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  Once　again　I　felt　oddly　off　balance；　waiting　for　reactions　my　body　wasn't　capable　of　anymore。　My　heart
  should　have　been　thundering　like　a　steam　engine　about　to　hit　us。　Deafening。　My　cheeks　should　have　been
  brilliant　red。
  For　that　matter；　I　ought　to　have　been　exhausted。　This　had　been　the　longest　day　of　my　life。
  I　laughed　out　loud—just　one　quiet　little　laugh　of　shock—when　I　realized　that　this　day　would　never　end。
  〃Do　I　get　to　hear　the　joke？〃
  〃It's　not　a　very　good　one；〃　I　told　him　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　little　rounded　door。　〃I　was　just　thinking
  —today　is　the　first　and　last　day　of　forever。　It's　kind　of　hard　to　wrap　my　head　around　it。　Even　with　all　this
  extra　room　for　wrapping。〃　I　laughed　again。
  He　chuckled　with　me。　He　held　his　hand　out　toward　the　doorknob；　waiting　for　me　to　do　the　honors。　I
  stuck　the　key　in　the　lock　and　turned　it。
  〃You're　such　a　natural　at　this；　Bella；　I　forget　how　very　strange　this　all　must　be　for　you。　I　wish　I　could
  hear　it。〃　He　ducked　down　and　yanked　me　up　into　his　arms　so　fast　that　I　didn't　see　it　coming—and　that
  was　really　something。
  〃Hey！〃
  〃Thresholds　are　part　of　my　job　description；〃　he　reminded　me。　〃But　I'm　curious。　Tell　me　what　you're
  thinking　about　right　now。〃
  He　opened　the　door—it　fell　back　with　a　barely　audible　creak—and　stepped　through　into　the　little　stone
  living　room。
  〃Everything；〃　I　told　him。　〃All　at　the　same　time；　you　know。　Good　things　and　things　to　worry　about　and
  things　that　are　new。　How　I　keep　using　too　many　superlatives　in　my　head。　Right　now；　I'm　thinking　that
  Esme　is　an　artist。　It's　so　perfect！〃
  The　cottage　room　was　something　from　a　fairy　tale。　The　floor　was　a　crazy　quilt　of　smooth；　flat　stones。　The
  low　ceiling　had　long　exposed　beams　that　someone　as　tall　as　Jacob　would　surely　knock　his　head　on。　The
  walls　were　warm　wood　in　some　places；　stone　mosaics　in　others。　The　beehive　fireplace　in　the　corner　held
  the　remains　of　a　slow　flickering　fire。　It　was　driftwood　burning　there—the　low　flames　were　blue　and　green
  from　the　salt。
  It　was　furnished　in　eclectic　pieces；　not　one　of　them　matching　another；　but　harmonious　just　the　same。　One
  chair　seemed　vaguely　medieval；　while　a　low　ottoman　by　the　fire　was　more　contemporary　and　the　stocked
  bookshelf　against　the　far　window　reminded　me　of　movies　set　in　Italy。　Somehow　each　piece　fit　together
  with　the　others　like　a　big　three…dimensional　puzzle。　There　were　a　few　paintings　on　the　walls　that　I
  recognized—some　of　my　very　favorites　from　the　big　house。　Priceless　originals；　no　doubt；　but　they
  seemed　to　belong　here；　too；　like　all　the　rest。
  It　was　a　place　where　anyone　could　believe　magic　existed。　A　place　where　you　just　expected　Snow　White
  to　walk　right　in　with　her　apple　in　hand；　or　a　unicorn　to　stop　and　nibble　at　the　rosebushes。
  Edward　had　always　thought　that　he　belonged　to　the　world　of　horror　stories。　Of　course；　I'd　known　he
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  was　dead　wrong。　It　was　obvious　that　he　belonged　here。　In　a　fairy　tale。
  And　now　I　was　in　the　story　with　him。
  I　was　about　to　take　advantage　of　the　fact　that　he　hadn't　gotten　around　to　setting　me　back　on　my　feet　and
  that　his　wits…scramblingly　beautiful　face　was　only　inches　away　when　he　said；　〃We're　lucky　Esme　thought
  to　add　an　extra　room。　No　one　was　planning　for　Ness—Renesmee。〃
  I　frowned　at　him；　my　thoughts　channeled　down　a　less　pleasant　path。
  〃Not　you；　too；〃　I　complained。
  〃Sorry；　love。　I　hear　it　in　their　thoughts　all　the　time；　you　know。　It's　rubbing　off　on　me。〃
  I　sighed。　My　baby；　the　sea　serpent。　Maybe　there　was　no　help　for　it。　Well；　/wasn't　giving　in。
  Tm　sure　you're　dying　to　see　the　closet。　Or；　at　least　I'll　tell　Alice　that　you　were；　to　make　her　feel　good。〃
  〃Should　I　be　afraid？〃
  〃Terrified。〃
  He　carried　me　down　a　narrow　stone　hallway　with　tiny　arches　in　the　ceiling；　like　it　was　our　own　miniature
  castle。
  〃That　will　be　Renesmee's　room；〃　he　said；　nodding　to　an　empty　room　with　a　pale　wooden　floor。　〃They
  didn't　have　time　to　do　much　with　it；　what　with　the　angry　werewolves___〃
  I　laughed　quietly；　amazed　at　how　quickly　everything　had　turned　right　when　it　had　all　had　looked　so
  nightmarish　just　a　week　ago。
  Drat　Jacob　for　making　everything　perfect　this　way。
