Chapter 35

I felt slightly disloyal to Leah devouring my Bacon Swiss Mushroom and Onion Tavern Burger, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt me.

"Making up for lost time?" Bella correctly guessed.

"I caught a bite here and there, but I can't even remember sitting down once to a meal while you were gone, unless you count Chicken 'n' Stars."

Bella set down her fork to run her fingers through my hair. "My poor baby," she pouted, leaning in for a meaty kiss. "Mmm, it seems you're getting your appetite back now."

She picked up her fork again and nonchalantly stabbed a green bean and a slice of egg from her Tuna Nicoise salad.

I narrowed my eyes slightly and asked her, "So, what about you, Bella? How was your…appetite this week?"

She looked up thoughtfully as she finished chewing the bite she'd taken. "Nonexistent."

"Really? Not even a little…hunger pang here and there?"

"First of all, I was exhausted from working my tail off for this ridiculously tough boss I have," she said, adding an eye roll for effect. "Secondly, I was so lonely in my bed that I couldn't have mustered any kind of sexual energy, even if I'd wanted to."

She paused for a sip of lemonade. "And thirdly, I had more great sex in the week before leaving the island than I've had in the rest of my life put together. It lasted me all the way through the time we were apart."

"So, what, you have a sex bank?" I poked, amused by the analogy. "The Bella Bank of Boink."

She grinned, "The Boone Branch."

I nodded my appreciation for her addition. "And we built up a reserve in the account, so you've been able to make withdrawals all week?"

"Oh, I've been having serious withdrawals all right," she said, rubbing her thigh against mine.

"And how's the balance in your account now?"

I felt her hand on my knee. "Actually, it's running pretty low right now. I might even be a little bit overdrawn."

"Sounds like it's time for me to make a deposit," I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Edward, get the damn check already."

O – o – o - O

"Ah, beautiful Bella," greeted Danny, helping Bella onto the boat. "Don't you look all professional today?"

Bella giggled sweetly. "Thank you, Danny."

I chuckled at his persistence as I slipped my jacket off, covertly slipped the ring box from my khakis into the inner pocket, and folded it neatly on the back seat. I palmed a twenty and discreetly shook Danny's hand. "If you're all done flirting with my girl now, would you please finish loading the boat?"

He mumbled, "Can't blame a guy for trying," but finally turned his attention to Bella's luggage and untied the knots. Bella blew him a kiss as we pushed off the dock.

"You know, you really shouldn't tease that boy. It's just not fair."

"Oh, Edward, I think you've made it pretty clear that I'm yours."

"Mine." Fuck, that word did something to me. I pulled Bella from her seat and held her close to my side. "Could you please not be so far away from now on?"

I didn't even know what I meant by that. Far away, as in, on the mainland while I was on the island? Or far away, as in not touching me with every inch of body surface area? Either way. Both ways. My head was muddling up inside my Bella haze, leaving me with a singular thought pattern, a thrumming primitive need that ached to be satisfied.

Careful not to turn my head from facing forward, she caught the right side of my lips in hers and gave me a kiss and a promise, "Baby, I'm not going anywhere."

I tightened my grip on her waist and said, "You just wait till we get into open waters, Bella." I put all my effort into steering us safely and speedily to where I could have my wicked way with her. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until we passed the buoy marking our arrival into the Promised Land.

I pulled Bella in front of me, trapping her between the steering wheel and my body. "Hands on the wheel, Bella," I commanded, placing my hands on top of hers once she complied. I was fully pressed against her back side, and I could feel her breathing accelerate. "Don't let go."

I nuzzled my nose behind her left ear as I let my hands roam up her extended arms, to her shoulders, down her sides, and over her hips. "Now, what was it you were saying earlier, confessing to breaking my underwear rule?"

I felt and heard her suck in a gasp of air, but she didn't answer me.

"Bella, that wasn't a rhetorical question," I said, my voice lowering and growing darker with lust.

"Yes," she sputtered out. "I ran out of lace, but I figured it would be okay since we weren't togeth="

"Silence! I've heard enough." Stepping back away from Bella, I dropped to my knees. Placing my hands on her ankles, I slowly moved them up the back of her bare legs, marveling at the way her 3" pumps enhanced their lean, muscular appearance. She faltered as I reached the back of her knees, swaying slightly under my touch, and I chuckled darkly at her response.

