Updated chapter. I was tired while writing this. Can you tell? It's late, and I'm going to head to bed but I figured I would put it up before I got lazy. Hope that you enjoy!

Once again, I do not own Stephenie Meyer. All of these are her characters, and are subject to copyright.

3. COLD

The time had come to return home. Edward had taken me back by running, and I felt the cool wind on my cheeks as the weather shifted from day to sunset. I saw Charlie in the windowsill from the front yard, while he was watching ESPN News. I looked at Edward, and he seemed resilient as always. But his expression seemed more detailed. Perhaps Edward really was afraid. He smiled as he made his way towards me, taking a strand of my hair into his grasp and running my corn silk textured hair into his fingers. "You're so beautiful, Bella." I had been surprised at his admiration; what had changed between us? He seemed so romantic, yet it was bittersweet. Like he was afraid to lose something.

"Do you want me to come up with you?" Edward asked, glancing towards the lit living room with Charlie contained, staring at the television as if it was a god.

I looked back at Edward, and my stomach sank. "If you did, would you promise me something?"

Edward nodded, dutifully and his fingers continued to stroke my hair. "Anything."

My stomach danced with butterflies at this, and I never knew that it could be like this. "Would you promise to not hold back? Just for once?"

His hand dropped my hair at this. "What do you mean?" He looked at me with a confused stare.

"I mean exactly what I said. Would you try to at least be more affectionately romantic with me? Or… Is that not possible for you?"

Edward grimaced, and then saw my gaze; his hands returned to my hair, moving towards my cheek and cupping it. "Bella, I love you. I'd do anything, but you have to remember that it is hard for me to do that."

"Try," I pleaded. So many times I had wanted him to kiss me – To be completely romantic. I wasn't asking for him to tame the stars, or steal the moon from the night sky; I simply wanted to be collided with the constellations. To be intoxicated by him. It was not a request I intended on making, but now I realized that I wanted to be with him in a way we hadn't before.

"Bella, what you're asking puzzles me. You want me to… do that?" He asked, while he looked into my eyes. His hand grew colder on my cheek, and I shivered. "A human emotion, like that?"

"I don't want you to… go too far. I just want to see what it's like to be with you, so passionately." I didn't know if he understood my request.

"So you don't want…" He stopped midway.

"No. I just want to go further than we have already," I answered, touching his face gently. "I have so many emotions for you, Edward; I just desire to express them."

"And your father… Charlie… He'll be… asleep?" His gaze flickered towards the window, while I didn't look. If we were to do what we were going to do, we would have to wait until Charlie had fallen asleep. It would be a devised plan, and I know we could pull it off.

"Yes," I answered. "Follow my lead." At this, I went inside. Edward disappeared and I knew he would be waiting in my room. I said hello to Charlie, while he didn't answer. Grabbing an apple out of the fridge, I began to head upstairs. "'Night, Dad," I called behind me while I headed for the bathroom. First thing I did was have another "human moment." Taking a bite out of the apple, I instantly gathered the courage to shower. Once I came out, I dried myself off and did my hair quickly with the blow dryer, casually taking bites of the apple and then throwing the core into the trash. I came out, smelling fresh, and saw Edward on my bed, statuesque as usual. He moved at the sight of me. Instantly, I fell into his arms and he held me tight. He held me like that for a while, until he smiled at me.

"So… You want me to be human tonight?" He ran his hand along my side slowly, before I turned to kiss his lips. He pulled away to hear my reply.

"Yes. I want you to stop holding back. Just a little," I said, while he focused his glance on me. "I'm not asking for… you know, I just want you to be intimate with me."

"I'll try," he said, while I felt him hold me tight and kiss me again. His hands moved slowly on me, before I steadied my heartbeat. It raced. But yet, I realized how much I desired this. This feeling… The adrenaline rush of being with him. I had always been so afraid of this, and now, I kissed him passionately while he tangled his fingers in my hair. Slowly, I felt myself move against him and he began to fall back onto my bed, while I kissed him even more. He seemed to not know what to do now.

Pulling away, he paused for a moment. He smiled a little and turned to face me. "Sorry. Trying to remember how to do this." His lips met mine again, while he held me gently. I could feel his breath in my mouth, cool and icy – Yet so tempting to my own heated exhalation; I never knew love could be like this. While he ran his hands along my sides, he began to run his hands into my shirt, feeling my skin before he pulled them away. "Sorry." I had tried not to exhale at the feeling of the cold, but yet, I had failed.

"It's okay."

"No, I meant… The cold. I didn't mean to startle you," he said slowly, kissing my lips and holding me. He felt like a refrigerator, and I shivered every so often at his body temperature. At this, he pulled away and lifted me off of him.

"Edward, I…"

He held his finger up, before he smiled. Taking a blanket from the side of my bed, he placed it on top of his chest and then urged me to lay there. I rolled back onto him and he embraced me. Taking the other half of the blanket, he wrapped it around me and I looked down at him. "There."

"I'm sorry that I get cold," I said, while I kissed his lips gently before I rest my head on his shoulder.

"It's fine. You should rest. But you should know, Saturday is coming sooner than you think. You should prepare for it," he kissed my head and made the blanket more snug for me.

"Alright. I love you." My eyes felt droopy, and I needed sleep. I was so tired, I hadn't realized it until Edward had tucked me in.

"Sleep well. I'll be here."

And I fell asleep, in his arms, not feeling the cold at all as much as before.