The next nine months flew by so quickly. Looking back over those first months of our relationship, I'm always amazed at how swiftly Bella and I settled into a comfortable life, and also how the time flew.
About four months into our relationship, I asked Bella if she wanted to move in with me. It was almost silly for her to keep her apartment in Seattle. She was hardly there. Once she and I began dating, she was usually at my house. Bella readily agreed, and we had her apartment packed up in a weekend. Charlie was thrilled at the progression of our relationship and also the fact that Bella would be so close all the time.
I surprised Bella one evening after she had gotten home from Charlie's with a project that took me a month to complete, since I had to do it in short spurts when she wasn't around. The doors to the two spare bedrooms at my house always remained closed, because they were completely empty. I hadn't gotten around to purchasing a bedroom set for visiting guests and I didn't have any possessions to store in either of the rooms, so I turned one of them into a study for Bella. I wanted to give her a quiet place to do her writing and just have a place to call her own. When I showed it to her, her mouth hung open for a full minute before she turned and threw her arms around me. I couldn't have been happier that she loved it.
We fell into a comfortable routine. While I worked at the hospital, Bella spent her days writing or editing her work, or visiting Charlie. Alice and Bella grew close and she spent a lot of time at her and Jasper's house as well, visiting with the kids and giving constructive criticism on Alice's website design. I would arrive home most nights to a wonderfully home cooked meal, though I'd never expect that of her. That's just who Bella is. At night we'd read together in front of the fire or watch a little TV or a movie. Most nights though, we just couldn't wait to slip into our bedroom together. We couldn't get enough of each other.
And now, I was foolishly anxious as I debated between three ties to wear to Bella's book release party in Seattle. Her first novel was finally being released and there was a huge event being thrown by her publisher. We were going and spending the weekend in the city to enjoy ourselves. I was nervous for Bella and I wanted to look okay. Bella surprised me by being perfectly calm. I wondered if she truly wasn't nervous or if I was witnessing the calm before the storm.
The publisher had already sent three cartons of her finished novel to the house and I had been giving them out unashamedly to everyone I knew. I was one of the first, Bella said, to read the completed manuscript, and it really was genius. I had never read anything like it. My Bella sure has wonderful dreams and thoughts running through that mind of hers.
Another reason for my nervousness might have had something to do with the engagement ring in my pocket.
I had been waiting for the perfect moment to ask Bella to be my wife for months now, but the timing just never felt right. I wanted the experience to be memorable and exciting. I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled the ring box out once more to look at it. I couldn't wait to give it to her. I certainly hoped she liked the ring itself, but I was more excited about all of the things that the ring represented. Bella was the love of my life, and I couldn't wait to ask her to spend forever with me. I could only hope she'd say yes.
I heard Bella emerge from the bathroom and quickly stuffed the box back in my pocket, where it had burnt a hole many times before. I had actually had the ring for about two months, and for the first week, I carried it with me everywhere, admiring it and dreaming up ways to ask Bella to marry me. After a few days of that, I felt a little silly carrying it everywhere when I hadn't figured out a creative way to ask her, so I'd hidden it behind some books in the living room bookcases and prayed she didn't find it.
But this weekend was going to be the weekend. I knew when we arrived in Seattle, everything would be focused on the release. But after that, it was purely couple time, and I was going to do this – soon.
"Honey, are you almost ready? I'm just waiting for my flat iron to cool a bit before I put it in the suitcase and then I'm good to go," Bella said in her smooth voice that still drove me wild.
"Uh-huh. I'm ready. I chose the blue tie, you like?"
"Yeah, of course, Edward. I like all of your ties. I have to say, there are some really ugly ones out there and you don't own any of them. I'm so glad you're not one of those men that like wearing pink. That seems to be the 'in' thing these days. I just don't get it. I don't even like pink that much myself but men wearing these pink shirts and ties is just beyond me."
I chuckled at her little rant and moved behind her to wrap my arms around her waist. Most days, I still questioned my luck that Bella had come back into my life. I never wanted her to wonder how much I desired and loved her.
Bella sighed and leaned back into my embrace. Her bottom pushed right up against the ring box in my pocket, and a little surprised moan escaped her lips.
"Excited, are we? I wish we had time for a quickie too, but we'd better hit the road. How about when we check into the hotel? Christen the room right off the bat?" she said with a smirk.
I jerked back from her slightly, not wanting to give too much away that it was not my – ahem – manhood that she had brushed against. I couldn't help but whimper at her words.
When Bella and I had first gotten together and she told me the story of her rape and pregnancy, I fleetingly wondered if she would be able to enjoy a healthy sex life. Not knowing personally how traumatizing that experience could have been for her, I could only imagine what possible memories having sex might have for her. Thankfully, she seemed to enjoy it as well as anyone. And I couldn't get enough of her, either. I could probably count on my two hands the number of days we hadn't made love, and they were all due to colds, overnight separations, or feminine cycles.
