~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~
Chapter 15 - The Rhythm of the Night
BPOV
"You ready?" he asks with as crooked a grin as I've ever seen on his face.
He's so excited about this.
Wild horses couldn't stop me from smiling back at him even if my stomach's turning more than a gymnast performing a floor routine. Flips, roundoffs, and handsprings … over and over and over again.
I nod and he threads our fingers together. He pushes open the front door, hollering, "Mom! We're here!"
"Bella!" I hear and before I can even look to see where the voice came from, I'm surrounded. Arms wrap around me, lips kiss my cheek, hands pat on my back, and through it all, Edward never lets go.
Once everyone steps back I think I might be able to breathe again, but when I gaze into each of their faces, I get so choked up, no breathing is going to happen anytime soon. Choruses of Happy Birthday come fast and furious. I hear Emmett's excited voice, Alice's happy squeal, Angela's calm hello. My friends … they're something else.
Edward grins at me, happy and so proud of himself.
My guy is pretty awesome.
"Bella, dear, it's so good to see you! Happy birthday!" Esme calls sweetly as she wanders into the living room from the kitchen. She immediately pulls me to her and gives me a hug. I can't help but squeeze her back and scoot closer. Esme gives the best hugs. They're warm and make me feel safe, comforted, and so loved.
"Now that Bella's here does that mean it's time to eat?"
Emmett.
Of course.
Everyone steps back and I finally have a chance to look around. The room is decorated. Simple, though not plain and absolutely perfect. So perfect it makes my heart jump into my throat. There are a few vases overflowing with flowers spread throughout the room. The dining room table off to the right is already set, the centerpiece another flower arrangement, this time with my favorite hydrangeas looking like pastel-colored snowballs. A table off to the side has a cake on it and above a simple white banner with deep violet sparkly letters that reads "Happy Birthday Bella" is strung.
Delicious aromas waft through the air. Spicy and familiar. The amount of thought Edward's put into everything is nothing short of incredible.
"He did good, huh?" Rose asks with a grin and a bump of a hip.
I glance at him laughing with Jasper and his dad and my heart swells. "He's the best."
"Just wait, sweetheart, you ain't seen nothing yet."
Her blue eyes twinkle devilishly and mine roll at her. I hate not knowing, but as I look around and see all the people who have become my family, I already know I've been given the best present I could ever possibly have - a place to belong and people who love and want me.
Alice and Angela join Rose and me and we chat for a few minutes about the football game last night. I tell them about Phil's phone call this morning and about Maggie fixing me breakfast.
Rose asks quietly, "And how did the visit with your mom go? Was it hard?"
As if he knows we're talking about him, Edward glances in my direction and his smile warms me all over. His eyebrows raise in question and I roll my eyes playfully at him. He's always so concerned. At times it's a bit over-the-top, but I know it comes from a good place so I don't complain … much. It's hard sometimes to bite my tongue and I don't always manage to keep from snapping at him when he's being particularly overbearing. He may know me better than I know myself sometimes, but we still have a lot to learn about each other. How to be Bella and Edward, both as a couple and as individuals.
An elbow in the side makes me jump.
"Girl, you didn't hear a word I just said, did you?" Alice giggles and pretend scowls at me.
"Sorry, Ali."
She grins. Alice's bubbly personality is like lemon cake. Bright, sugary, with just a hint of tart so that you can't ever forget it's there. She's one of the most genuine people I've ever met and her smile lights up a room brighter than any spotlight. When Alice smiles, you feel it.
"What I said was, next weekend we should totally try to go to Seattle to watch the guys play. The weather's supposed pretty decent and there's no football game so it's a perfect time to get you out of town and let you watch your guy rule the field. We can have a girls' night at the hotel Saturday night and we can have lunch before we head home on Sunday. What do you say? Please come, we'll have so much fun."
And then she pouts … and it's impossible to resist. Not to mention I don't want to. I've been wanting to watch Edward play for the longest time and now I can. The thought of leaving still leaves me cold, but it's not as paralyzing as it once was.
I grin, she squeals, and Rose just shakes her head like she knew it all along.
The next thing I know, I'm in the air and two giant arms wrapped around me.
Emmett booms, "Birthday Bella!" He swings me around in a circle and by the time I'm on my feet, I'm slightly dizzy. How a guy as big as he is can move so quickly is truly a mystery. "It might be your big day and all, and no making fun of us young ones either, but please tell me that I can have the leftover guacamole. Please?"
My mouth waters at the mention of guacamole. I haven't made it into the kitchen so I have no idea what we're having, though my nose certainly recognizes enough to know that Mexican is definitely on the menu.
And oh my God, is Emmett ever working the pout like a champ?
My two favorite arms slide around my waist and Edward rests his chin on my shoulder. "Dude, I made plenty, so chill."
I spin, and look at him in surprise. "You cooked?"
He nods proudly.
"You're damn straight I did. Picked the entire menu from start to finish. We're having all your favorites." He says it so casually, like he hasn't just knocked me over with a feather.
Esme calls him into the kitchen and I watch him go, utterly stupefied. This day just gets more amazing with each passing minute.
A slight pressure on my arm and I look up to find Carlisle, looking as handsome as ever. No matter what Edward says, his dad is hot. No two ways about it.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he says warmly as he leans in to kiss my cheek. "I haven't had a chance to tell you yet as you've been surrounded since you walked through the door."
So smooth this man is, so cool and collected.
"Thanks, Dr. C," I tell him with a big smile.
