RobSara, what you said was perfect. Thank you.

The day after Edward returned, Bella sat in the nursery contemplating everything he'd said. She thought at first that he'd gone to see a woman, and his extending the trip solidified that in her mind. But then he was so sweet when he got home, and the gesture of the rings was very important to her. Of course, that didn't prove anything. He could have been with a mistress and then felt guilty enough to ply her with gifts.

Yet, it didn't feel that way. She wasn't about to probe into his business and ask, even if he was her husband. He was very private, saying little about what he did on a daily basis; she'd figured that out early on. She didn't know exactly what he dealt in, but he'd made a name for himself over the years as a ruthless man. The police had never pinned anything on him, naturally, but she and everyone in the state of Washington knew he was a murderer.

And he was hers. He was Quinn's. They were together for life, it seemed, and she couldn't quite picture it as a punishment anymore. He was nearly tender with her at dinner, and certainly sweeter than he needed to be when he told her he was proud of her. That was a shock to the system, to realize she even wanted to make Edward proud.

The night before, she'd turned off Edward's monitor to insure he slept. Surprisingly, she'd missed crossing paths with him in the wee hours of the morning the way they did the first week. She had yet to put on clothes for the day, instead opting to stay in the white satin nightgown Rose gave her. It was low-cut and edged in lace, and she admitted it made her feel less frumpy when she had to get up and change a diaper at three in the morning. When she sat in the rocker with Quinn at her breast, it didn't occur to her to worry that she was showing more skin than usual.

Edward walked in, stopping in his tracks. "I . . . thought I'd say good morning."

"Good morning." She gave him a bright smile, and he frowned in return. "What's wrong?"

He couldn't seem to lift his gaze from Quinn's head. "Wrong?"

"You're frowning."

"Am I?"

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"Do you want me to interrupt him so you can have him for a minute?" she said sweetly.

"No, why?"

"Because you're staring at him, so I assume you want to hold him."

"Oh."

At the same time he raised his heated gaze to meet hers, she heard Rose's voice telling her to flaunt her breasts to gauge Edward's reaction. Without overthinking it, she ran her pinky around Quinn's lips to free his suction and lifted him. Burning red with immodesty, she left her gown in disarray as she held Quinn up for Edward to take him. "Say hello to Daddy."

This time, there was no mistaking what Edward stared at. "Ah, hello."

He moved forward, leaning down and taking Quinn from Bella. She smiled broadly at the sight of him holding his son. It had been too long.

"He was nearly done, so he shouldn't fuss at you if you want to take him for a minute."

"Um, yeah, I think I'll . . ."

She almost laughed at how befuddled he sounded. Rose was on to something. "I guess I'll go get dressed while you've got him." She stood, very slowly putting herself back in order as Edward watched.

"Yeah, okay."

In her room, she pulled off the nightgown, feeling flushed from his focused gaze. It was clear that her breasts were enticing enough to stare at, but she didn't feel too happy about what was going on with the extra skin at her belly at the moment. Logically, she knew it would take time to get back to her version of normal. She half wished she had the nerve to walk back in there without her clothes on, but that was a step she wasn't prepared to take. Thinking it might snow later, she put on warm clothes and thick socks before returning to the nursery.

"He's down for the count," Edward murmured as she entered the room.

He'd placed Quinn in the crib, and she watched his chest rise and fall, his right hand fisted by his head. "I see."

"Are you coming down to breakfast?" Now he stared at her face, and she felt herself blush again.

"Yes."

They went together, and she felt Edward rest his hand on the small of her back as they walked. It was comforting.

"Do you have plans for the day?" he asked, walking close beside her on the staircase.

"Not really. I was going to ask you what plumber we can use, and I want to pick a new desk for my office space online. After that, I don't know."

"Is it boring?" he asked as they entered the dining room.

"Boring?"

"Being stuck here all the time."

"Oh." She sat in her chair and fixated on the coffee carafe. "To be honest, I'm used to having nothing to do. I learned a long time ago how to entertain myself."

"Christ, that's no life."

"Yeah, well." What was she going to say, you've stuck me in this mansion with no friends and nothing to do with my life? At least she was making an effort to change that.

"Is there something on your bucket list you really want to do?"

There was laughter in her voice when she said, "Bucket list? I've never made one."

"We went to Ireland when I was a boy. I've always wanted to go back."

That was a massive reminder of the differences in their childhoods. "It must have been lovely."

Tyler brought coffee to pour into the carafe, along with bagels, eggs, and bacon. He set those down and went back to the kitchen, returning with a fruit platter.

"It was. There's no way to describe how verdant the green is. It's incredible."

"And going back is on your list?"

"Yes." He stacked food on a plate and handed it to her. "So is going to pretty much any country on a guided tour. I'd like to hear their histories."

"That does sound interesting," she commented while spreading cream cheese on her bagel. "I was under the impression you only traveled when it concerned business here in the state."

"Unfortunately, yes. The thing is, I have two partners capable of running my business, and yet I don't let them do it without my guidance."

Picking up a slice of bacon, she pointed it at him. "Don't you trust them?"

"Unequivocally."

"Then enjoy their competence and take time for yourself." She paused. There she was giving advice as though her own life wasn't in shambles.

"I've thought about it, but it would have to wait." He refilled her coffee as he spoke, and she wondered where the manners had come from all of a sudden.

"Why would you have to wait?"

"Quinn isn't old enough to travel."

"You can't take a baby on an extended European vacation," she agreed. It made her chest ache to think of being separated from her child for such a long time.

