Disclaimer: SM owns it all.
A/N: So I started writing this chapter at work and forgot to mail it to myself, so I had to start from scratch. I sort of remembered what I wrote. Anyway, a big thanks to everyone who is reading and a big thanks to all that review. It's greatly appreciated. I'm going to let you all know right now that this chapter isn't as long as the others. Mainly, because I felt that I said what I need to say, and I didn't want to force a bunch of crappy writing on you. Next chapter is the epilogue, and then at least one outtake.
Design For Life
"If I have not read a book before, it is, for all intents and purposes, new to me whether it was printed yesterday or three hundred years ago." ~ William Hazlitt
EPOV
Sitting on the couch, I glanced at the clock on the wall for the fifteenth time. Time was dragging by far too slowly.
"What's up, Eddie? You keep looking at the clock," Emmett asked.
"Just wishing time would hurry up."
Emmett shook his head. "Man, I was never this calm when I was getting married. Remember? I was a nervous wreck."
I wanted to say that it was because he knew deep down that he was marrying the wrong woman, but I kept my mouth shut.
"I'm not nervous at all. I'm more than ready for Bella to be my wife. To have my name, my kids, and be mine forever."
"Marriage doesn't always last forever," Emmett said quietly.
I gave his shoulder a light squeeze. He hadn't told me what he and Rosalie had talked about last night, but when he had come over earlier, he'd seemed sadder.
"But," he said, flashing me a smile, "I have a feeling you and Bella will last."
Me, too. I knew without a doubt, we'd be together forever. I was sure there would be moments when we didn't get along, but I wasn't overly worried. We spent the next few hours just hanging out with Dad and Jasper before it was finally time for me to get ready. I headed upstairs, put on my tux, ran my fingers through my unruly hair, then headed back down.
Moments later we were heading toward the meadow. I could hardly contain my excitement at seeing my sweet girl. She was going to be my wife in just a short time, and I was ecstatic. I had never really pictured myself getting married, but before Bella, there were a lot of things I had never seen myself doing. Meeting her was the best thing that had ever happened to me.
We arrived at the meadow and got out, where I was greeted by a teary mom.
"Oh, my baby! Look at you! You look so handsome and grown up. Oh, I can't believe my baby is getting married!" she cried, pulling me to her and giving me a hug.
I hugged her back, letting her have her moment. A few minutes later, I made my way to the front of the aisle, standing near Reverend Weber. The music began, and I watched as Leah and Emmett walked down the aisle before going their separate ways. The music changed and the wedding march began. Looking down the aisle, I felt my breath catch in my throat. She truly was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
I couldn't take my eyes off of her as Charlie walked her toward me. Once they reached me, Charlie gave me Bella's hand which I tightly clasped in my own. Before I knew it, I was saying "I do", and Reverend Weber was pronouncing us husband and wife. Leaning down, I caught Bella's lips with my own giving her a sweet, tender kiss.
"Hello, Mrs. Cullen," I whispered.
"Hello, husband," she whispered back, giving me one more kiss.
The reception flew by and soon we were on our way home to spend our first night as husband and wife. I hated to admit it, but I was actually nervous. Although, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why. It wasn't as if we'd never made love before, but tonight would be the first time we made love as a married couple.
"Are you okay?" my sweet girl asked.
"Better than okay. I don't think I've ever been so happy," I told her.
"But you're nervous about something," she commented.
I let out a little laugh. She knew me so well. "Yeah, a bit," I said, raking my fingers through my hair. "It's stupid, but I'm a bit nervous about our night."
She turned in her seat to look at me, before reaching out and grasping my hand.
"Would it make you feel better if I told you I was a bit nervous as well?"
"Yeah," I said, squeezing her hand. "It's just—it's our first night as a married couple, you know?"
"Oh, I know. And I can hardly wait," she said with a sexy smirk.
We pulled into the drive, and I got out and hurried around to the passenger side of the car. Opening the door, I helped her out before sweeping her up in my arms. She giggled the whole way as I carried her over the threshold of our house and up the stairs. I was extremely proud of myself for not dropping her or tripping and taking us both out.
