5 midnigh+sun-第44章
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because she didn't think of me as a gentleman？
I waited for her to join me； getting more anxious as her girlfriends continued in
toward the dark corner。
〃Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to track them down； too；〃 I ordered
quickly。 〃I don't think I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again。〃 No；
I would not be strong enough for that。
She shuddered； and then quickly collected herself。 She took half a step after
them； calling； 〃Jess！ Angela！〃 in a loud voice。 They turned； and she waved her arm over
her head to catch their attention。
Bella！ Oh； she's safe！ Angela thought with relief。
Late much？ Jessica grumbled to herself； but she； too； was thankful that Bella
wasn't lost or hurt。 This made me like her a little more than I had。
They hurried back； and then stopped； shocked； when they saw me beside her。
Uh…uh！ Jess thought； stunned。 No freaking way！
Edward Cullen？ Did she go away by herself to find him？ But why would she ask
about them being out of town if she knew he was here？ I got a brief flash of Bella's
mortified expression when she'd asked Angela if my family was often absent from
school。 No； she couldn't have known； Angela decided。
Jessica's thoughts were moving past the surprise and on to suspicion。 Bella's
been holding out on me。
〃Where have you been？〃 she demanded； staring at Bella； but peeking at me from
the corner of her eye。
〃I got lost。 And then I ran into Edward；〃 Bella said； waving one hand toward me。
Her tone was remarkably normal。 Like that was truly all that had happened。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
179
She must be in shock。 That was the only explanation for her calm。
〃Would it be all right if I joined you？〃 I asked—to be polite； I knew that they'd
already eaten。
Holy crap but he's hot！ Jessica thought； her head suddenly slightly incoherent。
Angela wasn't much more composed。 Wish we hadn't eaten。 Wow。 Just。 Wow。
Now why couldn't I do that to Bella？
〃Er？sure；〃 Jessica agreed。
Angela frowned。 〃Um； actually； Bella； we already ate while we were waiting；〃
she admitted。 〃Sorry。〃
What？ Shut up！ Jess complained internally。
Bella shrugged casually。 So at ease。 Definitely in shock。 〃That's fine—I'm not
hungry。〃
〃I think you should eat something；〃 I disagreed。 She needed sugar in her
bloodstream—though it smelled sweet enough as it was； I thought wryly。 The horror was
going to come crashing down on her momentarily； and an empty stomach wouldn't help。
She was an easy fainter； as I knew from experience。
These girls wouldn't be in any danger if they went straight home。 Danger didn't
stalk their every step。
And I'd rather be alone with Bella—as long as she was willing to be alone with
me。
〃Do you mind if I drive Bella home tonight？〃 I said to Jessica before Bella could
respond。 〃That way you won't have to wait while she eats。〃
〃Uh； no problem； I guess？〃 Jessica stared intently at Bella； looking for some
sign that this was what she wanted。
I want to stay？but she probably wants him to herself。 Who wouldn't？ Jess
thought。 At the same time； she watched Bella wink。
Bella winked？
〃Okay；〃 Angela said quickly； in a hurry to be out of the way if that was what
Bella wanted。 And it seemed that she did want that。 〃See you tomorrow；
Bella？Edward。〃 She struggled to say my name in a casual tone。 Then she grabbed
Jessica's hand and began towing her away。
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I would have to find some way to thank Angela for this。
Jessica's car was close by and in a bright circle of light cast by a streetlamp。
Bella watched them carefully； a little crease of concern between her eyes； until they were
in the car； so she must be fully aware of the danger she'd been in。 Jessica waved as she
drove away； and Bella waved back。 It wasn't until the car disappeared that she took a
deep breath and turned to look up at me。
〃Honestly； I'm not hungry；〃 she said。
Why had she waited for them to be gone before speaking？ Did she truly want to
be alone with me—even now； after witnessing my homicidal rage？
Whether that was the case or not； she was going to eat something。
〃Humor me；〃 I said。
I held the restaurant door open for her and waited。
She sighed； and walked through。
I walked beside her to the podium where the hostess waited。 Bella still seemed
entirely self…possessed。 I wanted to touch her hand； her forehead； to check her
temperature。 But my cold hand would repulse her； as it had before。
Oh； my； the hostess's rather loud mental voice intruded into my consciousness。
My； oh my。
It seemed to be my night to turn heads。 Or was I only noticing it more because I
wished so much that Bella would see me this way？ We were always attractive to our
prey。 I'd never thought so much about it before。 Usually—unless； as with people like
Shelly Cope and Jessica Stanley； there was constant repetition to dull the horror—the fear
kicked in fairly quickly after the initial attraction？
〃A table for two？〃 I prompted when the hostess didn't speak。
〃Oh； er； yes。 Welcome to La Bella Italia。〃 Mmm！ What a voice！ 〃Please follow
me。〃 Her thoughts were preoccupied—calculating。
Maybe she's his cousin。 She couldn't be his sister； they don't look anything alike。
But family； definitely。 He can't be with her。
Human eyes were clouded； they saw nothing clearly。 How could this small…
minded woman find my physical lures—snares for prey—so attractive； and yet be unable
to see the soft perfection of the girl beside me？
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
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Well； no need to help her out； just in case； the hostess thought as she led us to a
family…sized table in the middle of the most crowded part of the restaurant。 Can I give
him my number while she's there？？ she mused。
I pulled a bill from my back pocket。 People were invariably cooperative when
money was involved。
Bella was already taking the seat the hostess indicated without objection。 I shook
my head at her； and she hesitated； cocking her head to one side with curiosity。 Yes； she
would be very curious tonight。 A crowd was not the ideal place for this conversation。
〃Perhaps something more private？〃 I requested of the hostess； handing her the
money。 Her eyes widened in surprise； and then narrowed while her hand curled around
the tip。
〃Sure。〃
She peeked at the bill while she led us around a dividing wall。
Fifty dollars for a better table？ Rich； too。 That makes sense—I bet his jacket cost
more than my last paycheck。 Damn。 Why does he want privacy with her？
She offered us a booth in a quiet corner of the restaurant where no one would be
able to see us—to see Bella's reactions to whatever I would tell her。 I had no clue as to
what she would want from me tonight。 Or what I would give her。
How much had she guessed？ What explanation of tonight's events had she told
herself？
〃How's this？〃 the hostess asked。
〃Perfect；〃 I told her and； feeling slightly annoyed by her resentful attitude toward
Bella； I smiled widely at her； baring my teeth。 Let her see me clearly。
Whoa。 〃Um？your server will be right out。〃 He can't be real。 I must be asleep。
Maybe she'll disappear？maybe I'll write my number on his plate with ketchup？ She
wandered away； listing slightly to the side。
Odd。 She still wasn't frightened。 I suddenly remembered Emmett teasing me in
the cafeteria； so many weeks ago。 I'll bet I could have scared her better than that。
Was I losing my edge？
〃You really shouldn't do that to people；〃 Bella interrupted my thoughts in a
disapproving tone。 〃It's hardly fair。〃
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I stared at her critical expression。 What did she mean？ I hadn't frightened the
hostess at all； despite my intentions。 〃Do what？〃
〃Dazzle them like that—she's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right
now。〃
Hmm。 Bella was very nearly right。 The hostess was only semi…coherent at the
moment； describing her incorrect assessment of me to her friend on the wait staff。
〃Oh； come on；〃 Bella chided me when I didn't answer immediately。 〃You have
to know the effect you have on people。〃
〃I dazzle people？
