“Er 。 。 。 thanks；” Mike mumbled when he recovered。 “But I have to get to work。 Maybe some other time。”
“Absolutely。”
“See ya。” Mike climbed into his car； shaking his head in disbelief。
Edward’s Volvo； with Alice already inside； was just two cars away。
“What was that about？” I muttered as Edward held the passenger door for me。
“Just being helpful；” Edward answered。
And then Alice； waiting in the backseat； was babbling at top speed。
“You’re really not that good a mechanic； Edward。 Maybe you should have Rosalie take a look at it
tonight； just so you look good if Mike decides to let you help； you know。 Not that it wouldn’t be fun to watch
his face if Rosalie showed up to help。 But since Rosalie is supposed to be across the country attending
college； I guess that’s not the best idea。 Too bad。 Though I suppose； for Mike’s car； you’ll do。 It’s only within
the finer tunings of a good Italian sports car that you’re out of your depth。 And speaking of Italy and sports
cars that I stole there； you still owe me a yellow Porsche。 I don’t know that I want to wait for Christmas。 。 。 。”
I stopped listening after a minute； letting her quick voice bee just a hum in the background as I settled
into my patient mode。
It looked to me like Edward was trying to avoid my questions。 Fine。 He would have to be alone with me
soon enough。 It was only a matter of time。
Edward seemed to realize that； too。 He dropped Alice at the mouth of the Cullens’ drive as usual； though
by this point I half expected him to drive her to the door and walk her in。
As she got out； Alice threw a sharp look at his face。 Edward seemed pletely at ease。
“See you later；” he said。 And then； ever so slightly； he nodded。
Alice turned to disappear into the trees。
He was quiet as he turned the car around and headed back to Forks。 I waited； wondering if he would
bring it up himself。 He didn’t； and this made me tense。 What had Alice seen today at lunch？ Something he
didn’t want to tell me； and I tried to think of a reason why he would keep secrets。 Maybe it would be better to
prepare myself before I asked。 I didn’t want to freak out and have him think I couldn’t handle it； whatever it
was。
So we were both silent until we got to back to Charlie’s house。
“Light homework load tonight；” he mented。
“Mmm；” I assented。
“Do you suppose I’m allowed inside again？”
“Charlie didn’t throw a fit when you picked me up for school。”
But I was sure Charlie was going to turn sulky fast when he got home and found Edward here。 Maybe I
should make something extraspecial for dinner。
Inside； I headed up the stairs； and Edward followed。 He lounged on my bed and gazed out the window；
seeming oblivious to my edginess。
I stowed my bag and turned the puter on。 There was an unanswered email from my mom to attend
to； and she got panicky when I took too long。 I drummed my fingers as I waited for my decrepit puter to
wheeze awake； they snapped against the desk； staccato and anxious。
And then his fingers were on mine； holding them still。
“Are we a little impatient today？” he murmured。
I looked up； intending to make a sarcastic remark； but his face was closer than I’d expected。 His golden
eyes were smoldering； just inches away； and his breath was cool against my open lips。 I could taste his scent
on my tongue。
I couldn’t remember the witty response I’d been about to make。 I couldn’t remember my name。
He didn’t give me a chance to recover。
If I had my way； I would spend the majority of my time kissing Edward。 There wasn’t anything I’d
experienced in my life that pared to the feeling of his cool lips； marble hard but always so gentle； moving
with mine。
I didn’t often get my way。
So it surprised me a little when his fingers braided themselves into my hair； securing my face to his。 My
arms locked behind his neck； and I wished I was stronger — strong enough to keep him prisoner here。 One
hand slid down my back； pressing me tighter against his stone chest。 Even through his sweater； his skin was
cold enough to make me shiver — it was a shiver of pleasure； of happiness； but his hands began to loosen in
response。
I knew I had about three seconds before he would sigh and slide me deftly away； saying something about
how we’d risked my life enough for one afternoon。 Making the most of my last seconds； I crushed myself
closer； molding myself to the shape of him。 The tip of my tongue traced the curve of his lower lip； it was as
flawlessly smooth as if it had been polished； and the taste —
