AN: Sorry about the wait. I've been painting more than writing!

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyers.

Chapter Nine

You and Me

Bella moaned, looking over her shoulder at me. I had her hips gripped in my hands, my cock poised to enter her from behind. Feeling a bit cheeky, I rubbed the head of cock up and down the crack of her ass. She shivered, moaning louder. An interesting reaction.

I slipped my cock into the tight channel of her cunt. Throwing my head back, I felt like I was always just a moment away from losing control with her. Of course, that wasn't an option. It was infuriatingly arousing how much control I had to exercise with her. Bringing my eyes back down, I watched my cock move in and out of her. Reveling in the soft, slick feel of her around me, the way her body sucked at mine, clenching around me.

Moving with excruciating slowness, I drew my hips back and forth. It was driving us both mad, but I couldn't help myself. She was just so lovely, I wanted to make it last. I let the very tips of my fingers run across her body, marveling at her. The roundness of her hips, her plump cheeks, pressed flush against me. My fingertips tickled along her waist, narrow, then flaring out again over her ribs and breasts.

I'd bound her wrists to the headboard, bringing my flogger down across her back for several minutes. She had been shivering, moaning, and so thoroughly aroused by the time I'd finished with her, I was surprised she hadn't cum from that alone. Her reaction to it had me harder than I could remember being in my entire life. I knew it was that I could do this to her that had me so enraptured.

At the moment though, I leaned forward, caging her in my arms. I pressed my lips the back of her neck and began moving my hips again. Her moans became muffled, as she threw her face into the pillow below her. I gripped her hair, pulling her head back. Her moans getting louder at the slight sting from my pull. She was very loud when we fucked, not holding back her pleasure. In contrast when I punished her, she was silent.

A growl grew deep in my chest as I felt her inner muscles flutter around me. I didn't need to do more to keep her from cumming without my permission. She gave a pitiful keening, wordlessly begging me. I wrapped my hand around her throat, putting no pressure, merely holding her in place. Moving up on my knees, I brought my other hand down on her lower back, arching her invitingly.

"More, master!" she eventually articulated, her wrists twisting against the ropes that held her place.

I couldn't help chuckling darkly at her plea. She was always begging me for more. I wasn't the only one who wanted to fuck for hours on end. For the sake of her health, I couldn't push it far past an hour. Pounding away at her as she came over and over again. Too much was never enough.

Planting my left foot on the bed, I gripped her hips once more, digging my fingers into her soft flesh. The new position allowed deeper, harder thrusts. I moved no faster, but she was now moaning long and loud, throwing her head back and forth. I kept this pace for as long as I could stand it. Finally, giving in to the desire to move more swiftly. Had she been looking at me, I would have appeared as nothing more than a blur. I loved fucking this fast. It was another test of control. To move so quickly and still keep her unharmed, was incredibly difficult.

Bella was coming apart quickly. I toyed with idea of denying her, but I'd been doing that for hours now. "Now, petit agneau," I ordered. She went to pieces, her voice cracking with the strain. A half an hour later, I pulled out, cumming on her back.

I was always careful not to finish inside of her, though I would be lying if I said it wasn't tempting beyond belief. After we were outed a new phenomenon began. Human women were getting pregnant by their vampire lovers, and inevitably dying from it. It took a few years, but the death rate in those cases had been lowered for 100% to 98% with proper care. Since I slept with human woman exclusively, I paid attention.

It was one of the very few circumstances that someone was allowed to be turned without the vampire turning them being destroyed. That was, of course, only if the pregnancy was a mistake. Purposeful impregnation in order to turn the woman in question was prohibited. The couple would have to prove to their local enforcers that the pregnancy was accidental. How they did that I didn't know.

Needless to say, it wasn't something I intended with Bella. Though it could potentially allow me to turn her. The fact that I knew that would be enough for any enforcer with half a brain cell to say I did it on purpose. In addition, the mortality rate for the mothers was still far too high for my comfort. Although, I was certain I could provide her with the necessary care, the risk to her wasn't worth it to my thinking. There were still other ways.

For the time being I would continue to finish on her, not in her.

I untied her wrists, helping her lay down on her stomach. She lay there quite happily, making sweet little noises as I retrieved a damp cloth to clean her. Afterward, I laid down next to her, my head propped in my hand, just watching her as she watched me.

"How did I do, Bella?"

She snorted. "Fishing for compliments, Edward?"

I rolled my eyes. "You've successfully finished your first semester in graduate school. I meant to congratulate you. I had thought a gift of several orgasms was in order. Was I wrong?"

She crawled into my arms, smiling the whole time. "You big softy."

Growling low in my throat, I said, "Now you've done it."

