Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Thanks to susayq for her mad beta skills! This is dedicated to all the tired and unappreciated feeling moms out there! We must unite:)

~Bella~

Monday. Get the kids on the bus, run to the post office, work out, go into the office for a mandatory meeting, take dog to the vet, get the kids off the bus, make dinner, do homework, take showers, put them to bed. Do laundry, straighten up the house, take a shower, and go to bed.

Tuesday. Get the kids on the bus, go to work, race home to get the kids off the bus, gymnastics, dinner, homework, shower, and then bed.

Wednesday. Repeat Tuesday, substitute hockey for gymnastics.

Thursday. Repeat Wednesday, substitute soccer clinic for hockey, and add grocery store run.

Friday. Have the day off from the job that pays. Clean the house, buy gifts for weekend birthday parties, get some Christmas shopping done, pay the bills, catch up on emails, get kids off the bus, play outside in the snow, get the kids fed, take a shower, get ready to go to dinner, wait for sitter, go to dinner, hang out with friends, get home, pay sitter, get ready for bed, attempt to have sex, kid cries, go to their room and try to get them to back to sleep, fall asleep in their bed.

Saturday. Soccer game, birthday party, grocery store, hockey game, go out to dinner, watch a movie, and fall asleep on the couch.

Sunday. Go to church, play in the snow, watch some football, play in the basement, break up fights, cook dinner, do laundry, eat dinner, watch a movie, wash the kids, wash myself, watch TV, have sex, go to bed.

That was my life in a nutshell. I loved my kids, and my husband for that matter, I just didn't necessarily love my life all that much. Things had become so routine, and the pressure was on to get everyone where they needed to be on-time. I even had scheduled sex days for crying out loud!

I had given up my full time career when my daughter was born, choosing to work part time instead. I figured that would be the best of both worlds. Though it was nice to earn my own money and be able to get out of the house, and I was now in charge of absolutely everything at home.

I worked at a rather large law firm in downtown Seattle as a law clerk. I had my law degree but was yet to take the bar exam. Since I wasn't planning on going back to work full time for a few more years, my husband and I figured it would be best if I waited. In the meantime, I kept my job, working three days a week.

My husband was a Certified Public Accountant at one of Seattle's major accounting firms. He worked hard and was paid well. Money wasn't a problem for us.

We'd been married for a year when I found out I was pregnant with our son, Emmett. When Emmett was seven months old we found out I was pregnant again. Rosalie was born when Emmett was 16 months old. I finally understood why people thought I was nuts having kids so close together when Rose started walking. She was a wild one. Between the two of them, I swear I had the most active kids ever. They didn't seem to play with any of their many toys, instead choosing to jump off of tables, or wrestle each other.

My husband was great with the kids, when he was home. His job sometimes required him to go out of town for a few days at a time. There were also business dinners, golf, and sporting events he was required to attend. He often complained, but I had a hard time feeling bad for him. He got to spend the day at a golf outing, while I got to run around with a chicken like its head cut off. I wished I could go to the bathroom on my own, and he was complaining about being at a swanky restaurant.

Needless to say our sex life struggled in the early years. I was so tired from working, and being up at night with the kids that sex took a back seat. It was also hard to want to have sex with someone who had no sympathy for my 'job'. Though I did get out of the house to go to work, I had minimal alone time.

As the kids got a little bit older, our lives revolved around all of their activities. We wanted our kids to experience a variety of different things, and they both enjoyed all types of sports. I often looked at families with more than two children and wondered how they managed to keep up.

Over the last few months our relationship had hit a rough spot. I knew I loved him, but I honestly didn't like him much. I was starting to wonder if we'd even be together if it wasn't for the kids. I knew when I committed to having the kids that my happiness no longer came first, and I swore that I would do my best to keep our family in tact.

I finally came to realize why the divorce rate was so high when the children went off to college. Two virtual strangers were left alone together trying to figure out what they once saw in each other. It was a sad reality. I just felt that we didn't have anything except the kids in common any more.

My other half still enjoyed going out and being seen. I felt like going out was more of a hassle. We had to find a sitter, pay her, and then get pissed when something wasn't done right. He didn't care how much it cost, and whether their routines were disrupted. It also wasn't worth it to me to be out so late that I was a zombie the next day. It wasn't as if I could sleep in! He just wanted his social life to be the same is it was prior to kids. He felt like he gave up enough opportunities as it was.

I, on the other hand, only needed a couple of hours here and there. It just wasn't fun to stay out late, drink too much, or miss any of their activities. I tried to stress that they were only going to be young once. He got into the habit of asking me to do certain things with him, and when I said I couldn't or didn't want to, he took that to mean that he was able to because he invited me. My husband was a great dad, but he was pretty selfish at times.

