Chapter Six
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your wildest dreams
~ Taylor Swift, Wildest Dreams
BPOV
My teeth dug into my bottom lip to keep myself from whimpering as his fingers slid slowly down my abdomen. It was a useless battle as soon as they dipped underneath the hem of my shorts. The whimper in the back of my throat turned into a breathy moan as he slid two fingers inside of me.
"So good, princess," he sighed into my ear. His breath floated against my overheated skin and sent a shiver down my spine. "You feel so good. Tight. Wet. Fucking perfect," he accentuated every word with a thrust of his fingers.
My nails dug into his shoulders, holding on for dear life as he turned his attention to my neck.
I felt his lips curve into a smile against my skin as he said, "Imagine how good it'll feel when it's my cock."
I jolted awake, heart pounding and thighs clenched together as I looked up into the very surprised green eyes I had just been dreaming about.
"Shit. Fuck. Sorry. I was just–"
"Oh no, did I sleep all day?" I grumbled, sitting up and scrubbing my hands over my face. "I even set an alarm. I was–"
Edward chuckled and ran an almost embarrassed hand through his hair. "No, I'm just about to head to practice. I was just hoping to steal a kiss before I left."
I rolled my lips together, studying the giant of a man standing beside my bed. He was solid muscle. Muscle I had the privilege of feeling underneath my fingertips last night after we got a little too carried away on the football field.
The fact that he admitted he wanted a kiss goodbye shouldn't make my cheeks heat up, but after the dream he woke me up from, I couldn't help but be a tad disappointed it was only a kiss.
"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" he asked out of the blue.
"What? No, I don't."
"You do."
"Nobody has ever told me I talk in my sleep in my entire life."
Edward smiled down at me. A secretive tilt of his lips that suddenly had me slightly panicked.
"What–what did I say?"
"Oh, I can't tell you that. It's between me and Sleeping-Bella. We're like this," he said with a grin, holding up two crossed fingers.
I huffed out a laugh.
Edward pressed a quick, disappointingly short kiss to my lips.
—How You Get The Girl—
After starting off my morning with a very, very cold shower, I ended up rummaging through Edward's kitchen. Not because I was hungry, but because it was the first morning I actually had the energy to do something besides rot in bed all day.
And I decided to spend the day baking.
It was one of the only times my brain didn't nag me. Baking and writing were the two escapes I had in life, and while I did currently have my phone out and ready to record any random ad libs and lyrics that popped into my head as I worked, I wasn't actively writing anything at the moment.
Well, that was kind of a lie. I was always writing. But I was supposed to be taking a much-needed mental breather from writing.
So, I went with baking with a side of writing-but-not-writing.
I had a little helper by my side all morning. Daisy stared at me all day, those big brown eyes looking right into my soul until I promised I would try to make her something too.
Sam had to send one of his guys out for more ingredients, specifically dog-friendly ones for Miss Daisy. And a fresh batch of everything of Edward's I had used up.
After a little bit of trial and error, I ended up curled up on the kitchen floor with Daisy frantically pawing at the warm treat in my hand.
"Hold on," I told her. "It's hot! You'll burn your mouth!"
A chuckle as Daisy impatiently swatted at my hand had us both turning only to find Edward leaning against the counter staring at us.
"What are you two doing?"
My reply got stuck in the back of my throat as I took him in. He wore a navy blue athletic shirt with the Seahawks logo on the sleeve and a pair of dark jeans. His hair was slightly damp, which made it look a few shades darker than usual.
My mouth went completely dry as he nonchalantly crossed his arms over his chest, muscles flexing as he did. His muscle wasn't simply muscle for show, or muscle that was bulked up by steroids. It was muscle that worked. It was a six pack but not the perfectly sculpted kind that weren't maintainable. The kind that you got from hard work that those guys who called themselves 'gym bros' had no idea how to maintain.
I shook my head, forcing my eyes to go back to his. I wasn't sure what had gotten into me. I hadn't wanted someone so quickly or completely in… a long time. Ever, maybe, if I was being honest with myself.
"I, um, made her some dog treats. I hope thats okay. Everything is safe for dogs, I promise."
Edward's eyes softened and he lowered himself down to the floor, leaning on the cabinets across from me.
Daisy looked entirely conflicted, eying the treat in my hand and Edward, both with longing glances.
I took pity on her and finally gave her the treat. She took it over to Edward's side and plopped down right next to him.
"You made her treats? From scratch?"
I shrugged. "It would have been rude not to after she watched me bake human treats all day."
Edward's face lit up with a smile that had my heart sputtering out a few uneven beats. "You baked human treats?"
