I have to thank my a fantastic trio of friends for helping me with this: m0t0b33, teamalltwilight and Pyejammies! ;)
As always, I don't own anything Twilight related or anything else you might recognize in my story. I DO own the idea.
We'll just call them Hot Mama and Jailbait. :) Check the pictures in my FB group: Addicted-to-romione-bedward Fanfiction (link on my profile)
Bella's POV
This break is really productive.
Instead of just relaxing and enjoying the sun, we make plans.
First subject we cover is the baby's name.
The second one has to do with the first one. After deciding on Kristie Jennifer Cullen, Edward broached the subject of marriage.
Really? I mean, he's eighteen.
I definitely didn't think of settling down at his age, but then again I wasn't involved in a serious relationship with a child on the way.
This marriage idea makes me call Alice. She promises to make all the necessary arrangements to have us married when we return. I try to tell her we don't want to do it now, now, but I let her do it anyway.
While I'm on the phone with her, Edward's on the phone with Emmett.
The funny part is that we're usually next to each other and end up shouting down the phone not understanding what the person we're talking to says. But I refuse to leave his side. His presence calms me…and the baby, too. She's less agitated around him.
When we return from the holiday, Tantric chair in tow, we realize everything is prepared. Apparently Riley heard Jasper talking about our wedding and he said he knows a guy who could do it. So we have a priest, we have a small guest list, clothes, a rented restaurant – we're the only ones missing apparently.
The only problem is that the restaurant is hired for October twentieth – the first available date.
October is great. It gives me time to mentally accept this idea and find a way to make Edward my husband in every sense of the word.
Because Riley knows a lot of guys, I ask if he happens to know a Minister or anyone who marries people. It turns out that one of his friends knows a woman at City Hall. I don't stop to think but if I put my mind to it…I'd realize Riley knows the whole city.
I call the woman and ask hypothetically about my situation. At first, she's against this and almost hangs up, but I beg her and insist that they really love each other. Being smart, she figures out it's me and my boyfriend I'm talking about. After a long conversation, she tells me it can be done, but I better change my name to my maiden one now and I can always say the one I'm marrying now is my late husband's brother or cousin. I'm going to buy her flowers.
By the end of August, my last name is Swan once again. I've done all this behind everyone's back and I feel kinda bad. When I have documents to attest that my name is indeed Swan, I go home ready to tell Edward what I've done.
I truly hope he won't be upset.
The first thing I hear when I step inside our house is loud shouting from upstairs. Curious at what's going on, I ascend to the upper floor then following the raised voices, I stop in front of his old room.
The door is open and Edward is almost nose to nose with Emmett. They're both red in the face – one from yelling, one from laughing.
I clear my throat hoping to get their attention. "Hello, boys. A little louder, I don't think the people in the neighboring states heard you," I tell them amused.
"Stay out of this, Bella!" Edward mutters, tightening his hold on Emmett's shirt. "No, fucking no! I won't do that!"
"Aw, come on! I bet Hot Mama won't mind," Emmett jokes, catching my eye.
I shake my head then gasp, worried when Edward's hands go around his friend's neck. I guess he's reaching his teasing limit.
"Boooooys!" I raise my voice going between them. "Edward, honey, leave him alone," I whisper, prying his hands away from Emmett's neck. He finally lets his hands fall. "Good. Now can anyone tell me what the heck is going on here?" I push Edward a few feet away in case he decides to jump his friend again, and I keep a hand on his chest for good measure.
God, his heart is beating wildly in his chest.
"I told party pooper about the bachelor party I worked so hard on with the guys," Emmett answers me.
Edward tenses, but doesn't move.
"That's a good idea. Alice is throwing me a bachelorette party…just the two of us and the kids, so yeah…" I shrug.
"See? You're the only one who doesn't want one!" Emmett accuses Edward, pointing a finger.
"Why don't you tell Bella where you want to take me? Christ, Emmett. I don't need shit like that!"
"Heaven Nightclub, of course!" Emmett beams, making my knees buckle.