He leads me a few steps away from everyone and I know before he even asks what he's going to say. "How did the visit with your mom go? Edward seemed to think quite well all things considering."
I nod, agreeing with Edward. "It was hard, but I'm really glad we did it. It means a lot to me, you know? I can't pretend Mom's not a part of my life, even if she can't be with me the way I want her to be. I think Edward understands more, now."
He looks at me and I'm so thankful all I see in his eyes is compassion and warmth and not pity. "It's a very difficult situation for you, Phil, and Edward as well. All he wants to do is help you and it's hard sometimes to watch the person you love struggle and know there's not really anything you can do to help but be there for you."
I hear Edward laugh in the kitchen and even though I can't see him, just the sound is enough to make me smile. "He does so much, more than he can ever possibly know. All of you have, really. You, Mrs. Cullen, and our friends. I can't believe how much has changed in only a few months."
It's still so surreal to me sometimes, at the way my life has gone since Edward stumbled across me in the woods. It's actually downright scary to think about. I can't even imagine not having Edward or Rose or Emmett or Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. It makes me sick to my stomach to even consider it … not good when there's Mexican food in my very near future.
Carlisle leans forward and kisses my cheek and squeezes my arm. "We all love you. If you need anything, ever, please don't hesitate to ask, okay? And I won't ever turn down your sugar cookies, in case you were wondering." He winks and boy does my stomach flip-flop at the sight.
No wonder Edward can manage to turn me into a gooey mess all the time. He definitely learned from the best around. Lucky Esme … and lucky me, too as far as that goes.
"Okay, everyone, dinner's ready," Edward calls as he carries a dish of steaming enchiladas to the table.
"About time, a man could starve waiting on you, Eddie!" Emmett cries as he rushes toward the table.
"Dude, trust me. You are not going to die of starvation," Jasper teases as we all take our seats.
"Can I help?" I ask as he sets the dish down in the middle of the table.
He snorts and rolls his eyes then turns around which assuredly gives me my answer when he walks off without answering me.
"Bella, you're the birthday girl. You get to be spoiled. Enjoy it, girl!" Rose laughs as she sits down across from me. "And you," she swats the back of Emmett's hand as he tries to be sneaky, "wait until everyone is sitting down before you dig into the chips. Jeesh."
"But babe," he whines, giving her a pout to rival Alice. "Everything looks so good. Who knew Eddie could make such good grub?"
Looking at the table covered with dishes of delicious food, I have to agree. Bubbling enchiladas, crispy chimichangas, sizzling beef and chicken fajitas, fluffy Spanish rice, refried beans, bowls of salsa and guacamole, baskets of chips - the table is overflowing.
Once everyone is seated, Carlisle clears his throat. "I asked Edward if he minded me making the toast for the birthday girl. Seeing as how his mother and I have instilled in him such fine manners, he said, 'Of course, Dad, but you know that means I get first dibs on the leftovers.' Ah, my boy, always thinking about food … or well, it used to be that way until Bella came into the picture."
Edward laughs beside me and squeezes my hand before he says, "Whatever, Dad. You know you like to hear yourself talk."
Carlisle smirks and his blue eyes twinkle as he looks at me. "This is true, but in all seriousness, I did want to take a few moments to wish Bella a very happy birthday. Sweetheart, I can't even begin to tell you what an absolute pleasure it's been getting to know you. You're such a blessing to all of us and though we all know there are people missing from the table today, we hope you know how deeply you are loved, not just by Edward, but by each of us."
My eyes are watering so it's hard to see him through my tears when he lifts his glass and finishes by saying, "Happy birthday, Bella. May this year be better than the last."
"I love you, baby," Edward leans over and whispers in my ear right before kissing me quickly on my cheek. He smirks. "My dad, the man who can make a toast like no other."
I totally agree.
I have to clear my throat a few times before I can speak, but I can't let another moment go by without saying something. I lean closer to Edward as if attempting to draw strength from him, which might be a little needy on my part, but oh, well. He drapes an arm across my shoulders and I give him a quick look of thanks before turning toward everyone else. "Um … I'm not very good at this but let me just say thank you to you, Dr. Cullen and Mrs. Cullen and all the rest of you for making this day one I'll never forget. I can't even begin to tell you all how much you mean to me and ah … I love you guys, so much." I can feel my face burn but I glance around the table and smile at everyone before looking up at Edward. "And you, Mr. Sneakypants, all of this … I don't even know what to say, but thank you and I love you."
Everyone at the table laughs when I bury my nose in Edward's neck. I stay there, ignoring them all until I get control of myself. Between Carlisle's speech and seeing the table surrounded by all the people that mean the world to me, I'm having the hardest time not bursting into tears. Of course Edward knows this so he just holds me close until I'm ready to sit up.
As soon as I do, Emmett begs, "Can we eat now?"
I don't even get past the 's' in yes before his hands shoot out and he starts spooning food onto his plate. The rest follow his lead and soon the room is filled with talking and laughter and moans as we devour the best tasting Mexican food I've had in ages.
I nudge Edward with my elbow. "This is so good," I tell him as I shovel another bite of dripping, gooey, cheese enchiladas in my mouth. I'm stuffed but I can't stop eating.
He beams. I can tell how much thought he's put into everything and I'm seriously impressed by his cooking abilities. Not even gonna lie.
