Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The sound of yapping and barking pierced my ears, the rattling of the cages lining the walls grating against my eardrums. Tanya walked alongside me, acting like she was in a sewer system, rather than the local dog pound.

"Why couldn't you have just gone to a pet store like every other normal human being?" she complained, hitching her pencil skirt higher up her legs and treading carefully down the aisle in her heels.

"Well, for one, I wouldn't call myself a normal human being-I mean, what really is 'normal'? And two, we could be saving a dog's life today. Dogs get put down nearly every day in places like this because people don't want them and there isn't enough room to keep them. Don't you want to be able to look into its eyes and know you saved such a small, innocent creature?" I implored, trying to get her sensitive side to show.

"Yeah...I think not. You know I don't like animals. They're like babies except that they'll never amount to anything. They poop, they eat, they drool, and they ruin your house. They're going to need more than cute eyes to buy me," she grumbled, wrinkling her nose.

"Who pissed in your Cheerios?" I asked with a frown. If I didn't know any better, I would guess that she was PMS'ing.

"I don't eat Cheerios, I eat natural bran," she informed me. "I just don't understand why you suddenly want a dog and dragged me along to help you pick one."

I shifted uncomfortably at that and looked away, trying to hold an expression of pure innocence. I could practically hear her brain whirring as her eyes slowly narrowed. "Oh no, no, no. You are not getting your girl a puppy! Have you completely lost it?" she screeched in my ear, making me cringe. "It's bad enough that you are moving her in with you. I mean, you don't even know the girl!"

I slapped a hand over her mouth and looked around to make sure the attendant showing us around wasn't close by. "Keep it down," I hissed at her. "I don't want the whole world to know, and no, I have not lost it. I know exactly what I am doing."

She batted my hand away and folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, you know what you're doing, huh? Would you care to share that information with the rest of the class because I have no idea what the fuck you're doing?" She snarked dryly.

I sighed and thought over my response, trying to come up with answer that would explain why I had done what I had done. Sure, from an outer perspective, my actions would look rushed and impulsive, with no real thought behind it, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

"We have this connection, a really great sexual compatibility, and for a guy who likes what I like, that isn't easy to come by. I realize how this all looks to you, but I am not rushing into this. We came to a mutual decision to step back from each other for a while and start back from scratch. That means there is absolutely no sex going on. We're are just talking and seeing if there is personality compatibility. We are on a trial right now. She's coming over for the weekend, and we're seeing if we can take having someone in our personal space for a period of time. Nothing is set in stone, and we haven't even written up the contract. We're taking it slow, and she won't even move in with me until her lease ends, which is in two months."

Tanya still seemed dubious, and I couldn't rightfully blame her. She was trying to look out for me, and this whole thing was rather out of character for me.

I could admit that after Isabella had left I had my own doubts about my proposition, but when she had called me at one in the morning, scared and crying, I knew I couldn't turn my back on her. She needed me, and if I didn't help her, who knew where she might end up.

Many men would take advantage of her current state of vulnerability, and I didn't want that to happen, especially when she was working so hard to turn her life around.

We had talked every night after that, and I would be lying if I said that she was everything that I imagined her to be-the very thought was unfeasible-but we tried to be honest with each other about our flaws and faults.

I found out that she was smart and quirky, completely undomestic-I had learned that the hard way when she nearly burned my kitchen down-and messy.

We were opposites in the respect that I was domestic to the point that I could cook and was a little anal when it came to having a clean apartment, but I hoped that our differences wouldn't clash too harshly.

It had been hard for her to leave the escort company since it had such a huge part of her life, but she had asserted herself, not backing down when they tried to convince her to stay.

She had been very excited that night when we talked and I had told her that I was proud of her for taking control of her life like that. She had gotten a little quiet after that, but I knew how much my words meant to her.

The cold, hard fact of the matter was that no matter which way you looked at things, there was still no denying the fact that we could barely differentiate each other from Adam beyond sex.

I knew that we each saw that we put forth, our facades and carefully selected truths, but there was so much more to people than what they showed, and only time would tell us if those hidden truths would draw us closer or push us apart.

