B-POV

"You promised me you would wear suitable shoes."

Edward's voice followed his hand into the passenger side of the car, where it waited for me to take it. Yet, I could only stare at the flawless, marble skin.

There were many, legitimate reasons for my hesitation. For one, the car Edward picked me up in was worth more than my life. Vintage, pristine condition, spotlessly clean. Butter-soft leather seats and an engine that purred like a kitten. The entire drive, I sat on my hands. I was afraid to even move, lest I ruin something. Second, this date was a rekindling of sorts. Edward and I had spent weeks apart, suffering from loss and heartbreak. The once-solid ground of our relationship cracked and crumbled beneath our feet. It was unclear whether we were supposed to pick up from where we left off or start fresh. And the uncertainty was nerve-wracking. Third—and arguably the most important—my date was a vampire. An ancient, immortal being that thirsted for my blood.

But no.

As it was, I found Edward's true nature much more… alluring than I would like to admit.

My hesitation was grounded in the fact that I allowed Charlie to con me into wearing shoes with a heel.

There was no hiding the date from my father. Not after Edward asked to pick me up. I knew I could never refuse him. Not only because his face was so sweet and innocent when he asked, but because it was my fault we both endured so much pain. Letting him drive was the literal least I could do.

Of course, to Charlie, this was my first date with Edward. For this mysterious, perspective boyfriend, Charlie was eager to pull out my only pair of heels from the back of my closet, dangle them in front of my face, and remind me that the woman who owned them first had six husbands. At least, that was what the lady at the vintage store told us.

I stared down at my feet, regretting my choices and hating my susceptibility.

"No matter," Edward continued, encouraging me to take his hand. "I can hold on to you all night long if need be."

I swallowed loudly and placed my fingers in his. "I can manage."

"Pity."

With effortless grace, Edward guided me out of the car and into the bustling streets of downtown Seattle on a Friday night. Edward released my hand to bring his up around my shoulder, where he ushered me away from walking straight into the woman I was too distracted to notice. His arm stayed around my shoulder, occasionally pulling me against him to avoid other pedestrians until we arrived at an old hotel.

The lobby was grand and stylish. The massive glass lighting fixture, deep jewel-toned furniture, and gold trim were perfect replicas from the classic Art Deco era, if not originals. I felt as out of place inside as I did walking beside Edward. As he talked to the woman at the front desk, his thumb trailed down my spine. He pressed his hand into my lower back, then slid around my waist down to my hip. I was sure he expected to feel a hard, sexy hip bone, only to be met with my soft flesh. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to pull away. Instead, Edward's fingers splayed out and he gave me a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

After speaking to someone on the phone, the woman at the desk beckoned for Edward to follow her. She led us into the elevator, pressed the button to the top floor, then stepped out, leaving Edward and me alone. I watched the light blink as we soared to the sky.

"Keep in mind I had less than twenty-four hours to prepare," Edward reminded me coolly.

When the doors opened, we were greeted by a host in a suave tuxedo, who took my coat, then Edward's. The private dining room was outfitted with the same luxurious fixtures and finishes as the lobby. The hotel pumped the room with an air freshener that didn't smell as sweet as Edward's scent and played soft jazz music that didn't sound as pleasant as Edward's voice. A second server led us to a table—the only table in the space. The booth was positioned in front of a massive floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the Seattle skyline and the impressive mountain range that stretched out endlessly behind the city.

"What would you have done with you had a full day?" I asked, breathless. "Arranged a trip to New York City?"

"No," he said confidently, guiding me into the booth, "It would have been Paris."

I shook my head at the impossible boy as he slid into the seat beside me.

The host placed three menus on our table, then replaced the white napkin on my lap with a navy one, so it matched the color of my jumpsuit. He recited his speech, welcoming us to the hotel. Edward didn't pay attention. Instead, he absentmindedly played with a lock of my hair. When the host finished, I requested water for both me and Edward.

