AN – I am very sorry it has been so long since my last update on this story and I understand if many of my readers have decided to give up on this story due to the lack of updates. But if you are still interested in reading then I shall try my best to update a little more frequently than I have been doing.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed my previous chapter I hope you all decide to carry on reading and reviewing despite my lack of updates.

Previously

Bella

He smiled at me gently, his gaze never leaving mine before reaching out his other hand and placing it on my face, cupping my cheek.

"Bella" he whispered, "I wish….."

The plane jerked a little bit and he shuffled a little closer towards me, his face leaning nearer and nearing towards mine, his lips parted before his face inched a little bit closer, I could feel his cool breath so very close to my face and before I could even register what he was doing his lips crashed on to mine…

Edward

The feel of her beautiful, soft, angelic skin underneath my fingertips was my only concern as the plane bounced us closer together. I was touching, caressing her cheek as the plane continued to jolt her towards me. Her scent was surrounding me, intoxicating me until I couldn't even think straight. In this short moment I found myself asking several questions; - could I leave Tanya? If I told Carlisle and the rest of my family why I was marrying her could they help me find a solution? Does Eleazar even hold enough power that he could ruin and destroy two careers that had taken years to build in a matter of days? And finally does Tanya hold as much power over her father as she claims to? I wasn't sure I knew the answers to any of these questions. Admittedly, I have told myself these past few months that I will not enable Tanya to destroy or hurt my family and the ruining of Carlisle's career and my own would undoubtedly do so but voicing these excuses to Bella makes me wonder...Do Tanya's threats matter? The only current thought flashing in my mind is that Bella is all that matters...

The plane jostled us both again and I found myself unable to prevent my head leaning closer to hers, my lips inching closer to lips which were naturally rosy and beautifully defined and before I could scream at myself to stop my lips descended on hers.

At first I felt her lips respond as if automatically, it made me wonder if she felt as strongly about me as I did about her. It's crazy and impulsive but I know what I feel for Bella...love. Since the moment I laid eyes on her just a few days ago I knew. It wasn't gravity holding me to the ground anymore, it was Bella and I couldn't deny this.

Her lips froze against mine and it brought me back to reality perhaps a little too harshly. What am I doing?

I froze...My thoughts erratic, a jumbled mess...Tanya, wedding, Bella, Bella, Bella. Bella has invaded every single thought these past few days. The image of her face appears every time I close my eyes. I can't concentrate on anything but her and as much as I want to recoil from it, as much as I want to run, I can't. After running from her once already, the other night when she told me the truth about my proposed marriage to Tanya, the moment I fled her apartment I knew. I knew deep down I could never run from her again and no matter how much I try and justify my actions for marrying Tanya...I can't. I can't justify my actions or marry her, not knowing Bella is out there.

"Edward"

Her voice startled me I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to remember she was sitting there at my side, just inches away from me, her face flushed pink from my unanticipated attack on her lips...she responded though, at first her lips moved against mine, she moulded to my mouth perfectly. I know I didn't imagine it, she feels this connection to.

"I'm sorry" I blurted all at once. "I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have done that, I should not have kissed you."

She flinched and something in her eyes flickered for one brief moment, almost as if I had offended or hurt her which is of course the last thing I would ever want to do.

"No...Actually I'm not sorry" I quickly and honestly rephrased. "I can't do this anymore Bella."

"Do what? Edward I don't understand..less than five minutes ago you told me you were only marrying Tanya because she's blackmailing you which means you have to marry a woman you don't and could never love, then you kiss me and..and ..I..." She trailed off clearly not knowing how to continue.

"I know." I replied taking her hand in mine. "We only met a mere few days ago Bella but...Jesus why is this so hard?"... I paused gathering my thoughts. I didn't know what to say to her, I wanted to be honest with her but I also couldn't afford to scare her off, everything was happening so fast.

Bella waited patiently while I struggled to compose myself with her hand grasping mine. She squeezed it gently and it gave me the courage to continue. "I have been such a coward; I could see it in your eyes when I told you my reasoning for the wedding."

"Edwar..."

