A Few Tables Away Chapter 24 & Pics

Chapter 24

EDWARD

“We’ll be right behind you,” Emmett told Aunt Jane. “But if I don’t stop at the diner for coffee, Rosie’ll kill me…or turn into the road-rage queen.”

I grinned from the backseat at Rose’s snort, but she nodded and shrugged, too. “I resemble that remark,” she muttered, grinning at Bella’s soft laugh.

Alice, Bella, and I were all riding with Emmett to Seattle, where he’d drop us off at the hotel by the airport before he and Rose drove back to UW. The movers were loaded up and gone with the few boxes we’d needed. Alice was packed and had already checked out Glenhaven High School’s website, the school Jasper had attended. She was nervous and quiet, but she seemed to be coming to terms with it all. She’d wanted to join me in Florida anyway, but it all happened quicker than we’d originally thought.

“Coffee sounds pretty damn good, actually,” Bella chimed in, leaning into me from the middle of the backseat.

She was between me and Alice, and just like I’d thought… The two got along perfectly. Rose, too, for that matter. The three were very strong personalities, but they seemed to complement one another instead of clashing.

We shot waves to Charlie, Renee, Jasper, and Aunt Jane as they pulled out ahead of us from my driveway, and I gave one last look to the house. As much as I missed my mother, I wouldn’t miss that house. Anything good that I remembered was now overshadowed by Dad’s hate. The house meant nothing to me. It was cold and sharp, with a darkness that hung over it. As I looked at it one more time, every anxious feeling about it melted away. I was going home, and I honestly didn’t care what my father’s fate would be, though I knew he was falling deeper and deeper into trouble – something for which he alone was responsible.

We pulled into the diner, and Bella and Rose went in for their coffee. Emmett followed to keep them company. I looked over to Alice.

“I won’t miss this town,” she said, meeting my gaze after rolling her eyes.

Chuckling, I reached over to squeeze her shoulder. “You really won’t, Ali.”

There was a rumble of a truck engine, not to mention a shadow cast over Emmett’s car, and when I glanced to the parking space next to us, I groaned, shaking my head slowly. I’d gone the whole damn Christmas break in Forks without running into any former classmates…until now.

Mike Newton had once been a friend in middle school. He then turned into the biggest asshole. As he slid down from his ridiculously tall, oversize truck, he caught sight of Alice and me, a slow, evil smile creeping up his face. A petite blonde girl slid down from the passenger side at the same time.

“Ah, well… Looky here. If it isn’t Killer Cullen!” he taunted, beaming like he’d just received an extra fucking Christmas present. “Rumor has it your old man is in deep shit.”

I snorted, glancing to Alice, who looked like she was about five seconds from launching herself through the back window at him. But when I looked back at Mike, I saw Bella, Rose, and Emmett emerge from the diner. My brother’s face darkened at the sight of Mike, but Bella’s eyes narrowed as I opened the door to let her in.

“I got us a large to share, baby,” she said, standing up on her toes to kiss my lips.

Mike laughed outright. “You’re Killer Cullen’s girl?!” he asked incredulously but flinched when Emmett stepped closer. “Hoshit! Emmett…didn’t see you there…”

Emmett grinned, shaking his head. “Get away from me, Mike. I’ve got more important shit to do today than teach you a lesson in history.”

Mike smirked, holding out his hand to Rose and then Bella. “Michael Newton… I used to go to school with…”

Rose looked at him like he was a disgusting, slimy bug. Bella, however, eyed his hand, tilted her head to take in his truck, and then she looked to me.

“Did he really just call you…Killer Cullen?” she asked in a dangerously slow drawl, and I heard Alice’s giggle, never mind the fact that Rose and Emmett were waiting for whatever my girl was about to say. When I nodded, her nostrils flared and her eyes darkened as she faced Mike. “Is this your truck?” she asked, which wasn’t what I was expecting, and Mike grinned proudly her way.

“Hell, yeah…special mud tires, a lift-kit…”

“Aww…” she crooned sadly in a sing-song way. “Sorry about your penis, dude…” She spun to face me. “Coffee, handsome?”

Grinning, I took the cup as she crawled into the backseat of the car.

Rose barked a laugh, mouthing, “So sorry,” to the blonde with him, and once everyone was back in the car, she turned to face Bella as we left Mike and his confused girl and that stupidly ginormous truck behind us. “Oh, Bella… You may be the most perfect girl for Edward.”

