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Chapter 121
One Day
Bella
"Why do you want to drive already?" I asked my angel, confused, when the kids were out of the house. "The concert isn't until tonight!" I stated, pointing at the clock.
It showed 7:43 a.m.
It was just under eleven hours until the concert began. My birthday present from the twins. We would definitely be the first there!
Edward smiled dazzlingly and tenderly pulled me into his arms with one hand.
"Today you belong to me alone! I will share you with no one today!" he whispered beguilingly and kissed me so intimately that tingling shivers ran down my spine. "And before you object: The kids know the score!" added Edward, before my head could worry about such trivia.
So that's probably why they left the house so early and grinning all over their face.
"I guess I'll go change, then," I meant, looking down at my comfy baggy clothes as I actually remembered my kids in their entirety again.
Again and again Edward messed me up so much with his kisses that I felt like I was seventeen again.
"You probably should," I received another kiss for the long way to the bedroom.
My original plan was to drive to Portland to work on my dissertation, as I have done so many times in the past few weeks. When Edward announced upon rising that he would be staying home today because of the unhealthy - or rather too appetizing - biology lessons, that plan was off the table.
Abruptly, I turned around again on the stairs.
"Is that why you're skipping school today?" I inquired in the tone of an overly strict Mom.
He leaned in the doorway to the living room with his arms folded in front of his chest and smiled insolently. He said nothing, but winked conspiratorially.
I stuck my tongue out at him and smilingly continued my way to the bedroom.
I threw my baggy look onto my armchair and exchanged it for blue jeans, a white longsleeve with stand-up collar and a dark red blouse over it. In addition, I chose comfortable, but still elegant sneakers.
I didn't know what Edward had in mind for me, and it would also fit in with the concert tonight. After all, it was not a chamber concert or an opera.
At the front door I was very carefully given a scarf around my neck and a thick jacket was held open for me in a gentlemanly manner.
So it would be out into the crisp air, and it was really getting crisper with each passing day. I saved myself the question of what we would do. I would not get an answer anyway.
We drove to Portland and there directly to the harbor where we boarded an excursion boat.
It was a normal weekday, to the extent that there were very few people who wanted to explore the Casco Bay.
So many times, I had wanted to do this exact boat trip with Jake and Leah when they were younger, but something had always come up. In the meantime, they had done it without me, but with their friends instead.
At the stern of the ship, I leaned against the railing, my angel's arms around me, holding my hands in his in front of me. Together we watched as the Portland skyline grew smaller and smaller.
Well. A real skyline it was not. Portland was not exactly a metropolis. With a population of just under 70,000, there wasn't a skyscraper next to the next here.
"Do you feel like playing Titanic?" my angel asked with a smirk.
I didn't know what he meant by that exactly. I definitely didn't feel like perishing!
He smiled enchantingly and pulled me with him by one hand to the front end of the boat. He stood in front of the railing and held out his hand to me.
Now I understood. I closed my eyes. Like the actress in the movie. He guided my movements, let me climb up a little and held me when I was no longer holding the railing. I opened my eyes and ...
Woah! That actually worked.
"I'm flying!" I said in amazement. I had always thought that was a typical movie exaggeration.
"As angels should!" said Edward softly.
And then he actually started to sing 'Come Josephine'. But his voice was much better than that of Leonardo's.
I turned, sat down on the high railing, and Edward held me securely in his arms.
His voice was so warm. So beautiful. Like his face. Despite his now pitch-black eyes, he just looked relaxed and from the inside out happy and content. Like an angel even. It was a nice idea to drive here. Simply escape from everyday life for a day. Just the two of us.
I kissed him tenderly and was ready to simply enjoy this day.
From the speakers of the boat boomed an explanatory voice.
Ram Island Ledge Light Station was in front of us. A rock on which a lighthouse stood. The jetty was crowded with cormorants, who were challenging each other for space.
"Look there," Edward pointed out on the other side to the sea.
I didn't believe it.
Whales! Never before had I seen them at such close proximity. Proximity was relative. They must have been easily two hundred meters away. But I thought they were great. That, what I got to see from them.
"Ever snacked on a whale?", I asked quietly, looking at Edward over my shoulder.
"Tastes like chicken," my angel laughed at the top of her lungs.
Now was that a yes or, based on his dissolute laughter, more of a no?
