EPOV
I will not lash out at my mother, I will not lash out at my mother. I will not . . . Oh, hell, there she goes again, I thought as I watched Esme start her trip upstairs with a bowl Maple and brown sugar oatmeal in her hands. One day she would realize that trying to force food down my wife's throat wasn't going to help. Bella struggled to keep everything she ate down. Esme was just trying to do anything she could to make it easier on Bella, but my wife had made it clear before I came down to get the boys ready for school that Esme had better not come up there again. Unfortunately while I was busy making sure the boys' planners had been signed and that their homework was in their folders, Esme had slipped past me. She was crafty, that's for sure.
"Dad," I hissed, shifting my attention to Carlisle, who was sitting at the breakfast table with a piece of toast at his lips. He looked over at me. "You said you'd talk to her."
"And I did, but, Edward, this is just your mom for you," Carlisle replied. I scoffed. There was no way Carlisle put much effort in his talk with Esme. He was just as worried about Bella's lack of appetite as we were.
Shaking my head, I tossed the boys' backpacks at them. "Let's go."
"Fine," they both muttered.
Once I had them corralled in the car, I headed across Seattle toward their school. The early morning traffic added almost a half hour to our trip. It'd been two weeks since our house burned to the ground and we lost everything. Or, well, almost everything. We'd only been able to salvage a few items: a fire-proof box where we'd kept all of our financial papers, the boys' records, and a flash drive that had all of Bella's books on them — all of them but the one she'd been slaving over for Caius' benefit.
Sighing, I stopped at a red light. "Don't forget that after school, you're going home with Alice. She and Jasper are taking you to that new laser-tag place."
"Yeah, we know, Dad," Anthony grumbled. "You've reminded us ten times already, and Mom told us twenty times last night."
"Sorry," I muttered as the light turned green.
Ten minutes later, I pulled up in front of the school and turned back to them. "Hey, you know I love you, right?"
"Dad," they grumbled.
"Yeah, we do," Anthony mumbled. "Stop being weird."
They climbed out and ran toward the front doors. I waited until they'd made in before I drove away. Call me paranoid, but with Renee on the loose, I wasn't taking any chances — even if they claim she couldn't have started the fire. According to the marshal, the cause of the blaze that destroyed everything we owned was because of an exposed wire running into the house. They believed that it's sparked during a power surge and everything after that was history.
Neither Bella nor I believed that to be true. Renee's sudden appearance in our lives was too convenient, and we suspected that she'd cut the wire. However, the fire marshal didn't think that was possible. He didn't know Renee, though. Hell, we didn't even know her. But from my experience, when a woman voluntarily leaves her only child at the age of four, only to come back when she needs money, there isn't a lot that person won't do. And I wasn't going to take any risks — not when it came to my family.
Half an hour later, I parked my car outside of my parents' house again and headed inside. Carlisle had already left for the hospital and Esme was piddling around in the kitchen, whistling the theme music to Gilligan's Island under her breath. Laughing to myself, I ran upstairs and into my old childhood bedroom. Bella was sitting on the bed with her new laptop propped up on her knees. Her mahogany hair had been pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head, and she wore one of my button-up shirts. The bottom few buttons had been left undone and I could see the small bulge from her growing belly. Bella had just passed the fourteen week mark and she'd never looked more beautiful.
"If you're going to just stand there and stare at me," she said, without looking up from her laptop, "can you at least close the door before your mom comes back?"
Laughing, I did as she'd asked before climbing on the bed next to her. She smiled and looked over at me. "How are you feeling?"
"Stressed," she chuckled, though it sounded tense. "I'm into chapter twelve now."
"And did you eat the oatmeal Esme brought you?" The moment the words came out, I regretted them immediately. Bella's already tension filled shoulders tightened and her fingers paused over her keyboard. "I'm sorry, I just worry."
"I know, and I tried, but it doesn't taste good."
"Can I make you something else? Maybe some toast? Or eggs?" Bella groaned. "Guess not."
"You know what really sounds good?" Shifting her eyes to me, she almost looked ashamed.
"What?" I wondered.
"Cotton candy," she whispered. "God, there isn't much I wouldn't do for some fluffy cotton candy right now."
I tried to stop from laughing, but the look on her face, so sweet and innocent, was making it impossible. Bella huffed and rolled her eyes before turning back to her laptop.
"Go ahead and laugh, jackass, but I'm serious," she grumbled. The corners of her lips twitched and she pushed her laptop off her lap. Turning to face me, she placed her hand in the middle of my chest, pushing me on my back. I groaned when she straddled me.
"Bella," I moaned.
"It's so delicious," she purred. "Every bite melts on my tongue, baby."
My cock hardened, the tone of her voice had me ready to take her and remind her that she was mine.
"Edward," she gasped. "I — I need . . ."
"What do you need?" I demanded, grabbing her hips and grinding myself against her.
Bella's head fell forward and her smirk grew. "I need some cotton candy. You get me some and I just might show you how much I appreciate you."
