AN: You guys with the reviews are AMAZING - I luv you guys! I know I'm not getting the chapters out as fast as I was at the beginning & for that I'm sorry but between my hubby hogging the laptop playing War Craft, me being Preggo and sick 24/7, and really struggling over these last few chapters trying to get them from my head to print and perfect it's been hard.
But because you guys ROCK here's a super long chapter and things should take off from here. BTW if you haven't already checked out the poll on my profile, your opinions are much needed.
Check out LolaShoes page, she has two super hot stories. The first one is her version of BXE's honeymoon, I LOVED IT. It's my favorite take on their honeymoon I've read, she is such a good writer. The second story I'm still reading, it's about life after the honeymoon, you'll love her characters, I do. Thanks to Krissipooh for recommending it, you rock.
I do not own Twilight!
EPV
It was Friday already and I couldn't be more relieved. This entire week had been sublime torture, one minute I was excited about going out with Bella and the next I was in full panic mode. In all honesty I had no idea what in the hell I was doing, I hadn't changed my mind about my relationship with Bella. Even though I was suffering silently through the constant ache I had to be close to her I was dead set on just remaining friends. The only person who may have been more thankful that Friday had finally got here was Jasper, unfortunately for him he had been on the receiving end of my emotional tirade all week. So with my excitement coming to a head today he was in an especially disgruntled mood.
"Awe, what's wrong Jazzy?" Alice cooed while she petted the side of his face. We were all seated around our lunch table waiting for Bella to get here.
"Ya, what's wrong Jazz?" I cocked my eyes up and asked him playfully. My mood was unusually light today.
"Let's see, what could possibly be wrong?" Jasper quietly barked out, "Between Alice overflowing with giddiness and indecisiveness over what Bella should wear tonight, you going from freaking out to excited as hell, not to mention the shots of lust you spew out every five frickin minutes, and Bella's one woman emotional rollercoaster, I'm just fine freakin-tastic!" he finished closing his eyes tight.
Alice huffed and crossed her arms and I couldn't help but join Emmett in a fit of laughter. Jasper turned to Alice to back track and apologize for his ill mood.
"Come on baby," he said with his southern drawl, "I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean anything by it, I'm just going crazy this week with everything."
Alice's pout softened but Emmett and I couldn't settle down, I was feeding off of Emmet's laughter and I couldn't seem to stop, something was definitely off with me today.
"Oh…you think that's funny, do you?" Jasper shot us both a mischievous grin, "We'll see how funny it is when I get you back boys, pay backs a bitch."
That made us erupt into even more laughter.
"You guys are idiots!" Rose spat. "Have you even stopped to wonder why Bella's not even here yet?" She asked cocking her eyebrows up at me.
Her words hit me like a mac truck, I had been so caught up in the moment I didn't realize how much time had passed, Bella was never this late. I quickly reached out and scanned the student's minds for Bella. For a few minutes that seem to drag on like hours I couldn't locate her and my body turned rigid with panic. Finally I found her down the hall walking this way with Jessica Stanley. I let out a heavy, unnecessary breath of relief.
"So Bella, Mike tells me you're going out with Edward Cullen tonight, are you guys like, dating." she was trying to sound nice but failing miserably.
I loathed Jessica Stanley with a passion and I didn't want her anywhere near my Bella, I cringed at my mental slip up, I had been calling her that a lot lately.
"Ummm," Bella stumbled out, her voice dripping with nervousness and I wondered briefly if she knew I was listening in, "We are going out tonight but we're not dating, it's um, not like that."
"Well, don't you want to date him, I mean come on he's freaking gorgeous, don't tell me you haven't thought about it." she was trying to sound friendly but deep down she was just fishing for gossip, Bella had to know that.
I watched Bella duck her head like she always did when she was embarrassed, it was like an invisible blush, and my dead heart soared as I watched her knowing something Jessica had just said about me made her respond like that.
"Edward and I are just friends, we're…um, close, that's it Jess, really." Bella breathed out as they came into the cafeteria.
You could tell by Jessica's face she wasn't buying a word Bella had just said, unfortunately for me I did and my shoulder's slumped as I rolled the words, just friends, around in my head.
"Whatever Bella," Jessica rolled her eyes as they parted, "Call me and let me know how it goes. So I can hear how you fall flat on your face tonight, Edward Cullen couldn't possibly like her, I'm way prettier."
I growled lowly at Jessica's malicious thoughts.