  〃Here's　our　room。　Esme　tried　to　bring　some　of　her　island　back　here　for　us。　She　guessed　that　we　would
  get　attached。〃
  The　bed　was　huge　and　white；　with　clouds　of　gossamer　floating　down　from　the　canopy　to　the　floor。　The
  pale　wood　floor　matched　the　other　room；　and　now　I　grasped　that　it　was　precisely　the　color　of　a　pristine
  beach。　The　walls　were　that　almost…white…blue　of　a　brilliant　sunny　day；　and　the　back　wall　had　big　glass
  doors　that　opened　into　a　little　hidden　garden。　Climbing　roses　and　a　small　round　pond；　smooth　as　a　mirror
  and　edged　with　shiny　stones。　A　tiny；　calm　ocean　for　us。
  〃Oh〃　was　all　I　could　say。
  〃I　know；〃　he　whispered。
  We　stood　there　for　a　minute；　remembering。　Though　the　memories　were　human　and　clouded；　they　took
  over　my　mind　completely。
  He　smiled　a　wide；　gleaming　smile　and　then　laughed。　〃The　closet　is　through　those　double　doors。　I　should
  warn　you—it's　bigger　than　this　room。〃
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  I　didn't　even　glance　at　the　doors。　There　was　nothing　else　in　the　world　but　him　again—his　arms　curled
  under　me；　his　sweet　breath　on　my　face；　his　lips　just　inches　from　mine—and　there　was　nothing　that　could
  distract　me　now；　newborn　vampire　or　not。
  〃We're　going　to　tell　Alice　that　I　ran　right　to　the　clothes；〃　I　whispered；　twisting　my　fingers　into　his　hair　and
  pulling　my　face　closer　to　his。　〃We're　going　to　tell　her　I　spent　hours　in　there　playing　dress…up。　We're　going
  to　lie〃
  He　caught　up　to　my　mood　in　an　instant；　or　maybe　he'd　already　been　there；　and　he　was　just　trying　to　let
  me　fully　appreciate　my　birthday　present；　like　a　gentleman。　He　pulled　my　face　to　his　with　a　sudden
  fierceness；　a　low　moan　in　his　throat。　The　sound　sent　the　electric　current　running　through　my　body　into　a
  near…frenzy；　like　I　couldn't　get　close　enough　to　him　fast　enough。
  I　heard　the　fabric　tearing　under　our　hands；　and　I　was　glad　my　clothes；　at　least；　were　already　destroyed。
  It　was　too　late　for　his。　It　felt　almost　rude　to　ignore　the　pretty　white　bed；　but　we　just　weren't　going　to
  make　it　that　far。
  This　second　honeymoon　wasn't　like　our　first。
  Our　time　on　the　island　had　been　the　epitome　of　my　human　life。　The　very　best　of　it。　I'd　been　so　ready　to
  string　along　my　human　time；　just　to　hold　on　to　what　I　had　with　him　for　a　little　while　longer。　Because　the
  physical　part　wasn't　going　to　be　the　same　ever　again。
  I　should　have　guessed；　after　a　day　like　today；　that　it　would　be　better。
  I　could　really　appreciate　him　now—could　properly　see　every　beautiful　line　of　his　perfect　face；　of　his　long；
  flawless　body　with　my　strong　new　eyes；　every　angle　and　every　plane　of　him。　I　could　taste　his　pure；　vivid
  scent　on　my　tongue　and　feel　the　unbelievable　silkiness　of　his　marble　skin　under　my　sensitive　fingertips。
  My　skin　was　so　sensitive　under　his　hands；　too。
  He　was　all　new；　a　different　person　as　our　bodies　tangled　gracefully　into　one　on　the　sand…pale　floor。　No
  caution；　no　restraint。　No　fear—especially　not　that。　We　could　love　together—　both　active　participants
  now。　Finally　equals。
  Like　our　kisses　before；　every　touch　was　more　than　I　was　used　to。　So　much　of　himself　he'd　been　holding
  back。　Necessary　at　the　time；　but　I　couldn't　believe　how　much　I'd　been　missing。
  I　tried　to　keep　in　mind　that　I　was　stronger　than　he　was；　but　it　was　hard　to　focus　on　anything　with
  sensations　so　intense；　pulling　my　attention　to　a　million　different　places　in　my　body　every　second；　if　I　hurt
  him；　he　didn't　complain。
  A　very；　very　small　part　of　my　head　considered　the　interesting　conundrum　presented　in　this　situation。　I
  was　never　going　to　get　tired；　and　neither　was　he。　We　didn't　have　to　catch　our　breath　or　rest　or　eat　or
  even　use　the　bathroom；　we　had　no　more　mundane　human　needs。　He　had　the　most　beautiful；　perfect　body
  in　the　world　and　I　had　him　all　to　myself；　and　it　didn't　feel　like　I　was　ever　going　to　find　a　point　where　I
  would　think；　Now　I've　had　enough　for　one　day。　I　was　always　going　to　want　more。　And　the　day　was
  never　going　to　end。　So；　in　such　a　situation；　how　did　we　ever　stop？
  It　didn't　bother　me　at　all　that　I　had　no　answer。
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  I　sort　of　noticed　when　the　sky　began　to　lighten。　The　tiny　ocean　outside　turned　from　black　to　gray；　and　a
  lark　started　to　sing　somewhere　very　close　by—maybe　she　had　a　nest　in　the　roses。
  〃Do　you