Author's note: Since I haven't been very good at updating lately I have written one of my longest chapters yet! Hope you love it as much as I do. Has anyone else bought the Twilight Saga: The Illustrated Guide yet? It's amazing! Don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.
Chapter Songs: Tremble for My Beloved – Collective Soul, Teenage Dream – Katy Perry.
After the overly drama filled Christmas break I had I was glad when the new semester started back up at UW and things got back to normal.
One afternoon I was walking to the parking lot after class and reflecting on last year. It had been crazy really, I mean I had moved from Phoenix to Seattle, I had found out my boyfriend at the time was a cheating scumbag and broken up with him, a former friend was pregnant to that said ex, I had been hit on by James, attacked by another creep (I winced thinking about that), been verbally abused by Tanya my current boyfriend's ex and had my best friend confess his love for me.
My life sounded like some bad life time television movie I thought shaking my head; but best of all, something that eclipsed all of the bad things that happened to me, I had found Edward.
Being with him made everything I had been through worthwhile, I honestly still couldn't believe he wanted me to but I wasn't going to complain. He was officially amazing.
When I rounded the corner of the office block, my breath hitched, looking as gloriously sexy as always there was Edward leaning up against his Volvo waiting for me.
"Hey beautiful" he said smiling his sexy crooked grin at me and leaning in for a kiss.
"Hi" I breathed, he chuckled. "Do you ever think I'll be able to stop my heart from leaping from my chest every time you kiss me?" I asked him.
"Well I certainly hope not" he replied grinning and opening the door for me.
"How was your day?" he asked pulling out of the lot.
"Average at best" I replied, "But at least I didn't trip and fall today" I said proudly.
"The day is still young" he replied with a wink.
I pouted knowing full well he was right. "So anyway are you going to tell me where we are going this weekend?" I asked.
"Nope" he said glancing at me out the corner of his eye. Sighing I crossed my arms and glared out the window.
On Monday Edward had told me he was taking me away for the weekend and that it was a surprise. It was now Friday and I still hadn't managed to get him to tell me what was going on.
He laughed when he saw my expression and after parking the car in the driveway he reached over and stroked my cheek with his finger.
"Be patient my Bella" he breathed making me swoon. "Now if I were you I would head inside and check what Alice has been packing for you, she does tend to go a little overboard."
I wholeheartedly agreed with him and quickly grabbed my bag and ran into the house and upstairs to my room.
Sure enough there was Alice surrounded by clothes, most of them fairly skimpy and made of lace.
"Holy shit Alice" I remarked holding up a particularly see through item. "What the hell is this?" I asked holding it between the tips of my fingers and scrunching up my face.
She laughed at me "Silly Bella, it's a little something for Edward to enjoy if you know what I mean" she winked at me.
I knew confessing to Alice and Rose that Edward and I hadn't yet slept together was a bad idea. When it did happen I would be hounded for details.
I grabbed the case and checked the items she had already packed. Hmmm she hadn't done too badly.
She raised her eyebrow at me, "See not all bad" she told me.
"Thanks for helping Allie" I said.
"No problem babe, now let's pick out a few outfits to knock Edwards socks off" she said with a grin.
An hour later I was packed and changed. Alice helped my carry my bag downstairs and out to the Volvo where Edward was waiting.
"Have fun you two" Alice said grinning.
"Yeah don't do anything I wouldn't do" Emmett said winking, "Actually I take that back.."
Rose whacked him around the back of the head. "Seriously Emmett, see you Sunday night!" she said waving at us.
After driving for a while I began to get curious, I knew we were headed north but why I had no clue.
"Okay since you won't tell me where we are going could you give me a clue so I can figure it out myself?" I asked Edward.
"You are so impatient" he chuckled shaking his head, "A clue hmmm" he pondered for a moment. "We are headed somewhere north of Seattle" he turned to grin at me.
"Hmph" I muttered folding my arms, "I kinda already figured that out" I said pouting.
"Here's another, we will be staying for the weekend there" he said, evidently he was enjoying teasing me.