"I just wanted you to spend some time with all our friends and family." He leans in closer. "Not to mention, I'm hoping you'll be so impressed by my skills in the kitchen you won't be able to keep your hands off me later. It's a win, win, baby. We eat good food, I get your hot little hands all over my body. Pure genius if you ask me."
He winks when my mouth hangs open before he dives into a conversation with Jasper and Ben about some movie coming out soon they all want to see. I look around the table and my heart fills with so much love and happiness I'm not sure how I don't just float away. I'm not sure Edward will ever truly know how much he's given me. Not only do I have the most amazing boyfriend in the history of boyfriends, but I have an entire family full of incredible people and a place where I belong.
Suddenly, I need a few seconds because I really feel like I'm losing it. Thankfully, Esme is supermom and she lays a hand on my arm.
"Help me take a few things to the kitchen," she says so softly no one else can hear her and I nod, grateful for the excuse to escape.
Edward quirks his eyebrow when I move to get up and his eyes narrow when he stares at me. I smile, a bit wobbly, but a smile nonetheless and he gives me one back.
"You okay?" he asks when I lean over and pick up his plate.
"Perfect," I answer back, because I am, really. I just need a few minutes to breathe.
Once we bring the dishes into the kitchen and get them loaded in the dishwasher, she dries her hands on a towel and then gives me an Esme hug, squeezing so tightly it's almost impossible to breathe. I let her hold me, reveling in the way it feels to be comforted by her. We don't say anything; there's no reason to. She knows what I'm feeling without me even having to say it. I miss my mom and dad. I want Phil here. I love my life now and all the people in it, but that doesn't mean I don't wish some things could be different.
She kisses the top of my head and then holds me away from her so she can look at me. "Better now?"
I smile and nod. Esme always makes things better. "Good. Now it's time for cake and presents. We're on a strict timeline here, and goodness knows we need plenty of time for Emmett to eat cake. You should see him on his birthday! Mercy, the boy is positively ridiculous, but I love him like my own, so what can we do but let him do his thing?"
We both laugh as she hands me a stack of dessert plates and then we go back to the dining room.
The next hour passes in a blur. There's way too many presents. Each is simply wonderful, but none as incredible as the necklace Edward gives me.
"Oh, Edward, it's gorgeous," I say softly, too choked up to say anymore.
With trembling hands I lift it from the black velvet box and hold it in front of me. The necklace is sterling silver and has two interlocking hearts with a diamond in the middle dangling from a delicate silver chain. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
Edward takes the necklace from me and motions for me to turn so he can put it on. He leans forward and whispers in my ear, "It's your heart and my heart, together … linked forever."
I don't even try to stop the tears that fall and I turn around and kiss him over and over again. "Thank you. Oh my God, Edward. It's the most special thing anyone's ever given me! I'm never going to take it off. I love you, I love you."
He squeezes me and I can tell he was nervous about the gift, but holy smokes, he couldn't have picked out anything more perfect.
Our moment is interrupted by Emmett yet again. "Okay, no smooching when there's cake to be had."
Esme carries my cake into the room, and Jasper, Ben, and Angela lead the most off-key rendition of Happy Birthday I've ever heard. It's fabulous. As is the cake. Apparently, Emmett thinks the same thing since he eats three pieces. Where he fits all that food, I'll never know, but by the time Edward has loaded all my gifts in the car, Emmett looks like he's about to lapse into a food coma.
It takes forever to say thank you and goodbye … and when Edward pulls me toward the car, I go back for one more round of hugs. I can't help it, I have to. I make it through without crying, at least until I get to Rose.
"Details, Bella. Tomorrow, okay? And enjoy the rest of your night. Remember what I said about the swooning? Be prepared to be swept off your feet." She hugs me tightly and kisses my cheek. "Love you, babe. We'll talk in the morning."
"Love you, too," is all I manage to get out before Edward has me in the front seat and shuts the door.
He faces me when he gets in his seat and the smile on his face is infectious. "You ready for the next part?"
I nod, a little worried that my heart can't take much more, and he begins to back out of the driveway.
"Me, too," he says once we're on the road. "I hope you like what I have planned."
I reach for his hand and link our fingers together. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's going to be great."
~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~
EPOV
After the organized chaos at my house, the silence inside the car as we head toward Port Angeles is abrupt, but much welcomed. The asphalt beneath the tires is smooth, the music in the car soft and soothing, and when Bella sighs and settles into her seat, almost melting into the leather, a tension I didn't even realize was there evaporates.
Today's been good.
Today's been really fucking good.
The party? A huge success. Dinner? Fucking amazing if I do say so myself. Every dish was perfection judging from the lack of leftovers and the way Emmett's stomach grew to make room for his food baby. It was pretty damn enjoyable deciding on the menu and then cooking everything with Mom. I can make some kick ass salsa … who knew? And then the gifts? Wow. I knew Mom and Dad were buying Bella a Kindle, but no one else would tell me what they were getting her and I have to say, I'm impressed. I probably shouldn't be. I know how much they all love Bella, but every single gift was given with the utmost thought and was something truly for her and her alone.
Our friends are the shit.
Then there's the whole Renée thing, which I can't even wrap my head around yet. It's going to take me awhile to really appreciate the magnitude of what happened at her house. So many emotions to wade through, so many conflicting feelings. I know Bella and I will need to talk about it all, but not tonight. Soon though. The stark reality of seeing her mom like that, laying there so still, almost like she's already gone, and talking to her like she's not was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I'd do it again though. A hundred times, a thousand, if that's what Bella needs. I understand more now. I thought I did before, but I wasn't even close to fully comprehending what Bella lives with every day.
