BPOV.

After a delicious dinner, Edward finally gave me the excursion he promised before. His apartment was spacious and fashionably furnished, but I expected nothing less from Esme. His kitchen and living room were merged, and the dominant features were a massive plasma and a sturdy billiard table. A small office with bookshelves filled with medical journals and textbooks, two bathrooms and a bedroom, which Edward strategically saved for last. A large bed that could fit at least four people and a small orgy, a dressing room and another plasma. The entire interior was done in black and beige tones and there was definitely a certain muscular feel to it.

"The bed is impressive. Are you sure you were planning on living here alone?"

Edward grinned and shrugged.

"You haven't tried the mattress here yet. This is an obligatory part of the excursion."

"Mmm, love the interactive part." I carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and then leaned back.

Edward didn't lie about the mattress, it was fantastic. It was quite soft and a little springy. The type of mattresses you'd want to sleep on for days.

"I don't know how you get up every morning. I wouldn't have any self-control."

"Don't worry, I usually have a decent motivation." Edward looked at me meaningfully and then winked.

I laughed at his flirting and patted the bed next to me. Edward didn't think long about my invitation, and after a couple of seconds I was lying in a strong man's embrace. I buried my nose in his neck, breathing in the already familiar perfume.

"Suddenly my already wonderful bed became several times more comfortable." Edward pressed me closer to him and I hummed in agreement.

I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the moment. Finally, all the accumulated anxiety was released and I completely relaxed. I felt so warm and comfortable that I almost fell asleep, but then I was distracted by cold fingers on my waist.

"You give me goosebumps." I mumbled into Edward's neck.

"Good or bad?"

I thought about the answer.

"Both."

Meanwhile, his fingers became bolder and were already fully exploring my back. I didn't stand aside and began to travel my lips along his neck. I smiled when he moaned softly when I kissed his favorite place between his ear and neck. This prompted him to change position and he turned me over on my back and pressed me with his body. I moaned from the new position and the sensations it gave. Edward carefully lifted my long sleeve and his hands moved from my back to my stomach, and then higher. The bra slightly dulled the sensations from his skillful massage, but I still enjoyed every touch. I felt so good that I didn't even notice how I started pressing my hips into Edward. He was already hard enough, and I just wanted to create that very long-awaited friction between us. I rolled my eyes in pleasure when I finally heard Edward's muscular groan. I was ready to live for this sound. I was about to repeat my actions, but to my surprise Edward pulled away from me.

"That's not why I invited you over." Edward ran his hand through his hair. His heated gaze alternated between my half-naked chest and my lips.

"But why not?" I almost whined. Why did Edward keep stopping us?

My reaction surprised him, which surprised me in return. Did he really not notice before that I was almost going crazy from the lack of intimacy between us? I might have thought that he didn't want this, but his body and his gaze glued to my chest said otherwise.

"Because you might not be ready for this and I don't want to put pressure on you?" His answer sounded more like a question.

"What? Edward, tell me you're kidding." He couldn't say this seriously. Where did these ideas come from? "I don't know where you got these thoughts from, I definitely didn't tell you this. In my opinion, my response to all your kisses should have been the clearest indicator of how ready I am."

Edward ran his hands through his hair again, thinking furiously about something. He looked almost guilty. What was happening here?

"I may have received advice from someone that it's best not to rush this aspect of our relationship for now."

I was shocked. What did he mean?

"Edward, who gave you this advice?"

Who could be so confident as to give such intimate advice to my boyfriend? I couldn't even imagine Edward talking to someone about this topic. The answer came to me on its own. Of course, it could only be this person. A friend whom I loved more than life itself, and who, after Jacob, decided to protect my feelings from anyone who could potentially harm me in the slightest. I took a deep breath and rubbed my face.

"Don't be upset with Rose." Edward realized that I had guessed who his adviser was. "I was the one who decided to listen to her advice, she was just trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what? From sex?" I raised my eyebrows. "Maybe I don't know something about you, but usually sex between partners is something pleasant, and not something that needs to be protected from."

