Author's Note: I own nothing. I just like to play with the characters that were created by Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.
Also, thank you for those of who have commented and offered well-wishes in my difficult time. It means a lot to me. Writing these stories has been my strength (as silly as that sounds) and has grounded me.
Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. It means so much to me. More than you can imagine. These stories (this one in particular) are my babies and I adore the reviews and comments I receive. Much, much love to ALL of you!
Chapter 18: The Reality
BPOV
I'm dating a fucking saint. I'll tell you that.
I lost my shit. I mean lost it. My heart was pounding. My head was spinning. My breath was shallow. I wanted nothing for it all to end. All of it. But, Edward calmed me down. He faced my wrath, which was unpleasant, but he calmed me down. He rationalized and made me come to grips that I was in no state to stay in my condo. I was fucking losing it with him there. What would happen if he left?
You'd slice your wrists.
We wouldn't want that. No sir. Nope. Nope. Nope. That would just royally suck and yeah.
After we got back to Edward's house, I unpacked my bags while Edward cooked. He told me to put my clothes in the closet, using up whatever space I needed. We ate a quiet dinner. I wasn't in the mood to talk. Edward didn't press me. Once we finished our dinner, I excused myself to go to bed. I showered and brushed my teeth. I crawled into the sheets and fell into a restless sleep.
I was aware of every sound. Every movement. Everything in that house. When Edward got into bed, I tensed up. Fearful that it was Mike. Edward crooned in my ear and held me tightly to his chest, spooning me to his body. My mind settled down after he came to bed, but I was rattled with horrendous nightmares. Being back in my condo triggered my memory. The attack that Mike did to me came rushing back and I never realized how brutal it was. With each nightmare, Edward held me close. He talked me down. He breathed with me. He calmed me. Loved me.
Why?
Around five in the morning, I rolled out of bed. Edward was still asleep but his face was furrowed in a sleepy grimace. I gently ran my fingers over his handsome features and he relaxed some. I put on a pair of workout pants, sneakers and t-shirt and grabbed my iPod. I put my ear buds in my ears and went for a walk. I needed to calm my mind. I pounded the pavement, walking to the beats of the music resounding in my ears. I walked until I felt my muscles in my legs scream at me. I walked until I couldn't anymore. I walked until I felt a sharp tap on my shoulder.
"Mrs. Newton?"
I pulled out my ear buds and looked at the person who was addressing me by that name. It was Mr. Molina. One of my neighbors. "Hi, Mr. Molina. How are you doing?"
"I'm good. I don't see you around much," he smiled, his black eyes twinkling.
"Oh, I don't live here anymore. Mike and I got divorced. He moved out in March and the house sold in late April," I said with a wave of the hand. "I live in a condo but I'm visiting a friend."
"Ah. That's a shame about your divorce, Mrs. Newton," he sighed.
"Swan. My last name is Swan," I said curtly.
"My apologies. Mrs. Molina and I have been together for thirty years. She deals with my cantankerous ass every day," he joked. "Bless her soul."
"You are not cantankerous, Mr. Molina," I laughed. "Mr. Banner. He's the grumpy one."
"Definitely. Him and his damn pug. What's that's dog's name?"
"Don't know. Don't care. Because that damn pug shit on my lawn," I said.
"He shits on all of our lawns. Lazy ass," Mr. Molina said knowingly. "It was good to see you, Ms. Swan. I'll let you finish your walk."
"Nice talking to you, Mr. Molina," I waved. I put my ear buds back in my ears and walked back toward Edward's house. As I was walking, I found myself stopped in front of my old home. It looked the same. Big, lavish and...
Not yours.
This wasn't my home. My condo wasn't my home.
Edward is your home. He makes you feel safe. He loves you. He supports you. He deals with your crazy ass.
I stared at my old house, emotions flowing through my body. It was like a car accident. I should look away, but couldn't. I wanted to hurdle rocks through the windows. I wanted scream at the top of my lungs. But I just stood there, staring blankly at the house.
"Bella!"
Edward's voice broke me from my reverie. He was wearing a pair of running shorts, running shoes and t-shirt. His hair was covered by a baseball cap and he had on his sunglasses. I shuffled on my feet, staring at him as he gracefully ran toward me. I removed my ear buds, stuffing my iPod into my pocket.
"I've been looking all over for you," he said, breathing heavily. "I woke up to go to the bathroom and your side of the bed was empty. And cold."
