Sacrificial Lamb Chapter 29
BPOV
After Aro’s visit, life settled back down to normal again. Well, as normal as you could get in a house full of eight vampires anyway. Jasper kept on with my training, introducing me to new human scents daily. I asked where he was getting all these clothes and he just grinned at me. Hanover probably had a lot of confused townspeople running around half clothed.
“Bella, what are you doing?” My tiny sister whirled into the room and stared at me accusingly.
“Um, I was getting ready to read a book. Why?”
“That can wait! We’re going swimming.”
“Swimming? Alice, it’s forty degrees outside, nobody goes swimming in that kind of weather.”
“We do…it’s not like we feel the cold.” This was true, though I still enjoyed the sensation of a steaming hot shower. Cold water didn’t really register, the temperature matched my own. “Come on, the boys are already out there.”
“Where are we going swimming anyway? We don’t have a pool.”
“Emmett and Rose found a fabulous stream in the mountains, there’s a big lagoon and waterfall.” She broke off for a minute as her eyes went cloudy. They sharpened again and she regarded me with a big grin. “You’ll like it…a lot. A lot more than I really want to know but it’s my lot in life! Come on already.” She pulled me off the couch. I thought briefly about resisting but the thought of Edward in the water…yeah, I wanted to be there.
Alice danced into my bedroom, swinging our arms between the two of us. “You finally get to wear one of your new bathing suits!” I didn’t bother to suppress the groan that those words inspired. For the most part, Alice had let me be on the dressing issue. I wasn’t being seen by anyone but the family so she was fine with jeans and t-shirts. I dreaded the day I was ready to be out in society again, Alice no doubt would have a field day with my wardrobe.
She tugged me over to the built in drawers in the back of my closet. “Hmm, let’s see, the blue or the red? Edward loves you in blue but the red is sexier.” She held up a pair of bikinis that would cover very little.
“Alice, really, do I have to wear a bikini? Surely there’s a nice one-piece in here somewhere.” I tried in vain to find something more suitable to wear but since Alice had bought all my swimwear, I didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter. Alice just smirked at me when I gave up and grabbed the red suit. It was sexy and Edward would like it. So what if my brothers were going to be there?
I slipped the suit on while Alice wandered to my jewelry box. “Oh, Bella, you have to wear this!” She came over with the key bellybutton ring she’d picked out the day I got it pierced, a huge smile lighting her pretty face. I hadn’t worn that one yet so I changed out the E and B initials one for the dangly little key. I liked the way it hung about an inch below my bellybutton.
I threw on one of Edward’s t-shirts and a pair of shorts over my suit and grabbed a towel. “Lead the way, pest.” Alice smacked me on the arm and took off running. I loved watching her run; she was so graceful; it was like watching a dancer on stage every time she moved.
“Come on, Bella, they’re waiting!” I caught up to her in no time, falling into step beside her and cutting down my pace as I was faster than she was. I’d missed spending time with Alice and told her so. “I’ve missed you too, but you needed that time with Emmett and my Jazz. You’ve come so far in so short a time, we’re all so proud of you.” Alice stopped running so I did as well and then braced myself as she threw her arms around me.
“So you don’t mind that I’ve monopolized Jasper and taken him away from you?”
Alice shook her head emphatically and tugged me over to a fallen log. She sat atop it Indian style and I sat next to her. “No, Bella, I’m thrilled that you two have gotten to spend time together. My Jazz…he never truly felt like he fit in with the family before, you know?” I nodded, if anybody knew about not fitting in it was me. “He was only here for me, because this is what I wanted and needed. But that’s changed now.”
“Because of me?” How could that be, I hadn’t done anything.
“Yes, because of you, or more accurately, because you came in and completed our family. You made Edward happy, which in turn made Jasper happy. Edward’s emotions were all over the place for decades; while he wasn’t truly sad he was never truly happy either. He was lonely and Jazz felt that all the time. Not to mention Esme and Carlisle’s worry over Edward, Rosalie’s irritation at Edward, my concern for Edward…so much changed when you came into our lives. Edward is happy so the rest of us are. I know that sounds funny, that the emotions of one could affect all the rest of us so much, but it really is true.
