heard the door open and turned to see him getting out。
〃What are you doing？〃 I asked。
〃I'm taking you to dinner。〃 He smiled slightly； but his eyes were hard。
He stepped out of the car and slammed the door。 I fumbled with my seat
belt； and then hurried to get out of the car as well。 He was waiting for
me on the sidewalk。
He spoke before I could。 〃Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to
track them down； too。 I don't think I could restrain myself if I ran into
your other friends again。〃
I shivered at the threat in his voice。
〃Jess！ Angela！〃 I yelled after them； waving when they turned。 They rushed
back to me； the pronounced relief on both their faces simultaneously
changing to surprise as they saw who I was standing next to。 They
hesitated a few feet from us。
〃Where have you been？〃 Jessica's voice was suspicious。
〃I got lost；〃 I admitted sheepishly。 〃And then I ran into Edward。〃 I
gestured toward him。
〃Would it be all right if I joined you？〃 he asked in his silken；
irresistible voice。 I could see from their staggered expressions that he
had never unleashed his talents on them before。
〃Er… sure；〃 Jessica breathed。
〃Um； actually； Bella； we already ate while we were waiting — sorry；〃
Angela confessed。
〃That's fine — I'm not hungry。〃 I shrugged。
〃I think you should eat something。〃 Edward's voice was low； but full of
authority。 He looked up at Jessica and spoke slightly louder。 〃Do you
mind if I drive Bella home tonight？ That way you won't have to wait while
she eats。〃
〃Uh； no problem； I guess…〃 She bit her lip； trying to figure out from my
expression whether that was what I wanted。 I winked at her。 I wanted
nothing more than to be alone with my perpetual savior。 There were so
many questions that I couldn't bombard him with till we were by ourselves。
〃Okay。〃 Angela was quicker than Jessica。 〃See you tomorrow； Bella…
Edward。〃 She grabbed Jessica's hand and pulled her toward the car； which
I could see a little ways away； parked across First Street。 As they got
in； Jess turned and waved； her face eager with curiosity。 I waved back；
waiting for them to drive away before I turned to face him。
〃Honestly； I'm not hungry；〃 I insisted； looking up to scrutinize his
face。 His expression was unreadable。
〃Humor me。〃
He walked to the door of the restaurant and held it open with an
obstinate expression。 Obviously； there would be no further discussion。 I
walked past him into the restaurant with a resigned sigh。
The restaurant wasn't crowded — it was the offseason in Port Angeles。
The host was female； and I understood the look in her eyes as she
assessed Edward。 She weled him a little more warmly than necessary。 I
was surprised by how much that bothered me。 She was several inches taller
than I was； and unnaturally blond。
〃A table for two？〃 His voice was alluring； whether he was aiming for that
or not。 I saw her eyes flicker to me and then away； satisfied by my
obvious ordinariness； and by the cautious； nocontact space Edward kept
between us。 She led us to a table big enough for four in the center of
the most crowded area of the dining floor。
I was about to sit； but Edward shook his head at me。
〃Perhaps something more private？〃 he insisted quietly to the host。 I
wasn't sure； but it looked like he smoothly handed her a tip。 I'd never
seen anyone refuse a table except in old movies。
〃Sure。〃 She sounded as surprised as I was。 She turned and led us around a
partition to a small ring of booths — all of them empty。 〃How's this？〃
〃Perfect。〃 He flashed his gleaming smile； dazing her momentarily。
〃Um〃 — she shook her head； blinking — 〃your server will be right out。〃
She walked away unsteadily。
〃You really shouldn't do that to people；〃 I criticized。 〃It's hardly
fair。〃
〃Do what？〃
〃Dazzle them like that — she's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen
right now。〃
He seemed confused。
〃Oh； e on；〃 I said dubiously。 〃You have to know the effect you have on
people。〃
He tilted his head to one side； and his eyes were curious。 〃I dazzle
people？〃
〃You haven't noticed？ Do you think everybody gets their way so easily？〃
He ignored my questions。 〃Do I dazzle you？〃
〃Frequently；〃 I admitted。
And then our server arrived； her face expectant。 The hostess had
definitely dished behind the scenes； and this new girl didn't look
disappointed。 She flipped a strand of short black hair behind one ear and
smiled with unnecessary warmth。
〃Hello。 My name is Amber； and I'll be your server tonight。 What can I get
you to drink？〃 I didn't miss that she was speaking only to him。
He looked at me。
〃I'll have a Coke。〃 It sounded like a question。
〃Two Cokes；〃 he said。
〃I'll be right back with that；〃 she assured him with another unnecessary
smile。 But he didn't see it。 He was watching me。
〃What？〃 I asked when she left。
His eyes stayed fixed on my face。 〃How are you feeling？〃
〃I'm fine；〃 I replied； surprised by his intensity。
