Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The intellectual property including, but not limited to, the ideas, plot line, characterization and original content of this story are owned by OliviaRising. May 2011.

A/N: I'M BACKKKK... yes, I'm still alive! I know I have a lot of explaining to do and I am so sorry that I kept you all waiting for so long! I never meant to take so long to update- one day I was sending out teasers, the next- POOF! I was gone.

I'm not going to bore you guys with all of the details, but basically RL got so crazy that I had absolutely no time to sit and write. Days turned into weeks which turned into months... and now here we are.

I know how frustrating it can be when an author doesn't update or just stops writing cold turkey- so I completely understand if you guys are mentally kicking me. Whenever I read a story that suddenly just stops, I always think: Why in the world did this author even bother starting a story if she/he isn't even going to bother to finish! Writing and publishing is a commitment! So trust me, I know how you guys feel.

This story is NOT on hiatus and it WILL be finished. I really hope to publish weekly, but I can't make any guarantees. I have big exams coming up, so don't freak out if an update is a little later than expected. If I'm being realistic, I would say that updates every two weeks are much more likely... but I will really try for weekly.

Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, and stuck with me even though I've been missing these past few months. I really appreciate your comments and interest in this story! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

(And sorry for leaving off at such a juicy part... and for the super long A/N!)

As always: Review = Teaser

A Beautiful Melody

Chapter Thirteen

Without thinking I grab his hands and hold them between mine.

"Edward, I'm new to this too. I have no idea what I'm doing but I want to make this work... I can't imagine leaving here and never speaking to you again... that thought is horrifying."

Edward tears his eyes away from mine and looks anywhere but at my face. His hands are still clasped between mine, but I can feel him pulling away emotionally.

I start to panic- I can't let him pull away, not again.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I grab the lapels of his jacket pull him toward me. My lips seek his of their own accord, desperate to reconnect with their other halves, as my hands release his jacket and delve into his thick, silky hair.

Edward freezes for a moment before his lips begin to move passionately and vehemently against mine. His whole body relaxes as he lets out a deep groan that shoots straight to my drenched core. His hands immediately wind around my waist and he roughly pulls me onto his lap... and onto his rock hard erection. I unwittingly let out a breathy moan as Edward's tongue slides across my bottom lip, demanding entrance.

But as soon as I part my lips, the kiss becomes slower, gentler. It's as though his tongue is trying to map out and memorize every inch of mine. I am no longer tugging ferociously at his hair, but gently rocking my hips against his, reveling in the feel of him rubbing deliciously against where I need him most. The kiss is no less passionate, just more sensual. His strong hands are stroking up and down my sides from my hips to my ribs, his thumbs just barely brushing against the sides of my breasts.

When I nip and tug at his bottom lip, he gently, and somewhat reluctantly, pulls away from me, his eyes searching mine. There are so many questions that still need to be answered, so many unspoken feelings. I wish I could just snap my fingers and make everything better again, I wish we could erase our twisted past.

He looks as though he wants to say something, but we're both treading on thin ice. Neither of us wants to break the silence, to break the moment.

We are so close, are breaths mingling between us, but I still feel as though we are lightyears apart.

Where do we go from here? It's the unspoken question that is lingering between us.

I can still feel him hard and ready beneath me and it takes all my willpower not to grind down and continue where we left off. Groping each other won't solve anything, it may even make things worse.

Edward rests his forehead against the side of my neck as I run my fingers slowly through his soft hair. I can feel his slow and steady breaths against my skin and it simultaneously calms and arouses me.

I don't know how long we sit like that- his head in the crook of my neck, my hands in his hair, both of us in a soft embrace- but it feels like years and seconds at the same time. So long yet too short.

Edward is the first to move.

He gently moves me so that I was no longer sitting astride him, and tucks one arm under my thighs and the other around my waist, bridal style. He softly lifts me up and I rest the side of my torso against his strong chest, my head now in the crook of his neck.

He carries my down a dark hallway leading out of the living room, but I could care less. He could be carrying me into a dungeon and I wouldn't mind one bit. I am comforted by the feel of his steady heartbeat under my palm and the soft sound of his feet padding against the hardwood.

My eyes are closed as he gently lays me down on his soft bed. The golden duvet beneath me is so luxurious that my arms immediately unwind from around his neck and stretch toward the headboard. My body and mind suddenly feel so exhausted as I stretch out like a sunbathing cat and wiggle into a more comfortable position.

When I open my eyes, Edward is standing over me with the most curious expression on his face. I can't read the emotion, but it makes my breath catch in my throat and my blush spread like wildfire across my cheeks. The corners of his lips lift up in a small smile as he gently swipes a finger over my burning cheek.

My eyes never leave his form as he walks back over to the door and turns out the light so that only the bedside lamp is on. The room is bathed in a muted light that thickens the atmosphere and makes me drowsy at the same time.

He hasn't said anything to me yet, but I know that there is no way I am going to willingly leave this bed, so I decide to make myself comfortable and snuggle under the thick downy covers.

I can't see much of his room in the dim light, but I can see the spectacular view of the New York City night skyline through his floor to ceiling panoramic windows. The view is absolutely breathtaking.

