Author's note: In apology for the fact that yesterday's chapter was so short, I'll be adding longer chapters over the next two days. I love having days off! Anyway, you'll notice in this chapter Carlisle isn't making use of his mad Italian skillz -- there's a reason for that. Will I tell you what it is? No. :-D That said, enjoy!

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~Is there anything better than this? I don't know how long I've been in here, but I could stay here all day.~ She sighed happily, relaxing in the enormous bathtub, feeling the hot water ease the kinks in her neck, the soreness of her body. Remembering exactly how she'd gotten so sore made her lean her head back against the wall and close her eyes, a tingle running through her. ~Okay, maybe there is something better than this...but this is a nice second.~

"So is the bath to your liking?" She opened her eyes again to find her companion, wearing only in a pair of soft-looking pants and a smile that promised unimagined sensations, perched on the edge of the bathtub. Her soft moan had really nothing to do with being in the water and everything to do with the fact that he looked like a rumpled god. "I'll take that as an affirmative," he chuckled.

"This...feels...incredible."

"Lean forward," he murmured, reaching past her to the collection of unmarked bottles on the small shelf anchored into the wall. She looked at him, puzzled, and he smiled. "I'm going to wash your hair. Unless you'd rather me not?" ~Really? He wants...this is...I...wow.~ Her mind stuttered, letting her know anything she could say aloud would be just as incoherant so she leaned forward wordlessly, watching him through half-lidded eyes. He picked out a tall, curved glass bottle and moved out of her line of vision, so she just closed her eyes. A moment later and he'd liberated her hair from the clip that had held it back while she'd relaxed. She heard an odd noise, and then felt a cascade of warm water begin to run over her back, over her head, his strong fingers combing easliy through the dark chocolate strands, wetting them thoroughly before turning the water off again. She caught the scent of some delicious fruit concoction and felt those same fingers pressing into her scalp, not scrubbing her hair as much as massaging the tension out, shampoo application seeming to be a simple side effect. Bella didn't know it was possible to have a tense scalp until she felt his talented hands stroke the tension away. She moaned softly. A while of that lovely sensation and then the warm water was back, rinsing the sweet fruity suds down her back and out of her hair. A moment later she felt him reaching for another bottle, jumping slightly as his arm accidentally brushed against her hardened nipple.

"Is everything okay, cara?" His voice was amused and she wondered idly if the brush was as accidental as it seemed. She chose not to respond as he was once more working his fingers through her hair. This time the scent wasn't quite as overpowering, a gentle sweet cream scent that blended effortlessly with the fruity tang of the shampoo to create an aroma that smelled more like a lavish dessert than anything she had ever put on her hair. She'd never realized how erotic having her hair washed could be, but by the time he'd rinsed the conditioner out she was all but panting. His lips began to rub against her neck, driving her libido up another notch. ~Dear god, this man is a walking aphrodisiac!~

"Stand up. And keep your eyes closed." His quiet command had her responding so naturally that she was already on her feet before she realized she'd moved. Feeling the warm breezes from the open window brushing over her, cooling as they reached her water-slick skin, she wondered what he was doign now. She didn't have a chance to wonder long because his hands were on her then, tracing firm circles across her shoulders, her back. His soap-slick hands glided easily over the knots in her muscles, smoothing them away before she even realized they were there. How much time passed she didn't know and didn't care. Her world had narrowed to the exquisite feel of his hands kneading her back, her waist, working carefully over her ass before reaching for her legs. The sensations were so intense she nearly buckled, the knowledge that he'd probably stop if she fell over the only thing keeping her upright. He placed one of her hands on his bare shoulder for balance as he picked her right leg up out of the water, soaping her calf, rubbing her foot gently before repeating the process on the other. He moved around to the front, his soapy fingers caressing her shoulders, her arms, stroking her already-throbbing breasts, pulling easily at her nipples and chuckling when she moaned. His hands moved to her stomach, large palms pressing into the soft skin there. ~Oh my god - what if I get pregnant? Is that even possible?!~ The thought stunned her into complete rigidity, and Carlisle noticed. His arms came around her as he recognized her distress.

