He's stunning as he takes me in; the little smirk on his lips teases in such a way that my insides pulse.
Like, my inside insides … the place he wanted to touch last night.
A flash of heat strikes me, and to avoid sweating in the one dress I've felt confident in, I ask him to help me into my shoes. Edward nods and kneels before me. Much like last night in the shower, only this is different. He glances up as I slip my foot into the highest heel I've ever worn. His long fingers buckle the ankle strap securely before moving to the other foot. Green eyes pierce into me as his fingers buckle without looking. It's sensual and sexy and so intense that I almost forget to breathe.
Once I'm sufficiently taller and less steady on my feet, he moves his hand painfully slow up my leg, ghosting past my knee, softly toward my inner thigh.
So smooth, he thinks. Green eyes glue to my bare legs before he quietly wonders what's under my dress.
His natural thoughts produce a blush so deep I know even he can feel it. Edward stands, his fingers trailing down my arms until they tangle with my own.
"Are you ready, Lovely?"
"Where are we going?" I ask, gulping the air I've been forgetting.
He smirks, glancing down at my chest. "A dinner function of sorts," he repeats his words from earlier.
Warm fingers grip my own before his fingers raise pre-snap. Offering a blinding smile, he quirks a brow to ask if I'm ready. When I nod, he snaps. Instead of the quiet comfort of his bedroom, we're on the outskirts of a very large, very busy ballroom.
Deep wood floors that smell of mahogany and lemon, red velvet walls so tall I can't even see the ceiling, and large, sparkling chandeliers make the room scream royalty. Large portraits of older people I've never heard of or seen before sit high on the walls. Hundreds of people gather, happy to be shoved together. As I look around, I notice how one person's beauty rivals the next.
A tall redhead with short, blunt hair passes. She eyes Edward and smiles. "Good evening, Edward."
"Hello," he responds cordially.
We walk another few feet before a more beautiful woman with dark curly hair walks over. She eyes him up and down before smiling. "Hello," she says happily.
He nods his head and offers a curt smile, keeping me close by his side without holding my hand. I don't need him to hold my hand, but it would make me feel more comfortable. There are so many people here that I could easily fall behind or get lost in the sea of people.
But everyone moves for him like he's wearing a forcefield that shoves people away.
Except for the pretty blonde who comes up, throws her arms around his neck, and giggles excitedly.
"You're actually here!" she beams.
Her white teeth glow under the dim lights. She's wearing a short, sparkly dress with heels higher than mine. Straight hair hangs long and shiny down her back. Her remarkable beauty has me fidgeting.
Sensing my thoughts, Edward glances over at me.
"Kate, I would like to introduce you to Belle—"
"Garett's placement?" Kate asks, looking from Edward to me with a look of shock.
"She's with me," Edward says.
He doesn't elaborate, and she doesn't outwardly ask him to, but she wears a devious look and a matching smirk. They stare at each other before Edward finally cracks a smile, and Kate loosens up. Her eyes gleam, almost water, before hugging Edward into her. He accepts momentarily before straightening and turning to me.
I offer Kate my hand. "Pleasure," I tell her jovially.
Kate shakes it, offering a genuine smile.
"The pleasure is all mine," she says in amazement. "Come on; the ceremony is about to begin."
Glancing at Edward to ask what ceremony, I find his eyes set forward and the smallest smirk upon his lips. He's amused, and while I don't really get it, I enjoy the view.
He's handsome tonight. No, he's more than that. He's magnificent in his suit, the smile never leaving his face, and a cloud of bliss hangs over us like never before.
That's exactly what this is. Bliss.
We mingle with his peers and colleagues, listen to professors tease him about his studies, and banter about whether or not he ever has any fun. Edward takes it in stride, looking down bashfully at the drink he's barely sipped when a male peer teases him about his lack of love interest.
"We didn't know he was hiding you," the guy says.
I match Edward's embarrassment, glancing down at my cool glass of champagne. I sip it slowly, wincing as the bubbles make their way into my stomach. Nodding, I simply shrug. Edward says nothing, but his hand on the small of my back speaks more than I ever need.
Let them think what they want, he tells me.
