A/N:Hello, everyone! Hope you're having a good day. Thank you for your well wishes for my exams. I still have a week of practicals to get through, but I'll make it ;)

Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa... Thank you so much.

This is one huge chapter for me, but you guys have waited long enough for this, so I didn't dare break it up. 5000 words coming up for ya...

CHAPTER 18

I felt his eyes on me, and hoped that ignorance would work to make him back off.

No such luck.

With a resigned sigh, I looked up from the papers and met his gaze. His smirk widened.

I threw up my hands. "What, Emmett?"

He laughed at my frustration. "C'mon. Just admit that you've thought about it and I'll back off."

I said nothing.

Tomorrow, Bella and I were heading off for to a resort nearby to celebrate our first Valentine's Day thinking about nobody but each other.

The last week had been tense, to say the least. Alice had refused to speak to or about Jasper for the first few days. Bella had her hands full with a heartbroken roommate, while Emmett and I had been trying our best to prevent Jasper from falling into depression.

He had been messaging Alice every day, and told me that he had written her an e-mail, explaining about Maria's actions, as well as his own mistakes, and begging for her to see him. He reiterated that he didn't cheat on her, at least physically, and was extremely sorry for causing her pain by hiding the truth from her. At first, I wondered if it was too impersonal a mode of communication for what was obviously an important conversation. I realized, though, that there was no other option since Alice had been ignoring his calls and his requests to see her. Maybe this way she could let him in a little bit, before they could talk face-to-face.

I had also been worried that this incident would be a major setback in the tentative friendship we had formed, but Alice had made no such indication and had been polite every time we'd met. I couldn't deny that it was a huge relief. It was clear that she didn't hold Jasper's misdoings against me.

I knew exactly what Alice was going through. It was a gut-wrenching feeling to realize that someone you trusted had betrayed you. That said, I couldn't give up on Jasper. He was my friend, and he needed my support. So even though I hated what he'd done, I tried my best to encourage him to stay strong and persevere in his efforts to prove his worth to Alice. Meanwhile, Bella and I tiptoed around information about how our friends were doing. Our conversations about them were always stilted, as we wondered how much to reveal to the other without breaking Jasper's or Alice's trust.

To sum it up, the past week had certainly not been an easy one, but we managed to get through it. I had fretted over our weekend getaway, wondering if Bella would be ready to leave Alice alone if the latter was not doing well. We had almost decided to postpone our trip, but it was Alice who made the decision for us.

Two days ago, when I had visited Bella, it was the first time since the whole fiasco that I saw a smile on Alice's face. She seemed to be coping better, and for the sake of my friend, I hoped it meant that she was ready to talk to him, and not that she was going to move on without him. Jasper had never cared for a woman as much as he did for her. I worried that her rejection would send him down a worse path than the one that she had brought him back from. I didn't mention any of this to Alice, though.

Both Bella and I had been relieved beyond measure at the change in Alice's demeanor. Not only did Alice start recovering her good humor, she had also agreed to give Jasper a chance to put forward his side of the story. She informed him yesterday that she wasn't ready to get back into a relationship with him just yet. However, she didn't want to spend any more time agonizing over exactly how much of Maria's story was true. She needed to hear the truth from him, so that the numerous scenarios playing in her head would stop. Only then could she decide whether or not she wanted to give him another chance.

She had a group project to complete this weekend, so she agreed to meet with him after her class on Monday.

After she had messaged Jasper, she grilled Bella about our plans for Valentine's Day. Bella managed to deflect her questions for a little while, but Alice got suspicious and wouldn't rest until Bella came out with the whole truth. I had been absent during the Spanish Inquisition, but received a call from Alice promptly after it, chewing me out for letting Bella attempt to cancel our little trip. She assured us both that she was done moping over Jasper, and had enough on her plate to keep her busy. We could have our weekend, and Bella could be there for her after her talk with Jasper.

Now that I had to deal with Emmett's innuendos, I wondered if this was such a good idea.

Who was I kidding? I would take him on a hundred times for a chance to be with Bella.

"Of course I've thought about it," I muttered, giving him the answer he desired.

"Ha! I knew it." He fist-pumped the air, as though he'd figured out the secret of the origin of the universe, when really, it was no mystery.

Of course I'd thought about this weekend being the weekend. Bella and I had been together for almost two months now. The sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her face whenever we spent time together told me that she trusted me and it was something I didn't take lightly. I loved her with all my heart, and making love to her was something I wanted more than anything, but I knew this would be her first time. I wanted to make it as special as I possibly could.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't hope for it to happen this weekend, but if she wasn't ready, I would never push her to take that step. No matter how much I longed for it.

