Hope you are all still enjoying the story. This is a bit of a longer chapter, but I figured it's the weekend :-)
CHAPTER 20
Edward's arm rested comfortably around my shoulders as I lay back against his chest, cuddling as close to him as I could. He chuckled, softly.
"Love, if you come any closer, you will be inside my pocket," he said. I smiled up at him and leaned up to kiss his cheek before settling down again. "Are you alright? I mean after finding out about Jacob."
"Yes," I murmured, sleepily. "I suppose I always knew really. He was... different. Even before James. He was always really agile and fast. And hot..." Edward stiffened and I laughed. "Not like that! I mean his temperature."
"Good. I am glad to hear you do not think of him like that," said Edward, kissing the top of my head.
"I only think of you like that, Edward. I love you." And then my eyes fluttered shut and I sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The sunlight glinted through the trees, spreading light that sparkled like emeralds and diamonds all around us. The path was well maintained, if a little rugged in parts and to either side grew beautiful flowers and plants. Birdsong filled the air above us and now and again I heard the howl of a wolf, as if Jacob were reminding us of his presence. But the howl was in the distance; allowing us some measure of privacy.
"Careful, my love," said Edward, grabbing my arm when I stumbled on a stone, distracted by the sight of a deer watching us from a cluster of trees. I straightened and smiled at him.
"It is beautiful here, Edward," I said.
"I thought we could do with a bit of time alone, my love," he replied. He took my hand in his and led me off the path through the trees to a meadow. Sunlight streamed down on us and I stepped out, staring in awe at the beauty of the gently swaying grasses and flowers.
"Oh Edward, it is beautiful," I murmured, turning to face him. He tipped his head back and smiled up into the sunlight. A million jewels seemed to glint across his exposed flesh; his face, his arms, his neck. He laughed at my reaction and slipped his fingers down to his buttons, undoing his shirt so that the light bounced from his chest, reflecting in my eyes, making me blink, dazzled by him. Finally, he sank down onto the soft grass, placing his hand behind his head and staring up at the sky. I looked down at him for a moment, chewing on my lip thoughtfully.
"What are you thinking, my love?" he asked.
"I am thinking why do you love me?" I said, softly. Edward frowned and looked directly at me, then patted the grass beside him. I lay down and he pulled me close to him, resting my head on his chest.
"I love you because you are perfect," he said.
"No, you are perfect. Look at you! Oh, Edward..." He stopped me, placing a gentle finger on my lips, before gently moving me so that I lay flat on the ground. He leaned up on his elbow so that he was laying over me.
"Isabella Swann, you are beautiful, hard working, kind and not to mention amazing." He punctuated each word with a kiss to my cheeks and then my throat. Finally, he paused over my lips and smiled. "When you are not being a tease, of course."
"A tease?" I queried, trying to sit up, but he easily kept me held beneath him.
"Asking why I love you, as if it were a total mystery..." A kiss to my left cheek. "Getting drunk in the workplace..." A kiss to my right cheek. "Calling me inappropriate names" A kiss to my lips. I giggled and leaned back.
"If you keep doing that, I might have to keep on teasing you... Eddie."
Edward's eyes narrowed and before I could protest his hands slipped under my top and tickled me along my ribs until I squealed and struggled, begging him to stop. We sank down again and he pulled me back against his chest, as I tried to catch my breath.
"Bella, I do love you," he said, suddenly. I snuggled against him and smiled.
"I know," I said. "But you'll never love me as much as I love you."
He shook his head and laughed.
"Start that and I might have to tickle you again," he threatened. I grinned.
"I think I've been tickled enough for one day," I said. "It is so beautiful here. Why did you move away?"
"Well strictly speaking, this is still my home. It is the Cullen and Hale family home, has been for the last fifty years or so. We have of course adapted it over time to suit the changing tastes of the modern world. Esme likes to be in touch with modern culture. She is something of an interior designer; an artist really."
"She has a beautiful home," I agreed. "What does Carlisle do?"
"He's a doctor, works at a hospital about forty miles away."
"I remember you saying he was a doctor," I said and then broke off as a memory filtered into my head. I was laid on a table in a hospital, screaming, my hands over my stomach. A man with golden brown eyes and short blonde hair came in and gently moved my hands. He sent the other staff out of the room and then lowered his face to my skin. And then the memory fluttered away.
"Bella?" Edward leaned up so that he could look at my face. "Are you alright? You're very quiet."
"I... Edward I think I have met Carlisle before," I said. Edward sighed deeply and then kissed the top of my head.
