cold；　frantic　fingers；　but　others　followed。
  Page　63
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  〃It　was　only　a　dream。〃　I　couldn't　contain　the　low　sob　that　broke　in　my　voice。　The　senseless　tears　were
  disturbing；
  but　I　couldn't　get　control　of　the　staggering　grief　that　gripped　me。　I　wanted　so　badly　for　the　dream　to　be
  real。
  〃It's　okay；　love；　you're　fine。　I'm　here。〃　He　rocked　me　back　and　forth；　a　little　too　fast　to　soothe。　〃Did　you
  have　another　nightmare？　It　wasn't　real；　it　wasn't　real。〃
  〃Not　a　nightmare。〃　I　shook　my　head；　scrubbing　the　back　of　my　hand　against　my　eyes。　〃It　was　a　good
  dream。〃　My　voice　broke　again。
  〃Then　why　are　you　crying？〃　he　asked；　bewildered。
  〃Because　I　woke　up；〃　I　wailed；　wrapping　my　arms　around　his　neck　in　a　chokehold　and　sobbing　into　his
  throat。
  He　laughed　once　at　my　logic；　but　the　sound　was　tense　with　concern。
  〃Everything's　all　right；　Bella。　Take　deep　breaths。〃
  〃It　was　so　real；〃　I　cried。　〃I　wanted　it　to　be　real。〃
  〃Tell　me　about　it；〃　he　urged。　〃Maybe　that　will　help。〃
  〃We　were　on　the　beach。　。。。〃　I　trailed　off；　pulling　back　to　look　with　tear…filled　eyes　at　his　anxious　angel's
  face；　dim　in　the　darkness。　I　stared　at　him　broodingly　as　the　unreasonable　grief　began　to　ebb。
  〃And？〃　he　finally　prompted。
  I　blinked　the　tears　out　of　my　eyes；　torn。　〃Oh；　Edward　。。。〃
  〃Tell　me；　Bella；〃　he　pleaded；　eyes　wild　with　worry　at　the　pain　in　my　voice。
  But　I　couldn't。　Instead　I　clutched　my　arms　around　his　neck　again　and　locked　my　mouth　with　his
  feverishly。　It　wasn't　desire　at　all—it　was　need；　acute　to　the　point　of　pain。　His　response　was　instant　but
  quickly　followed　by　his　rebuff。
  He　struggled　with　me　as　gently　as　he　could　in　his　surprise；　holding　me　away；　grasping　my　shoulders。
  〃No；　Bella；〃　he　insisted；　looking　at　me　as　if　he　was　worried　that　I'd　lost　my　mind。
  My　arms　dropped；　defeated；　the　bizarre　tears　spilling　in　a　fresh　torrent　down　my　face；　a　new　sob　rising
  in　my　throat。　He　was　right—I　must　be　crazy。
  He　stared　at　me　with　confused；　anguished　eyes。
  〃I'm　s…s…s…orry；〃　I　mumbled。
  But　he　pulled　me　to　him　then；　hugging　me　tightly　to　his　marble　chest。
  Page　64
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  〃I　can't；　Bella；　I　can't！〃　His　moan　was　agonized。
  〃Please；〃　I　said；　my　plea　muffled　against　his　skin。　〃Please；　Edward？〃
  I　couldn't　tell　if　he　was　moved　by　the　tears　trembling　in　my　voice；　or　if　he　was　unprepared　to　deal　with
  the　suddenness　of　my　attack；　or　if　his　need　was　simply　as　unbearable　in　that　moment　as　my　own。　But
  whatever　the　reason；　he　pulled　my　lips　back　to　his；　surrendering　with　a　groan。
  And　we　began　where　my　dream　had　left　off。
  I　stayed　very　still　when　I　woke　up　in　the　morning　and　tried　to　keep　my　breathing　even。　I　was　afraid　to
  open　my　eyes。
  I　was　lying　across　Edward's　chest；　but　he　was　very　still　and　his　arms　were　not　wrapped　around　me。　That
