I was wrong.

His mouth was not gentle; there was a brand-new edge of conflict and desperation in the way his lips moved. I locked my arms around his neck, and, to my suddenly overheated skin, his body felt colder than ever. I trembled, but it was not from the chill.

He didn't stop kissing me. I was the one who had to break away, gasping for air. Even then his lips did not leave my skin, they just moved to my throat.

"I'm not sure we should keep reading this," Esme said softly, Edward was pinching the bridge of his nose, looking more embarrassed than he ever had. "This is a private moment between Edward and Bella."

"Everything in here are Bella's private moments." Emmett pointed out. He was no longer pouting and was in high spirits again. "And Eddy is always in our heads. He can take this."

"Besides, I really don't think that Edward would give in so easily," Jasper said. "Let's read a bit more."

The thrill of victory was a strange high; it made me feel powerful. Brave. My hands weren't unsteady now; I got through with the buttons on his shirt this time easily, and my fingers traced the perfect planes of his icy chest. He was too beautiful. What was the word he'd used just now? Unbearable - that was it. His beauty was too much to bear…

I pulled his mouth back to mine, and he seemed just as eager as I was. One of his hands still cupped my face, his other arm was tight around my waist, straining me closer to him. It made it slightly more difficult as I tried to reach the front of my shirt, but not impossible.

Cold iron fetters locked around my wrists, and pulled my hands above my head, which was suddenly on a pillow.

His lips were at my ear again. "Bella," he murmured, his voice warm and velvet. "Would you please stop trying to take your clothes off?"

"Do you want to do that part?" I asked, confused.

"Not tonight," he answered softly.

"See," Jasper said, who seemed a little flustered that it went as far as it did.

His lips were slower now against my cheek and jaw, all the urgency gone.

"Edward, don't -," I started to argue.

"I'm not saying no," he reassured me. "I'm just saying not tonight."

I thought about that while my breathing slowed.

"Give me one good reason why tonight is not as good as any other night." I was still breathless; it made the frustration in my voice less impressive.

"I wasn't born yesterday." He chuckled in my ear.

"No, you were born a long time ago... but what does that have to do with anything?" Emmett questioned.

"Out of the two of us, which do you think is more unwilling to give the other what they want? You just promised to marry me before you do any changing, but if I give in tonight, what guarantee do I have that you won't go running off to Carlisle in the morning?

"Honestly, Edward, you know she wouldn't do that," Alice reprimanded.

"Sorry," Edward sighed. "I just..."

"No," Alice said. "She always keeps her word...besides, she wants more than just sex, Edward, she wants to be close to you."

I am - clearly - much less reluctant to give you what you want. Therefore…you first."

"Wow, that one is seriously hard to believe," Jasper said. "You being the one more likely to change their mind."

"Well, we're all sure that Eddy really wants to do this too," Emmett laughed.

I exhaled with a loud huff. "I have to marry you first?" I asked in disbelief.

"That's the deal - take it or leave it. Compromise, remember?"

His arms wrapped around me, and he began kissing me in a way that should be illegal. Too persuasive - it was duress, coercion. I tried to keep a clear head . . . and failed quickly and absolutely.

"So you're going to blackmail her into marrying you?" Emmett laughed and then frowned. After another second he shrugged and started laughing again. "This is worth giving a Porsche."

"I'm not blackmailing her!" Edward hissed.

"I think that's a really bad idea," I gasped when he let me breathe.

"I'm not surprised you feel that way." He smirked. "You have a one-track mind."

"How did this happen?" I grumbled. "I thought I was holding my own tonight - for once - and now, all of a sudden -"

"Yeah... Eddy does that to you," Emmett made a face.

"You're engaged," he finished.

"Ew! Please don't say that out loud."

"Are you going back on your word?" he demanded. He pulled away to read my face. His expression was entertained. He was having fun.

I glared at him, trying to ignore the way his smile made my heart react.

"Are you?" he pressed.

"Ugh!" I groaned. "No. I'm not. Are you happy now?"

His smile was blinding. "Exceptionally."

I groaned again.

"Aren't you happy at all?"

He kissed me again before I could answer. Another too-persuasive kiss.

"A little bit," I admitted when I could speak. "But not about getting married."

Esme was frowning. This really wasn't the way that she thought they would get engaged. She thought she would be at least able to cheer and hug Edward at the time.

He kissed me another time. "Do you get the feeling that everything is backward?" he laughed in my ear. "Traditionally, shouldn't you be arguing my side, and I yours?"

"Perhaps, but you two aren't exactly traditional," Emmett laughed.

"And Edward always has much more moral than what's good for him," Jasper laughed too.

"There isn't much that's traditional about you and me."

"True."

He kissed me again, and kept going until my heart was racing and my skin was flushed.

"Look, Edward," I murmured, my voice wheedling, when he paused to kiss the palm of my hand. "I said I would marry you, and I will. I promise. I swear. If you want, I'll sign a contract in my own blood."

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Jasper shuddered.

"Not funny," he murmured against the inside of my wrist.

"What I'm saying is this - I'm not going to trick you or anything. You know me better than that. So there's really no reason to wait. We're completely alone - how often does that happen? - and you've provided this very large and comfortable bed…"

"Not tonight," he said again.

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

Using the hand that he was still kissing, I pulled his face back up to where I could see his expression.

"Then what's the problem? It's not like you didn't know you were going to win in the end." I frowned and muttered, "You always win."

"No, I think you win your fair share, Bella," Emmett laughed.

"More than fair," Edward muttered. "She gets everything she wants..."

"You get to marry her," Emmett pointed out and Edward smiled uncontrollably.

"Just hedging my bets," he said calmly.

"There's something else," I guessed, my eyes narrowing. There was a defensiveness about his face, a faint hint of some secret motive he was trying to hide behind his casual manner.

"Are you planning to go back on your word?"

"No," he promised solemnly. "I swear to you, we will try. After you marry me."

"You wouldn't break that promise, would you?" Emmett laughed.

"No, I wouldn't do that to Bella," Edward groaned.

"But you might not 'try' that hard," Jasper pointed out.