"I need you to trust me, Tanya. I know this is out of character for me, but I'm fed up of waiting for someone to fall into my lap. I'm never going to be able to have a fulfilling vanilla relationship, and I'm not going to throw away my one chance to try for something that I was beginning to think wasn't possible for me. I'm getting old now, and I hate that I'm still alone. Maybe what I am doing is one huge mistake, but I'd rather try for it than just let it pass me by. I'm running low on time and, who knows, maybe this could be exactly what I've been looking for."

Tanya sighed, and her expression softened. "I get that, Edward, I really do, but I don't want to see you get hurt. You're my best friend, and I'm just looking out for you. I know the whole thing with your family was hard, even if it was needed. Have you heard from any of them?"

I grimaced. "Ness called a week ago to scream at me for breaking the family's cosmic energy or some shit like that. I'm not quite sure why it took over two months for it to happen though."

Tanya snickered. "Do you remember when she insisted that Santa's elves represented child labor? That was classic. How did you ever take your family seriously? They are all a group of nut jobs."

I rolled my eyes, refraining from commenting on the fact that her own family was just as bad. Her mother had stopped acknowledging her since she came out as a lesbian.

Her father did the exact opposite and frequently tried to convince her to come back to Russia so that they could do some father/daughter bonding since he had been rather absent when she was a child, working all hours. She usually went back for the ballet, and last year was the first time that she took her steady girlfriend, Irina, with her.

I had always found the two of them hilarious together because while Tanya could act like a first class bitch when she wanted to, Irina preferred to kill people with kindness. She was a social worker and loved kids. The way she looked at Tanya as if she had hung the moon, and it was almost too sickening to watch the two of them together sometimes.

I saw another side of Tanya when she let her guard down. After all the years she had spent getting teased for her sexual orientation, and not taken seriously because she was a woman-a blonde one at that-she had turned into quite the ball buster.

The way they would dote on each other reminded me of an old married couple, and I had already asked Tanya when she was going to pop the question, but she had responded that neither of them was in any hurry to tie the knot.

"I don't think any family is wired to be normal. Apart, maybe, but stick them together, and the dysfunction starts rolling in," I told her.

"You got that right. Now, can you choose a mangy mutt already so we can leave?" she implored, practically shivering in disgust. Ignoring her overdramatics, I motioned for the attendant to come over and gave her the specifications of what I wanted.

I wanted a puppy, but once fully-grown for it to be low-maintenance and comfortable in an apartment. Something that could protect, but not need too much walking. I had wanted to get something for Isabella that would make her feel less lonely, and even if we didn't work out, I wanted her to have something to remember me by.

After half an hour of searching, I finally picked a little miniature pinscher that was a few months old. Tanya had insisted that while it had the creepiest eyes she had seen in a while, that it had personality. Just looking at it as it licked me solidified it for me. Even if Isabella didn't want it, it would still have a home with me.

I had never really thought of myself as a dog person, but my heart melted right there and then when its large, beady eyes looked up into mine. He was black with a rust stomach, neck and socked feet.

"He's perfect, isn't he?" I asked Tanya as his ears flopped and his tongue lolled out.

"I don't understand how something so ugly can be so absolutely adorable at the same time," she said, a hint of awe in her voice.

"He is not ugly. He's special," I argued.

"Of course he is." She placated me, patting me on the shoulder. "Let's just hope that your girl likes him because I'd hate to have spent my afternoon in a dog pound for no reason."

"I'm starting to think that you need more fiber in your diet. It's the only explanation for why you seem so constipated today," I told her as I went to sign the paperwork.

"Hardy har har. You should be a comedian, Cullen. You are lucky that I put up with your ass. You owe me big time," she said smugly.

"So you keep reminding me. I would like to point out that I never asked you to do most of the things I owe you for so I think I should be granted some sort of get out-of-jail free card," I informed her.

"Tough. This isn't Monopoly, and if it was, then I would be the banker ready to collect all the money you owe."

"I really don't see why you always get to be the banker. I happen to be rather good with money," I murmured with a frown, causing Tanya to slap me round the back of my head.

"Snap out of it, Cullen! I don't know what's gotten into you recently, but it's starting to freak me out. Where have your balls gone?" she asked, her brows furrowed.

"They went away for a much needed holiday," I quipped easily. "Don't worry they'll be firmly back in place by tonight."

