Chapter 17

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

Chapter 17

"Isabella, love, we're going to be late if you don't hurry," Edward called from the kitchen. He threw his empty bottle of water into the recycling bin and checked his watch. Damn, he hoped she really enjoyed this morning.

"Edward, it would really help if you told me where we were going, that way I'd know how to dress," she huffed as she walked out of their bedroom.

The one which, after putting his eyes back in his head, he wanted to take her right back into. It didn't matter in the least that it had only been a few hours since they'd loved each other slowly, both barely awake but needing each other so badly. Not at all actually. He seemed to want her every hour of every day, and in all honesty, didn't see that changing anytime in the near future, especially when she was dressed as she was.

Tight dark blue jeans that hugged every curve and muscle of her legs and ass, a bright white long-sleeved shirt, with one button too many undone; at least he thought so because he could see the tiniest peek of lace from her bra. He realized if he could see that, so could everyone else. She had her hair in a low, loose ponytail, her diamonds in her ears, and her friendship bracelet on her wrist. Her black leather jacket was laid over her arm and when he looked down and saw the sexy as all get out black leather, high-heeled boots on her feet, he groaned.

He never considered himself a shoe guy, but he was seriously giving that a second thought, especially if she kept turning him on so much with her choice of footwear.

"Oh, I'd say you definitely know how to dress, Beautiful," Edward practically growled at her.

Isabella rolled her eyes and felt her cheeks flush but she couldn't help the wave of pleasure his words gave her. Not to mention the way he looked at her, but it had been that way nonstop for over a month now. She had to admit, she really liked it.

"So, are you going to stare at me all morning or are we going to leave? I would hate to mess up whatever plans you've made by being late," she said with a giggle when she saw the corners of his mouth lift in a smile.

Edward slid his cell phone, keys, and wallet into the pocket of his jeans and held his hand out to her. "Well, I suppose I can ogle you just as easily out in public as I can in the penthouse so let's go. Although that," he said as he lowered his voice and leaned in close to her. He lifted his hand and with just the tip of his finger, traced over the bit of lace he could see, "is for my eyes only."

Did that make him sound like a possessive ass? He didn't much care. He knew perfectly well how gorgeous his wife was and he knew everyone would stop and stare at her; they wouldn't be able to help it.

"Edward, I swear," Isabella said with a shake of her head. She put her jacket on, smiling when Edward stepped close to help her and adjusted her shirt. "Better now?" she asked when she turned to look at him.

"Honestly, no, but it will keep me from having to kick someone's ass for staring at you. You're mine, Isabella, don't ever forget that," he told her in a deep, rough voice.

His words coupled with the way his green eyes burned straight through her made her feel that fluttery feeling in her stomach and she had to take a very uneven breath to settle down. How he was able to render her speechless with just a few words and a look she'd never know, but damn if she didn't get a thrill every time he did so.

She opened her mouth to say something when she was stopped because his mouth was on hers. After kissing her until she was dazed, he pulled back. "Okay, my love, let's get out of here. Places to be and all," he told her and then led her out of the penthouse.

Isabella had given up on trying to figure out what he had planned, and besides, he was having so much fun trying to surprise her, she didn't want to spoil it. She looked up at him as they walked down the sidewalk and couldn't help but sigh. He had sunglasses on so you couldn't see his gorgeous eyes, but there was no mistaking the smile on his face.

He was so happy and it made her heart soar to realize how true that was.

There were times she caught him looking terribly sad and afraid, but they were less and less so, especially when compared to before. Before what she still wasn't one hundred percent positive, but to be perfectly truthful, she didn't care. She was more grateful than she could put into words that something had affected him so profoundly and made him realize he could love her and trust her. Beside her was the Edward that had always been there, but had been buried beneath scars and so much hurt and pain, he didn't know how to find his way out. That seemed to be changing now, and based on the bits and pieces he'd begun to share with her, she understood even more than before. There were still questions she hoped he'd answer, but as she had told him, she was a patient woman. He was getting there and she would be ready and willing to listen whenever he was ready.

She was still thrown for quite the loop when she thought about what he'd told her last night about...her...Anna. Even her name sounded like nails across a chalkboard, at least the way she said it in her mind. Goodness, she really couldn't wait until tonight, she thought. The woman was a damn fool to have treated Edward the way she had, as if there was someone out there who could possibly be better than him. Of course, maybe she should give her a big hug and a kiss in thanks for being the self-centered bitch she obviously was. Who knew where they might be if she hadn't been.

Well, Isabella knew the answer to that with all her heart. She and Edward were destined to be with each other, so Anna or no Anna, he'd still be hers.

Just like she was his.

Always.

She smiled up at him again and he crooked his eyebrow beneath his sunglasses and said, "What is that beautiful smile for?"

"I'm just very, very happy," she said softly.

He stopped walking and leaned over, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I am, too," he whispered and then kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"I know," she answered back.

He straightened back up and pulled her next to him as they headed toward their destination. When she looked up and realized where they were, she let out an adorable squeal of excitement. As she gazed up at him and her eyes danced with glee, he knew he'd made the perfect choice.

