AN: I added a link on my Profile page that will take you to photos that illustrate this story. It has interior shots of the Cabin and the Lodge, locations, etc. I will be adding photos as I add chapters. If I haven't said so before, Manka's is a real place; there's also be a link to their website.

Chapter 12: Our Little Corner of Heaven

Friday Afternoon

It was like crossing the threshold to another time. There were really no modern conveniences visible. Candles glowed around the room, which was dominated by an old brown leather sofa that faced a massive floor to ceiling, ocean stone fireplace. An enormous moose head hung over the mantle. A copper cauldron of firewood sat on the hearth.

The hardwood floor was covered in rugs that looked like Native American blankets, and small oak tables had antique worn wicker lamps or little copper lamps with mica shades.

Although I didn't see any stereo speakers, I could hear soft piano music playing. A simply framed beveled mirror reflected the bouquet of wildflowers that graced the round oak dining table in the corner, along with a large silver tray filled with covered dishes, also made of heavy silver. One wall held a low bookcase filled with old leather bound books. All the soft, faded colors and textures made for a harmonious blend of rustic luxury.

Bradley struck a match and lit the kindling in the fireplace, starting a crackling blaze. He then went over to a carved antique cabinet in the corner and opened it, saying "This is the entertainment center: stereo, cds, games, and a mini fridge," which he pointed to and asked, "Should I open the sparkling cider now?"

"No, that's all right, thanks, I think we want to freshen up first," Edward said as he picked up a poker and stirred the kindling in the massive fireplace, sending sparks in several directions. It reminded me of what I felt like when he touched me. I smiled in anticipation of just how much I hoped I would be feeling those sparks this weekend.

As if on cue, Bradley gracefully crossed the room to open a large set of carved wooden doors, saying, "Here's the bedroom and the bath."

With Bradley's looks and elegant carriage I thought he was a good candidate for becoming a vampire. Then I caught myself and blushed. I couldn't recall ever thinking that about another human being before. There was definitely something different about this place and it was doing things to my mind.

A king size bed with a log frame dominated the room. The spacious bathroom had a heated slate floor and oversized, white claw foot bathtub, big enough for two, I noted with delight as I followed along behind Bradley.

He set the luggage down in the walk in closet and we started back to the living room. "Outside through that door on the right is the sky shower, which is sublime either by moonlight or sunrise, depending on your preference," he smiled and winked at me.

I glanced at Edward, hoping he wasn't going to get jealous. Standing with his back to the fire now, his eyes were on me and he was smiling that crooked smile I loved so much, so I relaxed. This whole trip was beginning to seem like a dream. It was so good I didn't want to pinch myself to make sure I was awake.

"Thank you Bradley, you're a delightful host. We'll call you if we need anything," Edward gracefully dismissed him, pulling a small white envelope out of his jacket pocket and handing it to Bradley.

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. It's my pleasure to serve you," Bradley smiled and quickly withdrew, leaving us alone in this rustic yet elegant paradise.

"What was in the envelope?" my curiosity was piqued.

"A tip, and further instructions," Edward replied smoothly.

It almost seemed like a shame to disturb the serenity of the achingly beautiful living room by throwing ourselves on the sofa, but that's what we did.

"What a comforting place this is," I sighed as I snuggled next to Edward. He had his arms wrapped around me as we stretched out on the worn leather.

"I had hoped you would like it."

"I'm so glad you didn't get jealous when Bradley winked at me; he seems very sweet, but not my type," I hastened to add.

At that Edward broke into a deep, hearty laugh. "What did I say that was so funny?" I demanded.

Still laughing, Edward managed to say, "He plays for the other team, Bella. He's a nice guy, but you don't stand a chance with him; he would be far more interested in me if he didn't already have someone named Derrick," he concluded, his mind reading skills on other humans still in top notch form.

"Oh," was all I managed. I guess it was funny, especially from Edward's perspective.

"Don't feel bad, he's a real charmer. He flirts with everyone. He gets girls hitting on him all the time," Edward sounded like he was trying to keep from laughing again.

"I wasn't hitting on him – he winked at me," I said indignantly.

"I know, I didn't mean you, silly Bella. Don't be mad; but I wouldn't mind it if you pouted a little bit because your lips look so luscious when you do," he said soothingly.

