A/N: so this is the final chapter. There's still an epilogue which I'll post in a few days. In the meantime, I want to thank everyone who have read, reviewed and put this story on alert – you rock. Thanks so much. Here's a bit more (steamy) fluff to sum things up – happy reading x

Chapter Ten

The first thing I'd become aware of was that beneath these cotton covers that fluttered around me, I was naked, and that they felt nice and soft against my skin. I also knew that I was supposed to be cold, but from some reason I wasn't. Something felt warm nearby, throbbing softly against my ear. The rest was a blur. Beyond the stiffness of my body, my mind was under a blissful haze. All I remembered were sensations; everything else was still vague, numb, at the back of my mind, ready to be reawakened as soon as I was up. I didn't want to open my eyes. I wanted to hold on to them for a little longer, for as long as I could.

But then, a moment or two or dozen later, my eyes fluttered open, and a room swam into focus. Not my room, because grey didn't dominate my shoebox of a bedroom in the apartment I'd shared with Angela. Through weary eyes, I took in what I could in my field of vision – moving, for whichever purpose, was not an option.

I hadn't seen much of it in the darkness the other night, but I could see now how different it was to the warmth of the teddy bear brown living room. It wasn't very big, although bigger than my own. From wall to wall, it was covered in a fluffy grey carpet. A large window occupied nearly an entire wall, and I imagined quite a view coming through there, if not for the blinds, which were shut now. The bed covers were dark grey, almost black, perfectly contrasted with the sheets that had a pearly shade. The room was immaculate except for a trail of clothes that started at the door and ended at the foot of the bed. My purple top, thrown somewhere in the middle of this mess, stood out against the light color of the carpet.

There was a shift behind me, and his arm draped around my waist as he began to nuzzle my neck, somehow knowing I was awake. I giggled and pressed my back closer to his chest. "Can I tell you a secret?" he murmured huskily, pressing his lips to the skin beneath my ear.

"Oh my God," I mock-groaned; "They are your kids, aren't they?"

He laughed; the low sound rumbled in his chest and made me shiver. He held me tighter as if he noticed. His finger brushed along my arm until it found my palm. His hand covered mine for a moment before he laced our fingers together. "Today's my birthday."

In a way, it surprised me more than if he had admitted to be Lindsay and Josh's father. I turned and lay on my back, slowly letting go of his hand in the process. He hovered over me, propped on one elbow. He smiled down at me, sleep still in his eyes. "Have you tricked me to spend the night here so you could get yourself a birthday feast?"

For a split second his eyes widened in horror, as if he thought I might actually mean it. I chuckled; the relief on his face was instant. Bright pink still tinted his cheeks. I traced my thumb along one of them, fascinated. I hadn't met men who blushed before.

I let my thumb wander down his face, and eventually placed it on his lips. He smiled and kissed it. "How come you haven't said anything?"

"I don't like making a fuss about my birthdays."

That I could understand. "Me neither."

He lay back down and pulled me closer to his side. I rested my head against his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. His fingers threaded in my hair, gently untangling it. I closed my eyes; I loved it when he played with my hair. "How old are you?" I murmured, realizing just now that I had no idea.

"Twenty seven."

I absentmindedly drew the number on his chest with my finger.

"Therefore too young for your children theory."

I chuckled, too tired to look up and face him.

"Speaking of birthday feasts, though…" His fingers continued to comb through my hair, grazing my back every now and again. "My parents are throwing me a party. Well, sort of," he hurried to correct himself, as if he felt my body stiffening. "It's just BBQ at their place, but there's going to be a cake and everything."

This time I pulled myself up on my elbow and glanced at him suspiciously, trying to figure out what he'd been trying to tell me. My tiredness was all gone. Suddenly, my mind was painfully alert.

"I'd love it if you come."

I stared at him jaw-dropped. It felt as if I'd just lost to him in chess. "I thought you just said you didn't like making a fuss about your birthdays."

He pulled off an innocent face; I didn't buy it for a second. "This is different, since this lunch is forced on me. I just want to have one friendly face around," he said, and pouted as he touched a finger to my chin.