Edward's hand stayed in my hair as I turned my attention back to the view, "It's beautiful, no?" he asked.

It was becoming clear Vampire Edward was quite different than Human Edward, and the difference made him twice as unattainable. Flawlessly beautiful, painfully charming, and now rich? I reached into my purse and placed my hand on the notebook I brought. My English notebook—the one that had been commandeered and repurposed as a list of everything Edward and I had in common. I brought it along, anticipating the moment Edward would jokingly request a new similarity to be added to our list and I could pull it out.

Now, I worried there would be nothing new to add as he strayed further and further from my league.

"It's spectacular," I corrected, "and entirely too much."

"In all honesty, this is the ideal location for us. It's high up enough that I cannot hear thoughts from below, yet not so remote that you would feel unsafe."

"You don't need to…"

"It's fine." He snaked his arm around my waist and gave me another squeeze. "I am happy to pay the extra money to ease my mind and your fears."

Biting my lip, I turned my attention to the menu. There were only a few choices, but that typically meant they would all be incredible.

"Why don't you order two meals—,"

"I only need one," I interrupted, appalled.

He smiled patiently. "One would be for me, obviously. You can pick at what you want and take the rest as leftovers."

"Oh," I blushed, embarrassed for assuming the worst of Edward. Again. "That sounds nice."

A waitress returned to take our order, taking in an eyeful of Edward as she did so. Dinner turned out to be a tasting menu comprised of four courses and I couldn't only order a main. Apparently, the price was fixed and I couldn't stray. I didn't want to think about what that fixed price would be, but Edward seemed unbothered by the news. She wrote down my first choice and promised Edward specifically that she would be back to take the others.

"What are you doing in college?" I asked once we were alone.

"Getting my degree, same as you."

I rephrased the question. "Why did a family of vampires enroll in college when they could be doing literally anything else? Why live among humans at all?" Of all the things I would do with immortality, going to school and having a day job wouldn't make the cut.

His expression was neutral as he turned to face the window. "No one in my family chose this life—those who asked to be turned were really choosing love. We cling to our bits of humanity the best that we can, and living among humans helps us maintain that hold."

As he spoke, I noticed he moved his arm from around my waist up to the back of the booth, like he didn't want to touch me while thinking of himself as a vampire.

"You've always seemed perfectly human to me."

The corner of his lips twitched. "Being around you has made me feel more human than I have since I was turned." As if he were embarrassed by the confession, he quickly tacked on, "Creating and maintaining relationships with humans also helps us keep to our diet."

"Of animal blood?"

Still staring out the window, he nodded. "Carlisle discovered that he could abstain from human blood and supplement with animal blood. Having a conscience is the only rule of being a member of his family."

"But it isn't enough?" I guessed, from the tone of his voice.

He didn't want to say no, but I could tell it was the answer. "It doesn't matter, because there is no other alternative I can stomach."

The sundried tomato bisque arrived just then, looking more like blood than either of us would have liked. We both frowned at the little, porcelain cups of thick, red liquid. A third server took the order for my next course. Either our private room didn't have a dedicated wait staff, so they sent up anyone who was available, or gossip spread among the servers, and they all wanted a peak at Edward. Judging from her coy smile aimed only at Edward, I assumed it was the latter.

Edward was still frowning after she scurried away. As a sign of good faith and acceptance of my vampire boyfriend, I took a large bite of soup.

"So, why enroll in college?" I asked, bringing us back to my first question.

"For something to do and something to talk about when we all come back together every few decades. Sometimes Esme and Carlisle will join as students, sometimes they'll stick to their preferred professions, like they did this time around. This will be my fourth degree."

"Do you not normally live together?" I asked, thinking of how Esme referred to herself as Edward's mother.

"The others will, in small groups of two to four. It's easier to go unnoticed that way."

"Not you?"

He shook his head. "No. If we're apart, I'm on my own."

"Where were you before this?"

"In Ireland," he let his voice slide back into the perfect Irish accent that allowed him to blend in with the locals, "I worked at a pub, pouring ale and tickling the ole' ivories."

