A/N: Thanks so, so much for all your wonderful thoughts.
*Read the A/N at the end for a little bit of news.*
Also, Muse is still talking! Yay!
Also, I just wanted to reiterate how much I love hearing from you guys. I really do appreciate it even when I'm unable to reply. Know that YOUR words don't go unappreciated. :)
Most characters belong to S. Meyer. The rest belong to me. All mistakes are mine.
Chapter 16 – Sunshine Personified
Edward:
She wore a yellow dress.
More accurately, the dress was the color of a warm sunrise, reminiscent of the first glow of light that streaks the sky just ahead of dawn. It was the shade of that moment right before the luminescent sphere becomes blinding, with a flash that consumes the entire horizon. If radiant beauty had a color, Bella's dress was it.
Which made sense.
Because in the short time that my son and I had so far spent in the rainy corner of the world known as Forks, the woman before me had become our incandescent light. She was sunshine personified, and she was growing to be as significant to our life here in Forks as that fiery core was to life on Earth. And somewhere in the recesses of my mind…in a subconscious part that, with every passing moment, crept closer to the conscious realm, I felt the truth.
The truth painted the previously darkened and cobwebbed corners in my mind in bright yellows that happened to match the color of Bella's dress. Its hues then seeped out of those corners and spilled closer to the unlit core. Maybe the truth hadn't yet found its way to that core through coherent thought, through unequivocal words. Still, it was glowing, and it was ready to burst just like a sunrise in the sky.
The truth was simple: Bella, along with Tristan, were already my star and my satellite – those two beings by which I now navigated my every decision.
This is why it made sense that she wore a yellow dress.
And this dress followed her natural curves, outlined an hourglass, and billowed above shapely legs like a summer breeze. She wore shoes too, of course. And some sort of wrap lay folded on her forearm. But it was that dress…and yeah, her smile. Also, the dark, sparkling light in her-
"Ahem, may I come in?"
Blinking out of my stuporous spell, I offered Bella an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. You just look…so…" I trailed off, my gaze still drinking her in.
"You look so…too," she grinned.
I chuckled and again mused to myself, more like laughed at myself. Because I'd tried to look good, and I was pretty ridiculously pleased by her compliment. I mean, when was the last time I gave my appearance this much fore-
"So, may I come in now?"
"Oh, God, I'm sorry, Bella." I reached for her hand, shaking my head at my stupidity. "Of course. Please, come in."
Bella graciously offered me one of her radiant smiles while I wrapped my hand around her warm hand and flattened the other palm against the door, pushing it shut. For a second, we just stood there. When she angled her head upward, dark eyes sparkling, I slipped a hand around her nape and leaned in, enjoying the flutter of her eyelids, the brush of her eyelashes against my cheeks as our mouths met. Lips brushed back and forth a couple of times, then ended their roam, opting to pucker and taste.
"I am sorry," I breathed against her intoxicating mouth, "but if that moment of stupor wasn't clear, your beauty dumbfounded me."
The chuckle she released against my lips reverberated through me and sent a thrill down my gut.
"The way you always manage to tag on a defense to your apologies is amazing," she teased. "But I forgive you for having me stand out in the early evening mist for five full minutes since you eloquently phrased your defense."
"Did I?" I grinned, playing along, our mouths still attached.
"Mhm. You're a lawyer through and through."
"Mm," I hummed, kissing her through the ribbing.
"And had it been the other way around, and you were the one at my converted garage door, looking oh, so dapper," her hands smoothed down my shirt collar, "I probably would've had you stand there for a bit as well so I could gawk and admire-" She shrieked.
Then, abruptly, Bella pulled away, taking two steps back and placing just as many feet of distance between us. Her dark eyes held mine, wide and wary.
"Bella, I'm sorry. It was just supposed to be a nip. I didn't mean to bite that hard."
She shook her head. "No, no. It wasn't that. I just- where's Tristan?"
"Oh. He's napping."
Her palm splayed over her chest, and she exhaled a long breath. "For a second there, I thought I'd thoughtlessly put on a show. It was thoughtless, even if I didn't put on a show. I'm sorry."
"Are you kidding me?" I drew closer, and she angled her head to hold my gaze. Yeah, her continued, genuine concern for my son and his well-being warmed me. It was one of the many reasons I was so crazy about her. But, at the same time, we had to get past it, or, at least, past this side of it, the part that limited us to tap kisses.
"Bella, even had he seen us, we were doing nothing more than sharing a few kisses," I reassured her. "It's nothing he's not already used to seeing between us, based on that chant he's worn out."
