Chapter 2 – Long Night
"I miss you already."
"I don't need to leave. I can stay…"
"Mmm."
My breath was a ragged as hers as we kissed. Nothing could compare to the feel of her soft warm lips against mine. Even trough the thick afghan wrapped around her I could feel every soft curve of her body pressed against mine. Though my throat still burned dully, I no longer felt the need to sink my teeth into her vulnerable nick and taste her blood. I had already felt what it was like to lose her and just the thought of feeling that again was more than enough to resist the temptation her scent awoken.
I pulled away to look at her. At the long mahogany hair that fell across the pillow and on to the bed sheets. At her flawless translucent skin and full lips. When she finally opened her eyes to look at me I felt myself falling into their deep chocolate depths. Whenever I looked into those eyes I saw even more beauty than just the physical. As always her bravery, intelligence, and complete selflessness was enough to render me almost incoherent.
She pulled my face to her and kissed me again.
"Definitely staying," I murmured after the kiss was broken off.
"No, no. It's your bachelor party. You have to go."
Even as she said the words she pressed herself tighter to me and latched her hand into my hair. I almost groaned at the thought of leaving her, even for one night. Instead I stroked her face to help burn her image into my mind. Not that it wasn't already there, but I always felt the need to be sure.
"Bachelor parties are designed for those who are sad to see the passing of their single days. I couldn't be more eager to have mine behind me. So there's really no point."
"True," she said.
She looked at me for a moment as if contemplating something, and then she ran her small hand across my bare chest and stomach. I couldn't help the involuntary shudder that ran through my body at her touch. When she ran the tip of her tongue along my body lip I literally felt my head spin. I decided to pull away even as the rest of me fought to keep feeling her touch.
"Wait," she said. She pulled my body closer to her and then kicked one leg free of the blanket and wrapped it around my waist. That spinning sensation started again. "Practice makes perfect."
Trying to keep control of the rest of my body, I chuckled. "Well we should be fairly close to perfection by this point, then, shouldn't we? Have you slept at all in the last month?"
"But this is the dress rehearsal," she said, "and we've only practiced certain scenes. It's no time for playing it safe."
I struggled to form a coherent thought in my head. Damn little temptress. If she only knew how much I really wanted to skip over the dress rehearsal and go right to the undressed part. I held my body completely still, afraid that if I moved even a fraction of an inch, I was going to end up doing something I might regret later. The wedding was tomorrow, I could hold out for one more day. At least that was what I was attempting to tell myself. On top of that I was terrified that I would hurt her. I could barely control myself now. How would I control myself when we weren't just skating the line anymore?
"Bella…," I whispered.
"Don't start this again," she said. "A deal's a deal."
"I don't know. It's too hard to concentrate when you're with me like this. I – I can't think straight. I won't be able to control myself. You'll get hurt."
"I'll be fine."
"Bella…"
"Shh!" She kissed me to cut off anymore protests. I kiss her back but kept myself in careful restraint.
"How are your feet?" I asked.
"Toasty
warm."
"Really. No second thoughts? It's not too late to
change you mind."
"Are you trying to ditch me?"
I laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "Just making sure. I don't want you to do anything you're not sure about."
"I'm sure about you. The rest I can live through."
I wondered about the truth of that. Not the part about me but the rest of it. Was she really ready to leave the rest of her life behind?
"Can you?" I asked. "I don't mean the wedding – which I'm positive you will survive despite your qualms – but afterward… what about Renee, what about Charlie?"
She sighed. "I'll miss them."
"Angela and Ben and Jessica and Mike."
"I'll miss my friends, too." She smiled like a little imp at me. "Especially Mike. Oh, Mike! How will I go on?"
At her teasing, a growl escaped before I could censor it.
She laughed for a moment and then looked me dead in the eyes. "Edward, we've been through this and trough this. I know it will be hard, but this is what I want. I want you, and I want you forever. One lifetime is simply not enough for me."
"Frozen forever at eighteen."
"Every woman's dream come true."
I knew she was trying to joke, but I needed to make my point.
"Never changing…never moving forward," I said
"What does that mean?"
"Do you remember when we told Charlie we were getting married? And he thought you were…pregnant?"
"And he thought about shooting you. Admit it – for one second, he honestly considered it."
He had but I wasn't about to enlighten her to her father's more violent protective drives. Not that he would actually do it, but the thoughts are occasionally there. I said nothing instead.
"What, Edward?"
"I just wish…well, I wish that he'd been right."
"Gah!"
