Author's Note: I'm going to try to not switch POV too much in this story, but this chapter is going to feature a bit of both Edward and Bella's day. This is mostly a short fluff chapter. They can't all be lemons while Bella is still human. Haha!
EPOV
The family returned while Bella was still sleeping peacefully the next morning. I held her in my arms all night, blissful beyond words. Although, I was sad that I would have to share her attention with other people soon.
We had come so far in such a short time together. I wasn't ready to think about being decent for the family, school and being away from her for even a short time. It was as if I had been aflame and Bella was the soothing balm to my wounds. She encouraged me, loved me, and woke up long forgotten human instincts that made me feel a lot less like a monster. I never wanted to be without her again. That was certain.
The second my family entered my mental hearing range,, they were ready to tease.
Aw man, the house is still standing! Emmett thought.
At least my vision of them rolling around and destroying the garden didn't come true!
I missed them so much. He's going to be so happy after spending all of that time with her. Esme, of course was the sweetest of all.
No one came to bother us, hearing that Bella was still sleeping, but Alice was ready to snatch Bella away at a moment's notice to drag her shopping. This way, Bella wouldn't have to lie to Charlie about what she had done, and her memories with Alice would be fresh in her mind. I also knew that Alice was going to try to pry, wanting all of the details about what we had done this weekend. I would almost feel bad for Bella, having to endure that, except I knew that my brothers were waiting for the chance to pounce me as well.
My thoughts drifted back to the night before, remembering how it felt to love her from behind. It took a lot to make a vampire dizzy, especially as quickly as we normally ran and moved and processed information, but the climax we shared had done it. Her soft moans and curses were my personal heaven.
My arousal was starting to grow, and I forced myself to think of other things before Jasper could sense my emotions. Bella was just beginning to stir.
I stroked her hair and her cheek and felt her smile against my hand. She was still gloriously naked, her body barely concealed by just a blanket. I slid my hand down her chest and rested it on the curve of her hip.
She opened her eyes and looked at me, all smiles and soft desire. I placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"Good morning, gorgeous."
"Good morning." she said, dazzled and half asleep. "Last night was fun."
"One of the best nights of my existence." I answered, squeezing her hip carefully, reassuringly. "You should know that we aren't alone anymore. The family is home."
She pouted and I smiled at her, kissing her again. "I love you." I whispered in her ear.
"I love you too."
"You two have a minute to get dressed and then I'm coming in!" Alice warned.
"No human can get dressed that fast." Bella answered.
"Fine, five minutes, starting now!"
I shook my head and kissed Bella one more time before going to my closet to dress. It took less than a minute. I also grabbed a comfortable looking outfit for Bella and turned around.
She was sitting on the side of the bed, stretching, her breasts standing up at attention. I froze, admiring her and she laughed, coming to take the clothes from me.
"See something you like?" she giggled, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek before she got dressed. When she was done, I scooped her up in my arms and held her close to me.
"I see everything I like." I answered, kissing her again before sitting her down on the bed. It was difficult to not become immensely aroused and show her just how much I admired the view. I was fighting it, trying hard, no pun intended, to not make myself uncomfortable and earn more jokes from Jasper when he felt my emotions. "I'm going to go make you some breakfast before my sister tries to drag you to Seattle on an empty stomach."
Alice burst in as if on que and started talking to Bella about how she wanted to do her hair and makeup. I went downstairs and into the kitchen, already missing having her in my arms.
"I've prepared some muffins and fruit for her." Esme said with a soft smile. "And Emmett was all too happy to rather forcefully juice some oranges." she laughed. "How was your weekend, son?"
"Amazing." was the only answer I could give.
I'm so happy for you. You deserve to be happy. And we all love her. It's like an entirely different world now, isn't it?
I nodded and she left the kitchen to give me some privacy, although, privacy never lasted long if Emmett was in the house. His thoughts were wild, but he decided to be nice and give me a break from the teasing, as best he could. "Did you have fun with Bella this weekend?"
"Tons." I answered honestly.
He smirked. "Do you want to have fun with me and Jasper later?"
"Not that kind of fun." I laughed.
"Ew! No. We're going to go check out this new cave we found when we were hunting the other night, maybe go for a long run." Gross, bro.
"I would like that." It wouldn't keep my mind off of Bella, but it would at least help me let off some of the nervous energy from being away from her.
She came downstairs, already beautiful but tastefully made up by Alice with her hair in a braid and a little makeup around her eyes, accenting them.
"You are going to drive every man that sees you wild." I purred.
"Do I drive you wild?" she asked, her shyness in front of any member of my family momentarily forgotten.
I growled and grabbed her in my arms, dashing into the kitchen with her. She giggled and my heart was happy.
Esme and Carlisle's distant thoughts from upstairs were both delighted to hear me being playful, the happiest they had ever seen. I sat her carefully in a chair. "You know you do." I prepared her a plate of food and some of the juice and sat it in front of her.
