Chapter 31 – It's Time We Had The Talk

Rosalie's POV

After Esme and I watched Amber devour 2 bowls of stew and almost a whole loaf of homemade bread, my mother excused herself.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two of us.

Amber was the first one to address the elephant in the room by asking "So am I still high off of antibiotics or is there something going on between us that I'm missing?"

I give a very unhumorous laugh at my love's directness. Though I'm sure that it has more to do with Amber being exhausted and just wanting to get straight to the point.

Unfortunately I immediately became defensive as I tried to avoid this conversation. "I don't know what you're talking about." I flippently said as I flicked my hair over my shoulder with my right hand as I turned towards the wall behind the headboard.

"Oh really? So that's why you've refused to touch me since I regained consciousness?!" Amber scoffed at me.

I scoffed back with contempt, "You've made it perfectly clear that you don't want me touching you. Or does that only apply to public displays of affection?!" I'm angrily shouting by the end.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Amber asked with exasperation. After a brief pause she add, "I love any attention you're willing to give me and I'm pretty sure that I've proven that I can't keep my hands off of you."

"Then explain to me why you wouldn't even hug me." I all but demand.

"What are you talking about?" Amber asks full of exhaustion.

"At the ceremony. You refused to touch me because we were front of everyone. Not to mention you didn't even introduce me as your girlfriend to your friends." I say full of hurt.

Amber has a look of pure confusion that under other circumstances I would be cooing at, before a look of understanding overcomes her face before she starts full on laughing.

I don't even have time to feel hurt, because I'm too busy angrily storming towards the door.

With a quickness you rarely see in humans little on humans who are still pretty sick, Amber makes it across the room and has me pinned to the wall next to the open door. Before I can voice my outrage Amber is kissing me senseless.

Amber pulls back and before I can protest or push her away she tries to explain by saying, "I'm sorry darlin'. I didn't mean to laugh." She tries to kiss me again and for half a second I almost let her before I sobered up and start to push her away from me.

Amber startles me by aggressively grabbing my hands and pinning them above my head. I was so shocked by her sudden dominance and to be honest I was also dealing with the flare of heat it caused me, that I was frozen in place. My shock was the reason that she was capable of subduing me in the first place.

"First off I was in uniform. I'm legally and honor bound to uphold the professionalism and respect that I owe that uniform. There are a lot of things that I am not allowed to do while I wear it, because of regulations. Public displays of affection is the biggest one." Amber tries to explain.

I almost believe that explanation until I remembered Amber deploying not too long ago.

"I might believe what you're saying, but we've kissed plenty of times when you were in uniform." I say with a great deal of hostility as I finally push Amber away from me.

"We have, but besides the day that I deployed it was always away from people. Deployment rules are different. Technically it's still against regs, but its considered acceptable, within parameters mind you, because either you're leaving or coming home." Amber explains.

Amber puts a finger under my chin so that I will look her in the eyes before she continues by adding, "And as far as I'm concerned you are my girlfriend, my girl, my rosie posie, and a million other cute things that I can come up with, but bottom line….you are mine. Just as much as I am yours." Amber pauses her explanation to give me a tender kiss. "We just never talked about official titles so I wasn't sure if you wanted any of that yet. I was hoping to have that conversation this weekend over a nice dinner, but my body seemed to have other plans."

Amber's POV

My body decides to emphasize that point, but making me cough uncontrollably. After a few seconds of continuous hacking Carlisle appears out of thin air as he begins to scold me as he guides me back to bed. "You're in no condition to be up and walking around. You're condition would hospitalized anyone else, so stop pushing yourself. Your body needs time to heal."

"Sorry Doc." I sheepishly apologize as I get back under the covers.

After more pills and a new IV bag Carlisle leaves us alone to continue our argument…..discussion? Either way we need to resolve this thing between us.

After I get my newest round of coughing under control I pat the bed beside me and I don't start talking until after Rosalie takes a seat. "Look Rose, there are a lot of things that will inevitably come up that will require us to be open and honest with each other. Especially military related things, but never doubt that I'm not in this for the long haul. I want you by my side through good times and bad and I'm sorry that I made you feel anything less than wanted."

Rosalie looks like she's about to start crying with what I can only hope are happy tears.

Thankfully Rose gives me a smile before she makes herself comfortable under the covers before pulling me into her arms so that my head can make it's self comfortable on her lap as she gently starts to card her fingers through my hair.

I release a sigh of contentment as I let Rosalie's chilled body temperature cool my overheated one.

The last thing I hear before I pass out is Rose saying, "We'll talk more when you're feeling better, but right now you need to rest. I'll need to make sure that my girlfriend is being taken care of so I'll be staying with you until you've recovered."

My girlfriend then kisses my forehead as the darkness engulfs me once more.

Emmett's POV

I know that I speak for the rest of the family when I say how relieved we are that Rosalie and Amber have finally resolved this latest misunderstanding.

Their communication skills need a lot of work and the always expecting the worse is getting ridiculous.

I guess when you've been hurt over and over to the point that you almost break it will have that effect on you.

I know that they're both broken, but hopefully together they can start to heal. I know without any hesitation that the rest of the family will be helping out in any way that they are able to.

Speaking of family, I don't envy my brothers and father right now.

Rosalie wasn't the only woman to swoon over Amber's loving words. Amber has really changed the game for the mated pairs in the family. The boys have been having to step up their game in the love department since day one of Amber entering our lives.

Even if she makes them look bad or makes them have to try a little harder I know that they wouldn't trade our newest little sister for anything.

Our family is almost complete. All that's missing is my mate. I know that they're out there and I'll meet them, hopefully soon,, but right now I want to bask in the love and contentment that's flowing throughout the house.