"What time is it?" I asked.
"Nearly eight," he said as he removed his hat, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I couldn't sleep," I muttered. "So, I went for a walk to clear my head. I've been up since around five."
"Fuck me," Edward mused.
"Not yet, Dr. Masen," I said as I slapped his sweaty chest. "What time did you wake up?"
"Around seven. When I saw you were gone, I grabbed my running shoes and started searching. Why did you stop here?"
"This was my old house," I said, gesturing to the traditional home in front of us. "I was heading back when I stopped and here I was."
"It's nice," Edward said. "Do you miss it?"
"No." I turned on my heel and started walking toward Edward's home.
Edward jogged to catch up with me and he fell into step with my brisk pace. "What's wrong, Bella? What's with the curt tone?"
"Bad memories," I bristled.
"Of?" Edward prompted.
"Mistakes," I said cryptically. My mind raced to memories of Mike's coldness. His constant teasing of me. How he treated me like a servant in my own home. Expecting meals to be prepared when he walked through the door. An immaculately kept house. Constant belittling and snide comments about my friends, weight and job. His cruel jokes about my body. "I'm a fucking idiot."
"Bella, you are not an idiot," Edward said.
"Yes, I am. I should have gotten away sooner. Mike is a cancer. He spreads his vileness all over the planet," I sneered. "He made me believe that I was worthy of his love, but I wasn't."
"Did you love him?"
"At the time, I thought so. I was over the moon that he chose me," I said, arching a brow.
"Did he love equally?" Edward asked, stepping in front of me, stopping us in our tracks.
"How so?"
"Did he love you in the same way that you loved him?" Edward asked, trying to clarify his question.
"Not really," I replied. I brushed past him and continued walking back to Edward's house. "Why are you asking me these questions, Edward?"
"Testing a theory," he said grimly.
"A theory?"
"Yes, a theory. Did you know a woman named Charlotte Mitchell?" Edward asked.
"I went to school with her. She was murdered in 2001. Why?"
"Do you know how she was murdered?"
"Edward, what the hell are you talking about?" I questioned.
"Answer the question, Bella."
"I think she was beaten to death," I replied.
"Bella, listen carefully to what I have to say. Last night, I did some research after you went to sleep. Alice told me some things about Mike," he sneered. "His behavior just doesn't sit right with me."
"It doesn't sit right with me either," I sighed as I started up the walk to Edward's house. He opened the door and pulled my hand to his living room, sitting on the microsuede couch.
"I Googled Mike and there were some articles about him. Some were sketchy at best, but one stuck out. A Michael Newton was arrested in 2001 for domestic battery in Nottingbrook."
"I was doing student teaching at the time. Mike and I weren't together in 2001. It was right after we broke up in college. He was living Nottingbrook. I think. I didn't really care at the time," I said.
"I then checked medical records at Craven. I logged on to the hospital database and checked for possible domestic battery cases on the date in question that came into the ER. There were two women that were brought in. One moved away and never returned. The other was Charlotte Mitchell. Less than three months after her 'attack,' she's beaten to death," Edward said, holding my hands. "She refused to press charges against her attacker, Michael Newton. Michael Walton Newton. Please tell me that is not your ex-husband's full name."
I blinked at Edward. I paled and shot up from the seat on the couch. I ran to the bathroom and hurled up my dinner from the night before. Edward crouched next to me, holding my hair from my face. "Bella, there's more."
I sat back and leaned against the wall, staring at Edward. He smiled sheepishly and then tucked a hair behind my ear. "Charlotte looks freakishly like you."
"In school, everyone thought we were twins," I chuckled darkly. "If you walked behind us, you couldn't tell who was who. Same body type. Same hair. Same coloring. Hell, we even dressed similarly."
"Did you know that Charlotte was dating Mike?"
"I didn't think so. We had broken up. I was in the mourning phase," I sighed.
"Who broke up with whom?"
"I broke up with him. I needed to focus on student teaching and Mike was begging for more," I sighed.
"More like, sex?"
"Kind of. Mike was my first. But I was fairly conservative in my ways. He wanted more creative sex. Stuff that I wasn't comfortable doing," I grumbled. "Really kinky shit."
"He never forced you, did he?" Edward growled.
"No. I decided to put the kibosh on it and break it off," I explained. "I did it the summer before I student taught. He was royally pissed, but he let me be."
