As I start this chapter, I have to tell you just how lame I am. My husband is out of town this weekend, and I happened to notice driving by one of our theaters today that New Moon is again playing in the older one. Hmmmm....so my warped little mind starts whispering to me the rest of the way home, "you know you want to". So yeah, I went and watched it again later tonight. I suppose 3 times isn't really outrageous, right? Oh, and on my playlist (link is on my profile) there is a song called "Amazed" by Lonestar. It's not the country version, it's the mainstream version. This song may have been overplayed, but it says every single thing he's thinking as he stares at her in her sleep this night. Hint, hint, take a listen to set the mood!

Chapter 6

EPOV

Holding her soft warm hand between my two cold ones, I could not have pictured it would be so easy when I finally revealed myself to her. There had been no coaxing, no fear, no anger, no rejection...only curiosity and an obvious charge in the air.

She needed time to process everything, sure, but she wanted me to touch her more than I had. I could hear her heart nearly fly out of her chest each time I smiled at her, or came closer.

It was a beautiful sound, the sound of my everything, thumping in a steady rhythm even now. Her breathing was slow and deep, her sleep peaceful.

I watched her eyes move beneath her lids, telling me that she was in deep REM sleep. It was fascinating to watch her sleep.

She'd never snored, as humans were prone to do. Instead, she talked in her sleep. I was sure she would be mortified to know the things she'd said to me over the years.

She'd told me as a young girl about a cat named Sherlock Holmes, and how he disappeared. She was fretting in her sleep, unable to find him. In a matter of a couple of mornings, she awoke to a sleeping kitten lying next to her.

She'd been beside herself with joy, and I'd hardly been able to contain my own at being able to make her happy. After she went home, Marie gave me a scolding about having to take care of the cat in Isabella's absence, but I saw right through her. She was touched at my gesture.

The way to a woman's heart is through her mother, her father, grandmother, etc. I'd been told before by Esme. Her and Alice had given me much advice over the years as I waited for Isabella to become a woman.

I was grateful for their meddling, even though I'd protested weakly at each sound bite of advice. I had never loved anyone in my entire existence before this amazing woman sleeping in front of me. I had been alone, the only company being my 'family'.

So I felt I was well-prepared in the ways of handling this all-important delicate creature. She was everything to me, and I would somehow spend the rest of her existence loving her.

She spoke again as my mind was wandering, but it was unintelligible. She quieted again and resumed her steady deep breathing.

This used to be my time with her, and now it felt odd to observe her sleeping without actually reaching out to her in her sleep.

I would not again unless she asked me to. I had been warned not to smother her, and at Alice's threat of bodily harm, I was to give her time to herself. Sounds easy, but when all I want to see, taste, touch, smell is in front of me....I want to wrap myself in her and never come up for air.

Alice assured me that Isabella could become overwhelmed at my intense need for her, especially in the beginning. I heeded her words dutifully.

I had been grateful for everyone's support, expecting when Alice told everyone about Isabella that they'd chastise me for finding a soul mate in a human; as if I had any choice. Even if I were a bird and Isabella were a fish in the sea, I would have found a way to love her.

Of course, it wasn't so far from the truth. My existence was maintained by feeding off of the very thing that coursed through her veins. I had not been tempted by human blood for decades, instead surviving off of animals instead.

Consuming her blood had never crossed my mind.

Consuming her body, now that was a very different story. Glancing from her sleeping face, my eyes took in her hourglass silhouette underneath the covers. The way her upper body curved inwards, narrowed, and then swelled upwards over her hips was like looking at a painting in the Louvre.

It was hard to take my eyes from one splendor and admire another. How could you possibly leave the Mona Lisa to view the other similarly important pieces of art?

I leaned forward and laid my cheek to the back of her hand, resting in mine. Her warmth was comforting, her scent intoxicating. I gently kissed her hand, lingering there for a moment as I savored the first time my lips had ever touched her skin.

It was as though something hot was racing through my body, going straight to my groin.