“Edward is a different vampire now. He’s so much lighter. He has fun with Jasper and Emmett. When he plays his music, it’s light and joyous instead of heavy and sad. And then there’s you.” I felt both thrilled and embarrassed by Alice’s words. I couldn’t have possibly made that much of a difference in the family dynamic, but it made me happy that there was such a positive change in Edward. That I brought him even a fraction of the happiness he brought me was stunning beyond belief.
Alice wrapped her tiny arms around my waist and put her head on my shoulder. “You’ve always been my sister, Bella. From the first day I saw you I’ve considered you to be one of us. It took longer for Emmett and longer still for Jasper but now they love you just as much as I do. Rose is…different, for lack of a better word. Jasper loves her, of course, but it’s not the same way he loves you. He really does view you as a sister and he’d do anything for you. You know that right?”
I was truly moved by her words. The way they accepted me into their family, with full hearts, it humbled me. “Alice, you know that I love him, too, don’t you? Jasper and Emmett are the big brothers I always wanted.”
Her tinkling laugh trilled out. “I know! And they’ll tease you mercilessly but they’ll protect you endlessly. Either one of them would die for you, you know?” I shuddered; I didn’t want anyone to die for me.
“Well I certainly hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Alice giggled. “It’s just a saying, Bella. Only good times ahead, I should know!” She tapped her head knowingly and hopped off the log and pulled me with her. “Your husband and big brothers are waiting, so we’d better get to them. I just wanted to let you know, though, that I am incredibly thankful that you and Jasper are becoming so close. He truly feels like part of the family now; it’s what I’ve always wanted for him.”
“You’ve all made me feel like family from the start, so I’m glad I could do anything to return the feeling.” She hugged me again, squeezing me tightly.
“Let’s get to the water!” She was off and running again. I felt immensely lighter after my talk with Alice. There were times when I felt like an outsider in our family but Alice’s words made it clear that I was one of them. In a decade or two, I’d be part of all the stories and inside jokes. That was incredibly comforting to me.
Alice’s pace faltered again and I could tell that we were close. Not because I could smell my family, which I could, but because I could hear them. Emmett, to be precise. He let out a loud Tarzan bellow which was followed by a loud splash. Alice giggled and pushed through some large bushes, pulling the branches aside and revealing a large mountain spring. I gaped in astonishment; it looked like something that belonged more in a rainforest than in the mountains of New Hampshire, except everything was brown instead of green.
Water cascaded down jutting rocks, falling into a deep pool below. The cliff was about twenty feet up and covered with mossy vegetation. Trees surrounded the area so it felt completely cut off from the outside world.
As I tried to take everything in, a blur of movement from the top of the cliff cut my eye. Jasper threw himself from the top of the rocks. I gasped in horror as he turned a couple of back flips and then landed smoothly in the water below. Alice giggled at my reaction. “Vampire, can’t be hurt, remember?” I laughed sheepishly; I still wasn’t used to the whole immortal aspect of our lives. I knew it was difficult to hurt one of us but other than tangling with the bear I hadn’t put myself into a situation where in my human self would have been hurt yet. “I thought you were all about the cliff diving, anyway.”
“Not funny.” Arms snaked around my waist and hard lips pressed to my neck. “Hello, love, are you ready to swim?”
I turned in Edward’s arms and gasped at the sight of him in nothing but swim trunks. Would there ever come a time when he didn’t turn my knees to jelly just from looking at him? I honestly hoped not. His sculpted chest just begged to be touched by my hands and they were on him before I even completed the thought. His green swim shorts hung low, his hip bones jutting just above the waistband. I wanted to lick them.