In front of them was Navy Pier and they hadn't been back since she'd brought him all those years ago when they'd first started dating. It was one of his happiest memories and he wanted to bring her back to make another.

They walked around, not really wanting to ride any of the rides, though he did manage to get her on the Ferris wheel. They stopped and looked at all the shops and she giggled when he asked her, in a most serious voice, if she wanted to stop at Build-A-Bear. She was half-tempted to take him up on it, if only to see if he would really do it.

They headed back toward the promenade and to Cappi's Italian Kitchen where they would be eating lunch.

"Bambola!" Charlie Swan said loudly as Isabella and Edward approached.

Isabella looked up, surprised to hear her father's voice and then looked at her husband. "I thought you'd like to have lunch with all of them for your birthday," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

She was about to say something to her too sweet for words husband when her dad wrapped her in a huge hug. "Bella, Happy Birthday!"

"Hey, Dad," Isabella said fondly as she wrapped her arms around him and then was passed to her mother and Nonna.

"Edward, thanks so much for asking us to have lunch with the two of you," Charlie said with a brilliant smile as they walked into the restaurant.

He'd reached out to shake Edward's hand in greeting and then did the man thing of a half hug, half pat on the back. "No problem, Charlie. I knew Isabella would want to see you all today."

He said hello to Renée and Nonna getting exuberant hugs and kisses from them as well before finding himself next to his wife. "Thank you, sweetheart," she said and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

The hostess showed them to their table and once they'd placed their drink and lunch orders, Renée asked, "So, Edward, you and Bella are going to the opera tonight? How exciting."

"I'm looking forward to it. CP has always been a big supporter of the Lyric and opening night is always a spectacle," Edward answered her.

Gianna watched her granddaughter and Edward while they ate and they so reminded of her of her and her Angelo it almost brought tears to her eyes. "Edward, Cari, what will you be seeing?" she asked.

"Faust. Isabella tells me Goethe's rendition is supposed to be spectacular, so I'm hoping the hype lives up to her expectations," he answered after giving Isabella a flirtatious wink.

Gianna smiled knowingly. Edward was going to be in for quite the surprise tonight, that was for sure. She couldn't think of anything more apropos than Faust.

The rest of the lunch was passed with lively conversation and Isabella was amazed, yet again, at how much thought her husband had given everything. She certainly didn't need or want anything extravagant for her birthday, but the weekend had thus far been absolutely perfect.

The group left the restaurant, deciding to stop for Isabella's favorite funnel cake. Edward couldn't even put into words how amazing it felt to walk behind her, while she was sandwiched between her mom and dad as they walked, with their arms linked. He smiled at Nonna when she hooked her arm with his as well.

"Such a nice day," Gianna said as she patted his arm with her other hand.

"I'm glad. I knew she'd want to see you all today," Edward said, trying not to make a big deal out of things.

They walked quietly for a few minutes, each seemingly content to listen to Isabella, Charlie, and Renée laugh among themselves. "Edward, pay close attention to the final act during tonight's performance. I think you might find it rather relevant," Gianna told him as they approached the food cart.

Edward looked at her with a raised eyebrow and said, "Really? Why would you say that?"

She reached up and pulled his face down to hers so she could kiss him, once on each cheek. "Just watch and pay attention, Cari. God speaks to us in many ways," she said with a knowing look and then went to go speak to Charlie and Renée.

Edward stared, confused by what she'd said to him. He knew there was a message in there somewhere; he just didn't know what it was.

"Mmmm, this is so good. Have a taste," Isabella told him as she walked up beside him. She pinched off a piece of the fried delicacy and held it out to him. He got a wicked gleam in his eye as he bent his head down and took the sugary dessert in his mouth, making sure to lick off every bit of powdered sugar and cinnamon from her fingers. He reached up and grabbed her wrist as his tongue curled around her fingertips and then with a kiss to the end of her finger, stood up.

He licked his lips, staring straight into her eyes and in a husky voice said, "Mmmm, you're right. Very good."

She growled in the back of her throat at him and then got a seductive smile on her face as well. She dipped her still wet finger in the sugar and then placed it in her mouth, feeling her stomach and other parts clench when his eyes darkened as he watched her lips close around her finger.

"Such a dangerous creature you are," Edward said in a tight voice. "Come on. We need to say goodbye and get back to the penthouse. I know you're tired and I want you to have time to rest before we have to get ready to go."

Isabella laughed at her husband, poor thing. She rather enjoyed seeing him get all worked up though.

Edward and Isabella said their goodbyes after promising to see everyone at Mass the next morning and then made their way back to the penthouse. Isabella couldn't stop yawning while they walked home and when her husband stripped her down, leaving her only in her bra and panties and covered her up, she was asleep before he even had time to give her a kiss.

He did kiss her though, leaving a gentle, lingering kiss on her forehead before stepping out of the room to let her rest.

