AN: I want to take a moment to thank all the reviewers. I appreciate all the kind words about this story and how you voice your care for Edward and Bella. It makes writing so much more enjoyable when you guys let me know what you think of it. If everyone that had this story tagged as a favorite or on alert left a review, this story would be close to 1000, which I hope to reach eventually.
I also want to thank a couple of lovely ladies, Jackson's Cupcake and A Jasper For Me. A Jasper For Me will be beta-ing both of my stories from this point forward and Jackson's Cupcake is pre-reading for me on Choices and lets me tease her with juicy tidbits from this story when we write together. I hope you will take a look at Jackson's Cupcake's stories. They are terrific.
I hope this chapter will reveal some of the information you have been waiting for plus give you some thrills as Edward gives Bella her best birthday ever. Let me know what you think!
*I don't own them.
Happy Birthday Bella
EPOV
Although I tried to keep the last week and a half, leading up to Bella's birthday, as stress-free as possible for her, there were still bumps in the road. A couple of those bumps were pretty large, but we were trying to work through them. I would be lying if I said I wasn't starting to get worried over Bella's pregnancy symptoms. I am a doctor and I know it is normal for her to be so tired and nauseated, yet it is scary actually watching the woman I love go through it. She has been having problems keeping much of anything down and I made it a point to discuss it with Emily when she called me regarding her conversation with Lauren.
Apparently, Lauren told Emily that our file was accessed by mistake. She was at home entering data for some of her patients, since she had to leave early that day, and erroneously put Bella's file number in. Roger was able to verify that Lauren had only briefly been in Bella's file, although he could not determine if she had seen any information regarding pregnancy results. Emily seemed satisfied with Lauren's explanation, but changed her policy of working from home. Employees were no longer able to access files remotely.
Emily had then tried to comfort my fears regarding Bella's symptoms. She wasn't scheduled for another check-up appointment until later in the month, but her severe fatigue, nausea, and even occasional nose bleeds were making me nervous as hell. I brought home a blood pressure cuff so that I could make periodic checks, and Emily said it was good that her BP seemed to be maintaining at normal levels. I knew Emily was going out of her way not to make me feel like one of the hundreds of nervous husbands that she normally had to deal with over the years.
Two days after talking with Dr. Young, Bella and I were expecting both Harry and Embry to meet with us over dinner and give us the information they had found so far. Embry had assured me he was relatively certain he knew who had sent us the package, although we likely wouldn't be able to prove it through legal measures. I had gotten home that night from work to find Bella in the kitchen, humming along as she was preparing spinach quiche for dinner. She had been craving spinach lately. She was all smiles for me, trying to assuage my anxiety. I couldn't believe my angel was always trying to make me feel better, even if she was feeling poorly. How did I get so lucky to find her? She was truly the most wonderful and caring woman I had ever met. She shooed me out of her kitchen and I tried to help by setting the table. Soon after, Harry and Embry arrived and we sat down for dinner.
After pleasantries were out of the way and dinner was served, Embry was the first to speak up regarding new information. He used a calm and pleasant demeanor to reveal the culprit behind the threat.
"After the meeting with Emily, I wanted to investigate Lauren Mallory myself, not exactly trusting that she would be completely forthcoming when her boss interrogated her." Embry began, before giving a sheepish glance toward Harry. "My methods of extracting useful information are on the fringes of legality, but I think you will be happy knowing the truth." He looked back to me and Bella, while Harry appeared to ignore the inference to illicit methodology. "Roger and I tapped into her personal cell phone and immediately following the meeting with Dr. Young, she contacted Tanya Denali. We have recorded the conversation requesting a meeting over coffee. Additionally, we were able to plant a bug discreetly on their table at their meeting and recorded their conversation."
Bella's eyes widened at the revelation that Lauren and/or Tanya were likely the ones behind the package. I grabbed her hand to hold under the table and rubbing calming circles on her knuckles. On the inside, I was a mess of nerves and anger. Tanya fucking Denali. That bitch was going to be ended. I pushed all my hatred and fury down, trying to keep Bella as calm as possible, as we waited for him to play us the conversation between Lauren and Tanya. He flipped on the recorded conversation from the coffee shop.
"Tanya, what did you do?"
"What are you talking about?"
"My boss confronted me today, asking about accessing Bella Cullen's file."
"Don't call her that! He only married that slut because she got knocked up. I was just getting Edward warmed up and she had to spread her legs."
