Ivy

A/N: I have been wanting to create a fun B/E one shot in honor of the holidays, but I couldn't quite nail down an idea until I heard one of Taylor Swift's new songs, "ivy." A friend of mine said the song sounded like a woman having a mystical affair with a vampire, hence the idea for this lemony story! ;) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

"ivy" by Taylor Swift
How's one to know?
I'd meet you where the spirit meets the bones
In a faith forgotten land
In from the snow
Your touch brought forth an incandescent glow
Tarnished but so grand

Oh, goddamn
My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand
Taking mine, but it's been promised to another
Oh, I can't
Stop you putting roots in my dreamland
My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

BPOV

December 21, 2099

The house was freezing. I hung my coat up on the hook by the door and stepped out of my shoes to avoid tracking in the snow. I walked quickly toward the thermostat and cranked the number up for the heater to turn on.

Finally, some heat in this cold, bitterly lonely house, I thought cryptically.

At least I was alone for tonight since my husband was away on a business trip. I didn't have to put on a lackluster show, pretending that I was happy and content, that everything was fine; it was becoming unbearably exhausting.

But what was I supposed to do? Leave? I mean, I could… But it didn't feel quite that simple. It was difficult to leave a marriage when you built a life with the person you chose as your partner… So many plans and dreams interwoven together where it became impossible to disentangle.

My husband was kind, friendly, and hardworking. That should be more than enough, right?

But I also knew what he really did on those "business trips" with his colleague…

Part of me loved him.

But part of me fantasized about leaving.

I wondered about finding a passionate, all-consuming, addictive type of love. One where I couldn't keep my hands off my significant other, where he swept me off my feet and satisfied my deepest cravings for physical and emotional intimacy…

Ugh, I had to stop these racing thoughts. I needed to accept that this was my decision. I decided to marry Mike. Mike was my husband. We just needed to work on our marriage, communicate better, figure out how to keep things alive and fun in our relationship.

Or maybe I needed something, or someone, to give me the prerequisite spark I required before finally leaving him.

I sighed as I walked into the kitchen and pulled a wine glass down from the cabinet. I should probably eat dinner first, but I wasn't feeling very hungry. I grabbed my favorite bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from the wine rack and uncorked it. I filled the wine glass up to the brim and took a long swig. I already felt the liquid warming my bones and calming my nerves.

I took my wine with me into the bathroom where I decided a bath would continue to quiet my anxiety and warm me up from the winter storm howling outside. I started the water, threw in some bath salts and bubble bath, and undressed. I threw my hair up into a messy bun to avoid it getting wet.

I slowly slipped into the scalding water and leaned my head back against the edge of the tub. I closed my eyes and focused on the heat of the water against my cold muscles. I reached for my wine glass and took another long, intentional sip.

After about thirty minutes, my wine glass was completely empty and my anxiety had, fortunately, fizzled into the cold bath water. I slowly got out of the water and wrapped myself in my fluffy, warm robe. I let my hair down and ran my fingers through the strands. My face was flushed from the wine and the steam of the bath water.

I went back into the kitchen and filled my glass up again. I poked around the kitchen, deciding that it would be smart to eat something instead of having only wine for dinner. I decided to make a sandwich when I heard a knock on the door. My brow furrowed as I wondered who it could be. It was almost 9:00 p.m. on a Friday night.

I reached for my phone on the counter and opened the app designed to identify the visitors outside my door. But, of course, the camera wasn't working for some reason. Maybe from the blaring storm? I decided it was best to ignore the knock and continued with assembling my meal.

Several seconds later, there was more banging on the door. This time, it was louder and seemed more urgent. I cautiously walked to the door and quietly looked through the peephole. I accidentally left the porch light on earlier, so I was able to see, somewhat clearly, the person on the other side of the door.

He seemed to be around my age, maybe a little younger. He was abnormally pale, tall, and had tousled bronze-colored hair. He wasn't wearing a jacket, which I found odd since there were snow flurries swirling around him. He looked… kind of crazed.

I stepped back from the door instinctively. Part of me screamed that I should go hide in my room and pretend I wasn't home, maybe call the police to drive by and check things out.

But there was a bigger part of me that felt compelled to open the door. Almost like I had no other choice.

I took a step closer to the door and glanced out the peephole again. This mysterious, menacing-looking man seemed familiar. I couldn't identify how…

"Clara," the man said in a desperate, almost pained tone. "Please invite me in. I know you're standing right on the other side of the door."

Clara? He must be at the incorrect house.

I swallowed before speaking loudly, "I'm sorry, sir. There's no 'Clara' here. You must have the wrong address."

He was silent for a moment. I looked out again. His hand was outstretched, his palm resting on the door. His expression appeared both relieved and perplexed at the same time.

