A/N:
We're back :-)
When we left off last time Edward had fallen asleep on Bella's couch...let's see what happens when he wakes up...
We don't own Twilight. I do own my Ultimate Fan Edition of New Moon. :-)
As always, much love to my heterosexual lifemate Emmy415 and our beta extraordinaire Sweek539
Chapter 8 (EPOV)
«Move closer...right, ahh yeah...there."
"Lift your legs higher...ohh god, so good."
"Faster, unghh yes...harder!"
Her petite frame moved beneath my own as I pushed into her. If she wasn't clawing at the sheets, she was clawing at my shoulders, and Jesus Christ that felt good. Our bodies melted together as if we were one in the same. One of my large hands gripped her hip while the other supported my weight above her. She was beautiful. Her eyes were closed and her pink, pouty lips were parted as she made the most incredible sounds my ears had ever heard. I could feel the tension starting to build in the pit of my stomach.
"So close, Bella...fuuuck yes."
"Oh my God, Edward...yes! I'm..."
My body jolted itself awake and my eyes danced around the room, not immediately recognizing my surroundings. Then it hit me--Bella. I had fallen asleep on her couch the night before and she must not have wanted to wake me to send me home. My thoughts instantly shifted to the dream I had just before waking.
I really am a perv.
Rubbing the heels of my hands against my eyes, I stretched, catching the faint whiff of Bella's scent that still clung to my clothes. I smiled until I looked down and realized I had a particular...situation...to deal with.
I muttered a low "Fuck" to myself, wondering how the hell I was going to manage. Just then, I heard a throat clearing and my head whipped around to find Bella standing at the entrance to the living room, coffee in hand.
"Morning," she said quietly, walking towards me.
I quickly pulled the blanket over my lap, thinking of whatever I could to make my harder-than-normal morning wood disappear.
My God, this is so unbelievably inappropriate. She'd be disgusted if she knew.
"Morning," I said back to her, sitting up to make room for her on the couch. I groaned as I moved because it hurt. That shit physically hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to wish the pain and discomfort away.
Puppies. Nana Cullen. New York City traffic. Dining room tables. Bending Bella over my dining room table...damn it, no!
I opened my eyes again to find Bella staring at me, one eyebrow arched, completely confused.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked softly, perching her tiny body on the edge of the couch. She was still looking at me with confusion, and I tried even harder to will my problem away.
Maybe if I ignore it, it will go away. Kind of like a dog.
I smiled halfheartedly at her, trying to make it look like I was completely at ease. "Slept like a rock. Thanks for letting me crash on your couch. I must have been exhausted after the week I had. Sorry for falling asleep though, it was terribly rude of me." To be honest, I did feel horrible for falling asleep. I internally chastised myself for being so rude, but I really couldn't have helped it. The couch smelled like Bella...like flowers and coconuts...it was familiar and soothing, and made me get the best night's sleep that I'd gotten in months.
She patted my thigh, and I flinched, because her gesture did nothing to help my now-throbbing hardness under the blanket. "Nonsense, Edward. I'm sure you've been really busy lately, and you looked so peaceful I couldn't bear to wake you. My couch is always here for you if you need it."
Oh Bella, it isn't your couch I want. Let's just go back into your bedroom and...goddamn it, Edward!
"There's coffee in the kitchen if you want it. Help yourself to anything in the cupboards, although, I don't have much in the way of breakfast. I'm going to go take a quick shower. I'll be right back out," she said, standing up gracefully, and heading for her bedroom.
I flopped back on the couch and covered my face with a pillow. She was going to kill me; death by blue-balls. I slowly uncovered myself and stood up, stretching out my limbs and adjusting my twisted clothes. I padded into the kitchen and poured myself a huge cup of coffee, sitting on one of the stools at the counter. What was I going to do about Bella? I mulled my options over and over in my head. I didn't want to flat out tell her I wanted to be with her, but I couldn't just avoid it. I knew it wasn't just a simple crush and would go away eventually. I truly believed I was falling for her. She seemed to be getting more and more frustrated around me, most likely from the blatant flirting I was doing. I wanted to show her that I was interested in her, but knowing Bella, she wouldn't pick up on that fact. Not that she was stupid or oblivious, but she tended to think that men weren't interested in her, that she wasn't good enough for anyone to be interested in. I sat at the counter, sipping my coffee, lost in my thoughts, until I saw Bella come into the kitchen. Her hair was still wet from the shower, and little drops of water were dripping down her bare shoulders. Her neck and collarbone were flushed a light shade of red from the heat of the shower, and she was dressed in her workout gear.
"Good Morning Sunshine," she said, hopping up on the stool next to me.