"He mentioned that he had seen you before, but he would not tell me when or why."
"Couldn't you just read his mind?" I asked.
"No," said Edward, shaking his head. "If someone knows what I can do, they can stop me by blocking their thoughts. Most of my family can do that, although Alice generally doesn't bother."
"Really? Why?"
"She's very open as I am sure you have noticed." He was silent for a moment and then he looked at me thoughtfully. "Bella, I asked you once if James had ever hurt you..." I stiffened. "Please, Bella, tell me what he did."
I went to move away from him, but he held me fast until I relaxed against him again.
"I told you how he changed when we moved in together?" I said eventually and he nodded. "At the time, I didn't understand why he was so obsessed with my neck and my wrists and my stomach..." I paused, taking a deep breath. "My neck and wrists were always visible and at first I was still going to work and seeing my friends a bit, so he left them alone. Instead if I did something he didn't like... he would make me lay down on the bed and... God I wish you could read my mind!" I broke off, tears forming in my eyes. Edward squeezed me.
"I wish it too my love," he replied, softly. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and stared up at the sky, willing myself to tell him; to get it over with. "Bella, if it is too hard..."
"No, it's ok. I can do this. The first time he did it; he put me on my back on the bed and ripped my t-shirt away. He pinned my hands out of the way and then he bit me on my stomach, over and over again. I never felt anything like it... I was screaming in pain. It hurt so much..."
"Venom," murmured Edward, his hand moving down to cover mine, which had moved down to my stomach. "Who took you to Carlisle?"
"Jacob, I think. I must have fainted after a while and when I woke up I was in the hospital and Carlisle was... he was leaning over me and I could feel his mouth on my stomach, sucking at the wounds. I have... I have scars all over my stomach. He never did it like that again; he just used to nip me, hard enough that it hurt, but not so much I'd faint or need to go to hospital. But the pain... sometimes I wished he would just... I don't know; hit me instead..."
Edward took a sharp breath and pulled me closer to him.
"He should never have hurt you at all," he growled. "I am just so glad Carlisle removed the venom or you could have been... I would never have seen you..."
"I thought he would eventually kill me," I said, flatly. "But it wasn't me that paid the price of meeting him... it was Charlie. And he didn't deserve to die."
"Neither did you, my love," said Edward, quietly.
"Why me, Edward? Why did he want me so much?"
Edward was silent for a long time, so long I thought he wasn't going to answer me, but then he sat me up, cupping my face in his hands.
"Because of your blood, my love," he said, quietly. "Your blood is so strong I can smell it even now and I know if I were to drink it I might never have to drink again." His eyes darkened momentarily, but he forced himself to remain still and calm, even as my heart rate accelerated.
"Are you tempted to kill me, Edward?" I asked. He shifted his hands to my arms and gripped me so tightly that I gasped.
"No, Isabella, I am not. I will not allow anyone to kill you! You are mine!" His eyes turned pure black and I gasped, which seemed to bring him back to his senses. He released me and took a step back, turning away from me briefly. His shoulders slumped. "Forgive me, Bella. I must ask you though, how can you love me? How can you bear to be around our kind after what he did to you?"
Tears stood out on my eyelashes and I crossed the clearing, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder.
"Because I am yours, Edward. I am always yours. I will love you forever."
He whirled round with inhuman speed and whisked me up into his arms, kissing me with so much passion that my head spun as he set me back on my feet. When I recovered enough to look up at him I saw that his eyes were golden brown again and he was looking down at me a little sheepishly.
"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sorry that he hurt you so much and that I wasn't the one to save you."
"You have saved me, Edward," I murmured. "In more ways than you could ever imagine."
He held me close a moment longer and then, keeping hold of my hand, led me back towards the forest.
"We should head home," he said. "I think Esme has an evening of entertainment planned."
"Entertainment?" I queried.
"The others are coming back too," he replied.
"Alice and Rosalie?" I said. He nodded and smiled at my happy squeal. I squeezed his hand. "I'm glad I told you," I said, suddenly. "I never talked about it before; I thought it would be too hard. But I... I feel better now that I have."
"Then I am glad it was me that you told," he murmured.
"Other people knew, but I didn't tell them. They kind of worked it out for themselves. I guess you would have soon enough."
"You think so?"
"Well when we... you know." I flushed red and a smirk formed on his lips.
"When we what, Isabella? Remember I can't read your mind."
