Chapter 21~(They Got Married)
EPOV
I’m not sure what I ever did to the women in my family to make them act so hateful to me the night before I got married, but that was the only word that came to mind when I thought of each and every one of them, minus my baby girl, of course. Hateful. Like it wasn’t enough that they kept us apart for most of the day doing dude and chick shit. They thought they were going to keep us apart the night before the wedding too? Two words…bull…snort! Not happenin’. I grumbled and cussed every honkin’ one of them under my breath right up until I slung my leg over the top rung of the ladder that was propped against the roof right next to our bedroom window. I swore to the good Lord that if they even thought about trying to get me out of this room, I’d take them over my knee and blister their asses. Even my mama’s.
I would have felt bad sneaking around if Bella didn’t want me to be there with her, however, the window that was opened as wide as it could go told me that she had in fact been waiting for me. Yeah, that’s a lie. I damn sure would have snuck in anyway. Been there, done that.
Once I was inside our room I closed the window behind me and quickly undressed down to my boxer briefs so that I could crawl into the bed and get all snuggled up with her. I had no idea how she managed to talk Sassy and Rose into staying in the guest room, but at this point, I honestly didn’t care.
“Why are you creeping around? It’s not like anyone else is in here,” she whispered, peeking over her shoulder.
I stood up straight. What was I thinking? This was our house and our room, damn it! I brought out my best crooked grin and swaggered over to the bed and crawled in behind her, making her giggle.
“Shhh…don’t wake up the sisters!” I whisper-warned her.
“What took you so long? I was nearly asleep.”
“Well, I got a whole lot of unsolicited advice today…from every single one of ‘em. Pops bein’ the worst.”
“What? No way!”
“Mmmhmm…let’s just say that if we live as long as he has, you’ll still be a happy woman in your seventies, according to him.”
“Oh my lord,” she groaned into her pillow.
“I can’t even make this stuff up. I mean, seriously…there are no words. I’m not even sure my family tree branches anymore. I know so much about everybody and what they’re up to, I swear it just intertwines.”
She turned over, giving me a kiss and a smile that I could see even in the moonlight. This was her mischievous smile.
“Can I sit on your branch tomorrow?” she asked and wagged her eyebrows at me. We seriously needed to quit hanging out with Em and Rose.
“You can sit on my branch any time, baby girl. It’s pretty…sturdy. You can probably even bounce on it.”
“You’re sick,” she giggled, nuzzling her nose in my chest.
“You started it.”
She sighed as I tightened my arms around her and began to twirl the ends of her hair around my fingers.
“I get to be your wife tomorrow,” she murmured. Good Lord that word sounded so damn good…wife.
“Mrs. Edward Cullen. Mmm…I really like the sound of that. Almost as much as I like the sound of becoming Mr. Bella Swan.”
She raised her head, shaking it while looking at me. She was fighting that grin, I just knew it. “I’m trying to have a sweet moment here,” she said.
I traced down her nose to her pouty lips that kissed my finger tip. “I know, lovin’. I’m just sayin’ in my own way that I can’t wait to be your husband. You realize this means that even when I’m being stupid and silly and most assuredly a smart ass, that you can’t get rid of me. At worst it’ll mean that I’ll have to eat take out.”
“Or sleep on the couch.”
“Um…no ma’am! Never, not ever. When you get mad at me, and I can guarantee that you will, let’s promise that we won’t go to bed until we have had the hottest, loudest, filthiest, hair-pullinest make-up sex this side of the Mississippi River,” I growled into her ear while cupping her ass.
I both felt and saw the shiver run through her body before she said, “Deal.” We were quiet for a few minutes, thinking about all that was going to happen tomorrow and this weekend, I’m sure. I couldn’t wait to see her walking down the aisle to me. We had decided to only have family at the wedding because we just wanted it to just be about us...getting married…giving ourselves to each other. We didn’t need a lot of witnesses and we didn’t want anything big and fancy because that just wasn’t us. We were laid back; every day; peanut butter and jelly. I wasn’t even going to have to wear a tux! But I knew that the minute I saw her, all bets were going to be off on my coherency.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Tomorrow,” I answered.
“What about tomorrow?”
“What you’ll look like walking towards me.”
“Do you know what you’re going to say?”
We were taking traditional vows with the ring exchange, but we were also going to say a few words of our own. It wouldn’t be us if we didn’t have our own opinion.
“Mmhm…the gist of it anyway. Do you?”
“I think so.”
“As long as you say ‘I do’ at the right time, I’ll be good,” I chuckled and pulled her on top of me. She immediately tried rolling off of me, but I held on as tight as I could. I knew we had agreed to no sex tonight, but I wasn’t above trying.
“No sir. No hanky-panky until tomorrow. I wasn’t mean enough to cut you off for days, plural, or even weeks. You won’t die.”
“Can I at least feel you up?” I asked, rubbing my hands up and down her sides.
“Edward…” she whimpered.
“Baby girl…”
“Would you settle for a teenaged make out session?”
“Does that include feelin’ you up?” She sighed. I really had no shame when it came to this woman and I knew I had worn her down.
“Fine…but over the clothes only…and no climaxes…or marks that anyone can see!”
“I’ll take it!” I said a little too loudly.
“Shhhh,” she giggled, smiling against my lips.
It didn’t take me long to get lost in her soft lips, in her taste…in her. I kissed my baby girl when she giggled, when she tried to stifle her moans, and until she was droopy eyed and tired. When she fell asleep with her nose smooshed in my neck and my hand up the back of her shirt, I whispered how much I loved her and how I couldn’t wait for her to finally be mine and then kissed the top of her head before sweet sleep carried me off to meet her in my dreams.
-x-X-x-
BPOV
I had been sleeping on my stomach and Edward had his leg hitched up on my butt, his arm thrown across my waist and his head resting on my shoulder. I could hear mumbling in the doorway as my eyes started to flutter. I wasn’t stupid enough to open them all the way quite yet, knowing that Edward and I had been caught. I tried to be as still as I could because miracle among miracles, Captain Cullen didn’t feel awake against my hip and if they drug him out of the bed, I didn’t want us to both be embarrassed. At least he abided by last night’s chastity rule…mostly.
“Why did we even bother?” Esme asked.
“’Cause y’all are stupid.”
“Uh…meanness. You need more caffeine.”
“What…it’s true. You can’t seriously tell me that you thought he would stay away from her last night,” Rosalie said, sounding all smirky.
“How did he even get in here? I didn’t hear a damn thing.”
“This ain’t exactly his first rodeo Aunt Es. He’s sneaked in here many a time. Bella says his stalker skills are like ninja stealth these days,” Alice snarked.
“Fool. He better be dressed under those sheets. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that white ass and I really haven’t had enough coffee yet to see it now.”
Oh crap…here it comes! I had never been more thankful that he was holding me down. He was helping to stifle my laughter and he didn’t even know it!
“Edward Masen Cullen! Get your tail outta that bed right now, mister, before I wear you out!”
Esme had made her way over to the bed and was snatching sheets like it was her job. Unfortunately for Edward, his leg was tangled up in said sheet because he tended to hang a leg out of the covers to ‘thermo-regulate’…or so he said. When she snatched, he flipped…right out of the bed and onto the floor beside the bed on his ass. The girls were cackling and I wasn’t much better. I at least had the decency to cover my mouth with my hand as he looked up at us, sulking. My poor baby!
“May I help you?” he asked his mom through gritted teeth.
She grabbed his ear and said, “You are not supposed to be here! It’s bad luck!”
“Oww-wa! First of all, let go of my ear, woman! That shit hurts,” he said, swatting her away and standing up. “Secondly, it’s not like Bella and I are very traditional, so get over it. I wanted to spend the night with my lovely bride, in my own house mind you, so I did,” he said as he flounced back down beside me on the bed.
Oh mercy…even I wasn’t that dumb.
Esme looked back over her shoulder at the girls, amused.
“I know he didn’t.”
“Umhmm…yes he did.”
She looked back at Edward, who had sense enough to start to squirm under his mama’s gaze. “Did you just sass me?”
“Um…”
“I asked you somethin’. Did you just sass me?”
“No ma’am?”
“Hmph…and lied. Well, let me just remind you that first of all,” she said mocking him, “I am still your mother and secondly, this ain’t your house. This is my house. Your house is out back. Just because you’ve been shacked up and livin’ in sin doesn’t make this house yours.” Whoo, Mama Cullen was on a roll! She winked at me on the sly, letting me know that she was just pulling his leg.
“Um…I’m sorry. Mama, did I ever tell you how pretty you look in that housecoat? And I really like what you’re doin’ with your hair.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “We’ll give you a minute to say goodbye to your lady love and then you need to get.”
“Don’t I even get breakfast?” Rotten. The man was spoiled rotten!
“You’re lucky you don’t get your ass whipped. You have five minutes before I call your brother.”
“Fine,” he grumbled.
Esme walked over to me and leaned down to give me a hug. “Ah…good mornin’ Sweets. That’s how you handle him. It’s your job now,” she whispered, making me a little teary to tell you the truth. She cupped my chin gently in her delicate hand and looked me over before grinning and leaving the room with Alice and Rosalie in tow.”
Edward flopped back on the bed and pulled me down with him as the door clicked behind them.
“What in the mess was that about?”
I giggled and stretched out along the side of him, drawing circles around his belly button and in the sexy strip of hair just below it. “She was just messing with you sugar. She’s a Cullen. It’s her job to get you all riled up.”
“Well she’s a honkin’ pro. And you ain’t far behind her, Jezebel. You better cool it with that hand or we may find ourselves in a very compromising position. I mean, I’m good, but I do require more than five minutes.”
I sighed and laid my hand over his heart instead.
“Are you ready?” I asked.
“Have I not been begging you to just let us go to the courthouse?”
“Me too. Are you nervous?”
“About gettin’ everything I’ve ever wanted? Not a chance,” he said, lifting me up and kissing the fool out of me. He kissed me breathless before we stopped so that he could change his clothes before leaving.
Not much later there was a soft knock at the door and Alice popped her head in. “Let’s go bubs. We need to help Bella get ready and you need to help the boys put the chairs out before you get ready.”
“Okay.” He turned to me one last time. “I love you…so much it’s kind of stupid really.” He pressed a soft kiss against my lips.
“I love you, too, sugar. I’ll see you at two?”
“Don’t be late or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and haul you down the aisle myself.”
“Mmm…tempting.” He quirked his eyebrow at me. “Yes, two o’ clock…sharp!”
“See ya there, Mrs. Cullen,” he said, kissing my forehead.
-x-X-x-
EPOV
“So where are y’all goin’ for the weekend?”
“If I tell you that, you’re just gonna try to ruin it,” I sighed.
Jasper and Emmett had been trying to find out where Bella and I were going for our ‘wedding weekend getaway’, as she called it since technically it wasn’t our honeymoon, for weeks. I was refusing to tell them because I was not about to have them storm in on us or play some sort of prank, and knowing them as well as I did, that would surely be on their agenda.
“Dude…seriously? Do you really think our wives would let us get away with something like that?”
Hmm…I hadn’t thought of that. Sassy was all hyped up on her super power pregnancy hormones these days, and thank the Lord for that in this case, and Rosalie loves Bella so much that she’d probably withhold sex from Emmett for at least a month if he tried something. To say that the girls were thrilled to be getting a new ‘sister’ was about as big of an understatement as me just saying that I merely loved that woman. Something about the balance of power being back again. Who knew with those two.
“That may be true, but still…not happenin’,” I said, placing the white bamboo chairs in rows facing the gazebo.
Mama, Alice and Aunt Caroline had spent the better part of yesterday afternoon getting things set up out here and it was gorgeous. Bella was going to be so excited and I absolutely could not wait to see her walking down the path from the house towards me to become my wife. The pillars of the gazebo were draped in some kind of gauzy white material and tied back with ice blue ribbons. There were pops of crimson red flowers at each tie back and all around the top; it really looked magical.
The tents were already set up across the lawn and would provide cover for the tables where people could sit and enjoy their food and catch up on the latest gossip, cause let’s face it…that’s what they would be doing. The florists had finished with the gazebo a couple of hours ago and were just putting the finishing touches on the centerpieces on the tables.
When Bella asked what I wanted to have for the groom’s cake, I could only think of one thing; Carmen’s red velvet cupcakes. Bella easily agreed and said we could just do a cupcake tower. I mean really…is it any wonder I was marrying this woman? That decision actually led to her choice in the wedding colors; crimson and ice blue. Looking around, everything was coming together quickly and it was only a couple of hours until I would get to see her.
I had been so lost in taking in what would be the best day of my life that I hadn’t realized that we were finished setting up the chairs for the ceremony. It was only going to be the family plus Angela and Ben, bringing the total chairs that we needed to seventeen however, when I counted I noticed that there were eighteen.
“We got one too many chairs fellas.”
“No we don’t. We have an extra comin’,” Jasper said with a very amused grin. Emmett looked like he was about to double over because he was trying so hard to hold in his laugh.
“What do you mean an extra? It’s just the family, Phil and Renee, Angela and Ben. Who else is there?”
“Pops is bringin’ a date.” Emmett lost control and my jaw came unhinged in total shock.
“What…who?”
“Carmen.”
-x-X-x-
BPOV
I sat on a bar stool upstairs in the middle of Esme’s bathroom surrounded by the Cullen women, my mom and Angela as they all had some hand in helping me to get ready to become the next Mrs. Cullen. I was the picture of calm on the outside but on the inside I was in full on squeal mode. I could barely contain it, I was so insane over this man who was about to become my husband. How I had ever managed to find completion in this town, I’d never know, but it didn’t matter because after so many years of running, I had finally won my prize. He would be mine forever, and even if I died before him, I told him I’d come back to haunt him because I couldn’t stand the thought of not being with him. He told me I was creepy. I think I may have had one too many Diet Dr. Peppers this morning.
“Okay Sweets,” Esme said. I looked at myself in the mirror for the first time in the last hour and she was standing behind me with her hands cupped on my shoulders as her eyes met mine. “I think we are all done here. We just need to get you in that dress and put on the finishing touches.”
A wide, white smile stretched across my face. “Finally!” The rest of the girls giggled, already knowing how I was feeling.
I wasn’t very traditional but I did like the idea of having something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue for my big day. After we had gotten back from the spa yesterday, Esme pulled me into her room and gave me the diamond pendant that I was wearing around my neck.
“I have somethin’ that I want to give you that belonged to my mother. It’s part of a set that I wore the day that I married Carlisle,” she said, leading me to sit on the edge of her bed. She opened the side door of her tall cherry wood jewelry armoire and pulled out a very delicate looking necklace. She walked over to me and asked me to hold out my hand. In it, she placed a beautiful diamond pendant that hung from a delicate white gold chain. It was stunning in its simplicity.
“It’s beautiful, Esme.”
“Rosalie wears the engagement ring that matches it and I still have the earrings,” she said, fingering the stones that were in her ears.
Hot tears began to stream down my face at the gesture that she was making. She had welcomed me in the very beginning without question. This showed me that not only had she accepted me as the woman who would be her son’s wife, but that she loved me like her own daughter. I had never felt so much maternal love in all of my life. I hugged her as hard as I possibly could. I already loved her, and the whole family, more than I had words for, but from that day forward, I would always consider her my mother first.
“Oh Sweets, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” she said, wiping my tears away and looking concerned.
“No, it’s ok. They’re happy tears, I promise.”
“Well, those are perfectly acceptable. I just wanted to give you a little piece of me, well…other than my wayward and smart ass son, that is. Consider this your something old for tomorrow.”
“I will. Thank you. I love you, Mama.” She gasped before hugging me with all of her might. Once we got ourselves together, we went back downstairs to join the other women for a light lunch before finishing up some of the fine details for the reception.
After I was zipped and buttoned into my gown, that I considered my something new, Alice fixed the veil in my hair that she had worn on her and Jasper’s wedding day. When she saw my dress, she knew that it would be a perfect fit to go along with my dress just as it had been for hers and I was so touched that she would offer to let me borrow it. I was truly gaining two sisters in her and Rose.