  was　a　bad　sign。　I　was　afraid　to　admit　I　was　awake　and　face　his　anger—no　matter　whom　it　was　directed
  at　today。
  Carefully；　I　peeked　through　my　eyelashes。　He　was　staring　up　at　the　dark　ceiling；　his　arms　behind　his
  head。　I　pulled　myself　up　on　my　elbow　so　that　I　could　see　his　face　better。　It　was　smooth；　expressionless。
  〃How　much　trouble　am　I　in？〃　I　asked　in　a　small　voice。
  〃Heaps；〃　he　said；　but　turned　his　head　and　smirked　at　me。
  I　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃I　am　sorry；〃　I　said。　〃I　didn't　mean。。。　Well；　I　don't　know　exactly　what　that　was
  last　night。〃　I　shook　my　head　at　the　memory　of　the　irrational　tears；　the　crushing　grief。
  〃You　never　did　tell　me　what　your　dream　was　about。〃
  〃I　guess　I　didn't—but　I　sort　of　showed　you　what　it　was　about。〃　I　laughed　nervously。
  〃Oh；〃　he　said。　His　eyes　widened；　and　then　he　blinked。　〃Interesting。〃
  〃It　was　a　very　good　dream；〃　I　murmured。　He　didn't　comment；　so　a　few　seconds　later　I　asked；　〃Am　I
  forgiven？〃
  〃I'm　thinking　about　it。〃
  I　sat　up；　planning　to　examine　myself—there　didn't　seem　to　be　any　feathers；　at　least。　But　as　I　moved；　an
  odd　wave　of　vertigo　hit。　I　swayed　and　fell　back　against　the　pillows。
  〃Whoa。。。　head　rush。〃
  His　arms　were　around　me　then。　〃You　slept　for　a　long　time。　Twelve　hours。〃
  〃Twelve？〃How　strange。
  I　gave　myself　a　quick　once…over　while　I　spoke；　trying　to　be　inconspicuous　about　it。　I　looked　fine。　The
  bruises　on　my　arms　were　still　a　week　old；　yellowing。　I　stretched　experimentally。　I　felt　fine；　too。　Well；
  better　than　fine；　actually。
  Page　65
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  〃Is　the　inventory　complete？〃
  I　nodded　sheepishly。　〃The　pillows　all　appear　to　have　survived。〃
  〃Unfortunately；　I　can't　say　the　same　for　your；　er；　nightgown。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　foot　of　the　bed；
  where　several　scraps　of　black　lace　were　strewn　across　the　silk　sheets。
  〃That's　too　bad；〃　I　said。　〃I　liked　that　one。〃
  〃I　did；　too。〃
  〃Were　there　any　other　casualties？〃　I　asked　timidly。
  〃I'll　have　to　buy　Esme　a　new　bed　frame；〃　he　confessed；　glancing　over　his　shoulder。　I　followed　his　gaze
  and　was　shocked　to　see　that　large　chunks　of　wood　had　apparently　been　gouged　from　the　left　side　of　the
  headboard。
  〃Hmm。〃　I　frowned。　〃You'd　think　I　would　have　heard　that。〃
  〃You　seem　to　be　extraordinarily　unobservant　when　your　attention　is　otherwise　involved。〃
  〃I　was　a　bit　absorbed；〃　I　admitted；　blushing　a　deep　red。
  He　touched　my　burning　cheek　and　sighed。　〃I'm　really　going　to　miss　that。〃
  I　stared　at　his　face；　searching　for　any　signs　of　the　anger　or　remorse　I　feared。　He　gazed　back　at　me
  evenly；　his　expression　calm　but　otherwise　unreadable。
  〃How　are　you　feeling？'7
  He　laughed。
  〃What？〃　I　demanded。
