27. Innocent Deceit

EPOV

“So she won’t come back out because she’s sad?” I asked, trying to understand exactly what Isabella was implying.


She nodded. “Yah-huh, your daddy made her talk about the bad stuff, Edward. It made me mad.”


“That’s why you were so mad, baby? Because Bella was sad?”


She nodded again and grabbed her juice box for another drink.


So, Isabella’s protective instincts over Bella had kicked in and that’s why she had lashed out at Carlisle in his office. Her words hadn’t been prejudice towards him, or his hair, per the usual. She had just said ‘leave us the fuck alone’ in a cold manner. She wasn’t necessarily being hostile…just protective. And that would also mean that she didn’t want to apologize when I told her to, because she felt that she was justified in her actions…simply because she was only ‘protecting’ my Bella.


Fucking hell, this is confusing.


So…was it right then, that I spanked her?


Yes. Her behavior this morning was fucking unacceptable.


But, she was only following her instinctual need to protect Bella. I can certainly relate to that, because I have the same needs.


But the way she went about it was just all wrong…


Just like when Marie had become hostile in gym class this past Tuesday, because she was ‘protecting’ Bella. It ended up getting Bella expelled from school. And I had promised my Bella that I would keep the girls in line…and I will.


So yes, it was right…besides, that punishment was about a lot more than just her refusal to apologize.


“When will Bella come back around, sweetheart?”


She shrugged. “Dunno.”


“Okay…” I trailed off.


I didn’t like that. I missed my Bella. If this was going to happen after every single therapy session, then this therapy business and I were going to have a fucking problem.


She sniffled. “Edward?”


“Yes, baby?”


She scrunched up her little button nose. “Feel ucky…” she coughed.


My gaze on her became concerned. “I know, baby.”


Jasper walked through the door then, just as Isabella was finishing up her dinner. Alice saw that my girl would be feeling under the weather with a little cold for the next forty-eight hours, or so. Knowing that her ill feelings would affect him, Jasper had gone out to the convenient store here in town, and gotten my Bella some Tylenol Cold medicine with a bag of cough drops and a few extra boxes of tissues.


Jasper came into the dining room and handed me the shopping bag full of Isabella’s cold/flu relief. Isabella watched as I took out a box of Puffs tissues and tore the cardboard top off. I handed it to her and she immediately attacked it, grabbing a tissues and quickly sneezing into it.


While she took care of her runny nose, I took the small bottle of Tylenol cold medicine out of the bag. I read the directions and filled the medicine cup that was on top of the cap with the right dosage, then slid the small plastic cup over to Isabella.


She eyed it with distaste.


“Take your medicine, baby.”


She shook her head.


“Yes.“


She shook her head again.


I sighed. “Take it, Isabella. It’ll make you feel better.”


She looked away from the medicine cup then, and turned her gaze to me. “But what if it’s ucky?” she asked with apprehension.


I nodded, understanding her dilemma. “Okay, so then you just drink some of your juice after you take the medicine. It’s better to taste something that's ucky for a couple of seconds, than to feel ucky for a long time, baby girl," I reasoned.


"Now, take your medicine,” I insisted.


She furrowed her brow. “Don’t wanna…” she whined.


I gave her my ‘stern face’. “Stop whining and do as your told, Isabella.”


With that, I looked away from her and back into the bag, not waiting to see her reaction. If she didn’t want a repeat of this morning, then she would start following her simple rules. I guess this was a test, to see if what I had done this morning had actually sunk in.


So…did that wretched spanking actually work??


I grabbed the bag of Halls honey-lemon cough drops and opened it for her, hoping for her cooperation in this matter. It would be horrible if this morning's punishment wasn't enough to get my message across. I wasn't sure if I was ready for a repeat so soon.


When I looked back to Isabella, she had the small cup of medicine pressed to her lips and was tilting it back for her to swallow with a grimace on her face. I guess it was 'ucky', after all.


I smiled reassuringly at her, glad that she was cooperating. “Here, baby.” I handed her a cough drop. “Suck on this candy, it’ll help your throat feel better.”


She blew her nose again and picked the cough drop up off the table. After untwisting it from it’s paper wrapper, she popped it in her mouth then rubbed her right eye with a fist. She played with the drop on her tongue and I could hear it clicking against her teeth.


“Edward?”


“Hmmm?”


“I wanna cuddle with you,” she said, looking at me longingly.


I nodded. “Okay, you wanna go upstairs and pick out a movie, angel?”


