…'Meyer' made the mold…but we are all here to break it…lol…

Chapter 20

BUBBLES. BUBBLES were everywhere and up to her chin. She couldn't remember the last time she did this for herself but today it was an absolute necessity for survival. Cullen survival. Ha.

Her body felt so very and thoroughly relaxed as she soaked, letting her mind wander repeatedly over the events of last night. Not the date, or more specifically, not the end of the date because the dinner part was fantastic. It was the event that occurred from the moment she knocked on Edward's door until she had to leave through the same that she couldn't stop from revolving in her mind.

Gah.

Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined sex with Edward being that thrilling and fulfilling and just all around fucking fantastic.

And, Edward was right. She could still feel him. Deep inside, and all over her skin and sore muscles, too. She never wanted it to go away. And the muscles surrounding her mouth were sore too. Most likely from his kisses but also from the now-permanent smile on her face.

It felt like a dream, except for the evidence of her body.

Rising from the cooling water, Bella stood on her still weak legs and reached for the fluffy light blue towel hanging on the wall. She carefully stepped out of the tub and onto the bath mat, dripping as she looked at her reflection in the wide wall mirror.

Yup. There were indeed some very lovely little bruises and red marks on her chest and breasts, and on her ass. She could only smile at the thought of Edward putting them there.

He was insatiable.

And she was ruined for all other men. No one would ever compare to Edward in bed. Of this she had no doubt.

After drying off, Bella pulled her dark blue robe from off the hook on the bathroom door and moved into her bedroom. She picked up her clothing still lying on her floor and headed downstairs to the laundry room when her cell phone rang. Switching direction, she moving through the living area and into the kitchen where she had thrown her purse earlier on the bar.

She cleared her throat. "Hello."

"My dear Miss Swan. This is Ronny Henderson. I was able to get your number from Sam Morrison. He's very protective of you as I am sure you know. We met at your art showing last weekend and I was hoping you would have a moment or two to talk."

Her jaw dropped open. Her eyes bugged out of her head. She stopped breathing.

"Hello? Miss Swan?"

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Bella found her voice and managed to squeak out, "Mr. Henderson. Of course I remember you. How is Mrs. Henderson?"

She could hear the smile in his voice when he replied. "My dear, Mrs. Henderson is well on her way to chewing my ear off. Apparently my actions have been too slow for her liking. So now I am trying to remedy that."

Bella smiled at his well worded reply. It was obvious Mr. Henderson adored his wife. She smirked, "Oh, really? And how does a phone call to me help you remedy your situation exactly?"

"The patrons of New York need you, Miss Swan. Specifically, Gallery Nine. Seems the walls are screaming for a chance to hang your work." He paused clearing his throat. "My wife and I want to discuss with you the possibility of organizing a showing. As soon as possible, too. We have some things already lined up in the future, you know, closer to the holidays, but we would love to contract with you before then. What do you say? Is two weeks too soon? Maybe three at most. We will need time to advertise, of course, but I think that the timing would be perfect for all involved."

Her vision swam. She was going to faint.

Forcing as huge amount of air into her lungs, she slid down to sit on her kitchen floor.

Had she heard him correctly?

"Miss Swan? Isabella, are you still there my dear?" He sounded a bit concerned.

She stumbled out, "Um…uh. Yes…yes, I am here. Just…I just don't know what…what to say, Mr. Henderson."

He laughed at her apparent disbelief. "Well, it's as simple as saying yes!"

Bella took another deep breath and blew it out slow and loud.

"Yes."

xxCSxx

"OH NO, I am interested all right. This is perfect and I am truly jumping at this opportunity, old friend." Edward's smile couldn't get much bigger.

Pulling up to the curb right near that mailbox with the word 'Swan's' painted across it, he put his car in park and looked towards the movement at Bella's front window. He could just make out two young faces peering out at him between the curtains, one waving adorably at him and the other holding up two 'rabbit' fingers behind her unknowing sister's smiling blond head.

Apparently his smile could get bigger.

Holding up one finger to let Rosey and June know that he just needed a minute, he returned to the conversation. "Send Jackson all the specs and details, and copies of your books and we will see what we are looking at. And congratulations, by the way. You deserve it."

Ending the call, Edward reached over to his passenger seat to retrieve a largish paper bag and exited his vehicle to head up the old stone path to the front door. He could see June's retreating figure moving back through the house, but Rosey was still at the window waving shyly now as he got closer, smile still on her pretty little face.

He knocked and waited. He could hear Bella's muffled voice inside telling her oldest to be on her best behavior and he grinned. She sounded just like his own mom.