  〃You　look　so　guilty—like　you've　committed　a　crime。〃
  〃I　feel　guilty；〃　I　muttered。
  〃So　you　seduced　your　all…too…willing　husband。　That's　not　a　capital　offense。〃
  He　seemed　to　be　teasing。
  My　cheeks　got　hotter。　〃The　word　seduced　implies　a　certain　amount　of　premeditation。〃
  〃Maybe　that　was　the　wrong　word；〃　he　allowed。
  〃You're　not　angry？〃
  He　smiled　ruefully。　Tm　not　angry。〃
  〃Why　not？〃
  Page　66
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  〃Well。　。　。〃　He　paused。　〃I　didn't　hurt　you；　for　one　thing。　It　was　easier　this　time；　to　control　myself；　to
  channel　the　excesses。〃　His　eyes　flickered　to　the　damaged　frame　again。　〃Maybe　because　I　had　a　better
  idea　of　what　to　expect。〃
  A　hopeful　smile　started　to　spread　across　my　face。　〃I　told　you　that　it　was　all　about　practice。〃
  He　rolled　his　eyes。
  My　stomach　growled；　and　he　laughed。　〃Breakfast　time　for　the　human？〃　he　asked。
  〃Please；〃　I　said；　hopping　out　of　bed。　I　moved　too　quickly；　though；　and　had　to　stagger　drunkenly　to　regain
  my　balance。　He　caught　me　before　I　could　stumble　into　the　dresser。
  〃Are　you　all　right？〃
  〃If　I　don't　have　a　better　sense　of　equilibrium　in　my　next　life；　I'm　demanding　a　refund。〃
  I　cooked　this　morning；　frying　up　some　eggs—too　hungry　to　do　anything　more　elaborate。　Impatient；　I
  flipped　them　onto　a　plate　after　just　a　few　minutes。
  〃Since　when　do　you　eat　eggs　sunny…side　up？〃　he　asked。
  〃Since　now。〃
  〃Do　you　know　how　many　eggs　you've　gone　through　in　the　last　week？〃　He　pulled　the　trash　bin　out　from
  under　the　sink—it　was　full　of　empty　blue　cartons。
  〃Weird；〃　I　said　after　swallowing　a　scorching　bite。　〃This　place　is　messing　with　my　appetite。〃　And　my
  dreams；　and　my　already　dubious　balance。　〃But　I　like　it　here。　Well　probably　have　to　leave　soon；　though；
  won't　we；　to　make　it　to　Dartmouth　in　time？　Wow；　I　guess　we　need　to　find　a　place　to　live　and　stuff；　too。〃
  He　sat　down　next　to　me。　〃You　can　give　up　the　college　pretense　now—you've　gotten　what　you　wanted。
  And　we　didn't　agree　to　a　deal；　so　there　are　no　strings　attached。〃
  I　snorted。　〃It　wasn't　a　pretense；　Edward。　I　don't　spend　my　free　time　plotting　like　some　people　do。　What
  can　we　do　to　wear　Bella　out　today？〃　I　said　in　a　poor　impression　of　his　voice。　He　laughed；　unashamed。
  〃I　really　do　want　a　little　more　time　being　human。〃　I　leaned　over　to　run　my　hand　across　his　bare　chest。　〃I
  have　not　had　enough。〃
  He　gave　me　a　dubious　look。　〃For　this？〃　he　asked；　catching　my　hand　as　it　moved　down　his　stomach。
  〃Sex　was　the　key　all　along？〃　He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Why　didn't　i　think　of　that？〃　he　muttered　sarcastically。　〃I
  could　have　saved　myself　a　lot　of　arguments。〃
  I　laughed。　〃Yeah；　probably。〃
  〃You　are　so　human；〃　he　said　again。
  〃I　know。〃
  A　hint　of　a　smile　pulled　at　his　lips。　〃We're　going　to　Dartmouth？　Really？〃
  Page　67
  Generatedby　ABC　Ambe