A/N Thanks to Nikki for beta'ing and to Jen for pre-reading. I love them both. And I love you guys :)
As for this chapter, I only have one thing to say… I don't really do overly emotional (or overly long) lemons…
Enjoy!
Chapter 15
Edward Pov
March 10th, 2012
~~ 0 ~~
~~ 0 ~~
~~ 0 ~~
2012…
…was proving to be an interesting year so far. If the rest of the year was going to be as good as it had started out, I could already consider myself a lucky man. Spending the night between the 31st of December and January 1st in Isabella's presence had been a lovely experience. We had opted to celebrate at my condo, just the two of us. With a bottle of the finest Moet and a delicious dinner prepared by Isabella herself, we had decided to improvise, making some sort of picnic on the living room's wooden floor. We ate, drank, joked and watched horrible TV shows, making sure to mark the passing from 2011 to 2012 with a proper kiss. Everything had been such a relaxing experience; something I had never tried before. Up until she appeared in my life, my New Year's consisted of pretentious parties held by either one of my relatives or by someone from my wide social circle.
Of course, my decision not to honor Emmett's party with my presence had been yet another reason for all the family to throw numerous reproaches at me. But to be honest, I was starting to not even care anymore. The only regret I had was that my father was being dragged in the middle of these fights between the ever conflicted trio: Mother, Emmett and I. From the moment he had found out about Isabella, he had decided not to take any sides, although he expressed his desire to meet her. I had told him the same thing I told everyone: not yet. Why? Because I wanted to give them a little more time to get used to the idea of me dating before I threw Isabella into the shark tank. Whether she realized it or not, she wasn't quite ready to put up with the tornado that was my mother when she had strong, hostile feelings towards someone.
Aside from the usual familiar problems I had to deal with, my life seemed to be getting back on track.
As expected, Tanya's memorial had been uneventful. Her parents had been happy to see me, while Irina had not only kept her affectionate attitude towards me, but she had even asked about Isabella. That only reinforced my belief that she was a kind woman with a lovely personality; so similar to the one of her big sister. Although she had been a bit reticent and cold towards Isabella at their first encounter, Irina was unable to hold a grudge. My mother, on the other hand, had been bent on getting me to talk about the "student who was warming my bed", as she had eloquently put it. Needless to say, I didn't even bother answering her persistent questions.
With the memorial behind me, I now found myself in the position of rightfully being called Isabella's "boyfriend". I, for one, hated the term, finding it oddly pubescent. But Isabella seemed happy with our relationship's new status. I was officially off the market again, so to say, and so was she. The declaration had been made on the 20th of February without too much pomposity, both of us knowing it was time we took the next step. From that day forward there had been a slight change in our relationship's dynamics. Our touches and kisses became less platonic and much more urgent. We began seeing each other in various stages of undress, and eventually, I confessed that sexually I was ready for more.
Unfortunately for me, ever since she had accepted to make the trip to Europe with me, she started insisting that we should make it special. After the sex-themed conversation we'd had the night of my confessional, she had put sex on the long list of to-dos while in Prague. And so began my three week torture. Aside from a bit of groping and dry humping, we hadn't done anything that required us to take off our underwear. Sometimes, when I got really frustrated, I would catch her smiling mischievously and I knew she was enjoying this merciless process of teasing me. She was the one in control now, and she wasn't shy about letting me know it.
The pilot announced we were about to land, and I glanced over at Isabella. She was sleeping peacefully, her head resting on my shoulder, and I couldn't help the smile that made its way to my face. She was so excited to get to see the city where her parents had spent their honeymoon more that twenty years ago. According to her words, it had been the first and only time they could afford to get out of the country. The house in Forks was still adorned with pictures of them taken all over Prague, and it was one of Isabella's dreams to see those places with her own eyes. As for me, I was more than willing to please her. I hadn't been to the Czech Republic before either, so it was a new experience for both of us.
"Isabella," I murmured, rubbing the back of her left hand with my thumb. "Wake up."
Her eyes opened as she looked up at me groggily. "Are we there yet?"
"Yes," I said. "You need to put on your seatbelt."
"Mmmm," she hummed, stretching her arms over her head lazily. "I had such a good nap."
I chuckled, snapping my seatbelt on as she did the same. "I can tell."
"Didn't you sleep at all?"
"No. I got a bit of work done," I said motioning to my laptop.
She rolled her eyes at me, her palm going to my thigh where it rested. "You're such a workaholic. I really need to teach you how to relax from time to time."
"And how are you going to do that?" I asked with a knowing smirk.
"You'll see," she teased, leaning in for a kiss.
"I can't wait."
About twenty minutes later, we were getting into a black Mercedes. We had arranged our airport transfer through the hotel, and our pick up was waiting for us upon arrival. The driver was an elderly man who spoke really bad English.
"It's good we didn't have to take a cab," I said from the backseat, pulling Isabella closer to me. "I hate taxis."
"I'm so excited," she spoke, her right side buried into my shirt and her gaze trained on the passing buildings outside. "I never thought the opportunity to visit Prague would arrive so unexpectedly."
"I promise we're going to have a lovely week here," I whispered in her ear.
She nodded, hugging me. "I know."
