Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The original plot and storyline of Never Enough, however, belong to me. Please be nice and don't copy or translate without permission. Thank you.

You all know of my love for my betas. Iadorepugs is my other half, and Cullen_Crazy is the one that keeps me on schedule and doesn't put up with my whining. I am the luckiest fanfic writer in the world to have them in my corner. You ladies rock!

Chapter 18

For the second time in as many days, I slowly came to consciousness with erotic thoughts and dreams of Edward. It was dark and quiet, and although I couldn't see the clock, it felt like the middle of the night, or the very early morning. Either way it was far too early to be awake. I hugged my pillow closer, and I could almost smell the clean scent of Edward's hair and the musky essence that was uniquely his. As I nuzzled my nose further into the pillow, two things struck me simultaneously. One, my pillow was much harder than it normally was, with hair that tickled my nose. And two, my pillow was moving, stretching and then curling back against me with a warm, masculine sigh.

Oh…my…GOD! I lifted my head slightly and opened my eyes to the most glorious sight I had ever seen.

Edward was lying on his back, one arm circled around me even in his sleep, while the other lay sprawled on the pillow above his head. I was on my side, tucked up beneath his shoulder with my head against his chest. The arm that was trapped beneath me was starting to tingle from lack of circulation, while my other arm was draped over his torso, my hand splayed high on the bare skin of his chest, directly over his heart. I had thrown a leg over his during the night and our lower limbs were pleasantly tangled together. While the comforter was behind me and draped over my shoulders to ward off the chill, his chest and abdomen were bare, with the sheet barely covering his hips. The only thing covering his hips, as neither one of us had left the bed to don any clothing following our late-night activities.

I shifted slightly, moving my arm from beneath me, and snuggling even further into Edward's embrace. His arm tightened almost automatically around me as I buried my nose in the scruff on his neck, inhaling deeply and drowning in his masculine scent. As I moved my leg, my knee brushed his groin and Edward let out a soft sleepy moan. I could feel that portion of his anatomy, currently at rest, stir at the contact. I felt my eyes widen when he shifted his hips towards me, his muscled thigh sliding between both of mine and brushing against my center, already damp with arousal again. "Bella," he groaned softly, his voice hoarse, his eyes still closed in slumber.

I bit my bottom lip to hold back my own groan, feeling a rush of desire pool low in my stomach. I flexed the fingers of the hand on his chest, giving in to the urge to trace his muscular flesh. I idly wondered what he did to stay in shape, and my mouth went dry at the thought of him working out at the gym or in a tight pair of running shorts, all sweaty and glorious. My fingers teased the light dusting of hair covering his chest, silky smooth beneath my fingertips. I trailed my fingers down to his belly button, where the hair thickened and narrowed before disappearing beneath the sheet covering our lower halves.

I curved my fingers slightly, my nails scraping gently against his skin, and I felt the muscles beneath ripple in response. Edward stirred slightly in his sleep, his hips rocking up, and my knee brushed against his growing erection. I couldn't resist nuzzling his neck and collar bone, kissing there as I slowly stroked my hand down his abdomen. I paused for a moment at the edge of the sheet as I attempted to gather my courage. I slid my hand down a fraction, but when I felt Edward stir I quickly slid my trembling fingers back up his torso, too chicken to continue.

Edward shifted, bringing his hand to mine and holding them both against his chest. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart beat beneath our fingers. "Bella," he groaned again, shifting away slightly. "What are you doing, love?" he asked, his voice gruff with sleep.

His new endearment made my heart race. "Just checking to see if you were up," I said, trying to sound innocent. Damn it if the breathy tone of my voice didn't give it all away.

Edward chuckled. "Bella, I'm always 'up' around you. You make me feel like a randy teenage boy most of the time. You know I used to be able to tuck my shirts in before I met you," he teased. He placed my wandering hand on his shoulder and turned on his side so that we were face-to-face on the pillows. Even in the low light, I could see the wicked beauty of his sex-tousled hair and the heavy stubble that I suddenly wanted to feel scraping against my breasts and thighs. Jesus, but this man was gorgeous!

"Really?" I breathed, humbled and incredibly aroused that I could have that affect on Edward.

"After the last couple of nights, do you seriously doubt my attraction to you?" he asked, tracing the contours of my cheek with his fingertip. "I must not be very convincing," he lamented sadly, the corners of his mouth twitching as he fought his smile.

"If you're any more convincing, I may set your mattress on fire," I confessed with a blush, capturing the tip of his finger between my lips and sucking gently.

