A/N: My apologies for the lack of updates- I had lasik (PRK) that needed to be retouched and then I got Covid, so I've been a mess!
"So, what exactly do we wear tonight?" Alice asks over a mouthful of cereal.
Edward watches her unblinking with judgement coloring his face. "Those who attend choose to wear white. Many also choose to wear as little fabric as possible."
"Why?" I ask.
He glances over and eyes me up and down. Last night was… his smirk absolutely agrees with my thoughts. I can still feel him in my palm, his breaths in my ear, his warmth coating my fingers.
Belle, he warns in a teasing manner.
My blush blooms, but I grab a bowl and sit next to him. He passes the milk, grabs my hand, and kisses my knuckles.
"I would prefer to keep that secret for now if you don't mind," he says. "But, just so you know," Edward looks toward Alice, "many females wear bikinis with cover-ups."
"So, like, do people swim, eat, dance, what Edward? We're in the dark here."
He nods. "I know."
Alice rolls her eyes, stands to put her bowl in the sink, and pads to her room.
"She can be absolutely agonizing," Edward says in annoyance.
I can't help but giggle, and Jasper doesn't say a word.
"How did last night go?" Edward asks Jasper while writing in his notebook.
"It was…" Jasper trails off, "nice."
Edward's pen pauses on his paper as he slowly glances up to meet Jasper's eyes. "Nice?"
Jasper nods.
Edward sighs. "So you didn't?"
"If I did, you would have heard about it by now."
I immediately understand what they're talking about, and excitement zings through my blood. My hand finds Jasper's under the table, and I squeeze softly. Soft skin, full of nervousness, grips back. He shows me their dinner, her smile, and the almost kiss before they were interrupted at the restaurant.
He shows me a side of Alice not many people have seen. Her shy smile, curious gaze, patient mind, and understanding posture. There's a slight disappointment just as Jasper pulls away to answer the waitress's question.
"You cannot complete the Bond at a restaurant in a room full of people," Edward tsks in displeasure.
"It was nearly beyond my control," Jasper defends. "There was a pull between us last night… like a magnet that wouldn't stop until—"
Edward interrupts, his voice plain and monotone. "Get better control."
Jasper rolls his eyes, annoyed at Edward just as much as Edward is annoyed at Alice. He leaves to find her, and now it's just Edward and me. He scoots over and smiles at me, his lips on my cheek, then my neck, and finally my shoulder.
This Edward is my favorite.
Lovely, lovely Belle, he whispers tenderly right into my heart.
"Edward," I whisper breathily. Leaning into his lips, I beg for more. I beg for mercy.
Please, please, please, please, please, please...
"Please what, Belle?" he whispers across my bones.
"Let's go shopping!" Alice's voice calls, growing louder the closer she gets to the kitchen.
"Fuck," Edward grunts, pulling away.
I watch as his hand scrubs over his face, through his hair, and then readjusts himself in his pants.
"No," Edward says when she stands near him.
"I don't have anything white!"
"Use your magic to—"
"No," she whines, stomping her foot like a child. "We're only in Court 3 a few more days, and we've barely gone anywhere!" she argues. I don't want to tell her I've gone to many places; that Edward has shown me more of his Court than I've seen of my own. The Lakes, the Lark Sisters, the beaches and pink sands, his favorite spots, hiking, little restaurants… I could go on for days. "Do you want to go, Belle?"
She looks dejected when our eyes meet, so I shrug. Of course, I'd love to see more of this magnificent Court, but something is holding me back.
"Alice, I don't have the money—"
"I'll pay!" she exclaims.
"Absolutely not—"
"Please," she says, pleading with her eyes.
I know she won't give up, so I relent instead of arguing all morning. With a sigh, I nod. "Fine, but only if Edward comes."
His lips twitch for just a second before his eyes meet mine. "Is that what you wish, Belle?"
I nod with a smile that grows higher and high. "Yes."
He closes his notebook and stands, holding out his hand for me, which I greedily accept, and pulls me behind him.
"Ten minutes, Alice."