"Are you fucking crazy?" I yell.
"See? Told you she won't agree," Edward hisses, wrapping his arms around me.
"Of course, I won't agree! That's the worst idea ever!"
"But we're over eighteen, Bella!" Emmett moans. "We even booked a room."
"I don't fucking care!" I snap then turn to Edward. "You're not going!"
"Why are you yelling at me, now? I've been trying to get out of this mess for the past hour…hoping you'll never find out."
Oh. Right. He's the saint in this situation.
I whirl around to pour my nerves on Emmett. "I don't care that you booked a room! Go by yourself. If you need money to pay for the booking, I'll pay it, but if you take Edward there, I'm going to hand your mother pieces of your body!"
His blue eyes widen and he shrinks back. "Sheesh. I was just trying to give him a memorable bachelor party, Mrs. Cullen," he mumbles.
"You can give him a memorable party somewhere else!"
"Like the daycare?" Emmett asks sarcastically making Edward lunge at him.
"Would you stop attempting to kill your friend?" I grunt, grasping Edward's shirt. "And, Emmett, I won't be Mrs. Cullen until October…so please, my name is Ms. Swan. Clear?"
"You changed your name?" Edward asks shocked, turning to stare at me.
"Crystal clear," Emmett tells me sheepishly. "Uh…I'll just let myself out."
"You know where the door is," Edward tells him distracted, his eyes on me. He looks shocked. "Why?" he murmurs.
"I found out it was possible so I decided to do this the right way. We have an appointment at the City Hall for October fifteenth, five days before the church. Sound good?"
"Awesome!" He beams. "And…as for Emmett and the party…I don't want that. Do you believe me?"
"It's hard to believe you're a teenager sometimes. Others would have fought tooth and nail to go there, while you want out." I stroke his cheek. "Don't get me wrong, you can be the worst bratty teen ever at times, but when it's about things like this party…you're more mature than I give you credit for."
"That's a good thing, right?" he asks, smiling.
"Amazing." I kiss him deeply. "I'm going to take a bath. You?"
"Can I wash your back?" he offers, winking.
"Only if you bring me some cherry coke."
"Got it!" Edward slaps my ass and pushes me out of his old room. Before I step in our room, he calls my name and I turn to him. "Are you sure about the cherry? I can only give you cock." He starts laughing at his silly joke.
"Edward!" I exclaim but laugh along. "See? Immature jokes like that remind me you're just eighteen, but I still love you."
He blows me a kiss before jogging down the stairs.
I start the bath while I take my clothes off and put towels on the rack to keep them warm, along with our bathrobes.
When Edward appears in the bathroom, I'm in the tub, covered in bubbles and with soft music playing in the background. My favorite way to relax.
He sets two glasses on the edge of the tub before undressing, all the while eyeing the bubbles. I know bubble baths and men don't mix, but if said man wants to be near the woman he has to make sacrifices.
I reach for a glass, but Edward stops me, blushing lightly. "Uh…the one in the smaller glass is mine."
I narrow my eyes at him, raising it to my nose and sniffing. Surely, it smells of alcohol.
"How do you even know where the whiskey is?" I demand.
"I…" He steps carefully in the tub. "You know… Uh…"
I thrust the glass at him. "At least, you're doing it here—not outside. I hope," I add.
"No, Bella. Not drinking. I promise."
"How much whiskey did you put in?" I wonder, sipping from my glass.
"Uh…half 'n half?"
I groan, slouching lower and resting my head against the headrest. "You put a quarter whiskey and the rest soda …if that. But I don't blame you; I used to do the same in college." I giggle, poking his thigh with my toe. "Anyway, promise me you won't drink outside this house…at least until you're twenty-one. And for God's sake, never drive after you drink!"
"Okay. I promise," he says solemnly.
I keep rubbing his thigh with my big toe, hoping he'll get the hint. He doesn't. Until I dig my toe in his skin, making him yelp.
"Whoa, woman!" He grabs his side.