"What in the hell did you do, Tanya? Dr. Young almost fired me! You lied to me. I tried to help you out, because I thought you were concerned about a friend, but you got into her file, didn't you? You did something to the Cullens, right?" Lauren's voice was a hysterical whisper.
"You wouldn't give me the information I needed, so I went and got it. Calm the hell down. You aren't fired and nobody knows anything about me. I won't need to access it again anyway. I have all the information on that bitch that I need."
"You are fucking insane. What did you do, Tanya?"
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. You will keep your cushy job as long as you keep your mouth shut. If you even think about going to your boss and blabbing, I will pin it all on you."
"God, you are such a bitch. I have no idea what my brother ever saw in you. I'm not just thinking of going to my boss, I'm thinking of going to the police, you fucking lunatic."
"Don't even think about it. I will ruin you. I will put everything on you, Lauren. After all, you are the one with ability to get into that bitch's file. Just go about your business and forget we ever met." The ice-cold lethality of Tanya's low voice sent chills down my spine. I heard a chair scrape back on the recording.
"Don't ever contact me again. I swear I will go to the police." I heard a rustling and then Embry shut it off, denoting the end of the conversation. I exhaled a deep gush of air. I felt like I had been gut-punched. It was Tanya behind it the whole time. She was fucking crazy. What could she possibly be thinking? Was she trying to make Bella lose the baby? Did she think that would make me love her less? I looked over at my angel. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. I brushed her cheek gently, trying to offer any comfort I could. I looked between Harry and Embry.
"So, the tap on her cell phone isn't something I want to take to the police, but I could use the recorded conversation as evidence, right? It was in a public place after all." I asked them. Harry nodded.
"Yes, you should be able to use the recording to implicate Tanya, but only so far as her involvement in accessing Bella's file. There is no concrete evidence she was behind the package, although that is what appears to have happened." Harry said, before pausing. "To make any charges stick, you will likely need the assistance of Lauren in testifying against Tanya. I have to be honest with you though, she likely wouldn't face any jail time even if you could make the case for a HIPAA violation of illegally accessing private medical information. The most you would get would be fines levied against her." I pinched the bridge of my nose. We knew it was Tanya behind the threat, but couldn't prove it.
"Look Edward, with this information, your father has cause to fire Tanya from her position at the hospital. We will need to continue watching her, to see if she makes another move to threaten you or Bella. We are also still trying to find the delivery kid from the building surveillance. That would be your link between Tanya and the package. Until then, we just keep an eye on her and an eye on Bella." Embry told us. I didn't want to tell them that I was liable to strangle Tanya on the spot, if I ever was in a room with her again. Although, that punishment would be too light. I squeezed Bella's hand.
"Baby, do you mind if I call my parents to come over? I need my father to hear this tonight so that he can get rid of her tomorrow." I asked her.
"Yes, please call them." She said softly. I knew she was going over all this information in her head. It was usually fascinating to watch her as her mind whirled, processing new facts. Now, it was just painful, knowing that the information she was digesting was threatening and daunting. I quickly called my parents, knowing they would drop everything to come over immediately. I watched Bella, as she straightened her shoulders and held her head up, looking at Embry.
"Have you also found something about Victoria?" She asked him. He nodded.
"Yes, we have been tailing her for the last couple weeks. She has made several visits to Riley Cooper, so she is in contact with James' attorney. She has also made a couple more inquiries about you to a few people in Forks. We haven't found any information that she plans to seek you out, nor about why she wants details about your life now, but we are looking. Harry has kept track of the lawyer's visits with James. It is odd that he has had so many consultations in the last couple months, since there are no appeals to be had, nor any parole." He cleared his throat a little, looking at Harry. "You may want to cover your ears." He said to Harry with a chuckle, before looking back to us. "We want to get into Cooper's office and find out what he is working on. Is this some attempt at trying to renege the guilty plea and confession due to some excuse like insanity? That is what I am guessing at this point. He will probably try to prove that Monroe's legal representation was not competent at the time of his arrest and confession and that James did not receive the aid that he should have. It appears that Victoria is the one that hired Cooper to take over James' case."
Fuck! They were going to try to get that monster out by some technicality. Emmett was going to blow his stack. I watched Bella shudder, thinking about Embry's words regarding James. I leaned over to rub her arms, trying to give her any comfort I could. She turned and gave me a small smile. She was still trying to keep me calm when all I wanted to do was protect her and love her. I wanted to end all these threats, near and far, and keep my Bella safe and serene. She patted my hand and stood up.