Aria Hotel resembled some sort of musical boutique and was located in the famous Malá Strana neighborhood near the American Embassy. It was small and intimate, just as Isabella wanted. I had let her choose the hotel, my only request being that it was five stars. After searching the internet for two days, she had settled on this one. I would have preferred Marriot or Hilton, but Isabella didn't want to hear it. She kept insisting that we needed to "feel the city's unique atmosphere", and we couldn't do that in a busy hotel like the ones mentioned above.
"Wow," Isabella breathed at the sight of the building. A young bellboy came to take our luggage, and she stopped in the middle of the street for a few seconds, just taking in her surroundings. "I feel like even the air is different here."
"It probably is," I said, amused by her reaction.
Even from the entrance, you could tell this hotel's theme was music. Right by the front door, a tall music stand with an open score on it, welcomed us. As we advanced into the lobby, we were greeted by a beautiful horse miniature I had read about. It was said to be a copy of Myslbek's statue of Wenceslas on Wenceslas Square.
I tried to recapitulate in my mind everything I knew about Aria so far. It was small but select, only hosting a number of 52 rooms and suites. The artists celebrated by the hotel ranged from Dvorak to Elvis, Mozart, and to Billie Holiday. They had a music library complete with a Music Director that had a PhD in Musicology, a rooftop terrace with an amazing view of the city and a restaurant that was said to be one of the best in Prague. But what made this hotel special was its vicinity to the Vrtbovska Garden; a unique architectural gem registered with the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Making our way to the check in, I couldn't help but notice the fantastic attention to detail everywhere you turned your head; original art adorning the walls, sculptures, indoor fountain, fruit and fresh flowers, and last but not least, mosaic paving representing ancient music scores. So far, I was pleasantly surprised.
As we approached the front desk hand in hand, a lovely woman wearing an impeccable burgundy uniform met us with a wide smile. Her name-tag said Eliška.
"Welcome to hotel Aria," she said in a sing-song voice, her English bearing a slight accent. "What can I do for you?"
"We have a reservation under the name Cullen."
She nodded, typing something in her computer. "The Smetana Suite?"
"Yes," I confirmed, glancing at Isabella. She was taking in her surroundings, seemingly fascinated by what she saw.
"Seven days?" the receptionist asked.
"Yes."
She looked up from the computer screen. "How would you like to pay?"
Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out my wallet, handing her my credit card. She swiped it through the usual machine, returning it to me along with an additional object.
"Thank you, sir." She smiled brightly. "This is your fully loaded iPod, compliments of the hotel. Tomáš is going to show you to your room." She gestured towards a tall man dressed all in black who was waiting patiently. "Enjoy your stay."
"Thank you," I said, sliding the wallet into my back pocket and giving the iPod to Isabella. She took it from me with a delighted expression on her face.
The man led us to the elevator, motioning us to step inside ahead of him. He pushed the button for the third floor, linking his fingers in front of him as he waited for the short ride to be over.
"Edward, this place looks even better than the pictures," Isabella whispered as the metal doors opened and we stepped out into the long hallway.
"It certainly does," I said in her ear, keeping an arm around her shoulders. "I think it's actually a lot nicer than Marriot."
She glanced at me, not bothering to hide her triumphant smile. "Told you so."
Soon enough we were standing in front of door number 407. Our guide invited us to enter the suite with a grand gesture of his hand and a welcoming smile. I nudged Isabella gently, and she walked ahead, followed by me and Tomáš. Our luggage was already waiting for us. After giving us a brief introduction of the hotel and its history, Tomáš handed me the key then retreated with a nice tip in his pocket.
"Oh, I love the warm colors," Isabella gushed when we were finally alone. "And look, we even have an iPod docking station. And complimentary sweets. This has to be the best hotel ever."
I was standing in front of the window overlooking the famous Vrtbovska Garden. From what I was able to see, it was indeed worthy of its notoriety.
"Isabella, come here," I called over my shoulder, starting to remove my button down shirt with the intention of taking a shower.
"Oh my God," she murmured, coming to stand beside me. "It's a beautiful view."
"It certainly is," I agreed, staring at her profile a bit mesmerized.
She looked at me sideways and chuckled. "You're being cheesy."
"Why? I'm just voicing my thoughts. You don't consider yourself beautiful?"
She shrugged, turning around and taking over undoing the last few buttons. "Not really. More like cute."
"No," I argued softly, running my fingers through her loose hair. "Cute doesn't quite fit your description. You are…" I trailed off as I searched for the right word, "...stunning. Especially now with the sun caressing your face."
She ducked her head modestly, biting on her lip. "You're making me blush."
"I like it when you blush," I said, lifting her chin so she would look me in the eye. She truly was an amazing woman, and I felt my affection for her grow exponentially.
I kissed her slowly at first, but soon enough the kiss turned intense and passionate. Placing my hands on her ass, I brought her flush to my chest, the lust I had been trying to suppress for so many months hitting me in full force. I wanted her more than ever, and I let her know that through my actions. She fisted my undershirt, a moan escaping her throat and spurring me on. In return, I brought my hand to the front of her jeans and made quick work of the single button and zipper, cupping her intimately. I was about to slide a finger into her underwear when she pushed against me, causing me to stop.
"Not now," she breathed, looking up at me from under her thick lashes.