She shook her head. “Can we go lay down on my jump-a-lene and watch all the pretty stars?” she asked hopefully.


I liked the sound of that, but would it be alright for her to be outside right now?


“You’re sick, baby…”


“I can put my jacket on and bring my tissues out with us,” she said, trying to placate me.


I nodded reluctantly. “Okay...go get your jacket, baby girl.”


Isabella went upstairs while I took her plate to the kitchen sink and threw away her empty juice box. I put her cold medicine and cough drops in the kitchen cabinet, then grabbed the newly opened box of tissues off the table, ready to go out to the backyard.


When Isabella came back down, she had a look of frustration on her face.


“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”


She huffed. “Edward?”


“Yes?”


“Can’t get it zipp’ded up,” she whined with a squeak at the end of her complaint, then sniffled.


I smiled at all her squeaky snifflyness.


Fucking adorable.


“C’mere…”


She walked over to me and stopped when she was only inches away. With a kiss to her forehead, I noted that she didn't have a fever before I had that jacket all zipped up for her. She smiled at me in appreciation, then turned on her heel to go out the back doors. I followed her outside and we headed over to the trampoline in the middle of the yard.


Emmett was out there, sitting on the ledge of it. He had been seeing how high he could jump when he heard our conversation at the dinner table. He was just getting off of the trampoline now so that we could use it.


Emmett quirked his eyebrow at me. You’re going to stargaze and cuddle on this thing? Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? JUMP on it. Little Isabella had the right idea when she thought of this thing. It’s fucking awesome he thought to me.


I just rolled my eyes and shook my head at him. If Isabella wanted to lay on it, instead of jump, then that’s what we were going to do. She didn’t feel good…my little angel could have anything she wanted.


Once we were on the trampoline, I layed down on the weird, black stretchy material while Isabella sat down beside me. At 7:30 in the evening, the night had fallen fairly quickly. It was very dark out here, with the town so far away and no streetlights around. We were surrounded by the forest and a river nearby. Millions of silver and gold stars shone brightly in the sky, and I could see them clearly with my hyper-alert vampire vision. It was very peaceful, but I worried about Isabella being afraid of the dark. I smiled, knowing that I could protect her from any of the ’dark scary monsters’ that her imagination could conjure up.


I reached my arm out beside me, and lightly ran my fingers along the top of her knee. She looked away from the sky, and turned her gaze down to me.


She smiled. “Edward?”


“Yes, baby?”


“How many stars are up in the big sky?” she asked as she laid back and snuggled into my side.


She kissed my cheek, then put her head on it’s spot in the crook of my shoulder.I wrapped my arm around her small frame and held her tightly to me.


“Millions and millions, baby girl.”


“Millions?” she asked curiously.


“And millions…” I trailed off.


“Is Never Never Land up there?” she asked while pointing a finger up above us towards the velvet sky.


“Mm-hmm,” I hummed with a slight nod.


“Wow…” she whispered.


“Bella!” Jacob’s voice came from the edge of the woods.


Damn dog.


I had heard his thoughts from a few miles away about five minutes ago. He had been debating whether or not to show up here tonight, without a fucking phone call first, but then finally relented and traveled the rest of the way to my home.


I knew this was going to be complicated. Even though Jacob knew about Marie, I was absolutely positive that he knew nothing of my little girl.


Isabella stayed laying in my arms, but her brow furrowed at Bella’s name being called. When Jacob got closer and yelled her name again, Isabella sat up. I sat up along with her and kept my arm around her waist. I kissed her hair as Jacob got closer, not really sure if I was even still dealing with Isabella anymore, or if Marie had come around to see her friend. Or, if Bella had come back into awareness at her name being called out. Loudly.


Jacob took in his surroundings, then set his gaze upon us.


I glared at him. He ignored it.


“Wow…awesome trampoline, Bells. When were you going to invite me over to jump on it? And you got a basketball setup too? Fucking sweet! Ohhh, let’s get on the tire swing and-”


“What do you want with Bella?” her child-like voice asked.


Jacob stopped mid-sentence and stared at her, awe-struck. He completely ignored the hard look I was giving him as he set his eyes on the beauty beside me.


“Marie? What‘s with your voice?”


She shook her head before cocking it to the side a little. “Answer the fucking question.”


“Um…Bells and me are friends.”


She pressed her body closer to mine as he began to walk forward, coming closer to us.


“Jacob, stop,” I demanded in a clipped voice.


He did and looked at me, questioning in his mind what I had done to his Bella.


