Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter 14: The Sleepover

Bella's POV

"I don't really like it on my toes though," Jessica was saying. "Makes them look stubby."

"Ditto," Angela agreed with her mouth full. "Dark polish looks best on my fingernails."

We were perched on stools around Brittany's kitchen table with three extra-large supreme pizzas between us. Brittany had welcomed me into her house with hugs and high-fives, and I couldn't help but get caught up in her infectious enthusiasm. Angela and Jessica had been admiring the family room when I walked in and with good reason. Its modern design yet whimsical accessories belonged in the center-spread of Elle Décor. Lauren lurked alone in the corner by the window, and I sighed inside. How she and Brittany were friends I would never understand.

"We can give each other pedicures later," Brittany said as she put out more napkins. "I've got plenty of makeup and stuff."

"Oh my gosh!" Jessica exclaimed. "I know the best makeup game! We split up into pairs, shut the lights off, and give each other facial makeovers in the dark. Whoever does the best job wins a prize!"

"But there's an uneven number of people," Angela said. "Someone will be left out."

"Bella can judge," Lauren suggested. "I'm sure she'd rather do that then let us sully her pretty little face."

"Lauren's a bitch, but she's right," I said. Angela nearly spit out her soda at my comment, and Lauren's face turned four different shades of red. But Jessica had assumed I was joking, so she started laughing and diffused Brittany's pending panic. Insulting Lauren had felt good, really good, but I wouldn't ruin Brittany's weekend. It wasn't her fault that Lauren was such a spiteful snake. So for my noble hostess's sake, I resolved to be the bigger person…at least for the next two days.

"I'm not really into makeup," I continued as I took another slice of pizza. "But I wouldn't mind mocking the rest of you."

"Cool!" Brittany said. "We can do that tomorrow after we study for Cromley's unit test."

"Thank God you texted us about that!" Jessica said. "I had planned to cram when I got home Sunday. A group study session would be so much better."

"Mr. Cromley is cool," Angela said. "He's much more laid back than other teachers."

"That's because he's always trying to impress his nephew," Lauren said.

"Who is his nephew?" Jessica asked.

"Tyler."

Jessica and Brittany gaped at Lauren. "Tyler Crowley is Mr. Cromley's nephew?" Angela asked.

Lauren was practically glowing in the spotlight, my earlier insult completely forgotten. "Tyler's father isn't speaking to Mr. Cromley for some ancient family reason. So when Mr. Cromley accepted the teaching job, Mr. Crowley asked him to keep their connection a secret. So he changed his last name."

"But the school office has his records," Angela said. "Wouldn't they notice the different names?"

"An 'M' versus a 'W'?" Lauren scoffed. "It took them two years to realize that Kelly Spencer was a boy."

"How did you find out about Tyler?" Jessica asked.

Lauren shrugged. "When boys like you, they tell you things."

"Wow," Jessica said as I stifled an eye roll. "You really never know what's going on with people, do you?"

"Not a clue," I said as we started to clear the table.

"You know what?" Brittany said. "This reminds me of a great ice breaker from music camp."

"Music camp?" Lauren asked.

"Duh." Jessica said. "She's a world-class pianist. Of course she's been to music camp. What's the game, Britt?"

Brittany blushed at the compliment. "It's called 'Two Truths and a Lie.' We each write three statements on an index card. Two are true, but one is a lie. Everybody has to figure out which one is the lie."

"That sounds like fun!" Angela exclaimed.

"Usually we put all the cards in a hat and also try to guess which statements belong to which girl," Brittany continued. "But we're a small group, so we'll just take turns reading our cards aloud."

"And don't be boring," Jessica said. "Nothing like 'My favorite color is green' or something."

"Yeah," Brittany agreed as she led us up to her room. "The point of the game is to share surprising things about yourself. So be creative!"

As we walked into Brittany's room, which was as large as the first floor of my house, I thought about some of my secrets: "I once got bitten by a bloodthirsty vampire." "My boyfriend's skin sparkles in sunlight." "I once fell down two flights of stairs at a hotel in Phoenix."

