Pulling Some Stories...

Greetings! It's been quite some time, and I sincerely apologize. Real life is kicking my ass in about ten different directions as of late, so my time online to do anything other than write and stalk my girls on Facebook has been scarce.

This is just a bit of an announcement/heads up -- I am going to be pulling two of my fics tomorrow. Endless Night and I Will Remember You are coming down. I haven't updated either fic in over six months, and at this point in time I'm not sure if they'll complete. I feel bad leaving them up, because I don't like to "tease" readers so to speak, and I don't want to get any new readers going and then have them be disappointed to find out the story is just not going to continue.

Real life is ultra busy, and I've just began to work on a very large project involving my original fiction with one of my dear friends. It's a bigger project than I anticipated, and so I'm finding it necessary to devote more of my time to that and less of my time to fan fiction.

Hot Commodity will continue (it's about 3 chapters and 3 epilogues from being complete) and If You Only Knew will as well (I love that story far too much to not tell it). These other two were just easier for me to put up on the chopping block and axe at this point in time.

I'm going to keep the stories up here on my blog, and if I ever do complete an update for either, it'll be posted here. If you subscribe via email you'll find out when that happens. And, if by some chance I happen to drabble around and write and complete one, I'll surely post it again on FFN, TWCS, etc. But, for now they're both going on hiatus.

Thanks for understanding.

xo
- N.

p.s. - I love you all. So much. <3

A Couple of Updates

Some of you may have noticed that I pulled If You Only Knew from FFn and from TWCS. I did this because real life is kicking my ass like Mike Tyson and I just can't keep up with three stories at once. I only had two chapters of IYOK posted, so it was still in its newborn stages, and therefore I felt most comfortable yanking that story.

Fret not, it will be back as soon one of my other WIPs is completed. The story screams at me day in and day out, so there's no way I can't finish it. I need to do justice to Edward, and he's the primary voice I hear for IYOK. :)

My attention is going to be pretty much fully focused on Hot Commodity until it's done. Of all my works, that one is the one that calls to me the loudest, and I'm so excited to continue to share it with everyone and continue on this journey. A new lemony outtake - Harder, Faster, Stronger - was posted last night on the Insider Trading thread. It's my personal thank you to everyone who voted for the fic in the Sunflower Awards. The next chapter should be up tomorrow night or Saturday morning. *fingers crossed*

Endless Night is going on the back burner for the time being. I have a few different reasons for this, the biggest one being I went back and re-read everything that is posted so far, and I'm unhappy with some things, therefore I've lost the spark that was there when it comes to writing it. Another reason is because I'd like to get Hot Commodity completed, which requires me to pretty much put a cease and desist on the rest of my major writing projects. I will still update EN, it will just probably be one chapter every two months. I apologize sincerely to anyone who was following the story regularly - It's never been my intention to hold it back from you, I just honestly haven't been feeling the groove for that piece for a while and I have to do what I have to do in order to keep a decent balance for myself. :)

In other news, my darling beta/amazing friend Chloe Masen has a new drabble up - When You Close Your Eyes. I am encouraging all of you to go and read it, because it's a wonderful little story. There's angst -- you've been warned. I think you'll like it just as much as I do when you read it. :)

Another thing I wanted to share - My friend Steph (@byrd009) and myself have organized a multi-fandom compilation, Fandoms 4 Special Olympics. Basically if you send us a receipt showing you made a donation to the Special Olympics or to a Polar Plunge team, you can get a copy of the compilation. You can check out the website for the compilation or follow it on Twitter - @fandoms4SO - for information on where to donate, where to submit receipts, and on how to sign up to contribute to the compilation. The compilation is coming out June 15, 2012. This cause is very special and dear to me, so I'm incredibly happy to be spear heading the project!

In honor of Chloe (and just because I love you all), I leave you with a little Thursday afternoon jaw porn...

xoxo-
- N.

Endless Night, Chapter 11: Complications TEASER

Good evening all! :)

Chapter 11: Complications, of Endless Night is now posted on ffn & TWCS. Head on over and check it out!

Here's a little preview of what you can expect...

"Hey Jake! How are you?" I answered brightly. Edward appeared in the doorway with a frown of disapproval on his face. I kissed his cheek and waved him back to the living room, closing the door behind him. 

"Bell! I know I was a jerk on New Years, but two months is an awful long time to go without speaking to each other." I could tell Jacob was joking by the tone of his voice, but I felt bad nonetheless. 

"I'm sorry, Jacob. I've been meaning to call you but I just got so busy with class and everything here in Seattle." It was a lame excuse but I didn't know what else to say. 

Jacob snorted. "Busy with your new boyfriend, you mean?" I scowled. He knew me too well. "It's alright Bell, I understand. I just started seeing someone myself. That's actually why I was calling." 

I chewed nervously on my lip. "Who's the lucky lady?" 

Jacob hesitated before answering. "Tanya Denali." 

My head shot up and I dropped my hairbrush. "Tanya Denali? When did this happen?" 

"She came to see me in Forks last week and things sort of kicked off from there." 

I had no idea what to say. Edward inched the door open and poked his head around the corner. I held my index finger up, signaling that I needed an extra minute of alone time. 

"Don't you have anything to say, Bella? No 'I'm happy for you' or 'That's awesome, Jake'?" He sounded irritated. 

I took a deep breath, unsure of how to respond. "Of course I'm happy for you, Jacob. I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all." 

"What makes you think Tanya wants to hurt me?" The irritation was still there, but skepticism now laced it. 

"I never said she wanted to hurt you, I just…" You're meddling, Bella. Stop. Now. "Just forget I said anything. I'm really glad that you two hit it off! You both deserve happiness." 

"Thanks, Bell! I wanted you to find out from me instead of through the grapevine, ya know?"

There is a bit of drama ahead for our favorite half-vamp and his clan. Buckle up your belts, ladies (and maybe even a few gents?), cause this roller coaster is about to depart from the platform. ;)

Reviews = love, so don't hesitate to leave some!

Those of you who are waiting for a Hot Commodity update can let out a sigh of relief -- Chapter 10 is coming tomorrow (assuming chaos doesn't erupt and a disaster of epic proportions doesn't take place between now and then)! ;)

Goodnight folks!
xoxo

Things are getting a bit messy....

Good Evening! :)

First of all, I'd like to take this time to thank the lovely, talented, and all-around amazing RoseArcadia for making a blinkie for Hot Commodity! I've been a big fan of her graphics work for quite some time, and having her do this is kinda sorta a pretty big deal to me. Thank you again hun -- you rock! :) xoxo

School has started back up again, and even though it's just an online class, it's chewing my time up. SO --- I have a bit of an announcement to make (which might be sad for some): I am going to put If You Only Knew on hold for the time being and resume writing when I have completed Endless Night or HC. I feel kinda like a cock tease with this one, cause I posted two chapters and even though it's gotten a low number of reviews, it's still getting a good response and I don't want to ruin that for readers. I promise I will try to update it when I have the opportunity, but at the moment, EN & HC are my two top priorities, with HC kinda outweighing all else because it's the freshest in my mind and the characters tend to "speak" to me more than the ones from the other stories, at least at the moment.

Please don't give up on me! I'm so uber passionate about all of these stories and I promise I won't leave a single one unfinished. Updates might slow down a wee bit for a few weeks, but they are coming! My other reason for being a bit slow to update on the fanfic front...

I'm participating in the Romance Series Original Story Contest over at the Writer's Coffee Shop. The story I've entered is my very first original fiction piece I ever started, Love Across America, and it holds a pretty special place in my heart. As of now the prologue is all that's posted, but the contest goes through February 28, and the first chapter is almost completed and ready to go off to my lovely beta. I'm pretty sure you have to be a TWCS member to check it out, because it is rated NC-17 and all that jazz, but if you happen to frequent that site, check it out, leave me some reviews, and pretty please think about maybe possibly perhaps voting for me when it starts on March 1? :)

Thanks to everyone that takes the time to read my stories - and check out my blog here! And thanks for coming back even when I take forever to update! I appreciate all those who have stuck by me with these stories! I hope you'll still be here when they end!

My birthday is tomorrow - hoorah! - and then I'll be taking off for a weekend in Chicago with two of my besties on Thursday, so you can probably expect a little fanfic and Twitter hiatus then. Don't worry, I'll be back ... :) 

xoxo
- N.

Endless Night: Chapter 12 - Suspicions

Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

Chapter 12 – Suspicions

Tanya's POV

It only took a week before Jacob called and asked me to come back up to Forks to talk. Honestly, I was surprised it took that long. I figured he'd crack a day or two after our fight.

I pulled my car into the driveway of his house. Compared to some families on the reservation, the Blacks were fairly well off. Billy owned his own business, making custom-designed log cabin houses for people throughout the western half of Washington.

I didn't notice the Jetta parked on the street until I was getting out of the car. No fucking way. He couldn't be that dumb.

It turned out he was.

"Hey!" Jake held the screen door open. "I was starting to wonder if you weren't coming after all."

