A/N: OMG I'm so sorry my lovelies! My laptop (the brand new one) crashed after automatically updating through windows and I had to send it to geek squad! But it's back now and better than ever! Please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.

Xoxoxo
~TLG

Previously: I fell asleep with a smile on my face that I was sure could light up an entire city. Yes, my love for Edward seems to only be growing with need for him. I need his kiss, his laugh, his touch. Edward Masen was the man I loved more than life itself, and I would certainly die without him.

Chapter Nine: Set Up

When I woke up the next morning I was surprised to notice an extra bounce in my step as I hopped down the stairs, gracefully.

Where were the cameras now?

All my school photos and random pictures taken of me had most likely been where I had fallen or had current cuts or bruises on me, but now I seemed perfectly graceful.

This is just my luck.

I hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen and saw Charlie reading the newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning, dad," I smiled brightly.

"Um, morning," Charlie mumbled and looked back at the newspaper, seemingly embarrassed.

I knew that I had never been like this before and it was making him uncomfortable, I am not a morning person.

I was still on a high from my weekend with Edward and was eager to see him again today.

I wondered if he was eager to see me too…

"Bella," Charlie's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "So, you think you can handle the dinner tonight?"

"Yes. I was planning on making enchiladas. Does that sound alright?"

I had everything ready; I was set for Billy and Jacobs's arrival for dinner tonight.

"Sounds good to me, thanks again," he told me sincerely.

"No problem," I smiled.

The Cullen's were already at the school when I arrived so I was blocked immediately from searching the parking lot for Edward's car.

I could feel him here though, but I still got a thrill by just knowing that I am so close to him.

"Hey Bella, how was your weekend?" Alice always seemed like she had eaten too many energy bars throughout the day.

"It was fine Alice, how was yours?"

Alice talked to me like we were the best of friends, which confused me to no end, I hardly knew this girl.

"Wonderful! I went shopping! We should go shopping soon," she cheered enthusiastically.

She paused then her eyes still wide and open but she didn't seem to be seeing what was in front of her, like she was only here in body.

"Alice are you alright?" My voice had risen in its panic for this girl I hardly knew.

"Oh, um, yes, I'm fine. Sorry about that I just sort of zone out sometimes," she chuckled nervously.

"Oh, alright," I was still worried.

"Really, I'm fine. I was just thinking about all of our shopping opportunities," she had regained her previous excitement, and I quietly groaned.

"Well, I have to get going to class now," I hurried away from her before she could set a date for this trip.

Just before I went inside I saw the silver car I was hoping to see and smiled to myself.

Edward was here.

The rest of the day went by quickly and I avoided lunch altogether, instead opting to go to the library to finish some school work ahead of time.

It was a good excuse to avoid Alice and to get my work done so it was a win-win situation.

When I got home I started to work on dinner when Edward called.

"Darling?" Edward's silky voice floated through the room as I hit speaker so I could continue to work on dinner.

"Hey, what's up?" My voice was still light, but I was missing him.

Being away for more than a few hours makes it painful.

"What are you doing?" He countered my question.

"I am making dinner. Charlie invited some people over from the reservation," I told him.

"Do I know them?" His tone was curious, but there was an undertone that I didn't understand.

"I don't know. Billy and his son Jacob Black," I stopped cutting the tomatoes so I could focus on him.

"I don't know them. How old is Jacob?"

"A little younger than me, I think," I shrugged, not really sure, and not really caring.

"I wish I was there," he sounded defeated.

I was taken aback by his tone and tried to understand what was going on right now.

"Edward, I will see you tomorrow," I tried to reassure him.

"I know," he sighed heavily. "I just wish that I could come home to you every day. I was just missing you when I called and then you tell me that you are having dinner with another boy," he sighed again. "I guess you could say that I was jealous,"

I could almost see his sad eyes through the phone.

"Edward, listen to me. I love you, only you. You are the one that has stolen my heart, and I couldn't be happier right now unless I was in your arms. I am happy that we have such open honesty but there is really nothing to be jealous about, my heart belongs to you, dear," I smiled, but I still had tears in my eyes.

"I am sorry for feeling this way," he apologized after a minute.

