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“Where are we going?” Bella asked suspiciously.
I focused intently on a tiny speck of dirt in the far corner of the floor; it was the only thing keeping me from smiling broadly at the obvious distain in her voice. Secrets and Bella went together about as well as my sisters and hand-me-down clothes. Although she found my unabashed delight in finding ways to surprise her annoying, I secretly liked to watch her squirm a little, so this time I gave nothing away.
Bella’s hooded sweatshirt lay across the desk chair in her room. I grabbed it and playfully tossed it at her. “Here, you might need this.”
“Why?”
I rolled my eyes. “In case you get cold?”
“Edward, you know I hate surprises. Where are you taking me?”
I lightly pushed her out the bedroom door and steered her down the stairs. “You’ll figure it out soon enough. You’ve been there before.”
She paused on the third step from the bottom landing and turned to face me. A worried frown creased her flawless forehead.
“Does this involve you running in the woods with me on your back?”
“No.”
“Any type of sporting event?”
“No.”
“But something outdoors?”
I scooped her up and raced her outside, placing her gently next to the Volvo. “No more questions. Just enjoy the evening and relax, Bella.” I gave her a quick peck on the forehead before helping her into the car. She was so adorable when she fretted unnecessarily like this.
It was early evening – the sun hadn’t quite set yet, and the air was refreshingly warm and balmy. A perfect summer’s eve, really, especially since it wasn’t raining for a change. All the more reason to take advantage and bring Bella to this particular performance.
She sat silently in the car while we raced north, away from Forks. I could almost hear the gears turning in her head as she paid close attention to our route and direction. It only took her five minutes to figure out where we were going.
“Port Angeles?”
I gazed over at my beautiful angel and felt my unmoving heart try and flutter out of my chest. “Yes, love.”
Bella tried to hide a slow smile that threatened to cross her face. “Dinner? A movie? Shopping? No, not shopping – Alice would never let us do that without her.”
Laughing heartily, I shot down all of her incorrect assumptions. “No, no, and no. I told you to quit guessing - you’ll figure it out soon enough.” I gave her a quick wink. “And I know you’ll like it. Patience, dear Bella. We’re almost there.”
We pulled into Port Angeles a few moments later, and I parked the car a couple of blocks from the waterfront. The city was filled with tourists and locals, casually strolling along the city streets, enjoying the unusually nice weather. The mood around us was festive, and I watched Bella closely to see if she had guessed what we were doing yet as we followed the crowd towards the water's edge.
Bella’s brow creased again in thought. “Concert on the Pier?”
“See, I told you it wouldn’t be hard to figure out.” I squeezed her hand and pulled her more closely to my side so I could feel the warmth radiating from her skin.
“I’ve heard the kids at school mention it, but I’ve never been. What are they playing tonight?”
I smiled widely. “Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. You’ll recognize it. And as an added bonus, the city is doing a fireworks display to accompany the piece.”
Bella’s pulse immediately quickened – I could easily feel it through her hand. “I love fireworks!”
I bent down to whisper in her ear. “I know. You’ll love them even more when you see them set to this song.”
She gazed up at me joyfully; this was the look I had been waiting to see since picking her up earlier. As I led us closer to the pier, she leaned against me, releasing her hold on my hand and wrapping her arm around my waist. I nuzzled my nose in her sweet-smelling hair as we strolled along, relishing the feel of her next to me. In this state I was almost able to ignore every thought around us, but not quite. That would only be possible once we were at our final destination.
“Don’t we need chairs or a blanket or…something to sit on?” Bella was looking around at the growing audience as they picked out choice places to watch the show from the expanse of open space in front of the stage.
“No.” I continued to lead her past the lawn and closer to the water.
She looked back up at me, thoroughly puzzled. “Where are we going? Shouldn’t we be getting a spot to sit out there?” She motioned back to the grass.
I grinned mischievously. “I know of a more private place to listen to the show and watch the fireworks. Unless you want to be surrounded by all of those other people…”
Bella rolled her eyes. “More surprises – I should have figured you wouldn’t let us sit on the damp grass with all of the other commoners.”
“Nope.”
“Are you going to tell me where we’re sitting, or would you rather I just close my eyes so you can add more suspense to the evening?”
