Bella

A week later, I wake up leisurely in Edward's arms for the third day in a row. My shifts at work are minimal for the week, and Edward has been checking in every now and then at the music shop, leaving it in the care of Tyler's capable hands.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," he whispers into my ear as I stretch.

I turn to snuggle up to him. "Mmmmm."

"Sleep well?"

I nod into his chest. "You?"

"You have to ask? I always sleep well with you. Next week's gonna suck."

I groan. "You had to remind me."

He chuckles and rubs his hands over my back. "I'm sorry, babe. Seven days. We can do it."

Before he met me, Edward bought a ticket to fly to Chicago this month to visit his parents. Jasper, being a close family friend, is going along. Edward tried to convince me to take Jasper's ticket, but Jane's taking the same week off and needs me to cover for her at the restaurant. And truth be told, the prospect of meeting his parents makes me a nervous wreck.

"At least Alice will be here to share the misery," I say.

"Let's not think about it right now." That lopsided grin I love makes its first appearance of the day as he leans in for a kiss, which I eagerly accept.

Kissing turns to touching, which turns to groping, which leads to even better things. If someone had tried to tell me after our first time together that the sex would get even better, I would've called them crazy. But somehow, it spirals to new heights every time.

Edward's luscious lips leave a trail down my abdomen, his head ducking beneath the blankets. My hands go into his hair when he presses a soft kiss on my thigh before looking up at me.

"We have three days until I leave for Chicago, and I plan to spend every possible minute in bed with you." He smiles. "I want you to have plenty to daydream about while I'm gone."

A warm tide of emotion spreads from my toes to my face.

"Mmm. There's that beautiful blush again."

There are no more coherent words after that. His tongue peeks out to taste me, and I gasp as it makes contact with the part of me that constantly craves him. At the mercy of his touch, any worries I might have had before melt away completely.

Edward

I love the way Bella's whole body flushes pink when I have her naked in my bed. After I make her come with my mouth, her body relaxes, and I kiss my way back up to take her face gently in my hands.

"I love you," she whispers.

"I can't get enough of you saying that."

She raises her hips as she kisses me, and I slide inside her and immediately have the feeling that all is right with the world. I've never felt as whole, as complete as I do when I'm inside her. I thank my lucky stars that she's on the pill. I don't want any barriers between us.

We spend the morning ravishing each other before deciding to venture out into public for lunch. As we dress, a chirping sound comes from somewhere under the bed. Bella drops to her hands and knees and comes back up with her cell phone and a sheepish look on her face, shrugging.

She peeks at the screen before she answers. "Hey, Rose," she says. I flop back onto the bed dramatically, making her giggle.

This could take a while.

She sits in the chair by the window, tucking her legs underneath her while she chats with Rose. Finally, she says, "No, we were just heading out to grab a bite to eat." I hope that means the conversation is coming to a close. No such luck.

I slide down to my knees on the floor, point to my stomach, and make a growling sound with my mouth.

"Sure. We'll meet you guys there," Bella continues, rolling her eyes.

I topple over, lying prone on the floor, conceding defeat as she says goodbye to Rose.

Bella stretches out over my back, bringing her face close to mine. "Are you alive?"

"Barely. You didn't feed me breakfast."

"Hmmm. I believe we're at your place, which makes me the guest, which means you feed me."

I hop up, grabbing her legs to keep her attached to my back. "Well then, I guess I should feed you. Let's get out of here."

"Put me down, Edward. I don't have shoes on yet."

"You don't need shoes. I'll carry you."

"Edward!"

"Bella, I'm starving."

She laughs. "Just let me put shoes on. Five seconds, and we'll go. We're meeting Rose and Emmett."

I let her down, and she runs back to the bedroom before trotting back. "See? Five seconds."

"More like eight," I grumble.

She laughs again. I love making her laugh.

Bella

I don't realize Rose invited Alice and Jasper to lunch until we get there. The four of them are sitting together at a table for six when we walk into the restaurant. I hug each of them, realizing how little I've seen of them lately. Once we're all seated and have our drinks, Rose clears her throat and flashes us a huge smile.

"So we wanted to meet with you guys before we saw anyone else," Rose says, positively beaming. "We have an announcement."

"You're pregnant!" Alice declares.

Emmett's eyes are about three times their normal size. "What?!"

"No! God, Alice. No, I'm not pregnant."

I have to bite back a giggle when Emmett breathes a sigh of relief.

Rose's smile grows wider. "So you know how we just got back our trip…"

"Yes, and?" Alice prods.

"We went to Vegas…" says Emmett.

"And we got married!" Rose blurts.

My jaw drops. I'm was pretty sure Alice's does, too.

Jasper is the first to speak. "Hey, congratulations, you two."

Edward offers his own congratulations while Alice and I sit in shock.

"But Rose," I begin. "I thought you wanted a big wedding."

She nods. "I know, but we started talking about wedding stuff, and it just became too much. When it came down to it, we just wanted to be married. We wanted it to be for us and nobody else. So we did it. Anyway, our parents won't let us get away without having a reception, so they're throwing us one in a few weeks."

Emmett reaches for her hand and kisses it. Alice jumps up to hug Rose, and I do the same.

"I'm really happy for you," I tell them as I embrace Emmett.

"Thank you," Rose says. "We are too."

Sometimes I'm afraid that when everything's going so well for everyone, something has to give. A fleeting sense of foreboding washes over me. I don't like it. I want to revel in my friends' happiness, but it just feels too perfect.

I squeeze Edward's hand, and he shoots me the adorable grin I love. I breathe a sigh of relief. I have to stop with these doubts. All I need is Edward, and as long as he sticks around, everything will be fine.

Edward

"I miss you already," Bella groans into my chest.

It's Sunday, and she and Alice are seeing Jasper and me off for our trip to Chicago.

