Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

Chapter 22

Discovering Love

EPOV

It had been almost a week since my family, Emmett and Rose had left New York which meant Jacob would be here in a couple of days. For the most part things between Bella and I were good, well except for our blow up about Tanya. She was not happy at all about me not telling her about my lunch date with Tanya and I can remember how furious she became when we discussed it.

Flashback

"Edward, why didn't you tell me about your lunch date with Tanya?"

"Because it wasn't a date we just had lunch Bella, it's no big deal."

"No big deal to who Edward, because if it's really no big deal why did you hide it?"

"I didn't hide anything and I don't see the relevance in telling you I had lunch with my ex girlfriend."

"Oh, going out with exes is allowed in this relationship?"

"No, going out with exes is definitely not allowed in this relationship, but first of all when I ran into Tanya, I had not heard from you in over a week. Second of all, you were not my girlfriend when we had lunch and third of all, you should be the one to talk with Jacob coming to town to see you!"

She gasped at her eyes widened at my outburst, but hell she needed to know I was not happy or ok with this visit.

"Jacob? Seriously Edward, how can you compare having lunch with your ex girlfriend whom you were intimately involved with to my childhood friend of whom I have never even kissed?"

"Easily, because that childhood friend of yours is a grown ass man now who is just waiting for his chance to make you his and why you keep walking around like you can't see that, is fucking beyond me!"

"Jacob and I are nothing but friends Edward, nothing more and nothing less."

I snorted and shook my head and just glared at her and I walked up so close to her I could feel her breath on my face.

"Yeah, friends, isn't that exactly what we use to be, just friends? I know a thing or two about when a man calls an attractive woman his "friend" so don't feed me that bullshit, Bella."

"It's not the same Edward and you know it; besides I think I'm old enough to pick my own friends."

"Like who, James and Lauren? Yeah I've seen your choice of friends and I must say, your judgment's a little distorted."

I hissed at her, but I immediately regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. She gasped at my words and narrowed her eyes at me, but did not say anything. Instead we had a stare off and at that moment I wanted nothing more than to grab her and shove my tongue in her mouth and show her there's a much more pleasurable way for us to release all this tension.

"Edward… I can't do this anymore; I don't have the strength to keep…"

"Then stop fighting me Bella and trust me for just once. I'm not going to lead you wrong and I'm not going to break your heart. You're here not because of what you can give to me, but because of what I want to give to you. What are you so afraid of Bella? You can't keep running."

She was quiet and we just stared at each other and the voltaic pull that was always there between us was so strong at this moment I could almost read her thoughts.

"I love you Bella, honestly I do, but I won't play this cat and mouse game with you anymore."

She stared at the ground for what seemed like forever, but was actually a few seconds and when she finally looked up she had tears streaming down her face and my heart broke.

"I don't want to share you." She said her voice barely audible

"Share me? With who?"

"Tanya and I know I don't compare to her, with her perfect face and body, but …"

I grabbed her face between my hands and firmly pressed my lips to hers cutting off her sob speech and holding her to me until I could feel our tongues dancing together. When I finally broke away it was only because of the need for air for both of us and I pressed my forehead to hers looking her in the eyes.

"I love you and only you; and I belong to you and only you, you'll never have to share me, just…please stop fighting me Bella."

As we continued to kiss, Bella slowly lifted my shirt up and over my head and dropped it in the hall on our way to my bedroom and by the time we reached the bed we were both in just our underwear. I kissed her down her neck and as she moved back on the bed I followed her hovering over her once she rested her head on the pillows. I kissed her collar bone and then down her chest tasting the sweetness of her skin and wanting, needing to feel more. Bella unclasped her bra allowing me access to do just that and this time I did not stop her because this time I knew where we stood, I knew that I planned to marry this woman and I knew that no matter what happened from this day forward we would get through it together. Removing the last bit of clothing that was left on our bodies, I held her close to me and as our flesh became one moving perfectly together, I don't think anything or anyone could compare to how I felt at that moment. As our bodies moved with one another and the heat from feeling her coursed through me, I knew I would always love, cherish and protect her with all my being. That night, we both fell into ecstasy together and with our hearts beating wildly inside our chest, we formed an inextinguishable bond.

End of flashback

Which brings us to this perfect morning and me lying here holding the woman I love in my arms close to me. As she sleeps in my arms I watch the rise and fall of her chest, the way her perfect lips are slightly pouting and the way her beautiful brown hair is splayed on the pillow. I gently place kisses on her cheek remembering how incredible she felt last night and knowing I would never take what she had given me for granted. I didn't plan it this way , but I have no regrets and since she trusted me as I asked her to do, I would make sure that she would never have a reason to doubt my promises or my love. I would definitely be summoning the help of Alice soon to help me pick out a ring for my proposal.

BPOV

I felt gentle kisses against my face and I smiled, knowing the man holding me was everything I've ever wanted and more. He had asked me to trust him and allow him to take care of me and I decided at that moment I would do just that, because with everything that has happened he has always been here. And I knew in my heart he would always be, because he truly did love me for me and not what I could give him or do for him and all the money in the world couldn't buy me this kind of love.

"Good morning" I said smiling up at him.

"Good morning, love" he said placing a kiss on my forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Wonderful, amazing, fantastic, incredible…" he kissed my lips cutting me off while chuckling.

"I think I know what you mean love."

"I'm a little hungry." I said as my stomach growled

"That I can take care of; why don't you shower while I fix breakfast, I have some where I want to take you today." He said giving me one final kiss before getting out of bed and as he walked to get his boxers my mouth fell open looking at the package that I can proudly claim as mine.

"Close your mouth dear" Edward said chuckling with a smug look on his face as he put on his boxers and walked out of the bedroom and if I was being honest, I could have slept the day away because my body felt like I had been through military training and I was exhausted. None the less I dragged myself into the shower and got dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and a sky blue button up shirt.

Breakfast was delicious complete with waffles, eggs and bacon and after Edward was showered and dressed, we headed out to spend the day together like he had promised. We hopped in a taxi heading to a destination that only Edward knew and to be honest as long as we were together we could have been going to Jupiter for all I cared. When we exited the taxi we walked into the building directly in front of us, but it wasn't until we were in the elevators that I realized we were heading to the top of The Empire State Building. Once at the top there was a line to get headsets that had a pre-recorded message telling you about all the sights visible from the observation deck. It truly was amazing being up there and depending on what side you were on the recorded male voice would describe in detail through your headset what you were looking at.

After leaving there we headed to Central Park and ate lunch at a café not too far from there and we had a portrait of us drawn by an artist in the Park. This required us to sit in the same position with me sitting between Edward's legs and his arms wrapped around my midsection for forty five minutes, but I did not mind at all. We ended our night with Taco Bell take out for dinner and we sat and watched Leonardo Dicaprio in "Catch Me If You Can" which is one of my personal favorites. We talked for a while about some of our future plans and then headed off to bed and picked up where we had left off the night before, loving each other into oblivion. God, I will never grow tired of this man loving me!

A/N: Sorry this chapter is short but I wanted to give you guys an update as soon as possible. Jacob will be coming next chapter and also an update on James and Lauren. Plus Tanya invites Edward out again! Keep reading and reviewing to get another update soon. I love to hear from you guys so please take a moment and leave me your thoughts. Thank you very much for the reviews and story alerts