THE OTHER WOMAN

DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.

October 25, 2017

EDWARD

I walk past a group of boisterous Spanish men and find Demetri standing outside the powder room. He catches my eye and nods at me. I make my way over to him and stare at the door and then back at him.

"Is Bella still in there?"

"Yes, Mr. Cullen. Ms. Swan has not left the room."

"It's been more than fifteen minutes."

I step closer to the door and give it a soft knock.

"Bella? Baby, how much longer? We have to leave soon."

I hear no response for one whole minute.

"Five minutes." Her voice sounds strained and croaky.

Did something happen to her?

"I'll check what's going on." I whisper and twist the knob in my hand.

I freeze at the doorstep when I see my girlfriend. Bella has her back pressed against a wall and a lean brown-haired man stands in front of her. I can recognize Riley's features anywhere. I clench my fists and my eyes fall on the basket by the red clutch. He came to give her medicine? How psychotic is he?

Wait a minute. Something is not right. He came over to give her medicine and wait for us to find him? If he really wanted Bella, he would've whisked her away before we had a chance to find out. He definitely has something up his sleeve.

My eyes meet Bella's brown ones, and they look haunted. Why the fuck didn't she yell something?! I hear Demetri calling for backup and I snap out of my reverie. My blood boils when that son of a bitch touches her face with his dirty, rough fingertips. I step forward to lunge for him but when Bella vigorously shakes her head. I stop.

"Hello, Edward. It's been a while since we last saw each other." Riley says in a soft voice.

I pause when he moves his left hand to the side and I see the gun he was pointing at my Bella. I didn't see that coming. My Bella. I need to get her out of here.

"Nobody should move, Edward." He warns me and I motion for Demetri and others to stay in their position. I hear their impatient sighs but I don't want my girl hurt.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Riley whispers as he stares at Bella. My heart clenches and I want to protect her but I am helpless. Utterly helpless. "I love her eyes the most. What do you say, Edward? You wouldn't want something happening to her pretty face, would you?"

Riley trails the muzzle of the gun from the side of her head, down to her cheek. Her breathing quickens and her striking face turns paler than before. She screws her eyes shut, and a sob escapes her lips.

"Edward." She cries my name in a soft plea and I feel a lump forming in my throat. Oh baby, I'm so sorry I can't help you.

"You said his name? Why did you say his name?!" He hisses viciously and holds her neck in a chokehold. I stare at the gun, hoping to take it from him but he has a death grip on it. Fuck! "Don't say his name when I'm here, Isabella! You are mine."

Bella coughs and tries to get his hand off her neck. She struggles through her tears and I clench my fists. I hope she doesn't hate me for not helping her. She tries to push him off, but he then points the gun straight to her forehead. She becomes motionless and her tears cease. Her eyes hold an eerie look as she stares into space. Fuck, that doesn't look good.

"I love you, Isabella. I don't want to hurt you, babe. Please, don't say his name. You know I don't like it when you say his name. We need to get out of here. I have to take care of you."

He leans forward and presses his rough lips against her cheek.

That son of a bitch! I don't care if he shoots me; I need to get him away from my Bella!

I grab the back of his jacket and he spins around with a startled expression his face. He pushes Bella forward and presses the muzzle against the side of her head. He stands behind her and grabs her left arm in a death grip. I try to get Bella's attention to tell her to remain calm, but she is oddly calm. It's scary.

Riley's face comes into view for the first time and he looks disgusting. I can smell his stale scent and his clothes reek. Reek badly. I need to get Bella away from him. I don't know how she can stand so close to him and not have the urge to puke her guts out. Oh my poor baby.

"Stay the fuck away from us!" Riley shouts and aimlessly shoots towards the mirrors. A bullet slices through the glass and breaks it. He does it once more, and the noise is deafening.

Everyone becomes alert and Bella starts shaking like a leaf in his arms. Riley pulls her closer to him and points the gun towards me and the security.

"Stay away from us." Riley warns and starts backing away, towards the fire exit. I frown when something buzzes in his jacket and he lets out a loud sigh.

He is not taking my Bella away from me. He surprises me and reaches for Bella's bracelet. He unhooks it and puts it in his pants. Fuck, now he has enough cash to do whatever he wants to. That bracelet cost more than $100,000. But, nothing matters more at the moment than Bella's safety.

Bella stares at her empty wrist and her eyes fall on me. She tears up and sniffles softly. I know how much she loved that bracelet. Don't cry, baby. I'll get you ten more bracelets like that one.

Riley leans towards her and whispers something in her ear. Her breathing quickens and her lips part slightly. What the fuck is he telling her? He tucks her hair away and I glower at him. He looks me in the eye and kisses her cheek. I'm going to kill him with my bare hands! He steps backwards along with Bella and I brace myself. He is not taking my girlfriend away from me.

I turn to Demetri and others. "Don't let him get away this time."

"We won't, sir." He whispers hastily and barks some orders to security.

I hear Riley's footsteps dragging away from us and my eyes widen when the fire exit door slams shut with a bang. I look ahead and find no traces of Riley and Bella. My stomach drops with anxiety even though I know Riley was not here to take Bella. I rush towards the door and stop short when it flies open. Bella is standing on the other side, without Riley. He is gone.

I don't waste my time thinking about him as Bella comes running into my arms. I fiercely hug her and bury my face against her sweet-smelling hair. I forget about everything; everything but her. I savor the feeling of her warm body pressed against mine. I feel her troubled breathing against my skin, her heart wildly beating her in chest and her hot tears rolling down my neck.

I hear Demetri sprinting from the back exit and a lot of commotion around me but I don't give a fuck right now.

A couple of minutes later, I release Bella and she looks at me with a tear stricken face.

"No, don't let go. No," Bella weeps and shakes her head. She hides her face against my chest, not leaving me. I rub her back and try to calm her.

"Baby, you're fine now. I'm right here, my love." I whisper and rock her back and forth in my arms.

"Edward!" I hear Alex yell and he dashes over to us. "What the hell is going on?" He asks urgently.

I explain to him what happened, and he stares at Bella with a sad expression on his face. He gives her shoulder a soft squeeze and gazes at me.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Please take Bella back to the hotel, Alex. I'll wait here with Matt and Demetri. Get her to eat something; she hasn't had anything since lunch."

"Of course."

I pull back from Bella and find her lovely face streaked with tears. I wipe away her tears but more continue to ooze from her eyes. I stroke her cheek and kiss the top of her head. She grabs my hand in both of hers and I kiss it.

"Hey beautiful, don't cry so much. He is gone," Bella nods and whimpers softly. "Now, I need you to go back to the hotel with Alex and have dinner. I'll be there in an hour or two, okay?"

"No, no!" She cries heavily and hugs me again. "Don't leave me! R—Riley has a g—gun. H—He told me he will h—hurt you."

"He can't hurt me, Bella. I really want you to go back to the hotel with Alex."

"Not without you."

"You have to leave right now." I say firmly and nod at Alex.

"Bella sweetheart, let's go. You look tired." Alex says kindly, and she shakes her head.

"Bella, go back to the fucking hotel!" I snap and she looks at me startled. "Leave right now. Alex, take her."

"It's chaotic at the front door. I'll take her through the back exit."

"Okay,"

I call Chuck.

"Mr. Cullen." He greets on the other line.

"Take Ms. Swan and Mr. Platt back to the hotel."

"Sir."

I hang up.

Alex and Bella leave and I watch their retreated forms until they disappear from my view. My phone buzzes in my pocket and it's Demetri. I answer the call.

"What is it?"

"Mr. Cullen, I think you need to see this."

"Where are you?"

I reach the location Demetri tells me and I find security huddled up against a man in a ripped pale blue shirt. I recognize that fucking shirt. I growl softly as I get closer but my anger dissipates when I realize it's not Riley. It's somebody else dressed up exactly like him. His face is badly bruised, and he seems on the verge of passing out on the floor.

"Who the fuck is this guy?"

"Riley tricked us. He ran the opposite way, and this guy was on our screen the whole time. We've sent the rest of our team to different locations and we'll try to track him down as fast as we can."

Riley is smarter than we give him credit for. That's why he was here. So he could lose us by giving us a false lead. But, we found this guy quicker than he thought. My Bella is not safe until we find him.

"Send Zidek updates about this," I sigh and look at the man in front of me. "Did you find anything about this guy?"

"His name is Harrold. Riley offered him cash in return for this job."

"He knew we would get him," I murmur and ran a hand through my hair. "I need that fucker, Demetri."

"Sir."

My phone buzzes and I answer Matt's call.

"Matt, what is it?"

"Mr. Cullen, the manager of the hotel would like to urgently have a word with you. The guests are shaken up, there are media arriving and management wants to call 911. I have stalled them for as long as I could, but I think we need you here now."

I groan tiredly. "I'll be right there."