I smiled, hopping to my feet and holding both of my hands out to pull him up, too. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he grabbed my hands, very obviously pulling himself to his feet with zero help from me. He did steal a quick kiss before he righted himself, so I didn't mind.
Pulling him over to the table where I had stored all of my creations, I started explaining before he could say anything.
"I like baking," I said quickly. "And I thought you could give these to Emmett next time you see him, as a thank you from me. I know there's still a lot, but I figured you have a football team full of guys who could probably use a cookie or two."
Edward shook his head as he chewed. "No way."
I frowned, unsure when he even had the time to eat a cookie without me noticing. "What?"
"I'll give Emmett his. He deserves it. I'd like to commandeer the rest for myself. This is… so fucking good."
I choked on my own saliva.
So good, princess…
Edward took a few steps closer to me until I was stuck between him and the table. His hands came to rest firmly on my hips. I let my arms sling over his shoulders, fingers tugging at the soft hair at the nape of his neck.
In the back of my mind, I realized I could get very, very used to this very, very quickly.
"You're back early," I mumbled, trying to keep myself somewhat focused on having a civilized conversation.
"Had a doctor's appointment. Decided to play hooky the rest of the day," he said with a wink.
I reached up on my toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "Are you okay?"
I was still learning about the whole NFL thing. And while the algorithm of my socials now consisted of random football videos, I was still a little fuzzy on the details. But I knew Edward's job wasn't for the weak of heart.
Half of the videos I watched had me cringing as someone was tackled to the ground or snapping a limb or tearing something.
Edward gave me an easy, lopsided smile that melted away all of my worries. "I'm good, Princess."
I melted against him, sighing happily as his lips finally brushed against mine.
Then there was a clink as something fell to the ground at our feet. We both looked down and saw Daisy sitting there, impatiently eying the both of us with a leash on the ground at her paws.
Edward sighed, leaning down and scruffing the fluffy hair on the top of her head. "I know, I know," he said, grabbing the leash then turning back toward me. "You up for a quick walk?"
I hesitated, an unsettling mixture of panic and doubt and guilt settling in my gut.
Edward made it all disappear with a soft kiss to my cheek. "I told Sam about it on my way in. He sent some guys up the path I usually take to check it out."
"Oh," I mumbled. Speechless.
He didn't seem put out or bothered about the fact that he had to send a security guard ahead of us on a walk. Knew Sam would probably be a few feet behind us the whole time and didn't look upset about it at all.
Spontaneous public outings were a perfect way to get caught, though. Even if Edward didn't seem fazed by it in the moment, I knew all too well what the repercussions of getting too complacent were.
"Have you told anyone on your team about us?" I asked hesitantly.
Edward's brows furrowed. "No. Well, Emmett knows. He keeps sending me–"
"No, not that team," I smiled in spite of myself. It was almost endearing that he assumed I was talking about his football team. "Your manager. Publicist. That kind of team."
Edward's eyes softened. He ran his fingers through my hair, tucking it behind my ear. "We'll meet you out front."
I stared after him and Daisy with my mouth hanging open.
It was a serious discussion, one that we probably should have had before even that first date at the Space Needle. One that I felt like would be a deal breaker for most men, no matter how unbothered they seemed about the impracticality of my life so far.
I pulled on a pair of athletic shorts, keeping the Seahawks t-shirt from last night on. Along with my matching tennis shoes. And pulled my hair up in a ponytail through the Seahawks cap I now had, too.
Daisy was tentatively sniffing at Sam's feet when I walked out of the house, he and Edward chatting away.
Sam shot me a wink as Edward grabbed my hand, holding Daisy's leash in the other, and started leading us down the street.
It was a secluded little neighborhood. There were only a handful of houses that we passed, most hidden up in the hills behind heavy trees. It was quiet. Private. Cozy.
And in the back of my mind I heard phantom clicking of camera's going off around us.
"My reputation went to shit after Jacob left me. The media can take anything out of context and twist it to how they want, but looking back I know he was taking a lot of subtle shots at me even then. When I still–" I shook my head. "Long story short, my reputation is still pretty shitty. I'm a national punching bag. Depending on the day I'm either desperate for Jacob back or I'm a serial dater or I'm sleeping my way through New York. The list is endless. So, being with me… even if some neighbor manages to get a blurry picture of us right now, it's not great for you.
"And I'm not saying this to try and break up with you. Unfortunately, I've grown quite attached already so that ball is in your court now. If you want it. Because it's out of my control, Edward. The headlines, the cameras… the stalkers and the fans, it's out of my control."
I kept my eyes on the sidewalk in front of me, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.
"How much shit did he give you?" Edward asked quietly next to me. "About the fact that you were more well known than him?"
