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Chapter Twenty-Three

"I read somewhere once that it takes three days to get a marriage license in Florida," I say, holding Edward's hand as we walk into the elevator.

It's the day after Edward's birthday, and we both slept in. Waking up next to each other makes my heart warm. I like when his eyes first start to flutter open, his smile slowly stretching his lips until his dimples are deep enough to stick my tongue in - he's so beautiful it hurts my eyes to look at him.

Edward pushes the button for the lobby and turns into me. "Yeah? When did you read this?"

"Well, I mean, this morning if I'm being honest," I say, wrapping an arm around his waist and looking up at him. "Don't you think it's weird how you can type whatever you want into Google and it just pops up like some magical voodoo? I asked him - well, maybe it's a her actually - but anyway, I asked Google how much does Edward Cullen love Bella Swan and…" I start laughing and push my forehead into his chest. "...this is so funny. Google said you were a telepathic vampire…" I laugh so hard my stomach starts to hurt.

"Swanie," Edward says, chuckling.

I lift my head, still giggling some, and he stares down at me, waiting for me to continue. "I know you're not a vampire, cowboy. It's obviously talking about a different Edward Cullen."

Now Edward's laughing, and I'm watching him because seriously his laugh is out of this freaking world.

The elevator dings and the doors open, and we step out into the hotel lobby. "How much did Google say Edward Cullen loved Bella Swan?" He asks.

"Oh, more than life," I say.

"Yeah?"

We step into the Florida sunshine, and I squint up at him, our smiles matching. "Yeah."

He kisses me, and I melt against him. "This Google's pretty smart, Swanie."

I nod and kiss his cheek. "I thought so, too."

After we're all buckled into his truck and on the road in search of lunch, I grab his hand and hold it in my lap. Even his fingers are beautiful. I hold his hand with one hand and trace every part of his hand with the other. "I like your hands," I say.

"Thanks, baby," he says.

"So about that license…" Seriously, I can't stop thinking about it.

"We're gonna go get it," he tells me, squeezing my hand. "I'm gonna feed you and then we'll go."

My stomach is fluttering with a million butterflies. "We're really getting married?"

"Do you not want to?" he asks.

I look up at him like he's crazy. "Yes. I mean, if you want to. Don't you want to?"

"Yeah, Swanie, I wanna marry you."

"People are going to think we're nuts," I say. "I wouldn't be surprised if my dad literally does kill me."

"I wouldn't let him kill you," Edward says, chuckling.

"What's the difference between getting married today or two years from now," I say. "If I love you this much after two weeks, waiting two years isn't going to change that. When you know, you know - you know?"

"Yeah," Edward says, pulling off at some crab shack. He shifts and pulls his hand from mine but wraps his arm around me, pulling me into his body. "You gonna tell your mom and dad?"

"Are you going to tell yours?" I ask, pushing the buttons to release our seatbelts.

"I already did," he says, grinning.

"What! When?"

He kisses me, a cute little peck on my open mouth. "Yesterday."

"And?"

"And what, Swanie? What they think wouldn't change my mind."

"No, I mean what did you tell them?"

He laughs and shakes his head. "That we were gettin' married."

"That's it?" I need to know more than I need lunch right now.

He shrugs, lifting his eyes over my head before scanning my face, looking kind of shy and really adorable. "I told them I already love you and that I plan on keepin' you forever and doin' so many dirty things to you…"

"Shut up," I breathe, feeling my body warm from the inside out.

"I left out the doin' dirty things to you part," he says, chuckling. "My mom made me send a picture of you and dad he just wanted to know if this was gonna hold me back from gettin' back to work."

"Which one did you send?" I ask because let's be real, this is freaking important. "Did I look cute?"

"You always look cute, baby."

"Aww, you're sweet, cowboy," I gush and kiss his jaw. "But seriously, which picture?"

He laughs and pushes open the door, pulling me across the seat. "The one from the beach."

"There were tons from the beach," I say, sliding down the truck.

"You were sittin' in my lap."

"Oh my God, you sent her one of me practically having sex with you!" I kind of yell then look around the parking lot, hoping no one heard that. "Edward!"

He's laughing again and smiling, and it's seriously doing things to my freaking heart. "It was a good picture, Swanie."

I yank on his hand and pull him to a stop. "Show me which one," I demand, holding out my hand, but he just stands there looking down at me like he thinks I'm being funny or something. "First impressions are important, you know."

"Baby," he says, hugging me - just baby.

"Cowboy," I say, pinching his sides, making him jerk against me.

"She said you were beautiful, Swanie," he says, pulling my head back with a fist in my hair.

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Okay," I breathe, my lips lifting a smidge.

"Alright," he smiles, kissing me before releasing me and pulling me through the doors for lunch.

Since Edward told his mom and dad, I'm going to have to tell mine. Mom will probably be shocked but accepting. I think dad is going to be mad at me and probably yell at me.

For lunch Edward orders me everything on the menu that isn't seafood related - garlic bread, french fries, and mozzarella sticks - and he gets crabs, shrimp and stuffed mushrooms. It smells delicious but I know my taste buds will reject it. Unfortunately he feeds himself, but we do share an ice cream sundae afterwards.