Jasper emerged from the water and heaved a hugely put upon sigh. “Can you two control yourselves for even a few minutes?” Water sliced over his equally impressive torso as he pushed his dripping hair out of his face. “Turn off the lust for an hour, okay? Then you two can have this place to yourselves, I promise.”
I buried my face in Edward’s damp chest, embarrassed that my reaction to him was so obvious. Emmett let out a gut busting laugh. “Busted, Bella!” he shouted as he vaulted off the cliff, cannon balling into the water and sending up an impressive splash. Edward’s chest rumbled with his own laughter, his hands trailing up and down my back gently.
“Don’t be embarrassed, love. I always want you.” I looked up then and gave him a soft kiss, my hands brushing the wet copper strands of hair out of his golden eyes. His hands tightened at my waist and he pulled me closer. I moaned softly and pulled harder on his hair, knowing he loved it when I did that. Before things could go any further, though, Edward jerked me to the side as something streaked past. I heard the word “damn” before another impressive splash sounded, the water sloshing up and drenching me.
Emmett was treading water ten feet away, scowling murderously at Edward. “Why’d you have to ruin my fun? She never would have known I was coming!”
Edward shook his head. “She would have known I knew and I would have gotten in trouble. I’d rather face your wrath than Bella’s any day.”
Emmett rolled his eyes. “You’re so whipped.”
Edward kissed me and then was in the water a second later, dunking Emmett below the clear surface and then pulling him up by his hair. “Takes one to know one, brother of mine.” One of Emmett’s giant arms emerged from the water and shoved Edward below and a full on water battle was on, water flying, limbs crashing together thunderously.
“Is there going to be any water left for me to swim in?” I asked Alice, pulling my sopping t-shirt and shorts off. All of a sudden the horseplay in the water came to a dead stop.
Edward let out a strangled groan as Emmett’s eyes got impossibly wide. “Is that a key?” I glanced down at my bellybutton ring and nodded, running my finger over the dangly gold piece. Jasper guffawed loudly next to me while Alice giggled. Rosalie, sitting on a huge boulder next to the waterfall, removed her sunglasses, rolled her eyes and went back to her sunbathing, her skin glinting in the patch of sunshine she’d found. She was in a barely there white bikini and her blond hair fell perfectly across her shoulders, not a drop of water had touched her skin.
Emmett looked completely delighted by something, an impish grin lighting his features. “What a nice key you have there, Bella.”
“Um, thank you.” I knew he was fascinated by the bellybutton ring but surely he was used to it by now.
“Did Edward find that key for you, Bella?”
“No, Alice did.” I don’t know what was so funny about that but all of them lost it at my words, even Rosalie joined in the laughter. Her hand crashed down on the grey boulder, leaving a huge crack in it from the force of her touch. I thought Emmett might die of asphyxiation, he was laughing so hard he appeared to be choking. Edward was biting his lip, struggling to control his hilarity but failing. Jasper and Alice were clutching one another and literally howling. I swear they’d all have tears rolling down their cheeks if we could cry.
“What in the hell is so funny?” I didn’t use the “H” word very often but I hated not being part of the joke. Or being the joke, as it appeared I was now.
Edward managed to get a semblance of control, a look of surprise replacing the laughter. He had never heard me talk like that before. “I’m sorry, love, we’re not laughing at you really.”
I crossed my arms and glared at all of them. “Then what are you laughing at?”
Edward exchanged a glance with Alice and started to answer but Emmett jumped in. “A long time ago we had a funny thing happen with a key.”
That wasn’t enough of an answer. “And what would that be?”
Emmett looked panicked for a second but then smiled. “Alice and Jasper like to have kinky times, you know?” Actually I did not know and I glanced at the two vampires in question, both of them gaping at Emmett. “Anyway, seeing as we vamps are so strong, you have to get some really strong metal if you want to play with handcuffs and chains and such.”
Jasper shifted uncomfortably next to me. “So Alice got them some reinforced steel that they actually couldn’t break and they went at it, you know?” I was extremely uncomfortable at the turn the conversation had taken.