The boat steered on past Cushing Island to Peaks Island. A small idyllic harbor, which the last hundred years had passed by without a trace. Beautiful houses were visible from the beach where we were walking. We completed a small sand castle that someone had started but not finished. In a small café we warmed up.
Let's say, I warmed up. Directly on the coast, the wind whistled quite a bit around the ears.
The boat continued to swim along the coast of Diamond Island, past Fort Gorges and then we also saw seals on the rocky plateau of Pomroy Rock.
Edward had actually tried those once, he admitted.
Around noon, we headed back toward Portland and stood at the foremost railing again.
Edward talked about how the approaching city had changed since he was last here.
It was only about eighty years ago.
We returned to the city center by car and parked in the underground garage of a hotel. Right next door was the State Theatre, where the concert would take place tonight.
In the foyer of the hotel, I went to the toilet again.
Who knew when I would get the chance again?
We strolled along the red sidewalks through the quaint streets and sauntered through some cute little shops.
Christmas was getting closer and closer, it could no longer be overlooked. The streets were already festively decorated everywhere.
I didn't used to care much about the holidays. I thought it was nice to see the lights and decorations everywhere, but I always found the religious festival itself very questionable. After all, the church had deliberately moved the biblical event of the birth of Jesus simply from summer to December 25 to oppose the pagan solstice festival. I was not religious, but with the children I had joy again at Christmas.
In a junk store we found all kinds of interesting things.
The store appeared to be from another world. What others might have called junk ended up here. It was so crammed that I did not assume that there was any logical system. It was all the more interesting to discover this hodgepodge of the most impossible things. Next to a large imposing mirror that could have come from a storybook, old mechanical parts lay on a stylishly restored table. Books were always to be found somewhere. Old as well as relatively new jewelry lay together. Hand-painted porcelain ... from artistic to funny. Antique restored furniture as well as purposeful own creations.
The owners of the store were an older couple who told us all sorts of things about different pieces and how they got them. They wore clothes that didn't match at all, but it still seemed right somehow. Maybe they were a little crazy, but the two knew that themselves.
They put an old-fashioned top hat on Edward's head as if out of nowhere. While I was trying to hold in my laughter, I already had a crown on my hair and an elaborate stole around my shoulders.
We had been in the store for quite a while when I spotted a book. I sat down on a couch covered in both a baroque floral pattern and, on the middle seat, an abstract modern geometric design.
I carefully flipped through the pages of the book.
It was already very old.
Edward was listening just now to a short story about how the black, three-foot-tall porcelain swan found its way into this store.
"Bella? Have you found something interesting?" my angel came around the corner.
"Uh ... is there anything here that wouldn't be interesting?" I asked back skeptically.
"Yes. That one!" said Edward, pointing to the sign on the door.
The opening hours.
He sat down with me and placed a kiss on my raised eyebrow.
"I think I found an old medicine book, but I'm not sure. Can you read that?" I asked, pointing to the book.
I didn't recognize the language, mostly because it appeared to be handwritten. The writing had too many curls and loops for a print.
"Italian. And this is Latin ... You're right. It's a medical book," Edward said appreciatively, taking it from my hands. He flipped to the first pages. "My darling, you have found a treasure. It is a work by Tommaso Rangone. He was a physician and astrologer and lived in Italy from 1493 to 1577. Most of his very few writings have been lost in the wake of medical advances and the numerous European wars."
"It would make a nice Christmas present for Carlisle," I reflected. He collected old medical texts with passion and could pass hours with such writings.
"He'll be thrilled," Edward put the book back in my hands and looked at me gently as he pushed a strand behind my ear and continued to stroke my cheek with his fingertips.
I asked the price and almost had a heart attack.
"Take it anyway, my heart. Carlisle has been looking for an issue like this ever since I've known him," Edward tried to change my mind.
I was about to disagree when Edward then began to threaten in earnest.
"If YOU don't want to give it to him, I will!" he looked at me with a played scowl.
His eyes sparkled like black lightning that directly hit my heart. The multi-faceted bronze of his hair blazed up and took my breath away. His face contorted into a mask of determination that emphasized all of his perfection.
Did this man actually know what he looked like when he got angry? If not, it should have become clear to him now.
I pushed aside his sternly raised index finger, fell around his neck and kissed him fiercely.
So, the time had come. For the very first time, I used this black thing in my wallet.
I sighed in frustration.
