something I couldn’t see。 There was a muffled snapping sound； and the bed quivered beneath us。
Something dark was in his hand； he held it up for my curious examination。 It was a metal flower； one of the
roses that adorned the wrought iron posts and canopy of his bed frame。 His hand closed for a brief second；
his fingers contracting gently； and then it opened again。
Without a word； he offered me the crushed； uneven lump of black metal。 It was a cast of the inside of his
hand； like a piece of play dough squeezed in a child’s fist。 A half…second passed； and the shape crumbled into
black sand in his palm。
I glared。 “That’s not what I meant。 I already know how strong you are。 You didn’t have to break the
furniture。”
“What did you mean then？” he asked in a dark voice； tossing the handful of iron sand to the corner of the
room； it hit the wall with a sound like rain。
His eyes were intent on my face as I struggled to explain。
“Obviously not that you aren’t physically able hurt me； if you wanted to 。 。 。 More that； you don’t want to
hurt me 。 。 。 so much so that I don’t think that you ever could。”
He started shaking his head before I was done。
“It might not work like that； Bella。”
“Might；” I scoffed。 “You have no more idea what you’re talking about than I do。”
“Exactly。 Do you imagine I would ever take that kind of risk with you？”
I stared into his eyes for a long minute。 There was no sign of compromise； no hint of indecision in them。
“Please；” I finally whispered； hopeless。 “It’s all I want。 Please。” I closed my eyes in defeat； waiting for the
quick and final no。
But he didn’t answer immediately。 I hesitated in disbelief； stunned to hear that his breathing was uneven
again。
I opened my eyes； and his face was torn。
“Please？” I whispered again； my heartbeat picking up speed。 My words tumbled out as I rushed to take
advantage of the sudden uncertainty in his eyes。 “You don’t have to make me any guarantees。 If it doesn’t
work out right； well； then that’s that。 Just let us try 。 。 。 only try。 And I’ll give you what you want；” I promised
rashly。 “I’ll marry you。 I’ll let you pay for Dartmouth； and I won’t complain about the bribe to get me in。 You
can even buy me a fast car if that makes you happy！ Just 。 。 。 please。”
His icy arms tightened around me； and his lips were at my ear； his cool breath made me shiver。 “Thisis
unbearable。 So many things I’ve wanted to give you — and this is what you decide to demand。 Do you have
any idea how painful it is； trying to refuse you when you plead with me this way？”
“Then don’t refuse；” I suggested breathlessly。
He didn’t respond。
“Please；” I tried again。
“Bella 。 。 。” He shook his head slowly； but it didn’t feel like a denial as his face； his lips； moved back and
forth across my throat。 It felt more like surrender。 My heart； racing already； spluttered frantically。
Again； I took what advantage I could。 When his face turned toward mine with the slow movement of his
indecision； I twisted quickly in his arms till my lips reached his。 His hands seized my face； and I thought he was
going to push me away again。
I was wrong。
His mouth was not gentle； there was a brand…new edge of conflict and desperation in the way his lips
moved。 I locked my arms around his neck； and； to my suddenly overheated skin； his body felt colder than
ever。 I trembled； but it was not from the chill。
He didn’t stop kissing me。 I was the one who had to break away； gasping for air。 Even then his lips did
not leave my skin； they just moved to my throat。 The thrill of victory was a strange high； it made me feel
powerful。 Brave。 My hands weren’t unsteady now； I got through with the buttons on his shirt this time easily；
and my fingers traced the perfect planes of his icy chest。 He was too beautiful。 What was the word he’d used
just now？ Unbearable — that was it。 His beauty was too much to bear。 。 。 。
I pulled his mouth back to mine； and he seemed just as eager as I was。 One of his hands still cupped my
face； his other arm was tight around my waist； straining me closer to him。 It made it slightly more difficult as I
tried to reach the front of my shirt； but not impossible。
Cold iron fetters locked around my wrists； and pulled my hands above my head； which was suddenly on a
pillow。
His lips were at my ear again。 “Bella；” he murmured； his voice warm and velvet。 “Would you please stop
trying to take your clothes off？”
“Do you want to do that part？” I asked； confused。
“Not tonight；” he answered softly。 His lips were slower now against my cheek and jaw； all the urgency
gone。
“Edward； don’t —；” I started to argue。
“I’m not saying no；” he reassured me。 “I’m just saying not tonight。”
I thought about that while my breathing slowed。
“Give me one good reason why tonight is not as good as any other night。” I was still breathless； it made
the frustration in my voice less impressive。
“I wasn’t born yesterday。” He chuckled inmy ear。 “Out of the two of us； which do you think is more
unwilling to give the other what they want？ You just promised to marry me before you do any changing； but if
I give in tonight； what guarantee do I have that you won’t go running off to Carlisle in the morning？ I am —
clearly — much less reluctant to give you what you want。 Therefore 。 。 。 you first。”
I exhaled with a loud huff。 “I have to marry you first？” I asked in disbelief。
“That’s the deal — take it or leave it。 Compromise； remember？”
His arms wrapped around me； and he began kissing me in a way that should be illegal。 Too persuasive —
it was duress； coercion。 I tried to keep a clear head 。 。 。 and failed quickly and absolutely。
“I think that’s a really bad idea；” I gasped when he let me breathe。
“I’m not surprised you feel that way。” He smirked。 “You have a one…track mind。”
“How did this happen？” I grumbled。 “I thought I was holding my own tonight — for once — and now； all
of a sudden —”
“You’re engaged；” he finished。
“Ew！ Please don’t say that out loud。”
“Are you going back on your word？” he demanded。 He pulled away to read my face。 His expression was
entertained。 He was having fun。
I glared at him； trying to ignore the way his smile made my heart react。
“Are you？” he pressed。
“Ugh！” I groaned。 “No。 I’m not。 Are you happy now？”
His smile was blinding。 “Exceptionally。”
I groaned again。
“Aren’t you happy at all？”
He kissed me again before I could answer。 Another too…persuasive kiss。
“A little bit；” I admitted when I could speak。 “But not about getting married。”
He kissed me another time。 “Do you get the feeling that everything is backward？” he laughed in my ear。
“Traditionally； shouldn’t you be arguing my side； and I yours？”
“There isn’t much that’s traditional about you and me。”
“True。”
He kissed me again； and kept going until my heart was racing and my skin was flushed。
“Look； Edward；” I murmured； my voice wheedling； when he paused to kiss the palm of my hand。 “I said I
would marry you； and I will。 I promise。 I swear。 If you want； I’ll sign a contract in my own blood。”
“Not funny；” he murmured against the inside of my wrist。
“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 completely alone — how often does that happen？ — and you’ve
provided this very large and comfortable 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 。
。 。 old…fashioned。
“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 commonly 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’