I don't. Stephenie does.
Chapter 13: Mi Vuoi Sposare?
Bella.
As much as I loved our holiday, there was one thing I was happy to do without. Because these suites were literally a bedroom and living room for five people all in the one room, you never had any privacy unless in the bathroom. And when I mean 'privacy'… I mean it's hard to get down and dirty when your children are sleeping in beds right beside yours. At home we always try to be fairly quiet, but seriously, that took quiet to a whole new level.
So with that little barrier in the way, we had to be tactful. I always woke up earlier than the others - the bright, morning sun glazing me in the face didn't help -, and I'm not the one to lie in bed for hours, so I slipped into the bathroom to have my shower and plan the day ahead. This one morning, however, I was busy thinking of the Italian monuments we were still to visit whilst towel-drying my hair when the bathroom door crept open and a pyjama bottom-clad Edward came in. The look on his face and in his eyes told me he was not here to take a piss. Well, maybe he was, but that certainly wasn't his main purpose.
Nope, nope - no piss needed. Without a word, but with a smirk, he took the damp towel from my hand and threw it with little regard to the floor. I was edged up onto the counter and he instantly filled the space between my legs. Nothing was left to imagination.
With gentle fingers he pushed back the hair that draped over my shoulders and replaced it sweet kisses that led up my neck and along my jaw. "I've been thinking about this all night long," he whispered hungrily, "it has made me go fucking insane, Bella." On the word 'fucking' he pressed himself up firm against my wet and pulsing core.
"Then why are you waiting any longer?"
In a flash my skirt was hiked up my hips and my panties were friskily brought down my legs and, just like before with the hand towel, they, two, were discarded to the tiled floor. We didn't take our time because we knew we didn't have a lot of it. His hands gripped my bare ass and my ankles were locked around his legs.
"Jesus… Christ…" Edward grunted.
I felt the urge building and I knew Edward wasn't far off either. I wouldn't call us experts, but we were damn good at… well, at a quick fuck. And you have to be with six month old twins demanding your every second.
I lost it first, my head fell to the base of his shoulder as the orgasm took control of my body. Seconds afterwards, Edward did the same.
I couldn't hold back the giggles when he cradled me to his hot chest. "We're acting like teenagers hiding from parents."
Edward stood back with an unsure expression sketched on his face, "how many teenagers have quickies on bathroom counters?"
All I could do was tap his shoulder understandably, "more than you'd think, Sweetheart. Quite a few more…"
"Really? Oh…"
After a quick shower we headed back to the room where we were glad to see our kids sleeping peacefully. Cooper was sprawled out on his bed like a starfish with his torso twisted in the sheets and Tony Bear's paw squeezed tight in one hand. I took a snap shot of him, and another of the Twins - they can't sleep if they're not in the same crib, and that morning they were lying side-by-side, loosely holding hands.
It was one of those moments were the emotions take a hold of you; the tears fell one by one.
I didn't notice Edward's presence until his arms slipped around me from behind - he kissed my cheek once. "What's up, baby?" His knuckles gently brushed the tears away.
"Look at them…"
"They're perfect." Right on cue, just as Edward said that, a bubbly-pop broke our silence. Being the immature children we are, we both pressed down our laughs at Marco's impromptu fart.
"Aw, he takes after his mother."
Oh, my God… "That was one time! And you shouldn't have tickled me that hard!"
"Hey, everyone farts, Bella. But it's alright, I still love you."
He's loving this; it's written all over his face.
0-0
That day we chose to explore Piazza San Marco, or, St. Mark's Square to you and me. I had seen St. Mark's Basilica a countless number of times on TV, but seen the beautiful cathedral looming over you… there are no words. Every pillar, every arch and every intricate detail leaves your breathless. We had to fight through a heavy crowd of people before we could get inside, but it was well worth the wait - coated on the walls and ceilings was up to eight-thousand feet of the Byzantine Mosaics. I had never seen anything like that before. I tried to follow the story that the mosaics were telling, but with only the pictures to go by, it didn't go to well.
As well as chasing the pigeons in the middle of the square (a must!) the last thing we had to do was take an elevator up to the top of Campanile di San Marco - the bell tower that allows you a 360 degree view of surrounding Italy.
"You wanna know something, Bella?" Cooper was snap-happy with my camera; taking a picture of everything he saw - but he stopped to speak to me.
"What's that, Coop?"