Edward smiled contentedly.
But I had no choice. $2,000 would bust my bank account. I refused to touch the account for tuition fees.
We weren't far from the car, so Edward quickly took the precious book there while I grabbed a little snack at a bakery.
We continued to walk through the picturesque streets, talking to each other about all sorts of things. Mostly some trivialities, but that didn't matter.
It was nice to just spend a relaxing day with Edward and not have to think about anything. Watching his face change from angelic to enchanting to dreamlike and back again. Seeing his liberated smile. Listening to his cheerful voice. Sinking into his eyes. Only rarely did he leave me untouched, kissed me gently again and again, and was just serenity personified.
That's how I loved my angel.
We came to Lincoln Park.
That was new though! Previously, I had been here every year the Friday after Thanksgiving, the so-called Black Friday, to watch the parade with the twins. Appropriate banners and barriers were already ready for it in the whole city center. But in Lincoln Park an icy surface had now been formed. For ice skating.
Edward pushed me towards it, and something just slipped into my memory. Something important!
"I can't do that!" I protested. My sense of balance was not designed for that! Or to put it in a nutshell: I didn't have one!
Edward took my face in his hands, which seemed to be almost warm because of the cold air. His beguiling scent mingled with my thinking.
"Would I let the ice somehow harm you?" he asked in a velvety whisper, touching me on the face with his lips.
My eyelids, my cheeks, the tip of my nose, my lips. Déjà vu. This moment became eerily familiar to me. He had undermined my concerns like this before. However, I thought I could remember that it was about trees last time.
As he moved victoriously and smilingly a little away from me, I remembered the brilliant second part of my argument, which I had forgotten before in the forest before the baseball game.
Fear of dizziness. The memory was already quite strangely predisposed.
Edward carefully put the ice skates on me, and I looked suspiciously at the ice.
There wasn't much going on, the schools weren't out yet. So, I wouldn't bring too many people to their doom with me if they were at my mercy on this slippery ice surface. A consolation for mankind.
"Can you?" I asked suspiciously.
I only got a wry smile in response.
Why did I ask? I thought annoyingly while rolling my eyes.
Gracefully, I waddled across the laid-out rubber mats, holding onto the makeshift building railing, to the edge of the ice surface. I closed my eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and forced myself to focus on not slapping the ice immediately. I opened my eyes and looked at two white hands that offered themselves to me confidently. I lifted my gaze and looked into loving eyes.
"Do you trust me?" he asked meaningfully.
You ... yes. Perfectly! But not to me! I thought and put my hands in his.
I could not let go of those eyes. I paid attention to nothing - except my angel.
Carefully, he slowly pulled me onto the ice.
It took me a while to realize that I was standing in the middle of the large area. My heart was beating up to my throat and swallowed all other sounds.
The way to the safety of the railing was damn far!
Edward glided behind me, smiling hilariously, and pushed me on - continuing to hug me securely. I leaned my head against him and closed my eyes.
Yes, I could actually ice skate like this.
The longer we glided along like this, the more I heard my surroundings. Music was playing. In time with the slow music, we swayed over the ice. He hummed along with the melody right by my ear.
So, we skated for some time, and I felt safe in his arms.
Protected and sheltered. And loved.
I sighed comfortably and heard a musical smile.
Edward slowed our pace and I tried to turn to face him. As a result, we both ended up on the ice laughing at my clumsiness. Edward had still been able to prevent me from hurting myself somehow, so I was lying on top of him.
"I love you, Edward!" I interrupted my laughter as I looked into his bright eyes.
His hand slid to my cheek.
"I love you, Bella!" he replied tenderly and kissed me.
He helped me up from the cold ground and we drove some more.
It was like dancing. As long as Edward led me, I was in no danger of falling. I would put my life in his hands.
In the meantime, it had become dark, and more people were also bustling on the ice rink, and many colorful lights illuminated the city.
We still had time until the concert, but I had to eat something first.
In an old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage - snuggled together under a faux-fur blanket - we drove back to the hotel.
Not only was the hotel the best in town, but the restaurant that went with it was also starred. Edward had booked a romantic candlelight dinner there.
We sat in a private room, separated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world by a curtain. A wood-burning stove burbled in the corner, spreading pleasant warmth. Candles spread across the very tastefully decorated table. A bottle of Dom Pérignon stood ready in a champagne cooler.
