AN: This is the last time I ever say I'll post on a certain day, so enjoy it. The site wouldn't let me upload all day! Our couple is about to go to dinner, so I recommend you have a snack before you read this. Seriously. 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. Manka's Lodge is a real place; you should go there sometime.
End of Chapter 13: Finally he whispered, "Hungry yet?"
I had to admit I was beginning to get hungry. And with his acceptance of the new plan to explore the limits of our physical relationship, I looked forward to how we would spend our evening after dinner.
I nodded in assent and was rewarded with another dazzling smile followed by another impressive kiss.
Chapter 14: The Way You Look Tonight"Good. I don't want you to miss the dining room experience here. The chefs are spectacular; they're rated in the top 50 of the United States."
"I believe it, judging from lunch this afternoon," I enthused.
"The chefs are actually the current owners of the Lodge. Their story is indicative of the kind of people they are. Manka was a lovely young Chekoslovakian woman when Carlisle first came here in 1921. She ran the place for many decades, and when she became ill, Margaret, one of the chefs, bought the Lodge and let Manka stay in her old room upstairs above the dining room."
"Well that was nice of her," I remarked.
"Yes, Margaret is special. Evidently Manka had no family left, so Margaret nursed her and paid for all her medical treatment. She made her as comfortable as she could, until she died. Carlisle was staying here then and told me all about it. He has a great deal of respect for Margaret, who is also a doctor."
"She's a chef and a doctor? Is she a vampire, too?" I asked, ready to believe anything in this enchanted place.
"Not that I know of… but she could be some kind of magical creature. You'll see," he said as he released me and got up, heading for the closet. He opened the door and said, "Choose something to wear to dinner and then we'll go up to the Lodge." He removed a hanger with a jacket and pair of pants hanging on it and went into the living room.
He had unpacked our bags while I was asleep, and I followed him over to the large walk-in closet to see what Alice had selected for me. Going along with her surprise wardrobe choices was part of my birthday gift to Edward, so I steeled myself to expect the worst and wear it with a smile.
I suddenly remembered something funny that Edward had whispered to me in the cafeteria just before graduation. Our attention had been attracted by overly loud laughter coming from Jessica's table. Lauren had turned an enormous smile on Tyler. Edward looked disgusted and said so only I could hear, "I've lived in houses with less closet space." Lauren did have a big mouth.
Laughing again I looked through a series of fabric garment bags, each one labeled with a tag suggesting day and time. I took the one that said "Friday night," out of the closet and laid it on the bed.
"Wow, this is beautiful," I breathed as I took a light blue, sleeveless dress off the hanger. It was semi-sheer silk, with a matching blue lining. It had thin straps and a gathered seam at the empire waist, looking casual yet elegant at the same time. I looked at the label: Citron, Santa Monica.
Where does Alice find this stuff, I wondered as I slipped it on. I noticed a pair of matching blue ballerina flats on the floor of the closet, and I silently sent Alice a big thank you for not packing high heels for me to wear in the wilderness.
I dashed into the bathroom and brushed my hair. I thought about doing something special with it, and looked into the cosmetic bag Alice had packed for me. Everything I would need was in there, including a new toothbrush. I would have to do something extra special for her when we got back home.
I found a small satin pouch with a large pair of bobby pins embellished with blue rhinestone dragonflies in it. I quickly brushed my hair away from my face and secured it on each side with one of the pins.
I looked in the mirror and saw that with my hair cascading down on either side of my neck it gave the impression of a long, white column. At least visually, Alice was making my transformation into an elegant and suitable companion for Edward almost painless. I hoped I could count on her when the big change happened.
Edward was gazing out the French doors in the living room when I came to find him. He had changed into a tan hunting jacket, the kind with suede patches on the elbows. He was the embodiment of masculine grace. His pale blue V-neck sweater showed a tantalizing glimpse of his chest. He turned when he heard me come into the room and I saw his eyes flicker in appreciation.
"You look stunning, Bella. Remind me to breathe," he said with pleasure in his voice. "I'll have to do something special for Alice when we get back home."
