g in？ Her color was still good； her skin was cream and roses against the deep blue of her shirt。 That color blue looks lovely with your skin； I plimented her。 Just being honest。 She flushed； enhancing the effect。 She looked well； but there was no point in taking chances。 bread toward her。 Really； she objected； guessing my motives。 I pushed the basket of I m not going into shock。 You should be a normal person would be。 You don t even look shaken。 I stared at her； disapproving； wondering why she couldn t be normal and then wondering if really wanted her to be that way。 I feel very safe with you； she said； her eyes； again； filled with trust。 I didn t deserve。 Trust Her instincts were all wrong backwards。 That must be the problem。 She didn t recognize danger the way a human being should be able to。 She had the opposite reaction。 Instead of running； she lingered； drawn to what should frighten her How could I protect her from myself when neither of us wanted that？ This is more plicated than I d planned； I murmured。 I could see her turning my words over in her head； and I wondered what she made of them。 She took a breadstick and began to eat without seeming aware of the action。 She chewed for a moment； and then leaned her head to one side thoughtfully。 Usually you re in a better mood when your eyes are so light； she said in a casual tone。 Her observation； stated so matter of factly； left me reeling。 What？ I have a I felt a deep You re always crabbier when your eyes are black I expect it then。 theory about that； she added lightly。 So she had e up with her own explanation。 Of course she had。 sense of dread as I wondered how close she d e to the truth。 More theories？ Mmhm。 She chewed on another bite； entirely nonchalant。 As if she weren t discussing the aspects of a monster with the monster himself。 I hope you were more creative this time I lied when she didn t continue。 What I really hoped was that she was wrong miles wide of the mark。 still stealing from ic books？ Or are you
Well； no； I didn t get it from a ic book； she said； a little embarrassed。 But I didn t e up with it on my own； either。 And？ I asked between my teeth。 Surely should would not speak so calmly if she were about to scream。 As she hesitated； biting her lip； the waitress reappeared with Bella s food。 I paid the server little attention as she set the plate in front of Bella and then asked if I wanted anything。 I declined； but asked for more coke。 glasses。 She took them and left。 The waitress hadn t noticed the empty You were saying？ I prompted anxiously as soon as we were alone again。 I ll tell you about it in the car； she said in a low voice。 Ah； this would be bad。 She wasn t willing to speak her guesses around others。 If she tacked on suddenly。 There are conditions？ I was so tense I almost growled the words。 I do have a few questions； of course。 Of course； I agreed； my voice hard。 Her questions would probably be enough to tell me where her thoughts were heading。 But how would I answer them？ With responsible lies？ Or would I drive her away with truth？ Or would I say nothing； unable to decide？ We sat in silence while the waitress replenished her supply of soda。 Well； go ahead； I said； jaw locked； when she was gone。 Why are you in Port Angeles？ That was too easy a question for her。 It gave away nothing； while my answer； if truthful； would give away much too much。 Let her reveal something first。 Next； I said。 But that s the easiest one！ Next； I said again。 She was frustrated by my refusal。 She looked away from me； down to her food。 Slowly； thinking hard； she took a bite and chewed with deliberation。 She washed it down with more coke； and then finally looked up at me。 Her eyes were narrow with suspicion。 Okay then； she said。 Let s say； hypothetically； of course； that someone could know what people are thinking； read minds； you know with just a few exceptions。 It could be worse。 This explained that little halfsmile in the car。 She was quick no one else had ever guessed this about me。 Except for Carlisle； and it had been rather obvious then； in the beginning； when I d answered all his thoughts as if he d spoken them to me。 He d understood before I had
