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“What I’m saying is this — I’m not going to trick you or anything。 You know me better than that。 So
there’s really no reason to wait。 We’re pletely alone — how often does that happen？ — and you’ve
provided this very large and fortable bed。 。 。 。”
“Not tonight；” he said again。
“Don’t you trust me？”
“Of course I do。”
Using the hand that he was still kissing； I pulled his face back up to where I could see his expression。
“Then what’s the problem？ It’s not like you didn’t know you were going to win in the end。” I frowned and
muttered； “You always win。”
“Just hedging my bets；” he said calmly。
“There’s something else；” I guessed； my eyes narrowing。 There was a defensiveness about his face； a faint
hint of some secret motive he was trying to hide behind his casual manner。 “Are you planning to go back on
your word？”
“No；” he promised solemnly。 “I swear to you； we will try。 After you marry me。”
I shook my head； and laughed glumly。 “You make me feel like a villain in a melodrama — twirling my
mustache while I try to steal some poor girl’s virtue。”
His eyes were wary as they flashed across my face； then he quickly ducked down to press his lips against
my collarbone。
“That’s it； isn’t it？” The short laugh that escaped me was more shocked than amused。 “You’re trying to
protect your virtue！” I covered my mouth with my hand to muffle the giggle that followed。 The words were so 。
。 。 oldfashioned。
“No； silly girl；” he muttered against my shoulder。 “I’m trying to protect yours。 And you’re making it
shockinglydifficult。”
“Of all the ridiculous —”
“Let me ask you something；” he interrupted quickly。 “We’ve had this discussion before； but humor me。
How many people in this room have a soul？ A shot at heaven； or whatever there is after this life？”
“Two；” I answered immediately； my voice fierce。
“All right。 Maybe that’s true。 Now； there’s a world full of dissension about this； but the vast majority seem
to think that there are some rules that have to be followed。”
“Vampire rules aren’t enough for you？ You want to worry about the human ones too？”
“It couldn’t hurt。” He shrugged。 “Just in case。”
I glared at him through narrowed eyes。
“Now； of course； it might be too late for me； even if you are right about my soul。”
“No； it isn’t；” I argued angrily。
“‘Thou shalt not kill’ is monly accepted by most major belief systems。 And I’ve killed a lot of people；
Bella。”
“Only the bad ones。”
He shrugged。 “Maybe that counts； maybe it doesn’t。 But you haven’t killed anyone —”
“That you know about；” I muttered。
He smiled； but otherwise ignored the interruption。 “And I’m going to do my best to keep you out of
temptation’s way。”
“Okay。 But we weren’t fighting over mitting murder；” I reminded him。
“The same principle applies — the only difference is that this is the one area in which I’m just as spotless
as you are。 Can’t I leave one rule unbroken？”
“One？”
“You know that I’ve stolen； I’ve lied； I’ve coveted 。 。 。 my virtue is all I have left。” He grinned crookedly。
“I lie all the time。”
“Yes； but you’re such a bad liar that it doesn’t really count。 Nobody believes you。”
“I really hope you’re wrong about that — because otherwise Charlie is about to burst through the door
with a loaded gun。”
“Charlie is happier when he pretends to swallow your stories。 He’d rather lie to himself than look too
closely。” He grinned at me。
“But what did you ever covet？” I asked doubtfully。 “You have everything。”
“I coveted you。” His smile darkened。 “I had no right to want you — but I reached out and took you
anyway。 And now look what’s bee of you！ Trying to seduce a vampire。” He shook his head in mock
horror。
“You can covet what’s already yours；” I informed him。 “Besides； I thought it was my virtue you were
worried about。”
“It is。 If it’s too late for me 。 。 。 Well； I’ll be damned — no pun intended — if I’ll let them keep you out；
too。”
“You can’t make me go somewhere you won’t be；” I vowed。 “That’s my definition of hell。 Anyway； I
have an easy solution to all this： let’s never die； all right？”
“Sounds simple enough。 Why didn’t I think of that？”
He smiled at me until I gave up with an angry humph。 “So that’s it。 You won’t sleep with me until we’re
married。”
“Technically； I can’t ever sleep with you。”
I rolled my eyes。 “Very mature； Edward。”
“But； other than that detail； yes； you’ve got it right。”
“I think you have an ulterior motive。”
His eyes widened innocently。 “Another one？”
“You know this will speed things up；” I accused。
He tried not to smile。 “There is only one thing I want to speed up； and the rest can wait forever 。 。 。 but for
that； it’s true； your impatient human hormones are my most powerful ally at this point。”
“I can’t believe I’m going along with this。 When I think of Charlie 。 。 。 and Renée！ Can you imagine what
Angela will think？ Or Jessica？ Ugh。 I can hear the gossip now。”
He raised one eyebrow at me； and I knew why。 What did it matter what they said about me when I
leaving soon and not ing back？ Was I really so oversensitive that I couldn’t bear a few weeks of sidelong
glances and leading questions？
Maybe it wouldn’t bug me so much if I didn’t know that I would probably be gossiping just as
condescendingly as the rest of them if it was someone else getting married this summer。
Gah。 Married this summer！ I shuddered。
And then； maybe it wouldn’t bug me so much if I hadn’t been raised to shudder at the thought of marriage。
Edward interrupted my fretting。 “It doesn’t have to be a big production。 I don’t need any fanfare。 You
won’t have to tell anyone or make any changes。 We’ll go to Vegas — you can wear old jeans and we’ll go to
the chapel with the drivethrough window。 I just want it to be official — that you belong to me and no one
else。”
“It couldn’t be any more official than it already is；” I grumbled。 But his description didn’t sound that bad。
Only Alice would be d