I rolled my eyes. “This isn’t who you think it is, and you’re making her nervous. Go home, Jacob.”


“Who is it?” he demanded.


None of your fucking business. And she is mine, goddamn it.


“Go. Home.” I repeated myself.


But Jacob didn’t know how to listen. He kept walking towards us until he was at the edge of the trampoline. He reached out a hand to Isabella and I hissed in a breath before growling lowly in my chest.


Don’t you touch her, she is mine.


Isabella sniffled and looked to me questioningly, no doubt because of the low rumble in my chest at the moment. A few seconds later, she turned her eyes back to Jacob, narrowing them into a cold glare.


“Bells?” he hedged.


“No,” she said quietly while letting the hand in her lap slowly curl into a fist.


I saw it and squeezed her waist lightly, silently telling her that I would handle it. Seeing her fist and glare combined, set in the realization that she had the same tendencies as Marie. I had to get Jacob to leave. Now.


“Who?” he asked.


“None of your fucking business,” I snapped. “I know about your dealings with Marie and Quil. You’ll be lucky if you ever see her again after that bullshit. You are either extremely stupid or have a death wish showing up here unannounced. I should snap your mangy neck for risking my Bella’s life like that. You are goddamn lucky that she didn’t get a criminal record with prison time while I was away. Now, be a good little bitch and put your tail between your legs while your proceed to get the fuck off my property, mutt.”


He glared, then shot back, “Fuck you, bloodsucker. That was Marie’s decision and I can see her any time I damn well please. She asked me to come over,” Jacob stated.


“Marie said that you need to go,” Isabella piped in with her soft voice just before I hissed out, “Fuck off, she is mine.”


Jacob ignored me and turned his attention back to my little girl. “What’s your name?”


She coughed and furrowed her brow in question. “Why?”


“Just wanna know…”


She sniffled. “My Edward doesn’t like you and Marie said that you gotta go. So go,” she stated matter-of-factly.


“Where’s Marie? I wanna see her.”


Isabella pursed her lips as anger briefly flashed in her eyes, hardening her glare. “Too. Fucking. Bad. This is my time. Go,” she finished with a slight, but unique growl all her own.


Woah…


“Where’s Bella?”


“Hiding. Go.”


“Marie asked me to come over, so…”


“Marie is tellin’ you that you gotta go. Go,” she insisted.


“Well-”


Isabella turned to me. She pouted out that bottom lip and pointed to Jacob. “He won’t leave me alone…” she whined, clearly trying to ‘tell on him‘.


I smirked at her.


That’s my girl.


“Leave, Jacob,” I demanded while keeping a firm grip on Isabella.


Carlisle stepped out onto the porch then, followed by Emmett and Jasper.


“Jacob, it’s nice to see you again,” Carlisle greeted, but his tone was clipped. He realized his tone sounded harsh and worked for a split second to smooth it out before he spoke again. “However, it is a bit late for a visit and I do believe that the young lady asked you to leave,” he said lightly, but his gaze betrayed his new tone. He was glaring at the wolf-boy beside us, silently telling him to just fucking leave already.


“Do you need me to show you the way out?” Emmett asked in a hard voice.


Jacob’s upper lip began to curl into a snarl.


“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Jasper lightly warned before letting out a fierce growl of his own.


Isabella seemed very entertained by it all. I noticed the small smile on her face as she watched my family become hostile towards Jacob.


Why does that amuse her?


After a minute of watching the scene, she turned her gaze back to Jacob.


“Marie says bye,” she stated simply, then sniffled.


He turned his attention back to Isabella. “She’s knows I’m here?”


Isabella nodded. “Go.”


“Why won’t she come out and see me?” he asked, perplexed.


“She can see you right now. Go,” she persisted and sniffled.


“Will you let her come out? She asked me to come o-”


“GO,” Isabella demanded, before she coughed and became agitated. “Edwaaaaard, he won’t leave me alone!” she whined exasperatedly.


“Let’s go back inside, baby girl,” I suggested softly in her ear.


She stood then, completely forgetting about Jacob. When she looked at me, her gaze softened.


“But what about our stars?” she asked curiously, then glanced back up towards the sky.


I stood beside her and took her hand in mine. “They’ll come back tomorrow night,” I placated her.


“Promise?”


“Yes, baby. I promise.”


“Kay.”


Jacob watched as I hooked my hands under Isabella’s shoulders and picked her up. Once her legs were around my waist, I jumped off the trampoline, landing on the ground and walked towards the back door.