What exactly are they thinking? I ask.
He chuckles into his drink at something another peer says while explaining to me, that I paid for your company tonight.
I can't help but choke on a breath. Edward rubs my back further up as I cough quietly.
He leans in and breathes hotly into my ear, "they do not believe I could ever deserve a woman like you." Edward doesn't pull away, so I lean in closer. The stringent smell of the alcohol on his breath warms my neck. "And they are correct."
It's not the first time Edward's referred to me as a woman over a girl, but it's the first time I've felt like it. In this dress, with these shoes, and this makeup… I feel like I'm more than a U5 student, more than Royce's victim, more than my old life in Court 6.
An announcement about the start of the ceremony interrupts my thoughts, and we all make our way to a large round table a few feet from the stage.
Edward pulls out the dark wooden chair as I ask, "so, what's the ceremony for?"
Everyone freezes for a second before sharing a laugh and looking between each other, Edward and me.
"Me and my peers," Edward says simply, sliding into the chair next to me and taking a sip of his water.
His friends talk amongst themselves, pointing out different professors and gossiping quietly about us, I'm sure.
I lean in with a smile. "You?" I ask softly, "what did you do?"
Edward shares the same smile and shakes his head. Warm fingers and the soft pad of his palm rest on my knee before painfully trailing slowly up my leg. He moves at a snail's pace, teasing me, taunting me.
"I guess you are going to find out."
The tablecloth covers the majority of my bottom half, so no one can see where his fingers pause. It's innocent enough—I've seen his dad's hand much further up Esme's leg than where Edward's touching now… but still, I can't help but be thankful for the openness he's allowing tonight.
It's sweet and endearing how he's introduced me to everyone he knows; even if there's no true title, it's acknowledgment.
And then his palm skims higher, knocking the fabric of my dress away from my upper thigh. The slit ends a little higher than I'm comfortable with when I'm sitting, but Edward seems to like it.
"You look lovely," he says quietly, turning to me.
Green eyes sparkle even under the dim light of this ceremony room.
He shines for me.
Edward hears, and his smile never falters. The realization of the moment strikes me, and while I'm weighed down about our shortened time, I vow to enjoy every moment we're given.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to welcome you to the Seventy-Fifth Ceremony of Excellence. Court 3 produces great talent, and each year, the Board of Doctors and Professors come together and nominate individuals based on distinction. The following categories will be awarded: Research, Conceptualization, Application, Generalization, Technological, Comprehension, and Exploration. We will begin by…"
I zone out the lady speaking and lean into Edward for the millionth time tonight. He just smells so delicious, and he makes me feel unbelievable.
"Which one are you nominated for?" I whisper so as not to obstruct others from hearing.
He leans in, eyes on the speaker, hand on my leg, and whispers back, "all of them."
I don't know why, but my body erupts in tingles of electric energy. I'm a current, and he feeds into me.
We don't speak another word as the presenters take turns delivering their speeches. One discusses changes to U3, and the other reviews a student's role in medicine. There's a short intermission before the awards begin, and I look over at Edward, who again sips his water.
"I thought you said this was a dinner thing?"
He shakes his head while swallowing. "I said this was a dinner function," he clarifies.
"You should have told me it was a ceremony, I would have—" I stop, unable to finish my sentence. Truth is, I don't know what I would have done.
His eyes lighten. "It's not a big deal," he says before Garrett arrives.
"Well, what a lovely surprise," he says with a grin.
It's the kind of grin you don't know if he's teasing or genuine. I decide on the latter and nod a hello. He bends to kiss Kate hard on the lips. They linger momentarily before breaking away. He sits beside her and sips from the champagne glass. "Sorry I'm late," is all he says. No reasoning, no excuse, just an apology.
"Edward?" a shocked voice says to our right. "What are you doing here?"
She's pretty.
She's really pretty.
Tall. Wavey brown hair to her back. Soft freckles on her tanned skin. Large, brown eyes. She's thin with a narrow waist and small hips. Her petite frame has me crossing my legs, closing in on myself, trying to make myself smaller.
"Hey, Carmen," he says easily, standing to greet her.
