A/N: Surprise! It's an early update! I was right about having extra time to write this weekend because of Labor Day, and I was able to finish this chapter.

This chapter is the rest of the first night of the honeymoon from Esme's POV. (I've discovered that I might be a little wordy since this is so long and only covers a short amount of time ;) Oh well. Maybe no one will complain!)

Up to this point in the story, I think I've remained safely in a 'T' rating, but that's about to change. I don't think anything is too graphic or vulgar, but it's definitely not appropriate for children.

I hope you enjoy. Let the lemonade begin!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, these characters, or the song lyrics. I just have fun with them (possibly too much fun in this chapter!)

Song for chapter: From This Moment On by Shania Twain

You're the reason I believe in love

And you're the answer to my prayers from up above

All we need is just the two of us

My dreams came true because of you

Esme POV

We were only a few hours into our honeymoon, but so far it had been perfect.

My nap during our flight was short, but it was exactly what I needed to provide me with another burst of energy.

As always, Carlisle had chosen a wonderful location for us to visit. I thought the Ritz Carlton Hotel was beautiful from the first moment I laid eyes on it. Even in the last light of day I could tell the scenery was gorgeous, and I was excited to explore the grounds later on. The inside was also very attractive, and our room was wonderful.

Carlisle had reserved a suite for us which I thought was a little much at first. But as he carried me around the rooms, I decided that it was perfect. Everything we could need or want was at our fingertips, from the plush terry cloth bathrobes to the 24 hour room service.

Our dinner in the less formal dining area was delicious and well appreciated after our long day. I hadn't realized how hungry I was, but it made sense. The last food I ate was at lunch. The finger foods at the reception held no interest for me since my appetite had disappeared when I started thinking about leaving Emmett. I still missed him, but knowing he was only a two and a half hour flight away provided some comfort. As enjoyable as a lavish honeymoon across the sea would be, I was grateful that Carlisle had chosen a spot I was comfortable with. I had a feeling this location would be just as romantic as a place thousands of miles away.

As we walked hand-in-hand back to our room, a feeling of anxiety began creeping into my mind. This was it: my wedding night with Carlisle. I couldn't count the number of times I dreamed of this, longed for this. Memories of my nightmarish first night with Charles drifted into my mind. I could remember how scared I was, how painful it was, and how I wished for death. I had also wished for Carlisle, and this time, he was with me.

I removed my hand from Carlisle's so I could wrap my arms around his waist. I looked up at him, and he turned his head to glance at me while we continued our easy pace. The love I saw in his eyes quickly drove my memories away. I knew I had nothing to be afraid of with this man. He loved me and I loved him.

My anxiety did not disappear, however. Even if I could get over the memories, I was still incredibly inexperienced. Knowing that Carlisle was as well brought some comfort to me. Siobhan's words echoed in my head, "I say you and Carlisle are equal," and I was coming closer to totally believing her. I could tell that he was nervous right along with me because neither one of us knew exactly what to expect of our first night together. I knew he was going to let me set our pace, and I resolved myself to try to relax and let things progress naturally.

When we reached our door, Carlisle unlocked it before sweeping me into his arms once again. It surprised me as it had the last time, and I laughed as he carried me into the sitting area, letting the door close softly behind us.

"You know, you don't have to carry me over the threshold every time. I think one time would have sufficed," I teased.

"Oh, no," he said, shaking his head back and forth. "One time is not nearly enough. You might as well get used to me doing this during our whole trip and when we get home. I think this is in the job description of being a husband."

"But still, you'll hurt your back carrying me around so much. I know I'm heavy."

"Nonsense! You're light as a feather." To accentuate his point, he playfully jostled me so that I felt like he was going to throw me into the air.

I squealed and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, holding on tightly. He laughed and brought his face down to mine to touch our lips together. I loosened my grip on him and kissed him back softly.

"Couch or bed?" he whispered against me.

"Bed," I answered while still gliding my lips against his.