"There is nothing to apologize for. I am glad that you told me how you feel. We don't need to be one of those cliché relationships where some people have a bunch of misunderstandings. I hope I am not giving out mixed signals," I giggled. "Because if I haven't already made myself clear I do love you, and I truly want to be your wife," I smiled to myself.

"I want you to be my wife," I could tell from his tone that the angst was over.

We talked idly for about an hour as I continued to prepare dinner.

When Charlie got home I had to say a quick 'I love you' and 'goodbye'.

When Charlie asked me who I was talking to when he walked in I had to say mom quickly in case he heard my parting message to Edward.

"How is dinner comin' along there, Bells'?"

"Good. It just needs to cook for about an hour," I told him as I set the timer.

"Well they will be here in about half an hour," he told me as he went into the living room.

A minute later I heard the television come on and I could hear the basketball game from here so I went upstairs to my room.

I pulled out a random book and started to read while I waited.

It seemed like it had been only minutes later when Charlie called that they were here, and I groaned quietly to myself.

I didn't feel in the mood for entertaining guests but I would be polite and courteous.

I mentally chastised myself for already thinking that this was going to be bad, it could be fun.

Or not.

"Bella, it's so good to see you again." Two men cheered in unison when I walked into the living room.

"Hello, Billy, Jacob," I smiled politely.

I had no idea who these people were, and I could tell that this was going to be awkward since I couldn't seem to gather any of my childhood memories from Forks.

"I am going to go check on dinner," they all nodded and continued their banter on the game Charlie was watching.

Thankfully, dinner wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be.

Billy and Charlie seemed to have taken complete control over the conversation and I was just happy that they didn't try to reminisce about any childhood memories about me; I was extremely pleased with this fact.

"So, Bella, have you made a lot of new friends here?" Jacob asked once the men had finally stopped talking so they could eat.

"Um, Alice Cullen has been pretty nice to me," I shrugged.

"Oh?" Billy's face was now contorted in anger, this was certainly interesting.

"Yes," I blushed and looked down at my plate, confused by this reaction.

"Well, how has school been going for you?" Jacob changed the subject.

"Good," I smiled, maybe a bit too widely.

My thoughts always seem to drift to Edward when school or music is mentioned.

"Well that's good," Charlie cheered, obviously trying to lighten the still dark mood that Billy had set around the table; I could see Jacob roll his eyes.

Billy and Jacob left a bit after dinner and Charlie tried to help me clean up dinner but I just shooed him away, I didn't need him to get in my way.

When I was all finished cleaning I told Charlie that I was going to bed but he stopped me before I could go up the stairs.

"Hey, Bells?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Did you have fun tonight?" He seemed nervous.

"Yeah, it was good," fun didn't sound like the right word so I settled for good.

"You know Jacob really likes you," he told me.

"Yes, he seems nice," I shrugged, not really caring.

"Well, maybe you could ask him out," Charlie blurted out, and my eyes widened.

"Dad, no," my face must have etched the perfect picture of horror, because that's how I felt.

"Wait, no. I was just thinking that you two would be good together," Charlie tried to save himself.

"Sorry, but that's a no go," I told him honestly.

"But you haven't even given him a try," it almost sounded like a whine.

"No," I told him in a tone that ended this conversation.

I got ready for bed in a huff, furious.

Edward was the only one that could calm my anger now, so I quickly dialed his number, he picked up on the second ring.

"Bella, love?"

"Edward, he wanted me to go out with Jacob," I seethed.

"What are you talking about?" Edward's tone was confused.

"Charlie, tried to set me up with Jacob," I raged.

"No," Edward gasped, horrified.

"What did you say?" His voice was different this time, scared.

"I told him 'no', and that it would always be that way," my anger was dissipating now that I was talking to Edward.

He always had a calming effect even when he wasn't in the same room as me.

"Bella, do you want me to come over there?"

"Yes. I know that you can't though. Charlie might try to come in and apologize, it would ruin our entire cover if he saw you in my bedroom," I told him.

"Alright," he huffed. "Well, then you should get some sleep,"

I was now calm again.

"Can't we talk a little while longer," I half yawned, half whined.

"A little longer," he chuckled lightly.

Edward and I talked for about two more hours, I wasn't quite sure since I fell asleep with my cell phone still at my ear, listening to Edwards's smooth voice.

