Time to complete this story...Get, set, go!

I'm planning to update once or twice a week until it's complete. After what happened in Breaking Dawn part 2; Carlisle and Esme deserve it.

Thanks to Mackenzie for her super beta powers

...and thank you all for your pacience and support.

CHAPTER VI

Forbidden Thirst

Esme observed for a moment the beautiful carvings of the large double wooden doors that were closed before her. The delicate artwork pictured the scene of a fierce beast and a young lady who didn't appear to be afraid of it.

Esme smiled. It depicted a story she had read long time ago, an old tale filled with mystery, charm and love.

She ran her palm on the carvings, wiping the dust the door had been collecting for years.

There were only three people living in the house and two of them were men who didn't seem to care about living surrounded by spider webs and dust. It was a shame to see precious things like that covered in dust.

Grabbing the opaque bronze handles from both doors, Esme pushed them open.

A shuddery shriek escaped the hinges and a cloud of dust floated down on her head.

Even though it was early in the morning, she stepped into a dark room. Thick old velveteen curtains were preventing the daylight and fresh air from coming into the parlor.

It smelled musty, as if the place has been locked for decades.

She walked inside, quietly studying the chandelier that hung in the middle of the ceiling, and the ghostly shapes of the furniture covered with cloth for protection.

Esme looked down to see her slippers leave prints on the floor as she walked. There was a veil of dust covering what was once a shiny wooden surface.

The view made her cringe.

Across the hall, Carlisle watched her from the study. His doors were opened precisely for that reason; so he could see her from his desk, while responding to his mail.

Every now and then, he would lift his head up to see her, to convince himself that he was no longer alone and that Esme wasn't a hallucination.

She was beautiful to the sight.

Out of the blue, he saw Esme walking quickly out of the parlor, disappearing from his view. Moments later, he heard her rummaging through something in the kitchen.

Carlisle had never seen that kind of liveliness and energy in a human girl before. Most girls of Esme's age and position would complain about the slightest discomfort, but she was different. If something bothered her, she would always take hands on the matter.

Minutes later, he saw her dragging a bucket, a broom and a mop into the parlor. He tried hard to hold in a chuckle when he noticed she had tied what it seemed to be a pillowcase around her hair.

Esme was completely oblivious that his eyes were on her.

He smiled. Whatever made Esme content would make him content as well.

Carlisle folded the letter he had just finished writing and slipped it into an envelope. The next letter he had to answer was one that brought him shame. He was bound to send a final check to Esme's parents for theconsideration they'd showed by allowing him to marry their daughter.

He wanted to think it was like a dowry, but it truly wasn't.

Edward's words still echoed in his head. "Paying for Esme is like putting a price on her, and she is invaluable."

The ink of Carlisle's fountain pen slid on the paper as he answered the letter Esme's father had sent. The man was requesting the final amount of the payment; it was clear that he would not accept any extension of the debt.

Not that Carlisle was planning to extend it anyway. The fastest he completed the task, the easier his conscience would rest.

A ripping sound of fabric followed by Esme's intense coughing made Carlisle leave the important letter half-written. As he left the study, a soft breeze entered the room, blowing away the paper from his desk and making it land softly under a chair across the room.

Carlisle walked into the parlor. "Esme?"

A fog of dust was floating in the room. Esme had tried to pull the old curtains open, ripping a good part of them in the process.

Carlisle went to hold her arm to support her.

"How come I never feel you coming?" She coughed loudly, waving the dust away with her hand.

"I'm fast and silent, like the wind." He smiled a little, tilting his head down to kiss her cheek.

She laughed between coughs, knowing her face had flushed red.

"Mrs. Cullen, you shouldn't be cleaning." He wiped a dark spot on a side of her face with his thumb. "I promised you that Edward and I would work in this house."

"I know," Esme freed her hair from the pillowcase. "But I would like to work in it as well. Being able to help makes me happy."

Suddenly something called her attention. She tried to look over Carlisle's shoulder, and a second later, she leaned to the side to get a better view.

"We have a phonograph?" Her eyes filled with a twinkle of excitement as she approached the object of her delight.

Carlisle turned around just in time to see her pulling a cloth off a partially covered phonograph.

The scene made a smile appear on his face. "Do you like music?"

"Yes! We didn't have one in the farm. We didn't have the money for it." Esme began to inspect the gramophone. There was a small pile of records next to it. "A friend of mine used to boast about hers…"

"Well, now you have one of your own." Carlisle stood by her side.

She raised her head to smile at him. "Can we make it play?"

"Absolutely." He smiled, leaning over to study the record player as well. He placed a record on the turntable and wound up the machine with the side crank.

Esme observed silently, memorizing every step. She was determined to play it every day for the rest of her life. Having a gramophone was almost like having an orchestra playing just for her. It was incredibly exciting.

Carlisle released the break of the record to allow the turntable revolve and softly, his fingers placed the needle on the record.

The strangest sound, like bits of sand rubbing against soles of shoes, began to came from of the golden horn. Carlisle and Esme exchanged looks, and all of a sudden a joyful melody began to fill the air.

They smiled.

"We're lucky the needle is new." He extended his hand to her. "Someone must have changed it and never used it."

Esme took his hand. "Are we going to dance?"

"I'm not quite certain." He placed his hand on the small of her back. "I have never danced a piece like this before."

The music was lively and springy; it was a modern rhythm Carlisle had never danced.

"It's not classic…" Esme laughed when he tried to lead her into the funniest steps.

"It's ragtime." He chuckled, seeing how terrible he was at ragtime. Defeated, he stopped his unsuccessful attempt to dance the modern tune.

Esme chuckled. "Maybe Edward knows how to dance it."