I told Emmett as much. He didn't get a chance to pester me further on the topic, because Jasper arrived, and we spent the rest of our time calming his nerves about his upcoming conversation with Alice.

The next morning found me bright and early at Bella's doorstep. Alice opened the door for me, and smiled. She informed me that Bella was just packing her toiletries.

We made small talk for a few minutes, and fell silent after that.

"Is he… does he…" she stuttered, then paused. "How is he?"

"He's doing better since you agreed to give him a chance," I stated cautiously. "He's nervous, of course. He regrets what he did, Alice. He really does."

Alice nodded. She didn't look sad anymore. In fact, she looked determined. "I'll hear him out. I can't make any promises, but I need to know what he has to say for himself, before I can make a decision."

I gave her a supportive nod and a small smile, which she returned.

Bella walked in with an overnight bag slung over her shoulder, and a sweet smile on her face. I took the bag, and headed out to give them some privacy. Alice wished me a good weekend, and I returned the sentiment.

Bella joined me moments later, and we started our journey. She told me about how Alice had elicited the truth out of her.

"She cited the time when I was in the hospital, when I had refused to let her stay with me and cancel her plans to go home. She promised me that she would be spending most of her time at the library, finishing her project. She also informed me that she was too cool to spend a weekend pining over a guy, no matter how hot he was." Bella shook her head, smiling indulgently. "She said that I didn't have to say the words for her to know I wanted to go, and that was the end of the discussion."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

Bella placed her hand over my knee. "You have nothing to apologize for, baby. I didn't tell you this to make you feel bad. You promised to be honest with me, and I'm doing the same, that's all. There's nowhere else I want to be right now except with you." She smiled, and then changed the subject. "Now, tell me about this place. You've been so secretive." She pouted.

I chuckled. "I just want you to have the full experience once we get there. It's just three hours away. You can handle the suspense until then."

She crossed her arms over her chest, but acquiesced.

We spent the rest of the drive comparing our favorite music stations and convincing each other why our respective favorites were better than the others. Before long, I pulled into the driveway of the resort. Bella's eyes widened when she saw the opulent lobby. I was happy to see that the pictures on the website did it justice.

"Buongiorno!" The man at the reception greeted us with excessive enthusiasm. His olive skin and greasy black hair glinted almost eerily under the lights, but his expression was welcoming. With his hands clapped together, he smiled, showing off all of his teeth. "I'm Aro Volturi. Welcome to Volturi Lake Retreat. Do you have a reservation?"

I gave him my name and he passed me a form to fill out. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him reach out to shake Bella's hand in glee. When she told him her name, he fawned all over her.

Once that was done, he handed me the key to our cabin, and proceeded to lead us there himself.

We passed through the glass doors at the back and walked along the stony path that led us to the lake that gave the resort its name.

Along the way, Aro regaled us with stories about how his family had built the place from scratch and prided themselves for having thrived in the business for decades. I watched Bella's face carefully, and was pleased to see that she looked happy while taking in our surroundings and listening to Aro's tales.

There were only fifteen cabins, all around the circumference of the lake. They were well spaced and had trees and fences separating them, so the residents of each cabin were granted adequate privacy.

Aro led us to the last cabin on this side of the lake and we followed him in.

"Please call the reception if you need anything," he insisted. "I'll help you out as best as I can, bellissimo Isabella."

"Thank you, Mr. Volturi." I all but pushed him out and shut the door, while Bella laughed. "I'm sorry about… that. The reviews for this place were great, but they didn't mention over-friendly staff."

She giggled again and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Well, I think he was great."

"He needed a lesson in personal boundaries," I grumbled.

She kissed away the frown on my lips. "Put him out of your mind. Come on. Let's take a look around."

The outside of the cabin was predominantly wood and stone. Inside, the décor was rustic, and consisted predominantly of earthy tones. The living room had a television and a fireplace. There was a dining table and a small kitchen on the other side, for those who wanted to cook their own food. The bedding and curtains in the two bedrooms were in shades of maroon, brown and gold, keeping in line with the theme of the entire place, but put together, it looked luxuriant, yet homey and comfortable.

The smile on Bella's face as she peeked inside all the rooms assured me that she liked it, as did the searing kiss she gave me in thanks.