"Wow I hadn't figured that out" I replied with a smirk, two could play at this game, I had my ways of making him give in.
"Please Edward, won't you tell me where we are going?" I asked looking at him from under my eyelashes.
He groaned, "Dammit Bella, that's not playing fair!"
"Please?" I repeated running my hand down his leg.
This earned me a smouldering stare, "Bella we are almost there" he said huskily, "Please I really want this to be a surprise" it was his turn to smoulder at me now making me give in.
"Okay" I breathed shakily.
He smirked at me and grabbed my hand and held it over the console.
After driving for another half hour or so I could see a sign up ahead telling us where we were. I sat up eagerly, Edward laughed, "So impatient aren't we?" he asked.
"Vancouver?" I asked incredulously reading the road sign, "We're spending the weekend in Vancouver, Canada?" I asked shocked.
"We certainly are I knew you wanted to come here, so I thought just the two of us for the weekend would be perfect." He looked a little worried that perhaps I didn't like his surprise.
"Oh Edward it is perfect!" I cried happily.
He beamed at me looking supremely pleased with himself.
Before long we pulled up outside a gorgeous, Tudor style hotel that overlooked the bay. Edward parked the car in the guest car park and grabbed both of our bags out of the trunk.
"Wow, this place is just amazing!" I exhaled, I could not believe he had planned this, it was so romantic.
He grinned and led me inside. The girl at the desk looked up when she heard the door open. Her mouth dropped open slightly when she saw Edward, being as devastatingly good looking as he is.
He of course was completely oblivious and as usual I felt plain when she saw me and looked me over in a way that suggested she should be standing next to this Greek god instead of me.
"Hello" he greeted her in his musical voice, "I have a reservation under Cullen" he told her.
"Oh yes umm sure!" she stuttered in a squeaky voice. "Here's your key. You'll be in room 40, that's on the fourth floor."
Wow now I was really impressed, Edward had booked a room on the top floor, and the view would be amazing.
"Thank you" he said earnestly. "Come on beautiful let's go check out our room."
The lady at the desk glared at me as I followed Edward to the lift. When it dinged at our floor he left me step out first, we were standing in a small corridor, romantically lit, and there were only a few doors down the corridor.
Edward pulled the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He flicked the light switch and stepped back so I could walk through the door first.
My first observation was that the room we had walked into was enormous. It wasn't a hotel room it was like a suite, a mini apartment. Just to the left off the entrance was a kitchen/dining room, it looked impressive. I walked into the living room and turned on the light. It had huge windows and French doors opening up onto a balcony that overlooked the bay and harbour.
It had an enormous fire place with a rug in front of it and a huge sofa. Off the living room was the bedroom, complete with a king sized canopy bed and an en suite.
I walked back into the living room still looking around the suite in amazement.
"What do you think? Was the surprise worth the wait?" he asked walking towards me and taking my hands in his.
"It's perfect, definitely worth the wait" I replied beaming and throwing my arms around him.
I heard him chuckle into my hair "I'm glad you like it. Maybe next time I surprise you you'll be able to be a little more patient?" he teased.
"Unlikely" I replied with a grin, "So what else have you planned for tonight? Any more surprises?" I asked him.
"I was thinking perhaps heading off somewhere for a quiet dinner?"
"That sounds good, I think I've had my daily dose of surprises" I teased.
"So impatient aren't you my Bella?" he said kissing me on the lips.
I quickly got changed into something warmer, unbelievably there was a place colder than Forks and freshened up. Edward suggested we go somewhere quiet, cosy and casual which sounded perfect to me so I didn't have to get too dressed up.
I put on a pair of jeans, a long sleeved cream cashmere top that Alice had convinced me to buy and my leather jacket. I rummaged through my bag and found that she had thrown in my favourite pair of boots so I put them on and grabbed a scarf for good measure.
Edward had already gotten changed while I was fussing in the bathroom. He was wearing jeans, a black short sleeved shirt with thin white stripes and a casual black jacket. His hair was in its usual disarray. Just the way I liked it.
