Authors Note: This chapter begins exactly one week after the events of Chapter 31, or eight days after Jessica's wedding in Virginia Beach. For anyone interested in math: that was June 12th, 2010. PLEASE NOTE that there were some minor changes made to Chapters 32 thru 34 when they were recently reposted. It may be a good idea to catch up from there if you haven't had to reread the whole thing because it's been ten years. ON that note, thank you to those who are still with me! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is a work of derivative fiction. The characters and text of the Twilight Saga are owned by Stephenie Meyer. Any original content in this story is owned by Virginia May, 2010. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 35:

"A Sunday Kind of Love"

BPOV—

A low sound vibrated in my ear, coaxing me closer to the edge of wakefulness. Something tickled my waist, drawing me even nearer as I became aware of my breath. I inhaled slowly, tempted to sink back into sleep, but the tickle became a more insistent caress as my head rose then fell with someone else's breath.

"Are you awake this time?"

I tried to open an eye but buried my face in my pillowcase instead. "Hmm?"

A soft chuckle shook me as I realized the pillow was far too firm to actually be a pillow.

"I asked if you were awake," I heard at the same time a cool foot slid along mine.

I snuggled into Edward's chest, yawning. "Maybe."

The hand across my back continued its slow path. The other brushed the hair from my forehead a second before his lips pressed softly against me. "You sure?" he whispered.

I yawned again. "No."

His laughter was quiet as he rolled us until we were face to face, side by side on an actual pillow. I blinked and smiled sleepily at him as I settled into it.

"Better?" he asked.

"Better view," I replied, blinking. Yeah, he was much prettier than the inside of my eyelids.

He rolled his eyes at me. They were a vibrant butterscotch this morning. Twining our fingers together, he asked, "How's your neck? You barely moved all night."

I inhaled slowly, letting myself feel my body. My neck was a little stiff, but like hell if I'd admit it. "It's fine. You held me the whole time?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"Weren't you bored?"

"Hardly."

I felt the flush as my cheeks warmed.

He lifted our hands to slide his thumb along the blush. "When are you going to stop asking me that?"

I shrugged. We stared at each other long enough for my eyes to grow heavy again. "What time is it?" I asked, fighting the pull to go back to sleep.

"A little before eleven."

"No, it's not."

He laughed softly. "It is."

I took a deep breath. "I can't believe I slept so long."

"I can. You've not slept well since we got back."

"Mm, I guess not. Was I talking again?"

"You were." His thumb touched my bottom lip. "We had a whole conversation."

I sighed and reached for him, sliding my fingers free to bring his face close to mine. "Did we?"

He hummed his answer and pressed forward. I sighed as our lips met, arching into him as he kissed me—gently at first and then with growing insistence.

"What about your family?" I whispered when I needed to breathe.

His lips trailed to my jaw. "Gone out."

"Oh?" I asked, blinking and gasping. He'd found that spot below my ear.

He made a soft noise of acknowledgment and continued down my neck, his hand settling on my waist. "I told them you'd want to sleep in."

I slid my fingers into his hair as he pushed my pajama top aside with his nose to reach my collarbone. "Really?" I asked, breathless.

"Mm-hmm."

"Smart man."

He chuckled and pressed a single open-mouthed kiss just above my heart. "Greedy man."

I whimpered and clutched at him, urging him closer. "Let's be greedy together," I said.

My name escaped him in a hushed whimper as he pressed his cheek to my heart. I slid my arms around him, holding him close and kissing the top of his head. He had stopped breathing, so I rolled to my back, searching his face for guidance. The second I moved, he followed, rising onto his forearms and lifting himself over me, caging me in as he parted my knees gently and slid a leg between them.

I gasped in surprise.

"Have I hurt you?" he asked, freezing.

I shook my head.

He swallowed. "Is this all right?"

I nodded—waiting for him to change his mind. Waiting for him to beg me not to encourage him. Or to tell me we should stop. Instead, he relaxed into me, grazing his nose against mine.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

Overwhelmed, I touched his face, getting lost in his eyes. "You make me feel that way."

His gaze grew impossibly more tender, if uncertain. "Are you sure this is okay?"

"Yes." I took a breath. "Are you okay?" I asked, then cursed myself. Shut up, Bella!