"Only the best for my purpose in life!" objected Edward, even before I could complain, and kissed me idolatrously, making me forget my objection.
He lifted me up in his arms and gently set me down on the small bench that stood behind the table. Skillfully, Edward opened the bottle of champagne and poured us both some.
"To my goddess!" Edward toasted me.
"Here's to this wonderful day with you!" I said, and we clinked our glasses together.
He at least pretended to drink so his glass looked used.
Edward really thought of everything.
The size of the portions had apparently been specified by him. It was more than lush for me, but still not so little that it could not be enough for two people who would generally eat little. In addition, the individual courses were served on dishes from which we could help ourselves. So, Edward could make a little mess on his plates as if he had eaten as well.
Oysters came as an appetizer, then a small salad with walnuts and basil as an intermediate course, pork tenderloin tips on fig port sauce as the main course, and for dessert a dream of chocolate.
"One would think, you wanted to seduce me!" I stated accusingly, as I licked the last remains of the dessert with relish from the spoon.
"What makes you think that?" he asked feigning innocence and smiling in a forbidden manner.
"Every single course contained something said to have an aphrodisiac effect!"
"Oh yeah?" he leaned closer to me.
"Yes!" I said directly and let the now empty spoon sink onto the plate.
With a gentle movement, Edward pulled me onto his lap. Sensually he kissed his way down my neck until he reached my ear.
"I don't think I need to rely on such tricks with you!" he smiled contentedly and demonstratively placed his hand on my heart, which of course once again commented on his touch.
His beguiling lips continued their way until they arrived at my mouth and revealed the world to mine in a very impressive way.
"Sir, I apologize so much for disturbing you ..." coughed our young waiter piqued from the entrance. He seemed really sorry to interrupt us. "... the concert starts in twenty minutes," he ended and withdrew again after we nodded at him and well understood his words.
Ah yes. Concert. I had forgotten about that.
"Then I guess we should be on our way," Edward sighed in disappointment.
I just nodded.
I would rather continue at that point before the waiter had disturbed us.
Edward stood up - with me on his lap - kissed me and let me back down gently with my legs on the floor.
I took the last sip of champagne from my glass while Edward settled the bill.
I hesitated a little.
He seemed to have already presented his credit card, because all he had to do was sign. But maybe I didn't get everything so exactly anymore. The champagne spread through my head, and I felt a tiny bit tipsy.
The entrance to the concert hall was on the other side, so we walked arm in arm around the building. In freezing, but quite pleasant cold.
It revived my spirit, which had become a bit tired from the champagne and the warmth of the small stove.
The concert was great.
Much better than I had expected.
In addition to her current songs, Lindsey Stirling also played some of my slightly older favorites.
On a big screen Peter Hollens appeared, with whom she gave an interactive duet. She gave some encores, nevertheless the concert was already over at half past nine.
She was also no longer twenty either.
Instead, she devoted herself extensively to her fans after the performances. She chatted, signed autographs, and took photos.
But Edward and I were already setting off again.
She would have to be pretty exhausted after her performances and would probably be glad the sooner she could really rest.
In the lobby of the hotel, we were given a friendly nod as we made our way to the elevator.
We were alone in the elevator and so I kissed my angel.
When I thought that our day would be over and we would drive back to our everyday life, I became melancholic. It had been so beautiful today. The boat trip, the whales, the beach, the crazy store, ice skating, the delicious food, the concert. A perfect day ... for me and my fiancé. And already it was over again.
I sighed as the elevator dinged softly announcing us reaching the underground parking.
Edward took my hand and elegantly led me through the opening doors.
Abruptly I stopped and let go of Edward's hand.
This was not the underground parking!
He smiled wryly and held up a small plastic card.
"Our day is not over yet!" he promised.
But the thought of everyday life had unfortunately already slipped into my consciousness too clearly on the elevator ride.
"But the children ...?" I began to ask. Weren't they expecting us back today? They would be worried if we stayed away without saying anything.
"They have something similar planned for today, will certainly not miss us doing it, and know that I will abduct you overnight!"
"Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!" I said, still undecided. A family celebration. For the WHOLE family. That included me, their mother.
"Yes, tomorrow. Not today," my angel smiled captivatingly. "It's all been discussed, Bella. We'll drive home tomorrow, whenever you want. Right after breakfast, during the day ... or so that we're only back in time for the family dinner in the evening. You don't have to worry about anything unless you want to!"
