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I hid my face against his shoulder。
〃I love you;〃 I whispered。
〃You are my life now;〃 he answered simply。
There was nothing more to say for the moment。 He rocked us back and forth
as the room grew lighter。
〃Breakfast time;〃 he said eventually; casually — to prove; I'm sure; that
he remembered all my human frailties。
So I clutched my throat with both hands and stared at him with wide eyes。
Shock crossed his face。
〃Kidding!〃 I snickered。 〃And you said I couldn't act!〃
He frowned in disgust。 〃That wasn't funny。〃
〃It was very funny; and you know it。〃 But I examined his gold eyes
carefully; to make sure that I was forgiven。 Apparently; I was。
〃Shall I rephrase?〃 he asked。 〃Breakfast time for the human。〃
〃Oh; okay。〃
He threw me over his stone shoulder; gently; but with a swiftness that
left me breathless。 I protested as he carried me easily down the stairs;
but he ignored me。 He sat me right side up on a chair。
The kitchen was bright; happy; seeming to absorb my mood。
〃What's for breakfast?〃 I asked pleasantly。
That threw him for a minute。
〃Er; I'm not sure。 What would you like?〃 His marble brow puckered。
I grinned; hopping up。
〃That's all right; I fend for myself pretty well。 Watch me hunt。〃
I found a bowl and a box of cereal。 I could feel his eyes on me as I
poured the milk and grabbed a spoon。 I sat my food on the table; and then
paused。
〃Can I get you anything?〃 I asked; not wanting to be rude。
He rolled his eyes。 〃Just eat; Bella。〃
I sat at the table; watching him as I took a bite。 He was gazing at me;
studying my every movement。 It made me selfconscious。 I cleared my mouth
to speak; to distract him。
〃What's on the agenda for today?〃 I asked。
〃Hmmm…〃 I watched him frame his answer carefully。 〃What would you say to
meeting my family?〃
I gulped。
〃Are you afraid now?〃 He sounded hopeful。
〃Yes;〃 I admitted; how could I deny it — he could see my eyes。
〃Don't worry。〃 He smirked。 〃I'll protect you。〃
〃I'm not afraid of them;〃 I explained。 〃I'm afraid they won't… like me。
Won't they be; well; surprised that you would bring someone… like me…
home to meet them? Do they know that I know about them?〃
〃Oh; they already know everything。 They'd taken bets yesterday; you know〃
— he smiled; but his voice was harsh — 〃on whether I'd bring you back;
though why anyone would bet against Alice; I can't imagine。 At any rate;
we don't have secrets in the family。 It's not really feasible; what with
my mind reading and Alice seeing the future and all that。〃
〃And Jasper making you feel all warm and fuzzy about spilling your guts;
don't forget that。〃
〃You paid attention;〃 he smiled approvingly。
〃I've been known to do that every now and then。〃 I grimaced。 〃So did
Alice see me ing?〃
His reaction was strange。 〃Something like that;〃 he said unfortably;
turning away so I couldn't see his eyes。 I stared at him curiously。
〃Is that any good?〃 he asked; turning back to me abruptly and eyeing my
breakfast with a teasing look on his face。 〃Honestly; it doesn't look
very appetizing。〃
〃Well; it's no irritable grizzly…〃 I murmured; ignoring him when he
glowered。 I was still wondering why he responded that way when I
mentioned Alice。 I hurried through my cereal; speculating。
He stood in the middle of the kitchen; the statue of Adonis again;
staring abstractedly out the back windows。
Then his eyes were back on me; and he smiled his heartbreaking smile。
〃And you should introduce me to your father; too; I think。〃
〃He already knows you;〃 I reminded him。
〃As your boyfriend; I mean。〃
I stared at him with suspicion。 〃Why?〃
〃Isn't that customary?〃 he asked innocently。
〃I don't know;〃 I admitted。 My dating history gave me few reference
points to work with。 Not that any normal rules of dating applied here。
〃That's not necessary; you know。 I don't expect you to… I mean; you don't
have to pretend for me。〃
His smile was patient。 〃I'm not pretending。〃
I pushed the remains of my cereal around the edges of the bowl; biting my
lip。
〃Are you going to tell Charlie I'm your boyfriend or not?〃 he demanded。
〃Is that what you are?〃 I suppressed my internal cringing at the thought
of Edward and Charlie and the word boy friend all in the same room at the
same time。
〃It's a loose interpretation of the word 'boy;' I'll admit。〃
〃I was under the impression that you were something more; actually;〃 I
confessed; looking at the table。
〃Well; I don't know if we need to give him all the gory details。〃 He
reached across the table to lift my chin with a cold; gentle finger。 〃But
he will need some explanation for why I'm around here so much。 I don't
want Chief Swan getting a restraining order put on me。〃
〃Will you be?〃 I asked; suddenly anxious。 〃Will you really be here?〃
〃As long as you want me;〃 he assured me。
〃I'll always want you;〃 I warned him。 〃Forever。〃
He walked slowly around the table; and; pausing a few feet away; he
reached out to touch his fingertips to my cheek。 His expression was
unfathomable。
〃Does that make you sad?〃 I asked。
He didn't answer。 He stared into my eyes for an immeasurable period of
time。
〃Are you finished?〃 he finally asked。
I jumped up。 〃Yes。〃
〃Get dressed — I'll wait here。〃
It was hard to decide what to wear。 I doubted there were any etiquette
books detailing how to dress when your vampire sweetheart takes you home
to meet his vampire family。 It was a relief to think the word to myself。
I knew I shied away from it intentionally。
I ended up in my only skirt — long; khakicolored; still casual。 I put on
the dark blue blouse he'd once plimented。 A quick glance in the mirror
told me my hair was entirely impossible; so I pulled it back into a pony
tail。
〃Okay。〃 I bounced down the stairs。 〃I'm decent。〃
He was waiting at the foot of the stairs; closer than I'd thought; and I
bounded right into him。 He steadied me; holding me a careful distance
away for a few seconds before suddenly pulling me closer。
〃Wrong again;〃 he murmured