"Bella, love, what's wrong?" ~My god, I'm so embarrassed! Why haven't I asked..? I've been fooling around with Carlisle...Emmett...Jasper...what if..?~ He brushed a kiss over her lips. "Bella, open your eyes. Tell me what's wrong." She didn't want to, didn't want to bring up the subject, didn't want to face the fear that had risen - because if she was totally honest with herself, it wasn't only fear that had ricocheted through her at the thought. A strange sort of longing, brief but undeniably there, had flashed through her mind, and that worried her more than anything. Still, she could no more resist his soft order than she could stop breathing, so she opened her eyes to find his gorgeous golden ones looking at her in mild concern.

"Bella?"

"I..." ~Am I seriously going to ask this?~ "Is it possible...I mean, what if...Carlisle...can vampires, you know...have kids?" ~Oh, yeah. That sounded mature.~ He paused, taking in her expression before smiling gently. Oddly, it comforted her, that smile, and he hadn't even answered her yet.

"I don't think it's possible for me...any of us...to father a child with you. We may be able to make love, but I have never heard anything that leads me to believe we are fertile." She couldn't help the rush of air as she let out the breath she'd been holding...or the strange twinge of sadness that flared briefly before disappearing. "Was that what you were wondering?" She nodded. "Would you like me to continue what I was doing, then?" Another nod, as she didn't trust her voice. He leaned in, lips coaxing hers into a kiss that was reassurance, love, comfort, and desire. "Close your eyes again, love."

His hands returned to her stomach and began caressing her again, soothing the last of her worries away, his touch more gentle now, as though he understood what she said - and what she didn't say. She didn't have much time to think, however, because then he was moving lower.

"Open for me, Bella," he whispered. He guided her hands to his shoulders, then held her hips as she complied, spreading her feet to about shoulder width. She felt the muscles in his shoulders tense under her hands and quivered at the knowledge that she made him as aroused as he made her. It was a heady, humbling feeling. One of his hands left her hip, rubbing ever-so-gently across her lower lips before parting them slowly. He moved his other hand to join the first and she dug her nails into his skin as he worked a finger into her, holding her open with his other hand.

"What are you doing to me?" she whimpered rhetorically. He answered anyway.

"Amore voi," he whispered in return before leaning forward to press his tongue lightly against the sensitive nub at the top of her slit.

"My god...Carlisle!" she moaned, her voice degenerating into needy whimpers as he slowly licked her, stopping his exploration long enough to suck on her clit, his finger stroking in and out of her wet depths again and again, reaching deep, curling forward, pressing just...like...that...

It wasn't so much an explosive orgasm as it was a heated buildup to a wave of overwhelming sensation. She stopped thinking, stopped doing anything but feeling the sensations this remarkable man was bringing to her. He cradled her with his hands, his mouth, bringing her down gently as he withdrew from her depths. It was a moment before her knees stopped shaking, another before she realized she still had his shoulders in a death grip.

"That was beautiful," he whispered, the reverent tone making her open her eyes and look down at him. It was surreal, this Adonis, this god among mortals, kneeling at her feet and looking at her as though she were the pinnacle of existence. Keeping her eyes on him now, she watched as he finished washing her legs, only closing her eyes when he grabbed the flexible shower head and began to rinse the soap and her slick juices from her. A brief moment later he was holding his hand out to her, steadying her as she stepped out of the bathtub and stood on the luxuriously soft bath mat. He reached for a towel but instead of handing it to her he began to run it over her body, drying the water from her soft skin.

"Let's get you dressed before my resolve breaks and I drag you back to that oh-so-inviting bed." He scooped her up, smiling when she squealed in shock, and carried her back out to the bedroom, standing her at the foot of the bed. She had a moment of self-consciousness when she realized every window and door in the room was wide open, but he saw her look and silenced her internal protest with a kiss.

