"Oh," was all I could say.
"Was there a purpose behind your query?"
"Well, I did wonder... about you and me... someday..."
He was instantly serious, I could tell by the sudden stillness of his body. I froze, too.
"I don't think that... that... would be possible for us."295
"Because it would be too hard for you, if I were that... close?"
"That's certainly a problem. But that's not what I was thinking of. It's just that you are so soft, so fragile. I have to mind my actions every moment that we're together so that I don't hurt you. I could kill you quite easily, Bella, simply by pounding too hard, for too long." His voice had become just a soft murmur. He moved his icy palm to rest it against my cheek. "If I was too hasty... if for one second I wasn't paying enough attention, I could reach out, meaning to touch your face, and crush your skull by mistake. You don't realize how incredibly breakable you are. I can never, never afford to lose any kind of control when I'm with you."296
He waited for me to respond, growing anxious when I didn't. "Are you scared of me yet?" he asked.
I waited for a minute to answer, so the words would be true. "No. I'm fine."
He seemed to deliberate a moment. "I'm curious
295. As part of the transition to their second life, male vampires develop a heavily barbed penis, which is only compatible with the female vampire's jelly vagina.
296. Please see discussion question #10.