Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries

Finally

Finally - fi·nal·ly - /ˈfīn(ə)lē/

1. after a long time, typically involving difficulty or delay

2. as the last in a series of related events or objects

3. used to introduce a final point or reason

It was packed, but the room was big enough to leave a decent-sized space for dancing. There were a handful of couples on the dancefloor, but many were too anxious to dance, opting to mingle instead. Alec led Odessa to the dancefloor and guided her into a starting position.

"Alec," she whispered. "I must warn you that I have no idea how to dance. I have never danced, actually."

"Don't worry, Odessa. I would never let my mate make a fool of me," he said. Odessa hit him on the arm and shot him a look. He chuckled and said, "Just follow my lead."

Odessa nodded her head and allowed him to whisk her around the dancefloor. She felt like an expert as he twirled her, dipped her, and pulled and pushed her away. It was the most fun Odessa had had in a long time. She threw her head back during a spin and giggled. As she came back up, she made eye contact with Alec and gifted him with a toothy smile.

"You are positively radiating tonight," Alec complimented her. He pulled her close and laid his head in the crook of her neck. It was easy to do and comfortable enough as her hells gave her a few extra inches. Odessa hummed and mirrored his actions, She placed a sweet, chaste kiss on his neck directly under his ear. She felt him shudder, so she placed another kiss in the same spot and relished in the low groan he let out. Abruptly, he pulled back and stared at her with lust-filled eyes.

"You are tempting me as if I won't take you right here and now," he growled out.

"Keep it in the bedroom," Heidi teased as Demetri guided her past them.

"I intend to," Alec promised. Odessa shivered and tried not to show how much she was affected by his words. "I'm going to ravage you as soon as this is over."

"What if I am too tired to continue these . . . festivities?" she questioned hazily, She was focused on his voice, the spicy smell of his skin, and the plumpness of his lips.

He kissed her earlobe, sucking on it and biting it with his teeth before growling out, "Then I will apologize now. I don't intend to let you so much as breathe without saying my name."

"Is that a promise?" she asked. "Do not say things you do not intend to do."

"I promise I will have you begging for mercy. What would you like first: my tongue or my-."

"Quite a conversation for public ears," Carlisle interrupted. Odessa and Alec tensed before they deflated. Odessa groaned in annoyance and glared at him and Esme. Carlisle chuckled and apologized, though it did nothing to persuade the couple to detach themselves from each other.

"Sorry for the intrusion," Esme apologized. "We wanted to see how you were faring after everything that happened, and we weren't sure if we'd have time to."

Odessa sighed and dropped her arms from her mate. "You are not the Cullens I want to speak to, but nevertheless, thank you for your concern," she said.

"We know you wish to speak to Renesmee. We came over to talk to you first to ease some of the tension," Carlisle told them.

"Their tension, you mean?" Alec asked as he led them off the dancefloor. "I admit Odessa was hard to deal with and acted with her feelings more than her mind, but we have already come to terms with the situation."

"I am glad to hear that," Esme said. "Bella and Edward are still apprehensive."

"I understand, to an extent. I did overstep some boundaries, though that was never my intention. I simply wanted Renesmee to visit me rather than the other way around. There is much to learn from the Volturi. I thought she would benefit from it."