A/N: A big thanks to my ladies, Paige, Cristina, Sherry & Tiffany!

Thank you to all of you for your wonderful reviews. I am really sorry that I haven't been good at responding to them lately, my muse has been vocal and I have just been trying to write as much as I can. Please know I read and appreciate them all xx

Chapter 23

It had actually been fun driving around the city with Edward. It was the most carefree I had felt in a long time, which was the reason, I found myself not wanting to return home. I knew that if we did the spell would be broken and we would both go back to shouting and arguing.

Edward could be a nice guy, you know, when he wasn't being an asshole. I had a little laugh to myself, knowing he probably felt the same way about me. I knew I was difficult, some may say high maintenance, but that was my father's fault, not mine. I knew if we were ever to have a daughter Edward would probably spoil her too. It was the way things were. Fathers spoiled their daughters, and then their husbands were left to deal with her overindulgent, perpetual behavior. If a woman was lucky enough, she would end up with a husband who would want to spoil her as much as her father had. I didn't think Edward was that man, but one could live in hope, right?

"Oh, what's that over there?" I asked Edward, slowing down the car and pointing across the street to a crowded area where I could see people and stalls.

"That's the Eastern Market. It's a must see in Detroit. I'll have to take you there sometime."

"Sometime?" I said, pouting, knowing that this could be our reason not to return home, at least for a few more hours. "Why can't we go now? We're here anyway."

Edward shook his head. "It's too crowded, too dangerous."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, don't be such a spoilsport. No one in there cares who either of us are. It's part of the charm and if you are really worried why don't you take off your tie, loosen your shirt, and put on some shades. Try a casual look for once in your life. I bet no one even recognizes you."

Edward smirked at me, but never said no. So me being me, I took that as a yes. I drove around for a few minutes until I found a parking space to park the car. When I turned off the engine I looked at Edward, he still looked a little apprehensive. "C'mon," I said, nudging him. "It will be fun. We get to pretend to be normal people for an hour, doing normal things. No arranged marriages, no made men or dead parents… just us. What's the worst that can happen?"

"Famous last words," Edward muttered as we both got out the car. It was only then that I noticed that he had lost the tie and stuck on a pair of sunglasses. It looked like he could take advice after all. I began to walk ahead, but Edward hurried after me, grabbing my hand and pulling me to his side. "If we are going to do this, then you don't leave my side, okay?"

"Okay," I said, smiling up at him, even if I did think he was being a little overdramatic. It wasn't like this was a planned stop. There was no way the Russians could be hidden behind the stalls waiting to take us out, and I knew we weren't followed. Though, I hated to admit, I did like that he was protective of me, just a little.

The market was impressive. It had everything from fresh produce, to fresh flowers, handmade knickknacks, homemade baked goods, burger vans, the lot. "We should do our shopping here," I stated as I looked around in amazement.

"For what?" Edward asked, cocking his eyebrow. "For all the cooking you do?"

"I can cook," I said, mocking offense. "I just choose not to."

Edward laughed, but he never called me out on my lie. We continued to walk around for a little while. When we got to a partially crowded areas he would take my hand and hold it tight as if he was frightened someone was going to try and snatch me away from him. His touch excited me in ways I couldn't explain. I felt like a giddy school girl with butterflies in my belly and a smile on my face, all our troubles long forgotten, for the moment at least.

"Mmmm carrot cake," I said as we stopped in front of a stall filled with homemade baked goods.

"How can you possibly still be hungry?"

"I'm always hungry for carrot cake," I shrugged. It was my favorite, and it was made from vegetables so it had to be good for you, right?

"We'll take a slice of carrot cake," Edward said, motioning to the woman behind the stall. She picked up a plastic tray and used a set of tongs to lift a slice onto the tray with a plastic fork, and then offered them both to me.

"Thank you," I smiled. I wasted no time in putting a large forkful in my mouth, closing my eyes as I savored the taste. "Mmmm, this is delicious," I said to the woman before turning to Edward. "Do you want to try it?" He shook his head, but I already had a forkful in the air, waiting to go in his mouth. So when he refused to take it, I smeared it all over his nose and laughed.

Edward didn't appear to see the funny side. He took off his sunglasses and looked at me shocked. "I can't believe you just did that."

I shrugged. "It's only cake. Here, let me get it off for you," I leaned forward, surprising us both, as I licked it from his nose. I giggled as I stood back, wiping some of the frosting from my lip. I expected Edward to see the funny side of it too, but when I glanced up at him, he was staring at me intently, so intently that I couldn't look away.

He had a hunger in his eyes that I had never seen. He grabbed my waist before I could get a word out, pulling me to him. It caused my cake fall to the ground, but at this moment in time I didn't care about the damn cake. My focus was on him and those soft lips of his; they were practically calling my name. "Edward," I moaned, as our lips met. His mouth was strong and unyielding. He dominated every second of that kiss, making my knees go weak and my head spin.

When we finally pulled apart my face flushed. I had been so caught up in the moment, so caught up in him, that I had forgotten where we were and what we were doing. "Sorry," I mumbled to the woman behind the stall, but she didn't seem to mind, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Young love," she beamed.

"Ah, we're not," I mumbled, not bothering to finish the sentence because I realized that nothing I could say would make sense to her.

"Ah, but you are," she smiled, handing me another container with carrot cake, though this one was closed. "For the happy couple to share, later." Edward went into his trouser pocket, I presume to retrieve his wallet, but the woman shook her head. "It's on the house, Mr. Cullen." So she knew who he was.

"Thank you," we both replied at the same time. I picked up the dropped cake and container from the ground as best as I could, giving it to her to dispose of.

Edward took my hand after that and we strolled through the crowd, not really paying attention to anything around us. We were too caught up with each other. "Are you ready to go home?" he asked, glancing over at me.

I shook my head, swallowing a lump back in my throat. "No, not yet."