“Okay, I get it; you don’t have to say anymore.”
But Emmett was off and running. “Yes I do! Anyway, the morons cuffed themselves together and went to town. It was loud and echoed throughout the house and disturbed us all. I got irritated so I snuck into the room while they were getting busy and took off with the key. Alice was a little too busy to see what I was up to.” Alice looked at the ground and said nothing, clearly as embarrassed as I was. “I took off and left them behind, cuffed together and none too pleased about it. Edward ended up having to pick the lock to get them out. So, that’s the key story!” He looked inordinately pleased about it.
I didn’t know what to say but I had to say something. “Thanks for clearing that up, Emmett.” I didn’t think I’d be asking them to clarify again. Next time I was left out of a joke I’d just let it go.
Jasper let out a growl and pounced on Emmett, the water flying yet again. “You’re a dead man.”
“What?” Emmett sputtered, choking on some water he’d taken in. “It’s better than…” and he was cut off as Jasper dunked him under the water, Edward helping so they could keep him submerged awhile.
I turned to Alice who still wasn’t looking at me. “I’m sorry I asked, Alice. Don’t be embarrassed.”
She raised her head and gave me a sweet smile. “I’m not embarrassed; I’m just contemplating ways to get back at him.” I laughed, remembering the opera music in his Jeep. No doubt she’d come up with something to torture him.
“If you need any help, let me know.” She grinned at me.
“Are you two going to stand out there and yap all day or are you going to get in the water? Come on, Daredevil, we all know that you have a thing for cliff jumping, let’s go!” Emmett was out of the water, shaking off as if he was a dog rather than a vampire. Water rained down on me from his hulking figure.
Edward frowned in reaction to Emmett’s words, no doubt remembering how close I’d been to dying the last time I attempted cliff diving. Well, that wasn’t an issue now, was it? I clambered up the rocks behind Emmett, still amazed at my ability to balance on such precarious surfaces. If I’d attempted this a few months ago I would have fallen multiple times. Now, it was as easy as walking a straight line…well as easy for someone not ridiculously clumsy. I had issues with straight lines back when I was human too.
I reached the top of the cliff and peered down at Edward watching me from below. His eyes bore into me and I felt the heat from his look sear me from the top of my head down to my toes. God, I wanted him. Always. It was never enough. A slow smile stole across his handsome face, as if he’d heard my thoughts. I knew he hadn’t but we were attuned enough to feel one another, at least it seemed that way to me.
“Ugh, would you two stop having eye sex and get with the jumping?” I turned and smacked Emmett upside his head, borrowing one of Rosalie’s patented moves. I heard her laugh softly from her spot on the rock; though I wasn’t sure if she was laughing at Emmett’s words or my actions. I decided it didn’t matter. Things had been less antagonistic with Rose since Aro’s visit; we weren’t exactly friendly but she had dialed down some of the hostility and deigned to spend time with the entire family when we were gathered watching movies or group hunting. It was progress and I was happy with it. Hopefully she was as well.
“Come on down, Bella, we want to have a chicken fight!” I saw that Alice had clambered on Jasper’s shoulders. I couldn’t help but have a flash of heavy chains when I looked at them. I tried to shake it off and stepped back from the cliff, wanting a running start for my jump.
“Don’t go back too far, you’ll fly right over the lagoon,” Emmett warned. I heeded his advice and took several steps forward before kicking into a run. I zipped to the end of the cliff and threw myself over, enjoying the feeling of falling to the water below.
It was amazing how different this time was from my other cliff jumping experience. Then, I truly felt I had nothing to live for other than the memory of the man who was waiting for me below. Though Jacob had helped me to feel less numb, I still hadn’t been a whole person. I had lived for the memory of Edward; it was the only thing that really made me feel alive. I never would have believed that I’d be here, seven months later, married to the man I never thought I’d see again, with him for eternity. It was amazing how much my world had changed.
