I do not own Twilight.
Chapter title belongs to Noel Coward ("Together With Music".)
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EPILOGUE: AT LAST THE GODS HAVE SAID OKAY
B
I'm woken by the sensation of soft lips on my shoulder, slowly going lower, kissing my chest. Never opening my eyes, I sigh happily.
"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen," he whispers against my skin.
A ridiculously wide grin spreads over my face.
"Good morning, Mr. Cullen."
Still not opening my eyes, I feel his hair tickle me. He puts one tiny kiss on my nipple, and I twine my arms around his neck.
"I'm hungry," he murmurs, licking little circles that make me squirm.
"We can go out for breakfast…" I moan softly as his tongue continues teasing me.
"Mmm, I don't think that cappuccino and a bombolone will satisfy my needs…"
His fingers tickle the inside of my thigh and his tongue leaves a moist path on my tummy as it travels south. I'm in honeymoon heaven.
Later, after we have both satiated each other's deep hunger, we have breakfast on the terrace overlooking the Tuscan fields. I love the view of the cypresses in the distance. The sky is so blue here.
E
Showing Bella Florence is one of the best things I've ever done. She's totally getting off on the whole Europe experience, and the next time, I'm taking her to London. Yep.
She can't stop staring and admiring everything. The Boboli Gardens, The Uffizi Galleries, Michelangelo's David. She soaks it up like a sponge.
She keeps asking me for the Italian words for everything, and fuck, she's a quick learner, and more often than not, I have to admit how much I've forgotten over the years.
The ponte vecchio is crammed with tourists, but we don't care and stroll along. I buy Bella a heart-shaped charm to add to her tiny anchor. She giggles and bites my ear as we make our way over the old bridge.
I still cannot wrap my mind around the fact that, for twenty-one days, I have been married to this gorgeous creature.
B
I'm in a deck chair by the pool in my rather skimpy bikini. It's after six, which gives me enough reason to sip on a Negroni. I brought my laptop and just opened the file Seth has sent me.
The file with the wedding pictures.
I can hear Edward pad towards me. Oh, no, not towards me. He's taking a dive into the pool.
Our private pool.
Since he is my husband, I figure it's okay to ogle him as he takes powerful strives, crossing the pool several times. I also watch him as he lazily towels himself off, coming to sit next to me on the tiles. He uses his towel as a pillow, putting his head on my knee, drops of water running down my leg.
"Hey." I kiss his wet hair.
Edward kisses my knee and works his way to the inside of my thigh.
E
After we've had a little honeymoon celebration by the pool, we view the wedding pictures Seth has sent. Bella is snuggled up against my side, the sun is setting over the endless planes surrounding us, and since we're in the region, we have a glass of chianti while we look at the pictures on her laptop.
Bella seems to be more than happy with them, repeating over and over again how sexy and perfect I look. I think I'm grinning like an idiot in most of the pictures, but it's okay. Who wouldn't if they finally got to marry the most beautiful and wonderful girl in the world?
I'm really glad that Bella never wanted a big white wedding either. I had it and it was a farce, and Bella told me she'd never envisioned herself in a white dress, and that she didn't really want it.
So we were married in a quiet and peaceful ceremony. Me in a classic suit and Bella in the most adorable dress mankind has ever seen, which Alice made for her. She was so beautiful I almost forgot to say the words.
B
Holy moley Edward looked so hot in that suit. The pictures Seth took are beautiful. Everyone looks so happy.
It was a perfect day. The ceremony was small and modest, and the party afterwards mostly a family affair, held in Esme and Carlisle's garden.
"Look at that!" Edward points to a picture of Lily stuffing her face with a big piece of cake, Sal staring at her from amber eyes. The next photo shows Lily holding out a bit of cake to the large black cat.
A shot of Alice and Jasper dancing, her face on his chest, both oblivious to the world.
"Ali is silent. Wow." Edward chuckles.
Sue chatting with Emmett and Collin, everyone laughing.
Charlie in deep conversation with Dale, who was permitted a glass of beer.
"There." Edward pulls me even closer as we look at the pictures of us, cutting the enormous cake, the next one showing us as we feed each other.
"That cake…" I murmur dreamily.
"So sweet…" Edward's lips are on mine. "But you are so much sweeter…"
E
"Try that one!"
Bella holds out her fork for me to try her pasta.
"Fuck that's good…" I shake my head. I've been in culinary heaven for the past four weeks.
Bella giggles, scooting closer to me. She wipes the corner of my mouth with her thumb and then licks it.
"Tomato sauce," she says.
She's beautiful, her hair flowing around her shoulders, a happy glow on her face. Behind her are the endless Tuscan planes. I'm glad I listened to our landlady when she recommended this family restaurant; it was well worth the drive.
