"Why do you keep denying it to yourself Bella?" Jacob was getting upset. "Why? You drive me insane! You know that you love me. You would be so much happier if you would just let it happen! I mean...YEAH! That stupid bloodsucker left, and I'm glad. That means no more phasing. No more wolf business!"

Jacob going off about this was something I'd finally gotten used to. And talking about Edward didnt hurt me anymore. I really did love Jacob. The truth was that I didn't want to be hurt again. I was so tired of listening to him get upset because I wouldn't accept it though. And I had. But, I wasn't going to tell him that. Until now. As Jacob babbled on at the top of his lungs about my denying my feelings, I was plotting.

"...And you're always telling me how I'm beautiful, and you do love me, and how-" Jake was interrupted by me kissing him. I had thrown myself at him, yanked at his neck, brought him down enough that I could reach, and I kissed him. His lips were still. He was in shock I hoped. I didn't want him to be fighting it. But, I kept moving my lips on his. After what felt like forever, his body relaxed and his lips moved with mine. Everything felt like it fit, like it should be this way. Like I was meant fr him and he was meant for me. For first time since he left, I was glad Edward wasn't coming back.

When our lips broke apart it made the most perfect 'smack' sound. Just like I had always imagined it would be in books and movies. Before he spoke a smile broke across his face. It was so brilliant. He was finally happy, and strangely the fact that he was happy made me happy to.

"I'm not asking what that was for. If that's what you're waiting for." I smiled.

"But, I am going to ask... Does this mean we're...?" He broke off because he knew that I knew what came next. So I decided to make him squirm.

"I don't know. You tell me. I'm going home." I walked out while he was chasing behind me saying 'it doesn't work that way' and 'Bells! talk to me!', and before I knew it I was next to my truck and so was he. I turned pecked him on the lips and got in my truck, crunk it up, and left. The whole while I had a smug, sniveling smile on my face.

As I pulled out I looked at him without showing him I was looking. He was laughing and standing in the middle of his yard with his arms outstretched.

Before I got home, my phone was vibrating in the seat. I didn't even pick it up. I knew it was him. I wanted to keep the game going. When I got home, I got all my stuff out and went inside. Charlie was in the kitchen fixing a sandwhich. "Dad, I was about to cook."

"Well, I didn't want to disturb you and Jake. It's fine."

"I'm still cooking." I called down the stairs. My phone buzzed in my purse. I laughed to myself. I don't know why, but I was loving this. I got upstairs and changed my shirt to one of Jake's old shirts I'd stolen after swimming one day. It was huge on me, but it was comfortable.

I when downstairs and started taking out dishes and pots and pans. "Spaghetti or hamburgers?" I called to my Dad.

"Spaghetti, I had hamburgers last night with Billy." He was right behind me, so I turned to look at him.

"You can go watch the game, or whatever. I got it."

"Bella, you're glowing."

"What do you mean, Dad?"

"I mean this is the happiest I've seen you since you were with that weird kid.. Edward was it?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm glad you noticed."

"You wanna tell me what's going on?"

I had begun cooking and I was pouring dry noodles into a pot of water. "It's nothing, Dad." I laughed it off.

Knock, knock. Charlie went to get the door. He opened and I heard a familiar voice say, "Sorry, Charlie I have some girlfriend business to attend to." And before I could turn around Jacob Black had scooped me up into his arms and I screamed. He smiled down at me.

"Girlfriend?" Charlie was confused as we walked past him out the front door.

"I'll explain later, Dad."

"Uh, the spaghetti..." he called out the door as we were now in the front yard.

"I'll be right back!" I called back to him.

I stopped focusing on the front door and looked to Jake's grin. "You didn't think I was going to let my girlfriend go a day or night without answering her phone when I contact her now did you?"

He spun me around so fast I could barely breathe, but I screamed anyway. After I got over the dizzy sensation I looked up at him. He looked so happy. "You came all the way here just to tell me to answer my phone."

"Of course! You wouldn't answer me so what was I supposed to do?"

"Maybe, put on a shirt?" I laughed, as he set me down. He laughed with me.

"One problem, Bells. You've stolen all my shirts." He winked at me when he looked down."