I wanted to get away from Jacob before I decided to just blow off the damn treaty and fucking annihilate him. He had no business here. I didn’t want him to even look at her, let alone talk to her.


Mine.


As I was walking up the stairs to our bedroom, I noticed that Jacob had finally decided to leave. He would not be allowed on our property, unless it was to visit Marie, and even then he would have to call first. There are rules about this, goddamn it.


“Edward?”


I sighed and tried to reign in my anger. Isabella didn’t feel well, and our cuddly stargazing session had gotten interrupted. She was probably pretty upset about that.


I kissed her forehead and breathed in her scent. “Yes, baby?” I murmured softly against in her warm flesh.


“Marie and me like your growly noises,” she informed me lightly with a small giggle.


I chuckled. “Well, that’s nice.”


She nodded. “Mm-hmmm.”


“Edward?”


I walked into our room and turned the corner, heading for the bathroom. “Yes?”


“Can I have my bubbles now? I wanna bath…”


“I know, that’s what you’re getting ready to do,” I told her as I put her down on the tiled floor of the bathroom.


I bent over the tub and started the flow of warm water, knowing that it would relax any sore muscles that she may have and the steam from it would help clear up her slightly stuffy nose. I added the capful of bubble bath solution as Isabella began taking her shoes off. When I turned back around, she had her jacket off and her shirt was being pulled over her head, exposing her bra-clad chest to my view. I exhaled sharply as she dropped it on the floor, and when I saw her hands going for the little button on her jeans, I reached out a firm hand and quickly swatted her ass.


“No, Isabella,” I scolded her. “You have to wait,” I said with a pointed look.


“Owwie…” she pouted and looked up at me with a pitiful expression. She sniffled and gave me a questioning look with watery eyes.


I sighed and kissed her forehead. “Rules, baby girl. You have to follow your rules,” I reminded her before I reached into the cabinet below the sink and grabbed her Ariel doll and soap crayons. I handed them to her, then replaced Bella’s Pantene shampoo bottle with a bottle of tear-free shampoo for Isabella’s use tonight.


I turned back to Isabella just as she was wiping a tear away before she sniffled. She held her bath toys loosely in her hands by her sides while looking at the ground...pouting.


I gritted my teeth against the feelings of guilt bubbling in my chest. I walked over to her and put a gentle finger under her chin, lifting her face up to mine. When our eyes locked, I lightly blew my cool and calming venom breath onto her face…my secret apology.


Sorry, baby…


“Isabella?”


“Yeah?” she sniffled and let another little teardrop fall.


I quickly wiped it away with my thumb. “Why did I spank you just then, hmm? What rule were you getting ready to break?”


She sniffled. “Not sposta get nakey in front of people,” she mumbled.


I nodded. “That’s right,” I told her and gently wiped away two more tears.


She sighed. “Edward?”


I dropped my hand back to my side and focused on her face.


Not her chest.


“Yes?”


“Need a tissue…”


I quickly ripped off some toilet paper from it’s roll and handed it to her. When she was done blowing her nose, I turned back to the tub and shut the water flow off.


“I’ll be in the bedroom, angel,” I informed her, before walking by her and out of the bathroom.


I sighed and plopped down onto the king size bed. I heard the rustling of Isabella’s clothes coming off, followed by the sound of her dainty feet stepping into the bathtub. I relaxed into the scent of my Bella that saturated these sheets while I listened to Isabella take a bath. She would splash around, and giggle. Sometimes she would whisper secrets to her Ariel doll about how much she loved me and Bella. She told it short little stories about the man with ugly yellow hair, who I quickly figured out was Carlisle, and not Jim, because she spat out the word ‘doctor’ like an expletive every once in a while.


All too soon, she was calling my name. She sounded fine though, so I immediately began to wonder what she needed.


I walked into the bathroom. “What is it, baby?”


She held the new bottle of shampoo out to me. “Open it.”


I took it from her and ripped the plastic covering off the top with ease then held it back to her. “Here you go, sweetheart…”


“Edward?”


“Hmm?”


She still hadn’t taken the bottle back yet.


“Can you wash my hair?” she asked hopefully.


Hell yes, I can.


I brought the bottle that was still in my hand down to my side. “Um…”


“Pretty please?” she asked sweetly. And then she gave me an adorable smile.


Washing her hair was exactly what I had been wanting to do this whole time, instead of just laying on that damn bed, waiting for her to get done.


But why did she want me to? She was always trying to prove how she was a ‘big girl’…it just didn’t make sense. I internally kicked myself for giving up this opportunity, but I just had to ask.


