er my name.

He didnt give me a chance to recover.

If I had my way, I would spend the majority of my time kissing Edward. There wasnt anything Id experienced in my life that compared to the feeling of his cool lips, marble hard but always so gentle, moving with mine.

I didnt often get my way.

So it surprised me a little when his fingers braided themselves into my hair, securing my face to his. My arms locked behind his neck, and I wished I was stronger  strong enough to keep him prisoner here. One hand slid down my back, pressing me tighter against his stone chest. Even through his sweater, his skin was cold enough to make me shiver  it was a shiver of pleasure, of happiness, but his hands began to loosen in response.

I knew I had about three seconds before he would sigh and slide me deftly away, saying something about how wed risked my life enough for one afternoon. Making the most of my last seconds, I crushed myself closer, molding myself to the shape of him. The tip of my tongue traced the curve of his lower lip; it was as flawlessly smooth as if it had been polished, and thetaste 

He pulled my face away from his, breaking my hold with ease  he probably didnt even realize that I was using all my strength.

He chuckled once, a low, throaty sound. His eyes were bright with the excitement he so rigidly disciplined.

Ah, Bella. He sighed.

Id say Im sorry, but Im not.

And I should feel sorry that youre not sorry, but I dont. Maybe I should go sit on the bed.

I exhaled a little dizzily. If you think thats necessary. . . .

He smiled crookedly and disentangled himself.

I shook my head a few times, trying to clear it, and turned back to my computer. It was all warmed up and humming now. Well, not as much humming as groaning.

Tell Rene I said hello.

Sure thing.

I scanned through Renes e-mail, shaking my head now and then at some of the dippier things shed done. I was just as entertained and horrified as the first time Id read this. It was so like my mother to forget exactly how paralyzed she was by heights until she was already strapped to a parachute and a dive instructor. I felt a little frustrated with Phil, her husband of almost two years, for allowing that one. I would have taken better care of her. I knew her so much better.

You have to let them go their own way eventually, I reminded myself. You have to let them have their own life. . . .

Id spent most of my life taking care of Rene, patiently guiding her away from her craziest plans, good-naturedly enduring the ones I couldnt talk her out of. Id always been indulgent with my mom, amused by her, even a little condescending to her. I saw her cornucopia of mistakes and laughed privately to myself. Scatterbrained Rene.

I was a very different person from my mother. Someone thoughtful and cautious. The responsible one, the grown-up. Thats how I saw myself. That was the person I knew.

With the blood still pounding in my head from Edwards kiss, I couldnt help but think of my mothers most life-altering mistake. Silly and romantic, getting married fresh out of high school to a man she barely knew, then producing me a year later. Shed always promised me that she had no regrets, that I was the best gift her life had ever given her. And yet shed drilled it into me over and over  smart people took marriage seriously. Mature people went to college and started careers before they got deeply involved in a relationship. She knew I would never be as thoughtless and goofy andsmall-town as shed been. . . .

I gritted my teeth and tried to concentrate as I answered her letter.

Then I hit her parting line and remembered why Id neglected to write sooner.

You havent said anything about Jacob in a long time, shed written.Whats he up to these days?

Charlie was prompting her, I was sure.

I sighed and typed quickly, tucking the answer to her question between two less sensitive paragraphs.


Jacob is fine, I guess. I dont see him much; he spends most of his time with a pack of his friends down at La Push these days.


Smiling wryly to myself, I added Edwards greeting and hit send.

I didnt realize that Edward was standing silently behind me again until after Id turned off the computer and shoved away from the desk. I was about to scold him for reading over my shoulder when I realized that he wasnt paying any attention to me. He was examining a flat black box with wires curling crookedly away from the main square in a way that didnt look healthy for whatever it was. After a second, I recognized the car stereo Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper had given me for my last birthday. Id forgotten about the birthday presents hiding under a growing pile of dust on the floor of my closet.

What did youdo to this? he asked in a horrorstruck voice.

It didnt want to come out of the dashboard.

So you felt the need to torture it?

You know how I am with tools. No pain was inflicted intentionally.

He shook his head, his face a mask of faux tragedy. You killed it.

I shrugged. Oh, well.

It would hurt their feelings if they saw this, he said. I guess its a good thing that youve been on house arrest. Ill have to get another one in place before they notice.

Thanks, but I dont need a fancy stereo.

Its not for your sake that Im going to replace it.

I sighed.

You didnt get much good out of your birthday presents last year, he said in a disgruntled voice. Suddenly, he was fanning himself with a stiff rectangle of paper.

I didnt answer, for fear my voice would shake. My disastrous eighteenth birthday  with all its far-reaching consequences  wasnt something I cared to remember, and I was surprised that he would bring it up. He was even more sensitive about it than I was.

Do you realize these are about to expire? he asked, holding the paper out to me. It was another present  the voucher for airplane tickets that Esme and Carlisle had given me so that I could visit Rene in Florida.

I took a deep breath and answered in a flat voice. No. Id forgotten all about them, actually.

His expression was carefully bright and positive; there was no trace of any deep emotion as he continued. Well, we still have a little time. Youve been liberated . . . and we have no plans this weekend, as you refuse to go to the prom with me. He grinned. Why not celebrate your freedom this way?

I gasped. By going to Florida?

You did say something about the continental U.S. being allowable.

I glared at him, suspicious, trying to understand where this had come from.

Well? he demanded. Are we going to see Rene or not?

Charlie will never allow it.

Charlie cant keep you from visiting your mother. She still has primary custody.

Nobody has custody of me. Im an adult.

He flashed a brilliant smile. Exactly.

I thought it over for a short minute before deciding that it wasnt worth the fight. Charlie would be furious  not that I was going to see Rene, but that Edward was going with me. Charlie wouldnt speak to me for months, and Id probably end up grounded again. It was definitely smarter not to even bring it up. Maybe in a few weeks, as a graduation favor or something.

But the idea of seeing my mothernow , not weeks from now, was hard to resist. It had been so long since Id seen Rene. And even longer since Id seen her under pleasant circumstances. The last time Id been with her in Phoenix, Id spent the whole time in a hospital bed. The last time shed come here, Id been more or less catatonic. Not exactly the best memories to leave her with.

And maybe, if she saw how happy I was with Edward, she would tell Charlie to ease up.

Edward scrutinized my face while I deliberated.

I sighed. Not this weekend.

Why not?

I dont want to fight with Charlie. Not so soon after hes forgiven me.

His eyebrows pulled together. I think this weekend is perfect, he muttered.

I shook my head. Another time.

You arent the only one whos been trapped in this house, you know. He frowned at me.