"Let's clear these dishes and make some coffee to go with dessert. Your parents will be here soon." She said to me, before looking at Embry and Harry. "You two stay right here. I have some chocolate cake that I know you will love." She said with a smile.
I helped her clear the table and bring in dessert, just as my parents arrived. Mom was again pinned to Bella's side, as they were informed of the information regarding Tanya and Lauren. Dad was absolutely livid. I wondered briefly if he would even be able to keep his cool when he fired her the next day. When I glanced back over at Bella, my heart stopped for a moment. I saw the drop of blood coming from her nose and jumped up, rushing to her side.
"It's OK, baby." I said, as I gently placed a cloth napkin under her nose and murmured to her to tilt her head back. She hated the sight of her own blood and I knew it scared her a little when she got a nosebleed. Although I knew it was a common occurrence during pregnancy, due to increased blood flow, it still scared the shit out of me, seeing Bella bleeding. I also knew it could be a product of stress. I wanted to cry in frustration, that she had to deal with all of this absurdity right now. I watched dad move toward us with ice wrapped in a towel. I took it from him and held it over Bella's nose. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, wanting to get rid of those unshed tears in her eyes forever. I listened to Harry asking my father if they should leave and dad telling them it was alright and explaining that this could happen during a pregnancy. I got the bleed stopped and Bella cleaned up, trying to keep the evidence of her blood out of her line of sight. Bella finally righted her head and looked around.
"I'm sorry. I am fine everyone." I sighed, listening to her shaky voice. I don't know why she would apologize. My mom jumped in before I could say anything.
"Bella, please honey, you are just fine. Don't you worry about anything." I knew my mom was talking about more than just the nosebleed. I wouldn't want to be Tanya Denali, if she were ever left in a room alone with Esme Cullen. It was almost enough to make me smile, thinking about it.
Everything calmed down after that. Embry and Harry told us they would continue gathering any information they could and that Tanya and Victoria would both be under constant surveillance. My father asked for a copy of the recording and Embry already had one ready for him.
The next day, I watched as Tanya was told by her superior to go immediately to the Chief's office. I had to restrain myself from tearing her apart. I felt slightly vindicated when she glanced over at me, glaring at her in hatred. My dad had told me that I was not allowed to be present when he fired her, knowing how close I was to erupting. He told me to go to the gym and release some frustration out on a punching bag. Although I had been warned, I couldn't help loitering near the exit when I knew she would be coming out following her release. I watched as she hurried out, her face hardened in anger, and I stalked over to cut her off.
"The blood on the bib was a nice touch." I spat, getting in her face.
"Fuck you, asshole. Have fun with your little tramp bitch. You don't know what you are missing." I have never been a violent person. I'd never really been involved in a physical altercation even once in my life. But, at that moment, I had to clench my fists to keep myself from ripping her apart.
"If you know what is good for you, you will forget I exist, forget my wife exists, forget Chicago altogether. You are finished in this city. I will make your life a never-ending hell. And if you ever contact me, my wife, or my family in any way ever again, I will personally kill you." I meant every word coming out of my mouth and I think she knew I did, too. She actually shrunk back in fear, as I hunched over her, just ready for her to say one word to make me snap. Then, I felt a firm grip on my shoulder. I looked over and saw Felix, a trusted security guard that had been with the hospital for a couple decades.
"Miss Denali, you need to leave. You are forbidden access to this facility permanently. If you don't leave immediately, I will have to detain you for trespassing." I watched her eyes leave my face and glare at Felix, before she turned and walked quickly away.
"Come on, Edward. Your dad wants to see you." Felix told me gently, trying to get me to calm down. I was breathing heavily and I am sure I had murder in my eyes. I walked next to Felix, as he escorted me to my dad's office. He closed the door behind me after I walked in. I expected to be chewed out for the confrontation on hospital grounds, but was surprised by the look of understanding on my dad's face. Still, in this office, he was the Chief and I was one of his employees.
"Are you alright?" He asked. I nodded.
"Yeah, just a little amped up. I really could have killed her." I said, looking down at my hands. I wouldn't have thought myself capable of it before, but knowing Tanya was responsible for all the grief that package had brought my Bella made me believe that she had better steer clear of my path.