I furrowed my brow and asked softly, “Why?”


“S’better when you do it,” she said with a nod.


I gave her a curious look. “Isabella, you-”


“My nose feels better, Edward,” she said brightly.


I nodded, noticing she hadn‘t sniffled in the past ten minutes. “That’s great baby, but-”


“Who was that man outside?” she asked suddenly.


I gave her a slightly stern look. Interrupting me and asking constant questions was her avoidance tactic.


“His name is Jacob, and he is Marie’s friend. Isabella, you can-”


“Can you put the soapies in my hair now?” she asked hopefully, interrupting me once again.


I sighed. “Isabella, I thought you wanted to show me what a big girl you are…” I trailed off.


She nodded as she made her Ariel doll swim around the bubble mountains that she had made. Bubble mountains that were strategically placed to the sides of her and allowed me to view more of her naked body.


I squinted my eyes at her, trying to focus on her face and ignore my growing erection, as usual. “Show me then, baby. You’re a big girl…wash your own hair.”


“You wanna stay and watch?” she asked hopefully.


Why does she want me in here?


“Isabella…”


God, her soft and supple breasts were practically on full display for me right now. The airy soap bubbles did absolutely nothing to hide her little pink nipples from my view. I wanted them. I wanted to reach out and gently cup that soft flesh in my hands…softly run my thumbs over the little peaks and watch, fascinated, as they immediately perked up in reaction to my cool touch.


She looked up from her doll. “Huh?”


I bit back a groan at her utter perfection and looked back into her face. “What’s up sweetheart…why do you want me in here with you every night?” I asked with genuine curiosity.


She looked sad for a minute and sucked on those fucking suckable pink lips before she asked in a small voice, “But don’t you wanna be in here with me?”


I cleared my throat and swallowed back some of my lust-induced venom. “I always want to be where you are, baby girl,” I quickly reassured her. “But…” I hesitated, suddenly unsure of where this conversation was headed. “Bath time is supposed to be private time, sweetheart,” I gently informed her.


She furrowed her brow. “Why?”


“Because it just is…you’re supposed to be in here by yourself, alone, washing your hair and your body in private. Nobody is supposed to see, or watch you.”


Amusement lit up her eyes. “Like a secret?”


I nodded, going along with her childish train of thoughts. “Yes, baby…exactly like a secret.”


“But we don’t got any secrets from each other, Edward…” she softly pointed out.


“No...we don't,” I murmured, reluctantly agreeing with a small shake of my head.


“Kay, can you wash my hair now?” she asked, then started to finger the silky, wet locks…tempting me.


Before I knew what I was doing, I had squirted some of that tearless shampoo in my hand and was massaging it into her scalp and long, silky strands.


I noted Isabella’s satisfied smirk in getting her way, but didn’t comment on it.


I was washing her hair, and that was all that mattered. I softly ran my fingers through her long, luscious locks and continued to gently massage her scalp. It was ridiculous how much I enjoyed washing, brushing and playing with my Bella’s hair. My intense focus was on each individual strand of her beautiful hair as I meticulously lathered and massaged while I wore a satisfied smirk of my own.


Isabella splashed around a bit, but mostly sat still in the tub as I washed her hair. She had her back to me while she washed her water doll’s hair and sang her own rendition of the Rubber Ducky song into the otherwise, quiet room.


“…you make bath time lotts of fun! Ariel dolly, you’re the one…you make bath time lotts of fun! Ariel dolly, you’re the one…you make bath time lotts of fun! Ariel dolly, you’re the-”


I laughed quietly at her little song that had been on repeat for the past five minutes. “Ok, baby…time to rinse.”


“Kay.”


She dipped her doll’s head under the water and held it there for a few seconds, running her thin fingers through the red plastic strands. When she was done rinsing out her doll's hair, she lifted it out of the water and held it out to me.


I took it from her and said, “Your turn, Isabella. Rinse your hair.”


She nodded and turned to lean back in the tub. I stood from the tub’s ledge then, and walked over to the sink to rinse my hands. I rinsed off her doll while I was at it, then put it away, back into the cabinet below the sink.


Isabella sat back up and I looked over at her. She gasped for a breath of air and wiped at her eyes with small fists. When she was looking at me again, I smiled at her. She smiled back.


So fucking beautiful.


