For those of you who read the Get Your Southern On contest entries, this is my contribution. I am tickled at the results ... first place in public vote and third place for the judge's choice. I've decided to break this up into smaller, drabblish chapters and it will be continued. The contest contribution is the first six or so chapters, roughly. I don't know how long it will be, but I do have it planned. Thank you to Bridget for betaing this for me and for Clo, who created the banner.
Things settled comfortably. Bella was thriving at University of Tampa. She was enjoying the rigors of being a college professor. Her class lectures were challenging and engaging. The students were eager to learn, turning in compelling papers. Some of them even approached Bella, asking her to read their short stories and plot outlines. She was more than willing to oblige, but only after the semester was over. In addition to teaching the Romantic Contemporary Literature class, Bella was also offered to teacher an introduction to creative writing course. She eagerly accepted the position, looking at the established syllabus and brainstormed about how she could make sure she could make the class her own.
Liam was thriving in his second-grade class, becoming closer with his best friend and making new friends from his classmates. Lucy was still shy, but becoming really close with Mackenzie and another girl, Avery, who had moved to Tampa two weeks into the school year. While Lucy was quiet, she was excelling academically in Miss Archer's class. She loved learning and was engaged by her young, funky teacher.
Edward, however, was coming apart at the seams. He was an anxious mess that Tanya was going to pop out anywhere and try to kidnap his children. It was an irrational fear, but not knowing where she was or her plans; it made him extremely jumpy.
The only things keeping him sane was planning a birthday celebration for Bella and his job. She had gone the extra mile to make his birthday/Father's Day something amazing and he was going to do the same for her. With the help of the twins and his mother, he made a scrapbook of the twins first seven years of their lives, recreating their baby books for Bella. This was a necessary keepsake for any mother. He also included a coupon for a family photo with the four of them. He loved the photo Bella and the twins, but he wanted a true family photo, with all of them.
The present he got for her was more private. It was some slinky lingerie and other sexual items for them to play. Bella was adamant that she didn't want anything for her birthday. Especially, not jewelry, much to his chagrin, but he obliged. So, Edward selfishly found sexy goodies for the two of them. His plan was to give Bella orgasms and lots of them for her birthday, after a romantic dinner for two at an amazing restaurant, Bella's Italian Café. His parents were going to watch the twins while he spoiled his girlfriend.
Yeah, that was the only thing that was keeping him sane.
If only her birthday fell on a weekend ... damn it. It fell on a Wednesday and he made arrangements to pick her up after work on the Friday following her birthday. It was nice to have a set schedule and having the ability to make those types of plans. His crazy schedule when he was a resident was stressful. Working for Elijah in the practice and having set hours at the hospital, gave him one less thing to stress out about.
On Friday, Bella was packing up her bags from her office. She was looking forward to the weekend, but she had to grade seventy-five papers, comparing two current romantic novels from a list that she'd provided. She also wanted to relax, spending time with Edward and the twins. She had gone out to dinner with Charlie, Sue and Seth on her birthday. It was a good time. The twins had asked her to come over to celebrate her birthday with them and Edward, but the plans with Charlie and his girlfriend had been planned since before her trip to Vegas.
"Need help, sweetness?" Edward asked as he watched her balance her computer bag, satchel, an armful of papers and her lunch bag. He was leaning casually against the door jamb.
"Edward! What are you doing here?" she laughed, balancing her items.
"I'm surprising you for your birthday, love," he said, slinging her satchel across his body and taking her computer bag. "Tonight, you're hanging out with me the twin terrors. They're working with Mom, creating a feast for you."
Bella blinked a few times before breaking into a warm smile. "That sounds like a perfect plan. This week has been all sorts of hectic. A quiet evening with you and the twins, plus a relaxing weekend ... exactly what the doctor ordered."
"Oh, I've got plans for the rest of the weekend," he said, twining his fingers with hers. "The twins aren't the only ones who have something for your birthday."
"Edward," Bella sighed. "I don't want or need anything. Just spending time with you and the twins ... that's all I ask."
"Tonight, you have me and the twins. The rest of the weekend? It's just us," he said, helping her into his car. Bella pointed to her Volvo. "We can pick it up tomorrow. Sarah is aware that I'm kidnapping you. She left a message with campus security." He put her belongings on the back of his SUV, jogging to the driver's side. He drove back to his house, where Esme was working with the twins to make dinner for Bella and Edward. It was a simple meal, tacos with Spanish rice and guacamole. She gave Bella a warm hug before leaving to go out for dinner with Carlisle.
Dinner was spent outside. Edward made margaritas and they hung out while the kids played in the pool. After dinner, the kids gave Bella her birthday present and she cried when she looked at the scrapbook that Edward, Liam, Lucy and Esme had made for her. Edward told Bella stories from when the twins were too young to remember, but they chimed in as the pictures became more current. Tucked into the final page was the coupon for a family photo and Edward smiled. "Just say the word and I'll make the call, sweetness. I want a picture of my entire family," he whispered, kissing her lips.
