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Alright ladies this is the last chapter of Taking a Shot. Long A/N at the bottom.
Taking a Shot
Chapter Fourteen
Wrapping up the season was kind of bittersweet. It had been a tough one, but I wouldn't change it because it brought me Bella.
The weeks following the playoffs were busy. I spent most of my time packing up my apartment and making sure that the house would be ready for us. All the moving arrangements had been made and I knew I'd be glad when it was all over.
Bella gave her notice at the hospital and they even offered her more money if she'd agreed to stay. She told them she wanted a normal schedule and happily traded in her twelve hour shifts for eight hour shifts and free weekends. The first day she came home from the new practice, she was exhausted.
"Doc promised it won't always be like this," Bella said sleepily as she settled in on the couch next to me.
"Good. We're trying to avoid you being this tired."
Two weeks later, the movers came and we loaded up our things and moved into our new house.
We spent the weekend before we moved in painting. Bella had chosen a deep cranberry color for the morning room, oatmeal for the kitchen and family rooms and desert sand for the formal dining and living rooms. By the time we were done, there was just as much paint on us as there was on the walls, but we felt like we'd accomplished something.
I surprised Bella by hiring painters to paint the upstairs bedrooms and basement. We took a load of essentials over the night before the movers came and Bella squealed when she saw our bedroom. The walls were a pale grayish-blue trimmed in creamy white. It was exactly what she'd picked out.
"Oh, Edward … I love it."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, definitely."
"I love you," I whispered as I wrapped my arms around her.
"Mmm … I love you too, Edward, and I can't wait to christen every room in this house."
I couldn't either, but we'd have to wait long enough for the movers and my brother to leave.
A few days later, we sat in our living room amidst a ton of boxes – we'd worked so hard to get everything in the correct rooms, but it didn't go as planned. Bella worked furiously to unpack the kitchen while Cole and I worked on getting the surround sound systems working in both the family room and home theater.
We were enjoying a much needed break when Bella sighed and laid her head on my shoulder.
"Tired, baby?"
"Yeah. The kitchen's starting to look good though."
"Mmmhmm, we'll be able to cook in it in no time."
"We could cook out on the grill ..." I offered.
"We could if we had a deck," Bella snickered.
The deck would be my next project, but I wanted to wait until after Emmett and Rosalie's wedding to have the contractors start on it. The wedding was in two weeks and I was anxious to get the deck started.
Bella and I were planning a joint Fourth of July/ Housewarming party for our friends and family. My parents were coming back out and we wanted to have the deck completed by then so we could enjoy our backyard.
While Bella was at work, I waited for the delivery vans. We ordered quite a bit of new furniture to fill up our house. I splurged on an oak pool table and matching bar for the basement and I was excited to show Emmett.
The week before the wedding, we had to put unpacking on hold to help out Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett asked me to be a groomsman and Bella was a bridesmaid. Bella took a couple days off work to help Rosalie, and I spent some time running errands with Emmett. Cole tagged along happy to fuel Em's need to give me shit.
"So … when are you going to ask Bella the big question?" Emmett grinned.
"Yeah, bro," Cole piped in. "Or are you satisfied with shaking up with her? You know what they say … why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?"
The look on Emmett's face was priceless and I'm sure it resembled my own furious expression.
"Cole … don't push your luck, fucker. That's my little sister you're calling a cow."
I could only shake my head.
"What? I'm not sayin' she's a cow … she's definitely not. Damn, she's got a tight little ass ..."
Unable to hold back, I punched my brother and growled at him.
"Stop looking at my girlfriend's ass, asshole. No wonder you can't get a girl of your own if you talk about all women that way. What the fuck is wrong with you? Did you get dropped on your head too many times?"
I glared at him before turning my attention back to Emmett.
"I want to ask her. You know I do, Em, but finding the right time is a pain in the ass. First it was the playoffs and then it was getting the house ready and moving. It's been one thing after another and with her new job … I want us to be settled."
"Eddie … you know there will never be a 'right time' – whenever you ask will be perfect for Bella because she loves you, man. She wants it all with you – the ring, the house … the babies …"
I smiled knowing that I wanted that with her too.
