Hello everyone. Here we are. I want to thank you for your reviews of the last chapter and for sticking around to see how it all turns out.

Okay, It is breaking my heart to let you all go. Your reviews have made it easy for me to get up at 5:00 in the morning so I can read through the next chapters and make small changes and try to make it just a little bit better for you. I haven't gone running since I started posting this story. I haven't been able to pull myself away from the computer until it's time to get ready for school. I probably won't even be able to run 2 miles, but it will have been worth it. Your reviews have been beyond anything I could have expected.

Thank you for your confessions of tears, your reviews put into rhyme and song, and your occasional rant. I will read them often. Especially if I have had a bad day.

Really quick, This chapter will have the song that started this story for me. It is LOST by Michael Buble'. Some of you have downloaded his songs. This is the best, in my opinion. I heard it at the concert that night, and the whole story just started laying out in front of me.

There is reference to a brand of shoes called Manolo Blahniks. They are by a Spanish designer and they are expensive and beautiful! Google it if you want to see them, and click on Fall Collection to see what kind of shoes Bella has been wearing!

See ya at the end!

"Driver, go as fast as you dare."

He began to protest, but when I threw a pile of money over the seat, his foot pushed down on the gas and we were screaming down the Chase's private drive. The hole screamed for attention, but I ignored it. I was not giving in this time.

I set my jaw and forced myself to stay angry. That was a better place for me to be. And in truth, I was enraged, but not at Edward. I was furious with myself. I already knew I couldn't trust him with my heart, and yet, I had let my wall down completely. I buried my face in my hands. I'd just told him that I loved him. That day in the forest, he was able to look into my eyes and see the desperation. I know he saw the anguish on my face, and he had still walked away. If he could do that to me then, then why could I not see how much easier it would be for him to betray me now?

My mind was racing to formulate a plan as we pulled onto the freeway. I knew I couldn't go home. He would find me. My muscles tensed, wondering what underhanded plan he was coming up with right now. Would he tell Harry Banks that I'd admitted I loved him? If he did, then Harry Banks and the rest of the legal community would never respect me again. At this point, all I knew for sure was that If Edward would go so far as to pretend to love me, he was capable of anything.

I looked at my watch. It was just past 10:00. Slowly, my plan started to take shape and by the time the skyline came into view, I knew that I had to do. I called Julian, my personal lawyer, and informed him that I needed him immediately and that we would be up all night formulating a strategy that would keep me from getting sued by my own company. Because what I had planned for tomorrow would make Sterling Hathaway seethe with rage.

I met Julian at his office, and when I informed him of what I wanted to do, he looked at me like I was crazy. I understood his reaction. After all, I was standing there in an evening dress at midnight asking him to do something that was unheard of in the business world. After I reassured him that I had not had even one swallow of liquor, he finally gave in. He then not so delicately reminded me he got paid double for working in the a.m. hours. I nodded, reminding myself that he was the best there was.

We worked feverishly all through the night trying to accomplish what should easily take a week. Finally, at 6:30 a.m., he added the few finishing touches. I read over everything and signed my name in all the necessary places. I thought about what I held in my hands. For one moment, I let myself feel sorrow. Then I stopped. Emotions, I reminded myself, were the very thing that had gotten me into so much trouble in the first place. If I had just stayed heartless and unfeeling throughout this whole mess with Edward, none of this would have happened. It was a lesson learned. I wouldn't make the same mistake again. I grabbed the large stack of papers and left for the office.

As the taxi driver inched his way through the morning traffic, I turned my cell phone back on. I'd turned it off as I came back into the city last night since I was pretty sure that a certain vampire would have no trouble finding my cell phone number. Sure enough, I was right. There were twenty calls from a number I'd never seen before. I gripped the phone and dialed Simmons. He answered on the first ring.

"Hey, Bella . . . . uh, how was the party last night?"

I furrowed my brow. "It was rather enlightening," I barked. "Is everyone in the conference room?"

There was a slight pause and then he said hesitantly, "Everyone but Edward."

"I'll be there in five minutes." I hung up before he had time to say anything else.

My mind was racing as I tried to figure out what Edward would do next. It was not an easy feat to determine the brilliant mind of a vampire. Would he ambush me in the conference room, or would he be waiting for me in the lobby? I thought about sneaking around to another entrance, but I decided it was best to meet this head on.

