Learning to Fly - Ch11

Thank you to my beta mxpi1970 who keeps me on track.

As always, all characters created and owned by Stephenie Meyer.

~xxXxx~

CHAPTER 11

EPOV

Carlisle picked up the phone and dialled Alice’s number. She must have answered on the first ring, as if she were sitting there waiting for his call. His voice was quiet and solemn.

“Yes, Alice, it’s me. Can you come over? Yes, Edward is here. Okay; we’ll see you in ten minutes.”

He replaced the handset, his hand resting there for a moment. “She’s on her way.”

I returned to the kitchen and silently made tea, carrying it through to the lounge room. He sat on the edge of the sofa, eyes pinched shut, with his hand massaging his forehead. Placing the cups down on the low table, I sat down and rubbed his tense shoulders, trying to offer some small comfort against this latest, senseless blow. His forehead was bunched, his eyebrows knitted as his inner turmoil bubbled to the surface; I wished there were some way to wipe away that worry and make everything as perfect as it had been just a few short minutes ago. He slumped forward, his hands sliding to the back of his head. I hated that his body language screamed defeat, after everything we had already endured. He leaned into me and my arms wrapped around him as if they could shield him from this latest injustice.

I heard a car pull into the driveway, and doors closing. When I reached the door, I found both Alice and Rosalie waiting, looking tense and anxious. They returned my smile, their faces tight, and I ushered them inside, pointing wordlessly to the lounge room. Carlisle was on his feet and they hugged him protectively, their bonds of friendship strong. I held back, respecting their moment of love and support, until Rosalie turned to me, holding out her arms. I accepted her hug, hearing her whispered words in my ear:

“I’m glad you’re all better, darling. Emmett was so worried about you; you two really are close aren’t you?” I nodded, a little embarrassed. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Edward. We all need friends in times of crisis.” She rubbed my arms briskly and turned to sit down. Alice claimed her hug too, and I laughed despite the tense atmosphere, as though she barely reached my chest in height, she made up for it in strength.

When everyone had relaxed a fraction, the rest of us sat down. Carlisle spoke.

“So tell me everything. From the beginning.”

The girls looked at each other and Rosalie nodded. Alice fiddled with the clasp on her bag for a moment before finding the words.

“It all started on Tuesday.” She looked at Rosalie, who nodded encouragingly.”Lauren came into the ward saying she had a ‘friend’ she wanted to visit. She was unclear as to who this friend was, so I asked her to wait in the seating area and I would be with her shortly. It was busy and I got called away...” she hesitated, hardly able to meet Carlisle’s eyes as she continued.

“When I went back over to fetch her she was gone, but then I was asked an odd question by another person in the chairs. The lady asked me if it was true that a doctor at this hospital had been dating his patient. I was dumbstruck, but I told her ‘no’, it was most definitely not true. The woman persisted, saying that all rumours have some basis in fact and that she had been told by a young woman that an older doctor had been dating his younger patient, which was totally unacceptable. Although I tried to placate her and reassure her that it was simply untrue, it turned out that the woman knew someone on the hospital Board. She said she was going to file a complaint against the doctor and the hospital for malpractice, as it was in the public interest for this to be exposed and dealt with officially. I didn’t know what to do, Carlisle. We were in a crowded public area and other folk were listening in. And then... and then she named you, and that’s when it all went to hell. Two people had family that had been treated by you before Edward’s accident, and others had had dealings with you in the past. I tried to put them straight about it but they were shouting and not listening to me...” her voice cracked, and I held out my hand which she clasped gratefully.

“That’s when I came over.” Rosalie’s voice continued the story. “I heard the commotion and came to help. It had escalated rapidly and someone started shouting that they wanted you fired. I thought for a moment that I was finally getting through to them, and they were quietening down, but then the lady who started this all off mentioned that the patient in question was male. That’s when some homophobic cretin stood up, declaring that the hospital went against God for employing someone who practiced unholy acts, and he was going to be moving his mother to a decent hospital away from this... this perversion.” She uttered the word so quietly that I barely caught it; her eyes clouded and she looked away, hiding for a moment behind her veil of blonde hair.

I saw Carlisle’s reaction to that statement, the pain etched across his face at the slur against him. Alice let go of my hand and I took Carlisle’s in mine. I could feel him shaking as his fingers tightened around mine, wanting so much to pull him in close to me and kiss his pain away.

Wiping her eyes discreetly, Rosalie sniffled before continuing.

“We - Alice and I – went to the Chief straight away and explained everything. We hoped that he could make it go away, but yesterday this happened...”

She passed me a copy of the local news paper, folded to show a large article. To my horror it showed a picture of Carlisle under the headline “Local doc in malpractice claim”. Scanning it quickly, it gave the ‘facts’ as Alice had stated them and ended with the statement ‘Doctor Cullen was unavailable for comment.’

Carlisle took the paper and read the article, his brow furrowed, eyebrows knitted in pain. When he reached the end he tossed it on to the coffee table, his elbows on his knees as his head fell into his hands, his fingers scraping through his hair.

I turned to the girls, swallowing hard.

“What did the Chief say?”

Alice answered, her eyes wide, pleading with me to believe her.

