Hi all! I apologize for the late update, I've been working on a couple different projects at once so this chapter has taken a while to write, but hopefully the next one won't take as long. I hope you all enjoy!
*Lemon incoming!
I can't sleep. It's pitch black in the room, only a sliver moonlight coming in through the curtains. It's the night before the planned takeover of my kingdom and my entire body was filled with nerves.
"Edward?" I whisper.
His arms tighten around me and he buries his face deeper in my hair. "Yes, my love?" he mumbles, his voice sleepy.
"Are you awake?"
"No. I'm sleep talking," he says. I turn in his embrace to face him and he slowly blinks, looking at me with concern. "Are you alright, Princess?"
"I-," I stop myself, frowning. How do I convey the paralyzing fear taking over my body right now?
"I know," Edward says, cupping the side of my face and touching his forehead to mine. "I know."
"What if something happens? I can't lose you, Edward. I won't!" My eyes widen in panic, not wanting to even imagine a world where that might be true.
"You won't-" Edward tries to reassure me but I interrupt him.
"Don't you dare, Edward Cullen. If you make me a promise you can't keep, I'll never forgive you."
"Baby," his voice is pained. "I'll do everything in my power to come back to you."
"Alive?" I feel like a child, asking for something we both can't be certain of.
"Alive," he confirms. "Nothing is going to keep me from coming back to you."
"You're prepared," I reassure myself. I've sat in on their meetings and Edward, Carlisle, and Emmet have accounted for just about everything. They've even figured out the safest way for me to be involved.
"We're prepared," he confirms.
"You'll come back to me."
Edward doesn't repeat what I've said. Instead, he kisses me.
I feel like I need…something. If tomorrow is the end, there's one thing I want that I know I'll regret if I don't ask.
I meet his eyes. They're so green, I can somehow make out the color even in the dark. "Will you marry me?"
"What?" Edward asks, an involuntary smile creeping up on his face.
"I want to marry you. I want you to be mine. I want to be yours," I tell him.
"I am yours, love," he says. "But I feel the same. I had this whole thing planned for after we…but I guess this is as good as any." He reaches over to open the top drawer of the nightstand on his bedside and pulls out a small box. He brings it back between and sits up against the headboard. I push myself up so I'm sitting next to him, bringing my legs in and turning my body to face him. He opens the red leather box, revealing a silver oval-shaped ring with small stones covering it. It's beautiful, and I've never seen anything like it. Next to that ring is another matching silver band.
He takes out the oval ring, holding it out between us. "This was my grandmother's. When she passed, she gave me her and my grandfather's rings. She wanted me to give it to whoever I want to spend the rest of my life with. It's been sitting in my safe, waiting for the perfect girl. It's always been yours, Princess." He grabs my hand, kissing my knuckles. "I, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, take you, Isabella Marie Swan, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live.
The tears in my eyes mirror his as he slips the ring onto my finger. He hold the box out for me to take the other ring, and I repeat his words, slipping the ring onto his finger.
I stare at our joined hands and matching rings. "Does this count?"
"It will to us," Edward says. "And that's all that matters."
The whole thing is overwhelming in the best way possible. How is it that not even a few months ago, I've gone from being completely alone in a loveless family resigned to a fate I knew I'd be unhappy in, to this? Having this amazing man as my, for all intents and purposes, husband along with this huge family that loves me as much as I love them.
I grip his shoulders, pressing my lips to his. He hooks his arms around my waist and yanks me on top of him, forcing me to straddle his hips. He scoots down on the bed and I place my hands on his chest, feeling his heartbeat speed up slightly as I lean down. My ring sparkles between us in the dim light from the window.
"I want you," I say, gripping his shirt. "We have one night. Can we have one night? I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow but…"
Edward kisses my nose. "I can't deny you anything." He moves his hands from my hips, trailing them higher until they slip under my shirt. The familiar heat is back and my skin is on fire under his touch. I tug on his shirt and he sits up long enough to pull it off before pulling me back to him, flipping us over further up on the bed. I run my hands up his chest feeling the contours of his muscles under my fingertips. He shivers, pushing his hands higher up on my chest, teasing circles along my stomach. He looks at me for a second, asking permission. I don't wait for him to do it for me and quickly tug my shirt off, unhooking my bra so that it follows.
The cool air hits my body and I can't help but shiver, crossing my arms in front of me to hide my chest from him, suddenly feeling nervous. Nobody but him has ever seen me in this way and nobody else ever will.
"Don't," Edward mumbles, pulling his gaze away from my chest back up to my face. "You're beautiful, Princess."
I feel the heat rising up to my cheeks. "I-I've never…"
"Me neither," he says, dropping down to his elbow and rolling over to his side so we're facing each other. "You're everything to me."
I feel myself smile and some of the nerves fade. I lean over, hovering over him. "You're everything to me too." I blink away the tears.
I reach my hand down, running it over the band of his sweatpants. He lifts his hips, helping me pull them down until he's left only in his boxers.
"Can I…?" His hand rests on my hip.
"Please," I move my head to meet his lips again, trying to distract myself as I push down both my shorts and underwear. Edward takes over the rest of the way and I kick them off.
His eyes trail over my naked form, darkening with lust as he drinks me in. I feel myself squirm under his watchful eye, not from lack of comfort but from anticipation.
His fingers just barely hover over my stomach and I feel wetness pooling down there the closer he gets. When his thumb presses against my clit, I gasp, arching my body into him as a spark of pleasure shoots through my body. His hand moving back like I had burned him.