We spent a little time inspecting the amenities in the room, and lounged on the couch for a little while after that. Since we'd both foregone breakfast, soon we were starving and decided to head over to the restaurant for lunch. It was in the same building as the reception. The buffet was a grand affair and the meal was delicious. The afternoon passed easily with us talking and laughing while feasting on the mouth-watering dishes.

When Bella excused herself to the restroom, I found Aro and told him my request for the evening. He was more than happy to oblige.

"Anything for the bellissimo Isabella," he simpered.

He was one creepy fellow, but at least he was helpful.

I dismissed him before Bella returned, so she was none the wiser about my plans for the evening.

After lunch, we decided to take a stroll around the resort property. One of the cabins housed a family of four, and when we passed by, we saw the kids busy piling up snow to create a snowman, and ordering the parents to do the same. They waved as we passed.

A few minutes later, my phone chimed, so I pulled it out. I'd received a picture message and when I opened it, I choked on my own saliva. I coughed violently to dislodge the lump as Bella panicked.

"Edward, what's wrong? Edward?" she gasped. Her hands moved frantically over me, patting my back sporadically.

"I'm okay," I rasped, then cleared my throat. "I'm fine," I assured her, once I could speak normally.

"What happened?"

"Did you, uh, did you happen to mention about this trip to Charlie?" I asked her.

She looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "No, of course not. I wasn't about to risk another surprise visit from him."

Silently, I handed her my phone. Her eyes widened comically and she bit her lip in consternation when she saw the picture I'd just received.

It was a picture of Charlie with his collection of guns. He'd tried to take a selfie. I said tried because his face covered barely a small corner on the bottom of the picture, and only his mustache seemed to be in focus. The rest of his face was slightly blurred, as though his hand shook at the last moment. The background consisted of a rifle, a shotgun, and a couple of other types of guns I couldn't name.

Out of nowhere, a snort left Bella's lips. Seconds later, it morphed into paroxysms of giggles. My lips twitched involuntarily when she bent over at the waist, and continued to laugh breathlessly for several minutes.

"Oh my God! Oh, Dad!" She shook her head when she'd managed to regain her equilibrium. "He's just getting a hang of the latest technology, Edward."

"More like he's sending me a warning," I muttered.

"Awww, poor baby." She kissed my cheek. "It's a good thing he's across the country, huh?"

"I've heard of mother's intuition. Is there a counterpart for fathers, too?" I wondered, a little worried.

Bella bit her lip, but a chuckle escaped anyway. She placed the phone back in my pocket and took my hand, entwining our fingers.

"He's already given you his blessing, Edward. Don't let him get to you. He's just messing with you with this Ode to the 'Stache."

It was my turn to gape at her. "Ode to the…" I shook my head. "What the… Where did you even... Do not forget the guns, Isabella!"

Her laughter was the only response I got as we resumed our stroll. The rest of the afternoon passed comfortably, without any further interruptions.

When Bella claimed to be tired and expressed her desire to go back to the cabin, I looked at my watch. Aro would not even have gotten started, so we couldn't go in just yet.

I proposed a trip to the game room and thankfully, she agreed. We passed over an hour competing in a game of checkers. After beating me soundly, Bella glanced toward the pool table and admitted that she'd always wanted to learn how to play, but never got the chance. I held out my hand, taking up the challenge and she smiled brightly.

It was quickly clear to the both of us that though she was excellent at a lot of things, playing pool just wasn't destined to be one of those. Still, I persevered to correct her stance and her shots for quite a while, until she eventually gave up with a pout.

I took the opportunity to place a soft kiss on her full lips. That was all it took to bring the light back to her eyes.

I was satisfied when I peeked at my watch this time, and Bella readily agreed when I suggested we return to our cabin. Once there, I opened the lock, and bowed with a flourish, motioning with a hand for Bella to enter. "After you, ma'am."

She grinned. "Why, thank you, Sir."

I held my breath as she stepped in, hoping like hell that Aro had managed everything successfully. I should have planned this better, so that I would have had a chance to check the arrangements for myself. On second thought, I wished I could have done it all myself.

What's done is done, I thought when I heard Bella gasp and walked in behind her.

I expelled a sigh of relief when I saw that Aro had followed my instructions to a T. For danger of a fire, we couldn't light a real candle in the cabin, so instead, I'd asked him to place battery-operated ones with artificial, flickering flames along the edges of the floor and on the dining table. The lighting was muted, making the candles throw quivering little shadows all over the surfaces.

On the dining table, there lay a large bouquet of long-stemmed red, pink and white roses, along with the meal I'd asked him to get prepared and delivered for us.

