This chapter continues straight on from the last. Thank you SunflowerFran!
Chapter 17
Edward
Thanks to Riley's directions, we ended up in a simple cocktail bar, housed in an industrial, red-brick building. I begrudgingly had to admit that the little fairy had taste. The bartender was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and tempted me away from my usual ale or cider, and into trying a Boston Ice Tea instead. Bella and Leah found us seats, while Tanya waited with me at the bar.
"I still can't believe you managed to score such a honey, and persuaded her to marry you," Tanya stated. "I honestly thought you'd be an eternal bachelor, that you'd be spending your retirement living in our spare room."
"So did I, Tan. She's just ... There aren't enough words to describe how much I love her."
"Have you talked about kids, the future etc?"
I grinned. I couldn't wait to be a father.
"We definitely want kids, ideally two, so be prepared to be Auntie Tanya soon!" She laughed along with me. "The timing is tricky though. I'm not getting any younger, but Bella's about to start her Ph.D. and it will be difficult for her to take time out."
"What have you decided?"
"She's going to start her first year and we're going to settle in, get a house, and see how things go. We'll have a better idea of the practicalities this time next year."
"Sounds sensible, not that I'd expect anything else from you." She pecked me on the cheek and then punched me on the shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Wuss."
The bartender finished our round of Boston Ice Teas, and we headed back to our other halves. Bella was showing Leah some pictures on her phone and as we drew closer, I realised they were more pictures of our wedding and honeymoon.
"... And this was our wedding feast. It was the most delicious meal, ever."
"It's so romantic. Teeny, you should see these."
Tanya slid next to her and put her arm around Leah's shoulders. I put the tray of cocktails down and did the same with my wife.
"Getting ideas, Lee?"
Leah blushed and nodded. Tanya grinned and kissed her temple. Both Leah and Tanya were proud to be hard bitches both in their professional lives and to strangers, but they had their soft middles, and when it came to each other, they were liquid inside.
"Are you engaged?" asked Bella.
"It's a given that it's going to happen, but there hasn't been a proposal yet," replied Tanya, taking a long drag of her drink.
"I think we're both waiting for the right moment."
"Yeah. I still can't quite believe you proposed in your bedroom wearing trackies, Ed."
Bella leaned into me and kissed me under my ear.
"It was perfect. Spontaneous, simple ... Perfect."
Under the table, her hand stroked my inner thigh. I swallowed and tried not to think of where I really wanted that hand. I glanced at her drink and noticed it was nearly empty.
A drunken Bella was also a horny Bella. I'd learnt that quickly.
"It's cute, but not really us, is it, Teeny?"
"Nah, babe, we like a spectacle."
"That's for damn sure," I chuckled. Tanya kicked me on the shin under the table. "Ow! That's the second time you've injured me in this bar."
"I'm sure Bella won't mind kissing it better." Tanya eyed Bella, whose hands were continuing to wander all over my lower half, whilst her lips caressed my earlobe.
"Nope," mumbled my wife. "It's the best thing about being married."
"What is?" asked Leah.
"Always having someone there to make things better."
"Aww, that's so sweet, honey!" Someone proclaimed from behind us.
"Riley!"
"Hi hi hi-i!" he trilled, leaning over and kissing Bella on her cheek.
"What happened to New York?"
"Ugh," he sighed dramatically. "Total bust. All my favourite places were either closed or full of tourists, and my friend got sick. I was on the train when you sent me that message."
He squeezed himself next to Bella on her other side. Bella immediately pulled her hands away from my thighs and I started to internally curse the little imp. He was flamboyantly dressed in a bright yellow, skin-tight t-shirt that sparkled, a furry black sleeveless jacket thing, a black and yellow tartan kilt, and pink loafers.
"So my favourite brain-nerd is finally up for getting wasted, huh?"
"Riles, we just wanted a few cocktails after dinner, not to get absolutely smashed."
"Yeah, yeah ... come on people. We've got some drinkin' to do!" He looked at my best friend and her girl. "Hey there, I'm Riley, your new favourite fairy. You must be Tanya and Leah."
"Nice to meet you, princess," Tanya greeted him, before guffawing loudly and turning to look at me, clearly aware that Riley made me bristle. "Why do I get the feeling that tonight's going to get rather messy?"
