A/N: Chapter twenty-one! Ah. Yes, so I'm sorry this took so long. Exam's suck – a lot. And today thankfully is my last one!
I tried my hardest to make this chapter a good one. I think I have successfully made this my longest chapter! They just keep getting longer.
Thanks for being patient! So enjoy!
B.P.O.V
The next morning, after Edward and I were well rested, we were back on the road heading for Phoenix. It was only another five hours until we were at Renee's, and from this point on I didn't need directions. I had both my bare, sockless feet planted firmly on the dashboard in front of me, tapping my hand on my leg to the song that was playing. Edward had plugged his iPod in and had some MGMT going. The windows were rolled down; the hair that I had finally tamed this morning was now flying all over the car. The warm Arizona breeze felt too good against my skin. I hadn't been here since last July, and to be honest, I kind of missed it. Edward was driving because he insisted, like he did with most other things. In the driver's seat he was bobbing his head and beating his hands against the steering wheel in time with the music. I loved how carefree we were with each other. I would feel like a complete moron doing this with anyone else – well maybe except Alice and Jasper. As he kept speeding down the interstate towards Phoenix I felt a rush of excitement wash over me – I was excited to see Renee and Phil and I was excited to be back in Phoenix again...but more than that, I was excited for Edward to meet my mom. And he seemed perfectly okay with all of this too, which was more than I could have asked for. With Charlie he had been a mess of nerves, but he probably felt that he could charm my mother more than he could charm my father; which is true.
"Okay, so take the next exit, that one," I told Edward, pointing to a sign that was passing us. We were so close to my house and I was getting more and more excited the closer we got. Edward pulled off the highway at the exit I told him to, and from then on I directed him for ten minutes until we turned onto the street my mother lived on. We drove down the road, reaching the very end, before we came to a stop in front of the fairly small, familiar house I remembered. Renee had planted dozens of things in the front yard, it was absolutely covered. I laughed when I saw it. She always had these insane projects that she got herself into – pottery, planting, yoga, cooking. I shuddered at the thought of her cooking. Sometimes her meals weren't even considered edible. I knew that I would have to take over the cooking this week if we wanted to eat something that was half decent. And I was most definitely cooking Thanksgiving dinner – not just for the sake of food, but for the sake of our health. Edward stopped the car and gave me a tiny, cute nervous smile.
"You ready for this?" I asked, squeezing his hand that was placed face up on the console. He nodded firmly and brought my hand to his face. His kissed the back of my hand, his lips lingering on my warm skin.
"More ready than I was to meet your dad." I laughed at him. Renee would absolutely love him.
"Well you don't have to worry about her, she'll love you," I assured him. I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. They were soft and warm and wet, he had just licked them a minute before. And he tasted heavenly. I nipped playfully at his top lip before I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door. When I stepped out I heard the front door of the house opening, and a high-pitched squeal erupted from Renee.
"Bella!" She yelled, hurrying down the walkway. I laughed and ran to her, not even bothering with my bag right now. I was immediately consumed in my mom; her loving, mothering arms were around me, crushing me into a hug. She smelt of cookies and vanilla and warmth. I basked in it, I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her because I had been mad the last time I saw her.
"Hey mom," I managed to say as she crushed me to death. "Okay can't breathe," I told her after a minute. She laughed lightly and pulled away, her eyes almost glazed over in happy tears.
"Sorry sweetie, I'm just so happy to see you," she said, kissing me on the cheek. Edward must have come over by now because Renee squealed like a child again and dodged past me. I turned around and saw her embracing Edward too; he wrapped both his arms around her and gave me a fleeting look.
"Oh Edward it's so good to finally meet you!" Renee exclaimed, I'm sure crushing Edward like she had been crushing me. Edward soothingly rubbed her back.
"It's nice to meet you too Renee," Edward replied, laughing a little bit. I was always so entranced and dazzled by what he said and did. My mother finally let him go and gave him a good once over before turning back to me. She gave me a very blatant thumbs up and winked, laughing her way back into the house.
"Grab your stuff and get in here," she said, disappearing into the door. I blushed like mad, she was so embarrassing sometimes.
"Oh god...I shouldn't have been worrying about you this entire time, I should have been worrying about me. Do you realize how much she is going to embarrass me this week?" I asked, still as red as can be. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and towed me back to the car.
"Don't worry Bella. I would love to spend this entire week hearing embarrassing stories about you." I glared at him. He thinks it's all so hilarious.
"Great. If I don't die of embarrassment from this week I'm getting every embarrassing detail of your life from Carlisle and Esme during the Christmas break." He lost his smile and bit his bottom lip. Ha, Edward Cullen, you've met your match.
"Touché," he replied, opening the trunk. He took both our bags in one hand and snatched my hand up in his other. He refused to let me carry my own bag. We walked hand in hand into the house and the smell of cookies entered my nostrils as if I were walking into a wall of cookies. It was delicious...but I feared for the cookies; they couldn't be at all fit for human consumption. I gulped loudly and Edward inhaled deeply next to me.