Reaching up, she ran her small fingers through my unkempt hair. I could only imagine how it looked, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Her fingers running through it was almost the best thing I had ever felt. My eyes fluttered closed and she laughed.
"Do you have to work today?" she asked, twirling one of the pieces in between her fingers.
"Mmmmm...yeah...but I'd rather stay here and have you do that all day," I replied, peeking one eye open to look at her.
She giggled. "That would be fine with me. Your hair is soft, and it's kind of relaxing."
Her fingers moved to the base of my scalp as she absentmindedly played with my hair. She wasn't kidding when she said it was relaxing; I could have fallen asleep sitting up if she continued.
"So what are your plans for the day?" I asked, still reveling in her touch.
"Well, halfway though my shower I decided I wanted to go for a run in Central Park this morning. I have to stop by an art exhibit later, but other than that, just hanging around the apartment."
"Mind if I join you? On your run, I mean."
"Sure," she said, standing up and taking my coffee cup to put in the dish washer. "Go home and change and I'll meet you in front of The Plaza."
I made it back to my apartment, sprinting to my bedroom to change into my running gear. I stripped off my wrinkled, slept-in clothes from the night before, and slipped on a t-shirt and my running shorts. I threw on my running shoes, grabbed my keys and was back out the door within ten minutes.
By the time I got to the Plaza, Bella was in front of it, fiddling with her shoelace. She was bent over, her black pants deliciously tight. I trotted over to her, and she stood up, smiling when she saw me approach. She had swept her hair up in a ponytail, and it was swinging side to side as she twisted her hips and stretched out her limbs before our run.
"I hope you can keep up with me, Cullen," she teased, as she hopped on her toes.
"Keep up?" I said with a grin as I stretched. "Swan, you'll be eating my dust." I reached out and smacked her ass before taking off across the street towards the park. As I trotted along the sidewalk, it wasn't long before Bella caught up to me. She was taking two steps for every one of mine and I laughed out loud.
"You better ease up, shorty. Don't want to wear yourself out with those short little legs of yours."
She scoffed and swatted my arm playfully. "Edward, I've got phenomenal endurance. You'll see. You'll be panting before I even break a sweat."
I nearly tripped over my feet at her words. I knew she hadn't meant for it to be dirty, but it seemed to be a natural instinct for my brain to take it there. Picking up speed, I turned around and started jogging backwards directly in front of her.
"Show off," she said, rolling her eyes. She was fighting hard to hold back a grin, but was unsuccessful. I grinned back at her then spun back around to take my place at her side as we continued on our run. We ran past The Great Lawn, The Met, and The Lake, our breathing becoming more ragged the further we pushed ourselves. My hair was getting matted down from sweat, and I could see tiny beads of moisture glistening off of Bella's neck. We finally looped around and slowed down to a walk when we got to the Carousel.
"I love coming here and watching the kids' faces as they go around and around. They all look so carefree and happy." Bella stopped and admired a little curly haired brunette girl giggling as she sat atop one of the colorful horses. "Wouldn't it be nice to be that carefree just for one day?" she asked, smoothing back a few pieces of hair that had crept out of her ponytail.
"Who says we can't?" I replied with a shrug. "Just because we're adults, doesn't mean we always have to behave like one. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.'?" I looked down at her out of the corner of my eye and she nodded, not taking her eyes off of the carousel.
"I just feel like we are constantly running; constantly responsible for something. This may seem funny, but even with my job, where I go out to fancy restaurants, and clubs, and art galleries, I still feel like I don't get to play enough."
I put my arm around her shoulders sympathetically, and led her away from the carousel, walking side by side down the cement pathway. "Never fear, my Bella. I'm here now, and I see many fun times in your future. I won't let you work too hard, alright?"
She nodded, and wrapped her arm around my waist, squeezing my side lightly. We walked that way, arm and arm, through the park. To any onlooker, we looked like a couple on a Saturday stroll through the park. It felt nice, being with her like this.
Then, out of nowhere, she yelled "Race ya!" and took off. Before I could even fully comprehend what she was doing, she was already a good distance ahead of me as I started running after her.
"Last one back to my building is a rotten egg!" she called out, her laughter filtering out behind her as she ran. My feet pounded on the pavement as I trailed behind her, weaving in and out of people as I gained on her. Her long ponytail was swinging behind her as she went, her legs taking long strides ahead of me. I finally caught up to her, panting heavily, as she slowed down to cross the street.
"Damn it," I said, trying to catch my breath. "You're fast." I glanced up at the crosswalk signal and saw it change to 'walk'. "But not as fast as me!" I yelled as I took off ahead of her, sprinting across the street and down the sidewalk that would lead me to her building. I could hear her footsteps behind me as she tried to catch up to me, but my legs were much longer, and there was no way that she was going to catch me.
