Chapter 3: The Wedding Night
I sighed in relief as Edward and I finally waved goodbye to the last of the guests and turned toward the front door. I'd have to chide Alice later about the reception, which was pure torture, but I was too tired to do it now.
Sensing my fatigue, Edward cradled me in his arms and cooed softly in my ear, "That really was an ordeal for you wasn't it! I should take Alice's Porsche away for this one."
"Yes you SHOULD! She deserves it!" I grumbled. Edward chuckled at my childish bickering. He knew I didn't mean it.
"Speak of the devil…" Edward smiled wryly as Alice pranced up to us in a flash.
"Oh Bella quit being such a wet blanket! The reception was wonderful and YOU know it! You'll thank me later for this, I know you will." She tapped her temple intuitively.
"Alice…. Not now!" I grumbled. Edward threw her a warning look, and she mocked him with a triumphant smile before gliding back toward the house gracefully. Before she disappeared through the front door, she turned and projected her voice, "And stop worrying Edward, I'll keep everyone else out of the way. Especially Emmett! Wouldn't want to disturb you two lovebirds on your wedding night." She crooned in the venomous voice of someone who knows more than they should. I blushed. I heard the door slam shut as Alice disappeared behind it.
Now it was just the two of us. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. The thought sent shivers up my spine, in a good way. Edward plopped himself into the grass, pulling me down with him so I could lean my head against his shoulder. I dared to glance up at his flawless face, illuminated by the full moon and glowing eerily. I leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, but he pulled away. I stared at him, puzzled.
Edward's topaz eyes bored into mine, and he examined my face intently, scrutinizing it.
"Bella, you are so beautiful. I can't believe you're all mine." He brushed his fingertips across my jaw and I could feel the electricity. I wanted to throw myself onto him, but I held back, after all, I'd waited this long, I could wait another hour or so.
"I'm still dumbfounded that you picked me, of all people."
Edward sighed. "Bella, we've been over this before. You don't see yourself clearly at all. How many times do I have to tell you this?"
Suddenly, his eyes lit up with a mischievous hint of golden, "But of course, if that's how you feel, we don't have to go through with this tonight. You did say you were tired. Maybe we should do this another night."
"NO!!" I shot up in horror. "You promised!! You can't just back out now!!"
Edward threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound of it echoing off of the trees. I glared at him and slapped his shoulder as hard as I could for his little ruse, knowing that I would never so much as leave a mark. Unfortunately the same could not be said for me, and I winced at the pain in my hand. Stupid, stupid.
Edward glanced at my grimace and chuckled as he wordlessly threw me onto his back and shot off into the night. I would have protested, but we were moving so fast that I didn't want to speak for fear of disgorging the remnants of my wedding cake all over him. Within a few minutes it was over, and I slid onto the grass next to Edward. We were in our meadow.
"I thought this might give us some privacy. I don't trust Alice with the whole privacy thing, and I heard Emmett contemplating sneaking up on us. You don't mind do you?" Edward's eyes smoldered and I felt my knees give way. He caught me before I toppled over, a smile on his face.
"Of…of..course not. Why would I?"
"Well, you don't mind spending the night out here then do you? I left some blankets out here and I can build a fire in case it gets cold." His eyes twinkled with enthusiasm.
It was only then that I noticed the array of soft, downy blankets spread out on the grass and a pile of wood laid out for a bonfire. How romantic. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him deeply on the lips, my tongue only slightly tracing his lips before he pushed me away. I sighed. "I love you." Edward smiled yet again and replied… "I love you too. Now give me a moment please."
Within minutes, a fire was crackling off to the side and Edward and I were tangled up under the covers, looking out into the starry night. I burrowed my head into his marble chest and he slid his arms around my waist. Hesitantly, I unbuttoned his top button and waited to see his response. When he didn't say anything, I went on to the second button, and then the third, and then the fourth, the excitement rising in my chest. Just then, he tore himself away from me and sat upright, dragging me into a sitting position as well. I couldn't hide the disappointment etched across my face, and I avoided looking into his eyes.
