Thanks – hope you will enjoy this!

Chapter 37

"Why did you say that?" He whispers staring at her.

Bella shifts slightly on her toes. "Because it is true" She answers softly, she wants him to know everything about her. She has thought about what she wants, she had dreams before she met him. He is her dream now, and they can make everything happen together. It makes her smile and feel amazing. He makes her feel amazing.

Leaning back in his chair he smiles.

"What?" Bella laughs a bit.

"So you want to get married to me in May"

"I didn't say you" She glares with a playful scowl. "I just said I want to get married in May"

Edward laughs rubbing his stomach. "Well who then…hmm?"

Bella rolls her eyes. "Are you done?" She looks at his dessert.

"Yes, thank you" He watches her take it and throw it in the bin, when she turns back to him he cocks an eyebrow up. "Who pray tell are you going to marry if not me?"

"I don't know yet" She makes a face as though she is thinking, but her smirk is not helping her pretending case.

Edward laughs again. "Silly girl"

"I'm keeping my options open" She smiles and turns away merely to control her grin spreading over her face. He is such a cocky and sure of himself bastard.

Edward just howls with laughter as he waits for her to turn around and face him. "Look at me"

Bella turns and stares at him.

"Come here" He smiles.

Walking slowly towards him as he is seated on the stool she waits. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, kiss me"

Leaning down she lightly kisses his lips. She sighs into his mouth when he cups the back of her head, his fingers thread through her hair and he gives it a light gentle tug.

"Let's go to bed" He whispers roughly against her mouth.

Bella smiles, while lying on his chest. "Oh" She squeals when he rolls them settling her underneath him. She looks up at him in the dark room.

"May wedding huh…what year?" He kisses her and pulls back, his body is pushing hers into the bed, he doesn't even worry if his weight it too much.

"Hmm, I dunno" She mutters leaning up to kiss his mouth.

"Why May?"

"I think it is a beautiful month" She answers her head resting on the pillow behind her. His hands are smoothing her hair back gently.

He is just touching her hair to touch her. She is all his, so perfect and wonderful.

"I want a May baby too"

Edward smiles. "Yeah?" He hits her nose with his own.

"Hmm"

"We have to get pregnant in August then"

"Yes Dr. Cullen"

Edward laughs. "That's Chief Cullen to you"

Bella giggles under him; she wiggles around a bit causing him to growl lightly she assumes it is because of the feel of her body under his. She feels it too, the passion, the burn for him, she knows he has the same for her.

"Do you hear me?" He whispers pressing a light kiss to each cheek.

"I hear you" She smiles when he pulls back, she stares up at him. "Make love to me" She whispers lifting her head again and pressing her mouth to his.

"I want to ask you something" Bella runs her fingers up and down his bare chest as she rests her head there. She is enjoying his heart beat, the beating has become more even since their love making. It was rapid when they finished now it is back to normal. She figures hers is as well.

"Ask me anything" His fingers stroke into her hair down the back of her head.

"Charlie wants to come up on the weekend"

"This weekend?"

"Or next…next is probably better" She whispers. "Can he stay here…"

"Of course Bella" Without a doubt it will be awkward, Charlie is still her father and he is the guy living in sin with his daughter… he feels the awkwardness already.

"It's just this is your home and I understand" She rambles as though she didn't hear him.

"Hey, hey" Edward calls and waits for her to lift her head. When she stares at him, her chin on his bare chest looking up to his face. "I said of course and this is your home as well"

Bella licks her lips and smiles a bit. "Thank you" She shuts her eyes and rests her head back on his chest.

Wednesday February 13th 2013

"Hey, hey" He grabs her hand before she heads into the shower. He is in until 9 today.

Bella looks at him, she smiles and touches his cheek. Things have been so good since she told him. If she would have done it sooner, she could have avoided all the knots she has had in her stomach.

"I called James, we are meeting today" He rushes out waiting for her reaction.

Bella stares at him. "What, um what happened, what did he say?" She widens her eyes when she looks at him questioning quickly.

"Shh" He cups her cheeks. "I'll handle it" Edward brings her head close and presses a kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry; it went fine, as expected"

Bella sighs and shakes her head as he holds her face. "I'm sorry"

"Bella" Edward makes her look at him and he smiles. "It's okay, it will be dealt with, and it will be fine"

"Just be careful, he is such" She clenches her teeth and shakes her head a bit more, her eyes fall shut. "Just"

"I can well imagine, but it will be okay…okay?"

