To all my readers and reviewers, thank you! If this chapter had a soundtrack, the song for this one would be 'Don't Let Me Go' by Bandit Heart.

CHAPTER 20

TIPPING POINT

The skies above Kerry Park were inky black tonight, the moon hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. Walking by a metal rail, her hands tucked into her coat pockets, Bella admired the Seattle skyline which included the iconic Space Needle, Bainbridge Island, and Elliot Bay. But as picturesque as it was, the cityscape couldn't hold a candle to the man who was walking to her right.

For the past twenty minutes or so, Carlisle had been matching pace beside her, his beautiful profile lit by the soft glow of city lights.

For Bella, the date that wasn't a date was certainly starting to feel like one. Especially as it stretched out into the night.

"Seattle's changed a lot over the years," Carlisle observed as they walked. "I remember a time when this view was very different."

"When did you first see it?"

Scrunching his face in embarrassment, Carlisle chuckled. "In nineteen thirty-nine."

The fact that he'd been around for so long still boggled her mind. "Wow."

He snorted in amusement. "You can say it. I'm an old man."

"Okay… Old man." She nudged his shoulder, and winked. "But don't worry. You don't look a day over thirty."

Now they both laughed.

"It's not too cold for you, is it?" he asked when the wind picked up a little.

"No, I'm fine." Bella smiled as Carlisle gave a nod and looked ahead once more. She was staring again. His company was delightful, comforting to the extreme. Save for Evan's sudden visit and the freak out with the cat, she would gladly start this day all over again.

Carlisle was a gentleman through and through. He was smart and funny, engaging her mind in easy-going conversations that flowed without any awkwardness. At the museum, he had shared his knowledge of the famous pieces that were on display. He'd also been very gracious at the restaurant, patiently pretending to eat while Bella enjoyed her meal. Over the course of dinner, they'd talked, of course. For nearly two hours. How they had laughed.

Stopping by the rail, the two looked at the city in silence until, after a while, it was Carlisle who spoke. "Penny for your thoughts."

There was that smile again.

"I was just thinking about today. The museum, the restaurant, our stroll tonight. It was nice. All of it. I had a great time. Thank you for driving all the way up here."

"I can't think of a better way to spend a day." Sincerity was in his gaze, along with warmth and… affection?

The latter made her pulse quicken. Could she dare to hope?

But he's a vampire, Bella mused. I'm human.

Could that even work? Would he be open to trying?

I certainly would be. That last thought startled her, for up until now, she'd been mostly crushing on him, fantasizing and wondering, but nothing more.

Her teeth clamped over her bottom lip. Was she getting ahead of herself? What would he think if he knew?

"What is it?" he asked when her silence had dragged on for too long.

Feeling shy all of a sudden, Bella shifted gears a little. "I was just thinking that if it hadn't been for my accident, I probably never would have met you. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy I hit that bear, but meeting you? I'm thankful for that. We haven't known each other very long, but somehow it doesn't feel that way to me. Standing here now, it's like… you've been part of my life forever, like I've always known you." Heat crept up her neck, staining her cheeks. She looked at the ground for a moment. "Is that weird?"

Met by silence, Bella raised her eyes back to his. "It's not weird," he said, his voice smoky soft. "In fact, I feel the same way."

His answer sparked a delightful shiver up and down her spine.

Seconds went by. Her longing must have shown, for his smile faded just then, his throat bobbing as his eyes darkened from caramel to a rich, dark brown.

Nervous but very much entranced, Bella reminded herself to breathe. Whether she had meant to initiate it or not, the two were having a definite moment. His eyes roamed her face; hers did the same. When Carlisle finally focused on her mouth, Bella mirrored his action, admiring the perfect shape of his lips. Were they as kissable as they looked?

Driven by yearning and curiosity, she took a small step forward, hoping he would catch the hint.

"Isabella." A whispered plea or a warning, she couldn't tell.

In the ensuing silence, Bella wondered if he would err on the side of caution and take a step back—given the way he had reacted to her cat scratch, she wouldn't blame him if he did. In the end, however, he ignited her hopes by gently grasping her hand, his fingers interlacing with hers as he closed the gap even more.

Could it be? Was he going to kiss her? Lucky for Bella, it seemed her wish was going to come true. He was actually leaning forward, inching closer as he searched her eyes for any signs of doubt. He wouldn't find any.