While taking off my bowtie, and unfastening the first two buttons of my shirt, I close my eyes and let out a loud sigh. This is not how the night was supposed to go. I check the time and see that it's almost midnight. I shake my head and rake my hand through my hair. Right now, I just need to see Bella.

Matt halts the car outside the hotel and I see paparazzi lined up at the entrance flashing their cameras towards the car.

"What the fuck!" I mutter angrily and step out. I ignore their annoying voices and clicking cameras as I rush inside the hotel. I go straight for the elevators and reach my floor. I frown when I find Alex pacing in the corridor, speaking on the phone to someone. His blue eyes meet mine and he sighs with relief.

"Yeah, he just got here. I'll call later, mom. Bye." Aunt Jane.

"Edward, I was getting worried. Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Where is Bella?" I ask instead and he points to our suite. "Did she eat something?"

"No, I tried talking her into it but she's very shaken up about what happened."

"I don't want this to affect her badly."

"Yeah."

"I'll get her to eat something. I'll see you in the morning then."

"Yeah, take it easy."

I enter the suite and the place is pitch black. I walk past the living room and make my way to the bedroom. I sigh softly when I find Bella curled up in a fetal position on the bed, staring out of the window. The moonlight makes her skin look stunning and I notice tear marks on her cheeks.

I stand facing her and her eyes immediately fall on me.

"There's my girl," I murmur and her eyes prick with tears as she silently gazes at me. "I'm sorry I shouted at you. I just wanted you someplace safe."

I sit by her form and wipe away the tears. I kiss her hair and brush a stray piece away from her face. I notice she hasn't changed out of her dress yet. I stand up and unstrap her heels. I let them fall to the floor and reach to take off her earrings and necklace.

"Baby, can you stand up for me?" I ask softly and she nods.

Bella takes my outstretched hand and rises to her feet. I walk over to where our bags are kept and feel her eyes following me. I open her bag and she calls out my name. I turn and she gazes at me from under her lashes.

"Can—Can I sleep in your t-shirt?" She asks shyly and I nod, with a smile.

"Of course, darling."

I open my bag and pick out my black long-sleeved t-shirt for my girlfriend. I toss it on the bed and stand in front of Bella. I spin her around and zip down her long gown. I peel it off her body and let it pool at her feet.

My cock stirs looking at the sexy sight in front of me. Bella is wearing a lace bra and thong set that shows off her luscious curves. I turn her in my arms and find her biting her bottom lip. Her hair is messed up, make-up is a little smudged, and she is dressed in sexy lingerie. She looks like an angel.

"Do you have any idea how alluring you look right now, Bella?" I ask in a feather soft voice and she blushes. "You are so perfect, baby." I touch her heart-shaped face and caress her cheek with my hand.

I undo her bra and let it fall to the floor. I help her don the t-shirt and she winds her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I rock her to and fro and tighten my arms around her warm body.

"You need to eat something, Bella."

"I'm not hungry."

"Bella…"

"Please, don't."

"Fine," I stroke her arm and she gasps softly. I frown and it dawns on me that Riley had a death grip on her arm. "Oh baby, does it hurt? Let me see."

"N—No, don't. I uh," She clears her throat. "I'm going to bed. Thank you for helping me."

Bella unwraps herself from around me and quietly gets under the covers. She curls up to herself again and casts her head away from me. My heart feels unsettled knowing she is behaving unusual. I shouldn't have asked her to come to New Orleans. I can't help blame myself for everything.

This day couldn't have a worse ending.

"No! No!" I hear a voice yell and my eyes snap open. "Stop touching me!"

I sit up and find Bella tossing and turning in the bed. I grab her warm hand in mine and she sighs in her sleep.

"Edward," She sighs again and grips the sheet in her free hand. "Help… No, Riley… Please!"

"Edward! Please!"

"Bella?" I call out her name and shake her gently. "Love, wake up. It's just a bad dream."

"Edward!"

"Baby, wake up!" I plead softly and see a pained emotion flickering on her face. "Bella, it's me. Open your eyes. It's just a bad dream, angel."

Bella suddenly goes quiet and her eyes snap open. They are filled with unshed tears and they look around before falling on me. She scrambles to sit up and crashes herself in my arms. She wraps herself around me like a vine and I feel her teardrops falling on my bare chest. I stroke her hair and pull her closer.

"Hush, baby," I whisper softly and kiss her hair. "It was just a bad dream."

"I—I love you."

"I love you too, Bella. I love you so much. Deep breaths, love. Take deep breaths for me."

She nods and inhales long, cleansing breaths. I lie down on the bed and pull her on top of me. I wrap the sheets around us and feel her fall into a deep slumber.

October 27, 2017

I step inside the house at five on the dot and hope flares inside me when I hear music coming from the kitchen. Thank fuck, Bella is in the kitchen again. I follow the music and sigh disappointedly when I find Mrs. Cope standing by the counter, fiddling with an iPod. She does a double-take in my direction and offers me a big grin.

"Welcome home, Mr. Cullen."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cope. What are you doing?"

"Uh, I had this lying in my room and thought I might see how it works."

I chuckle softly. "Well, you had better get good use out of it then."

"I will." She looks at me. "Should I start making dinner?"

"Not yet. And where's Bella?"

"Your bedroom. She hasn't left that room all day."

I frown with concern. "I really thought it was her when I heard music coming from here. Did she eat?"

"A little and you know I don't like to force someone to eat against their will."

"I know."

"She seems so distant since you came back from New Orleans. I don't like to see her like this. She hasn't stepped inside the kitchen and cooked. She has been sleeping a lot. It's unhealthy. I'm sure you can make her understand."

"It was the same yesterday. She is barely talking. Even to me." I whisper more to myself.

"See if there is anything bothering her."

"I will." I smile and kiss her cheek before leaving for my bedroom.

When I step inside, I find Bella sitting on the bed reading a book. She is so engrossed in the book that she doesn't realize somebody has entered the room. I walk across the room and catch her attention. She offers me a small smile and I smile back. I take a quick shower and change into sweatpants and t-shirt.

I go to the balcony and try to distract myself. I think about work; my upcoming projects and tasks to complete regarding the towers. I try to think about anything but my growing worry about my girlfriend. I need a drink.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I check the name on the screen. It's mom.

"Hey, mom." I greet her.

"Hi, honey. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"And how's Bella?"

I sigh softly. "I miss her, mom. She is right here, but she is not her old self."

"I think you need to give her more time, Edward. Can you imagine how traumatic it must be for her? It was bad enough that Tanya held her at gunpoint but now this crazy stalker too! And he was right by her side! See things from her perspective."

"I do, mom. But I don't know why she doesn't want to share anything with me. I can help her."

"Well, you should do something normal then. Get her to talk. You can go out for dinner or cook together. I'm sure she would love that."

"I'll figure something out. Thanks."

"Take good care of her. We'll talk later. Bye."

"Bye, mom." I end the call.

I take a deep breath and walk back inside. Bella finds me walking towards her and puts the book on the nightstand. I sit next to her and lean forward to give her a chaste kiss. She strokes my cheek and pecks my lips again.

"Hungry?" I ask and she shrugs. "How about we go out for dinner? I'll make dinner reservations. We'll keep our phones off for the rest of the night, like we did two weeks ago. That was pretty fun."

"And then you had twenty missed calls and fifty emails to check the next day." She mutters with a smile and I chuckle.

"It was not that bad, love. Anyway, would you like to go out with me?"

"I don't feel like going out."

I sigh softly. "Then we can cook together."

She shakes her head. "Not tonight. Please. I don't feel like doing anything right now."

"Fine, whatever."

I get up and she quickly takes my hand in hers. I look down at her and she nervously stares at me. "I'm sorry."

I smirk at her. "I'm not giving up that easily."

"What?"

I put the last candle holder on the glass table and stare at the room with a satisfactory smile. Mrs. Cope appears in the doorway and gapes when her eyes race everywhere in the room. I walk over to her and take the tray from her hands. I put it on the coffee table and arrange the wine glasses.

"Oh my god, did you do all this?" She asks and I beam at her.

"Yep. I just need a bottle of wine here."

"Chardonnay?"

I chuckle. "Get me Bella's favorite tonight."

"Coming right up."

Matt enters the room holding everything I asked him to bring. Great. He seems to be trying to hide his amusement about something. I give him a look and point my index finger to the coffee table. He nods and scurries away from my scrutinizing stare. He stands in front of me, waiting for instruction.

"I think we're done here, thank you Matt."

"No problem, sir."

"Does it look good enough?" I ask him, having a hint of doubt.

"It looks mighty fine, Mr. Cullen."

"Great. You can leave for home now. Ness told me you have plans to host a tea party for her dolls."

His ears turn pink and I laugh. "She told you that?"

"Of course, she tells me everything."

"I should've known."

