Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.
The Birthday
"Excuse me, are you Isabella Swan?"
I glanced up warily at the teenage girl, giving her a short nod. Rose and I were waiting to get on our flight to L.A, and I was already tired from this trip. It was approximately the hundredth time I'd been asked that question since I left home this morning. And the thousandth since Edward and I had released confirmation of our relationship through our respective reps to the editor of People two days ago. It was nothing dramatic. Just enough information for the magazine to say we were dating. Carmen and Jane convinced us this was the simplest way to get it out there and every other publication would pick it up immediately.
"Is Edward Cullen really your boyfriend?"
There was the next question I was sick of hearing.
I gave the girl a smile, but nothing more before she was ushered away by Rodney. Even though she was harmless, it was still an odd feeling for me to be approached like that. Being recognized for my love life rather than my father was something that would take time for me to get used to.
Rose chuckled and shook her head at the scene, and I sighed when Rodney took his place beside my chair again.
Oh yeah, he was coming with us, too.
Rodney was the newest addition to my life, a bodyguard hired by my father. He'd been around for a couple days now, but it was hard to warm up to a guy who never smiled and looked like he ate nails for breakfast.
I was irritated, moody, and missing Edward fiercely.
It had been four days since he'd flown back to California with the promise I'd join him soon after. I'd had to appear at a fundraising event with my father in Orlando as well as deal with Carmen, Caius, and learning the regimen of my new "security" before I could fly west.
Do this.
Say that.
Stand here.
Don't stand there.
Smile.
Don't answer questions.
The list of rules and regulations in my head was ridiculous, and I was ready for a vacation.
"Is it worth it?" Rose asked, glancing up from the magazine she was reading.
I knew what she was really asking was if Edward was worth it. There was only one answer to that question.
"Yes."
He was. He was worth all of this and more.
I felt like a new person since meeting him. Like he'd somehow cracked the shell my life had been and was willing to hold my hand while I fumbled my way through trying to figure out my own path. He made me want to get up in the morning and try new things and really think about what I wanted instead of what everyone else around me wanted.
Also, my heart raced at just the thought of being back in his arms again.
Before Rose could question me further, they called out for first class to board. We gathered our things and made our way onto the plane, settling down in the quiet cabin. I texted Edward to let him know our flight would be taking off soon and smiled at his answer.
Hurry. I miss you.
As soon as we were in the air, Rose turned to me. When she didn't talk, I raised my eyebrow at her. It was like she was hesitating to say something.
"What?"
It was odd for her to hold back with anything.
She pursed her lips, watching me for a few seconds and then turned away. "Nothing."
I blew out a gust of air. Now she was making me nervous.
"What?" I asked again.
"Shit," she muttered. "I told Emmett I'd never be able to keep it to myself."
Anxiety flared inside me. If it was something coming from Emmett, it probably had to do with Edward.
"Please, Rose. You can't not tell me now."
What could it be? Was this all a sham? Did Edward have other girls I didn't know about and lie to me? Was I being completely foolish falling for him?
She tugged on my arm, making me lean closer until our heads were huddled together.
"Okay, you know how you and Edward were pretty inseparable the whole time he was in New York?" she asked, her voice low.
I nodded.
"Well, Emmett and I were kind of forgotten—which is completely fine and understandable. The point is we had a lot of time to talk about things." She bit her lip and looked down. "I was worried for you."
"Worried about what?"
She sighed. "I don't know. I guess I felt like I may have pushed you into something that would only hurt you in the end just to try and get you away from James. Every time I watched you around Edward, you had stars in your eyes. I started feeling guilty. Like you were already head over heels for him and there was no way it would end well. That he was too much of a player." She took a deep breath and met my eyes again. "I cornered Emmett one night, threatening and cussing and telling him if his brother hurt you I'd cut them both up into little pieces and throw their bodies in the Hudson."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "And what did Emmett have to say?"
"He laughed at me."
Huh?
She giggled at my confused face before grabbing my hand and squeezing.
"He told me to quit worrying. That if anyone was liable to bail first, it would be you."
"Please," I scoffed. "That's ridiculous."
"No, wait. Just hear me out." Her face turned serious. "Did Edward tell you he sees a therapist like every few weeks or so?"
"Yes. I don't think that's a big deal. I should probably see one, too." Lord knew I had plenty of issues.