I stepped through the threshold into our bedroom and set my wife down on our bed. My wife. I got a kick out of saying it. She turned around so that her back was facing me and asked me to unbutton her dress. Oh, heck. There were a ton of little buttons, and I quickly got to work undoing them. I pressed kisses to each bit of skin that was revealed every time a button came undone and soon she was standing up to slip out of her dress. Carefully, she laid it down on the chair in the corner before turning to face me.
Once again, my breath caught in my throat. Had I known what she had going on under her dress, I wouldn't have been able to control myself. She was wearing a sexy little white piece of lingerie with white stockings and a garter belt.
"Do you like?" she asked, twirling in a slow circle.
Words failed me. I just nodded, trying not to drool. Bella let out a laugh then threw herself in my arms, and I gathered her close. I pulled the pins from her hair, then buried my hands it, loving the silky texture.
Slowly, I brought my lips to hers and gave her a long kiss. My hands slid over the bodice of the lingerie, trying to figure out how to get it off. Sensing that I needed help, Bella reached around her back and began to undue whatever it was that was keeping it on her. Once it was loosened, it slid off, and my hands slid up to cup her breasts. I never got tired of holding her, feeling her, making love to her.
"I love you so much," I told her, unable to express just how much she meant to me.
"I love you, too. Now take me to bed Mr. Cullen."
"My pleasure."
And it was.
"Ugh. I can't wait to get off this plane," Bella groaned, stretching in her seat.
I fully agreed with her. I was not a fan of long flights, and the flight to Rio de Janeiro was a long one. Granted, I'd taken the trip several times before.
"We're almost there. Once we get to the airport, we'll take a cab to the docks. We have a boat docked there that we'll take to the island," I told her.
She shook her head. "It's all so surreal. I can't believe we're honeymooning on an island owned by your parents."
"You're going to love the island. It's not big, but it's beautiful. White sandy beaches, a small forest, palm trees, and you're going to love the house. Dad had it custom built for Mom."
After the plane landed, we caught a taxi to the docks. Once there, I led Bella to our boat.
"Are you sure you know how to drive this?" she asked, once we were on board with our life vests on.
"Yes. Dad made sure all of us kids knew how to drive it," I assured her.
Thirty minutes later, I slowed the boat down and pulled it up to dock that was located on the souther part of the island. I climbed out and tied off the boat, taking the luggage with me. Once Bella was out, I grabbed the bags and her hand, and led her up the cobbled path to the house.
"Holy shit!" she exclaimed upon seeing the house.
Dad had outdone himself when he had it built. It wasn't an overly large house, but it contained four bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. There was also a pool, hot tub, and a game room.
I led Bella into the foyer, allowing her to get a good look around. Mom had painted the house in earthy beach tones and had the furniture arranged to show wide open spaces. After she'd looked her fill, I lead her upstairs toward the room we'd be staying in.
"Oh, Edward! It's gorgeous! I can't believe we get to stay here for a week!"
We unpacked our suitcases then headed down to the kitchen for a bite to eat. Afterwards, we changed into our swimsuits and hit up the beach.
"Help me?" Bella asked, turning her back to me so that I could put suntan lotion on her back. I was more than glad to do so.
Gently, I ran my hands over back, slowly untying the strings that held her tiny bikini together.
"And just what do you think you're doing?" she asked, looking at me over her shoulder.
"I wouldn't want you to get unsightly tan lines. I'm just helping you out," I said with a smirk.
"Uh huh."
I smoothed the lotion over her back, enjoying the feel of her skin against my hands. Teasingly, I dipped my fingers into her bikini bottoms causing her to jump.
"Are you seducing me, Mr. Cullen?"
"Why? Is it working, Mrs. Cullen?"
"Always," she said, before removing her top completely and lying face down on the towel.