"It was a month ago, and I saw that even after all this time, the actions of that idiot still affect you. Rose just decided to give me some advice because she was worried about you. She said that It's very important to show you that I have feelings for you, not because there is a physical relationship between us, but simply because I care about you as a person. And this is true."

I sighed looking into those sincere green eyes. How could I be mad at Edward when he said the sweetest things in the world?

"Edward, I know that some of my actions may say the opposite, but I realized a long time ago that not all men are like Jacob. Yes, I don't trust everyone I meet, but you have long since left the category of an ordinary stranger. I know you, I know your family and some of your friends. I'm very pleased to hear that you were so worried about me that you decided to give us a sex strike, but it was unnecessary." I hugged Edward and placed my cheek on his chest. "Sometimes sex can say a lot about a relationship. Some leave you with the understanding that the partners are in this relationship for their own physical pleasure, and some show how much people love each other. Love or its absence can be felt in every intimate touch, and it's hard not to notice."

Edward pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head.

"Lesson learned." Edward squeezed me even tighter in his arms.

"Now we need to put this knowledge into practice, Doctor Cullen."

Edward laughed at my bluntness and started kissing me.

"For your information, Dr. Swan, I'm a very diligent student." Edward pulled my top up and within seconds I was sitting in just my bra.

"Glad to hear that." My breathing was no longer even, I tried to concentrate on our conversation, but this became a difficult task under this passion.

It was as if he was testing my determination to take our relationship to the next level with his open-mouthed kiss. I was more than up to the challenge, responding with fierceness. I sucked hard on his bottom lip, rubbing the fragile flesh with my sharp teeth then my tongue tangled with his. He pulled his mouth away and trailed it down my throat once again. He moved on to my breasts, but he didn't stay there long. He reached down to the waistband of my jeans, then stopped and sent me a questioning look. Seeing that I didn't stop him he carefully removed my jeans. Edward lifted my leg to him and left a couple of kisses on my ankle.

"Your skin is so soft. I could kiss you all day." He kissed me all the way up my lower leg, gently touching the flesh on the inner side of my knee.

I felt my fingers squeeze the sheet, my body froze in anticipation of where Edward's lips would move next. And he didn't disappoint me. Unexpectedly, our night was much more interesting than planned. I believe Edward and I were able to recognize that physical intimacy can enhance feelings, not hinder them.

~~CNBRZ~~

To my surprise, I woke up before Edward. My head was practically lying on his pillow, although I definitely remembered that I fell asleep on mine. I smiled when I saw that at night I almost completely lay down on Edward's side, moving him to the edge of his huge bed. I bit my lip trying not to laugh at our sleeping position. Apparently, my body, even in an unconscious state, was drawn closer to Edward. And I may have stolen most of our blanket, but I warned Edward about that. If it weren't for his desire to freely touch my naked body, he would not have frozen that night.

Remembering our night together, I couldn't help but smile. My body ached in all the right places, but at the same time I felt completely relaxed. This night proved to me how well we suit each other. It didn't take us long to find a rhythm that suited both of us and learn each other's preferences. Edward once again showed me how much he loved me. Not even a millimeter of my body escaped his attention. It was the first time I felt such dedication from my lover. And I hope he felt no less attention and affection from me.

I reached out my hand to brush a lock of hair from Edward's forehead. I was always surprised by how silky his hair was, it was almost unfair, because I achieved this effect with a lot of cosmetics, and not just regular shampoo. My manipulations with his hair caused Edward a slight irritation. I thought he would wake up, but he just muttered something quietly and fell silent again. Apparently, all our nightly activity had exhausted him, and combined with fatigue after work, Edward's body decided to take its toll.

Remembering all our previous mornings together, I realized that Edward, as the first one to rise, always took upon himself the responsibility of preparing breakfast, even though cooking caused him a slight panic. It was time for me to take part in the morning activity. After a quick visit to the bathroom, I headed to examine the contents of the refrigerator. Edward's refrigerator was a match for any bachelor pad. A few eggs, bacon, butter, cream cheese, a couple of fresh vegetables and a bottle of milk, maybe for coffee. I couldn't think of anything better than toast with bacon and a poached egg. After spreading the bread with cheese, I topped the vegetables with egg and fried bacon. I made us a cup of coffee and put toast on plates.

