Friday, August 31, 2018

FAÇADE Chapter 30



When I was lost, you took me home
You gave me hope when I was at the end
And turned my lies back into truth again
I was confused, you cleared my mind
I sold my soul, you bought it back for me
And held me up and gave me dignity
Somehow you needed me
You gave me strength to stand alone again
I needed you and you were there

~Anne Murray, You Needed Me
When our dinner plans were cut short.

It was the following Wednesday after Bella’s mini breakdown that she and I were having lunch together in the shelter’s cafeteria. Kate walked into the room and headed straight for us.

“Bella, it’s so good to see you.”

Bella stood so she could greet my sister, who pulled her in for a hug. “Hi, Kate. Are you eating lunch here?”

“I am now, if you don't mind. Let me grab something from the line.”

“You sure you want your break to be full of my sister and her opinions?” I asked Bella once Kate walked away.

“I do. Besides, being the boss has some perks. I can take a long lunch if I want to.” She checked her watch. “Well, not really. I have an appointment with the owner of a local dealership in about an hour.”

“Are they going to donate money or cars?” I lifted my eyebrow at that news. Either one would be a huge deal.

“A new car to every program graduate, as long as I agree to list them as a platinum donor on our wall and in our next benefit pamphlet.”

“So free advertising?” I asked as I stabbed a fry with my fork.

“I don't mind, it gets the women what they need. Why do you eat french fries with a fork?”

I laughed at her terrible segue. “To keep the grease off my hands.”

“Hey guys,” Kate said as she returned and plopped her tray in front of the empty chair.

“Ugh, a salad, Kate?” I wrinkled my nose at her.

She sat, rubbed a hand over her belly. “Just because I’m pregnant doesn't mean I want to gain fifty pounds.”

“I guess you’ve got a point. How are the girls?”

“Your harem is happy. We nailed down the party for the day before Halloween. Is that good for you?” she asked Bella.

Bella swallowed her bite of chicken. “Yes.”

“Good. Vicky would never speak to me again if you didn't come.”

Bella looked at her long and hard until I rested my hand on top of hers. “We can't wait,” I answered for her. I knew she was still overwhelmed with the unconditional acceptance from my family.

“Um, Bella,” Kate began after a minute of silence while we ate.

Bella turned her attention to Kate and raised her eyebrows.

“Do you strictly use the counselors here?” Kate sounded casual enough, but she had me on full alert.

“You mean for myself?”

“Yes.”

Bella set down her fork. “Yes. Why?”

Kate shifted in her seat, poked around at her lettuce. Didn't meet Bella’s eyes. “It’s just that they’re sort of your employees.”

Bella sat back then, set her drink down. “I hadn't thought of it that way.”

“It’s probably not that big of a deal since they’re volunteers, but it’s something to consider. Especially if you’re reluctant to be one hundred percent honest because you work with them often. I can recommend someone.”

I gave an internal sigh of relief as I realized that Katie was just worried about offending Bella and trying her best to be tactful.

“That might be for the best. Thank you, Kate.”

“You’re welcome.” Kate took a bite and smiled around it.

I waited until Bella got up to get some napkins before I said anything. “Thank you, Katie.”

“I didn't do it for you.” The smile she gave that time was more like a wolfish grin.

“Great, so you love your brother’s girlfriend more than your brother?”

“Yep.”

I glanced at Bella, found her talking to someone and not paying attention to us. “She struggles. I appreciate it.”

“I had a feeling after our talk the other night that she would need someone else in her corner.”

She was right. Kate was usually right, but I tried not to tell her too often because it would surely go to her head.

We finished our lunch and went our separate ways; Kate went to offer her services to the women and Bella went to her meeting, but not before a quick kiss from me.

“See you tonight?” I confirmed. She nodded.

We didn't spend any time at my place, since my place consisted of my parents’ house. It was too soon, but I was already considering how optimal Bella’s place was for the both of us. It was a decent location when compared to my office and the shelter, though it was closer to the shelter.

I had a few plans for the rest of my afternoon, such as a visit to the playroom and relieving Lucas of his front desk duties long enough for him to eat lunch.

“I have to admit you do a good job here,” he said to me as he was about to leave.

“Thanks,” I said uncertainly. Titan was giving me a compliment?

“And you don't suck as the boss’s boy toy.”

Ah, there was the rub I’d been expecting. “Thanks,” I said again, that time in a wry tone of voice.

He chuckled as he left the tiny room that housed a phone and a computer, and a glass wall attached to the counter that served as a desk. I spent a few minutes getting acquainted with that day’s visitor list and settled in to be bored for an hour. I was looking forward to the evening so much that I caught myself fantasizing about Bella. It wasn't until Lucas came back that I realized I’d almost drooled on my shirt.

I waited near the entrance at the end of the day so I could take Bella home. I held her hand while I drove, running my thumb over her skin. I asked her about her day, and listened as she spoke about the dealership and the contract they’d signed. She was happy with the way it had gone, and happy with the progression of the expansion plans.