Matt bids me goodbye and I go to my bedroom. I find Bella staring into space with a thoughtful expression on her face. Her brown eyes meet mine and she gives me a questioning look.

"Where were you?" Bella asks and I shake my head.

"We need to go somewhere."

"Edward, I just told you—"

"You are coming one way or another, Isabella."

She glares at me and crosses her arms over her chest. "Don't call me that."

Finally there is some color on her cheeks.

"Let's go."

"No."

I close the distance between us and bend down to throw her over my shoulder. She squeals and squirms against me. I chuckle as I hear her protesting against me. I exit the bedroom and make my way to the other section of the house.

"Edward! Put me down! Where are you taking me?"

"Quit talking, Isabella."

"Stop saying that!"

"Then you need to keep quiet." I smack her behind and she yelps.

"Edward!"

"Jesus Christ, Bella. Can you stop talking for two minutes?"

We walk past Mrs. Cope who is heading upstairs to her bedroom. She stifles a laugh and waves at us.

"Have fun, kids."

"We will, thank you." I grin at her and hear Bella muttering something under her breath.

"This is so embarrassing."

We make a turn and I can't help run my hand over her smooth thigh. I hear her sigh and watch goosebumps forming on her pale skin. I wonder if she's wearing anything inside the midnight blue silk robe. God, she is so fucking hot. I stop in front of the theatre room and set her down on her feet. She glowers at me and her face is flushed with chagrin.

"Let's not talk." She mutters and I chuckle.

"Fine."

I grab her hand in mine and open the theatre room. Bella covers her mouth with her hand as she enters and takes a look around. She lets go off my hand and walks further inside. I've carefully arranged scented candles everywhere and string lights give the room a romantic glow.

Mrs. Cope made popcorn and Matt ordered Bella's favorite pizzas and ice-cream. This ought to cheer her up. I smile as I watch her staring everywhere with awe all over her face. She beams and comes back to me. She hugs me hard and I wind my arms around her. I sigh soundly and bury my nose against her hair.

"I've missed you, Bella. I really have." I admit softly and she kisses my chest.

"I'm sorry," She pulls back and looks up at me. "I felt so guilty and… scared after what happened. You had to go through so much trouble that night for me. And—And Riley had a gun," She whispers shakily and I can see her reliving that nightmarish incident. "I don't want him. What if—What if he harms you? I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to you. You are my everything."

"Bella—"

Tears prick her eyes and she shakes her head. "He whispered to me that he'd be back one last time and take me away with him. Nobody heard it; he said that only to me. I'm scared he is going to come back any way he can and get me. I don't want to stay away from you."

"Me neither, angel. And we'll be better prepared next time. I promise you that. He can't rip us apart," I say with conviction and look deeply into her beautiful eyes. I caress her cheek with my hand and she sniffles. "He just can't."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too, Bella."

I press my lips against hers and she deepens our kiss. I pull her closer and she buries her hands in my hair. I sigh softly and lift her in my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist and grinds herself against me. My erection stirs in my sweatpants and I bite hard on her bottom lip. She moans softly and tilts her head when I trail kisses to her slender neck.

"Mm, I've missed this." She whispers huskily and I sink my teeth into her soft flesh.

"Yeah," I pull back and stare at her lovely face. "It's been one whole week since we made love. But, it can wait for a while longer."

She pouts. "Why?"

"We have movies to watch."

"Right." She unwraps her legs from me and stands on her feet.

"What do you want to watch?"

"Dirty Danc—"

"No," I say sharply and she pouts more. "I've watched that movie more times with you than I would like to admit."

"It's one of my favorite movies!"

"I can make peace with Annie Hall and Pretty Woman; they're great movies but not Dirty Dancing."

"Fine!" She shakes her head. "Whatever you want to watch works for me."

I suddenly remember an incident from not long ago. "You like horror movies, don't you?"

She blanches. "No, they're b—boring."

I smile. "Are they? Then we should watch a boring movie this time."

"No, I don't like horror movies."

"Are you scared, my love?"

"No, I'm not scared." She rolls her eyes.

"It's settled then. We should watch The Exorcist, it's not that bad."

"Oh, okay." She smiles nervously and I chuckle.

"Baby, if you're too scared, we won't watch it." I say sweetly and she glares at me.

"I'll watch it, Edward. Thank you for your concern."

Bella settles on the sofa and I select the movie from the collection; not that I watch a lot of movies. It's usually Alex and Alice who want to watch corny, sappy movies that I am not interested in.

"Don't you watch movies here?" Bella asks as I sit next to her. I wrap an arm around her shoulder and she snuggles against me.

"Not really."

Her stomach growls and she blushes furiously. I smile and point to the two boxes of pizza. She grins and opens the first one. She gasps when she sees that it's pepperoni, her favorite. She grabs a slice and offers me a bite. I roll my eyes.

"Love, you need it more than I do."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I had lunch at one."

"Exactly," She smiles and feeds me a piece. "And I don't want my man to starve while I eat. This might be your first and last slice, anyway."

I chuckle and take the slice from her hand. "Is it? God, sometimes I truly believe that you love pizzas more than you love me."

"That might be the case, Mr. Cullen. Food before dudes."

I dissolve into a fit of laughter and clutch my stomach. "You are such a dork, Bella."

Her smile disappears, and she arches an eyebrow. "Dork, huh?"

I pause and gulp, hoping I didn't offend her. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to say that."

There is a beat of silence and then she giggles. "You should see your face, Edward. Relax, I'm kidding."

I sigh and put the slice away. I bring her into my arms and hold her tight. "You think that was funny, Ms. Swan?"

"Immensely."

"I'll give you something to laugh about." I whisper and she frowns. I start tickling her sides and she convulses with laughter. She tries to wriggle her way out but I tighten my hold on her. Tears pour down her face and she attempts to catch her breath.

"Edward, stop! I can't breathe!" She wheezes out and I chuckle. I pause my fingers and wipe the tears from her cheeks as she catches her breath. I take a hearty look at her flushed face and feel whole again.

"You look so beautiful right now." I whisper and pull her onto my lap. I kiss the top of her head and she strokes my cheek.

"And you are just as handsome."

"Well I don't know about that. Anyway, shall we watch the boring movie?"

"Horror movies are really boring and not scary." She tries to convince me and I nod.

"We'll see."

My attention is completely enraptured by the movie on the screen but I can feel Bella shifting against me. I put an arm around her and gently rub her back. We've been watching the movie for the last two hours and for the better part, Bella has had her face hidden against my chest and is gazing at the screen from the curtain of her hair.

She holds my free hand in a death grip and her expressive eyes concentrate hard on the screen as the movie nears its ending. I watch her face contract with fear and she buries it against the crook of my neck. I smile and kiss her hair.

Once the credits start rolling, I take her hand in mine and kiss her knuckles. She takes a deep breath against me and pulls back.

"It's just a movie, love."

"It was really scary." She says shakily and rests her head on my chest.

"I know," I kiss her cheek and sigh softly. "But it's over now. Let's watch one of your sappy movies. How about Dirty Dancing?"

"Okay."

"Great."

When I get the movie set up, I grab the thin blanket splayed on the back of the couch and wrap it around us. Bella sits between my legs and takes hold of the half-eaten tub of ice-cream. She leans against my chest and turns her head to give me a chaste kiss. She puts the tub away and sighs soundly.

"We should do this every week." She muses and I chuckle.

"If we have enough time, I promise we will."

I press play for the sappy movie and draw Bella back to my chest. I fiddle with the knot of her silk robe and tug on it. The robe falls open and I notice she is wearing a flimsy short slip inside. Fuck, she looks sexier with the robe open. I bring my hand closer to her thighs and she exhales deeply.

"You're a temptress, Bella." I murmur and kiss behind her ear. She groans with pleasure and I push her hair over her left shoulder. I drag my lips from her ear, down to her neck. I move my hand north and she spreads her shapely legs to give me better access.

"You're distracting me."

"Is the movie that important?" I ask and touch my fingertips over her panties.

"Maybe." She pants as I slip my hand inside her panties. Fuck, she is so wet.

"Your body is telling me otherwise, Ms. Swan."

Bella simply sighs as I slip two fingers inside her. She puts her hand on my knee and arches her back when I tease her. Her eyes flutter close and she bites her bottom lip. I brush my lips against her shoulder and circle my fingers deep into her. Her hips rock against my hand and I increase my rhythm. Her moans turn louder when I add another finger. I slip my other hand inside her slip and massage one of her breasts in my hand. I tug on her rock hard nipple and she gasps softly.

"Edward, please."

"Please what, love?"

"More," She whimpers and I pinch her nipples. I plunge my fingers in and out of her and she writhes against me. "I'm close."

I increase my pressure and feel her pulsating against me. She tenses around my fingers and groans my name as she orgasms. Her body squirms a little and I retract my hand from her panties. I press my index finger against her lips and she opens her mouth to suck my finger clean. She moans, tasting herself and licks my two other fingers clean as well.

