BPOV
I couldn't stop laughing; Edward's face was buried against my stomach. He had been nipping and licking it, saying the nom monster missed me. He was beyond ridiculous.
"Sto-stop," I squealed when he sucked on a ticklish spot.
He looked up at me and grinned. I grabbed his face, pulling him up my body until our lips were joined. We'd had three days of this. Three blissful days of reconnecting with Edward and I was almost afraid to go back to Boston at the end of the weekend.
"Mmm, I love ya," he smiled against my lips.
I pulled back still holding his face. "This isn't just us in our bubble, is it? When we go back you're going to be there, right?" I asked.
His green eyes searched mine. This was my Edward. He was handsome, but he was also this loving caring man. His beauty was just as much inside as it was outside. Life had dealt him a shitty hand more than once, but he was able to bounce back each time and remain a good man. The look in his eyes gave me all the answers I needed. They held his promise to me. He wasn't going anywhere and we would be stronger in the end.
"Ya own me, do ya know that, gorgeous?"
"I thi-think I'm starting to figure that out," I murmured. "I want us to have what we have here back home too."
He kissed me slowly and I pulled him closer. His tongue joined mine, making me well aware of where it was headed. "Inside," I panted against him.
He scooped me up and cradled me close as he carried me up to our room. We had sort of tested out what I could and couldn't handle. Primarily, me lying under him won out. My good leg was starting to hurt from all of the leg hitching, but I'm not complaining.
We tugged and pulled until our swimsuits were off. My brace was definitely in the way, but I couldn't take it off for this. Edward nipped my skin from my navel, working his way up. His lips were sucking on my neck and just as he was about to enter me my leg seized up. The pain I felt made me cry out until I was biting Edward's shoulder.
"Bella," he chanted, trying to get off me, but I clung to him while sobbing into his neck.
"What's wrong, Bell? Ya gotta tell me, baby," he pleaded.
I felt his tears along with mine. I had been getting these kinds of cramps in my leg for weeks. Usually they only came after my therapy sessions when I had over worked myself. The last few days we had been overworking ourselves, trying to make up for so much lost time.
"Cramp," I sputtered out. "Hel-help me stand."
He hurried off the bed and very carefully helped me stand. I grasped on to his forearms, anchoring myself to him. He was giving me the support I needed to stand.
"Wal-walk backwards?" I asked as he slowly moved back.
I moved very carefully toward him with each step he took back. My fingers dug into his forearms as we moved. After a couple steps, the pinching in my thigh turned to nothing but a dull ache.
"Ya okay, gorgeous?"
"It feels bet-better," I shuddered, feeling the cold air hit my naked flesh.
I looked down seeing Edward still semi-erect and then I met his eyes. "Hay, stop it, we're good."
"We can't," I sighed still holding onto his arms.
He brought his hands to my face brushing my hair back; I was still balancing my weight on him.
"Baby, that's okay," he murmured, kissing me sweetly.
"Can we lay down?"
"Is it okay if I lift ya?"
I nodded as he scooped me up, holding me close to him. I buried my face in his neck just trying to breathe him in. This was good; we both handled the issue with my leg fine. There was no shutting down or fits of screaming tears. He was calm and supporting me. This was progress. He laid me down before curling his body around mine.
"I'm okay," I soothed, running my palm against his cheek.
Edward closed his eyes and I felt the stuttered breath expel through his lips. I shifted, bringing myself closer. "Take the brace off," I whispered.
"Ya sure?" he asked his eyes now opened.
I nodded. He sat up, taking off my brace and throwing it on the floor. As he lay back down, his hand rested on my thigh. I felt Edward's thumb stroke the raised mark marring my skin.
"Y'ar so beautiful," he smiled boyishly at me.
I rolled my eyes and kissed him.
"The leg feels betta?"
"Yeah, it still hurts a bit, but it's no-not pinching like it was," I explained, running my fingers through his hair. "You need a hair cut."
He lifted his left shoulder in a half shrug still stroking my thigh. "I haven't really cared what I've looked like far a while now."
"I didn't think you usually cared," I giggled, knowing Edward.
He was such a guy's guy that he wore whatever was within arms reach and didn't smell. He just threw it on and called it a day. Edward was the kind of man that was hard working and never shallow or materialistic. He lived honestly and that was one of the main reasons I loved him.
"I'll get a trim when we get back," he told me moving his palm to my ass, pulling me closer.
"You know you look good either way, right?" I murmured.
"Ya look good all the time, gorgeous," he smirked, grinding his erection against me.
I squealed against his shoulder and that was how we spent the rest of our day in bed.
"Wanna check this one out?" Edward asked, leaning his weight on the handlebars of my wheel chair.
I looked through my sunglasses at the antique store ahead and nodded. "Sure, maybe we can get some ideas?" I smiled as I turned to look up at him.
"Far the house?" He grinned.
This is how I wanted him always. He looked relaxed and happy, not to mention so damn cute with his Sox cap on backwards. The curls of his hair escaped the sides of his cap. Another thing I had learned about him is how curly his hair actually was. I couldn't help but imagine little curly bronzed haired children running around.
"Yes, for the house," I repeated, biting my lip.
He leaned down, placing a loud smacking kiss on my lips and I couldn't stop laughing. He straightened back up and continued to push me. I sat there not a hundred percent comfortable with being in the chair, but we were doing a lot of walking today and I would definitely overwork myself if I used my crutches.