"Had I known you had company I might have reconsidered," I said, crossing my arms over my chest protectively. "What is she doing here?"

Jake looked over his shoulder and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Her and Edward are in town for the weekend and she stopped by to catch up. I wasn't expecting her."

"Make her leave," I hissed through my teeth.

"Jake…" Bella's voice drifted off when she came around the corner and saw me standing in the doorway. "Oh, hi Tanya. Jake didn't tell me you were coming over."

"Likewise."

"Um, I think I'm going to go." Bella shoved her hands in her pockets and turned to look at Jake. "I'll be back in three weeks for spring break. Maybe I'll see you then?"

Spring break…

"Yeah, maybe!" Jake gave her an awkward one-armed hug and moved aside so she could get through.

"You're not going to Europe with the Cullens?"

My question took her by surprise. "No, I decided not to."

"You're passing up a week in Europe with Edward to come and sit around Forks?" I did nothing to hide the shock in my voice.

"Tanya, I don't really think that's any of our business."

I glared at Jake. "I suppose you're right." I turned to face Bella once again. She looked down at her shoes and shifted nervously. "I guess Edward stopped being my business when he started seeing you behind my back."

"Tanya!" Jake put his arm around Bella's shoulders and steered her out the door, whispering goodbye before she jogged across the lawn to where her car was parked. He whirled around to look at me with anger flashing in his eyes. "What the hell was that?"

"The truth." I made my way to the living room and sat in Billy's favorite recliner.

"Yeah, well maybe next time you could try and be a little more tactful in your delivery." He sat on the loveseat across from me and ran a hand through his freshly cut hair.

"I'm sorry, Jake, that I don't want to be tactful to the woman who stole my boyfriend," I spit out sarcastically.

"Look, I didn't invite you here so we could argue." Jake met my eyes and his expression softened. "I really like you, Tanya. I want to get to know you better, I want to keep spending time with you…"

"But?"

"But I don't want to have to cut Bella out of my life completely to do that." He stood up and crossed the room, coming to a stop in front of the large bay window that overlooked the backyard.

"Well, you're in luck then." I stood and joined him at the window. "I've done some thinking since last week, and you were right – we've only known each other for a few weeks and I'm in no position to tell you who you can and can't be friends with."

He turned and looked at me. "You're not just saying that to make me happy, are you?"

"Nope." I shook my head and rested my hands against the windowsill. "If you want to be friends with Bella, that's your choice. I just don't want to be around her or Edward – at least not anytime soon."

"Wow." Jake wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me against him. "That was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be."

I angled my body toward him and laid my palm on his chest. "I didn't come here to fight, either," I purred. Jake tucked his thumb beneath my chin and tilted my face upward, planting a soft kiss on my lips.

"Can I take you out to dinner or do you have to be somewhere?" He wrapped both arms around my waist and pulled me close to him.

"I think dinner is doable." I almost cringed at how thick I was laying on the sugar coating. I was fairly certain any normal girl would feel at least somewhat guilty about using Jacob like I was. Of course, I wasn't normal and I didn't plan on sticking around to face the fallout my actions would create.

"Do you mind if we just go to the diner?" My expression fell and he continued quickly. "There's a bonfire down on the beach later and I was hoping we could go there after."

I thought for a moment. "Did you invite Bella?"

"Nope," he said, shaking his head. "Honestly, she wasn't here for very long before you came. I didn't even mention it to her."

"Good." I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. Jake ran his fingers through my hair and rested his chin against the top of my head, sighing in contentment.

Three weeks…

In three weeks the Cullens would head off to Europe, leaving Bella here … alone. Which meant I, too, needed to be in Forks.

Suddenly everything clicked in my head. I resisted the urge to laugh out loud. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of this sooner!

It seemed so simple, yet it was so complex. It wouldn't be easy, but it wouldn't be impossible, either. 

With Edward's family out of the country, I'd have open access to Bella, at any time and any place of my choosing.

This couldn't have worked out more perfectly.

I had three weeks to get my shit together.

Then, I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Edward's POV

Forks was dead, as always.

I'd left immediately after class on Wednesday afternoon. Bella was under the impression that I had 

gone to visit my parents, which wasn't entirely untrue. I stayed with Carlisle and Esme every time I came home, but between their work schedules and my miniature investigations, I'd barely spent any time with them.

I was bound and determined to prove both Alice and Rose wrong about Tanya. Regardless of what anyone else thought, I was positive there was something sinister going on in that twisted mind of hers, and I wanted – needed – to figure out what it was before there was a whole country and an ocean separating Bella and I.

Alice tried repeatedly to convince Bella to come with us, but she just wouldn't budge in her decision. 

I understood where she was coming from, wanting to spend time with Charlie and all, but I wished she would just let my family spoil her this one time and ease my fears. It was a selfish of me, but I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy a minute of my week long vacation because I'd be worried about her the entire time.

I stretched my legs out as far as the Audi would allow and craned my neck so I could see the back of the Black house. Tanya had shown up an hour ago, followed by Seth, Rachel, and Maria. The lights were on in the basement, but other than that, there were no signs of activity or movement in the place.

I sighed in frustration and turned the car on. I was on the way back to the house when my phone started to ring.

"Hey, baby."

"How is Forks?" I immediately felt bad when I heard Bella's voice. I needed to get back to Seattle, but I'd become a man obsessed.

"Eh, it's about as exciting as it always is. How was class?"

"I'm fairly certain I failed my math midterm."

"Even after the all-nighter you and Alice pulled?"

Bella laughed. "It was probably the all-nighter that killed it for me. If I recall correctly, we spent more time at Hopps than we did at the library."

I shook my head and chuckled, pulling the car to a stop at the top of the gravel driveway. "Remind me to let Alice know what I think about her studying methods when I get back tomorrow."

"I'm going to be too busy reminding you of why you should never leave me alone in Seattle again," she murmured in a sexy voice. I climbed out of the car and adjusted my now-hard cock.

"I love having a girlfriend who dishes out the best kind of torture."

"If you're not careful I just might show up in Forks and inflict my torture on you in your parents' house."

My dick twitched against my thigh. "Don't make threats you can't keep, sweetheart."

"Who says I won't keep it?" Her voice was laced with a deliciously perfect combination of sarcasm and lust.

"I'll believe it when I see it." I jogged up the porch steps and went to open the door, but Esme beat me to the punch.

"Then I better let you go so I can get on the road. I'd hate to leave you in a state of disbelief."

I smirked. I knew Bella well enough to know she wouldn't make the trip to Forks if it were just for one night. "You get brownie points if you sneak through my bedroom window."

"I love you, Cullen."

"I love you too."

Esme was leaning against the banister with a big smile on her face. "I don't think I've ever seen you so happy, Edward."

"I don't think you have, either." I kicked off my shoes and headed up to my dad's study. I found him with his nose in a book and a glass of red wine on his desk, just as I expected.

"Heard anything new?"

Carlisle looked up at me and shook his head. "Nothing at all. Maybe it's time to give this a rest, 

Edward."

I slumped down in one of his oversized leather armchairs and fisted my hair. "You sound like Alice and Rose."

"I'm not trying to minimize your worries, but we've been looking into this new arrangement for weeks and we have yet to find anything." Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned back in his chair. "I think that you should try to enjoy your time with Bella, and if anything out of the ordinary comes up, we'll look into it."

"But-" Carlisle held his hand up and cut me off.

"No buts, Edward. I'm officially forbidding you from coming back to Forks without Bella before we fly out."

"Fine. I get it." I rose from my chair and stalked angrily to my own room, where I flopped down on my bed and slung my arm over my eyes.

At the end of the day, I couldn't blame Carlisle for insisting I stay in Seattle. I knew he and Esme were both concerned about Tanya, but at the same time neither of them liked the fact that I hid my whereabouts whenever I traveled back home. I didn't like keeping secrets from Bella any more than my family liked keeping them for me. I had every intention of telling her about all of my traveling, but not until after I knew she was safe.

I slid my phone out of my pocket and sent off texts to Alice and Emmett before cozying up on my side and closing my eyes.

I didn't realize I'd dozed off until I heard a loud tap-tap-tapping on my window. I jumped out of bed, crossed the room, and pulled the drapes back. I was greeted by a familiar set of brown eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" I pushed the window up and stood aside so Bella could climb through.

"Thanks for leaving it unlatched!" She closed the window and pressed her small frame against me. "I told you I wouldn't leave you in a state of disbelief."

"I thought you were joking." I pushed my nose into her hair and inhaled the familiar, sweet scent. All my worries about Tanya seemed to fade now that Bella was there.

"So did I, but I missed you." Bella backed up a few steps and brushed the snowflakes off her coat.

Her pretty, pink, mid-thigh length pea coat, which at the moment was all she appeared to have on aside from a pair of suede Uggz boots.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

She smirked and stepped out of her boots. She sauntered slowly towards me, much like a hunter would stalk its prey. "Kill you? No. Torture you? Yes."

I licked my lips and backed up, falling onto the bed. "This is far too enjoyable to be torture."

