It's You

  

Thanks so much for a fabulous contest!

 Song Inspiration: "You" by Switchfoot... 

Disclaimer: All copyrights and recognizable characters herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this story is permitted! No copyright infringement is intended.

Edward

“Edward, are you ready?” Mom asked. She was a vision standing there by the door in her cream colored satin gown.  

With a smile, I got up, walking over to the full length mirror in the corner of the room. I checked my suit one last time before making my way out there. Running my hands over it, I smiled. You always said only the best for me. So a Gucci suit should’ve been no surprise for this occasion.

“Yeah, Mom, I’m ready,” I said, and together, we left the luxurious bedroom behind.  

When I stepped outside, I was in awe. Everything was so well put together. It was all exquisite. Every single person that meant something to us was here for this. Your family, my mom, they were all here to wish us the best. However, as time ticked away, I grew more nervous.

Never in a million years did I ever dream that this could happen to me. That I could be standing here on this day ready to devote my life to another, but it was you. You made it happen.

I was only nineteen years old when we met. I had just gotten my first pair of glasses, and I felt so out of place. I’d never worn glasses before in my life.  However, after a bout of complaining that I couldn’t see the board in class, watery eyes, cloudy vision, and this constant haze, I finally went to the optician. In the end, the bottom line was, I needed glasses.

This didn’t help my self-esteem one bit. Mom didn’t wear them, and I felt so out of place. I had already felt like such a geek amongst my peers at Berkeley.  Not to mention that I was already viewed as one for majoring in Physics during my time there. I had no true friends and I wasn’t exactly the most desirable guy to the guys I was interested in. All they saw was the reddish freaky hair and my lanky figure. Now I had to add glasses to the mix. No guy would be caught dead on a date with Edward Cullen, the nerd.

Being gay wasn’t as much a stigma here in California as it was in the little town I was from, Forks, Washington. There, I was known as the only child of Esme Platt, divorcee. Everyone seemed to care about the fact that my mom was divorced more than anything else until I made the mistake of telling a guy at school that I liked him. Admittedly, I was tricked into saying it after receiving what I thought were messages from him. Thankfully, I didn’t have my ass handed to me, but everyone kind of stayed away. I felt like I was diseased so I promised myself that college would be different, but so far, it was only cool on the being gay front. Not the dating one.

So when Mom took a job out here in California after getting an offer from an Interior Design agency, I couldn't have been happier. The move came at the right time for us, as I had applied to attend any school far from Forks and the small town gossip.

Any action I had hoped to get out here was minimal, and I was beginning to think it would never happen. So instead of sitting around moping, I found my solace in books.

Mom was earning enough for both of us to live comfortably, but I wanted my own money. I wanted a job that was both beneficial to my intellect and something I would enjoy doing. It was then I began my search and it lead me to get a job in one of my mom’s good friend, Rosalie Hale’s, bookstore.

It was a great place to work. All the books I could read, and a great atmosphere. I enjoyed going to work every day. I was happy.

At least I thought I was until I met you.

It had been an unusually hot and my shirt was already sticking to my skin. I walked into the bookstore, the bell above the door dinging, alerting Rosalie of someone’s presence.

She came from around the back, her hands filled with books. “Hey, Edward, a little help please.”

“Hey, Rosalie.” I dropped my things by the door, and ran to help. Together, we put the books away, and I took my position behind the counter. I checked the coffee pot and Rosalie set out fresh muffins for whatever potential customers we might get today.

“So, you ready for today?” Rosalie joked, looking around the quaint little store.

“Yes.” I smiled. The store might have been small, but we had a lot of customers passing through here during business hours.  But you were the first to make my breath stop.

This was the first day of the rest of my life, and I never truly understood that phrase until you walked in the store.  

About an hour after arriving at work, I was dealing with an obnoxious customer. Admittedly, I was annoyed and trying hard not to show it, but a quick glance by the door and I was lost forever.

You stepped in. You were dress to the ‘t’ you suit was expensive by the looks of it and you looked really familiar, but I couldn’t place it.  

My breath caught, when you looked my way. Your eyes peered into mine before quickly looking away, releasing me from their hold. Rosalie came out and was an apparent witness to our first glance. She stepped up to me with a smile and sent me over to you, before handling the customer herself.

I was nervous. You were…breathtaking. Your tailored suit fit you like a glove. I had to take a deep breath to calm myself down. I wanted to be able to not fall all over myself while talking to you.

