To all who are reading this, thank you!

CHAPTER 6

COURAGE

The city lights sparkled over calm waters, the salty breeze gentle as it stirred both their hair. Indeed, Carlisle and Bella had yet to leave the beach. Buoyed by their newly revealed feelings, neither one of them was ready or willing to end their evening.

Walking hand in hand, the pair skirted along the shore, deeper and deeper into the balmy night.

"Would you like to rest your feet?" Carlisle asked after a while. "We can sit if you want."

Bella's feet were hurting a little, if she was honest. Even with the flats she now wore. "Sure."

Once they had found a smooth section of sand, the two removed their shoes, and Carlisle sat down, his outstretched hand conveying that he wished for her to sit between his legs.

Enchanted by his wordless invitation, Bella could do no less than smile and acquiesce. Her fingers twinned with his own, she lowered herself to the sand, then leaned against him. Humming in contentment, she welcomed the loving circle of his arms, the feel of his chest at her back.

"This is nice," Bella murmured after they had been staring at the water for a while. "I'd say it beats the wedding."

"Oh, hands down," was his reply.

As her eyelids fell shut, Carlisle breathed in deep, and placed a lingering kiss to her hair. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I must have done something right. You're amazing, Isabella."

Her heart swelled at his words, her wonderment increasing tenfold. The man could melt her bones without even trying.

"You're pretty amazing, too… Tell me, when did you know?" Bella turned her face to catch his eyes. "When did you know that you were falling for me?"

"I think…" A second passed, followed by a kiss to her brow. "I fell the moment I saw you in my kitchen."

Memories of a soapy mess and her towel-wrapped hair flashed in her mind.

"As early as that?" The notion made her smile.

Nodding by way of answer, Carlisle held her gaze, then kissed her once more. Ah, but she loved his mouth, the taste and feel of his lips, the loving and gentle way his tongue now tangled with her own.

Her heart quickening beneath her breast, Bella suppressed a whimper, and trembled with an electrifying realization—she would never get enough of him.

Maddening minutes passed. Maybe it was longer.

"Bella…"

The way he breathed her name ignited a flame within her, and she found herself turning in his arms. As he welcomed Bella's embrace, Carlisle brought his hands to her hips, and sighed when she finally straddled him.

Home.

As new as this all was, it was the first word that came to mind. Because, in Bella's eyes, Carlisle was kindness and empathy personified. Right now, he radiated warmth and affection. Quiet passion. All for her.

There was a startling rightness to it, one she had no desire to question because her heart now knew the truth. What she had long believed to be a hopeless crush was actually love. Of that, Bella was certain.

And so the night wore on.

As aroused as they both were, Carlisle remained a perfect gentleman. His hands wandered no farther than her hips, her back, and the sides of her blushing face.

For her part, Bella matched his pace without complaint. For as much as she wanted to take things up a notch, Bella realized that Carlisle was from a different time—an era of formal courtships and moral restraint. For that reason, she wouldn't push him.

"God, Bella… You have no idea," he said, then repeated. "No idea how much I…"

But the rest remained unspoken for he claimed her mouth in a smooth and fervent motion.

Even if Carlisle's heart was silent, even if there was no blood rushing through his veins, there was a fevered edge to his breathing. Not only that, but he was trembling.

Flying in a similar state, Bella had to sever their kiss—lest her heart leap out of her heaving chest. "Breather?" she asked with mirth.

Mirroring her smile, Carlisle swept her hair behind her ear. "Good idea," he panted and they both laughed.

Their foreheads pressed together, the two spent a good minute just trying to catch their breaths. Easier said than done.

"You're a good kisser," she confessed, and swallowed hard.

"I could say the same thing about you."

They shared another laugh.

"No regrets so far?" she felt the need to ask.

"None."

How long they stayed on that beach, Bella couldn't say. For once their passion had yielded to relaxation, she and Carlisle fell into easy conversation, talking about nothing and everything while the night waxed and waned.

"It'll be light soon. We should go," Carlisle said.

"Yeah."

And so they rose and retraced their steps. Once in the car, they wasted no time pulling out of the parking lot.

As Carlisle maneuvered his Mercedes along the many curves in the road, he kissed Bella's hand once, then twice. His cool breath gusted on her knuckles as he nuzzled her fingers, his eyes gentle as he looked at her sidelong.

Night was drawing to a close when they pulled into a twenty-four-hour gas station. Carlisle was inside, paying for gas, when Bella's cell phone suddenly rang. In the passenger seat, with Carlisle's jacket back on her shoulders, she looked at the screen to see who it was.

"Hey, Alice—"

The pixie's voice rang out immediately, her tone more than a little agitated. "I want to start by saying that I'm really really happy for you, but if you don't want your new boyfriend to sparkle like glitter in the hotel parking lot, you should haul ass back here. Now!"

"We just stopped at a gas station," Bella explained. "We were already on our way back."

"Alright, but tell Carlisle to step on it. Except on Spruce Avenue. The cops have a speed trap there. Oh, and there are traffic cameras at the corner of Main and Olympic."

"Got it."

"Okay, good." Alice sighed in apparent relief. "See you soon."

The car door opened, and Carlisle slid into the driver's seat. "Alice?" he said even though he must have overheard.

"Uh-huh. She says we have to hurry."

