Here we are once more. I hope all of my lovely readers are doing well and staying safe. Let's say good morning to Bella, shall we?
BPOV
I smiled as I watched the two Sandhill cranes wandering around Edward's backyard in the morning sunlight. I'd heard them as I was pouring a cup of coffee, their distinctive call coming from close by.
When I'd awakened a little while ago, there had been a few moments that I'd forgotten where I was, but the strong arms and yummy smelling blankets had quickly reminded me that I was in Edward's house, in his bed. The man himself had still been deeply asleep and I'd taken some time just to study him; his crazy hair, the beard stubble growing in, the stunning ink that decorated his body. He fascinated me, as much this morning as he ever had, and I had a feeling there would always be something new about him to discover and uncover, another layer to unwrap.
Eventually, my bladder had interrupted my silent perusal and I'd gently untangled myself from those long limbs. Throwing on a pair of panties and his borrowed t-shirt from the night before, I'd made a dash for the guest bathroom. Afterwards, a bit too restless to get back in bed, I decided to make some coffee. My hair was a complete birds nest, but I managed to tame it up into some semblance of a topknot with the help of a pencil I'd found on the kitchen counter while I waited for the coffee to brew.
Now, as I stood sipping from my mug and watching the majestic birds foraging for their breakfast, memories of the day before, the night before, played through my mind, and I broke out into a full-on grin.
Despite my awkward initiation into the word of lovemaking by sweet - but somewhat clueless - Peter Mackinaw, I'd eventually grown to be confident in my sexuality. I found pleasure with my partners and had never really been what could be termed as "shy" in the bedroom. However, I'd even surprised myself with my boldness last night. And he'd just been so incredibly hot, not at all self-conscious as he'd lain there, touching himself at my request. It was as true as it ever was; there was just something about Edward that lowered my inhibitions, brought out a side of me that I'd never fully shared with any man before him.
And, it wasn't just the sex. Although, dear Lord, that was fantastic. It was the sharing of myself. I shared my body with him, obviously, but I also gave him pieces of my soul, my mind, and yes, my heart. So much of it belonged to him already, and even if my brain was telling me that it was too much, too soon, I knew it was true. I was falling in love with Edward, and it was effortless, as natural as breathing. I couldn't stop it and didn't even want to try.
I heard a footstep behind me and when I turned, the most glorious sight greeted me. Shirtless Edward, wearing only those gray jogging pants, yawning and scratching his chest as he made his way towards me, his hair in unruly chaos.
Mine.
"There you are," he said, wrapping his arms around me, his nose nuzzling against my exposed neck. He was so warm and I hummed in pleasure. "How long have you been up?"
"Not long," I told him. "I didn't want to wake you, so I made coffee and have been enjoying the view." I nodded towards the back yard and Edward smiled.
"They come to the yard a lot, they like it for some reason."
"I've always thought they were beautiful. And I love when I get to see the fuzzy babies in the spring."
Edward's lips wandered to my ear and he pressed a kiss there, making me shiver and squirm.
"Good morning, my angel," he murmured, gently biting the skin along my jaw.
"Good morning, Detective," I sighed, trailing a fingertip down to rub one of his nipples. He groaned when I softly flicked it with my fingernail and I felt an answering thump from his cock, now stirring against my hip.
"I missed you when I woke up, wondered if it had all just been a dream." His teeth tugged on my earlobe and I jerked a little.
"Does it feel like a dream?" I whispered.
Edward pulled back to meet my gaze, his expression serious.
"Sometimes," he said softly.
I smiled at him in complete understanding, and nodded.
"Sometimes."
The silence between us was broken by the cries of the cranes as they flapped their huge wings and took off from the back yard. I watched them disappear from sight and then turned back to the man before me.
"How about I make some breakfast?" I already knew the answer. He was always hungry.
"That sounds great. Should I help you?"
"No. You should park your fine ass right there." I nodded towards a bar stool by his counter top, "And leave the rest to me."
"Yes, ma'am. You think my ass is fine?"
"It's very fine."
And so the silly banter between us went back and forth as I first poured him a cup of coffee, and then went to work making a big ham and cheddar omelet to share. Edward's phone rang just as I added the cheese, and he pulled it from the pocket of his sweats while I carefully folded the egg mixture over in the pan.
"Hey, Jazz. . . Wait, what? . . .Where? . . . And did. . ? No. . . Holy shit. . . Do I need to come in? Okay. . . Okay. . . See ya."
"Everything okay?" I asked as he hung up, knowing by the tone of his voice something serious had happened.
"Laurent Deveraux was found dead this morning down in the Everglades."
My eyes widened.
"James' friend? The one he owed money to?"
"Yes. Violent Crimes has been slowly building a case against him, mostly for weapons trafficking. We've been working with Miami VC over the last couple of months because he had contacts here in Tampa, and has been coming back and forth."
"Wow. And someone, what, just killed him?"