Edward's eyes were dark. "Well you certainly set me on fire," he murmured, wiggling his eyebrows, and I had to laugh at the cheesy line. I loved playful Edward. "But I'm still not entirely sure if I managed to convince you of your effect on me. Maybe I should try again right now," he murmured, sliding his hand from my cheek and tracing a path down my neck, to my collarbone, across my shoulder, and down my back. His hand grasped my bottom and pulled me forward so that our bodies were flush, and I could feel every inch of his impressive erection pressed between my hips.

"That's certainly a step in the right direction," I purred, sliding my fingers into his hair and pulling myself toward him. I didn't care about morning breath or anything other than being closer to him. Edward's lips were already open, his tongue seeking mine the moment my mouth covered his. His other arm came around me as he shifted to his back, pulling me with him so that I was now sprawled across his body, straddling his hips. I groaned into his mouth, and he growled in response, squeezing my ass and lifting his hips at the same time I tilted my pelvis toward him. My body quaked with remembrance of what we had done just a few hours before, and I rocked my hips into his, anxious for an encore. One of Edward's hands slid up my side to cup my breast and tease the already taut nipple, while the other grasped my hip and pressed me down firmly against his erection. He flexed his hips against mine in a slowly tortuous rhythm, and I found myself grinding down on him as we panted into one another's mouths, our kissing frenzied as our bodies moved in synchronization.

"Bella," Edward rasped, threading the fingers of one hand into the curls at the base of my skull and tugging, tilting my head up so that he could have free access to my neck. The softness of his lips was a startling contrast to the scrape of his stubbled jaw against the sensitive skin there, and I shuddered above him as his mouth moved to my shoulders, my collarbones, and lower to my breasts.

"Edward!" I cried out as his lips latched onto one of my nipples, his tongue lapping, his teeth tugging, and the intense suction of his lips making my center throb almost painfully. Just like last night, I had to have him inside me, and I had to have it now. His lips shifted to my other breast, and I bucked against him as he repeated the actions. He groaned around my aroused flesh as I moved so that the head of his cock rubbed my wet folds and pressed against my clit.

"Condom," he growled, rolling so that I was pinned beneath him as he reached for the drawer of his nightstand, his fingers clumsy in his haste. I giggled a little when his fingers fumbled with the foil packet, then squealed when he playfully tweaked my nipple in retribution for my laughter.

"What are you laughing about?" he asked sternly, fighting the smile that threatened to turn up the corner of his mouth in my favorite crooked smile.

"Clumsy much?" I asked, grinning and blushing at the same time as I gestured to his usually graceful fingers, suddenly and adorably undexterous in his urgency to open the condom wrapper.

Before I could blink, he threw the wrapper down at me, moving back to the other side of the bed and reclining against the mound of pillows near headboard, hands linked behind his head, his long legs stretched out in front of him and every inch of his glorious body splayed out on top of his golden comforter. "Really Bella, if you think it's so easy, why don't you just take care of it?" Edward asked with a smirk, glancing down.

My gaze followed his, and I gulped loudly. 'It' was standing at attention, thick and proud, and I had to fight the urge to salute. I moved myself onto my knees, tugging on the sheet that was half under me and pulling it up around my breasts and securing it under my arms. I then reached for the condom where it had fallen on the bed between the two of us and nervously ran my fingertip along the edge of the foil packet.

Edward tugged sharply on the sheet, and one side fell, exposing my breast to his heated gaze. "Don't hide from me, my beautiful girl," he said softly, using his fingertip to trace a circle around my nipple, which tightened instantly at his ministrations. I couldn't hold back the moan at his touch. He smiled and then put his hand back behind his head, watching me as he did with warm, encouraging eyes. I felt my cheeks warm with a blush and ducked my head down, my blush growing hot at the sight of his erection. I knew he wanted me to ready him for our lovemaking. I bit my lip hesitantly, wanting so badly to touch him and throw all my inhibitions to the wind, but unsure of how to proceed.

I reached out to touch the part of him that was nearest to me, his leg. I gently traced the contours of his knee, sliding my index finger down his shin, circling his ankle and brushing across the top of his foot, smiling when his foot twitched at the delicate contact. He pressed the bottom of his foot to the mattress and lifted his knee, giving me access to his muscular calf, where I trailed my fingers. I discovered a ticklish spot on the back of his knee that made him chuckle, then groan when I lightly raked my nails up the inside of his thigh, stopping just short of the area that was my ultimate goal.