Bella was still rooted to her spot. Her eyes followed my movement as I walked to the table and picked up the bouquet.

A team of hummingbirds seemed to take up residence in my stomach, when I made my way back toward her. The nerves that I'd managed to keep at bay so far returned with a vengeance as I presented her with the flowers.

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby," I said softly.

The sound of my voice seemed to thaw Bella out of her frozen state. A wide smile overtook her face. "Happy Valentine's Day, Edward." She wrapped me in a tight embrace. "You didn't have to do all this. Coming here and spending time with you was celebration enough for me," she mumbled against the skin of my neck and placed a soft kiss there.

I pulled back and nuzzled her nose with mine. "Now, where would be the fun in that?"

I pulled her toward the dining table, where she placed the roses, and was pleased to find our meal warm. Aro had come through quite well for me.

We shed off our coats and gloves and dug into our dinner. Bella moaned happily, as she bit into the perfectly cooked portion of chicken. I had to shift in my seat and resist the urge to adjust myself because the sound went straight to my groin.

With a deep breath, I reminded myself about the one remaining part of Bella's surprise before we could go anywhere near the bedroom. I was pulled out my lustful thoughts when Bella held out a spoonful of sorbet for me, and I accepted it with a smile.

Once we had finished, I excused myself to bring out the package I'd buried deep inside my bag. Bella looked on with an unrecognizable emotion in her eyes as I took a seat beside her and placed the gift box in her hands.

With a tilt of my head, I indicated her to open it. She inhaled sharply when she saw what lay inside.

It was a simple platinum chain, one she could wear every day, and I hoped that she would. The pendant itself was an amalgamation of two asymmetrical hearts, interwoven to create a delicate design. The glow of the lights danced and flickered against the diamonds that outlined the hearts.

"Wow! It's gorgeous. This is… This is too much, Edward," she whispered, though her eyes never strayed from the necklace.

I was silent until she looked at me. Then, I took her hand in mine and looked intently into the deep, chocolate pools of her eyes.

"It's not. It pales in front of you," I replied honestly. "You deserve the best in life, Bella, and I want to be the one to give it to you." I paused, and swallowed. "I want to give you anything and everything your heart desires, and so much more because… because I love you, Bella."

I watched her face as she absorbed my words. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears and she reached out to cup my face in her palm.

"You- you love me?" she whispered.

I smiled. "I do. More than anything." A flicker of hesitation flashed in her eyes, so I continued. "You don't have to say it back. I told you I would wait for you for as long as you need. I just didn't want to hide it from you any longer. I wanted you to know, without a doubt, what I feel for you."

I pulled the chain out of the box, and she turned around, allowing me to put it on her. My lips seemed to have a mind of their own as they began to plant languid kisses against the back of her neck.

"Oh, Edward." She turned to face me and kissed me deeply.

I wrapped her in my arms, pulling her flush against my chest, as her tongue invaded my mouth. When I lifted her up from the chair, she immediately wrapped her legs around my waist. We only broke apart long enough to place the gift box on the table, and tumbled our way into the bedroom. Somewhere along the way, I'd gotten Bella's shirt off, and as I lay her onto the bed, she reached her hands out for me, clad in a thin, white camisole and jeans. The pendant lay just below the hollow of her neck, the diamonds shining beautifully against her ivory skin.

For a few seconds, I just stood there, transfixed by the sight of her, and wondered how I'd gotten so lucky.

When her soft voice called out my name, I shook my head to clear my thoughts and made my way on the bed to lay with her. We rolled onto our sides to face each other, and our lips connected.

My fingers traced a path down the curve of her neck and over her collarbone, and my eyes followed, devouring every inch of her soft, smooth skin. I skimmed my thumbs over her taut nipples, making her take in a sharp breath, and continued downward. When I reached the hem of her top, my eyes flew up to hers. She raised her arms in silent approval, and helped me get it off. She reached out with shaky fingers to unbutton my shirt, and within a few moments, all our clothes were strewn on the floor.

Bella lay back on the bed, completely bare before me for the very first time, and it took all my restraint to keep my eyes fixed on hers. The apprehension was plain on her features. Slowly, I leaned down, pressing the upper half of my body against hers, and claimed her lips with mine. I tugged at her lower lip, sucking it into my mouth and teasing it with gentle nips, as she started to relax against me.