As we entered her home, it occured to me that I had never stayed the night. I’d spent long periods of time there with her, but I hadn't so much as seen the inside of her bedroom. I wanted to fix that. It was time, not only because we’d been back together for a month, but because I didn’t want there to only be quick sex in her office to define our relationship. It was fun, and it would likely not be the only time we did it that way, but I wanted her to feel like she was my girlfriend and not just a quick fuck.

“Bella.”

She stopped her progression into the kitchen, likely with dinner on her mind, and turned back to me. Her eyes widened a fraction, and I smiled at her. “Edward?”

“Come with me.”

I held out my hand, waited until she slipped hers into mine. I led her past the living room and in through her open bedroom door, where I backed her against the wall. Cupping her chin in my fingers, I tilted my head to meet hers, heard her breath come in a gasp just before I tasted her. Unhurried, I kissed her until she fisted my shirt in her hands and she was making sounds of pleasure in her throat.

Her hands went to my pants, frantically trying to unbutton them, but I slowed her down. Bella looked up at me with vulnerability in her dark eyes.

“I plan on loving you slowly, Bella, thoroughly worshipping you the way you deserve.”

I watched the uncertainty change to understanding, but more than that, love. When she let her guard down I could read her face like an open book. She came closer, kissed me while standing on her toes. Her shoes were flat since she was on her feet most of the day, and I felt very protective of her as I leaned down to meet her short stature. She was young, petite, and no longer ruthless. She was becoming someone I was proud of and fiercely ready to defend if need be.

“I love you,” she said, her voice breaking as I kissed along her cheek to her ear.

“I love you, too.” She would need reassurance, I knew. I would show her, tell her, every day.

She shivered as I breathed into her ear right before kissing behind it. She had a multitude of erogenous zones, and I planned to exploit them all until she was as needy as she left me. It took nothing more than a look for her to have me hard and wanting, and maybe that just made me a guy, but nobody else did that to me.

“Feel how much you turn me on, Bella.”

When her hands went to my pants again, I let her be. My own hands roamed over her back and her ass, squeezing as she found me hard as stone. She stroked the head of my cock, pushing at my pants and boxer briefs until she could wrap her hand around me. We moved, just enough to be off the wall, and I went back to kissing her. I explored every recess of her mouth as she stroked me until I thought I would come if I didn't stop her, so I put a hand back on hers. Bella started on the buttons of my shirt, and I allowed myself to progress to undressing her. I may have wanted to move slow, but I needed her to be naked.

“I love the way your skin feels.” I kissed her shoulder as I pushed her shirt off of it, moved her bra strap until I could reach around and unclasp it. Every time I put my lips on her she whimpered, clinging to me to hold herself upright.

Her shirt went first, then her bra, and I molded my hands to her breasts as her back arched and her head dropped back. I worked on removing her pants next, and Bella helped out by kicking off her shoes. We moved closer to the bed, a slow dance without music, my heart thrumming in my ears accompanying her harsh breathing as the only sounds in the room. She was in nothing but panties when we made it to the mattress, and she sat down. While working my pants and underwear over my hips, she bit her lip and looked into my eyes. I toed off my shoes and stepped out of my clothes, crawling over her body and resting alongside her somewhere in the middle.

With fingers and tongue, and sometimes teeth, I showed her. I proved to myself that I could be unselfish, and I proved that nothing got to me more than the breathless moans and heavy cries that came out of her mouth as I loved her. She writhed, shifted, cursed as I peeled off her panties and licked at her pussy, nibbling and sucking on her clit until she fell apart, fell over the cliff. Moving up, I replaced my tongue with my fingers and she grabbed my forearm, begging me to stop because she couldn't take any more, then to never stop, to give her what she couldn't even define in her blissed-out state of mind.

She went over again with wordless screams as her body shuddered and rocked. I found her mouth with mine, captured the explosion as it ebbed, until she grappled for a hold on me and tugged me over on top of her. I went gladly, knowing by the weeping of my cock that I could hold out no longer. When I met with her finally, when she pulled me into her body and the heat and wet that made me lose my mind, I couldn't focus on anything but the overwhelming pleasure. We moved together, loved each other, and called on God to see us through our little death. I choked on her name when I came, falling face first into the pillow above her head.

“What the fuck,” she panted, “was that?”

“That was me.” I had to stop and catch my breath. “That was me showing you how much I love you.”

“Message received.” I heard the smile in her voice, lifted my head to see it, then kissed her briefly and dropped back down.

“I’m not crushing you, am I? I can't feel my legs.”

She laughed, a tinkling, girlie sound. “It’s all good. Lord, is it ever good,” she said as she ran her hands down my back.

Finally I rolled off of her, placed my face close to hers. “Are you hungry? I’ll make dinner.”

“I forgot you can cook.” She lifted up on her elbow, leaned over, and kissed me.

“I can, I just usually don't bother.”

She stared at me for a few heartbeats. “I love you so goddamn much, Masen.”

I grinned at her, pushed at the hair that fell over her shoulder. It pleased me immensely that she wasn't afraid to say it first. “I love you, too.”

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