Tuesday, January 30, 2001

Chapter 14

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Chapter 14
"You okay there, Eddie?" the angel teased, quite enjoying his assignment's current predicament.
Edward huffed loudly in annoyance at the merciless teasing the angel had been subjecting him to for the past few days. As if he didn't have enough shit to worry about? Between all that dying business, on top of getting Isabella's and Emmett's project off and running, and coming to terms with the revelations about Seth and 'the others' watching him, it had been a hell of a few weeks.
Seth's appearances had been a bit sporadic, though Edward knew he was always watching. It still amazed him how easy it was to accept that and go on about his business. He wasn't sure, exactly, what that meant in the grand scheme of things, and frankly he didn't much care. All he knew was he was happier than he'd ever imagined he could be and spent every day determined to move forward.
And, well, today forward meant dinner with the Swans.
"No, damn it, I'm not doing okay! Do I look like I'm doing okay?" Edward practically shrieked as he flailed his hand around in a wide circular motion.
Seth let out an exasperated breath and shook his head. For days now Edward had been working himself up into a tizzy over the impending dinner with Isabella's family and for the life of him he didn't understand it. Surprisingly both Charlie and Renée as well as Isabella's Nonna, Gianna, all liked Edward. Sure they didn't spend as much time with them as they would have liked and admittedly they didn't know him as well as they should seeing as he was married to their daughter, but all in all they liked him just fine.
Isabella was happy, or at least she appeared to be in their presence, and that was all that mattered to them.
"Boy, I swear you are the most dramatic human I've ever come across. Do you need some of my angelic 'mumbo jumbo' as you keep calling it to help calm your ass down or do you think you can manage to bring it down a notch or two on your own?" Seth remarked with a raised eyebrow.
Edward groaned and then pulled at his hair before flinging himself on his bed.
"I'm really fucking nervous about going over there, okay?" Edward said sharply, trying to take a few deep breaths to get control of his erratic heartbeat. "I don't want to fuck things up."
"Edward," the angel said with a shake of his head.
Good Lord, the man would drive him to drink...if angels partook of such things.
As it was, the human tested his limits daily, a fact of which Gideon and the others were made well aware of...repeatedly.
Edward didn't move and he didn't speak for a few moments while he let his mind wander over the past few weeks. Ever since the dinner at Rose and Em's and the subsequent unforgettable night at home with Isabella, things had settled into somewhat of a routine. He couldn't help the deep rumble of pleasure that went through his chest when he thought about that night and the next morning as well.
They had spent countless hours loving and worshiping each other's bodies. When he thought neither one of them could possibly go on, they did. It seemed as if the two of them were unable to sever the connection that had enveloped them. He had never experienced anything that powerful or all-consuming in his life, not even the brief glimpse of the peace Seth had shown him on the plane that he'd be granted if he was successful in doing what the angel asked of him could compare to that. What had happened to him and Isabella that night wasn't even in the same stratosphere.
It was everything.
The way she looked when she moved above him; the way she soothed every part of his soul with her touch and her words; the way she took complete control of him and loved him, every part of him, was an experience he wouldn't ever forget. Not in however much time he had left and he knew without a doubt he'd been irrevocably changed.
Forever...or however you wanted to say it.
Whatever awaited him when his time was up, he was positive she would always be a part of him, just as he would be a part of her. He knew Isabella loved him, but after that night, any lingering doubt he had floated away.
He wasn't a perfect man, not by any stretch of the imagination. He still worked later some nights than he should have. He still got wrapped up in business talk with Marcus, Alec, and Jasper. He still forgot at times to say thank you and good morning to Donna and Peter. He still said very little about his birth parents; a fact of which Edward knew was coming to end in the not so distant future.
But, he was trying.
Which brought him to his nervousness about the upcoming dinner. He didn't want to make a mistake and he didn't want to do or say anything that would upset his wife. He knew how much she'd been looking forward to this dinner and all he wanted to do was get through the night without making an ass out of himself.
"You want to tell me why you think dinner with Isabella's family is any different from dinner with your own?" Seth questioned. He had a feeling he knew what the answer was, after all he was an all-knowing being, but he wanted to hear Edward say it.
Eh, maybe that made him a bit of a pain in the ass, but Edward just made it too damn easy sometimes.
Edward huffed again, not sure if he could put what he was feeling into words. He was nervous as hell, but he was excited, too. He was, unexpectedly, really looking forward to spending time with Charlie and Renée...and Nonna. He felt odd using that term for her, but she wouldn't have it any other way. When he and Isabella had first started dating and he was introduced to her family, he tried to call her Mrs. Santoro, but she wouldn't even answer him when he did so. He changed tactics and tried just saying ma'am, to no avail. So, Nonna she was.
He had to admit, the woman was certainly something else.
She was unlike any person he'd ever met before. He saw a lot of her in Isabella, the way she was so loving and so loyal and he had to say, the way her temper appeared out of nowhere. Isabella definitely learned her feistiness from a pro, that was for sure. Of course, Edward also had to acknowledge she'd never been anything but warm and welcoming to him. There wasn't one time he could remember her being anything less than sweet and sincere, even those times when he knew he didn't deserve it.
Being around the Swan family had been even harder for him than his own family in many ways. The Swans loved boisterously, openly, and that was difficult for him to handle. Oh, he'd soaked it up, not that anyone could tell, however. As different as Isabella's family was from his own, both past and present, he felt nothing but happy and grateful that Isabella had grown up in such a loving and nurturing environment.
"Her family is just so different from mine," Edward stated, finally answering the angel's question.
Seth merely snorted, choosing not to comment on the obvious. Instead he prodded, "And that means what exactly?"
"Hell if I know," Edward said evasively.
"Edward."
Edward growled and then bit out, "Fine. I don't want them to hate me. Happy now?"
"Look, my friend, let's be clear about something, shall we? You've been a really shitty husband the last five years; you know this, I know this, Isabella knows this. Fortunately for you, no one else really does. You're lovely wife," Seth said and Edward rolled his eyes when the angel person did his usual fanboy sigh when his wife was mentioned, "has the patience of a saint. She is as loyal as a guard dog about you and your marriage so luckily for you Charlie Swan doesn't know much of anything. In your case the saying 'what he doesn't know won't hurt you' is nothing but the truth. I can do a lot, but stopping a bullet isn't one of them."
Actually, it kind of was, but Edward didn't need to know that.
"Fuck," Edward muttered under his breath and felt his stomach twist in knots at the thought of Isabella's imposing father.
The angel laughed heartily at his assignment's face. The poor guy looked like he was going to be sick at any moment. Seth knew he could help calm him, but he felt it was rather appropriate that Edward be a bit uncomfortable, at least for awhile. If he wasn't so sure of the welcome Edward would receive from the Swans, he might be inclined to offer some angelic comfort, but he knew they'd be nothing but happy to see him.
Seth gleefully admitted to having a bit of a vindictive streak, especially when it came to Isabella.
He loved Edward, he couldn't help it, and he'd tried...Lord knew he tried...but the guy was just so damn endearing he couldn't help himself. Angels were built to love, it was part of their makeup, obviously. Edward Cullen might be his most challenging assignment to date, hell he'd probably be the most challenging one ever, but he'd also be his greatest accomplishment as well.
He hoped anyway.
But, well, Isabella was...Isabella.
Enough said.
Speaking of, because she was about to check on her husband, Seth figured it was time for him to leave his charge in her very capable hands. "Eddie, cut the crap and suck it up. If you allow yourself, you might find you'll enjoy your evening. I'll be watching. You know if you need me, I'll be there," he said then disappeared.
"Damn meddlesome, wife-ogling, pain in the ass seraph," Edward muttered right as Isabella entered the bedroom.
They hadn't spent a night apart since 'that' first night, though they'd yet to do anything that made the move permanent. Most of her things were still in the room down the hall, but he planned to change that travesty in the very immediate future. He only hoped she would appreciate the gesture.
"Edward, sweetheart," Isabella said and then her voice trailed off as she stared, wide-eyed at her half-dressed husband. He hadn't buttoned his shirt yet, and his black dress pants were still unzipped. She gulped as she took in his sculpted chest covered with a smattering of hair, his incredibly toned stomach, and Lord help her, that trail of light-colored hair that dipped so damn sexily beneath the waistband of his underwear.
Damn, she was a lucky woman.
She had to chuckle when she thought about the other women that worked at CP. It was true that she wasn't in the office all day every day, though that would be changing as she and Emmett continued their project, but she was sure there often enough to hear what was said about her husband. It had been that way for years actually, and in all honesty it had never bothered her. Edward was an extraordinarily good-looking man she was proud to say. He was tall, had piercing green eyes, a chiseled jaw that would make any woman swoon, not to mention his hair. So soft and always in such disarray, it was no wonder the comments she heard ran the gamut of sweet all the way to downright raunchy and vulgar.
However, since his epiphany a few weeks ago, the aura that had always surrounded him was even more pronounced. He smiled; he greeted his employees and colleagues warmly; he joked and made small talk; he looked and was happy. That, of course, just made him even more irresistible. The poor women in the office didn't know what hit them. They fawned all over him, not to mention threw themselves at him on practically a daily basis. She couldn't really blame them, but it didn't mean she had to like it either.
In fact, she didn't like it one little bit.
He was her Edward, damn it, the one she'd clawed and fought for and she'd be damned if anyone tried to take him away from her. Not that she was worried, because for one, the man couldn't keep his hands off her no matter where they were, and that included the office. Secondly, he looked at her in a way that made her knees weak and made her heart stutter. And thirdly, to go along with the way he looked at her, was the smile he had that was solely hers. It was a cross between needy and loving, with a hint of vulnerability and of course some naughtiness thrown in for good measure.