"You know for someone who only a little over a month ago would have won the World's Worst Husband award, in a landslide no less, you really amaze me sometimes," the angel said as soon as Edward stepped into the spacious living room. Today the angel was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt. With a pair of outrageous shoes on his feet, you would never be able to tell he was from somewhere else, like a whole different world kind of place.

Edward shrugged his shoulders and said, "I want to make her happy. I just do what feels right, that's all."

"Well, you keep on doing what you're doing. She's the happiest she's ever been, thanks to you. Don't mess it up," Seth warned with a glare.

"I'll do my best," Edward said with a sigh and then sat down in an oversized club chair. "Tonight is liable to be a fucking disaster. You sure you can't use some of your whatever it is and tell me everything will be okay?"

"Eddie, you know that is not one of the talents I possess. I really don't know what you are so worried about anyway," the being said with a pointed look.

Edward bent forward and nervously ran his hands through his hair. "I can't really explain it, but suffice it to say I feel like this is the most important thing I've ever done and I don't understand why."

Seth sat back on the sofa, in a most relaxed position, and stared at his very anxious charge. "Edward, you have the most annoying habit of getting yourself all worked up when you have no reason to," he said and then raised his hand to cut off whatever rebuttal Edward was about to make. He waited with a hard stare until Edward closed his mouth and then sat back in his chair before he went on. "I'm not saying that you aren't right to be nervous, Edward. Tonight is a big deal, we both know that. For the first time, ever, you will walk into someplace, surrounded by your family, friends, colleagues and even enemies, proudly with your wife on your arm. You're liable to encounter people you've wronged, people who don't like you very much, and to top all that off, Anna and Vincent will be there as will Carlisle and Esme. Talk about jumping into the fire," the angel said with a chuckle.

"You don't have to sound like you're going to enjoy it so damn much, you know," Edward huffed angrily.

"Oh, calm down, Eddie. Number one, I don't for one minute believe it's going to be as bad as you're making it out to be and number two, you should be able to admit that you deserve to be a bit uncomfortable. But, most importantly, number three, I'm going to enjoy watching you use the talents that you were born with to sail through the night. Edward Anthony, you've always been an extraordinary man, you've just been too afraid to let anyone see the goodness that resides in you. Isabella has always known it was there, even if you didn't. It's time for you to stop being scared of letting others see it as well," Seth said with a stern but loving voice.

"Why do I feel like this is a test or something?" Edward asked and then pinned the otherworldly being with a hard glare. "You're not setting me up or anything like that are you?"

Seth laughed, though he was rather impressed Edward thought he could do such a thing. Good to keep the boy on his toes and all. "The only test you have to be worried about is making sure you do what you need to in regards to Anna."

"I think I'd rather face the devil than have to apologize to her," Edward said and then held his hand up to indicate he wasn't finished yet. "But, I know I have to do it and I will."

"Ah, my young friend, you just need to relax and let your instincts take over. Don't over-think things so much, Edward. It'll be fine, you'll see," the angel said with a twinkle in his eye.

"If you say so," Edward said and then heard Isabella stirring in their room.

The angel chuckled when he watched Edward's eyes light up at the thought of his lovely wife being awake so he figured it was time for him to disappear for a bit. He'd be close by though, for he knew that the night was going to be quite the roller coaster for Edward and even possibly Isabella.

"I do say so and what have I told you, Edward? I'm always right; you'd think you'd realize this by now," the angel said and then was gone.

"Damn angel," Edward muttered before standing up and going to see his wife.

Isabella stretched beneath the cool sheets, feeling extremely well-rested. As soon as she glanced to the bedside table and realized what time it was, her stomach lurched. It wasn't that she was nervous, at least not terribly so, it was more like an excited anticipation. She and Edward were in such a different place in their relationship and it would be their first public appearance since they'd 'started over' and she knew it was a big deal.

"Hi, Beautiful. Did you have a nice nap?" came the velvety smooth voice of her husband. When her eyes found his, she sighed. He really took her breath away.

"It would have been better if you would have been in the bed with me," she said with a sexy smile.

She had to rub her legs together when he stared at her from the doorway. She knew what time it was and did a quick mental calculation on how long it would take her to get ready and then looked back at him. She giggled when she saw his face fall infinitesimally. Apparently he'd come to the same conclusion as she had; not enough time, damn it.

She watched as he walked into the room, and felt her skin tingle the closer he got. He sat on the bed and chuckled when she pouted at him when he didn't lay down beside her. "Sorry, love, but if we are going to have time to eat before the performance, we need to start getting ready to go. As much as I would love to say forget it and skip dinner, we can't."

"Oh, I know, but you can't blame me for trying," she said as she reached over and ran her fingers along his arm. She sighed again when the muscle in his forearm flexed under her touch.

So damn sexy.

He leaned over and ran his lips over hers, barely touching them. "Then you can't blame me for this." He then pressed his lips firmly against hers, prodding insistently until she opened her mouth to his. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, taking time to taste every part of her. Lazy, slow circles, then in and out, he kissed her.

