A/N - Thank you to everyone that has given this story a chance. It is really important to me for a lot of reasons, and it's so nice to hear your reactions. Have a great week, and I'll see you all again next Saturday! Enjoy!

Chapter 3 - Can't Be All

BPOV

I, Bella Swan, was on a horse. I couldn't believe how amazing this felt. I was going to have to trust this animal with my life. It was a little frightening, and more than anything, my heart was racing, not in fear, but in excitement. My heart rate may have also been attributed to the feeling of Edward's strong and sure hands on my hips not a moment before. I liked when he touched me. Not many opportunities had come for that, yet, but I basked in the experience when it happened. Holding hands and the kiss at the diner, and now this.

I watched as Edward rode over to me, or us, on a gorgeous horse. He looked so at home on horseback. It was amazing. His hair is actually what struck me, now. In my thorough examination of his every feature, I kept getting hung up on his stunning eyes, never making it to ogle his hair, but, with the sun shining overhead, I couldn't help but look. It was light brown, but seemed to have beautiful red highlights through it. It was such an unusual color on a man, but just added to his overall gorgeous appearance.

When I had thanked Edward for allowing us to share in this experience, something to him, that was likely an everyday occurrence, but, was so meaningful and special to me, he had said 'anytime.' The conviction with which he spoke, led my to think, to hope, that he really didn't want this, whatever it was, to end between us either.

"Okay, girls," Edward said, obviously ready to start our trail ride, "We'll ride down the gravel road we drove in on, and cross the highway to Emmett's ranch. He's got some great trails on his land." Edward smiled at me, then winked, before riding up to lead us through his farm. I didn't even move, but Cinnamon seemed to want to follow behind Edward and Nutmeg, and just started walking. I giggled as she walked, it felt amazing. I was actually riding a horse. I couldn't believe it. I turned around and looked at Jessica. Sugar just stood still.

"Edward," Jessica called. "How do I make it go?" She sounded a little frustrated.

"Just squeeze her with your legs." Edward said, smiling at her in encouragement. I watched as Jessica squeezed the horse gently and she started to walk. Sugar walked up beside me, and Jessica squealed a little. She looked terrified now that she was moving. "You're doing great, Jessica. She's going nice and slow." Sugar continued to walk along the road, as if she knew where she was headed. Edward turned in his saddle to look at me. "And, how are you doing back here?" He smirked at me, and looked so drop dead gorgeous on that horse, my breath hitched a little in my throat.

"Um, I'm fine," I said, smiling back at him. By the look on his face, I could tell that he knew the effect he had on me. Edward slowed his horse, and started riding beside me, with Jessica in front of us.

"I think Cinnamon likes you." Edward said to me with a smile. "Can I make a confession?" He looked at me, his head tipped down a little, almost like he was embarrassed that he had said that out loud. I nodded in encouragement. I wanted to hear everything he had to say, everything he was thinking. "Back at the diner, I was imagining you on this horse." He smiled, again. "And, my imagination was nothing compared to the real thing."

Was he trying to kill me? Those were the most romantic words that had ever been uttered in my presence. I know I blushed and my smile was pulling at my cheeks. I had never, in my entire life, been happier than I was in this moment. Edward reached his hand out and ran his fingers through my hair, then caressed my cheek. "Beautiful." He whispered.

EPOV

I was a bit embarrassed that I admitted my fantasy to Bella, but at the same time, I was glad that I had. I wanted, no, needed, her to know how strongly I felt about her already. I didn't have the liberty to take my time with her. If I wanted her, and I knew that I did, I had to act fast, or she would be out of my life. Much to my delight, she blushed and smiled, clearly happy that I had shared my feelings for her. She looked a little shy, like she might not know how to react to me.

I knew she was attracted to me, physically, at least. The way she looked at me, and watched me when she thought I wasn't paying attention, showed me that she liked what she saw. I was flattered. I had been told by women that I was attractive, and my body was fit from the work on the farm.

The feeling was mutual, though. I thought she was the most naturally beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. You could tell she made an effort with her appearance, but not to the extent of some women. Her features drew me in. Her body was incredible as well, and as a man, I will not deny that I enjoyed the sight of her in that tight, white tank top and fitted jeans. Her arms were a milky white colour and her skin looked so soft. I wanted to trace my fingers all over her, but I settled for her cheek. She was beautiful, and I may have said it out loud, but I wasn't sure. She looked down at my hand and reached out to take it in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, before holding onto the saddle horn again. "Thank you." She whispered. I must have said it out loud, but in that moment, I was focused on how her hand had felt in mine, again.

