暮色-第55部分

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I　hid　my　face　against　his　shoulder。　

〃I　love　you；〃　I　whispered。　

〃You　are　my　life　now；〃　he　answered　simply。　

There　was　nothing　more　to　say　for　the　moment。　He　rocked　us　back　and　forth　
as　the　room　grew　lighter。　

〃Breakfast　time；〃　he　said　eventually；　casually　—　to　prove；　I'm　sure；　that　
he　remembered　all　my　human　frailties。　

So　I　clutched　my　throat　with　both　hands　and　stared　at　him　with　wide　eyes。　
Shock　crossed　his　face。　

〃Kidding！〃　I　snickered。　〃And　you　said　I　couldn't　act！〃　

He　frowned　in　disgust。　〃That　wasn't　funny。〃　

〃It　was　very　funny；　and　you　know　it。〃　But　I　examined　his　gold　eyes　
carefully；　to　make　sure　that　I　was　forgiven。　Apparently；　I　was。　

〃Shall　I　rephrase？〃　he　asked。　〃Breakfast　time　for　the　human。〃　

〃Oh；　okay。〃　

He　threw　me　over　his　stone　shoulder；　gently；　but　with　a　swiftness　that　
left　me　breathless。　I　protested　as　he　carried　me　easily　down　the　stairs；　
but　he　ignored　me。　He　sat　me　right　side　up　on　a　chair。　

The　kitchen　was　bright；　happy；　seeming　to　absorb　my　mood。　

〃What's　for　breakfast？〃　I　asked　pleasantly。　

That　threw　him　for　a　minute。　

〃Er；　I'm　not　sure。　What　would　you　like？〃　His　marble　brow　puckered。　

I　grinned；　hopping　up。　

〃That's　all　right；　I　fend　for　myself　pretty　well。　Watch　me　hunt。〃　

I　found　a　bowl　and　a　box　of　cereal。　I　could　feel　his　eyes　on　me　as　I　
poured　the　milk　and　grabbed　a　spoon。　I　sat　my　food　on　the　table；　and　then　
paused。　

〃Can　I　get　you　anything？〃　I　asked；　not　wanting　to　be　rude。　

He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Just　eat；　Bella。〃　

I　sat　at　the　table；　watching　him　as　I　took　a　bite。　He　was　gazing　at　me；　
studying　my　every　movement。　It　made　me　selfconscious。　I　cleared　my　mouth　
to　speak；　to　distract　him。　

〃What's　on　the　agenda　for　today？〃　I　asked。　

〃Hmmm…〃　I　watched　him　frame　his　answer　carefully。　〃What　would　you　say　to　
meeting　my　family？〃　

I　gulped。　

〃Are　you　afraid　now？〃　He　sounded　hopeful。　

〃Yes；〃　I　admitted；　how　could　I　deny　it　—　he　could　see　my　eyes。　

〃Don't　worry。〃　He　smirked。　〃I'll　protect　you。〃　

〃I'm　not　afraid　of　them；〃　I　explained。　〃I'm　afraid　they　won't…　like　me。　
Won't　they　be；　well；　surprised　that　you　would　bring　someone…　like　me…　
home　to　meet　them？　Do　they　know　that　I　know　about　them？〃　

〃Oh；　they　already　know　everything。　They'd　taken　bets　yesterday；　you　know〃　
—　he　smiled；　but　his　voice　was　harsh　—　〃on　whether　I'd　bring　you　back；　
though　why　anyone　would　bet　against　Alice；　I　can't　imagine。　At　any　rate；　
we　don't　have　secrets　in　the　family。　It's　not　really　feasible；　what　with　
my　mind　reading　and　Alice　seeing　the　future　and　all　that。〃　

〃And　Jasper　making　you　feel　all　warm　and　fuzzy　about　spilling　your　guts；　
don't　forget　that。〃　

〃You　paid　attention；〃　he　smiled　approvingly。　

〃I've　been　known　to　do　that　every　now　and　then。〃　I　grimaced。　〃So　did　
Alice　see　me　ing？〃　

His　reaction　was　strange。　〃Something　like　that；〃　he　said　unfortably；　
turning　away　so　I　couldn't　see　his　eyes。　I　stared　at　him　curiously。　

〃Is　that　any　good？〃　he　asked；　turning　back　to　me　abruptly　and　eyeing　my　
breakfast　with　a　teasing　look　on　his　face。　〃Honestly；　it　doesn't　look　
very　appetizing。〃　

〃Well；　it's　no　irritable　grizzly…〃　I　murmured；　ignoring　him　when　he　
glowered。　I　was　still　wondering　why　he　responded　that　way　when　I　
mentioned　Alice。　I　hurried　through　my　cereal；　speculating。　

He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　kitchen；　the　statue　of　Adonis　again；　
staring　abstractedly　out　the　back　windows。　

Then　his　eyes　were　back　on　me；　and　he　smiled　his　heartbreaking　smile。　

〃And　you　should　introduce　me　to　your　father；　too；　I　think。〃　

〃He　already　knows　you；〃　I　reminded　him。　

〃As　your　boyfriend；　I　mean。〃　

I　stared　at　him　with　suspicion。　〃Why？〃　

〃Isn't　that　customary？〃　he　asked　innocently。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　admitted。　My　dating　history　gave　me　few　reference　
points　to　work　with。　Not　that　any　normal　rules　of　dating　applied　here。　
〃That's　not　necessary；　you　know。　I　don't　expect　you　to…　I　mean；　you　don't　
have　to　pretend　for　me。〃　