We both laughed. "Well, by all means you can have it back." I playfully put my hands on my hips.

"Oh no. It looks better on you." I grabbed the bottom edge of my shirt and pretended I was going to take it off. "But, uh..." He was staring at the little patch of tummy that was showing. "...If you wanna take it off, I won't stop you." He grinned.

I scoffed and playfully smacked him. "Bad." I laughed.

"What? I'm a guy. And any guy that would pass that opportunity up is insane." We both laughed and I realized THE SPAGHETTI!

I grabbed his hand and ran for the house. "C'mon!" We were both laughing uncontrollably when we went into the front door.

As I went over to the stove and started cooking again, Charlie walked into the kitchen. "Don't tell him yet." I whispered so only Jake, who was standing next to me, could hear me. Jake slightly nodded to keep a secret.

"Someone, please tell me what is going on?"

"Whacha mean, Charlie?" Jake answered.

"Bella, is dancing around. She's so... happy."

"That's a bad thing?" I just kept cooking and let them talk. Charlie was sitting at the table and Jake was leaning with his back to the counter next to me.

"No. Definetly not, but I just want to know."

"Bella... loves me." He laughed, inside I was rolling on the floor. I guess that's why they call it inside joke.

"Well, uh... that's good? I guess?"

"We're both happy because she finally admitted today that she didn't miss that-" He'd almost said bloodsucker. "Edward kid, at all."

"Great. So what was the 'girlfriend business' you had to attend to?" Jake paused and I got nervous. Jacob was usually a good liar so I waited and hoped. "Bella helped me get a girlfriend today, and I had to properly thank her." I rolled some more, laughing so hard inside I almost audibly cracked up.

"I see. Well, I'm glad you two kids are happy. Bells, call me when dinner is done?"

"Yeah, sure, Dad." I was still trying not to bust out laughing. As soon as Charlie left the room, Jake and I both cracked up.

He grabbed me by the hips and swung me around to the side of the kitchen you couldn't see from the living room. I was against the wall and he was close enough that I could feel the body heat from his bare top half seeping through my clothes. He looked down and I stood on my tiptoes so that our lips were a millionth of a inch apart. I could feel his sweet breath on my lips. His skin was so beautiful and dark. I put my hands on his abs and his muscles tightened for only half a second. I gathered that my hands were cold. He was still standing over me and had now put his hands on the wall above my head. His body was so hot right in front of me that I couldn't help but want him. His skin was soft and hot under my hands, and his hair was a mess, but a sexy mess. I had never seen him this way until now.

He moved very slightly to put his lips around my bottom one. He was kissing me so softly, but I wanted more. I kissed him a little faster and sucked on his lip a little. It wasn't long before he pulled me away. "Bella, bad." He laughed, and I giggled a bit too.

Sudddenly, we were interrupted by a loud hissing sound coming from the stove. "Oh!" I ducked under his arm and hurrid to the stove.

-X-X-X-

All three of us were sitting at the table laughing at Charlie's fishing trip stories. Finally, we'd all finished eating and I needed a shower. "I'm gonna go shower. Jake can you hang out with Dad 'til I get done? I don't want you to leave yet."

"Uh, yeah, Charlie, if you don't mind..." he gestured toward the living room.

"No problem, take your time, Bella." As Charlie went first into the living room, Jake followed. He looked back at me with his hands collasped together. He mouthed 'please hurry.' It made me giggle.

Upstairs I stripped and got under the running water. The warth untied all my knots, and it relaxed all my muscles. It almost made me sleepy. When I got out, I put on some shorts that Alice had bought me. In my opinion, they were to short for me, but I knew Jake would like them. Then, I put on another one of his shirts that I'd stolen.

I walked to the top of the stairs and called down. "Jake can come up now."

"You two behave! Night, Bella!" Charlie called. I heard Jake pounding up the stairs, and I was excited. I decided to make my bed so it would look nice when he got in my room. I scurried around and around throwing clothes in pile. About the time I leaned over my bed to push the cover over the other side, Jake walked in.

"Wow." It was more to himself than me, but I decided to take it as a compliment. I stood up straight quickly and smiled. "You look amazing."