She always made me laugh when she was like this. “You don’t have to close your eyes unless you want to. Yet, at least.” I gave her another devilish wink. “And I’d tell you, but we’ll be there in less then a minute anyway. Look around, Bella. Figured it out yet?”
We had walked past the stage and out onto a secondary pier that had dozens of moored sailboats tied to its thick posts. I led Bella past the first few to a modest-sized sloop with a small motor attached.
“We’re watching the show from a boat?”
I chuckled again at Bella’s hilarious tone. “Yes. You won’t be able to see the orchestra, but you’ll be able to hear the music very well as it comes across the water. And there’s no better place to watch the fireworks then out in the harbor.”
She frowned as I took her hand and helped her step onto the deck.
“But what about the sails…?”
“We won’t be using them. See…” I pointed to the back of the sloop with my free hand. “…we have a motor. We’re not going out far - just far enough to give us a spectacular view of the fireworks.” I motioned past the pier where a growing number of nautical running lights were starting to blanket the water.
Bella teetered dangerously, the sloop rocked slightly from my weight as I stepped on behind her. I quickly wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, steadying my charmingly clumsy bride. I would not let go of her the rest of the night once we were away from the pier, just to be safe. Yet another advantage of the boat, I thought wickedly to myself.
After situating her in the safest spot near the aft of the boat, I untied the riggings and started the motor, steering us out into the harbor and finding a relatively remote spot to anchor. Once that was finished, I opened the main storage hatch and began to pull out a few things I had packed earlier that day, including a thick stadium blanket and a few plush pillows. I moved these to the flat forward deck of the sloop in front of the mast while Bella watched me closely.
“Whose boat?” she asked curiously.
“Carlisle’s. He doesn’t use it very often due to his busy work schedule.”
“I’m surprised it’s not yours. Sailing seems like something you’d enjoy.”
I finished my work at the front of the boat and returned to help Bella to her feet. “I do enjoy it – immensely. And I do have my own sailboat.”
She gasped in surprise as she wrapped both arms securely around me. “Really? Where? Why didn’t we use yours instead?”
“It’s a little…bigger then this one. Not really appropriate for tonight’s show. If you want, I’ll take you out on it. Maybe we could sail up to Vancouver for a few days, if Alice will allow you out of her sight for that long prior to the wedding.”
I guided Bella carefully up onto the higher forward deck, walking her slowly and cautiously to the blanket and pillows. Positioning myself first against the mast, I took both of her hands and pulled her down next to me.
“Another private excursion?” she questioned.
“It has a full cabin onboard. Very comfortable to stay in, unless you get seasick easily.”
Bella stared at me lovingly in the fading light. “I meant that we’d be going away by ourselves like the trip to San Francisco. I’m beginning to feel like I’m already on the honeymoon.”
My throat began to burn at the sound of her suggestive words. It was taking less and less for her to send my body into disobedient fits of desire. I leaned in and brushed my lips against her jaw, moving to her ear.
“No, I still have something much more special then a simple boat cruise planned for the honeymoon. Think of this as just the warm-up to that.”
Bella began breathing heavier; her heart starting to thump loudly in her chest. “I think I like these warm-up sessions,” she whispered huskily.
I kept my lips pressed to the hollow below her ear as I slowly picked her up and turned her so she was sitting between my legs and resting back against my chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, hugging her soft, warm body into mine.
“Good.”
As twilight set in across the harbor, we sat silently for awhile, watching a handful of other sloops similar to Carlisle’s glide past us. The boat rocked gently from their small wakes, relaxing us before the show began. Bella’s pulse slowed further as I began tracing lazy patterns across her bare arms. Fortunately, the temperature was still mild and somewhat humid, allowing for us to sit comfortably without the need for her sweatshirt or more blankets.
The familiar sounds of the orchestra beginning their tuning process drifted across the water towards us. It created quite an eerie feeling, especially when I noticed a low fog coming in from the north across the water. Bella sighed contently as she turned her head towards my face.
“I love how this feels – the way the boat rocks in the water.”
I nodded in agreement. “Very peaceful. Especially with the music.”
“I was actually thinking it felt like something more than just peaceful.” Suddenly, her heart rate began to climb. I couldn’t help but ask, wondering what was causing her body to react this way.
“How does it feel, love?”
She swallowed once before pressing her warm lips to the side of my neck. “Very sensual.” I felt the two words vibrate against my cold skin, causing a lone shiver to course through my body.