We only disconnected after Carlisle carried me into the bedroom and placed me on the side of the king-sized bed. I kicked my shoes off and noticed that the bed had already been turned down. I crawled to the middle and rested my head on the goose down pillows.

Carlisle sat on the edge and took his own shoes off before crawling over to lie beside me. I immediately curled into his side and rested my head against his shoulder. It wasn't as soft as the pillows, but this position was much preferable. He wrapped his arms around me, and I rested my free hand against his chest.

"Thank you for bringing me here," I said softly as I lightly traced patterns over his shirt with my fingertips.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I'm glad you like it so far." He kissed my head and then rested his cheek against it, sighing contentedly.

"It's very beautiful, and I can't wait to find out what all you have planned for us to do. What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" I hoped that I had appropriate clothing for whatever it was. I was still a little afraid to open my suitcase and find out what Carmen and Charlotte packed.

"Well, I didn't plan anything for us to do tomorrow in case we wanted to sleep in…or something…else," he said quietly.

"Oh," I responded, not knowing what else to say. I wasn't sure exactly what he meant by that statement. Once I thought about it, I figured out what the "something else" was, and I blushed slightly. Carlisle obviously had confidence that our night would go well, and we would want to carry it over into the next day. I hoped that he was right.

"Sorry if I was a bit presumptuous," he whispered in apology.

"No, no. It's fine, really," I said quickly, hoping to ease his mind. I leaned up on my elbow and looked into his worry-filled eyes.

"Please don't apologize. I'm glad you think of everything." I gave him an honest smile which seemed to make his face to relax some. I leaned over and joined our lips once more in a quick kiss before lying back down against him.

We laid together in comfortable silence, picking up where we had left off before I was kidnapped. Being able to feel Carlisle's heart beating and his chest rising and falling as he breathed was wonderful. I closed my eyes to enjoy the feeling as he lovingly caressed my arm with his hand.

I kicked my leg over to rest between his and hugged myself as close to him as I could get. Carlisle seemed to take the hint, and he rolled over so he was also on his side, facing me. Both his arms were around me, and he pulled me even closer to his chest. My hands were free, and I cupped his face to bring it down to mine.

Our kiss started soft and slow just as they always did, but it didn't take long for Carlisle to deepen it. As soon as his tongue met mine in my mouth, the passion erupted around us. It had been a few hours since our kisses had gone this far, and it felt like my body was craving the taste of him. I couldn't get enough of the flavor: a mixture of spearmint with something that could only be described as Carlisle.

My right hand found its way into his hair, and I gently wrapped my fingers in it which seemed to urge him on. I felt his right hand move to rest on my waist and his thumb gently rubbed circles there. I suddenly wished that I was wearing a two piece outfit instead of the dress so I could feel his hand against my bare skin.

His hand slowly started inching upward, and I brought my left hand down to rest on his forearm, silently telling him that it was okay. Shivers went up my spine as his hand went back and forth along its path, getting higher with every pass. When his hand brushed the side of my breast, my whole body felt like it was on fire, and I couldn't stop myself from moaning softly into his mouth. Carlisle moaned as well, only his sounded something like "I love you," rather than a wanton sound. I attempted to return it, but it probably wasn't very clear.

We had never gone this far before, which seemed almost comical when I thought about it. We had been back together four months, but there was always a reason that we had to stop. Now, however, there were no distractions. No work in the morning, no child to interrupt, and we weren't in public. I also knew that Carlisle had gone slow for my benefit, not wanting to cause me anxiety or fear. I was ready, though, and had been for a while. Nothing about Carlisle's touches brought back any bad memories.

Once his hand had found my breast, it stayed there, not moving except for the occasion sweep his thumb would make toward the center. I could feel his touch through my dress and bra, and each time he did that, my body would quiver with pleasure and try to get closer to him. The now-familiar sensation in my body had started building again. I still didn't know what it was, but I had a feeling that I would be able to explore it tonight.