"When did you meet up with him again?"
"We bumped into each other in September of 2004. We rekindled as friends and our relationship grew from there. However, he was different. Colder. Detached," I explained. "You don't think that...?"
"I do, Bella," he whispered. "We need to tell the cops. And you need to know that I will fucking buy your god damned condo because you are NEVER stepping foot in it again. Hate me all you want, but I can't...I refuse to let you get hurt or killed by this lunatic." Edward's green eyes shot to mine and they pierced through me. "We'll find you someplace else if you don't want to move in with me, but you cannot go back there."
"But, I can't afford it..."
"I know you are strapped for cash. I'm willing to help. Don't let your pride stop you," Edward said as he grabbed my face, gazing into my eyes.
"It's not right, Edward. You have your own expenses," I muttered. "You shouldn't have to adopt mine."
"Bella, don't freak out," he said as he sat on the bathroom floor facing me.
"Too late, Edward," I snarled.
"Touché. This is something that only Alice, Esme and Carlisle know. No one else. Except Tanya and you know about her," he joked.
"Edward," I growled.
"Okay, okay. You know my father was a pediatric oncologist. My mom was classically trained pianist. World renowned and famous. She made a lot of recordings. Anyhow, they put every penny they made into the stock market and invested wisely. I told you that I received a trust fund when I turned 21. I've since played my own hand in the stock market and quadrupled the original amount."
"What are you saying, Edward?"
"Roughly, I'm worth $50 million dollars," he said calmly. "Give or take a million."
Again, I blinked at Edward. Then I barked out a hysterical laugh. I rolled onto my side, giggling and snorting in disbelief. "Fifty...fif...million...what? Dollars? You've got to be joking," I said as I wiped my tears away from my conniption fit. I looked up at him and he was the picture of calm. "You're not joking."
"Nope," he smiled. "So, I could technically buy you condo and you wouldn't have to worry about a damn thing."
"You're not buying my condo, Edward," I said as I sat up. "I'll put it on the market and get another place."
"Bella, I refuse to let you step foot in there. Ever. I just can't even fathom..." he trailed off, his jade eyes saddening.
"Who's to say that Mike will 'finish' the job?" I asked.
"His history indicates he has obvious violent tendencies," Edward said. "Bella, I know 'his' type. He's a man obsessed. He wants you. He let you go when you got divorced, but something snapped. I mean literally caused him to go completely bat shit crazy. In his mind, he only sees himself with you. What does Jessica look like?"
"About my height, blond hair and brown eyes. Very pregnant," I answered. "She doesn't look like me."
"If you dyed her hair, would there be a similarity?" Edward pressed.
I mentally pictured Jessica, closing my eyes. She resembled me, if her hair was brown. However, it was the wrong texture. Her hair was extremely curly. Mine was wavy. "Slight resemblance. Very slight. Hair texture is wrong."
"We need to tell the police. Bella, please say you'll stay with me. I will pay for a realtor, storage unit and anything else just so you don't have to go back to that condo. I'm physically sick to my stomach at the thought of you being there by yourself."
"Rose is down the hall," I retorted.
"I'm concerned for Rose, too," Edward chastised. "Put yourself in my shoes. What if I was in a place, by myself with a crazy psycho ex trying to kill me. Would you want me there?"
"No. But Edward, you're a guy. Big and strong," I said curling my fingers around his bicep. "You can fight someone off."
"I can't fight a gun. Or a knife. I'm fast, but not bulletproof," he said, arching a brow. "I've cheated death once, I don't want to risk it again."
"But..."
"No 'buts' Bella. It's not safe. Would you want your daughter living there with the possibility of her getting hurt? Would your parents want you there? Be reasonable," Edward fumed as he glowered at me. "Like I said, I will help you get another place if you can't afford it and if you are not comfortable moving here. Sure, it may be too damn fast, but this is your life we're talking about. I can't let you die. Call me an overprotective bastard, but it's the damn truth."
Edward got up and stalked out the bathroom. I heard him run up the stairs and the water from the shower started. I sat in the bathroom until I heard my phone ring. I grumbled and ran up the stairs. It was Alice. "What, Elf?" I barked as I left Edward's bedroom.
"Someone's cranky," she giggled.
"Just a smidge," I grumbled. "Mike and I are no longer together and he's still fucking up my life."
"Whoa, explain," Alice said. "How is he fucking up your life?"
