*A/N: Thanks to my lovely beta and awbffe NessiesMomma for beta reading.*
*Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or its characters, SM does. I do however want Edward Cullen to spend eternity in my bedroom ;]*
"I guess life is going to be pretty boring now, huh?"
The Cullen's and I were sitting around the formal dinning room table. Why they needed a dining room table for when no one ate human food but me, I'll never know. Maybe they brought their mountain lions to the table for Thanksgiving.
"I highly doubt that, little sis. You're a danger magnet." Emmett chuckled.
Edward shook his head. "Well I certainly hope so." He planted a kiss on my temple. "I just want a long and happy life with you."
I smiled up at him and into the intensity of his gaze. Edward truly loved me. Of that I was certain. My life had been a mess and Edward was the only constant in my life… well that and my werewolf best friend.
Edward closed his eyes. "Just ask her, Alice."
"Can you come upstairs and try on your dress now?"
My mouth dropped. How did Alice already have my wedding dress? With all that had been going on with James and Victoria I didn't even have time to think of the wedding. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my… existence with Edward. But, I hated being the center of attention and last time I checked, that's what the bride was.
"You already got the dress?"
Alice nodded and walked over to grab my hand from Edwards. She pointed a finger at him. "No peeking, brother!"
Edward put his hands up innocently and I sent a pleading look in his direction. That he ignored, might I add. Alice brought me up the stairs into her room and Esme and Rosalie followed. Alice immediately ran into her closet that was bigger that her room and came out holding a black garment bag.
She gestured to the bag like a showgirl and I could tell her and Esme were trying to hold back their squeals. Esme I could handle. She wasn't as crazed as Alice.
I walked over to the offending bag and took it from Alice's hands. Walking to the bathroom, I began taking deep calming breathes. I had to do this for Edward. He deserved it.
I unzipped the garment bag and the dress was revealed. It was an all lace floor length gown with a V shaped neckline. The dress was sleeveless. I removed my shirt and jeans just as a light knock sounded on the door.
"Would you like me to help?" Esme asked.
I walked over to the door, in just my bra and underwear, and opened it slowly for Esme to step inside. She smiled at me sweetly and walked over to where I hung the dress. She removed it from the bag and bunched it onto the floor. I placed both my feet inside of it and she slid the dress up my body, and Esme bunched up my hair as she slid up the zipper.
She let my hair fall down my back as she twisted me around to look at her. The adoring smile on her face was all the reassurance I needed to make it out the door.
"You look beautiful, Bella." Esme stated as she gripped both my hands in hers.
I smiled. "Thank you."
"No, dear, thank you."
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why are you thanking me?"
"Because." She lifted her hand up and placed a piece of my hair behind my ear. "You've opened Edward up. You don't realize how hard it's been for him all these years. He was always the odd man out and then you came into his life. You don't see the changes that we, who have lived with him for so long, see. He's happy, Bella. You did that."
She moved us to sit on the small couch in the bathroom. "Thank you for loving my son. I know how hard these decisions you've had to make have been. I see the connection you have with Jacob and how hard it's been to cut the romantic notions you had with him. But, if I know my son, he'll make it worth it."
My eyes blinked with the need to cry but it would never come. I stared up at Esme. "It was an easy choice. I love Jake… but I can't live without your son."
Esme wrapped her arms around me and took me into a warm embrace, even with her cold temperature. She pulled back and kissed my cheek, placing both her hands on the side of my face before pulling back and composing her features.
"What do you say we show Alice how you look in this dress before she combusts out there?" She laughed. "Not like she doesn't already know."
Esme had made my decision to choose Edward that much easier. Edward needed and would do anything for me. He proved that time and time again. The thought of leaving Edward to be with Jake in La Push wrecked my body with broken sobs. As much as it hurt to not be with Jake in the way our lives had pushed us, it hurt far worse to not have Edward.
If Jake and I were meant to be together, in the way Edward and I were, wouldn't the pain be switched? I had to believe Jake would find his soul mate, just as I had.
As I made my way back down the stairs to where Edward waited for me, I pushed all thoughts of Jacob Black out of my mind. Edward was at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me with a huge smile on his face.
He held out his hand for mine and I placed mine in his. I stood at the bottom step, putting me at his exact height, and he wrapped his arm around my neck crashing my lips to his. I moaned in his mouth, instantly forgetting our audience. He pulled back with a small smile playing on his lips and he rested his forehead on mine.
"You peeked!" Alice yelled.
He pulled back from me and stared over my shoulder. "I promise I didn't. Cant I kiss my fiancé without being falsely accused."
I heard Alice sigh and I could just imagine her crossing her arms and staring at him with a wicked gaze. I chuckled and wrapped both my arms around his neck and jumped into his arms. He supported me by clutching my ass and I wasted no time in bringing our lips together again.
