I know I scared a few people with the lack in updating. This story will never be abandoned! I've just been on vacation for a while, I decided to go laptopless. But I have a nice long chapter to make up for it!
Chapter Twelve: "Sinterklaas Night" Edward's POV
Bella was a massive hit with my family. It was almost unreal how well they took to her. I knew they were all desperate for me to find a wife and a mother for Emmy, but after Hurricane Tanya, they were extremely critical of every girl they saw.
Except for Bella. I don't know if it was the fact that she was also a single parent of an adorable kid, therefore she understood...or if it was the natural charm and beauty that seemed to be unique to the Swans. It was probably a little of both.
Dad, ever the workaholic, was exhausted after two games of Scrabble, so we packed it up and the more serious couples decided to turn in for the night. Mom reminded us to leave our shoes out for "Santa." So that left me and Bella. I opened my arms as soon as the room was empty except for us, and she wasn't shy about lounging across my body on the loveseat.
I kissed her softly. "So I think my family thinks you're kind of okay," I said, heavy on the understatement, as my hands went to the small of her back.
She giggled, obviously pleased that she had so apparently impressed them. "I think they're kind of okay, too," she joked, leaning in to kiss me again. "They're not very talkative or affectionate, though. I think your mom kissed me only about fifteen times."
I snorted. "Sorry to disappoint you with my cold family."
She laughed and gently ran her hands through my hair, staring intently in my eyes.
"You're so beautiful," I whispered, stroking her cheekbones with my thumbs as I held her face.
She shook her head. "I'm really not...especially when I'm compared to you..."
I rolled my eyes. "Bella, you're so desirable, I don't know what to do with myself. You really don't know how perfect you are, do you?"
Her eyes seemed to smolder at the word desirable, but she pursed her lips. "You don't know how long it takes to make my hair perfect, and my makeup..."
"Yet I remember when I saw you in your pajamas, and you were gorgeous," I replied.
She blushed and buried her face in my chest. I stroked her long hair, enjoying the softness.
And then my Daddy instincts kicked in. I could hear the music of The Land Before Time playing in the living room, but the children were being way too quiet.
"Have you heard a peep lately?" I asked Bella.
Her eyes widened. "No. That means they're either asleep or up to something."
I glanced at my watch. It was past ten PM. "I think we better check."
Bella's sweater moved up as she stretched, revealing a strip of her flat stomach, and it was impossible not to find that distracting. But she stood up and took my hand to pull me up. We walked into the living room.
Emmy and Emerson had built an exceptionally good fort out of pillows, cushions, and blankets. They were asleep inside, sharing a pillow, both of them gripping their shoes. I smiled, realizing they were waiting to be filled with candy.
"Aw," Bella smiled. "They're really cute, don't you think?"
"Yeah," I agreed. "Don't move them." I ran to my bedroom, where I had dropped off my camera. I quickly ran back and started to take snapshots of them sleeping together.
"I'm glad Emerson has a friend," Bella remarked as I took pictures. "Emmy has been so good for him."
"Mmm," I agreed, lost in my art. I quickly turned the camera on us, snapping a few pictures. Bella was glaring at me, but she eventually gave a small smile for the camera. Trying to be sweet and make her smile wider, I turned my head and kissed her cheek as I snapped photos
of us.
"Okay, you win," she giggled, grinning happily. "Jeez. I feel sorry for Emmy."
"You have no idea how used to the camera she is, sweetie," I replied. "She's a film darling. Er, should we move them?"
"Probably," Bella said. "Emerson is a snuggler, and I'm not sure you would approve of that."
I chuckled. "I'm not that bad."
"You were scared a juice box was a 'romantic gesture,'" she quoted me.
I rolled my eyes. "Everyone knows that a juice box is way more scandalous than a pudding cup, you know."
She laughed, jumped up to kiss my chin playfully, and then bent to pick her son up. Emerson visibly relaxed as he sensed his mommy's comforting arms, and he demonstrated just how much of a snuggler he really was. He was definitely an armful for her petite frame, but she didn't even seem to strain. Once again, I was reminded of her skill and dedication to mothering.
"Where do the shoes go?" she asked me.
