epilogue.

from edward.

"Oh god. Yes. Fuck. Yes." Head thrown back, her hair grazed my knees. Thighs pressed tight, her nails dug deep into the leather behind. I cringed, she rocked, rode.

"Baby, let's…" I whispered, she narrowed dark, determined eyes.

"You're joking, right?" She panted. I nipped along her jaw, tightened my chilled grasp at her hips to slow. "This car isn't even new anymore. Fuck. Right there…" Breathless, she moved faster, wild and needy. Tongue tasting, I peppered soft at her throat, up her neck. She slid quick hands from the leather into my hair. And thank you. "We're going to need a bigger one anyway…"

"Then we should protect it for resale." I tugged her tender nipple with gentle teeth to tease.

"I can't. Get. Enough…" No kidding. Hormone overload. A lesser man… "And it's so damn good." She bounced faster, she won. I settled back, watching, marveling, pacing and pushing up. My cock dragged against her clit with every pass and press.

The lake rippled in December wind beyond the fogged windows. Her thick cream cable and cashmere hung open, dark tights and plaid wool scattered the dash. You're so fucking beautiful. Desperate fingers splayed seeking balance on the car interior roof. "Don't hurt yourself."

"Shut… up… Edward. Fuck, I'm so close, baby."

"I love making you come." Brushing my stubbled chin across her bare chilled chest, I sucked the other nipple into my mouth. She peaked, grasped tight. Familiar heat coursed, I thrust once, then again, selfish and spent. "Goddamn…"

She fell, sighing content. Sated giggles, we clung close, lips tasted, loved over my skin as I trailed slow, soft fingers down her back. "Thank you."

"Thank you."

"I know you don't need it as much as I do."

"I always need it… you."

"Do you think I'll be this horny the whole time? Can you imagine?" No. And fuck. I need to start working out more. She stroked light, my cock twitched. Great. "I guess I shouldn't do that," she purred. "We're going to miss the show. Where are my tights? I'm freezing. I mean you always make me hot, baby." Silly, quick pecks down my nose, she shifted, climbing and straightening. "But what do you think… it must be like twenty out there? Come on. We need to hurry and go. We can't be late for Miss B's first Nutcracker."

"I see how this is." I buttoned and pinched the bare ass struggling to situate. "Just use me for a quick and dirty lay by the lake." She froze, breathed, bit and licked her bottom lip. Oh shit.

"Mmmm. Fuck. Don't talk like that. Oh my god, Edward."

"Simmer down, mama…"

~oo~S~oo~

We fell into worn, amber velvet theater seats, silent and avoiding. Beth blew kisses in the dark of the aging downtown venue. Brett glared with daggered, familiar eyes. "You're late," he mouthed down the row. "I don't even want to know."

"Sorry. Shhhh…" Bella calmed, flashing sweetness, batting mock innocence. We winked, lacing hands over her still flat tummy. Bree shuffled across the stage, clumsy and pink and waving frantic happiness at us. "She's perfect. Look at her. Sweetest six year old ever. Gorgeous girl."

I spotted Emmett and Chelsea huddled in a far corner. He was wrapped close around his young, blond fiancé from behind. I nudged Bella to see and notice. She awed and smiled with damp eyes. Surrounded by her favorites, she squeezed our hands tighter. I stroked loose fingers over her stomach, knowing, loving.

Lights up and late, we celebrated Bree over red velvet cupcakes next door. Snuggled in Bella's lap then mine, she told and retold how Charlie and Sue were seeing Santa across the country. Intent and proud, she focused and listened. I was lost in her glow. Brett piled treats, cocoa and coffee on pulled and matched tables. "Is there decaf?"

"Since when do you drink decaf, Bella?" Brett wondered, forever annoyed, always curious. Her hesitation was humorous.

"It's late. I'm tired and I need rest to wrap all the presents I brought for this one." She tickled, Bree squealed.

"So you guys are coming tomorrow to look at wedding shit, right?" Emmett mumbled with a mouthful of sugar.

"You cussed, Uncle Emmett. That's gross."

"Yeah. Of course. So excited for you guys," Bella gushed, beaming over and across to Chelsea chatting with Beth. "Is that a new…" she gestured, rubbing over her own brow, wondering.

"Yeah. New piercing. Hot right?" Emmett grinned smug. Who would have ever imagined.

"No, yeah… it's totally great. She's her own girl. Owning that unique vibe she's got going on… I love it." Bella leaned to kiss his cheek, resting her head and tangled nest of hair against his overly muscled arm. "God. Mom would have loved her."