I groaned and released her hand, momentarily needing to control my impulses. She trusts me to simply be here with her, not to be tempted to touch her further.

I sat back in my chair and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, waiting for the urges to pass. I am what I am, and it takes focus and restraint to suppress the desires I have for her.

After a short time, my lust subsided enough to open my eyes and look at her again.

She was so peaceful, just lying there. I couldn't help but wish for the day to come that I would be lying beside her as she slept. She would ask me to; I needed that much from her.

She began mumbling again, only this time her breathing was different, erratic. I leaned forward as I recognized at once that her dreams were no longer pleasant. Smoothing the hair from her face, I whispered her name.

She quieted some, but her brows were still furrowed, her pretty lips still open as she spoke words I could not quite decipher.

"Isabella, it's alright. You're safe." This time I spoke above a whisper, and immediately noticed her heart rate decrease and her breathing slow as she calmed.

I ran my hand down her head, along her long brown hair, hoping to give her some sort of comfort. With my free hand, I again held her outstretched hand over the edge of the bed.

She began to stir a bit, and I looked at the bedside clock. It read 2:14am. I continued to smooth her hair and speak quietly to her, hoping she would be able to sink back into a restful sleep. As much as I would love to look into her lovely eyes right now, I couldn't be so selfish. She had human needs.

My pants pocket began to vibrate and buzz, and I gently laid her hand back down on the bed to get my phone, before it disturbed her sleep.

Pulling it out and glancing at the lit up number on the screen, I was surprised to see it was my brother Emmett, instead of Alice.

I rose from the chair and quickly walked into her bathroom, halfway closing the door to keep my voice from waking her.

"Yeah." I answered quietly, but briskly.

"Nice, bro. I haven't spoken to you in like two months and this is how you answer? Yeah? What crawled up your ass?"

"Not now, Emmett. Isabella is sleeping. I'd rather not wake her, if it's all the same to you."

"So leave the room," he said flippantly, as though the solution were just as simple as that.

"I told her I wouldn't leave tonight; I gave her my word. What's up?"

"Edward, are you pussy whipped already? Alice said you'd meet Isabella tonight, and, yeah well, we're all kind of wondering how it went?"

I pinched my nose and leaned up against the wall, wanting very badly to smash my fist into his hulking skull right this minute.

"Emmett, I know damn good and well Alice already saw how things 'went'. Did you really need a play by play?"

"Fuck dude, please tell me she's not frigid, because you really gotta get laid. Seriously. Your balls are totally gonna fall off at this rate. What's it been, fifteen years?"

"You know it has. The days of taking out my needs on someone random are over. And the first part of that last sentence is none of your business."

"Fine, fine," he conceeded. I was being a bit sharp with him. We used to be rather close, so I eased up on him a bit.

Pulling the door open just enough to see her still frame lying in the bed and hearing her steady heartbeat again, I began to relax a bit.

"So what's new with you?" I asked with genuine interest, and he happily switched gears back into 'annoying Emmett' with ease.

"Uh, dude, I have got to talk to you. There's some shit brewing with Alice's visions. It involves your girl, Bella."

"Isabella," I corrected, "and what do you mean it concerns her?"

"Alice says she'll fill you in, but she's found her mate, dude. She is as certain as a bear shits in the woods. I kid you not, dude, this is heavy. She's like flittering around the place, bouncing off the damn walls. Too bad you aren't here to witness Alice in all her glory...and it's a human."

I chuckled a bit, surprised at this little tidbit of information, and happy for Alice at the same time. If she'd found what I'd found, the poor unsuspecting guy wasn't gonna know what hit him. Thoughts of Alice taking her own advice and not scaring the poor fellow was entertaining. I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to rub it in a bit.

"A human, huh? Well, it's his funeral," I said jokingly.

"Wow, you do sound happy. When do we get to meet the lovely Bella?"

I started to answer, when I heard her stirring.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, gotta go." I hung up the phone and slid it back into my pocket, making a mental note to call Alice as soon as possible to give her my congratulations. It was a very big deal if my kind every found their soul mate.