She practically skips back to her room, calling for Jasper to hurry up in the shower. Edward and I walk back to his room, hand in hand and heart in heart. He doesn't speak into my mind so much as he sends emotions, feelings, and hopes.
He is hopeful, and that's enough for me.
In his room, he presses me to his door and picks up where we were interrupted in the kitchen. His teeth sink softly into the flesh of my neck before using his tongue to lap at the marks.
"Edward," I giggle, pushing him away. "We only have ten minutes!"
He pulls back, snaps his fingers, and we're ready in an instant. He smiles against my skin, pulling down the cotton tank top he's dressed me in and glances down at my rosy nipples.
"Where's my bra?" I ask.
He shakes his head as if in a trance. "I could look at these forever, and it wouldn't be long enough."
I push him away playfully, righting myself in the blue powder tank, and pull at the conservative-for-Court-3 skirt that falls mid-thigh. He doesn't waste time skimming his fingers up my thigh, past my heated center, and to the lacey edge of my underwear.
Swallowing tightly, I say, "at least you remembered those."
He chuckles darkly, bending to press his forehead to mine. Fingers tickle the edge, pressing into my belly, moving to the side of my hip.
"May I… try something?" he asks nervously.
"O-okay," I respond immediately.
Slowly—so slowly— he dips fingers lower, over my underwear, and cups my center. I'm scorching hot and throbbing in his palm, but he simply holds me in his hand. There's no pressure, although the length of his middle finger nestles into my slit.
And suddenly, he's smiling.
Edward pulls back, his eyes everywhere on my face. First, my lips, then my chin, my nose, my eyelashes, and finally, he's staring at me fully.
"I can do it," he whispers. "I can touch you."
I share in his smile and nod, trying not to move, although I want to desperately.
"I'm so proud of you," I tell him, wrapping my arms around his waist and grinning back at him. No matter how fast I want to go, how desperately I want him, I need to let him set the pace.
Edward kisses my nose, my cheeks, and my hair before pressing up ever so slightly. His eyes are on me as he rubs in the gentlest, lightest circle.
"Edward," I whimper, my fingers circling his wrist to stop him.
"I can go faster," he tells me, clearly having heard my thoughts moments ago. "Not with my fingers, but with us. I mean with my fingers, too," he laughs. "We can—"
"No," I tell him with a smile and a shake of my head. "This is perfect, Edward."
Edward breathes a sigh of what I imagine to be relief as he pulls his fingers away.
"Thank you," he breathes.
"For what?" I ask, adjusting my underwear and stepping away from the door.
"For fixing me."
With a shake of my head, I tell him, "there was nothing to fix."
He smiles down at me, his fingers ghost over the exposed skin of my arm before pulling me into a hug. It's long and delicate and exactly what we both need.
~!~
The afternoon is really fun. Jasper seems much more relaxed as he loves on Alice, who accepts it for once. Edward and I hold hands as we travel through the Plaza, stopping in any shop that sells clothes. Alice settles for a crocheted, white bikini with a coverup. I find a pretty, white tube top romper with ruffles around the thighs and a dainty bow around the waist. Typically, showing this much skin would make me nervous, but Edward's reaction sealed the deal.
We eat a small lunch on the sidewalk of a quaint café and talk about Edward's research. He doesn't mention anything about the research for us, and I'm glad about that. Instead, we talk about cycles, pregnancies, and the bodily autonomy of women.
"Do you want kids?" Alice asks Jasper.
He shrugs. "Not right away."
She nods. "Not for a long while."
Edward shakes his head. "It's not up to you," he clarifies. "Once you're Bonded, your bodies react to each other in ways that are out of your control. The woman's body changes to accept her Mate's semen—"
"Can we not?" Alice asks in disgust. "The last thing I want to hear is my brother talking about semen."
"It's important that you know. There's an herbal you can take to prevent pregnancy, and I recommend you seek medical attention for that soon."
Alice simply nods, looking away. My mom had this conversation with me when I was sixteen, and my cycle started, but I've never had to worry about it without being Bonded. Whenever Jake and I would lay together, I made sure he always used protection just in case.