Renee had observed quietly in the background for most of the day, but I could see something in her eyes as she watched the others, my family, flit around me all day; love and pride. I knew we would never be especially close, but it gave me hope that as adults, we could at least become closer friends. She could see that I had found complete joy in my new life and I could tell that she was genuinely happy for me. That was enough for me. I was touched when she offered me the handkerchief that was given to her to carry on her wedding day by my Grandmother Swan. It was a delicate linen square that had a blue swan embroidered on one corner. I’m fairly certain I shocked the hell out of her when I gave her a hug after accepting it. Just because we weren’t close, didn’t mean I didn’t love her. It was almost like she was giving me a little piece of Charlie with that gesture. She was never what you’d call ‘mom material’, but she chose to give me life, even when she wasn’t ready, and for that I could only be grateful.
I gave the mirror one last look, noting the warm glow in my cheeks and the sheer excitement in my eyes before we all began to make our way downstairs. It was time for me to go get my man.
-x-X-x-
EPOV
I stood at the bottom of the steps in my black suit and light blue tie, waiting for my baby girl to walk through the doors and down the pathway to me where she would finally become my wife. We had pre-recorded our own music for the ceremony and for parts of the reception, making it all the more special to us. Bella had asked Jasper if he would photograph the wedding because she wanted more candid shots than posed portraits. She especially couldn’t wait to see what he would capture in black and white, as that had become a sort of specialty of his. Even I had to admit that the man had an eye for it.
As the members of our family made their way down the path, they each greeted me with a hug or kiss in congratulations and best wishes before taking their seats. When the last person was finally seated, I cast my eyes to the French doors at the back of the house, knowing that the most important person in my whole world was the only one who remained. The first strands of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring played through the surround sound system that was on the back porch signaling that it was finally time.
It felt like days instead of mere seconds until I heard the click of the latch as the door slowly opened, revealing to me the most perfect angel this world had ever seen. Mercy she was a vision; so much so I wondered if I could be struck blind by her beauty. And Lord help me, she was mine!
Her dress was white and mostly fitted, flowing out from her knees down. I was glad that she chose not to let her veil cover her face because I wanted to drown myself in every detail that I could. Bella was casual elegance, walking towards me with her red flowers down at her side and the crystal beads on her dress catching the light, casting prisms of color all around her. Her shy but confident smile was the same one that she wore each night as she came to meet me in our bed. She was demure and sexy and she giggled when I met her half way down the path because I simply couldn’t wait for her any longer.
“No one has ever been more beautiful, lovin’,” I said to her, memorizing every detail of her exquisite face, burning it into my memory because I never wanted to forget this moment; how she looked and how I felt. I didn’t even realize I was leaning in to kiss her until she took a small step back and shook her head.
“Not so fast, sugar. I believe we have a few things to say to each other before we get to that,” she smirked. She had every right to, of course. The damn woman owned me and I was not ashamed to admit it. Hell, that’s why we were here!
“Well then let’s get this show on the road! I’ve got vows to take and a bride to kiss!” That earned me her very best eye roll.
We walked hand in hand up to the gazebo where our preacher was waiting for us. The song finished, and Brother Marcus began to read a few passages to us from the Bible about how a man and wife should love each other and treat each other. He talked to us about how marriage wasn’t to be taken lightly; that it wasn’t just a promise between the two of us for today, but a sacred vow, a covenant between us and God forever. No take-backs. I could hear her saying it in her own mind as she grinned up at me. Then it was time for our own words before we spoke more traditional vows and exchanged rings.
“Edward, the first time I saw you, I was nearly struck dumb by your…dimples,” she said, casting a quick glance at Brother Marcus before grinning at me. I heard the girls giggle from their seats. Jezebel. Everyone knows I don’t have dimples on my face. “The first time you introduced yourself to me and touched my hand, it was electric. Anytime you are near me I can still feel it in the air around us, setting my skin on fire. The first time you kissed me, it was pure magic; giving me goose bumps and butterflies, and to tell you the truth, every kiss still does that to me. But when you loved me, it felt like home. I had thought that I was content in the life that I was living, but it wasn’t until I met you that I became truly happy for the first time. You have given me a big, crazy family…”
“Amen!” Pops interjected. I peered around her and raised my eyebrow at him, effectively shushing him.
She grinned. “…a place to live, a place to love and somewhere to belong. You are my very best friend, my soul mate and today, you’ll be so much more when you become my husband. From this day forward, I’ll be your wife, your helper, your biggest supporter and forever your best friend. I’ll love you more with every day that passes until my days are done…and probably even after that,” she concluded with a wink.
I had to shake my head at her because while what she said was completely heart felt, it was also totally us; a little bit serious and a little bit silly. And I told her it was creepy when she said she would come back to haunt me if she died before I did, but what I didn’t tell her was how much I loved it that she meant that she just wanted to be with me for life or longer.
Then it was time for me to give her a dose of her own medicine. God, we were weird.
BPOV
Mercy. The man could wear a suit like nobody’s business. I thought I was going to choke on my own drool when I opened the door and saw him standing there, waiting for me. His hair was messy like he’d had his “mornin’ lovin’”, as he called it, and his grin was bright and crooked and oh so delicious looking. He had just the right amount of scruff and I already couldn’t wait to feel it against my bare skin later. I was so absorbed in him that I barely noticed anything else; he was everything and I just wanted to be everything to him.
“Bella, from the first time we met, I knew that I would love your cheeky…attitude,” he said, smirking at me. Oh, touché Mr. Cullen. “I was immediately drawn to you, needing to be near you whether it was in the form of new found friendship or later in complete adoration. God’s word tells us that He can do exceedingly and abundantly more than all we could ask or imagine and I’ll just say that He was showin’ out the day He gave me you. You are so much more than anything I ever wanted. You are everything I needed and never knew to ask for. You are smart, kind, funny, a little bit wicked and so amazingly beautiful. I promise you that when you are sick, I’ll send my mama to take care of you when I can’t and when you’re hungry, I’ll get a recipe from her and cook you supper. When you need clothin’…well, I’ll just hold you and keep you warm and when you need lovin’, I’m your man. From this day forward, I’ll do my best to be everything that you want and need in a best friend and husband. I love you, baby girl…for life or longer.”
Thank the Lord and Sassy for waterproof mascara! Whoo, that man!
I laid my flowers down on the bench behind me so that we could exchange rings. I slid the platinum band over his knuckle on his third finger, promising him my life long fidelity, deepest love, fullest devotion and tenderest care.
He promised to love, cherish and protect me, to always be faithful and true to me as we put God first, all the days of our lives as he kissed the diamond band once it reached its final resting place.
Finally. I was his and he was mine. Forever.
Brother Marcus pronounced us husband and wife and I yelped when Edward surprised me by wrapping his arms around my waist and picking me up, effectively kissing the ever loving fire out of me. The man knew nothing about ‘church tongue’, but I wasn’t complaining. He tasted like liquid sin and I didn’t care if I had to face an eternity in hell; I’d drink every last drop of him.
He rested his forehead against mine and squeezed his eyes while he shook his head. “My wife,” he whispered. I was so filled with love, or maybe it was the Spirit…who really knew at that point, that all I could do was nod and let everything that I was feeling flow out through my tears. I was finally home to stay.
-x-X-x-
The reception was absolutely gorgeous. The tables were draped in ice blue linens and adorned with deep crimson centerpieces and intricate white lanterns that housed pillared candles in all sizes. Edward was careful not to make a mess when he fed me a cupcake from his precious red velvet tower and I wasn’t quite as careful when I fed him a bite of my bride’s cake. He didn’t seem to mind that I wanted an excuse to kiss the icing off of his lips.
I was surprised to find out that Carmen was Pops’ date and I think we were all a little stunned to find out that they had in fact been dating for the better part of six months. I could only assume that was how she was so up to date on all of the Cullen family gossip.
We ate and laughed and danced until the sun started to get low in the sky, signaling that it was time for us to leave so that we could make the best of what little time we had for our ‘wedding weekend getaway’. I may or may not have finally kissed it out of Edward that he was taking me to the house at Spring Lake while Pops stayed in town.
“Don’t you be defilin’ my house, Sunflower,” he joked into my ear as he hugged me goodbye. I didn’t make him any promises.
Good thing too because we had no sooner made it into the house when I found myself being pushed up against the wall by the back door. Hmmm…it seems all that teasing I did in the car was totally worth it! Edward was working every single one of my ‘hell yes’ spots; sucking behind my ear, ghosting his thumb just under the swell of one breast while squeezing just up under the cheek of my ass with his other hand. I mean, he had the perfect angle since I did have one of my legs wrapped around his hip, trying my damnedest to get some friction.
I was a moaning mess when I noticed that he started pulling away, turning my inner fist pumping ‘hell yes!’ into a super pouting ‘hell no!’
Edward leaned back to look at me and chuckled. I didn’t know why he was laughing; he was panting just as hard as I was. Wait…
“Did I say that out loud?”
“Yes, lovin’. All of that was out loud. I just wanted to slow us down a bit. You know, at least make it to the bed.”
“Beds are so overrated.”
He laughed through his nose that was nuzzling mine. “Okay, how ‘bout I wanna be a little bit selfish and see you in some of that new lingerie? You know how I love your pretty panties.”
That was true. The man did love me in panties and nothing else. He thought I didn’t notice his staring from the bed into the mirror when I got ready in just that in the mornings, leaving the bathroom door cracked just enough. He probably also thought I didn’t realize that I did that. He’ll never truly understand my brand of wicked.
“Come on, wife. I’ll make it worth your while.” With a pop to my butt, he grabbed our bags and led us downstairs to the basement bedroom.
There was really no need to unpack because we were only staying two nights, and to be honest, I had no plans of going farther than the back deck. Most of what I packed was lace and satin anyway; who needed to put that in a drawer?
I excused myself to change into the little number I had bought just for tonight. There was no need to even pretend to be virginal, so I went in the complete opposite direction and chose crimson red…of course. It was a sheer, lacy fly-away baby doll top that tied in between my breasts and matching v-string panties that barely covered enough to count. Yeah, husband…try slowing it down this time.
I’d heard him shuffling around while I was changing and when I walked into the room, he had set tea-light candles all along the dresser and chest of drawers, casting the room, and him, in a warm glow. He had been propped against the headboard waiting for me, but as soon as I entered the doorway, he was out of the bed and over to me like a shot.
He attacked my mouth, but it was slow and sucking and sensual, taking first my bottom lip between his lips and then nibbling on the top one.
“God Almighty, baby girl. What are you wearin’?”
“Not much.”
“And praise the Lord for that!”
He reached around my back and behind my knees, picking me up and lowering me to the bed, his eyes never leaving mine. When my back rested against the mattress I threaded my fingers into his hair, bringing his lips back to mine where they belonged. His lips were soft and warm and tasted partly like me and partly like the vanilla Chap Stick he used every night before bed, which not so coincidentally smelled like me. Dirty man.
He trailed hot open-mouthed kisses down my neck and to my collarbones, over my sternum until he reached the bow, which he proceeded to untie with his teeth. Oh my, back to hell yes.
Edward continued his downward kissing path, removing my panties along the way. His eyes were hungry and dark as he looked over my now naked body. I never knew with that look if he was going to adore me or attack me, but I knew I would love it either way.
I let my legs fall to the sides, just slightly in naughty wife invitation. He smirked, reaching out and trailing a finger over where I was all ready and sensitive for him. He claimed me there, first with touches and then with kisses until I couldn’t stand it anymore and urged him back up until he was hovering over me.
I dipped my hand into the top of his waistband, finding him so ready that it couldn’t be comfortable. I pushed his boxer briefs down his hips until I could no longer reach them. The rest I pushed down with my toes, all the way to his ankles so that he could kick them off.
I lifted my head to kiss his neck and chest. I explored every line and every muscle of his back and around to his torso, tracing the defined indention above his hip flexor muscles, and have mercy, I was ready for him to flex them, down to where he was hard and all man. I stroked him for a little relief, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut in both pain and pleasure.
All of that time spent re-memorizing each other and nothing was actually said. It was only our moans and groans and gasps and hisses until he said something so simple and sweet that if he didn’t have my brain so lust filled, I might have cried.
“Bella, I am so very yours, but now I want to make you my wife in every way. I want to make love to you for hours. I want you to forget that it’s breathing that keeps us alive and not this.”
Again, there were no words; only my nod and as I did so I gripped his biceps and accepted every inch of him when he thrust into me, rocking slowly until he was at full hilt. Heaven and Home. One in the same.
I don’t actually know how long we made love that night, but I was starting to believe him. It was slow and sweet, then fast and furious; first in one position and then rolling into another. I reached my final breaking point as I rocked above him, both of my hands gripping the sheet on either side of his head that was lifted in order to capture my nipple in his mouth. He had loved me so good and for so long that I simply couldn’t take any more. Well, not right then anyway. I squeezed him as hard as I think my body possibly could, bringing him over the edge with me. We were a panting and sweaty, but very satisfied mess, smiling at each other as only two goofy people in love could.
“If I didn’t love you before, sugar, that certainly sealed the deal.”
“Glad to be of service,” he smirked. I smacked him in the chest and rolled over to the side and off of the bed.
“Where are you goin’?”
“Well, Pops said not to defile his house, but he didn’t say anything about the basement. So come on! We need to refuel because Shower Olympics is next…if you’re up to it,” I said with a wink over my shoulder.
He growled and chased me up the stairs completely naked.
We spent the next two days there together just loving each other; sometimes quiet and whispered and other times loud and laughing. I had gotten used to the sound of the jingle of his dog tag dangling from his neck when we made love, but the feel of the cool metal of his wedding ring as his fingers slid over my skin and he touched me in all the good ways that a husband should was a brand new kind of wonderful. We had so much love, joy and adoration for each other that the way we were here, together, made me think that there couldn’t ever be anything better.
-x-X-x-
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Six weeks later had Edward and I unpacking our luggage in a deluxe ocean view state room on the Disney Magic headed to Nassau. Once everything was put away, we roamed around the ship until it was our turn to eat supper. When our bellies were filled with delicious food and our noses had smelled enough salt air for one day, we retired back into our state room. I asked Edward to turn down the bed while I got his birthday surprise ready.
“What do you mean surprise?” he asked, pulling me to stand between his legs as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I thought I told you not to get me anything for my birthday.”
He pushed up the hem of my shirt, kissing all over my belly while I ran my fingers through his hair. “I didn’t exactly buy you anything,” I told him cryptically. His bright green eyes met mine in total confusion. “Just…get comfortable. I’ll be right back.”
I grabbed my toiletry bag and locked myself in the bathroom. I hurriedly undressed, leaving on only a pair of blue cheeky panties, since that was where it all started, and a silky matching robe. We had already exhausted everything in my lingerie drawer after all and really, it was kind of pointless by then.
I looked at my body in the mirror, the only difference being that my breasts were a little more pert looking. I was thankful that Edward slept like the dead, otherwise he would have noticed that I had been getting up in the middle of the night to pee the last couple of weeks. I was able to nap the days I was off of work and suggested early bed and snuggle time on the days when I did. He never questioned it because let’s face it, the man loved his snuggle and lovin’ time. I was fortunate so far that I hadn’t been hit with the nausea that plagued so many women. When I took the pregnancy test at the beginning of the week I immediately called the doctor and checked with the cruise line to be sure it was safe for me to still travel. I wanted to save the news for Edward’s birthday if at all possible. And it was damn near impossible because I was about to bust out of my skin to tell him. They gave me the ‘drink lots of water, rest when you can, wear Sea-Bands for nausea’ talk and set up a time for my first appointment two weeks after my phone call.
I had gift wrapped the damn test the day I took it, knowing exactly how I wanted to tell Edward that we were going to have a baby.
I walked out of the bathroom with the gift box in hand. He was propped up on the headboard skimming through my People magazine when took my seat in front of him. Of course by then his eyes had settled over the top of the page on something other than the gift that was in my hand. My precious little perv.
I handed him the box and he turned it over in his hands and then shook it. “Is it a fancy pen set?” I rolled my eyes and shook my head because the lump in my throat wasn’t allowing me to actually say anything just yet. “Is it…a medic alert bracelet?”
“Just open the damn box already!” Okay, it seemed that screaming was easier than talking.
