(Edward's P.O.V.)

When I walked into my home after a quick hunt, I was surprised to see balloons hanging from the ceiling. Esme was arranging a table that held an extravagant vase full of colorful flowers and a fancy punch bowl that I had never seen before. Emmett was sitting on the ground with Alice, filling up balloons of every color with confetti.

"What's going on here?" I asked them, studying their excited thoughts with intent.

Alice squealed in excitement, springing to her feet. "It's Lynna's birthday today!"

My brows flew up my forehead in surprise. I had no idea. Why didn't she tell me that her birthday was coming up? Granted, I hadn't thought to ask her.

"Oh," was all I said, taking in the decorations. "And I take it you're planning a party?"

She squealed once again. Esme and Emmett smiled; they too were clearly excited. Jasper rounded the corner and kissed Alice on her temple, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace. I was shocked when Rosalie rounded the corner carrying several gift bags. She was helping? Was I the only one that had no prior knowledge of this? Judging by their thoughts, it would seem so.

"Yes! And she has no idea!" Alice exclaimed, beaming at me. "She's gonna love it."

I mentally cringed when I recalled the last time that we threw a 'surprise party'. Things ended in disaster and all over a simple paper cut. The thought of history repeating itself caused panic to pierce through me. Jasper was quick to pick up on the strong emotion, causing him to quirk a brow at me in confusion.

"Alice. Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I rubbed my chin.

"Why wouldn't it be?" She questioned. Don't be silly.

I cast a wary glance at Jasper, hoping he wouldn't take offense as I responded, "You know what happened last time."

Jasper stiffened, guilt coursing through him. Alice's eyes widened, surprised that I even brought it up.

"I do," she spoke in a slow, careful voice, pursing her lips. "But this time, we're using gift bags. No sharp edges. Just tissue."

I've already thought of everything, she told me via her thoughts. I appreciate you taking an interest. It means a lot, but I'm certain that history won't repeat itself. We are taking every precaution.

Jasper's bright golden eyes assured me that he had recently fed. I was well aware that his self-control over the past couple decades has improved, but I couldn't help but be leery. I was extremely protective over Lynna. How would I be able to hide that little tidbit from my empath of a brother?

"We're having the party around six today. I've already come up with an excuse to get her over here. I would do it immediately after school but Noah has something planned for her," she explained, studying my sullen expression.

Emmett piped up from his place on the floor. "Are you going to show up, Eddie boy?"

Esme gave me a stern stare. "Of course he will."

Of course I will..

I crawled in through Lynna's bedroom window that she left unlocked for me. Usually, I stayed the night with her, but the more time I spend with her, the more my thirst grows. I've found that I've been having to hunt more and more often to keep my thirst for her at bay. The problem was— It wasn't just her blood that I was craving.

She was sprawled out on her bed, sleeping peacefully. Somehow, she had managed to tangle herself in her sheets. No doubt, due to tossing and turning all night. I felt guilty for not being there for her, knowing that she suffered from nightmares. I made a mental vow that I would hunt as much as I could during waking hours, so I could ensure her comfort at night.

Her golden waves were splayed across her pillow like a halo. Even in her sleep, she was ethereal. I carefully laid down beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and nuzzling my face into the crook of her neck and inhaling deeply, causing my mouth to water and my body to stiffen.

She stirred in her sleep before rolling over to face me, looking up at me with sleepy eyes.

"Edward," she whispered before cuddling against my chest.

My heart felt heavy yet light as I stared down at her.

"Happy birthday," I said to her as I ran my hand through her tangled hair.

She groaned before rolling off of me and sitting on the edge of her bed, stretching her arms over her head. "Thanks," she mumbled, her voice still slightly hoarse from sleeping.

Using my inhuman speed, I all but teleported across the bed, landing on the floor so I was kneeling in front of her.

"Why didn't you tell me about your birthday?" I questioned, frowning.

She shrugged nonchalantly, blinking slowly as she rubbed her tired eyes. "You never asked."

"Fair enough," I responded, my frown deepening.

She sidestepped around me and went into the bathroom to turn on the shower. I wasn't surprised in the slightest when she popped out her head and flashed me a taunting smirk.

"Care to join me for a shower? It is my birthday, you know." She batted her eyes at me alluringly.

I rolled my eyes. Must she test me like this?

"Don't tempt me, birthday girl," I teased, plopping on her bed and leaning against the headboard.