All too soon, our kisses returned to the slow, soft ones we had started with. When Carlisle's lips finally left mine, I was breathless and felt flushed.

"I love you," Carlisle whispered, just as breathless as I was.

"Mmm, love you, too," I managed to gasp out.

Carlisle brought his hand back down to my waist as our breathing returned to a normal rate together.

"How would you feel about taking a bath before bed?" Carlisle said once we had calmed down a little.

I smiled and gave him a small, shy nod. "That sounds good," I whispered.

Unfortunately, Carlisle had to get out of bed to start the water, and I wanted to groan at the loss of him from his place beside me. I rolled to my back and closed my eyes. So far, our night was very similar to the fantasy I had dreamed up years ago. I smiled to myself as I realized how naïve I had been. What we had now was so much better than I ever could have dreamed up without experiencing it.

I listened as the water filled up the tub in the other room. I heard Carlisle moving around as well, and it was only a few minutes later when he cut the water off and returned to the room.

I made me way over to the side of the bed, and my feet had barely touched the floor before I was back in his arms. I didn't protest at all this time. If he enjoyed carrying me even a fraction of how much I enjoyed being in his arms, I knew it was worth it for him.

We entered the bathroom, and I was immediately assaulted with the scent of rose bubble bath that filled the air. I saw that Carlisle had laid out two fluffy towels for us as well as the terry cloth robes. I also noticed our reflections in the mirror. We both look like we had been thoroughly ravaged, messy hair and swollen lips included. My face was flushed like I had expected it to be, and it made me look alive which was exactly what I was now. I was finally living, all thanks to Carlisle.

Carlisle placed me back on my own two feet in front of the door that closed off the toilet from the rest of the room.

"Do you need anything?" he asked softly.

"Could you get a hair clip for me out of my purse?" I knew we weren't going to be taking a bath to get clean, so I didn't want my hair to get wet.

Carlisle left the room and returned shortly after with the clip I asked for.

"I'll be in the tub, okay?" he said, placing a kiss on my forehead after handing it to me.

I nodded before going into the small room and closing the door behind me. I was grateful that Carlisle had given me the opportunity for some privacy before our bath. I relieved my bladder, and then sat down on the lid of the toilet to pull my hair up as I tried to mentally prepare myself for what was about to happen. I wished I had the confidence to undress in front of him, but I wouldn't feel totally comfortable. My body had changed a lot since I was a teenager, especially after having Emmett. My hips were wider, and some faded stretch marks still remained on my stomach. There were also a few marks on my breasts which were not as perky as they once were thanks to breastfeeding.

I couldn't decided how much a wanted to undress in the small room, but I knew I was taking too long so I needed to make a decision quickly. I finally just took my dress off and placed it on the floor before opening the door slightly and peering out.

The lights were now dimmed, creating a very romantic atmosphere. Carlisle was leaning against the back of the bath tub with his eyes closed. I smiled as I saw that he was once again offering me the privacy I needed. The water looked so inviting especially with the gorgeous man submerged in it. I had seen Carlisle's chest many times in the summer when we swam together, but it still looked just as appealing as the first time I saw him without a shirt. My mind was in a slight state of turmoil. I wanted nothing more than to hop in the tub with him, but I was still nervous.

I took a deep breath and worked up enough courage to unhook my bra and let it fall onto the floor. After taking another breath, I grabbed the waistband of my simple cotton bikini panties and pulled them down to join the discarded bra.

I walked with light steps over the side tub. Carlisle's eyes were still closed as I slowly stepped into the water. His lips curled into a smile as I lowered myself to sit down. The tub was deep enough and covered with bubbles so that I was not exposed, but I still sat hunched over, several inches away from him. Carlisle wordlessly leaned forward and kissed my shoulder before pulling my back against him.