We finished up our fittings and headed back to Em and Rose's to meet up with the girls. When we arrived back at the house, the girls were still out, so we grabbed beers and sat on the deck soaking up the last of the evening sun.
"So, Em. You ready for Saturday?"
"Are you kidding? I've been ready since I put that ring on her finger. She's the one who's kept me waiting."
"Maybe she's not ready to breast feed."
"Ha ha, asshole."
We chatted about the playoffs and who we thought would take the Cup. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Boston had a good shot at going all the way. Emmett thought Chicago had a chance while Cole agreed with me. Although I wasn't playing at the moment it was nice talking hockey again.
I was so engrossed in the conversation with Emmett and Cole that I missed the warm hand on my shoulder at first. I turned to look up at Bella, thoughts of my earlier conversation with Emmett and Cole popped in my head. They really had no idea how much I wanted to make Bella my wife.
I couldn't wait to call her Mrs. Masen and make babies with her. She was my world and I couldn't see myself not being with her for the rest of my life.
"Hey, baby. Did you girls have a good day?"
"We did. It was nice to spend time with Rose. It's been too long, and I missed it."
I pulled her on my lap and kissed her temple.
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."
Bella laid her head on my shoulder, and I snuggled up to her.
"It was nice, but now I'm exhausted."
"Well we better get you home then."
We said our goodbyes, and by the time we made it home, exhaustion had overtaken Bella. I could see it clearly on her beautiful face. After leading her into our bedroom, I slowly undressed her. Piece by piece, I removed her clothing revealing soft creamy skin. With each inch uncovered, I showered her with sweet kisses and gentle caresses.
When Bella was divested of her clothing, I redressed her in comfortable pajamas and lifted her in my arms. I placed her gently on the bed and crawled in beside her pulling the covers up as I went. I tucked her into my side as she placed her head on my chest above my heart.
"Rest now, baby."
"I love you so much, Edward."
"I love you too, Bella."
~oOo~oOo~oOo~
Emmett and Rose were married in an intimate ceremony in downtown Philadelphia overlooking the Delaware River. It was a small affair with only family and a few friends.
Rose was beautiful in a long white dress with her blonde hair pulled up and a princess veil placed atop her head. Tears welled in Emmett's eyes as he watched her approach him. It was a sight to see my good friend finally marry the love of his life.
Even as beautiful as Rose looked, my Bella was still the most beautiful woman. She wore a mint green strapless dress with her hair pulled up at the sides and held up by pearls.
When I had first seen her walk down the aisle, I had no words - she took my breath away. She was gorgeous, and all I could think about was what it would be like for her to be in white walking toward me; to become mine officially.
"Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?"
Bella giggled. "Maybe a time or two or three."
"Well no one in this room is more gorgeous then you, Bella."
"You may be biased, but thank you."
"Anytime, baby. So, when can we get out of here so I can take that dress off you?"
"Not soon enough."
We drank, danced, and partied it up until late in the night. Every time I tried to get Bella to leave early I was turned down. "Edward, it's my brother and sister-in-law's wedding. We can't be rude."
"I guess not." I pouted.
By the time we finally arrived back at our house I was hard as a rock and couldn't wait to get Bella out of her dress and inside her. We couldn't keep our hands to ourselves as we got out of the car and walked up the walkway. We managed to make it in the house and as far as the living room before we were on each other.
I pushed Bella against the door as we both urgently undressed each other. It was hard, fast and sweaty wall sex. It was the coming together of two bodies as passion over took us.
We eventually made it to the bedroom where I made love to her slowly and sweetly into the wee morning hours.
Over the next few weeks, while Bella worked, I researched on the internet. I was planning a vacation-a much needed getaway for me and Bella. I thought about Europe and Ireland because I knew those were options that Bella would totally love, but we only had ten days, and I didn't want to cram everything that Bella wanted to see there into ten days.
"Edward," she told me, "If you're really set on taking a vacation, I want to go somewhere we can relax. I don't want to run around only to get home and feel like I need a vacation from my vacation."
So, relaxing it was. I looked for a place that was beautiful and would offer Bella the peace she so desperately craved.
"Got everything you need?" I asked, peeking my head into the bedroom.
"Yeah, I think I've got everything packed."