She stepped out and folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head to the side. "As if I could do that," she mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes before going in the bathroom and closing the door; of course, she barely left it open— taunting me.

What did she mean by that? I pursed my lips in thought, closing my eyes and counting down from five thousand to prevent myself from stealing a peak at the naked girl who lives to test my limits.

I counted down to four thousand and something before she finally emerged from the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe that I imagined dropping to the floor.

(Lynna's P.O.V.)

"Happy birthday, sis!" Dustin bombarded me with a bone-crushing hug the second I walked downstairs after bidding Edward farewell.

"Thanks," I chuckled as he set me to my feet.

The smell of freshly cooked bacon filled my nostrils, causing my stomach to growl quite loudly. I was trying to do better about eating. The past few weeks, I've found that I have been able to stomach food quite well compared to how I've been doing. Granted, I would still find myself staring at my reflection after a large meal and not liking what I saw. I felt like my stomach was a bit pudgy and my thighs were too soft. Sometimes while eating, I swore I could feel my face getting fatter. Deep down, a part of me knew that it was all in my head, but that didn't stop the incessant thoughts from taking over.

Regardless, it's my birthday. I could allow myself to indulge. Just for today, I reminded myself.

"I made your favorite." Mamaw flashed me a tender smile, her green eyes seeming to glow with glee. "Homemade biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon."

"It smells amazing." I returned her smile, taking a seat at the table. "Thank you."

She set my overly filled plate in front of me and nodded towards it. "Eat up."

And I did. I ate every last bite and immediately felt guilty. A famous quote that I used to live by played on a loop inside of my head—'A moment on the lips, forever on the hips'.

As I was driving to school, my car started smoking. I was trying not to panic as I pulled off to the side of the road. The temperature gauge was in the red. Great. My poor car had already been through the ringer. It's been in the shop twice since school started and now it was overheating. Just my luck.

Luckily, it was only a five-minute walk to school from where I was at. I grabbed a white bag and put it in the driver's side window so it wouldn't be towed without my knowledge. I shot a quick text to Mamaw letting her know what was going on before I began the small trek.

The second I stepped out of the car and started my journey, the clouds opened up, sending buckets of water raining down from the sky. My jaw dropped in disbelief at my horrendous luck.

By the time I arrived at the school, I looked like a drowned rat. I walked into the school wearing a scowl and sopping wet clothes, leaving a trail of water as I wandered down the hall. Alice was quick to spot me, her face breaking out into a joyful grin as she bounced over to me. Her smile faltered slightly when she took note of my soaked attire.

"Happy birthday!" She blurted out, linking her arm through mine. "I would hug you but this is cashmere and you're… drenched."

I breathed out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, I am. And thanks."

She quirked a brow at me as we walked to my locker. "So, why do you look like a drowned rat?"

This time, my laugh was genuine. Like aunt, like niece.

"My car decided to overheat, leaving me stranded on the side of the road. And, of course, it decided to rain cats and dogs the second I started walking here," I explained as I pulled out my textbook from the locker and stuffed it in my bag.

Her eyes widened. "Not such a good start to your birthday, huh?"

"Not at all," I mumbled, chuckling dryly.

She smiled softly. "Look, I need your help with something today. It's kind of urgent."

I furrowed my brows. "What?"

"Well, we're planning a shopping trip, so I'm needing to go through all of my clothes to make room for some new stuff," she explained, batting her lashes.

I couldn't help but laugh. "You call that urgent?"

She jutted her lower lip in a pout. "It is urgent, Lynna. You have no idea the amount of clothes I have. It's going to take days to sort through it all. Which is why I need your help…"

I released a sigh, unable to resist her puppy-dog eyes. "When do you need me?"

She clasped her hands together in excitement. "I'll pick you up at five thirty today. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Before I had a chance to respond, she flitted away, rushing towards Jasper and throwing her arms around his neck.

I walked into History with my textbook clutched to my chest. Edward, of course, was already waiting for me. We were always the first students to arrive, and now was no exception. He took one look at my wet attire and furrowed his brows. I sat down beside him and flashed him a sheepish smile, shivering involuntarily at the chill in the air. It was always chilly in the classroom and being in wet clothes only made it worse.

"Lynna, why are your clothes wet?" He asked slowly, studying my face intently.

I shrugged. "Felt like having another shower." My voice was dripping with sarcasm. He rolled his eyes and quirked a brow, waiting for me to continue. "My car overheated so I had to walk to school. As you can see, I got caught in the rain."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Why didn't you call me?"