His　smile　was　patient。　〃I'm　not　pretending。〃　

I　pushed　the　remains　of　my　cereal　around　the　edges　of　the　bowl；　biting　my　
lip。　

〃Are　you　going　to　tell　Charlie　I'm　your　boyfriend　or　not？〃　he　demanded。　

〃Is　that　what　you　are？〃　I　suppressed　my　internal　cringing　at　the　thought　
of　Edward　and　Charlie　and　the　word　boy　friend　all　in　the　same　room　at　the　
same　time。　

〃It's　a　loose　interpretation　of　the　word　'boy；'　I'll　admit。〃　

〃I　was　under　the　impression　that　you　were　something　more；　actually；〃　I　
confessed；　looking　at　the　table。　

〃Well；　I　don't　know　if　we　need　to　give　him　all　the　gory　details。〃　He　
reached　across　the　table　to　lift　my　chin　with　a　cold；　gentle　finger。　〃But　
he　will　need　some　explanation　for　why　I'm　around　here　so　much。　I　don't　
want　Chief　Swan　getting　a　restraining　order　put　on　me。〃　

〃Will　you　be？〃　I　asked；　suddenly　anxious。　〃Will　you　really　be　here？〃　

〃As　long　as　you　want　me；〃　he　assured　me。　

〃I'll　always　want　you；〃　I　warned　him。　〃Forever。〃　

He　walked　slowly　around　the　table；　and；　pausing　a　few　feet　away；　he　
reached　out　to　touch　his　fingertips　to　my　cheek。　His　expression　was　
unfathomable。　

〃Does　that　make　you　sad？〃　I　asked。　

He　didn't　answer。　He　stared　into　my　eyes　for　an　immeasurable　period　of　
time。　

〃Are　you　finished？〃　he　finally　asked。　

I　jumped　up。　〃Yes。〃　

〃Get　dressed　—　I'll　wait　here。〃　

It　was　hard　to　decide　what　to　wear。　I　doubted　there　were　any　etiquette　
books　detailing　how　to　dress　when　your　vampire　sweetheart　takes　you　home　
to　meet　his　vampire　family。　It　was　a　relief　to　think　the　word　to　myself。　
I　knew　I　shied　away　from　it　intentionally。　

I　ended　up　in　my　only　skirt　—　long；　khakicolored；　still　casual。　I　put　on　
the　dark　blue　blouse　he'd　once　plimented。　A　quick　glance　in　the　mirror　
told　me　my　hair　was　entirely　impossible；　so　I　pulled　it　back　into　a　pony　
tail。　

〃Okay。〃　I　bounced　down　the　stairs。　〃I'm　decent。〃　

He　was　waiting　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　closer　than　I'd　thought；　and　I　
bounded　right　into　him。　He　steadied　me；　holding　me　a　careful　distance　
away　for　a　few　seconds　before　suddenly　pulling　me　closer。　

〃Wrong　again；〃　he　murmured　in　my　ear。　〃You　are　utterly　indecent　—　no　one　
should　look　so　tempting；　it's　not　fair。〃　

〃Tempting　how？〃　I　asked。　〃I　can　change…〃　

He　sighed；　shaking　his　head。　〃You　are　so　absurd。〃　He　pressed　his　cool　
lips　delicately　to　my　forehead；　and　the　room　spun。　The　smell　of　his　
breath　made　it　impossible　to　think。　

〃Shall　I　explain　how　you　are　tempting　me？〃　he　said。　It　was　clearly　a　
rhetorical　question。　His　fingers　traced　slowly　down　my　spine；　his　breath　
ing　more　quickly　against　my　skin。　My　hands　were　limp　on　his　chest；　and　
I　felt　lightheaded　again。　He　tilted　his　head　slowly　and　touched　his　cool　
lips　to　mine　for　the　second　time；　very　carefully；　parting　them　slightly。　

And　then　I　collapsed。　

〃Bella？〃　His　voice　was　alarmed　as　he　caught　me　and　held　me　up。　

〃You…　made…　me…　faint；〃　I　accused　him　dizzily。　

〃What　am　I　going　to　do　with　you？〃　he　groaned　in　exasperation。　〃Yesterday　
I　kiss　you；　and　you　attack　me！　Today　you　pass　out　on　me！〃　

I　laughed　weakly；　letting　his　arms　support　me　while　my　head　spun。　

〃So　much　for　being　good　at　everything；〃　he　sighed。　

〃That's　the　problem。〃　I　was　still　dizzy。　〃You're　too　good。　Far；　far　too　

good。〃　

〃Do　you　feel　sick？〃　he　asked；　he'd　seen　me　like　this　before。　

〃No　—　that　wasn't　the　same　kind　of　fainting　at　all。　I　don't　know　what　
happened。〃　I　shook　my　head　apologeticallv；　〃I　think　I　forgot　to　breathe。〃　

〃I　can't　take　you　anywhere　like　this。〃　

〃I'm　fine；〃　I　insisted。　〃Your　family　is　going　to　think　I'm　insane　anyway；　
what's　the　difference？〃　

He　measured　my　expression　for　a　moment。　〃I'm　very　partial　to　that　color　
with　your　skin；〃　he　offered　unexpectedly。　I　flushed　with　pleasure；　and　
looked　away。　

〃Look；　I'm　trying　really　hard　not　to　think　about　what　I'm　about　to　do；　so　
can　we　go　already？〃　I　asked。　

〃And　you're　worried；　not　because　you're　headed　to　meet　a　houseful　of　
vampires；　but　because　you　think　those　vampires　won't　approve　of　you；　
correct？〃　

〃That's　right；〃　I　answered　immediately；　hiding　my　surprise　at　his