Her eyelids fell closed. She rose on her toes and craned her neck. But just when he was about to kiss her, mother nature showed up, playing a dirty trick on them.

Caught off guard, the two looked up at the weeping sky. The patter had started all at once, the rain quickly turning into a downpour.

Are you kidding me?! Ugh!

If it'd been a summer rain, it would have been one thing. But this wasn't summer, and the rain was cold as fuck.

"Come on," Carlisle coaxed as Bella hunched her shoulders against the rain. As a rare autumn thunderstorm rumbled overhead, the two raced, hand in hand, in the direction of Carlisle's Mercedes.

Recalling the night he had stopped her fall in her father's driveway, Bella knew he could run a lot faster than her human pace. But this was a public park, and he wouldn't leave her behind.

By the time they reached the parking lot, Carlisle and Bella were soaked through and through. So were the other pedestrians who were now running toward their cars.

"You're cold," he observed once he had started the vehicle. "I'll crank up the heat for you."

"Thanks."

By the time Carlisle had pulled out of the parking lot, a weird silence had settled in the car. Bella didn't know what to make of it. Daring a glance at Carlisle, she saw him staring at the road. Contrary to earlier, he seemed preoccupied, almost anxious.

Her stomach dropped. Did he regret their closeness just now? The kiss that never was.

So, what comes next? What if he simply dropped her off and left before they could talk about it?

Bella immediately scratched that thought. He wouldn't; he was much too courteous for that.

As soon as Carlisle pulled in front of her building, she looked up through the windshield. "It's coming down in sheets. Might as well make a run for it."

Before Carlisle could say anything, Bella unbuckled her seat belt and hurried toward the building, confident—or hoping—that he would follow her inside.

He did.

Her apartment was bathed in darkness when they arrived. Once they were both inside, Carlisle closed the door, sealing them in. Her heart quickening beneath her breast, Bella proceeded toward her small living-room, where she blindly found the lamp and clicked the switch.

Subdued lighting filled the space, and she turned to see Carlisle standing in the entryway, his wet hair looking like he'd repeatedly raked his fingers through it. In spite of the shadows, Bella was able to get a read on him. Conflict showed in his gaze, a battle between fear and longing… so much longing.

A flash of lightning suddenly lit the room, followed by a low rumble.

After removing her coat and tossing it aside, Bella retraced her steps back to Carlisle. Staring up into his eyes, she braved a touch to the side of his face, the backs of her fingers gliding down his marble cheek.

An answering touch moved along her forearm then, fingertips rising to brush over the side of her hand. She almost sighed in relief.

"I am risking your life, Bella." His voice was scarcely a whisper. "Now, more so than ever. What happened, or almost happened at the park… If we explore this…" The warning was clear on his anguished face.

"I extended the proverbial branch, remember? That night on the hospital roof, you explained your laws, your nature. I accepted the risks… I still do."

"If you can't do this," she continued, ignoring the pang in her chest. "I'll understand. But if you want to see where this goes, one moment at a time, one day at a time, I'm willing if you are… I'm falling for you, Carlisle."

There, she had said it, the full truth, unplanned and unrestrained. Bella didn't regret it, though. Come what may, Carlisle deserved to know how she truly felt. And now he did.

As he absorbed her words, he closed his eyes, and bowed his head as if in prayer. At last, when he looked up again, Carlisle seemed balanced on the edge of indecision—mind over heart, heart over mind.

"I think I fell a good while ago... You're my gravity, Bella."

And so it happened. In one smooth motion, Carlisle brought his mouth to hers, a firm press of lips punctuated by long breaths.

As far as first kisses went, this one skyrocketed to the top of her list. It wasn't even close. From the first touch of his lips, Bella felt a startling sense of rightness, as if Carlisle had always been meant to kiss her, and vice versa.

Caught in a freefall, she sighed and revelled in the newness of it. I'm kissing Carlisle. Carlisle's kissing me. A part of her wanted to pinch herself, to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

But it wasn't a dream. It was real, and it felt… electric.

As the air thickened, Carlisle grunted. His cool breath gusted against her mouth, making her ache. Before she knew it, he captured her lower lip in a series of soft tugs, tasting, savoring… teasing? Whatever he was doing, it made her toes curl up.

