Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Chapter 7

The night was long, and played with my subconscious because in the morning, I always missed him. No matter how tightly he held me during my sleep, I woke up longing for contact. My eyes were closed as my hands searched for him. I found his long fingers as they snaked around my tiny ones. I opened my eyes and it was dark. Hmm. I felt a weight on my head and realized that I was completely under the covers, allowing little light to reach my eyes. He giggled as I was slowly accounting for every detail I was surrounded by. Though I quickly forgot them all when I glanced over at him.

He was lying on his stomach on the opposite side of the bed, completely submerged under the covers, too. He eyes were in mine, adoringly gazing, like I was his godsend. We were connected by his extensive arm. Because of our distance, the covers dipped towards the mattress between us, so I was only able to see his shoulders. Shirtless. It was hard to tell where the smooth layers of the linen ended and where his flawless ivory skin began. It was a fluid continuation. His hair was a mess. I loved it. And his eyes burned into mine. I knew this look.

"Are you just going to stay all the way over there?" he smirked, urging me on.

"Well, Mr. Cullen, if you don't mind me asking...why is my motive?" I love playing these games with Edward. I could see the excitement in his eyes as a river a liquid topaz leaked into them.

"Feeling a bit playful today, aren't we, Mrs. Cullen?" He started crawling towards me, revealing more of his flawless body as the covers slid off his arms.

I inhaled sharply as all the dirty thoughts and images flashed in my head, praising God that Edward couldn't read my mind.

I heard him inhale, too. And in the time it took me to blink and look at him, he was gone. The covers gently floated back onto the mattress. I was still under then, and I plopped my head down on the pillow, laughing at him. I also laughed at how pathetic I was for missing him next to me.

After about six lonely seconds, I placed my palms on either side of me on the bed and started to pick myself up. But his entire body materialized on top of mine, on the opposite side of the covers.

"Lay down, love." Crooked Smile. "You must still be tired." His voice was soft, but still a tease. He knew damn well I wasn't tired.

I slowly sank back down into the mattress as Edward's chest melted into the sheets on my back. Slowly. He was breathing heavy. I heard him moan lustfully and the next thing I felt was the cool air on my face and shoulders. He peeled the sheets down to reveal just this part of me. For now, I thought to myself. Then I heard him groan and his lips massaged the back of my neck. The tip of his nose grazed my skin and goose bumps covered my body. I moaned into the pillow and squeezed it.

"Edward, you have no idea what those little moans do to me," I breathed.

He never lifted his head. "Why don't you kiss show me kiss exactly what they kiss do."

"Mmm," my voice was strained with anticipation. "First of all," I lifted my butt into the pillow between us, "that needs to go."

He never stopped kissing my neck. "Oh, so you wanna kiss feel me kiss on you, kiss Stephanie? You wanna feel how kiss hard you make me?" The last part came out as an exhale, releasing his cool breath all over me.

"Oh God, Edward, yes! Please!" I was squirming to get rid of these sheets. But his knees held them in place around me.

"You want to feel me in between you legs? Kiss. You want me to rub my hard erection up and down your slit until you kiss can't take it anymore?" Now I felt his tongue trace swirls all over my trembling skin. I bit the pillow as I felt my hot liquids boil through my core. I craved him.

"Please! Yes!" I was desperately begging, almost bringing myself to tears for his touch.

He brought his lips to my ear and ever so slightly grazed its curve. "What was that again?" he whispered, lips tugging on my earlobe.

"YES!" I arched my neck back to scream, inhaling and exhaling violently.

I heard him growl above me. Instantaneously, the sheet flew off of me and the pillow went flying across the room as he pressed his hips firmly against my backside. He must have ripped my clothes off, too. My legs parted at the sensation of his hard erection aching to get inside and slide down the crease.

"Oh God, Stephanie you're so warm" He hands were on either side of me, and his head dipped to meet my shoulder. He kissed it and leaned forward to kiss my cheek, my eyes, my nose, my lips. "How bad do you want it?" His voice was husky and dark now. Full of lust.

"You're just very lucky I'm not as strong as you, Edward Cullen." I stopped to catch my breath. "Because otherwise, you'd be pinned up against the wall right now. Trapped in my grip." I moaned at the feeling of his hips grinding into me. I was dripping wet. I knew some of it leaked onto his tip. And that drove him off the edge.

His left hand trailed down my back and the next place I felt it was in between my legs, flicking back and forth over my slippery slit. I screamed at the surprise but mainly because it was so goddamn amazing. His fingers were cool and smooth as they slipped inside of me. Edward knew exactly how to bend and twist them to find that special spot that illuminated my entire body. They pumped in and out of me. The sound justified how wet I was. He leaned his head back down to me.

"God, Stephanie you're soaked..." he groaned into my hair, inhaling it all. His chest heaved against my back.

Then he brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked every last one until they were dry. "And you're delicious."

My head fell back onto the pillow with a pout. I ached for him. "Edward, I need you. Right now. Not in two minutes. Not in two seconds. Now." I was grinding against him now and felt every hard, throbbing inch of him, swearing to myself inside the pillow. Fuck me.

His hands gripped my waist and lifted my lower body up on his lap. "Hang on, love." I squeezed the pillow tighter.

With one smooth thrust he was inside me. His long erection grazed over every bouncing nerve ending I owned, making me scream.

"Dammit Edward, you're so big!" This wasn't nearly stroking his ego as much as it was true. He filled me up entirely, reaching every spot to drive me out of my mind.

"God you're so tight! I love how you AHHH squeeze on me!" And I loved the fact that I couldn't even make him speak in complete sentences.

He thrusted into me with a force that pushed me a little further into my pillow.

"Oh, EDWARD! I need AHHH I need you on top of me! Oh GOD!" I screamed.

And with that, he collapsed onto my back with a hard thrust. "Like this, love?" he breathed. he knew that's exactly what I meant. His words shook with the sudden movements of his body.

"YES! God, you're so amazing...don't mmmm don't stop!"

His hands wrapped under me, grabbing my breasts and rubbing them while he assaulted my steaming hot core. I felt little spats escape me and seep down his hard length as he pumped into me. He released a sexy vampiric hiss and that was it. I felt walls caving in on him, claiming him. His thrusts got faster and faster. And with one final bang, my body shook violently as my earth-shattering orgasm racked my entire body. "Fuck, Edward!" I screamed and I spilled onto his tip.

"There it is! God, you're going to make me cum with that mouth!" He nibbled on my ear and his pounding became exponentially harder.

"Oh, Edward, come in me...please...I want to feel it all." He tightened his grip on my breast. "Fuck!"

"Steph! Say it agai-AHHH..." I felt his hot release pour into me. Sweet, rapid squirts colliding with my contracting walls.

His chest melted into my back as his movements slowed and our breathing calmed. His lips finally found mine and we engaged in one of our most passionate kisses. Never parting with my mouth, he lifted me up and made me face him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and locked my fingers into his hair, tugging on it. I was slightly higher than him, being that I was sitting on his lap and I brushed his hair back from his eyes.

"I love you so much." I kissed his forehead.

"God, I love you, too. Words don't do it justice." And with that his lips were massaging mine again. Their marble composition felt refreshing, as they always do. His tongue begged for its entrance and finally both mine and his were lapping at each other. I held his face in my hands, euphoric about the fact that he was mine. And soon, hopefully, he would be mine for eternity. The two of us.

Then I felt his hands on my waist freeze. His lips stopped moving and his face hardened.

I pulled back with my fingers still tangled in his hair.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I looked at his eyes. They were a warm topaz. Okay, he wasn't thirsty...

"Lay down." This wasn't the lustful Edward from before. It was the urgent Edward. Something had gripped his attention without any intent of letting go.

I straightened my body on the mattress and he hovered over me, staring at a spot on my body just below my stomach. A sparkle in his eyes shone my way as he glimpsed at me and back down, confused a bit. My heart accelerated as he lowered his ear to my body...listening.

And in that moment, I swore on the heavens above me that I felt his stone heart flutter to life.

Chapter 6

Carlisle's office was huge. The windows behind his desk stretched from the floor to the ceiling, an impressive thirteen feet. I could feel the authenticity of this room that beautifully contrasted the rest of the dull, blue and gray hospital. On either side of the large glass panes were massive bookshelves, stocked with literature from three centuries ago. The book pages jutted out of the binds with age and yellowed corners. I was amazed and intrigued. Part of me wanted to know everything Carlisle had stored up in his beautiful mind, and part of me was happy I didn't. I sat next to Edward in one of the two leather chairs that were positioned slightly facing each other in front of Carlisle's desk. Edward played with my littlest finger while humming a song so low, but enough for me to hear it and be calmed. I hated going to the doctor. And I haven't even gone in yet.

The big wooden, double doors behind us opened.

"Greetings!" Carlisle's voice was warm and welcoming as always. Edward wrapped in fingers with mine, gripping them tighter.

"Hi, Carlisle. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," I said as I glanced over at Edward to see his face. His eyes were deeply planted in Carlisle's. The two of them both had there heads slightly tilted downward.

"Of course not. My last patient just left." His eyes never left Edward's. I suddenly felt nervous, more than before.

"Stephanie wanted to see those records," Edward finally said. I was relieved by only an inkling. As Carlisle bent to open the lowest drawer of his desk, Edward turned to me and gave me a smirk. I looked at him, confused.

"Your hand in vibrating," Edward whispered, lifting my hand that he held and shaking it.

"You know I hate going to the doctor. I don't even know why I'm here besides for these records." I heard my voice shake.

"You don't trust Carlisle?"

"I do. I just...I don't know, something doesn't feel right inside. I've been feeling uneasy lately." I shrugged it off and tossed him a smile. "It's nothing."