"Smashed the juice myself." Emmett said, walking into the kitchen and flexing his arms.
"Hi, Emmett. Thank you. Although the word is squeezed. You squeeze orange juice."
"Not the way I did it!" he laughed, echoing a little around the room.
Bella just shook her head and happily ate. We barely had time to kiss goodbye before Alice rushed her out the door when she was done. "I'll see you tonight." I whispered in her ear.
"I can't wait." was her answer.
BPOV
"Come on girl, spill it!" Alice insisted the second her car left the Cullen's driveway. Unsure how to answer her, I shook my head and looked out the window. I couldn't get rid of my grin though, remembering the previous night with Edward. To say that he was dreamy, or sexy even, wouldn't begin to cover it. He did things to me that no one else could. That I never imagined I would experience.
Knowing that Edward, all of Edward, was finally mine was my greatest triumph. It was a love, and a sense of belonging like no other. After months of pain and emptiness, it felt so good to just feel. I loved him in ways that words simply couldn't describe.
"At least tell me how the lingerie went over." Alice said with a laugh, breaking through my thoughts.
"He's only seen me in the red set so far. He loved it!"
"There's excited, Bella! Come on, details!" she pressed.
"Um, OK. I didn't think you'd want to hear about your brother."
"You! I want to hear about you!"
I laughed. "OK, well I've decided that I do like you buying me lingerie after all. And I will have 'sleepovers' with you any time you like. And I'm really happy. I'm not afraid he's going to run away anymore. It's like I can finally trust him to want to be around me and not always be hiding something."
She smiled at me, taking her eyes off the road. "There's no more doubt in either of your futures, at least not about being together. Not even a little." This obviously placed Alice as much as it pleased me.
"It's about time."
"I agree! I told him. If only he would have listened. Anyhow! Together, yay! Shopping! Where should we start?" She was so excited, and to be honest, I was a little bit too. It felt good just to spend some time with Alice.
"Uh, well I could use some nicer pajamas, but ones that I can still wear around my dad too."
"I know just the place!"
"And I need a few more sweaters."
"I know a place for that too!"
"Alice, is there anything you don't know a place for?" I asked with a smile.
"Hmm…probably not!" she laughed and sped up even more. I had learned my lesson about daring to look at the speedometer when one of the Cullens was driving, the exception sometimes being Carlisle or Esme, who at least respected the law…mostly. "Come on, I'm turned loose with Edward's credit card. Do you need anything besides lingerie, pajamas and sweaters?"
"I don't like spending his money as is, you know that."
"He wants you to."
"I know."
"If you don't, I will."
"I just feel like I can never repay him for what he does for me, especially expensive gifts. I feel guilty about it."
"You shouldn't." Alice said pointedly. She took her eyes off the road again and lifted her sunglasses up a little to look at me. "Trust me, even if I buy everything I set my eyes on at the mall today, it would be like I've spent twenty dollars tops to Edward."
I stared at her, befuddled. Of course, the Cullens were rich, not that it mattered. Edward could obviously afford expensive cars without a thought, but I had never really thought about just how little money truly meant to them. I shook my head. "It still feels wrong."
"You don't have to go crazy, but trust me, it will make him happy if you pick out a few things just because you want them. Not because I want you to or it would impress him. He wants to spoil you and you should let him. Money is just one of the ways Edward has of showing you his love. He always focuses too much on what he can't give you, instead of what he can. Do you get what I mean?"
"He has mentioned things he can't give me several times." I answered. He had often mentioned things like children, living somewhere sunny, etc. "Can we go by the bookstore then?"
"That a girl! I'll make you a proper Cullen yet!"
The mall thankfully wasn't too crowded since it was Sunday. Alice took me to an upscale department store first and helped me pick out a few new sets of pajamas, mostly fitted sleep pants with button up tops or v-neck t-shirts with just a hint of cleavage, things that I would be comfortable wearing around the house with Charlie, but that would drive Edward wild as he unbuttoned me or got just a glimpse of my blushed chest.
Next, she took me to pick out some sweaters at a small boutique she had been meaning to visit, and she grabbed several dresses and skirts for herself. It was amusing how she didn't need to make me try anything on, seeing each garment in her visions as she picked it up.
I walked off before I could see the total, finding my way to the bookstore and happily browsing the shelves at a leisurely pace. Alice found me about an hour later with a huge bag from the boutique, and another from a store I was very glad she didn't drag me in to. It would have been too embarrassing.
"I got you some designer jeans and some new bras and panties! Also, I bought myself new stockings, corsets, and garters. Jasper will be so excited!" She got a funny look from someone perusing another aisle.
"Shh." I whispered. "It's like a library in here."
"Silly Bella." she giggled. "Did you find anything?"
"Yeah, actually." I showed her a selection of books I had picked out, including a few that I hoped Edward and I might read together.