She's so damned strong. The strongest person I know.
I peek at her, and my stomach does the twisty turny thing when the moonlight reflects off her necklace. It looks so much better laying against her skin than I even imagined it would. She sighs again but keeps her head turned toward the window. I wonder what she's thinking about. I hope it's me. My eyes stay locked on her as I watch her chest rise then fall, the dangling hearts resting right above the swell of her breasts. Christ. A soft, small smile appears out of nowhere as her fingers reach up and trace the pendant. The action is so unconscious, but it steals my breath for a moment. Damn what she does to me, most of the time without even trying. There's a flare of heat that shoots right between my legs. I have to adjust, shifting from one side of my ass to the other when Bella turns toward me and stretches her legs out, showing way too much smooth, pale skin for it to be safe to keep looking at her.
Her eyes get big. Two spots of pink bloom on her cheeks and she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as she keeps looking at me. She rubs her thighs together which makes her already short skirt lift even higher on her legs. Tease. She's trying to kill me; she has to be. She giggles. Yeah, she definitely knows what she's doing. Thankfully, for my sanity and frankly our safety, she takes pity on me and pulls her skirt down and curls her legs beneath her, which while showing less skin does nothing but make me want to see more.
Again.
Soon.
Needing a distraction, I ask her when she lays her head on the seat behind her, "Are you tired?"
A slight shake of her head. Hair brushing across the top of her shoulders. "Nah, not really. A little maybe. It's been a big day."
I squeeze her hand, the one I haven't let go of since we hit the highway. Hours. It's been hours since one part of me hasn't been touching one part of her. Hands clasped, index fingers hooked together, my leg pressed against hers while we ate dinner, my arm around her shoulder while she opened her gifts … we've been in constant contact.
I lift our hands and kiss the back of hers. "A good one though, right?"
"The best."
Now I sigh. My stomach drops when we pass the sign saying there are only ten miles left until we get to Port Angeles. God, I hope she likes what I have planned for her. The dinner and the party … I was pretty sure those would go off without a hitch and be something she'd really enjoy, but this, what we're about to do? It could go really, really well or really, really badly. Silently, I shake my head at my over-dramatic ass. I know how much Bella's been looking forward to something like this, so I'm almost positive that any tears will be happy ones … but still, you never can tell. Today's been really emotional for her, I just hope this isn't too much.
My eyes flick to the floorboard behind Bella's seat and the leg not attached to the foot pressing on the gas pedal begins to bounce. Quick and jerky, and then the fidgeting starts, growing and growing with each passing mile.
"You know, if you're this wound up over what we're going to be doing in a few minutes, you can always get it over with and tell me now, that way you don't have to worry about it any longer. Plus, you won't bounce your leg right through the bottom of your car." She grins at me, teasing, and it's tempting, oh so fucking tempting to just spit it out.
I've been planning this night for weeks now, trying to picture the look on her face. As much as I'm dying to tell her, I keep my mouth shut. I'm going to savor this as long as I can. "No can do, baby. Nice try, though."
I blow out a nervous breath and clear my throat. It feels like there's peanut butter lodged in the back and I have to swallow a few times just so it feels like I can breathe. Of course my heart's beating like a bass drum, the thump thump making my chest feel like it's going to crack at any second. I slide my hand from hers, immediately missing the feel of her skin against mine and grow some balls as I reach behind the seat and pick up the package I'd hidden there earlier.
Bella's necklace, the task of picking it out a heart attack waiting to happen in and of itself, is nothing compared to the pure panic I feel now as I set the hastily and sloppily wrapped present in her lap.
She jumps, an adorable squeak bursting from her mouth when she looks down. "Edward, what, another gift? You've already done so much."
"I … well …" I stammer and she giggles, thinking I'm embarrassed or something I guess. If she only knew.
Her hands flutter over the package on her lap, the paper crinkles as she moves her legs, and my heart's in my throat. Jesus, if she hates this …
"Bella," I say in a strained voice, laying my hand over hers to still it. "I … ah …"
"Hey." She cocks her head to the side and gazes intently at me, which makes it hard to look back at her because I'm driving. Thankfully my timing is really good … or really fucking horrible, because we're almost to the college.
"Just … just wait a sec, okay?" I gulp. I really should have thought things out a little better.
I know she's wondering what the hell is wrong with me, not that I blame her. I drive through campus. The trees make it a little hard to make out the buildings, but luckily I'm a bit of an over-planner and made a trial run one night to make sure I could find where to go. We're on a timeline and I didn't want to waste a minute driving around looking for the right place to go. Bella's quiet, so quiet, and I can almost hear the wheels turning in her pretty head, trying to figure out what in the world I could possibly be doing here.
I park right in front. Everything's dark, just a few security lamps to cut through the inky black. Leaves swish with the gentle breeze casting the odd shadow here and there from the moonlight. It's quiet as the car settles once I turn it off. She fidgets in her seat, her bottom lip firmly between her teeth. She's anxious but excited. I can tell because her eyes shine … they only do that when she's playful and happy … or my favorite, turned on.
Her hands move to the package on her lap and again I cover them with one of my own.
I take a deep breath and hold it until it burns. Seriously, what she's about to open has caused more than a few sleepless nights. Monetarily it's worth hardly anything, but symbolically, it's as close to everything as I can get.
Turning sideways is a trick with the steering wheel and the gearshift between us but I need to see her.