"I must have been given the wrong name, my apologies. But you're the one I'm here to see. I'm sure of it. Would you mind opening the door for me to explain?"

Isn't this how all horror movies started? The damsel in distress made a poor decision to invite the monster into her home? I felt torn again because my mind was screaming for me to run away from the door, but it was as if my heart, or my soul, was screaming that I had to open the door… Even if it led to earth-shattering consequences.

I tightened my robe around myself and swallowed nervously. I reached for the deadbolt and slowly unlocked it before turning the doorknob warily to crack the door open. The man shot through the door so swiftly that my vision struggled to register his movements.

The next time I blinked, he was standing in front of me in the entryway, the front door closed and locked behind him. I stared at him, wide-eyed. His eyes were incredibly dark, like onyx, and he had bruise-like shadows underneath them. Even though his eyes were dark, they appeared soft and vulnerable. He didn't look like he was going to hurt me… Quite the opposite, actually. He was looking at me… adoringly, maybe?

"I know this must be strange for you," he said in a velvety voice that was incredibly smooth and serene; it was like music straight from the heavens. "But I think you can feel our connection as well. Otherwise, you wouldn't have opened the door."

"Who are you?" I breathed.

He searched my eyes for a few seconds. "Do you remember me at all?"

I studied him again. I didn't know who this man was. I had no explicit memories of him.

But I felt that strange pull again – like my body, or soul, remembered him implicitly.

"I'm… I'm not sure," I said confusingly. "I don't think so."

He reached out to me, but I stepped back instinctively. Pain crossed his face at my unconscious attempt to protect myself by backing away from his touch. I wasn't sure why, but I felt oddly protective of this man and didn't want to see any type of pain touch him again. So, I stepped back toward him.

He lifted his hand much slower this time and reached up to touch my cheek. My breath caught in my throat as his cold fingers made contact with my skin. An electric current pulsed through my entire body, making it feel more alive than it ever had before. My heart rate increased as he swept his fingers soothingly back and forth on my sensitive skin.

"I can't believe it's really you," the man muttered with thick emotion in his voice. "Your appearance, mannerisms, voice, scent… It's all exactly the same… And your mind is still as silent as ever."

I looked up at him questioningly. Was this man mentally stable? "Please tell me what's going on. You said you would explain if I let you in."

"You're right. I did say that. Come, let's sit."

He stopped caressing my cheek and reached for my hand instead. He led us to my couch that was a few feet away. We both sat down and turned to face each other. He reached out for my other hand, too, almost as if he was afraid to let go of me. His skin was icy cold and hard like granite… But my body registered his touch as a blazing fire, almost as if he'd ignited a fire within me just by touching my cheek and hands. Who was this person!?

"Once I start explaining, I'm afraid you'll run for the hills," he said with a captivating chuckle. "And I'm not willing to lose you again."

I took a deep breath. "Try me." I'd already let him inside against my better judgement. I was sure I could handle any story he threw my way.

"You've always been remarkably good with weird, I'll give you that," he smiled crookedly which made my cheeks begin to feel warm. "Oh, how I've missed your beautiful blush." His fingers lightly touched my cheek again.

I looked at him expectantly, still waiting for him to offer up his explanation for this strange encounter.

"My name is Edward. You and I are… close friends from very long ago."

I swallowed. "You called me 'Clara' a few minutes ago before I let you inside?"

"Yes. That was your name when I knew you before. What is your name now?"

"Bella," I responded. "What do you mean, 'when you knew me before'?"

"Bella," he smiled. "I've been searching for you for the past twenty-five years. I knew I'd be able to locate you if I persevered. I guess I haven't been going about it in the healthiest of ways, as you previously requested, but the pain of losing you was unequivocally excruciating. I wanted to be dead with you so terribly. The only thing keeping me from my own demise was knowing I might be able to find you in this lifetime and ensure I would never lose you again."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. This guy probably needed to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital because he seemed out of touch with reality. I couldn't make sense of anything he was saying. I contemplated standing up to grab my phone on the kitchen counter to call 911, but three things kept me sitting on the couch.

First, I remembered how quickly he'd entered my house after I unlocked the door. I was certain there was no way for me to outrun him. Second, the way my hands felt inside of his was insurmountable bliss. I knew if I moved my hands away from him, my body would react like a magnet and crave his touch again. Third, and I felt crazy for even admitting this to myself, I felt like there was a small ounce of truth in the crazy story he was spouting off as reality.

"I think I need more context." I muttered before looking into his eyes… Eyes that I had maybe seen before?

"That's absolutely reasonable," Edward responded with another chuckle. "But, please, can you promise me something before I provide a more thorough explanation?"

