Chapter Nine

Morning, his place, burnt toast, Sunday

You keep his shirt, he keeps his word

And for once, you let go of your fears and your ghosts

One step, not much, but it said enough

~ Taylor Swift, You Are In Love (Taylor's Version)

BPOV

When I was six, Dad took me to a country music festival. It was the best day of my life. It was just him and I, eighty thousand other people, and the steady pulse of the music coursing through my veins. Everyone was smiling and laughing, complete strangers were getting along simply because of the guy on stage and his country twang and guitar.

It was the moment I decided I wanted to be the one on that stage. With the lights and music. Preferably in something more fun than the guys jeans and t-shirt, but I wanted to be part of it. That camaraderie. That family of people brought together by something.

My self-esteem was low enough that I didn't think I could just join in on the fun. I had to be the fun in order for people to want me around.

Crowds of thousands were always my safe place. Ironic, considering I had to keep a team of four trained bodyguards with me at all times in any kind of outing, but I loved the energy of an arena full of people. A stadium full of people all so fucking excited for something that they didn't care if they might look a tad insane to the average person.

I kept my head down as I made my way into the stadium, Seahawks cap on and obscuring my face from any wandering eyes, but the energy still made me smile. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, a sea of navy and green and gray were bustling around me. I lost count of how many Cullen jerseys I had seen.

I ran my thumb over the small 13 I wrote in eyeliner on my wrist. An impromptu decision as I listened to ESPN while getting ready this morning.

Seth would never let me live it down. Me. Watching ESPN.

My phone vibrated approximately every two minutes in my small bag, updates from Seth. From Carmen and Angela.

A blurry photo of Edward walking me into the restaurant surfaced late last night. There had been an intense investigation into my whereabouts since on the hell hole that was social media.

My jet was tracked. History of my various visits to Seattle exposed. Timelines organized.

But then, Edward and his family arrived for breakfast and they were all smiles and laughs and no one cared.

Even in this crowd, fans all over and shouted conversations a plenty, I heard the gasp. Turned to my left and saw a girl, maybe seventeen, standing next to a man I assumed was her father. Her eyes widened when she saw me.

I sent her a wink as Sam ushered me into an elevator.

My phone vibrated again and I pulled it out, ready to tell Seth to leave me alone when I noticed a message from Edward. Surrounded by a dozen from my brother.

E: Let me know when you're in the suite. See you out there. I'm the one in Navy if you get confused.

I snorted out a laugh. I would have been slightly offended if I hadn't asked him what color he was wearing this morning.

The elevator doors opened and I pocketed my phone again. It was a lovely hallway, decorated with various Seahawks memorabilia and photos. People filing into their various suites. Servers organizing food and drinks.

By the time we made it to the end of the hall, I counted two dozen phones pulled out and double the amount of murmurs started as I passed.

As I made my way into the suite, I saw a couple girls a few doors over waving at me. I waved back with a smile. It encouraged the hall to burst into loud chatter again. A few whistles sent my way.

I let out a breath as soon as Sam closed the suite door behind me.

The place was already full. Rowdy. That same energy bubbling in the room that I had been chasing my whole life.

"I'll be damned," a woman muttered, wandering over as soon as I walked in.

Blonde. Drop dead gorgeous. Facial structure I knew a dozen people who would literally kill her for. She wore a Seahawks jersey, number 90.

"Hi," I smiled. Giving her a small wave. Trying not to focus on the two girls staring wide eyed and open mouthed at me from beside her. "I'm–"

"Shit, sorry. It's nice to meet you. I'm Rosalie, Emmett's wife," she said with a kind, gentle smile. Holding her hand out. Subtly sending the girls beside her a frown.

"It's nice to meet you," I shook her hand. "I owe Emmett a thank you for not ignoring my messages. I came across rather stalker-y."

Rosalie snorted. "You give me your chocolate chip cookie recipe and we'll call it even."

I smiled at her. Glad Edward had followed through and given Emmett the cookies I baked last time I was in town. "Deal."

"You're really dating Uncle Edward?" one of the girls squeaked up at me.

Rosalie promptly covered her mouth, pulling the girl into her side. "We talked about this, Lil."

"He can be quite persuasive," I smiled down at the girl.

"My girls, Lillian and Emila," Rosalie told me.

I beamed down at the girls. Both wearing similar jersey's to their mother. Faces painted with his number. Hair tied up in navy bows. "It's nice to meet you."

Emila snorted. Lillian elbowed her in the ribs.

"Can we, I mean–we know you're here for Uncle Edward, but–"

I smiled. "Do you guys want to take a picture?"