Kind of like the way he was smiling at her now.
"Sorry, Beautiful," he said with a shrug of his shoulders as she approached him.
Her stomach did that fluttery thing it always did when he said that word, that way, in that voice. She tossed her black peacoat on the bed and walked toward him, never taking her eyes off him. She shook her head at his apology, as it wasn't needed. She stopped in front of him, and gathered the material of the sky blue shirt he was wearing in her hands and slowly began to button his shirt for him. She purposely let her fingertips slide over his chest and she let out a giggle when he growled at her.
"Isabella, love, if you keep that up, we'll never make it on time for dinner," he warned.
"Keep what up?" she impishly asked, though they were both well aware of what she was doing to him.
She reached down and grabbed the flaps of his dress pants and she might have intentionally scraped her fingernail across the front of the growing bulge in his underwear.
"Evil woman," he hissed as she tucked his shirt in and zipped his pants up. She fastened the button and then the belt, smiling smugly when she watched him swallow convulsively and heard him breathe heavily.
Once she had him all buttoned up and ready, she patted his chest. "Come on, husband of mine, let's get a move on before Mama starts calling, wondering where we are."
Edward sighed, trying to will himself to move. He gave her a lopsided smirk and said, "Well, we can't have that now can we? Besides, when we continue this game you've started, I have no intention of being interrupted...for a very long time."
He picked her coat up off the bed, appreciating how incredibly beautiful she looked. She had on a black and white print skirt that hugged her in all the right places and was short enough to show off her toned legs, especially because she was wearing a pair of sexy as fuck black heels. The black sweater she wore was just tight enough so that her breasts looked spectacular. Her hair was down, styled so that it was a mess of curls, though she had pulled part of it up and was clipped at the back of her head. Her makeup was minimal as always and in her ears were the simple, but exquisite diamond studs he had given her for her wedding present.
They were flawless, much like the woman that wore them with such grace.
He held the coat for her, slipping it around her delicate shoulders. He couldn't resist kissing her, so he carefully pushed her hair to the side and placed a warm, lingering, open-mouthed kiss behind her ear. "You look exceptionally beautiful tonight, Isabella," he whispered huskily.
"Edward," she breathed out.
He spun her around and nuzzled her neck. "I know, Beautiful, I know. Let's get out of here before neither one of us is able to think clearly."
She nodded her head, looking as torn as he was. "Tonight, Isabella," he promised her.
The drive to Wheaton went by quickly and they filled the time talking about the office and the project. Isabella had gotten her list ready for their first meeting. Surprisingly, none of the others even questioned her selections, even the ones that were not obvious. It made her a bit nervous to see them put so much faith in her decisions, but it also gave her a much deserved boost of confidence.
Edward smiled as he listened to his wife excitedly speak about the next phase of the campaign. He couldn't help but revel in the fact that the announcement of CP's newest venture coincided perfectly with the opening of the opera season. It gave him great pleasure to not only be able to show off his incredibly beautiful and talented wife, but to rub it in Vincent Sinclair's face at the same time.
He was counting down the days.
Hell, he figured if his days were numbered, he might as well make the best of them, and Sinclair, the son of a bitch, had it coming to him.
He also knew that it was time to have a talk with Isabella about...Anna Davenport. Thinking her name gave him chills, but he owed it to his wife to tell her everything. It wouldn't be easy, but he had done enough thinking since the aggravating angel appeared to realize he had as much fault in what had happened as Anna did. Apologizing to her would suck, big time, but he had hurt her. She'd hurt him as well, but he was under no illusion about his ex-girlfriend. It would be a cold day in hell before she ever admitted any wrongdoing, but as Seth had told him, all he could do was apologize for his mistakes. What she chose to do with it, was totally up to her.
He sighed and Isabella squeezed his hand. "Is everything okay, Edward?" she asked sweetly and all thoughts of Vincent and Anna vanished.
He parked the car in front of the Swans' house and then turned to look at her. "Just perfect, love."
He grabbed the bottles of wine they brought to have with dinner then got out. He walked around the car and opened her door and helped her up, giving her a quick kiss once she stood.
"Bambola!" Charlie bellowed happily when he flung the door open.
She let out the most adorable squeak, ever, and Edward smiled and let go of her hand so she could go to her father.
"Dad!"
Edward had the strangest, though not unwelcome nor unpleasant, feeling wash over him as he watched father and daughter hug affectionately.
"Bella, you look so pretty," Charlie said with a smile only a father could have for his daughter. "Edward, good to see you, son," he said to Edward as he followed behind. Edward shook his father-in-law's hand vigorously, relieved to be welcomed so graciously.
"Hi, Charlie. Good to see you, too. And I agree. Isabella looks beautiful tonight, not that she doesn't always."
Charlie watched with an amused, and he had to say, pleased smile when his daughter looked at her husband as if he had hung the moon. It had been a while since he'd seen her look so radiant, and whatever the reason for it, he couldn't be happier.
"Well, come on you two, no sense standing around on the porch when there is food and drink...and cake to eat inside," he said and winked at Edward.
"Dad! I told Mama no cake," Isabella huffed and Edward couldn't help but snicker at her.
"Bella, you know your mother. Once that woman gets an idea in her head, there's no changing her mind. Stubborn as a damn ox I tell ya," Charlie muttered as he ushered them all into the house.
"Charles Alan Swan, I heard that," Renée said as she walked out of the kitchen, scowling at her husband. She walked right past him and headed straight for her daughter. She almost did a double take when she took in how happy she looked. Isabella positively glowed and for the briefest of seconds it brought tears to her eyes, but she quickly stopped them.
"Bella, baby, you look amazing! Happy early birthday!" she exclaimed happily and giggled when her daughter rolled her eyes at her. "Oh you stop it now, birthdays are meant to be celebrated," she teased and then kissed her on the cheek.
"Mama, I told you no cake," Isabella complained, again. "I'm turning thirty, not thirteen for heaven's sake."
"Edward, tell my daughter that you're never too old to celebrate a birthday." Renée laughed then threw her arms around him, kissing him soundly on the cheek.
No one could ever describe the Swans as subdued.
Dutifully Edward turned toward Isabella and said, "Love, you're never too old to celebrate a birthday." He didn't even flinch when she glared at him, only because the corners of her mouth lifted almost immediately.
"Fine. You just remember that when it's your birthday, sweetheart," she answered him with a wicked smile. "You will be turning thirty-six, you know."
His stomach twisted painfully when he thought about the fact that there was a very good possibility that he wouldn't see his next birthday, but he pushed that thought far away.
Tonight was not the time to wallow. Tonight was for celebrating his love's birthday and he was determined to do just that.
"Oh, Renée. We brought these to go with dinner," Edward said as he handed her the bottles of wine he'd taken from the wine cellar.
Renée couldn't help the shocked sound that escaped her lips at the exceedingly sweet gesture. In all the time Edward and Isabella had been married she couldn't recall him ever doing anything similar. "Thank you, Edward. What a sweet thing to do. I'll go get the wine glasses and let you have the honor of pouring when it's time to eat," she said and then kissed him quickly on the cheek.
"Beautiful, let me take your coat," Edward said softly once all the greetings were out of the way and Renée had gone back into the kitchen.
He helped her take her coat off and then ran his hand gently down the side of her face.
Christ, he loved her.
"I'm going to go help Mama in the kitchen. Will you be okay for a few minutes?" she asked him, quietly, but loud enough for Charlie to hear.
"Bella, I don't bite you know. Shoo, go help your Mama and let me and my son-in-law visit for a bit. I haven't seen him in quite awhile," Charlie told her.
He could tell there was something going on, he wasn't the Chief of Police for nothing. His daughter was happier than he'd ever seen her and Edward, well, it was almost like he was a different person.
Isabella gave one last smile to Edward before she went to find her mother and Nonna.
Charlie watched Edward as he stared at Bella while she walked away, looking about as pathetic as a man could get. "Son, she's only going to be in the next room." Charlie chuckled at him.
Edward looked flustered for a moment and then blew out a tension relieving breath. "Yes, I know. So, Charlie, how are things at work?" Edward asked.
Charlie decided to go along with Edward for the time being, only because the poor guy was wound up tighter than a drum. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why that was, and while every father-in-law liked to needle their son-in-laws from time to time, Charlie figured now was probably not the best time to test that theory.
"They're just fine, Edward. Thanks for asking. I've been training a new deputy, which you know as well as I, has its moments, but I can't complain much. How about you, how are things in the big world of publishing?" Charlie asked him.
About that time Isabella walked into the living room carrying two beers for her two favorite men.
"Thanks, Bambola. Tell your Mama to hurry it up in there, a man could starve to death waiting out here," Charlie told his daughter affectionately when she kissed the top of his head.
She turned and handed the other beer to her husband, noticing immediately that though he wasn't what you would call relaxed, he seemed to have at least calmed down a bit since they'd arrived. "Here, sweetheart. Dinner won't be much longer."
"Thank you, love. Do you need help with anything?" Edward asked graciously, and was rewarded with a sweet, soft smile.
"We've got it. You relax," she told him and then blew him a kiss before returning to the kitchen.
Charlie watched the brief, but very touching, and he had to say very intimate, exchange between the two. Edward had always been a bit standoffish, ever since the first time Bella had brought him home to introduce him to her family. In all the time they had been married and in the few and far between visits Edward had paid to his home, he wasn't sure he could ever recall either of them being so openly affectionate with each other.
Not that he wasn't inordinately pleased to see it, mind you or that radiant smile on her face.
"She seems extremely happy. Any particular reason why?" Charlie casually asked, though there was nothing casual about the question at all.