"Smells delicious," he said, proceeding further into the house. We walked through the living room to where the kitchen was and saw Renee flitting around the small space in an apron, cookie batter and already baked cookies everywhere. Every surface of the kitchen was covered in either cookies, or utensils used to make cookies. I became immediately concerned. Since when did she make cookies? I stepped into the kitchen and saw Phil sitting at the dining room table, his injured leg propped up on a chair nearby.
"Hey Bella," he said, smiling at me. Before when they had first got married I hadn't really had anything against Phil. He was really nice and my mom seemed to really like him. But when they got married I was bitter to him, and didn't really talk to him very much. But right now...that all seemed too childish. And Phil was good to her, he loved her...and she loved him. So I smiled back as convincingly as possible – because I still needed to build him back up as a good person in my mind – and walked over to him. I bent down and awkwardly hugged him because he was sitting down.
"Hey Phil. How's the leg?" I asked, noting the large metal brace encasing his knee. He frowned at it.
"Not so good. I tore some tendons and ligaments. I had surgery a while back, but I still need to have physiotherapy. Doctor says hopefully I'll be able to play again by next fall." He had little hope in his voice and I felt bad for him. Since I'd known Phil he had lived for baseball; it was his passion. And it almost pained me to see him so upset over it.
"Well hopefully that's the case," I told him in an upbeat voice. "And Phil this is Edward," I said this turning around. I walked over to Edward and brought him over to Phil. They shook hands like the macho men they were.
"It's good to meet you," Phil said, releasing Edward's hand. "Renee hasn't stopped talking about you two since she found out you were coming." Renee made a noise of protest from the other side of the kitchen. "Oh honey stop that. You know its true," Phil said, grinning at her. Renee quickly gave up. She was stubborn but most times she was a pushover. I leant down to Phil so she couldn't hear me.
"Uh I'm kind of concerned. What's with the cookies?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled and clutched at his sides. He knew that I knew Renee wasn't a cook.
"Don't ask. She's been doing this all morning. I hope they're safe to eat; they smell good." Phil was still laughing, and trying to keep this fact from my mother. I turned to Edward who had a puzzled look on his face.
"Okay I'm going to put my stuff in my room. Edward's all set up in the guest bedroom right?" I asked my mom. She nodded her head without turning around because she was furiously beating at some cookie batter in a bowl. I shook my head and left the kitchen with Edward. He grabbed our bags again and followed me down the hall. My room and the guest bedroom were on the ground floor and the bathroom and the master bedroom were on the second floor. I opened the door to my room and it looked exactly the same since the last time I had been here. The bright, green walls stared back at me; completely adorned with pictures and posters and other whatnot's. Edward set my bag down on my bed and looked around the room with curiosity. He was the only boy I had ever had in my room here.
"By the way," I said to him after a minute. I figured I should warn him about Renee's cooking. He turned to look at me and waited for the next part. "Watch what you eat around here. I wouldn't necessarily call my mom the next Rachael Ray."
"But the cookies smell so good," he protested. I shook my head.
"Don't let them fool you. They may smell good, but they could most likely put you in the hospital," I said, smiling a bit. I laughed remembering the time Renee had to go to the hospital because of an incident with the stove. Edward's forehead creased when he knit his brows together.
"In the car the other day when you were asleep you were going on about Renee...and a stove?" He said, shaking his head like he had no idea what I had meant by that. I laughed harder. I had been talking about that in my sleep? I sat down on my bed and Edward sat next to me. This bed was about the same size as the horribly small one back at Dartmouth. But somehow we both still managed to fit comfortably on it.
"Okay. One time a few years ago Renee was making dinner when I was here. She was being stubborn and insisted on making dinner when I told her she couldn't. She had like ten things going at the same time. She had all four burners on the stove turned on and had something in each of them. To this day I still don't know what she was even trying to make. Anyways, Phil was just getting home from a baseball practice and he came into the kitchen. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and when she was turned around pretty much everything boiled over at the same time. She had water everywhere. She was screaming and I ran in from the living room. She had dropped a boiling pot of water on the floor and it burned a few of her toes. She also got burned a little on the arms and hands. I told her that using the stove was dangerous for her and told her she shouldn't cook anymore. We took her to the hospital so she could get the burns treated. And she vowed never to use the stove again. I mean the oven's close enough!" Edward was nearly laughing by the time I was done my story.
"Oh god...well I hope she doesn't blow up the house or something," he said, trying not to laugh. I quietly giggled. It would be something she would do too.
"Pray it doesn't happen," I said, crossing my fingers. "So I warned you in advance. Just so you know." He nodded.
"Well what about Thanksgiving dinner?" He asked, highly concerned about his delicious turkey meal being ruined. I waved my hand; that was all covered.
"No worries. I'll be cooking that one. There's no way I'm letting her cook a turkey."
"I didn't know you could cook," Edward said. "How come you never told me?" It wasn't like some big secret...I guess it just never came up before. I shrugged.
"I don't know. It's not like some big deal or anything. It just never came up in regular conversation before."