I didn't know what a "normal" sex life consisted of, but I really didn't care. I'd have sex with Bella every day for the rest of my life if she'd let me.
I realized I still needed to answer her before she became suspicious, so I simply nuzzled her neck and placed light kisses up and down her throat. That was answer enough for her.
We finished packing up and hit the road. The whole way there we listened to our favorite CD's and held hands. Life couldn't get much better than that.
The party went by quickly and in a blur. Bella gave a wonderful speech thanking her publisher, agent, friends, family, and me. I felt honored to be included and was beaming with pride at her successes.
Before I knew it we were back at the hotel and ordering champagne from room service. I gave the pretense that it was a 'night of celebrations' and Bella said that she'd like to start out the rest of the night by taking a hot bubble bath.
Perfect, I thought. That gave me time to get everything set up.
Quickly and quietly, I began setting up the room with the props I'd brought. I sprinkled the rose petals around the room, concentrating on the bed and around it, and then lit the candles I'd strategically placed around the room. The wait staff rang with the champagne and I placed that in its ice bucket near the bed.
Bella emerged from the bathroom in nothing but a towel. She looked like a goddess with her hair pinned up into a bun on her head, wavy tendrils flowing softly around her face. Her skin was pink and moist, and I wanted to touch and taste every inch of it.
"Edward, what's all this?" She said in a delighted and surprised tone.
"Come here, Bella. I want to talk to you."
She immediately came and sat next to me on the bed. I didn't have a speech rehearsed. I wanted it to flow straight from the heart.
I angled myself towards her and she turned towards me as well. I took both her hands in mine and she began tracing circles on my hands with her thumbs. I looked her straight in the eye, and suddenly, I knew exactly what to say.
I slipped quickly off of the bed and knelt in front of her, and began speaking.
"Bella, these past nine months have been the best of my life. You have made me a complete person, by being yourself, by being with me. I have always and will always want to be with only you. Will you allow me to show you what you mean to me for the rest of our lives? Will you be my wife?"
The emotions coursing through me had overwhelmed me, and I was slightly choked up by the time I'd finished speaking. Bella was smiling and tears had gathered in the corners of her eyes, which were wide open and focused on only me.
Bella couldn't speak. She simply kissed me.
The kiss intensified and distracted me before I realized I hadn't gotten an answer. I laughed and pulled back slightly.
"Is that a yes?" I laughed.
"Yes, Edward, yes," she whispered. "I will be your wife. I want you to be my husband. I love you, I love you!"
I smiled a smile that could have snapped my face in two. I kissed her again and hugged her tightly.
"I love you, Bella. So much. I will spend forever showing you how much I love you."
I pulled back again to grab the ring where I had hidden it on the floor beneath the bed curtain, but Bella pulled me back to her, quite forcefully. I smiled against her lips and she kissed me, passionately, deeply. I groaned and pulled her on top of me, then lay back on the bed. Bella reached to her front and unwrapped the towel where it hugged between her full breasts. The towel flapped out behind her and I took it and tossed it on the floor.
"Bella, your ring. I want to show it to you!" I groaned against her neck as she assaulted me with kisses.
I don't know if Bella even heard me. We became so absorbed in each other that the ring was soon forgotten.
I ran my hands up and down her still damp back as we continued kissing, before I reached her backside and supported her as I rolled us over. I kissed down her neck to the valley between her breasts. I ran my hands down her sides and stomach before curving around her hips and down her soft, silky legs. I would never get tired of worshiping this beautiful woman.
Bella ran her warm hands on my back and shoulders as I kissed back up her stomach and suckled on her breasts. She tugged at the hem of my shirt and so I helped her take it off. I quickly unfastened my pants and slid those down along with my boxers.
I landed back on Bella and we both moaned at the contact of our nakedness. I put my hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms until I found her hands. I twined my fingers with hers and positioned myself at her entrance.
She nodded at me slightly and I knew I had her permission. I pushed forward slowly and steadily, wanting to allow her ample time to adjust. I felt her hips buck up against mine and withdrew. She angled her hips upwards and on my next thrust I knew I hit her G-spot based on her reaction.
We had become so attuned to each other's bodies that we each knew how to pleasure one another so completely.
We made love all night long, stopping only to hold one another or take a short break to change positions. I spooned behind Bella and caressed her breasts and held her tightly to me as I entered her from behind. Bella had me sit up slightly and lean against the headboard and then she straddled me as we hugged each other close. By four am we found ourselves back in the bathtub sipping our champagne.
"Bella, love… I never got to show you your ring," I murmured as I rubbed my hands along her legs as I sat behind her in the tub.
"I will see it Edward. And I'm sure it's beautiful. But it's the meaning behind it all that counts. I was so happy to have you ask me to marry you, that all I could concentrate on was my love for you."
"Mmmm," I sighed contently, as my fingers brushed her soft stomach.
It wasn't long before my fingers moved further south, and our short conversation was effectively ended.
