So here we go, Bella's birthday weekend. The song for this chapter is "Bloodstream" by Stateless www*youtube*com/watch?v=1CBY9OU1I9Q. Love, love, love this song. And as always, here is the pictease: goo*gl/xGRNQ and goo*gl/locqo

We couldn't ask for a "more persnickety" team of betas to help make this story. Our kindest thanks to AshesAshes, karenec, jakeward, and LJ Summers for all their hard work. They are all fantastic authors so check them out and send them some love.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Thirty-One: Sweetness

On Friday morning when I entered the lobby of my building on my way to work, I stopped in my tracks. Edward was leaning against the desk talking to Jacob. He was dressed in dark jeans and a soft blue shirt rolled up at the cuffs. He had a pair of sunglasses hanging from the neckline of his shirt, and the biggest grin I had ever seen.

I walked over, puzzled but happy to see him. "Morning. What are you doing here?"

His grin grew wider and he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm here to kidnap you."

"I don't understand." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jacob move away to give us a bit of privacy. Over the past few weeks, Jacob had softened toward Edward, and I was curious as to what they were talking about. I looked up at Edward's face to see his eyes twinkling, and I couldn't help but grin at his enthusiasm.

"I'm taking you to Napa for the weekend—if you'd like to go, that is. Just to make sure that your boss is okay with you taking the time off, I talked with Charlie about it at dinner on Tuesday. He said he'd keep an eye on things for a few days, and even said he'd talk to Bree and Lauren and let them know you wouldn't be in. So as far as work goes, you're set. We have reservations in Napa through Sunday. What do you say, Bella?"

"I—" I was floored. A small part of me was vexed that he'd consulted with Charlie regarding my work schedule, but I couldn't bring myself to be angry with him. His heart was in the right place and he'd put so much thought into this. How could I possibly turn him down "—Yes, Edward. I'd love to go. It sounds wonderful."

He silenced me with a deep kiss. When he pulled away, he cupped my cheeks in his hands, his face just inches from mine. "I want this weekend with you, Bella. Don't worry about anything."

"Okay."

His smile lit up his face again and we went back up to my apartment. I quickly packed, ending up with a rather large suitcase. I had no idea what Edward has planned for us in Napa and I wanted to be prepared for anything. I tucked my phone charger in my bag just as Edward came into my room. He had been in the living room taking a call.

"All set?" he asked when he saw the suitcase behind me.

"Yep."

He grabbed my suitcase, rolling it out into the hallway. "I'm sorry if I packed too much," I said. I glanced quickly around the apartment for anything else I might need before following Edward out. "I wasn't sure what to bring. I don't know what you have planned."

He shrugged and we walked to the elevators. "I plan to have a great weekend with you. How we go about that is entirely up to you."

"I just want to relax with you." I pressed the call button and turned to face Edward.

He wrapped his free arm around me and pulled me close to kiss my forehead. "Sounds good. I did make reservations for dinner on Saturday night, but we can cancel them if you want."

"Where at?" I asked.

"The French Laundry in Yountville." The elevator arrived and Edward nearly had to pull me into the car because I was still, staring at him in shock.

"The French Laundry? How on earth did you manage to get reservations there? They're booked six months in advance, easily. We didn't know each other six months ago."

He chuckled and pressed the button for the lobby. "Let's just say Rosalie knows someone there who owed her a favor. I made the reservation two days ago."

"I've always wanted to go there," I said, excitedly. "I can't even believe it."

Edward just laughed and the elevator dinged, indicating we'd landed on the main floor. We stepped into the lobby and Jacob beamed at me.

"Enjoy your weekend, Ms. Swan, Mr. Cullen."

"You, too, Jacob," I said. "I'll be back Sunday."

He waved goodbye to us and we hit the road.

~LTOYL~

The ride was relaxing, spent talking and listening to music. I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the feel of Edward's hand in mine, the warm sun on my skin, and the heady anticipation of what the weekend would bring. Impulsively, I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

He chuckled warmly and glanced over at me. "What was that for?"

"This trip, how good you are to me, everything." I squeezed his hand tightly. "I just want you to know how much it means to me. How much you being in my life means to me." Faintly, I heard my cell phone go off in my bag and instinctively I leaned forward to retrieve it. A second later, I stopped, deciding to ignore it. Whoever it was could wait.

Edward glanced at me and smiled; he'd noticed my action. He didn't respond verbally, but the look he gave me said everything. He was happy.

In no time at all, we were winding our way through the rolling vineyards and expansive fields of the Napa Valley. Situated just an hour north of San Francisco, it felt worlds away. All around us, there were vast vineyards, with row after row of vines just starting to turn from the late summer sun. It was beautiful. It was peaceful looking at miles of rolling hills without a skyscraper in site. I stretched, feeling the residual stress and exhaustion I'd been coping with melt away.