"I know, son. That's why I sent Felix out to get you." He sighed and sat down heavily in his chair, pointing for me to take a seat. "She is the one that sent it." He confirmed. I knew that from downstairs, but wanted to hear how he was assured of the same thing. "I played the recording for her when she came in and I thoroughly questioned her. She lied, of course, and was very calculating, but I haven't been a doctor this long and not seen the best liars in the world. She isn't nearly as good as she thinks she is." He paused before asking me what I had said to her downstairs. I told him everything I said. He nodded and cleared his throat.
"Well, I think with the tail she has from Embry, that is about all we can do right now. Are you going to contact Emily and give her the information about Lauren?" He asked.
"Yes." I said simply. I knew Lauren didn't know what Tanya would do with the information about Bella's pregnancy, but she still assisted her in obtaining it. I would ruthlessly put an end to all this, as soon as possible.
"Edward, take the rest of the day off. I will pull an attending off another floor to cover. Go take care of what you need to take care of and go home to Bella." I started to refuse, knowing I would be switching shifts the next week for her birthday. He cut me off with a wave of his hand. "That wasn't a request. Also, I wasn't kidding about getting some of your frustration out. You are wired so tight, you look like you are about to explode. You need to get your mind right and keep Bella calm. This should be some good news to take to her. I imagine Tanya is permanently out of the picture now. I don't think she is stupid enough to try anything else."
I thanked him before I left. I went to the locker-room and grabbed some workout clothes I kept there for going to the gym. As I walked to my car, I called Emmett, hoping he hadn't left for practice yet. He agreed to meet me at the gym, since he didn't have practice for a few hours. On my way, I dropped by Emily's office and had a brief discussion with her. My eyes scanned all her employees, wondering who Lauren was. I caught a blond-haired nurse watching me with wide eyes and assumed she was Lauren. I tried to keep myself from sneering, but wasn't sure if I was successful. Emily was understandingly upset by my news and promised that she would resolve the breach of security with her employee.
I met Emmett at the gym and he put me through a tiring workout, everything from running to boxing to weightlifting. I knew I would be feeling the burn for a couple days, but it really helped clear my head and ease the tension I had built up with so much anxiety over the situation and aggression towards Tanya. Emmett also happened to be a great listener. I filled him in on every detail of information we had received over the last day and he helped me see that, at least for now, things were looking much better, even though he was uncomfortable with the possibility of James seeking a release on the grounds of misrepresentation. I felt like a large weight had been lifted off my shoulders when I got back in my car to drive home.
When I walked in the apartment, I found Bella sitting at her desk typing away on her laptop. She was wearing some tiny tank top and shorts, with her hair piled on her head. My cock stood at attention, seeing the bare skin of her shoulders and neck. Our normal routine of screwing like rabbits had been on hiatus for a few days with Bella feeling so poorly. I gave my cock a quick internal lecture about not attacking our beautiful wife until she was ready for it. I'm not sure he heard me.
I walked over to her and she looked up, smiling in surprise.
"Hey baby." I said, leaning down to give her a chaste kiss. She looked me over, noticing my sweaty body in shorts and a t-shirt.
"Hey, what are you doing home?" She asked.
"Well, the Chief of Staff kicked me out." I grinned at her, letting her know it was alright. I proceeded to tell her all about my morning, everything from Tanya until working out with Emmett. She took everything in, before looking at me with a smile.
"So, for now, everything seems to be OK?" She asked, mostly to herself. Sure, we still had to worry about what Victoria and James were up to, but we had them monitored and would know well in advance if she was headed this way. I brought her hand up to kiss it.
"I think so, baby. And now I am going to go up and take a shower and then you and I are going to spend the rest of the day together, doing whatever you want." I gave her one last kiss on the forehead before rushing up the stairs to clean up.
I had only been under the steaming water for about a minute when I felt a cool breeze from the door opening. I turned around and watched Bella enter the shower, walking toward me with a sly grin on her face. She looked almost ethereal in her beauty, as she glided toward me with the steam billowing around her. Her hair had been pulled down and the beautiful mahogany waves flowed down to frame her voluptuous breasts. Have I mentioned yet that I love pregnant Bella's body? I could suck on and play with one of those full, perky breasts for a week straight and never tire of it. I was also starting to notice just the slightest bit of showing in her abdomen area. The changes occurring from her carrying our child made me literally salivate and it was hard to hold myself back at times from being too rough with her. I'm relatively sure that I saw a smirk on her face as she pressed her body into mine, feeling how hard I was already. Her hands rubbed circles over my chest before moving up to lock around my neck, urging me to lean down and kiss her. I moaned into her mouth when her tongue sought mine, teasing me with her fierce kisses. She suddenly pulled back and I watched her, as her hand moved down to gently stroke my cock.
