A/N: Thank you so much to my very win betasauce, TwilightMundi. I hope someone says that to you someday, too. And to carenl/nerac, for her pre-reading beautifulness and thoughtful comments. Oh, and the squees. Everyone needs more squeeing, I think.

All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

I was eager to get my weekend started – we had plans to have dinner, all six of us, the next night, but I knew I had almost twenty-four uninterrupted hours with Edward, and I intended to make the most of each one.

Squealing as I walked around, taking in each room and the possibilities of them, I let out a sigh of relief. We'd gone back to school and things had been great living with Edward, but this was a well-timed vacation for us to talk about a lot of things, including the summer.

As he wheeled our bag into the bedroom, I flopped onto the bed, kicking my feet up in the air.

"This is so perfect, Edward."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Exactly what I needed. We needed."

Once he had our bag on one of those fold-out-thingies, he unzipped it and hung up his suit for the next night. Inclining his head and raising his eyebrow, he silently nodded me over to help him unpack my own clothes, so they wouldn't get too wrinkled, and I teased him about being so metro.

The sun had only just begun to set, so we ordered room service and began to relax, once the bottle of champagne was open and flowing. I changed into a long, silk robe and Edward put on his scrub bottoms, which he knew drove me insane. I could never pinpoint what it was about them, they were just sexy as hell.

Just as I'd begun to thoroughly eye fuck him, there was a knock at the door and the nice room service man set up the table with our food. Instead of taking the chair next to Edward, I sat in his lap, straddling him so that we were facing each other.

Turning and picking a grape from the plate to my side, I thought about how much I'd grown and changed from when I first began dating Edward. I was much bolder, much more confident, and so much more in love with him. Time simply seemed to deepen our bond and connection. As he devoured the small fruit from between my fingers, I laughed and threw my head back a little.

Being with Edward outside of school was fun, and reminded me that the grueling times during school were worth it. As he'd predicted, things had gotten more hectic since we'd gotten back, but it still wasn't too bad. I dreaded the upcoming school year, though, and especially nailing down my classes as well.

All of that flew out of my head, though, when I felt his warm lips on my stretched neck. My eyes closed and I smiled as he kissed and licked along the skin. The hum that always existed between us seemed to amplify.

We fed each other bites of food, continuing to tease and kiss, until we were just barely full. Neither of us wanted to be stuffed, of that I was certain. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he had just as many plans for me as I had for him.

"Bath?" I suggested.

He just nodded, a salacious grin growing across his lips.

Climbing carefully off his lap, we walked to the bathroom. As the water ran, we talked, watching the bubbles fill the space above the clear water. It was easy conversation, mostly about classes and how things were going for each of us. Being able to just sit and relax with him was delightful, and we slid into the tub together, Edward behind me.

Something about it felt so grown up, too. We were living together, making life decisions together, vacationing together... our lives were so enmeshed, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

As I rested my head back against his shoulder, I relaxed into his movements. His hands were slowly teasing me, touching everywhere. Each seductive movement was magnified by the slippery warmth of the water, and before I even realized what he was doing, he'd pushed his fingers into me. His other hand was at my breast, tugging gently at my nipple.

The water rippled around our movements, the room quiet but for our breathing. Lying back against him, I tried to just let go and enjoy what he was doing. His mouth was still against the skin at my neck, and his fingers teased my body just as he knew I liked, until I was spiraling into my orgasm. Catching my breath, I felt my whole body relax again, melting into Edward's.

"There's nothing better than that," he said, his fingers still slowly moving against me. "Nothing sexier, nothing that gets me hotter or harder than watching, hearing, and helping you come."

Knowing how I affected Edward was always erotic in so many ways. His words, his touches, his looks – even when we were doing something completely non-sexual – always held his love and lust for me.

"I feel like a jellyfish floating in here with you."

Edward laughed. "This could lead to a lot of horrible puns about my stinger, but I'd rather just get out and love you more."

Turning my body, I angled myself closer in his arms and we kissed for a bit, before eventually getting out. When he was done drying me off, he led me to the bed and we laid together for a brief moment.

"I'll be right back."

Seriously? I couldn't imagine where he was going; we'd stopped using condoms months ago, and I'd been certain things were headed down a particular path when we got in bed.

Surprising me, Edward returned with what looked like a razor, a can of shaving gel, a washcloth, and a bowl of water. I quirked a brow at him.

"You said I could," he protested, pouting just a bit. "It's even on your list."

"I'm not saying you can't, just … right now? I just shaved my legs this morning."

The volume and depth of his laugh startled me.

"You're adorable. I'm not shaving your legs, baby." As he rounded the bed and stood at the end, he looked down at my body.

After I got over the initial confusion and shock, I was curious. I'd gotten bikini waxes and a partial Brazilian before, but I'd never been completely bare. And Edward being the one to shave me? I knew he would be slow, thorough, and careful.

"Scoot down," he said. His hands went around my ankles and he positioned my body how he wanted.

Lying back, I closed my eyes and tried not to focus on how nervous I was to have a sharp blade near my ladybits. The sound of the shaving gel going into his hands, then the cold wetness on me, made me shiver. His clean fingers teased me slightly, then worked to help get the area covered properly. By the time he was swiping the razor against my skin, all of my worries had faded. I'd opened my eyes back up to watch him as he worked.

Each stroke of the razor felt soft, and I watched as he focused entirely on the task at hand. When he needed more room, he lifted my ankle and placed my foot on his shoulder. Again, it seemed so intimate, so fucking sexy. No one had ever looked at me this carefully and closely, I was certain. After he repeated the motion with my other leg, I laid back and relaxed. I wasn't sure he was accomplishing much, until I felt the roughness of the washcloth. "You're dripping, Bella. Enjoying this?" he teased.

As he folded the cloth against me, using it to tease and torture once I was clean, I moaned and pressed back against it. Before I could even think, his mouth was against me, smooth skin against smooth skin, and it was delicious. His lips and tongue worked against my soft skin, twisting and turning as he pressed himself into me more. The moan from him seemed to vibrate my entire body, and after a few minutes of his attentions, I was arching against him, coming loudly.

There wasn't even time for me to come down from my high before he was moving up my body. He didn't take his usual time to stop and kiss his way up, he just seemed to halfway pounce, full of need. Pulling my legs off the bed, he moved closer to the bed and his hand went between us. Lining up our bodies, he pressed forward and into me. His chest flexed as he pushed in and pulled out of me, my hands moving to his body to touch him.

His movements were quick and aggressive.

The desperation I felt from him wasn't shared by me; my need had been sated several times, and it gave me a wonderful, unique opportunity to watch him and really pay attention. We were touching as much as we could in that position, and his hand slid into mine, locking our palms together. Watching carefully, I noticed his face begin to contort, and I smiled. His fingers were squeezing mine with each thrust, and I pulled my stomach muscles into my body as tightly as I could, hoping he'd feel how hard I was squeezing around him.

Pushing as far in as he could, he held his position. It felt so different than just feeling him move, and I watched his face as he smiled. Eyes closed, wide grin, fingertips skimming the back of my hand... he looked completely and entirely lost in his pleasure. The next time he pulled back, he began to move faster, clearly closer to the brink, and I just watched as he continued to wind up to his orgasm, then fall into the abyss of it.

Beautiful wouldn't be the right word, nor powerful. I finally decided there just wasn't a great word to describe him in that moment, except perhaps perfect. He was happy, sexy, a little dirty, a lot lovely, and everything I knew about him seemed to radiate from him in that moment.

When he'd calmed down enough to open his eyes, we repositioned ourselves in the bed and curled up together. Resting my head on his chest, I played with his chest hairs and drew lazy patterns on his skin as he ran a hand up and down my spine.

We fell asleep just like that, and for the first night in months, both got more than the recommended eight hours of sleep. It was heaven, wrapped up in his arms, relaxing.

…

The next morning, I woke up first and took the opportunity to order breakfast for us. I wasn't ready to leave the room yet, still greedy for more of Edward. When I'd finished ordering, I slipped my robe on and sat on the couch, reading as I waited. I'd instructed room service to knock quietly, and I was grateful when, thirty minutes later, they did.

After the employee had brought the food in and set it on the table, I woke Edward gently. He was on his stomach, sleeping with his head turned to the side, so I straddled him. Rubbing up and down his back, I leaned forward, letting the silk tickle against his skin, and whispered in his ear. I'd have thought he was still asleep after I was done, except that his grin was uncontainable. Kissing him quickly, I climbed off and held my hand out to help him out of bed.

We sat side by side, feeding each other bites of pancakes, fruit, bacon, everything and anything we had. There was orange juice, and coffee, and only after my hunger was sated did I realize Edward was still naked. Crossing my legs, I let my robe open just a little more than it naturally would have, and repositioned my shoulders so the front slouched open as well. Then I reached for something on the table. I wasn't even sure what I was reaching for, but my hand was stopped by Edward grabbing my wrist.

"Come here," he said, smiling.

Dragging me onto his lap, he used his fingertips to widen the neckline of the robe, once I was seated. Soft, delicate kisses adorned each side of my collarbones, and then dipped lower to between my breasts. One last kiss on my body seemed to be over my heart, but then his hands were in my hair, his mouth on mine, and all rational thought was gone.

As his full, luscious lips covered mine, his tongue darted out to play. His hands shifted beneath my robe, and we slowly joined together over the course of the next few minutes. It was so different, the position, the pace, the feeling of it all.

When we were done, we sat together and kissed. Closed our eyes and nuzzled each other, like some primal scent-marking routine of animals, as we enjoyed the quiet calm of the day. I looked forward to seeing our friends that night, but soaked in and relished my privacy with Edward in that moment.

After a lazy shower together, I blow dried my hair, then curled on the couch to read more of my book. Edward powered up his laptop and did something, the fireplace lit and roaring once again. Several hours slipped by in the comfortable silence between us. When I'd finally realized dinnertime was approaching, I stood and stretched, smiling at Edward as he looked up at me.

"I'm going to go get ready," I said.

Walking past him, I kissed his hair and he let a hand trail against my body as I moved. In the bathroom, I began to put my makeup on, something I didn't do every day, but loved. Getting dressed up like that felt fancy and fun, not a chore for me. Typically, the girls would have made an afternoon of it in the spa, but I knew at that particular moment in time, we all just missed our men, the rigors of school wearing on us.

As I began to pull on my lingerie, Edward appeared in the doorframe.

