41
Bella reached across the bed, expecting to feel Edward asleep next to her, but the bed was empty. This made her lean up and look at the clock. It was three in the morning.
Climbing out of bed, she took a minute to get her legs under her before walking through their bedroom and across the hall to CJ's room. A smile tugged at her lips when she found Edward with their son cradled against his chest.
Eight weeks. Two months had passed since he arrived in the world, and it amazed her every day how much love she felt for her son.
So many things had changed in her life, but looking at the innocence in her son's eyes never made her regret the hand she was given. While Edward had healed part of her broken soul, CJ had given her a reason to live, to love, and the courage to forgive Carlisle for leaving them when they needed him the most. His death had brought her home, to her family, to her Edward, the man who had loved her long before she was able to even love herself.
"How long has he been up?"
Edward looked at her, smiling. "Not long. I'd just gotten home and was changing for bed when I heard him. Not crying, because you know he doesn't really cry, but a soft whimper."
She laughed. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"Because you were sleeping peacefully."
"It took a long time to get him down after his last feeding. He kept looking for you."
Edward's grin grew.
"Yeah, yeah, I know he loves you more. He's definitely a daddy's boy."
"No, he doesn't," Edward scoffed before laying CJ in his crib.
He put his hands up, waiting to make sure their son didn't start whimpering again before he turned and hurried out of the room, pulling the door behind him. He left it cracked open, though, just in case. Placing one hand on her hip, he rolled them, so she was pressed against the wall with his other hand next to the side of her head.
She smiled. "Was the bar busy?"
Edward groaned. "Yes."
Bella nodded, placing her hands in the middle of his chest, right over the sunflower tattoo. "Come with me."
"Where?"
"Just come with me."
Pushing him backward, she stepped away and led him into the bathroom. She bent over and started the water in the tub, the hot all the way on, before adding some cold. She grabbed the bottle of bubbles and squirted an unhealthy amount, watching as it foamed up before she straightened and turned toward him.
Keeping her eyes locked on his, she reached for the hem of her T-shirt, pulling it upward. Edward's eyes widened as she slipped it off and dropped it onto the floor. She tilted her head to the side, looking at him expectantly.
"Izzy," he whispered, unable to keep from looking down at her breasts.
She didn't reply, though, as her fingers hooked into the band of her pajama shorts and panties, slipping them down her legs and kicking them to the side. Smiling, she turned and slid into the water before looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
Edward cleared his throat before he dipped his fingers into the waistband of his pants and pushed them down his legs, leaving him naked. She could see how nervous he was as he climbed into the tub, sitting across from her, his legs bent on either side of hers.
Bella reached over and turned off the water before crossing her arms on top of her knees. "I missed you tonight."
"I missed you, too."
"Can you believe CJ is two months old?"
"No," he whispered, reaching over and entwining his fingers with his. "He's gotten so big, Izzy. He . . . he looks like him, don't you think?"
Bells nodded. "More and more every day."
"I think about him all the time. All the time, Izzy. How he would have loved CJ, how he . . . Carlisle would have walked the hallways night after night after night with him. He would have made sure CJ never knew what it was like to have a father who hates him the way we did."
"So will you."
Edward nodded.
"Hey," she whispered, tugging on his hand. "I love you."
"I love you, too. More and more every day."
"Yeah?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Yeah," Edward replied with a grin.
"Prove it."
"How?"
But Bella didn't say anything as she stood and climbed out of the tub. Reaching for his hand, she dared him to accept her challenge, which he did without question. The two entered their bedroom before she turned toward him, placing her hands on his chest.
"Izzy. . ."
"I'm ready."
"Are you sure?"
"Are you?"
Edward cupped her face between his hands, his eyes searching hers for any sign that she didn't want to move their relationship to the next step.
"Yes."
He grinned moments before his lips touched hers. Bella moaned, her hands sliding up his chest, nestling into his hair. Edward wrapped his arms around her, pressing their naked, wet bodies together. As their mouths moved against each other, Edward slid his hands down her back, over her ass to the back of her thighs. He lifted her before laying her on the bed, moving to hover over her.
"You are so beautiful, Izzy. So fucking beautiful."
"When did you realize you were in love with me?"
Edward leaned up on his hands. "It was right after your seventeenth birthday when we went to the fair. Everyone else had gone to ride the Ferris Wheel, but you were afraid of heights, so I stayed with you."
"I dared you to win me a stuffed pig."
Edward smiled. "Cost me almost fifty dollars, but we walked away with that stupid pig in your arms."
"Hey, Corky wasn't stupid," she argued before saying, "I slept with him every night."
"You did?"
She nodded. "He made me feel safe."
"Izzy," Edward whispered.
"You make me feel safe, Edward."
"I do?"
"Of course you do, love."
"Izzy," he whispered, his lips trembling.
Bella placed her hands on his chest, rolling them so she was straddling his thighs. "Marry me."
"What?" he asked, leaning up on his elbows.
"You heard me."
"Pretty sure I'm supposed to be the one asking you."
"Then ask me."
"Are you sure you're ready to marry me?"
"Yes." She placed her hands on his chest, sliding her fingers to the back of his head, tangling in his auburn hair. "Edward, I want . . . I want to spend the rest of our lives together, being a family. I want everything with you."
Edward sat up, wrapping his arms around her, pressing their bodies together. "I want that, too, but I don't want you to feel obligated to . . . to move faster than you're ready for."