Bella grinned, glancing up my way, but it was me who whispered, “I know she is,” against her temple.

~oOo~

The three-hour drive into Seattle was a mix of laughter and music and conversation that had nothing to do with Carlisle Cullen, Forks, or even Mike. Emmett and I traded college stories, the girls chatted about all sorts of different stuff, and for the first time since I’d landed in Washington, I felt normal, calm, but that could’ve been because I was about to leave the whole state behind.

Once Emmett pulled up to the hotel, he turned to face us. “I’ll keep you posted on Dad, guys. And we’ll be down as soon as school lets out for the summer. Baby bro, watch over the midget…and vice versa.”

“I will,” Alice and I said at the same time.

“And guys…let this shit go. Forget about Dad. We’re in the right, so we just have to wait out all his court bullshit.”

We all nodded and got out, calling good-byes and love yous before we walked into the hotel.

Bella squeezed my hand, looking up at me. “I… I got a room for the two of us to share, Edward, so I hope…”

Nodding, I kissed her temple. “Yeah, I’m gonna hate the dorms after this.”

Her giggle was adorable. “Then my spoiling you is working!”

It turned out that Alice had her own room, where everyone else was doubled up. I honestly just needed to be back in Florida. I was ready to do like my brother said and put all of this shit behind me.

It wasn’t until later that night that I realized how subdued Bella had been since we’d checked into the hotel. Throughout dinner, she’d been quiet, not to mention in the car as we drove around Seattle. But once we were back in our room, I sat her down on the edge of the bed.

“What’s wrong, pretty girl? You’re so quiet. Is there… Do you…” I wasn’t sure what to ask, or even how to ask it, but something was making her nervous. I worried that I’d done something wrong, though I couldn’t figure out what.

She reached up to trail her fingers down my face, her brow furrowing a little. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Bella.”

She got up from the bed to rummage around in her bag, pulling out something I’d completely forgotten about – my leather-bound journal. I chuckled a little, taking it from her.

“Did you read it all, baby?” I asked her, thumbing through it but looking up at the beautiful girl taking her seat back on the bed.

She nodded, leaning in to kiss me. “I did. And it was beautiful. All of it. I prefer the real deal, but I was missing you, so I was happy with what you gave me.”

Grinning, I nodded but tilted my head at her. “So… What’s this got… You didn’t answer my question. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Edward,” she spoke softly, fidgeting with my fingers in her lap. “I just… There was an entry in there.” She finally met my gaze as she tapped the book. “You said… You… I don’t need candles or…or beautiful words, but Edward, I’m ready for the universe to shift.”

It took me a second to realize what she meant, and when I did, I gasped, gaping up at her with shock. “Bella, what are you saying?”

“I’m… I want to be with you…in every way, Edward. I’m ready… Shit, I was ready before you left Florida, but… I love you, and I want to show you.”

I gave the room a quick glance as I set my journal on the floor. If I was being honest with myself, I hadn’t seen it happening this way. Though, I wasn’t sure what I’d expected. However, this was slowly starting to feel like the perfect place. We had our own room, not her bedroom at her house, and it wasn’t my dorm room. It was ours and ours alone. It also seemed like perfect timing, because I wanted to show her, too. I’d thought I loved her before I’d gotten on the plane to come here, but as I gazed at the girl in front of me, I knew it was more, deeper, just everything.

Reaching for her face, I brushed the backs of my fingers across her cheek. “You’re sure?” I asked in a whisper. “Pretty girl, I need you to be so sure…” My voice was soft, but the tone was pleading. I’d never forgive myself if she really wasn’t ready.

“I’m sure I love you,” she said back with a slight smile on her gorgeous face, but she tilted her head at me, bringing my lips to hers for a brief, light kiss. “Edward, we don’t need candles or poetry or grand gestures. We don’t need to plan a thing. We just need each other.”