Half an hour and another round of cocktails later, I realised that Riley Cullen was going to be the death of me. What was it about this jumped-up little elf that had him leading my wife, my best friend, and her lover into mischief like the fucking Pied Piper?
"Right, people, we are going to finish up these here cocktails," he yelled, clapping. "And then we're going to Paradise, and I'm not taking no for an answer!"
"Riley …" Bella moaned. "I'm not dressed for Paradise."
"Shutt-uppa-your-face, you look gaw-geous!" he replied, blowing a raspberry on her cheek. She giggled enchantingly.
I had to agree. She was wearing a purple dress with a swishy skirt that stopped just above her knee, and a matching pair of black, purple and gold, sandals that made her feet look cute and pretty.
"What's 'Paradise'?" I asked. Riley looked at my puzzled face and snorted with amusement.
"Just that!" he answered vaguely, before turning to look me square in the eye. "Professor Sexy, before we get to there, we're gonna hafta do something about that stick in your ass. Chill, man. Tonight's gonna be awesome!"
"Don't worry, Riley, Ed here will loosen up once we get some more cocktails into him," interjected Tanya.
"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you drink spirits before tonight, Foxy, apart from the odd Scotch."
I groaned. My wife's term of endearment for me wasn't something I'd ever mentioned to anyone else, even Tanya.
"'Foxy?'" she screeched.
"Hee-hee! 'Foxy!' I love it!" cried Riley.
"How fucking funny!" added Leah.
Bella realised what she said, clapped her hand over her mouth, and then buried her face in my chest.
"I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't think …"
"Look at me, Baby," I murmured, ignoring the excited, teasing chatter going on around us. Bella, her face bright red, eventually looked up. I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I love that you call me that. I want you to always think of me as your Fox."
"But I embarrassed you."
"Bella, love, Tanya has a lifetime's worth of embarrassing shit on me. What's one more thing? I'll never be embarrassed by the ways you love me. Never." I told her, before kissing under her ear and licking her earlobe. She moaned and tilted her face so our lips met, and it didn't take long before we succumbed to a deep, dark, long kiss.
"Hey, hey … I know you're, like, newlyweds, but there'll be plenty of time for making out later!"
Grr. Cockblocker.
Reluctantly, I turned away from my Bella's inviting lips.
"Yeah, Foxy!" echoed Tanya. "Come on, Bella. Help me get the next round. It's on me."
Once we were settled with yet more cocktails, I asked again about Paradise.
"Edward, it's a club," explained Bella. "Riley's favourite."
"Err … club? Dancing?"
"PILFy, they'll just love you there!" exclaimed Riley, before taking a long drink of his Bubblegum Martini.
"You know, you can just call me 'Edward.'"
"I could, but where's the fun in that?" he replied with yet another giggle. "Seriously, why don't you own the fact that you're, like fuck-hot?"
I didn't know how to answer him. I was aware that I was considered attractive, but before Bella, my looks had just garnered me attention that I found intrusive. I never cared about any woman I dated or slept with as much as my research, until one, young, brown-eyed beauty came crashing into my life.
"Edward generally considers his handsomeness a burden," answered Tanya for me. "He got bored with the fawning bitches really early on."
"So did you," I retorted. "Before Leah, your dry spell was legendary, and it wasn't for want of trying by the Lipstick Lezza brigade."
"I am not a Lipstick Lesbian! I hate the fucking lesbian stereotypes!" yelled Tanya. I grinned. Too easy. She hated the term. When she was at university, her mother had dismissed her lifestyle as just experimentation, and once used the phrase in one of their arguments.
"Relax, Teeny. He didn't say that you were, just that all those bitches used to try to get their claws into you."
"Sorry, Ed."
She made kissy faces in my direction, which meant that she was already three sheets to the wind.
Bella slipped her hand into mine and snuggled closer, so that our thighs and hips were touching again.
"I'm glad you saw through all the shallow, fawning bitches," she murmured. "You're so much more than your handsome face."
"Am I now?" I whispered in her ear and then nipped her earlobe with my teeth. "Tell me more, my little vixen."
She took a long, slow, drag of her Old-Fashioned, before fixing me with her dark brown gaze.
