Chapter two (1534 wds)

Glorious, marvelous fellow fanfic'ers! I can't tell you how flattered I am by how many people added me as a favorite author or favorite story when I posted this fic eons and eons ago! I am not worthy, especially now that I've kept you waiting so long for an update…

To address that first, I am truly sorry that an update has taken so long, but huge thanks go out to everyone who's messaged me (esp. you, Aleeab4u!) and sent me encouraging words. (*wipes tear away*) Real life's given me a bit of a beating in the last nine months, least of all being a real messy divorce, so I haven't had much desire to write fic (I've had LOTS of desire to read fic!). Now, though, after some stressful weeks followed by one fabulously inspiring week, I find the naked images of Edward slipping back into my nighttime thoughts, so why not give this another stab?

I've also slipped from cannon a bit here (GASP! I know) because SM's version didn't really capture where I wanted to go with it.

I hope you enjoy! Regardless, please leave me feedback!

As always, I do not own all things Cullen - Stephenie Meyer does. I'm just letting Edward and Bella romp around naked in my head for a few pages.


One final thought crossed my mind as I heard Bella's terrycloth towel hit the sand of the beach. I wonder how my wife would react to this long, slow night of lovemaking.

It seemed like hours had passed as Bella's feet crunched across the white sand beach, slipped into the water, and make it the hundred yards or so to where I was standing, waist-high in the the warm water. To steel my resolve I was watching the moonlight as it danced silently across the glass surface before me. Steady breaths, in and out. One simple breath after another, Cullen. I knew that I would be assaulted by her scent, likely much stronger now than I had ever smelled it before.

As Bella finally got to my side in the water it took all of my will not to immediately turn around, grab her in my arms and do every ungentlemanly thing that my seventeen-year old hormones wanted me to do. No, I needed to make this about her, not my wild and crazy libido. I could tell already by her racing heart rate and uneven breaths that she was nervous. If she hadn't gone running and screaming from the horrible monster I am yet, I certainly couldn't have that happen now by ravishing her like a madman.

Then I felt Bella slip her fingers through mine just below the surface of the water. I felt the fire from her heat burn up my arms and race through my body with desire. This woman! My love, my Bella.

I turned around to meet her eyes, very carefully keeping them only on her face so as not to tempt myself further. "Bella… do you know how utterly beautiful you are? How many times I've imagined us here, just like this?"

"Really?" She replied, eyes alit with excitement and relief all in one. Did she really have no idea?

"Of course!" I replied, still a bit stunned that she still didn't realize that my thirst for her was much more primal than just for her blood. "It hasn't just been out of necessity that I've ran what we're… er… about to do through my mind a thousand times." She slipped both hands around my neck but I continued, "You really do not know how attracted I am to you on the most primal level, do you Bella? The most human level that I can handle? The attraction that is simply between a man and a woman, and has nothing to do with the beast that I am?"

She rolled her eyes at me and growled lightly at her. At that sound she moaned, deep and guttural in the back of her throat. Not only that, but I also felt her legs slacken slightly, making her gloriously naked body slink perfectly against mine.

Now, it was my time to groan! And… to refocus.

"Bella", I began, "before we go any further I need you to promise me something. No matter what happens tonight I need you to promise me that you'll alert me if I hurt you, even if you think it insignificant. I promised you that we would try, and believe me – I want to try! – but I need you to tell me if anything I do causes discomfort or pain. Do you promise me that?"

Bella groaned again, but it was quite different this time as she almost shouted "Edward! Don't you dare back down now! This will work and you know it. Don't you think Alice would have told us if it was truly dangerous? I need this… Edward, it's just that… I…" she started to slip out of my arms and her voice caught in her throat, so I had to interject.

"No, it's not just that, Bella" I explained, pulling her closer to me but not quite touching chests again. "I also meant that you should tell me if I'm hurting you so that I can, er, try things a bit differently." I saw the blush rise to my dear Bella's face and resisted the urge (how, I do not know) to look down and see if the crimson spread lower than just her face and neck.

