So, not so new story ... I'm reposting this. This story was pulled years ago by FFn. That decision (without any sort of warning, really) forced me to move from just posting on FFn to Stars (then The Writer's Coffee Shop), AO3, and FictionPad. After doing some thinking, and FicPad turning into a for-profit platform, I've decided to repost this here.
This is ALREADY COMPLETE! PREWRITTEN
I will be doing some editing for content, but this is written in its entirety on Stars, AO3, Wattpad and FicPad (when it's not being a pain in the butt).
Carrots? Has anyone seen any carrots? The plot bunny attacked and well, you all are going to reap the benefits. NEW STORY! I've been writing some pretty heavy stuff lately and well, I'm going to lighten it up a bit. It's not going to be a humorous story (though there will be some funny bits) but it will be romantic. Some drama…some light angst (there needs to be some sort of conflict or it wouldn't be worth reading, kids).
We're switching back to Bella next chapter. We're going to be closing on the new house (pictures of that will be posted on my blog and tumblr). We're also going to be separating our two favorite love birds.
Chapter Thirty: Home is Where the Edward Is…What?
BPOV
"You know, the article gets written when your fingers are moving over the keyboard," quipped Marcus.
I jumped, looking up at him. I shook my head, furrowing my brow. "What?"
"You were spacing out, Bella," he said, sitting down in my cubicle. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just stressing out of the closing at the end of the week," I said, giving him a sheepish grin. "And Edward's impending departure."
"When does Romeo go back to that tropical island?" Marcus asked.
"He leaves the Monday after Easter. I've roughly got a month with him before he's going to go," I frowned. Shaking my head, I turned to my friend and editor-in-chief of the paper. "I'm guessing that this is more than just a wakeup call for me, hmmm? What's up, buttercup?"
"You are correct, Miss Swan. Come with me. We're going to lunch," he said, handing me my purse and jacket.
"What would your wife say?" I teased, walking to the elevator. Marcus snorted. We got onto the elevator, riding down to the main level. We chatted about some of the stories that were assigned for tomorrow's edition of the paper and the new online, interactive edition of the paper that went live last week. Edward helped with that launch, smoothing out some edges with the tech department. Marcus drove us to a nearby café and we sat down, ordering some drinks. I was perusing the menu, trying to figure out Marcus's M.O. for our little lunch date. "Dude, seriously, what's up?"
"Let's order our lunch first and then I'll tell you, Miss Impatient," Marcus snickered. I rolled my eyes, focusing on the menu to pick a meal. The waitress came and we ordered. Once she left, I stared at Marcus, encouraging him to spill the beans. "Okay, Bella. Do you remember the story you wrote on domestic abuse?"
"The one I got yelled at and almost suspended for?" I deadpanned.
"Uh, yeah," Marcus chuckled. "Well, I had Miranda read it. She was impressed and she submitted it for the Seattle Newsroom Awards, as a nominee."
"Weren't the nominations due in January?" I asked.
"They were and she submitted it just under the wire," Marcus explained. "Typically, there are five stories that are accepted as nominees. I'm pleased to say that your story on domestic abuse is one of them."
"What?" I squeaked.
"You are nominated for feature of the year for your piece on domestic abuse, Bella. Congratulations," Marcus smiled, sipping his coffee. "Oh, here's your invitation to the award ceremony." He handed me an envelope with my name written on it with a frilly, elegant script. "It's at the W Hotel in Seattle. I'm invited, along with Miranda and another nominee, Brayden, for his piece on high school students and their use of steroids."
I opened the invitation, looking for the date. I tried to smile, but failed. It was a month after Edward left for Brazil, in the middle of May. "This is great, Marcus. Thank you," I said, tucking the invite into my purse.
"Why are you not happy? This is huge, Bella!" Marcus squeaked.
"I know it's huge, but Edward won't be there," I sighed, picking at the paper napkin on the table. "I'm proud of my work on the story and happy that I got nominated, but the person that supported me when all that shit went down with the douchenozzle won't be there for the ceremony."
"Maybe he can fly back?" Marcus said.
"Perhaps," I shrugged. "When do I need to respond?"
"Beginning of May," Marcus said. "You can bring up to four other people, besides yourself. Invite your parents if Edward is unavailable or the girl that you and Edward helped that was the inspiration for the article."
"Okay," I said, giving him a smile. "Thank you, Marcus, for everything you've done this year."
"For one of my best writers? Anything," he said. "Now, how's your new house?"
"It's big. Huge, really. It's almost a mansion in Bainbridge," I said, my eyes widening. "Edward is buying it for me for his wedding present to me. I personally think it's too much, but Edward, he's stubborn. He won't take no for an answer."
"The man is buying you a house," Marcus snorted. "He's more than just stubborn. He's head over heels for you."
"As I'm head over heels for him, too," I blushed. "He's everything to me and I can't imagine not being with him. I don't want him to go to Brazil, but he has to. He has so many things to do before we move back there…permanently…oh, shit!"
"What do you mean?" Marcus asked, his brow arching. "Moving back there?"
"Crap. I wanted to wait before I told you," I said, shrinking in my seat.
"Explain, Bella," Marcus said.
"Okay, okay," I grumbled. "With everything that has happened with Alec and all that crap, my drive for journalism has significantly dwindled. Obviously, I'm doing my job and doing it to the best of my ability, but I just don't have that ambition to continue. Then, when Edward proposed to me, everything made sense. I didn't want to continue living up here because our lives are down there. Edward's in charge of a multi-million dollar resort and he's amazing at what he does. His family is down there. I found my happiness down there. The man I love more than my own life…"
"When were you planning on giving your notice?" Marcus frowned.