I was rock hard inside my khakis, but I was more than happy to delay my own gratification. We had a nice long hour-and-a-half ride back to the island, and I was planning on drawing this out as long as we both could stand it. My hands were inching their way up her thighs, ever so slowly. Finally, my fingertips met the bottom edge of her panties. I ran each index finger just under the elastic edge, enjoying the way her body leaned into my hand, begging for more contact.

"Tsk tsk, Bella. These just won't do."

Careful to touch as little of her bare skin as possible, I found the side panels of her bikinis and in one sudden tug, yanked them to her knees. I gently coaxed her inner thighs outward with both hands, spreading her legs as far apart as the panties would allow.

"You'd better not let those fall," I warned darkly, standing behind her again. Bella's back was rising and falling with the struggle of holding the wheel, keeping us on course, and maintaining the outward pressure on her knees.

Without allowing myself any contact with her body, I slowly pulled her skirt up, pausing only briefly before exposing her bare cheeks to the ocean breeze. Securing her bunched up skirt at the waist with my left hand, I allowed the right to gently caress her lower back, with touches as gentle as a feather. Bella shamelessly pressed back against me, helplessly attempting to deepen the contact. I placed my palm against her right cheek and squeezed slightly.

"God, Bella, you feel so fucking good."

She answered me with a lusty groan. I moved my hand to the other side, pinching and caressing the muscles and soft flesh as I went. Putting my lips to her neck, I kissed my way up to her ear, where I stopped to lick and nibble, while letting my right hand make slow, soft circles around her perfect ass. From this view, I could see her face, and I chuckled with evil satisfaction to see her fighting the impulse to close her eyes. I checked the water again to make sure we were alone and still on course, before returning to her neck. I nuzzled her with my nose and continued placing soft kisses along her shoulder. I turned my hand so the fingertips were facing down, and I teased her crack, working my way down to where I knew she was desperate to be stroked. Anchoring her with my right foot just inside her left, I slid my hand to where my fingertips were just touching her wet lips. Teasing, I pulled back and gave her a playful slap. She moaned wantonly.

Circling her ass once more, I snarled in her ear, "This is mine, Bella."

Lowering one finger down to the front of her wet slit and swiping through it once, teasingly, I repeated, "This is mine, Bella."

Reaching under her spread legs, I cupped her entire pussy roughly with my palm. "This is all mine, Bella."

She whimpered at the full contact and gasped when I removed my hand. "It's way too perfect to be covered up by anything other than the finest panties. It's lace or nothing! Do you understand?"

I left her exposed and without any touch until she answered me with a timid, "Yes."

I growled and spanked her again. She swooned, but quickly recovered. "Yes, Boss?"

My cock twitched longingly with her use of the title, but this rule wasn't coming from the Boss. I shook my head firmly to indicate my disapproval with her answer. "Yes, Edward," I prompted her.

Breathless, she hissed out, "Yes, Edward."

"Well, I think you've learned your lesson." I placed my open hand along the length of her slit, just barely touching her. "Move yourself against me, Bella. I'm not going to move my hand."

Spreading her legs just enough to lower herself another inch, she placed her sweet, wet pussy right into my hand. With a loud, needy moan simultaneously combining relief and frustration, she began rocking back and forth against my hand. True to my word, I held stock still and let her completely direct her own orgasm.

"That's it, Baby. I'm back now. Feel me. Use me. Rub yourself all over me. Take what you need from me."

She was moaning and groaning and bouncing and rocking and completely out of control. I checked the water again to make sure we weren't spinning out of control, but despite her insanity, Bella was actually doing a damn fine job steering the boat. Between the noises her mouth was making and the obscene sloshing of her juices, I was straining in my pants. I continued whispering and nibbling and encouraging, until finally, I heard the telltale rising scale that I recognized as the preamble to Bella's unique song of euphoria.

I helped her along, giving her a little play with my fingertips, enjoying her appreciative moaning in return. "Come for me, Bella. Come all over my hand!"

She reached the highest pitch, pounding herself against me in total abandon. I watched in fascination and pride as her whole body shook with her bliss. When I felt the final stirrings of her orgasm recede, I pulled my hand back, taking with me a handful of Bella's exuberant fluids. I wiped my hand on the panties she'd managed to keep taut between her knees, then slid them carefully down her legs and over her pumps. I dabbed her dry with the soiled panties, then tossed them overboard, letting the fabric of her skirt slide back down over her bare ass.

