Hello everyone,

The moment we all have been waiting for is finally among us. I hope it justifies the long, getting to know you chapters. Thanks so much for being a part of this couple's journey. It has become very special to me, and I hope it will become special to you all as well.

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Bella sat in the saddle awaiting instruction. Normally, she was a diligent student, yet currently, she was finding it difficult to process anything beyond those incredible eyes and enticing lips.

"You want to hold the reins firmly, yet gently, but try not to pull too hard. Juno has a sensitive mouth and you don't want to bite into his gums." Edward explained, placing the reins in her hands. When her fingers remained lax, he encouraged her to grip them. "A little tighter than that or he won't understand what you are telling him to do."

"Now, I am a little confused," Bella admitted as she adjusted the straps of leather in her hand. Showing him, she said, "Like this?"

There was nothing wrong with the way Bella was holding the reins. Edward was actually pleased with her progress, yet if he said as much, he wouldn't be able to make his next move. "Pull back slightly on the reins and stop him. It will be easier to show you if I have better leverage."

As the animal stumbled to a stop, Bella gasped when Edward gripped the saddle and pulled her foot from the stirrup. With the ease she envied, Edward swung upon the animal behind her, settling her back against his chest. Nervously, she shifted on the English saddle, her gaze darting to Esme and Lily across the arena.

Lightning jolted throughout Bella as Edward's hands settled over hers. Every cell became a live wire of sensation, Edward's breath fanning across her cheek. "You just grip the reins like this. Firm but gentle. You have to maintain control when you have such a powerful animal between your legs."

Suddenly, Bella wasn't sure if they were still talking about the horse, but she detected a double meaning in his message. She took the reins he handed back to her as his hands came to rest on her hips. If Bella wasn't mistaken, a tortured moan sounded strangled from his throat.

Coyly, and intrigued by Edward's obvious weakness to her closeness, she glanced back at him with a flutter of her lashes. "I thought you were teaching me to ride, not feeling me up."

"Woman, if I was feeling you up we'd be rolling around on the dirt floor right about now." With a click of his tongue, he set the gelding into motion, his hands following the motion of her hips. Edward grunted as his lower body flamed to life, every jolting move of the horse bringing Isabella's ass into direct contact with his crotch. "Shit, maybe this was a bad plan."

Thankfully, Lily chose that moment to call to him. Distracted by his daughter's tiny voice, some of the heat left his loins.

"How do I look, Daddy? I really like Prince." Lily curiously looked between her dad and Bella. There was something different about them she didn't understand. "Bella, do you like riding horses? It's so much fun."

Edward watched Lily guide her pony in a short figure eight. "You look …" his words trailed off as he seemed to truly noticed her for the very first time. His daughter was absolutely stunning and he was ashamed it had taken an outsider to make him see it. "You're beautiful, Lily. I'm so glad you like Prince."

Over an hour passed as Edward instructed Bella in her efforts to learn to ride. "How about we take a ride outside?" he finally asked, next to her ear.

As Bella reined the animal toward the open barn door, Edward's fingertips slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, running along the smooth skin of her belly. Sucking in a mouthful of air, Bella couldn't control the flutter of her belly as Edward circled her belly button. Biting her lip, she glanced over her shoulder. "You are so feeling me up, and you could at least admit it."

She was surprised she remembered how to formulate syllables. Each sweep of his fingers across her belly melted her bones, sending sparks straight to her core. Her only complaint, given the situation, was her lack of participation. Holding onto the reins as she had learned, made it impossible to set her hands on him.

"Okay," Edward grumbled, letting his thumb run just below her breast. "I'm kind of feeling you up. You are free to return the favor at any given opportunity."

"That's not exactly possible," she explained, as a quiver ran through her, showing him the reins. She should stop this insanity. Where could their relationship possibly go? The man was very much still obsessed with his dead wife. Or at least she thought he was?

The changes Edward seemed to be cycling through weren't lost on Bella. She'd noticed he'd started spending less time locked in his study, although they still dined in privacy there every night. It kind of became their sanctuary and while nothing physically had happened between them, the intimacy of that shared time was undeniable. Heated looks and idle chit-chat accompanied their meals, yet both kept a respectable distance, as hard as it was beginning to be.

