A/N: Hello, my lovely readers. Shocking, I know, but I finally have another chapter ready for you all. Please enjoy and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
EPOV
Nothing felt as good as wrapping Bella up in my arms. She smelled so sweet, and I was glad I'd taken the time to go home and shower the station off of me before I came over. Her smaller body fit to mine just perfect and I grinned down at her.
"I've missed you, angel."
"And I've missed you, Detective."
She lifted onto her toes, pressing her mouth to mine in a tender, welcoming kiss, and the stress of the day melted from me as I concentrated instead on the taste and feel of reconnecting with the gorgeous creature in my arms. She gently bit my bottom lip and slid her fingers into my hair, slowly scratching my scalp. Goosebumps erupted across the back of my neck and shoulders, and I pulled her closer, angling my head and deepening the kiss. My body practically burned with the relief of just having her with me again. Ever since she'd told me about the strange text, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't harmless. Call it cop instinct, but I'd bet money on that, and it made me uneasy knowing there was some weirdo out there messing with her.
Long minutes later, we finally made it from the foyer to the kitchen.
"Whatever you're cooking smells delicious," I said, pouring a glass of wine. Ginger and Maryann greeted me loudly from the floor and I bent down to scratch both of them, smiling at their gravelly purrs.
"It's Mrs. Mavis' famous roasted chicken," Bella said. "This is the first time I've made it myself, but I think it's gonna be pretty good. Hey, did you know Rose is having dinner at Emmett's tonight?"
"I did, actually. Jazz mentioned it this morning."
"Mrs. Mavis made them a lasagna."
"I do hope one day I get to meet the infamous Mrs. Mavis one of these days."
"I showed her your picture. She's already declared you, and I quote, 'quite fit indeed'."
I laughed.
"Well, now I really want to meet her. I think she's already good for my ego."
Bella shook her head at me with a smile.
"Shameless."
I kept her company as she finished up dinner, and then helped her carry the dishes to the terrace, where she had a table set for us.
We caught up with each other over the wonderful dinner she made, and I had to admit there were far worse things than sharing a delicious rooftop meal with an alluring woman on a warm Florida night. After the hectic last couple of days, such a relaxing atmosphere was extremely welcome.
Of course, talk did eventually turned to Carmen and her revelations. I'd scheduled an interview with Luis for three pm the next day, and was looking forward to hearing his story. From everything Bella told me, it seemed like the kid was taken advantage of simply by being in the right place at the right time.
"There hasn't been any more test results from my car? Besides the hair?" Bella asked at one point, and I shook my head.
"No, but they're gonna be releasing it tomorrow, I think."
"I'll send someone to get it. Much as I loved that car, I don't particularly want to see it again."
"I don't blame you. Have you decided on what kind you want next?"
"Not for sure, I'll have to start looking into that. I was thinking maybe one of the smaller SUVs, or a crossover. Something sporty."
Bella's phone beeped with a text message and a confused expression crossed her face when she glanced at the screen.
"What is it?" I asked, immediately alert.
"It's a picture." She turned the screen so I could see. It was a photo of a shovel standing upright, the wide blade stuck in grass. That was it. Just a shovel, no explanation.
"Is it the same number as before?"
"No, a different one."
Another message came through. This time it was words, not a picture.
Getting started
Bella typed a reply.
Who is this?
We waited, but the phone remained silent.
"Do you think it's the same person who sent the other one?" Bella asked softly. "Even though it's a different number?"
"It seems like a bit too much of a coincidence to me, angel. Two weird texts a day apart; I don't like it. Here, let me see your phone."
She handed it to me and I dialed the number that had texted her the shovel picture. It just rang and rang and then a computer voice informed me there was no voicemail set up. Same thing when I had called the number who had sent her the photo of Luxe yesterday. I wasn't surprised, but frustrated nonetheless.
"Maybe this isn't related to the other text at all?" Bella suggested. "Could just be a wrong number. Maybe someone is tackling a new backyard project. Been watching too much HGTV," she joked, making me smile slightly, but I knew what I knew.
"I actually watched a lot of that when I was working on the house. Some of the shows had great ideas, but others were just ridiculous. However, as much as I hate to admit it, I don't think we have an amateur Mr. Green Thumb on our hands here. Why wouldn't whomever it is answer when I called? Or when you replied to the text? Still, there isn't much we can do about random texts from untraceable numbers, unfortunately. Especially since there isn't a direct threat. That's what makes it really fucking frustrating," I growled.
"It is," she agreed. "But, as you said, there's not much to be done about it right now, so I'd rather not let it ruin our evening, okay? You're off duty and I'm selfish. We've both been busy and I want you all to myself, with no outside interference. At least for the rest of the night?"
"Another bubble?" I asked with a smile.