Before I could stop the word from bubbling out, I replied, "Anything."

"Let me explain everything before you write me off as someone in need of psychiatric attention." I stared at him, wide eyed again, but nodded in agreement. How was he so in-tune with my thoughts? He said something earlier about my mind still being silent. Could he read thoughts?

He let go of one of my hands and reached up to run his hand through his hair. It seemed like a nervous gesture to me. He settled his hand back down on top of mine before looking into my eyes.

"I'm just trying to decide where to begin," he said. "My sole focus has just been to locate you. I haven't given much consideration to how I would explain this exceptional situation."

"Why were you trying to find me in the first place?" I asked, hoping that me probing would assist him in explaining.

"Because you're my wife… Or, rather, you were, long ago. I see that your heart may belong to another now." He replied as he looked down at my left hand and ran his thumb across my wedding ring.

"You've said that twice now – 'long ago'. You said we were close friends long ago, and now you're saying that we were married, too?" I questioned unbelievably.

"Yes," he nodded with absolute then paused, as if he was trying to decide how to word his next response. "Years ago, your name was Clara. You were born in 1987 and lived a long and happy life with me… You died when you were 87 years old, so in 2074. I don't age, you see, so there was no way for me to follow behind you with my own death. You wanted me to transform you into my kind, but I couldn't tolerate the idea of potentially damning your soul."

What. The. Fuck.

This guy was bananas.

I needed my wine to finish this conversation.

I stood up and walked toward the kitchen slowly, trying to digest his absurd story. I was beginning to wonder why I'd made the promise to let him finish explaining before calling the authorities. I snatched my wine off the counter and took a long swig before filling the glass all the way up again. I went back to the couch and sat down.

"So, you can't age or die? You're, what, immortal?" I laughed.

"Yes," Edward replied with no ounce of comedy in his voice. My brow furrowed as I took another sip from my glass. "My kind doesn't age and can't die easily."

"Your kind?"

He smiled and reached toward me to put a hand on my knee. I gasped at his touch again – heat spread through my veins like wildfire. "When you were still alive as Clara, we met another being like me, Shiloh… Shiloh, similar to others like me, has a special talent; she is able to identify souls. So, when someone dies, she's able to locate that same soul again in a different physical body… Of course, much to my dismay, her talent is immune to you just as my mind reading is. However, because of her gift, I knew that you were still here somewhere, if I just searched long enough… And, now, here you sit before me."

I didn't know which part to ask another question about… It was all utterly insane.

"You… you… I, I…" Nothing coherent would come out of my mouth because my mind was swimming in bewilderment.

His thumb moved back and forth soothingly along my knee, causing more confusion for me. "I know this is a lot to digest, love. Take a deep breath."

I located my lungs and focused on taking slow, deep, steady breaths.

"I wanted to change you after we met Shiloh," Edward continued. "I felt like Shiloh's gift was proof of your soul not being damned if you were to be like me since she's located souls from all types of beings. But, at that time, you were in your late sixties, and you couldn't tolerate the idea of being that much older than me for eternity… We decided to wait until after you passed away. Shiloh would help me locate your soul in your new physical body, and I would change you once you decided you were ready… That's when things became complicated. You see, Shiloh's gift only works after someone passes away. We had no idea her gift wouldn't work on you. So, once you died, my life became a lot more complicated as I began searching for you blindly… And Alice couldn't locate you, either, because she didn't know who she was looking for anymore."

"Alice?" That was the only word I could choke out. My mind was still a jumbled, chaotic mess.

"Alice is my sister. She was your best friend, and sister, too, after we got married. She sees the future, to put it simply."

Great, so we have a soul-chaser, a future-seer, and a mind-reader all present in this story. Fucking fabulous.

I scrambled to stand up again. This was too much. I was going to call for help. This man, clearly, needed professional assistance. I walked toward the kitchen and lunged for my phone.

As soon as I picked my phone up, though, it was slipped out of my hands in a blur. Once I got my bearings, I blinked to see Edward standing next to me with my phone in his hand. "Please, Bella," his voice was pleading. "You promised to let me explain entirely."

I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. Tears began to pool in my eyes. I wasn't scared that Edward would hurt me… It seemed as though he truly, completely, and unconditionally loved me – delusional or otherwise. But this was all too much to take in, too much to process…

"Oh, love," Edward said torturedly. I was scooped up into his arms the second after he muttered the words. He flew to the couch where he sat down and cradled me against his chest as I fought back the tears caused by the overwhelm.

I didn't even fight for him to let me go. Maybe I should have. This strange, outlandish man that I allowed into my home just told me a ridiculous story that made no logical sense.

But the way he held me… This felt familiar, comforting, and… right. Like I was supposed to be in this man's arms.