Many were simply content to be with another of our kind for purely sexual reasons, while barely being able to tolerate them otherwise.

It was actually rare for my kind to fancy a human, let alone love a human. Most of us steered clear of humans altogether for obvious reasons.

Walking to her bedside, I sat down in the chair as her eyes fluttered open a crack.

"You were gone," she mumbled sleepily, wiping the hair out of her face.

"Yes, I had to take a call. I was only a few steps away." I scooted my chair closer to the bed again and looked into her striking mahogany eyes, staring back at me.

"Would you sit by me?" she asked, surprising me. I tried to seem as though it were any ordinary request, though inside I thrilled she already wanted me to be closer to her.

"Of course," I said cordially, giving her a half smile as I stood, waiting for her to indicate where I could sit.

"What?" she asked, looking embarrassed.

"Tell me where I may sit, Isabella." I flashed her a wide grin, eliciting a rosy flush from her cheeks. Her heartbeat also increased a bit, betraying her thoughts.

She put her hand on the bed next to her, on the other side of her. Shit...I had assumed she meant for me to sit beside her on the bed, not lie next to her on the bed.

My face gave nothing away as I walked to the other side of the bed. Staying on top of the quilt, I positioned myself beside her, leaving a gap between our bodies.

Once I settled in, folding my arms across my chest, I had to admit it was easier than I thought to control myself. Perhaps I had more control than I thought.

She positively beamed at me, as though my physical presence next to her was the greatest gift in the entire world I could have given her.

"Better?" I asked, smiling down at her sweet face, finding myself growing more and more attached to her physical presence my very own self.

"Much." Her eyes flickered between us to where our bodies weren't touching, and then flickered back to mine. Before I could even anticipate what she was thinking, she was rolling onto her side towards me, and laying her head on my chest.

I quickly raised my arms, unsure of what she was doing, and where I should put them. I sort of levitated them above me, wanting very much to allow my arm to rest on her back, where it would seem to fit naturally.

She obviously wanted to be close to me, so perhaps it would be wise to stop treating her as if she might bolt from the room. It was obvious she wanted to be near me, and I made the decision to go with the flow, as Emmett says.

I rested my arm around her shoulder, and she immediately snuggled closer. Snuggled? Goddamnit, Alice. She told me I should give Isabella lots of snuggling, and laughed when I'd asked her just what in the hell 'snuggling' was.

So, I relaxed and allowed myself to touch her without reserve, to slowly rub my hand along her upper arm. It was heavenly. It felt amazing, and I couldn't imagine how I could ever deny her anything.

I would die for her, I knew this as sure as I knew myself.

"I like this," she said softly, her warm breath against my cotton shirt, covering my chest. Even her breath made my skin hyper-sensitive. I'd just had my first hit, and I was hooked.

"I like this too, very much."

That was the understatement of the year. Somehow, 'I want you to stay here with me and never leave my sight' seemed like a bit much right now.

I lowered my lips to her head and kissed the top of her head, relishing the scent of her hair. It smelled like sunshine, though it had been cloudy since she'd arrived.

She hummed and reached her arm across my stomach and almost gripped me, as though she couldn't get close enough.

After a few moments of quiet, I could her her breathing slow, becoming deeper as well. She was beginning to drift off to sleep again.

It pleased me that she trusted me, and felt so content as to fall back to sleep.

My phone buzzed again in my pocket, and I silently cursed Alice for pestering me tonight. Isabella stirred on my chest, her hand gripping me tighter, and snuggling further into my chest until she was again comfortable.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw that it was a text, from Alice of course. I opened my phone and gently rubbed her back slowly, hoping she'd be able to get some rest while I answered Alice.

I pulled up her message and had to smile when I read it. Sometimes she makes it impossible to be mad at her. I typed out a quick reply one handed and hit send. Once it was successfully sent, I powered down my phone and tossed it on the bed beside me.

No more calls, no more texts. Tonight was all Isabella's.

