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Chapter 21

Disaster-Day

Bella

"Are you alright?", he mumbled and came crawling to me on all fours.

"Hmm ...", I cleared my throat. "Um ... I'm fine. Sleep, my ass ... Like I'm going to miss out on that."

It seemed to me that his predatory cat-like stalking involuntarily shifted a bit more into a mindful defensive posturing.

Nevertheless, he slid gracefully next to me and pulled the blanket over us.

I did not miss the opportunity to involve him first in an extensive smooching session. Then I maneuvered my affections over his throat down to his nipples, to which I finally wanted to devote myself extensively.

I explored them, stroked, kissed, licked, sucked, nibbled ... Watched with fascination as they contracted ... Until Edward literally squirmed under me and gnashed his teeth.

"Oh Bella, what are you doing to me?", he moaned and groaned in a weird mishmash that made me grin and look up.

"Shh ... not so loud ... Charlie's here," I whispered, watching with fascination as he contorted his face as just the hint of my breath brushed his nipples, wet from my saliva.

I probably shouldn't let him fidget so long and redeem him soon. He looked somehow tortured.

Slowly I ran my hand deeper over his stomach ...

Actually, I had done this enough times now, but with the one actual realistic goal in mind, it felt strangely different. And although it wasn't the first time I would touch him there so intimately, my fingers became more hesitant as they slipped under his waistband.

I looked up at him uncertainly, but he had narrowed his eyes and was biting his lower lip.

So I took a deep breath, rested my head on his chest and began to just gently caress him. Down his loins, to the short somewhat rougher hair ...

Hmm ... actually strange, where he had no body hair otherwise?! At least he had not shaved or depilated there or whatever ... Presumably it would not bother him then with me, right?

I felt out the wrinkled hairless skin of his testicles and had the impression that they were not as plump as last time. Under my ear, deep in his chest, there was a thudding. I took that as an incentive to turn to his expectantly twitching member. It was still as hard and yet tender as I remembered. The feeling of how the otherwise unyielding skin seemed to pulse under my touch was indescribable and induced that glowing longing in my abdomen to rear its head.

Again, I wondered how it was supposed to fit in there ... I wasn't afraid - or not much anyway. But still, I wondered, because this was way beyond a full Super-Tampax. Well, it had to work somehow - we weren't the first couple in this world, after all, and I'd never heard of physical incompatibility in any form. Just the idea to feel him soon in me made the desire rise to the unbearable. I had to do something about it ... He certainly wouldn't do it at the moment ... That's when I had the idea.

Gathering all my courage, I pushed myself up and withdrew my hand, whereupon Edward looked at me aghast and seemed to be struggling for words. His eyes widened even more as I sat astride him and began rubbing myself against him.

Mmm ... The pressure ... The sensations ... That was just the thing and instantly I had to bite my lips not to make uncontrolled sounds.

He dropped his head back with a growl and clawed his hands into the mattress.

My gaze slid over his sinewy arm, over his taut biceps. I saw his pecs twitch and his chest rise and fall frantically. Bracing myself on them, I gyrated my hips, sliding back and forth, testing out what felt best, enjoying being so close to him ... Seeing the power I had over him ... And I was so proud of him for letting it get this far. An irrepressible feeling of happiness overcame me, so I leaned forward, embraced his face and kissed him with fervor ... But he was too focused on another part of his body to really return the kiss.

"I love you," I breathed against his lips, abandoning my body to the instinctive rhythm of passion.

Something clenched inside me, a tension built up, my breath came more and more panting and then I felt how he suddenly met my hips in quick jerky thrusts. With that, he brought me completely out of rhythm and my surrender. I opened my eyes and saw him pushing his head back so hard that the tendons and muscles on his neck stood out strongly ...

And at that moment I heard a ripping, springs jumping in the mattress, the bed creaking dangerously ... My gaze flew to the source of the sound, and I noticed his fingers digging through the sheet into the substrate. He stiffened completely, giving a suppressed, drawn-out moan, and between my legs it suddenly became quite a bit wetter than it already was.

