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.

Amazing thanks to my amazing betas, Iadorepugs, Cullen_Crazy01, and Anne, who pretty things up for you and make the chapters flow. You guys are the best! Also many thanks to Melee03 , who wrote a lovely recommendation for Never Enough on the Fictionator's website.

Chapter 22

Monday was crazy at the store with deliveries and customers. I felt bad when Edward called at the last minute and asked me to join him for lunch and I had to decline, but Angela had a doctor's appointment for one of her kids and our afternoon help wouldn't arrive until two. He said it was fine and that he would talk to me that night.

"Sorry about lunch today," I said softly into the receiver when he called for our nightly chat. I settled back against the pillows on my bed, remembering how he had looked sitting on the edge of it last night, bruised, beaten, and exhausted. The thought made my heart ache, and I looked forward to creating a much more pleasant memory of Edward in my bedroom, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

"It's okay Bella. I shouldn't have waited until the last minute to invite you like that, and I know your Mondays are busy." Edward's deep voice was soothing, less nasal than yesterday, and the sound made me smile.

"So tell me about your day. When do you need to go back to Portland to clear out your hotel room?"

"Actually, I lucked out on that one. One of my former partners offered to take care of that for me, and even now my suitcase and belongings are being shipped home to me," Edward told me. "Even better, he convinced the client that my participation in the project can occur long-distance, so I have no plan to return to Portland any time soon."

I would never tell him how relieved I was to hear that he wasn't going back there, where they were, refusing to even think their names. "That's fantastic news," I agreed. "And how did your conversation with Rosalie go?"

"You mean my meeting? The impromptu one she called with my brother and my parents, in my office at nine this morning?" Edward asked wryly. "Turns out the police in Portland called her last night because they forgot to ask me a couple of questions. Rather than call me last night like a rational person might, she pounced on me at the office this morning with my entire family. They were all there waiting when I arrived."

"I'm sure she was just concerned," I defended Rose's vehemence, but very easily imagined the very scenario Edward described.

"She was concerned, and she was pissed. And she was definitely more pissed than concerned," he said with a laugh. "But she had every reason to be. She knew better than anyone, probably even better than me, what could happen. What would happen. After she inspected my face, which she declared to be 'utterly gruesome,' she started in with the yelling," Edward told me.

"I imagine she had a lot to say," I teased. "I'm surprised you even had time for lunch."

"Emmett ordered lunch catered in for us, since my dad wanted to check out the extent of my injuries when Rosalie was done raking me over the coals."

I had forgotten that Edward's father was a doctor. "And did you pass inspection?" I asked.

"Actually, no. Dad was very displeased with the job the doctor in Portland had done with my nose, so he reset it." I felt a little queasy imagining what had transpired, and was glad that Edward didn't elaborate. "He told me not to overextend myself and my ribs will be fine. He declared the stitches acceptable, although he said I may have a faint scar above my eyebrow. And most importantly, it gave my Mother an opportunity to fuss over me all throughout lunch."

"You invited me to lunch with your parents there?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes. They were disappointed but understood that it was very short notice," Edward commented.

"Wait, you mean they know about me?" I had no idea that the knowledge of Edward and I as a couple had spread beyond our circle of friends.

"Of course they do, Bella" Edward said, his tone affectionate. "My mother is absolutely dying to meet you, and my father asked when we were going to make a trip to Seattle so he could meet 'my pretty girl'." His use of that nickname made my heart flutter even amidst the panic I felt. "But they understand about the store and that you work weekends or have the kids. I had to talk them out of ambushing you at the bookstore, and only through my amazing powers of persuasion were you able to avoid a fact-finding mission from Esme Cullen"

Edward didn't seem bothered at the prospect of me meeting his parents, and I suppose at my age I shouldn't have been either. After all, he'd already met my parents, or at least Charlie and Sue, at the opening of the bookstore, although it hadn't been as anything more than friends at the time. Edward had also met Seth and not run away screaming, and had agreed to spend the evening with my children this week. Hell, he'd even met Jacob and Renesmee and we had all made it through that encounter unscathed. I wasn't so sure I could meet his ex-wife face-to-face, knowing all she'd done to manipulate Edward and her own daughter, and resist the urge to rip her hair out.

