The List

Chapter 12: Words and Letters

EdwardPOV

We showered-just showered. While she dressed, I made Bella breakfast which ended up being more of an early lunch, and then I suggested we get out of the house. I couldn't possibly take any further temptation today-and I couldn't even blame Bella's human hormones for what happened at the piano. That one was all me. I just want her so damn much. One of the many interesting things I was learning about myself with Bella was the more sexual gratification I got the more I wanted. Is that normal?

I took Bella to Port Angeles, still pleased with Alice's revelation that Bella agreed to my purchasing of a cell phone for her. She acquiesced easier than I expected to my suggestion that we go shopping. And we spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on my bed listening to music and learning all the functions on her new iPhone 3G. I programmed in all my family's cell phone numbers and wrote her number on a slip I stuck to the refrigerator door for the others.

At five o'clock, I drove Bella home. She had promised Charlie she would return in time to make him dinner and hang out for the evening, and there were things I needed to do back at the house anyway. Still, I hated to let her go. The weekend had been beyond description. Three. Weeks.

When we pulled up in front of her house we both sighed. "Soon I won't have to part with you anymore, love."

"It can't come soon enough," she smiled.

"For me, neither." I thought for a minute. "Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I would like to take my Dare now."

She broke into a huge smile. "Now?" I leveled a crooked smile at her and her heart fluttered. I loved that reaction. "Uh, okay?"

"I don't think you'll take it, though," I taunted, hoping this would indeed goad her into taking it.

"Oh, really? Try me." She sounded very sure of herself. This was going to be fun. And miserable.

This morning in the shower it had come to me. I had loved our weekend together. And, truly, I regretted nothing. But my having uttered her name-her soon-to-be-married name-reminded me that there were some things that remained important to me and that I wanted-needed-to have preserved. I wanted our wedding night to have some sense of newness about it.

"First, are you willing to consider a two-part dare?"

Her grin got bigger. "Uh, sure, okay."

"Good. But I don't think you're going to take it." I was just playing with her now.

She huffed. I held my hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. Here it is: first, I dare you to agree not to see me until next Saturday."

"WHAT?" The volume of her voice was nearly deafening in the confines of my car.

"Would you like to hear the second part?"

"Uh, please. Do tell." She crossed her arms over her chest.

I repressed a smirk and continued on. "Second, I dare you to agree that, after next weekend, there will be no more...nudity or...orgasms...until after we're married."

Her mouth was opening and closing but no words were coming out. I was actively biting the insides of my cheeks to keep from busting out laughing. I feel your pain, sweetheart, trust me.

"What...what...why?" she finally managed.

"Is that a 'no'?"

"No!" Her face was now fully flushed.

"It's a 'yes' then?"

"No! I mean...Edward," she whined.

I couldn't help it that time. I burst out laughing. "I guess I win this game then?"