“Umm.” I was losing myself to the exact sensations she mentioned, savoring the feel of her mouth against me. But just then, the soft string introduction of the overture floated across the water towards us, creating a very surreal moment.
I uttered a half-hearted observation, not really wanting to interrupt her, but feeling it my duty to inform her that the show had begun. “It’s starting.”
“I know.” She turned further towards me, her hands first sliding up my chest, then up to my shoulders. Bella’s lips worked softly against my neck, in time with the music. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, losing myself even further to her sweet embrace.
Suddenly I felt her weight shift as she sat up and completely turned to face me. I opened my eyes to find Bella kneeling in front of me, her hands on my shoulders and her face absolutely breathtaking. Her delicious breath washed over me as she exhaled deeply before speaking.
“Remember how we were…interrupted at the last concert?”
I smiled widely, thinking two steps ahead of her. “I remember that very well.” My hands moved on their own accord, now resting on her delicate hips.
“I was thinking that tonight there’s no one to bother us…” she trailed off, watching me carefully.
“Why do you think I borrowed Carlisle’s boat?” An iniquitous smirk crossed my face as my hands clenched and began to slide Bella closer to me.
Her jaw dropped slightly. In that same instant, her eyes drifted down below my face to my torso as she allowed me to pull her forward.
“You sure you can’t read my mind?” she purred.
My mouth was filling rapidly with venom, which I swallowed down continually. I wanted to kiss her so badly – really kiss her, show her exactly how much I loved her at that moment. But I knew if I crushed my lips against hers that we’d both literally drown in the passion that filled the air. I had to make my best attempt at slowing things down a little. After lecturing Bella earlier on patience, I berated myself for my own lack of fortitude. A compromise, I finally thought before leaning forward to answer her last question with a kiss.
Instead of acting on my earlier impulses, I kissed her gently on the tip of her nose before running my lips up to brush each eyelid. I focused on gracing every inch of her stunning face with my mouth, bar her awaiting lips. The ever-present fire within me began its deliberate burn once more; sadly, my attempts at taking things a little slower wasn’t helping extinguish the flames that raced through my veins. So instead, I fought to savor the feeling of my smoldering insides, turning those sensations into some sort of means of self-control. If I could conquer these urges and maintain just enough command to keep myself in check when necessary, I thought it might actually be possible to give Bella everything she had asked for without hurting her. It was the only way I could imagine being more intimate, and every glorious day we spent together was begging for more contact between us. I wanted her so badly it was nearly driving me insane.
Bella remained still, eyes closed, fighting off her usual instincts to throw herself at me whenever I kissed her. Now it was as if she were reading my mind, knowing full well that her absence of a fevered reaction was exactly what I needed at that moment. I slowly let go of my hold around her waist, letting my fingers trace leisurely up her sides while she kept her hands resting firmly on my shoulders. The slow introduction of the overture helped pace my trail of butterfly kisses along one of her flushed cheeks. I had finally worked my way down to her awaiting mouth, pausing briefly and taking in a deep breath to appreciate her delectable, floral scent.
“I love you so much Bella,” I murmured against the corner of her mouth. An almost inaudible noise sounded in the back of her throat. “Please, let me lead the way tonight. Please?” My pleas caused her to suck in a deep breath.
“Anything for you,” she whispered softly, opening her eyes slightly to meet my gaze in the near darkness. “I’m yours forever, Edward.”
Her declaration of belonging left me utterly speechless. She was mine – for eternity. I started to ask myself how she could always know exactly the right words to say to turn my insides into molten lava, but the urge to kiss her overshadowed any other rational thought. The music was building in tempo and urgency, precisely mirroring my most primal urges. As a cymbal crashed across the waterfront, I gave in and kissed my dear Bella with everything I had.
A jolt of powerful electricity passed between us that very second my lips touched hers. I thought I had experienced all of the tangible passion that came with kissing my personal angel, but it had never been like this before. I wasn’t sure why this kiss was so different – certainly things had been nearly, if not as, ardent in San Francisco, and countless other times before. It had to be because of my fragile, newfound strength in controlling myself just enough not to hurt her. Regardless, there were no words to describe the ecstatic feelings racing through me – love, desire, need, elation. The boat at the moment was the most perfect utopia I could ever hope to find.