Edward notices my fixation on the mesmerizing lights of the outside buildings and walks toward the bedside table. He clicks a button on a sleek remote and suddenly cloth blinds begin to glide softly downward from the top of the windows, eliminating the view from sight.

I am happily ensconced in thousands of dollars worth of bedding and I internally thank my lucky stars that I arrived in my pajamas. Edward, on the other hand, doesn't seem to own any because he swiftly shrugs off his jacket, unbuttons his shirt, tosses aside his cufflinks and watch, and strips out of his pants until he is standing in nothing but black boxer briefs.

I have never been so jealous of underwear in my life.

The dim light and the color of his briefs do nothing to hide the impressive bulge straining against the fabric. I subconsciously lick my lips as I drag my eyes away from the bulge, up past the trail of hair that begins below his navel, across the planes of his defined abs and chest, and up until I make contact with a very dark pair of emerald eyes.

I don't even feel the slightest bit of shame or embarrassment for blatantly checking him out. He doesn't seem to mind either... he's too busy fixating on me with a dark and lusty stare.

I squirm under the covers as I try to rub my thighs together to quell the never-ending ache, but this unfortunately seems to snap him out of his lust-induced reverie. He shakes his head clear, reaches out and pulls back the covers before sliding in next to me.

I suddenly feel overheated and I know it has nothing to do with the temperature. Edward Cullen is practically naked... and in bed with me.

"Goodnight, Isabella," he says as he turns out the bedside lamp.

The room is now pitch black and I am lying next him as stiff as a board. I'm not sure what I should do- I want to move and get comfortable... but what if I accidentally kick him? He may get annoyed if I toss and turn...

Before I can contemplate my next move, Edward's arm reaches across my waist and pulls me flush against him so that I am turned on my side with his chest pressed firmly against my back.

I can feel his steady, warm breath against the shell of my ear and it instantly calms and sedates me. I desperately try to keep my heavy eyelids from closing, wanting to prolong this moment for as long as possible, but the warmth of his embrace and the comfort of his scent quickly drag me under.

I awake to warm sunlight bathing my skin from the now-uncovered panoramic windows. It takes me a few seconds to realize where I am... and that Edward is no longer beside me. The digital clock on the nightstand reads nine a.m. and I automatically groan with the realization that I am, once again, late for work.

Thank God Jacob is doesn't get back until tomorrow...

I wish that I could spend the day luxuriating in this comfortable bed with the sunlight caressing my skin, but, unfortunately, real life cannot be ignored... and I still have to deal with the aftermath of last night.

I have no idea where Edward could be, but I decide that it's probably best if I get up and take a shower to clear my head.

I reluctantly stumble out from between the soft sheets and head into the ensuite bathroom. I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I'm being rude by just waltzing uninvited into Edward's bathroom... but then I remember how he did the exact same thing in my apartment a few days ago.

His bathroom, of course, is magnificent- a modern mix of dark hardwood, steel and marble.

I brush my teeth with a spare, unused toothbrush found under his sink, before hopping into his high-tech looking shower. The water pressure is almost bruising and it takes me a few moments of grabbing and pushing different controls before I realize that the shower's electronic memory is programmed into Edward's usual preferences. After a few minutes of pressing random buttons... and praying that I don't break anything... I manage to set the water pressure and temperature to a bearable level.

Freshly scrubbed and wrapped in a fluffy towel that probably costs more that my rent, I head back into the bedroom. Edward is still no where to be found, so I decide to do a little snooping in his walk-in closet.

There is no way a straight man should own so many clothes... or shoes. His closet is easily the size of my bedroom. I carefully rifle through his drawers and pull out a dark green t-shirt with the word Dartmouth stamped across the front in white.

I quickly drop my towel and pull the shirt over my head, relishing in the soft feel of the cotton... and the overwhelming scent of Edward. The shirt is a little baggy and ends high on my thighs. I do a little spin in front of the full length mirror and giggle at the thought that I, Isabella Swan, am wearing Edward Cullen's shirt.

I am so enamored with my reflection that I don't notice the closet door open behind me until I hear a subtle clearing of a throat.

I feel my blush spread like wildfire over my cheeks as I look up into the mirror and see the shirt's gorgeous owner leaning against the doorframe behind me with his arms crossed over his chest and an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Miss Swan, I must say that shirt looks much better on you."

As soon as I hear his husky, velvety voice, I am reminded that I am wearing absolutely nothing under this shirt. It barely covers my ass, and I am most definitely not wearing panties.

If possible, my cheeks redden further and discreetly try to cross my legs and cover my braless chest with my arms.

Upon seeing my intentions, Edward's deliciously crooked smile widens further. He leans forward and bends down, reaching to pick up his discarded towel from the floor.

"Let's put this away- I don't think you'll be needing it anymore."

His head is right in front of my bare, quivering thighs, and I want nothing more than to spread them and invite him in.

I'm a stuttering mess, and Edward is taking a deliberately long time picking up the towel. I have no doubt that he knows exactly what he's doing to me, and he's definitely taking full advantage of the situation.

Okay, I know it's short but I'm just getting back into the swing of things. The future chapters should be longer... I just wanted to get this out as soon as possible! Thank you again for sticking with me!

As always, let me know what you think! The update should be no more than two weeks- I have major exams coming up :(

Reviews=Teaser

xXx

Olivia