okay after this, the chapters actually will take place in breaking dawn. promise
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Strong arms wrapped around Valeria's waist, pulling her into a broad chest and away from the canvas she had been intently focused on. She couldn't help but smile as his warmth engulfed her, feeling at home in his embrace.
"What are you painting?" Sam asked, resting his chin in the crook of her neck.
She slyly turned in his arms and ran her brush across his cheek, leaving behind a pale blue streak of paint on his tan skin. "You," she replied, giggling happily. She forgot all about the waves on the canvas that she had been carefully adding detail to.
Sam scoffed and held her still as he pressed his cheek against her forehead, smearing the paint all over her while she squealed. "And now I'm painting you."
The pair were settled on the back porch of Sam's house, the scenic beach of La Push only a few yards out from them. While Sam was on patrol, Valeria made herself comfortable in front of an easel and set to recreate the view. However, her concentration was thrown to the wind with Sam's arrival. When he was around, all her focus was on him.
"How was patrol?" Valeria asked softly. As she spoke, she used her thumb to move the paint around on his cheek.
Sam repaid the favor by rubbing paint into her eyebrows. "Standard — nothing to worry about, as usual. How was bridesmaid dress shopping?"
Valeria pulled an annoyed face, recalling the morning spent trying on designer dresses that Alice had shoved in her arms. "Bella said that if she has to wear what Alice picks, then so do I. She did at least say we could wear different styles of dresses as long as they're the same length and color — lavender."
"Did you two manage to compromise?" he asked. Sam was now well aware of how often Valeria and Alice disagreed on things like fashion and hair and well... most things, actually. And Rosalie, the third sister, was often stuck in the middle and forced to make them meet in the middle.
"Yeah. It's actually really pretty, but kinda short."
Sam raised an eyebrow and lowered his hands to her hips, his thumbs brushing against the skin under her sweater. "How short?"
Valeria scoffed playfully and shoved his chest — of course, he didn't budge as he grinned wolfishly down at her. "You dog, Sam Uley."
"A horrible joke," he said, though he did laugh.
The months following the battle against the newborn army had been the best for Valeria Cullen.
It was shortly after everyone recovered and refueled that the wedding planning began. Well, Alice did most of the planning, and Bella nodded along, accepting all the changes that Alice made.
