Chapter 17 (She Went Home)

Chapter 17~(She Went Home)




EPOV

While it was my last week of Christmas vacation, Bella had been working time and a half. The schedule at the Dialysis Center was crazy because of the holidays and in her typical big hearted style, Bella signed up to work extra hours. Instead of working forty hours over five days, she worked forty eight hours in four days. Needless to say, my baby girl was beat when she walked in the door at seven-thirty on Thursday night and I was prepared for her.

It was already plenty cold here this time of year and the news was predicting one to two inches of snow. It was so rare that we ever actually got any snow that the people around town were going nuts. There was not a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk to be found at Publix and I wasn’t stupid enough to try to brave the crazies at Target. Fortunately I had everything I needed to make Mama’s cheesy potato soup.

My woman deserved to be pampered after such a long hard week and I had every intention of doing just that. I had been in the kitchen pulling the bread out of the oven when I heard her groan after shutting the door behind her.

“Edward?” Music to my ears.

“In the kitchen!”

“I think I may be dying,” she moaned as she walked in to meet me.

“Aww…I’m sorry baby girl. You want the good news or the even better news?”

“The good news.”

“Your work week is over and you have a three day weekend to spend with me,” I said, wrapping my arms around her and nuzzling her neck.

“Mmm, that’s just the good news? I can’t imagine what could be better than that,” she giggled. I was sucking on the skin behind her ear and I knew what that did to her…which was all part of my evil plan.

“Well dare to imagine lovin’ because tonight after I feed you a very comforting supper, that I cooked all by myself thank you very much, I am going to massage every inch of your body, starting at your very weary feet and ending with your gorgeous head,” I told her as I ran my fingers through her hair.

She slumped in my arms so that I was supporting most of her weight as I held her against me. “Holy cow, that sounds like the most amazing thing I have ever heard after the week I’ve had, but,” she said as she stood up taller and began to press kisses up my neck and along my jaw, “I’m not sure that’s better than just getting to spend the weekend with you. You are too good for me. I’m sure I don’t deserve you, but I’m way too selfish to care or to let anyone else have you.” Then the little Jezebel slid her hands down my back and pinched my ass!

I chuckled at her silliness. “You didn’t let me finish,” I said softly while tracing the curves of her face. “There is plenty more than that, but now you’ll just have to wait and see. So…while all of these little kisses are definitely doin’ their job in turnin’ me on, how ‘bout you let me welcome you home properly?”

Her bright smile was all the permission I needed. I pulled her hands away from my ass, sadly, and placed them around my neck. She immediately slid her fingers into my hair at the base of my neck and started scratching. I damn near started to purr it felt so good. I glided my hands slowly down her sides and past her hips until I reached the backs of her thighs. I pulled on them slightly, letting her know what I wanted. I lifted her up onto the same counter where we shared our first kiss and moved to stand between her legs. I loved the fact that she immediately wrapped them around me to pull me closer to her.

I took my time tracing the backs of my fingers up her thighs and to her hips, never breaking my stare into her beautiful brown eyes. My hands curled around her hips and I jerked her towards the edge of the bar, making her giggle. That was completely one of my favorite sounds and I loved that we could just be playful with each other.

“I didn’t realize you were so turned on my scrubs,” she whispered into my ear before biting the lobe.

“While you do make scrubs look insanely sexy,” I said, peppering kisses down her neck, “it’s what’s under them and the fact that I have tasted all of it that turns me on,” I growled. She squeezed her locked ankles together behind me, bringing her heated core in direct contact with my erection. I was beyond ready for her. I had planned on making slow, passionate love to her after giving her a massage and relaxing in the tub afterwards but I knew we’d never make it that far. The week had been long and she had been so exhausted by the end of the day that there was little time for anything else other than some kisses and cuddles before she passed out at night. We needed to make up for lost time.

I finally crushed my lips to hers, not able to stand the teasing any longer. We were both eagerly opening our mouths in search of each other’s tongues. For us, touching was great, but tasting was infinitely better. I explored her mouth with need and desire and she wasn’t shy about the hunger she obviously had for me. I felt my shirt begin to ride up as she ghosted her tiny hands over the muscles of my back. I reached behind my neck and grabbed my shirt, pulling it over my head and throwing it on the floor. She leaned back on her elbows on top of the counter, not being shy at all in her appreciation of me. She was biting her lip and it was drawing me to her like a moth to a flame. It worked every time.

I placed both hands on the bar on either side of her and cocked my eyebrow at her, challenging her to make the next move. Because she already knew all of my games, she rolled her eyes at me, but then took off her scrub top. It was my turn to stare at her. She had worn my favorite purple bra today. Maybe she’d had plans of her own for later?

I trailed the pad of my index finger from her collarbone down between her breasts and with one flick opened the clasp that was settled between them. She gasped at the coolness of the air as it crossed her chest and I groaned at the sight before me. So beautiful.

“That’s very kind of you to offer appetizers before supper,” I smirked and then leaned down to take in one nipple. She whimpered as she gripped my hair, pulling me closer to her. I lavished one side and then the other as I began to pull on the tie at the waist of her scrubs. When she realized what I was doing she leaned back again so that she could raise her hips while I slowly pulled her bottoms off along with her panties. She had goose bumps all over her body, from head to toe and I didn’t know if it was from the chill of the granite countertop or from the fire that was burning between us. She was a naked Bella buffet laid out before me and I had every intention of going through that line…twice and to be honest, I was starting with dessert.

I pulled her hips as close to the edge of the counter as I could.

“Shit, Edward!” I loved to hear her cuss because it was so rare, but she could do better than that. I dipped my head, knowing what it did to her when my hair tickled her thighs and gave her a long, languid lick, ending with a swirl around her nub. So wet.

“Fuck, sugar,” she panted. We weren’t screamers, but I was seriously thinking about making her reconsider that tonight. I kissed and licked and touched her until I thought she was going to rip my hair out by the roots when she came.

“Dear Lord, who needs star gazing when you can see them like that?” she giggled.

I quickly unbuttoned and pushed down my jeans, surprising her by being commando. I said I had a plan. “You better find somethin’ to hold on to baby girl because if you think you just saw stars, then you need to prepare to meet your Maker.” And I DO like to keep my promises.

I anchored her to me by resting her legs on my shoulders and curling my arms around her thighs. The time for teasing was over and I plunged into her.

“Oh, fuck!” I hissed as she gasped. I had never been this deep before. I had to be still for a few seconds so that I would last longer than a sixteen year old virgin, it felt so damn good. I could already feel some of her muscles begin to clench because she was still so sensitive from her first orgasm.

I began to move in her, every thrust taking me deeper than the last. I was lost in her; in her body, in her moans and pleas…everything.

“God, I love you so much,” I moaned as she began squeezing me from the inside. “I’m close baby.”

“Mmm, me too. Please, Sugar…I can’t…”

Thank the Lord I wasn’t the only one who was incoherent. I was on sensory overload; the sight of her perfectly rounded, rosy tipped breasts bouncing with each thrust, the scent of our sweat and sex between us, the sounds from her mouth and of our bodies as they thrashed against each other, the taste of her salt still lingering on my tongue and the feel of her orgasm as it crashed through her. It was too much to hold in so I let it all out in a mind blowing release.

“That was…oh my God!” she said, still trying to catch her breath.

I chuckled and nipped the inside of her knee that was still beside my face. “See, I told ya you’d meet your Maker,” I said and gave her my best smirk. To tell you the truth, I was surprised I could make my lips do anything. I think my body was completely numb. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m pretty sure I saw those stars you were talkin’ about.”

“You should know that I’ve wanted you to do that since the moment you licked icing off of my finger,” she said as she sat up and pulled me closer to her by my dog tag. She has been doing that a lot lately. I think she kinda likes it.

“You should know that it wasn’t your finger that I wanted to be lickin’ that icing off of.” She brushed her lips against mine and then sucked on my bottom lip before biting it.

“Ow-wa…rough,” I pouted.

“Didn’t you already know that about me?” she smiled not so innocently.

“Hell yes,” I growled.

She hopped her little naked self down off of the counter and reached down and cupped my boys before giving them a gentle tug. “Race ya!”

I was so stunned that all I saw was her shaking her ass at me while she ran through the house up the stairs.

Supper and pampering were apparently going to have to wait.

-x-X-x-

When I woke up the next morning it was New Year’s Eve and I was surrounded by the scent of warm vanilla and sex and that could only mean one thing; I was wrapped up in a Bella cocoon. My eyelids slowly opened and I realized that I couldn’t see anything but creamy pale skin and silky brown hair. I had apparently been trying to smother myself in Bella’s neck while we slept. As I filled my lungs with her scent and snuggled further down towards her chest, the events of the previous night slowly began to flood my mind.

We must have needed to make up for lost time desperately. I had a feeling that we might both be a little sore today. At least she got a massage to go along with her bath, not that either thing wound up doing her any good. We would get too worked up and one of us would basically attack the other. It was seriously one of the very best nights of my entire life.

I felt her shift below me and I just held on to her tighter, not willing to let her go just yet. She began to rub circles in my hair. Shit…she’s awake and on to me. She’ll call me out on it in three…two…

“I know you’re awake,” she giggled.

I looked up at her, perching my chin on the top swell of her breast. “And just how did you know that?”

“Because while you were lost somewhere in that big head of yours, you were occasionally kissing my nipple.”

“Oh, sorry,” I said, even though I wasn’t sorry at all.

She traced my face with her finger and the look on her face took my breath away. She was happiness and peace personified and it made me want to bow out my chest like a proud gorilla that I helped put that look there; that I made her feel that way.

“Whatcha thinkin’?”

“About us.”

“Could you be more specific? Good things, right?”

She rolled her eyes at me before laughing. “Yes, worry wart. Good things. But you know we’re supposed to have our little talk later, right?”

“I remember.”

“Good. I’m going to get cleaned up while you cook my breakfast. Your caveman tendencies reared their ugly head last night and ruined my supper, so you owe me one,” she said, rolling to sit on top of me.

Lord have mercy, she was gorgeous and I loved her most first thing in the morning.

“I don’t recall you having any problems with my head last night,” I said as I rubbed my morning wood against her backside.

She leaned down to kiss me and her hair fell all around us in a chocolate curtain. “You are a very dirty boy.”

“Does that mean I get to shower with you, since I’m so dirty and all?”

“Nice try, but no.” She bit my nipple and then jumped off of the bed and walked into the bathroom, naked little ass and all.

“Jezebel!” I hollered.

“Go clean the kitchen AND make my breakfast, devil!” is what I heard her yell over the running water of the shower. It was a good thing I loved her damn near to pieces.

-x-X-x-

Rose and Emmett had invited the whole family over to their house for food and fireworks to celebrate the New Year. It was always nice to get together, even though we had spent plenty of family time together over the last two weeks, but that’s how we did things. Being family and being best friends were synonymous. Yes, we got on each other’s nerves and needed some serious time outs from each other, but it was nothing a good twenty four hours apart couldn’t cure.