Edward took a long pull on his beer trying to decide how to answer the question. He groaned and internally cursed the annoying but ever-present being, for he knew he was quite enjoying his current predicament. He knew it was his mess and he needed to clean it up, but that didn't mean the angel needed to enjoy it quite so much, did it?
Edward cleared his throat a few times and shifted in his seat on the sofa, using those few precious seconds to try to get what he wanted to say in some sort of order.
"Charlie, ah..." Edward began and then coughed. "I love Isabella very much."
Charlie chuckled and said, "Yes, Edward, it's rather obvious."
Edward blew out a painful breath and decided to just dive head first into the conversation. He respected Charlie immensely, perhaps more than just about any other man he'd ever met and he wanted to earn that same respect back. Pussyfooting around and trying to make things not sound as bad as they had been was taking the coward's way out, and he wasn't going to do that any longer.
"Charlie, the truth of the matter is this. I have been a poor excuse of a husband for most of the past five years. I worked longer hours than I needed to, spent more time away from home than was necessary, and did a damn fine job of keeping Isabella from getting too close to me. I've loved her from the very first moment we met, but until very recently, I did everything within my power not to let her see that. I've made her cry, I've hurt her, and I'm more sorry for that than you can ever possibly imagine. For some reason, she's willing to give me another chance. I'm not stupid enough to not realize that I don't deserve it, but I give you my word, I'm going to spend every day trying to be worthy of her," Edward finished with a shaky voice.
Edward hung his head, relieved more than he could possibly believe to get that out in the open. He expected Charlie to rant and rave. He expected to be threatened within an inch of his life. Charlie Swan did neither.
"Edward, son, look at me," Charlie demanded, though not harshly.
In all his years as a police officer, and they were many, he'd never, ever heard a man speak with such conviction or sincerity. He'd heard declarations of innocence more times than he could count. He'd heard explanations concocted to try to get out of trouble; he'd heard heartfelt pleas for one more chance...he'd heard it all, and then some. While he loathed the thought of his daughter being in pain for any reason, she was a grown woman with a smart head on her shoulders. He trusted her implicitly and she'd never given him any reason to question her judgment.
He wasn't going to start now.
Edward picked his head up, not knowing what to expect.
"My daughter means everything to me and has since the moment she was brought into this world. I'd lay down my life for her if it came down to it. I'd hunt down anyone, to the ends of the earth, if they hurt her. There isn't anything her mother or I wouldn't do for her if she needed it. Whatever mistakes you have made, those are between you and her. We have taught her right from wrong; we have taught her what it means to forgive others. If Bella has chosen to forgive you, that is her choice to make," Charlie told him.
"Thank you, Charlie," Edward said quietly but was cut off.
"I'm not finished yet."
Edward nodded and then Charlie continued. "Look, let me just say this straight out and then we can get cleaned up for dinner. Isabella is as stubborn as her mother, but more forgiving and loving than all of us combined. It doesn't surprise me that she's given you another chance. Any man that looks at my daughter the way you look at her or can make her smile the way she is tonight, has to be doing something right. No one is undeserving of love, Edward. No one. Whatever caused you to think that, I have no idea, but if you ever need to talk to someone, you can always come to me. You're a part of this family, Edward. We haven't spent a lot of time together, but I hope we can change that. Might as well go all in, don't you think?"
"That would be...great," Edward said, overcome with emotion.
"Well, all right then," Charlie said, easing the tension between the two of them.
Good timing, too, because Renée announced dinner was ready.
Each of the men stood up and Charlie threw an arm around Edward's shoulder, needing to tell him one more thing. "Just so we're on the same page, son. Don't forget I keep a few guns at home. I won't be afraid to use one of them if I find out you've hurt her again."
"Yes, sir. You don't have to worry. I give you my word I won't make the same mistakes again," Edward vowed.
"Good, then we have nothing to worry about. Now come on, I'm starving."
While the two men were talking in the living room, Isabella found herself alone for a few minutes with her adored, and very perceptive Nonna.
"Isabella Marie," the spry woman greeted her granddaughter warmly. She reached out and grabbed her face, kissing both her cheeks. She stood back, still holding her face and smiled a serene, probing smile.
"Hi, Nonna," Isabella said back and pulled her in for a hug. Besides hugs from her father and Edward of course, there wasn't anything better than a hug from her grandmother.
Out of habit, because they'd prepared meals together for years now, they began the finishing touches on dinner. Isabella moved to prepare the homemade salad dressing while Gianna chopped the vegetables for the salad.
"Tell me how you've been, Cari, I haven't talked with you in a few days," Gianna told her granddaughter.
"I've been good, Nonna. Better than ever actually." Gianna, being the keen observer she was, didn't miss the way Isabella's eyes shone with happiness or the way her smile seemed to light up her entire being.
Oh, Gianna didn't miss it at all. In fact, she knew immediately when Isabella and Edward had arrived that something was different. You could feel it in the air, and you could certainly see it written plain as day all over her granddaughter's beautiful face. When you were as in tune with someone as she was with Isabella, it was one of those things you just knew, you didn't question.
"And, your Edward, how is he?" she asked with a knowing grin.
Isabella stopped stirring the liquid in the bowl, and stared dreamily off into space. "He's...he's," she couldn't find the words to describe how...or what he was, so she decided on, "wonderful."
"Good, Cari. That is good to hear."
Gianna would wait and pursue that particular topic later, once she'd had a chance to watch Isabella and Edward a bit more. She'd always felt like there was much more to Edward than he let on. Seeing Isabella the way she was now, she knew she hadn't been wrong.
During the next few minutes, Gianna told Isabella about the goings on at church as well as passed along a message from Father O'Connor.
"He hasn't seen you, Isabella. I hope you plan to remedy that, soon," Gianna said pointedly.
"I'm sorry, Nonna. And yes, I do. I was hoping Edward would come with me Sunday to Mass," Isabella answered, feeling guilty for missing Mass as often as she had lately.
"Well, it would be wonderful to have the whole family together at church," Gianna said and picked up the bowl to carry to the dining room.
Renée rushed into the kitchen, having changed her clothes, and took the chicken Parmesan out of the oven and drained the pasta. Isabella grabbed the basket of fresh bread and the salad dressing and followed Nonna.
"I'll ask Edward," Isabella said again and then jumped when she heard, "Ask me what, love?"
She looked up and found her husband gazing at her like he hadn't seen her in days instead of only minutes and, well, her stomach did that fluttery thing it always did when he looked at her that way.
"I was hoping you'd come with me to Mass on Sunday?" she questioned.
He stepped forward, forgetting that they weren't alone for a moment, and said, "Of course, Beautiful." He reached for her and then heard Charlie clear his throat behind him.
Well, that was embarrassing to say the least.
He flashed his wife an apologetic smile, though for what he wasn't sure. He took the basket from her hands and set it on the table, studiously trying not to look in Charlie's direction. At least not yet.
"Hello, Nonna," he said when he finally looked up.
"Edward, my boy, you get more handsome every time I see you," she teased him and then kissed him affectionately on the cheek.
Thankfully, that broke the awkward tension and when Renée followed behind with the platter of food, they all took their seats. Charlie said grace and then they all filled their plates with the delicious meal. Edward did indeed pour the wine, enjoying the fact that everyone thought it was delicious. He knew what Isabella's favorite meal was, chicken Parmesan with angel hair pasta, and picked out the perfect wine to compliment the course.
The dinner was extremely pleasant. Edward had forgotten how much he enjoyed listening to both Charlie and Renée talk. They were so open, so vivacious, that you couldn't help but get caught up in whatever story they were telling. Renée especially.
"So, Bambola, how are things at work?" Charlie asked in between bites.
"Fine."
"Isabella, you haven't told them yet?" Edward questioned, surprised that she hadn't informed them of what she was going to be doing.
"Told us what?" Renée asked quickly looking from Edward to her daughter.
"Mama, it's not that big a deal," Isabella said, trying to brush the whole thing off.
Edward was having none of it, however. "Oh, I beg to differ, love." Edward took a drink of his wine and then leaned forward, after picking up her hand. "Isabella and Emmett have started a project that is vital to the company. CP has found itself on the wrong side of a few attempted acquisitions lately, thanks to some underhanded moves by some of our competitors and well, the project that Isabella and Emmett are undertaking will go a long way to solidify our position as the preeminent publishing company in the country," Edward said proudly.
He went on to explain exactly what Isabella, Emmett, and the others were going to be doing and what they hoped to accomplish. He told them how every single member of the executive officer's was completely on board with all of the decisions Isabella had made so far and how they all had complete faith in her and her abilities.
Charlie beamed, not that he was surprised by his daughter's accomplishment. But, no father could ever wish for more than to hear their daughter's husband talk about her with such obvious pride and love. If he had any doubts about Edward or the kind of man he was, he didn't any longer.
"Edward," Isabella sighed, a bit flustered at listening to him go on the way he was. Oh, she loved it, but she'd had about all she could handle at the moment. The man was driving her absolutely wild with desire and she was afraid it wouldn't be long before she lost all rational thought.
So not a good thing to happen at your parents' house.
"Bella, we're so proud of you," Renée cried.
"Thank you, Mama, but we haven't even started really. All we've done is gotten some preliminary things put together. I'm looking forward to working so closely with Edward, Emmett, and the others and I'm excited about trying something different, but let's not jump the gun, okay?" Isabella said, trying to rein in her overzealous mother.
"Pshhh, I'm with Edward, baby. This is a big deal," Renée argued and then smiled hugely at her son-in-law. She'd always had such a soft spot for Edward. He always seemed so broken, so afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing; he'd been that way from the very beginning. He might have been wealthy beyond her comprehension, he might run a multimillion dollar company, he might have private jets and been all over the world, but deep down he was as vulnerable as anyone she'd ever seen.