"You weren't getting the hint. Rub them," I moan, putting my feet in his lap. I can feel him harden but my feet need a rub before anything else.
Edward's not an ace at foot rubbing but he's decent, at least what he's doing makes me relax. I'm spoiled and I'm happy he understands I need to relax these days.
When he's done with my right foot, he puts it back in his lap and goes to rub my left foot. That gives me the opportunity to attend to his probably aching dick.
It's funny how Edward jumps, startled, but with a mischievous grin relaxes back allowing me to rub my foot over his length. I never thought I'd ever give anyone a foot job. To return the favor, so to speak, I feel Edward's foot on my stomach, not getting where he wants.
He's tickling me and I can't help but laugh, ruining the mood, but his toes on my stomach are tickling like hell.
"You know what I want?" Edward whispers, running his long fingers on my calf.
"Hmm?"
"We haven't really used that chair since it got here."
"We did! That day!" I remind him. I freaking love the Tantric chair – it's the best invention to humankind. "But not while we're wet," I add. "Another day…I just want to relax here now."
"Kay…"
"Edward, we talked about this," I murmur, putting a hand on his ankle. "I'm tired and as much as my hormones are in tandem with yours for a change, I'd rather sleep."
"Kay. I didn't say anything."
"Yeah, but you look like I just ran over your favorite pet."
"I'm not that attached to Fish," he jokes, but I can see he's not really okay.
When our skin is pruny and the water is cold, we rinse off then step out. I do, because Edward mumbles something about a shower. I feel so guilty, but ignore the burning feeling deep in my chest as I wrap myself in the bathrobe and walk inside the room.
By the time Edward joins me, my hair is dry, I'm wearing my night dress and I'm applying cream on my legs. Gotta take care of my skin if I want to look appealing to him. I know that all too soon not even the cream will help the wrinkles and other imperfections, but I'm trying.
Edward makes a beeline to his side of bed and gets under the blanket, snatching it to cover himself huffing loudly.
"Everything okay?" I wonder, rubbing lotion on my hands after capping the jar.
"No!"
I look at him shocked. "What's up?"
"I can't fucking…jerk off in the shower…I feel like…. Fuck! I'm sorry, I know you're tired, but I just can't do that now that we're together. I feel bad…doing it." He seems to be confessing this to the blanket, not even glancing at me.
"Honey," I whisper, crawling to him. "You know I can't deny you…"
"Now, great! Make me feel like I fucking guilt-tripped you into sleeping with me."
"I always want you, Edward. I don't want you to think I don't want you, okay, honey? Just…not tonight."
"I get it, Bella. I'm not retarded! You're pregnant. You're tired. You're older. You're… Forget what I just said. I guess I'm still angry over Emmett's idea of a bachelor party."
"Maybe you need that," I say after much thinking. "A night out, even there, with your friends. I trust you to be good." I get under the blanket on my side and turn off the light. "And you're right about everything you said."
"I didn't mean it like that," he responds quickly, rolling on his side, his arm coming to rest over my stomach. "I don't want to fight."
"We're not fighting," I assure him. "Now sleep." I stroke his hair, turning my head to the side.
I knew this moment was coming.
He understands, but for how long?
I'm afraid I'm going to lose him.
Fear grips at my insides as I hug him tightly to me. I can't conceive of losing Edward.
"Awesome," he mumbles into my chest. "We're not fighting, but you're crying. Seriously, baby?" He raises his head to look at me…though he can't see in the dark.
"Don't mind me." I sniff. "I just feel awful for refusing you."
"Don't, because I understand you. Shit, love, even I have days when I don't want…" The pads of his fingers brush away my tears. "Don't cry. I hate to see you sad, beside if you're sad, the baby is sad too. We don't want that, right?"
I smile a little and kiss his forehead. "Thank you and I love you. Never forget that."
"Nope, 'cos I love you more than you know. Don't argue," he adds quickly, pecking my lips.
I hug him again and close my eyes, feeling content as I drift into dream land.
We have a few more chapters before we wrap it up.