A/N

As promised, I just got my 25th review so here is Ch. 7! Give me 30, five more, reviews and I will give you Ch. 8! I have it written already so all I'm waiting on is five more reviews! This one is longer, a lot longer.

Still EPOV

I awoke early the next morning, I believe it was around 5:30. I didn't want to wake my Isabella so I climbed off the bed quietly to take a bath. I was always calmed by the warm water. It would help me sort my thoughts.

All I could think of was how I could not spend my life without my Bella. I loved her and she was my life, but I couldn't just ask her to marry me. We aren't even together. That might be a little strange to her.

I made a promise to myself that today would be the day I would ask her to be with me. That ball was two months away so I could not wait that long to ask her, but I do want to make it special. I spent the rest of my shower plotting how to ask her.

I dried off, put my clothes on and opened the door. Isabella was standing there waiting with a smile on her face. She looked so beautiful.

"Good morning." She said

"Good morning! How do you feel?"

"A lot better...Thank you Edward, for everything you have done for me." I pulled her into an embrace

"I would do it over again if you needed it. I only want to help you." She looked up and smiled. I wanted so badly to kiss her. But that would be very rude of me if I did, very ungentlemanly.

"What are we doing today?" She asked.

"Well, it is Saturday. Would you like for me to show you my secret hideout?"

I had a place that I loved to go to when important things happened in my life. It helped me to think.

"I would like that very much. When will we be leaving?"

"After lunch?"

"Alright."

"I will see you at breakfast." I went to the parlor to tell my mother I would be taking Isabella out after lunch.

"You two be careful. Try to be back no later than eight dear. You know I don't like you being out at night, but I will make an exception."

"Thank you mother."

"Where are you taking her?"

"To the stable." She smiled. She knew I only went there for important things.

"You are going to ask her tonight?"

"Just to be mine. I don't want to ask her to be my wife so early. I don't want her to fear it."

"That is very wise."

"Can I ask a question?" My mother nodded. "Would you help me plan this?" She beamed at me

"I would be honored son."

We sat at the table for thirty minutes planning a picnic, horse ride, and star gazing

"She is a lucky girl Edward."

"No, I am the lucky one." She smiled at me again.

"Have fun this afternoon and be safe."

"Yes mam."

After lunch was over Isabella and I walked to my favorite stable that we owned, it took us an hour to arrive.

"So are you going to inform me where we are headed Mr. Cullen?" I laughed lightly, she was trying to be cute, and she was succeeding.

"Why don't you guess?"

"I am not very good at guessing, besides why guess when you could just tell me?"

"Why guess when we are here?" She looked over the place.

We were in a huge field that had many hills, few trees, and low grass. Our stable was a bit fancy compared to most, it was quiet large and had a bathroom, a bedroom, and mini kitchen inside.

"This is beautiful!"

"I am glad you like it. Would you like to come inside?" I needed to put the food for our picnic inside the little refrigerator. She nodded and I led the way.

When we entered I put the food away and turned to see her smiling at me

"What is it?"

"What do you have planned?"

"You have to wait and see." I smiled at her. "Would you like to go for a horse ride?"

"I would love that."

I walked her around to the stable so she could choose a horse.

"You can take your pick of any horse you like." We had seven

"They are all so beautiful." She walked to one of the males "What about this one?"

"He likes to run, fast." She picked my horse

"That's alright."

"Then he is yours, but I should warn you, when I said he likes to run fast, I mean that. He is the fastest runner of all of them." She looked slightly worried, I chuckled "He wont hurt you, you know."

"I know that. But, I think I would rather my first horse riding experience not be ruined by fear."

"You have never ridden a horse?" She looked to the ground

"I've always been afraid."

"We could double if you like."

"Yes please. I would feel better."

"Great, but we are still taking that horse." Her eyes went wide.

I walked to her and wrapped my hands around her waist, not too low or high of course.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I swear it." I whispered in her ear. A slight shiver ran down her body. She looked into my eyes. I wanted to kiss here so badly but I knew I couldn't so I just kissed her cheek.

"Alright then." She cleared her throat, she seemed to clear her thoughts as well. "Whose horse is it?"

"Mine."

"Oh. What is its name?"

"His name is Tommy." She giggled "What?"

"Tommy?" She laughed

"Yes, I like that name."

"He is your horse." She said sarcastically. I changed the subject.

"So have you ever saddled a horse before?"

"No."

"Well you will learn. Follow me."

I showed her how to put a saddle on and how to get the bit in a horses mouth, Tommy was stubborn so I showed her the trick, dip it in honey.

"Will he keep it in his mouth after the honey is gone?"

"Of course. He just doesn't like it being forced in his mouth, after, he is fine with it. Are you ready?" She looked scared. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to fall off." I laughed at her for that. I walked to her and put my arms around her again but this time I pushed her against the stable wall. "Do you trust me?" I whispered in her ear

"Yes." She gasped out

"Then what are you afraid of? I promised I wouldn't let anything happen." I kept whispering. Another shudder went through her

"But what if you can't help me, what...what if I slide off?"