Half-sighing, half-groaning, he lowered his forehead to mine. "I'm fine."

"Okay then," I said, sliding my hands along his biceps.

He hummed, closing his eyes and touching our lips together. "Tell me if I make you uncomfortable."

I nodded, gripping his shoulders, feeling his restraint. . . his careful gentleness. "You, too."

He slid his thumb over my bottom lip and down my neck, then allowed his lips to follow the same path.

"Deal," he whispered.

~(wdh)~

What felt like hours later, but was probably a lot less, I lay staring at the ceiling, still slightly breathless, and feeling stupidly in love. When at last, I'd regained my senses, I rolled onto my side.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Edward turned his head, giving me a view of his profile as he stood in the now-open sliding door. The sun poured down around him, making it hard to read his expression. His hair was everywhere, though. His shirt rumpled beyond belief. His slacks low on his hips. His feet bare.

I bit my lip, propping myself on my elbow as I waited for him to turn further. When he did, his gaze flashed and dropped to my calf where it stuck out from the bed sheet.

"You really will be the death of me," he said.

I flushed as I covered up. "But what a way to go."

He sighed, looking away again. "You oughtn't joke."

I kept quiet for a short time. After a few seconds, I said, "Pot, meet kettle."

He snorted but did not face me.

"Hey," I said more gently. "Don't be upset."

"I'm not upset with you."

Frowning, I sat up. "Don't be upset with yourself, either."

He seemed to sag against the doorframe and then turned, searching my eyes for a long moment.

I held my hand out to him.

His palm was sliding into mine before I even saw him move. It made me jump, but I smiled as he came into focus in front of me, seated on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry I ruined the morning," he said softly.

"You didn't," I said, surprised. I slid my thumb along the back of his hand. "You haven't."

He met my gaze, the tiniest smile tugging at his lips.

"I'd pull you back over here and show you," I added softly, "but I'm guessing you need a break."

Nodding, he placed my hand tenderly between both of his. "Thank you. Are you sure you're all right?"

I smiled, feeling shy all of a sudden. "Yes, of course. I'm. . ." I inhaled, trying to think of the right words. "Completely blissed out."

The gold of his eyes seemed to spark, but then his expression twisted, and he seemed like he was in pain. "I've behaved as a cad."

I pulled his hands into my lap. "No. You haven't."

"No?"

I shook my head and lifted our clasped hands, uncovering his and bringing it to my lips. "Do you think me a harlot?"

His face was horrified. "Of course, not. You're my angel." He paused, and an amused sort-of conflict filled his face. "Though. . ."

"What?" I asked, searching his gaze.

"You do tempt me beyond all reason. For an angel."

I smiled, even as a flicker of uncertainty pulsed through me. "I'm sorry. Is it. . . You're not in pain, are you?"

"No," he said, adamant. His expression grew impossibly tender, vulnerable even. "It's not that. It's the kind of temptation that makes me feel utterly human. And. . . very unprepared."

"Oh," I said, letting out a breath, my cheeks heating anew. My stomach fluttered as he looked at the bed between us, his thumbs running along my knuckles.

He seemed very young to me in that moment. A bit unsettled and innocent. I suddenly recalled that I was much older than him in one sense. And that, as I understood things, I'd done this before, whereas he hadn't.

Not that anything I'd ever done with Jacob, or the one guy I'd dated at UW, even came close to the way things were with Edward. I'd never kissed anyone the way I kissed Edward. Had never wanted anyone kissing me the way he did, either. I'd not been in any state of undress around another man. Had certainly never been in a bikini around them, or anything even remotely close. No one had seen me the way Edward had. No one had touched me the way he did.

But I welcomed it. Wanted it. I wanted him; however I could have him. And though I was very certain he wanted me too, I wasn't sure he believed that he should.

"Well," I said, softly, "from where I'm sitting, you're doing very well."

One corner of his mouth twitched, then flattened. Maybe he was pleased by my words. Maybe he thought I wasn't listening to him. In either case, I figured I better stop while I was ahead. He was clearly not ready to forgive himself for whatever crime he'd told himself he'd committed. Nor was he ready to accept he had done nothing wrong in my book.

"Would it help if I said needed a little human time to myself?" I asked, tilting my head toward the en suite.