“Isabella, I’m going to go pick out your jammies, alright? Come into the bedroom when your done, and don’t forget to squeeze out the water from your hair, sweetheart…”


She nodded, so I walked out of the bathroom, over to the dresser in the bedroom. I grabbed the first thing I saw, which was a short white night gown with thin spaghetti shoulder straps. I’d seen Bella wear this before and I knew it would come down to her mid-thigh, so it wasn’t too short. When I opened Bella’s panty drawer, I picked out a pair of white cotton bikini panties to match. Isabella would not be wearing silk, or lace…that was just ridiculous. I had to stick to comfortable cotton when it came to my five year old.


I laid the bed clothes on the bed, before I grabbed a pair of my new black and blue flannel pajama pants and a black cotton wife-beater shirt. I didn't wear pajamas last night because I'm still getting used the damn concept of the useless things, but tonight my girl didn't feel well. I wanted to cater to her comfort as much as possible, and I knew that my soft cotton-wear would help. I listened and found that Isabella was still splashing around a bit, so I hurried to change into these pajamas.


When I was changed, I pulled the bed covers down, then walked towards the dvd shelf. After choosing Monsters Inc and putting it in the dvd player, I pushed the play button, effectively starting the movie.


As soon as the previews started showing, Isabella spoke up. "Edward, what you put on?" she asked from her spot in the bath tub.


"Monsters...baby, you're done in the tub. Come out here. It's time to get dressed and ready for bed," I told her.


"But my bubbles, Edward..." her tone let me know that she was pouting.


I grabbed her baby doll, with it's accessory bag and set it on top of the bed, so that it would be ready for her to get the doll ready for bed, as well. You know...since she's such a good mommy, and all.


"Isabella, bath time is over," I repeated.


"But, I'm colorin on my bubble mountains with my soapie crayons, and it's pretty, and I can't just stop -"


"Yes, you can, Isabella. You need to listen. Do as your told," I said with finality from my spot on the bed.


"Edward?"


"What?"


"How come your bein so bossy?"


I smiled. "I'm not, it just seems that way because you don't want to do what you're supposed to."


"Yah-huh, Edward...you're being a bossy-pants, and my bubble mountains gotta get done. I got one that's purple and red, the next one I'm gonna make blue and-"


I gritted my teeth, then relaxed my jaw three times before I spoke again. "Isabella, do you want another spanking?"


She went quiet then.


"Well?" I prodded.


"No..." she whispered.


"I think you do," I challenged. "Otherwise, you would have listened and gotten out of the tub by now."


She started to cry. "No, Edwaaaard..."


I sighed. "Then get out of the tub, sweetheart. Your movie is on, and your baby doll is waiting for you to come and get her ready for bed," I conjoled her softly.


She quieted what had been the beginning of her cries. "Am I in trouble?" she hedged.


I ran a frustrated hand through my wild hair.


Why is she testing me again?


"Get out of the tub, Isabella," my tone was a clear warning.


She recognized the warning and I heard her getting out of the bath tub then. A few seconds later, I heard the bathroom sink turn on as she began brushing her teeth.


Thank God.


When she walked into the room, wrapped in that big white towel three minutes later, I turned and gave her a reassuring smile so that she wouldn't think she was in trouble.


I got up from the bed and kissed her forehead to make sure the fever was staying at bay. She hadn't developed one yet, and I wanted to keep it that way. Tonight, she wouldn't have a protein shake, or a sleeping pill. Just some more cold medicine before bed.


"Get dressed, sweetie pie," I told her, then walked off towards the bathroom.


Once the tub was drained and rinsed, I dried the floor, as my new routine called for. After I tossed the soap crayons under the sink, I grabbed her hairbrush off of the counter and made my way back to the bedroom.


Isabella was dressed and sitting on the bed, half paying attention to the movie playing on the screen, and half paying attention to what she was doing with her doll. I sat behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist. I pulled her back a few inches so that she was flush against my chest before I started my soft brush strokes. She hummed in contentment at my gentle minstrations, as she finished dressing her baby doll in it's clothes. When she was done, she leaned against my chest and turned her full attention back to the movie.


Ten minutes later, I was done brushing her hair and she had taken another dose of her Tylenol cold medicine. She turned on her side and reached a hand up into my hair. As she started to softly play with it, and twirl different strands, she popped her thumb into her mouth.


I looked at the time and noticed that it was almost ten, so it would be normal for her to be tired by now. I watched her as she sucked her thumb, lazily traced circles through my hair, and kept her rapt attention on the movie. When her eyes started to droop, her thumb suddenly popped out of her mouth.


She looked away from the movie to me and blinked. "Edward..."


I smiled and kissed her.

