Thanks again to everyone sticking with me. I hope you are enjoying the story!
I wonder if anyone's made the connection as to what the chapter titles are...Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Now to settle down to business...I do not own Twilight. Lord knows I wish I did. But no, Twilight, it's charactes and situations are the property of the lovely Stephenie Meyer and not the lowly Karis J Anderson.
Please enjoy, and leave a little love if you like :D
~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 9: Howlin' At The Moon
Friday dawned cold, damp and overcast. A typical Forks Halloween was on the schedule. Except this year, Edward wouldn't be working or hiding in his room. This year, Edward would be participating.
He noticed it the minute he entered his bedroom after school and the warm feeling it gave him flooded him. Of course Carlisle wouldn't let him down. Locking the door behind him, Edward moved quickly to his bed.
Clean, green hospital scrubs with the name "CULLEN" stenciled under the left shoulder sat neatly folded, along with a crisp, white doctor jacket with the words "Dr. C. Cullen" embroidered over the left breast pocket.
Edward picked up the white jacket and held it up in front of himself, looking at it, feeling the lump forming in his throat. He had texted Carlisle earlier in the week, asking if he could borrow a jacket or a set of scrubs for the party, and his father had been more than willing to help. He swallowed down the lump.
He picked up the scrubs, and noticed a small brown paper bag tucked up neatly beneath the clothes. He sat down on the bed, and opened the bag, looking in. Props. Carlisle had provided him with props. And a note. Edward took out the note and read Carlisle's neat script.
Dear Edward~
What kind of a doctor would you be without the proper diagonistic tools? Here is an old stethoscope to wear around your neck, along with some tongue depressors to do with as you please (within reason, of course), a pen light, and a reflex hammer (try to be careful with this one, it will leave a mark) Sorry, no prescription pads!
Also, son, I know that you are old enough to know better and that you, above all the others, know to be responsible. But, I also know what it's like to be seventeen, like you are, and in love, like I know you are. Therefore, I would be remiss in my duties as a parent if I did not reiterate what I know you know all too well. Edward, sometimes our feelings are so strong that our emotions overtake us and drive us. Our hormones take over and neutralize our brain. By the time we come to our senses, it's too late. So, for your sake, and especially for your love, Bella's sake, please, be safe.
I don't get to say it often, and I know sometimes you have trouble believing it, but I do love you.
Your 12am curfew is lifted for Friday night! Have fun at your party with the beautiful Miss Swan!
Love,
~ Dad
Edward hugged the note to his chest as he struggled to hold it together. How could he have been so wrong about Carlisle? How had he missed who he really was? Had he been so angry that he'd just chosen to ignore the truth about his father? This was a loving, understanding, compassionate and, most importantly, a forgiving man. And Edward offered up a silent prayer of thanks that Carlisle Cullen was his father.
He stuck his hand in the bag and pulled out the props his father had provided. Stethoscope. Reflex hammer. A Ziplock bag that held a couple of dozen little wooden tongue depressors. And a box. He pulled the box out and looked at it, feeling his cheeks flush immediately.
Carlisle had bought him a box of condoms.
He noticed his hand shaking as he held the box, and tossed it onto the bed quickly. No, he wasn't ready for that step yet. He and Bella were still so new. Kissing her was still thrilling. The feel of her soft wet lips against his, tracing his jaw, trailing down his neck. It was all so exciting. And no matter what little Edward thought, big Edward wasn't ready to proceed to the next level. No, he wouldn't be needing Carlisle's thoughtful gift just yet. At least, tonight.
Edward yanked his boots and socks off and tugged his gray tshirt over his head. He wandered into his bathroom, turning on the water in his shower as he stripped his jeans and boxer briefs off his legs, tossing them into his hamper. He stepped into the shower and let the hot water cascade down his body, soothing and calming as it washed away another day at Forks High School.
