I quickly shut off the incessant beeping noise before it could wake up Bella, who was sleeping soundlessly next to me. I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face as I stared at her- her nostrils flaring slightly with each breath she took, the upturn of the corners of her mouth into a small beautiful smile, the way her hair fanned out over the pillow.
I don't think I'll ever get used to waking up next to her. She is a vision.
Letting my eyes rack over her, I noticed the covers had slipped down her naked body exposing her breasts to me.
Well, that isn't helping my morning wood.
I groaned as I tossed around the idea of waking her to help me out with my problem. I thought twice when I remembered what happened just hours ago and thought it'd be best if I let her sleep. I was pretty sure she'd wake up sore, considering it had been some time since we'd had sex.
I begrudgingly got out of bed, throwing on a robe as I walked out to the bathroom as quietly as I could. It was no easy feat since the floorboards constantly creaked under the slightest pressure.
I tried to ignore the hard-on I was sporting, but then I remembered Bella sleeping naked in the other room and all that we did in that bed.
I still can't believe I let her guilt me into having sex with her, but who was I kidding, I needed to be connected to her as much as she did.
I soaped up my hands and grabbed a hold of my cock, closing my eyes as I braced my other hand on the tiles. I thought about the way Bella felt when I entered into her warm, tight pussy, groaning into my bicep as the memory hit me instantly. The images of her breasts bobbing up and down each time I slammed into her, her legs resting on my shoulders allowing me to go deeper, to be sheathed inside her more, played out in my mind. I gripped my cock harder, stroking faster as I felt my balls tighten.
I tried to be as gentle as I could, but the moment I was inside her this animal like instinct came out of me. I needed more of her, to show her just what she does to me on a regular basis.
I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did, but I was whacking off two to three times a day, sometimes more, depending on what we did.
Thinking about the way she bit her lip to hold back her screams as I fucked her did me in, and I grunted into my arm to prevent making too much noise. I cleaned off the palm of my hand then finished washing myself before getting out to dry off. Bella was still passed out when I walked back into the bedroom and she looked so sweet sleeping there with her arms curled underneath her. I pulled the covers up over her and kissed her temple, causing her to shiver, then dressed for the fishing trip.
Surprisingly, I'm not that worried about the conversation I plan on having with Charlie today. I couldn't stop fidgeting when I asked Tanya's dad.
I chuckled, thinking about how little I knew then, how young and ignorant I was about how precious life was. You'd think I would realize something like that easily being a doctor or at the time working to become one.
So much had changed in nearly six years; a change in myself was probably the biggest one. I can truly say for the first time in my life, I know who I am and l love it.
There's one person, well, I should say two people, I have to thank for that.
Looking at one of those people, I decided to leave my love a quick note on a yellow sticky. I placed it on the pillow next to her, knowing that she would reach out for me when she woke. With one more kiss to her forehead and a whispered, 'I love you', I left.
I rounded the banister to find Charlie sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand, reading the morning paper. He was dressed much more warmly than I was, making it quite obvious that I didn't know what I was getting myself into.
I'll just have to make the best of what I have. I shrugged.
"Hey, Charlie," I greeted him, going to the cabinet and grabbing a coffee mug.
Just make yourself at home, Edward.
"'Morning, Edward. Did you get enough sleep?" Charlie asked.
I froze, holding the coffee pot in mid pour.
Oh shit, does he know? Did he hear?
I turned slightly to take in the look on his face; the only thing I saw was pure curiosity and that confused me a bit.
"I didn't hear you all come in last night so I don't know how late you all stayed out," he added.
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, we left about an hour or so after you. Alexis fell asleep while we were at the beach so we put her to bed right away. Bella and I stayed up a little bit longer to talk."
Talk? Make love? What's the difference? Words were coming out of both of our mouths, they just weren't very coherent. I smiled smugly, turning away from Charlie as I did so.
"That's nice. Would you like to eat anything before we leave? Sue made some muffins. Or you can eat it on the way?" he suggested.
"I'll eat it on the way, thanks. You are much more trusting with people eating in your car than I am. Bella hates that I don't allow it."
"Well, we're taking the cruiser and I tend to eat lunch in there whenever I'm on patrol so it's not that big of a deal. Besides, you have a much nicer car than I do."
I grabbed a muffin and my coffee before putting on my heavy coat and following Charlie out of the house. He explained that he had already packed the car with the fishing rods and the tackle box and we were meeting Billy and Jacob out on the lake. We chatted about college football and who we thought would go all the way this season- my guess was the Gators with it being Tim Tebow's last season and he was going with Texas.
"You're late," Billy snickered as we stepped out of the car.
"Yeah, yeah, eat it up, Billy. I had someone slowing me down this time," Charlie countered, opening up the hatch. "Out of all the years we've been fishing, I've never arrived second."
We pulled out the gear and walked over to the second boat.
"I'm sorry I made you late," I apologized.
"No big deal to me, it's just that I'm never going to hear the end of it," he chuckled.
Sure enough, Billy continued to tease Charlie as Jacob and I pushed the boats off the shore and we floated out to the middle of the lake. Charlie hooked the worms while I paddled out to the right area. He handed a rod to me and we both cast our lines, one at a time.