Bella gasped at my audacity. "I cannot believe you just did that. Isn't there a law against discarding soiled panties in International Waters or some such thing?"

"I'm more worried about the feeding frenzy that's going to take place as soon as the fish realize what I've just thrown down there! We better high tail it out of here!"

Bella craned her neck around, still struggling to catch her breath, and said, "Then you best take the wheel back now, Captain!"

I pulled up close behind her and grabbed the wheel around her body, not letting her escape. I allowed my hips some satisfying contact with her back side but didn't go so far as dry humping her. She loosened her grasp on the wheel and twisted around so she was facing me. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she tipped her head up and captured my lips in hers, chewing softly on my bottom lip. Surprised, I opened my lips and felt her tongue snake its way inside. Clearly enjoying this reunion, my own lips and tongue danced along with hers, savoring Bella's flavor mixed with the salty sea air and our recent meals.

She slid her hands down my neck and around to the front, unbuttoning my shirt from the top down, one agonizing button at a time. When she finally had all but the bottom one undone, she moved her lips from mine and kissed her way down my chin, neck, and collarbone. Letting her hands lead the way, she traced a line straight down where my buttons were a moment earlier, following with soft kisses, each of which held its own world of promises. Sinking to her knees in front of me, she opened the final button of my shirt, untucking the shirt from my pants, sending the tails flapping wildly behind me.

The rough floor of this boat was no place for a lady, so I lifted her up by an elbow until she was flush with my front once more. "I don't want you on your knees, Bella," I said gruffly, taking control of her lips once more.

"Hmmm," she said, pulling back. "Is there a towel in that storage chest?"

I nodded knowingly, and Bella quickly scurried to the back of the boat. Seconds later, with a victorious grin, she brandished the towel. Laying it over the Captain's chair behind me, she reached around and unbuckled my belt. Working her nimble fingers, she next undid the button on my pants, then slid the zipper down, one freaking tooth at a time, teasing me through my boxer briefs as she went. I hissed at the contact, only now beginning to appreciate the strain of steering a boat through the thick cloud of lust settling in my brain.

Stepping between the chair and my back, Bella hooked her thumbs into my pants at the hips and slid them down my legs to puddle at my ankles. She quickly lifted my boxers out and over my straining erection and sent them to meet my pants. There I stood, the world's most undignified captain, hugging the steering wheel, my shirt hanging off my shoulders, open and flapping in the wind, my pants and underwear unceremoniously bunched over my socks and loafers.

"You better do something quick, Bella. I feel fucking ridiculous like this. Not to mention if the Coast Guard sees us, they'll revoke my license!"

I knew I was reaching, and I'd just dished out way worse to her, but I was in serious need of relief.

"Don't worry, Captain. I'm gonna take good care of you," she said mischievously, reaching around and palming my cock with one hand and circling my abs with the other.

"Unnnnnnnnggggggggghhh!" I moaned in response. Okay, it really had been a long time. And I had been such a good boy. Maybe I needed to remind her.

"You were such a good boy while I was away, weren't you, Edward?" Oh, thank Christ, she remembered!

"Mmmm hmmm," I said leaning back against her chest, surrendering completely to her velvet touch.

"Well, I believe you've earned yourself a reward," she said, scooting sideways and settling me back into my chair, onto the soft, warm towel.

"Hands on the wheel, now, Captain," she cautioned me, before facing me and stepping her left leg over my lap to straddle me. Reaching her hand under the dark curtain of her skirt, she found my cock (hey, it wasn't too difficult to find) and pumped it once, twice, then a third time before sinking herself slowly but completely down on top of me, swallowing me up deep inside her warmth.

Throwing my head back in utter joy, I felt Bella tug my chin down with her thumb and index finger. "Eyes on the ocean?"

She waited for me to nod confirmation that I could handle this before she began her torturous ride. Gripping the back of my chair, she raised and lowered herself repeatedly, agonizingly slowly, squeezing tightly with her inner muscles as she caressed me from the inside out.

My eyes watched the water, and my hands gripped that wheel, but there was no other cell in my body that wasn't fully engaged in this passionate reunion of our bodies. When she wasn't swallowing my moans with her deep kisses, my voice shouted out over the rumbling of the motor. Soon, hers joined me, as we rode the wave together, inside the boat as well as outside. The movement of the boat, skipping over the occasional whitecaps, added an extra element of friction and surprise to our pounding, and before long, I knew I was close. So very close.