I scrubbed my face and laid down on the guest bed. "Edward has this theory that Mike killed Charlotte Mitchell. You know that girl I went to school with?"
"Yeah, you two were like twins," Alice mused. "Did she date Mike?"
"Apparently so. She was brought into Craven with bruises and whatnot. They said it was domestic battery, but she refused to file charges against a Michael Walton Newton," I sighed. "Three months later, she was beaten to death."
"Holy fuck," Alice whispered. "Bella, you can't stay in that condo. What are you going to do?"
"I have no clue, Elf. Edward all but begged me to move in with him, but it's too soon. I can't move out and get an apartment because I have no money," I wailed.
"Bella, Edward will seriously give his left nut to ensure your safety," Alice said simply. "He's insanely protective and he won't stop until he gets his way. My guess is that he wants you to be with him. AND he's willing to buy your condo. Am I right?"
"Yep," I muttered darkly.
"Isabella Marie Swan! You get your head out of your ass and move in with my baby brother!" she screamed, no shrieked, into the phone. I pulled the phone away from my ear and grimaced. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I don't know, Alice," I yelled back. "I'm fucking terrified. I'm terrified of what'll happen if I stay in my condo; that Mike will fucking find me. And he'll finish me off. But you know what more terrified of?"
"What?"
"That Edward will finally see me for the fucking lunatic that I am and leave me. He's going to leave me. Just like Michael. He'll take my heart out and fucking throw it in my face," I screamed, pulling at my hair. "I'm not worthy of him, Alice. He deserves...he deserves..."
"You," Alice finished for me. "Bella, he's over the moon for you. I mean, I've never seen him this happy or this free since before his accident. When he was injured, he lost part of himself. He got most of it back when he found Tanya. However, it crumbled when she died. He never fully recovered, until he met you. He smiles. He jokes. He is my Edward. The boy I remembered when I grew up. The man I know he was supposed to be. Not the orphan. Not the widower. He's Edward. And Edward loves you. He wants you. He deserves you."
"How do I get over this fear?" I muttered quietly.
"Only you have that answer. I know that Mike fucked you up. I saw how he treated you. I didn't say anything, but I wanted to. You deserved so much better than him. Now, you've found it. Found him. In Edward," Alice sighed. "Don't shut down, Bella. Don't push him away."
"I'm so fucked up, Alice. I don't know what to do. My mind logically thinks I need to stay in my condo. My heart screams for me to stay here," I whimpered.
"Where do you feel safe? Like home?"
"With Edward," I admitted.
"There's your answer, Bella. Don't let your rational mind talk you out of it. He creates an environment for you that is safe, warm and inviting. Follow your heart," Alice said.
"But..."
"Follow. Your. Heart. Do I need to tattoo it to your ass?" Alice chided.
"No," I laughed weakly. "What if I fucked up too much and he rescinds his offer?"
"He won't. Edward is too vested in your relationship. Your safety is paramount. He won't rescind his offer," Alice replied. "Talk to him."
"Okay," I said softly.
"And be ready to go by two," she said.
"What? Why?"
"Because I'm tired of seeing you in clothes that hang off you. Esme, Rose and I are buying you a new wardrobe. Consider it an early birthday present. We won't take no for an answer so buck up and deal with it, Swan," Alice said as she hung up the phone.
What the hell just happened?
I blinked and crawled onto the bed, curling around a pillow. Tears fell down my cheeks and I was torn. "What do I do?"
Follow your heart.
I heard a faint knock on the door and Edward came into the bedroom, his eyes wary. "Hey," he said quietly.
"Hi," I said, my voice rough. "All clean?"
"Yeah," he said, shuffling his feet. "Bella, I'm sorry. For pushing you. This is your decision to make and I don't want to be an overbearing ass. I'm just worried."
Follow your heart.
"I'm sorry, too, Edward," I said holding the pillow to my chest, sitting up on the bed. "I'm..."
"You're what?" Edward asked.
Follow your heart. Not with your head.
"I'm terrified," I whispered.
"I know. I heard you yell at Alice," Edward said as he sat on the edge of the bed. I arched a brow. "She texted me. Telling me that you were upset."
"I'm terrified for two reasons. Reason number one, Mike. Obviously," I said.
"And reason two?"
"You."
"Why me?" Edward asked.
"What if you leave?" I questioned.
