Into the Woods

By: Everleigh Allen

Chapter 16

Edward led Bella to the porch after they strolled around Esme's garden enjoying the slight morning breeze. Bella hadn't noticed it before, but it was oddly silent with no birds chirping or scuttling about as they took their place on the porch swing.

"Tell me about 1918." She used her toes to push them on the swing slightly, though Edward continued the steady pace as he contemplated what he could say.

"I can't really remember much, but I can tell you about the human me." Edward ran his fingers through his hair, more so he could get a better view of Bella than to get the bronze locks out of his face.

"Sure."

"Well, the roaring 20's were right around the corner, so people were more… glitzy? Anyway, I wanted to be a soldier, as you know already, but my parents had other ideas. I didn't think I needed to listen to them. I was a grown man in my own mind and as a seventeen year old boy I was idealizing the war and not necessarily seeing the big picture. But during that time it was slower, less populated, and quieter. People got to know each other more. More visits from friends, family, and neighbors as well as thoughtfully planned meals. We were social. Some even slept different."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, we had first sleep and then around one or two we would get up and would do all sorts of things. We would then have second sleep."

"What would you do when you were up in the middle of the night?"

Edward gave her a condescending look. "Most people would have sex or they would read or journal or even visit with neighbors, but yeah, mostly they would be intimate."

"Huh."

What do you even say to that?

"But not you."

"Be intimate?" Bella nodded, "No not me. I mostly wrote in my journal."

"So you wrote in journals before and after you were changed?"

"Yes."

"And I remember you said that after you were changed and could read minds that you used to write or draw out these memories of an 'ahem'…sexual nature."

Edward laughed. Out loud.

"I did say that, didn't I?"

Bella nodded. "So you wrote porn."

"I guess that would be accurate though I didn't see it as that."

"How did you see it?"

"Well, being a mind reader people often think about their escapades or fantasies. I would draw them out as I saw them. It's not that big of a deal- I didn't think until one day, Emmett found them and he relentlessly teased me. He thought it was hilarious that I wouldn't have sex with others but I would draw them doing it. You see, during those blocks of time it was uncivilized to talk, or write- but to draw such things? That was atrocious. Emmett loved it."

"I bet."

"He even stole a few journals and used them… Often."

"Bet those are still missing."

"Gladly. So, after that I mostly stopped drawing unless I came across something odd or different and I would draw out or describe the fantasy. The drawings became quite explicit, compared to some of my earlier drawings." Edward chuckled in memory.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked curiously.

"One of the first ones I drew was of Mrs. Crawford's ankle."

Bella's curiosity turned into confusion. "What?"

"She was an older woman, but still quite attractive and she had been sitting on a bench when her stocking fell down to her ankle. She bent forward to pull it up and I could see her bosom squished into her knees. As she was moving her skirts, her bosom overflowed her top for a moment. It was the first reaction I remember having, but it wasn't for her so to speak, but the idea of what the female form was like under the clothing."

Bella had a bit of irrational jealousy. "Well… If you must know, I have been known to give good ankle."

Edward stilled the swing as the electricity between them instantly snapped and charged.

"Is that so?" He practically growled.

"Mm, hmm." She said, flushing red hot.

"Well, I feel the need to investigate your claims as I've yet to see the proof."

Bella hitched her breath as Edward turned in the seat and picked up her leg, carefully. When he suddenly stilled into a statue she asked, "What's stopping you?"

His caramel eyes darkened to black.

"May I… have the pleasure?" He asked, his fingers slipping under the fabric of her jeans.

She shuddered, breathily saying, "Yes please."

Bella watched aptly as he pulled the denim up passed her calf, fingers grazing the pale skin and then he pulled down her cotton sock.

When either his breath or the breeze hit it she felt oddly exposed.

"Now this is lovely. Soft, flawless alabaster skin and dark, delicate, delicious veins lie right on the surface of the skin. They taunt me. They make my mouth water."

Edward's voice was like liquid sex.

She could feel his cool breath on her skin before he breathed the small patch of skin in deeply. His tongue dipped out and the tip touched her ankle as he licked swirls up over her ankle bone.

"Oh, God!" She panted, watching his eyes as he watched hers. His tongue was replaced with his lips and he placed small kisses as his fingers rubbed and tickled the flesh.

Bella swore she could feel her reaction in the most sensitive of areas and wondered if he could tell.

His growl told her the answer.

He gently moved away and placed her leg over his thighs as he moved back to his spot on the bench.

"I am stronger than I thought," he chuckled.

He pulled the denim to cover her leg as she laughed nervously.

"That was… intense." She looked at him and saw his eyes were still dark, "You know, for me."

Edward just laughed, shaking his head. "You really have no idea what you do to me, do you?"

His demeanor changed. The lighthearted vampire boy was gone and was replaced with the sexy, masculine, dark look of a vampire.

She had never seen such intensity, especially directed at her, before now.

She thought she did, but no… no, she didn't.

This was different.

All the sudden he gave a guttural, animalistic growl and grabbed her by her waist. In a slick second he had her lying underneath him on the porch and he grounded his clothed pelvis into her as she looked on with shock.

She could feel exactly what she was doing to him.

Every hard inch.

But then, she snapped out of her initial shock as soon as he had her head cocked to the side kissing down her neck. Bella moved her hands to the buttons of his shirt and Edward moaned, loving the way her warm hands felt on him as he propped himself up so not to crush her.

Then, Edward 's cell began to blare over the silence.

Edward growled but didn't stop.

Three more ruts into Bella before it rang again.

This time he groaned and pulled the phone out of his pocket. He was careful not to move so Bella would still be locked in place beneath him.

"Alice." He snarled into the phone. "This better be important."

…

A/N: I must disclaim I couldn't find when or where 1st and 2nd sleep started or ended, other than sometime around the 1950's-ish when people had to be up regularly for their 9-5 jobs. It's part of this story as done in 1918 Chicago so I'll take the creative license on it.

Now I must quit for the day so I can get caught up on paintings I owe people. This one is a 1ft x 3ft purple sunrise beach scene.