“He’s all over this. He’s called the hospital legal team in. This is a smear campaign that’s besmirching Carlisle’s good name and reputation. Carlisle, this will be sorted. Your friends at work are all behind you one hundred percent. I’m so sorry; we tried to reach you so many times, but you didn’t answer your cell. We kept calling the house just in case you came home. We were worried. Where were you?”

I answered, feeling the heavy weight of guilt settle on my shoulders.

“We went sailing. Carlisle wanted to take me away for a couple of days to finish my recuperation.”

“Oh, that’s so lovely!” Alice’s face lit up for a second until she looked at Carlisle, his eyes squeezed shut. When he spoke, his voice was rough.

“Alice, you said on the phone that Edward and I were seen outside the aquarium. How does that fit into all this?”

She gulped, and I felt my blood pressure spike.

“In today’s paper someone wrote a letter to say you had been spotted holding hands and acting in an intimate fashion with a young man. They implied that it may have been a different man, that you might make a habit of dating lots of different men. They intimated that you might be... promiscuous.”

I saw a lone tear shimmer in the corner of his eye before it rolled down his cheek. His hands were knotted together over his mouth as if he were fighting to hold back sobs. So help me, I wanted to hold him tight and never let him go. So much pain, so many lies, and for what? He had done nothing wrong. To be accused of something so awful - it must be tearing him apart inside. He had told me from the beginning that he kept his private life just that: private. And after all those happy years with Marcus to now be accused of promiscuity... I wanted to find that journalist and cause them a world of pain. Without another thought, I pulled Carlisle into my arms and rocked him, feeling his arms tighten around me.

I whispered to him over and over: “We’ll fight this, make it go away. We’ll make them apologise to you. They’ll be sorry...”

I heard Alice open her bag and retrieve something. When I looked I saw both girls dabbing their eyes and I looked away. Had Lauren really intended to cause all this upset? Who was she trying to hurt? Was it really her Daddy, whom she loved dearly, or the traitorous ex-boyfriend who had cheated on her with the most important man in her life? I was having trouble believing that all this was intentional – that this had been her master plan all along. There had to be another explanation. There had to be.

I spoke up.

“What happens now, Alice? What can I do to help make this go away?”

“They have your chart, Edward. They know that Carlisle had no medical dealings with you after your accident. There is no crime here, no malpractice suit to push. The legal team are coming down on Monday to interview both me and Rosalie as we were on duty when you were admitted. They have already spoken to Doug Anders who is horrified by this whole turn of events. The accusations will be publicly refuted, the evidence against them undeniable and absolute. But the damage has been done; the hospital gossips are out in force, people who had no idea that Carlisle was gay, who never knew him when Marcus was alive.”

I rubbed his back and kissed the top of his head before loosening my arms. He sat up, his eyes heavy but dry as he looked at Alice. She met his gaze, the concern weighing heavily on her narrow shoulders.

“Carlisle, I’m so sorry I left Lauren alone in that waiting area. I didn’t know it was a ruse to get me out of the way. I had no clue what she was planning, or that she would sink this low. You should know that she has been banned from the hospital. The Chief was very clear about that. The entire hospital is under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, and he is getting some major heat from the Board. He wants to speak to you as soon as possible, ideally before you start work again on Monday. He said you can reach him at home.”

Carlisle cleared his throat.

“I’ll call him in the morning and arrange an urgent meeting.” He sighed heavily. “I truly thought we had sorted out our differences, Lauren and I, I really did.”

I spoke up, thoughtfully.

“This all started Tuesday? The whole bar debacle happened Wednesday night. Perhaps she didn’t want to rock the boat by telling you what she’d done once you two had made up. Perhaps she deluded herself into thinking that if she just ignored it, the whole thing would just go away?”

Carlisle shook his head, turning to me.

“I don’t understand. There have been no calls from Esme on either phone. Is it possible that she has no idea? How can that be? It’s in the newspaper! Someone must have said something to her by now. Then again, as we were away at the time, it’s likely that people think I’ve gone into hiding.”

“Lauren’s clever enough to hide the evidence from her, but, like you say, someone’s going to let it slip to Esme sooner or later. Wouldn’t it be better if you told her yourself? She and I need to have a face to face at some point too; this could solve that problem. I think we all need to sit down and work this out. We can’t keep living like this, wondering where the next attack will come from. I can’t keep watching her hurt you like this.” I kissed him, my lips barely glancing over his before I pulled away. “If that means we spend some time apart while you two reconnect, then so be it. You need to rebuild your relationship with her. Look, I start back at the bar on Monday so I’ll be moving back home. Take this opportunity to spend some time with your daughter, Carlisle. Try and fix things with her.”

He looked desolate and I felt wretched.

“You’ll stay the weekend though? Like we planned? The piano...”

I smiled at him, my fingers caressing the nape of his neck.

“Tomorrow, I know; like I could forget! And I’m not leaving ‘til Sunday afternoon. It’s just that my place is close to work and, as I don’t have a car at the moment, it makes sense. That’s something I need to sort out with Emmett. I’ll arrange some time with him to go look at replacements - this week if I can. I need to be mobile again, I hate having to beg him for lifts everywhere.”

He leaned into my neck with a grin. “I’d never make you beg, Edward.” His lips found the sensitive spot beneath my ear and I gasped, my world starting to tilt a fraction.

