Bella。”
“Only the bad ones。”
He shrugged。 “Maybe that counts； maybe it doesn’t。 But you haven’t killed anyone —”
“That you know about；” I muttered。
He smiled； but otherwise ignored the interruption。 “And I’m going to do my best to keep you out of
temptation’s way。”
“Okay。 But we weren’t fighting over committing murder；” I reminded him。
“The same principle applies — the only difference is that this is the one area in which I’m just as spotless
as you are。 Can’t I leave one rule unbroken？”
“One？”
“You know that I’ve stolen； I’ve lied； I’ve coveted 。 。 。 my virtue is all I have left。” He grinned crookedly。
“I lie all the time。”
“Yes； but you’re such a bad liar that it doesn’t really count。 Nobody believes you。”
“I really hope you’re wrong about that — because otherwise Charlie is about to burst through the door
with a loaded gun。”
“Charlie is happier when he pretends to swallow your stories。 He’d rather lie to himself than look too
closely。” He grinned at me。
“But what did you ever covet？” I asked doubtfully。 “You have everything。”
“I coveted you。” His smile darkened。 “I had no right to want you — but I reached out and took you
anyway。 And now look what’s become of you！ Trying to seduce a vampire。” He shook his head in mock
horror。
“You can covet what’s already yours；” I informed him。 “Besides； I thought it was my virtue you were
worried about。”
“It is。 If it’s too late for me 。 。 。 Well； I’ll be damned — no pun intended — if I’ll let them keep you out；
too。”
“You can’t make me go somewhere you won’t be；” I vowed。 “That’s my definition of hell。 Anyway； I
have an easy solution to all this： let’s never die； all right？”
“Sounds simple enough。 Why didn’t I think of that？”
He smiled at me until I gave up with an angry humph。 “So that’s it。 You won’t sleep with me until we’re
married。”
“Technically； I can’t ever sleep with you。”
I rolled my eyes。 “Very mature； Edward。”
“But； other than that detail； yes； you’ve got it right。”
“I think you have an ulterior motive。”
His eyes widened innocently。 “Another one？”
“You know this will speed things up；” I accused。
He tried not to smile。 “There is only one thing I want to speed up； and the rest can wait forever 。 。 。 but for
that； it’s true； your impatient human hormones are my most powerful ally at this point。”
“I can’t believe I’m going along with this。 When I think of Charlie 。 。 。 and Renée！ Can you imagine what
Angela will think？ Or Jessica？ Ugh。 I can hear the gossip now。”
He raised one eyebrow at me； and I knew why。 What did it matter what they said about me when I
leaving soon and not coming back？ Was I really so oversensitive that I couldn’t bear a few weeks of sidelong
glances and leading questions？
Maybe it wouldn’t bug me so much if I didn’t know that I would probably be gossiping just as
condescendingly as the rest of them if it was someone else getting married this summer。
Gah。 Married this summer！ I shuddered。
And then； maybe it wouldn’t bug me so much if I hadn’t been raised to shudder at the thought of marriage。
Edward interrupted my fretting。 “It doesn’t have to be a big production。 I don’t need any fanfare。 You
won’t have to tell anyone or make any changes。 We’ll go to Vegas — you can wear old jeans and we’ll go to
the chapel with the drive…through window。 I just want it to be official — that you belong to me and no one
else。”
“It couldn’t be any more official than it already is；” I grumbled。 But his description didn’t sound that bad。
Only Alice would be disappointed。
“We’ll see about that。” He smiled complacently。 “I suppose you don’t want your ring now？”
I had to swallow before I could speak。 “You suppose correctly。”
He laughed at my expression。 “That’s fine。 I’ll get it on your finger soon enough。”
I glared at him。 “You talk like you already have one。”
“I do；” he said； unashamed。 “Ready to force upon you at the first sign of weakness。”
“You’re unbelievable。”
“Do you want to see it？” he asked。 His liquid topaz eyes were suddenly shining with excitement。
“No！” I almost shouted； a reflex reaction。 I regretted it at once。 His face fell ever so slightly。 “Unless you
really want to show it to me；” I amended。 I gritted my teeth together to keep my illogical terror from showing。
“That’s all right；” he shrugged。 “It can wait。”
I sighed。 “Show me the damn ring； Edward。”
He shook his head。 “No。”
I studied his expression for a long minute。
“Please？” I asked quietly； experimenting with my newly discovered weapon。 I touched his face lightly with
the tips of my fingers。 “Please can I see it？”
His eyes narrowed。 “You are the most dangerous creature I’ve ever met；” he muttered。 But he got up and
moved with unconscious grace to kneel next to the small bedside table。 He was back on the bed with me in an