"Wow, look at that." She murmurs, touching the erection straining inside my pants.

I shake my head. "As much as I would love for you to take care of it, I think I just need to bury myself inside you right now."

"Hmm." She nods with a smile.

"Maybe you can take care of it tomorrow morning," I say and her smile instantly vanishes. "Bella, what happened?"

"It's nothing."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes." It's probably the first time she has volunteered to talk. Fuck, it must be important.

I immediately spin her in my arms and pull her astride my lap. She places her hands on my shoulder and takes a deep breath. I stroke her cheek and she bites her bottom lip.

"What's wrong, love?"

"There was something else that was bothering me today," She mumbles and plays with the hem of my t-shirt.

"Tell me."

"It's my mom's birthday tomorrow." Her voice is nothing but a whisper and tears prick her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't know."

"I know, it's okay."

Bella lays her head on my chest and I rub her back. She takes my hand in hers and remains quiet for a while. I wonder what she is thinking. I lower the volume of the movie playing in the background and her eyes meet mine.

"You visit her grave every year, don't you?"

"Yes. Will you come with me tomorrow?"

Her eyes look vulnerable and there is so much hope in her features. I can't say no to my girl. I kiss her and nod my head.

"I will, baby."

"Thank you." She gives me a teary smile and I hold her close to me.

"You shouldn't be sad," I say softly and she sniffles. "It's her birthday tomorrow. You should visit her grave and share how many great things have happened since you last spoke to her. I'm sure she would be happy to know about them."

"You're right," She wipes away her tears and smiles. "I can tell her about you. You've changed my life in more ways than you know. She would've loved you."

"I'm sure I would've loved her as well."

"Mom will never get to meet you," Her voice cracks. "Or Jake. He never had parents. It must be so painful for him. He never had friends growing up, he used to be alone all the time. He doesn't show it but I know her death affected him. He never went back to Forks once we moved here."

Bella continues. "And I miss my mom so much. I don't remember a lot about her anymore. Everything is in bits and pieces. I don't want her memory to fade away; I was so little when I lost her. I wanted a sibling, I put her through that pain and it cost her, her life."

"Hey, don't see it that way." I whisper and wipe the tears streaked on her beautiful face.

"It's true," She whimpers. "And sometimes I feel like my father left us because of me."

"No darling," I pull her to my chest and breathe deeply against her hair. "That's not true. You shouldn't blame yourself for what that man did."

"He left without an explanation. Didn't I deserve an explanation as his daughter?"

"You did, baby."

"But, I don't want to think about him."

"Okay." I stroke her hair as she remains silent in my arms. I press my lips against her cheek and let her stay alone with her thoughts. I gaze at the screen where the movie is playing but neither of us is really interested in what's going on. She raises her head from my chest and gazes at me from under her lashes.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I would like to see a therapist again. My nightmares are coming back and I don't want you constantly worrying about me. If I get help, I can open up to someone who can offer me constructive solutions. I have been thinking about it for a while now and after what happened on Sunday… I'm not able to get that incident out of my head. I really want your opinion on this."

I interlace our hands and stroke her cheek with the back of my hand. "I'm here to support you no matter what. If you think speaking to a shrink will help, I think you should do it. It's your decision in the end, do what you feel is right."

Her answering smile is jubilant. "Thank you for being so great."

Bella gives me a chaste kiss and her mood seems to have perked up. I can see how happy she is because we spoke about things she had bottled up inside her.

"Why haven't we talked about this before?" I ask and she stares at our clasped hands.

"I wasn't sure myself but now I am," She offers me a cute smile. "Because of you."

"Really?" I stroke her cheek and press my lips against hers for a soft kiss. "Then don't keep things from me again."

"I won't, sweetheart."

I chuckle. "I'll set an appointment with Dr. Cox for you. He is Alex's therapist."

"Alex sees a therapist?"

"He is on Alex's speed dial."

"I thought you were his therapist." She whispers and I laugh. She sits astride my lap and wraps her arms around my neck. Fuck, this feels nice. I'm glad her gloomy mood has dissipated.

"Well, I do offer advice but I'm definitely not his therapist."

"I see," Bella takes off her robe and drops it next to us. I put my hands on her hips and pull her flush against me. She gives me a slow, seductive smile and brushes her perfectly manicured finger across my bottom lip. "Any advice for me?" She flutters her lashes and I chuckle.

"Don't be so overdressed around me all the time." I murmur and peel the thin straps off her shoulders. She chuckles and watches the slip bunch around her waist. I cup her warm breasts and fondle with her rock hard nipples.

"You're insatiable." She moans gently and I press my lips against the side of her neck.

"I can never get enough of you, baby."

"Right back at you, Cullen."

Bella crashes her lips against mine and passionately kisses me. I drop the blanket on the carpet and gently roll Bella onto her back on the sofa. I hover over her lovely body and deepen our kiss. She sighs against my mouth and wraps her legs around my waist. I drag my lips to her ear and graze the sensitive skin with my teeth.

"So, do you want to continue watching that sappy movie or eat that half-melted ice-cream?" I ask and she giggles.

"I want you to make love to me, Edward." She whispers with a smile and I bring her lips to mine.

"Good choice, baby."

October 28, 2015

I put my phone inside my jacket and turn to find Bella leaning against the window as she stares at the lush green trees we're speeding past. I reach for her hand and tug on it. She gazes at me and her brown eyes look nervous and unsettled. I silently question her and she shakes her head. She scoots over to me and rests her head on my shoulder. I wrap an arm around her and plant a gentle kiss on her hair.

My fingers play with her hair as I think about today's meetings. I'm so fucking glad Jasper is a part of our team. My workload has reduced ever since he took over a few major tasks. I received an email last night from Mr. Omar that he wants me to come to Dubai to personally look into his project, but I really don't want to leave Bella.

My team can handle the project as well as I can. I have had work as my first priority all my life but not anymore. For me, Bella comes first now. I tighten my arm around her and nuzzle against her hair. Riley is on the fucking loose and I need to get that dog back where he belongs. To the Rehab Center in North Seattle. I can't watch Bella have nightmares about him.

Bella strokes my cheek and tilts her head upwards.

"What are you thinking about?" Her voice is feather soft.

"Work."

"Is there a lot of much stress at work?" She asks, concerned and I shake my head.

"Not since Jasper came onboard."

She grins at me. "That's great. Is he coming to the party on Saturday?"

"If we are," I shrug. "It's Alice's party. It's her choice. They haven't met each other yet. Maybe I'll introduce them today. I think she'll like him."

"Yeah, I think so too." Bella says hopefully and I sense an undertone in her voice.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, I just hope it goes well," I chuckle. "They would look cute together, don't you think?"

My smile vanishes and I glare at her. "What? Don't put ideas in her head. That's my sister. She can't date Jasper. I'll tell her not to drop by at my office." I pull my phone out but Bella stops me.

"Edward, she is a big girl. Stop being so overprotective. Put the phone away. Can't you spend some uninterrupted time with me?"

"Of course, b—" I am interrupted when my phone buzzes. She frowns sadly and shifts back to where she previously was.

I sigh and pull the phone out.

"Holy fuck." I mutter under my breath when I check the incoming call. Mr. Omar. Shit, he is calling himself. I check the time on my watch and answer the phone.

"Good evening, Mr. Omar."

"Good evening, Mr. Cullen.

"How are you?" I ask politely.

"I'm very well, thank you. I'm very impressed with the group of architects working here. And the construction company seems to bode well with our requirements."

I smile. "We certainly know how to choose them. How can I help you?"

"I believe your assistant must have informed you about the email I sent requesting your visit."

I close my eyes and exhale loudly. How can I refuse him? He gave this important project in Dubai to me. Fuck!

"I believe she did but I haven't been to the office today so I couldn't send in an immediate reply. I apologize for that."

"That's fine, Edward. So have you thought about it?"

"Mr. Omar, I have two projects in line waiting to be finalized. I recently visited Dubai and made sure my team knows exactly what they are doing. I'm sorry but it's not possible for me to come to Dubai next week."

Bella snaps her head in my direction and her lips form into a sad pout. I sigh and she moves towards me. She snuggles against my chest and takes hold of my hand and wraps it around her. I smile and kiss her forehead.

"I understand but I would appreciate if you would personally look into this project, Edward. Mr. Saeed wants to meet you."

I roll my eyes. Does he really think I would leave all my work here and meet the guy who is paying big bucks for my project? He is sadly mistaken.

"I would love to meet him but I can't make it to Dubai right away. Perhaps I can come the second week of November."

Bella sighs and tightens her arms around me. I bury my face against her hair and inhale deeply.

Mr. Omar clears his throat. "That works too. I'll let him know. I'll email your PA to send me the details of your arrival with your team."