"Hmm." I heard Carlisle sigh from behind the desk, still invisible.

Edward kept his eyes locked on the desk. He was obviously thinking about something very deeply. But what? And what was taking Carlisle so long to find those records?

"If you can't find them, it's okay..." I tried telling Carlisle, but he didn't make a sound. In a few minutes, a few long and agonizing minutes, he popped up with a tense face.

"Excuse me for a moment. I need to give the mental ward's receptionist a phone call. The phone lines in here are being worked on."

What is going on?

"
Edward, I'm going to make a phone call myself. I'll be right outside if you don't mind."

"I think I better come with you." He started getting up.

"No. I just need two minutes. Please, Edward." I was begging him. "Just two minutes."

He stood up and squeezed my hand. "I'll be waiting here." He was serious and nervous. I needed to get away from all this tension.

Once I was in the hallway, I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

"It's about time you call me!" Alice's voice was loud and uplifting. She let out a giggle.

"Hey, Alice. Listen-"

"What? Are you okay?" She cut me off.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine. You keep asking me that."

"Well...oh, never mind."

"No, Alice. I know something is going on. I wish you would tell me. Edward is not here right now. Please?"

"Well..." She stretched the word's one syllable for a mere seven seconds.

"Alice, I promise I won't tell Edward you told me. Plus, he must know right? He just had to listen to you."

"It's not like that, Steph. I've been clouding my thoughts around him. I didn't want him to find out through me. It wouldn't be right."

"Fair enough. But find what out?" My voice was stern.

"Stephanie, I...I saw him."

"Him?"

"Steph, you sound worried." She laughed. "Haven't you learned by now that there's no reason to be afraid. Plus, Carlisle is researching it all now. He, too, is clouding his thoughts around Edward. He'll find out soon, though. I can see it."

She saw him coming. That's what Carlisle and Edward were speaking about the day we got home from our honeymoon. Could it also be why Rosalie and Emmett were out hunting when we got back? To track him? Perhaps I was over-analyzing this situation.

"Stephanie, are you there?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry Alice. Um, when did you first see him." I wanted to confirm my theories.

"Isle Esme."

Just then I saw Carlisle walk towards the door that I was standing in front of. He was a couple of yards away.

"Alice, I gotta run. Thanks for everything. And I promise, my lips are sealed."

"Bye, sis!"

I slapped my phone shut and waited for Carlisle to approach. He was holding a manila folder in his handed. Then I felt the door behind me open. Edward.

"Everything okay?" His lips were in a hard, straight line as he glared at Carlisle. I knew the question was directed towards me.

"Yes, everything is perfect." I shot him a smile to ease his mind for a while.


Carlisle let the folder drop from his fingers onto his desk, making the impact echo off the high ceiling and send a breeze through my hair. I shivered and Edward's hand was around mine.

"Turns out Steven Fiori is innocent, whoever he may be. I checked with the administrators about any recent escapes and they gave me this folder. This patient matched the description of 'Steven', the man the cops arrested on the island. His real name is Paul. He is suffering from mild depression and is showing early signs of catatonic schizophrenia. Last time he was recorded taking medicine was a month ago. His behavior is quite deviant."

It was as if someone had iced me over. I was a statue. My eyes widened and locked into their stare, burning holes in the papers on Carlisle's desk. It couldn't be Paul. But is so positively could be. It made perfect sense. Paul was always so possessive over me. Sometimes it even scared me. His controlling attributes mixed with my willingness to comply suited our relationship. But it was nothing more. Although, I knew he was always curious. He always said he would fight whoever tried "stealing" me away from him, as if I were his. My body was so tense I started to cramp. The only effort I showed next was in my lips.

"May I take a guess at his last name?" I asked, frozen in time.

Carlisle and Edward snapped their heads up to me.

"Bono." My voice was a whisper.

Carlisle's eyes scanned the papers inside the manila folder, while nodding his head. "Yes."

"And let me guess again. He was adopted. He lives in New York. His birthday is September 6th, 1988. And he has green eyes, brown hair, and is 5 feet 10 inches."

"That's all...correct. Stephanie, how-" Carlisle was shocked and confused. Edward tensed.

"Steven Fiori was born on September 6th, 1988. He was adopted and renamed Paul Bono. He was my best friend before I moved out here." I looked down as the facts collided in my head.

They stared at me, bewildered. I felt my blood boiling in my veins as my heart beat accelerated. My hands started shaking as I balled them into fists.

"Paul was the one on the island." Edward was coming to a realization. A fluid placement of facts.

"That's why you recognized his scent last night." My voice was mechanical. No emotion, just sound.

"He must have given the cops a false name. A fake ID is probable." Carlisle added. He started walking towards the door, eyes on Edward as he turned. He stopped as he twisted the doorknob. "Edward, I think it's best to take Stephanie home now. We will reschedule her appointment for another day. Is that okay, dear?"

I nodded.

The only thing that snapped me out of my trance was the gust of wind that came from the closing door as Carlisle exited. I shivered and Edward's arms were around me as we started walking out. "Come on, love. Let's go home." He soothed, kissing my forehead.

As we walked through the hallway to the exit, I remembered the other phone call i needed to make.

"Edward, you mind waiting while I take a human minute?" I pointed to the ladies room.

"Hurry back to me."

As soon as the door closed I locked myself in a stall and dialed his number. Ring ring ring.

I heard the rustling click of him picking up the phone. "Well, look who decided to be decent." His sarcasm choked me.

"Paul, I didn't call to argue. And frankly, you are quite undeserving of even a phone call. But we need to talk. You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Right, right, right. Blah blah blah. Listen I'm in no mood. I'll come and explain everything when I feel like it. We'll take a ride in my new truck." I heard him click his phone shut and that was the end.


Driving home was tiresome. Edward's long fingers gripped the steering wheel with fury. The road was slick, but I knew I had a better chance of getting a sunburn here in Forks than getting into an accident with Edward behind the wheel. I wanted him to say something. Anything. The silence rang in my ears. It was deafening. I stared onto the slippery, moonlit street in front of us, chasing the lines we were between. The forest that encircled us was just a mural of different shades of green. I knew the lines of the road were straight, but my mind was curving them into circles. My eyes started to pull my face down with new increasing weight. I was getting dizzy, and my head flooded with pain. I snapped my hands to my temples and must have leaned my head to my knees because I felt the car come to a halt.

"Stephanie!" I heard his voice as if it was miles away.

I felt my stomach turn inside out and my throat felt like it was closing. Everything was choking me. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried coughing. I just gagged. My throat burned with the urge to force everything up and out. I felt the rise through my chest...pushing. The pressure was overwhelming every fiber of my body. My legs became wobbly. They felt weightless and heavy at the same time. The internal pushing got higher, threatening the base of my throat. I gagged and let out an involuntary pout. I knew his hands were on my sides the whole time, even though I wasn't sure how much time had passed. It felt like hours, but was probably only seconds. His arms lifted me up onto my feet and I opened my eyes. I was facing the forest. I heard the Volvo's engine tremble behind me. Then I felt Edward's hand massage the hollow of my throat. And finally...

I leaned over and vomited onto the dirt and grass. Edward rubbed my back and held my hair away from my face. When I had the chance to breath I leaned up with a tear rolling down my cheek. Before I could taste the saline, Edward's finger wiped it away. Before his hand left my face, I grabbed it and pressed it against my forehead. This worked better than any icepack.

"Do you feel better, love?" His voice was calm and collected. And because of that, I did feel better, for the most part.

"I think-," I wasn't. I leaned over again and threw up some more. This time, thankfully, I was done. I was empty. My stomach and chest were hollow. The beating of my heart became the dominant sensation as it raced the darkness away.

I rubbed my nose and sniffled. "I think I'm done now." My voice cracked and my throat was on fire again.

"C'mere," he lifted me into his arms and placed me ever so gently in the passenger seat. "Let's get you home." He buckled me in and planted a kiss on my forehead. A second after he closed my door he was in the driver's seat, accelerating. His left hand steered while his right hand held mine. I lifted my knees to my chest as I rested my chin on them. I tasted horrible and couldn't wait to get home. In less time than I thought possible, we were home. Edward carried me into our house and placed me on our bed.

"Wait! I need to wash up. Give me a few human minutes?"

"Okay, love. Should I come?" How could I say no?

"I guess that would be smart."

I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and Edward did his best to comb my hair, smiling to whole time through. The mirror claimed I looked decent. Edward insisted I looked perfect. I rolled my eyes with a smirk as he carried me back to bed. He tucked me in then leaned on his knees next to me on the floor. His chin rested on my arm while his fingers curled a stray lock of hair behind my ear. The moment his lips met that spot behind my earlobe, I drifted. As I drifted, sleep took over. And as I slept, I dreamed. In my dreams, Edward was there. Consequently, I woke up in elation.




Sunday, March 15, 2009

Chapter 5

The rest of them left after an hour or so. I had the chance to clean myself up, which consisted of brushing my teeth twelve times in a row. Carlisle told Edward to have me in his office at nine in the morning. Edward had already tucked me into bed to rest during their conversation, but I could still hear them. I wanted to know who this Steven was. I wanted to know why he was causing such a commotion. And why weren't the cops dealing with it? It was no use asking Edward. He would just tell me that nothing would happen to me. Alice would tell me.

I nuzzled myself into my pillow and sighed. I was exhausted. Then Edward flashed to my side.

"No more airline food for you." He laughed softly and brushed my hair with his long fingers. "Are you feeling better?"

"I feel like myself again. Hopefully that was the end of it." He looked down at his hand while twirling his fingers around mine. I noticed his lips were moving, and I could faintly hear my lullaby trail out of his mouth.