"You know we don't have time for anything like that, my dirty boy," I said, grinning and shaking my head.

"I know. I'm just enjoying watching you. I never imagined watching you put clothes on could be as sexy as watching you take them off."

"You better start getting ready yourself," I chastised. "We need to be downstairs in twenty minutes."

Nodding, he turned and reached for his suit, taking it into the main room. Once I was finished, I slipped my dress on and walked out to ask him to zip it up. I was stunned; I'd never seen him so dressed up before, and he looked sexy: from his shoes up to his tie, everything was perfect and in place.

"You know we don't have time for anything like that," he said, closing the gap between us, "my dirty girl." The words were spoken quietly, directly into my ear.

"Later," I whispered. "Definitely later. Can you please zip me up?"

He did, and we made our way down to the restaurant where we had made reservations. Alice and Jasper were already there, as were Rose and Emmett. There was a red rose at each of the girls' places, and I picked mine up and smiled, twirling it as I brought it to my nose.

The conversation flowed through the whole evening, and it was so much fun, I wondered if we could all just get a house and move in together. I'd never tire of their company, I decided. Each of them was so fascinating to me, and I simply loved being around them.

When the plates from dinner were cleared, I was certain the waiter would bring a dessert tray, but instead, he showed up with several plates, explaining that dessert had been pre-ordered. He set Rosalie's plate last, removing the silver dome with a flourish. It was then that I noticed Emmett had gotten down on one knee.

From there, he gave an impassioned recounting of their time together. He overshared, naturally, and made all of us swoon with his stories of how he felt about Rose. When he got to the end, he reached for the ring box that sat on her plate, and opened it, revealing a huge, glittering diamond.

"Will you marry me, Rose?" he asked.

Even though I knew she'd say yes, I still held my breath, waiting for her answer. She practically shouted the 'yes' and our entire table erupted into cheers, hugs, and tears.

Each couple shared dessert, and though I was over the moon for Rose, I had a nagging feeling at the back of my head. I wondered if Edward wanted that with me. It was silly; he'd talked about kids and the future, and I thought he wanted it, but a small part of me was sad that it wasn't us getting engaged.

After the bill was paid and another round of hugs and congratulations given, we parted ways and headed to our rooms. I tried to wipe my mind of the doubts and wonders, but it was almost impossible.

The deliciously warm fireplace roared when we got back, and I sat on the floor in front of it. Watching the flames lick and dance in the contained area, I thought about my future and what I wanted. I wasn't even sure what that was anymore, thanks to my almost-year of introspection. The one thing I was certain of, though, was that Edward was a part of my future, or at least, I hoped he would be.

Sitting next to me, he jarred me from my thoughts, resting his hand on mine. "What's got you so deep in thought?" he asked.

"I was just thinking about things," I said, trying to be vague. "You know, the future and stuff."

Wanting to be cool about it, but realizing I was desperate to find out how he felt, and to maybe figure out why he hadn't proposed to me, I tried to stay nonchalant and nonspecific.

Edward sat behind me and put his arms around mine, both pairs now resting on my knees.

"You seem upset."

"I do? I'm not upset, really." Trying to think quickly, I searched for a way to explain myself that wouldn't seem too over the top silly girl. "I just … I'm just wondering, you know, if that will ever be us."

"Really?" he asked. His tone and voice seemed calm, but slightly hurt, if I'd heard him correctly. "All this time, and you're still not sure? I would've thought by now that you knew how I felt."

"I do, I do," I said, frantically trying to explain. "I guess it's just a little awkward, and you know I'm happy for Rose, but maybe a little envious."

"Bella," he sighed, then paused. His forehead rested on my shoulder, then moved. "You didn't really want me to propose to you in front of our friends and an entire restaurant full of strangers, did you?"

He had me there.

"No," I gasped. "No, no, a thousand times no. That would have been mortifying."

"Exactly." His lips met my neck, and he placed a soft, warm kiss. "I know you, Bella. That would have been horrifying for you. But let me be clear: You're the one I want. Forever. It's not time yet, not right now, but when we're both ready and the time is right, I can only hope you'll do me the honor of agreeing to marry me."

No one had ever said anything so sweet to me, well, aside from most of the things Edward said, and the emotion welled up inside, bursting out before I could contain it. The tears flowed down my cheeks and I stared hard into the fire, relief and happiness washing over me, feeling guilty for being envious of Rose when it wasn't really what I wanted. Now that Edward had said the words out loud and I knew how he felt, my insides were tumbling with joy.

I'd have forever with him, hopefully. Someday.

When the fire had begun to die down, and it was later than I'd planned, having spent hours in Edward's arms, sitting on the floor quietly, we made our way to bed. On the way, we each undressed, giving each other quick glances and shy smiles. Spooned together, we talked about the summer, and planned.

We planned to drive out to Los Angeles, via a southern route, and then back via a more northern path, giving us time in each location. Neither Edward nor I had to worry about money, and we agreed to drive and share the cost of the hotels and food along the way. It wouldn't be fancy or luxurious, but it would be time spent together, and that was all I needed.

The drive back to campus was mostly quiet, surprisingly. I expected Rose to overwhelm the conversation with wedding talk, but she still seemed shocked by the proposal. We gabbed in the back seat, just as on the way to Boston, and made plans for the girls to get together and talk wedding during the next week.

…

So many things seemed to happen in a whirlwind when we got back. Alice, Rose, and I had lunch together several times, almost always talking about the wedding plans. Alice was going to be the maid of honor, and I'd be a bridesmaid. I'd been honored to be asked, since Rose and I hadn't known each other that long in the grand scheme of things, but she reassured me that she wanted me there with her.

Emmett had taken on a much more relaxed demeanor than I expected; I thought he'd be the type that would sort of freak out once he was "tied down" to one woman, but he seemed to almost glow with happiness.

All around me, there seemed to be blissful couples. Even Tanya had found someone new to date, and I just laughed at times when I saw them together walking around campus, or when her girlfriend would pick her up outside of our classroom to walk together. Even Esme was emailing me regularly with updates on life with Carlisle, and I could just see her happiness growing in each one.

As summer approached, finals came closer as well, and Edward just seemed to have less and less time. I scribbled in my notebooks, making way more notes of things to experience over the summer, and began to write in my journal. I never wanted to forget the moments we were having right then – Rose's wedding, Alice and Jasper's courtship, Edward and my life together.

When the year was almost over, I thought long and hard about how I wanted to continue my education. For some reason, being an editor didn't appeal to me as it once had, and I decided to take the summer and think about it. I could still take general classes and be fine, and I was mostly certain I still wanted to do something that required an English degree, so I contented myself with that knowledge and choice.

As the weeks moved by, Edward and I would talk via email or notes around the apartment about things regarding the summer. I had tentative maps drawn out, and we'd agreed not to be too formal about where and how long we'd go, with a few exceptions. I wanted to experience Disney World and EPCOT with him. While in Florida, I wanted him to meet Phil. I wanted to eat lots of fried things on a stick with him, at a State Fair, as specified on my list. I wanted to see the ocean with him. I wanted to take him to my old house and town, to show him where I grew up, and I wanted to visit both of my parents' graves with him.

By the final day of classes, I was exhausted. I hadn't really seen Edward in weeks. We'd certainly not spent any quantifiable time together, including any intimate time, and that was different, and a strain for us. When my classes were over, I vibrated with excitement, ready to get the summer under way. I spent the day packing the last things we'd need for the trip, and went to bed fairly early. Edward climbed in with me at some point, and we curled together, clinging to each other.

Finally, I thought, we were finally back together. Where we belonged. I slept fitfully, and woke to Edward's touch sometime during the night. Quietly, slowly, we joined together. There was a sense of urgency to it, but also a sweetness. Everything felt so raw inside me, and when we were satisfied, Edward curled around me again.

…

The morning was comical, each of us running around and packing the last-minute things we'd forgotten. The sense of ease and happiness was back, though, and I realized we both felt and seemed lighter. The year was over, and the next few months were ours – to play, to learn, to love, to feel together.

Packing the very last thing in my bag, my journal with my list in it, I sat and looked around. Edward was already waiting in the car, and I went to the kitchen to grab a pen from the drawer. Opening the book to slip the pen inside, I saw my list had been modified. Added to.

Laughing at the entries, I almost began to cry with how silly some of them were. And then I saw the final addition, and my breath stopped. I was certain my heart had stopped too, as I read and re-read the words carefully.

At the bottom of the page, written with his beautiful penmanship, was live happily ever after with Edward.

A/N2: No, this isn't the last chapter. :) The next chapter will be posted on Friday, as it is already written and ready to go.

I wanted to let you all know that for the team auctions, if Team MsKathy wins, each member will get two exclusive pieces -- 1k words each, exactly (I like the challenge). One will be from The Trip Home, and one is to be announced, because I have to sit and try to write it ;). It will be an E/B piece, for the canon pairing folks, I can tell you that for certain!

To join the team, fill out this form.

A long long time ago, in a land far away, the fabulous Tara Sue Me and I were on the Twigasm podcast. Maybe you missed it? I'm linking to our episode, in case you're new to me, or to Twigasm. I love those dirty ladies to pieces. Go give it a listen so you can join me in swooning over how adorable TSM's southern accent is.

Okay, here they are... can I just tell you that the butterflies are stirring up a commotion at the idea of these?

Auction 1 - MUST be a sideshot/outtake from a current story/oneshot/drabble.

Auction 2 - Can be a one-shot, sideshot, short multi-chapter - whatever you want - current, new, you name it!

After hearing from several of you that you were intimidated by the team bidding, or just had a unique idea that you wanted total control over, I added two "no team bidding" auctions.

Auction 3 - MUST be a sideshot/outtake from a current story/oneshot/drabble. No team bidding.

Auction 4 - Can be a one-shot, sideshot, short multi-chapter - whatever you want - current, new, you name it! No team bidding.

Bidding begins at midnight eastern time, Saturday the 26th.

If you're so inclined, this is the hotel I imagined the boys taking the girls to. Edward booked the Luxury Park View Suite, and you have no idea how crushed I am that there's no virtual tour of the bathroom, because hello? Marble tub? Yeah, you can bet that's making an appearance next chapter.

Also, this is Bella's Christmas night lingerie.

A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, who always makes time for me. I could never thank her enough for everything she does. Thank you also to kimpy0464 and SweetDulcinea for their eagle eyes. You make me giggle.

