They had quickly pulled apart, with hidden reluctance.
Their shaky breaths the only tangible sound that hung over the air for a few long moments.
Either of them feeling like badly behaved children.
The knock from the door still persisted.
Carlisle slowly got up from his seat, "I shan't be a moment," He whispered, his eyes finding their way to her face.
Esme nodded in reply, not daring to trust the emotion in her voice, taking deep inhalations of air to calm herself down.
He walked to the door, his elegant stature moving swiftly across the room. He had unconsciously licked his lips, the seducing taste of her skin on his mouth.
Her scent.
Her touch.
Halfway before he reached the door, he quickly shifted his thoughts before Edward could hear. But he knew somehow it was almost impossible to hide anything from that boy.
He grasped the doorknob and opened.
"What is it?" Carlisle asked, faint traces of agitation in his voice.
Edward smirked sheepishly as he averted his gaze to the floor, "The clothes you ordered have arrived."
"And?"
"The courier needs your personal signature."
Carlisle let out an exasperated sigh as he stepped out of the room.
Edward noticed the beginning part of Carlisle's collar had been undone, "Seems like time alone between the both of you has done you some good Carlisle." He said with a sly smile.
He gave Edward a death glare that had a dozen different significances as he swept past his son and out into the corridor.
Do NOT go into the library Edward, I mean it.
Carlisle spoke clearly in his thoughts knowing well enough Edward heard him.
Back inside the library, Esme could hear footsteps beginning to move further away from the door.
She let out a sigh of relief.
She sunk further into her seat, resting her head on the sofa cushion.
She closed her eyes.
She could still feel his arms around her, the feeling of his presence lingering in the air above her.
His smell.
His lips.
His taste.
Her mouth still flushed from his kiss.
What had just happened? She asked wryly to herself.
It was as if the gap between them, that invisible fortress that kept them separated had just been obliterated.
Erupting into tiny insignificant pieces that dissolved into the ground until there was nothing left standing in between them.
The sudden shift in the atmosphere was vividly palpable.
Could it be possible that this man, this wonderful creature, this angelic seraph in disguise, could possibly share the same divinely intimate secret as she?
She dared not ponder on the question.
Esme did not want the answer, just yet.
She needed to know if this was right, if this was true, if this was just.
Letting the waters of time take her where it wills.
She didn't want to think about tomorrow and it's uncertainties, nor the next day and what precarious events it may contain.
What she wanted was right here, in this moment.
She didn't want to think, all she wanted to do was to feel.
As long as it was there. As long as he was there, she would be eternally grateful.
She would not need to feel his touch nor taste his lips, just the presence of his whole being would be enough for her, just to know he's there was enough to slake the thirst in her soul.
There was one remaining question left unspoken, it lingered in her lips but she dare not speak the words.
Fearful of the terrible blow it may inflict upon her.
But for now she allowed the mysterious question to sink back further into the depths of her mind, willing herself to forget, just for a while as she heard his familiar footsteps approaching the door.
She quickly propped herself up and sat herself properly this time on the sofa.
The slight creaking of the door caused her to look where he stood.
There was an extremely apologetic and worried look on his face as he entered, closing the door behind him quietly.
She looked at him expectantly as he slowly made his way towards her.
She could sense the tension in his body with each step he took.
He stopped a few meters away from where she sat. Somehow chastising himself for what he had done.
Esme silently studied him as the light from the fire reflected onto his face. Tracing every perfected line with it's sleepy glow.
His lips parted, his eyes narrowed, yet his face remained somehow impassive, "I...I'm deeply sorry for what had-"
"Please don't say you're sorry." She whispered, stopping him halfway with her words.
He nodded as he bowed his head lightly, his brows furrowing. "I should go."
He was about to turn on his heel and leave but then she stopped him once more, this time with more determination.
"No. Stay, please?" She gently pleaded.
Looking at that face.
Her face.
He knew there was no way in winning this self-battle, to which he fought with masked-silence that no one knew except him who would be victorious.
He couldn't say no.
He took the seat next to her, offering them an appropriate amount of space, judging from what had almost happened, they needed it.
His body was tense, almost rigid. "I don't think I should stay long." He quietly murmured, his eyes focusing on the soft flames.
"No, I want you to stay this time. Don't go." Esme whispered tucking her legs neatly underneath her as she leaned her elbow against the armrest.
"We didn't do anything wrong." She said mostly to herself than him.
He watched her with his gentle eyes as she spoke. "We could just talk," She reasoned.
He looked at her for a long moment before nodding infinitesimally as he smiled gently at her. He felt quite unsure at his present circumstance but somehow something was urging him to be calm, to be collected. Perhaps it was the way she was looking at him, the way her golden eyes observed him with such guileless intentions that finally convinced him to lower his protective cloak ever so lightly. He released the tension he carried and allowed himself to lean back into his seat. Placing his hands chastely onto his torso, for fear they might wander, elsewhere...
They sat in contented silence for a few moments before he spoke, "Your clothes had just arrived," He said softly.