"Okay"

"Shower, I have to get going"

"When are you meeting him?"

"At 3, I'll be home around 8" He kisses her lightly on her mouth before letting her go.

Edward watches the door like a hawk. His fingers are holding his glass of water lightly. He has about two hours before he is due back at the hospital. He is hoping this does not take that long. He wants this wrapped up and sorted out as soon as possible. For Bella's sake, for his sake, for them together. His eyes blink when the familiar face, the same face, hair, stature that was on the security camera a few months ago appears in the doorway.

Eye meet, blue on blue and Edward make no move or motion to the man. James simply walks over to the table. As a sign of what Edward guesses is intimidation James stands next to the table just glaring down at Edward for a few moments.

"Take a seat James" Edward finally speaks, he is glad his voice doesn't sound shaky or dry. It feels both but it his words thankfully came out strong, forceful even. The man sits down.

"You wanted to meet and talk, so talk" James says his hands resting in his lap below the table. He wipes his sweaty palms on his jean covered legs. He eyes the man across from him. He is older than him, than Bella, he knows this. This information is public. His family is public and well known in Seattle.

"I know what is going on so we don't need to play dumb with each other" Edward tells him very simply.

"So you know I want two hundred thousand dollars or your…shall we say activities with um a woman in Bella's profession will be made public"

Edward smiles. "Do you know who I am?"

"I know exactly who you are Dr. Edward Cullen" James spits. "I know how much your mother is worth, your grandfather…you, and I also know what status means to your family"

"Then what you know is wrong, because status means nothing to my family" Edward shakes his head firmly. "Love, means more than anything we have, we love Bella, and will protect her from trash like you" He leans forward and growls.

"You are lying down with trash" James glares at Edward.

Edward places his hands on the table his fists clenched. Edward clears his throat. "You aren't getting a dime from me"

"Then the whole of Seattle will know you pick up hookers between surgeries"

Edward smiles and shakes his head. "Like anyone will believe you are anything more than a bitter ex-boyfriend" Edward shakes his head with a smirk. "Do you really think I will let you blackmail me and hurt her?"

"Do you really think that you can deny this?" James questions.

"Do you have proof of what Bella did?" Edward questions.

James swallows; he blinks a few times before licking his lips.

"Exactly without proof, my word against scum like you might as well be gold" Edward glares, he is ready to pound the other man into the floor, but he keeps his composure.

James says nothing. "Do you know how many men she has been with, why are you different…hm?" He tries a different direction.

Same old song and dance, he is not biting this line. "Because I am" Edward answers simply.

"Because you have money" James corrects. "She sells herself to the highest bidder"

Shaking his head he looks at the other man. "She is not what you wanted to make her, she made it out, out of the hell you pulled her into, you lost and she won"

His words hit him and they make him want to punch the smug look off of Dr. Edward Cullen's face. "Someone better will come along, richer, younger and you will be old news, she is a whore that wants money, anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool"

"James it has been…no" Edward shakes his head. "Don't contact Bella, don't think about her, stay away from her, us, my family or you will regret it" He growls pushing his chair out. Standing Edward moves to the side of the table James sits at and leans down to the blonde man. "If you try to hurt her again, you will rue the day you met her years ago because I will make you pay" His voice is chilling, it is harsh and angry. "I will make you pay severely" Edward slams his hand down on the table making the man jump. "Don't forget" He mutters before patting James' shoulder and walking out of the door.

Edward sits in his office and covers his face, he re-thinks what happened between himself and James. He doesn't know if he will speak to James again, he hopes that the man goes back to the hole he crawled from. He knows that he is a desperate man and desperation makes people crazy, do crazy things. So he won't hold his breath when it comes to 'this is the last of James'. But he will hope and pray.

"Dr. Cullen" Edward answers his phone.

"Edward" Carlisle says to his son.

"Hi dad" Edward sighs.

"I am guessing the meeting went…"

"So – so" Edward confesses. "For now he is gone, but I don't know what he will do if anything, if anything happens to" He can't even think it, or say it.

"Nothing will happen to Bella, she will be fine, he seemed to have been looking for a quick payday, and he didn't get it"

"Which worries me, should I have given him the money?"

"I don't know Edward"

"If he comes back, accosts her when I am not around, hurts her…"

"If you think like that it will make you crazy"

"He just wants her to be nothing, he just, she is not a whore, she made mistakes, we all do" Edward explains to his already understanding father. "She doesn't need to keep paying and paying for them" He continues a slight rant. "She deserves happiness"

"Yes she does and you are doing a great job of achieving that, for her, both of you" Carlisle can see a change in Edward, his focus is not just on work now; it is on his personal future and wants. His needs even.