This is what I needed. What I wanted. Me and Edward as one. I could get through anything as long as we got to be together like this. In my lust induced haze I heard Alice stalk her way down the stairs, on purpose since I knew she could be silent if she wanted to.
I felt a rush of air and then the softness of our bed as Edward laid me on top of it. I felt his hands as they made there way up and down my sides. My hands worked their way into his hair and I tugged and pulled it. Edward ground himself against me and I moaned involuntarily.
I wanted him.
Damn vampire and his old age values.
Edward smirked against my lips as he kissed his way down my body. His hand tore at the neckline of my t-shirt as he ripped it from my body. In fear that my lucky brand jeans would have the same fate, I reached between us and undid the button and slid down the zipper. Edward pushed the jeans along with my underwear down to my ankles and left them there.
When I made a movement to kick them off, he simple "tsk'ed" me and continued kissing down my abdomen. He landed at the spot between my hips and smirked up at me mischievously. He placed a kiss at the apex of my thighs and gently nipped my clit.
My body shook and I groaned. Edward continued to nip and lick and suck at my center as I writhed underneath his hand which held me down firmly. My hands, on their own accord, reached down and pushed his face closer to me.
His movements were driving me crazy. He was constantly pushing me close to the edge only to change tactics and retreat slower. The pull at my center was wound so tight that one gently flick of his tongue would cause me screaming his name in ecstasy.
And he did just that.
I screamed his name along with a string of profanities as my body uncoiled and was pushed towards its brink. I laid there panting as Edward crawled back up my body and kissed me. The taste of me on his lips brought out primal urges in me and using all my strength I flipped his over and rid him of his jeans with on tear.
I didn't care that he still had his shirt on as I pulled on his briefs and took him fully in my mouth. Edward cursed as I worked him over swirling my tongue around him and sucking hard. He needed to feel the pleasure he just brought me too. The frenzied need he was building up inside me.
My hands worked with my mouth, playing with the sacks that hung near him. I hummed greedily against him as Edward fisted my hair in his hands. He pushed himself far into the back of my throat as I swallowed and let him spill himself into me.
I licked him clean and kissed his tip as I crawled my way up his body and laid on his chest. Edwards breathing was erratic and I was sure if vampires could sweat we would be a mess at this moment.
When we both could speak, Edward lifted my chin and planted a kiss on my lips. "I love you, Isabella Swan."
"I love you, too, Edward Cullen."
As our breathing slowed I felt my body relax. Gone was the animalistic need I felt for Edward and its place was the contented love of his fiancé. My eyes became heavy as Edward hummed my lullaby.
Rare sunlight ghosted in the bedroom as I groggily opened my eyes. I felt Edwards hand against my breast as he played with my erect nipples. I smirked up at him as a playful smile donned his features. This was Edward happy. This was Edward with me.
I giggled as I realized I was still wearing the tattered remains of my t-shirt. Edward had pushed it to the side in order to gain access to my breast but seemed smug in what he had left of my clothing.
I hitched my leg over his thigh and pulled my body over his. His hands reached up and slid up my flattened stomach to the underside of my breasts. I leaned my body over him so that my breasts were directly over his face. He took one erect nipple and placed it between his teeth and he tugged on it. A tiny whimper escaped my parted lips as he repeated the action on my other breast.
"Is this how it's always going to be?" I whispered.
His hands slid around to my back and pushed me to him. "Yes. Always."
"I could get used to this."
He hummed and pushed himself up into a sitting position with me straddled on his lap. I could feel his erection against my backside and I wanted nothing more than him inside me as we finally, truly became one. He puckered his lips in a cute way and I brought mine to join his.
When I pulled back he asked, "What do you dream about?"
"I dream about being with you. Forever."
He kissed me again. "I'm here."
"I know."
Edward brought his hand up to lift up my chin. "I can't be away from you, Bella. But, if you wanted something different… a different life, I would understand. I'd let you go."
"That's the thing, Edward." My hands raked up his abs. "You might be strong enough to let me go but I could never be that self-sacrificing. I need and want to be with you."
He searched my eyes. "You're sure?"
"Yes."
His smile lit up his face causing me to smile back. My job for the rest of eternity would be to keep that smile plastered on Edward's face. The sunlight in the room causing his body to shimmer like diamonds. His hands traced along my skin, no doubt moving along the slight sparkle I had to my skin.
"Beautiful," he whispered.
Comfortable silence passed between us as we both traced each others bodies. It was as if we were memorizing them but I didn't know the reason. Nothing could tear me from this place. Here. In Edward's arms. On our bed.
"Are you nervous?" I questioned.
"About…"
I looked down. "About the wedding night."
"No."
He said it with such certainty that I quickly looked up into his eyes. Sure enough, the truth not only rang out in his voice but it showed on his face.