Wow ... what a sight; he was falling apart under me ...

I melted with adoration to this man. The tension left his limbs, he struggled for breath and already his arms wrapped around me, pressing me tightly against him ... And I was just satisfied to be allowed to lie here with him merely in underwear, that I didn't care at all whether I had come or not.

That's when I felt his lips in my hair.

"I love you, too," he gasped in my ear, sending another pleasant shiver down my spine.

As wonderful as the last night was, the next day was shi ... modest.

It started with the fact that I had to get up earlier than usual, because I wanted to do something with Charlie and he wanted to go fishing. Even though I knew that this might be the last chance to do so, and that I probably had quite an eternity ahead of me with Edward, I found it irrationally difficult to break away from him and let him go.

That would not have been particularly bad on its own, but my eyes fell on some unspeakably unsexy red bumps while going to the bathroom. These were not only cavorting in my bikini area, but had also strayed here and there on the legs, because my leg stubble had decided to grow under the skin rather than through it like decent hair.

Really great! Had it always been like that? Or was it just because of my boyfriend ... er ... fiancé that I noticed it so much now? I prayed - not only inwardly glowing red - fervently that it had not looked like that last night ... I should reach for waxing or a depilatory cream next time, then it would hopefully last longer.

I hadn't gone out fishing with my dad in a long time because it was usually too boring in the past. But today, I really felt like just spending some relaxed quiet time with my dad ... Well, maybe desire wasn't exactly the appropriate term. Rather, I felt the need to devote some real time to him before trying to create some inner distance, if I could ever manage that.

So my motivation was already not the rosiest.

At the last minute, Billy joined in to take his mind off things, as he said.

In principle, I didn't mind, but his presence brought the memories of Jake back to the forefront. When he later revealed that his son had run away, but gave no further information, my mood hit rock bottom.

And Charlie was beside himself as to how he could stay so cool and why he hadn't reported it earlier. After all, it was his job as police chief to track down runaway youths, and he broke off the excursion to immediately initiate a large-scale manhunt. Even the objections of his friend that this was not necessary, and that Jacob would come back on his own, did not dissuade him.

I agreed with Billy, but I was still worried about my best friend.

Had he recovered enough from the unfortunate collision with the newborn to phase safely? And why did he flee now, after more than two weeks ...?

But I couldn't get anything out of his father and when I called Seth, the only one who would probably still communicate with me, I of course had Leah on the line. The description 'wild fury' would be the understatement of the century.

Just when the receiver – only at the fourth attempt to hang up – got stuck in the station and the tears were already completely unnerved in my eyes, two well-known strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

"Hey ... Bella, honey! What's the matter?"

Sometimes Alice was really good for something.

I looked up at Edward, blinked away the drops, and snuggled into his embrace.

Even though I was uncomfortable letting him comfort me again because of Jake, it still felt damn good to just be held. It was so nice to feel that he was always there for me.

"Do you want to talk about it?", he asked after a while.

I shook my head, really not wanting to burden him with it as well. Sooner or later he would find out anyway.

"That's all right. Distract me, take my mind off things," I suggested.

He thought about it for a moment and then presented me with his idea: "How about you finally break in your new car? There you'll have to concentrate, and we can make a nice round trip with your baby."

His eyes were literally sparkling with enthusiasm and the argument also spoke in favor of it ... And although my euphoria was limited, I was happy to do him the favor. I should rather have listened to my negative gut feeling and crawled into bed with a good book for the rest of the day. It was one big disaster. I was so absent-minded that I did everything wrong that could be done wrong. I received a lot of comments and looks, so that I felt as if it had been my first driving lesson.

We set off after a midday snack.

I grabbed the keychain, and we went outside to my new sexy black ride.

Out of pure habit I let the key snap open and unlocked the door by hand ... Which already brought me the first raised eyebrow from my sweetheart.

"Um ... Bella. On modern cars with central locking, there are these buttons on the key fob in your hand for that."