Bella looks at me with a small smile.
"What?" I smile back.
"I love you," she whispers.
"That comes in handy, Mrs. Cullen," I say. "Because I happen to love you, too."
B
"Edward!" I giggle.
"What?" He keeps nuzzling and kissing the side of my neck, his arms around me, our fingers still intertwined over the cutting board.
"I am never going to learn how to cook if you keep distracting me..."
My last words are subdued by a drawn-out moan.
E
These past two and a half years with Bella have been the best of my life, and I can't thank God or the Universe or whatever forces hold our little lives together, enough.
Bella has been the greatest gift, ever.
And now, she is my wife.
My wife. My wife. My wife.
I keep repeating the words in my head.
"My wife," I whisper into her ear, still trying to teach her how to slice a tomato without reducing it to mush.
"My husband," she murmurs back, turning in my arms so she can kiss me.
B
Ohh…
Honeymoon kitchen sex is just as good as honeymoon pool sex. Or honeymoon shower, bedroom, garden, carpet, hallway, terrace... um, I'm getting distracted. There is a man next to me on the couch, and he does those things with his lips and hands…
Honeymoon is my new favourite occupation.
E
I watch Bella as she tries to converse with the little woman in the market stall.
Bella wants to buy artichokes, but for some reason, the old lady won't understand. She keeps telling Bella that the tomatoes are great.
"Pomodori?" Bella's expression is cute beyond words.
"Si, si!
When she joins me at the little trattoria, Bella is carrying a large bag filled with tomatoes.
"I believe she told me some family recipe," she says, shrugging. "But I have no idea if it's a cake, or a soup or a sauce."
I lean over and kiss her.
"Never change, will you?"
"What if I do?"
"Then I'll change with you."
B
Turning round in bed, I watch Edward's sleeping form. His face is relaxed and his cheeks are rosy like a boy's.
My heart swells with love. I never knew it was physically possible to be as happy as I am right now.
I look at the golden band around my ring finger. It still feels strange on my hand, but I love to feel it, to look at it. It confirms our bond.
I look at Edward's hand, stretched out on the pillow next to his face. His ring is wider than mine, and I love to see it on his long, elegant finger.
Moving closer, I kiss the back of his hand. He doesn't wake, but makes a small sound that reminds me of Cedric when he is asleep. I hope he's doing okay at Seth and Collin's, but from what I hear, the cat has a big time.
"Mmm…" Edward sighs, slowly waking. His eyes are sleepy and his smile is goofy.
"Hey," I whisper.
"Hey…" He pulls me close.
E
Bella is so beautiful in her post-coital slumber. Her hair is fanned out across the pillow, her lips set in a cute pout.
Every day, I'm falling in love with her a little more, even though I thought that would be impossible.
She's everything I ever wanted, everything I never even knew I wanted. She's my sunshine and my rain, my conscience, my joy, my reason to get up in the morning. She nurtures and grounds me, she sets me free and makes me whole. Her smile makes me smile, her laughter makes me laugh, and her tears break my heart. She's my soulmate, and I'll be wherever she is. Forever.
B
Edward has fallen asleep as we lay in the grass by the little pond we discovered a few days ago. It's incredibly peaceful, and so, so quiet.
My world is good.
The sun is shining through the leaves of the tall trees surrounding our spot, illuminating the bronze highlights in his hair. His face is relaxed, and his lips are pursed as he dreams.
He sighs softly, turning towards me and throwing one arm around my hip. My heart is close to bursting with love.
Thinking back over the past two years, I can't help the huge smile that spreads across my face.
Did I ever imagine my life to take this road?
Hell, no.
When I moved to New York, I was simply hoping to get on with my career. I never expected the drama and heartbreak and sheer bliss that the time with Edward has given me.
It was a bumpy road, and there were hard times, and I have learned a lot about myself, and life in general. And I'd never change a moment of it.
Because every single thing that has happened led us to where we are.
Right now.
Together.
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Thank you from the very bottom of my heart to everyone who stayed and read my version of Bella and Edward. You cannot imagine how much each and every comment means to me. This is my first fanfiction, and it's very dear to my heart. This story has been with me every day for six months, and it's BIG to finally let it go.
Thank you especially to dellaterra who knows how to set my words so they don't sound like a stumbling mess. You will recognize the chapters she beta'd, but just in case you don't it's mentioned in the A/N s. Hopefully, we'll be back together the next time around. Hugs and kisses to her!
Thank you to DarkBlueBella for her encouragement!
Thank you to all my readers, thanks for the alerts and adding YWT to favourites, but especially to those who reviewed regularly and made me ridiculously happy- you know who you are!
I don't think I can let these two go just yet – so watch out for the sequel! If everything goes well, I'll be back sometime in August.
See you soon!
Much love,
harperpit