Thank you to Aspenleaf, who did a little "sanity check" on my med school info here and almost made me fall off my chair I was giggling so hard at her comments.

All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

"You need to do your lip, it makes me too scared," I said, handing the razor back. "Besides, I think I've found something that needs my attention more."sane

Folding my towel beneath me, I dropped to my knees on the floor.

Showing Edward how much I loved him, both physically and emotionally, was just one of the things I had grown to appreciate about our relationship. I felt safe with him, loved, and I felt his caution with my heart and soul so fully.

When we'd finished in the bathroom, we got dressed in sweats and went out to have what was left of breakfast. We were both starving, and Carlisle just raised an eyebrow when Edward said it out loud. Certain I was as bright as a tomato, I buried my head in Edward's shoulder and vowed to try and set my alarm for the next morning.

Watching Carlisle and Esme work together in the kitchen that afternoon, prepping food for Christmas dinner, was surreal. Edward was at one end of the long couch and I was curled into his arms, pretending to read.

"It's always like this?" I whispered to Edward, hoping he'd know what I meant.

While I waited for him to answer, I pressed back into him a bit more, tilting my head to kiss his neck. His arms wrapped around me and I lingered with my lips on him.

"Yeah, kind of," he said softly. "I mean, after Anna died, it was awkward for a long time. No one could be happy without guilt, I guess. But there was no bringing her back, no amount of guilt would change anything. It wasn't some big kumbaya family moment, things just slowly shifted into happiness again. I know it's not cool, but I love seeing them so happy. I want to be that happy with you in thirty years."

Turning his head, his lips met mine and we kissed slowly, carefully. It wasn't meant to turn into anything more than a shared moment of intimacy on the couch in the middle of the living room, and I loved it. Our own bubble of privacy, within earshot of family. Jake and I never had that, and I never even realized it was missing from our relationship. Like so many other things, I thought.

Nuzzling my nose against his neck, I wound my arms up and around the same spot, turning myself in his arms. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine us in this cabin, the grown-ups in charge. I smiled, there was no way to stop it, and sighed.

"I want to do that to you someday, by the way," he whispered.

"Hmm?" I hummed in question.

"Shave you."

Those two words woke me up and tore me from my daydreaming of a family, plunging my thoughts straight down into the dirty again. Giggling, I kissed his cheek and looked him in the eye.

"I think I'd like that."

"Gonna add it to your list?" he asked.

"Yep, I sure am. It's sort of morphing from a discovery list, don't you think?"

He just shrugged and went back to his reading, proving that he was, in fact, male.

After lunch, Esme asked me to go grocery shopping with her while the boys reloaded the firewood and did … boy things. I was eager, excited to have that motherly-figure bonding time, even if she did intimidate me just a little.

We had fun, browsing the aisles of food and checking things off from her list. We talked about almost everything – Edward, Anna, Carlisle, my parents, Jake. It felt so easy and comfortable to talk to her.

When we were back at the cabin, there was a huge fire in the hearth, and I spent a bit of time texting back and forth with Rose and Alice. They were both past the nervous phase of meeting their significant others' families, and enjoying some relaxation, which was nice to hear. Of course, they each knew and loved Carlisle and Esme, so I passed on hellos to them from the girls when I was done.

For dinner, we had homemade pizza and each got to pick our own toppings, which was fun. We all got involved, rolling our dough and making a mess in the kitchen. Christmas music played throughout the cabin, and it felt so much like the cliché movie Christmas, but absolutely perfect for them. There was nothing trite or overdone, and I knew this was just how they always were.

When we were finished with dinner, Esme made cocoa and we sat around the tree watching the lights and talking. I sat between Edward's legs, and Esme curled up between Carlisle's, in an oddly youthful move. It still struck me as odd to see them so affectionate with each other, never having experienced any stable, comfortably-in-love grownups before. Each of us shared a memory and then a wish for the new year, since we'd be apart from them when the New Year came around.

Edward's was that he'd make it through the next year with most of his sanity intact, and Carlisle nodded in his direction in understanding and empathy. Esme wished that we would visit her more often. Carlisle's wish was quiet, and obviously had been thought about long before we'd gathered that night – he wished for us to be as happy as he and Esme were, apart or together, whatever it meant for us. As for me, I wished for something that felt silly, but serious – I wished that my summer would be spent enjoying Edward.

When I saw the look on his face, I realized that we had more to talk about, and it made me worried. Was he already trying to figure out a way to get rid of me?

Per the Cullen tradition, which I was informed of that night, we got to select one gift to open from under the tree.

"Oh crap, I didn't put any of mine under there. I was going to do it tonight, when everyone was asleep."

Laughter and shrugs went around the group, and they decided it didn't matter since there were plenty of other gifts to open.

Carlisle went first, opening a box from Edward. It was a gift card to his favorite movie theater in Chicago.

"He loves movies," Edward said from behind me, nuzzling my ear lightly.

The motion distracted me, and I wondered if he had anything planned like the night before.

Esme opened a gift next, one from Carlisle. It was a beautiful watch, apparently one she'd had her eye on for some time, and she let out a few tears as they shared a moment together. She was so genuine when she thanked him, and suddenly I worried my gifts for them weren't enough. It wasn't as though I had time to change them, though, and Edward had reassured me several times they'd be fine.

I opened a box next, from Edward. It was a gift card to the cafe, with a beautiful note attached. He'd gone into detail about how much he enjoyed seeing me there, or meeting me there to study. Leaning back into him, I turned my head and kissed him gently. It was such a small gift, a simple gift, really, but it held such meaning for me.

Edward opened a box from his parents, and I was surprised at what was inside: a beautifully framed black and white photograph of us from just a few days before. We were playing in the snow and we looked so carefree and in love. From the angle, I could tell it had been taken from inside the house. I was deeply touched that one of them had taken it, as I didn't yet have any photographs of the two of us together.

"You don't get it, it's mine," Edward said.

Pouting, I stuck my lip out. "But it would be perfect for my board."

"I have more," Carlisle interjected. "That was just my favorite, so I had it blown up for you."

"Thank you," I said, then got up to hug each of them.

The four of us sat quietly finishing our spiked cocoa. There was a hum of sadness, though, a very quiet undercurrent from each of us. We'd all experienced such profound loss in different ways, but we each could understand and relate. Edward was warm and comfortable behind me as the music played and we snuggled.

"What's your favorite Christmas memory, Scone Boy?" I prompted once his parents had gone to bed.

"This one," he said quietly.

"How come you've never brought any girls home before?" I asked. "I mean, I know you weren't a monk before me..."

"Easy. I've never loved anyone like I love you."

"Never?"

Edward turned my face to look at him, and I could see a smile there, my smile. "Never. Now, what's this about enjoying me all summer?" he said. "I kind of like this plan..."

We laughed, and repositioned ourselves, me curling up in his lap, straddling him. His arms were wrapped around me and we talked that way for a bit. It was slightly awkward, but also very personal, so close to each other, so much of our bodies in contact without it being sex. Intimate.

"Well, what do you have to do for school? Do you have doctory things?"

His laugh vibrated through my body. "Doctory things? Coffee Girl, I'm not a doctor yet."

"I know, but it feels just around the corner."

"Oh God," he moaned. "Please remember that when you've not seen me in days and I've got circles under my eyes darker than coal.

"Seriously, Bella, my summer is mine, for now. This will actually probably be the last free summer I have for awhile."

"Really? Well, I was thinking..." I paused, wondering how to phrase it in my head. "What would you say to a little road trip? A reverse of my trip out to New Hampshire? Or maybe a new path, heading out on our own for a bit."

"You'd want to do that with me?" he asked.

Nodding, I smiled against the skin of his shoulder. "Yeah."

"Even though I'm such a horrible radio hog?" he teased.

"Well, we'll obviously need to set down some ground rules."

My hands went up into his hair and I scratched at his scalp a bit, one of the best ways I knew to calm and soothe him. He hummed, almost purred, and rested his head against me.

"You take such good care of me," he said softly.

"I've never loved anyone like I love you," I confessed.

His hands warmed my back and sides, and we stayed quietly embraced for several minutes. Finally, Edward broke the silence.

"Bedtime?"

Humming against him, I nodded a bit. I felt so tired and relaxed, I wasn't even sure I could stand. Edward got up first, though, offering me his hand. When our bedtime routine was over and he was curled up in bed, I dug out my gifts for everyone and made my way back to the giant tree, still lit up and twinkling in the night.

I took my time to place them just right, along with the other wrapped packages, then sent up a small prayer. Somehow looking at the tree felt almost like a religious experience to me – reverent and holy. I prayed for Charlie, for the unexpected time I had with him after Renee was gone. We shared special moments and though I missed him, I always heard his voice in my head guiding me when I was worried or afraid. I prayed for Renee, too, and for the time before she died. She was sick, but we'd made the most of it, and she told me repeatedly just how much she'd loved me.

I prayed for Phil, too. I'd seen firsthand what watching my mom die had done to him, taking him from a vibrant young man to someone with wrinkles and grey hair before his time. Part of me prayed he would find love again, and be happy. He deserved it for the way he'd worshipped my mom and loved her beyond expectation through her illness.

The thought led to prayers for Esme and Carlisle, even Edward, and for their shared loss. Edward didn't talk about his sister often, tearing up when he did, but I always felt his love for her when he did.

The very last prayer I said that night was one just for me. I prayed that someday, my family would be as whole and complete as theirs had been. Wiping the last tear that fell from my face, I stood and went back to bed. That night, I stayed wrapped in Edward's arms the whole time, despite the fact that it was uncomfortable and way too hot at moments. I just needed him closer.

Waking to Edward kissing me gently made me smile against his mouth even before my eyes had opened.

"I smell my mom's gingerbread waffles; you don't want to miss those," he said.

"Coffee," was my reply. "Must. Have. Coffee."

My post-bedtime tree moment had cost me in sleep, but it was worth it. Edward was right, Esme's waffles were fantastic, and she'd even made fresh whipped cream to go on them.

When everyone was full and happy, we made our way to the tree. I thought about how Christmas took on a different meaning once you were an adult; no longer did it require pre-dawn wake-ups and tearing through paper. There was a quiet peacefulness about us again, as we sat together and passed boxes and envelopes.