I smiled as I spotted Edward inside the music room, tuning the main piano.

The school couldn't afford a very nice one but the one inside Edward's house made up for the size of this one.

Edward's was beautiful and clearly an antique, this one is just old.

Edward smiled back at me quickly before anyone could notice and started talking about today's lesson.

I let my thoughts drift so I could try and get my mind off the buzzing of electricity that hummed loudly in my ears.

There was always one constant about Edward, and that was this damn electric buzz in the air.

It was either really annoying at times or it would be oddly comforting and soothing.

The only time it was comforting and soothing would be when I was in his arms and he was holding me.

Right now, it was annoying and driving me crazy because he was about 100 feet away from me and I was almost dizzy.

Thankfully I had adjusted to the energy buzzing around me and can keep my head straight.

I was still tired and our conversation from last night had lasted longer than my regular sleeping schedule allowed so I was still tired.

I had contacted Jacob Black in the morning to apologize for my father's behavior the other night and was getting even angrier with him when Jacob told me that he was always talking about me.

Jacob suspected something was up so he wasn't very surprised.

I apologized again before hanging up the phone and spewing a few curse words at Charlie under my breath.

Charlie and I haven't talked since we had our little blowup and that was now a week ago.

I could tell that something was up with Charlie but I still wasn't on speaking terms with him so I never asked him about it.

Whenever Edward and I would go out to the meadow we would have the most wonderful time alone together that I just wished that I could stay in our special place forever.

I wished almost desperately that we would never have to go back to our houses again.

Or maybe we could just stay at Edward's house for a few weeks.

The thought brightened me and I smiled widely, betraying myself.

Being holed away for a few weeks in Edward's arms without any outside influences in our relationship would be a dream that I would never want to wake up from.

Edward and I had talked about our wedding and what we think we could do for it.

I didn't know if I would even end up telling Charlie that I was getting married let alone setting the date.

I would enjoy the idea greatly that maybe once I was eighteen and had my GED, then I could tell Charlie about Edward.

I knew that Charlie would react badly if he ever found out about us and most likely arrest Edward for anything he could.

I worried mostly about that.

Charlie and I didn't have a good relationship when I moved here; I doubt that he would let something like this slide at all.

"Bella? Love, what's wrong?" Edward's soothing voice brought me back to the present and I sat up in his lap, he smiled at me.

We were sitting in Edward's house watching a movie and snuggling.

I wasn't really paying attention to the movie and I could tell that Edward wasn't either.

"Nothing's wrong. I was actually thinking about what we could do for our wedding," I smiled back at him.

"Oh? What do have in mind, darling?" He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms tighter around me.

"I was thinking something small," I thought aloud.

"Well we don't really have many relatives. I have an aunt that I never really talk to, and you know that my parents had died so I am a solo part here. Are you planning on telling your father about the wedding or even about us being involved?"

"I trust Charlie, but not enough to where I would tell him about us and trust him to not call the police or completely loose his mind and do something crazy," I told him hastily.

"What about friends?" Edward asked after a minute of silence.

"Well, I had a few acquaintances but nobody that I would actually call my friend from when I was in Phoenix," I shrugged.

"Same. The only people that really talked to me were the teachers and they only cared about my intellect and opinions on difficult subjects," he smiled slyly at me. "But that doesn't matter anymore because I found the woman I love and plan to be with her until the day I die," he vowed.

"Well, Mr. Masen aren't you the real smooth talker," I smiled shyly at him.

"It would seem so," he said to me but his eyes were fixated on my lips.

I smiled to myself as I turned around in his lap completely and started to lightly kiss along his jaw line, he shuddered.

I ran my hands up and down his arms and onto his neck as I looked him in the eye, smirked, and kissed his lips.

His lips were smooth and soft along mine and our tongues danced together for several minutes before he pulled back and smiled at me.

"I am going to have to work my magic on you more often," he panted out, as he tried to catch his breath.

"What magic?" I tried to look innocent.

"My smooth-talking magic," he grinned at me, looking like a little boy.

"I don't know," I fretted.

"Is something wrong?" Edward looked at me with concern now.

"I won't be able to ever have a conversation with you again if you keep talking with your sweet words. You make me dizzy enough as it is," I smiled shyly at him.

