A/N: I know this is horribly late… All I can say is I have had a major case of writer's block that would not go away! This is the result of my long months of Twilight fanfic exile, and I hope you enjoy! Thanks as always to my wonderful pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and my amazing beta, Jenny Cullen. Without them, this would not have gotten accomplished!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything related to it. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Edward squeezed his eyes shut and allowed his fingertips to trail from Bella's cheek, down over her collarbone to the valley between her breasts. He smiled softly as he heard her breath hitch. Edward opened his eyes to see her gazing up at him, and he very deliberately hooked his index finger under the cup of her bra and pulled the material down, exposing her pink-tipped breast. She gasped as the cool air of the room came into contact with her skin. He continued to hold her gaze as he inserted his finger into his mouth and then slowly circled her nipple

Her areola puckered as the air hitthe wet trail his finger left, and she groaned at the sensual picture he presented. Instinctively, she pushed his head down to her chest, wanting nothing more than his beautiful mouth on her skin.

He flashed her a crooked smile and felt his erection grow even more at her response to him. Nothing was a greater aphrodisiac than a beautiful woman writhing beneath you and wanting you to touch her. He eagerly complied with her wishes and lowered his lips to her delicate skin, swiping his tongue over her sensitive flesh.

"Oh, Edward," she groaned, feeling the pull straight to her groin. She buried her hands in his hair and held him fast to her.

Edward moaned in response, reveling in the sensation of Bella's fingers tugging on his hair. He pulled back slightly and blew his hot breath over her breast, fascinated as he watched her body respond to his stimuli.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered and then paid reverence to her other breast by pulling her bra down and worshiping her with his tongue.

She wriggled against him, instinctively seeking some friction between her thighs. She wanted this moment to last forever, but she also instinctively knew that Edward had awakened some deep part of her psyche that she wouldn't be able to contain until she had found release. He could make love to her later; right now, she wanted – no, needed – him to fuck her senseless.

Edward groaned deep in his throat as Bella pressed herself tightly against his erection. The thin fabric of his boxers was beginning to chafe, and he wanted nothing more than to rip the material away and bury himself in her heat. His lust-fogged mind suddenly came to a screeching halt. Do I have a condom in my wallet? he asked himself in a panic. Nothing would ruin the mood more than his having to stop what he was doing and make a run to the nearest drugstore.

Bella looked up at him questioningly. She wondered what had caused his sudden change in mood…and focus. "What?" she asked, still panting heavily.

"Um…" He hesitated, debating on how to broach the subject. On the one hand, he wanted Bella to know that he took her health and safety seriously – above his own selfish, carnal desires – but on the other, he didn't want Bella to think he'd been carrying a condom around with him, just waiting for her to jump into bed with him.

"What?" she pressed, her focus sharpening.

"I-I was just suddenly wondering if I…if I had any…protection. With me…" he stuttered.

Bella's eyes widened, and she threw her hands over her face. "Oh, my God! I was so caught up in the moment, I didn't even think of that!"

Edward jumped up off the bed and grabbed his jeans, tugging his wallet out of the back pocket roughly. Emmett had been teasing him that he was going to stash a couple of condoms in there, in the event Edward needed one, and now, he prayed his brother had actually followed through.

Bella propped herself up on her elbows and watched Edward frantically dig through his pockets. She couldn't suppress the giggle when he pulled his hand out of a pocket and change flew into the air before landing in a shower around him.

He grinned at her. "Sorry. I guess I'm just in a hurry."

She smiled back at him. "I don't know what you're in such a hurry for, Edward. I'm not going anywhere," she teased.

He flipped his wallet open and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the little foil packet. Thank God. "Bella, if you were looking at what I'm looking at, you'd be in a hurry, too," he replied, all teasing gone from his voice.

Bella swallowed at the intensity in his expression, and she felt a jolt through her stomach at his words. She wanted to make a witty reply, but her mouth was as suddenly dry as cotton. She nodded dumbly instead.

Edward tossed the small packet onto the mattress beside her before crawling onto the foot of the bed. He had to gain some semblance of control over himself, or he would not only embarrass himself, but look like an idiot in front of Bella. Instead of belying his internal struggle, however, he gave her the crooked smile she loved so much. He sat back on his heels a bit and slowly looked at her, his head cocked to the side.

"What?" she asked, her breathing quickening.

He just smirked at her before lifting her left foot and bringing it to his mouth. Holding her gaze as he planted a soft kiss on her arch, Edward closed his eyes and ran his nose lightly up the inside of her calf. Bella closed her eyes and groaned.

"Edward, don't tease me," she said, her voice strained. She wasn't sure she could take much more of this foreplay; she felt as if she would spontaneously combust at any moment.

He didn't reply, but set her foot back down onto the bed before picking up her right leg and copying his actions. He then leaned forward and ran his tongue up the inside of her right thigh, chuckling at the goose bumps he felt erupt on her skin.