I stared at him. His eyes were still gazing into our hands. I gently tugged his hand towards me, inviting him. When he looked up at me, his crooked smile sent me into a frenzy. "C'mere, you."

Edward climbed over me, making sure not to put too much pressure on any part of me. But he was close enough to make the hair on my arms stand up straight. I stroked his arms up and down. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He grazed the tip of his nose on mine and then kissed me. This time, my tongue took the initiative to open the gates. I launched into his mouth and began sucking on his lips. His breath was intoxicating me. It was hard to think straight when Edward's mouth was on mine. I felt his hand creep down my side. And then back up again. Every square inch of my skin rose with goosebumps. I inhaled sharply. It's been a whole day since Edward's hands touched me like this. Somehow, I felt more sensitive to them. It was as if my body temperature was warmer, and his hands felt colder on my skin. Maybe I had a fever. I hated being sick. Maybe going to see Carlisle tomorrow morning wouldn't be a bad thing. I realized my thoughts were trailing off when Edward's head embedded itself into the crook of my neck. I felt him inhale, and then growl.

"Edward?" I patted his head.

"Yes, dear?"

"Everything OK?"

"Why do you ask?" He tickled my skin with his nose.

"You're smelling me and growling. That usually sets off my alarm."

Then I felt his icy tongue make a trail from my neck, up over my chin, and to my lips. "Ah good, you're back."

"Huh?"

"I lost you for a minute. You seemed to be preoccupied with other thoughts." He kissed my cheek. "Just because I can't read your mind doesn't mean I can't tell if you're distracted."

"Oh, sorry. I'm hanging around you too much, I get distracted easily."

With that, I leaned forward and grabbed his hair, harnessing his face to mine. Then I urged my hips forward, and his center met mine like a magnetic force. When my hips came back down, Edward's were attached to mine, and the pressure was amazing. We shared a passionate kiss while Edward's southern movements caused my breathing to become rapid. I felt him perfectly through my light pants, despite his unnecessary pair of denims. I reached for his zipper, my fingers aching for it. He moaned into my mouth as I slowly started freeing his beast. I felt the tip, it was hard and cold. My fingers teased it then went to free the rest of him when the phone rang.

We had the same reaction. Two disappointing sighs and four rolling eyes. Edward stayed on top of me and reached for the phone on the night table.

"It's Alice. Should I pick up?"

"Of course."

Edward sighed, again. He didn't like interruptions. "Hello? Yes, she's right here...No, why?...Alice, she's fine!..." Edward started moving his fingers in circular motions around his ear. "No she's not sick anymore, she's resting now...I will tell her that...Thank you Alice...Goodnight."

"Sisters." Edward mumbled while placing the phone gently back on the night table. In seconds his lips were on my neck again.

"What did she say?"

"She wanted to know how you felt. That's all." His lips only parted from my skin when he had to speak. Otherwise, I was his lip's hunting ground. "Oh..." He paused to kiss me. "She wants to me tell you to feel better and drink water. Well, the last part was from Carlisle." His lips were back on me.

"Oh..." I was breathing heavy. "Okay." My hands stroked his arms while his lips grazed me.

My fingers returned to their last encounter. He was half-free of the denim trap. My fingertips felt his tip again, and a surge shot right up his length. This drove me wild. I unzipped him completely and undid the button. Then I pulled his pants down enough so that his hardness shot up and slapped his stomach. His moans turned into a growl. His hips instinctively lowered onto mine, and I felt him on me, hard and cold, cemented into my skin.

"Stephanie..."

"Yes?" I got out with an exhale.

"Not tonight."

My head fell back onto the pillow, breathing heavy. He fell to my side, arms around me. "You have to wake up early tomorrow."

I tapped his hands to free me and sat up on my knees. "C'mere." I urged him, calling him up to him with my finger. Of course, he listened, and was facing me on his knees, holding my waist. His head hovered over mine and I locked my eyes into his. "I'm a big girl now, Edward." I twisted my hand into his shirt, pulling him closer to me. "And you can't just tease me like that."

I loved playing these games with Edward. I crept closer to him, he was as still as a statue. I felt his body's tension. I composed myself.

"Edward?"

He stared off into space. I watched as his eyes flooded with blackness. "Get under the covers."

I listened, afraid of what was going on. I didn't want to ask him. He looked terribly concentrated on the window. The light breeze of the night swayed the curtains back and forth, but he was focused on something deeper. I followed his gaze and peered out the tiny piece not covered by the curtain.

A silhouette stood motionless on the other side of the glass panels. I knew the shape of his body. The posture of his stance. The weight of his hands as they hung heavy at his sides. And though I couldn't see facial details, I imagined a cigarette hanging from his pale lips, and his green eyes glaring through glassy films. It was my Paul. My best friend before I moved to Forks.

But what was he doing outside my window? And why was Edward acting so defensive as if my life was in danger?

"
Edward! What are you doing?" I tried shaking his arm. I might as well try bending a piece of steel.

"His scent is familiar. I've been around him before. I'm trying to remember, give me a minute." His eyes never left the silhouette.

"His scent is familiar? Edward, don't be silly. That's just Paul. I've told you about him before. He was my best friend."

As I spoke I wound myself out of the bed sheets to approach the window when two cold arms swept me back up and into the bed.

"And where do you think you're going?" Edward's voice was stern.

"To say 'hi' to him. It's about time you two met. It was only a matter of time."

"Stephanie, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? He's harmless, trust me." I was sure of it.

"Well, he's holding a catatonic posture, evident that he possesses a psychological illness. And since I'm able to pick up his scent, he must be refusing his medication. Humans who are on medicine, especially heavy doses of various drugs, lose their blood's scent. To us at least. They are impossible to track, God forbid anything should happen..." He stroked his hand across my cheek and kissed the spot where his fingers stopped. He then quickly shot a devilish glance towards the window and the black shadow was gone.

"Edward, Paul is my friend. We stayed in contact as much as we could when I moved but it got harder when... well, you know. He's not intent on hurting me or anyone." My words sounded true as they escaped my shaky lips.

"I can't risk it." Edward wasn't budging.

I furrowed my eyebrows and bit my tongue. I was not going to argue over something so useless. I already fabricated a plan to call Paul tomorrow afternoon after my visit to Carlisle, in order to redeem and explanation for his surprise appearance in Forks. And as always, my angry feelings towards Edward disappeared within seconds. I crawled into his arms and he held me.

"I love you," I whispered into his chest, "You controlling vampire, you."

I heard him chuckle. "Stephanie, in between my arms there is something that I cannot live without, I cannot exist without. Don't be foolish." He dipped his head to kiss my neck and his hair tickled my cheek. "I love you, too," he whispered into the hollow of my throat. "Sleep now. You have an early morning tomorrow."

I laid my head on the pillow, as Edward held me, and started to think. Paul's scent was familiar to Edward. Why? How could that be? The two of them never even met! Completely impossible. And why was Edward acting so defensive, as if Paul was a threat. And, a psychological illness? These thoughts flooded my mind but I continued. Why did Alice call and ask how I felt? Did she see something?

"
Oh...my...God." I sprung up breathing heavily. "Edward!"

"What is it, love?!" His hands were around me begging for me to speak.

"Edward, get Carlisle on the phone." I was too shaken up to dial.

Edward obeyed my wish and I held the phone to my ear, the rest of my was a frozen statue.

"Hello?"

"Carlisle! It's Stephanie. I hope you don't mind me calling..."

"Of course not. Is everything okay?"

Before I could speak, I heard a voice like wind chimes get progressively louder and in seconds Alice was screaming into the phone.

"Stephanie! Are you okay!? What's the matter!"

"Alice, I'm okay. I'm just a little concerned about something. I think Carlisle has the answer."

"Oh, but...you don't feel sick?"

"Nope."

"Hmm. Okay, he's Carlisle!"

She sounded as if she was disappointed in me not being sick. As if one of her visions was wrong. That was strange.

"Sorry about that, Steph." Carlisle was back.

"It's okay. Listen, who did you say escaped from the mental ward?"

"Cops reported his name was Steven."

"Do you know his last name?"

"Fiori. But that's just what the cops told us. I could double check the hospital records if you want. I'll call up the mental ward and see what they have to say."

I sat there, frozen, staring into space, as the phone slid out of my hands and down into my lap. My hand slowly covered my chest and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Edward handed the phone back to me. I started where I left off. "And the man who was arrested on Isle Esme?" My voice was shaking.

"The same guy, this 'Steven Fiori'."

"Would you mind double checking for me?"

"Of course not. When you come in tomorrow we will look over the records together."

"Thank you so much."

"Anytime."

We hung up and I handed the phone back to Edward; my hands violently shaking.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Chapter 4

"Shh, love. Sleep." I felt his lips brush my cheek bone and softly kiss it.

"But...didn't our plane just land?" I was blinking my eyes, trying to focus through the blur of waking up, but he patted my back.

"I will carry you. You can sleep in my arms." And with that, I collapsed in slow motion back into his lap and didn't wake up until we were home.

A dreamless sleep is always the purest sleep. I woke up in our bed, feeling refreshed and full of memories. Vivid pictures that shot messages up through my center every time I would imagine Edward's hands on me. I was alone, though. As I crunched against the comforter to sit up, I heard an array of voices. They were the voices of my family. My family that I loved dearly with every cell in my rigid body. The Cullens. Nothing in this world could ever amount to the way I felt to be a part of them...to be a Cullen. I was Mrs. Cullen. No, no...I was Mrs. Edward Cullen. I sat there on the bed smiling and gazing at the wall when a high-pitched voice swung through the room and grabbed me by the arms.

"STEPHANIE! Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie!" She lunged onto the bed and embraced me, pulling me up and down with every repetition of my name. I loved her, my sister. I hugged her back, tightly. I was beaming.