Edward and I sat side-by-side, sneaking kisses and nuzzles between gifts. I was surprised but not shocked when Edward's parents had a gift for me under the tree, as well. It was a beautiful leather-bound journal, and I shed many tears when I opened it and flipped through the pages quickly, letting the new paper smell waft up to me. Greedy for more, I lifted the book to my face and inhaled, the leather mixing with the paper and I smiled widely, my eyes closed.

"You okay?" Edward asked quietly, I assumed out of earshot of his parents.

"Yes, I love it," I said. I got up from my spot and hugged Esme and Carlisle as hard as I could. "Thank you. It's perfect."

Unsurprisingly, Edward coordinated with them and got me a beautiful pen. That he'd remembered several weeks ago when I mentioned how I missed writing in a real, paper journal, was significant to me. I was busy test writing in my journal when he leaned over. His warmth and scent comforted me, and I turned to look at him as he peered over my shoulder.

"Maybe you can put your list in there?"

Nodding, I shrugged. "Yeah, my other notebook is getting a little ragged. Thank you for this," I said, pausing to kiss him. "I really love how thoughtful you are. I have one more gift for you, but it's for later."

He hummed and kissed me again, much more purposefully that time. His lips still against mine, he said, "I have one more for you, too," and we went back to enjoying the morning. Once the gifts were all unwrapped and the paper cleaned up, Esme began to cook. Edward helped her and I lounged on the couch, transferring my list and making sure to add Edward's recent request to shave me.

My smile was uncontainable as I traded texts again with Alice and Rose, each of us exchanging gift information. I also sent a friendly text to Jasper, Emmett, and Tanya, just to wish them each a merry Christmas.

Before long, the kitchen began to smell wonderful, and I was eager to have dinner. Helping out by setting the table, I sang along with the carols playing and found myself quite in the Christmas spirit, which surprised me. Even before everything that had happened, I'd never been a huge fan of Christmas. Now, it seemed inextricably linked to some of my favorite memories. Not just new memories, but memories I'd carry with me for a lifetime.

We sat and ate together, something my family had never done, but I'd done each meal with the Cullens. It was delightful, full of conversation, jokes, and banter. Edward's hand rarely left my body, sometimes touching my leg, or my face, or holding my hand.

Once the sun had set and we'd gone through a few bottles of wine between the four of us, each couple went off to their respective room. I instructed Edward to wait in the bathroom, after we'd brushed our teeth and done our usual nighttime routine, while I got his final Christmas gift. After I had the bright red piece of lingerie on, I reclined on the bed, one of my legs pulled in, like I'd seen in some erotic photographs.

"Okay, ready."

Edward came from the bathroom with a small, wrapped box in his hands, and practically dropped it once he saw me. I took that as a good sign.

"Do you like your last gift?"

I could only hope he did; Alice and Rose helped me pick it out, and it cost an ungodly amount of money for something I'd never wear outside of the bedroom, but they reassured me. It was mostly sheer red material, with lace at the bottom and over the cups. I knew he'd be able to see my nipples, but would be unable to see … anything else, due to the criss-cross design of the lower lace.

Stumbling for words, he finally shook his head and began to walk closer to me.

"I'm not sure I want to give you this right now," he said, then tossed the box onto his dresser. "It requires much more talking than I'm interested in, suddenly."

Slowly, Edward pulled his pajamas off, then stood before me naked, worshipping me. He began at my head, fingers woven through my tangled hair, massaging. Kissing my forehead, he continued to move lower, to my mouth, cheekbones, chin, and continued until he'd reached my toes. On his way back up, he pulled the fabric from my body and tossed it off the bed. We made love carefully, quietly, but there was an almost urgent undertone, knowing our time alone and away from school was coming to an end.

Edward put his hand in mine as he pushed into me repeatedly, our fingers wrapped around each other and every part of our bodies that could reach, in contact. It was heavenly and blissful, sensual and sexy watching him and feeling him. From this position, I could really focus on what he was doing, and although the angle didn't offer super deep penetration, it was still so good, and felt so full of love. Several sweaty minutes later, we were still wrapped up in each other, but side by side.

"I can't believe we have to go back so soon," I said. "I'm not ready to give this up just yet." As I spoke, my hand was rubbing his hip.

"That reminds me," he hummed. "Be right back."

He got out of bed and even though watching him was nice, it was suddenly cold, and I didn't like that at all. Even pulling the covers up and over me didn't help. I pouted until he was back next to me, then made him warm me up, before I realized he'd gotten my last gift while he was up.

The box was small – not as small as a ring box, but I suspected there was something expensive in it all the same. Once I had it unwrapped, I could tell it was the familiar hinged velvet box. I almost didn't want to open it; I didn't need expensive jewelry, and honestly it felt a little uncomfortable, a gift with a high dollar value.

Except, when I opened it, it wasn't a necklace or a bracelet. It was a key. Granted, it was shiny and new, but a key.

Looking up at him, I could tell how nervous he was.

"A key?"

"It's a key to my apartment. I know you pretty much come and go as you please now, but I want you to officially move in with me."

I let the words sink in and wondered how Alice and Rose would feel. Sure, we'd all need to find housing the next year anyway, and living off-campus had its benefits. Living with Edward had even more.

An easy smile crossed my face and I kissed him – small, pecking kisses, and then morphing into longer, deeper kisses.

"I'd love to live with you. Are you sure that's a good idea, with going into your second year? Won't you be insanely busy?"

"Well, that's part of what I wanted to talk about before you said yes. Guess I missed that window," he said with a little laugh. "A bigger man would let you go, but I can't. I need you. I need you to help me, and I need you around. I need your laugh, your smile, your kiss. Everything. Like air, or water, I need you every fucking day." His face showed the pain reflected in his voice as he spoke, and I knew he truly struggled with asking me. "It's totally selfish, I know, and I want you to think about it before you say yes, please," he said, holding a finger up to silence me. "Honestly, you need to think about it, Bella. I'm going to be busy all the time, grumpy, exhausted... I don't know how much fun I'll be to live with, but I want you there. I want you by my side, every step of the way."

Nodding, I moved in to kiss him, only partially to get him to stop talking. He'd begun to get that nervous panicked look on his face, and I wanted to reassure him. There were similarities between taking care of Edward during frantic school times and taking care of my mom and Old Bella, but it was mostly different. Edward gave back, and usually gave back what I felt was more than what I'd given him. Never once did I feel unappreciated or simply there for his needs. Even on his busiest day, he made sure to take five minutes for me, to kiss me before bed, or tell me something sweet.

In short, I didn't need any time to think about it; I knew my answer. I'd wait for him, though, to make sure he knew I'd given it enough thought.

"I love you," I said, then closed my eyes.

"I love you, too," he repeated. "So fucking much."

I fell asleep with a smile, and dreamed of my future.

When I woke up, I dreaded getting out of bed. It was our last full day in Aspen, and I was sad at the prospect of leaving Esme and Carlisle, and this little sanctuary we'd created. The entire day was spent lounging again, the four of us simply soaking in each other's company.

Sometime that night, I grabbed my new notebook and added "Live with Edward" to my list. Smiling, I closed it and waited for the next chance to share it with him. That turned out to be on our flight home the next day, and his eyes got just slightly glassy when he'd read it.

"Maybe you need to add the mile high club to your list," he suggested, kissing just below my ear.

I wasn't ready to be that bold, so I just laughed and slapped his shoulder lightly. The mood had shifted, though, and I could feel myself aching for him. Curling up as much as I could against him in our cramped seats, I thought about how hard it had been to say goodbye to his parents, and not just for me. Each of us seemed to struggle with it, and although I missed Alice and Rose, it was different than the bond I felt I'd forged with Edward's parents.

When we got back to his apartment, we talked about how to go about moving my things in. There was no rush, and I already had plenty of things at his place, so we agreed to just slowly shift more over.

New Year's Eve was a quiet night together with Rose, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, at Edward's apartment. Being around the rest of them was even more fun than I'd remembered. Alice and Rose helped me make a ton of food, and we got a bottle of champagne to toast with at midnight. We were giggly as we kissed our loves, and then made space for everyone to crash safely at his place. It felt like the perfect college memory.

The next morning, the boys made breakfast as the girls laid together and talked. Each of us seemed to be going at warp speed in our relationships, and we were all just so damn happy. It seemed impossibly perfect.

School began the next week, and it was brutal. The routine of it was nice, but things felt so busy and chaotic. Some days, I felt like I was barely hanging on. I couldn't imagine Edward and his classes. We both made it through, though. We leaned on each other, and supported each other where and when we could.

As Valentine's Day approached, I got excited, knowing Edward had special plans for us. He'd only told me that I would need an overnight bag packed, and that Emmett and Jasper had similar plans for their girls. The boys seemed to be forming their own friendship, which was nice, and convenient; we would often make plans for the six of us.

I was at the dorm, packing my bags and talking with Rose and Alice, when suddenly a thought hit me. Emmett had been acting so cagey lately, and I began to wonder if he was going to propose to Rose. It was just the kind of thing he'd do, and she would love. I asked Edward about it that night and he just danced around it, seeming to strengthen my suspicions.

Finally, it was time for us to leave, and Edward finally revealed that we were all going to Boston for the weekend. It wasn't exactly Valentine's Day, since it fell on a weekday that year, but it was perfect.

We rented a large SUV and the boys drove and navigated us to our hotel as Alice, Rose, and I sat in the back talking and trying to figure out their plans.

When we got to Boston, we checked into a giant, beautiful hotel. I was shocked (in a good way) when Edward led me to a gorgeous suite. There were flowers everywhere, strawberries, chocolate, champagne, and a fireplace with a glowing fire already going.

I was eager to get my weekend started – we had plans to have dinner, all six of us, the next night, but I knew I had almost twenty-four uninterrupted hours with Edward, and I intended to make the most of each one.

A/N: Well, well, well... I was really amused how the reviews were so split between people being angry I cockblocked (as if!) and people eagerly looking forward to the next chapter. Here it is, lovelies. I must say, you guys bowl me over and knock me out each chapter with your reviews. I just couldn't ask for better readers, so thank you.

Kisses and gropes to my beta, TwilightMundi, who keeps me sane (mostly) and laughing. Thank you to nerac/carenl, who calms my fears and worries, and also happy birthday to her.