A friendly kiss on her cheek with a hand on her low back. I can tell by their interaction it's not their first time greeting each other this way.
Edward, of course, hears me. Or feels me. Or just knows.
"Carmen, I would like to introduce Belle," he says with a smile I've never seen before. It warms me to my core, and the tingles come back in full force. This time I feel them burst out of my hardening nipples and down into my core.
Her eyes soften as she takes me in. They bounce between me and Edward before glinting with understanding.
"Belle?" she asks softly.
I awkwardly stand to greet this beautiful woman, pinching the slit of my dress closed, suddenly self-conscious.
"Hi," I squeak nervously.
"Hello," she breathes in wonderment, glancing from Edward to me and back to Edward again as if he'll answer all her many questions in this second. But the air between us remains silent.
Before we can continue further into this awkward conversation, the lights dim, and the presenters appear back on stage.
Edward did say this would be a dinner, and dinner does come out, but I'm nervous with Carmen sitting on the other side of Edward. She leans into him and smiles, laughing at jokes only the two of them understand, and playfully swatting his arm when he makes an off-beat comment.
I pull my block all the way up to avoid him. This is his night, and I won't ruin it by subjecting him to my insecure, uncomfortable thoughts. Still, I watch as she laughs delicately, her straight teeth glinting with perfection, the playful posture of her arm as they lean in to discuss something I don't understand, and the soft chuckle of his laughter.
Just as it becomes unbearable, and my chest heats with possessiveness, Edward's fingers find the exposed skin of my thigh under the table, and this time he draws soft shapes across my skin. I place my hand over his, stopping his efforts, but he shakes me off. Warm fingers press harder, higher on my leg, sending needed and soothing thoughts through my skin. He can't hear me, I'm sure of it, but he just knows.
It sends the butterflies in my belly into a tizzy.
He leans in slowly, his pouty lips tickling the shell of my ear as he whispers, "Belle?"
I lean into him and quietly mumble, "hm?"
"Here are the student nominees for Research," the older gentleman on stage says, reading from a paper on the podium. He slowly announces a bunch of random names.
"What color panties are you wearing right now?"
My heart stops for two reasons: Edward's shocking question and the presenter calling his name as a nominee. I don't know why it surprises me; he did say he was nominated for every award.
I look from the man on stage to Edward. His devious smirk makes me throb. "Wh-why?"
There's a thick silence in the room that weighs heavily until the gentleman tears open an envelope and announces, "the winner is…
"So I can think about you wearing them while I'm accepting my award."
The presenter grins, turning toward our table. "… Edward Cullen."
He knew. Edward knew he'd win this award; his confident smirk tells me so. My cheeks heat at the thought of answering his question while his peers whoop and holler, clapping him on his back while he's focused solely on me.
Me and my panties.
"Well?" he prompts.
"Red."
He smirks devilishly. As he stands, the length of his fingers trails higher up my thigh, almost to the edge of my panties, before he walks on stage confidently.
In the burning wake of his fingers, Carmen scoots over and smiles high. "I have wanted to meet you forever!" she whispers as Edward shakes the man's hand and poses for a photo.
"What? Why?" I ask, leaning over to hear her better while keeping my eyes on him.
"You're Belle!" she says happily.
"Uh, yeah? And?"
My eyes glue to Edward's. He won't stop staring.
I want to peel them off you; he tells me as the professor lists all of Edward's research articles that have been approved by the board and published in his short time at U3.
My throat bobs.
I'm so proud of and turned on by this captivating man whose eyes feast on me from the stage. This man, wanted by so many, but who only sees me.
"You're his Mate," Carmen says with a giggle.
I tear my eyes from Edward and look directly at Carmen. "How did you know that?"
She grins eagerly but stays silent.
Edward goes backstage, where he stays for quite some time. While he's gone, Carmen and Kate both study me, asking me mundane questions, grinning from ear to ear so long I want to ask if it hurts. It takes Edward ten minutes to get back to our table as peer after peer congratulates him.
He stands and nods, eyes on me each time like he can't wait to get back to the table. Edward wins four more awards, the crowd applauding louder each time. He remains humble all night. Not one time does he come off cocky or arrogant. He bows his head in recognition and applauds for those who win over him.