On the way to get our marriage license, I text mom telling her that I'm going to call later. My stomach is a nervous wreck just thinking about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to marry Edward no matter what they say, but nobody likes for their parents to be mad at them.

Dad is protective and strict - less so now that I'm officially an adult - but he has opinions and doesn't shy away from voicing them. I won't be able to handle it if he says mean things about Edward.

Mom already thinks Edward is a God, and who could be mad that I'm marrying a God?

Should I be worried? Mom texts back.

Yes!

No, I respond.

While we're putting in for the marriage license, I can't stop smiling. Edward shakes his head at me, but his smile mirrors my own. He's just as happy as me.

I can't believe we're going to freaking get married.

"I need a dress," I say once we're back in the truck.

"You hate wearin' dresses," he reminds me of my own words which warms my heart since he remembered I even said that.

"I know, but I'm marrying you in a dress. A pretty one. Can we get married on the beach?"

"We'll get married wherever you want."

I hug his arm and kiss his shoulder. "Can we go to the mall?"

"You wanna go shopping? I wanted to go back to bed," he says, sounding very serious. "Aren't you tired, Swanie?"

God, my face hurts from smiling so much.

"Don't you want to help me pick out a dress?"

"I'm thinkin' that's supposed to be bad luck."

"I want your help," I say. "You can watch me try them all on and tell me which one you like best. I know people always keep their dresses a secret and wait to show their grooms but I don't care about any of that."

"Alright, Swanie," he says. "Let's get you a dress."

"Okay."

"Then we'll go back to bed," he says. "I wanna spend the next three days inside you."

"Without food and water?" I tease, but seriously, I'm all for it.

"I'll still let you feed me, baby," he says, smiling.

"I can't wait."

He glances at me and gives me a slow wink - I don't know how or why winks are so freaking sexy, but when he does it, it just is.

"You're so cute," I say. "We'll be fast with the dress."

"Whatever you want, Swanie."

"I actually want you more than I want a dress," I say, rubbing a hand up his thigh. "But I don't want to get married in shorts, so we'll find a dress and then get back to the hotel, so you can make love to me all day and night."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, so drive faster."

Edward chuckles, but he does go a little faster.

Once we're at the mall, I drag Edward into the dressing room and push him onto the bench. "Wait here." Then I kiss him, longer than I meant to but actually shorter than we both wanted.

I choose three different dresses and slip into the room next to the one I shoved Edward into and put the first one on. It's actually my favorite one, so I'm not sure why I even brought the other two in here.

I put it on and stare at myself in the mirror.

Holy cow.

The thin straps are tied together with tulle at the shoulders with a solid lace middle, and the cream material stops at mid thigh with longer pieces cut to hang to my ankles. Tulle starts at my waist and flows to the ground - so long it will drag behind me.

I don't even look 19 wearing this.

It's amazing.

Grabbing my clothes and shoes, I bring them with me into the next room, knowing this is the one and I don't need to bother with the others. I use the key and push open the door, finding Edward with his head bent to his phone. I set my clothes and shoes on the bench next to him, and my heart nearly pounds out of my chest when he lifts his head and his eyes take in the dress.

"Fuck, Swanie," he says, gripping my waist.

I shrug, swallow and smile. "I hate dresses."

"Shut up," he says, pulling me onto his lap, so I'm straddling him. "You're so fucking pretty, baby. You gettin' this one?"

"Do you like it?" I ask, kissing his cheek, his jaw, his freaking neck.

He nods and pulls my head from his neck and smashes his lips against mine, kissing me roughly, his hands pulling me tighter against him. I don't know how long we kiss in this dressing room, but by the time he pulls back, his lips are red, swollen, and wet and he looks so freaking hot.

He groans when I move to stand, and my legs are like jello. "I'll change so we can go."

"Yeah, Swanie," he agrees, licking his lips. "What're those?" He looks down at my feet - at the little barefoot sandals I picked out.

I hold my foot out, pushing the tulle out of the way. "It's jewelry. I'm going to be barefoot in the sand and it makes it look like I'm wearing sandals when I'm not. Cute, huh?"

"Real cute," he says, grinning sweetly, but the way his lips look all abused is the hottest thing I've ever seen.

I slip the dress off and hang it on the hook, quickly getting dressed so we can get out of here.

After slipping my flip flops on, I grab the dress and jewelry and pull Edward from the bench. "We can go now."

"Alright," he says, kissing the side of my head.

"I'm exhausted all of a sudden. I need a nap."

"Sure, baby," he says, lifting his chin for me to open the door. "You won't be nappin' in that bed."

"No?"

I pull the door open, and he buries his nose in my hair. "No. I'm gonna do more than make love to you, and you'll be awake for it."

"Okay."

"Okay," he says, squeezing my butt cheek before gently shoving me through the door.

"I'm curious what this more than make love stuff is," I say, looking over my shoulder. He kisses my lips and shakes his head.

"You'll see, Swanie."

"Fine."

"Fine," he says, chuckling.

The drive takes half a year, but when Edward pushes the door open, I'm bouncing in excitement.

I gently lay my dress across a chair in the corner and turn to face Edward. "I so want this more than love stuff."

He smirks, and I die.

"Come here, baby," he says.

I'm freaking coming.

Why is Edward not real?