We sat in silence, listening to the calm of the water around us. The fish nipped at the surface, sending rings trailing away from the spot, and the birds chirped around us. The cold wind blew across my face, sending an icy shiver down my spine.
"Edward, I've heard nothing but great things about you, but of course I want to make my own assessment. From what I can tell on the surface, you care about my daughter, but I want to know what's inside," Charlie stated
"I understand, you're looking for answers so ask away." I gestured with my hand.
"You've known Bella for how long now?"
"About a year."
"And you've been dating how long?"
"Six months."
"Why'd you wait? Were you not instantly attracted to her? And I'm not here to judge, son."
"I can honestly say now that it was love at first sight with Bella. However, my head and heart had me going back and forth about taking that step and asking her out. I was wary because I wasn't sure I was ready for it."
"Is Bella the first woman you've dated since your wife passed away?"
"Yes, even though people wanted me to date sooner. Friends in Chicago tried to get me back in the dating game. They thought I was too young to continue life alone and convinced me that I had to think about Lexi, how eventually she would need a mother. I agreed, but I didn't put forth much effort. I never found someone worth asking out until Bella. My family says I talked about her nonstop during those first six months." I smiled. "I didn't even realize I was doing it. I found myself wanting to know more so I would talk to her briefly when I dropped Lexi off, then a little bit longer in the evenings when I came to pick her up. I would also ask Leah for more information, but she remained tight lipped about many things. I understand, now, why they are so protective of her."
Charlie nodded his head. "She has a tight-knit circle that is hard to join, but once you're in, you're in for life. I watched both Jasper and Leah fight to make their stay permanent. Leah had a much harder time trying to impress Alice and Bella than Jasper did," he laughed. "How was it for you?"
"Well, as I said, Leah was tough. I thought Jacob was Bella's boyfriend the first time I saw them together, but once you take a closer look, you know their love is more like siblings. Plus, that same day I found out he was actually with Leah. Alice...Alice was the most accepting of me. Bella later told me that Alice gets these feelings and everything about me was positive."
"Is your love for my daughter the same as the love you had for your wife?"
I immediately knew the answer to that question, but I decided to take a moment and think about how to elaborate, knowing that he'd want more than 'yes' or 'no.'
"No."
"How are they different, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Let me begin by saying that I will always love Tanya and she'll always hold a special place in my heart. She was my first love and the mother of my daughter, but my love for Tanya will never compare to the love I have for Bella. We are two halves of a whole. When we touch, electric shocks shoot throughout me. I never felt that with Tanya, and I know Bella feels it too. We have this chemistry that no one can deny seeing or feeling when they're around us. I know that I am nothing without her, Charlie."
"Edward, being a father yourself, you can understand where my concerns may lie. I want to know that she will be number one in your life."
"She is, Charlie, believe me. I didn't realize that until everything happened with James. We spent the night apart, and that connection we have ripped through my chest as if someone was stabbing me in the heart. It felt as if something was terribly wrong and unfortunately, my gut was right and I had to find her. If...if anything worse had happened to her," I paused, trying to not give it another thought. "I'd never forgive myself. I don't think I'd be able to go on completely happy, even with my daughter. I love Bella more than life itself. I realized that when I thought about the way I felt when Tanya died. I was more worried about raising a one year old baby on my own than the fact that I lost my wife. I know that Bella is it for me. There is no one else. I truly believe that she is my one."
"I can sympathize with where you are coming from, Edward, to a point. I lost my wife, but not in the same way you did. Mine walked out on me and took my heart and soul with her," he said, choking up a little. "I didn't think I'd ever get over Renee, I thought she was my soul mate, but love and fate I've learned...work in mysterious ways. I thought I'd only be able to see Bella during summers until she turned eighteen and then never see her again because she wasn't obligated to anymore. But somehow, somewhere I did something right and karma brought Bella to me, and it gave me Sue." He smiled softly. "Like your wife, Renee will always hold a special place in my heart. I feel that now that I'm older, I can really appreciate what love has to offer."
"Yes. And Bella loves you so much and cherishes all those summers together. She told me about one of your fishing trips where she lost the fishing rod..."
"And she went swimming after it. I thought she had drowned because she didn't come back up. I think that was the first time she came that close to giving me a heart attack. The first of many, I should say. The latest one being when she told me about you and your daughter. The way I heard it was she had a new boyfriend, who got her pregnant and they were having a girl," he chuckled.
"So, you are okay with the fact that I'm widowed and have a child?" I questioned.
"I'll admit it took some time to get used to, but you're what she wants. And after seeing her this weekend, how her face lights up whenever you're around, how can I deny her that happiness?" He shrugged. "Plus, that little girl of yours reminds me so much of Bella when she was younger. I'm sure she is a handful, but how can you ever stay mad at her when she looks at you with those bright blue eyes."
"As her father, I have to stay strong, but everyone else, they give in quite easily with her. Since we had the mommy discussion, Bella has found it easier to discipline her, whereas before she left it to me, making me the bad guy."