I groaned, getting downright frustrated. "When?"
"Tonight."
"I waited so long for this…" I said pleadingly. My persistent erection was becoming painful, making it hard to think of anything other than sex.
She cocked her head to the side, the corner of her mouth turning up into a smirk. "And you can wait a little longer."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I asked incredulously. "You like torturing me."
"Yes," she answered, lifting on her toes to whisper against my mouth. "Besides, I'm torturing myself as well." She stroked me through my pants a couple of times, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head at the sensation.
"Keep this up and see what happens," I said, swallowing hard.
She chuckled, keeping her hand on my crotch. "Are you threatening me?"
"Yes. I'm going to teach you a lesson tonight."
"What lesson might that be?" she inquired innocently.
"Never tease a sexually frustrated man."
She laughed heartily, taking a step back and turning on her heels. Moving her hips lasciviously, she headed towards the bedroom, leaving me panting for her touch.
Rubbing my eyes with my thumb and forefinger, I tried my best to compose myself. I was horny as hell, but I didn't want to force myself on her either. She had to be at least as willing as I was.
Moments later, her sultry voice called from the other room, "Oh man, this bed is so comfortable."
"You are playing with fire, Isabella. And you're going to get burnt," I called back, enjoying her playfulness more than I should, given the condition I was in.
"Come join me," she lured in the same sultry voice, and my steps carried me to her automatically.
Just as I was entering the bedroom, she stepped into the adjoining bathroom completely naked. Her clothes were tossed all over the bed while her white lacy panties were lying on the floor. Throwing me a heated glance over her shoulder, she smiled in a self-satisfying matter and locked the door behind her.
I laughed huskily, having a hard time believing that the shy girl I had met almost seven months prior had morphed into this incredible vixen.
"Tease!" I yelled, picking up her discarded panties.
~~ 0 ~~
An hour later, we were having dinner at the CODA restaurant downstairs. The atmosphere in the dining room was not only extremely intimate but also very pleasant. In the middle of the room sat a large piano, while the dominant colors were green, orange, gray and beige; each table having its own unique design. Everything about this hotel was different from anything I had seen before, but in a good way. Even our plates had portraits of notorious music artists printed on them.
"How's the pork?" I asked, peering at Isabella over the rim of my wine glass.
She smiled, moving her braided hair from her shoulder to her back. "Delicious. How's the duck?"
"Tasty," I said, putting the glass down and cutting another piece. "Would you like a bite?"
She nodded, and I held the fork to her lips.
"Mmmm," she hummed as she chewed, closing her eyes briefly. "It is tasty. I wonder how they cooked it."
"Chef's secret," said a passing waitress in a secretive voice, smiling at her.
Isabella chuckled in return. "I love it here," she said serenely, redirecting her attention to me. "The restaurant is beautiful and the staff is really nice."
I took another sip of my wine. "I couldn't agree more. Great décor… great food… great company. What else could I ask for?"
She analyzed me for a few seconds then sighed, placing her hand atop of mine. "A good night's sleep maybe?"
"I have to admit, I am a little tired," I said, turning my hand up and rubbing my thumb over her knuckles.
"I can tell from looking at your eyes."
"I think we'll leave visiting the city for tomorrow. Tonight I want to rest. I'm still feeling a little jet-lagged."
She nodded understandingly, turning my wrist so she could check the time. "Can we at least take a short walk? It's only seven thirty."
I wasn't in the mood for a walk, but I knew Isabella was eager to go out, even if it was only for a short while.
"Alright," I said, unable to deny her.
Content, she went back to her food, and I did the same. When we were done, our waiter came to clear our plates.
"Can I interest you in dessert?" he asked.
"Yes," Isabella replied. "What do you have on the menu?"
Patiently, he enumerated a few unusual denominations, making sure to explain what each of them was.
Isabella looked contemplative before placing her order. "I'll take the… Ovocné Knedlíky?" she said in a very bad accent, making me smile at her attempt at speaking Czech. According to the waiter, she had just ordered some sort of fruit dumplings.
"Sir?" he turned to me questioningly.
"No, thank you," I declined, shaking my head.
Right after dinner, we stepped outside into the still chilly March air. Holding hands, we took a right turn and began strolling down the quiet street. Since we didn't want to get too far away from the hotel, we stayed in the area.
We saw a couple of old churches; shared a traditional trdelnik at Isabella's insistences, which consisted of sweet dough rolled around a metal cylinder and layered with sugar; and finally settled on a bench in a nearby park, simply relaxing and talking about what we'd seen so far. By the time we made it back to our suite it was well after 9 pm.
~~ 0 ~~
For the second time that evening, Isabella was taking too long in the bathroom. I was waiting for her in bed, clad only in my boxer briefs. Another minute passed and then five more without her making an appearance. Sighing, I turned onto my back and let my eyes close, my exhaustion luring me to sleep. I briefly wondered whether I had remembered to pack the condoms before falling into a light slumber.
Sometime later, the feel of a weight pressing down on me and soft hands running over my chest, woke me up.
I sighed in contentment, my arms instinctively wrapping around her. "Mmm. That feels good."
"I dressed up for you, so you'd better not fall asleep on me, Edward," she whispered, trailing seductive kisses up my neck.