Isabella's breathing increased, as did her heart rate. She curled her fingers around his arm and reached up around his neck with the other and she molded her body against his. The urge to pull him down on top of her, to be able to feel all of his weight on her was so strong. Opera be damned.

Edward inhaled deeply through his nose and his fingers twitched because he wanted so very badly to push her back down on the bed and make love to her until they each couldn't go on any longer. However, when he had to pull back to take a breath, he looked at the clock and groaned.

"As much as I want to continue this, we really have to stop," he said as he leaned his forehead against hers.

Isabella blew out an uneven breath and bit her bottom lip. She laid her hands on the sides of his face, letting her thumbs trace along his cheekbones. "I'm really excited about tonight," she told him softly and when she felt the corners of his mouth lift in a smile beneath her fingers, she smiled as well.

"Me, too, love. I think this will be a night we'll never forget," he told her. He gently pulled her bottom lip out from between her teeth because she'd bitten it again and looked at her so tenderly she thought her heart would melt.

"In case I forget to tell you later, thank you for tonight, Edward."

Regretfully he stood up, keeping a hold of her hand. "I'll leave you to get dressed. I... um..hung up your dress in the closet. We need to leave no later than five o'clock, okay?" he asked and when she nodded he walked toward the door.

He left her with one last look and made his way to the guest bedroom to put his tux on. He hoped she liked what he had picked out for her.

Isabella watched him walk out of the room and stared at the closed door for a moment before she slid out of the bed. She hurried to the closet, excited to see what Edward had picked out for her to wear. Her heart raced when she saw the long, black bag hanging there. She carefully pulled it from the closet and then laid it on the bed. Her fingers shook as she pulled the zipper down, and when she pushed the bag open, she placed her hand over her mouth. Tears stung her eyes and she had to blink a few times to keep them at bay and then she stood, unable to take her eyes of the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen in her life.

The dress was long, slim and a shimmering silver color made of the most elegant fabric she'd ever seen. It had a jeweled halter neck and a thin band of jewels around the waist. There were a pair of long, silver opera gloves, a pair of dangerously high, but extremely gorgeous silver sandals, and a diamond bracelet and earrings to go along with it. She kept staring at the dress, trying to imagine what he'd been thinking when he'd picked everything out. The fact that he could see her in the dress, wanted to see her in this particular dress, made her feel like a princess and she knew without a doubt there wasn't a woman that was going to be at the opera tonight that would feel as beautiful or as special as she would.

When Edward closed the door to the guest room behind him, he leaned his back against, banging his head a few times as he muttered, "Christ, don't let me fuck things up tonight."

"As we've already established, Eddie, I'm not him, nor will I ever be, but knock it the hell off, get dressed, and stop your damn fretting. It will be an amazing night. Drink that," the angel demanded and pointed to the familiar-looking glass of amber liquid. "Put your tux on, and walk into that building tonight knowing you have the most beautiful woman on your arm, and she happens to love and adore you, too. I'll be around if you need me," the annoying being said and then was suddenly gone.

"Damn angel," Edward said, but it was done with a smile, especially when he realized he'd forgotten his tux at home but thankfully one of the benefits of having your own personal angel also included delivery service when needed.

Edward quickly stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower. He let the warm water soothe his tense muscles and by the time he'd finished, he felt better, calmer. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went to pick up the heavy glass filled with the heavenly scotch. Talking a big sip, he enjoyed the way the warmth slowly spread. He carried the glass to the bathroom with him, setting it on the counter while he shaved. He was careful not to cut himself and when he was through, stared at himself in the mirror for a minute. It was really quite extraordinary, he thought as he gazed at his reflection, how different he looked. Gone were the tight lines beside his eyes and mouth; gone was the dip between his eyebrows; gone was the mask he hid behind. Instead, it was just him, helplessly and hopelessly in love with, without a doubt, the most amazing woman ever.

Thinking about how his wife would look in the dress he had picked out for her got his heart thumping loudly in his chest and he couldn't help the quiet groan either as he envisioned the way the silky, shimmery material would cling to her body.

Fuck, it would be a miracle if he made it through the night without falling apart or making a huge mess of things.

Taking a deep breath, he decided to do as the bossy seraph instructed. He finished his drink in one big gulp and then set about to get dressed, resolving to not worry about the rest of the evening.

Once he was dressed in his tuxedo with a tie and vest that matched Isabella's dress, he took a few deep breaths and then ran a hand nervously through his hair. His eyes caught his bracelet in his periphery. He thought for all of about zero point two seconds about taking it off and then immediately realized that even if it didn't particularly go with his attire for the evening, it was staying put. He knew she would have to take hers off, and that was fine, but he wasn't going without it. He couldn't give a shit less if it didn't match.

Checking his pockets to make sure he had everything he needed for the night, he walked out to the living room to wait. He paced, nervously, as he waited for Isabella to finish getting ready. He could hear her moving around in their room and his stomach twisted. Damn, he really couldn't wait to see what she looked like. He flipped on the stereo while he waited, hoping that the music would help calm his nerves. He leaned against the windows looking out over Lake Michigan, standing with his hands pressed against the glass.