He stroked my hair comfortingly. His lips brushed against my forehead which sent a different jolt through my body. How was he doing this to me? Was this part of who he was – he had this effect on everyone? He still hadn't answered my question on what kind of "being" he was.

"You never answered my question." I said quietly. I didn't want to leave his lap or embrace, but I pushed against him to sit up more. I wiped my eyes.

"Which question?"

"What are you if you're not human?"

He took a deep breath. I watched as anguish passed across his face. I wasn't sure why, but an impulse came over me, and, the next thing I knew, I was reaching up and holding the side of his face in an attempt to erase his pain. He leaned into my touch and closed his eyes for a second.

When he opened his eyes, they were soft and vulnerable as they connected with my own. "I'm a vampire… But a vegetarian one, as we like to call it. I only drink the blood of animals, not humans."

As he said the words, I felt like I already knew that would be his answer. How? I wasn't sure. And I still wasn't scared, either.

But I was starting to question my own sanity. How could all of this information feel so true, so real, so utterly right in my bones? My right mind knew this was all complete and total nonsense. How could this be real? How did Edward expect me to believe him, to not call for professional help?

"What are you thinking?" He asked desperately.

"I am wondering how you can expect me to believe all this." I answered truthfully.

He smiled crookedly, which made my heart flutter unevenly in my chest. "I think I can help with some of that. First, I know that you have a small, crescent-shaped scar just here," he reached for my right hand and pushed the robe sleeve up slightly as his thumb brushed the scar. "And I know you have the most beautiful birth mark on the inside of your left thigh, and a big freckle on the ridge of your right ear. I would guess that the wine you're drinking is Cabernet. You hate the weather outside right now; you much prefer the sun and warmth. You love reading classic literature… I can list more if you'd like."

I blinked a few times. Maybe I was dreaming? How did he know all these things? He was absolutely correct about all of them.

"How do you know about the scar, and the… birth mark?" The birth mark was very high up on my thigh, close to my hip crease. If he knew about it… I blushed. If my body felt this alive, with us having our clothes on…

I shook my head. I was married. I was committed to someone else. This mystical man who called himself a vampire could not be the downfall of my marriage… Right?

"You will always have that scar, no matter how many lives you live. It's from another vampire biting you. I sucked out the venom before it could spread and change you into a vampire. And, the birth mark, well… We were married for over sixty years, love. Are still married, in my eyes, actually." A small smirk played on his lips that made my cheeks, neck, and chest feel hot.

I swallowed. Okay, so someone became a vampire by being bitten by another vampire… And I was bitten by one in a previous lifetime, but Edward saved me. Weird. I never knew where that scar came from.

"How do you explain everything else?" I asked.

He gently slid his arms underneath my knees and shoulders, lifted me with ease, and set me down on the couch beside him. I added two things to my list about him – he was abnormally strong and fast.

Also, was it completely insane that I was saddened by him removing me from his lap? I wanted to be cradled in this strange man's arms. In fact, I wanted to crawl back into his lap and bury my face into his chest to memorize his sweet scent that felt like home.

Edward reached into his pocket. He pulled out a folded envelope and a small picture book. He held them out to me. "These might offer some insight. The letter is something you wrote before you died as Clara. You said it would help you believe me whenever I found you again. I have some of your old journals, too, but I don't have those with me."

I marveled at the envelope – written on the top, in my exact handwriting, was the name Clara Cullen.

Edward continued, "I wasn't expecting your physical appearance to look exactly the same as when you were Clara, but it is, so the pictures of us may help you believe this, too. Shiloh said she had only seen that happen a few times – where a soul had the exact same physical body. She theorizes that happens when a soul's purpose was not fully finished the first time for a variety of reasons."

I turned the envelope over and looked up at Edward. He nodded in encouragement. I slipped my finger under the flap and ripped it open. I reached inside for the folded piece of notebook paper. I smoothed it out and was, again, taken aback by the handwriting that was completely identical to my own. I read the date on the top of the letter: 2070. Edward said earlier that Clara died in 2074. The current year was 2099… Exactly 25 years later, which was my very age.

I swallowed as I started reading:

October 19, 2070

I'm not quite sure how to address this letter, as I do not know what my next name will be, but I guess that's beside the point. I am writing this to remind myself – my truest, deepest, purest self – of the most imperative thing I will likely forget about as I plummet into my next life: Edward.

If you are reading this, Edward has already showed up; he's dazzled you enough to make you stop and, at least, consider his foolish story to be some form of reality. I'm sure it didn't take much convincing though, did it? Doesn't everything just feel utterly right with Edward already?

Although everyone is worried that I will not remember Edward, I don't think that is possible. Maybe I won't have any pictorial, explicit memories to recall, but there is absolutely no way I can forget the implicit, unconscious imprints he will leave behind.