I barely contained my gasp as I rested with my back on his chest. Our bodies had never been this close before. So many points were touching without any kind of barrier between us, and my nerve endings felt like they were on fire. The water was very warm, but I still shivered from the intensity of the moment. As I moved around to get comfortable, I was able to feel exactly how excited Carlisle was after our activity on the bed.

I was a little tense, but Carlisle noticed and brought his hands up to gently massage my shoulders, making me forget everything that was troubling me. As his hands worked over my skin, I felt my body relaxing and I hesitantly rested my hands on his knees. When he started placing light kisses against my neck, I practically melted, but soon came alive again once the kisses turned into small nibbles. His expert hands slowly worked their way from my shoulders, down my arms, finally resting on my hands. He linked his right hand with mine and brought my left hand up to his lips so he could kiss my rings.

I turned my head so I could see his face. His eyes were now open, and he was smiling at me with love coming off of him like waves. Beneath the love, there was also a layer of apprehension. I tried to make my smile match the level of love in his, while also letting him know that I was more than okay with his actions up to this point. After softly kissing his jaw, I rested my head against his shoulder with my eyes closed once more, ready for whatever he decided to do next.

We remained unmoving for a few minutes before Carlisle moved our hands to my stomach. As he rubbed circles onto my mid-section, my hips bucked involuntary, asking his hands to move lower. Instead, he left my hands where they were and brought his up to delicately cup my breasts.

My body was so sensitive from the combination of the warm water and the fact that I was already worked up, and I didn't even try to suppress the moan that slipped through my lips as he touched me. My breasts seemed to fit perfectly in his hands as he gently kneaded them, which elicited even more of my uncontrollable sounds.

Aside from my noises and the slight sloshing of the water, the room was silent. Without the distraction of unnecessary sounds and sights, I was able to concentrate on the feelings Carlisle was causing to build inside of me. My breathing had picked up considerably as well as my heart rate, and my body was making small jerky movements even though I felt like I was relaxed.

I was so lost in Carlisle's touch that I didn't notice at first that I was shivering once more, this time because the water had cooled down.

"We should probably get out now," Carlisle whispered into my ear, startling me back to reality from my sensual daze. As he traced his nose around the shell of my ear, I felt myself being drawn once more into the pleasure. My brain did finally realize what he said, but I wasn't ready for this to end.

"We could continue this in bed," I suggested in a small voice, my phrasing very much like a question. I had no idea where my boldness came from, but I can't say that I didn't like it.

I did, however, manage to increase my own level of anxiety. In bed, Carlisle would see me. All of me. We had already gone physically farther than ever before, but relocating to the bed for the final time of the night would bring everything to a new level.

"That sounds like a good idea, sweetheart," Carlisle responded. He placed a final kiss to the space below my ear and then shifted so he could stand up.

I scooted forward to give him more room, and he gracefully exited the bath tub. I focused my eyes on the water, watching the last of the bubbles disappear. I was being silly, and I knew it. Carlisle was my husband now. I had every right to look at him, especially since he would be seeing me very soon. I gathered enough courage to glance over at him out of the corner of my eye as he dried himself off with one of the towels.

His body was exquisite in all its natural glory. All of his muscles were toned, not too much, but just the right amount to show that he was in shape. My eyes slowly drifted down his torso, following the line of hair that started at his navel and trailed down to a certain part of his anatomy that was erect with need.

Carlisle was rather…large, not that I had seen much to compare him to. He was at least larger than Charles, which both thrilled and frightened me. From what I had heard, size mattered and larger was better. But the first thought in my mind was of pain since larger could also cause more damage. I returned my focus to the water while shaking my head to clear it of my needless thoughts. I knew that Carlisle would never hurt me. He would much rather cause harm to himself before anything could happen to me.

Once the thoughts of pain cleared, they were replaced with feelings of inadequacy. My body was nothing compared to his. I wasn't totally ashamed of my body, but I still felt that I was far from the same standard of looks as him.

"Hey," Carlisle called softly, his voice echoing through the room.

