A/N: Aaaagh! I was so excited about this chapter that I almost posted it without waiting for my beta to get back to me with her review/corrections, but like a good little author, I waited so she could make it perfect! Thanks zgirl21 for being so patient with my impatience!! And go read her story Bleeding Love! It's listed on my favorites in my profile, because it's awesome!

So, as usual, I own nothing of Twilight. Sigh. But I do own one very fat cat, a living room full of kids toys and a big pile of laundry (it's clean, just not folded and put away...). Oh, and I've decided that I'm keeping Fireman Edward for myself. You can have the sexy co-workers I'll be writing about after the real life calendar contest (here's a hint for you...identical twins...hehehe).

And here with go with a touch of angst, but trust me, it's just a touch. It'll be a few more chapters yet before all hell breaks loose...or blows up...or burns down. Hey, maybe some of that heat can melt this damn snow already!!! Sheesh!!

BPOV

I woke late the next morning, enjoying the extra time in bed before my exam at noon. Lazily, I rolled onto my back, stretching the sleep from my body, recalling the most wonderful dream I had, about Edward of course. My cell phone vibrated wildly on my nightstand, and I reached over to grab it before snuggling back under the covers to read the text message.

Good luck on your exam today. Come by my place when you're done. I have a surprise for you.

I smiled and quickly typed in a reply.

Thanks. Can't wait to see you!

There was a definite spring in my step as I puttered around the house, putting on the coffee to brew before I hopped in the shower. Relaxing into the hot spray, I tried to guess what Edward was up to. It was hard not to think back to last night, and how incredibly sexy our little make-out session had been before we had been interrupted. I poured my favorite bath gel on a puff and lathered it over my skin, my mind drifting, picturing Edward's hands caressing my body. I'd be lying if I said that I couldn't wait for tonight, to finally have a chance to be alone with him again, without any distractions. Granted we had managed to get to know quite a bit about one another, between the playful text messages, phone calls and the few times we had managed to steal some time together in person, but I couldn't help but wonder how much closer we might get tonight.

After washing my hair, I hopped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body before wiping my hand across the mirror to clear it. My reflection caused me to pause for a moment. My cheeks were flushed from the heat of the shower, and my eyes seemed brighter, but it was still the same old, plain Bella staring right back at me. 'You're nothing special.' The words echoed in my head, James' last words to me as he stormed out of our apartment last spring, words that still hung in the air after all this time, clinging to me like a bad cold that I just couldn't shake.

I hadn't been with anyone since James, since having my heart broken and having to redefine my life and who I was. I had come so far, and yet, deep down the scars were still there. My life had been on track, goals in focus, James and I were going to get married and start our life together, and then suddenly the train had derailed. He had walked away, while I was left alone in the wreckage. I had analyzed it, gone back over everything, combing through every detail of our time together, wondering what I had done, or what I hadn't done, to make him walk away.

Shaking my head in defense, I glared at my reflection.

Stop it, Bella. Remember it was him, remember all the things about him, all the little things that drove you mad. He was never there for you, really. He was always wrapped up in his own world, in himself.

He was, wasn't he?! Selfish bastard!

Exactly! He used you, controlled you!

But I let him.

I watched in the mirror as my shoulders fell in defeat, and my eyes dropped to the sink in front of me. That was the whole problem, the one thing that I couldn't let go of. I had convinced myself that I was better off without him, that our whole relationship had been one big game to him, that he was just a selfish, controlling ass, and that nothing I did, no matter how much I tried to love him, he was never going to change. But the one thing I could never let go of, that I could never forgive myself for, was that I had stood by and watched it happen. I had let him control me, let him beat me down emotionally until I didn't know who I was anymore, and worst of all, I believed it. I believed that I wasn't worth it, that I was nothing special.

So what did Edward see in me? Granted, Edward and James were nothing alike. Where James was selfish and narcissistic, Edward was thoughtful and caring. Remembering the lilac roses, and the peculiar yet romantic fashion that Edward had sent them, it was a remarkable contrast to James' pathetic attempts to flatter me with jewellery or clothes, none of which suited me in the slightest. Yet another example of how he had tried to turn me into someone I wasn't. Edward listened to me, paid attention when I spoke of my interests, my plans for after I graduated, asking me questions, probing me for details. While there was an undeniable attraction between the two of us, I already had the impression that Edward was interested in more than just sex. That was my sincere hope, anyway. Taking a deep breath, my gaze returned to my reflection in the mirror.