I started laughing and said, "Maybe you can read my mind, I just had that exact same thought."
As we headed for the door he picked me up in his arms and when I started to protest, he said firmly, "It's almost dark, and no one can see us from the Lodge anyway. I'm not letting you try to walk up and down those stone steps in the dark, even if there is almost a full moon. I'll put you down when we get to the front door and not a moment before."
I could tell that was final and there was no point in arguing with him anyway; when he's right, he's right. One slip and I would probably break my leg.
He stepped out on the porch and closed the door. Massive green branches from the Redwood trees hung low, as if sheltering the cabin from any harm.
It was twilight and the sky was fading to dark. Edward's favorite time; the easiest part of the day for him. The air was swirling with mist as he started up the mossy stone steps. I snuggled into his chest and decided to enjoy being in his arms.
As we approached the front door of the Lodge he set me down and kissed the top of my head. I kept my arms around his neck and refused to let go until I got a real kiss. He complied with enthusiasm and I had to clutch at his jacket to keep from losing my balance.
"Do I need to pick you up again?" Edward asked with amusement.
"No, just give me a moment," I said as I took a deep breath and felt my heart returning to a steady rhythm.
He chuckled quietly.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" I accused.
"You look exceptionally lovely in this light and I always enjoy kissing you, Bella," he said smoothly.
"You know that's not what I meant."
"I think you're lightheaded because you're hungry," he teased. "I'm sure it couldn't have anything to do with me."
"Right; because we both know you have absolutely no effect on me."
The crooked smile made an appearance on his beautiful face. "Come along love, time for dinner," he said, taking my hand and propelling me into the parlor.
Hickory smoke greeted us like an old friend, and across the room I noticed a handsome man clad in black placing some sort of meat on a grill in the large fireplace. His long dark hair hung down his back in a smooth ponytail that snaked out from under a dark blue bandana.
"That's Chef Daniel," said a voice from behind us. We turned and looked at a pretty woman in a simple black suit with caramel colored hair softly framing her face. "He's grilling duck for the salad tonight. Will you be having dinner with us this evening?" she asked.
"Yes, we have reservations, the name is Cullen," Edward said.
"Oh Mr. Cullen, what a pleasure to meet you in person. My name is Sally, I'm the Lodgekeeper, and we spoke on the phone about your special arrangements. I hope everything has been to your liking so far?" she inquired, her smile reflected in her warm blue eyes.
"Everything has been wonderful. We're looking forward to dinner," Edward replied.
"Would you like to sit in front of the fire and have something to drink before I show you to your table?" she asked. Edward looked at me and I nodded yes.
"We make a delicious lemonade with organic Meyer lemons or would you like a glass of wine?" She offered.
"Lemonade sounds great," I said.
Edward nodded at Sally and she started off towards the kitchen as we sat down on the comfortable red and black cushion-covered Mission oak sofa and watched the logs snap and pop in the fireplace.
She returned almost immediately with two glasses on an antique wicker tray inlaid with real butterflies. It was beautiful and I had never seen anything like it before.
As she handed us the drinks I said, "What a lovely tray. Is it old?"
"Yes, it's almost a hundred years old but still in wonderful condition. They don't make things like this anymore," Sally replied.
I exchanged a glance with Edward and his ochre eyes were bright and shining.
"I'm so sorry you had to arrive in the rain. It's supposed to rain off and on all weekend. We have a wedding on Sunday at one of our waterfront properties and it's such an ordeal to put up the tent. For the bride's sake I hope the sun comes out."
For our sake I hoped it didn't. Although being trapped in our cabin all day would not exactly be torture.
"Would you like to hear about tonight's menu?" Sally inquired.
I nodded yes and she continued, "Everything is fresh and organic, and it's either farmed, fished, or foraged within fifteen minutes of the Lodge. Tonight's entree is venison. Please relax and I'll be right back," she said as she went to answer the large old-fashioned black phone, ringing at the reservation desk.
"Manka's, how may I help you?" She paused. "No, no abalone tonight, but Luke is going diving on Sunday, so we should have some for Sunday supper. Okay, see you then," Sally hung up the phone and went back to the kitchen.