"I saw on the internet that this tower is one of the most popular places for someone to ask their girlfriend or boyfriend to marry them."
"Oh yeah? Well I can tell why; it's beautiful."
"I also saw a real funny story - this guy, right, this guy wrote "will you marry me" on the frost of his car but then before his girlfriend saw it the ice had melted away!"
I laughed, not really at the story, but more at his reaction - he bent over, slapped his knees and chuckled loudly with tears in his eyes. "That's a good story, Coop, but it's a shame for the man."
"I know, right?" He giggled again.
As we made our way back down the tower, I wondered something. "Hey, Coop, why were you looking up proposals?"
"Um, oh! Well, I wasn't! But I was looking at this place on the internet and it said 'bout the pr'posals then it said about the stories. Yeah… that's what I did."
His clear lying didn't fool me, but it also didn't surprise me - he'd probably been researching that stuff since we first met.
0-0
That afternoon, after the Twins had had their nap, Edward surprised us with a trip to the vineyards that surround the hotel. There was the option to take a vespa on your journey, but there was no way to safely carry the Twins with us on one, so we left that option to one side. We took a picnic with us and found a grassy hill that over-looked the various maze of vines below and a place where it was just us five.
Edward and I shared a bottle of the local wine and we all munched on the grapes that made said wine. As well as some sandwiches and cupcakes, the lunch was lovely. Ellie and Marco - still tired from their nap - dozed off in their buggy a few times, and I wasn't far behind them. With the soft grass beneath me and the warm sun above, it was the perfect combination to fall asleep.
"Hey, Bella," I slowly sat up to Edward's voice. He had Coop's head resting on his lap; one hand gently stroking his blonde hair. "You've gotta come see this." Patting Cooper awake, he literally rolled off his father's knee and found a new spot on the blanket.
Edward took my hand to help me stand and walked me to the view-over - the same view we had seen plenty of times that picnic.
"Isn't this just the perfect moment?" He said and tugged on my hand sweetly.
"Yes - a beautiful country, perfect weather and it's just me, you and our children."
"Exactly. But that wasn't the perfect moment I was thinking of."
"It wasn't?"
"No. I was more thinking of… this moment."
My heart flew to my mouth as I watched him drop to one knee. In his trembling hands he held a square, black box - I instantly knew what was inside it.
"Bella, for the past nine years I'd been certain I'd never find anyone who I could bear my soul too, because for the first time in my life, there was someone who came first in every decision I made and no matter what I felt for someone, no-one could ever be good enough for him. But the moment I saw you teaching my son how to swim, I knew I had been wrong.
You are one of the best things that has ever happened to me; you are beautiful, kind, loving and, not to forget, the mother of my children - I count that as a pretty big deal -. Basically, Bella, what I'm failing to say is that… I love you, so much, and it would make me the happiest man alive if you agree to be my wife?"
Edward opened the box to reveal a ring so beautiful, I found it hard to decipher whether it was all reality. Worry shone in his eyes - I knew my silence wasn't helping.
My hands covered my blushed cheeks and with a smile, I no quickly. "Yes. Of course I'll marry you."
I was in his arms and being spun around before my sentence had finished. When I was back to standing, I linked my arms around his neck, "I love you," I said and closed the gap between us, kissing softly.
I thought the tears had learnt their lesson and had stayed away for once, but they appeared in full force when the gorgeous diamond-sapphire ring was placed on my third finger.
I'm engaged…
I'm engaged…
OH MY GOD, I'M GETTING MARRIED!
I couldn't take my eyes off it.
"I helped to choose it…" Cooper had appeared out of nowhere and was standing with his back up against his Dad's legs. Edward had his hands proudly on Coop's shoulders. "Do you like it?"
Like it? Like it?
"I love it - it's perfect."
"Good. So… does that mean you're now my Mom?"
I thought my chest was going to explode. I had so many emotions rushing around in there. "It's entirely up to you, Sweetheart. But I would be honoured to be your Mom."
"That's real good, 'cause, y'know, I want to call you Mom."
Noticing my probable breakdown, Edward tucked me in his arms and kissed my lips once again. "I think I like hearing that more than knowing you're going to be my wife."
"What? Cooper calling me Mom?"
"Yeah. Then again, I can't think of anything better than you being my wife."
"Well, it's a good thing I said 'yes' then, isn't it?"
0-0
FINALLY! He did a Beyonce and put a ring on it!
Thoughts on the engagement?
X