"End of May, beginning of June," I said. "I have to finish out my lease and then I'm moving down to Brazil, permanently. I have a plan and everything for what I want to do…Marcus, please don't be mad."
"I'm not mad, Bella. I'm upset more than anything," he said, scrubbing his face. "I'm upset because my best writer is moving away. I'm upset because my partner in crime, the person who kept me sane during this whole Alec debacle is not going to be in her cube anymore. Is there nothing that I can do to make you stay?"
"No, Marcus," I said. "My place is with Edward, on the island. I love it there. It's what I need to revitalize my career. I'm helping out as the concierge and wedding planner once I get back from my honeymoon. Rosalie, Edward's sister-in-law, is pregnant and is taking some time off to be with the baby. I'm doing her job until Rose decides to come back or they find someone who is more suitable for the position. When that happens, I'll probably do something else at the resort, or run a travel blog. I just can't stay here. Seattle isn't home anymore. I'll miss it, but my heart is with the man who captured it on a tropical island off the coast of Brazil."
"I'm confused, though. If you are planning on living on the island, why did you and Edward buy a house?" Marcus asked.
"So, we didn't have to worry about putting out my parents when we come up and visit. Our plan is to live on the island a majority of the year, but for several months, we'll be back up here to see my family and friends," I explained.
"Okay," Marcus said, furrowing his brow. "I have a counter proposal for you, Bella. I do not want to lose you. You are an amazing journalist. I'll keep you on the payroll but as a freelance writer. All I need from you is a handful of articles a month. It won't be the same as your salary, but I'll get to keep you."
"Let me think about it," I said. "It would be hard to write about the goings-on in Seattle when I'm living in another hemisphere."
"It could be a travel column or a world news column. We'll work out the details later, but consider it," Marcus pleaded with me. The waitress brought our food and we dug in. Well, Marcus dug in. I just picked at my soup and salad. I hated causing conflict and my resignation from the paper was conflict. "Bella, stop obsessing."
"I just hate making you upset, Marcus," I muttered.
"Who am I to make you choose between the love of your life and your job?" he asked, his eyes softening. "Ideally, I'd like to keep you on as a freelance journalist, but I'll understand if that's not what you want. To be quite honest, I was a bit spent after the Alec thing, too. However, my new position has definitely infused me with something. Think about my offer, Bella. You don't have to make any decisions now, but just consider it."
"Okay," I said, melting against my seat.
"Now, eat your lunch, Bella. I don't want Edward getting all worried that you're stressing out and not feeding yourself," Marcus snickered.
"Got it, boss," I smiled, digging into my meal.
The rest of my day went by uneventfully. I managed to finish my story for tomorrow's edition and got my next assignment from Miranda. I spoke with her briefly, thanking her for her nomination for the Newsroom Award. She beamed excitedly and said that I had a good chance of winning. I wondered if Marcus spoke to her about my decision, but based off her friendly attitude, he hadn't. He did say that he wouldn't say anything until it came closer to my last day, which was a week before Edward's birthday. I wanted to be down on the island by his thirtieth birthday, giving him the ride of his life.
When I got home from work that night, I found Edward in the living room. He was on the phone and typing simultaneously. "Okay, Jane," he said. "I'll try to see if I can swing it, but I don't know. Yes, I understand that the game is taking off and that it's broken records, but I'm already down in Brazil that week. Let me check to see if it's feasible. I'll let you know. Thanks." He hung up the phone, tossing it onto the couch. He looked up and gave me a tired grin. "Hey, gorgeous girl."
"What's wrong?" I asked, slipping off my heels and snuggling into his lap.
"Well, I've been on and off the phone all day. We have our appointment for the closing. It's at two at a title company near your office on Friday. I'll pick you up on my way there," Edward said.
"Do I need to bring anything?" I asked.
"Just a pen, Mrs. Cullen," he purred, nuzzling my neck. I melted against his chest. "Afterward, we can go over to the house and check it out. The family has already signed the paperwork and is out of the house. Once we sign everything, the home is ours."
"Wow! That's exciting," I said, threading my fingers with his. "I can't wait to start moving in and making it ours."
"Hmm, me too, love," he replied, kissing my nose. "We can probably discuss the renovations we want and get the ball rolling on that."
"Who else were you on the phone with, besides Jane?" I asked.
"I was on and off the phone with Alice and Rose, discussing things that need to be done down at the resort. In addition to that, Victoria tried to get back on the island. A newer employee allowed her on the ferry to the island and she was promptly found and escorted off. She threw a bitch fit," Edward snorted humorlessly.
"There's something about the woman that I do not trust. She's going to do something. I just know it," I said, wrinkling my nose. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's working with James and Zafrina and she's besties with your ex-girlfriend, Lauren."
"Ugh, that would be hell," Edward groaned. "Pray that is not the truth, gorgeous girl." He slipped his fingers underneath my sweater and idly scratched my back. "The final phone call, you heard. Jane said that my game is getting critical acclaim and she wants me to attend an international gaming conference in Leipzig. However, it's a week after I arrive in Brazil. I would hate to get there, start working and then leave immediately for this conference. I feel like I'm giving my family the shaft because of this game…"
"I'm certain they'll understand," I said, caressing his cheeks.