"I know," I tell her, kissing the top of her head and holding her close. "I'll call you every day, okay?"

She looks up at me and nodded. My chest hurts when I see moisture at the corner her eyes.

I kiss both of her cheeks and the tip of her nose. "Don't cry, love."

"I'm sorry. I feel so stupid for crying. I know it's only one stupid week."

"Don't feel stupid, either. Take the week to relax and de-stress." I kiss her pretty red lips. "Because you'll need lots of energy for what I plan to do to you when I get back."

She laughs.

"Ah, success." I wink and draw her in for one more kiss. When we break apart, I sigh, an attempt to get rid of the heavy feeling in my chest. "I need to get to the gate."

Jasper's waiting for me by the security line, his arm wrapped around Alice. Bella squeezes me tighter before letting go.

"I love you," I whisper, brushing one last quick kiss on her lips.

"I love you so much. Be safe, okay?"

Nodding, I begin to back away slowly. "I promise. I'll see you in a week. Love you."

After Jasper and I make it through the security check, we both turn around to wave goodbye again.

"This is ridiculous, man," Jasper says, a pained look on his face.

I laugh, shaking my head and running a hand through my hair. "I believe we are both completely and pathetically owned."

Bella

"That Robert Redford is a complete hunk of man candy," Alice says on a sigh. She's stretched out on the couch with a pint of Cherry Garcia.

I dig into my own container of Phish Food, kicked back in one of recliners as we watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. "Mmmm. Paul Newman was quite the hottie, too."

We originally put the movie on because it's one of the only ones in the guys' apartment with any good eye candy. We both need a distraction.

"Know how pathetic we are?" I ask around a mouthful of chocolate fish. "Hunkering down in our boyfriends' apartment, eating ice cream while wearing their clothes? Alice, we're wallowing."

"We're not wallowing. Can wehelp it if they have a bigger, much nicer TV than we do? You can't watch Robert Redford on anything smaller than 52 inches."

"Truth," I said, nodding reverently. "And that's what she said."

She snorts, then laughs into a pillow. "I miss Jasper. We are pathetic."

After our giggles subside, she takes it too far. "Don't you think Robert Redford looks a little like Jasper?"

I peer at her, trying to discern whether she's joking. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. I mean, look. The floppy blonde hair? Strong jaw?" She sighs dreamily.

I laugh and gather the cartons of ice cream to take back to the kitchen. "Okay. I think your withdrawals are causing hallucinations."

"No! Bella, look! Edward sort of even looks like Paul Newman."

I scoff. "Now I know you're joking. Anyway, look at that pervy mustache Robert's wearing. I definitely cannot picture Jasper in a mustache like that."

Alice tilts her head to the side and wrinkles her nose. "No. You're right. But now I really want to watch Barefoot in the Park and see 'stache-less Redford."

"Well, that will have to wait, my friend, because I'm exhausted." I stretch my arms over my head, pick up my blanket from the recliner, and blow her a kiss. "Good night."

"'Night. I'm gonna stay up a little longer. Sleep well."

I walk down the hallway to Edward's room. I love that he and Jasper suggested we "house-sit" while they're gone. I knew their motives behind it when they asked. Edward's worried about James coming back to bother me. His place has a security system and a doorman. I don't mind much, and I didn't call him out on it. It's sort of sweet, actually.

Stretching out on Edward's side of the bed, I bury my face in his pillow and inhale. I refuse to wash his clean, manly scent from the sheets while he's gone. I'll do it the day he comes home, but not a minute sooner.

His scent makes me smile and ache at the same time. I pluck my phone from the nightstand. He picks up on the second ring, and I grin at the sound of his voice.

"Hey, babe," he says. "Going to bed now?"

"Hi. Yes, I am. Wish you were here to tuck me in."

"Me too. I miss you. Mom is thrilled with it, because all I do is talk about you."

From the way Edward speaks of his mother, she sounds like a saint. It makes me yearn a little bit for my own mother's attention, something I haven't had in quite some time. We've talked a little about my parents, but I try not to mention my strained relationship with them. I haven't spoken to either one of them in a long time.

"Yeah, right. You're just trying to get extra boyfriend points."

"You can ask Jasper."

"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now. Doing anything fun tonight?

"Nah. We're lying low. Probably hitting the hay soon myself."

"Huh. Let's see. You're an hour behind, so it's ten o'clock there? That's a little early for you, night owl."

He chuckles. "Can you blame me for wanting to get another day closer to being home?"

"Not at all. I feel the same way."

"Do you have to work tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Dinner shift." The thought of it makes me yawn.

"Then I'll let you get to sleep. I'll call you tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you, Bella. Miss you."

"I miss you, too. We're gonna have to do something about that."

"I'll be home in four days, and then I won't let you out of my sight for at least forty-eight hours."

"That could prove to be a problem with work and all."

"Maybe we could arrange something. Like…maybe you stay with me more? Or maybe you could…you know…move in."

My heart skips a beat. I don't know what to say, and he mistakes my silence for a negative answer.

"Bella, it was just a thought. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it."

"No, no. I was just surprised. I—I mean, I'd love that, but I mean…I can't just leave Alice with the rent and everything—"

He cuts me off. "You don't have to decide anything right now. We'll talk about it when I'm home. You should get to sleep."

Really? He expects me to sleep after that?

"Sleep well, love. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Good night, Edward. I love you."

"Love you, too. Night."

I end the call, plug my phone in, and settle under the covers for what will probably be a night of tossing and turning. But as my mind begins to wander, as it often does before I drift off to sleep, I only feel happy. Completely comfortable and happy. Edward just asked me to move in with him over the phone. Granted, doing so over the phone feels a little weird, especially when he's almost a thousand miles away, but it just feels…right.