My Ally girl loved her sparklers and her “Aunt Lella”. I had a feeling that Bella became “Aunt Lella” because she was the one who did in fact buy her some pink, glittery Hello Kitty make up for Christmas. I still owed her for that.

The kids were all tucked away for the night by nine o’clock, leaving only the adults around the kitchen table playing cards. I learned my lesson the last time I played games with Bella and made sure she was on my team when it was called for, the little cheat. We were on our third phase of Phase Ten when she felt her cell phone buzz in her pocket. I assumed it was Angela since it was so late and I knew that she wasn’t on call.

She looked down at the number in confusion before excusing herself from the table. Sassy raised her eyebrows at me in an unasked question and I answered with a shoulder shrug. When Bella wasn’t back a few minutes later, I excused myself and found her in the foyer putting on her coat and looking for her purse.

“Hey…what’s goin’ on? Who was that?” She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

“I need to go home.”

“Ok, let me tell everyone bye and we’ll go.”

“No…I mean, yeah, that’s fine, but I need to go home…to Washington.”

Those words hit me a lot harder than I expected them to. Home…to Washington. I pulled her into my arms and pressed my lips against her temple. “Please tell me what’s goin’ on. You’re scarin’ me a little bit,” I whispered into her ear. She began to sob and I’d be a damn liar if I said that didn’t kill me. I was absorbing every one of her sobs into my own chest so much so that I couldn’t exactly tell that it was her making those sounds and not me.

“Will you just tell them that I don’t feel well and I’ll meet you in the truck?”

I pulled back a little and looked at her tear stained face and pink nose. My heart was breaking seeing her this way. “Sure. Give me just a second, ‘kay?” She nodded and left through the front door.

I took a deep breath before re-entering the kitchen to speak to my family.

“Edward? Where’s Bella?” Mama asked.

“Um,” I cleared my throat, “we’re gonna head out. She’s not feeling so well after her long week and all.”

“Is everything okay?” my Dad asked, getting up and walking over to me. He placed his arm around my shoulder. “Do I need to take a look at her?”

“No, sir. I’ll call y’all later.” I gave him and Mama a hug and wished everyone else a Happy New Year and went to meet Bella in the truck.

She was staring blankly out the side window and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what could have happened. I didn’t want to push because I knew that she’d tell me. She just needed a little time to gather her thoughts like she always did.

Our short ride home was quiet, but she allowed me to hold her hand and place kisses on her knuckles which even if it did nothing for her, it calmed me. We discarded our coats and shoes at the door and she led me over to the couch. Just like when I told her about my time in Nashville and just like so many other heart to heart talks, she pushed me down onto the cushions and straddled my lap. She didn’t like to sit across my lap like a baby to be coddled; she wanted to be held closely as only a soul mate or lover would be. Or at least that’s what she told me.

She swallowed hard before she looked up at me and began talking quietly.

“Jake called.”

Who the hell is Jake? I’m sure my expression was written clearly on my face because she smiled slightly while she shook her head.

“Jake is the son of my dad’s best friend, Billy. We grew up together. He was one of my only friends during the summers that I spent with Charlie.” She took a deep breath. “Anyway, I haven’t heard from him in years and it’s why I didn’t recognize his number. I think he said he tracked me down through the nursing agency. Um…he called…,” her tears began to fall again and I wrapped my arms around her and held her against me as tightly as I could. “He called to tell me that Billy died this morning. He thought I’d want to know. Billy was kind of like an uncle to me. He’s the one who helped me so much after Dad died.”

Now I understood. “Oh, baby girl…I’m so sorry. What do you need me to do? You know I’ll do anything.”

She sat back on my lap and looked at me with such sadness it ripped my heart out. “I just need to go. I need to be there. It would mean a lot to Jake and especially to my dad. I need to go to show my respect for him and what a good man he was.”

“Ok. When do we need to leave?”

She blinked a few times like she wasn’t sure what I was asking. “What…what do you mean?”

“I mean, you need to go to Washington to be there for your friend. I need to go and be with you. When do we need to leave? I’ll get the plane tickets.”

“You’re going with me?”

“Of course…unless you don’t want me to and if you don’t, I’ll understand.” Even though it might kill me.

She gave me the first real smile that I had seen since we left the card table at Em’s house. “Yes. I’d like that. Please come with me. It would mean the world to me for you to be there! And I can show you where I’m from. It won’t be as fun without a four-wheeler, but you’ll still be able to get the gist of it.”

“I’ll manage,” I chuckled. I wiped away the last of her tears and she leaned her cheek into the palm of my hand after kissing it. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“Of course. You’ll be with me.”

-x-X-x-

I called Mama and Dad later to let them know what was going on. Dad took care of getting Bella’s schedule covered at work and Mama was going to take care of the pups for us. Our flight to Seattle was long, but at least uneventful. We only had to make one stop in Dallas, but that allowed us to stretch our legs and grab a quick bite to eat before making the last leg of the trip. We decided that since it was already so late, we would get a hotel room for the night because it was still another three hours to Forks from Seattle.

Bella was exhausted both physically and emotionally so I drug her into a hot shower so that I could take care of her. I washed her hair and bathed her tenderly while allowing her tears to fall. For her, this felt more like a family member who had died than a family friend and I understood how she needed to grieve. I wrapped her in a towel and helped dry her hair before we got into bed for the night. She laid her head on my chest while I twirled her hair and it wasn’t long before we both succumbed to the heavy sleep that we both so desperately needed.

We got up early to make the drive over to Forks. The funeral was scheduled for mid-afternoon, so that would give us time to check into the Miller Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast and plunder around town a bit before going over to the Reservation for the service. I was very interested in seeing the only place Bella had ever called home, and to meet her friends from her younger years.

We got our things settled and left to have an early lunch at the diner. We weren’t there long before a woman with dark skin and hair who looked to be about my mom’s age walked over to our booth.

“Bella? Is that you, sweetie?” the woman asked. Bella’s eyes softened with a smile when she looked up at the woman standing next to us.

“Sue! How wonderful to see you!” She stood and gave the woman a hug before turning back to me. “Sue this is Edward, my boyfriend. Edward, this is Sue Clearwater. I was friends with her kids.” I wiped my hands and stood to greet her.

“Hey. It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” I said, taking her hand and giving her my kindest smile. She looked at me a little funny for a second before she giggled. That’s when it hit me…the accent. “Sorry…I’m not exactly from around here.”

“I can tell. Where are you from, Edward?”

“Cotton Creek, Alabama, ma’am. It’s about two and a half hours south of Nashville. Most people know where that is at least.”

“Well it’s nice to meet you. I hope you are taking care of our Bella.”

“I’m tryin’ my best.”

“I bet. She’s a little bit independent like her mom and a lot stubborn like her dad.” Bella bit her lip at the mention of her dad. Ms. Clearwater turned back to Bella. “Are you here for the funeral?”

“Yeah. Jake called to let me know.”

“Well, Charlie would be proud of you. You’ve certainly grown into a beautiful young woman. I’m sure the boys will be surprised to see you.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Big pack of mutts,” she mumbled.

“The Quileute boys always treated her like one of their brothers. Well except for…,”

“That’s enough of that,” Bella said, cutting off Sue’s sentence. That is something I’ll definitely have to ask her about later.

“I’m just so glad to see you. I wish it was under better circumstances. You’ll have to come back sometime to visit us. Edward, it was nice to meet you. I’ll see you two this afternoon.” She hugged Bella and even me before picking up her carry out order at the counter and leaving.

Bella and I took our seats again and she told me several stories about Seth and Leah Clearwater while we finished our lunch.

We decided to leave the car at the diner and just walk around town because she said everything worth seeing could be reached on foot anyway. I was thankful that it wasn’t raining. The low clouds looked ominous to me, but Bella said it always looked like that. It was already cold, so I was glad not to add wet to that. A miracle among miracles, or so she said.

We walked over to the elementary school that she attended from kindergarten until fifth grade. Most of those memories were hazy except for a girl named McKenna that she said was her first real friend. Next she showed me the police station where Charlie had worked all of his adult life, starting out as a patrolman and eventually working his way up to being the Chief. She was fairly quiet as we stood there facing the wooden building, holding hands. I stood in front of her to block her view and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into me. I rested my forehead against hers.

“Hey…are you okay?”

She sniffed and then cleared her throat. “Yeah…it’s just a little harder than I thought it would be…old ghosts and all that.”

“What can I do?” I asked, feeling completely helpless in trying to comfort her.

“You’re already doing it just by being here; by being you.” She lifted herself up on her tiptoes to kiss me sweetly. “Come on. I have one more place I want to see before we need to go back to the Inn and get changed.”

She led me down Main Street to a small public park. It was deserted for the most part, I could only assume because of the winter temperatures. We sat down in the swings beside each other; her facing one way and me the opposite.

“My mom used to bring me here when I was a kid. It was one of the few things that we did together on a regular basis; well, this and go to the library. When I would come back to visit my dad, I’d always come here when I needed to just get away and think. Sometimes I’d come out here and just watch the kids and their parents and how they interacted with each other and wonder why my childhood was so different. I eventually just accepted that it wasn’t in the cards that I was dealt. My parents were too young when they had me and my mom never grew up. My dad did what he thought was best and I loved him for that. I’m just glad I got to know him when I was older. He’s the one who helped me to understand a lot of things. He really helped me to become the strong and resilient person that I know I am.”

“Is ‘strong and resilient’ another way of saying ‘independent and stubborn’?” I chuckled, sensing the need to lighten the moment. She giggled and reached out for my hand. I twined our fingers together, loving the way she always squeezed my hand first before relaxing and holding it casually.

“I’ll never admit to that.”

I let go of her hand and pulled her swing over to mine by the chain. I leaned in and gave her a long, tender kiss. I wanted her to know everything that she made me feel with that kiss. I wanted her to know that I loved her; that I’d be her protector and comforter. I wanted her to know that no matter how lonely things may have been for her before, that she would never be alone again. I would always choose her and I’d always be where she belonged.

We slowly broke apart, reluctant as always, and huddled closely as we walked back to the Inn to change into our funeral clothes.

I didn’t know what to expect in a funeral service for an Indian Chief. I didn’t know if there would be tribal ceremonies or what, but it was just your basic service held in a small church in the town of La Push. On the way, Bella pointed out First Beach where she said she and her friends from the Reservation used to spend most of their time swimming during the summers and building bon fires at night when she was visiting home from college. She also told me that the boys used to like to show off by cliff diving. I nearly had a freakin’ heart attack when she said she tried it once from a lower cliff. I told her she that she had better be glad that I wasn’t around back then because I would have had to take her over my knee and whip her ass. Little Jezebel wagged her eyebrows at me. That told me she was beginning to cope with everything that was going on around her and for that, I was thankful.