I laughed and let my head rest on his shoulder. "Before that?"

"The Netherlands."

"Before that?"

"Nowhere. I toured with a band for two years."

I opened my mouth to repeat the same question, but Edward beat me with one of his own. "Have you always lived in Forks?"

I snorted. It was ridiculous to think he would want to hear anything about my pathetic, boring life. I commended his effort.

"What?"

"I was never in Ireland, that's for sure."

He frowned at my clipped tone. "Bella, I find you just as fascinating as you find me."

I couldn't see how that could possibly be true, but also knew I had to stop the constant gnawing of inadequacy I felt around Edward before it could tear what we had to shreds. "Yes, I always lived in Forks. Charlie moved here from Pheonix when he turned eighteen. He romanticized small towns. He wanted to live in a place where he could walk into any establishment and immediately be greeted by name. Though I don't think the restlessness of city life ever left him—otherwise he wouldn't be constantly flitting from hobby to hobby. He's happy though."

"Alright, so your father is happy in Forks. What about you?"

"Um," I never thought about whether or not I was happy in Forks, or where I would go if I left. So much of me was tethered to Charlie. If I were to untie myself, I worried I would drift aimlessly, like a lost ship at sea. "I don't know."

Feeling awkward, I turned my focus to the soup in front of me, stating that I didn't want it to go cold. The tomato bisque was thick and creamy and warm—the perfect November food. Once I finished, Edward poured half of his soup into my cup, to make it seem like we both ate. Now that I understood the game, when our pear salads arrived, I was careful to alternate bites between each plate, until I had my fill. Edward found my dedication to symmetry admirable. Or laughable.

I ate slowly, because Edward didn't ask me any questions while I was eating, and I wanted to hear more about him. He told me all about the first time he lived in Forks, back in 1930.

When our main course arrived, the black truffle risotto was so delicious, I didn't want anything else, so Edward's short rib remained untouched. We spread it around his plate, so it looked like he picked at it, a bit. The attentive staff took longer to return with the dessert order, so Edward had the chance to run his finger through my hair and asked, "Where would you choose to go, if you could go anywhere?"

"Pheonix." The answer was painfully small compared to the vastness of the world, but it was true. "Charlie talks about it all the time, but I never got to see it. Vacations aren't really a thing for a single parent on a kindergarten teacher's salary."

"Do you think that's why he gets so invested in finding hobbies for you two?"

I shrugged. I thought about that, too. "The hobbies are mainly for him. I am merely an accessory," I laughed at my father's running joke.

Edward didn't.

I took a long sip of water and picked up the dessert menu. "I can't decide between the molten chocolate caramel cake and the strawberry cheesecake."

"Order both."

Edward's extravagance was going to be the death of me. Dessert was the only part of the tasting menu that was to be shared, and I refused to order two. I only ordered the chocolate cake. I also stopped Edward when he attempted to order the second dessert himself. I was sure the sixth server of the night thought I was crazy, but I didn't care. If the night proceeded the way I thought it would, I wouldn't see them again.

"I would ask you the same question," I started when we were alone once more, "but I imagine you've already been everywhere you wanted to go."

He hummed, thoughtfully. "I might have had a different answer before, but after meeting you, the only place I want to be is by your side."

There was no doubting his answer, even if I did sound like a line found only in a romance novel. Candor and desire were woven through each word. Touched, and a little overwhelmed, I leaned back into his side and wrapped both arms around his waist. I didn't break apart from him when the elevator dinged as I had for the other courses. I let the waiter judge our embrace as he placed the cake between us. It was the most beautiful chocolate cake I'd ever seen. Lush and dark with a dollop of whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, and a purple, edible flower on top for color.

"Enjoy," Edward grinned, coaxing me back into an upright seat.

As I took my first bite, it became appalling evident just how one-sided this date truly was. There I was, sitting in a private dining room next to an enchanting vampire, eating a free meal comprised of the most delicious food I'd ever eaten.