"Oh? I do?" He hadn't lost the little boy face yet.

He started making patterns with his mouth on the skin of my neck as kissed all around, not missing one spot.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you looked today?" He asked in a curious tone and resumed his patterns.

"A few times," I reminded him, as I looked down at my tattered sweat pants.

We both know that it was more than a few times because anything along the same vocabulary as beautiful counts to Edward.

Magnificent, brilliant, sexy, stunning, and dazzling were some of the words that are used on a daily basis to describe myself.

"You are so beautiful," he purred in a seductive voice.

"You aren't so bad yourself," I grinned at him as his kissed started to go up to my face and along my jaw line.

"You are the only woman that I have ever known that could pull off sweat pants and still look so incredibly sexy," he winked at me.

"You know you already own my heart, you don't have to sugar coat it," I grinned slyly at him.

"I am not sugar coating anything, dear. I am simply stating the facts," he said with conviction.

"A fact?" I asked breathlessly as he recaptured my lips.

"Yes, a fact. A fact that when I say something to you than you should know that I am telling the truth. I love you and I am here, I will always be here. I couldn't leave you if I tried. Since I first saw you in the grocery store, you have stolen my heart," he whispered into my ear and gave it a light kiss.

"Did you want it back?"

"Never," he breathed.

Edward laid me down on the couch completely and sat above me.

He smiled slyly at me as he bent his head down to my waist and started to pull my shirt up slowly, kissing each inch of skin as he did so.

I was moaning so loudly that I was sure the neighbors could hear, and there wasn't anybody for at least a mile.

When Edward had finally gotten my shirt all the way off I was a flushed mess in his strong arms.

I tried to put my arms in front of my chest to cover myself up, but Edward was quicker than me and had my arms pinned to my sides in a second.

"Don't be embarrassed, sweetheart," he looked me dead in the eye. "I may have never seen a naked woman before, but you are absolutely stunning," he ran his hands along my torso slowly.

"I can't wait to make sweet love to you, my dazzling Bella," he grinned.

"I only want to be with you, forever," he kissed along my neck again.

"I want to be with you forever too, my Edward," he grinned when I used the possessive word on him.

My moaning started again as Edward resumed his sweet kisses on my neck and back to my mouth again.

He was slowly working his hands up my body until he reached my breasts.

Hesitantly he touched the underside of them, as if I would break if he were to use more pressure.

I moaned, trying to get him to understand that I liked it.

I probably liked it more than he would ever realize.

My hands moved almost involuntarily to his stomach as I lifted his shirt above his head quickly and disposing it to the ground in a quick movement.

Edward groaned when he had to release my breast and went back to his wonderful massaging.

My hands took work on his muscled abdomen as I felt out his muscles, it was a wonderful feeling.

I marveled in the feeling of his toned body while he lowered his mouth to my right breast and kissed it with reverence and then making his rounds to my left.

My phone rang then, interrupting our private moment of intimacy as Edward groaned and pulled back; something that I despised.

He ran over to my school bag and grabbed it out before he read, 'Charlie' aloud and handed it to me.

"I have to go," I moaned again, but this time in displeasure.

"I will see you soon," Edward promised.

"Can I call you tonight?" He looked hesitant, like he was unsure if I would say yes or no.

"Anytime," I tried to reassure him.

Relief lit his eyes and he smiled widely at me.

"I love you, my dear," he whispered as he pulled me in for a quick but searing kiss goodbye.

"You know I love you, too," I grinned as I pecked him on the lips one last time.

If I had any doubt about my relationship with Edward or even about what Charlie would think about us, it has completely disappeared.

Edward showed how much he cares about me by not only his words but his actions.

He would never pressure me into having sex with him, although I wanted to, I just wanted to wait until our honeymoon for us to become one with each other.

Edward wanted our physical relationship to go slow because our emotional one skyrocketed since the day we first met and it only seems to be growing more intense by the day.

I need Edward more each passing day the strength of our love holding each other together like a rope being tied to our hearts. If one went down, the other did too.

A/N: See! Jacob wasn't so bad! ;) OMG I'm so sorry my lovelies! My laptop (the brand new one) crashed after automatically updating through windows and I had to send it to geek squad! But it's back now and better than ever! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think.

Xoxoxo
~TLG