"Edward. We're both new to this. Do you know about alternative methods?" Bella asked me shyly, looking up through her lashes. Hmm.. that was quite adorable.

"Of course I'm just as innocent as you are, you irresistible girl. I do, however, have the misfortune of a ninety years of every waking thought of those around me. You'd be surprised how often the ordinary person thinks of intimacy." I grinned at her and tapped my temple with my finger, hoping that a little bit of humor would lighten her mood.

Well, it worked. A devilish grin spread across her delicious mouth as she wet her lips lightly with her tongue. I saw that as invitation enough for me as I tightened my one arm around her waste and fastened my other hand lightly in her hair, but enough to pull her head back slightly and allow me access to that warm, wet mouth. I kissed her deeply as I pulled the two of us into deeper water, just slightly above both our heads.

As we drifted deeper, Bella tightened both arms around my neck and once again pressed the length of her body against mine. Naturally I could feel every single detail of her body – her hardened nipples scraping across my chest, the soft mound of hair between her legs and the heat ripe and ready in her most delicious spot. Yes, she was very turned on and ready for my attention. Although her senses were much weaker due to our different natures, I'm sure there was no chance she could not notice the massive erection that I now had pressing into her left thigh.

Of course, it was very easy for me to tread water and hold the two of us up, but it was becoming increasingly distracting to concentrate on that with the kisses my Bella was now lavishing on my cheeks, my eyes, my ears, and all the way down my neck. All I could do in response was give in to the sensations she was alighting in me. Without thinking, I let go of my grip on her waist and allowed her to drift several inches away. For a split second, the physical pain of our momentary separation crippled me, I had become so addicted to it.

"Is this getting to be too much for you, Mr. Cullen?" Bella asked me, with an air of mischievousness in her voice. The ease with which she was slipping into this playful, sexy vixen was just alluring! All I could do was nod weakly in response. "Perhaps it's time to cool you down, then." She exclaimed with a giggle as she splashed water at my face and swam away in a cascade of laughter. I could have reached her quicker had I not the uncomfortable stiffness between my legs to contend with, but the image of a very graceful Bella swimming through the water had me even harder than before. How is that even possible? Another splash of water to my face, followed by Bella's joyous laughter, brought me firmer back to the reality that I wanted this woman right now with a thirst that far surpassed any bloodlust I had ever felt. I could beat this!

To return Bella's playfulness, I waited until she dove under water one more time (supposedly to hide from her husband with the perfect eyesight… silly woman) and took that opportunity to swim up right beside her. I caught her sight for just a moment, saw the wanton lust in her eyes, and allowed my lips to be drawn to hers underwater. The whole time I kept reminding myself that my delicate wife could not continue to kiss underwater like this for much longer, but Bella kept lengthening the embrace by pulling me closer. Eventually I had to pull her up to the surface of the water and stop the kiss myself.

"Ah, some things never change." I said to my love with a chuckle. "Luckily, I have made the wonderful decision to trust you on tonight's events and provide you the honeymoon that you deserve, my only love." Desire poured out of her eyes at those words and I knew the time was right.

"This is your honeymoon, too, Edward. I want you to enjoy yourself as much as I do."

I could only grin at that and say, "I think there's no chance of me not enjoying myself tonight, Bella." A grin that easily dazzled me spread across her face, but barely behind that I could see the desire that she had for tonight to continue into the bedroom right now.

It was time.

I lifted Bella's chin ever so slightly so that I could gaze even deeper into her eyes, almost as ochre as I'm sure mine were in the pale moonlight outside. At a volume that I knew would send goosebumps up her spine and down her arms, I softly whispered in her ear, "Are you ready for me to seduce you now, Mrs. Cullen?"

A/N: Please read and review!

Chapter 3 is already on its way. I promise it will be up soon!

-EdwardIsMyMuse