5 midnigh+sun-第46章
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！
〃Next；〃 I said。
〃But that's the easiest one！'
〃Next；〃 I said again。
She was frustrated by my refusal。 She looked away from me； down to her food。
Slowly； thinking hard； she took a bite and chewed with deliberation。 She washed it down
with more coke； and then finally looked up at me。 Her eyes were narrow with suspicion。
〃Okay then；〃 she said。 〃Let's say； hypothetically； of course；
that？someone？could know what people are thinking； read minds； you know—with just
a few exceptions。〃
It could be worse。
This explained that little half…smile in the car。 She was quick—no one else had
ever guessed this about me。 Except for Carlisle； and it had been rather obvious then； in
the beginning； when I'd answered all his thoughts as if he'd spoken them to me。 He'd
understood before I had？
This question wasn't so bad。 While it was clear that she knew that there was
something wrong with me； was not as serious as it could have been。 Mind…reading was；
after all； not a facet of the vampire cannon。 I went along with her hypothesis。
〃Just one exception；〃 I corrected。 〃Hypothetically。〃
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
187
She fought a smile—my vague honesty pleased her。 〃All right； with one
exception； then。 How does that work？ What are the limitations？ How would？that
someone？find someone else at exactly the right time？ How would he know that she was
in trouble？〃
〃Hypothetically？〃
〃Sure。〃 Her lips twitched； and her liquid brown eyes were eager。
〃Well；〃 I hesitated。 〃If？that someone？〃
〃Let's call him 'Joe；'〃 she suggested。
I had to smile at her enthusiasm。 Did she really think the truth would be a good
thing？ If my secrets were pleasant； why would I keep them from her？
〃Joe； then；〃 I agreed。 〃If Joe had been paying attention； the timing wouldn't have
needed to be quite so exact。〃 I shook my head and repressed a shudder at the thought of
how close I had been to being too late today。 〃Only you could get into trouble in a town
this small。 You would have devastated their crime rate statistics for a decade； you
know。〃
Her lips turned down at the corners； and pouted out。 〃We were speaking of a
hypothetical case。〃
I laughed at her irritation。
Her lips； her skin？ They looked so soft。 I wanted to touch them。 I wanted to
press my fingertip against the corner of her frown and turn it up。 Impossible。 My skin
would be repellent to her。
〃Yes； we were；〃 I said； returning to the conversation before I could depress
myself too thoroughly。 〃Shall we call you 'Jane'？〃
She leaned across the table toward me； all humor and irritation gone from her
wide eyes。
〃How did you know？〃 she asked； her voice low and intense。
Should I tell her the truth？ And； if so； what portion？
I wanted to tell her。 I wanted to deserve the trust I could still see on her face。
〃You can trust me； you know；〃 she whispered； and she reached one hand forward
as if to touch my hands where they rested on top of the empty table before me。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
188
I pulled them back—hating the thought of her reaction to my frigid stone skin—
and she dropped her hand。
I knew that I could trust her with protecting my secrets； she was entirely
trustworthy； good to the core。 But I couldn't trust her not to be horrified by them。 She
should be horrified。 The truth was horror。
〃I don't know if I have a choice anymore；〃 I murmured。 I remembered that I'd
once teased her by calling her 'exceptionally unobservant。' Offended her； if I'd been
judging her expressions correctly。 Well； I could right that one injustice； at least。 〃I was
wrong—you're much more observant than I gave you credit for。〃 And； though she might
not realize it； I'd given her plenty of credit already。 She missed nothing。
〃I thought you were always right；〃 she said； smiling as she teased me。
〃I used to be。〃 I used to know what I was doing。 I used to be always sure of my
course。 And now everything was chaos and tumult。
Yet I wouldn't trade it。 I didn't want the life that made sense。 Not if the chaos
meant that I could be with Bella。
〃I was wrong about you on one other thing as well；〃 I went on； setting the record
straight on another point。 〃You're not a magnet for accidents—that's not a broad enough
classification。 You are a magnet for trouble。 If there is anything dangerous within a ten…
mile radius； it will invariably find you。〃 Why her？ What had she done to deserve any of
this？
Bella's face turned serious again。 〃And you put yourself into that category？〃
Honesty was more important in regards to this question than any other。
〃Unequivocally。〃
Her eyes narrowed slightly—not suspicious now； but oddly concerned。 She
reached her hand across the table again； slowly and deliberately。 I pulled my hands an
inch away from her； but she ignored that； determined to touch me。 I held my breath—not
because of her scent now； but because of the sudden； overwhelming tension。 Fear。 My
skin would disgust her。 She would run away。
She brushed her fingertips lightly across the back of my hand。 The heat of her
gentle； willing touch was like nothing I'd ever felt before。 It was almost pure pleasure。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
189
Would have been； except for my fear。 I watched her face as she felt the cold stone of my
skin； still unable to breathe。
A half…smile turned up the corners of her lips。
〃Thank you；〃 she said； meeting my stare with an intense gaze of her own。 〃That's
twice now。〃
Her soft fingers lingered on my hand as if they found it pleasant to be there。
I answered her as casually as I was able。 〃Let's not try for three； agreed？〃
She grimaced at that； but nodded。
I pulled my hands out from under hers。 As exquisite as her touch felt； I wasn't
going to wait for the magic of her tolerance to pass； to turn to revulsion。 I hid my hands
under the table。
I read her eyes； though her mind was silent； I could perceive both trust and
wonder there。 I realized in that moment that I wanted to answer her questions。 Not
because I owed it to her。 Not because I wanted her to trust me。
I wanted her to know me。
〃I followed you to Port Angeles；〃 I told her； the words spilling out too quickly for
me to edit them。 I knew the danger of the truth； the risk I was taking。 At any moment；
her unnatural calm could shatter into hysterics。 Contrarily； knowing this only had me
talking faster。 〃I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before and it's much more
troublesome than I would have believed。 But that's probably just because it's you。
Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes。〃
I watched her； waiting。
She smiled。 Her lips curved up at the edges； and her chocolate eyes warmed。
I'd just admitted to stalking her； and she was smiling。
〃Did you ever think that maybe my number was up that first time； with the van；
and that you've been interfering with fate？〃 she asked。
〃That wasn't the first time；〃 I said； staring down at the dark maroon table cloth；
my shoulders bowed in shame。 My barriers were down； the truth still spilling free
recklessly。 〃Your number was up the first time I met you。〃
It was true； and it angered me。 I had been positioned over her life like the blade
of a guillotine。 It was as if she had been marked for death by some cruel； unjust fate；
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
190
and—since I'd proved an unwilling tool—that same fate continued to try to execute her。
I imagined the fate personified—a grisly； jealous hag； a vengeful harpy。
I wanted something； someone； to be responsible for this—so that I would have
something concrete to fight against。 Something； anything to destroy； so that Bella could
be safe。
Bella was very quiet； her breathing had accelerated。
I looked up at her； knowing I would finally see the fear I was waiting for。 Had I
not just admitted how close I'd been to killing her？ Closer than the van that had come
within slim inches of crushing her。 And yet； her face was still calm； her eyes still
tightened only with concern。
〃You remember？〃 She had to remember that。
〃Yes；〃 she said； her voice level and g
