Stephanie Meyer owns the characters. I just make them do my bidding. This chapter is mostly from Edward's POV.

I climbed silently through the open window and listened carefully to my surroundings. I could hear Charlie snoring from the next room, no heightened vampire senses required, so I knew I had waited long enough. I expected to find Bella reading, as per usual, but her even breathing and steady heartbeat told me that she was sound asleep. I sat in the chair by the window and just observed her for a moment. Her skin was slightly paler than usual and her eyes held a faint shadow underneath. I would have to scold Alice about this excessive planning. A pre wedding nervous breakdown wouldn't do anyone any good. Satisfied that she was resting peacefully, I leaned back and settled in for the night. I really could have left and gone home, she would never know that I was here after all, but I was hesitant to leave her side. Lately, I could sense a distance. It would be imperceptible to any ordinary person, but a hundred plus years of dealing with women does teach you something. I could feel that a part of her was no longer mine. I could read her father's thoughts easily enough, and I knew that she had been devastated by my leaving. I could hardly stand to be inundated with image after image from Charlie's brain of Bella crying. Bella barely eating and sleeping. Bella walking through school and life as if in a fog. I had sincerely thought that I was doing the best thing for her by leaving, but seeing the result made me want to kick myself for ever making that assumption.

In addition to Charlie's thoughts about Bella's depression, I also had to put up with the images of a happier Bella. A Bella that looked happy and vital and whose eyes shone with a secret spark that I had never seen. I didn't have to wonder about the change in her demeanor. It was clearly pasted across her father's brain. Jacob Black. Charlie had been thinking lately that he was a much better choice for Bella than I. He would never say it, of course, but he didn't have to. Every disapproving glare told me that I would never be good enough for his daughter. I didn't have to be telepathic get that message loud and clear. I was certain that I could offer Bella a better life than Jacob Black ever could. My time on earth had allowed me to amass a small fortune and several properties in exclusive locations. I could give her anything she wanted and some things that she didn't know she wanted yet. I was a fool to ever leave her side and I would spend a literal eternity atoning for that sin.

Maybe I was reading too much into the situation. Bella and I had not fought since I had returned. She seemed agreeable to waiting for her transformation until after we were wed. She was even agreeable to the physical distance we had to keep from one another. I didn't want to risk losing control now, with happiness so close to being ours. Besides, I was a little old fashioned and wanted the chance to deflower my virgin bride on our wedding night. Just the thought of being with her that way made me tighten my grip on the armchair to reign in my desire. Not only did she smell more delicious to me than any human ever had, she was more passionate and responsive than any female I had ever been with. The combination of those two things together was almost enough to bring me to my knees. I took an unnecessary breath and exhaled slowly. There would be time for all of those things, but we had to get to the wedding day first.

Bella suddenly shifted in her sleep and I raised my eyes to the bed. She was making soft noises and I moved stealthily to her side. I had heard Charlie's thoughts about the horrible nightmares she had suffered because of me, and I was prepared to comfort her if that was happening now. I knelt at her bedside, cursing myself once again for causing this beautiful creature any semblance of pain. She kicked the covers off suddenly, and I took in her attire with raised eyebrows. Black satin was certainly a departure from the tees and tanks she usually wore, but the contrast with her pale skin was stunning. For a second, it was though she had the power to dazzle me. She mewled softly and stretched her arms above her head. Just a sliver of taut stomach was exposed and the sight was mouthwatering.

"Hmmmm," she moaned suddenly, "so hot." Her legs seemed to move of their own accord and her hips lifted slightly. I was thoroughly confused. I thought she was having a bad dream, but everything I could see and smell told me that it was quite the contrary. The window was still open and it was relatively cool. The temperature in her room was comfortable…..

"You make me so hot," she moaned softly in a husky tone usually reserved for the girls in the movies that Emmett hid under his bed. Understanding finally dawned and my jaw dropped. My constantly blushing, extremely virginal bride to be was having what seemed to be a very graphic sex dream right in front of me. Her hands gripped the sheets above her head and her back arched slightly. I could see perfectly in the darkness that her nipples had hardened under her top. A fresh wave of her arousal assaulted my nostrils and I was paralyzed. My old world sensibilities told me this was not proper, but I couldn't make myself move away. I watched as her hips rose rhythmically to meet some unseen partner in a dance as old as time. Her little mewls of pleasure were constant now and her grip on the sheets tightened further.

"Oh, yes! Please, more!" she exclaimed softly. The smell of her arousal permeated the entire room and I forced my body to stay still. I clenched my jaw tightly. Keep control. Keep control. Don't hurt the girl. Don't hurt her. Control. Control. Controlcontrolcontrol became a chant in my head.

"Touch me, Jake," she whispered and exhaled in a slow breathy sigh. NO FUCKING WAY! She was dreaming about fucking Jacob Black? My mind whirled with the possible implications. What exactly had happened while I was gone? I shook my head to clear it. No, she was still pure. I could tell. Although her current wanton performance showed me that she had some serious desire built up for the wolf. My eyes narrowed. Was she falling for him? I couldn't allow that to happen. She was meant for me wasn't she? Alice had seen it. My desire was forgotten and I reached down to gently shake Bella to wake her. I knew she couldn't control her dreams, but I didn't want her subconscious mind giving her conscious mind any ideas. I arranged my face into a perfect mask as I could sense her awakening.

