Chapter Thirty Two

Edward

I knew she'd tried to make a call and spoken to someone briefly but not who or why so I tried to coax it out if her gently,

"Are you OK Bella only I heard you talking to someone?"

She looked panicked then pulled herself together.

"Yes I rang Jake but I got cut off."

So it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

"What did you want to say to him?"

"I still want to go home. Why can't you protect me there like the Whitlocks did instead of dragging me all over the world?"

"It wasn't safe remember? If you go back it might get the Volturi looking at Charlie. Would you want that?"

She shook her head,

"No but I'm tired of moving around. I want a permanent home for a while."

"OK I'll see what I can arrange but we need to leave here first."

I wanted to move in case they tried to trace the call although I thought I'd cut her off too quickly for that.

Bella

In the event we flew only as far as the French Alps, a short hop, and we were soon in a hotel chalet in Chamonix.

"Isn't the view breath-taking?" he asked me as we stood by the window.

"I guess so"

He stroked my cheek very gently,

"Bella. Wouldn't you like to stay a while? It's so beautiful here, almost as beautiful as you."

I swallowed and tried to look eager,

"OK, Can we go out to eat?"

His stroking had reached my neck now,

"I thought perhaps you'd like to eat in the chalet tonight. I've ordered room service for you."

I nodded,

"Thank you Edward. I'd like to shower if that's OK."

He smiled,

"Of course what a silly question Bella. You shower and I'll make up the fire for you. You're shivering."

I smiled and shut myself in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet and trying to imagine my life on the run with Edward by my side. I spent as long in the shower as I could before he called me,

"Bella food's here"

I came out to find a table beautifully laid and a gourmet meal on it just for me. I smiled at Edward and sat down to eat. The meal was good and I was hungry so I ate while Edward watched me, stroking my hand. When I finished and the table had been cleared he pulled me over to the log fire sitting me on his lap on the huge couch. He took me in his arms and I forced myself not to react, trying to put him at ease, he finally thought he was winning me round. He tilted my head back and kissed me on the lips, his cold ones feeling wrong against mine but it did make me think of the only time Jasper had kissed me like this. Actually when I thought about it, that kiss had been nothing like this which was demanding and possessive. Jaspers kiss had been fleeting but tender and loving. I smiled at the memory and Edward, taking the smile for one meant for him, patted my cheek,

"I knew you'd feel the same way I do eventually Bella."

"Edward I really need to take this slowly."

He smiled and I heard him take a deep breath in my hair,

"Whatever you say darling. Your scent is intoxicating"

I tried hard not to go rigid as he nuzzled my neck and placed his other hand on my jean clad thigh. I tried desperately to think of some way to slow him down.

"Edward, could we go for a walk in the moonlight. I've never seen the mountains and they are so beautiful."

He pulled back and smiled,

"Anything for you my Bella. They are stunning, almost as stunning as you."

He turned my face to kiss me on the lips before standing me up and going to fetch our coats and I knew if he did that again I would throw up, he made my skin crawl.

The mountains were amazing and the air crisp and fresh as we walked through the quiet streets, stopping to look at a mountain stream crashing over huge boulders as it ran down a deep channel through the town to the valley below.

"It's almost musical" I murmured forgetting my companion for a few minutes.

His cold finger on my cheek, colder than the mountain air made me shiver and he took it as excitement at his touch. As we walked on looking in the Boutique windows I noticed a cable car.

"Where does that go?"

He sighed,

"It's the cable car to the summit of Mont Blanc. It goes up through the clouds to the very top"

I looked up trying to follow the cables,

"That really must be something"

"Would you like to go up?"

I nodded,

"It would be like looking down from the heavens".

I didn't realize what he was doing at first but then I tried to stop him,

"Edward No."

It was no good, he slung me on to his back and started up the cable hand over hand. I was terrified and all I could do was to close my eyes and pray I wouldn't fall. After a while I decided that perhaps I might live to see the summit but I couldn't open my eyes. It took so long to reach the top I was frozen and sick with fear. Feeling my feet once more on solid ground I opened my eyes and gasped. The sun was just coming up and hitting the summit of the snow-covered peak. It was magical and I forgot everything as I sat to watch the spectacle. When I next took notice of Edward he was grinning,

I hope you'll look like that at me, one day."

I reddened and shivered,

"Are you cold Bella?"

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around me giving me the gloves from his pocket too. That's when I realized I couldn't feel my fingers, they were red with the cold. He pulled me into the viewing station out of the wind and found a survival blanket among the emergency supplies.

"As soon as the first cable car gets here we'll go down. It's light so I can't carry you down, we might be seen."

I nodded unable to stop my teeth from chattering. It seemed hours until we heard voices and even longer before the speakers announced the return trip in the cable car. I shrugged off the blanket and put my hands in my pockets for warmth as we entered one of the cars, Edward smiling at the other passengers as if we'd all come up together.