They would think I was playing 'Two Lies and a Truth.'

As amusing as it would be to mess with their minds, I put away the paranormal parts of my story and focused on the details that were fit to share.

"Are we ready?" Brittany beamed after a few minutes. We were sitting on the floor in her room, giggling as we read our cards silently. Angela looked as if she were going to burst, so it was no surprise when she volunteered to start us off. We put down our pencils as she read her list.

"I am allergic to twenty-four karat gold. I didn't have my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich until I was twelve. I once hit a clown in the face."

Brittany laughed. "I hope number two isn't true because PB&J is the best food ever!"

"My money's on number three," I said. "Violence isn't your thing."

Lauren squinted at Angela. "No, she's tougher than she looks. I think it's number one. Being allergic to gold would be an awful truth."

"Ugh!" Jessica tapped her pencil against her knee. "I can't choose between number one and number three."

"It's not the SATs, Jess," I smiled. "Nothing will happen if you guess wrong."

"Fine," she grumbled. "Number three, then."

Angela grinned as she looked around. "The lie is…number one!"

"Dammit!" Jessica cried.

"I knew it!" Lauren cheered.

"Wait," Brittany said. "So you actually punched a clown in the face?"

"I was only six," Angela explained. "We were at the circus, and I was watching the jugglers, trying to mimic their moves. Out of nowhere, this huge clown stuck his face in mine and yelled, 'Hi, little girl!' I was so scared that I hit him in the face with my elephant mug."

"Did he get hurt?" I asked.

"Daddy said he got twelve stitches."

Brittany rolled over in laughter while Jessica shook her head.

"That's pretty badass," I said.

"And the PB&J?" Jessica asked.

"It always looked so sloppy that I never wanted to try it," Angela frowned. "I only ate it on a dare, and I still don't like them all that much."

"You're a weirdo," Lauren said with a smile.

"A clown-whopping weirdo," I amended.

Jessica insisted on going next, likely to expel her displeasure at being wrong about Angela's lie. We were surprised to learn that she had been born six weeks early after her mother went into labor at the final Depeche Mode concert in Los Angeles. Brittany asked some questions about her current health, and I thought I better understood the roots of Jessica's overachieving nature.

"My turn!" Lauren exclaimed, and then she dramatically cleared her throat before anyone could object. "My mom and I once shared a cab with Reese Witherspoon. I've seen Mike Newton in his underwear. I am a former Miss Teenage San Francisco."

"Ew," Angela said. "I hope the second one is the lie."

"For her sake," Jessica muttered.

"Talk about 'T.M.I.'" I said.

"You're one to talk, Bella," Lauren retorted.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, please!" She stood up. "The whole school knows about you and Edward, so don't try to deny it."

"Deny what?"

"That you and Edward passed 'the underwear stage' a long time ago."

My face drained of all color. "You think that Edward and I are…active?"

Lauren didn't respond, and I expected that. But as I caught the eyes of the other girls, I saw that they didn't disagree.

"Does everybody think that?"

"I'm surprised you haven't been caught doing it in the locker room," Jessica said as she picked her nails.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Brittany said.

"There's nothing to talk about," Lauren said. "She and Edward are having hot monkey sex every time they get the chance, and everybody knows it."

"Edward and I are not having…." I clamped my mouth closed until I was sure that I could speak calmly. "Not that it's any of your damn business, but Edward and I are not…active."

"So you're a virgin?" Jessica asked.

I sighed. "Aren't you?"

"Well, yeah," she shrugged, "but I'm not…you know…."

"What?"

"Bella," Jessica's tone suggested that she was talking to a simpleton. "You are dating Edward Cullen, a guy so hot that he makes my eyeballs sweat. A guy so hot that it's unfair that there's only one of him, so hot that he should literally be against the law. You know, you should seriously speak to Charlie about drafting a new town ordinance or something…."

"Jessica…"

"Right, sorry. The point is that when you date someone like Edward, you are almost morally obligated to sleep with him. Like, no one cares if Angela sleeps with Ben…."