"But ...?" I began anew, as Edward was already standing right in front of me.
His arms were around me; his scent befuddled my senses, and his smile was soft and full of love.
I didn't know what I wanted to say or ask. It just seemed so unreal to me that we had just stolen a day like that and that it really shouldn't be over yet.
"But what, Bella? Does the prospect of a night with me put you in such fear that you have to look for excuses?" he whispered, and I let myself fall into his arms.
I was his! Already so many nights I had experienced with him, but now I had the feeling that today it would be of significance. His eyes promised me the bliss on earth and his lips already gave me a little insight into it. I was at his mercy. How had things come so far?
I pushed him a little away from me and took the card out of his hand.
I looked around. There were few doors in this hallway, so I quickly found the room number that matched the one on the card. I opened it and stood in another small hallway.
Edward closed the door behind us, and I cautiously peered through the door in front of me.
Shocked, I stopped behind the entrance. While my eyes took in and processed the picture that presented itself, Edward took off my jacket and scarf.
The penthouse.
It was huge. The floor was black granite. Or it could also be marble or something. In any case, something classy. All the furniture was black. The gloom was lifted by apt accents. Wide white curtains on the window front. Bright carpets. Elaborate colorful floral arrangements. Paintings and walls in light pastel tones. Lots of glass. To my left, an expansive sofa began. On the right, a large dining table, behind it an implied kitchen - a champagne cooler stood there - and a corridor to further rooms. Directly in front of me was enthroned on a small platform a gleaming white concert grand piano. Quiet music could be heard, as clear as in a concert hall, although I could not tell from which direction the music came. The 'scary' part of this picture, however, were the many candles that seemed to be everywhere, pleasantly illuminating the room.
Dazed, I walked toward the window facade. I looked at the lights of the harbor and South Portland.
A magnificent view.
I proceeded by the windows and stood in a conservatory.
Completely made of glass. With an open fireplace on the side, in which a cozy little fire was already blazing. Candles everywhere. A cushioned round lounge chair took up most of the space.
I let myself fall on it.
It felt like being on a cloud. The starry sky above me, the crackling of the fireplace next to me, the lights of the city in front of me, the man of my dreams behind me. Breathtaking!
There was a bang behind me, but I wasn't startled.
Edward handed me a glass with the prettiest smile possible on his angelic face - Dom Perignon again - and I stood up again. Critically, I turned away from him and took a sip of the champagne.
"Is that your scam, Mister? Picking up innocent girls at the harbor, eagerly playing the cavalier all day, and then letting your conquests show their appreciation for the attentions here?" I inquired.
Edward smiled delightfully, but also the mischievousness stood in his eyes.
"I have shown my most charming side so far. What makes you think this is just a scam, Miss?"
"Because everything here is just too perfect to be real! It seems calculated and precisely sophisticated!"
"Maybe I can just see into your soul and have everything arranged just for you, Miss!"
"A likely story!" I scoffed and so slowly I had to stifle my laughter.
"I might want to lock you up here in the tower, Lady! As my own treasure!"
"As your mistress!" I raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"As my wife!" he immediately replied. "My wife and my mistress ... I think you are anything but innocent!" he said with an insolent-sounding undertone and traced the contour of my face with one finger.
So gently that I barely felt the touch.
Under my chin he stopped and raised my eyes to him.
"In your eyes blazes a fire that could probably make any centuries-old innocent stone still turn red!" he said emphatically, looking at me eagerly.
He came closer to my face, very slowly, and full of anticipation for the next kiss, I was tingling inside. But millimeters before he reached my lips, he stopped and looked at me boldly.
"Besides, you are free to leave at any time!" he said, taking a step back and making a pointing hand gesture towards the door.
Just wait!
I finished drinking and resolutely started moving.
I heard how he quietly gasped for air behind me.
Before I reached the door, the grand piano sounded, and I heard our song. I froze, closed my eyes and trembled inside.
A small touching tear crept into my eyes. Again and again, when he played it.
"Don't leave me alone tonight, Miss! I beg you. My heart yearns for you," Edward whispered just loud enough to be heard through the sound of the piano.
I tried not to chuckle.
I didn't want to go to the door, but to see what else was hiding in this penthouse. Whether Edward had more surprises in store.