I heard giggles as the girls stood up, Alice smirked at me, her eyes delicately red-rimmed.

“I think it’s time for us to get going. We’ll talk to you soon, guys. Keep us updated, and if there’s anything we can do...” she tailed off.

I blushed, and Carlisle chuckled, in spite of himself. “Sorry, ladies, I’ll see you out.”

I hugged them both as they left, hearing their soft voices as they said their goodbyes to Carlisle at the door, urging him to be strong. He thanked them, and I heard the click as the door closed. When he returned he sat back down next to me.

“After this weekend, we’re not going to see much of each other, are we.” His tone was forlorn.

“We could always try phone sex.” I reached out, my curled finger tracing the curve of his chin.

His hand covered mine as he chuckled, nuzzling into my hand. “I’d rather have real sex.”

I nodded in agreement. “True. My hand is no substitute for your ass, no matter how good my fantasies are.” His breathing quickened, his eyes darkening. “We’ll find a way; evenings, weekends, whatever it takes. I love you – no amount of public backlash will ever change that.”

He captured both my hands in his, his face suddenly devoid of laughter.

“Edward, this has major ramifications on your life too. If you stand by me you’re going to be publicly outed. You can’t take that back. Have you spoken to your mother? I’d hate this to end up in the papers and for her to find out about us in such a way.”

This had crossed my mind, I couldn’t lie. I needed to call my mother and explain about Carlisle and I. I couldn’t bear for her to hear about us through rumours and lies. As for being outed – well, my few friends here in Seattle all knew, and I felt surprisingly good about admitting who I was in public, standing side by side with my love. When I didn’t answer immediately, he looked crushed but tried to be stoic.

“I know this is a hell of a lot to ask of you and I’ll understand if you say no.”

Looking into his pained eyes, I smiled, leaning in close until my lips hovered over his.

“To be with you, I will do whatever (kiss) it (kiss) takes.”

Then I pushed him back and kissed him until we were both breathless, his desire matching my own.

~xxXxx~

He had bad dreams and I held him as he fretted through the night, his issues allowing him little peace. More than once he woke himself, and I stroked his hair and forehead to soothe him back to sleep. I myself barely slept, too worried about him and what the future held. I drifted off around 4am but woke shortly afterward when Carlisle rolled over, pulling my arm across him like a security blanket. It was then that I finally slept, holding him tightly, keeping him safe.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds when I opened my eyes and squinted at the clock. Carefully untangling myself from Carlisle, I dropped a kiss to his shoulder before sliding out of bed. Almost 10am; the delivery men were due in a couple of hours – time to get up and get organised. After a bathroom detour, I made my way downstairs and flicked on the coffee pot before returning to the bedroom to wake Carlisle. But, as I stood in the doorway watching him sleep peacefully, I debated leaving him there a little longer. There was no denying he needed the rest, but I knew he wouldn’t be happy with losing half the day. Moving around the bed I leaned in and dropped a kiss on his forehead before nuzzling into his neck until I felt him stir.

I whispered into his ear,

“Sorry, my love, time to get up. Coffee’s on.”

He rolled over; his eyes barely cracked open as he looked at me, and pulled me down until his mouth found mine.

“Come back to bed.”

I groaned, my cheek resting against his, sorely tempted by the suggestive roughness of his tone.

“It’s late; we should be getting up.”

His mouth quirked into a half smile, his eyebrows rising almost imperceptibly. “I am up. What time is it anyway?”

“Almost ten. The deliverymen will be here in...” My voice was cut off when his tongue entered my mouth and I forgot what I was saying, all thought swept away by his expert kiss.

Pulling back for a brief moment, he whispered, “We have time...”

His tone was final; I submitted willingly to his caresses, his nails scratching down my skin and awakening my body in spectacular ways.

When I came, shaking and sweating, it was with his hand palming the head of my cock and his tongue buried deep in my ass.

~xxXxx~

We forced ourselves to get dressed and set to moving furniture in the lounge room. Carlisle wanted the area by the French doors cleared and the chairs repositioned so that the piano could be viewed comfortably if so desired. When not in use it would be a beautiful piece of furniture, in its own space and enhancing the room. For now, the chairs were pushed back, awaiting its arrival.

My only aim today was to keep Carlisle’s mind occupied until he could speak to the Chief. If the simple act of rearranging furniture did the trick then I would cheerfully move these chairs around for the entire day.

When we heard a rumble outside, followed by the doorbell, we both looked at each other and dashed to the door like excited children. The delivery men followed Carlisle around to the French doors and my dream finally became a reality – a piano now stood in the sunlit spot by the doors and I couldn’t stop smiling. Carlisle left the room and I reacquainted myself with the instrument, running my hands lovingly along the polished wood to confirm to myself that it was actually here. When Carlisle returned, he kissed my fading bruise and held out his closed fist to me, indicating I should hold out my hand. When I did, he dropped a key into my open palm, folding his hands over mine.

“It’s all yours, to play as often as you want, whenever you want.” If it were possible, my smile grew even wider than before. I pulled him into a tight embrace which he returned fiercely before releasing me. He made short work of moving the chairs into position and sat down, his head on one side as if waiting. Slightly embarrassed, I sat down on the piano stool and ran my fingers over the keys, reacquainting myself with its sound and timbre. I remembered from the store how beautiful the tone was; mere moments later I was once again drawn into its spell.

