1 twilight暮色-第44部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


head　out　the　window　of　an　airplane　in　flight。　And；　for　the　first　time　in　
my　life；　I　felt　the　dizzy　faintness　of　motion　sickness。　

Then　it　was　over。　We'd　hiked　hours　this　morning　to　reach　Edward's　meadow；　
and　now；　in　a　matter　of　minutes；　we　were　back　to　the　truck。　

〃Exhilarating；　isn't　it？〃　His　voice　was　high；　excited。　

He　stood　motionless；　waiting　for　me　to　climb　down。　I　tried；　but　my　
muscles　wouldn't　respond。　My　arms　and　legs　stayed　locked　around　him　while　
my　head　spun　unfortably。　

〃Bella？〃　he　asked；　anxious　now。　

〃I　think　I　need　to　lie　down；〃　I　gasped。　

〃Oh；　sorry。〃　He　waited　for　me；　but　I　still　couldn't　move。　

〃I　think　I　need　help；〃　I　admitted。　

He　laughed　quietly；　and　gently　unloosened　my　stranglehold　on　his　neck。　
There　was　no　resisting　the　iron　strength　of　his　hands。　Then　he　pulled　me　
around　to　face　him；　cradling　me　in　his　arms　like　a　small　child。　He　held　
me　for　a　moment；　then　carefully　placed　me　on　the　springy　ferns。　

〃How　do　you　feel？〃　he　asked。　

I　couldn't　be　sure　how　I　felt　when　my　head　was　spinning　so　crazily。　
〃Dizzy；　I　think。〃　

〃Put　your　head　between　your　knees。〃　

I　tried　that；　and　it　helped　a　little。　I　breathed　in　and　out　slowly；　
keeping　my　head　very　still。　I　felt　him　sitting　beside　me。　The　moments　
passed；　and　eventually　I　found　that　I　could　raise　my　head。　There　was　a　
hollow　ringing　sound　in　my　ears。　

〃I　guess　that　wasn't　the　best　idea；〃　he　mused。　

I　tried　to　be　positive；　but　my　voice　was　weak。　〃No；　it　was　very　
interesting。〃　

〃Hah！　You're　as　white　as　a　ghost　—　no；　you're　as　white　as　me！〃　

〃I　think　I　should　have　closed　my　eyes。〃　

〃Remember　that　next　time。〃　

〃Next　time！〃　I　groaned。　

He　laughed；　his　mood　still　radiant。　

〃Showoff；〃　I　muttered。　

〃Open　your　eyes；　Bella；〃　he　said　quietly。　

And　he　was　right　there；　his　face　so　close　to　mine。　His　beauty　stunned　my　
mind　—　it　was　too　much；　an　excess　I　couldn't　grow　accustomed　to。　

〃I　was　thinking；　while　I　was　running…〃　He　paused。　

〃About　not　hitting　the　trees；　I　hope。〃　

〃Silly　Bella；〃　he　chuckled。　〃Running　is　second　nature　to　me；　it's　not　
something　I　have　to　think　about。〃　

〃Showoff；〃　I　muttered　again。　

He　smiled。　

〃No；〃　he　continued；　〃I　was　thinking　there　was　something　I　wanted　to　try。〃　
And　he　took　my　face　in　his　hands　again。　

I　couldn't　breathe。　

He　hesitated　—　not　in　the　normal　way；　the　human　way。　

Not　the　way　a　man　might　hesitate　before　he　kissed　a　woman；　to　gauge　her　
reaction；　to　see　how　he　would　be　received。　Perhaps　he　would　hesitate　to　
prolong　the　moment；　that　ideal　moment　of　anticipation；　sometimes　better　
than　the　kiss　itself。　

Edward　hesitated　to　test　himself；　to　see　if　this　was　safe；　to　make　sure　
he　was　still　in　control　of　his　need。　

And　then　his　cold；　marble　lips　pressed　very　softly　against　mine。　

What　neither　of　us　was　prepared　for　was　my　response。　

Blood　boiled　under　my　skin；　burned　in　my　lips。　My　breath　came　in　a　wild　
gasp。　My　fingers　knotted　in　his　hair；　clutching　him　to　me。　My　lips　parted　
as　I　breathed　in　his　heady　scent。　

