A/N: I'm so thrilled each and every time someone says they're enjoying the story. Thanks so much for the support!
SM owns twilight.
Chapter 23 – Holidays and Honey
Rio seemed no worse for wear, other than the trauma of being lost all day. He jumped from my arms and shook his body from head to toe. Although I had used a large towel to dry him, this habitual act flung wet dog moisture in all directions, including on Edward. The look on his face was priceless.
"Edward!" I shrieked before giggling uncontrollably.
Edward smirked in return and stepped slowly towards me. "You think that's funny, Brown Eyes?"
My pulse quickened at his stealthy approach. He reached underneath his shirt and gradually peeled away the wet layer from his skin. My vantage point from the floor was prime seating. Edward leaned over, revealing a head of thoroughly mussed hair.
He spoke firmly while looking in my eyes, "I do believe you should recompense for your dog's behavior, don't you?"
Gulp.
"He has a mind of his own." I shrugged. "But I will be glad to wash your shirt…"
"Oh? You'll do more than that…" He reached down and pulled me to my feet. In true caveman form, Edward tossed me over his shoulders while stepping into the shower. The hot water cascaded down my dangling form, fully clothed.
My only disappointment was my shirt which clung to me, hindering his hands from sliding across my body. Evidently, this was a nuisance to Edward as well. He eased me down as his gaze darkened. The water trickling over his face reminded me of how beautiful he was.
I lifted my arms in surrender, welcoming the process of him removing my clothes. Edward tossed my wet shirt on the floor next to his own, creating a pile of unnecessary belongings. His skillful fingers were adept in unclasping my bra. Pushing my breasts against his chest, I sought his mouth with a new found aggression. The intensity of our kiss caused me to moan uncontrollably.
The hell with being coy.
Blue Eyes pressed me firmly against the shower wall. The cool tiles were a brief distraction from the hot steam surrounding us. I shifted my hips against him; his throbbing erection returned the favor. Edward began a torturous pattern of licking the water which fell in droplets from each taut nipple. I watched him with abandon, gasping in response.
"I want you," I whispered.
"Yeah?" he teased and continued his ministrations. "Still think I'm something to laugh at?"
His body pushed against my wet jeans. Unfortunately, his statement caused my mind to snap out of lust mode and into 'sarcasm on autopilot'. The entire situation did indeed remain adorable in my mind. The thought of his grimace from Rio's fur flinging episode made me smile knowingly once again. This caused a scowling reaction from Edward.
We found ourselves in a standoff in the shower, both half naked. I was futilely attempting not to laugh out loud from his pouting, and he was growing more impatient by the minute. My decision was made.
Kindergarten 101.
"Girls rule and Boys drool!" I shouted while splashing water on Edward's face. I jumped from the shower and ran into the bedroom, hearing his footsteps close fast behind me. In two strides he had captured me.
"What?" he growled, throwing me onto the bed. "We'll see who rules, Dr. Swan. Fight if you must, but I know you want to be spanked."
Oh God yes.
He flipped me onto my stomach in one swift motion, causing me to squeal in delight. My cries drove Rio to run from the room in a scurry, having had too much excitement for one day. Edward's hands clawed lightly down my back. "These…" he swatted my rear over the top of my soaked blue jeans, "have to go." Edward yanked the wet denim off in one forceful gesture. My body was wet more from the anticipation than from the shower.
"You want to spank me, Edward?" I asked in flirtation.
Swat!
"Ouch!"I shrieked in surprise.
"Does that answer your question, Dr. Swan?" Edward purred against my ear with his body lying directly on top of mine. He had removed his own jeans and I could feel his desire against me. "Why is it that shrinks want to talk through everything, making snarky comments at others' expense?"
Swat!
This slap was lighter, more of a love tap, or lust tap to be exact. I didn't answer his question for fear of sounding like a whimpering idiot.
That question was rhetorical, right?
He continued, "I've always felt that there's way too much talk when it comes to shrinks." He licked the back of my neck and lifted my body off the bed onto all fours. "I'm more of an Elvis follower myself…"
Elvis?
As in hunk of burning love?
His hands slid down my torso and grasped my thighs, spreading them apart. "…a little less conversation, and a little more action." Edward thrust into me from behind while he groaned in pleasure.