The longer I stroked her back, the deeper her breathing became. Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep, peaceful and warm. I pulled the quilt up around her back and stilled my hand on her back.

This was the best night of my existence, and yet I knew it was going to get even better.

I wanted to touch her, to feel her skin, to touch her where I knew no one had. I wanted to love her, to please her. I had been with many of my kind before Isabella, but no human, and no one since the day I first laid eyes on her.

It had been more than worth the wait. She was exquisite, and she was mine.

For a while we simply remained lying in the same position, until some time later when she moved around in her sleep.

Without warning, she slid her arm down until her elbow was resting between my legs, her hand hanging over my hip.

Fuck, fuck, fuck....

I forced myself to think of Emmett naked, which I'd been subjected to on occasion as I interrupted him and his latest interest. It didn't help.

I couldn't come up with anything worse, and I needed to do something or my hands were going to want to touch her. Even though I suspected she would give in to me even tonight, I wanted her first time to be when she knew she loved me, something special.

There were certain human rites of passages that were special, that had been pounded into my head by Alice more times than I cared to recall. It was something she'd stressed more than anything.

Under no circumstances was I to make the first move; Isabella would let me know when she was ready, and any interference from me to 'speed things along' would affect the experience for her, Alice had said.

So I needed to do something. I picked up my phone and powered it up, impatiently waiting to be able to send a message. Finally I was able to send Alice a desperate text message.

Need your help, w d I do? - E

Elaborate – A

snuggles have begun, I is sleeping on me. Arm just moved. - E

Goddamnit Edward I told you...its her first night with you and shes sleeping on you? Disappointed. - A

Not like that..she asked...no fnny biz promise – E

Okay, you're off the hook. So her arm moved? What's the problem? Just move her arm where it was and be gentle. Dont wake her up. - A

Kthx – E

You are a piece of work...call me tomorrow! - A

K – E

Oh, and Edward? Stop being so skiddish. She's not a little girl anymore. She already loves you. Learn to read her so that you won't doubt yourself. Okay, now I'm going. 3 A

I powered down my phone again and set it beside me, focusing my attentions back on the problem at hand. As I looked at her arm, lying on my growing erection, Alice's words rang true.

I had to stop doubting my every move with her and just pay attention to her signals. I knew her possibly better than anyone, even her own parents. I could do this.

I got this.

Sliding my free hand under her arm and doing my best to limit the friction to myself, I gently lifted her arm and brought it back up to my stomach. She didn't even stir, and I stupidly chided myself for being such a pussy.

Perhaps this night lying here was good for me. I had a chance to think, to react and interact with her in a safe situation. Her being asleep gave me chances to touch her, to caress her, just to gain confidence that I could control myself.

This was a good thing, I think.

I went back to stroking her back and even allowed my free hand to rest over her arm on my stomach. Ever so often, just to build my tolerance to contact with her even more, I would allow my hands to roam elsewhere on her arms, her back, her shoulders, even her face.

It felt good, and after a time I felt that I was certain I could handle myself. It wasn't long until she again moved her arm in her sleep back down, resting over my crotch.

I repeated the process earlier, and held her closer, putting my hand on top of hers. It was almost a reaction that I didn't even have to think about, much less panic over.

Now, I just needed morning to get here, so we could talk and get to know little things about each other, grow closer. I settled in and let my mind wander, waiting for the morning rays.

BPOV

The first thing I was aware of was a stiff neck when I woke to sun coming in my window across the room...a very stiff neck. It felt like I had slept at a 90 degree angle against a stone wall or something.

I groaned and moved my hand to rub my neck, when I realized his arm was lying over mine. I smiled and opened my eyes, grasping him closer to me.

"Well, good morning. Did you sleep well?" His voice was sultry, and it sounded like he was smiling.

"I feel like I slept hard, so yeah, I guess I slept well..." I tilted my neck, working out the kinks a bit. "It feels like I slept against a brick wall, though."

He chuckled, shaking my head against him slightly.