"Hey!" Angela cried.

"No offense, but it's true. But for Bella not to sleep with Edward, it's like a crime against all the girls who would happily do it for her."

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, wishing I could click my heels three times and find myself in Kansas. I had naturally assumed that my sexuality was a private matter. Now, not only does the whole school think they know something about Edward and me, but Jessica wanted to get my father involved?

Unbelievable.

I knew she was joking about that; at least, I hoped she was. But I could not believe the turn that this innocent game had taken. Angela and Brittany had the decency to keep their opinions to themselves, but I could feel their curiosity as they tried not to look at me.

I wanted to lay this issue to rest but had no idea how. Would it be better if they thought I was holding out on Edward or that he was a virgin too? Edward didn't care what people thought about him, but he was intensely private about these things. We'd only spoken about sex that one time in the beginning of our relationship when he'd said that it wouldn't be possible for us.

The thought still made me sad.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad." Jessica must have noticed the change in my expression. "I just assumed you guys were doing it because of how you act in public."

"I know." Lauren sounded as if she might be sick. "It's like, get a room."

"They're in love," Angela said. "I think it's romantic."

"You and Ben don't behave like that," Lauren said.

"But it's different with us. I like Ben a lot, but we're not all hot and heavy like Bella and Edward."

"Hot and heavy?"

"Yeah," Jessica said. "You guys are like magnets or magpies or something."

I felt like a parrot repeating after her. "Magpies?"

"I saw it on the Discovery Channel," Jessica explained. "Magpies fall in love once, and they stay together forever. Unless, of course, one of them dies. Then they find someone else. Or 'some-bird-else,' I guess. Is that a word?"

"What she's trying to say," Angela interjected, "is that you and Edward are clearly more than some high school thing. He's following you to college, but from the way he looks at you, it seems like he'd follow you to the ends of the earth if he had to. People just assume sex is a part of that. No biggie if it isn't. I think chastity is kind of sweet. A little old-fashioned but sweet."

"Thanks." I think.

"Um, hello?" Lauren was apparently tired of talking about my love life, and for the first time, I was grateful for her selfishness. "It's still my turn. Who wants to guess first?"

—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—

Luckily my sex life didn't come up in conversation for the rest of the night. After a long study session Saturday morning, we spent the rest of the day watching movies. Jessica's makeup game had gone horribly awry when Angela accidentally poked Lauren in the eye with the mascara wand, so we settled for giving each other manicures. Instead of black, I asked Angela to use a glossy plum shade on my fingers and toes. It was rich, vibrant, and beautiful, and it reminded me of Edward on sight.

And for sticking it to Lauren, I gave Angela extra glitter on her fingernails.

We stuffed ourselves with popcorn and more pizza before falling asleep on Brittany's bedroom floor watching Titanic.

Sunday morning, I was awake bright and early. I tiptoed down to the kitchen for a glass of water and found Brittany in the pantry.

"Need some help?" I asked.

"Hey, Bella! I hope I didn't wake you with all this noise I'm making."

"I'm an early riser," I said. "What are you doing?"

"I thought it would be fun to make you guys some Belgian waffles on your last day here."

I took the bag of flour from her overcrowded arms. "With the way you and your mother have treated us this weekend, we should be making you breakfast."

She waved me off. "Actually, I feel like I owe you an apology."

I opened the refrigerator to grab the eggs. "For what?"

"For the way we ambushed you the other night about you and Edward."

I had hoped we could just forget about that.

"I should have stopped them from putting you on the spot," she said.

"It didn't bother me."

Brittany glanced at me. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible liar?"

"Edward says that about once per week." I tried to keep the blush out of my cheeks as his face filled my mind, but I failed.

"It must be hard for you, being away from him so long."

I wanted to deny it, as it had only been a day and a half, but I was counting the hours until he was set to meet me at my house. "I do miss him," I confessed.

"I could tell. It must have been good to dream about him last night."

"I didn't dream about Edward last night."