Opening my still tired eyes, I saw that she had on a blue baby doll lingerie set. Her hair was loose again, and she had removed the make-up from her face.
"I like it," I murmured, taking a handful of the see-though fabric. My erection made its presence known, resting between Isabella's open thighs. "This color suits you really well."
"Yeah?" She captured my bottom lip with her deliciously plump ones, starting to grind on me at a slow rhythm.
"Yeah," I breathed, getting in the right mood quickly. Sleep was gradually becoming the last thing on my mind as another, more interesting, activity took its place.
She smiled, pleased. "You've been on such good behavior ever since we met that I thought you deserved something nice in return."
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness," I said, stroking her ass through her panties. "Now, can I rip it off?"
"No!" she exclaimed, slapping at my hand in case I had any intention of doing it. "It's expensive."
I chuckled at her reaction. "I'm joking," I said reassuringly, although I would have tore it off of her if she'd let me. The fact that I hadn't been with a woman in almost two years didn't help my self-control at all. I sincerely hoped I was going to be able to last and make it good for her. It was our first time being intimate, and I didn't want to disappoint by coming too fast. I had jacked off while taking my shower, but I didn't think it was enough. She was soft and warm and so inviting that I had no idea how in the hell I was going to have the strength to go slow.
Rising in a sitting position with her perched up on my lap, I kissed along her collarbone before removing the thin straps from her shoulders. "I'll take it off so very… carefully."
Isabella let out a weak moan, and I bared her breasts, wasting no time in placing my mouth on them. They were firm and about the size of an orange, fitting perfectly in my hands. At the back of my mind, I knew it was juvenile of me to compare her breasts to oranges, but in my defense, my thoughts weren't very lucid. Her moan became louder as I rolled her nipple between my teeth and guided her hips up and down my cock at a steady pace.
"You like it when I do this?" I asked raggedly, my tongue flickering over her right nipple.
"Yes," she hissed, fisting my hair and tugging on it. "Yes. Oh."
Encouraged by the sounds she was making, I continued what I was doing until she began squirming on top of me impatiently. Grabbing the hem of her camisole with both hands, she pulled it over her head, leaving her torso bare for me to admire. The camisole ended up on the floor, and I began caressing her stomach, moving up to her sides, her breasts and finally settling on her rosy cheeks. She was flushed with arousal, the redness spreading out to her cleavage, while her dark eyes watched me intently.
"Lie back down," she ordered, pushing against my chest.
I obeyed, my temperature rising and my blood boiling in my veins at the way she was taking over control. I had never expected her to be so bold between the sheets, but I was enjoying it immensely. Her confidence made her incredibly sexy, and I found it difficult not to just pin her underneath me and have my way with her.
She stood up, her feet planted firmly on each side of my hips, and I let my lusty gaze trail from her perfectly manicured toes to her smooth legs, her feminine, hourglass curves and stopping at her face. Her body was much more toned than before; the result of accompanying me to the gym every week, and I had to admit I was pleased about it. Working out had been a routine of mine for many years, and I was glad that I was starting to rub off on her, because I considered it a healthy habit. Exercising not only built up her physical strength but also her body's immunity to a wide range of diseases; not to mention that it accentuated her natural curves as well.
She bit on her lip provocatively, hooking her thumbs into her lace panties and dragging them down the length of her shapely legs slowly. My eyes glued immediately to that part of her I hadn't seen before, and I almost had a heart attack when I saw that she'd had a Brazilian waxing done, a single thin strip of hair covering the most intimate part of her body.
"Isabella," I groaned, motioning for her to come to me. I was desperate to touch her; to put my mouth on every inch of her skin.
She shook her head, kneeling beside me on the mattress instead. Running her palms from my knees to the top of my boxer briefs, she repeated the same procedure, exposing me completely. She stared unashamedly, analyzing what she had to work with, her gaze alternating between my cock and my upper body a few times.
At that point, I was so hard I was having difficulties forming coherent thoughts. I wanted her and I wanted her right that instant. Taking hold of her wrist, I yanked her to me, and she let out a startled squeal, followed by a muffled laugh as I crashed my lips against hers forcefully. Without breaking the kiss, I rolled us over so that I was pressed flush against her, and her arms circled my waist as she held me to her.
We made out vigorously for a while. When I was done with her lips, I moved down towards her neck and breasts, all the while my hand traveling to where she needed me the most. She was so wet that the clear fluid had reached her inner thighs, and I rubbed two fingers against her folds before pushing them inside. At that, Isabella let out a loud moan, spreading her legs for me encouragingly.
I pumped in and out of her at a fast pace, my movements matching the intensity of her moans. She had her eyes closed, her expression screaming of pleasure, and for a moment I actually lost myself in watching her. She was so incredibly beautiful that I couldn't believe I had once considered her average. She was anything but.
"Look at me," I demanded, my voice rough with desire.
She did, and my eyes burned into hers as I started rubbing her clit and pushing into her at the same time. The stimulation suddenly became too much for her body to handle. Arching her back, she dug her heels into my ass cheeks and let out what sounded like a suppressed scream. Her walls clamped down as her orgasm took over her. In a desperate attempt to not disturb the entire floor, she clenched her teeth and clawed at the skin of my back, riding the last waves of euphoria as quietly as she could.