Edward put his arm around my shoulder and I leaned against him, sipping my lemonade. "Was that butterfly tray here the first time you were here?" I had to ask.
"I think so. Many of the furnishings are exactly the same, from what I remember. This sofa, for example. That buffalo blanket next to you; they used to be called lap robes and you needed one in the back of a carriage or sleigh. But it's also more of a feeling about the place. As if they've just ignored the passage of time," he observed.
Sally returned carrying a pitcher of lemonade and set it down on the table next to us.
"That's a beautiful piano, is it an antique?" I asked her.
"I'm not sure of it's age, but it's been here longer than I have," she smiled. "Do you play?"
"Oh no, but Edward does," I said, glancing at him.
"We would love it if you played something for us Mr. Cullen. Please feel free to treat this place as if it were your home," she added graciously.
Edward looked at me and I was giving him the pleading look, so he reluctantly went over and sat down at the piano. He started playing a smoky jazz version of Body and Soul, and I recognized it from a Diana Krall CD that we had listened to on a drive to Port Angeles once.
At that time I had told him the song reminded me of the two of us, because I wanted him body and soul. He had just smiled and squeezed my hand. But his playing it now made me realize he had been paying attention that day in the car and he felt the same way. Sometimes my heart felt so full with love for him I wasn't sure it could be contained in my body.
As he finished the song I noticed Sally rubbing the sleeve of her jacket and she remarked, "That was so beautiful it gave me goose bumps," as she returned to the kitchen.
Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a couple of heads ducking out of the way of the swinging doors.
As he began to play the first chords of my favorite Gavin DeGraw song I went across the room and sat on the piano bench next to him. Looking into my eyes he sang softly, so only I could hear,
Look in my eyes, what do you see?
Not just the color, look inside of meTell me your need and I will try, I will try
I'm going to love you more than anyone
I'm going to hold you closer than before
And when I kiss your soul, your body will be free,
I'll be free for you anytime, I'm going to love you more than anyone
As he continued to play the melody I said, "Do you have any idea how special you are?" the hint of tears glistening in my eyes.
He stopped playing immediately and put his arms around me. I melted into his chest and he dropped his head into my neck. We clung to each other like we were the only two people in the world. I could have stayed like that, in this magical place, forever.
I'm not sure how much time passed but all too soon Sally reappeared carrying a square silver dish full of what looked to be doughnut holes. "I hate to disturb you two, but Chef says these cheese puffs must be eaten while hot. Please enjoy, and I'll see if your table is ready."
Edward raised his head we both looked at the dish Sally left. They looked irresistible. I picked one up and it was piping hot and light as air. It had large grains of sea salt clinging to its golden exterior and I cautiously took a bite. A buttery mix of creamy cheese and hot dough melted in my mouth.
"Oh Edward, this is fantastic," I exclaimed. "I've never had anything like it."
"Good. I want you to taste everything and experience as many things as possible. Do you want to have wine with dinner?" he asked.
"Edward, you know I'm not old enough to drink legally," I said, thoughtfully chewing another cheese puff, the salt exploding on my tongue, surprised that he would even make that suggestion.
"Well it's not like you're going to drive anywhere. One glass of wine with dinner wouldn't hurt you, and you could taste what it's like," he explained. "I'm not suggesting you drink a whole bottle," he added when he saw the look on my face.
"I'll think about it," I said, popping another tasty morsel in my mouth. Then Sally returned and started leading us to our table in the dining room.
Just beyond the fireplace I noticed a door with the words: Necessary Room hand-painted on it. I shot Edward a quizzical look and pointed at the door. He whispered in my ear, "For when you need a human moment." I blushed and he smiled, his eyes dancing.
Candlelight enveloped the dining room in a warm amber glow. The tables were full of mostly couples, already happily eating and drinking. It looked like we were the last to arrive. There were several bottles of champagne in large, gleaming silver ice buckets on the white linen-covered tables.
Groupings of deer antlers made an impressive sculptural display on one wall. A feeling of harmony radiated throughout this charming and unusual place. Thankfully, this was not at all like the Lodge Charlie had taken me to for graduation day dinner.