Immediately　I　felt　him　turn　to　unresponsive　stone　beneath　my　lips。　His　
hands　gently；　but　with　irresistible　force；　pushed　my　face　back。　I　opened　
my　eyes　and　saw　his　guarded　expression。　

〃Oops；〃　I　breathed。　

〃That's　an　understatement。〃　

His　eyes　were　wild；　his　jaw　clenched　in　acute　restraint；　yet　he　didn't　
lapse　from　his　perfect　articulation。　He　held　my　face　just　inches　from　
his。　He　dazzled　my　eyes。　

〃Should　I…　？〃　I　tried　to　disengage　myself；　to　give　him　some　room。　

His　hands　refused　to　let　me　move　so　much　as　an　inch。　

〃No；　it's　tolerable。　Wait　for　a　moment；　please。〃　His　voice　was　polite；　
controlled。　

I　kept　my　eyes　on　his；　watched　as　the　excitement　in　them　faded　and　
gentled。　

Then　he　smiled　a　surprisingly　impish　grin。　

〃There；〃　he　said；　obviously　pleased　with　himself。　

〃Tolerable？〃　I　asked。　

He　laughed　aloud。　〃I'm　stronger　than　I　thought。　It's　nice　to　know。〃　

〃I　wish　I　could　say　the　same。　I'm　sorry。〃　

〃You　are　only　human；　after　all。〃　

〃Thanks　so　much；〃　I　said；　my　voice　acerbic。　

He　was　on　his　feet　in　one　of　his　lithe；　almost　invisibly　quick　movements。　
He　held　out　his　hand　to　me；　an　unexpected　gesture。　I　was　so　used　to　our　
standard　of　careful　noncontact。　I　took　his　icy　hand；　needing　the　support　
more　than　I　thought。　My　balance　had　not　yet　returned。　

〃Are　you　still　faint　from　the　run？　Or　was　it　my　kissing　expertise？〃　How　
lighthearted；　how　human　he　seemed　as　he　laughed　now；　his　seraphic　face　
untroubled。　He　was　a　different　Edward　than　the　one　I　had　known。　And　I　
felt　all　the　more　besotted　by　him。　It　would　cause　me　physical　pain　to　be　
separated　from　him　now。　

〃I　can't　be　sure；　I'm　still　woozy；〃　I　managed　to　respond。　〃I　think　it's　
some　of　both；　though。〃　

〃Maybe　you　should　let　me　drive。〃　

〃Are　you　insane？〃　I　protested。　

〃I　can　drive　better　than　you　on　your　best　day；〃　he　teased。　〃You　have　much　
slower　reflexes。〃　

〃I'm　sure　that's　true；　but　I　don't　think　my　nerves；　or　my　truck；　could　
take　it。〃　

〃Some　trust；　please；　Bella。〃　

My　hand　was　in　my　pocket；　curled　tightly　around　the　key。　I　pursed　my　
lips；　deliberated；　then　shook　my　head　with　a　tight　grin。　

〃Nope。　Not　a　chance。〃　

He　raised　his　eyebrows　in　disbelief。　

I　started　to　step　around　him；　heading　for　the　driver's　side。　He　might　
have　let　me　pass　if　I　hadn't　wobbled　slightly。　Then　again；　he　might　not　
have。　His　arm　created　an　inescapable　snare　around　my　waist。　

〃Bella；　I've　already　expended　a　great　deal　of　personal　effort　at　this　
point　to　keep　you　alive。　I'm　not　about　to　let　you　behind　the　wheel　of　a　
vehicle　when　you　can't　even　walk　straight。　Besides；　friends　don't　let　
friends　drive　drunk；〃　he　quoted　with　a　chuckle。　I　could　smell　the　
unbearably　sweet　fragrance　ing　off　his　chest。　

〃Drunk？〃　I　objected。　

〃You're　intoxicated　by　my　very　presence。〃　He　was　grinning　that　playful　
smirk　again。　

〃I　can't　argue　with　that；〃　I　sighed。　There　was　no　way　around　it；　I　
couldn't　resist　him　in　anything。　I　held　the　key　high　and　dropped　it；　
watching　his　hand　flash　like　lightning　to　catch　it　soundlessly。　〃Take　it　
easy　—　my　truck　is　a　senior　citizen。〃　