"Speaking of that, I heard Alexis call Bella mommy the other night. I wanted to ask her about it, but didn't want to make a scene so while I have you in a boat, away from interruptions." He smirked.
I laughed as I felt a slight tug on the line. I immediately sat up straight and began reeling it in as quickly as I could. Charlie grabbed the bucket and I pulled the fish over to the boat. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was a decent size to cook.
"Nice job, Edward," he praised, patting me on the back.
"Thanks. It seems to be a quiet morning," I commented, noting that Billy and Jacob hadn't caught anything yet.
"Yeah, but sometimes these trips aren't always about catching fish. Every once in a while, you need to become one with nature," he said, taking a deep breath of fresh air.
"Good point. I don't get why Bella hates coming here so much. Forks is so calm and relaxing."
"It's not easy for her," he mentioned, putting a worm on the end of the hook.
"What do you mean?" I inquired, casting the line again.
"In Seattle, there are single people all around her. The love and relationships aren't shoved in her face as it is here in Forks. It's very rare to find a single person in this town. I was one of just a handful, but that was by choice. And you've seen her group of friends, they are all paired off. Jacob is married to Leah, Alice and Jasper are married without the rings and piece of paper, I have Sue...even her exes from here have someone. She was the loner of the group. I feared that she was giving up on love, much like I did."
"That's what Alice said when I took Bella out on our first date. She warned me not to hurt her because she was fragile."
"She is, but you'd never guess it by looking at her. She puts on a very strong front."
"Yes, yes she does," I agreed. "So, we got sidetracked, let's get back to the topic at hand."
I took a deep breath and let it out before continuing.
"I was a little surprised when Lexi asked Bella to be her mom. I've watched their relationship, their bond, growing closer the more they spent time together. But I didn't think she saw Bella in that way, at least not yet. My daughter surprises me on a daily basis. Before we moved to Seattle, she wouldn't talk to anyone really. I think she knew she was different from other kids. Even once we moved, she remained shy around my family, but she instantly warmed up to Bella. I remember the first night Lexi asked if Bella could come home with us," I laughed, as did Charlie. "I guess that should have been my first inclination of what was to come, but I was still a little oblivious to things back then. My eyes weren't quite as open as they are now. Once we started dating and I fell more in love with Bella, I hoped that Lexi would come to love and view her as a mother. I think Lexi loved her before I knew I did."
"Do you think Bella felt pressured at all? I mean not wanting to break Alexis' heart by saying no?"
"Not at all. I think if that were the case, she wouldn't have answered Lexi. I know her answer was genuine and true because she had mentioned before how she wished she was Alexis' mother and viewed her as her daughter. You've seen Bella with Lexi...you'd never guess that they weren't really mother and daughter by the way they act together. For someone who had lost their faith in love before I came around, I'm amazed at how big her heart truly is. I'm a lucky man."
"I have seen it and you're right, they are a sight that you could sit and watch all day. Now, you say you want to marry my daughter. When do you plan on making that happen? Sue tells me you want Bella to move in?"
"Yes, sir. I want her to move in, in fact, I want us to find a new home. The current one is tainted and I don't think she'll ever feel comfortable, even with James in jail."
"Why aren't you proposing and getting married before asking her to move in? Isn't that the order things are supposed to go? Isn't that how your parents raised you? I'm not sure I'm okay with her living with you without a ring on her finger."
"Yes, that is the way my parents raised me and that's how I did things with Tanya, but with all due respect, Charlie, Bella and I have done nothing by the book," I answered, shaking my head as I thought about our journey thus far. "We are not an ordinary couple. I don't want to divulge those specific details of our relationship because that's private and as her father, I'm sure you don't want to hear it. Please understand that I don't mean to be disrespectful by doing things this way. To be frank, I don't think she'll ever feel comfortable living alone again and if I did take her apartment shopping, I don't see her standing up for what she wants. I know she doesn't want to live alone anymore, I can see it in her eyes, but I don't think she'll tell me that. Bella isn't always very forthcoming when it comes to what she wants."
"Yeah, she gets that from me," Charlie mentioned.
"Just know that I love Bella with all my heart and I plan on making her my wife.
"When do you plan on asking her to move in?"
"It's one of her presents so I plan to give her a key to my house sometime today."
"Well, Edward, there is no doubt in my mind that you love my daughter and want what's best for her. You mentioned spending the rest of your life with her. When do you plan on proposing?"
"I've looked at rings, but I haven't found the right one for her. I would like to do it within the next year or so. I've even thought about how I'm going to propose." I smiled, thinking about it.
"Can you let me in on the secret?" he asked, wagging his eyebrows.
I thought about it for a second then caved. I delved into all the details, only stopping for a few minutes to help Charlie when we caught another fish. When I finished, he let me in on a secret of his own...he was planning to propose to Sue on Christmas, but he was still trying to work it all out. He wanted to make it special and memorable.
It was an enlightening morning, to say the least. I saw a side of Charlie that I'm sure not many people are privy to, but I was glad he let me in. I was also glad that Charlie gave me his blessing, though I knew I'd ask him again when the day got closer.
We gave up after catching three fish, calling it a day and the timing couldn't have been more perfect.
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