The car hadn't even pulled up to the curb when I saw him. He was more beautiful than anything I would ever see again in my whole life. Like some forgotten pagan god of beauty. His hair was slightly blowing in the December wind. Everyone was hunched against the cold, but he was oblivious. His face was dark as he stood against the building staring straight at my window.

"Yeah, I bet you're a little angry right now, aren't ya!" I mumbled. "Your diabolical little plan didn't work out quite the way you expected, did it?"

The taxi driver looked back at me strangely and I threw the fare at him and got out. I hastily moved to the curb and put my head down as I walked quickly to the revolving doors. His velvet voice was beside me.

"Bella, this is not what you think."

I was almost running now. "Last time I checked, you couldn't tell what I was thinking," I spat.

"Bella, what happens between us has nothing to do with the damn company." His velvet voice actually sounded genuine.

"You need to come up with a new plan, Edward," I huffed. "Because, you see, the one where you pretended to love me didn't work."

I ducked in to the hordes of people hustling down the sidewalk and dove into the revolving doors of my building. He made it into the set of doors right behind me, but as luck would have it, an older man with a cane entered from the other side and slowly began making his way around. Edward was stuck in between and having to go the same pace as the old man. I jumped out and and crammed myself into an elevator that was just closing. I ignored the strange looks I got for my choice of business attire.

My heart was pealing madly, and it made me angry at just how how easily my heart would betray my head. He doesn't love you, Bella. I reminded myself again. Just get through this one more time, I repeated over and over. Just one more time.

When the elevator doors slid open on the 42nd floor, he was standing there with his hands on his hips waiting for me.

The cheater took the stairs, I steamed. I began walking swiftly, for a human, to the conference room. It was a little hard in the evening gown. My stupid high-heeled shoes weren't helping matters.

"Bella, how could you believe that I was just trying to get my company back last night? You know me better me than that, don't you?" His voice was still velvet, but he spoke through clenched teeth.

When I didn't answer, he pushed on. "Bella, every word I said last night was absolutely true. You must believe me."

We had reached the conference room doors. I slowed my pace and stopped. I turned and looked directly into his eyes as I breathed out, "I'm not that eighteen year old girl you left in the forest Edward. She loved you without reason, she would have gone to the ends of the earth with you. She offered you her soul and asked for nothing but your love in return. You have no idea what you did to that girl when you left."

"I think I'm beginning to see," he whispered.

I took one step forward and defiantly snarled, "And I swear, I will never give you the chance to do it again."

I reached for the doorknob and his voice was on my neck. "Bella, don't do this," he pleaded. "You love me, and I love you, completely. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. I don't care about the company, Bella. I don't care."

This was the last time Edward would ever be this close to me. I closed my eyes and breathed in the moment, and then cleared my throat and turned the knob.

As I neared the table, Simmons stared at my clothes. "You're a little over dressed aren't you?" He raised an eyebrow at me and I ignored him. I opened my briefcase and looked at the papers my lawyer and I had signed just minutes before. This was it. The room quieted, and I began.

"Gentlemen, I want to thank you all for being here today."

The Firm's lawyers looked smug. Harry Banks, and the rest of C- CORP'S lawyers looked haggard. I studied Harry a little closer, and realized that he looked especially tired and worn. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn that he was up all last night too. Well, I thought with chagrin, he will sleep well tonight.

I turned to the secretary who was in charge of all the minutes of the meeting and announced, "I want it stated for the record that in what I am about to say, I am acting completely on my own. No other member of this Firm is involved in my actions."

Simmons moved to the edge of his seat with a most distressed and perplexed look on his face. I continued.

"As of 10:00 a.m. this morning, December 2nd, Whitmore-Hathaway is terminating all designs on C- CORP."

Simmons came bolting out of his chair. The Firm's lawyers looked stunned. They began raising their voices and shouting questions at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper shoot a look at Edward. I purposely would not look at either of them. I put out my hand to stop the noise.

"I have drafted a series of documents that will need to be signed by both parties. The major points are outlined, but I will state that as of 12:00 this afternoon the 51% of C- CORP'S shares currently owned by this firm will again be on the market." Jasper turned quickly to a lawyer sitting at the end of the table. The lawyer was already standing and racing out of the room with his cell phone in his hand.

I gestured to the very large stack of papers in front of me. "You will all be busy signing and reading documents for the next few hours. You won't need me. I have already taken the liberty of signing my name on the appropriate lines."

"That's it?" Harry Banks breathed out.