"I feel loved. I never thought it would be so nice to have a delicious breakfast prepared for you."

I smiled at the sight of a sleepy but contented Edward. He stood in only gray sports pants, and took my full attention to himself. I'd had all sorts of dirty fantasies about Edward before, but now that I'd experienced reality, I was ready to forget about breakfast and drag Edward back to the bedroom. Which, unfortunately, I didn't have time for.

"Good morning." I couldn't resist and went up to kiss him.

"It's really a good morning." Edward deepened our kiss for a couple of moments. "As much as I'd love to carry you back to my bed, the smell of bacon is going to drive me crazy. Someone wore me out last night." A satisfied smile spread across Edward's face and I laughed at his expression. We sat down at the table and ate our breakfast pretty quickly. I sat and slowly sipped my coffee. Edward stood up and put our used plates and knives in the dishwasher.

"I enjoy spending mornings with you."

I smiled from behind my cup.

"I like it too. I'm so used to living alone that I never even thought about changing it."

It was true, I didn't realize until then how much my loneliness began to weigh on me. It became more and more difficult for me to return to my empty apartment. At first, I was irritated by these new emotions. I had never been the type of person who constantly needed company. I felt good alone with myself. Edward showed me how meaningful it is to be intimate with the one you love, to try to spend time together as often as possible. And as a result, I didn't know how to return to the former state in which I was before, again loving the company of only myself and being content alone. And most importantly, I didn't understand whether I even wanted to return to my previous state.

"I hope these are good changes?"

I thought for a couple more seconds.

"I think yes." I put my cup on the table and looked at the time. "Unfortunately, I have to get back home and go to work.."

"You can get ready at my place. I think you have a change of clothes in the locker. That way I can drop you off at the hospital and then we can leave together too."

"I thought you weren't supposed to work today."

"I just want to check on one of my patients. He's being discharged today."

I thought about his proposal.

"But I'll finish later than you."

"I'll wait for you. Don't worry, I'll find something to do."

I understood that it would be easier for Edward to wait for me in the comfort of his own apartment, but his offer was too tempting. So, I agreed. We took turns taking a shower and an hour later we were on our way to the hospital. I smiled at Angela as I walked past the stand with the nurses, and she responded with a knowing wink at me, looking at my company. Edward walked me to my office and kissed me quickly goodbye.

"Text me when you're done."

"Okay, I should finish around six in the evening."

The first few meetings with patients ended quite quickly. These were ordinary check-ups, and I was already prepared that my whole day would pass at the same pace, but unexpectedly my penultimate patient turned out to be a familiar face. This was a relatively new patient of mine. Our first meeting happened about a week and a half ago.

"Mrs. Brown, please come in."

"Hello Dr. Swan, I received a call that the results of my blood tests are ready."

I opened the required file on the computer and nodded my head. Sophia Brown came to me with a problem that, unfortunately, I encountered quite often in my practice. She was twenty-six years old and had been unable to get pregnant for a year now. At our first meeting, we agreed that she would take all the tests on the right days of the cycle and come to me when they were ready for a more detailed conversation. I looked at all the indicators in the blood test and couldn't help but frown a little.

"Mrs. Brown, I want to ask you a couple of questions." I saw Sofia nervously clench her fingers and sit closer to the edge of the chair. "Could you tell me whether your menstrual cycles are irregular? Perhaps you even had some missed periods?"

"This happened a few times. At first, I thought that I was finally able to get pregnant, but the tests were negative all the time. I thought it was all due to stress."

I nodded silently and wrote down the new information.

"What about libido? Have you noticed any changes? Or perhaps vaginal dryness?"

I saw Sofia tense up a little from my question.

"I don't think I noticed anything like that." She denied these symptoms, but her response to the question was mixed. I wrote down the answer from her words, hoping that she was just feeling slightly embarrassed.

"What about changes in mood? Trouble sleeping?"