"Edward?" My eyes moved from watching her hand on my cock to look into her chocolate brown depths.
"Yes?" I croaked out. Anything you want in the world and it is yours, just please don't stop touching me.
"Remember the first night I was in Chicago?" She moved closer to me and spoke softly. "Remember how we could barely wait to get inside, before tearing each other's clothes off?" Do I remember that? Uh, fuck yes I do. We almost took the front door down. I felt her fingers release my dick and I may have whimpered a little, before I felt them again, running lightly over my abs. "Do you remember taking me against the door? How you were fucking me so hard that my ass pounded against it over and over and over?" I closed my eyes and groaned. She was trying to kill me. But, what a fucking way to go. Her hands came completely off of me then and she moved to stand with her back against the tiled wall of the shower. I looked over at her and almost came simply by watching her lick her lips. "Well, I want you to do that again, right here." My heart pounded as I made a stride over to her and pressed her firmly into the wall. Fuck, I loved when she talked to me like this during sex. My mouth attached to hers again and I stroked her pussy, making sure she was ready for me. I broke my kiss, breathing deeply before talking in her ear.
"Fuck me. You are so wet." My hands moved to lift her up by her thighs and I felt her legs wrap around me. Her face was level with mine and our eyes locked, as we both panted in desire. "So, you want to be fucked against the wall, Isabella?"
"Yes."
I was done asking questions. I guided my cock into her wet heat and slid in fully, with a moan. Nothing was better than feeling her tight and warm around me. I kissed her hard, as I pulled out and pushed in again, building up a pounding rhythm. I felt her breathy moans, each time I hammered her into the wall. The sounds of our bodies smacking together echoed off the enclosed sides of the shower, intensifying the experience. My mouth moved from hers, to gasp in air, as I grunted into her neck. I felt her hands gripping around my shoulders and heard her crying out with each drive into her.
"Oh, Edward! Yes! Oh! Yes!" Hearing her screams spurred me on, continuing as I pulled in and out of her; loving the way it felt when her walls started clamping down around me, indicating she was close. I tried to fight the familiar tightening in my balls. I wanted this feeling to last longer. I pulled my head up and slowed my thrusts, so that I could watch her face as she came. I loved the way she closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and moaned her release through her partially opened mouth.
I pulled out of her and turned her around to face the wall. She was on wobbly legs, but that was alright, she didn't need to put her full weight down on them. She pressed her hands against the wall and I leaned into her, holding her up against me with one arm around her waist. I licked her earlobe and spoke softly to her. "Are you ready for more, my love?" My lips curved in a smile when she could only nod and hum in response. I nudged her legs apart with my knee and guided my cock back into her from behind. With one arm still holding her up around her waist, I brought my other hand around to rub her clit as I pounded into her again. I knew her sensitive little bundle of nerves wouldn't take too much stimulation for a second climax. I drove her into the tile, wishing it was my face that was smashed against her breasts, instead of the wall. With each thrust, I lifted up her up enough so that her toes left the floor; and I admired the way her ass shook when our bodies slapped together. As soon as I felt her coming again, I knew I was close behind. I plunged as deeply as possible and spilled into her, rolling my hips and moaning until my release was complete. I kept her steady, but lessened my strong grip around her. I kissed her repeatedly, all over her shoulders and neck; our bodies still shaking from our highs. "I love you, my angel." I murmured, trying to keep myself upright. My legs felt like jello after both the gym workout and the shower exercises.
When we finally got out of the shower and dried off, I asked her what she wanted to do the rest of the day. She told me that it would be perfect for the two of us to spend the rest of the day in bed. And that is exactly what we did, only taking breaks to use the restroom or go downstairs to get sustenance. It was perfect.
We were able to actually relax somewhat over the next few days, without the constant threat of the unknown hanging over our heads. I spent all my spare time thinking about romantic birthday presents for my Bella. Her birthday was on a Thursday and I did have to work until six that day before Bella and I met the family out to celebrate. But, I was able to switch a shift with Sam so that we would have Friday and the whole weekend together. I didn't mind pulling a double shift the next week to gain more time with Bella for her birthday. I was happy with the ideas I came up with, not wanting to spend a lot of money, knowing she wouldn't like it; but, romance her with things that meant more. As she slept during the night, before her birthday, I finalized everything around the house. I couldn't wait to see her face when I saw her the next day.