"Good. Take one more look around the house – our suitcases are already in the car."
I made sure that everything was turned off and all the doors were locked. Bella met me in the doorway to the garage. I took her bag from her and stowed it in the trunk.
"Ready, beautiful?"
"Absolutely."
Bella's smile was as bright as the August sun, and I was more than ready for this vacation. The fact that I had a little blue box tucked into my carry-on had nothing to do with it.
Our flight time was a little over nineteen hours and we had a layover in Los Angeles. We were leaving on an evening flight out of Philadelphia and would arrive at our destination early in the morning nearly two days later.
"Going to tell me where we're going?" Bella asked as I drove us toward the airport.
"Mmmhmm. We're going to Fiji."
"Are you serious?"
"Very. You wanted somewhere we could relax. I chose Fiji because it's warm and beautiful – there isn't a lot to see there except for surf and sand."
Bella sighed as she looked out the window.
"What is it, baby?"
"This vacation must have cost a fortune."
"Bella … stop worrying about how much it cost and enjoy it. If this is the only way you'll let me spoil you, please give me this one thing."
We settled into our first class seats and got comfortable for our flight to Los Angeles.
"So many lights …" Bella mused as she looked out the window.
We were approaching LAX where it was early evening.
We found a restaurant to grab a bite to eat before finding the gate for our connecting flight to Fiji. When they called our flight, we grabbed our things and waited in the queue.
"I'm glad you got First Class for this part of the flight … I've never been on a plane for so long," Bella whispered as she plumped her pillow and pulled her blanket across her lap.
"Get some rest, baby," I whispered, kissing her head.
Bella and I managed to sleep for about four hours before she woke up needing the bathroom. She tried her best not to wake me, but I felt the loss of her warmth beside me and woke anyway.
"I'll be right back."
"Everything okay?" I asked when she returned.
"Yeah. You look wiped out, baby. You should go back to sleep."
We talked softly for a while before she raised the armrest between us and she snuggled into my side. We both drifted off for another few hours.
It was still dark outside when we woke and the flight attendants were coming through the cabin with beverages. Bella was quiet as she sipped on some orange juice, and I was thankful for the caffeine in the coffee.
"How much longer do you think?" Bella asked, still looking out the window.
I chuckled.
"What?"
"You're like a little kid asking if we're there yet."
"I can't help it … I'm not used to being cooped up. You fly a lot so it's probably nothing to you."
I did my best to distract her by whispering sweet, naughty things in her ear. It worked – for a while.
I was glad when we finally landed. Bella was over being stuck inside the plane, and she was anxious to get out and really stretch out her beautiful legs. It was early morning, the sky barely beginning to lighten.
As we walked into the baggage claim area, we found our driver waiting for us. He was holding up a sign with 'Masen' on it. We collected our luggage, and after the driver stowed it all in the car, we made our way to the resort.
We checked in, and the staff was attentive to our every need. Bella wanted to do nothing but stretch out and take a nap. I arranged for breakfast to be delivered to us in a few hours after we had time to rest. We were staying in a 'Bure' – a little cottage that was directly over the water. We had a private deck and private access to the ocean. Bella's breath caught as she took in our accommodations.
"This is amazing, Edward."
I worked hard to find something perfect, and I could tell from her face that I'd achieved my goal.
I carried our toiletries into the bathroom while Bella changed out of her traveling clothes. I walked back into the bedroom to find her splayed across the bed wearing only a pair of cotton panties and a thin tank top. She was sound asleep and absolutely beautiful.
I shimmied out of my own clothes, leaving on only my boxer briefs and climbed onto the bed beside her. As if she knew I was there, she snuggled into my side and sighed in contentment.
I was woken several hours later by a knocking at the door. Bella was still sound asleep. I knew that breakfast had arrived, so I pulled on some shorts and answered the door. I brought our food in and set it on the table out on the deck. Crawling up on the bed once again, I began to trace my fingers along the exposed skin at the small of Bella's back.
"Edwarrrrd …" Bella groaned.
"Come on, sleepy girl. Let's get some food in that belly of yours and then you can go right back to sleep if you like."
"I don't want to sleep my vacation away," Bella mumbled into the pillow.
I chuckled.
