***
I couldn’t say that I had been surprised that Edward had taken me to the most expensive and formal restaurant in Port Angles. Everything was beautiful, everything was classy, and I had never felt more out of place in all of my life.
But I did enjoy spending time with Edward, even though we couldn’t eat the food, it was great to just sit at a table, talk, sip some water, and just focus on each other, and nothing else in the world mattered more than this night.
I wasn’t sure how long we had been sitting here at this table, but before long, I had realized that the restaurant was nearly empty, and the dark sky was the only thing that could be seen through the windows.
“You know what I’ll never forget?” Edward asked, his hands holding mine from across the table, his elegant finger tips stroking my hand, and his golden eyes peering right through my soul.
I opened my mouth, feeling my insides twist, but managed to respond, and not sound like a complete moron.
“What would that be?”
“The moment Zander had entered the world, took his first breath,” Edward shook his head, a smile on his face that just made me want to explode. “And of course, seeing the look on your face when you heard that first cry, it was like watching magic,”
A smile slide onto my face at his words, my heart warming.
He really was perfect wasn’t he? He loved Zander, and cherished him just as much as I did… Should I ask him right now… What better time could I ask, then right now anyway?
“Can I ask you a question?” I asked timidly.
Edward nodded, his thumb rubbing over each of my fingers.
I opened my mouth to speak, when a lady came over to us, a tired, and slightly annoyed look on her face. “We are going to be closing in two minutes,” She obviously was hinting that she would like us to leave.
“Of course, we’re sorry for staying so long,” Edward said politely, and stood up, carefully pulling me up, and leading me out of the restaurant.
I chuckled quietly as I clutched Edward’s arm, walking closely beside him as we had made it out into the parking lot.
“Well that was fun,” I grinned as we both slide into his car.
“But, the night isn’t over quite yet,”
And with that Edward was flying down the road, an eager look on his face, animation in his eyes, as he glanced between me and the road.
“Really, where else are we going?” I smiled.
“That’s a surprise,”
I couldn’t help but groan at this, shaking my head as I leaned back in my seat.
“You know, I’m not a big fan of surprises,”
“But you will love this one,” He promised, and gave me his crooked smile, making my insides melt and tangle together in a mess.
How could I deny him anything, when he was just so perfect? He was like, the most amazing man I had ever met, it was like with every second of every day, I fell more and more in love with him, and the life that we were beginning to share.
There couldn’t be a better place for me to belong, nowhere in the world, would I find another Edward, or a better life.
When Edward parked, I looked around in wonder, realizing that we had stopped right in the middle of nowhere, there was nothing here but an open field.
As we both got out, I couldn’t help but smile as I felt Edward interlock our fingers, and begin to lead me towards the edge of the field, where a little dirt path waiting for us, rose petals spread across the path.
“Edward,” I breathed, looking up into his eyes as I realized he had made us a rose path, to where ever it was we were going.
He was quiet as he watched me, leaning forward to brush his lips against mine, for just a moment, before leading me forward, following the trail of rose petals.
“Just follow me,” He whispered, and with that, we both stayed quiet, walking together slowly in a human pace.
I looked around at the forest around us, taking in the beauty of the night’s effects of the trees, and bushes, even the little pools of water on the ground, reflected back the light of the moon, and made a dazzling glow all around the glistening grasses.
When we finally stop our walk, I gasped at the scene before me.
We had ended up right in the middle of a meadow, tall grasses, beautiful wild flowers growing like wild, and a blanket was set out upon the damp grass, candles lit nearby.
“This is beautiful,” I whispered in awe, looking at Edward with shock, and extreme joy.
He now walked me over to the blanket, sitting us both down, pulling me into his lap, and letting his head rest on my shoulder.
“You don’t think it’s too much?” He asked, his nose sliding up my neck, making me shiver slightly.
“Not at all, it’s perfect,” I beamed, nestling myself as close to him as possible.
“Look up,” Edward spoke quietly.
I did as he said, and felt my jaw drop, as I saw millions of stars shining brightly in the night sky. Dancing and twinkling above my head, just as they had been the night I was boarding the plane in Arizona, to come here…
It was incredible. I hadn’t seen the stars for so long, I had almost forgotten how breath-taking they were to see at night.