Sally showed us to the last empty booth and said, "We've saved the best table in the house for you, please enjoy your meal."
I wondered how much extra Edward had paid to have the best table reserved for us. For me, really, because I knew he wasn't going to be eating any of the specialties of the house. I felt guilty about how much all this was costing, but I knew he didn't feel the same way about money that I did. Would I ever come around to his way of thinking?
We sat down opposite each other and I noticed that the walls were a warm cream color, and quotations had been painted on them in tan lettering so the effect was subtle. "If music be the food of love, play on," I read aloud.
"Shakespeare," Edward correctly identified.
"I know that; and it's painted on the wall behind you," I pointed.
"I can think of another bit of Shakespeare that's appropriate," he said smoothly.
"Tell me, oh well-read one," I joked.
"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The move I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite."
"That's lovely, Edward, but I thought you didn't like Romeo and Juliet."
"It has a few good bits." He turned and looked around the room, spotted another saying painted on the wall and read, "Dinner is like love; it should be entered into with abandon or not at all."
"I think that's the philosophy of this whole place; enter with abandon or not at all. I love it here," I affirmed.
"You are so beautiful with the candlelight dancing on your hair, your eyes sparkling and your skin so creamy, your lips so tempting…" Edward said softly.
I felt the color flush across my cheeks and said, "Edward, are you trying to make me blush?"
"I hardly have to try, Bella. Your emotions are always so close to the surface. Maybe that's why your thoughts are so deeply concealed," he said thoughtfully, as he reached across the table and intertwined his fingers with mine. We gazed into each other's eyes and didn't need to speak to know what we were both thinking.
Just then a tall, blonde, good looking young man arrived and introduced himself as our waiter, Derrick. Edward and I exchanged glances and I raised an eyebrow; was this Bradley's Derrick? Edward casually nodded, so only I would notice. He smiled with his eyes and I suppressed a giggle. This communicating without words thing could be fun.
Derrick handed us a prix fixe menu card printed in an unusual old-fashioned looking typeface. This wasn't the kind of menu where you looked down a list and made your choice. The choice was already made for you, as Sally had explained to us when we arrived, and it would all be fresh, local and organic.
I read the items and noted that most of them would be a first for me. When I looked up, the Sommelier had arrived. This wine expert was also tall and blonde, with a well-trimmed beard. Edward asked him if he could recommend a wine for someone with an inexperienced palate to try, gesturing towards me.
Wine guy took one look at me and I didn't need to be a mind reader to tell that he knew I wasn't 21 years old.
"If I might make another suggestion the young lady would enjoy? We have a very special non-alcoholic wine, made from either chardonnay or pinot noir grapes at Navarro Vineyard in Sonoma. It's delicious and many of our guests who are driving back into San Francisco after dinner find it a delightful substitute for wine."
"That sounds good," I agreed.
"Bring us a bottle of each," Edward requested.
"Very good, sir," wine guy said, hurrying off towards the wine cellar.
I smiled at Edward and said, "Remind me to ask Sally if it's a prerequisite that you have to be tall and handsome to work here. If so, you might find a new career path," I joked.
"I am not sure I like you noticing handsome men, Bella. Are you trying to make me jealous?" Fortunately there was a teasing note in his voice.
I squeezed his hand. "As if you have anything to worry about. I'm not blind, Edward, but you know that no one compares to you. Not even close; you're everything to me."
"If you keep saying things like that we are not going to make it through dinner," he warned.
I could only hope.
Just then wine guy returned with our chilled bottles of what turned out to be very fancy grape juice, and poured us each a glass of the red and the white. I tasted each and couldn't decide which was better, since they were both delicious.
Dinner started with a mussel soup made with leeks and wild onions, bits of tomato and a wonderful aromatic broth. "This is truly delicious, and I'm not even a fan of mussels," I exclaimed. "I think this is the best soup I ever tasted."
A plate of the most heavenly dinner rolls was brought to our table and they were so light and yeasty. "These rolls taste like Thanksgiving to me; fantastic," I declared. When I finished my soup Edward swiftly exchanged our bowls and I ate more than half of his, too.