He smiled at her then, and started the car. "It would seem we both lost track of time. Don't worry," Carlisle continued. "I'll get us there in time."

And so the Mercedes pulled out of the parking lot, and sped toward their hotel. Heeding Alice's warnings, however, Carlisle slowed a few times, avoiding a traffic stop.

By the time they arrived at the hotel, the sun was just about to rise in the gap between two buildings.

Exiting the car, Carlisle and Bella walked past some of the hotel's earliest risers, then jogged across the lot. Only once they were inside did Bella loose the breath she had been holding.

They had made it.

As comfortable as Bella and Carlisle had been throughout the night, a touch of awkwardness settled between them during their elevator ride. The source of it was no secret; neither of them wanted to part ways, but they knew they had to.

With Bella staying with Alice, she couldn't exactly invite Carlisle into her room. And even if she had been alone, Bella reasoned that he might not be the type of guy to enter a woman's hotel room after a first date. Being the gentleman that he was, though, he did walk her to her door.

"I had a good time tonight," he said after Bella had returned his jacket and fished her key-card out of her evening bag.

"Me, too."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Carlisle reached out, caressing her cheek as he leaned in for a kiss. Before their lips met, however, he stopped and met her eyes. Just for a second.

Owing to the fact that Alice was likely in the room behind the door, the kiss was sweet rather than passionate. But even so, it made her womb quiver and her toes curl up.

"Good night," he whispered when it was over.

Bella's mouth quirked. "Don't you mean good morning?"

Now they both laughed.

"Good morning, then."

A kiss to her hand, then he took a single step back. "I'll see you later?"

"You bet."

"Sleep well."

Another step and his hand fell away from hers.

God, she wished he didn't have to go. Especially when the look on his face conveyed the exact same yearning.

In the end, Carlisle watched her use her key-card.

As the door clicked open, Bella gave a little wave.

Smiling, he waved back.

Once into the room, she found that Alice was sitting on the sofa, her fingers moving at lightning speed as she fired off a text to someone.

"Oh, Bella!" the pixie exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear as she quickly gained her feet. The ensuing hug was so enthusiastic, Bella could hardly breathe.

"I've waited so long for this," Alice said.

"You knew." A lighthearted statement rather than a question.

"From the very beginning." Alice released her hold on her. "I'm so happy for you both."

Noting the bags that were packed by the sofa, Bella narrowed her eyes in question. "Are you leaving already?"

"Well, there was a change of plans. Emmett and Rosalie decided to head on home after they left the reception. And I miss Jasper."

"What about the sun?"

In lieu of answering, Alice fetched a headscarf and sunglasses from the sofa. Clad in a fitted blazer and matching pants, she seemed adequately covered up. "Fashion accessories to the rescue. Oh, and don't worry, you're not stranded. I already texted Carlisle. He'll drive you home."

As much as she cared for Alice, Bella had to own that it'd be nice to drive home with Carlisle.

"Anyway, I should go," Alice went on, giving her one last hug.

Unbeknownst to his new girlfriend, Carlisle was still in the hallway when Alice stepped out of Bella's room. Leaning against the wall by his own room, he rubbed the back of his neck, and blew out a nervous breath.

Now that Alice was leaving, conflict churned in his being. While a part of him thought it'd be best to leave Bella to her dreams, the selfish part of him wanted nothing more than to prolong his time with her. To hold her, to kiss her, and… Well, they would cross that bridge when they got there. If he was brave enough to go to her, that is.

She's not a vampire, Carlisle. She needs rest.

But the look Bella had given him when they had stood at her door was now plastered in his mind. There could be no doubt, she'd lamented his leaving. The thought alone was enough to tempt him into throwing his cowardice to the wind.

But even if he summoned enough courage to go to her, Carlisle couldn't help but worry about his control. After all, though all they had done was kiss, he had nearly lost his mind on that beach.

God, he had wanted her. Isabella.

Embarrassed by his inner dilemma, Carlisle tried to play it cool, but his sister likely knew better. In fact, she could usually read him like a book. Throwing a sympathetic look at him, Alice made her way over, with her luggage in tow. Once they were standing face to face, she said, "Go to her, Carlisle."

His throat bobbed. "But Alice, what if I—"

"You won't hurt her. And I promise she'll be happy to see you."

With that, his sister gave a small, encouraging smile, and left.

Alone in the corridor, Carlisle raked a hand through his messy hair, and started pacing.

Regardless of what Alice had just said, maybe Bella was already in bed, moments away from falling asleep. Or maybe she would find him clingy if he showed up out of the blue like this.

Confused and flustered, Carlisle made for his room, and pulled out his key-card. But Bella's siren song could not be ignored, and he soon double-backed, his hand rising, ready to knock on her door.

But before his hand could make contact with the wood, there was a click, then suddenly she was there, holding the door open with a look of utter surprise.

"Carlisle."

Bella, it seemed, had had the same idea he did. That or she'd been about to step out to get some ice or something.

Not knowing if he had erred, Carlisle waited a beat before saying, "Should I go?"

When Bella merely blinked, his stomach dropped in embarrassment. This was a mistake. But then, before he could do or say anything, her hands found his shirt collar, and she pulled, silencing his doubts by claiming his mouth with her own.

Just one more chapter before I wrap this up. To all who have read the story so far, I thank you.