"He's never been to one of these before," Carmen says when Edward leaves to accept his fourth award.
"He must be so excited to be nominated for all the awards," I tell her.
She shakes her head. "These aren't his first nominations," she laughs. "Royals, no. He's been nominated and won many awards before, but he's never shown up to receive them."
I glance over at her curiously. "Really?"
She offers me a wink. "He must have wanted to impress a certain someone."
After each award, Edward kisses me. The first time he kisses my hand, the second time, it's by my forehead, the third, my cheek; and by the fourth, he's kissing below my ear.
My core burns, my clit throbs, and I just can't wait to be alone with him. I need to feel his naked skin pressed to me. I want to bathe with him, his chest to my back. I want to smell his fragrance as we sit outside in the evening heat. I need to hear his kind thoughts whisper secrets that only we know.
After the ceremony, we mingle in the adjacent room. This time, Edward holds me close; his fingers lock with mine. He claims me. My heart swells each time a peer greets him, but he keeps me close and protected.
"Red, huh?" he whispers in my ear between praise from his peers.
Unable to find my voice, I simply nod.
"So, Belle, are you coming with us tomorrow?" Garrett asks, interrupting the intimate conversation between Edward and me.
"To the ceremony on the mountain? Yes."
"Fun," he says, wagging his eyebrows. "Save me a dance."
"Garrett," Edward warns with a laugh.
Garrett simply rolls his eyes. "He's such a bore."
A giggle bubbles from my lips, and Edward cranes his neck to glance at me. When our eyes meet, he simply raises a challenging brow.
"You ready to get out of here?" he asks, pulling me into his side.
"No!" Kate whines. "You barely stayed for the after party."
"There will be plenty of partying tomorrow," he says, nodding his goodbyes.
"Congratulations on all your hard work, Edward," Carmen says, pulling him in for a hug. She doesn't wait for his response before she pulls me in next. "So wonderful to finally meet you," she whispers to me.
While Carmen's beauty makes me feel inferior, the only vibe I get from her is friendly. There's no jealousy, and Edward has clearly shown his dedication to me tonight.
~!~
In a snap, we're on his balcony, overlooking the ocean and the darkened sky. Storms overhead bang and clash; lightning illuminates the sky, but not a drop of rain falls onto our skin. Days ago, Edward told me lightning storms don't always have rain. He also said being outside in one can mess with your senses.
"Heighten," he says, walking up closer behind me.
"Hm?" I ask, distracted by his closeness.
His nose and lips leave a warm trail as he kisses the exposed skin of my neck. "Lightning storms can heighten certain senses."
"Which ones?" I hum, turning my head to glance back at him.
His face is so close to mine that it would take nothing to lean back a mere breath and press my lips to his.
"The good ones," he responds throatily, placing his hands on my hips and pushing me forward. I'm flush with the railing, my belly digging into the cold metal. There's no escaping … not like I'd want to.
"Fuck, Belle," he groans onto my skin, kissing his way down the front of my neck. My head lulls back onto his shoulder to offer him more skin.
He tastes me. Warm velvet licks every inch, every speck, every wrinkle it can reach. Slowly, his hands ascend my body. From my hips to my waist to the deep V fabric of this beautiful dress I'm in, Edward memorizes the curves of my body.
Gradually, his hands cup my breasts over the fabric, doing their best to tease and pinch my sensitive nipples. He earns a low mewl from me.
But it's not good enough, at least he doesn't think so.
More, he whispers the same moment his fingers curl around the straight neckline of the dress, securing my breasts. With a gentle tug, they fall free, exposed to the warm wind of the night.
"Mmmm," he groans into my neck low and deep as his fingers wrap tightly around each breast and grip firmly. "You are so fucking divine."
Teeth grate against my skin the same moment his fingers find my nipples and roll them between his fingers.
This earns the loudest moan of all.
"Belle," he whispers.
"Edward," I grunt back.
One hand stays put, the other lowers slowly down my body.
Lower.
And lower.
And lower.
Until he grazes the inside of my thigh through the slit in my dress. With these heels on, I stand taller, so Edward doesn't have to slouch to reach me from this position.
