I felt the tremor of his breath on my neck as he laughed。 〃Mind over
matter。〃
I pulled back; as I moved; he froze — and I could no longer hear the
sound of his breathing。
We stared cautiously at each other for a moment; and then; as his
clenched jaw gradually relaxed; his expression became puzzled。
〃Did I do something wrong?〃
〃No — the opposite。 You're driving me crazy;〃 I explained。
He considered that briefly; and when he spoke; he sounded pleased。
〃Really?〃 A triumphant smile slowly lit his face。
〃Would you like a round of applause?〃 I asked sarcastically。
He grinned。
〃I'm just pleasantly surprised;〃 he clarified。 〃In the last hundred years
or so;〃 his voice was teasing; 〃I never imagined anything like this。 I
didn't believe I would ever find someone I wanted to be with… in another
way than my brothers and sisters。 And then to find; even though it's all
new to me; that I'm good at it… at being with you…〃
〃You're good at everything;〃 I pointed out。
He shrugged; allowing that; and we both laughed in whispers。
〃But how can it be so easy now?〃 I pressed。 〃This afternoon…〃
〃It's not easy;〃 he sighed。 〃But this afternoon; I was still… undecided。
I am sorry about that; it was unforgivable for me to behave so。〃
〃Not unforgivable;〃 I disagreed。
〃Thank you。〃 He smiled。 〃You see;〃 he continued; looking down now; 〃I
wasn't sure if I was strong enough…〃 He picked up one of my hands and
pressed it lightly to his face。 〃And while there was still that
possibility that I might be… overe〃 — he breathed in the scent at my
wrist — 〃I was… susceptible。 Until I made up my mind that I was strong
enough; that there was no possibility at all that I would… that I ever
could…〃
I'd never seen him struggle so hard for words。 It was so… human。
〃So there's no possibility now?〃
〃Mind over matter;〃 he repeated; smiling; his teeth bright even in the
darkness。
〃Wow; that was easy;〃 I said。
He threw back his head and laughed; quietly as a whisper; but still
exuberantly。
〃Easy for you!〃 he amended; touching my nose with his fingertip。
And then his face was abruptly serious。
〃I'm trying;〃 he whispered; his voice pained。 〃If it gets to be… too
much; I'm fairly sure I'll be able to leave。〃
I scowled。 I didn't like the talk of leaving。
〃And it will be harder tomorrow;〃 he continued。 〃I've had the scent of
you in my head all day; and I've grown amazingly desensitized。 If I'm
away from you for any length of time; I'll have to start over again。 Not
quite from scratch; though; I think。〃
〃Don't go away; then;〃 I responded; unable to hide the longing in my
voice。
〃That suits me;〃 he replied; his face relaxing into a gentle smile。
〃Bring on the shackles — I'm your prisoner。〃 But his long hands formed
manacles around my wrists as he spoke。 He laughed his quiet; musical
laugh。 He'd laughed more tonight than I'd ever heard in all the time I'd
spent with him。
〃You seem more… optimistic than usual;〃 I observed。 〃I haven't seen you
like this before。〃
〃Isn't it supposed to be like this?〃 He smiled。 〃The glory of first love;
and all that。 It's incredible; isn't it; the difference between reading
about something; seeing it in the pictures; and experiencing it?〃
〃Very different;〃 I agreed。 〃More forceful than I'd imagined。〃
〃For example〃 — his words flowed swiftly now; I had to concentrate to
catch it all — 〃the emotion of jealousy。 I've read about it a hundred
thousand times; seen actors portray it in a thousand different plays and
movies。 I believed I understood that one pretty clearly。 But it shocked
me…〃 He grimaced。 〃Do you remember the day that Mike asked you to the
dance?〃
I nodded; though I remembered that day for a different reason。 〃The day
you started talking to me again。〃
〃I was surprised by the flare of resentment; almost fury; that I felt — I
didn't recognize what it was at first。 I was even more aggravated than
usual that I couldn't know what you were thinking; why you refused him。
Was it simply for your friend's sake? Was there someone else? I knew I
had no right to care either way。 I tried not to care。
〃And then the line started forming;〃 he chuckled。 I scowled in the
darkness。
〃I waited; unreasonably anxious to hear what you would say to them; to
watch your expressions。 I couldn't deny the relief I felt; watching the
annoyance on your face。 But I couldn't be sure。
〃That was the first night I came here。 I wrestled all night; while
watching you sleep; with the chasm between what I knew was right; moral;
ethical; and what I wanted。 I knew that if I continued to ignore you as I
should; or if I left for a few years; till you were gone; that someday
you would say yes to Mike; or someone like him。 It made me angry。
〃And then;〃 he whispered; 〃as you were sleeping; you said my name。 You
spoke so clearly; at first I thought you'd woken。 But you rolled over
restlessly and mumbled my name once more; and sighed。 The feeling that
coursed through me then was unnerving; staggering。 And I knew I couldn't
ignore you any longer。〃 He was silent for a moment; probably listening to
the suddenly uneven pounding of my heart。
〃But jealousy… it's a strange thing。 So much more powerful than I would
have thought。 And irrational! Just now; when Charlie asked you about that
vile Mike Newton…〃 He shook his head angrily。
〃I should have known you'd be listening;〃 I groaned。
〃Of course。〃
〃That made you feel jealous; though; really?〃
〃I'm new at this; you're resurrecting the human in me; and everything
feels stronger because it's fresh。〃
〃But honestly;〃 I teased; 〃for that to bother you; after I have to hear
that Rosalie — Rosalie; the incarnation of pure beauty; Rosalie — was
meant for you。 Emmett or no Emmett; how can I pete with that?〃
〃There's no petition。〃 His teeth gleamed。 He drew my trapped hands
around his back; holding me to his chest。 I kept as still as I could;
even breathing with caution。
〃I know there's no petition;〃 I mumbled into his cold skin。 〃That's
the problem。〃
〃Of course Rosalie is beautiful in her way; but even if she wasn't like a
sister to me; even if Emmett didn't belong with her; she could never have
one tenth; no; one hundredth of the attraction you hold for me。〃 He was
serious now; thoughtful。 〃For almost niy years I've walked among my
kind; and yours… all the time thinking I was plete in myself; not
realizing what I was seeking。 And not finding anything; because you
weren't alive yet。〃
〃It hardly seems fair;〃 I whispered; my face still resting on his chest;
listening to his breath e and go。 〃I haven't had to wait at all。 Why
should I get off so easily?〃
〃You're right;〃 he agreed with amusement。 〃I should make this harder for
you; definitely。〃 He freed one of his hands; released my wrist; only to
gather it carefully into his other hand。 He stroked my wet hair softly;
from the top of my head to my waist。 〃You only have to risk your life
every second you spend with me; that's surely not much。 You only have to
turn you
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