All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

Turning away from him to walk to the room we were staying in, I actually heard him growl. I thought I might fall over from laughing as hard as I was, but then he matched my pace and walked right up behind me. As his hands slipped around my waist and we began to make the trek together, awkwardly, he turned his mouth to my ear and whispered.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard, for so long, you'll be lucky if I let you sleep at all tonight."

Laughing, I walked just a little faster, eager for the night to really begin.

Each step forward I took, Edward was right behind me, pressed to my body, touching me and taking off a piece of clothing. He began with my shirt, which came off and he almost threw to the side. I had to stop him; what would his parents think if they woke up and found our clothes littered on the path to the room! I wasn't ready for that, so instead, I just held onto what he removed.

Once my shirt was gone, he somehow unhooked my bra, although if you'd asked me, I would have sworn his hands never left the front of my body. When it was off my arms, I held that too, and thankfully we were inside the bedroom by then. Dropping what was in my hands, I turned and began to work at the button-fly on his jeans as fast as he was unbuttoning my own pants.

There was nothing better than the frantic feeling we were immersed in right then, the need for each other consuming us entirely.

Edward's head bent down and his lips embraced my nipple. They were wet and warm, wrapped around the tight peak. Just the tip of his tongue swiped across the skin, eliciting a soft moan from me. We continued to walk back to the bed, and when he'd succeeded in laying me down, his fingertips began to trace patterns and letters on my body. I felt hearts and stars and random letters that seemed to spell nothing, but through each one, I felt his love.

My eyes had long ago closed, and I wasn't cold as I laid bare, naked, exposed to him. The room was dark, I knew from before I'd closed my eyes, moonlight coming in between the slats of the blinds on the window. I could imagine how I looked to him. Edward always saw the best of me. Well, he saw the worst of me, too, but through his eyes, I knew I was always beautiful, always perfect, always loved. My body seemed to hum and vibrate with anticipation, warming me to the bone.

As his lips met my flesh again, dragging and pulling it between his teeth, I got lost in the feeling. Drowning in Edward didn't seem like such a bad thing as he hovered above me, fingers lacing through mine as his body aligned itself naturally where it needed to be. My hips lifted, pressing our bodies closer on instinct. I wanted to be like this, always. Always.

One of his hands slipped away from mine and trailed down my body, resting at the top of my pubic bone. When his lips met mine, his thumb snaked out and slipped on top of my clit. Whimpering, I lifted my hips again, seeking more friction. I could feel him smile against my mouth, and that made me smile.

"Don't tease," I whispered.

"Baby, I'm just getting started," he said quietly, against my neck. "Didn't I tell you we'd be here all night?"

Pressing harder with his thumb, he shifted his other fingers lower, pressing into me just slightly. Lost again, I was so lost in the pleasure. I'm sure I babbled, begged, and pleaded. The next thing I was aware of was Edward pressing against me. I knew I begged then, quietly and repeatedly. My eyes were open, looking into his, as he entered me.

Once he was as close to me as he could get, all the way inside, his hand slid back into mine. Moving my lower half and wrapping my legs around his hips, we began to rock together. His hands squeezed mine randomly as he continued to move, and it was so, so good. The tension and pleasure began to build, and everything felt so different.

Releasing my hands, Edward moved one next to my head, the other he used to move down and unhook my leg from his body. Tracing his palm up the back of my thigh to my knee, he brought the leg up and over his shoulder. Then pushed in again, somehow going deeper. A half-noise half-word came from me, the only sound I was capable of as I willed him to do what he'd just done again. He did, again and again, driving faster and deeper, beyond my wildest fantasies.

The hand that had moved my leg explored my body, teasing my nipples, tracing my lips, my cheekbones, down my body again, and brought me back to my frenzied feeling of lust.

"I never want to stop," he said. "But you're so fucking sexy. I wish you'd let me take your picture like this. Every time you're so close to coming, your face gets this relaxed expression and you radiate bliss. Are you going to come, baby?"

Just hearing him talk like that made me grind harder against his hand, my need increasing exponentially.

"Please."

His entire body kept pushing, kept drawing my closer as his hand worked frantically in tandem.

"I want you to come. I can't wait to watch you, oh god, to feel you. You have no idea how different it feels..."

He was right, but so fucking wrong.

Tucking my head into his shoulder, I dug my fingers into his back, pulling him to me. We were a mess, a beautiful mess, as we came. I couldn't help it, I was always struggling to contain my noises, but there was no putting a lid on things when he pushed somehow harder, somehow deeper, somehow everything was just more, and the cry from me was muffled by his skin, but still louder than I intended.

"There it is right there. There's my beautiful girl," he panted, still bringing me delicious pleasure.

Obscenities came whispered from his mouth seconds after my body began to spasm, and I did my best to pry my eyes open, to watch him as I knew he'd watched me. The way his face contorted was beautiful, and a little funny. Seeing him as he shifted through the stages of his orgasm was interesting, though. He went from the twisted, contorted expression to fully relaxed and smiling within the span of a minute or two. When he finally opened his eyes again, looking down at me, we shared a smile before he wrapped my body in his arms and began kissing me.

Edward was panting and trying to catch his breath, which made me laugh a little. "Need some extra cardio in that routine of yours, Scone Boy?"

Chuckling lightly, he laid down beside me and brought my hand to his mouth, peppering little kisses over my knuckles.

"You're good for my heart health, apparently, Coffee Girl."

We laid quietly for a few minutes, then I got up to use the restroom. Edward followed behind and, once we'd washed our hands, we brushed our teeth together. With the little touches and exchanged glances, it was so reminiscent of that first time at his apartment. Once we'd taken our contacts out, I walked back to the main bedroom.

Laughing when I saw the disheveled state of the bed, I crawled over to rearrange the pillows and quilt covering it. Before I could crawl back into bed, Edward's warm hand began touching me at the base of my neck, trailing down my spine and ending with a loud crack of his hand against my ass. I yelped and laughed, then moved to turn over, but he stopped me with his hand on my back again.

"Put the pillow under your hips," he instructed softly.

Rising up a bit, I did as he asked. His hands distracted me again, and I had to fight the urge to stand and let him play my body as only he seemed to know how. Curling against my body, he had one hand cupping my breast, the other between my legs.

When he'd pushed inside again, I hummed and smiled. I had no idea if he intended to make good on his promise of all night, but I'd sleep a very happy girl that night, either way.

"I love being this close to you. Feeling you around me."

When he said that, I felt my whole body clench, which then caused him to groan and press his hips harder into mine. It was like a chain reaction of physical sensation – him thrusting harder, my body responding, ramping him up, and on and on, for what felt like several hours. The angle he was at felt unimaginably good, and I bowed my head on the other pillow to try and regain control of my breathing and noises. His hands were still working my body, bringing me higher, and I bit my lip as I felt my orgasm approach.

Edward must've sensed I was having trouble holding it in, as his hand slid up to cover my mouth. He clearly didn't anticipate my response, which was to suck several of his fingers into my mouth, because he was the one making loud noises after that. There was something both sexy and sensual about feeling him inside me, and wrapping my lips around his fingers in my mouth. At the end, I bit lightly on the finger in my mouth and laughed as he pulled it quickly back out.

If I'd thought he was close to being finished with me, I was so wrong.

Both of his hands went to my hips, steadying me, but still touching me in that way that made me feel so connected to him. Just as I'd begun to feel the love bubble expanding, he picked up his pace, practically pounding into me.

He was grunting as he thrust in and pulled back out quickly, and I couldn't help the squeaks and other noises that were forced out of me. His hands slid from my hips to cup my breasts, and the sensation was totally different. It was a complete dichotomy in my brain how he was clearly fucking me hard, but still touching me gently. I gave up thinking about it as my body once again took over, and I pressed back against him.

With both of us working against each other, I was worried the noise would be enough to wake up the whole town, much less his parents, but I gave up caring at some point. Moving my hand between the pillow and my body, I scissored my fingers around him and felt as he moved, then shifted to my clit.

There were so many things going on, too many to focus on all at once, and I was frustrated. I felt overwhelmed, in a good way, but still unable to focus on and absorb what we were doing. Every move was quick and hurried, frantic and needy, unlike before. Closing my eyes, I focused on feeling everything Edward was doing to each part of my body, and then on what I was doing, and the build came quickly. So quickly that it took me off-guard when my orgasm hit me like a ton of bricks.

My entire body was exhausted and sated, and all I wanted to do was collapse and go to sleep, even though I was clearly a sweaty mess, but Edward continued. I was surprised at the sensation as he kept going, and could feel my body still responding to his, still climbing up again. It made me feel greedy and hungry, where a second before, I'd been ready to stop.

I was still a mess, and then I felt Edward's hand meet mine. Working together against my body, another orgasm rolled through me, as Edward's did as well. It was exhilarating but exhausting.

After crawling into bed together, Edward pulled me into his arms. Despite my exhaustion, I laid awake for much longer than he did, thinking about everything we'd done. Everything we'd felt, experienced, shared. I felt euphoric, and I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to fall asleep, but I did.

In the morning, as the sun began to fill the room after what felt like far too few hours of sleep, I woke to Edward kissing my body.

"Good morning," he said, looking up at me from my ankle.

"Morning," I whispered.

We smiled at each other, and he went back to work, nibbling at the bone on the inside of my ankle. It tickled, and I jerked my leg back a bit. He held strong, though, laughing.

"I know you so well. I love that I can anticipate how you're going to react to me," he teased.

"Oh?"

Edward nodded and kissed up my calf, then set my leg on the bed.

"Like this spot right here," he said.

Nibbling just a little behind my knee, he laughed as my leg flexed out and stretched, turning slightly to give him more room to work.

"Or when I touch you right here."

His fingertips slid down along the seam where my legs joined my body, and I sucked in a sharp breath. Just before they reached where I'd begun to throb with need, he pulled them away.

"This is one of my favorite places."

As he cupped my breast, his thumbs slid over the nipple.

"I love to watch your body move, tighten, swell with arousal."

He was straddling my hips, both of us still naked, and I could see him getting just as turned on.

"This freckle right here," he said, leaning down to kiss the freckle beneath my left breast, "is my favorite." Moving slightly to the other side, he continued. "This is my second favorite, though." And he kissed another, one I hadn't ever known I'd had. "And this scar," he said, nose running along the scar on my hip, "I want to take it away and make sure you never feel pain like you must've to get this again.

"Your lips, both pair, plump and pink, begging for attention."

At this, he moved back to straddling me, one of his hands tracing the lips on my face, the other moving to those between my legs.