In addition to changing the subject, I actually did need the bathroom. And I could definitely benefit from another shower. My hair had been a haystack before Edward got his hands in it. It was hopeless now.

"I can make myself scarce," he answered.

"You don't have to do that. I'll just be—"

Flipping our hands, he lifted them to his face and pressed a kiss to my palm. "I'll make your coffee."

I sighed, then laughed lightly. "You know I can't say no to that."

It was nice to hear his low chuckle. Even better to see the smile return to his eyes when he looked up. "I know."

I smiled back. "Okay, then. Just. . . give me twenty minutes?"

"Take as long as you need."

~(wdh)~

Forty minutes later, I sat at the Cullens' kitchen island, blowing over the rim of a mug while Edward waited by the toaster for my breakfast.

He seemed lighter than when he'd left me alone to shower. He had fixed his hair, too.

A fresh button-down, rolled at the elbows, had replaced the tee shirt I'd slept on. He had paired it with distressed jeans I hadn't seen before and his black boots. His leather cuff was back on his wrist, though I hadn't remembered him taking it off. I only knew it hadn't been there an hour ago when I'd slid my hands up his forearms and clasped our fingers together over my head.

"How is the coffee?" he asked, smiling like he'd just caught me checking him out. Which he had.

"Smells amazing. It's hot."

"Do you want me to hold it for a while?"

I smirked. "No, thank you. You're not that cold."

He grabbed the toast the instant it popped, never taking his gaze off me. "You need a heated blanket just so I can hold you at night."

I laughed and looked up at him from under my lashes. "I didn't need it this morning."

The butter knife bent in his grip. "Bella."

Sipping my coffee, I grinned at him. "What?"

He muttered something too low for me to hear. When I tilted my head trying to decipher it, he blinked innocently and held up my toast. "Jam?"

"Sure," I said, eyes narrowing.

He laughed and opened a jar of my favorite fruit spread. "Be good. Esme and Carlisle will be back soon. Alice and Jasper won't be far behind."

"And Emmett and Rosalie?" I asked as he set my plate in front of me.

He smiled. "Mysteriously decided they needed a romantic getaway. They've not gone far, but Emmett pulled out all the stops. We won't see them for a while."

"Oh, wow."

His grin went crooked. "Rose was somewhat jealous of our week away."

I blushed and bit my lip, reaching for my toast. "You think?"

Edward chuckled. "I know."

I wasn't sure why, but his words made me insanely happy. I'd never had something someone could be jealous of before.

"What is that smile for?" Edward asked, taking the seat beside me.

I shrugged and finished chewing. "I'm just happy."

His leg touched mine ever so softly. "So am I."

I grinned up at him, glad his earlier remorse over our antics upstairs was nowhere to be seen now. He grinned back at me.

I giggled. "God, we're ridiculous."

He laughed as reached again for my toast. "I think we're entitled."

"Oh yeah?" I asked.

He shrugged. "New love and all that."

I could have died at that exact moment and felt my life had been whole: Edward Cullen loved me.

Instead, I ate my breakfast, smiling stupidly the whole time, while Edward flipped through a newspaper that had been left on the counter. He casually asked me if I had plans for the day he needed to know about. I leaned against his shoulder, our barstools touching, legs pressed together, and told him I was his all day.

He smiled, looking down at the paper through those long eyelashes. "You're sure?"

I quickly turned my face to kiss his shoulder. "I'm sure."

He pressed an answering kiss to my forward. "All right."

Neither of us mentioned the reason I may have had other plans today, nor the unexpected change in plans I'd made the night before when I'd gone for pizza with Embry.

Edward had taken the news surprisingly well. Although now that I was fully awake, I wondered if coming home smelling like another man, even if was just Embry—who smelled awful to Edward—had something to do with his voracious mood this morning.

Or had it been something I'd said in my sleep?

I blushed just thinking of the possibility, which drew Edward's attention.

"What are you thinking about over there now?"

I fought off a smile. "Nothing worth sharing."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's the worst lie you've ever told."

Giggling, I shook my head and reached for the last of my coffee.

"Isabella. . ." He reached for my side, pressing his thumb against my ribs, threatening to tickle me.