We sit in a semi-awkward silence before the breeze from the ocean picks up and the roaring waves catch my attention.
"Can we go swimming?" I ask the group.
Alice quickly hops on board which means Jasper does too.
Edward pays for our lunch, opens his car door for me, and leans in to whisper, "only if I can choose your suit."
With a laugh, I tell him, "I better be covered."
He smiles. "Do you trust me, Belle?"
I get in the car because he already knows the answer. Edward drives the few minutes down the road, parking across the street from the pink sand. Alice and Jasper are already out of the car and running into the ocean as she snaps her fingers and changes their clothes. Her screams of excitement pause as the waves pull her under. When she pops up, Jasper tosses her into another. Floating through my mind are memories of our first day here where Jasper and Alice played in the water, much as they are now, while Edward and I sat on a blanket in the sand. We've come so far from that day.
I follow Edward to a spot on the sand before he changes himself into a pair of blue swim trunks. He smiles at me before glancing down my body and snapping his fingers.
Through nervous eyes, I glance down my body and smile softly. I'm not sure why I was scared. I'm in a soft blue top with matching bottoms. My hands glide to the back and find that my entire bottom is covered, much to Edward's dismay as his thoughts wish for more revealing attire.
I roll my eyes and hold my hand out for him to take. With the easiness the past few days have provided, he takes my hand in his and walks me to where the waves kiss the sand. Pink covers our feet as the water retreats.
"Shall we?" Edward asks, walking further into the water, still holding my hand in his.
Edward and I share a glance just as he reaches over and sweeps me off my feet. My arm circles his neck as my feet thrash while he marches into the water. Laughter and screams fill my ears only to be cut off when he tosses me easily into a wave.
After I pop up, soaked in the salty ocean waves, Edward allows me to jump on his chest and pull him under with me. We sink low in the clear, unpolluted water until our lungs burn with the painful need to breathe. As we surface, water sloshing around our necks, my arms circle his neck.
At this moment, with the sun overhead, the beauty of his Court, and the serenity blanketing us, I smile at him. Our bodies sink and float with the natural fluidity of the water. It washes every concern, fear, and trepidation away.
~!~
"You'll want to wear your hair up," Edward says, standing behind me in his bathroom later that day.
We arrived an hour ago and each couple headed our separate ways to prepare for tonight. Edward and I took turns showering. He read a little and worked on a research paper while I showered, and I read a little and watched him while he showered.
Our eyes meet in the mirror while he throws on a white shirt.
"Why?" I ask, brushing my wavey hair free of tangles.
"There is a certain magic about tonight that comes from the lake," he starts, gliding his hands from my shoulders to my fingertips, and landing on my hips. "I would much rather show you versus telling you."
I nod. That's how Edward works, and I'm used to it now.
"Tonight is the night," Edward says softly, bending to kiss my exposed neck.
"For what?"
"I overheard Jasper and Alice's thoughts. They are ready to Bond."
Quickly, I turn in his arms.
"Really?"
He nods. "Of course, they still have to go through with it, but this is the first time both have come to the conclusion that they are ready."
"What will this change?" I ask. "Will they get married right away?"
Alice said she didn't want to end up like all the rest—married before she graduates—so I can't imagine that's their immediate plan.
Edward shakes his head before shrugging. "Not necessarily, but the Bond is extreme, Belle. Once they kiss and the Soul Bond is complete, their feelings intensify exponentially. The need to be with each other will increase, and soon it will feel like time away from each other has made them ill, and they will not be able to be separated for long periods of time. If Alice and Jasper decide to hold off on marriage, do not be surprised if you see less and less of Alice."
Looking away, I nod. She already spends the majority of her time with Jasper, but this means she won't be living full time in our room.
"Perhaps some alone time might be good," Edward says while reading my mind, his lips touching the skin of my neck while his hands circle my waist, pulling me tightly to his body.
"And what should I do in my alone time?" I tease.
He smirks, eyes on me again in the mirror as he says, "not what should you do, but whom."