I stopped when I got to her doors and hunched over, grabbing my side that was starting to hurt from running and laughing. Bella screeched to a halt a few seconds later doubling over also. The front of my shirt was partially covered in sweat, and Bella's chest and face were flushed a deep shade of red.
"You have freakishly long legs, Cullen," she said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
"We've known each other our whole lives, and you're just now realizing this?" I asked as I followed her into the lobby. We went up the elevator, and I continued following her down the hall and into her apartment. I shamelessly admired her figure, clad in the tight fabric of her sweaty workout clothes. Most men might be turned off by a woman just after a workout, but I was slightly aroused by the sight of Bella, fresh from her run. She opened the door ahead of me and we both entered, kicking our shoes off just inside of her apartment.
"Bella, do you not lock your door when you leave?" I asked, slightly appalled as I followed her into the kitchen.
She motioned down to her tight clothes. "And just where would I put my keys? We weren't going to be gone long."
I shook my head and laughed as I leaned up against the counter. Bella took a step and leaned into me, reaching into the cabinet next to my head. She placed her tiny hand on my chest and stood up on her tip-toes, her soft curves molding against my body. It took every ounce of strength I had not to grab her and kiss her right there in her kitchen. Feeling her pressed up against me was, without a doubt, the most sinfully delicious feeling in the world. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to feel her flesh against mine and I had to fight back a groan that was threatening escape.
She pulled back and looked at me, a small smile gracing her face. "Water?" she asked, holding up two glasses and walking over to the sink.
"Please," I said with a nod.
We stood in silence for a short while, stealing glances at each other and sharing smiles.
"Hey, Bells," I said, staring into my glass of water.
"Hmm?" she hummed, thumbing through a magazine.
I grinned to myself, knowing she wasn't expecting what I was about to do. "Remember what I said about growing up being optional?" I asked, stepping up beside her.
She turned to look at me. "Yeah, what about it?"
"This!" I shouted, dumping my entire glass of water over her head. She shrieked and jumped at me, causing water to fly all over the kitchen. She reached for her glass to dump over me as well, but I grabbed her by the wrist, causing the water to slosh out onto the floor. She wrestled with me for a good couple of minutes, but it was only when I started tickling her ribs that she surrendered.
"Okay, I give! UNCLE!" she laughed out as I pressed her against the counter. I slowly released my grip on her and started to pull away when I was suddenly hit in the face with a stream of water. I coughed and sputtered, reaching in front of me blindly as she continued to spray me with the nozzle from the sink.
"How's that Cullen?! Yeah, not so big and bad now, are ya!!"
My hands finally made purchase as I tried to pry the weapon from her grasp. "You are in so much trouble!" I yelled, as I finally was able to pull the nozzle from her hands. I bent over, grabbed her behind her knees and flung her over my shoulder. Her feet kicked wildly in the air as her fists beat on my back.
"Edward, put me down! I swear to God, I will never speak to you again if you don't put me down right now!!"
I could do nothing but laugh as I carried her down the hallway and into her bathroom. With one hand wrapped tightly around her thighs, I used the other to pull back her shower curtain and then carefully climbed into the tub. Thankfully, she had one of those detachable shower heads, otherwise my plan would have been shot to shit. Her kicking and pounding stopped as she realized where we were.
"What the hell are you doing Edward? Don't you even dare think about doing what I think you're going to do."
Still without speaking, I pulled the shower head down off the wall before sliding her down off of my shoulder. As soon as her feet hit the shower floor, she was trying to wresting the device from my grip. Her back was to me, hunched forward, while I was behind her, my tall frame completely enveloping her. Both sets of our hands were gripping the nozzle for dear life, trying to pry it out of the others' hands. Then, without warning, I reached around her and turned the water on full blast. She screeched and squealed with laughter even though she was still fighting me. Water was spraying everywhere and since I forgot to close the shower curtain, her bathroom floor was quickly becoming drenched with water as we wrestled.
"Give it up, Swan! I win!" I said, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her still. Both of us were soaked to the bone, and it didn't escape me that Bella's shirt was leaving little to the imagination.
"Alright, fine!" she said "I concede! You win! Turn the water off!"
Keeping one arm around her to keep her from running, I dropped the shower head and shut the water off. I collapsed in the tub, pulling her down with me. Our breathing was ragged and shallow as we stared at each other. Bella was trying so hard to be mad, but she just couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up out of her throat. I quickly joined in and pressed my forehead against hers. Her big brown eyes were bright and dancing with happiness. She reached up and pushed my wet hair out of my face, gently sliding her fingers across my scalp and then down to my neck where her hand came to rest. One of my hands that was resting on her waist crept up slowly, stopping to tangle itself in her hair that fell to the middle of her back. Our laughing slowly died down, until we were just a mass of tangled limbs and heavy breathing. We were still staring at each other, our foreheads still glued together.