She smiled. "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. In fact, it's good that he does it if he think it helps. Besides, everyone in LA has a shrink or a life coach." She laughed and I shook my head at her. "He's not like psycho crazy or anything. Just normal crazy. But Emmett was drinking and let more slip out than he probably meant to. It's nothing bad or I would have told you earlier. Actually, I almost spilled all this yesterday when you asked me why in the hell Edward wanted to be with you."
I still wondered why he did. It didn't make much sense to me. I motioned for her to keep talking.
"Okay, okay. So Emmett was rambling on about how he was happy Edward had met you, and I kept asking him why. He said he was happy Edward found you because he needed to be with someone stable. Someone outside the Hollywood madness. He said Edward was gone for you from the start and when he finds someone he connects to, he doesn't let go. That's what he meant about you being the one to drop Edward. He said that it was stupid for me to worry about you when the truth was he was worried about what would happen if you left Edward for being too much."
"Why in the world would I leave him?" It was hard for me to even imagine a scenario where that happened.
"I asked him that. Em just said Edward might end up putting too much pressure on you. You have a lot of other obligations—with your father running for President and all—and Edward doesn't really like to share. In fact, it was made clear that Edward likes to get his way and can be... uh... difficult when he doesn't. Em said even though Edward acts all cocky and confident, he's actually the most insecure person in the world. I kind of choked up when he talked about how lonely Edward was most of the time. It's weird to think about a superstar being lonely, but the way Emmett described Edward's life painted a bleak picture. As much as he's famous and loved, he's also very isolated. Emmett told me that he has a small group of people he hangs out with on a regular basis. Friends that he's had forever. People he knows he can trust. But that otherwise, he's reserved and keeps to himself because he's not comfortable with the mob-like fawning and pawing and clawing which always happens."
My heart hurt for him feeling that way. It was probably why he looked a little lost and a little sad whenever we were out in public. No wonder he'd freaked out a bit when I'd kissed him in that closet when we met.
"Anyway, Emmett just said you're the first person in a long time who has made Edward happy." She let out a laugh. "He told me he kept drilling into Edward's head not to move too fast with you or push for too much too soon, but that he didn't listen at all and luckily you seemed to be eating it all up." That made me blush before she turned serious again. "Em said he hopes when Edward starts demanding more—and it will happen—you won't let it scare you away."
It was a lot to take in, and I didn't say anything for a couple of minutes. What Emmett didn't factor in was that it was possible I felt more dependent on Edward than he did on me. And Edward wanting me wasn't a point against him in my mind. It was exciting and flattering and surreal.
Was it really possible Edward craved me even half as much as I longed for him?
"I didn't realize Emmett would prove to be so insightful," I said, meeting her eyes again.
She laughed. "Yeah, me either. But he made a lot of sense."
I sighed. "Nothing you said scares me in the least. It makes me want him more, not less."
Her eyes danced and she squeezed my hand. "That's exactly what I told Emmett."
~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~
"Is there Prozac in the water out here or something?" Rose asked as the car Edward sent for us sped off from the airport. "Everyone's smiling and it's creeping me out."
I shrugged. It was odd for me too. We were both hardcore east coasters. In our world, someone being too happy was considered a mental illness.
Rose tried chatting up Rodney again on the drive to Edward's house, and I watched the scenery pass by out my window. When the concrete and skyscrapers gave way to lush, green lawns and mansions, I knew we were getting close. My body vibrated with excitement to see Edward again.
We entered his gated community and finally pulled onto a secluded drive.
"Wow," Rose said as the car reached the house.
It wasn't really a house, though. It was more like an estate. The Spanish Colonial style architecture was definitely different than I was accustomed to in the homes I'd lived in throughout my life, but no less elegant.
I didn't wait for the driver to open my door, jumping out myself and rushing toward the front. Edward must have had the same idea, because he threw the front door open before I'd even reached it, and had me wrapped up in his arms before I could say hello.
His lips crashed down on mine as he pulled me inside and pressed me into the wall. I put my arms around his neck, trying to bring him even closer. We were probably making quite the scene, but I didn't care.
Evidently time apart had a way of easing my anxiety over PDA.
He tore his lips away, breathing hard as he nipped at my neck. "I fucking missed you."
I gripped his hair to keep him where he was. It felt so good.
"Did you miss me?"
"Yes," I moaned when he sucked under my ear.