First, the way it feels when he touches me; it's as if an electrical current buzzes through my entire body, making it feel entirely awake and alive. His touch feels like a drug that my body can never get enough of.

Have you touched him yet? If not, reach out and touch his hand to see if that electrical current thing happens. I guarantee it will.

Second, the way a blush magically appears on my cheeks, and the way my heart flutters uncontrollably when he smiles crookedly or chuckles. That smile of his… It does the strangest things to my human body. That smile feels like the fuel for my day.

Has he smiled that way yet? If not, say this to him, and he will: "Remember all the pillow feathers at Isle Esme?" Did your heart melt and start hammering at an irregular rhythm in your chest after her smiled and/or chuckled? I thought so.

I stopped reading for a second and looked over at him. "Have you read this before?"

"No. You specifically instructed me not to."

"Do you remember all the pillow feathers at Isle Esme?"

His eyes lit up, eyebrows raised, and, sure enough, a crooked smile appeared on his beautiful, smooth, angelic face. Just as the letter predicted, my heart started pounding and my respirations increased. "I could never forget that… Is that in there?" He asked excitedly.

"I thought you weren't supposed to read the letter."

He chuckled, and that did things to me, too. "I'm not, but I'm terribly curious now."

I smiled at him shyly then returned my attention to the letter.

Third, the way he smells. I bet you already noticed this one on your own. Edward has the most intoxicatingly sweet, comforting smell in the entire world.

Fourth, the way his voice sounds like soft velvet… The most divine, musical sound.

Fifth, it will feel like a golden, invisible string is binding the two of you together no matter how hard you try to be free of it. Don't fight the pull, lean into it. Nothing can break it, so don't bother fighting it. One way or another, the universe will figure out how to put the two of you together. Trust me.

And lastly, the way it feels to kiss him. This one has no conscious words to describe the heavenly experience… So, when you feel ready, slowly lean in and kiss him. I promise this will solidify everything. But go slow. I know he hasn't been taking care of himself, and I don't want you to put him through any unnecessary discomfort since your blood smells exquisite to him.

It won't take much to fall in love with Edward. Loving him is like breathing – completely effortless and natural.

Please take care of him. He is the most precious prize you'll ever be given.

- Clara

I felt completely stunned. Everything in the letter… I'd already picked up on all of it. Well, except for the kiss. It really was as if I sat down and wrote this letter. Everything was phrased the way I would have phrased it. The handwriting was exactly identical…

This was so eerie.

I avoided eye contact with him as I reached forward for the picture book. I flipped it open and gasped. The woman in these pictures… She really did look identical to me... Well, she did for a while, until she began getting a lot older. How was this possible!? The woman appeared incredibly happy, especially when she was standing beside Edward. The very last picture was one of them kissing, maybe on their wedding day.

I snapped the album shut and stared down at the couch.

That's when I felt it – like a light switch just flicked on in my head.

In the deepest part of my bones, the realization hit me like a ton of bricks: this was all true.

I was Clara; Clara was me. We were the same soul.

Edward wasn't a mad man. I knew this to be true. I knew it more than I knew anything else. Edward was mine and I was his – our souls were sauntered together; I felt it the moment I saw him standing outside my house an hour ago.

"Bella," Edward's divine voice filled my ears. "Tell me what you're thinking, love. Please. The silence is deafening."

I finally looked up and made eye contact with him. I searched his eyes for several seconds before slowly reaching up and cupping his face between both of my hands. I scooted closer to him on the couch and cautiously leaned my head in toward his. I took my gaze down to his lips.

His arms circled around my back as he slowly picked me up and set me on his lap, so I was straddling him. I gasped at the connection, but quickly recovered as I closed the gap by softly pressing my lips to his.

Clara had been right in that letter – there were no conscious words for this experience. My mind turned to mush, as did my body. Edward's lips were like a key into euphoria. Never in my life had someone elicited this type of physical reaction from my body; it was almost as if a firework had been set off inside of me and the sparks were radiating to every single inch of my body.

Our lips moved and molded together in perfect harmony. I felt Edward's tongue graze against my bottom lip, and I eagerly parted my lips. His tongue touched mine, sending even more flickers of fire through my spine. I tangled my fingers in his hair and pulled him tighter against me, hoping to secure him to me a little longer.

Too soon, I felt Edward's hands on either side of my face as he firmly, but still gently, pushed my face a few inches away from his. I hadn't figured out how to open my eyes or catch my breath yet when I felt Edward's cold lips begin to kiss every inch of my face – my forehead, eyelids, nose, cheeks, chin, jawline, and finally my neck. He peppered the sensitive skin on my throat with kisses and gentle nibbles until I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. I probably sounded like I was having an asthma attack.