His hands were stationed on her hips now, holding her close but not close enough. "You can't know," he moaned and nuzzled her face, his chest rising on a deep inhale. "You can't know how much I've thought of this, of you."

He kissed her again, drawing a moan from her throat.

A soft thud reached her ears, and she realized that he'd fallen back against the door.

His lips moving with and against hers, Carlisle swept the seam of her mouth with his tongue. On the verge of losing her mind, Bella opened to him, and nearly whimpered.

The taste of him… The words heady and wonderful didn't even come close to describing it.

Cemented in what they were doing, and not wanting any interruptions, Bella blindly reached for the doorknob, locked it with a click.

Thunder rumbled again, but her heartbeat was louder, drowning out everything except him.

Carlisle moved, his back leaving the door. He seemed to be taking charge.

Oh God, yes. All she wanted was this—his lips, his teeth, the erotic glide of his tongue.

Carlisle Cullen might have been mild-mannered in his everyday life, but what she felt from him now was a far cry from that. To be sure, the mood was rapidly changing. Hunger rolled off of him in waves, his hooded eyes the deepest shade of black.

It was a reminder of what he was. Not just a man, but a vampire. Beneath his handsome exterior, there was something primal beneath the surface. And right now, the beast seemed to be coming out.

When Carlisle loosed a low growl, Bella trembled, couldn't help it. But surprisingly enough, it wasn't out of fear for her safety. No, she wanted him. More than she had ever wanted anyone.

Their mouths parted only to fuse again, with a smoldering hunger that made her breath hitch and her knees buckle. But bless him, he was right there, holding her upright while her fingers threaded through his hair.

"Carlisle…"

He was walking her backwards now, guiding her toward the living-room. They were so lost in each other, however, that they inadvertently bumped into an end-table, making the lamp wobble.

When the backs of her knees finally met the edge of the sofa, Bella remained upright and moved things along by tugging on his jacket, guiding and bunching the outer garment until his arms slipped free of the sleeves.

His breath hissed in the aftermath. "Are you sure?" he asked when her fingers started on his belt buckle.

"More than anything in my life." No doubt, no hesitation. In a reversal of roles, Bella captured his bottom lip, sucking and biting before releasing again.

No sooner had she done so than he purred and claimed her mouth in another searing kiss. His hands shook as they briefly framed her face, evidence of long-contained desire. "God, Isabella." Carlisle half-sighed, half-moaned—such a turn on.

As lightning pierced the sky outside, they worked in tandem to remove his shirt, then the t-shirt beneath.

Holy shit… She nearly melted at the sight of him, bare-chested and heaving. Unsurprisingly, the good doctor was beautiful beyond words. Broad shoulders, tight muscled waist. Pale skin as smooth as sin.

Suddenly feeling inadequate, Bella forced her insecurities aside by curling a finger in the belt loop of his pants, guiding him flush against her, just where she wanted him to be.

Carlisle was hot for her; she could feel it. It boosted her confidence somewhat. By a lot actually.

Bolstered by the desire in his eyes, Bella reached for the hem of her white fitted cardigan, raised it up, and peeled it away.

Clad in nothing but a bra and wet jeans, she straightened her spine and watched as he looked at her body for the first time, his eyes and fingertips slowly mapping the swells of her breasts from left to right.

"You're beautiful," was all he said.

Normally, Bella might have shied away from the compliment, but Carlisle was always so sincere, she could do no less than believe him.

Smiling. Bella was smiling, her insides awhirl with too many emotions to name. The mood had softened by then. Gently, Carlisle gathered her into his arms, his cheek coming to rest on the crown of her head.

In the ensuing silence, he kissed her hair, and whispered—to himself or God, she didn't know. "Heaven help me, I am a selfish man."

Her heart clenched at that. Easing away to catch his eyes, Bella said, "If you're selfish, then so am I."

A full second went by, then his mouth quirked a little. "You're incredible, you know that? I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"I could say the same thing."

Seeking his hand, Bella lowered herself to the sofa, her chest rising on a sigh as Carlisle crawled over her and settled between her thighs.

"I want you," she said as he hovered above.

Sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear, Carlisle watched her before saying, "You have me, Bella. Whatever you want tonight, it's yours."

Thanks for reading! Reviews are writing fuel ;-) Next up, Carlisle POV.