Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Twilight; I'm just enjoying their company for a while, playing dress-up with Alice, working on their cars with Rosalie, and wrestling with all the guys.

A/N - I know it's short. Sorry. My son is struggling in school and I'm having to spend a lot of time tutoring him so he's not held back this year. Mommying takes a priority. I'll update this more tonight though - I hope!

Chapter 16

Just because Rose had thoroughly teased us didn't mean we were safe from the rest of the family. Emmett and Jasper were up to something and I wasn't about to stick around and wait for it. "Can we take a ride in the car Edward? I want to try it out."

Edward grinned, he loved that I had accepted his overly expensive gift so easily but how could I not? I loved this car, it was beautiful and far different from anything else the family drove. It set me apart.

The car purred in a way that only classic cars do. It was almost a rumble and it thrilled me. I had no particular place I wanted to go, I just wanted to cruise down the road and this car was definitely the perfect car to do that in. I was in heaven driving down the freeway towards Port Angeles.

The freeway between Forks and Port Angeles is not your traditional freeway. Instead the pavement winds through the Olympic mountain range through heavy tree growth and next to crystal clear lakes. It is a beautiful drive. Edward took my hand and we drove in silence, just enjoying one another's presence. Even if my car could go at vampire pleasing speeds, I didn't want to rush this day or this experience and I took it slow.

"What do you want to do today my dear?" Edward's voice just lent itself perfectly to the beauty of the day and I sighed as it washed over me.

"Let's go somewhere we can be alone."

"The meadow?"
"As much as I love the meadow I was thinking about somewhere closer to Port Angeles. We have to pick-up my mom at seven and I don't want to have to rush."

Edward nodded and smiled. "I know exactly the place. You'll love it."

The silence once again enveloped us, only broken by Edward's occasional directions off the freeway and around a curving road. We finally turned down a little rocky lane and pulled to a stop in front of a quaint yellow cottage. I turned to look at Edward with a raised eyebrow.

"This is Carslile and Esme's little retreat. They'll come here for a weekend just to relax and be together. Each of us has a key in case we ever need a place to go in order to get away. Wait til you see what's behind the cottage."

Helping me out of the car, Edward pulled me along him excited to show me the backyard. As we rounded the corner I was struck silent by the beauty of the view. Lake Crescent sparkled in the sun that was just now peeking through the lake. The glare was almost blinding, it reminded me of what Edward looked like the first day in the meadow. Esme had planted beautiful flowers all over the yard and a cobblestone path led down to the dock where a motorboat and a couple rowboats were tied off.

Edward swooped me up in his arms and carried me down the path to the dock. Looking at him quizzically he smiled, "I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself, Alice would kill me if you were in anyway marred for the wedding. Now, let's go."

Edward set me gently in the largest of the rowboats and untied it from the dock. He stepped in, rocking the boat gently and sat down. Grabbing the oars, Edward started moving us further out into the lake. I looked around me, taking in the beautiful view. Lake Crescent is nestled right in the middle of the Olympic Mountains and even during the heat of the summer its cool. The colors of the world seemed even brighter here – the greens and blue were even cooler and the rich browns were warmer. It was simply the most beautiful place on earth.

Once Edward had us fifty or so feet out into the water he secured the oars on the side of the boat and pulled me into his lap. "Do you like it out here?"
I nodded smiling. "It's the most wonderful place I've ever been. I love it."

Reaching behind him, Edward opened a little wooden box and pulled out a couple blankets. He spread the blankets out as good as he could on the bottom of the boat and grabbed a couple small pillows from the box. We layed down in the bottom of the boat and looked up at the semi-cloudy sky.

I closed my eyes and let the cool breeze just brush over me. Edward's fingers wrote invisible words on my stomach, not quite tickling me. My face settled into a relaxed and content smile and I just let time slip by as I snuggled next to the man I would marry.

The sun broke through the clouds and the light made my eyelids glow red. I opened my eyes and looked at Edward. He sparkled in the light, his eyes closed and his face turned to the sun. I slowly raised my hand and began to unbutton his shirt. I wanted to see him the way I saw him that first day.

His chest exposed to the sky I began to kiss each and every inch of his chest. Edward's fingers traced my back and rubbed my neck. I nibbled lightly on his right nipple and his eyes shot open as he moaned. "God Bella, I can't wait to be your husband."

I kissed him gently and pulled away. We both desperately wanted to make love but I wanted this moment to be romantic and not lust filled. I settled my head back on his chest and traced the lines of his muscles some more.

"Bella, I love you."

"I love you to Edward."

Edward and I spent the next couple hours just laying in the bottom of the boat floating in the middle of the lake. Edward would occassionally kiss me, his hand roaming under my shirt, brushing my stomach. I would run my fingers through his hair and over his body. Neither of us had a desire to leave until my stomach begn to growl noisily.

With a sigh Edward sat up and rowed us back to the dock. We had drifted quite a ways but with his strength and speed we reached the dock in no time. We climbed into the car and drove the rest of the way to Port Angeles. I grabbed some quick dinner from a fast food place, much to Edward's horror, and then we drove to the airport to wait for my mom and Phil. The rehearsal dinner was tonight and I was nervous about having all the Cullen family along with my mom and dad and Phil together in the same room. Especially with Emmett, Jasper, and who knows who else involved in a plot to embarrass me.

Tonight would be interesting.