"I'm trying to work it out that I can do a webcast or Skype conference, but Jane is adamant that I be there. In person."
"Is there something in your contract that you have to make these appearances?" I asked.
"No, but I feel compelled to go since Jane and the company have done so much for me," Edward groaned, leaning back on the couch and crushing me to his chest. "I'm so torn…but enough about me. What about you? How was your day, my brilliant fiancée?"
"Interesting," I chuckled, leaning my head against his shoulder. "Let me get something." I got up off his lap and pulled out the invitation to the Newsroom Awards. "Do you remember the article I wrote after Becca was beat to a bloody pulp by James?"
"Yeah," Edward frowned. "Didn't Alec make a big stink about that?"
"He did, but Marcus gave it to my current editor and she submitted it to the Newsroom Awards as a potential nominee. Marcus took me out to lunch and told me that the story is up for feature of the year," I said.
"Wow, Bella. You sound about as enthused as someone saying they are getting a root canal," Edward deadpanned. "This is awesome!" He hugged me closely and kissed my lips.
"Look at the date, Edward," I said, trying to keep my emotions at bay. Why am I so upset about this? Edward would still support me even if he wasn't there.
"Oh," he murmured, holding me closer. "Now, I'm really regretting my decision to go back down to the island. I can always stay up here…"
"No, you have things that you need to do down at the resort. Don't stay here because I'm being irrationally emotional," I said.
"I will try, try to get up to be there for you. I can't say yes or no because I don't know what I need to do until I get down to the resort. It could an easy fix and I'm back here in a couple of weeks. However, it could be a madhouse and I need to stay down there until our wedding," Edward murmured. He kissed my temple and held me close. "Now, my beautiful girl, let me take you out tonight to celebrate your nomination. I'm proud of you and even if I can't be there, I want to show you how much."
xx AIDA xx
On Friday, I dressed somewhat casually in a pair of dark pair of skinny jeans and a mint colored off the shoulder shirt. I kept my hair down and grabbed my bag and a gold purse before leaving. Edward kissed me before as I got out of his car, reminding me that he was picking me up at half past one. The morning was spent researching another story that I wanted to have finished by next week for the feature in the Sunday paper. I also edited another story that I was submitting before I left after lunch.
Once I got back from lunch with Paul, I submitted my story. I was going to pick up the phone to interview one of my subjects for my upcoming feature, but a pair of strong hands covered my eyes. "Guess who?" purred my favorite voice.
"I don't know," I quipped. "I was expected my other boyfriend."
"Hey," Edward laughed, turning me around.
"I'm kidding. You're the only one for me," I said, standing up and hugging him close. "You're early."
"Oh, Marcus asked me to come in and do some work on the website, installing upgrades to your computers and stuff. I don't know what you all will do when I'm gone," he snickered.
"Resort to calling some tech support company that's expensive as sin," I said, wrinkling my nose.
"Oh, I'm expensive. Each time I walk through the doors of the tech department, it's a five hundred dollar minimum fee. However, Marcus trusts me and he knows I'll get the job done on the first try. The previous company was lazy and they did not do their jobs as efficiently as me. Even though I'm expensive, I'm saving the paper more money because my repairs are more lasting," he said. "Are you ready, love?"
"Let me just save my work, okay?"
He nodded and sat down in my cubicle. I saved my work and logged off my computer. Tossing my stuff into my bags, I turned to face my fiancé. "Ready?" I asked. He smiled warmly, offering me his hand. Threading my fingers with his, I waved at Miranda as we were leaving and got into his car. We drove ten minutes to a small building, checking in with the receptionist. She called the closing agent and said that he'd be with us in a few minutes. He was finishing up with another client.
Edward held my hand, idly playing with my druzy ring as we waited for our agent to meet us in the lobby. Twenty minutes later, an older gentleman came out and greeted us. Following him back to the room, he went over the paperwork. We signed our names over a million times, it seemed. An hour later, we were the owners of five bedroom, three and half bath home in Bainbridge that had a pool and a built-in fire pit. The agent handed us a large file folder with everything related to the house, the garage door openers, four sets of keys and a bottle of wine from the previous owners. With a firm handshake, we left the title building and drove to our new home.
Quasi home.
Part-time home?
Whatever.
We parked in the driveway, staring at the beige two story house. "Here are the keys, love. You get to do the honors," he said.
"Oh, no. You funded this thing. You open the door," I giggled, closing his fingers around the keys.
"Bella, my love, I'm carrying you over the threshold. My hands are full," he snorted, arching a brow. He placed the keys in my hands, staring into my eyes. I bit my lip, holding back a whimper from the intensity of his stare. He chuckled, kissing me softly before getting out of the car. He helped me out of the passenger seat and we walked up the sidewalk to the front door. "I love you, Bella. Happy early wedding present."
"Very early," I said, kissing his cheek.
"Go ahead, Mrs. Cullen," he said, gesturing to the door. With an excited grin, I put the key into the door and with a flick of my wrist, opened the lock. I did the same for the deadbolt, pushing open the door. Edward picked me up easily, his eyes darkening and his smile elated beyond belief. "Welcome home, my Bella." With a deliberate step, he walked into the house. The overwhelming smell of Pine Sol attacked our noses. It was quite pungent, but at least we knew they cleaned. He placed me on my feet and closed the door. "It's awesome. We're home owners."
"It's shocking really. We have so much to do," I murmured, walking around the living room. "This color has to go."
"Not a fan of the rust?" he chuckled.