"Perhaps we can ask them to give us a bucket of soup to take back to the Cabin, in case you need a midnight snack," Edward said with a perfectly straight face. I stuck my tongue out at him but he just laughed. He seemed more relaxed than I had seen him in a long time.
Then came a smoked crab that had some spicy rub on the outside that of course got all over my hands when I tried to extricate it from the shell. Pretty soon I was licking my fingers. I glanced at Edward and he seemed to be mesmerized by my hand movements. "I'm going to need a bath when I finish this crab," I noted.
"I think that can be arranged," Edward smiled.
I noticed although he wasn't eating his crab, he had also removed it from its shell and his hand was also covered with the spicy rub. Impulsively I grabbed his hand and brought it to my lips. "This tastes so good, I don't want to leave any of it," I said, as I licked along the top of his index finger. The rub, mixed with his sweet essence was a true taste treat.
He shuddered and closed his eyes. I slid his finger into my mouth and swirled my tongue around. His eyes flew open and he quickly withdrew his hand.
Just then Derrick arrived with a dish of hot damp towels. Perfect timing.
As I was cleaning my hands, the large pale yellow dog, Louie, wandered into the dining room. He was so tall when he was standing that his head was above the height of the table. He looked completely at home. He gazed at us for a moment and then planted himself at Edward's feet. I glanced at Edward and said, "Isn't it a bit unusual to find a dog in a restaurant?"
"It's a bit unusual to find a dog that large anywhere, outside of La Push," he observed.
My eyes widened at the mention of wolf territory. I tried to calm myself, thinking he must be feeling confident if he can make a joke like that. I smiled.
"If we were in France it wouldn't be unusual at all," Edward continued. "They are crazy about their dogs. They take them everywhere. I would love to show you to Paris. It's a beautiful city."
"Maybe that could be our next trip," I suggested. "For the honeymoon? Or has Alice already planned that, too?"
Before Edward could answer, Derrick arrived with a small salad of watercress and sliced duck breast that proved to be a real taste treat. When I finished mine I looked over at Edward's plate, but his duck was gone.
I looked at the menu card, which announced that our next course would be a Cloud of Inverness Apples. I asked Edward if he had any clue as to what that was actually going to be, but he just said I was asking the wrong person about food.
"I do remember that apples were my favorite fruit as a boy; my mother gave me one every day at lunch. I can remember biting into the crisp flesh and the juice running down my chin. It is one of the few food memories I have."
I felt my heart constrict at his words. He didn't sound sad, but I knew thinking about his boyhood had to cause him some measure of pain, knowing he was never going to physically get any older than seventeen. And knowing that soon I wouldn't age anymore, either. I suspected that's what all this exotic food was about. Packing as many tastes into the time I had left. I wondered if I would even remember this dinner in six months. I just couldn't think about that now.
When the mysterious apples arrived they turned out to be an indescribably delicious airy concoction somewhat akin to a sherbet and a pudding combined. It was not ice cream, but it was heavenly; maybe that's where the Cloud part came from. I finished the last bite and set down my spoon.
It seemed like a good time for a human moment. "I'm going to check out the Necessary Room."
Edward's reply was instant. "I'll go with you."
My eyebrows flew up involuntarily and I leaned back against the booth. "You don't need a human moment, do you?" I was curious; what was he up to?
"It's almost impossible for me to tune out everyone in this dining room, although I have been doing a fairly good job of it. Except when the women come out of the Necessary Room. Their thoughts are so… vibrant, shall we say, that they are hard to ignore. I just think it might be a good idea for me to come with you."
He had me wondering. We got up and made our way through the dining room towards the now mysterious room. I just had to ask, "Won't it seem odd if we go in there together?"
"No, not odd. Just open the door, you'll see." He smiled mysteriously.
I put my hand on the knob with trepidation now, and slowly the door swung open. The light was very dim as we stepped into a small room with dark wood paneling on the walls and a built in window seat on the left beyond the door. It was like a little waiting room, with soft, dark striped velvet covering the window seat. The room was situated directly behind the massive fireplace in the parlor and it was warm and close.
