Bella was sitting on her bed, toying with a battered compilation of the works of Jane Austen.
"Tell me truthfully, how many times have you read that?" I smiled.
"I don't know," she said, rolling her eyes and shrugging her shoulders. "I don't keep records of how many times I do things."
I grinned and crossed the room to sit beside her, prizing the book from her hands. She scooted closer and leaned against my side, laying her head on my shoulder. Her warmth chased away all of the tension I hadn't been aware of feeling, and I relaxed completely. Putting my arm around her, I flipped open the cover.
The book was compiled of three novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park.
"But which is your favourite?" I pressed, truly curious. "Which do you read most frequently?"
"Um, probably Sense and Sensibility." she muttered, looking uninterestedly at the bared page.
"Why?"
She sighed, exasperated. "I'm really not sure. I like the storyline, I guess."
I chuckled at her irritated expression. "And…?"
She scowled. "What is this? Are you hosting a quiz show or something?" she snapped.
I tried not to smile and waited for the frown to disappear.
"Well," she sighed, surrendering easily despite herself. "I suppose it's the innocence of the story, and the emotions involved. I think it's nice that the love between them never fades, but it just takes them a while to realise it." An unexpected smile played about the corners of her lips. "And it might have something to do with the name of the lead male."
"Oh, right." I laughed. "He's an Edward, too." I kissed the top of her head and pulled her gently against my chest. My face lingered in her hair while I inhaled the delicious aroma of her blood, stoking the already blazing fire in my throat. The scent no longer presented the desire of drinking, that was long past, all due to the discovery of my love for her.
We rested like that for a moment, until she twisted around so that she could see my face.
"Edward, can I ask you something? I'm curious." she asked, watching me warily.
I was instantly on the alert, knowing her curiosity, so my tone was guarded when I replied,
"Are you ever not curious? Yes, go ahead."
"Tell me, what's the best part of being a vampire?"
I blinked with surprise. "Oh, I don't really know." I pondered for a second. "For me?" I asked.
"Just you." she clarified.
I was lost in thought for a moment, trying to decide, to answer her question truthfully, but in a way that wouldn't encourage deeper questioning of the subject.
"I suppose that the very best part, for me, would have to be living as long as I have. Because, otherwise, how would I have ever found you?" I touched the tip of her nose with my finger. "Or maybe, that would make it the very worst thing, as far as anyone besides myself is concerned." I sighed, aware that my light smile had fled hand-in-hand with my carefree tone.
Her voice was small when she queried, "Why?"
"Because then I wouldn't be here to repetitively put you in the path of danger."
Her expression was sad; she avoided my eyes. "Don't keep saying that."
I forced a smile, putting my finger under her chin to tilt her face so that I could see it. "Don't be upset. I promise I won't say another word on the subject." I laughed at her strained 'happy' expression. "I love you. I've told you a million times - you should know by now that it's probably enough to keep me here, no matter the consequences." I sighed again and looked around the room searching for a subject change. My eyes paused on the clock when I noticed the time.
"Come on, bedtime for Bella." I scooped her up in one arm, and flipped open the duvet with the other. I tucked her carefully in, then lay down beside her, hugging her against my chest.
I began singing the lullaby I had composed for her when we'd first met, but instead of relaxing and falling asleep, she continued to fidget. She twisted around until she was facing me.
"What?" I asked, frowning down at her. She did look tired…
"You know what." she said. Her smile was shy, but maybe a little hopeful. Was this going where I thought it was? One half of me groaned internally, the other rejoiced, bracing in anticipation.
"Please enlighten me." I raised an eyebrow.
"Would you… I mean, it's been a while, and… well, please?" Her big, chocolate, brown eyes bored into mine with a staggering intensity, crumbling any meagre resistance into dust. I swiftly looked away, my brow furrowing.
"Bella…"
"Please, Edward?" she whispered, shattering my defiance.
"Oh, Bella. You'll be the death of me someday, I swear you will…" I groaned. Carefully, so carefully, I held her smug-smiling face in my hands, and very, very slowly, I lowered my face to hers.
When our lips touched, I forgot every reason for subduing this, and realised I was just as - if not more - eager for it than her. My left hand slid down her back to press her closer against my body, and her arms secured themselves around my neck, her fingers knotting in my hair.
But then, just as Bella's heartbeat reached its peek, I pulled away. Gasping, I pushed her gently down so that she was laying on her back. Her chest heaved beneath the duvet, her heart, frenzied in its attempt to keep up with the reactions going on within her body.
"Ah," I sighed, waiting for my breathing to slow to its regular rhythm. "That's quite enough danger for one night, I think."
Bella had a hand on her heart and a faint smile on her face. "Whew," she puffed. "I think I'll go to sleep now."
I laughed with her, laying my hand over hers. We lay together on the bed; I crooned her lullaby until her eyelids drooped and her heartbeat and breathing were even paced and the soft, evening darkness deepened and blackened, shrouding us both in the protective blanket of night.