I nervously patted down the wrinkles on my dress, cursing myself for not having a clothing iron. It was simple enough; it was a sleeveless, royal blue dress with an a-line skirt and a heart shaped neckline. It flowed to just above my knees and had a fabric that pulled into a bow in the back, accentuating my already thin figure. I frowned, brushing over my collar bone and vowing to try and do a better job of taking care myself.

The sound of an engine entering the parking lot and cutting off was enough for my heart skip a beat and to feel butterflies in my stomach. I almost wanted to laugh. I was acting like a love struck teenager. I quickly tucked some strands of hair back in the bun at the base of my neck with a small happy feeling welling in my chest.

I had a crush on Marcus.

I covered my face in embarrassment and I swore I had a goofy smile on my face. I pulled myself together and I reached for a small purse as I absentmindedly thought that I had always been much more mature than my peers which made it hard for me to relate to others. Thus, I had never gone out with anyone during my high school though, many tried. However, with Marcus, it was different. I could talk to him about anything despite our apparent difference in age.

There was a knock on the door as I slipped on some ballerina flats and quickly took one last look in the mirror to make sure I looked presentable. I hadn't bothered with make up since I wasn't very fond of it. I breathed in once, calming myself before I opened the door.

I felt my jaw slacken as I stared at a very well dressed Marcus. Well, more dressed up than usual. He had his hair brushed back and flowing over his shoulders and he wore an all black suit with the first two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned. The only splashes of color were his golden 'V' necklace which I had concluded represented his last family name, and a green handkerchief in his suit pocket.

"Good evening, my sweet Bella." Marcus started, offering me a hand to help me down the steps. I bashfully averted my eyes as his gaze swept over me and I took his hand in mine. "You look lovely tonight, my dear."

"Thank you." I murmured, a blush creeping up to my cheeks. "You look-" Handsome? Dashingly perfect? Like the embodiment of a greek god? "-really nice too."

I wanted the earth to swallow me for my lack of finesse. Along with my obvious ogling of his figure, I imagine I wasn't making a very good impression. He simply chuckled at my shy response and waited for me to lock the door.

Like a true gentlemen, he opened the car door for me and shut it once I was seated. I wiggled a bit at the feel of lush leather underneath me, my gaze was drawn to the interior and then up to Marcus who had surprisingly made it over to the driver's side quite quickly. Too quickly. I frowned slightly, filing away that bit of information with an ever-growing list of weird observations as we speed off.

"So…" I hesitated as soft classical music started in the background. Marcus quirked an eyebrow, his onyx eyes flickering to me momentarily. "Where are we going?"

"You shall see." He replied ominously, which only piqued my curiosity.

We fell into a comfortable silence with me wondering where he was taking me when there was only one good diner in Forks. I sat up straighter as we drove through a part of the town I was unfamiliar with and then turned onto an unmarked road.I bit my lip, a small feeling of trepidation building in my stomach as I thought of Angela's warning about serial killers.

A feeling that promptly disappeared as a house came into view. I sucked in a small breath as we stopped in the massive drive way. It was a modern three story house with windows covering almost every inch of it allowing me to see a large living room filled with soft, yellow light. I let myself be led, looking around in awe as we stepped inside.

I was immediately hit with the mouthwatering smell of oregano, basil and rosemary wafting through the air along with hints of saltiness and an earthy, yet pleasant aroma that reminded me of the beach. If I were to close my eyes I could almost picture myself sitting on a balcony staring out at the mediterranean sea. I was speechless as Marcus tugged me toward the dining room, a hint of a pleased smile on his lips.

The table was long and made of rich mahogany. It had a row of white candles along the middle and at the end there was a platter of assorted cheese, ham and grapes. I struggled to reign in my awe as he pulled my seat out for me at the head of the table.

"Would you care for some wine?" He asked, snapping out of my daze. I nodded minutely and then, he disappeared momentarily as I looked around the room and located at least 2 dozen different candles lighting the room along with vases full of gloxinias, arbutus flowers and, primroses. Before i could contemplate their significance, instrumental music started in the background and Marcus came back with two glasses of red wine.

"The food shall be done soon." Marcus murmured softly, taking a moment to swirl his wine, closing his eyes and bringing his glass to his nose before taking sip. I hesitantly did the same, savoring the fruity aroma before tasting. I hummed in appreciation of the dry yet rich taste as I took a piece of what looked to be manchego cheese.

"Do you like it, my sweet?"

"Yes, Marcus! I… I don't know what to say." I replied, as he gazed at me with those expressive eyes. I flushed a bit and gestured around us. "Everything is so beautiful…"

"Your expression says more to me than your words. I am glad you like it." He said, laying his hand over mine on the table.