"Then get up, baby. Eat some breakfast and take a shower. It'll help you wake up."
We spent most of the day lounging on the deck of our Bure. I couldn't keep my eyes off Bella's body – she wore the tiniest bikini. She knew exactly what she was doing to me.
Our days were pretty much spent the same. We'd lounge on our deck, soaking up the sun. We talked – really talked, about anything and everything. Our conversations would always turn into talking about each other's needs and then we'd spend hours in bed, making love and worshipping each other's bodies.
A few days before we were scheduled to leave, I arranged to have a tent set up on the beach. I had a special dinner planned for Bella. She took a nap and while she was asleep, I left her a note to meet me on the beach when she woke up.
I was a little nervous, but I was certain that I didn't want to wait any longer.
Bella looked ethereal as she walked down the beach. She was wearing a soft white sundress that seemed to float around her. She wore her hair up but several tendrils escaped the clip she used to hold it up.
"What is all this?" She asked sweetly as I met her at the entrance to the tent.
"This, my love, is our dinner date."
"Oh, Edward."
I held out her chair as she took her seat.
"Wine?"
"Yes, please."
I poured the wine and watched her carefully as she smiled at me through her long lashes.
"I don't know what's more romantic … you planning all of this or you taking me to a cooking class."
"Probably this … it doesn't require any effort on your part." I grinned.
"Edward, this whole vacation has been so much more than anything I could have ever imagined. You are an incredible man, and I don't know what I did to ever deserve you – but whatever it is, I don't want to stop."
"Oh, my love. I feel the same way. I have to say that I thought you were going to make me work much harder to win you over than you actually did, but I'm thankful you didn't."
Bella stood swiftly and came to stand next to me. I pushed away from the table and pulled Bella into my lap.
"I'm sorry I ever lumped you in with other hockey players, baby. Two dates with you was all it took for me to stumble and I've been falling in love with you ever since."
My lips found hers and gently pressed against them. Bella turned her head and deepened the kiss. We made out like teenagers but our kisses were slow and unhurried. We had caught on to the idea of being on 'island time' and rushed nothing.
We were interrupted by the wait staff bringing our dinner. Bella stayed on my lap and we took turns feeding each other. Eating turned into teasing, and I knew if I wanted to follow through with my intentions, I had to get Bella off my lap.
"Come on, baby. Let's go watch the sunset."
Fingers intertwined, we made our way out to the sand. The sun was low on the water and the sky was a myriad of colors, a mirror of the water below it.
"It's beautiful," Bella breathed.
"Not in comparison to you, baby," I whispered in her ear as I stood behind her.
I knew my words would cause her to turn in my arms and just as she turned, I dropped to one knee.
"Edward … what?"
"Isabella Marie Swan … I promise to love you for the rest of my life. Will you do me the distinct honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears rolled down Bella's lovely face and her hands shook in mine.
"Yes …" Bella whispered. "Absolutely, yes."
I opened the blue box I held in my hand and smiled as Bella gasped and brought her hand to her lips. I took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger, placing a kiss to it once the metal reached its resting place.
I pulled her to me guiding her mouth to mine, a brushing of lips, soft and sweet. "You've made me the luckiest man alive, baby."
"Not as lucky as me, Edward."
Without another word I swept her into my arms, our lips fused together as I carried her back to our Bure, where I would cherish every inch of the woman in my arms. We made love till the sun began to rise and our bodies were exhausted.
My heart was full and my life complete; all because the woman of my dreams took a shot on me.
A/N: We want to thank all our readers who have been here since the beginning of this little story. We hope you love our Hockeyward as much as we love him. We are still planning on writing an epi for these two.
Since our Hockeyward is done we hope to finish up our Nascarward story In High Gear and repost from the beginning. We hope you'll put us on alert and come back for that story.
We also want to remind you in case you missed our blog post that we have decided to pull our Irishward story What Fills the Eye Fills the Heart and all the outtakes and alternate point of views. We will be doing this on July 25th in preparation for editing and publishing. As we stated in our post this is something we feel we need to do and hope we don't lose readers but understand if we do. We know there are conflicting thoughs on Pull 2 Publish stories.
Remember you can check out our blog twotwimoms . blogger . com for our ongoing future projects.