Isabella panted heavily, and I allowed her a minute to recover as I sat back on my knees.
"I need to get the condoms," I said a bit distracted, looking down at where my fingers had been. She was pink and glistening with arousal, and I could hardly contain myself not to slide right into her.
"No," she contradicted, causing me to look at her in confusion.
"No?"
"I'm on the pill," she said, running the tip of her right foot up and down my thigh.
My brow furrowed. "Since when?"
She swallowed, her chest rising and falling heavily. "Since last month. I knew we were going to get to this eventually and I really can't stand condoms. I'm clean, and I know you're clean…" she trailed off, looking at me warily.
"Why didn't you tell me you were getting on the pill?" I asked.
She simply shrugged, not having an answer.
"I'd be lying to say that I'm not pleased about this," I said sincerely. I hadn't used a condom in over ten years, and I didn't know what level of tolerance my body now had to them. "…but… are you sure?"
"I'm certain," she insisted, reaching for my hand and pulling me back on top of her. "Condoms make me sore for some reason. I think I have an allergic reaction to them or something. No condoms unless they're absolutely necessary, Mr. Cullen."
I smiled, liking how my surname sounded on her lips. "You don't need to tell me twice, Miss Swan," I murmured, relishing in the way she clung to me for dear life.
Her hands travelled down to my ass, squeezing firmly and urging me closer to where she wanted me. When I was aligned with her entrance, I took a deep breath. Propped on my elbows above her, I gazed into her expressive eyes and let it out in a staggered sigh. For the first time in my life, I was actually nervous about having sex with a woman.
"It's okay," she said comfortingly, pulling my head down to kiss away the crease of concentration between my eyebrows. "This first time is about you."
"Thank you," I whispered gratefully, my heart starting to beat faster for her. She still continued to amaze me with the patience and understanding she was showing me incessantly. But I didn't want to disappoint her. Not now, not ever.
I began pushing into her, and as soon as her natural warmth enveloped me, I let out a harsh groan. I paused when I was halfway in, allowing both of us to get accustomed to each other, then went in all the way, stopping once again. Leaning in to kiss her, I began the sensual rhythm of a man claiming a woman for the first time and making her his. Because that is exactly how I felt. The moment we connected both physically and emotionally, I felt entitled to justly consider her as mine. She belonged to me; I belonged to her, and there was no barrier standing between us anymore.
I kept my steady pace, from time to time placing a kiss here and there, but mostly focusing on my task of lasting as long as I could. At some point, Isabella's snicker brought me out of my concentrated haze.
"What?" I scowled at her, my pride a bit hurt that she found my love making skills amusing.
"You want to pump your way to the finish line so badly," she stated, reaching between us to stroke my happy trail.
"I can't," I gritted, refusing to be a one minute man.
Isabella chuckled. "Yes, you can. Don't be silly. Ravage me."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes. I want to be ravaged, Edward. No offense, but you're moving like an octogenarian."
My eyes became the size of saucers at her words. "Alright, that's it," I almost growled, pushing back onto my knees. "You're going to be fucked properly if that's what you want."
"Did I strike a chord?" she teased merciless, seeming satisfied with her persuasive ways.
"Yes," I hissed, hooking my arms under her knees and dragging her to me across the mattress. If there was something I was good at, it was sex, and I was going to prove it.
"I'm gla-," she didn't get the chance to finish her sentence before I slammed into her roughly. She cried out in surprise, her nails digging into my forearms as I began plunging my hips at the speed of a jackhammer.
"Oh God," she moaned, her eyes tightly shut.
"Like this?" I panted, forcing back the orgasm that was already threatening to wash over me.
"Yes, yes. Oh, oh, oh, ah!"
Her interjections combined with the way her head was thrashing from side to side was enough to bring me over the edge. Desperate to take her with me, I began applying pressure to her clitoris and rubbing fast circles.
Although it was clear she was enjoying herself, it was taking her too long to come. Making a quick decision, I pulled out, and she whimpered in protest.
"Get on all fours," I said, my cock pulsing; more than ready to have its release.
Isabella rolled onto her stomach, and I grabbed her hips, lifting them off the bed. She rested her weight on her forearms, spreading her legs and offering me a sight that took my breath away.
"You're killing me," I groaned, pushing back in as my hands greedily kneaded her ass. "You're going to unman me, Isabella."
"Harder," she moaned, fisting the sheets. "I'm so close."
In the throes of passion, all precaution suddenly went out the window. Her implement spurred me on, making me slam my groin against her so forcefully, erotic sounds resonated through the bedroom.
I was barely hanging on, and when she cried out into one of the pillows, her vaginal walls contracting around my cock, I felt relieved. Responding with a moan, I stilled my movements and let go, emptying inside of her. It was utter bliss, and now that I'd finally had her, I wondered how long I was going to be able to resist until I craved her again.
Still connected a minute later, I trailed my palms up to her waist and brought her back flush to my chest.
"Was it good for you?" I murmured, keeping one hand on her stomach while the other cupped her cheek so that I could press my mouth against hers.
She smiled, placing her hand atop mine on her stomach as she craned her neck to kiss along my jaw. "It was great. I might want to go again soon."