He pulled my face away from his； breaking my hold with ease — he probably didn’t even realize that I
was using all my strength。
He chuckled once； a low； throaty sound。 His eyes were bright with the excitement he so rigidly disciplined。
“Ah； Bella。” He sighed。
“I’d say I’m sorry； but I’m not。”
“And I should feel sorry that you’re not sorry； but I don’t。 Maybe I should go sit on the bed。”
I exhaled a little dizzily。 “If you think that’s necessary。 。 。 。”
He smiled crookedly and disentangled himself。
I shook my head a few times； trying to clear it； and turned back to my puter。 It was all warmed up
and humming now。 Well； not as much humming as groaning。
“Tell Renée I said hello。”
“Sure thing。”
I scanned through Renée’s email； shaking my head now and then at some of the dippier things she’d
done。 I was just as entertained and horrified as the first time I’d read this。 It was so like my mother to forget
exactly how paralyzed she was by heights until she was already strapped to a parachute and a dive instructor。
I felt a little frustrated with Phil； her husband of almost two years； for allowing that one。 I would have taken
better care of her。 I knew her so much better。
You have to let them go their own way eventually； I reminded myself。 You have to let them have their own
life。 。 。 。
I’d spent most of my life taking care of Renée； patiently guiding her away from her craziest plans； good
naturedly enduring the ones I couldn’t talk her out of。 I’d always been indulgent with my mom； amused by her；
even a little condescending to her。 I saw her cornucopia of mistakes and laughed privately to myself。
Scatterbrained Renée。
I was a very different person from my mother。 Someone thoughtful and cautious。 The responsible one； the
grownup。 That’s how I saw myself。 That was the person I knew。
With the blood still pounding inmy head from Edward’s kiss； I couldn’t help but think of my mother’s
most lifealtering mistake。 Silly and romantic； getting married fresh out of high school to a man she barely
knew； then producing me a year later。 She’d always promised me that she had no regrets； that I was the best
gift her life had ever given her。 And yet she’d drilled it into me over and over — smart people took marriage
seriously。 Mature people went to college and started careers before they got deeply involved in a relationship。
She knew I would never be as thoughtless and goofy and smalltown as she’d been。 。 。 。
I gritted my teeth and tried to concentrate as I answered her letter。
Then I hit her parting line and remembered why I’d neglected to write sooner。
You haven’t said anything about Jacob in a long time； she’d written。 What’s he up to these days？
Charlie was prompting her； I was sure。
I sighed and typed quickly； tucking the answer to her question between two less sensitive paragraphs。
Jacob is fine； I guess。 I don’t see him much； he spends most of his time with a pack of his friends
down at La Push these days。
Smiling wryly to myself； I added Edward’s greeting and hit “send。”
I didn’t realize that Edward was standing silently behind me again until after I’d turned off the puter
and shoved away from the desk。 I was about to scold him for reading over my shoulder when I realized that
he wasn’t paying any attention to me。 He was examining a flat black box with wires curling crookedly away
from the main square in a way that didn’t look healthy for whatever it was。 After a second； I recognized the
car stereo Emmett； Rosalie； and Jasper had given me for my last birthday。 I’d forgotten about the birthday
presents hiding under a growing pile of dust on the floor of my closet。
“What did you do to this？” he asked in a horrorstruck voice。
“It didn’t want to e out of the dashboard。”
“So you felt the need to torture it？”
“You know how I am with tools。 No pain was inflicted intentionally。”
He shook his head； his face a mask of faux tragedy。 “You killed it。”
I shrugged。 “Oh； well。”
“It would hurt their feelings if they saw this；” he said。 “I guess it’s a good thing that you’ve been on house
arrest。 I’ll have to get another one in place before they notice。”
“Thanks； but I don’t need a fancy stereo。”
“It’s not for your sake that I’m going to replace it。”
I sighed。
“You didn’t get much good out of your birthday presents last year；” he said in a disgruntled voice。
Suddenly； he was fanning himself with a stiff rectangle of paper。
I didn’t answer； for fear my voice would shake。 My disas