Edward lightly chuckled before pecking my lips once more. "There are no words to express how much I've missed your fevering kisses. The way your body reacts to mine is incredibly salacious."

I finally remembered how to blink my eyes open. "In the letter," I panted. I was still out of breath. "It says my blood smells exquisite to you… Is this too much?"

He smiled that crooked smile that was quickly becoming my favorite characteristic about him. "Not at all, love. Quite the contrary, actually. It doesn't feel like enough. I've been without your touch for twenty-five years. I'm much more ravenous for something other than blood."

"Ohhh," I felt my cheeks turn crimson. "I think the feeling is mutual."

Before I could comprehend what was happening, his lips crushed against my own. His arms tangled around my back, pulling my body closer to his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and eagerly met his enthusiasm as our lips continued the dance from just a couple minutes earlier.

His hands traced up and down my bare thighs, giving me goosebumps, and sending shivers of desire through my spine. Even though his hands were cold, he left traces of fire behind on every part of me that he touched.

I broke away from the kiss and took my mouth down to his jawline and neck. I kissed and sucked his granite skin. One of my hands tangled in the hair at the back of his neck while the other traced down and clasped around the toned bicep that was peeking out from underneath his T-shirt.

I kissed up to his ear and let my tongue trace the outer parts. Some instinct told me this was a turn-on for him. His arms circled around me again as I nibbled his ear lobe. He let out a low moan from deep in the back of his throat. I felt more blood rush to my center at that glorious sound.

Edward's arms tightened as he pressed his lips into mine again. He stood up from the couch. My legs clasped securely around his waist. "The bedroom," I said breathlessly in between kisses. "Down the hall to the left."

He hurriedly made his way toward the room. He gingerly laid me down on the mattress, untangled my arms and legs from around him, and switched on a lamp that was on the nightstand. His eyes never left mine as he kicked off his shoes and lifted his shirt up and over his head.

I lunged forward at the sight of him. I was kneeling near the end of the bed as I reached out to trace his perfectly chiseled chest, abdomen, and arms with my fingers. I titled my head up and our lips instantaneously melted together again.

My fingers traced along the waistband of his jeans. I fumbled with the button until it was out of the loop. I pushed the zipper down then tugged the jeans until they fell from his hips down to the floor. He stepped out of them then was instantly on top of me, my back pressed into the mattress. He was now only wearing his boxers, and I was still only wearing my robe from my bath earlier.

His lips traveled down my neck and toward my shoulder and collarbones. My heart was fluttering away quickly in my chest, my breathing was jagged, and I could tell that my face was flushed.

The spot in between my legs was aching and felt incredibly wet and uncomfortable, begging for friction. I had never been this aroused before. Every inch of my body was on fire, begging for Edward's icy lips to extinguish the flames, which he was doing very skillfully.

He kissed up my neck again and paused an inch or so away from my face. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "Bella," he said huskily. "I feel like I'm in total control right now, but it has been a very long time since we've connected in this way… If I hurt you, or do anything that makes you uncomfortable, you must communicate that to me at once."

"I will," I whispered. Oddly, I trusted him completely, and I knew he would never do anything to purposely harm me. I had a feeling that he knew my body better than I did.

I reached down and untied the belt on my bath robe before letting the soft material fall to the sides, fully exposing my naked body, as I pulled my arms free from the sleeves.

I swallowed somewhat nervously as Edward pushed himself up and let his eyes slowly travel down my body before sliding his boxers off and tossing them to the side. I gawked at his supermodel physique. He was the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen in my life. I reached out to grasp his arms and pull him back down to me.

"You are so beautiful, my Bella," he whispered before molding his lips around mine.

The way his bare, naked body felt as it pressed into mine was pure ecstasy. I felt his erection press against my inner thigh, sending a jolt through my body. "Mmmm," I moaned against his lips.

He pecked his way down toward my chest. I arched my spine to bring my bare breasts just an inch or two closer to his mouth. He kissed slowly between my breasts before peppering one of them with his cold, but blazing, kisses. I finally felt his chilly breath right in the place I wanted it to be. His tongue flicked and swirled slowly around my nipple.

"Uhhh," I moaned as I threw my head back against the pillow and angled my body even closer to his, begging for more of the pleasure that only he could provide. He, unhurriedly, made his way over to my other breast and teased that nipple, too.

Edward sat up slightly then reached down to hold his erection. He used his other hand to support his weight as he ran the tip of his penis up and down through my wet, aching folds. I gasped before reaching down to hold on to his forearm to encourage him to continue the movement.

He positioned himself at my opening then leaned further forward so he was looking into my eyes.

