3

3. New Roles

I woke the next morning from my night of bliss. When I couldn't feel the coldness of Edward's skin I rolled over to look for him. Just like my wedding day he wasn't there. I sat up in bed hoping he wasn't planning to make a habit out of this. I heard the water running in the bathroom. I stood and wrapped the sheet around me as a nightgown and headed for the bathroom. I opened the door to the scent of freesia lingering in hot steam. Edward sat by the bathtub pouring bath salts into hot water. Unlike me he wore nothing; I suddenly became hyperaware of the differences between us. He looked up when he heard me enter. He smiled at me and put the bottle of salts down on the edge of the tub.

"Good morning Mrs. Cullen." His smile grew wider as he said my new name. I raised my eyebrows at him and gave him a surprised look.

"Mr. Cullen, what are you doing?" I smiled back at him but couldn't take my eyes off his nakedness. He stood and was in front of me in two steps. He gently pulled the sheet from my hands and let it fall to the floor.

"I've lived for too long not being able to appreciate how beautiful your body is. You don't need to hide it anymore." He brushed his cold fingers across my nipple and I shivered. He smiled at my reaction and leaned down to kiss me. As our kiss deepened his desire grew and he pulled me to him. I could feel him hard against my stomach. He pulled away and led me to the tub. I stepped into the steaming water and sat down, letting it swallow me. Edward just sat on the side again. After a few relaxing minutes I looked up at him.

"This is a pretty bug tub for just one person." I hinted. "You look like you could use a bath too." He chuckled at me once and stepped into the tub behind me settling in and pulling me to lean back against him. I laid my head on his chest and sighed. If this was what heaven was like I was willing to stay forever. I couldn't think of a better eternity. Edward's hands lightly traced my naked torso, from my collarbone down to my belly button. He lingered on my breasts, gently rubbing each one until I moaned. I turned my head back until I could see his face.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy," I teased him. He chuckled again and pushed me to sit up. He kissed the back of my neck as he ran his hands down my back and around to the front. I felt his fingers explore me. I laid my head on his shoulder and gave myself over to the feeling of his fingers gently massaging me. His hands explored every inch of me, without restraint. He turned me to face him. His kiss sent chills through me and opened my mouth to invite his tongue in. We kissed in the tub until the water had almost turned cold. Then he stood suddenly and lifted me out of the water with him. I couldn't take anymore I wanted him and I wanted him now. He parted from be briefly and gazed into my eyes for a moment. I seized my opportunity I knew he wouldn't deny me.

"Make love to me, Edward." I whispered. His face turned to pure desire and he shifted me slightly in his arms and I wrapped my legs tightly around him as I felt him slide into me. He moaned when we connected and moved over to the wall where he could move inside me. He never stopped kissing me, I felt the warmth building up inside me as his pace quickened. My control was gone I was breathing too fast and too hard not to moan then as my orgasm swept over me I cried out again. Edward groaned and tightened against me, his face in my chest. He shuddered and looked up at me, satisfied.

"I'm really loving this you know," he grinned at me.

"Me too," I answered, my breathing still heavy.

"I should have let you talk me into this a long time ago." I playfully slapped his arm. He set me on my feet, still chuckling.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't. Both our virtues are intact." I turned to the mirror over the double sink and drew a brush through my hair. I could see Edward in the mirror behind me watching.

"You know, you're beautiful all the time, but right after we make love, you glow." The silly grin on his face made me laugh at him.

"Just wait, in a couple of days I'll sparkle like you do." I reminded him. His face fell slightly. "Don't tell me you still have your misgivings about my change." I turned to look him in the eyes now.

"No, I know it's what you want and I want it too in a way. I'm selfish enough to never want have to say good bye to you. This seems the only way to do that." He sighed. I went to him and put my hands on his stony chest.

"It will be fine. Alice has already told you so." He looked at me and put his hand on the side of my neck.

"I just don't want you to ever regret the choices you've made."

"I don't." I turned from him and went into the bedroom to find some clothes. As I was rummaging through the drawers Edward's hands formed around my wrists.

"Don't get dressed. Let's stay naked for the next two days." He gave me his crooked smile that I couldn't resist and still turned my knees into jelly. I put down the clothes and bent to kiss his chest. I grinned up at him and he knew he had won. The next two days were total and utter bliss. I never showered alone. Edward and I made love in every place imaginable. We spent countless hours in the hot tub and pool on our balcony, laying in each other's arms and making love. We'd become so intimate in a way we hadn't been before the wedding. We were physically intimate. I knew every inch of his muscular physique and he explored every curve of mine. We lay in silence afterwards and listen to our breathing slow savoring the moment, never breaking our connection. I relished the feeling of him inside me, and yet each time was different. We explored every angle and every position we could come up with. But it was never planned; it was always wherever our love making took us. We gave ourselves up to it.

