Friday, January 6, 2012

TLS Fics of the Week 1/5 - 1/11/12: The Fab Five reviews are up!



A Beer With the Guys by Cara No-rec'd by Nic/Bobby Cullen


This is Edward's story. He loves his life. It's very uncomplicated… until he falls in love with the woman he has a very pleasurable arrangement with. Silly, 'cause they have no reason to worry.

Twilight - Rated: M



Reviewed By: Lisa Hollett



A Beer with the Guys is CaraNo’s companion piece to A Drink with the Girls. We get to have the added pleasure of Edward’s point of view on his no-strings-attached relationship with Bella. No fancy cocktails or high-end fashion with Edward and his boys. Just beer and sports and uncomplicated sex. And what truly phenomenal sex it is!



To summarize: I own her body, and she owns mine.



But that's as far as it goes.



We hook up at my place a few times a week, and that's it. No questions asked, no answers given.



I don't know anything about her, and she doesn't know anything about me.



Again, unless you count what goes on in the bedroom. Or kitchen, or living room, or shower… you get it.



Edward is beyond thrilled with the way things have progressed with Bella. He met her at a club, they went back to his place, had amazing sex and decided that wasn’t enough so they have embarked upon an exclusive sex-only arrangement. They’ve been “together” exclusively about six months and are ALL for experimenting. Everything is going perfectly well…And then Jasper meets Bella at a modeling shoot.



"I asked her if she was single," Jasper mentions casually, and I want to kill him.



"Why the fuck would you ask her that?" I snap, feeling a flash of anger surge through me. "Wait." Dammit! "What, uh… what did she say?"



It's already starting. Questions are forming in my head.



Did she say that she was single? Did she lie and say that she was in a relationship? I'm not sure which answer I would prefer. I only know that when women flirt with me, or even flat out ask me to dinner, I say that I'm really focusing on my work right now. I never come off as available, because I'm not interested. Hell, I don't even look at other women, 'cause what I have is perfect. I have a warm, sexy, stunning body to give me pleasure when I need it, and I have my own life. That's how I like it, dammit!



"She said that she had a personal sex god to satisfy her."



My eyes snap to Jasper's. She said… "What?" 



He starts laughing. Even Emmett joins in. I'm just fucking stunned.



"She… she said that?" I choke out.



And Jasper's laughing too hard to respond verbally, but he nods.



Jesus.



Is Bella Swan blunt or what?



Kinda hot, actually. Refreshing. Calling me a sex god and all to strangers.



NO!



This stops now! "I don't wanna hear about this anymore," I say, furiously shaking my head. "Bella is off limits. No more talk about her."



Edward tries so very hard to keep his activities with Bella separate from the rest of his life. And so far, nothing has happened to shake Edward’s faith in the perfection of their relationship. He doesn’t want more…right?



Why would he want to change what he has? A great  job, good friends, beer, sports, and an exceedingly hot woman who is always ready, willing, able and bendy enough to do anything he (or she!) can dream up. But what happens when jealousy rears its ugly head?



Before I can ponder further, Bella cuts in again. "Don't you worry, Edward Cullen. I drink one drink then one water then drink one drink then one water, okay? I’ll be good and ready for you!”



Happy to hear that, baby. Truly. 'Cause I want you screaming in pleasure tonight as I drill my cock into you.



"I LOVE THIS SONG!" Aaah, right in my ear, Bella. “C’mon, Seth, let’s dance!” Say what now? “Rose, Alice, Mike, Angela, Ben…all of you!” 



And the call disconnects.



Um.



"Who the fuck is Seth?" I mutter, staring at the phone.



Yeah, no, I'm not amused anymore. And I'm thinking I may even… show up there. You know, to wish her a happy birthday and all. 'Cause I suddenly have that urge.



How will Edward handle meeting Bella’s friends and learning more about the parts of her life which don’t involve him? Click on the link, read A Beer with the Guys and find out! You won’t be sorry. Edward’s story has CaraNo’s husband’s guy-stamp of approval!






Do Over by Tkegl


Every Christmas Eve, Edward Cullen sits in a bar and regrets the decision he made ten years earlier that tore Bella from him. But when he gets a second chance to right that wrong, it's not quite what he expected. Twilight - Rated: M



Reviewed by: Jo Ficfreak



Okay so, talk about a feel good, makes you warm and happy during the holidays type of fic with a twist of lemon.



Man, I love this one.



It’s like… “Family Man” + “It’s a Wonderful Life” divided by TKegl times ten.



We start out with Edward sitting in a bar, like he does every year, feeling sorry for himself, considering what “might have been” with a Bella who is now a famous author and living her dream without him.



Because of him.



Because he was an idiot so long ago.



*sigh*



Enter, Tanya.



Mind if I sit here?" 