"Fact-finding mission?" I asked.

"Like I said, my parents are anxious to meet you, the woman that I've been talking about for months, the woman that Rosalie apparently told my mother over a year ago was the perfect girl for me," Edward said. "Rosalie also helped to convince them that stopping at the bookstore, when you were unprepared, was a bad idea."

"Remind me to thank Rosalie," I murmured, still feeling a certain amount of trepidation at the thought of meeting Edward's parents.

"Rose is a very compelling person, as you know. And she was in full lawyer mode this morning, making her all the more convincing. No one argues with Rosalie when she's like that."

I remembered how this conversation had started, and was anxious for answers. "So does Rosalie have any idea what's going to happen with the police?" I asked.

"Actually, yes she does. Felix was arrested this morning on assault and battery charges and will be arraigned tomorrow morning. Thank God they picked him up at work and not in front of Chelsea at the house yesterday for her birthday party. I was grateful the police listened to me on that one," Edward answered. "I'm sure he'll post bail, so he'll be back home tomorrow afternoon."

"Will you have to go back to Portland for the arraignment?" I asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice. I really didn't want him going back there.

"No, I don't need to go back right now. According to Rosalie, if Felix pleads not guilty, which she said he will do, the court will set some dates. I may need to attend a deposition at some point in time, and if it goes to trial I will need to testify, but I don't need to be there any time soon. I'll have to talk to the prosecuting attorney soon, but I'll do that through a phone conference with Rosalie."

"What does Rosalie think is going to happen when he's charged?"

"He can't really deny that he assaulted me, with the pictures the cops took and my statement. Rose said he'll try to get the charges lessened, through what she called mitigating circumstances. He'll claim I provoked him, or that I took the first swing. If Heidi and his friends don't lie to protect him, those claims aren't going to be able to hold up."

"What do you want to see happen?" I asked. I knew what I wanted. I wanted Felix locked up and the key thrown away. Hell, I wanted to see him buried under the jail. I was still surprised how vindictive I felt about the whole thing. I was generally not a violent person, but I wanted Felix to pay for what he'd done to Edward.

"I actually want to see him get some help. He and Heidi have got a lot of problems, and Chelsea and the baby need them both too much," Edward said, his voice soft. The way he spoke about Chelsea tugged on my heartstrings. God, I loved how much Edward loved that girl. "Rosalie said she would convey my wishes to the prosecution, so if Felix wants to work a deal hopefully counseling will be one of the conditions." Edward's ability to look at the bigger picture and put aside any negative feelings amazed me.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him.

"A little more pain than yesterday, which my Dad said is normal. I can breathe better now, which helps, and even though I agree with Rosalie that I look 'positively gruesome,' I feel better that my nose is straight again. Is that shallow?" he asked with a laugh.

"Oh yes, I was just getting ready to treat you to a rendition of 'You're So Vain'," I taunted him in return. "Thank God your Dad fixed your nose, because I'm only dating you for your dashing good looks."

"Don't forget my amazing bedroom skills," Edward growled playfully, and I felt a clenching low in my belly as I remembered the extent of his amazing bedroom skills. I could feel the hotness color my cheeks as his low chuckle made me press my thighs together. "I can practically hear you blush, Bella."

His comment only made me blush harder. "Sorry," I whispered.

"Please don't apologize. I love it when you blush. Especially when you blush all over," he said, his voice throaty and entirely sexual.

I gasped, trying unsuccessfully to bite back a groan as his words made desire for him flood my body. "Is it the weekend yet?" I asked shakily.

"Mmmmm, does that mean I don't have to work too hard to plead my case on Wednesday?" Edward asked.