I stepped into the room with Edward right behind me and I heard him close the door. I looked around and my eyes fell on a large, hairy tarantula. I gasped and my heart beat wildly. I reached out to grab his arm, but then my eyes became more adjusted to the muted light and I could see that it was a specimen mounted in a glass shadow box on the wall. I laughed nervously and turned to look up at him.
Edward's teeth gleamed in the dim light. Now I understood why he had insisted on coming with me. He was getting a big kick out of seeing me scared. I felt my temper rising.
"Is something wrong, Bella?"
"Very funny, Edward." I was angry now and clenched my fists. "You could have warned me."
He didn't seem nearly as afraid of me as he should. He merely said, "Watch out for the bat behind you."
"You're quite the comedian. Isn't it a little late for that now?" I said as I turned on my heel to open the door on the right, leading the room set aside for true necessities.
But I stopped short, as there was a bat dangling from the ceiling next to the other door. I was startled and took a step backwards, falling right into Edward's waiting arms.
I could feel him suppressing a laugh and that made me even madder. "Now I suppose you're going to tell me there's a vampire on the other side of that door," I said tauntingly, pointing to the closed door I was about to open.
The smile disappeared from his face. I felt myself being spun around and placed on the window seat. "You seem to be a bit confused, Bella. There's a vampire in this very room with you now," he whispered softly. Then he turned and opened the door himself.
He stepped into the small room and surveyed every corner. From where I was sitting I could see the room was the exact opposite of the one I was in. The walls were a warm, creamy white and there was a small wicker table holding a large silver vase full of a variety of delicately scented white flowers.
An old-fashioned white porcelain sink held gleaming white candles behind the faucets, and there was a big stack of white hand towels next to the sink. The floor was made up of shimmering black and white glass tiles patterned after the Fibonacci sequence.
A large beveled mirror over the sink reflected the small luminous room. It was as inviting as could be, quite a contrast from the spooky one I was sitting in. Just watching him inspect the room to make sure it was safe for me made all my anger evaporate.
He walked back to me and said, "It seems to be unoccupied. But there will be a vampire waiting out here for you."
I had to smile. "I hope so. I don't like to leave home without one." He pulled me up and into his arms, crushing me against him. I inhaled deeply, never tiring of his unique masculine scent.
"Hurry back," he said, lightly kissing my forehead and letting me go.
I stumbled toward the light, crossed the threshold and closed the door. I stood there for a moment, leaning against it and catching my breath. Edward could make even a mundane trip to the bathroom into an event. I never had to worry about being bored with him around. Lots of other things, but never bored.
This was a most unusual hotel. I had never seen anything like this Necessary Room and wondered if it was unique to this place. That little dark, atmospheric room gave me the shivers but the one I was in now was beautiful and relaxing.
I finished drying my hands on a thick, white hand towel and took a quick look in the mirror. The blue dragonflies in my hair sparkled in the candlelight and my hair did look good for once. Alice had chosen such a beautiful and comfortable dress, and it did fit well, making me look better than one of my baggy tee shirts. And Edward was being so attentive and affectionate, even if he couldn't resist teasing me. I was one lucky girl.
When I opened the door again Edward was lounging on the window seat, a shaft of moonlight illuminating his pale skin and strikingly beautiful features. There was an otherworldly glow about him that did not come entirely from the moonlight. For a moment, in that otherwise dark little chamber, he did look like a fabled creature of the night. I couldn't help it; my breath hitched in my chest as I shut the door behind me.
He instantly sprang up and reached out for my hands. "Is everything okay?" he asked, full of concern.
I smiled weakly. Sometimes Edward's beauty was overwhelming. Being in this spooky little chamber even enhanced his appeal. Clearly something about his dark nature attracted me.
Suddenly, alone with him in this place, illuminated only by moonlight, I became even more aware of what he really was, and I again realized that it didn't matter. I felt the final days of my life rushing by me like a freight train and that excited me. Soon I would belong to Edward forever and he would be all mine. My dreams were finally going to come true.
