I couldn’t hear the sound of my footsteps as I walked to the water’s edge, but I
guessed that he could. Edward did not turn. I let the gentle swells break over my
toes, and found that he’d been right about the temperature—it was very warm,
like bath water. I stepped in, walking carefully across the invisible ocean floor,
but my care was unnecessary; the sand continued perfectly smooth, sloping
gently toward Edward. I waded through the weightless current till I was at his
side, and then I placed my hand lightly over his cool hand lying on the water.

“Beautiful,” I said, looking up at the moon, too.

“It’s all right,” he answered, unimpressed. He turned slowly to face me; little
waves rolled away from his movement and broke against my skin. His eyes
looked silver in his ice-colored face. He twisted his hand up so that he could twine
our fingers beneath the surface of the water. It was warm enough that his cool
skin did not raise goose bumps on mine.

“But I wouldn’t use the word beautiful,” he continued. “Not with you standing
here in comparison.”


Chapter 5