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His arms curled around me, and he hugged me securely while
he whispered in my ear. “Thatshould have been our first kiss.
Better late than never.” Against his chest, where he couldn’t
see, the tears welled up and spilled over.
24. SNAP DECISION
ILAY FACEDOWN ACROSS THE SLEEPING BAG,
WAITING for justice to find me. Maybe an avalanche would
bury me here. I wished it would. I never wanted to have to see
my face in the mirror again.
There was no sound to warn me. Out of nowhere, Edward’s
cold hand stroked against my knotted hair. I shuddered guiltily
at his touch.
“Are you all right?” he murmured, his voice anxious. “No. I
want to die.” “That will never happen. I won’t allow it.” I
groaned and then whispered, “You might change your mind
about that.” “Where’s Jacob?” “He went to fight,” I mumbled
into the floor.
Jacob had left the little camp joyfully - with a cheerful “I’ll be
right back” - running full tilt for the clearing, already
quivering as he prepared to shift to his other self. By now the
whole pack knew everything. Seth Clearwater, pacing outside
the tent, was an intimate witness to my disgrace.
Edward was silent for a long moment. “Oh,” he finally said.
The tone of his voice worried me that my avalanche wasn’t
coming fast enough. I peeked up at him and, sure enough, his
eyes were unfocused as he listened to something I’d rather die
than have him hear. I dropped my face back to the floor.
It stunned me when Edward chuckled reluctantly.
“And I thought I fought dirty,” he said with grudging
admiration. “He makes me look like the patron saint of
ethics.” His hand brushed against the part of my cheek that
was exposed. “I’m not mad at you, love. Jacob’s more cunning
than I gave him credit for. I do wish you hadn’t asked him,
though.”
“Edward,” I whispered to the rough nylon. “I … I … I’m -”