All Edward got was me.

A mere human.

A subpar human, at that.

As if to answer the thoughts he claimed he couldn't hear, Edward moved the arm he had casually draped across the back of the booth to my shoulders. His finger brushed down the length of my arm, stopping at my elbow.

"How is it?"

I hummed appreciatively. "Perfect. I wish I ordered this for all four courses."

"We'll remember that for next time."

I wasn't sure what it was that made my heart flutter: the fact that there was no lecture about eating dessert, the promise that there would be a next time, or the smolder of his golden eyes, churning behind a casual smile.

"I feel bad that you have to sit there and watch," I said, not feeling bad enough to keep from taking another bite. "I wish you could taste it."

"Perhaps I can." His voice lowered into a seductive purr. He raised his hands to cradle my face. A cold thumb brushed my lower lip. "May I?"

I could only manage a nod.

His lips pressed to mine. Gently, like I was made of glass.

But Edward was the one to shatter.

Immediately, the kiss deepened. Edward lowered one hand from my face down around my waist, pulling me against him. Closer and closer, until I could feel every perfectly defined muscle of his body against mine. This kiss was of hunger. Full of want and desperation.

He broke the kiss with a gasp but did not release me. He pressed his lips against my forehead, breathing deep, calming breaths. His thumb traced the length of my ear with each of his steady exhalations. After he swallowed the venom built up from his impossible desire, his lips were back on mine, his tongue between my teeth.

By the time he ended the kiss, I was dizzy. Everything had been forgotten besides the cool hardness of his unyielding lips and the sweet taste of his breath.

He sat back, not bothering to hide his panting breaths. "You're right," he nodded. I struggled to remember what we had even been talking about before his kiss. "That was delicious."

I followed his gaze to the dessert sitting on the table, and remembered we were on a date.

I tucked my lips into my mouth, savoring the taste of him. Richer and more delicious than the darkest chocolate. He scooped a bite of cake onto a fork, added a dollop of whipped cream, and lightly kissed the forkful before delicately feeding it to me.

It didn't taste as good as I initially thought.

E-POV

Walking down the streets of Seattle, I realized Bella was the perfect size. Her shoulders fell at the height my arm naturally stretched out, so I could tuck her nicely into my side. When I pulled her against me, her cheek would press against my dormant heart.

Pieces that fit perfectly together.

I adored it.

As we walked, I popped into the minds of strangers walking opposite of us to get a better look at Bella. She looked recklessly beautiful for our evening together. Half of her long, brown hair was pulled back, proudly displaying the dainty features of her heart-shaped face, while the rest hung in loose waves down to her lower back. Under two jackets and a cardigan, she wore the belted jumpsuit I had once complimented that emphasized her spectacular shape. The shoes were what I was most grateful for. Small heels that forced my clumsy date to keep her arm around my waist, clutching the fabric of my jacket, to maintain her non-existent balance.

She said something, but I missed it, too entranced by the way her mouth moved from the mind of a woman wondering what lip color Bella had on. The answer was nothing. Her lips were always that delightful shade of pink.

"What was that?" I asked, returning to our conversation.

"Where are we going?" she repeated.

"You'll see. It's just one more block."

She didn't say anything as I led her into the old movie theater. The original marquee letter sign announced the only movie playing that evening: Roman Holiday. The movie I requested. I flashed our tickets to two diligent employees and let myself through to the screening room. The screen was draped in red, velvet curtains and the room was outfitted with gold trim, intricate molding, and baroque art, like any other good theater, from back in the day when going to a movie was an event.

"We're the first ones," Bella stated, addressing the empty room.

"We're going to be the only ones."

She quirked her head.

"I bought out the theatre."

"Edward! Have you lost your mind?"

"It's not a big deal." From Bella's reaction to dinner and the movie, I was glad I had chosen the most lowkey of the dates I came up with. "They made more money from me than they would on an average Friday night," I explained as I led her up the stairs to the seats in the exact center of the room. "No one wants a simple movie anymore. Not with all the streaming services and Imax screens and 3D." I didn't bother to keep the judgment from my voice.