"You will have friendly faces there," I pointed out sourly. "Your entire family."

He smiled, and for a second I was sure he'd given up. I should have known he was simply putting his tactics together.

The next thing I knew I was on my back again, and he was hovering over me, his lips inches from mine. "Please, Bella?" he whispered, and pressed his lips to my pulse point.

A moan escaped me before I could remind myself to hold it back. He grinned against my skin and trailed kisses along the side of my throat. I lay there squirming and grasping the sheets, trying to resist the 'yes' I could feel on the tip of my tongue.

He dropped a kiss on the corner of my lips and looked up. His eyes were gleaming in the semi-darkness.

"When – when is it?" I heard myself ask.

"Today at one," he breathed, his lips feather light on my jaw. "I'll drop you at your place so you could change… and I'll come to pick you up later." I writhed, desperate for his nearness, trying to capture his lips in mine, but he was having none of it. "Okay?" he whispered, his tone seductive like I didn't know was possible. He kissed me, but pulled away after a second, promptly ignoring my whimper of protest. He did it again, and again; I'd yell at him for driving me crazy with want, if I could only find the words.

And it was still there, his request, clear against the emerald of his eyes. I mentally groaned. There seemed to be no getting away with it.

"Okay," I whispered shakily, nearly tearing the sheets with my fists.

"What was that?" he murmured, gently sucking on my earlobe.

"Okay. I'll come to your birthday party at your parents' house."

I wriggled beneath him again, blind with lust. This time he gave me what I needed. We kissed for a long time before the need for oxygen became more urgent than the need for him. I pulled away from him abruptly, and tangled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck to keep him close. His breathing was raspy, scolding hot against my already heated skin.

His lips curled in a hint of a smug grin. "It's impossible for me to take 'no' for an answer, remember?"

"Shut up before I'll change my mind."

His grin widened as if he knew I wouldn't.

xoxox

It felt odd to be back in the sunlight, the real world, after spending so much time in the enclosure of his apartment. Once outside our blissful, private bubble, it was only inevitable that awkwardness would sip in. We spent the ride to my place in complete silence, stolen glances at one another, and shy smiles whenever one of us got caught. Words felt unnecessary after everything that passed between us the other night, and this morning. When we were parked next to my building, we just kept sitting there, staring straight ahead, not speaking. Neither of us made any move to get out, or say goodbye.

At last I peeked at him from beneath my lashes. I tried to speak, but nothing came out. I cleared my throat, and still my voice was nothing but a whisper. "I'd better go."

He was barely looking at me, just from the corner of his eye. "I'll pick you up in a couple of hours." Then, as if he thought better of it, he turned to face me. His eyes spoke volumes.

We leaned towards one another at exactly the same moment. Our kiss was softer than any of those we had shared in the past twelve hours or so, sweet and lingering, an aftermath. Even after we pulled away he held my face gently between his hands, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Bella, I…" His voice trailed as if he didn't know how to continue; his eyes burned as if he did. Then, in a heartbeat, it was gone. He shook his head. "Nothing. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

But it was too late, because I'd already known what he wanted to say, but couldn't. I smiled and placed another kiss on his lips. "Me too," I whispered, and left the car before he could question it.

At this point, it seemed better to leave some things unsaid.

xoxox

I almost feared to go home, knowing Angela was waiting for me to return and report back. We hadn't spoken about it before I left the other night, but I sensed that she'd suspect I'd spend the night at Edward's. She saved me the embarrassment of talking about it beforehand, but I knew there would be no getting away with it now. She'd know as soon as I'd walk in. I'd have to tell her something.

I should have known that Angela, being Angela, would be more interested in the surprising news of me having lunch at her boss' place in less than two hours, than me spending the night at his son's. When Edward arrived punctually two hours later, she was supposedly more subdued, but mouthed text me as soon as he had his back turned to her.