"Please," he begs like I might say no.
"Please what, Edward?"
"Please…" He sucks my neck into his mouth again. "Please come for me."
This time, his fingers curl around the waistband of my panties. I suck in a breath as his pinky dips and slides between the crease in my thigh where the edge of my panties sit.
"L-like last night?" I pant, pushing against him.
He nods, momentarily releasing my panties as his hand covers mine on the railing. Slowly, he takes my hand in his and places it over my arousal-soaked satin. I don't need guidance tonight. This time, I do what feels good.
It's a weird position, and he can't really touch himself when we're standing like this, but his focus is solely on me. He whimpers in my ear as I moan loudly the moment I press my fingers into my folds over my panties. Stroke after stroke pull sighs and sharp breaths from my lungs.
"Under," he grunts, pressing our fingers together again and slipping us both inside the waistband.
With his palm against the back of my hand and his fingers pressing firmly atop mine, together we circle my clit in small, hard passes. With the weight of his fingers on mine, it's firmer than I'd normally press, but it feels so good my knees shake.
Trying to make room for his hand in my panties, I push our fingers down slightly, causing the backs of his fingers to press tightly against the wet fabric of the crotch.
"You're soaked," he growls.
"Mhm," I pant.
Spurred on, his fingers press harder onto mine, picking up speed. He takes the control, using my fingers as a tool to achieve what I so desperately need. I have every thought to quickly remove my fingers to feel him—
"Don't," he says sternly.
I shake my head, panting, "I won't."
Wet lips are back on my neck, sucking my skin into his mouth, marking me. Teeth graze my skin, nipping and pulling and bruising me. He takes everything I give and nothing more. There's trepidation, and he holds back, but for now, this is good.
For now, this is wonderful.
Moans and whimpers fill the heavy silence around us. Deep pants mix with sticky skin, and in record time, I'm gripping the railing, his leg, and finally the hair at the nape of his neck as I roll through the most intense release. I don't know what I say or how loud I moan because all I can think about are Edward's words as he grunts into my ear, "fuck," and, "please, Belle," and "come."
While my fingers have stilled against my sensitive clit, his push mine into my folds. Edward uses my limp fingers, pressing softly into me to help me ride through the pleasure.
I don't miss the thrust of his erection against my backside. A soft hiss escapes his lips when my hips roll back a little too hard, but it doesn't scare him off, and I smile at the progress.
For long moments, we stand outside unmoving. His hand stills on my breast, our fingers cocooned by damp satin, and the erratic beat of hearts thump as we breathe through my release.
And when I giggle softly, he slumps in exhaustion.
"What's so funny?" he asks, sliding our fingers from my panties.
Edward steps back and turns me around, so we're facing each other. Lightning still strikes in the distance, and the hairs on my arm straighten.
"I forgot to tell Garrett he had a piece of lettuce stuck between his front teeth after dinner."
Edward shares in my laughter and shakes his head. "That is what you think of after what we just did?"
I shrug simply, wrapping my arms around his waist. The scent of me clings thickly to the air around us. For a moment, I worry he can smell it, but the darkening of his eyes lets me know he enjoys it.
"What about you?" I ask, gesturing to his very prominent erection.
"It'll go down," he whispers, placing his forehead against mine. "It always does."
"How often do you do… what we did last night?"
He shrugs. "Less often than I should, probably," he admits before pausing and asking, "what about you?"
I nod. "Same."
Edward smiles at my candor.
He quirks a brow. "Perhaps we should change that."
"Perhaps we should."
~!~
Tonight, I am the one to run him a bath. I fill it with hot water, more bubbles than he's ever seen, and a few spritzes of my favorite perfume.
"You didn't have to do all this," he says with a smile.
"Nonsense," I tell him. "You're the man of the evening."
I help him undress in the most non-sexual way I can. I don't miss the semi-erection pressing against his boxers, nor do I miss the way he groans when my nipples harden.
I'm first to step inside the large tub, and Edward sort of chuckles as he steps in next, relaxing against my chest. I wrap my arms and legs around him, pulling him so his back rests against my chest.
For a while, we enjoy the quiet. No thoughts, no conversations, no anything.