She shook her head. "I'm on a date with a grandfather."

I kissed her hand. "You like it."

A small smile corner played at the corner of her lips. Whatever irritation she harbored towards the extravagance was forgiven. "Do you always do this when you see a movie?"

"I haven't been in a movie theater in almost sixty years."

If she was surprised, she didn't show it. She immediately shot back, "Was it this one?"

I laughed at her dry tone. She quickly picked up my preference for old, familiar spaces. "No, it wasn't this one."

Once seated, Bella jiggled the armrest between us, attempting to push it up, but it was stuck. More than happy to have any minor obstruction out of the way, I slipped my hand under Bella's to help. Instead of shifting to vertical, it ripped straight from the seat with a loud crack that caused both me and Bella to flinch back. I stared at the dismembered chair arm in horror.

"I guess the arms aren't supposed to move," Bella said quietly. As a test, she jostled the arm on the other side of her. It didn't budge.

Had I been human, my face would have been bright red. "I'll pay to have this fixed."

I expected Bella to be appalled by my boorish behavior or afraid of my inhuman strength, but she smiled gently and leaned into my side. Grateful, I placed the armrest on the floor behind us and wrapped my own arm around her.

Roman Holiday played as soon as we were settled in our seats.

"I learned some of your secrets, you know," Bella said ten minutes into the film, toying with my fingers that rested on my knee.

"My secrets?"

"Yup!" she chirped, proudly.

"When? How?"

"After doing a bit of research." She lined up her forefinger with my pinky, like she was comparing the sizes. "And after talking with your mom and sister, of course."

I grimaced. I heard everything about my family's meddling after the fact. I spent the past few weeks avoiding them, not only out of shame for my outburst but out of fear that it would happen again. My heartbroken state made me more sensitive to thoughts, and more volatile. It was only a matter of time before I lashed out again, revealing the thoughts that tortured me out of spite and frustration. Like everything else, it was better for me to nurse my wounds on my own.

It was only when I raced home to share the news of Bella's acceptance that my family told me they already knew. Alice was particularly proud of the vision she had of Bella locking her in an alley. Of course, Emmett lingered in that alley every night for two weeks before Bella actually showed up, but that wasn't important. Then—curiosity peaked—Bella went to Esme who offered the encouraging words she needed to hear to accept me for what I was.

"All she needed was a little nudge," Esme had said with a playful elbow to my ribs when I worried if Bella had been coerced into dating me by my threatening, vampire family.

Doubts aside, I couldn't say I wasn't grateful for my family's interference. Embarrassed, appalled, but grateful, nonetheless.

"What did you learn?" I asked, tentatively. Both Esme and Alice knew too much and said even more than that.

"When you were human, you took all sorts of odd jobs to help your parents."

I hardly remembered any of that. Human memories faded in this long, immortal life. The only reason I knew what my parents looked like at all was because I could pull images of them from Esme and Carlisle's memories. I had no idea how much truth there was to the story Bella referenced—the grueling tasks I performed unbeknownst to my parents to maintain their lifestyle as their savings quickly diminished. But—as Alice pointed out the time I confided in her about it—manual labor was the only way a lawyer's son would have the muscle definition I carried into this second life.

I encouraged Bella to continue. She curled her warm fingers around mine. The touch of her skin felt heavenly without the barrier of the leather gloves. "You shimmer in the sunlight."

I hadn't expected her to know that one. I couldn't keep the surprise out of my voice. "Where did you learn that?"

"A blog," she said, as if I should have expected her answer. "When I researched vampire legends, there was only one that spoke of vampires walking in daylight, like you can, so I figured that one held more merit than the others. It was someone's blog about an Italian coven of blood drinkers that sparkle in the sun instead of burn."

I rubbed my forehead.

"Am I right?" she asked, excitedly.