"I should have brought them something. Flowers. Or a pie. Or… something," I told him, suddenly restless, as we got closer to our destination. It bothered me since we had left my building, but whenever I tried to bring it up, he dismissed my concerns. It was my first time at their place; it didn't feel right to come empty-handed.

"Don't be silly. They won't care about that."

"But I do," I protested, pouting. He kept his eyes on the road, but the way his lips curled was unmistakable. I rolled my eyes, but said nothing more about it. I looked around instead. I thought what it would be like to grow up in one of the dollhouses we'd passed, brick houses with perfectly mowed lawns, tin mailboxes and battered bikes thrown against the cobbled paths. I imagined him, growing up in a place like that.

A curb and two stop signs later, he slowed down considerably, and I knew the house before he drove into the front parking lot. It looked like the other houses in the row, but at the same time it was nothing like them. It was at the very end of the street, which provided the Cullens with more privacy than their neighbors. The house, two stories high, radiated wealth, but not in a way that made it stand out. It was clearly old, and yet perfectly preserved.

"Your parents know I'm coming, don't they?"

Suddenly, killing the engine required his full attention. "Umm, no. I didn't get a chance to tell them," he finally admitted, suddenly sheepish.

"Two hours wasn't enough time?" I screeched, suddenly regretting my defeat.

He laughed, and got out of the car. I didn't wait for him to get the door for me. Outside, the scent of jasmine and freesia was carried in the air, and I realized it was because there were a few bushes leading to the front door. They were perfectly trimmed, in full bloom. The wall by the door was adorned with vine, which laced its way to the corner of the house and up. The small parking space was occupied by two cars, a black Mercedes and a dark blue, sophisticated looking Audi. Edward parked parallel to the sidewalk, blocking the Audi.

He reached for me. I placed my hand in his, scoffing. He lightly kissed my forehead. "Relax. You've met them before, remember?"

"Yes, but not as your… as your…"

He tensed. So did I. "As my…?" he asked, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"Ugh, forget it," I muttered, and gave him the slightest nudge forward.

My pulse was suddenly erratic. I couldn't believe I had almost said it. I knew he could feel the cold sweat that suddenly moistened my hand, and I hoped he wouldn't comment on it. I glanced at him; a rather smug grin was stretching across his lips. I pursed my lips, hoping the moment would pass if I just ignored it.

Wordlessly, he led me along the path to the back of the house. What surprised me most was the silence. Edward had mentioned Emmett and the kids would probably be there, and I assumed that if that were to be the case, I would hear their loud voices by now, but there was none. I was about to ask him about it when the path suddenly stretched into a wide lawn.

I tried not to gawk. Their backyard was huge. The porch led to a wooden deck, on which a large grill was situated. I recognized Emmett by the fire, and Dr. Cullen on his side. It threw me off a little to see him dressed so casually, with no tux or hospital garb on. He was just as breathtaking. I gave the lawn another look around. Apart for a few stray toys thrown on the grass, the backyard was completely deserted. I meant to ask Edward where his mother was, but that was when Emmett happened to look up and notice us approach. He did a double take.

"I'll be damned!" he bellowed, loud enough for us to hear him on the other side of the lawn. By the time I realized Edward and I were still holding hands, it was too late to pull my hand free.

"Language, Emmett!" Esme, just out on the porch with a tray of defrosted hotdogs, scolded him. Emmett took the tray out of her hand and threw a meaningful look in our direction. Her eyes followed his, widening as soon as she noticed us. Emmett's expression turned smug when she shook her head and approached us.

Edward let go of my hand so he could give her a hug. "Honey, happy birthday!" she gushed. I didn't realize how tiny she was; she all but disappeared in his arms. Then, slowly pulling away from him, her eyes zeroed back on me. "Well, this is a nice surprise," she said, her eyes wandering between the two of us. "You didn't tell us you were bringing any guests." Her eyes, exactly like her son's, were gleaming when they met mine again.

"It was a last minute decision."

"I hope it's okay," I added, suddenly unsure.

"Of course it is okay, Bella!"

"You remember my name," I stupidly pointed out, a little taken aback.