"Bella!" It was all I could get out, yet it felt like everything I needed to say. Ripping one hand off the wheel to pull her even closer, I allowed my eyes to squeeze shut for one moment, the white heat of the sun exploding through my eyelids into the same bright shards I'd seen reflected earlier off the facets of the diamond. Utterly lost inside the feeling of her, I burst and shattered, sending five days' worth of need and longing shooting up inside her. As I opened my eyes responsibly to the water, I caught the tail end of Bella's second orgasm, her neck strained gorgeously as her face, too, turned to the sun in ecstasy.

I kissed along her collarbone and neck, gently bringing us both down off our shared high. She scooted off my lap and slid the towel around to clean us both off. Once she was decent again, she took the wheel and allowed me to pull up my pants and buckle my belt. When I started to button up my shirt, she said, "Uh-uh," and licked her lips. "I'm not done with that yet."

I stood behind her and reached my arms around her waist, pulling her head to my bare chest. Swaying gently from side to side, I lifted my face to the sun, closed my eyes, and let the ripples of contentment wash over me.

"This really is the best day ever, Bella."

"Mmmm," she answered, the vibration of her humming sending shockwaves into my chest.

We stayed exactly like that for the rest of the ride, never once passing another vessel on the water. It felt like the whole world was ours and ours alone. I rebuttoned my shirt and took the wheel as we got closer to the dock. I maneuvered the boat safely and swiftly into its sloop. Not that Bella couldn't have done it, but it was almost like breathing for me after my years of practice. Weighed down through the sand by all our stuff, we dragged along until we reached the circular path. Passing by the Hollow, my tension returned, knowing full well that Charlie was waiting inside to grill me. I continued walking until we reached Bella's cabin, then waited while she retrieved her key from the pouch of her suitcase.

I gave her a chaste kiss at the door, and she looked at me quizzically. "Aren't you coming in?"

"I thought I'd give you some time to get organized, change your clothes-" I looked lasciviously toward where she wasn't wearing any panties.

She cocked her head playfully, gently pulling me inside by the hand. "Since when do you not want to be around while I'm changing my clothes?"

Think, muddled mess of a cerebral cortex! I laughed softly and said, "Bella, okay, I want to change too. And a shower would be nice."

Her eyes trailed down to my crotch, where she was no doubt remembering why I might like a shower. Still, "So shower here. And why do you need clothes? Remember my rule?"

"Of course, I do, but that only applies when we're in your bed."

"Mmmm hmmm," she hummed, pulling me in for a kiss.

With a great deal of effort, I pulled away from her. "Vixen!" Oh my God, I hadn't counted on her making it this hard for me to escape. I played my trump card. "Look, Bella, I'm really nervous about our performance tonight. Let me shower, change, and get my guitar, and then I'll come back. Okay?"

Slightly mollified that I'd be returning, she finally acquiesced. "Okay, but hurry it up, sweet cheeks."

"I swear, Bella," I said with mock disdain. "Sometimes, I think you only want me for my body."

"Not only for your body," she said sweetly. "Just most importantly for your body." And to illustrate her point, she pinched my ass when I turned to go.

As I pulled the door shut behind me, I gave her a parting wink and said, "I guess I can live with that."

Self-consciously checking that the ring box was securely inside my jacket that I'd slung over my arm, I made my way hastily to the Hollow. I hadn't given myself very much time for chit chat with Charlie, but the last thing I wanted to do today was upset Bella or make her suspicious.

I pushed open the unlocked door to find Charlie sitting at the table, merrily munching on the chicken salad and grapes while holding his paperback spread open on the table in front of him. He immediately flipped it over and stood to greet me. In retrospect, I'd picked a really good time to have dressed maturely, though it certainly hadn't been for his benefit.

"Chief Swan, welcome," I said, extending my hand and stepping toward him.

He clasped my hand, shook it, and held me in his grasp. Slowly, he skimmed his eyes up and down, taking his good old time sizing me up. "Well, I'll be damned. Little Edward Cullen. What do you have there, son, about three inches on me?" He finished with his head tipped up slightly to the top of my head.

I laughed nervously, letting my hand drop once he loosened his grip. "You need a drink? I'm thirsty from the boat ride."

"Sure," his voice followed me into the kitchen. "You got a beer?"

I took that as a good sign. He wasn't asking me to share milk and cookies, but beer, a manly drink. I cracked open a couple of Buds and brought them out to the table. He lifted his bottle in salute and said, "Here's to things going your way tonight, Edward."