She squealed as I rolled her over, slipping between her thighs. Her laughter turned into a deep moan as I thrust inside of her. She wrapped herself around me, clinging tightly, holding on as tight as she was able. I let her have her way, thrusting against her swiftly. She came quickly, frozen in pleasure for a moment.

Once she recovered, I hadn't stopped my assault on her senses. She was an animal in my arms. Her head thrown back and forth on the pillow, her hips moving against mine, out of sync, her fingernails scrapping against my back. I reached back, gripping her wrists and bringing them down on either side of her head. If she kept the scratching she'd no doubt hurt herself, and that wouldn't do.

I brought her to orgasm three more time before allowing myself to finish, this time on her stomach. Cleaning her again, I got dressed, much to her consternation.

"I like you better naked," she pouted.

Walking over to where she sat on the bed, I cupped her chin, giving her a swift kiss. She threw her arms around my neck, pressing three short kisses to my lips. I smiled down at her.

"I have every intention of spoiling you rotten for the rest of the week," I promised. "If it makes you happy, I'll spend the whole time naked. But first I need to feed my little human."

Bella pulled on a shirt of mine that she'd stolen. It dwarfed her petite frame, coming to her knees. She followed me down to the kitchen practically skipping and tripping every few steps as she was incredibly clumsy. Over the past four weeks I'd had to catch her perhaps a thousand times. It was hardly a trial for me. Holding her was a gift.

As the weeks passed together, we had fallen into a kind of routine. On weekdays, I woke her early, made her breakfast, and drove her to and from school. I did whatever I could to occupy myself while she was in class. I'd toyed with the idea of enrolling in one of her classes, but Alice talked me out of it with an emoji of rolling eyes. I ignored her next few phone calls, unwilling to listen to her chide me for even thinking about it.

I spent most days at my club, finding it easier to focus on work there then at home. It was mostly emails and conference calls I barely paid attention to. However, I had been planning on opening another club in Germany, so there was some work to be done. My clubs were insanely popular in Germany, I already had five there, all incredibly profitable. I had recently handed over primary running of my German clubs to a manager that I'd promoted to chief operating officer for all of my German clubs. Hans Fritz was on the phone with me most days over the past four weeks.

With the popularity of the clubs growing, it made sense to open another. Fritz had thrown out several options for location, contractors, and even some employees. He was fussing over every detail, as this was the first club I had handed over to him completely. If I didn't like him it probably would have pissed me off.

It was a good distraction most days. Bella would text me throughout the day, sometimes just a smiley face, other times random questions about my life, a few times pictures of things she thought I might like. It was enough to keep me sane through the hours apart. That and the feel of her kiss on my lips. After our first night together, she'd taken to giving me three short kisses whenever we parted or came back together.

Most early evenings were spent in my study. I would sit on the couch, reading or still sifting through emails, while Bella sat behind my desk working. The month was hectic for her, as she was coming to the end of the semester. Exams, papers, and grading kept her busy for several hours every night. Around six I would try to make her dinner, but she would insist on doing it herself. It was just a way for me to get her to take a break. Most weeknights, she fell asleep over her homework, but sometimes I was able to pull her away and tempt her into a bit of fun. It was enough to keep her from being consumed by the stress of her schoolwork.

Our weekends were spent in bed. At first, I was careful to get her consent before trying anything at all. I never wanted her to think I was pressuring her or pushing her for anything she wasn't prepared to give. However, she quickly lost patience with me.

"If you ask what color I am one more time…"

I had quirked an eyebrow at her, wondering what she would do, but instead she just glared at me. Clearly, she didn't want to be treated any differently. I wasn't sure it was entirely possible, but I did take more assertive actions. Tossing her this way and that, into whatever position I wanted. Trusting throughout that she would say if I did anything that made her uncomfortable.

It was comfortable routine, seldom interrupted. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. The consistency she had introduced to my life was relaxing. It suddenly made sense why she thrived on letting me have so much control over her life. Routine was a kind of control.

Once we reached the kitchen the last night of her exams, she put on the slippers Alice had sent her. I rolled my eyes at the giant bunny house shoes. I had never known Alice to be so whimsical in her shopping, but it seemed that she had changed since the last time she bought clothes for me.

The box had arrived about a week after our first time together. It was massive, of course. And it arrived as we were getting home for the end of the day.

"Wowsers!" Bella exclaimed. "What did you order?"

Looking at the return address, I rolled my eyes. "Not me, Alice."

She gave me a confused look, following as I carried the box into the sitting room. "Alice from the photo album?" I nodded. "She bought you a present?"

I shook my head. "Alice hasn't bought me anything in years. This is for you."

"Me?!"

