to the gym myself because I wanted some time alone so he wouldn't get all concerned over everygroan. See what good that did me?"I keep smiling at her, and after a moment she reciprocates."Don't worry, Em will be here soon. Bells called Jasper and told him to pick him up and bring himhere. In no time you'll be able to curse him at the top of your lungs for getting you into this."I half expect Rose to just shrug the news off but she smiles at me mentioning Em knocking her up.Then she cranes her neck and reaches out to Bella, who takes her hand after a second."Thanks, B. Really, thank you."For a moment Rose looks ready to start crying, but then she huffs and rolls her eyes, probably atherself."Gah, just look at me, a raving lunatic one moment, a crybaby the next! I can't wait when this fuckingcocktail of hormones is out of my blood stream!""You're handling it pretty well. I don't even want to think of what a mess I will become when I'mpregnant," Bella replies, e
She frowns, but now she's avoiding my gaze."Puking, actually, but never mind, I'm good now."When she sees my raised brows she sighs, then rubs her eyes."Look, Edward, can we please not do this here? I really appreciate your concern, but now's not thetime and I'd really like to have that talk where less than half the hospital can hear us."I nod, if slowly, then reach up so gently cradle her cheek. Her smile widens, and for a moment hereyes close as she relaxes into my touch."We can go home, too. Right now. I'm sure Rose will do just fine without two more people standingaround uselessly, too."Bella shakes her head."No, of course we stay. She called you first, we can't just leave her now.""But if you're not feeling welll-""I'm fine, okay?"I cock a brow at her suddenly acidic tone, and after a moment she steps away from me and startswalking down the way we've come."Come on, unless you want to hear any more theories about what sordid things we might have been
"Maybe she'll change her mind anyway the first time Rose lets her change the diapers. You neverknow."With that I turn around to head back to the others when Jazz speaks up again, his tone cautious."Everything okay with you and Bella? She seems somewhat off today."My first impulse is to bark out that it's none of his business but the fact that he cares for her and gotthe brunt end of her unease already makes me rethink my answer. And it feels good not to be at eachother's throats for once, so I finally decide on a nod."She is, but she will be all right soon enough. Just bad timing and all that.And yes, couldn't be better."The fact that he looks happy to hear that weirds me out a little, and feeling obliged to I ask the sameabout him and Alice."Couldn't be better," he echoes me, underlining his words with a smile."Although you might wanna check back in with her after that talk we're going to have."I leave it at that and head back to the others, repeating the ne
Finally home after a grueling forty hours in the hospital all I really want to do is take a shower andsleep for a month, I know that's not gonna happen when I see Bella waiting for me on the sofa, lookingall wound up and wringing her hands.I saunter over and kiss her but she doesn't even relax, and I barely take the time to shower and grab abite to eat before I join her. By then my stomach is in knots because her obvious unease is quicklyinfecting me. Whatever she has to say can't be all good, or she would have been a little less stressed.At least she's not drawing this out, and starts talking the moment I'm sitting next to her. Her eyes arewide and her fingers now locked around one of the throw pillows, making me even more nervous."Okay, please don't freak but before we start I have to ask you one thing?""Sure, ask.""Edward, do you really want to marry me? Because I don't know if my answer's still yes."That's so not something I've expected, and nothing I've ever
"Okay, back a few more steps. I guess it's obvious that I liked what we did last week with Beth?""Mostly.""Mostly? Hell, Edward, I got off like seven times and moaned and begged you like a wanton slut inheat to fuck me harder, how can that leave even the slightest doubt that I really, really, really likedit?""Technically the fact that you dropped and were avoiding me later could have meant that it was toomuch for you."She keeps staring at me until I shrug. "Or not. Shutting it now. Please go on."Looking a little pleased at her small triumph, she does."As I said, I really liked it. Loved it. Don't get me wrong, I really didn't expect that, and that in itselffreaked me out so much that I needed a whole week to just accept it. But it helps to know that neitheryou nor Beth put any pressure on me there. I know it would have been okay if I'd said, yay, greatexperience, but hell no to a round two. Not the case, though."Again she looks at her notes, but this time I'm
licks her lips as her eyes briefly roam over my face."Did I tell you lately how sexy that stubble is?""I remember you complaining last week that I was rubbing you raw with it when I was going down onyou."Bella huffs as if I'm just making this up, but the heat in her gaze makes me want to demonstrate thatright away. But we're not yet done, and when I prod her gently she resumes explaining instead ofletting me ravish her."So, that was the reason why I crashed. I needed a few days to really get over that, but eventually Idid. And about the same time I got a little more comfortable with the idea of how much I'm really intoBDSM. Or maybe the memories of just how good everything felt shot-circuited my brain too muchand made me accept it. Either way, I was just about ready to tell you that I was good with it all when Imet up with Alice and Esme for Wednesday lunch, and after an hour of fawning over little Mona andbabies in general they pretty much told me that I shoul