A gentle swirl of heat rushes through me while I quietly giggle. The blush lights my skin on fire, and I need to put distance between us, or we'll never leave this room.
Edward's smirk hasn't fallen, and I can't believe this is the same guy I met last year at that party. The aloof boy who stepped on my toe, fixed me and tied me to him. Turning in his arms, I stare into the deep green orbs that enrapture me, the curious eyes that used to speak more words than his mouth ever did, the eyes I love to watch as he watches me.
"Kate will try and whisk you away tonight," Edward says with a sigh, pulling back. "I do apologize in advance. She can be a little… forward."
"Meaning?"
"She has no limits and does not understand that some people enjoy keeping their sexual behaviors to themselves. Please do not feel obligated to answer any of her ludicrous questions."
I smile as his cheeks heat. "And if I want to?" I ask, quirking a brow.
His head tilts as his eyes study me. Then, he raises a challenging brow. "Then I only ask you leave my past out of it. She does not know the extent of what happened."
"But she does know?" I question.
He nods solemnly. "The day we went shopping when Jasper and Alice first found out, I went to a bar, and Kate was there. Obviously, that night I was not myself. She hounded me relentlessly, and I confided some of the less extreme details to her because she is a trustworthy friend. Kate knows I was under the influence of a witch and that she… took advantage of me. Kate does not know it is Jasper's mother."
"Any particular reason why not?"
Edward shrugs. "No."
I smile up at him and cup his face in my palm. "You're opening up more, Edward."
"Don't remind me. I suppose I have you to thank for that," he teases quietly, fingers wrapping around my wrist but making no effort to remove my hand. Instead, he turns his face and presses his lips into my palm. "Belle, I—"
He's cut off by a knock on the door. "We're waiting!" Alice sings happily from the hallway.
"You ready, Lovely?" he asks, brushing my hair away from my face.
I pin my hair into a low bun and nod up at him. Edward and I exit his room and make our way to a very jittery Alice and Jasper.
Because Alice doesn't know where this place is, she can't use her magic to travel there. Instead, Edward takes each of them, one at a time, using his own magic. He's back within seconds, and it's just the two of us.
"The crowd is pretty rowdy, so stay close, okay?"
I nod and hold up my hand. Edward takes it warmly and smiles. "You are the most stunning creature I will ever witness," he whispers before his fingers snap, and we're transported to the outskirts of the festival.
At first, I'm completely taken aback. Not just from his words but the number of people here. There must be a hundred individuals just along the outskirts, drinking from glasses, wearing next to nothing. All in white and all laughing.
My eyes land on a couple with paint streaks down their arms. One is yellow, and the other has orange. It's strange, but Edward gives me no time to think as he's pulling me through the brush and past a group of people. On the ground along the path and on each tree branch there's a glowing lantern to light the path in the darkness.
Somewhere far in the woods, there's music with a deep beat that can be felt from where we're standing. It's loud but not overbearing. The moon shines above as large as I've ever seen. It's crisp white and shimmering. Around the moon are tiny stars of various colors; the galaxies dim tonight to give room for the stars to shine. I've never seen anything like it. I sort of laugh at myself because, of course, I haven't.
Edward shares in my laugh before explaining, "the stars watch down tonight. They are witches from the past here to celebrate, give thanks, and support the Larks. At least, that's what the legend says."
"And do you believe that?" I ask as he guides me closer and closer to the water.
"I used to think the legend was crazy, but how can you deny those stars?" he asks, looking up. I nod in agreeance. "Unless," he whispers, trailing off.
"Unless what?" Our eyes meet as he smiles down at me.
"Unless they are shining for you, Lovely."
I scoff at his response. "Don't be crazy," I say, but the thousands of glimmering stars above catch my attention. They sure are pretty.
Soft wetness drips down my collarbone as I'm pulled from the view above. Edward sticks his finger in the lake and draws a lazy heart on the naked skin above my breast. It's a deep metallic blue that reflects under the moonlight.