"My team is already there. I figured I should bring my girlfriend this time." I say and Bella gazes at me with shock, her brown eyes are wide as saucers. She's so adorable.

"Please do. I'll be looking forward to meeting Ms. Swan again." Of course you will, perverted little shit.

"Sure. Have a great day then, Mr. Omar."

"You too, Mr. Cullen. Goodbye."

"Bye."

I hang up and put the phone down next to me. I wind my arms around Bella and find her anxiously biting her bottom lip. I tip her chin in my direction and pull the bottom lip out of its assault. I lean down and sink my teeth into her bottom lip which earns a whimper from her. I smile and touch my forehead to hers.

"Are you really taking me to Dubai?"

"No, I was telling him about my other girlfriend, Laura. I think I've introduced you to her. Don't you remember?"

She tries to maintain a straight face but her lips turn up a little. "No, I don't think you have. Is she the blonde who wears skimpy dresses?"

"Ah, not really. I prefer brunettes, don't you know that?"

"I do now," She mumbles and shakes her head.

"But I love you very very much. I think I'll take you instead." I whisper and give her a chaste kiss.

"Good for you," Her expression suddenly turns serious. "When will we come back?"

"We won't stay for long, why?"

"The next week will be Thanksgiving."

"I can't afford to miss out on Thanksgiving. My mom wants everybody at home that day. It is a very important occasion for her."

"That's nice. It's usually just Jake and me on Thanksgiving."

"You'll be with us this time," I say and she blushes.

"Really?"

"Yes and mom will want to invite Jacob too."

"Hmm. But, Jake is going on a hiking trip with his friends that weekend."

"That's alright. Make sure you can introduce him to my family during the Annual Dinner."

"Everyone will be there?" She asks with a shocked expression on her face.

"Yes, everyone will be there. It's probably the only event when our family is seen in public," I chuckle softly. "Even Will doesn't miss it."

"I can't wait."

"Neither can I," I cup her cheek and she closes her eyes with a smile on her face. "I want everyone to know that you are my girlfriend so they will back the fuck off and not hit on you."

Bella laughs and her eyes flutter open. "That's cute. But, I think you are forgetting that I'm going with Jake and not as your girlfriend."

"Yes, I know that!" I roll my eyes in exasperation. I can't believe she won't be attending my favorite event as my date. "Did Alice help you with the gown?"

"She did, and I bought it from her, thanks to my shiny black credit card," She gives me a sweet sarcastic smile and I smirk at her. She rests her head against the crook of my neck and stares at our clasped hands. "The gown is very beautiful."

"What color is it?"

"Any guess?"

"Blue?"

"Nope."

"Black?"

"Yes!" Bella sighs softly. "Alice is bugging me about shopping for earrings."

"Just earrings?"

"Yes, the gown is so great that I don't need any other jewelry."

Maybe I can give a gorgeous pair of earrings to my girlfriend. I need to talk to Alice.

"Tell Alice to take care of her own shit and stop bugging you."

She giggles and glances at me. "I can try."

I peck her lips and my eyes fall on the Welcome to Forks sign as we drive past it. We're here. Bella stiffens in my arms and her good mood gradually dissipates. I kiss her forehead and she offers me a sad smile.

"Oh baby, you should be happy."

"This is the happiest I have been ever since I have visited her grave."

"Hey," I stroke her cheek and she offers me a small grin. "Much better."

"You are a wonderful boyfriend."

I chuckle and hand her the bouquet of fresh lilies. "Here you go."

"She used to always put lilies in a flower vase."

"Is that why you like them so much?"

"Maybe. And I miss her."

"I know, love."

I patiently watch Bella speak to her mother's grave as I stand by the car. I want her to have her moment. But, I can't watch her cry so much. I just want to go over and wrap her in my arms. I don't think Bella would like me interrupting her.

I run a hand through my wet hair and wish the rain would stop. Demetri stands by her side, holding an umbrella over her form. He catches my eye and unlocks the car behind me. I shake my head and he nods. I don't want to sit in the car while my girl is crying.

Bella seems to have finished talking but I can't really tell. I wait for a couple more minutes and her form suddenly starts shaking from sobs. I think she's done speaking to her mother. My heart can't take this anymore.

I walk over to where she is and get down on my knees right next to her. My cold lips brush against her ear and she shivers.

"Bella love, are you okay?" I whisper in her ear and she nods. "Do you want to go now?" She nods again.

Her legs must be stiff from sitting in the same position for so long.

"T—Thank you for being here." She stutters and hugs me. She trembles in my arms from the cold and I rub her back.

"Of course I came, angel. We'll leave for home immediately." She nods but doesn't move.

I lift her in my arms bridal style and her arms wind around my neck. Demetri opens the door for us and I settle inside the car with my girlfriend on my lap. God, I feel better now. I take off my jacket, roll up the sleeves of my shirt and grab the wool jacket Bella left in the car. I wrap it around her body and she cocoons against me.

Demetri turns the heater on and we try to warm ourselves. I help Bella take off her shoes and she curls up on my lap. I nod at Demetri and he starts the car. We remain quiet for a while and Bella gradually relaxes in my arms. She pulls back and leans her forehead against mine.

"Are you getting hungry?" I ask and stroke her cheek.

"No." She sniffles and I wipe the water from her face.

Bella grabs her purse and pulls out a handkerchief. She dries my face with it and sighs softly. Her hands run through my hair and she anxiously bites her bottom lip.

"What happened, darling?"

"I know you hate getting wet in the rain and I don't want you to get sick."

"I won't get sick, baby."

"I really like this suit."

"I have a similar one at my office. I'll change there." She nods and hugs me tightly.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you, Bella. So much."

I tighten my arms around her and bury my nose against her hair. She smells divine. She dozes off in a couple of minutes and I can feel how tired she is. It was quite a mentally exhausting start to the day. I shift her face towards the light so that I can see her striking features clearly. I smile noticing that the calmness of her face puts me at peace too.

"EDWARD!" I hear my name being yelled from two corridors away which makes me sigh. It can only be one person. A tiny, little pixie.

"Mr. Cullen, we can lea—" I hold up a finger and shake my head.

"Continue. Bree, what were you suggesting?" I ask calmly and Bree clears her throat.

"I think we should use Townsend Leather for customizing the flooring at the reception. The bids look—" She is interrupted when the door bursts open.

Alice stands in the doorway, fuming with anger with smoke coming out of her ears. She looks very annoyed about something. Julie is standing behind Alice and nervously checking my reaction. I can't get mad at Julie; I know how my sister is.

"Alice, we are having a very important discussion. Can you please wait outside?" I ask politely as I concentrate on the bids in front of me.

"Edward, this is important!" She says pointedly and I grab my calculator.

"Julie, please ask Ms. Cullen to wait in my office. I'll be there in a while." I continue speaking in a quiet, peaceful tone.

I had an amazing start to the day by spending quality time with my girlfriend so I don't want to ruin my mood.

"You are not sending me away."

"Alice, leave." I snap and give her a heated stare. She levels my gaze and shakes her head.

"It's important." She says through gritted teeth.

I roll my eyes in exasperation. "Excuse me, everyone."

I stand up and button up my jacket as I march over to my sister. I grab her arm and drag her out of the room. Julie saunters away and I turn to my sister.

"Alice, I have a room full of people in there. What the fuck happened?" I ask, keeping my tone light. She groans and her blue eyes look murderous.

"Who the hell is that guy on Alex's floor?!"

I frown. That's odd. Alex never has… Oh, she is talking about Jasper.

"Are you talking about Jasper? He is the new COO of our company. I told you about him, didn't I? Seattle Times published an article about him today. He is a great guy, I'm glad you were introduced." I smile and her glare hardens.

"You know what that great guy did today?"

"Did he try touching you? Tell me right now. I'll kill him myself." I say firmly and reach for my phone.

"He spilled coffee on my new boots!" She exclaims, and it takes me a second to register what the fuck she said. How dare she disrupt my meeting to talk about her fucking boots! Is she stupid?

"Is that all?" I ask in a deadly calm voice but I want to strangle her to death right now.

"No! This happened at one of the restaurants downstairs and then Vic told me that he is on Alex's floor. So I barged into his office and he lectured me about how unprofessional I was to show up for an assistant interview with coffee spilled on my boots! He did that himself! And when I started shouting and yelling, he called security to throw me out! Security!"

"I'll call security if you don't leave right now, Alice." I whisper and she gapes at me.

"He spilled coffee on my boots!" And then she rambles about the shoes, fabric and the hours she put into designing them.

I am literally seething with anger as I gaze at her but I can't hold it in any longer. "Get the fuck out of my office, Alice Cullen!" I yell and she jumps a little, completely startled. She pouts, and it's very hard to resist that pout. But, Bella's is cuter.

"But—"

"Leave. Now," I snap and she glares at me.