"Really?" Emmett whispered.

"She really would've." I nodded.

~oo~S~oo~

"So this place is crazy cool and cute. Look!" Chelsea hurried ahead towards the white shaker church. Peeling, lonely and quaint, it sat alone in a winter dead meadow of nothing. "And it's for sale. But the Pastor dude, said of course he'd take the sign down during the ceremony. I don't know… I really kinda like it. What do you guys think?" Bella stilled. Her red rubber boots stuck, long hair whipped, her mouth hung open and slight.

"Edward…" she whispered. I brushed her temple with my lips, lingering.

"I know."

"Come on. Come on guys. You'll die inside," Chelsea shouted, waving. Goddamn. She reminds me of you, younger and loose. We followed eager, freezing and hopeful. A stoic Pastor Banner showed the space. Chelsea nodded, hyper and happy, a close talker who hugs. Emmett left a secure, steady hand on her ass constant and obvious. I feel you man. I do. Those days. But fuck, it only gets better.

Bella and I drifted from the noise. Shadows shifted and peeked from natural noonday light. We followed a narrow staircase. Painted hardwood floors and original molding balanced the second floor. We moved slow, hands held across the singular open space. I stomped and touched through the center with my leather boot to test. "Knee wall? Or full?" Bella smirked, serious.

"Depends." I measured mentally.

"Excellent midday light. Jesus." She ran dancing fingers down the groves of the fluted window molding. Is this still considered Dane County?"

"Yep." Building codes and taxes filled my head. "This is totally unexpected. Fuck." I shook. The worn floor creaked as she stepped slow back towards me.

"Unexpected. Like everything else…" She smiled honest, eyes light and wide. I pulled her close. Cupping her face with one hand, dusting her belly with the other.

"Everything." Thumbing over her pale rose lips, I kissed her forehead.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She puckered, tasting my thumb.

"I'm totally thinking what you're thinking. And fuck. I'd love to hear you moaning my name in these vintage rafters." We burst, she squeezed my denim covered ass.

"Now who's horny? Wait!" She pointed dramatic. "Did you see the windows are double hung and spectacular?"

"Yeah? I got your hung and spectacular…" I joked, forcing her hand over my growing front.

"Mmmm… We need to do something about that. Should we make an offer on this first?" We kissed, soft and again.

"I think…" I stepped back, one step, then another. Liberated in the structural possibility, high and determined in our nexts, I dragged her palm across my mouth. "I think we should."

~oo~S~oo~

Hands gently squeezed my thighs, warmth surrounded my cock. New early light and a gasp, groan forced my eyes open. A devious curl and smirk turned in the corner of her very full, very busy mouth. Her tongue slid up my length, pausing at the tip. "Good morning." My head fell back, my hips pressed up. Fuck. Yes. She wrapped her hand at the base, then up and teasing.

Swirling, sliding and down, her mouth worked me over. I tangled tight through her sleep mussed waves as she set a steady pace. The heat pumped sudden and through, straight to my cock. "Yeah, baby." You suck me so damn good. Her grip harder over my thigh, nails bit and dug as she licked and moved. "Fuck."

I tipped, let go and came, her hum vibrating against me. I stilled, watching as her tongue finished what it started. She swallowed, brow arched and peeked. "Merry Christmas." She smirked, we laughed loud, cathartic.

"Come here, you." She crawled seductive, slow, nipping, nibbling along the way up. "Bring that sweet pussy up here. I need to reciprocate. Season of giving and all that…"

"No. Nope." She straddled, shaking a naughty finger side to side. "You can't. Cannot do that anymore."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I stroked tender between her legs. Lashes fluttered, she couldn't fight.

"The book says so." She nodded, licking lips, melting around my fingers. She gestured near the bed. I glanced. "Edward…" I slowed my teasing, dragging a path from her wet pussy around her nipples to her parted mouth. "Is this real?" She puckered over each fingertip. "Are we seriously doing this? Buying that property?"

I settled an arm, elbow back and under my head, we stared. "I was thinking maybe we should get married in it first, then buy it, then renovate it."

"You want to marry me?"

"Didn't we cover this like six or so years ago?" Wide eyed sarcasm and a nose pinch left her giggling. "Besides, I don't need Brett all over my ass about knocking up his sister and not marrying her." She scoffed, leaped up dramatic. Standing bare and beautiful in the center of the small bed towering over my sorry, sated self.