Bella’s reactions told me she felt exactly the same. Her hands were actually trembling as they flittered off of my shoulders and reached to cup my face tenderly, yet determinedly. I felt her mouth open immediately, her tongue dancing first across my lips and then my teeth. My razor-sharp teeth. The part of me hell-bent on always taking the prudent approach screamed out in protest, urging me to pull away from her. But as her exploring tongue found mine, I tasted not a drop of her succulent blood. Amazing – she was kissing me in ways I had only dreamed of, and it wasn’t hurting her at all! This incredible kiss was acting as an accelerant for the sweltering magma that seared through every pore in my body. I pulled her chest tightly against mine, pushing upwards to find more leverage in this all consuming embrace.
The music was racing now through its more recognizable and familiar passage. Bella pressed into me, pushing herself as close as she could in our current position. I reached one hand around her lower back, preparing to slide the rest of her snugly against my body, when the boat suddenly lurched to the right. A rogue wave, though no bigger then the ones that had rocked the boat earlier, hit the sloop at such an angle as to knock a very pre-occupied Bella forward from her kneeling position straight into me. I took immediate advantage of her imbalance, sliding down and backwards, effectively lowering myself until I was lying across the deck with Bella stretched out conveniently on top of me. This was much more comfortable.
She pulled away slightly from my embrace, struggling to catch her breath.
“That was close,” she gasped.
I cocked my head to the side in confusion. “What was close?”
Bella chuckled softly, her mouth less than an inch from mine. “I almost chipped a tooth.”
“Oops.” I grinned wildly, still high from the endorphins of pure pleasure streaking through my entire body.
“That would have been fun to explain to everyone, especially Charlie.” She leaned down to kiss me deeply once again. “But this is much more fun.” I stifled her with another fervent kiss before beginning to work my way down her throat.
The boat continued to sway from side to side, causing me to feel almost dizzy as I lost myself to Bella’s sweet taste and searching hands. I was so preoccupied with the newfound joy of knowing I could experience things I had only dreamed of that I almost didn’t feel the vibrating cell phone in my jeans pocket. Actually, it was Bella’s exploring fingers that reached in to remove the distracting electronic. She scanned the caller ID while I continued to kiss her collarbone.
“Text from Alice,” she said dryly. Obviously I wasn’t the only one annoyed by the interruption. “Oh!”
I pulled away at Bella’s surprised utterance to glance at the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“The fireworks are about to begin!”
I searched Bella’s exquisite features for an indication of what she wanted to do. It would be quite difficult for either of us to enjoy the show in our current horizontal position.
Wordless communication flowed freely between us; something I’d noticed was getting more and more common as we approached our wedding day. I was beginning to understand how my other family members were so easily able to distinguish the thoughts of their mates without a special talent such as mine. This realization brought on another exciting surge of pure bliss, knowing that Bella and I shared yet another secret bond that no one could break.
“Fireworks it is, love.” I reached up to kiss her lips one last time, savoring her luscious taste and scent before sliding to my right and pulling her down next to me, both of us now stretched out on our backs to await the show.
The music was building into a huge crescendo before the melody spiraled downward right as the first set of fireworks exploded in the sky. Bells sounded out across the water, and simulated cannons began to fire in time with the launching fireworks, creating a truly amazing spectacle. Streams of fire drifted down towards the harbor; the glowing sparks reflecting off the water and bathing my stunning Bella’s face in warm, golden light. She turned to look at me as I gazed unabashedly at my beautiful angel, her lips turning up into a hint of a smile. She squeezed my hand tightly.
“Edward Cullen, I love you with all of my heart,” she declared just loudly enough for me to hear. I no longer believed my own heart to be frozen and still. It swelled within my chest, threatening to start beating again, expressly for this wonderfully divine creature that I had been miraculously blessed with. There simply could not be anything better in any world, heaven or hell, then being with her.
As the last cannon shot blasted from the shore, I reached over with my other hand and gently stroked her adoring face. “Forever, my love. I am yours completely.”
She rolled back to her prior position, covering my body with her own and pressing her lips firmly to mine as the last stream of sparks blinked out above, leaving us in complete darkness. I was faintly aware of applause coming from the stage – it echoed across the still water, reminiscent of our other interruption during the symphony in San Francisco. However, this time the cheers of the crowd would not remind us of our lack of privacy and need for discretion. This time, it would be a welcoming accompaniment to the testimony of our eternal love.