My breathing increased in speed and decreased in depth as I felt my body responding to him.

"The way you feel around me..."

His voice quivered just slightly as I felt him push a digit into each spot his hand was. Humming lightly, he pulled back and out from both spots, and I gave him my best pouty eyes.

"That look, right there? You are so fuckable right now. That's my dirty girl coming out to play."

Biting my lip to keep the grin inside, I realized he was right; I felt sexy, desirable, wanted, and I really wanted him back inside of me.

"Are you going to ask me nicely?" he teased again.

He'd moved so that his cock was positioned at my entrance, then he would slowly tease up to my clit, and back down. I'd have given him anything he wanted right then, anything.

"Please," I breathed.

A wide smirk crossed his face as he shook his head.

Emboldened by his confidence in me, I let my eyes drift closed partway, in what I hoped was a sexy move, and licked my lower lip. One of my hands wrapped around the base of his dick, the other squeezed my breast slightly. Two could play at this game, I decided.

"Please," I whispered, searching my brain for the right words. I didn't want him to fuck me; I wanted it to be sexy and sensual, following the tone he'd already set. "Please, I need you inside me."

Smiling again, he pushed his body closer to mine, filling me and giving me exactly what I'd begged for.

"I love watching you, knowing all the signs of where you are in your orgasm," he said quietly in my ear as he moved over me. "But do you know what I love more than that?"

"No."

"Watching you ride me."

Turning us quickly, he readjusted our bodies and I was too far gone to go slow and sweet. My hips swiveled above his, fingers moving to where we were joined. It took only moments for each of us to fall into our orgasms, mine approaching first. As I felt my orgasm approach, I lowered my upper body to his, twining our hands together again.

Making sure my mouth was right next to his ear, I breathed and panted, praising and thanking him as I came. I realized in that moment this was the closest I'd ever been to anyone – physically, emotionally, everything.

Tears sprang to my eyes at my realization, and I felt him thrust up into me before stilling. His hands left mine and wrapped around me, then he must've realized I was cold and pulled the quilt up and over us. It felt like our own little cocoon of bliss.

We must've fallen asleep, and I woke when I heard the gentle knock on the door. My arm shot out to Edward, shaking him awake.

"Someone's at the door," I whispered frantically.

"Mom?" Edward called out.

"Sorry, Edward, we just wanted to make sure you two were okay. It's almost eleven, and..."

"Crap, sorry, Mom," he said sheepishly. "We'll be out soon, we're just finishing getting ready."

Total lie, but it made me giggle.

"Okay," Esme said, her voice growing more distant as she apparently walked away.

A few kisses later, Edward and I were on our way to the shower. We got cleaned up and dressed in record time, then made our way out to be with the Cullens.

Our day was spent browsing around the downtown area, doing a little bit of shopping and a lot of playing. There was a gnawing feeling in my stomach though, as I watched the three of them interact. They were clearly so comfortable with each other, and the way his parents spent money – on him, on themselves, even on me, despite my protests – made it abundantly clear that they'd lived vastly different lives than I had. Edward, to his credit, was always gracious and humble about it, and very appreciative when they paid the tab for a meal, or bought something.

Esme told us at dinner that she'd gotten us all ski and snowboard lessons for the next day, so I was excited about that. When we went back to the house, we repeated the routine of wine and board games mixed with talking, and it made me ache for my own family. When we went to bed that night, I was a little sullen. Perhaps the wine didn't help.

I felt myself tearing up as Edward and I brushed our teeth in our side-by-side routine.

"You okay?" he cocked his head to the side and asked around his toothbrush.

Nodding, I shrugged a little, then broke our gaze. I just couldn't pretend that night.

"Come on," he said, walking behind me to kiss the back of my neck. "Let's get to sleep early tonight, okay?"

His hand slipped into mine, and I let him lead me to the bed. It was different than our bed in his apartment, but now it had new memories and associations. We spooned and Edward held me close, stroking my arm and kissing me softly as we fell asleep together.

Bright and early the next morning, Esme made us a huge breakfast. We were up with the sun, enjoying our coffee, and my mood had lightened considerably. I still missed my parents, but made a call to Phil that morning. We caught up, and although it was awkward and slightly uncomfortable, I was glad. I needed to reconnect with him and remind myself that I wasn't entirely alone.

After Phil, I called Alice and Rose, then Jasper and Emmett. Edward was lying on the bed with me as we all talked and would interject now and then. It was almost perfect. The laughing and talking fed my soul.

The day on the slopes was a different story. I fell so many times, I was bruised and battered by the time I simply gave up and hid in the lodge. Edward decided to get a few runs in with his parents, so I curled up with a book by the large, open-hearth style fireplace. After a bit, Carlisle startled me by sitting down on the chair next to mine.

"Hello," he said, smiling his megawatt smile at me.

"Hi."

I felt a little awkward; I'd never really known how to act around Charlie or Phil, grown men and their behavior somewhat of a mystery to me.

"Having a good time?" he asked.

Nodding, I smiled and sort of curled my legs in on myself.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

My eyebrows met in the middle of my forehead.

"For giving Edward back to us. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like he was some lost kid who was tossing away his life, he just …" Carlisle took a deep breath, then blew it back out. "He was just gone for a bit. When I would look at him, it was a shell. He kept going, kept up appearances for his mother and me, but I could just tell his heart wasn't in anything he did. I see his spark, and the way he looks at you, and I know that he's happy. You've reminded him that he has something to be happy for."

Resting my head on my knees, I thought about his words. I didn't want to reply quickly with anything trite or untrue, so I held my tongue for a moment, then tried to pick my words carefully.

"We did that for each other," I said quietly.

No more words were needed, as Carlisle smiled softly at me. I had no idea if he knew about my family or life circumstances, but he didn't seem to need anything more than that. He picked up the newspaper laying on the side table and began to read next to me. It was quiet and another moment of near perfection.

A while later, Edward and Esme came in, teasing each other the whole way. Their faces were pink, cheeks especially, and they both had lines from where their goggles had been. Esme sat on Carlisle's lap, and Edward sat next to me, as they continued to banter about who was faster down the hill.

We enjoyed a relaxing dinner out, then another quiet night at their home, which I was grateful for. My body was sore and my head and heart needed to rest more. When we went to bed, Edward gave me a fantastic massage that would undoubtedly have led to more, had I not accidentally fallen asleep.

Waking up with Edward was almost always a surprise, and that morning, I woke to no Edward at all. I was a little pouty, and then I heard the shower going. Creeping as quietly as I could, I made my way into the bathroom, then opened the shower door and climbed in.

Resting my head on his back, I wrapped my arms around him. "Thank you for last night," I said. "You have magic fingers."

Laughing, he turned to face me. "Magic fingers?" His eyebrows waggled mischievously.

"Mmhmm," I hummed and nodded.

Grabbing the shower pouf, I lathered it and helped him get cleaned up. We had a day of lounging and shopping planned, since it was Christmas Eve. Esme was cooking up a storm the next day, even though it was the four of us, and I'd offered to help.

Once he'd returned the favor and cleaned me up, we got out and dried off. He wrapped his towel around his waist, mine beneath my armpits, and I noticed he was prepping to shave. Hopping up on the bathroom vanity, I pulled him between my legs and held my hand out for the razor. He looked skeptical, to say the least.

"Please, I promise I'll go slow. It won't hurt a bit," I said.

"Isn't that my line?" he quipped, finally giving me the blade.

I set the razor down and squirted some shave gel into my hands, then lathered him up. After rinsing and drying my hands, I realized I had no idea what the fuck I was doing. Taking a few deep breaths, it occurred to me that it couldn't be much different than my legs or underarms, right?

Pulling his skin taut, I began to shave his face. This act of trust (or insanity) was huge for me, for some reason. We'd broken so many barriers during that time, and I wondered if it was possible to love someone as much as I loved him right then.

"One of the things I love the most about you is that you really pay attention," I said.

Another swipe of the razor up his skin, and another smooth patch of his beautiful face was revealed.

"I love that you know my body so well, as you demonstrated the other night," I said, giggling. He smirked, too, and I chastised him to stay still. He was still between my legs, and his hands were under my towel on my thighs, teasing me.

"Let me focus, naughty boy. Don't you want to hear all the things I love about you?"

He nodded and I went back to my task. The razor smoothed against his skin again, the scratchy, stubbly sound itching at my ears.

"I love how much you love your parents."

I had a few more quick swipes at his chin, and half his face was clean.

"I love how important school is to you."

Beginning on the other side, I moved the razor as gently as I could against his skin.

"I love that you love music. I don't know that I've told you that, but it's always amazed me how music can make my day so much better, and you seem to really appreciate it, too."

Two more long strokes, and his face was bare.

"I love how you look at me when we study. When we're holding hands. When you think I don't see you. When we're making love. When you're fucking me. Oh, and that look? When you're horny, but unsure..."

Wiggling my body closer to him, I teased just a bit, letting my towel slip.

"You need to do your lip, it makes me too scared," I said, handing the razor back. "Besides, I think I've found something that needs my attention more."

Folding my towel beneath me, I dropped to my knees on the floor.

A/N2: Some of you have asked how many chapters are left. I know some folks don't like knowing, so if you really want to know, please ask in your review and I will tell you.

Also, I have some other projects coming up that I've asked for input on - if you've ever wanted to suggest an outtake or a side shot, or even a new idea to me, hit up my blog and let me know what it is. www dot mskathy dot com

Those dirty girls over at the Lustorium have spotlighted The Discovery of Bella Swan as a Tempting Tuesday Feature, and I couldn't be more honored. Check out their beautiful words, and the pretty they made me!

Did you get your copy of the Nashville Compilation? My contribution, Burn Baby Burn, won't be available anywhere else -- ever. You have until 6/14 to donate and receive access!

I am contributing for this great project, as well -- Writing for Spencer Bell, although I have no idea what I will contribute. Anyone have any great ideas or prompts for me? :)

A/N: Don't forget to donate to Fics for Nashville – you can find the link in my profile or on my twitter feed. My entry will never be published elsewhere, so this is your only chance to get some Bella and Edward lovin' in a different style than you're used to. The basic premise is that James and Bella are high school sweethearts, but something happens leading to traumatic events between them. Edward and Bella begin a non-traditional romance, I guess you could say. I am really proud of the way it turned out, and I hope you'll be pleased as well.

