Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: This story is rated M for "My black leather over-the-knee boots will kick you into next week if you're under 18 and reading this story."
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Chapter 3: City of Night
Her opinion of Heathcliff and Catherine unchanged, Bella placed the finished book back in its slot on the bookshelf. It was finally night again, and she readied herself for her shopping excursion. Having fed the night before, she wouldn't need to entice humans while she was out, so she dressed simply in a tight purple sweater and worn jeans. Piling her long locks on top of her head, she secured them in messy bun with two shiny chopsticks. She slipped on a pair of Mary Janes before walking out the door.
The drive to Nordstrom was quick, and, soon, Bella was walking through the store. She walked up to the first salesperson she saw and waved her gold card. "I'm going to spend several thousand dollars here tonight. I was wondering if I could get some assistance."
A stampede of salespeople ran her way, but, as she turned toward the bed and bath section, she saw a solitary man with a Nordstorm name tag laughing at the commotion. Very tall and muscular, his eyes were exceedingly friendly. His black hair slightly curled around his ears and at the nape of his thick neck. He leaned against a large display, his bulging arms crossed over his chest.
Followed by a Nordstrom entourage, she walked slowly toward him. A bright smile lit up his face, and small dimples appeared. She wasn't the only one ogling; he visually examined every inch of her as she approached.
"So," Bella said, quickly reading his name tag, "Emmett, I would really appreciate if you'd assist me this evening. Interested?"
Uncrossing his arms, he stood straight, and he towered over her by at least a foot. "I work in this department, and, somehow, I don't think you're planning to spend thousands on sheets."
"Oh, I definitely plan on buying sheets," she said, winking. "But I could use some extra arms to help me carry things." She lightly brushed his bicep with her fingers. "You seem like someone who could help me with that."
"Well, as long as you don't ask me if your butt looks big, I think I can manage a little assistance." He winked back at her.
"Good, then," she said, spinning around and walking away. "Follow me to women's clothing, please."
As she walked, she heard his surprisingly light steps behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know what he was doing.
"So, does it?" she asked.
"Does what what?" he replied, confused.
"Does my butt look big?"
He chuckled, and she could hear a slight note of embarrassment. "No, no it doesn't. It's perfect."
Bella still had a smug grin on her face as she began pulling piles of garments off the racks, examining each briefly before adding it to the stack in Emmett's arms. When his load was too much to bear, he'd walk to the bed and bath register to drop off items, quickly returning to Bella's side at yet another rack. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his amused smile still lighting his face.
"Either you won the lottery," he said jokingly, "or you lost your luggage. Which is it?"
"The movers misplaced the boxes with my clothes and linens." Lying was an essential skill, one Bella mastered long ago. She didn't pause or hesitate. "I only had a few things I'd carried in my car, and, well, that just wouldn't do."
Emmett followed her as she walked to the shoe department. "No, I suppose not. Which city is mourning your loss tonight?"
Bella turned to stare at him, a leather over-the-knee boot dangling in her hand. She was always shocked when someone flirted with her without being under the influence of her special voice. "I moved here from Los Angeles. Missed having actual seasons."
"Well, you definitely picked the right time of year to experience a season. Fall is great here." He moved closer, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "And you should definitely get those boots. They'll look incredible on you."
Bella closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
Fuck me, he's smells good.
"Yes," she said, grabbing a few other shoes from the display, "I think I will get them. Why don't you take that stack of clothes back to your department while I find someone to pull these shoes for me? You could pick out some bedding for me."
"King?" he asked arching an eyebrow.
"But of course." She walked away, and his laughter floated on the air behind her.
She quickly found the shoe salesperson and waited impatiently as the woman retrieved the five pairs of shoes. Bella decided she liked her handsome, hulking assistant very much, and she was very glad that she'd hunted the night before. The absence of thirst allowed her to concentrate on the other sensations he caused, the other hunger she was feeling. And, unless she was mistaken, which she never was, he was feeling it, too.
Boxes of shoes finally in her arms, Bella returned to the bed and bath department. She was pleased to find Emmett waiting for her, smiling, his arms outstretched to grab the shoes. Even though balancing the boxes had been a simple task, she feigned struggling to hold them.
"Let me get those for you," Emmett said jovially. "I have several sets of bedding for you to choose from..."
Bella waved him off. "Oh, no need. I'll just buy everything you selected."
Emmett's eyes widened. "Okay, then. Let's just ring you up and see what your damage is." He walked over to the register, where four large stacks of clothing and a nice selection of bedding lay on the floor. "I'm sorry I put things on the floor, but I ran out of room on the counter."