"That is quite a disturbing imagery. I could have done without thinking about your balls," she murmured, grimacing.

"You're the one who brought them up," I pointed out.

"That's because you've been acting all mopey recently, and I want my dominating, forceful best friend back."

"I don't do mopey. It's called brooding, and I've had a lot to think about recently." I gave her a pointed look and she rolled her eyes.

"I know what you want me to say, but until I meet her for myself and find out for certain that she isn't some sort of gold digger, I am not going to give you my full support. I want you to be happy, but not at the expense of your dignity," she huffed, and I leaned down and gave her a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Love you, T," I cooed, grinning as she wiped her cheek, looking completely disgusted.

"Do that again and I will junk punch you so hard that your balls will crawl back into your body," she threatened.

"There you go on about my balls again," I teased. "You sure about not wanting to play for my team because I know a lot of men who like Dominatrixes."

"You really don't like your junk, do you?" she said, giving me her best bitch brow. I just smiled sweetly at her and batted my eyelashes, completely immune.

"You know you love it," I sang.

"You seriously need to get laid. It seems like pussy makes you sane, something that you aren't getting right now. Your right hand obviously can only do so much."

"You and me both, it seems. Except lack of pussy turns you into a raving bitch," I mumbled, and she drew her hand back, curling it into a fist.

"Take that back and I won't be forced to make you part with your twig and berries," she snarled.

My eyes widened, and I took a step back, holding my hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. Geesh, didn't mean to hit a nerve."

She sniffed delicately and held her head up higher as she smoothed down her skirt. "Good. Now finish up quickly. I'll be waiting in the car."

I shook my head at her retreating figure and wondered if I would ever fully understand the inner workings of women, and-if I'm being truthful with myself-if I wanted to.

Women, can't live with them, but you can't live without them.

...

I opened the door to my apartment, dressed in grey slacks and an open, white shirt with sleeves rolled up. My feet were bare since I preferred to feel the floor beneath them when I was at home and it was a sign that I was comfortable.

Isabella stood in the hallway in a dark blue, knit sweater dress that fell mid-thigh and hugged her body deliciously paired with nude colored heels. Her hair fell in long waves around her face as she smiled nervously at me and swung a bottle of white wine between her fingers.

"Hey," she said as I stepped to the side to allow her to enter. "I hope I'm not late. Traffic was horrible on the way over."

"Nope, if anything you're early," I told her, placing my hand in the small of her back to guide her down the hall and into the kitchen. She hummed and swept her hair off her shoulder, tucking the stray hairs behind her ear. Her eyes moved around, taking everything in as I moved away from her to check on the food.

"Would you like a drink or something?" I asked politely, and she shook her head.

"No, I'm good. Oh! I got this, but I wasn't sure what we were having so it's no big deal if we don't use it," she rambled, holding out the bottle of Chardonnay. I took it, surprised at what a good wine she had picked out.

"This is a great year," I commented, and she shrugged.

"I was with this guy and he took me to Napa for this wine tasting..." she kind of trailed off, her eyes flickering away from mine, obviously not wanting to have pointed out one of the many elephants in the room.

"Isabella, you are allowed to talk about your past. It's part of you, and it would be insensitive of me to try and dismiss it, just because I feel uncomfortable talking about it," I told her sincerely.

She nodded absently. "I know, it's just that...this is really awkward."

My lips twitched up into a smile. "It is, isn't it?" I agreed.

"How about we have some of this lovely wine you provided to take the edge off?" I suggested.

She looked slightly relieved and nodded, sitting on one of the stools next to the island, crossing her legs over, making her dress ride up slightly to reveal more of her creamy skin.

I busied myself with uncorking the bottle and poured us each a large glass before I let my mind wander into dangerous territory. I couldn't help but look as her plump lips wrapped around the rim of the glass while taking a sip, her eyelids fluttering as she let the taste saturate her taste buds before swallowing. I wasn't sure what I found so fascinating about her, but something inside me tugged me to discover what it was.

Our eyes met briefly before she glanced back down, a small smile playing on her lips, as the tension in the room heightened. Knowing that I needed to distract myself, I put the spaghetti in the boiling water and checked on the sauce. I was making a simple Chicken Carbonara dish that my Nonna had taught me during one of my many visits in Italy.