"No, not this young, and I imagine you'd get tired of schlepping all his stuff around."

"Are you hiring me as your valet?" Picturing herself as a pack mule with all his gear strapped to her back made her shudder inside.

He chuckled. "No, but you're his mother. Even between the two of us, it would be a pain in the ass."

She felt stupid for not realizing he meant to include her. "Yeah, it would be a lot," she murmured. Taking a few bites of breakfast, she thought about what he said. She wanted that with him, to travel the world at his side, watch his interest in history and gain pleasure from his happiness. It was an odd feeling.

"Anyway, there are things we can do around town if you're interested. I don't know how much of the city you've seen."

"Um, not much. The streets between here and the doctor, the mall, the uh, the furniture store," she finished in a hoarse whisper. Suddenly, it seemed that her food was lodged in her throat. She tried to wash it down with coffee.

"You're not still buying from them, are you?" he asked with a deep frown.

Her gaze remained glued to her plate. "No, I've only purchased online lately."

"Good."

"Have you spoken to your family?" she asked after a few minutes. The image of Victoria's slender body was etched in her brain.

"Only Jasper and Emmett, why?"

"Just curious."

"I'm not speaking to my father for many reasons, Bella. For instance, coercing my mother to keep you and Quinn a secret, but the biggest is threatening your life and sending you running. I know he used to be the head of this Family, but he didn't have to take his heartlessness that far."

"And Esme?"

"She's harder." Edward sighed. "I understand why she felt obligated to do as he told her, but she didn't apologize or try to make it right when I found out. She made excuses for him and told me I was wrong to feel upset."

"That's got to be hard. My parents are mad at me for moving, and they refuse to listen when I say I'm happy."

With that statement, his gaze laser focused on her face. "Are you happy, Bella?"

And again, there was a lump in her throat she couldn't quite swallow. "There are things I still want, but I'm well fed, I have a roof over my head, and I have my son."

"Just like a prison with three squares a day and an hour in the yard," he mumbled.

Not wanting to agree with him out loud, she shrugged.

"I would rather hear you have everything you've ever wanted."

Feeling a tic in her jaw, she traced circles on the table. Surely he knew it wasn't the truth. "Would it make you happy if I said I'm completely fulfilled?"

"If you were, yes."

"But I'm not," she whispered.

"No, there's no way you can be. I've trapped you here."

Though she glanced at him briefly, she mostly looked at her hands. "I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to come."

"Did you?"

She lifted her chin. "I knew I was marrying you and that you're violent. I knew I would have to spend my life in protective custody because my son is your son. Otherwise, you tell me nothing."

Edward sucked in an audible breath. "I promise, Bella, I won't ever be violent with you." Reaching across the expanse between them, he picked up her hand. "I don't regret bringing you here, but I regret that you're unhappy."

The feel of his hand in hers made her skin warm and her heart pick up its pace. She cleared her throat. "I'm not entirely unhappy, Edward. I'm taking steps to find something I can call my own."

"You are, that's true."

"So stop the self pity," she said in mock seriousness.

His crooked smile appeared. "Is that what it is?"

"Yes, you're very good at it." Also at taking her breath away with his boyish smirk.

He was quiet for a long time. "Look, I need to say something."

She nodded for him to continue.

"I miss the way we were in Forks. The Bella I knew was sweet and selfless, and so lonely she allowed an asshole like me to woo her. You made me feel like my younger self, as though I could erase all the bad I've done and get past that man to be who you saw when you looked at me."

"I . . ." She swallowed back tears. "I felt like you saw me as someone I'm not, and I desperately wanted to be her."

"And when you came here and you weren't the same person, I didn't react very well. I was looking for you to be someone who no longer existed. You had no choice but to change and adapt, and I guess I punished you for that."

"You weren't the same, either."

Edward blew out a breath. "I know."

"You held me like I was all you could ever need, and then you disappeared. It was so easy for you to walk away and leave me behind."

"With you, I found what was lost inside me, Bella. It scared me to think of inviting you into my cold and empty world, but it wasn't easy to leave you. These past weeks, I thought of you the whole time. I missed you, and I couldn't wait to come home."

"I thought. . ." Brushing away her tears, she dropped her head. They were being honest, but some things were hard to say. "I thought you were visiting a mistress."

"What?" He sat back. "No. I could never do that to you, no matter if you hated me or not."

"I don't hate you. I apologize for making that assumption, but I'm painfully aware that I'm not who you would have picked for yourself."

"You're wrong. I picked you in Forks. You didn't fall at my feet even though I offered you things. Though it hurt you, you were honest with me. You didn't let me get away with any crap." He shook his head. "I hated leaving you."

Tears tracked unnoticed down her face. "I was resigned to it, Edward. Your life is here and mine was there. I knew we'd never make it work. If it weren't for Quinn, you'd have forgotten about me."

"No, I wouldn't. I hired a private investigator to look for you. I wanted to make it work no matter what I had to do."

She gaped at his admission. "I'm speechless."

After scrubbing a hand over his face, he picked up her hand again. "I want to start over. I want to know you, and I want to tell you about myself."

"Even about your business?"

"I have to be careful, for all our sakes, but I'll tell you some things."

She smiled. "I would like that."

"Today?"

"There's nothing I'd rather do today than get to know my husband."

He grinned at her, and she had the feeling it was going to be the beginning of a special time for them.

A few of you on Facebook were afraid they would jump into sex before they're ready, but Bella is currently 4 weeks postpartum.