Edward: BBW (Members From Money Book 17)

by Katie Dowe

  “I love you,” she whispered back.

  They danced slowly to the sound of one of Mark’s song and cuddled on the dance floor. Edward barely wanted to let her go but he had to do so eventually when his father and several of his friends came to claim their dances.

  He danced with his petite mother and she made him laugh with stories about his father on their wedding day. “You are happy.” She looked up at him and marvelled at how happy he was.

  “What gave it away?” he teased her.

  “You wear your heart on your sleeve, darling. She is a beautiful girl and all I have ever wanted was for you to find someone to be happy with.” Her dark grey eyes wandered around the room at the single women with their bored expression and empty beautiful faces and thanked God that her son had not chosen one of them!

  “She is.” He looked at her in his father’s arms and sighed as she laughed at something he said to her. “I fell in love with her laugh and those dimples,” he said gently. “She has the most beautiful smile I ever saw.”

  “I am so happy for both of you,” his mother said as she hugged him.

  They escaped at some minutes past three with the party still going on. He drove her himself sending the driver away because he wanted to be alone with her. He drove slowly as she relaxed against the soft leather seat and closed her eyes.

  “Tired?” He had his hand on her thigh.

  “A little bit.” She turned her head to look at him. “I am Mrs. Edward Moore and I am finding it a little hard to believe.”

  “Believe it.” He brought her hand up to his mouth to kiss it. “I am your husband.”

  “I want us to spend time at the house just the two of us. Honeymoon can come much later. I want us to decorate the Christmas tree together.”

  “What Christmas tree?” he asked her teasingly.

  “The one I ordered from the lot a day ago. I used your name and they sent over the largest one they had,” she said with a mischievous smile.

  “My name is now yours,” he told her softly loving her enthusiasm.

  “After my mom died I never decorated a tree again. It was too painful.”

  “I would love to decorate the tree with you. How about going all out and decorating the entire place?” he asked her softly.

  “Do we have enough time?” she asked him dryly.

  “We are going to find out,” he said with a grin.

  His parents insisted on staying at the hotel to give them time to be with each other and Abby was secretly happy. That night he made love to her with a slowness that tormented her and drove her to the point of madness! The next morning he brought her breakfast in bed. Slightly burnt toast and some hot chocolate with marmalade spread over the toast. They ate in bed and spent the morning making love and then sleeping. He had given the housekeeper and the maid the time off so they were by themselves. He pulled the tree out and placed it near the window facing the eastside of the gardens. He did not allow her to lift anything and when they could not find enough decorations he just made a call and even at the busiest hour for stores they delivered as soon as possible. He watched as she tried to decide where to put what bulb and noticed her preciseness as she color coordinated the decorations. He realized that she did the same when she was dealing with the clothes for him. She was wearing a light blue shift that shifted around her ample body. Her hair was caught in a ponytail and she was wearing the diamond knobs he had given her.

  “We are going to need a ladder to put up the star,” he told her in amusement as she looked up to the top of the dazzling tree.

  “I think so.” She laughed as he wrapped his hands around her waist. “Do we have one?”

  “I think one is stashed somewhere in the kitchen.” He nibbled at her neck and caught the flesh between his teeth. She moaned as his tongue soothed the slight sting with his tongue. “I think we should finish for the night, don’t you?” he asked her huskily as he lifted his head.

  “I think so,” she said her body vibrating. He took her hand and they went to the bedroom. He drew them a bath and liberally sprinkled in the bath salts and the rosemary bath splash she had ordered. The bath was large enough to hold a dozen people and as she sank into the warm sudsy water she sighed contentedly. He moved around and brought her up to his chest so she could rest her head back. He used the sponge and ran it over her breast and lingered at her nipples, slowly circling the wide dark area. She whimpered as her nipples stiffened painfully. He brought the sponge down to her flat stomach and washed the area thoroughly marvelling that his child was growing inside her.

  “Abby,” he whispered.

  She tipped her head back and looked up at him, her lips parted. “My wife.” With a groan he bent his head and took her lips with his in a stunningly tender kiss.

  Chapter 11

  It was the most gloriously wonderful Christmas she had ever had! His parents came over the night before and they stayed up until very late. He woke her up Christmas morning with a lingering kiss and large gift wrapped package. “I said no presents, Edward,” she said huskily as she stared at the gaily wrapped package.

  “I love spoiling you besides it is something that you need,” he said with a smile. “Open it.”

  He winced as she tore into the paper destroying it to get to the gift. She took out the long and beautiful teal blue cashmere coat. It was so soft that Abby could not help but pressed it against her face. “I take it that you like it?” he asked her in amusement.

  “I do,” she whispered as she folded the coat neatly and put it back into the box. “I also love the six others you had sent over from Romano’s,” she told him dryly. “When are you going to stop?”

  “Never so get used to it.” He removed the package and pulled her into his arms. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moore.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Moore, and same to you.” She snuggled up to him and he wrapped his hands around her.

  “How about we spend the day in bed?” he murmured.