He stopped his kisses, hugging me to him tighter. It felt like he was trying to breathe me in with his face buried in the crook of my neck. I tried to pull back to make sure he was okay, but he kept his grip around me firm.
"Just let me hold you for a minute," he said, making my heart pound even harder.
He could hold me as long as he wanted to. There's nowhere else I'd rather have been.
When we finally came up for air, Rose and Rodney were both standing inside with our bags at their feet.
"Who the fuck are you?" Edward asked, keeping me pinned to him and glaring at Rodney.
I rubbed his back. "That's Rodney. I told you he was coming. He's going to stay at a hotel."
He made some grunt and turned back to face me. "Well, you're with me now. He can leave."
I probably should have told him not to be so rude, but it also made my blood race that he got pissy with another male around me.
Ugh.
I really did need to see a psychiatrist because I had major issues.
After Rodney left, Edward was all smiles again, leading us through the house.
"Come on. Leave those bags here. We'll get them later. I want you two to meet some friends of mine."
I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. I smoothed down my hair and skirt, wishing I'd had a little more time to prepare myself before meeting his friends. He hadn't told me it would be as soon as I got off the plane.
Edward pointed out the different rooms along the way, and we were greeted with the sounds of music and laughter before we even stepped outside to the backyard.
Everyone fell quiet when we walked out, and I felt more self-conscious than ever. There were three guys and two girls. They were sitting on deck chairs beside the pool, each of them turning in our direction. Edward put his arm around my shoulders, and it seemed like five sets of eyes narrowed on that action and focused on me with looks of curiosity and concern.
"Hey guys, this is Bella and Rosalie." Edward steered me closer to the table, Rose following behind. "Bella, Rose, this is Eric, Angela, Ben, Garrett, and Kate."
Kate.
A spurt of jealousy ran through me. She was the one Edward had supposedly been with for all these years. Or at least that's what most of the world thought. He'd assured me they'd never been more than friends, but I still felt somewhat caught off guard and at a disadvantage. Especially since she was giving me a judgmental once-over.
Eric was the first to stand up and come over to shake our hands. "It's good to meet you. Edward's told us all about you."
"It's nice to meet you, too," I said, giving him a smile.
The others warmed up some after that, each of them greeting us in turn. Edward pulled over a few more chairs so we could join them. My stomach fluttered when he hooked his foot around mine under the table and kept my hand in his.
We drank beers and wine, sitting there for hours as his friends did most of the talking. That was completely fine with me. I was nervous enough to know the babbling that would erupt if I tried to talk too much. This group of people meant a lot to Edward, and their acceptance was important to me.
Important for any future I might have with him.
I did learn that Eric and Garrett were lifelong friends of Edward, all of them having grown up in the same hometown. Garrett was into the music scene, both writing his own music and playing it with his band. They weren't a big hit yet, but he refused to let Edward use his influence to garner him more attention. Eric, on the other hand, had gone the college route. He moved down to L.A. after graduating from the University of Washington and now helped take care of Edward's money.
Angela, Ben, and Kate were all fellow actors, having met Edward on movie sets over the years. None of them were as highly celebrated as him, but Kate came the closest.
She was the only other one at the table who remained as quiet as me, but every time my eyes flickered in her direction, she was watching me.
I tried not to fidget under her surveillance, but it started to make me a little uncomfortable.
"So we were drunk and soaked from the pool and trying to get our asses over this fence before the cops could get through the gate," Garrett said, choking with laughter. "And Edward gave me a push over before trying to climb himself. The next thing we knew, another cop was standing there on the other side, shining a light right in our eyes and shaking his head. When I looked over at Edward, he was buck naked with his shorts dangling from the top of the fence."
I giggled along with everyone else, trying to imagine a sixteen-year-old Edward breaking rules and getting busted. It wasn't that difficult to imagine.
"Then Edward starts yelling 'I just got out of the pool! The water was cold! There was shrinkage! Significant shrinkage!' I was literally rolling around on the ground dying from laughing so hard. The cops must have found it amusing too, because they just drove us home and told us not to swim in anymore private pools."
Edward shook his head and shrugged, an unapologetic smile on his face. "What can I say? I was on a Seinfeld kick that summer."
The afternoon was filled with similar stories, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Edward's life through his friends' eyes. Plus, Edward was laughing and joking and tossing out stories of his own. It was nice to see him in a setting—one outside my penthouse—where he was so relaxed and carefree.