“Edward… thank you, so much, for everything you have ever done for me,” I said quietly, looking up in his eyes now, feeling his arms smoothly run over my arms, trailing down to my thighs.
I could feel butterflies hit hard against my stomach at his touches, holding back my urge to crush myself to him, and never let him go.
“Nonsense love, it was the least I could do,” He said, his lips brushing over the skin on my neck, teasing me no doubt.
I tilted my head, closing my eyes for a second as I let him continue, growing more and more comfortable, and confident.
“I love you, so much,” I sighed quietly as he stopped to watch my expression.
A smile lit his face instantly, and his arms now pulled me closer to him.
“As I love you,” And with that he sealed it with a kiss.
His hands slid into my hair as the kiss became deeper, one hand running down my back.
I didn’t know how much more I could take this, I slowly turned in his lap, pushing him down gently, but firmly, and watched as he fell back against the blanket, watching up at me with a yearning look.
Immediately I was on top of him, and my lips were back to his with just as much passion, letting my control slide a little. His lips shaped mine perfectly as he kissed me back, his hands running up my back.
But as a howl pierced through the night air, we both froze.
Edward quickly was now sitting up, his arms holding me securely as he looked around in caution.
Was he afraid of wolves?
“We should be getting back,” He stated, after a moment of silence, his hand going to my face to move a piece of hair behind my ear.
I pouted at this thought. “Do we have too; it’s so nice out here,”
Edward’s chuckle melted my sour expression.
“Don’t you think Zander is missing his mother?”
I couldn’t argue with him there. I really did miss my baby, and I was still just a bit worried about letting him home. My son’s safety did matter way more than anything else, no matter how much I loved being here with Edward alone, I was needed back home.
I nodded reluctantly.
Edward stood now, lifting me up into his arms bridal style, and began to walk us back in the direction that we had come, more swiftness in his step then before. And he did take constant looks around us as we made our way out of the woods. As if he was afraid that we were being followed.
“Edward, about my question earlier,” I stated tentatively.
His golden eyes now flashed down at me, a calm smile now on his face as we made it back to his Volvo.
“What is it love?”
“Well, I’ve seen how you are with Zander, how you treat him, how you care for him,” I spoke, ch
ewing my lip as he gently set me back down.
“Yes, I care for Zander greatly, he is your son, of course I’m going to love him,” Edward smiled, still keeping one of my hands as we both got into his car.
“And Zander loves you, I can tell, he looks up to you,”
Edward continued to watch me, pulling out of the open field that we had been parked in. He didn’t speak, but I could tell my words had affected him greatly, judging by the gleam that danced in his eyes.
“And, I love you as well, and hope to be in your life for a very long time,” I said, beginning to feel a bit self-conscious again.
Edward picked our hands up, and gently kissed my hand.
“Forever,” He promised.
This just made me want to scream. He was just… so perfect. And somehow, I had won this prize. He wanted me, he loved me… how could I have ever gotten so lucky?
“I hope so, and I also hope that maybe you could think about… adopting Zander… I know it’s asking for a lot, but I really want Zander to have a great father in his life, that will raise him to be good, and I know you would make a fantastic father,”
Edward seemed to stare at me now, his mouth slightly parted.
“Bella,” He spoke in almost a whisper.
My heart sank for a moment, embarrassment and pain hitting my like a ton of bricks.
He didn’t want to?
Before I could speak however, his lips where on mine, leaving a passionate kiss on my lips that made my head swim, and tangled my insides.
“I’d be honored, to claim Zander as my own, and do everything I can to protect him, raise him to be the best he can be, and love him for every single day of forever,” Edward spoke with emotion thick in his tone.
I breathed out in relief, smiling at him in joy.
“Thank you so much Edward,”
He shook his head. “No, thank you Isabella Swan, you have given me so much, I couldn’t thank you enough,”
I could feel myself falling deeper. I loved Edward. I loved him a lot, and there was no way, that something, or someone that could ever get in the way of that.