Bella laughed wickedly and popped open each of the buttons on her coat. She shrugged her shoulders and let the thick fabric fall to the floor. I was greeted by the sight of my incredibly beautiful girlfriend wearing nothing but a pair of pink satin panties.

I sat up and reached for her, but she backed away and shook her finger at me. "Ah, ah, ah. You. 

Can't. Touch."

I bit my lip and resisted the urge to grin like a fucking idiot. Bella took two steps forward and placed her palms flat against my chest, pushing me onto the bed and dropping to her knees in front of me.

As she unzipped my jeans, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd been picked up and transported to heaven.

Because if this was what heaven was like, then I was incredibly disappointed that I'd never have a chance to get there.

Bella's POV

It had been two weeks since I saw Tanya at Jacob's house, and I still couldn't get the sinister look she gave me off my mind.

When Alice invited me to go accompany her on a pre-Europe shopping trip, my stomach twisted in knots and an icy feeling of dread chilled my veins. The Cullens didn't seem to think I had anything to be concerned about when it came to Edward's ex. According to Rose and Alice, Tanya was handling the situation incredibly well, given her temperament and history. Even Esme called to reassure me she'd spoken to the Denali's and Tanya would be spending the break in Alaska with Jake.

I couldn't tell whether Edward was on or off what I'd come to refer to as the "Tanya is harmless" bandwagon. If his behavior meant anything, I guessed he was probably off, or at least teetering to that side. He started acting different shortly after Jacob called to tell me he and Tanya were a couple. 

I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly how he'd changed, but Edward seemed more alert to our surroundings, and contrary to what he thought, his frequent trips to Forks hadn't gone unnoticed.

This was where my mind was when Alice and I set out on what was sure to be one of the longer shopping trips we went on.

"I still can't believe you declined to go on this trip!" Alice had been pestering me about going to Europe ever since I gave Esme my final answer.

"Well you better start believing it, because come March 17 your family will be in the air on the way to Italy while I am in my car on the way to Forks."

Alice pouted. "Really, Bella, that's so lame! Unless Johnny Depp is going to be staying at the local bed and breakfast that week, I can't think of a single reason why staying in Forks would be more appealing than exploring a country you've never been to before."

I sighed. "I'm not letting your parents foot the bill for me to jet set around the globe." We'd had this argument about ten times over the course of the last two weeks.

"You're letting Edward take you to Paris," she pointed out. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, leaning my head back against the seat.

"That's completely different, Alice. Edward arranged that trip as a gift."

"So? Just think of Italy as a belated birthday present from my parents then."

I shook my head. "I don't operate that way, Alice. I wasn't raised to take hand-outs, even when they're backed with the best of intentions." I looked out the window. There was no need for me to feel embarrassment, but I did anyway. "I can't afford to go to Italy, therefore I'm not going to Italy. End of discussion."

"Fine, fine, fine, I get it." Alice turned into a parking ramp and found a spot. A minute later I was hustling to keep up with her

"What are we shopping for exactly?" I probably should have asked that question before agreeing to come with.

Alice rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Everything and anything! You can't possibly think I would step on the plane in an old wardrobe!"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and laughed instead. "You're right, Alice. I mean, all of Italy will probably be lined up at the Rome airport just to see what you're wearing."

"Fuck you, Valley Girl!" Alice joked, swatting my butt with her designer clutch. I stuck my tongue out and blew a raspberry kiss at her and skipped ahead to the escalator.

By the time we made it to the fifth store I was completely exhausted.

"My feet are sore," I whined, sitting on the edge of a t-shirt display at Gap.

"Wah, wah, wah." Alice flitted around the store, grabbing anything and everything that looked like it might fit her tiny frame. She stopped and tossed a handful of hangers in my lap and pointed at the fitting rooms. "Try those on. Forks needs at least one fashion forward person there while I'm gone."

"You're joking, right?"

She placed one hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Stupid bossy shopping addict.

"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Alice asked me when we were back at the car trying to fit our purchases into the trunk.

"I don't know, Ali, I'm not the one who maxed out my credit card."

"Oh, please, Bella, it would take a lot more than one shopping trip to max out anything in my wallet." Alice winked and tossed me the keys. "You're better at this winter driving shit than me."

"Just think, four months ago you were practically tearing the keys away from me." I smiled wistfully while I directed us toward the highway.

"Just think, eight months ago you didn't even know I existed."

"Thank God it's not eight months ago."

Alice cranked up the radio and we drove back to campus singing along to the songs at the top of our lungs like crazy people. We found Edward and Jasper waiting for us when we arrived at the dorm.

"Jesus Alice, what the hell did you buy?" I thought Edward's eyes were going to bulge out of his head when he opened the trunk.

"Just a few things for Europe," Alice answered, smiling sweetly. Edward and Jasper exchanged a look before grabbing all the packages and following us up to our dorm.

"How many of these bags are yours?" Edward asked me.

I thought for a moment. "Three."

"That is why I love this woman."

Jasper shook his head and smirked. "Keep telling yourself that, Cullen. We all know she has hidden talents."

"Edward!" I swatted his arm and covered my face while my cheeks turned five shades of scarlet.

"Oh, please Bella. Don't even try and tell me the two of you don't have 'girl talk' or whatever it is that you call it," Jasper said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of course we have girl talk, but we don't go advertising it in front of the two of you!" Alice swatted the back of his head with her hand and rolled her eyes. "I swear men can be so dense sometimes."

"And with that I'm taking my girlfriend out for dinner." Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door.

"Not without us!" Alice shouted. "I promise Jasper will be on his best behavior."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," her boyfriend muttered. I couldn't help but smile.

My smile disappeared, however, when Edward opened the door and we found Tanya standing there.

"Hi!" Tanya smiled brightly. Too brightly. "I guess I came at a bad time."

Alice snaked her way to the front of the group and pulled Tanya aside. "We were just heading out for dinner. What's up?"

"Charlie was over at the Black's house last night for dinner and he gave me this for Bella." Tanya fixed her eyes on me and held out a stack of envelopes.

"You had dinner with Charlie?" I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my jaw from dropping open.

"He's been over at Billy's every Thursday night for the past month. I thought you knew that." The tone in her voice sent shivers down my spine.

I reached out and grabbed the mail from her. "No, I guess I didn't."

"He's a nice man, Bella. A little lonely, but that would change if he got out more." Tanya glanced at her watch and hitched her purse up higher on her shoulder. "I should be going. Bella, you really should think about visiting Charlie more often. He misses you."

"As much as I'm sure you think it's appreciated, I don't recall Bella asking for your opinion." Edward stepped forward and wrapped his arm around my waist protectively.

"Relax, Edward. I was just making an observation." Tanya glanced at her watch again and started down the hall. "Enjoy your night out!"

I sifted through the stack of mail. There were two letters from Renee, a postcard from Mike, something that looked like an invitation from Jessica, and a couple of different clothing catalogs. I couldn't figure out why anyone would mail something to Forks when they had my school address, but Edward didn't give me much time to contemplate it.

"C'mon, let's go to dinner." He eased the items out of my hand and set them on the edge of my bed. I nodded and snuggled against him, slipping my hand into his back pocket.

As hard as Edward tried to relax me, there were two questions that wouldn't leave my mind on our way to the restaurant:

Why was Tanya dating Jake, of all people?

And what the hell was she doing spending time with my father?

Endless Night: Chapter 11 - Complications

Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

Chapter 11 – COMPLICATIONS

Bella's POV

I didn't want to wake up. No, scratch that, I was already awake. I didn't want to get up. Because getting up meant leaving the cocoon Edward and I were nestled in, and I wasn't ready to do that quite yet.

Edward kissed the top of my head and I sighed in contentment. I wound my body around his tighter and buried my face against his bare chest.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he whispered in my ear. His breath tickled and I giggled. I felt him smile against me as he peppered my jaw with chaste kisses. I tilted my face up so his mouth met mine in a slow, delicious kiss. When he parted his lips, I dipped my tongue inside, letting it do an exquisite dance with his.

"I love you," he murmured against my lips. I smiled and laced my fingers behind his neck.

"I love you too."

Edward shifted and pulled my leg up over his. Warm, golden eyes met love-filled chocolate ones as he eased himself slowly inside me. I moaned in surprise and satisfaction. He withdrew and pushed back in, establishing a rhythm that was slow and sensual. It didn't take long for either of us to find our release. He was still buried inside me as he rested his head against my chest and closed his eyes. I ran my fingers through his hair lazily, wondering if we could figure out a way to stay here in the Four Seasons forever.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked, tracing the outline of my belly button with his finger. I giggled.

"I have no idea. My mind can't think about anything outside of this room right now."

Edward eased out of me and propped himself up on one elbow. "Perhaps we could start with breakfast." He took my hand and kissed the top of it. "Then we could take a shower." He kissed the inside of my wrist. "Then we could go for a drive out to the coast or to a movie or to a museum … anything you want to do, Bella, just name it."

"Mmm … don't we have class tonight?" I sat up, holding the sheet against my chest to cover my naked breasts.

