I lay next to Bella, watching her every breath, her every eye flutter, her every soft, subtle movement. I loved watching her sleep here on Isle Esme, she was so happy, and she finally needed me, needed me to keep her cool, needed me in the way that she needed Jacob on that cold stormy night in the tent. I thought back to our wedding night, how she had been so truly happy to be with me, after all of my worrying. I was happy too, I could only ever be happy with her here in my arms.
I turned slightly to face her, running my hands up her hot back so her whole body would be cool. Her breathing quickened, as she arched her back, her toes curling into the sheets.
"Edward... Edward... Edward..." She moaned, her voice barely a whisper.
My breath caught in the back of my throat. She had had so many dreamless nights since she had last called out my name in her sleep. In fact, that last time she called out my name like that had been that night, the night with all the feathers...
But I won't think about that.
But how much I wanted to! I pushed the thought of our fight last night out of my head. I had been right to refuse to hurt her again - or had I been? I wanted nothing more than to wake her, to have her, to ravish her, to know her in the way that husbands should know their wives. What was the point in denying both of us what we so much wanted?
The one thing keeping my self control in check was the knowledge that I wouldn't wake her. Sleep was one of her human needs, something I would never take away from her - not that I wanted to. Like the rosy flush that filled her cheeks when she was embarrassed. Like her precious need for privacy as she got dressed and showered every morning.
Like her need for her blood to continue flowing in her veins...
Like her need to wake up, not in pain, without being covered in bruises...
I took a deep breath, taking in her scent, reaffirming my self control. I willed the darker parts of my mind into thinking about if Bella would still need that privacy for showering. Thinking about Bella, thinking about Bella like that, naked and wet and so beautiful, did a good job shutting down the other parts of my brain.
What if - what if? - sex was one of Bella's human needs?
I was her husband, and she was my wife. After human marriages, even back in my time, sex was part of the deal. And for vampire marriages, well, that I knew all too well.
All too soon, my reverie was abruptly interrupted when Bella woke up with a start.