Billy Black was obviously a well respected man in the community. Several men, not all from the tribe, had kind and reverent words to say about him, his leadership and his family. I held Bella’s hand between both of mine, occasionally raising it to my mouth just to brush my lips across her knuckles in support.

The pall bearers were huge…I mean like linebacker hosses, huge.

“The younger ones are the Quileute boys that I hung out with. That’s Paul, Jared, Quil, Embry, Sam and the one who is a little smaller is Seth, Sue Clearwater’s son.” I nodded in remembrance of the woman we had met earlier.

“I’m glad none of them are your exes. They’d kick my ass,” I whispered playfully. She giggled because I assume she knew it was true.

“Nah, it was never like that with any of them.” I thought about our past conversations for a few minutes, remembering that she said she did have someone that she experimented with. One of them had to have been her first, and that made me want to at least try to kick somebody’s ass, even though it was completely inappropriate. Sometimes manners could wait.

After the burial, Bella and I walked over to greet the family.

“Jake?” The big guy turned around and flashed a beaming smile up at Bella. He stood up and wrapped her in tight hug.

“Bells! It’s so good to see you. Thank you for coming.” He held her by the shoulders and looked her over.

“It’s been good to be back. I just wish it wasn’t for this reason,” she said, pulling away and giving him a tight smile. “Oh, sorry. Jacob Black, this is my boyfriend Edward Cullen. Edward, this is Jake.”

I stuck out my hand to greet him and he shook it firmly. I was immediately grateful that it wasn’t one of those territorial handshakes. I would have hated to give him a beat down at his daddy’s funeral. Who knew I was the jealous type?

“It’s good to meet ya, man. I’m sorry about your dad. Bella really thought a lot of him.”

“Yeah, thanks. The Swan’s were like family to us.” He turned back to Bella. “Are you two staying in town a few days? We could hang out…catch up or something.”

“No. We’re leaving tomorrow. We both need to get back to work. I just wanted to be able to pay my respects.”

“Oh, well thanks. I’m glad you did. That means a lot to me and to my sisters.”

“Sure. I owe half of my sanity to him after Charlie died so…,” she trailed off. He obviously understood what she meant. “Listen, you have lots of people to speak to so I won’t keep you. I think we’re just going to head back into town. We have a long trip tomorrow.” She stepped forward and offered him another hug. “It was good to see you Jake.”

“You too, Bells.”

She wrapped her arm around my waist and I pulled her closer to me around her shoulders and kissed her temple as we walked back to the car.

Once inside I finally asked the question I had been dying to know the answer to. “So which one was he?”

She looked at me in complete confusion. “Which one was who?”

“Which one of them was your first?”

She turned and leaned against the door and smiled at me in amusement. “Seriously, Edward?”

“What? I’m just curious. You work with my first…and no smart ass comments from the peanut gallery about that.” Mmhmm…I could already see that mind of hers working.

She rolled her eyes at me and sighed. “If I tell you, you’re not going to get weird are you?”

“You’re mockin’ me,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

“You’re being insane.” We stared at each other impassively. “Fine…it was Jake.”

“Jake? Really?”

“Yes! Can we just drop it? It was purely experimental. We were just kids trying to figure things out without the awkwardness of our first time being with someone we barely knew. Whatever. It was once and it was quick,” she giggled.

We were just arriving back into Forks when she told me to turn into a small neighborhood.

“Pull over in front of the last house on the left.”

It was a simple white two-storied house with green steps that led to the front door and a ‘For Sale’ sign in the front yard.

“What’s this?” I asked as we got out of the car.

Bella stood quietly leaning against the car for a moment before speaking. “This is my house.” She looked over at me and then clarified, “This was Charlie’s house. This is where I spent my childhood…and he left it to me when he died.”

I was quiet because I wasn’t entirely sure what I was supposed to say. I mean, all this time, she had a house…somewhere else that she could always come back to. Right then it occurred to me in a big way that our conversation about whether she was staying or not had never happened before we hopped on a plane to fly out here.

“See those windows above the front door? That was my room. It’s where I did my homework and played dress up. When I was older, it’s where I hid in books and got lost in playing my guitar. Out of all the places that I have shown you, this is the only one that ever meant anything to me; it was the only place that was ever home to me.”

I was confused. If it meant so much to her, why was it for sale? So I asked her just that.

“Well, I’ve allowed it to be rented out for the last three years to people I knew I could trust because I just couldn’t bring myself to let it go. It’s all I had left.” She turned to face me now, holding both of my hands in hers while her big brown eyes stared intently into mine. “My life has been completely and irrevocably changed in the last four months, Edward. I have meant every word that I’ve ever said to you.” She grabbed my dog tag and pulled me closer to her so that she could whisper the sweetest words against my lips. “You are my heart, my home, my more. I love you. This is just a house, and it’s why I put it on the market last month. This is not my home anymore. My home is with you, wherever you are. So please…take me home, Edward.”

I kissed her so hard and so passionately that I knew we’d both have swollen lips if I ever quit kissing her. She had just told me that she was staying with me; that she wasn’t leaving Cotton Creek. She had said the words that I had been dying to hear. My heart swelled as our tongues twirled and tangled and I tasted her until nothing else around us mattered or even existed.

I kissed every inch of her face as I held it tenderly between my hands. I kissed her down her neck and wished like all hell that I could get to more. I needed her. I needed to be with her in the most intimate of ways. I needed to claim her, not as a possession, but as my partner who was going to stay by my side.

“I don’t exactly know what to say to you. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t seem right and ‘I love you’ somehow doesn’t seem like enough. You have always had the power to mend me or break me, but today…today you have gone beyond either of those with mere words and made me completely whole. I love you so much, Bella, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you not only know it, but feel it every day for the rest of our lives. That’s my promise, baby girl.” She nodded as I kissed her pouty lips one last time before getting back in the car.

We picked up soup and sandwiches from the diner and took them back to the Inn. After our bellies were full, we warmed up in the shower and then made love slowly and repetitively until the wee hours of the morning.

-x-X-x-

The next day we stopped by the Forks Cemetery on our way out of town to pay our respects to Charlie. I sat cross legged on the cold ground with my arms around Bella as she sat in my lap and talked to the stone that marked her father’s grave. She told him about the last three years of her life, focusing on her time spent in Cotton Creek. She told him about me and my family and how she used to believe that things happened in life because of fate and circumstance but how she had recently come to believe that there must have always been a bigger hand leading her to where she was always meant to be.

I could tell that she no longer carried the burden of guilt as she placed a bouquet of sunflowers on top of the granite marker. Instead, she was the essence of peace as she kissed her fingers before rubbing them across his name. As I held her, I kissed her tears away and said, “Let me take you home.”

Cheese Claws Recipe

ask and you shall receive.  thanks for showing interest in this.  my Meemaw made these every Christmas and i still do.  the best thing is that you can make up a batch of these, spoon them out individually on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze them.  put them in a tupperware container and get out as many as you want at a time.  just pop them in the oven and cook them from frozen!  it just takes a little longer to cook.

1 1/2 cups Bisquick mix
1/2 cup +/- milk
1 tube pork sausage
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

mix together.  if it seems dry, add more milk.  spoon out individually onto a cookie sheet.  bake at 350 until golden and sausage has browned.  if you want them spicier, try hot sausage vs. mild.  or try sharp cheddar cheese for more flavor.  like i said, a glorified sausage ball, only by adding in milk it makes it more of a biscuit consistancy plus you make these bigger.  i'll post a picture on here within a couple of weeks if you are interested.  it's time i stocked my freezer for christmas anyway.  these are good with grape or red plum jelly smeared on the top of 'em.  trust me. 

if your family doesn't eat lunch until late on holidays (like mine does for some insane reason like waiting for your crazy aunt to finally roll her ass out of bed and make the two hour trip) then make a pile of these to nosh on.  you won't be disappointed!  and lord help, let me know if you make some.  i wanna know what you think.  unless you don't like them.  then don't tell me.  i'd hate to have to hurt you for tainting my meemaw's good memory ;-)

becky

Chapter 16 (She Was Asked to Stay)

Chapter 16~(She Was Asked to Stay)




BPOV

Edward had been in Orlando for three days and I was missing him like crazy. I tried to tell my logical self that it was just a five day trip which was really no time at all in the grand scheme of things; but what I didn’t prepare myself for was the utter longing that I felt for him. We had only been together a little over three months but his short absence was already long enough for me to know that I didn’t want to be without him. Edward was so much more to me than what the term ‘boyfriend’ usually meant. Sure I missed his touches that tortured me and his kisses that left me panting; but I also missed the little things. I was missing how he always seemed to be twirling a strand of my hair or tracing the lines of my face when we talked. I missed our intimate whispers in those last dark moments before dawn after we had made love and brushing our teeth together over one sink at night, grinning in the mirror while bumping each other’s hip. I especially missed his teasing.

I did my best not to cry when he had to leave before daylight, but that attempt had been futile. He had to be at the high school by four fifteen on that Monday morning after we had returned from our trip to Huntsville. He needed to meet the bus drivers, help get the kids settled onto their seats and answer any last minute questions that the parents might have had all before five o’clock when they were scheduled to leave. I had never been more grateful for technology than I was over these last few days. The texts that he sent throughout the day really kept me going and lifted my spirits. Some were funny, some were sexy and others were just to say ‘hey’.

I did my best to stay busy so that I wouldn’t concentrate on his being gone so much. For years I never had anyone in my life on a daily basis and now that I did, I quickly discovered that I needed it; needed him. The first day I picked up pizza on my way home from work and then proceeded to clean every square inch of my house. I stayed strong during my bedtime conversation with Edward. He sounded exhausted from such a long day of traveling and while I didn’t want to hang up, I knew that he had an even longer week ahead of him. We were a little sickeningly sweet while saying our goodnights and goodbyes, neither of us wanting to hang up. But it really couldn’t be helped; we were a toothache waiting to happen.

Yesterday was Alice’s first doctor’s appointment with her obstetrician. She was so relieved to find out through the internal ultrasound that there was indeed only one baby this time. I learned that she’d had to go on bed rest for the last six week of her pregnancy with the twins because she started having some early contractions. The doctor told her that he couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t happen again because she is so little, but that the chances of that happening were smaller this time.

I had never seen Alice so calm and peaceful as when she was looking at the monitor at her little butter bean baby. Rosalie and I both got a little teary eyed because I think that’s just what you do when you are a woman. Of course when we looked at each other the giggle fits started between us and Alice yelled at us for making her laugh while she needed to pee and had a magic wand in her, and I quote, “cha-cha”. That did not help with the giggles. Actually, it made it worse. She called us ‘hateful heifers’ and made us leave the room, telling us not to come back until we had found some form of chocolate.

The nurses loaded her down with tons of free samples of prenatal vitamins and baby formula, parenting books and a calendar. They gave her a copy of her ultrasound picture and her appointment card to return the next month and then we left to have lunch followed by pedicures. They did an awesome job keeping my mind off of missing my man. I had never been more thankful to have such good friends…such sweet sisters.