"I'll drink to that," I grinned, downing a few healthy swallows. "How was your trip?"

"It was fine, Edward. Thanks again for making the arrangements for me. And for putting me up."

"My pleasure."

"So Bella really knows nothing?"

I shook my head. "No, I think she'll be pretty shocked, actually."

"So, tell me, Edward, what's your long-term plan?"

I sat back in my chair and talked to the man I desperately wanted to be my father-in-law, about my life, about Bella's new role at The Cliffs, about where I'd been for the last four years, and what I saw for our shared future.

He downed the rest of his drink and set the bottle onto the table. "So, you and Bella have been together for a week now, not counting the time you were apart?"

"Yes, Sir," I said unapologetically.

"And you've been separated for five days?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Well, what the hell are you doing wasting your time talking to an old man? Get over there!"

We stood abruptly together, and I took his hand again. "Thank you, Sir. I'm sure we'll talk more…later."

"It would please me very much if you'd call me Charlie, son."

"I'll try," I said honestly.

"Good." He pumped my hand once more and let go of my hand, but held onto my eyes. "To be continued, then."

And he ended our conversation by gesturing with his chin toward the stairs. I took the opportunity to race out of there and take the fastest shower known to mankind. Grabbing my guitar and music on the way out, I called, "Later, Charlie!"

O – o – o – O

"Let's try to stay on track here, Edward. I'm meeting Alice at four to run through my presentation, so we don't have much time."

"I'll behave if you do," I said, lifting an eyebrow at her.

"Fair enough. All right, let's give the Bach a go. You need music?"

I shook my head no, and she gave me a proud grin. "1, 2, 3, 4-"

And we played. Perfectly.

"Huh," she smiled. "Maybe we should have chosen two of those. That wasn't even a challenge for you."

"Don't worry, Bella, the Tico Tico is going to kill me."

"Let's try it on my guitar and see how we sound. I think the tone is better suited for this song."

I set my guitar down carefully and climbed behind her on the chair she was using. I couldn't resist lining my nose up with her ear and nuzzling my way through her hair.

Tickled by the puff of air I left on her neck, she cringed away and said, "How is that helping anything?"

"I just wanted to make sure you weren't the pillow."

She turned her head and gave me a stern look.

"Well, maybe you should braid your hair or something. Seriously, I can't even see the strings with all this in my way," I said, moving Bella's hair around from the left side of her head to the right. I rubbed my nose up from her chin to behind her ear, inhaling along the way. "Ah, so much better!"

"Put your hands on the guitar please."

"Yes, Ma'am." How quickly our roles had reversed from earlier today. Reaching over her right shoulder to the top strings, I chuckled to myself at the give and take and shifts of balance that made up our crazy, wonderful relationship. Resisting the urge to swoop into her neck again, I wrapped my left hand around the neck of the guitar and put my fingers into position.

"Start us off," she said.

"Ready? 1, 2, 3-" I plucked out the one-person intro to get us started, and Bella came in a few measures later. We were going along perfectly fine until we hit the crazy spot where he plucks hers and she plucks his. We found ourselves enormously challenged by the disunity between our own two hands.

"I have an idea," she said. "Here, you put your right hand over mine while I play this, then you try it." She played it for me once, and I asked her to do it once again. After that, I had it. "Once more," she said, prompting me to play it one more time with her before she added the other melody line.

"Okay, now you have to add the fingering for your part, but you really have to listen for this part we just practiced. My job is the other half. Okay?"

I nodded and gave her the beat. We got halfway through this time, before my picking fell into the incorrect beat of the notes I was fingering instead of hers. I laughed in temporary frustration. "It's like patting your stomach while you rub circles on your head."

"Exactly," she agreed. "The trick is to get one going so well you don't even have to think about it. Then you put your full concentration on the other. Now give me that fingering over and over until you get it right."

"Would you mind rephrasing that please?" I teased.

She elbowed me playfully in the gut. "Come on. Let's work this out."

"Okay, Teach. Repeated fingering coming up." I played the part over and over until she felt it was instinctive for me.

"Adding the other part now. Go." She plucked her part and fingered mine, and I finally got it right.

"Excellent. Again!" And we did it about ten more times until she was confident I had it.

Compared to that part, the return to the original melody was a breeze. The second time the switch came around, we were flawless. We finished the piece with a flourish, and I couldn't resist capturing her lips in a kiss at the end. Bella carefully slid her guitar to the coffee table, not releasing my lips in the process.