I straddled her back and continued my ministrations. I rubbed her shoulders making sure to get them well coated. I didn't want the sun to harm her beautiful skin. I worked my way down her back to her legs, smirking when I saw her spread them for me. Kneeling above her, I pulled her bottoms off, then brought my hands up to her perfectly shaped butt. I gave it a gentle squeeze, before dipping my fingers into her warmth. She was wet and warm, sighing with pleasure as I gently ran my fingers over her, making sure to pay special attention to her nub. I felt her legs tremble and her warmth clutched my fingers as she began to come.
"So beautiful," I murmured, watching her.
I gave her bum a slight smack and told her to turn over, which she gladly did. I took a moment to drink her in. Her face and upper torso were flushed from her orgasm, her eyes bright as they stared up at me. I put some more lotion in my hands and began to rub her shoulders and her breasts. She thrust her chest out, and I slid my hands over those perfect breasts, enjoying the intake of breath she took when I tweaked her nipples.
"Oh, Edward," she moaned.
I played with her breasts for a bit longer, before trailing my fingers back to her wet center. Her legs spread wider, and I knelt between them unable to resist her any longer. Slowly, I braced myself at her entrance, pushing forward. I was unable to hold back the groan that escaped my lips as I pushed into her. I swore there was nothing better than being inside her. She began to wiggle around, causing me to grit my teeth.
"Give me a moment, Bella."
She stopped wiggling, instead leaning up to nip at my shoulder with her teeth. The sharp bite of pain helped me focus enough to know that I could start moving without losing it right away. I sunk myself deeper into her, only to pull back out and tease her opening.
"Edward!" she growled, urging me to sink back into her.
And I did. Back and forth, in and out, until the pleasure was almost mind numbing. I knew I wouldn't be able to last much longer, and I wanted Bella to come with me. Bracing myself on one arm, I slid a hand down her stomach to gently toy with her nub. I felt her body clench around me and that was it. I was coming as was she.
I managed to roll off and collapse beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she snuggled up next to me. We lay basking together in the sun for a few moments before Bella sat up.
"I need to shower. I've got sand in places it shouldn't be," she said with a laugh.
Picking her up, I headed back to the house where we entertained ourselves in the shower.
We spent the next day lying around the house and the beach, soaking up the rays, and just enjoying our alone time. The following day, I took us into Rio de Janeiro so that Bella would have a chance to enjoy the local culture. We spent the day playing tourist, enjoying the local cuisine and sights.
The first place I took was to the Tijuca Forest. We hiked for a few hours, loving the view and enjoying the beauty of mother nature. Afterwards, we went to the beach to cool off and relax a bit before eating at a local restaurant. We decided to get a hotel for the night and then spent the next day touring the botanical gardens. We had a great time, but were more than ready to get back to our little slice of Heaven.
All too soon, our time on Isle Esme came to an end. We were both sad to be leaving, but agreed that we would come back for our yearly anniversaries. I knew that Mom and Dad would let us use the island whenever we wanted. The trip home seemed to pass by quickly and soon we were driving home from Seattle.
We arrived at home and found that all of our wedding gifts had been stacked in the corner. I'd totally forgotten about them, but knew that we'd have to sit down soon and write thank you notes. Not something I was looking forward to.
We headed upstairs and found a note taped to our bedroom door.
Dear Bella and Edward,
Inside your room, you'll find a gift from us. We hope that you enjoy it.
Love,
Mom and Dad
Opening the door, we both let out gasps. Mom had redone our entire bedroom. The walls had been painted a light blue, the wooden floor had been carpeted, and there was a new huge bed waiting for us. The room was almost an exact replica of the room we'd used on Isle Esme.
"It's wonderful!" Bella exclaimed. "We need to call your parents and thank them."
After we had crawled into our new bed that night, we called my parents and thanked them profusely. Not only for our new bedroom, but for our trip.
"I'm so glad that you like it," Mom said. "We wanted you to have something to remind you of your time on Isle Esme."
The next few weeks passed in a blur. Bella went about officially changing her name, something that made me extremely happy, and we settled into married life. Not that married life was that much different than our boyfriend/girlfriend life had been.