I turned my head toward him, but kept my body curled up. He was wearing one of the robes while holding out the dry towel for me.

"You don't have to hide yourself, sweetheart. You are beautiful. Never think anything else."

He came back over with the towel still held out for me. I held on to the sides of the tub and stood up, not letting my eyes meet his. The towel was wrapped around my body quickly before the cool air of the room could hit me. Carlisle helped me out of the water and then placed his arms around me, using the sleeves of his robe to dry my arms and back. I stood still allowing the towel to soak up the water droplets and also allowing myself to revel in the feeling of favorite place in the world- Carlisle's arms.

When I was mostly dry, Carlisle moved back a little, bringing one his hands to gently coax my chin up until my eyes were meeting his.

"Beautiful," he emphasized once more and then placed a tender kiss on my lips.

Once I was covered in my matching robe, I found myself back in Carlisle's arms. We went back into the bedroom with Carlisle turning out the light on our way to the bed. The soft light from the bathroom and the moonlight streaming in through the window provided enough visibility for him to see where he was going.

Carlisle stopped at the side of the bed and sat down with me in his lap. I pulled the clip out of my hair, letting it hand loose around me face. I sighed softly and settled my head against his shoulder while my fingers swirled around in the hair at the base of his neck.

"So what now?" I whispered. "This is all so new and wonderful. I just don't know what I should do now."

I hoped that voicing my concerns aloud with help. All of my conversations with Siobhan could only get me so far mentally, and now I was at a loss. Carlisle was always compassionate and understanding, so I hoped he would be able to help me once he knew what I was thinking.

"It's all new for me too, my love," he whispered back, almost as if speaking any louder would interfere with the moment. "And I'm loving every minute of it. We can figure out what to do now together. That's what makes it so wonderful. Inexperience is not a bad thing especially since now we get to enjoy learning about each other in this way."

As always, Carlisle's words eased my mind.

"So where do we start the lessons?" I asked with a small smile.

"Oh, I think we've already started," he teased and kissed my head. "But I think we can pick up…here."

Carlisle slowly untied my robe and pushed it off my shoulders. My breathing sped up once more as his hand slowly worked its way down, lightly grazing my breast on the path to my waist.

"Oh, my angel, I adore you," he breathed into my ear.

"I'm no angel," I said, shaking my head. "You're my angel. You saved me, and I will never be able to thank you enough."

"But you saved me as well," he protested. "We saved each other from loneliness and pain, and I already told you that you never have to thank me. I love you. That is something you deserve, and I freely give my heart to you. The fact that you have given me yours in return astounds me."

I didn't give him a chance to say any more of his sweet words. I crashed my lips to his, filled with a sudden need. I needed him in more ways than I could think of. I needed him to be my friend, to listen when I spoke. I needed him be my support system, to calm me with his kind words. But at this moment, I needed him to be my lover.

If Carlisle had been taken aback by my attack, he didn't show it. Instead, he kissed me back with fervor and untied his own robe. Our coverings were completely shed as he scooted our bodies to the center of the bed.

Carlisle brought the sheet up to cover us. Our kiss was familiar, but something about being under the covers with no barriers of any kind between us made it so much better.

"I love you," Carlisle managed to mumbled while still pressing his lips against mine. He took my bottom lip into his mouth, sucking and nibbling softly.

"I love you, too," I moaned. I briefly wondered about the walls being sound proof, but couldn't waste too much time on the thought. I didn't want to be distracted from what Carlisle was doing to me.

"Can I show you?" he asked hopefully, breaking his lips from mine to wait for my answer.

I would never say "no" to him. This was one man that I trusted with all of me. My life, my body, my heart. So I whispered out the only appropriate answer,

"Yes."

With that one word, Carlisle's lips met my skin again. This time, they trailed slowly from my jaw, down my neck, only stopping at the hollow of my throat for him to softly suck the skin there.