Sometimes all you need is talk, and all problems will miraculously resolve themselves.I've never fully believed in this, but now I think I'm converted. The farther we get from home, thefreer I feel, as if an invisible weight has been lifted off my chest, and judging from the carefree wayBella is talking and laughing next to me, I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking like that. Part of me isstill a little sore about her not wanting to marry me, but I've really meant it when I've told her I don'tneed to seal our love for each other with any kind of contract.Obviously it's not the fact that we won't tie that knot after all that has us both exuberant, but that for thefirst time in ages I at least feel unencumbered. Like everything is resolved, all issues are dealt with,and we get a chance at a fresh start. I even have to admit that in a twisted kind of way it's a relief tosee that Bella is also struggling with the shit Jazz has been spreading. I really don't want her to
"Tanya?"I nod, pressing my lips together, but like I've been inwardly hoping, she latches on to that."You never really talk about her.""Because there's not that much to tell. I mean she was a psychotic, abusive bitch. If anyone asks mewho my first dominant has been the answer will always be Beth.""Of course. But I don't see how anything she did would make you tuck in your tail and run from achance to explore something new together."A few things actually come to mind that I could say now that might change her mind about that, but inthe end she's right."Beth only had one single rule for me, which was no wanking while I was her sub. It was easy not tobreak that rule, and whatever else she demanded of me in the playroom, it always made me feelwholly myself. I never want you to feel so caged in your own mind as I did with Tanya."Bella is silent for a few seconds, then she shrugs."I love you, that bond is already more restricting than anything else you could ask of
Their almost identical grins make me laugh, and I let my head fall against the back of the couch just soI don't have to look at either of them."I really don't give a fuck. As far as I'm concerned, the only room I'm in charge of decorating is theattic upstairs. The rest is up to you.""You can't do that! Don't be such a pussy just because you're afraid Jazz will keep bitching like a littlegirl when you make the right choice.""And what, dear Bella, is better about Edward's former room than mine? My room has the betterfixtures for lights and electronic equipment, and there's even a specially built nook in the back for asmall freezer!""Which is the reason why I think it's better equipped to be the office, not the bedroom! I so need adoor between where I sleep and where you keep your porn collection. Your computer isn't cominginto the bedroom, either.""It's not porn, it's my World of Warcraft collectibles collection!"Thankfully the sound of the doorbell saves me fr
My remark makes her draw her forehead into a frown."You really think he'd be self-conscious just because I was around? He should know that I wouldn'tdo anything to him or talk him into doing anything that he doesn't want to do.""I don't think it's that. It's hard to explain, but he seems happy where he is right now. With us, includedas an equal, loved and cherished, but without any responsibilities or anyone having any expectationsof him. He obviously likes to top in a scene, but he doesn't want to be a Dom, and I don't think thatwill change much. You know that not all of us get off on having to care for someone else like that.""Don't even dare to speak another word. Last time I checked, I was the one telling you it was okay tobe into power play but that it wasn't necessarily a prerequisite, just like everything else. Differentfolks, different strokes, right?""Yes, Mistress."I get an eye roll for that, and I'm disappointed when she doesn't even try to slap me pla
if that still bothers me, and will likely only get worse if we have kids – I know that our family, as itis, will be a warm and nurturing environment for anyone to grow up and live in.The last part of her remark turns my smile into a grin again, and I snort."I already pity the unlucky bitch or bastard who calls Bella's righteous wrath down upon them. Whenshe was out with Rose and her baby last week and someone looked at them in what she thought was acondescending way, she got right in their face. I don't want to think about how much worse it will bewhen it's her own brood that's under scrutiny. She really doesn't suffer fools gladly anymore.""Did she ever? I still remember a time when you didn't have the balls to confess your undying love toher because you thought she'd laugh at such a mushy sentiment, particularly when admitted after themutual destruction of a bottle of tequila."Although it has only been a year, thinking back to a time when I couldn't just walk up