"I guess we'll soon find out..." I mumbled to myself.

-*-

Flipping my answer booklet over, I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before slowly letting it out. I had just finished re-reading all my answers one last time, and I was satisfied that I had done the best I could, fairly confident that I had definitely passed, perhaps even earned an 'A'. Gathering my bag and coat, I gave the professor a small smile as I handed in my papers and exited the classroom quietly. There were only a handful of students left writing, but I tried my best not to disturb them. I quickly reached in my pocket for my cell phone, turned it on and saw that there was a message waiting from Edward.

Congrats! You're done!

He must have waited until he knew I would be safely in the class with my phone turned off, and I smiled again at how thoughtful he was. I typed in a reply just as I reached my truck.

Finally! Thank God! Still want me to come over?

His reply was quick.

Still want you...absolutely!

I blushed at the innuendo, and vowed to myself that I would not let my earlier musings about James cloud my vision of Edward, or interfere with our time together tonight. Focusing on thoughts of Edward, I drove quickly to meet him, still curious about the surprise he alluded to in his earlier text message. My mind was bubbling with possible guesses as I parked my truck in the parking lot of the Seagram Lofts and made my way inside and up the elevator to his floor. Dinner was a possibility, and maybe a movie on his big screen tv afterwards.

The elevator doors opened, and when I stepped out and turned down the hall, I could see Edward leaning against the doorframe waiting for me. I couldn't help launching into a run, closing the distance between us and practically jumping into his waiting arms. He held me tight against his chest, and I threw my arms around his neck, breathing in his scent, woodsy notes mixed with vanilla and honey, so uniquely Edward.

He chuckled into my neck, giving me a small squeeze before depositing me back on my feet.

"Guess someone missed me too," he laughed, and I blushed in turn.

"What would give you that impression?" I asked, feigning ignorance, but he didn't answer, choosing instead to grab my hand, raising it to his lips before tugging me behind him into his apartment and turned to help me out of my coat, hanging it up. My nose caught wind of a wonderful aroma wafting from the kitchen and I was about to ask what Edward was cooking, when he turned to face me.

"Close your eyes," he stated, smiling that crooked little grin of his. "And no peeking!"

"Edward, what are you up to?" I playfully asked in defense, but he just huffed and stood behind me, covering my eyes with his hands, nudging me to move forward.

"Can't a guy just surprise his girlfriend with something special now that's she's finally done with her mid-terms?" he stated, leading me down the hallway towards his bedroom.

I stopped, causing Edward to run into the back of me, but he didn't move his hands from my eyes. "Girlfriend?" I questioned softly.

I felt him stiffen slightly before he replied.

"Is that okay? I think of you that way, Bella, as my girlfriend. I'm sorry. I'm rushing things..." He started to pull away, but I stopped him by bringing my hands up to his, still covering my eyes, and leaning back into him slightly.

"No, Edward. It's okay, more than okay. I just didn't realize you felt the same way." He relaxed, placing his chin on my shoulder, his breath tickling my ear. I turned my head towards his slightly, and he place a kiss on my cheek.

"Will you let me show you how I much I care about you?" he whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver in anticipation. All I could manage was a nod of my head, and he started once again leading me to the bedroom. I was surprised though, when I sensed that we had entered the room and he turned me sharply to the left and entered yet another room before he brought us both to a stop.

Removing his hands from my eyes, he ran them over my shoulders, down my arms and laced his fingers with mine, leaning his head on my shoulder once more.

"Open your eyes, Bella."

I complied with his request, and instantly my breath caught in my throat. The vision before me was magical. He had lead me into his ensuite bath, the room lit entirely with candles adorning every flat surface, interspersed with vases and bowls brimming with lilac roses, the jacuzzi tub filled with water, lilac rose petals floating on the surface. Fluffy white towels lay folded on a chair, with a plush white robe draped across the back of it.

"You've had such a stressful week, I thought you could use a little pampering." He stated quietly, wrapping our joined hands around me, pulling me back into him, nuzzling his nose in my hair, dropping sweet kisses on the nape of my neck.