I returned home that afternoon to a very sad looking Roscoe waiting for me on my front porch. It was his new home since Edward and I were basically living together these days. It was never anything that we discussed; it just sort of naturally happened. I tried really hard to stick to my weekends-only sleepover rule. Who am I kidding? I knew that it was completely pointless the minute those words came out of my mouth. When temptation comes directly from the devil himself, it’s better to just go along with it and ask for forgiveness later. I had lived alone all of my adult life, never even having had a roommate in college, but with every day that passed, I discovered that I no longer wanted to be alone. I used to thrive in my life of solitude, but now I had found that I wanted to be surrounded by people; these people in particular. I needed their love and support and if I’m honest, even all of their hugs. That’s right…I have become a hugger. Any day now I’m going to be blessing someone’s heart. I can just feel it.

I kneeled down to show Roscoe some love. It made no sense for Edward to say that Roscoe was rotten when he was every bit as spoiled as the dog was. The beautiful bloodhound immediately rolled over so that I could rub his belly. I could tell that he was lonely and in desperate need of attention. He was giving me the eyes, which held just as many super powers as Edward’s pout, making him impossible to resist.

“Fine. You can come in, but your dad is going to kill me when he gets home you know?” His little eyes became hooded as I scratched behind his droopy ears that were splayed out on the floor of the porch. It must be nice to not a care in the world. I unlocked the door and held open the screen in invitation of my new constant companion. I changed into my pajamas and settled in for the night, waiting for Edward to call. Roscoe joined me on the couch and plopped his big head in my lap. It was becoming a ritual over the last couple of days but it really couldn’t be helped.

“We are a sad lot, Roscoe. It’s only been three days and here we both are, curled up together on the couch watching some classic Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks and having popcorn for supper.” He snorted at me. “You’re not going to tell him are you? You know he’ll never let me live this down, the teasing ass.”

He stretched his limbs and let out a big tongue curling yawn. “You know what I think? I think you need a friend.” He began to snore. “No, I’m serious. Edward and I work every day and he occasionally has to go out of town on school trips. You must get bored hunting by yourself. Since I’ve been here I’ve learned that it’s not right for people to be alone if they don’t have to be. Surely the same thing applies to dogs,” I mused.

Tom Hanks had just suggested to Meg Ryan that they should meet when the phone rang. I didn’t have to look at the caller ID to know who it was.

“Hey Sugar.”

“Do you answer the phone like that for everyone who calls you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry Edward! I didn’t know it was you. I thought I was answering the line for my night time job. You know they pay me extra to call them names like Sexy and Sugar and Superman.”

“That’s alright. I already have a new girlfriend. Did you get the picture I sent you of the two of us?”

“I sure did. Does her boyfriend know how handsy you are?”

“Somehow he missed that little tidbit of information. I think he was across the street taking pictures with some little kids.”

“You know it’s kind of wrong for them to be apart like that,” I said quietly, not talking about Mickey and Minnie anymore.

“I know baby girl, I know.” He cleared his throat. “So what have you been doin’?”

“Well, I’ve had a secret for about a week that I can now officially tell you about.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“Alice is pregnant!”

“What? Are you serious? How did you know that and I didn’t?” He sounded amused.

“I went to see her before our trip and when I got there, she had been in the bathroom and she was so sick. Plus Holly said that she hadn’t been feeling like herself for several days, so I just added it up and called her on it. Rose and I went with her to her first doctor’s appointment today because Jasper was busy with the safety program at the elementary school.”

“That’s awesome! I’ll have to give them a call. I can’t believe that gun totin’ goober of a best friend hasn’t even told me yet. When is the baby due?”

“The last week of July…oh, and there is only one. She was freaking out about that, but now she is so excited. I was honored that she asked me to go with her. She told me I had to stay until the baby came,” I laughed.

“I bet.” He was quiet for a few minutes after that. We hadn’t brought up the possibility of me staying at all. I knew it was a conversation that was well overdue, but we had just been having so much fun in the moment and loving each other that it really had become an afterthought.

“I guess that’s something we need to talk about soon, huh?” I asked quietly.

“Yeah, we do, but not on the phone.” I heard a loud knock from his end of the line. “Hang on lovin’. Let me see what these hellions need.”

“Mr. Cullen, Lucy is still really sick and Mrs. James said we needed to come get you because she thinks Lucy needs to go to the E.R. for some fluids or something like that.”

“Okay. Tell her I’ll meet you guys in the lobby in five minutes.” I heard the door click as it closed.

“Hey baby girl, I gotta go. One of the kids has been throwin’ up all day and they need me to go with her and their chaperone to the E.R. I gotta find all of her paperwork and stuff.”

“I understand. I hope she’s okay. I’ll just talk to you sometime tomorrow? I’m supposed to have supper with your mom and dad tomorrow night, so if for some reason you can’t reach me, I’ll be there.”

“Okay, that sounds good. I’m actually really jealous. I can only eat so much park food!” He sighed. “I love you to pieces and I miss you so much it hurts. One more regular day and then the next day I’ll be on my way home to you.”

“I can’t wait and I love you too. Be safe and I’ll talk to you soon. Night, sugar.”

“You be careful, too. Night baby girl.”

I hung up and threw my phone on the opposite end of the couch, barely missing Roscoe’s tail. I didn’t need Edward to ask me to stay, but was it so wrong that I really wanted him to? It wouldn’t change my mind one way or the other and I knew that we had already promised each other forever, but I guess I was just a girl and I wanted to hear the words, damn it!

I looked down at my lazy lap dog that was almost as long as the couch and shook my head at his ignorant bliss. “Come on, sad Sally…let’s go. You’ve only got two more nights to steal his spot in the bed before you’re back downstairs on your own pillow.”

I didn’t know if Roscoe wanted to be close to me or if he was wallowing in Edward’s left over scent, but either way, neither of us had to be completely alone while our favorite man was so noticeably gone.

-x-X-x-

“Well hey, Sweets! Get your little self in here. Supper’s almost ready!” Esme said while drawing me in for one of her super strength hugs.

“It smells fantastic! What are you making?”

“Roast, carrots, potatoes and honey butter biscuits.”

“Bless you! I’ve been eating take out and frozen meals this week. It hasn’t been a pretty sight.”

“Not my problem. You know I said you could come over any time.”

“I know, but I’ve just been trying to keep myself busy. I didn’t realize I’d miss him this much.”

“He kinda grows on ya, doesn’t he? Good thing, though, because there were plenty of days that I really wanted to give him and Emmett away when they were little. You know I showed up on my Mama’s door step one day with an overnight bag for each of them and just looked at her and said ‘take them’? It’s always been a blessin’ to have family that lives close by.” Esme always knew when I needed a good laugh and that story definitely supplied me with one. I could just imagine her as a young mom with two mischievous boys who had pushed her to her limit.

“Somebody has cooked my favorite meal tonight,” Carlisle said as he walked into the kitchen. He crossed the room and wrapped Esme in his arms. “How was your day?” he murmured into her ear. I felt like I should look away from such an intimate moment, but I had grown accustomed to their outward displays of affection. Their son was the same way after all.

“It was good. Go wash up. We’ll be pourin’ the tea and getting everything on the table.” Carlisle hurried out of the room and was back again by the time the table was set. He said a prayer for the food and we began filling our plates.

“Well Bella, I guess I shouldn’t ask you how work is going since I’m there every day,” he chuckled. He almost seemed a little nervous which was extremely uncharacteristic for him. We have had patients to code while receiving their treatment before and when he was paged he strolled into the unit like it was something that happened all the time.

“But you like working there, right? Everything is going well?” I swallowed and used my napkin to wipe my mouth.

“Um, yes sir. Everything has been great.” I looked over at Esme curiously. She sighed when I caught her eye.

“Just spit it out, hon. Quit beatin’ around the bush. Bella is a grown up, you know,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Carlisle put down his fork and cleared his throat. “You’re right.” He turned to me and gave me his undivided attention. Shit! This looks serious!

“Bella, I have made it no secret that I have enjoyed havin’ you work with me. You are a hard worker and are completely dedicated to our patients and their care. The truth is that I wish I had about fifteen of you. Your work history at the dialysis centers in the bigger cities and your organizational and leadership skills have made you an invaluable asset.”

I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks due to his words of praise. Carlisle was very accomplished in his field and I was completely honored that he would feel that way about me. “Thank you, Doc. That is extremely kind of you. I just try to show up and do my very best, that’s all,” I said, shrugging a shoulder and looking down at my plate, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“I know, and you do give your very best. It shows in how well you get along with the staff, how much the patients love you and in your willingness to go above and beyond what is asked of you. That’s why I want to ask you to consider staying.”

I gasped as my eyes snapped up to meet his and then felt my spine hit the back of the chair. I hadn’t been expecting that at all.

“You want me to what?”

“I want you to consider staying in Cotton Creek. It’s only a matter of months before the new Dialysis Center is up and runnin’…and I want you to be one of the charge nurses there. You could do that through your travel nurse contract or…you could make it something more permanent and work directly for me.”

I was stunned and completely speechless.

“Oh hell, Carlisle. You’ve scared the poor thing to death. I swear you Cullen men know nothin’ about subtlety.”

“You’re the one who told me to just get on with it, Es! Bella…are you okay? I didn’t really think you’d be all that surprised by my asking.”

I blinked and shook my head, bringing myself back into the conversation. “No, I’m fine, Doc. I just…well…that is an amazing and gracious offer! I wasn’t expecting it and I just…I need to think about it. I wasn’t going to make a decision one way or the other until after the first of the year and Edward and I haven’t even had a chance to talk things over yet.”

He nodded and gave me a warm smile. “I understand. We still have plenty of time, but I’d love to get your input on a few things regardless of the decision you make. Just think about it for now and let me know after you have had the chance to discuss it with my son, okay? No pressure. I just wanted you to know how I felt, that’s all.” He reached over and squeezed my hand and Esme gave me a reassuring smile before they returned their attention back to their supper. First Alice had asked me to stay and now Doc had as well. Only one more to go, right?

-x-X-x-

I was sitting inside my truck waiting very impatiently for the busses to return. Edward told me that I didn’t need to bother with meeting him there since he would be helping the kids gather their bags and waiting for their parents to pick them up. Clearly he was insane if he thought I was going to wait a minute longer than I absolutely had to in order to see him.

Watching those silver chartered busses pull into the parking lot on that cold December night was one of the best sights I had ever seen. That was until I saw Edward step off of the first bus after I had to wait for a hoard of kids unload before him. He was gloriously travel worn in his faded jeans and long sleeved t-shirt. His dirty penny colored hair had gotten longer in the colder months and I could tell that he had spent some quality time running his hands through it. He had just managed to get his fleece pulled over his head when I called out his name and began running straight for him. His surprised green eyes met mine and a huge smile stretched across his face. I jumped into his outstretched arms, wrapping my arms and legs around him. No cliché had ever felt so good.