"Down boy," Bella laughed out sitting next to me and patting my head, "We're supposed to be acting like humans, not dogs, remember?" she giggled at her own joke as Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett joined in.
Jasper however was glaring at me with a half ass smile.
I was about to take my aggravation for that bottle blonde twit Jessica out on him when a tsunami size wave of lust hit me with such force I doubled over and fell on my forearms on the table in front of me. My erection pulsed against my jeans straining to break free and my breaths started to come out in small pants.
"Edward." Bella reached over and rubbed my arm with panic. "Oh my god, are you okay?"
I could feel every inch of her delicate fingers as they flitted over my skin as another wave of lust came slamming into me. It took everything in me to stifle the moan trying to escape my throat.
Alice giggled and I heard her slap a very smug, entertained looking Jasper.
"What's wrong Edward, things not so funny anymore? Because I'm actually rather amused." Jasper drawled out.
Bella leaned closer into me and I could feel the outline of her breast, their firmness pressing into my shoulder at the same time Jasper pulled back the lust only to hit me as hard as he could with it again. I doubled over a little more as my hands, that only wanted to reach out and grab Bella at the moment, clenched and unclenched, a war raging in them. She was so close, I could taste her. Her scent was laced with fear at the moment and my head was so clouded I couldn't even worry about her, all I could think about was her body. I turned my head slightly and was eye level with her chest, it was heaving up and down with panic for me and all I could think about was how much I wanted to lean over and lick the delectable line of her cleavage peeking out from her shirt. Images of throwing Bella down on the table top and ravishing her perfect body flashed through my mind and I whimpered with want.
"Edward!" Bella said a little louder, "Say something, what's wrong with him," she asked looking at Alice.
"Don't worry Bella, he's fine." Alice waved her off. "Jasper, that's enough." she said as she smacked his arm again.
"Fine." Jasper growled out, "Ruin my fun."
Emmett's laughter boomed out, finally realizing what was happening around him, he doubled over grabbing his sides laughing at my expense as I slowly tried to sit up and come to my senses. I couldn't even speak let alone move much yet, the tightness in my jeans still very much there. I focused in on Jasper, when I did recover, I was going to pummel him into an oblivion.
"Come on Edward, it was only fair after what you've been putting him through." Alice sang out obviously seeing my decision to slowly pull every limb from her husbands body.
"That was anything but fair, Alice!" I growled out, "And besides I wasn't the only one having fun at his expense." I finished, eyeing Emmett.
Emmett's laughter subsided as Jasper gave him a malicious grin. Emmett froze and doubled over and before I knew it he had grabbed Rosalie up by the waist and was running out the back door in a little more than human speed.
"Now that was funny!" Jasper chuckled out.
"You're so bad." Alice shook her head giggling at her very proud husband.
"Will somebody tell me what in the hell's going on here?" Bella asked anger and confusion on her innocent face.
"Come on," I said standing up on unsteady legs and strategically holding my biology book in front of my lap, "I'll explain it to you in class."
This was going to be an interesting conversation I thought, I knew damn well I was giving her the edited version.
***************
It was only a mere thirty minutes until I was supposed to be at Bella's house to pick her up for our date, I couldn't even get the word out without it sticking in my throat. It didn't help that I still had lingering feelings from Jasper's little stunt at lunch today. I was still sore with him even though Emmett and I happily paid him back when we got home from school today. I ran my hands roughly through my hair, I had been pacing for the last hour after I took a shower and got dressed and realized I had nothing else to do, I was too wound up to sit still and enjoy my music. I made my way downstairs to play my piano in desperate need to do something with my unsteady hands. I don't know what was wrong with me, I spent time alone with Bella all of the time, why was this any different? I thought for split second, maybe I should call and cancel.
"I don't think so Edward Cullen!" Alice scolded as she came in the front door carrying such a massive amount of clothes and beauty supplies that you could barely make out the ends of her spiky black hair peeking over the top of it, "Bella's beautiful and waiting for you, you are not canceling on her."
I sighed and made my way over to my piano bench. I took a deep breath and closed my eye letting my fingers glide over the porcelain keys. A piece I had been working on for Bella flowed out and echoed through the room. I was instantly relaxed, the lullaby reminded me so much of her, it's beauty and honesty, it's depth and unexpectedness. Her face lingered behind my eyelids as I poured my heart into it. I finished and sighed in relief. A single applause took me out of my serene state I had been encompassed in with Bella's lullaby.