"Okay, wow. This is not how I wanted this to go." I huff and open my mouth, then close it, then open again. "Christ, okay, here's the thing. I got you this and I'm really fucking nervous about giving it to you. I want to, but I don't want to ruin what's been a pretty perfect day so far, and I damn sure don't want to do anything to mess up what's waiting inside. Shit … baby, I just … I wanted to …"
I close my eyes and instantly feel her soft fingertips on my lips. "Shush. I have no idea why you're getting so worked up. Edward, whatever this is, whatever you've done will be wonderful because it came from you. Now, can I open this before you have a stroke and I don't get to see what you and Rose have been mercilessly teasing me about?"
I blow out a gust of breath, and mumble, "Go ahead."
Holy hell. My heart's beating so hard it's seriously about to crack right out of my chest. Seconds is all takes for Bella to rip through the paper. Getting ready to take my driving test to get my license, waiting for word about making the Regional team, even walking into her building that first night is nothing compared to what I feel like right now. My eyes are riveted to her fingers as she pulls at the paper to expose what's beneath.
A sharp gasp. Her fingers freeze mid-brush over the powder blue cotton. My stomach falls.
Fuck.
And then, there are arms squeezing the hell out of me and soft, warm lips all over my face. Sugar cookies and peppermint. Heaven.
"Thank you!" Kiss. "Thank you!" Another one, a smack on the lips this time. She leans back, a huge, brilliant smile on her gorgeous face. "Oh, God, how did you … I can't believe … Edward." At my name, she sighs, deeply. Her shoulders lift, then drop, her head falls forward.
"So it's good, it's okay?" I bite my thumbnail. I never bite my nails, but honestly, giving Bella a Disney t-shirt is a huge deal.
"It's better than okay, it's perfect." Her voice is shaky but her eyes are shining and she hasn't stopped smiling so I smile back.
She sits up straighter in the seat and before my brain can catch up with my eyes, she whips her shirt off and pulls the t-shirt over her head. Damn, she's so fast I don't even get to enjoy seeing her almost topless. But when she flips her hair out from beneath the shirt and her eyes find mine, none of that matters.
"I love it. I love you. This is just … it's so … thank you."
I lean forward, needing to kiss her more than I need to breathe. My hand slides to the back of her neck and I pull her toward me. Her lips are soft and warm beneath mine, sweet from the icing on her birthday cake. I sweep my tongue across hers and want more. I always want more. Kissing Bella … it's my favorite thing to do. Her taste moves through me, opening up every part of me. My heart, my soul, everything. She owns it all.
We break apart when we have to breathe. I don't know about her, but my heart's beating triple time.
The end of her index finger lightly traces the picture of Rapunzel. I swallow thickly as I watch it move closer and closer to her breasts. My fingers twitch in response. I want to touch her in the worst way, but I resist, and sit back in my seat content to just watch her for the moment. The light blue looks so good on her; I knew it would.
"Why this one?" she asks when she lifts her head and sees me watching her.
My cheeks heat and the tips of my ears burn. Damn it. But I answer anyway. "I like to play with your hair, you know this. It's soft and always smells so fucking good. Rapunzel's all about the hair. It's probably stupid," I trail off.
I can't even brace myself she's so fast. My head bumps the window as she flings herself at me. "Every single thing about today has been incredible thanks to you. It's been the best day ever," she softly says against my neck. "I love you so much, Edward. So, so much."
I'm bent like a Gumby doll but I sure love feeling so much of her against so much of me. I pull her closer. I spend a few quiet seconds running my fingers through her hair and when she sighs I kiss the top of her head. "I told you, I can't keep my fingers out of your hair. Especially when you're this close." I shift a little though, the door handle is digging into the small of my back and it hurts like hell. "Okay, we need to get moving. We only have a limited amount of time and I want as much of it as I can get with you."
She scoots back to her seat and looks out the front window of the car, finally realizing where we are. She turns to me and raises an eyebrow.
"Come on, the last part of your surprise is right inside."
I get out and walk around to open her door.
"Ready?" I ask as I pull her up.
"This is your show, I'm just along for the ride." The expression on her face is priceless, eager and playful with just enough nervousness for me to want to promise her everything will be okay.
I snort and slide my fingers between hers and lead her up the steps of the building. I knock on the door, nerves blooming and pulse racing.
I want this. I want this for both of us.
The wait after I knock on the locked door seems to take forever. I bounce on the balls of my feet, my fingers twitch against my leg, and I scowl at Bella when she giggles.
"What? It's kind of adorable to see you so nervous and flustered. You're always so confident and sure about everything." She shrugs one shoulder and tips her head to the side. The silvery white light from above shines down on her and for a moment, I can't breathe.
"You're so beautiful," I whisper.
Before she can say anything back, a loud click grabs both of our attention and the door swings open. Felix.
"Edward, right on time," he says as I stick my hand out and shake his.
He laughs and I groan. Apparently I'm trying to shake his arm right off his body. He motions us inside and we follow him until we're in the small entryway. I glance at Bella, her eyes wide and taking in every little detail as she tries to figure out why we're here. My stomach's churning in anticipation. This is going to be so fucking great … I hope.
I introduce Felix to Bella, purposely not giving away anything about who he is or what he does. "Everything's ready for you so I'll leave you and your pretty girl. I'll be back at eleven."
And with that, he disappears down the hallway, the squeak, squeak of the rubber soles of his shoes fading with each step. Each one makes my stomach jump like it's full of Pop Rocks.
