Disclaimer: I still don't own anything Twi-related.

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Chapter 12: Morning After Part 1

"Morning afters can be a bitch, Bella. Either the man you spent the night with disappears on you without even leaving a note, much less his phone number, or he sticks around. Not for you, nuh uh, but for the free breakfast you provide. But what really sucks big time? When the man you spent the night with was an epic failure in bed, and yet, he sticks around until the next morning."

Bella chuckled recalling Jessica's story months ago, in one of her infamous "I'll rant and rave, you just sit there and listen" sessions. She'd heard a lot of morning after stories before – Alice had colourful ones - and it always made her wonder. How would her own morning after be?

She grinned to herself and stretched. Let's find out, shall we?

After giving in to the need to rub her body on Edward's bed twice (the silk sheets were heavenly), she sat up and winced a little. Whoa. She glanced down at Marie in concern. "Hey, you're a bit sore."

Bella swung both her feet on the floor and gaped at her thighs when she could barely move them. Oh no! Even my inner thighs are protesting. Could this mean I'll be walking bowlegged today? She pictured herself walking that way and began to worry. How would she explain that to the others? Rose and Emmett were hosting a special lunch for her today and if she showed up walking funny this afternoon...Bella groaned. "Marie? Do you need an ice pack? Or a hot compress, maybe? What should I get you?"

Her supposedly sore vagina tingled instead.

"Seriously, that's your answer? You tingle? Well, you only tingle when..." Bella's jaw dropped in realization. "Marie Swan! You...you...slut! I can barely move my lower body and yet you want to be penetrated again? Unbelievable!"

Hey Bella, your vagina is more fun than you! She wants to be peenetrated. Haha. I'm so clever.

Her traitor brain was back.

Grr. "Shut up. I'm ignoring you for the duration of my entire existence."

"I hope you didn't mean me."

Bella looked up from her almost-confrontation with her brain (and her vagina) to see Edward leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking at her in amusement. Then his eyes shifted downward and an appreciative smile appeared on his face. "I'm not gonna complain or anything, but you're really into flashing me now, Bella."

And you call Marie a slut? Pot, meet kettle then call each other black. I'm on a roll today!

Bella's eyes widened. "Stop looking at my boobies, Edward!" She demanded before pulling the silk comforter up to cover herself. "Dude, just because you sampled everything last night didn't mean you'll get to enjoy a free-for-you-to-peek-at-my-body-anytime pass. Sheesh. Next time I'm like this, just friggin' close your eyes."

"Hey, it's not my fault you're into nudity now. I've got eyes, I saw you...wait. There's a next time?"

"Shut up."

Edward grinned. "For the record, your boobies looked perfect." Tasted perfect too.

He watched Bella fidget as he crossed the short distance and sat beside her on the bed. She was blushing and shaking her head, eyes fixed on her lap.

"Cut it out."

Edward desperately wanted to reach out and hug the obviously embarrassed brunette. "Am I making you uncomfortable, Miss Bella?"

"Yep."

"So you'd rather not hear me compliment your–"

"I'd rather move on from this topic!" Bella quickly interrupted, making him chuckle. "Besides, it wasn't only our topic that's making me uncomfortable."

Edward turned serious. "What do you mean?"

"Marie and my inner thighs are a bit sore and stiff..." Bella admitted. "Like I was horseback riding nonstop last night." She took a significant pause then winked jokingly at him. "Which I kinda did, come to think of it."

Edward's cheeks reddened. Such a pussy reaction, Edward! You're a man! Deal with it like a man!

"Did I just make Edward Cullen blush?" Bella teased, grinning at him.

"No!"

"Pffft! You're doing it again. Stop denying it, Edward! You blushed. End of story."

"For someone in pain, you still manage to be irritating."

Bella's grin widened. "I'm just turning the tables on you, dude. You made me uncomfortable a few minutes ago, now it's your turn to fidget."

"What a spiteful woman. To think I've prepared the cure for her soreness and stiffness..." Edward feigned disappointment.

"You did?"

He stood up and pretended to start walking away. "I changed my mind."

Bella reached out a hand to pull him back. "Edward, cut it out! Come on, what did you do?"

He smiles. "Well, I've been slaving away this morning cooking an extremely elaborate breakfast and I also prepped a luxurious, warm bubble bath for your sore and stiff muscles."

The brunette made an awww face. "You're simply wonderful, Edward Cullen."

Cue the blushing. What the fuck is up with me blushing all the time? This seriously needs to stop. "Shut up."

