I do not own Twilight or any of its' characters

Thank you so much for all of the great reviews! It keeps me going and keeps me smiling, I really appreciate everything. Just a couple more fresh scenes and then we'll get back to the heart of the matter of the story. These next couple chapters are just kind of fun. Keep reading and reviewing!

EPOV

Chapter 39

Afterglow

I felt like I had been laying there for hours, when in fact, it had only been several minutes. She lay against me, sleeping, her fiery cheek against my naked chest. I had so many questions to ask her; was she alright, how did she feel, did I do anything wrong, was this going to change anything? I could have very easily woke her up and all my apprehensions and concerns could be put to rest, she would be honest with me, she always was, but I couldn't bring myself to disturb her. I was completely enraptured in her, asleep on me, nothing but her soft skin touching mine. It was like a mirage, a fantasy that I never thought I could have in all of my existence. I never thought the day would come for me when I would be in love with someone so much, and to have a normal relationship with them, that was even more unbelievable to me. I wasn't good enough for her, nobody was. She herself was an immaculate conception that no one could ever come close to being good enough for. Maybe the fact that I could see that above all other things meant that I was good enough for her.

I smoothed a piece of her long, shining hair away from her face gently and kissed her forehead, she stirred slightly, sighing contently. Her eyelids flickered slowly and I felt her long, thick lashes brush against my chest. I smiled to myself, at this moment all of my senses were so attuned to her that I felt like I was immortal again. The carnal smell that had set me off before still hung a little in the air and in the sheets, but slowly, Bella's regular freesia scent was overtaking it. I almost felt sleepy from the sense of calm it was instilling in me.

"Bella?" I said softly.

"Yes Edward?" She replied sleepily. I hadn't realized that she was awake, her breathing was so soft and even I thought for sure she had been sleeping.

I sat up slightly, my arm still curled around her so as not to disturb. She slowly sat up, wrapping the sheet tightly around the front of her chest. Such modesty, didn't she know how beautiful she was? She peered shyly into my eyes and smiled, running the hand that wasn't clutching the sheet nervously through her tangled hair

"umm," I started uneasily, "are you…alright?" I asked cautiously.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, a look of genuine confusion furrowed her face.

Did she really need to make this question any more uncomfortable for me really? "What I mean is," I cleared my throat nervously, "I know for women, that…" please don't make me go into sex Ed 101 references, please…I thought to myself.

"Oh, that," she interrupted thankfully, her cheeks flushed slightly. "I think I'm okay."

That was enough for me, I didn't need details. I felt relieved, and went back to focusing on my love. I wanted her closer to me; I needed to feel her skin against mine again. I gently pulled her toward me, she settled in comfortably, laying her chin against my shoulder and tucking herself closely against my side.

"Are you alright?" She asked suddenly. What an odd question to ask, I thought, men didn't have to deal with the same physical discomfort that women did with their first time. I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. "I mean, I didn't really ask you if you were ready…even though you asked me."

I chuckled softly, she was worried that she had pressured me; that she had come on too strongly to me, when in reality, I had been the one growling and biting her and endlessly touching her. "Bella that was the single most gratifying experience of my life."

"Better than blood?" She asked curiously.

"Amplitudes better than blood," I answered.

"Really?" She asked sitting up a little.

"Really." I said smiling at her. A proud grin crossed her face and she stuck out her chest a little. She nodded to herself, shifting her eyes around slightly and settled back down against me.

The arrogant side of me wanted to know what she thought of the whole 'performance', but to ask something along the lines of 'so was it good for you?' seemed so cliché and crass to me that I refused to lower myself to that. I instead just sat in the quiet afterglow of my fantastic night with Bella, wondering when I would have another chance to be with her like that again.

"You know what?" She interrupted suddenly.

"What's that love?"

"It was worth the wait." She said kissing my chest softly.

That was all I needed to hear as I felt my own proud little grin cross my face. Even now as a human, there were very few things in this world that I wasn't good at.