A/N: I do not own any of the Twilight characters. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Enjoy reading and leave me some love by way of review. Thanks!

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BPOV

I could tell he was angry as we sat around the small fire waiting for the rabbit to cook. He'd managed to hit with his dagger that he'd sent sailing through the air. It really was quite impressive. My stomach rumbled, and I felt a blush heat my cheeks. "Sir Edward, I cannae help but notice that ye look a bit angry. What did I do now?" I patiently waited his reply.

It took a few moments as I could tell he was trying to determine how best to form his words to keep from hurting my feelings. "Lass, ye stepped down from the horse and fell straight away because ye dinnae wait for me to help ye down. Then when we went to cross the river, ye let go of the horse in the deepest part of the water and ye cannae swim! Did ye really think I'd be happy about having to save ye again? I swear ye are going to send me to an early grave with the danger that finds ye. I'm surprised we haven't been set upon by wolves yet!" came his rant. It seemed the more he talked the more angry he became, "Lass, did ye really think it was safe to let go o' ye're horse in the middle of the river? Sakes alive but I think ye have shaved off ten years of my life since I took ye back from those slimy curs last night! And if ye would just allow me be the gentlemon my mother raised me to be, ye wouldnae have sprained ye're ankle either! Not to mention, we'd both be dried out by now and not have to be holed up in this stinking cave-"

"Ye're right," I hastened to stop his tirade before he began screaming. Each new statement was hurled at me louder than the last. "I'm sorry. I should have waited for ye to help me dismount from the blastedly big horse. I cannae help that my parents raised me to be as self-efficient as I can be. Neither can I help the foul stench of the cave ye declared safe shelter for a brief respite, nor can I help that my leg began to cramp because we haven't stopped riding since ye saved me from Sir Rottingbreath!" My chest heaved with each breath for I was getting tired of apologizing and explaining.

"And after I have saved ye're hide from kidnapping not once but twice, and fished ye out of the river and bound ye're ankle up to keep it from worsening, ye still willnae trust me with ye're name! I can assure ye that my clan doesnae need the coin for ransom if that's what ye're thinking! And I also told ye I'd let ye decide where I take ye, so ye dinnae have to go home or to the abbey if ye dinnae want to! Ye have a week to decide afore we get to court. And I would sorely like to be able to address ye as something other than my lady all the time!" his face was growing redder with each word he uttered and could tell that he wanted to throttle me.

"Fine, I'll give ye this much! I'm affectionately called Bella by friends and family. That is all I'll be telling ye for now. I dinnae know if I want to go home yet. I dinnae like the men my father has been bringing home for me to meet. He's signed many a betrothal agreement and had to pay to dissolve it as the men were blatant idiots. I definitely dinnae want to go back to the cursed abbey. I cannae remain silent for the rest of my life! And I dinnae know where else to consider going. So pray forgive me, Sir, if I dinnae tell ye that right away either." I was so weary and had had enough of his tongue lashing. It's not as if I asked for any of those things to happen. I didn't stand up in my father's keep and yell to Laird MacGuillicuddy that I didn't want to marry him but it was fine for him to steal me out of my bed at the Holy Order.

The sound of Edward's laughter brought me out of my brooding silence, "And what, pray tell, is so funny?"

"Bella, my spitfire, who is Sir Rottingbreath? And just how many would-be husbands have sent away? Oh and lest ye think that the only reason I laugh, I also cannae see ye quiet for an hour, let alone for the rest ye're life!" His chuckles bounced off the walls of the cave.

I knew I was glowering at him, yet I couldn't find the will to change it. "Weel, Edward, my boorish knight, I dinnae mean to call him Sir Rottingbreath, however, ye were close enough to his face for his disgusting breath to have reached ye. Dinnae ye think it was disgusting? Aye and dinnae forget that half his teeth were rotting out of his mouth!"

If I found His continued laughing irritating, then his next words were even more so, "Aye, I'm a boorish knight and weel ye ken it. I certainly willnae deny it!"

I scowled at him for a while longer before continuing on, "Sir Rottingbreath is actually Laird MacGuillicuddy. He is one of the men my father brought home, though how he expected me to abide that nasty mouth is beyond me. And if ye must know, I sent away five men. Sir Laurent was just strange, creeping about the keep at night. Sir Rottingbreath, weel that explains that, right? Jamie Stewart is 4 years younger than I, Ewan Cameron was caught with a scullery maid in the stable and Jasper Whitlocke, weel, besides the fact that he's English," I ignored his muttered oath about the English- Scotland was always on and off again at war with England- and continued on, "he is also head over heels in love with my sister Alice. I cannae stand the thought of marrying someone that loves my sister! Oh, not to mention, his feelings are returned. How can I be expected to rob my sister of the one thing I seek to have in my own marriage?"

His laughter had subsided early on in my explanation, but I realized I had probably given him too much information. There weren't many ladies in Scotland that could boast having turned down two men, let alone five.

I startled out of my thoughts at the touch of his hand on my cheek. He turned my face up to his, "I shouldnae have made light of ye're feelings, Bella mine. Sorry." I hadn't even realized I'd let a tear slip until his thumb brushed it away. He brought his face closer to mine and I anticipated his kiss. My breathing picked up a notch as he stared into my eyes. "Ask me," he whispered.

"Ask ye what?" my thoughts were totally incoherent as all I could think of was the fact that I was about to be kissed by the most handsome man I'd ever clapped eyes on.

"Ask me to kiss ye lass," he whispered back.

I blinked a few times and the magic of the moment was lost. I couldn't bring myself to do it. His sigh was heavy as he scooted back to rest against the wall of the cave.

I watched as he then leaned forward and checked the rabbit that was roasting on the spit in the fire. He must have deemed it finished, because he quickly took it off the fire and split it with me. I watched him chew and swallow as I thought about the missed moment.

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EPOV

I was heartily enjoying listening to her rant about the men her father had brought to their keep for her to meet. I'd learned more about her in five minutes than I had in the day of riding together. I stuffed that away for the moment as I realized she was distraught about her sister finding love.

"I shouldnae have made light of ye're feelings, Bella mine. Sorry," I couldn't resist the endearment. I raised her face to mine, and fought the urge to kiss the lone tear away, settling instead on swiping it from her beautiful face with my thumb.

I heard breathing accelerate and knew that what I felt was reciprocated. I couldn't just kiss her though, I'd promised her. "Ask me," I breathed out the whisper, watching her eyes intently.

I could tell her thoughts were muddles when she replied, "Ask ye what?"

I thought about stealing the kiss anyway, but couldn't bring myself to do it, "Ask me to kiss ye lass." I watched her blink her eyes and the moment was lost, dissipating like the fog had early this morning.

I couldn't hold back the sigh that escaped and I leaned back against the wall. Bella was going to be the death of me. No doubt about it. I forced myself to change my thought process.

Checking the meat that was cooking, I decided it was finished and took my dagger out. Quickly I cut it in half and gave her part. I could tell she was watching me eat, yet I couldn't bring myself to glance back at her yet. My thoughts were still lingering on the almost kiss.

I quickly downed my portion of dinner and put out the fire. It was time to ride again.

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A/N: So what did you think? How many times will Edward have to rescue Bella do you think before she makes up her mind? Do you want to throw things at me for dissolving the moment like that? I just couldn't bring myself to write her first kiss in a stinky cave. Don't lose hope yet! It's bound to happen, right?

Go ahead; leave me the tongue lashing I know you want to give me for ending the chapter there!