"No one can see you - Caralla wasn't joking when she said she had cleared everyone out so we could be alone." She only partially caught what he was saying because at that moment the sunlight caught his skin, and then she could only stand and stare at him where he stood, dressed only in the soft pants that were now damp and clinging in all the right places, his sparkling skin putting diamonds to shame, his topaz eyes looking back at her. Her gaze shifted over his shirtless chest, down to where his desire for her was quite evidently pressing against the wet pants. His helpless groan broke her staring and she reluctantly drew her eyes back to his.

"If you don't stop looking at me like that, there is no way we will ever get any food into you. And before you say anything - I know that look, bella mia - we are getting you something to eat. I won't have you too weak to enjoy every single thing I do to you. Now, behave while I get your clothes." He opened the armoire and pulled out clothing she knew she hadn't packed. When he turned back around and met her questioning eyes, he smiled a bit bashfully.

" I know you bought a ton of beautiful things, and I promise I will let you wear them, but I thought...I mean, I wanted to see you in this." He seemed almost shy, so she nodded and held her hand out, confused when he shook his head.

"Allow me. Close your eyes."

"You have this thing about my eyes being closed, don't you?" she muttered in mock frustration. His soft chuckle wrapped around her.

"This is one thing I want to show you. With your eyes closed, every other sense is heightened, sometimes almost painfully so. For example...open your eyes and watch me." She complied, shivering as he ran his hand up the inside of her slightly-parted thigh. "Now, close your eyes." She did so, anticipation making her writhe, but he didn't touch her. She waited, but nothing...nothing...

His finger trailed the same path it had just taken, but the sensation was enough to make her knees buckle. She felt his strong arms come around her, holding her until she was steady again.

"You understand now? Each sense can be used for enjoyment, it's true...but sometimes depriving our bodies of the sight we are so used to relying on can make the others - touch, taste, smell, hearing - even stronger." She nodded her understanding, looking at him with new eyes. ~He really does want me to learn about pleasure,~ she thought, slightly mystified. He smiled, kissing her lightly. "Now, my beautiful little human, close your eyes again. And hold on to my shoulders." He urged her to lift one leg, then the other as he worked a pair of thong panties up her legs, positioning them comfortably. The sarong-style skirt came next, wrapping around her to ride low on her hips - low enough that she knew the side straps of the thong would be visible. He stood, raising her hands above her head so he could drop the shirt over her, the wide tube top snug and clinging to her still-sensitive breasts. Lowering her arms to his hips, he reached up and fastened the decorative ties around her neck, and she was unable to resist leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the bare expanse of skin her lips encountered. She was pushed gently backwards to sit on the bed.

"You can open your eyes now." She did, realizing he was now on his knees in front of her. He picked up one foot, gently stroking the skin of her leg before reaching behind him for a pair of flat sandals. As he slid the straps over the top of her foot, carefully lacing the long strips of leather up her leg to tie them neatly just under her knee, she giggled. He arched one aristocratic eyebrow in query.

"I just...feel a bit like Cinderella, you know. Like I'm fraternizing above my station - housemaid being pampered by the prince of the land, and all that. Having you put my shoes on for me just makes it feel more like a faerie tale." She smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her leg before beginning to work on the other one.

"Ahh, cara mia, you forget - Cinderella wasn't meant to be a housemaid. And in the end, she lived the life she deserved." His eyes were so beautiful, so dark with certainty, with admiration. ~I could lose myself in those depths forever,~ she mused. He'd finished her other sandal and stood, drawing her to her feet and pulling her against him. A mind-boggling kiss later, and he was stepping towards the armoire again. He dressed himself, taking it a lot more swiftly than he had her, but she had to admit that he looked amazing in the loose, flowing cotton pants and matching shirt. He slipped into a pair of sandals himself, leaving his shirt unbuttoned. Bella thought he looked completely edible.

"Would m'lady permit me the pleasure of accompanying her to breakfast?" Touched, she smiled and took his arm, letting him lead her down the stairs and out the door.