"I'll know more tomorrow, but yeah. Jasper said it looked like an execution. Guy like that has a lot of enemies, no questions about it. Seems like one of them caught up with him."
"You don't need to go in today? Because of this?"
He shook his head.
"No, Homicide down there will start their investigation, and we'll work with them, but there's nothing I can do today. Jazz said we'll be briefed on everything tomorrow."
I cut the big omelet in half with the spatula and slid each piece onto a plate.
"This looks so good," Edward said as we sat at the nook in his dining room. He dove in with gusto, making me smile at his ever-present appetite. I took a few bites of mine, but there was something I wanted to ask him.
"Edward?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever have a hard time with . . . I don't know, not bringing your work home with you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, this weekend has been so wonderful, the perfect bubble, just like I hoped. But, with a career like yours, I imagine you've got to be thinking about work to a certain extent, even when you're not actively on the job. Are you able to sort of . . . turn that part of your life off when you're not on duty?"
He sat back and took a sip of his coffee.
"I'm definitely getting better at it," he finally said with a shrug. "I can't ever fully turn it off, but I've learned to separate it from my personal life, as much as I can. There's guys at the station, older guys who have been on the job for twenty, twenty-five years. They live and breathe their work. Their marriages have suffered, and they have kids they barely see. They're good cops, great cops, that I admire for the work they do. But they've let their job take priority over everything else. I don't want to do that. I love being a cop, but it can definitely overwhelm you if you're not careful. So, when I'm not on duty, not at the station, I've learned to turn all of it down to just. . . I don't know, background noise. My dad helps me when things start to get off balance."
"How so?" I was curious.
"Well, he knows first hand how much a career can take over your life. There are doctors at the hospital who are just the same as those cops at the station. They're fantastic doctors, but work becomes their number one priority and their personal lives suffer. Dad told me once that, after living through the whole ordeal of my mother's attack, his eyes were opened to what was really important, and he made some changes."
Edward forked up another bite of his omelet, and I did the same, waiting for him to continue.
"My mom," he finally said. "She had a hard time staying in our old house in Lakeland. Bad memories, ya know?"
I nodded.
"We moved to Tampa when I was ten. My dad applied for a transfer to Tampa General and we started fresh here. Mom had always wanted to open her own business, and he encouraged her every step of the way, proud that she was channeling her energy into a new endeavor. Living on Davis Island meant he was super close to the hospital, and hardly any commute helped him to be more present at home and in our lives. Obviously, he didn't – and still doesn't - work a regular nine to five job, but he's gotten good at, what did you call it? Not bringing his work home with him?"
"Yes," I answered with a smile.
"He told me once that when someone chooses a career like his or mine, because of the things we see and the situations we're faced with on a regular basis, one of two things can happen. You can become jaded, hardened by experiences that tear you up inside. Or, you can become more appreciative of the good things in life, despite - or maybe because of - experiencing the bad. It's a choice, but it's something I still struggle with sometimes."
"I think you have a healthy mindset about it all. I can't imagine some of the things you've seen and stuff you've had to go through with your job. And, your parents sound like really awesome people, Edward."
He took my hand, lacing it with his on the table top.
"I think they are. They're definitely an awesome example of how a relationship can work, thrive even, in spite of outside stressors and two very busy careers." This last was said with a raised eyebrow and I smiled, unable to not see some similarities between his parents circumstances and our own.
"Like I said before, it won't always be easy, between my job and yours, but I promise it will be worth it, angel."
"I'm all in, Detective."
For the rest of the morning, Edward and I just relaxed. There was snuggling on the couch, some TV watching, and more Twenty Questions. I found out that he detested walnuts, loved Alfred Hitchcock movies, and wanted to visit the west coast and see the giant Redwood trees. I told him of my aversion to all things black licorice flavored, my former infatuation with The Jonas Brothers, and some of my future plans for Luxe. We took turns sharing stories of our admittedly different childhoods, which I loved. Picturing Edward in the scenarios he described made me smile because now I'd seen photographic proof of how freaking cute he'd been.
There was also kissing, of course. I couldn't be expected to be in such close proximity to him all morning long without availing myself of those fantastic lips. That would be impossible. We didn't take it any further than kissing, though. Well, there might have been a bit of groping, too, but for the time being both of us were just content to remain in our bubble with each other.
Eventually, Edward's attention once more turned to his stomach, which made me laugh because the man really couldn't go more than a few hours without a snack or meal of some sort. We threw around some lunch ideas, and finally decided on Yummy House. On Sundays, they had the best dim sum in town, and the pineapple buns were heaven in a bite. And I had to admit, I was getting hungry, too. Which is why I couldn't be bothered to take the time getting showered first.
"Oh man, I think it's gonna have to be a messy bun day," I said with a laugh as I surveyed my reflection in the mirror in Edward's bathroom. I'd pulled the pencil from my hair and it fell around my head in a wild tangle. Edward appeared in the bathroom doorway as I started to brush it out. He was already dressed in shorts and a v-neck t-shirt, his bedhead now mostly tamed.