"Alice! Oh, Alice I'm so happy to see you! I missed you so much!" My voice was like that of a child who was telling her parents a compelling story of childish elation.

"We missed you, too, silly!" She tapped my nose. "For two weeks, no one tripped down the steps. It was fourteen days of no laughter."

Just then I heard the softest footsteps open the door ajar. "Can I come in?" A whisper escaped from the opening, evident in the tone that whoever said it was smiling.

"Esme!" I exclaimed. She gleamed and flashed her huge white teeth while darting over to give me a hug.

"We missed you, dear! Two weeks is too long for me not to see my children." She winked at me and I was overcome with emotion. Tears began to fill my eyes and the three of us shared a group hug. It was chilly being in the middle but I wouldn't have traded anything in the world for this moment. Well, maybe a moment in Edward's arms. . .

"Where is everyone else?" I was curious why no one else had been anxious to see that I was in perfect condition, despite the haystack that was my hair.

I was growing more and more suspicious of the quiet conference going on in the next room. I could tell it was Edward and Carlisle. "Rosalie and Emmett are hunting. Jasper is making sure things stay calm between Edward and Carlisle. And you're here!" She threw herself on me and hugged me again. How unusual. Normally, I was the one lunging myself at her, because I missed her too much, or because I was too happy to see her after months of isolation during the darkest period of my life. . .

I saw Esme's forehead crease inward as she looked down and folded her hands into her lap.

I sighed and switched glances between the two of them. "Alice, what's wrong." I wasn't stupid, or deaf. The quiet chatter through the wall was enough to get my heart rate accelerating. "Stephanie, it's-" She was interrupted.

"My lady! Welcome back!" Carlisle's arms stretched for me as he glided through the now open doorway and drew me in for a long hug. "How did you enjoy the island?" He tilted his head to smile at me, winking, obviously beaming with pride and courtesy.

"It was amazing, Carlisle, I couldn't have asked for more. Thank you so much." I turned to look at Esme to channel my gratitude towards her, too. Everyone was smiling.

Then my stomach turned. A current of pain twisted my insides, and I remembered the horrid airline food I scoffed down due to Edward's command. He was more concerned with my diet than his. I started to think I looked like someone who had an eating disorder with the way he watched me eat. He just cares...he just cares. My hand grabbed my stomach in hope to rid the pain. I squeezed my eyes and my stomach was in a knot for a few seconds before it finally faded away.

"Stephanie, is everything OK?" Carlisle's attention was on my hand, tense on my stomach.

"Oh, yeah...stupid airline food." I brushed it off. I hated attention. "Where's Edward?" I asked, uneasy now.

"Oh he's right inside, just talking to Jasper. Come on in when you're ready. We have a lot to discuss."

He parted back into the living room with a genuine grin. I still felt uncomfortable with the obvious tension in the room. You could have cut through it with a knife. And worse, it seemed to be hindering my hearing. Everything was getting quieter, like I was in a soundproof bubble. I began to think. Why has Alice been preventing me from listening to the conversation between Edward and Carlisle? Why did Esme dip her head down as if she was hiding something? Why was Jasper calming them down? Why did Rosalie and Emmett decide to hunt the day Edward and I came home? What did Carlisle mean by "a lot to discuss"? And why haven't I seen Edward yet?

I was starting to breath heavy and break into a sweat when Alice's hands were on my shoulders. "Hey! Sis! What are you thinking about? Are you OK?" Her eyebrows furrowed in concern over her liquid golden eyes.

"Mmhmm. I'm fine." I swallowed hard. "Just a little nauseous." I held my stomach as I slowly started to get up from the bed. I grabbed Alice's hand and plastered it against my forehead. I was beginning to get dizzy. I heard Esme ask me something in concern, but it was just a short, incomprehensible mumbling to me. My legs felt unbalanced as I wobbled a few feet away from the bed towards the bathroom. The walls started to cave in and splotches of color began coating my visual field. My head was spinning. I knew I only had time to say one word. I chose wisely.

"Edward!" His name came out as a screech. I gasped before my knees gave out completely. I felt my insides twist tighter as shocks of pain splintered through me. Suddenly, he was there.

Edward's arms were holding my limp body upright as he raced to the sink. I heard him nervously ask Alice what happened.

"I don't know! She just collapsed Edward!" She was just as worried by the sound of her pixie voice.

"Esme! Hold her hair back!" I heard Edward demand. In the same second, I dipped my head over the sink and felt my insides move up my pulsating esophagus. Suddenly, the doctor's hands were on my face.

"Stephanie...can you hear me?" Carlisle asked. My eyes were closed and I could barely think straight. I kept forgetting where I was. I couldn't open my eyes. The bright lights pierced through them like bullets, breaking the armor of my skull. I gagged. Then everything finally made its escape as I vomited into the sink.

It was all hazy. I heard distant voices yelling. "Alice! Get her water!" "Esme take this arm!" "Edward support her neck!"

What was happening to me.
My neck hung backwards and I felt Edward's cool, hard hand hold it up, preventing it from rolling off my shoulders. The residue in my mouth crept its way down my throat and I choked, yanking my head into the sink again for another round of hell. When it was over, I coughed violently. My head was washed over in pain with each thrashing of my throat. It was sore now. My eyes were teary. My legs felt crippled. I tried opening my eyes.

The first thing I saw was my feathered reflection in the foggy mirror, and Edward's right next to mine. I looked over to my right and his eyes were glued to mine, begging for answers. They were strung with fear. Then I heard Carlisle.

"Esme, Alice, can you tell Jasper to call the hospital and tell them I will be in early tomorrow?" His voice was hard and mechanic while he twisted the faucet on to wash away the evidence of my mortality. I should have guessed Jasper was still in the living room. He never handled moments like these well. What if I was bleeding? Slowly, my consciousness came back. I looked at Edward, squinting my eyes because the lights still hurt.

"Love...what happened?" His left hand was still supporting my neck and his right arm held me under my arm. Without him, I would be a pile of flesh on the floor.

"I'm... I feel better now." I was confused. I spoke in a whisper like the fragile human I was.

"Here, Edward..." I saw Carlisle give Edward a glass of water.

"Let's go sit down." He pressed the edge of the glass of water to my lips and urged me to take a sip. I complied, rinsed my mouth out, and gulped the rest down in seconds. The cold water felt like ice soothing my burning throat. I wondered for a moment if this was similar to how vampires felt when they were thirsty. Then I was being carried to the bed. When he sat down I shivered into his chest. He quickly began untangling his arms from me and grabbing the blanket when I stopped him.

"No, no! I need to be near you. Just hold me tighter..."

"Of course, sweetheart." And he did, rocking me back and forth slowly kissing my head. He let a few minutes pass to allow me to calm down. I lay cradled in his chest for a few moments, when I looked up at him.

"Edward, I'm sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I hate putting you in situations like that, when I'm so helpless and vulnerable." I looked down ashamed. I've always had a problem with showing weakness. It was something that bothered me a lot.

"You know that's ridiculous, Stephanie. I made a vow to be there for you through sickness and in health. And needless to say, you didn't need a vow to know that already."

I looked up into his eyes and stroked his jaw line. "I know." I whispered. "I just...I don't know, I felt very dizzy. And I really don't remember much after collapsing in the bedroom."

"It's OK, love. Carlisle is going to check you tomorrow. Your blood sugar may be low."

"Oh, do I not smell as sweet to you anymore?" I joked.

"Hilarious." He chuckled at my lameness, shaking his head while fabricating his most perfect crooked smile. I returned to a perfect state when his eyes sparkled into mine.

Just then, I heard Rosalie and Emmett rush into the house frantically. Rosalie was mumbling to Alice while Emmett was speaking to Carlisle at light speed. Then I heard Emmett's loud voice.

"Steven's escaped. And he's not on his meds. His scent is hard to follow, though. Cigarette smoke is a good camouflage."

Steven? The same name I had heard on our honeymoon, who was involved with that incident of deforestation and animal abuse.

I saw Edward pick his head up to listen and his arms held me a bit tighter. His rigid jaw line was like a razor about to shred me to pieces.

Then I heard Emmett continue.

"He wants her, Carlisle. Just her."

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Chapter 3 continued...

I stared in awe as I felt myself boil to my core. I inhaled sharply, and as I exhaled, I moved my mouth onto him. I heard him moan. Overwhelmed with desire to give him everything he wanted, I took him in my mouth, moving my wet lips down his length, leaving a lot bare. I wrapped my right hand around the bare inches and started moving up and down. My grip got tighter with every stroke, and my lips made him well lubricated. The motions became quicker as his moans became growls. I could feel the vibration they produced from his throat. I moaned on him, giving him the sensation of my vibrating lips against his shaft. He was losing his mind. I felt his surges on my bottom lip speed up through his hardness. Simultaneously, I felt myself burning up and soaking in my core. I needed him inside me. With one last deep suck, I gasped and sat up. He looked at me with lustful eyes, glistening like the sand. His right hand appeared at the waist of the white skirt I was wearing. With a flick of his fingers, it was completely off and blowing in the wind. My bikini top came off next with a flip of his wrist.

I crawled on top of him and kissed his cool lips. At the same time, I moved my lower body up and body along his his length, coating it with another layer of lubrication.

"Stephanie," he said while panting, "I need...you. Now, Stephanie." He moaned again as my hot center rubbed against him.

Then I lifted myself a few inches above him and took it into my hand. I positioned it right under me, and lowered myself onto him, sliding him into me. I let out a moan when I felt his tip reach places they never have before. I moved in circular motions on him, letting him feel all my insides until it became unbearable.