I started to pout and when I was sure he was looking I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him quickly. He was surprised, and started laughing again.

"I never know what you're going to do next Bella," he smiled.

"But you liked that, didn't you?" I teased.

"Yes, very much. But you're lucky I went hunting yesterday; when you present those lips like that, with no warning…" his voice trailed off and then his cool lips were pressing against my warm ones. He left me gasping for breath, which was not unusual.

After a few more minutes of delicious kissing, he pulled away and picked up my left hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed it, whispering "Has wearing this ring become a little easier for you?"

"Oh yes, Edward. I love it. I always loved it. I just never imagined I would be wearing a ring like this at my age, but I'm adjusting to that idea. It's so beautiful, and every time I look at it I think of you. Not that I need any reminder; you're pretty much always on my mind," I declared.

He seemed gratified, and said, "I think my little human needs something to eat. Let's check out the snacks," he suggested.

I reluctantly put my feet on the floor and climbed off of him. If I wasn't hungry I would have been happy to stay like that for at least a couple of hours.

We went over to the lovely table in the corner and lifted the lids off the silver dishes. There was a pasta salad with salmon and artichokes, a cold grilled asparagus salad with shaved Parmesan cheese, and lemon curd tarts. "Oh, this looks yummy," I exclaimed.

"You sit down and I'll open the sparkling cider," Edward offered.

I was hungrier than I thought as I dug into the gourmet treats. "It was so thoughtful of you to arrange all this, Edward," I managed to say between bites. "You've outdone yourself," I said gratefully.

This cabin was nicer than Charlie's house and certainly had better furnishings. It was definitely someplace that had earned the Cullen seal of approval. The cost to spend three days here probably exceeded one of Charlie's monthly mortgage payments, but money was meaningless to Edward. He wanted it to be meaningless to me, too. This was a hard concept for me to grasp, I thought as I speared another piece of asparagus.

After a few minutes of listening to the piano music I recognized it as Edward's. "Did you send cds down here, to be playing when we arrived?" I asked in astonishment.

As he finished refilling a crystal goblet with the cider, he nodded. "You know I'm particular about music, and I thought it would be nice to have some cds already here when we arrived." His kindness and consideration never ceased to amaze me. He was always doing something for me. I tried hard not to feel unworthy.

Edward opened the soft curtains framing a set of French doors next to the fireplace. Then he opened the doors and stepped out on a small deck. Instantly the room filled with the sound of songbirds trilling from the branches of the evergreen forest. A magnificent slice of the woods came into my view: huge tree trunks and massive ferns, with patches of daffodils and wildflowers dotting the vista.

I caught a glimpse of something white and ethereal moving in the mist against the deep green of the lush undergrowth. "Edward, is that a unicorn?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, Bella, it's a unicorn. Beautiful, isn't it?" He paused and then continued, "and that lemon tart you are eating was baked by elves in that hollow tree on the left," he stopped speaking and I could see his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"Edward," I exclaimed, jumping up and joining him on the little deck outside.

"No, it's not a unicorn, Bella. It's a fallow deer; it's a non-native species, but they're so striking, from this distance they do look a bit like a unicorn in profile, don't they?" he replied.

"Wow, everything about this place is breathtaking," I mused, as I leaned against the railing and finished my last bite of the buttery lemon tart.

"Seeing you in this place takes my breath away," Edward murmured.

"You are the best fiancé in the world," I gushed, forgiving him for the unicorn remark and feeling that the word fiancé wasn't quite adequate to cover our relationship, and I didn't feel entirely comfortable with that term either.

"Well, since your opinion is based on somewhat limited experience, I don't know how much stock I can put into that…" he teased.

I left the railing and stood to face him. "Listen mister, I don't need to date the rest when I already have the best…" but I didn't get any further because he scooped me up in his arms are started to carry me through the living room and into the bedroom. "Okay, this is good," I said encouragingly.

"Don't get too excited, Bella; it's been a long trip and I think you need a nap."

I pretended to pout, hoping that would get me where I wanted to go.

He did kiss me as he gently put me down on the bed, but it was over all too quickly to suit me. "If you want me to take a nap, you're going to have to cuddle first," I requested.