Carlisle's note weighed heavily on his mind as he absently soaped up his body. Since he and Bella had randomly run into his parents at the diner the night of their first date, things had shifted dramatically between himself and Carlisle. He was communicating with his father more, even if only through text messages or short conversations in the garage. He even called his mother every day at lunch from Bella's truck, on Bella's cell phone, of course, just so he could tell her that he loved her. He didn't care if anyone thought he was a pussy for doing it. Bella, in fact, encouraged him, and that was all the approval he needed. And he felt closer to his parents. He knew that he had Bella Swan to thank for it
Bella.
He sighed at the thought of her. He thought of the costume she would be wearing tonight and shoved all other thoughts from his mind. He moved his right hand down to his soapy nether regions. Bella, the naughty nurse. He sighed again as he gripped himself firmly, feeling his heart beat rapidly. While he hadn't seen the costume yet, mental images of it had filled his mind and fueled his fantasies all week.
Today was no exception.
Bella in a tight, short nurse's uniform. With stilettos. Always with stilettos. Maybe with red stilettos. How he loved her in red. Could it get any better than Bella in a short, tight nurses uniform wearing red stilettos? Oh and white thigh high stockings. The kind with the lacy trim on top. Mmmm….that was it. No, it didn't get much better than Bella in a short, tight nurse's uniform, leaning forward and blowing him a kiss from plump red lips…unless it was Bella taking off that tight, short nurses uniform and wearing nothing but those damn red stilettos and thigh highs.
He groaned quietly as his release took him, bracing himself against the shower wall with his left hand as his knees weakened. It had become routine for him to 'relieve the pressure', as he referred to his masturbatory habits, before a date with Bella. He wanted to take things nice and slow with her, even if she had been hinting not so subtly about speeding things up.
It wasn't that he didn't want more with her. He did. He wanted to feel every inch of her, warming her with his hot hands, touching and feeling. To lick her soft, salty skin, tasting the spender that was Bella. To kiss the soft sensuousness that was her hot, fiery skin. To explore unknown territory and show her how much he loved her. He wanted to please her, to make her know the extent of his passion. He wanted as much of her as was humanly possible to take. He wanted to devour her. It was like her body, her soul, sang to him, begging him to take her and make her his own.
He wanted her.
But above all else, he wanted it to be right. She deserved that. He deserved that. They deserved that. What they had did not deserve a quick fuck in the back seat of the Volvo. It did not deserve a fast, sloppy after school screw in her bedroom with the specter of Charlie Swan, gun in hand, returning home from work unannounced. It deserved so much more than that. It deserved all the hearts and flowers in the world, as cliché as that sounded, even to Edward's jaded mind. And if getting it right with Bella meant waiting, then wait he would. He would wait however long it took, to make sure he didn't fuck up again.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The Stanley house was jammed with Halloween revelers wearing a vast array of colorful and imaginative costumes.
Mike Newton yanked the mask off his face, stuffing it inside his jacket. He pulled a comb from his back pocket and slicked back his sweaty hair in place, sliding the greasy comb into the back pocket of his jeans when he finished. He tugged his red letterman jacket back down into place at his hips before heading off with a cocky gait to find Jessica, moving in time with the thrum thrum thrum of the loud music that filled the small house.
"Hey, Einstein, you seen Jessica?"
Erik Yorkie rolled his eyes as he flipped the wild white hair of his wig up from his face. "There are four harem girls here tonight. How am I supposed to know which one is Jessica?"
"She's not a harem girl, genius. She's Jasmine from Aladdin." Mike punched Erik in the shoulder
"Ooof! Oh, yeah, big difference. Just like Leah is a genie. Huge difference." He adjusted the wire rimmed glasses on his nose.
"Can you even see through those stupid things?" Mike shoved the glasses up on the bridge of Erik's nose.
"Hey! Don't break them! They're my granddads!" Erik slapped his hand away.
"Stupid fuckin' costume," Mike mumbled as he wound his way between the bodies squeezed into the small Stanley kitchen.
"What the fuck are you supposed to be?" someone snorted at him.
Mike looked up to see a giant, flaxen haired green pixie looming over him.
"Kind of big for that costume, aren't you, Lauren," he scoffed.
"I'd turn you into a dickless troll, but it looks like someone already beat me to it, Newton," she whacked him hard on the head with her fairy wand and turned around to walk away, slapping him in the face with one of her huge, glittery fairy wings as she did. Accidentally, of course. Maybe.