"No!" I grasp at his shoulders to pull him back to me. "It just surprised me, that's all."
He looks at my body, curiosity and awe flitting across his face as he tentatively reaches back down. He presses his thumb against my clit again, this time harder and I swear I see some stars as I let out a deep moan. His mouth twitches in a smug look and he continues to run against my clit, moving his fingers down to tease my opening. He dips one finger in and I clench at the foreign feeling before forcing myself to relax.
Edward continues to slowly pump his finger in and out of me, and I move my hips trying to chase the pleasure that keeps growing, willing it to come to me faster, then all too soon, my entire body clenches and my toes curl, as it all seems to burst, waves of pleasure rolling through me, until I eventually feel myself relax against his mattress. But that does nothing to quench the fire and desire that has been building in me. If anything it makes it stronger and the only thought running through my mind is that I want more.
"That was…" I'm failing to find the right word to describe what just happened, as I struggle to catch my breath. Edward traces his nose along the side of my neck, leaving open mouth kisses on my shoulder, bringing one of his hands to caress the length of my side, stopping at my breast. He gently palms it, tweaking my hardened nipple as I arch into his hand.
"I want to touch you," I plead, moving my hand lower towards his erection, straining against his boxers.
Edward kisses my cheek, taking them off. His cock springs up, slapping against his hard stomach. My hand stops as I take it in. For a moment I couldn't help but think that there was no way that was going to fit inside of me. His finger already felt tight and this was much much bigger.
I lift my head up not expecting the tinge of pink on his cheeks as he waits for my reaction. He's just as nervous as I am and it warms me that we get to share this together.
"How do I…?" I brush my finger over him and he lets out a hiss. I jerk my hand back but he grabs my wrist, bringing it back over to him. He guides me, his hand over mine, and I grip his cock. He moves our hands up and down a couple of times before I start to get the hang of it and he lets go. It feels weird under my hand, smooth and soft but also hard. I'm mesmerized by the action and I swipe my thumb over the top of his shaft, eliciting a low groan. I tilt my head up and am pleased to see Edward's eyes clenched shut, his head thrown back as he lets a string of curse words.
"Fuck!" He inhales a sharp breath, stopping my hand and interlocking our fingers, bringing it above our heads.
I can't handle the need coiling in my stomach and I want to be closer to him.
"Please," I rub myself against his cock, my voice thick with desire.
"Are you sure?" He asks, his tone genuine. I know if I asked him to stop now he'd be okay with it, and that only further solidifies my decision.
"Yes. I need you," I buck my hips up to meet his.
"Tell me if I hurt you." He looks down and positions his cock right at my opening and I brace myself. He meets my eyes and I'm drowning so deeply in that forest green that I almost don't notice him entering me. He's huge, and I'm being stretched more than I thought possible. I breathe out, bringing one hand up to feel his quickening heartbeat.
He pauses for a second, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, Princess."
I shake my head. I knew my first time would hurt at least a little bit, Rosalie has made sure I knew about that. "Just go fast please."
Edward thrusts forward, kissing me to swallow my cry of pain as he fully seats himself in me. I can't stop the tear from falling as it runs down my cheek. Edward whispers words of apologies, kissing the tear away. I adjust to the slight discomfort, and the feeling of fullness at being joined with him. But there's also something else there. I feel whole, complete, and that feeling brings on a whole new set of tears.
"Love?" He asks.
"I'm okay," I assure Edward once the pain starts to fade a bit. I can see he's struggling not to move, the slight trembling of his arms giving him away. "You can move now."
He pulls out a couple of inches before sliding back in. It still doesn't feel entirely comfortable but most of the pain is gone now and I try to move with him. We fumble a few times trying to find the right rhythm but eventually we start to move in sync.
"Bella." He chants my name like a prayer and his eyes are almost black with lust. I cling to him, the pain now all but gone, morphing into something much more amazing.
I feel the start of that pleasurable feeling swirling in my belly as Edward's thrusts become more and more frantic. He changes the angle of his thrusts, laying us both on our sides. He hugs me to his chest and takes me from behind. The different angle hits a spot I didn't know existed and I cry out his name.
"I can't…I'm going to," Edward starts to slow, holding off on his release.
"It's okay. Let go." I grind myself hard onto him and he takes that as permission as he picks up his speed again, bucking against me a few more times before he stills, burying his face in my hair. I feel him spill inside of me, right as I reach my own release, digging my fingers into his arms, my body tensing.
We're both panting trying to catch our breath. Our bodies are slick with sweat and I shift in his arms trying to turn to face him. He pulls out of me, moving to get up and I whimper at the loss of contact, reaching for him.
Edward gives me a soft kiss. "I'll be right back." He grabs his boxers and heads to the bathroom.
I pull his discarded shirt over me and Edward returns a minute later with a towel. He bends down, wiping between my legs before throwing it in the hamper. I lift the covers, crawling under them and lifting for him to join me. He tugs me to him until I'm laying on his chest and I lift my head to meet his eyes.
"I love you, Princess," he murmurs, caressing the side of my cheek. Despite what we had just done, the entire moment feels so intimate that I can't help but blush. "How do you feel?"
I give him a sleepy smile, resting my head against him. "Perfect," I sigh, letting myself close my eyes. "You're my husband."
"And you're my wife," he says. "I love you with everything that I am, Princess."
"I love you too," I mumble as I drift off wrapped in his arms.