"Can I get you anything else, or will that be all?"Handing Raven back my signed receipt, I smile at her and shake my head."No, thanks. Assembling all of this and putting the new equipment through a series of stress testsshould keep us busy for a while."It's still somewhat weird, but without a doubt more relaxing, to just get a nod and my credit card backfrom her."If you change your mind, we have the scented lubes on sale until after the weekend.""I'll remember that. Thanks," I reply, then grab the last package and carry it to my car, barelymanaging to close the rear hatch after I add my purchases. When I go back into the shop I see that Bethis finally done talking to the woman she has been holed up with in a corner of the café area for the lasthalf hour. I wait until she has left the shop before I saunter over to my former mentor, hugging herbefore I take the seat opposite her."I take it everything is okay - you spent an extra twenty minutes hanging around here
I set a slow and relaxed pace – for one I just love watching Bella writhe under Jazz's mouth, foranother I am aching all over from yesterday's exertions. As much as I don't mind pain in general,feeling my thigh muscles lock up because of that strain is not something that gets me all hot andbothered.Taking Bella's invitation for what it is, Jazz seems to increase the intensity of his ministrationsbecause soon she is moaning constantly as she comes, one hand still gripping his hair, the otherdigging into the mattress. When she goes slack again it is with a glow on her face and a decisive"Ouch!" as she shifts her weight off one hip, wincing briefly.When she pushes his head away he rests it briefly on her thigh, but Bella is not done with him yet byfar. Instead of just lying back now, she starts inching down the bed until she's lying underneath Jazz,their faces almost flush with each other."Let me take care of that," she coos, reaching for his cock and starting to st
I moan into her mouth when she wraps her fingers around my cock, instinctively moving closer to her.Jazz's arm is around my hip while he strokes my stomach, his lips and tongue alternating between myneck and shoulder. None of us is really in a hurry to actually get it on for real, so we stay that way,relaxing and touching each other.Things change when Bella eventually lets me nudge her thighs apart so that I can run my hand up herinner thigh to her pussy, the contact making her moan. Jazz stills for a moment, then pushes his cock alittle more decisively against my lower back, but I ignore him for now. Looking deep into Bella'shalf-lidded eyes, I cup her entire sex with my hand, then push just the tip of two of my fingers into herpussy, feeling her swollen labia wet and warm against my hand. She utters another moan, smilinglanguidly, then stretches and moves her hips into my hand, clearly wanting more.I feel Jazz push himself up at my other side, probably so he can
then I wouldn't have run even if he had told me to suck off a couple of strangers."Jazz shakes his head, still bewildered, while Bella settles back against me and resumes her tale. Hetakes the rest of it better than I've expected, besides a few cut-off moans when she speeds up jerkinghim off. Despite that I'm still curious when he makes a face at both of us at the end."I get why you didn't want me around for roughing her up," he gripes at me, then narrows his eyes."But why did you think you had to keep me from the rest? Beth, Charlotte, Peter and Gerard havewatched me fuck people before. I don't think any of us has a problem with seeing each other's nakedasses anymore."Bella's hand drops from his cock and she rearranges herself so that she is lying on her back, able togaze at the both of us. The look on her face is still somewhat quizzical when she turns to Jazz."I think I'm kind of speaking for Edward and myself when I say we assumed you'd have issues withsomeon
"You know that just like you guys get to fuck each other when I'm not around sometimes, Edward andI end up screwing without you. So what?It's usually a thing of impulsive horniness and opportunity, not a statement of possessiveness. We allknow it happens, and I don't think any one of us is resentful when it does?"She keeps staring at him until he shakes his head."I won't deny that I had a hell of a great time yesterday. We fucked a lot and it was great, we did acouple of things that I've started to miss a little, and a few more I didn't even realize I wanted to dothat badly. But, quite frankly, I think the only reason I felt remotely glad you weren't around the wholetime was because I didn't want to worry about you feeling weird about any of it, because I needed tolet go and have not a care in the world in order for it all to feel as good as it did in the end. I wouldhave loved to share all of it with you if I'd thought you would have appreciated it all as much as
tries to roll them both over. That finally gets her to move for real, but when she tries to push awayfrom him he holds her down, his whole body more or less perched on her back."Let me up, you stupid oaf!""Stupid oaf, eh? What kind of crappy romance novel have you been reading? Is that the worst you cancome up with?" he taunts, then starts tickling her. Bella shrieks, now fighting to throw him off for real,but worn out as she is Jazz has no problem keeping her underneath him.She finally gives up and looks pleadingly over at me; I'm hard pressed not to laugh at them both."Help me!""Now that's unfair," Jazz grumbles, then eases up and rolls off her, coming to lay side by side withher. Bella sneers at him, then grins and settles back into her pillow. She groggily rubs her eyes andyawns loudly, without covering her mouth."You're early."Jazz nods as I repeat my observation, briefly looking from me to her as I join them on the bed atBella's other side."There wasn