"Oh, you don't have to–" Rosalie started.

I waved her off. Held both arms out and the girls immediately ran to my side.

Rosalie mouthed 'thank you' to me while she snapped a few pictures.

Carlisle and Esme made their way over, happy smiles on their faces, as soon as Rosalie's girls stuttered out a few thank yous before blushing and walking off with their mom. They both wore navy Cullen jerseys and looked more happy than anyone to be in the suite.

Esme pulled me into a quick hug. "You look lovely, dear."

I smiled. My outfit was simple; a dark navy vintage Seahawks shirt I found online, some jean shorts, and the shoes Edward gave me before our date on the very field below us. I also had my trusty Seahawks cap on. I was a walking ad, but I hardly looked out of place in the sea of navy.

"Thank you. And thanks for letting me crash your suite."

I had offered half a dozen times to pay for whatever ticket Edward had gotten me. I wasn't sure how many he got or who he gave them to and I didn't want to take a handout. Every time I offered he just waved it off and told me it was nothing.

But I knew suites for concerts were outrageously overpriced.

Esme waved me off, a mirror image of her son.

"Pretty boy wasn't lying," a deep voice came from my right. I turned and saw three people smiling at me. A man with perfectly slicked back brown hair wearing a Seahawks polo, another with slightly longer and curly hair a few shades darker than the other's wearing a Cullen jersey, and a woman beside him long brownish-blonde hair that fell in a straight line down her back. She wore a classic Seahawks t-shirt and jeans.

I did a mental review of the friends Edward said were getting in this morning.

Demetri would be the one in the polo. He actually worked in the marketing department of the stadium but had been on a business trip the last few days. The other man was Felix, a friend from Northwestern who was a doctor up in Chicago now, and his wife Heidi, a nurse and also a friend from Edward's college days.

"Pretty boy?" I asked.

Heidi elbowed her husband. "He told you not to–"

I chuckled. Pretty boy. It fit Edward well. He was quite pretty to look at. I could picture the frown on his face, probably a face a few years younger and in college, frowning at his friends for calling him pretty boy.

"I'm Demetri," the man in the polo said, holding his free hand out. The other was clutching a beer. "Edward told us you were together but we honestly thought it was going to be a prank."

I shook his hand. Then the other two. "Does he prank you with surprise girlfriends often?"

It was mostly a joke. But after Alice's comment last night I was more curious about his previous relationships.

"No, but when he told us he was dating the girl who was the starting player of his list the last five… six years, we all kind of assumed," Felix said with a kind smile.

"List?"

Heidi elbowed her husband again.

Demetri looked slightly ashamed. "It's a stupid little game we had going. List of celebrities you'd get a free pass to… charm were you to ever meet them."

I rolled my list together.

Charm was a charming way to say fuck.

And were it coming from anyone else I probably would have been uncomfortable, but knowing I was on Edward's list had me smiling.

There was a round of cheering through the stadium and Esme grabbed my arm. "Almost time. Come, come."

She pulled me over to the front of the suite. A window was pushed open in front of a few rows of padded seats.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice beamed, sitting beside Jasper and practically vibrating with excitement in her seat. "Love the shirt."

I took a seat next to her, Esme taking the one on my other side. "Thanks."

"Edward told me you don't know a lot about football. I've been forced to sit through his games since I can remember. If you have any questions, I'm your girl."

"Oh, I'll have a lot of questions," I assured her.

I had spent my life constantly aware of the people around me. How they stopped and stared, how they rushed to pull out their phones. I had been in my fair share of arenas and stadiums with every phone pointed in my direction, but sitting in a suite and seeing people freeze and turn and stare was new.

"There it is," Carlisle chuckled.

I followed his eyes to one of the big screens and saw the line of us projected to the stadium. And I couldn't help but grin and wave as the entire fucking stadium roared.

—How You Get The Girl—

The game started shortly after. I got my first glimpse of Edward in his uniform in person and his promise from the night before floated through my brain as I watched him run onto the field.

Tomorrow night, Bella. I'll win that game just for you, princess. Then you're mine for the rest of the night. In every fucking way possible.

My toes curled in my sneakers.

But it was easy to get lost in the excitement of the game and the eighty-thousand other Seahawks fans in the stands. I didn't know every rule of the game, didn't know what each play meant or what would happen next or what certain calls meant. Alice filled in some questions I had, but I spent a majority of the time just watching him.

The way he ran, the impressive power behind every throw, the raw passion that radiated off of him every time he ran onto the field.