But, what I really wanted, was for Bella to be attracted to me, as a person, not just my body. I loved her quiet enthusiasm and her gentle nature. And I wanted to know more about her. I hoped she felt the same about me. I wasn't usually so self-reflective. I never really thought about things like love and beauty as abstract concepts. My horses were beautiful. I loved my parents, my friends and my land, but being around Bella, everything was different. It was like she dominated my entire mind; my entire being.

We rode along in a peaceful silence. I watched Bella as she took in her surroundings. It was like seeing my farm for the first time, through her eyes. She smiled at the beautiful western view of the mountains. I loved Alberta for that very reason. We had the flat, prairie farmland, but the mountains weren't too far off. It was gorgeous here, and I loved that when I looked out the living room window, it was like seeing a postcard everyday. But, with work and chores needing to be done around the farm, I didn't always take the time to just enjoy it. I could tell that Bella would never take this scenery for granted. She seemed to be the type that would take a minute to just breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy nature's beauty. I watched as she took a deep breath and smiled. She was savouring the moment, committing it to memory. I was doing the same. But, it was Bella that I was watching. She looked over at me, and smiled.

"You are so lucky, Edward," she said, looking into my eyes with a wistful smile. "It's like, I don't even know to explain it. It's so free and open. I can't believe I only live an hour away from this. That this," she gestured at the area around her, "has been so close to me all my life, but I've never taken the time to come out here and enjoy it."

I couldn't believe that this amazing creature, that had stolen my heart in a minute, had only been living an hour away from me my entire life. I kept myself so isolated; my parents kept me out here. If I had gone to college in the city, maybe I would have met her sooner. I felt like I had been deprived of her company. I must have been frowning at that thought, because Bella asked me what was wrong. "Is everything okay, Edward?" She sounded concerned about me.

I shook my head. Why would I feel sorry for myself, when I had her with me now. I had to stop moping, and enjoy this time with her. I smiled at her. "Everything is perfect." And I meant it. In that moment, everything was. I just had to forget about the absolute heartbreak I had facing me, when we returned from the ride.

I looked up and noticed that we were almost to the highway. "Okay, girls, pull back gently on the reins. We want to stop the horses for a minute." They both did as I instructed and the horses stopped. I knew they would. These horses were amazing.

After the traffic cleared, we crossed the highway onto Emmett's land. Jessica seemed to be less afraid, and both girls looked like they were enjoying themselves. I saw Emmett out repairing his fence. He waved at us. "Girls, I'll be right back. Stop your horses." I watched as they both gently pulled back the reins. They were getting the hang of this. Bella was petting Cinnamon's neck, telling her that she was good horse. It was absolutely adorable. I shook my head, before turning Nutmeg and riding over to Emmett.

Emmett smirked at me as I approached. "Looks like you're having a great afternoon, huh?" he teased.

"Damn right," I answered, smirking right back. "Do you mind if we use your trails?"

"Of course not. But, stop by the house and grab my rifle. Jake came by about ten minutes ago and said someone saw a bear earlier this morning. I doubt it's still around, but you can't be too safe." Jake was Emmett's neighbour to the west. He also had ranch land out here. He was an okay guy, but seemed a bit cocky at times. He wasn't a guy I would sit down and have a cup of coffee with. A hello in passing was fine with me. He and Emmett got along okay. Maybe because I wasn't a rancher, he didn't feel like we had a lot in common. It didn't bother me, though. I had my own problems; more important things to worry about.

I didn't want to take the gun. I thought that would only make the girls uncomfortable around me, and I had worked so hard all morning to gain their trust. But at the same time, if there was a bear still in the area, I didn't want to lead the girls into danger without proper protection. I'd ridden out here my whole life and had been lucky enough to have never come into direct contact with a bear while I was on my horse. I figured I'd better get it, though.

I thanked Emmett before riding to the house. I dismounted, ran in the house, grabbed his .30-30 rifle out of his gun case, and locked it back up, before coming back out of the house. I attached the rifle scabbard to the right side of my saddle, where it would lay horizontally alongside the horse, with my leg over top of it. It was out of the way, but I could get to it, if I needed it.

I looked up and locked eyes with Bella. She looked nervous and confused. I hoped she wouldn't panic. I mounted Nutmeg, and rode back over to the girls. "Edward. What's going on? Why do you have a gun?" Bella asked, the second I was close enough to hear her. She was nervous.

