Chapter 33 — Happy Moments

Be happy. It's one way of being wise.

Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

Bella's POV

Euphoric bliss. I didn't expect to feel that, but then again, I hadn't really known how I would feel after having sex for the first time. Since waking a short time ago in Edward's arms, a smile had been firmly planted on my lips. He had made me feel so beautiful and hadn't rushed things, and the way he cared for me afterward ... I sighed happily, letting my hand drift lazily up and down Edward's back.

Little by little, a grin formed on his face and his eyes cracked open. Leaning forward, I placed a kiss on his cheek. He "hmmm'd" in appreciation as his hand came up and tangled in my hair, drawing me in for a proper lip-lock. Before long, I was on my back with him partially blanketing my body with his.

There was no need for words or thoughts; our bodies did the speaking. They followed one another in a perfect harmony. I pulled back to catch my breath, giving Edward time to do the same as he continued to caress my curves. His stare never wavered from my eyes, and I read him like a book—he wanted me.

I drew my lower lip into my mouth with my teeth. Holding Edward's gaze, I released my lip and nodded. One of his hands retreated, reaching for something out of sight. Bringing it back, he held a small foil packet between his thumb and middle finger and snapped. I blushed when I realized what it was, and my blush only grew when he offered me the contents.

Again, my lip disappeared into my mouth, and I closed my eyes. There was no way I could do what he was silently asking.

Edward's forehead touched mine. "Bella, look at me," he whispered.

I shook my head, refusing to open my eyes.

"Please." His plea was so soft and loving that I opened my eyes. His eyes shone with his love for me. "I'll teach you how," he said in the same soft tone that got me to look at him.

Once I was sitting up, he took hold of my right hand, positioning the condom in my hand, and then slowly guided my hand to his manhood. His hand covered mine, rolling the plastic disc down his length. He didn't release my hand but increased his grip some and moved our hands up and down a few times before a low moan escaped him.

Bashful, I broke eye contact with Edward, turning my gaze downward to where he still moved our hands. I should have kept my eyes up. I gulped. My knowledge of human anatomy, especially the male physique, was limited, and there was no way he could have fit in me, but he had. It amazed me when I should have been afraid.

Always perceptive, Edward lifted my chin with two fingers of his free hand. He didn't say a word as he leaned in and captured my lips while releasing his hold on my hand, and I once again became putty in his arms as I continued stroking him. When we finally joined as one, we were both moaning.

"Move with me, love. Meet my hips with yours," he communicated with his thoughts.

A loud, impassioned cry erupted from the both of us when I did as he suggested. The feeling the action invoked was intense, more passionate than hours earlier.

"Keep it slow," I thought.

Edward smiled down at me. "Anything for you, Bella."

I lost track of time and the number of times Edward took me over the edge before he collapsed next to me, panting.

"I'm glad I found you, Isabella," he whispered after a few moments, drawing me to his side. "I can't express in words how much I love you. I can only show you every day for the rest of my life."

The corners of my mouth rose. "I'll hold you to that," I teased. A little more serious, but still playful, I continued, "Malcolm is going to kill you."

Edward's chin touched his chest when he looked at me. "Why?"

"I don't know," I remarked, drawing a heart on his stomach with the tip of my finger. "Maybe because you took me to your bed before we're married."

He chuckled, causing me to bounce a little. "I highly doubt he'll kill me, love. Besides," he said, stilling my hand by lacing his fingers through mine, "our connection is written in the stars. He'll probably slap me on the back and ask what took me so long."

Edward's POV

I tightened my left arm around Bella. I'd known she was teasing, and I shouldn't have said what I just did.

She lifted her head off my chest and gazed at me, wide eyed.

I winked at her to let her know I was kidding before going on, "Not that I'm going to tell him."

She lowered her head, resting it again on my chest, and huffed. "Serves me right for trying to tease you," she mumbled.

I chucked again. "Tease me any time you want, love, but expect to be teased right back." My eyes drifted closed. "Have you given any thought to our upcoming wedding?" I asked.

Bella blew out a breath. "No. It's hard to plan it when we're hiding from him."

My lips formed into a hard line. Jacob wasn't even here, and yet, he was tormenting Bella. There was nothing I really could say to refute what she said, but I would find a way to get all the planning done and the necessary people hired. "Where there's a will, there's a way," I said as I tucked her into my side with my left arm. "We'll make a list of things that need to be decided when we get back."

She exhaled again. "I don't want to leave. It's easy to imagine that we're just on a romantic getaway when it's just the two of us."