"More that there was some way he could have been. That we had that kind of potential. I hate taking that away from you too."
"I know what I'm doing."
"How could you know that, Bella? Look at my mother, look at my sister. It's not as easy a sacrifice as you imagine."
"Esme and Rosalie get by just fine. If it's a problem later, we can do what Esme did – we'll adopt."
I sighed as I tried to find a way to make her understand, but she was a stubborn creature. Even as I knew I wouldn't win, I still tried to make her understand how big a sacrifice she was making.
"It's not right!" I protested. "I don't want you to have to make sacrifices for me. I want to give you things, not take things away from you. I don't want to steal your future. If I were human – "
She put her hand over my mouth. "You are my future. Now stop. No moping, or I'm calling your brothers to come get you. Maybe you need a bachelor party."
"I'm sorry. I am moping, aren't I? Must be the nerves."
"Are your feet cold?"
"Not in that sense. I've been waiting a century to marry you, Miss Swan. "The wedding ceremony is the only thing I can't wait -"
I cut off as I heard Emmett screaming in my head. EDWARD!!!! Untangle yourself form Bella and get out here or we're coming in. And I better not see anything that will scare me for the next century!"
"Oh, for the love of all that's holy!" I said exasperated.
"What's wrong?"
EDWAAAARRRRRDDDDD!!!!!!!
I gritted my teeth in annoyance. "You don't have to call my brothers. Apparently Emmett and Jasper are not going to let me bow out tonight."
Bella hugged me closer for a second and then let me go; obviously realizing she didn't stand a chance against Emmett. "Have fun."
Emmett scraped his nails against the glass causing a screech that cause Bella to shudder.
"If you don't send Edward out, we're coming in to get him!" Emmett was trying to sound menacing but obviously Bella didn't buy it, she laughed at Emmett's good natured threat.
"Go," she said. "Before they break my house."
I rolled my eyes, but got off the bed and put my shirt back on before Bella even had a chance to blink. Having to touch her one more time before I left, I leaned over and kissed her forehead.
EDWARD! Stop making goo goo eyes at Bella and get you pasty butt down here!
"Get to sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow."
"Thanks! That's sure to help me wind down."
"I'll meet you at the altar."
"I'll be the one in white," she said trying to sound blasé and almost succeeding.
I chuckled, "Very convincing."
I crouched on the floor and launched myself right into Emmett, who was hanging on the siding, sending us both crashing to the ground. Emmett let out a curse that I really hoped Bella didn't hear.
Jasper was still hanging on the other side of the window when Bella murmured, "You'd better not make him late."
Jasper peered in the window and said, "Don't worry Bella. We'll get him home in plenty of time."
"Jasper? What do vampires do for bachelor parties? You're not taking him to a strip club, are you?"
"Don't tell her anything!" Emmett growled. I punched him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Emmett gave me look that promised pay back and I just laughed.
"Relax," Jasper told her. "We Cullen's have our own version. Just a few mountain lions, a couple of grizzly bears. Pretty much an ordinary night out."
"Thanks Jasper."
Jasper then jumped from the window and landed gracefully next to me and Emmett. With in seconds we were racing through the woods back to the mansion we called home.
Once we go there we all loaded in to the jeep, along with Carlisle, and headed to the Canadian border. There was a reserve just past the border with an overpopulation of predators. I know I would need to drink as much blood as I could possible fit into my body if I had any hope of making love to Bella without hurting her. My gut clenched in fear at the thought of possibly hurting her even will the rest me was humming with anticipation.
The ride to the reserve was amazingly silent and I new Emmett was plotting his revenge. I didn't have to wait long. While I was feeding on a mountain lion and sufficiently distracted, Emmett made a split second decision and knocked a relatively large pine tree over on top of me and my prey. After I freed myself from under the tree, I had to give him credit for it.
"Alright, you got me. Point for you."
Emmett just roared with laughter. It his mind I could see how he would gloat about catching the mind reader off guard for months to come.
As the sun began to rise we all climbed back into the jeep and made are way make to Forks. To the great annoyance of Emmett, I couldn't help bouncing in my seat the whole way back. But underneath his ire, Emmett was ecstatic that Bella was becoming part of the family. Carlisle was just happy that I had finally found someone to share my existence with, and the fact that he too adored Bella just made the fact all the sweeter. Jasper couldn't help radiating joy through the van, between his own and everyone else that he was absorbing it was coming off of him in waves.
Today was going to be the best day of my life. Today I would make Isabella Marie Swan my wife.