Man he is so sexy I thought taking a moment to stare at him and he's mine. That would take a while to get used to; I still hadn't gotten my head around that fact, that he was dating me.
Maybe we should just skip dinner and stay in...My mind began to wander to places that made me blush with pleasure.
"You're blushing" he said striding towards me and touching my overheated cheek, "Why are you blushing?" he asked with a sexy little smile
"I ummm..." Shit what was I going to say? I'm blushing because my imagination was running wild with sexual fantasies. No that would be embarrassing!
I think maybe a semi truth would suffice. "I was just thinking that you look really sexy" I blushed again.
"Oh" he glanced down at what he was wearing perplexed. "Well I think you look far sexier than me, perhaps too tempting to share with strangers in a public restaurant" he smouldered.
Perhaps those fantasies I had just been having might come true later after all!
We headed down stairs and through the lobby of the hotel hand in hand earning me a glare from the girl at the desk and Edward a hair flick and a wink, which much to her dismay went unnoticed.
"I think the girl at the desk has a crush on you" I commented playfully when we had walked outside and was out of earshot.
"Who? What?" he asked confused.
"Oh come on Edward don't tell me you didn't notice?" I teased.
"I didn't I was too busy marvelling in the fact that the beautiful, sexy woman on my arm is actually here with me and all mine" he replied with that sexy grin of his again.
Damn if he carried on like this all night I would probably jump him during dinner at the restaurant! But judging by the way he had been looking at me all night so far I was certain he wouldn't mind.
I smiled at him flirtatiously unable to string a few words together to reply at first. "You dazzled her when we first walked in and greeted her, it's unsurprising she has a crush on you, I'm shocked you didn't notice the exaggerated wink she gave you back there."
"I dazzled her?" he asked furrowing his brow, "Do I dazzle you?"
"Frequently" I replied truthfully.
"Hmmmmm and how exactly do I do that?" he asked curiously.
"That would be telling" I answered teasing him.
"Please tell me?" he stared into my eyes, his green eyes smouldering at me making me putty in his hands.
"You're doing it now!" I exclaimed when I was finally able to speak.
"Really?" he asked surprised.
"Yes, when you look at me like that it dazzles me"
"How so?" he asked probing.
"It's embarrassing" I told him stalling a little.
"Please Bella?" he asked dazzling me again with those eyes.
"When you look at me like that it's like I can't think or speak. It kind of makes me want to jump you" I said looking down blushing and embarrassed.
"Maybe I'll have to dazzle you more often if jumping me will occur" he said with a cheeky grin.
We reached the main street lined with restaurants then putting a temporary halt on our flirting as we decided which restaurant to eat at.
Edward pointed out a cosy little restaurant that looked quiet and relaxing, I agreed readily.
"Table for two please" Edward told the male server standing at the entrance, "Somewhere private, a booth perhaps?" he added.
"Follow me" he replied but not before giving me a once over and winking at me.
Edward raised his eyebrow at the servers back as he led us to our seats.
"Now who has an admirer?" he whispered in my ear pulling me closer into his side
"Ridiculous" I muttered earning a chuckle in return.
"Here" gestured the server pointing at the small table in a secluded corner of the room right beside a huge stone fireplace with a roaring fire.
"Sorry we don't have any booths available" he said trying to sound sincere.
"That's fine" replied Edward pulling out my chair for me before pulling his closer to me so we were both facing the rest of the room and the fire place and taking a seat.
"Here are your menus" he said placing them in front of us. "Can I get you anything to drink to start off with?"
"Sure, Bella what would you like?" he turned to ask me first, always the gentleman!
"Umm a glass of Riesling please" I answered.
"And I'll take a beer" Edward added.
"Sure, I'll be back shortly to take your orders" he told us winking at me again.
Ignoring him I glanced at my menu trying to decide what to order. Between us we decided on a wood fired chicken pizza, potato skins filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and spring onion, a garden salad and garlic bread.
"Is there anything in particular you want to see or do after dinner?" Edward asked me smouldering again.