"Stupid fucking party," Mike shook his head.
"Avast! The rum might be gone, mate, but we have grog!"
"Jesus! Tyler, what the fuck?" Mike jumped back with a start as a hook offered him a bottle of beer. Of course, he didn't let the hook stop him from taking the bottle.
"What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?" Tyler smiled, quite proud of his costume.
"Did your mommy buy you that at the Disney store?" Mike snickered as he twisted the cap off the beer.
"Hey, at least I don't look like an extra from Grease."
"I'm Teen Wolf, you moron."
"Teen Wolf, huh?" Tyler eyed him. "Shouldn't you have, like, a werewolf mask on or something then?"
"It's in my jacket, ass. I couldn't see out of the damn thing and I was starting to sweat in it." He pulled his jacket open, showing Tyler the furry back of the full head rubber mask.
"You should have dressed as a pirate, mate," Tyler affected a drunken English accent. "No mask involved and you get to drink rum." He lifted his other arm to show Mike the dark bottle he held. "And the ladies love a pirate, mate," he winked.
"You have rum in there?" Mike looked at him disbelievingly.
"Indeed!" Tyler swayed for effect.
"I don't believe you." Mike folded his arms across his chest.
"Believe what you want, mate." Tyler lifted the bottle to his lips.
Mike snatched the bottle out of Tyler's hand, sniffing it. "Your father's going to have your fucking balls in a sling if he smells this on you. And if you call me 'mate' one more time, I'll yank them off you myself and shove them in your fucking bottle of rum ."
Tyler frowned.
"Yo ho, mate," Mike pushed past him, craning his neck. "Jess! Jess! Jesus…" and he was lost in the costumed crowd.
Nurse Bella sat on Dr. Cullen's lap, casually talking to Officer Angela Webber, who was handcuffed to Ben Cheney, her prisoner of love. The two couples were squeezed onto an already over crowded sofa in the Stanley den.
"I say genies."
"Belly dancers."
"Ben, what do you think they are?" Angela looked at her boyfriend who was slowly nursing a bottle of beer to its bottom.
"Sluts?"
Edward let out a long guffaw, leaning his forehead on Bella's shoulder as his body shook with laughter. "I think Ben's right," he snickered, looking at Bella.
"Edward!" Bella shrugged his chin off her. "I'm sitting here with my friggin' girls hanging out of my costume and you're calling chickies in similar outfits sluts?" She looked at him with a hurt expression on her face. "Is that what you think of me?"
"You're girls, as you call them so lovingly, are wearing a bra and covered by a shirt. Well, kinda. Their bra is supposed to be their costume," he justified. "There's nothing covering it. And besides, they are sluts, right Ben?"
"Right, Edward," Ben nodded in agreement, drinking down the last of his beer.
"And you two would know they're sluts because?" Bella looked at her boyfriend curiously. Although they never talked about it, she was pretty sure he wasn't a virgin, but it still bothered her that perhaps he'd dipped his wick in some familiar wax.
"Bathroom wall." Smiling Ben was a man of few words.
Angela slapped his shoulder with her slender hand. "Stop it. You two are so terrible when you're together."
"Like…teenage boys." Angela giggled, but Bella's head flew back as she laughed her deep, throaty laugh at her own joke.
"I want another beer," Ben shook his empty bottle. "Come on, Officer Angie. Don't cops get free drinks?" He smiled wickedly as he yanked her off the sofa by her handcuffed hand. "You guys want another?"
"Sure," Edward nodded, "Bella?"
"Nah, I'm good, thanks. Don't want to go home toasted. Don't think the Chief of Police would appreciate his underage daughter being returned home by her underage boyfriend in a state of total inebriation." She glanced over at Edward with a raised eyebrow. "Do you agree, honey?"
Edward's emerald eyes sparkled at her in the dim party light. She was beautiful. And she was his. "I do agree, darling. So, no thank you, Ben. I'm good."
"Suit yourselves," Ben wiggled his thick eyebrows as he led an exasperated Angela to the kitchen.