I put my mug down and grabbed for his hand. He was faster, of course, and I shrieked as he squeezed just under my ribs. Kicking to get away, I tipped the barstool over, but he caught me in an instant and pulled me back.

Fighting off his fingers on my ribs, I gasped and told him the truest truth I had.

"Stop! It was you, okay?" I was still giggling as his fingers went slack on my waist. "It's always you!"

His head tilted and came into focus. I had my hand tightly wrapped around his wrist, just in case.

"Me?" he asked, the eyebrow still raised.

"Yes."

"What about me?" he asked, clearly ready to attack again if necessary.

"Uh," I said, holding his wrist tightly, "it's just. . . you never told me what I said in my sleep. This morning."

His brow furrowed. "And that made you blush?"

"Well," I coughed lightly, trying not to blush yet again, "yeah."

He considered me, his fingers releasing my waist only to gently slide along my cheekbone.

"Were you dreaming of me?" he asked softly, almost disbelievingly.

I shrugged and looked down, his eyes too much to take just then. "Maybe." I sighed. "Probably."

He tilted my face up, a small grin forming. "You don't remember?"

"No, not really. It's just. . ." I sighed again, rolling my eyes. "A strong possibility."

He was fully smiling now. "Is that so?"

"Oh, don't be smug. You know it's so."

He cupped my cheek and brought our lips close together. "Please don't be embarrassed. I've told you already, if I could dream, all I would dream of is you."

My heart fluttered. "Well, when you put it that way."

His lips touched mine. "It's true."

I kissed him back, careful not to open my mouth much. It didn't seem to deter Edward. He chased another kiss. And yet another. Until I was back in his lap, my breakfast forgotten.

So much for being good.

~(wdh)~

Eventually, we managed to pull ourselves apart and out of our little bubble. That is, Carlisle and Esme came home, and we suddenly had an audience to our love-drunk stupidity. It sobered us and had us keeping our hands to ourselves, but I noticed Carlisle watching us in a way that told me we were absolutely acting like a couple of lovestruck fools.

Esme just looked at us like we'd just given her the moon.

She also revealed she had washed, ironed, and folded my laundry while I'd been at work the day before. I was mortified, but Edward gently reminded me that, despite being older than half of the family in one sense, I was now the baby of the family in another sense.

"And she loves to dote on us. Just let her. It's easier."

I'd wanted to argue. But then I remembered how I had felt when I first met Esme—how I had wanted to let her make me cocoa and read stories to me like I was a small child. She radiated pure motherly energy.

"I guess I'm just not used to it," I said at last. "But I am grateful."

She hugged me gently. "Good. Then the matter's settled."

She was gone a moment later, off no doubt to retrieve my clean laundry.

I looked at Edward, bewildered. "Well, I see where you get it from."

"What?" he asked innocently.

"The whole. . ." I made a vague gesture, "making-it-impossible-to-say-no-to-you thing."

Carlisle laughed. "Oh, Bella, you have no idea."

Not long after, Alice and Jasper returned, driving a big, white moving van. Edward hadn't seemed to know where they had been or what was inside, even with his mind-reading ability.

"They're blocking me," he said, face frustrated. He glanced at his parents. "Do you know what they're up to?"

Carlisle shrugged. Esme—who had indeed returned with perfectly packaged laundry that Edward immediately took to his room for me—shook her head.

Edward narrowed his eyes, head tilting.

He stood from the piano and led me to the front door, releasing my hand when we stepped onto the porch. The sky had clouded over, shielding him from the sun's full impact, but his exposed arms, neck, and face held just the barest hint of luminosity.

The van appeared in the driveway just then. At least to my eyes. Though, I got the feeling Edward had seen it sooner as he'd clearly had time to come to some kind of conclusion.

"Oh no," he said as Esme and Carlisle approached from behind. He spun to face them, as did I.

"Oh yes!" Esme said, a bright smile on her face. "I think so."

I looked back and forth between them. Edward groaned and dropped his head against his chest.

"What? What is it?" I asked, taking his hand.

Carlisle chuckled. "Oh, my. I think I understand now."

Edward sighed and looked up at me apologetically.

Esme gasped. "You still haven't told her?"

I glanced at her and then back to Edward. "Told me what?"