"It'll be the most natural thing in the world for us." He stated. "This. Us. It's supposed to be."
He paused.
"Did Jacob ever tell you what happens to his kind when they find their soul mate?"
I shook my head but smiled at his use of the term "soul mate." It was what we were. He had my soul. I didn't want it without him.
"It's called imprinting. When a member of the pack see's the girl with whom they're supposed to be with their view of the world changes. Everything revolves around her. They become what ever she needs them to be. A friend. A protector. A brother. A lover."
I began to get nervous. Was that what Jake had done to me? Had he… imprinted?
Edward continued. "It's almost as close to what I feel for you."
"What if the… imprintee doesn't want to be imprinted?"
"It's kind of hard to refuse that kind of adoration. Sam Uley was in love with his high school sweetheart and he imprinted on her cousin, Emily. Some of the others of the pack have imprinted on children."
"Children?" I screeched.
That was beyond gross. How could their soul mate be a child?
"Remember what I said? They become what ever she needs them to be. In the case with the children, they don't think of them as love interest. They become the brother, the protector, the friend. Their love will grow."
"Oh."
I was still thinking about what Edward had told me. Was it possible that Jake had imprinted on me? And if he did would the realization of it hit me long after Edward and I were married? Would I have to break his heart then? I refuse. I simply couldn't allow that to happen. The irrational idea that Jake belonged in my life as more than family and a friend needed to stop.
"What do you say we get dressed and visit your father?"
My though processed immediately stopped. "M-My father? Why?"
"I'll need his blessing, Bella. With the rate Alice and Esme are planning this wedding we have to get it soon." He stared at me curiously. "What's wrong?"
"Do we have to? I mean, Charlie never has to find out."
He chuckled. "Are you afraid of what Charlie will say?"
I nodded.
"Sadistic vampires? No problem, she defends herself. But getting her fathers blessing? She's shaking with fear."
"You don't know what he's like, Edward." I slapped him lightly on his chest. "I'm his little girl and you're the vampire coming to whisk me away."
"I know Charlie better than you think." He tapped his forefinger against his temple. "He only wants your safety and happiness just like I do."
I nodded, unsure. Edward lifted us both up and set me down on my feet. He walked over to the edge of the bed and held up his tattered and ripped jeans chuckling. I mumbled an apology and he just shook his head and dashed out the room.
Edward held my hand firmly in his as we walked up the steps to my house – my old house. He kissed my forehead reassuringly and I knocked lightly on the door.
Charlie opened the door in a haste. "Bella!"
He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me into the air. Edward never let go of my fingers. As he placed me back down on my feet, he ushered us inside and greeted Edward. The three of us walked into the living room.
"Sue!" Charlie called. "Bells is here!"
"Just a minute!" She called out.
I guess she was over blaming me for her son becoming a werewolf. She sauntered her way into the house and greeted Edward and I with a kiss on the cheek before going to the armchair Charlie was sitting in and sitting on his lap.
"To what do we owe this surprise?" she asked. "Leah and Seth are over in La Push."
"Actually," Edward began. "Charlie. Sue. I have – we have something to discuss with you."
Charlie eyed me suspiciously but I just kept quiet and gripped Edwards hand tighter.
"I have recently asked Bella to marry me, and while I know I should've come here and asked you for her hand, Bella has already said yes and I don't want to diminish her opinion. So, I come here instead to ask for your blessing."
Sue and Charlie exchanged a glance before looking at the two of us. I could tell already Charlie was in full cop mode. This didn't make it any better that I was his daughter.
"Are you pregnant?" Charlie questioned. "Is that even possible for… your kind to get pregnant?"
I groaned. "Dad! I am not pregnant."
"Charlie, I assure you that is not the reason we are engaged. I love Bella and I want nothing but to give her the world. I've been around for over a century. I think it's about time I settled down."
Sue looked to Charlie and then to Edward. "But she's only been around for eighteen years." She looked at me. "Is this what you want?"
"More than anything."
Charlie and Sue exchanged another glance and then Charlie spoke. "You have our blessing. I want nothing but your happiness, Bells. I know Edward will look out for you when I can't and he'll make you happy. That's all a father can ask for."
I stood up and walked to where they sat and hugged them both. "Thank you."
Just then the door opened and all of us looked at the sight in front of us in shock.
Seth walked over and sat near Edward as we all looked at Leah and Jake who stood there in the doorway holding hands. Leah's mouth was swollen and red. Her cheeks were blotchy and as I looked between her and Jake it remind me of how Edward often looked at me.
"Hey Charlie! Sue!" Jake called still clutching Leah's hand. "Boy do we have news for you!"
The permanent scowl that usually graced Leah's face was gone. She was smiling and staring at Jake with a look that could only be described as a look of…love.