"You know, you're way too sexy for your own good, Edward Cullen. And I know you're way too sexy for mine."

I answered her without taking my lips off hers so it was mumbled, but I think she got the message. "No. Such. Thing."

Bella checked her watch. "So, is it too early for this to count as your pre-game?"

"Nope. It's perfect." I pulled her from the stool and brought her over to the couch, where I laid her out gently on her back. Unlike the hurried frenzy on the boat, this was our chance to remind ourselves how every inch of skin felt, looked, and tasted. We flipped all around, taking turns on the top and the bottom, allowing our bodies to become reacquainted. And in the end, when I knew I was almost there, I covered every inch of Bella's naked body with mine, pressed our intertwined hands above her head into the couch, buried my face into the side of her neck, my very favorite spot, and released every ounce of my love into her body.

And the next time we do that, my sweet Bella, you'll be wearing my ring.

I pushed up onto my elbows so I could see her better.

"Well, that is the biggest shit-eating grin I've ever seen," she commented.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," I marveled, a trend I was counting on continuing.

"I think I may have hit my Maximum Allowable Human Dosage," she laughed.

"No, Bella. You're not even close," I winked. "And we still have eight more hours in this day."

I pushed off the couch and found my clothes. "So, Alice is helping you with your outfit and your presentation, and you're going to come by at 6 to make sure everything is set up for your presentation, right?"

"Sounds good. And Edward, you did a fantastic job on those pieces. We're going to sound great up there."

"I have an excellent teacher."

"Me, too," she said appreciatively.

With a parting kiss, I took my guitar and went back to the Hollow to gather my supplies for the night.

O – o – o – O

I tried my hardest not to look like I'd just got done screwing his daughter, but I'm pretty sure Charlie saw right through me. I went upstairs and took shower number three, this one the longest and most relaxing. Being near Bella was both soothing and insanely anxiety-provoking today, the two conflicting emotions warring in me throughout the day. I made a neat pile on my bed of all the clothes I'd need for the show- from my yoga pants to my outfit for The Four of Us to my duet with Bella. Last but not least, I looped my lucky tie around all the hangers. I carefully retrieved the ring box from my blazer, checking that the contents were safe and sound inside. I had an odd sense of déjà-vu opening the box to check, and in a flash recalled one of my worst nightmares this week- proposing to Bella, down on one knee, and presenting her with an empty ring box. Shake it off. Not gonna happen.

I tucked the ring box into an interior cubby of my guitar case, where I knew I'd find it when it was time.

I spent five minutes longer on my hair than usual, for a grand total of six minutes, before giving up. The hair wants what the hair wants.

I finally came downstairs, laying my things carefully over the back of the couch. Charlie was still reading, but he'd moved to the comfortable overstuffed armchair now. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink…Charlie?" The name felt awkward on my tongue, but I wasn't going to pass up his invitation for familiarity.

"No, thanks, I'm good. I saw that spaghetti in there, and I'm looking forward to having that a little later. You make that sauce yourself?"

"I did. I picked up some culinary classes at Cornell to fill out my requirements and I found I really enjoyed it." I moved toward the kitchen and he got up and followed me in.

"I always liked a man who knows his way around the kitchen. It's definitely not one of my life skills."

I shrugged. "Maybe I can teach you a few things."

He laughed and said, "I think I'm a lost cause at this point. You just take care of Bella."

I finished pulling the chicken salad out of the refrigerator and straightened up before I answered him. "I plan to, Sir. I plan to take the best possible care of Bella."

He looked at me for a good long while, but he didn't answer. I pulled two slices of whole wheat bread out of the crisper. Then, so quietly that I wouldn't have heard if I hadn't been waiting for it, he said, "Nobody deserves it more."

I looked up from my sandwich to his face. He'd turned away, and I could tell he was fighting back tears. I didn't want to embarrass the guy, but I thought I knew what he might have been thinking. Here goes another guy, gonna break my Bella's heart, and I'm gonna be mopping her up off the floor. Maybe not tonight, but some day.

"Chief…er, Mr. Sw-" I started. Fuck. This was way harder than talking to my Dad had ever been.

"Charlie."

He turned his head to face me.

"I am not going to hurt Bella. I am not going to leave Bella."

"How can you promise me that?" It was almost a whisper. This man had done his share of repair, and he was wearing the scars.