I focused intently on a tiny speck of dirt in the far corner of the floor; it was the only thing keeping me from smiling broadly at the obvious distain in her voice. Secrets and Bella went together about as well as my sisters and hand-me-down clothes. Although she found my unabashed delight in finding ways to surprise her annoying, I secretly liked to watch her squirm a little, so this time I gave nothing away.
Bella’s hooded sweatshirt lay across the desk chair in her room. I grabbed it and playfully tossed it at her. “Here, you might need this.”
“Why?”
I rolled my eyes. “In case you get cold?”
“Edward, you know I hate surprises. Where are you taking me?”
I lightly pushed her out the bedroom door and steered her down the stairs. “You’ll figure it out soon enough. You’ve been there before.”
She paused on the third step from the bottom landing and turned to face me. A worried frown creased her flawless forehead.
“Does this involve you running in the woods with me on your back?”
“No.”
“Any type of sporting event?”
“No.”
“But something outdoors?”
I scooped her up and raced her outside, placing her gently next to the Volvo. “No more questions. Just enjoy the evening and relax, Bella.” I gave her a quick peck on the forehead before helping her into the car. She was so adorable when she fretted unnecessarily like this.
It was early evening – the sun hadn’t quite set yet, and the air was refreshingly warm and balmy. A perfect summer’s eve, really, especially since it wasn’t raining for a change. All the more reason to take advantage and bring Bella to this particular performance.
She sat silently in the car while we raced north, away from Forks. I could almost hear the gears turning in her head as she paid close attention to our route and direction. It only took her five minutes to figure out where we were going.
“Port Angeles?”
I gazed over at my beautiful angel and felt my unmoving heart try and flutter out of my chest. “Yes, love.”
Bella tried to hide a slow smile that threatened to cross her face. “Dinner? A movie? Shopping? No, not shopping – Alice would never let us do that without her.”
Laughing heartily, I shot down all of her incorrect assumptions. “No, no, and no. I told you to quit guessing - you’ll figure it out soon enough.” I gave her a quick wink. “And I know you’ll like it. Patience, dear Bella. We’re almost there.”
We pulled into Port Angeles a few moments later, and I parked the car a couple of blocks from the waterfront. The city was filled with tourists and locals, casually strolling along the city streets, enjoying the unusually nice weather. The mood around us was festive, and I watched Bella closely to see if she had guessed what we were doing yet as we followed the crowd towards the water's edge.
Bella’s brow creased again in thought. “Concert on the Pier?”
“See, I told you it wouldn’t be hard to figure out.” I squeezed her hand and pulled her more closely to my side so I could feel the warmth radiating from her skin.
“I’ve heard the kids at school mention it, but I’ve never been. What are they playing tonight?”
I smiled widely. “Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. You’ll recognize it. And as an added bonus, the city is doing a fireworks display to accompany the piece.”
Bella’s pulse immediately quickened – I could easily feel it through her hand. “I love fireworks!”
I bent down to whisper in her ear. “I know. You’ll love them even more when you see them set to this song.”
She gazed up at me joyfully; this was the look I had been waiting to see since picking her up earlier. As I led us closer to the pier, she leaned against me, releasing her hold on my hand and wrapping her arm around my waist. I nuzzled my nose in her sweet-smelling hair as we strolled along, relishing the feel of her next to me. In this state I was almost able to ignore every thought around us, but not quite. That would only be possible once we were at our final destination.
“Don’t we need chairs or a blanket or…something to sit on?” Bella was looking around at the growing audience as they picked out choice places to watch the show from the expanse of open space in front of the stage.
“No.” I continued to lead her past the lawn and closer to the water.
She looked back up at me, thoroughly puzzled. “Where are we going? Shouldn’t we be getting a spot to sit out there?” She motioned back to the grass.
I grinned mischievously. “I know of a more private place to listen to the show and watch the fireworks. Unless you want to be surrounded by all of those other people…”
Bella rolled her eyes. “More surprises – I should have figured you wouldn’t let us sit on the damp grass with all of the other commoners.”
“Nope.”
“Are you going to tell me where we’re sitting, or would you rather I just close my eyes so you can add more suspense to the evening?”
She always made me laugh when she was like this. “You don’t have to close your eyes unless you want to. Yet, at least.” I gave her another devilish wink. “And I’d tell you, but we’ll be there in less then a minute anyway. Look around, Bella. Figured it out yet?”