Emmett had moved in next door and was constantly over at our house begging for leftovers. I could've sworn he had a nose like a bloodhound. Anytime Bella cooked dinner, he showed up. Bella finally made a deal with him. He could come over once a week for dinner, but that he had to provide us dinner once a week as well. He'd pouted, but finally relented.
"Man, Bells. You are one awesome cook!" he exclaimed, patting his belly for emphasis.
"Better than Mom?" I asked.
"I can't answer that. If I say yes, you'll rat me out."
I snorted. He was right. I would. Our relationship had gotten stronger since he'd left Rose, but he still wasn't happy. His eyes had a constant sadness to them, and I wasn't the only one that noticed.
"How are you, Em? Really? And don't give me that 'I'm fine' shit."
Emmett sat back in his chair. "I'm holding up. I—uh, filed for divorce today," he told us quietly.
I could tell that Bella wanted to cheer, but she knew that wasn't what he needed at the moment. She reached across the table and clasped his hand. "I'm sorry, Emmett. I know that this is hard on you, but I truly think you did the right thing."
He nodded while holding tightly to her hand. "I never thought it would come to this. I realized early on that our marriage wasn't perfect, but I figured that it was no big deal. All couples have moments where they don't get along. But things just kept getting worse. She would argue with me at every turn, accuse me of staring at other women, of cheating."
"And then I came into the picture, and that made things worse," Bella said softly.
"No," Emmett said, squeezing her hand. "Don't even think of putting any blame on yourself. I was a bit stupid in the beginning where you were concerned. I believed the lies Rose told because I didn't want to fight with her anymore. Then I began to see just how wrong she was, and I couldn't stand watching her try to hurt you with her words."
"Thank you for being such a good big brother," she said.
"Sure, kid. Now, I'm off to watch some ESPN, and then I'm gonna crash. Thanks for dinner, guys."
We cleaned up the kitchen and curled up on the couch to watch some TV before bed.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Bella asked me.
"Yes," I told her, playing with her wedding band. "He's strong, and I think that divorcing Rosalie is the best thing for him to do. It'll take time for him to heal, but he will."
"I just want him to be happy the way we are."
I grinned. "Oh, no! You've become one of those blissfully happy people that thinks everyone should be just as happy as you."
She smacked me on the shoulder while giggling. "Why, yes. I have become one of those people."
"I'm very glad to hear that," I said, pressing a kiss to her lips before turning my attention back to the TV.
Once our show was done, we headed to bed, where we snuggled up next to one another. There was something that I wanted to talk to her about, and I'd been putting it off. It wasn't bad or anything, I was just unsure of her response.
"Bella?"
"Hmm?"
"I—uh, there's something I wanted to ask you about," I began.
She looked up at me and told me that I could talk to her about anything. I knew I could, but I was still about nervous.
"We've never really discussed children. I'd like to have a couple. Not now or anything," I rushed on to say, "but in a few years. How do you feel about having kids?"
"I never gave much thought to having children," she said, causing my heart to sink. "But, that was before I met you. I want children with you. No more than two. If I have to push them out, I mean it. I won't do that more than twice."
I felt a sigh of relief escape my lips. For a moment there, I'd been afraid she didn't want them at all. I felt a silly grin break out. Bella was going to have my kids!
"What's with the cheesy grin?"
"Just thinking about you and babies."
"Well, no babies for a couple of years. When we're ready, we'll have them."
"Sounds like a plan," I told her, giving her a quick kiss.
I fell to sleep that night dreaming of little girls with brown eyes and little boys with my unruly hair. I couldn't wait until we were ready.
a/n: And there it is. Sorry for the shortness, but I honestly, couldn't write anymore without dragging it out and making it useless crap. I've already started the epilogue and will have that posted next week. After that, an outtake or two, and then I'm taking a hiatus from writing for like a week or two. I've got two stories already started, but I haven't decided which one to go with yet. One is a B/E vamp story, the other (now don't hate me) a Bella/Jacob story. I heart both.