"How did you do that?" I ask, going to rub off some of the wetness, but the color stains my skin.
"The water of this lake possesses more magic than I have encountered. Just for tonight, the water turns to colors when pressed onto the skin. Many enjoy counting how many colors they can collect on their body before the night is over," Edward explains, leading my hand to the water and submerging it up to my wrist.
"And tomorrow it just disappears?" I ask, watching the clear liquid drip down my skin.
He takes my wrist in his, lifts his shirt, and presses my palm over the black marks on his chest. A deep, rich, sparkling gold shimmers back in the shape of my hand as I pull away. Gold covers the marks, erasing Edward of his past, if only for tonight.
There's a smile tugging at both our lips. The need to kiss him pains me. My lips burn for his, and I can't manage to think of anything else.
My eyes are on his lips, taking him in, feeding off his energy. Below, his throat bobs with a dry swallow. He feels it, too. I know he does.
Long fingers grip mine and pull me so tightly against him I can't breathe, and I don't want to. Not if this ends. Not if I can't kiss him. Not if I can't have him.
I'm ruined now.
Edward sucks in my air, gulping me down, swallowing my thoughts faster than I can produce them. He tries to shut me down and stop me as he pins me against his body so we both don't do something we'll regret.
Tender lips press against the hair covering my shoulders before he moves it away and touches his open mouth to my heated flesh. My skin practically sizzles against his.
"My sister is coming," he explains, stepping back.
"Look!" she yells, running towards us and drawing a star on my upper arm in light pink.
Merlot, royal purple, and soft greens cover her arms like battle paint. Except, this magical battle paint implies peace over war. All of us gathered here tonight to celebrate the Lark Sisters and support them over the unjust sanctions of the warlock.
After I draw on Alice's body, Edward gives Jasper a look before pulling me away from their special evening.
Our fingers aren't laced, but our knuckles graze as we walk side by side among the throng of people. He speaks into my mind, whispering jokes and asking me to pay no mind to the couple who are practically inside each other to our right.
This night opens a lot of inhibitions, I see.
Edward sends me a smirk. It can if you drink the water.
What does the water do?
He shrugs. I have never consumed it.
Then how do you know?
Edward chuckles as he recalls a memory Kate previously told him. Her long blonde hair bouncing at her sides as she rides a faceless man.
"Edward!" I gasp, slapping his chest playfully.
"I asked her the same question, and that's what she showed me."
"Is that Garrett?"
"Perhaps you should ask her?" Edward says as we round a tree and come face to face with Kate herself. "Kate, would you do me a favor and keep Belle in your sight? I need to do a little research while I am here tonight."
My face falls at his question. "I don't need a babysitter—"
"Yes!" Kate exclaims. "I've been bugging him to bring you over, but he wanted to keep you all to himself. He's so selfish, isn't he?" Kate jokes.
An hour, Belle. Enjoy yourself, Edward whispers before he snaps his finger and disappears.
"You never really get used to that, do you?" Kate asks before lacing her fingers with mine and pulling me over to where Garett's sitting on a fallen log. "So, what did you want to ask?"
"Oh," I start, the memory coming back full force. "It was nothing."
Kate looks disbelievingly at me. A perfectly arched brow lifts in challenge until I relent as she pulls me down next to her on the log opposite her Mate.
"Edward mentioned something about the water…" I trail off, too embarrassed to go on.
Kate barks out an unladylike laugh before scooting closer to me and whispering, "I highly recommend it."
"Really?" I ask.
"I do it every year. Trust me; a little goes a long way," Kate jokes before leaning closer so only I can hear her. "And you don't need to have sex to enjoy the effects."
I don't ask her to expand on her comment as it's pretty obvious what she means, so I simply nod and ask her some basic questions about Court 3. She tells me about her childhood, her job, and how she met Edward. He had previously told me their story, but Kate's rendition is much more theatrical.
Kate asks me about Court 6. When I show her some of my memories of the dust storms, gray sky, and my family home, she doesn't cringe like many others. Kate takes it all and smiles with each memory, asking for more, soaking in my court.I decide at this moment that I really like her.
