authenticlooking smile spread across his face； but I guessed it took a lot of work to put it there。
I slid carefully off the high bed and stretched again； more aware； now； of the aches and sore spots。 I
heard him gasp。 He turned away from me； and his hands balled up； knuckles white。
〃Do I look that hideous？〃 I asked； working to keep my tone light。 His breath caught； but he didn't turn；
probably to hide his expression from me。 I walked to the bathroom to check for myself。
I stared at my naked body in the fulllength mirror behind the door。
I'd definitely had worse。 There was a faint shadow across one of my cheekbones； and my lips were a
little swollen； but other than that； my face was fine。 The rest of me was decorated with patches of blue
and purple。 I concentrated on the bruises that would be the hardest to hide—my arms and my shoulders。
They weren't so bad。 My skin marked up easily。 By the time a bruise showed I'd usually forgotten how
I'd e by it。 Of course； these were just developing。 I'd look even worse tomorrow。 That would not
make things any easier。
I looked at my hair； then； and groaned。
〃Bella？〃 He was right there behind me as soon as I'd made a sound。
〃I'll never get this all out of my hair！〃 I pointed to my head； where it looked like a chicken was nesting。 I
started picking at the feathers。
〃You would be worried about your hair；〃 he mumbled； but he came to stand behind me； pulling out the
feathers
much more quickly。
〃How did you keep from laughing at this？ I look ridiculous。〃
He didn't answer； he just kept plucking。 And I knew the answer anyway—there was nothing that would
be funny to him in this mood。
'This isn't going to work；〃 I sighed after a minute。 〃It's all dried in。 I'm going to have to try to wash it out。〃
I turned around； wrapping my arms around his cool waist。 〃Do you want to help me？〃
Td better find some food for you；〃 he said in a quiet voice； and he gently unwound my arms。 I sighed as
he disappeared； moving too fast。
It looked like my honeymoon was over。 The thought put a big lump in my throat。
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When I was mostly featherfree and dressed in an unfamiliar white cotton dress that concealed the worst
of the violet blotches； I padded off barefoot to where the smell of eggs and bacon and Cheddar cheese
was ing from。
Edward stood in front of the stainless steel stove； sliding an omelet onto the light blue plate waiting on the
counter。 The scent of the food overwhelmed me。 I felt like I could eat the plate and the frying pan； too；
my stomach snarled。
〃Here；〃 he said。 He turned with a smile on his face and set the plate on a small tiled table。
I sat in one of the two metal chairs and started snarfing down the hot eggs。 They burned my throat； but I
didn't care。
He sat down across from me。 〃I'm not feeding you often enough。〃
I swallowed and then reminded him； 〃I was asleep。 This is really good； by the way。 Impressive for
someone who doesn't eat。〃
〃Food work；〃 he said； flashing my favorite crooked smile。
I was happy to see it； happy that he seemed more like his normal self。
〃Where did the eggs e from？〃
〃I asked the cleaning crew to stock the kitchen。 A first； for this place。 I'll have to ask them to deal with
the feathers。。。。 〃 He trailed off； his gaze fixed on a space above my head。 I didn't respond； trying to avoid
saying anything that would upset him again。
I ate everything； though he'd made enough for two。
〃Thank you；〃 I told him。 I leaned across the table to kiss him。 He kissed me back automatically； and then
suddenly stiffened and leaned away。
I gritted my teeth； and the question I meant to ask came out sounding like an accusation。 〃You aren't
going to touch me again while we're here； are you？〃
He hesitated； then halfsmiled and raised his hand to stroke my cheek。 His fingers lingered softly on my
skin； and I couldn't help leaning my face into his palm。
〃You know that's not what I meant。〃
He sighed and dropped his hand。 〃I know。 And you're right。〃 He paused； lifting his chin slightly。 And
then he spoke again with firm conviction。 〃I will not make love with you until you've been changed。 I will
never hurt you again。〃
6。 DISTRACTIONS
My entertainment became the numberone priority on isle Esme。 We snorkeled （well； I snorkeled while
he flaunted his ability to go without oxygen indefinitely）。 We explored the small jungle that ringed the
rocky little peak。 We visited the parrots that lived in the canopy on the south end of the island。 We
watched the sunset from the rocky western cove。 We swam with the porpoises that played in the warm；
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shallow waters there。 Or at least I did； when Edward was in the water； the porpoises disappeared as if a
shark was near。
I knew what was going on。 He was trying to keep me busy； distracted； so I that wouldn't continue
badgering him about the sex thing。 Whenever I tried to talk him into taking it easy with one of the million