"I can't wait any longer, love. I have to be inside of you for a second," he whispered before sliding all the way into me.

"Holy crow!" I shrieked before he pressed his lips to mine.

I had never felt anything as pleasurable as this… Well, maybe I had in my previous lifetime. But in this lifetime, I could not imagine anything more satisfying, more fulfilling, more intense… It was as if our bodies fit together like puzzle pieces, perfectly shaped, perfectly edged.

Edward stopped his thrusts and pushed himself up, so he was kneeling. He reached his left arm under my body until he was holding on to my left hip from underneath. Then his right arm crossed my body to hold on to my right shoulder. He was still inside of me and my knees were bent, feet planted into the mattress.

I looked at him confusingly, unsure what he was doing. He smiled that crooked smile that made me melt, but there was something else in that smile, too – a hint of a smirk, maybe, like he was being mischievous.

Just as I was about to ask what he was doing, he flipped my body completely over in one fluid, smooth movement. I was suddenly on all fours as I faced away from him.

"Edward, what…" I said breathlessly, feeling slightly disoriented, but not in a bad way. He was still inside of me – how did he manage to do that? Either way, it was incredibly hot. He was so graceful and strong. He must have known I would enjoy this.

His hands tightened around my shoulder and hip as he pulsed in and out of me again. Holy shit… How was this reality? I had never had sex like this before… This felt like I had taken some type of hallucinogenic drug and was flying into paradise.

I felt myself begin to build… If he kept thrusting like this, I was going to unravel very quickly. He must have picked up on this because he pulled out of me, against my wishes.

I whimpered as he collapsed onto his back beside me. He chuckled as he reached out to me and pulled me toward him. He lifted me up, and I positioned my legs so I was straddling him. He reached up to cup my face before pulling my face to him and melting our lips together in another passionate kiss.

"I know you were close, love, but I desperately want to taste you," Edward whispered against my lips. "And I can't stand the idea of not being able to see your face when I make you come that way. It's been far too long, and I have to see," kiss. "Every," kiss. "Single," kiss. "Part."

His words sent a shiver through my spine. What he just said made me even more aroused… Was that possible? I had never felt like I needed someone this badly. But I needed Edward. He was mine, and I was his. I wanted him to see all of me, and I wanted to see all of him.

I urgently wanted to taste him, too. I broke away from his kiss and shifted my body, so I was facing toward his legs. I scooted back toward him then leaned forward. His hands immediately came up to my bottom as he squeezed it. I looked down at his erection and immediately began planting wet kisses up and down his length before pulsing the tip of him into my mouth.

"Ughhh, Bella…" I heard Edward moan my name behind me. He pulled my hips back toward him more before the tip of his tongue traced my inner lips and swirled around my swollen clit.

I think I would have screamed at the intense sensation if I didn't have his penis in my mouth. His tongue was pure ecstasy. It took me several seconds to recover before I pushed him all the way into my mouth and started sucking him, bobbing my head up and down. I reached forward and cupped his balls with my hand to gently massage them.

He moaned, which caused a heavenly vibration against my clit. I was building again… Slowly climbing back up the mountain of pleasure. I started rocking my hips against his tongue as I tried to focus on sucking him, too.

But I was getting closer… and closer…

I gripped his thighs as I leaned up, his penis slipping out of my mouth. His tongue swirled one more time in the exact spot I needed to completely unravel.

"Edward!" I shouted as I continued rocking my hips to ride out my glorious orgasm. "Ohhhh… Oh my… Uhh!"

I hunched forward, losing all muscle control. I almost collapsed down on his leg, but I felt his strong arms wrap around me and gently shift us again, so I was lying on my back, and he was on top of me.

I still couldn't figure out how to open my eyes, but I felt his lips lightly kissing all areas of my face. Once my breathing was under control again, I blinked my eyes open to look up at him.

He smiled. "You are the sexiest woman alive." His lips pressed into mine, causing a deeper fire within me to ignite yet again. Well, I don't think it was ever extinguished, actually. I needed him inside of me, and I needed it now.

I reached down to hold his penis again. I stroked him a few times before positioning him at my opening. I gripped his hips and tried to pull him forward, giving him the cue to slide into me again.

He paused and reached down to cup my face. "Mmm, Bella… I love you."

Was it certifiably insane that I loved this man, too? This man that just barged into my house an hour ago and told me that my soul loved him in a different lifetime? Yeah, I was probably crazy.

But I didn't care.

"I love you too, Edward," I murmured.

He leaned down to kiss me as he slowly slid into me again. We both broke away from the kiss and moaned from the intensity of the connection. Every thrust felt like an eradication for the ache inside of me… He was taking away the physical and emotional aches; it was as if he was piecing me back together when I hadn't known I was broken.