She beamed at me, but didn't manage more when Emmett came over and wrapped an arm around her affectionately. "Of course she does, with him mentioning it pretty much around the clock – "

My eyes flew to Edward, who looked mortified. "Stop it," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

"You love it," Emmett protested, puckering his lips.

"Bella," Dr. Cullen was suddenly there, warmly shaking my hand. His voice was velvet, his smile dazzling. It took all I had not to stagger back. "Welcome to our house. It's lovely to see you again."

"You too," I smiled shyly. Their attention took me off-guard. I wasn't expecting them to remember my name, to be so welcoming and friendly. My mind wandered involuntarily to Emmett's statement, the one Edward had managed to intercept. I couldn't help but wonder what exactly was behind it. Had he been telling his family about me, about us?

"The kids…"

"Inside," Esme replied before Edward could even finish his query. "Josh has managed to cover himself in marinade, so Rose is helping him to put on a new shirt."

They managed to ask us a few more questions about the traffic and exchange a few remarks about the weather before we heard loud noises from the direction of the house, getting louder and louder. Upon spotting Edward, the kids squealed and charged themselves at him, yelling his name. The woman who followed them was as beautiful as I remembered her. She looked more like a model than an assistant kindergarten teacher, somehow glamorous in simple jeans and a cotton tee shirt. I didn't know why I'd expected her to limp – it had been a month – but she walked pretty normally as she approached us, kissed Edward's cheek and wished him happy birthday.

"You heard about Rosalie, I'm sure," Emmett told me, because Edward's attention was already diverted by Josh, who demanded to be picked up by his uncle. "Rose, this is Bella."

"Oh, you're Bella." The recognition in her eyes made my cheeks flare. Emmett's grin widened as if he noticed. "It's nice to finally meet you. We all thought he'd hide you forever."

"Maybe I should have," Edward muttered, throwing another glare at Emmett.

I didn't know how long Rosalie had been part of the family, but it felt as if she were one of them. Her use of we suggested it, as if they had all been one unit. Dr. Cullen and his wife seemed really fond of her, and she was clearly on friendly terms with Edward as well, teasing him and being teased.

Josh, still in Edward's arms, asked him in an audible whisper who I was while glancing shyly at me.

"She was our babysitter when Rosie was sick," Lindsay answered instead, and I was shocked she remembered. Although we had spent an hour or two together that evening, she'd been drowsy most of the time, and I hadn't seen her since. It seemed unlikely she would remember it so clearly. "You were asleep," she pointed out with a sneer, in an older sister superiority I never got to experience first-handed.

Josh's little forehead wrinkled in a frown. "But Rosie isn't sick no more," he told Lindsay. He clang to Edward, his tiny fists gripping at his neck, and looked at me suspiciously, as if I was there to steal the only mother figure he'd ever known.

"This is my birthday party, so I invited her," Edward told him. His eyes briefly met mine as he ruffled the child's hair. There was smile in them. It amazed me how at ease he seemed with them. It really was as if they were his.

"Bella is Edward's babysitter today, Josh, not yours," Emmett told his son, throwing both of us a look as if he could somehow tell what happened the other night. Everyone groaned at his remark, and it was clear they all had vast experience with his innuendoes.

Esme insisted on showing me the house, and to my enormous relief Edward followed. The house on the inside was breathtaking, completely different from its modest exterior. There was nothing ostentatious about the décor despite the expensive-looking suede furniture, several pieces of antiques and the few pictures that hung on the walls, clearly originals. It all looked worn out, but in a good way. It wasn't the museum you'd almost expected it to be. People obviously made the best out of living in this house.

I'd become calmer by the time lunch was over. Some of the tension had eased considerably by then, and I even managed to intercept a few of Emmett's suggestive remarks. Edward seemed impressed. And despite my initial giddiness, I discovered I was actually enjoying myself. The Cullens had a way of making you feel one of them without being too pushy or irritating. No wonder Rosalie managed to appear like one of them so fast.