"That was absolutely breathtaking!" Esme's voice broke like she would be crying if she could as she made her way over and stood behind me. "Was that about Bella?" she asked as she put both hands on my shoulders.
"Yes." I admitted sheepishly.
"I think what you two share is exceptional Edward, I've never seen you so happy," she sobbed, "I'm so happy for you son." she gave me a quick peck on the head before she walked away. I shook my head and smiled to myself, I was happy.
BPV
Alice had been over all afternoon in full Bella Barbie mode so I was glad to have two minutes to myself before Edward got here. Well I wasn't exactly by myself, a very unhappy Charlie was sitting downstairs in front of the television grumbling to himself waiting for Edward to get here. He wasn't exactly thrilled I was going out tonight, he had actually turned four shades of red before Alice intervened, thank god she had some kind of influence over him or I doubt I would be sitting her anxiously awaiting the arrival of my date.
My date, I repeated in my head, I couldn't believe I was actually going on a date with Edward Cullen, to say I was nervous was the understatement of the year. I heard a car pulling into the drive way so I looked out not recognizing the sound. It was Edward, but instead of the Volvo I had expected he was getting out of a very sleek, very expensive looking car. I ran to open my door and fly down the stairs but I put on the brakes remembering what Alice had said and waited patiently.
"Bella…..," Charlie finally called.
I took a very deep, unneeded breath and straightened out my clothes and made my way slowly down the stairs. When I got to the bottom, I froze. There stood Edward in my kitchen looking like the epitome of perfection. He looked like he just stepped off the cover of GQ magazine in a black form fitting v neck sweater and dark jeans. Black was by far my favorite color on him, the color against his perfect skin made my stomach tighten.
**************
EPV
I could already hear Charlie's thoughts before I entered the house. He was worried about Bella after everything that had happened in Phoenix, he was also berating himself, wishing he would of thought about putting his shot gun out in plain site to intimidate me, and how many different ways he would personally hurt me if I hurt his daughter.
I watched him flinch at the coldness of my handshake before he called Bella down. The ghost of my heart beat picked up in my chest as I heard the soft patter of Bella's feet come down the stairs. When she came into view my breath hitched . She paused at the bottom of the stairs and I starred back at her with my lips parted, speechless, she was ….. Breathtaking. She wore a white cashmere scoop neck sweater with a black pencil skirt that stopped right above her delicate knees and it accentuated her every curve sinfully perfect. The white she wore made her skin luminous and she looked like an angel.
"You're….Beautiful." I breathed, completely disregarding Charlie's presence.
We stayed like that, eyes locked until Charlie cleared his throat breaking me from my trance.
He walked over and gave Bella a half hug, "You look nice kid." he mumbled uncomfortably.
"Um thanks." Bella ducked her head cutting her eyes over at me.
I reached out and took her hand needing to touch her, little electric shocks ran up my arms and continued down throughout my body as our skin met.
"I'll take good care of her sir." I meant to sound confident but it came out somewhat hoarse as I still couldn't peel my eyes away from Bella.
"No later than 11:30 Bells," Charlie called as we made our way down her steps.
"M'kay Dad." Bella called back over her shoulder.
I walked her to the car not being able to pull my gaze from her, the moon light shone off her skin in the most memorizing ways. I opened her door and motioned for her to get in but she paused.
"What?" I asked her trying to read her face.
"What is this?" she chuckled motioning her finger back and forth at my car.
"It's my Vanquish," I smiled proudly, "It's a special night so I thought a special car was in order."
She laughed and shook her head at me, "Subtle Edward, real subtle. So much for a normal night out, huh?"
"Define normal." I said giving her my crooked grin. "I would hope you knew me a little better than that by now."
*****************
I pushed the car to it's limits as we sped to Seattle.
"There's no happy medium with you Cullen's, is there? Have you ever driven the speed limit?" she laughed.
"What's the fun in that?" I answered her and she just giggled and looked out the window at the scenery flying by. She fidgeted and rubbed her legs together nervously and I took advantage and took time to appreciate them. Every time she moved the skirt she wore rode up inch by inch to expose more of her soft, milky legs. My fists clenched and unclenched on the steering wheel wanting to reach out and caress them.
"What?" her voice broke me from my trance as she ducked her head and tugged on her skirt with her hands.
I snapped my head back to the rode and stumbled over my words in embarrassment, "Um, nothing." I said as I cleared my throat.
BPV
We flew through Seattle at lightening speed. After I caught Edward starring at me he really hadn't said very much, our silence was filled with song after song, all of them more beautiful than the last.