〃Very　sensible；〃　he　approved。　

〃And　are　you　not　affected　at　all？〃　I　asked；　irked。　〃By　my　presence？〃　

Again　his　mobile　features　transformed；　his　expression　became　soft；　warm。　
He　didn't　answer　at　first；　he　simply　bent　his　face　to　mine；　and　brushed　
his　lips　slowly　along　my　jaw；　from　my　ear　to　my　chin；　back　and　forth。　I　
trembled。　

〃Regardless；〃　he　finally　murmured；　〃I　have　better　reflexes。〃　

===========================================================================　


14。　MIND　OVER　MATTER　

He　could　drive　well；　when　he　kept　the　speed　reasonable；　I　had　to　admit。　
Like　so　many　things；　it　seemed　to　be　effortless　to　him。　He　barely　looked　
at　the　road；　yet　the　tires　never　deviated　so　much　as　a　centimeter　from　
the　center　of　the　lane。　He　drove　onehanded；　holding　my　hand　on　the　seat。　
Sometimes　he　gazed　into　the　setting　sun；　sometimes　he　glanced　at　me　—　my　
face；　my　hair　blowing　out　the　open　window；　our　hands　twined　together。　

He　had　turned　the　radio　to　an　oldies　station；　and　he　sang　along　with　a　
song　I'd　never　heard。　He　knew　every　line。　

〃You　like　fifties　music？〃　I　asked。　

〃Music　in　the　fifties　was　good。　Much　better　than　the　sixties；　or　the　
seventies；　ugh！〃　He　shuddered。　〃The　eighties　were　bearable。〃　

〃Are　you　ever　going　to　tell　me　how　old　you　are？〃　I　asked；　tentative；　not　
wanting　to　upset　his　buoyant　humor。　

〃Does　it　matter　much？〃　His　smile；　to　my　relief；　remained　unclouded。　

〃No；　but　I　still　wonder…〃　I　grimaced。　〃There's　nothing　like　an　unsolved　
mystery　to　keep　you　up　at　night。〃　

〃I　wonder　if　it　will　upset　you；〃　he　reflected　to　himself。　He　gazed　into　
the　sun；　the　minutes　passed。　

〃Try　me；〃　I　finally　said。　

He　sighed；　and　then　looked　into　my　eyes；　seeming　to　forget　the　road　
pletely　for　a　time。　Whatever　he　saw　there　must　have　encouraged　him。　He　
looked　into　the　sun　—　the　light　of　the　setting　orb　glittered　off　his　skin　
in　rubytinged　sparkles　—　and　spoke。　

〃I　was　born　in　Chicago　in　1901。〃　He　paused　and　glanced　at　me　from　the　
corner　of　his　eyes。　My　face　was　carefully　unsurprised；　patient　for　the　
rest。　He　smiled　a　tiny　smile　and　continued。　〃Carlisle　found　me　in　a　
hospital　in　the　summer　of　1918。　I　was　seventeen；　and　dying　of　the　Spanish　
influenza。〃　

He　heard　my　intake　of　breath；　though　it　was　barely　audible　to　my　own　
ears。　He　looked　down　into　my　eyes　again。　

〃I　don't　remember　it　well　—　it　was　a　very　long　time　ago；　and　human　
memories　fade。〃　He　was　lost　in　his　thoughts　for　a　short　time　before　he　
went　on。　〃I　do　remember　how　it　felt；　when　Carlisle　saved　me。　It's　not　an　
easy　thing；　not　something　you　could　forget。〃　

〃Your　parents？〃　

〃They　had　already　died　from　the　disease。　I　was　alone。　That　was　why　he　
chose　me。　In　all　the　chaos　of　the　epidemic；　no　one　would　ever　realize　I　
was　gone。〃　

〃How　did　he…　save　you？〃　

A　few　seconds　passed　before　he　answered。　He　seemed　to　choose　his　words　
carefully。　

〃It　was　difficult。　Not　many　of　us　have　the　restraint　necessary　to　
acplish　it。　But　Carlisle　has　always　been　t