"What?" I huffed. "You want me to go get you some cotton candy right now?"
Bella pulled away from me and grabbed her laptop. "That's up to you, baby. I certainly wouldn't force you go out and get me some, but I will make it worth it if you do."
"Y — you're being mean," I whined.
"Oh, I'm sorry, baby," she snickered. "Just forget it; I don't really want it anyway. But I do need to work so, if you'll excuse me."
Bella turned all of her attention onto her laptop and I knew I had a choice to make. Do I believe her when she says to forget it, or do I go out and search Seattle for cotton candy? Inwardly, I snorted. That was a no brainer. Swinging my legs off the side of the bed, I stood up and left her alone. If my Bella wanted cotton candy, then I'd find it — somehow.
Esme was vacuuming the living room when I got downstairs. Spotting me, she shut the vacuum off and rushed over to me. "Did she eat? I can make her something else if she doesn't want the oatmeal. Perhaps some eggs and toast?"
"Mom!" I exclaimed. "Please stop."
"What? I'm just trying to help." Esme's lips began to tremble, making me feel guilty. If I didn't know for a fact that she knew how to manipulate me, I would have felt bad, but I did so I didn't.
"Yeah, I know, Mom, but she's scrambling to get her book for Caius done and the more you come in and try to force food down her throat, the more she's going to push you away. Just give her some time, okay?"
Esme pursed her lips together. "Fine, I'll try. Now, where are you off to?"
I smiled. "Bella wants cotton candy."
Scoffing, Esme rolled her eyes. "At nine in the morning? Yeah, because that's good for the babies."
"No, it's not, but if it gets her eat something, then I will get it." Leaning in, I kissed Esme's cheek. "I'll be back. Leave her alone."
Esme muttered something about me being dramatic, but I ignored her and ran out to my car. A few minutes later, I parked out in front of the closest convenience store I could find. Unfortunately, they were sold out so I had to keep looking. I didn't have any luck at the next five stores I stopped out. It was like suddenly there had been a mad rush for cotton candy. Frustrated, I parked outside of small candy store. I didn't expect them to have it, but seeing as I'd gone everywhere in a ten mile radius, what would it hurt to stop there.
Climbing out of my car, I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. When I walked inside, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sweet scent of melted chocolate. The glass cases that separated the front of the small shop from the back were filled with more candy than I'd ever seen. There were shelves full of chocolate covered strawberries, vanilla fudge, truffles, divinity, and so much more. Next to those were caramel apples, toffee, and peanut brittle.
"Hello," an older woman greeted as she came out of the back room. "Welcome to my little shop. How may I help you?"
"Oh, um, thanks," I murmured, stepping up to her. "I'm sure this will be a long shot, but you don't happen to have cotton candy, do you? See, my wife is pregnant, with twins, and she has a huge craving for cotton candy. I've already been to at least half a dozen stores. Nothing. You're my last hope."
The entire time I spoke, the woman had been watching me with an amused smile on her lips. Once I'd finished rambling, she giggled. "Hmm, I'm sure I can help you out. Would you like blue or pink?"
"Seriously?" I asked. "You have cotton candy?"
"This is a candy shop, my boy," she sang. "Now, blue or pink?"
I grinned. "One of each. I'll let her decide."
"Ah, smart man." She laughed before heading to the back. She came out a few minutes later with two giant bags of cotton candy. She tossed them on the counter, and asked, "Anything else?"
"Um," I mused, looking around. My eyes landed on the fudge. "Let me get a pound of vanilla fudge, and another one of butterscotch fudge."
"For your wife?" She cocked an eyebrow as she went over and began pulling the trays of fudge out.
"Hmm, yeah, let's go with that." I laughed. "I might share it with her."
"Oh, my boy, I don't think you'd have a choice in the matter."
"Why not?" I inquired.
"Because you love your wife too much not to share." She smiled, wrapped my fudge up in some tissue paper, and shoved it into a bag. "She's a lucky woman."
"No, Ma'am, I'm the lucky one," I murmured. "Believe me, my Bella is . . . well, she's amazing."
The woman's smile grew. "Sounds like it. That'll be twenty-two fifty."
Once I'd paid her, I gathered everything up and ran back out to my car. Traffic had died down a little, but it still took me nearly half an hour to make the drive back out to my parents' house. Bella and I had started searching the paper for anything that appealed to us, but the housing market wasn't what it used to be and the pickings weren't great. Neither of us wanted to settle for just anything, we wanted a home — someplace where we could raise our children.
Grabbing my goodies, I walked back into the house and straight upstairs. I wasn't sure where my mother was, but all I cared about right now was my wife. Making sure she got her cotton candy, and if I happened to get a little something for my effort, then I'd be happy. Not that I was counting on getting anything, but a man could hope.
Bella was just where I'd left her: in our bed. The sight of her focused on her writing had me smiling. She was beautiful and I was so in love with her.