He picked up the luxurious woven silk throw from the foot of the bed and spread it over me as he sat down next to me. Propped up against numerous pillows, from this position on the large four-poster bed made of logs we could see the fire crackling away in the huge hearth. It was good to hear his familiar piano music wafting softly in the background.

"You know, Edward, I'm not a baby; I don't really need a nap." I had my mind on other things I wanted to do with him in this wonderful bed.

"You got up early this morning, we flew and then drove, and while it wasn't a difficult trip, I still think you would benefit from a nap. I know planning the wedding has been exhausting for you. This weekend is about rest and recuperation."

"I thought this trip was supposed to be a fun celebration for you," I reminded him.

"It is fun for me to watch you sleep." His smile reinforced that statement.

I couldn't argue; I knew how much he enjoyed that. I thought about how I didn't have that much time left to sleep before I would never do it again. He was going to miss this. Maybe I could take a little nap for his sake.

"This might be a good time to check in with Charlie," Edward hinted, bringing out his cell phone.

"You know I'm not a good liar; what should I say?"

"Well, try to keep as close to the truth as possible but be general. Say the trip was easy and the accommodations are comfortable enough. He will just want to know you're having a good time, that will be enough," Edward reassured me.

I gulped and took the phone. He had my home number in first position on his speed dial, and the call went though instantly. I heard Charlie's voice and felt a sudden pang in my heart, as I knew I was about to deceive him. It made me think of the day when I would be changed and have to say goodbye to him forever. That was what I wanted, but it was still painful.

I tried to make my voice sound cheerful, and evidently I was successful, because the call was over fairly quickly, with Charlie seeming to accept my version of our camping trip.

I hung up the phone and handed it back to Edward. He was searching my face and finally said, "What's wrong, Bella?"

"What makes you think some thing's wrong?" I asked defensively.

"Well, I may not be able to read your mind, but I see sadness in your beautiful brown eyes. What am I supposed to think?"

"I'm complicated, Edward. What can I say?"

"Something more than that, please, I'm imagining the worst right now."

"I was thinking about the day when I wouldn't be able to talk to Charlie anymore, all right? It's just hard because although I'm looking forward to that day, it's also going to mean an end to my family, everything . . ." I trailed off. He wanted to know; now I would see how he dealt with it.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Edward asked anxiously, "Because if you are, I will understand."

"Oh, Edward, you are so perfect," I pressed myself against his chest and he put his arms around me and held me tight. "No, I'm not having second thoughts about changing. I want to be with you forever, and I want to belong to you in every way. You know that. Please don't doubt it; but I'm only a weak human and Charlie and Renee have always been there for me. It just seems strange to contemplate my future without them."

He kissed the top of my head and gently massaged the back of my neck with his long, cool fingers. "If you ever change your mind, please tell me right away. Your happiness and safety are always my top priority," he said huskily.

I turned my head to look deeply into his ochre eyes, "Being with you is my top priority," I tried to reassure him. "I've made my choice and I won't change my mind. Please try to have faith in me."

"Bella, you are the moon, the stars, and the sun. You are my whole world. I know that's not right, but I've waited so long to find you, and I tried to resist you, but I just couldn't. There was always something missing, and you are that something."

"Edward, please don't say it's not right. It's not always easy, and it's sometimes painful, but it must be right. I can't imagine my life without you. I've tried, and that just didn't work. I have faith in you," I smiled weakly.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. You're either the most trusting girl in the world or you need your head examined. Perhaps both, I guess they're not mutually exclusive," he smiled grimly before he continued.

"I'm afraid your transition is going to be difficult, but I promise, you will never be alone again. I will always be there for you," he kissed me, his lips moving gently at first and then with more pressure. My heart was skipping unevenly and I was soon gasping for breath.

He released my lips but kept me pressed closely to him. I put my forehead against his neck and his fingertip traced lightly along my collarbone as my breathing became more normal. We lay like that for a long time and he probably thought I had fallen asleep, but I wasn't tired yet. I was too excited about being alone here with him and I had so much on my mind.

I whispered, "What are you thinking about Edward?"