"Red, yes. Rust…blah. Too close to orange," I snickered.
"My hair is orange," Edward laughed, running his hand through his disheveled locks.
"Come here, Cullen," I said, dragging him into the downstairs bathroom. It was painted the same color as the living room. "Yes, we need to paint. Blah. Anyhow, this is orange." I gestured to the walls. "What you have, my sexy man, is not orange. You have a brownish, bronzeish, coppery color with blonde highlights. Most women would pay to get hair color like this. Many do! Myself included."
"Okay, okay. I don't have orange hair," Edward snickered, dragging me out of the bathroom. "Now, Let's go through each of these rooms and write down what changes we want. I would like to start interviewing contractors and painters sometime next week, starting renovations as soon as possible."
The next two hours were spent going over our desired changes, most of which were just changing wall colors. We did decide to completely change the master bathroom, which had carpeting on the floor and redo the kitchen, opening it up and making it bigger. We also wanted to finish the basement. My furniture from the apartment would be placed down there and the rest of our home would get a complete makeover, a present from Esme, Alice and Rosalie. The only thing about the house that wasn't going to be changed was the outside. The landscaping and décor around the pool was gorgeous. We decided to leave that as is, focusing our attention on the interior.
I was sitting on the counter of the kitchen, looking over the proposed changes for the house. I was excited but freaking out about the cost. A Viking stove? Granite counter tops? "Give me that, gorgeous girl," Edward said, tossing it onto the counter opposite of me. "I can see those dollar signs passing through your head. Do. Not. Worry. About. It."
"I'm trying," I said, biting my lip.
"What can I do to keep you from freaking out?" Edward asked. "Hide the receipts? Lie? Fuck you on this counter?"
"Holy hell," I whimpered. "Blunt much?"
"I've been thinking about taking you in our house as soon as you opened the door," he growled. Edward pulled me closer to the edge of the counter, staring at me hungrily. His hands found the edge of my shirt and he pulled it over my head. He cupped my breasts, squeezing them with his hands. Whimpering, I arched my back so he could do more with his hands. His lips found my neck and he kissed my skin until he reached the swell of my boobs. Pulling me closer to him, he reached behind my back, flicking my bra open and tossing it onto the floor along with my shirt. Taking my breast into his mouth, he flicked and nibbled on my pebbled nipple.
"Edward," I moaned, threading my fingers into his hair. He bit down on my nipple causing me to yelp quietly. Gently, he smoothed it with his tongue before laying me back on the counter. With a tender touch, he caressed every inch of my bare torso.
"I wish I had a camera," he whispered. "Seeing you laid out on our counter…but I'd change one thing." He unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them down along with my thong. "Now, it's perfection. Seeing you naked in our home, dripping for me."
"Fuck," I breathed.
"I will, baby," he said, spreading my legs. His fingers moved along my thighs, moving closer and closer to my slick folds. "I want to taste you on the counter. I want to feel you come around me, coating every inch of my face, my fingers and claiming this home as ours." I sat up, kissing his lips as his fingers finally began their magic on my pussy. I rocked against his hand, needing more friction. Edward pulled away and he got on his knees, pulling me closer to the edge. Looking directly into my eyes, he took one long, torturous lick along my sex. My hands flew to his hair as I spread my legs further, pressing my pussy into his face. Edward held me tightly with one hand and eased his fingers inside of me with the other. His tongue flicked my clit before suckling it into his mouth. I was a whimpering, moaning mess, tugging on his messy hair. I could feel my body react to his attention to my pussy. I could also see it. My arousal was dripping down his arm and covered his face. The delightful ribbons of warmth cascaded throughout my body. I was getting close.
"Edward, I'm…fuck, MORE!" I pleaded.
"Lay back," Edward commanded as he stood up. I did as he asked and he lifted my body off the countertop, burying his face between my legs. With the same hand that was curling inside of my pussy, he slid it inside of my ass, widening and massaging the puckered hole. I thrust my hands in my hair as I grunted with each thrust of his hand. Edward growled lowly, the vibrations reverberating inside of me. He added another finger to my ass and he thrust his tongue inside of my pussy. I circled my clit, needing to find my release. I was wound so tight. With a snarl, Edward nipped at my sex and I could feel the pulsations of my climax. I was sobbing with pleasure, wanting more from him. Like a lightning bolt, my body clenched around him and I felt every ounce of euphoria and ecstasy pulsing through my veins. Edward pressed a kiss to my clit before lowering me back onto the counter. I was boneless, completely boneless from my orgasm. "You alive, my love?"
"Seriously…death by orgasm," I giggled, sitting up slowly. I pulled on his shirt, kissing his lips and tasting myself on his mouth. "Dangerous man."
"Hmmmm, I'm not dangerous, love," he chuckled. "I just love watching my fiancée fall apart and shatter from all of the loving that I give her. Can you handle more?"
"If you mean your cock, then yes," I growled, unbuttoning his gray shirt and shoving it down his arms. He made quick work of his jeans, releasing his cock from its cotton prison.
Edward pulled me close and wrapped my legs around his waist. "Hold on, love," he said, picking me up off the counter. I nodded, crashing my mouth against his. He carried me to the stairs and instructed me to get on my hands and knees. I did as I was asked and he didn't waste any time slamming inside of me.
"Oh, FUCK!" I barked, bracing myself on the stairs. "Damn it, Edward, you're so hard."
"Only for you, Bella," he growled, driving his steel hard cock in my pussy. "I love fucking you in our house. Our place. Yours and mine."