Looking across the table at him now, he didn't seem quite so broken or afraid, though it was still there beneath the surface. The way he hung onto Isabella and the way his eyes constantly sought her out told her there were still things there that haunted him, but they were less so than before.
She couldn't be happier about that.
They finished up their dinner, eating to the point of almost overdoing it, but there were still presents and cake to get through.
Once they'd cleared the dishes, everyone doing their part to get it done quickly, they sat back down in the living room to have coffee and open presents. Seeing as how Isabella was Charlie and Renée's only child, they had a tendency to go a bit overboard when it came time to give presents. Nothing extravagant, only things that were meaningful and well thought out, but there were plenty.
Isabella unwrapped some books that she'd been meaning to read, but hadn't had the time to get for herself. Her parents gave her a soft, cashmere blanket to curl up with on the couch when she worked at home or read. Renée had painted her a picture of her favorite Chicago skyline and had it matted and framed. That one brought tears to her eyes. Charlie had given her four tickets to the next Chicago Fire soccer game.
"Edward, you will join us, won't you?" Charlie asked with a grin and Edward nodded enthusiastically.
"Isabella Marie, my Angelo gave this to me on my thirtieth birthday. I want you to have it," Gianna said as she handed her an elegantly wrapped package.
"Nonna," Isabella said softly, before she even opened it.
"Hush, child. I've been waiting a long time to give this to you. Don't you ruin it for me," Gianna said sternly but with a smile.
With shaking fingers, she carefully opened the package, conscious of Edward's arm around her shoulder. She pushed the paper off the box and let out a gasp of surprise when she saw what was inside. Tucked inside the tissue paper was the most beautiful music box she'd ever seen. It was white with gold around the edges and the most elegantly painted flower on the top. Isabella carefully lifted the lid and immediately recognized the tune of Clair de Lune.
"Nonna, it's so beautiful," Isabella said reverently as she ran her fingers over the top of the box once she'd shut it.
"Every night when we would take our walk, we'd pass by this store and that box was in the window. I swear I must have looked at it every night for months and months. When my birthday came around Angelo made me a picnic and took me to the park because we didn't have much money. Inside the basket was that box. He must have begged, borrowed, and worked his fingers to the bone to save up enough money for that music box. It is one of my most favorite things he ever gave me."
"Nonna, I can't take this," Isabella said with tears in her eyes as she thought about how much the music box had to have meant to her grandmother but Gianna adamantly shook her head.
Gianna stood up and then sat on the other side of Isabella and said, "You can and you will. Child, your grandfather was the love of my life and every time I opened that box and heard that music, it put a smile on my face. Now I want you to keep it and remember how rare and special true love is." She leaned over and kissed Isabella on the cheek and then patted Edward on the hand before walking back to her chair.
Once the presents had all been opened, Renée brought out the cake, much to Isabella's consternation. She was spared the singing of happy birthday, threatening everyone with the fiercest of fierce glares, but she had to admit, no one made red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting like her mother did.
After everyone had their fill of cake and espresso, Renée stole Isabella away for a few minutes, and Charlie went to go check the score of the baseball game, leaving Edward to gather Isabella's presents to take to the car.
It also gave Gianna the perfect opportunity to spend a few minutes alone with Edward.
"Here, Cari, let me help you," she said as she took the blanket and books from him while he carried everything else.
They walked quickly to the car and Edward placed everything in the back seat.
"O vedo molti cambiamenti in voi, cari, siete più in pace, felice," Gianna said, softly, but with much emotion.
"What did you just say?" Edward questioned and gasped when she told him, "I see much change in you, dear, you are more at peace, happy."
"Isabella is responsible for that. She's my everything, my reason for being happy," Edward said honestly.
"La mia ragione," Gianna said with tears in her eyes. "It means 'my reason' in Italian, Edward," she explained when she saw the question in his eyes.
"La mia ragione," Edward repeated, knowing he'd never heard anything more perfect in his life.
"You keep taking care of her, Cari," Gianna said as she hooked her arm in his and they walked back up to the house. "She looks at you the same way I looked at my Angelo. You're her reason, too, Edward. Never forget that."
"Thank you, Nonna," Edward said thickly, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes.
"You're a good man, Edward Cullen, you need to try remembering that from now on. Now, don't you be a stranger. I expect to see you Sunday at church and you come visit me sometime. I'm nicer than Charlie and I don't have a gun," she teased and they both laughed when they heard the snort from Charlie as they walked back inside.
The goodbyes were long and drawn out, mostly because the evening had been so enjoyable for all of them. Edward could not get over how at home he felt with Isabella and her family, even though he'd never felt as such before. As affectionate as they all were, and once he'd gotten over his initial hesitations, he found himself missing them before they'd even left.
Charlie walked them to the car, making sure Isabella was buckled up tight in her seat belt like the overprotective father he was, and kissed her on the top of the head before shutting the door.
He turned to Edward, who was waiting to say his own goodbye before getting in his seat. "Edward, let's try not to make it so long between visits next time," he said and held his hand out to shake.
"I tell you what, Charlie, let me check with Emmett and maybe you can come watch Jack play baseball with us when he has his next game. It's not the Cubs, but I have to tell you, it was a lot of fun just the same," Edward answered before he had much time to think about it, but once the words were out of his mouth, he was happy he said something, especially when he saw how happy the offer made Charlie.
He again felt that piercing pang of regret at not having children, knowing that he'd not only selfishly deprived Isabella from being a mother, but Charlie and Renée from being grandparents as well.
Well, he couldn't give him his own children, but he knew without a doubt Emmett and Rose would love to see them at the game. Rose didn't speak to her parents at all so Carlisle and Esme were it in terms of grandparents. He didn't think two more adopted ones so to speak were too much, not at all, especially if they were Charlie and Renée.
"That would be..." Charlie stammered, quite unlike himself. "I'd really like that, Edward. Thanks," and then surprising the shit out of both of them, he pulled Edward in for a quick but meaningful hug.
Both men stepped away, not quite sure what to say. Thankfully Renée saved them both from turning into blubbering messes when she called for her husband from the porch.
"Be safe going home now, son, and we'll see you Sunday," Charlie said and then blew a kiss to his daughter, who watched the exchange between her love and her father with her jaw in her lap.
She didn't say anything when he slid in his seat, mostly because she couldn't speak.
"Beautiful, stop looking at me that way. It was just a hug from your father." Edward chuckled as they took off and headed for home.
"But..that was...I mean...Edward, you have no idea how happy that makes me," Isabella said as she turned to look at him.
"I think I get the picture." He laughed. "Did you have a nice evening?" he asked, completely changing the subject. It wasn't as if he was trying to hide anything from her, but he really didn't know what he was feeling right at the moment. Relieved was of course at the top of the list, but it was more than that. Accepted...embraced...would be closer to it if he had to quantify it.
Isabella nodded and then reached over and ran her hand through Edward's hair. He looked so calm and so very, very peaceful. None of that tense jaw and shoulders business; none of that guarded eyes and tight mouth. It was all gone and all that was left was plain and simply...her Edward.
"Yes, I did. It was amazing," Isabella said very quietly.
"I'm glad. Your family is incredible, love," Edward told her and glanced quickly at her as they sped down the road toward home.
She scooted over in her seat, not taking off her seat belt, but getting as close to him as she could. "They're your family, too, sweetheart," she reminded him and he sighed at her words.
"Yes, they are and I couldn't be happier about that." He reached over and pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. Damn he really wanted to be home already. The night couldn't have turned out any better if he had planned it himself, but now all he wanted was to slide into bed and then, slide into her. He wanted to lose himself completely in her and not come out for a really long fucking time.
However, there was something he felt like he needed to tell her, and he wanted to do it before they got home. "I couldn't ever, ever imagine being this happy, Isabella. I know we've said we're not going to dwell on the past, and I promise I'm not, but I just wanted you to know how fucking grateful I am that you've given me this second chance. Hell, it's more like my two hundredth, two thousandth chance when you think about all the damn mistakes I've made. I just wanted you to know I realize how incredibly lucky I am that you've not only given me you, but your family as well. I know I haven't acted like it, but I do love them," he told her honestly.
They pulled in the garage and though they were both extremely ready to go upstairs, and to bed, they took their time. There was no need to rush anything, so they didn't.
Once they were inside the bedroom they still didn't rush.
In the moonlight, night passed into early morning which then faded into dawn and still, they took their time.
Neither Edward nor Isabella made it to work on time the next morning.
~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~
"Donna, where is Edward? I haven't seen him all afternoon, and I've sent him at least five text messages since lunch. I checked in his office and he's not there and neither Alec nor Marcus have seen him," Isabella stated anxiously, wondering where in the world he was.
It was the next week and her birthday was in two days, on Saturday. Edward had something planned and he wouldn't tell her what it was, and really he'd been acting strangely all week. Not in a bad way, just anxious and twitchy about something. Every time she would ask if he was okay, he'd merely nod his head and give her a sexy, lazy smile. He was up to something, she just had no idea what it was.
Donna swallowed, not wanting to lie to Isabella. Edward had mentioned that he was going home for the afternoon, but nothing more. "I believe, Isabella, that he was going home."
"Home? Is he all right? Was he feeling okay?" Isabella asked quickly, immediately imagining the worst. She couldn't figure out why he didn't tell her he was leaving.
"Thank you. Will you let Em and the others know I've gone home for the day? We'll finish our meetings tomorrow," Isabella said quickly, grabbing her planner and her bag and then hurried down to the parking garage. She threw her things in the passenger seat and started the car. She quickly tapped her phone and hit the button to call Edward, groaning when it went to voicemail.
"Sweetheart, I'm on my way home. Donna said you left early. I wish you had told me you weren't feeling well. See you soon; love you," she said and then disconnected the call.