"You have to remember I'm an old man," I joked, referring to her earlier comment. "I could have a heart-attack or break a bone if I strain myself too much."
"I really really don't care," she said, biting my chin playfully. "You'll have to keep up."
"Mmm. I like it when you're mean to me." I held her tighter, kissing and then sucking on her earlobe. "It's sexy. You're sexy."
"You aren't so bad yourself," she retorted with a content sigh, and we stayed in an embrace for a little longer.
Eleven p.m. found us still in bed, watching TV. I was lying on my back while Isabella had an arm and leg thrown over me, her head resting on my chest. We were both still very much naked, only the thin sheet covering us, and we didn't plan on putting on clothes anytime soon. Completely exhausted by the long flight and our gymnastics session, I was on the verge of falling into unconsciousness when Isabella spoke up.
"Do you think they have strawberries here?"
"It's a five star hotel; they'd better have," I mumbled, keeping my eyes closed. "Why?"
"You know that cliché scene in movies when couples share a bowl of strawberries and clink glasses of champagne? I've always wanted to try that."
I sighed, looking at her in the dim light coming from the TV screen. She was still watching the movie, oblivious to the fact that I was mostly half-asleep.
"Say no more," I sighed. "Your wish is my command. Before we left Chicago, I promised to spoil you and that's what I intend to do."
Putting my need of rest aside, I reached over to the nightstand and picked up the phone to call room service. Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Getting out of bed, I put on a pair of flannel pants and headed into the sitting room to answer it. One of the waiters from the restaurant stepped inside, pushing a cart covered in white table linen. He greeted politely, walking over to the small dining area next to the window and placing our order on it along with a small vase of yellow and orange roses. I stared at the flowers, a bit surprised that they weren't the cliché red I detested so much. That gained the waiter a good tip, and he departed happily as I locked the door behind him.
Isabella came out of the bedroom just as I was opening the chilled bottle with a loud pop, her gaze landing on the bowl of fresh strawberries.
"These look so good," she said, picking one up and bringing it to her mouth.
"Get back in bed," I said, handing her the bowl as I grabbed the two glasses. "And take that t-shirt off. I like you better naked."
She smirked, saluting playfully. "Yes, Sir."
I chuckled. "I didn't mean to sound bossy, but I really want to get back under the covers."
"Naked, of course," she teased.
"Of course," I repeated with a smile, following after her, but not before making sure to pick up a yellow rose.
She tossed the t-shirt over a chair, sliding under the heavy comforter with the bowl of strawberries in her lap. I poured champagne into the glasses, handing her one along with the rose, then took off my pants and joined her in bed.
"You know yellow means jealousy, don't you?" she asked, sniffing the flower.
"I didn't know that."
"Are you the jealous type?" she asked again, and this time I could detect a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Only if I'm given reasons to be."
"So, you're not overly jealous."
"No, I'm not," I assured. "Are you?"
She shrugged. "I don't think so."
"Here's to us, non-jealous people." I held the glass to her. She smiled, and we clinked before sipping on the bubbly alcohol.
Conversation flowed easily as the amount of alcohol in our systems increased. Half a bottle later and almost all the strawberries gone, we were back to making out and groping each other greedily.
Isabella was straddling me as I lavished her beautiful skin with kisses. She tugged at my hair, something I noticed she always did when she was on top; from time to time a sigh or a low moan escaping her. Another thing I noticed about her was that she was extremely sensitive when it came to her nipples. Using that to my advantage, I grabbed one of the glasses and looking up into her eyes, I poured a few drops of champagne onto her breast.
She gasped at the sensation, and I dipped my head down, licking her clean while keeping eye contact.
"Edward," she moaned, gripping my hair so hard, it actually hurt.
I smiled, silencing her with a kiss. I repeated the action on her other breast, and this time she threw her head back, her hands frantically traveling down my neck, shoulders and chest.
The chair to my right caught my attention, and an idea struck me. Keeping a firm hold on her, I got up and sat in the chair with her still in my lap. Dark-eyed with lust, she reached between us to stroke me a few times before lifting herself up and guiding me inside of her. We both moaned, and I leaned back, letting her take what she needed from me.
Later, she panted heavily into my neck, "Amazing."
I nodded sluggishly, exhausted in the most delicious of ways. "Exquisite."
~~ 0 ~~
"You're really good at this," she said the next day as I removed her legs from my shoulders and rolled onto my back.
"Mmhmm," I hummed, lifting her hand to place a kiss against her palm. "You are too."
It was past noon, and we had just woken up after a night spent in each other's arms. We took a long shower together, failing again to keep our hands to ourselves, and by two o'clock we somehow managed to get dressed and have a quick room-service delivered lunch.
I was trying to fix my hair in the bathroom's mirror when my phone started ringing.
"It's your mother," Isabella called apprehensively, showing up in the doorway seconds later.
I frowned, taking the phone from her. "Yes?" I answered, returning to my task of taming a rebellious strand.
"Edward, dear," Mom drawled, her tone dangerously sweet. "How are you? Or should I better say… where are you?"
I sighed, shaking my head at my reflection. "I'm in Prague."
"Prague?" she inquired. "That's interesting. Are you with that woman?"
"Yes," I replied flatly.