"Would you like to see your room?" I asked as I placed lids on the pans and turned the heat on low.

"I have my own room?"

I suppressed a smile at her surprised expression. "Of course. Women always need their own space. Would you like to see it?"

She nodded enthusiastically and downed the rest of her glass as I watched with thinly veiled amusement. Her cheeks flushed from the wine, yet she still managed to slide off the stool gracefully and picked up her bag that looked like it housed a small country. I wasn't even sure you could classify it as a bag since it was so big.

I led her through the living room and up to the second floor. The second floor was smaller than the first floor and housed my room, her room, and a large library that acted as a second study and a second living room all rolled into one.

I felt slightly nervous as I led her to her room since I had it designed specifically for the woman I had hoped would be more than a mere distraction to me. She gasped as I opened the bedroom door, and I could understand her reaction. I had pulled out all the stops on this room with the queen sized canopy bed with light blue fabric hanging from it.

There was vanity table with a matching table, a desk, a couch facing a wide screen TV, and a walk-in closet through the archway near the corner of her room. It was feminine without being over the top, and on the seat at the bottom of her bed sat a dog crate with the puppy I got her.

"Holy shit!" she murmured as she walked into the room. Her eyes landed on the dog crate and her mouth fell open.

"Is that a..." she trailed off, opening the crate door and pulled out the puppy I got her.

"So what do you think?" I asked nervously, leaning in the doorway.

"Is he for me?" she asked, disbelief laced into her tone as she lifted him up into the air and cuddled him to her chest.

I shrugged. "Well, you said that you were lonely so I thought I would get you something."

She let out a small laugh. "Only you. Usually someone would just get a teddy, but no, Edward Cullen has to get me a puppy." She shook her head slightly, sending me a playful look before focusing her attention back on the dog.

"I think I'll call him Master Yoda," she said with a hint of finality, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Master Yoda?" I asked, wondering how she never seemed to cease to surprise me.

"Yeah, you've watched Star Wars, right?"

I nodded, remembering how obsessed I had been with it as a child. "It was my favorite movie as a child," I admitted, thinking back to my Luke Skywalker figurine collection that I had spent years collecting.

She grinned at me and turned the puppy to face me. "See you can the similarities," she said in an eerie Yoda voice, waving the puppy's paw in my direction. I laughed at her impression and had to agree that the puppy had a kind of Yoda look to it when its ears were up. Yoda's tongue lolled out of his mouth as his beady eyes moved around the room.

It was nice to see her guard down as she played with Master Yoda.

The awkwardness seemed to dissipate between us somewhat by the time we settled down for dinner, while Yoda happily slept in his crate.

We talked easily about unimportant things for a while, like how our day had gone and she complemented me on my cooking, which I brushed off since it really was a simple meal that didn't take much effort or time to make.

The wine flowed freely as we touched on more personal, heavy subjects, helping us leave behind the polite conversation.

"It took me my parents dying to realize just how lost I've been all my life, and I guess it really blindsided me," she murmured, running her finger around the rim of her half empty glass. "I mean, my parents tried to shape me into the perfect Catholic daughter who married straight out of high school and popped out a ton of babies, but I ran away from that, and I went in the complete opposite direction. It was more of something I fell into than chose, and now that I've changed direction, I've found out that I never really knew me, just the girl I made myself into so I wouldn't get hurt."

I nodded empathically. "I can understand that to a certain point. I originally wanted to study music instead of politics. I even got accepted into Julliard, but my step-father literally ripped up my acceptance letter in front of me and told me that there was no way that he was going to let me throw my life away like that. The only choice he gave me was law or politics, anything else, he wouldn't pay for. So I had a choice to a certain extent, but I've always felt trapped by the choice I made. I never expected to make it to public office, and it feels like my path is even more narrow and rigid than before."

She reached over and laid her hand over mine. "It must be hard always being in the public eye. What instrument did you play?"

"Well, I played a little bit of everything. I got my musical talent off my real father..." I trailed off, realizing that I had mentioned him.

"How come you never talk about your real dad? It's okay if you don't want to go there, I'm just curious."

I hesitated before refilling my glass and gulping most of the contents down in one go. If I was going to go there , then I needed to be at least a little drunk.