Her eyes fluttered open and she licked her dry lips. "Edward", she mumbled, sitting up in bed and pushing her damp locks from her forehead. "You came. What time is it?" She took in the state of herself and her bed "What happened?"

"You had a nightmare", I lied evenly, pulling her to my chest. Rubbing what I hoped to be soothing circles on her back. "Did I?" she asked, confused. "I don't remember it." She pulled back slightly and excused herself to the bathroom for a human moment. I smiled tightly at her and busied myself with straightening her sheets as she stumbled to the hall. I was trying to keep my composure, but I could feel my emotions boiling just beneath my serene exterior. Something had to be done about this. I couldn't lose her now.

Bella POV

I closed the door to the bathroom and splashed some water on my face to clear the fog of sleep. I felt inexplicably shaky and my skin felt flushed and hot. Edward said I had been having a nightmare, but this seemed different. My whole body hummed with anticipation and I could feel my heart racing. I closed the lid of the toilet and sat down with my head in my hands to calm myself. Mentally I retraced my steps trying to remember what had me so obviously shaken. Edward had driven me home from a wedding planning session with Alice. I said goodnight to Charlie and came upstairs to change for bed. There was a letter from Jake. As his name crossed my thoughts, my mind filled with images from my dream. Bare skin. Low voices whispering heated commands. Satin sheets. Hot hands expertly stroking me to unspeakable heights of pleasure. Eyes holding mine with love and intensity. Heat and desire.

My eyes flew open and I gasped out loud. I felt a clench of unfulfilled need low in my belly and I wondered what exactly Edward had observed. I knew that I sometimes talked in my sleep and I prayed that I had been ambiguous this time. I walked out to my room and found Edward sitting in the armchair. He had straightened my sheets and I smiled at him gratefully. I studied his expression carefully. He seemed perfectly normal. I patted the space beside me and he was there in an instant.

"Was I screaming?" I asked. "Charlie says there used to be screaming." "No", he answered carefully, "you were just moaning and moving around. I had to wake you. I didn't want you to suffer." He kissed my forehead softly and I swallowed hard. Suffering was the last thing I had been doing.

"Th-thanks", I stuttered shutting my eyes against the images in my mind, "I'm so lucky that you were here".

"Anytime, my love. It's my fault that you are having such a terrible time sleeping." At his words I breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know what I had actually been dreaming about. I kissed him along his jaw line. "Shhh, none of that", I said. "We're moving forward remember?" I turned to face him and found him staring at me imploringly. "Bella", he started, his tone serious, "do you think we could elope?" "Elope," I parroted, completely caught off guard. "Edward, where is this coming from? Alice would kill you for cheating her out of planning the wedding of the century. And Charlie would kill me for not letting him walk me down the aisle." I shook my head. "As much as I love the idea of running away without all the hoopla, we just can't"

He looked down at his hands and sighed then back up at my face. "You are right. I'm sorry. Sometimes I just get impatient at the idea of waiting so long." He stood up suddenly and moved toward the window. "Where are you going"? I whispered softly. Tears began brimming behind my eyes and I cursed myself inwardly for having this reaction. He turned back and brushed his lips against my cheek in reassurance. "I'm going to hunt", he replied. "We have been spending so much time together that I haven't fed as regularly as I should." I nodded understandingly. It was important that he stay fed to keep from losing control around me. "Will I see you tomorrow"? I asked, hating myself for sounding so needy. "I'll be here as soon as Charlie leaves for work. Sleep well, my love". With that, he was gone into the night.

I settled back into the covers, but sleep couldn't have been further from me. Every time I closed my eyes, flashes from my dream assaulted me. I sighed clenching my thighs together involuntarily. I was never going to get any sleep like this. I felt restless and hot and unsatisfied. I ran my hand across my stomach and moaned a little at the pleasurable feeling of being touched, even if it was by my own hand. I had little experience with this, so I moved my hand experimentally, my desire flaming almost instantly. I imagined Edward's face. His kisses. What I hoped his touches and caresses would feel like against my bare skin. It was arousing, but I was still right on the edge. Unbidden, an image from my dream popped into my mind's eye. Jacob was peppering my throat with open mouthed kisses, his unusually high temperature making my skin heat up deliciously. He grabbed both my hands with one of his own held them above my head. My back arched up, pushing my breasts into his waiting mouth. He sucked, licked and teased until I was almost sobbing with need, and then he let his fingers trail slowly down my abdomen to the wetness below. It was then that he looked up into my face and I caught his eyes with my own. I felt my body explode with pleasure and it felt like fire streamed through my veins. My eyes widened and my mouth fell open with a silent scream as I rode out wave after wave of bliss. I fell asleep wondering why it was Jake's face and not Edward's that had inspired my very first orgasm.

Edward POV

I stood looking up at her window for the longest time after that. I had never gone hunting of course. I just needed to get out of there. I felt like I was barely holding my composure and I would never risk hurting my Bella. I had only wanted to stay until I knew she was sleeping again, but after about fifteen minutes it became clear that she was not going to be sleeping anytime soon. I heard her thumping heart and soft cries as clearly as if she were standing beside me. I was torn between being so unbearably aroused by the noises she was producing and wanting to run away. I was no fool. I knew that her dream about Jake had inspired her desire, and as I turned to walk away I wondered if she was seeing my face or his.