I realized that she was trying to draw it out, to make it last. I couldn’t argue; it was how I’d pictured it.  It would be slow. Excruciating.  Unhurried and deliberate satisfaction.  That was what I’d wanted for her, for myself. We could still have that tonight.

So our lovemaking wasn’t going to happen in the meadow, as Bella had wanted, under the stars and the clouds and the quilt from her bed, far from the acute hearing of my family.  So instead of sleeping, Bella would lie awake dreading the burning pain of my teeth sinking into her before dawn.  So there were strangers in our house, dictating how our married life was to begin.  So none of these things were what we had wanted for our wedding night.

We were still together, and would be forever.

She sat back on her heels and I curled my body around hers, propping myself up on an elbow so that I could reach the buttons on the back of her gown.  There were twenty of them, pea-sized and silk-covered, and I reveled in slipping each one from its buttonhole, kissing the places on her back I had revealed and delighting in watching Bella – my wife – shiver under my cool fingers as I peeled the dress off of her creamy skin.

Before long, between kisses and sighs and tremors, we were both naked.  We’d only managed to reach this point twice before now, before my venom would drop uncontrollably and I would have to clamp my jaw shut to resist hurting her.  During those two nights, we’d managed to pleasure each other to an extent, but we were unable to bring the pleasure to completion.  I didn’t know what would happen tonight when we finally consummated our marriage as we’d planned, as I’d promised; and I was afraid.  But I was well aware that this was our only chance for Bella to have the one human experience she’d asked of me.

Bella must have sensed my hesitation, because she lowered herself to her back and tried not to move.  My lips met hers and I felt her sweet wetness, below, as I pressed into her.

She placed her hands on my hips to guide them, and there was no mistaking what she wanted.  There would be no fumbling with mouths or hands while I struggled in vain to keep my baser nature from ruining everything.