"But—"

"Alice, leave or else I won't back down to kill you. Julie!" I roar and Julie appears in front of me within seconds. "Take her."

"Yes, sir."

Alice huffs. "Yeah, whatever. You better be there on Friday."

"We'll try."

"I'll never speak to you again if Bella and you don't come to my party."

"That will be lovely. I would like to live a happy life without listening to your chatter."

"You love my chatter," She pokes her tongue out at me. "I'll send the costumes to your house, and someone better be there." She says haughtily and turns on her heels to walk away. Julie rushes after her and tries to match her rapid pace. I chuckle softly and shake my head.

How can someone so small be so annoying?

October 31, 2015

I put my files in the drawer and exit my study. I hear some movement coming from the closet and I make my way over. I lean against Bella's side of the closet and find her staring at a box with a scowl on her face. I stifle a chuckle and shake my head. It probably has her costume inside. She takes the cover off and her lips twist with a bright smile looking at it. I knew she would love it.

I had already changed into my outfit an hour ago when Bella was taking a bath. I think I can spare some time and watch her get dressed. She holds the dress in her hands and I can imagine her wearing it. Fuck, she is going to look sexy wearing that. Alice has been very cheesy and dramatic with our costumes but Bella looks excited.

Bella saunters around the room to find the perfect shoes. She grabs a pair of misty rose pumps and puts them by the ottoman. Thank god she hasn't noticed me ogling her. Finally, she unknots the sash of her little bathrobe and discards it. Fuck. She is a heavenly sight in a powder pink bra and thong set.

She gazes at the vanity and groans softly. She covers herself with the robe again and runs a hand through her wet hair. She retrieves a hair dryer and switches it on to blow dry her hair. I walk out of the room and finish a couple of pending emails before shutting my MacBook.

When I sneak back in, I find Bella putting away the hair curler. She applies hairspray and uses her fingers to separate the curls. I watch her meticulously apply another spray, smooth the strands at the crown area and apply some cream to her curled ends. I am gobsmacked that she has nailed the hair do.

I wonder if she has done this before because knowing my Bella… she doesn't care much about make-up and hairstyles.

Bella takes off her robe and slips into the misty rose A-line cocktail dress. It falls above her knees and makes her legs look miles long. The silk chiffon drapes along the skirt and the deep V-neck accentuates her luscious curves. She applies mascara, lipstick and a hint of blush, not that she needs it. She looks perfect.

Bella anxiously stares at her reflection in the mirror and smiles to herself. I chuckle softly. Alice sent the iconic costumes of the lead couple in Dirty Dancing. Bella, of course, loves it. I can't believe I'm doing this for my girlfriend. But, I love her. I'm dressed up in a black short sleeved shirt, trousers and shoes.

She straps on her heels and her eyes unexpectedly meet mine. A blush colors her cheeks and she bites her bottom lip. She closes the distance between us and undoes the second button of my shirt. I smile and stroke her soft, curly hair. I snake my arms around her waist and pull her flush against me. Her breathing hitches and she interlaces her hands behind my back. I caress her cheek with my hand and she closes her eyes.

"You look so beautiful, Bella."

"Thank you, Johnny."

I chuckle. "It's surprising that you love this movie so much yet you don't like to dance."

"You dance well enough for both of us."

I laugh and connect our lips for a much needed kiss. Her tongue enters my mouth and I bite hard on her bottom lip. She moans softly and her lips mold against mine. We take our time, enjoying the slow, rhythmic kiss. My hand reaches and knots in her soft hair. I hold her face against mine and gently push her against the free standing wall. I lift her a little and her legs wrap around my waist.

"How much time do we have?" She mumbles against my lips and I drag my lips to her neck. She shifts her head and gives me better access.

"As long as we need."

"Edward." She sighs softly and I suck on her soft skin.

"It doesn't matter, love. And I'm going to take my sweet time with you right now."

My hand snakes inside her thong and I find her to be soaking wet. My erection jumps at that and we moan when my hand brushes against her throbbing sex. I push the thong to the side and enter my index finger inside her. At an excruciating slow pattern, I move my finger in and out of her.

"Edward, please." She whimpers impatiently and I lean my forehead against hers.

"I told you I'm going to take my time with you." I say softly and she sinks her teeth into her lower lip. Her face contracts with pleasure and she grounds her hips against my finger. Her breathing quickens and I enter another finger inside her.

After enough teasing, I pick up my pace and her eyes flutter open. Her eyes look seductive, sensual and begging me to go hard.

I increase my speed and she groans my name in pleasure. When she tightens around me, I pull my fingers out of her.

"Edward!" She half-whines, writhing against me. "Please."

I unzip my pants and drop them to the ground, followed by boxers. I circle my cock against her and easily slide inside. Fuck, she is tight. I fit perfectly inside her. This is what I love. Being inside her. Feeling her body pressed up against mine and her hands lovingly caressing my face. I love her so much, it's hard to fathom.

We move fluidly against each other and she meets my thrusts as we make love in the gentlest way possible. Her arms encircle around me and I press my lips against hers. Soon, she convulses around me and cries my name. I thrust in and out of her and bury my face against her neck as I empty inside her.

Bella presses her face against mine and I feel her hot breath fanning my skin. I run a hand through my hair and help her stand on her feet. She gazes at me and I realize she needs a little touch-up.

I check my watch and see that it's eight already. We are thirty minutes late. No big deal.

"We have some time; do you want to rest for an hour?" I ask softly and she shakes her head.

"No, I'm good. I feel… lighter."

I laugh and she kisses my lips soundly. "Great."

"Don't worry about me all the time." She mutters and goes to the vanity to fix her make-up.

"I'll try. And I need a strip tease once we come back home. Watching you get dressed looked very erotic."

Her face flames and she suspiciously gazes at me. "What are you talking about? Were you watching me the whole time?"

"Maybe."

"Edward!" She gasps, pretending to be shocked. "I cannot believe you would do that. What kind of creep are you, watching your girlfriend get dressed? It's so shocking to hear. You are not setting a good example for anybody, let me tell you that."

"I'm allowed to stare at my girlfriend. She is the most precious person to me and I should be permitted to stare at her," I smirk at her. "If she can ogle me while I shower, I think I should be allowed to ogle her while she gets dressed."

Bella fidgets shyly and plays with her gorgeous hair. "I, um, don't stare."

"You don't think I see you, my love?"

She throws her hands up in exasperation. "Fine!"

"I love you."

Her expression softens, and she smiles. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Bella takes off her thong as she walks over to her lingerie drawer and I zip up my pants. She grabs her coat and skips over to me. I lift her in my arms until we are at an eye to eye level and kiss her.

"You are so adorable, Bella."

"Good to know."

I interlace our hands and take her to my closet. I grab my black leather jacket and don it. I pull her hand through my arm and grasp it tightly. She rests her head on my shoulder and I kiss her hair.

"Where's the party?"

"At Alice's in Bellevue."

"I thought she lived Downtown."

"She has two places."

"Oh."

I smile staring at her gorgeous face.

"You look beautiful."

"In fancy clothes?" She teases me and I chuckle.

"Yes but I prefer it when you dress in a t-shirt and sweatpants and watch a sappy movie with me," She grins and kisses my cheek. "I know what you love so please don't change for me. Stay how you have always been. That's the Bella I fell in love with."

"I love you more when you say those things. Thank you," I nuzzle against her hair and she sighs with a smile. "We should hurry up. Alice won't let us in."

"Don't worry; I know where the back door is."

I can't help but chuckle when I hear horror music coming from Alice's house. I stare at the Halloween themed stanchions that lead up to the porch. Bella giggles and strokes the gray threading draped over them.

"Look," I say softly and point to the left side of the front yard. She gasps looking at the fake graveyard and I laugh when I see Alex's name on a tombstone. A train has tragically crashed into the graveyard and a dead, bloodied figure lies next to it.

"The artwork is amazing," I mutter and Bella nods. "Do you want to go closer?"

"Okay."

Bella and I walk over to the wrecked train model, and she touches the hard surface. She gazes at it with wonder and bends a little to look at the dead figure. Is that a dummy or a real man? The figure screams and reaches for my girl and she screams loudly.

"Edward!" She yelps and hides her face against me. I laugh into her hair and rub her back.

"Let's go inside, baby." I kiss the side of her neck and she nods.

"I thought it was a dummy, not a real man." She mumbles and I snort.

"So did I, but it's not," I gaze at the house as we get closer and I blink rapidly. "Oh my god, this is amazing."

Bella beams at me and we stare at the house decorated with lighted pumpkins. Everywhere. It's gorgeous. Alice has outdone herself this time.

"It has a wonderful orange glow to it." She whispers and I nod.

We walk up the front porch and Bella jumps startled when a woman dressed as an ugly witch appears in front of us out of nowhere. I roll my eyes.

"Are we at a haunted house or something?" Bella mutters with irritation and I chuckle.