I frowned down at the sidewalk, then up at him. "What?"
"Jacob. How pissed was he that you were becoming more successful than him?"
"Oh," I sighed.
I hadn't seen the signs at the time.
But I knew better now.
"Very."
Edward nodded, eyes on the lush forest around us. He squeezed my hand softly. "This might sound… blunt, but I'm not sure how else to put it. I don't give a shit, Bella."
My steps faltered.
"About the tabloids and rumors, the publicity or cameras, I don't care. I know that comes with the package. Our careers come with similar drawbacks, but different levels of it. I'm never going to be mad you need Sam around. I'm not going to be upset if someone walks up to you and asks me to take your picture with them. I think the career you've built for yourself… the fact that you never fucking stopped working even when everyone turned their back on you, is impressive as hell."
He hesitated. For long enough that I thought maybe he was done and waiting for me to say something, but then he came to a stop, tugging me with him. His fingers disentangled from mine only to brush against my chin and lift my eyes to his.
"But, I like you. Bella. Your career is impressive and admirable, and I can't want to see what you do next, but I think the woman sitting on my kitchen floor baking my dog treats so she doesn't feel left out is pretty damn amazing, too."
I let out a shaky breath. "They're the same person," I admitted. It was hard, even for me, to make out the differences sometimes. But, I was always me. Whether I was on a stage or sitting on the kitchen floor.
"I know. And unfortunately for you, Princess, I've grown quite attached to every bit of you I've gotten to know so far, too. So, from here on out, we don't need any more disclaimers. No more waiting for the other shoe to drop. We can put out a fuckin' press release tomorrow about our relationship if it'll make you feel better–"
"No," I interrupted. "I don't want press releases or anything. Just… just you."
Edward smiled down at me. Grabbed my hand again, and pulled me alongside him and Daisy.
—How You Get The Girl—
After our talk, there was a switch. I no longer felt the need to explain every detail of how being even remotely associated with me would ruin his life and Edward relaxed fully into my side and seemed content never to leave. The short walk we had started turned into a hour long excursion with Daisy happily collapsing in the kitchen beside her water bowl as soon as we got inside.
Warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind. I nearly choked on the sip of water I had just taken. "I thought we could stay in tonight," he murmured against my skin, lips brushing against my already overheated neck. "Order in… watch a movie…"
"That sounds nice," I breathed out, immediately dazzled as I twisted in his arms and watched his eyes stare intently at a bead of sweat I could feel sliding down my neck.
Seattle had a rare, sunny afternoon for our walk.
"I should, um, shower."
Edward hummed to himself, hands settled on my hips as he leaned in and traced his tongue along the line of sweat before it could fall any further.
His hands tensed against my hips when a whimper escaped the back of my throat.
It was the last thing I was aware of before they moved to my thighs and lifted me without seeming to use a fraction of the strength he had.
My heart sputtered out uneven beats as his lips stayed firmly attached to my neck. He was walking, maybe. I wasn't sure, to be honest. But then I was set carefully down, cool marble brushing against my thighs. I tried to control my breath as Edward reluctantly pulled away.
"Towels are in the cabinet," he breathed out against my shoulder.
Then he was gone. Leaving me in what I had to assume was his bathroom.
I scrubbed my hands over my face before hopping off of the counter. I had done an excellent job at not snooping around his house the last few days. But I couldn't help but smile at how very lived in his bathroom was. It was a beautifully pristine en suite, white marble and gray towels and accents and a shower that could hold at least ten people. But his toothpaste was left uncapped by one of the sinks, a hamper overflowing with towels sat in the corner, a forgotten coffee cup on the counter near the door.
I forced myself to calm down in the shower. Actively not thinking about a very naked Edward Cullen in the exact same spot just hours earlier.
By the time I was done and wandered out the door, there was a pile of neatly folded clothes waiting on the bed for me.
I flipped my still damp hair over my shoulder as I rounded the corner of the kitchen. "Was this whole thing an elaborate way to get to go through my underwear?" the joke died on my tongue as Edward eyed me up and down from his spot in the living room.
He sat on the couch, leaning forward as soon as I walked in with his eyes locked on me. More specifically, my bare legs.
He left me a well-worn Seahawks shirt, one that was obviously his given the size. Along with some underwear and a pair of leggings he seemed to have gotten from my things. Given the size of the shirt and the fact that I had worn dresses that showed more skin, I skipped out on the leggings.
The look on his face was worth the chance. And the way he attempted to stutter out a response but had to clear his throat four times instead.