It didn't take her long to get home because it was the middle of the afternoon and she left her car in the driveway, thinking that more than likely she was going to have to go out again and get something for Edward, once she knew what was wrong with him. She couldn't think of any other reason for him to leave the office, especially as quickly as he did.
She let herself in the front door and frowned when she heard noises coming from upstairs. She set her bag and purse down on the island in the kitchen and then headed up the stairs. She heard a bump and then Edward's voice, though it was muffled and she couldn't tell what he was saying.
Pushing open the door to the bedroom, she saw something she never expected.
Tears immediately formed in her eyes and flowed down over her cheeks. "Edward, what have you done?"
*Bambola means doll in Italian*
~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~



Tuesday, January 23, 2001

Chapter 13

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~
Chapter 13
"You rang?" the angel asked with a smirk when he appeared.
Seth took in the scene in front of him and tried to hide his smile, but he obviously didn't do a very good job because almost instantly he heard Edward growl at him. Edward looked positively green and his eyes were darting furiously, as if he were looking for the quickest way to make a break for it.
"It's not funny, damn it. I'm dying here," Edward said pitifully and then, well, Seth couldn't help but laugh at the dramatics.
"Really, Eddie? It's just dinner with your family, I hardly think you are dying. Cut the crap. Now, what has your Underoos in such a twist?" Seth asked, though he was pretty sure he knew what the answer was.
He'd been paying close attention as the events unfolded throughout the day and he had to grudgingly concede that Edward had handled himself phenomenally well so far. He had exceeded his expectations by miles in all matter-of-fact. The day hadn't been an easy one, Seth knew, but Edward seemed to be holding his own. How long he managed to keep doing so remained to be seen however.
It quite amazed him, in all honesty, that Edward had been able to interact with the children the way he had. Given his own childhood and the way he'd always kept to himself, it was surprising that Edward was such a natural with Emma and Jack. Of course, children being children, they accepted him with open arms and that went a long way, Seth knew.
He also knew that it was because of Isabella that Edward had managed as successfully as he had all day. Ever since he'd told her he loved her, you could almost see him soaking up her love and belief in him. It was quite a beautiful thing to witness.
But, in the immediate future there were other more pressing matters to attend to, and ones that wouldn't be as enjoyable as the lovely Isabella either.
Edward slouched down in his chair, really fucking thankful for the brief respite the insufferable angel brought with him. He needed a few minutes to get his shit together. Whatever 'forgetful dust' mumbo jumbo the otherworldly creature used when he appeared was mind-boggling as hell, but right then he was pretty damn grateful for it.
What the hell had he been thinking when he agreed to talk to Carlisle? he cursed himself. The day had gone so well, better than well actually; it was damn near perfect and he didn't want to end it by talking to Carlisle. If he was being honest, he wanted to end it in bed with his wife, naked. To be one hundred percent, no holds barred honest, there was little lately he wanted to do besides make love to Isabella. It was pretty much all he thought about.
He let out a frustrated sigh and stared up at the ceiling. As much as he was not looking forward to speaking with Carlisle, he couldn't deny how much better he felt after moving forward with Emmett and Rose. Things were still a bit awkward, which was totally understandable considering how things were before, but they had definitely improved. He would take any improvement he could get as far as Carlisle was concerned.
"Edward, are you going to sit and stare at the ceiling all night or do you want to tell me what you need? I've told you plenty of times, I can do many things, but reading your mind is not one of them. What has you so troubled?" Seth patiently asked.
"I don't know where to start. I mean where the hell do I even begin? It's been twenty years...long fucking years. How do we even get past that?" Edward hopelessly questioned.
The gap between them seemed so wide, so unmanageable and Edward was more than a little daunted by the whole thing. Over the years he may have acted like an ass, he may have been on the outside looking in, but at least he and Emmett had some common ground between them. Working together at the office at least kept the door from being firmly closed. Edward may not have walked through it, but he'd always known he could if he had wanted to.
He tried not to think about all the wasted time because there wasn't any point. He needed to focus on the here and now...and now meant Carlisle...no matter how much he wanted to avoid it.
"Edward Anthony," the angel sighed, shaking the windows. "You make it seem like the two of you have spent the last twenty years hating each other. You know as well as I that isn't the case at all. There have been mistakes made, on both your parts, but you must believe that at the very least, he cares about you...just as you do him. Am I wrong in assuming that?" Seth prodded.
If Edward couldn't do this, if he couldn't at least listen to Carlisle, then there was little hope of either one of them ever putting what had happened behind them. If Edward wasn't willing to move past everything and forgive and ask for forgiveness himself, then Seth feared he would fail in his mission.
Sure Edward had found his way back to Isabella, and Emmett and Rose as well, but when the time came, if things stayed as they were, there would be so much lingering pain and sadness that none of them would recover.
Seth refused to allow that to happen.
"Well, he sure never went out of his way to let me know that but yeah, I guess he does. I suppose Esme does as well. Contrary to my behavior, I care about them, too. This is all such a mess," Edward moaned and there was little Seth could say in response to that.
"No joke, but you have time to fix it, Edward. You must," Seth implored.
"Why?" Edward asked. "I know you say it is for my own good, but why is it so important?" When he shrank back from the menacing glare the angel gave him he held his hands up. "I'm not saying I'm not going to try to fix things so stop looking at me like that. I'm just asking. I told you I had questions," Edward huffed in annoyance.
"Boy, I swear you have the most impeccable damn timing of any human I've ever seen," Seth grumped. He'd known this was coming, had been preparing for it as best he could actually. He and Gideon had spent an inordinate amount of time on this very topic.
"Thanks," Edward said sarcastically.
"It wasn't a compliment, Eddie," the angel said with an impressive snort when the exasperating human rolled his eyes at him. "Look, I know there are things we need to discuss, but there isn't enough time right at the moment. Let's concentrate on getting through the rest of the night and then I give you my word, we'll talk."
"Fucking great. Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like what I hear?" Edward asked after he pinched the bridge of his nose.
Seth couldn't help but chuckle at his charge. No one could ever accuse Edward Cullen of being obtuse. Stubborn as all get out, yes, but not stupid.
"Because you won't," the annoying angel said without missing a beat and then disappeared, though it wouldn't be for long.
"Perfect," Edward said with a resigned sigh. He turned to his right and bent down and kissed Isabella quickly on the cheek, having gone much too long without doing so. Just looking at her stirred his ever-present longing and he wanted her...again.
"You hanging in there?" she asked sweetly noticing the dip between his eyebrows had gotten more and more pronounced as the evening wore on.
He leaned in close to her, his warm breath tickling her ear and she had to bite her tongue when she heard the tone of his voice when he said, "I'm just ready to go home. It's been far too long since I've been inside of you."
Isabella instantly squeezed her legs together and practically moaned out loud at the way his voice sounded: low, deep, needy. "Edward," she said on a breathy whisper.
Paying no attention to the others at the table he flicked her earlobe with his tongue. "Isabella," he chuckled darkly. "You're my wife, I love you. I always want to make love to you; it's about all I can do not to throw you down on this table right here and show you how much."
He ran the tip of his finger seductively up and down the sensitive skin on the inside of her arm. "You need to...you're...ah, Edward, stop," Isabella told him, her voice sounding quite torn.
Edward knew he was pushing things, almost to the point of embarrassing her so he backed off, reluctantly. "Fine, Beautiful. Just so you know, we will pick this up at home."
She bit her bottom lip and nodded her head, her eyes alive and bright with desire for him. Edward took a very uneven breath and then tore his gaze away from her only to find Carlisle staring at him, open-mouthed.
Carlisle was stunned as he stared wide-eyed across the table at his son and daughter-in-law. Well, at least the two people looked like Edward and Isabella, but they sure as hell weren't acting like them, his son most especially. Had he ever seen Edward behave in such a way and be so openly affectionate with Isabella? He quickly thought back over the past few years and with the exception of a few instances he could recall seeing them holding hands or him kiss her cheek, there wasn't anything like he'd just witnessed. What the hell was going on? he thought.
He was about to speak when he was interrupted by Emmett. "So, Bella, you ready to get to work on the new project on Monday?" he asked and Carlisle had to wrack his brain to remember what Emmett was talking about. He remembered Emmett going on and on about some new project at CP but he hadn't paid as close attention as he should have so he was a bit lost.
Isabella smiled in excitement at Emmett. She really couldn't wait to get started. She had to admit the thought of working closely with Edward, Emmett, and the others, while doing something to help the company, filled her with a nervous anticipation, but she was really looking forward to undertaking something new.
"I am. I have a list of preliminary authors already and I've made some notes on some others," she answered him, her smile letting everyone know at the table just how much she was looking forward to getting started.
Edward flushed with pride, not for himself, but for her. He couldn't wait to watch her work, to take an idea and run with it. He had no doubt the whole endeavor would be successful. Between her and Emmett, along with Marcus and Alec, there was little chance of failure.
Emmett gave Bella a wide smile. It was fantastic to see that light in her eyes, and he had to admit, not only was he inordinately proud of himself for coming up with the idea and having the guts to voice it, but he was thrilled beyond words at Edward's enthusiasm.
It was a long time coming and he couldn't be happier.
"Isabella is going to be in charge of a project?" Carlisle asked, not meaning to sound like he was questioning the choice, but from the looks on both his sons' faces, apparently he did just that.
Carlisle didn't have much to do with the day to day operations of Cullen Publishing. He sat on the Board of Directors and participated in shareholder meetings, and left the running of the company to Edward and Emmett. He'd never been interested in the business, but his father left him little choice in what he chose for a career. Once William passed away, Carlisle took the opportunity to step back from CP and focus on the things that mattered to him.