"Hmm. I guess I learn something new everyday don't I?" He asked, kissing me affectionately on the nose. I nodded against his mouth.
"Yep. So what about you? Can you cook?" He rubbed his nose against mine and nodded.
"I can." He said, smiling playfully. He then devoured my lips with his, moving his tongue in and out of my mouth like magic. I sighed and pushed back at him with force, sliding my tongue further and further into his mouth. He groaned as I pressed my body against his, and he clutched at my shoulders – trying to hold back from taking me right now. I knew I was pushing him...but he started it. I slid onto his lap, pressing my body down onto him and he dug his fingers into my hips, holding me securely on him. I tried to grind myself onto him but he wouldn't allow that. When I finally gave up trying I pulled out of the kiss, earning a throaty protest from Edward.
"Bella...I hate you," he said, kissing my neck roughly. I tilted my head and sighed in pleasure.
"I hate you too," I told him, tangling my fingers into his messy bronze mop. He stopped kissing me when he got to my collarbone to catch his breath.
"Want to show me the guest bedroom?" He asked, pulling his face away from my neck. I was both pissed and glad that he stopped. I got off his lap and left the room, only to stop two feet away from mine. I opened the door to the guest bedroom which Renee had decided to give a theme to. She called it the 'Desert'.
And boy did it look like a desert.
The walls were painted a sandy brown...like a desert, and she went an odd way and painted the ceiling orange? Don't ask. The ceiling fan in the room had been painted as well. Each separate panel was painted like a cactus. The curtains to the window were adorned with lizards and snakes; it looked completely ridiculous. And the floor was a dark hardwood, which fit in perfectly with the vibe of the room. The bed sheets sadly were desert themed as well and I blushed at the sight of the room. This was the beginning of my embarrassment. Edward, I'm sorry you have to sleep in this insane excuse for a room for a week.
"This is...unique," he said, placing his bag down on the floor. I blushed a deeper shade of red; yes it was unique.
"I'm so sorry you have to sleep in here," I said, covering my mouth to stop from laughing hysterically. He chuckled and waved his hand at me.
"Don't worry about it, this is awesome," he said, playing with the frilly green things coming off of the pillows on the bed. I giggled. This was completely insane.
"And so my embarrassment begins," I said, accepting the fact that I wouldn't stop blushing at all this week. Before Edward could say anything Renee called us.
"Bella! Edward! Come get some cookies!" Renee yelled from down the hall. I plastered a mock scared look on my face...but truth be told I was a little scared. Edward turned around and had a similar look on his face. It made me laugh.
"Should I tell her I'm allergic to cookies?" Edward asked, grinning at me. I honestly contemplated him telling her that so he didn't get sick. "I'm joking," he then said.
"You never know Edward. Don't say I didn't warn you."
We left the room a minute later and nervously made our way to the kitchen – prepared to test these questionable cookies that Renee had made. When we walked in Phil had a plate of cookies on the table in front of him – he was looking at them like they were going to bite him on the nose. We entered the kitchen and sat down at the table next to him. He gave us both a frightened look and took a cookie. He held it in his hand, looking at it like it was poison. I decided to chance asking my mom if the cookies were safe.
"Okay mom...are you sure these cookies are edible?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't get completely offended. She turned around from her spot in front of the sink and placed both hands on her hips; she scarily reminded me of Alice.
"Yes Bella. I'm sure they're edible. The recipe wasn't that hard." She spoke like she knew exactly what she was talking about and it frightened me. I picked a cookie up off the plate and eyed it with concern. She had never made cookies before in her life. But I decided that the worst I would get was food poisoning and shot a weary look to Edward before taking a small bite of cookie into my mouth. Phil watched me carefully and my mom was paying us no attention while she turned back to the dishes. As I chewed cautiously I realized that there was actually nothing wrong with them – they were good. They were delicious. Something Renee made actually tasted good. I smiled and gave Edward a thumbs up. Phil and Edward laughed in unison and they each bit into a cookie themselves. Twenty minutes later the cookie plate was dwindled down to half the size it had been. I had easily eaten five cookies while Edward and Phil had more than doubled that. Renee had a few too and was happy that we were all enjoying them so much.
"Thank you for the cookies Renee. They were delicious," Edward said, devouring the last bit of milk from his glass.
"You're very welcome, and thank you. I'm glad someone appreciates my cooking." Renee had a big smile on her face as she spoke to Edward. I knew she'd love him. I laughed because Edward had been just as concerned as Phil and I about the cookies.
"Damn!" Phil yelled, frantically pushing his chair out from the table. "Renee what time is it?" He asked, his forehead creasing in worry.
"Almost three. Why?"
"The game's on soon!" Phil said excitedly. Of course it would be something to do with baseball. When I had come to visit last time they had gotten one of those HD satellite boxes with thousands of channels and Phil had purchased the Sports package of course. So now he could watch any game any time. He also enjoyed watching old games – not just the new ones.
He swung his body around and reached for his crutches that were propped up against the wall. Of course, since Edward was fucking amazing, he got up and helped Phil to his feet, grabbing him the crutches. Phil hobbled out of the room and Edward stood in the doorway, smiling at me. I mouthed the words 'I love you' to him and he did the same in return.