BPOV
I woke up on the morning of my 21st birthday slightly depressed from feeling the cold bed beside me. Even though I knew Edward had to leave early for rounds, I still wished he had woken me with a birthday kiss before he left. I sighed, reaching for his pillow so that I could ease the discomfort of his absence by breathing in his scent. My hand grazed a paper on top of his pillow and I picked it up to read what was on it.
Happy Birthday, my love!
I'm so sorry that I can't be there to give you a proper wake-up call on your birthday, but I promise I will make it up to you over the next few days. Although I may not be there in body, please know I have left my heart there with you. Please take care of it for me.
There are innumerable reasons why I love you so much. Sometimes, I think I might burst from how strongly I feel for you. But, I wanted to leave you with one reason for each year this earth has been blessed with your beautiful soul. I hope you find each of the twenty-one messages I have left for you around the house and that they bring a smile to your face until I see you this evening.
Yours always,
Edward
I was glad that I was lying down as I read his beautiful words, because I definitely would have fallen from the swooning, if I had been standing. I sat up and stretched, now eager to find all of Edward's love notes. The giant red heart leaning against my bedside table made my heart leap. I quickly grabbed it. I saw that he had cut the shape from red posterboard and written his message on one side in black marker. His perfect scrawl warmed my heart almost as much as the words.
#1 I love that I feel like I have a piece of heaven on earth, because you look like an angel when you are asleep in my arms.
Gah! Could he be anymore perfect? I grinned and ran my fingers lovingly over his writing. Did he really make twenty-one of these? I sat there for a moment, thinking about my beautiful man. He always took so much time and effort to make sure I was as happy and comfortable as possible. I knew the last couple weeks had been as hard on him as they were for me, maybe even harder. He not only worried about my protection, but also had to stand by and watch me getting sick and tired from my pregnancy.
The day he came home early, telling me that it was Tanya that had been behind the threat, I had seen a change in him. It was almost as if he were lighter, knowing that at least one of the problems had been taken care of and that she wouldn't be bothering us again. It had actually turned me on when he told me about confronting Tanya, as she left Carlisle's office. I knew that if I ever had the chance, I wasn't going to hold back from hitting her repeatedly. I hated her with the fire of a thousand suns.
Of course, we still knew that something may be brewing with Victoria, but it didn't feel as ominous with her being on the other side of the country. I trusted Harry and Embry implicitly and had every confidence they would figure out what was happening. From that day forward, I also felt better physically. I hadn't had another nosebleed, which was good, because I wasn't sure I could handle them if they occurred when Edward was gone. Something about seeing my own blood made me want to pass out. It appeared that the relief brought from the discovery of Tanya's actions, eased some of the stress off of me. My blood pressure had remained normal and I had been able to keep more food down; I was actually starting to really crave certain foods that I never had before and some that I have always craved became even more mouthwatering. Edward still kept me stocked with crackers and ginger snaps, but I have added oreos and peanut butter to the arsenal.
I was also beginning to feel and see the evidence of my baby. My hand reached down to rub my belly, with a small bulge forming. I rubbed circles over the hard protuberance, and quietly told our baby how romantic their daddy was. Being able to actually feel, on my body, where my baby would reside for the next seven months, made it all seem more real. Over the last few days, I had started discussions with Alice and Esme about decorating a nursery in the closest spare bedroom to ours. I think that I wanted a nursery that was gender neutral. I didn't like the stereotypes of drowning a girl's room in pink and a boy's in blue. I shook my head, pulling myself out of my thoughts.
What was I doing? I had Edward love notes stashed all over the house and I was sitting here like a lump!
I jumped out of bed, looking carefully around the rest of the bedroom and not seeing another heart. I knew my man was sneaky, so I had to look in every door and closet, perhaps even a few drawers. I went into the walk-in closet and noticed another heart on the island.
#2 I love that you don't care about the material things of the world, even though I want you to have every luxury money can afford.
A smile erupted on my face as I read his note and I clutched the red heart to my chest. Edward could cause my heart to race and my stomach to flutter even with his written words. I moved on to the bathroom, finding two hearts, one propped up against the mirror and one against the door to the shower.
#3 I love the way our eyes meet in the mirror when we brush our teeth together. You have the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes.
#4 I love the way the water streams down your perfect body. I also love the way you look and feel, pressed against the tiles.