I bit my lip, shyly intertwining our fingers which in turn made a small grace his lips. As always, his hand was very cold but what stunned me was a rush of happiness. I realized what was happening. Once again, I was feeling what he was feeling.

"Tell me about yourself." I blurted out suddenly, now extremely interested in his response. His pleased expression never left his face but he seemed a bit cautious.

"What would you like to know?"

"Favorite color?" I asked, smiling sheepishly at the lame ice breaker. He chuckled but decided to humor me.

"I prefer green, as you may have noticed, but recently I have become quite fond of the color blue…" I felt my heart skip a beat at that. "And yours?"

"It depends." I replied, averting my gaze knowing my answer would be embarrassing. "Sometimes its burgundy or brown…"

"And today?"

I sighed at the smile in his question and finally looked back up to his smoldering, liquid onyx gaze. I felt my breath catch in my throat. "Onyx… w-well because of your eyes that is. Do you wear contacts?"

"Perhaps." He replied, an eyebrow quirked. I frowned at his vague answer as he excused himself momentarily to retrieve our food. I was quickly distracted by the delicious cheese raviolis sitting in front of me and I dug in. It was absolutely delicious. I chewed slowly and noticed that Marcus didn't have a plate.

"Aren't you hungry?" I questioned, taking another bite.

"No, my dear." He shook his head, flashing a small yet knowing smirk. "Eat, it is fine."

I shrugged a bit but complied as he started asking questions. They ranged from my favorite music to my hobbies and friends. I told him of my love for classical music and of painting but felt a bit sad on the topic of friends.

"You don't have any friends? Family, perhaps?"

He seemed upset when I shook my head no. Angela was my only friend at the moment and my family had consisted only of my parents. I didn't even know if I had any other living relatives. At least, no one reached out to me after both of my parents lost their lives.

"Do you have any family?" I asked trying to divert his attention from my lack of social and familial relationships. He sighed, and leaned back, a pensive look on his face.

"Yes. I have two brothers, Caius and Aro." I turned in my seat, leaning closer to him in interest. "Aro is very inquisitive in nature… a bit too much if I say so myself. He has a very calm demeanor but underneath the surface he is always calculating and conniving. He wishes to know everything about everyone and not one secret is safe from him." He shook his head at a thought and continued. "Caius is quick to temper and is always scowling. So much so that I jest that his face will remain like that for eternity. However, he is very passionate about many things despite his outward appearance and is loyal to our family."

I tilted my head, fascinated by their uncommon names and the descriptions he was giving me. They sounded like complete different people and I wondered how hard it would've been growing up with those two when Marcus seemed to be so quiet and reserved. As if on cue, a single image flittered through my mind so quickly that I could only make out general features like hair color and stature.

I blinked and it was gone but I instinctively knew that the dark haired brother was Aro and the blonde one was Caius. They was also a sense of familiarity and trust — not love — that was foreign to me. He seemed to sense something was wrong and looked at the clock. I followed his gaze and saw that it was almost midnight. I drooped. Had we really been together for 4 hours? They went by too quickly and now it seemed like our time together was over.

"Allow me to take you back home."

I nodded, knowing I needed to consult my pillow with the small revelations. I was lost in thought the whole drive to my trailer. He walked me to the door and I turned around to say goodbye but froze, breath catching in my throat. He was so close, his breath washing over me, making my thoughts jumbled and my pulse to skyrocket. His eyes were hooded and smoldering, his fingers at my chin.

"May I kiss you, Isabella?"

I felt faint but nodded hesitantly as he cupped my cheek and he leaned in closer still. I shuddered as my eyes fluttered closed at the softest tease of a kiss. I laid a hand on his chest as he pulled me closer, his hard lips moving slowly against mine. Then, he pulled back and I blinked a few times, feeling like I was drifting on a cloud.

"Goodnight." He said, kissing me once more with endearment.

"G-goodnight, Marcus." I breathed, turning around and swiftly closing the door behind me, back against the door feeling breathless. I heard the engine of his car as he drove away and couldn't help but giggle as I laid a hand over my frantic heart. I almost gushed but I froze as my mind registered a small detail almost forgotten in the haze of content.

I focused on the sensation under my fingers as I tried and failed to remember if I had felt Marcus's heart when he kissed me.

Author's note: How's that for a first date between these two lovebirds? I tried my best for it to be romantic and of course, both are smitten with each other. Hope you guys enjoyed that sweet first kiss goodbye and Bella's growing suspicion! Lovely little detail at the end, no? As always, thank you for your kind reviews and big reveal will in the next chapter. Cheers!

Arbutus - Thee only do I love

Gloxinia - Love at first sight

Primrose - I can't live without you