But now I went back to him devoutly and sat down next to him on the bench.
I loved to watch him play.
His almost brash gaze slid to me when the song was over, and the last notes had faded away.
"Besides, surely you don't want the poor bellhop to have lit all those candles for nothing!" chuckled Edward gleefully, and before I could say anything in response, his lips were on mine.
"That would be unforgivable!" I confirmed, gasping for breath.
We explored the premises. A kitchenette, on which there stood even something to eat between the obligatory fruit basket and the champagne cooler.
Small snacks. Cheese, grapes, crackers, but also chocolate.
I grabbed it courageously and curiously looked into the refrigerator under the small sideboard.
"How long are we going to stay here?" I asked played accusingly, demonstratively opening the door of the cooling unit.
Champagne bottles! As many as could fit inside.
He merely shrugged his shoulders.
I continued walking and reached a bedroom.
A big white bed.
Silk sheets shone in the candlelight and scattered petals lay on the bed surface as if blown away by the wind.
Yes, there stood candles everywhere here. It was nerve-rackingly inviting!
From this room also a glass door led into the winter garden. I had not noticed earlier.
"What ...?" I began, but that was as far as I got.
There his index finger was already on my mouth.
I had wanted to ask what he had imagined on the monstrosity then so and wanted to go to the oversized bed. Inwardly already burning with anticipation.
He pulled me back into his arms and looked at me profoundly. I was unable to detach myself from him.
"The night is still young!" my angel declared, kissing me gently.
But not for long. Not long enough by a long shot. Was there even a 'long enough' when it came to Edward's kisses? Probably not!
Smiling, he took my hand and pulled me further down the small hallway.
The last door of the massive penthouse.
A bathroom.
Again, candles were spread out. There were considerably fewer, but here the flames were reflected in the tiles. Blood-red petals were discreetly scattered on the floor and indicated a path.
With Edward on my hand, I followed the trail, walked past a wide shower around a corner, pushed aside a glass partition, and stood in front of a freestanding bathtub that seemed to have been waiting just for us.
It smelled somehow cozy. The candlelight created a wonderful twilight state. The music from the main room sounded softly through hidden speakers. Petals floated on the water surface.
"Excuse me a moment," Edward whispered.
Before I could really get mad or even really think about it, he was already back again. With the champagne cooler, my glass and the goodies on a chilled plate. He put everything down on a side table and held out a hand to me.
"And … my heart? Do you want to spend the night here with me?" he asked softly.
"No," I said teasingly, but he didn't believe me anyway. He kept a straight face. "I never want to leave here again!" I completed my answer and let myself fall into his arms.
One by one we undressed ourselves and got into the bathtub.
But we did not immediately fall over each other. We had all night long time!
I leaned backwards against him. His coldness was incredibly intense in the hot water. With a fluffy sponge he let the water flow over my shoulders and my neck. Also over my back, which was a very exciting contrast to his skin. He stroked over my belly and my arms, I over his legs. I drank champagne and nibbled again and again.
We talked about the beautiful day, promising ourselves while doing so that we should just steal a day every now and then.
I asked what kind of bath it was because it smelled so cozy.
"You are my goddess, Bella. The best is just good enough for you. So, you bathe in milk and honey. As befits a goddess!" he meant in earnest.
I licked curiously at one of my fingers and shook myself.
Brrrr ... I had remembered the taste of milk differently.
"In addition, there were probably some scented oils and the like," he added with a chuckle.
He could have mentioned that before.
But he kissed me soothingly.
Edward lifted me out of the tub after the water had cooled a bit. He wrapped me in bath towels, himself in a bathrobe, carefully rubbed my hair a little dry and carried me into the bedroom. Gently he put me down and turned me onto my stomach.
"What's next then?" I asked curiously.
"Close your eyes, relax, and enjoy it," Edward whispered adorably.
I obeyed whether I wanted to or not. My soul almost dangled when he began to massage me with warm oil. In addition, the soft music still played.
His cool fingers slid pleasantly and exceedingly persistently over my back. My shoulders. My arms, all the way to my fingertips. Back to the back. My butt, whereby he remained quite professional. Every single touch could have been that of a foreign, state-certified masseur.
Alas! But it really did feel good.
He commanded me to turn on my back and his hands then flew on.
Grazed gently my belly and continued his massage over my legs to my feet. There he stayed for a long time and even managed not to tickle.