Isabella took one last deep breath before she opened the door. She had her wrap draped over her arm, her clutch in her hand, and she came to an abrupt halt when she silently entered the living room and saw Edward. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a warm glow through the windows. The last remaining beams of sunlight glinted off his hair and highlighted the angle of his cheekbones. He hadn't put his tux jacket on yet and she could see the muscles of his back and shoulders ripple beneath the shirt and vest.

Her mouth turned dry as she stared at him, and she felt like she could start crying at any moment, only because he was so beautiful. Not the word one would normally use to describe a man, she knew, but there wasn't any other word she could think of.

Damn, she loved him so much.

He must have heard the rustle of her dress because he turned his head, feeling his breath catch in his throat and his heart slam against his chest when he looked at her. The dress was everything he'd hoped it would be and looked even more amazing on her than he had ever dreamed. She had her hair piled on top of her head in some intricate, elegant twist, leaving only a few tendrils to curl enticingly around her face. Her ears sparkled with the diamond earrings he'd bought for her to wear tonight and he couldn't help but smile when he saw the circle of diamonds around her wrist as well. The friendship bracelet was personal and meaningful, and given with the very best of intentions, but the diamonds that currently glittered in her ears and on her wrist were given with another thought in mind. He wanted her to feel revered, worshiped, treasured.

He swallowed a few times, struggling to come up with the words, any words to tell her how incredible she looked. "Isabella...my love...I have," he said and shook his head. "Simply stunning," he whispered in awe.

She stepped closer to him and said quietly, "I feel like a princess. Thank you, Edward." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him tenderly on the lips and then turned around so he could help her with her wrap.

"No mere princess for you, Beautiful. Queen, Empress, and if I could think of what comes above that, I'd include that, too," he said with a quiet laugh as he kissed her neck. "You take my breath away," he told her as he turned her around.

Her eyes danced as she stared at him and said with a sexy grin, "You do the same for me, sweetheart. You look so handsome."

"As much as I would love to stand here and stare at you all night, we really need to go." He held his arm out to her and when she wound her arm around his, he knew there wasn't another man alive that was as lucky as he was.

They made their way to the parking garage where Edward helped her in the car. He had thought about hiring a car and driver for the evening, but he loved driving his car and didn't get to do it enough. It made staring at his wife rather difficult, but thankfully the ride wouldn't take long. As they weaved in and out of traffic, he told her, "I hope tonight is everything you ever dreamed about, Isabella."

"As long as I'm with you, it will be perfect," she told him.

In a different penthouse apartment in a different building, Vincent Sinclair impatiently tapped his foot as he slammed back a glass of vodka. Shivering as the liquid burned his throat and stomach he checked his watch, again.

"God damn it, Anna, if you don't hurry the fuck up I'm leaving your ass here," he hollered.

Fuck, he didn't want to be late, tonight of all nights. Not when he knew Edward would be there; the fucking golden boy of Cullen Publishing. Apparently the son of a bitch had had some brush with death or some shit like that, at least according to the gossip, and was a completely different person. To top it off, even after Vincent had managed to weasel his way into the deal with Deaton-Hall and stole them away, Edward still had something big up his sleeve.

The smooth motherfucker always seemed to be one fucking step ahead of him, no matter what he did. From what he'd been able to gather, Emmett had come up with some idea and was going to spearhead a project with Isabella, of all people.

Vincent felt his dick get hard when he thought about Edward's delectable wife. Isabella Cullen was unquestionably the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and he'd seen plenty. Anna was the stuff boys and men dreamed about with her blonde hair, big tits and banging body, but she paled in comparison to Isabella.

"Lucky fucking asshole," Vincent muttered before drinking another shot.

He hated Edward, despised him with every fiber of his being and had for too many years to count. He'd spent years watching Edward succeed, effortlessly it seemed to him, and get everything he wanted. Beautiful wife, beautiful home, in charge of the top publishing company in the country, even as much as he hated to admit that. Edward might have had the reputation of being a cold-hearted bastard, but he was respected and admired by everyone.

"Jesus, Vince, would you calm the hell down," Anna huffed as she threw her evening bag on the counter and reached for her own glass of vodka. Why she put up with so much of his shit she'd never know. Habit, she supposed.

Vincent rolled his eyes when he noticed what she was wearing, or more specifically what she wasn't wearing. The dress, while it looked amazing on her, was certainly not appropriate for attending the opera, especially opening night. It was a bright red, with straps of fabric barely covering her most generous assets. It plunged almost obscenely in the front and the back and on her feet were shoes that one would normally only find in a strip club. A high-class one to be sure, but a strip club nonetheless. He was sure the entire ensemble had cost him a pretty penny because Anna only bought the most expensive things she could find, but as the saying went, money doesn't always buy class. However, because he valued his balls, he kept that opinion to himself.

"Come on, we're late," he snapped as he held her coat for her. Hey, he did have some class and he knew when to use his manners.