"That's because you did. I wondered how you could possibly be comfortable on my chest, but you hardly moved all night."

I slid my hand out from under his arm and poked at his chest with a finger. It felt solid as a rock. There was no give, and I couldn't stop myself from poking him again, this time lower in the abdominal area. It felt the same, solid, and without any give.

"You are a bit, umm...solid" I lamely finished. What was he?

"Would you like me to massage your neck until it feels better? I promise to behave myself." I looked up at him and propped myself up on an elbow. He was smiling a dazzling smile.

"That might be a good idea, thank you." What happened to the reserved Edward from last night? This morning, he seemed more confident, more relaxed. Maybe he enjoyed me lying on him last night as much as I had.

I sat up, moving my neck back and forth, wincing a bit as the pain was surprisingly biting me good.

He opened his legs on the bed and held out his arms for me, and I crawled over to him. Turning around and sitting cross-legged, I couldn't not think about the fact that my lower back was now up against his...yeah.

"Lean forward just a bit" he suggested, his hands resting on the outsides of my thighs as I scooted forward a bit. Definitely gotten past the shyness last night.

"Like this?" I asked, trying to not be embarrassed at how much his hands were affecting me right now.

"That's good. Now relax your shoulders and lean back into my chest...like that, just let your back...put all your weight on me, Isabella. I can take it, trust me. You weigh nothing."

It felt like I was sitting with my back against a hard wall. I puzzled over this as I felt his hands on my collarbone area, his thumbs on my neck muscles. He worked, gently at first, then using a bit more pressure as he went along.

He was very good, and I couldn't help but feel a strange pang of jealousy. How did he know how to give such a good massage?

"Can I ask you something?" I asked, hedging around my question a bit.

"Of course, anything you ask I will tell you. I will never lie to you, Isabella." His voice sounded soft and reverent, as though he was putting so much love behind the words.

"How are you so good at this? I mean, this really feels good."

He chuckled again and I felt something ghosting along my left shoulder, sending pangs of desire raging through my body. "Carlisle gave me lessons just for you. They haven't met you, and already they love you."

The sensation on my shoulder became firmer, and my breath hitched as I realized it was his lips on my shoulder. There was no warmth, but his touch felt like fire to my skin.

"Who-ho's Carlisle?" My traitor body was making it difficult to enunciate properly.

"He's like a father to me. He found me many years ago and showed me how to be a good person, gave me a home, and guidance."

I said nothing, hoping he would continue, as my shoulders relaxed under his skillful hands.

"He instructed me in massage over different parts of the body. He'll be pleased to know that I'm doing well."

"Oh, you're doing more than 'well'...so good..." I trailed off, almost groaning at the relief I was feeling as the pain went away in my stiff neck muscles. His touch was just right; not too light so as to tickle, and not so hard as to hurt me.

"I like to hear that. I want to make you feel good, always."

Oh, I did not miss the innuendo. I think I just moaned.

"Feeling better now?" he asked, his fingers easing up a bit.

I nodded, not trusting my traitorous body to cooperate yet.

"Good. Lean back," he whispered in my ear, his hands on my upper arms guiding me to lie back against him.

Oh my God this was...hot.

He placed his smooth, cool hands on either shoulder and slowly caressed my arm down to my wrists, then back up again. They moved slowly from my shoulders to my neck, back down again, and then repeated the cycle.

It was the most sensuous thing I'd ever felt in my entire life. I could feel the wetness growing between my legs, the ache beginning to throb slightly. It didn't feel like he was seducing me, but merely building intimacy between us.

It was working. Each pass down my arms and up again made me want him so very badly to just divert the slightest bit to maybe the front of my chest, near my collarbones, something closer to where I wanted him the most.

I couldn't expect him to read my mind, so I decided to be bold. On his next pass up to my shoulders, I chickened out. The following time, I placed my hands over his and pulled his fingers downwards, over my collarbones.

I let go, letting him set the pace again, hoping he'd realized I wanted more now.