Edward slowed the car and we turned off the road, passing through a sculpted metal gate. We wound our way on a narrowed paved driveway through the hilly fields. My jaw dropped when we passed by an infinity pool and stopped in front of a beautifully landscaped, Modern-style home.

"This is where we'll be staying for three days," Edward said, putting the car in park and turning toward me.

"Is it a bed and breakfast?" I asked, noticing the other vehicle parked beside us.

"No, it's a private rental. We have the whole place to ourselves. My mother knows the owner and decorated their home in San Francisco. They were more than happy to loan it to us for the weekend."

"Wow, I love it; you knew I would."

He chuckled warmly. "Of course I did. Now, let's meet the caretaker and get settled in."

I gathered up my purse, noticing that my cell phone was flashing with an alert as Edward came around to open my door. Again, I resisted the urge to check whatever the message was. "Thanks," I whispered taking his hand as I stepped out.

"You're welcome." He brushed a kiss across my forehead.

A woman was waiting by the front door. She was probably in her early fifties, neatly dressed, and sporting a cheerful, warm grin.

"Welcome to Napa. I presume you are Mr. Cullen and Ms. Swan?" she greeted us.

We both nodded and Edward spoke first. "Edward, please."

"Edward, I'm Elizabeth Grayson, but please, call me Beth."

"I'm Bella," I introduced myself, reaching out to shake her hand.

"It's wonderful to meet you both. Please, come inside, I'd like to give you a tour of the place."

We followed her inside and looked around. The entrance opened into a large living area with panoramic windows of the countryside and the pool. The entire space was airy and filled with light. The kitchen and dining areas led to the living space, and all had beautiful, warm, modern furniture and accents. Beth described some of the features of the house as we explored the place.

I followed behind Edward, my hand in his, until we reached the master suite. It was on the corner of the house, and decorated simply with neutral colors that allowed the stunning view of the countryside from the two walls of windows to be the primary feature. The master bath was even more gorgeous, with a large jetted tub surrounded by richly-veined marble.

Edward leaned down to whisper in my ear. "We're using that tonight."

I nodded eagerly and turned my head to respond to him. "And the pool . . . ."

He squeezed my hand in agreement and we continued to follow Beth as she pointed out the deck off the master bedroom. In total, the house had four bedrooms and five and a half baths. I assumed it was usually rented by larger groups of people, but I could see why Edward had chosen it. I leaned in closer to him, resting my cheek against his upper arm as Beth explained that she would give us a few hours to settle in, and that she would be back at two p.m. for a private wine tasting of different wines from the area. After we both thanked her, she handed Edward the keys and took off.

After settling in, Edward and I decided to go for a walk. We wandered around the property hand-in-hand, enjoying the incredible views and perfect weather. There was a guesthouse located not far from the main house, and a wine cave built into the hillside, where the wine tasting would be taking place later. The property covered twenty acres, and we spent several hours exploring, walking at a slow, easy pace

"I wish I'd remembered to bring my camera," Edward said.

"The entire place is truly extraordinary," I commented.

"I'm glad you like it. I suppose we should head back toward the wine cave," Edward said, glancing at his pocket watch. "It's nearly two, and Beth said she'd be back for the wine tasting."

"Sounds great."

We made our way to the wine cave, meeting Beth inside. The cave was decorated with a wooden table and chairs, some candles, and wine barrels. There was bread, cheese, grapes, and chocolate sitting out on the table when we arrived, and Edward helped me into my chair and took a seat beside me. I leaned in toward him and he placed an arm around my shoulders.

Beth gave us a brief history of the region and a few of the homeowners' favorite vineyards in the area, and then segued into the wines she had brought. There were nine wines in the flight, ranging from light sparkling whites to dark, heavy reds. As we worked our way through each one as she told us about the characteristics that enhanced the individuality of each wine.

We each found one we favored, and Edward seemed amused by my impassioned love of the Chenin Blanc. For the most part, our tastes aligned and Beth promised to put together a mixed case for us to take home. We both thanked her for the evening and went back up to the house after she left.

Despite the nibbles with our wine tasting, we were both still hungry, so we put together a light antipasto style dinner using items from the pre-stocked kitchen, with more bread and cheese, a few artisan meats, and a variety of lightly grilled vegetables and olives. We took our food and a bottle of Pinot Grigio out to the patio by the pool. We ate and drank leisurely as the sun began to sink lower in the sky, sending a wash of golden, early evening light over us. By the time the food and wine were gone, I was deliriously happy and not entirely sure if I was drunk on the wine, on Edward, or the entire experience. I stood up and sauntered toward him.