"My real father was worse than my step-father. I can't say I actually knew my real father because I was only one when my parents divorced, but my mom told me all about him. He was abusive and an alcoholic, trying to live in his former glory as a rock star. He cheated on my mum a lot, and it got worse when my mum got pregnant with me. She actually named me after him, hoping to soften him up, but it's safe to say that it didn't work. The only reason she stayed with him was because she wanted us to be a family, but after he hit me once for crying too loudly, she moved out. She could take the abuse, but she didn't want me going through it."

Isabella placed a hand over her mouth horrified. "That's horrible," she whispered, and I shrugged, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"I was too young to remember any of it. I just feel bad that my mum had to go through for so long. I think that's why I put up with her current husband for so long, despite the fact that he finds it necessary to continuously remind me that I'm not actually his son."

"Yeah, it's surprising the things you can put up with just for the simple fact of wanting to have someone there," she murmured, looking far off.

I mentally kicked myself for talking about my parents when the subject of hers was still so raw. I opened my mouth to apologize, but she shook her head, her eyes sad.

"Don't apologize. My parents were different, but no less oppressive. I wasn't made to be locked in a gilded cage, but maybe I do the need the cage, I just need the freedom of the open door...does that even make any sense?"

"Complete sense," I assured her, fighting the instinct to tell that I could give her that easily.

She needed the comfort of the cage, the rules, the spankings, the punishments. She also needed the comfort, the nurturing touch of strong arms, the trust of being able to step out of her cage when she needed to with someone's support, just in case, and the knowledge that her submission would set her free, further than she could ever dream to go.

She seemed to get lost in her thoughts for a moment, her teeth digging into the soft, plump skin of her bottom lip. Her eyelashes fluttered, casting shadows over her cheeks as she drifted off further into her thoughts.

"Why...why did you ask me to live with you?" she finally asked.

I had wondered when she would ask me that question, and I could tell that she had been suppressing it for a while, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth and all.

"I wondered when you were going to ask me that," I murmured, a small smile playing on my lips.

She shrugged. "It just baffles me that out of all the call girls you've been with, you would pick me."

I raised an eyebrow at that, not expecting her to be so straightforward but liking it all the same. Honesty was, after all, important.

"Well, I saw something in you that I hadn't seen in any of the others, and as my Nonna would say: nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica."

She looked a little bit blank at that, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "It loosely means: nothing ventured, nothing gained. I know that with the Cullen name everything was much easier for me than it would have been without it, and, after a while, you take it for granted and start expecting things to simply fall into your lap because for a Cullen, that is how it is. Don't get me wrong, I worked hard to get where I am today, but some things were expected to happen because of connections.

"But that day that I woke up and found you in my apartment, something shifted, and I realized that I was letting my life pass me by just by waiting for it to come to me. At the time, it was just an errant thought, but I wondered if maybe what I was searching for was right in front of me. There was always some excuse as to why I couldn't be in a relationship, and that day I finally called 'bullshit' on myself. I was just too scared to try, too scared of putting myself out there only to be rejected that I didn't even bother."

She listened, taking my words in. "I can understand that. I've been hiding for so long that I'm struggling to face all the insecurities and fears that I buried. Sometimes it's just easier to lie to yourself than to face the hard truth."

I nodded, absently playing with her fingers. A quick glance at her glass told me that she needed a refill, but I found that we had gone through two bottles and that it was getting late. She yawned loudly, placing a hand over her mouth to shield it, solidifying my decision that we should finish for tonight.

"I think we should call it a night," I told her as I started to gather up the plates.

"Hmm, okay, I'll help clear up though."

I shook my head. "It's fine. You're my guest, which means you get out of helping."

"I really don't mind helping," she insisted, and I raised an eyebrow at her and pointed to the stairs.

"Bed. Now," I ordered, and she opened her mouth to protest, but just sighed and obeyed, rather grudgingly I might add. I smirked to myself as I added stubborn to the list of things I knew about her and turned back to the task at hand.

To be truthful, I wouldn't have minded the help, but I wanted to take a few minutes before bed to clear my head and categorize everything we had spoken about to think back on another day. It was never a good thing to go to bed with a full mind, and I took my time, cleaning the kitchen and loading up the dishwasher before heading upstairs to my room.