I answered him with a guttural moan, a feral need met by our joining. His cock pushed deeper into me, reaching a part of my core that intensified the bliss. The scruff from his beard was rough on my skin as he nipped along the flesh of my neck and back. I propped myself up on my hands and pushed my hips to meet his thrusts. My body tightened around him in this position as his strong fingers pulled back on my hips. Edward reached around to find my entrance while guiding our rhythm. He began a sweet torture of direct stimulation, and the combination of his fingers and manhood was more than I could bear.
"Ahh!" I cried out and arched my back. The building of my climax caused my mind to reach an idyllic state of intoxication. I lost myself in the moment of our uniting bodies, unable to maintain any semblance of composure as Edward whispered my name.
"Bella…"
Oh…my…right…there…
"Edward!" His name was like an explosion on my lips. I came undone in his grip, which tightened as my orgasm claimed him in return. My body pulsed rapidly, finally surrendering. Edward collapsed against my back as he emptied himself, riding out the wave of ecstasy we had found together.
We rolled over onto our sides, speechless. I realized I was drifting to sleep and I tried to jump up to no avail. Edward's arms held me captive, as did his words. "Where do you think you're going, sexy?"
"I need to call Charlie," I murmured, but snuggled back into our spooning position willingly. "To tell him that Rio came home."
"Stay here. I'll call him for you first thing in the morning. Besides, I need to answer a question for him." Edward nuzzled his chin in my hair, half asleep.
"What question?" I felt suddenly awake.
"Thursday is Thanksgiving, Bella. He wanted to know my 'intentions' regarding you. That was his deadline."
I waited silently before pressing him to answer. "And?"
"And? You want to know my intentions? Other than repeating this as often as we can?" He caressed my body, cupping his hand over one breast.
I giggled in return and nodded in affirmation.
"I'm going to tell him I love you, Bella. Because I do. Now snuggle your ass up to me and go to sleep. Or I may need to review for you how talk is over-rated."
"Mmm," I whispered, embracing the comfort of his words.
Round two?
It is tempting.
My last thoughts of the night were of Rocky Balboa.
Just how many rounds did he go in that movie? Surely we could top that.
#***#
The week was a blur of excitement. Edward called Charlie on Sunday morning and met him for coffee and doughnuts. "It's a win-win for a man-to-cop discussion", Edward had stated determinedly. The fact that he hadn't tasted a doughnut since he was a child seemed lost on Blue Eyes.
He ate junk food for me?
It must be love.
Charlie's response to his initiative was better than expected. I was amazed when they returned with a blueberry muffin for me, and smiles. Both of them refused to budge on the details of their conversation, but the end result made the two most important men in my life happy. That fact was what mattered most.
#***#
Ms. Hiller met me with a polite smile in our session Monday morning. I talked with her about the weekend and she reviewed the piano pieces she was most interested in playing during music therapy. After the first ten minutes, I broached the subject of my visit to campus.
"Landie, I wanted you to know that I visited with Amy this weekend."
"Amy?" Her voiced wandered, a glazed look crossing her face.
"Yes, your roommate, Landie. She said to tell you hello."
Her silence spoke volumes.
I continued, "Did you know Amy before you started at Udub?"
"No," she responded minimally.
"How did you two get along?"
"Amy was very nice, very popular."
Hmm.
"Were you popular?" I pressed, holding my breath for where we were headed.
"No," she answered again.
"What makes people popular? Do they have lots of friends?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Landie twisted her fingers in her lap, not making eye contact.
"So Amy had lots of friends...and was popular…Did she have many boyfriends?"
The movement in her hands ceased abruptly. She didn't look up, but nodded hesitantly.
I waited. "How about you, Landie? Have you ever had a boyfriend?" My heart was thudding loudly from the adrenaline as I spoke. Her anxiety was palpable in the room.
Landie didn't answer. She didn't look up. The clock on the coffee table clicked loudly, reminding me of the silence. I started mentally reciting the A, B, Cs, willing myself not to speak from my own discomfort of the situation.
A whisper finally echoed from her lips across the room. It was so quiet I wondered if I had imagined it. "I had a boyfriend, once."