"Want a quick swim before we go try out that tub inside?" I asked.

He grinned up at me. "Did you pack a suit?"

"Do I need one?" I asked, pulling off my top and tossing it on the chair.

"Not for my sake," he said, placing his hands on my hips.

"Then I'm not going to bother with one." I unzipped my jeans and wiggled out of them, noticing the way Edward's eyes followed my every move. His hands dropped to his lap as he watched me remove the remainder of my clothing and then walk over to the pool. I glanced over my shoulder at him and beckoned him to join me. The warm evening air and cool water felt good on my bare skin as I descended the steps into the pool. I slipped under the water for a moment before I re-surfaced, turning to face Edward. He rose from his chair and slowly peeled off his clothes.

The sun had dipped below the horizon causing the lights in the pool to glow warmly around me. Edward joined me and I felt the long lines of his body pressed against mine. I wound my arms around his neck, my lips immediately seeking his, and we kissed for a long time, my fingers caressing the soft hair at the nape of his neck. Eventually, he pulled away only to pepper small kisses across my cheeks and the bridge of my nose. The sweet, teasing action made me smile. I moved to stand behind him and placed my hands on his broad shoulders to massage them gently.

It wasn't until he reluctantly lifted his head and turned to face me that I stopped. "God, your touch feels so good," he groaned. He took my hand and led me up the steps and out of the pool. He pulled a couple of large, white towels from a shelf on the patio and wrapped one around me before he wrapped another around his waist. He scooped me up in his arms before I could even protest. I laughed as he carried me into the house, taking me straight to the immense master bathroom.

He deposited me onto the edge of the tub and turned the water on, asking me to choose a bubble bath from the bottles beside the tub. The room filled with the light, fresh scent of verbena after Edward added the bubble bath to the water, and I watched as he disappeared into the bedroom and returned with matches and a couple of candles. He set them along the far edge of the bathtub and lit them, along with some others that were clustered on the countertop by the sinks. He disappeared again and returned with two fluffy bathrobes that he set on a low stool beside the tub. He dimmed the lights until the candlelight was the primary light in the room and came over to me.

"After you," he said with a smirk, holding out his hand to help me with my towel and into the bath.

His crooked, soft grin made me melt and I nodded eagerly. I carefully climbed into the tub and sank back against his chest when he slid in behind me. I turned my head so my cheek was resting against him and closed my eyes. I didn't want to move from the position we were in, too content to even think about disentangling our bodies.

We relaxed in the heat of the bubbly water, enjoying the silence and being with each other in an intimate way, rather than pushing for anything more. Letting Edward just hold me affected me far more deeply than any form of sexual release could and made me appreciate the relationship we had. I felt vulnerable and exposed but he didn't take advantage of it. He just shared the moment with me.

Our first day here in Napa had been so perfect, and I could only imagine what the rest of the weekend would be like for us. As I lay in his arms, I thought of the afternoon Edward and I had spent on my rooftop. It was such a simple date, and yet it was quickly becoming one of my favorite memories. The more moments like that we shared together, the more I realized what an important role he had come to play in my life.

Edward's thumb lightly brushed across my arm and I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head. It was astonishing how such a simple action could make me feel so much. I'd been denying my feelings for him since we'd met, resisting the urge to open myself up completely, but I couldn't bring myself to compartmentalize my feelings for him anymore. Not after he'd proven over and over to me that he was exactly what I needed in my life.

Edward had shown me how to piece myself back together.

I intertwined my fingers with his and shivered slightly, realizing the water had turned cool. "I think we should probably get out," he said, moving his other hand to rub my upper arm.

"Yeah, it's getting a little chilly."

I scooted forward and Edward got up from behind me. He stepped out of the tub, reached for a towel and wrapped it around his hips. He then grabbed one of the fluffy, white robes hanging beside the tub. "Let's get you dried off."

He offered me his hand so I could get out, and then wrapped the robe around me.

Once we were both dry, we made sure the house was locked up for the night and the candles were all blown out. The moment Edward and I crawled into bed, I reached for him. He pulled the covers over us and I nestled into his arms. His arm closed around me and I spent a long time running my fingertips across his face before trailing them down his neck to rest against his chest. He let out a relaxed sigh and brushed his lips across mine before his eyes closed. We fell asleep, foreheads pressed together, my palm against his skin, right over where his heart steadily beat.

So what do you think? Pretty good birthday surprise, right? We had this part of the story planned over a year ago and it just so happened to coincide with a trip I recently took to the Napa Valley. The house we mention is actually over in Sonoma, but we took a little creative license and moved it.

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