"I love our bubbles. I know it sounds so juvenile, but when it's just you and me, everything else just fades away. And I think. . ." she trailed off, looking away, and I sat forward.
"You think what?"
She covered my hand with hers on the tabletop and again met my eyes.
"I think that what we have. . . what we are to each other, it's really special. Rare. And it's like I want to hold on with both hands, to protect it and guard it against anything bad, anything negative that could try to interfere. I can't be an ostrich and just stick my head in the sand and ignore everything, I do know that. But, times like these, when we have the opportunity to just lock the door against the rest of the world for a little while? I'm thankful for these bubbles, wherever and whenever they might be."
It was right there, right on the very tip of my tongue to tell her I was completely in love with her. She looked so beautiful; young, yet strong, with the reflection of the hurricane lamp glowing in her gorgeous brown eyes. My chest ached with the need to say the words.
A gust of wind knocked over Bella's empty wineglass and she jumped, then giggled, and reached for it before it rolled off the table. And just like that, the moment was gone. I swallowed hard and tucked the words back away for the next time I was feeling brave.
"I think we should move things inside, it's getting pretty breezy," she said with a smile, standing up. I stood up as well, taking her hand and looking down at her.
"I'm thankful for the bubbles, too, Bella." Kissing her soft and sweet, I enjoyed her little murmur of pleasure and the feel of her smile forming against my lips.
"That was all fantastic, by the way," I complimented her as we made short work of carrying the dishes back to the kitchen. It was nothing but the truth; I'd had two helpings of everything and was contemplating another of the risotto until she told me there would be ice cream sundaes for dessert. No way I wasn't leaving room for those.
"Why, thank you, Detective. I'm going to clean up the kitchen, and then we'll have dessert?"
"I'll help. It's the least I can do, since you made it all."
Between the two of us, we had the kitchen put to order quickly, and my grin grew wide as Bella began setting out all the fixings for the sundaes.
"Woman, you do know the way to my heart," I said with a happy sigh as my eyes moved over sprinkles, roasted peanuts, fudge and caramel sauces, whipped cream, and cherries. She even had awesome porcelain bowls shaped like waffle cones.
"The way to your heart, huh? Does it happen to also involve cookies and cream ice cream? Because that's on the menu tonight. It's my favorite flavor," she said as she pulled the tub from the freezer.
"Mine is butter pecan, but I love cookies and cream, too."
We made our sundaes, mine just about twice the size of hers, and went back out to the breezy terrace to sit on the love seat.
"A lot has happened since the last time we ate dessert here," I mused as we ate, remembering the shared apple crumble the night of our first official date. Bella smiled.
"Hard to believe it's been just over a week since then."
"I wanted you so much that night, you have no idea."
"And yet, you made me wait five more days!" she exclaimed, pointing her spoon at me with a mock glare.
"Angel, you know why."
"I do," she admitted. "And, honestly, I wouldn't change anything. You were thinking far more clearly than I was that night, and I'm glad we waited. Everything happened the way it was supposed to, and it was perfect."
"Perfect, huh?" I raised my eyebrow at her.
"Didn't you think it was perfect?"
"Oh, I absolutely did. I'm just happy to hear confirmation from you, as well," I told her with a grin.
Her eyes turned speculative as she licked the ice cream from her spoon. I watched her tongue, remembered what it was capable of, and my dick gave a mighty thump inside my jeans.
"You couldn't have had any doubts, Edward? Did I not make myself clear enough for you to realize I was. . . enjoying myself immensely?" she asked softly with a cheeky little smile.
"I certainly didn't hear any complaints," I conceded. "I do remember hearing a lot of sexy little noises, though."
"Sexy little noises?"
"Mm hmm."
Bella swallowed slowly, licked her lips, and suddenly I had an erection as hard as iron, the echoes of those very noises playing in my head. I remembered every fucking thing about the first time we made love; the way she looked, sounded, tasted, felt. It was imprinted on my soul.
"I believe you made some noises of your own, Detective."
She leaned over and pressed her chilly lips to the side of my throat. An involuntary gasp left me.
"Oh, yes, I remember that one," she murmured, moving up to my ear and biting the skin just beneath it. The cool satin of her tongue followed the slight sting, and I groaned.
"That one, too."
My appetite for the ice cream was abruptly overtaken by my appetite for Bella's mouth. I turned my head, capturing her lips with mine, feeling between us for the ceramic bowls and setting them out of harms way so I could wrap my arms around her. She pressed her body closer as our tongues met in a dance of wet heat, any chill from the ice cream now gone.
"Mmm, you're delicious," she said with a sigh, nibbling on my lower lip, digging her teeth in a little bit. My cock throbbed and I lowered my hands to her waist, easily lifting her over so she straddled my lap. She sat back slowly, settling more fully atop me, and a smile graced her lips as her fingers stroked across my chest.