"Dude, he's got him some fierce eyebrows, doesn't he?" Bella watched the couple snake through the crowd on their way to the beer cooler.
Edward looked at her. "Like someone drew them on with a marker," he snorted.
"You know, I'm proud of you," Bella planted a quick kiss on the wild copper tressed head of her beloved.
"Why? Because my eyebrows aren't nearly as thick as Ben's?"
"No, because you said no to more beer."
"Bella, I'm not an alcoholic. I can say 'no', you know." His eyes rolled.
"I know, but, like, Ben should have said no too, but he didn't." She ran her finger along his strong jaw. "You're just more mature than the other boys are."
"Yeah, well, maybe I've…whatever." His voice trailed off and he looked down at his chest. He picked up the stethoscope that hung around his neck and began to trace it along the swells of the breasts that spilled out of the black and orange lace bra Bella was wearing. The bodice of the tight, white nurse's uniform she was wearing had wide lapels trimmed in red that were spread wide enough apart to offer quite a view of the ample cleavage created by the push up bra.
"When was the last time you had a complete physical, Nurse Bella?" His voice was low and sultry.
"Why, the last time you gave me one, about 15 minutes ago, Dr. Cullen," she giggled. It tickled when he ran the cold metal disc over her bosoms.
"You can never be too thorough, nurse," he planted soft butterfly kisses down her neck while his finger trailed lightly along the orange lace that was edging her bra, the tip of his finger gently grazing the soft, sensitive skin of her breast.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she realized that she wanted tonight to be the night. Desperately.
"Do you want to leave?" She sighed as she ran her fingers lightly along his strong, stubbly jaw. "I'm sure Charlie's asleep by now," she breathed into his ear, breasts heaving within the tight confines of the bra. Better to leave now, since his siblings hadn't shown up yet to spoil things. Plus, he seemed to really be in the mood, if the growing hardness she was feeling under his scrubs was any indication.
Edward looked at her, his emerald eyes dark under his heavy lids. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to say yes. Yes, Bella, I want to leave and make love to you. I want to show you how I feel about you.
Instead, he cleared his throat, leaning his head back on the sofa, trying to clear his mind.
"No, we shouldn't. Jess would be hurt if we left so early," he sighed, not sure if he should mentally kick himself or pat himself on the back.
Bella sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder, clearly disappointed. "Is there something that maybe we need to discuss, Edward?"
He felt her lips moving softly against his neck, and swallowed hard. "No. Should there be?" Of course there was. There was a six hundred pound gorilla right there in front of them, and it wasn't the idiot dancing around in the actual gorilla suit in the middle of the Stanley den.
Bella sighed and tightened her grip around Edward's neck. "No, I guess not," she tried not to sound as disappointed as she was feeling.
He held her closer, because, right now, that was all he could give her, all he was willing to give her. Giving her more would be expected, sure, but it would it be right? No, it wouldn't. At least, it wouldn't be until they discussed that six hundred pound gorilla. And he wasn't ready to discuss it. Not tonight, not now. Not yet. He was too selfish, too happy right now to discuss it and risk losing the first bit of happiness he'd had since moving to Forks.
Naturally the door chose that moment to fly open, catching everyone's attention.
Edward rolled his eyes.
Of course his siblings would opt to make a dramatic entrance.
They walked in silently, with serious expressions on their faces. Each face painted white, with blood red lips and eyes ringed in black. Hair moussed and gelled and sticking out in all directions. Four sleek, black capes flew out behind them as they walked into the crowded house.
The Cullen's had dressed as characters from the ever popular Teenage Vampire books.
"How original," Edward murmured as he leaned his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He wished he had a cigarette.
Bella joined the rest of the revelers in staring at the dark quartet as they silently made their way into the room, watching as Tyler and Mike closed ranks, carefully monitoring the path the unwelcome family was taking.
Tiny Alice led the way, wearing a short black skirt that was tattered at the hem with a red off the shoulder peasant style top. Jasper and Emmett were dressed identically, in jeans with crisp white shirts. Rosalie brought up the rear, wearing a skirt similar to the one Alice wore, though her top was a tight black halter. Bella couldn't help but notice how similar it was to the top she'd worn on her first date to Port Angeles with Edward.