"Well, there's your big strong arms, and your firm pecs, and don't even get me started on the Fox-Rod-of-Ecstasy," she whisper-giggled. "Seriously, Foxy, you inspire me every day, with your analytical mind and your pure heart."
"Ditto, Baby, just ... fucking ditto. But you can't say stuff like that to me in public. Now I just want to scoop you up and take you home to worship you."
She bit her lip. So fucking beautiful, and she didn't even know the half of it.
"You already did that once today, on the kitchen table."
"And I'd do it again, and again, and again."
Bella moaned softly, but it was loud enough for the rest of our party to stop their chatter and turn to look at us.
"Bella, sweetie, you already had dinner," cackled Tanya, "you can't have Edward for dessert!"
"She bloody can!" I retorted before turning to my wife. "I love you so much, Baby."
Bella's reply was to ignore decorum and climb into my lap. She picked up her drink and I had no doubt that she would stay put until I moved her. I looked over at Riley, whose smile faltered for the first time since I'd met him, but within a split second, his grin was back. What was that about?
By the time we rolled over to Paradise, I was really feeling the effects of all the booze I'd consumed so far, but it didn't stop me from noticing that there was something odd about the host at this club. He was wearing a tight, sleeveless white t-shirt and Bermuda shorts, for a start. It was pretty damn warm weather, but it still struck me as weird. Then there was the cashier, who waved me and Riley in for free, but charged the girls $15 each, and checked their IDs three times before letting them in.
It wasn't until we were at the bar, where Riley hopped over the counter and kissed the bare-chested barman square on the mouth, that I understood.
Paradise wasn't your average club.
"Bella!" I hissed. "This is a gay club!"
"Well, of course it is, Foxy. We followed Riley here, what did you expect?" She clutched my hand. "Let's get you a drink, and you'll feel better about all the ogling."
Ogling?
What?
I glanced around me. Most of the guys around us were staring at me like I was a piece of steak. I turned to Tanya and Leah; they were absolutely pissing themselves with laughter.
"You didn't know?"
"You did?"
"Well, yeah!" said Leah. "I bet that if you were to let go of Bella's hand, one of these fine gents would probably offer to buy you a drink."
"And us too. So work that ass, Professor Masen!" Tanya bent over, put her hands on her knees and started doing some strange bum-jiggling dance.
"Do it, dude! Mama needs some Margaritas!"
Leah joined Tanya in the bum-jiggling. Needless to say, I gripped my wife even tighter.
"Don't worry. We'll get free drinks anyway; Riley and the head barman are fuck buddies," explained Bella, waving at said bare-chested, All-American-looking, blond barman, who blew her a kiss before walking over and holding his hands out to her.
"Gorgeous Bella, how the hell are you?!"
"Hey, Freddie." She took his hands and kissed both his cheeks. "Told you I'd make it back to your club one day."
"You did!" He looked over me and grinned. "Now Riley tells me that this guy here is your husband?"
"Yep. Freddie, this is my Edward."
"Wow, lucky Bella!" Freddie leaned across the bar, but before he could kiss me, I held out my hand for an awkward shake.
"Hi."
"Ah, the British straight guy thing. I get it."
"Nice to meet you Freddie," I murmured. "Could we trouble you for a few drinks?"
"Sure thing, handsome, what can I getcha?"
I gestured to Tanya and Leah, who were now bumping, grinding and rubbing up against one another in time to the thudding music.
"Two Margaritas for them, a Corona for me and for you, Baby?"
Bella curled into my side and her fingers danced down my spine before caressing my behind. She made like she was going to whisper in my ear, but then suddenly licked my neck.
"Your cock, Foxy."
I glanced over at Riley and Freddie, who were giggling at my possessive, horny wife.
"Err ... she'll have an Old-Fashioned."
"Got that right!" chuckled Riley. "That and a Flaming Orgasm!"
"And a Slow Comfortable Screw, too!" added Freddie, before turning to the bar to make the drinks. "Take a seat in VIP and I'll bring it over."
He nodded to another sleeveless t-shirt wearing, muscled guy, who lifted a velvet rope and beckoned us. As we walked into the cordoned-off area, he put his hand on my arm.
"If you get away from your fag hag later ..."
