As we waded deeper into the water, my nervousness began to die. Though I had absolutely no idea how our first night together would result, for some reason, I felt no fear. I was with him…Edward…my husband…the only person in the world that made things feel right. And as he had promised, we were going to try.

A shiver ran through me as he ran his icy hand down my arm, but though it should have made me feel cold, I felt warmer, somehow, in this moment. He pulled me to him so that our bare skin was touching, and I felt myself melting into his stone chest. He tilted my chin just enough so he could look at me gently…deeply, and I felt my knees going weak, even in this warm, shallow water. He could always do that to me. His hands moved from my face to a soft embrace around my waist. Slowly, carefully, he leaned in and placed his icy lips to mine. This didn't last long. Suddenly, his lips were hungry, passionate, and there was no way that I was going to allow myself to return anything but the same. My hands now found his wild hair, and I felt as though I was touching him everywhere. His arms were still locked around me…as though he wasn't quite sure what to do with them…as if he thought he may break me if he moved them. I'm sure he eventually did…because the next few hours were strangely blurred. Somehow, we made it into the house and into our bedroom, though I have no recollection of how. Tangled together in a fit of passion, we crashed onto the bed. My breathing was rough…almost a growl in the back of my throat. A low moan escaped him as his lips broke from mine. They returned in an instant. Reacting this way seemed so inevitable….and foolish to not savor every moment of it. Turning my face to the side to manage a breath of air, I immediately turned back to his face for more. Pulling backward ever so slightly, he stopped me. His breath, fierce and heavy, was like icy diamonds on my skin, and it was so difficult to resist.

"Bella…" his voice trailed. I looked into his eyes and searched his face for words. His eyes were so hungry…

I stroked his cheek with my hand and listened intently as he found his voice, rugged and breathless. "You must tell me…" he said again, just as he had in the water. "I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you…and if you're not ready, we don't have to do this."

I nodded in understanding. "Edward." I whispered gently. "I love you...it's going to be okay." I tried to find words of reassurance…all that I wanted in this moment was him. "I promise."

His cool forehead met mine and rested there for a few moments as he closed his eyes and took in my words. I felt his body relax a little in my arms, and his fingers found my hair. "You know that I love you, too…" he whispered onto the hot skin of my temple. "And you'll tell me….?" He wanted to know.

"Yes." I whispered back to him, and he knew that I meant it.

The conversation ended there.

His lips met mine again in an instant, and once more, we were absolutely lost in each other. Hungrily, he traced my jaw with kisses, and I knew every urge that he must be fighting back against the dangerous scent of my skin. Still, his mouth found my throat, my collarbone, and paused just above my breasts. He was nervous…this blood-lusting, century-old vampire… He was still technically seventeen, and still full of innocence. We were experiencing this together and I wasn't nearly as frightened as I probably would have been, had it not been Edward I was sharing this moment with.

I reached for his face with both of my hands, and kissed his cheeks, his lips, his eyelids…to let him know that it was going to be okay…that whenever he was ready, so was I.

The temperature of his skin couldn't have mattered less to me now as he moved above me, pulling the covers around us, though there was really no need for them. We were alone on this island…and all that we needed right now was each other. I had no idea what this would feel like, nor did I care. All that I wanted right now was to feel every part of him. He leaned in for another deep, passionate kiss, longer than the last, and I felt his hands slide down my hips and his body stiffened as he found balance.

His breath was so cold on my face as he met my eyes…and ever-so-slowly, Edward and I became one.

It was uncomfortable at first, and the stinging pain I felt brought silent tears to my eyes. I felt my face wrinkle in response, and he noticed…

"Too fast?" he stopped, his voice concerned. He was still inside of me.

"No." I tried to smile. "Please, keep going…"

He continued, keeping his eyes on me. It wasn't long until things began to get better. The twinges I was feeling before had gone, and it was easier…more natural…like this was exactly what was supposed to be. I began to feel like I was floating…like everything in the room was below us. Edward still kept an extremely slow pace, watching to see my reactions. My reactions now showed nothing less than satisfaction, and I could tell that he was enjoying himself just as much, if not more. He'd waited so many years for this. Things began to get a little faster as I placed my hands on the small of his back and urged him on. He moved with my coaxing hands, unable to control the feelings that were probably taking him over completely.

"Bella…" he gruffly whispered, but I knew now that there was no room for talking. He'd said it for another reason, and I felt strangely open…I wanted to know his thoughts now, just as much as he'd always wanted to know mine. In this moment, I wished that he could. I wanted him so much to know the way that he was making me feel.

I began to feel strangely hot…like electricity was pulsing through me. This fierce current of heat was filling my body and I could do nothing to stop it…nor did I want to. My mind was a blur of thoughts and emotions, but all I wanted to do was to let out the sound that was building in the back of my throat. It was almost unbearable. My breath began to come out in short, quick gasps, and I felt that my body was on fire. My mouth was thirsty, but I couldn't think of anything but his mouth crushing down on mine and the feeling of him inside of me. I couldn't control this…the excruciating feeling of not letting this go was agony in my body. I felt my hand move to my mouth, as if to muffle any sound that escaped it, but Edward grabbed it and held it above my head, winding his cold fingers through mine. That's when I noticed his eyes. They were the blackest I had ever seen them…and I knew that this was not just normal hunger for him.

He leaned in close to my face and kissed me…a kiss that lasted for so long that I thought I might never get the opportunity to breathe again. But I didn't care. The heat that filled my body was growing stronger and I was growing restless. Something strong was building inside of me, and I couldn't control it much longer. In just moments, the fire that filled me seemed to touch every part of my existence, to the tips of my fingers and toes, and I felt that my body had shattered into a million, pleasured, fully-satisfied, tiny pieces. Actually, I didn't know exactly what I was feeling, but whatever it was, I didn't want it to stop.

Suddenly crashing backward onto the mountain of pillows behind me, I felt Edward's chilled breath, heavy and rough against my face, and it was all that I could hear. His naked skin came down to meet mine, our chests touching, and the fire my body had created seemed to melt his icy skin away and allow us to fall deeper into one another. He lay there for what seemed like hours, his head nestled against mine, until his breathing slowed…not that he needed to breathe anyway. My breath, on the other hand, stayed rugged and I inhaled and exhaled for such a long time, trying to catch every bit of the sweet smell his breathe projected onto me.

I was exhausted…beyond exhausted, even. My body ached, but at the same time, felt better than it ever had before. Finally, slowly, he moved from above me and dropped into the spot next to me, rolling onto his back and staring toward the ceiling. I wanted to know what he was thinking, though in the back of my mind, I thought I knew. This night…this perfect night with Edward, my husband, had been the best night of my life. I didn't want it to end. But, my human tendencies began to hit me so suddenly, I could barely recognize that sleep was overtaking me. No. I struggled to keep my eyes open. I had to savor this moment…make this perfect experience with my husband last all night. With a handle on himself, now, Edward noticed my human struggle.

"Sleep, Love." He said so quietly that I barely heard him. Maybe I was already falling asleep.

"No…" my voice trailed. "Don't want to ruin the…"

"Bella." His sweet voice filled my ears and my eyelids drooped uncontrollably. "I love you…so very much."

"I love you, too." I think I whispered…maybe just mouthed…and sleep took my body and mind to a place where I would dream about this night for what seemed like an eternity.