You and you I thought. Crap! Blushing again, I had never been gladder that Edward couldn't read my thoughts.
"Nothing in particular" I replied honestly.
"Blushing again my Bella?" he asked with that sexy smile of his.
"No!" I replied blushing again.
"I love it when you blush" he said huskily reaching out to run his finger over my cheek, "I have a few ideas of what we could do later" he continued.
Holy crow he was going to give me heart failure if he carried on like this, it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest.
"Maybe you can show me later then" I replied in what I hoped was a sexy voice.
Apparently it was because all I heard was a low groan from him.
Typically we were interrupted, this time by the server; normally it would have been Emmett loud and inappropriate as he is. We placed our order, barely even shifting our eyes from one another.
Sensing that perhaps the sexual tension at our table could be cut with a knife I changed the topic. "Thank you for bringing me here Edward, I've always wanted to visit Vancouver" I told him.
"You're welcome sweetheart, it's nice to be able to spend some uninterrupted time together without Emmett's innuendo and Jasper's mocking" he replied.
"Jasper mocks you?" I asked stifling a giggle.
"Relentlessly, until I started dating you that is" he informed me.
"Why?" I was curious now.
"Well I didn't date anyone after I broke up with Tanya, Jasper would tease me and say I must have switched teams since I wasn't interested in dating anyone"
A giggle escaped that I was trying to hold in. "Oh so you think that's funny?" he asked smiling. "It got to the point where he would point out men in the street and ask me if I would like him to set me up."
I laughed again "Very, still at least you haven't had to put up with the sweat pants police and the details queen."
"Let me guess that the details queen must be Rose?" he asked.
"Of course, every time we spend time alone together she asks if there has been any between the sheets action and to spill the details. Apparently we are disappointing her."
He laughed loudly "That sounds exactly like Rose, her and Em really are the perfect match. That must mean Alice is the sweat pants police?" he asked looking puzzled.
It was my turn to laugh, "Remember the day I arrived in Seattle you lot left us girls alone for some girly time?"
"How could I forget? That was the day you turned my world upside down" he smiled sexily at me. I would definitely have to get him to elaborate on that comment later.
"Well we were unpacking my stuff and Alice was looking through all of my clothes when she found my sweat pants. She hates sweat pants and acted as though they were going to bite her, she made me promise to throw them all out."
It was his turn to laugh again. "That was how the whole shopping expedition came about and to this day I still have to hide my sweat pants from her just so she won't burn them."
"Ah she truly can be a frightening little pixie can't she?" he chuckled.
"No doubt about it, still they both really are the two best friends a girl could have."
He smiled, "Do you still talk to your friends from Arizona? Chelsea and Tara wasn't it?"
"Yeah, I still really miss them" I replied.
Just then the waiter showed up with the food, "Let me know if there is anything else I can get you" he told me, I could hear the emphasis he put on the anything, so gross!
"Hmm it looks like I may have to put him in his place" Edward mused looking a little pissed off as he watched the waiter serve another table. "At first it was amusing seeing his futile attempts at flirting but now it's rather annoying."
Please put him in his place! After seeing him defend me against Jacob I had found out that protective, angry Edward was a very sexy Edward indeed!
"We always seem to get the worst waiters where ever we go for dinner" I answered.
"That's because you my Bella are too beautiful for your own good."
For the remainder of dinner we continued to flirt without interruptions, by the time we had finished desert the sexual tension was intense. I was dying to get out of the restaurant and head back to the privacy of our room.
It seemed as though the second that thought crossed my mind Edward thought the same thing. He asked if I was ready to leave and I nodded enthusiastically in response after paying the bill we stepped out into the positively freezing Vancouver air.
"What would you like to do now beautiful Bella?" he asked me wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close.
"I'll leave it up to you" I said in what I hoped was a seductive tone.
He responded with a very low groan, so quiet I could only just hear him. "Head back to the hotel?" he asked me.
"Please" was all I could reply with.