He scrunched his face up. "That it, uh. . ." He shrugged. "Today is my birthday."

My eyes popped wide. "What?"

Esme tssked.

Carlisle chuckled. "Now you're in trouble."

"It's your birthday?" I asked; as if I hadn't heard him the first time.

"Yes," Edward confirmed. "Though, I usually don't celebrate."

My mouth fell open in shock. There were no words.

Esme filled the gap.

"I told you, she said, as the van rumbled closer. "What was the last thing I said before your father and I left you this morning?"

Edward had the good sense to look chagrined. "That Bella would want to know."

"Yes, Bella would want to know," I said, incredulous. "I would have done something for you!"

"Bel—"

"Why don't we give them a moment?" Carlisle said, still amused as he placed his arm around Esme's back.

They ghosted off the porch just as the van slowed to a stop in front of us. I glanced at it.

At the wheel, Jasper blew the horn twice. Alice hopped out yelling, "Surprise!"

I glared at Edward. "You don't celebrate?"

He sent an annoyed glance in Alice's direction then took my hand, facing me and effectively blocking my view of his family. "I don't, no. But I'm sorry I didn't mention it."

My expression softened as I examined his earnest face. "Why didn't you?"

"It slipped my mind." He dipped his chin and stepped closer. "Especially this morning." His thumb slid along my knuckles as he gave me a significant look.

I blushed like wildfire and dropped my gaze. "Okay, but. . . what about yesterday, or the day before?" I whispered. "Didn't you think I'd want to know?"

He chuckled and wrapped me in a hug, allowing me to hide my face and suddenly galloping heart. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think of it, not until Esme pointed it out. And she's right. You, of all people, should know this about me."

"Uh, yeah," I mumbled.

He kissed the top of my head. "Well, you know now. It's June twentieth."

I tilted my face up, remembering what he had told me about himself. "Nineteen-oh-one?"

"Yes," he said, his gaze soft.

I leaned against him, content to hide from his family a moment longer. "Well, Happy Birthday I guess."

He squeezed me gently. "Thank you. With you here, it's the best one yet."

My cheeks heated again. He smiled.

"All right, you two. Now can we do presents?" Alice yelled from the driveway.

Giggling, I stood back from Edward who had rolled his eyes skyward. "God, help me," he muttered.

I laughed.

"They're for Bella, too," she said.

His head whipped around, and I let go of his waist.

"Really?" He sounded delighted.

"Huh?" I was confused.

Alice laughed and danced on her toes. "Like I said, 'surprise!' I got you something you really wanted this year!"

I didn't understand, but Edward was smiling. "Alice, it's perfect."

She ghosted away, followed by the others. "Let us open the truck first! Don't peek."

He chuckled and took my hand. "Come on," he said, glancing back at me.

"What's happening?" I asked.

He wiggled his eyebrows in response, pulling me along as we made our way to the back of the van. I was still confused when Jasper opened the sliding door and Alice shouted, "Ta-da!"

Edward was looking at me rather than the contents of the truck. "What do you think?"

I stood on my toes, peering inside. "Of what?"

He smiled and lifted me into his arms. "It's furniture. For upstairs."

"Your extra room?" I asked.

"It's your reading area. Or writing area."

My eyes widened. "Mine?"

He nodded and adjusted his arms around me, jumping into the van in a single, smooth movement.

"I've been planning to do this for you. Alice took care of it for me, I guess." He put me down but kept me close, his hands on my hips. "She was right. It's something I really wanted."

I looked around at the plastic-wrapped chair and ottoman; the wooden something covered in blankets in the back; a new rug and a half-dozen miscellaneous boxes. "For me, though?"

"Yes. It was your idea. And I want you to have a space here. I want you to have a space with me."

My heart melted a little as I looked over my shoulder at him. "But it's your room."

"It's empty, though. Just like I was without you," he murmured, taking my hand. "It should be yours."

My whole heart melted. "Well, damn," I said with a sigh. "There you go again. . . getting your way."

Edward smiled wide, pulling me to him as a chorus of laughter echoed behind us.

"As I said," he whispered, "best birthday yet."

~(wdh)~

What happened next was the single most phenomenal thing I had experienced in my short life. As the sky rumbled with distant thunder, Alice hopped into the truck and clapped her hands, telling us to step aside.