Edward heard Bella gasp and looked up just in time to see Alice bounding toward them, black satin cape fluttering out behind her.
"Edward!" She jumped and landed flatly on his lap, a small "Ooof" escaping from his surprised mouth. Alice draped her arms around her brother's neck, planting a huge kiss on his cheek.
"H-Hi Alice," he stammered in surprise.
"Bella!" Alice threw her arms around Bella, hugging her tightly as Edward struggled for breath beneath the two girls.
"Hi Alice," Bella hugged Alice with one arm. "Nice to see you. Great costume."
"Oh, Club Volturi in Port Angeles is having a Teenage Vampire party tonight. You have to dress up as characters from the books to get in. Took a lot of convincing for Jazz to let me do his makeup," she giggled at the memory. She leaned back, taking in both Edward and Bella. "Oh my gosh! I love it! A doctor and a nurse!" She smiled knowingly at Edward, who nodded back in answer to her silent question. He knew Alice would never tell that Carlisle had given him the scrubs to wear.
"Alice, we're going to get drinks. Are you coming?" Rose was standing with her hands on her hips, far enough away that it shouldn't have been a problem, but Bella could still feel the hatred for Edward rolling off of her in waves. What the hell had happened in this family to cause such hard feelings, she wondered, noting how the sensual mood she and Edward had been in only moments ago was now seemingly lost forever.
"I'm fine, Rose," Alice called out to her, not moving from Edward's lap, not even as Jasper leveled a look at her.
"So, um, you guys have Mom's car, I take it?" Edward was clearly uncomfortable.
"What do you think," Alice snorted.
"That's about what I thought." Edward's tone was cautious and looked at Alice, who gave a look back, and again it was as if they were having a conversation without talking. Bella noted this down mentally and made note to mention it at a later date.
"Yeah, I really wish you two would come with us," she sighed.
"Our costumes are all wrong," Bella snorted.
"Oh, Bella, you look absolutely beautiful!" Alice gushed as she oogled Bella. Alice always seemed to gush around Bella. The tiny girl reached out and, before Bella realized what she was doing, gave Bella's boobs a quick squeeze. "And, they're real too!"
Bella gasped. Say…what?! She could feel the color rise in her cheeks. Was little Alice Cullen a…a switch hitter? She would have to ask Edward about this too, and the sooner the better. Until then, all she could muster was a small "Umm…thanks?" in response to Alice.
"Oh Christ, Alice!" Edward rolled his eyes.
"What?" Alice looked at her brother innocently.
"You have to excuse my sister, Bella. But since she's so flat chested," he yelled flat chested in Alice's face, "She's inappropriately obsessed with other women's breasts. More than I am, and you know how obsessed with your boobs I am," he sounded exasperated.
Bella thought for a moment that if her face hadn't been covered in white makeup, Alice would be blushing from embarrassment, but the whisp of a girl didn't seem a bit flustered.
"Edward, I appreciate things I don't possess. Big, beautiful natural breasts happen to be one of the things I admire and appreciate," she huffed. "There's nothing wrong with it."
"There is when the breasts you want to appreciate and admire, with your hands, belong to my girlfriend," he shook his head.
"Bella doesn't mind, right Bella?"
"Uh…sure." Wow, she's even weirder than I thought. "Sure, I don't mind. Hell, they're out there, right? I'm showing them off to the world!" Bella laughed.
"Bullshit. Alice, don't touch Bella's boobs again unless you ask." He turned to Bella. "Seriously, she has issues with boundaries. Just smack her hand and yell 'NO' if she does it again. Or, better yet, roll up a newspaper and rap her across the nose a few times. That'll teach her." He smirked at his sister who stuck her small pink tongue out at him.
Edward shifted his weight beneath both girls. With one perched on each thigh, his lower body was quickly becoming numb. He said nothing, however, not wanting to displace Bella, and not wanting Alice to think he didn't want her around, regardless of how annoying she made herself.