She’s not who you think she is… or isn’t.  And she convinces Edward to take her to this swanky hotel where Bella is attending a charity benefit.



Isabella Swan is my favorite author," she gushed. "They were giving away a couple of tickets to the party on the radio, but I couldn't get through. I can't believe you have an invitation and you're not going!"



And when they get there, he definitely sees her, and definitely recognizes her.



She was standing on the opposite side of the room, her face glowing as she smiled at the people around her. She was wearing a black cocktail dress, shot through with some kind of silver thread that caught the light, causing her to almost sparkle under the twinkling trees. Edward's eyes drank in her form, sliding down her body to take in the long legs peeking out from the short hem of the dress, and the teetering heels she never would have worn when he knew her.



She laughed, and Edward's breath caught.



Even over the voices in the crowded room, he recognized her familiar tinkling laughter and his gaze shot to her face to see sparkling eyes and a light flush staining her cheeks. If Bella ten years before was pretty…gorgeous, even...this Bella was breathtaking – her natural beauty heightened by the confidence of a woman who'd come into her own.



If Edward had any doubts before that moment that he was still in love with her, they were obliterated.



Only she’s with someone else.



A tall, dark-haired man approached Bella, handing her a drink and placing his hand on the small of her back possessively. She smiled up at him and sipped her champagne as he leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. They turned together to talk to the couple in front of them and again, Bella laughed at something one of them had said. She leaned slightly into the man's body, and Edward felt his blood heat.



So, being Edward, what does he do?  He leaves.



But no worries… he meets… a mysterious *coughs* angel *coughs* stranger, who grants him the one thing he’s always wished for.



A Do Over.



This story is about Edward getting a second chance to do things right with Bella, and how we see that even if he had… they may not necessarily work themselves out.



This doesn't fix anything," she finally said quietly. "I don't want to ruin Christmas for Masen, so we'll go to dinner at Jasper and Alice's and spend time with our families, but tomorrow, we need to settle a few things."



"Okay."



I mean it, Edward," she said firmly. "I'm not going to just give in this time. Something needs to change, or…"



Edward swallowed thickly. "Or…?" he finally prodded hesitantly.



Or we're through."



But like I said, this is a warm hearted fic… but that’s all I’m sayin. {smiles}



Give it a read and then tell TKegl how friggin’ awesome she is for her brain. 



LOVE!







Curtains by Rochelle Allison-rec'd by Nic


Sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, they won't love you back. Or maybe they just can't... right now. This is the WitFit plot "Curtains", novella-style. Twilight - Rated: M 



Reviewed by: Les Sharpe



Rochelle Allison.



Just hearing or seeing her name is enough for most of us in the fandom to squee like a teeny-bopper at a Justin Bieber concert ... and if you're one of the minority that hasn't heard of her (and if you haven't, what rock have you been living under??) then take this opportunity and read one of my favorite RA stories ... Curtains.



The beginning of Curtains finds Edward and Bella trying to navigate the path to healing and recovery after a tragedy befalls both their families. Each deals in a different way … Bella escapes to Edward's room at night to hide from her there-but-absent father while Edward simply refuses to deal. The loss each feels is visceral. You would think that sharing the same pain, understanding what the other feels would make them bond, but it doesn't.



"What?" he murmured, his eyes scanning the page.

"What?" I echoed, scooting down further beneath the blankets.

"You're watching me," he noted, still reading. Or pretending to.

"I'm not."

"You are," he said, irritation and finality coloring his tone.

"Why do you even bring me here?" I asked, trying to keep desperation out of my own voice.

"Why do you ask me to?" he countered, looking darkly amused.

"I-I don't know," I sighed. "I sleep better."

"I hope so," he snorted.

"Forget it," I whispered, tearing the blankets off and getting quickly to my feet. I dragged my sweater back on and toed my flip flops on to my feet, mired in silent self-deprecation for not having worn better shoes.

"What, you're walking home?" he mocked. "At this time?"

"You're an ass," I said, squeezing back the warm gush of tears behind my eyelids. "Sometimes I hate you."

"You don't know me well enough to hate me," he said, not moving from his spot.



Rochelle has this amazing, truly unique way of writing, that totally grips you and won't let go but at the same time, gives you only enough to paint just the barest hint of a picture. As a reader, you're left to fill in blanks. You're left to wonder. Why does Bella turn to Edward in the first place? Why does he let her? As a reader I immensely enjoy being shown where the path is, but being left to find my own way.



Curtains has everything you could want in a story. It's sweet and sad. It's got heartbreak and redemption. It's sexy and it'll make you smile. It'll make you FEEL, which is what any good story should do. You're going to want to slap Edward and you're going to want to give Bella a hug. You're going to want to wrap Edward up and keep him in your pocket. You're going to want to give Bella a high-five and tell her you always had faith in her.



