BPOV

I missed the smell of home.

I just walk around. I smooth my hand over the back of our gray loveseat on the way to the bathroom. I stop when I see a wicker basket on the edge of the tub.

Bella,

Welcome home. I love you. I figured I owed you a few bath salts.

-Love,

Rose

I can't help but laugh. She definitely got more than a few, she even added some bubble bath.

I know she wishes she was here. But she's snowed in at her at her parent's house in New York.

I put way to much bubble bath into the tub, but that's the way I liked it. When the water's finally ready I climb in and sigh. This is one of the things that I've missed the most. I just focus on the how good the water feels.

'Isabella Swan! If you don't stop splashing me, I'm going to wash you with the hose from now on!'

I pout and look into her sparkling blue eyes. She's trying to look mean, but I can see she's holding back a smile.

'I wish I was a mermaid mama, I wish I had hair just like Ariel's.'

'Don't be that person always wishing for something else, Isabella. You've got that pretty brown hair for a reason, and mermaids have to worry about sharks! Can you imagine having to watch out for sharks all the time?!'

"I didn't think about that! Poor Ariel!" I gasp

Mama pats my shoulder. 'Mhmm…and that red hair of hers probably makes it easier for the sharks to spot her.'

I burst into tears. 'Ariel is going to get eaten by a shark!'

'Oh, baby, no. Come here.' She wraps me up in a yellow towel and sets me on her lap.

She tucks my wet hair behind my ear and looks down at me.

'I was just trying to make a point baby. What you got is just fine. You're exactly as God wanted you to be. And don't worry about Ariel, I'm sure no one dares mess with her, because her daddy is so scary.'

She always knows what to say and that's how we sit: Water dripping off my feet onto the bathroom floor, with her humming and rocking me back and forth. With me feeling so, so safe.

I Drain the tub and walk into the bedroom in my towel, just my towel.

Of course Edward is hanging up my clothes.

"Hey, Edward?"

"Hey, Sweetheart. I'm trying to fit your clothes in here. I did a lot of shopping after work these past couple of months, it's kind of embarrassing,"

"Maybe I should put some shelves in here or-," I can tell he's surprised by how close I am when he turns around. I take the remaining hangers out of his hand and set them on the chair next to him.

I reach up and take his face in my hands and when our eyes meet, I say what I need to say.

"I know that this hasn't been easy for you."

"Bella, this isn't about me-" I cut him off "Please let me say this."

"I love you with everything that I am. You take care of me, like right now, you're here hanging up my clothes. I am so sorry for hurting you, but I'm so happy that I have the rest of my life to make up for it, I'm sorry for ever making you think otherwise."

"I love you too, Bella. I love you so much."

It's not until he's kissing me, that I remember that we haven't kissed since he last visited me in the facility. It's so good

I pull him back towards me and then push him down onto the bed. I climb on top of him and I feel him hardening beneath me.

He sits up so that I can pull his shirt off and I take mine off soon after.

Soon we're both stripped.

Edward pulls back from our kiss and lays down, his hands on my thighs that are straddling him.

He looks up at me shyly.

"I – I feel like I don't know what to do. It's been awhile."

"You know what I like, baby. Don't worry."

This is the shot of confidence he needs.

He flips me over and opens my legs. His kisses are warm all the way down my thigh until -

I can't breath. I start to raise up, but his hand comes down on my stomach to lower me back down. He's watching me.

I feel warm and I tingle all over.

My toes curl, a telltale sign that soon I'll be over the edge.

He slows down.

I love and hate him for it.

And suddenly it's like I'm falling. I feel his fingers trying to spread me open afterwards, but I'm still too sensitive from my orgasm, so I tell him to lay down.

I reach into his boxers and pull him out. I've always liked his size, not too big, not too small. Just right for me.

I take him into my mouth and look up at him. He pushes my hair back so that he can watch me. When I need a break, I decide to talk to him "I've missed tasting you, baby." He's going to come undone soon but he manages to say that he's missed it too.

When I've caught my breath, I finish him off and I love watching him tremble.

Once again I'm on my back and suddenly he's inside.

It's everything, being connected like this is everything.

His moans are long, and I bring my knees up so that they're against his chest and he can be deeper. I get lost in it, and finally I feel him explode.

When he's settled beside me, we're both breathing heavily and we're both trying to figure out how we went so long without this.

How did I go so long without being connected to the person that I love?

I fall asleep the way I've dreamed about falling asleep for the past year, with him wrapped around me and with my mind quiet.

I feel so, so safe.