I take a steadying breath, straighten my shoulders, and shut out everything but Bella. This is for her, for us, and it's going to fucking rock.
"Edward," she says quietly, pulling me to a stop just in front of the door I'm heading toward. "This whole day …" She pauses to take a breath and lets her eyes skip over my shoulder before they settle on me again. "From the second I woke up this morning, has been like a dream come true and it's all been because of you. I don't know why we're here or what we're going to do, but whatever it is, thank you. No one has ever, ever put as much thought into doing such wonderful things for me."
In that moment, nothing on Earth can compare to her. I want to give her this, this part of both of us that will only bring us closer together.
"I want to make you happy."
It's such a simple thing to say, but it's nothing but the absolute truth.
"Okay, close your eyes," I tell her, unable to wait another second.
She does and she squeezes the feeling out of my hand when I help her walk the few steps inside. My eyes make a quick sweep around the room to make sure everything is the way I want. I knew it would be, Rose promised. She knows how important it is to give this to Bella.
I move her so that she's facing the instruments, her back to my front, and whisper in her ear, "Now, open."
She opens them slowly and then an adorable high pitched squeal fills the room when she spies a drum set beside a grand piano.
"Really? We're going to play together? I get to watch you play?" Her head whips back and forth like she's afraid all of a sudden everything will disappear. "I can't … this is so awesome. So, so awesome. I've wanted this so much. I've dreamed about playing with you so many times." The words get strangled in her throat, and her voice shakes. When her shining eyes lock on mine, it almost brings me to my knees. "You couldn't have given me anything better."
I want to kiss her. I need to kiss her, but I know if I do, I'll never stop and I've been planning this, waiting for this … dreaming about this for too long to miss even a moment. Even for something as great as kissing Bella.
I do squeeze her hands and tug her forward. Her eyes bounce around the room. They widen when she sees her drumsticks on the stool and then the iPod in the docking station on top of the piano. The music room is set up so that there are a few plush chairs lining the wall, two tables with lamps on them are on either side of the chairs and the golden glow makes the room warm … intimate. It's everything I envisioned. I see my guitar case where Rose left it leaning against the side of a chair and instantly my palms begin to sweat when I think about the song I want to play for her before the night's through. My heart is hammering in my chest and my stomach is turning itself inside out, so I take a deep breath, then another to try to calm down.
"So this is okay?" I ask, needing one last affirmation before we get down to business.
She rolls her eyes and then yanks me hard enough so that I half fall, half stumble into her. Luckily she stops me from landing on my ass by wrapping her arms around my neck and hanging on for all she's worth.
"It's more than okay, it's perfect. Just like you." Her breath is warm against my neck and she feels so good pressed so tightly against me.
For just a moment I let my hands cup her ass and hold her close. "Okay, come on. We don't have long and I want to impress you with my mad skills," I tell her, albeit a bit reluctantly, because … hello? My hands were just on her ass and her nipples were rubbing across my chest.
I can tell she's still a little overwhelmed but I hope once she sits down, feels the sticks in her hands, and begins to play she'll let go and enjoy this as much as I want her to. I want her to lose herself. I want to lose myself in her … until there's nothing left but us and our music.
"You ready to do this?" I ask once I get situated on the piano bench.
"So ready you have no idea." Her smile is as big as I've ever seen and happiness is just oozing from every pore of her body.
She's never, ever looked hotter.
Hair up in a high ponytail, her t-shirt fits like a dream and her skirt's hiked up high on her thighs showing me miles of skin that I plan to touch and kiss later. She twirls her sticks in her hands and I get so hard I groan and have to adjust my cock so it doesn't push its way right out of my jeans.
Shoving my shirt up to my elbows, I flex my fingers a few times to get them loose and then lay them on the keys. They're cool against my fingertips and the feeling is as familiar as kicking a soccer ball. I look at her over the piano and waggle my eyebrows.
"Show me what ya got, Drummer Girl. Talk to me."
I reach up and turn on the iPod, knowing that as soon as she hears the first song on the playlist start to play, our relationship is going to go to a whole new level.
I'm not wrong.
As my fingers fly over the keys and Bella's quick hands move from snare to cymbal and back again, working in perfect conjunction with her gorgeous legs, I feel it.
One song moves to the next and I'm completely mesmerized by her. The way she sways back and forth, the way the muscles in her arms flex as she moves them up and down, the way her hair swishes around her face and little fly away strands stick to her cheeks and her forehead, the soft murmur as she hums along with the songs she knows by heart. I smile when a few choruses sneak out now and then, so softly and without thought that I'm sure she doesn't even realize she's singing out loud.
With each chord on my piano that mixes with each beat of her drums, it's as if we're writing new chapters of our story. The way she plays moves me in a way nothing else ever has. Not even when I sit down to play do I feel the way I do when I watch her. And now this, to actually play with her, to watch and hear as the notes I play mesh with the beats of her drums … I've never felt anything like it. My body's vibrating as the music we're making together flows through me. She can feel it, too. I can tell. Like me, when she plays she usually closes her eyes, but neither of us can take our eyes off the other.
It's magnetic and I don't ever want it end.
One more song, then I reach up and turn off the music. We stare at each other for a few silent moments, because really, no words are necessary. The music has already said it all.
"Wow," she whispers breathing deeply.
In the golden glow of the soft lamplight, I can see her skin glisten. It makes me want her in ways that frankly drive me fucking crazy.