I looked at him in disbelief. "Yeah, cause you driving me to school wouldn't be suspicious at all."

His eyes flew open. "Then why didn't you call Alice? Or your brother? Or hell—Even Noah?"

"Because it wasn't a big deal. It was less than a five-minute walk," I explained, shrugging nonchalantly.
"So, I got a little wet. Won't be the last time." I winked, flashing him a sensual smile.

His jaw went slack. Desire was quick to settle in the depths of his pupils, his ember eyes darkening dramatically. "Take off your shirt," he demanded in a low voice.

Now, my jaw went slack. A blush was quick to creep to my cheeks, my heart stuttering immediately. "We're in the middle of a classroom," I whispered, shock evident in my voice. "I'd be more than happy to strip for you in our closet before gym—"

He interrupted me mid-sentence, his eyes growing to the size of saucers. His jaw was clenched, lust burning like wildfire in his midnight eyes as he said, "Jesus, Lynna! That's not what I meant!"

My blushing intensified when I took note of his horrified expression. He inhaled a shaky breath before explaining himself, "You have a tank top on underneath your flannel. Which I'm sure is relatively dry. So, take off your flannel."

Oh. I was quick to shake my head. "I'd get sent straight to the principal's office for breaking the dress code."

"I'll give you my jacket," he told me, his eyes pouring into mine.

I raised my brows. "Won't Alice and Emmett think something?"

He exhaled forcefully, staring straight ahead before meeting my gaze. "So, they'll think I'm not that cold-hearted. I'll survive."

I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, deep in thought. He narrowed his dark eyes at me and spoke in a husky voice, "Do not bite your lip right now. Please."

He was looking at me like he was a starving man ready to devour me at any given moment. My stomach churned in yearning at his lustful expression. I could definitely have some fun with this. It is my birthday, after all. Taking no heed to his warning, I slowly nibbled on my lower lip and gazed into his eyes, blinking slowly in a bid to be sultry.

"Lynna." He growled my name, clenching his fists on top of the table and gritting his teeth. "Please."

I took pity on him and offered him a small smile before I peeled the damp flannel from my body, leaving me sitting there in my tank top. Goosebumps erupted on my arms when the cool air hit my skin. Edward's eyes lingered on my chest as he took off his jacket and handed it to me. I graciously accepted it, smirking up at him when he forced his gaze from my cleavage.

"Put it on," he urged me, his piercing eyes burning into mine.

And so I did. It smelled like him—A woodsy scent mixed with petrichor and lilac. The scent was intoxicating. I could get high on his scent alone. The jacket swallowed me whole, and I reveled in it. I pulled at the collar and inhaled deeply, butterflies fluttering about violently as I did so.

"Thank you," I said to him, smiling softly.

He returned my smile in full force. "It looks much better on you anyway."

My smile turned into a full-on beam at that. It was then that Alice and Emmett sauntered in, unknowingly breaking the spell. They both eyed the jacket in confusion. Alice pursed her lips while Emmett quirked a brow.

As they sat down behind us, I swiveled in my seat and met their curious gazes.

"You gave her your jacket?" Alice directed the question to her solemn-faced brother.

Edward turned around so she could see him roll his eyes. "Of course, I did. I'm insulted that you're surprised by the miniscule action. It's something that any proper gentleman would do."

Alice and Emmett turned their attention to me, clearly waiting for my input. Not wanting them to be suspicious on Edward's behalf, I shrugged a shoulder and said, "He'll probably never let me forget about this for as long as I live. I'll forever be indebted to him."

Emmett chuckled lowly, all traces of suspicion vanishing from his eyes. "Yeah, no doubt."

Alice hummed in response, continuing to study the two of us with scrutinizing eyes. Edward shook his head and mumbled bitterly, "Give it a rest, Alice. You're so far off base that it isn't even funny."

I knew he was responding to her thoughts. Sometimes, I forgot that he was an actual mind-reader given the fact that my thoughts were lost to him. I was curious as to what made say that, so I made a mental note to ask him about it later.

I was pulled from my thoughts when a set of hands slammed down on my desk, causing me to startle. I jumped and yelped, earning a loud laugh from Emmett and a giggle from Alice. Edward, on the other hand, looked thoroughly annoyed as he peered over my shoulder.

I turned in my seat and was met with Tyler's smiling brown eyes. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" He yelled, wearing a bright smile. "You're officially eighteen. So, what are you doing to do first? Get a tattoo? Get hitched? The possibilities are endless."