Our conversation flows so easily after this that I barely realize when Edward returns. He combs his fingers through wet hair.
"You went swimming?" I question.
He smirks and playfully says, "not exactly."
"Did you find it?" Garret asks.
Edward tilts his head over to where Kate's fiancé sits on the log before shaking his head. "Not exactly," Edward says, but this time there's regret in his tone.
He sits beside Garret, and the two talk in hushed whispers.
"Hey," Kate says, pulling my attention away. "Can I mark you?"
She points to a spot on my skin with her finger. When I nod, Kate touches her finger to my skin. Dark orange colors the flower she traces on my forearm.
Edward, I call out, but it's not returned.
Figuring he still has his block up, I turn my attention away from him and let him be. Kate and I talk about her wedding, and when she asks if I'm still going to be Edward's date, I nod. Kate smiles genuinely. Then, low enough so Garret doesn't hear, she whispers about her plans for after the wedding.
"There's a tiny island a few miles offshore of Court 3 that many frequent for their marriage celebration, but he doesn't know about it just yet."
My nod reassures her that I won't tell him, but then my brows furrow at my next thought. "Does the island belong to Court 3? I've never heard anything about it."
Kate tilts her head to the side and briefly ponders my question before offering a shrug. "I don't know the origin of the island, just that some people go there."
Before I can answer, a soft breeze brushes past my side, and a heaviness settles over us. Kate sits upright, her eyes downcast.
A voice beside me quietly says, "the Royals provided the island to Court 3 citizens as a gift."
Jane.
When I turn, she looks nothing like I'd seen before. Long blond hair braids down her back with loose curls around her face. She wears minimal makeup except the soft berry lipstick staining her pouty mouth. And she matches us in a more modest yet appropriate white outfit.
Jane doesn't look Royal tonight, and I wonder if that's on purpose. She sends me a wink as I eye her up and down.
"Lovely to see you, Belle."
"To what do we owe such a pleasure?" Garret asks in the most monotone voice he can muster.
"Just seeing what all the fuss is about," Jane responds evenly, glancing around.
"You might be the first Royal to—" Edward starts, but Jane interrupts his thought.
"I am the first Royal to attend."
Kate quirks a brow but otherwise stays silent.
Edward nods and says, "then perhaps things are changing."
We all sit in awkward silence before Jane asks me, "can we speak in private?"
Edward eyes us, and now I realize he didn't respond a few minutes ago because a Royal is here.
"Of course."
Edward and Garret watch as we leave, but he seems more curious than apprehensive. Jane leads us through trees, out of the brush, and into a small clearing with no one around. She snaps her fingers and sets a small light beside the giant rock that we lean against. I smile at Edward's magic that lends itself to Jane for the time being.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asks casually.
I nod.
"Good. Royalty doesn't usually show up to these things—most like to stay as nonpolitical as they can—but with the evidence Edward has shown us…" she trails off with a smile.
"What evidence?"
"About the Lark Sisters. You should really convince him to show you. He's really quite brilliant," Jane says honestly.
"Then why isn't he here in my place?"
Jane scoffs. "I may as well be talking to a wall, that's why. He's got his sights set on one thing and won't even hear other options."
"What's he trying to—"
Jane looks at me with her head tilted and her brow raised. "Use your imagination."
My brow knits in confusion and worry for him.
Jane says, "some are catching on to my visits with you two, so they will stop after tonight. The next time we meet, I will not be friendly, and it will not be fun. Please know it is for your benefit. If they catch on—" she stops herself before continuing. "Please deliver him a message in the place that only you two communicate."
Our minds.
"O-okay," I stutter nervously.
"Tell him the inscription reads 'what you seek ebbs and flows, under the mountain is where it grows. Soft blue with purple petals but be wary of the matching metal.' There is nothing after that."
"After what?" I question, still trying to decipher her riddle.
"He'll explain."
"What's going on, Jane?"
"Your Mate is trying."
Exasperatedly, I push myself off the rock and step in front of her. This is the boldest thing I've ever done, but at this moment, I don't care. "Trying to what?"
