Author's note: To all you Carlisle fans...I have what you need. *evil laugh* I believe this will be the longest book yet, as it deals with a full nine days in Greece, as well as what happens back home while Carlisle and Bella are playing with one another. So, grab a drink and a bar of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy.

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"Seriously, your sense of style should be shot. If you even had one. What is that THING?" Alice walked over and began yanking at the fastenings on Bella's shirt as she ranted. "Go crazy, I tell you. Get something pretty, I tell you. You have your own official Cullen credit card now, I point out. And this is what you pick up?" For emphasis she ripped the dark green cardigan off of Bella's arms and shook it in her face. "Maybe I phrased it wrong. Maybe I should have said 'get something that shows off that magnificent body of yours.' How on earth do you expect to break Carlisle's self-restraint if you don't use all the tools available?"

Alice raved on and on, pausing long enough to leave the dressing room of the upscale boutique only to resume her tirade when she returned, arms full of clothing. She dumped it all on the waiting room bench and began rummaging through it. Seeming to choose at random she thrust a pile of material at Bella and shooed her back into the little room, following on her heels. Without so much as a by-your-leave she divested Bella of the rest of her clothing, not stopping until the brunette was standing there completely nude, trying to avoid the mirrors. She took a step back and gave her friend a long, sensual once-over.

"Then again, maybe you should walk up to him like this. Game, set, match, and in under five seconds. All that remarkable control...and he wouldn't stand a chance." She laughed as Bella flushed bright red.

"Alice!" She muttered in embarrassment.

"What?" asked the perky vampire, walking slowly towards the unclad brunette. Bella had the sudden feeling of being stalked that made her shiver. With delight. Alice reached out and placed one perfectly manicured nail right between Bella's breasts, dragging it slowly down over her quivering stomach, stopping just above the neatly trimmed thatch of dark hair at her center. Bella moaned quietly. "You are one sexy human, Isabella Marie Swan." She leaned over and kissed her lightly just below her left ear.

"Alice, we're in public!" Her friend grinned wickedly.

"All the more reason for you to be quiet. Otherwise the saleswomen might think something's going on in here." She trailed her tongue down the smooth expanse of pale skin until he got to Bella's nipple, closing her lips lightly over the pebbled tip and sucking gently. Bella felt her tenuous grip on reality began to fracture. She gasped as Alice ran her dainty fingers along the inside of her thigh, stroking up and down in time to her rhythmic sucking. Ten minutes, ten years - Bella had no idea how long she stood there, leaning against the wall as she knew her legs wouldn't support her, while Alice teased and tormented her. She felt a climax slowly building, creeping closer...closer...

"If Carlisle could see you like this...flushed and panting and ready to burst...mmmmm..." Alice stood up, pressing one last kiss to Bella's slightly parted lips. The human glared at her friend.

"You are a bitch, you know."

"Absolutely! Now, put this on."

After twenty minutes of adjusting and arranging clothes, trying to keep her concentration and balance when Alice gave her a quick kiss here or there, or brushed cool fingers against her heated skin, Bella thought she was going to lose her mind. Finally, after closing the last buckle on a ridiculously high heeled sandal, Alice stood and backed up. She looked Bella over, her eyes lighting with something akin to lustful awe.

"He is one lucky man." Bella blushed again, but when she turned apprehensively to glance in the mirror, she lost her breath. That can't be me, she thought, stunned. I'm not that...that...hell, I'd take me to bed! Staring for a few minutes, she watched as Alice walked up behind her, dropping to a crouch to smooth her hands down Bella's sheer stocking-encased legs, then standing up and placing her hands on Bella's shoulders, pulling her face to face. Her voice turned serious.

"Bella. Love." She paused. "This is the time to back out if you want to. The tickets have been bought, but it's no big deal. Once you walk into his study in this, though, there will be no changing your mind." The silence drew out as Bella's thoughts spun furiously. One thought, one image, remained crystal clear in the confusion - the vision of the golden-haired elder vampire, wet, shirtless, sparkling in the setting light of the sun. She shivered. There was no choice. Giving herself one more glance, she began undressing again.

"Let's get these things off me so we can ring them up."

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Esme seemed to be hiding something, he thought. He walked up to his wife where she was peacefully chopping vegetables for Bella's lunch, standing behind her to wrap his arms around her.

"There's something you're not telling me, my love." He couldn't see her expression yet he knew she was smiling, that half-smile that always seemed to hide more than it gave away.

"Whyever would you think that, beloved?" She continued chopping. "Why would I keep secrets from you, from my husband?"

"Oh, I don't know," he growled in her ear. "Maybe because you have a surprise for me." She pretended to think.

"Oh, that's right. It's getting close to your birthday, isn't it dear?" He spun her around and pinned her back against the counter, pressing his body flush with hers. Still her teasing, secretive smile never flickered.

"You know we don't celebrate birthdays."

"Well, then, I can't imagine why I'd be hiding anything from you." She smiled up at him sweetly. With a playful snarl he bent her backwards, attacking her throat with kisses until he felt her begin to sag.

"It wouldn't be something to do with my upcoming trip, would it?" She shook her head.

"Not at all," she lied easily.

"Are you sure there's nothing? I can make you talk, you know." She stood upright again and fixed him with a gaze that was at once challenging and full of love.

"You could, but you're not going to. You're going to help me put this veggie tray together for our wonderful human daughter, who will no doubt be as hungry as a fledgling when Alice finally brings her home from their shopping trip."

"Oh, I suppose you win," he said, giving in with well-performed petulance. "We can't have Bella starving now, can we? She's got such a healthy appetite." Esme just chuckled to herself. Oh, Carlisle, you have no idea. But you will, darling. You will.