Pinned but Fluttering

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Feeling perfectly at home in Edward's embrace was a new but very welcome development. As I mentally thumbed through my human memories, fogged as they were, I remembered the tension between us over the last few weeks—from the very first day I saw him at Forks High, really. The constant draw I felt toward him had always been there.

And his kiss...our kiss: tender, restrained, joyous.

And his declaration.

Edward loved me.

I looked up at him, certain that the wonder I felt was plain in my expression. He smiled down at me, his eyes warm and tender.

“Shall we go for a walk?” he asked quietly.

A walk? I felt confused for a moment, then I cottoned on. Got it. A walk...away from the prying eyes and too-sensitive ears of his family. A walk seemed like an excellent idea indeed.

I nodded, smiling timidly; if I were still human, I would definitely have been blushing.

He gave my hands a knowing squeeze before releasing me, then turned his back on the crowded room and ushered me out through the kitchen. Always the gentleman, Edward opened the back door of the house for me, stepping aside to allow me to precede him.

An ear-splitting sound caused me to cover my ears in shock while Edward grimaced. Exchanging glances of amused annoyance, we both ignored Emmett's loud wolf-whistle. But I did catch Edward rolling his eyes as he closed the door behind us and grinned to myself.

As we went down the redwood deck stairs onto the wide lawn, he reached for my hand. Somehow it seemed perfectly natural to allow his long fingers to fold around my much smaller ones. Still feeling a little awkward, we exchanged shy smiles.

Following a narrow but well-worn path, Edward led me along the riverbank. The scenery was lovely; we were shaded by majestic Douglas Firs, spreading cedars, ancient oaks. As we walked hand-in-hand in comfortable silence, the music of the gently running river soothing and peaceful, my eyes drank in the amazing detail of our natural surroundings now afforded by my new vampiric vision.

I could get used to this.

After strolling along even slower than human speed, Edward pulled me to a cluster of rounded boulders jutting over the river bank. We seated ourselves side-by-side atop a rather flat gray-brown rock, our feet dangling several feet above the surface of the gently-moving water. He took my hand again, and with a smug grin I noticed that we were both the same temperature now.

It wasn't actually sunny (this is Forks, after all) but the pale sunlight sifted through the trees, warming us despite our natural coldness. I peered up at Edward bashfully through my eyelashes and was astounded to see his face aglow in the late-afternoon light. Twisting toward him, I lifted my hands to his face, marveling at the radiance of his visage between my palms. And my hands were luminous as well.

I think my mouth popped open with surprise at the brilliance of his skin...our skin. Between my palms, Edward smiled...no, smirked at me.

“Haven't you seen a vampire in the sun before?” he teased lightly.

“As a matter of fact, I haven't,” I returned nonchalantly, trying to mask how awestruck I really was at how we glimmered in the weak sunshine. I tried to speak lightly. “It's a good thing that we don't burn to a crisp or something in the sun, right?” I smirked, taking my turn at gentle teasing.

“Myth,” he said softly, and his expression shifted slowly from amused to desirous under my watchful gaze.

As his expression changed, my mood did as well. His face still in my hands, I leaned forward and pressed my cool lips chastely to his. It was bliss...sheer bliss...kissing Edward like this.