Yes!
"I see. Well maybe you can tell me about him another time." A part of me wanted to push her now, but I needed Landie to feel in control of the process, and not cornered. Giving her the opportunity to leave without any further revelation would hopefully strengthen our alliance. She looked up again, her face immediately lifted at the recognition that the topic of conversation was over. I finished the session by asking another question regarding her favorite composer, Chopin.
##***##
Edward was a surprise daily. His charm and constant sarcasm made me laugh out loud unwittingly. Lunches with Alice and Jasper were a display of competitive foreplay, with Rose and Emmett more affectionate than ever. I wondered how an outsider would view the pairings around the table. My own insecurities would creep into my mind often throughout the day. Did I fit with Edward the way Alice and Jasper meshed? Had Tanya been a better match for him? Will he get bored with me and leave? Would I be able to be happy if he wasn't in my life?
Will you take some medication or cease the self-analysis?
Thankfully, the fears of abandonment and attachment dissipated with every glance into his eyes. When I swam in their blue depths, I felt like I was the only woman in the world. My mind told itself to rest, and the years of poor modeling from my mother no longer mattered in the least. In his eyes I could see the reflection of who I was, of who I wanted to be.
#*****#
Thanksgiving Day began with a crisp, chilly morning. I pushed Rio out the door for solo duties. He looked back in frustration but eventually trotted over to the lakeside. In a matter of three minutes he was back at the door, scratching incessantly.
"Gimme a minute!" I screamed. "This weather isn't like Arizona, huh?" I teased him while he ran past. Rio didn't seem amused as he rolled his eyes and went back to bed for more sleep. I knew the day would be hectic as I accompanied Charlie to our first Cullen gathering as the Swan family.
Logging on to the computer, I sent a quick email to mom. She had left a message earlier that she was flying to the Caribbean with Phil on a whim.
Big surprise there.
My issues with the reversal of our parental-child roles concerning her took a few years of my own therapy. Now I just rolled my eyes in understanding. I continued deleting emails and responding to urgent ones when I noticed Edward's icon.
E Cullen is online.
[B: Morning, Blue Eyes!]
[E: Morning, Beautiful.]
[B: Whatcha doin' up at 7:30 a.m. on your day off?]
[E: Hmm. I could ask you the same thing.]
[B: Rio needed to go out. Couldn't go back to sleep.]
[E: I heard him scratching on the door... and you yelling. LOL. So I got up and took a shower.]
Unngh. Shower memories.
[B: I'm sorry.]
[E: Why? I love getting up to the sounds of you yelling. ;) ]
[B: Haha. I enjoy that as well. What time are you going to your parents?]
[E: Around noon. You want to go together?]
[B: Charlie is coming here first. I'll just meet you there, baby.]
[E: Ok, beautiful. Wanna cook me breakfast?]
[B: LOL. Waffles?]
[E: I'm there!]
My, my. Dr. Swan the domestic goddess.
Shut it! You know you like cooking for him.
I whipped up the batter for the waffles and set out maple syrup, honey and fresh fruit for breakfast. Edward knocked on the back door within fifteen minutes.
Sex on a stick would have described him accurately. "Where's the peanut butter?" Edward looked confused.
"What peanut butter?" I answered, more confused.
"You don't eat peanut butter on your waffles?" he countered.
"Um, no!" I laughed. "What are you, from Texas or something? I had a girlfriend in med school that did that. She said it was the norm there."
"Well, it should be a given. Elementary even. Plus, it has protein, which will give you energy throughout the day." He chuckled as he ranted on.
I fished a jar of peanut butter from the cabinet and placed it beside Edward. "There, Sherlock. Satisfied?"
"Very." Edward winked.
I rolled my eyes as I sat down. "Well I'm going with honey." I winked, mocking his recent gesture. His boyish grin widened and melted my heart. We chatted about the week and enjoyed our free floating conversation, embracing the serenity of each other's company. Halfway through the waffles I dripped honey down my chin and pink pajama camisole. This innocent action led to an exploration of 'Honey Art', all over our bodies. My creations were more anatomical in nature, but Edward's were more titillating. By the end of breakfast we ended up in my shower together, once again.