I propped my legs up to balance on my toes, and started moving up and down. I was coming down hard on his hips, allowing him to pierce right through me. I screamed in pleasure, quickening my movements. My hands moved to my breasts but two cold hands pushed mine away. Edward took it upon himself to hold them in place, while massaging them and pinching them. My legs were working hard now, keeping up a pace that felt exponentially better with each internal collision. I felt myself explode from the inside, dripping onto him, still moving up and down. One.

"EDWARD! Oh God!" I screamed. I would have fell backwards but my hands grasped onto his thighs for support. This made me feel him even more. Every time I crashed down onto him now, I felt him thrust upwards, colliding with me. He was reaching the deepest of me, and with every thrust he sent shivers up my spine like an electrical current, forcing my to jolt my neck back. I could feel he wanted to take over. I had no objection.

He pulled himself up, lips meeting my neck. They scowled down to my collarbone, and my movements stopped. My legs were spent. I collapsed against his chest, my head buried in his neck, breathing frantically. "Edward..." I managed to say his name between breaths.

"Sweetheart, can you hold onto my neck?"

I tied my hands around him, resting them at the base of his neck. "Like this?"

"Just like that. Now hang on."

He darted up, standing on two feet. He held me in the same position we were in on the sand. My legs wrapped around his waist, and I felt his cold, hard arousal on the back of my upper thigh. He bent his knees and snapped back up. Now, his tip was rubbing against my slit, and the most sensitive part of me. I moaned and tightened my hold on his neck, knowing I couldn't hurt him.

I looked into his eyes, full of desire and lust. They were golden like honey. In a flash his lips were massaging mine. First they were gentle, then they became violent and cunning, attacking my mouth with sexual force while Edward lowered my body down onto him. I felt him enter me inch by inch. I moaned against his lips while he started thrusting, holding my body up with his arms. His forceful bangs triggered my breasts to jump, and his mouth was soon on them, sucking and massaging them. His hips crashed into mine at such a high pace that after a while, the motion of his thrusts became a blur. I heard his sexy vampiric growls escape his throat.

"Stephanie..." He yelled my name while clenching his jaw. "Stephanie, the things you make me do..." His thrusts became more violent. I loved it. With every bang, my body shook in pleasure. I felt myself getting tighter around him.

"Oh my GOD, EDWARD! Don't stop!" I wrapped my legs tighter around him, deepening his throbbing hardness into me even more. He pulled himself out and slammed right back him, hitting my wall and making me scream.

"Ahhh! Edward!" My core erupted, spilling onto his intrusions from the inside, covering his tip in a hot layer of liquid. Two.

The sudden burst of my hot release made him let out a terrifying hiss. It crawled up from his throat and lingered around his razor sharp teeth. In was unbelievably sexy. My walls surrounding him were closing in, and opening. Closing in, and opening. I looked at his face from my glassy eyes. He was rigid and concentrated. His jawline was as sharp as a knife, and his neck was so tense, the bones were all easily visible as he slammed into me once more before darting to the bedroom, and placing me down on my back on the edge of the bed. He pressed his lips to mine and leaned back up to throw my legs up on his shoulders. His cold skin felt nice on the back of my legs. He then picked up where we left off, moving in and out of me in quick slippery motions. His hands crawled up to my breasts and held them tightly as he thrusted. His hair would toss itself over his eyes every time he came forward. With my legs being almost closed, I was narrower on the inside. His collisions with my insides were enhanced. He slipped and slid through me, and back out again. I grabbed the bed sheets and bit my bottom lip. I felt him getting close, his surges pulsing through his throbbing shaft. Finally, every cell in my body felt like they were burning and turning inside out. My body quaked and I came, violently and intensely. Exploding onto him, I screamed in pure pleasure.

"Edward! Oh my GOD!" I moaned loudly as he kept his pace. He was relentless. He moved in and out of my compressing walls while I rode out my orgasm. It wasn't until my body stopped twitching and dripping that I felt Edward spill inside of me. Three.

He bent down and started sucking on my breast while releasing himself into me. I felt him moan into my skin as his movements slowed. His orgasm filled me, and my breathing was no where near slowing. I stroked his arms and felt the last of his spurts empty from his hard center.

He face glowed when he came. He rested his body on top of mine while my fingers curled in his hair. I kissed his ear and heard him giggle. He quickly leaned up to face me and kissed my forehead.

"You're amazing, love."

"Edward..." I tried telling speaking but my heart was ready to pounce out of my chest. He laughed and picked me up like a small child, crawled onto the bed with his knees, and gently placed me beneath the covers.

"Edward, I love you." I finally managed to get out.

"And I you." He kissed my lips one last before wrapping his arm around me and singing me to sleep with the lullaby he wrote for me.


Edward never fell short of perfect. Yet, he always seemed to surprise me. By the time I woke, Edward had everything neatly packed and the house looked as though we had just arrived. The room was quiet and calm. It felt like a new chapter in my life was beginning. My outlooks were all filled with images of Edward and me laying in his meadow, roaming through the forest, and seeing him through a pair of my own golden eyes. Edward would always become angry and tense when I spoke of becoming...well, becoming like him. He tells me I don't know what I'm talking about. Well, I know what I want. I want to spend eternity with him. A long and happy life with him would be, in fact, perfection in itself. But it would eventually end. And the more I think about it, the fact that I would be without him doesn't bother me as much as the fact that he would be without me. I couldn't bear to see him go through something so devastating. I only know this because of his confessions when he came to me; when I saved him in Italy. I love him more than my body has the capacity to. When he frowns I feel my muscles ache. I want nothing more than to permanently seal our future of future. Our future of being together forever. Nothing will stop us.

We flew home on a tiny jet, built for comfort, not speed. I knew Edward would have requested this. I heard the pilot through a foggy filter say that we arrived in Forks. I longed for the day when I wouldn't feel as tired as I did now. When I could walk for days on end and run with Edward through the green of the forests, hand in hand. But for now, I was limply embedded into Edward's lap. I felt the plane touch down and roll roughly on its wheels, breaking furiously. I was reminded of how I felt whenever Edward carried me. He would put me down and my steps would feel rough and disorganized in comparison to his silent strides. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, ready to sit up and snap back to the real world.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Chapter 3

Curiosity struck me like lightning. I had stepped outside about a nanosecond before Edward darted next to me and hovered over me like a protective shield. He was tense. And furious. His eyes were a dangerous color. Black, with red lacing. Somehow I could tell that it was not due to his thirst.

"Edward, what happened?" My eyes flickered to the police men on the shore line and back to Edward's eyes. The bright lights of the sirens were giving me a headache and I immediately buried my face in Edward's chest.

He caressed my back, rubbing my arms in a quick up-and-down motion in attempt to warm me up. "Nothing, dear. I'm dealing with it. Go back inside, I won't be long." He kissed my hair and I complied with his wish.

From inside, I was listening with everything I had to make out the conversation between the policeman and Edward. I heard random words like medication, fire, eighteen, and silver. I tried unscrambling them in my mind to see if they had a link to each other. I sat on the bed with my face in my palms. I didn't like this. But with the agony of my headache and the premonition of something very, very bad happening, I tipped to my side, crashing against the pillows and fell deeply asleep.

I had that dream again where I was lost for good in outer space. It felt that way last time, when I was running along that empty high way. This time, however, there was no silver pick-up truck. All the colors became very dim. I was floating. Suddenly, every cell in my body started dislodging itself from my body, breaking apart every nerve, every muscle, every bone. They were gravitating at full speed toward a silhouette standing about 20 feet in front of me, in the blackness. I couldn't stop it. I was helpless. I watched my body rip at the seams. My arms disintegrated below me, into a bottomless pit, like a ball of yarn, unraveling. Then, the magnetic force in front of my pulled at my legs. Painlessly and furiously, I watched as they fell like sand. Then I felt my throat closing. The silhouette motioned his hands as if he were choking me. I grabbed my neck as reflex and as I was just about to scream, I woke up. . .

"STEPHANIE!" I heard his voice over my face, hard and demanding. His hands were at my sides, shaking me to life.

I came back into consciousness. My body was coiled around my pillow, shaking violently and sweating. I heard my teeth clatter as I shivered. Then my eyes opened and I felt like they were glassy. "Edward..." I said, shaking. My eyes were focused on nothing but whatever was in front of me. All I saw were blurs.

He pulled the blanket over my fragile body and repositioned his hands around my face. "Stephanie, speak, please!" He stroked my jaw line. I finally looked up at him, and took a deep breath, realizing my nightmare was over. His eyes were deep with worry, squinted. His eyebrows furrowed and his mouth was in a razor sharp line.

"Edward, I-" I shivered as I spoke "Edward, I'm sorry. I had a nightmare." I took his hands in mine and held them to my cheek, using them as pillow. I needed to cool my body down.

"Do you feel like telling me about it?"

I didn't want to. Talking about it would just make the horrific images of my body being ripped apart come back into focus, and I couldn't afford that right now.

"I...It's all hazy now. I can't seem to remember it..." I sighed and closed my eyes, holding back tears. One of his hands escaped the cage I trapped them in and touched my forehead. That felt amazing. Then his icy lips washed over mine. I was cured, for now.

"Sometimes you scare me more than anyone would think is possible." He smiled and tapped my nose with his finger. I untangled myself out of the sheets and blankets and crawled into his lap. He held me tightly against his chest and pressed his face in my hair.

"What time is it?" I finally asked, coming back to reality. Piece by piece.

"Seven in the morning."

"I feel like I've been up all night." Then the memory flashed into my mind like a speeding car. "Edward! The cops...on the shoreline...that wasn't a dream."

His loosened his hold on me and growled. "What is it?" I urged.