I saw that her room was dark, but I couldn't help but pause outside it for a moment, the tension that clawed at my skin urging me to enter into the room and claim her.

I let out a long breath, reigning in my mind and regaining the control that had been slipping slightly as I turned and entered my own room.

I was quick to strip out of my clothes and put them in the hamper before collapsing against the cool sheets on my bed, barely bothering to pull on a pair of sleep pants before snuggling under them.

Though the evening had been a little draining, I was glad we were each working hard to be open and honest. I just prayed that our budding relationship kept on flourishing because I didn't want it to fail.

I wanted this chance that I had taken to become something, and with that thought placed firmly in my mind I drifted off to sleep.

It must have been hours later when my eyes slowly slid open, my body hyper aware of another person pressing into me. It seemed that at some point after I had fallen asleep, Isabella had joined me.

I could feel her breath against my neck, fanning hot air over it, and I shifted my position slightly, causing her to whimper. It was only then that I noticed that my thigh was placed between her legs, flush against her pussy.

She arched her back into me, her hair falling into her eyes as she rocked her hips against my thigh. The little pink slip she was wearing did nothing to hide her tits and her hard nipples peeked out of the top of the lace trim.

She hooked her leg higher over my hip and snuggled further into me, laying her head on my chest as the bottom of her slip bunched up around her waist, baring her naked lower half.

She just had to not wear panties, I thought, frustration building in me as the heat of her pussy saturated my pant leg, making my own desire stir.

My body seemed to take on a life of its own after that-almost as if it wanted to tease itself-and my thigh slid up higher. I pulled her tighter against me as my hands ran over the silk of her slip and moved around to cup her ass over it, only the tips of my fingers touching her bare flesh.

She let out a breathy moan, rubbing her tits against me and panting lightly, her plump lips parting. I almost felt like I was taking advantage of her as she ground down on my thigh, squirming and writhing against it.

The groan that I had been trying to suppress rumbled through my chest, and I silently cursed myself as she stirred, her eyelids fluttering before opening slowly.

I watched as she blinked a few times, trying to remember where she was before she looked down and saw how our bodies were positioned. Her head shot up and her wide eyes met my heavy-lidded ones.

Her mouth opened in a silent 'o' of surprise as she realized what had been happening while she was asleep.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. She tried to pull out of my grip, but I pressed my fingers deeper into the ripe flesh of her ass, holding her to me.

I knew that our sex embargo had taken its toll on both of us, especially since everything we did seemed to be laced with sexual tension. We had barely managed to distract ourselves throughout dinner from the thick tension bubbling between us, and I, for one, knew that she needed this.

"Don't," I murmured, trying not to make it come off as an order since she was meant to be calling the shots. I leaned forward, almost groaning as my lips brushed against the soft skin of her neck.

"You need this." I emphasized my point by grinding my leg into her pussy. She gasped and clutched my shoulder, her eyes searching mine as she dug her teeth into her bottom lip. She didn't deny what I had said and after a moment she pressed her hips forward, making a flush of heat spread over my leg as the wetness of her juices made my pant leg stick to me.

"Oh," she whispered, letting her eyelids flutter closed as her skin flushed a light pink. Her movements started off tentative, her hips moving slowly and gently against my leg, until my hands urged her to take what she needed from me.

"Come on, baby, use me," I coaxed her, and she bucked her hips harder, gliding up and down my thigh.

I knew that my erection was straining against my sleep pants, but I forced myself not to think about the thick, hard, throbbing flesh between my legs and focused my attention on her. I was adamant about not fucking her tonight, but it didn't mean that we couldn't find some kind of relief in each other.

My lips trailed over her neck, and she tilted it to give me more room as she rocked her hips. Small pants and moans left her, and I practically had to grit my teeth together in an effort to control my body as it tried to break free from its cotton prison. To have her pussy so close to where my cock was literally weeping for it was torturous.

I grunted as I felt another wave of her arousal spread over my leg, and I bit down on her neck harder than was necessary. Her breath stuttered, and she whimpered, her body writhing needily against mine, enjoying the rush the pain gave her.

