She had sensed the lie in my excuse, I knew that, but I was grateful she hadn't pressed the issue. Resisting Bella was the most difficult thing I'd ever had to do, and she certainly didn't make it any easier, despite the fact that she'd agreed with me that we should wait for our wedding night. Sometimes, I thought her seductiveness was vengeance for my many sins against her, but I knew it wasn't in her to be cruel. At last her eyes fluttered shut and her heartbeat slowed.

The rhythmic sound of her breath and the slow beat of her heart were comforting, and I felt myself relaxing. Outside our little refuge, the wind was gently stirring the leaves, a faint rustle in otherwise still night. Far, far in the distance, I could hear the scurrying of small animals, but they all stayed quite far from our camp site, no doubt sensing the fearful predator in their midst. A sense of melancholy engulfed me as I pondered this.

In my arms, Bella stirred, turning in towards me, her arms sliding around my neck. I tried to gently tuck the blanket more closely around her, knowing the thin silk nightgown would offer her no protection from my deathly chill. My fingers traced meaningless patterns on her back. Her eyelids were moving gently as she dreamed.

Her lips parted ever so slightly, letting a soft sigh escape as she shifted again. She murmured my name, and a faint thrill rushed through me.

"Mmm, Edward. No, Edward, no, I don't want elephants at the wedding. Tell Alice 'no,' she'll listen to you." I couldn't help but chuckle. She thought Alice would listen to me! It was true what they said – dreams never made sense.

"No, Alice, I don't want clowns, either. They'll clash with the bridesmaid's dresses." I had to put a conscious effort into not laughing. As it was, I was afraid that the suppressed shaking of my body would wake her, but she merely curled a little closer to me.

"Do I really have to wear those shoes? They're so high…I'm afraid of heights, why do they have to be so high. Couldn't I wear my sneakers, they'll match the flowers so nicely…"

There were few things in life I enjoyed more than listening to Bella dream, and normally it was amusing, but this was beyond hilarious. The closer we got to the wedding, the stranger her dreams were becoming, often seeming to centre around strange decorations, uninvited guests, and unconventional attire. My favourite so far had been the night she dreamed Alice wanted her to wear a full suit of armour, and all the guests were dressed as Klingon warriors. The decorations for that one had included Han Solo in carbon, wreaths of carnivorous flowers, and a flock of enormous butterflies which escorted us to our getaway vehicle which was, naturally, the Batmobile.

After a long while of tossing and turning, she finally settled on her side of the bed. Her long chestnut hair tumbled over her shoulder, a fine, lacy mesh on her bare arms. I could have stared at her for hours, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the way her full, red lips moved from relaxed line to gentle smile. Eternity would be bearable if only I could have her to look at, to touch, to hold, and caress, and love.

I got up once she had rolled completely away from me, and settled myself on the pile of cushions at the far end of the tent, Wuthering Heights in hand. I still couldn't really fathom what she saw in the book, but nevertheless it was a good distraction. By the time the sun had started to peek over the horizon, I had finished the novel, and Bella was beginning to stir. I had spent a few minutes planning the day ahead, and I was excited to get going.

Her arm stretched out, her hand seeking something, and when she didn't find it, her eyes flew open. I was at her side in a moment, grinning at her as sunlight streamed through one of the open windows, lighting her face with an angelic glow.

"Morning," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes and pushing her hair away from her face.

"Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm, such strange dreams."

"Really? About what?"

"The wedding mostly. By the way, you look really weird in wizard's robes, just for future reference, in case you ever wonder." I kissed her then, catching her laugh with my lips.

"Can't say as I've ever wondered about that, but I'll make a note of it. Are you ready for breakfast?" I asked, stroking her shoulder.

"Sure, but maybe I should get dressed first," she answered, looking askance at the delicate silk nightgown she was wearing. I wouldn't have minded if she stayed in it all day, but I supposed the practicalities of camping had to be respected.

"Of course. I believe Alice packed you an outfit for today. It's in a package labelled 'day one;' while you dress, I'll get breakfast ready."

"Thanks, Edward," she said, suddenly shy again. I still found her bashfulness endearing, and couldn't resist planting another kiss on her forehead before ducking out of the tent. This would be a wonderful day, and I couldn't wait for it to start.