A/N: This is a companion story to "Explorations." It really doesn't matter which order you read them in; this is just the same thing from Edward's POV.
I don't know why I even bothered. Bella would get her way in the end; she always did. I just couldn't resist her. So, when she pleaded with me for the thousandth time, I broke down and said, "All right."
If I hadn't been so anxious I would have smiled at her expression. She looked completely dumbfounded and utterly adorable. After a few moments, Bella closed her mouth and asked, "What?"
"I said okay. We'll try. But I can't guarantee anything, Bella. You know that." I didn't want her to get the wrong impression. I'd do my best, but if I ever thought I was anywhere near close to losing control, we would stop, and that was that.
"I, uh . . . yes!" she responded eagerly. "Of course! Great! Um, you do understand what you're saying, don't you?"
I rolled my eyes and let out a long-suffering sigh. "I decided it's not fair to ask you to miss out on such an important human experience because you're in love with a vampire." To be perfectly honest, that was a bit of a justification. It's not like I didn't want it as much as she did. "I will try to give you what you want."
Her eyes filled with emotion and my chest tightened with love for this girl. She jumped into my arms and said, "Thank you, Edward. I love you, more than I can say." I grinned at her. Not as much as I love you. Something else occurred to me then and I frowned. Her reactions tended to undermine my control, and that was unacceptable. "You need to promise me one thing, though."
"Anything," she declared brashly.
I hesitated for a moment, uncertain on how to put this into words. "Staying in control is going to be hard enough without your . . . unpredictable responses, flattering though they are. Just promise to do exactly what I tell you."
Bella chewed her lip for a moment and looked a little worried when she replied, "Of course, but . . . well, you know I'm not always in control of my reactions."
I suppressed a snort. That was one of the biggest understatements I'd ever heard. "I understand that, Bella, but if you cannot restrain yourself, this won't work," I warned.
"I'll do my best" she promised, and I smiled.
"So will I."