Once I felt the tension leave her body, I let my lips follow the path of my fingers, relishing in the taste of her skin. It wasn't long before Bella's hands wandered over my chest, and my forearms, before coming to rest on top of my shoulders. She pulled me down, and I obliged, pressing my lips against hers. As our tongues rubbed and stroked against each other, I placed my hand over her breast and tugged gently at her erect nipple.

Her back arched up from the bed and her lips broke away from mine as she gasped. My mouth grazed down the skin of her jaw, peppering light kisses along the light freckles on her neck as I went, and finally reached her breast, where I suckled one nipple into my mouth, and flicked it with my tongue. Her hands came up to thread through my hair as I lavished the other breast with equal attention.

I could feel the pounding rhythm of her heart when I kissed my way down the gentle slope of her waist, to her navel and then further below.

Bella's soft moans of approval spurred me on as I stroked the soft skin coated with her arousal. Ever so carefully, I moved my finger along her slit until I felt the firm roundness of her clit.

"Edward…" Bella moaned, writhing in pleasure as I let my thumb stroke it once. She whimpered when I pressed harder against the sensitive nub, slowly rubbing it in circles as I leaned in to place a soft, wet kiss against her navel.

I listened to her rapid, shallow breathing, and the sighs that tumbled from her lips as I continued my ministrations. When she was ready for more, I slowly inserted one finger, feeling the slight resistance, but her arousal made it easy to slide in.

My hand continued stroking against her folds as I made my way back up, and kissed her once more. This time, Bella's lips molded against mine hungrily, while her hands clawed at the skin of my back. Tender caresses morphed into frenzied gropes as our fervor heightened. Her hips rose of their own accord to rub against my hand, while I continued to stroke and rub until she reached the height of her pleasure.

I could feel her walls spasm around my finger as she tensed in my arms and her head fell back as her orgasm washed over her. I slowed the movement of my hand, gently bringing her down from her high as her body trembled in my arms and soft, sated whimpers slipped past her lips.

Pushing back the overwhelming desire to push into her that very second, I forced myself to back away, and look at her face. Her eyes were closed at first, and when they opened, they shone as bright as the diamonds in her pendant. She pulled my head down to place a soft, loving kiss against my lips.

"I love you, Bella," I whispered against her skin.

"Show me," she replied. Her hands roamed over my abdomen and wound around my back. "Love me, Edward."

I cupped her face in my palms, and kissed her deeply. With gentle prodding, her legs fell apart, and I settled myself between them. Without breaking contact with her lips, I positioned myself and slowly, cautiously pushed into her. Caressing the soft skin of her thighs, I coaxed her to relax and let me in, and kissed away the few tears that slipped out from the corner of her eyes.

Swallowing hard to control my primal desires, I held still, and waited until she looked at me with a shaky, but genuine smile, and nodded to urge me to move.

"I love you…" I whispered when I pulled up her legs to wrap them around me, making my name fall from her lips in a breathless moan.

"I love you…" I whispered as I established a deliciously slow rhythm, looking carefully at her face for any signs of discomfort, and feeling relieved when the frown on her features morphed into a look of pleasure. Her lips sought mine and within seconds, they were engaged in a dance of their own as I continued to move inside her.

"I love you…" I whispered against her lips as her head fell back with her fingers ghosting all over my torso. My hand moved down her chest and her waist to rest between her legs. A throaty moan escaped her lips as her entire form trembled. I stroked and rubbed gently, when her hips reflexively rose to meet my thrusts, our rhythm getting more and more frenzied until she fell apart in my arms.

"I love you…" I whispered, feeling every muscle in my body go still, as I followed right behind her. For a moment, I was unable to do anything but bury my head into the crook of her neck, and pant. Her hands eventually came up to wrap around my neck, and played with the small hair at the nape.

Once I gained back enough of my senses to realize that I must be crushing her, I quickly pulled back to lie beside her, feeling the loss of our connection immediately. When I turned my head to look at Bella, I found her already looking in my direction with a soft smile etched on her lips. I pulled her into my side, and she came willingly, resting her head on my chest. She placed her hand over mine, and laced our fingers together over my heart.

We spent a moment in silence, caressing, savoring, and just being with each other as we reveled in what we had just shared.

I was tethering between consciousness and sleep, when I heard Bella whisper my name.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?" I mumbled, pulling her closer.

I felt her lips plant a soft kiss against the skin over my heart. The cool metal of her necklace tickled my skin slightly, making me smile. Her voice floated in the still of the night to deliver the words I longed to hear for so long.

"I love you, too."

A/N: There were only a few of them, but I hope I didn't mess up the translations. If I did, let me know, and I'll correct it.

I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for reading xx