I felt as if we were going through the motions. We'd have sex because we were supposed to, not necessarily because we were passionate about each other. When we had time together we would watch TV, or watch separate shows in different rooms, or worse yet, he'd watch something, and I'd be surfing the web. Many nights he would fall asleep in his man cave and not come to bed at all. To be honest, I didn't mind a bit.

I didn't realize that an annual Christmas party would change our lives.

The day was hectic as usual; more so because my husband had to work. There were practices to get to, a doctor's appointment, and of course a birthday party. I told myself I was going to allow enough time to get ready, and this time I meant it. I was feeling down in the dumps and wanted, no needed to look good. My neighbor volunteered to watch the kids, so I was free to primp.

I took a bubble bath and relaxed in the warm, sudsy water. I nearly fell asleep it was so incredible. There was no one knocking at the door, no one crying, and no one asking me a million and one questions. I had time to paint my nails, and even shaved my legs without missing spots or cutting myself.

I just wanted to feel like an attractive woman, and not look like a stereotypical mom. I wasn't dumb enough to believe that women didn't come on to my husband all the time. As far as I knew, he hadn't acted on any of the propositions; he just had ample opportunities to do so if he chose. He was an honorable man, and I wasn't worried about it, yet I couldn't help but be a little envious at the way women still ogled him. The only men who ogled me were the grocery store workers and the old men at the bank.

I took extra time with my hair, pulling it up on top of my head while letting wavy tendrils frame my face. I applied more make-up than usual, and when I looked in the mirror I barely recognized myself. I looked sexy...and I still wasn't fully dressed. I was standing in front of the mirror in a black lace thong and matching bra. My Christian Louboutin heels accented the muscles in my calves, and I felt great. I put my dress on, and it hugged my body in all the right places. A couple of dabs of perfume, and I was ready to go.

I ran next door to say goodbye to the kids. "Mama, you look so pretty, like a princess."

"Thank you, baby." I kissed my daughter, and said goodbye to my son, who acknowledged me with a nod as he continued to play Lego Star Wars.

I pulled my Lincoln Navigator out of the driveway and headed to a party I was suddenly looking forward to.

The lights of the city were beckoning me. Traffic was light and it didn't take that long to make my way downtown. The party was being held at the most prestigious hotel. It was always funny to see a bunch off stuffy suits end up drunk and disorderly. By some stroke of luck, we had no events scheduled for the next day until the late afternoon. I could actually let my hair down, so to speak, and not have to worry about waking up super early. Well, chances were that I'd still have to wake up early; I just wouldn't necessarily have to be functional.

I pulled up to the valet station and waited for the attendant to approach my vehicle. With one last make-up and hair check, I got out and headed in to the party.

When I walked into the ballroom I gasped. The place was beautifully decorated for Christmas. There were two twelve foot trees decorated in nothing but silver and crystal. There was a gigantic ice sculpture of an angel that was adorned with shrimp cocktail, and a full wall of nothing but bottles of wine. The wreaths were decorated with silver bows to match the trees and hung from the top of the windows that encompassed a view of the whole city. There was mistletoe everywhere adding to the holiday décor.

It was beautiful, and I couldn't help but gaze around the room. I saw many people that I knew, and a couple of flutes of champagne made it easy to socialize. As soon as I was done talking to one group of people, others would make their way toward me. I was able to escape to the powder room a while later. I wanted to freshen up and make sure there wasn't anything stuck in my teeth from the tasteful hors d'oeuvre.

When I returned to the ballroom I spotted a beautiful sight at the bar. He was breathtaking and I couldn't seem to tear my gaze away from him. Like a magnet I was drawn to him and made my way to the bar. He turned in my direction and we locked eyes. It was so intense, and I didn't even try to fight the attraction I was feeling.

I was contemplating what type of drink to order when a velvety voice beside me ordered two glasses of Pinot Noir. "I don't mean to be presumptuous, but this is the most delicious wine." His long, sinewy fingers wrapped around the wine glass as he pushed it over to me.

"Thank you," I said, as I took a delicate sip. "I always appreciate something that tastes delicious." What the hell was going on with me? I was flirting.

"As do I." His gorgeous green eyes were locked on me, and I knew what he was insinuating. "I'm Edward." He reached his hand toward me and grabbed my own, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

"I'm Isabella." No one ever called me Isabella.

The man was hypnotizing from his looks to his smell. I couldn't help but lean into him as we began talking. He was absolutely mesmerizing. The fact that we were both wearing wedding rings made it so there were no expectations and no pressure. The conversation came easy; covering all sorts of general topics, even including early holiday memories. It was as if we both needed a break from talk of our marriages and children because neither one of us brought up those topics. I had no idea how long Edward and I were talking, but as I looked around I noticed the party was thinning out.