I needed to rein this conversation in before I threw caution to the wind and invited him over right now. My children had been incredibly understanding when Edward showed up on the doorstep unannounced last night, but I doubted they would be as accommodating if they discovered him in my bed tomorrow morning. "Actually the weekend plans hinge entirely on what you bring for dessert," I said in a light, teasing voice.

"Then I'd better choose something good," Edward said with another chuckle, his tone conversational rather than intimate, as though he knew I was trying to put the brakes on a little bit. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, even as my body reacted with disappointment. "What are we having for dinner on Wednesday? So I can better decide what to bring for dessert?"

"Um, actually I haven't thought that far ahead yet," I said. "Are you allergic to anything, or is there anything you don't like?"

"I'm not overly fond of pickled beets or brussel sprouts," Edward said, adopting a serious tone.

"Well damn, so much for sharing my famous pickled beet and brussel sprout casserole," I deadpanned, earning another chuckle from him. "How about a salad, some sort of chicken, some sort of non-beet-or-brussel-sprout vegetable, and some sort of side dish?"

"And some sort of dessert," Edward agreed. "Sounds wonderful. Anything the kids love or hate when it comes to dessert?"

"We are all chocolate fiends," I told him. "Especially Will, who has a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe."

"Ahhh, good information to have," he said conspiratorially. There was a pause in the conversation, and I heard him trying to smother a yawn. He stifled a groan at the end, and I felt a surge of sympathy as I remembered his bruised ribs.

I knew Edward would never voluntarily cut our conversation short, even if he was tired or in pain, so I faked a yawn myself. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm tired," I told him.

"You've had a busy day. I should let you go so you can get some sleep," Edward said immediately.

I smiled to myself, having accurately predicted his response. "Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night, Edward."

"Good night Bella, my pretty girl," he responded.

###

Wednesday evening found me flitting around the kitchen, nervously anticipating Edward's arrival. Even though I had timed the cooking perfectly so that the dishes would be finished at the same time, I checked them again just to be sure.

I heard Sarah giggle behind me. "Relax Mom, it's just dinner."

I turned to find her in the doorway, watching me with a smile teasing her lips. "I know, right? You'd think I've never cooked before."

"Well, you've never cooked for a meal quite like this. How often do you introduce your teenaged children to your boyfriend after all?" Sarah teased, and I felt a fluttering of butterflies in my stomach.

"You guys already know Edward," I protested feebly, trying to calm my nerves.

"Yes we do, but this is more….official," Sarah said. "We met him first at the bookstore as just a friend, and I don't think Sunday night should really count, do you?"

I nodded thoughtfully, remembering my children's concern over Edward's injuries, and their acceptance of what I told them on Tuesday night. Both Sarah and Will had been upset for Edward when I had given them an abbreviated and sanitized version of Edward's marriage and divorce. I don't think it occurred to them, with the civility Jacob and I shared throughout our break-up that divorces could be so acrimonious, or that spouses could and would intentionally hurt one another that way.

Will in particular asked a lot of questions, his overall demeanor very protective of me. Although I tried not to let it show, it frustrated me that I wasn't able to answer many of his questions because I simply didn't have the information. Which reminded me that I still needed to get the full story from Edward, and soon. If it were only me involved, I could wait or even let it slide, but by bringing him into my children's lives, I needed to know everything including, or maybe especially, those things he didn't want to discuss. I just needed to figure out how to approach it with my intensely private boyfriend so that he felt comfortable filling me in.

The ringing of the doorbell jarred me from my reverie. I felt my heart race with nervous excitement when I realized that the sound heralded Edward's arrival. Rather than race to the door as was his usual practice, Will stayed put on the couch, playing a game on his X-box and studiously ignoring the doorbell. Sarah too stayed back to watch me answer the door, and I felt the observant and curious eyes of both my children on me when I opened the door.