"Outside your bedroom door," I replied as I bent to pick up my own little snuggler. "Don't forget to leave your shoes out, too. Here, follow me."
We went up the stairs and down the hall together. I stopped at the guest room door. "Here is your room," I said, turning on the light.
"It's nicer than my own bedroom," she remarked, eyes wide. "Thank you."
"No problem. Is this good night?"
She bit her lip. "Um...let me make sure Emerson stays asleep. Text me if you can't sleep."
"Okay. Good night for now." I smiled and bent to kiss her gently.
Although we were both holding our kids, there was something about that kiss that made it a little more charged. Our lips tugged at each other, and Bella gasped inside of my mouth after a minute or so.
"Good night, baby," she whispered to me after reluctantly pulling away. I couldn't remember her ever using that name for me.
"Good night, sweetie."
I went and put Emmy to bed in her pink bedroom and left her Mary Janes out by her bedroom door. Then I went to my bedroom and changed into my flannel pajama pants and t-shirt, leaving my own shoes outside the door. I tried to fall asleep under my warm covers.
But of course it didn't happen. My head was swimming from that kiss, the taste of her lingering on my mouth. I could only think of Bella. Especially when I heard her water running as she brushed her teeth and washed her face.
Finally, after about an hour, I started to grab my phone to text her, but for some reason, I didn't feel like a text message was adequate enough. As silly as it sounds, my romantic streak was coming back full-force. So I slipped out of bed and pulled my jacket and shoes on. Maybe it was a crazy idea. Maybe Bella would call me a son-of-a-nutcracker. But she always said she needed more spontaneity.
Well, I would give her spontaneous.
I ran downstairs to the security keypad. I knew all of the codes for my parents' state-of-the-art security system. I disabled the alarm on Bella's bedroom window and safely left the house without setting off the alarm. It was rather cold outside, so I ran back to the linen closet and found a thick quilt. I pulled on my ski-cap as I ran to the grass beneath her window.
This could end in disaster, but here I go, I thought as I found some pebbles in my mother's garden arrangements. I lightly chunked one at Bella's window...and then another one.
Please don't break, I was thinking. And then it was: Please don't be asleep.
Finally, the window opened and Bella leaned out, her arms wrapped around her. She wore a t-shirt, her hair cascading around her, her glasses on her face. "Are you crazy?" she hissed.
"Come down," I said simply.
"It's minus three-thousand degrees!" she replied.
"Get a coat!"
She actually cracked a smile. "What are you trying to do?"
"I'm showing you what Alice and I used to do when we were kids," I explained. "This is a little piece of Cullen history."
She couldn't fight the smile on her face. "I'm in my pajamas with no makeup."
"If I recall correctly, that's how I like you," I replied honestly. "And no worries, we're going somewhere where there is heat. You haven't seen all the property yet."
"Will Emerson be okay?" she asked worriedly.
"He'll be fine."
She sighed and disappeared from the window, making my heart sink. But she reappeared with a coat on. "How do I get down there?"
"I catch you."
"Ha ha, seriously," she snorted, calling my bluff.
I laughed, noticing she wasn't wearing her glasses. "If you can step to the left, you can jump on the roof over the first-floor terrace, and then you can jump on the grass," I replied, motioning with my hands.
"I'm going to kill myself and you're going to feel very guilty," she warned me as she carefully maneuvered the pathway Alice and I had taken so many times.
"It's not hard," I replied, moving so I really could catch her if she slipped on the last part of the journey. But she managed to do it quite gracefully, which was rare for her.
She glared at me as she jumped on the grass. "Surprised?"
"Amazed." I held open the quilt, and she eagerly wrapped up in it. I hooked an arm around her shoulders.
"You couldn't just come to my bedroom door?" she teased me, her breath visible in the cold night as we walked across the grass.
"I've always wanted to do that," I shrugged.
She giggled. "So where are we going?"
"Alice and I used to call it our clubhouse," I said coyly. "I hope I didn't wake you up."
"Nah, I was...distracted."
"By the same thing I was?" I murmured softly.
She grinned. "By the fact that you were just down the hall?"
"Yeah."