"True," I remarked, "but if we don't return, Finlay will come here, and I'd rather no one but me see you undressed."

Bella once again lifted her head, looking around the chamber, as did I. Some of the candles had burned out, signaling that our private time together would be over in the next half hour or so.

"How about another quick dip in the pool before we get dressed?" I suggested, sliding out from under her and standing. "We'll have to start back after that."

Her head fell to the warm spot I'd just vacated. "Fine."

~~ L.C. ~~

When Bella and I walked back in the main chamber, Finlay looked up from the book he was reading. "Good to see you're back, lad and lass. I did nay like the thought of having to come and find ye."

The other men snickered, and Bella stormed off.

"Thanks," I remarked, chasing her into the small antechamber. "Bella?"

The curtain fell behind me. She was lying face down on the bed. "They know what we were doing, don't they?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Probably. What they don't know is how long we've been a couple."

A muffled scream escaped her, and her hands balled up into fists.

Taking a chance she wouldn't turn her frustrated embarrassment toward me, I walked over and sat on the bed. "It's nothing to worry about. In today's world, premarital relationships are common."

She flipped over and sat up suddenly. "Commonplace or not, it's unbecoming of a laird's granddaughter to be thought of as an easy lay," she said, cringing a little.

I frowned. "I doubt they think that, Bella." Lifting my hand, I brushed a stray curl from her face. "Plus, I know you're not one to give yourself to anyone that you don't love."

She leaned toward me and wrapped her arms around my waist. "How do you know that about me?"

I wanted to laugh but felt doing so would make her mad, so instead I said, "I gleaned it from the way you ran from me a second time after I rescued you."

Turning her head, she buried her face against my neck. "I forgot about that," she murmured.

My right hand moved up to play with ends of her hair. "I learned much about you that night and the next morning."

"Like?"

"Rizzz, rizzz, rizz," I whispered.

It had the desired effect; a giggle erupted from her. "And you were right. That doctor was apologetic. I'm glad I'll be able to call him father soon."

I grinned as I continued running my fingers through her hair. "And that will only happen if we start making some decisions."

Later that night, I went with Brody to check on the horses and to make a phone call. Emmett answered on the third ring. "This better be important, bro, since you're interrupting things."

I bit back a retort. "Where does the Jacob situation stand?" I asked.

"Stalled out, and we had to release him. We got great intel from Embry and Riley, but the judge says we don't have enough for a warrant to search Black's place," he answered.

I cursed and rubbed the back of my neck. "What now?"

"Hell if I know," Emmett replied. "Unless we find hard, irrefutable evidence, he'll remain free. You don't suppose you could talk to Bella—"

"No!" I yelled. "Find another way to get his ass in prison."

"I'm trying to. I just thought Bella could help point me in the right direction."

Shaking my head, I said, "She's been through enough because of him, Em, and I won't put her through more." A long sigh left me, and I decided to change the subject. "I'm sending you and the rest of the family an email. Since Bella and I are stuck hiding for the foreseeable future, we need help planning our wedding."

He was silent for a few minutes. "I'll be happy to help and so will Rosalie. What do you two have in mind?"

"We would like to get married at the bar," I said.

"I don't think Rosalie will go for that."

I tilted my head back, taking in the barely visible sky. Bella knew that, but she still insisted on seeing if Rosalie would be game. "We realize that. It doesn't hurt to ask her, right?"

Emmett sighed. "No, I suppose it doesn't. Hold on." I heard a low conversation.

"Give me a good reason, Edward," Rosalie said. Emmett must have given her the phone.

That was better than an all-out "no." I was prepared to argue with her. "It's where Bella and I met. Where I rescued her. Where I fell in love with her." The last reason surprised me, but it was absolutely true. "Rose, I may not have realized it at the time, but the moment I approached Bella, my heart was hers. I'd like to marry her where our journey began, and that's at Driftwood. What do you say?"

She sniffed. "How can I say no after a reason like that," she replied. "Let me know the date."

"An email is on its way. All the details and assignments are in it."

We talked a few more minutes before Brody tapped me on the shoulder. "Rose, I need to go."

"Give Bella our love, and keep her safe."

Jacob's POV

Stretching, I walked out of the jail cell and smiled at the FBI agent. I said nothing, knowing it was a "he said, she said" dilemma and that they had found squat to charge me with. Once I had retrieved my belongings and exited the small building, I pulled out my phone and listened to the single message that had been left.

"Isabella has disappeared. All attempts of locating her have failed …"

I threw my phone, and it shattered when it hit a tree a couple of feet away.

"Damn it," I yelled at the night sky.