"Where are we going?" I asked softly knowing he would hear me.
"I thought we'd go to the movies, if that's okay?" he looked at me nervously and the expression was completely adorable on him.
My face lit up and his expression softened, it had been forever since I'd been to the movies. "No, that's great." I smiled up at him.
I looked back out the window and noticed we had already past the theatre.
"Um, Edward….?" I started.
"Patience, Bella." he cooed as the car sped up.
About twenty minutes later we pulled up to the back of an old abandoned looking building. Edward was at my door opening it and helping me out before I could reach for the handle. We walked slowly towards the structure, it reminded me of something straight out of a horror movie and if I had been with anyone else and not stronger than any human male I would have been scared for my life.
I giggled at the strange workings of my mind and Edward cocked his eyebrows at me as he opened the door and motioned for me to go in.
We walked down a long, dark corridor the staleness in the air confirmed my suspicions that the place was indeed abandoned. Finally Edward stepped around me and pulled back a deep gold curtain, I walked through and gasped.
"Edward." I breathed, as I covered my mouth in awe.
I scanned the room, we were standing in the middle of an old movie theatre. The room was on the small side but in mint condition, nothing like it's exterior. The chairs were deep red and crushed velvet and the screen was framed with deep gold curtains tied back with red tassels. I breathed in, the room had a faint smell of people and stale popcorn and sugar. I stood there taking it all in before Edward's scent engulfed me, he was close and standing right behind me. I spun around and was met with his crooked grin I loved.
"Edward, this is amazing, how…..how did you do this?" I asked.
"Do you like it?" He asked back smiling, he already knew the answer.
He took my hand and walked me to our seats.
He leaned in and I felt his sweet breath on my face, "I'll be right back."
He ran up the steps and disappeared into the back door before I heard the sound of an old film projector heating up before it sprung to life and the screen lit up. An old fashioned cartoon with dancing hot dogs and sodas danced across the screen as Edward reclaimed his seat beside me.
"What, no popcorn?" I asked playfully, feigning disappointment.
"No," he said seriously with the corner of his lip twitching up in a smile, "they were out, I could however run out and get you a nice deer if you prefer."
I laughed, I loved it when Edward was playful and relaxed like this. The previews ended and the lights dimmed down. The title "Casablanca" popped up on the screen and I squealed and clapped my hands, Edward laughed and shook his head at me.
"I take it you like it," he leaned in to talk to me like we weren't the only ones in the theatre, "I'm glad, its one of my favorites." he whispered.
"Mine too." I said softly getting lost in his closeness.
Something about being alone with Edward in the dark and in this space did something to me, I felt a pull to him, my entire body was tight with the need to be closer to this man. I scooted closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder, nuzzling his shirt and breathing him in before settling in to watch the movie. He reached over and took my hand in his, he squeezed it before placing it gently on his lap and rubbing soothing circles on it with the other. He laid his head on mine and I sighed in content as I felt him nuzzling my hair and breathing me in.
Edward and I said the lines along with the actors in the movie each knowing it line by line. We laughed and I snuggled deeper into his embrace trying to fully concentrate on the screen and not the Adonis
sitting beside me.
We walked back to the car hand in hand completely at peace. Instead of opening my door he paused and lingered by the side of the car for a few moments, I leaned against the passenger door and smiled up at him. He stood directly in front of me still holding my hand tightly in his and I dropped my eyes at the intensity of his stare.
He put his finger under my chin and lifted my head back up to look at him, "Please don't do that." he breathed.
My breath hitched and I stared back into his deep topaz eyes getting lost in them. We were so close I could feel the energy vibrating between the small space between us, I could feel myself leaning into him as his eyes dropped from my eyes to my lips. I licked them in anticipation and he quickly looked away and cleared his throat before stumbling on his words.
"I'm embarrassed to say I didn't plan the rest of the night, it's only 9:30," he said looking at his watch, "I do have a few ideas though, if you're game?" he asked ducking to read my face.
"Sure…." I said still unsteady. "I guess it does put a different spin on things when dinner isn't in the equation anymore." I mused out loud.
"Well," he smiled, "we could always go hunting if you'd like." he poked my side playfully.
"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'm more interested in what you had in mind." I said grinning up at him.
"Okay then," he said as he opened my door for me to get in, "Shall we?"