Thank you to my lovely beta, TwilightMundi, and to nerac/carenl for the pre-read. Also to the 900 people I polled for help on something in here, thank you. To mjinaspen (for the Aspen question answering, too) and moojuicey/swill, thank you for the marathon comments way back in the days before this was on hiatus. This is just the start, my lovelies, just the start. ;)

BPOV

After Thanksgiving, things picked up in every aspect. Edward and I were together more, of course I saw Jasper and Emmett in class, but I also saw Alice and Rose around the suite. Outside of class, I spent a little more time with Tanya. It was nice to hang out with her, and even though she'd broken up with Kate, she knew we were never going to be anything more than friends. She taught me to knit and crochet and for that, I was thankful. I began working on scarves for my friends, since they were fairly easy to mass-produce, and the time between classes in the cafe with Tanya was spent chattering and clacking needles.

Gifts were tough for me to decide on; aside from the scarves, I wanted to get everyone something meaningful. It hardly seemed like the academic year was half over, but the closer it got to Christmas, the more real it felt. I was excited to meet Edward's family, but nervous about what they'd think of me, and if they would approve of how quickly our relationship had grown.

By the time we were ready for our six month re-testing, we were practically living together. Edward had given me a drawer in his dresser, space in his closet, and a "side" in the bathroom. Most of the time, it was heaven, but there were times each of us was stressed and we'd snip at each other, as with any meshing of two lives.

That week, we were extra low on patience with each other, and our studies. Several times, one of us had walked away from the other in a huff of emotion, only to come back and apologize a few minutes later. The making up was nice, but the tension had to break at some point. There was just no way we could function under that much stress.

The day we went back for the blood draw was a Monday, so that we'd have our results by that weekend. We'd had to go to an off-campus clinic that time, since school had been closed for the winter holiday. It wouldn't matter to us much though, as we were getting ready to leave for Colorado, but it would be nice to have the peace of mind.

Finally, Friday came and we visited the clinic again, each of us receiving our all clear results. We kept our composure until we left the clinic, but then Edward picked me up and spun me around, lifting me off the ground. It was romantic, like a cheesy scene from a movie, and I was ecstatic.

We had no time that night to be together anyway, as we both had to finish packing, and we also had dinner plans with the rest of the gang before everyone left. Alice and Jasper were going to Houston to be with Jasper's family, and Emmett and Rose were going to Tennessee to be with Em's family, so everyone was equally stressed out.

Thankfully, I had done almost all of my holiday shopping online, or with Edward since we were on break and would take little road trips, exploring and shopping. My gift for him was some lingerie, a book, and an iTunes gift card for more music. Since we'd agreed to exchange in front of his parents, I decided to save the lingerie for later Christmas night, when the time came, and packed it in a separate part of my suitcase.

My scarf for Alice was a beautiful sky blue color, with neutral shades woven in. For Jasper and Emmett, I used a mossy green color. Rosalie got a fire engine red, and Tanya a very soft pink, which I'd delivered to her during our last day of classes. I knew she could knit her own, so it was more the thought and spirit of the gift than the actual item itself. She still seemed very appreciative, and I was glad and relieved that we'd found a new level of friendship.

For Jake and Mike, I actually mailed a set of scarves. Jake had emailed me his new contact information – they'd moved to Seattle suburb together – and I sent their gifts a few weeks before the holidays. I'd gotten a lovely thank you note from them via email, with an update on their lives. They were settling in well together and were already discussing adoption. Rolling my eyes, I closed the email that would go unanswered for a bit.

I'd sent a package with a note and scarf for Phil, even though he likely wouldn't get much use out of it, and planned to call him closer to Christmas. He was my last bond with my mom, and it wouldn't be easy, but I was also his last connection to Renee, and I knew we needed to stay in touch at least a little.

Once Edward and I had packed, we put our suitcases into the trunk of his car and made our way to dinner.

Everyone was there and waiting when we arrived, so we made our way around the table, hugging and shaking hands as we greeted everyone. Finally, we sat and ordered, then the gifts began to flow around the table. Not everyone had gotten gifts for others – Edward, Jasper, and Emmett still didn't know each other well enough to swap gifts. We'd set a spending limit of twenty dollars per gift in order to stop people from going overboard.

From Alice, Edward got a book of Kama Sutra poses, which made us all giggle and remember the first weekend at the B&B. Edward squeezed my knee underneath the table and we kissed quickly. I knew, even as much of a joke as it was, the book would get put to good use. Rose got Edward a book about giving cunnilingus, which also brought giggles, and more blushing from me. At least both of their gag gifts were useful...

The sexual theme continued as I opened my gifts from them – a book about fellatio from Rose, and a bottle of what she claimed was the best lube, from Alice. I was a little uncomfortable, but watching the look in Edward's eyes as I flipped through the pages of the book was hot. The thought of reading and learning from the book excited me beyond what I expected and my mind was immediately pulled back into exploring his body the night before.

Leaning into him, I rested my body against his and whispered, "I can't wait to put that book to good use exploring you again." My hand curled inside his thigh, my thumb brushing up the middle seam of his pants, against his now-hard length.

Edward's hand covered mine and slid it back up to the top of his thigh, while he laughed and gave me a quick kiss. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I like it," he said against my lips. We shared another quick smile, and turned back to the table.

Realizing we'd missed some of the other gift passing during our time in our little bubble, I tried to pay attention for the rest of the dinner. When we were done, I hugged everyone tightly and Edward drove us back to his apartment. We were making the drive the following day from school to the airport in Boston, so we went to bed shortly after we got back. One last double-check that we were packed and we were curled up in bed together.

"Do you think your parents will like me?" I asked quietly.

Edward laughed. "Of course they will. They'll love you."

The rest of our time that was supposed to be spent sleeping, I tossed and turned. Edward slept soundly for the most part, and I enjoyed watching him. As he relaxed into a deeper sleep, his face softened and he looked so innocent and pure.

By the time the alarm went off, I'd caught a few hours of sleep, but not enough. Exhausted, I made my way through breakfast, then enjoyed being the passenger as we drove to Boston. We talked a bit, but mostly listened to music and were quiet. Once we were parked and checked in for our flight, it felt even more real. I was really going to meet Edward's parents.

My anxiety multiplied when we were on board, and though I tried to relax against Edward's warm body and rest, I couldn't help but feel nervous. Of course, then he pulled out the books he'd stashed in his carryon, and I just about died as he flipped through the pages. He had an inside seat and turned it away so the flight attendants never saw, but it was alternating between making me embarrassed and really turned on.

The flight was several hours long, and at some point, I did doze off, thankfully; it helped to settle and calm my mood a bit, for which I'm sure both Edward and I were grateful. We arrived late in the evening, waiting for our bags at baggage claim. Edward's parents hadn't met us at the airport at his direction, he explained. They were eager and willing to pick us up, but he'd asked them to wait at the house, until morning, to allow us to settle in. It was sweet, and exactly the kind of thing I was coming to expect from him.

Once we'd retrieved our bags, I noticed a man helping Edward. I must've been really exhausted to not have noticed him before, but as he wheeled our luggage away, Edward took my hand and explained this was his concession for not allowing his parents to pick us up – they'd sent a car.

There was plenty of snow on the ground when we'd landed, and now I was getting a look at it firsthand. I hadn't experienced snow much, so I looked forward to playing in it when I was more rested. Edward and I snuggled together in the back of the car as the driver took us to his parents' house. I'd fallen asleep by the time we arrived, and Edward helped me walk in, allowing me to rest against him. Thankfully, just as they'd promised, his parents were nowhere to be seen.

After a quick trip to the kitchen to grab a snack, Edward led us to the bedroom. Our bags were waiting, and rather than unpack that night, we agreed to save it for the morning. Once I'd stripped down to a tank top and underwear, I crawled into bed and yawned. Watching Edward undress was always a treat, and this night was no exception. My body was tired from the travel and time difference, but seeing him take his clothes off was definitely doing something for me.

"Guhhhhh," I said, sounding ten shades of idiotic. Edward Cullen somehow reduced me to mono-syllables.

His back to me, he turned to look over his shoulder. "See something you like?"

"Even your cheesy lines kill me, Cullen. Get over here," I half-whined.

Watching as his bare shoulders shook with his quiet laughter, I bit my lip as he dropped his pants, giving me a view of the ass I loved to lust over. He still had his boxers on, but it was one step closer to naked. When he turned to walk to his side of the bed, I realized he was just as turned on as I was.

"I'm so glad to be here with you," I said, after he'd climbed in next to me. "Thank you for inviting me."

"I wouldn't have wanted my Christmas any other way," he said. His hands were on my body, already almost rendering me incoherent, and he left two large wet spots, one over each nipple, as he made his way lower. "Besides, there's something I've been wanting to do..."

"Edward, I spent all day on a plane. Are you serious? Can we at least go shower first?"

His reply was a very succinct, "No," and I didn't argue.

Before he took my panties off, he ran the tip of his nose along the middle of my lower lips, nuzzling and pressing against me. On its own, my body began to writhe and press against him, over-ruling my brain. His teeth nipped at the fabric, up and down against the swollen flesh, teasing me. Finally, I felt him pulling my panties down and off my body, and decided to use the opportunity to help him undress as well.

A little awkward fumbling later, we were undressed and kissing where we stood. Edward pulled my hand and crawled back on the bed. When I moved to lie on top of him, he shook his head.

"I wasn't done," he explained.

Moving my hips up toward his face, his tongue darted out before I had a chance to protest. My hands flew to the headboard, gripping as I tried to bring my thoughts back to my brain. Could he even breathe like this, I wondered?

I missed him, needed him, wanted him, but my body and brain felt disconnected as he pleasured me. Unable to think rationally, I let go and let my body take over. Turning to my side, I hoped Edward would roll with me and get the hint, but he just gripped tighter.

"Let me move," I whispered. "I promise I'm not escaping."

Laughing lightly, I turned my body and Edward must've figured out what my plan was. As he moved back to working my body, he groaned and the vibrations against my skin sent shivers through me. From here, I was facing his erection, and I tried to work slowly. My hand stroked his base as my tongue, lips, and mouth focused on his tip.

Edward's hand snaked around the back of my leg, then apparently he got frustrated, as he rolled us back to our original position – him on his back.

Momentarily, I panicked as I envisioned what we looked like in my head. Could he see all of me from this position? Even my...