I didn't love the hits he took. Every time he was taken down by the other team my breath caught in my throat. It didn't matter how much padding I knew he was wearing, every time I winced, rubbing the little eyeliner 13 on my wrist until he stood back up again.

Right before halftime he sprinted into the end zone with the ball tucked safely in his arms. A moment even I knew earned the impressive cheering from the crowd, our suite included. And it was as I stood there, beaming down at the field and cheering with the rest of the crowd, that I watched as he pressed two fingers to his lips, or at least where his lips would be against his helmet, and pointed up to the suite. To me.

It was the moment I fell in love with him.

—How You Get The Girl—

The Seahawks won 20-17. I couldn't for the life of me remember who they beat, but it didn't really matter to me. By the end of the game I had Alice's number in my phone with a promise to meet up next time I was in Texas. Esme and Carlisle both left me with a hug and smiles that seemed like I wasn't as subtle with my infatuation with Edward during the game as I thought. I talked with most people in the suite during the last few hours, Edward's friends, Rosalie and her girls, a few other wives of players and their friends.

Everyone was amazing. Nice and supportive and just… happy. Kind. So easy going and just as excited about the win as the rest of the crowd.

I couldn't remember the last time in my life I had been so happy. So carefree and excited about something besides my career accomplishments. Just happy. Unequivocally happy and fulfilled after a day full of football.

I could hear Seth laughing at me from New York, but I didn't care.

Especially when I ended up waiting for Edward outside of the locker room, high fiving player after player after they smiled at me and said "Hey! Eddie's girl!"

Then he came out. Hair damp from a shower and cheeks pink with adrenaline. His arms wrapped around my waist as soon as he was within reach, hoisting me up and waiting until my legs locked around his waist.

"That was amazing," I breathed out against his neck. Peppering kisses to his cheek and chin.

His arms squeezed tighter around my waist. "Thanks for coming."

I scoffed against his shoulder as he set me down. "I had no idea football was so exciting. I mean, I still don't know everything that's going on, but it was amazing. You were amazing."

"You're amazing for the ego, Princess," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to my temple and grabbing my hand.

"Ah, Eddie's girl! Thanks for comin'!" a player shouted as he walked out of the locker room, giving me a high five as he walked by. "You two coming for drinks?"

Edward tucked me securely under his arm, looking down at me with that crooked grin of his. "You up for it?"

"Sure," I nodded, smiling as the blonde player walked off with a grin.

—How You Get The Girl—

"I don't know if anyone has ever told you this before," I whisper-shouted into Edward's ear. "But you're really good at football."

I leaned back against the plush couch, giggling at my own horrible joke and enjoying the easy buzz of alcohol through my veins. We were at a bar in downtown Seattle, closed for everyone except the team and their guests. It was packed, but not uncomfortably so.

Edward's arm tightened where it rested over my shoulder. I had to fight against a shiver every time his fingers brushed against my skin.

I had changed into a simple, little black dress. Nothing fancy, but more suitable for the after party than my walking billboard of an outfit from earlier.

As soon as we got to the bar, Edward and I got ourselves comfortable on one of the couches. He pulled me into his side, and I hadn't left since.

It was heaven.

I had met what I assumed had to be a majority of the team. And while I couldn't tell you for the life of me what position they played, I was excellent with names and faces.

Mike Newton was the blonde from earlier that invited us for drinks. According to Edward, he and Emmett were the 'class clowns' of the team. Eric Yorkie was one of the guys I saw leaving the locker room before Edward who called me 'Eddie's girl' — he had an infectious smile and pitch black hair that constantly fell onto his forehead. There was Ben Cheney and Tyler Crowley and Beau Stephens and dozens of others that came over to talk to us.

It was obvious they all got along pretty well, and the entire team liked him as much as they respected him. Not a single person asked me for a picture or autograph. A few asked about my work and music, but simply because they were being polite and asking about me.

It was the most fun I'd had in a long time.

Edward's lips pressed against the top of my head, chuckling softly at my not-so-funny joke. "You're a cute drunk, has anyone ever told you that?"

I scoffed. "I'm not drunk. I've been very conscious to not pass tipsy. There were promises made about the evening that I would very much like to remember."

Even in the dark bar, I saw his eyes darken as he leaned closer to my ear. "You'll have to refresh my memory on the promises."

I stretched myself up, kissing him before he finished his sentence. I might have whimpered a bit when he pulled away far too quickly.

"Time to go," he growled into my ear, grabbing my hand and giving it a firm squeeze before nodding in Sam's direction.

