• He took my hand in his. I wore the dress Alice had given me, cream with long sleeves and lace. It fitted well around the top and then hung from the waist down. In a way it resembled the most important things to me. It looked similar to Renee’s first wedding dress with Charlie – an impulse wedding, similar to this - and Alice made the dress sing Edward in ways no one would have thought. I sat in the long grass in the meadow. Because it wasn’t a beautifully warm day it was made to suit forks weather. It was overcast, the perfect situation for photos, but I knew there wouldn’t be any.



    Edward wore a black tux and tie. It wasn’t the same as he had worn before because it had also been made especially. His hair was its usual shape and his smiled widened every time he caught my eye.



    He stared into my eyes and held them to lengthen the moment, his melting in response. He took my other hand and pulled me closer. I had no idea what I was going to say, I decided to go along with it, and my heart ran a million miles an hour.



    We exchanged vowels printed from the internet Emmet had provided us. The whole family had a role they helped with. Jasper had set the mood before we left and my first glimpse of Edward wasn’t until Alice had set me down at the edge of the meadow. I walked out into the light and he stood opposite me, taking my breath away. He pulled me towards him and kissed me, the best welcome gesture I could ever think of. Meeting him after a long absence his presence was enough.



    He continued with his own vowels. “Bella, to say I love you is not enough. To try to condense the depth of my feelings into a few words is impossible. It doesn't tell of the respect I have for you as an individual, nor how I appreciate how tender and caring you are, nor the joy I find in your laughter, nor the tears I hold back for your pain, nor the strength you give when I need it, nor the pleasure I feel in your touch. But if to say I love you means all these things then let me say I love you more each day.”



    I melted. His words summed up much more than I could produce. It was perfect.



    It was the right thing to do to wait till this moment to decide what I had to say. Once he had said his vow, I knew exactly.



    “Edward I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give. I promise to respect you as your own person, and to realise that your interests, desires and needs are no less important than my own. I promise to share with you my time and attention, and to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship. I promise to keep myself open to you. I promise to grow along with you - to be willing to face changes as we both change in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how completely and forever.”



    He pulled from his pocket two casket holders. He opened the first.



    I was dreading this moment since he had proposed. But when he opened the tiny box I was more surprised at myself. It was beautiful and very much a hand – me – down. Edward knew that I didn’t want him to spend any money on me so I let him buy his ring instead. I never thought I would be happy to wear this ring forever cemented to my finger.



    “In token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love, I give you this ring.” He says as he glides the ring from halfway, down to the end of my finger. It gleamed like his skin in the sunlight even when there was no sun. It twisted around my finger in ancient gold and three opal stones lay in the centre.



    “May this ring forever be to you the symbol of my growing love,” I vow and do the same with his ring, a beautiful old fashioned signet ring that looked only half as good when it sat on his finger. It couldn’t compare to him.



    I pull myself into the fullest kiss I could ever have wanted from Edward. He didn’t hold back and neither did I. There wasn’t anything to worry about, that there was someone watching. He continued kissing me as he dragged me into the long grass and lay lightly on top of me. He pulled away, which would normally be for me to catch my breath or so that he didn’t take things too far but this time, he was out of breath.



    He entwined our fingers so they locked perfectly together. We didn’t need to speak; we just stared at each other, knowing there was nothing more to say that would make this moment more perfect.



    I knew what I wanted now that we were married. He knew what I wanted too. I knew there was no better time but I understood that he was caught up in the moment to think of doing anything else. I couldn’t think of anything but, and it was hard to look at him without lusting.



    “What?” he complains when I stare back into his eyes.



    “I love you.”



    “I love you, too.”



    “What are you thinking about?”



    “You.”



    I threw myself into another kiss but there was no more energy. I knew the thought was dying even though we both wanted it. He sighed. I could feel how much he wanted me, it was radiating from him. He proved that when he started to roll the shoulders off my dress.



    I stopped him quickly, confused and still not sure.



    “I want you.”



    “I know…”



    “What are you waiting for? This is what you want.”



    “I thought it was but it doesn’t feel right.”



    “What could be more perfect?”



    “We just got married; jumping into it after one of the most horrible commitments is a bit fast.”