I couldn't help but laugh when he wagged his eyebrows at me in a comical fashion. "I guess I'll have to make a list," I teased.

He laughed along with me before handing me a small, wrapped box. "Your wrapping skills leave little to be desired," I said sarcastically, smiling up at him.

He rolled his eyes playfully. "Go on. Open it."

Alice and Emmett were leaning forward, clearly curious. I briefly met Edward's annoyed gaze and had to stifle a chuckle at his bemused expression. Without any further urging, I tore into the paper and opened the box, revealing a fifty-dollar gift card to Victoria's Secret. Immediately, I blushed.

"Victoria's Secret," I squeaked out, my cheeks heating up in mild embarrassment. "Thanks, Ty."

I could tell that Emmett was having a difficult time containing his laughter; he was grinning from ear to ear, his shoulders shaking with the effort to contain his amusement. Alice had her mouth pressed into a stern line, clearly struggling to bite back a giggle at my blushing face. Edward, on the other hand, looked absolutely livid. He was staring straight ahead, his jaw ticking in anger and his hands clenched into fists.

"Anytime." Tyler winked at me before making his way to his seat.

Once he was seated across the classroom, Emmett could no longer contain his laughter. He threw his head back and laughed joyfully. Alice was quick to join in, though her laughter was much quieter.

"That was… thoughtful of him," Alice mused once their laughing spell had subsided.

I was still blushing like a fool. "I'm just glad he got me a gift card instead of taking it upon himself to pick something out."

All in all, I was grateful for the gift. After all, a girl could always use a new bra.

"Don't give him any ideas," Emmett chuckled.

Before any more could be said, Noah and Paige walked into the classroom. They immediately met my gaze and flashed me huge smiles as they sauntered towards me. Noah placed a cupcake directly in front of me and a bright pink large gift bag.

Happy Birthday, he signed, his smile never wavering.

"Happy Birthday, Lynna," Paige spoke as she, too, signed for Noah's benefit. "I tried to help him pick it out, but he didn't need any help from me at all."

Of course, he didn't. Noah knew me like the back of his hand. "Thanks," I said to them before diving into the bag, removing the pink tissue to reveal what's inside.

I pulled out a beautiful mermaid figurine, a big SpongeBob plushie that was extra squishy, and a pair of SpongeBob slippers. A gasp flew through my lips before I crushed the plushie to my chest and gave it a big hug.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed. "I LOVE IT! Thank you, guys!"

I hopped up from my seat and gave them both a ginormous hug.

You're welcome, Noah signed when we pulled away.

They walked away with smiling faces and took their seats up front.

"I knew you were a fan of SpongeBob, but I didn't know it was to that extent," Emmett commented, chucking to himself.

"I've seen every single episode multiple times," I told him, cradling the plushie in my arms.

"All two hundred and seventy-seven of them," Edward grumbled, shaking his head.

Alice's brows flew up her forehead, clearly surprised. "How do you know many episodes of SpongeBob there are?" She challenged him.

Edward's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not Patrick. I don't live under a rock," he retorted, unable to stop the smile that spread across his face at her appalled expression.

His comment earned another chuckle from Emmett and from me as well. Once again, Alice hummed in response, narrowing her eyes at the mind-reader. He simply brushed her off. Luckily, class started soon after that.

Per usual, I met Edward in our secret place (A.K.A, the utility closet in the nearly deserted hallway). He was waiting inside for me with his arms folded over his chest, staring at me with a guarded expression. I closed the door behind me, leaving us alone in the dark space. The only light was filtering through the small crack at the bottom of the door, creating a sensual ambience—Or at least as sensual as it could get in an abandoned janitor's closet.

In an instant, his cold, marble lips were against mine, kissing me passionately; urgently. There was a gnawing hunger behind the kiss that caused my heart to race and heat to pool in my lower stomach. Just as I was about to tangle my hands in his hair and attempt to deepen the kiss, he pulled away. Disappointment flooded though me.

"There'll be plenty of time for that later," he assured me, smirking devilishly. "I'm going to be ditching the rest of the day. I've got some things I need to take care of, but I'll see you later, okay?"

I couldn't help but pout, even though I had absolutely no right to. He didn't even spend the night last night and now he was skipping class. Was he trying to avoid me? It was starting to feel like he was already growing tired of our little arrangement. When we kissed, he was always the first to pull away. Our kisses were shorter and happening less frequently. I knew his feelings for me didn't extend beyond friendship despite his attraction for me, but I was starting to wonder if his attraction for me was starting to fade. Surely not, right? We haven't gone any further in kissing. Surely, he wouldn't tire of me so quickly.