I needed to go to the restroom and as I stepped off the barstool the wine hit me full force. My legs felt like jelly and I swayed a little, only to be steadied by a pair of strong arms. With his hands bracing my arms, I felt so incredibly turned on. Flutters filled my stomach and I hadn't had those in years. I looked up at the gorgeous man and flashed him a seductive smile. I hadn't meant for the smile to speak what I was feeling, it just happened naturally.

He let me go so I could make my way to the restroom. When I was finished, I stared at myself in the mirror and felt so alive. My cheeks were flushed, and I was glowing. I had no idea who the hell I thought I was trying to be, but I liked her...a lot.

I walked out of the restroom and was fumbling in my purse thinking I should at least check my cell for any type of messages. I should have known better than to try and multi task in three inch heels after I'd been drinking. I stumbled just a bit and fell into a brick wall. Well, that's what it felt like. Instead, it ended up being Edward's muscular chest.

"Beautiful," was all he said to me.

I looked up at him with a want in my eyes and a need in my body. My hands were splayed across his chest, and I couldn't seem to drag them away. His hands moved on top of mine holding them in place. Insanely enough, our wedding rings were touching. Two circles of identical promises that we had both shared.

We were standing in the hallway where the restrooms were located, within plain sight of the ballroom. He sensed my unease and gently led me backward until I was flush against a secluded wall.

He placed his hands on either sides of the wall and leaned into me. "Isabella, you do things to me I didn't know were possible after all this time. I'm a grown man, yet you make me feel like a teenager. You turn my stomach into knots with every sound that comes from your mouth. When you laugh it's like music to my ears. Mistletoe be damned."

Edward attacked my mouth with passion. We continued kissing, our tongues tangled, until he moved to my neck and started peppering it with small nips and kisses. It was breathtaking. The man smelled amazing, and my body was screaming for more. I wrapped my hands in his untamed mess of hair and urged him on.

"Edward, we need to get out of here," I breathed. I really didn't want to be seen pressed up against a wall with this man. It would only lead to unnecessary stress.

"Here you go," he said as he handed me a key card. "Go on up and I'll meet you in a few minutes. I just have to call and check in at home first."

I looked at the key card and hesitated for only a split second, grabbing my phone and seeing that I had no missed calls. I took a deep breath and let my body control my mind for the first time in a long while. I was trusting my feelings, and they told me I needed to be with this man. I flashed him a smile and headed to the elevators.

My nervousness didn't set in until I entered the room. There was a beautiful king sized bed, and I saw a bottle of wine chilling next to it. I was going to have one hell of a headache in the morning, but sometimes it was worth it. I just wanted a little bit more to calm my nerves, but not enough to dull the butterflies that were consuming me from the inside out.

I poured two glasses and was taking my first sip when I heard a soft knock on the door. My heart was beating erratically as I moved to open it. Seeing Edward standing in front of me made my breath hitch. He smiled and took the wine glass from me. He swirled the wine in the glass and then took a long sip. He moved to the bottle and refilled the glass.

"Isabella, are you hot? You look a little flushed."

Before I could answer, he walked over to me and tilted the glass into my mouth. It was more than I could handle as dribbles of wine slowly dripped down my chin continuing to my cleavage. I sucked in a breath as the cold liquid ran over my body. I looked up into his desire filled eyes and knew I would do just about anything this man wanted me to.

He leaned forward and licked the wine from my chin, trailing his tongue down to my neck and then to my cleavage. His hands found their way to the underside of my breasts. He palmed them, pushing them up to give his mouth better access. He continued to nuzzle my chest and then brought his mouth up to mine, devouring my lips in a lustful kiss. He tasted of wine, and I was suddenly very thirsty.

We continued to kiss passionately, and I couldn't believe how much I was feeling. It felt good...really good. My body's sensors were alive and responding to this man like never before. The look in his eyes made me feel confident and beautiful.

I pushed at his chest, getting him to move away from me. The look on his face registered shock, as if he was afraid I'd changed my mind. The shock turned into a sly grin as I slowly undid the zipper on my dress. I was attempting to be as sexy as possible without losing my balance and falling.

I let my dress slide slowly down my body until I was standing in front of him with only my lacy bra and thong. I could've sworn I heard a growl as he moved toward me. He grabbed my hand and led me to the luxurious king sized bed. I purposely bent over in front of him, as I got up onto the bed and crawled closer to the headboard.