"You are a clever one, aren't you?"

"Will you show me sometime?"

My sparkling skin wasn't something I was necessarily eager to show my girlfriend. "I imagine it's inevitable."

"I can't wait!"

I placed my hand over my eyes. "What else did you learn?"

"Well, if that blog was right that means you can't turn into a bat, you have no issues with garlic or religious symbols, and you don't sleep in coffins."

"I don't sleep."

"At all?" That, at least, surprised her.

I shook my head.

"What do you do all night?"

"I hunt. Or read. Recently, my nights are spent composing music for the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." She tried to bite back her small smile of pleasure and failed. I rubbed her waist affectionately, "You have entire symphonies in your honor."

She nuzzled her head into my shoulder, sweetly, before returning to her list. "I know that you tucked your pants into your socks when it rained."

Out of the many fashion faux pas over the years Alice could have brought up, my socks were the least offensive. "That was stylish in the Eighties and practical at any other point in time."

Bella laughed.

She wrapped both her hands around one of mine. "You like the warmth."

I smiled and held her tighter. I never loved the warmth more than when it radiated from her. "That's very true."

"You brought a lot of girls home to meet your mother."

Leave it to Esme to bring up the two girls I dated before Bella over a hundred years ago. "You know, I think it's only fair that you share one of your own secrets."

"You already know everything there is to know. I'm not very complex."

I opened my mouth to repeat my comment from dinner when she said something similar, but after a moment in her own thoughts, Bella offered, "I'm not very good at mini golf."

I grinned. "You're right. I did already know that."

We laughed in whispers.

"I never stopped thinking about you," she revealed in a voice so quiet, I would not have heard it without my enhanced senses. I pulled her close enough to tuck her head under my chin. "In all that time, you never strayed far from my mind. Did you think about me?"

"No," I said honestly, the word dripping with regret. Lies and secrets tore us apart—I would never let another one put a wedge between us, no matter how minor. "I didn't think I deserved such a pleasure."

I regretted the honesty when a soft sound of pain rumbled deep in Bella's throat. "Oh, Edward. I am so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong."

She balled her hand into a fist, taking the fabric of my shirt with it. "You didn't deserve to hear those awful things I said to you."

"It's alright," I crooned.

"You don't know the terrible things I thought…"

"And I never have to. It's one of the wonderful things about our relationship."

"I am so, so sorry."

"You had every right to react the way you did." I rubbed my hand up and down her waist, "I know I'm not… an easy person to be with."

A monster, a menace. Bella's blood and thoughts may be safe, but she wasn't entirely protected from me. Even with her acceptance, I remained exactly as I was. The beautiful, intelligent creature beside me could do far better than a loner to the humans, a freak to the vampires, and a burden to the family—an outcast at every angle—and I would never forget that.

"That's not true," she murmured. "Being without you was difficult. Being with you is one of the easiest things I have ever done."

We left the conversation at that and watched Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck fall in love with one another. The movie ended faster than either of us would have liked. We remained as we were—my arm around Bella's waist, hers stretched across us both, holding onto my hand—through the credits, up until an employee came to clean and close the theater.

We pulled into Bella's driveway exactly three minutes before her midnight curfew. I loved that she knew me well enough to wait in the car for me to walk around and open the door for her. Chivalry wasn't dead because I couldn't die.

"I had a great time," she said, lingering at the front door.

"I did, as well."

She dug her hands through her pockets, searching for her keys. Just as her hand curled around the keychain, I placed my hand over hers, through the fabric. A silent question, asking for one more moment.

Releasing the keys, she ran her fingers up my arm, around my shoulder, and down my back. My own hand found its way to the back of her neck, cradling her head. I lowered my lips to hers.

Suddenly, her front door swung open, startling us both. Bella practically fell into my arms as her father stood in the frame. It seemed Bella inherited her silent mind from her father—I hadn't heard him coming. If he were in on the secret, I would have told him he was the first person to sneak up on me in over one hundred years.