"That's it." I whispered with finality.

I was closing my briefcase and preparing to leave when Harry, who seemed quite stunned, said, "I may need to contact you in the next few days, would you like me to come here, or have you come to my office?"

I pursed my lips. "If you need to contact me after today, you must call Michael Simmons. He'll know how to find me." I swallowed hard. "You will not be able to reach me here. As of today, I will no longer be working at Whitmore-Hathaway… I thought I would resign, before I'm fired."

Simmons put his head in his hands as the room filled with whispers and shocked faces. Edward shot out of his chair and roughly snarled, "No, Bella."

I stared into those black eyes and felt my emotions rise to the surface. I clenched my teeth and pushed it all away. I was determined to make my last exit as grand as my entrances had been.

I took my briefcase and backed away from the table. "There is a Cinderella clause on these documents," I announced to the room. "If they are not filed with a notary by 10:00 a.m., all ownership rights on the company revert back to this Firm. I have left you barely enough time to do this. I suggest you get started. Good day, gentlemen."

There was a flurry of activity. The papers were grabbed by Harry's team and they began thumbing through to see if this was really legitimate. My team was stunned and trying to get a look at the papers too. Not one of them looked at me. I knew I was replaceable. There would be a new headhunter doing my job by the end of the week.

I was about to leave when I couldn't stop myself from looking at him one more time. My eyes traveled slowly across the group until they had the courage to look at him. He was staring at me. I felt my legs go weak and I dug my hand into my palms. His angular face was troubled. I couldn't see why, I had given him everything he wanted. I took a deep breath and thought that despite everything, I was so glad he had kissed me last night. I would have taken any amount of pain to have it.

"Bye," I whispered. Even with all the commotion I knew he would hear me.

He started to rise out of his seat and I clenched my teeth and emphatically shook my head.

"Clean break," I gasped.

And then I turned and walked quickly out the door.

Before the door closed, I heard Harry say, "Mr. Cullen, get back here! Yours will be our most important signature. We don't have much time."

Then I heard Jasper. "Edward, you have to do this for Carlisle."

I was halfway down the hall when the conference door swung open. My breath caught and then I heard Simmons running after me.

"Bella, what the hell is going on?" He yelled. "You can't quit!" He had caught up to me and said quietly, "What could have made you do such a crazy thing? What did Edward do to you?"

I started walking again. I wanted to get my personal things from the office before word of this got to Mr. Hathaway.

"Apparently, I am not as cutthroat and devious as I once thought." I replied, fighting to keep my voice even. "It appears that Edward holds that title."

"What did he do, Bella?" He sounded angry now.

"It doesn't matter anymore," I was at my office and Sally was attempting to give me the schedule for the day. She stared down at my clothes. I ignored her. I went into one of my many closets and pulled out a box and began putting in my pictures of Renee, Charlie and Jake and a few other things that were important to me. I left all the awards that had gathered on my shelves.

Simmons was standing in my doorway looking desperate and confused. "Bella!" he exclaimed, "Is that the dress you wore to the Chase party last night? Did you even go home? Just tell me what happened?"

I reached into my bottom drawer and took a flash drive that held all the contacts I'd made over the years, thinking there was a chance those names might come in handy later. I then took a deep breath and began to leave my office.

I tried to push past Simmons, but he stopped me. "Bella," he pleaded. "You are the best there is. Please don't do this. It can still be fixed."

I hadn't planned on feeling relief when I left this place. I thought that all of this was a representation of what I wanted after he left me, but maybe it was just part of my defense to keep everyone away. To stop feeling.

I turned to look at him and actually felt calm. "Look," I said, flashing a small grin. "You probably already know this, but you're my best friend. The only friend I've had in a long while, actually. Thank you for everything," I touched his arm, "Especially lately."

He just stared at me, not sure what he should say, or how he should react to this new Bella.

I cleared my throat. "But I need one last favor. I need you to go back in that conference room and see that everything goes all right. The last thing I need is to have to see him again."

I pushed past the lump in my throat. "Call me later and let me know how it went, okay?"

Surprisingly, he wrapped me in a tight hug. "I'll call you in a couple of hours," he promised.

Mr. Hathaway wasn't in his office. His secretary told me he was in a meeting and I silently breathed a sigh of relief. Chances were the news would get to him before I did, but it didn't really matter now.