Tears stung the corners of my eyes and I struggled to find the words. I was completely overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness, in awe of the gesture.

"Edward, this is...it's just...wow! This is beautiful!" I stammered, turning to face him.

"It's you who's beautiful, Bella," he whispered, his lips meeting mine in a warm and passionate kiss. I melted into his embrace, winding my fingers into his hair as he ran his hands across the small of my back. When I broke the kiss to catch my breath, he was also panting, his eyes dark with desire, but he shook his head slightly before he spoke.

"I'd offer to help you undress, but I'm certain if did, you'd never make it into that bath, dinner would be charred and the guys at the firehall would be showing up to put out the fire. The one in the kitchen, at least," he grinned suggestively, dropping a chaste kiss on my nose before backing away.

"Now, I want you to relax and enjoy this. Dinner won't be ready for a while, so take your time, okay?" He gave my hands a squeeze, and I nodded in reply.

"Thank you, Edward. This really is too much," I stated, waving my arm around the room.

"Nonsense. I told you I would sweep you off your feet, and I meant it!" he replied, blowing me a kiss as he backed through the door, closing it partially on his way out.

I turned to survey the scene for a moment before undressing and slipping into the bath. The water was wonderfully warm against my skin, and I inhaled the delicate scent of the roses, mixed with the vanilla essence of the candles. It wasn't hard to relax in such surroundings, and I stayed comfortably lounging in the tub until the water began to cool. Towelling off, I decided to put on only my bra and panties before wrapping myself in the plush terry robe, and gently blowing out the candles before padding down the hall to join Edward in the kitchen.

EPOV

I had tossed the salad and was just pulling the lasagna out of the oven when Bella came into the kitchen in the bathrobe I had left out for her. She wound her arms around my waist, laying her head against my back.

"Thank you again, Edward. The bath was wonderful," she spoke quietly.

Turning around to face her, I wound my arms around her in return, pulling her close to my chest.

"You're very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Maybe next time I'll join you." I lowered my head to brush my lips against hers.

"Mmmm, I'd like that," she purred, running her tongue along my bottom lip seductively. I was about to forget all thoughts of dinner, when we both distinctly heard her stomach growl.

"Hungry, are we?" I asked playfully, arching an eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes at me, her beautiful cheeks blushing as she smiled coyly. "It smells delicious. What can I help with?"

I turned her towards the table and gave her a playful swat on the behind. "You go have a seat and let me wait on you," I stated. She glanced over her shoulder, pretending to glare, but the corners of her lips gave away the smile behind her eyes.

I quickly grabbed two plates and served up the lasagna and side salad, placing them on the table before returning to the fridge and retrieving the chilled bottle of wine and uncorking it, pouring us each a glass and joining Bella at the table.

She held up her glass and glanced at me before asking, "What shall we toast to?"

I thought for a moment, trying to come up with the perfect line. I looked at the wine bottle, a 2007 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, for inspiration.

"Al nostro viaggio della scoperta," I stated in Italian. Seeing Bella's confused expression, I quickly translated it in English. "To our voyage of discovery."

Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "I like that very much. To our voyage of discovery." Her gaze never trailed from mine as she clinked her glass gently with mine and raised it to her lips, taking a sip.

We ate dinner, sharing more stories of eachother's lives. She asked me more about my trip to Europe, Italy in particular, and what it was that had me so taken with Venice. I was flattered that she remembered. Grabbing the bottle of wine, I refilled our glasses as I answered her.

"My mother lived in Venice for a month when she finished college, an opportunity to get away and find herself before starting her career. She took Italian language classes, wandered around the city, went to museums. She said it was one of the best times in her life, before she met my father. I always wanted to go there and see for myself what she saw, and it was exactly as she described. Beautiful, mysterious, inspiring. The best part was just wandering the city, getting lost in the labyrinth of narrow streets and canals, discovering all the architectural treasures. I fell in love with Venice."

I lost myself for a moment, remembering my time there, recalling distinctly the promise I made to myself that I would return one day with the woman I loved. Was Bella that woman? Already I felt stirrings in my heart for her, and I could easily picture us standing together on a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal, Bella in my arms, watching the sunset. We would follow in the tradition of so many others, riding a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs, sharing a kiss that would assure us eternal love.