The thought died in my head as his fingers teased me, then pushed inside. Suddenly, I didn't care which part of my anatomy Edward was looking at; if he was going to be that enthusiastic about it, it obviously didn't bother him.

The difference in sensation between the last time he'd done this, with the dental dam, and this time, was amazing. Suddenly, I understood what his interest in having sex without a condom was – for him, the sensations would be amplified just as much as mine were in that moment.

Moaning around his cock, I hoped the vibrations paid off as much for him as they had for me. I assumed they had, since his hips flexed up, and he made the sexiest noise I'd ever heard. As we eagerly lapped and sucked at each other, I got lost in him, lost in pleasuring him. Focusing was difficult, and eventually, one of us had to give in – me – and I rested my head against his leg as I felt my orgasm approach. I tried to keep the contact going between us, my fingers and hands rubbing his thighs as my lower half shamelessly rubbed against his face.

Unintentionally holding my breath, I felt my orgasm crash over me and had to fight to hold in the loud noises I wanted to make. I wasn't sure how far away Edward's parents were, and I was certain that would not be the first impression I wanted to give them.

As soon as my orgasm was mostly over, I took him back in my mouth, my efforts to make him feel just as good as I did renewed and revived. I did feel a little awkward with my body just sort of wagging in his face still, but he continued to touch and kiss me, which surprised me. He didn't seem to be working me up to a second orgasm, just enjoying my body and the different ways he could get it to respond. He already seemed like an expert, and I felt so inexperienced, but before I could fall too far down that rabbit hole of thoughts, I was reminded of the task in front of me.

Edward was making soft sounds, and I loved listening to his different reactions depending on what I did. When I licked the soft ridge around the head, he sighed quietly, and when I used my teeth, gently of course, he groaned a little bit louder. After I'd experimented enough and knew he was on the verge of his orgasm, I stuck with one thing. Listening to him whisper and whimper, I smiled around his skin, drunk with the knowledge that I was the one driving him crazy.

As his body tensed beneath me, I swallowed as gracefully as I could, and laid still for a moment. My fingers continued to trace patterns on his legs and eventually, I turned and crawled up to lay next to him.

"That was interesting," I said.

I really wasn't sure what to make of it yet. The position was awkward and even though it felt good, everything I did with Edward felt great. Was it better to focus solely on each other, or was it nicer this way, where we gave each other attention at the same time?

Humming, Edward pulled me out of my thoughts as he turned me in his arms, then pulled me close to his body. His head rested on mine, his nose in the crook of my neck, and we fell asleep without another word.

The following morning, we woke to the glorious smells of fresh coffee and bacon. Maybe pancakes, too, I decided. Edward and I were still wrapped up together, although our position had changed, and buried under the soft fluff of the down comforter. Watching his eyes fight to stay closed the last few seconds of sleep, I began to kiss the corners of his mouth lightly. When the corners turned up and he began to kiss me back, I smiled, too.

"Good morning," he said, his voice still rough and sexy.

"Mmm," I hummed, "yes, it is."

Stretching my body out beside his, I tangled our legs together and made a little squeaky noise as I reached my arms up as far as I could. Edward took the opportunity to kiss and nibble at my décolleté. When his thumbs ran over my nipples, I let out a breath and curled my body back into his.

"I smell breakfast," I said. "I'm hungry."

"Me too," Edward said, lowering his head to swipe his tongue across my nipple before pulling it between his lips.

"Edward, your parents are right out in the kitchen," I said whispering urgently.

"Do you know how many times I've had to listen to them?"

"Oh my god, seriously?" I whisper-shrieked.

He laughed and brought his hands back up to my face, looking at me as he ran the pads of his thumbs across my cheekbones.

"Yeah. My parents are still disgustingly in love, and not afraid to show it. It's cute, actually. Gives me hope."

All thought was cast away as he kissed me gently when he was done speaking.

"It was hard for them, when she died," he whispered against my lips. "But they leaned on each other. Other couples would have broken up or been bitter and angry, but in so many strange ways, it brought them closer."

Our moment of intimacy went from sexual to tender in a quick moment. Everything unspoken in that moment made my heart pang, and I wasn't quite sure why.

"If we ever go through something like that," he said, then paused to take a slow, deep breath. "Something like what you and I've been through alone, I need to know you'll be able to come to me, the way they did. I need you to know just how much I need you, too. I trust you, and I want you to trust me too, implicitly."

Unable to form the words I know he needs to hear, I simply nodded as my eyes filled with tears. I already needed him, and perhaps that was the core of my problem; I was so afraid, because if he left me, too, I would really be fucked, and I knew it. There would be no trip to re-discover myself, I'd simply be shattered.

Taking a deep breath, I wrapped my arms around him and we lay together in this moment, two people slightly broken. In the quiet, I began to question myself and my choices. The further away I got from Jacob and that life, the more confident I'd become in who I was and what I wanted, which was comforting. It made me happy to be on my own, to be with Edward, and to be at Dartmouth. I wondered briefly what the next phase of my life would be like, and smiled.

Then it sank in: I was content. For maybe the first time ever, I had everything I wanted in that moment. I would absolutely have changed some circumstances and brought my parents back, but I'd found my place in life even without them. Guilt flooded my heart, and the urge to sink and succumb to the negative feeling almost took over. I sat with it for a minute, rolling the guilt through my thoughts, and came out the other side knowing, not just thinking, but knowing, that neither of them would want me to waste my days alone and lonely.

Even though Renee would never meet Edward, I knew she'd have loved him. She would have teased me about his crazy hair and his fine ass. Charlie would have made overtures with his shotgun, then shared a beer with him on the porch while Edward feigned interest in fishing. It would have been perfect, and good.

Except that it might not have been, I realized.

If Charlie and Renee had still been alive, I might never have moved and gone to Dartmouth. I might have stayed in Forks, stayed with Jake, living that life of lies – to others, and to myself.

It was all too much before coffee, I finally decided, and dragged Edward out of bed. He smacked, then rubbed my ass as I walked in front of him, and we laughed through a quick shower together. He studied me as I got dressed, and I smiled carefully at him, wondering briefly if my epiphanies from the morning were written across my face for all to see. Would the world know just how fucking happy I was in that moment? I sure hoped so.

We walked hand-in-hand out to greet his parents. As soon as we'd turned the corner, and I saw them, I knew what Edward meant about them being sickeningly adorable. His mother was sitting in his father's lap, her arm around his neck, as they whispered to each other, broad smiles on both of their faces. Once they saw us, they shifted apart just a bit.

"Good morning Mom, Dad," Edward said, walking to give them each a kiss on the cheek. They both stood quickly after, embracing him in a hug, then turning to me. "This is Bella. Bella, this is my mom, Esme, and my dad, Carlisle."

Each of them opened their arms for a hug, and I was a little nervous. Moving to Carlisle first, I said hello, then gave him a quick, stiff hug. I could tell it was just as awkward for him as it was for me, and that made me a little more comfortable. Esme embraced me; it was more than a simple hug, and she was so warm. Everything about her was soothing to me, and she was the antithesis of my own mother in that sense. Renee was frenetic, and Esme was steady, calm.

"It's nice to meet you both," I said, then shifted uncomfortably in my spot.

"Do I smell breakfast?" Edward asked, thankfully removing the attention from me. "Bella, coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Making my way to help Edward, I was promptly shooed out of the main cooking area by both him and Esme, so I turned and sat with Carlisle. Thankfully, he was playing with some electronic device and seemed not at all focused on me.

Moments later, Edward appeared with a plate full of blueberry pancakes and bacon, coffee mugs in his other hand. It was something so small, but I loved sharing a plate with him when we ate. It felt like a small moment of intimacy that was perfectly acceptable in public.

"So, are we going skiing today, or do you kids need a day to recover?" Esme asked.

Edward and I exchanged glances, then laughed.

"How about after tomorrow, Mom?"

"Okay. I'll call and schedule some lessons for Bella. Would that be alright?" Esme asked.

"Sure," I said. "I'll need to rent whatever gear I might need."

"No need, we keep spares here," Esme said, smiling. "We'll just have a relaxing day then."

Edward reached over with a bite of pancake, and the morning marched on like any other. After we'd eaten and watched a little TV, Edward and I bundled up to go outside and play in the snow. It was so different watching him play and jump in the snow. He was still my Edward, just lighter. More free, and comfortable. It was really interesting, the difference in him around his parents. There was a vulnerability there I hadn't seen before, and I appreciated him allowing me to experience it.

He was always so independent, never really seeming to need me for anything, but when we went back inside and had taken all of our outerwear off, Esme had cocoa waiting for us. It was as if he was a bright-eyed six-year-old again, taking a mug of steamy goodness from his mommy. I giggled at them both, then accepted my own steaming mug and curled up on the couch with him.

After a game of Scrabble, then dinner, we sat around and talked. Everyone else had wine, but I declined. Edward had taken my feet in his lap and was rubbing them slowly. Now and then, his hand would wander just slightly up the inside of my calf, tickling a little. Then his palm would flatten and the fingers smoothed over the back of my leg, leaving a trail of tingles.

When his parents weren't watching, I could see his eyes shift and cloud with lust and longing. He was too polite to ever drag me out of the room, but if the look on his face was any indication, we wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon.

"Bella, it was so nice to meet you," Esme said, standing to give me a good night hug. "Edward's never brought a girl home, so this was quite a treat."

I had to keep my head from whipping over to look at him in surprise. Surely he hadn't had trouble finding women, but he'd never brought one to meet his parents?

"Thank you for having me, Esme. I really appreciate you hosting me for the holidays."

"Don't be silly," she said laughing. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Carlisle gave me a warm hug and then they were off to their room, which I was grateful to finally note was on the way other side of the sprawling house.

Yawning, I reached up and stretched, hoping I was at least kind of teasing Edward.

"I'm so tired," I said. "Ready for bed? I bet I'll be out in ten seconds flat," I deadpanned. My chest fluttered just looking at him. I was so fucking lucky that such a sexy, smart, kind, giving man wanted to take me to bed, and had me in his heart, and I knew it.

Turning away from him to walk to the room we were staying in, I actually heard him growl. I thought I might fall over from laughing as hard as I was, but then he matched my pace and walked right up behind me. As his hands slipped around my waist and we began to make the trek together, awkwardly, he turned his mouth to my ear and whispered.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard, for so long, you'll be lucky if I let you sleep at all tonight."