He and Esme were very involved in charitable work and sat on the Boards of many worthwhile causes. The Cullens were an extremely wealthy family, in fact there was more money than any of them could ever spend. There was more money than Jack and Emma's children's children could spend, so he and Esme had set up a foundation. He enjoyed the work, if you could even call it that. Helping people, being a part of doing good works, making things better for people and the environment left him very fulfilled and kept him very busy.
It also kept him out of the loop so to speak as evidenced by his lack of understanding about what Isabella and Emmett were working on.
Edward immediately tensed upon hearing the tone of voice Carlisle used. He barely even registered the fact that not too long ago he had done the exact same thing, but hearing that disbelief from someone else really fucking pissed him off.
"Yes, Carlisle," Edward said in hard voice, "she is. Perhaps if you ever bothered to do more than make an appearance, you'd know what the hell was going on."
Edward pushed away from the table and quickly ran his fingers down Isabella's cheek and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "I need some air," he told her and then stormed out the back door before he said something he'd regret.
Isabella sighed when she heard the door slam shut. Damn it, she thought. He'd done so well today, had seemed to really enjoy himself and then, this.
She pushed away from the table, intending to go to him right away when Carlisle stopped her. "Wait, let me. I'm sorry that sounded the way it did. I hope you know I didn't mean to imply I thought you were incapable, Isabella."
She wanted to be angry at him, and she was a bit peeved that he'd unintentionally ruined a perfect day, but she knew Carlisle hadn't meant anything by what he said.
"Of course not, Carlisle," she said as she blew out a frustrated breath. She still stood up and looked out the window, a frown immediately appearing on her face when she took in Edward's rigid stance.
"Let me talk to him, please," Carlisle asked again and though she really wanted to go to him, she knew that this was an opportunity neither of them could miss.
She nodded her head, not taking her eyes off her husband. "I think that is a good idea," she said at last.
"God damn it all to hell," Edward muttered angrily under his breath and when he heard the snort off to the side, as he knew he would, he didn't even apologize for the inappropriate outburst in front of the present company.
"Edward," the ever-annoying angel sighed mightily.
Edward held up his hand and said, "I know, all right? I know I overreacted; I knew it the second the words left my damn mouth, but I couldn't help it."
Well, that was a change, Seth thought with a start. It wasn't often he was surprised, but Edward had surely managed to do just that. Maybe there was hope for him yet.
He was about to speak when he was interrupted. "Edward?" Carlisle asked hesitantly.
Edward glanced quickly at the heavenly being, needing his reassurance. He didn't have time to think about that, but it was a fact nonetheless.
"Give him a chance, Edward, for your sake as well as his. Just...try," the angel implored.
Edward swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded his head. "You're staying right?" he asked, hating how his voice shook, but he knew he needed Seth close by.
The angel looked at him with a loving and patient glance and said, "Of course, Edward. I'll always be right by your side."
"Carlisle," Edward greeted him in an even voice.
Carlisle approached warily, not wanting to upset Edward any further. He cursed the continual foot-in-mouth disease that only seemed to appear whenever he was in Edward's presence. He had no idea why it seemed like he couldn't ever say the right things. It had always been that way; nothing was ever easy when it came to his relationship with Edward.
"Edward," Carlisle said as he took a deep breath. "You have to know I didn't mean to imply I don't think Isabella is capable of being in charge of a project. I'm sorry it sounded as though I did."
Edward ran a hand through his hair and then looked at him. "Yes, I know. And...well, I'm ah...sorry I overreacted," he stammered out.
The two men stood awkwardly facing one another, each trying to figure out what to say next. When there was so much to say, it was hard sometimes to pick a starting point. Carlisle replayed the words Esme had spoken to him the other day over in his head and he realized that he didn't want things to be the way they were between himself and Edward any longer.
"So, Emmett and Isabella are going to be working on something together?" Carlisle questioned, hoping to break the ice.
Edward recognized at once what Carlisle was doing so he decided to go along with it. Hell, anything was better than standing there staring at each other, he thought with a shake of his head.
"Yes," he answered, "the meetings I had in New York didn't go as well as I'd hoped so we are trying a different tactic. Emmett had a great idea and brought it up at the meeting the other day so we're going to see what happens. I think it will go a long way to help get things turned around. He and Isabella will do a great job and I don't foresee anything but success."
Carlisle couldn't help but notice the way Edward said Isabella's name with pride. Nor did he miss the loving smile that accompanied it. It was certainly a change from past actions, but he was pleased to see it. He motioned toward the patio table and Edward nodded his head. They both took a seat and then Carlisle asked, "Why don't you fill me in on what's been going on?"
Edward looked at him, not trying to hide the surprise on his face in the least.
Carlisle snorted and said, "Edward, CP is important to me, too. You might not believe it, but it is. Maybe I can help?"
Edward stared at him for a few long moments, feeling the angel's unseen prodding. Deciding it really couldn't hurt matters any, he went on to explain pretty much the same thing as he had on Monday at the meeting, expanding on a few points more than before. By the end, Carlisle was blown away by his son's acuity. There was no doubt that William Cullen had taught him well, though Carlisle knew that Edward's success and knowledge was as much natural born as it was learned.
"Well, I have to admit that Emmett's belief that Vincent Sinclair isn't going to know what hit him when he and Isabella get done is right on the money. I think the idea will be a huge hit, Edward. Of course, there are still some areas of vulnerability, as you've already pointed out, but if Emmett and Isabella are as successful as it appears they will be, I think you'll have made it next to impossible for Sinclair Publishing to gain any bigger holding than they already have. In fact, I'd be willing to bet they have some authors and editors jump ship almost from the get go," Carlisle told him with a trademark Cullen smirk.
It seemed as if Edward wasn't the only that enjoyed one-upping his competition.
Edward couldn't help but chuckle at what he had said. "I sure as hell hope so. There are a few more deals that Alec, Marcus, Jasper, and I are working on and as long as they go through without a hitch, the company should be in a good place."
"Your grandfather would be really proud of you, Edward," Carlisle admitted softly after they'd sat in silence for a few minutes. "More than he ever was of me," Carlisle continued.
Edward gasped and quickly looked to his right and was surprised when the angel was looking at him with a knowing look.
"Seems like you both have a few of the same things in common, Edward Anthony. Not that you should be at all surprised by that. You know as well as anyone how difficult a man your grandfather was," Seth said, bracing for what was surely coming next.
He wasn't disappointed.
In the span of about three point two seconds Edward went from surprised to downright enraged...livid.
Time seemed to stop.
"You've been around all this time?" Edward cried out incredulously as he quickly stood up and paced furiously back and forth.
"Longer," Seth answered immediately and waited for Edward to comprehend what he was saying. When Edward's eyes got as big as saucers, he answered, "Yes, Edward, since then."
"How long?" he demanded hoarsely when he came to an abrupt stop and looked at the angel.
"Since before you left Ireland," Seth answered vaguely.
"How long before I left Ireland?" Edward asked again, anger and fear fighting for dominance.
Seth stared levelly at his very angry and very confused charge and said, "From about the time you were ten."
"But, why are you here now? Why not then?" Edward asked, thoroughly and completely confused, and honestly really fucking angry. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Edward seethed as he clenched his hands into fists so tightly he lost feeling in his fingers.
Seth waited patiently for Edward to get a handle on his temper, which he was satisfied to see happened quicker than anticipated. "Do I look like I'm kidding?" he asked and unleashed a glare that would make most mortal men cower in fear. However, Edward barely even reacted.
"Edward," the otherworldly being sighed, shaking the trees as he floated to where Edward stood breathing heavily in and out. Seth hadn't planned on discussing this particular aspect of things already, especially not right now, but the door had been opened. He knew Edward would never let this go so it was time to face the proverbial music.
Edward shook his head, knowing if he opened his mouth there was no telling what would come out. Holy hell he was angry, so fucking furious.
"Why?" he managed to choke out, meaning so many different things.
"My friend," Seth said in a much gentler tone of voice. Damn, he'd really been hoping for a bit more time to prepare for this. Sure angels possessed abilities humans couldn't even comprehend, but they were not above feeling immense pain when their subjects were hurt. "Edward Anthony, come sit for a moment," he urged. When Edward stubbornly refused to move he tried again. "Please?"
Jesus, Edward thought. He felt like he was coming apart at the seams, like he'd just been turned inside out and then thrown into a fire. He was shaking from feeling so much.
How?
Why?
What did that even mean?
Edward shuffled over to where Seth pointed and fell into the chair in a boneless heap. He honestly didn't think he could take anymore. It had been one damn thing after another ever since the infernal angel popped into his life. Sure he might have been dead right at that moment if it wasn't for said being, but that didn't make having to deal with all this...stuff any freaking easier.
He repeated the words he said just a moment ago when he said, "God damn it all to hell."
Seth waited patiently, hoping that by allowing Edward a few moments to vent it would make the rest of the discussion manageable. He didn't dare say easier because there was nothing about the forthcoming talk that was going to be easy, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it had to be done just the same.
Edward finally raised his eyes to Seth and the angel had to literally take a step back after seeing the agony in them.
Well, not a literal step since the angel floated and glided rather than stepped, but that was really neither here nor there.
"Edward," he began in as gentle a voice as he could muster. Once the angelic presence was confident in his assignment's attention, he proceeded. "Have you ever wondered, and not since I first appeared either, but before that, why someone like Isabella, one who is as loving and good as she is, could fall in love with a man as difficult and stubborn as you?"
Edward wanted to rail against the insult, but the truth of the matter was he had often wondered how in the hell he ever wound up married to Isabella. He knew full well the miserable person he'd been for most of his life. He also was a big enough person to admit, though it was very grudgingly, that while the events that had happened to him all those years ago had scarred him deeply and were horrific in their own right, he was not the only person to have ever faced such hardship in their life. It didn't make it any easier for him to deal with, mind you, but it was the truth just the same.