She shivered delicately, and I suddenly bent to sweep her quilt-bundled body up into my arms.
"I can walk, you know," she pointed out. But she still wrapped her arms around my neck.
"I don't want you to," I said simply, kissing her cheek. "Besides, you're cold."
She simply squeezed my neck in a sweet embrace. "Thank you for this...it's been a really fun night."
"It has, hasn't it?" I agreed. "Wait until you see the goodies in your shoes...and the breakfast feast tomorrow."
She rested her head against my shoulder. A few minutes later, she asked, "Do I smell horses?"
"Yep."
"You have horses?" she asked, her voice excited.
"My parents do. Why? Are you a horse girl?"
She chuckled. "I've never been graceful enough to ride, but I had a My Little Pony collection."
I snorted. "I'll introduce you to our horses."
We were close to the stables by then. I set her on her feet and helped her hop the little fence. We walked hand-in-hand until we made it to the door. I unlocked it and forced the heavy metal to move.
Lights immediately came on, and Bella gasped.
I laughed softly as she stared at my mother's stables. They were extremely modern, with lights and heat and machinery meant to groom and pamper the horses.
"This is...ridiculous," Bella remarked, a bit astounded. "How much are these horses worth?"
"Eh, a little bit," I underestimated, leading her in.
"Is that a treadmill?"
"Yes. Mom likes to keep her babies in shape, and the constant rain makes that hard."
Bella stared at me for a second. "Does she...race them?"
I shook my head. "No, she only shows them. It's a hobby she and Alice enjoy. That's her award wall. Please come in the stables-the heat is so much more comfortable."
Bella walked in to look at all of Mom's ribbons and trophies. I shut the door behind us and cranked the thermostat up.
"Lots of first place awards," she observed.
"Yes, well, my mom's horses are just as graceful and as beautiful as she is."
"I want to see them," Bella begged. "Please."
"Of course. They're probably asleep, but they're back here."
Bella was immediately captivated by the gorgeous animals in the roomy stalls. They were all disturbed by our intrusion, but they liked to be petted by her gentle hands. I found myself wishing for my camera as she giggled at the horses. Even though she was in yoga pants, a thick coat, and with untamed hair and a bare face, she was so beautiful. It literally took my breath away.
"So this was your clubhouse?" she asked me as she stroked the nose of Alice's favorite horse Theodore.
"No, our clubhouse is upstairs. Do you want to see it?"
She nodded eagerly.
I grinned and took her hand, leading her. The quilt I had brought was flung over my shoulder, and I noticed she eyed it. I grabbed the flashlight from the wall and took her to the little staircase that led to the loft upstairs. "Ladies first," I offered.
She clung to my hand as we walked up the stairs together. The lights were all turned off, and I liked it that way. I knew my dad had some lanterns and candles up here for when he and Emmy had "campouts" in the loft. I turned on the flashlight and guided Bella across the flat floorboards of the loft.
I turned on the gas lanterns, creating a cozy glow in the small space. Bella smiled as she looked around our old "clubhouse." It wasn't big, but there was a mattress on the floor, covered in an old Pokémon sheet. The walls were still decorated with Disney posters and some of our crayon portraits of the family. Alice and I had hung out in the clubhouse until Tanya began to take up my time, but we had never had the heart to take down our grade school memories.
"This is adorable," Bella enthused, paying each piece of art a lot of attention.
"Yeah, Mom swore she would never take anything down," I chuckled. "You can tell we were children of the nineties. Look at Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King…and there's an old Recess poster! With Spinelli and Gretchen and Mikey…"
"And Pikachu sheets," she laughed. "How old were we when Pokémon hit America?"
"I was eleven," I replied. "Alice loved it more than I did, though. I outgrew it pretty fast. Emmy once asked me who Pikachu was when she came up here.."
"That's tragic," Bella snorted. "Emerson probably couldn't recognize Charmander or Jigglypuff, either."
"Jigglypuff was a wuss."
"Jigglypuff will write on your forehead for that," she threatened before sitting on the mattress. "Did you and Alice have sleepovers in here?"
"Yes," I answered, sitting next to her. The springs squeaked. "Mom found this mattress at a yard sale for really cheap. It was so much better than my Duck Tales sleeping bag."