"Easy. Because I can't live without her. I know, because I've already tried. And it took her coming back here for me to see what I'd been missing all this time."

"And in twenty years, when she's almost fifty and you're just rounding forty?"

"Well," I smiled, thinking about what we might be like in twenty years, "I suppose by then, we'll have twenty more years' worth of shared memories between us, maybe a few children if we're lucky, a whole lot more music and laughter together. And if things go really well, we'll be at the height of our careers, enjoying the same wonderful lifestyle I've always enjoyed, along with the added benefit of the success of the foundation you're going to hear more about later tonight. And if you don't mind me saying so about your daughter, Charlie, she's going to be hotter than ever and I'm still going to have a ridiculously hard time being in the same room with her and not touching her every second. Oh, I might have overshared a little. Sorry."

I looked up sheepishly, realizing I'd gone just a little bit too far. But Charlie was smiling benevolently at me. "That's a nice fairy tale, Edward. And I actually think you're just the guy who can make it happen."

I finished assembling my sandwich and shoved it in a Ziploc.

"I don't want you to think I'm foolish enough to believe I can control everything that happens along the way. Losing your mother at a young age teaches you that life lesson pretty brutally. I'm just telling you how I feel and what I know. Bella is the girl for me, and since she figured that out, I haven't looked back. And I don't plan to."

I grabbed myself a plastic bag from under the sink, tossed in the sandwich, and pulled out an apple and a bottle of water from the refrigerator. When I stood back up, Charlie was blocking my path. Very slowly and very tentatively, he reached one arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him. I felt his other arm wrap around my lower back in a firm grasp. Awkwardly, still holding my dinner, I reached around his back and returned his hug.

He pulled back and moved out of my way, sort of pushing me toward the door. "I'm rooting for you, Edward."

"Thanks, Charlie. I need all the help I can get."

"Something tells me you've got this locked up."

I smiled at his confidence, and nodded my head.

"See you after," I promised. "Either way."

"Okay, kid."

O – o – o – O

My stage hands showed up promptly at 5, and they worked the lights and curtains for all the acts who came by to rehearse, which was most of them. I'd gotten lucky- Luke had actually worked crew for his high school drama productions and was familiar with the lighting board that we used. He was able to control the spot lights fairly impressively, and had a good instinct for some of the other lighting nuances that I hadn't been expecting. Since I wasn't doing a run-through with Riley or Bella beforehand, I walked Luke through our acts and what I was hoping for with the lighting. And I told him I'd fill him in later on my grand finale. I wanted the very next person to learn about my proposal to be Bella. Granted, it would be in front of everyone else, but at least some random lighting guy wouldn't find out first.

The acts themselves ran just shy of an hour, which was perfect when coupled with the 15-minute slideshow and the 20-minute foundation presentation. I figured by 9:45 tonight, my fate would be decided.

Just before 6, I took a couple minutes to eat my dinner. As I was finishing up, Bella and Alice bounded in. Alice proceeded to set up her laptop and talk to the crew about the projection screen and the appropriate lighting level. When she was completely satisfied that the music was also properly linked into the sound system, she offered Bella the chance to run through her program. Bella's eyes flicked nervously over at me; she clearly did not want me to see what she had planned. I was, of course, curious about her behavior, having seen her presentation earlier today as well as on Sunday.

"Do you need me to step out, Bella?"

She blew out a large sigh. "Would you mind?"

I shrugged and walked outside with my apple and water bottle. Alice followed me out a couple minutes later. "Here's the program," Alice said, presenting me with one of the finished playbill-style programs. "I piled the rest on the chairs just inside the doors. The setup looks great, and those lighting guys really know what they're doing."

"Looks great, Alice. Thanks again for doing all this work for the show."

"No problem, Edward. Listen, I hung up your Barbershop outfits backstage on a portable clothing rack. Bella's dress is on there, too. Rose and I will have ours on under our street clothes when we arrive, so we'll be all ready to go."

Alice and I worked out the rest of the details regarding the slideshow presentation. We agreed it would be best to let Dad open the program and introduce the 'Past' segment, I'd handle the 'Present', which meant MC'ing the show, and Bella would cover the 'Future' with the foundation.

And then I'd drop my bomb.

O – o – o – O

At 6:45, Dad and Kate arrived. She looked elegant in her long red gown, and Dad had on his white pants and white tee, as requested.