I opened the box with ease, tissue paper was elegantly folded over piles of cloths, and on top of that were two letters. One addressed to me and the other to Bella. While handing her letter over, I flipped open mine. It was just a winking smiley face. I was tempted to rip it up but felt that might be exactly what Alice wanted me to do.

"We can return it, if you'd like," I offered, still staring at the winking face. Her tinkling laughter brought my eyes to her. "What did she write?"

Bella pressed the letter to her chest, laughter in her eyes. "She says not to let you read it." I rolled my eyes again. "She said you'd do that!"

"Of course, she did."

But I didn't press. If Bella wanted to show me the letter she would. It wasn't my place to force my way into every aspect of her life. Instead, she tore into the box, examining every item. I sat on the couch while she did, enjoying her expression as the pieces of clothing just kept coming. At one point she stopped, her eyes wide and her cheeks pink.

"Show me."

An order, sure. But not one that interfered with her liberty or privacy. It was a fine line, but definite. She bit her lip and started pulling out lacy lingerie. I chuckled.

"Thank you, Alice."

My phone buzzed, I knew without looking it was her saying, "You're welcome."

Bella had bristled at that, still blushing furiously, she threw the lingerie back into the box. But I found it all later in the chest of drawers I had given her when I was putting her laundry away. She hadn't worn any of it, which didn't bother me. Honestly, I preferred her naked.

At the moment, though, wearing only a t-shirt and those ridiculous slippers, she did look quite enticing. As I began to prepare her dinner, she sat at the counter, the mail piled in front of her. Sitting on top was a thick envelop.

"Hmmm…"

I looked up from mincing some onions. "What?" She held up the envelop. The ridiculous script told me everything I needed to know. Rosalie and Emmett were getting married again. I rolled my eyes. "Throw it out."

"What is it?" she asked, flipping it over.

"A wedding invitation, I won't be going."

"In Forks?"

I looked up again, quirking an eyebrow at her. She pointed to the return address. "Perhaps."

"They're getting married in Forks, Washington?" Her tone was incredulous. "Why in the world would anyone get married there?"

"Have you been?" I asked, curious by her reaction to the location of their nuptials.

"My dad lives there."

I froze. "Charlie Swan? Chief of police?"

Now she froze. "How do you know that?"

"That's where we were living when I left. They've been there since 1999." It was a startling bit of happenstance.

"And they're still there? Why?"

"Not a fan of Forks?"

She made a face. "Not really. I was born there, left with my mom when she and my dad split up. I used to spend summers there, but that stopped when I got older. After you guys got outed, my mom refused to let me go back. Cause you guys tend to prefer the shadier places and Forks is about as shady as they come."

"You've answered your own questions as to why they stay. At least partly." Returning to my cooking, I explained, "While the world may know about us, they don't really like having it shoved in their face. It's easier to co-exist if we remain in the shadier parts of the world. Especially given Carlisle's chosen profession. The citizens there have accepted them, that makes it easier too. Being a small town, with fewer citizens to win over… it makes sense to stay put."

At least that was what I figured. In years past we had never pushed our stay over ten years. It was getting closer to thirteen and they hadn't moved. I was sure Alice would tell me if and when they did, but I hadn't heard a peep from her. A darkly selfish part of me wondered if they didn't move in hopes that I would one day return and they wanted to be sure I knew where to go. But I quickly disregarded that. They knew better than to make any important decisions around me.

I was broken from my revery by the ripping of paper. Looking up in time to see Bella had opened the wedding invitation. "It's a felony to open someone else's mail."

She rolled her eyes. "Sue me."

"Hmmmm… Perhaps not. But I will have to punish you."

"Is it really a punishment if I like it?" she wondered, pulling the invitation from the envelop. "Fancy. Oh! You get a plus one! No meal options though, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised about that. What would that be? Type O, B positive?"

"You're hilarious, Bella," my voice deadpan.

"I'll be here all week."

"You'll be here forever, now please throw that away," I said turning to the stove. She was silent but her heart was thundering. Curious, I turned back to her. She was staring at me wide eyed, her mouth slightly agape. "What?"

She shook herself, answering quickly. "Nothing!" Instead of throwing it away, she continued to toy with it, worrying her lower lip. "You know if you wanted to go, I'd be game," she said, still looking down.

I sighed, moving back to my cooking. "Bella, they only invite me out of curtesy. None of them expect me to show up."

"I don't think that's true; this is expensive card stock. No one in their right mind would waste that on a throw away invite." When I didn't respond, she continued. "Seems to me they might have sent it hoping you'd come. And besides, I could always use it as a chance to visit Charlie."

I did look up at that, wondering if I could make myself go back there for her sake. It quickly occurred to me that I would do literally anything in my power for her. If she wanted to go to Forks to visit her father, I would most certainly be going with her. And there would be no avoiding them. Alice would see me coming and I'd have to face it. Perhaps it would be a good thing. Closure, for all of us.