"You fucking told him." She accused loud and wild.

"Easy killer." I laughed, running my palm up the inside of her leg, her knee, her warm, soft thigh. "Lay down. Christ. No. I didn't tell him. I'm not facing your hormonal wrath."

"Don't you dare make fun of me. I'm in a fragile state." She pouted, tucking in close again.

"Shhh… relax." I flipped to hover, kissing her chin, her cheek, her tiny secret scar.

"Mmmm. Right there is good though…" She pointed, directed my soft trail of soothing. "Don't patronize me either. That pisses me off with the fire of a thousand deserts."

"Suns," I mumbled against her throat.

"What?"

"Suns. With the fire of a thousand suns. That's the saying."

"No it's not."

"Yes. It. Is."

"The desert is hot. There can be fire there."

"Please be quiet." I worked down, sucking, licking, tasting. Perfect pink nipples, the dip and curve of her hip, I paused over her belly, breathing deep.

"You love her. Don't you? I want to see her right now." A wave, a warmth, simple words suddenly made it so real.

"I do. I love him so much." I rested easy, my cheek pressed. Bella traced along my ear, sighing, peace.

"It's snowing. Look…" We did, we watched through her childhood bedroom window, soaking in the new. A new snow. A new relationship. A new path.

"Thank you for taking Mom to midnight Mass last night," I whispered.

"It was perfect. She was good. She's lonely though, baby."

"I know."

"We could be here for her. In that new place."

"It's not new, Bella. It'd be a lot of work. You realize that." She bent her knees around me and scratched strong through my hair.

"So. So what. I want it. I want that space. I want to live there with you and be happy and be near everyone."

"Full time. Like all the time, here?" I propped, meeting her anxious nod. "Leave Garrett Paul? Leave the city?"

"I think so," she mouthed, cringing. "She…" Bella rubbed my hand across her stomach. "She's making me rethink the entire fucking world. I'm just… It's just…" I scooted up to meet. Dusting over her mouth, a kiss to reassure.

"It's okay. We've been working nonstop. We can take a break. The pregnancy is still so new and… "

"But not a break. I want to settle. Daddy's getting older. Your mom can't find a balance… Emmett's getting married, Bree's precious and Brett's going to make her nuts and shoot her boyfriends."

"Bella, re…" She pinched my lips together, twisting tight.

"Do not patronize me and my feelings. If I want to move home to Madison and renovate that fucking church and raise and nurture our babies in it then that's what we're fucking doing. Got it?" I nodded, gnashing free, nudging my erection at her thigh. I'll do anything, go anywhere you fucking want, baby. "And did you say him? That you love him? Because this amazing thing we've made is a her and she's going to be the next commissioner of the WNBA."

"Or he might be the next brilliant Frank Lloyd Wright," I teased.

"True. She could be that…" She winked, we smirked against each other's lips. I pulled her closer, sliding my tongue down her neck, over her quickening pulse. Pushing my thigh between hers, she stoked up my arms, making lazy swirls over the ink.

"God, I love the taste of your skin." I nipped her chin, tongue teasing, I framed her face.

"Kiss me sweet." Unhurried, soft, we savored. She skimmed warm hands over my bare ass, I thumbed over her cheekbones. We sighed, swayed over the sheets and smiled.

"Can I make love to you, now? Or does the book say…"

"No. That's good. In fact, it recommends more frequent lovemaking than before…"

"Oh, it does, does it? Well, I think we've got that covered." I leaned, pressing my mouth above the swell of her breast. She arched, pushing tighter against me. I tasted her nipple, licking, teasing across the peak.

"Edward… please." Hands skimmed down shivering sides, her hips met mine, searching for friction. I hovered, positioned and wrapped her leg around my thigh. Slowly pushing forward, I worked gentle with shallow thrusts.

"Fuck you feel…" I stroked deeper, resting my forehead at her shoulder. "You feel amazing." Familiar, set and so, we tipped and rocked our own rhythm. She whimpered as we slid and I whispered love.

She forced my stare, bringing my mouth to hers, adrenaline and high emotion. She nipped my lower lip. "I love you so much." Together, faster, closer, legs tightened around my waist. She pulled her mouth from mine, she shook, her head moved side to side and again, frantic. "More… harder… faster."

"That's it… Tell me…" Warmth rushed, she gasped, I paced how she begged. "Fuck, baby… yeah…" I shuddered and came, she moaned. "I… goddamn, I love you, Bella." Always. Always…

a/n

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