“Sheesh, alright. But tell me, if you didn’t buy it, where did you get it?”
“Um…I guess you could say that I kind of made it…but I had some help.”
He ripped off the paper and once he lifted the lid he just stared at its contents.
“Surprise? I got you pee on a stick,” I said, trying to keep the mood light. “Happy Birthday!”
When he looked up at me, his eyes were bright and crinkled at the corners and his smile was wide.
“Baby girl?” he asked.
“Or baby boy. We won’t know until around my birthday…” I rambled.
The man tackled me back onto the mattress and seared my mouth with the most passionate kiss I’d had since our wedding day. Then, just as quickly, he jumped back and laid his hands against my lower belly. “Oh shit! I’m so sorry! Did I hurt y’all?” The man was cute in all his frantic hand wandering. And a round of tears began as it just registered that he just referred to both of us; mother and child. Of course the tears scared him even more.
I sat up on my knees and caressed his face before placing a chaste but calming kiss on his beautiful pout. “We’re fine, sugar. Absolutely fine. We go to the doctor in two weeks.”
Bless his heart. He was still in shock. “How long have you known?” he asked, pulling me over to straddle his lap.
“About a week. It has been killing me not to tell you, but I wanted this to be a surprise for your birthday so bad.”
“Mission accomplished. How are you feelin’? Are you sick at all? How far along?”
“Nope. Not yet. Just tired and getting up a couple of times at night to use the bathroom. Your cologne smells stronger to me than it used to but otherwise nothing else. Oh, and I think about six weeks or so.”
He ran his hands over my shoulders and down my sides until he reached my belly again and rested them there reverently. He swallowed thickly and whispered, “Our baby.”
Lord have mercy with the tears. I nodded against his forehead and agreed, “Ours.”
Our love making that night was slow and gentle. He touched me everywhere he could in quiet worship and adoration of who we were together as a couple and what we were about to become as a family. He kissed me until my lips were swollen and loved me until we were both tired and sated. We enjoyed our time alone in the sun while we could because in the winter, we’d be bringing a new little Cullen into our hearts and into our home.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Chapter 20 (They Planned & Partied)
Chapter 20~(They Planned & Partied)
April 2011
BPOV
I had never been so thankful for time to fly by. The last three months were a complete blur of activity and planning. Our wedding was planned for the end of April, but we weren’t going on our honeymoon until June when Edward would be finished with his classes for the summer. We could have waited until June I suppose, but honestly, we just didn’t want to wait any longer than we had to in order to be married. There were days that one of us begged the other to just go to the courthouse and make it legal already, but we knew that even if we did that and managed to keep it a secret, our family would find out anyway. That’s how things go in small towns; there really are no secrets. I really didn’t want to break Esme’s heart by not having a formal type of ceremony and I most certainly didn’t want to miss out on seeing my man waiting for me at the end of the aisle in his suit with his messy hair and crooked grin. He said he didn’t want to miss rubbing it in Pop’s face some more that I had actually said yes and was going through with it. Sigh…not just men…Cullen men! Can’t live with them; definitely can’t live without them.
It was the Thursday before our wedding and Angela was going to be arriving soon. When I called her to give her the news about my job and then about the engagement she screamed her fool head off in full blown, potty-mouthed excitement. It was during that same conversation that she finally spilled the beans that a certain young man had flown north to spend some time with her, twice, this winter. Talk about getting an earful. I let her know…just how completely awesome I thought it was! Of course my new mission was to try to talk her into moving down here as well. I knew Ben would be on my side and it was the only reason that I allowed him to pick her up from the airport so that they could have a few hours alone before I sent Sassy after her.
Rose was usually the muscle of us girls, but this was a job for Alice since people didn’t normally mess with women who were pregnant. Alice was about twenty-six weeks along now and in March, we had found out that the newest little Whitlock was going to be another boy whom they were going to name Brooks. Jasper had been strutting around, proud as a peacock. But Alice…poor girl; she looked like she had swallowed a basketball, but she was feeling great so far and had no complications. We never told her, but she was actually one of the considerations we made when choosing our wedding date. Since babies and pregnancies were so unpredictable, we didn’t want to wait until she was in her last trimester and chance the possibility of her being on bed rest like she was last time.
We also wanted an outdoor reception, so we didn’t want to wait until it got too hot to be able to do that. Edward told me that in the spring and fall in Alabama you were taking a chance of it either being hot or cold; rare were the days that were in between. I didn’t care. I was willing to take the risk and I’m so glad that I did. The forecast was gorgeous! It was going to be sunny with a high temperature of seventy degrees and a light breeze. It was going to take place in the late afternoon, so we decided to tent the seating area, just in case.
I actually had very few things that I was specific about when it came to the planning of the wedding. I wanted to pick the colors, the venue, the cakes and my dress. Everything else I delegated to Alice or Esme. They knew way more than I did about fine details. All I had to do was give final approval, which pretty much turned out to be unnecessary. Everything that they picked had been perfect and it was getting increasingly difficult waiting out the two final days until the wedding was actually here; however, there were a few more things that we needed to get through first.
Tonight Edward and I were hosting a pre-wedding party, as we decided to call it. We felt like we kind of took the fun out of getting married for some people because we had everything we needed, so there was no need for bridal showers or handy man parties. We also weren’t having bridesmaids or groomsmen. It was just us…getting married. We wanted our family to surround us in love and support, not merely stand beside or sit behind us.
In appreciation for them and our friends, we were renting out Sugar’s for a night of singing and dancing, and if I knew most of them like I thought I did, it was sure to end in some sort of debauchery. Case in point’s belly was walking into my living room before its owner and my long lost friend was tagging along behind her, pouting.
“Look, Ang, if you can’t get down to business in the three hours that we so graciously allowed you, it’s really not my problem.”
“I told you that getting busy was not my problem. It’s the fact that you damn near beat the fucking door down while said business was being taken care of that I had a problem with,” Angela growled at Alice.
Oh Lord. Not smart.
Alice spun around and grabbed Angela by the shirt and pulled her down closer to her level. Angela was eight inches taller than Alice after all. My eyes widened, ready for the showdown that was about to occur as Alice narrowed her eyes at Angela, who at least had the brains to look a little scared at this point. I’ve said it before, but Alice has some kind of freakish upper body strength for her size. Now she had the hormones to drive it even more.
“Listen here you Amazonian drama queen…first of all, you’d be wise to clean up that mouth of yours. We don’t let the f-bomb drop around here since we started spittin’ out kids like Pop-Tarts. If they ain’t actin’ like little carrier monkeys for some kind of germ, then they are squawkin’ like damn mockin’birds, copying every honkin’ word you say. You might want to think about that if you’re gonna become a permanent fixture around here. Secondly, this weekend ain’t exactly about you getting’ laid. You’ll have your time with your man, but until then, this is about my cousin and his lovely bride-to-be. During all pre-planned wedding activities you’d better find a way to keep those legs closed or I swear to God I’ll hogtie you and I don’t mean that in a good way. Nod once if you understand.”
Angela nodded. I covered my mouth so that when Alice turned around she wouldn’t see me laughing. I wasn’t so sure I’d be a fan of being hogtied…well, not by her.
Alice let go of Angela’s blouse and helped her to smooth it before running her fingers through her own hair. She turned back to me with a peaceful smile on her face.
“I’m sorry you had to see that, Bella, but…well, you know my motto; some people just need to be told. Now, what snacks do you have because Brooks is starvin’.” I pointed to the cupboards where I had a Sassy stash. With all of the planning over the last few months, I had learned a trick or two to tame the beast.
I welcomed my friend with a hug and got her up to speed on wedding stuff before going upstairs to start getting ready for the party. Rosalie was picking up my surprise costume before meeting us at Sugar’s. Edward and I had each planned a top secret sexy performance for each other and I was dying to know what he was going to sing. I begged and pleaded for him to go first because I had a feeling my song and dance was going to be the performance that wrapped up the night for us. Poor man…he’d never know what hit him. I was just glad that it was only going to be our family and friends, minus the people our parents’ ages and the kids. It was definitely not going to be a show suitable for all audiences. I can’t believe the idea was even mine. Of course when I told the girls my plan, they wouldn’t let me back out of it. If it all went well, they would all be happy women once they made it home anyway.
-x-X-x-
I felt Edward walk up behind me before he ever wrapped his arms around my waist.
“You havin’ a good time?” he asked, nuzzling the rim of my ear with his nose. I knew he loved to see the shiver that always inevitably came whenever he did that. I couldn’t help it; my ears and my neck were my ‘spots’ and he knew it all too well.
“Of course, sugar. Aren’t you?”
“Well, you’re here, so you know I am. Besides,” he said, starting to tug on my earlobe, “a little birdie told me that I was gonna seriously enjoy my surprise song.”
I was going to kill her. It was already taking every ounce of courage I could muster to do this for him while half of our family and friends watched.
“I swear to all that is holy…now that Sassy’s pregnant her hormones have her damn mouth in overdrive. Did she tell you what I’m doing?”
He started rubbing his scruff across my bare shoulder in attempt to distract me. Shit! It’s working…of course it always does.
“Give her a break. She’s like…I don’t know…ten months pregnant or somethin’ and she’s just excited for us.”
I sighed. “I know. I’m really just teasing anyway. Isn’t that part of being a Cullen? Giving each other a hard time?” I said, teasing him by grinding my ass against him. He groaned in my ear as he pulled my hips harder against him, causing me to whimper in return. Mmmm, game on and tie score.
I was glad that we were standing in a dark corner off to the side of the stage because things between us could always quickly become inappropriate for a mixed audience. Jasper was sitting on a stool in the spotlight crooning Smile by Uncle Kracker to his little lady love who was preciously rubbing her not so little baby bump.
I found myself staring at her, or her belly rather, more often than not when we were together these days; desperately wondering what it was like and desperately hoping that it wouldn’t take long for me to get pregnant. I didn’t know if anything could be better than starting a family with Edward.
I turned in his arms and buried my face in his chest, just taking him in; his smell, his warmth and the steady rhythm of his heart beating beneath my just nibbled ear. One of Edward’s hands was twirling the ends of my hair while the palm of the other hand was pressing into the small of my back, bringing me closer to him.
“I love you,” I murmured. “So damn much.” As usual, I was getting a little overwhelmed with emotion but it was something that I had finally begun to accept and embrace. The dam that used to be around my heart had long ago burst and had since flooded my heart with an insane amount of love for this man and in less than forty eight hours, I’d be his for life.
He pulled on the ends of my hair to tip my head back so he could look me in the eyes; his deep green eyes boring into mine.
“What’s wrong, Lovin’?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. I just love you and I’m so ready to be your wife.”
“That sounds just short of Heaven baby girl. You wanna know what part I’m lookin’ forward to?”
I raised my eyebrow at him because I could only assume that his naughty self was talking about the honeymoon.
Apparently reading my mind, he rolled his eyes at me. “No, dirty girl. I wasn’t actually talkin’ about that, although I have been dyin’ to know about your latest little shoppin’ trip with the girls.”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” I said, leaning and kissing the little scar on his chin.
“Hmm…I can’t wait! But what I’m really lookin’ forward to is seein’ you walk down the aisle to me and then when you slide that ring on my finger showin’ everybody that I’m finally your husband.”
I groaned. When we had gone shopping for our wedding bands a few weeks ago, I nearly attacked the poor man right there in the middle of the store. I had never seen anything so sexy in my life. The platinum band just looked so…right on his long and very dexterous finger. Lord have mercy…I was about to marry the man and just the thought of what those fingers could do was enough to make me blush like a teenager.
He chuckled, knowing what I was thinking about because as soon as we left the jewelry store I did in fact attack him. He cradled my face between his hands before ducking his head so that he could run the tip of his nose down the side of mine before placing the softest whisper of a kiss against my lips. I could barely call it a kiss, it was so soft, but soon, and with more pressure it turned into a caress as he gently sucked my bottom lip between his two soft ones. The man could bring me to my freakin’ knees! I slowly trailed my fingers up the indention of his spine and over the lean muscles of his shoulder blades before hooking my hands over the tops of his shoulders, pulling him down even closer to me so that I could devour him. He beckoned me with is tongue, calling me to taste every inch of his mouth while he returned the favor.
We were so lost in each other that what finally drew us apart was realizing that the room had gone dead silent apart from the sounds that we had been making. I buried my face in Edward’s chest and giggled at having been caught by everyone, totally defeating the purpose of standing in a dark corner…that I realized was no longer dark.
Edward’s chest vibrated under my cheek as he hugged me tighter to him and chuckled while asking the onlookers, “What?” His scent was making my head spin. He smelled like us; a mix of his cologne, my perfume and warmth. Now that we had been caught very much making out, I wondered if it would be entirely inappropriate to lick him. Probably. Pity.
“Look, these folks ain’t here as payin’ customers to your little bump and grind, tonsil hockey tournament. They are here as your guests, so get your asses up here and sing the damn song,” Jasper drawled.
I wonder if Alice would consider having Jasper castrated instead of just doing that vasectomy she was talking about. I’ll make her some fudge…or bring her a Blizzard. That might work.
I stood up straight and squared my shoulders and then turned and walked towards the stage, grabbing my guitar on the way. I leaned down and whispered in Jasper’s ear, “You’re just jealous because rumor has it that Sassy has delegated the love making duties to Rosie Palm and her five sisters. Don’t ask me how I know that, but just so we are clear, the only reason that I’m not announcing it to the entire party is because you were my best friend’s best friend until I blew into town wearing my blue cheeky panties. Now shush it before I decide to go public with that shit.”
I stood up and quirked an eyebrow at him to be sure we had an understanding. He leaned around me to glare at Edward. “I’d stay on her good side if I was you,” he said, shaking his head as he jumped off of the stage to join Alice. I thought he said something along the lines of ‘already a damn smart ass Cullen’, but I chose to ignore it. His kids deserved a dad after all.
Edward was still grinning and looking proud when we took our guitars and sat on the stools, facing each other. “You ready, baby girl?” he smirked with his crooked grin.
I bit my lip, letting it slowly slide between my teeth. Ah yes…pupils dilating, bringing out the predator in my man. “I’m always ready for you, Sugar.”
‘Jezebel,’ he mouthed to me. ‘Devil,’ I mouthed back while we listened to the hoots and hollers and catcalls due to our flirting. He shook his head. “Alright, here we go!”
He began strumming the strings of his black guitar while I beat out a rhythm with my knuckles on the wood of the back of mine.
I don't want to get up baby, let's turn off the phone
I don't want to go to work today or even put my makeup on
I've got better things to do than my to do list anyway
Hide under the covers and waste away the day
Let's just lay here and be lazy, baby drive me crazy
All I Want To Do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo
All I want to do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo is love you
I got up off of the stool and began to walk around behind Edward, dancing and shaking my hips as I continued singing.
I got my whole life to change the world and climb the ladders
Looking at you looking at me is the only thing that matters
Come a little closer baby, we can talk without the words
Hang a sign on the door, please do not disturb
Let's just lay here and be lazy, baby drive me crazy
As I ran my hands up over his shoulders, I could feel every muscle flexing and twitching with the movement of his arms as he played his guitar and I could feel the vibration of his voice as he sang along with me.
All I Want To Do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo
All I want to do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo is love you
I laced my fingers in his gorgeous, messy hair and tugged his head back and sucked his top lip in my mouth quickly before releasing it and singing the next lines.
Give me a kiss, from that Elvis lip,
You don't want to miss this,
We finished the song soon after and my Sugar put his guitar down on my vacant stool and picked me up and twirled me around while laughing into my neck.
“Are you tryin’ to kill me? I mean, my mama is in this room, woman!”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, sugar! I’m just getting started.” He growled as he kissed me. We had one more duet left to perform. We were going to sing Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash before he and Jazz wound everything down for the night, minus our surprise songs of course. We knew it would be a fun song to sing together and besides…how could we go wrong singing a song from such an iconic and in love couple? Easy. We weren’t wrong. Everyone was singing and clapping and dancing along with us and it was the good time that we wanted our family and friends to have with us before we got married.