We headed back to the hotel and as soon as we stepped into the elevator Edward captured my lips with his, kissing me with such intensity it made me dizzy, in a good way!
Without breaking the kiss we stumbled to the door where we had to break apart to unlock the door.
Once in the room Edward went to light the fire and turn out the lights except for one dimmed lamp. "Come here sweetheart" he said patting the cushions he had placed on the floor in front of the fire.
I shrugged out of my leather jacket and joined him where he captured my lips with his again. His tongue made its way into my mouth and he wrapped his arms around me.
We kissed intensely for an un-measurable amount of time before inevitably we had to break apart to catch of breaths.
"Bella" he said huskily looking at me with hooded eyes, "I've wanted to tell you this for a while now. I need to tell you how I feel about you."
My breath hitched "Bella, I love you. I'm so in love with you" he declared his green eyes burning with intensity.
My heart soared; I couldn't believe this was happening! I was so overjoyed to hear those words spoken by him. "I know it's soon, really soon. But Bella there have been so many times when I have almost told you and I wanted it to be perfect."
He looked a little nervous, almost panicked. Then I realised I hadn't responded yet. "I love you too Edward, so much."
He practically pounced on me; he kissed me until I lost my breath again. "Bella, you have no idea how happy you have made me telling me that. You mean the world to me."
"You mean the world to me too; you have no idea how many times I have almost blurted that out."
"Say it again" he told me.
"I love you Edward" I told him.
"And I love you my Bella, let me show you how much" he replied huskily.
I nodded incapable of words; he scooped me up and headed to the bedroom where he laid me down gently on the bed.
He hovered above me kissing my lips, my neck and my chest before slowly undressing me and then himself.
He was glorious from head to toe like an Adonis in flesh and for the next few hours Edward Cullen showed me exactly how much he loved me.
My eyelids fluttered open as my mind ran over the events of the previous evening making me flush with pleasure.
"Good morning my love"
"Good morning" I replied sleepily opening my eyes to see Edward smiled down on me.
After an extra hour or so in bed repeating last night's activities we dragged ourselves out of bed to head out for breakfast and to see the sights Vancouver had to offer.
We were walking along the beach after breakfast when I decided to ask him what I had meant to the night before. "I was meaning to ask you something last night before we both got sidetracked" I told him.
He grinned at me "I thoroughly enjoyed being sidetracked by you but fire away."
"So did I" I replied with a smile, "What I wanted to ask you was about when you were talking about not being able to forget the day I arrived here last night. Could you elaborate?" I asked.
He stopped walking and grabbed the hand he wasn't already holding. "I could never forget the day I first met you because as corny as this may sound I fell in love with you the moment I saw you."
Edward's Point of View
Flashback
Alice was bouncing in her seat in excitement, "I can't believe Bella is actually moving here! I can't wait to see her!"
Jasper had long since given up trying to rein in Alice's excitement, her and Rose's friend Bella was arriving today from Phoenix, Arizona.
Bella had been all Alice and Rosalie had been talking about for the past few weeks since they first told us she had decided to move to Seattle. She was an old friend from their high school days at Forks High School and according to Alice like a sister to them both.
I had to admit I was curious to meet Bella, I was a little surprised that myself, Emmett and Jasper hadn't yet met Bella considering my brother Em was dating Rose and my cousin Jazz was dating Alice.
"She's here!" exclaimed Rose as we heard a car pull into the driveway.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" squealed Alice jumping up from the sofa and running full speed to the door.
"Bella you're finally here! It's so good to see you!" I heard Alice squeal.
I walked outside behind Em and Jasper to see Alice clinging to who I presumed was Bella.
"My turn Allie" demanded Rose pushing Alice out of the way and hugging her tightly. "I've missed you heaps Bells, we have so much catching up to do!" she exclaimed.
Then I heard her speak "Me too guys, I'm so happy to be here!" Her voice did things to me I wouldn't have thought possible and I hadn't even seen her yet!
"Bella this is my Jasper" Alice told her pulled Jasper to her side giving Bella barely time to breathe.