Emmett showed up a little later, stocked with enough food to feed an army. When everyone got up to fill their plates, I excused myself to freshen up in the bathroom.
When I finished and opened the door, Kate was standing there in the hall. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous, but I took a deep breath, anticipating some sort of confrontation.
She just stood there, her arms crossed over her chest, and raised her eyebrows as if she was waiting for me to say something first. It was hard not to be a little intimidated by her beauty. She was stunning. There was no other word to describe it, even if she was dressed in grungy clothes and her hair pulled back in a casual ponytail. She was blonde, beautiful, and the dream girl of likely every male in existence.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and moved out of the doorway and away from her. "It's... um... all yours."
She stared at me for a moment before rolling her eyes and huffing as she walked in and shut the door. My stomach twisted with nerves. I didn't know what that was all about, but it couldn't have been good.
I knew that Edward and I making our relationship public also affected her. I had avoided the tabloids and internet on purpose, but I imagined the uproar and questioning surrounding Kate was immense. Perhaps she was seeking some sort of explanation or apology from me for essentially dragging her into this drama too. Edward had told me he talked to her about it all beforehand and she was fine, but I wasn't so sure.
"Everything okay?" Edward asked, pulling me to him in a hug when I made it to the kitchen.
I nodded and wrapped my arms around his waist. It wasn't perfect, but everything was better when I was there beside him.
"Come on. Let's grab some food before Emmett eats it all."
I chuckled and let go, taking the plate he held out for me.
The rest of the night went by without incident, all of us remaining gathered on the patio. But I couldn't shake the feeling Kate considered me an unwelcome visitor. She never said anything outright, but she also didn't once engage with me or give me so much as a smile the rest of the night. Edward didn't seem to be aware of any tension, and I wasn't going to be the first to question one of his best friends.
No way.
I hoped it was simply the newness of the situation, and that the ice would thaw over time. In the meantime, all I could do was try to be as friendly as possible.
If worst came to worst, I could always have Rose cut her into tiny pieces and dump her in the Hudson.
~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~
I walked out of his bathroom to find him sitting up in his bed, his back against the headboard, already stripped down bare.
"I like seeing you in my bedroom," he said as I walked toward him, a sly smile on his face.
And I liked being here. I chuckled a little at the sight of him swimming in that monster of a bed. It was huge, but it fit him perfectly. Like it was made for a king.
It was nice to be alone with him again. No friends. No Emmett and Rose. Just us.
He watched me as I climbed on the bed, looking every bit the predator. It didn't surprise me at all when he reached over and grabbed me to pull me closer. I ended up situated between his legs, my back pressed to his chest.
"Rule number one in this bed: no clothes." He quickly lifted my nightie off and rid me of my panties.
I laughed and leaned back against him, my head resting on his shoulder. "You have rules?"
"Not very many. There's only one that's regularly enforced."
I closed my eyes when he brushed my hair to the side and kissed my neck.
"So, we've announced we're together, you've met my friends, you'll meet my family tomorrow... you know what all this means, right?"
I tilted my head to give him more access. His lips felt so good. One of his arms wrapped around my upper torso, his hand cupping my breast, and his other arm snaked around my waist, keeping me pinned against him.
"No. What does it mean?"
His mouth stopped right next to my ear. "It means you're mine, Bella Swan."
My breath caught when he reached out, grabbing my inner thigh and pulling my legs apart. His hand returned to my stomach before slipping further down.
Down, down, down.
Oh, my God.
His warm fingers trailed along my skin, rubbing right there where it felt so good. His nose slid along my jaw before his tongue flicked a spot on my neck.
"You have a freckle right here." His lips kissed that spot softly, contrasting with the more unrelenting movements of his hands. "It's mine."
My breath hitched when his hand moved from my breast to my side and down to my hip.
"This tiny birthmark on your hip is mine."
His hand slid back up my stomach, splaying out flat against my chest.
"Your mind, your heart, your body. They're all mine now, aren't they?"
I was too busy enjoying the way his fingers were moving against my lower parts to answer, but he got my attention when he stopped. His grasp around my body tightened, keeping me pressed to him, almost to the point of being rough.
It was... thrilling?
"Aren't they?" he asked again, his voice almost a growl.
What was he doing?
I nodded. "Yes."
His hand started moving again, a moan falling from my lips when he slid a finger inside me. I was slick with want for him, squirming against his hand. I whimpered when he added another finger, curling them to hit a spot that had me close to exploding . Without thinking, I clenched my thighs, my legs subconsciously moving closer together. He didn't like that one bit, his hand immediately moving back down to push them wide apart again.