"Hey, dufus, I'm not his fag hag, I'm his wife, so get your bloody hands off my man!" cried Bella.
"Baby, it's okay ..." I bundled her forward before she said anything else and got us kicked out. She let me sit us down on a red velvet sofa before she started ranting.
"It's not fucking okay. I should never have agreed to come here. All of them looking at you like that, touching you, and trying it on so openly when it's obvious that you're straight ... I can't stand it!"
I picked up her left hand and kissed her rings.
"Bella, my love, every time we walk down the street, men look at you and then see me and wonder how I got so fucking lucky. If we were in a regular club, it would be me getting all jealous and upset as the guys would be trying it on with you."
She calmed a little.
"Sorry, Foxy. I guess I've been spoilt, having you all to myself for all these months."
"Likewise. Now, enough with the heavy stuff." I lifted her knees over mine and ghosted my hand up and down her waist before pressing my lips to her collarbone. She whimpered a little. "Soon," I promised.
"Won't be soon enough," she mumbled.
"Drinkies!" shrieked Riley as he followed Freddie, who was carrying a tray of drinks into the VIP area. Tanya and Leah were close behind.
"I love this place," stated Tanya, sitting down next to me and picking up one of the Margaritas. "All the guys are well-dressed and buff, and they leave us to dance in peace! It's awesome!"
"Yeah, we managed to Twerk like Miley for a whole song, and nobody even tried to touch our asses."
I had no idea what they were talking about, but I smiled and nodded as I sipped my Corona.
We chatted for a few minutes, and then the DJ started playing a mix of 1970s funky soul and disco, Tanya's favourite.
"Bella, come dance with us," begged Tanya. She was quite the boogie queen when she got into the mood. "Let's show these pretty boys how it's done!"
"I don't know," said Bella warily. "I'm kind of comfy here," she added, curling further into my lap.
"Please, Bella, please!" whined Tanya. "God didn't give you such a great arse if he didn't want you to shake it to Womack & Womack with the girls!"
Bella leaned across to grab her drink and downed half of it.
"Okay then. Five minutes."
"Woop-woop!" Tanya bounced to her feet and grabbed Bella's hand. "Edward, you can entertain yourself for five minutes, right?"
I glanced at Riley. There were other things I'd rather be doing than making small talk with the crazy little elf, but I could cope for a couple of songs.
"Right."
The ladies had a couple more sips of their drinks and then headed for the dance floor all holding hands. Riley picked up his giant, bright blue drink and stood up, before leaning over the balcony which overlooked the dance floor. I got my phone out and checked my email and the latest cricket scores from home before deciding that I should probably talk to the guy.
"What are you drinking?" I asked. "It's certainly an interesting colour."
"Blue Lagoon," he replied without looking at me. "Look, you don't have to make chit-chat. I know you're not my biggest fan."
"And you're not mine, are you?" I realised. He raised his head sharply. "I mean, you make frequent reference to my looks, but in reality, you don't like me."
Riley shrugged.
"No, I don't. You weren't part of the plan."
"What plan?"
"I was, like, so stoked to find out from my dad that Bella was coming back. It was the only thing that was gonna be bearable about being made to spend the whole summer at home. But then I can't get hold of her for, like, months, and then she turns up with you! Her fucking husband! How's she gonna make time for me, when she's already got the lab and you?"
"Do you know Bella at all?" I retorted, unable to quite believe that the conversation had taken such a turn. "My wonderful wife is the most loving, amazing person in the whole, bloody world. What on Earth makes you think that just because we got married, she wouldn't make time for you? Or that I would stop her from seeing her friends?"
"Because I wouldn't wanna share her, if I were you."
"But you don't like girls like that, do you?"
"No, I don't. But I love her, and I need her in my life." Riley put his glass down and turned to face me fully. "Look, I have a lot of 'friends,' but not many of them tolerate me for any length of time, and even fewer get me. Bella did, right from the moment we met in my parents' backyard last summer. And I missed her like crazy when she went back to Oxford."
"Look, I'm not going anywhere, Riley. Bella is my whole world now. She's currently on the dance floor with my best friend, even though dancing's not her thing because she loves me and wants to get to know the people I love. That's what you do when you're a couple. Likewise, I'd like to get to know you if you'd just call me Edward and stop fighting for her attention."
