Her tone was remarkably normal. Like that was truly all that had happened.

"How can you do that?" Jacob shook his head and Bella just shrugged.

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.

Bella narrowed her eyes at that; not liking the thought at all.

Angela wasn't much more composed. Wish we hadn't eaten. Wow. Just. Wow.

Now why couldn't I do that to Bella?

"How do you know you're not doing that to Bella?" Jacob asked laughing as Bella blushed.

"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.

Jacob chuckled at that, "Yeah... who asked you to be honest?"

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.

Bella wasn't sure if the horror was going to crash down on her, but it didn't really matter, she wanted Edward to stay near her.

She was an easy fainter, as I knew from experience.

"Only when blood's involved," Bella said indignantly.

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?

"Oh my God... Bella winked!" Jacob boomed out laughing. "Whatever could that mean?"

"Shut up," Bella mumbled weakly as she had turned bright red.

"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.

I would have to find some way to thank Angela for this.

"That would be nice," Bella said, thinking that she owed this girl, too.

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.

Bella rolled her eyes... of course she was aware of the danger.

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 did you wait so long to say that then?" Jacob questioned.

"Because I wanted to be with Edward," Bella rolled her eyes like that should have been obvious.

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.

Bella was now glaring at the book, annoyed by this reaction of the hostess.

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.

Bella grimaced at that, knowing that by all accounts the hostess should have been right, but still she was a bit smug by the fact that she was completely wrong.

"Jealous much," Jacob said. "She's just trying to build herself up by taking you down."

"Whatever," Bella shrugged before reading.

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?

Bella was blushing at that.

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.

Bella read that part angrily and Jacob chuckled.

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.

"Sorry... I just have never seen anyone refuse a table before... except in movies," Bella said.

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.