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〃How was it？〃 Charlie lounged across the sofa with his bare feet propped up on
the arm。 What was left
of his curly brown hair was crushed flat on one side。
〃Alice went overboard。 Flowers； cake； candles； presents—the whole bit。〃
〃What did they get you？〃
〃A stereo for my truck。〃 And various unknowns。
〃Wow。〃
〃Yeah；〃 I agreed。 〃Well； I'm calling it a night。〃
〃I'll see you in the morning。〃
I waved。 〃See ya。〃
〃What happened to your arm？〃
I flushed and cursed silently。 〃I tripped。 It's nothing。〃
〃Bella；〃 he sighed； shaking his head。
〃Goodnight； Dad。〃
I hurried up to the bathroom； where I kept my pajamas for just such nights as
these。 I shrugged into the
matching tank top and cotton pants that I'd gotten to replace the holey sweats
I used to wear to bed；
wincing as the movement pulled at the stitches。 I washed my face one…handed；
brushed my teeth； and
then skipped to my room。
He was sitting in the center of my bed； toying idly with one of the silver
boxes。
〃Hi；〃 he said。 His voice was sad。 He was wallowing。
I went to the bed； pushed the presents out of his hands； and climbed into his
lap。
〃Hi。〃 I snuggled into his stone chest。 〃Can I open my presents now？〃
〃Where did the enthusiasm e from？〃 he wondered。
〃You made me curious。〃
I picked up the long flat rectangle that must have been from Carlisle and
Esme。
〃Allow me；〃 he suggested。 He took the gift from my hand and tore the silver
paper off with one fluid
movement。 He handed the rectangular white box back to me。
〃Are you sure I can handle lifting the lid？〃 I muttered； but he ignored me。
Inside the box was a long thick piece of paper with an overwhelming amount of
fine print。 It took me a
minute to get the gist of the information。
〃We're going to Jacksonville？〃 And I was excited； in spite of myself。 It was a
voucher for plane tickets；
for both me and Edward。
〃That's the idea。〃
〃I can't believe it。 Renee is going to flip！ You don't mind； though； do you？
It's sunny； you'll have to stay
inside all day。〃
〃I think I can handle it；〃 he said； and then frowned。 〃If I'd had any idea
that you could respond to a gift
this appropriately； I would have made you open it in front of Carlisle and
Esme。 I thought you'd
plain。〃
〃Well； of course it's too much。 But I get to take you with me！〃
He chuckled。 〃Now I wish I'd spent money on your present。 I didn't realize
that you were capable of
being reasonable。〃
I set the tickets aside and reached for his present； my curiosity rekindled。
He took it from me and
unwrapped it like the first one。
He handed back a clear CD jewel case； with a blank silver CD inside。
〃What is it？〃 I asked； perplexed。
He didn't say anything； he took the CD and reached around me to put it in the
CD player on the bedside
table。 He hit play； and we waited in silence。 Then the music began。
I listened； speechless and wide…eyed。 I knew he was waiting for my reaction；
but I couldn't talk。 Tears
welled up； and I reached up to wipe them away before they could spill over。
〃Does your arm hurt？〃 he asked anxiously。
〃No； it's not my arm。 It's beautiful； Edward。 You couldn't have given me
anything I would love more。 I
can't believe it。〃 I shut up； so I could listen。
It was his music； his positions。 The first piece on the CD was my lullaby。
〃I didn't think you would let me get a piano so I could play for you here；〃 he
explained。
〃You're right。〃
〃How does your arm feel？〃
〃Just fine。〃 Actually； it was starting to blaze under the bandage。 I wanted
ice。 I would have settled for his
hand； but that would have given me away。
〃I'll get you some Tylenol。〃
〃I don't need anything；〃 I protested； but he slid me off his lap and headed
for the door。
〃Charlie；〃 I hissed。 Charlie wasn't exactly aware that Edward frequently
stayed over。 In fact； he would
have a stroke if that fact were brought to his attention。 But I didn't feel
too guilty for deceiving him It
wasn't as if we were up to anything he wouldn't want me to be up to。 Edward
and his rules