DVDs under the bigscreen plasma TV； he would lure me out of the house with magic words like coral
reefs and submerged caves and sea turtles。 We were going； going； going all day； so that I found myself
pletely famished and exhausted when the sun eventually set。
I drooped over my plate after I finished dinner every night； once I'd actually fallen asleep right at the
table and he'd had to carry me to bed。 Part of it was that Edward always made too much food for one；
but I was so hungry after swimming and climbing all day that I ate most of it。 Then； full and worn out； I
could barely keep my eyes open。 All part of the plan； no doubt。
Exhaustion didn't help much with my attempts at persuasion。 But I didn't give up。 I tried reasoning；
pleading； and grouching； all to no avail。 I was usually unconscious before I could really press my case far。
And then my dreams felt so real—nightmares mostly； made more vivid； I guessed； by the toobright
colors of the island—that I woke up tired no matter how long I slept。
About a week or so after we'd gotten to the island； I decided to try promise。 It had worked for us in
the past。
I was sleeping in the blue room now。 The cleaning crew wasn't due until the next day； and so the white
room still had a snowy blanket of down。 The blue room was smaller； the bed more reasonably
proportioned。 The walls were
dark； paneled in teak； and the fittings were all luxurious blue silk。
I'd taken to wearing some of Alice's lingerie collection to sleep in at night—which weren't so revealing
pared to the scanty bikinis she'd packed for me when it came right down to it。 I wondered if she'd
seen a vision of why I would want such things； and then shuddered； embarrassed by that thought。
I'd started out slow with innocent ivory satins； worried that revealing more of my skin would be the
opposite of helpful； but ready to try anything。 Edward seemed to notice nothing； as if I were wearing the
same ratty old sweats I wore at home。
The bruises were much better now—yellowing in some places and disappearing altogether in others—so
tonight I pulled out one of the scarier pieces as I got ready in the paneled bathroom。 It was black； lacy；
and embarrassing to look at even when it wasn't on。 I was careful not to look in the mirror before I went
back to the bedroom。 I didn't want to lose my nerve。
I had the satisfaction of watching his eyes pop open wide for just a second before he controlled his
expression。
〃What do you think？〃 I asked； pirouetting so that he could see every angle。
He cleared his throat。 〃You look beautiful。 You always do。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said a bit sourly。
I was too tired to resist climbing quickly into the soft bed。 He put his arms around me and pulled me
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against his chest； but this was routine—it was too hot to sleep without his cool body close。
〃I'll make you a deal；〃 I said sleepily。
〃I will not make any deals with you；〃 he answered。
〃You haven't even heard what I'm offering。〃
〃It doesn't matter。〃
I sighed。 〃Dang it。 And I really wanted。。。 Oh well。〃
He rolled his eyes。
I closed mine and let the bait sit there。 I yawned。
It took only a minute—not long enough for me to zonk out。
〃All right。 What is it you want？〃
I gritted my teeth for a second； fighting a smile。 If there was one thing he couldn't resist； it was an
opportunity to give me something。
〃Well； I was thinking。。。 I know that the whole Dartmouth thing was just supposed to be a cover story；
but honestly； one semester of college probably wouldn't kill me；〃 I said； echoing his words from long ago；
when he'd tried to persuade me to put off being a vampire。 〃Charlie would get a thrill out of
Dartmouth stories； I bet。 Sure； it might be embarrassing if I can't keep up with all the brainiacs。 Still。。。
eighteen； nieen。 It's really not such a big difference。 It's not like I'm going to get crow's feet in the next
year。〃
He was silent for a long moment。 Then； in a low voice； he said； 〃You would wait。 You would stay
human。〃
I held my tongue； letting the offer sink in。
〃Why are you doing this to me？〃 he said through his teeth； his tone suddenly angry。 〃Isn't it hard enough
without all of this？〃 He grabbed a handful of lace that was ruffled on my thigh。 For a moment； I thought
he was going to rip it from the seam。 Then his hand relaxed。 〃It doesn't matter。 I won't make any deals
with you。〃
〃I want to goto college。〃
〃No； you don't。 And there is nothing that is worth risking your life again。 That's worth hurting you。〃
〃But I do want to go。 Well； it's not college as much as it's that I want—I want to be human a little while
longer。〃
He closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose。 〃You are making me insane； Bella。 Haven't we had this
argument a million times； you always begging to be a vampire without delay？〃
〃Yes； but。。。 well； I have a reason to be human