He spoke in a monotone voice, low and precise. "There was an incident. Trees were burned down and a few young animals were slaughtered over on the mainland. It was gruesome, Steph, for any human to see." He probably just mourned at all the wasted blood. "So the police did the obvious thing and came here to investigate, try to get clues. They knew it wasn't me, Carlisle is good friends with the police over there. We've known each other for a while."

"So, did they find who did it?"

"Yes. A human. His name is Steven. Apparently he had escaped from the mental ward in the hospital Carlisle works at. He called me while you were sleeping. He says we're safe here now."

"Steven, hmm." I tried to collect any memory I had that could trace back to a Steven. But it was seven in the morning. I had nothing. "Well, at least we're safe." I embraced him and he returned it. Rocking me back and forth, kissing my head.


As the mornings strolled into daylight, Edward and I kept ourselves busy with every activity imaginable. As the setting sun would lower itself into the horizon, we would relax on the sand, tangled in each other's arms and legs. There was a special perfection about these 2 weeks. Edward and I, connected in every way, expressing our love in every way. We were always in harmony. We were completely isolated from the rest of the world and that made this feel like fantasy even more. No one was around to interrupt our moments of pure bliss. And everytime he touched me, the butterflies that dwelled in my stomach fluttered their wings a little faster.

We laid on the sand our last night on Isle Esme. Edward lay on his back, his hands resting behind his head. I lay on my stomach, in between his legs. My chin rested itself on his stomach and I traced swirly lines all over his cool, marble, white torso. I made childish noises as my finger slid off his chest and crashed into the sand. He laughed at my entertainment. It was another blissful moment. His hands reached to brush my hair out of my eyes. I gazed into him.

"You know, I never asked if you ever got to go hunting."

"Stephanie, do you think I can bear to allow you to seduce me like this if that weren't the case?" He smiled his crooked smile.

I was seducing him? I quickly took into account our position. I was completely pressed up against the part of him I suddenly felt on my stomach. I giggled softly and shifted my weight forward a little to press my lips to his chest. The friction made him come alive. The butterflies were flapping their wings at full force. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too." His brushed his fingers up and down my arms. His eyes closed and his head was facing the sky now. The sun was just about to disappear under the ocean, when I decided to follow its course. Besides, Edward's body was much more beautiful than the sunset.

My heart started beating frantically as I started nibbling on his cold hard skin. I slowly shifted myself lower on him, so I can kiss his lower stomach. I pressed my lips in dotted circles onto him. I felt him breath deeply. My lips grazed him lower, down his center, until they were stopped by the waist band of his shorts. Hmm.

My fingers crept down his chest, slid over his lower stomach, and started undoing the button and zipper. I felt him rise, underneath his shorts, almost pushing me away with his stiff arousal. I saw him arch his neck back and squeeze his eyes shut.

"Stephanie..." He moaned in anticipation. He needed to be free of this sexual confinement. I felt him even harder against me, poking my ribs. Once the zipper was fully down, I wrapped my fingers around the belt holders.

"Edward, I need you tonight. Just one more time, on our last night here."

"I'm your's." Edward vowed. And with that, he started leaning up. No.

I put my hand against his chest, trying to push him back down. Yeah, right. "It's my turn to do the work."

Edward fell back onto the sand with a thundering crash breathing deeply, gasping at what I had just said. I ripped his shorts down his legs and his throbbing hardness catapulted to his stomach.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

chapter 2 (continued)

"Ed...ward," I tried catching my breath, "you are too incredible for my body to handle. You nearly destroyed my ability to stand!" I took a deep breath and rested my head in his chest. "That was amazing. I love you."

"I love you, too, darling."

I never wanted this to end.

After Edward insisted that he washed me himself, which was inexplicably enjoyable, I dried up, got dressed, and skipped downstairs to find Edward sitting in the center of our bed. I crawled into his arms and let him hold on against his icy chest for a while. His palm made its way to my chest, right over my heart. He kept it there and stared at his something way beyond his fingers.

“What is it, Edward?” I asked. I looked up to see his beautiful face. It was frozen in place by a disgusted expression.

“Your heart.” He looked into my eyes. “The sound of your heart –it’s the most significant sound in my world. And every moment I’m with you makes me believe that my heart is going to start beating again… for you. For only you. It kills me that it never will.”

“Sweetheart… my lovely, annoying, sexy, unbelievable sweetheart. Sometimes I think you don’t have a brain.” I joked.

He looked down ashamed. Stubborn vampire I tell you.

“Look at me.” I lifted his chin with my thumb and pointer finger. “Are you aware of what happens to me when I’m near you? Do you have any idea what you put my body through? All of the deep breaths and high blood pressure. The exaggerated exhales and the lip-biting. Are you aware of any of that, mister vampire?” I was smiling by this point, but still serious.

He whispered, “I am aware of all of it, Stephanie. Every beat and every breath.”

“My body doesn’t react that way for no reason.” I held his hand in mine, over my chest. We now both felt the quick thudding.

“My heart, it’s beating for you, too, Edward.”

I kissed him and he cradled me in his arms again, rocking me back and forth.

My fingers lightly traced the sharp definitions of his chest and abdomen. My lips met the skin of his collarbone and my hips moved a little against him. Edward froze and pulled my arms back. One look into his eyes told me everything.

They were pitch black.

“Edward, I’m sorry…” I backed up and made sure not to touch him.

He frowned furiously. “It’s my fault. I’ve been distracted that I forgot to hunt. You should try to sleep. You look tired, love.” He faked a mocking yawn.

I yawned. Damn mirror neurons. Edward laid me down and covered me with the softest white covers. He moved my hair behind my ear and tucked it there. His lips pressed into the thin skin of my temples and my unconscious came washing over me.


I awoke a few hours later. It was still dark out. I rolled over and my hand landed on a note.

Stephanie, love,

I have gone hunting on the mainland just north of here.

I hope you don’t wake before I get back, but if you happen
to, know that I will be back shortly and I’m missing you more
and more with every minute that drags by.

I love you.

Edward


I sat up in the bed to observe my surroundings. I was always anxious when Edward wasn’t beside me as I slept. Somehow, I was always aware of his cool presence even when I was lost in dream world. Maybe that’s why I woke up. Then something caught my eye. A faint red light quickly circled the walls of the room. I heard the faint voices of two men talking outside the double glass doors. One of them was Edward. I would never mistake his voice. I shuffled to my feet and wrapped my robe around me. As I slowly slid open the door, my eyes glared to the scene in front of me.

There on the shoreline, were police boats, a police helicopter, and lights of sirens flashing in every direction.

chapter 2 (continued)

"Did you forget about my one rule, sweetheart?" He whispered into my ear.

"Sorry." I said, smiling timidly. "I'm all yours!" I quickly placed my arms at my side and let him take over. I had to admit, the thought of Edward washing my hair had me chuckle to myself. He obviously picked up on my internal enjoyment.

"What's so funny?" He said, smiling my favorite crooked smile.

"Just the thought of you washing my hair. It's funny to me." I chuckled again. This was all just nervous laughter. I've never showered with a man before, or anything like Edward. I was just anxious. "Just don't get soap in my eyes."

"My silly, love. Don't you trust me? And will you please open your eyes."

For a minute, I forgot I even had them closed. The vision I was painting in my head of Edward there in front of me was far too amazing to let disappear. But then I remembered that nothing could compare to the reality of Edward. I took a step back and rubbed the water out of eyes, blinked a few times quickly, and stared.

He was perfect. Standing under the hot waterfall, his hair curled off in wet sections, dripping in front of his eyes. Water crawled down his jaw line and dripped off his chin, his skin was almost reflective. His lips seemed to be even darker when completely wet, and the contrast to his white skin was breathtaking. His eyes locked into mine, and narrowed when seconds passed without me saying a word. I didn't even bother to look down.

"Stephanie?" His tone was concerned.

"Edward..." I gulped, and gave myself up to my emotions. I closed the gap between us, embracing his body, molding mine to his. He reacted to everything and embraced me tighter. My hands roamed the vastness of his angular back and traced his spine downwards. I felt what this did to him. Without thinking, I pushed my hips against his. Every inch of him was now branded into the soft skin of my stomach. My heart skipped and raced inside my chest. I felt my blood boiling faster than the water was hitting me, scorching through my veins.

Then I looked up into Edward's liquid golden eyes. They were shielded behind thick wet ribbons of hair. I combed it back with my fingers, and kissed his neck. I felt his body stiffen and freeze. Ironic, I thought to myself. How much more stiff and frozen could he be?

"Oops." I bent my elbows rested my palms on his chest. "I'm not as strong as you."

"I am completely under control, Stephanie. You just forgot the rule again."

"Oh, right." I collected myself. "Sorry to interrupt you."

"I just like to take my time. Moments like these shouldn't be rushed through." His words escaped his lips at the same time his hands rolled down to my hips. And back up again. His chin rose with a long inhale, and sunk back down with his prolonged exhale. His breath intoxicated me. "Turn around."

I listened to him and turned to face the white tile wall. His hands crawled up my arms and intertwined in my fingers. He guided them up the wall, and patted them to tell me I should keep them there for support. The cold tile felt good against my palm. Then something felt better.

He bent over my body, pressing his nose to my neck. He inhaled my scent and I felt him quickly lose control. But he wasn't thirsty for my blood this time. I felt his hands reach around my chest and fondle my breasts which firmly hung under me in perfect vertical alignment with the way I was bent. He held them in his hands, cupping and massaging them. And teasing them. I moaned in delight and arched my neck back. His fingers played with the tips, bringing them to life. He kissed my neck, and I felt the water dripping from his hair wash down my spine and down to my chest. Physically, I was losing control. Mentally, well, I was never actually in control, so I just let my body move.

