He rested his head against her chest, the palpitations of her heart betraying her external calmness. She always seemed so brave. So brave and stupid. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get her to see reason, to see that he was no good for her, that he was dangerous, that she deserved so much better than a soulless man forced into a hell not of his choosing.
She sighed, her breath warm against his forehead.
"What are you thinking?" Edward asked has he toyed with a strand of Bella's hair that was caressing her cloth-covered breast the way his fingers itched to do.
She wove her fingers into his hair, gently pulling his head back so that he could see into her eyes. "How incredibly stubborn you are."
It was his turn to sigh.
"Bella, I've made up my mind."
"But Edward," she pouted, arching her back so that her breasts brushed his cheek as she flipped her hair back, exposing the long, white column of her neck, "it really is just silly to wait, don't you think?"
He hated when she did this, when she made the battle between his mind and his body escalate to the point he wasn't sure he could resist the temptation. The problem was, he was never sure if the temptation was for her blood or her body. He knew she was offering both and he wondered how much longer he would be able to resist the gift that was so alluringly presented to him.
Unable to stop himself, he licked that perfect expanse of skin, bringing an moan and shudder from the woman who was suddenly under him, before capturing her mouth with his, his tongue claiming her the way he wished he could allow his body to, but she was too breakable, too human for that.
Sighing, he tore himself away from her, his own Eve, and glanced around the meadow, their Eden, as he waited for the rhythm of her heart to return to normal.
"You really are a tease," she said, and he smiled at the frustration in her voice.
"I am nothing compared to you, my temptress." He gave her his lopsided grin.
She smiled up at him and opened her arms, calling him back to her.
He knew one day she would succeed, would offer him her forbidden fruit and he would be too weak to say no. He would commit the sin of transgression.
But not today.
Today, he would lie in the arms of his beloved and leave the act that he knew would either cast him into Heaven or Hell for another time.
For now, ignorance was his bliss.