My fingers trail through his hair, to his shoulders, and down his arms and back again.
With closed eyes he whispers, "thank you for accompanying me tonight."
"Thank you for inviting me. Carmen mentioned this wasn't your first time being nominated."
He snorts. "What else did Carmen say?" he asks sardonically.
"That these weren't the first awards you've won."
He nods. "They are not."
"She also mentioned this was, however, the first award ceremony that you attended."
He nods again. "She is correct."
"Why tonight, Edward?"
He's quiet for a few moments before answering. "I wanted you to see I am trying."
"I know you are," I whisper.
"We have all the pieces," he tells me softly, his fingers gripping my knees, trailing his hands up and down my legs as high up as he can reach from his angle. "We just can't make them fit. It's like they don't all add up to the same picture."
I laugh and say, "maybe you have too many pieces."
He straightens and turns in the tub. Water sloshes from the movement, spilling over and onto the bathroom floor.
"What do you mean?"
I shrug nervously. "I don't know… just… maybe you're forcing pieces to fit into one big picture. You said yourself the Court 3 has a lot of strange magic… why do you assume all the magic equates to one answer?"
"You think instead of one big picture, there are many smaller ones?"
"Maybe," I tell him, but the truth is I have no idea. "You won awards for your brilliance, Edward. Don't listen to me. What do I know?"
He smiles and reaches over to tuck an errant hair behind my ear. "You know more than you think, Lovely."
I shake my head now. "No. I'm just a regular girl from Court 6."
"You are far more than anything you give yourself credit for, Belle. Come," he tells me, standing and stepping out of the bath, holding out his hand for me to take. "I would love to hear you read some more of your romance books to me."
I smirk and nod. "Admit it," I tease, placing my hand in his so he can help me out. "You like them just as much as I do."
He pulls me to him, pressing our naked bodies together. For a moment I forget that we can't kiss and nearly place my lips against his until he smiles and says, "I like the way your blush heats your neck and cheeks while you read them."
~!~
Edward and I dress in loose clothing, crawl under the covers, and take turns reading as the rumble of thunder overhead shakes the skies. It seems the louder we laugh, the harsher the thunder cracks. Just after midnight, as Edward turns off the light, we face each other on the same pillow.
"It's going to be hard to sleep away from you when I go back to U5," I tell him honestly.
He nods in agreement. "Visit me," he says.
"How long is the train ride from Court 5 to here?"
With a shake of his head, he says, "you say the word, and I'll pick you up."
"Really?" I ask.
"Anytime you need a break, or want to see the sunset, or need to come," he says suggestively, "please do not hesitate to ask. I am more than happy to oblige in every way I can."
I giggle at his proposal and playfully push him away.
"Earlier, on the balcony," I start, the heaviness of the memory settling over me.
"What about it?"
"You were…" I trail off, swallowing thickly. "You were so close to me."
He nods.
"Do you… is it… does touching me cause any reactions?" I ask.
He shakes his head after thinking for a few moments. "I don't think so," he answers.
I nod, swallowing loudly. "Would you, uhm," pausing nervously, I shake my head. "Never mind."
Edward scoots closer. "Ask me," he says quietly.
"Well, it's just…" I pause to gain confidence. "Do you want to try, you know, doing a little bit for you?"
"What do you mean?" he asks.
"I don't know," I whisper. "It's dumb. Just… never mind."
"Belle," he warns.
With a sigh, I tell him my thoughts. "What if I do for you what you did for me? You touch yourself while… you know… I put my hand on yours?"
He nods, but it's so dark I can barely see.
"Do you want to try?" I ask nervously.
Edward sighs and turns on his back. We're quiet. There's a rustling but Edward speaks nothing and eventually I realize he doesn't like the idea and is ready for bed.
I fall onto my back too and breathe deeply.
"Are you always that wet?" he asks deeply.
It takes me by surprise. His deep voice, throaty with lust, sounds even sexier in the dark.
"Uhm, yeah," I tell him. "It's embarrassing. I'm sorry."
"It's so fucking sexy," he grunts.
"Are you—"
"Yes."