Instinctively my lower half rubbed against his, evoking an ever-so vampiric growl to escape from the depths of his throat. His hands freed my breasts and moved lower, squeezing the sides of my stomach and then feeling the swell of my backside. His palms moved gently across the round plains and finally ended up in the caves of my body.

His icy touch caused my legs to jerk and lock. I felt him stop. "Did I hurt you, sweetheart?"

"No, no. Please don't... stop." I exhaled, palms still against the tiles, head down, eyes closed.

His fingers made their way to my fleshy folds, and they playfully drove themselves in and out. His thumb, I'm assuming, stayed behind and rubbed circles across the most sensitive bundle of nerves I had. The motion of his penetrating fingers, and stimulation elsewhere was crippling. I felt my knees go weak as I managed to moan, "Edward!"

I heard the monster in him roar to life. Quickly, I felt him withdraw his fingers with little spurts as he did. I felt the tip of his length tease the folds, and move up and down the slit.

"Stephanie..." he groaned.

He took his left arm and wrapped it under my belly, ready to hold me up if I happened to forget how to stand. Then his right hand grabbed it, and continued forward. The lubrication I had produced was enough to put the shower to shame. With one smooth thrust Edward was inside of me. He stayed there still for a moment, leaning lower to kiss my back. He heard me moan and my back arched itself, moving him inside of me, feeling every wall of my insides cave in on him. He was an animal now, moving in and out of me in smooth and swift motions.

"Oh Stephanie...you feel...you feel...SO AMAZING!" The last 2 words came out through gritted teeth as his thrusts became harder. I felt myself spill onto him from the inside and screamed.

"Edward! Oh GOD Edward... don't you dare stop!"

I collapsed onto my forearms so I could lean my head against the wall. I felt his frozen chest plaster itself against my back. His hands found my breasts and calmed them from jumping in every position. He held onto them, squeezing and massaging them while invading me from behind. I could tell he was holding off on finishing so quickly. He did want this to last. Just then, he swooped me up and my back was against the wall. His arms provided me with solid support as they held my legs up. I felt like I was sitting on an imaginary shelf, defying gravity. Then the teasing continued. He propped on his toes, poking my most sensitive area with the hardest part of him now. He smiled at me and his eyes were overflowing with desire.

I looked at him lustfully. "How dare you sto-" I was interrupted by his tongue's sudden intrusion. It was flipping mine out of the way while his lips massaged against mine. Then he lowered me, and he was inside me again. I looked down to watch his hips move up and down, thrust into me with the force I couldn't even handle.

"Oh.. my.. GOD!"

My arms flew against the wall, in search for something to grab. The tile didn't serve as much help as bed sheets do, so I went for his arms, tense and flexed as he held me up. Every thrust made my breasts jump up and his mouth was soon on them, licking and nibbling on them. He moaned into them and squeezed his eyes shut. We were both getting close. His thrusts were violent and mixed with his sexiest vampiric growls. It drove me wild.

"EDWAAARD!" My walls closed tightly on him, and I was able to feel every surge it was pulsing through me. I threw my neck back and screamed. I squeezed his arms, probably hurting my hands more than his arm. Simultaneously, he screamed into my neck with one last powerful thrust, and I felt his release shoot into me, a continuous stream flowing in rapid spurts. I was still tight around him, contracting against every inch of him. My breathing was still heavy as he whispered my name into my throat. I rested my chin on his head and ran my fingers through his hair. I still felt myself pulsating on him, and he stayed inside, letting out a few more spurts before finally exhaling and pulling himself out. My legs were still shaking from pleasure and my heart was miles away from slowing down. So, as I should’ve guessed, he held me in his arms while I calmed down.

chapter 2

Within the depths of my slumber, my mind wandered. I found myself running on a long endless highway. There were no cars except for one, stopped on the horizon. It was a silver pick-up truck. The road was inclined, so running became a strenuous act, but my legs didn’t show any sign of strain. I felt the Earth under the soles of my bare feet being pushed backward, as I struggled toward the car. But no matter how long I ran, I barely got closer. It was frustrating. It was as if I had been running on a treadmill. As fast as my legs sprinted, I never got anywhere. But I never gave up. I was determined to reach that horizon, to reach that car, but I kept tripping. Landing on my knees didn’t hurt at all, I got right back up and started running again, only to trip once more. It was a continuous cycle of running and falling. Running and falling. . .

Consciousness slowly materialized on my eyes. I think I was awake now. I was curled up in the fetal position, a ball of skin and bones wrapped tightly in a maze of blankets. There was something else near me. Cold and still, except for one finger I felt wipe a tear that was escaping from the corner of my eye. It was Edward. I opened my eyes and his face was inches from mine and he was stunning. Though it had been years, I was still utterly shocked at the fact that I wasn’t dreaming. Edward was here with me. The morning sun transformed my moonlit miracle into a shimmering statue. His hair was messy, I loved it. My hand looked for openings in the covers I was buried in, and in its attempt to find one, was greeted by something cold and inviting, his hand. We intertwined fingers and I let out a sigh as I smiled and yawned myself awake, stretching.

“Good morning, sleepy head!” In a flash Edward’s lips were greeting my face with a morning kiss. His energy was a pleasant surprise. He jumped up, propping himself on his knees by my feet, moving his fingers up and down my legs. “I made your favorite breakfast.”

“Are you going to stick yourself inside an English muffin?”

He chuckled and his eyes sparkled. “My silly, love.” He leaned over my body and kissed my nose. When he began to get up again, I grabbed his arms in a feeble attempt to keep him on top of me. I wasn’t done kissing him. He knew what I wanted. When his body was shadowing me, his lips moved straight to mine. A tiny growl escaped from the insides of my stomach. It's embarrassing when the person you’re with never has to eat. He quietly laughed and kissed my neck. Edward was always good at being a step ahead, so with one swift movement I was in his arms being carried to the kitchen. He placed me down on a high stool with a cushioned back. My personal chef handed me my breakfast.

“Bacon and eggs. Scrambled. Side of toast with a little bit of butter. And a tall glass of orange juice with 2 ice cubes.” His cool white hands crawled over mine and he looked into my eyes. “I hope you like it.”

I took a bit of everything. With my mouth full, I muttered, “I love it!”

“Good.” He smiled.

“It’s my second favorite.”

“What’s your first favorite?”

“Breakfast in bed.”

He looked confused. “Would you like me to carry you back to bed and serve you there, sweetheart?”

“No, no. I mean-” Why was I explaining this? “Breakfast in bed.” I said it this time with more emphasis and suggestion.

I could almost see the light bulb on top of his head being switched on. He walked behind me and slowly wrapped his arms around my waist. I then felt his cool breath on my neck, “Maybe tomorrow morning you’ll get your favorite.” His fingers drew lines up and down my arms. I turned and kissed him. He whispered “I love you” in my ear and kissed it, too. Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry for my food anymore. But it was nine in the morning. I needed to take breaks.

“I love you, too.” I said as I exhaled.


We spent the days doing everything together. Everything. We went snorkeling, scuba diving, water-skiing, wake-boarding, jet-skiing, and any other outdoor water activity you can think of. Edward was a professional at all of them. I watched him as his movements seemed to defy the laws of physics. When it was my turn, he persuaded me that it was easy. HA. It took me two seconds to lose balance on the water skis and fall backwards into the water, my legs swinging over my head. I heard his laughter from under the water. Then suddenly his arms were my life saver and I was on the boat. When he put me down, he arched his back and held his chest, and his laughter echoed through the sky. Stupid, shiny water god.

Despite my pathetic attempts at water sports, I was having the time of my life. It made the hours go by a lot quicker than I wished. I wanted time to drag, to take every second with pure attention.

The sky was a brilliant shade of dark blue. Some light spilled over the horizon, it was twilight. I was lying between his legs on the sand against his chest. His arms supported his weight behind him. His legs seemed to lengthen with every glance my eyes gave. My feet only reached his knees, it seemed. I felt him nibble my neck.

“I probably taste like salt.”

“You taste wonderful, love.” Did I hear him hiss?

“You know, Edward, I was thinking of something.”

His nose drew a line from my shoulder to my neck and then down my back a little. “Yes, love,” he breathed into my skin. His nose repeated that movement in the opposite direction.
I continued fighting the urge to turn my body over onto his and throw my tongue down his throat. I had to behave with my new vampire husband. Then again maybe what I was about to suggest was pushing the limits.

“Well, I feel terribly self-conscious whenever I have to take my human-moments. So I was thinking, maybe you can join me in one. I don’t see any harm in showering together.” My head was down and my eyes shut in anticipation for his reaction. I was embarrassed to even ask this question, but it was a desire I was not ready to ignore.

I was about to sit up to face him when two cold hands clutched my arms and crushed me to an answer. I felt his arousal pierce into my back. His lips, in shock, met the back of my neck again. “I would LOVE to shower with you. I have only one rule.” His fingers swayed across the flesh of my arm.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“I do all the work.”

Before I could account for his words, I was in his arms, heading for the house.


I turned the shower on and waited for the water to boil. Hot showers were always necessary for me. Now that Edward would be in there with me, the water would have to be a couple of degrees warmer. I stood in front of the mirror while the steam slowly drifted out from above the frosted glass door, masking the ceiling in a think cloud. My shoulders were a golden brown and the skin right under my eyes looked like rose petals.

Okay, Stephanie. Behave yourself in there.

What could happen? It's just a shower. A nice, relaxing shower with Edward. How dangerous could that be? I just have to remember not to get too ahead of myself. Okay, so no biting, no reaching for anything. I'll just look up the whole time and glue my hands to my head. When I snapped out of my anxious rambling, my hands were shaking. Minutes were passing when I realized that the mirror had fogged up to the point where I couldn't even see my reflection. Then his hands found mine. And something was cold on my back.