As ever, my mood dictated my music and so it was that my underlying worry for Carlisle came across in the haunting piece of music I subconsciously chose. Had I been in my right mind I would never have played it; the moment the last note died away I looked up to see him watching me with an intense expression. My hand automatically found my hair and he was on his feet in seconds, pulling me into his embrace.

“Oh, my love, that was beautiful. Edward, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. I’m going to go call the Chief - he should be home now.” I clung to him for a long moment, unable to speak. I was trying to be strong for him, to comfort him, and somehow it had become about me. My music always displayed my true feelings, leaving me nowhere to hide, and I felt guilty for adding to his burden. He held me tight, my face buried in his neck and together we took comfort in each other. When he dropped his arms, his hand smoothed my unkempt hair with a smile before his lips met mine in a tender kiss. Touching his thumb to his mouth in that gesture I loved so much, he left the room, and I heard him pick up the phone.

I walked out into the garden to give him some privacy while he spoke with his boss. Sitting down on the low wall, I tilted my face into the sun, so rarely seen here, and marvelled at the irony of a perfect summer day, fluffy clouds and all, when it should’ve been miserable and overcast to reflect our situation. I don’t know how long I sat there; the sound of birdsong was all I heard as I sank into a comfortable, trancelike state. When Carlisle came to find me I shaded my eyes to look up at him. He led me into the house and sat me down.

“Alice was right; the legal team are coming in on Monday to talk to the staff who shared my shifts. I will be seen separately before their shifts start on Monday morning. The Chief will be waiting in his office for me at 8am and my suspension will be announced after that meeting.”

I went cold. “For how long?”

“He says three days, but that they’ll let me know as soon as the inquiry is completed.”

“That’s good, right? He knows this is all lies?”

“Yes, he knows. Like the girls said, he has your file and Doug has already confirmed that I had no contact with you professionally. I’ll tell the lawyers the truth: that I met you prior to the accident, that we are in a relationship and that this is all a huge misunderstanding. By Wednesday all this will be behind us, at least officially. I’ve no idea what my reception will be like when I go back to work.” He sighed heavily. “I’ve never kept my sexuality a secret, but I’ve never felt the need to publicise the fact either. I like my life to be private, and this has thrown my bedroom door wide open to all onlookers. I can’t lie, Edward, I was much happier when most people didn’t know. Not because I’m ashamed, but because it’s embarrassing having people know about my intimate life when it’s none of their business.”

I could see the frustration on his face, his fingers digging into his palms.

“I was going to suggest we go to see Esme, but I think we would be better going tomorrow when you’ve had a little time to process all this.” I took a deep breath. “We may be getting to the heart of the problem here.” He looked at me in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I could be wrong, and this is something for us all to discuss tomorrow, but I cannot truly believe that Lauren did this to hurt you. I am getting the strong impression that she was trying to make you feel the same embarrassment that we have caused her. Look at her friends in the bar; they were being evil to her. She will have to face that every day until someone else’s pain and misery become bigger news.” He stared at me, unblinking. “Think about it; the embarrassment that you are dreading facing at work - it strikes me as entirely possible that Lauren was trying to make you understand how she feels and she has unwittingly set loose a runaway train. Do you really feel that she could have masterminded this – getting you in the papers and in trouble with the Board? This will draw attention to what happened, making life worse for her. I honestly think that when we see Esme we’ll find out that no papers have been delivered and that Lauren has been desperately hiding all evidence, praying this will blow over.” I grimaced. “She’s out of luck there, of course.”

He laughed hollowly. “If that turns out to be true, then my daughter belongs on the stage. I have no idea where the theatrics have come from, but I know they are going to stop. I have always been a fair parent to my daughter; we have had an open dialogue for some years now and we can talk about anything and everything. She understood about Marcus and I, not the intimate details of course, but she understood that there was nothing wrong with two men loving each other. Growing up, she accepted the relationship without question, treating Marcus as a cross between a favourite uncle and a second dad, especially after Peter, Esme’s husband, passed away. Marcus loved her too, so much. When he died...” he paused suddenly before composing himself. “When he died, he left everything to me, and set up a trust fund for Lauren’s schooling so that Esme didn’t have to worry about the money. Lauren doesn’t know yet – she was still very much a child at the time.”

“What are you suggesting? That you don’t tell her about the college fund? She may not want to go to college anyway. What then?”

“It would mature when she was 25, or, if I choose, I can break it early.” He shook his head. “Marcus would both be so disappointed in her right now, as am I.”

“She does have to be punished, but don’t make any hasty decisions, love. You’ve got a lot to deal with over the next few days. Once Monday is out of the way, things might start to look a little brighter. Have you met the lawyers before?”

“Yes, once before when a patient died unexpectedly. There was an inquiry then too. It’s a different man this time, someone named Whitlock. According to the Chief he’s excellent and should have this mess cleaned up in no time. Let’s hope so.”

I smiled ruefully. “At this rate, we’re going to need another holiday. Get the boat ready.” He chuckled, moving to sit next to me on the sofa.