"Hi I'm Jasper Whitlock" he said introducing himself and giving her a brief hug. "It's nice to finally meet you; Alice has been talking about you nonstop for weeks."
She laughed her laugh like her voice was beautiful, like bells. Shit Cullen pull yourself together I thought.
"You too Jasper" she replied kindly.
"This is Emmett" said Rose gesturing at my hulk of a brother. I knew what was about to happen, poor Bella was about to be attacked.
"Bellsy!" he shouted pulling her into a bear hug so tight she could barely breathe no doubt. Yup that was Emmett always over enthusiastic and definitely overwhelming.
"Welcome little one" he added.
"Thanks Emmett it's great to meet you too, but I kind of can't breathe!" I heard her choke out.
"Emmett Alexander Joshua Cullen put her down!" shouted Rosalie laughing, "Sorry Rosie, sorry Bella" Emmett apologised.
I stepped forward to introduce myself and finally I saw her.
She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her skin was pale but no unhealthy, her cheeks were flushed evidently due to being the centre of attention, she had long chocolate brown hair with faint flashes of mahogany. She was maybe 5 foot 4, slim but with curves in all the right places.
She turned to look at me, shit now I had to speak to her, I actually felt nervous. She stared at me.
"Hello I'm Edward Cullen" I said stepped forward to embrace her as the others had. "It's great to meet you" I told her earnestly.
"You too Edward" she said shyly. Then I noticed her eyes, deep pools of chocolate brown, the kind of eyes you could drown in.
Before I could say another word to her Alice grabbed her hand, "Come on Bella, I want to show you the house! You are totally going to love your room."
Bella glanced at me apologetically, giving me a small smile. I stood staring after her until Emmett spoke.
"I think our little Ed man here has a bit of a crush on wee Bella" he guffawed.
"Ooooooo!" Jasper mock squealed.
"You two are so immature" I told them while they laughed at me.
"Ah maturity is over rated" Emmett replied, "Come on lets grab Bella's stuff and take it inside for her."
We lugged all of Bella's boxes and bags inside and set them in the entrance way. Once we had just carried the last lot in the girls came downstairs.
"We got all your stuff for ya Bells" Emmett told her proudly.
"Thanks Emmett, Jasper, Edward" she replied, "That was really nice of you."
"It's no problem Bella" Jasper answered her. "We'll let you girls do whatever girls do together and come over later."
With that we headed next door to our place. Emmett grabbed a beer for us each and handed them around.
"So seriously Ed man" Emmett started. Great, I knew exactly where this was going. Since I hadn't dated anyone since Tanya, Emmett and Jasper made it their personal mission to not only find me a lady friend as Jasper put it but to involve themselves in every aspect of my nonexistent love life.
"Yes Emmett" I sighed.
"What do you think of Bella?" interrupted Jasper impatiently.
"She seems really nice" I answered lamely.
"Aw come on Ed give us more than that!" begged Emmett.
"Yeah Ed we saw the look on your face when you saw her, it's a look you haven't given any female in a long time!" piped up Jasper.
"Shit Jazz you really are turning into a male Alice" I mocked.
He glared at me, "Ed Bella is seriously hot you can't tell me you wouldn't want to give it a chance" added Emmett.
"You two are seriously worse than Rose and Alice, yes Emmett she is gorgeous and yes Jazz she seems really nice but I have only just met her" I addressed them both.
They looked at each other with knowing smiles and nodding.
Later that night we headed back over to the girls place with pizza, beers and a few DVD's. I got to know Bella a lot better hearing about her time in Forks and Phoenix and a little about her family.
When we headed back home I barely managed to escape another inquisition from Em and Jazz. Lying in bed all I could think about was Bella.
I never would have thought it possible to feel a pull towards someone the way I felt towards Bella. It was stronger than anything else I had ever felt for anyone else, even Tanya, who I thought I was in love with.
Now I wasn't sure, all I knew was that I was falling already for Bella Swan.
End of Flashback
"You did?" I asked in shock.
"How could I not" he replied tucking a stray hair behind my ear.