If anything, her reaction made my predicament worse, and I rubbed my cock against her hip, unable to take the pressure building in it any longer.

"I'm close," she panted, her nails digging harder into my back as she twisted her head around and pressed her lips to mine.

I raised one hand off her ass and threaded it through her hair, tilting her head back slightly as I devoured her mouth in the same way my body longed to devour hers.

I could hear the change in her breathing as she got even nearer to her release, and she bucked harder against my leg, drowning it in her juices.

"Come for me, baby," I urged, brushing my lips along her ear as she whimpered.

Her breath stuttered, halting for a moment as her body stilled, before leaving her in a whoosh as her body shuddered against mine. She cried out, burying her head in my neck, her body squirming as her orgasm took over her.

Her nails bit into the skin of my back, raking up and down it, sending small shivers of pleasure up my spine.

She slumped against me as she came down from her high, her face still firmly buried in my neck, and as her breathing slowly evened out, I knew she had fallen back asleep. I briefly wondered if she would remember any of this in the morning, but with more pressing issues pushing against the waistband of my sleep pants in an effort to be free, my thoughts were soon diverted.

I slowly extracted my thigh from between her legs and twisted onto my back, pushing my sleep pants down to my knees. I hissed when my erection was finally freed and tried to control my breathing.

Isabella hummed next to me, and I glanced over at her as she lay curled up on her side, her slip still bunched up around her hips, giving a hint of her pussy.

I rolled back on my side, fisting one hand around my cock and trailing the other up her exposed thigh. My cock was already lubricated with pre-cum, making my movements smooth as I tugged her slip up higher.

She stirred, her eyes opening slightly as they darted between my eyes and cock. I met her eyes, unashamed of the fact that my hand never stopped stroking my cock.

She placed her hand over mine on her thigh and pushed it up, moving the slip up her body until it was hooked over her breasts. She slid her leg over my hip, spreading her legs for me as her eyes fluttered back closed. I shifted closer to her body, my lips running down her neck as I pumped my cock.

I couldn't keep my eyes off her body, the way her plump tits heaved with each breath she took, and how her swollen lips were parted.

There was something so dirty about masturbating with her right there, sleeping, her body fully exposed, and it made me even harder.

I grunted, letting my mouth move down her body until my lips took one of her pebbled nipples, sucking and licking it as she breathed out a moan and burrowed further into the pillows. I groaned and panted against her skin, twisting and pumping my erection as it throbbed in my palm.

I loved how, even when she was unconscious, she reacted to me, her body arching and writhing against me. I could feel myself getting close, and I pulled myself away from her body, rolling onto my back and lifting my knees up. I spread my legs, exposing more of myself, and let my hips thrust up as I reached my hand down to palm my balls.

I groaned, bucking my hips up harder, my breathing shallow and coming out in fast pants. The pressure continued building higher and higher, making my balls tighten and my cock throb harder.

The heels of my feet dug into the mattress, and I threw my head back into the pillows, my hips arching high off the bed as I gave my cock three more pumps before cuming.

My eyes slammed shut as I spilled all over my hand and stomach, chanting profanities as quietly as possible. My body shuddered as sweat formed a layer of perspiration on my forehead, and I let my body slump back down among the sheets with a satisfied groan. I lay there for a moment trying to catch my breath before lazily kicking off my sleep pants and using them to mop up my hand and stomach.

I slumped back against the mattress, my body calm and sated-at least for tonight-and it became very apparent to me that our no sex embargo was not going to work, not when we lacked the restraint to keep our bodies in check.

Even the restraint that I had exercised in not outright thrusting into her and fucking her any which way I wanted to had been shaky at best.

I turned my body toward her, tugging her slip back down and pulling her into my arms. I pressed a kiss to her forehead as she mumbled tiredly in her sleep and wrapped her body around me, her legs and arm clinging to me like that of a monkey.

"Trust you," she mumbled in her sleep. "Need to...trust..."

My skin hummed with the realization that even in sleep she was trying to let go of some of her insecurities and take the first steps toward trusting me.

I knew that-to a certain extent-she trusted me, otherwise, she wouldn't allow some of her barriers to come down around me. I hoped that as we got to know one another better, she would give me the full trust she needed, that we both needed, to pursue this relationship with nothing to hold us back.