The door swung open and two blue eyes stared expectantly at the bag in his hand. "What's you got in the bag?"

He could only laugh and reached to ruffle her pretty head. "What, no hello? No, how are you?"

Rosey smiled sheepishly up at him. "Sorry, Edward. Hello, and how are you?" She fidgeted a little, looking back at the bag quickly and then forcing her eyes back to his face.

"Hello, Rosey. I am well. How are you?" He reached with his free hand and grabbed her own, bringing it to his lips for a quick little kiss in greeting. She blushed just like her mama.

Taking her hand out of his, Rosey giggled and twirled, replying, "I'm excited! Mama's making our favorite homemade pizza's for dinner!" She jumped to a stop and looked at the bag again. "Now please, what's in that bag? 'Cause Mama doesn't like presents. But I do!"

"Rosey, let the man inside the house, sweety."

Edward looked up and saw Bella approaching him with June on her heels. She was dressed casual in black skinny jeans and a Rolling Stones jersey t-shirt. No shoes again. Why did that turn him on so much?

He stepped through the threshold and took a few steps in Bella's direction as she neared, his eyes moving up and down her body as she walked. "Hi."

"Hi," she breathed out and blushed, taking in the tight white t-shirt and dark blue jeans he wore. Sin.

Stopping in front of him, she reached for the top of the bag, trying to peer inside, and asked suspiciously, "What's this? You were not supposed to bring anything."

"No peeking, B." Edward blocked her efforts by grabbing her hand away and leaning down to kiss her check and then behind her ear.

"Oh, brother!" June, seeing her mom being kissed, had her hands covering her eyes in embarrassment. "Yuck!"

Edward barked out a laugh and moved around Bella to face June, still holding the bag as he spoke to the apparently mortified girl, "Hey there, June." She peaked at him through her fingers with a small huff. "Want to help me take this into the kitchen? I think you are going to like what's inside."

He could see a small smile beginning but it quickly disappeared as she let her arms drop to her sides and looked up at him in mock annoyance, "Well, I guess so. You can't let Rosey do it because she's too little. But you have to let me take everything out of the bag, and, if there are treats in there I call first dibs."

Bella gasped at her daughter's rudeness. "June Reed! Sweety, you can't say 'first dibs' when a guest brings over anything. You don't even know what's inside there!" Bella playfully swatted at her daughter's bottom.

"Don't!" June screeched, giggling now, and grabbed the bag from Edward quickly and fled to the kitchen. She looked over her should at her sister, "Come on, Rosey! Let's see what he brought us!"

Rosey jumped up and down and raced after her sister.

Laughing, Edward turned to Bella then, his expression changing to something entirely different as he snaked both arms around her lower back, moving her backwards against the front door to press up against her, making her gasp. "Don't you want to know what I have for you, little girl?" He let his lips find her sensitive spot behind her ear, slowly kissing and sucking her sweetness there and letting his breath move down her neck.

"Edward," she whined and gave a half-hearted little push against his chest. "Don't you dare start that." She took in a deep breath and the smell of him made her mouth water.

God, he is edible!

"Why, B?" He raised his head to stare at her flushed face, almost nose to nose. "Don't you like it?" His hips pressed to hers gently and rotated a little. "I am pretty sure that you like it a lot."

He kissed her then, deep and long.

She groaned, her head spun. She ached deep inside.

He groaned and grabbed her ass.

She squeaked.

Breaking their kiss, Edward smiled and whispered, "How are you here, sweetheart?" He rubbed her there now, soothing.

"Um…uh." She shook her head trying to clear her mind from the effects of the evil horny man that is Edward Cullen. "It's better now, I guess."

He stared into her eyes to see if she was only trying to appease his concern. She looked sincere. "Okay, good. And how are you here? Can you still feel me?" He shifted his leg to move between her thighs and pressed against her center.

Suddenly, he released her and stepped back.

"Mama!" Rosey ran towards them holding what could only be described as the largest lollypop on the planet. "Look, look!" They couldn't even see her face behind the giant multicolored sugar delight.

Quickly straightening herself, Bella gave a warning glance to Edward, who had the grace to look guilty at almost getting them caught in such a compromising embrace.

She cleared her throat and spoke, "Wow, look at that monster lollypop! What do you say, sweety?"

Rosey peaked around and smiled up at Edward, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She turned and ran back to the kitchen.

"Edward Cullen! That was just mean." She smacked his arm.