My eyes narrowed and I pulled back on his hand, stopping him. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him down so that we were face to face. Keeping my eyes open so that I could see his reaction I kissed him hard on the mouth, flicking my tongue along his lips until he granted me entry, taking pleasure in the shocked expression on his face. He allowed me to dominate his mouth for a moment, but then tipped me back, his eyes twinkling with mischief, as he took control back from me. We were both a little breathless when we straightened up and he put a casual arm round my shoulders.
"Alice is wondering where we are," he said, softly. "We will discuss the matter of..."
"Come on, Edward, spit it out. I can't read your mind," I said, teasingly.
"We will discuss the matter of making love when we are completely alone," he said, giving me a light squeeze. I felt my skin redden again and he chuckled, darkly. "I do love it when you blush, my love."
I dug my elbow in his ribs but he just chuckled again.
"Bella!" A dark haired whirlwind flew through the front door and jumped on me, nearly knocking me over. Edward steadied me.
"Alice," he said. "Lovely to see you too, sis."
She gave him a light punch in the arm.
"I was getting to you, Eddie," she replied. I stifled a laugh, unsuccessfully. Edward raised a warning eyebrow in my direction and then glared at his sister.
"Alice, don't tease him," said Jasper, appearing at the door. He looked at Alice solemnly for a moment before turning his steady gaze to Edward and then to me. "Edward. Isabella."
"Good evening, Jasper," I said. Alice rolled her eyes at the formality of my tone of voice and grabbed my arm.
"Chill out, Bella. He's not your boss here. He's no one's boss here!"
"Is that right?" he asked, fixing her with a look that would have had me quaking, but which Alice just laughed at. She approached him slowly and then yanked his face down to hers and kissed him on the mouth. When she released him, he smiled. "You are right, Alice. I am no one's boss. You are the boss here; the boss of my heart."
"God, get a room!" cried Rosalie, appearing at the door, with Emmett behind her, his arms wrapped round her waist.
"Hey Bella," he said, giving me a big grin. Rosalie stepped out of his arms to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. She looked up at Edward.
"I hope you are looking after my friend, Mr Cullen," she said.
"Of course I am. Better than you have recently," he retorted.
"If you are referring to the little champagne incident..." she started.
"Rosalie, I would suggest that we not bring that particular incident up," said Jasper, coldly, all the affection disappearing from his voice. I shivered, but then Emmett laughed loudly.
"I don't know what you're so worked up about; I never saw anything as funny in my life as Edward's face when Bella called him Eddie!" And he roared with laughter again. Jasper's lips twitched, but then he too laughed. Soon we were all falling about laughing, especially when I told them I called him Teddy too.
"Teddy!" repeated Emmett. He came over and lifted Edward off his feet, spinning round with him. "Aw, come on little Teddy Bear."
"Isabella, just you wait until we are alone," said Edward, glaring at me when Emmett put him down.
"Children, children, can we stop laughing at Edward and come inside," cooed Esme's voice from the door. Edward grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips as we went inside. I smiled up at him, knowing he wanted to reassure me that he wasn't really angry with me.
Esme had filled the room with candles and flowers when we went inside and the room glowed gently, making me feel like we had entered a dream world. I stood for a moment staring round in awe.
"Wow, Esme, the house looks amazing!" I said.
"I'm so glad you think so, Bella," she said, giving me a warm embrace. We went to sit down on the sofa and Edward drew me close to him. Carlisle appeared, holding a bottle of champagne. Edward raised an eyebrow, as Rosalie and I exchanged a glance and giggled.
"Girls," said Esme, quietly and we looked away from one another deliberately. Edward tipped his head back and looked sideways at me, his gaze filled with warmth.
"You look so beautiful when you are happy, my love," he murmured softly. I blushed and he leaned closer. "And when you blush you make me want to take you straight upstairs." If possible, my face turned even redder.
"Edward," said Carlisle and I looked up, wondering if he had heard what Edward said. If he had he gave no indication of it. Instead, Edward got to his feet and crossed the room to a piano, flexing his fingers. As he sat down on the stool, with his back to us, I sat up a little straighter. I didn't know he played. From the first note, I was spellbound. His fingers danced across the keys, each note pulling me into the tune, making my heart soar or ache depending on the melody. He paused and then looked over his shoulder at me.
"Did you like that, Isabella?" he asked.
"Yes," I breathed my hand over my heart.
"Good, because I wrote it for you." He looked straight at me and I drew in a long breath to steady myself. At that moment I loved him more than I had ever loved anything else in my life.