"So are you guys having a good time?" Alice's voice sounded like high pitched bells ringing, Bella thought. There was something oddly adorable about the strange pixie like girl with boundary issues.
"Very good time," Edward nodded.
"Oh yeah. This is like," Bella waved her hand out at the mélange of costumes displayed around the room, "like, the best freak show ever! And, hell, it's not every day my girls get tweeked by my boyfriend's sister." Bella and Alice laughed together at this as Edward shook his head yet again.
"I swear I'm the only normal person here," he mused.
"I noticed the belly dancer thing is big this year," Alice whispered conspiratorially to Bella, adding a soft giggle at the end.
Bella slapped Edward's chest lightly. "See? I told you they were belly dancers. But do you ever listen to me? Noooo. Your demented little man brain had to see them as genies."
"Hey, they could be any number of things," Edward defended himself. "And I do not have a demented little man brain."
"We all know where a man's brains are, Edward," Alice rolled her eyes at her brother.
"Oh thanks. My own sister is even against me," he laughed.
"Not just you, Edward," Alice inspected her short red fingernails. "Your brain is exactly where every man's brains are." She smirked at Bella.
"In their pants!" Bella threw her head back, letting go of her deep laugh again.
"Nice going, Alice. She's going to be laughing at that for the rest of the night now," he rolled his eyes.
Alice ignored him, reaching instead for Bella's hand "Oh my God! Where do you get these done?" She fingered Bella's long, beautiful nails, which were painted black, with orange tips and a spattering of silver glitter.
"Oh, I found a salon in Port Angeles. Pretty good, no?" She watched Alice finger each nail.
"Are these yours?" She seemed mesmerized by Bella's nails.
"Why don't you squeeze those too and see if they're real?" Edward laid his head back on the back of the sofa again as he made a low moaning noise.
"Don't be such a dick, Edward," Bella smacked his chest again. "Yeah, they're mine, but, well, enhanced a bit," Bella giggled. "They put some gel crap on them, you know, to keep them strong."
Edward zoned out during the beauty conversation, leaning his head back on the sofa and closing his eyes. He was happy that Bella and Alice were getting some girl bonding time and realized that his siblings would be too embarrassed to make a scene at this party, with most of the population of Forks High there to witness it. And while he could feel Jasper intensely staring, he knew Jasper would do little more tonight than stare. Out of all the other's he understood what Edward meant to Alice. He might go along with Rose and Emmett, but he never instigated anything. He sighed and felt himself drifting off.
"Isn't that right, Edward? Edward?"
A sharp elbow jabbed him in the rib.
"Ooof! What the hell?" He started awake.
"Edward, pay attention. I was just telling Bella here about how before you met her, you never came to parties or anything. Isn't that right?" Alice blinked her incredibly big eyes at him. Even with the white vampire makeup and dark rings around her eyes, she was adorable.
He smiled at her sweetly. "Yes, Alice. It's true." He looked at Bella, his voice soft. "Before I met you, I was a hermit. I lived in a damp, moss covered cave in the woods, rarely seen by mankind. You might know me by my other name, Sasquatch."
Bella's head flew back one more time as her husky laugh bellowed. Alice rolled her eyes and Edward chortled at his own joke.
"Very funny, stupid brother of mine. You know, if I didn't love you so much I would hurt you," she giggled, nudging his jaw with the top of her head.
"Ow! Jesus! What the fuck do you have in your hair to make it that hard?"
"Some sculpting gel. It hardens to keep your 'do in place."
"You better be careful you don't impale someone on your head and Bella's dad has to arrest you. I can assure you, we won't be bailing you out, Missy."
"What kind of charge would that be, I wonder?" Bella rubbed her chin, thinking.
"Assault with a deadly hair style," Edward rolled his eyes. "Oh, well, it looks like you are being beckoned to the bat mobile, sister."
All three of them looked up to see the remaining Cullen's assembling in the middle of the room. Rosalie, hands on her hips, stood between Jasper and Emmett. All three stared at Alice.
