Authors' notes: With the exception of Esme's dialogue, this chapter was authored by Jenna, penname DragonGirl323. It's being posted here on my account for story continuity.

My mouth stretched into a lopsided grin in response to her comment, my eyes smoldering like a pair of glowing yellow embers, as I curled my hands low on her hips and pulled her even tighter against me. "I've admired you from afar," I murmured.

She leaned over me, keeping my chin held tightly in her grasp, and her hair cascaded over her shoulders, falling around my face like a fragrant curtain. "You had better keep that to yourself. Just consider what might happen if we got caught," she whispered, her voice as smooth as silk. She gently pushed up on my chin to tilt my head back even further and began lightly kissing my neck.

I chuckled as my eyes slid shut, a shiver searing a blazing trail down my spine as her lips grazed my skin, and my grip reflexively tightened around her hips, my fingers bunching in the soft material of her dress. I felt her excitement over my reaction flare, the sensation becoming a tangible crackle in the air, and, in response, I leaned my head forward, dotting soft, feather light kisses of my own along the length of her neck and across her shoulder.

"I suppose it's a good thing I'm the only mind reader here then."

Her hands clenched around my shoulders and she tipped her head back, giggling softly. "You are every woman's dream come true, you know that, Edward Cullen?"

I laughed, the breath expelled from my mouth wafting lazily across her skin, and leaned away slightly to look up at her, intrigued. "Oh, am I?" I inquired, feigning innocence.

Her hands crept upwards and she threaded her fingers through my hair, pulling my lips to her neck again. "Yes, you are. You're handsome and you know everything a girl wants without her having to ask for it, and you're…inexhaustible." That word turned into a breathy sigh as it escaped from her parted lips.

My top lip curled up as I gladly continued peppering hungry, open mouthed kisses across every inch of exposed skin on her neck, a deep thrumming similar to a purr vibrating through my chest. I chuckled suddenly as her mind continued its seductive whispering, the sound of it sweeter than any piece of music I had ever heard. "I don't think I'm the only one that's been doing a little admiring from afar. Hmm, Esme?"

She caught her bottom lip in her teeth and attempted to suppress a laugh. "I can't read your mind, darling Edward," she crooned, massaging her fingertips into my scalp and making my eyes roll into the back of my head. "Do you want to hear me say how very desirable I find you? How when we are left here alone, as we often are, the first thing that crosses my mind is how I want to have my arms around you? I do worry about you so, my dear."

She pressed herself more firmly against me, pushing me into the back of the couch.

I groaned, low and in my throat, as I grinded against her, her thoughts crashing over me relentlessly like the sea breaking over the rocks. The euphoria was intoxicating and, in response to one of her silent thoughts, I nipped at the skin of her neck, sucking on it gingerly. "Your thoughts are pretty loud," I all but growled, pulling my mouth away from her neck and hooking a finger under her chin, bringing her mouth to mine and brushing my lips against hers softly.

Anticipation boiled in the pit of my stomach and, as she rocked her hips and kissed me passionately, another groan tore up my throat and spilled into her mouth. All too soon, she broke her lips away from mine and bit down on her bottom lip once more, one of her eyebrows arching. "Just full of restrained passion, aren't we, my dear? I'm utterly shocked by you."

The beast caged within my chest roared, fighting furiously against the chains keeping it trapped, and I buried my fingers in her thick, luscious hair, kissing her again to savor the taste of her lips. I chuckled against her mouth. "A little more unrestrained then?" Just as a response began forming in her mind, I suddenly pitched her to the left, switching our position so I was the one hovering over her, and settled heavily on her, placing another searing kiss on her lips.

When we parted again, she smiled up at me demurely and began toying with the buttons of my shirt. "I don't know. Do you like being restrained?" she asks, slowly undoing a few of the buttons. "Or do you prefer things to be a little more…accessible?"

A wicked smirk stretches across my mouth as she shows me an image of the undergarments concealed beneath her dress – a ridiculously expensive black and silver bra with matching garter belt – and I brought one of my hands back, gliding it up the black hose covering her thigh. "I think I'm definitely leaning toward more accessible."

She unhooked the last button and opened my shirt, her eyes drifting up my chest before locking gazes with me. "You should find yourself satisfied if you carry on then," she said, her eyes averting from mine and resting briefly on the hand curled around her thigh. When her stare found mine again, she winked at me and I had to hold back a groan. "I had the intention of making myself very accessible this evening, after all."

"Oh?" I prod, continuing to move my hand up her leg and push her dress up. My fingers followed the path of her garter and, when they brushed against the silky skin of her upper thigh, what I found made me growl under my breath, my eyes darkening from honey gold to deep topaz. "Should I consider myself lucky then?"

I was nearly undone when she sighed, her eyelids fluttering. It was all I could do to keep myself from tearing through her clothes like a man possessed and taking her right at that moment. "Lucky? I don't know," she murmured, pushing my shirt over one shoulder and leaning up to kiss me. "You tell me."

I chuckled darkly as I shrugged out of my shirt and tossed it, forgotten, onto the floor. "I think we're sharing in Lady Luck's good fortune tonight," I replied, my voice a low, husky whisper. I eagerly brought my mouth down to meet hers, kissing her hungrily as I curled both my hands around the edge of her dress and began to lift it off of her.

She trailed her hands down my chest and I was powerless to stop another tremor from shooting through me as her nails grazed over my skin. When her fingers reached the waist band of my pants, her eyes trailed down to the arousal that was painfully evident from its place concealed inside the fabric and an impish grin slithered onto her face. I heard her intentions as soon as they manifested in her mind and I eagerly leaned into her touch when she rubbed her palm firmly over my erection. A violent shudder passed through me as I stared down at her with an intensely focused gaze, my body practically screaming for more. She smirked up at me and gently tugged on the button holding the offending garment closed.

"I think I have to agree with you," she replied, her voice a soft, seductive whisper.