"I think I'll help her clean up. You can go watch the game if you want," I said, standing up and pushing all three of our chairs in. Edward smiled again and nodded, and left me and Renee to the kitchen.
"Honey you don't have to help clean up. Really. I'm fine," Renee said, whisking the nearly empty plate of cookies off the table.
"I want to help." I followed her over to the sink and took up the duty of drying the dishes and putting them back where they belonged. I hadn't been here in months, but everything occupied the exact same space as it had before. "So..." I said, not really awkward with the silence but wanting to know what she thought of my boyfriend. "What do you think of Edward?" I glanced over to her and she smiled widely.
"Bella he seems perfectly wonderful," she said in an upbeat tone. I grinned and blushed a little bit. "I really like him. I can't wait to get to know him better this week. And honestly sweetheart...I've never seen you happier." I nearly dropped the plate I had been holding because I was so caught up in emotion. I never had been this happy.
"Really?" I asked, the stupid smile I had still plastered my face. "Because I am happy mom...really happy."
"Well good. That's all I want for my girl. But just one thing Bella. Are you being safe?" My face instantly flooded red, warming my cheeks. They were on fire.
"Mom! Oh my god," I said, embarrassment staining my cheeks.
"It's just a question Bella. While you are undoubtedly the best thing that's ever happened to me I don't want you in the same situation I had been in when I was your age. I was pregnant with you when I was nineteen."
"I know mom," I said, feeling sufficiently less embarrassed. I know she was just trying to make sure my future was a bright one. "And yes...we're being safe I promise." My cheeks reddened again. Oh god. My life was embarrassing. Renee laughed beside me and wrapped her arms around me. She hugged me with a great amount of force and again reminded me of Alice.
"Oh I'm so happy Bella. You're turning out to be such a beautiful young woman." My eyes watered and I hugged her back more forcefully.
"Well I did have you for a mother," I said, my voice near cracking. After our emotional embrace we continued doing the dishes, listening to the screams of Phil at the television and the hypnotic laughter of Edward as he sat there watching him.
---
I hurried around the kitchen as Edward set the table. I had shooed Renee and Phil out of the kitchen over an hour ago. My mom was no help and Phil was just in the way. Neither of them were of much use to me. The turkey had finished cooking ten minutes ago and dinner was just about ready. Today was Thursday...Thanksgiving. One of my favourite times of the year. Turkey dinner was my all time favourite meal, and my mouth was salivating at the sight of all the food I was meticulously preparing. I left the turkey for Edward to carve because I honestly didn't trust myself with a serrated, electric knife, and pulled all the stuffing out of the delicious Butterball turkey. I put it into a bowl and placed it down on the dinner table, shooting a glance at Edward who was setting down the last plate.
"What else would you have me do?" He asked. He had been talking this whole time like I was his master and he was my slave because I had been hurling jobs at him. I smiled and quickly kissed him before going over to the boiling pot of potatoes.
"Turkey," I said, turning the burner off. And he did just as I asked. I heard the intimidating sounds of the electric knife cutting into the turkey as I strained the potatoes and mashed them to perfection. I set them, too, down on the table and walked back over to the stove. The pot of corn was almost done as well as the cooked baby carrots. I let them cook for another minute and my glance shot back over to Edward. It always did. I watched him as he carefully carved the turkey and set each of the perfect slices down on the platter. I scooted over to him and snatched a small piece of turkey up off the plate. I chewed on it ravenously because I was absolutely starving. Edward chuckled lightly and did the same.
"Hungry?" I asked. He grabbed another piece and put it into his mouth.
"I'm fucking starving," he said, cutting up another large piece. "Watch your hands." I had grabbed a piece off the turkey that was apparently too close for Edward's liking to the knife. He was so protective of me sometimes...I loved it.
"You aren't going to scare me away from the turkey by threatening my hands with the knife," I joked. He stopped cutting for a minute and looked over to me. His eyebrow raised and he fucking smirked.
"Why would I want to mangle your beautiful hands? You would be of little use to me then." I bit on my lip to stop from smiling. What an ass. I couldn't help the smile despite my biting. I wouldn't play the offended girlfriend.
"I'd still have my mouth," I told him, licking my lips seductively. His smile vanished and he pursed his lips. I knew I was being a temptress – I couldn't help it. He brought it out in me.
I could hear the pots behind me boiling and I disappeared from his side, leaving him there to his pent-up hormones that were surely endangering his will power right now. I strained each of the vegetables and put them in appropriate bowls before setting them down on the table. I turned back to Edward who had just been watching me the entire time. I smiled at him and fluttered back to his side.
"Are you done?" I asked, like nothing had even happened. He leaned down to me and grazed his nose along my jaw line, making me melt. His hot mouth rested below my ear.
"You are so cruel," he whispered huskily, making my body heat up. "Don't worry though. You'll get yours." I gulped loudly and bit my lip. He would be a tease to me later on. Way to go Bella. I knew my will power was much worse than Edwards.