  “Your parents are here so we can’t,” she reminded him.

  “Mother and Dad have a standing invitation for Christmas luncheon at the Pendleton’s a few miles away so they are leaving at about ten. Since this is our first Christmas together I was thinking a late get up and then I take you out to get something to eat.”

  “No.” She wrapped her hands around his neck. “Florence left us a turkey in the oven when she came over the other day and I can fix the salads as well as do some pumpkin rice. I want to spend Christmas right here, Edward, and sit by the fire with you when we finish eating while we listen to some carols.”

  “Good plan.” He bent and kissed her softly. “But first this.” He eased back and unbuttoned the lavender silk nightgown she was wearing baring her breasts to his hungry eyes. “A proper Christmas greeting.”

  *****

  The scene was very domestic! They had finally gotten dressed and left their bedroom with her wearing a beautiful red cashmere sweater and black wool skirt. She had left her dark hair loose around her shoulders and was wearing the diamond knobs he had given her as a part of her wedding presents. He sliced the turkey while she made the salads. Christmas carols played softly from hidden speakers and the place was warmed by a fire blazing in the hearth. She looked over at him as he sliced through the meat deftly. His ash blonde hair was mussed and he was wearing his usual t-shirt and sweats. He was her husband, this handsome and brilliant man and he loved her! It was kind of hard to believe and to take in! H took a thin slice of the meat and indicated that she opened her mouth and when she did he put it in. She sucked on his finger causing his blood pressure to spike. “Are you working on us skipping the meal?” he asked her huskily.

  “Not a chance! I am starving.”

  “Well behave.”

  They ate at the kitchen counter with him feeding her from his plate most of the time. The good thing was she did not have nausea from her pregnancy but was able to eat basically anything. He brushed away her worries that she would put on excess weight she would no
t be able to get rid of.

  They went for a walk after all that, bundled up as it was snowing slightly, the white flakes drifting from the sky and melting as it hit the ground. It was an incredibly beautiful place and extremely large with the immaculately grounds stretching for miles. “There were horses at one point,” he told her as they came to what looked like it had been a paddock at one time. “My great great grandfather loved the sport so I was told and this place was overrun with horses. His son, my father’s father, was not into it and sold them off one by one.” He pointed to a section that looked as if a building had been there. “The barn.” He kept her gloved hand in his firmly as they walked towards the area. “I am thinking of maybe buying one or two horses. Our son could start up the tradition.”

  “You said son.” She looked up at him and he looked down at her.

  “I don’t care either way, baby,” he murmured as he touched the tip of her small nose. “As long as he or she is healthy.”

  “Me neither.”

  They finished their walk and went back inside to take a nap after he finished making love to her by the fire!

  *****

  He got sick on New Year’s Day. His parents had left a few days ago with them promising to visit them in Hawaii sometime soon. She was just about to go to the bathroom in the early hours of the morning when she heard his labored breathing. She switched on the bedside lamp and looked down at him. He was moving restlessly, mumbling in his sleep. She placed her hand on his forehead, pulling it back swiftly. He was burning up! He opened his eyes and looked up at her, his grey eyes bright and feverish. “I think I am sick,” he said a little hoarsely.

  “I think so too,” she said with a small smile. “I am going to see if I can get your temperature down.”

  He reached out and grabbed her, his hot skin searing her flesh. “I don’t want you to get sick,” he mumbled.

  “I won’t,” she assured him. “Now I really need to go and take care of my husband.”

  She had wanted to put him into an ice cold bath but he was too weak to get up so she had to make do. He had told her to call a doctor but it had been snowing since last night and it was a blizzard out there! She filled a basin with water and took it into the room where she stripped him of every article of clothing he had on which was not much. She squeezed out the sponge and ran it all over his body and had to look up at him when she saw evidence of his desire. “That part is alive and well,” he said with a crooked grin as he stared at her. She was tender and caring and he loved her even more for it. She took out a clean t-shirt and underwear along with pyjamas for him to put on. “Some water please,” he croaked when she was finished. She went to get water and orange juice for him and some fever reducing medicine she saw in the cabinet. By the time he was finished drinking he had drifted off to sleep. She had not managed to change the sheets but had put a soft clean towel underneath him. His fever had gone down somewhat, thank goodness. She left him fast asleep and took a shower, pulling on a comfortable pair of jogging pants and an emerald sweater. She had brought over some of her things from the apartment but she had not gotten the chance to wear her clothes much because of the tons of clothes that had been delivered for her.

  Her phone rang when she was in the kitchen preparing the ingredients to make the soup. “Hey, what’s up?” she asked Jenny as she sliced the carrots carefully.

  “How are you?”

  “I am great, but Edward is sick. He has the flu. I am making chicken soup for him. What was that one thing you put in yours to make it so tasty?”

  “Lots of vegetables and a sprig of rosemary.” She paused. “I need a favor.”

  “Anything.”

  “I am low on my rent and I have been bursting my brain trying to find a solution.”

  “How much?”