"Well," Alice sighed. "I guess that's my cue." She turned to Edward, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. He hummed softly and closed his eyes as she did. "You know," she whispered into his ear. "The only reason we even came here tonight was because I didn't shut up about wanting to hang out with you, even if they didn't care to."
"Did you really?" Edward leaned his forehead against hers. It was an oddly intimate gesture for a brother and sister, and while she felt compelled to look away from this private moment, Bella wondered yet again what the hell had gone down in Casa Cullen.
"Yeah. Jazz got so sick of me that he finally told the other two to just suck it up and give me an hour so I shut the hell up," her laugh was clear and clean, like the tinkling Bella remembered hearing from the huge Waterford crystal chandeliers at the Kennedy Center when her class had taken a trip to Washington, DC the year before.
Edward closed his eyes, still resting his forehead against Alice's. "I love you," he murmured to her.
"I love you too, Edward," her fingers gently ran the length of his jaw. "I'm so happy you found someone as wonderful as Bella to make you happy." She kissed his cheek again and was of his lap in a flash, and standing next to Rose, face serious, ready to make a grand exit with the others.
"Night, Alice," Bella waved and smiled. "Have fun at the club."
Alice nodded before turning on her heel with the rest of the Teenage Vampire clan, and striding purposely out the Stanley door.
"Well, that wasn't too uncomfortable." Bella shifted on Edward's lap, no longer having to share it with the smaller Alice. "Alice is pretty cool when you get to talking to her. But the rest of them seemed a little out of place here to me."
"Yeah. I told you Alice was awesome. But, you are right. The others were out of place. And, truthfully, it was kind of…weird for me." He shook his head. "I'm so used to having my guard up around them all the time."
"Even at home?"
"Especially at home."
"That has to make your home life stressful." She twisted her fingers around his wayward strands of copper hair as he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
"You have no idea," he sighed.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"No. Not…not tonight." And he closed the subject, nuzzling her neck softly.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Edward stalked silently toward the bed, aware of the cool night air blowing in from the open windows on his naked body as a soft shiver ran down his spine. He wondered if she felt the same.
Gently, he sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at her lovingly. The covers were pulled up to her chin, and she tossed back the corner where he sat.
"It's chilly in here. You should cover up before you catch your death of cold." Her voice was low and husky.
He slid between the covers and into her waiting arms. He felt her hot, blazing skin against his cool body as her arms enveloped him.
Finding her full, soft lips, he gently took her lower lip in between his, teasing her lip ring with his tongue before plunging it into her mouth, in search of her tongue.
"Edward," she moaned softly into his mouth as he kissed her with more urgency. He had waited so long to make her his own, and now he was going to get the opportunity. The house was empty, dark and quiet, the only sound their heavy breathing and soft moaning in his bedroom.
This is what she deserved.
This was the way it was supposed to be.
His hands wandered over her naked body, feeling breasts and hips and thighs. Her fingers caressed the muscles and lines of his shoulders and back, finding the swell of his buttocks as they moved down. They moaned softly into each other's mouths, the sensation sending a frenzy of shivers down their bodies, every nerve ending alive.
Slowly, sensuously, he moved his mouth down her body, eager to taste her, all of her. Breasts, belly, thighs and everything in between. With each new caress, each new flick of the tongue, her body reacted, eager for more.
Edward rested on his elbows, hovering over her.
"Are you sure," he whispered, nuzzling his nose against hers.
"I have never been more certain of anything else in my life," she sighed, twisting her fingers into his hair, tugging lightly. The sensation made him close his eyes and groan.
With lust filled eyes barely open, they gazed at one another.
"I love you," Edward whispered against her lips.
"I love you too." She tightened her fingers in his hair as he moved his hips against hers and with a slow, intense move, was completely inside her, never breaking eye contact.
She gasped, wrapping her legs around his hips, binding him to her as they began to move together slowly, moaning softly against one another.
"Edward," she sighed, closing her eyes as his wet lips found her throat. "Oh, Edward!" Her hands slid down from his hair and her arms wrapped around his back, beautifully manicured nails scratching against his soft, pale skin, digging in, giving him chills that he knew were not from the frigid night air.