"We can miss one day." Edward smirked and tugged innocently at the sheet. I held it to myself tightly, enjoying the rare opportunity to tease him.

"I'm going to shower," I said, standing up and wrapping the sheet around myself. I sauntered backwards toward the bathroom, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively at my boyfriend the entire time. "I'd hate for you to make me go in there all by myself."

Edward crouched into a predatory stance and crawled to the edge of the bed. His eyes flashed with excitement as he flung himself up and threw his arms around me. I squealed like a kid and struggled to get out of his grip, but there was no winning when your opponent was part vampire.

We showered, which took longer than it should have because Edward couldn't keep his hands to himself, and then he ordered me room service while I busied myself with getting ready.

I had just finished dealing with my hair when my cell phone rang.

Jacob Black mobile flashed across the screen along with the goofy photo I'd set in his contact 

profile. I smiled. Jacob and I hadn't talked since I started dating Edward, and even though we'd never be intimate again, I missed his friendship.

"Hey Jake! How are you?" I answered brightly. Edward appeared in the doorway with a frown of disapproval on his face. I kissed his cheek and waved him back to the living room, closing the door behind him.

"Bell! I know I was a jerk on New Years, but two months is an awful long time to go without speaking to each other." I could tell Jacob was joking by the tone of his voice, but I felt bad nonetheless.

"I'm sorry, Jacob. I've been meaning to call you but I just got so busy with class and everything here in Seattle." It was a lame excuse but I didn't know what else to say.

Jacob snorted. "Busy with your new boyfriend, you mean?" I scowled. He knew me too well. "It's alright Bell, I understand. I just started seeing someone myself. That's actually why I was calling."

I chewed nervously on my lip. "Who's the lucky lady?"

Jacob hesitated before answering. "Tanya Denali."

My head shot up and I dropped my hairbrush. "Tanya Denali? When did this happen?"

"She came to see me in Forks last week and things sort of kicked off from there."

I had no idea what to say. Edward inched the door open and poked his head around the corner. I held my index finger up, signaling that I needed an extra minute of alone time.

"Don't you have anything to say, Bella? No 'I'm happy for you' or 'That's awesome, Jake'?" He sounded irritated.

I took a deep breath, unsure of how to respond. "Of course I'm happy for you, Jacob. I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all."

"What makes you think Tanya wants to hurt me?" The irritation was still there, but skepticism now laced it.

"I never said she wanted to hurt you, I just…" You're meddling, Bella. Stop. Now. "Just forget I said anything. I'm really glad that you two hit it off! You both deserve happiness."

"Thanks, Bell! I wanted you to find out from me instead of through the grapevine, ya know?"

I nodded, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "I'm glad you told me." The door opened and 

Edward entered the room, wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling his face into my neck. 

"Uh, Jake, I need to go. Good luck with Tanya! Make sure you keep me updated on how things are going."

"Right, yesterday was Valentine's Day, I should have realized you'd be with him. I'll keep you posted, Bell. And thanks for being supportive."

We said our goodbyes and I hung up.

"What's going on?" Edward's eyes were on me.

"That was Jake. I guess he and Tanya are an item now." Edward's eyes widened, and he took a few steps backwards and sank down onto the edge of the bed.

"Wow," was all he could say. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and squeezed his eyes shut. 

"Jacob Black, of all people…"

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with Jake," I said in my friend's defense. Edward looked up at me and smirked.

"I know, I know – aside from that New Years Eve display, that is." He scratched his chin and fixed his eyes on the wall behind my head. "I can't figure out what Tanya would want with him though. 

She's known him for just as long as I have, and she never expressed any fondness toward him. I usually had to twist her arm to get her to spend any time with the guys from the tribe."

"Perhaps this is just fate working in mysterious ways," I suggested. Edward shrugged and stood up. 

He took a few steps towards me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

"Perhaps."

I finished getting ready while Edward rang up the bellhop to take our stuff downstairs. The car was loaded and waiting for us in the valet area after we checked out. Edward stayed quiet during our drive back to campus, and I could tell by looking at him that something was bothering him.

"What's wrong?" I reached my hand out and rested it on his thigh. Edward looked over at me and gave me a tight smile.

"I'm just thinking about some things, that's all." He took one hand off the steering wheel and covered mine with it. I sighed and leaned back in my seat, knowing he wasn't ready to spill his thoughts to 

me.

"This is one of those moments when I really wish I knew what you were thinking," I murmured. 

Edward chuckled and squeezed my hand.

"No, you don't, my sweet Bella." He stopped the car and looked over at me. "Why don't you take your stuff inside and I'll come back in an hour or so to get you?"

"Where are you going?"

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked out the driver's side window. "I need to drop my stuff off at the dorm and make a quick phone call."

"Edward … if this is about Jacob and Tanya…" my voice trailed off.

"It's not about them, I promise." He turned and kissed my cheek. "If Jacob and Tanya are happy together, more power to them." Edward came around and opened my door for me. He grabbed my bag from the trunk and set it down on the curb. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him to me, inhaling his scent and resting my cheek against his chest.

"I don't want you to go." I almost laughed out loud at how pathetic I sounded. Never in nineteen years did I imagine I'd turn into one of those girls – the clingy ones who don't want to let their boyfriend out of their sight. You're not like that, I chided myself. You're just crazy in love.

He chuckled. "I won't be gone long, love. I'll be back before you know it." He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. I slid my fingers through his hair and sighed.

"I'm timing you," I joked, grabbing my bag and heading for the door.

"Bella?" I turned around and couldn't help but smile. He was standing on the driver's side of the car with his arms and chin resting on the roof. His mouth was turned upward in a crooked grin.

"Yes?" I resisted the urge to drop my bag and catapult myself into his arms.

"I love you."

My insides immediately turned to mush. "I love you too, Edward."

There would never be a day when I didn't.

---

Edward's POV

I hated lying to Bella.

I hated the way it felt when I looked in her eyes and reassured her my call had nothing to do with 

Jacob Black or Tanya Denali. In reality, it had everything to do with them.

"Are you calling to give me all the details of your post-dinner Valentine's Day activities?" Emmett joked.

"Who the fuck answers their phone like that?"

"I do," Emmett said. "What's got you so riled up?"

"Are you and Rose at home? A situation came up and I need to talk to you guys, but I only have an hour before I have to meet Bella." I crossed my fingers that they were in the apartment, because I was already headed in that direction.

"Sure, we're here. What's going on, Edward? You sound stressed."

"I'll explain everything when I get there." I clicked the phone off without saying goodbye. I was probably overreacting. I mean, all Jake told Bella was that he and Tanya were dating. That wasn't so terrible, was it? For all I know, Tanya had a thing for him the entire time we were together, or vice versa.

It was never that simple, though, especially not when it came to Tanya. I hadn't heard from or seen her since the day I ended things with her, and while that alone wasn't enough to make me worry, the fact that she had started spending time in Forks with someone close to Bella was.

I parked my car and jogged up the stairs to the apartment. Rose flung the door open just as I was about to knock.

"What's going on?" she asked, standing aside so I could enter. She closed the door behind me and joined Emmett and I in the living room.

"Tanya is dating Jacob." I tried to keep my voice calm.

"Jacob who?" Emmett could be so dense sometimes.

"Jacob fucking Black! What other Jacob do we know?" I could feel my patience thinning already.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa – slow down." Rose held her hands up and perched herself on the arm of the couch. "Tanya – as in your ex-girlfriend Tanya – is dating Jacob Black? From the tribe?" I nodded, dropping my head into my hands and fisting my hair. Emmett let out a long breath and Rose crossed her arms over her chest.

"He called Bella this morning while we were still at the hotel." I stood up and started pacing back and forth across the room. "He made it sound like it was nothing, but I think all of us are smart enough to know things don't work that way with Tanya."

"What would Jake see in her?" Emmett wondered aloud. "There's at least a dozen hot chicks in the tribe. He could have had any one of them I'm sure." Rosalie smacked Emmett's arm, causing him to jump.

"Don't slap him on my account. I was thinking the same thing," I admitted. "Jake isn't a bad looking guy, and I know for a fact that Leah has had the hots for him since before we moved to town. She's gorgeous and comes from a good family – Billy loves them! Why would Jacob pass that up for my sloppy seconds?"

Rosalie snorted out a laugh. "That's a valid point. Except I think sloppy is a compliment for her."

"You can say that again," Emmett muttered. "Black is a good distraction for her. He gets some, you and Bella can move forward without interruption, and we all see a lot less of her ugly mug. If you ask me, he's doing us all a favor."

Rosalie nodded in agreement. "Em's right. I mean she basically disappeared after the chat you two had last month. Don't you think she'd be around more if she was plotting something sinister?"

I had the urge to hit something or someone. "Of course not! She'd never do anything obvious!"

"Has she given you a legit reason to think she might try to sabotage what you and Bella have?" 

Emmett leaned forward and rested his chin against his hand.