I skipped my hand to his other leg, mirroring my actions on the first, watching with fascination as goose bumps appeared in the wake of my touch. I loved the contrast – the crisp hair against the smooth skin, the hard muscle underneath and the soft flesh that covered it. I shifted closer, so that I was kneeling between his legs, both of my hands now sweeping softly up and down the outside of his legs. I trailed my fingers over the tops of his thighs, tracing the muscled 'V' up his hipbones and to his abdomen. His stomach contracted when I traced his belly button with my fingertip, and I looked up to meet his gaze.

Edward's eyes were heated as he watched me studying him, and the look there made me shiver with pure, unadulterated desire. I pressed my palms against his abdomen, spreading my fingers wide and sliding them up over his pectorals to his shoulders, which I used to pull myself toward him. He hissed when my breast rubbed against his erection, and I gasped in response when I felt a drop of wetness from his tip on my nipple. Edward sat forward abruptly, the fingers of one hand burying themselves in my hair as he pulled me towards him for a desperate kiss, the other hand seeking the foil packet that I had set down next to me in the bed coverings during my slow exploration.

If I had my way, I would never stop kissing Edward. His lips were so soft but so firm as they moved against and with mine. His tongue dipped into my mouth, sliding along my teeth before seeking the soft recesses within. He tasted divine, and the sounds he made into my mouth when my tongue stroked and battled with his only excited me more. I took his full bottom lip between both of mine and sucked lightly, nibbling on the plump flesh. I grinned when he swore, his hand searching even more frantically in the covers.

I could feel the foil wrapper underneath my calf. I sat up and pulled it out, holding it up in front of him. "Is this what you are looking for?"

Edward was breathing hard as he stared up at me. "Yes. Please…."

Edward begging? Ooooh, this was kind of fun. "Please what Edward?"

"Please Bella. Put it on me….I want to be inside you."

I fought a moan at the way he looked at me when he said those words. I put one hand on his chest and gave him a gentle shove so that he reclined back against the pillows once again. Edward watched me, his eyes practically glowing with desire, as I knelt once again between his legs and tore open the foil package before devoting my attention to his package.

Because I couldn't resist the allure of his skin, I reached out and gently took him in my hand, stroking his hard length from base to tip. His groan in response made me tremble, and I watched as his head fell back, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched. I wrapped my fingers around his shaft and stroked more firmly, watching his flesh disappear and reappear in my grip as his hips moved with my strokes. Another glistening bead of precum escaped, and I licked my lips, wishing I had the courage to take him in my mouth.

"There is time for that later….." My eyes shot up and Edward was giving me a little smirk. "I know what you were thinking."

I blushed, and stared for a second at the condom in my hand. Edward sat up and met me in the middle of the bed. "Why are you blushing?" His fingers stroked down my cheek and along my neck.

I shrugged, suddenly at a loss for words, frozen. Edward took my hand and together we slid the condom on. He put one hand under my chin and forced me to look up at him. "Why does the fact that I know you wanted me in your mouth at that moment bother you Bella?" He settled his other hand against the small of my back and pulled me tighter into him, trapping his erection between us.

"I'm not used to feeling this…brazen." I rested my hands against Edward's chest. "I don't know what to do with all the desires you bring out in me."

Edward smiled and leaned in, brushing his lips over mine. "I'll tell you what you are going to do. You are going to share those desires with me, one at a time. Because I want to know what you desire." Edward laid back and pulled me with him. Shifting my hips up a little he rubbed the tip of his erection against me. I moaned and gripped his shoulders. "I want to fulfill each and every one of them." Slowly he slid in a couple inches and then stopped. I tried to slide the rest of the way down but he gripped my hips and held me still.

"Edward, please…."

"Tell me first….what did you want to do earlier." Edward's voice was husky and his emerald eyes burned into mine.

I took a deep breath, battling past the embarrassment and the nerves. "I wanted you in my mouth," I whispered.

Edward groaned at my words, sliding in an inch more. "And once you had me in your mouth? What would you do to me love?"

I was trembling above him, needing him to thrust in the rest of the way. This feeling of only being half filled was torture. "I would kiss you, lick you, suck you until you come….." My cheeks were burning with embarrassment and arousal even as the words I couldn't seem to control spilled out. Where were these thoughts coming from?

"God, I look forward to it." With that Edward brought me down tightly against his body and my head fell back with a loud moan feeling him deep within me. Edward rolled his hips against mine as his hands moved up my body. "You don't need to hide anything from me Bella, ever."