“Edward, about Sunday; do you... have to go? I was wondering if you’d stay until this was sorted out. I’m ashamed to admit it but I really need your support.” He paused, as if afraid of my reaction before plunging onward. “I’ll drive you to work, and fetch you after closing.”

My eyes met his and I saw the strain in his gaze, the skin around his eyes tight with worry.

“If it means that much to you then of course I’ll stay.” My thumbs brushed the dark circles under his eyes. “Now stop frowning or you’ll wrinkle that beautiful face.”

His face lit up and it made my heart sing. I couldn’t resist teasing him.

“I don’t know why you’re so happy. I’m out of clean clothes so you need to do some laundry!” I clicked my fingers. “Honestly, the service in this place is shocking...”

His grin grew ever wider as he pressed me back into the cushions, my hands pinned over my head.

“Trapped in my house with no clothes? My prayers have been answered!”

~xxXxx~

~A/N – the piece that Edward was playing is called Kesson Daslef. Listen to it here: www .youtube.com/watch?v=ovk-5c0GFFM

Learning to Fly - Ch10

Thank you to my beta mxpi1970 and my pre readers who do an excellent job each chapter.

I own nothing except a love of purple and teal.

As always, all characters created and owned by Stephenie Meyer.

~xxXxx~

CHAPTER 10

CPOV

We lay side by side, the sweat cooling on our sated bodies as we listened to other holidaymakers returning from their evening meals, their chatter drifting over the evening air.

I had gone against my medical training and risked Edward’s health, all because I couldn’t say no to him. I knew now he was okay – he had reassured me of that over and over again – but I mentally chastised myself for my selfishness and weakness. But the truth of it was that I hadn’t wanted to resist him. Making love with Edward had been a life-changing moment; one I had fantasised about repeating since that night at his apartment. To be so close to someone again felt almost daring, as if I were flying high and free with no safety net to catch me if I fell. And so, try as I might, I couldn’t regret a single moment of tonight.

Turning my head, I saw him gazing at me. He flushed a little at being caught openly staring, and I felt the smile tug at my lips. My thumb caressed his cheek, feeling the heat under the skin.

“Do you want to watch a movie or listen to some music? It’s still early.”

His arm snaked around my neck and urged me closer.

“No, I want to stay here.” A mischievous smile crept across his face. “I really think we need to discuss those mirrors...” I chuckled and pulled him in for a kiss, my lips skating over his teasingly before pulling back.

“Well, if you want to stay here that’s fine with me but I need a drink. Can I get you anything? Tea?”

He nodded and sat up, looking around the bed. His face brightened when he spotted his bathrobe and he pulled it on quickly, passing mine to me before changing his mind.

“Maybe not; I do prefer you naked.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Well you might, but I suspect the other patrons might object.” I took my robe from him. Edward snorted.

“Not if they have eyes in their head.” He widened his eyes for emphasis.

I stood up, wincing slightly, and I saw his immediate concern.

“Did I hurt you? Was I too rough?” I hated seeing that look of fear in his eyes and quickly tried to dispel it.

“No, love. No. It’s to be expected; last week was my first time in a very long time.” I pulled him to me by his robe sash, kissing away his concern before whispering against his lips, “Believe me when I say it was worth it.”

Tying my robe, I headed upstairs to make the tea, hearing Edward’s footfalls behind me. As I waited for the water to boil I felt arms snake around my waist and a chin rest on my shoulder.

“What am I having?” He eyed the mugs warily.

“Want to try the Lapsang today?” He didn’t look convinced, and I couldn’t hold back my laugh. “English breakfast it is then.”

Carrying our steaming mugs to the sofa, I sank down into the cushions, Edward beside me. Finding the remote control, I turned on the radio, adjusting the volume down. The sun was setting and we watched as the sky was filled with a fiery glow before finally ebbing away. Remembering our shopping trip, I reached over and lifted my books on to my lap, showing them to Edward. My fascination with photography extended as far as beautiful coffee table books and art; I took a reasonable photograph myself but I was no professional by any standards. What I did understand was colour and composition, and as Edward asked me questions I was able to answer them, smiling at his interest. He too was fascinated by the stunning scenic shots, and together we made grand plans to visit each and every beautiful spot the book featured.

As we giggled and kissed, each plan more outlandish than the previous one, a song came on the radio that summed up my exact feelings for Edward at that moment.

Cos we belong together now, yeah

Forever united here somehow, yeah

You got a piece of me

And honestly

My life would suck without you.

Emboldened by the track, I voiced the question in my head that wouldn’t go away.

“Can I take some pictures of you? When we get back, maybe? I just...” my voice tailed off and I dropped my eyes in embarrassment. I heard his quiet intake of breath and looked up. “I just need to... to keep you close to me even when we’re apart.”

I saw his throat work, all traces of laughter gone from his face as he turned to me.

“So where are these photos destined for? The lounge room?” His fingers slid into my robe sending shudders through me. “Your bedroom...?” His lips found my throat and I moaned, his fingers squeezing my nipple. He murmured hotly against my skin.

“Or are they private snaps for your wallet?”

I felt the flush start at my chest and rise up my neck. Hell yes, they are.

I knew deep down that when Edward moved back home I would be bereft; the hours long and lonely until we were together again. I needed something tangible to make the empty hours pass quicker.

He pulled back, his hands on the curve of my neck.

“Didn’t you bring a camera with you?”