And let's not forget that almost kiss, plus their poker game seemed to alter their relationship or interactions, or whatever was happening. Bella was helpless to turn back now, willing to drown in this alternate reality. While it was crazy, it was also compelling, and Bella had no desire to escape.

"Mhmm, that sucks," he whispered, his free hand coming up to brush her hair away from her neck. Drawn to her sweet scent, Edward nuzzled her skin, his lips brushing the spot behind her ear. "Rein the horse towards that group of trees to your left."

Bella mindlessly did as he said. A light breeze blew as the horse lazily walked beneath the shaded tree line. Thoughts of riding flew from Bella's mind, totally engrossed by the sensations Edward created. Partially hidden by the shadows the forest provided, his touch became bolder, his thumb now feathering across the underside of her breast.

Her eyes rolled as his whiskers scraped her cheek. As if some outside force dictated her movements, Bella turned her head, bringing her lips centimeters away from Edward's. Attraction hummed an undeniable force between them, making it impossible for Bella to turn away.

Edward deserved awards for resisting the allure of the woman settled against his chest. He'd strived to maintain distance between them. His demands for her to stay away from his family had fallen on deaf ears, and even while he'd been aggravated by her defiance, this woman had snuck beneath his skin. The weirdest thing however was he didn't have any desire to pluck her free.

When Lily mentioned a prince saving Bella, a possessive quality had gripped him. The thought of another man claiming her … left a foul taste in his mouth. With this thought still troubling him, his gaze honed in on the petal pink softness of her lips. His mouth came within millimeters from hers as his free hand cupped her opposite cheek, murmuring, "Drop the reins, woman, and touch me."

Bella hissed as his tongue came out to flicker across her lips. She'd been waiting for this moment for what seemed like an eternity—since the night he'd very boldly asked if her hair was natural. When she gasped as his tongue traced the seam of her mouth, the tip delved inside, effectively turning her boneless.

She sucked it into her mouth, his grunt of surprise causing her a moment of satisfaction before she was captivated by his taste. The undeniable tange that was Edward Cullen filled her senses and she was utterly lost to her surroundings. A sigh slipped from her mouth to his as his possession turned aggressive.

He was all tongue and teeth as he claimed her lips. Ravenously he devoured every inch, biting into her bottom lip before sucking it hard into his mouth.

With a struggle, she managed to untangle her fingers from the reins, one arm encircling his neck as her tongue wound around his. She'd only experienced a couple of kisses in her life, but this one was by far the most intoxicating. Eagerly, she met him kiss for kiss, moaning when his fingers twisted in her hair.

Edward hadn't given in to this type of intimacy ever. Yes—he'd been a married man. Yes—he had been completely faithful to Irene. They had shared a deep friendship. He'd shared countless kisses with his wife over the time of their marriage. He'd even taken pleasure from those encounters.

This, however, this … was completely different. As his lips strummed over Bella's, he was drawn time and again, the simple kiss becoming a make-out session Edward hadn't taken part in since he'd been a teen. His fingers curled in the silk of her hair, pulling her back to nip at her chin and jaw. "You taste like fucking candy," he groaned, retracing a path to her warm depths. Nipping her bottom lip, his tongue plunged deeply as his hands fisted in her hair. Breathing heavily, he whispered against her lips, "Sweet and sugary, making me crave … fucking, witch."

Bella's nails dug deep into Edward's nape as his kisses became dominating and aggressive. Even while Bella wasn't the type of woman to be controlled by anyone or anything, Edward Cullen was addictive. Each touch, each taste, left her craving more. Even while she allowed Edward control in this situation, she actively joined in the foray, biting into his bottom lip until he growled his approval.

Her eyelashes felt heavy, desire drugging her as yearning ran in thick waves through her blood. "Do you like that? I'm not really sure what the hell I'm doing."