He didn't stay long enough to make a mark but instead, he guided me to lie on my back and shifted his body further down the bed. The trail of his lips continued on to my collarbone, over the top swell of my breast, finally stopping directly over the raised pink bud in the center.

He kissed it once before taking the whole thing in his mouth and went back to his soft sucking. As his tongue swirled around one of my most sensitive parts, my body writhed and I moaned in pleasure. He only stopped to move to the other side, paying it the same amount of attention as the first. The sensation deep inside me was back with a vengeance, growing to unknown levels every second.

I barely noticed when he released me from his mouth and went back to placing chaste kisses just above where he had left. I did feel his hand rest against my stomach and begin cautiously moving down. Without even thinking about it, I moved my legs further apart, inviting him to a place where I was aching for his touch.

Instead of his hand going to where I wanted it, he moved to my upper thigh, massaging and releasing any leftover tension. Somehow, my body was still cooperating with me, and I brought my hand to his face to bring his lips back to mine.

I was now addicted to the feeling of his lips on me. They had not left my skin since we laid down, but my favorite place for them to be was against my own. The taste of his mouth was my drug of choice, and I would never have enough.

As his lips moved against mine, his hand on my thigh worked its way toward my center. He reached his destination and softly caressed my folds, causing tingles of pleasure to shoot through my body. I fought to keep my breathing steady, but was failing miserably. His fingers were exploring, learning a part of my body that even I wasn't very familiar with. I noticed that he was having no difficulty with sliding his fingers around thanks to some sort of unforeseen moisture. Everything about this was new, and my body was acting in ways I never could have imagined.

When his fingers reached a certain area, I gasped and threw my head back in pleasure. I closed my eyes tightly and my hips bucked against his hand, but he didn't retreat. He circled the nub he had discovered with two fingers, first with a feather-light touch and then with a bit more pressure. I almost flew off the bed when he pressed down more firmly, and I moaned and jerked as he continued his wonderful torture. I was very conflicted. Part of me wanted him to stop because I didn't know how much more I could take, but another part of me couldn't get enough.

The sensations continued to build everywhere inside of me. It was like a coil was being tightened and I could feel it in my arms, legs, back, and my stomach where it was all converging. The feeling was intensely reaching its peak, and I just knew that I was going to explode. My body was shaking and I had the bottom sheet fisted in both of my hands, trying to stay grounded to reality.

Just before I felt like I couldn't take anymore, Carlisle's fingers moved away. I groaned again, this time from the lack of contact. I might have heard him chuckle at my reaction, but I just wanted the delicious torture to continue.

My wish was granted when Carlisle fingers moved lower until one of them teased my entrance. I involuntarily tensed up, but immediately made myself relax. Everything had felt incredible up to this point, and I couldn't imagine it being any different for what Carlisle had planned now.

Once I was relaxed again, Carlisle's free hand untangled one of mine from the sheet and he intertwined our fingers. I squeezed his hand, letting him know that I was okay even if I couldn't vocalize my feelings as I breathed in short pants.

His finger then entered me, and there was no pain. It was foreign at first, but took only seconds to get used to it. He removed it to add a second finger and moved them back and forth inside of me. As he stroked deeper, the pleasure began building again. His thumb found its way to the still sensitive nub above my entrance, and he pressed against it firmly, causing me to cry out even louder than I had been.

I didn't think I could handle anything else, but Carlisle soon proved me wrong when his mouth returned to my breast, pulling the straining pink tip back into his mouth. My back arched, both trying to get away from and increase the pleasure I was receiving from this sensory overload.

As my insides coiled once more, I felt like I was barreling toward something, something I had never experienced before. I was squirming around on the bed, but Carlisle somehow managed to keep up his ministrations.

"Carli-…" I tried to whisper his name, but I couldn't get it all the way out without groaning. I gripped his hand tighter, needing help that I hoped he could give me.

"Just let go, sweetheart," he said against my flesh.