"I want to lick every inch of your body," I rasp in a voice gritty and raw with need.
And God help me, I really fucking want to do it. Strip her clothes off, lay her down on top of my piano, and feast on her skin.
"Edward." She does this little half whimper, half groan thing that shoots straight to my rock hard dick.
Her chest heaves as she tries to catch her breath. It might be the drum playing that's caused the shortness of breath … but I hope it's because of my words. Even more than that, I hope she's feeling exactly like I am. Turned on beyond belief, desperate to feel our bodies pressed against the other, aching to kiss and touch and claim. When her eyes find mine, they're hooded, dark, almost black, and my stomach is going balls out, like Jeff Gordon on crack doing donuts in the middle of Daytona Speedway.
"Thirsty?" I ask, swallowing a few times.
The air is heavy, charged, and from the way she keeps blinking, I know Bella feels it, too.
She nods and I toss her a bottle of water from the small cooler I had Rose leave earlier. We spend a few quiet moments doing that sort of awkward peek out of the corner of your eyes thing before she clears her throat.
"How much time do we have left?" she asks and I can't help but be a little pleased and a lot excited when her voice sounds as rough as mine.
A drop of water clings to the corner of her mouth. She licks her lips.
I really want to lick her.
I shift on the piano bench and grimace just a little and let out a slow groan when the zipper of my jeans digs into my straining cock.
Bella squeaks and her eyes get big when she realizes what's going on and then she blushes, which pretty much kills me on the spot. That sound, that look, it's always enough to drive me insane. Every. Single. Time. The girl still has no idea what she does to me, even when she does the simplest things. A glance, a squeak or a whimper, sometimes it's just the way she pushes her hair behind her ear while she's reading or when she pulls the corner of her mouth between her teeth when she's doing homework that sets me off. Basically all she has to do is breathe in my direction and I'm a goner.
We both take a deep breath at the same time and she giggles, which immediately lessens the tension in the air. Thank God. If I got any harder, I'd be in serious trouble.
"What do you want to play next?" I ask as my fingers trip over a few keys.
So far we've stuck to pretty standard stuff. The playlist I made had our favorite songs on it, plus some that I wanted to share with her. We've talked about music so much that I know what she plays when she misses her dad, or when thoughts of her mom make her sad and lonely. I even know the ones she plays that make her think of me, of us. I made sure to include those. How could I not?
Without answering me, she picks up her sticks and begins to play. At first I'm not sure what it is. The cymbals vibrate, jangling. Then the sticks tap on the snare. The beats are soft and mellow, but when the tone changes and they get heavier, the rhythm sharper and more intense, goosebumps break out all over my skin.
Holy hell.
"Play with me, Edward. You wrote it after all. I want to watch you, listen to you … to us. Help me make it ours."
And oh Christ, how her words fill me up and possess every part of me.
My fingers fly over the smooth keys. My notes mesh with the beat of her drums. The timbre of her bass and my chords sound like us … set to music. Passionate yet playful, light but with hints of darkness, a little heavy in parts but there's so much hope and joy and love it makes me feel like I can climb mountains and jump tall buildings in a single bound.
Her eyes meet mine and they sear my heart, my soul. I try to concentrate on the music filling the air, but it's so hard when all I want to do is crawl inside of Bella and never come out. Hearing my composition, which wasn't half bad to start with if I do say so myself, come to life and become something totally unexpected makes me fall in love with her about a hundred times a minute and each time it's more than the last.
When we reach the end, as the bass reverberates and the keys beneath my fingers tremble, I stop breathing for a second. The air in the room stills, the sounds fade and so much emotion is pumping inside of me I swear I might explode.
Finally, I take a deep breath and stare at her, speaking softly. "When we first started talking, or well writing I guess, before I even told you I knew your name, I had a dream about you, about us, doing this, playing together. It was so vivid, I remember waking up and being so pissed because in the dream I was so fucking happy because we were together. It scared the shit out of me because I'd never felt anything like it, but I knew even then that I wanted you."
She gasps, the intake of breath sharp and quick.
"Oh, Edward." She sighs and sniffs.
"Come here and kiss me," I whisper gruffly as way too many thoughts and feelings race through my mind and my heart. "I need you beside me so I can touch you." And I do need it, need her more than I need to breathe.
She stands, setting her drumsticks on her stool, and begins to walk. My eyes devour her, my body hungry to feel hers. I reach for her hands as soon as she's close enough, unable to wait for her to take the final few steps. I pull her down beside me on the bench, our bodies facing opposite directions, but still facing each other, which makes kissing her ever so much easier.
I don't waste a second. My mouth covers hers, my tongue sweeps her bottom lip from left to right, then licks along the seam of her mouth. She opens and invites my tongue inside; I go willingly and with a groan and a deep rumble in my chest. One hand on her hip, my thumb slides beneath the waistband of her skirt, the tips of my fingers slip under her shirt. Warm, smooth skin meets mine and it's not anywhere near enough. I want more. My other hand presses on her back. I need her closer.
"I love you, fuck do I love you," I whisper as my lips trail from her mouth to her neck. "I want to make love to you. I want to feel you all around me, your pussy hot and wet around my cock. I'd stay inside of you for hours."
"Oh God, Edward." She moans.
Her fingers are buried in my hair and she twists and pulls. It feels fucking incredible. She squirms and my hand moves from her hip to her thigh. So much skin. So many places to touch. My fingers squeeze and knead, then massage and skim. Up and down then around, lower, and I can feel how hot she is between her legs. With the very tip of my finger, I stretch and ghost over her, growling when she whimpers.