"It's okay," I rolled my eyes and sat down on the leather seat, feeling like I was squatting on the floor.

Well ... not really, because it was comfortable, for a 'lounger' maybe ... But for driving?

I was so low that I could barely see over the steering wheel out of the much too low windshield. So I first stowed the ignition key in the designated slot and looked for handles, levers, wheels or anything else to adjust the driver's chair accordingly.

It was only then that I noticed Edward still leaning against the outside of the car and heard his fingers drumming softly on the roof.

Oops.

I leaned over and tried to pull out the plug, but it was recessed. So I had to half-climb over the center console to reach the door opener. Finally there was a dull click and Edward gained access with a wry grin that I didn't like at all for a change.

Meanwhile, with a suppressed sigh, I shifted awkwardly back to my seat.

"Didn't I just point out to you the locking mechanism magic of this luxury car?"

"Can you tell me instead where I can adjust this seat?", I replied, deliberately ignoring the teasing and my aching knee so as not to get stroppy.

"To do that, you have to start the electronics. As a precaution, step on the clutch, take it out of gear and ..."

Slightly annoyed by his supposedly unnecessary instructions, I didn't wait until he had finished talking and turned the key with the same effort that I would have needed with my truck. I had barely touched it before the engine purred to life and, when it reached the stop, the starter or whatever made a horrible buzzing noise.

And Edward shouted in a slightly panicked tone, "Let go!"

Startled, I raised both hands - surrendering.

"Can't you be a little gentler with my baby?" he asked anxiously, actually patting the armature in front of him soothingly.

Grmpf ...

"My car!" I corrected him somewhat harshly, "So, how should I do it now?"

He pointed to a few buttons and explained how I could adjust the height, position, recline, etc.

After a few minutes I was ready and was just reaching for the rearview mirror to adjust it when his hand intercepted me.

"Please don't tear it off. Just about everything here is electronic. By the way, all you had to do to start it was press here."

After a few moments, all the mirrors were also set - at the push of a button - and I was finally ready to drive.

But my darling probably saw it differently.

"You can still move the steering wheel here, there's lights, turn signals - wipers go on here ..."

Groaning inwardly, I released the brake, put the car in reverse and said nothing so as not to provoke an argument. Because if I had opened my mouth now, nothing nice would certainly have come out.

He noticed my action and continued, "Bella, before you ..."

But before he could even come to me with drivers side mirror, passenger mirror, rearview mirror, I already stepped on the gas pedal, the engine howled, and we shot backwards. We whirled around and all I could do was screech, clutch and squeeze my eyes shut.

It jerked and squeaked ... And then everything was quiet again ... Except for the rush of adrenaline in my ears.

I swallowed, took a deep breath, blinked, and checked the situation.

Edward had pressed me into the seat with one arm, obviously pulled the handbrake, turned off the engine, and jerked the steering wheel around, because otherwise we wouldn't be sitting unharmed on the road right now, but stuck in the hedge of the neighbor's garden - or in the middle of his vegetable patch.

I should have stopped the experiment at this point at the latest.

"Are you OKAY?", he drew my attention with his concerned question.

I cleared my throat and nodded in embarrassment.

"Could you please listen to me first before you move your car to the next tree and most importantly - buckle up first!"

He was very serious.

"All right," I meekly conceded and reached for the strap.

"My God, if my heart had still been beating, it would be standing still now!", he added, breathing a sigh of relief.

Then, swallowing all rebelliousness, I dutifully followed his instructions. I carefully tested the gas pedal and then bucked and jerked along the country road, because the clutch and the gas played so completely different from my beloved truck, which I was mourning more and more. At times the tires would spin squealing and then I'd stall it again ... It was horrible. And I was convinced that it wasn't just me who was relieved when the baby was back in the driveway, unharmed and slumbering peacefully. At least this - ride - had successfully kept me from worrying about Jake.

Completely unnerved and done with the world, I fell into bed that night and in doing so forgot one crucial thing.

Thank you for reading!