We had walked past the stage and out onto a secondary pier that had dozens of moored sailboats tied to its thick posts. I led Bella past the first few to a modest-sized sloop with a small motor attached.
“We’re watching the show from a boat?”
I chuckled again at Bella’s hilarious tone. “Yes. You won’t be able to see the orchestra, but you’ll be able to hear the music very well as it comes across the water. And there’s no better place to watch the fireworks then out in the harbor.”
She frowned as I took her hand and helped her step onto the deck.
“But what about the sails…?”
“We won’t be using them. See…” I pointed to the back of the sloop with my free hand. “…we have a motor. We’re not going out far - just far enough to give us a spectacular view of the fireworks.” I motioned past the pier where a growing number of nautical running lights were starting to blanket the water.
Bella teetered dangerously, the sloop rocked slightly from my weight as I stepped on behind her. I quickly wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, steadying my charmingly clumsy bride. I would not let go of her the rest of the night once we were away from the pier, just to be safe. Yet another advantage of the boat, I thought wickedly to myself.
After situating her in the safest spot near the aft of the boat, I untied the riggings and started the motor, steering us out into the harbor and finding a relatively remote spot to anchor. Once that was finished, I opened the main storage hatch and began to pull out a few things I had packed earlier that day, including a thick stadium blanket and a few plush pillows. I moved these to the flat forward deck of the sloop in front of the mast while Bella watched me closely.
“Whose boat?” she asked curiously.
“Carlisle’s. He doesn’t use it very often due to his busy work schedule.”
“I’m surprised it’s not yours. Sailing seems like something you’d enjoy.”
I finished my work at the front of the boat and returned to help Bella to her feet. “I do enjoy it – immensely. And I do have my own sailboat.”
She gasped in surprise as she wrapped both arms securely around me. “Really? Where? Why didn’t we use yours instead?”
“It’s a little…bigger then this one. Not really appropriate for tonight’s show. If you want, I’ll take you out on it. Maybe we could sail up to Vancouver for a few days, if Alice will allow you out of her sight for that long prior to the wedding.”
I guided Bella carefully up onto the higher forward deck, walking her slowly and cautiously to the blanket and pillows. Positioning myself first against the mast, I took both of her hands and pulled her down next to me.
“Another private excursion?” she questioned.
“It has a full cabin onboard. Very comfortable to stay in, unless you get seasick easily.”
Bella stared at me lovingly in the fading light. “I meant that we’d be going away by ourselves like the trip to San Francisco. I’m beginning to feel like I’m already on the honeymoon.”
My throat began to burn at the sound of her suggestive words. It was taking less and less for her to send my body into disobedient fits of desire. I leaned in and brushed my lips against her jaw, moving to her ear.
“No, I still have something much more special then a simple boat cruise planned for the honeymoon. Think of this as just the warm-up to that.”
Bella began breathing heavier; her heart starting to thump loudly in her chest. “I think I like these warm-up sessions,” she whispered huskily.
I kept my lips pressed to the hollow below her ear as I slowly picked her up and turned her so she was sitting between my legs and resting back against my chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, hugging her soft, warm body into mine.
“Good.”
As twilight set in across the harbor, we sat silently for awhile, watching a handful of other sloops similar to Carlisle’s glide past us. The boat rocked gently from their small wakes, relaxing us before the show began. Bella’s pulse slowed further as I began tracing lazy patterns across her bare arms. Fortunately, the temperature was still mild and somewhat humid, allowing for us to sit comfortably without the need for her sweatshirt or more blankets.
The familiar sounds of the orchestra beginning their tuning process drifted across the water towards us. It created quite an eerie feeling, especially when I noticed a low fog coming in from the north across the water. Bella sighed contently as she turned her head towards my face.
“I love how this feels – the way the boat rocks in the water.”
I nodded in agreement. “Very peaceful. Especially with the music.”
“I was actually thinking it felt like something more than just peaceful.” Suddenly, her heart rate began to climb. I couldn’t help but ask, wondering what was causing her body to react this way.
“How does it feel, love?”
She swallowed once before pressing her warm lips to the side of my neck. “Very sensual.” I felt the two words vibrate against my cold skin, causing a lone shiver to course through my body.