"I worry a lot about the fact that I can't get pregnant, because of this I seem to be starting to experience depression and sleep worse."

I still didn't comment on Mrs. Brown's words, but simply continued to write down. I asked a few more additional questions and wrote down all the symptoms together.

"Mrs. Brown, I analyzed the results of your blood test and saw that you have elevated levels of FSH and low levels of estradiol. Your symptoms may indicate primary ovarian insufficiency."

I tried not to put any emotion into my voice.

"What? Are we talking about something like menopause now? But I'm only twenty-six, there must be some kind of mistake!"

I pursed my lips at the word menopause. I could understand my patient's outrage. Hearing this at such a young age was terrifying.

"We don't normally refer to it as menopause because it usually happens around the age of fifty and is entirely natural. Early menopause is more serious. For an accurate diagnosis, I will order a couple more tests, but unfortunately, I recognize some sufficient indicators. Age is an important aspect that can help us in subsequent treatment, but to answer your question, menopause and POI can occur even before the age of twenty."

"But why? What caused it? Does it mean I won't be able to get pregnant?" I saw how tears appeared in Sofia's eyes and my heart sank. My profession brought both absolute joy and pure pain to me. My heart ached for my patients.

"About half of patients with POI have no idea what could have caused their diagnosis. I see that you said that you had no previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This could be the reason. You don't have any autoimmune diseases, right? Lupus, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, adrenal insufficiency, rheumatoid arthritis?"

"No, I don't think so. These are serious diseases, I think I would notice some kind of health problems if this was the cause." I nodded my head in agreement.

"This could also be caused by previous viral infections. Another factor could also be genetics, for example, low number of follicles, or poor ecology or toxins from alcohol and cigarettes. Discuss with your mother if she had any issues with the reproductive system."

"But I don't smoke and neither do any of my relatives. I hardly drink alcohol. I've never had a serious infection either." Sofia wiped a couple of tears from her cheeks with shaking hands. "What about pregnancy? It's not possible, right?"

"I want to first make sure of the diagnosis. Your last menstruation was recently, which means the chances are not zero. You probably sought treatment on time. Some patients with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were able to become pregnant and bear healthy children. The chances with this diagnosis will be low, but they are there." I sighed and turned to my computer. "I will now give you a referral for additional tests, including the need to repeat previous blood tests strictly according to my instructions. I will also give you a referral for an ultrasound. Also, with new results, I advise you to visit an endocrinologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, and make an appointment with me. "

I saw that Sofia was holding on with all her strength, so I tried to let her go as soon as possible. I signed several pieces of paper and handed them to Mrs. Brown.

"I have written out all my instructions. You can make an appointment with me, as always, by calling the reception and Mrs. Brown." I looked carefully into her eyes. "I sincerely wish you that I was wrong. But if the diagnosis is confirmed, do not give up, this is not a hopeless situation."

Sofia nodded her head silently, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She took all the papers and walked out the door without a word. I took a deep breath and put my head in my hands. I felt a slight emotional devastation, running through a million possible scenarios in my head. I checked the statistics of pregnancies with this diagnosis and various treatments. I could have sat on my research for the rest of the day, but I was interrupted by a knock on the door. I looked up at my watch and saw that it was the time for my last patient. I invited people to come in. Seeing who it was, I opened my eyes in surprise and smiled.

"Garrett! Have you decided to persuade your wife to hear another opinion?" I smiled at the tall blonde standing next to Garrett.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled back anyway.

"Hi, I'm Kate, wife of this worrywart." Garrett put his hand on Kate's lower back and shrugged almost innocently.

"Hello, sit down. I'm Dr. Swan, but I think it'll be easier for us to go by our first names. So just call me Bella."

The couple sat down across from my desk and Kate immediately pulled out a stack of papers.

"Here are the results of all my latest tests." I saw ultrasound pictures with a description, the blood and urine test results in detail.

It was obvious that previous doctors had tested Kate for preeclampsia several times, but all the results were good. I quickly measured her blood pressure, checked for pitting swelling, and simply visually assessed the swelling of her entire body.

