分节阅读_60

  abrupt memory of his violent
  black glare that first day… but the sey i felt
  iifled it. by the time he looked up to read my eyes,
  there was no trace of fear in them.
  ”you remember?” he asked, his angel's face grave.
  ”yes.” i was calm.
  ”a here you sit.” there was a trace of disbelief in his voice; he
  raised one eyebrow.
  ”yes, here i sit… because of you.” i paused. ”beehow you knew
  how to fioday… ?” i prompted.
  he pressed his lips t at me through narrowed eyes,
  deg again. his eyes flashed down to my full plate, ao
  me.
  ”you eat, i'll talk,” he bargained.
  i quickly scooped up another ravioli a in my mouth.
  ”it's harder than it should be — keeping track of you. usually i d
  someone very easily, once i've heard their mind before.” he looked at me
  anxiously, and i realized i had frozen. i made myself swallow, then
  stabbed another ravioli a in.
  ”i ing tabs on jessiot carefully — like i said, only you
  d trouble in peles — and at first i didn't noti
  you took off on your own. then, whehat you weren't with her
  a looking for you at the bookstore i saw in her head. i
  could tell that you hadn't gone in, and that you'd goh… and i knew
  you would have to turn around soon. so i was just waiting for you,
  rahrough the thoughts of people oo see
  if aiced you so i here you were. i had no reason
  to be worried… but i was strangely anxious…” he was lost in thought,
  staring past me, seeing things i 't imagine.
  ”i started to drive iill… listening. the sun was finally
  setting, and i was about to get out and follow you on foot. and then —”
  he stopped, g his teeth together in sudden fury. he made an
  effort to calm himself.
  ”then what?” i whispered. he ued to stare over my head.
  ”i heard what they were thinking,” he growled, his upper lip g
  slightly back over his teeth. ”i saw your fa his mind.” he suddenly
  leaned forward, one elb oable, his hand g his
  eyes. the movement was so swift it startled me.
  ”it was very… hard — you 't imagine how hard — for me to simply take
  you away, ahem… alive.” his voice was muffled by his arm. ”i
  could have let you go with jessigela, but i was afraid if you
  left me alone, i would go looking for them,” he admitted in a whisper.
  i sat quietly, dazed, my thoughts i. my hands were folded in my
  lap, and i was leaning weakly against the back of the seat. he still had
  his fa his hand, and he was as still as if he'd beehe
  stone his skin resembled.
  finally he looked up, his eyes seeking mine, full of his owions.
  ”are yo home?” he asked.
  ”i'm ready to leave,” i qualified, rateful that we had the
  h ride home together. i waso say goodbye to him.
  the eared as if she'd beeg.
  ”how are we doing?” she asked edward.
  ”we're ready for the chek you.” his voice was quiet, rougher,
  still refleg the strain of our versatioo muddle her.
  he looked up, waiting.
  ”s-sure,” she stuttered. ”here you go.” she pulled a small leather folder
  from the fro of her bla ao him.
  there was a bill in his hand already. he slipped it into the folder and
  ha right back to her.
  ”no ge.” he smiled. theood up, and i scrambled awkwardly to my
  feet.
  she smiled invitingly at him again. ”you have a nig.”
  he didn't look away from me as he thanked her. i suppressed a smile.
  he walked close beside me to the door, still ot to touch me. i
  remembered what jessica had said about her relationship with mike, how
  they were almost to the first-kiss stage. i sighed. edward seemed to hear
  me, and he looked down curiously. i looked at the sidewalk, grateful that
  he dido be able to knoas thin