Esme requested that the boys sing Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. After watching the Hope for Haiti event on television last year, she just knew her fellas could bring the house down with it…and boy did they. I thought I was going to cry before they were finished. Esme and Alice actually did! Edward and Jasper lightened the mood by singing To Love Somebody by Ray Lamontagne and Damien Rice, Down the Road by Kenny Chesney with Mac McAnally and several of their regular honkey tonkin’ songs, as they called them.
The party finally wound down around eleven and all that was left was basically the people that had been at Alice and Jasper’s Halloween party when we did the body shots. I had gone backstage with Rose as soon as everyone had left so that she could help me get into my costume. Apparently it was up to Edward to help me get out of it, and I dang sure wasn’t complaining about that. She made my make up look much more dramatic with jet black liquid eyeliner, mascara and bright red lips. There wasn’t much we could do with my hair since we were in a bar bathroom, so just pulling it away from my face was going to have to work.
I pulled a trench coat on over my costume and tied it at the waist until it was time for my big stage reveal. The rest of our friends were all sitting at the tables that were close to the stage, but one lone chair was positioned on the floor right in front of Edward. Hell yes! It was time for my show! The only rule we were bound to in our choice of song was that it couldn’t be original. It was a night to have fun, not be all sloppy romantic. There would be time for that on our wedding day. Edward didn’t know it, but I wasn’t even singing my song. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could do it justice.
Edward stood on the stage and took a long drink from his water bottle with his head tilted back. Lord help me I wanted to tell everyone to leave so that I could have my wicked little way with him right in the middle of that freakin’ stage. He had worn, what I called, his fine-ass jeans and a charcoal grey t-shirt that showed the definition of every lean muscle he had in his chest, back and shoulders. In essence, watching him just stand there and drink was killing me softly. Doc and Esme should be fined for making that boy. He was just too much. That was the only way I knew how to put it.
In my drooling haze I hadn’t even noticed that he was standing in front of me until he laughed at me. Hateful! Keep laughing brother. You’ll get yours.
“You reckon you’re ready for this, baby girl? The song I picked out is pretty damn hot,” he smirked.
I’ll see that smirk and raise you a sneak peak, sugar. I trailed my finger from the top button of my coat up the little bit of bare skin that was showing, across my collar bone and to my very red, pouty lips. His eyes hungrily followed my fingertip until it got to my lips and he groaned.
“I believe I have already said that I was always ready for you, sugar. Now quit stalling and show me whatcha got.”
“Oooh, lovin’…you shouldn’t have said that,” he said, pressing his mouth against my ear. Lord, his lips were like velvet against the shell of my ear. I could feel every word he said, even if I wouldn’t have been able to hear them. “Since this is our last night together, because apparently all of the women in my life hate me, I’ll be showin’ you what I got all…night…long,” he growled, squeezing my hips and nipping at my earlobe between the words. Holy hell…we’re gonna need clean up at center stage! The only thing I could do was whimper and that was good enough for him.
Edward walked back to the stage and took a seat on the stool by Jasper, who was his back up, as usual, only instead of his guitar, he had a tambourine. Huh. Emmett jumped up in front of them and snatched the microphone away to address what was left of the crowd.
“Alright kids…we all know Edward is finally gonna make an honest woman out of Little Bell here on Saturday, but in honor of all of their fornication and debauchery, they have each opted to perform one song for each other. Even though these songs aren’t their original words, and thank the Lord for that ‘cause it would be seriously weird, I’m sure they will be still be hot as fire! I mean, we all saw the body shot at Halloween, right?”
More whistles and catcalls were heard all around and I crossed my legs and arms, trying to curl in on myself. I looked up at Edward who I noticed was staring at my crossed legs. I had forgotten about the stockings I was wearing, and now they were on full display. I watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat as he swallowed thickly. He bit his bottom lip and squeezed his eyes shut as he shook his head. Suddenly, I wasn’t so embarrassed by what I was about to do and the fact that this whole room was going to be a witness to it. Maybe I’d be getting thanked for all of the debauchery that Edward’s and my shenanigans tended to inspire.
“Okay, Little Bell…get ready sister because even I’m proud of my bubs for pickin’ this song. Bring it on, fellas! Y’all give ‘em a hand!” He hopped down off of the stage, clapping loudly for the boys and kissing me on the cheek before he joined Rosalie behind me.
Edward winked at me and flashed his wickedly crooked grin. “This is for you baby girl, and trust me…I mean every single word.” With just a few chords he was playing:
Taking a moment just imagining that i'm dancing with you
I'm your pole and all you're wearing is your shoes
You've got soul, you know what to do to turn me on until I write a song about you
And you have your own engaging style, you've got the knack to vivify
And you make my slacks a little tight, you may unfasten them if you like
That's if you crash and spend the night
Mother humper…Butterfly by Jason Mraz.
But you don't bode, you don't pay, you got everything you need
Except for me, sister you've got it all
You make the call to make my day
In your message say my name
Your talk is all the talk, sister you've got it all
Curl your upper lip up and let me look around
Ride your tongue along your bottom lip and bite down
And bend your back and ask your hips if I can touch
Well they're the perfect jumping up point
Getting closer to your butterfly
Oh. Holy. Fuck! I’m a dead, dead woman. Lucky as shit woman…but a dead woman.
You float on by
Oh kiss me with your eyelashes tonight
Or Eskimo your nose real close to mine
And let's mood the lights and finally make it right
Mmm mmm And all I really need to see
You pull your knee socks up
Let me feel you upside down, slide in, slide out
Slide over here, climb into my mouth now
See that puddle on the floor? That would be me…the bride-to-be…melted into a pool of straight up lust.
Butterfly
Well you landed on my mind
Actually landed on my ear but you crawled inside
And now I see you perfectly behind closed eyes
I wanna fly with you
But I don't want to lie to you
I can't recall a better day
Sun coming to shine on the occasion
You're an open-minded lady, you've got it all
Butterfly, baby, you've got it all
I should have gone first. I will never make it through this without falling down or throwing up or attacking him.
EPOV
While all of my fool friends and family were cheering and hollering and clapping, I hopped off of the stage and yanked her off of the chair and crushed her tight little body against mine. I knew she loved it when I twirled her, and I twirled her so good she squealed.
“I love you, sugar! That was insane, it was so good!”
“Mmm, thank you baby girl,” I said, placing her back on her feet and kissing her lightly. I didn’t want to mess up those gorgeous red lips. I had plans for those later. “Now get your ass up there and show me what’s under this coat, Mrs. Cullen.”
“Your wish is my command, Mr. Cullen. But first, you need to take this chair with you and have a seat back up on the stage.”
“Yes ma’am!” She didn’t need to tell me twice. I had already nearly lost my shit when I saw those freakin’ pantyhose things and heels she was wearing. Those would most definitely be staying on later.
After Rosalie queued up the karaoke machine, she took the microphone in the same style that Emmett had. Lord help, they had been together too long. “Let’s hear it one more time for Edward and his super sexy song!” I rolled my eyes while everyone clapped. I wondered how drunk everyone was. We had supplied an open bar after all. “My new sister, Bella, has chosen a song that is sure to set all of you men on fire. Ladies, if you don’t get lucky tonight, it’s time to trade up on ya man! Bella, come on up here sister and show him how it’s really done!”
I think Alice, Angela and Rosalie were hollering louder than the guys…which was probably smart if the guys wanted to stay alive.
Bella stood in front of me, facing the crowd and still wearing that damn coat when the music started. While the man chanted she had her hands on her hips, barely shaking them.
Tarzan and Jane were swingin' on a vine
Candyman, Candyman
Sippin' from a bottle of vodka double wine
Then she turned to me and sang over the music, “Sweet. Sugar. Music Man,” and ripped open her trench coat. Oh my Jesus Lord! All I could see was black and corset and bows and boobs and…shit! How am I supposed to watch this?
I met him out for dinner on a Friday night
He really had me working up an appetite
He had tattoos up and down his arm
She had walked behind me and trailed her fingertips inside the sleeves of my t-shirt and squeezed my deltoid where my tattoo was.
There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm
He's a one stop shop, makes the panties drop
She pranced back around in front of me and popped her ass right in my face, giving me the perfect view of those panties…or probably lack thereof. Fuck…we’re ‘bout to give them two shows for the price of one.
He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man
A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman
Oh yeah..
He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop
He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man
A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman
She bent her knees, almost squatting and then swaying her hips to the left side, and then followed by doing the same move to the right, all while looking over her shoulder at me and before backing up and straddling my lap. Gah, I’m glad she’s a nurse ‘cause I can’t honkin’ breathe! I gripped her hips and held on for dear life.
Woo yeah
Well by now I'm getting all bothered and hot
When he kissed my mouth he really hit the spot
He had lips like sugar cane
Good things come to boys who wait
Oh sweet lovin’…you better believe I ain’t fixin’ to wait. When we get home, it is ON, baby girl!
Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]
He's a one stop, gotcha hot, making all the panties drop
Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]
He's a one stop, got me hot, making my uh pop
Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]
He's a one stop, get it while it's hot, baby don't stop
Sweet sugar [whispered]
He got those lips like sugar cane
Good things come for boys who wait
He's a one stop shop with a real big uh
He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman
I didn’t hear the last part of the song because as soon as she sat in my lap and gave me my own little lap dance, I was deaf and dumb, but thankin’ the good Lord that He had yet to strike me blind. I had to shake some sense into my sex addled brain. The woman had definitely earned her Jezebel title and God help me, this woman was about to be my wife!!
Apparently the song had ended and I never noticed because I was in a Bella induced lust haze and had barely heard the whistles. She was panting and had the girls all up in my face and the only thing I was coherent enough to do was kiss the ever lovin’ shit out of her. And so I did; have mercy I did. When I could manage to break free, which wasn’t easy seeing as how she was doing that hair pullin’ thing I loved so damn much, I stood up and threw her over my shoulder.
“Thank y’all for comin’, but she’s about to take me home. Consider this our ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign.” I popped her on the ass and high-tailed it for the truck, all while she was hanging upside down, giggling and grabbing my ass.
“How ya feel about practicin’ for the honeymoon, lovin’?”
After I plopped her in her seat she looked up at me, all blushed from her performance and from hanging upside down, and said with absolutely no hesitancy, “I think practice makes perfect, sugar,” she grinned.
“Well here’s to perfection,” I whispered against her lips before capturing her mouth in one of the last kisses I was going to have before I became a married man.
April 2011
BPOV
I had never been so thankful for time to fly by. The last three months were a complete blur of activity and planning. Our wedding was planned for the end of April, but we weren’t going on our honeymoon until June when Edward would be finished with his classes for the summer. We could have waited until June I suppose, but honestly, we just didn’t want to wait any longer than we had to in order to be married. There were days that one of us begged the other to just go to the courthouse and make it legal already, but we knew that even if we did that and managed to keep it a secret, our family would find out anyway. That’s how things go in small towns; there really are no secrets. I really didn’t want to break Esme’s heart by not having a formal type of ceremony and I most certainly didn’t want to miss out on seeing my man waiting for me at the end of the aisle in his suit with his messy hair and crooked grin. He said he didn’t want to miss rubbing it in Pop’s face some more that I had actually said yes and was going through with it. Sigh…not just men…Cullen men! Can’t live with them; definitely can’t live without them.
It was the Thursday before our wedding and Angela was going to be arriving soon. When I called her to give her the news about my job and then about the engagement she screamed her fool head off in full blown, potty-mouthed excitement. It was during that same conversation that she finally spilled the beans that a certain young man had flown north to spend some time with her, twice, this winter. Talk about getting an earful. I let her know…just how completely awesome I thought it was! Of course my new mission was to try to talk her into moving down here as well. I knew Ben would be on my side and it was the only reason that I allowed him to pick her up from the airport so that they could have a few hours alone before I sent Sassy after her.
Rose was usually the muscle of us girls, but this was a job for Alice since people didn’t normally mess with women who were pregnant. Alice was about twenty-six weeks along now and in March, we had found out that the newest little Whitlock was going to be another boy whom they were going to name Brooks. Jasper had been strutting around, proud as a peacock. But Alice…poor girl; she looked like she had swallowed a basketball, but she was feeling great so far and had no complications. We never told her, but she was actually one of the considerations we made when choosing our wedding date. Since babies and pregnancies were so unpredictable, we didn’t want to wait until she was in her last trimester and chance the possibility of her being on bed rest like she was last time.
We also wanted an outdoor reception, so we didn’t want to wait until it got too hot to be able to do that. Edward told me that in the spring and fall in Alabama you were taking a chance of it either being hot or cold; rare were the days that were in between. I didn’t care. I was willing to take the risk and I’m so glad that I did. The forecast was gorgeous! It was going to be sunny with a high temperature of seventy degrees and a light breeze. It was going to take place in the late afternoon, so we decided to tent the seating area, just in case.
I actually had very few things that I was specific about when it came to the planning of the wedding. I wanted to pick the colors, the venue, the cakes and my dress. Everything else I delegated to Alice or Esme. They knew way more than I did about fine details. All I had to do was give final approval, which pretty much turned out to be unnecessary. Everything that they picked had been perfect and it was getting increasingly difficult waiting out the two final days until the wedding was actually here; however, there were a few more things that we needed to get through first.
Tonight Edward and I were hosting a pre-wedding party, as we decided to call it. We felt like we kind of took the fun out of getting married for some people because we had everything we needed, so there was no need for bridal showers or handy man parties. We also weren’t having bridesmaids or groomsmen. It was just us…getting married. We wanted our family to surround us in love and support, not merely stand beside or sit behind us.
In appreciation for them and our friends, we were renting out Sugar’s for a night of singing and dancing, and if I knew most of them like I thought I did, it was sure to end in some sort of debauchery. Case in point’s belly was walking into my living room before its owner and my long lost friend was tagging along behind her, pouting.
“Look, Ang, if you can’t get down to business in the three hours that we so graciously allowed you, it’s really not my problem.”
“I told you that getting busy was not my problem. It’s the fact that you damn near beat the fucking door down while said business was being taken care of that I had a problem with,” Angela growled at Alice.
Oh Lord. Not smart.
Alice spun around and grabbed Angela by the shirt and pulled her down closer to her level. Angela was eight inches taller than Alice after all. My eyes widened, ready for the showdown that was about to occur as Alice narrowed her eyes at Angela, who at least had the brains to look a little scared at this point. I’ve said it before, but Alice has some kind of freakish upper body strength for her size. Now she had the hormones to drive it even more.
“Listen here you Amazonian drama queen…first of all, you’d be wise to clean up that mouth of yours. We don’t let the f-bomb drop around here since we started spittin’ out kids like Pop-Tarts. If they ain’t actin’ like little carrier monkeys for some kind of germ, then they are squawkin’ like damn mockin’birds, copying every honkin’ word you say. You might want to think about that if you’re gonna become a permanent fixture around here. Secondly, this weekend ain’t exactly about you getting’ laid. You’ll have your time with your man, but until then, this is about my cousin and his lovely bride-to-be. During all pre-planned wedding activities you’d better find a way to keep those legs closed or I swear to God I’ll hogtie you and I don’t mean that in a good way. Nod once if you understand.”
Angela nodded. I covered my mouth so that when Alice turned around she wouldn’t see me laughing. I wasn’t so sure I’d be a fan of being hogtied…well, not by her.
Alice let go of Angela’s blouse and helped her to smooth it before running her fingers through her own hair. She turned back to me with a peaceful smile on her face.
“I’m sorry you had to see that, Bella, but…well, you know my motto; some people just need to be told. Now, what snacks do you have because Brooks is starvin’.” I pointed to the cupboards where I had a Sassy stash. With all of the planning over the last few months, I had learned a trick or two to tame the beast.
I welcomed my friend with a hug and got her up to speed on wedding stuff before going upstairs to start getting ready for the party. Rosalie was picking up my surprise costume before meeting us at Sugar’s. Edward and I had each planned a top secret sexy performance for each other and I was dying to know what he was going to sing. I begged and pleaded for him to go first because I had a feeling my song and dance was going to be the performance that wrapped up the night for us. Poor man…he’d never know what hit him. I was just glad that it was only going to be our family and friends, minus the people our parents’ ages and the kids. It was definitely not going to be a show suitable for all audiences. I can’t believe the idea was even mine. Of course when I told the girls my plan, they wouldn’t let me back out of it. If it all went well, they would all be happy women once they made it home anyway.