#***#
As he kissed me goodbye, Edward pinched my backside. "I think you changed my mind on the honey, Honey."
I laughed out loud at his cheesiness, smitten like a school girl.
#***#
Charlie and I drove up in front of Carlisle's in the cruiser. His quiet demeanor reminded me of my own personality, assessing the environment and every detail. The truth was that we would both rather be in front of the TV at home, but we were committed. The weather had warmed significantly, which was a positive.
Esme met us at the door and her warm embrace caused me to smile. "Bella! Charlie! Happy Thanksgiving. I'm so glad you were able to join us." Esme led us inside where Carlisle was waiting as well. He captured Charlie's attention immediately with a collection of Native American artifacts along the wall. A large group was already mingling in the open family room, but Alice skipped over to me immediately. Jasper, Edward and Emmett were debating heatedly over an unknown subject in the corner.
"Men!" Alice noted while Rose walked over and joined our estrogen party. "Did you promise Emmett you would play football, Bella?"
"What?" I coughed uncontrollably. "I thought he was joking!"
"No." Rose laughed. "Apparently this Cullen tradition is no joke. And you better not cause my man to lose, Bella."
How can I get out of this!
"How's Rio?" Alice asked, squeezing my arm. Her attempt to distract me from the football frenzy was admirable.
"He's doing better," I said, "He's been very clingy though, underneath my feet all the time. I had to force him outside this morning for his bathroom break."
"Awww," Alice purred. "I really am sorry."
"It's fine, chica. He's done the same thing to me before."
"You know, Bella," Rose interjected, not invested in my Rio update, "Edward is not even the same person." She nodded in the direction of our men, respectively. They stood across the room, fine male specimens on display. Edward was grinning and playing in his hair, stealing glances in my direction on every occasion. She continued, "In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you have fucked that man right out of his mind!"
My jaw dropped as Alice squealed in enjoyment. "Oh yeah she has! Look at that face!"
Fate provided a reprieve from the firing squad through the salvation of the doorbell. Carlisle walked to open the door, meeting Eric Pulsifer face to face.
"Eric! You made it! Wonderful, come on in." Carlisle motioned him inside, accompanied by a younger gentleman with dark brown hair and almost black eyes. His high cheekbones and olive skin reminded me instantly of Jake.
"This is my brother Tyler," Eric made the introductions to everyone as they walked into the family room. "He's finishing his last year of medical school at the University of Washington."
"I knew you were coming in to see your dad, but I wasn't sure if you'd make it in time for dinner. I'm glad you did." Carlisle smiled. He and Eric were long standing friends. They began talking with my dad and Esme, leaving Tyler alone in the room.
I grabbed my opportunity to run from Alice and Rose by walking over and offering my hand. "Hi. I'm Bella Swan."
"Dr. Swan? Wow, it's great to meet you! Eric has told me all about you, and how much Dad has improved since you arrived. Thank you for everything." His compliments were endearing and sincere. I blushed uncontrollably, never being able to accept compliments well.
"Your brother mentioned you, too. He said you hadn't chosen a specialty yet?" I maneuvered away from the topic of myself.
"Yeah. I couldn't decide, so I chose a prelim year. I'm going to stay in Udub for that, then hopefully decide on my future. It would be great to get your opinions on Psychiatry. It's still in my top three, " he noted.
"I'd be glad to." I liked his warm personality and could tell that he would be good with patients.
"Especially since you don't seem like the typical psychiatrist, old, white, balding males." Tyler grinned flirtatiously.
Oh My God.
Is this stud flirting with me?
I'm old enough to be his… SISTER!
Wait…is that considered a Cougar?
I laughed nervously. "Well, they are a dying breed I hear." I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to find the eyes of blue steel looking past me in the direction of poor Tyler Pulsifer. "Edward! This is Tyler."
"So I've heard." Edward extended his hand in greeting, but it was not a welcome signal. "I'm Edward."
"You do the music class, right?"
Ouch.
Edward's mouth twisted as he processed what I knew would be a biting remark. My inner conscience braced for the impact.
"Dinner's ready!" Esme called out.
Thank you God.
A/N: Had a hard week? Go grab a bottle of honey and work out your frustrations…AFTER you hit that button…you know the one…