I wrapped my arms around his bicep as he led us through the crowd, never stopping for more than a high five or slap on the shoulder from a teammate. I grinned against his skin and tried to hide my smile the whole time.

Sam had driven us to the bar. Which meant that as soon as Edward slid into the backseat beside me I could kiss him until my lungs hurt.

I had never been more thankful for the divider between the front and back of the car.

Edward's lips brushed against my ear as I tried to catch my breath. "Are you wet for me, princess?" His fingers grazed dangerously high up my thigh.

I nodded against his shoulder. Felt his lips twist into a smile against my neck. Might have whimpered a little bit.

My thighs clenched together.

Watching the game gave my mind plenty of time to wander. Watching him play, every time I saw his hand wrap around a football or saw how passionately he led his team to a win, it was all I could think about. Him. Those fingers that were inside of me last night. The—

His teeth bit into my shoulder. "I can't wait to hear you scream my name."

My breath came out in a jagged huff.

Edward sighed against my neck, fingers drawing imaginary lines across my thighs. "The screaming will have to come later, though. After I thoroughly enjoy making love to every inch of you."

My mouth popped open. Thighs uselessly clenched together.

He smirked down at me. "Yes, there too," he whispered, thumb tracing my bottom lip.

I kissed him. Because I wanted him, because my throat had tightened up enough where I was sure I couldn't speak, because I couldn't take another glorious word coming out of his mouth without exploding.

The car finally came to a smooth stop. Edward had the door opened immediately, but took his time grabbing my hand and helping me out. He gave Sam a small nod before pulling me into his side and heading for the door.

My back was pressed gently against the door as his lips brushed almost excruciatingly slowly against mine. My arms hung loosely around his shoulders, brushing through the copper hair that I had become embarrassingly attached to. There wasn't an inch I wasn't attached to, really. I had just spent the most time getting acquainted with the hair.

When I scratched my nails against just the right spot a few inches behind his left ear…

"Fuck me, Princess," he grunted, pressing himself further into me. A firm hand wrapped around my thigh, hitching it over his waist.

I whimpered as he pressed his cock against just the right spot.

Dark pine eyes bore into me, his attention so absolutely focused on me I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. My lungs couldn't keep up, my brain a mushy pile of uselessness even as I tried my hardest to figure out how to commit the moment to my memory forever.

I was constantly looked at. People pulled their phones out as soon as I walked into a room to take a picture of me. But not a lot of people saw me. Me. Just me.

But Edward always had a way of looking at me as if I was the only person who mattered. Not because of my job or how many albums I sold, just because I was me.

He gently placed my leg back on the floor, lifting me up with an arm hooked beneath my back and my knees before I could protest.

"I'm pretty sure the whole threshold thing is supposed to be saved for after the wedding. Not–I didn't mean–I mean obviously we're not married. I–"

Edward shrugged, my word vomit not fazing him at all as he carried me up to his bedroom. "Yet."

My brain didn't start working again until I was plopped on the edge of his bed.

Warm fingers brushed through my hair, tilting my head up to meet his quite frankly ridiculously too tall gaze. "You good?"

I rolled my lips together, fighting a smile as I tugged his shirt up and out of my way before pressing my lips to the center of his abdomen. My fingers brushed across his skin, enjoying every curve and crevice and the way his arms tensed as he tossed the shirt over his head.

There was no shortage of men with those 'picture perfect' six pack abs in Los Angeles. Or New York. Or at every event I had been to in the last ten years.

Edward's weren't those instagram abs. They were solid muscle that was used every day for work and not photos. He had actual weight on him because he didn't starve himself and work out too much to keep the perfect six pack. He had soft hairs splattered across his chest and a perfect slope of his hip that let his dark jeans fall just enough for my fingers to brush a few inches beneath the hem.

"There's no going back after this, princess. Once you're mine… you're mine."

His voice was rough, sharp, but not in a mean way. In the way that had his muscles tensing underneath my fingers as they brushed along whatever exposed skin I could reach.

I didn't answer, didn't trust myself not to say something out of line after the whole wedding debacle. Something like I love you ain't that the worst thing you ever heard? Because I was fairly certain I was already past the point of no return. The crooked smiles and little jabs and the way he watched out for me no matter what… they were too much for a girl to look past.

So, instead of answering, I slowly unbuckled his belt. Watched his eyes darken as the rest of his clothing pooled on the ground. And pressed my lips to the head of his very hard, very impressive cock.

"Does that make this mine?" I asked, lips brushing along his length.

"Fuck yes."