"It's no problem," she said sauntering over to the register after him. As he began scanning price tags, she noticed the linens and bedding. She tried not to laugh at the fluffy comforters; she knew the cold air would never bother her. When her eyes fell on the last set of sheets, her laugh finally escaped. "So, I see you've picked out a set of silk sheets."
Emmett's gaze would have made her breathless if she actually needed to breathe. "They were a special order for another customer, but I thought you'd appreciate them more. Plus, I think blue is your color." He winked and returned to his scanning.
At that moment, she saw it. It was faint, but it was unmistakably there. The slightest spark was in his beautiful blue eyes, and Bella could hardly contain herself. "They're perfect," she purred. "Thank you."
A broad smile settled on his face, and the small dimples became much more pronounced. He diligently made his way through the stack of merchandise, quickly scanning each tag, until he rang up the final item, the set of peacock blue silk sheets. He swallowed hard and finally spoke. "Your total is $8538.23."
Bella held out her gold card and laughed. "I actually came in under budget, imagine that."
When Emmett reached out to take her card, his fingers swept lightly up her arm and rested on her fingers. "I'm very glad I could help."
The spark may have been slight, but the tingle was not. It sent shockwaves up her arm. "Please," she whispered slowly, "tell me you work on commission."
His laugh was deep and shook his frame. "Why, yes I do. And I thank you very much." He finally took her card, swiping it firmly.
Surveying her loot, Bella threw up her hands. "Now I have to figure out how to get all of this in my little car."
"I could still be of assistance," Emmett said, his voice unsure for the first time. "I have an SUV, and the store is closing in an hour. I can deliver everything if you like."
"That would lovely," Bella said, quickly writing her name and address on the back of her receipt and handing it to him. "No rush, though. I'll be up all night."
She turned, not waiting for an answer. She knew he'd come.
***
When the doorbell rang, Bella was sitting on the couch, her bare feet propped up on a stack of fluffy pillows. The next book she'd picked off the massive shelf sat in her lap. Sense and Sensibility was her favorite, and, just as she'd been when she read the first edition in 1811, she was lost deep inside the world of the Dashwoods. The doorbell rang a second time before she acknowledged it, marking the book with a scrap of paper and carefully setting it down on a side table.
She spent the evening trying to maintain her calm in the face of her first non-meal human encounter in many years. That he wanted her wasn't up for debate. The only question that remained was how long she'd wait before letting him have her.
Opening the door, she was face-to-face with a living clothes rack. Emmett held at least a dozen hangers in each hand, and he didn't seem to be straining under the weight at all. "So, Bella, where would you like me to put these? I have two more trips to make."
His use of her first name caused goosebumps to break out all over her body. "Hmm, let's hang these in my wardrobe. Follow me."
She led him into the bedroom and opened the chiffarobe door. The muscles in his arms flexed as he lifted each handful of hangers and hooked them over the bar inside. Bella noticed he looked just as chiseled and muscular from the back as he had facing her. She bit her lower lip in anticipation.
When Emmett turned, he seemed pleased that she'd been watching him. "I'm not sure the next load of clothes will fit in there."
"You can just lay them on the bed," Bella said, shrugging.
"Oh, no, I have sheets to put on that bed." He winked at her and turned, walking through the loft and out the front door.
Bella decided to sit on the bed and watch as Emmett brought in the remaining purchases. The second trip brought back two more handfuls of hangers and a large bag with three shoe boxes. She was amazed at how much Emmett was able to carry. He hung what he could in the chiffarobe and searched the one room Bella hadn't entered: the small bathroom off the bedroom. There he found a tiny closet with just enough room for the final hangers. He then placed the shoe boxes in a row underneath the bed. The third and final trip retrieved two pairs of shoes, which joined the others under the bed, and two large bags containing bedding. He sat the bags next to the chiffarobe and pulled out a sheet set. Bella smiled as he walked toward her with the silk sheets.
"Okay," he said, nudging her gently, "you've got to move."
She watched intently as Emmett threw the pillows to the floor and pulled the plain white sheets off the bed. He wounded them in a tight ball and threw them in the corner. "You need a hamper," he said, removing the pillowcase from the pillows and throwing them in the corner, too. Finally having gotten the bed bare, he ripped open the packaging on the new sheets and dropped everything but one flat sheet.