He didn't disappoint. His hands moved to my neck and up to my earlobes, as he brought his lips to the spot just under my ear and pressed his lips, moving further down my neck as his hands moved down again.

As his fingertips approached my breasts, I felt the throbbing increase exponentially, and my heartbeat as well. I leaned my head back to his shoulder as his hands graced the outer swells of my breasts, avoiding touching them completely.

He began to move them back up, and I bit my lower lip in frustration. He was killing me. This man was killing me.

"Edward," I implored quietly, looking up at his face, intently focused on me at the moment. I tilted my head to the side, still on his shoulder, and licked my lips. I wanted him to kiss me, and as his hands began another downward descent towards my breasts again, I arched my chest toward his hands.

He looked down at me, his gaze flickering from my body to my eyes again.

"Say it again" he demanded quietly, his eyes looking intently into mine, burning with something besides the same lust I was feeling.

"What?" I breathed, as his hands paused on my collarbones, not moving any further.

"My name. It's the first time you've said my name, and I need to hear it again."

I flushed and closed my eyes, shifting closer to him. I could feel his arousal, pressing hard into my lower back, spurring me on even further.

"Edward." I found myself saying his name as though I were breathless, needing him. It came out a bit aggressive, but I couldn't find it in me to care.

His hands again moved lower, and my nipples hardened in anticipation, as he neared. His fingers skirted around them, moving underneath and back around again, before moving back towards my neck.

"Edward," I complained, becoming impatient as he slowly built up to when he would touch me. It was maddening.

"Yes?" he asked, kissing my nose as his hands traced a path up my neck and to my chin.

"I want you to touch me."

"I am touching you, Isabella."

"Please," I groaned, unable to focus on speaking well at the moment. It was overwhelming, the desire I was feeling for him. The ache was building and building, and becoming very uncomfortable.

"Where?" he breathed into my neck as I licked my lips again, wishing he would kiss me.

"My breasts, Edward, touch me," I almost begged. My mind was reeling as I thought of how guarded he was last night physically with me, and now this...he had me begging him, vocalizing what I wanted him to do to me.

I kissed his chin and he growled, turning his head towards me. His hands moved down my chest, slowly and deliciously inching towards my hard nipples, begging for his touch. I arched into his hands as they finally skimmed across them, pebbling even harder.

"You are my life now, Isabella. I will never leave you." With those beautiful words, he bent and touched his lips to each corner of my mouth as his hands gently palmed my breasts, softly stroking his thumb across my rigid nipples.

His lips found mine as he continued to stoke the fire inside me with his hands, now expanding their path towards my abdomen and back up again.

His lips were cool, but it again felt as though every part of me he touched blazed afire. He parted my lips hungrily with his tongue and found mine with authority.

I moaned into his mouth in sheer delight, asking for more, needing more.

I moved my hands from my legs to his inner thighs, sliding them up higher and higher until I reached what I was looking for. He was straining against his pants, but I couldn't reach behind me far enough to do anything about it.

I let my hands slide back to his upper thighs, and kneaded my fingers into him as my lust increased.

One of his hands slid upwards and cupped my chin, breaking our kiss as he moved my neck to the side. He pressed his lips, wet and cool against my throat, placing kisses everywhere.

"We have to stop, tell me to stop..." he said between kisses. It was then that I saw his eyes; they were black as night.

Instead of being afraid, my reaction was quite the opposite. I gripped his thighs even harder and pleaded with him.

"Don't stop. I don't want you to stop."

He growled against my neck in frustration, unable to pull himself away from me. We were both unwilling.

Afraid he would somehow find the strength to stop, I took matters into my own hands and pulled my nightshirt up over my stomach. Taking his hand, I placed it on my bare skin as he groaned loudly and pushed his hand underneath the fabric, palming a bare breast.

It was skin on skin, and I was soaking wet. I wanted this, and he was not going to deny me. He'd told me he wouldn't ever be able to deny me anything.

His other hand slipped down and under the fabric as well, but there wasn't enough room to maneuver well.