"I'll be waiting," I whispered back, unable to think any other coherent thought apart from the idea of sneaking into the guest bedroom once Renee and Phil were asleep. Edward pulled away from me then and did just as I had been doing. He pretended like nothing was different. He finished cutting the rest of the turkey and set it down on the table. I called my mom and Phil out from the living room and they joined us a minute later. They sat down at the table as Edward and I continued flitting about the kitchen for a minute, getting a few things that we had forgotten.
When we had sat down to many praises of the delicious smell we all hastily filled our plates. I ate without shame; I ate like I had never eaten before in my life. I hadn't had a real, true home-cooked meal this school year since this week. And this turkey dinner was the high point of my dining experiences this year. After I was finished eating I vowed that I couldn't eat another bite. I was stuffed, and felt completely satisfied as well as disgusting. I always felt that way after a turkey dinner...but that's just how it was. Edward, Phil and Renee had all said the same, but Edward still picked at the turkey nonetheless. My heart always jumped at the cute little things he did. I was noticing all of his little habits as I came to be with him more and more often.
By this point in our relationship I had tripped. I had fallen hard. I had fallen madly in love with the beautiful man sitting next to me who had once been a perfect stranger I had met at a floor meeting. This falling had sent me face first down into a hole that was much too tall for me to ever climb out of – I was stuck. And I wanted to be stuck.
My fall had me with Edward, who had apparently fallen for me too.
E.P.O.V
After the kitchen was again spotless we all proceeded to the living room – Renee had wanted us all to watch a movie together.
"You pick, mom, honestly," Bella said. I knew she hated to make decisions sometimes. Renee picked out a movie that she said she had rather enjoyed – Transformers. It was a fucking awesome movie. I took up a spot on the couch next to Bella and she inched closer to me, her thigh grazed mine. I revelled in the closeness. This week was tempting me to no end and it was borderline human cruelty for Bella to look so sexy in a frilly, dark blue skirt. The creamy skin of her thigh was peeking up at me from the couch, begging me to touch it. I subtly lifted my fingers and dragged them across her skin, making her tense. I knew she was just as tightly wound as I was. She took my hand and pulled it off her leg, holding it in her own hand. Touching her was something I just needed to do, no matter where it was that I touched her. I supposed her hand would do.
"Oh before the movie starts I want to show you something Edward," Renee said, beckoning me to follow her. Bella made to come with me but Renee refused. "No Bella. Stay here. I need to show him something." Bella grumbled and sat back down. I followed Renee and she disappeared up the second story stairs. I went to follow her but she was back down before I could ascend the first step. She went into the guest bedroom and flicked on the light. She sat down on the bed and I followed her. "Please close the door," she said. I closed it and went to the bed to sit down beside her. Her hand was closed tightly, like she was holding something.
"So what did you need to show me?" I asked quizzically, wondering what she was holding.
"I don't necessarily need to show you something as much as give you something. First of all let me explain myself. Edward I think you are a fantastic young man, and you seem to be well grounded. And while I notice you are much different from Bella I can see many similarities between the two of you. There's something...strange about the way you two are together. The way you watch her sometimes – it's so protective. It's like you'd throw yourself in front of a moving bullet or something." I laughed a bit at her observations. She was much more perceptive than I had given her credit for.
"I would probably do that too." And it was true. I would most likely jump in front of a bullet to save Bella. Renee just smiled back. "But are you saying it like it's a bad thing?" I asked, almost concerned. Renee shook her head forcefully.
"No. It's just different. But it's Bella too. I can see that she's changed. She's so much different than the daughter I had known back in the summer. The way she moves – she orients herself around you without even seeming to think about it. When you move, even a little bit, she adjusts her position at the same time. Like magnets...or gravity. She's like...a satellite, or something. I've never seen anything like it. It thrills me to know that you two have such a strong connection. I can tell how much she really loves you Edward." Through Renee's entire speech I felt my insides warming. That was the way Bella and I worked. We needed to be close to each other. The electricity we felt demanded the closeness of one another.
"I can't tell you how much I truly love your daughter Renee," I told her, seriousness coating my voice as I looked her dead in the face and told her this. She smiled from ear to ear at my declaration of love for her daughter. Unlike Charlie, I felt like I could tell this to Renee because she didn't see me as some horny teenage college kid trying to get in Bella's pants. Charlie on the other hand probably still saw Bella as his 'little girl' that I was going to taint.
"I can see that Edward. Believe me. Which brings me to what I've wanted to talk to you about? I know that you two haven't been dating for long at all...but the way you two act it's just...so certain. I almost feel like..." She trailed off. "Don't laugh because this may sound corny but I think you are Bella's soul mate Edward." I didn't laugh. It wasn't funny. It was fucking true. "And I wanted to ask you...and please don't lie to save my feelings or Bella's. But do you see yourself with Bella in the future? When you're older? Would you ever consider marrying her?" I was shocked. She was asking me if I wanted to marry Bella. This was...sort of strange. But yes. I did want to marry Bella. I went with honesty.