"I once read that you can reach other parts of your body through certain pressure points on your feet," I meant to recall, pulling a small pillow under my head.
"Oh yeah?" he asked, but it seemed combative.
He continued to massage the soles of my feet and somehow I felt as if my heart was just warming up.
Until it tripped.
I hesitated and concentrated.
I must have been mistaken!
Edward shifted his fingers.
My breathing became restless. At first they were quite deep breaths, but they became a shade more frantic.
Again Edward changed the position of his fingers.
This time I felt a tingling inside me. My hands clawed a bit into the bedspread when it reached my center. It built up more and more. I became aroused, sighed heavily and Edward continued wonderfully. It became more and more violent and made me quiver all over my body It could well be because my imagination ran away with me, maybe it was the champagne too, because I imagined how my angel touched me quite differently than just on my feet. My heart was racing, and I was moaning softly to myself, but I was getting hotter and hotter inside me. I didn't care that Edward was probably watching every one of my movements closely. I just gave myself over to my fantasy and this tingling. My eyelids fluttered excitedly. My thighs nestled restlessly against each other. My back sagged and I virtually lolling on the bed. My moans became louder, euphoric, until it gently burst inside me, and I let myself fall completely back onto the bedspread.
Edward's hands became calmer and no longer seemed fixated on any particular point. They slowly massaged their way back up my body as I recovered from this little internal shakeup.
"I guess I slipped," Edward said, smiling adorably.
I still felt the heat of arousal in my head, but it was not the only reason for my red cheeks. I sheepishly pulled the pillow over my head, but Edward pushed it aside.
"Don't be ashamed, my love. It was nice watching you," Edward whispered devotedly and breathed a sensual kiss on my lips.
"I'm hopelessly addicted to you," I meant, acting exhausted, as he released my lips again.
"Well, I can live with that!" Edward stated firmly. "Does my goddess perhaps have a wish?" he then asked charmingly, gently stroking over my face. "A kiss, champagne, chocolate, different music, fresh air, me?" he listed his offers.
"Yes!" I demanded, without further explanations and got the kiss immediately.
While Edward fetched the opened bottle from the bathroom, I rose from the bed. I stretched myself.
I didn't feel powerless or exhausted, God knows, but my muscles were relaxed pudding. Funny feeling.
I wrapped myself in the thin comforter and went through the glass door into the winter garden. The fire in the fireplace was still crackling contemplatively before itself. The clouds had completely dissipated, and the starry sky could be seen through the glass roof. And besides, the candles were still shining everywhere.
I heard a change of music as Edward was already coming through the other door. He handed me my glass.
It was the last remainder from the started bottle, but I didn't want him to open another one.
For one thing, I didn't want to get drunk, and for another, they cost a fortune! He didn't have to uncork that bottle at all for me. I was already satisfied with the fact that we had time for us for once.
I pushed open a door of the winter garden and immediately shivered.
Wow ... it was cold outside. I got goose bumps, but the fresh air did me good.
Some candle flames were extinguished by the wind, but that did not detract from the fairytale lighting conditions.
Edward added wood in the fireplace, I closed the door again and we met in front of the round lounge for a sensual kiss.
"Thank y ...," I began, but Edward put a finger against my lips.
"Don't thank me. For anything! ... I should be grateful to you!" he whispered.
"For what?" I didn't understand.
I wanted to say thank you for this wonderful day. For the beautiful trip. The delicious food. The perfect massage. I also didn't care how much money Edward had spent for this evening. The expensive champagne, the best room in the hotel - at least that's what I suspected - the hard-working bellboy, whom he must have tipped more than lavishly to light the flood of candles and prepare the bath. It signified nothing as long as we were together.
"I thank you for choosing me. For sharing your life with me. What you give me with it all. Much more than a creature like me deserves. Much more than I could have dreamed of ... I am grateful to you for the trust you show me, although it is not due to someone like me. Grateful for the love you show me, with which you illuminate my existence in every way. I thank you for our children ... There are not enough words to say what I am grateful for and what I love you for, Bella!" he said full of emotion.
The finger at my mouth during his words gradually sought a way to my hand, which he now gently lifted to his lips. He continued to hold it up slightly between us.
My engagement ring sparkled in the candlelight. I had put it back on right after the bath because I didn't feel complete without it.