Edward looked both better and worse than he had two nights ago. Better because the swelling around his left eye and nose had gone down, and because his father had restored the original shape to his nose so that his features were no longer distorted and somewhat unfamiliar. Worse because the bruising that had spread under both eyes was a rather spectacular shade of deep purple. The dark stitches stood out in stark relief to the pale skin of his forehead, no longer hidden by a butterfly bandage. His split lip was healing rapidly, as was the abrasion on his cheek. He was dressed casually in a light gray hooded sweatshirt and a pair of dark wash jeans, a pair of worn tennis shoes on his feet.

Edward leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on my cheek, smiling my favorite crooked smile as he whispered "Hello, my pretty girl." When he straightened up again, I noticed that he held a large bakery box with a smaller, wrapped package on top in one hand, and a small nosegay of flowers in the other. His smile widened when I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Just because it's not actually Valentine's Day doesn't mean you can get away with observing the Hallmark holiday," I warned him quietly.

"You are the only one opposed to the Hallmark holiday," he murmured. "Besides, these aren't for you anyway." He looked over my shoulder at my children and smiled. "Hey Sarah, Will. Thanks for having me over for dinner tonight." He held out the small bouquet of pink and white roses to Sarah, whose eyes widened in surprise as she automatically reached for it.

I watched the delighted smile spread across my daughter's face as she accepted the small bouquet of flowers. A blush colored her cheeks as she buried her nose in the fragrant blossoms to take a long sniff, and I saw my little girl in the worshipful eyes that she cast up at Edward. "They're beautiful. Thank you so much, Mr. Cullen."

"You're welcome," he said. "Hey Will, catch!" Edward said, tossing the wrapped package toward my son on the couch.

Will reflexively reached up and caught it, looking at Edward with suspicion before slowly unwrapping the paper to find a CD by one of his favorite local bands. He looked up in astonishment. "Wow, no fu…reaking way," Will said, catching himself at the last minute and casting a nervous glance in my direction. I raised an eyebrow and followed it up with a smile, and Will grinned in relief.

"One of the guys in the house band where I play is friends with the drummer and he had a couple of advance copies of the album that comes out next month. I remembered you singing along with their stuff at the painting party and thought you might like it," Edward said.

Will's eyes were still wide as he studied the CD. "Wow, that's just….thanks, Mr. Cullen." He looked up again at Edward and for the first time since I told Will that Edward and I were more than friends, the smile reached his eyes when he grinned at Edward.

"You're welcome," Edward said. Although I'm sure the kids didn't see it, I spotted the light blush on Edward's cheeks and the look of happiness in his eyes at their reactions, and I couldn't help but smile. He handed me the bakery box and then tucked his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie.

Sarah studied him for a minute, and when his hands stayed in his pocket she asked, "What did you get for Mom?"

Edward sighed dramatically. "Nothing. She won't let me."

"Oh man, she gave you her 'I hate Valentine's Day' rant, didn't she?" Sarah said, pointing an accusing finger at me.

"I do hate Valentine's Day," I insisted, feeling an embarrassed flush warm my cheeks.

"You think you hate Valentine's Day because Dad is the most unromantic creature on earth and never remembered it. Or your birthday. Or your anniversary." Sarah argued. I hadn't expected her to out her father's failures in that department and it caught me off guard.

"Oh really?" Edward said, casting an appraising eye toward me.

"If you hate them so much, why do you always make such a big deal of them with me and Sarah?" Will interjected. "We always get cards, and candy, and presents."

"It's true that Jacob never remembered dates, and yes I've always made a big deal of them for you guys, but that doesn't mean I have to like them for me," I huffed, feeling like they were ganging up on me.

"Hmmmm, very interesting," Edward said, his tone contemplative.

"I need to go check on dinner," I said with a scowl at all three of them. Sarah and Edward laughed outright, and Will grinned at my grumpy attitude. I turned on my heel and marched off the kitchen, muttering under my breath about ungrateful, tattle-tale offspring.

