Thank you for the amazing reviews last chapter :')
edited to add: I cringe a little bc I haven't written a lemon in so long (the lemon in ch 11 was written last year) and posting it I'm like... I just... write sex? for people to read? EEK! WHY?! lolll anyway. enjoy.
21
"There you are," I say when I finally find Edward in the kitchen during the party. He pulls a baking sheet of jalapeno poppers out of the oven and sets it on the stove.
We got separated for the last twenty minutes because of my cousin. She's seventeen and TikTok famous, and when she asked me to do a quick and easy dance with her, I couldn't say no. We recorded it in my mom's craft room upstairs because I had performance anxiety and refused to do it in front of an audience. When Edward pointed out that thousands of strangers on the internet would see, I just accepted that my logic wasn't there and ran away upstairs.
"What on earth are you wearing?" I ask when he turns to face me. He has an apron hugging his body that reads I Kiss Better Than I Cook.
"Your mom put me to work."
"What? You're a guest! I'm sorry I left you."
"Nah, it's fine. I can hold my own. And I offered, she didn't force me," he says casually, tossing the oven mitt on the counter.
"Racking up more points, huh? I think you're maxed out," I tease.
"Shut up," he laughs.
I sip my wine and set the glass down. "My family already loves you."
"Oh, they do, huh?"
"Yes. Did you see everyone's expressions when they arrived and saw the outside of the house finally decorated? You didn't just give me a gift, but my entire family, too," I murmur. "Thank you will never be enough."
"It is enough. I don't need anything more than that, Bella. I'm just glad I could make it happen," he says sweetly. "And that I didn't fall off the roof."
I can't help but laugh. "Yes, thank you for not hurting yourself. I need you to not be injured for the things I want us to do later." He bites back a grin. "So… do you?" I ask, looking him up and down, blatantly checking him out.
"Do I what?"
I smirk and point toward the apron he's wearing. "Kiss better than you cook? I mean we've kissed, yeah. And I know firsthand how good you are with your mouth. But you haven't cooked for me yet."
"I, uh—" His laugh is deep, and he looks flustered and shy. Maybe because of how quickly I shifted the subject. Or maybe it's because I'm hitting on him in my mom's kitchen, and on the other side of the swinging door, there are thirty family members. "No—"
"No?"
"I mean, yes," he corrects, rubbing the back of his neck. "Fuck—"
"Fuck?" I raise my brows, smiling innocently. "I was only talking about kissing, but now you want to talk about fucking?"
A deep growl emanates in his chest and he closes the distance to pin me between him and the counter.
"You gotta stop teasing me unless you want me to take you right the fuck here," he warns in my ear.
"Ask me what I'm wearing under this," I whisper, smoothing my hands up his hard chest, over the apron, until my fingers graze his stubbled jaw.
"No. That doesn't feel like a safe thing to know."
"Ignorance is bliss?"
"Ignorance is boner-less," he says, almost like he's in pain.
I smile wider, enjoying my effect on him.
"Fine, don't ask. But I'll give you a hint. I'm not wearing an old, loose, nude bra."
The matching set is black, lacy, and feminine. And kind of not me at all, but I felt sexy putting it on. I think I'll feel even sexier when he takes it off of me.
His eyes darken and narrow. "For the record, what we're gonna do won't be considered fucking. Got it? At least, not the first time."
"Mmhmm," is all I manage because he's sexy, demanding, and lusty, and it's doing things to me.
Tingly, fluttery things.
"Oh, my God," Alice says, rushing into the kitchen. "You won't believe this."
Edward pulls away from me, looking smug when I'm the one who's left looking a little flustered and shy now.
I clear my throat. "What's up, Alice?"
"Oh, don't act all annoyed like I'm interrupting something," she drawls. "And what's up is that my in-laws are insane."
"Yes, Jasper's parents are overbearing. You knew this when you married him," I remind her. "You made a pros and cons list, remember? His parents were one of the cons."
"They were the only con," Alice pouts, refilling her wine glass.
"You made a pros and cons list before you married someone?" Edward asks, looking amused.
"Oh, don't you go judging me! I'm not all live-by-the-seat-of-my-pants like Bella and can make major life decisions by flipping a coin! I need lists."
"You make major life decisions by flipping a coin?" Edward asks me, smirking. "How did I not know this about you?"