"In all honesty Renee...I do see Bella in my future. She is my future." I laced my fingers together, swallowing loudly. "I would marry her in a heartbeat," I said in a tiny voice. She made a small sniffling noise next to me and when I looked into her face she was crying.
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I know I get a little ahead of myself sometimes. But I was certain that you would want to keep Bella around. So here," she said, opening her hand. She presented me with a small, white-gold band with a reasonably sized emerald cut diamond in the middle, and two smaller sapphires flanking it. It looked very old and sentimental. And it was beautiful. "This was my grandmother's engagement ring. And I know that you aren't going to propose to Bella any time soon. But I wanted you to have it. I know you'll keep it safe, and someday I would like Bella to wear it. And I would be honoured if you gave it to her."
I sat there staring at her. I had no words to tell her what I was feeling. Joy? How could you put into words the feeling of jumping up and down? Renee most definitely approved of me someday marrying her daughter – she was giving me the ring to propose with!
"Renee...I don't know what to say?" I took the small ring in my fingers and examined its beauty. I could definitely see myself giving this ring to Bella. My insides twisted in happiness and I wanted to almost cry. I was a pussy. But being emotional was something that had changed since I had been with Bella.
"Just take it. And promise to keep it safe. And when you're ready, give it to Bella. I know she'll love it." I smiled at her.
"Of course. I promise to do all of those things. You...have no idea what this means to me," I said to her, leaning in for a hug. I had to do something to show her that I was more grateful than she would ever know that she approved of my relationship with Bella. She sniffled again over my shoulder and pulled away. She wiped under her eyes and smiled a teary smile.
"That's all. Let's go watch the movie," she said, standing up. I went over to my bag and unzipped it, taking out the small bag that held my toothbrush. I slipped the ring into that and zipped it tightly. I needed to find a safer place to keep it when I got back home. I followed Renee back out into the living room and found Bella and Phil laughing at something on the T.V. They were watching some stand-up comedian. Bella's laughter was infectious. She made me smile. I went back to my spot next to her while Phil and Renee occupied the love seat perpendicular to the couch.
"So what'd she have to show you?" Bella asked, her hand resting on my knee. I panicked. I hadn't thought of anything. Oh shit, come on Edward.
"Just some pictures of baby Bella," I quickly thought. That could easily be what she was showing me. Renee laughed.
"You know Bella. That one of you dancing with your dress tucked in your little underwear. Such a cute picture!" Renee said, spinning our little fib. I wasn't lying about something to Bella. This was something I was meant to keep from her. You don't go and tell your girlfriend who you hope to marry someday that you have the ring already. I looked to my right and saw Bella blushing.
"Mom! That picture is so embarrassing. Oh god." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and squeezed tight. I held her close to me and kissed the top of her head.
"I thought they were adorable." I heard her sigh and she eased her body into mine. "Don't worry. I know I'm getting it bad when we go home for Christmas." She had vowed yesterday that I was going to be the one blushing over the Christmas break and not her. I rarely ever blushed, she was so funny sometimes.
Phil started the movie then, and turned off the only light that illuminated the room. We all sat in darkness and watched as Transformers captivated all of our attention. Bella loved this movie, and so did I. She laughed at all the funny parts and her smile made me want to just pull out the ring and slide it on her finger right now. Would she totally think it weird if I proposed to her before we were in our twenties? I knew I couldn't wait that long. Maybe after we were together for a year? I could wait a year...couldn't I? I sat there with Bella cradled in my arms; the exposed skin of her arms was heating me through my shirt. Her flowing skirt that revealed her beautiful legs, and the v-neck, grey tank that she was wearing were nearly getting to be too much for me. I watched most of the movie, but my gaze always shifted to Bella's legs...or her arms...or her face...or her chest. I almost felt like a pervert when I stared audaciously – almost. Not enough for me to stop doing it over and over. I felt Bella's breathing growing heavy next to me by the end of the movie and soon heard her quiet and sweet non-snores. Her deep breaths were in danger of putting me to sleep as well. But the movie ended before I could succumb. I looked over to Phil and Renee who were still wide awake. They turned off the movie and handed me the remote. I told them I would stay here and watch T.V for a bit with her, and see if she would wake up.
They said goodnight and left me in the living room. I flipped through a few channels and decided to stop on a rerun of That 70's Show. It was the episode where Hyde, Kelso and Fez go to Jackie's cottage to party while Jackie is apparently at a 'Doll Expo'. I tried hard not to laugh...but the show was just so funny. As Kelso hit himself in the head with a vase I let out a deep chuckle. I cursed myself when Bella stirred. She had been so peaceful.
"Hey you," I said, brushing her hair out of her face. Her tired eyes looked up to mine and I smiled, kissing her forehead.
"Hey," she breathed. She wrapped one arm around my abdomen and held me tightly. "Mmm, I fell asleep. For how long?"
"Not that long. Only like half an hour. Are you tired? Let's get you to bed." I went to stand up but Bella held me down.
"Not yet. I'm comfortable." She nestled into me and slipped her hand underneath my shirt. She brushed her fingers all along my bare skin, exploring the contours of my stomach; it made me quiver.