"Bella… are you sure about this? Do you really want to risk this?" Edward's voice was pained. He looked desperately at me with jet black eyes, only a hint of topaz still visible in them. I could see that he was hungry, but I couldn't be sure if it was for my body or for my blood. I was relying on the notion that it was my body, as pathetically bedraggled as it was.
"Yes Edward. I'm sure. I've been sure since the moment we struck up our little deal. Even before that actually." I replied firmly, my face defiant.
"Alright then…. But if it starts to get too much, I'll stop. I will not hurt you." His eyes were completely coal black now and I was amazed to see that his hands trembled.
"You're scared?" I interjected quizzically.
"Somewhat, yes. But mostly excited. Is that sick?" Edward's angelic face had never looked more vulnerable, I felt like hugging him close. And then I remembered, I could.
"Not at all. I feel the same way."
Slowly, and cautiously, I lay back against the blankets and Edward rolled on top of me. He leaned in and I inhaled deeply, his tantalizing cool breath against my cheek. He began to kiss me. At first, it was soft and gentle as it usually was, and I wrapped my arms around his back. Then, it began to feel more urgent, and it was almost bitingly painful but I relished every second and reciprocated. I ran my tongue over his lips, and this time, he opened his mouth ever so slightly, letting my tongue in. We explored each other's mouths, him cautiously. The sensation was better than anything I had ever felt before, it was tingly and icy and so sweet. I never wanted to stop.
My hands raked across his back, and then with a sudden brainwave, I continued to unbutton Edward's remaining buttons. In a matter of seconds, his entire shirt was off.
My hands explored this new territory. His perfectly sculpted abs, hard as granite but so smooth. I caressed every crevice with my fingertips, Edward's sweet lips on mine the entire time. Then, my hand rested on the waistband of his jeans. The night progressed in a fast blur from then on, the beautiful images engraved in my mind for eternity. Edward and I rocking back and forth together, as one, piercing screams of ecstasy spewing from our lips. Edward's eyes, wild, but his mind in control. I trusted him completely with my life, and there was no fear in our lovemaking. It was perfect. We both reached our climax together and the heightened emotions as Edward's flawless body leaned over mine, the friction against smooth skin electrified me and brought tears to my eyes.
When the pleasurable pain subsided, my first instinct was to turn to Edward and wrap my arms around him, but I noticed that he was keeping a safe distance from me under the covers. He sat up, and noticing my tortured expression, responded by saying…
"Bella. I'm sorry, just give me a moment to collect myself." I realized that his jaw was still fiercely clenched and his eyes were wild. Compassion for his suffering suddenly flooded my senses.
"Of course Edward."
After a few minutes of silence, Edward slid back under the covers with me, his arm barely touching mine. About thirty more seconds of silence passed this way. I knew I shouldn't say anything to hinder his self-restraint but I couldn't help the choking feeling of rejection from bubbling over the brim and spilling out in the form of my pathetically stuttered sentence.
"Edward… was it… was I…. that bad? I'm sorry…"
As if something suddenly clicked in his mind, Edward turned to me and cradled me in his strong arms. I was glad to note that his eyes had returned to their familiar shade of topaz.
"No Bella, don't think that at all! You were perfect! You were…. This was everything I could have ever hoped for! You are amazing and I love you! I'm sorry if my silence was disconcerting, I just thought that maybe you might be disgusted with me. Disgusted that even after tonight I still had to deal with my… other…. Hunger."
"Shhh" I whispered to him, placing my fingers over his lips. "I could never be disgusted with you Edward. So let's not ruin tonight okay?"
I could see the corners of his lips twitching into that heart-melting crooked grin of his, "Of course, my Bella. Whatever you say." And with that, Edward pulled me deeper into his marble embrace. Our fingers twined together, he whispered my lullaby in a voice dripping with honey, while the stars in the sky, like celestial beings in the heavens, smiled down on the rare but beautiful sight of a lion and a lamb in love.