"Because I flipped a coin while deciding whether or not to tell you that, and it landed on heads," I joke. "But yes, sometimes I flip a coin to help me decide things. Why do you think I decided so easily that I'd try to publish my book?"
"I thought it might have been from my encouragement, but… a coin flip works, I guess."
"That was a major reason, too. Your passion is contagious," I reply, so grateful to have him on my side.
"Excuse me?" Alice interjects. "Can we focus on me again?"
"Right. Sorry. What are Jasper's folks doing this time?" I ask with feigned interest.
"Look." Alice holds out her phone, showing us a picture of… well, I don't know exactly what the hell it is. I think it's a baby, but I'm scared to be the first to comment. "His mom used some app to morph our faces together to see what our nonexistent kid would look like."
"Adorable," I lie.
"Yeah. Real cute." Edward fights a smile. "Strong… features."
"This is not cute!" Alice shrieks.
"Sometimes babies just need time to grow into their heads," I say evenly. "And their… face."
"Ha ha," Alice says dryly, snatching her phone back. "How am I supposed to tell them we don't want kids?"
"Simple," Edward says. "You tell them the truth."
It's kind of a sweet moment, really—Edward giving my sister advice. My mom walks into the kitchen and then glances at the three of us.
"Why does everyone always hide out in here?" she asks with a laugh. "The party's out there."
I shrug. "Alice was just showing us her… interesting child."
"Her what?" Mom balks.
Alice huffs, glaring at me. "Don't say anything, Mom, but—"
"I never do!" my mom defends herself before she even knows what Alice is talking about.
"Jasper's mom morphed our faces together to see what our baby would look like."
The more I hear this, the more it makes me laugh.
Alice holds out the phone for Mom to see, and her face falls at the sight.
"Oh, honey," she says with a sigh. "Now I know why you don't want to have kids. They would not be attractive at all."
XXX
Edward and I return to my place around ten p.m., and he carries in the box of decorations for the tree.
"Well, let's get to decorating," I say, digging in the box after he sets it on the couch.
"That's what you want to do right now?" he asks, disappointed.
"Yep," I lie. "Santa will be coming soon."
"We need to be coming soon," he insists.
I fight a smile and grab the string of lights, moving toward the bare tree.
I don't make it there before Edward grabs my waist and tosses me over his shoulder with ease.
"Hey!" I shriek in laughter, dropping the lights to the floor. "As someone who just spent five days decorating, you should know how important this is. We need to finish what we started."
"Exactly," he agrees. "I'm finishing what we started last week. In your bed."
My stomach simmers with lust and love and I'm suddenly nervous but so ready.
After he lays me on the bed and takes off both of our shoes, I pull him to settle on top of me, between my legs.
He captures my mouth in a hungry kiss.
We make out for a little bit, building anticipation even though we hardly need it. He feels me up over my dress, grinding against me, hitting the most delicious spot.
"Even this feels good," I pant, reveling in this delicious limbo of foreplay.
"Yeah?" he asks gruffly, pushing harder, tempting fate.
I moan. "So good. Fuck, I… I want more though…"
"Me too."
With my dress bunched up around my waist, he slides a palm up under the material, skimming my stomach before cupping my breast, then groans when he feels what's there.
He sits back against his heels and finds the sexy, matching bra and panties I wore just for him.
"Surprise," I say huskily, sitting up to take off my sweater dress completely, pulling it over my head.
His dark, ravenous eyes roam over my body. "Fucking hell, Bella. You're so goddamn perfect."
"You like?"
"I love."
He goes to lie on top of me again but I stop him and start unbuttoning his shirt.
"Less clothes," I demand. "Now."
He laughs and gets undressed down to his boxers, thick arousal tenting in them.
He settles against me again, kissing me, and it feels even better with fewer clothes. He's harder, and the thin material between us leaves nothing to the imagination.
"It's not like we need to have the talk right?" I ask, half moaning the words as the length of him presses against me with more intention.
"What talk?"
"About the birds and the bees," I joke.
He releases a strangled laugh because I'm dumb and nervous, and we're both so fucking turned on.
"You're on the pill?" he asks.
"IUD," I confirm.
"Mmm," he hums, sucking on my neck. "Talk birth control to me, baby."