Fuck it's such a turn-on to know she wants me as much as I want her.
"You want me to touch you, don't you?" I ask, but I don't need her to answer. The way she spreads her legs tells me all I need to know.
She tugs on my hair, hard, and my mouth crashes against hers. This time it's her tongue that forces its way into my mouth. She kisses me deeply, her tongue strokes mine. Her nipples are so hard and every time she moves, they rub across my chest.
"Baby, I'm about thirty seconds from throwing you down on the floor and ripping your clothes off," I tell her none too sweetly when we have to pull apart to do that silly little thing called breathing.
"And that would be a bad thing?" she asks with a quirk of her eyebrow and a grin that is nothing but sin.
I take another much needed breath and will my cock to calm down. I reach for her hands, lift one and kiss the back, then do the same to the other before I look at her. In a deadly serious voice I tell her, "Bella, the first time we make love it's definitely not going to be on a hard as fuck floor and it's definitely not going to be rushed. I told you, hours, baby, and I'm not even kidding. The first time I'll be happy to last ten minutes because I have no doubt being inside you will feel so fucking amazing I won't be able to help it, but after that, I promise to worship your gorgeous body the way it deserves to be."
She giggles again and I can tell my words have affected her because she's doing that cute thing she does when she wrinkles her nose and chews on her bottom lip.
"You're it for me, Bella, and I want our first time to be perfect. I want you, but I can wait until the time is right, though to be really honest here, I hope it's fucking soon. There's only so much I can take."
"Oh, you poor baby," she teases, but the gleam in her eye is nothing short of fifty kinds of sexy and hot. "You're it for me, too, you know? There will never be anyone for me but you. And since you're going to be the only first one, I suppose a bed would be nice." She leans forward and kisses me, no tongue though, damn it. "Oh and the hours, I'm totally for that, too."
I smile. I'm sure I look like a lovesick fool, which is pretty much what I am, and gently cup her cheek with my hand. She turns and tenderly kisses my wrist, melting me on the spot. I do happen to glance at my watch and notice what time it is.
Nerves suddenly bloom and again I take a deep breath. I have one more thing for her before we go.
I lick my dry lips and say, "We don't have much longer, but there's something I want to play for you." I stand and pull her up from the piano bench and lead her toward one of the chairs. I lower her into the chair and then pick up my guitar case.
I sit back down, straddling the bench, and face her. Once I take the guitar out of the case, I scoot it out of the way and I lay the guitar across my lap. I'm so nervous about this, my stomach is tied so tight I'm not sure I can even play, let alone sing, but I've put too much thought into doing this for her to punk out now. I look at her, and she's watching me. I have no idea what she's thinking about; I'm too much of a chicken-shit to ask right this second. She squirms a bit, tugs on the bottom of her skirt then her shirt … she twirls a strand of hair around her finger, never once taking her eyes off of me. From the way she keeps glancing at the guitar, I can tell she's going out of her mind wondering what I'm going to do. I pluck the strings because I'm an idiot and always over-think things as I mentally tell myself to get on with it.
"Okay, I heard this song on the radio a few weeks ago and it made me think of you. I've been practicing so I hope it doesn't suck, and I'm probably the world's worst singer, but you need to hear the words." I take a deep breath and let it out, saying a silent prayer that I don't fuck this all up.
I pull at the strings, adjust a few pegs, and take a deep breath to settle my nerves. With one final inhale and exhale, I start to strum. I lock my eyes on hers and begin to sing.
Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmm ...
When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well, there's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?
Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
And as I sing I remember what I felt the first time I saw her, how she completely captivated me. How I couldn't stop thinking about her. How sad she was, how she was running, trying to find peace and space and needed just a few hours of freedom.
And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find
'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up
Tears fall down her gorgeous face, making her more beautiful than I've ever seen her. I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure she never feels alone again.
I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.
By the time I finish the last note, she's sobbing, but I know they're happy tears. Still, my girl should never cry. Setting the guitar back in its case, I kneel in front of her and pull her into my arms.
"Happy birthday, baby," I whisper. "I hope all your dreams come true."
She pulls back and smiles brilliantly. "They already have."
~~~~OOO~~~~~OOO~~~~~
Fifteen minutes later and the car is loaded and Bella is buckled in the front seat. Before I close the door I lean down and whisper in her ear, "By the way, all this and I still didn't get to see your panties. But, I did way better than Jake Ryan did for Samantha, don't you think? Pffft, sitting on top of a table with a birthday cake. Dude needs some new moves for sure."
We stare at each other, silent as if in a standoff. Her eyes sparkle and then slowly, so fucking slowly, she spreads her legs apart. I watch as she opens them wider, wider, her skirt moves higher and higher until I catch the tiniest flash of pink bubblegum-colored panties before she crosses her legs, and looks up at me with a perfectly arched eyebrow and a smirk that rivals the Cheshire cat's.
My jaw hits the ground, taking my tongue along for the ride. My eyes, well, I'm surprised they're still in my head, and my dick, Jesus, it goes from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye.
Holy hell, she's going to drive me right out of my everloving mind one of these days.
She grabs my shirt and yanks me down to her, kissing me so fast I don't even have time to kiss her back. "Rose was definitely right, Edward. Your swoonage points are off the charts."
~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~
Off the charts!! :) So lovely!