BPOV

Everything came back into focus fairly fast. I opened my eyes to see that Monsters Inc movie playing on our tv. I felt Edward behind me and my hand was in his hair. I turned to look at him and smiled. I noticed that I had a slightly stuffy nose when I breathed out, "Edward..."


He gave me a dazzling smile before his lips crashed onto mine. I loved this. How he seemed to miss me all the time, but then I wasn't even really gone.


I twisted my body around, so that I was now straddling his hips.


I playfully smirked. "Miss me?"


"God, Bella...you have no fucking idea," he murmured before pressing his lips to mine again.


"Show me," I whispered.


All of a sudden, a devilish grin spread across his features as he stared into my eyes. I could feel my girly bits become all tingly under his gaze and when he breathed in, that devilish grin turned into a smug, panty-dropping smirk.


Yeah. Cocky bastard knew I was turned on.


Before I could even begin to feel embarrassed, he had his gentle but insistent lips back on mine. He kept one hand on the small of my back, holding me in place while his other hand traveled slowly up my back. Soon, it found it's destination on the side of my neck.


I had my hands fisted in Edward's hair, lightly tugging on it. When my tongue slid out to glide along his bottom lip, he chuckled and moved the hand that he had placed on my neck, over to the back of my head. He grabbed a fistful of my long hair at the nape of my neck, then began softly tugging my head to the side.


I knew what he wanted and it made me smile. I let him take control as I tilted my head to the side to give him access to what he wanted the most. His lips left mine then, and traveled along my jaw, down my throat and skimmed my flesh until he was at the place where my shoulder and neck met. As soon as his lips made purchase on that sensitive skin, he started placing gentle, open mouth kisses all around the area.


Teasing me.


I moaned in protest and rocked my hips against him. The hand on the small of my back, increased it's pressure in an effort to keep me still as I felt his mouth curve into a smile. He stayed silent and focused on his task, making sure to cover every centimeter of the exposed skin with frosty fuckhott kisses that did nothing to cool me down. I only seemed to be getting hotter and hotter the longer this continued. I tried rocking my hips again in an effort to get some friction, but then he stopped.


He just...fucking stopped.


What the hell?


He glided his lips over to the shell of my ear and licked at my lobe a bit before murmuring, "Uh-uh, Bella. Mmmmm, stay still. Can you do that for me, love?"


I quickly nodded, willing to do anything just to get his mouth to work it's magic on me again.


He lightly chuckled at my eagerness. "Good girl," he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine, before I felt his lips glide back over to my favorite spot.


My breathing picked up and I'm pretty sure that I was slightly panting in anticipation, but I couldn't find it in me to be embarrassed about it, because he seemed to be enjoying my body's reaction immensely. I let some soft moans escape my lips as I tugged on his hair, trying to get him to just...get on with it already.


A freakin decade later, his hand was still fisted in my hair, forcing my head to the side slightly, so that he could continue this torture. I decided that I couldn't take it anymore, so I whispered out a plea.


"Please..."


"Please, what?" he murmured against my skin in a soft, seductive voice.


I let out a breathy moan. "Please...mark me, Edward."


With that, he smiled and let his lips finally close over that sensitive area on my neck, moaning in pleasure at the taste, before he began the subtle sucking motion with his mouth and tongue that I loved so much.


He was marking me and I fucking loved it.


After a minute, I was pretty sure that I could orgasm from this alone, and that was pretty sad.


Who got off on getting a hickey? Apparenty, I did.


I was clinging to Edward, trying to hold his face in place on my neck, when he reluctantly pulled away. When he did, I realized that I wasn't the only one who had gotten worked up. He was panting some himself and his beautiful, gold eyes had turned black.


He groaned and released his fisted hold on my hair. I slipped my hands from his hair also, and gently cupped his face. I brought his face to mine then, for some more of those kisses that I craved so much. They started off heated, and we could feel eachother's desperation with each one, before they eventually calmed down to those soft, cute kisses with the murmured, 'I love yous'.


Edward was lightly fluttering frosty, pecking kisses across my left cheekbone when I broke the silence of the room.


"Edward, what happened after therapy?" I asked softly.


He gave my nose one last kiss, before he suggested that we lay down. I agreed, feeling pretty tired all of a sudden. When he layed on his back, I decided that I wanted to sleep on my side tonight, so I assumed the original position, as opposed to my new one, where I had to sleep on top of him. He began talking as I put my head on his shoulder and snuggled tightly into his side. When I draped my arm across his hard abs, he wrapped his arm around me. I could feel his fingertips softly trail along my back and occasionally play with my hair as he continued telling me everything that had happened.