"Me, too," she blushed, clutching the scrapbook to her chest. "This was the best present I'd ever received. Thank you. All of you."
"When are we going to take the picture, Bella?" Lucy asked, idly playing with Bella's hair. "Tomorrow?"
"Probably not, pretty girl," Bella giggled. "Maybe the next long weekend you have we could take the pictures."
"So, Columbus Day?" Liam asked. "There's a teacher work day on Friday and then we're off school on Monday."
"I'll make the calls, Liam," Edward said, ruffling his son's wet hair. "It's getting late. Why don't you guys get in the shower and we'll watch a movie before we go to bed?"
"What about the cake?" Lucy asked.
"Right!" Edward laughed. "Go shower and then we'll eat cake before the movie." The twins darted away. Edward dragged Bella into his lap, kissing her sweetly and gradually becoming more passionate as the twins got ready for bed. They were breathless and sweaty by the time the twins came back downstairs, squealing for cake. "A sneak preview of what I have planned for us, Isabella. Tomorrow ... it will be ... hmmmm."
"Fuck me," she whimpered.
"Tomorrow, baby," he chuckled darkly, sucking on her neck. "That's a promise."
xx TOTGA xx
The next day, Carlisle picked up the twins after they'd had breakfast. Once they left, Edward put a sleek purple bag in front of Bella. "First of many gifts, sweetness," he smirked. Bella gave him a look. He just grinned wolfishly, pushing it toward her. She tugged out the tissue paper and blushed at the nude bra and panty set that was inside.
"Lingerie?" she giggled.
"It's a present for both of us," he shrugged. "I want you to wear this when we go out."
"Where?" Bella asked, tucking the lingerie back into the bag. "Where are we going out?"
"You'll see," he chuckled. "But first, I want to shower with my girlfriend. Enjoy the joys of shower sex."
"The last time we tried, we almost broke our necks," Bella laughed, allowing her to drag her up the stairs. "I don't want to spend my birthday weekend in the ER."
"Okay, maybe not shower sex. Though, I think I need to feast on the most succulent thing in this house," he said, pressing her against the door of his bedroom. He threw off her t-shirt and palmed her bare breasts.
"And what's that?" Bella breathed as his lips came in contact with her earlobe.
"Your pussy," he purred.
After an orgasm-filled shower, they got dressed and spent time relaxing. Bella began working on grading her papers. Edward wanted to play with her, but he saw how much she needed to get done. The stack of papers was thick and watching her grade one paper, he knew that she was taking her position as a professor very seriously. He decided to use the time to read various medical journals and work on his own homework, dictation from several cases and researching about some of his other patients in the hospital.
"Sweetness, we should start getting ready," Edward said a little after four in the afternoon. "Our reservations are at six."
"Do I have to dress up?" Bella asked, tossing her work onto the cocktail table.
"I have another bag for you in our room," Edward replied, giving her a seductive grin. "It has another one of your presents."
"More lingerie?" Bella chuckled.
"No," Edward retorted. "You'll see."
Bella rolled her eyes, heading up to their bedroom. On the bed, there was another bag. This one was larger. Inside, there was a gorgeous blue dress. It was elegant, but flirty and fun. With the dress, Bella had an idea of what to do for her hair and makeup. She tossed her hair into a ponytail, curling the ends and adding some curly tendrils around her face. As she was finishing up her hair and starting her makeup, Edward came into the room and swiped something from the closet. He kissed her neck, getting dressed in the guest bedroom.
She put on the lingerie that Edward had given her. It was very, very sexy and it made her feel in control and powerful. Biting her lip, she put on the new dress and slid on a pair of nude heels that she'd left there the last time she spent the night. As she was putting on a pair of earrings and her watch, Edward came back into the bedroom wearing a dark gray suit with a light blue dress shirt and a coordinating paisley tie. "Wow! You look so handsome in a suit, baby," Bella said.
"Nothing but the best for my birthday girl," Edward replied, giving her a crooked grin. He reached behind his back, producing another bag.
"Edward," Bella whined. "The lingerie, this dress ... it's too much!" He just kept the crooked grin on his face, holding the bag out on one finger. "I'm not going to win, am I?"
"Nope," Edward snorted. "It's provisions for tonight."
With a quiet giggle, she took the bag and pulled out a candle and large bottle of massage oil. "Really?"
"The candle is also massage oil, too," Edward beamed. "You're stressed out, sweetness. I think a massage, a full body massage, is in order." He licked his lips, sliding his arms around her tiny waist. "Tonight, after our dinner, there will be no part of your body that will be stressed." He kissed her soft, delectable lips. "And that's a promise, sweetness."
A/N: Up next will be the rest of Bella's birthday and some lemony goodness. Pictures of Bella's dress and the naughty birthday presents are on my blog. You can find the link for that on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and twitter: tufano79. Leave me some loving! ;-)
PJ#