-x-X-x-
I felt Edward walk up behind me before he ever wrapped his arms around my waist.
“You havin’ a good time?” he asked, nuzzling the rim of my ear with his nose. I knew he loved to see the shiver that always inevitably came whenever he did that. I couldn’t help it; my ears and my neck were my ‘spots’ and he knew it all too well.
“Of course, sugar. Aren’t you?”
“Well, you’re here, so you know I am. Besides,” he said, starting to tug on my earlobe, “a little birdie told me that I was gonna seriously enjoy my surprise song.”
I was going to kill her. It was already taking every ounce of courage I could muster to do this for him while half of our family and friends watched.
“I swear to all that is holy…now that Sassy’s pregnant her hormones have her damn mouth in overdrive. Did she tell you what I’m doing?”
He started rubbing his scruff across my bare shoulder in attempt to distract me. Shit! It’s working…of course it always does.
“Give her a break. She’s like…I don’t know…ten months pregnant or somethin’ and she’s just excited for us.”
I sighed. “I know. I’m really just teasing anyway. Isn’t that part of being a Cullen? Giving each other a hard time?” I said, teasing him by grinding my ass against him. He groaned in my ear as he pulled my hips harder against him, causing me to whimper in return. Mmmm, game on and tie score.
I was glad that we were standing in a dark corner off to the side of the stage because things between us could always quickly become inappropriate for a mixed audience. Jasper was sitting on a stool in the spotlight crooning Smile by Uncle Kracker to his little lady love who was preciously rubbing her not so little baby bump.
I found myself staring at her, or her belly rather, more often than not when we were together these days; desperately wondering what it was like and desperately hoping that it wouldn’t take long for me to get pregnant. I didn’t know if anything could be better than starting a family with Edward.
I turned in his arms and buried my face in his chest, just taking him in; his smell, his warmth and the steady rhythm of his heart beating beneath my just nibbled ear. One of Edward’s hands was twirling the ends of my hair while the palm of the other hand was pressing into the small of my back, bringing me closer to him.
“I love you,” I murmured. “So damn much.” As usual, I was getting a little overwhelmed with emotion but it was something that I had finally begun to accept and embrace. The dam that used to be around my heart had long ago burst and had since flooded my heart with an insane amount of love for this man and in less than forty eight hours, I’d be his for life.
He pulled on the ends of my hair to tip my head back so he could look me in the eyes; his deep green eyes boring into mine.
“What’s wrong, Lovin’?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. I just love you and I’m so ready to be your wife.”
“That sounds just short of Heaven baby girl. You wanna know what part I’m lookin’ forward to?”
I raised my eyebrow at him because I could only assume that his naughty self was talking about the honeymoon.
Apparently reading my mind, he rolled his eyes at me. “No, dirty girl. I wasn’t actually talkin’ about that, although I have been dyin’ to know about your latest little shoppin’ trip with the girls.”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” I said, leaning and kissing the little scar on his chin.
“Hmm…I can’t wait! But what I’m really lookin’ forward to is seein’ you walk down the aisle to me and then when you slide that ring on my finger showin’ everybody that I’m finally your husband.”
I groaned. When we had gone shopping for our wedding bands a few weeks ago, I nearly attacked the poor man right there in the middle of the store. I had never seen anything so sexy in my life. The platinum band just looked so…right on his long and very dexterous finger. Lord have mercy…I was about to marry the man and just the thought of what those fingers could do was enough to make me blush like a teenager.
He chuckled, knowing what I was thinking about because as soon as we left the jewelry store I did in fact attack him. He cradled my face between his hands before ducking his head so that he could run the tip of his nose down the side of mine before placing the softest whisper of a kiss against my lips. I could barely call it a kiss, it was so soft, but soon, and with more pressure it turned into a caress as he gently sucked my bottom lip between his two soft ones. The man could bring me to my freakin’ knees! I slowly trailed my fingers up the indention of his spine and over the lean muscles of his shoulder blades before hooking my hands over the tops of his shoulders, pulling him down even closer to me so that I could devour him. He beckoned me with is tongue, calling me to taste every inch of his mouth while he returned the favor.
We were so lost in each other that what finally drew us apart was realizing that the room had gone dead silent apart from the sounds that we had been making. I buried my face in Edward’s chest and giggled at having been caught by everyone, totally defeating the purpose of standing in a dark corner…that I realized was no longer dark.
Edward’s chest vibrated under my cheek as he hugged me tighter to him and chuckled while asking the onlookers, “What?” His scent was making my head spin. He smelled like us; a mix of his cologne, my perfume and warmth. Now that we had been caught very much making out, I wondered if it would be entirely inappropriate to lick him. Probably. Pity.
“Look, these folks ain’t here as payin’ customers to your little bump and grind, tonsil hockey tournament. They are here as your guests, so get your asses up here and sing the damn song,” Jasper drawled.
I wonder if Alice would consider having Jasper castrated instead of just doing that vasectomy she was talking about. I’ll make her some fudge…or bring her a Blizzard. That might work.
I stood up straight and squared my shoulders and then turned and walked towards the stage, grabbing my guitar on the way. I leaned down and whispered in Jasper’s ear, “You’re just jealous because rumor has it that Sassy has delegated the love making duties to Rosie Palm and her five sisters. Don’t ask me how I know that, but just so we are clear, the only reason that I’m not announcing it to the entire party is because you were my best friend’s best friend until I blew into town wearing my blue cheeky panties. Now shush it before I decide to go public with that shit.”
I stood up and quirked an eyebrow at him to be sure we had an understanding. He leaned around me to glare at Edward. “I’d stay on her good side if I was you,” he said, shaking his head as he jumped off of the stage to join Alice. I thought he said something along the lines of ‘already a damn smart ass Cullen’, but I chose to ignore it. His kids deserved a dad after all.
Edward was still grinning and looking proud when we took our guitars and sat on the stools, facing each other. “You ready, baby girl?” he smirked with his crooked grin.
I bit my lip, letting it slowly slide between my teeth. Ah yes…pupils dilating, bringing out the predator in my man. “I’m always ready for you, Sugar.”
‘Jezebel,’ he mouthed to me. ‘Devil,’ I mouthed back while we listened to the hoots and hollers and catcalls due to our flirting. He shook his head. “Alright, here we go!”
He began strumming the strings of his black guitar while I beat out a rhythm with my knuckles on the wood of the back of mine.
I don't want to get up baby, let's turn off the phone
I don't want to go to work today or even put my makeup on
I've got better things to do than my to do list anyway
Hide under the covers and waste away the day
Let's just lay here and be lazy, baby drive me crazy
All I Want To Do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo
All I want to do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo is love you
I got up off of the stool and began to walk around behind Edward, dancing and shaking my hips as I continued singing.
I got my whole life to change the world and climb the ladders
Looking at you looking at me is the only thing that matters
Come a little closer baby, we can talk without the words
Hang a sign on the door, please do not disturb
Let's just lay here and be lazy, baby drive me crazy
As I ran my hands up over his shoulders, I could feel every muscle flexing and twitching with the movement of his arms as he played his guitar and I could feel the vibration of his voice as he sang along with me.
All I Want To Do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo
All I want to do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ooo is love you
I laced my fingers in his gorgeous, messy hair and tugged his head back and sucked his top lip in my mouth quickly before releasing it and singing the next lines.
Give me a kiss, from that Elvis lip,
You don't want to miss this,
We finished the song soon after and my Sugar put his guitar down on my vacant stool and picked me up and twirled me around while laughing into my neck.
“Are you tryin’ to kill me? I mean, my mama is in this room, woman!”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, sugar! I’m just getting started.” He growled as he kissed me. We had one more duet left to perform. We were going to sing Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash before he and Jazz wound everything down for the night, minus our surprise songs of course. We knew it would be a fun song to sing together and besides…how could we go wrong singing a song from such an iconic and in love couple? Easy. We weren’t wrong. Everyone was singing and clapping and dancing along with us and it was the good time that we wanted our family and friends to have with us before we got married.
Esme requested that the boys sing Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. After watching the Hope for Haiti event on television last year, she just knew her fellas could bring the house down with it…and boy did they. I thought I was going to cry before they were finished. Esme and Alice actually did! Edward and Jasper lightened the mood by singing To Love Somebody by Ray Lamontagne and Damien Rice, Down the Road by Kenny Chesney with Mac McAnally and several of their regular honkey tonkin’ songs, as they called them.
The party finally wound down around eleven and all that was left was basically the people that had been at Alice and Jasper’s Halloween party when we did the body shots. I had gone backstage with Rose as soon as everyone had left so that she could help me get into my costume. Apparently it was up to Edward to help me get out of it, and I dang sure wasn’t complaining about that. She made my make up look much more dramatic with jet black liquid eyeliner, mascara and bright red lips. There wasn’t much we could do with my hair since we were in a bar bathroom, so just pulling it away from my face was going to have to work.
I pulled a trench coat on over my costume and tied it at the waist until it was time for my big stage reveal. The rest of our friends were all sitting at the tables that were close to the stage, but one lone chair was positioned on the floor right in front of Edward. Hell yes! It was time for my show! The only rule we were bound to in our choice of song was that it couldn’t be original. It was a night to have fun, not be all sloppy romantic. There would be time for that on our wedding day. Edward didn’t know it, but I wasn’t even singing my song. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could do it justice.
Edward stood on the stage and took a long drink from his water bottle with his head tilted back. Lord help me I wanted to tell everyone to leave so that I could have my wicked little way with him right in the middle of that freakin’ stage. He had worn, what I called, his fine-ass jeans and a charcoal grey t-shirt that showed the definition of every lean muscle he had in his chest, back and shoulders. In essence, watching him just stand there and drink was killing me softly. Doc and Esme should be fined for making that boy. He was just too much. That was the only way I knew how to put it.
In my drooling haze I hadn’t even noticed that he was standing in front of me until he laughed at me. Hateful! Keep laughing brother. You’ll get yours.
“You reckon you’re ready for this, baby girl? The song I picked out is pretty damn hot,” he smirked.
I’ll see that smirk and raise you a sneak peak, sugar. I trailed my finger from the top button of my coat up the little bit of bare skin that was showing, across my collar bone and to my very red, pouty lips. His eyes hungrily followed my fingertip until it got to my lips and he groaned.
“I believe I have already said that I was always ready for you, sugar. Now quit stalling and show me whatcha got.”
“Oooh, lovin’…you shouldn’t have said that,” he said, pressing his mouth against my ear. Lord, his lips were like velvet against the shell of my ear. I could feel every word he said, even if I wouldn’t have been able to hear them. “Since this is our last night together, because apparently all of the women in my life hate me, I’ll be showin’ you what I got all…night…long,” he growled, squeezing my hips and nipping at my earlobe between the words. Holy hell…we’re gonna need clean up at center stage! The only thing I could do was whimper and that was good enough for him.
Edward walked back to the stage and took a seat on the stool by Jasper, who was his back up, as usual, only instead of his guitar, he had a tambourine. Huh. Emmett jumped up in front of them and snatched the microphone away to address what was left of the crowd.
“Alright kids…we all know Edward is finally gonna make an honest woman out of Little Bell here on Saturday, but in honor of all of their fornication and debauchery, they have each opted to perform one song for each other. Even though these songs aren’t their original words, and thank the Lord for that ‘cause it would be seriously weird, I’m sure they will be still be hot as fire! I mean, we all saw the body shot at Halloween, right?”
More whistles and catcalls were heard all around and I crossed my legs and arms, trying to curl in on myself. I looked up at Edward who I noticed was staring at my crossed legs. I had forgotten about the stockings I was wearing, and now they were on full display. I watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat as he swallowed thickly. He bit his bottom lip and squeezed his eyes shut as he shook his head. Suddenly, I wasn’t so embarrassed by what I was about to do and the fact that this whole room was going to be a witness to it. Maybe I’d be getting thanked for all of the debauchery that Edward’s and my shenanigans tended to inspire.
“Okay, Little Bell…get ready sister because even I’m proud of my bubs for pickin’ this song. Bring it on, fellas! Y’all give ‘em a hand!” He hopped down off of the stage, clapping loudly for the boys and kissing me on the cheek before he joined Rosalie behind me.
Edward winked at me and flashed his wickedly crooked grin. “This is for you baby girl, and trust me…I mean every single word.” With just a few chords he was playing:
Taking a moment just imagining that i'm dancing with you
I'm your pole and all you're wearing is your shoes
You've got soul, you know what to do to turn me on until I write a song about you
And you have your own engaging style, you've got the knack to vivify
And you make my slacks a little tight, you may unfasten them if you like
That's if you crash and spend the night
Mother humper…Butterfly by Jason Mraz.
But you don't bode, you don't pay, you got everything you need
Except for me, sister you've got it all
You make the call to make my day
In your message say my name
Your talk is all the talk, sister you've got it all
Curl your upper lip up and let me look around
Ride your tongue along your bottom lip and bite down
And bend your back and ask your hips if I can touch
Well they're the perfect jumping up point
Getting closer to your butterfly
Oh. Holy. Fuck! I’m a dead, dead woman. Lucky as shit woman…but a dead woman.
You float on by
Oh kiss me with your eyelashes tonight
Or Eskimo your nose real close to mine
And let's mood the lights and finally make it right
Mmm mmm And all I really need to see
You pull your knee socks up
Let me feel you upside down, slide in, slide out
Slide over here, climb into my mouth now
See that puddle on the floor? That would be me…the bride-to-be…melted into a pool of straight up lust.
Butterfly
Well you landed on my mind
Actually landed on my ear but you crawled inside
And now I see you perfectly behind closed eyes
I wanna fly with you
But I don't want to lie to you
I can't recall a better day
Sun coming to shine on the occasion
You're an open-minded lady, you've got it all
Butterfly, baby, you've got it all
I should have gone first. I will never make it through this without falling down or throwing up or attacking him.
EPOV
While all of my fool friends and family were cheering and hollering and clapping, I hopped off of the stage and yanked her off of the chair and crushed her tight little body against mine. I knew she loved it when I twirled her, and I twirled her so good she squealed.
“I love you, sugar! That was insane, it was so good!”
“Mmm, thank you baby girl,” I said, placing her back on her feet and kissing her lightly. I didn’t want to mess up those gorgeous red lips. I had plans for those later. “Now get your ass up there and show me what’s under this coat, Mrs. Cullen.”
“Your wish is my command, Mr. Cullen. But first, you need to take this chair with you and have a seat back up on the stage.”
“Yes ma’am!” She didn’t need to tell me twice. I had already nearly lost my shit when I saw those freakin’ pantyhose things and heels she was wearing. Those would most definitely be staying on later.
After Rosalie queued up the karaoke machine, she took the microphone in the same style that Emmett had. Lord help, they had been together too long. “Let’s hear it one more time for Edward and his super sexy song!” I rolled my eyes while everyone clapped. I wondered how drunk everyone was. We had supplied an open bar after all. “My new sister, Bella, has chosen a song that is sure to set all of you men on fire. Ladies, if you don’t get lucky tonight, it’s time to trade up on ya man! Bella, come on up here sister and show him how it’s really done!”
I think Alice, Angela and Rosalie were hollering louder than the guys…which was probably smart if the guys wanted to stay alive.
Bella stood in front of me, facing the crowd and still wearing that damn coat when the music started. While the man chanted she had her hands on her hips, barely shaking them.
Tarzan and Jane were swingin' on a vine
Candyman, Candyman
Sippin' from a bottle of vodka double wine
Then she turned to me and sang over the music, “Sweet. Sugar. Music Man,” and ripped open her trench coat. Oh my Jesus Lord! All I could see was black and corset and bows and boobs and…shit! How am I supposed to watch this?
I met him out for dinner on a Friday night
He really had me working up an appetite
He had tattoos up and down his arm
She had walked behind me and trailed her fingertips inside the sleeves of my t-shirt and squeezed my deltoid where my tattoo was.