"Bella I can't handle this," I told her, stopping her movements. She 'humphed' and slid her hand out. I leant down to her and whispered in her ear. "I can't have you touching me like that and not have you." She giggled quietly.
"I know what you mean. But it's so unfair! I can't keep my hands off you," she whispered back. I could see her faint blush from the light of the T.V. She was so damn cute.
"You think it's not killing me right now to have you sitting next to me in that, and not be able to do...unspeakable things to you?" I leant down further and grazed my lips along her ear. I felt goose bumps form underneath my lips as I moved them to her neck. I didn't want to keep my hands off of her; ever.
"What...uh, what sort of...unspeakable th-things? What would you...uh, do to me?" She managed to get out through my light nipping and licking. I wasn't helping either of us. But I couldn't keep myself off of her. I stopped and breathed deep into her neck.
"Well first of all this tank top has to go," I whispered, tugging at the hem of it. "I'd rip it off you. Mmm," I said, getting a fucking arousing idea. I brought my lips to her shoulder and kissed there. "Maybe I would take it off with my teeth." I took the strap of her shirt in between my teeth and tugged it down, making it fall down her arm. She whimpered a little bit.
"Edward..." She breathed, frantically rubbing her hand along my knee. "You have no idea how much I want you to do that." I smiled as I kissed up her neck. When I kissed her cheek I noticed she was subtly moving her hand up my thigh.
"Oh, Bella. You're dangerously tempting me to undress you right now. I just can't do that under your mother's roof." I had a double meaning to my words. First it was sort of wrong for us to fool around or have sex with her mother on the next floor. And secondly it made me feel bad because Renee and I had just had an intense heart to heart. She growled a tiny bit and moved her hand higher.
"But I want you so bad," she said, whining every word. Why must she whine? Was she not aware that it aroused me like fucking mad? Maybe that's why she was doing it?
I wanted her even more than she wanted me; that was a guarantee. I decided that a little fooling around wouldn't hurt anyone. So I gently pressed my lips to hers and was consumed in her delicious taste. Her tongue darted out to meet mine and the softness and warmth was so inviting I wanted to never let it out of my mouth. I groaned and it was consumed in Bella's mouth. Her hand had moved all the way up to my obvious erection and she was rubbing all along the length of it. Her fingers stopped rubbing and she moved her hand to my zipper. I had no belt on which, at the moment, I was fucking thankful for. She undid the button and zipper to my khaki shorts and slid her hand inside my pants; only to quickly pull it back out. She pulled away from the kiss as well. She sat up and went to kneel in front of me, sliding her hands to the side of my shorts. She began pulling them slowly, and I lifted my hips ever so slightly so she could tug them down. She didn't move them far, just enough for my dick to come free of its confinement. She bit her lip and her eyes were hooded with lust as she took in the sight of me.
She pulled on my bare hips and I moved willingly to wherever she was pulling me. She rested one arm on my left and held the base of my dick in her other hand. She pumped her hand up and down slowly, making a light shudder erupt from me. Her eyes were locked with mine and I'm sure my mouth was hanging open. It felt so good I didn't really care what I looked like. She made me lose all my coherency and inhibitions. She licked her lips a few times while her eyes were still on me and I wanted to whimper. She stopped moving her hand and kept it at my base. She stuck her little tongue out of her mouth and licked up the side of the shaft, sending a tingle up my spine. She swirled it around the tip and made me quiver. Next she took me full into her mouth, setting a steady pace for herself. I knotted my fingers in Bella's hair and bit on my lip. I was being as silent as I could be. I even put my hand over my mouth at one point when she began going faster. My head was also rested against the back of the couch. I wanted this to last longer and watching Bella move against me was too appealing to watch.
After ten minutes of her consuming me fully I was seething. I was so close I was nearly shaking. I rubbed circles in her hair frantically, doing anything that made my hands move. My breathing was hard and ragged and I was trying so hard not to moan. The fucking expert. As she swirled her little tongue around the tip again I felt myself right on the verge.
"Bella," I breathed, my fingers working crazily into her hair. "I'm going to finish." She paid my comment no attention and continued even faster – making me come instantly. My hips bucked up and I shuddered, letting my orgasm consume me. She drank me in and cleaned me off and finally released me from her mouth. I was lifeless, my head rested firmly against the back of the couch. I moaned quietly in satisfaction. Bella pulled my pants back up for me and I barely had it in me to lift my hips. She fastened them closed and climbed on top of me.
"You're amazing," I told her, kissing her with passion. She tangled her fingers into my unruly mop of hair and bit lightly on my lip. She pulled back and smiled her sexy but cute smile at me.