I was working at the sink a few minutes later when I was startled by the feel of Edward's hands on my hips. "I actually do have something for you," he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my back and causing my skin to erupt in gooseflesh.

"Edward," I said, trying to frown in disapproval while my body automatically sought the warmth of his. I leaned back so that my shoulders were against his chest, sighing with contentment at the feel of his body against mine.

"Bella," he said in the same tone of voice, his hands on my hips turning me in his embrace so that I was facing him. "Trust me, you'll like this," he promised, slipping his arms around my waist and pulling me to him. I felt my breathing accelerate as he slid one hand slowly up from my hip to grasp the back of my neck, tilting my head as his hungry lips came down to claim mine.

I wound my arms around his neck and buried my fingers in his hair, opening my lips to his seeking tongue when he deepened the kiss. He pressed me back against the kitchen counter, the hand at my neck sliding forward to cup my cheek, the other hand at my waist pulling me tightly against him. His lips were warm and persuasive, and within minutes I was breathing hard and pressing back against him, my body thrumming with awareness and arousal.

Edward gentled the kiss, his lips and tongue gently caressing mine as we both caught our breath. He pulled back, resting his forehead against mine before kissing the tip of my nose. "Hi," he whispered, leaning back to look at me with a devilish smile.

I loosened my grip on his hair and let gravity pull my arms down to rest on his shoulders. "Uh, yeah. I'm….whew. Wow, is it hot in here?" I asked, fanning myself.

Edward grinned. "I take it you like what I brought for you?" he teased.

"Yes, feel free to do that any time you'd like," I told him, my pulse still racing out of control because of his proximity. "And thank you for the gifts for my children. You didn't have to do that."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I know I didn't have to. I wanted to. Do you think they liked them?" he asked, and I could hear a note of uncertainty in his voice. It made me ache inside, in a good way, to know how much my children's acceptance meant to him.

"I think it's safe to say that they liked them. You know, Sarah's never gotten flowers before. I'm sure Daniel will be upset that some other guy beat him to the punch," I joked. "And I can't believe that you knew to give Will that CD. He loves that band."

"I knew as soon as I heard Will singing along that he had to know their stuff. Like I told him, one of the guys in the house band at Maria's knows one of the musicians, and I thought Will might enjoy getting to hear their new stuff a couple of weeks before anyone else. No big deal."

His attempt at nonchalance didn't fool me one bit, and I was both impressed and touched that he had remembered such a small detail. "It is a big deal, Edward. Not many people would be able to identify Will's favorite band after only meeting him a couple of times. And I'm willing to bet it was more than an educated guess that pink is Sarah's favorite color?"

"All girls like pink, Bella," he argued. I raised an eyebrow at him the same way I had raised it at Will earlier when he almost swore, and Edward crumbled under the look just as quickly. The blush that had tinted his cheeks earlier returned. "Okay fine, she carries a pink backpack, and she was wearing a pink sweatshirt the day we painted the bookstore."

Is he real? I wondered for what must have been the thousandth time. Jacob was by no means an uninvolved father, but Edward already knew things about my children that even their own father didn't realize. I couldn't stop myself from standing on tiptoe and pressing my lips to his once again, needing to be close to him. He groaned, slipping his arms around my waist and opening his lips to mine.

The oven timer sounded and both of our eyes popped open as we stopped, mid-kiss. I giggled, looking at him cross-eyed like that and then stepped back, smiling. "Dinner's just about ready."

"Can I help?" Edward asked.

"Just let the kids know. I'll have everything on the table in a couple of minutes," I said, reaching up to smooth my index finger over his bottom lip. He grabbed my hand with his and pressed a kiss to my fingertip and then winked, turning away to leave the kitchen.