"I won't. Bella, I promise you. I understand that you are hesitant to believe that promise but I won't leave you. I'm in this. All of this for the long haul. Though you will give me a few new gray hairs with the process," he said with a sardonic smirk.
"Follow your heart," I murmured.
"Excuse me?" Edward asked,
"I'm following my heart," I smiled wistfully.
"Okay, I'm lost," Edward said as he ran his hands through his damp hair. "I need a fucking user's manual with you."
"Your 'big sister' told me to follow my heart and not my head," I sighed. "Don't make me regret this."
"This?"
"Moving in," I smiled.
Edward's face broke into a beautifully radiant grin. He grabbed my arms and picked me up, spinning me in his guest bedroom. I was beginning to feel nauseous. "Edward?"
"What baby?" he asked.
"I'm going to puke," I said. He quickly put me down and cupped my face with his hands. "Before you get too excited, a few ground rules."
His face sobered but he still had a twinkle in his eyes. "Okay, rules."
"Rule #1: I will pay half of the utilities for this place. If I'm staying here, I can't stay scot free."
"Fair enough," Edward agreed.
"Rule #2: I'm maintaining my own bank accounts. I'm hesitant in combining stuff. It was hellacious..."
"Got it, Bella," Edward laughed. "Anything else?"
"I need help," I sighed.
"Help with what? Your condo?" Edward pressed.
"Yeah. A loan," I said, poking him in his chest.
"Sure, sure," Edward said. "I'll cover your mortgage payments until it's sold. I'll contact my realtor while you're out with Alice, Esme and Rose."
"Fuck me," I grumbled. "Do I really dress that poorly?"
"Bella, you can fit three of you in your clothes," Edward laughed. "You have a gorgeous body. Curves in all the right places. Show it off."
"Pffft," I said intelligently.
"Bella?"
"What, Edward?"
"I love you," he grinned.
"I love you, too. Also, thank you," I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I buried my nose in his chest and for the first time in eight years, if not longer, I felt truly relaxed. I felt safe. I felt like I was home.
xx AFS xx
Promptly at two, Alice, Rose and Esme arrived at Edward's home. Our home. And took me to the mall. Edward said he would go back to my condo and replace the broken cabinet door. He also promised to contact his realtor and get it ready to be put on the market.
We spent four hours trying on clothes, shoes, underwear and everything in between. I was fucking exhausted when I got back from my shopping excursion with the girls. However, they dressed me in a brand new wardrobe. Much to my chagrin. I hated to be 'spoiled.' They all convinced me that I deserved to be spoiled. Dealing with this whole thing was overwhelming. So, I got new work clothes, thanks to Rose's ex-husband. New casual clothes, thanks to Esme. New shoes and more new underwear, thanks to Alice and Jasper. They insisted that this was my birthday present.
Yeah, like ten times over. Jeez!
Rose and Esme wanted to stop at some jewelry store. I took the opportunity to talk to Alice.
"I got my head out of my ass," I said attractively.
"Yeah, and?" she asked.
"I followed my heart," I smiled.
"You're moving in?" she asked. I nodded, biting my lip. "With my baby brother?"
"Yes, Alice," I said.
"Ohmigod!!!!" she shrieked as she threw her arms around my neck. "Bella! I can't believe it. You listened to me! Fuck me! This is great news. What's going to happen to the condo?"
"Selling it," I said. "Edward's going to help me, but I'm selling it."
"You realize he's just going to buy it," Alice said, linking her arm with mine.
"No, I refuse to let him buy my condo. What would he do with it?"
"I dunno," Alice shrugged.
"And who knows? Maybe Edward and I won't work out together. Living together, I mean. Maybe he scratches his ass and farts in his sleep," I giggled.
"Don't most men do that?" Alice guffawed. "Bella, I have a feeling. A very strong feeling that you and Edward will make it. And I mean all the way."
"What do you mean?"
"You will be my sister," she said simply. She tapped my left ring finger and grinned. "Mark my words. Come on. I saw a pair of boots that would look fucking fabulous on you."
So easily distracted.
When they dropped me off, I thanked them all and gathered my packages. I walked into Edward's home, depositing my new wardrobe by the stairs. "Edward?" I called.
"In the dining room," he yelled back. I followed the sound of his voice to his lavish dining room. It was painted in a deep burgundy and had a mahogany dining room set. The table was set elegantly with two place settings, candles and a large bouquet of red roses. "Surprise."