I cut off her protests; "I saw the look in your eyes, I saw that you didn't agree with my decision to go through with it and your right Bella, I shouldn't go through with this spectacle of a wedding for all the wrong reasons. I have been telling myself these past few months that I was doing the right thing. That I had no other choice. But I do. If I had just swallowed my pride and told my family what this bitch is trying to do I am positive that this whole situation would have already ended differently."

"Edward I..." Bella tried to inject again, but I wouldn't allow her, my thoughts were a jumbled mess tumbling out of my mouth at a hundred miles an hour. "I have waited what feels like a very long time to stumble across someone I can bear my soul to, somebody that understands me, somebody I want to be with every minute of every day and I know I have found that person in you Bella. I didn't believe in fate or destiny and I don't know why or how I was led to you that day, but I was and now I can't go back. I have spent the last two days agonizing over the thought of letting you go with the consolation you can't lose what you never had, but it doesn't work that way. Everything about you draws me in, after seeing you only a matter of seconds the contours of your face were inscribed on my brain and I'm far too selfish to let you go." She stared at me, her mouth slightly agape, and her eyes penetrating mine. I don't quite know how this aeroplane journey suddenly turned into a confession of my feelings but I do know I will never regret telling her how I feel and now that I had started this rollercoaster of emotions I was not going to stop.

"Just answer one question Bella, I need to know something about when we met those three days ago, after I gallantly saved you.." I remarked trying to lighten the mood for which I received a small reserved smile.

"I asked you to meet me and to my utter delight you agreed. I know that my intentions may not appear to have been for the great of good and I probably seemed like a two-timing little weasel when I turned up at Tanya's office as her groom to be" – I gagged – "but I swear Bella I am nothing like that, I was just so captivated by you, I had to know you and I suppose the question I am trying to ask here is did you have to know me? Did you agree because you felt this instantaneous connection?"

My leg bounced up and down as I nervously awaited her reply, Bella's bottom lip curled between her teeth as she bit down on it, we both seemed anxious as I waited for her to speak and as she opened her mouth I braced myself for her answer.

"Sir would you like a drink?" The flight attendant asked as the trolley cart halted to a stop.

"No thank you." I am ashamed to admit I was a little curt and for a moment the stewardess seemed taken aback by my irritable refusal to her question but she said nothing as her eyes flickered to Bella's.

"Ma'am?"

"No thank you" she uttered softly and politely as she offered her a small but kind smile before the stewardess turned and continued forward through the isle offering drinks and peanuts.

I turned back towards Bella afraid that the flight attendant had ruined the moment but before I could continue my thoughts Bella spoke;

"Edward, I….I don't understand what you seem to see in me. You have the most beautiful bride to be and you seem content in wasting your time and affections on me - plain Isabella Swan with boring dull brown hair and eyes the colour of crap. For pity's sake Edward I am the wedding planner, T.H.E. W.E.D.D.I.N.G. P.L.A.N.N.E.R she enunciated each letter as if speaking to an illiterate.

My heart shattered into a thousand pieces, she didn't want me. I had put my thoughts out there for her to hear and she didn't want me.

"Edward" she harshly whispered trying to gain my attention.

"That doesn't mean I'm not feeling everything you have described, because trust me I am….I have never met somebody so infuriating before Edward, I really haven't."

"I am…..confused" – yes confused seemed to be the appropriate word. She opened her mouth again as if to explain her comments but paused and then closed it again. She continued to do this several times before her brows furrowed and her lips hardened into a straight line. Her teeth gnashed together and then she spoke.

"Confused? Your confused….Your…confused" she threw her hands up in what appeared to be frustration and exasperation.

"You have no right to be confused…and to think I nearly got caught up in the moment…to think I…I." She broke off clearly not knowing how to express herself. And to think I was bewildered a few moments ago, I was now completely baffled by her behaviour.

"You….Errrr" She started and broke off again in irritation and raised her right hand to her neck, gritting her teeth. I wasn't sure what was running through her mind but I had a feeling this was going to be a very long and interesting plane ride. I couldn't help but smirk at the situation…until something wiped the smirk completely off my face.

My head was jerked to the side, my left cheek stinging and it took me several moments to register why. But as I brought my hand to the side of my face and I took in Bella's startled expression and her raised hand I realised she had slapped me, with force.

I guess I deserved that!