And that's when the strangest thing happened. Like a movie, I saw a timeline of fuzzy memories flash before my eyes. Memories, that I could only conclude, were from Clara's life, or my past life, I guess.

I saw myself sitting in a cafeteria, noticing Edward for the first time. I saw him saving me from a van crushing my body. I saw us laying in the most beautiful meadow I had ever seen. I saw him asking me to marry him. I saw us on our wedding day. I saw us on a beautiful island for our honeymoon.

This was all real.

"Oh, Edward," I whispered, feeling tears pool in my eyes from the lovely, unexpected memories that seemed to fully solidify our soul-binding connection.

His thumb brushed back and forth along my cheek. His expression was full of so much adoration for me. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine in the most loving, passionate kiss I'd ever received.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and began meeting him with my own thrusts. I dug my nails into the hard skin of his back. I was getting close again. He knew this, of course, and increased our tempo.

He reached down and rolled one of my nipples between his index finger and thumb. Geez, how did he know exactly what to do? My body was so acquiescent to his… And I liked it.

"Edward…" I breathed. I felt his eyes rest on my face as he pushed into me roughly one more time, making me fly over the edge for the second time. "Oh, Edward… Fuck… Ohhh!"

I felt my walls tighten around him as my spine arched, toes curled, and all the muscles in my body tightened. This orgasm rippled throughout my entire body, finally putting out the fire he started earlier.

His own release was right behind mine. He pulsed into me one more time, and he came undone, too. "Bella… Oh, love… Damn, I've missed you so much."

I felt his cool liquid fill me up, sending another tingling sensation through me as he collapsed on top of me, burying his beautiful face in my hair. He was panting like me. I lazily ran my fingers up and down his back once I remembered how my muscles worked.

He pushed himself up and our eyes locked before leaning into another sweet, slow kiss as he pulled out of me. He shifted to laying on his back, and I snuggled into his side. I rested my cheek against his chest, and he wrapped his arm around me.

I sighed in contentment. Everything was quiet and peaceful. I was feeling fully alive, yet calm and completely comfortable.

"What are you thinking, Bella?" Edward murmured.

"Just how impeccably happy and content I am right now."

He shifted forward and kissed my hair before he rested his free hand on top of mine. His thumb brushed across my ring finger as he made contact with my wedding band… The wedding band that wasn't his. Although my heart was fully his, it was technically promised to someone else.

"Bella, I'm afraid I may have overstepped… I think I may be considered something of a homewrecker now." He said as his thumb and index finger traced around my wedding ring.

I bent my elbow against his chest and propped my head in my hand as I looked up at him. "My husband's been having an affair with one of his colleagues for months. In fact, I'm sure that's who he's with right now."

"What?"

"Yeah," I smiled sheepishly. "I'm not trying to justify my own infidelity in all of this because I'm just as much to blame after everything that's happened tonight… But I found out about his affair a few months ago. I just didn't know how, or if, I should leave him."

He searched my eyes. "And now? Do you want to work your differences out with him?"

I frowned. "Of course not!" I spat. "What kind of question is that after you practically knocked down my door earlier and made me fall in love with you!?"

He smiled. "Love, I just want you happy. I'm not naïve to the fact that you have a life separate from me right now. I just want to be in your life in whatever way you'll have me."

"I want all of you." I reached up and touched his face. "You just became my entire life."

He leaned down and kissed me before I pulled away. "Hey, I have a question about something you said earlier."

"What is it?" He asked.

"You said that you weren't expecting me to look exactly the same as Clara, and Shiloh hypothesizes that only happens if a soul's purpose wasn't fulfilled in their previous lifetime, right?"

"Yes."

"I think that's true." I said as I peeked up at him.

He looked at me confusingly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it sounds like, to me, that Clara's purpose was to spend eternity with you, and she died before achieving that goal… And, if I'm Clara, that's my purpose now, too. That's why I'm back here, in my next lifetime, in the same physical body."

He was quiet for a second as he pondered this. The next thing I knew, he flipped us over again. He was on top of me. He cupped my face in one hand and used his other arm to support some of his weight. "If that theory's true, and I believe it's very plausible, then what shall we do about it?"

I was quiet for a second. "Change me… That was your plan with Clara all along, right? You would find me again then change me when I was ready."

"Same Bella, different lifetime," he laughed then shook his head. "I'm not going to fight you on it this time, love. I lost you once, and I am never going to lose you again."

I swallowed. "Then do it. Right now. I'm ready. I'm ready to live with you forever."

He searched my eyes for several seconds. I'm not sure what he saw there, but I could tell I had convinced him. Although, I don't think much persuasion was needed.

He pecked my lips then slowly kissed his way down to my neck where he sunk his teeth into my jugular.