Riley studied me for a full minute.
"You may have a point," he finally said, begrudgingly. "It's just ... It's nice to have someone in my corner. With both Mom and Dad eminent neuroscientists and my sister Kate at Stanford, following in their footsteps, it's tough sometimes."
"From what I've seen so far, Carlisle and Esme love you unconditionally. You don't have to be a neuroscientist to make them proud. I just think they want you to make the most of your potential so that you don't drift from one project to the next without finding any kind of satisfaction."
"Yeah, maybe ..." he turned to look out at the dance floor. "Say, Edward look." He pointed to Bella, Tanya and Leah on the dance floor. "Is it just me or is that guy getting awful close to Bella's behind?"
Sure enough, some skinny guy with a ponytail was dancing right behind Bella and gyrating.
Gyrating!
"That's not a gay guy, dude. Not wearing that hideous tee."
I took a second look. The man looked a lot like our neighbour, James-the-Creep.
"Right." I gave him my beer bottle. "Back in a mo."
I rushed out of the VIP area and started to make my way over to my wife, when someone stepped in my way.
"English Edward!" The sickly-sweet, trashy perfume of the woman in front of me was the first thing I noticed. The wild red mane and barely-there clothing came next.
Yuck.
"Hi ... err ..."
"Victoria."
"Right. If you'll excuse me ..."
"Sure you don't wanna buy me a drink? I'm all on my lonesome here." she pouted, clearly trying to be cute. She came off as kind of desperate instead.
"Actually, I need to find my wife."
"Aww, don't worry about her, James is on the dance floor. He'll keep her warm," Victoria said, winking and putting her hand on my arm. A ripple of revulsion wormed its way through my torso and I moved away before she could touch me again.
"Where we're from, only husbands get to keep their wives warm," I muttered before turning my back on her to retrieve Bella.
By the time I got to them, Tanya was in front of Bella, keeping her away from James.
"Look, you dirty bastard, keep your hands to yourself!" she was shouting. "My friend is, A, married and B, not interested in your fugliness touching her!"
"Edward's here, Teeny," said Leah, trying to calm Tanya down. My best friend was even feistier when pissed. "Let's go get one last Margarita."
I took hold of Bella by the waist.
"Are you okay, Baby?" I murmured into her ear. "Did he touch you?"
"He tried." I stiffened and my hands automatically curled into fists. "He's not worth it Edward," she added. "Look at him. He's absolutely fucked out of his head, on more than booze."
I finally looked at James. He was glassy-eyed and swaying whilst making lewd hand gestures.
"I juss ... wanna ... so ... purty ... soft ... tight ass ... goodies ..."
"Go find your wife and go home, James," I told him sternly. "She has goodies for you."
"Thankss ... man." He stumbled back to the bar and I enveloped Bella in my arms.
"Fucker," I stated. "He's lucky that I didn't kick the shit out of him."
"Now who's the jealous one? Just my luck that I find the one straight pervert in here," she laughed before turning in my arms so that her bum rubbed against my semi. The DJ moved on from the 1970s disco and started playing a mix of some bass-heavy track I didn't recognise. Bella swished and swayed her hips and threw her head back against my shoulder.
"Killing me, Baby," I murmured.
"Dance this last song with me, and then take me home so we can screw our brains out," she replied. "Please."
"There's nothing else I want more."
I turned her so that she was facing me, and placed her arms around my neck. She put some space between our upper bodies but pushed her hips back against mine. Instinctively, my knee slipped between hers and she raised her head, piercing me with lust-darkened eyes before shimmying her shoulders a little, so her beautiful cleavage wobbled. It was hot in the club and a tiny bead of sweat made its way from her neck, down between her breasts.
As she grinded against my knee, I couldn't help but hitch up her leg and anchor one of my hands in her hair before attacking her neck with my mouth. She whimpered and moaned and pressed herself further into me so that there was no space between us, and then tugged on the hair at my nape. I immediately responded my seeking out her hot, plump mouth with mine.
We were practically dry-humping, and I was counting down the seconds until I could pull her off the dance floor and take her home. Finally, the music began to slow and morph into another track, and Bella let go of my neck to grab my wrist.
"Edward."