I giggled, thinking of our shower sex a few days before. I started fanning my face with my hearts when my cheeks flushed from the memory. Inner bad girl was licking her lips. I had to agree with her, my personal sex god pounding into me against the tiles was hot.
I took a peek in the spare bedroom next to ours. I found a heart lying on the center of the bed.
#5 I love that you are giving me the greatest gift I could ever receive. Our child will have the most wonderful mother in the world.
That one made me pause. I bit my lip as I thought about his words. I just hoped that I could live up to his expectations of a good mother. I had no idea how to be a mother and Edward's mom epitomized the term. How could I ever live up to the role that Esme played to perfection in his life, when I had no role model of my own? I really needed to talk to someone about this problem, but I put it in the back of my mind, as I continued on my path in search of hearts.
I moved down the stairs and went first to the living room. I laughed when I saw a heart sitting on top of a pair of my sandals that I had sitting next to the couch.
#6 I love that you take your shoes off when you come home, and leave them lying around in places where I am sure to trip over them.
I laughed even louder. I could just imagine the pout on Edward's face when he wrote out that one. I then saw a heart placed up on one of the paintings.
#7 I love that you were immediately comfortable in your home when you came to Chicago. I love that you were never picky or wanted to completely revamp the whole place. I simply love that we are so compatible.
He was right about that. We often liked the same things. It wasn't as if I were holding back from telling him I didn't like something about the house or about him. I just liked everything as it was. I moved next to his piano, noticing a heart sitting on top of sheet music.
#8 I love that you enjoy sitting here with me and letting me play for you. I love you so much that I composed the lullaby on the sheets beneath this heart for you, for your birthday. I will play it for you when we get home tonight.
My breath hitched. He wrote me a song? Tears came to my eyes as I looked at the title on the top of the sheet of music, Bella's Lullaby. He was making this the most perfect birthday ever. He wasn't going out and spending tons of money, he was giving me parts of himself and I couldn't have been happier. I went to the den and found a heart on the couch.
#9 I love snuggling with you on this couch, watching movies. I love the way you fit so perfectly, resting your head on my chest or in the crook of my neck. I also love the cute little snores that come from you when you fall asleep in the middle of the movie.
I scoffed. I don't snore! That beautiful man must be imagining things. I shook my head and smiled. I loved snuggling up with him while watching movies, too. I moved on to the study. I found three hearts in there. One was on my desk, one on my laptop, and one on a shelf holding some of my books.
#10 I love the way you look sitting here, working away. I love your frown of concentration and the way you twist your hair up out of your face with a pencil, making me want to grab you and bend you over this very desk.
Inner bad girl was panting.
#11 I love that you are willing to sacrifice some things in your life to protect those you love. I love that you are working on this novel so intently, even though circumstances prevented you from going to classes. I love that even though you were disappointed, you have never once complained about the sacrifice you made. I love you so much.
I knew how much it meant to him that I deferred classes. I would do anything to protect our baby.
#12 I love that you have such adoration for the written word. I love that we share our affection for books and that I can discuss any literature topic created with you. I love that I could talk to you for hours, days, years and never get tired or bored from our conversation.
We did have a common love of books. That was kind of a deal-breaker for me. I'm glad I never had to use it with my Edward. I moved to the dining room. I found a heart on the hutch and a heart on the table.
#13 I love that you want to use the dishes in this hutch to serve family on special occasions. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you love and accept my family and that they return the love completely. You were born to be a Cullen.
#14 I love that we eat dinner here together every night. I also love that I can throw you on top and have dessert.
The giggle returned, reading his naughty words. I moved to the kitchen. There were a few hearts in here, one on the refrigerator, one on the counter, one on the stove, and one on the kitchen table.
#15 I love that you keep cream cheese stocked in here even though I know you hate it. I love that we can share so much in common, yet still be our own separate selves.
#16 I love the way you look, sitting up on top of this counter. The things I can do to you, when I sit you up here…it is just the perfect height.
#17 I love the dinners that you cook so often. I love that you care enough for me to want to show your affection by making delicious food that you know I love to eat.
#18 I love having weekend breakfasts with you here at the kitchen table. I also love sprawling you out on it as we scoot it across the floor.
I laughed at my dirty-minded Edward. I walked out of the kitchen into the entryway. I knew there should be three more hearts somewhere. I found one on the entryway table, where we kept our keys, and another on the front door.
#20 I love that the other set of keys here are yours. I love that you didn't put up too much of a fuss about driving the BMW, even though it doesn't compare to your old Beast.
