Chapter 3

I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner. I love you guys for the reviews!

Piccola Italia. It was the perfect place to bring Bella for dinner that evening. It was a small, Italian restaurant in Port Angeles located in a quiet location away from the shops. I had taken the liberty of calling each and every restaurant in the area to find just the right place.

Bella persisted to try and get me to tell her: A. Where were we going? B. How much did it and would it cost? and C. What was the occasion? I can say with confidence that I won that battle easily as I glanced sideways at her and smiled. While it sped up her heart, it quieted her questions.

My Bella looked so beautiful as she sat beside me in the passenger's seat. The moonlight spilled through the open window and lit up her skin. She seemed to glow with an angelic and inhuman light. The color of her dress seemed to melt into the contours of her body and hug each and every curve. It made her all the more irresistible.

"What is it?" She asked suddenly. Her brown eyes were slightly widened as her hands cupped her cheeks. "Is there something on my-"

Before she could finish her sentence I had leaned towards her, capturing her lips and claiming them for my own. I reluctantly pulled away, brushing my nose along hers before grinning to put to bed whatever worries she had about the way she looked.

When we arrived in Port Angeles, I helped Bella from the car and escorted her to the restaurant. A gentleman outside dressed in a red vest and black dress pants opened the burgundy colored doors for us. His thoughts nearly caused me to rip open his throat with my razor sharp teeth but I clenched my jaw and quickly led Bella inside, stepping behind her to block his view.

I heard Bella gasp quietly as the doors closed behind us. Her eyes slowly moved over the entire room, her mouth agape.

I had had the entire room cleared of all tables and chairs. There was but one circular table set up in the middle of the room, two chairs pulled up on either side. The room was dim, many candles and an expensive looking chandelier providing the only light.

"Welcome to Piccola Italia, Signore Cullen." Another gentleman appeared, two menus in hand. He was an older man, mid to late forties, and so he was not thinking of the many things he could do to Bella.

"Ringraziarla, tutto guarda grande." I answered, earning surprised looks from both Bella and the gentleman. (Thank you. Everything looks great.)

"Non ho avuto idea che lei ha parlato l'italiano Signore Cullen." He then showed us to the table and I pulled out Bella's chair for her before taking my own seat. "Il cameriere sarà con lei brevemente. Piacere." (I had no idea that you spoke Italian Mr. Cullen. The waiter will be with you shortly. Enjoy.)

"I didn't know that you spoke Italian Edward." Bella said to me as I handed her the menu. I had simply left mine alone for I had already eaten. wink, wink

"Well, having been to high school many, many times," I folded my hands underneath my chin and gazed across the flickering flame into her lovely eyes, "I have had experience in many of the languages."

"Is it easiest for you?"

"I always loved the Italian language, the words are beautiful. For example, if I were to say, Babe you are so damn beautiful," she giggled at my choice of words, "then it would not sound so nice. However, it sounds much better in the Italian language."

I reached across the table and took one of her hands into mine, my thumb running gently over her smooth skin. I looked up from this and caught her eyes. The flame danced in the gentle hues and had I been human, I would have been breathless.

"Il bambino che lei sono cosí condanna bello." I spoke softly, raising her hand to my lips as I finished my sentence. The warmth of her skin rushed past my frozen lips and shot through my veins like fire. (Babe you are so damn beautiful.)

I continued to hold her hand atop the table and watched as the blush in her cheeks slowly died away. It was then that the waiter arrived with a basket of bread and two glasses of water.

"Benvenuto. Sono stato detto che lei parla l'italiano. Mi chiamo Concetto e sarò il suo cameriere. Posso prenderla qualcosa per bere?" He was clearly speaking to me. He must have seen the puzzled look on Bella's face. (Welcome. I have been told that you speak Italian. My name is Concetto and I will be your waiter. Can I get you something to drink?)

"Bella, what would you like to drink?" I asked her sweetly.

"I'll have an iced tea." She shifted her eyes from me to the waiter.

"E per lei?" He then asked me. (And for you?)

"L'acqua basta per me la ringrazia." (The water is enough for me thank you.)

When he had departed to go and fetch the iced tea, I watched Bella look over the menu. I had let go of her hand so that she could do so. Her eyebrows and the creases on her forehead gave away her frustration and confusion. I found myself chuckling quietly to myself.

After I had watched her fumble for a moment more, I took the menu from her and placed it atop mine.

"Let me." I insisted, leaning across the table to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I could hear her intake air sharply as my fingers made contact with her bare skin. Sometimes it was all too easy to dazzle my angel.