"True. We'll ask him for a demonstration when he comes back." Carlisle entwined his fingers with hers. He loved her closeness, the touch of her skin against his. It was warm and comforting.

"Where did he go?" Esme frowned. "He left early this morning, and he didn't even say goodbye."

"You'll see when he returns." He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "He went to do me a favor."

One of Esme's hands went to cup Carlisle's face. "Is he going to come back anytime soon?" She tilted her head aside, studying his beautiful eyes. They seemed to have changed their shade of color.

Her fingers began to caress the side of his face. It surely was her imagination.

Carlisle held his breath. Esme's closeness was extremely tempting for him and being alone with her wasn't helping to hold back his desire.

"Probably..." His answer was a choked whisper.

Esme laughed soflty, enveloping her arms around his neck to playfully tease his lips with a soft kiss.

He surrendered to her charms; it was impossible not to.

Soon Carlisle found himself lifting her from the ground, her legs wrapped around him. They stumbled across the room, until he softly pushed her up against a wall.

Carlisle couldn't suppress a playful chuckle and neither did she. He loved to finally be able to feel this way about someone after so long… but beyond anything, he treasured Esme.

She began to run her fingers through his hair. Her husband awakened in her a desire she didn't know existed.

"Esme…" Carlisle closed his eyes, burying his face in the crook of her neck, inebriating himself in the perfume of her skin. "You are going to be the death of me." One of his hands moved down to slip under the skirt of her dress, lightly caressing the skin of her thigh.

She sighed under his touch. "I love you."

His stopped his ministrations at those words. He loved her too, and he loved her too much to put his passion above her well-being. Making love would make his touch harm her again. He couldn't put her at risk again, not anymore.

"Esme…" He allowed her to stand back on the ground. "I must finish responding to my letters before I leave for the hospital." Carlisle looked completely disheartened. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before walking away, almost bolting out of the parlor, fearing that his love for her would betray him.

It's was difficult for him, almost painful not to be able to love Esme completely.

Esme watched him leave the room, absolutely perplexed. Carlisle hadn't loved her the way he did the first night and morning he brought her to their new home. It had been a week since then. He seemed to be afraid of touching her, as if she were a delicate piece of crystal glass.

She stood there for a few seconds, wondering if perhaps it was a common thing to happen between couples…or perhaps he wasn't pleased with her.

Esme chewed her lower lip before deciding to follow Carlisle. She saw him picking up a paper from under a chair, before he turned around to face her with awkward apprehension. "Yes?"

"Would…" She shrugged a little, thinking she should approach the matter in a different way. "Would you like me to help you with the letters?"

Carlisle folded the one in his hand as he sat behind the desk. "It's not necessary." He smiled in the most uncomfortable way. Esme was there, and he was holding the letter he had been writing to her father.

She went to stand before his desk with determination. "Have I done something to upset you?"

Carlisle's eyebrows shifted in surprise. "No." He stood from his place. "Of course, not Esme. What makes you think that?"

"Well, I…" Esme's words were interrupted by the strangest noise coming from outside the house. It was as if many pieces of rattling metal were about to fall apart.

A funny honk resounded outside.

Esme made a face. "Edward?"

"I think so…" Carlisle made a face as well. He had sent the boy to buy a car for the family…and for Edward's own good, it had better be a decent one.

Carlisle and Esme walked out to the front porch to see the spectacle, and there he was: Edward, parking a brand new Ford T model in front of them. He smiled with his arms wide opened. "I got us the best vehicle in the entire planet!"

Carlisle chuckled. Edward was ecstatic with his new toy. He pressed the funny sounding horn again.

"A car?" Esme finally spoke in disbelief, moving towards it along with Carlisle.

Edward jumped out of the Ford, and patted the machine like a pet. "It has three speeds, and one of them is reverse." He moved his eyebrows up and down.

Esme let out a laugh of delight. "Is it ours?" She stared from Carlisle to Edward.

"Like everything else," Carlisle smiled, rubbing her back to soothe her excitement, "It's yours."

Esme entwined the fingers of her hands with excitement. She was thrilled with the idea of being able to learn how to drive.

"I think Esme wants to drive it." Edward teased, knowing well the thoughts in her mind.

"Women don't drive." Carlisle chuckled.

Edward and Esme gave him a quizzical look.

"What I mean is," Carlisle explained carefully, "I believe cars are a bit rough for a lady."

"She climbs trees, Carlisle." Edward pointed out.

Carlisle tried to press his lips into a thin line to avoid smiling. His Esme wasn't precisely the average lady.

"What?" Esme looked puzzled from Edward to Carlisle when both men began to laugh softly.

"It's not funny, you two!" She gave Edward a soft nudge on the shoulder. "I'm a lady too!"

"Of course, Esme!" Edward laughed.

"And I'm glad you are." Carlisle placed his arm around her shoulder with tenderness. "You can drive it whenever it pleases you, dear."

"And as long as you don't run over a human being." Edward winked at her. "I'll gladly teach you, Esme."

"It would be a good thing to do every day, while I'm at the hospital," Carlisle smiled. "But today, Edward will be driving you to a surprise."

"Another surprise?" Esme was stunned. How many surprises a girl could receive in a single day?

"Yes, what surprise Carlisle?" Edward raised an eyebrow questioningly, already reading the dreadful surprise in Carlisle's mind.

"Madame Noyer is expecting you both in her boutique today." Carlisle smiled at his wife. "You need a new closet and Edward will keep you company while I'm at work."

Edward groaned and Esme looked at Carlisle as if he'd just spoken to her in a foreign language.

A boutique?

Next update will come out next week, maybe even earlier. This story is already outlined, but I've been receiving some interesting requests I think I will develop. So, if you'd like something special to happen, or certain character(s) to appear, let me know.

Thanks so much for reading and thanks in advance for your comments. :)