I grinned, brushing my lips across hers. “Plan…” I scoffed as I shook my head. “I never planned on you, Bella. That’s for damn sure.” I sighed, standing up in front of her and kicking out of my shoes before sitting on the bed with my back against the headboard. “C’mere,” I breathed, holding my arms out for her, and immediately she was astride my lap. Cupping her face, I said, “We may not need grand gestures, Bella, but… This…this is important to me, not because it’s the first time but because it’s you. I want this to be…everything. You are everything to me, pretty girl, and I… Despite how badly I want you – and oh God, I want you so bad – I want this to be special. And I don’t want to hurt you or mess up or…”

She smiled, leaning in to kiss me and raking her fingers gently through my hair to shut me up and most likely settle me down, as well. “From the very second I met you, Edward Cullen, I knew you would never hurt me. And you never will. I know it, deep down inside my heart. And at no time, no matter what we’ve done, have I regretted a thing.”

I was overthinking. I knew I was. She’d once told me that it didn’t matter that I’d never had a girlfriend, and she’d placed her hand on my heart, telling me to follow it. As I gazed up at the girl who’d irreversibly changed my life for the better, I could feel myself completely surrender. She made me strong, she made me laugh, and she gave me peace in the stormy shit that was my life. But I could see she was my future, too. All those things she’d said that first morning she’d arrived in Forks – I wanted it. I wanted all of it. I wanted to mesh our lives together into one perfect thing.

Slipping my hand into her hair, I pulled her lips to mine. I kissed her softly, like our first kiss, taking my time, but I pulled back to meet her gaze. “I know we don’t need… I mean…” I kissed her again, deeply, simply because I couldn’t stop myself, but when I pulled back, I met her dark, heated gaze. “I want to make you feel good, Bella. And…and…”

Her smile was wicked and sexy and sweet – all at the same time. “We don’t need anything. You know I’m on the pill, baby. You’ve seen me take it. Now… Finish that sentence, Edward.”

I swallowed nervously. “I want to see all of you, and I can’t wait to feel you.”

“Yes,” she hissed, reaching for the bottom of her sweater and tugging it off, only to reach for mine.

Something in us melted away. There was no more hesitation. When we were both shirtless, left only in our jeans, I sat up, wrapping my arms around her as we lost ourselves in the deepest kiss. It started slightly frantic and hungry, but slowly we both found a smooth, deep pace, with hands touching skin and chest pressing against chest. Rolling us, I melted into her, barely breaking away from her lips, but her legs wrapped around my waist as hands started to pull and push and grip.

With one last brush across her lips, I pulled away, pressing my forehead to hers. “I love you, Bella.”

“I love you, too. Please don’t stop.”

“I can’t,” I said breathlessly, giving her a half smile when she cupped my face. “I can’t stop. I need you, pretty girl. I need this and you and all of it. Nothing matters to me but you. Tell me you know that before we…before I…”

She was nodding before I finished that rambling plea, and I braced one hand by her hand, pushing up to gaze down at the beautiful thing beneath me. God, she was gorgeous, which I said out loud as I reached out with my free hand to touch – her face, her neck, between her breasts, and flat along her stomach. When I reached the edge of her jeans, I looked back at her face, and she nodded vehemently.

I pulled at the button until it popped open and then lowered her zipper. Dropping kisses to each peaked nipple and the soft skin along her stomach, I worked my way down to kneel between her legs. I grasped the top of her jeans, and we both smiled when she had to wriggle a bit to get out of them, but I was finally able to tug them off and drop them off the side of the bed. To see her sprawled out in nothing but a pair of tiny pink underwear was just about my undoing.

“Fuck, you’re just…beautiful,” I said in awe, reaching for the pale-pink lace.

I lost myself a bit when she lay completely bare in front of me, but her giggle brought me right back, as did her legs, which wrapped around my torso to tug at me. I smiled back at her, feeling a little of my worries disappear as nothing about this felt wrong or too soon or too much. It was just us.

“I want…” I licked my lips at what I wanted to say, but my eyes betrayed me as I took in the apex of her legs.

“Oh God…” she whimpered. “Edward, please…”

“I’ve never…but I… Fuck, I want to…”

Skimming my hands flat along her thighs that were wrapped around me, I gently pushed them open. I’d touched her before – more than one time – but to see her spread out for me was better than anything I’d ever read, watched, or dreamed. I rubbed the inside of her thighs gently, finally trailing my fingers along her mound and then through her slit. I could feel her shaking, her hips raising up a little as I leaned down and kissed her stomach, the inside of her thigh, and finally her pussy.