I stopped at your table by the window, the sun making your blond tresses that stopped at the nape of your neck seemingly shine in the light. Your eyes were worse as they once again held captive while I tried to speak.  

“Hey, I’m Edward, what can I get you?”

“Hi there, how’s your coffee, Edward?” The side of your mouth lifted with a slight smirk, and I wanted to melt. My heart was pounding, my hands were clammy. The deep southern accent you spoke with, was so damn alluring, I was having a hard time not asking you to speak again, just to hear you.

“The best in town.” I smiled, my heart racing, but I was proud of myself to get those words out, without a stutter.

“Alright then,” You said, again with that smirk. “Can I get a cup?”

“I’ll be back in a minute.”

That was the first of many days.

You were there every lunch time that week. I learned that you even came in on days when I wasn’t there because of classes.  Rosalie finally got tired of watching you sit there with that longing look on your face so she inquired and you were not shy to tell her that you were there for me. She was both appalled and impressed by your bravery to readily admit that. So she asked for more information. You gave her a card, and I learned that you were, you were Jasper Whitlock, 29 years old, prominent lawyer at one of the best law firms in the state of California.

She then told you that I was Edward Cullen, who aspired to be a physicist.

I should have been angry with her for that, but you lived in my every thought, and I was overjoyed to learn of your interest in me. Edward the nerd. I looked up on Google, and was surprised to know that you were one of the best. You never lost a case. You were the most sought after and also well known for being quite the player on the dating scene. You were openly gay and proud, but as much as this was a brownie point in my book, I couldn’t get over the ‘player’ bit. You liked young, attractive guys so what did you see in me?

However, I would’ve been lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t curious about you, the person, and not what I read. I wanted to know you, and I wanted you to know me. And that we did.

On every day I worked, you came in. And every day, it would be the same. Just a cup of coffee, sometimes a muffin and you’d select a book to buy and then sit and read. Sometimes, I wondered with all I read about you, where did you find the time for this? Until one day, you asked me to join you.

“Why don’t you join me?” You had said. It was slow day and I asked for a break, which Rosalie was more than willing to give.

“Thanks,” I answered. “But don’t you want your cup of coffee and muffin first?”

“Yes,” You smiled. “Thanks.”

After returning with coffee and the muffin, I got the same for myself.  You eyed me, and I did the same. You smiled, and I did the same. So it began, the first of many coffees and muffins, just so we could sit and talk.

Every day I thought about you until I saw you. Every day I would learn that there was more to you than what I’d found out on the internet. And every night, I would dream of you.

First, they were innocent dreams, just of your smile, your laugh or the way you would run your hand through your hair then smile. That was my favorite. Then the dreams would change, and I began to wonder what your body looked like underneath those clothes. Night after night, I would wrap my hand around my cock, pumping it until I came, screaming your name.

Those nights, I was thankful that I had my own apartment.

Then one day over our usual coffee and talk, it happened. It was a simple touch, the first touch, but I never forgot it. I couldn’t because I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. Your hand on mine was electric, literally. We’d both jumped and pulled away from the shock, but the tension between us forced us to touch once again. The static was still there, but it had lessened and I was grateful as I didn’t want to let go.

You looked me in the eye and I never forgot these words. “Would you like to go out with me?”

I was nervous. What was I doing standing outside my place waiting for you to pick me up? I had agreed to the date, but should I have? Not only were you a well known bachelor, and one of the most sought after, you were also at least ten years my senior. You could be taking advantage of me. I had morals. I wasn’t stupid. I wouldn’t be saying yes to anything I wasn’t comfortable with, no matter how tingly you made me feel. Would I?

Nonetheless, the bottom line was, I didn’t care. I was foolishly falling for you.

It turned out I was scared and second guessing myself and you for no reason as you were the perfect gentleman on our first date, as you continued to be on the three that followed.

Four dates. It took four dates for you to kiss me. I’d never been with a man before. Yes, I knew I was gay and I fully understood my preference, but I lacked sexual experience and that worried me most of all, but you never pressured me. You never pushed. You waited. And finally, one night while I was over at your place during a movie, I got my first kiss.

When you pulled away, I shared that it was, and you smiled brightly, saying, “And this will be your second.” Before pressing your lips to mine.

Life wasn’t always so easy for us though. But by the time, everyone found out, your family, your colleagues, my mom, we were in love and inseparable. Nothing could change our minds about each other. Others warned me to stay away from you, some tried to take me away from you, manipulate us, but you held strong and I loved you even more for it.