"Yes, Edward, everything is wonderful. The only way it could get better right now would be if you kissed me."
He wasted no time in capturing my lips and enveloping me in a tender embrace. It was a good thing he had his arms around me because my heart was racing and my knees were so wobbly I wasn't sure how much longer I would be standing on my own. Seeming to sense the effect he had on me, he scooped me up and sat down, placing me on his lap.
I rested my head against his shoulder and clutched the lapel of his jacket.
"You are so exquisite, Bella." He brushed my cheek with the back of his hand and then skimmed my jaw line with his nose, kissing my neck just below my ear. I felt his cool hand grasp my ankle and start to slide up to my knee. He rested it there for a moment and then his fingertips caressed the soft flesh behind my knee. If this was his way of exploring our new boundaries I was going to enjoy every second of it.
I ran my fingers through his unruly locks and he brought his face up level with mine. His eyes were blazing with desire. I gasped and quickly my lips found his again. This time I felt his tongue trace my lips and I eagerly parted them, but he pulled back and smiled.
"We have to stop now if we're ever going to get back to dinner," he said smoothly. I thought I detected a hint of regret in his velvet voice, but I couldn't be sure. Perhaps I was just projecting my feelings onto him.
"I'm not that hungry anymore," I protested, not wanting to break the spell.
He gave me a look that clearly said he didn't believe me, and then he removed his hand from my leg and smoothed the fabric of my skirt. "You are especially beautiful tonight, Bella. I love to see you happy."
I sighed; I loved to see him happy, too, although he was always beautiful, even when he was glowering. As my heartbeat began to go back to normal I had a thought. "Do lots of couples visit the Necessary Room together?"
"More than you would imagine. There's something about the atmosphere in this dark little room that stimulates a certain response in women."
"Yeah, I get that. The whole Lodge just oozes that atmosphere."
"A lot of marriage proposals have taken place here. Well, not in this exact spot, but in the Lodge." He smiled. "Ready to resume dinner?"
"If I must." As I stood up to leave I took one last look around and thought this was one human moment I would always remember. But then we were creating so many magical moments this weekend. I hoped they would never end, and with Edward beside me, I was fairly confident that would hold true.
When we took our places back in the dining room, Derrick brought out a tray with two large covered silver dishes. He placed them before us and said, "We're known for our exotic game meats and Chef Daniel decided to make something special you this evening, off menu."
Lifting the lid off my dish he said with a flourish, "Fillet of unicorn."
I looked down and saw what looked like a normal grilled steak with puff pastry baked into the shape of a horn on top of it.
I glanced at Edward and his eyes were brimming with laughter. "Very amusing, Edward." He was softly chuckling behind his linen napkin.
Turned out the 'unicorn' was venison, and it was perfectly cooked and accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and roasted beets. I had never tasted deer before and it was surprisingly good.
I couldn't help but think about how deer would probably become a staple of my diet in the not too distant future. But it wouldn't be grilled to perfection as this one was. With time speeding by I tried hard to concentrate on being in the moment and not thinking about the future. This moment was pretty good and I should just appreciate it.
I notice that Louie's large form was still settled on the floor next to our table. I was enjoying everything; being with Edward, the delicious unusual food, the candlelight, the ambience, even the huge dog at our feet somehow seemed just right.
When I had nearly cleaned my plate I looked at Edward's and noticed his was almost empty too, with just a few beets left on it. I had seen him slicing his venison; what did he do with it? He was going have to tell me one day soon, for my own protection.
Derrick returned to clear our plates and I enjoyed some more of the red grape juice. Louie stood up, stretched, wagged his tail, turned around and sauntered back into the parlor.
Hungry yet? Don't worry, dessert is on the way in the next chapter. You could leave me some sugar by clicking on that button on the left and writing a review. Or choose the Story Alert option so you get an email next time I post a chapter. And thanks to everyone who has added this to their list of Favorite Stories... that's so cool!
AN: My beta, not done bakingis the best. She's written some very good stories too; you should check her out. And go hit that link on my Profile page to see pictures of the delicious cheese puffs, Manka's Lodge, cabin, and surroundings. It's magical.