Dinner went better than I expected. Having broken the ice with Will by giving him the CD, Edward and Will spent part of the meal discussing their favorite bands. Edward seemed impressed by Will's familiarity with independent Seattle bands, and even I was surprised by the extent of Will's knowledge. When they started discussing favorite video games, Sarah looked over at me and rolled her eyes comically in an age-old 'boys-will-be-boys' expression. Edward seemed to realize he and Will were dominating the conversation, and he turned to Sarah to ask her what she was reading. The rest of the dinner conversation centered around books, and Edward and I discussed several that we had either read or that were on our to-be-read lists.

When we broke out the dessert, the kids oohed and ahhed over the flourless chocolate torte Edward brought from the pastry shop that provided the baked goods for A New Page. After shoveling down two pieces, Will surprised me when he invited Edward to play his X-box with him. I waved off their offers of help in the kitchen and sent them off to play their game, and started gathering the dishes from the table, intending just to stack them in the sink for the time being.

Sarah lingered behind as well, helping me clear the table and running warm soapy water in the sink for the dishes that needed to be hand washed. The two of us stood side-by-side at the sink, working in companionable silence.

I could hear Edward and Will bantering over the sound of the game. Will was taunting Edward about his lack of 'skillz.' Edward must have made some impressive move in the game, because a moment later he was laughing loudly and Will was bemoaning his luck. Will issued another good-natured challenge, and the two of them continued on with their game. I couldn't help but grin as I listened.

I looked up to find Sarah smiling at me with the same kind of fond smile I often had on my face when I looked at her and Will. The look was so…..maternal…..that it startled me a bit. "What?" I asked her.

She looked over her shoulder towards the living room, as if to reassure herself that 'the boys' were occupied. She turned back to me with a knowing grin. "You love him, don't you Mom?" she asked softly.

"What?" I repeated, shocked at her question.

"You. Love. Edward." Sarah said slowly. "Well, more accurately, you are in love with Edward," she said, appearing to mull over her word choice.

"Why do you say that?" I asked in a near-whisper, still shocked by her statement, and the fact that she was so…..okay with it.

Sarah rolled her eyes like the teenager she was. "Really, Mom. You two are adorable together. You practically glow when he's around, and he can't keep his eyes off you. It's cute, but it's also kind of disgusting, really, since you are my Mom."

I was frozen on the spot, unable to process anything other than Sarah's words that I loved Edward. No, that I was in love with Edward. I don't know how long I stood that way, but it was long enough for Sarah to have set several pots in the drying rack. She nudged me, and I picked up a pot to rinse it, wiping at it absently with the dishcloth while I mulled over her words.

I heard the sound of footsteps, and I looked over my shoulder to see Edward lounging in the doorway, leaning against the jamb and smiling at me. All of the sudden, the truth of Sarah's words, and my feelings for Edward, hit me full force. I loved him. I had never been more certain of anything in my life. It took every ounce of self-control I possessed not to declare myself to him right then and there. I honestly think the only thing that stopped me was Sarah behind me and Will stepping around Edward and into the kitchen

I noticed Will glance meaningfully in Edward's direction and Edward nod in response. I couldn't help but feel wary at the smug looks they exchanged. "How was the game?" I asked.

"I smoked him," Will said, a swagger in his step.

"He did. But I made him promise me a rematch," Edward countered. "We were coming in to see if you ladies wanted to watch a movie."

"I've got a calculus test to study for tonight. Will, don't you have a Spanish vocab quiz tomorrow?" Sarah asked, raising her eyebrows in an exaggerated manner.

Will looked confused for a minute and then realization dawned on his face. "Yeah, Spanish. Gotta work on conjugating those verbs."

"I thought you did your homework after school?" I protested.

"Homework yes, but we both have some extra studying to do. Up in our rooms," Sarah insisted, putting her hands on Will's shoulders and pushing him toward the stairway "We'll be upstairs!" she called over her shoulder, and I watched with confusion as the two of them disappeared up the stairs.