"Sorry," he grinned and didn't sound the least bit sorry, "I can't help it, B." He glanced down at her toes again and then back to her beautiful brown eyes, clutching his shirt over his heart like he was in pain. "It's just so haaaaard…"

"Oh my god, you did NOT just go there!" Bella was trying really hard not to join him in juvenile land.

Seeing that he was pushing his luck, he raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, okay. No more, I promise." He grabbed her hand and squeezed, "But, uh, there is something I need to tell you, Bella." He was nervous now.

She watched his face and waited, knowing she was not going to like what he was about to say.

"Um, I need to leave for New York later tonight. Or rather, early tomorrow morning, like 2:30 a.m. early. It was the only flight available." He watched her face for signs of, well, anything.

She blinked her eyes taking in the unwanted news, trying not to get upset.

Reaching for her other hand, he brought them to his chest and continued, never looking away from her eyes, "Look, sweetheart. It is not something that I really want to do, but both of the restaurants were vandalized last night. I have to go deal with some stuff. Jackson tried to reach me but, um, we were occupied and I missed his calls."

"Oh." She blinked and absorbed. "Alright. Yeah, that's really awful, Edward." She shook her head a little, trying to ignore this weird unpleasant feeling in her chest. She knew he wouldn't be here forever. But she didn't think his having to leave would happen so fucking soon.

"Look, B. I can see your mind working and it's not what you are thinking at all. Not by a long shot, okay? I am coming back. And I don't just mean for my dad's sake." He put his forehead to hers and listened as she took a deep breath in and then let it out slowly, calmly.

She whispered, "Okay, um…how long do you think you will be gone?" Fuck, she sounded like someone just drowned her kitten.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Maybe three weeks, a month tops." He let his lips lightly kiss hers, trying to get that small frown to disappear. "You, ah, you can always come visit me, B." He smiled nervously and sounded uncertain again. He had no idea what their status was as far as their 'relationship' went. Hell, he didn't know what the fuck he was doing except that he didn't want to be away from her. Ever. "That's if you can maybe get away from you girls for a few days."

"Um. Edward?" Now she sounded a little nervous. "I, uh, have some news for you, too."

"Oh, yeah? What?" He let go of her hands on his chest to rest them on each of her hips, swaying them a little. Almost like slow dancing but in one place.

Jesus he is so cute!

She licked her now dry lips, watching his eyes zero in on the movement. "Well, I got a call from the Henderson's this morning."

His eyes popped out in disbelief. "Ugh. Did Lauren really call them about my threat last night? She's something else! That fu-"

She put her finger over his lips. "Edward, that's not what I was going to say."

"Oh, well good." His words came out a little muffled against her finger.

She cleared her throat and removed her hand, still not quite believing her morning phone call. "Mr. Henderson offered me a showing at their Gallery Nine in New York City."

She watched Edward's green eyes and he began to understand her words. "They want me to be ready in 2 weeks, 3 possibly. So, um…"

His lips crashed to hers again except the huge fucking grin on each of their faces kept it from going anywhere.

An irritated sigh sounded then. "Gross, Mom! Do you have to do that in front of me? I'm eleven! My eyes are ruined!" June stood staring through her fingers again at the pair of them from the kitchen entryway holding another huge lollypop in her hands. "Let's make the pizzas already, unless you are trying to starve us."

Bella warned her daughter. "Watch it, Junebug. Remember what I said before in the kitchen, please."

June huffed and rolled her eyes and went back into the kitchen.

Bella glanced at Edward from the corner of her eyes wondering what he thought of her oldest daughter's 'attitude'.

He just smiled and brought her hand up to kiss her knuckles. "She's a character."

She almost snorted as his words. "A character, huh? I will try to remember that the next time she is getting into trouble. Let's go feed my baby birds."

"After you." He released her hand and as soon as she stepped in front of him he tried to swat her bottom again, but she quickly covered herself and moved out of his reach.

When they arrived in the kitchen the scene in front of them was hysterical. Hysterical to Edward, that is. To Bella, not so much.

There was pizza sauce and toppings out everywhere and on every surface. The girls had started building their own pizzas without them.

"Rosey, sweety. You are not having lollypop on your pizza!"

"But, Mommy, it will be so good!"

"Yeah, B. I have some gummy worms in there, too."

Junebug just shook her head and muttered, "Gross."

Are we still in woo mode?

a/n…see…told you guys there wouldn't be much angst…but there WILL be a bit more shenanigans to come…I have plans…good plans, too, I think…and, as always…leave me some love…review review review…please please please…review…

xxx jess