He placed my feet back on the ground and led me by the hand to the side of the bus where no one else was standing. He backed me up against the side of it and crushed his lips against mine. He had one of his fingers curled around my belt loop and the other cupped around the back of my neck. His kiss was warm and wet; sometimes tender and other times impatient. I moaned into his mouth from the desire I had to just devour him. I could only hope that he wasn’t completely exhausted when we got home. I needed him in every way like I had never needed him before. Our hungry kisses that had been filled with longing finally slowed to languid lips that tasted of home. Edward leaned his forehead against mine, occasionally nuzzling my nose with his.

“Gah, that sucked ass!”

He pulled away slightly and looked into my eyes. “Well, if you’ll just let me get you home, I can probably do a better job than that, baby girl. I just didn’t want to give the kids a reason to call Jasper and have him arrest me for public indecency. I learned my lesson the first time on that one,” he said as the corner of his mouth began to turn up, giving me his crooked grin.

I smacked his chest. I had missed his teasing and Lord help me his lips. “I didn’t mean that, you ass. I meant being away from you sucked. I missed you too much,” I pouted.

“I know. It really did. I missed you somethin’ fierce.” He gave me another kiss on my pouty lips before taking my hand and leading me back around to the other side of the bus where the kids were busy unloading their bags and greeting their waiting parents.

Edward never let go of my hand as everyone thanked him for the trip and the opportunity, saying goodbye and wishing him a good weekend until they all returned to school on Monday for their last week before the Christmas break.

He kissed my temple and began to lead me towards his truck. “Let’s go. I do believe we have some lovin’ to make up for,” he growled against my ear.

If I were driving I would have left him in my dust after hearing those words, but we left my truck in the parking lot, not wanting to be apart for one more minute. We unloaded his bags and were greeted at the front door by a very excited Roscoe. I thought he was going to knock Edward over when he jumped up on his hind legs to greet him. It was very cute; almost like he was giving Edward a welcome home hug of his own.

-x-X-x-

The weeks leading up to Christmas were a flurry of activity. There was a candlelight service at church where all of the children ages two and up sang Christmas carols for the adults. Edward had been practicing with the kids for an hour before Sunday night services during the month of November. They were all absolutely precious dressed in varying patterns and shades of reds and greens. A few moms had to come rescue their little ones who had begun to cry once they saw the crowd, but otherwise everything went smoothly. Each child sang as loudly as their little voices would allow them to and I knew that even angels surely couldn’t have sounded as sweet.

Some of the businesses located around the downtown square sold reserved seats for the annual town Christmas parade. It was the biggest event of the season in Cotton Creek, giving everyone a reason to come out and support the community. There were beauty queens, bands and cheerleaders, floats, fire trucks, booster clubs, and even Santa himself. Us girls were not about to miss sitting on the front row in order to see our men after winning the bet against them in the touch football game, so Esme and Caroline purchased seats in advance for the whole family, minus Edward, Emmett and Jasper of course. They each had to participate; Edward walking along side the band, Emmett riding on the fire truck that always carried the varsity football team, and Jasper riding on horseback as this year’s Grand Marshall.

We were settled in with our mittens and hot chocolates when the parade began. The Shriners began the parade in what seemed to be a crowd favorite, riding tiny little go-carts around and around in circles and figure eights while wearing their signature red fez hats topped with gold tassels.

They were followed by Jasper, our elfin Grand Marshall on horseback. He never appeared bothered by the laughs and cat calls that he received all along the parade route, his wife’s two fingered whistle being the loudest of all. Instead he just nodded and bowed out his chest while he smiled and waved to his admirers. He looked more fitting to be on one of the floats with the beauty queens, he was so proud.

It wasn’t long until we heard the unmistakable sound of trumpets and drums as the band rounded the corner playing Jolly Ole Saint Nicholas. Edward’s costume was tamer than Jaspers had been in that his pants weren’t tights. He did, however, have a jingle bell hanging from the tip of his little elf hat, both of his pointy shoes and every tip of the jagged edges of his tunic. I was surprised we didn’t hear him coming before we heard the band. He tried not to laugh while he was in front of us, but eventually gave up trying and even jumped up and clicked his heels. Show off!

Emmett was never one to be outdone. The boys from the football team were dispersed all along the ladder and the sides of the fire truck with some even walking so that they could give out candy to the little kids. Their fearless leader and coach was the crowning glory. He was dancing in the cherry picker bucket that was attached to the end of the ladder. He was giving it everything he had, old school style with the cabbage patch and the sprinkler. I bet if he had more room he would have done the ‘Carlton’. I thought Esme and Rose were going to crawl under their chairs in embarrassment. Alice and I laughed until we cried and had stomach aches. All three of those boys were surely insane, but they were nothing but pure joy.

-x-X-x-

“Merry Christmas my angel baby girl,” Edward whispered into my ear. I was lying on my stomach and I giggled at my sexy Sugar who was hovering over me, doing his best to kiss and nuzzle me awake. He had learned that mornings weren’t my favorite, but he made them oh so much better. I had never reacted badly to his wake up tactics. Of course they usually involved some kind of sweet loving, so who was I to complain? I am a very lucky girl.

“What time is it?” I mumbled into my pillow.

“Time to get up and open presents.” I could feel him grinning as he kissed his way across my back.

I raised my head to look at the alarm clock and groaned when I saw the neon green numbers.

“Really, Edward? It’s eight o’ clock!” I rolled over and looked into very excited and very green eyes that were already twinkling like the lights on our tree. He looked like a little boy and I was completely right about the grin. It was all crooked and cute and I wanted to kiss him because of it; morning breath and all.

“What? I let you sleep in. Besides, I’ve already been up for a while.” The grin turned into the super pout. I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing that I had already lost. Damn him!

“These gifts better be good and you better have my Diet Dr. Pepper ice cold when I make it downstairs.” I wasn’t a fan of coffee and preferred to have my caffeine in the form of soda in the mornings. It was a habit I had started in college and had just never given up.

“I did one better than that. Breakfast is already in the oven and will be ready in twenty minutes.”

It wasn’t until then that I realized that he did in fact have his pajama pants on. That made me want to pout. “What are you making me?”

“A Cullen family tradition. We call them cheese claws. Nana used to make them every Christmas mornin’ and I got Mama to give me the recipe the other day. The only way I know to describe them is that they are kinda like what most people know as sausage balls, but they’re more biscuity. You’ll like them, I promise.”

“Sounds delicious! We’re staying in our pajamas until we’re due at your parents’ house, right?”

“Well,” he drawled as he stuck his finger inside the top edge of the sheet that was wrapped around me and peeked at my very naked chest. “You probably need to put some on first baby girl.” He then traced my nipple with the same finger before letting the sheet fall back into place.

“Devil. I thought you loved me,” I pouted.

“The mornin’ is young. Besides, I’ve been wantin’ to break in that kitchen for a while now.”

I got dressed after a rather heated round of Yule-tide tonsil hockey and rode on Edward’s back downstairs where he had the lights on the tree already lit and a holiday fire already crackling. He dumped me over the arm of the couch, promising to return with my breakfast.

He brought back a plate piled high with what he called cheese claws, a butter knife and a jar of jelly. He had my Diet Dr. Pepper tucked under his arm and was doing his best not to spill his mug of coffee in the other hand.

“You could have just asked for some help, you know,” I said as I jumped up to help him.

“That would defeat the purpose of showing off my mad skills.”

“You’re weird.”

“So I’ve been told,” he said while slathering grape jelly all over the top of a cheese claw. “Dig in before they get cold.”

I took a huge bite and was in sausage-cheese-biscuit heaven. “Mmmm…sooo good!”

He narrowed his eyes at me before mumbling what sounded like ‘Jezebel’ around his chewed food. Such a boy!

Suddenly he jumped up and ran towards the back door saying, “I can’t wait anymore!” He slammed the door behind him, leaving me completely confused for the next ten minutes. I was getting antsy when he walked back in house.

“I’m sorry baby girl, but I have been so excited about this. I’m sure it’s rude, but I have to give you your first gift. I love it so much I nearly wanna keep it for myself. Are you ready?” He was nearly bouncing he was so excited. I just smiled at him in amusement and nodded.

He walked back into the kitchen where he must have left it and when he came back around the corner, he was carrying a dog crate.

“Shut. UP!!”

“What do you think? Isn’t she gorgeous?”

“She’s mine?”

“Every red hair of her.” Edward had gotten me a red bloodhound puppy!

“Get her out of there! I want to hold her.” He handed her to me and she was warm and snuggly, which meant that he must have been keeping her at his house. About that time I heard Roscoe begin to whine at the back door. Edward went to let him in while I snuggled with my very own baby girl. There is nothing quite like puppy breath. She was licking me all over my face when Roscoe sat in front of me at my feet. “Look Roscoe! We got you a friend! We were just talking about that, weren’t we?” What is it about dogs and babies that make you want to talk in a weird voice?

“See, this is why I got you your own dog. Ever since my trip to Orlando, it’s like you brainwashed my dog. Man’s best friend my ass! He follows you around like you bathed in bacon.”

“Maybe I just treat him better.”

“Maybe you rurned him by lettin’ him sleep in our bed.” There was no point in trying to avoid looking guilty.

“I missed you…I love you sugar!” I said, at least trying to act innocent. He rolled his eyes at me.

“Yeah, yeah. So did I do good?”

“The best!” I leaned over and gave him a very appreciative kiss.

“Well, what do you wanna name her?”

“Oh…umm…,” I thought, tapping my chin. Then suddenly the perfect name came to me. They were going to be brother and sister after all. “How about we call her LuLu?”

The poor man looked at me like I had roped the moon and told the stars where to sit. The man and his Dukes of Hazzard.

“I think that’s a perfect name for her. Anything else would just be wrong.” I rolled my eyes at his silliness. Then it was my turn.

“Me next! I hope you like it. If not, I can send it back.”

“Whatever…just give it!” he said with a gleaming smile. There’s my greedy six year old. I walked over to the tree and lugged the large rectangular box over to where he sat on the couch and was snuggling both rotten pups.

He tore open the paper and laughed at the fact that I’d had to duck tape a couple of boxes together to make one large one. But I had to or he would have known immediately what he was getting.

“Baby girl…what have you done?” he asked in awe, taking the guitar case out of the makeshift box.

“I didn’t see one in your collection even though you had an amp, so I tried to pick out something you’d like,” I said hesitantly. Truthfully, I didn’t really know squat about electric guitars, but this was one I could afford and it was supposed to be excellent quality. It was a Gibson Les Paul Epiphone LP-100 in ebony and even I knew that you couldn’t go wrong with anything that was a Gibson.

The look on Edward’s face as he held that guitar and lightly strummed told me everything that I needed to know. I had also ‘done good’.