"You see," he said, bending over as he folded the sheet over one corner of the mattress in a perfect military corner, "the most expensive sets don't have a fitted sheet. They assume you have someone making your bed the old fashioned way for you." He quickly moved around the bed, covering each corner in peacock blue silk. He finished making the bed silently, adding a second flat sheet and casing the pillows. Watching him turn slowly, Bella could see the proud smile on Emmett's handsome face.
"Very nice," Bella said, clapping quietly. "Why don't you have a seat on couch? I'll meet you there in just a bit."
Emmett simply nodded and walked out of the bedroom, lightly brushing her arm with his fingers as he passed. She watched him move and noted again how quiet his footsteps were across the wooden floor.
He'll make an excellent hunter. But I shouldn't get ahead of myself.
Moving quietly around the bedroom, Bella slowed herself to human speed as she changed out of her shopping clothes. She tried not to get overexcited about Emmett's potential, reminding herself that she'd been disappointed before. However, he was beautifully rugged, and he smelled incredible. And, for reasons she didn't understand, watching him make her bed had been very arousing.
When Bella found Emmett, he was standing in front of the shelves of CDs, taking care to return any disc he removed to the exact same spot on the shelf. She cleared her throat to get his attention.
Turning toward the sound, Emmett's jaw dropped. "Well, I was right. Those boots really do look incredible on you."
Bella stood before him, wearing her new leather over-the-knee boots, her hair still in a messy bun held in place by chopsticks. Silk panties and bra, deep ocean blue and trimmed in lace, made up the rest of her outfit. "Since you recommended I buy them, I thought it was only fair that you get to see them," she said, briefly lifting and turning one leg to admire the boot.
He approached her slowly, his eyes full of want, and wrapped his massive hand around her hip, pulling her toward him. "You're killing me here."
"Not yet," she said, laughing wickedly.
She pulled away and took his hand, leading him to the couch. Pushing him down gently, she straddled him and leaned forward to return his intense gaze. The faint spark she'd seen before was a little brighter, and his delicious smell was even stronger. Beginning at her boot-clad heel, he ran his hands slowly over her calves and her thighs, brushing his fingers up her body until his hands reached the back of her head. He pulled one chopstick from her hair then the other, dropping both on the floor and running his fingers through her hair until it fell freely down her back. Gathering her hair in this hand, he used it to pull her face closer.
Mesmerized by his approaching lips, Bella was still, allowing Emmett to set the pace. Finally, briefly, their lips met. The contact sent warmth spreading all over her body, and she wanted to feel it again. When she leaned forward to kiss him again, he put his fingers to her lips to stop her.
"I don't know what's happening here," he said, confused, "but I don't think it's a simple one-night stand."
"No, it's not," she admitted, whispering against his fingers.
"In that case, I need you to know this is not something I'd normally do. I don't just follow every beautiful woman who spends lots of money home to fuck." He started at her with an honest intensity that made her gasp.
She found his declaration sweet and completely unnecessary. She was the last being who should judge anyone. She kissed his fingers and smiled. "I believe you, but it wouldn't matter to me if you had."
Emmett sighed, seeming relieved, and pulled her to him again, kissing her with a passion she hadn't felt in decades. The strength of his body extended to his lips, and he took her lips, one then the other, roughly between his, sucking and biting. Bella loved his musky, salty taste, and, when he opened his mouth against her, she did the same, tasting him deeply with her darting tongue. His tongue moved against hers for a second, and he pulled away.
Tugging her hair, he tilted her head, exposing her neck and shoulder. He kissed a path down her neck to its crook, and, as she felt his teeth bite down on her bare shoulder, she moaned loudly. She could feel his lips curve into a smile against her skin, and his fingers gently pulled down one strap and one cup of her bra. He kissed her again as his hand cupped and kneaded her exposed breast. As wonderful as his hand felt, she wanted more.
She grabbed the hair at the back of his head and arched her back, pulling him down with her. Moving his hand from her hair to her back, he held her up as he inched toward her. She felt his hot breath before she felt his mouth closing around her nipple, sucking it greedily. Clutching him closer to her with one hand, she pulled the other side of her bra down with the other. Licking around and over the tip of her nipple, he quickly exchanged the hands supporting her back. Using his newly free hand, he pinched her other nipple as his teeth bit down on the one in his mouth. The pleasure this gave her caused her to shift her hips, and she could feel his growing hardness between her thighs.
He wrapped his arms around her, and, as he moved to suckle her other breast, he lifted her. She was up on her knees, leaning over him and giving him easy access to move his talented mouth from one nipple to the other other, licking, sucking, and biting her until she was crazy with lust. Suddenly, he stopped.