His naked body.

"Are you ready, love?" He was gently tugging my hands to follow him.

I gathered my thoughts and blushed. "Are you sure you'll be fine? I hate seeing you in pain of any kind..." I remember him telling me that when human skin is damp or wet, the scent of their blood is much stronger.

He lowered his face to the hollow of my throat and gently swept his cool lips against my skin. "You have nothing..." He slid my towel off my body and his lips trailed downward, moving smoothly over the supple plains of my chest. "...to worry..." He slowly rose back up and pressed his lips to mine and released. "...about."

Well, I was about to fall to my knees from lack of strength and coherency when his arms, as always, caught me. My eyes closed; I loved being this close to him. He stepped into the steaming shower and placed me down on my feet. I felt the hot water massage my back, soaking into me. I arched my neck back and let my hair enjoy it. I had not opened my eyes yet. I started to raise my hands to lather my hair in with the water when I felt his hands catch mine.

chapter 1 (continued)

“Edward, listen to me.” I started, staring into his eyelids. “I love you. I love you more than anything in the world and that’s never going to change.” I tapped his chin again but he didn’t budge. What a stubborn creature he was. “Edward! Are you listening?”

“I always do, sweetheart.” He whispered, keeping his stance.

“Good. Now, I never want you to feel this way again. There’s no reason to be upset. You’ve just given me the best day of my life. Don’t abuse yourself over one little almost accident. You can’t imagine how happy I am right now and I know it sounds impossible, but I think I love you even more!” I stopped there. I knew if I said how much I wanted to do it again, he’d get mad at me and call me reckless and tell me I have no sense of self-preservation.

“So, you’re not hurt at all? You’re not scared to do it again?” He slowly lifted his head, revealing his beautiful face to mine, eyes locked into place and serious. “You don’t think of me as a monster?” I can’t stand him.

“Yes you’re a monster. I am so scared of you. You terrify me with your sharp fangs. Oh wait, you don’t have fangs!” I struggled to get out of his grip. The water danced besides our figures. I was mad at for mistaking this for a happy moment. I glanced at him with angry eyes, and he was staring at me. As mad as I was at him, I couldn’t help but love him with every cell in my rigid body. If only he could read my mind now, so I wouldn’t have to abandon my pride and just say it.

“Say it, Steph.” He half smiled in my direction. His eyes pierced through mine.

I was relieved to sense his anger was subsided. I wasn’t sure what he had planned, though.

“You’re fighting back words. Your fingers are oscillating back and forth against your leg, you want to say something.”

He knew me better than I knew myself. I wasn’t even aware I was doing that little habit of mine. I bit my lip.

“Out loud! Come on, we’ve been through this before.” He muttered.

“It’s very hard for me to be mad at you.” My mood softened, and I turned to face him, folding my arms over my bare chest. My face turned red, I could feel the heat. This time, it wasn’t from the sun. Behind Edward, the sun was almost fully underneath the water, setting on us, rising somewhere else. The few rays that were left beamed on his back and around the contours of his flawless figure, making his body a perfect silhouette in the purple and blue water.

“I can’t stay angry with you for too long, ever.” I admitted. I shrugged my shoulders and threw him a smile as I looked down, peeking at his reaction through my wet, sloppy bangs. Batting my eyes at him always worked in ways I would dream about. This time was different, though.

Somehow, we had gotten closer to the shore. The water was a few inches shallower than where we were before, revealing more of his perfect masculine self. With every current, the “V” that formed his hip bones became more and more distinct, and where the two lines converged into a point was the spot I desired most now. I felt the water play tricks on my lower half. My longing for him was obvious now. I didn’t even realize how tense I had become. I shook my head free of these naughty thoughts but when I opened my eyes, Edward was crouched down, low in the water. He peered at me through his eye lashes, flashing a set of venomous teeth, sharp and keen. He hissed, and I was turned on. I’m a hopeless case.

In less than a second, Edward’s body lunged toward me, and we were soaring through the crisp air towards the sand. With a light crash, my back was on the sand and Edward hovered over me. He held me to his chest while his nose searched the boundaries of my neck, his breaths were short and exasperated. My blood was pulsing through my veins, racing the dark. I knew this killed him, so I stood perfectly still, a feather underneath his strength.

“Stephanie,” he breathed into my skin, “My life’s purpose is to make you happy, not upset, not angry, not disappointed. Happy.”

His lips traced curvy lines along my flesh, exciting different parts of me. But when his body leaned back up to kiss my face, a little piece of him collided where my legs met. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around him, holding him in place, allowing him to absorb me once again. In case he thought I wasn’t ready, I guided his hand to touch me. His fingers were cold inside of me, it was one of the best sensations. I exhaled and closed my eyes. When he took them out, they felt like the ocean just washed up on them. Our fingers intertwined, and his other arm held up my lower back, angling me to his form. He pushed forward with controlled force. My legs tightened around his waist, pushing him in deeper. This drove him wild. He let out an angry moan, through his gritted teeth. My fingernails slid down his back, until I could feel his animalistic movements below my palms. Rising and sinking, thrusting in and out in a rapid motion.

“Edward!” I managed to get his name out in one breath. “Oh my…GOD! Edward!”

My breathing was heavier than ever. I was covered in sweat. My toes curled when I felt him plunge even deeper into me, sending a current of pleasure straight up my spine. I screamed. He sat up on his knees and held my waist down to the ground, hindering me from moving. This was it. Whenever he would thrust into me, I wouldn’t budge, instead he would just move into the depths of me. I felt him even more now. Something I thought was impossible. His movements became too fast for me to count. But that didn’t stop me from feeling them. Every pound and bang was like a shock of euphoria. Every nerve ending inside of me was alive and spinning. I felt a wave of shock traveling through that piece of him, a tidal wave, emptying out into my throbbing tunnel of endless pleasure. His hands pressed into me, crushing my fragile body. I liked it. He liked it. His movements became slower as I continued throbbing on him, squeezing it inside of me, and releasing him. Squeezing on him, releasing him. He bent down to kiss me. His hair hung in front of his face, messy and chaotic. His lips were parted, crimson red and hard. His eyes were shut, he was beautiful. I felt his cool breath on my face, and I was suddenly moving in mid-air towards the bed inside.

Edward’s movements were always performed with extra caution. He laid me on the bed making sure every inch of me was comfortably carved into the feathery comforter before his arms slipped out from under me. Sometimes I wish he would just throw me across the room. The covers were cool, but his arms were colder. Instead of shivering at his touch, my body welcomed it. It was refreshing.

He wiggled his body next to mine, bent so that we molded together perfectly, like puzzle pieces to the clay.

“I picked a place with a hot temperature so you wouldn’t mind having me in bed with you. If it gets too cold for you I’ll move…”

I turned my head to look at him. “Edward, I don’t care if we had to sleep on a bed made of ice. I will always want you next to me.” I kissed his cheek and felt his lips curve up into a smile. I smiled, too.

“Steph?”

“Yes?”

“What are you thinking right now?” He was twirling my hair in his long fingers, pondering deeply while gazing into his fingers’ motions circular motions.

I sat up to face him, my eyes glowing and my heart sped up. He did the same thing, releasing the ribbon of my hair he was playing with to slide his arms under me so he can cradle me. He held me close to his chest, his head resting on my hair, kissing and smelling it. He whispered, “I need to know in order to keep my sanity.” He quietly laughed and kissed the edge of my ear.

I wrapped my arms around him and took a deep breath.

“I’m thinking of how whole I feel, here in your arms. I’m thinking about I never want this moment to end. I’m thinking about how lucky I am to be with you, when in reality, I don’t deserve you…” He was annoyed at that last part because I felt him sigh and hold me tighter. He continued to kiss me, now on my cheek and corner of my lips. “I’m thinking of all the times we had together, and how I never imagined I could be happier than I was. But I am. It’s inexplicable, Edward. I can’t believe how much I love you. And best, I can’t believe that you might actually love me as much as I love you.”

Edward extended his arms a little so that our faces were a normal distant apart, appropriate for talking. “You can’t believe that I might actually love you as much as you love me? You are absolutely out of your mind, sweetheart, do you know that?” He said that giggling, while lightly tickling my stomach with one hand, lowering his face to mine.

“This is when I wish you can read my mind.”

“Maybe one day. I doesn’t matter though. I’m complete right here holding you.”

“So am I. That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” I smiled at him, it was like a reflex, really. Every time I saw his flawless face I couldn’t help but smile. “Confession. I’m also thinking about how perfect this day was. Everything that happened. It was more than how I ever dreamt it to be. I still need to thank you for that.” I reached to kiss him. His lips were like liquid marble moving against mine. He pulled back to speak.

“It was perfect for me, too. And I had 107 years to dream about it! So you deserve and ‘thank you’ as well. Thank you my Stephanie!” He smiled that crooked smile that makes my head spin.

I pulled myself into his chest and he held me there, kissing my head in various spots, like he was creating a ‘connect the dots’ on my hair. He was gentle, so different from 2 hours ago, when he lunged towards me, surrendering to his lust and desire. I loved both sides of him.

“I love you, Edward.” I said, as I hugged him tight and rested my head on his chest.

“I love you, too, Stephanie.” He leaned down and kissed my lips. “Always.”

“Always.” I smiled as I tried to fight back a yawn, but I was weak.

“Sleep, my love. Dream of me, I’ll be here when you wake.”

“Goodnight, Edward.” My eyes were shutting as I spoke the words. What an exhausting, perfect, beautiful day. I slipped away in the unknown with images of Edward and I in perfect harmony. The last thing I felt as I fell asleep were his cool arms laying my down and holding me against him, his lips on my shoulder.