Disclaimer: I own nothing.

CH 24

EPOV

Her lips. I couldn't stop thinking about her lips.

The entire afternoon with her had been more than I could have hoped for. I thought that removing myself from her life would have made things easier on her, but it seemed I was wrong. Instead, she shared with me that she had suffered from my absence. I had braced myself for a day of groveling and sincere apologies again, but she had grabbed my hand outside that store like there was nothing to forgive.

I knew we had said we were starting over and I had planned to do just that. I thought I'd keep things light and try to stick our conversation topics toward the town and introducing her to her new home. I had been mostly successful until I saw her face at the sight of the waterfall. Taughannock was beautiful, but seeing her expression broke my self-control. I kept staring at her lips, my own practically buzzing to be touching hers, when my control snapped and I grabbed her face. Without permission, I kissed her and got lost in the perfection of the moment.

A second later, my rational mind caught up to her and I quickly apologized and attempted to offer an explanation for my blatant lack of respect. I should have known she would surprise me by showing just how much she had wanted it as well.

I was unprepared for the force of my feelings. I had seen it all, unfortunately, living in the minds of others. I knew what love looked like from the outside. I had even heard the innermost thoughts of mated vampires, despite my attempts at giving them privacy, and knew how powerful it felt for them. Still, I was almost knocked off my feet by the force of my love for Bella. Her lips were soft and warm against my own, her body perfectly molded against my own as I pulled her closer and closer. My long dead heart felt like it could beat once more. In those moments kissing her, I felt whole. Complete. Perfectly at peace.

I heard the minds of a new group of humans before I smelled them. I knew with my feelings out of control, Bella was probably feeing the same. I broke off the kiss and stepped away from her, though every cell in my being rejected the action, the same moment awareness flooded her face. She knew I wasn't rejecting her, but rather trying to get us into a more socially appropriate stance before the hikers rounded the corner. To distract her, I teased about starting over and was rewarded with a gorgeous smile. How had I lived without that?

Bella and I put as much distance as possible between ourselves and the hikers as we left the waterfall. I didn't really know where to go from here, but I knew the two of us weren't fit for being around humans. Once we were safely away from human eyes, I pulled her off the trail and started running deeper into the wilderness. Bella didn't question things, which made my heart swell. The last time I had run with her, things had gone so very wrong. Now, she was following me again and hadn't even paused to ask me where we were going or what we were doing. She just followed like I had already earned that trust.

Once I knew we were far enough away, I spun around to face her. She seemed caught off guard by my sudden stop, but adjusted quickly, stepping in front of me while looking in my eyes.

"What are we doing here, Edward?" she asked, tilting her head.

I took a step closer to her, brushing her hair behind her ear and responded honestly, "I don't really know".

She let out a light laugh and averted her eyes down to our joined hands. She hadn't let go since we left the trail.

"To be honest, I felt like I didn't want to be around anyone. I also don't want to go home." I don't want to be away from you.

I didn't say the last thought out loud, unsure if she was feeling the same way I was. I also didn't want to have to explain things to Carlisle and Esme when I barely understood my thoughts and feelings.

Bella was quiet, contemplating my words before she nodded and stepped closer to me, tucking her head under my chin. I embraced her with both of my arms and let out a sigh, resting my head on hers. I didn't have words for the feeling of her body next to mine or how it felt to hold her in my arms. I didn't know what to say. I was scared to open my mouth and ruin the moment.

"This feels so good, Edward," Bella said as she held me tighter.

I only nodded in response before asking, "Where do we go from here?"

Hesitantly, I removed my arms from her body to cup her face with both of my hands, holding her gently so she would meet my eyes.

"I don't want to ruin this but I don't know what to do next."

Her face flashed with emotion before she replied. "As long as you don't leave, I don't care what we do. I just want to be with you."

Bella's brows knit together with worry and her eyes clouded, as if she were remembering the past. I touched her forehead with my own and apologized.

"I am never going to be able to apologize adequately for leaving you. I thought I was doing what was right and I can see now that it was the wrong choice. I'm not going anywhere-I want to be with you too."

I pulled back from her, my left hand still cupping her cheek while ghosting my right hand fingers over her eyebrow. Her eyes closed and I felt the tickle of her lashes against my fingers before running them across her cheekbone. My thumb then traced the perfect plane of her nose before lightly grazing her lips. Her eyes flashed open and made contact with mine as her lips parted, enough to touch her tongue to the pad of my thumb.

I paused, perfectly still, looking into her eyes and I felt the air around us shift. Her eyes had taken on a darker look, one that I recognized immediately from the only time we had ever hunted together. It seemed it was up to me, to steer us to further blurring the lines into what we were or to drag us back to propriety.

I was completely torn. My body was aching to take her and show her exactly what I was feeling while my mind was screaming at the backwards way I was handling this. I was supposed to be getting to know her. I was supposed to be taking it slow. This was not slow.

Bella noticed my hesitation and pulled my hands away from her face. Clearly, she was in control of herself. I wish I could say the same.

She looked up at me with a wry grin.

"Interesting."

I raised my brows at her before asking, "What is?"

She paused a moment, dropping my hands while seeming to think over her words. "I just think its interesting how you are holding back when both of us feel this" she gestured between us "and know what this is".

My mouth must have dropped open in shock because she giggled and continued, "I know, okay? I lived with your family these past months. I see how they are together, and they shared what its like when you find..." she trailed off and looked down again.

My heart felt it was about to burst from my chest. I put my hand under her chin to push back up so I could see her face.

"When you find your mate?" I asked.

Her eyes looked into mind with trepidation and hope while she nodded back to me.

Propriety be damned.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you, Bella. I knew from the moment I saved you what you are to me but I don't want to force you or pressure you into anything. To hear you say that you feel the same is...truly astounding. I don't deserve you." I said as I lovingly brushed my finger against her perfect mouth. I continued, "I know we were going to take it slow, really get to know each other properly. I tried-I'm trying...but I don't think I'll be able to hold back much longer if you keep making declarations like that. Not when I've been waiting so long."

She scanned my face before replying in a frank but gentle tone. "Then don't".