I want to ask to watch, but I don't. In the darkness, I focus on his breaths, the sound of his hand hitting the sheet as he strokes himself, and the way he moans softly through the tightness of his throat.
"I wanted to taste you," he admits. "You were all over my fingers, and if you weren't watching me, I would have sucked them clean."
"You should have," I whimper, picturing his fingers coated in my arousal as the disappear between his lips.
Suddenly, his hand takes mine and pulls me closer to him. I turn onto my side and roll into his body. His chest supports me as I lean into him.
My lips find his shoulder and when I press a gentle kiss to his skin, he whispers, "let's try."
My hand slides down his body until I feel his fingers as they stretch to wrap around his shaft. He's thick and heavy in his palm, and when I squeeze my fingers around his, he moans louder than before.
"Fuck," he hisses, and I can't help but think how sexy it is to hear him swear. "Yes, Belle."
I moan softly as he flexes in his hand. Gripping tightly, our fists slide up and down his shaft, twisting at the top before falling back against the base of his cock. With each stroke, I memorize the way he likes it. The speed, pressure, and noticeable rolling of his fist as we reach the tip.
I relish in the movement as Edward controls the speed. Soon, though, he slows, and it's my hand that controls. Just like earlier as he pressed his fingers into me, controlling my fingers with his, now it's me who controls him.
Tighter and firmer, I stroke, quickening the pace just as I watched him last night. Edward pants through his gritted teeth.
"Fuck!" he roars loudly, and I immediately pull away.
"I'm sorry—"
"Don't stop," he practically begs.
Spurred on with pride and elation that it's working, I triple my momentum and lean into his body. With my hand gripping and pulling his hand with my strokes, I press my lips to his ear.
"Does this feel good?" I whisper.
"So fucking good."
I'm not as good at talking as Edward, but I say what feels right in the moment.
"Do you like my hand on yours?"
"You have no idea," he admits. "Harder, Belle. Squeeze me harder."
When I oblige, his head presses into the pillows under him, exposing the length of his neck which I greedily kiss.
"You are so beautiful, Edward."
"Faster," he pants. "More."
With the speed of my movements, and the slick sweat between our hands, my fingers slip on an upward stroke, and my pointer and thumb wrap around his erection.
He groans louder and louder.
"Is this okay?" I ask, not wanting to pull him from the moment but also not wanting to cause any more harm.
"Yes," he drawls out.
After a few more strokes, his shaft thickens under my fingers.
Prompted by lust, I whisper, "your cock is so big, Edward."
He chuckles softly before saying, "you're going to make me fucking come, Belle."
I moan at his words, squeezing my legs together at the thought. Edward slips his hand even lower so that more of my fingers wrap around his shaft. He sucks in a breath before tearing the sheet away and grunting.
Edward's legs tangle with mine the same moment his hips begin to thrust in time with my strokes. Before I can register what's happening, hot ropes of liquid shoot from him and land on his chest, shoulder, and all over my hand.
I don't stop, but I do slow my pace. He grunts and groans and calls my name as his hips shake in what seems to be a very intense release.
Slowly, Edward whispers a final, "fuck," before removing both of our hands from his body.
We lay silently listening to his thunderous breathing regain control. He stands and cleans up, bringing me a towel to wipe my hand, and then he rolls into bed and pulls me closer than ever.
"Thank you," he whispers in relief.
I smile smugly and cuddle into his chest. Placing two kisses upon each black mark on his peck, I whisper, "anytime you miss me, or want me to read to you, or make you come, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm more than happy to oblige," I say, copying his words from earlier.
He chuckles and nods in agreement.
"There are no words," he whispers into my neck a few moments later.
With my block so far up it hurts, I think of the one word that doesn't even compare to the feelings I have him for him.
Love.
a/n: Thank you to Fran for beta-ing. I did add on to the story after she sent it back, so any mistakes belong to me and not her!
Thank you, as always, to those who follow, and like, and review. I've been writing my entire life, and I've always wanted to publish, but for now I love this supportive community who reads my crazy stories and sticks with me even when the HEA doesn't seem possible... but please know there will be a HEA for B and E! You all are so wonderful, and I thank you for everything.