Bella chuckled. "True."
I took a step toward her. "And it's nothing I'm ashamed of sharing in front of my son."
She offered me a small smile. "I guess you're right. There's nothing wrong with showing…affection."
"Exactly. Although…" I murmured, reclaiming the last step she'd hastily put between us and closing the distance again. Then, cradling her smooth face between my hands, my gaze swept back and forth between her half-lidded gaze and her plump mouth.
"Although?" she prompted in a whisper.
"Although…" I angled closer, kindled by the warmth of her breath, "as much as I insist that it's okay for us to kiss…like this…in front of Tristan…" My mouth ghosted against hers with featherlike strokes. Yet the heat of our connection felt as if I'd melded to a livewire.
"You mean like this?" She raised her head higher, slipping her arms around my neck, and added the slightest pressure, upping the current of that livewire.
"Uh-huh," I agreed, the word erupting through quivering lips. "Just like that. And even like this…" I alternated drawing in her top lip, then her bottom lip, between mine, "this next kiss might not be PG enough for preschoolers."
She chuckled huskily and breathed those rays of sunshine into me. "Oh, really?" she said, turning the tables and sucking my lips into her mouth. "What do you plan to do?"
I quirked a brow at her challenge, dropping my hands to her waist, my thumbs brushing back and forth against the soft material of her dress, just at the top swell of her bottom.
"Well then, maybe we should get to it before he wakes up from his nap."
"Mm," I hummed and nodded, my heart racing. My lips parted, and my tongue-
When Bella pulled back abruptly, my tongue was left hanging. "Although…"
"Although what now?"
"Although," she grinned impishly, "maybe we should hold off on that type of kiss until after we drop him off at Rose's. You know, to be on the safe side. What do you th-"
I cut her off by crushing my mouth against hers. "This is what I think of your suggestion," I growled, nudging her mouth open with my tongue.
Her next bout of hilarity morphed into a groan of her own, which raised every fine hair on my body. When one of her hands gripped the hair at my nape, fingertips massaging my scalp, I grunted in pleasure and splayed my hands fully against her plump bottom, lifting her off her feet. In turn, she gripped my hair in both hands, and only vaguely did I recall my son's timely question just a short while earlier:
'Who brush your hair back, Dad?'
'No one but me in a long time, Trist.'
Our tongues met and tangled, and when her nails scoured my neck, my blood rushed and swiftly concentrated. She flushed her warm body against my chest and wrapped her legs around my waist while my palms supported and massaged her bottom.
"Edward…" she breathed.
"Bella…" I breathed.
For an endless moment, we stood there, in this kiss…this all-consuming kiss...in this best kiss I'd had in years. This woman was like a mythical, summer creature…except she was real. And mouths devouring, we surrendered to a pang of hunger that began when I bumped into her in a small-town pub, and her dark eyes captivated me.
But somehow, it felt as if I'd been hungry for her for much longer.
OOOOO
Eventually, as much as my body railed against it, my mind won out and reminded me that I did have a napping kid upstairs. It was a realization we both seemed to reach at the exact moment, pulling apart with soft, tender, and much more chaste kisses. Luckily, as much as I loved that kid up there, I had plans to get him out of my hair that evening. Again, God knows I loved him with my heart and soul, but I needed some grown-up time with this woman. She deserved a nice dinner. We needed to have some overdue discussions. But then…maybe…
With that thought to cool the blood a bit, I set Bella down, though my arms refused to surrender her. Both our chests heaved as I meted out kisses to her smooth forehead, shuttered eyes, and sweet nose.
"I've been dying to kiss you that way," I whispered, brushing my lips against her temple.
"Mmm," she hummed appreciatively, opening her eyes, "I've been dying to kiss you back that way. What are the dinner plans again?"
I skimmed a hand down her bare arm, weaving our fingers together. "It's a surprise."
She quirked a brow. "A surprise? Really? How do you plan to manage that in a small town when I know there are only two legitimate choices for our night out – Emily's or that trendy, new place with the coal-fired pizza? Both of which I love, by the way."
"You'll see. Now let's go wake up Trist and get him to Rose's. Don't want to be late and have her rescind the invite."
Bella laughed quietly as I led her up the staircase with one hand wrapped around hers and encircled her waist. I placed my other hand on the small of her back, staying close, and I couldn't resist kissing her nape as we climbed.
"I hope I don't come off like a creep if I tell you again how beautiful you are."
"You don't," she smiled in reassurance.
"Good. Yellow suits you."