I let out a happy sigh, sucking gently on just the tip before letting it pop out of my mouth. "I loved watching you play. You're…" I wasn't sure of the word. But every time he was out on that field I knew I had a stupidly big smile on my face.

Warm fingers tilted my chin up as soon as he bent over me and crushed his lips to mine. He pulled me to my feet, reluctantly tearing himself away from the kiss and twisting me in his arms until my back was flush against his chest. One of his hands wasted no time digging into the top of my dress, his palm giving my breast a firm squeeze. His other hand softly traveled up my thigh, not bothering to stop at the hem of my dress.

He held me flush against his chest, his arms around me the only thing keeping me standing as soon as his fingers brushed against my damp panties.

"Edward," I sighed. Somehow content to stand here forever and desperate for more.

My nails dug into his forearm, the one that was wrapped around my waist and traveled up underneath my skirt. I tilted my head up, blindly searching for a kiss that got given to me immediately.

The hand that was currently squeezed into my top left reluctantly, but found the zipper at the back of my dress. Both of his hands unfortunately left to take care of the zipper, but I pouted and leaned my head back for more. More kisses or traveling fingers or squeezes or anything as long as it was him.

He saw right through me, because somehow he had become someone who knew me better than most nearly overnight. Once my dress pooled at my feet he had to keep a firm grip on my hips to keep me standing and not collapsing right into his as he got rid of every scrap of remaining clothing between us.

I ended up in the center of his bed, every inch of him covering every inch of me as he kissed me until my head went fuzzy. His hands roamed, over my breasts, down my sides, along my thighs. Never lingering in one place too long, no matter how much I protested as he moved on.

I arched against him as he slid two fingers inside of me with a groan.

"Perfect," he groaned out, lips brushing against my abdomen as he made his way down my body. "Pussy feels so fucking good wrapped around my fingers, princess. Christ, you're going to feel so goddamn good on my cock. Take it even better than my fingers," he muttered, almost to himself, as he gave himself the perfect view of his fingers fucking me tortiously slowly.

"Please," I whimpered, fingers desperately grasping at his hair. Hips stretching up toward him to keep his fingers on me for even just a half a second longer.

I wanted him.

Now.

Desperately.

But Edward had other plans. Plans that kept him occupied between my legs, his tongue and fingers taking turns making my legs shake.

"Come for me, princess," he grunted out against my hip bone, fingers steadily increasing their tempo. "Let me hear those pretty moans, then you'll get my cock."

"Please," I whined, arching up against his fingers. So so close, but still not close enough. Still distracted by all of those promises.

Then his fingers curled perfectly inside of me. My hips bucked up against his fingers, his teeth grazed against my bare shoulder, and before I could be upset about the loss of his fingers, the head of his cock brushed against me.

There was no doubt. No hesitating, no second guessing, none of the sadness that had followed me around as I tried to move on from Jacob in the past. It was impossible to think of anything other than forest green eyes and crooked smiles.

Both of his hands traveled up my arms until all of our fingers intertwined above my head. His eyes were dark and glazed, but still sharp. Still staring at me as if nothing else in the world mattered. Never breaking eye contact as he slid himself inch by glorious inch inside of me.

My hands squeezed his, nails digging into his skin, but he didn't seem to mind. Or notice, not as his lips swallowed up every sound I made as he slowly pulled himself out before plunging back in again.

"Edward," I gasped out, eyes glassy as I buried my head in his shoulder. My legs wrapped around him, lips leaving trails of wet kisses wherever I could reach.

"So fucking good," he groaned, fingers squeezing mine. His eyes were hooded and glassy as his lips brushed over mine, along my cheek, until he got to my ear. "I knew you'd fit so fucking perfectly on my cock, princess. Take it so… fucking… good."

I lost track of everything then. Where he ended and I began. When his kisses turned into mine and how long I spent gloriously intertwined with him until I collapsed against his chest, thoroughly, thoroughly satisfied and unable to move a single limb.

His voice was gruff, a little hoarse, but gentle as he asked, "Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm dangerously close to falling in love with you."

For a solid five seconds, my heart froze in my chest. It didn't sound like a long time, but in terms of heartbeats it was. Especially when it started back up again in overdrive.

Since I was a teenager, I was the girl that fell too soon. That fell hard and fast and usually ended up hurt in the process. So much so that since Jacob left, I had closed off that hopeless romantic part of me because I knew she couldn't be trusted.

As soon as she met Edward, all bets were off.

His eyes were adorably hesitant as I mustered up all of my energy to lean over toward him and press my lips to his.

A/N: obsessed with this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed it :)