I hailed a cab and as it made its way through the streets of downtown New York City, I lay back and closed my eyes. I had done it. I had been tough. I had kept it together one last time. I dropped the box off in my apartment, showered and changed into more appropriate clothing, and then went back downstairs. I knew I didn't have the energy to run right now, so I decided to go for a walk instead. I started down the main path through Central Park. My feet were crunching on the thick layer of snow on the ground. It was very quiet. There was hardly anyone in the park, and I walked slowly, concentrating on my steps, and thinking back on the events of the last twenty four hours.

I had admitted to Edward last night that I loved him. I had once again opened myself up, making myself vulnerable to him and he had crushed me. Right then and there, I made a vow that I would never fall in love with a vampire again.

He was my whole world. Even though he hadn't been a part of it for seven years, he was still my reason for everything. He was the beginning and end of every day. The problem was that there was a time in my life when I thought I'd found something so real, that it was like our souls touched every time I was near him. I wasn't sure I was made to get over that.

I would love him for the rest of my life. I would have to accept that now. And somehow, I would have to build a life with that fact stored deep inside of me. Maybe that was all anyone could ask for really, to find true love once. Sometimes it stayed, and sometimes it didn't. But, I knew there would never be anyone else for me.

It was actually a relief to admit it rather than trying to deny it and bury it.

I was no longer going to be a player in the cutthroat money business. I didn't want to have to answer to the Sterling Hathaways of the world anymore. I thought I was tough enough for it, but I was wrong. Perhaps I would start my own investment firm. It would be much different from Whitmore-Hathaway. I would do some good. I would help businesses and become a nice person again. I just didn't have the heart to go in for the kill anymore. I was also going to throw away every pair of five inch heels I owned; whether they were Manolo Blahniks or not.

Maybe I would take a small break and go visit Renee. I definitely had enough money saved up. Sunny, warm Florida sounded pretty good. At some point, very soon, I had to go back to Forks. I was running from pain and I knew I had to face it. Someday Charlie would be gone and I would only be full of regret at not seeing him as often as I could have.

I caught a vision of me as an old woman; alone and looking back on my life. I knew that my heart would still belong to Edward then. I winced at the pain. I once promised him that I would love him forever. One way or another, I supposed that was still going to happen.

I was so deep in thought that when I finally looked up, nothing looked familiar. I realized I didn't have any idea where I was. I looked up and down the path. The trees looked different covered in snow, and the area was foreign to me.

I was lost.

The temperature was dropping. Before the air had been still, but now a cold wind was beginning to blow. It had started snowing again. I looked at my watch and was surprised to see that I had been walking for almost two hours. I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck and dug my hands deep down into my pockets. My fingers curled around something. I pulled it out and realized it was my i-pod.

I stared at it for a few seconds. I had no idea why it would be in my coat pocket. I was still wearing the same coat I wore to the party last night and at the office this morning. As far as I knew, my I-pod was still sitting on my dresser. I turned it on and scrolled down through the menu and had a great shock. All my music was deleted and in their place was one title over and over again. Listed all the way to the bottom was, "Bella's Song".

Losing the music was no great tragedy. I hated every rock and rap song on there. But my heart dropped as I realized there was only one person that could have done this. I almost put the i-pod back in my pocket, but I paused, knowing that sooner or later, I was going to listen to it.

I wondered how and when he did this. It had to have been this morning before we walked into the conference room. Was this just another part of his plot to trick me into surrendering his company?

I put on the earphones and steeled myself for what was to come. The piano played a simple but lovely melody, and then I heard his beautiful velvet voice. The words caught me off guard.

I can't believe it's over,

I watched the whole thing fall,

And I never saw the writing that was on the wall.

If I only knew,

The days were slipping past,

That the good things never last,

That you were crying.

Summer turned to winter,

And the snow it turned to rain,

Then the rain turned into tears upon your face.

I hardly recognize the girl you are today,

And how I hope it's not too late.

It's not too late.

Cause you are not alone,

I'm always there with you.

And we'll get lost together,

Til the light comes pouring through.

When you feel like you're done,

And the darkness has won,

Babe you're not lost.

When your world's crashing down,

Cause you can't bear the thought,

I said, Baby you're not lost.

Life can show no mercy,

It can tear your soul apart.

It can make you feel like you've gone crazy,

But you're not.

Though things have seemed to change,

There's one thing that's still the same,

In my heart you have remained,

And we can fly, fly, fly away.