Whereas last time I jumped my only thoughts had been of Edward, this time I was able to see everything around me. The trees were swaying gently in the breeze, the water was rippling below, Alice was tugging on Jasper’s hair as he hopped around in the water making her bounce and Edward was watching me, his face impassive. I registered all of it as my body sliced through the air. I got into a diving position although I’d never really high dived before and cut into the water. I kicked up automatically and rose to the surface, pushing my hair out of my eyes to find Edward at my side. The temperature felt lukewarm to me, very close to my actual skin temperature so that it was barely noticeable.
I grinned at Edward and he smiled back, though it didn’t reach his eyes. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his, trying to bring him back from the bad memories of our time apart. “Hey, I’m here and I’m just fine.”
His arms tightened around me. “You’re much better than just fine, Bella. I just can’t stand to think about that time, when I almost lost you forever. I was so stupid to leave you. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
I grabbed the sides of his face and made him look at me. “Don’t say that. You don’t know where we’d be today if you hadn’t left. We might not be together, or if we were, I might not be changed. Danger could still be hanging over us at every turn. You could be at war the wolves…who knows what would be happening? We had to go through what we did to get where we are today. And I love where we are today. I wouldn’t do anything different, Edward.”
His eyes bore into mine and he read the truth in what I was saying there. He closed his eyes then and pressed his forehead to mine. “You’re right. I know you’re right but to see you flying over that cliff…it just brought it all back. For a second it was like I was there with you at La Push, watching you plunge toward your death and unable to do anything about it. I hate feeling powerless, especially when it comes to you, Bella.”
“You’re not powerless, Edward, and neither am I anymore. You gave me strength and I’m not talking about physical strength. With you, I can do anything.” His lips met mine then and I wrapped my legs around his waist, feeling his hardness pressing against me.
“Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, I love you! I love you more! Kiss me Eddie!” Emmett’s attempt at a woman voice was high pitched and piercing. I glanced at him, poised on the cliff above, glaring down at us. “Are you done now? Can we cut the true love crap and have a little fun?” I grudgingly unwound from Edward and nodded at him. “Thank you! Save your sexy times for when your big brothers are not around, okay?”
I glanced at Jasper who was just shaking his head and laughing. Edward ducked below the water and came up underneath me, putting me on his shoulders. He walked us over to where Jasper and Alice were; the boy’s shoulders just above the water.
“Rosie, do you want to take them on?” Emmett pleaded. Rosalie slid her sunglasses down her nose and just gave him a look. “Fine, I’ll be referee.” He hopped over the edge, doing another cannon ball into the water and swimming quickly over to our sides. “Alright, the rules are, there ain’t no rules.” Great, he was quoting Grease. “First girl in the water loses. Ready?”
I turned to Alice, perched on Jasper’s shoulders and bouncing with excitement. “Can’t you just tell us who wins and let us avoid the battling?”
She giggled and shook her head. “That wouldn’t be any fun, now would it? How about we up the stakes to make it more interesting?”
“No way, if you want to bet that means we lose. Edward, what did she see happening?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I have to keep you out of the loop, like Jasper is. Two know, two don’t, one on each side. It’s fair.”
I huffed and tugged on his hair. “Fair, who needs to be fair?”
“Not so rough, love.” I loosened my grip after giving him one last spiteful tug.
Emmett snickered. “Yeah, that’s Alice & Jasper’s thing.” Alice’s foot shot out and connected with Emmett’s head with a loud booming noise. “Hey!”
“I swear to God, Emmett, I’m going to…”
I decided to distract her. “What shall we bet?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “So now you want to bet?”
I shrugged. “Why not?”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Okay, the winning couple gets to stay here, alone. The rest leave.”
That sounded good to me. Now I had some incentive. “You’re on.”
Edward turned to Jasper. “I guess they’re in charge.”
He shrugged. “They’re the ones doing all the work. Fine by me.”
“Me too.”