"Oh." She looked away. "I just thought because you…well, you talk in your sleep."

I almost dropped the measuring spoons as my mouth fell open. Just kill me now.

"I don't think anyone else heard you." She was trying not to smile, and like me, she failed. "And don't worry. It was nothing bad."

My hands flew to my face. "What did I say?"

"It's not what you said; it's the way you said it." Brittany plugged up the waffle iron. "You said Edward's name a few times, but your voice was so full of love and devotion…I felt like I was eavesdropping on something sacred." I started shaking my head, and Brittany touched my hand. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Bella. You and Edward are in love, so it makes sense that you dream about him."

"I dreamed about giving Lauren a black eye while she was dressed as a clown."

"Either way, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

I opened the carton to begin cracking eggs.

"So have you guys talked about marriage yet?"

The egg in my hand got smashed to yolky bits as she caught me completely off-guard again.

"I'm sorry!" Brittany exclaimed as she handed me a damp paper towel and an apron. "Guess I should have given this to you earlier."

"It's okay." Lie number two.

"I don't mean to pry. I just thought that you guys were…never mind."

She seemed as embarrassed as I was as she looked away. "What is it?" I asked.

"I've never been in love," she confided as she measured the flour. "Not even close. There's been a guy or two that I really thought was cute, like Edward when I first came to Forks." She smiled. "But I always thought that when I found the man of my dreams, I would marry him as soon as I could."

I tried to keep the judgment out of my voice. "Why?"

"Why not?" she replied. "If I love him and know that I want to be with him for the rest of my life, why would I put it off?"

"But we're only in high school," I said. "Isn't it a bit early for marriage?"

"I don't think so," she said. "Marriage is really just a promise to love someone forever, starting with today. You and Edward seem to be doing that anyway, so why not have a party to celebrate it?"

I had never thought about marrying Edward. Not once. It was true that "Till death do us part" had always been a vital aspect of our discourse. But compared to an immortal eternity, marriage seemed almost insulting, like it wasn't a large enough commitment for what we meant to each other.

Maybe if we were both human, with uncertain tomorrows and regrettable yesterdays, I might consider it. Or maybe if I were worried that one of us might change our minds, it might be worth discussing. But with the way things actually were between us, I could not imagine myself marrying Edward. Not for any reason.

"Marriage is a major decision," I finally said. "And right now, trying to narrow down my collegiate choices is about as much as I can handle."

"I hope you don't think I was trying to pressure you," she said earnestly. "It's your life and totally none of my business."

"Not at all," I said. "And even if I did mind, it wouldn't change anything. I like talking to you, and I'm really glad I came over this weekend."

"Same here."

We finished preparing the waffles, putting love, sex, and marriage on the back burner where they belonged.

But when I pulled in front of my house and saw the silver Volvo waiting across the street, my mind returned to the intense conversations I'd had over the weekend. And as much as I had missed Edward, I was quite nervous to see him.

I climbed out of my truck and watched him cross the street to meet me. As his golden eyes settled on mine, I stepped into his outstretched arms and sighed.

"I missed you," I whispered.

"And I, you."

I pulled back to steal a kiss, but something made me shy, and I simply smiled.

"Are you ready to go inside?" he asked.

I glanced at my front door and shook my head. "Could we stay out here for a while? I don't think the sun will break through the clouds today."

"Of course." He reached for my hand and noticed my nails.

"We were playing around this weekend." I was trying to sound casual as he inspected my hand so he wouldn't know how much I wanted him to like the color.

"Very pretty." He rubbed my fingers lightly. "It suits you."

We walked toward the matching lawn chaise loungers he'd purchased for us this summer. I'd told Charlie that Edward had found them at a flea market and Esme had restored them; he would have had a major problem with an expensive place like Pottery Barn. Most of the time, it had been too sunny for us to sit outside until the two hours during twilight allotted by Charlie's curfew. But on the rare occasions when we could enjoy the day's weather, it was nice to recline on something so comfortable.