“Lovin’, this is fantastic! Thank you so much! I actually sold my electric guitar before I left Nashville and have just never bought another one. Now I’m gonna have to plug her up and let you watch me rock it out!” Dear Lord, what was I thinking? First the acoustic guitar, then those freakin’ drums that I still cannot get out of my head and now this? I have never been so glad that I didn’t get him that keyboard. I wouldn’t be able to handle the whole finger-flexing forearm combination.

We lazily opened a few other odd and end gifts that we had gotten each other. He was very excited that I had found him some Alabama guitar picks and an Alabama t-shirt that said ‘I Hate Orange’. He knew what happened at Alice’s house all those weeks ago and he never let me live it down. I laughed at the t-shirts that he bought for me. One said ‘Feel safe at night, Sleep with a nurse’ and the other said ‘Gimme Some Sugar Baby’ and had a picture of a cup of coffee and a sugar jar on it.

“There is one more under that tree for you. Why don’t you go see what Santa left?”

“Don’t you mean Santa’s elf?”

“Not funny.”

I took my time sliding the paper off of the square box, torturing him on purpose. When I lifted the lid, all the air left my lungs. That very ordinary box held the most extraordinary bracelet I had ever seen.

“It’s called an infinity bracelet, see? It’s a bunch of infinity symbols linked together.” He took the silver and diamond encrusted bracelet and slid it over my hand and onto my wrist where he twirled it around and around. The lights in the room caught the surface of every diamond, sending shimmering sparkles of light onto our shirts and in our laps. “That symbol means ‘without bound or without end’. For you and me, I think it means both. Our love will grow so big and so full that it will know no boundaries and I’m certain that it will never end. I love you, Bella…to infinity and beyond.”

I began to laugh hysterically. “Okay…how long have you been sitting on that one?”

“Two weeks,” he said proudly.

He was insanely sweet and equally cheesy, but damn it I loved him!

“Thank you, sugar,” I said as I leaned over to kiss him. “I love you to infinity and beyond, too.”

There was only one gift left under the tree and I was thankful that Edward had just lightened the mood because I was anxious about giving it to him. I wanted to give him something so that he would hopefully understand the choice I was making concerning my future…our future here in Cotton Creek. I knew that the decision had been made long before anyone had ever asked me to stay, and although Edward and I still hadn’t had that specific conversation, I felt like this would answer any lingering questions that didn’t really need to be asked anymore.

“You are very hard to shop for, but this is something that I hope you’ll love. I put a lot of thought into it…so…yeah…just open it before die of nervousness.”

He chuckled before taking the small velvet bag out of the slightly larger gift bag. Nestled inside was a silver dog tag necklace that had a cross and the inscription ‘my heart, my home, my more’ on the front. I’m not sure how many times he must have read it while rubbing his thumb back and forth over the words. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly before he finally blinked and looked up at me. His brilliant green eyes were full of unspoken emotion.

“Bella?” he choked. Hot tears were making silvery tracks down my face as I began to try to explain his gift.

“You took a chance on me when I was still lost and asked me to be your best friend. You encouraged me to lay my heart and history on the line when we both knew that it was no longer enough to be friends and that we both wanted more. The one thing I haven’t truly had in my life is somewhere to belong. Edward, you have given me your heart through our friendship, you’ve given me your body in asking me to be more, and it’s in your soul that I have finally found my home.”

One lone tear fell from his eye before he kissed me so hard and so passionately that he caused us to fall back on the couch. He lavished my face and neck with kisses that were so full of emotion it made me dizzy.

He pulled back and held my face between his hands as he looked back and forth between my eyes.

“Thank you so much. No gift has ever been better than this one.”

I smiled at the honesty that showed in his eyes as he spoke those words. “You’re welcome. Merry Christmas, Sugar.”

He kissed my lips gently one more time. “Merry Christmas baby girl.”

Chapter 15 (She Went on a Date)

Chapter 15~(She Went on a Date)




BPOV

“Well, whatcha think?”

“You know what I think.”

“But I want you to tell me. I need to hear it.”

“Are you fishing for compliments this morning?”

“I might be. Now tell me.”

“Fine. It’s big, Sugar.”

“I know that. Be specific.” He was being playful. So was I.

“It’s really big. Is that good enough?”

“No,” he pouted.

“It’s full and really thick, too.” I grinned at him wickedly.

“That’s better. Tell me more.”

“Well, to be honest, I’m not sure how it’s going to fit. I’ve never seen one that length or width in person.”

“Oh, well that’s easy. It’s gonna go in the back.”

“No way, no how. It’ll never fit in the back.”

“The Cullen’s like it in the back. Dad says Mama even demands it. It looks better from back there. Wait ‘til you see. I promise you’ll like it.”

“I don’t doubt that you can get the job done. I just still don’t see how you are going to get it shoved in there.”

“Did you forget about the French doors on the back porch?”

Esme had gone to the Christmas tree farm the day before and picked out the tree she wanted to use in their home this year and asked Edward if he could pick it up and bring it to her house. I had assumed that she would be putting the tree in the sitting room in the front, but Edward assured me that it always went in the family room in the back of the house. Esme didn’t care whether people would be able to see it in the front window or not when they drove by. She wanted it to be where she could see it all the time since she put so much work into decorating it.

She was already clapping and squealing as we got out of the truck to unload the tree. Sometimes it was hard for me to believe that Alice was her niece and not her daughter. I walked around the front of the truck where she ran out to meet me and engulfed me in great a big hug.

“Hey Sweets! This is a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect to see you! How’d he rope you into goin’ with him so early on one of your days off?”

I shrugged my shoulder. “Told me I was pretty.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “He may or may not have had to agree to take me to Chick-fil-a for breakfast on the way out there.”

“Good girl.”

“Aah, I let him off easy this time since he’s leaving me next week.”

“You know you are welcome to come here and stay with us those nights, right? I would imagine it could get a little lonely out there once the sun goes down.”

“I appreciate it. I probably will come over for supper one night at least. I think Rose and Alice have reserved a little girl time one night, too. Otherwise, I have Roscoe to keep me company.”

“Well good luck with him. To be a dog, he’s as much of a pouter as Edward is when Edward’s not around.”

“Hey…I’m standin’ right here,” he defended.

I walked over to where he was standing and wrapped my arms around his waist. “If you’d use your super powers for good instead of evil, we wouldn’t tease you about it like we do,” I said, smiling innocently.

He pressed his lips to my ear and whispered, “You ain’t the only one who knows how to tease, baby girl. You’d be wise to keep that in mind for when we get back home.” He turned me back towards his mother and popped me on the butt before giving me a light push in her direction. “Tell Dad to get his tail out here and help me while you two go find somewhere to behave…please.”

Esme put her arm around my shoulder and began leading me into the house.

“I’m sorry Sweets…the bossiness is genetic. How ‘bout you and I go in and have some hot chocolate?”

-x-X-x-

Edward and I left the Cullen’s that afternoon with full bellies and full hearts. Emmett and Rose had come over with the kids so that we could all decorate the Christmas tree. It had been a tradition since Emmett and Edward were little that the entire family decorated it together, and while they did, they enjoyed the first homemade cookies and hot chocolate of the season. It was very Norman Rockwell and I even said as much. Esme assured me that it was for her own sanity because if the boys were going to be pestering her about helping while wrapped around her ankles anyway, she might as well put them to good use.

I fully expected that when the tree was finished, it would look like a decorator had waved her magic wand over it leaving a symphony of matching ornaments and carefully tied ribbons. What I saw instead when she opened the boxes that housed all of the ornaments, were bits and pieces of Cullen family history. Delicate snowflakes crocheted by the loving hands of a grandmother. Snowmen made out of cotton balls glued together by the school aged hands of Edward and Emmett. There were also personalized frosted glass ornaments that had a name or initial to represent everyone in the family.

I watched on quietly and happily as everyone hung their own ornament somewhere so that it could be seen on the front of the tree. I had been laughing really hard watching Emmett with Riley on his shoulders battle for the best and highest spot on the tree when Edward sat down beside me on the arm of the couch.

“Now what do you think?”

“It’s definitely better in the back,” I quipped. He shook his head and gave me his crooked grin.

“I have something for you.”

I raised my eyebrows at him as he handed me something that was wrapped in red tissue paper and tied in a bow at the top with white curling ribbon.

“Be careful. It’s fragile…and one of a kind.”

I pulled on the ribbon and gently parted the crinkly paper. I gasped because tucked inside was a green frosted glass ornament with a red ‘B’ and polka dots on it.

“Edward,” I could only whisper as I looked up into his smiling green eyes. I immediately stood up and hugged him as fiercely as I could. I knew he wasn’t really talking about the ornament being one of a kind, but rather what it represented. “This…,” I couldn’t get anything else out for the lump in my throat that accompanied the new tears.

“Shhh, baby girl. No need for cryin’. It’s just an ornament,” he murmured against my ear.

“It’s not just an ornament. Not to me.” He pulled back, kissed my tears away and leaned his forehead against mine.

“Me neither. Hey, why don’t you go pick out a spot to hang it?” I nodded and walked towards the tree. I knew everyone had witnessed our exchange, but I didn’t care. In that moment it was only the two of us.

I reached up to the middle of the tree and hung my ornament where it was meant to be; right next to Edward’s.

-x-X-x-

“Why aren’t you coming with me again?”

“Because I don’t have a cushy job where I have all major holidays off; not to mention a week long fall break, two weeks for Christmas, spring break and then three months in the summer. Some of us have to work for a living.”

He clearly didn’t think that was funny because he tackled me onto the bed. Edward was leaving to take the band kids on a five day trip to Disney World the next week and had asked me to come with him. Edward had applied for a chance for the band to be able to perform in the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade back in January. He told me he submitted the application on a wing and a prayer based solely off of the previous year’s competitions and performances. He was floored when the invitation came in and the poor kids were just as surprised. I could not think of anything more fun for them in their young lives. Having watched and listened to them perform for months now I was really excited that they were going to have this opportunity. They had worked so hard and they truly deserved it. I hated that I had to stay here and work, but it was part of what I signed on for. Besides, I’d still get to see the parade since it was pre-recorded, not to mention the fact that I would be snuggled up with Edward while we watched it as it aired on Christmas Day. That was the silver lining that I was holding on to in not getting to experience it firsthand with him.

“Cushy job, huh?” He dug his fingers into my sides while I squirmed and squealed beneath him. “I can’t believe you said that. Now I’m not going to give you any clues about your surprise.” That got my attention. Well that and something else.

“You know I just like to get you all riled up,” I said, squirming some more and letting him rub against me in all the right places. “I think it worked.” I glanced down between us.

“Jezebel. Why don’t you love me?” he pouted as he began to place tender kisses along my jaw bone and down my neck. I rolled my eyes at him even though he couldn’t see me.

“I do love you. I love you enough to let you go,” I said with as much seriousness as I could muster.