The final sliver of patience I had left slipped away. "Does she need to give me one? I think we all know she's batshit crazy!" I threw my hands up in frustration. "Jesus Christ, WHY are you making me explain myself? I just told you my manipulative, borderline psychotic ex girlfriend is dating 

Bella's closest male friend and you both act like it's nothing! I'm calling Alice-" Rose reached out and covered my mouth with her hand.

"Edward, you need to calm down. Neither of us said this was 'nothing,' we're just trying to maintain some composure instead of jumping to conclusions and freaking the fuck out." Rose put her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "Bella is like a sister to me – I would do anything to help protect her and you know that – but did you ever stop to think that maybe Tanya is doing this just to get a rise out of you? You're less observant when you're stressed, and that's probably what she's looking for right now."

"Are you listening to yourself, Rose? You're telling me to step aside and let Tanya do what she pleases." The thought of anything happening to Bella made me sick to my stomach.

Rosalie narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "I said no such thing, Edward! Obviously we all need to be careful and watch out for her. I just don't think your over-the-top reaction will help matters any."

"Over-the-top? You think this is over-the-top?" I clenched and unclenched my fists furiously. I'd never been so angry. "Get out of my fucking way so I can call Alice!"

Emmett stood up and put himself between Rose and I, placing one hand on my chest and one hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, both of you! Is Tanya in Forks right now?"

I didn't want to calm down. "How should I know? I told you I haven't talked to her!"

"For God's sake, Edward, stop acting like a child!" Rose pushed Emmett's hand off and grabbed her coat from the hall closet. "I'll go to Forks and see what I can find out. Maybe Carlisle or Esme know something. Or Charlie."

I grabbed Rose's coat from her and slung it across the couch. "Don't bother. I'll go to Forks myself."

"I thought you said you had plans with Bella tonight?" Emmett shook his head in confusion.

I flung the apartment door open and spun around to face them. "I did have plans with Bella, but the last thing I want to do is inconvenience anyone with my 'shit'." I made air quotes with my fingers.

"You're not inconveniencing anyone, Edward…" Emmett's words trailed off when he saw the wild expression in my eyes.

"Just forget about it. I'll talk to you two later." I slammed the door and jogged back downstairs. As soon as I got in the car, I squeezed the steering wheel with my hands and rested my head against it. 

Maybe I really was being childish. Maybe Tanya and Jake's budding relationship was truly innocent in nature. Maybe I was overreacting and I'd end up looking like a fucking moron when the night was said and done.

Bella was my world, though – there was no maybe about that.

I started the car and sped towards the one-o-one.

I would do anything – go to any lengths – to protect my world.

---

Tanya's POV

I slipped my hand into Jacob's and sighed with false contentment.

His touch was nothing like Edward's.

He leaned over and whispered something in my ear. I gave him a flirty laugh in return, and the sparkle in his eye told me that was exactly the reaction he was hoping for.

His voice was nothing like Edward's.

When his mouth met mine, I melded my lips against his, moving with him as if we were one fluid being.

His kiss was nothing like Edward's. But it would have to do for now.

Jacob cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly. "I talked to Bella this morning."

My head snapped up and our eyes met. "You did what?"

"I talked to Bella," he repeated. "I called her to tell her that we're an item. It didn't feel right keeping something like that from her."

"Why would you do such a thing?" I struggled to control my anger. "It's not like the two of you were an item or anything. You don't owe her anything, not even an explanation."

"Maybe we weren't an 'item,' but she's one of my good friends." Jacob leaned away from me and frowned. "I didn't realize I needed to get your permission before doing something as simple as making a phone call."

"If it were any other friend, it wouldn't make a difference." I pouted and blinked several times. I was one hell of an actress when needed. "Really Jacob, she's dating the guy I spent the past four years of my life with. She took him away from me. Did you really think I'd feel comfortable having my new boyfriend getting all buddy-buddy with her?"

"Perhaps you should have considered that before you decided to make me your boyfriend." Jacob stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "You knew Bella and I were close before you even approached me about dating. It was foolish of you to believe I would throw away her friendship just because you waltzed through my door."

I felt my body stiffen with fury. I folded my hands in my lap, tucked my chin, and took a deep breath. If Jacob weren't so instrumental in my plan to get revenge on Bella, I'd have probably killed him. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to sink my teeth into his soft flesh and tear his throat out.

"I guess I didn't realize how strong of a connection you had with her." I stood up and ran my fingers down the side of his face. "I assumed I'd mean something more to you than she did."

"Jesus Tanya, I've been seeing you for a week and you're already acting like we've been together for months." Jacob stared at me for a moment before shaking his head and pointing towards the front door. "I can't deal with this shit right now. You need to leave."

"Jake, I'm sorry," I said, trying to hug him. He pushed my arm away and pointed towards the door again.

"I need to think about whether I'm can do this not." He trained his dark eyes on me. "I'm not sure if 

I'm willing to sacrifice my friendship with Bella for this." He gestured to the open space between us.

I grabbed my coat off the back of Billy's la-z-boy. "I don't want to drive you away, Jake. Please know that." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek softly. "I'll give you your space. Call me, 

ok?" He nodded and looked away from me.

I said a silent thank you to whatever higher power might exist as I made my way outside to my car. 

Everything was going according to plan, which felt relieving. I really didn't give a flying fuck if 

Jacob continued to talk to Bella or not. In fact, I wanted him to continue talking to her, because the closer he was to her, the more she'd confide in him, and chances were he'd end up sharing some of her secrets with me as well.

Even though I felt nothing for Jacob, his concern for Bella pissed me off. First Edward chose her and now Jacob indicated he would choose her too. I didn't know what it was that everyone saw in this chick, but I intended to find out.

Because once I found out, it meant that I could have my way with her.

And if she could handle what I had in store for her ... well, then maybe she deserved Edward - and 

Jacob - after all.

Endless Night: Chapter 10 - Love

Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

CHAPTER 10 - LOVE

Bella's POV

In the weeks following my birthday, life began to change.

Edward and I were virtually inseparable. In fact, all of the Cullen "kids" and I were. The six of us had classes together, spent the majority of our evenings at Emmett and Rose's apartment, and spent weekends in Forks with our families. I was already close to Alice, but I was also growing closer to 

Rose, and the more time I spent with her, the more I realized what a humble and caring person she was.

Since Christmas, Charlie had started spending a fair share of his free time with Carlisle, and he'd quickly found his own spot with the Cullens. For the first time in years I felt like I was part of a real family, and it made me smile to know that Charlie felt the same. I knew it was hard for him to adjust to, especially after being alone for so long when Renee left, but he and Carlisle had developed a solid friendship, and Charlie was starting to come out of his shell.

The night of my birthday served as an official confirmation that I was truly in love with Edward. 

After he gave me my "gift," we laid in bed talking for hours, before I finally fell asleep in his arms. I didn't have much experience in the dating arena, but in all the years leading up to my move to 

Washington, I'd never encountered a guy who had the effect on me that Edward did. From the very moment I met him I felt a deep connection to him. I had bared my soul to him on more than one occasion, and I trusted him with my life – literally. Even though we'd only been formally dating for a little over a month, I couldn't picture my life without him in it, couldn't imagine a day when I wouldn't get to look forward to being by his side.

Of course, the night of my birthday left me very satisfied as well, which in turn led to my longing for more of Edward's touch. He was so chaste with me most of the time, stealing kisses and engaging in occasional heavy petting when we were together. We'd rounded third base a few more times since that night, but he still hadn't let me give him any kind of pleasure and, to be honest, I was getting frustrated. I didn't expect him to want to go straight to bed with me when we'd only started dating, but everyone has needs and mine were growing more and more intense as the days went by. I had to resist the urge to jump on top of him and take him against his will every time I was around him.

Needless to say, when I found out that my oh-so-loving boyfriend was planning a big night on the town in Seattle for Valentine's Day, I was anxious as opposed to excited. I didn't doubt that I'd be able to make it through a night of wining and dining with him, but I wasn't sure if I could keep things PG rated when our evening came to a close.

"Where are you taking me on Monday?" I hated whining, but I was desperate, and this was my last resort when it came to getting information out of Edward.

The corners of his mouth pulled up in a smile and he shook his head, fixing his gaze on me and sighing. "For the hundredth time, it's a surprise. I'm not going to cave so you might as well stop trying to get me to."

I pushed my lower lip out in a pout and scrunched my nose. This trick had worked a few times over the course of our six-week courtship and I was counting on it working right now as well. Edward smiled and pulled me into his arms, resting my head against his chest and running his fingers through my freshly washed hair.

"That whole lip trick thing isn't going to work tonight, baby." He kissed my forehead and my eyelids. "As much as I'd love to tell you everything I have in store, it's going to be way better for you if it's kept a surprise. Besides, it's only four days away at this point. It's not like you have to wait much longer to find out."

I traced the outline of his abs with my fingertip. "I know, but I hate waiting and the whole element of surprise makes me anxious." I bit my lower lip and looked up at him. "It's not fair that you won't let me help plan anything either. What if I wanted to do something nice for you on Valentine's Day?"