"Keep your legs spread."
He was always somewhat in control in bed, but he'd never been quite this dominating before. I wasn't sure the reason for the change tonight, but I'd never been more turned on in my life. Each demanding touch of my body, each forceful murmur in my ear, each heavy breath against my skin sent an electric jolt of arousal through me.
"Do you know what you need, Bella?" My legs trembled as he continued stroking me.
I shook my head.
He placed his lips right on my ear. "You need a good, hard fuck."
My entire body flushed, his words literally making me overheat. He was killing me. I was an aching, quivering mess.
"You've been tense, worried, your head is too full of other nonsense. I want you to be thinking only of me. Only me. After I fuck you, you won't care about anything else."
I was already close to coming apart, but I tried to hold back. His words and actions had me so excited, I wanted to savor every second.
"You want it, don't you? You need it." He groaned in my ear. "You're so fucking wet. You want this. Tell me."
I did.
I may have made a sound or a nod or something, I wasn't sure, but suddenly Edward had moved to flip me over on my stomach. I was pressed facedown on the sheets with his weight covering me. He slipped his arm under me, lifting me by my waist and placing a pillow under my hips. His weight returned, his chest pressing down on my back while he straddled my legs. He brushed my hair over to one side, and I shivered when he breathed heavily in my ear again.
"You love this, don't you? I can feel you under me, trying to arch your back, wanting me to take you."
I was panting. I'd never needed anything more.
His fingers moved to rub me once more before they were replaced and he was pushing inside me. I cried out when he filled me all at once. Not from pain, more from surprise at the intensity. This wasn't the gentle, slow lovemaking he'd given me before.
It was hard. Fast.
And it felt amazing.
His hands slid down my arms, until he'd twined our fingers together into fists on top of his sheets. He never slowed, his thrusts hard and deep.
"I want you to feel this for days. Feel me."
He was all I could feel. Every one of my senses was consumed by him.
Only him.
He was right about being able to make me forget everything else. I squeezed his fingers between mine, urging him for more and more and more.
The sounds of our moans and grunts filled the air, along with the slapping of our skin each time he drove me into the mattress. It was frenzied and primal. Satisfying on every level.
His forcefulness, the energy between us, and the way he hit a spot inside me with each thrust had me crying out when I came. The pleasure rolled through me like fire.
It was the most intense experience of my life.
"Fuck. You feel so fucking good." He groaned against my neck as he pushed deep one last time, his teeth scraping my skin.
We were both breathing heavily, locked together and coming down from our highs. I loved the way he still covered me, like he wanted to prolong the connection as much as I did.
In fact, I felt a little empty when he eventually lifted himself off of me to lay by my side.
I opened my eyes and glanced over at him. He was staring right back, a smile on his face.
He put his arms around me, pulling my body flush to his. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. "That was... wow."
Wow didn't even begin to describe it.
He laughed and kissed me. "God, I've missed you." He buried his face in my hair and nudged a thigh between my legs. "I don't think I've slept since I left New York. You just fit so perfectly here against me. With me."
I brushed my fingers through his hair and glanced at the clock. It was after midnight.
"I missed you, too. Happy Birthday."
"You being here is the best birthday present ever."
My heart stuttered and I melted against him as his breathing slowed and he fell asleep wrapped around me.
I placed my hand on his chest, comforted by the beat of his heart. I couldn't deny any longer that I was falling hard for him.
I loved him.
I only hoped despite the obstacles we faced: my mother, my father's campaign, the long distance, forced time apart, angry fans, likely Kate, and possibly his family—who I would meet in a few hours—that he would love me back anyway.
AN: What's up with Kate? Do you like an Edward who knows what he wants?
Next chap is meeting the Cullens.
Thanks go to George Costanza, Anna Kendrick, and New Moon Edward for inspiring lines in this chapter.
Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.
Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76
Fic Recs:
Stay by FictionFreak95
The Practicum by TheFicChick
OPERATION: Break the Dawn by katinki
In the Shadow of Your Heart by BellaFlan (a little birdy told me this would be updating and complete very soon)
State of Love and Trust by MrsSpaceCowboy and BellaFlan
Also, it's iambeagle's birthday in a couple days. Make sure to check out all of her great fics and leave her some love!