We had a blissfully quiet evening. Edward ordered Chinese food. Lit a few candles. Opened a bottle of wine. And we ended our evening sprawled on his cozy couch, my legs draped over his lap as he drew patterns on my calves that left my head dizzy.
"What are you rehearsing for? In LA?" Edward asked quietly. We had talked from everything football to Seth to his parents to the album I was releasing in a little over a month. It was stupidly adorable to watch him waffle between wanting me to play him something now to listening to it when it came out. He was still undecided. Felt like listening early was cheating.
"VMAs performance," I hummed, attempting to hold back a moan as his fingers drifted a little further up my calf. "When… when's your first game of the season?"
A stomach twisting crooked smile was shot my way. "September 9th. Home game."
I rolled my lips together. "What's a girl gotta do to get a ticket?"
His answer was a grip to my hips and a pull in his direction. My knees landed on either side of his hips, his hands rested dangerously low on my back. Emerald eyes burned into me, making my abdomen clench in the best ways possible.
"I'll take care of it," he muttered, hands clenching against my skin.
Holding himself back, I realized.
I wasn't sure where the confidence came from. Wasn't sure how Edward so quickly went from a guy who I was not-so-subtly internet stalking one night to one I had dirty dreams about nightly. But it happened.
And I wanted to enjoy it for as long as I could. As thoroughly as I could. Because it wasn't every day I had a man as mind-numbingly gorgeous as him whispering sweet nothings in my ear and eying me in a way that had my cheeks heating up.
His hands traveled down my back, fingers twisting at the hem of the t-shirt he left out for me. Both of us had opted for comfort for the evening, Edward in a pair of gray sweats and a navy Seahawks t-shirt.
So when his hands hesitated at my back I settled myself comfortably over him before rolling my hips over his. Feeling every single inch of him through the few flimsy layers of fabric separating us.
My moan was quickly swallowed by a kiss. His hands were no longer tentative, no longer reserved. They were tight on my hips, sneaking underneath the fabric of my–his–t-shirt and grinding me down against him with a simple tug.
Edward growled against my lips as his hands slid further up my back and found nothing but bare skin. He whispered my name against my lips, and I rolled my hips against his to answer his unspoken question.
My shirt was across the room in the blink of an eye.
Edward let out a string of illegible curses as his eyes slid down my exposed chest and torso. I felt his hands tense at my waist and I grabbed one wrist and slid his hand up to my breast. Another act of confidence I wasn't quite sure the origin of.
My hips jerked against him as his fingers brushed over my nipple. It was all the encouragement he needed.
His lips traveled down my collarbone, his hand firmly kneading one breast while his lips traveled to the other. He groaned against my skin as his tongue slid over my nipple.
It was better than any dream ever would be. Better than I knew it could be.
I think I moaned his name. I wasn't quite sure. But my fingers were knotted in his hair, keeping him close as his tongue flicked over my nipple while his other hand engulfed my other breast.
All hell broke loose as I rubbed myself against his impressive length again.
"Fuck, yes, Princess," he groaned against my overheated skin. "Perfect fucking pussy and I haven't even had a taste yet."
I whimpered.
I would never be able to hear the world Princess the same way again.
Dream Edward had been a dirty talker, but apparently he had nothing on the real deal.
His hands were firm on my hips, pulling and guiding and squeezing when I moved just how he liked. How I liked.
Maybe it had just been too long or maybe I was blinded by green eyes and crooked smiles, but I had never felt quite so… wound up before. Needy. Desperate.
Sure, I liked sex. But it was always… missing something. I craved heat and passion and desperation. I wanted someone to want me so much they could hardly control themselves. I wanted someone to want me as much as I wanted them.
I choked out a gasp as Edward pulled away from my breast and lifted his lips to brush against my ear, "You're going to look so good when you finally take my cock, Princess," he grunted. "So fucking good."
My orgasm shot through me with no warning, my body rolling over his cock in an attempt to get closer and closer and closer. His hands pulled me down harder, a groan I would do my best to commit to memory rumbled in my ear as he found his own release, too.
I was Jello.
My arms were useless, legs shaking so much I doubted I could stand on my own two feet.
I blinked. I think. It's possible it was longer than a blink, because the next time I opened my eyes I was in a stupidly comfortable bed with a comforter that smelled heavenly being tucked around my shoulders.
"Is this okay?"
"Hmm?" I mumbled, curling into a cozy little ball and burrowing myself into the warm chest that appeared beside me.
"I can take you back to the guest room if you want."
I grumbled under my breath. "No more guest rooms."
A/N: Ah, I love these two. Can't wait to see where they go :) Thank you guys for sticking with me. I hope you enjoyed this one! See you next time, and happy TTPD eve ;)