"To be honest, I don't see anything dangerous either. Swelling is actually not uncommon for pregnant women. Garrett said that you're mostly worried about your legs?"

"It's not just a little bothersome, sometimes it even hurts her to walk! No one can tell us why."

"There can be several reasons, sometimes it's a whole combination of factors. If only the legs swell during the day, it's a little less alarming than if we start to notice swelling in the face or arms."

"See Garrett, so stop panicking!"

"In fact, there may be some cause for concern; sometimes swelling indicates serious health problems. I recommend taking your blood pressure several times a day, noting changes in your body, but not pushing yourself to the point of panic attacks. All unnecessary worry can be much more dangerous than swelling." I looked at Garrett meaningfully.

"Darling, I already like Dr. Swan more than all my previous doctors." Kate smiled at me and then squeezed Garrett's hand.

I laughed quietly at their dynamic. I also liked Kate, but it was probably unethical on my part to voice this. And even Garrett's excessive care was better than the indifference of some future fathers. To calm my patient and her husband down a little, I still offered to look at Kate's feet.

"Should I take off my compression socks or can I leave them on?"

"Leave it for now."

Kate pulled up her pant legs and took off her shoes. The first thing I saw was the very irritated skin around the socks. I pulled at the material and frowned when I realized how tightly it adhered to the skin.

"Have the stockings always been so tight on your skin or is it because of the swelling?"

"A little because of the swelling, but in general they were always so tight, my first doctor helped me choose them."

I frowned and looked back down at Kate's feet.

"Improperly chosen compression socks can cause swelling in your feet and ankles, especially if they're too tight. Do your feet swell at about the same rate, or does one leg look bigger than the other?"

"They always seem to be the same." This was a good sign.

"Then I would advise you to follow a couple of instructions. I'm sure you've heard them more than once, but I have to repeat them. Stand less on your feet, if possible, swim periodically. During sleep and rest, make sure that your legs are always slightly higher than your body. Reduce your intake of salty foods, don't forget to drink enough water. And I highly recommend changing your stockings to new ones, these only aggravate the swelling and the cause of the pain may lie in them."

Garrett and Kate nodded their heads hopefully. I was about to say goodbye to the couple when I suddenly heard the sound of my phone. Normally, I would wait until the patient left my office before looking at the new message, but something told me that Garrett and Kate would be happy about this message.

Edward wrote that he was already heading towards my office, and I happily put the phone in my pocket.

"I can give you the contact information of a massage therapist. Some patients recommended him." Seeing an affirmative nod, I continued. "Then I'll send Garrett his phone number a little later. That's all, it was nice meeting you."

Kate smiled and took her husband's hand. We all walked together to the exit from my office. I laughed quietly at the surprised reaction of the couple and Edward.

"Garrett, Kate!" Edward smiled broadly at his friends before hugging them one by one.

"I don't know why I was so surprised to see you at your girlfriend's door. Apparently, I still can't get used to the idea that my childhood friend is now a real doctor and he works in a hospital." Kate laughed at her husband's words, or perhaps at the grimace on Edward's face.

"But my girlfriend on the other hand, as a doctor is totally fine with you. What problem did you see her for? Thrush, vaginosis? I always knew that there was something wrong with you, you always liked to cry as a child."

Garrett frowned and playfully punched Edward in the stomach.

"Dude, I know this will be hard for you to hear, but real men at our age are already starting families. I couldn't send my pregnant wife alone."

Kate rolled her eyes at the friendly squabble and decided to intervene.

"Edward, you have a wonderful girlfriend. No expensive medical tests, attention to the patient's words and just a few useful tips." Kate smiled at us. "I think we'll become friends." I nodded my head in agreement.

"I know Kate. I'm very lucky." Edward left a quick kiss and pulled away, realizing that we were at work. "Are you finished? I made a reservation for us at the restaurant. Kate, if you're free, I think Bella wouldn't mind if you two joined us." I looked at the couple with interest.

"Yes, it will be super to sit together like old times."

"Then I'll quickly change clothes and I'm free."

Edward texted Garrett the restaurant's address, and we parted ways for a short time.

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