Cause you are not alone, and I am there with you,

And we'll get lost together, Til the light comes pouring through.

When you feel like you're done,

And the darkness has won,

Babe, you're not lost.

When your world's crashing down,

And you can't bear the cross,

I said baby, you're not lost.

Baby, you're not lost.

The song ended and I realized that tears were freezing to my cheeks. I lost track of how many times I listened to it. As soon as it ended, it just began again.

He knew I was lost. Then, why didn't he save me? Had I just become so cynical and jaded in the last seven years that I immediately assumed the worst? Was I just trying to protect myself from getting hurt again? I felt my phone vibrating in my back pocket.

I sniffed before I answered. "Hey Simmons."

He seemed out of breath. "Bella, there's something I've got to tell you."

I prepared for the worst. A few scenarios ran through my head: Hathaway was storming the office with a machine gun, perhaps he had placed a S.W.A.T. team outside my apartment, or maybe he had put out a contract for a Mafia hit on my life.

"What's going on?" I stammered.

"I wasn't supposed to find out," he began breathlessly. "Edward was signing all of the papers as fast as he could and while he was finishing, I overheard two of C- CORP'S lawyers talking. Bella, they were amazed that you had come in and made that announcement, because last night Edward had kept Harry Banks up all night long drafting the documents that turned C- CORP over to you."

It took me a few moments to realize what Simmons had said. "What?" Was all I could manage.

"Yes, Bella. He gave you France, Italy, Alaska, and everything else that Harry threatened he would make us fight for years to get. I didn't believe it, so as soon as Edward was done, I pulled him out of the room and asked him, and he confirmed that it was the truth." Simmons paused a moment to catch his breath. "Bella, Edward is right here. He is demanding to speak to you. He's demanding that I tell him where you are. What should I do?"

I was standing in the snow, speechless. I tried to form words but nothing would come out.

"Bella, are you still there?" Simmons asked anxiously, "Where are you?"

"I don't know," I answered meekly.

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

I was a little embarrassed. "I'm somewhere in Central Park . . I . . . just started walking and . . ." My voice trailed off. I think I was in shock. Edward was willing to give me the company that meant so much to him and his family just to prove to me that he loved me. I was a complete fool.

I heard Simmons talking to someone and then he was back on the phone. "Bella, stay where you are. He's coming."

Simmons kept talking, but after I heard that Edward was coming to me, I dropped the phone back into my pocket and started running back the way I had come, following my footprints in the snow.

I didn't notice the cold. I didn't feel the wind. I just kept running. For the first time in so long, I knew what I was running to. It was starting to snow harder. It was sticking to my eyelashes and falling on my cheeks. My breath was visible in large puffs as I kept moving.

I came around the bend and went through a tunnel, and then realized with relief that I knew exactly where I was. I was no longer lost. I ran past a familiar playground, now covered in snow. I then crossed a bridge that spanned a stream. In the summer, this stream flowed into a large lake that at the moment was frozen solid with a thick sheet of ice. I didn't want to take the time to run all the way around the lake, so I stepped out on the ice and began lightly shuffling across it. It wasn't at all slippery when I ran over the areas that were covered in fresh snow. But then I hit a large area near the middle of the lake where the wind had been whipping harder and all the snow had been blown away.

I fell to my knees to catch myself and struggled to get back up again. The snow was cold on my hands and I could feel the sharp, cold ice digging into my palms. Every time I would begin to stand, my feet would slip out from under me. My dream came back to me. I was reliving the desperation of that frenzied, intense desire to get to someone.

All of the sudden, two hands as white as the snow, came down on top of my own.

"Bella, I love you." The velvet voice sounded like a bell in the wilderness.

I lifted my face to meet his as he pulled me back to my feet. His face twisted in pain and he said, "I am so sorry I put you through thi . . . ."

I couldn't wait another second to kiss him. I smashed my lips to his and sighed as I again felt those cold lips touch my own. And my heart exploded when his lips answered mine completely.

My arms wrapped around his neck and my hands went into his hair and it was like I'd been in a small, dark room for seven years and suddenly stepped out into the brilliant sunlight.

For the first time in seven years, I was alive.

He held me up and I wrapped my legs tightly around him and I heard him breath out a ragged breath and begin kissing me again. He made no effort to pull away from me and I was so grateful he didn't. I needed him more than air at that moment. I shivered with joy as my hands again were able to touch and caress his lovely face. Our hair was wet from the snow and we were dripping and standing on a frozen lake in a snowstorm and I was happier than I'd ever been.