"Edward," I breathed. "It's beautiful. What's the occasion?"
"It's not every day the most beautiful woman in the whole world decides to move in with you," Edward said with mock solemnity. "So, I cooked a special meal and we're eating it in here."
"What's this special meal?"
"Lamb chops with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus," Edward smiled. "Sit, my beautiful girl." He pulled out my chair and he tucked my napkin into my lap. He kissed my cheek, his lips lingering on my skin. "Hmmmmm, so soft."
I blushed and ducked my head. He caressed my cheek and darted back into the kitchen. He came back with a huge bowl of potatoes and a platter of asparagus. He set the plates down and scurried back into the kitchen. A moment later he placed a smaller platter with several lamb chops in between the two of us. He poured some water into wine glasses and arched a brow. "It's probably best that you don't drink. Concussion and all," he said.
"It's fine," I giggled. "My head is not feeling all that great. Drinking would just compound that."
Edward sat down at the table and clinked his glass with mine. "To us."
"To us," I agreed. We dug into the delicious meal that Edward prepared. I cut into my lamb chop and it was perfectly cooked; melting in my mouth. "This is heavenly, Edward."
"Thank you," he grinned as he swallowed his bite. "After Tanya passed, I took cooking lessons. I couldn't cook for shit. I mean, I could burn water I was so fucking bad. Ironically enough, cooking soothed me. All of the steps, intricacies and nuances helped me calm down and cope with my life. Once I learned the basics, I bought a few cookbooks and well, here you go."
"I'm not surprised. You don't seem like a guy who do anything half-assed," I said.
"Nope. Balls to the wall, baby," he said. "And like you, I'm as hard-headed as they come. Once I set my sights on something, I do everything in my power to achieve it."
"At least we have that in common."
"A lot more than that, Bella," he smiled. "Anyhow, I repaired your cabinet and had my realtor come around to inspect the place. He was pleased with the overall condition of the condo. You could easily get what you spent back on it. Even a small profit. He took pictures and started the paperwork to put it on the market. The question is what do you want to do with everything when it sells?"
"The furniture?"
"Yeah," Edward clarified.
"I guess I could put it into storage. My furniture would look shabby in here," I said with a smile.
"Bella, you have impeccable taste."
"I have good taste, but my furniture is crap. Mike and I bought it when we first got married. He got all of the 'newer' stuff," I huffed.
"Why not include the furniture with the condo?"
"What if this," I asked as I gestured between the two of us, "doesn't work out?"
"It'll work out, Bella. Trust me," Edward said as he grabbed my hand. "You feel that energy. That jolt between us? We're connected. My feelings. My love for you transcends everything. I promise you. I make a solemn vow that everything. That we will be perfectly fine."
"Edward," I sighed breathily.
"Bella, do you trust me?"
"Immensely. It's shocking how much I trust you," I laughed lightly.
"Then believe me that we will be fine," he said with fervor.
"I have a confession to make, Edward," I said, looking into his evergreen eyes.
"You're secretly a man," he joked. I smacked his arm. "Ouch."
"Pussy," I chided.
"What?" Edward squeaked. "Did you just call me a pussy?"
"Yes, I did. I'm a weakling," I giggled.
"I can't believe you," he laughed. He rubbed his arm, arching his brow. "Back to your confession, Ms. Swan."
I blushed and bit down on my lip, hiding behind my hair. "Edward, when I'm with you. I feel safe..."
"Okay," he said slowly. "But there's more."
"There is. For the first time in my life. I feel like I'm 'home' with you," I whispered. "That my life is complete and...yeah. Sorry about the rambling..."
And Edward's mouth crushed against mine. His lips moved frantically against my mouth. My hands weaved into his soft hair and I opened my mouth slightly. His tongue danced with mine slowly and sensually. His lips left mine and he leaned his forehead against mine, "Bella," he whispered.
"I'm sorry," I apologized.
"Don't. I feel the same way," he said. He picked up my hand and placed it on his chest. Above his heart. "This is yours. You own me, Bella. Mind. Heart. Soul."
"I love you, Edward," I whispered.
"I love you. So much, my Bella," he whispered back, his green eyes glistening with unshed tears. He gently brushed his lips against mine and I truly felt cherished. Loved. Home.
A/N: I hope you're liking what you're reading. If you do...leave me some love. I'm hoping that fantasy has a grip in reality. I want to find my own hot doc. ;-) MUAH!