She smiles. "To break the curse."
~!~
Jane and I walk back to Edward, who looks like he hasn't moved a muscle since we left. He's up and next to us as we return.
"Enjoy your night," she tells us before turning her attention to Kate. "I have been assigned as your Royal Ordinance on your wedding day. A list of requirements will be sent to your mother for tendering. Do not forget the rules," Jane says before leaving as discretely as she arrived.
When she's gone, Kate smiles at Garret and says, "at least it's her."
"What's a Royal Ordinance? And there are rules at your wedding?" I ask as Edward slips a hand between mine and walks us to an empty log.
"The Royal Ordinance pertains to an ancient tradition. In wealthier Courts, a Royal is assigned to a wedding and ensures the Bond is both solidified and accepted. They act as law and seal the marriage for eternity," Edward explains. "When Kate and Garret recite their vows and pledge eternity together, they seal their fate with a kiss, thus completing the Bond. As the Royal Ordinance, Jane signs a document stating such which she presents and turns over to the Royals."
"And the rules?"
Garret speaks now. "If the Soul Bond occurs naturally, and the wedding occurs before they can assign you someone, a certain set of rules must be followed. Two weeks before the wedding, the Bride and Groom are forbidden to see or talk to one another to ensure the Bond is solid and accepted on both sides. If it is, the wedding occurs as planned. If not, and one person rejects the Bond, you must then wait to be Bonded with someone of the Royals' choosing… as is natural in their world." Garett spits out the explanation like it's dirt in his mouth.
Kate cuddles up to Garret and whispers something only the two of them can hear. He wraps an arm around her shoulder and presses his lips against his temple. The simple act of kindness speaks volumes of his tenderness and compassion toward her. Radiance spills from her skin as she smiles at him.
True love and nothing else exist for them at this moment.
A soft melody fills the air, starting low before gaining volume and bursting around us. Garret and Kate excuse themselves, leaving the two of us to sit in a comfortable quiet.
The stars overhead gleam through the overhanging tree limbs that cocoon us in safety. Laughter and happiness come from other areas of the mountain, but right now, it's just the two of us.
Edward turns us so we're straddling the log and facing each other.
"Why were you wet?" I ask.
"I was looking for something."
"Did you find it?"
His eyes cast over every inch of my face like he's memorizing it.
"Not yet," he answers sadly.
I want so badly to tell him about what Jane said, to deliver the message, to help him in every way imaginable, but I can't.
Instead, I tell him how much I like Kate and how easy it is to talk to her. We talk about their wedding and the dress code. He suggests I show way more than I'm comfortable with, and when I ask if I should just go naked, he barks out a laugh.
"Absolutely not," he says, peering down. "The only man I want looking at your beautiful body is me."
"Then what should I wear?" I ask him.
Edward glances up through thick lashes and smiles slyly. "The green dress, of course."
~!~
The rest of the night passes quickly. Edward and I walk around the forest, eating and drinking, dancing briefly in some areas, and we end up meeting his friends by a large fire. By the end of the night, I'm painted with every color imaginable, while Edward still only has my gold handprint covering his marks.
The sky erupts in a brilliant shade of pink, clouding the soft gray moon that shines brightly above us. Still, the stars peek through, and I hope to remember this image forever. There's an easiness tonight. Everyone here is safe, content, and happy. There's no anger or irritation, no attitude or condescension, and there's certainly no grief.
Tonight is a celebration of everything we've lived through, overcome, and loved. I realize that tonight and this celebration are as much for all of us as for the Lark sisters.
Edward pulls me from Carmen and bids everyone farewell just after two in the morning.
"Come," Edward whispers, lips on my neck. "I would like to show you something."
I follow him down a path for what seems like ages, but we arrive at a small pond in a clearing. No trees or branches cover us, so it's just us and the moon ahead.
"Garret says this pond water has half the magic the lake has," he explains, walking closer to the pond before taking my fingers and dipping them in the water much like he did earlier. This time, he traces my fingers on his lips before sucking them into his mouth and tasting my skin.