I looked down at him, seeing nothing but open arousal and affection in his eyes, and felt my heart swell. I rocked against him, desperate for friction but not sure how to move. Edward sensed my uncertainty, and he slid his hands to my hips, gently guiding my movements over him. Together we found a rhythm, my confidence building at the sight and sounds of his pleasure, which he did nothing to disguise or hide as he stared up at me. "You look so beautiful riding me like this, Bella," he breathed, his gaze reverent as he watched me move.

His words made me blush anew. He was the one who was beautiful, his body undulating beneath mine as we moved together. I found his facial expressions mesmerizing, the way his jaw would clench when he pressed so deeply into me, the way his eyelids would flutter when I swiveled my hips. I watched him catch his lower lip between his teeth, biting down hard as he closed his eyes, losing himself in the movement of our bodies, and understood why he thought it was so sexy when I bit my lip. I leaned forward to capture his lips with mine, the kiss surprisingly gentle in the midst of our passion for one another.

Edward wrapped his arms around me, holding me against his chest. Our bodies, slick with sweat, slid together as we continued to move. This change in angle hit every spot inside me while his pubic bone rubbed against my clit, the dual sensations almost overwhelming me. I was too caught up in the pleasure to be embarrassed by the sounds coming from my throat, sounds which only made Edward move with more determination. I pressed my hands into his chest to be able to watch him again.

I could feel the familiar tightening beginning as he rotated his hips, withdrawing almost completely before sliding back home, each thrust deeper than the last. Edward's hand moved to where our bodies were joined, his fingers stroking my clit in time with his thrusts. I could do no more than tremble and cry out as my body convulsed violently around his, my orgasm robbing me of the power of speech and thought as I rode out the waves. I could barely hold myself upright and let my body come back down to cover his. Edward continued to thrust within me until his own climax seized him. I could feel his body pulse within mine and I peppered his face with kisses, loving the look of complete abandon that he wore as he found his pleasure.

Edward collapsed back against the pillows, his breathing harsh as he hooked his arm around my neck, pulling my lips to his for a fierce yet tender kiss. "That was...amazing," he gasped. "You are amazing," he breathed, stroking my hair and sliding his hands down my back. I shivered and snuggled into him, already feeling my eyelids starting to droop. He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead as he gently rolled me to my side. He turned his back to me for a moment as he disposed of the condom, then pulled me back so that I was draped against him he same way I had been when I had awoken.

"Think you can sleep now, or should I prepare myself for you to assault me again?" he joked, sliding both of his arms around me and burying his nose in my hair. The feel of his breath against my scalp and neck made me shiver.

"I know that you take your honor very seriously, Edward. I was only helping you keep your promise," I teased him sleepily, my fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest.

"What promise was that love?" Edward asked.

"Something about making love to me all night long until we fell into an exhausted slumber," I reminded him, feeling embarrassed that he didn't recall the conversation.

"Well, you've definitely worn me out," he murmured. "At least until morning, when I get to wake you up and start all over again." I smiled when I realized he hadn't forgotten a thing, certain that he was a man of his word and already looking forward to him proving it to me.

#####

Edward had indeed fulfilled his promise in the morning. I had returned to consciousness to find his hands and mouth everywhere, my body already responding to his ardent worship. Within what felt like moments of my waking, he had wrung from me a shuddering, very vocal climax, followed almost immediately by a second one when he slid between my thighs and buried his body within mine. Replete in my satisfaction, I watched him chase his own orgasm, memorizing the beauty of his face as he came over me and within me, his body trembling violently as he cried out my name.

He had smiled when I tried to raise my head off the pillow and found I was simply too spent to do so. He laughed when I smacked him weakly on his ass for his insolence. He had kissed me thoroughly before leaving the bed for a shower. Exhausted and completely wrung, I fell back to sleep again, and Edward had to wake me for breakfast, which he insisted on serving me in bed.

I found it hard to concentrate on the bagels and fresh fruit when he sat there in his low-slung jeans and button down shirt, which I swore he wore unbuttoned just to taunt me. His hair was still damp from his shower and he had shaved this morning. He smelled and looked so good that it took every ounce of self-control I possessed to resist the urge to grab him by the shirt and pull him back into bed with me.