I nodded.

“Well, no time like the present.” His green eyes sparkled. “I promise to keep my clothes on, at least for the duration of the photo session.” His lips brushed mine before he sank back into the cushions, his eyes expectant.

Heading for the bedroom, I located my camera and hurried back to find Edward sprawled on the sofa hugging a cushion to his chest, his head propped up on one hand. Looking up at me under his lashes he gave me a heartbreaking smile, and I snapped the photo that was destined for a silver frame by my bedside.

He reached for the camera, still smiling.

“Fair’s fair.” He took it, but instead of snapping a picture of me, he motioned me back to the sofa. “I don’t just want one of you, I want one of us.”

He set the timer and snuggled into my side, his head on my shoulder. As I rested my head against his, his soft hair against my cheek, the flash fired, capturing our first lasting memory; one that would later take pride of place in my wallet.

I set the timer again myself, this time capturing his bruised lips in a tender kiss that he returned and the camera recorded; a private moment for our eyes only. The kiss intensified and I felt my pulse spike. Pulling away he looked at me wickedly, his voice suggestive.

“Let’s go downstairs.”

Jumping up he pulled me to my feet, adjusting my robe over my burgeoning erection, leading me wordlessly across the room and down the stairs, closing the door behind us. His fingers deftly untied my robe, pushing it off my shoulders so that I stood naked before him.

His eyes were hypnotic, his voice commanding.

“Go and stand in front of the mirror, Carlisle.”

I complied, looking at myself, noting my darkened eyes. I watched him walk up behind me, meeting my eyes in the reflection. He parted his robe, his erection a promise of the delights to come. He saw my appreciation and his eyes narrowed.

“Hands against the glass.” My palms met the cold surface without hesitation, and I waited.

“Don’t move.”

Edward fetched the wooden chair from the corner of the room, removing the clothes hung over the back. He placed it on my right before discarding his robe; it joined mine on the floor and he kicked it away. I felt the heat from his palms as I watched him rest his hands on my shoulder blades; his nails scratched my back as they slid, painstakingly slowly, down my body and I shuddered. His mouth followed his hands’ path with deliberate kisses, sucking and nipping the skin lightly all along my spine as he moved ever lower. As his hands reached my hips he swept them up and across my chest, finding my nipples. He pinched them firmly, my body jerking as I cried out in pain tinged ecstasy. His tongue ran up my back like a line of fire and my face contorted with delicious agony as my swollen nipples were twisted mercilessly.

When I forced my eyes open, I saw his calculating expression. I watched his fingers trail down my stomach and splay out to encircle my hips, his fingertips so close to my cock that I moaned. He leaned into me and I felt the steel hardness of his shaft press against my ass.

“Spread your legs.”

As I obeyed, my breathing laboured, he dropped to his knees and positioned himself between the mirror and my body. When his fingers found and stroked the soft skin in my groin crease, my legs parted a little further, no instruction necessary. His tongue flickered along the line of delicate skin and I jumped, my cock straining toward him. I groaned desperately.

“You like that, don’t you. Your cock is so hard.” I could hear the amusement in his voice.

“Edward, please...”

With that, he dragged his tongue up the underside of my cock, and my legs trembled as I tried not to beg for his mouth around my flesh. Sensing my distress, he engulfed my shaft in his hot mouth and sucked hard; looking down at him, I watched as my cock disappeared between his hungry lips. My head fell back; I resisted the urge to move my hand away from the mirror, to fist his hair and thrust deeply into his throat. As if reading my thoughts he pulled away almost immediately, standing up and kissing me for the briefest moment, his tongue finding mine. His hard cock slid deliciously against mine, leaving a trail of pre-come on my stomach. His hand tightly gripped us both as I gasped into his mouth, my chest heaving for air, before he moved back behind me.

Fingers caressed the curve of my ass before gripping tightly as he bit the soft flesh of my neck. My breath hissed inward as I watched him sink down, his gaze hungry when he drew level with my ass. Spreading me wide with his thumbs, I felt his breath on my hole; he made no move to touch it, and sheer anticipation caused my stomach muscles to bunch. When his tongue finally glanced over my entrance before gliding away, sweeping along my crease, my thighs shook. The next time I tried to push back into his face but he held me still, this time covering the delicate skin with teasing laps until I moaned for more, completely under his spell.

I was squirming, trying to encourage him to go deeper, to breach the muscle and taste me. He took his time, rubbing the pad of his thumb across my entrance; his manipulations making me crave his fingers deep inside.

He wouldn’t give in; his tongue skimmed across the twitching flesh before unexpectedly pushing inside with no warning. I cried out, shudders of pleasure racking my body as his tongue moved within me. For an amazing few seconds he tongue fucked me as I writhed, my breathing hoarse and laboured, but all too soon he pulled out, circling my entrance and teasing the opening with the very tip of his talented tongue.

“Fuck, Edward... so good...”

He sucked at the quivering flesh, slipping his long tongue back into me for the longest moment so that I almost howled with frustration when he pulled away. My cock was wet and leaking, begging for attention, and I knew he could see that in the mirror. When he leant over for lube I didn’t know for sure if he planned to fuck me, or just tease me some more until my cock couldn’t take it and I came all over the mirror in front of me.