"Thank you."
"So does pink."
"Thank you, once again," she chuckled.
"And black. And brown. And those checkered flannel shirts you tend to-"
By this time, we reached the landing, and she turned and took me in over her shoulder.
"Now, you're sounding creepy."
I laughed as she led me forward.
"Hey, I like what you've done with the house. It was always a nice house, but I like the small touches."
"You know the house?" I asked.
She nodded. "Josh and Allison Uley owned this house. They grew up with my parents. When I was a kid, and I used to come for the summers, I'd play with the Uley's son, Sam, who was of a similar age. When Sam married, he and his wife moved to Oregon, and Josh and Allison followed them soon after, for the grandkids."
"Which is why this house was empty?"
"Yep."
I shot her an amused smile, swinging our joined arms. "Everyone in this town does know one another, don't they?"
"You mean they know one another's business," she laughed. "And yes, they do."
I chuckled guiltily.
"Edward, everyone knew my story long before I even arrived a couple of years ago." Her voice suddenly shook, and she kept her eyes trained forward. "Then again, I can't blame them."
Offering her hand a squeeze, I carefully yet firmly turned her to face me.
"Bella, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want-"
"I do. I do want."
"Okay," I agreed, smoothing back her hair and tucking a few wayward strands behind her ear. "Okay."
She turned with a deep breath, curiously peeking into the first room on our right – Tristan's room. I'd kept the door open, as I usually did. A soft smile spread across her face as she gazed at him in genuine wonder. I came to stand behind her, sharing in her awe of such a simple sight: my son curled like a ball, fast asleep on his twin-sized bed, his favored blanket, also known as Blanket, keeping him comfortable. Bella and I chuckled when we witnessed him flip over with as much energy as if he were scaling a tree.
"He didn't even crack an eye open," she marveled.
"That's how they sleep sometimes. And then, at other times..."
"How do you bare it, Edward," she suddenly whispered, her voice infused with so much reverent awe. I pulled her so that her back rested against my chest, "being a parent to something…to someone so precious?"
"It's a hefty weight, sometimes bewildering, yeah," I whispered back, kissing the top of her head. "But at other times, most of the time, it just...makes sense."
"Yeah," she murmured. "I can imagine how overwhelming yet how fulfilling it must be."
"Yeah, that's exactly it."
We were quiet, and when Bella sighed, the sound held a note of wistful melancholy.
Before I could say anything, she turned, and I thought I caught a look of sadness flit through her gaze. However, it disappeared as suddenly as it appeared, and then she looked over my shoulder. Without following her gaze, I knew where her eyes landed. My bedroom was directly across from Tristan's, the door wide open as I usually kept it to keep an eye on my son.
"That's the primary bedroom."
It was a statement rather than a question. After all, she knew the house. Even had she not known the place, the large, king-sized bed, front and center, more or less gave it away.
Bella gravitated toward it, and I followed wordlessly, again coming to stand behind her. For a moment, she stood there, her head turning to the right and then to the left, taking the room in before facing forward. Her shoulders rose and fell, but I kept my hands to myself this time. I didn't trust myself not to lead her in further, deposit her on that bed that held her attention, shut the door behind us, and dinner plans and sleeping son and all else be damned.
Finally, she spun around slowly and met my eyes.
"Nice bed."
We both laughed, dispelling the moment of tension, if not the absolute desire coursing through me.
"You imp," I snickered, pulling her into my arms.
"What did I do?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes with too much innocence. "I happen to like your bedspread."
"Do you now? It's pretty soft too. Would you like to feel it?"
"Or you can just tell me where you picked it up, so I can pick one up for myself."
Between our banter and our uncontrolled laughter, Tristan suddenly sat upright. Just like a preschooler, he usually wasn't fond of being woken. However, when he caught sight of Bella, his emerald eyes glowed brightly, even from this distance. A grin as big as his face took over that irritated expression, and he jumped off of the bed, charging before catapulting straight into Bella's waiting arms.
"Bella!"
"Whoa, buddy, what have we said about knocking into people like that?"
"Bella, Bella, Bella!"
"Sweet Pea!"
They ignored me. But it was fine. It was great. Life…was great.
Tristan pulled back. "Bella, you look bootiful!"
"Why, thank you, little man!"
"So soft your hair," he said, running his fingers through it. "I going to play with Esme and Quil! And you and Dad gonna eat together, and Dad said I's eat with you next time!"
"I think all those plans sound wonderful," Bella agreed.
