End of Chapter 2

“Bella.” Edward said, nudging me.

“Wha?!” I jumped, immediately closing my eyes again. “What time is it?” I asked, referring to the bright sun that managed to find its way through the tinted windows.

“Around 10:30” He said, as he turned off the highway, down a bumpy dirt road, causing me to jump in my seat.

“This...looks...romantic..” I laughed to myself, looking out the window at the thousands of trees surrounding us.

“Well we're not there yet” He laughed to himself, taking my hand in his. “It's sorta...out of the way. I figured privacy would be important, with the sun and all” I glanced out the window at the bright sun, and back to Edward, who was letting off a dull glimmer. Something I loved the first time I saw it. I looked down at my hand in his, and intertwined our fingers, moving his hand, causing it to shimmer slightly in the sun. I brought his hand up to my lips and lightly kissed his sparkling thumb, sending a spark through my lips. I smiled.

“And we're here!” He said, squeezing my hand as he took off his seatbelt. I glanced out the window, letting out a gasp.
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“You've got to be kidding me” I said as I took off my seatbelt and stepped out of the car, completely surrounded by trees. ”If you think I'm roughing it, you've got another thing coming for you.” I said looking around.

    “Don't be silly” He said reaching out for me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

    “It's not funny Edward. I said, turning around to face him. “I failed an outdoor survival course once because I couldn't tie any knots properly, in fact, I can barely tie my own shoes.” I said looking down at my untied laces. “Why do you think I trip so much.” I teased. He glanced at my shoes and bent down to tie my laces. “I'm not sleeping outside” I grumbled.

    “I wouldn't have it” He said, standing back up to face me. “This is a little detour, we're really close. Now if you would just stop questioning everything I have planned and just enjoy it, trust me. I have your best interests in mine and I would never put you in any sort of situation that I know would make you uncomfortable.

    “Sure you would, It's called Valentines day” I grumbled, folding my arms across my chest.

    “Humor me, Bella, would ya.” He said as he headed towards the car.

    “But..” I started.    

    “Bella, do you trust me?” He asked turning back around.

    “Of course I do” I said, glancing around at the snow covered forest, walking closer to Edward.

    “Good, now close your eyes” He whispered, spinning me around, hugging my back to his chest. I hesitated, rolling my eyes.

     “Are they closed?” He asked.

     “Yeah” I sighed, finally closing my eyes.

    “Good, now listen carefully, tell me, what do you hear.” I thought this over for a minute, listening to my surroundings.

    “Nothing.” I whispered.

    “Give it a minute.” He whispered in my ear, sending a chill down my neck. I stood there with my eyes closed, listening, concentrating, and honestly, it was dead silent. All I could hear were my own thoughts.

    “Stop thinking, and just listen.” He whispered. I forced my mind blank, listening carefully. I could hear the cool winter air moving through the trees. Some squirrels climbing in a tree to my far left, causing me to turn my head slightly in their direction. I've never tried so hard to listen to nothing. “Farther” He whispered encouragingly. I took a deep breath, holding it in, so that it wouldn't distract me, and then I heard it.

    “Water?” I guessed, opening my eyes.

    “Water.” He said, squeezing me against
him before he left go and opened the trunk, pulling out one of my suitcases that Alice packed. I eyes him nervously as he dug through it, grabbing something and tossing it towards me as he continued shuffling through the suitcase. I fumbled around with the piece of fabric, noticing it was two items as one dropped to my feet. I reached down to pick it up realizing what it was.

    “EDWARD!” I yelled, not amused. “It's the middle of February!” I untwisted the mess of fabric and held it out away from me. It was a dark blue two-piece bathing suit, very simple and elegant, but that was besides the point. I glanced towards Edward who was standing beside the car holding what looked like swimming trunks, smiling back at me.

    “Have you lost your mind!?” I yelled at him again.

    “Bella, trust me” He said, opening the car door. “You can change in the car, I won't look, promise.” He chuckled. Here I was, standing out in the middle of the woods in February, appropriately dressed for the weather, and he wanted me to wear a bathing suit!. He nodded his head towards the car. I huffed and walked towards him.

    “If I get hypothermia I'm blaming you” I warned him as I climbed into the car, closing the door behind me. I sat there grumbling as I slowly undressed and changed into the two piece, feeling goosebumps slowly creeping up my arms. I opened the car door to find Edward fully dressed. “Edward?” I said confused. “Please tell me you have a good reason as to why your still dressed and I'm sitting here in a bathing suit.” I crossed my arms, feeling suddenly self-conscious of my exposed body. “Where are your shorts?” I asked, still sitting in the car.

    He burst out laughing, pointing to his waist. “Under my clothes.” He chuckled. “Bella, put your clothes on, over your bathing suit.”
    “Oh.” I said feeling embarrassed as I pulled my jeans back on. Once I was fully dressed I climbed back out of the car.

    “Ready to go?” He asked, holding a bag in one hand and reached out for me with his other.