"I promise I won't tease you about blushing ever again," Bella wholeheartedly stated with a nod then beamed at him. "So what will I be doing first?"

Us, Bella! Do us first!

Edward ignored Anthony's enthusiastic suggestion even if he wanted it badly himself. Making love to her again was his topmost need, and he had to start fighting it off the moment he opened his eyes and saw her sleeping beside him.

Waking up, spooned with Bella, was hands down the best morning after he'd ever experienced.

Boss, I think waking up to a Bella blowjob would be ten times better.

What a dick. "Take an Ibuprofen, soak in a warm bubble bath, then breakfast. In that order."

"Yes, boss!" She even saluted him for effect.

Bella sounded just like me right then, boss. The fucker was beaming.

"Wait here for a sec." Edward quickly went out of his room to get a glass of water and the promised Ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet Bella had mounted in their kitchen (most accidents happened there, at least in their experience) and hurried back to see her waiting for him, a happy smile on her beautiful face.

His pulse raced. I love you so fucking much.

She accepted the meds, put it on her tongue and tipped her head back as she drank the entire glass, making Anthony twitch - the pervert was turned on by the motion of Bella's throat.

"Done."

Telling his dick to behave, Edward moved closer to Bella and put his left arm under her leg while his right supported her back. Then he stood up, carrying the birthday girl with him, in all her birthday suit glory.

"Wait! I have to put something on!"

He shook his head and continued walking. "Last time I checked, clothes weren't required in taking baths."

Bella could only sigh in resignation. Well, it's not like Edward hadn't seen her naked before. And it's not like he was some pervert who would ogle her. There was a reason she chose him to be her first. There was also a reason why the moment she lost her virginity would forever be epic in her memory.

She trusted Edward.

Edward made losing her hymen an epic event in her otherwise boring life.

When they were finally outside his room, she smelled the elaborate breakfast that Edward mentioned. "Oh my God, you made my favorite! Baked Florentine Omelette?"

"Yep." I am one smug sonofabitch.

She sniffed some more. "Hash browns, bacon, waffles and...are those croissants that I smell baking in the oven?"

"Made from scratch. I prepped the dough last night." As a distraction. He'd needed the distraction or he would've ended up making love to Bella again and again and again, even though she was passed out. God knows it was so hard to restrain himself when he woke up to pee and saw her snuggled comfortably in his arms. So even if he had to endure Rosalie's wrath in calling her at two in the morning for the recipe and some instructions, he did. Good thing she was awake and eating some crazy pregnant lady snack – pickles dipped in soy sauce, this time – so he got both the recipe and instructions without her usual snarkiness.

The teasing he could take in stride.

"Just do yourself a favor and marry her already, Edward."

"Thank you for the recipe, Rose. I'm hanging up now."

Emmett's pregnant wife's laughter was the last thing he heard before he eventually hung up.

Bella turned to look at Edward in awe. "You're unbelievable."

No blushing, Edward. No blushing! "Last night, we missed eating dinner together. I'm just trying to make up for that by making all your favourite breakfast foods and eating together."

"Dinner was delicious," she pointed out. "Besides, the only reason why we weren't able to eat it together was because of my wastebasket fiasco. So you didn't have to make up for anything."

He shrugged. "Let me do this. After all, it's your birthday, and you deserve it. Now, since I have an armful of Bella Swan, kindly open the door of your room please."

Bella chuckled and turned the knob. Edward walked straight to her bathroom and what she saw made her tighten the arm she placed around his neck.

First off, her bathroom smelled so nice. The vanilla-scented candles were back, only just a bit less in number compared to what were scattered around Edward's room the night before. They surrounded her bath tub, making it glow.

Secondly, the bubbles looked so inviting. There were also a few bits of rose petal sprinkled around the bubbles. Luxurious, romantic and, apparently, a soreness-and-stiffness buster. She couldn't wait to soak herself.

Thirdly, Edward anticipated everything. Her ratty, yellow robe and a fluffy new towel were placed at the foot of the tub. He also put another extra-fluffy towel at the opposite side where she could rest her head while she soaked. He even remembered her love for Sarah Mclachlan. Bella could hear her softly singing about being in the arms of an angel and in that moment, she could relate.

I am not crying over this.

Too bad her tear ducts didn't listen. "For the record, I'm crying because I'm so touched by your thoughtfulness."

Edward tenderly kissed her temple. "I'd much prefer for you to not cry at all."