"It's going to rain, so we have to move."

She made a face at Edward I didn't understand. Something like mild annoyance paired with haughty amusement.

Edward's lips buzzed in response which made her raise her hands in surrender, as she backed into the van. She must have thought something else at him because he huffed and turned toward the house with me in tow.

"Come on. Let's get you to safety."

"Safety?" I asked.

He chuckled, then indicated I should hop onto his back. "You'll see. The Cullen women are a force to be reckoned with."

He wasn't wrong.

Once we were clear, Alice called out a few instructions and the rest of the Cullen family sprung, literally, into action. The moving van was emptied in a matter of moments, and everything was staged on or just outside the porch. Esme took point from there, ensuring each item was routed properly as it disappeared carried by another member of the family. Some went through the door, but others around the side of the house and straight to Edward's balcony while I watched on in wonder.

Seeing little Alice Cullen bare-arm an ottoman and scale a house to the third story at the same time? Not something I ever imagined!

They took less than ten minutes to move everything inside, and less than an hour after that, the room was deemed ready to be presented to the birthday boy.

"And you, too, Bella," Alice said, holding out a blindfold.

"Oh, no. It's not my birthday!" I shook my head.

"Please," asked Edward. And despite my tortured sigh, that was that.

He carried me up the stairs, not getting a blindfold since there really wasn't any point. But I got the full impact of the reveal, and he got to watch me.

I did not disappoint.

I was astounded. What had been an empty space with wide, tall windows and hardwood floors was now fully decorated and ready to enjoy. It was also almost everything I'd imagined, brought to life. A comfy chair and matching ottoman. A thick, cozy rug. A mission-style desk—one that matched Edward's perfectly. Throw pillows and a pretty lamp atop a low bookcase, partly filled with books.

Everything was arranged so the view was unimpeded; the trees so close it felt like you could step right out onto the branches. It felt like an elegant, grownup treehouse, and as overwhelmed as I was by all the five pairs of eyes watching my every reaction, I loved it. So, Edward loved it.

His face was delighted as Alice clapped and danced next to him. "Yay!"

He smiled graciously and caught her when she hugged him. "Thanks, Ali." As soon as he released her, he turned to Esme. "Thank you as well."

She smiled and patted his cheek. "Happy Birthday, my boy."

Carlisle and Jasper offered well wishes from the hallway, then disappeared. Esme smiled at me and winked as she stepped away, presumably to give us time to explore the new space on our own. Once Alice had given us a quick tour, she left too.

Having looked through some of the book titles on the shelves and the desk drawers—empty except for an organizer for pens, pencils and a small notepad—we ended up in the dark green armchair, our feet up on the ottoman. It was just wide enough for both of us with Edward's arm slung around my shoulders and our legs intertwined.

The rain began to fall in fat droplets outside while we sat and played footsie, our shoes tossed carelessly onto the floor.

"This is nice," I said softly.

"It is. Thank you for humoring me, and Alice."

"Of course," I said, leaning into him. "It's your day."

He brushed his big toe along my insole. "Thank you all the same."

"What would we have done today if Alice hadn't done this for you?" I asked.

His foot stilled. "I had planned for us to go on a picnic."

I looked away from the rain, watching his profile. "Where?"

He met my gaze. "Our mountain."

My stomach fluttered and my heart panged. "Where you first showed me yourself?" I asked.

He smiled. "The very one. I promised I would take you back."

I sighed. "I'm sorry it rained, then."

"Me, too," he said, kissing my temple.

I settled further into the chair, closer to him. "Would you have told me that it was your birthday so that I would have known it was a special day for you?"

He hummed and rubbed my arm. "You would have known it was special. I promise."

There was something else in his words, something wistful. I regarded him until he looked down at me. "But would you have told me?" I asked.

"No," he said after some consideration. "I probably wouldn't have thought it important."

I frowned. "That makes me sad." I thought longer on it. "And a little mad."

"Mad?"

"Well, yeah," I said, shrugging and looking back at the storm outside. "I would have liked the chance to make the day special for you. I'm glad Alice did all this for you, but. . . " I shrugged again. "I should have had the opportunity, too."

"Hmm, I suppose I see your point."