Rochelle will fill your heart with emotion and she'll fill your mind with perfect images and poetic words.



I adjust the lens on my camera, wanting to have the right focus for today's light. Everything is sharper, the shadows darker and the light brighter. The tree's leaves have deepened remarkably; they look like they're bleeding or in flames.

Leaf, sky, tree trunk... hair.

Lowering the camera, I realize Edward's hair is autumnal. Oblivious to me, and apparently everything, he's in the middle of this fracas of foliage, sitting on another bench, looking at something in his hands. Impulsively, I take two, three pictures of him, zooming in on the last one.



If you've read Curtains before, read it again and remember why Rochelle Allison is the author that has no equal. If you've never read it, do it now, and find out what all the fuss is about because trust me, you have no idea what awaits you.






All the Wild Horses by Elusivetwilight


In her suffocating small hometown, Bella Swan meets widowed Edward Cullen. Can she pull him from the depths of his grief? Is there enough of him left to soothe her clawing loneliness? AUAH E&B. Twilight - Rated: M



Reviewed By: Edmazing Cullen



When two of my ff reading list role-models, Jaime Arkin and SueBee, tell me to read something, I listen.  And when it includes a cowboy Edward, I snap to it real quick.



Seriously, I’m a sucker for the manly man. You know, the strong, get stuff done, type of man. Long legs and broad shoulders. Strong arms and hands that can go out and build you something. With hands that can take you to heaven and back. Unf. “All the Wild Horses” has got that. And a heap more.



I wanna say it’s the cowgirl in me that made me fall in love with this story, but nah, I know it’s so much more than that.  The setting and descriptions wrapped me up and transported me straight away to Nowhere, USA. Once I was there… well, I couldn’t look away.



We begin in winter, just after the New Year and in the bleakest of seasons. Bella has been brought back home by a string of kicks to the gut by life.



I was a puzzle piece that no longer fit. All of my friends were either engaged, married, or pregnant. None of them could relate to being single, being alone in a small town where everyone knew your business. I should go out more, and my girlfriends tried to understand. But going out with them usually resulted in a game of 'Let's see who we can set Bella up with tonight.'


The majority of the men in this town that were eligible were slim pickings; the good ones married or paired off or moved away. I'd been on a few dates, but found I just didn't know how to open up to guys. And everywhere I looked, there was Jake and me.


I adopted Shadow after I moved into my apartment. She was a kitten at the time, and it had helped to have a distraction, and let myself be vulnerable with something, someone.


Sometimes, it felt like I was walking this tight rope, and most of the time I kept my balance because somehow the rope was continually taut. Any slack resulted in moments like this, where I lost my balance, and I was falling with no net.


Daily, I told myself I was happy, it was a mantra, and it was something I had to constantly remind myself.


I wanted the life I was supposed to have, not the empty shell of the one I was living now. Work, home, sleep, and Momma and Daddy's for dinner on the weekend. I loved my parents dearly, but it got to the point where I changed from Sunday to Saturday, just so I wouldn't be alone on a Saturday night.


The sob that had been working its way up my throat, finally choked out, and I tried to hold it in. It strangled its way out of my throat, and Shadow lifted her head, her eyes blinking and half open.

 

Edward isn’t faring any better. He’s been lost since the death of his wife and son. Getting up and going through the motions. But life’s been so hollow for him.



My boots seemed full of cement after the grinding all-nighter. Once inside, I bypassed the downstairs and headed straight for the stairs. Each step was an effort, and I could feel myself wavering as I reached the bed. Barely able to fling my hat onto a bed post, I crumbled onto the bed. In a daze, I pulled off my boots, they hit the wood flooring with a thud, and my clothes followed them. Lying back on the bed, I groaned as I pinched the bridge of my nose.

I was bone tired, tired of carrying all this shit around with me, tired of feeling so weighted all the time. The only time I ever left the ranch it was for a specific purpose: supplies or some emergency trip to town.


Otherwise I was holed up here, and I think I was slowly going crazy.

Maybe Eli was right, maybe I had my head up my ass. I just had no idea where to start, how to move on, and it seemed overwhelming.


My eyes slowly drifted closed, and for a moment I thought I could smell Maria in the room, on the sheets, on the pillowcase. I groaned and rolled onto my side, burying my face into the pillow.

 

Life in a sparsely populated area brings them together. The ride is slow and steady. But sure. They’ve both got a lot of mending to do, but they’re both in this for the long haul.



And once things heat up… well, let’s just say this cowboy doesn’t do anything halfway.



"Edward, you better not start something you can't finish."


I pushed my backside against him, teasing him.


"Is that a challenge, ma'am?"


"You bet your fancy belt buckle it is, Cowboy."