"You taste so good," she whispered in my ear. The smirk that most likely danced across her face was evident in her tone. My hands wrapped around her back and moved up and down her spine. My hand travelled down her side and ventured to her leg. I lifted the light material of her skirt up until it was inappropriately placed around her hip. I slid my hand between my legs to gain access to her. She gripped the back of my head tighter and she kissed the spot below my ear. I lightly brushed my fingers along the outside of her panties, making her jump at the sensation. I could feel her wetness through her underwear. Sexy as fuck. With one finger I pushed aside the thin fabric of her underwear and felt her heated center dripping onto my hand. My breathing was still erratic and it wasn't getting any easier to breathe the more I kept touching her. I slipped a finger into her, letting the warmth surround it. Her hips pushed down onto me further and she elicited a soft moan from my neck. Her teeth sunk into my neck and I groaned. She sucked hard on my skin, making me sweat.
"You'd make a sexy vampire," I told her, slipping another finger into her. She moaned and moved her lips to my mouth. Her tongue forcefully entered my mouth as my thumb began to rub circles on the spot that she wanted me to. She would have moaned exceptionally loud had my mouth not muffled the noise. She, unlike me, had no shame in expressing herself in her mother's house. It made me sort of nervous that she was so carefree, but as long as she was happy. I pumped my fingers and moved my thumb in repetitious motions and her hips continually moved with me, trying to find the release she was looking for. When she took her tongue out of my mouth she responded to the comment I had made a few minutes before.
"I think you'd be...uh, a sexier one," she said, her voice shaky. I grinned at her and moved my mouth to her neck. I kissed all down it and came to the base, right near her collarbone. I softly bit at her skin, making it turn red. I took some of her soft flesh between my teeth and sucked on it gently. Her fingers knotted further into my hair and she began tugging roughly on it. It didn't necessarily hurt – it actually added to the sensations I had right now. My fingers kept going to work, pleasing Bella, and I kept lightly sucking on her neck, sending her into the frenzy she wanted. Soon her fingers began shaking; my scalp was being meticulously massaged by Bella's frantic fingers. She started whining and moaning quite loudly after another minute and I placed two fingers gently over her lips to silence her. She whimpered against my fingers but quieted. I kept up my pace as her hands in my hair increased theirs. She buried her head in my neck after a few delicate strokes of her clit and she moaned into my shirt – thankfully it muffled the noise. I took my fingers out of her and let her limp body lie against my chest. She breathed in sharp breaths, trying to gain back her regular breathing pattern.
"That was amazing," she said, a shiver passing through her. She lifted her drooping head and her satisfied eyes met mine. She was glowing and she was grinning. I decided to follow the response she had given me. I took the finger that had been inside her and put it in my mouth. Her eyes widened at me and her mouth hung open. I sucked on my finger for a second before I pulled it back out.
"You taste fucking delicious Bella," I told her, my other hand resting on the small of her back. She bit her lip and her eyes smouldered into mine. I kissed her ravenously. Her whole body responded, wanting more from me still. But tonight it was enough. We were probably pushing it as it was. I pulled away after a few minutes of my sweet, delectable girlfriend.
"Love we should go to bed. You fell asleep before. I know you're tired." She gazed at me with love in her eyes and I reciprocated the same gaze. "Come on." She gently slipped off me and pulled her skirt down back around her knees. My respectable girl. She wrapped her arms around my waist and gave me a warm hug. I encircled her in my arms and lifted her up. Her feet left the ground and I carried her away from the couch. Her left leg wrapped around me and her other hung limp at her side. I set her down at her door, where I unfortunately had to say goodnight to her.
"Goodnight," she said kissing me on the mouth. I hugged her tighter to me and finally released her.
"Goodnight. I love you," I told her, kissing her again. Her hands were twisted in my shirt and she pulled away.
"I love you too."
She quietly opened the door to her room and gave me an adorable smile before turning the light on and closing the door. I went into the insanely and erratically designed guest bedroom and oddly felt at home. Renee did a fucking fantastic job at making me feel more welcome than I had ever hoped to be. I closed the door and turned on the light. I stripped down to nothing but my boxers – which is all I ever slept in – and set my already worn clothes on the floor beside my bag. I impulsively reached for my toiletry bag and pulled out the ring Renee had given me. I turned on the small bedside lamp that was decorated with a lizard...and turned off the bright ceiling light. I slid the ring on my pinkie finger, the only one it would fit on, and snuggled into the warm bed. I used the small amount of light I had and studied every aspect of the delicate ring. The more I looked at it, the more it reminded me of Bella. The ring suited her – and blue looked fantastic on her.
I sighed and put the ring back into its safe place after looking at it for almost ten minutes. I turned out the light and nestled myself further into the comforter. It was always harder sleeping when I knew Bella was so close and I couldn't be with her. I slept easier when she was beside me. I heard a soft sound coming from behind my head, through the wall. I furrowed my brows at the noise...everyone was surely asleep by now. I strained my ears to hear and I heard...Bella? It was faint and quiet. I realized after a minute that she was talking in her sleep. I smiled into my pillow and my eyes closed, listening to her soft ranting. I could barely make out any words because it was so quiet. But before I drifted off, I heard her train of thought shift. All I heard before I passed out was 'Edward'.
A/N: Let me know what you think – please! And to let everyone know the story is not going to go on for much longer. I may have five more chapters or so and an epilogue. And I can't wait!