"Yes, baby," I moaned, reaching between my legs and rubbing my clit, feeling his dick move in and out. His hands were gripping my hips, pulling me back to him as his own body thrust into me. He was claiming me and I loved it. I loved him. I adored it when he was sweet and reverent while we made love, cherishing me with his body. I enjoyed it when we had sex, just to feel closer to each other or to remind ourselves of what we had. But fucking? Edward deserves an award for fucking. He could bring me to new heights, soaring above the clouds when we fucked. It wasn't often because he refused to go back to his old life of being a male slut. I knew he loved me and wanted to show it appropriately, but fucking had its merits and right now, I was enjoying them thoroughly.
"Bella, I'm so close. Feeling you from behind is amazing. You're so fucking tight," he growled, panting heavily. Leaning down, I felt his lips drag across my shoulders. The sound of his body slamming into mine was the only thing I heard and it drove me insane. I felt every inch of him, his entire body curling around me. "God!" he moaned.
"Let go, baby," I said, clenching my pussy around his cock. "I know you want to. I'm with you. I'm there."
"Not without you, love," he said, his hand cupping my breast and twisting my nipple painfully. I gasped, looking back at him. His eyes were black fire, filled with such desire that I didn't know if I could hold back from coming hard on his cock. "Baby, I can see it. Together, Bella."
"Yes…" I hissed, feeling him grow within me and hitting that perfect spot that made me explode every time. He was so close to me and out of nowhere, he snarled. I could feel him pulsate inside of me and I screamed, allowing myself to just feel and lose myself in his release. His movements slowed, slipping out of me and collapsing on the stairs. His arms wrapped around my waist and he held me against his sweaty chest. "I can't wait to really christen this place. In a bed."
"I'll order one as soon as we get the colors we want for the walls, love," he chuckled, burying his face in my hair. "Are we still going for Asian Zen?"
"Hmmmm, yeah," I answered, hugging him close. "It's either that or a red room of pain. Whipping benches, floggers, nipple clamps…"
"Would you be my Domme?" Edward asked, arching a brow.
"Tan your hide for all of your transgressions?" I giggled. "Make you call me mistress?"
"I'd be your willing sex slave, Mistress Bella," he said, kissing just behind my ear. "Your pleasure would be my number one priority. Seeing you lose yourself…"
"Maybe I'd want you to be my Dom," I said.
"Perhaps, just being Edward and Bella works the best," he replied thoughtfully. "There's no harm in playing, but being with you without any pretenses, that means more to me than anything. I love and adore you, Bella. Nothing will ever change that."
"I love you more, Edward," I said, brushing his hair from his face. "Now, how about we go out for dinner and then be truly domestic and go to Lowes to look at paint swatches?"
"It's like you read my mind, Mrs. Cullen," he laughed.
xx AIDA xx
The next few weeks were spent working at the paper during the day and checking the house at night. Edward had hired a contractor to do the upgrades to the kitchen, bathrooms and to finish the basement. They would be finished with the renovations, pending any major issues, by the beginning of June. We also purchased brand new furniture that had a traditional feel, but with a contemporary flare. The delivery of the furniture was scheduled before my departure to Brazil for our wedding. We would return to Seattle after our honeymoon, spending time with my family and friends, saying goodbye and whatnot before making our home down on the island.
While the contractors and painters were working on the house, Edward and I were working on the apartment. We were packing up his belongings to be shipped back to the island. That alone made me incredibly sad. I knew that our time together in Seattle was coming to an end. After Easter, which was a week away, he'd be on a flight down to Brazil to whip the resort back into tiptop shape and to repair the damage to the relationship with his father.
They still hadn't spoken since New Year's.
Edward did manage to get out of the gaming conference in Leipzig. He would do a Skype question and answer session and provide Jane with a sneak preview of the next chapter of the Elvendore saga. She wouldn't leave him alone about going, but once he mentioned that it wasn't included in his contract, she stopped her harassment. He did placate her with an interview for some gaming magazine and promised to attend the next international gaming conference. Unfortunately, he still didn't know if he could come to the Newsroom Awards with me. I prayed that he would be able to, but was preparing for him not to be able to come, taking Becca, Charlie and Renee as my guests.
After discussing it with Edward and my family, I decided to take Marcus up on his offer and not fully resign from the paper. I'd be hired as a freelance, contracted writer. My assignments would be chosen for me by Marcus or Miranda. I could submit as little as I wanted or inundate them with articles. My column would run in the Sunday paper in the front page section and would start after my birthday in September.
On Good Friday, Edward and I were at the house, checking the progress of the demolition and renovations. We walked into the kitchen and it was no longer a kitchen, but a mess. "In a way, I'm kind of sad, love," he said, walking to where he had licked me to oblivion.
"Me, too," I smirked. "It was my first orgasm in here and the counter is gone."
"Well, it's going to be replaced with a better counter and we can christen that," Edward purred, waggling his brows.
"You are a perv," I giggled, smacking his arm.
"But, I'm your perv. Come on. Let's check the bathrooms and the painting," he said, tugging me through the house and up the stairs. The guest bathroom was nearly finished. The floors were redone with a warm tile, going up the side of the bathtub. The cabinets were a deep cherry with granite countertops. On either side of the gold mirror, we had two sconces with golden lampshades that warmed up the entire room. Inside of the tub, we had granite tiles that were light beige and a warm brown, similar to the color on the floor. The walls were painted a soft golden color and all of the fixtures were a brushed bronze. The only thing that needed to be added was the light fixture above the shower and the towel rods. "I like how this turned out. Very elegant."