Security lets us in and I feel warm once we enter the living room. All eyes gaze Bella and me as we walk further inside. I notice guys checking out my girlfriend so I wrap an arm protectively around her waist and pull her flush against me.

I see people everywhere dressed in creative costumes. My eyes race around the place and I try to look for Alice. I laugh when I notice how she is dressed. Ah, she is a Tinkerbell.

"Where do we go?" Bella whispers in my ear.

"I need a drink and let's stay as far away from Alice as possible." I say over the music and she giggles.

I take her to the bar and we stay on the far end where the light barely reaches us. I give a friendly wave to the bartender who always serves drinks at Alice's parties.

"What would you like to have, baby?" I ask Bella and she shrugs.

"Whatever you have."

"Any special cocktails tonight, Javier?"

He nods with a grin. "Yes, we have Halloween-themed drinks tonight. We have Coffin Nail, Graveyard Gruel, The Sleepy Hollow, Goblin Mimosas—" I hold up a finger and stop him.

"Are you serious?"

"People love them." He says and I chuckle.

"Give us the best you have."

"Two Bone-chilling Black Martinis coming right up!" Jesus Christ.

"I think this is the best party I've been to in quite some time." Bella says and I kiss her forehead.

"Alice has great parties. I hope our drinks come alright."

"It's so unique and different." I nod and hug her tightly. I close my eyes and feel her hand stroking the ends of my hair.

We stay in our embrace until the waiter calls my name. I release her and turn to see him holding two cocktail glasses on an antique-looking tray. Oh dear god. I lift the glasses and say a quick thank you to him.

"Here you go, Ms. Swan." I give one glass to Bella and she quizzically stares at the drink in her hand.

"What is this?"

"A Bone-chilling Black Martini."

"Look at this!" She whispers and I notice there is a bone tied with black tulle against the stem of our glasses.

"This is so Alice." I mutter under my breath.

We finish our drinks and Bella nestles against me as we look around the room. She suddenly giggles and I follow her gaze to find Will walking in our direction. He is dressed in a ninja turtle costume with a scowl on his face. Bella waves him over and I laugh against her hair. He gets closer and I hide against Bella as I laugh harder. Bella tries to keep a calm demeanor but let's out a soft giggle.

Will crosses his arms over his chest and glares at us. I take a deep breath against Bella and compose myself before facing him.

"Hi, man. Looking good." I say with a straight face and he scoffs.

"Fuck you, Cullen."

Bella chuckles. "How did you end up in this?"

He sighs. "I told Alice to get me one, and she thought I still loved Ninja Turtles."

"You're Raphael, aren't you?" I ask with a smirk and he nods sulkily.

"Yeah. Anyway," He suddenly smiles at Bella. "So Bella, what time should I drop by tomorrow?"

"Drop by for what exactly?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Bella promised to bake a chocolate and salted caramel cake for me."

"What the fuck? No, she isn't. I'm spending the weekend with her," He opens his mouth to protest but I shake my head. "With no interruptions."

"But, you guys are coming for dinner tomorrow at Aunt Esme's anyway."

His words fuel my anger. "What? I didn't know about this. Why the fuck do they need to host a dinner every weekend?"

"You really didn't know?" Will mutters with confusion.

Bella sighs next to me. "Esme told me."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, annoyed.

"Because I knew you would react exactly like you are right now." She says softly and takes my hand in hers.

"Alright, I'm gonna go flirt with the sexy Princess Leia I saw a while ago. Bye, folks." He winks at Bella before leaving us to ourselves.

"Edward." Bella sighs my name and turns to me. She puts her hand on my chest and I look into her dark eyes.

"You are not making that cake, Isabella. And we are not attending that dinner tomorrow."

Her lips twist with a playful smile. "Using my full name? Wow, my boyfriend must be mad at me."

She wraps her arms around my neck and I touch my forehead to hers. I close my eyes and she brushes her lips against mine.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She asks and caresses my face with her hands. I sigh and open my eyes.

"I wanted to spend time with you this weekend but you made plans for us. I don't like those plans."

She chuckles. "Edward, we can change plans. But, I didn't have the heart to refuse Esme, she was so excited. And Will is only in town for a few weeks, and I don't want to ignore him."

"What about me?" I pout and she presses her lips against mine. I kiss her back and pull her flush against me.

"You are the most important person to me, Edward Cullen," She murmurs against my lips. "I never want to leave your side."

"But, what about tomorrow? I was going to surprise you with a dinner reservation I made."

Her eyes soften. "We can still do that. I'll ask Esme if we can have brunch instead of dinner so that we'll have the evening to ourselves and Will can come over on Sunday. I'm sure you'll have work to do and by then, I can bake with Will."

I grin at her. "Sounds great."

"Where did you make our dinner reservations?"

"Guess?"

She pretends to look thoughtful. "Um, your backyard?"

I scoff. "Come on, Bella, be creative."

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"Fine. I'm taking you to the restaurant where we had our first date."

Her eyes light up and she looks more beautiful if that's possible. "Oh my god, really?"

"Really, really. I figured we could enjoy a quiet night, just us and come back and I'll strap you to the sex swing again."

"Edward!" She says aghast, and a smile escapes her lips.

"What? You don't like my plan? It's way better than yours."

Her smile turns thoughtful. "Has it already been three months since our first date?"

"I believe so," I kiss her forehead. "And four months since we met. I wish we would have met a couple of years ago. Things would've been different."

"How would've that been possible?"

I laugh. "I used to pass by your store quite a lot when I came to Seattle for holidays."

"Really? And you never thought about entering my store before?" She asks cutely.

"Maybe I did. And I would've met your clumsy, beautiful form way before I originally did." I mutter and she glares at me.

"Clumsy?" She crosses her arms over her chest.

I roll my eyes. "If I remember correctly, you stumbled into a magazine stand when we met the first time. And the second time. And the third time. And numerous times after that."

"In my defense, I was trying to be quiet so you would leave. Plus," She blushes. "I was staring at the magazine with your face on it. Never in a million years did I think that you were the person I would meet."

"Oh, you are so lucky." I murmur and draw her in my arms. She keeps her head on my shoulder and smiles.

"I am."

"I love you." I say softly and tighten my arms around her.

"And I love you, Edward."

We stay in our embrace for a couple of minutes and try to block the noise around us. I feel her hand gently running up and down my back and the other one clutching my jacket.

"Edward! Bella!" We both groan as our moment is broken by Alice. I release Bella and find Alice standing by us, staring at our costumes with an excited expression on her face.

"Oh! You look so great! I'm really good at this!" Alice squeals and claps her hands. I chuckle. "Bella, come on! I want you to meet my friends! They are dying to meet you!"

I frown and pull Bella to me. "No."

Alice pokes her tongue out and tears Bella away from me. Bella offers me an apologetic smile and disappears from my sight within seconds. I walk around the house and my eyes fall on Alex. He is dressed in a Top Gun flight costume, looking well-groomed yet messy. He is surrounded by a couple of ladies but he looks distracted.

He catches my eye and waves me over to him. I smile and make my way to where he stands. He offers me a drink but I politely decline.

"Hey." The brunette next to me says and flutters her lashes. I nod at her.

"Good evening, ladies. How are you?"

"Much better now." I hear a throaty voice mutter and I resist the urge to cringe.

"Are you here all alone?" Fake Eyelashes asks and I shake my head.

"My beautiful girlfriend is here with me." Don't bother to hit on me.

"That's too bad," Brunette says and touches my arm. "It's a shame that you aren't single."

"I'm sorry to disappoint." I say, feeling anything but apologetic.

I turn to Alex who is nervously looking around the room. I nudge him and finally catch his attention. I wonder what is up with him. He puts his drink down and excuses us from the throng of women.

"What is up with you tonight?" I ask and he buries his hands in his pockets.

"How do you think she is?" He whispers and tilts his head towards the blonde sitting at the bar all alone. She is dressed in scrubs and has a stethoscope around her neck. All I can see is the back of her head.

"I don't know, I've never judged a person from the back of their head before." I say sarcastically and he rolls his eyes.

"She is very pretty and um, smart. Do—Do you think I should go talk to her?" He stutters and I blink rapidly, staring at him in shock.

"Are you nervous about talking to a woman? I think that's a first. And you are asking for my permission, that hasn't happened for a long time."

"Well, I'm asking your opinion. And I don't think she likes me very much. She sent me a very dirty look when she saw me with the ladies."

I laugh. "Relax, Alex. Just go have a friendly chat with her. I have never seen you this apprehensive before. When has this happened to you before? Almost never. Go."

"That's inspiring."

"I swear to god, I'll have Will talk to her instead." I warn him and he groans.

"I'll go talk to her, bye."