I almost smiled. "You suppose?"

Chuckling, he kissed the top of my head. "I guess it will just take some getting used to," he said.

"What? Me caring about you enough to want to make a big deal?" I asked, tilting my face to see him.

He nodded.

My heart ached. "Edward."

He met my gaze, reaching for one of my hands. "I won't make the same mistake again."

"Well. . . yeah," I said, blinking to keep him from completely dazzling me. "I know your birthday now."

He laughed softly and held my hand to his heart. "So you do."

I rolled my eyes, curling myself deeper into his embrace and resting my head on his chest. "Next year, I guess," I said. "I owe you a gift, though. If not two."

"The promise of next year is all the gift I need."

I smiled without meaning to. I guess we were more alike than I realized. I would rather have promises of time together than material things, too. Still, he'd done so much for me already, and his gift from Alice had been the result of something else he had wanted to do for me. He deserved so much more than just sitting in a chair playing footsie. He deserved everything.

But what could I give him that he didn't already have? Or hadn't already experienced?

The only two things I knew for certain were off-limits. At least for now.

"I still want to know how to spoil you," I said, instead of broaching that topic. "I need to know what kinds of gifts you like and how you like to spend your time."

He hummed, resuming the path his foot had been taking along mine. "Well, this year, I would be happy staying right here with you for the rest of the night."

"Oh, come on, you can do better than that."

"I mean it. And when you're tired, I'll carry you to bed and stay there with you as well."

My nose wrinkled. "That's what you do almost every night."

"That's fine by me."

I flexed my fingers against his chest. "Give me something else. Please?"

I heard, more than saw, him swallow. My eyes glanced up, hoping to catch his expression, my heart speeding in anticipation.

"What?" I asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "Nothing. It's nothing." He covered my hand with his. "I like rare albums. I like books, as you can see."

I laughed quietly. This was something else we shared. "I know that. What else?"

He was quiet a long moment. "I can always use a new journal."

"Edward."

He chuckled. "What? Is it so hard to believe that after nearly a century on my own, all I want is your time and attention?"

My heart skipped a beat. My breath left me. How did he always do that?

He tilted my face up. "Today was perfect. For me. This is all I need or want."

My eyes suddenly stung, and it took me a moment to think of a response. "That's. . . "

"Don't worry," he said when I didn't finish, "Alice will always be willing to help you. In fact, she's banking on you being in cahoots with her from now on."

A small laugh escaped me. "Cahoots?"

He smiled and sat back, winking at me.

"So, you really just want to sit here?" I asked, not letting the subject drop.

"Sure," he said. "Or, you could promise me that I get to spoil you rotten when it's your birthday."

"Oh, no," I said, not sure how I hadn't anticipated him flipping the script. "We're not talking about me today."

"We could. It could be your gift to me. Besides, September is right around the corner."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How do you know when my birthday is?"

He raised that eyebrow again. "Your mother. Alice. Your driver's license at security when we flew back from Virginia. Take your pick."

"Oh, no, Alice," I whispered, though I think it came out a groan.

Edward laughed. "Oh, yes, you're in it with me now."

I shook my head, wide eyed. "You have to save me. Please."

"I heard that!" came a shout from somewhere else in the house.

We fell into each other laughing.

"Well. . . " I said, when we'd gotten control of ourselves, "should we at least use this lovely new room for what it was intended, then?"

Edward dipped his head, a question in his eyes.

"We could read something," I said.

He smiled, surprised. "Together?"

I nodded. "We can take turns."

"That sounds perfect. What would you like to read?"

"You choose. Birthday boy."

His eyes were bright, liquid gold as he stared down at me. I felt my breath catch and tilted my chin toward him, wetting my lips before I knew what I was doing.

"I'll be right back," he whispered when at last he pulled away.

"I'll be right here," I answered, smiling stupidly at him.

He extricated himself from the chair, grinning. His fingers slid along my cheek. "Definitely best birthday ever."

I melted into our chair with a happy sigh.

~ ~ ~ ~(wdh)~ ~ ~ ~

My lovely beta Katmom had some family obligations, so I posted unbeta'd. Please forgive any errors and send me a note, so I can fix them. Also sending all the positive thoughts and well wishes her way! oxox Love you Kathie!