"I love her so damn much; I'll do anything for her"

"I know you will" Carlisle smiles. "I feel the same way about your mother"

Edward smiles. "I guess"

"We will deal with whatever happens" He will help Edward, and Bella any way he can, she is a good person. He wants happiness and love for his son. Bella provides that and he will help keep that anyway he can. They shouldn't have to pay for that happiness because of Bella's past.

"I hope nothing" Edward cuts in quickly.

"I do as well" Carlisle nods to himself, but he is not so sure, but he hopes. "Let's move onto happier things, I am going to propose to your mother again tomorrow night"

"What?"

Carlisle laughs. "We have been married 35 years this year"

"We all know Emmett was born out of wedlock" Edward laughs.

Carlisle smiles. "Anyway, it is a good a time as any"

"I'm happy for you dad, hope mom says yes" Edward laughs, he smiles at his father's chuckle.

"Thank you, what are the plans with Bella?"

"I honestly haven't thought about it…I'm a terrible boyfriend right, everything is gonna be booked up now, and I have to work until 7 anyway"

"She will understand" Carlisle smiles because he lived this with Esme already and it didn't break them, it merely made them stronger.

"I know terrible" Edward mutters rubbing his eyes.

Edward was swamped all afternoon, from 5 until now when he drags himself in the door. He sees the missed calls from Bella, his mother and Alice. He assumes Alice is due to Bella being worried and trying to get through to him via his sister. His mother, not sure, he will call her tomorrow.

"Oh my god, thank goodness" Bella rushes from the couch in her oversized shirt…his shirt and tiny boy shorts. She jumps into his arms.

"Ouf" He stumbles catching her. "What a welcome"

"You didn't answer your phone" She complains in his arms, holding his face steady to look at him, checking him over. "Are you alright?" She knows that she sounds like a completely crazy loon, but she can't seem to care now until she knows he is fine.

Edward smiles, he can't move his head, she has him trapped. "I told you I would take care of it"

Bella narrows her eyes. "Why didn't you call?"

"I know I need to call, I will get better at that" He confesses. She understands and accepts more than most women would, but it goes both ways he is very understanding to all of her. He just doesn't think about it, but he has promised this before and he needs to follow through.

"It's okay, I was just worried" She nibbles her lip and lets her hold go on his face, her hands rest on his shoulders as he kisses her nose lightly and sets her on her feet.

"It was fine, is this mine?" He smirks a bit fiddling with the collar of his dress shirt, he loves her in his clothing, loves it so much.

"What happened?" She flicks his hand away with a smile, but her focus is on how things went.

"Nothing, I told him" Edward moves her hair behind her shoulder.

"I know" She looks at it and frowns. "It is getting long and wild"

Smiling he gathers her hair in one hand and pulls it from her neck, letting it drop he smiles. "It is perfect"

Bella blushes under his gaze. "Tell me what happened" She whispers pressing her hands on his chest.

"Nothing, honestly, I just told him to stay away from you, and I won't pay him a dime"

"Edward" She breathes out. "I'm worried"

"Don't be, Bella no one will believe him over us" And they will deal with things when and if they happen. He will follow his father's wise words.

"It doesn't even matter if people believe if it gets out the doubt will be in their minds, the what if questions will haunt you…us" She shakes her head and sighs. "I'm sorry"

"For what, your past?" He frowns looking down at her. "Sorry for what made you…you?" He licks his lips, staring at her not even expecting her to answer. "What brought you to me?" He smiles at her a bit. "Because I'm not" He shakes his head.

"You are so damn perfect" She takes her fists and jabs his stomach smiling.

Edward laughs a bit, he groans, pulls her in, and rests his chin on top of her head he holds her close. "You tell me if he tries to contact you"

"I will" She wraps her arms around him. "Did you say something to Felix about me?"

"I told him to look out for you" He says without remorse in his voice, he is not sorry if did that.

"Okay" Bella sighs warm against his chest. "Do you want me to make you something?"

"No, I just want this"

"What?" She pulls her head up and looks at him.

Edward smiles. "You" He wants to just stand there with her.

SEE that wasn't so bad with James eh! I wasn't planning on a HUGE crazy blow out. I've been sitting on this for days because I wasn't sure SO I hope that was okay.

Valentines Day next :-D can we get anymore lovey...I can try!