The coolness of the lube was delicious; even more so was the finger that slipped in, swiftly followed by a second. Rotating them easily, he stretched me just enough for a third, and I started riding his knuckles until he stopped me. I moaned in disappointment when his fingers left me until I watched Edward stand up, his eyes burning into mine.

“Admit it – you love watching me touch you in the mirror. That’s the real reason you installed them isn’t it. And now, you’re going to watch as I fuck you.”

“Yes, yes, god yes...”

I couldn’t look away – he was mesmerising. I watched him stroke himself briefly before rolling on a condom, applying liberal amounts of lube to his cock. I felt cool, wet fingers at my hole and pushed into his hand as they slid all the way inside me before withdrawing, to my chagrin.

My voice was no more than a rough gasp as I begged for what I needed.

“Fuck me, love; fuck me hard...”

“I need your foot on the chair.” His mouth was over my ear.

I obeyed, panting hard; his hot breath against my neck, he started to push into me, taking his time as I adjusted to his length. I almost cried out as he finally filled me. Looking into my own eyes, I barely recognised the man looking back at me, his eyes dark and stormy, brow furrowed in ecstasy. At that moment Edward pulled back before thrusting balls deep into me; my cheeks were flushed, my mouth open as I gasped for air. My eyes closed with pleasure, but I found that that wasn’t permitted. Edward’s lips were against my ear.

“Open your eyes, Carlisle; you don’t want to miss this.”

I forced my eyes open and simultaneously watched and felt Edward’s slow, deliberate movements. It was both perfect and excruciatingly frustrating at the same time, his hips moving almost lazily.

“Ready for more?” his eyebrow quirked.

My response was a deep, guttural groan.

“You know I am. Give it to me. Please...”

As I watched, I saw Edward’s hips flex with each wonderful thrust, his movements gaining more power now as his thighs tensed with every upward stroke. I watched him rise up on his toes and plough into me over and over, his hands holding my hips tightly; the only sounds I could utter were unintelligible grunts, rising in volume as the pleasure threatened to peak and consume me. He wrapped an arm around my stomach, keeping me tight against him while his other hand finally gripped my desperate cock. I leaned back into him as he licked the sweat from my neck. My body trembled and shook as he fucked me relentlessly, forcing the breath from my body on each thrust. It was the sight of him pounding me, his hand stroking my rigid flesh, that overloaded my senses and I tensed before crying out, my come spraying both the mirror and Edward’s hand as my body tried to process the myriad of sensations it was experiencing. As I gasped and jerked he stayed inside me, still hard.

When I finally relaxed he slid free and helped me stagger to the bed. As I sat down I saw his swollen flesh in front of me and knew what I had to do. Removing the condom, I leaned forward and took him deep into my mouth, intent on pleasuring him as he had me. My hands found his balls and tugged them lightly; licking my finger I grazed his hole, and he cried out as the tip penetrated. Pushing inside, I finger fucked him until he stilled, shooting his load deep into my throat. As he cried out my name hoarsely, his hands on my head, I swallowed it all and together we collapsed back onto the bed, breathing noisily and grinning like idiots.

When we could speak again, Edward turned to me.

“One of us should really clean that mirror...”

~xxXxx~

I looked again at the pictures of Edward on the camera. He was beautiful; there was no other word good enough for him. I reflected on our lovemaking, and the thrill of his dominant side emerging for the first time as his confidence grew. My body craved his, and surrendering to him had given me more pleasure than I could ever have hoped for. I hadn’t been joking when I said I needed reminders of him around the house. Seeing him once a week had been hard enough before we got together; now that I had spent lots more time with him I realised just how lost I was going to be when we were both back at work. I had, at best, two more days with him before he moved back home. I fervently hoped he would stay the weekend and practice on the piano. I wanted him to enjoy it, play some for me and by so doing ensure that a small part of him was always in my house, even when he wasn’t living there anymore.

When would we get to spend time together? Sundays, definitely, unless work called me in. Evenings? Edward worked til closing most days. I sighed heavily; this was going to be harder than I thought. Our time was so limited. Perhaps I should try to get later shifts so we could be together in the mornings? No – the Chief wouldn’t go for that. I had responsibilities at work – I couldn’t just work when I wanted to.

Kissing the top of his head, I felt my heart grow heavy. I wanted to come home to him every night when we both finished our shifts. I wanted to fall asleep with him curled up next to me. But I knew it wasn’t all about my needs. I could only hope he missed me as much as I was going to miss him.

I played with the soft strands of his unruly hair. He was fast asleep, his leg crooked over mine, while I lay thinking.

As it was, I slept fitfully and woke early. The outside world was quiet, the silence broken only by the distant rumble of another cruiser making an early exit for pastures new.

Edward lay with his back to me, one arm hugging his pillow, the other hanging off the edge of the mattress. I slid out of bed, dressed quickly, and made my way upstairs and out on deck. It was a cool morning, the water calm as the ripples from the wake rocked the boat rhythmically. Further down the jetty I saw other people getting ready to move on, perhaps making the most of their weekend getaways. I thought it might be fun to move on to another island, one more secluded, and spend the day on our own. I breathed deeply, the air washing away some of my worry. Things always looked worse at night, when the mind had time to dwell. Tonight we’d be home, and tomorrow Edward would get one of his lifelong dreams granted. I was as excited as he at the prospect of the piano’s arrival and I wanted him to feel free to visit whenever he wanted, without feeling the need to ask for permission. I had nothing to hide from him – I was an open book. Edward held the key to my heart and tomorrow he would also have the key to my home.