"Being with me is the best thing you could have possibly given me, for any occasion." He pulled me up so I was facing him and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "Please just let me have one more day to plan something special for you? I swear, after Monday, you can plan sixty different things for me and I won't protest at all."

"Mmmm, are you willing to promise me that?" I mumbled against his lips. I gave him a soft, chaste kiss and smiled. "That you won't protest at all? I think some type of punishment needs to be lined up in the event that you go back on your word."

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at me. "What type of punishment did you have in mind exactly, Ms. Swan?"

I tipped my head back and tapped my index finger against my chin, pretending to be lost in thought. 

"Well, I could make you spend an entire day at the mall with Alice. That would surely teach you a lesson." He threw his hand over his heart and groaned dramatically.

"Not the mall, Bella. Please, anything but that. I might never return home to you if you send me off with her."

I smirked. "Point taken." I ran my fingers over his shoulders and leaned forward to bite his neck gently. "Perhaps I'll take a lifelong vow of chastity. Then again, I really wouldn't be depriving you of anything with that." I meant to sound humorous but my last few words came out a little edgy.

"Bella…" Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I want our first time together as a couple to be something we both remember. Neither of us is new to this territory, believe me I'm well aware of that, but that doesn't mean that we aren't new to one another. I don't want us to rush into something and then turn around in a few months and regret it."

"I could never regret allowing myself to be that close to you." I leaned my head on his shoulder and breathed his scent in, reveling in the calming effect it had on me.

"And I would never forgive myself if I allowed us to get too close, too soon." He ran his hands up and down my back, lowering his face to mine and pressing his lips against the top of my head. 

"Please be understanding, Bella. This isn't easy for me either. I promise you, it will be soon."

My head shot up. "Soon as in on Monday night?" I draped my arms over his shoulders and leaned my forehead against his.

"Soon as in … soon." He kissed the tip of my nose and winked at me. I groaned and flopped back on his bed, resting my head against his fluffy pillow.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, you are nothing but a tease." He raised his eyebrows in shock at my use of his full name.

"And you, sweet Isabella, are nothing but a naughty, naughty girl." He held his hand out to me. 

"Now, it's best we get moving. We're both going to get punished – and not in a good way – by my sister if we don't get down to Hopps."

A smile danced on my lips and I took his hand, allowing him to pull me up from the bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood up on my toes, pressing my mouth against his hungrily. I felt his lips part and I took the opportunity to slip my tongue inside, exploring his mouth and grabbing his hair in my fists. His hands went to my waist and pulled me so my body was flush against his. His erection didn't go unnoticed, and I swayed my hips back and forth, rubbing the bulge against my thighs. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss I pulled away, shaking my index finger in front of his face and clicking my tongue.

"Baby steps, Mr. Cullen." He groaned in frustration and threw his hands up in the air.

"Touché, Bella. Touché."

I grabbed my purse and coat and walked into the hallway. I waited for him to lock the room up before grabbing his hand and leading him downstairs to the parking area.

"For the record, I do appreciate the thought you're putting into all of this. Granted I don't have loads of experience in this area, but I can say I've never been with a guy who's actually tried to wait to get into my pants."

Edward stopped walking and spun me around to face him. His hands cupped my face and his golden eyes burned into mine. "I would wait a thousand years for anything if it meant getting to spend one more day with you." The emotion behind his words rocked me and I felt tears spring to my eyes. He wiped them away with his thumbs and kissed me softly and slowly.

"Thank you," I whispered. He held the car door open for me and I dropped down into the passenger seat. My lips tingled from his kiss and a whole flock of butterflies took up residence in my stomach as his words played over in my mind.

I was earth-shatteringly in love with Edward Cullen. And I was going to tell him on Monday night.

---

Tanya's POV

I drummed my fingers against the vinyl tabletop and checked my watch for the fifth time. He was twenty minutes late and hadn't bothered to call or text to let me know why. If he doesn't show in another ten minutes, you're leaving, my brain told me.

Moments later the bell attached to the diner door jingled and I looked up to see him walking towards me.

"Sorry I'm late." Jacob tossed his jacked in the booth and slid down next to it. "My dad decided to come up with a list of shit he needs from Safeway at the last fucking minute." His cheeks flamed red at the mention of his dad. He seemed embarrassed by his living situation. If only he knew that I could and would never care about any of the mundane details in his life.

I decided to go easy on him. After all, he would be the key player in my latest game. "No worries, I was a little late getting here myself. Would you like some coffee?" I pushed the pot towards him and he shook his head.

"I don't drink that stuff. It's too bitter," he said, flagging the waitress down and ordering a Cherry Coke instead. "So what brings you to Forks anyway? I know it's not the Cullens, and it certainly isn't Bella…" His voice trailed off and he fidgeted uncomfortably. I knew he was regretting his words and expecting me to react, most likely with anger. I pushed down the feelings of resentment and plastered a smile on my face.

"Actually, I just wanted to see you." Surprise flickered over his face, followed by smug happiness.

"That's … super cool." He ordered breakfast for himself and looked at me expectantly.

"I'm not very hungry. I'll just stick to the coffee, thanks." I smiled at the waitress and she wandered back toward the kitchen. It was time to turn on the sugary sweet Tanya – the one who always got who and what she wanted. "I've been thinking about you a lot lately."

"You have?"

"Of course." I slid my hand across the table and traced the outline of his palm with my index finger. 

"I've always found you attractive, Jacob. Even when I was with Edward, it was you I thought of when he kissed me."

Jacob's eyes grew wide and a bright red blush crept into his cheeks. He swallowed hard and looked down at where our hands were on the table. "Wow. I never knew that. I mean I don't really compare to Cullen…" I put my finger up to his lips and silenced him.

"You're right, you don't compare to Edward at all." Jacob's expression fell, but I continued. "You surpass him, Jacob. In fact, I'd have to argue that it's Edward who doesn't compare to you."

"Wow. Thank you, I guess." A new smile spread across his face and the waitress set his plate down in front of him.

"You're welcome," I said with false sincerity. "Bella never deserved you. I can tell she hurt you just like Edward hurt me."

Jacob shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Honestly, Bella and I were never together. We had an arrangement." He shrugged and stuffed a forkful of pancakes in his mouth.

"Keep telling yourself that. I'm pretty sure it was Bella who had the arrangement and you who got the short end of the stick."

Jacob put his fork down and looked at me. "If Edward makes Bella happy, then I'm happy for her. 

It's that simple. Why are we still talking about them anyway? I thought we were trying to have a nice breakfast."

I smiled apologetically and reached out to touch his hand once again. "I'm sorry. No more talk of the happy couple, I promise." I took a sip of my coffee and looked around the diner. "Do you come here often?"

Jacob nodded. "My dad and Bella's dad used to come here pretty regularly when I was younger and 

I'd always get stuck coming with. Now a couple guys from the res head here every Tuesday night for dinner and I usually tag along."

"We should get out of here for the day. Go to Port Angeles or something. I'd love to spend some time with you and get to know you better."

Jacob gulped down the rest of his soda and gently squeezed my fingers. "That sounds like a terrific idea. I'll take care of the check and meet you out by my car?" I nodded and strode towards the exit.

My plan was going off without a hitch. I felt a momentary pang of guilt, but it subsided quickly. Jacob would probably end up getting hurt, but I couldn't let myself think of that. His heartbreak would be a small price to pay in the scheme of things.

I smiled at him as he lumbered across the parking lot towards me. He held the door open for me and closed it after I was seated. I buckled my seat belt and stared out the windshield.

"Can I ask you for a favor, Jacob" I looked over at him and gazed up from under my eyelashes.

"Sure."

"Please don't say anything to Bella or the Cullens about us spending time together." I wrung my hands together in an attempt to look anxious. "It's not that I don't want them to know, I'm sure they'll find out eventually, but I don't want to rock the boat any more than it's already been rocked."

Jacob bit his lip and thought for a moment before smiling gently. "Sure, I can keep a secret."

I reached over and ran my fingers down the side of his face before leaning in and kissing his cheek softly.

Jacob was buying everything just like I thought he would. If things went as planned, I'd have him eating out of the palm of my hand in a few weeks, which would give me the access to Bella that I needed.

Now I just had to figure out exactly what I was going to do with the sad, fragile human when I finally got to her.

---

Edward's POV

After three rings I was ready to hang up the phone. Just as I was about to hit the end button Alice picked up.

"I'm sorry, my phone was across the apartment. What's up?"

"I just wanted to make sure everything was in place for dinner tonight." I fidgeted with the sleeves of my sweater nervously. Alice and I had spent the past week working hard to plan the perfect 

Valentine's Day dinner for our group. Of course I had something special planned for Bella and I after 

dinner as well, but I wanted to make sure the entire evening went off without a hitch.

"For the tenth time, we're good to go. I called Aqua this afternoon to confirm our reservations." Alice sighed in exasperation. "Bella is getting a pedicure with Rose right now, so you can head to the hotel. We'll have her at the restaurant at six sharp."

I nodded even though I knew Alice couldn't see me. "Thank you Alice. I could never have pulled this off without you."