I felt movement on the mattress and knew that he was following my lead. Before I could turn over, he grabbed my hips stilling me in the position I was in on all fours. I didn't realize he was still holding the glass of wine until I felt the cool sprinkle on my arched back. I sucked in a breath as it pooled at my spine, and then took in another as I felt his tongue swirl around my back. He licked me from the base of my back and then up to my shoulders and neck, pausing only for a second until he moved back down. Goosebumps broke out over my skin, and I could feel the tingling buzz between my legs.

I could feel Edward's hardness pressed against my ass, and I desperately wished for him to be naked. He removed his tongue from my back only long enough to peel my thong off with his graceful hands. He pressed a kiss where my thong used to be, and then slowly moved his tongue downward exploring my entrances.

He licked from one end to the other and it felt incredible. His mouth was like magic, and I wanted more. As if he could read my mind, he pushed one finger inside of me, pumping it in and out.

Edward added a finger and continued to move them inside of me. I was so ready to explode all over, yet I wanted to touch him. He removed his fingers, and I was sure he was ready for me to reciprocate. I was wrong, because a split second later I felt the pressure of his cock as it pushed at my opening.

"Is this okay, Isabella? Do you want to feel me inside of you? I've been thinking about it since I first laid eyes on you tonight."

"Oh God, yes!" I moaned.

He grabbed onto my hips and pushed himself into my wet and ready pussy filling me up with satisfaction. He hesitated a moment before moving, and I couldn't help but revel at how amazing he felt. All at once he started to move his hips in a steady motion, and all I could hear were the sounds of our bodies slapping together.

As much as I liked the way he was making me feel, I longed for more intimacy. I wanted to see his face when he came, and I wanted him to know exactly what he was doing to me. "Edward, stop."

"Fuck. I'm sorry I was hurting you. Was I hurting you?"

"Edward, I just want to see you."

I couldn't believe he was so worried he had hurt me. He pulled himself out of me and rolled onto his back. I made sure he was looking at me as I unhooked my bra and slid it off my arms. He moaned, and I was happy he liked what he saw.

I moved to him and placed my nipple at his mouth. I could see a smirk on his face as he began to nip and suck on it. I pulled it free and started trailing kisses down his chest and stomach. The man had a great build. He was toned, but not overly muscular, and didn't have a ton of body hair. He was perfect in my eyes, especially when I looked at his hard and ready penis. I reached down and grabbed it with my hand, squeezing it. I couldn't help myself and moved lower so that I could take it into my mouth. I wasn't the least bit concerned with where it had just been. In fact, I found it hot that the last place that it had been was deep inside of me.

I teasingly licked the head and then took him in as deep as I could. I cupped his balls with my free hand and applied a little pressure. He fisted my hair in a dominant way, which only turned me on more. I moved my mouth up and down, swirling my tongue all over his throbbing cock.

I couldn't take it anymore and needed him back where he belonged; inside of me. I released him from my mouth and made my way up the bed. He grabbed my hair and pulled my neck to him. "You're so fucking hot," he whispered in my ear. It sent chills up and down my spine.

I straddled him and lined him up at my entrance. I circled my hips, which elicited groans from him, and then quickly slammed down on his dick. "Um, you feel incredible."

I moved slowly at first and then increased the speed. He had his hands on my face and was staring into my eyes as we continued moving together. I felt like we were two pieces of a puzzle since we fit together perfectly.

My breathing was starting to increase, and I knew that it wouldn't be long until I came all over him. He must have sensed my urgency as he rolled us over in one swift movement. He braced his weight on one of his arms, and then rolled his hips sensually. He took one of my nipples into his mouth once again, and all that registered was that the man had skills when it came to sex.

He continued to thrust, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. The friction on my clit was driving me wild. I grabbed his hair and brought his lips up from my breasts to my mouth. I met his thrusts and finally let myself come undone. We were forehead to forehead looking into each other's eyes as I came. The speed of his movements increased, and I knew it was time for him as well. He moaned and lightly bit my bottom lip, and then let it go as he came with a fury. His body was emptying itself inside of me, and I was taking everything that he was giving me.

He moved off of me just enough so that I was comfortable, keeping his arms around me. I was sated and content and refused to let my mind drift to real life. I wasn't going to let anything ruin what had just happened. He cherished and treasured me, and I had never felt so wanted.

I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face.

I felt movement beside me and groggily looked up to see Edward in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt sitting on the bed. "Hey, beautiful. Did you sleep well?"

The night's activities came back to me and I could feel myself blush. "Oh shit, the kids."

"They're fine. Actually, they're great. Corie promised to take them out to lunch. We can meet them if you want, but we do have a little time to kill."

My husband, Edward was looking at me with his signature sly smile, and I was never so grateful for the Christmas party. We had totally reconnected, and though things sometimes got lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life, I knew that as long as we still had love, we'd be okay.