e
garage。
“I’ll tell you what’s dangerous；” I said quickly； before he could move to a new topic of discussion。 “I’m
going to spontaneously bust one of these days — and you’ll have no one but yourself to blame。”
He started to push me away。
“What are you doing？” I objected； clinging to him。
“Protecting you from bustion。 If this too much for you。 。 。 。”
“I can handle it；” I insisted。
He let me worm myself back into the circle of his arms。
“I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression；” he said。 “I didn’t mean to make you unhappy。 That wasn’t
nice。”
“Actually； it was very； very nice。”
He took a deep breath。 “Aren’t you tired？ I should let you sleep。”
“No； I’m not。 I don’t mind if you want to give me the wrong impression again。”
“That’s probably a bad idea。 You’re not the only one who gets carried away。”
“Yes； I am；” I grumbled。
He chuckled。 “You have no idea； Bella。 It doesn’t help that you are so eager to undermine my self
control； either。”
“I’m not going to apologize for that。”
“Can I apologize？”
“For what？”
“You were angry with me； remember？”
“Oh； that。”
“I’m sorry。 I was wrong。 It’s much easier to have the proper perspective when I have you safely here。”
His arms tightened around me。 “I go a little berserk when I try to leave you。 I don’t think I’ll go so far again。
It’s not worth it。”
I smiled。 “Didn’t you find any mountain lions？”
“Yes； I did； actually。 Still not worth the anxiety。 I’m sorry I had Alice hold you hostage； though。 That was
a bad idea。”
“Yes；” I agreed。
“I won’t do it again。”
“Okay；” I said easily。 He was already forgiven。 “But slumber parties do have their advantages。 。 。 。” I
curled myself closer to him； pressing my lips into the indentation over his collarbone。 “You can hold me
hostage any time you want。”
“Mmm；” he sighed。 “I may take you up on that。”
“So is it my turn now？”
“Your turn？” his voice was confused。
“To apologize。”
“What do you have to apologize for？”
“Aren’t you mad at me？” I asked blankly。
“No。”
It sounded like he really meant it。
I felt my eyebrows pull together。 “Didn’t you see Alice when you got home？”
“Yes — why？”
“Are you going to take her Porsche back？”
“Of course not。 It was a gift。”
I wished I could see his expression。 His voice sounded as if I’d insulted him。
“Don’t you want to know what I did？” I asked； starting to be puzzled by his apparent lack of concern。
I felt him shrug。 “I’m always interested in everything you do — but you don’t have to tell me unless you
want to。”
“But I went to La Push。”
“I know。”
“And I ditched school。”
“So did I。”
I stared toward the sound of his voice； tracing his features with my fingers； trying to understand his mood。
“Where did all this tolerance e from？” I demanded。
He sighed。
“I decided that you were right。 My problem before was more about my 。 。 。 prejudice against werewolves
than anything else。 I’m going to try to be more reasonable and trust your judgment。 If you say it’s safe； then I’ll
believe you。”
“Wow。”
“And 。 。 。 most importantly 。 。 。 I’m not willing to let this drive a wedge between us。”
I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes； totally content。
“So；” he murmured in a casual tone。 “Did you make plans to go back to La Push again soon？”
I didn’t answer。 His question brought back the memory of Jacob’s words； and my throat was suddenly
tight。
He misread my silence and the tension in my body。
“Just so that I can make my own plans；” he explained quickly。 “I don’t want you to feel like you have to
hurry back because I’m sitting around waiting for you。”
“No；” I said in a voice that sounded strange to me。 “I don’t have plans go back。”
“Oh。 You don’t have to do that for me。”
“I don’t think I’m wele anymore；” I whispered。
“Did you run over someone’s cat？” he asked lightly。 I knew he didn’t want to force the story out of me；
but I could hear the curiosity burning behind his words。
“No。” I took a deep breath； and then mumbled quickly through the explanation。 “I thought Jacob would
have realized 。 。 。 I didn’t think it would surprise him。”
Edward waited while I hesitated。
“He wasn’t expecting 。 。 。 that it was so soon。”
“Ah；” Edward said quietly。
“He said he’d rather see me dead。” My voice broke on the last word。
Edward was too still for a moment； controlling whatever reaction he didn’t want me to see。