〃He won't catch me；〃 Edward promised as he disappeared silently out the door 。
。 and returned； catching
the door before it had swung back to touch the frame。 He had the glass from
the bathroom and the bottle
of pills in one hand。
I took the pills he handed me without arguing—I knew I would lose the
argument And my arm really was
starting to bother me。
My lullaby continued； soft and lovely； in the background。
〃It's late；〃 Edward noted。 He scooped me up off the bed with one arm； and
pulled the cover back with
the other。 He put me down with my head on my pillow and tucked the quilt
around me。 He lay down next
to me—on top of the blanket so I wouldn't get chilled—and put his arm over
me。
I leaned my head against his shoulder and sighed happily。
〃Thanks again；〃 I whispered。
〃You're wele。〃
It was quiet for a long moment as I listened to my lullaby drift to a close。
Another song began。 I
recognized Esme's favorite。
〃What are you thinking about？'〃 I wondered in a whisper。
He hesitated for a second before he told me。 〃I was thinking about right and
wrong； actually。〃
I felt a chill tingle along my spine。
〃Remember how I decided that I wanted you to not ignore my birthday？〃 I asked
quickly； hoping it
wasn't too clear that I was trying to distract him。
〃Yes；〃 he agreed； wary。
〃Well； I was thinking； since it's still my birthday； that I'd like you to kiss
me again。〃
〃You're greedy tonight。〃
〃Yes； I am—but please； don't do anything you don't want to do；〃 I added；
piqued。
He laughed； and then sighed。 〃Heaven forbid that I should do anything I don't
want to do；〃 he said in a
strangely desperate tone as he put his hand under my chin and pulled my face
up to his。
The kiss began much the same as usual—Edward was as careful as ever； and my
heart began to
overreact like it always did。 And then something seemed to change。 Suddenly
his lips became much more
urgent； his free hand twisted into my hair and held my face securely to his。
And； though my hands tangled
in his hair； too； and though I was clearly beginning to cross his cautious
lines； for once he didn't stop me。
His body was cold through the thin quilt； but I crushed myself against him
eagerly。
When he stopped it was abrupt； he pushed me away with gentle； firm hands。
I collapsed back onto my pillow； gasping； my head spinning。 Something tugged
at my memory； elusive；
on the edges。
〃Sorry；〃 he said； and he was breathless； too。 〃That was out of line。〃
〃I don't mind；〃 I panted。
He frowned at me in the darkness。 〃Try to sleep。 Bella。〃
〃No； I want you to kiss me again。〃
〃You're overestimating my self…control。〃
〃Which is tempting you more； my blood or my body？〃 I challenged。
〃It's a tie。〃 He grinned briefly in spite of himself； and then was serious
again。 〃Now。 why don't you stop
pushing your luck and go to sleep？〃
〃Fine；〃 I agreed； snuggling closer to him。 I really did feel exhausted。 It had
been a long day in so many
ways； yet I felt no sense of relief at its end。 Almost as if something worse
was ing tomorrow。 It was a
silly premonition—what could be worse than today？' Just the shock catching up
with me； no doubt。
Trying to be sneaky about it； I pressed my injured arm against his shoulder；
so his cool skin would sooth
the burning。 It felt better at once。
I was halfway asleep； maybe more； when I realized what his kiss had reminded
me of： last spring； when
he'd had to leave me to throw James off my trail； Edward had kissed me
goodbye； not knowing
when—or if—we would see each other again。 This kiss had the same almost
painful edge for some
reason I couldn't imagine。 I shuddered into unconsciousness； as if I were
already having a nightmare。
3。 THE END
I FELT ABSOLUTELY HIDEOUS IN THE MORNING。 I HADN'T slept well； my arm burned
and
my head ached。 It didn't help my outlook that Edward's face was smooth and
remote as he kissed my
forehead quickly and ducked out my window。 I was afraid of the time I'd spent
unconscious； afraid that
he might have been thinking about right and wrong again while he watched me
sleep。 Th