“Umm.” I was losing myself to the exact sensations she mentioned, savoring the feel of her mouth against me. But just then, the soft string introduction of the overture floated across the water towards us, creating a very surreal moment.
I uttered a half-hearted observation, not really wanting to interrupt her, but feeling it my duty to inform her that the show had begun. “It’s starting.”
“I know.” She turned further towards me, her hands first sliding up my chest, then up to my shoulders. Bella’s lips worked softly against my neck, in time with the music. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, losing myself even further to her sweet embrace.
Suddenly I felt her weight shift as she sat up and completely turned to face me. I opened my eyes to find Bella kneeling in front of me, her hands on my shoulders and her face absolutely breathtaking. Her delicious breath washed over me as she exhaled deeply before speaking.
“Remember how we were…interrupted at the last concert?”
I smiled widely, thinking two steps ahead of her. “I remember that very well.” My hands moved on their own accord, now resting on her delicate hips.
“I was thinking that tonight there’s no one to bother us…” she trailed off, watching me carefully.
“Why do you think I borrowed Carlisle’s boat?” An iniquitous smirk crossed my face as my hands clenched and began to slide Bella closer to me.
Her jaw dropped slightly. In that same instant, her eyes drifted down below my face to my torso as she allowed me to pull her forward.
“You sure you can’t read my mind?” she purred.
My mouth was filling rapidly with venom, which I swallowed down continually. I wanted to kiss her so badly – really kiss her, show her exactly how much I loved her at that moment. But I knew if I crushed my lips against hers that we’d both literally drown in the passion that filled the air. I had to make my best attempt at slowing things down a little. After lecturing Bella earlier on patience, I berated myself for my own lack of fortitude. A compromise, I finally thought before leaning forward to answer her last question with a kiss.
Instead of acting on my earlier impulses, I kissed her gently on the tip of her nose before running my lips up to brush each eyelid. I focused on gracing every inch of her stunning face with my mouth, bar her awaiting lips. The ever-present fire within me began its deliberate burn once more; sadly, my attempts at taking things a little slower wasn’t helping extinguish the flames that raced through my veins. So instead, I fought to savor the feeling of my smoldering insides, turning those sensations into some sort of means of self-control. If I could conquer these urges and maintain just enough command to keep myself in check when necessary, I thought it might actually be possible to give Bella everything she had asked for without hurting her. It was the only way I could imagine being more intimate, and every glorious day we spent together was begging for more contact between us. I wanted her so badly it was nearly driving me insane.
Bella remained still, eyes closed, fighting off her usual instincts to throw herself at me whenever I kissed her. Now it was as if she were reading my mind, knowing full well that her absence of a fevered reaction was exactly what I needed at that moment. I slowly let go of my hold around her waist, letting my fingers trace leisurely up her sides while she kept her hands resting firmly on my shoulders. The slow introduction of the overture helped pace my trail of butterfly kisses along one of her flushed cheeks. I had finally worked my way down to her awaiting mouth, pausing briefly and taking in a deep breath to appreciate her delectable, floral scent.
“I love you so much Bella,” I murmured against the corner of her mouth. An almost inaudible noise sounded in the back of her throat. “Please, let me lead the way tonight. Please?” My pleas caused her to suck in a deep breath.
“Anything for you,” she whispered softly, opening her eyes slightly to meet my gaze in the near darkness. “I’m yours forever, Edward.”
Her declaration of belonging left me utterly speechless. She was mine – for eternity. I started to ask myself how she could always know exactly the right words to say to turn my insides into molten lava, but the urge to kiss her overshadowed any other rational thought. The music was building in tempo and urgency, precisely mirroring my most primal urges. As a cymbal crashed across the waterfront, I gave in and kissed my dear Bella with everything I had.
A jolt of powerful electricity passed between us that very second my lips touched hers. I thought I had experienced all of the tangible passion that came with kissing my personal angel, but it had never been like this before. I wasn’t sure why this kiss was so different – certainly things had been nearly, if not as, ardent in San Francisco, and countless other times before. It had to be because of my fragile, newfound strength in controlling myself just enough not to hurt her. Regardless, there were no words to describe the ecstatic feelings racing through me – love, desire, need, elation. The boat at the moment was the most perfect utopia I could ever hope to find.