"Perfect! What do you say we check out and then find you some lunch?" I smiled and followed Alice to pay for the books.
We carried everything to the car and then sat down at the Food Court with a giant salad and a huge Coke, necessary to keep pace with Alice.
"What's next?" I asked.
"Oh. My. gosh. You are actually enjoying this!" she exclaimed. I smiled and blushed at her enthusiasm.
"Yeah, it's nice to spend time with you. I missed you. And it's so entertaining to watch you in your element."
"Yay! So next there's shoes, then makeup, then we simply have to check out the new line of handbags at…" I listened, but most of what she was saying went over my head, so I happily ate and smiled at her in the appropriate places, knowing she was going to show me everything she was talking about shortly anyways.
"Did you girls have fun?" Charlie asked as we walked inside the house.
"That's one word for it." I said, laughing and looking away.
"We had so much fun! I bought us some designer jeans and some-" I zoned out as Alice started telling Charlie about all of the things she purchased, and so did he, just smiling and nodding in the right places until he could politely return to watching his game. Neither one of us really understood or had much interest in fashion, although we loved Alice. "I'll help you carry these upstairs and put them away!"
"I can put them in my closet."
"No! You'll wrinkle the fabrics! I'll show you." she winked at me and followed me upstairs, arms full of our shopping. I closed my bedroom door and sat down on the bed. "This way he won't question you anymore about the time you spent with Edward. I sure bored him." she giggled.
"Thanks, Alice. I owe you one."
"I'll remember that." she said, starting to unpack our purchases and put them away at normal speed, admiring them as she went.
"I owe you one too, Alice." Edward said, opening the window and hopping in. "Charlie's snoring in the recliner."
My heart fluttered at his grin the second our eyes met. This was a new look, one that was entirely mine. It meant, you are my world, and I am completely comfortable with you. It was everything to me. His golden eyes were light and happy, focusing only on me.
He sat down beside me, not in his usual careful, gentle way, but almost flopped down like a normal teenager would. I threw my arms around him and kissed him.
"Miss me?" he asked.
"You know I did."
"I missed you too." We looked into each other's eyes and I could see his starting to blacken, just slightly. He must have heard something in Alice's thoughts because he straightened up and turned to face her. "And what's the damage, little one?" he asked with a soft chuckle.
"Not in front of Bella. I'll tell you with my thoughts."
"Is that all?" he asked. "I figured you would have at least gone car shopping or something."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Bella helped!" she said excitedly.
"Did she?" he asked, turning to raise an eyebrow at me.
"Yeah. I got some books for us to read together."
"That sounds nice. I was thinking of something a little…sexier." he smirked.
"Alice took care of that for me."
"Is that so?" he asked me.
"Alright, I'm out of here." she said with a laugh. "Just be quiet you two, don't wake Charlie up!"
"Goodnight Alice. Thank you!"
"Goodnight, sis." Edward added. "I'll expect my credit card back first thing in the morning."
"Good! That gives me all night to pick out some new handbags." she said, disappearing down the stairs. Edward laughed and carefully pushed me into a laying down position on the bed.
"Now, where were we?"
"I was telling you how much I missed you." I answered. His sweet, cool breath washed over me, dazzling me almost speechless.
"Uh huh, you may continue." he said, leaning close enough to kiss me, but not quite touching his lips to mine.
"I'd rather show you."
He growled softly and kissed me slowly, but with obvious desire. I rested a hand on the back of his neck, holding him close to me as I lost myself in our kiss and in his touch. His cold fingers brushed my cheek and it felt amazing against the blush that I normally had around him.
He stopped when I needed to breathe and sat up on the side of my bed, giving me some space. "So, what books did you buy?"
I couldn't stop smiling. "Well, I've always wanted to read the Harry Potter series, so I got a few of those-"
"I never took you for the fantasy type."
"Well, you never took me for a potty mouth either, did you?"
He growled quietly in response, his eyes still just barely tinted black around the edges.
"I also got a few classics that I hadn't read yet, like The Great Gatsby. And I picked out a few new titles that sounded interesting for us to read together. Thank you, by the way."
"No thanks necessary. I'm happy to give you anything you…desire." he finished in a whisper, leaning close to me again and kissing me softly. When he pulled back, I yawned loudly, unable to stop it. "I'd say that my human is exhausted after a day with my sister."
"Definitely."
"Go get comfortable. I'll be here. I might start on one of those books." he said, standing up and opening my bra drawer.
"Books, huh?" I asked.
"Yep."
I giggled and gathered my things for a shower, going to get ready for bed. I showered quickly and brushed my teeth, wanting to get back to my room to snuggle. Charlie came upstairs for bed as I was brushing my hair and we said goodnight through the bathroom door. I was glad he didn't ask questions about my time at the Cullen's house. It would at least give me a night to rest and organize my thoughts.
When I got back to my room, Edward took me in his arms and quietly hummed until I fell asleep, truly exhausted, but happy beyond words.