He ushered them out of the apartment and they quickly made their way into the car that was waiting at the entrance for them. He nodded at the driver that opened the door and snorted when the guy's eyeballs almost popped out of his head as Anna slithered into the car, being sure to show plenty of skin. If she wasn't so good in bed and didn't come from one of the most respected families in Chicago, he would have ended things with her long ago.

The thrill of taking her from Edward wore off quickly; especially when he realized Edward seemed to be more relieved than anything to be rid of her. It should have tipped him off when he managed to find his way into her bed, well, Edward's if you wanted to get technical, with relative ease, but with Edward Cullen you could never tell. He was one cool fucking customer, that was for damn sure.

He wondered how easy it would be to get into Isabella's bed. He actually shivered as he imagined how she would look, naked, ready and waiting until he fucked her and kept fucking her until she begged him to stop. He knew though, judging from the few times he'd seen Edward and Isabella at functions over the years, there was no way in hell she'd ever cheat on Edward...none. He didn't believe in things like love, fidelity, or hell even honesty for that matter, but one look at Isabella and the way she looked at Edward was enough to make her untouchable, especially for someone like him.

Didn't mean he couldn't dream though, now did it?

Anna huffed as they sped toward the opera house. She couldn't get out of her mind what her friend, Yvette, had told her earlier in the day when they were getting their nails done. Yvette and Chase had been at the same restaurant Edward and Isabella happened to be eating at the night before. Of course they were there for very different reasons, seeing as Chase was Yvette's lover and not her husband, so they had chosen someplace off the beaten path so to speak to eat before adjourning to their hotel room. Yvette kept going on and on about how different Edward appeared; how he couldn't stop touching or kissing his wife, and how blissfully happy he'd looked. Yvette swore she'd never seen anything as intense, or as hot as the way Edward and Isabella had gazed at each other. She gleefully admitted it made her dalliance with Chase even more frantic than usual; not that she was complaining in the least.

None of what Yvette had told her were things she remembered about Edward. Edward had never acted like that with her, ever. Not once in the two years they were together, if you could even call it that, had he ever touched or looked at her the way Yvette had described. Hell, neither did Vince, she thought with sudden envy. She readily admitted to her friends and hell even to herself, that she'd used Edward. The man was panty wetting gorgeous, intense, powerful, and had more money than he knew what to do with. What woman wouldn't want to share his bed? When she'd finagled her way into living with him, she thought she'd had it made. He let her do her own thing, spend his money, and never once complained. Of course along with that came the realization that he'd done all of that because he didn't care what she did, or who she did it with. After she'd had enough of his indifference, she'd lured Vincent to her bed, hoping that sleeping with Edward's bitter adversary would spark something, and it did all right. It sparked the immediate and abrupt end to her posh living arrangements and she found herself on the wrong end of her father's and grandfather's good graces.

Annoyed and more than a little bit embarrassed by her family's displeasure, she'd left town and headed for New York where she spent a few years shopping, being seen in all the right places for lunch, dinner, and at night kept herself amused with the numerous wealthy men looking to have someone like her on their arm and in their bed. Eventually, she tired of being so far away from her family so she went back home to Chicago. She missed her family, sure, but she also knew that her life was rather empty. She wasn't sure what she wanted, but she'd spent enough time in New York to know that wasn't the place for her. By then, Edward and Isabella were married and after seeing Vincent at a fundraiser one night, they picked their fling back up where they'd left off.

She glanced to her left and narrowed her eyes as she stared at Vincent. The damn fool hadn't even told her she looked nice, though she didn't miss the way the driver's eyes roamed her body. Vincent never bothered to tell her she looked nice, or pretty, and certainly not beautiful. Oh, he'd tell she was hot and sexy and most of the time that was plenty, but being told she was beautiful would be nice sometimes. She couldn't help but squirm in her seat when she thought about seeing Edward tonight. From the few times she'd seen him, he'd only gotten better-looking and certainly sexier. That cool, intense vibe he exuded turned her on like no other man had, not even Vincent, who was certainly almost as powerful as Edward.

Just thinking about Edward got her all hot and bothered so she turned slightly in her seat and ran a finger along Vincent's thigh. When she let her fingers trail along the inside of his leg and up toward his hardening erection he smirked and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Really, Anna?" he asked cockily.

Anna licked her lips; Vincent really was a very sexy man. Not Edward Cullen, then again no one was, but he'd sure as hell do. "Really, Vincent," she purred and then unzipped his pants and took him in her hand.

By the time they arrived at the opera house they each had to arrange their clothes and Anna barely had time to reapply her lipstick. The valet opened her door and she gave him a flirty smile as he helped her out. Vincent followed and then took her hand as they approached the entrance. "That, you insatiable vixen, was only the precursor to what I plan to do to you when we get home," he whispered in her ear and then palmed her ass.

"I'm counting on it, Vince," she told him.

They made their way to the Graham Room and were shown to their table. They were going to be dining with a few of Vincent's senior executives and their wives and though she would have preferred her own friends, she knew attending things like this with Vincent was the price she had to pay. When she took a sip of the very expensive champagne that appeared as soon as she sat down and looked around at the elite of Chicago, she figured she could do worse.