His groan was muffled from between my breasts where he was assaulting me with a deadly tongue. “This is the last time I’m gonna say this, so listen good, woman. Stop watching the Lifetime Movie Network. That was the worst line ever. Very after school special.”

I sighed. “Fine. But you better at least bring me back a souvenir. Something in addition to the Minnie Mouse ears with my name sewn across the back,” I smiled up at him.

“Done. Now will you shut up? I’m kinda in the middle of somethin’ here.” He sat back on his knees and unbuttoned my jeans.

“Will you tell me about my surprise?” I lifted myself up so that I could take off my shirt.

“It’s an overnight date. That’s all you’re gettin’ out of me. Now shush, baby girl. I believe there are some areas down here that are requirin’ my service,” he said as he began pulling my jeans and panties down my legs.

“Oh, is this a full service station? Lube…rotation…the works?”

“I guess you’re about to find out.” So bad yet so, so good!

-x-X-x-

The next day after I got off of work I drove over to Belles and Beaus to see Alice. Edward was busy with the band trying to fit in as many extra practice sessions as they could in order to get ready for the parade. I knew that if I was going away overnight with Edward, I was in dire need of some new lingerie. I had a plan for him and I knew just the person to ask to help point me in the right direction. I didn’t exactly have a lot of time to shop, so I needed the Fashion Fairy to rescue me.

I walked into the store, but didn’t see Alice anywhere. Her helper was changing out the front window display, hanging twinkle lights and making everything look all Christmasy. I asked Holly where Alice was and she told me she was in the bathroom and that she had not been feeling well for a couple of days.

I walked to the back of the store where the employee restroom was located and leaned against the wall across from the door for a few minutes until Alice came out. She looked terrible. Her eyes were bloodshot, she was pale and she looked exhausted. She jumped when she saw me.

“Oh shit! You scared me to death, Bella! What are you doin’ here? Is everything ok?”

I looked her over again from head to toe and in an instant I knew.

“How far along are you?”

“What?” she gasped.

“You heard me. You look like hell. How far along are you?”

“What makes you think I’m pregnant?” she asked me in a hushed voice…which only confirmed my suspicions.

“Uuhh, well, I went to school once. I got a degree and everything. Plus, I may not be a mother, but I am a woman. You didn’t drink a drop at Thanksgiving. Every time I have called you this week you have already been asleep and I just heard you throw up everything but your toenails.”

“I see your point,” she conceded and sighed.

“So…”

“About seven weeks. I go to the doctor next week for my first appointment. Hey, since Edward will be gone why don’t you come with me? Jasper is helping the police and fire departments do some kind of safety thing at school so he can’t come. Why don’t we call Rose and make an afternoon of it? I mean, she doesn’t know yet, but the cat is about to be out of the bag anyway. She’s been my best friend since college. I’m surprised she hasn’t called me on it yet to be honest, and you know you are already like a sister to me. I mean, you realize this means you have to stay now, right? You have to be here when the baby is born.” She let out a big breath and finally looked up at me.

“Are you finished?” I asked. The fact that she had asked me to stay in her own little Alice way had not escaped my notice and it warmed me all over.

“Yeah. Sorry. That felt really good. We’ve been quiet about it because I’m scared to death that it’ll be twins again.”

“Don’t worry about that. The chances of that happening are next to nothing. So…how did this happen? Were you guys trying to have another baby?”

She really started to laugh then. Like, leaning against the wall to hold herself up, laughing.

“No, we most certainly were not tryin’. Let’s put it like this. When y’all left the Halloween party, Jasper and I had a little party of our own. Like idiots, we acted like we had never had a night to ourselves and got completely hammered. That cheap liquor will do the trick. All I know is that the next mornin’ I woke up nekkid…not naked like you wake up all demure like with a sheet draped across you; but nekkid like I was sprawled out on my stomach, passed out on top of the comforter with no idea how I got there. All I knew in my half-drunk-half-hungover state of mind was that I had been thoroughly worn slam out…in a good way if you know what I’m sayin’. Jasper further proved my point by walkin’ in the bedroom door to hand me a glass of water and some Tylenol while wearing nothing but his boots and a well placed sash from his Confederate uniform. Two and a half weeks later I was late, and about two weeks ago is when I started havin’ the all-day sickness, just like I did with the twins.”

“Well, congratulations! I mean, this is fine, right? You’re ok with having another baby?”

“What? Oh yeah, that’s fine. The more the merrier,” she waved at me dismissively. “I’m just worried about finding a vehicle with a third row that ain’t a minivan. I just can’t do it, Bella. I’m not a minivan mom.”

“You have time for that just yet,” I laughed while giving her a hug. “Now, why don’t we get down to the real reason why I stopped by this afternoon?”

“Oh my word! I’m so sorry. What’s goin’ on?”

I sighed. I never thought I’d say this. “Sas’…Edward is taking me out of town overnight for a date…and I need your help.”

Her eyes got really big. Then they got really watery. Then she hugged me with all of her crazy, pregnant hormonal strength.

A slow cheshire grin stretched across her face. “Tell me what you had in mind.” Edward won’t know what hit him!

-x-X-x-

EPOV

I had spent weeks planning this date for Bella. When Emmett and Rose came back from their overnight date talking about how nice it was to simply just get out of town for a change, I decided right then and there that it was something I wanted to do with my baby girl. Granted, we weren’t going very far and usually the trip to Huntsville wouldn’t even require a hotel, but I wanted to pull out all the stops; especially since I was about to leave her, for the first time since meeting, her for five long days.

“You know you’re freakin’ me out a little bit, right?”

“Why?” she giggled.

“Because you haven’t been drivin’ me crazy with questions about this trip. I mean you usually ask fifty questions when all we are doin’ is goin’ to Mama’s. You wanna tell me what’s goin’ on?”

She squeezed my hand where she had been holding it in her lap and turned to give me a very coy smile. I know that smile. It usually means she’s up to somethin’. “Why don’t you just concentrate on getting us there safely. Just know that you may not be the only person who knows how to treat the other to a surprise.” She picked my hand up and brushed her lips back and forth across my knuckles before rubbing her cheek with the back of it.

It seemed like so much had happened in the short time since she came to Cotton Creek. I wasn’t looking for love. Hell, I wasn’t even looking for a date. I could only assume that everything I’d had to endure in growing up with Emmett, Jasper and Sassy, not to even mention the hours I spent with teenagers, had won me some bonus points with God. I was glad to cash in every single one of them if it meant my prize was Bella.

Until last week, we had never had a fight. And I know that wasn’t really a fight but more of a misunderstanding. Can you say understatement? I seriously had no freakin’ clue what I had done to piss her off. I was just teasing her like I always did and then she got all ill-tail on me. I knew this…it wasn’t something that was gonna happen again anytime soon. Those few hours of not talking to her about damn near killed me.

I nearly had Dad run some tests on me because my chest was hurting so bad. She had quickly become my whole world and I wasn’t about to let anything get in the way of her being mine forever; not me doing or saying something completely bone-headed and most certainly not her job. That was a discussion that I knew we needed to have in the near future, but it was going to have to wait at least until after my trip to Disney.

I pulled the truck into the valet area in front of the hotel. We were staying the night at The Westin and it really was the nicest hotel in the city. It was situated at one end of a new shopping and business development called Bridge Street Town Center and it overlooked all of the high end shops and restaurants.

“This is great, Edward! It’s so pretty!”

“It’s cool, right?

“Have you been here before?”

“Sure. This is where I bring all my other girlfriends.” She cocked her eyebrow at me but also grinned so that I knew I wasn’t in real trouble this time.

“Not even close to funny. You better watch that sexy little mouth of yours,” she said pointing at me. “I can guarantee you won’t want to miss your surprise.” The bellman took our bags and we walked into the lobby to check in. She rubbed her hand up and down my back while I signed the receipt, turning me on with just an innocent touch. She really had no idea of the restraint I had to practice around her these days.

Our room was located on the fifth floor and the windows overlooked the manmade lagoon. In my research I found out that they have gondola rides there during the warmer months. I definitely wanted to bring her back to do that. It was kind of cheesy, but also something you wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else in Alabama.

I walked up behind her where she stood looking out the windows as she watched the sun begin to set. There were thin clouds stretched low across the sky which was nothing new for a southern winter night. As the sun began to dip behind the clouds, the sky became a series of feathery wisps painted gold, then orange and pink which faded into the blue grey that was indicative of the imminent night fall. It was my favorite time of day and as it cast its glowing shades on my girl, it made her look like an angel.

I swept her hair to the side and placed kisses all along her neck and behind her ears where I knew it drove her crazy.

“If you keep that up we’ll never get to enjoy our date.” She was not convincing. I turned her around in my arms so that she could face me.

“Mmm, trust me baby girl, I’ll make sure you enjoy every… single… minute,” I said, peppering her mouth with kisses. I knew I was frustrating her by just giving her pecks on the lips when she growled at me and pinched my ass. One day I’d pay for all the teasing I did but I couldn’t help myself. It let me know that she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

“You are right, though. I have a plan for tonight and that part comes later. Right now we need to start getting ready. We are going to a nice dinner first. Then we are going to take a drive through The Galaxy of Lights at the Botanical Gardens before we go to see A Christmas Carol at the Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater. How does that sound?”

Her eyes grew wide and then a little watery. “All of that?” she whispered. I didn’t understand what she meant or why she seemed a little emotional about it.

“Well yeah baby girl.” I cupped her face in my hands and waited for her to explain. She must have understood the look of confusion on my face.

“It’s just that no one has done anything so nice for me before, that’s all. Our usual dates are around town or cuddling up at home, and I love those. I know you told me to bring a dress, but I just thought we’d have a nice dinner out and that would be it.”

“Is it too much? Am I overwhelming you again?”

“No! Not at all. I just didn’t expect it. I think that’s why I’m not so good with surprises. I never know how I should or how I will react. I’m sorry. I’m excited, really! I can’t wait!”

“Good girl. I just wanted to do something different and if I’m honest, I really wanted to see you in a little black dress that I could peel off of you later,” I said, giving her my best smirk.

She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed along my jaw line until she got to my ear. “That is a treat you’ll have to earn. How good can you be tonight?”

I reached behind her and squeezed her ass while bringing her closer to me. Her fingers were twirling the hair at the nape of my neck and we were back to the beginning of our conversation just like that.

“I think you know I can be very good. If you have forgotten, it surely won’t bother me to remind you.”

“I think I’m going to need a shower before I get ready,” she whimpered.

“There’s room for two in there.”

“You being in there would completely defeat the purpose of the cold water I plan to use.” She winked over her shoulder at me as she grabbed her toiletry bag and closed the bathroom door behind her.

Once a Jezebel, always a Jezebel.