There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm
He's a one stop shop, makes the panties drop
She pranced back around in front of me and popped her ass right in my face, giving me the perfect view of those panties…or probably lack thereof. Fuck…we’re ‘bout to give them two shows for the price of one.
He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man
A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman
Oh yeah..
He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop
He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man
A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman
She bent her knees, almost squatting and then swaying her hips to the left side, and then followed by doing the same move to the right, all while looking over her shoulder at me and before backing up and straddling my lap. Gah, I’m glad she’s a nurse ‘cause I can’t honkin’ breathe! I gripped her hips and held on for dear life.
Woo yeah
Well by now I'm getting all bothered and hot
When he kissed my mouth he really hit the spot
He had lips like sugar cane
Good things come to boys who wait
Oh sweet lovin’…you better believe I ain’t fixin’ to wait. When we get home, it is ON, baby girl!
Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]
He's a one stop, gotcha hot, making all the panties drop
Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]
He's a one stop, got me hot, making my uh pop
Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]
He's a one stop, get it while it's hot, baby don't stop
Sweet sugar [whispered]
He got those lips like sugar cane
Good things come for boys who wait
He's a one stop shop with a real big uh
He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman
I didn’t hear the last part of the song because as soon as she sat in my lap and gave me my own little lap dance, I was deaf and dumb, but thankin’ the good Lord that He had yet to strike me blind. I had to shake some sense into my sex addled brain. The woman had definitely earned her Jezebel title and God help me, this woman was about to be my wife!!
Apparently the song had ended and I never noticed because I was in a Bella induced lust haze and had barely heard the whistles. She was panting and had the girls all up in my face and the only thing I was coherent enough to do was kiss the ever lovin’ shit out of her. And so I did; have mercy I did. When I could manage to break free, which wasn’t easy seeing as how she was doing that hair pullin’ thing I loved so damn much, I stood up and threw her over my shoulder.
“Thank y’all for comin’, but she’s about to take me home. Consider this our ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign.” I popped her on the ass and high-tailed it for the truck, all while she was hanging upside down, giggling and grabbing my ass.
“How ya feel about practicin’ for the honeymoon, lovin’?”
After I plopped her in her seat she looked up at me, all blushed from her performance and from hanging upside down, and said with absolutely no hesitancy, “I think practice makes perfect, sugar,” she grinned.
“Well here’s to perfection,” I whispered against her lips before capturing her mouth in one of the last kisses I was going to have before I became a married man.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Chapter 19 (They Told Everyone)
Chapter 19~(They Told Everyone)
EPOV
Bella and I snuggled on the couch while Roscoe and LuLu were snuggled together on the floor in front of us. I have to admit, Bella deciding to name her pup LuLu after Roscoe’s sister was the clincher on the decision to go ahead and propose to her. Okay…well that may not actually be true. The fact that I loved her damn near to death and couldn’t wait to make her legally mine might have had a little something to do with it. But still, knowing that she was actually paying attention when I forced that Dukes of Hazzard marathon on her, did things to me. I mean, I used to be late to church on Wednesday nights because of that show. I never told her, and I don’t know if she ever caught on, but my first love, Daisy Duke, used to call people Sugar. Meant to be I tell ya.
She had her back pressed against my chest and I was tracing words along her left arm, trying to make her guess what I had written. Every once in a while she would stretch her arm out in front of her, spread her fingers wide and stare at her ring for a few minutes until she giggled. It made me smile and feel warm all over every time I watched her do that. I hugged her tighter to me and murmured, “I love you,” into her ear.
“Mmm…I love you, too.”
“No. I mean like Forrest Gump, big ol’ fat love.” She giggled again. It was my favorite sound.
“I don’t even know what you are talking about, sugar.”
I sighed. “If that ring didn’t cost so damn much, I’d push you off this couch for that kind of blasphemy.”
“I know the movie; I just don’t know which part you are talking about.”
“It’s the part when he is talking about all the different kinds of rain while he was in the military. ‘One day it started raining, and it didn't quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin' rain... and big ol' fat rain,” I said in my best Forrest imitation.
I was glad I was holding on to her so tightly. She damn near laughed herself right off of the couch.
“Just what is so funny?”
“You might want to keep your day job.” That earned her a pinch on the behind that made her yelp and the dogs sit up to see what was going on. Both of them loved her more than me and I was a little bitter about it to tell you the truth.
I steam-rolled over her to get off of the couch and then squatted down in front of her so that she’d get on my back.
“What are we doing?” she asked, not needing any explanation of what I wanted her to do as she climbed on.
“We’re goin’ upstairs. We have business to take care of and I didn’t figure on a two-pup audience. It freaks me out.”
She leaned in and sucked on the side of my neck as I began to haul her up the stairs. She didn’t realize that was making things extremely hard…and difficult because my knees were getting so weak from that sinful little mouth of hers and how she abused me with it.
“And what business do I have with you?” she asked in a sultry voice. Hell yes! Jezebel is in the house!
“Umm, if memory serves correctly, somebody owes me a proper thank you. Surely after being around here for five months you’ve learned a thing or two about thankin’ someone after they have given you somethin’,” I said as I plopped her down in the middle of the bed and then crawled over her.
Her hands were immediately under my shirt, pushing it up. “Did you have a specific thank you in mind?” she asked and then leaned up to lick my nipple.
Yes ma’am!
-x-X-x-
Bella decided that she wanted to tell my family about our engagement before she made phone calls to Renee and Angela. We were going to make the announcement at my parent’s house during Sunday lunch. That, however, meant that there was one phone call that needed to be made that trumped them all.
“Yeah-llo?”
“Hey, Pops!”
“Torch! How are ya son?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
“Can’t complain. Better question is how is my Sunflower? You bein’ good to her?”
“Well, I try, but you’d have to ask her. That’s kind of why I’m callin’.”
“I’m listenin’.” He sounded amused.
“I asked Bella to marry me and we want to announce our engagement at lunch tomorrow after church at Mama’s. She and I would really like for you to be there.”
“You mean she actually said yes?
I somehow knew he was gonna be just a little bit of a smart ass.
“What do you mean? Of course she said yes you old coot!”
“Well I was just askin’. You know you ain’t the only Cullen man she finds attractive.”
I could play this game too. I did learn from the best.
“Yes, I am aware of that, but she knows that Dad is a happily married man. Besides, he’s her boss. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Hateful. I don’t know who you got that mouth from,” he quipped. “I can’t believe you use it to kiss my beautiful Sunflower with.”
“Believe it old man. So are you gonna come over for lunch tomorrow or not?”
“I reckon. Tell her I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Evil.”
“Satan’s spawn.”
“Outsmarted again,” I chuckled.
“See y’all tomorrow bub. Love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
-x-X-x-
Bella sat up front with me during church, whereas she usually still sat with my family. She said it was because her place from now on was beside me. As sweet as that was, I personally thought she was just trying to hide her ring from Sassy and Rose…and probably Mama. Bella thought I was nuts when I put two foamy ear plugs in my jacket pocket before church. I told her that she had yet to hear the Cullen women squeal like pigs in surround sound.
She managed to keep her little hand safely ensconced in mine during the service and afterwards until we pulled into my parent’s driveway.
Drawing her hand to my lips, “Are you still sure about this?”
She grinned brightly. “No take-backs, remember?” I nodded and brushed my lips back and forth against her knuckles.
“I seriously doubt we’ll be making an announcement. I’m guessin’ we have less than five minutes before we are outted by Sas.”
She giggled. “I’m sure you’re right. But I’m fine with that. I can’t wait to see their reaction!”
“Well let’s go then,” I said, getting out of the truck to open her door while steadily shoving the ear plugs into my ears.
“I think you’ll be called out on those ear plugs first.”
“Are we bettin’?” I challenged her.
She shrugged her shoulder. “Why bother? I’m a sure thing,” she said, and winked at me.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure fornication is a sin on Sundays.
We walked in the front door and were greeted by both Alice and Rosalie. And by greeted, I mean nearly knocked the hell over in the foyer by the two squawking turkeys.
“So help me God we better be the first ones to know or you are a dead woman!” Rosalie said while pulling Bella into a fierce hug. “And Edward, pull those stupid plugs out ya ears. You look special.”
I learned a long time ago to do what I was told where Rose was concerned. It’s why none of us really cussed anymore. When Riley came along, she made all of us clean up our language…even Pops.
“How do you two know already?” I asked as Alice wrapped her little arms around my waist. She was so cute. Her lower belly was just starting to round a little bit and I found my thoughts drifting to what Bella would look like when she carried our child.
She pulled away from me so that she and Rose could ogle Bella’s ring together. Bella hadn’t actually said a word. She was content to giggle and smile and blush the entire time.
“Oh please! We saw this bad boy the second y’all walked into church. Nice haul, by the way,” Rose said, holding Bella’s hand up and twisting it in the light.
I studied Alice’s face for a few minutes and then decided that she had been very quiet. Mmmhmm…something smells. “Bullsnort!”
“What?” she asked a little too innocently. There ain’t no such thing as innocence in this family.
“Sas, I know you’re lying. You may as well fess up because I know when the three of you get together it’s like a damn hen party.”
She huffed. “Fine…Pops told me. Really, Edward…you should have known better than to call him yesterday if you weren’t telling us until today. He’s the biggest gossip out of all of us. But Rose really did think she noticed a glint of somethin’ earlier. We’re just so excited for y’all! You’re not mad, are you?”
“No, it’s fine. We’re gonna announce it in a minute anyway. Come on. You can act all surprised for us little mama.”
“Lord, not again.”
“It could be worse. Last time you were pregnant I called you big mama. It’s what you get for me havin’ to hear the news from my girlfriend and not from you or my so-called best friend.”
“You’re still goin’ on about that?”
“Indefinitely.”
“Ass.”
I pretended to be offended and mock-gasped. “Such a dirty mouth…and on the Lord’s day. Shame Mary Alice. Maybe I should tell your mama.”
She smiled sweetly at me and then turned to Bella, grabbed her by the waist and started walking towards the kitchen with her. “It’s not too late to change your mind ya know,” she said to Bella, and then cackled.
Heifer.
Rosalie smirked at me. “Look, you know she’s always had the attitude. Now she just has even more hormones to drive it.”
Lord have mercy…six more months.
As everyone began to gather around the table, I pulled Bella’s chair out for her before she sat down. She leaned towards me when I sat down and whispered into my ear, “You just called me your girlfriend. Did I get demoted?”
She was playing with me. No time like the present to get this on out in the open.
“No way, baby girl,” I said and then kissed her behind her ear, making her shiver. I loved that.
I stood up and cleared my throat and said, “Before we get to the blessin’ I have something I’d like to say.”
Pops, who was conveniently sitting on the other side of Bella, and Alice and Rosalie were all beaming at us, already knowing what I was about to say.
“Well, speak up son. The food’s gettin’ cold,” Emmett piped up. I cut my eyes at him.
“Right. Anyway, I just wanted to let y’all know that...,” I pulled Bella up to stand beside me. We were wearing matching face splitting grins and couldn’t keep our eyes off of each other. “I asked Bella to marry me and in a moment of what must have been sheer insanity, she said yes. We’re getting married!”
Emmett whooped, Jasper said, “’Bout damn time”, Mama squealed like I knew she would and Alice was still so happy that she had to excuse herself to the bathroom, citing ‘damn pregnancy hormones’.
We were congratulated by everyone in typical Cullen fashion with hugs and kisses for us both and then they took turns looking at Bella’s ring.
“It’s gorgeous, Sweets! I could not be happier! But Edward…where on earth did you find this ring? I have never seen anything like it! It’s beautiful and just perfect for our girl,” she said, hugging Bella more tightly to her.
Bella hadn’t even asked me this question yet, which kind of surprised me. I ran my fingers through my hair before telling them, “Uh, actually I got it when I went to Orlando.”
Bella whipped her head around and her beautiful brown eyes were full of surprise.
“What?”
“Last month…when I was in Orlando on the band trip. I just missed you so much I was about to lose my honkin’ mind. I mean, I already knew that I wanted to marry you, but I didn’t exactly have a timeline in mind until then.” Her look of surprise turned into a look of confusion with the furrowing of her brow. I sighed and took both of her hands in mine and said, “Look…what I’m tryin’ to say is that I already knew how much I wanted to be with you, but it wasn’t until I was on that trip, away from you, that I realized just how much I couldn’t live without you; not even for one day. So I decided right then that I couldn’t wait any longer to make you mine.”
Well hell…now the confused, furrowed brow has turned into bright, watery eyes. And hers weren’t the only ones that looked like that. Lord, I’ve thrown the females into an outright cryin’ jag.
She threw her arms around my neck with a force that matched my mama’s…and that was saying something. I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed her until her feet left the floor.
“I love you so much. I’m sure I should ask for forgiveness for being so selfish, but you’re mine and no one else can ever have you,” she whispered into my ear. I chuckled and kissed her cheek as I put her down.
My dad was the last to congratulate us, shaking my hand with one hand and pulling me in for a hug with the other. “I believe I owe you one, son, but I doubt you had to go through all this trouble just to get your girl to stay.”
“What can I say? I did it all for you,” I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes.
He hugged Bella and kissed her on the cheek before asking, “I guess this means you and I are due for a certain conversation a little later?”
She blushed. “Yes, sir.” He grinned so damn big I thought his face was going to crack. “Good. We can chat up in my office after lunch. Is that okay with you?” She nodded.
Everyone was back in their seats and Pops asked the blessing for our food, as well as a special blessing on all of our family; the members who were present and the ones that were soon to join us.
-x-X-x-
BPOV
I followed Doc up to his study after lunch while Edward stayed downstairs to take the ribbing that was certain to come from the other guys. I think Pops was actually giving him the hardest time, teasing him about me and how I was settling for the next best thing. He was a cute old man that was for sure. I knew that I’d never be bored a day in my life because Edward was just like him.
“Come on in and let’s take a seat. I can’t tell you how excited I am that you’re not only staying, but that you’ll be a member of our family, Bella.”
Carlisle and I sat turned towards each other on the couch that faced his desk.
“Not more than I am,” I agreed.
He squeezed my hands that were folded on my lap. “Okay, let’s get down to the business part and get this out of the way. I assume you have thought about the offer I made you a few weeks ago?”
“Yes I have, and I sort of have a proposal of my own, if that’s ok?”
“Sure! I’m all ears. Tell me what you had in mind.”
“Well, I called the agency on Friday and officially resigned from my contract with them.” A brilliant smile began to stretch across Carlisle’s face. “However, I don’t think I want the exact job that you wanted me to take.”
“Go on,” he urged.
I took a deep breath and blew it out. If he agreed to this, he would basically be letting me create my own position and that possibility held so much potential I could hardly stand it.
“Um…I don’t want to be in charge of one of the shifts just yet. What I would like to do is, in addition to my regular shifts, which I hope to change to three twelve-hour shifts per week, is to spend some time focusing on the education of the staff and the patients. I know we will be getting some new staff members and I’d love to be in charge of their orientation at first. Then any courses that are required of the nurses to keep their certifications up to date, as well as helping any of the new patients and their families to adjust to their new lifestyle and nutritional requirements that come with being on dialysis.”
“Well that’s a lot of being in charge for someone who doesn’t want to be in charge,” he chuckled and I blushed.
“I know. I just don’t want to get too ingrained into the administration part of it. I’ve always wanted to be a nurse, first and foremost, for the one-on-one patient care. I still want that to be my focus. But I feel like I’d be doing the patients a service by making sure that the nurses are the very best that they can be. You have already put so much trust and faith in me that I’d really like to give this a shot.”
He looked like he was thinking it over. “Tell me, Bella…what are your future aspirations as far as nursing goes?”
I used to think that I knew, but so much was changing. “Up until I moved here, I wanted to go back to school and become a Family Nurse Practitioner. But now I’m not so sure.”
“Can I ask why the change of heart?”
“Well, before I moved here…before Edward…I was just running; chasing something, and that was the next thing on my list of things to chase. But I have found everything that I didn’t know I was looking for in this town, in this family, in Edward, and even in myself. For the first time in my life I am completely happy and content with where and with who I am, so it’s not really a surprise to me that my previous ‘plans’ have changed. Edward and I have talked a lot about this in the last month or so and he has always just wanted me to be happy, stay or go. I’d never be happy if I went, but we have also made other decisions that I hadn’t factored in until I met him; a family. We don’t want to wait to start a family and starting a family changes things for me. My mom wasn’t there for me and I’d really like to try being a stay-at-home mom when we have kids, for the most part anyway.”