Edward stopped behind one of the loungers and waited for me to sit down. Normally he would take his position near my feet, but this time he sat in the chair across from me. I took off my shoes to feel the hidden sun's warmth on my feet, and he smiled at my purple toes. Yet he did not look up.

That was strange.

"How was your weekend?" I asked.

"Interesting," he replied.

My nerves were multiplying by the moment.

"And yours?" he asked.

"The same."

"What did you do all weekend?"

"We did each other's nails, obviously. Played some games, watched some movies, and I called Lauren a 'bitch' to her face."

He smiled slightly. "Which movies?"

"Chicago, Titanic, Kung Fu Hustle, and Interview with the Vampire."

His eyes were bemused as he finally looked up. "Was it accurate?"

"Not even close."

We fell silent as he looked away again, and I wondered if I should ask him what was on his mind.

"What did you talk about?" he asked.

"A few things," I said. "Like the fact that Brittany participated in last year's Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver. And that Jessica can burp the alphabet in English and French. And that the entire student population of Forks High School thinks that you and I are having hot monkey sex every chance we get."

Edward's head snapped up. Guess that got your attention. "What was that last one?"

"Apparently, based on some hypersexual energy we seem to emit when we're together, everyone assumes that we're doing it all the time."

Edward looked as if he might blush.

"What?" I asked.

His expression changed a dozen times before he said, "I've never heard you use that terminology before."

"'Doing it'? I guess I've never had a reason to. Does it bother you?"

"No."

"Then what's with the face?"

"Rarely do our separate experiences intersect so seamlessly." He seemed to be speaking in hieroglyphics, so I waited for the English translation. "It seems that our private activities have drawn the attention of humans and vampires alike."

"Your brothers?" That was surprising. "What did they say?"

"Nothing that I would ever repeat in your presence."

Edward cleared his throat awkwardly, and suddenly his meaning became clear. "Jasper and Emmett gave you a sex talk?"

"Complete with visual aids and real-time demonstrations," he groused.

In spite of my embarrassment that the entire universe was concerned about my love life, the idea of Jasper and Emmett cornering Edward in the woods for a bawdy sex talk made me scream with laughter. Edward's eyes widened, and I realized that he didn't share in my hilarity. But the more I tried to calm down, the funnier the images became, and I was soon holding my aching sides. Edward sighed, and the exasperated sound sobered me slightly.

"I'm sorry." My cheeks were burning with the effort to stay neutral. "I'm sure that exchange was uncomfortable for you."

"Yet you laughed."

"Oh, come on!" I teased. "I'm sure you laughed at their shenanigans at least once."

Edward's lips had hardened into a thin line, but the corners of his mouth began to twitch. "Watching Jasper writhe beneath Emmett was something I will never forget."

I really howled then.

"But the noises were a bit much," he said. "I could have lived without those."

"See?" I wiped my moist eyes. "It wasn't all bad."

"No," then his eyes turned serious, "but I should have been having that conversation with you, not them."

"We did have that conversation," I said as my humor faded. "You said that sex was impossible for us."

"I remember."

His voice trailed off, and I couldn't stop the hope from swelling in my heart at his subsequent pause. "And now?"

His voice was soft as he looked up. "Now I'm not so sure."

I didn't know what my eyes revealed, but as I gazed into his, I saw things I had never dared to imagine before…things I had never thought were possible…and I felt dizzy.

"There are a few things we must consider," he continued. "And I still don't know if we'd be able to come to an agreement on the subject. But I would like to talk about it, if you are willing."

If he were anyone else, his clinical tone of voice would have been off-putting, insulting even. But for Edward to broach such a subject with me, to be willing to discuss our sex life openly with compromise as the goal….I was so moved by his courage that I couldn't speak. I took his hands and kissed them, letting my lips express my acquiescence.

He smiled, and the warmth from his eyes dispelled the rest of my nerves. "Okay, then. Let's talk."

—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—

We had taken our intimate tête-à-tête indoors, curling up on my couch in case Charlie returned early from work. It would be easier to retreat to opposite ends of the sofa than disentangle ourselves from my bed upstairs.