Before I knew what had hit me, I heard my shirt ripping open down the front, and felt the air rushing over my skin.

"Better," he grunted against my neck, as his lips slid up to meet mine again.

Before he could stop me, I slid away from his chest and lay down on the bed, his hands and body following me.

He leaned over me and began kissing me again, his tongue teaching me as he went along.

With one arm now underneath my back, his free hand slowly made its way down my stomach. His fingers gently traced a trail from my breast to my belly button, lingering only for a moment. I arched my hips up off the bed, and it drew his attention, beckoning his hand to slide lower, until he reached the cotton lace of my panties.

Something in him tensed, and his lips froze on mine. I tried to guide his hand as I did before, but he was too strong. I couldn't budge him.

I pulled his face away to look at me and his eyes were wild. They were black, deep as the night sky with no moon.

"No," I protested, as he began to pull away from me and lean back, his hand remaining on my stomach.

He said nothing, but simply closed his eyes and still for a moment, the silence deafening. The only sound in the room was my labored breathing, as my heart still pounded in my chest.

"Give me a moment," he said quietly, so quietly I hardly heard him. I lay still for a moment, except to stroke his hand lying on my stomach.

He opened his eyes, and I could see they were not as dark now, but more of a dark, dark brown.

"I'm sorry, but I needed to stop for a moment." He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to mine for only a moment before pulling away to look at me. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I answered breathlessly. "I want more." I couldn't believe I was ready to beg, but the aching between my legs needed relief, or I feared I might go insane.

He looked down at me for a moment, and then towards the rest of my body, taking me in.

"You're so very beautiful, Isabella. Would you like me to touch you anywhere else?" He brought his gaze back to my lips before locking eyes with me.

I said nothing, instead I threaded my hand through his head of hair and pulled him down to me.

"So beautiful," he whispered into my mouth, kissing my swollen lips like he would never stop.

I tugged on his hand resting on my stomach again, and this time, he let me show him where I wanted to be touched. I guided his hand under the lace fabric and ran my hand along his arm, feeling his muscles flex under my hand as he explored further.

His fingertips inched further down, before he slid his hand from under the fabric. Before I could protest, I felt his hand gently nudging my thighs apart. If it were possible to be anymore turned on, that had just done it.

I moved my legs further apart, opening myself to him. I felt his hand slip beneath the fabric again, sliding downward further. As his fingertips grazed my outer folds, I nearly came unglued.

I groaned and nipped at his lips, earning a hiss from him as he broke his lips away from mine and stopped everything he was doing.

"No biting, Isabella, not yet. I won't be able to control myself if you take it there."

Something in his tone, the promise of this whole thing possibly escalating out of control, only made me certain that I would find out one day what exactly I could do to him, just how far I could push him. I wanted everything, I wanted it all.

He bent down and licked my bottom lip, urging me to do the same. I swiped my tongue along his bottom lip as he growled his approval.

"Very good," he said into my mouth as he claimed me again, his hand slowly exploring me again.

His fingers were cool, but it was anything but unpleasant. The contrast in our temperatures only heightened the sensitivity.

He slipped a long slender finger gently between my folds, grazing my clit with his first pass.

My hips came up off the bed slightly as I voiced my pleasure. He smiled into my lips and repeated the motion, randomly flicking his finger against the engorged bundle of nerves, screaming for his touch.

After a few moments, I felt him slide to my entrance and slowly dip inside of me. I thought him touching the outside of me would drive me out of my mind until that moment. I knew then that I hadn't seen anything yet.

It was like scratching an itch that you hadn't been able to reach all day, but finally getting to. The pleasure reverberated through every nerve in my lower body.

He dipped further inside of me until he met resistence, causing him to pause and insert another finger. It was mildly uncomfortable, but quickly passed as he began to feel inside of me for something.

He broke away from our kiss to watch me intently as his fingers finally found what he was looking for. I knew it the instant he touched the sensitive bumpy area. He curled his fingers inside of me, and my lips fell open in a heady fog of pleasure.

"Oh," was all I managed, as he licked his lips.