"I see. She enjoys spending your money on expensive trips through Europe, doesn't she?"
"Don't make me hang up on you, because you know I will," I snapped, getting aggravated with her attitude.
"I just wanted to see you," she continued innocently in the same saccharine voice. "I took a detour to your apartment, and I had to find out from the doorman that my son is on vacation."
"I thought Dad told you."
I had intentionally omitted to tell her I was leaving the country, and apparently so had Dad.
"It must have slipped his mind," she replied sarcastically.
"And you know that I don't like people showing up at my door unannounced."
"People?" she spat, her forced amiability taking a one hundred eighty degree turn. "I'm your mother. At least have the decency to show a minimal amount of respect towards me."
I was silent, not wanting to get her even more upset.
"When do you return?"
"Next Saturday."
She sighed exaggeratedly. "Will you come see me?" Her voice returned to a softer tonality, but she sounded like she was stepping on her pride by asking me that.
"I will, Mom," I said. "I promise I will."
"You can bring that girl if you want. I think it's time we've all met her."
"First of all, she has a name, mother." I was getting annoyed again in the span of mere seconds. "It's Isabella. And secondly, I don't think so."
"Why not? I need to know who this woman my son got involved with is, don't you think?"
"You'll meet her when I deem it's appropriate. Until then, try to at least remember her name, will you?" I shot back, glancing at Isabella. She was listening to my side of the conversation with her arms crossed over her chest and her stare fixed on the tile floor.
"Edward…"
"I have to hang up now. We have some visiting to do."
I ended the call, placing the phone on the vanity and facing the mirror again.
"She wants to meet me?" Isabella asked with a confused frown.
"Unfortunately for you, yes. But there's enough time for that. For now, let's concentrate on our trip, shall we?"
"I don't think I'm ready to face your mother," she admitted. "I'm more scared of her than ever."
"You don't have to," I said, giving up on the damn hair and turning to her. "When you're up to it, let me know and we'll arrange something."
"Okay." She nodded, taking a few steps and wrapping her arms around me. "I may never be up to it, though."
I smiled sadly. "I couldn't blame you. In all honesty, she's not a bad person, but she definitely has a temper on her. Not to mention that she's extremely hard to please."
"She'll never accept me."
"You can't know that. Maybe one day she'll realize that a mere social status doesn't define who you are. One can only hope."
She nodded again, but didn't look very convinced.
Deciding to leave this unpleasant conversation for another time, we put on warm clothes and left the hotel, starting our tour of the old city. The weather seemed a bit colder than the previous day, dark clouds covering the sky and threatening to ruin our plans of visiting Prague's most important monuments.
Despite the fact that it was supposed to be a quiet period in regards to foreign tourists, you could find them everywhere you turned your head. During our walk from the hotel to Charles Bridge, I could detect at least three different languages being spoken around us.
Charles Bridge, our first stop, had been built around the 14th century and was crossing Vltava River, connecting the Lesser Quarter with the Old Town. It was decorated by a continuous alley of thirty statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, and I had to admit I hadn't seen anything quite like it before.
"It says here the statues were originally erected around 1700, but now they are all replaced by replicas," Isabella read from the book we had bought from the hotel's library and were using as a guide.
She had a concentrated expression on her face as she absorbed as much information as she could, and my first impulse was to take the digital camera out of my coat's pocket and snap a picture. She looked up, and I smiled, pushing the button and immortalizing her once again. Her nose and cheeks were pink from the cold, matching the bright red knitted beanie that covered her head.
"Hey," she protested, her brow furrowing. "That's not fair. I wasn't paying attention."
"That's the beauty of taking pictures," I replied, snapping yet another one.
"Well then, come take one with me."
An elderly couple was just passing us by, and I approached the man. "Excuse me. Do you speak English?"
"Yes," he said amusedly in a thick British accent.
"Oh, great," I chuckled. "Could you take a picture of us?"
"Sure." He smiled, taking the camera from me.
I jogged over to Isabella and wrapped my arms around her from behind, my chin resting on her shoulder blade. She leaned into me, her fingers squeezing mine as we both looked at the gray-haired man and waited.
"Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?" he said, returning the camera and draping an arm around his wife's waist.
"Chicago," I answered, imitating their posture. "And you?"
"Liverpool. Is this your first time in Prague?"
"Yes."
"It's our seventh," his wife said, beaming at her husband adoringly.
"Wow. You must know the city really well," Isabella observed.
The man laughed. "Indeed. We like to travel, but somehow this is our favorite place in the world. I'm Aldred," he introduced himself. "And this is my wife Mary."
"It's nice to meet you." We shook their hands. "Edward and Isabella."
"What a lovely couple you make," Mary said.
"Thank you." I smiled down at Isabella.
"We were heading towards Prague Castle. Have you seen it yet?"
"No, we arrived yesterday so we haven't seen much."
"How about you join us?" Aldred offered. "I know Prague like the back of my hand."
I looked at Isabella questioningly.
"Yeah, sure," she retorted. "We'd love to."
"Fantastic," he said as we all started walking. "You know, we have a son your age, but he's not that into traveling. He works so much, sometimes I wonder how in bloody hell he doesn't suffocate in that office of his."