"You're welcome. You know how much I love you – and Bella!" Alice and I said our goodbyes and 

I made sure I had everything I'd need for the evening. I slipped Bella's two gifts into the top of my 

overnight bag and headed off for my car.

The Four Seasons Hotel was only about five miles from campus. I valet parked and checked in. Our suite was on the eighth floor and overlooked the Puget Sound. I picked up the in-room phone and dialed the concierge. Ten minutes later everything was in place for our post-dinner evening. I sat down on the edge of the bed and ran my hands through my hair. I didn't have to get ready for another hour and everything else was already taken care of.

I planned on telling Bella I loved her tonight. It was soon, but it felt like it was the right thing to do, and I couldn't hold back any longer. I was ready to stand on the top of the Space Needle and shout it out to the entire world.

I didn't know how Bella would react, or if she'd even say it back, but I didn't care at this point. What mattered was making sure she knew exactly how I felt about her and exactly how far I would go for her. If I had it my way, I would spend every day of the rest of my life with this woman. I was secretly hoping that at some point in the not-so-far-off future she'd agree to spend every day of the rest of her life with me.

A knock on the hotel door broke my thoughts.

"This just arrived at the front desk for you, Mr. Cullen." I handed the bellman a twenty and thanked him. I looked down at the black box in my hands and shook my head in amazement. Alice, I thought to myself. "La Perla" was embossed in gold print across the top of the box and an elegant gold ribbon held the box shut. I dialed my sister's number and waited patiently for her to pick up.

"If I call the restaurant one more time they're going to cancel our reservations." Alice sounded irritated. I laughed and set the package down on the edge of the bed.

"I have faith in your ability to confirm dinner reservations, don't worry." I walked across the room and stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun was starting to go down, painting the surface of the sound in a stunning display of pink, yellow, and orange hues. "I was just curious as to whether or not you knew anything about this box of lingerie that was just delivered to my suite."

"Hang on a second." I heard Alice mumble something to whomever she was with and then she was back on the phone. "The La Perla made it there I take it?"

"Is this your doing?" I fingered the gold ribbon and shuddered as I thought of what might be hiding 

inside the box.

"Yes, it's my doing. I thought it might be a nice tie-in to the paper portion of your gift."

"Oh." Everything clicked into place for me. "I think I'm with you now. So I should point that out when she opens it?"

I heard Alice's palm slap against her forehead. "Yes, Edward, you should point that out. Tell her it's for her to wear when you're together."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I've never had anyone to buy this stuff for, Alice. It was never like this with 

Tanya. I have no clue what I'm doing."

"It's alright Edward, you just have horribly inopportune timing." I heard more muffled sounds in the background. "I have to go. Jasper and Emmett are expecting us at the apartment."

I looked at the clock and gasped when I realized it was already five. "Shit, I didn't realize what time it was. I have to get ready."

I took a quick shower, shaved, and brushed my teeth. I put on the suit I'd picked out for the evening and attempted to style my hair. As usual, I couldn't tame the wild locks, so I gave up and grabbed the velvet covered box of chocolates I'd purchased for Bella. I made sure I had everything and called the valet desk to bring the car around.

I was a few minutes early, so I waited outside the restaurant. It was a beautiful winter night in the city. The clouds cleared out that morning and a bright blanket of stars had taken their place. It was chilly, but not unbearably cold, and the air outside the restaurant smelled like a combination of seafood and salt water.

I turned around to check the street just as the Escalade pulled up. I watched with anticipation as the girls started filing out of the back of the SUV. My breath caught in my throat and a smile spread across my face when I saw her.

She looked stunning. She'd straightened her hair and it hung down to the middle of her back. Her 

face was coated in a very light layer of makeup, which was my favorite look on her. She wore a short black dress that had a bow around the waist and ruffled out at the bottom, with a pair of black stiletto heels. She walked towards me, taking my hand and kissing me hungrily. I kissed her back and whispered in her ear. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thank you," she said, and the blush I knew so well crept into her cheeks. I held the restaurant door open and she walked inside, followed by Alice and Rosalie.

"Thank you for everything, Alice." Alice smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

After we were seated, I handed Bella the box of chocolates. "Happy Valentine's Day, beautiful." She took the chocolates and handed me a card.

"Thank you. Happy Valentine's Day, Edward." I set the card next to my plate and took her hand in mine beneath the table. She sighed contentedly beside me and I couldn't stop the smile that lit up my face.

The night had barely begun and I could already tell it would go down in my memory as the epitome of perfection.

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Bella's POV

Dinner was amazing.

When Alice told me we were going to Aqua, I squealed and jumped around our dorm room like a little girl. I'd been dying to try the restaurant since before I even moved, after reading about it in a travel magazine Renee had lying around the beach house. I wanted to spend time with Edward too, but I spent the majority of my day fantasizing about what it would be like to sink my teeth into their seafood.

The restaurant itself was beautiful, and being there with Edward made it perfect. I'd never celebrated Valentine's Day before, and I couldn't help but think that if by some chance Edward and I split in the future, his follower would have one hell of a time living up to this.

I expected us all to leave as a group when dinner was finished, but instead I was whisked away to Edward's Audi while the rest of our friends piled back into the Escalade. I frowned at Alice, but she just winked at me and gave me a small wave of her hand. Edward drove the car several blocks up the street and pulled in the turnaround at the Four Seasons.

"Welcome back, Mr. Cullen." The valet attendant opened our doors and I climbed out, pulling down on the bottom of my short dress. Edward came around the car and took my hand, leading me inside the luxury hotel.

"So this is where you were hiding all afternoon." I'd stayed at nice hotels when Renee, Phil, and I traveled, but none of them were quite like this one. Edward led me to the elevators and wrapped his arm around my waist while we waited.

"I couldn't very well have you figuring out my surprise before dinner." He nuzzled his nose against my neck and nipped playfully at my shoulder. "It was hard enough getting Alice to agree to keep her mouth shut for the last week."

I rolled my eyes and leaned into him. "I should have known she was in on this."

"Oh, she was only in on dinner. I thought this portion of the evening up entirely on my own." 

Edward smiled at me and pushed the button for the eighth floor.

I lifted the lid on the box of chocolates he'd given me and picked one up, biting into it and savoring the rich taste. I held the other half out to Edward, offering it to him, but he shook his head no. I shrugged and popped the candy in my mouth.

"At least you didn't blindfold me this time," I joked. Edward's eyes flashed mischievously and he gave my butt a soft smack.

"We still have a whole night ahead of us, baby. There's plenty of time for blindfolding."

"Yeah, right. That would go against your chastity rules, wouldn't it?" I followed him down the hall until we came to a stop outside a door marked "809." Edward slid the key card into the slot above the doorknob and turned to face me.

"I'm going to pretend that never came out of your mouth." He tightened his grip on my hand and gazed into my eyes. "Are you ready?"

I took a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be." He opened the door and stepped aside so I could enter. I walked into living room area of our suite, which contained a mini-bar, sofa, two arm chairs, and a 

large flat screen TV. Edward took my coat and hung it in the closet.

"Follow me." He took my hand once again and led me into the bedroom. The lights were dimmed and soft jazz music filled the room. Two of the walls were comprised of floor-to-ceiling windows, which overlooked the Puget Sound. In the distance, the lights of Bainbridge Island twinkled against the dark night sky. An arrangement of red roses sat on a table at the foot of the bed, along with a chilled bottle of champagne and two flutes.

"What is all this?" I whispered. My eyes were quickly filling with tears and I blinked several times to hold them back.

"I wanted our first Valentine's Day together to be one we'd both remember." He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the comforter. I sunk down onto the space next to him and let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"Every minute I spend with you is memorable." I reached out and pulled him towards me. Our lips met in a sensual kiss.

"Time for presents!" He reached behind him and produced a gift box and an envelope. "Open the envelope first."

"I thought we agreed not to get each other anything, Edward. Besides, the room and the flowers are more than enough." He reached out and put his index finger against my lips.

"No protesting. Just open."

I felt the corners of my mouth curl up into a smile. I tore open the envelope and a few pieces of paper fell out on my lap. I picked them up and looked them over. It took me a minute to realize they were airline-boarding passes.

"Paris?" I looked up at him in astonishment. I'd always wanted to travel to France, but I knew I'd never shared this information with him. Alice, I thought. Her and I had discussed our travels in-depth, and I was fairly certain I'd told her all about my desire to visit the City of Love on more than one occasion.

"They're for the second week in August." His eyes burned into mine and my stomach started to flutter. "You've always wanted to travel there and it's a city I love to visit. I thought it would be the perfect way for us to wrap up the summer."

I looked down at the tickets again, noticing we'd be flying back two weeks after we left here. My mind wandered and I imagined traveling through France with Edward. We'd share a kiss beneath the 

Eiffel Tower, walk the streets of Paris eating pastries and sipping hot drinks, and make love for hours in what I assumed would be a luxurious hotel suite.

"Thank you," I breathed, bringing myself back to the reality that sat before me. He pushed the box towards me and grinned sheepishly.

"This is for our trip." I looked down at the box and saw the words "La Perla" staring back up at me. 