  “Just like that?”

  “Jenny, you are my best friend and we lived together for years. As a matter of fact I was going to tell you that I am still going to pay my share.”

  “No. I will find a way to manage.”

  “I am paying my share. I have more money than I know what to do with. I am going to transfer some money to you.”

  “I want to say no because of my pride, but I am broke so I have no choice. Thank you.”

  “No problem. Edward gave me several cards and told me he added my name to his accounts. I took a peek into one of them and I nearly had a heart attack! So I am going to be sharing with you. I will transfer the sum as soon as I finished cooking his soup.”

  “Thank you so much and thanks for the food you sent over. I won’t have to shop for weeks.”

  “There is more food here than we can ever eat.”

  “Okay, later.”

  Abby hung up and put all the ingredients for the soup into the pot while she made herself a cup of tea and a piece of toast. Her stomach was feeling a little queasy. She wandered over to the big bay window in the kitchen and looked outside, marveling at the sheer magnificence of the place! A thick blanket of snow covered everywhere the eyes could see and the glaring whiteness of it made everything looked clean and pure. It was very quiet but she loved it and felt contented with it just being her and Edward. She turned back to the pot and turned the fire down beneath it before going to check on him. He had taken off the covers and to her consternation he was feeling very hot again. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She noticed that they were unfocussed as they stared at her as if he did not recognize her. He reached up and clutched at her sweater bringing her down against him. “Water, please,” he rasped. She tried to remove his hand but he held on tightly causing her fear. She finally managed to pry his fingers apart and moved out of reach, her heart thudding in fear. She went to get the water and he drank down two glasses thirstily before falling back on the pillows. She dialed the doctor’s number and explained what was happening.

  “He is delirious, Mrs. Moore. I am afraid there is no way I can come out that side what with the weather being the way it is. Just continue to douse him down with the cold water and the good thing is that he is craving liquid.”

  “I made some chicken soup for him.”

  “Very good. He needs the liquid from the vegetables and the meat. Just continue to see to him. The fever should break shortly.”

  Abby watched him like a hawk. He slept for four hours straight and when she checked on him again she almost sagged with relief at the sopping wet clothes indicating that he had sweated out the fever.

  He had not taken the soup yet and she had started to feel tired from the worry and from taking care of him. She went to lie on one of the sofas and before she knew it she had fallen into an exhausted sleep!

  *****

  He woke up disoriented as he looked around the darkened room. He felt lightheaded and his mouth was dry. He groaned a little as he got up wondering where Abby was. He got off the bed and as his eyes got accustomed to the darkness he saw her huddled on the sofa fast asleep. The memories came flooding back as he realized that he had been sick and she had waited on his hand and foot. He walked over to her and sat on his haunches as he looked at her. Poor thing she must be so tired! He pushed back the hair from her face and her eyes opened just then. “Edward!” She made to jump up but he held her there firmly.

  “You are exhausted, Abby, and you have been taking care of me for the entire day.” He cursed inwardly as his hands trembled slightly. “I am not feeling too badly now so I want you to rest.”

  “I have been sleeping for a while and am rested,” she told him firmly as she eased off the sofa. “I made some soup and I want you to drink it.”

  “Both of us,” he said as he got to her feet and took her hand.

  They went to the kitchen together and he made her sit while he ladled the soup into two bowls and passed one to her before sitting next to her. She had every intention of seeing to it that he took a shower and changed out of the sweaty clothes. “This is delicious,” he said, his eyes widening.

  “Jenny’s secret recipe,” she said with a smile
happy to see that he was eating.

  “Your former roommate?” he asked her quizzically as he ate quickly.

  “Hmm.” She leaned over and caught a dribble of soup on his strong chin. “I need to discuss something with you.”

  “Shoot.” He emptied his bowl and went to get some more.

  “She is having a very hard time paying her rent and I told her that I would continue to pay mine. I sent her some money, Edward. I hope that’s okay.” She looked at him a little anxiously, not because she was afraid he would have a problem with it but she had begun to realize that he was a very smart businessman and did not make unwise business decisions.

  “You have your own money and you don’t need to ask me permission,” he reminded her gently as he came to sit next to her. “She could package this and sell it. This is really good,” he said teasingly.

  “Would you be interested in backing her?” Abby teased right back.

  “She is your friend, baby, and I would not want to get involved,” he said seriously. “How is the blogging coming on?”

  “It is coming but sometimes it is not enough.”

  “We need someone in the PR department. Just ask her to send in her resume by email to Lisa.”

  “Just like that?” She had scraped her bowl.

  “You don’t get that I never want to see you worried or in need do you?” he asked her softly. “She is your friend and you knew her long before we even met. If I can help I will.”

  “Have I told you how much I love you, Edward Moore?” she asked him softly.

  “Not since this morning but I forgive because I have been sick and out of it.” He grinned at her.

  “I love you,” she said soberly.

  “And I love you more than I can ever explain,” he said seriously as he came around to her side. “How about we go and take a shower together and sit by the fire?”