Edward had walked me through the finer points of his private conversation with Jasper, and I had to admit that I envied him the ability to discuss these things so openly with someone. The only people who truly understood the potential dynamics of a physical relationship with Edward with whom I would actually be semi-comfortable talking about it were Esme and…Esme. And even though I knew they weren't biologically related, I didn't want to discuss my lust for Edward with his mother…however happy the thought might make her.

"I wouldn't want you to think that my reluctance to be so liberated with you was rooted in a lack of desire," he was saying.

"I know better than that," I said. "It's a matter of my safety, right?"

"That's a large part of it, yes."

"And the other part?"

"You and I are from different worlds," he said. "And we don't necessarily see things the same way."

His inability to use certain words was adorable. "Care to elaborate?"

"Are you enjoying my discomfort?"

"Immensely," I grinned. "It's not often that I have you at a disadvantage."

Smoldering eyes looked back at me, engulfing me in their intensity. "That is an untruth, my love."

My palms began to sweat, and I folded them in my lap. "You were…you were saying?"

He smiled at his triumph, but only briefly. "I was raised to believe that physical intimacy is a privilege reserved for matrimony. And although I live in a more modern age, I still hold those beliefs."

"So you're saying that we can't have sex unless we're married?"

"I am saying," he clarified, "that if I were to consider my feelings alone, that would be my preference, yes. But I will never think so selfishly again, even in the name of my tenuous morality. So I would like to ask you, my sweet Bella, what do you want?"

The question was simple, but my answer was anything but. I wanted to take Edward upstairs right now, peel his clothes off, and make love to him until we both passed out from exhaustion. I wanted to feel him with every inch of my body, know him with every part of myself, give him everything that I was.

But I wanted to respect his perspective, make sure that he was comfortable with my decision. And I wanted to make sure that we would both be safe. For if something bad happened to me during our loveplay, it would haunt Edward for the rest of his existence. And I wouldn't take that risk.

"Let me ask you something first." He waited for me to form the words. "Why would it be dangerous for us to be together? You say that it wouldn't be safe, and I assume you're referring to my breakability. But after last weekend, I don't understand what you mean."

"Last weekend…" I would swear that he paused so we could each enjoy the memory of our choice. "…was a milestone that I never expected us to reach. Not for any shortcoming of yours, of course. I just never thought I could exercise such control and feel such pleasure simultaneously. To be so careful with you yet be so conscious of your taste, your scent, your softness…it was intoxicating."

I thought I was going to faint.

"And that ability to love you and protect you all at once gave me hope, hope I never thought I could have. Hope that maybe, if we were really careful, we might someday remove those final barriers and experience all that love could physically offer."

I was definitely about to faint.

"So yes, I do believe that we could explore that sacred territory together, provided that we could also agree on the more philosophical aspects of the question. And that's where your opinion is most desired."

He had spoken plainly and honestly, without belaboring his points. Yet his words had painted tantalizing images in my mind that were impossible to ignore. But I didn't know when Charlie would be home, and we had to finish this conversation before then. With tomorrow night looming over our heads, we had decided to spend tonight apart just in case Charlie decided to be extra vigilant. So I harnessed every ounce of self-control I had and forced myself to focus on our discussion and not my surging desires.

"May I ask you a question about marriage?" I asked with no small measure of reluctance.

"By all means."

"Why do vampires bother to get married? You aren't bound by other human conventions, so why does that one seem to be so important in this family?"

"We are still human underneath," he said. "Although we're from a different time, we still believe in the human approximation of eternal commitment. But for all of that," his voice was barely audible, "ultimately, we marry because we want to."

My insides quivered at the implication. "You…are you saying that you want to marry me?"

The room was still and soundless as my question hovered in the air. I closed my eyes, fearing his answer would shatter my heart either way, and I opened them only when he whispered my name.

"Bella, I want to marry you, make love to you, and solder you to my side so that I'll never have to be without you for a single moment. I want to be your husband, your concubine, your friend, and your champion for the rest of your life and mine. I want you to have my last name, my body, my mind, my soul, and everything that I am. I want to give you all that this world has to offer and siphon treasures from the heavens so that you'll never feel lack."