Her eyes glistened demurely in the yellow light as she smiled, "Really?"
"I do hope you'll like them."
"Thank you Carlisle," She said earnestly as she turned to look at him, her topaz eyes locking onto his once more.
The timbre in her voice made him ache for her desperately. He wanted her next to him, closer to him.
But he needed to think of what was best for her, what she wanted and how she felt. He would rather die a hundred times than put his selfish needs ahead of hers.
But looking at her now, feeling somehow bare without his arms around her made the urge irresistible.
Somehow she was reading his mind before he even uttered a word.
Esme found herself sliding across the couch closer to him as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
He didn't fight with himself this time, instead he relished the moment. Enjoying the feeling of her being so near to him as he rested his cheek on top of her head, closing his eyes as he drowned in the sound of her soft breathing.
"The night will be long," He whispered into her hair as he stared out the window.
Even in the pitch darkness he could see the infinitesimal first few fallen snowflakes that had started to scatter outside.
"Mhmm." She replied softly.
The fire before them was slowly burning to a dim. It's dying flames giving one last fiery dance before they dissolved into the ashes.
"Carlisle?" She called out gently.
"Mmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
She felt him nod and continued, "How did...How did you find Edward?"
Somehow the question caught him off-guard.
There was a long silence before he answered.
She felt him shift slightly in his seat as he spoke, "It was 1918. Chicago Illinois. The deadly pandemic 'Spanish Influenza' found it's way onto American soil. The close quarters and massive troop movements of World War 1 hastened the pandemic and probably both increased its transmission and augmented mutation; the war may also have increased the lethality of the virus. Some speculate the soldier's immune systems were weakened by malnourishment, as well as the stresses of combat and chemical attacks, increasing their susceptibility to the virus..."
She felt him grow still for a second before he spoke again.
"Before anyone even knew, we had gone from merely treating a few patients a day to nearly a hundred. I worked restlessly during the hours of dawn and far long into the night. The patients were ranging from the juvenile to the elderly...some of them even children...even newborn children..." He whispered, tension in his voice.
Esme winced slightly as she held onto his voice.
"There was a man and his wife I had treated one evening. They had both contracted the virus. There was little I could do for them; their immune systems were completely ravaged. But still I did all that I could to save them." His voice was solemn, "Her husband was the first to lose his battle with the onset of the second wave. His wife knew that her time too would soon come."
"One early morning she had called me to her room. She was pale as paper, barely clinging to life, but her eyes held mine fervently as I sat next to her bedside."
"She was begging me, begging me to save her only son."
"Edward." Esme said and she felt him nod.
You must do everything in your power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my
son.
"Somehow she knew. Knew what I was and what I was capable of." His golden eyes rested on the glass window as his mind travelled back to the past, "Shortly after she had passed...I granted her last request..."
"Edward was at death's door himself when I found him. I took him from the hospital and brought him to my home. It was there I had changed him. . ."
"And Edward's ability? How did you know about it?" Esme asked looking up at him.
A small smile touched his lips, "He was answering questions that I had only asked in my innermost private thoughts."
Esme chuckled.
"But I love him as I would my own child." He whispered softly.
"I know you do..." She replied gently as she resumed her position on his shoulder.
There was a brief silent pause between them.
"Carlisle?" She called out once more.
"Yes, Esme?" He replied looking down at her with his golden irises.
"Thank you."
His head tilted slightly in confusion, "For what?"
"For telling me. I know it wasn't an easy memory to remember." She said softly.
He raised his hand and gently stroked her cheek in response as he whispered, "Thank you for listening."
The golden sun was beginning to glow in the distance, arising from it's dark slumber, bringing with it the frosted tears of winter.
Esme curled her arms around his torso as she rested her head on his chest, Carlisle draping his strong arms around her as he lightly toyed with her caramel locks.
Carlisle sighed sadly, as much as he would like to stay here, as much as he wanted to be completely lost in this moment, in her embrace, he knew he would have to leave soon. His rounds were due in 30 mins.
"Esme?" He whispered softly.
"Mmm?" She replied with closed eyes, lost in her own little world.
"I have to leave; my rounds will be starting soon." He said, making a move to get up.
She pulled him back with a gentle force.
"Only for a little while longer, please." She said with a smile.
"Alright, then you'll let me go?" He asked with a gentle chuckle.
She nodded.
She whispered softly to him, her breath tickling the skin of his chest through the fabric that he wore, "I do wish you'd stay. For the day will be long and the night longer without you here."
"I won't be long," He whispered through her caramel tresses.
She looked up at him with such delicate warmth in her eyes that it taunted him with sweet temptation.
"Kiss me before you leave."
A/N: Hey guys! Pleaseee FORGIVE ME for the delay XD Haha I had to do some errands this summer, so my deep apologies my beloved readers! Here's Chapter 22 I hope you enjoy! I LOVE you guys and THANK YOU so much for all your wonderful reviews! :') God bless! STAY AWSOME :)
Keep Readin' and Reviewin' ;D
And stay tuned for Chapter 23 ;)