"Duck Tales!" Bella exclaimed. "That was my favorite show!"
"I knew there was a reason I liked you," I teased her, brushing some of her messy curls out of her face.
"I thought it was because I shared my pudding…"
"No, I shared my pudding," I corrected her.
"It came from my refrigerator," she grinned, eyes sparkling in the dim light. "This is so nice, Edward. I keep unveiling new layers of you…"
"I like introducing you into my life," I admitted. "You don't know how much it means to me that you've met my family…especially after only two weeks. It's been a bit of a whirlwind relationship—"
She put her fingers over my lips. "It's been perfect," she corrected me. "Don't think about time. You and I are…perfect together. That's all I can say about us."
"I didn't say it was a bad thing," I replied, playfully swiping my tongue against her fingertips. I expected her to giggle and protest, but instead she suddenly flung herself at me, tackling me down to the mattress.
Once she had me down, she rolled over so we were on our sides, our fronts pressed together. She didn't kiss me, but instead let her fingers explore my face. They traced my forehead, my eyelids, my nose, my jaw, and my lips. I kissed her fingers as they played along my mouth. I smoothed her hair down before tracing the shell of her ear. We only stared into each other's eyes, a bit mesmerized with one another.
After an immeasurable moment of gentle touches, she finally pressed her lips to mine. Our kiss was slow and passionate. We had all the time in the world to build up to a more heated kiss—well, we had all night. I snaked my arms around her, wishing that her puffy coat could be gone so I could feel her figure.
As if she read my mind, she wiggled away and removed her coat. I noticed her cheeks were flushed with heat. Mine probably were, too. I let her unzip my coat and push it off my shoulders. Her hands took advantage of my t-shirted torso, feeling the muscles of my chest and stomach. I pulled her back to me and traced her spine with my fingers as she started to kiss me again. Our tongues moved almost sinfully slow with each other. I could feel every curve of her body against mine…
Bella let out a little moan and her perfect white teeth gently nipped my bottom lip. I gave her a moan of my own, and her lips dotted down to kiss my neck. I rolled us so she was on top of me. I worked on seeking out every rib through her thin cotton shirt. Her tongue gently dragged a trail from my collarbone to my jaw.
"Bella," I practically whimpered.
She responded by smacking a kiss to my lips.
"You're so beautiful," I whispered between messy kisses. She smiled and kissed along my cheekbone before giving my ear a nip.
I sighed happily as her tongue swiped the shape of my ear. Deciding to be brave, my hands snuck down to her hips before cupping the seat of her yoga pants.
She froze for a millisecond, and then went back to nibbling my ear. She didn't mind. I ran my fingers along the shape of her bottom, feeling the perfect shape. It was exactly the right size, and firm to the touch.
She kissed the line of my collarbone again before moving her hands to the hem of my shirt. Her warm little palms searched out my bare abs, and her brown eyes practically melted into mine. I pulled her chin down so our mouths could meld together again. If our first kiss in the loft had been slow and passionate, this one was…hot and needy. Lips, tongues, teeth fought for dominance.
I slipped my hands under her shirt to her bare back. The skin there was hot, smooth, and silky, and I wanted to feel more. We were kissing loudly and wetly, our breaths ragged. I wanted more. She wanted more. Her fingers gently stroked my pectorals. I knew she could feel my racing heart. Honestly, I felt like a dumb fifteen-year-old again. I felt like this was my first hot make-out session. I wanted to make it to second base, and then make a homerun, darn it!
I hadn't felt this way since before Emmy was even thought of.
She palmed my nipples, her fingertips focusing there. I took a deep breath and gently ran one finger along the back strap of her bra. It felt lacy, and I imagined a floral lace pattern in a deep blue, just like I liked for her to wear. One of my fingers hooked under her bra strap.
She suddenly bucked above me, moving her knee to rest between my thighs, against the fly of my pajama pants. I knew then that my teenage hormones were back, and I had to stop this.
"Bella, sweetheart…" I mumbled, breaking our kiss.