"IUD," I say again, sultry-soft. "The better for you to come inside me, my dear," I say boldly. Hornily.
He laughs too hard now, pausing his kissing, and I can feel his smile against my neck.
"Fuck, Swan." He lifts his head, eyes all lit up and lusty as he looks down at me. "I love you."
"Even though I'm a weirdo?"
"I love you more because you are," he says softly.
"I love you, too," I murmur, pressing my lips to his. "Less talking. More sex."
He searches my face. "Don't have to ask me twice… as long as you're sure."
"So fucking sure."
"You don't feel the need to flip a coin first or anything?"
I die laughing. "Shut up. No coin-flipping is necessary. This decision is all instinct, pent-up sexual frustration, and love."
He undresses me until I'm naked, sliding slinky lace down my body, then takes off his boxers with less grace and more haste.
It's the first time we've been completely naked. Normally I'd be trying to turn off the lights or pull the blanket over me to hide, but I want him to see everything.
He kisses his way up my leg, stopping where I want him most and opening my thighs wider so he can look at me.
Another kiss, this time right on my center.
Another lick.
Hungry, hungry sucking and humming and—
"God fucking… fuck," I moan, already too close. "Get inside of me. I want you to make me come with your cock this time. Please," I beg.
Hovering over me, he holds himself up with one hand and guides himself in with the other. I'm already slick from his mouth and the anticipation of this moment.
He slides in, easing inch by inch.
"Oh, fuuuuck," he exhales, settling on top of me when he's fully inside. "Fuck, baby."
His full weight is on me then.
I clutch my arms around his neck.
He goes deeper.
I wrap my legs around his waist.
He moves faster.
"God damn, Bell. God damn," he groans, kissing me, breathing harder.
I love the sounds he makes.
The way he moves.
I love the way he breaks our kiss to stare at me as he pumps and thrusts and loves me.
Like he's in awe.
Like finally.
Finally.
"Tell me what you need," he coaxes. "Because I'm close but I really want you to be on top right now…"
I nod and nip at his mouth before he pulls out of me. We readjust so he's on his back and I'm straddling him, sinking down and—
"Fuuuck," he grits out again.
"My new favorite sound is the one you make when you're inside of me," I laugh breathlessly.
"Get used to it."
I moan in agreement.
His fingers caress my waist and I move my hips. He thrusts up into me, meeting me for every roll. Over and over and over.
I'm about to touch myself but he does it for me. Rubbing so good.
Our breath grows ragged.
Our movements turn sloppy, skin-slapping, chasing our arousal.
I can feel mine start to build, start to crash, and I fall against him, chest to chest, lips to lips.
My words are breathless and jumbled against his mouth as I come.
Fuckmefuckmefuckme.
Edward.
I love you.
Even when my arousal has faded, he doesn't stop. He keeps thrusting up into me, grabbing my ass.
"It's okay if I—" he starts to ask, looking too turned on and a little panicked, brows knit and mouth deliciously parted.
I gently bite at his lip. "Come inside of me."
Deep groans.
Guttural grunts.
Jagged breaths.
Fuuuuuucking hell, baby.
When we're done, we don't move.
We catch our breath.
Relax.
Kiss lazily.
We reluctantly clean up, showering together.
"You're fucking amazing," he says, sweetly kissing my shoulder while we stand under the stream.
"So are you," I agree, heart swelling. "Let's play a game."
He laughs, tired. "Really?" he asks, leaning back to rinse his hair.
"It's easy. We'll both think of a word that sums up our time in bed. A feeling or description or just… anything. Sexy, erotic, hot. Wet. Anticipation. You're the wordsmith. You'll figure something out."
"More than one word comes to mind for me though."
"Well, pick just one. We both will. And then on three, we'll both say it out loud."
"And if we say a different word it means we're doomed or some shit?" He frowns. "I don't like this game."
We switch spots and I rinse my body. "No. I wouldn't leave our relationship up to a stupid fate like that. It's just for fun. Come on."
"Fine," he agrees. "I'm ready."
"Let me think."
He's right when he said a lot of words come to mind. But only one sticks out for me because this night has been a long time coming. Not just since our week of being cockblocked, but the year we've spent fighting this feeling.
"I'm ready, too," I say.
I count us down.
One.
Two.
Three.
And then we both say, "Finally."