Her reaction was better than any part of what we were doing. She was so sensitive, her hips raised again. The flavor of her was heady, a salty-sweet taste, not unlike her skin when she was sweaty. She used her body to tell me what felt good; she barely breathed aloud not to stop when my fingers slid inside her at the same time my tongue hit the perfect spot and speed. And soon, my name, along with a few curse words, hit the air as her pussy fluttered around my fingers.

Ravenous for her, I lifted my head, still licking the flavor from my lips, and she sat up a little to reach for my jeans. Her fingers deftly popped open the button, and I kissed her briefly before slipping off the bed in order to kick out of them, tugging my socks off as well. She’d seen my dick before, but the way she was looking at me made me feel nervous and smug at the same time. She knelt on the bed, pulling me to stand in front of her, and I leaned down to kiss her.

We were hands and skin and heavy breathing, completely bare for each other, but as badly as I wanted her, I needed to slow down. However, it was Bella who took the lead this time, gently placing her hand on the back of my neck and guiding me back onto the bed over her. Her kiss was searing and needy, her hands everywhere. And we both moaned aloud when everything about us lined up perfectly.

Gasping, I squeezed my eyes closed for a second before opening them up to see her. “Bella…baby…I love you. I need… You have to…”

“Shhh,” she breathed against the corner of my mouth, “I love you, too.” Her hand wrapped around my shaft and guided me to her entrance. “Please…”

My eyes rolled back as I started to push forward, and my mouth fell open. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt and infinitely better than anything we’d done prior to this. She was warm and wet and heavenly, and I froze when she gasped a little.

Leaning down, I kissed her, slowly easing out and then back in, which was using every bit of my self-control. I wanted to feel all of her around me, and the urge to come was overwhelming, but slowly her muscles stopped tensing and her grip went from harsh to pulling me in, touching me everywhere, and her legs wrapped around me.

But it was her face I paid the most attention to, making sure I wasn’t hurting her. The pinched expression faded from around her eyes, and the warmth returned as her lips met mine and her hips started to work with me.

“Damn, I… You feel so good, Edward,” she moaned.

“Yes,” I hissed, burying my face in her neck as I tried to keep from coming, but she felt too good.

I felt it building, creeping up my spine and tightening my balls. I was barely holding back, but it all became so much, too much. It was the feel of skin on skin and the smell of her hair; it was the sounds that the two of us made together and the sight of all of that stuff combined into one single act. And it was overwhelming need, but most of all it was my overflowing love for her. Suddenly, I was coming harder than I’d ever come before. Bella’s arms held me close, and my own curses, along with my love for her, were muffled against the skin of her throat.

My vision blurred a bit, but I was breathing heavy as my forehead fell to hers. Her fingers glided up and down my spine.

“Don’t move,” she pleaded against the side of my head as I buried my face in her neck again.

“I’m sorry. You didn’t…”

“Don’t be sorry,” she whispered, and I heard her breathing hitch a little.

My eyes opened to see a tear escape the corners of her eyes, and I frowned, reaching to wipe one away with my thumb. “You okay?”

“I’m…perfect. I just…love you, and now… I may never let you go,” she rambled adorably in a whisper, smiling when I chuckled a little.

“Good, then my spoiling is working,” I teased her, brushing kisses all over her face. “That was… I can’t… Thank you. I love you, too, Bella.” I laughed softly at my inability to speak, and her smile melted me completely. I trailed a thumb gently beneath her eye. “The universe did shift. I see…everything in your eyes, pretty girl.”

There was so much truth in that statement. She was everything perfect and good and loving. She was everything I’d ever needed in my life. My life had completely changed since meeting her, and in spite of all the bullshit we still had to deal with concerning my dad, I finally felt, for the first time in my life, that I’d found my normal, my family, myself. Leaving Washington tomorrow would be the start of everything. I could do what my mother had intended for me – I’d truly live, seeking a future with my family – both blood related and hand-picked – and a future with Bella.

But some things I wanted to hold on to, things that were too important to lose, so with a smile and a slight grimace, I separated from her, reaching for the book I’d left on the nightstand before dinner.

“C’mere, pretty girl. I’ve missed this,” I whispered, settling her under the covers, and she curled herself around me, wearing a beautiful smile, as I opened to the first page and dropped a kiss to her head before I started to read.

“The Secret Garden. Chapter 1. There Is No One Left. When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was most disagreeable-looking child ever seen…”