"Look, girls. I don't want to scare you unnecessarily, but we're in the mountains. There is wildlife out here, okay?" I looked at both girls and Jessica's eyes were wide with fear. "We'll be fine. The rifle is just our insurance policy," I explained. It would kill me if they wanted to turn back. "You're going to face the same risks at any outfitter in this area. You girls still want to ride?" I think I held my breath waiting for their answer.

BPOV

This whole experience was a dream come true. When Edward left Jess and I for a few moments, I admitted to her that I thought I falling hard for Edward. "I don't know, Jess. This might sound weird for me to say so soon, but I think I might be in love with him." I blushed as I confessed my feelings, but the connection I felt with him was indescribable. I had never felt emotions so strong in my life, as I had over the course of the last couple of hours. It felt good to admit it, too. I was worried that when I said it out loud, it would seem ridiculous. I had never been so happy to be wrong. I was in love with Edward Cullen.

"Are you being serious with me right now, Bella?" Jessica exclaimed. "I mean, you just met him for god's sake."

"I know, Jess. I just feel incredibly drawn to him. But, it's not like a crush. I need to know him." I sighed. "How am I going to leave him?"

"Bella. We start our second year of grad school in a week. You have to leave him." In that moment, my best friend might as well have ripped my heart from my chest. Her words echoed in my mind. 'You have to leave him.' Why would fate deliver such a cruel blow?

I looked over at Edward, getting on his horse in front of Emmett's beautiful, two-storey yellow farm house. I honestly hadn't noticed him getting off the horse, as I was preoccupied with epiphany, that he was the love of my life. As he rode back over, I felt sick. I would have to leave him soon. I looked at his face and he looked worried. His eyes were troubled and I wondered in that moment if he could feel my emotions. I glanced down and noticed he a gun strapped on the side of his horse. I hadn't noticed it when we left his house. I asked him what was wrong and he started going on about the wildlife and then asked us if we still wanted to ride.

"Of course," I said, giving him a reassuring smile. He visibly let out a deep breath. He looked so relieved. "I wouldn't trade this opportunity for anything." And, I wouldn't. I did not want to leave Edward's side until I absolutely had to.

"Alright, let's go then," Edward said, smiling. I squeezed my legs and Cinnamon started walking, again. Jessica followed along behind me. It was a nice dirt pathway that led south through Emmett's land. On either side of us, was brush and sparse trees.

"Edward?" Jessica asked. "What kind of wildlife are we talking about here?"

Edward looked at us over his shoulder. "Well, the most common thing out here are deer, and if we're lucky, we might see some elk or a moose." He smiled at that. "There's also coyotes out here, but they won't come near you. We usually don't have a lot of problems with cougars, but there are bears our here from time to time."

"Bears?" Jessica asked. I turned and looked at her and she looked a little pale. I shrugged and smiled at her, hoping to make her feel better. We did want the whole outdoor experience.

"Do you do a lot of hunting, Edward?" I asked him, trying to both reassure Jessica with his shooting skills and learn more about him.

"In the fall, I usually go with Emmett. Mostly duck hunting, but we also go out for deer," he told me. But, Emmett acts as a guide in the fall for hunters from the States, so he doesn't usually have a lot of free time." I was comforted by Edward's close relationship with Emmett, as he seemed so alone out here.

We continued to ride for what must have been about two hours, with Edward's dog running alongside us. We took what seemed to be a large loop through the trees. The view was breathtaking. Just being outside like this was an experience in itself, but being able to be share this with Edward was incredible. As we rode, Jessica and I told him about our thesis topics. He was actually surprised that we both studied the American Civil War. He seemed intrigued and we talked about it for a least an hour. He seemed so interested in our experiences at university.

But, I was as curious about him, as he was of us. I started asking him about the farm and his life out here. He didn't seem to want to share too much about himself, but I could read between the lines, and tell that he was lonely out here. That's not to say he didn't like his life, because he seemed so proud of his crop. I think he just wanted someone to share his life with. I wished that I could be that person for him. But, how could I?

We found out that Edward would combining his field the next day. He said that he would be working almost night and day for the next six days. I think I almost cried when he told us that. We would be leaving back to the city in six days. I was hoping to ask him if would join us for a hike or something while were out here, but I wouldn't embarrass myself, now. Today was all I had, and we were just riding back to Emmett's ranch. I didn't want to today to end. This couldn't be all I had. I wanted more time, more experiences. I wanted it all. And, I wanted it with Edward.