"This feels familiar."
I nodded.
"When you told me that you dreamed about me. . . You don't even know how much that turned me on," I confessed, running my hands up her arms, over her shoulders, finally cupping her breasts and moving my thumbs over the hardened nipples straining against the thin tank top she wore. "So many things I wanted to do to you that night, angel. I could barely see straight."
"What did you want to do to me, Edward?" she asked huskily, tilting her head back as I toyed with her nipples, pinching them gently.
"I wanted you naked, right here under the stars," I said, sliding the shirt and bra strap off her shoulder and following their path with my mouth. I kissed the soft skin, and her sweet smell invaded me, warm and fresh and just utterly Bella. "I wanted to taste every spot on your body," I told her, freeing her naked breast, loving the heat and weight of it in my hand. I sucked on her nipple and her fingers slid to my hair, pulling and clenching as breathless sounds of pleasure fell from her lips.
"I remember," she eventually whispered. "You said 'I want to find all of your softest places and claim them with my tongue'. It's the sexiest thing anyone has ever said to me."
"And claim them, I did. The softest, most delicious places all over your body. I've tasted every fucking one of them." I scraped my teeth lightly across her nipple and she jerked and moaned, her fingers giving a sharp, almost painful, tug to my hair before she leaned back and quickly removed her shirt and bra. Even as her supple tits filled my hands, I couldn't help but glance around. We were sitting out in the open, after all.
"We're good, baby," she assured me. "The terrace is specifically designed to ensure complete privacy, I made sure of it. Because of the roof angles and the border wall, no one can see us, I promise."
Her mouth met mine again and we kissed deep and slow, my fingers teasing her nipples.
"Sometimes I sunbathe naked out here," Bella murmured as her tongue licked a path of heat down the side of my throat. "I love the feeling of the fresh air and warm sun on my bare skin. It's very relaxing. And a great way to avoid tan lines."
"Why, Bella Swan, you naughty girl."
"Don't knock it until you try it, Detective."
"Maybe you'll invite me someday."
"You're welcome anytime."
Bella's lips brushed mine, and I pulled her closer, needing more of her mouth, more of her taste. Her words, the images they provoked in my mind, were turning me on fiercely and, once again, I found myself adoring the sensual side of her nature. I shifted up so my hard cock could nestle snugly against her heated center, tasting her gasp of pleasure as we kissed hungrily.
"I need you, Edward." Her teeth bit my chin, none too lightly.
"You have me, angel."
Her lips smiled against mine.
"I know. I'm a very lucky girl."
We lost ourselves in each other, in our own little rooftop world, far away from everything else. She felt so perfect in my arms, so natural. I slid one of my hands down her waist and around to the ass that haunted my dreams, squeezing and kneading the irresistibly rounded curve as she moaned into my mouth.
"I love the way you feel. The way you taste, the way you smell," I told her.
Bella pulled back so our gazes could meet, and her hands rose to cradle my face. I kissed the pad of her thumb as it passed across my lips in a soft caress.
"You're so precious to me," she whispered, and the naked emotion in those lovely brown eyes made my heart stutter in my chest. "I didn't know I could feel like this, never dreamed that an event so horrible could result in something so wonderful. Just the thought of not having you in my life makes me feel so cold."
"I'll never let you be cold," I promised, wrapping my arms all the way around her, unable to get close enough.
"Take me inside," she whispered. "Make love to me in my bed. Make it our bed."
So I did.
There, on that massive and luxurious surface, we claimed each other over and over. She rode me deep and slow, writhing sensually and moaning naughty words that set me afire. I took her from behind, my teeth pressing into her shoulder, hands gripping her tits as they swayed with our movements. She knelt over my face and lavished my cock with long, languid sucks while I feasted on her wet pussy, more delicious than the sweet peach it smelled of. Finally, after I'd coaxed two orgasms from her, I fucked her into the huge mattress, hard and fierce, practically howling in ecstasy as I came so stunningly I couldn't even breathe. She wrapped me in her shaking limbs, and I could hear the thud of her racing heartbeat as I collapsed with my cheek pressed to her chest.
We slept for a while, and I awoke to the sensation of her soft lips on my shoulder. At some point I'd turned on my side, and she was now cuddled up against my back. I turned my head towards her and Bella nuzzled my ear.
"It's almost midnight," she whispered. "Are you staying?"
I mulled over the question. I had to be at work at six, but I always kept a spare set of clothes in my locker, so I could change there. Thankfully, Luxe was close to the station, closer than my place was, actually. There was nothing at home that required my immediate attention, nothing that couldn't wait. And I desperately wanted to remain wrapped in this warm and wonderful Bella-filled bed.
"Yeah," I told her, turning to gather her to my chest. I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm staying."
TBC
Awww. He stayed. Thoughts?