Bella groaned and closed her eyes, giving herself up to the sensations Edward was making her feel. She'd never felt anything this intense, not even with James. She hadn't been ready to be physically intimate with James – and had known it at the time – but she'd wanted him to love her and so had gone along with it when his hands started to wander. But that moment with Edward seemed so right to her…so natural. She wasn't concerned about how she looked or how she sounded. She wasn't worried about focusing solely on his pleasure.

For the first time in her life, she actually felt as if she could be who she truly was.

She smiled to herself at her own revelation. I guess this is what love feels like, she thought as she gazed down at Edward's bronze head between her thighs.

Edward felt her gaze on him, and he looked up, his fingers wrapped around her leg. "What?" he asked softly, continuing to place light kisses up the inside of her thigh.

She shook her head, not able to actually say the words yet.

He grinned at her and held her gaze as he leaned down and swiped his tongue through her folds. Bella threw her head back and felt her toes curl. Oh, holy hell… She heard a deep, guttural groan and then gasped in surprise when she realized it had come from her. Instead of feeling embarrassed, however, she just closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the magic of Edward's mouth.

Edward smirked at her reaction and continued to lap at her center. At the first taste of her, he'd thought he might come unglued, but he'd managed to bring his body back under control with an iron will. He felt that he could live forever on only the nourishment Bella's body provided him. She was everything he'd ever wanted, and he wanted to tie himself to her in every way humanly possible. He drew back suddenly, placing a soft kiss just above her pubic bone before tearing the foil packet open and rolling the condom on quickly.

Bella opened her eyes. They needed no words, but communicated silently with each other. Edward leaned up to press a kiss to her lips, and Bella wrapped her legs around his waist.

"You're sure?" he asked again.

She nodded. "Yes."

He stared down into her brown eyes, trying to convey all of his emotions to her through that one look. "Bella… I love you…so much… And I'm not just saying it because we're here…like this…" he stammered.

Bella's lips stretched into a wide smile, and she placed her palm on his cheek. "I love you, too, Edward. And I want to be with you…"

He grinned, unable to stop himself. His dream was being realized. Bella loved him! She pulled her legs forward a bit, trying to speed things along. She was all for the sappy love proclamations, but her body felt as if it were on fire, and she needed Edward to give her the release she was so desperately craving. Then they could go back to spouting off their feelings for each other.

"Edward, please…" she sighed, trying to pull his body flush with hers.

Edward cupped her cheek and braced his weight on his elbows. Almost as if it had a mind of his own, his body sought the entrance to hers, wanting nothing more than to be physically joined with her. When his tip brushed against her warm wetness, he closed his eyes and groaned deep in his throat. He felt Bella open her legs wider and tighten around his waist. He forced his eyes open and stared down at the beautiful woman underneath him, holding her gaze as he slowly pushed forward and entered her body.

Bella gasped at the intrusion, feeling wonderfully full and complete. This was what she had been longing for… "Oh, Edward," she sighed, running her hands up his arms to his shoulders. Her nails dug into his skin, urging him onward.

Edward pulled back before thrusting forward again slowly, almost overcome by the sensation of Bella's body gripping his, almost as if it was pulling him forward of its own accord. He knew he wouldn't last long, and he was unable to fight his primal urges any longer. He braced himself and began rocking his hips faster, setting a steady rhythm in and out of Bella's body.

He stared down at her, her chestnut hair spread over her pillow, her lips slightly swollen from his kisses, her breasts red from his stubble. He had never felt such emotions for one person in his life, and he never wanted to leave her side. "Bella…" he groaned under his breath.

Bella felt herself beginning to reach her climax, and she allowed herself to focus on every sensation that was running through her body. She closed her eyes and started to ride the wave as it approached.

"God, I love you so much," he whispered as his thrusting became more erratic and frantic.

At his declaration, Bella cried out as her orgasm crashed over her, her senses spinning momentarily into orbit. She heard Edward cry out and felt him tense, his arms tightening on either side of her. She held onto him with her legs, holding him inside her as he experienced his own climax.

After what felt like forever – but she intellectually knew it was only moments – they both relaxed against each other, their limbs and breathing tangled together. Edward rested his forehead on hers, his breathing ragged. Finally, without words, he pulled out of her and fell to his side. He'd just experienced the most intense orgasm of his life, and his muscles felt as if they were made from Play-Doh. He gathered enough reserve energy to quickly dispose of the condom before wrapping his arms around Bella and holding her to his side, tucking her head under his chin. He pulledthe covers up over them both, and they just lay there in each other's embrace, enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Edward brushed her hair back before planting a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered. He would take care of James, but he didn't voice the thought aloud. He wanted no part of that asshole in their little world at the moment, but he made a mental note to make some calls first thing Monday morning.

Bella sighed, feeling more content than she could remember ever being. She was wrapped in the arms of the man she loved – and who loved her in return – and she could think of nothing else she wanted. "I love you, too," she whispered before closing her eyes and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.