Then, I started to wonder.. Maybe he's found someone. Someone like him—A vampire. Maybe he was sneaking off to see some hott vampire girl that he could kiss without the fear of breaking; someone who he could go much further than kissing with. The jealousy that pierced through me at the mere thought was enough to take my breath away.

Still, I knew it wasn't my place to say anything. He could do whatever we wanted. There were no strings attached, after all. And who knows? Maybe I was reading into things. I wouldn't put it past me to make a mountain out of an ant hill. But still, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was something he wasn't telling me.

"Have fun," I forced the words out, smiling half-heartedly before opening the door and making a hasty exit.

Happy Birthday to me, I thought bitterly as I made my way to Gym.

The rest of day at school went anything but according to plan. During Gym, I tripped over my shoelace and fell flat on my face during basketball. There was a surprise pop quiz in Chemistry that Edward was lucky enough to miss. I barely managed to take two bites of a mystery meat during lunch before I found a long gray hair in it. Luckily, I didn't really want to eat anyway. I was just trying to put on a brave face in front of Noah and Paige.

Just when I thought English class was going to by without a hitch, Mr. Mahoney decided to read my essay to the entire class for 'educational' purposes. He was doing it because he was impressed by my writing ability, but I was absolutely horrified to have the story read to the entire class. Luckily, I hadn't written anything incriminating. It was simply a short horror story about a science experiment gone wrong. Still, I hated being the center of attention.

And during Study Hall, I spilled an entire bottle of water all over my History textbook. The day was filled with minor inconveniences that were quickly adding up. It was just one of those days where you just wanted to go home and take a long nap. I was simply ready for it to be over. Alice, on the other hand, had other plans.

Alice was giddy to drive me home after school. My mamaw had called me before Gym and told me that roadside assistance was having my car towed to our mechanic, so that was good news, I guess. That would mean, however, that I would be dependent on someone else to drive me to school for the next few days, which my great-great-aunt was more than eager to volunteer for. So, there I was—Sitting in the passenger seat as Alice pulled into my driveway. Jasper was sitting in the back, wearing a small smile. He was eerily quiet compared to Alice. That saying 'opposites attract' couldn't be truer in their case. Still, I could tell he was a kind soul.

"Don't forget that I'll be here to pick you up at five thirty sharp!" She reminded me when I stepped out of the car.

"I won't forget, Auntie Alice," I teased. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime!" She beamed at me.

There were two new pajama sets and three new Amish books laying on my bed when I got to my room. Mamaw shared my love for Amish stories, so I knew that they were from her without question. My mom texted me Happy Birthday a few hours ago. No doubt, she would call me later. She and 'Hippie' were taking a road trip to the Grand Canyon, so I wouldn't be seeing her for a while. I didn't mind. I was used to her absence.

I glanced at the clock and realized I had an hour and a half to kill. As if on cue, there was a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called out as I was tearing the tags off my new pajamas.

My brother's head peeked through the door. "Hiya, sis. Wanna play some video games?"

Every once and a while, we would have a gaming session together. It was a good way for us to bond. Just as I was opening my mouth to respond, he pulled out a hot pink controller that was still in the packaging.

"I got this for you." He beamed at me.

My heart warmed in my chest. I threw my arms around his neck in an embrace. "Thank you. I love it."

"Let's test it out." His smile grew.

And so we did. We played for about an hour before I decided to go ahead and start getting ready for Alice's arrival. When I walked into my bedroom, I was surprised to see Edward lounging on my bed as though he was a permanent fixture. He looked up at me with a soft smile that caused my heart to flutter.

"Did you have fun playing video games?" He asked, quirking a brow.

"Yeah," I responded as I started digging through my dresser for a change of clothes.

I could feel him watching every move I made.

"You didn't strike me as a gamer girl," he commented, chuckling quietly to himself.

"I'm full of surprises. What can I say?" I teased, pulling out a comfortable t-shirt and holding it up.

He teleported behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling his face against the crook of my neck and inhaling deeply. My heart responded immediately— Skipping a beat before picking up rhythm. When he pressed his icy lips against my warm skin, I melted against him. His arms tightened around my waist before he picked me up and carried me to the bed.