He dips his fingers in the water and traces my lips. I copy his movement and open my mouth, sucking his finger into my mouth and swallowing the wetness off the skin of his finger. It's watered-down fruit and salt… and then it hits me. I'm hungry, but not for food.
My eyes open to meet his, and I know we're feeling the same thing at the same moment. Our bodies collide as he tears the romper down, so it pools around my waist.
"Here or home?" he pants against my skin, his tongue raking up my neck before he bites my chin. "Hurry, Belle."
"I need you," I pant in a frenzy. "I—" Edward cuts me off, turning my body, so my back rests flush against his chest.
He finds a spot and settles us on the blanket of grass with his back against a tree stump. We're seated on the damp ground the same way he's laid with me in the bath on many occasions.
Edward's hands roam across my over-sensitized skin, cupping my breasts in his palms and squeezing softly. "Can I touch you?" he asks.
"Please," I beg, pushing my chest outward, so he grips harder.
Edward doesn't waste time as he slips my romper down past my hips, leaving me exposed save for the scrap of cotton covering my arousal. He kicks the romper off one of my legs before spreading them wide. Each foot is planted on the outside of his with knees bent, so I'm stuck open for him.
Long, impatient fingers glide over my center, where he palms me hard. My hips buck. This is much different than the trepidation and nervousness he showed me earlier today as he touched me. Now that he knows he can, he holds nothing back.
"Under," I whisper impatiently. "Hurry."
"How do you feel?" he whispers in my ear from behind as his fingers tickle the skin just above the waistband of my underwear.
"Like I might die if you don't—"
My breath catches in my throat as he slips his fingers inside my underwear, and two thick fingers waste no time gliding between my very wet lips. Edward doesn't tease. Instead, he gives me everything I need.
Edward sucks in a breath as he feels me bare, hot, and slick. Edward makes use of his time by sliding the tips of his fingers just barely into my entrance before spreading my wetness across my clit and rubbing gentle circles.
My hands grip dirt and pull grass from the roots. My hips buck in the most pleasure I've ever felt at the same time my legs begin to shake. In seconds, I'm already there. Just as I'm cresting, Edward uses his free hand to wrap around my chest and pinch my nipple.
"Come for me, Belle," he whispers in my ear. "Let me hear you sing."
He gently pushes me over the edge, but the fall is hard and intense. Soft whispers that I can't make out help bring me down from the intensity of my climax, and when I rest my head on his shoulder, I can't help but giggle.
"That was crazy," I laugh.
"That was incredible. I want to do it again," he whispers, his fingers still rubbing slow circles on my overly sensitive clit. I reach down to still his movements, and he grunts in my ear.
"I just need a moment," I tell him softly.
He removes his hand from my underwear and helps to right my romper. Edward stands, and I notice the straining erection in his pants.
He notices as well but shakes his head. "Not right now," he whispers. "I don't know if—" but he stops himself, head hanging low. "I don't want to ruin your night if I can't—"
"That would never ruin my night," I tell him honestly as he helps me up. "And I won't push you. If you think you'd like to try more of what we did last time," I pause, remembering the way his erection fit in my hand as my fingers slipped and wrapped around him, "then you let me know when you're ready." I lean up to kiss his cheek softly.
Edward nods before enveloping me in a tight embrace. While the first orgasm momentarily quelled the roaring arousal in my blood, it's quickly returning.
"How long will we feel like this?" I pant, pulling back.
"A few hours," he answers. "Are you ready for another so soon?" he teases.
I nod. "Take us home."
Edward grins. "As you wish."
A/N: A huge, HUGE thank you to those who voted in the Gold Onion awards. I won 2nd place for Shoot Star! I almost never win anything unless it's by luck, so thank you so much to those who voted!
And thank you to those who take time to review each and every chapter. I love to read them, and I look forward to your thoughts and comments!
Thank you to Fran for beta-ing (any major mistakes I claim as my own as I always make little changes after she edits!)
eepwrites on instagram for inspo pics!