"You picked almost everything," I said, checking the sink to see if it worked.
"I went off your choice for the tiles, love," he said, kissing my neck. "Let's check the master bathroom."
"I hope they pulled up the carpeting," I grimaced. "Who puts carpeting in the bathroom? Rugs, I get. But the whole floor? Not so much. I mean, what happens if you pee all around the toilet because you're having a drunk moment?"
"I would never do that, but I get what you're saying," Edward laughed, leading me to the master bathroom. In the bedroom, the beams we wanted added to the ceiling had been put up, along with a ceiling fan. The walls were painted a light mocha. Opposite one of the sets of windows, we had a built in added, with shelves and drawers. It was stained the same color as the beams. "I like that. I'm glad we added that."
"Me, too," I said, walking into the bathroom. "Thank GOD! No carpeting!" The beginning of the tiles were laid down on the floor. They were white granite with some decorative glass tile added at the corners. Our new cabinets and mirrors were already up, which were an off white, with a pearlescent sheen. The fixtures were going to be the same brushed bronze in the other bathroom with bronze handles on the doors and drawers of the cabinetry. On the floor of the bathroom held the specialty tile for the shower and going up the side of the tub. They were varying shades of gray, gold, pearl and a light slate blue.
"I can't wait to see when this is done," Edward said, picking up the tiles from the floor. "It's already a hundred times better, but when it's finished, it will be gorgeous."
"Yeah," I said. "Come on. We do have a job to do. We have to decide what color to paint the basement. All of my furniture from the apartment is going down there, except the office stuff, which is going to be put in the loft up here."
"Why not paint it similar colors to what you had in the apartment? They're fun and whimsical," Edward said.
"I don't think so," I said, wrinkling my nose. "My apartment was my fuck you to Tyler who was anti-color. I've outgrown the colors. Why not paint the walls beige or something?"
"Do you trust me?" Edward asked.
"Of course, I do," I said, arching a brow.
"Then, let me figure out the basement. It will be awesome. We'll have the couches, the bar, an extra bedroom and bathroom and a playroom for whatever children we have," he said, smiling wistfully and placing his hand on my belly.
"You're leaving on Monday, Edward. How can you…?" I asked.
"Trust me," he said, kissing my lips. "Now, we have to go grocery shopping for the stuff you need for Easter, right?"
"Yeah. Mom wants me to make my hash brown casserole and a dessert. I may just pick up the damn dessert since most of my stuff is already packed for baking," I said. "Are we done here?"
"Yep. I need to make a few phone calls, but I'll do that while we're shopping," Edward said, leading me out of the bathroom and down the stairs. We went to the nearby grocery store, picking up the ingredients for the hash brown casserole and an apple pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Edward was on the phone the entire time, smiling like he had a secret but wouldn't tell me.
The next day, we hung out with Angela, Jessica, Becca and Paul, along with their husbands or boyfriends at the Seattle Sculpture Park near Pike's Place Market. Selfishly, I wanted to be with Edward, on my own since he was going to be leaving in two days, but Becca had arranged for this day for us. I hadn't really spoken to her since Paul and Rob's wedding. She had pulled me aside and was talking to me about her fears about making love with Daniel. They were going slowly due to Becca's trepidation but she could tell that he was getting antsy for more.
"Becca, you need to talk to him," I said.
"I know, but I'm afraid that if I say that I'm not ready for sex, he'll leave me," Becca muttered.
"Has he said something to that effect?" I asked.
"No, but I'm not ready. Jimmy, James…whatever his name was…he was not…" she trailed off.
"Did he rape you?" I growled.
"No! Everything we did was consensual, but he was rough, Bells," Becca said, playing with her fingers. "I've had to put the brakes on our fooling around when it became too much."
"Again, Becca, you need to talk to him. How will Daniel know that you're not ready or that you're freaking out if you don't communicate with him?" I chided gently.
"You're right," Becca said, looking over at her boyfriend who was talking to my fiancé. "I just am afraid that he's going to realize that my ass is broken and probably won't be fixed anytime soon."
"You are not broken, Rebecca," I snapped. "You were hurt by guys, but you are not broken. Sweetie, I love you and I know that you're hesitant. Have you considered talking to someone?"
"I have. Daniel mentioned seeing a counselor because when he spent the night, I'd wake up screaming. I don't remember it. He thinks I'm having night terrors. My counselor agrees," Becca said. "I've yet to broach the topic of intimacy. I'm trying to get over what James did to me and how he isolated me from my friends, my family, my job…"
"He was a master manipulator, sweets," I said, hugging my friend. She sniffled, laying her head on my shoulder. Daniel looked over at us and he frowned. I gestured for him to come over so he could comfort Becca. Immediately, he sat down on the other side of her.
"Becca, love?" he asked. "What is it?"
I went to leave, to give them privacy to talk, but Becca grasped my hand. "Bella, please stay?" she whispered.
"Becca, you need to do this on your own," I soothed, wiping a tear away. "I'll be over with Edward. Daniel will listen and you'll go from there, okay?"
"Becca, what's wrong? Talk to me, love," Daniel pleaded. With him using those words, I knew that he wasn't going anywhere. It was all in Becca's mind that he was pulling away. "Please, baby?"
"I'll check on you in a little bit," I smiled, kissing her cheek and getting up to be with Edward. Reaching him, I snuggled into his embrace.