"I thought you were asleep," he said gently. "You want to know what I'm thinking about? I'm focused on the future, and I'm looking right at her." Then he kissed me, hard and fast. Was this a preview of our future? If so, I welcomed it, returning his kiss in the same fashion.

When I caught my breath I said, "I feel so inadequate. I just don't understand what you see in me, Edward." I wasn't fishing for a compliment, I truly couldn't wrap my mind around how someone as incredible as he was ended up with me.

"How can I make you understand what you mean to me? There is no one in the world like you, and there hasn't been for the past century. It pains me to say that in more ways than one, but the joy you bring to me is beyond measure."

He held my wrist up to his face and inhaled deeply and then kissed it before continuing.

"I never thought I would fall in love with a human. I never thought I would fall in love with anyone. I wasn't looking for it. I was surrounded by it at home; happy couples everywhere I looked, and it never really touched me. I could see them, I could hear their thoughts, but I never felt what they felt. And I didn't care. I didn't understand what I was missing. Until I met you."

The look in his eyes was breathtaking; he was so overwhelmingly beautiful.

"When I fell in love with you I knew what it meant to long to be with someone. How your very presence could inspire feelings of joy and how the removal of your presence could bring about feelings of despair. Everything in my existence revolves around you, Bella. When I look into your beautiful, expressive brown eyes I see my whole world."

I was blushing like a stop sign, but I wanted him to do anything but stop. He couldn't read my mind but he seemed to know what I was thinking.

"Bella, before you taught me what it meant to be in love, I was clueless. I thought I was self-contained, complete, above it all. And then I felt emotions that I didn't even know were possible; it was very confusing at first. I puzzled for a long time trying to figure out what those intense feelings meant."

He didn't usually open up to me like this, but whatever the reason, I was grateful for any insight he was willing to offer. His mind was just as much a mystery to me as mine was to him. I smiled encouragingly.

"You are so beautiful. Your lips are so tempting." He reached out and traced my smile. "Everything about you is magnified for me. Superlatives don't do you justice. Maybe the most significant thing you have given me is a highly charged emotional life. I was truly dead inside before I met you. And now, you make me feel so alive, so happy, and so grateful, I can never thank you enough."

He wrapped his arms around me now, holding me even closer. I buried my face in his chest, taking a deep breath and drawing in his powerful, masculine scent. Angela was right, I thought to myself. I was a lucky girl and I did have a guy any girl would envy me for. But how did I do all those things for him? I still didn't understand what he saw in me.

"And soon we will have a highly charged physical life as well." He sounded very pleased about that prospect.

I was glad my face was hidden from his view. I turned a deeper shade of red, although I wanted that too. I wanted it sooner rather than later. I raised my head a bit and pressed my lips against the base of his neck and he loosened his grip on me.

"I said soon, Bella, meaning in the future, not right now." His voice was gentle but firm.

I groaned and placed my forehead against his chest. "I know what you meant. I can't help it if I find you irresistible. After saying all those wonderful things to me I want to cover you with kisses. It's your own fault."

He brought his hand under my chin and forced my head up until I was looking into his eyes. They were blazing with love and desire.

"Believe me, I would like nothing more than to reciprocate. You are the most alluring creature I have ever seen, but you know we are going to wait, and you know why."

"No, I forgot," I lied. Being honest wasn't working so I thought I would give this a try.

He gave a soft chuckle. "You are still a terrible liar, but so adorable." He leaned down and gave me a tender kiss and then held me against his chest again, resting his chin on the top of my head.

It looked like I was going to have to take whatever I could get and I would have to be happy with that for the moment, but I wanted more. With Edward I always wanted more. There was no such thing as getting enough of him.

"Edward," I began cautiously. I had changed my mind about something, and I needed to tell him. But I didn't think it was going to be easy. He had been close to giving me what I had wanted before, but in the last few days since I stopped him he seemed to be more grateful than annoyed. This felt like the perfect time to tell him exactly what I wanted, and see if we could make it happen.

This seems like the perfect time to review; you know the drill. If you've read this far and you haven't reviewed yet, now is the time. Hit that button and drop me a line. Thanks.

AN: My grateful thanks to not done baking for her superior beta skills. Use the link on my Profile page to see pictures of Manka's Lodge, cabin, and surroundings.