Sunday flew by at a speed that both astonished and depressed me. We had slept very late, and the morning was practically over before I ever made it to the shower. By the time I managed to gather my belongings, it was nearly one o'clock, and my heart felt heavy at our impending separation. I found Edward standing in the kitchen, staring out the window over his backyard, the cold winter landscape a perfect setting for my suddenly melancholy mood. He heard me enter the room, and he turned and held his arms out to me his gaze as troubled and sad as I felt. I stepped into his embrace gratefully, burying my face in his shoulder and trying to rein in my emotions.

"I don't want you to leave," Edward said softly, wrapping his arms around me tightly and laying his cheek on the top of my head. I let out a ragged sigh of relief at his words, and he pulled back to look at me, concerned. "What?"

"I don't want to leave, either," I confessed. "I was just afraid…" I let the words trail off.

"That I didn't feel the same way," he finished, no question in his tone. I nodded, biting my lip and looking down. "Bella, this has been the most amazing, beautiful weekend. To be with you like this, I just want….thank you, so much," he said, lifting one hand to caress my cheek with his fingertips. He leaned down and kissed me sweetly, his lips lingering and setting my pulse racing once again. I slid my hands up his back so that I could tangle my fingers in his hair, losing myself in his kiss as I had so many times already this weekend.

Edward pulled away with a reluctant groan. "Well that's certainly not going to convince me that I need to take you home," he teased, his smile genuine but his brow still furrowed with sadness. I traced my fingertips across his face, smoothing the lines until he slowly relaxed. He sighed, the sound not quite as heavy this time. "Okay, Cinderella, let's get you home before the kids beat you there and start asking embarrassing questions."

We rode in silence in the Volvo all the way to my house. Edward held my hand firmly in his, and for once he drove slower than the speed limit, as if it draw out our time together. When he pulled into my drive, he put the car in park but left it running. He hurried around to open my door, grabbing my suitcase from the floor of the backseat so that he could carry it to the door.

I unlocked the front door and turned to him. "Do you want to come in for a while? The kids aren't due home for another hour," I said hopefully.

"I'd better not, Bella," he apologized gruffly. My disappointment must have been evident, because he groaned and leaned down to press a swift kiss to my lips. "I'd love to spend more time with you, but I don't think I could limit myself to an hour, and I don't think it's wise to get caught again by your kids."

"I don't answer to them," I grumbled, disappointed. Then I giggled in spite of myself. Damn if I didn't sound like a moody teen whose parents didn't approve of the boy she was dating.

Edward flashed me his crooked grin, then reached out and pulled me close to him. "So I can't stay, but I'd like to kiss you goodbye, and maybe cop a feel on your doorstep," he teased, sliding his hands around my waist and down further, cupping my ass and giving it a squeeze as he pressed me up against the door. I had to remind myself that we were in full view of the neighbor's houses when his tongue swept through my hungry lips, dominating mine and generally bossing it around. My tongue pushed back against his, and soon we were both laughing, the lingering sadness of the afternoon dissipating.

He pressed one more kiss to the tip of my nose and then licked it, laughing when I sputtered "Ewwwww, gross!" and wiped it off.

"I'm not even going to mention that my tongue has been all over your body and you didn't find it gross then." His eyes were glowing and his voice was husky.

I could feel a blush heat my cheeks. "Thanks for not mentioning it," I said sarcastically, nudging him playfully with my shoulder.

"I'll call you tonight?" he asked.

I raised a surprised eyebrow at him. "Your tongue has been all over my body, and you're asking whether it's all right to call me tonight?" I challenged, surprising myself with my boldness.

This time it was his cheeks that colored in embarrassment, and I found his blush absolutely adorable. "I don't want to assume anything," he said softly.

I grasped his face between my palms and forced him to look at me. "Please call me tonight. I don't know if I would be able to fall asleep without talking to you first," I confessed, standing on tiptoe to press a soft kiss to his lips.

"Thank you again for a wonderful weekend," Edward said, hugging me briefly, only releasing me when I tightened my arms around him and pressed my body to his again. "No more of that, love. Go inside where it's warm. I'll talk to you tonight."

I stepped inside, keeping the door open as I watched him pull out of the driveway. He paused and waved, and I blew him a kiss before he drove off. I closed the door behind me, leaning against it heavily as the widest, silliest grin I had ever had in my life spread across my face, my cheeks hurting from the effort of holding it in. I stood there for an immeasurable amount of time, reliving memories of the weekend. Not just the steamy, sexy moments, although those were far more plentiful than I ever thought possible. The sweet moments, the funny moments, even the sad ones, all paraded through my mind.