Then he crushed me gently to his chest。 “I’m so sorry。”
“I thought you’d be glad；” I whispered。
“Glad over something that’s hurt you？” he murmured into my hair。 “I don’t think so； Bella。”
I sighed and relaxed； fitting myself to the stone shape of him。 But he was motionless again； tense。
“What’s wrong？” I asked。
“It’s nothing。”
“You can tell me。”
He paused for a minute。 “It might make you angry。”
“I still want to know。”
He sighed。 “I could quite literally kill him for saying that to you。 I want to。”
I laughed halfheartedly。 “I guess it’s a good thing you’ve got so much selfcontrol。”
“I could slip。” His tone was thoughtful。
“If you’re going to have a lapse in control； I can think of a better place for it。” I reached for his face； trying
to pull myself up to kiss him。 His arms held me tighter； restraining。
He sighed。 “Must I always be the responsible one？”
I grinned in the darkness。 “No。 Let me be in charge of responsibility for a few minutes 。 。 。 or hours。”
“Goodnight； Bella。”
“Wait — there was something else I wanted to ask you about。”
“What’s that？”
“I was talking to Rosalie last night。 。 。 。”
His body tensed again。 “Yes。 She was thinking about that when I got in。 She gave you quite a lot to
consider； didn’t she？”
His voice was anxious； and I realized that he thought I wanted to talk about the reasons Rosalie’d given
me for staying human。 But I was interested in something much more pressing。
“She told me a little bit 。 。 。 about the time your family lived in Denali。”
There was a short pause； this beginning took him by surprise。 “Yes？”
“She mentioned something about a bunch of female vampires 。 。 。 and you。”
He didn’t answer； though I waited for a long moment。
“Don’t worry；” I said； after the silence had grown unfortable。 “She told me you didn’t 。 。 。 show any
preference。 But I was just wondering； you know； if any of them had。 Shown a preference for you； I mean。”
Again he said nothing。
“Which one？” I asked； trying to keep my voice casual； and not quite managing。 “Or was there more than
one？”
No answer。 I wished I could see his face； so I could try to guess what this silence meant。
“Alice will tell me；” I said。 “I’ll go ask her right now。”
His arms tightened； I was unable to squirm even an inch away。
“It’s late；” he said。 His voice had a little edge to it that was something new。 Sort of nervous； maybe a little
embarrassed。 “Besides； I think Alice stepped out。 。 。 。”
“It’s bad；” I guessed。 “It’s really bad； isn’t it？” I started to panic； my heart accelerating as I imagined the
gorgeous immortal rival I’d never realized I had。
“Calm down； Bella；” he said； kissing the tip of my nose。 “You’re being absurd。”
“Am I？ Then why won’t you tell me？”
“Because there’s nothing to tell。 You’re blowing this wildly out of proportion。”
“Which one？” I insisted。
He sighed。 “Tanya expressed a little interest。 I let her know； in a very courteous； gentlemanly fashion； that
I did not return that interest。 End of story。”
I kept my voice as even as possible。 “Tell me something — what does Tanya look like？”
“Just like the rest of us — white skin； gold eyes；” he answered too quickly。
“And； of course； extraordinarily beautiful。”
I felt him shrug。
“I suppose； to human eyes；” he said； indifferent。 “You know what； though？”
“What？” My voice was petulant。
He put his lips right to my ear； his cold breath tickled。 “I prefer brutes。”
“She’s a blonde。 That figures。”
“Strawberry blonde — not at all my type。”
I thought about that for a while； trying to concentrate as his lips moved slowly along my cheek； down my
throat； and back up again。 He made the circuit three times before I spoke。
“I guess that’s okay； then；” I decided。
“Hmm；” he whispered against my skin。 “You’re quite adorable when you’re jealous。 It’s surprisingly
enjoyable。”
I scowled into the darkness。
“It’s late；” he said again； murmuring； almost crooning now； his voice smoother than silk。 “Sleep； my Bella。
Dream happy dreams。 You are the only one who has ever touched my heart。 It will always be yours。 Sleep；
my only love。”
He started to hum my lullaby； and I knew it was only a matter of time till I succumbed； so I closed my
eyes and snuggled closer into his chest。
9。 TARGET
ALICE DROPPED ME OFF IN THE MORNING； IN KEEPING with the slumber party charade。 It wouldn’t be long
until Edward showed up； officially returning from his “hikin