〃You don't feel dizzy； sick； cold… ？〃
〃Should I？〃
He chuckled at my puzzled tone。
〃Well； I'm actually waiting for you to go into shock。〃 His face twisted
up into that perfect crooked smile。
〃I don't think that will happen；〃 I said after I could breathe again。
〃I've always been very good at repressing unpleasant things。〃
〃Just the same； I'll feel better when you have some sugar and food in
you。〃
Right on cue； the waitress appeared with our drinks and a basket of
breadsticks。 She stood with her back to me as she placed them on the
table。
〃Are you ready to order？〃 she asked Edward。
〃Bella？〃 he asked。 She turned unwillingly toward me。
I picked the first thing I saw on the menu。 〃Um… I'll have the mushroom
ravioli。〃
〃And you？〃 She turned back to him with a smile。
〃Nothing for me；〃 he said。 Of course not。
〃Let me know if you change your mind。〃 The coy smile was still in place；
but he wasn't looking at her； and she left dissatisfied。
〃Drink；〃 he ordered。
I sipped at my soda obediently； and then drank more deeply； surprised by
how thirsty I was。 I realized I had finished the whole thing when he
pushed his glass toward me。
〃Thanks；〃 I muttered； still thirsty。 The cold from the icy soda was
radiating through my chest； and I shivered。
〃Are you cold？〃
〃It's just the Coke；〃 I explained； shivering again。
〃Don't you have a jacket？〃 His voice was disapproving。
〃Yes。〃 I looked at the empty bench next to me。 〃Oh — I left it in
Jessica's car；〃 I realized。
Edward was shrugging out of his jacket。 I suddenly realized that I had
never once noticed what he was wearing — not just tonight； but ever。 I
just couldn't seem to look away from his face。 I made myself look now；
focusing。 He was removing a light beige leather jacket now； underneath he
wore an ivory turtleneck sweater。 It fit him snugly； emphasizing how
muscular his chest was。
He handed me the jacket； interrupting my ogling。
〃Thanks；〃 I said again； sliding my arms into his jacket。 It was cold —
the way my jacket felt when I first picked it up in the morning； hanging
in the drafty hallway。 I shivered again。 It smelled amazing。 I inhaled；
trying to identify the delicious scent。 It didn't smell like cologne。 The
sleeves were much too long； I shoved them back so I could free my hands。
〃That color blue looks lovely with your skin；〃 he said； watching me。 I
was surprised； I looked down； flushing； of course。
He pushed the bread basket toward me。
〃Really； I'm not going into shock；〃 I protested。
〃You should be — a normal person would be。 You don't even look shaken。〃
He seemed unsettled。 He stared into my eyes； and I saw how light his eyes
were； lighter than I'd ever seen them； golden butterscotch。
〃I feel very safe with you；〃 I confessed； mesmerized into telling the
truth again。
That displeased him； his alabaster brow furrowed。 He shook his head；
frowning。
〃This is more plicated than I'd planned；〃 he murmured to himself。
I picked up a breadstick and began nibbling on the end； measuring his
expression。 I wondered when it would be okay to start questioning him。
〃Usually you're in a better mood when your eyes are so light；〃 I
mented； trying to distract him from whatever thought had left him
frowning and somber。
He stared at me； stunned。 〃What？〃
〃You're always crabbier when your eyes are black — I expect it then；〃 I
went on。 〃I have a theory about that。〃
His eyes narrowed。 〃More theories？〃
〃Mmhm。〃 I chewed on a small bite of the bread； trying to look
indifferent。
〃I hope you were more creative this time… or are you still stealing from
ic books？〃 His faint smile was mocking； his eyes were still tight。
〃Well； no； I didn't get it from a ic book； but I didn't e up with
it on my own； either；〃 I confessed。
〃And？〃 he prompted。
But then the waitress strode around the partition with my food。 I
realized we'd been unconsciously leaning toward each other across the
table； because we both straightened up as she approached。 She set the
dish in front of me — it looked pretty good — and turned quickly to
Edward。
〃Did you change your mind？〃 she asked。 〃Isn't there anything I can get
you？〃 I may have been imagining the double meaning in her words。
〃No； thank you； but some more soda would be nice。〃 He gestured with a
long white hand to the empty cups in front of me。
〃Sure。〃 She removed the empty glasses and walked away。
〃You were saying？〃 he asked。
〃I'll tell you about it in the car。 If…〃 I paused。
〃There are conditions？〃 He raised one eyebrow； his voice ominous。
〃I do have a few questions； of course。〃
〃Of course。〃
The waitress was back with two more Cokes。 She sat them down without a
word this time； and left again。
I took a sip。
〃Well； go ahead；〃 he pushed； his voice still hard。
I started with the most undemanding。 Or so I thought。 〃Why are you in
Port Angeles？〃
He looked down； folding his large hands together slowly on the table。 His
eyes flickered up at me from under his lashes； the hint of a smirk on his
face。