"What just happened here?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

"I think they were trying to give us some privacy," Edward said, a smirk on his face. "Subtle they are not." He looked around the kitchen. "Can I help you finish in here?"

I looked at the sink and shook my head. "No, it's okay. Want to go sit on the couch for a while?"

Edward reached for my hand and lifted it to his lips, diverting at the last minute and pressing a kiss to the inside of my wrist the way he had on New Year's Eve. My pulse quickened just as it had then.

We sat down on the couch and I handed Edward the remote, not really caring what we watched so long as I could snuggle with him. He flipped through the channels, settling on an old James Bond movie. He leaned back into the corner of the couch and raised his arm, cocking an eyebrow in my direction. I slid closer, laying my head on his shoulder as he wound his arm around me.

I was embarrassed when I started yawning a few minutes later, but Edward just chuckled. He grabbed a pillow and placed it across his legs and gently pulled me down into his lap. I completely ignored the movie and lay on my back, watching Edward in the flickering light of the television instead. He wasn't watching the movie either, but studying me as he ran his fingers through my hair, fanning it out against the pillow. He traced the outline of my face and I closed my eyes, humming in contentment as his fingertips continued to skim the lines of my cheeks, forehead, nose, and lips.

When I opened my eyes, Edward was staring at me, emerald fire in his gaze. I carefully pushed myself up and wound my arms around his neck, gently pulling him to me for a kiss. One hand still in my hair, he splayed the other across my back and held me to him as his lips opened over mine.

The kiss started out slow, gentle. Our lips moved in synchronization, our tongues stroking languidly. Edward tasted amazing, honey and cinnamon with a hint of chocolate from dessert. I couldn't stop the groan of desire that escaped my throat when he tightened his grip in my hair and deepened the kiss. His lips were wet and wild on mine, his teeth nipping and tongue soothing my bottom lip as he sucked it into his mouth. The hand that had been splayed across my back moved forward to cup my breast, his fingertips plucking at the already pebbled nipple, eliciting another moan from me.

Edward slid his hand down my side, his fingers stopping to grasp at my hip before palming my bottom, his fingers squeezing and kneading the flesh there. I was warm, wet and throbbing between my legs and I desperately wanted his fingers to soothe the ache. But I still had enough presence of mind to realize we were on the couch in my living room, in full view of my children should they decide to come downstairs.

Edward was the one to pull back and put the brakes on, telling me with his actions that he was just as aware of our surroundings and situation, just as concerned about my kids as I was. If possible, I loved him even more for this. "How am I doing pleading my case for the weekend?" he murmured, caressing my cheek once again with his fingertip.

"You had me at flourless chocolate torte," I teased, enjoying the rumble of his chuckle in response. "Actually, you had me the moment you asked the other night," I admitted with a blush. I reached up to brush my fingertips across his cheek where the bruise was dark but the scrape was healing. He still looked so tired. "I wish I could have asked you to stay, so I could have taken care of you," I told him.

"Bella, you did take care of me. And I know I can't stay with you when the kids are here. But we've got the whole weekend to look forward to. Alone," he said, with a meaningful glance at the stairway. He leaned forward and pressed one more lingering kiss to my lips. "Come on, walk me to the door before I try to convince you to let me stay," he said.

Wouldn't take much convincing, I thought to myself as I followed him to the door, our fingers entwined. He pulled me close and covered my lips with his own, once again leaving me breathless and longing for the weekend.

Thanks to everyone who checked out Enough to Hope, the outtake in Edward POV of Never Enough. I'm making a list of other outtakes you said you'd like to see, and I look forward to sharing more of his voice with you. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do (link is on my profile) and let me know what you think of their first meeting through Edward's eyes.

I treasure your feedback, and love responding to your ideas and questions, so why don't you take a minute to let me know what you thought of this chapter? As always, if there's anything that made you smile, laugh, sigh or even growl with frustration, I would love to hear about it. There may just be a teaser for Chapter 23 in it for you this time :)

Thanks so much for reading!