Hating to lag behind his sister, after lunch Josh clung to my leg, and asked if I wanted to see their tree house, which was on the lower branches of a huge oak tree in the corner of the yard. Small logs along the massive bark led up towards it, a wooden structure that looked as if it had always been part of that tree. I eyed it fretfully, thinking it would probably collapse as soon as I went up there with him, but Emmett hurried to assure me that it was up there since he and Edward were little, and it had passed its test years ago, hosting certain adult activities that had kept it standing. I cringed. I really thought I was better off not knowing exactly the nature of this test. I simply hoped all evidence for it had been removed before he got his own kids up there.

Edward, feeling my hesitation, said he'd go up with us. That got a huge grin on Emmett's face, one which Edward promptly ignored when he hoisted me up the bark and then followed me.

It wasn't so bad, once I was convinced the floor wouldn't fall apart beneath us. The place was actually pretty well-stocked, with old-looking board games and cards and a few action figures for Josh, who couldn't play with the others just yet. The kids stayed with us until Emmett came to get them about an hour later. He winked at us before following them down. I mentally groaned. Glancing up at Edward, I could see he shared my feelings.

"I'm curious about something," I told him once I was sure we were alone. He eyed me questionably. "How many girls did you bring up here?"

"I'm sorry, you must be mistaking me for my brother," he made an attempt to tease, but the question clearly made him uncomfortable.

I scooted closer and wrapped my arms around his neck. "How many?" I asked again, a whisper against his ear. I smiled when I heard him gulp.

"You're the first since junior high."

I stole a kiss and loosened my grip on him, then lay my head against his shoulder. It was quiet up there, with the wind blowing into the treetops high over our heads, nothing but the rustle of branches. Loud noise came from the direction of the house. Emmett's voice sounded louder than anyone else's.

"We should get back." There was reluctance in his voice.

"In a bit."

He didn't protest, just held me closer.

I wondered if we were ever going to mention anything about what he meant to tell me in the car that morning, what I'd almost said back. A part of me preferred to keep things as they were – simple, uncomplicated. Being here at his parents' felt like too big a step as it was. Anything bigger than that would just feel overwhelming. And in a way, it scared me, because after merely a month together, those words, or the yearning to hear them spoken, shouldn't feel so right.

Besides, there was something I had to do first.

"I want you to come with me to Alice and Jasper's wedding."

He threw me a puzzled glance. "I thought I was already going with you."

I laughed softly at the hint of uncertainty in his half statement, half question. I looked up, and shifted until I was sat right in front of him. I kept my eyes locked on his, making sure I had his full attention before I spoke again. "Not as my date. I want you to go with me… as my boyfriend."

His lips parted in a soundless gasp. We'd never discussed titles before; it seemed childish. We'd never referred to each other as boyfriend or girlfriend; the thing between us had never been addressed as a relationship. But last night felt like a turning point, a significant step forward. Certain changes had to be made. The fact I'd almost referred to him as such earlier suggested what I'd already felt. We were ready. For this change, at least.

A smile slowly broke on his lips. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "I think I'll like that," he murmured, his lips suddenly inches away from mine.

I gasped in mock-astonishment. "Did you lure me up here for that?"

"It's okay," he whispered back, and there was a smirk in his voice; "It's a relatively known fact that tree houses are built for the purpose of bringing one's girlfriend over."

I raised one eyebrow. "Oh, is it, really?"

But before our lips so much as brushed against each other's, Emmett's voice was suddenly closer, extremely so, as if he was standing right below the tree. "Come down, you two, the cake is all ready and Edward needs to make a wish!"

Edward groaned softly and then leaned closer again, his lips curled in a tiny smile. He kissed me, briefly but very sweetly, and then got up and pulled me to my feet. I followed his lead down the tree. When I was close enough to the ground, he reached for my waist and lifted me off the last few steps, ignoring his brother again. Then, halfway to the house, he reached for my hand despite Emmett's wolf whistles. I laced our fingers together and lightly squeezed his hand.

Looked like he had already had one of those wishes covered.