We were happy.

I told you everything. You knew me inside and out. As I knew you. I was the geek on the outside, that you were on the inside. I was the boy you loved, and sometimes we’d argue over that, because I couldn’t see myself as the man you lived for. I hated that we were stuck, sexually. I feared moving on. Would it hurt? Yes. Would...what would we do? I knew the mechanics but have never experienced anything outside of my hand until you.

Nonetheless, again, you took your time again. You pleased me. You treasured me. You ensured that I was well sated, without even wanting me to reciprocate at times. How selfless you were. 

Yet, I learned.

From the first touch of my hand against your hard cock, to the first time I tasted you. I learned and memorized while being mesmerized in each moment.

You were the air I breathe.

You told me you couldn’t be without me, and that you felt the same longing and heartache I felt whenever you had to drive me home as I did when I had to close the door behind you, so I moved in. Life was life. We had to learn to share space and co-exist. Nevertheless, it was also sweeter, because it was with you.

Beauty.

It was everything you were in that moment. It was in the way you held me, how you told me you love me. The way you used your body to make my first sexual experience the most pleasure filled experience I’d ever had in my life.

Nothing could come close to what it felt like to have you inside of me. To have you within the depths of me. To feel my body accepting you despite the pain. To sigh in relief when you started to move. Your fingers wrapped tightly around mine, lending me the support I needed. Your lips at my ear, whispered treasured words of love to me. Your body, giving, receiving, pushing, pulling. I cry, you wipe the tears away, I scream, grunt and moan, and you were there, biting, kissing and encouraging me. Loving me. Making love to me. Giving me all of you.

Your eyes water before me now as do my mom’s, when I look over at her. Our guests are silent and sniffling their quiet tears, but I had to tell you in my own words, Jasper, how I felt.

You look me in the eyes, smiling as the tears ran down your cheeks and said, “I love you, Edward Anthony Cullen, from the first day I met you. I will continue to love you until the day I die and forevermore. You are my light, and the air I breathe. The day I walked into that coffeehouse and saw you, it made me whole. I might have been a selfish man, but I had to have you.” I smiled at his words, and how true they were. Jasper fought for what he wanted, and he never let go once he had it. “Walking away that first day, I swore to myself that there would be no other. I have a past and you know this, but still you accepted me wholeheartedly.”

More sniffles could be heard during his vows, but I kept my eyes solely on the man I loved, who asked me to marry him the day after my graduation from college.

“My life is now complete because you’re in it. I love you with all my heart, body and soul,” Jasper said.

The minister then said the words that will forever be imprinted on my memories. “By the power vested in me in the state of New York, I now pronounce you, husband and husband.  Gentlemen, you may kiss your husband.”

The cheers of our guests were overlapping, but the touch of his lips made the cheerful noise fade away. 

He moved away, sighing before his face lit up with a smile. “It was you.”

“What?” I whispered curiously.

“I always felt like I was waiting for something. Now I know what it was,” he said with a smile. “It was you.”

“Well, you’ve found me, and you’ll have me forever.”

“I couldn’t be happier.” He smiled. “And life couldn’t be sweeter.”

He was wrong, it could be, and when we adopted our daughter two years later, and our son a year after, it was now truly sweeter.

My life was now complete. The once nerdy guy that no one would consider was now husband and father to two of the smartest, craziest yet most adorable kids and a husband that was just as bad as my kids. Jasper matched our kids both in wits and antics. Working from home was a hard task when they were all there, but I wouldn’t have any other way. My family was beautiful and crazy. Just the way I liked it.

Looking back, it was sometimes still hard for me to believe that I’d found all of this out of a guy walking in a coffeehouse and at times I still pinched myself. However, every day I got with them was a miracle within itself to see their smiles and hear their laughter. And every night I got to crawl into bed beside Jasper was a dream come true.

“What are you thinking about?” he’d asked one night after we’d make love.

I wrapped him my arms, sighing, my skin still tingling from his touch. With a kiss to his forehead, I said, “Just how lucky I am.”

“I’m the lucky one,” he said with a kiss on my chest.

“Why?”

He looked up from his place on my chest, his beautiful eyes gleaming in the dimmed light, “Because you are my angel.”

“I still say I’m lucky.” I smiled.

He chuckled, saying, “Yeah, you are.”

And I was. I truly was.