"Sorry, no can do." Bella replied, smiling through her tears. "Thank you for this, Edward. You've been so wonderful about everything; I wish I could do something for you in return. Not that I could top what you did last night and this."

"Well..." Edward began as he gently deposited her on the tub, "you enjoy this bath and the breakfast later. Do that for me and we'll consider it even."

The moment she felt the bubbles surround her, Bella couldn't stop the purr that came out of her mouth. This is heaven on earth. Seriously, heaven on earth. She gave Edward a grateful smile as she looked up at him.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. He leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on her upturned face before indulging his need to feel those pouty lips touched his. It was a close-mouthed, no tongues kiss and yet Edward felt goosebumps on his arms.

"Happy birthday, baby."

Baby.

For some unexplainable reason, Bella's heart rate increased and she felt short of breath. The way Edward said baby awakened the butterflies in her stomach and for the love of God, The Look was back in full force. Edward was giving it to her in massive doses. She should know, because their faces were only a breath apart from each other.

Longest eyelashes – on a man – ever.

Greenest eyes, ever.

Most intense expression of unfathomable reason in one's eyes, ever.

Staring...staring...staring...unblinkingly...staring...

I'm wet. And it's not because I'm soaking in a bubble bath.

Bella swallowed audibly at the last thought.

She cleared her throat and moved a few inches back, just enough to give herself breathing room from all these Edward perfection. "T-thank you." Her voice sounded different.

Edward straightened and scratched the back of his head a couple of times. "Um..."

They shared a glance, looked away and blushed at the same time.

Fuck this blushing bullshit.

Why am I reacting this way to Edward?

I need to get out of here.

I need my alone time to think.

"I'll just check on the croissants."

"I'll just close my eyes and enjoy my bath."

Edward mentally groaned.

Bella made a face.

"Touchdown."

"Manuscript."

Without exchanging looks nor acknowledging each other, Edward indeed walked out of Bella's bathroom in a rush while the birthday girl closed her eyes and rested her head on the towel.

When Edward reached the safety of the kitchen, he rested his hands on his knees and leaned down to catch his breath. Being this much in love with someone is crazy. I no longer think jumping on couches enthusiastically while talking about the woman you love is laughable.

Bella, on the other hand, opened her eyes the minute she heard her bedroom's door closed and expelled a breath. She placed a hand over her palpitating heart and bit her lip. That had been weird. Talking at the same time, using our safe words at the same time...what's next? Singing a duet?

She shook her head at the thought. She could never be a singer and for the three years that they'd been friends and lived together, she had yet to hear Edward sing. Yes he loved music, but singing? He never showed any interest at all. Ironic how his bar sometimes had open-mic nights and its owner never participated. She did a couple of times, to Jess' treachery and Jasper's insistence. She was bad (understatement of the year!) at it but what the heck, it was fun. Now she was curious to hear Edward sing. Maybe she could pull a Jessica and trick him into doing it. Hmm...

Hey, Bella, focus! You completely veered off topic.

The brunette acknowledged her traitor brain with a nod.

"What happened a few minutes ago? We were fine before Edward called me baby and gave me that look. Now that was intense." She wondered aloud as she absent-mindedly played with the bubbles using her other hand.

Her heart continued hammering away as she recalled The Look which paved the way to her recalling what transpired last night. The kisses she shared with Edward. How he looked naked.

Edward was a hunk and a half.

She licked her suddenly dry lips and giggled to herself. Should she be thinking this way?

Slut it up, Bella! For once, bask in the knowledge that you finally got laid last night. With Edward Cullen, no less! That's an achievement in itself!

She chuckled at her traitor brain. "Fine. I will."

Images of them kept flashing in her mind. Even Anthony made a lot of appearances causing Marie to tingle uncontrollably. Bella started to fidget and bit her lip firmly when the image of Edward tonguing her came to mind. The memory was so vivid that she could actually feel his tongue licking and sucking Marie at that very moment.

She moaned.

Marie was throbbing and gushing at this point. The hand that was feeling her heart moved lower until her pinkie grazed a nipple.

Bella's eyes widened at the sensation.

Holy Frankfurter! I think I'm horny.

She quickly pulled her hand away from her chest and inhaled/exhaled a bit. When she closed her eyes to focus solely on calming down, a vision of naked Edward looming above her, gently and tenderly penetrating her came unbidden. In friggin high def to boot.

Bella opened her eyes in alarm.

"Oh my God! I'm horny...I'm horny for Edward."

Stockholm syndrome with a twist indeed.