"Dad!"

"Hello, darling. Who's this?"

I reached out to greet him, but Bella shoved my arm back against my side, "Edward was just leaving."

Her father merely chuckled at his daughter's antics as she turned me around and shoved me away.

"Good to meet you, Edward," he called out to my back.

"You as well, sir," I responded without fully turning around.

I lingered on their front walkway, listening to Bella argue with her father from inside the house.

"You have some nerve," she growled.

"It's every father's right to embarrass his daughter. You're lucky I forgot to bring this."

He must have held something up for Bella to see. I wondered what it could be, because she grunted. "You're impossible."

"Look at it this way: I'm helping you play hard to get. Building tension. Creating yearning. That boy is out there somewhere, wanting you more than he's ever wanted something before." Bella's father was right, in a way. He continued as the two ascended a staircase. "What's truly impossible is that you failed to mention how attractive he is!"

"Must have slipped my mind."

"Bella, I'm going to have to get you checked for a brain hemorrhage if that boy's looks slipped your mind. Does he have a—".

A door slammed, ending the conversation abruptly.

I chuckled. In the house, Charlie chuckled as well.

I waited a few moments for Bella and her father to get settled before I scaled up a convenient tree that led to Bella's room. Like a panther, I prowled across a large branch just above the window. From outside, I could see the white-laced curtains, yellowed at the edges. Without looking in, I tapped on the glass. When there was no movement inside the room, I tapped again.

Then, the window opened. "Edward?" Bella hissed into the darkness.

I swung down from the branch into her view. She jumped back, and her hand flew to her heart. When the shock wore off, her perfect lips spread into a mischievous grin.

"Did you really think I'd leave without my kiss?"

She licked her lips. "I certainly hoped you wouldn't. Would you like to come in?" she asked, gesturing into the room. I climbed through the window, but remained next to it, though Bella took a step towards the bed. She had already changed out of her dressy clothes. Her long, dark hair was tied up into a knot on the top of her head and she wore sweatpants and a tank top. Somehow, the switch in attire only made her more beguiling.

I caught myself entertaining thoughts of things I could do in a dark bedroom with Bella looking like that and stopped before I snatched her up.

"Only for a bit," I stroked her cheek with my thumb, "I'm still in the process of wooing you. It would be unseemly to take advantage of a lady in private so early in a relationship."

Bella rolled her eyes.

I hesitated. After my last confession of love went so poorly, I was loath to say it again. My voice was softer than I would have liked, and shook at the end, but still stroking her cheek, I managed to whisper, "I love you, Bella."

I tucked my lips between my teeth, ready to take the words back if they ruined everything like they had the first time.

But her chocolate eyes did not temper, they remained melted and swirled with desire.

"I know," she whispered. Keeping her eyes locked on mine, she reached for her purse, sitting on her bedside table. She took out the notebook from our first class together. The notebook where we kept a running list of our similarities, no matter how small or ridiculous. "It's something we have in common."

It was already open to the first page, as if Bella always kept it on hand, ready to jot down whatever we agreed upon. There, at the bottom of our list, after things like never watched an Adam Sandler movie and prefers autumn to spring, written in large letters so it could not be lost in the list was:

Unconditionally and irrevocably in love.

I chuckled, oddly touched.

My hand still on her cheek, I leaned down to press my lips to hers. Unlike our last kiss, I was able to control myself and give her a true goodnight kiss. This kiss was chaste but loving. A promise that it was the first of a thousand goodnight kisses, just like it. When I broke away, her chin tilted up, asking for more. Both her hands dug into the fabric of my shirt, as to keep me hostage, but I easily broke her grasp. I kept her hands in mine as I stepped away. If we went any further, we would wind up in that bed of hers and it was far too early for that.

I kissed her fingers before I released them, too. "Sleep well, my love."

Obviously, OBVIOUSLY, I had to include the iconic quote. I just reread Twilight this past weekend and was feeling a bit nostalgic.