I was pretty sure I had started to blush, but I swallowed my embarrassment and pulled at the delicate gold ribbon. I lifted the top off the box and unfolded the tissue paper. I took the items out and laid them on the bed beside me.

"Wow." It was all I could say. The lingerie was sexy, navy blue in color and lacy. There was a skimpy bra that left little to the imagination along with a matching thong and garter belt. I looked up at Edward. "I love it."

He reached out and took the gifts from me, placing them all in the La Perla box and setting it floor next to the bed. He reached behind himself once more, producing a final, familiar colored blue box.

"One last thing," he said softly. He placed the small box in my hand and I tugged the white ribbon off. Tiffany's again, I thought in astonishment. He really went overboard with holidays. I lifted the lid and gasped when I saw the small black velvet box sitting inside. Edward took the blue box from me and pulled the smaller velvet one from it. He tipped my chin up so I was looking in his eyes and gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"I know what you're thinking, and don't worry, that's not what's inside here," he said with a chuckle. 

I sighed in relief. I wasn't quite ready for that. Not yet at least. Edward continued. "You are the most amazing person I've ever met, Bella. You're beautiful, intelligent, witty, and funny. You have the kindest soul of any human – or vampire – I've ever known."

He looked down at his lap and then back up at me. "I love you, Bella." He flipped the lid on the box open and held it out to me. I looked down at the beautiful ring. It was white gold with the word 'love' spelled in round diamonds across the top. He lifted it from the box and slid it on the ring finger of my right hand. "A perfect fit, just like you and me."

I looked into his eyes and felt a few tears spill over onto my cheeks. I cupped his face in my hands and pressed my forehead against his. "I love you too, Edward."

His mouth crashed against mine and his tongue slid between my lips. I kicked my heels off and lay back on the bed, pulling him down with me. He deepened our kiss and his hands ran down my sides, brushing over my breasts before settling on my hips. He pulled my bottom lip between his and sucked gently on it before planting a trail of kisses down my jaw and onto my neck.

"I think we've both waited long enough for this." His words sent a stream of electricity through me. I shivered involuntarily and he brought his face back to mine. I didn't need any time to think about how I wanted to answer the question in his eyes.

"Yes." I slid my hands beneath his suit coat and pushed it down his shoulders. He leaned back for a moment and shrugged it off, tossing the fabric to the floor. His lips were on mine again while I worked at unbuttoning his shirt.

"You're so beautiful, Bella. Every part of you is so, so beautiful." He kneeled, pulling me up with him. I tugged his shirt out of his pants and pushed it down his arms. He peeled it off all the way and wrapped his arms around me, pulling down on the zipper of my dress. I leaned forward and kissed his chest, running my tongue over his nipple and biting down on it gently. His hands gripped my shoulders and a low moan escaped his lips. I shrugged out of his grip and stood up.

"Stand up and take your shoes off." I surprised myself with my assertiveness. Edward looked surprised as well, but did as I asked, standing up and kicking his shoes off. I reached behind myself and pulled my zipper the rest of the way down, allowing my dress to slide off me and onto the floor. 

Edward's eyes traveled the length of my body, stopping to appreciate my naked breasts and black satin thong. His eyes met mine and I could see the hunger and wanting in them. I kneeled in front of him and began undoing his belt.

"Bella…" He reached down to stop me but I swatted his hands away. I pulled his belt off and threw it on the floor with my dress. Before I could continue, he'd unbuttoned his fly and begun to push his 

pants down.

"Let me. Please." I put my hands on top of his and stopped him. He nodded and placed his hands on my head instead. I pressed my lips against his abdomen, laughing when the hair that trailed off into his boxer briefs tickled my nose. His cock was hard, painfully hard I guess, and it strained against the light fabric. I hooked my fingers in the waistband and slid them down slowly.

I sucked in a breath when I saw the sight before me. Edward was very well endowed. I wrapped my fingers around his shaft and rubbed my thumb over the tip, spreading out the clear liquid that was already pooled there. His fisted my hair in his hands and tried to pull my head to him.

"Ah, ah, ah." I gazed up at him and kissed the tip of his erection. "Patience is a virtue."

"That it is," he groaned through his clenched teeth. I pumped my hand up and down his cock several times, gripping the head and squeezing it gently on each upstroke. He closed his eyes and pushed his hips towards me. I reached up and ran my fingers down his chest before taking the tip of his cock in my mouth.

"Oh God, Bella…" his words were lost when I swirled my tongue around the tip slowly. I tightened my lips around him and sucked gently, taking him into my mouth until I felt his soft skin against the back of my throat. I massaged the underside of his cock with my tongue before sucking upwards and letting the tip of his cock fall out of my mouth with a "pop."

"You taste amazing, Edward." I tipped my head sideways and ran my tongue over his balls, sucking one in my mouth gently and massaging the other one with my palm. I continue stroking him with my remaining hand, delighting in the way his breathing hitched and the way he was mumbling nonsense under his breath. His thighs shook ever so slightly and I saw his knees buckle slightly.

I brought my mouth back to his cock, running my tongue from the tip down to his balls, then sucking my lips to the underside of his shaft and following my trail back to the tip. He groaned again and pulled my head up so I was looking at him.

"I need to be inside you, Bella." He gripped my elbows and pulled me up so I was standing in front of him. In one fluid move, he spun us around and pushed me down onto the bed, gripping my panties in his hands and pulling them off quickly. He pushed my legs apart and kneeled on the bed between them, bringing his mouth to my chest and taking my nipple in it. He sucked gently, running his tongue around the sensitive flesh in tight circles, and pulled back and blew on the sensitive flesh.

"Ahh." My hips arched off the bed involuntarily and I felt his hardness against my thigh. He brought his mouth to my mother nipple and began his slow assault, while two of his fingers slid inside me and found my special spot.

"You're so wet already, baby." He pulled his fingers out and coated his cock with my juices. He lined himself up with my entrance and then entwined his fingers with mine, holding our hands on the pillow on either side of my head. "I love you, Bella." He slid into me and a cry fell from my lips.

"Oh God." I dug my fingers into his back as he inched himself inside me. I could feel myself stretching to accommodate his size, and when the head of his cock pressed against my g-spot, I bit my lip to avoid screaming.

"You feel so good, Bella. It's like we were made for each other." He pulled back so he was almost all the way out and thrust forward with a bit more force. I tilted my head back and moaned, giving him access to my neck. He kissed my shoulder, and then planted his lips on my neck, sucking just hard enough to leave a light bruise.

"Edward, so good … more, please, I need more." I didn't know if I was forming coherent sentences or not but I didn't care either. Edward lifted my leg so my calf rested on his shoulder and turned to kiss my ankle. He thrust into me faster, going deeper than before with the new angle.

"So tight, Bella. So tight and so wet. And so deep…" His words trailed off as he increased his pace. 

Every thrust pushed me up on the bed, and before I knew it the headboard was banging noisily against the wall.

"We don't want to wake the neighbors, " I teased, pushing Edward up and straddling him. I rode him hard and fast, crying out every time the head of his cock passed over my sweet spot. I could feel my orgasm starting to build and I knew it wouldn't be long before I came undone.

"Come for me baby." Edward read my mind, pressing his thumb against my clit and rubbing roughly. I cried out as waves of pleasure started to wash over me. My muscles clenched down around him and he tipped his head back and let out an animalistic growl.

"EDWARD, OH GOD!" I screamed. The pleasure was too intense and in that moment I couldn't care less if the whole hotel heard my cries. Edward pulled me to him, covering my mouth with his and muffling my cries. I dug my fingers into his hair and pushed my tongue into his mouth hungrily.

"I'm so close, Bella. But I want to take you over the edge again." He lifted me off of him and set a pillow on the bed. "Lay down on your stomach on this." I positioned my abdomen on the pillow and propped myself up on my elbows. Edward grabbed my hips and pushed into me.

"Uhhhhh…. Don't stop. More." I pressed my face into the mattress and grabbed the comforter in my fists. Edward held me against the bed and stared pumping into me with fast, hard strokes. I could feel my stomach starting to clench and a familiar tingling sensation started spreading throughout my abdomen.

"Oh God, Bella. BELLA." Edward found his release, burying himself inside of me. His orgasm triggered mine, and I cried out into the comforter as it washed over me. Edward pulled himself out of me and flopped down on the bed. I couldn't move, my limbs felt like jelly and my breath was coming out in pants. Edward rolled over and pulled me close to him, draping his arm over my waist.

"That was incredible," he whispered in my ear. I nodded in response, too spent to respond. Edward sat up and pulled me into his arms. "Come on, let's take a shower and get you into bed."

I giggled against his chest. "I think you already got me into bed, Mr. Cullen." He groaned and kissed my shoulder.

"If my memory is correct, I got you into bed three weeks ago, Ms. Swan." Edward stood up and reached his hand out to me. I smiled and let him lead me to the bathroom. He turned the shower on and adjusted the temperature, then took me in his arms gazed into my eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you."

Just like that, three small words made my world complete.