I nodded good morning to the family moored next to us as they appeared on deck to cast off. More people were now preparing to leave and, with a smile, I headed back inside to go wake Edward. Closing the bedroom door, I shed my clothes and climbed back in beside my love, pressing my cool skin against his warmth and hearing a quiet yelp.

“You’re freezing!” His head turned to me as I ran my foot down his leg.

“Then warm me up.”

~xxXxx~

We finally greeted the day an hour later after an extremely pleasurable shower. We sat on the deck, dressed for the day ahead and eating toast while we watched boats come and go come and go from the dock. I had proposed a visit to the next island and Edward was all for it so, after breakfast and coffee, we slowly made our way out into open water once more.

It was cooler than the day before, although the sun was bright and cheery. I pointed out the island on the map as we travelled and he looked endearingly sad when I told him that he most likely wouldn’t see any whales today either. I could definitely see a whale-watching trip in the future – I hated to see him disappointed.

It was a short hop to the next island, and soon we were approaching the entrance channel, slowly making our way inside the breakwater. I manoeuvred New Beginnings to an empty stretch of dock and moored her.

We spent a couple of hours on the island, exploring the State Park. It was peaceful and beautiful, and we walked in comfortable silence, looking around for reclusive wildlife. After spotting a pair of otters, we stopped for a while to watch them play before Edward quietly led me away to the beach. Pulling me down onto the rough sand at the water’s edge, he leant over me, his head resting on his hand, his expression serious and a little sad.

“I wish we didn’t have to go back.”

“Just travel the world like nomads, you mean? Stop wherever we want, see the world?”

He laughed. “That book has given me a few ideas, that’s for sure. It’s been amazing, being able to do what we like, and no responsibilities. I’ve not had a proper holiday before.” He looked self-conscious as if this was something to be ashamed of.

“This is the first of many, believe me. I plan to kidnap you whenever I get the opportunity. Resistance is futile!” I fisted the air dramatically and Edward collapsed back on the sand, his body shaking with laughter. Jumping to my feet, I kicked off my shoes and walked into the water, wincing a little at the sharp stones underfoot as the cold water lapped at my feet. Closing my eyes, I let my head roll back and breathed deep, feeling the shackles of everyday life wash away.

When Edward’s hand folded around mine I felt totally free.

After we dried off we returned to the boat, retrieving the food that I had brought with us. We made our way to the barbeque huts and set about cooking dinner. While I grilled the steaks, Edward served the salads; this little task took mere seconds, leaving him unoccupied and able to distract me in my task, something in which he took great delight. By the time he had nibbled my neck and nipped my ears I was swaying slightly and leaning into him. Consequently the steaks were a little more cooked than planned. Remembering how he liked his meat cooked, I realised I had been played as he couldn’t control his satisfied smirk the whole time we ate.

All too soon the time came to head for home and rejoin our lives. Determined to enjoy every last second of our trip, I showed Edward how to operate the controls and let him take over. I was then able exact my revenge, distracting him with kisses and touches as he tried to concentrate on his task.

Arriving back at the marina, we moored before taking our time packing away everything we had used. Edward looked impressed when I swiftly changed the bed, using clean linen from the storage cupboard. As we left the bedroom, he looked round for a moment with a smile. As I locked the main doors behind us and set the alarm, I turned to him.

“Does that smile mean you want to do this again sometime?”

Very subtly, the back of his hand glanced over my ass.

“You bet I do.”

I couldn’t rein in the grin that spread across my face as we walked to the car. Throwing the bags into the trunk, I reluctantly returned to reality and switched on my phone. Three missed calls from Alice. I chuckled; I hadn’t told her we were going away and she was probably going insane with curiosity. Edward looked up.

“Problem?”

“No, it’s just Alice. I’ll call her when we get home.”

The drive back was relaxed. Edward chattered about the piano coming tomorrow and where was it going to reside. I answered his questions willingly, all the time acutely aware that we had just two days (and two nights) left before I returned to work on Monday.

When we walked in I dropped the bags in the hallway. Edward walked through to the kitchen to fetch a drink and I noticed the flashing light on the answering machine. Pressing play, I turned for the kitchen and then stopped dead, hearing Alice’s panicked voice. I felt the colour drain from my face.

“Carlisle? Are you there? It’s Alice... pick up...” There was an audible sigh. “I need to speak to you before Monday. There’s been an incident at the hospital. Lauren... Lauren was there a few days ago, telling everyone who would listen that her dad was dating one of his patients. I tried to get her out of the ward before people heard but, well, now another person has come forward, claiming they saw you being intimate with a man outside the aquarium. It doesn’t look good; rumours are rife on the ward and the Chief has been told to conduct an inquiry. Call me back as soon as you get this. Where the hell are you anyway?”

The machine clicked off and Edward appeared next to me, his eyes huge.

“This is bad – could you lose your job?”

My face in the mirror was ashen and I turned to meet his worried eyes.

“I honestly don’t know.”

~xxXxx~