"Twilight - 03 - Eclipse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Meyer Stephanie)

It was a face any male model in the world would trade his soul for. Of course, that might be exactly the asking price: one soul.

No. I didnТt believe that. I felt guilty for even thinking it, and was glad Ч as I was often glad Ч that I was the one person whose thoughts were a mystery to Edward.

I reached for his hand, and sighed when his cold fingers found mine. His touch brought with it the strangest sense of relief Ч as if IТd been in pain and that pain had suddenly ceased.

УHey.Ф I smiled a little at my anticlimactic greeting.

He raised our interlaced fingers to brush my cheek with the back of his hand. УHow was your afternoon?Ф

УSlow.Ф

УFor me, as well.Ф

He pulled my wrist up to his face, our hands still twisted together. His eyes closed as his nose skimmed along the skin there, and he smiled gently without opening them. Enjoying the bouquet while resisting the wine, as heТd once put it.

I knew that the scent of my blood Ч so much sweeter to him than any other personТs blood, truly like wine beside water to an alcoholic Ч caused him actual pain from the burning thirst it engendered. But he didnТt seem to shy away from it as much as he once had. I could only dimly imagine the Herculean effort behind this simple gesture.

It made me sad that he had to try so hard. I comforted myself with the knowledge that I wouldnТt be causing him pain much longer.

I heard Charlie approaching then, stamping his feet on the way to express his customary displeasure with our guest. EdwardТs eyes snapped open and he let our hands fall, keeping them twined.

УGood evening, Charlie.Ф Edward was always flawlessly polite, though Charlie didnТt deserve it.

Charlie grunted at him, and then stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. He was taking the idea of parental supervision to extremes lately.

УI brought another set of applications,Ф Edward told me then, holding up a stuffed manila envelope. He was wearing a roll of stamps like a ring around his littlest finger.

I groaned. How were there any colleges left that he hadnТt forced me to apply to already? And how did he keep finding these loophole openings? It was so late in the year.

He smiled as if hecould read my thoughts; they must have been very obvious on my face. УThere are still a few open deadlines. And a few places willing to make exceptions.Ф

I could just imagine the motivations behind such exceptions. And the dollar amounts involved.

Edward laughed at my expression.

УShall we?Ф he asked, towing me toward the kitchen table.

Charlie huffed and followed behind, though he could hardly complain about the activity on tonightТs agenda. HeТd been pestering me to make a decision about college on a daily basis.

I cleared the table quickly while Edward organized an intimidating stack of forms. When I movedWuthering Heights to the counter, Edward raised one eyebrow. I knew what he was thinking, but Charlie interrupted before Edward could comment.

УSpeaking of college applications, Edward,Ф Charlie said, his tone even more sullen Ч he tried to avoid addressing Edward directly, and when he had to, it exacerbated his bad mood. УBella and I were just talking about next year. Have you decided where youТre going to school?Ф

Edward smiled up at Charlie and his voice was friendly. УNot yet. IТve received a few acceptance letters, but IТm still weighing my options.Ф

УWhere have you been accepted?Ф Charlie pressed.

УSyracuse . . . Harvard . . . Dartmouth . . . and I just got accepted to the University of Alaska Southeast today.Ф Edward turned his face slightly to the side so that he could wink at me. I stifled a giggle.