"You wear my ring with pride and with it you make me the happiest person on this earth. But even if it is decidedly handsome - our children really do have exquisite taste, and I probably wouldn't have chosen anyone else in the store - it's still not the right one for the woman who owns my heart," he continued reverently.
I felt a little dizzy from his words, which wetted my soul like liquid honey.
He then gracefully knelt in front of me on the floor and held my hands in his. He reached into a pocket of his bathrobe.
"So once again, I would like to ask you to be my wife, Bella!"
I swallowed my emotion and saw through my eyes the slightly blurred image of a small black jewelry box he had placed in my hands. I blinked away the tears.
Tucked between dark red satin was a dainty white gold ring that bore an oval network of round diamonds. Old-fashioned. Magnificent ...
"And before you grumble, I have not spent a penny!" Edward added, when I just mentally realized that this ring must have cost a fortune.
Beautiful! I finished my inner enumeration, somewhat reassured by his words.
I nodded eagerly as my voice gathered again.
"Yes, Edward. I will marry you. No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will always be the same. I want to become your wife and be yours forever!" I tried to say reasonably calmly.
My angel smiled enchantingly, removed the ring from the case and put it on my right hand.
The left was already occupied.
He kissed both hands before rising elegantly and hugging me tightly against him.
"But what kind of ring is it?" I asked after all. I was just too curious. My blue engagement ring was beautiful, but what was more right about this one than the other?
Edward smirked in amusement and held up the hand with the new ring.
"It was my mother's ring ... I had already intended it for you twenty years ago and left it with you then," my angel explained.
"By the photos," I stated disillusioned.
"Yes, by the photos, under the floorboard in your room," Edward confirmed.
I was shocked!
I silently walked the few steps back to my glass and downed the last of the champagne. I cradled the empty crystal between my fingers while I thought about how I could get back at him.
In my room. Under the floorboard, which had been annoying all this time. Which I had been on the verge of ripping out violently with my own hands. Then I would have found all the things that would have proved to my mind that my memories were real. I had often doubted my sanity. Thought I had only imagined the time with Edward. But he had actually touched my life and shaken it for eternity. He had made me believe that he would not want me with him. He would not love me. But all those hidden objects would have proven me wrong. If he had not cared about this time together, he would have thrown it all away. Instead, he had left everything with me. He didn't want to take it away from me, but he wanted to erase it from my consciousness. A clean break, without evidence of the most beautiful summer of my youth. Above all, the ring was a token of his love. A family heirloom. A reminder of the mother he had loved so much. That he had left the ring with me was like a declaration of love. Perhaps this knowledge would have made me understand why he had left, and it might have been easier. For this, my fiancé deserved an appropriate punishment!
I put the glass down and turned around with a scowl, but Edward was already standing very close behind me. Only centimeters separated us from each other.
He was so mean! His intoxicating scent swirled my thoughts of revenge. His lovely smile made my face soften. To top it off, his voice ruined my mood.
"You're mad at me!" he stated in his musical voice.
"Yes," I sighed more than it had anything to do with determination or bitterness anymore.
"What can I do to apologize?" my angel asked.
"I don't know," I mumbled on.
He smirked challengingly.
"I could massage your feet again," he offered.
Something in my head went 'click' and my little rage was back.
I blinked to come back to my senses. I clenched one hand into a fist, but before I really hit him, his long, graceful fingers were already gently enclosing my wrist.
Almost roughly, he grabbed my lower jaw with his free hand and pulled me imperiously towards his mouth. Lips that massaged a breathtaking declaration of love on mine.
That was it! My indignation about his paternalism, which had glowed up again so briefly, was gone and absolutely no longer tangible.
I immersed myself in his unspoken words, which his sensual lips brought closer to me. I let myself fall completely, surrendered to his exciting hands, his invigorating kisses, his loving eyes. We loved each other on every conceivable level of consciousness. Soulfully and physically.
Edward showered me with caresses, and I gave it back to him likewise. An interplay between passion and devotion. Heartfelt, persistent, romantic, pampering, wild, tasting.
Until sometime in the very early hours of the morning I fell asleep in the arms of my angel, completely exhausted, but also completely happy and delighted.
When I woke up the next morning, I couldn't avoid a feeling.
Something was different! Not better or worse. Just different.
But I couldn't grasp it, so I dismissed that thought again as I looked at my glittering fiancé.
Thank you for reading!