His other hand moved under my shirt, and he squeezed my breasts as he pressed himself against me. Sandwiched between Edward and the counter, I could feel every inch of him. I looked over my shoulder at him, his eyes were dark, hungry. His jaw was slightly scruffy.


"I want you." I whispered. I pushed myself back against him again, and he met me more than halfway.


"I need you." My voice was half moan, half hoarse whisper.


His face moved closer, and just before his lips met mine, he spoke. "Darlin', I'm gonna show you wantin' and needin'."


One of his hands slipped from my breast, ran down my ribcage and over my hip. It was slow, achingly slow, and I tried to be patient. We continued to press back and forth against each other, that belt buckle of his digging into my back, and I loved the sensation, but I needed more friction. His hand lifted my skirt, and I felt his calloused palm on the soft skin of my thigh.


His lips were still just touching mine, and as his fingers moved my panties aside, he kissed me, hard. We rocked back and forth, and his fingers rubbed against my slick flesh. He rubbed harder, and I whimpered as his fingers found the swollen sensitive nub.


His other hand squeezed my breast as his fingers worked over me. Edward continued to press forward, driving me crazy; he knew I wanted more but he held himself back. His tongue was thrusting with the rhythm of our bodies. I could feel my orgasm building, tightening in my abdomen, tension rising, and then finally my fingers curled on the counter top, and my legs were shaky as my body started to release.


His mouth released mine, and I panted as his fingers stroked over me, before moving away from my panties. My legs trembled, and I tried to keep myself upright.


Edward kissed my neck, and his lips lingered near my ear. "That was want. Now I'm gonna show you need."

 

Woah! Honestly, I gobbled it up, pausing only for the essentials, because I could. Not. Get. Enough. And I’ve gushed and swooned about Cowboyward and taken to washing dishes to old country songs and singing “Cowboy Take Me Away” since.  Lasso it up ladies and make sure to leave elusivetwilight some love!



 


Of Kith and Kin by Chicklette-rec'd by Nic


"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return." -Nat King Cole. This story is about that. AH, Canon pairings. Twilight - Rated: M



Reviewed By: Autumnltd



I remember reading this story for the first time and being completely enthralled…



Bella has grown up loving Edward Cullen, her best friend’s older brother.  Neglected by her mother and father, she spends all of her time at the Cullen’s home and watches as Edward grows up, longing for a time when they could finally be together.  When everything she wants seems to be within her grasp, betrayal tears them apart.


Bella returns to Forks broken but wiser. Six years later, she agrees to be the surrogate for Emmett and Rosalie.  And then Edward returns…

Is regret all that is left between them? 



“I fell asleep that night with songs from another time filling my ears and images of the seventeen year-old brother of my best friend dancing behind my eyes, bare feet and long legs, smelling like a man and licking cocoa from his upper lip. In my dream he leaned forward and winked, the crooked smile promising that any day now, he'd be grown. In my dream, I hoped he'd take me with him.”



If you are a Chicklette reader, (I’m such a huge fangirl!), you know that she paints her stories with words that express such a sweet, sweet longing and you can’t help but want to dive in headlong…



"Let me," he said and moved behind her, pressing against her to reach the glass. Her body responded, growing heated and rigid at the contact, her heart pounding and her breath held, silent.


She heard, and felt, the shaky gasp of breath from him, pressing his chest further against her back. Her body released its tension, her arched wrist sagging against the cabinet, her back pushing against his chest until there was no more space between them. Her head rested beneath his chin and she slowly lowered herself back onto her heels, her body flush with his. She felt his head dip down next to hers, felt his nose stroke against her ear, as he breathed her in, taking her into his lungs, and her spine danced with energy, excitement.


He breathed her name against her ear, a rough whisper full of need, then nudged it again with his nose before dipping down to place a light trail of kisses from her earlobe to the crook of her neck. Her hands fell to the counter as he placed one hand on her waist, the other in her hair, sweeping it off her neck. He kissed, then nipped, then licked the sensitive skin, then blew on it, producing a bloom of goose bumps across her skin.


His hand snaked up her side, around her front, pulling her tight to him, pressing her hips into his thighs before wrapping his other arm around her waist. She sighed as his hand ran up her body, over the flat of her stomach, brushing roughly over her breast, his fingertips burrowing under the V-neck of her shirt, his palm coming to rest over her heart. He had to feel it pounding and for the life of her, she couldn't bring herself to care. What mattered was this…connection. His skin against hers, his mouth on her flesh, all of it. Him.

He held her there and she trembled, swallowed. If she turned around, there would be no going back, she knew that. If she turned around, he would possess her, body and soul, heart and mind. She would abandon herself to him, make a house of herself for his shelter, make a meal of herself for his hunger.


If he discarded her, she would be lost. If he didn't…it would be worth it.

She pressed her hand to the counter and pushed back against him. She turned around.



Absolute perfection!

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