"You are doing it right," Edward mumbled, returning her kiss with equal passion. "I'm so fucking hard right now, I could burst my zipper open." Gulping, Edward put some space between them, his dazed eyes meeting hers. "Can I touch you?"

As he asked, his fingers skimmed the line of her breasts, the subtle touch indicating what he wanted to caress. "I wanna touch your pussy so fucking bad, but—I will settle for these beauties."

"Mhmm," Bella whimpered, as his fingertips whispered over the puckered tips. As she cried her consent, his broad palm settled over her small breasts, kneading the plaint flesh with vigor. Growing restless from his touch, Bella became hungry.

Once again, she was at a disadvantage because of her current position. With her tongue winding around his, she did her best to twist around to face him. Helplessly, she groped under the collar of his shirt, seeking the warmth of his skin.

Edward must've taken pity on her predicament because he nudged her leg out of the stirrup and helped turn her to face him. "Better?"

"Almost," she agreed, her mouth lifting to his. "You are wearing way too many clothes."

"For the first time in my life, I tend to agree with someone else," Edward admitted, his fingers sliding around her waist, the tips sinking below her waistband. His mouth returned to hers, nibbling, he groaned as she fumbled beneath his suit, gliding over hard pecs. "Woman, you are playing with fire, and I am beginning to think you like the danger that comes with it."

Taking advantage of her new access, Bella followed her instincts, breaking their kiss to sample his skin. Boldly, she licked over his chin, encouraged when his head tipped giving her better access, she ran her tongue down the length of his throat. "I've always had a weakness for the forbidden."

Edward chuckled, curling his hands in her hair, he pulled her back to stare into his eyes. "Am I forbidden?"

"Aren't you?" Bella's circumstances made a whole lot of things forbidden. If her father ever found out about this affair underway with Edward Cullen, she would be toast. If the Mayor did, God damn his dirty decrepit soul, she'd be dead. Edward's unhealthy obsession with his dead wife was one more nail in her coffin. Even while she thought these things, she wouldn't voice them. One word of any of it would ruin … this—whatever the hell it was.

The list of reasons prohibiting anything with Edward was a mile long. Before he realized the truth, she rubbed the day's stubble beginning to grow. "But you sure are sexy."

"I'm sexy?" Edward asked with a lift of his brow. "The monster roaming the Cullen halls is sexy?"

Bella's thumb ran over his full bottom lip as she met his gaze. "You aren't a monster. You are lost and confused. There is a vast difference."

This woman who'd stumbled into his backyard seeking help saw him in a way no one ever had. Well, perhaps they had, yet he'd been unwilling to listen. The intimacy snapping between them had Edward surprising them both. "Let me come see you tonight."

There was a tug of sensation in Bella's chest. She wanted to … fuck, she wanted it more than she'd ever imagined. There was a very real danger here that she didn't even want to consider. Old fears came into play, and Bella hesitantly gnawed her lip. "Why?"

Lightly, Edward brushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Because we both want me to, and if you play your cards right, I'll even take off my shirt for you."

"Hmmm, so fucking tempting," Bella chuckled, pleased by the tip of Edward's lips as he fought to withhold a smile. "You know it's not a sin to smile. It's okay to be happy."

Edward's lashes dropped a fraction as he studied her. "That's still to be determined. Will you let me come see you?"

Bella wanted to. She'd never wanted anything more in her life. She didn't want to contemplate all the reasons it was a bad idea. The simple fact was, it was a horrible idea. "I can't …"

"Can I kiss you again?" Edward groaned disappointment etched on his face. "I will make do with another kiss."

How the fuck could she deny him that? Grinning from ear to ear, she pulled him down until their mouths settled into a greedy onslaught.

The couple facing one another on Juno was so engrossed with each other, neither noticed when the horse wandered into the middle of the yard putting them in plain sight of anyone watching.

Jane was dusting the windowsill when she happened to glance out into the backyard. The sight of Edward and his 'guest' facing one another in what appeared to be a very intimate embrace sent a spear of jealousy lancing through her gut. It was time for his 'guest' to disappear, she decided as her jaw clenched.

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It's getting hot in here lol.