The way she said my name ... It was both a plea and a command.
"Let's go."
She led me off the dance floor, and we headed back to the VIP area, where Riley was sitting on Freddie's lap, whispering into his ear, and Leah and Tanya were curled around each other, kissing and giggling.
"Hey, uh, Bella and I ..."
"Go," said Tanya. "You two blatantly need to fuck, based on that little dance floor display. Just make sure you're done in time for brunch at the hotel tomorrow."
Leah moved her hand from Tanya's shoulder and down her side, diverting my best friend's attention. Clearly Bella and I weren't the only ones who needed to fuck.
"Will do. Bye Riley, Freddie."
"Bye!"
Riley looked up and gave me a little nod and smile. He wasn't that bad a guy, I supposed, and I couldn't blame him for adoring my Bella, although I wasn't sure we were ever going to be friends as such.
Speaking of my wife, she was tugging at my arm.
The only thing I remembered about the taxi ride home was a frantic mishmash of lips and tongues and hands and fingers, all deliciously colliding and exploring.
We tumbled through our front door, and when I turned to lock the deadbolt, Bella's hands snaked around my waist, expertly undoing my fly as she pressed up against me.
"Do you know how wet I am for you?" she moaned as she kept me against the door with her body weight. Behind me, she wriggled her lower half and then kicked her right leg up. My drunken, lust-addled brain couldn't quite figure out what she was doing.
"Why don't you show me, Baby?"
"Way ahead of you there, Professor," she replied, tickling my neck with a piece of material. Suddenly I was engulfed by the pure essence of her as she placed her tiny, lace thong over my nose. It wasn't wet. It was bloody soaking.
As I took it in, Bella pulled my dick out of my shorts and wanked me slowly.
"Mrs Masen ..."
"Turn around, Foxy."
When I did, she rewarded me by slipping her dress off her shoulders and letting it slip to the floor.
"We're not going to make it past this hallway, are we?"
Smiling, she shook her head and rubbed one of her stiff nipples with her fingers. I lifted my shirt over my head and let my trousers fall to the floor.
"Nope."
"Horizontal or vertical?"
She dropped to her knees and stretched backwards before uncurling her legs from under her body. I hovered over her immediately.
"Now, Edward," she mumbled.
I licked my lips and then hers before sliding inside her.
"Worth the wait, Baby?"
"Uh-huh."
Her lack of vocab was a good sign.
She anchored her thighs around me and wrapped her slender legs around my back so that I sank even deeper into her heat.
As I moved in and out, building a delicious tension within me, she spurred me on by digging her heels into my ass.
I took my weight onto one arm and slipped my other hand between us. As I made contact with her clit, she mewled and threw her head back, biting her lip and then letting go, and then biting it again before shuddering and repeating my name.
I exploded within her tight walls just seconds later, collapsing on top of her, both of us spent.
"So, what did you think of Paradise?" she murmured after a few moments, still slightly breathless.
"Well, I don't know about the club, but this right here," I looked up and down our entwined, sticky bodies, and her eyes followed mine. "This is my idea of Paradise."
-cc-
A few of you lovely people asked for the recipe for the lemon drizzle cake mentioned in the last chapter. It make the Tana Ramsay (wife of Gordon)'s one and it's very simple:
Cream together 225g/8oz butter and 8oz caster (superfine) sugar until fluffy. Beat in four large eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Add 225g/8oz sifted self-raising flour, a third at a time, and fold in along with the grated zest of one lemon and the juice of half that lemon. Place the mixture in a greased, lined loaf tin and bake at 180 degrees centigrade for around 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. While the cake is baking, place the juice of 1 and a half lemons and 6tbsp caster sugar in a small bowl and mix well. When the cake comes out of the oven, use the skewer to prick the cake all over (do this when it's hot) and pour over the lemon juice and sugar mix. Leave to cool. The sugar crystallises on the top of the cake.
The next update will be in a week's time, but the one after that will be three weeks later thanks to conference season and the Tour de France Grand Départ coming to Yorkshire.
Thank you for reading. I know I'm an epic fail at review replies, but generally, the feedback I get is that you'd rather I diverted my time into regular updates, so that's what I do. If you have a question and I haven't answered your reply, please do PM me!
CC xxx