Hi friends! I got a mix of reviews for the previous chapter, some were for dessert first, and others wanted them to wait. Let's see what Edward decides!

Many thanks to the new readers who read and shared their thoughts for this story, along with my regular ones. It's a pleasure to read your words.

Fran, thank you for doing a prompt and wonderful job, and reminding me of the Oxford commas. :)

Chapter-23

I must admit, it was tempting.

A beautiful woman, one I was in love with, was telling me in so many words that she was attracted to me and wanted to do something with me that didn't involve sleeping.

What man could resist that invitation—those desire-dark eyes, and those rose-pink lips?

It would have been so easy to give in.

But…

She was tired; I knew that. Hell, she had fallen asleep in the car.

And I really wanted to take her out to dinner, pamper her, and show her off.

Also, I wanted to take my time when we made love the first time. I wanted to worship her with my body, to make her feel cherished, and to awaken her dormant desires.

An entire night was insufficient for that, never mind a couple of hours.

And so, I desisted.

Instead of gathering her in my arms and raining kisses on her face, I kissed her once, on the forehead.

"Bella, darling, I very much want to not-sleep with you," I assured her as her face fell. "But the fact is, you are tired, and I want us to have plenty of time, with no rush to go anywhere. So how about a snuggle session right now, before we go to dinner? Then we'll have the whole night together."

She pouted as if I had taken away Della. Now, who was Della?

Della was the pink otter plushie I bought for her at the aquarium. A minute after she had thanked me, Bella had named the soft toy. When I had reminded her it was an otter and not a duck, she informed me it didn't matter. Apparently, Della was her favorite Disney character while growing up, so Della it was going to be.

Who was I to argue with her, especially when she looked so adorable, clutching the plushie to her chest?

"Bella," I chuckled, "don't give me that face, sweetheart. I am trying to do the right thing here. Your pout is not helping."

She sighed, her expression changing to a martyr. "All right," she conceded. "Will you at least take off your shirt, or is that asking for too much?"

Oh yes, she made me laugh. More than I had in months, perhaps.

Instead of answering her in words, I simply pulled my shirt off and tossed it on a chair.

"Can I take off mine?" Her eyes glinted with mischief.

"Bella," I groaned.

"All right, all right," she grumbled, and then got inside the covers, raising a corner in invitation.

Just being with her in my bed, knowing there is no one around to disturb us, was making me…excited. I deliberately held my lower body away from hers, while holding the rest of her close to me.

"Sleep, darling. I need you rested for tonight."

-Analogous-

A couple of hours of sleep did wonders for Bella, making her all bright-eyed and energetic. To be honest, it was good for me as well, even though I wasn't used to sleeping during the day. I felt rested and…content. Of course, the latter feeling had everything to do with Bella being in my arms when I woke up.

I must confess I didn't have much idea regarding a suitable restaurant for our first date. After Googling the best restaurants in Seattle, I had resorted to asking Emmett. He had listened to my predicament carefully, asked a few questions about Bella, and finally promised to let me know after consulting his wife.

The next day, he had handed me a list of five places, ranging from casual to fancy. He also added that his wife recommended The Pink Door, a moderately-priced restaurant in Pike Place Market.

"Based on what you have told me about Bella, she might not be comfortable in a fancy place—at least, not on your first date. Later, maybe, when it's a special occasion, you can take her to one of those. Personally, I find it too much of a hassle, dressing up and all." He smiled his trademark dimpled smile.

Not for the first time, I wondered how he made it work. I'd have thought a dimple on a large man as Emmett would look strange, but no, on him, it just made him look friendly and engaging.

"Yeah, no, I don't think Bella would be up to it right now," I agreed. "So, this Pink Door, is it good?"

"It's a favorite of ours," he assured me. "The food is good, fresh, and wholesome, and it has a cheerful vibe. It's nice for couples as well as families. You'll enjoy yourself."

He was right.

The restaurant, with an unassuming grey façade and a salmon-pink door welcoming the patrons in the midst of it, had a warm and friendly ambience. Since I had made the reservations in advance, we were seated near a large window, with a pretty view of the waterfront. The staff was courteous and attentive, but not hovering, thank goodness.

I asked Bella if she would like to try some of Seattle's famous seafood, but she was hesitant.

"I haven't had anything beyond fish, to tell you the truth. If you have a favorite, I am willing to give it a try."

I chuckled. "This is my first time here, to tell you the truth. I usually eat from places that are either near the precinct, or near my home. When I'm with colleagues, we usually go to bars or clubs, not family-friendly restaurants. I, um, asked Emmett to recommend a good place, so…"

"But you have a favorite dish where seafood is concerned?" she asked, smiling at my explanation, I suppose.

I wrinkled my brow. "Not really. I have tried most everything, and I liked some of them, but no particular favorite. Anyway, the reviews say the lasagna here is especially good. Maybe we can have that, plus one other dish of your choice, and one item from seafood. That way we can share everything and not get overwhelmed."

Bella liked the idea, so that's what we did. As for drinks, Bella could not have alcohol in a restaurant, so I joined her in having a mocktail, even though she protested that she wouldn't mind if I had a beer or whatever I usually had.

I assured her it was no hardship to me, and that being there on a date with her was more important than having a drink.

The lasagna was vegetarian, so Bella chose a grilled chicken pizza to accompany it, and we settled on a small dish of steamed clams in white wine as the seafood item. Our server assured us it was mild enough for beginners.

The food was delicious, all of it. Bella was cautious when she tasted the clams, but she braved a few more and declared she liked them.

Maybe we could go for the lobster next time!

Between eating and light-hearted chatter, Bella admired the warm tones and lighting in the restaurant, and I admired her peaches and cream skin in said lighting. She had chosen a rose-pink dress for the dinner, fitted on top and flaring prettily from the waist down, just skimming her knees. The neck was sweetheart and quite modest, though it tempted me still.

Either Esme or Alice must have gone with her to shop for the dress, I supposed. I wondered if—

"What are you thinking, Edward? You seem to be miles away."

She had caught me daydreaming. Could anything be more embarrassing?

"Uh, I was admiring you, Bella. That dress suits you very much, and you look so beautiful. I was just wondering if you also bought matching underwear."

Did I really say that?

Okay, so there could be something more embarrassing.

Bella, who had flushed a fetching pink at the first half of my statement, suddenly began to cough, even though she hadn't been drinking anything.

I got up and gently patted on her back.

"I'm so sorry, Bella, I shouldn't have…I'm really sorry. Please, don't be mad at me."

She waved at me, indicating she'd be okay. I sat down and looked at her anxiously, but then…

She laughed, hard enough to have tears in her eyes.

I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me. I didn't even dare to look around and see if anyone else had heard my dumbass comment.

The people closest to us must have, right? They would have a story to share with their friends about the idiot with the pretty girl, a girl who was laughing at him…

Wait, Bella was laughing. She couldn't be mad then, could she?

Just as she wound down, our server appeared to ask if we would like dessert.

"Bella?"

"I did see a delicious apple pie on the menu," she answered, keeping her eyes on me though her words could have been meant for the server. "I wonder if we could get it to-go, though?"

The server nodded in affirmation, so we requested him to get us the bill.

When he left, Bella leaned towards me and spoke, so that no one else might hear.

"I thought we might need to regain our strength later on, you know, after you get the answer to your question…"

It was my turn to choke on air this time.

A.N. I'm updating on my birthday. How cool is that? Or dorky, maybe? :D

Poor Edward, his foot doesn't remain far from his mouth, does it? Like Fran said, he's clueless!