"Does that feel good?" he asked, his eyes growing darker again.

I nodded, unable to speak. He withdrew his fingers and began to rhythmically stroke my clit, slowly at first and then faster.

I had pleasured myself before, so I knew when I was getting close. I could feel my insides coiling, tensing, almost ready to get my release I so desperately needed.

My breathing was growing louder and I could feel my legs beginning to tremble.

"Open your eyes, Isabella. I want to watch you when I make you feel good."

My eyes flew open and I focused on his, hanging onto his arm for dear life.

"Please don't stop."

"I won't, I promise. Just hold onto me and keep your eyes on me."

"Ungh," I arched my chest higher, craving release that only he could give me.

He slipped his fingers inside me once more and began to curl them against that spot again, and within seconds I was breathing hard and trembling, my nails digging into his skin.

"Edward, Edward," I chanted quietly, my mouth completely dry.

I held onto his gaze as though he were my lifeline, and watched as he swallowed repeatedly, his eyes now pitch black.

"Right there, oh God, Edward..." I shouted as I held his stare, my insides convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure rocked me.

After a few seconds, the waves began to subside as I lay spent beneath him. He looked down at me as though he were amazed.

I closed my mouth and smiled up at him, completely satisfied.

"Thank you."

He grinned down at me as he withdrew his fingers from my body, bringing them to his lips.

"May I taste you?" he asked, inhaling my scent with visible approval.

I nodded, biting my bottom lip. I hadn't expected that.

He slipped his glistening fingers into his mouth and closed his eyes as he groaned.

I hadn't realized I would taste...good, if that's what it was.

"You....amazing. I will taste you again and use my tongue next time, if you'd like."

Next time. Oh God, there would be a next time. Thank God and all that is holy.

"Lie there and don't move. I'm going to run you a bath. It will feel good."

He kissed me on the forehead and pulled the covers over my body, as I stretched out and basked in the afterglow of my orgasm.

I heard water running, and sighed in contentment.

"So a bath will do me good, huh?" I called out to him, missing his voice already.

"Yes, but not as good as me."

I giggled, liking how playful he was, and I very much liked how confident he was this morning.

"Nothing is as good as you, I'm afraid. I think I'm hooked. You're going to have to do that every day now, you know." I bit my lip as I waited to hear what he'd say about my forward confession that I wanted more of the same.

He reappeared in the doorway from the bathroom and walked over to the bed, pulling the covers back and offering me his hand.

"I can do that, and so much more," he said quite seriously, as he slid the ripped nightshirt from my body. I was naked except for my panties, but I didn't feel self conscious like I thought I would. I felt at ease in front of him, worshiped even.

"Let's get you into the tub so I can excuse myself for a bit."

I raised my eyebrows as I looked down, to the problem he still obviously had.

"Oh God, I'm sorry," I facepalmed, feeling crappy I hadn't done anything to relieve his need. If he felt half as frustrated as I was earlier, he definitely needed to excuse himself.

He gently took myhands off my face and pulled me to him, my bare breasts against his chest. It felt like my nook, like this was my safe place. I buried my nose in his chest, my fingers playing with the hair there.

"Don't apologize. This was about you. Perhaps when you grow more comfortable, you'll feel like it, but don't doubt how much I enjoyed doing that to do."

I groaned and laughed into his chest. Reluctantly, I pulled myself away and started for the tub, which was probably almost ready.

"Go take care of yourself and I'll soak in the tub. Just promise me you aren't going anywhere, and I'll be fine."

I felt his cool hand envelope mine as he pulled me back to him and turned me around.

"I promise, and I never break a promise to you Isabella, not for anything. I will always be here."

He kissed my lips and let go of my hand, slowly walking backwards as his eyes wandered over my body.

"Mmmm," he mumbled, shaking his head and walking out of the room.

I grinned like a fool and shed my panties, and sunk down into the tub of just right hot water. I turned the faucets off and leaned my head back against the back of the clawfoot tub.

It did not get much better than this.