This question wasn t so bad。 While it was clear that she knew that there was something wrong with me； was not as serious as it could have been。 Mindreading was； after all； not a facet of the vampire cannon。 I went along with her hypothesis。 Just one exception； I corrected。 Hypothetically。 She fought a smile my vague honesty pleased her。 All right； with one exception； then。 How does that work？ What are the limitations？ How would that someone find someone else at exactly the right time？ How would he know that she was in trouble？ Hypothetically？ Sure。 Her lips twitched； and her liquid brown eyes were eager。 If that someone Well； I hesitated。 Let s call him Joe； she suggested。 I had to smile at her enthusiasm。 Did she really think the truth would be a good thing？ If my secrets were pleasant； why would I keep them from her？ Joe； then； I agreed。 If Joe had been paying attention； the timing wouldn t have needed to be quite so exact。 I shook my head and repressed a shudder at the thought of how close I had been to being too late today。 Only you could get into trouble in a town this small。 You would have devastated their crime rate statistics for a decade； you know。 Her lips turned down at the corners； and pouted out。 hypothetical case。 I laughed at her irritation。 Her lips； her skin They looked so soft。 I wanted to touch them。 press my fingertip against the corner of her frown and turn it up。 My skin would be repellent to her。 I wanted to Impossible。 We were speaking of a Yes； we were； I said； returning to the conversation before I could depress myself too thoroughly。 Shall we call you Jane ？ She leaned across the table toward me； all humor and irritation gone from her wide eyes。 How did you know？ she asked； her voice low and intense。 Should I tell her the truth？ I wanted to tell her。 face。 And； if so； what portion？ I wanted to deserve the trust I could still see on her You can trust me； you know； she whispered； and she reached one hand forward as if to touch my hands where they rested on top of the empty table before me。 I pulled them back hating the thought of her reaction to my frigid stone skin and she dropped her hand。
I knew that I could trust her with protecting my secrets； she was entirely trustworthy； good to the core。 But I couldn t trust her not to be horrified by them。 She should be horrified。 The truth was horror。 I don t know if I have a choice anymore； I murmured。 I remembered that I d once teased her by calling her exceptionally unobservant。 Offended her； if I d been judging her expressions correctly。 Well； I could right that one injustice； at least。 I was wrong you re much more observant than I gave you credit for。 And； though she might not realize it； I d given her plenty of credit already。 She missed nothing。 I thought you were always right； she said； smiling as she teased me。 I used to be。 I used to know what I was doing。 course。 And now everything was chaos and tumult。 I used to be always sure of my Not if the Yet I wouldn t trade it。 I didn t want the life that made sense。 chaos meant that I could be with Bella。 I was wrong about you on one other thing as well； I went on； setting the record straight on another point。 You re not a mag for accidents that s not a broad enough classification。 You are a mag for trouble。 If there is anything dangerous within a tenmile radius； it will invariably find you。 Why her？ What had she done to deserve any of this？ Bella s face turned serious again。 And you put yourself into that category？ Honesty was more important in regards to this question than any other。 Unequivocally。 Her eyes narrowed slightly not suspicious now； but oddly concerned。 She reached her hand across the table again； slowly and deliberately。 I pulled my hands an inch away from her； but she ignored that； determined to touch me。 I held my breath not because of her scent now； but because of the sudden； overwhelming tension。 Fear。 My skin would disgust her。 She would run away。 She brushed her fingertips lightly across the back of my hand。 The heat of her gentle； willing touch was like nothing I d ever felt before。 It was almost pure pleasure。 Would have been； except for my fear。 I watched her face as she felt the cold stone of my skin； still unable to breathe。 A halfsmile turned up the corners of her lips。 Thank you； she said； meeting my stare with an intense gaze of her own。 twice now。 That s Her soft fingers lingered on my hand as if they found it pleasant to be there。 I answered her as casually as I was able。 She grimaced at that； but nodded。 I pulled my hands out from under hers。 As exquisite as her touch felt； I wasn t going to wait for the magic of her tolerance to pass； to turn to revulsion。 I hid my hands under the table。 Let s not try for three； agreed？
I read her eyes； though her mind was silent； I could perceive both trust and wonder there。 I realized in that moment that I wanted to answer her questions。 Not because I owed it to her。 Not because I wanted her to trust me。 I wanted her to know me。 I followed you to Port Angeles； I told her； the words spilling out too quickly for me to edit them。 I knew th