〃I　spoke　to　my　brothers；　too。　They　told　me　it　was　a　very　great　pleasure。　Second　only　to　drinking　human
  blood。〃　A　line　creased　his　brow。　〃But　I've　tasted　your　blood；　and　there　could　be　no　blood　more　potent
  than　that。。。　I　don't　think　they　were　wrong；　really。　Just　that　it　was　different　for　us。　Something　more。〃
  〃It　was　more。　It　was　everything。〃
  〃That　doesn't　change　the　fact　that　it　was　wrong。　Even　if　it　were　possible　that　you　really　did　feel　that　way。〃
  〃What　does　that　mean？　Do　you　think　I'm　making　this　up？　Why？〃
  〃To　ease　my　guilt。　I　can't　ignore　the　evidence；　Bella。　Or　your　history　of　trying　to　let　me　off　the　hook
  when　I　make　mistakes。〃
  I　grabbed　his　chin　and　leaned　forward　so　that　our　faces　were　inches　apart。　〃You　listen　to　me；　Edward
  Cullen。　I　am　not　pretending　anything　for　your　sake；　okay？　I　didn't　even　know　there　was　a　reason　to　make
  you　feel　better　until　you　started　being　all　miserable。　I've　never　been　so　happy　in　all　my　life—I　wasn't　this
  happy　when　you　decided　that
  you　loved　me　more　than　you　wanted　to　kill　me；　or　the　first　morning　I　woke　up　and　you　were　there
  waiting　for　me。。。。　Not　when　I　heard　your　voice　in　the　ballet　studio〃—he　flinched　at　the　old　memory　of　my
  close　call　with　a　hunting　vampire；　but　I　didn't　pause—〃or　when　you　said　i　do'　and　I　realized　that；
  somehow；　I　get　to　keep　you　forever。　Those　are　the　happiest　memories　I　have；　and　this　is　better　than　any
  of　it。　So　just　deal　with　it。〃
  He　touched　the　frown　line　between　my　eyebrows。　Tm　making　you　unhappy　now。　I　don't　want　to　do
  that。〃
  〃Then　don't　you　be　unhappy。　That's　the　only　thing　that's　wrong　here。〃
  His　eyes　tightened；　then　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　nodded。　〃You're　right。　The　past　is　past　and　I　can't
  do　anything　to　change　it。　There's　no　sense　in　letting　my　mood　sour　this　time　for　you。　HI　do　whatever　I　can
  to　make　you　happy　now。〃
  I　examined　his　face　suspiciously；　and　he　gave　me　a　serene　smile。
  〃Whatever　makes　me　happy？〃
  My　stomach　growled　at　the　same　time　that　I　asked。
  〃You're　hungry；〃　he　said　quickly。　He　was　swiftly　out　of　the　bed；　stirring　up　a　cloud　of　feathers。　Which
  reminded　me。
  Page　57
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  〃So；　why　exactly　did　you　decide　to　ruin　Esme's　pillows？〃　I　asked；　sitting　up　and　shaking　more　down
  from　my　hair。
  He　had　already　pulled　on　a　pair　of　loose　khaki　pants；　and　he　stood　by　the　door；　rumpling　his　hair；
  dislodging　a　few　feathers　of　his　own。
  〃I　don't　know　if　I　decided　to　do　anything　last　night；〃　he　muttered。　〃We're　just　lucky　it　was　the　pillows
  and　not　you。〃　He　inhaled　deeply　and　then　shook　his　head；　as　if　shaking　off　the　dark　thought。　A　very
  authentic…looking　smile　spread　across　his　face；　but　I　guessed　it　took　a　lot　of　work　to　put　it　there。
  I　slid　carefully　off　the　high　bed　and　stretched　again；　more　aware；　now；　of　the　aches　and　sore　spots。　I
  heard　him　gasp。　He　turned　away　from　me；　and　his　hands　balled　up；　knuckles　white。
  〃Do　I　look　that　hideous？〃　I　asked；　working　to　keep　my　tone　light。　His　breath　caught；　but　he　didn't　turn；
  probably　to　hide　his　expression　from　me。　I　walked　to　the　bathroom　to　check　for　myself。
  I　stared　at　my　naked　body　in　the　full…length　mirror　behind　the　door。
  I'd　definitely　had　worse。　There　was　a　faint　shadow　across　one　of　my　cheekbones；　and　my　lips　were　a
  little　swollen；　but　other　than　that；　my　face　was　fine。　The　rest　of　me　was　decorated　with　patches　of　blue
  and　purple。　I　concentrated　on　the　bruises　that　would　be　the　hardest　to　hide—my　arms　and　my　shoulders。
  They　weren't　so　bad。　My　skin　marked　up　easily。　By　the　time　a　bruise　showed　I'd　usually　forgotten　how
  I'd　come　by　it。　Of　course；　these　were　just　developing。　I'd　look　even　worse　tomorrow。　That　would　not
  make　things　any　easier。
  I　looked　at　my　hair；　then；　and　groaned。
  〃Bella？〃　He　was　right　there　behind　me　as　soon　as　I'd　made　a　sound。
  〃I'll　never　get　this　all　out　of　my　hair！〃　I　pointed　to　my　head；　where　it　looked　like　a　chicken　was　nesting。　I
  started　picking　at　the　feathers。
  〃You　would　be　worried　about　your　hair；〃　he　mumbled；　but　he　came　to　stand　behind　me；　pulling　out　the
  feathers
  much　more　quickly。
  〃How　did　you　keep　from　laughing　at　this？　I　look　ridiculous。〃
  He　didn't　answer；　he　just　kept　plucking。　And　I　knew　the　answer　anyway—there　was　nothing　that　would
  be　funny　to　him　in　this　mood。