    That put him off and he looked upset. “You think becoming my wife was the most horrible commitment?”



    “You already have me. That is the only commitment.”



    He knew how much I detested the thought of a wedding so he understood. He didn’t know that I was actually enjoying it. The sun peaked over a low cloud and smiled off the marble skin on Edwards face. The sight blinded me so I shut my eyes. I felt an unexpected light pressure on my eyelids, his lips – as hard as they should have been – lightly curved to fit the shape of my skin.



    He moved from my eyes to my cheekbones as my eyes were still shut. I didn’t dare open them in fear that he might stop. He made my skin soften at his touch. His hands re-curled around mine and placed them next to my head.



    “What would you want from me to make this more special?”



    I hesitated, very aware that he was trying to make me give in. I could feel it working. Without opening my eyes I responded, “You know how, you even asked me for time to make this special. Everything romantic, just anything, I don’t mind what it is, whatever makes you happy.”



    He could tell I was trying everything to have this another time but he was confused. He liked the offer I had made so he slid off me. I opened my eyes and then reached for his hand.



    “Please don’t stop, I don’t mind this.” I protest.



    “I know. I want to save this. Wait until I get back…”



    “Where are you going?”



    “The weather is going to clear up so I want to take the opportunity to hunt.”



    I didn’t like the idea. “I thought I would always be with you now that school is over.” Now we were married I hated to be separated from him. Now that he was leaving I didn’t want to wait.



    “I thought so too. But there’s a surprise I want to give you when I get back. It’s necessary to leave.”



    “I don’t want any surprises.”



    “You promised.”



    “Alright. You are lucky with this though. There isn’t anything else I would let you get away with.”



    The defensiveness was starting to wear off over the months. I could feel it slipping and he hadn’t realised. I wanted to explain everything but there just wasn’t enough time.



    A light drizzle started to spray and Edward picked me up just as it hit my hair.



    He pressed his face into the side at my ear, “You smell so nice in the rain.”



    And we started to run. Edward carried me in a newlywed gesture, holding me in front of himself with my arms around his neck. We arrived at his place after a minute and slowed when we reached the steps.



    “Would you like me to carry you inside?”



    It didn’t seem likely he would take no for an answer but I ignored that. “Please put me down, I am capable of walking.”



    My feet landed lightly on the firm ground and I began to walk inside when Edward grabbed my waist from behind. I turned to face him and he was closer than I had expected. He planted a long exhausting kiss on my lips. I didn’t expect the surprises to end.



    I could feel the cool touch of his lips on mine and his hands on my lower back. I knew that the rest of them could hear our arrival. I inhaled his heavenly scent, intoxicated by it.



    He pulled away and held my hand, fingers entwined.



    “Are you going to keep delaying this?”



    “Are you impatient? I’m enjoying what I have. Aren’t you?”



    I said slowly, “You don’t know how much.”



    He pushed the door open and pulled me through. I was happy to be dragged along all day for him. No one was in the main room as I had thought there would have been. There were no congratulations or bear hug from Emmet, now my brother as well.



    “They’re out hunting.” He said, reading my thoughts.



    “Already?”



    “Alice and jasper are coming back.”



    I knew that I would have to escape jaspers presence to mourn over Edward. I would never admit that to him because he would never leave.



    “They thought we might need some time alone.” He continued.



    “That’s not necessary…”



    “It was thoughtful of them; their reasons weren’t for my intentions.”



    “I agree. I can never get enough time with you”



    This time I pulled him towards the piano, he followed willingly. He played a new song I had inspired. He called it his sweetheart.



    He walked at my pace as we made our way up the stairs, looking back on the memories I’d had here. We were about to step into his room when he said, “would you trust me if I asked you not to object?”



    I didn’t get time to answer as he swept me up, knocking the breath from me, walked me through the doorway then laid me on the bed.



    “No.” I finally managed, he laughed. He lay next to me and I admired the ring on my left finger.



    “I’m never going to get used to this.” I admitted.



    “What to?”



    “You.”



    He chuckled. “Is that a good thing?”



    “You will never cease to dazzle me.”



    “Yes.” he added sarcastically, “That is a very bad thing.”