EPOV

This afternoon had been amazing. As we rode I got to know the girls. I was impressed with there research topics. The woman of dreams was a walking dichotomy. She was so feminine, beautiful and delicate, yet studied the military battle strategies of the Civil War. Her interests seemed to disagree with her nature. It was different; it was crazy; it was surprisingly attractive. I loved learning these things about her. Just when I thought I had her figured out, she would tell me something else. But everything I learned, only made me love her more. And, I loved her. There was no denying it anymore, not even in my own mind.

Bella was all I ever wanted, everything I wanted and needed in my life. She was the missing piece. She was my happiness and contentment with life, personified. I couldn't let her leave me today without somehow finding out if she felt the same way. I wanted to spend more time with her, but I had to work tomorrow. I had to harvest my crop. It was my year's work, my sustenance, my survival. I had to prove that I could work this land on my own. I had to show my dad that I was worthy of it. I had to prove it to myself. And I was so excited this morning to follow through on that dream the next day. Now, my farm was what was holding me back. I was tied here, right now. And as much as my heart was begging me to, I couldn't follow her.

It wasn't fair. I could have cried, right then and there. I was torn between love and responsibility. I couldn't even leave if I wanted to. I was raised to live this way. I knew nothing but this lifestyle. And to be honest, I would be terrified to leave it. This was all I knew. I always dreamed of leaving, but deep down, I knew I never could.

I was quiet on the ride back to my stable. I was lost in my own head, feeling sorry for myself, cursing fate. I shouldn't have been, though. I should have been enjoying the sun in Bella's hair, the breeze blowing through her long locks. I looked back at the girls and realized that Bella was being just as quiet. We walked up to the corral and I dismounted the horse. I walked him back into the corral and then came over to help Jessica get off of Sugar. "Okay, honey, can you throw your leg back over, just opposite of how you got on? Leave your left foot in the stirrup."

"Um. I'm stiff. You're not going to let me fall, right?" Jessica asked, all her nerves, that had dissolved while she was riding, were back.

"I've got you," I told her. She lifted her leg over and pretty much let go of the saddle, dropping back into my chest. I quickly wrapped my arms around her waist, and guided her gently to the ground. "You alright?" I asked her, glad that I had been able to catch her, before she hurt herself.

She brought her hands up to her face. "Oh my god, Edward. I'm so sorry. I just panicked," she apologized. She looked thoroughly embarrassed. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I chuckled. "No, I'm okay. Don't worry about me." Well, at least she was safe. At least that snapped me out of my depressed mood for a minute. Jessica walked to the front of the horse and patted her nose. I was glad that this experience was positive for her. She seemed to get over her fear and actually enjoy herself. "You did great, Jessica." I reassured her.

Her face was still flushed, but she smiled at me. "Thanks." I smiled at her, before walking the horse over to the corral.

I walked over to Bella and she was smiling down at me. "You ready to get down, sunshine?" I asked her, my hands itching to hold her body, again. I smiled up at her. She was gorgeous.

"I guess. I don't know if my legs work, though," she teased. I slipped Cinnamon's reins over the fence post, so I could turn my full attention to Bella.

"I've got you. I promise." I looked into her eyes, hoping that she knew she could trust me. Her eyes looked glassy, and my heart tightened in my chest. She looked like she was going to cry; her beautiful smile was gone in an instant. "Come here." I said, placing my hand on her hip. She lifted her leg over the horse and I lifted her the rest of the way down. She turned in my arms, placing her hands on my chest and buried her face into my shirt. She surprised the hell out me, when she started sobbing. I tentatively touched the back of her head, before slowly running my hand through her long, silky hair. "What's wrong, beautiful?" I whispered.

I don't even know why I asked. If she was feeling anything to close to what I was, her heart was breaking. I had a lump in my throat, and if she didn't stop crying soon, I was going to lose it, too. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried, but that was about to change at the idea that Bella was going to leave.

She looked up at me; her beautiful eyes rimmed in red; large tears streaked down her soft skin. "I don't want to leave you." She whispered. I let out a deep breath. She was braver than I was to admit her feelings. I was so terrified to do what she just did.

I lifted my hands up to cradle her cheeks, running my thumbs under her eyes to gather the tears. I leaned down and looked into her glistening brown eyes. She was the one for me. I brought my lips slowly to hers. I needed to show her that I felt the same. Words didn't seem like enough. My lips pressed to hers, before I pulled back to look in her eyes, making sure this was alright with her. Her eyes, however, were closed. I smiled against her lips and leaned in to kiss her again, repeatedly placing small kisses on her pillow soft lips. "I don't want to you to leave." I whispered back. We would have to figure something out, because this couldn't be all.