As if she could read my mind, Bella sighed. "Will you take me there one day, Edward?" she asked softly.

I took her hand in mine, raising it to my lips. "Si, il mio amore." She leaned towards me and I met her lips with my own.

"Shall we take dessert in the living room?" I suggested, noticing our plates were empty. Bella nodded her head and made a move to help me with the dishes, but I shook my head.

"No, you go ahead. Pick out some music and get comfortable. I'll be a few minutes getting dessert ready."

I watched as Bella moved to the living room, wine glass in hand, searching through my music collection. I turned back to the kitchen, quickly piling all the dishes in the sink for later, and putting the molten lava cakes in the oven to warm up. I heard the soft strains of James Blunt coming from the living room and I smiled at her choice.

When the dessert was done, complete with a dollop of whip cream on the side, I balanced the two plates in one hand and grabbed the nearly finished bottle of wine from the table as I headed to the living room. I was about to make a remark about the newest song that was playing when I glanced down to find Bella curled up on the couch with her head laying against one arm, fast asleep. She looked so peaceful, a small smile on her lips, that I didn't want to disturb her. The bath, coupled with the wine, on top of an exhausting week had probably just been too much for her.

Putting our desserts back in the fridge, I returned to the living room and gently scooped her up in my arms off the couch. She nuzzled her head into my neck and mumbled something unintelligible as I carried her to my room, pulling back the covers and laying her down gently. As I tucked the covers around her, she rolled onto her side towards me, tucking her tiny hands under her cheek, still sleeping.

"Edward...love you," she mumbled, and I froze. Did she just say she loved me?! I stood there dumbfounded for the longest time, willing her to say it again, just so I could be sure I wasn't imagining it, but she was quiet, her breaths even.

I snuck out of the room quietly and went to Bella's bag in the front hallway, searching for her cellphone. When I found it, I flipped it open and searched through her contacts until I came across Alice. Picking up my own phone, I dialled the number and waited. After a few rings, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Alice, it's Edward."

"Oh, hi Edward. Wait, aren't you supposed to be out with Bella? Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice taking on a worried tone.

"Actually, that's why I'm calling. Um, Bella fell asleep on my couch after dinner, so I'm going to let her stay here for the night. I just didn't want you to be worried," I replied.

"Well, I hadn't actually expected Bella to come home tonight anyway, Edward, but thanks for the head's up. That's so thoughtful of you." I could hear the playful sarcasm in her voice, and couldn't help rolling my eyes. I hated being a foregone conclusion, but in Bella's case, I'd let it slide. Heck, I'd let just about anything slide for her.

"Thanks, Alice. Have a good night."

"You too, Edward."

I hung up and stared at the phone for a moment, raking my fingers through my hair. So Bella had anticipated spending the night with me. Secretly I was thrilled, because I had hoped the very same thing between our antics the previous night and my invitation to pamper her today. Part of me felt like we were rushing things, but part of me couldn't deny that I was already feeling such strong emotions towards her already.

Heading back to the bedroom, I stood, leaning on the door frame, just watching her sleep. She did look tired, with faint purple circles under her eyes, so there was no chance I would wake her, no matter how much I craved the time alone with her. Just being in her presence was enough...for now.

A/N: Hmmm, so my lovelies, I'm going to ask for some feedback for the direction of the "morning after"...should our Bella and Edward have a little fun in bed, or should they just "do the deed" already? Let me know quick, because the chapter is in the works as we speak!

Ah, Venice. I too fell in love with Venice. It is a commonly held belief that if a couple kiss in a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs at sunset that they will be granted eternal love. Just one of the many reasons I want to return there someday. Sigh. Google Bridge of Sighs if you want to find out more about this myth and the beautiful pictures.

And for those of you who are interested (and it seems like there were quite a few!) in last chapter's antics on the firetruck, add me to your author alert, as I'm working on a little outtake from Hearts on Fire for you! Even got myself a little worked up over it, at work of all places!! Now that is just wrong on soooo many levels...

Now go review, because it gets me hoppin' on the next chapter!! (Poor attempt at the whole Easter humour...I know, I know. Have an Easter Cream Egg, on me!)