"Simple, you can ride on the front of the saddle."

"Al...alright." I kissed the top of her head, if I didn't kiss her then I was going to take her right now and I in no way would want to do that to her, I was far more of a gentleman than that.

"Now, you get to drive the horse since you will be in the front."

"I get to what?"

"You get to drive."

"But.." I cut her off

"All you do is hold the reigns Isabella. It isn't hard."

"Okay." I helped her onto the horse as I sat on the back

"Now, if you want to go left, pull left if you want to go right pull right, if you want him to stop pull back."

"Is that all?"

"What did you expect?"

"Not anything that easy."

"It isn't that difficult Isabella." I laughed

"How do I make him move?" I laughed even harder.

"Allow me." I made a clicking noise with my mouth and Tommy started walking.

"Do you mind if I hold the horn?" I didn't have anything to hold on to being behind Isabella.

"The what?"

"The horn. The stub at the front of the saddle."

"Oh, uh sure." I had to ask. I didn't want to do it and make her uncomfortable. Her body tensed a little when my arms wrapped around her.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"No, I just didn't know that is what the horn was." She looked down to where my hands were placed.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"I told you that is what it was."

"I know. But I wasn't really paying attention. I was sliding off at that moment." I laughed harder. I looked down and saw her feet dangling.

"Put your feet in the stirrups."

"The what?"

"The two things dangling by your feet with the holes in them."

"Oh." She blushed and put her feet in them. "I didn't know that is what they were for."

"You want to go faster?"

"Uh..."

"I wont let you fall. I promise."

"Alright." I kicked the horse and he took off in a fast trot.

"Is everything okay?" I wanted to make sure she was comfortable before I made the horse go faster.

"Yes."

"Alright, hold on."

I kicked the horse again and he sped off to a gallop. Isabella looked so beautiful, her hair was blowing past my face and the smell was extraordinary, like strawberries. That was now going to be my favorite fruit.

I felt her start to slide and I tightened my arms around her. She turned her head and smiled.

After about an hour of riding we went back to the stable.

"Did you like it?"

"I loved it! It was exhilarating. But my legs are sore."

"First time ridding will do that. It will pass.."

She just gazed into my eyes. I stopped talking and stared back. After a few moments I spoke.

"Are you hungry." It had been a few hours since we had lunch. It took us an hour to get here, it took an hour to saddle the horse the horse because I was going in to detail and every time I offered her the saddle she dropped it and I would have to clean it off. Then on the first attempt to get on the horse, when I wasn't watching, she fell back and she had to clean herself off. It took us almost two hours to get back after ridding.

"Yes."

"How about a picnic?"

"That would be lovely." I gathered everything I had in the house and settled outside on the top of a hill. The sun was starting to set. It was almost around four I was guessing.

I sat a blanket on the ground and sat the food around it.

"Thank you for today. I truly needed it." She sat beside me

"It has been an honor. I am lucky to have you to myself for a few hours."

"Should we hurry? Your mother must be wondering where we are?"

"No we are fine on time. She knows we are here. We are very close, my mother and I. I tell her everything. She trusts me." I handed her a plate with fruit on it. "I have a new favorite fruit."

I stated blindly

"What is it?"

"Strawberries. It is the smell of your hair." I didn't mean to say that out loud. It sounded so weird and I was afraid she would think it was strange.. But she blushed.

We ate and conversed until the sun was setting deeper in the sky. The sky had a very low sunset and a lot of deep blue from the night taking over. You could already see stars. We were lying back on the blanket watching.

"Isabella, can I ask something of you?"

"Anything."

"You know how fond of you I am. I have been waiting for a long time now to ask of you but, would you please be mine? You are the only thing I do not have that I truly desire. You are the only thing that I want and I do not want to live without you. Be my girlfriend?" It sounded silly and cliché to say "girlfriend" but I needed her to know what I was asking.

She looked at me for a few moments and smiled. "I have been waiting for you to ask."

"Have you?"

"For a long time."

"So is that a yes?"

"It is." We were smiling at each other. Again the urge to kiss her took over me. Her body was calling me. But I had to resist. I needed to. But I leaned closer to her. I took her face gently in my hands and looked deep into her eyes. I had no doubt she wanted this just as much. But I was a gentleman and I wanted to wait so I kissed the top of her head.

I wanted to wait to give her a real kiss. I wanted the moment to be even more special than this.

"May I?" I asked holding my arms open as an invitation for her lye against me.

"Yes you may." She crawled over to me and I wrapped my arms around her.

I never felt so right in my life. I knew I would ask this woman to be my wife. I knew she was the only one I would ever need. I've never needed anything like I have her. She is my reason for breathing.

A/N

So I think this is the longest chapter I have written. There will be longer ones, just wait. I just needed Edward and Bella to have this bonding time before we moved on. Some of you are probably wondering why I picked the name "Tommy" for the horse. The answer is simple. It was the name of the first horse I ever rode :) REVIEW. I want 5 more reviews before I update. I doesn't have to be anything big, something like "UPDATE" would work. Thank you guys! Enjoy!