“Alright, let’s get the show on the road. First one to fall off her fella’s shoulder is the loser and we shall shun her for all time.” Alice and I both rolled our eyes at Emmett. “On your marks, get set, go!”
I eyed Alice as Edward stepped closer to Jasper. She was little but she was feisty. My arms were longer but she had the ability to see what I was going to do once I decided to do it. She clearly had a major advantage. Of course I had strength on my side so…Alice cut short my ruminations by leaning over and pulling my hair.
“Alice! I can’t grow that back if you pull it out!”
She giggled. “It’s not my fault you have really long hair.”
“If you pull it out, you won’t get to style it anymore.”
Her eyes widened with horror and she promptly let go of my hair. The rare occasions that I let her play with it made her very happy. I took advantage of the hair diversion to grab her shoulders and push with all my might. She fell partially back but caught herself by grabbing Jasper’s hair. “Ow, Alice!”
“Don’t worry, he likes it!” Emmett supplied helpfully, clearly thrilled to have their sex story out in the open so he could make fun of them in front of me now.
Jasper growled at him. “Watch it, Em, I’m sure we could come up with some great stories to tell Bella. There was that time you dressed up as…”
Emmett gasped. “Not another word or you’ll be disqualified!”
“You said there were no rules,” Edward pointed out through his laughter, which was causing my balance to falter a bit.
“The new rule is, whatever I say goes. Back to the battle!” He took two fingers into his mouth and blew out a piercing whistle. Alice lunged at me again, Edward stepped back in response to her movement and it left her hanging rather precariously bent across Jasper’s right shoulder. I brought my right arm down on Alice’s back and she fell forward, landing face first in the water. Jasper caught her and brought her up, spitting water out of her mouth. I braced for retaliation but it didn’t come. Alice grinned at me.
“You’re welcome! Everybody out, give the love birds their private time!” I slid off Edward’s shoulders and he caught me, linking his arms around my waist as everybody took their leave.
Emmett grumbled about how quickly the match was over but Jasper distracted him by mentioning a cave he’d seen on the way up; a cave that might house a bear. Emmett took off like a shot and the others followed, laughing at his enthusiasm for his possible lunch.
“Did Alice throw the match?”
“Does it matter, love?” He started nibbling on my ear and I decided maybe it didn’t matter after all. She knew, though, Jasper told us we’d have some alone time earlier so I’m sure the outcome was already decided.
“It doesn’t matter but I’d like to know why she let me win.”
“Maybe she wanted to do something nice for us?” His tongue ran behind my ear and I shivered in response.
“You know but you’re not telling.” I pouted and he used the opportunity to capture my lip in his own. I moaned as he sucked my bottom lip into his mouth and bit gently.
“I don’t feel much like talking now, do you?” Uh, no, I didn’t. In response, I pressed my lips more firmly to his and wrapped my legs back around his waist. I could spend days kissing Edward. Being with him was my favorite activity and I needed it more than blood or air. He pulled his lips from mine and smirked at me, making me want to bite him. “Should I take that as a no?” I decided that biting was a good idea and sank my teeth into his lip in response. He hissed and grabbed onto my hair, pulling my head back and exposing my neck to him.
His teeth sank into my neck, right at the spot of my scar. He loved to lick and bite me there and I have to admit that it excited me as well. Something about it being the last remnant of my humanity…I couldn’t begin to explain it but it was clear we both felt it. I tightened my legs around him and felt his hardness pressed against me, our bathing suits the only barrier between us. “Edward, please.”
He removed his teeth from my neck and ran them along the curve of my shoulder. “Please what, love?” His velvet voice was a purr against my skin, rumbling through me and making me tremble with need.
“Please make love to me now.” I needed to feel him inside of me, the desire for him had been in the back of my mind since I saw him in those green swim trunks and it was back full force now that we were alone.