I had no clue what he meant or how to even go about it. How could I "let go" of all these feelings? But as I lay there writhing, I knew I needed to do something to end this. I finally gave up trying to fight, and focused on the feeling.

As soon as I did that, the most wonderful explosion occurred. My tightly wound body finally released all the tension it had built up. Wave upon wave of unhindered pleasure rolled through me as my body spasmed and pulsed against Carlisle's fingers.

Once I calmed down, I felt heavy, like my body had been reduced to the consistency of jell-o. My breathing had returned to normal, and my lips curled up in a smile as I opened my eyes.

I turned to my side to face Carlisle, and he wrapped his now free arm around me.

"What was that?" I asked with wide eyes once I found my voice.

I could see in the moonlight that his grey eyes were sparkling. He arched one of his eyebrows and smirked at me. "Do you really need me to tell you?" he asked in a playful, yet gently tone. He hugged me close to him and peppered kisses on my face.

"Esme, that was beautiful," he whispered reverently. "I love bringing you pleasure. Thank you for trusting me and allowing me that honor."

I laughed softly. "You're thanking me? I should thank you. What you did…that was amazing. I've never felt anything like that before."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. In fact, maybe we should try that again…" His hand slowly began its decent but I quickly grabbed it to stop him.

"Wait. Maybe we could…umm…try something else?" I finished in a whisper, hoping he would understand what I meant without me having to say it out loud.

I was longing to give him some pleasure, but I had a feeling he wouldn't let me, at least not tonight. But if we went on to other activities, we could both get pleasure out of it. In theory anyway. I still had my doubts. Even though everything tonight had been wonderful, the actual act of intercourse had always been painful and traumatic for me. I wanted to create memories during this night with Carlisle that erased all of the bad ones.

Carlisle brought the hand I had grabbed up to brush my now messy hair out of my face. "We can do whatever you want, my love. If you want to curl up and go to sleep right now, we can. Don't think we have to go any farther. The night would be perfect if we stopped right now."

"I know. But I think I'm ready. Just…please go slow, okay?" I asked with pleading eyes.

"Of course. I will never hurt you," he said and then flipped us over so that I was on my back. He was holding himself above me, not letting our bodies fully touch.

"I love you," I said as I looked into his eyes.

"I love you, too," he replied and leaned down to join his lips with mine at the same time he lowered his hips until he was in the right position.

I felt him slowly push into me, but miraculously, I didn't tense. Inch by inch he filled me with not one moment of pain. There was borderline discomfort at first, but my body adjusted quickly like it was made exactly for him.

Once he was fully inside, I wrapped my hands around his shoulders and held him in place, closing my eyes to fully take in the moment. He slowly lowered himself so that his weight was rested against me, but I didn't felt suffocated. I felt safe, wrapped in his love. I couldn't tell where I ended and he began, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

I opened my eyes, immediately meeting his and nodded to let him know it was okay for him to move. He began a slow rhythm that was just right for both of us. Tears came to my eyes as I realized the enormity of the moment. This was not just sex. This was making love. Siobhan and Carlisle were right: I had been a virgin. I had never experienced the love of a man being expressed to me in this manner before. There was nothing selfish about this, nothing demeaning, no sacrifices being made. We were two separate beings joining together forming one flesh, one soul, each giving and taking in equal amounts to and from the other.

I quickly blinked back my happy tears, not wanting Carlisle to think there was anything wrong. My hands began caressing his chest, back, arms, any part of his skin I could reach while his found his way to any and every part of me. I wrapped my legs around his and we moved together, sighing each other's names along with declarations of love.

The pleasure built in me again, not nearly as intense, but somehow sweeter and equally as enjoyable. Our rhythm had gained a little more momentum, and I could tell that Carlisle was holding back. I whispered his words back to him, urging him to "let go." When he did, the look on his face combined with the feeling of him pulsing inside of me caused me to fall off the edge as well. It wasn't as powerful this time, but the feeling lingered much longer this time, causing small spasms within me with every exhale.