Isabella chuckled, giving me a pointed look. "Edward works just as much. He just realized it was time he took a break."
"Better late than never is what I always say. There's still hope for you, whereas my son is forever lost," he joked, causing Mary to roll her eyes at him.
The reference to their son made me think that there was a big possibility my parents and I were never going to go on vacation together again. Mom's aversion to Isabella was never going to disappear completely; of that I was sure. While Dad was kind an understanding, my mother was capable of holding a grudge for the rest of her life. It was sad but true. As long as my relationship with Isabella lasted and my mother's hatred persisted, my personal relation with my family was never going to be the same as before.
We walked at a leisurely pace as Aldred pointed to the monuments we passed, explaining what they were. Once inside the castle, he continued assuming the role of our guide as he began telling its history.
"During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia during World War II, Prague Castle became the headquarters of Reinhard Heydrich, the 'Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia.' It is said that he placed the Bohemian crown on his head; old legends say that a usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within a year. Less than a year after assuming power, Heydrich was assassinated."
"Interesting story," I said, fascinated by the man's interminable knowledge.
He smiled. "True story."
"The architecture is great," Isabella noticed, touching one of the stone walls reverently.
I nodded with approval. "I think it's Gothic."
"It is Gothic," Aldred stated, launching into another long explanation about the methods used to build the castle hundreds of years ago.
Isabella listened to his peroration with genuine interest, and I moved closer to her, unable to keep my distance. I gathered her in an embrace, my nose burying into her hair as I inhaled her sweet perfume. I felt to urge to have her only to myself; to go back to our suite and lock us there for the remainder of our stay. I felt greedy. I felt insatiable. I felt like I was coming alive again.
~~ 0 ~~
By seven in the evening, my legs were aching from so much walking. The city was absolutely breathtaking, but I was just too tired to enjoy the views anymore. Aldred and Mary had retreated to their hotel for dinner while we were still strolling down the narrow streets aimlessly.
Despite the heavy clouds, it hadn't started raining yet, although I was willing to bet we were going to have a stormy night. The thought of snuggling up in bed with Isabella while listening to rain drop, was enough to make me crave the warmth of her naked body. I glanced at her and saw that she was admiring the glossy showcases, oblivious to the perversions crossing my mind.
Sex with her was great. Really great. So great, I couldn't have enough of it. And the fact that her public behavior contrasted so much with her sexual persona was a big plus. While to an outsider she may have seemed shy and inexperienced, once in bed all inhibitions evaporated into thin air. She was fierce and confident in her feminine charms, putting a lot of more versed women to shame. In all honesty, she was actually so much more than I had hoped for in a lover.
A sudden pain in my stomach region reminded me that I was beginning to experience another kind of hunger.
"I think we've seen enough for one day. I'm starving," I complained, rubbing a hand over my growling stomach.
Isabella sighed, not seeming in any rush to go back inside. "Okay."
"We have an entire week to visit the city from one end to another," I consoled, kissing her forehead and pulling her close.
"This has to be the most amazing place in the world," she said dreamily, hugging me.
I chuckled. "Wait until you see Paris."
"You've been?" She gazed up at me with twinkling eyes. "Duh, stupid question, of course you have."
"I even speak a bit of French."
"You do?"
"Mmhmm," I hummed affirmatively. "A bit of French, a bit of Italian…"
Isabella looked contemplative for a moment. "How many countries have you been to so far?"
"Let's see…" I searched my memory. "I've been to Spain, Portugal, France and Monaco, Italy –including The Vatican and Sicily-, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, England, Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Greece, Austria, Iceland, Japan, China, South Korea, Morocco, Egypt, Mauritania, India, Brazil, Jamaica, Haiti, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Mexico… and that's about it."
"Man, I'm so insanely jealous," she lamented. "But you've never been to Australia?"
"Not yet, but it's on my list along with New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand and a few other places."
"I guess you've seen a lot of the US too, huh?"
"You could say that."
A mother and her daughter who looked to be about eight passed by us, carrying shopping bags. Isabella's head turned after them, the corner of her mouth lifting up into a smile. "Except for the state of Washington, I've only been to Oregon, California and Michigan."
"You've never been to New York?" I asked, my gaze following after hers. The little girl had blond hair and was dressed all in white, reminding me of Jessica a few years back.
"Nope," she said, seeing I had turned to look as well. "Cute kid, right?"
"Yes," I assented. "And we need to rectify that. New York is one of the best cities out there."
"If I had the money, I'd probably be traveling every month."
"What's the next country you'd like to see?"
"France," she said, not missing a beat.
"Well then, don't make any plans for this upcoming summer because we're going to France."
She abruptly halted in the middle of the street, looking at me awestruck. "You seriously have to be the best boyfriend ever," she breathed, jumping with her arms around my neck and placing sloppy kisses all over my face.
I laughed heartily. Best boyfriend or not, I was going to do everything in my power to make her every wish come true. I was capable of bringing her the moon and stars if she asked me to, because whether I wanted to admit it to myself or not, I was starting to fall for her at breakneck speed.
A/N Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm going to take a short break from writing TPB. I have a long overdue future-take I need to write for my other story; so expect the next chapter of TPB in about three weeks to a month.
Let me know what you thought of this chapter :)
~ Andreea ~