She noticed Emmett and Rosalie Cullen, Jasper and Alice Whitlock, Marcus Northcott and his girlfriend, Camille Sanderson as well as Alec Tipton with some woman she didn't recognize sitting at a table together. As her eyes scanned the crowd she didn't see Edward or Isabella, but she did see Carlisle and Esme Cullen speaking to a few others at a table opposite hers.

Anna barely paid attention to the business talk going on around her or the chatter of the women beside her. When one of the women asked her a question, she turned to answer her, not wanting to be a total bitch.

"Holy fucking shit," Vincent exclaimed as he glanced toward the stairs leading down into the restaurant.

Edward and Isabella stood at the top of the stairs speaking with Johann Devlin, head of the Lyric. Vincent couldn't help but stare, slack-jawed at the duo. Isabella was majestic as she stood beside Edward. Her dress glimmered in the soft light of the dining room and clung enticingly to her perfect body. She was molded to Edward's side and held onto his arm with her hand firmly ensconced inside of his. He could tell, even from as far away as he was, that she wasn't standing that close to him from nerves or the like; it was because Edward wanted her as close as he could get her. His body moved when hers did, though there wasn't a bit of space between them. He was constantly kissing the side of her head and when he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her, Isabella practically melted against him. His hand was possessively on her hip, though it was actually more on the top of her ass, which looked phenomenal from where he sat.

He had never hated Edward more than he did at just that moment. To have that woman look at him that way, he'd give anything. Hell, he figured anyone in the room would have given their left nut to stand beside her, to feel her body next to theirs and to be looked at the way she was looking at that cocksucker; like he'd hung the fucking moon.

How the fuck did Cullen get so damn lucky? he thought nastily.

Edward was aware of practically every set of eyes on himself and Isabella as they spoke with Johann. During a break in the conversation, when Johann was going on and on about thanking him for CP's support for the night's performance, he quickly scanned the room. He smiled when Jasper and Alice caught his eye and then of course at his exuberant brother when he waved at him like an idiot. A lovable idiot though. He nodded at Rose and gave her a wink and then did the man thing and lifted his chin toward Marcus and Alec. He looked around until he saw Carlisle and Esme and actually gave them both a warm smile in greeting, feeling very happy when Esme blew him a kiss. He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and when he turned he met the ice cold stare of Vincent Sinclair.

If looks could kill, Edward was certain he'd be annihilated judging from the glare he'd just got from Vincent, but he just gave him back a smug grin and gripped Isabella's waist even tighter. Take that you son of a bitch, Edward thought and then focused his attention back on his wife where it belonged.

"Well, Johann, we'd best get to our table if we're going to eat before the performance starts," Edward said as he extricated them from the overzealous man. They finally got to their table after being waylaid numerous times. Edward knew it would be like this, especially since it was the opening night of the opera season. He was glad he'd made arrangements to meet with Jasper, Alice, and the others during the first intermission; he wanted to spend some time alone with his gorgeous wife.

Once they'd finally turned in their order and had a few minutes of uninterrupted time, Edward reached over and picked up Isabella's hand and kissed the back of it. He had to smile at the way the candlelight from the table reflected off her bracelet. He had to admit, she looked stunning draped in diamonds. "You're so fucking beautiful," he whispered as he leaned in close to her, running his nose along the exposed skin of her shoulder.

"Edward, sweetheart...ah...oh hell...thank you," she finally managed to breathe out. He'd pressed his knee against hers beneath the table and because he had an arm draped across the back of her chair, he was able to run his hand up and down her arm, leaving a trail of heated flesh in its wake.

"Do you know, Isabella, that since we have walked in here every person has been stunned speechless by you?" he asked her and she had to close her eyes as his rough, husky voice washed over her.

She opened her eyes after only a moment and was immediately lost in the blazing, bottle-green eyes that saw straight into her soul. "I don't know about that," she said with a shaky breath.

"Oh I do, Beautiful. Vincent Sinclair would like nothing more than for the floor to open up and swallow me whole," he said with a chuckle.

Isabella gasped at the mention of Vincent's name, only because if he was here that meant Anna was as well. She quickly scanned the room, opening her eyes in surprise when she caught Vincent blatantly staring at her. Edward heard her breath hitch and raised his eyes to Vincent's, in challenge and in warning. He held Vincent's stare until the other man was forced to turn his attention away.

"Asshole," Edward muttered under his breath.

"It's rather obvious two certainly don't like each other," Isabella asked when she felt Edward relax beside her.

Edward snorted and then took a sip of his champagne. "Not even a little bit. The man is a snake, Isabella, always has been. I may have done some things I'm not proud of in my life, but nothing close to what he's done."

"Well, I personally just think he's jealous of you, Edward. You're a good man and a brilliant businessman on top of that. You've worked hard to get where you are, everyone knows that," she told him truthfully and with a bit of a growl, too.