Eventually I had to shake myself from my Edward-induced stupor to get ready for the kids' return. I took my suitcase to my bedroom, then gathered my laundry and brought it downstairs. I searched the cupboards for a meal choice and started working on dinner. I was sorting clothes and thinking of what had transpired in Edward's laundry room when the front door opened and the kids poured into the house, loud and animated as they bickered and called one another names.

I recognized the tone of Will's voice even though I couldn't understand what he was saying. He was goading his sister. I sighed, wishing for just a fleeting moment for the peace and quiet of earlier today. Or the strength of Edward's embrace as I dealt with my moody teens.

"Hey kids!" I called loudly, hoping to ward off any further arguments when they realized I could hear them. It worked, and the bickering stopped immediately. "Welcome home. Could you grab your laundry and bring it in here, please?"

"Okay!" they both hollered back, and I could hear them as they moved through the house.

Will brought his laundry in first. "Heya Mom, how was your weekend?" he asked, setting his hamper on the floor in front of me.

"Good, how was yours?" I asked him.

"Great. I've got homework," he said, backing out of the room quickly. He knew if he stuck around he'd be drafted into helping.

Sarah brought her clothes basket down and set it on the dryer, then started sorting through the clothes in there. Uh oh. She was usually quicker than Will to leave. The only times she stuck around were when she had something she wanted to talk to me about. "How was your weekend?" I asked her casually.

"Good," she said slowly. "Um, Mom, I…uh," she said, trailing off.

Oh dear Lord, this kind of suspense could kill a mother. "What's up, Sarah?" I asked, inwardly cringing as I anticipated a barrage of questions about Edward.

"Daniel-Arthur-asked-me-to-the-Valentine's-Day-dance!" Sarah blurted suddenly. When I looked up, her cheeks were pink with embarrassment, and there was an adorable smile on her face.

I remembered Daniel Arthur from basketball games that Sarah had cheered at. He was quiet and a little shy, and I knew that Sarah had liked him for some time now. This was a huge deal. "What did you tell him?" I asked, stalling for time. Jacob and I had agreed no car dates until Sarah was sixteen, and that was still several months away. How was I going to handle this?

"I told him I'd have to ask you and Dad, but that I'd love to go if it was okay with you guys," she said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and biting her lip in a gesture I saw in the mirror every day.

"What did your Dad say?" I asked, wondering why the hell he hadn't called to warn me.

"I didn't tell him yet. I wanted to tell you first," she said, her smile blooming again and her brown eyes shining as they met mine. "And I know you and Dad said no car dates until I'm sixteen, but Daniel's friend asked Rebecca to the dance and she said yes, so we wouldn't be alone. Daniel got his driver's license in November and his mom said he can use the car if you and Dad say yes."

I couldn't help but be excited for her, and a little sad for myself. My baby's growing up.. "I'll give your dad a call. I make no promises, but a double date for a special occasion sounds acceptable to me. I'll try to convince your dad. He didn't want you dating until you're thirty," I teased her.

Sarah threw her arms around me. "Thank you Mom, for not freaking out!" she gushed.

"Oh trust me, I'm freaking out all right. On the inside, where you can't see it."

"If dad says yes, can we go shopping this week? I've got some money saved up, and I'll need a new dress and maybe some shoes," Sarah said enthusiastically.

"Let me talk to your dad first, okay?" I reminded her. "If he says yes, we'll take care of your new outfit, within reason."

"Okay," she agreed, her eyes shining. We worked in companionable silence side-by-side, sorting the laundry, both of us caught up in our own thoughts. She left after the first load was in the washer to work on her homework, and I grabbed my phone to call Jacob.

I had a missed text message from Edward. When I flipped open the phone, it was a picture of one of the pillows from his bed.

It still smells like you, like us. I miss you.

I felt a low throbbing of arousal deep in my stomach, and I had to blink away tears so I could see my response when I typed.

I miss you, too. So much.

It wasn't visible, but somewhere in that picture he had sent was a piece of my heart that I had left behind with him.

I hope you all enjoyed the morning after. :)

Thank you so much to my loyal readers and reviewers – I appreciate you guys more than you'll ever know! I had a few lurkers come out of the woodwork with last week's update – if you haven't reviewed yet, what's stopping you? If there was anything in this chapter that made you smile, laugh, sigh, or even growl in frustration, I'd love to hear about it. And as those of you who review know, I'm kinda fanatical about answering the reviews…

Thank you so much for reading, friends!