-x-X-x-

An hour later I had my damn breath knocked out of me. While I had been in the shower Bella had finished getting dressed for our night out and she was absolutely breath taking. Her hair was pinned up away from her beautiful face and her flawless skin looked like it glowed from the inside out. The dress she was wearing was black and drapey and gathered at the waist. It was also sleeveless and ended just above her knees which meant I was going to be able to run my fingers along some of my most favorite parts of her all night long. Her long legs that were made lean by running were accentuated even more by the black heels on her feet that wrapped around her ankle and had a flirty bow on the back. Since I could never quite figure out if she was sent to me from Heaven as a gift or from Hell to torment me, I decided she was just might be both rolled into one…my devil goddess. Now and forever the sweetest sin.

“Would you help me with my necklace, sugar?”

I had to shake my head to clear the lusty fog that had settled. I knew she had seen me nearly needing to gasp to catch my breath, and yet here she was, asking for help with her necklace. Ooohh, game on baby girl.

“Sure thing.” What she didn’t think about was the fact that while she was all dressed and teasing and sexy, I was still only wearing a towel around my waist. I took the necklace from her while she turned around. It only worked to my advantage that she had decided to wear her hair up. Little lovin’, I hate to have to do this, but you started it and I’m fairly certain I can finish it. As I closed the clasp of her necklace I lightly stroked the length of her neck, raising the tiny hairs there. I kept my eyes open as I leaned down and first playfully nipped at and then placed an open mouthed kiss on the delicate vertebrae just below the necklace clasp. I wanted to see that shiver and the goose bumps that I knew would follow and she didn’t disappoint.

“Thank you,” she said, though her voice was now low and slightly raspy.

“You’re welcome baby girl.” I trailed my fingers down the length of her arm as I walked around her towards the closet. Before reaching the door I whipped my towel off and threw it back at her and winked.

“Ass!”

I looked down and clenched my muscles. “Why yes it is. And I’ve been told it’s a very nice ass!”

She couldn’t help but laugh at my cocky self. “You better cover it up before it gets spanked,” she said walking towards me with her eyebrow raised.

“Is that so? I do love it when you’re being naughty.”

“Just wait.”

Holy…

-x-X-x-

Dinner at Grille 29 was delicious; both the company and the food. We started with their Fondue of gorgonzola cheese and fresh breadsticks since eating fondue was now a special memory for us. We would occasionally feed each other, nipping at each other’s fingertips as we did. We also shared our entrees. Bella had chosen the scallops that were stuffed with crab and placed on top of lobster mashed potatoes while I ordered the New York Strip with white corn cheese grits and fresh green beans. She was surprised to find that she liked grits, but I never doubted that she would. She was proving to like all things southern and I couldn’t have been happier about that fact. She didn’t realize it, but even her speech and some of her sayings were beginning to change.

I loved watching her face as we drove through the mile long trail of lighted displays in the Galaxy of Lights. It was a magical mile for me because while she watched the changing lights, I watched her and memorized every line and contour of her gorgeous face as she took all of it in. She laughed at the figures that were animated, smiled at the ones that reminded her of childhood nursery rhymes, and squeezed my hand as we drove through the icicle forest. Nothing had ever been more beautiful.

The play was classic and very well performed. Bella watched with rapt attention, occasionally leaning her head on my shoulder. It was hard not to become totally distracted by Bella as we sat in the dark. She had her hand curled around my bicep while my hand rested on her knee where my fingers drew lazy circles around her knee cap. Her vanilla scent was warm and sweet and I couldn’t deny myself the stolen kisses to her forehead or temple just so I could breathe her in and hear her sigh. That sound of contentment from my girl made my heart swell and I couldn’t wait to get her back to the hotel room to show her how much I loved her; how much I adored and cherished her and would do anything to make her that happy and content forever.

After driving back to the hotel in companionable silence, we made it back up to our room, slowly swinging our clasped hands between us.

“Thank you, Edward. This whole night has been amazing! I loved it!”

I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her perfect lips. “You are most welcome baby girl.” I pressed the palm of my hand into her lower back and cupped the back of her neck. I missed her hair being down, but holding her this way while I kissed the fire out of her was a mighty close second. I trailed licks and kisses along the side of her neck to her ear and whispered, “Why don’t we get out of these clothes? I want to worship every inch of your skin that has been teasing me in the best and worst ways all night.”

“Not tonight, sugar.”

Um, what? Hell to the naw!

I’m sure my face showed defeat because she began to giggle. “I didn’t mean that. What I meant was that it’s time for your surprise. This part of the night is about you. You do so much for me all of the time that I wanted to…thank you, I guess you could say.” She grinned at me in her devil goddess way and because of that mere suggestion, Captain Cullen, as she called him, was ready to go.

“What did you have in mind?”

“You get more comfortable and I’ll be out in a little bit.”

“No hints?”

“How good are you at following the rules?”

“Shit…”

After I undressed and hung my suit back up in the closet I poured myself a shot of Jack Daniels. I was just about to turn on the iPod and find us some music when I heard the door of the bathroom open. This time I was not only without breath, but without words as well. Bella Swan was a vision in sheer black as she walked towards me. She was eying the shot glass in my hand.

“Did you make me one of those?”

“Uh…I…fuck Bella!” I gasped.

“Such a dirty word for such pretty lips.” She leaned in and bit my lower lip. I was still stunned by what she was wearing, and better yet, what she wasn’t. She had on a baby doll style top that was sheer lace and had a wide ‘v’ neck line that plunged to where it was held together by the seemingly innocent bow tied beneath her gorgeous, full breasts. From there the material opened to reveal her toned abdomen and flowed over the curve of her hips. Her panties were a tiny g-string and made from the same sheer lace as the top and I knew for certain that they wouldn’t survive the night.

She sauntered over and turned on the iPod, giving me the full view of her backside. Got to love the Lord for makin’ that.

With her back still turned to me she asked me to sit on the edge of the bed and wait for her. The first song that started playing was a something I hadn’t heard in years. It was Red Light Special by TLC. She walked over to me and stood between my legs. My immediately dragged my hands up the backs of her thighs and to her ass where I caressed it lightly.

“Edward, remember when I found your ‘Nightingale’ playlist?” I couldn’t believe she was teasing me now. I sighed and leaned my forehead against her stomach while she ran her hands through my hair.

“Yes,” I groaned.

“This is my playlist for you. I’ve had it since before I found yours and like you, I disguised it under a different name so that you wouldn’t find it. Mine was just more original I think,” she giggled. Then I thought about what she had just said and what was playing through the speakers and I looked up and raised my eyebrows at her. “It’s called ‘Songs in the Key of E’.” She was brilliant. I never would have guessed what was on this list by that title. But damn, it was hot!

“I’ve been told it was better to give than to receive, so tonight, I’m going to give and you’re going to take everything I have to give you. Do you understand?”

I could only nod.

“Good. Now, I’ll need your hands.” I gave them to her without question. She picked up a black silk tie that had at some point fallen to the floor. I had been so turned on by what she was wearing and what she was saying that I never even noticed that she must have walked into the room with it.

“The headboard here isn’t ideal for this. I can only tie your hands together and not you to the bed, so you’ll have to follow the rules and not touch me until I say you can. Can you do that?” Mother of all things holy…she was gonna tie me up!

“Yes mistress.”

“No. No mistress. You are all mine, not someone you are sneaking around with. However, since you are a good southern gentleman who likes to obey, you can say ‘yes ma’am’ if you choose to.”

“Yes ma’am,” I rasped. I was so overwhelmed by both the love and lust I felt for her that I had no idea how I was going to obey her for more than five minutes.

The song changed to Nice and Slow by Usher. She ordered me to stand up. She walked around me, trailing her nails across my chest and around to my back much like she did that night we danced at Sugar’s. She began kissing every muscle of my back, aided in height by the heels she was still wearing from before. She licked and kissed down my entire spine. I was breathing heavier in anticipation of her next move.

See I've been waiting for this for so long

We'll be makin' love until the sun comes up

Baby

I just wanna take it nice and slow

She faced me again and pulled my bound hands over her head so that I was holding her. I twirled the ends of her hair while she kissed my neck, down to my collar bones and every inch of my chest. She lowered herself to the floor in front of me, allowing me to rest my hands behind her head. I knew where this was going and my eyes were already rolling back in my head. The song changed again to Nobody by Keith Sweat.

I want to tease you, I want to please you

I want to show you, baby, that I need you

I want your body 'till the very last drop

I want you to holler, when you want me to stop

After she torturously removed my boxer briefs, she rubbed one hand back up my thigh and encircled my hardened shaft with the other, squeezing from base to tip and back down again. This was not new for us, but not having free reign to touch her was about to kill me. I was quickly reaching my limit. I hissed when she licked and sucked every hard inch of me and groaned when I felt her move to stand up.

“Get in the middle of the bed and lie down,” she commanded me while she removed my arms from around her.

“Yes ma’am,” I said looking into her smoldering brown eyes with my hooded green ones. She pushed on my chest so that I fell onto the bed and then used my feet to push myself up further. As soon as I was where she wanted me, Bella straddled me and pushed my hands over my head and held them there with one of hers.

“You’ve been very good. You’ll be rewarded soon.” Her voice was low and husky sounding and I knew that she was close to her teasing limit as well.

“You are so beautiful baby girl. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but I just couldn’t find the words.”

She leaned down and covered my lips with hers, immediately using her tongue to open my mouth in search of mine. She tasted like mint and me and I needed to be able to taste her everywhere. She began to tease all of her soft and wet spots, the ones I was dying to taste and touch, using my body for her pleasure. She mewled and moaned and damn it, I couldn’t take another minute of it.

“I need to touch you. You have got to take this tie off of me. Now!” I growled. It was time for me to be the aggressor. I was a patient man to be sure, but I was done. As soon as the tie was released I sat up and wrapped my arms around her, crushing our chests together. I could feel her taught nipples against my chest and I never bothered to ask permission to undress her. I pulled on the bow that had been taunting me and watched her top slip down her shoulders, off of her arms and land behind her. I told her to lift up on her knees and when she did, I tore her panties off of her.

“I think the time for teasin’ is over baby girl. I’m gonna love you so good you’ll forget your own name while you’re screamin’ mine.” She whimpered at my words and in one movement I was engulfed by her warm wetness. I would never get over that first feeling of being inside of her. It was completion. She was home.

I kissed, licked and nipped everything I could while being this close to her as she rode me. She was pushing, pulling, swiveling, scratching, moaning and completely mine. I used my thumb to bring her closer still to her ecstasy and when I sucked her nipple into my mouth and bit her, she came harder around me than she ever had, forcing me to follow behind her.

She did scream my name that night…twice. I held her as tightly as I could while she slept. My mind was on my trip and how the irony wasn’t lost on me that I was about to visit ‘the happiest place on earth’, but that I probably wouldn’t be happy at all because she wouldn’t be there with me.

She must have been dreaming about the same thing because I heard her faintly whisper, “Don’t go,” as she gripped my arms tightly around her.

It wasn’t the trip I was thinking about when I whispered back to her, “You either.”