"If you want to go see your father, you need only ask," I said. "We wouldn't need the excuse of a wedding." She looked up at me, her eyes questioning. "I would go for you, Bella."

Her smile was radiant. "I wouldn't want to put you out," she said. "And you'd probably be bored stiff just hanging out in Forks with me and my dad. A wedding might a nice diversion."

I plucked the invitation out of her hands, crumpled it in a ball and threw it in the bin. "I was invited because Esme wouldn't allow me not to be. I wasn't invited because Rosalie wants me there or because Emmett expects me to come. If we go, I would see them. It would be for the last time." I cupped her chin, stopping her before she could interrupt me. "And that would be for the best."

She huffed, crossing her arms and resting her head there. "I just feel like…"

"Yes?"

"You were so happy in those pictures."

"I assure, I am far happier now."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere, why can't you have both?" I squinted at her. "Me and them."

I shook my head. "That time in my life has passed, Bella. And it was of my own doing. There's no going back. Only going forward."

"It just sucks."

"On that we can agree."

She was quiet throughout dinner, only speaking up once to tell me it was delicious. I had taken to watching cooking shows while she was at school when my other diversion failed to keep my attention. Cooking, I found, was rather enjoyable and it made me happy to be able to take care of her in this way. In addition, it was an oddly domestic chore that I felt bonded us. I only wished I could eat what she cooked.

After she ate and I cleaned, we settled in the music room. She cuddled next to me and I played for her. She loved to hear me play. I ran through several of her favorites. Her favorite was the composition I wrote for her, but she liked the song I wrote for Esme and Clair de Lune. After an hour, she started to shift uncomfortably on the piano bench.

I gave her a kiss and went into the sitting room. There I picked up an overstuffed chair, carrying it back into the music room. Bella was practically bouncing by the time I put the chair down. She threw herself into my arm, pressing three short kisses to my lips and then one to my nose.

"You are so cute," she whispered.

I stared down at her for a moment. Everything crystal clear in my mind. "I love you, Bella."

Her heart pounded, her breath fast, and little happy tears came to her eyes. "I love you too."

We tumbled down onto the chair. She was naked under the t-shirt, so it was easy enough to get underneath it. Bella was tugging at my shirt and pants at the same time. I shed them both quickly. I liked her in my shirt, so I left it on her. Pulling her legs over my hips I thrust into her quickly. We groaned in unison. It was different now. Like everything was so much more tactile now that we had said those words to each other.

I had known for weeks now that I loved her, but it did feel different knowing she loved me too. It occurred to me that she had been telling me the same for some time. Those three little kisses. I- kiss, love- kiss, you- kiss. God, I was blind.

My hips were flush against hers, looking down at her. I leaned down and gave her three short kisses. She cupped my cheeks in her tiny hands, tears streaming down her face, a radiant smile on her face.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

We stayed there for several hours, making love over and over again. She would nap for a while between, holding on to me as fiercely as she could. I tucked her against my chest, pressing kisses to every part of her I could reach. My mind was so consumed with her in this moment, at first I didn't notice it. This moment with her so perfect, it was hard to pull myself away.

It didn't make sense what I was seeing, but it looked like it was us.

Bella was asleep in my arms, her breath warm little puffs against my throat. Every once and a while she would whisper my name or master, then "I love you." I could hear her in front of me but also through the mind nearby. The image was unclear, like I was seeing it through something. I blinked, trying to focus on it. I recognized what I was looking through. It was the lace curtains pulled over the windows to the music room.

My head popped up. The blackout curtains hadn't been closed entirely, there was a sliver of the window bared, with only the lace lining in the way. I was seeing us, hearing Bella through the mind of someone watching us through the curtain. Swiftly I got up, pulling Bella shirt down, and dressing quickly. A second later, I righted the curtain to block his view of her. I probed into his mind.

He was standing across the street, focused entirely on us. I plucked his name from his mind, taking in as much as I could. James. Tracker. He had caught Bella's scent mingled with mine on campus, hours earlier. He'd followed us home, unknowingly staying just far enough away that I hadn't heard his thoughts until now, when he got close enough to me. Initially, he was just curious, having smelled me all over her.

He was nomad, still hunting humans. His life actually got more interesting after we were outed. It became more of a challenge when there was a chance he might get caught. I hated the parallels between us but focused instead on what he was thinking now. After observing us for the past few hours he was resolved. He wanted Bella. Not because her blood particularly called to him, but because of me.

I held myself perfectly still for a moment. He knew now that I had noticed him. Walking slowly to the front door, I opened it, standing on the doorstep, meeting his eyes for the first time. Quirking an eyebrow at him, he grinned and was gone.