The waiter returned shortly after with Bella's iced tea. After he had set it in front of her, he turned to me.

"Lei ha deciso?" (Have you decided?)

"Sì. Amerebbe la pasta di capelli di angelo gettata in Aglio e la salsa di Olio ed il Pizzaiola di alla di Carne." I told him, handing over the two menus.

(Yes. She would like the angel hair pasta tossed in Aglio e Olio sauce and the Carne alla Pizzaiola.)

"Ciò sarà tutto poi?" (Will that be all?)

"Sì." (Yes.)

He then departed again to put in the order.

I had taken the liberty in asking which meals were the most popular and from what I had heard, the two dishes that I had ordered for Bella were excellent.

"Which language is the hardest?" She asked suddenly, replacing her iced tea to its coaster.

"Hmm. I would have to say that Latin has given me quite a bit of difficulty." I rubbed my chin and remembered one of my past Latin teachers. She had been very strict and knew the language like the back of her hand.

I noticed that an elderly woman was playing piano in the corner of the room. She must have just started playing for I had not heard it before. It was a soft melody that I did not recognize but it was beautiful all the same.

Without a word I stood and took Bella's hand from the tabletop. She looked up at me with a puzzled expression as I gently pulled her up from her chair. I then led her a little ways from the table and took her arms, wrapping them around my neck.

"We're not going to dance are we Edward?" There was a bit of a groan in her tone. I merely smiled to answer her question before circling her waist and slowly moving the two of us in slow circles.

"Bella." I bent down to her neck and placed small kisses up to her jaw, listening to her heart react as I did so. I took in her mouthwatering scent as I moved my nose into her hair. Her hair usually smelled of strawberries for that was the scent of her shampoo.

I then swept my lips over hers for a moment. I had to be very careful with her, my fragile angel, for the next second could be the last. That always frightened me. I tried not to think about what could happen if I lost control for just a fraction of a second.

"There is something that I have to ask you." I saw her eyes widen at my words and I noticed that her heart began to beat unsteadily. I raised an eyebrow. "Bella are you alright?"

"Ed-Edward…you aren't…proposing are you?" She asked breathlessly, her eyes still wide.

"My sweet Bella, it is too soon for something like that, although we both know that I would love nothing more than to marry you." I smiled when I saw her blushing. "I wanted to ask you about this summer."

"What about it?"

"Well, my family and I are going on vacation to England this summer. London, to be exact. London is mostly sunless and it would be a perfect place for us to be able to be out and about. I was wondering if you wanted to come with us. Come with me." I stroked her cheek with the back of my fingers.

"C-come with you? Are you sure that you and the whole family want me coming? It is a family vacation and I-"

"And you are family Bella. Of course we want you to come with us."

She leaned up and kissed me after a moment, a smile lighting up her beautiful face.

"Then I would love to."

&

I was glad that Bella had enjoyed her dinner. She had been wary about how much food I had ordered her but from the faces she made and the noises emitted while she ate, I knew she had liked it.

"Edward you really shouldn't spend so much money on me. Really." She eyed the Styrofoam box containing leftovers that sat in her lap.

"Bella, please let me spoil you every once in awhile. If it were my choice, I would lavish you with gifts and expensive dinners every waking moment of every day. You are lucky that I don't do so."

"You're lucky that you dazzle me and so you win the arguments." She grumbled, folding her arms over her chest.

I leaned over and kissed her.

"I love you for that Bella." I whispered before pulling away, still gazing at her. I watched her smile and blush faintly before returning her face forward. I watched as her features changed quickly, her eyes widening and her mouth opening to scream.

"Edward look out!" She screeched.

I looked forward and saw a deer standing stupidly in front of the car, staring into the headlights. I swerved to miss it, knowing that hitting the animal would be a bad wreck.

Bella's screams haunted my ears but I managed to drown them out as I saw that we would hit a tree. In an instant I had unbuckled my seatbelt and thrown myself in front of my angel, protecting her body with my own as the car smashed into the tree.

The sound was deafening. I could hear nothing but the sound of the impact, straining my ears to hear Bella. I could hear her breathing and her heart still and breathed an unnecessary sigh of relief.

Once the sounds of breaking glass and the tree responding to the car being thrown into it, I moved my face away from Bella's neck and turned to see blood spilling from a gash on her forehead. I watched in horror as her half lidded eyes closed.

"Bella." My arms still locked around her waist, I pulled her forward, her head falling limply backwards. I moved one hand to the back of her head and cradled it. "Bella speak to me."

She didn't answer.