OOOOO
After another short delay, in which Tristan insisted on showing Bella his room, we left for Rose and Emmett's place, which was only about five minutes from our place. I sent a quick text out before putting the truck in gear, confirming a few things and smiling when I received a prompt reply. When I looked up, Bella was watching me curiously. But she didn't ask, so I didn't answer.
Once at Rose's, Tristan reacted more or less the way he tended to respond whenever I dropped him off at camp: that is, by ignoring me. He felt as at home and ease with his friends as if he'd known them all three short years of his life. So while Bella and I stood around with Rose, making the hand-off, Tristan regaled his friends with Blanket. The conversation then revolved around each child's favorite item in the world – which they all happened to be holding.
"Uhm, so, I try to keep him away from too many sweets," I said, rubbing the back of my neck and hoping I didn't sound too much like an ass.
Rose grinned and gave me a thumbs up. "I do the same here, Ed."
We went through a quick run-through of acceptable foods and actions, and my comfort level with leaving my son there for a few hours increased. For the most part, our parenting styles seemed to mesh. When it was time to go, Bella appeared more nervous than I did.
"Rose, call us if there are any issues."
"Of course. But there won't be."
"If he has to go to the bathroom, he'll start hopping from foot to foot," Bella said. She looked up at me. "He does that at camp."
"At home too," I smiled. "Yeah, it's his cue, right before he verbalizes it."
"And when he says he's hungry, he usually means thirsty."
"True," I confirmed.
"If he's really hungry, he'll say his tummy tickles. But if he has a stomach ache-"
"Bella, this ain't my first rodeo, love," Rose smirked. "Get your dolled-up ass out of here, please."
Bella chuckled ruefully while I called out to Tristan.
"Tristan, buddy, I'll say you later, okay?"
He barely spared me a glance, too involved in the friends and toys cocooning him. "Uh-huh! Bye, Dad!"
"Tristan, I'll see you later, too," Bella said gently.
"Bye, bye, Bella!" he waves without looking up. "Esme, look at my shell! Me and Dad and Bella got so many today!"
"Can I play with it, Tristan?"
"Sure!"
I took Bella's hand and led her toward the door. "Come on, pretty girl in yellow," I whispered close to her ear. "You're all mine now."
"Yes, please, take her," Rose said, walking with us. "Or she'll stand there and watch him for the rest of the night."
"Oh, shut up," Bella mock-scowled at her friend.
"No way," I growled under my breath. "Can't have that."
Rose snickered, clearly having heard me. "I like this guy more and more. So, where are you two headed? What exactly is the plan for the night?"
"Edward is surprising me. Can you believe it?" Bella said, her gaze on me. "An actual surprise in Forks."
"An actual surprise in Forks, huh?" Rose echoed. "Do those even exist?"
There was something about her grin, though, a mischievous glint that made me suspect she knew the plans. I wouldn't be surprised. After all, I'd had to involve her husband and sister-in-law in my scheme. Her ensuing wink in my direction confirmed it as she pushed us bodily toward the door.
"Go, you two. Have all the fun. Don't rush. The sweetling will be well taken care of. I've got childproof surfaces. I've got healthy snacks. I've got a potty. I can read the cues for toilet and for hunger. If all else fails, I've got pull-ups and sugary sweets that'll have 'em bouncing off the walls. But'll they'll keep them happy 'til they crash," she whispered conspiratorially.
Not that I could find it in me to care about a few sweets here and there. If Tristan survived his Aunt Alice feeding him Pop-Tarts, I felt confident he'd rally through a night of sweets with his 'Auntie Rose.'
"Now go do everything I'd do if I were young, single, and falling-" She cleared her throat. "Go do everything I'd do."
"In other words, absolutely nothing is off-limits?" Bella quipped, peeking over her shoulder at her friend.
"Oh, shut up," Rose grinned, throwing Bella's earlier words back at her. "But correct."
Then she slammed the door in our faces.
A/N: Thoughts?
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So, I wanted to carry this chapter through their date, but I've got packing to do. I shall be away for a few, which makes me super happy because I need time away, but also kind of sucks because Muse was finally making a return. However, I'm not about to say 'no' to a vacation, lol. I am off to La La Land for a few days with the hubs and the youngest! From there, we'll be cruising to Cabo! I'll be taking my laptop, but I make zero guarantees. But who knows? Maybe this time away will help Muse recover even more.
So, happy Passover! Happy Easter! And happy everything else to everyone! Enjoy the next couple of weeks and your lives as much as possible because I have a feeling we all need a little joy in our lives after the past couple of years.
"See" you soon. :)