"I'll never leave you again," he whispered when our lips parted for a moment.

"Damn right you won't." I answered back. I felt him smile against my lips.

"Simmons said you were lost," he whispered.

I put my hands on each side of his precious face and breathed out, "Not anymore."

I looked deep into his golden eyes and marveled that such a priceless, exquisite being could love me. Especially after all I had put him through. This archangel, who was just as beautiful inside and he was on the outside. I touched his face softly. "I'm sorry I ran last night."

"It was your turn," he breathed out as his lips ran along my jaw. "Now we're even."

My breath was coming fast and shallow. "I love you," I gasped.

He put his hand behind my head and kissed me with so much force that I became lightheaded and as he turned and began walking off the ice, I still couldn't stop myself from kissing him.

As Edward stepped onto the bank, I became aware of a distant voice. Raising my head and looking around, I finally realized that it was coming from my pocket. Simmons was still on the phone.

I grabbed it and put it to my ear. "Simmons?" I asked.

"Bella, are you all right?" he asked frantically.

"Yes. I'm perfect," I sighed. "He found me."

"That's great….yeah, uh, I'm really happy for you, but your soon to be ex-boss, Sterling Hathaway is on the warpath, and is demanding to see you."

Edward began kissing my neck and I chuckled as I said, "I'll be right there."

"Did you just giggle?" Simmons sounded as surprised as if I stripped off my clothes and started dancing on the table in the conference room.

Without answering him, I hung up. "I have to go see Mr. Hathaway," I mumbled against Edward's lips.

"That should be fun," he chuckled. "How long will you be?"

I kissed him again. "Depends, on what kind of weapon he greets me with. A spear could take awhile, a gun, however, could get the job done fairly quickly."

He pulled back to look at me. "I'm coming with you," he said seriously.

"Yes, you are," I said. "He should meet the person who caused me so much trouble." I looked deep into his eyes. "Besides, Mr. "C", I am not letting you out of my sight any time soon."

He swallowed hard and pulled me to him. He kissed me with so much love and emotion that I could scarcely take it all in.

"I thought I'd lost you forever," he whispered roughly.

I put my hands on each side of his face and said, "Give me forever, and all is forgiven."

His brows came together and he swallowed hard. Then he put his thumb on my chin and looked deep into my eyes, as if searching for something. I was lost in his beauty, staring into the only eyes that would ever hold my heart. Finally, his face relaxed. "Deal," he answered huskily.

I smiled and felt the tears in the corner of my eyes as I wrapped my arms as tightly around him as I could.

"After this meeting with Hathaway," he purred warmly, "I would like to go somewhere much more pleasant."

"My place?" I tried to sound alluring.

His eyes were bright as he smiled and said, "Tiffany's".

My heart paused as I realized he was proposing to me. When I didn't answer right away he swallowed hard. "Too soon?" He asked. "I should have waited. This is all too much for you, isn't it?"

I looked him square in the eyes and said forcefully, "Edward, I'll marry you anytime, anywhere."

He slowly lowered me down to the ground and held my face in his hands. "I cannot live without my life," he whispered. "I cannot live without my soul."

"Thank you for my song," I sighed. "It's beautiful."

I was awarded with his crooked smile. "You bring parts out in me that I thought died long ago," he confessed.

His phone vibrated and after looking to see who it was, he laughed.

"Alice just left me a text message."

"What did she say?" I asked.

"Rosalie is demanding that you not throw away your shoes." He paused and I knew there was more.

"What else did she say?" I urged.

"She says your wedding dress is ready."

I groaned, and then laughed. I had missed Alice.

I put my arms around his neck and gazed longingly into his face. He stared back at me, his beauty more than I could possibly be expected to handle.

"I don't want to wait very long to be your wife," I whispered.

I had to tell him the way I felt. I had kept every emotion and feeling bottled in me for so long, it actually caused me physical pain to not let it out.

His eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened, I saw passion and longing smoldering in a golden fire. His lips were on mine in a serious and desperate way as our fingers tangled in each other's hair and held us tightly together. Suddenly, it was much too hot for a coat. He pulled away just long enough to whisper breathlessly, "Anything you say."

Eventually, he took my hand and kissed it as we began walking out of the park. I was going to be lost with him forever, and it was the only place I would ever want to be.

Don't forget the epilogue!