"Damn, introspection sure sucks ass," Edward muttered to himself.
Seth waited patiently for Edward to work through whatever was plaguing him at the moment, knowing full well what it was. Self-recriminations weren't pleasant for anyone, for someone like Edward Cullen, they would be positively excruciating.
"I suppose you're going to tell me, or are you going to make me guess?" Edward snapped and then pinched the bridge of his nose.
That same falling apart feeling he'd felt since that cursed plane ride was very much present and accounted for Edward recognized, much to his extreme displeasure.
The angel dismissed his charge's surliness and answered, "Do you think it was just a coincidence that she showed up at the CP offices just as you were in need of an editor?"
The ramifications of what the angel had just said flooded Edward's mind and he paled instantly. "Are you telling me that she was there that day on purpose? What does that even mean? Does she even love me at all, or has it all been against her will?" Edward asked, shocked at the intense pain he felt thinking about such a thing.
Seth sighed, and the sound was as always loud and he was shaking his head before Edward had even finished his litany of questions. "Stop it right this instant, Edward Anthony Cullen," he bellowed. The sound vibrated through Edward as well as the trees around them until the air finally settled.
Edward's mind raced as thoughts of some unknown force pushing him and Isabella unwillingly together swarmed like a school of piranhas attacking its prey.
The exceedingly patient angel pinned him with an intense glare and Edward returned one in kind. After all that he had been through, the thought of Isabella being forced to love him made him physically ill. That there was a possibility that she didn't choose to love him freely was, he thought in an instant, the single worst thing he could imagine.
"Whatever you are thinking, you'd best put a stop to boy, before you give yourself an ulcer or worse. Damn, Edward, you sure know how to jump to conclusions," Seth said with a shake of his head.
Edward continued to stew and glare, not budging even an inch, which caused Seth to take a deep, but quite unnecessary breath. Seth made a Herculean effort to keep his voice from registering the abundant frustration he felt at the moment from eking out. He might have been an otherworldly being sent on a mission to help Edward find redemption and ultimate peace, but that didn't mean he was a saint either.
Edward Anthony Cullen was one of the most infuriating humans he'd ever come across, that was for damn sure.
"Are you going to listen or are you going to sit and let what I say go in one ear and out the other like the stubborn ass you are most of the time?" Seth very succinctly asked and waited until Edward relaxed his rigid posture enough to let him know that he was at least going to hear what the angel had to say.
Twinkling blue eyes held the stare of steely, glinting emerald green ones until the owner of the green ones lowered his with an agitated huff. "Edward, listen to me and listen good because I am only going to say this one time," Seth said severely and waited for the curt nod he was offered before moving on. "Isabella Marie Swan Cullen has never been, nor will she ever be, forced to do anything against her free will by anyone of my kind or higher. She loves you fully and completely, all on her own, because you, my frustrating but deserving friend, are her soul mate. Not everyone in this world is as fortunate as the two of you to find their perfect match, but against all odds you found each other. Did we push her in the right direction? Of course we did. Did we force her to fall in love with you? Absolutely not. Did we force you to hire her, pursue her, and then marry her? No, but we sure enjoyed watching," the angel said with a chuckle.
Seth watched a myriad of expressions cross Edward's face as he digested the news. Shock, anger, skepticism, resignation...hope. The angel was quite pleased with the last one, at least that meant he had some hope of making Edward understand.
"You...people." Edward swallowed. "You didn't make her fall in love with me? You didn't do some weird hypnotic, trance thing? She really loves me?" he questioned desperately.
Seth reached out and placed his hands on Edward's shoulders, hoping that he could feel the truth that emanated from his being. "Yes, Edward. Isabella fully and truly loves you. She always has, from the very first moment, just as you have, her. It most definitely is not in our nature to do such a thing and we couldn't, even if we'd wanted to. We guide, Edward, but you humans always have your own free will. Her love for you is real, my friend."
Edward sighed deeply, relieved more than he could express. He really would have been done for if that wouldn't have been the case. He loved her, so very much, and his heart would have been shattered beyond repair if somehow her love for him wasn't real.
"I don't understand," Edward said quietly.
The angel arranged himself in the seat beside Edward and looked at him tenderly. "We guided her to you because you needed her," he answered simply. "I told you, Edward, Isabella was a gift, and I meant it. You've had many hardships in your life, have suffered through traumas that would have slayed most people. Those things made you into the person you are now...scared to trust others, afraid of being hurt by those you love, and it was our hope that once she found her way to you, her love and her faith would give you the courage and the strength you needed to move past all that. That you would finally realize you are worth loving."
"I've wasted so damn much time," Edward said on a sob. His shoulders shook and he couldn't stop the torrent of tears that sprung forth. "I don't want to die, not when I've just come to understand what it means to love her, fully and completely. Not when I've managed to get another chance with my brother and Rose and the kids. Not when I've realized all I've missed. Please? I'll do anything... just...what can I do?" Edward begged.
For the first time since the angel's appearance, Edward was going to beg. He was going to beg and beg...and then beg some more. There had to be something he could do, some promise he could make, anything, as long as it gave him more time. More time to love her, more time to show her how much she meant to him, more time to try to make up for all the times he'd hurt her.
More time...it was all he wanted.
Seth had tried to prepare himself for this moment, for he knew it would come eventually. He was shocked it had taken Edward this long. Edward was used to getting his way, was used to using his commanding presence to bend others to his will.
Unfortunately he wouldn't succeed this time.
The angel moved so that he could wrap Edward in a healing embrace, letting Edward absorb the comfort he was offering him. Neither spoke, there wasn't a reason to. Seth knew that Edward understood what he was asking was impossible, no matter how much he wished it wasn't so. Things just didn't work that way.
After a few more moments, Edward was able to reign in his despair. He took a very uneven breath and then looked toward Seth, wiping his tear-stained face with his hands. "I can't do anything, can I?" Edward futilely asked one last time.
"I'm afraid not, Edward. I wish I could grant you what you wish, but it's not in my power to do so," the otherworldly being answered honestly.
"It seems so unfair to Isabella. To make her see how much I've always loved her, to work to get her forgiveness, only to die and leave her alone."
"Edward, let me ask you a question and then we must concentrate on Carlisle," Seth began. "Knowing everything you do about your lovely wife, how do you think she would have spent the rest of her days if you hadn't succeeded in finding your way back to her. If the end came and she didn't know you truly loved her?"
Edward thought about the question for a moment, but he didn't really need to. He unequivocally knew the answer. "She'd blame herself and be miserable."
"She would, without a doubt. She'd spend every day wishing she had done more, prayed more, tried harder. She'd wonder every day what she could have done differently. Do you really think she'd be better off living like that or living without you knowing that you two truly loved each other and that the last however many days were spent happily?"
"Obviously the second answer," Edward muttered somewhat grudgingly. "I get it, okay? Of course I don't want her to be unhappy. I don't ever want her to be sad or hurt or unhappy ever again. Isabella has been through enough because of me, she doesn't deserve anymore."
Edward sighed again, really wanting nothing more than to be at home, with his wife next to him in bed. He wanted to feel her body next to his, feel her soft hair between his fingers. He wanted to be able to look into her eyes and see her love for him and hope she could see the same in return.
He looked around, wondering for the umpteenth time what kind of ability it was that allowed him to be able to speak to the angel while everything around them seemed to stand still. Then again, he didn't really want to know. His eyes fell on Carlisle and he knew they needed to finish their discussion before he had any hope of going home with Isabella.
"Am I ever going to find out how you manage all this?" Edward asked with a wave of his hand, indicating Carlisle's still form and then the two of them.
The smug angel chuckled loudly, the sound similar to cymbals. "Not a chance, Eddie, my boy. Even for one as brilliant as you, it's too much to be able to grasp. I've got your back though, no worries. No one knows any different when I appear and no one will be looking at you like you've lost your mind. Well...at least not because of me," he finished with a sharp clap of his large hands.
"Nice to know," Edward grunted as he ran his hands through his hair.
Shit, he needed a stiff drink, a hot shower, and hours in bed with a very much naked Isabella. He wasn't sure it needed to be in that order either.
Seth looked at Edward, feeling his heart ache for all that he had to have been feeling just then. With the tenderest of voices he said, "Edward, I realize that telling you before how long we've been watching was probably not the best timing, but I feel it's really important for you to understand that we led Isabella to you when we did because it was time. You'd spent far too many years wallowing in guilt and pain and if we'd waited any longer, even she wouldn't have been able to reach you and you would have been lost forever. I know it's hard to comprehend, but you need to know that we are sent to help our charges when it's most necessary."
"I'm having a really fucking hard time understanding that," Edward said evenly.
Seth sighed; he knew to expect that reaction as well. Edward was extremely good at compartmentalizing. "I know you are, Edward, and I expect that we'll have to revisit this topic again in the very near future. My friend," the angel said as he floated and stopped in front of him. "I know right now you are confused, hurt, and probably really angry. I also know that it would be easier for you to tell Isabella first about Liam and Maggie and what happened when Carlisle and Esme took you in before attempting to talk with them. You just need to open the door so that when the time comes, you'll all be ready. I've pushed you to face your past, and it's still imperative that you do so, but telling her first will go a long way in easing your pain."
Edward took a few deep breaths, feeling the frazzled thoughts in his brain calm just a bit as he thought about Isabella. "Isabella is the most important person in my life; I would never talk to them without telling her first. I owe it to her and she deserves to know after everything I've put her through. I might not have ever admitted it out loud, but I've damn sure known all along that we were meant for each other. She's the only thing that has ever made sense."