Basically, to sum it all up: Isabella is a brat, Edward got away this afternoon to go hunting, and I have a cold. Oh yeah, and Jacob showed up, but that's hardly important. I'm still pissed off at that douchebag.


"Edward..." I hedged softly.


"Hmm?"


"There's something I need to tell you about Isabella."


He turned his head to look into my eyes. I saw that his were suddenly filled with apprehension. "What...?"


Don't tell him.


"Um..." I hesitated at Isabella's voice.


Please, Bella? I'll get in trouble...


I don't think you will.


I will she said sadly.


"What is it, love?"


"Your right, Isabella has been testing you. But it's not just in the ways that you think, Edward."


"What are you talking about, Bella? I took care of it -"


I shook my head subtly. "No...no, Edward. You didn't."


"What?" he insisted.


Bella, don't...


I sighed.


Sorry, kid...


"Edward, don't help Isabella with her baths anymore," I advised, hoping that I could just leave it at that.


He furrowed his brow, then asked hesitantly. "Why...?"


Bella, don't tell on me!


You won't be in trouble!


"Okay, yeah...you took care of her behavior and her testing you on many different things, but you forgot her main problem. A big problem..." I hedged.


"What, Bella? Just tell me," he demanded.


I decided to just spit it out. He obviously wasn't going to let it go.


"Isabella has been testing you in the bathroom too."


He slightly gasped, but I continued on.


"You have to see things from her point of view, Edward. She is an abused little girl and you are a man. You tell her all the time that she belongs to you...baby, while that may mean one thing between the two of us, it is something completely different for Isabella. A man showing ownership over me...or, her, I mean...is something that she is ironically used to."


I shook my head then. "I mean, don't get me wrong...she completely accepts your, umm...'ownership' and she absolutely adores you. But she is still trying to see what kind of 'owner' you will be. A kind one, or one that will hurt her and take advantage of a situation. Or one that will let other people hurt her...God, it's so hard to explain-"


"No, I think I get it," he snapped.


I sighed, "Are you mad?"


His gaze on me became immediately concerned. "No, sweetheart," he assured me. "Jesus, I'm not mad...it's just..." he sighed. "Just, that a lot of her behavior makes sense now. Her always looking to me for permission to do certain things, like speak to another man, or use the fucking bathroom. Or, her always asking me if I'm going to let a specific person hurt her..." he cringed. "Or fuck her, for God sakes," he told me, slightly exasperated.


"Yeah...exactly. And bath time? That's just her trying to see if you'll take advantage in the sexual aspect of things. She almost expects you to, ya know...and the fucked up thing about it, is that she won't reject you. Or say no. Because she belongs to you-"


He looked to the ceiling then. "Fucking Christ, Bella," he snapped.


"What?"


He slowly turned his head back towards me. His golden eyes were pained as they bore into my brown ones.


"What the hell happened to you?" he whispered as he pressed a cool kiss to my forehead.


When he pulled back to look into my eyes, I shrugged. "Um...I don't really know."


His concerned gaze became confused then, and before I could allow myself to explain, I found myself giving him advice.


"Look, honey...just continue doing what you're doing, okay? You're doing a wonderful job, and the girls practically worship you. Just...with Isabella, continue on like you are. Show her that this type of 'ownership' is the good kind," I said with a nod and some good ol' air quotes. "She will see eventually that you are not going to let anyone hurt her and that you are to be trusted completely. Just, for God sakes...no more bath time. You got her that tearless shampoo, right?"


He nodded.


"Okay, then she should be fine. Stay firm, Edward. She is insecure about this, and that's why she's going to continue to test you on it. Unless something is very wrong, or she's crying, or something...leave her in the bathroom to take a bath by herself. Can you do that?" I hedged softly.


He gave me a small smile. "Yes."


I yawned then, and he rolled onto his side towards me, causing me to lay on my stomach beside him. I turned my head to face him as I burrowed it into the soft pillow. He softly swept some hair out of my face with his gentle hand.


"Go to sleep, my Bella...you're so tired," he whispered close to my face as he placed a kiss to my cheek. "And you've got a bit of a cold," he added in a soft voice, but it was strained under his concern for my health.


I just nodded and let my eyes drift close. A second later, I felt the blankets being pulled over my body. Then, there were his fingers, as they trailed softly up and down my back and lazily played with my hair. Soon, I was being lulled into unconciousness by his honey-sweet smell and cool, soothing touch.