instant； sitting beside me with one arm around my shoulder。 In his other hand was a little black box。 He
balanced it on my left knee。
“Go ahead and look； then；” he said brusquely。
It was harder than it should have been to pick up the inoffensive little box； but I didn’t want to hurt him
again； so I tried to keep my hand from shaking。 The surface was smooth with black satin。 I brushed my fingers
over it； hesitating。
“You didn’t spend a lot of money； did you？ Lie to me； if you did。”
“I didn’t spend anything；” he assured me。 “It’s just another hand…me…down。 This is the ring my father gave
to my mother。”
“Oh。” Surprise colored my voice。 I pinched the lid between my thumb and forefinger； but didn’t open it。
“I supposed it’s a little outdated。” His tone was playfully apologetic。 “Old…fashioned； just like me。 I can get
you something more modern。 Something from Tiffany’s？”
“I like old…fashioned things；” I mumbled as I hesitantly lifted the lid。
Nestled into the black satin； Elizabeth Masen’s ring sparkled in the dim light。 The face was a long oval； set
with slanting rows of glittering round stones。 The band was gold — delicate and narrow。 The gold made a
fragile web around the diamonds。 I’d never seen anything like it。
Unthinkingly； I stroked the shimmering gems。
“It’s so pretty；” I murmured to myself； surprised。
“Do you like it？”
“It’s beautiful。” I shrugged； feigning a lack of interest。 “What’s not to like？”
He chuckled。 “See if it fits。”
My left hand clenched into a fist。
“Bella；” he sighed。 “I’m not going to solder it to your finger。 Just try it on so I can see if it needs to be
sized。 Then you can take it right off。”
“Fine；” I grumbled。
I reached for the ring； but his long fingers beat me there。 He took my left hand in his； and slid the ring into
place on my third finger。 He held my hand out； and we both examined the oval sparkling against my skin。 It
wasn’t quite as awful as I’d feared； having it there。
“A perfect fit；” he said indifferently。 “That’s nice — saves me a trip to the jeweler’s。”
I could hear some strong emotion burning under the casual tone of his voice； and I stared up at his face。 It
was there in his eyes； too； visible despite the careful nonchalance of his expression。
“You like that； don’t you？” I asked suspiciously； fluttering my fingers and thinking that it was really too bad
that I had not broken my left hand。
He shrugged his shoulders。 “Sure；” he said； still casual。 “It looks very nice on you。”
I stared into his eyes； trying to decipher the emotion that smoldered just under the surface。 He gazed back；
and the casual pretense suddenly slipped away。 He was glowing — his angel’s face brilliant with joy and
victory。 He was so glorious that it knocked me breathless。
Before I could catch that breath； he was kissing me； his lips exultant。 I was lightheaded when he moved his
mouth to whisper in my ear — but his breathing was just as ragged as mine。
“Yes； I like it。 You have no idea。”
I laughed； gasping a little。 “I believe you。”
“Do you mind if I do something？” he murmured； his arms tightening around me。
“Anything you want。”
But he let me go and slid away。
“Anything but that；” I complained。
He ignored me； taking my hand and pulling me off the bed； too。 He stood in front of me； hands on my
shoulders； face serious。
“Now； I want to do this right。 Please； please； keep in mind that you’ve already agreed to this； and don’t
ruin it for me。”
“Oh； no；” I gasped as he slid down onto one knee。
“Be nice；” he muttered。
I took a deep breath。
“Isabella Swan？” He looked up at me through his impossibly long lashes； his golden eyes soft but；
somehow； still scorching。 “I promise to love you forever — every single day of forever。 Will you marry me？”
There were many things I wanted to say； some of them not nice at all； and others more disgustingly gooey
and romantic than he probably dreamed I was capable of。 Rather than embarrass myself with either； I
whispered； “Yes。”
“Thank you；” he said simply。 He took my left hand and kissed each of my fingertips before he kissed the
ring that was now mine。
21。 TRAILS
I HATED TO WASTE ANY PART OF THE NIGHT IN SLEEP； but that was inevitable。 The sun was bright outside the
window…wall when I woke； with small clouds scuttling too quickly across the sky。 The wind rocked the
treetops till the whole forest looked as if it was going to shake apart。
He left me alone to get dressed； and I appreciated the chance to think。 Somehow； my plan for last night
had gone horribly awry； and I needed come to grips with the consequences。 Though I’d given back the hand…
me…down ring as soon as I could do it without hurting his feelings； my left hand felt heavier； like it wa