"Kate, you look beautiful. Listen, you're going to go on right after us, so you should probably come back stage when Carlisle comes up."

She nodded. "Carlisle, sweetie, I'm just gonna grab a seat over here. I know you and Edward need to do your thing. Don't mind me. Break a leg."

"Thanks, you too," he said, giving her a quick peck on the lips as she turned to leave.

"So, you get the ring okay?" he asked me softly.

"Yeah. It's gorgeous, Dad. Bella's going to love it…well, if we get that far!"

"And how's the Chief?"

"He's not quite as scary without his holster on," I joked.

He laughed. "Okay, what do you want me to do tonight?"

I picked up a program and pointed to the top section. "I'd like you to introduce the past, the first twenty-five years. Alice will take care of everything from there."

"That's fine. Then I hand the microphone over to you, to start the show?"

"Yes, and you hop backstage to throw on your vest. I don't want to spoil the surprise before that."

"Sounds good. And Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck." He clapped me on the back and settled into his seat next to Kate.

I located Tyler and asked him to round up his guards backstage. They were going on first after the slideshow, and I didn't want the audience to see them all in their costumes before their number.

Just as I was starting to look for Bella again, I got spun around by a massive hand. "Edward, are you sure we have to wear those hokey vests?"

"Yes, Emmett. They're perfect."

"Ugh, I'm going to look like the Good Humor man. How come I got stuck with red and white?"

"I don't know, Em. Alice picked. Take it up with her if you have to. I've got people to organize. Just be sure you're back stage before Tyler's crew finishes. Okay?"

"Fine," he grumbled.

I found Alec next. He gave me a friendly fist bump. "Ready?"

"All under control, Edward. Don't worry about a thing."

"Okay, Alec. Try to keep it PG please. You're on after my dance with Riley."

"You're dancing with a guy and you're asking me to keep it clean?"

"Gee, you really are hilarious, Alec."

I found Jasper standing off to the side, watching Alice make her final preparations. "Hey, Jas. How's it going?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, Edward?"

"No, don't. I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want this show to get started already."

"So," Jasper said, moving closer and lowering his voice, "Chief Swan is here somewhere?"

I nodded. "Somewhere among this sea of people."

"How was your afternoon with him?"

"Surprisingly good. He basically gave me his blessing."

"Hey, way to go, Edward. That is excellent."

"Yeah, one Swan down, one to go." I cringed.

"Keep it positive, Edward. Keep it positive," he willed.

"So, Jasper, I'm pretty sure you already know this, but Riley is…pretty amazing. I hope you can find a way to keep him happy here for the long run."

"You're absolutely right in your instincts about him, Edward. I just don't know how long he'll be satisfied playing second fiddle."

"Well, maybe we can figure something out. I don't want to lose him."

"You two have gotten pretty close. Maybe you should ask him what it would take to keep him here. See what his thoughts are. I can have the same discussion, but it's different coming from you."

"Okay, Jas. I will do that. Hey, don't forget, you're purple stripes. See you backstage after the slideshow."

He clasped me on the shoulder and gave me one of his Looks With Deep Meaning. "She's going to say yes, Edward."

"Okay, Jas. Thanks for the confidence."

Just then, Alice and Bella found us.

"Everything set up the way you girls need it?" I asked.

Alice squealed a little and bounced up and down on her toes. "It's perfect! Ready to go."

"B?"

"My stuff is all set."

"Okay, Babe. You need to go get dressed. Your outfit is backstage with the rest of the costumes. Got your guitar?"

She rolled her eyes. "Hello? Professional here!"

I laughed at her reminder. "Sorry. I guess I'm a bit nervous." Understatement of the century.

She looped her arm behind my neck and pulled me away from the others into a private moment. "You have nothing to worry about. You just play for me. Remember?"

"Mmmm," I said, closing my eyes. "Just the two of us on your couch?"

She kissed my eyes, then my nose, then my mouth. "Just the two of us."

And 250 of our closest friends.

Oh, and your father.

Suddenly, the lights went off, then on, off, and on. Alice squealed again, "Oooh, it's time!"

The crowd quieted as everyone found a seat.

"Come on, Bella," I said, pulling her toward the front. "Let's head backstage."

As we snuck up the side stairs, I saw Alice hand Dad the microphone. The houselights were dimmed, and a spot light shone onto the lone figure on the stage. "Good evening, everyone. And welcome to the 25th Anniversary Celebration for The Cliffs!"

Showtime!