The bell on the door tinkled as we entered the small shop and at first glance, I fell in love. In the corner toward the back wall, I spotted a cherry wood bedroom set that just looked so beautiful.
"I spy wit my lil' eye somethin' Bella just fell in love with," Edward teased in my ear.
"The bedroom set," I smiled shyly.
"Let's go look, then."
As we moved closer, I knew I wanted it. It was something that was so us it was ridiculous. The armoire, nightstands and California King bed were something I could see us growing old with. Tons of Saturday mornings chillin' and lazing about, little bodies trying to crawl in bed with us. Most of all I could see us making love in the bed and maybe against the armoire.
Edward wrapped his arms around me, placing a kiss to my neck. "I think we're making a purchase today," he whispered.
"It's probably too much," I frowned because a set this exquisite couldn't be that cheap.
"Think of it as an I love ya gift," he smirked.
"When did you start giving those?" I snorted.
"Well yar familiar with them in the form of an orgas…"
"Ed?" A woman asked cutting him off.
"T," he shrugged nonchalantly.
I watched the tall, lithe woman walk toward us. Her strawberry blonde curls bounced around her shoulders as she moved. She was definitely dressed the part for Nantucket living in her white navy striped shirt and white skirt. Her ruby red lips popped against her porcelain skin.
"Your mother hadn't said you would be here this summer," she smiled brightly, touching his arm that was closest to her.
"I've been busy," he gritted out, looking down at me.
"I heard Jasper had entered rehab. Something about him being in an accident. I'm sorry to hear that, you know?" she said sweetly.
I cringed at the direction this was heading in and I could see Edward's knuckles whitening on the handlebars.
"Hi, I'm Bel-Bella and you are?" I asked as friendly as possible.
Edward hands moved to my shoulders where he squeezed them gently.
"Tanya, I guess you can say I'm a friend of Edward's." She glared.
"Use the term friend loosely, T," he chuckled humorously.
I could tell that there was a story there. If I had to go out on a limb I would say they probably dated or were even fuck buddies. I saw her repulse for me and his uncomfortable behavior towards her. I didn't feel jealous because I knew how Edward felt about me, or better yet, us. I knew how he was. The people he loved he kept close almost to a hovering level. He obviously hadn't kept in contact with Tanya for a while, possibly even since before we met.
"Baby, ya wanna get the set?" he asked softly, peering down at me.
I glanced at Tanya and watched her blue eyes widen. She wasn't surprised that we were together or maybe just shocked that Edward dismissed her.
"I don't wa-want it if it's too much," I warned.
"I'll go wheel and deal, gorgeous," he winked before kissing my cheek loudly. "You stayin' here?"
"I'm fine. Go whe-wheel and deal," I smiled, patting his hand.
He kissed me again, casting a glare and a huff at Tanya. I tried not to laugh because he really was being goofy with her. He beamed a perfect smile to the older woman behind the counter. His smile was adorable and I could see the woman had thought so too. They began speaking animatedly and I sighed looking at the set again only this time Tanya was in my way.
"Yes?"
"I don't get it," she snipped, gesturing with a wave towards me.
"What is there not to get?"
"Is he with you out of pity?"
I pointed to the scar at my hairline and the one on my thigh that was exposed by my shorts. "These are from me saving his brother, Jasper, who you seem to know. The accident you said Jas-Jasper was in was the one I was in. I've been with Edward almost a year. This…" I gestured again to my recovery points, "happened almost three months ago. So I don't think he was with me out of pity when we met."
She balked at me and didn't speak. I lightly touched the cheery wood of the bed before wheeling the chair to where Edward was still schmoozing with the lady. The lady grinned down at me with a wistful look on her aged face.
"Is this your sweetheart, Edward?" she asked.
"This is my Bella, Mrs. Delaney," he announced proudly. "Bell this is Mrs. Delaney, she owns the shop."
"It's ni-nice to meet you," I greeted politely.
"I've known Edward since he came to live with Essie and Carlisle. Essie would bring him and Jasper in and they would run amuck in here," she chuckled looking at Edward fondly.
"He didn't break anything did he?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Maybe one thing," she whispered, nodding over to where Tanya stood. "It wasn't intentional. Don't mind my granddaughter, dear."
Edward frowned and Mrs. Delaney shook her finger at him. "None of that. I know your parents didn't spend all that money on those teeth to have that look on your face."
"Nah, ya didn't just go there," he whined.
"You ha-had braces," I just about squealed.
"Ugh, Mrs. D ya just had ta tell this one that," he groaned, moving my hair over my shoulder. I giggled as he put a kiss on my exposed neck.
"I bet she loves you anyways," Mrs. Delaney teased.
"What do ya say, gorgeous? Ya still love me?" he hovered beside me.
"Hmm," I said tapping my chin. "I thin-think I do."
Edward leaned down, kissing me slowly. If I wasn't so caught up in it, I probably would have protested. We were definitely giving a show.
"I love ya," he said quietly.
"I love you too," I sighed, cupping his cheek.
"Edward I think you have yourself a deal with the bedroom set," Mrs Delaney smiled.
"I thought I would. We're buyin' a house Mrs. D," he declared his eyes never leaving mine.
"Yeah, we're buying a house," I repeated softly.
Steps. We were making huge steps forward after months of things spiraling. I had a feeling we still had a lot to overcome, but the foundation we were laying down now would only make us stronger as we continued to move forward.
A/N: These two are on the mend. As always please share your thoughts! Huge thanks to Dolphin62598 and rainydays23 for their betaing skills!