Many thanks to katmom for beta'ing, and horsesoldier for her generous donation to the fundraiser that provided the beta service.

An earlier version of this story was written for F4LLS, now revised and extended. Revisions were made post-beta, mistakes my own.

Very short chapter.


"Look, I'm merely pointing out that eroticism, whether in film or literature, relies heavily on anticipation and delayed gratification. It's not about the amount of skin shown or the depravity of the act. With the right build-up, even say, a bare ankle, can be very sexy."

"Sexy ankles, eh?" She cheekily stuck her bare foot in his face and wiggled her toes at him.

"Hmmm." He wrinkled his nose at the unwanted appendage. "Maybe not the chubby ones."

Like most men foolish enough to even hint that a woman's figure is less than absolute perfection, Edward regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Fifteen minutes later, she was still fuming. She lay on her stomach, facing away from him so that he would not see that she had been glaring at the same page since he last spoke. Her ankles, however, were crossed and held defiantly in the air.

"Bella, I'm sorry." He shifted closer. "I'm so, so sorry. Are you still angry at me?"

"I am not angry. I am a modern, enlightened woman who does not build my sense of worth on my appearance. Therefore, your comment about the size of my ankles, insensitive though it might have been, did not hurt me one bit."

"Your feet are practically quivering with rage."

"Are you sure it's my feet and not the fat on my ankles trembling in the breeze?"

"I'm sorry. I was joking." He leant down to look her in the eye. "Your ankles are exquisite. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." With that, he reached over and with perfect solemnity, planted a reverent kiss on each wronged ankle.

Bella was quiet after that but her feet stopped shaking so he assumed that all was well. He did not see the hot blush that bloomed on her cheeks, nor feel the jolt of electricity that shot through her body. Edward Cullen could not have known that this was the first time Bella Swan let a boy kiss her anywhere.