"I love your hair," he said in a quiet voice. "It was one of the things I noticed the first time I saw you, how shiny it was."
"I was such a mess that day," I mused, working my brush through the snarls.
He came to stand behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. I met his eyes in the mirror, taking in his serious expression.
"You were strong and brave and beautiful. That was my first impression of you, and it will never change. I still can't believe you're really standing here in my bathroom, that I'm the one lucky enough to see you like this, wild hair and all. Also, a large part of the reason your hair looks the way it does, is the fact that you fucked me to the brink of a heart attack last night. And I can't be sorry about that at all." His grin was crooked and pleased, and I couldn't help but set the brush down and turn in the circle of his arms.
"A heart attack? Really?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, my fingers slipping into the hair at the nape of his neck. "What's the matter, Detective? Your ancient age catching up to you? Still got that one foot in the grave?" He smiled at the reminder of my teasing words the night he found me in my office.
"You were so fucking cute that night, in your pajama pants and hoodie. No makeup. You looked like a teenager."
I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his proclamation.
"You did!" he insisted. "You know, I had decided I wasn't going to bother you that night, when I realized Garrett's wedding was going to be held at your hotel. I told myself to wait, give it more time. But then, I saw you disappear around the corner, and I felt like fate had put you right in my path. So I followed you."
"I'm so glad you did," I told him, leaning up to press a kiss to his mouth. "Can I tell you a secret?"
He nodded.
"About four hours before that, before you found me in my office? I was in my shower, fantasizing about you going down on me, kneeling in front of me right there. I made myself come so hard thinking about it."
Edward licked his lips as he considered my words, and the gesture made my knees just a tiny bit weak. His hands drifted to my hips, thumbs pressing into my hipbones as he tugged me closer to him.
"Well," he finally said. "I guess what I need to know is, how does the real thing compare to the fantasy, angel?" He nuzzled his lips against my ear and I shivered.
"Baby, there's no comparison." My voice was a bit unsteady, but I was helpless to stop the quiver. "That tongue of yours is better than I ever dreamed. However, I wouldn't be adverse to another demonstration, just to be sure."
"Get me some food and I'll be more than happy to demonstrate. As many times as you need." He pressed a hard kiss to my mouth and I grinned against his lips.
"Then you gotta let me finish with this rat's nest so we can go," I said with a laugh, turning back around to work on my hair once more.
"Okay, okay," he grumbled, backing away. "Come find me when you're done."
I blew him a kiss in the mirror. Yes, I totally did, because I was being one of those girls again.
After finally getting my hair tamed up into an only-slightly tousled bun, I dressed in a short white romper that had splashes of bright tropical flowers. It was sleeveless with a V neckline, showing a moderate amount of cleavage, and I'll admit it, my girls looked good. Some makeup, a spritz of perfume, and I was ready.
I found Edward in the living room, reading something on his phone while he sat on the couch. He looked up when I entered, and grinned.
"Well, look how gorgeous you are."
I did a teasing little twirl for him and he gave me a whistle, which made me blush for some reason.
"Did you know that your body drives me crazy? Because it does," he said as he stood and walked over to me.
"Does it?"
"Absolutely. Your skin is so soft everywhere, and the curve of your ass is insanely hot." His hand slid across my hip and squeezed my butt cheek. "And these?" He trailed a finger down my throat and between my breasts, then just barely brushed my nipple. It stiffened through the layers of my bra and the romper. "I could go on about these for days." He cupped the weight of one breast and I moaned softly, my pulse jumping. "They're fucking perfect."
"You can get reacquainted with them later," I promised him with a smile.
"I suppose I can wait," he sighed with exaggerated disappointment. His puppy dog expression was just too much, and I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"Geez, I'm beginning to think you only want me for my boobs, Edward."
He shook his head, both of his hands now coming up to cup my breasts, squeezing gently and toying with my nipples. I squirmed in pleasure, my eyes never leaving his.
"Just the frosting on the cake, Bella," he assured me. "Your beauty is undeniable. You're so fucking gorgeous to me, but I'm equally addicted to your mind, your spirit, the sound of your voice, and the scent of your skin."
His utterly sweet words actually brought a lump to my throat, and I swallowed hard.
"Edward," I whispered.
"Too much?"
I shook my head immediately.
"No. I can feel your truth behind the things you say, and it just . . . melts me. I've never had such raw honesty in a relationship before."
Edward's hands left my breasts and rose to cup my face, his palms warm against my cheeks.
"I'll never lie to you, Bella. I'm telling you these things because I don't ever want you to wonder about my feelings for you."
"I know, baby." Everything inside told me that I could trust Edward. "I'm just not used to it yet. This. . . connection can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, but I wouldn't change it for anything."
He grinned at that and pressed a tender, lingering kiss to my lips.
"Food, woman! I need my energy if I'm going to excel at my demonstrations later."
I love Edward's demonstrations. Just sayin'. Please let me know your thoughts, dear readers.