Bella’s reactions told me she felt exactly the same. Her hands were actually trembling as they flittered off of my shoulders and reached to cup my face tenderly, yet determinedly. I felt her mouth open immediately, her tongue dancing first across my lips and then my teeth. My razor-sharp teeth. The part of me hell-bent on always taking the prudent approach screamed out in protest, urging me to pull away from her. But as her exploring tongue found mine, I tasted not a drop of her succulent blood. Amazing – she was kissing me in ways I had only dreamed of, and it wasn’t hurting her at all! This incredible kiss was acting as an accelerant for the sweltering magma that seared through every pore in my body. I pulled her chest tightly against mine, pushing upwards to find more leverage in this all consuming embrace.
The music was racing now through its more recognizable and familiar passage. Bella pressed into me, pushing herself as close as she could in our current position. I reached one hand around her lower back, preparing to slide the rest of her snugly against my body, when the boat suddenly lurched to the right. A rogue wave, though no bigger then the ones that had rocked the boat earlier, hit the sloop at such an angle as to knock a very pre-occupied Bella forward from her kneeling position straight into me. I took immediate advantage of her imbalance, sliding down and backwards, effectively lowering myself until I was lying across the deck with Bella stretched out conveniently on top of me. This was much more comfortable.
She pulled away slightly from my embrace, struggling to catch her breath.
“That was close,” she gasped.
I cocked my head to the side in confusion. “What was close?”
Bella chuckled softly, her mouth less than an inch from mine. “I almost chipped a tooth.”
“Oops.” I grinned wildly, still high from the endorphins of pure pleasure streaking through my entire body.
“That would have been fun to explain to everyone, especially Charlie.” She leaned down to kiss me deeply once again. “But this is much more fun.” I stifled her with another fervent kiss before beginning to work my way down her throat.
The boat continued to sway from side to side, causing me to feel almost dizzy as I lost myself to Bella’s sweet taste and searching hands. I was so preoccupied with the newfound joy of knowing I could experience things I had only dreamed of that I almost didn’t feel the vibrating cell phone in my jeans pocket. Actually, it was Bella’s exploring fingers that reached in to remove the distracting electronic. She scanned the caller ID while I continued to kiss her collarbone.
“Text from Alice,” she said dryly. Obviously I wasn’t the only one annoyed by the interruption. “Oh!”
I pulled away at Bella’s surprised utterance to glance at the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“The fireworks are about to begin!”
I searched Bella’s exquisite features for an indication of what she wanted to do. It would be quite difficult for either of us to enjoy the show in our current horizontal position.
Wordless communication flowed freely between us; something I’d noticed was getting more and more common as we approached our wedding day. I was beginning to understand how my other family members were so easily able to distinguish the thoughts of their mates without a special talent such as mine. This realization brought on another exciting surge of pure bliss, knowing that Bella and I shared yet another secret bond that no one could break.
“Fireworks it is, love.” I reached up to kiss her lips one last time, savoring her luscious taste and scent before sliding to my right and pulling her down next to me, both of us now stretched out on our backs to await the show.
The music was building into a huge crescendo before the melody spiraled downward right as the first set of fireworks exploded in the sky. Bells sounded out across the water, and simulated cannons began to fire in time with the launching fireworks, creating a truly amazing spectacle. Streams of fire drifted down towards the harbor; the glowing sparks reflecting off the water and bathing my stunning Bella’s face in warm, golden light. She turned to look at me as I gazed unabashedly at my beautiful angel, her lips turning up into a hint of a smile. She squeezed my hand tightly.
“Edward Cullen, I love you with all of my heart,” she declared just loudly enough for me to hear. I no longer believed my own heart to be frozen and still. It swelled within my chest, threatening to start beating again, expressly for this wonderfully divine creature that I had been miraculously blessed with. There simply could not be anything better in any world, heaven or hell, then being with her.
As the last cannon shot blasted from the shore, I reached over with my other hand and gently stroked her adoring face. “Forever, my love. I am yours completely.”
She rolled back to her prior position, covering my body with her own and pressing her lips firmly to mine as the last stream of sparks blinked out above, leaving us in complete darkness. I was faintly aware of applause coming from the stage – it echoed across the still water, reminiscent of our other interruption during the symphony in San Francisco. However, this time the cheers of the crowd would not remind us of our lack of privacy and need for discretion. This time, it would be a welcoming accompaniment to the testimony of our eternal love.