Seth had been watching Edward long enough to know he was at his limit of what he could deal with. The angel knew he wasn't out of the woods yet, but Edward was liable to put those walls back up if pushed any farther right now. Seth couldn't risk losing him when he'd already come so far so he was going to back off, for the time being.
There was still time.
"You got the rest of this or do you need me to stay?" He would stay by Edward's side as long as he was needed, but he had a feeling Edward needed Isabella more than he needed his presence.
Edward snickered, though he sure didn't find anything funny about the present situation. "No, I'm fine...or well, as fine as I can be. Damn, I'm really fucking exhausted."
"You've had a hell of a day, my young friend. Finish your discussion with Carlisle and then let your wife take care of you. She's very anxious to get you home, too. She needs you as much as you need her, Edward. Never forget that," Seth reminded him and then was gone.
"Damn angel," Edward muttered.
Time moved again.
Isabella stared out the window, watching for the slightest sign of discomfort from Edward. The moment she saw it, she would be out the door and by his side. She was NOT letting anything set him back, not if she had anything to say about it. He looked a bit stressed, but that was to be expected all things considered. There was no way the conversation was going to be particularly pleasant for either of them, but it had to be done. With a heavy sigh, she decided to leave him be for the time being, hoping she was doing the right thing. She didn't want to, but she knew the two of them needed to talk.
She spent the time helping Rose get Jack and Emma ready for bed and visiting with Emmett about the new proposal. She didn't say much to Esme, and though she felt bad about that, she didn't feel bad enough to try to talk with her. Until she knew Edward was going to be okay, she didn't feel the need to try to make nice with her mother-in-law. It wasn't the nicest thing to do, she was well aware of that and it really went against her nature, but when something hurt Edward she couldn't really help it.
He was her Edward.
Edward quickly recalled where his conversation with Carlisle stopped...with William. He couldn't help but shake his head at the whole bizarre way things just picked up, as if the past however many minutes he'd spent with the angel hadn't just happened. Minutes he most definitely would have to think about later.
Carlisle shifted in his seat, as if he'd been in the same position for too long and stared at Edward. He looked quite worn out, he noticed. It seemed like he'd changed right before his eyes.
"Grandfather wouldn't ever admit it, even if he was," Edward remarked, picking up their discussion.
Carlisle was a bit surprised to hear the trace of bitterness that was just beneath the surface. He'd been positive his father and Edward had a solid and companionable relationship with each other. To hear Edward sound so...lonely...tore at his heart.
"He was a difficult man to be sure," Carlisle began. "I don't know how you managed to spend so much time with him."
"It was easier to be around him than the rest of you. I was used to it. You, Esme, and Emmett...I hadn't ever been in a nurturing environment like that; I didn't know how to handle it," Edward said softly.
Carlisle sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly understanding more than he ever had. "But, Edward...you always seemed...I can't say happy...but maybe content...when you were with William," he stammered as his mind raced.
Edward bent forward, resting his elbows on his knees and hung his head wearily. "Carlisle, I know I haven't been exactly forthcoming... hell that's a fucking understatement, and I owe you and Esme an explanation, as painful as it will be. But, for the time being, suffice it to say that my life before you and Esme took me in was incredibly lonely and...hard," he said as he swallowed thickly. "Being around Grandfather, as cold and detached as he was, was easier for me. I could relate to him in a way I couldn't with the rest of you. Was I hiding? Sure I was, but at fourteen, fifteen, it was all I knew. I've just come to understand how much my actions back then hurt all of you, and how they continued to hurt you as time went on. I know we have a lot we need to talk about to get the air cleared, but frankly, I can't do it tonight," he finished, relieved to finally get at least that much out in the open.
Carlisle was stunned, though he had to say not all that surprised. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Liam and/or Maggie had done something, or Edward had been through something, that caused him to act as he had. He suddenly felt very ashamed of himself, and quite honestly his father as well, for not doing more to reach Edward when he'd first come to live with them. Carlisle knew he had as much, if not more, to apologize for than Edward did. Edward was a young teenager when they'd taken him in, he was the adult. He knew without a doubt he'd failed his son, failed to help him overcome whatever trauma had happened to him. He'd let his stubborn pride get in the way of doing the right thing by his newly adopted son.
He wouldn't blame Edward if he never forgave him. He wasn't sure he deserved it.
"Edward, I," Carlisle began then took a deep breath. He shifted in his seat and then began again. "I hope we can find some time soon to talk. It seems as if there is a lot I've misunderstood. If I ever made you feel like you weren't wanted or if I pushed you away, I'm so sorry. If you're willing to talk with Esme and me, I can assure you we'll be here whenever you are ready."
"Thank you," Edward said quietly, letting out a relieved breath. He glanced toward the house and found Isabella watching him from the window, obviously very worried about him judging from the way her eyes connected with his and the way she bit her bottom lip.
He needed her. God help him, he needed her.
"I would like that. It's been a long time coming," Edward said as he stood up, itching to run to her.
Carlisle looked back at the house as well and then back at Edward. "Go, son. She was very worried about you. Thank you for talking with me," he finished, his heart though heavy with regret, a bit lighter with the thought that there was hope for them yet.
Edward flashed his wife what he hoped was a reassuring smile before turning to Carlisle. Not taking the time to think about it, he stepped forward and quickly hugged him. Carlisle gasped in surprise but took an extra second to squeeze him before lightly patting his back.
"Thank you," Carlisle choked out. "We'll see you soon."
Edward nodded and then practically ran back to the house, his body quivering with his need to hold her and have her arms around him as well.
The second Edward began walking toward the house, Isabella was moving. She threw open the back door and stumbled down the steps in her haste to get to him. As soon as her feet hit the patio, she was engulfed in Edward's strong arms.
"Isabella," he managed to say. He didn't even try to mask how much he needed her. He kissed her, everywhere he could reach. The top of her head, her cheeks, her forehead, before he finally found his way to her soft lips. He kissed her until he felt himself forget about everything except for her.
She clutched at him, hanging on to him as tightly as she could, as if she were afraid he'd slip away if she let go. She could hear him mumbling incoherently in her ear, felt him shake in her arms and she was ready to go home.
"Shh, sweetheart. Let's go say goodbye to everyone and then we can go home. I think we've both had about all the family time we can handle for one day, don't you?" she teased him with a soft chuckle.
He picked his head up from where he had laid it on her shoulder. "As always, Beautiful, you are correct." He smiled at her, thankful that she once again managed to know exactly what he needed. He still felt like he was drowning and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep his head above water.
So much to think about...later.
She started to walk back to the house when he pulled her to a stop. She turned and looked at him, her eyes growing wide as she took in how nakedly vulnerable he looked.
"Edward?" she questioned with alarm.
"Tell me you love me," he said in a desperate voice. "God, just...tell me you love me...please."
She answered him instantly, not even questioning why he sounded the way he did or why he needed her to say it. It didn't matter. "I love you, Edward. Today, tomorrow...always. I'll always love you."
He exhaled deeply, letting her words wash over him. "I love you," he breathed out.
Isabella felt her heart soar at his words and then she made the mistake, well not really a mistake, of looking into his eyes. It only inflamed the fire that had been burning between them all day. His green eyes blazed...love, want, need...blatant and raw exuded out of them and she wanted him with the same ferocity.
"Home, Edward. I want to go home...with you...now."
He nodded. They quickly said goodbye to first Jack and Emma who had been waiting not very patiently for their Uncle Edward. After promising them both he would see them as soon as he could, Edward and Isabella said their farewells to the others. Hugs and kisses for Emmett and Rose, a kiss for Esme, and an awkward, but heartfelt hug for Carlisle.
The drive home to their house was spent in a charged silence, neither wanting to break whatever spell had surrounded them. Edward parked his car in the garage and hastily opened Isabella's door, pulling her out and up into his arms before the automatic garage door even had a chance to close behind them.
Wordlessly he carried her through the house and up to their bedroom and laid her on their bed. He moved to lay on top of her but Isabella was having none of that, not this time.
She moved so that she was kneeling in front of him. She reached up and held his gorgeous face in her small hands and said, "I'm taking care of you, my beloved husband." She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him tenderly, running her thumbs over his cheeks.
She turned them so that his back faced the headboard. Reaching down, she gripped his shirt and lifted it off him, immediately bending down to kiss his chest above his rapidly beating heart. "I love you, Edward," she whispered reverently.
Gently, she pushed him down on the bed. She took her time unbuttoning his jeans, savoring the feel of his warm skin beneath her fingertips. She pushed them along with his boxers down his legs. She couldn't help but stare at him, laying there naked on the bed, for her.
He was hers.
She was his.
She quickly undressed, quite enjoying the way his eyes roved her body, hungrily and possessively. She crawled on the bed and covered his body with hers. She kissed every inch of him: along his jaw, down his neck, across his chest, down his stomach, along the inside of his thighs, behind his knees and even down to the tops of his feet, all the while whispering words of love and devotion.
Then, she went back up again, only this time she stopped and took him in her mouth.
Edward was lost, completely gone in a sea of overwhelming sensations. Ecstasy, passion, need and everything in between, so palpable the room was practically alive with it all.
He closed his eyes, letting himself go completely and surrendered to his wife. As she took him higher and higher until he released in a powerful torrent into her mouth, he thought he'd never felt anything so powerful, so all-encompassing in his life.
He was wrong.
Isabella freed him from her mouth with a kiss and then agilely and effortlessly straddled him and slid down his hardened length.
Connected as they were, Edward looked up into the warm, loving eyes of his amazing wife. His Isabella.
"Mine," he whispered.
As she moved above him, she laid her hand over his heart and whispered back, "Yours."
~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~