The Meadow, Again

The next few days were relatively normal. I didn't see or hear from Jacob, but Edward spent every night in my room, of course. Charlie went to work; I cooked him nice dinners, particularly since I didn't cook him one on my first night back. Since I didn't have to go to school, or work, I started "packing for Dartmouth", which took little time, seeing as I had only really moved to Forks two years before and didn't have all that much time to accumulate anything. It was really just an excuse to hang out in my bedroom all day and think about things. Since Charlie didn't want Edward around when he wasn't there, I had the days to myself. I worked on my "seduction scene."

Sometimes Edward's mind reading abilities worked in my favor; sometimes they didn't. In my planning to bring Edward back to the meadow, they definitely didn't. It really limited who I could ask for advice, because he could read whoever's mind it was, with the exception of the werewolves or somebody pretty far away. I couldn't even imagine approaching Emily or Leah and asking them for sex advice. I would rather die first. So it looked like I was pretty much on my own. However, the catch was that I knew that Alice would probably see what I was doing anyway, and I would have to trust her to not think about it when she was around Edward, regardless. I figured she was my safest bet.

When I went to dial her number, my cell phone immediately started ringing. I picked up; of course it was Alice.

"Hi, Bella!" she said cheerfully. "You were going to ask me for some advice?"

"Yes, Alice," I muttered, embarrassed. "I want to surprise Edward. Really impress him."

"That's not all you want to do, Bella," Alice said knowingly, "Didn't I see you go to get a bikini wax this morning?"

"Okay, okay, you caught me." This was torture. "What else can I do? I was thinking of trying to find a way to get a picnic set up there, food for me….and I was thinking about having a bottle of blood in a wine bottle, do you guys ever do that? Can you get some for me?" I stammered, as quickly as possible. I just wanted to get this conversation over with.

"Sure thing, I can set it up, I would love to help. I'll get mountain lion, his favorite." she replied. And in a more mischievous tone, she added, "Oh and Edward loves red lipstick." She lowered her voice. "I probably shouldn't tell you this; I don't want you to hurt yourself. And I know that Edward has desensitized himself to you somewhat, so I am not sure how effective it will be. But if you really want to drive him crazy, than just lightly prick your finger and spread a couple drops of your blood on your neck, chest, and lips, if he can resist you after that, than he is much more restraining than I am."

"Thanks, Alice. I really appreciate it. Is there any way you can tell me how this plan turns out?"

There was a hesitation on her side of the line. Then she said carefully, "I don't know, Bella, I don't see it yet. Maybe soon." I wondered if she was lying.

Edward was supposed to go on a big hunt with the rest of his family for the weekend, so I mentally planned my seduction for that Thursday. I didn't have much to do that day, as Alice was taking care of the food details, but I spent some time making myself girly. I shaved every crevasse, tweezed my eyebrows, and painted my fingernails and toenails (red nail polish, of course). The color was in stark contrast to the demure looking colors that were applied to my face and appendages for my wedding; for that, I was grateful. I packed a small purse in which I included the lipstick, a condom (because who the hell knows?) and a small needle- the blood had to be fresh for it to be effective, so I wanted to wait until just before I needed it. I put a small cork on the end so that I would kill myself reaching in for it. I dressed in the skimpiest piece of lingerie Alice had gotten for the honeymoon; covered it with jeans and the blue top that I wore in Port Angeles when Edward and I had dinner for the first time (or I did, anyway), and applied some subtle makeup. I was ready.

I knew that I was making way too big a deal out of this attempt, but it was something I had to do. I needed to feel like I was doing everything in my power to show Edward how important this was to me.

Edward showed up at my place promptly at 7, right after Charlie and I finished eating dinner. I had told Charlie that we would be going out; he said to be back by midnight since I didn't have anything lined up for the next day. Plenty of time.

Edward immediately noticed my more subtle feminine grooming, he commented as soon as I opened the door. "You are looking exceptionally beautiful this evening, Mrs. Cullen," he said in his velvet voice. "I love your nails."

"Thanks," I blushed as my heart accelerated.

"What's the special occasion? Are we late for something?"

"I just wanted to go out, Edward. I spend most days here; I thought we could go somewhere else."

He looked quizzically at me. But rather than pursuing it, he reached out and took my hand. He gently pulled me beside him, and we stepped outside. I leaned over and whispered into his ear, "I want to go to the meadow. Take me there, please?" We got in the Guardian and he drove, quickly. When we reached the spot where route one-ten ended, he came over to let me out. He placed me directly on his back, and with his agile running we reached it in record time.

The first feeling that I had when we reached the meadow was one of….strangeness. I was not expecting it, though perhaps I should have been. Though I had a couple of the most incredible nights possible with Edward here in this little meadow, my first thought was actually…..Laurent. And Jacob, in wolf form, with his pack. It still slightly scared me, a bit, when I thought about how close I was to dying that day. And it reminded me for just a moment that Edward had left me. It sent a brief shiver down my spine.

However, that feeling was almost completely suppressed when I noticed how beautiful the meadow was. It was sunset, with streaks of fiery reds, oranges, and pinks whipping across the sky. A beautiful candlelit picnic was set up; a very elegant blanket was spread, a picnic basket on one side, a chilled wine bucket on the other. I was breathless- Alice had done a magnificent job. Edward was clearly touched.

"Bella, I had no idea that you were going to do this," he sighed. "That must have been so hard. I'm so impressed."

"Have a seat," I gestured towards the blanket. "I have more to show you."

I pulled one of the two bottles out of the wine bucket. It looked like an ordinary bottle of champagne. I slowly pulled the other one out. It said, in very bold writing: "Mountain lion blood! Bella, do not drink!" Gotta love Alice. I grinned.

I asked Edward to pop the bottle of champagne while I attended to his drink. As soon as I opened his bottle, the fumes seemed to waft straight into his nose- he noticed it immediately. "Mountain lion? Wow Bella, you're amazing!" In the meantime, he had used his fangs to open my bottle, and poured me a glass of the bubbly. We exchanged glasses, and I suggested a toast.

"What do we toast, Bella?" Edward whispered.

"Um, how about to mind over matter?" I suggested. "I used to love it when you would say that to me."

Edward's expression was completely unreadable as he clinked his glass to mine.