Edward's voice had grown in volume and feeling, and I couldn't tell which of us was breathing the hardest. In spite of what I'd told Brittany just a few hours earlier, my soul soared at the notion that Edward wanted to marry me.

He was trembling as the force of his emotions had overtaken him, and he closed his eyes to bring himself under control. I sensed that there was more to his confession, and I wanted to hear it. But if he didn't finish his thought in the next few seconds, our bodies would be finishing it for him right here on my living room floor.

"But more than anything," he panted after a few moments, "I want you to be happy. I want you to have the life you desire, the way you desire it. We could marry or not, make love or not. Such things don't matter. As long as you love me, as long as I am yours and you are mine, that is more than enough."

Tiny tears were sneaking out of my eyes as Edward looked at me, and he kissed them as he brought me to his chest. It was my turn to speak, and I would, but this was a moment to be savored. Edward had declared himself as boldly as any man or vampire had ever done, and I would cherish his words for the rest of my life.

I leaned back to return his gaze, emboldened by his declaration.

"I am yours, Edward. Never doubt that for an instant. And I do want to make- to be fully intimate with you." Now I was the shy one. "But I don't want it to be something we plan or discuss to death. Neither one of us work very well under pressure, and I want my first time- our first time to be beautiful, natural, and as easy as breathing. So if you're asking me if I want you that way, the answer is yes and always. Everything else will take care of itself."

His lips were on mine the very next instant, and the final stanza of our heartfelt speeches wordlessly began. He cupped my face as he planted tender kisses all over my forehead, cheeks, and neck, murmuring his devotion into my skin. I wrapped my arms around his neck as our mouths met again, sighing when his cool tongue first slid between my parted lips. He was sweeter than dessert and infinitely more satisfying; I couldn't get enough.

He laid me down on the couch but didn't stop kissing me. I was gasping for breath, and he moved his attentions southward. His teeth grazed my neck, and I shivered. I heard him chuckle, and to my surprise, he did it again, this time with a low growl. A tremor rippled through me, and I moaned his name. He brought his open mouth to mine, swallowing the sound. As his hands slid beneath my shirt and inched their way up, I felt my inhibitions wither into nothing, and I threw my arms around him, knowing in that instant that I was ready to give myself to him—body and soul.

But my total surrender would have to wait as Edward abruptly raised his head. My eyes were wide with confusion until I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Edward groaned and reluctantly helped me sit up. I fixed my shirt and hair while Edward turned on the television. We fell into a conversation about Mr. Cromley's exam, and I was revealing Mr. Cromley's secret family connection when Charlie's key jingled in the door. Edward was surprised by the news—he'd never had a class with both teacher and student, and neither of them ever thought about their relational issues in school.

Charlie came in and barely nodded to Edward, who was sitting a respectful foot away from me on the couch.

"What are you watching?" Charlie asked.

I hadn't bothered to look, and I hoped that Edward had been paying attention to the screen in the two minutes since we'd turned the television on. But before we had to answer, Charlie's face broke out into a smirk.

"Preparing?" he asked.

I didn't catch his meaning until I looked at the screen. And then I cringed inside.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Charlie laughed as he walked into the kitchen.

I put my head in my hands and groaned. Edward rubbed my back as the dinner scene from Meet the Parents brought all my fears about tomorrow night back to the surface.

It was going to be a long twenty-four hours.

So…I promise that the next chapter will be the dinner at the Cullens, but Edward and Bella had some talking to do before then.

Also, if you are inclined to pray, please send one up for my amazing Beta and friend, CassandraLowery. She's a busy lady with a lot on her plate, and she could use some extra strength and happy thoughts. And if you've got a minute, head over to her page and read her work. You'll be super-glad that you did!

Please review this chapter! I'm so curious about how you feel about the talk B&E had and what you think will happen tomorrow night! Besides, my birthday is Monday, and lots of reviews make the best gifts :)