May 18, 1996

We pull into your driveway with ten minutes to spare. Your dad's patrol car isn't here, which gives me an odd sense of relief. It didn't occur to me before, but I don't think I could look him in the eye right now. I feel like he'd know. He'd look straight into my eyes, and he'd know. I laugh quietly as I come around to open your door. When you're on your feet, I lean forward with my hands against the car, caging you in. I can't get enough of you right now. It feels weird to just drop you off at your front door after the things we did tonight.

"Hey," I say against your lips.

"Hi."

"Just so you know"—I kiss your neck and your bare shoulder and the spot just under your ear—"tonight definitely ranks high in the top five nights of my life."

You scoff. "It'd better take the number one spot."

I bite my lip and pretend to think about it, and you smack my chest.

"I'm kidding. It's definitely number one."

"You know," you say, lacing your fingers together behind my neck, "you don't have to leave just because I have a curfew. We can hang out. They're fine as long as I'm home."

Sighing, I drop my forehead to your shoulder. "I can't. My parents sort of gave me a curfew, too."

"Your parents?" You push me back with your hands on my shoulders. "They did not."

"They did. Ten after midnight."

Your giggle does things to me that make me want to take you back to that houseboat right now. "Ten after?"

"I told them yours was midnight, so they gave me some wiggle room." Despite my mom and dad being gone a lot, they're still good parents. They still want to know I'm safe when they're not home, and they still want me to have boundaries. I respect that, and they trust me. I don't want to blow that.

"That was nice of them," you tease as I walk you to your front door. The porch light is on, and the TV flickers through the curtains on the front window. "We've still got, what, fifteen minutes? Come sit with me."

I nod, and you lead me to the porch swing. Even though your hair is pulled back and your makeup is all but gone, you're just as gorgeous as you were when I picked you up earlier tonight. Maybe even more. I push the skirt of your fluffy dress against your leg so I can sit next to you.

"So," you say quietly, "was it…what you thought it would be?"

"Prom? It was all right." I love teasing you, but you're all business now.

"Edward."

I stop the swing and angle myself toward you. Your cheek is soft under my fingertips. "Well, I had high expectations, but… It was better than I thought it would be." I smile when you do.

"Yeah," you breathe. "Same here." You grab the front of my shirt and tug me forward so you can kiss me. I love it when you do that. It reminds me of our first kiss.

I slide my tongue into your mouth, and just when things start to get heavy, the front door creaks open, and we break apart.

Please don't be her dad. Please don't be her dad, I think, squeezing my eyes shut before I turn to face the door. Then I let out a huge sigh. Your mom's standing there in her bathrobe, holding a glass of wine. She raises an eyebrow at me, but her smile is all amusement and mischief.

"Did you kids have fun?"

I'm sure my face is ten shades of red right now.

"Yeah," you answer, grasping my hand in yours. "We had a great time. Edward didn't even complain when I made him dance."

I bump your shoulder with mine. "Pretty sure I asked you to dance first."

"You two." Renee shakes her head and leans against the door frame. "So damned cute."

"Mother."

"Okay, okay," she says, winking at me like we have some kind of secret. "Thank you for being home on time. I'm going to bed. Your dad should be home in about thirty minutes, so don't stay out here too long."

I squeeze your hand when she goes back inside. "I'd better head out."

We stand up, and you put your hands on either side of my face and stare at me until it gets a little too intense. "I love you, you know," you whisper.

"Love you, too."

"Thanks for humoring me."

"Bella." I can't help but laugh. "Humoring you was the last thing I was doing tonight."

"Well then, thanks for…everything. You know."

"Thanks for saying yes to me."

"God, you're a cornball," you tease, copying my accusation from earlier.

"You know it." I press my lips to yours. "I don't want to, but I've really gotta go now."

"Okayyy." You wrap your arms around my neck and hold tight. "I wish we could've spent the whole night together."

"Me too." I kiss your forehead and then your lips one last time. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah."

"You've gotta let me go, though," I say, laughing and unwinding your arms from around me.

"Sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry for that. Good night, love." I back down the porch steps and walk toward my car. Before I can get there, though, you call my name again. I turn around to see you standing there, looking gorgeous and happy.

"I like love much better than baby."

Shaking my head, I say what I know you're expecting, so I give it to you. "Jesus, Bella. I love you."