I laugh and watch him walk over to where the blonde sits. I shake my head and turn to find all the ladies expectantly staring at me. I find a way to excuse myself and look for my Bella. I meet and greet a few people on my quest to search my girlfriend and as I'm reaching the family room, a drunken figure stumbles into me.

I grab the woman by her shoulders and push her off me. She smells of hard liquor and lilies. Her face gazes at me and I want the Earth to swallow me. It's Alice's friend. Lisa, Leila or something. Whoever she is, she tries to get into my pants every time I see her.

"Edward!" She says sluggishly and stumbles a little, wearing death traps. "There you are! I've been sh-earching for you! Where the hell were you?!" She yells and I run a hand through my hair.

"Excuse me." I mutter and try to move past her but she grabs my wrist.

"No! Are you running to your ugly little girlfriend?! She is not right for you! I am! I love you!"

Never hit a woman. Never hit a woman. Never hit a drunken woman.

"Please try to control yourself. You have no idea what you are saying. I swear to god, I'll have somebody throw you out right now."

"No! Sh-tay with me." She grabs my jacket in her hands and pulls me closer to her. I try not to throw up when her disgusting scent assaults my senses. Wow, she is very drunk.

"Leave my fucking jacket alone and get the fuck out of here!" I snap and tears gather in her eyes.

"You don't love me?" She croaks out and I roll my eyes heavenwards. Oh god. "I love you!" She leans forward and almost presses her lips against mine but she is suddenly thrown off me. I sigh with relief and turn to find Bella standing next to me with a glare on her face.

"Stay the hell away from my boyfriend, Lucy!" She roars and glares at the woman in front of us. "If you ever try to make a move on him again, I'll break your face."

"You bitch." Lucy gasps out and staggers again.

"Get the fuck out of here!"

Is it inappropriate to get turned on by my girlfriend?

Alice comes into our view with a shocked expression on her face. She glowers at her friend and grabs her by the arm.

"Lucy, what are you doing? I told you to keep your distance from my brother."

"He came on to me."

I roll my eyes and sigh.

"Guys, I'm so sorry," Alice apologizes earnestly. "Please give me a minute with her."

"Sure."

Bella and I return to the living room and I lead her to the farthest corridor and push her against the nearest wall.

My lips find hers and she eagerly kisses me back. My tongue darts in her mouth and she moans softly. Her hands knot in my hair and she pulls me closer. I concentrate on her lips working against mine and we lose track of time.

We breathlessly pull back from each other and I graze my teeth against the shell of her ear. She whimpers a little and I smile.

"You were on fire back there." I whisper softly and she giggles.

"I leave you alone for two seconds and women are all over you."

"Can you blame them?"

"Don't be so pompous, Edward."

"I'm kidding, baby," She grins and I stroke her cheek. "I love you."

"I know."

My eyes flicker towards the entrance for a brief second before I kiss my girlfriend. Fuck! I open my eyes and gaze at the main door again. Oh dear god.

"Edward?" Bella whispers against my lips and her eyes follow my direction. "Oh! Jasper's here! Should I go introduce him to Alice?" Bella asks the latter part to herself and I draw her in my arms.

"Don't even think about it."

"Why not?" She pouts.

"Just don't. And who the fuck invited him?"

"I don't know."

I call Alex and he answers on the second ring.

"What is it?" He asks and I sigh.

"Did you invite Jasper to the party?"

"Yes! Is he here? I told him to come to one of Alice's parties. He would love it!"

I groan. "Alice is going to kill you."

"Why?"

"Alice and Jasper had a big fight at the office and she warned me not to invite him." I whisper angrily into the phone.

"Oh fuck," Alex whispers back and gulps. "I'm going home now."

I laugh. "You are not getting out of this so easily. Keep Jasper away from Alice."

"But I'm busy." He says pointedly, and it dawns on me that he was speaking to a blonde in scrubs.

"Right, I'll look into it myself."

"Thanks!"

I hang up.

"What was that all about?" Bella asks and I stroke her hair.

I smile and kiss the top of her head. "Nothing, baby. Let's go meet Jasper."

"Sure!"

Bella and I head back to the living room and she curiously stares at the decorations and interior of the house. Alice uses this house specifically for parties because it gives her more room to be creative. I can't believe she has one house just for parties. My sister is such a brat.

Bella would probably have a coronary if I decided to do something that irrational. Most importantly, I won't invest my money in a building a place where people who can afford food and shelter will be invited to eat and drink. That money can be put to a much better use.

"It's a beautiful house, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I thought we were meeting James Bond." She says, referring to Jasper's costume for Halloween.

I laugh. "Yeah, let's meet him."

My eyes race over to where I saw Jasper few seconds ago. Fuck, where did he go? I interlace my hand with Bella's and we walk past a couple of people dancing to the upbeat music. We stop short when a glass shatters to our left. Bella and I turn at the same time and find a glass broken to pieces and red liquid trails towards Alice's favorite carpet.

Jasper Whitlock and Alice Cullen are in a glaring contest, which is ironic because Bella thought they would look cute together. It's a mighty sight to see Tinkerbell and James Bond giving death looks to one another.

"Oh dear god." I mutter under my breath when I see Jasper's right shoe is soiled with the drink. Jasper is very possessive about his shoes. The only thing he loves more than his mother is his rather extensive collection of shoes.

"What's going on?" Bella murmurs and I hug her from behind and pull her to me.

People start gathering around the two as I dictate everything in her ear. She giggles softly at the end and a couple of people turn in our direction. She blushes and I kiss her cheek.

"Don't laugh, Ms. Swan."

"I want to see if Jasper loses his cool. I know he is very touchy when it comes to his shoes." She murmurs and keeps her hands atop mine.

I chuckle. "I know."

Jasper takes a deep breath and steps in her direction. He clenches his fists at his sides and points his index finger at his shoes.

"My Ferragamos cost more than your little costume, ma'am. I hope you understand how unnecessary and childish that was."

"You spilled coffee on my favorite shoes on Thursday!" Alice yells and he frowns at her.

"Did I? Well, I'm glad. And why did you enter my office without my permission later?"

Alice gives him a death glare. "Who the fuck do you think you are?! I can have your ass fired right now!"

He smirks at her. "And how are you possibly going to do that?"

"You really doubt that?" Alice looks around and her eyes fall on me. She opens her mouth to speak and my eyes flicker to Jasper who spills his whiskey on her green stilettoes. I screw my eyes shut and hear her gasp in shock.

"Now we're even." Jasper says with satisfaction. I open my eyes and find Alice fuming by him.

"Edward, stop them." Bella whispers and I chuckle.

"Relax, Bella. It'll be fun."

"You asshole!" Alice lunges for Jasper and Bella pushes me towards my sister. I roll my eyes and take hold of her. Her little form struggles against me as she tries to beat the shit out of Jasper but I keep them at an arm's length. I glare at Jasper and he stares at me, confused.

"Hey, Ali. Calm down." I say softly and she shakes her head.

"My sandals."

"It doesn't matter. You can get yourself a new pair. I'll get you five pairs. Don't start a fight. He is a very good friend of mine."

"Good friend? I'm your sister! Why are you taking this prick's side?"

"Sister? Oh fuck." Jasper mutters and his face loses all the color.

I shake my head. "Jazz, I told you about Alice."

"I didn't know she was your sister."

"It's not the time," I mutter and exhale deeply. "Will!" I shout and Jasper bursts out laughing looking at Will's costume. I crack a smile and he approaches us with a bored expression on his face.

"Alright, I guess you don't need my help. You are too busy laughing at my shitty costume." He mutters and turns to leave but I grab his arm.

"Wait wait," I mumble and he sighs.

"Jasper give us a minute." Will says, and he nods.

"Sure, but spilling the coffee wasn't intentional, as she thought it was. No offense, but she didn't have to be so childish about it. It is unaccept—"

"Jasper, not now. Please."

Alex walks our way and I tilt my head towards Jasper. He nods and drags our friend away to get another drink. I turn Alice in my direction and she sighs sadly.

"Am I really childish?"

"Sometimes, but we're getting used to it now." I say and she crosses her arms over her chest. "Jasper is probably not thinking straight. You can sort this out later."

"My shoes."

I smile and tightly hug her. Her arms wrap around my waist and I stroke her hair. Bella stands at my side and kisses my cheek.

"Say something." I mouth and she nods.

"Alice, let it go. You were supposed to show me the designs you made when preparing for the party."

"But you hate talking about fashion." Alice mumbles against my chest.

"I think I would like to see them."

"Really?" She pulls back and glances at my girlfriend. Bella offers a nod and Alice beams at her. She hugs her and Bella winks at me. I roll my eyes and smile softly. I walk over to her and brush my lips against her ear. She trembles a little and I chuckle.

"You had to distract her, not stay away from me."

"You can't have it both ways, Cullen."

"I just figured that out. We have tomorrow."

She blushes and smiles shyly. "Tomorrow."

SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!

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