No one could ever question Edward's dedication to the company. He might have used work as a means to escape, but that didn't mean he wasn't excellent at his job either.

Edward couldn't help but feel amazed by her words and her obvious faith in him. "Thank you, love. You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that," he told her.

"I think I do. I've watched you for five years, Edward, run a company with confidence and character. You've surrounded yourself with the best of the best in Emmett, Jasper, Marcus, Alec, and countless others. You know when to make a move and when to wait. You have a keen sense of what works and what doesn't. Vincent has none of that, as is obvious by his pitiful attempts to steal your ideas and your clients. I can't wait to see his face when he finds out what we have in store for him. Poor fool won't know what hit him," she said with a giggle.

Edward was speechless at her words. In the entire time they'd been married he'd never heard her speak so passionately about the business side of their relationship.

"Isabella...I...you've never..." he stuttered hopelessly, trying to form a coherent thought.

Isabella sighed and then reached for his hand, needing to tell him something that had been on her mind for awhile now but had really been brought to the forefront last week at her parents' house. "Edward, I know I haven't been exactly open and forthcoming when it comes to CP with you, and for that I'm really sorry. Listening to you talk to Dad and Mama last week really reminded me that CP is as important to me as it is to you. I am a Cullen; that is my name on the business, thanks to you, and someday, if we're blessed enough to have a child or children, it will be their legacy. I owe it to the family, to you, to do everything within my power to make sure it is the best it can be. I'm sorry I haven't really acted like I cared about it before, but please believe me, I do. I will do whatever we need to make sure that Vincent Sinclair, and anyone else for that matter, can't do anything to jeopardize Cullen Publishing's rightful place at the top."

Again, Edward was frozen in place, unable to do anything except stare at the most incredible, amazing, strongest person he'd ever seen.

"Oh God, Isabella," he rasped and then grabbed the sides of her face, firmly but gently, and crushed her lips beneath his. Every ounce of awe, pride, respect and unending love he felt for her poured out into that kiss. He could barely keep up with the barrage of thoughts flooding his mind and he knew he would have to try to remember what she'd just said later, but for right now, he felt like there wasn't anyone on earth that was as lucky as he was.

He finally had to stop kissing her, only because he feared if he didn't, he never would. "Thank you," he managed to choke out. "I have no words to explain how much what you just said means to me," he told her as her words came rushing back. "I love you, more than I ever thought it was possible to love anyone."

"I love you, too, Edward. I also happen to admire and respect you. You're a good man; it's time for you to believe that yourself," she told him with much feeling.

He reached out and held her small, but so fucking strong hand in between his and said, "If I am, it's only because of you. You make me want to be better, Isabella. You're the strongest, best person I know and I want to make you proud of me."

Tears filled her eyes, but didn't fall. She said, "I am, Edward. I've always been proud of you." She looked up and saw him wipe the corner of his eyes and giggled and said, "We make quite the pair, huh?"

"The best," he answered immediately with a brilliant smile.

She sat back so that the waiter could set their plates on the table and once they'd assured him everything looked wonderful, they were left alone again. She waited to begin eating until Edward poured her another glass of champagne and she lifted her glass to his. "To us," she said.

"To Cullen and Cullen, a perfect team," he answered back.

They ate their dinner with their heads bent close to the other while they whispered back and forth, completely in their own bubble and totally unaware of the fact that almost everyone in the restaurant couldn't take their eyes off of them.

They made such an incredible-looking couple and the love and happiness that they each felt was evident for all to see. It was so palpable you felt as if you could reach out and touch it, and hope that some of what they had rubbed off on you.

Jasper laughed quietly at Alice's exuberance at seeing both of them so happy. Emmett hugged Rose to his side and kissed the side of her head and whispered a soft, "I told you so," in her ear. He of course had to dodge the slap to the arm she gave him in response. Alec and Marcus winked at each other and gave each other a silent fist bump. Carlisle held onto his wife while she cried softly into a napkin, so overjoyed at seeing her son finally happy.

There were of course others that looked on, green with envy and bitter. Anna seethed as she observed Edward and Isabella, cursing herself for ever letting him go. Vincent fumed as he watched Isabella simper and fawn all over Edward.

When they had finished eating and everyone began getting ready to make their way to the theater, Edward held his hand out and helped Isabella out of her chair. As they were walking, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the very pleased and he thought proud angel, leaning against the entrance to the theater.

"I won't tell you I told you so," he said as Edward and Isabella approached.

Edward scoffed and rolled his eyes; he wasn't touching that comment with a ten foot pole.

"Keep it up, Eddie, you're doing great," the angel said and then was gone.

"Damn angel," he muttered.

"What did you say, sweetheart?" Isabella asked and Edward had to chuckle at that slip-up. He had no idea what to say back to her and was spared from having to think about it when he felt a hand on his other arm.

Turning to look, he felt his stomach twist when Anna was standing in front of him wearing a flirtatious look on her face. "Aren't you going to say hello, Edward?"

Shit, it figured the annoying angel would disappear right when he needed him; what the hell was up with that?

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~