They moved together slowly, neither wanting the splendid moment to end. Breathing hard and ragged as low moans escaped their lips.
Before he knew what was happening, everything shifted. Gone were the soft, gentle movements of two bodies becoming one. Gone the soft sounds of perfect love. Suddenly, her legs were draped over his shoulders as he thrust into her wildly, with so much force, that the headboard began to slam against the wall.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
The huge, carved gothic headboard towered over the bed, exclaiming its excitement with every thrust.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
He couldn't control himself. He pounded into her harder and harder, faster and faster, not knowing where he got the energy to keep up such an intense rhythm.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
His breathing became more ragged and uneven. He was acutely aware that sweat was pouring down his face, tasting the salty brine on his lips, as it rolled down to his chin, dropping onto her soft, translucent skin.
"Edward! Edward!" She called his name out again and again as he moved more frantically, desperately trying to reach his climax with her.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Edward looked up at the giant headboard, towering so high over them that it dwarfed them, moving higher and higher against the wall as it slammed against it in time with each of his movements.
How was he moving this insanely large piece of furniture?
He looked up again, and it seemed to loom even higher over them. He became aware of shadows playing against the wall from the candles, shadows that reached higher and higher up toward an impossibly high ceiling.
Candles? Where the hell did the candles come from? He couldn't remember lighting any.
Although he was amazingly distracted by the headboard, he did not slow his rhythm. He continued, fast and furious as she screamed his name over and over.
When did he get this headboard? He couldn't remember ever seeing it before. How could he forget something as huge as this wall sized headboard?
The sweat rolled down his chest now, plastering the hair there to his skin, as he grabbed hold of her legs tighter, desperate to hang on to her.
BANG!
Where did the candles come from?
EDWARD!
BANG!
Where did the headboard come from?
EDWARD!
BANG!
EDWARD!
He looked down at her, his vision blurring from the sweat dripping down from his forehead and into his eyes. He wanted to wipe his brow with his arm, but didn't want to release his grip on her. Faster and faster he plunged into her as she screamed his name over and over.
BANG!
EDWARD!
BANG!
EDWARD!
He began to lose focus and her face started to blur. She seemed to be slipping away from him.
No!
EDWARD! EDWARD! EDWARD!
He was losing her and in her place he was hearing Carlisle's voice yelling over the pounding of the headboard against the wall.
"EDWARD! EDWARD!! WAKE UP! UNLOCK THIS DOOR!"
He sat up with a start, alone in his bed, sweat soaked sheets twisted around his naked torso. He ran his hands through his damp hair, looking around the dark room and feeling disoriented. The red numbers on his alarm clock flashed 3:47 am. He quickly looked behind him. The monstrous headboard was not there.
It had been nothing but a dream. An incredibly intense dream, but a dream, none the less.
"EDWARD! EDWARD! WAKE UP!"
"Dad?" Edward heard the urgency in Carlisle's voice. Had he been crying out in his sleep so loudly that he woke his parents and frightened them?
"EDWARD!!" Carlisle pounded on the door.
"I'm coming, Dad!" He scrambled out of the bed and fell flat on his face, the damp sheets twisted and stuck around his legs. He crawled desperately to the door several paces before finally finding his legs beneath him and righting himself, shaking hands fiddling in the darkness with the lock on the door before flinging it open.
"Dad? What is it? What's the matter?" He was still breathing heavily from his dream, and the pained look on his father's pale face did nothing to help calm him. "Dad! What is it?"
"Edward," Carlisle's voice was shaky as he breathed heavily. "Son, there's been an accident."
~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N:
Ooo...a cliff hanger! I hope you all hang on for the next installment!
I swear, I spent way too much time in the Hot Topic this Christmas season! Not for myself, mind you, but for gifts. It got so that the kids in there knew me! Totes embarrassing, but, inspiring for Bella, ya know?
Anyone ever notice that, in most fan fic, Mike Newton is a tool? Wonder why that is :D
Any whoo, if you like what you read, please, let me know! And thanks again for sticking it out with me.
Oh, and I'm listening to Sam Bradley's Sea Blue...*sigh*...this may have to become Edward & Bella's song :D