“What does that mean as far as the job you just requested?” he asked.
“What I would like at that point is to drop the shift rotation and keep the education part, working maybe ten to fifteen hours a week?”
“And what would you do with the baby?” he grinned.
“Mama Bear’s, of course. I’m sure Grandme would help out sometimes, too.”
“It sounds like you have given this a lot of thought.”
“I have been thinking about it in some way since October, but more specifically in the last month,” I admitted. I wanted him to know that my decision was mine alone and that it wasn’t something I had decided just because Edward had asked me to marry him. When I told Edward my plan yesterday, he was extremely supportive and thought his dad would be really pleased.
“You know I’d love to have you in any capacity, but this sounds amazing, Bella. I hadn’t thought about a position like that, but I can definitely see the need.” He stretched his hand out towards me. “You have yourself a deal, little lady!” I brushed his hand out of the way, lunged forward and hugged his neck tightly.
“Oh my gosh! Thank you so much, Doc! I promise you won’t be sorry; I won’t let you down.”
He laughed lightly and returned my hug. “I know, Sweets. Now,” he said as we sat back in our places on the couch, “tell me how in the world my son talked you into marrying him.”
That was a story I was glad to retell.
-x-X-x-
Announcing our engagement had certainly restarted the rumor mill. Carmen knew before my feet ever walked through the door the next morning. I swear to all that is Holy, she has an informant. There was speculation that I was pregnant, of course, since our courtship had been so brief. And I’ll just say it. I wouldn’t have even minded if it were true. It would happen soon enough. Part of the discussion Edward and I had when deciding on the wedding date included more talk of how soon we wanted children and my not taking my next Depo Provera shot that was due the first week of February. My phone had been ringing off the hook with congratulations as soon as the ladies from church found out. It was a really exciting time, but I had two more phone calls that I had to make.
I called my mom the following week to let her know what all was going on in my life. I hadn’t spoken to her in a few months, so this particular phone call was full of ups and downs. I told her about Billy’s death and about selling the house in Forks, which I think surprised her. Little did she know that I was about to shock the hell out of her.
“Why are you selling the house? Do you need the money?”
I was so glad she couldn’t see me roll my eyes. “No mom, I don’t need the money. I’ve managed to save plenty over the last few years. It was just time to sell it. Washington isn’t my home anymore. I have no reason to go back there.”
“I suppose. So where are you going next? I would imagine anything would be a big change from where you’ve been this time.”
I kind of felt a little offended by that remark, but I reigned in my temper. She didn’t realize she was talking about my home, but she was about to.
“Actually that’s the main reason I was calling. I’ve decided to stay in Cotton Creek. I resigned from the travel nurse agency and I’m starting a new job in March.”
“Doing what?” she asked.
“I’ll be working at the new Dialysis Center that has just been built as a nurse three days a week and as sort of a Clinical Coordinator a few more hours a week. As the Clinical Coordinator, I’ll be in charge of overseeing the educational requirements of the nurses and helping out the new patients. I’m still working it out with my boss, but it’s a really great opportunity, plus I’ll be making even more money.”
“Mmmhmm. Well, it sounds nice. Why are you deciding to stay put after all this time?”
I knew this was coming and I was prepared for it. “Well, I’ve never felt as accepted and loved by an entire community as I have since I have been here. They didn’t judge me for who I was or where I had been. They just took me in and treated me like family and I fell in love with everything and everyone here.”
“I see…anyone in particular that you have fallen in love with?”
“Actually, yes.” I couldn’t help the smile that crept across my face as I talked about my man, even if it was to my mom. “His name is Edward Cullen. He’s my age and he’s a music teacher and he comes from a big, crazy family, all of whom I adore completely.”
“Well that’s good to hear, as long as he’s good to you,” she said lightly. “I was starting to worry that you would never settle down.”
“He’s fantastic, Mom. That’s the other thing I was calling about. Edward and I are getting married.”
At first there was silence, and then, “Oh! Well…wow! I’m not even sure what to say. Congratulations!”
“Thank you. We’ve decided to get married the last Saturday in April; the thirtieth. I wanted to let you know so that you and Phil could come. I know that’s only three months from now and Phil’s schedule gets busy then, so…” I trailed off.
“No, that’s great, Bella,” she said sincerely. “Of course we’ll be there. Will this be a big wedding or…?”
“No,” I said, cutting her off. “We are only having you and Phil, my friend Angela and Edward’s family at the ceremony. We just wanted people who were our family because it’s just about us. We’re not even having bridesmaids or groomsmen. It’s just us, giving ourselves to one another. There will be a reception afterwards for all of our friends and people in town, though.”
“It sounds lovely. I’m sure it will be beautiful.”
“It will be. You’ll really like Edward, Mom. Well, all of them really,” I said softly.
“Thank you for inviting me. I know we’re not close, but this is important to me, so thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’ll be able to make it.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Okay, well I’ll let you go. I still need to call my friend Angela. I’ll send an invitation to you in a few weeks. It’ll just be for the reception, but I’ll email you with the time of the ceremony. I’ll talk to you later, Mom.”
“Okay. I’ll see you soon then. Goodbye, Bella.”
“Bye.”
I sighed, glad that the phone call was over. And in perfect timing, because I knew that he had been eavesdropping, Edward knocked on the bedroom door.
“Can I come in?” he asked, peeking his wonderfully messy, bronze-haired head around the door.
“Of course. This is your bedroom too, you know.”
He plopped down on the bed beside me. “I know. I was just tryin’ to give you some privacy.”
“How, exactly, were you doing that by sitting on the stoop in front of the door and listening in?” I asked him, giving him the all-knowing eyebrow.
“Shit. Well, I just wanted to be close in case you needed me,” he said as he started to rub circles on my belly just under my shirt.
I grabbed his wrist and moved it as I rolled over on my side to face him, where he was already pouting. “Now you stop that. I know your distraction tactics very well by now and you aren’t in trouble. I was just saying that you didn’t have to be sneaky. You could have been in here with me. I wouldn’t have minded.”
“Did everything go okay?”
“Just fine, sugar. Better than I thought, even.”
“That’s good to hear and I’m glad for you. I know she’s all you have left.”
“That is the most disgusting lie I have ever heard. She most certainly is NOT all I have left. I have you and every single one of those crazy Cullen’s. You are more my family than she is. She may have given me life, but you gave me a reason to live.”
He looked at me a few minutes before he rolled to his back and began laughing uncontrollably.
“Why are you laughing?” I was a little hurt.
“Oh baby girl, you have been around me way too long. You’re gettin’ all cheesy on me. That was a good’un though. I have to give you that.”
I smacked him on the chest before I tackled him and pinned him to the bed. “You take that back.”
“Never. No take-backs, remember?”
I nodded. He could still out cheese me and Lord have mercy, I loved him all the more for it.
“I remember.”
“How much longer until you call Angela?”
I looked over at the clock and realized that since it was already six here that she would be on her way home soon.
“She’ll be leaving soon, but I thought I’d give her an hour or so after her shift to make it home. She doesn’t live far from the hospital.”
With his mischievous, crooked grin and the sexy glint in his eyes, I automatically knew what was coming next.
“You wanna get a shower with me? I’m feelin’ like an awfully dirty boy.”
“Hmm…is that so? Well, lucky for you I’m a nurse so I give a really good sponge bath.” I rolled off of him and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bathroom behind me.
“That’s good. I’m sure I can be…patient,” he said, wagging his eyebrows.
“Dear Lord…just keep your mouth closed and be pretty.”
“No ma’am. If my mouth is closed, then I can’t do this,” he said as he leaned down and clamped his lips over mine. He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth as he unbuttoned my pants and pushed them down. I wiggled my legs to get them the rest of the way down because it would have been a sin for him to quit kissing me just yet. I twisted my tongue with his as we continued to undress each other. I nipped at his full lips and he traced mine with his tongue.
When breathing became necessary he opened the shower door and stuck his hand in to be sure that the water was warm and when he saw that it was, he wasted no time in pushing me up against the tiled wall and attacking me even more with that not-closed mouth of his. Lord help me, the things he could do with that mouth. Don’t even get me started on his fingers or the Captain.
There were no words; only heated stares, bitten lips and soft moans as he entered me and began to thrust his hips against mine. As the water rained down over us, our bodies slid against each other in every place except for where the friction was needed and oh so good.
I knew we wouldn’t last long because we never did when we were in the shower. Between the touching and the tweaking and the tongues and the thrusting, there was just nothing else to give. It was all him and all me and us together falling over that edge, and eventually falling down onto the seat as legs gave out.
“I won’t be able to walk down the aisle to marry you if you don’t knock that shit off,” I panted.
A corner of his mouth rose into a lazy and satisfied grin. He blinked opened his brilliant green eyes, looking at me and said, “No way. I’ll carry you if I have to, but you have lost your honkin’ mind if you think I’m givin’ up my shower lovin’.” He leaned in and bit my nipple before sucking it into his mouth as I still sat on top of him.
“Oh, fuck…” I whimpered.
It was much, much later before I got to make that phone call to Angela.
EPOV
Bella and I snuggled on the couch while Roscoe and LuLu were snuggled together on the floor in front of us. I have to admit, Bella deciding to name her pup LuLu after Roscoe’s sister was the clincher on the decision to go ahead and propose to her. Okay…well that may not actually be true. The fact that I loved her damn near to death and couldn’t wait to make her legally mine might have had a little something to do with it. But still, knowing that she was actually paying attention when I forced that Dukes of Hazzard marathon on her, did things to me. I mean, I used to be late to church on Wednesday nights because of that show. I never told her, and I don’t know if she ever caught on, but my first love, Daisy Duke, used to call people Sugar. Meant to be I tell ya.
She had her back pressed against my chest and I was tracing words along her left arm, trying to make her guess what I had written. Every once in a while she would stretch her arm out in front of her, spread her fingers wide and stare at her ring for a few minutes until she giggled. It made me smile and feel warm all over every time I watched her do that. I hugged her tighter to me and murmured, “I love you,” into her ear.
“Mmm…I love you, too.”
“No. I mean like Forrest Gump, big ol’ fat love.” She giggled again. It was my favorite sound.
“I don’t even know what you are talking about, sugar.”
I sighed. “If that ring didn’t cost so damn much, I’d push you off this couch for that kind of blasphemy.”
“I know the movie; I just don’t know which part you are talking about.”
“It’s the part when he is talking about all the different kinds of rain while he was in the military. ‘One day it started raining, and it didn't quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin' rain... and big ol' fat rain,” I said in my best Forrest imitation.
I was glad I was holding on to her so tightly. She damn near laughed herself right off of the couch.
“Just what is so funny?”
“You might want to keep your day job.” That earned her a pinch on the behind that made her yelp and the dogs sit up to see what was going on. Both of them loved her more than me and I was a little bitter about it to tell you the truth.
I steam-rolled over her to get off of the couch and then squatted down in front of her so that she’d get on my back.
“What are we doing?” she asked, not needing any explanation of what I wanted her to do as she climbed on.
“We’re goin’ upstairs. We have business to take care of and I didn’t figure on a two-pup audience. It freaks me out.”
She leaned in and sucked on the side of my neck as I began to haul her up the stairs. She didn’t realize that was making things extremely hard…and difficult because my knees were getting so weak from that sinful little mouth of hers and how she abused me with it.
“And what business do I have with you?” she asked in a sultry voice. Hell yes! Jezebel is in the house!
“Umm, if memory serves correctly, somebody owes me a proper thank you. Surely after being around here for five months you’ve learned a thing or two about thankin’ someone after they have given you somethin’,” I said as I plopped her down in the middle of the bed and then crawled over her.
Her hands were immediately under my shirt, pushing it up. “Did you have a specific thank you in mind?” she asked and then leaned up to lick my nipple.
Yes ma’am!
-x-X-x-
Bella decided that she wanted to tell my family about our engagement before she made phone calls to Renee and Angela. We were going to make the announcement at my parent’s house during Sunday lunch. That, however, meant that there was one phone call that needed to be made that trumped them all.
“Yeah-llo?”
“Hey, Pops!”
“Torch! How are ya son?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
“Can’t complain. Better question is how is my Sunflower? You bein’ good to her?”
“Well, I try, but you’d have to ask her. That’s kind of why I’m callin’.”
“I’m listenin’.” He sounded amused.
“I asked Bella to marry me and we want to announce our engagement at lunch tomorrow after church at Mama’s. She and I would really like for you to be there.”
“You mean she actually said yes?
I somehow knew he was gonna be just a little bit of a smart ass.
“What do you mean? Of course she said yes you old coot!”
“Well I was just askin’. You know you ain’t the only Cullen man she finds attractive.”
I could play this game too. I did learn from the best.
“Yes, I am aware of that, but she knows that Dad is a happily married man. Besides, he’s her boss. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Hateful. I don’t know who you got that mouth from,” he quipped. “I can’t believe you use it to kiss my beautiful Sunflower with.”
“Believe it old man. So are you gonna come over for lunch tomorrow or not?”
“I reckon. Tell her I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Evil.”
“Satan’s spawn.”
“Outsmarted again,” I chuckled.
“See y’all tomorrow bub. Love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
-x-X-x-
Bella sat up front with me during church, whereas she usually still sat with my family. She said it was because her place from now on was beside me. As sweet as that was, I personally thought she was just trying to hide her ring from Sassy and Rose…and probably Mama. Bella thought I was nuts when I put two foamy ear plugs in my jacket pocket before church. I told her that she had yet to hear the Cullen women squeal like pigs in surround sound.
She managed to keep her little hand safely ensconced in mine during the service and afterwards until we pulled into my parent’s driveway.
Drawing her hand to my lips, “Are you still sure about this?”
She grinned brightly. “No take-backs, remember?” I nodded and brushed my lips back and forth against her knuckles.
“I seriously doubt we’ll be making an announcement. I’m guessin’ we have less than five minutes before we are outted by Sas.”
She giggled. “I’m sure you’re right. But I’m fine with that. I can’t wait to see their reaction!”
“Well let’s go then,” I said, getting out of the truck to open her door while steadily shoving the ear plugs into my ears.
“I think you’ll be called out on those ear plugs first.”
“Are we bettin’?” I challenged her.
She shrugged her shoulder. “Why bother? I’m a sure thing,” she said, and winked at me.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure fornication is a sin on Sundays.
We walked in the front door and were greeted by both Alice and Rosalie. And by greeted, I mean nearly knocked the hell over in the foyer by the two squawking turkeys.
“So help me God we better be the first ones to know or you are a dead woman!” Rosalie said while pulling Bella into a fierce hug. “And Edward, pull those stupid plugs out ya ears. You look special.”
I learned a long time ago to do what I was told where Rose was concerned. It’s why none of us really cussed anymore. When Riley came along, she made all of us clean up our language…even Pops.
“How do you two know already?” I asked as Alice wrapped her little arms around my waist. She was so cute. Her lower belly was just starting to round a little bit and I found my thoughts drifting to what Bella would look like when she carried our child.
She pulled away from me so that she and Rose could ogle Bella’s ring together. Bella hadn’t actually said a word. She was content to giggle and smile and blush the entire time.
“Oh please! We saw this bad boy the second y’all walked into church. Nice haul, by the way,” Rose said, holding Bella’s hand up and twisting it in the light.
I studied Alice’s face for a few minutes and then decided that she had been very quiet. Mmmhmm…something smells. “Bullsnort!”
“What?” she asked a little too innocently. There ain’t no such thing as innocence in this family.
“Sas, I know you’re lying. You may as well fess up because I know when the three of you get together it’s like a damn hen party.”
She huffed. “Fine…Pops told me. Really, Edward…you should have known better than to call him yesterday if you weren’t telling us until today. He’s the biggest gossip out of all of us. But Rose really did think she noticed a glint of somethin’ earlier. We’re just so excited for y’all! You’re not mad, are you?”