"Bella..." I whispered, unable to talk any louder. My face moved towards hers a bit until our noses were touching. Oh god. This is it.I thought, closing my eyes. I moved in to kiss her, but was surprised when I felt the soft skin of her cheek instead of her lips. I pulled back slightly and saw that she had turned her head to the side, dodging my lips. My heart sank, crushed, and a little embarrassed.
"Let's get up and dry off," she said, standing up, careful not to slip on the wet shower floor. She offered me her hand and helped me up as well, and together we stepped out onto the wet tile floor. Bella reached over and grabbed two white fluffy towels off of a shelf and handed me one.
"I think I have some of Emmett's clothes here if you want something dry to wear," she said, running the towel through her wet strands and over her body. Her clothes were soaked, clinging to her curves even more than they did when they were dry. I watched her as she exited the bathroom, rounding the corner into her bedroom. I quickly toweled myself off, and then went to work cleaning the water off of the floor.
"The dry clothes are on the bed," I heard her call from the bedroom. "I'm going to change in the spare room." I heard the bedroom door click shut and I got up to change. A pair of track pants and a t-shirt were waiting on Bella's bed when I entered her bedroom.
I dressed quickly then padded out to the living room in search of Bella. Hearing movement in the kitchen, I went in to find Bella on her hands and knees, sopping up the rest of the water. I leaned against the wall, silently watching her. She was still in her wet clothes, and I admired the way they clung to her in all the right places. The thought of our almost-kiss in the bathroom made my heart beat erratically and I had to adjust myself in my pants. Finally, I announced my presence in the room.
"I thought you were going to change?"
She jumped and squealed, quickly turning to face me. "Jesus Christ Edward, you scared the shit out of me. How long have you been standing there?"
I shrugged and smiled. "Long enough."
As she stood up, she sighed, completely avoiding eye contact with me. We stood in awkward silence, her shifting her weight back and forth between feet and chewing on her bottom lip while I tried to use Jedi mind tricks to get her to look at me. Her eyes flicked to my wet clothes in my hands.
"Do you, um, want a bag for those?" she asked as she started searching through cabinets, quickly producing a grocery bag. I nodded, and she handed it to me. I stuffed my wet clothes into the bag, and dropped it on the floor next to my feet.
"Well...I should probably go. I have to work tonight, and I want to get home and take a shower," I said, trying to get the uncomfortable air around us to dissipate.
She smirked. "I thought we just did shower."
I laughed, and walked over to her, plucking the wet towel out of her hands, and dropped it in the sink next to us.
"No Bella. Showering involves soap...and being naked." She gulped loudly, and chuckled nervously. I could tell that I was still making her a little bit uncomfortable, so I walked back over to my bag, and picked it up. I started to walk out of the kitchen, but I felt Bella tug on the back of my shirt, trying to get me to stop.
"Hey Edward?" she asked, tugging on her shirt nervously. "I have a favor to ask. Ummm...I have to go to a charity dinner next Saturday, and I don't have anyone to go with me. Would you want to come?" She peered up at me from under her eyelashes, a stray piece of hair falling in her eye.
My internal 13-year old did a fist-pump, and it took every spare inch of power that I had not to jump around her kitchen with joy. I composed myself, and smiled at her. "Of course, Bella. I'll call you this week, and we'll work out the details." I pulled her into a hug, not caring that my dry clothes were going to get all wet from our close contact. Her small arms wrapped around my waist and she gave me a small squeeze.
"Bye Edward," she mumbled into my chest, and released me.
"See ya," I said, kissing the top of her head. "I'll talk to you later."
When I got out into the hallway, I did a real fist-pump, excited at the prospect of being Bella's date for the charity dinner. Yes date. I don't care what she says, if we were dressing up and going to this thing, it was a date. I smiled to myself as I got on the elevator, and rode it down to the lobby. I could tell I was starting to break her down. She was growing more and more frustrated around me, and I could tell she was holding back. I wanted her to cave while we were hanging out on her couch. This was not just a game to me though...I really, truly wanted Bella for my own. I wanted to be able to take her out on dates, and kiss her, and make her breakfast in the morning while she hung around in my shirt. I wanted it all with her...and only her. I just needed to make her see that we had been missing out on something wonderful. There was a reason that she showed back up in my life, and we needed to make the most of it. Call it fate, or destiny, or just dumb luck...we were meant to be together. I knew that and I think she did too. She just needed a little bit more provoking.
Saturday. I would make her mine on Saturday.
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It won't be long now kiddos. I promise. I will give you all of my RobPorn if these kids don't get some action soon. :-)