"You really need to stop staring at me," she purred, shifting her attention to me. Her deep brown eyes widen she saw the two bags of cotton candy clenched in my hands. "I can't believe you really got me some."
"Of course I did," I chuckled, tossing both bags on the bed. I turned and placed the fudge on the dresser. "I also got myself some fudge, but if you're nice to me, I might let you have some."
"No thanks." The sound of her muffled words had me spinning. Bella already had a mouthful of the blue cotton candy and two handfuls of the pink waiting. "Damn this is good."
"Um, so I see." Climbing onto the bed next to her, I watched her relish each bite she took. Her eyes closed and she'd moaned. Bella's tongue snaked out, lapping at the corner of her mouth. "God, you're beautiful."
Her eyes fluttered open, her cheeks turning a rosy pink as she smiled. "Thank you for getting me some cotton candy."
"I'd do anything for you, Bella. If you wanted me to, I'd go to the end of the world. I love you."
Bella's lips trembled. "I love you, too."
Pushing the bags off onto the floor, Bella shut her laptop and moved it to the nightstand. She turned back to me and smiled. Bella sat up on her knees, her fingers trailing along the buttons of the shirt she was wearing. Her eyes were locked on mine as she pushed the first button through, then the next, and the next. I couldn't take my attention off of her. She was beautiful and mine — all mine.
Bella shrugged off her shirt, tossing it onto the floor. With nothing on but a pair of pink silk panties, she ran her hands over her breasts, a throaty moan slipping out of her mouth. "Edward."
I crawled across the bed, wrapping my arm around her waist and dragging her down on the bed. "You're so sexy."
Before she could utter a sound, I crushed my lips against hers, my tongue invading her mouth. I could taste the sweetness from the candy. Bella brought her fingers up, weaving them through my hair. Her hips were bushing up against mine. My cock was hard, pressing against the front of my jeans. I dragged my hands down her leg, gripping her thigh and pulling it against my hip.
Bella tore her lips away from mine and gasped. "Edward, I need you!"
"I'm here, baby," I groaned.
It took all the strength I had to release my hold on her leg and sit up. Grabbing the bottom of my T-shirt, I ripped it over my head, throwing it on top of hers. My hands reached for my jeans, but Bella's beat me. She tore them open, dragging the zipper down slowly. I groaned when she reached in, stroking me. The woman was going to kill me before she let me fuck her.
"Bella," I gritted.
She smirked before pulling her hand out and pushing my jeans and boxers down my hips, exposing my hard cock to her. I shimmied them the rest of the way off, kicking them away without a care of where they landed. Bella placed her hand on my chest and forced me onto my back, moving so that she straddled my legs. Letting her fingers drag over her breasts again, she reached up and pulled her hair down. Her brown, silky locks cradled her soft skin, caressing her sweet demeanor. She was a vixen.
Bella reached out, wrapping her fingers around my shaft. My hips jerked up and a whimper slipped out of my lips. Bella leaned down, wrapping her lips around the tip.
"Oh fuck," I cried out. Bella moaned, sliding me further into her mouth. I wrapped my fingers in her hair, resisting the urge to thrust upward. Bella dragged her tongue along my cock, lapping at the slit before releasing me. I'll admit it — I whimpered.
"Shh, love, I need you now. Foreplay will have to come later." Shifting upward, Bella lowered herself on me. "Jesus fuck!"
Bella pushed up on her knees before sliding back down, taking me inside of her once again. We both cried out at the contact. Setting a leisurely pace, Bella began to move against me. Our lovemaking was slow, both of us just focusing on the feeling of our bodies being joined as one.
I grabbed her hips, lifting my hips up to meet hers. The sensation of her warmth caressing me had me on the edge already. Sitting up, I pulled her legs around my waist. My hands searched her body, memorizing every curve — like I had a hundred times since she'd come into my life.
"Oh, baby," she moaned, pressing her forehead against mine.
Our eyes locked, neither of us being able to look away. Bella began to tremble against me, her breath coming out in shaky pants and I knew she was close. I brought my hand up to the back of her head, tangling in her hair and pulling backward. Her walls clenched down around me, pulling me over the edge as I found my own release.
Once we'd ridden our orgasms out, I let go of her hair. Bella nestled her face in the side of my neck, her warm blush creeping over her skin.
"That was fantastic," she whispered.
"A bit of an understatement, don't you think?" I asked.
Giggling, Bella leaned back. "Oh yeah. But now I'm dirty." I moaned again, the sweet, innocence in her words adding to her seduction. "I'd better take a shower."
"A shower, huh?" I growled, nipping at her collar bone. "How about if I join you?"
"I think that's a great idea," she cooed, suckling on my earlobe.
Twenty minutes later, Bella and I had showered and were back on my bed, fully clothed. Well, I was, anyway. She'd pulled the button-up shirt off the floor and slipped it back on, but had added a pair of my sweatpants. Bella had her laptop propped up on her legs, focusing on her book, and eating a bit of the butterscotch fudge that I'd bought.