  'This　isn't　going　to　work；〃　I　sighed　after　a　minute。　〃It's　all　dried　in。　I'm　going　to　have　to　try　to　wash　it　out。〃
  I　turned　around；　wrapping　my　arms　around　his　cool　waist。　〃Do　you　want　to　help　me？〃
  Td　better　find　some　food　for　you；〃　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　and　he　gently　unwound　my　arms。　I　sighed　as
  he　disappeared；　moving　too　fast。
  It　looked　like　my　honeymoon　was　over。　The　thought　put　a　big　lump　in　my　throat。
  Page　58
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  When　I　was　mostly　feather…free　and　dressed　in　an　unfamiliar　white　cotton　dress　that　concealed　the　worst
  of　the　violet　blotches；　I　padded　off　barefoot　to　where　the　smell　of　eggs　and　bacon　and　Cheddar　cheese
  was　coming　from。
  Edward　stood　in　front　of　the　stainless　steel　stove；　sliding　an　omelet　onto　the　light　blue　plate　waiting　on　the
  counter。　The　scent　of　the　food　overwhelmed　me。　I　felt　like　I　could　eat　the　plate　and　the　frying　pan；　too；
  my　stomach　snarled。
  〃Here；〃　he　said。　He　turned　with　a　smile　on　his　face　and　set　the　plate　on　a　small　tiled　table。
  I　sat　in　one　of　the　two　metal　chairs　and　started　snarfing　down　the　hot　eggs。　They　burned　my　throat；　but　I
  didn't　care。
  He　sat　down　across　from　me。　〃I'm　not　feeding　you　often　enough。〃
  I　swallowed　and　then　reminded　him；　〃I　was　asleep。　This　is　really　good；　by　the　way。　Impressive　for
  someone　who　doesn't　eat。〃
  〃Food　Network；〃　he　said；　flashing　my　favorite　crooked　smile。
  I　was　happy　to　see　it；　happy　that　he　seemed　more　like　his　normal　self。
  〃Where　did　the　eggs　come　from？〃
  〃I　asked　the　cleaning　crew　to　stock　the　kitchen。　A　first；　for　this　place。　I'll　have　to　ask　them　to　deal　with
  the　feathers。。。。　〃　He　trailed　off；　his　gaze　fixed　on　a　space　above　my　head。　I　didn't　respond；　trying　to　avoid
  saying　anything　that　would　upset　him　again。
  I　ate　everything；　though　he'd　made　enough　for　two。
  〃Thank　you；〃　I　told　him。　I　leaned　across　the　table　to　kiss　him。　He　kissed　me　back　automatically；　and　then
  suddenly　stiffened　and　leaned　away。
  I　gritted　my　teeth；　and　the　question　I　meant　to　ask　came　out　sounding　like　an　accusation。　〃You　aren't
  going　to　touch　me　again　while　we're　here；　are　you？〃
  He　hesitated；　then　half…smiled　and　raised　his　hand　to　stroke　my　cheek。　His　fingers　lingered　softly　on　my
  skin；　and　I　couldn't　help　leaning　my　face　into　his　palm。
  〃You　know　that's　not　what　I　meant。〃
  He　sighed　and　dropped　his　hand。　〃I　know。　And　you're　right。〃　He　paused；　lifting　his　chin　slightly。　And
  then　he　spoke　again　with　firm　conviction。　〃I　will　not　make　love　with　you　until　you've　been　changed。　I　will
  never　hurt　you　again。〃
  6。　DISTRACTIONS
  My　entertainment　became　the　number…one　priority　on　isle　Esme。　We　snorkeled　（well；　I　snorkeled　while
  he　flaunted　his　ability　to　go　without　oxygen　indefinitely）。　We　explored　the　small　jungle　that　ringed　the
  rocky　little　peak。　We　visited　the　parrots　that　lived　in　the　canopy　on　the　south　end　of　the　island。　We
  watched　the　sunset　from　the　rocky　western　cove。　We　swam　with　the　porpoises　that　played　in　the　warm；
  Page　59
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  shallow　waters　there。　Or　at　least　I　did；　when　Edward　was　in　the　water；　the　porpoises　disappeared　as　if　a
  shark　was　near。
  I　knew　what　was　going　on。　He　was　trying　to　keep　me　busy；　distracted；　so　I　that　wouldn't　continue
  badgering　him　about　the　sex　thing。　Whenever　I　tried　to　talk　him　into　taking　it　easy　with　one　of　the　million
  DVDs　under　the　big…screen　plasma　TV；　he　would　lure　me　out　of　the　house　with　magic　words　like　coral
  reefs　and　submerged　caves　and　sea　turtles。　We　were　going；　going；　going　all　day；　so　that　I　found　myself
  completely　famished　and　exhausted　when　the　sun　eventually　set。
  I　drooped　over　my　plate　after　I　finished　dinner　every　night；　once　I'd　actually　fallen　asleep　right　at　the
  table　and　he'd　had　to　carry　me　to　bed。　Part　of　it　was　that　Edward　always　made　too　much　food　for　one；
  but　I　was　so　hungry　after　swimming　and　climbing　all　day　that　I　ate　most　of　it。　Then；　full　and　worn　out；　I
  could　barely　keep　my　eyes　open。　All　part　of　the　plan；　no　doubt。
  Exhaustion　didn't　help　much　with　my　attempts　at　persuasion。　But　I　didn't　give　up。　I　tried　reasoning；
  pleading；　and　grouching；　all　to　no　avail。　I　was　usually　unconscious　before　I　could　really　press　my　case　far。
  And　then　my　dreams　felt　so　real—nightmares　mostly；　made　more　vivid；　I　guessed；　by　the　too…b