    “No.” I said, taking his hand anyway. He led me through the woods, listening to the crunching of the snow under my feet as I took note of the beautiful snow covered trees. We came to a clearing when I finally saw what I had heard earlier. Water, surrounded by giant rocks with a small overhead waterfall. Steam swirling around on top of the water. It was absolutely beautiful. I had never seen anything like it.

    “Edward?” I said, confused, stopping.

    “It's called a hot spring” He answered. “The water is warm.” He said as he let go of my hand, pulling his sweater over his head. “You coming?” He asked, pulling his boots and jeans off. I just stood there, watching g him undress. I've never seen him so exposed. He stepped into the water, causing the steam to swirl around him. He was beautiful. He waded through the water, stopping when he got to the middle and turned to face me. “Bella?” He said. The sun came through the trees, shining on Edward, “My Edward” I thought, smiling to myself. He stood there, arms stretched out to me. At this point I could care less if I got frost bite and had to have some toes removed. I quickly fumbled with the sweater over my head, and removed my jeans, forgetting about my boots I stumbled over them laughing. I was now standing there in the blue bathing suit. I glanced back to up Edward, in the middle of the hot spring, mouth opened. Feeling self-conscious I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the cool wind as it closed around me.    

    “Um” I mumbled, bringing Edward back to me. He closed his mouth into a big smile, arms still stretched out to me. I slowly walked close to the edge and dipped my right foot in, surprised, even though he already told me it was warm, that it was in fact warm. I gradually brought myself down, lowering myself in the warm water, causing the bathing suit to cling around my body. The steam wrapped around my face immediately, causing my face to turn red. The warm water relaxing my tense muscles.

    “There we go.” He said, reaching out for me. I took his hands in mine and pulled myself through the water towards him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding my body against him, and for once his body was almost the same temperature as mine. I reached around rubbing my hands up his warm back. “Bella.” He whispered, moving his hands around the back of my neck, bringing my face up to his, kissing my shoulders, my neck, and then finally with an intense amount of passion he moved to my lips. My hands found their way up to this hair, twisting as I pulled myself up higher, my feet losing the ground beneath me as I kissed him back. He finally pulled me away as I gasped for air. “mm” I whined pulling his face back to mine, he moved his lips along my neck, kissing as he went while I tried to catch my breath. He reached up and grabbed my hands from his hair. “No” I whimpered, unable to say more, as I felt myself slowly drift back down, feeling the rocks under my feet again.

    “We have all weekend.” He said smiling down at me as he brought my hands to his face, covering them in kisses.

    “Right” I mumbled. He pulled me farther into the water as he sat down on a rock, pulling me into his lap. I twisted around so that my back was against his. Finally enjoying the warmth that was rolling off him. I closed my eyes, sighing, as I stretched my legs out, making my toes poke out of the water through the steam. I felt Edwards warm hand reach out rub my leg, from the knee down my thigh, leaving a cool shock trailing behind.

    “What happened to 'we have all weekend'”. I asked trying not to laugh, and he immediately pulled his hand back, making me wish I never said anything. I twisted back around in his lap, bringing us face to face.

    “Do you like it here?” He asked, looking around.

    “MmmHmm.” I hummed, staring past him towards the waterfall. I swam out of his lap and made my way towards it, reaching out to touch the falling stream. I glanced back to see Edward still sitting, watching. I slowly walked under the water, letting it fall over my face, soaking my hair. I reached up and pushed the hair out of my face. It was my turn to persuade Edward. I turned around and reached my hand out towards him, silently pleading him to join me. He walked over and grabbed my hand as I pulled him under the water with me. I watched the water crash down on him, soaking his hair, his face, his body. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling us closer, under the water fall. He wrapped his arms around me, tucking my head under his chin.

    “I love you” He whispered, kissing the top of my head.

    “I love you” I said, squeezing him, ignoring the noise my stomach just made.

    “Hungry?” He asked laughing at me.

    “No..” I lied. I thought back to the last time I ate, which was yesterday afternoon, the cheese sticks. I was starving.

    "Liar." He laughed. "Come on then, we have all weekend.” He reminded me, pulling me out from the waterfall. “You wait here” He said as he climbed out of the water, going through his bag. He grabbed a towel and dried himself off and put his clothes back on. “Your turn” He said, grabbing the other towel, holding it out for me. I climbed out of the water, immediately feeling the chill as I rushed into his arms. He wrapped the towel tightly around me, rubbing my arms, legs, and stomach trying to dry me off. He grabbed my clothes in one hand and picked me up.

    “You're going the wrong way” I said, noticing as he entered the woods in a different direction then when we came. “The car is the other way.”

    “We're not going back to the car. Remember when I said we're almost there.” I nodded. “And when I said we weren't going to take a plane, or a boat, or a train?” I nodded again. “Well, the rest is all on foot.” He said as took off in a run, holding me close against him, wrapped in my towel, we raced uphill.