He gently laid me down. The second my head hit the pillow, I reached for him. He wasted no time in climbing in beside me, rolling me onto my side and hitching my leg over his waist before his lips connected with mine. I pressed myself against him desperately, longing to feel his solid body contouring against mine. He didn't object when my hands entwined themselves in his hair as I deepened the kiss. His hands found my hips, his fingers digging in to my flesh as he started bucking his hips against mine. I couldn't stop the moan that escaped me when I felt his erection pressed against my core that was aching for him.

He groaned in response, his tongue trailing along my lower lip, as though begging for entrance which I was more than willing to grant him. His tongue explored my mouth with a raw hunger that caused desire to pierce through me like a knife. I was practically panting at this point, dying for more. I yearned for his touch. My entire body felt like it was on fire, particularly the area between my legs. I tightened my leg that was wrapped around his waist and grinded against his throbbing erection, desperate for the friction.

His breaths were ragged and hastened, same as mine. His entire body stiffened in response as I continued to grind against him. Just as my tongue darted to meet his, he broke the kiss, pulling away and staring down at me with midnight eyes that were lit with undeniable lust. His grip tightened on my hips; the feel of his fingers digging in to my flesh led me to believe that he was desperately trying to refrain himself. A low rumbling sound from deep within his chest; a warning, before he forced my hips to still. Disappointment flooded through me when he untangled himself from me and sat up in bed, running a hand through his tousled bronze hair.

My heart was racing a mile a minute. I laid there; breathless and dumbfounded. A long minute passed before he turned and looked at me, his eyes now reminding me of topaz instead of onyx. He offered me a faint flicker of a smile as he held out his hand, waiting for me to place my palm in his. The second I obliged, he pulled up so I was sitting across from him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his gaze dropping to the comforter as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. "I got carried away."

Sorry? "Don't be sorry," I was quick to say, resting my hand on his thigh. "You know I want you.. In that way.." I trailed off, my cheeks blushing crimson when his golden eyes met mine.

His jaw clenched before his hand wrapped around mine, entwining our fingers together before dropping my hand, being sure to remove it from his lap in the process.

"I, uh.." He trailed off, looking nervous all of a sudden. "I got you something."

My eyes widened in surprise. He frowned before saying, "For your birthday. I hope that's okay."

My brows flew up my forehead as a smile spread across my face. "Of course it is."

A hesitant grin flitted to his lips before he teleported to the recliner where he retrieved something from his jacket and rushed back to my side, holding out a small rectangular box and placing it in my hand. He looked anxious as could be as I lifted the lid, revealing a stunning necklace. At the center was a gorgeous aquamarine stone with diamonds around the border in the shape of the sun. It was rose gold—My favorite. A gasp flew through my lips at the sight of the beautiful necklace. I had never owned something so lovely.

"Do you like it?" He asked softly, sounding hopeful yet weary.

Tears sprung to the back of my eyes. An emotional lump formed in my throat as I met his vulnerable gaze. I started nodding fervently, my lower lip trembling from the effort of fighting back tears.

"I love it!" I managed to choke out before launching towards him, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in his chest as I crawled onto his lap. His golden eyes danced joyfully as he took in my elated expression. I shyly pecked him on the lips, a blush spreading to my cheeks as I whispered, "I love it so much. Thank you."

He looked.. shocked. He stared at me in disbelief before he returned my smile with enthusiasm. "If I had known you were going to react like this, I would have gotten the matching earrings as well," he mused, pulling me in for another quick kiss.

I giggled like a school-girl, feeling pure joy as I took in every detail of his all-too-perfect face. His features appeared to be carved from marble—Perfectly; intricately. He was.. breathtaking. I held the necklace in my hands and looked up at from beneath my lashes.

"Put it on me?" I bit my lip nervously as I gazed into his golden eyes of ember.

He nodded once, flashing me a crooked grin. I put my back towards him and held my hair to the side, waiting patiently for him to clasp the necklace. He lightly brushed his fingertips along my collarbone, causing me to shiver involuntarily and my breath to hitch. When he clasped the necklace, he combed his fingers through my hair. I tilted my head to look at him, locking with his eyes of gold that were shining every bit as brightly as the sun. The way he was looking at me caused my heart to flutter; I feared it might fly away. He was gazing at me so intently, so sweetly, as though I was something precious.

It was then that I realized my heart was far more involved than this little 'arrangement' than I had initially thought. It was then that I realized.. That I was falling deeply, madly in love with Edward Cullen.