"Whwhwhy are you stopping?" Bella asked, stuttering and irritated.
His wide grin was playful. "I don't know. Just needed a break, I guess."
"Really?" She reached down and rubbed the bulge in his jeans. "I think you're just being a tease."
Emmett hummed in appreciation then swiped his tongue quickly across one of her nipples, sending shivers down her spine. "Maybe I'm just not sure how much you like what I'm doing to you." He slowly slid his hand down the front of her panties, his fingers parting her lips and easing into the wetness there. "Oh, it seems that you like what I'm doing very much."
She grabbed his shoulders, supporting herself as she closed her eyes to concentrate on the sensations. His fingers massaged her slowly, and he made a point of never quite reaching the one spot she needed him to touch. He slid one long, thick finger inside her, moving in and out briefly before adding a second finger. She began bucking against his hand, wanting him to thrust into her harder.
"Do you want to come, baby?" he whispered in her ear. "'Cause I'd really like to feel that."
Unable to speak, she just nodded. He laughed, instantly rubbing her clit roughly with his thumb. He curled his fingers inside her, hitting that spot with every thrust of his hand. She could feel her muscles tighten, and she let her head drop.
Emmett pulled her hair, forcing her head back until she looked him in the eye. "No. I want to see your face when I make you come."
With those words, she felt everything inside her burst, and her body clenched and throbbed around his fingers thrust deep inside her. Each contraction brought a new wave of pleasure, a new scream from her lips. As she came down, she could feel his lips kissing all over her neck, her shoulders, between her breasts. When she was finally quiet and still, resting her head on his shoulder, she felt his fingers leave her.
"Am I still a tease?" He laughed, running his hands up and down her back.
"Yes," she replied, pouting and using her best hurt voice.
"Oh, really? And how many more orgasms do you have to have before I'm not a tease anymore."
She stood, pulling her wet panties down and kicking them off. "Just one."
Bella bent over him, unbuckling his belt and unzipping his jeans. She watched, spellbound, as Emmett lifted his hips and pushed his jeans and boxers over his hips and down to his knees. When he was finally free, she gasped, her eyes widening.
"Fuck me. I should have known you were big all over."
Sitting on the couch, he slowly stroked himself. He was long and thick, and he was rock hard. "If you're afraid it will hurt, we don't have to..."
Bella quickly climbed up on the couch and straddled him again, grinding against him until he was buried between her wet lips. "Oh, we most certainly have to."
Emmett put his hand on her hips, guiding her as she lifted up slightly and found the tip of his cock. She bit her lip and looked down at him as she lowered herself, taking him inside her inch by inch. When his width would begin to stretch her, she would wait, giving herself time to adjust, before pushing down on him further. By the time he was completely inside her, they were clutching each other tightly, as if doing so would prevent losing themselves to the new intense sensation.
Slowly, she began to ride him. Each lift of her hips brought her up higher and down harder, thrusting him deeper inside her. At first, they kissed, their tongues thrusting in rhythm with her hips. As her movements became more frantic, he moved his mouth to her bouncing breasts, capturing a nipple in his mouth and sucking hard when he could. Finally, his head fell back on the couch, and he watched her, his hands gripping her hips and pulling her down on him even harder.
When she knew he was close, she looked up to see his head tilted back, his eyes closed and his mouth open and moaning. She grabbed a handful of his curly hair and pulled his head toward her, hard enough that she was sure it would hurt. He stared at her wide-eyed, digging his fingers into her hips in response.
"No," she said, her breathing ragged. "I want to see your face when I make you come."
He grabbed her hips roughly, lifting her high then slamming her down hard onto his cock. Buried inside her, he came hard, screaming "fuck" as his orgasm exploded again and again. As he did, he reached between her legs, finding her swollen clit and pinching it hard. She screamed and felt her body ignite, coming hard as another orgasm ripped through her.
Finally sated, Bella collapsed onto Emmett, and she sighed when she felt his arms encircle her. She felt his heartbeat and breathing slowly calm, and she shifted to sit in his lap. He gazed at her lovingly, brushing her hair from her face and kissing her softly on the nose.
"Someday, will you explain to me what the fuck is going on here?" he whispered.
She was shocked at his perceptiveness, and she was even more surprised that he, sensing something amiss, still came to her. "Yes, someday."
He sighed. "Good." Gently lifting her chin, he kissed her, and she could feel all the passion and fire stir inside her again. "Ready to mess up your perfectly made bed?" he said, winking.
Bella stood, taking Emmett's hand and leading him into their uncertain future.