I woke on our last day from an afternoon nap to find all my bags packed. Edward and I dressed for the first time in days. I gently placed my wedding gown in its garment bag. Edward called down for the bellhop and our car. We drove home to Forks hand in hand our connection still couldn't bear to be broken. Our family was waiting for us when we pulled up to the house. Alice was the first to bound out the front door and throw her arms around me. She kissed each of my cheeks.

"Wow Bella, you're radiant. Way to go, Edward." I blushed and looked at the ground.

"Alice, what did I tell you, don't embarrass them." Jasper scolded, he winked at Edward as they shook hands. Esme and Carlisle were waiting just inside the door for us. I hugged them both.

"Welcome home," Esme said as she wrapped her cold arms around me. I climbed the stairs to what was now mine and Edward's room. I was still standing in the doorway when Edward appeared at the top of the stairs with all our luggage in tow. He put it down at the top of the stairs.

"Wait just a minute Mrs. Cullen," he came to me and swept me into his arms again, "I don't want to miss carrying you across the threshold." He giggled at him.

"Shouldn't you have done that at the front door then?" I teased.

"Don't ruin it for me; Alice would never have let me have my way." He stepped into our room and sat me on my feet again. He kissed me casually and then was out the door and back with out luggage in a heartbeat. He sat our suitcases on the bed and opened his largest. I went to his side and repeated his actions. We didn't speak as we unpacked our things. Edward made space for me in his walk-in closet and I was surprised to find boxes of my clothes already waiting for me.

"Alice decided it was her job as maid of honor to go and pack up your stuff at Charlie's." I smiled at my sister-in-law who I knew was listening. I put my things away in the place Edward had set for me. When we were finished we headed back down the stairs to where our family waited. They were lounging in the living room. Two of them were missing.

"Where are Emmett and Rosalie?" I asked to no one in particular. They all rolled their eyes and exhaled heavily.

"Anytime someone else gets married Rosalie insists on a vacation. She and Emmett went up to Juneau a couple of days," Edward sounded irritated. "Just something to bring the focus back to herself." I was a little take aback but then at the same time it did sound like something Rosalie would do. Just like everything having to do with Rosalie I decided it was more about her than me.

We all sat around the fireplace for the rest of the evening talking about he wedding, the honeymoon and plans for the future. The mood suddenly shifted when Carlisle looked over at me and asked, "Are you ready for tomorrow?" I felt a lump wedge itself into the back of my throat. The change was tomorrow, I had let myself get lost in the honeymoon and now being reunited with my family. I looked around the room at their faces. They were all watching me expectantly, Edward especially.

"Yes, I'm ready," I told Carlisle hoping my voice didn't crack too badly. Edward took my hand and winked at me, I couldn't return it with anything but a weak smile. Suddenly my heart was in my throat, beating erratically. I knew the seven vampires in the room with me could all hear it.

"I think Bella and I will head upstairs," Edward told them. We rose and went up to our room where Edward wrapped me in his strong, protective arms. "You don't have to do this, you know?" He told me gently but I could hear sadness in his voice. "You aren't ready are you? We can wait, I don't care how old you are." He stroked my hair as he spoke. I pulled back and looked at him.

"No, I don't want to wait. I am ready just scared, which I think is a very logical and rational feeling. I want this; I've wanted it since what happened in Phoenix. This is funny actually, I finally have a normal human reaction to something scary and you aren't as happy about it as I thought you would be." He chuckled and put my head back on his chest.

"I know it's what you want and I want it too. I trust you, if you say you're ready then you're ready." He kissed the top of my head and looked at me again. "So what do you want to do on your last night as a human?" I thought for a moment then it hit me.

"I want to go to our meadow." His smile returned immediately.

"I was hoping you would say that."

We reached the meadow and Edward helped me off his back. I walked around the meadow once and returned to my spot at Edward's side. We walked together to the center of the meadow where Edward spread out the quilt he had brought along. I stepped out of my shoes and lay down on the quilt. Edward gracefully came to lie next to me. I gazed at the sky there were a million stars all of them glowing down on us. Then a brighter ball of light with a tail behind it shot across the sky.

"Look," I pointed where it had been as I looked over at Edward. He didn't follow my finger he was laying on his side looking at me. I rolled to face him our noses nearly touching each other. His sweet breath filled my nostrils and I inhaled him deeply. "What," I asked cautiously thinking he may have been worried about the change still. He gave me a devilish grin and pulled my face to his. We made love in our meadow on the quilt with the cool night air around us. We never left; I fell asleep on that quilt next to my husband thinking of tomorrow and the beginning of immortality.