Carlisle stilled and rested his head against my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him, with one of my hands working its way into his hair to lightly scratch his scalp. He hummed in pleasure and then lifted his head once more to gaze into my eyes. I smiled happily at him, which he returned. His eyes were filled with such adoration and…awe which made my tears return.

He pulled out of me, and I wanted to protest the lack of contact, but his touch never left me as he rolled to his back and cradled me to his side.

"Mmm…I love you," I sighed. I placed a kiss over my heart before laying my head there, and my fingers swirled around his light chest hair.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," he said and kissed my head. "Do you feel alright? I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked with an anxious hint to his voice.

"Oh no, I'm fine. Well maybe not fine. I think wonderful might be a better word. That was…there are no words. I had no idea it would be like that."

"I know what you mean," he said, holding me tighter. "I didn't know it would be like that either. It was amazing. We're amazing."

I had to agree. We were amazing. Our bodies fit together perfectly, like two pieces cut from one whole. There was no awkwardness, nothing but confidence in the certainty of our union. I always knew we were meant to be together, and the ease of our coupling further proved that God had designed us for each other.

"So, when can we do that again?" I asked shyly. I was blushing, but I hoped it was dark enough for Carlisle not to notice.

"When did you become such a sex fiend?" he said with a laugh.

"First of all, that was not 'sex'," I emphasized. "Second, do you really mind?"

"No, of course I don't mind. And you're right about the 'sex.' It's so much more between us. But I think maybe we should wait until the morning. You'll probably be a little sore at least, and we've had a long day and night. Sleeping here beside you is sounding better by the minute."

At the mentioned of sleep, a yawn couldn't be suppressed. My body was tired, especially after all the activity of the afternoon and night. Everything that had just happened was fresh on my mind, and I almost forgot that we even had a wedding earlier in the day. The more I thought about everything that had happened during the day, the sleepier I became.

Now, all I wanted to curl up close to Carlisle and go to sleep, but he apparently had other plans and left the bed with the promise to be right back. I buried my face in one of the pillow and waited for him. When he returned, he had two small damp towels with him. I rolled to my back, and he pulled the covers off of me. I didn't even have the energy to be self-conscious as he used one towel to wipe the thin layer of sweat that had accumulated on my skin.

He used the other towel to gently wipe between my legs. I understood what he meant about probably being sore. I wasn't sore yet, just incredibly sensitive, but I knew it might change overnight. I could care less, though, because it would just be proof of what had happened.

Pride welled within me. I was proud of myself for not letting my fears stop me. Proud of Carlisle for being patient with me. Proud of us for discovering a wonderful way to express our love and creating new memories.

After Carlisle took the towels to the bathroom, he brought back a small cup of water and a low does pain killer for me to take. I was glad he once again thought of everything, and I quickly swallowed the pill. He placed my empty cup on the nightstand and then crawled back in bed beside me.

The covers were pulled up, cocooning us together. His chest was acting as my pillow, and our legs were tangled together. My arm was stretched across him with both of his wrapped tightly around me.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered. "I love you so much. You'll never know how thankful I am that you chose me to be your husband."

I propped myself up on my elbow and joined my lips with his for a short kiss before lying back down.

"I love you, too. And I'm so glad you chose me to be your wife."

I snuggled closer to him, and he attempted to hold me tighter. I let my body relax fully, slowly slipping into sleep. The prospect of spending every night together like this thrilled me to no end. This was exactly where we were supposed to be: wrapped up together, surrounded by our perfect love.

A/N: The next chapter should be out this weekend as planned, probably Saturday or Sunday morning. So think of this chapter as a bonus one for the week!

I didn't mention it at the top, but thank you for the reviews last time. I'm glad you enjoyed Carlisle's POV of the wedding. The next chapter will be his POV of the rest of the honeymoon.

Go ahead and review to let me know what you though. And feel free to follow me on Twitter!