She pulled her head away and stared at me, breathless, before nodding. "Yeah…I know…"
She worked on catching her breath and moved from on top of me to rest against the wall. "You're right," she admitted. "I just got a little…carried away."
"I don't want to be right," I confessed, a pout clear in my voice.
She gave me a wistful sigh. "I wish you weren't right, too."
I let out a long breath, trying to calm my worked-up body down.
"I'm not on birth control," she murmured quietly, as if she were explaining the situation I was already so aware of. "It's been an unnecessary expense, since I haven't been in a relationship since Jacob…Emerson's father."
My head was still spinning from the warm wetness of her kiss, but I nodded and crept to the other side of the mattress. "Yeah…I didn't plan on that happening when I brought you up here. I understand, Bella. We can go back to the house if you want."
"But we need to discuss this," she said a little firmly, and I could tell in the hazy glow of the lanterns that she was blushing.
I nodded a bit shyly. I didn't understand why I was bashful about this. With Tanya, I was often the one who was pressuring her into more…and more…and more. Not that I was rude about it or anything—she was all too willing to give me everything I wanted (and more)—but I had been such a guy about it.
"I don't want to make this relationship all about sex," she explained. "I want us to…fall in love first. Does that sound silly or fanciful or old-fashioned?"
I bit my lip thoughtfully. "Not silly…maybe old-fashioned…but it makes sense. I'm not going to pressure you into anything you don't want to do, Bella."
She sighed. "Edward, trust me—I want it. I'm just not mentally, emotionally, or financially prepared for another baby. I don't think you are, either."
"I'm not," I agreed.
"And I can't risk adding a new baby to the mix," she continued. "Not while we're still in a new dating relationship."
"I know what you mean," I admitted. "Emmy doesn't need a baby sibling. And even though I'm quite enamored with you, she's still my first priority."
"Good," Bella sighed happily. "So you know how I feel about Emerson, then."
"Yes, I do."
"Thanks for being a gentleman about this," she murmured, leaning over to kiss me once.
"But Bella…you do…want me like that, right?" my ego verified awkwardly.
She rolled her eyes and gave me a bright smile. "Edward, you're quite possibly the most handsome man I've ever seen…yes, I do want you. But I want to love you before we have sex. So if we do end up with a little bundle of joy, I know that we'll have a stable foundation. I know I sound like an abstinence brochure, but I fully intend on falling in love with you. So yes, I fully intend on…making love to you. Eventually."
Her admission that she wanted to fall in love with me was nearly enough for me to make a truly embarrassing fist pump. Instead of humiliating myself, I pulled her into my arms instead and gave her a tight hug.
She laughed and kissed my cheek. "I'm glad we cleared that up. But I don't want to leave the loft," she pouted.
"We don't have to, sweet girl," I assured her, pulling her down so we were lying on the mattress side-by-side, looking up at the ceiling. I took her hand and squeezed it. "I promise I'll behave myself."
She giggled. "Edward, I was misbehaving, too. Don't blame that…encounter…on yourself. Um, so while the stars would be a lot more romantic, the Beauty and the Beast poster on the ceiling is quite gorgeous."
I snorted and rolled on my side to admire her face. "I would rather look at you."
"I think I agree," she replied, rolling to face me. Our hands stayed linked together as we stared at each other's faces.
"Tell me a secret," I suggested.
She pursed her lips together. "Hmm…I'm terrified of mice and wouldn't let Emerson see Ratatouille."
I gave her a funny look. "That movie wasn't realistic at all."
"Yes it was. Don't argue with me," she said, playfully glaring at me. "Your turn."
I sighed as I thought of a good secret. My hands went to her curls and luxuriated in the feel of the soft mahogany. Everything about her was soft and warm and beautiful.
"You really want to hear my secret?" I whispered.
She nodded seriously.
"I don't think I'm far off from falling in love with you."
Her typical soft blush colored her cheeks. "Are you just trying to get into my pants, Mr. Cullen?"
"I think you know me better than that," I replied. "You forget that I'm the father of a little girl…I hate any male like that."
She giggled before sighing happily. "Well…here's my secret. I'm not far from falling in love with you, either."
I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas.
Leave a review if you're not drunk off eggnog and cookies!