************
EPV
I sped down the road messing with the radio and rambling on trying to distract myself. The movie theatre was a huge success, I had called in a favor earlier on this week and had someone come in and prepare it for us, it had been Seattle's main theatre back in the forties. I'm glad I knew the movie word from word because I could hardly take my eyes off of Bella the entire time. I spent the last hour and a half in the dark holding Bella to me and relishing in her touch, her scent filling me completely, I was in heaven. When I walked Bella to the Vanquish I didn't move to open her door, I wasn't ready to let go of her yet, so we stood there. Bella leaned back against my car and looked up at me and I couldn't control the reaction my body had to her, she looked incredibly enticing. The pull to be close to this woman sitting beside me, to kiss her, was impossibly strong. I had almost let that feeling overtake me in the parking lot but backed off before we went too far.
I veered off the road into the familiar wooded area and I watched Bella's face light up as the car stilled on the gravel.
"We haven't been to the meadow in so long," she said with a bright smile on her face.
She jumped out of the car before I could get to her and I growled softly. She swatted my arm and pointed her tiny little finger at me.
"You know, now a days woman can open their own doors every once in a while, go figure." she laughed.
I growled back at her playfully, "Not if they have a gentleman to do it for them, they don't."
Before she could open her mouth to argue back I flung her around to my back and took off through the woods. Bella squealed my name and wrapped her legs tightly around my middle and I had never felt more alive. Her core was pressed against my back and I could feel the heat radiating from her spreading slowly throughout me, her sweet breath was touching my neck as she laid her head on my shoulder. I found myself purposely slowing down to have more time with her like this.
We finally reached the meadow and I reluctantly moved to put her down. I brought her around to my front and slid her down my body deliciously slow feeling every divine inch of her on me as she went. I took her hand in mine and walked to the middle of the clearing, sitting down and pulling her down beside me. We gazed up at the dark sky looking at the stars.
"Beautiful………." Bella said softly to herself.
" Painfully so….," I breathed out looking directly at the angel sitting beside me.
She looked over at me and laughed nervously looking down fidgeting with our intertwined hands. Even though I relished in her soft touch I needed to see her face. I reached over and pulled her face back up with my finger.
"Please, don't do that." I repeated my words from earlier ducking my head to meet her beautiful eyes.
She looked up at me and my breath hitched, the stars reflected in the endless pools of her eyes and they sparkled brightly.
I moved my hand slowly from her chin to her cheek caressing it with my fingers, she closed her eyes and sighed, her breathing picking up slightly as I glided my hand back down her cheek to trace her soft, full lips with my thumb. I marveled at how her skin gave way and molded to my touch. Her eyes slowly opened and they held something new, want.
I leaned into her until there was only inches between us as I slid my hand up and cupped her cheek. My breath started coming out in short erratic breaths as her sweet breath fanned out over my face and I licked my lips tasting her on them. I needed her, I wanted her.
"Edward…….," she breathed out, and I gave in.
I slowly touched my lips to hers and gave her a chaste kiss reveling in their softness, I went to lean back but she whimpered softly into my mouth and my whole body ignited. I crashed my lips to hers moving my hand around to the back of her head holding her to me. Our lips molded together perfectly and I softly took her plump bottom lip into my mouth eagerly tasting her, I couldn't get enough and I hungrily sucked on it begging her for entrance and she opened her lips in compliance. The warmth of her small mouth amplified her taste as our tongues wrestled for dominance. I explored the new territory with my tongue putting every inch of perfection to memory. I let go of her hand I had been holding and ran it up her arm to hold the side of her face kissing her with all the passion I could put behind it.
BPV
My body was on fire, I couldn't get enough of him.
"Edward….," I moaned out his name, my hands moving to hold the sides of his perfect face holding him tightly to me, afraid to let go.
His lips froze and my eyes shot open, he pulled back and held me at a distance looking down not making eye contact with me, his breaths were hard and erratic.
"Edward?" I tried ducking my head to see his face, "What's wrong?" I tried to hide the hurt in my voice.
He let go of me and stood up looking down at me. My body automatically felt empty at the loss of his touch.
"Bella," he choked out, his voice hoarse, "I'm sorry, I can't."
My heart shattered at his words.
AN: Phew, that was a mouthful. Put the pitch forks and torches down and back away slowly. It actually keeps going but I had to stop, the next chapter takes right up where this one ended and it'll get better fast, I promise, Bella just has to knock some sense into him.
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Maybe one more review than last time..what ya think? I'll try to put the next one up A.S.A.P plus I'll send one very GQ looking Edward to your house in his Vanquish looking to give someone a ride :)