#21 I love that every time I walk through this door, I am coming home to you. I love everything about you, Bella. Forever.
His sweetness melted my insides. Sometimes it was hard to breathe, thinking about how much I loved him and he loved me. I looked over the last two hearts. I was missing #19. I went back to the kitchen and looked around again. The pantry held no hearts either. I started opening drawers and finally found it sitting on top of my apron.
#19 I love when you wear this apron and nothing else!
I laughed. I should have known the last one I would find would be in line with his insatiable sex appetite. I wouldn't have him any other way though. When he called me a little later, to wish me a happy birthday, I made sure I told him how much I loved his words and his gifts and how much they truly meant to me. I couldn't wait to thank him properly. I wished we didn't have to be with the whole family that night.
Rose and Alice came over that afternoon and we all got ready together. I wore a dark blue dress, knowing Edward would love it. We met the rest of the family at a local steakhouse. I couldn't believe how good the steaks smelled to me when we entered. I was drooling by the time my meal was served and moaned when I bit into my first piece of medium rare filet. I knew I had just found another item of food I would be craving. Esme grinned at my excitement over the meat. I was happy when my whole family had abided by my request for no gifts. My birthday present was being able to share, talk, and laugh with them all and not have to deal with presents. They each gave me a personalized card and I cried as I read through them all. Those meant more to me than any expensive gift ever could. I excused myself to use the restroom, before dessert was served. As I was coming out of the ladies room to return to the table, I was grabbed and pulled into the other bathroom. I almost screamed until I recognized the charged feeling from the touch and the smell of my Edward. He pulled me in and pressed me to the door, before locking us inside.
"What are you doing?" I asked him. He grinned down at me and gave me a searing kiss. His lips moved to kiss my jaw, then my neck, then the base of my ear. I moaned as I felt his hands sneak under my skirt, rubbing my thighs. Then, his warm breath slid over my ear and it sent tingles through me.
"I am giving you another part of your birthday present. You have me all to yourself for the next four nights, including tonight, and three days." He licked my ear before continuing his sinfully velvet whispering. "During that time, my darling Bella, I plan to give you one orgasm for each year of your life."
Twenty-one orgasms? Inner bad girl was humping his leg. Inner good girl had already fainted from the lick to the ear. Could a person die from over-climaxing? I wasn't going to think about it at that moment, because I saw his bronze hair lowering in front of me. He made quick work removing my panties and pocketing them.
I wonder if he has a collection he keeps somewhere? Like displaying awards, or maybe scalps. I felt him throw one of my legs over his shoulder before he buried his face in my pussy.
Oh my God. The feeling of his talented tongue licking, flicking, and sucking my girly parts was like nothing else in this world. He knew it, too. I felt his fingers thrust inside me and I gasped out, trying not to make too much noise. I looked down at him staring up at me.
"Do you like it when I finger your pretty pussy, Bella?" Fuck. He knew how to push every one of my buttons. My sex buttons. It was like he wrote the owner's manual for my hoohah. I nodded at him, before moaning and biting my lip. He moved more quickly that he normally did, knowing our family was out there waiting for us and possibly there was a line waiting outside to use the restroom. It wasn't long before I came hard, practically seeing stars, and Edward finally rose again and attacked my lips. I felt him put my hand on his hard cock.
"That's for you when we get home." He said in my mouth. Then he leaned in to whisper again. "One down, twenty to go, my love." I was still trying to regain my eyesight and ability to speak English, when he pulled me back to my seat at the table. From the smirks running rampant around the table, the family all knew what we were up to in our absence. At least they were polite enough not to voice their suspicions out loud. I blushed as the servers gathered around to sing me happy birthday; and I blew out my candles on the cake, that had been specially prepared. The night with the family was just what I needed and it was the perfect birthday for me.
It got even better when we got home and Edward played my lullaby. It was so beautiful and I asked him if he would record it for me so that I could listen to it anytime. He smiled almost shyly and agreed to my request. That night I got served up orgasm #2, 3, and 4.
The next three days were blissful. Edward kept me in heaven by pampering me, making my meals, and giving me mind-blowing orgasms over and over again. I couldn't have planned a better birthday for myself. Nor could I have really been happier than I was right then. I had the perfect man, the perfect family, a baby on the way, and Tanya was out of the picture.
Happy birthday to me.
AN2: Did I answer your questions about who sent the horrible "wedding gift"? What is going on with Victoria? Wouldn't you like to have a birthday like Bella's?
Let me know what you think!