Edward’s tongue slicked across my collarbone to the right side of my body, tracing along that shoulder and up my neck to my ear, mirroring the path he’d taken on the left side. “Why so anxious, love? We have all day if we want.” His voice was a whisper in my ear as his tongue flicked my lobe back and forth. I whimpered. He knew what a weakness the ear was for me.
“So take me now and then take me later and again after that.” His gentle laughter sent more sparks shooting through my body.
“So impatient, my gorgeous Bella. I want to savor you for awhile. Remember how I told you that you smell even better in the rain?” I remembered, it was that fateful day on the baseball field, when James and Victoria came into our lives and made everything even more complicated than it already was. I didn’t say anything and just nodded in answer to his question. “Well, not only do you smell better, you taste better as well.” With that his tongue went back to work, lavishing my ears and neck with attention.
I tangled my hands in his hair, the urge to hold him to me warring with the desire to push him away and demand that he make love to me right now. I let the sensations he was creating sweep through me. My skin felt like it was on fire but it was a good burn, the kind an addict seeks when they’re getting high. That was it, I was high on Edward and I never wanted to come down from it. I barely noticed when my bikini top loosened, Edward having pulled the strings as his lips worked their magic on my skin.
He grabbed my legs and shifted me higher, my breasts now out of the water and right at his mouth level. His eyes were black with his need for me; I’m sure mine were the same color. He leaned forward and captured my right breast in his lips while his hand caressed the left. He bit down on my nipple and now I was the one hissing with my own need. I barely registered him moving us through the water, the sound of the waterfall coming closer as his lips worked me into a frenzy. I arched against him, wanting him to take even more of me in his mouth. He responded to my unspoken question and did so, kissing and biting each one.
All of a sudden water beat down upon me. Edward had steered us right into the base of the waterfall. The pressure would have hurt were I still human but now the water felt like a deep massage against my marble skin. I tilted my head back and let the water stream through my hair and sluice down my torso as Edward continued his ministrations on my chest. The dual sensations rocketed through my body until I was a quivering mass of need.
Edward moved me back down his body; pressed against my center I could feel that his arousal matched mine. He pushed me against the back of the rock, my head was behind the falling water but it crashed across my body as I arched toward him. “Now, Bella?” I more moaned than said yes, but he understood, reaching between us and tearing both our bathing suit bottoms from our bodies.
He entered me without preamble, the force of his thrusts pushing me back against the rock wall as the water pounded down on both of us. I wrapped my legs around him and met his movements with my own, the thunder of our bodies crashing together lost in the thundering sound of the water falling around us. It was strange, like we were part of the water and it was part of us, our movements choreographed with the flow of the water. It hit where we were joined, combining its force with ours to make for even more power as our hips crashed together.
The water pounding outside of me coupled with Edward pounding inside of me sent me flying over the edge, pleasure coursing through my body in unending waves just like the water that washed over me. Edward let go when he felt me tighten around him, our bodies still as shudders ran through us, the after effects of really spectacular sex. Little aftershocks of pleasure ran through me as I pushed away from the rock wall and wrapped my arms around Edward, burying my face in his neck and kissing him there softly. He tilted his head back and let the water flow down his face before leading us away from the waterfall.
He led us to land and wrapped us both in a giant towel, not bothering to separate from me so we could truly dry off. He sat on the ground, holding me straddled against his body. His lips found mine and we kissed for a long time. The kisses weren’t passionate; they were soft and warm and felt like home. After awhile he pulled back and brushed my hair out of my eyes. “How are you, love?”
I laughed quietly at the question. “I don’t think I could be better if I tried.”
His hands began gently massaging my shoulders, looking for knots that just weren’t there. “Are you feeling relaxed?”
I tiled my neck to the right to give him better access to that side of my body. “Can’t you feel that I am?” He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my neck.
“You certainly feel that way; I just wanted to be sure.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, some tension returning to my body at his words. “Why?”
His eyes met mine and he squeezed my shoulders gently. “Because, love, tomorrow you’re going to be around a human for the first time since your change.” What?
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