"Everything okay?" Edward asked, kissing my forehead.
"I hope so. Just hold me," I whispered. He did, swaying with me as we looked at the sculptures. An hour later, Becca and Daniel joined us. Both had tears in their eyes, but were very cuddly with each other. I arched a brow. Becca grabbed my hand and told me about their conversation. Long story short, Becca explained her fears of intimacy. Daniel told her that he wasn't going anywhere because he loved her more than anything in the world. They both decided to go to counseling together to help Becca get over her emotional and mental wounds left behind from James' torment.
After we went out to dinner as a group, we all went our separate ways. I needed to make my hash brown casserole before tomorrow. I was abnormally clingy with Edward. He didn't care, though. He welcomed it. He hated leaving as much as I didn't want him to go. We were miserable, but his departure was needed for his family and the resort. We would be together for the rest of our lives after I arrived just prior to his birthday. It just sucked getting there.
Sigh.
Our lovemaking that night was slow and tender, trying to get as close as we could to each other. I thought my heart would burst with the amount of adoration that I saw in Edward's eyes while he slowly moved inside of me, sharing one body. When we fell asleep, there was no part of our skin that wasn't touching. I held him so tightly, not wanting him to go.
The next day, we went over to my parent's house with my casserole and the pie. I worked with my mom to make dinner while Edward and my dad were watching the Mariners on the television. "How are you doing, Bella?" Mom asked.
"Fine, I guess. I don't want him to leave tomorrow, but we're doing well other than that," I murmured, cutting up the cucumbers for the salad.
"Have you heard about the award ceremony?"
"We won't know anything until he actually gets down to the resort. His father, Carlisle and his sister, Alice, have been running things. Edward is very particular about how he runs things down there. From what I've heard, it may seem like he'll be on the island until our wedding day," I frowned.
"You're moving into that house on your own?" Mom said, her brows furrowing.
"This will be an easy move. The stuff from the apartment is going to be set up in the basement while we ordered all new furniture for the rest of the house. And some of the stuff is going to be donated to Good Will. The bedroom set in the extra bedroom in the apartment has been mine since I was a girl," I explained.
"Okay," Mom huffed. "I just wish that Edward could help you move into the house."
"He's been in charge of the renovations. We went to look at it on Friday and it's really coming together," I smiled. "I'll show you it next weekend." She nodded. "What next?" We worked together to put on the meal, which was beef tenderloin, my casserole, asparagus and béarnaise sauce. Calling my dad and my fiancé, we sat down and dug into the meal. It was delicious and we all were stuffed when all was said and done. Edward and my dad did the dishes while I vegged in the living room. Mom was hovering in the kitchen, making sure that the plates were put away properly.
Edward came into the living room, carrying two cups of coffee and a sheepish grin. "Your mom is pissed at me," he chuckled, handing me the coffee.
"What did she do?" I asked.
"She read me the riot act about not being here while we move into the new house," Edward cringed.
"Crap," I snarled, getting up to bitch her out.
"Bella, come here…" Edward murmured, pulling me back onto his lap.
"She can't just yell at you. You have a job to do," I said, glaring at the kitchen.
"She did bring up some good points, my gorgeous girl," he retorted, nuzzling my neck. "Before I leave tomorrow, I'm going to make arrangements for movers to handle everything in our apartment. You will not need to worry about a thing. All you have to do is sign for it. I may not be there, but I want to make this as easy as possible, baby."
"You could just stay up here," I suggested.
"I could," he sighed. "I want to. I never want to be without you, Bella, but if I didn't have to do this, I'd be by your side. I have to go down there. I have to see what they did to my resort. I need to talk to my dad and try and salvage that relationship, if it's possible."
"I know, I know," I grumbled, tucking my head underneath his jaw. He sat back, holding me in his lap.
"Just think of it this way, my love," Edward began, "after this separation, we'll be together. For the rest of our lives. You'll be my wife and I'll be your husband. We'll get our happily ever after."
"I just wish that life had a fast forward button," I snickered. "Like DVR. I want to get past this separation so we can enjoy our happily ever after."
"You're not the only one. I just know that the next couple of months is going to be jam packed with work, both at the resort and for our wedding. I'm also afraid that my relationship with my father may not be repairable," he grumbled. "And for some strange reason, I just know that something is going to happen with Victoria or something. I don't know. It's a funny feeling."
"I hope she doesn't do anything or that she falls into the Atlantic," I said, wrinkling my nose. "The sharks may ignore her since she's so plastic."
"True," Edward chuckled. "Bella, I know that being away from each other is going to be rough, but always know that I will love you, even when I'm six thousand miles away as much as I love you when I'm holding you in my arms. You're my best friend, gorgeous girl. You're my everything and I'm never going to stop loving you."
"Promise?" I asked.
"Promise. I wouldn't have put this gorgeous ring on your finger if I felt otherwise," he said, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Leaning forward, I brushed my lips with his, curling up in his arms. We sat together until my mom called us for dessert. We shared a slice of pie and hung out with my parents until after the sun set. With a hug and kiss to both of them, we left my parents' home, driving back to the apartment. Edward needed to finish packing and I had to steel myself for his impending departure.
That night, I didn't sleep at all. I just stayed in Edward's arms, holding him close and trying to memorize the way he felt, the way he smelled, the way he breathed…I traced his face, feeling his soft skin. I ran my fingers through his riotous hair. I kissed every inch of his chest, barely managing to keep it together. I wasn't ready to let him go.