“No, it’s fine. We’re gonna announce it in a minute anyway. Come on. You can act all surprised for us little mama.”
“Lord, not again.”
“It could be worse. Last time you were pregnant I called you big mama. It’s what you get for me havin’ to hear the news from my girlfriend and not from you or my so-called best friend.”
“You’re still goin’ on about that?”
“Indefinitely.”
“Ass.”
I pretended to be offended and mock-gasped. “Such a dirty mouth…and on the Lord’s day. Shame Mary Alice. Maybe I should tell your mama.”
She smiled sweetly at me and then turned to Bella, grabbed her by the waist and started walking towards the kitchen with her. “It’s not too late to change your mind ya know,” she said to Bella, and then cackled.
Heifer.
Rosalie smirked at me. “Look, you know she’s always had the attitude. Now she just has even more hormones to drive it.”
Lord have mercy…six more months.
As everyone began to gather around the table, I pulled Bella’s chair out for her before she sat down. She leaned towards me when I sat down and whispered into my ear, “You just called me your girlfriend. Did I get demoted?”
She was playing with me. No time like the present to get this on out in the open.
“No way, baby girl,” I said and then kissed her behind her ear, making her shiver. I loved that.
I stood up and cleared my throat and said, “Before we get to the blessin’ I have something I’d like to say.”
Pops, who was conveniently sitting on the other side of Bella, and Alice and Rosalie were all beaming at us, already knowing what I was about to say.
“Well, speak up son. The food’s gettin’ cold,” Emmett piped up. I cut my eyes at him.
“Right. Anyway, I just wanted to let y’all know that...,” I pulled Bella up to stand beside me. We were wearing matching face splitting grins and couldn’t keep our eyes off of each other. “I asked Bella to marry me and in a moment of what must have been sheer insanity, she said yes. We’re getting married!”
Emmett whooped, Jasper said, “’Bout damn time”, Mama squealed like I knew she would and Alice was still so happy that she had to excuse herself to the bathroom, citing ‘damn pregnancy hormones’.
We were congratulated by everyone in typical Cullen fashion with hugs and kisses for us both and then they took turns looking at Bella’s ring.
“It’s gorgeous, Sweets! I could not be happier! But Edward…where on earth did you find this ring? I have never seen anything like it! It’s beautiful and just perfect for our girl,” she said, hugging Bella more tightly to her.
Bella hadn’t even asked me this question yet, which kind of surprised me. I ran my fingers through my hair before telling them, “Uh, actually I got it when I went to Orlando.”
Bella whipped her head around and her beautiful brown eyes were full of surprise.
“What?”
“Last month…when I was in Orlando on the band trip. I just missed you so much I was about to lose my honkin’ mind. I mean, I already knew that I wanted to marry you, but I didn’t exactly have a timeline in mind until then.” Her look of surprise turned into a look of confusion with the furrowing of her brow. I sighed and took both of her hands in mine and said, “Look…what I’m tryin’ to say is that I already knew how much I wanted to be with you, but it wasn’t until I was on that trip, away from you, that I realized just how much I couldn’t live without you; not even for one day. So I decided right then that I couldn’t wait any longer to make you mine.”
Well hell…now the confused, furrowed brow has turned into bright, watery eyes. And hers weren’t the only ones that looked like that. Lord, I’ve thrown the females into an outright cryin’ jag.
She threw her arms around my neck with a force that matched my mama’s…and that was saying something. I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed her until her feet left the floor.
“I love you so much. I’m sure I should ask for forgiveness for being so selfish, but you’re mine and no one else can ever have you,” she whispered into my ear. I chuckled and kissed her cheek as I put her down.
My dad was the last to congratulate us, shaking my hand with one hand and pulling me in for a hug with the other. “I believe I owe you one, son, but I doubt you had to go through all this trouble just to get your girl to stay.”
“What can I say? I did it all for you,” I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes.
He hugged Bella and kissed her on the cheek before asking, “I guess this means you and I are due for a certain conversation a little later?”
She blushed. “Yes, sir.” He grinned so damn big I thought his face was going to crack. “Good. We can chat up in my office after lunch. Is that okay with you?” She nodded.
Everyone was back in their seats and Pops asked the blessing for our food, as well as a special blessing on all of our family; the members who were present and the ones that were soon to join us.
-x-X-x-
BPOV
I followed Doc up to his study after lunch while Edward stayed downstairs to take the ribbing that was certain to come from the other guys. I think Pops was actually giving him the hardest time, teasing him about me and how I was settling for the next best thing. He was a cute old man that was for sure. I knew that I’d never be bored a day in my life because Edward was just like him.
“Come on in and let’s take a seat. I can’t tell you how excited I am that you’re not only staying, but that you’ll be a member of our family, Bella.”
Carlisle and I sat turned towards each other on the couch that faced his desk.
“Not more than I am,” I agreed.
He squeezed my hands that were folded on my lap. “Okay, let’s get down to the business part and get this out of the way. I assume you have thought about the offer I made you a few weeks ago?”
“Yes I have, and I sort of have a proposal of my own, if that’s ok?”
“Sure! I’m all ears. Tell me what you had in mind.”
“Well, I called the agency on Friday and officially resigned from my contract with them.” A brilliant smile began to stretch across Carlisle’s face. “However, I don’t think I want the exact job that you wanted me to take.”
“Go on,” he urged.
I took a deep breath and blew it out. If he agreed to this, he would basically be letting me create my own position and that possibility held so much potential I could hardly stand it.
“Um…I don’t want to be in charge of one of the shifts just yet. What I would like to do is, in addition to my regular shifts, which I hope to change to three twelve-hour shifts per week, is to spend some time focusing on the education of the staff and the patients. I know we will be getting some new staff members and I’d love to be in charge of their orientation at first. Then any courses that are required of the nurses to keep their certifications up to date, as well as helping any of the new patients and their families to adjust to their new lifestyle and nutritional requirements that come with being on dialysis.”
“Well that’s a lot of being in charge for someone who doesn’t want to be in charge,” he chuckled and I blushed.
“I know. I just don’t want to get too ingrained into the administration part of it. I’ve always wanted to be a nurse, first and foremost, for the one-on-one patient care. I still want that to be my focus. But I feel like I’d be doing the patients a service by making sure that the nurses are the very best that they can be. You have already put so much trust and faith in me that I’d really like to give this a shot.”
He looked like he was thinking it over. “Tell me, Bella…what are your future aspirations as far as nursing goes?”
I used to think that I knew, but so much was changing. “Up until I moved here, I wanted to go back to school and become a Family Nurse Practitioner. But now I’m not so sure.”
“Can I ask why the change of heart?”
“Well, before I moved here…before Edward…I was just running; chasing something, and that was the next thing on my list of things to chase. But I have found everything that I didn’t know I was looking for in this town, in this family, in Edward, and even in myself. For the first time in my life I am completely happy and content with where and with who I am, so it’s not really a surprise to me that my previous ‘plans’ have changed. Edward and I have talked a lot about this in the last month or so and he has always just wanted me to be happy, stay or go. I’d never be happy if I went, but we have also made other decisions that I hadn’t factored in until I met him; a family. We don’t want to wait to start a family and starting a family changes things for me. My mom wasn’t there for me and I’d really like to try being a stay-at-home mom when we have kids, for the most part anyway.”
“What does that mean as far as the job you just requested?” he asked.
“What I would like at that point is to drop the shift rotation and keep the education part, working maybe ten to fifteen hours a week?”
“And what would you do with the baby?” he grinned.
“Mama Bear’s, of course. I’m sure Grandme would help out sometimes, too.”
“It sounds like you have given this a lot of thought.”
“I have been thinking about it in some way since October, but more specifically in the last month,” I admitted. I wanted him to know that my decision was mine alone and that it wasn’t something I had decided just because Edward had asked me to marry him. When I told Edward my plan yesterday, he was extremely supportive and thought his dad would be really pleased.
“You know I’d love to have you in any capacity, but this sounds amazing, Bella. I hadn’t thought about a position like that, but I can definitely see the need.” He stretched his hand out towards me. “You have yourself a deal, little lady!” I brushed his hand out of the way, lunged forward and hugged his neck tightly.
“Oh my gosh! Thank you so much, Doc! I promise you won’t be sorry; I won’t let you down.”
He laughed lightly and returned my hug. “I know, Sweets. Now,” he said as we sat back in our places on the couch, “tell me how in the world my son talked you into marrying him.”
That was a story I was glad to retell.
-x-X-x-
Announcing our engagement had certainly restarted the rumor mill. Carmen knew before my feet ever walked through the door the next morning. I swear to all that is Holy, she has an informant. There was speculation that I was pregnant, of course, since our courtship had been so brief. And I’ll just say it. I wouldn’t have even minded if it were true. It would happen soon enough. Part of the discussion Edward and I had when deciding on the wedding date included more talk of how soon we wanted children and my not taking my next Depo Provera shot that was due the first week of February. My phone had been ringing off the hook with congratulations as soon as the ladies from church found out. It was a really exciting time, but I had two more phone calls that I had to make.
I called my mom the following week to let her know what all was going on in my life. I hadn’t spoken to her in a few months, so this particular phone call was full of ups and downs. I told her about Billy’s death and about selling the house in Forks, which I think surprised her. Little did she know that I was about to shock the hell out of her.
“Why are you selling the house? Do you need the money?”
I was so glad she couldn’t see me roll my eyes. “No mom, I don’t need the money. I’ve managed to save plenty over the last few years. It was just time to sell it. Washington isn’t my home anymore. I have no reason to go back there.”
“I suppose. So where are you going next? I would imagine anything would be a big change from where you’ve been this time.”
I kind of felt a little offended by that remark, but I reigned in my temper. She didn’t realize she was talking about my home, but she was about to.
“Actually that’s the main reason I was calling. I’ve decided to stay in Cotton Creek. I resigned from the travel nurse agency and I’m starting a new job in March.”
“Doing what?” she asked.
“I’ll be working at the new Dialysis Center that has just been built as a nurse three days a week and as sort of a Clinical Coordinator a few more hours a week. As the Clinical Coordinator, I’ll be in charge of overseeing the educational requirements of the nurses and helping out the new patients. I’m still working it out with my boss, but it’s a really great opportunity, plus I’ll be making even more money.”
“Mmmhmm. Well, it sounds nice. Why are you deciding to stay put after all this time?”
I knew this was coming and I was prepared for it. “Well, I’ve never felt as accepted and loved by an entire community as I have since I have been here. They didn’t judge me for who I was or where I had been. They just took me in and treated me like family and I fell in love with everything and everyone here.”
“I see…anyone in particular that you have fallen in love with?”
“Actually, yes.” I couldn’t help the smile that crept across my face as I talked about my man, even if it was to my mom. “His name is Edward Cullen. He’s my age and he’s a music teacher and he comes from a big, crazy family, all of whom I adore completely.”
“Well that’s good to hear, as long as he’s good to you,” she said lightly. “I was starting to worry that you would never settle down.”
“He’s fantastic, Mom. That’s the other thing I was calling about. Edward and I are getting married.”
At first there was silence, and then, “Oh! Well…wow! I’m not even sure what to say. Congratulations!”
“Thank you. We’ve decided to get married the last Saturday in April; the thirtieth. I wanted to let you know so that you and Phil could come. I know that’s only three months from now and Phil’s schedule gets busy then, so…” I trailed off.
“No, that’s great, Bella,” she said sincerely. “Of course we’ll be there. Will this be a big wedding or…?”
“No,” I said, cutting her off. “We are only having you and Phil, my friend Angela and Edward’s family at the ceremony. We just wanted people who were our family because it’s just about us. We’re not even having bridesmaids or groomsmen. It’s just us, giving ourselves to one another. There will be a reception afterwards for all of our friends and people in town, though.”
“It sounds lovely. I’m sure it will be beautiful.”
“It will be. You’ll really like Edward, Mom. Well, all of them really,” I said softly.
“Thank you for inviting me. I know we’re not close, but this is important to me, so thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’ll be able to make it.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Okay, well I’ll let you go. I still need to call my friend Angela. I’ll send an invitation to you in a few weeks. It’ll just be for the reception, but I’ll email you with the time of the ceremony. I’ll talk to you later, Mom.”
“Okay. I’ll see you soon then. Goodbye, Bella.”
“Bye.”
I sighed, glad that the phone call was over. And in perfect timing, because I knew that he had been eavesdropping, Edward knocked on the bedroom door.
“Can I come in?” he asked, peeking his wonderfully messy, bronze-haired head around the door.
“Of course. This is your bedroom too, you know.”
He plopped down on the bed beside me. “I know. I was just tryin’ to give you some privacy.”
“How, exactly, were you doing that by sitting on the stoop in front of the door and listening in?” I asked him, giving him the all-knowing eyebrow.
“Shit. Well, I just wanted to be close in case you needed me,” he said as he started to rub circles on my belly just under my shirt.
I grabbed his wrist and moved it as I rolled over on my side to face him, where he was already pouting. “Now you stop that. I know your distraction tactics very well by now and you aren’t in trouble. I was just saying that you didn’t have to be sneaky. You could have been in here with me. I wouldn’t have minded.”
“Did everything go okay?”
“Just fine, sugar. Better than I thought, even.”
“That’s good to hear and I’m glad for you. I know she’s all you have left.”
“That is the most disgusting lie I have ever heard. She most certainly is NOT all I have left. I have you and every single one of those crazy Cullen’s. You are more my family than she is. She may have given me life, but you gave me a reason to live.”
He looked at me a few minutes before he rolled to his back and began laughing uncontrollably.
“Why are you laughing?” I was a little hurt.
“Oh baby girl, you have been around me way too long. You’re gettin’ all cheesy on me. That was a good’un though. I have to give you that.”
I smacked him on the chest before I tackled him and pinned him to the bed. “You take that back.”
“Never. No take-backs, remember?”
I nodded. He could still out cheese me and Lord have mercy, I loved him all the more for it.
“I remember.”
“How much longer until you call Angela?”
I looked over at the clock and realized that since it was already six here that she would be on her way home soon.
“She’ll be leaving soon, but I thought I’d give her an hour or so after her shift to make it home. She doesn’t live far from the hospital.”
With his mischievous, crooked grin and the sexy glint in his eyes, I automatically knew what was coming next.
“You wanna get a shower with me? I’m feelin’ like an awfully dirty boy.”
“Hmm…is that so? Well, lucky for you I’m a nurse so I give a really good sponge bath.” I rolled off of him and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bathroom behind me.
“That’s good. I’m sure I can be…patient,” he said, wagging his eyebrows.
“Dear Lord…just keep your mouth closed and be pretty.”
“No ma’am. If my mouth is closed, then I can’t do this,” he said as he leaned down and clamped his lips over mine. He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth as he unbuttoned my pants and pushed them down. I wiggled my legs to get them the rest of the way down because it would have been a sin for him to quit kissing me just yet. I twisted my tongue with his as we continued to undress each other. I nipped at his full lips and he traced mine with his tongue.
When breathing became necessary he opened the shower door and stuck his hand in to be sure that the water was warm and when he saw that it was, he wasted no time in pushing me up against the tiled wall and attacking me even more with that not-closed mouth of his. Lord help me, the things he could do with that mouth. Don’t even get me started on his fingers or the Captain.
There were no words; only heated stares, bitten lips and soft moans as he entered me and began to thrust his hips against mine. As the water rained down over us, our bodies slid against each other in every place except for where the friction was needed and oh so good.
I knew we wouldn’t last long because we never did when we were in the shower. Between the touching and the tweaking and the tongues and the thrusting, there was just nothing else to give. It was all him and all me and us together falling over that edge, and eventually falling down onto the seat as legs gave out.
“I won’t be able to walk down the aisle to marry you if you don’t knock that shit off,” I panted.
A corner of his mouth rose into a lazy and satisfied grin. He blinked opened his brilliant green eyes, looking at me and said, “No way. I’ll carry you if I have to, but you have lost your honkin’ mind if you think I’m givin’ up my shower lovin’.” He leaned in and bit my nipple before sucking it into his mouth as I still sat on top of him.
“Oh, fuck…” I whimpered.
It was much, much later before I got to make that phone call to Angela.
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