"I'm ready for everything, Edward. If you're not, I'll understand."
"Oh, no, I am. I just . . . I just kind of had a plan, and that didn't include us being naked at the time."
Bella laughed. "So tell me about your plan."
Edward smiled. "Okay. I was going to get dressed up. In suit, and you know I don't like to wear a suit."
"I do."
"I was going to close the bar for the night, fill it with sunflowers and candles. Super cheesy, I know, but romantic, too."
"Very romantic."
"You would be wearing a dress."
"I would?"
He nodded. "Ro would make sure of it."
Bella laughed. "Oh, so Ro would be in on your little plan, huh?"
"Of course," he scoffed. "Like she would let me plan anything on my own."
"That's true," Bella giggled. "So, I'd be wearing a dress. What would happen next?"
"You would walk in, and I would be standing in the middle of the room. I'd hold my hand out for you, and you would let me pull you into my arms. And we wouldn't say anything as we started dancing, just staring deeply into each other's eyes. When the song ended, I'd kiss you. I'd kiss you like I'd never kissed you before. And then I would . . . I would kneel in front of you, your hand still in mine. I'd promise to love you. To always love you, Izzy. And I'd promise to take care of you and CJ and be the man you deserve."
"You're already that man, Edward."
"I'm trying, Izzy. I'm trying for you and CJ. I don't . . . I don't want to lose you, either of you, again."
"You won't," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his. "I won't let you."
"You won't?"
Bella shook her head.
"Will you marry me, Izzy?"
"Well, seeing as I asked first, yes."
Edward smiled before pressing his lips against hers. He shifted them so she was lying under him before his lips moved down her neck, along her collarbone. Bella moaned, her fingers tangling in his hair as he moved to her breast, his lips suckling on her nipple. He moved his lips to her other nipple, causing her entire body to tremble.
"Oh, my God," she groaned, her fingers tightening in his hair as he kissed his way down her stomach, along the scar that stretched from her belly button downward.
Edward shifted his eyes to hers before he pressed his hands on her thighs, pushing her legs apart. He swiped his tongue along his bottom lips before he tasted her for the first time.
"Oh," she moaned, arching off the bed. "Don't stop."
"I won't. Ever," he promised before turning his attention back to her.
Moving his finger in and out, he nibbled on her clit. She could feel her orgasm building as he inserted another finger. Bella felt wave after wave of pleasure rush over her as she climaxed. Edward continued to devour her as she came down from her high.
Bella felt him kiss his way up her body before he kissed her hard. She could feel his erection pressing into her thigh.
"Edward, please, I need you now," Bella whispered.
"I love you, Izzy," whispered Edward as he slowly started to push inside.
Bella gasped at the pain of being stretched. It had been too long since she'd made love to a man. A tear rolled down the side of her face, which Edward was quick to kiss away.
"Do you want me to stop?"
"No," she whimpered. "Don't."
After a few moments, she lifted her hips to encourage Edward to move within her. He moved slowly, giving her time to adjust; to be comfortable with the way he loved her.
"God, Izzy, you feel so good. Better than I ever dreamed," he groaned, pressing his face against the side of her neck.
"Edward, don't ever stop loving me," she mumbled.
"Never, sweetheart, never," he vowed, slowly increasing his pace.
He slipped his arm under her, he continued to fill her over and again. Edward leaned back, sitting on his legs as he pulled her up against him. Their bodies were slick with sweat and need; their desire for one another echoed throughout their bedroom. The sounds of their bodies moving together, the moonlight pouring into the room through the blinds, illuminated their naked forms.
"Oh, my . . ." Bella cried out, feeling herself tense as she reached another climax.
"I love you, Izzy. I fucking love you so much," he groaned just before his lips caught hers in a fiery kiss.
"Edward," she moaned, clutching onto him as tightly as she could, needing him closer.
"I know, sweetheart, I know," he murmured, tightening his arms around her. "Don't leave me. Please, don't ever leave me."
"Never, love. Never."
Edward thrust into her once, twice, a third time before he stilled, spilling his release. His lips found purchase against the side of her throat, his body pressed against hers. Before either could say anything, though, CJ's soft whimpers trickled from the baby monitor on her bedside table.
She leaned away from Edward, bringing her hands up to his face. "I'd better get him."
"I'll do it."
Bella smiled. "No, you need to sleep. It's my turn."
With one last kiss, Bella detangled herself from his arms and slid on a clean pair of panties and one of his T-shirts. As she tiptoed across the hallway and scooped CJ into her arms, she was reminded once more of the love of a man who'd been her world for more than half her life and the man who saved her from wallowing away in her grief. While she missed Carlisle every single day, she knew Edward was not just her future but CJ's as well.
She smiled when she felt Edward encase her and CJ in his arms, his hand coming over hers, slipping something onto her finger. Confused, she braced CJ against her before she lifted her left hand, smiling when she saw the white gold ring with a princess-shaped diamond in the middle.
"You already had a ring?"
Edward laughed, pressing his lips against the side of her head. "I've been waiting for the right moment. You just beat me to it."
"You cheeky devil," she snickered, turning to face him. "Thank you. I love it."
"I love you."
Bella grinned. "I love you more."
Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! Big shout out to Sunflower Fran for being an awesome beta! Two chapters left!