Shortly before dawn, Edward woke up to my lips brushing his. He stared at me, wiping tears that were falling down my face. "My sweet girl," he whispered.
"I'm not ready to let you go, Edward," I sniffled. "I…"
"I know, love. I don't want to leave. I can call, cancel my flight and stay with you, making love to you," he murmured, kissing my lips.
"No. No, you have to do this. I'm just being an irrational, emotional mess," I quipped, sitting up and wiping my tears away. "I'm just being selfish."
"You're not selfish, Bella. You're selfless. I've never met someone as selfless as you," he said, cradling my body to his. "Our time apart will go by quickly. It will be like you've hit the fast forward button on the DVR. I promise you that before you know it, you'll be flying down for our wedding. On July Fourth, we're going to say our vows and be bound together. Forever. Til death do us part."
"Make love to me, Edward. I want to remember what it feels like with you inside of me," I said. He didn't respond, but he kissed me gently as his hands ran over my naked body. He tenderly caressed my breasts, working his way down to my sex. He languidly brought me to orgasm with his fingers, never removing his lips from mine. Pulling back, he maneuvered so he was in the cradle of my legs. His eyes were filled with love and sadness.
"I'll always be with you, my Bella," he murmured, sliding inside of me, filling me with his own body. "Just feel, my love. Feel all of my adoration for you." He rolled his hips, plunging deep within my body. His hands were brushing my curls from my face while he held me close. "I love you with everything that I am. My heart will be empty without you. My soul will be searching for yours, but know that this separation is temporary. We will be together soon and I will always show you how much I love you. I promise you."
"I love you, my Edward," I said, gripping his hair and pulling him down to my mouth. He kissed me hungrily while his thrusts sped up, filling me deeply. Our orgasms were together. Edward held me as I sobbed against his chest, clutching his sweaty body to mine. We stayed huddled together, touching and caressing each other until Edward's alarm went off. We went into the shower, kissing and hugging each other as the water poured over us. Once the water turned cold, we got out and Edward told me to just relax while he made me breakfast. I dressed in a pair of jeans and swiped one of Edward's button down shirts. I finished packing up his toiletries, placing them in the large suitcase that was propped open on the floor.
Edward pulled me onto his lap as I was fussing with his clothes and nuzzled my neck. He put my breakfast on my lap and we shared it, eagerly enjoying the scrambled eggs and leftover hash browns from the casserole. "I called a moving company, my sweet girl," Edward said once we finished our breakfast. "I scheduled everything for the beginning of June. That way, you have a month to get settled in the house before flying down to Brazil."
I nodded stiffly. "Thank you, baby," I whispered. I looked at him, seeing that he had tears in his eyes. "I'll be fine. You'll be fine. Two months. We can do this, right?"
"We can do this, Mrs. Cullen," he whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear. "Now, I've got to finish packing and then we've got to go to the airport after we drop off my car at the house."
"Do you need help?" I asked. He shook his head, patting my ass to get me off his lap. He finished packing and rolled his bags to the door. He also placed his laptop bag, a backpack and his ticket information on top. An hour later, we were parking my car and walking into the international terminal at SeaTac. I was gripping his hand, wishing I could go with him.
He checked his luggage, paying a hefty fee for the overstuffed bags. Receiving his boarding pass, we walked to the security check point. We were both quiet as we weaved through the line, bringing us closer to separation. Edward held me, his head leaning against my hair and his hands underneath my shirt, caressing my skin just above my waistband of my jeans. Just before he was called, Edward took my face in his hands. "Regardless of how far apart we are, my Bella, I love you," he whispered before kissing me, his mouth plundering mine. I whimpered, clutching his t-shirt and wanting to crawl up his muscular body. "I'll call as soon as I land in Brazil, my beautiful girl. Promise me that you will be okay."
"I will. I promise," I sniffled. "I love you, Edward. I'm going to miss you so much."
"Not as much as I'll miss you, my gorgeous girl," he said, kissing me again. "I love you and I'll see you soon, baby."
"Our wedding," I said, smiling softly.
"Our wedding," he replied, hugging me to his body. "Be safe and I love you." He kissed me once more and walked to the security checkpoint. I stumbled out of the line, watching him as he walked away from me. Tears welled up in my eyes and my heart stammered in my chest. This was torture, watching him go away. With a sob, I walked to a nearby bench and lost my composure. I felt like half of my soul was missing without him near me. My cell phone beeped from my purse. I pulled it out, seeing a new text from Edward.
I love you more than my own life. Leaving you is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. My life, my body, my heart and my soul are yours, Mrs. Cullen. We will be reunited and after that, we'll be together. Forever. ~ Edward
It was official…my home was with Edward. He was my home. He was my love and my best friend. I prayed that our time apart would fly by, but in the back of mind…I knew it wouldn't.
You are my home, Edward. You know the phrase; home is where the heart is? Well, you're my heart, soul and love. Home is where my Edward is…I love you and I miss you. Have a safe flight ~ Bella
A/N: Yes, I separated them again. It goes with my plan. Now, do you think Edward will be back for the Newsroom Awards? Let me know what you think. Pictures of the Seattle house, pre-renovations, are up on my tumblr and blog. Links for both of those are on my profile. You can also find me Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79.
Up next will be Edward and his return to the island. Some blasts from the past will be making their return. Do you think that Edward will reconcile with his father? Again, let me know what you think! Leave me some love!