My hair was a stringy mess, and I was in no make-up and comfy clothes. This was definetely not my idea of looking amazing. "It's not because my shorts are a little shorter than normal?..." I smiled and slid under my covers.

"No, it's defintely the shirt." He grinned. I laughed and patted the bed next to me. He didn't hesitate to rush over to my bed get comfortable next to me. I was staring at him and he was amused.

"What," he laughed."

"Just kiss me." I smiled.

"Gladly." Jake's lips were moving against mine again, and it felt like perfection. It made me feel all warm inside. This was how it felt up until I reached for his chest. I felt his hot skin. Since it was the middle of February it was still chilly in my room. However, my window (I just decided) will tightly shut from now on so maybe it will warm up a bit. Jake's skin felt like my own persnoal heater, but in a sexy way.

"C-C'mere." I pulled at the blankets trying to get him off of them and under them.

"Are you cold?" He asked. I just realized that I was shivering. I nodded very feebly, wanting him to get as close as he would.

As soon as Jacob was underneath the blankets with me, it immediately began to get warm, and I almost instantly stopped shivering. I knew he was thinking to himself 'what did she do with the bloodsucker when she was cold?', but I just let it go; I was too satisfied and comfortable.

Then, I began to think about the fact that what I had just done... was not good. Because, to my delight and dismay, Jacob's entire body (naked half and the rest) was touching my whole body. Again, like in the kitchen before, I wanted him. I didn't just want him... I wanted him. I didn't know what to do. Afterall, I was still a virgin. I wanted to show him I wanted him, but how? So, I began thinking in terms of my books and all the movies I'd seen.

I began by touching the very tip of my indew finger to the direct center of his chest. I started slipping it up and down his chestbone and the very top of his abs. He sighed a tiny, moanish sigh and this only antagonized me. I placed another finger with it.

His head was above mine (I was wedged comfortably under his chin) so I couldn't see his face. But, I imagined his eyes closed and a tiny, little smile dancing around his lips. I wanted to push his feeling along so, I enlongated the track I'd making, past his abs to his waistline. I changed course of direction to left-to-right motions along the edge of his jeans waist. He made a 'hmmmm' sound quite like the one before. I pushed my head forward just a tad, and I kissed his chest. While I was kissing up his chest and around his neck, I was unbuttoning his jeans.

Suddenly, Jake's hand was around my wrists. "Bella, not tonight." He sounded stern, but like he was in a serene state, relaxed even.

"Great," I stopped and slouched back to my original postion. "I'm gonna be the forty-year-old-virgin." I joked under my breath.

"Not forty, just thirty." He laughed. Stupid wolf-hearing. I never get away with anything under my breath. He always hears it.

Jake pushed his fingers through the roots of my hair at the roots until he was at the back of my head. He started massaging my scalp there, and sooner than I wanted, I was asleep.

When I woke up, Jacob was gone. Only what I expected. He wouldn't want to upset Charlie. I got up and took my time getting dressed. The curls in my hair looked especially nice today. Jake probably brushed through them a million times last night before he went home to sleep. I left my hair down, and put on a little flick of mascara and I was pretty. I felt pretty, anyway.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs I noticed Charlie across the small kitchen drinking coffee and reading the paper. "Mornin', Bells. You look... nice."

"Thanks, Dad." I began fixing me some cereal for breakfast. I didn't want anything big, just something to say I ate so I could go to see Jake as soon as possible.

"Jacob asked that I tell you that he was picking you up at lunch time. He said he wouldn't be home until then either. Something with his friends he had to do he said." The wolf pack I assume. Charlie didn't know about the wolf thing so, that's what Jake had said.

"Oh. Too bad. Hey, what time did he leave last night, or do you know?"

"Oh, he left this morning about seven or so." This morning?

"He stayed all night?"

"Yeah," Charlie sipped his coffee casually. He wasn't the least bit bothered by the fact that Jacob Black had slept in my bed with me last night. "when I went up to bed, he was asleep, and so were you. I didn't want to disturb you, because you weren't having a nightmare for a change. So, I left you guys alone."

I guess this surprised me a little, but not as much as it should have. Only because it didn't bother Charlie as much it should have.

In the free time that I had until I got to see Jake (which I found I truly despised) I decided to email Renee. I didn't do it enough anymore, and I didn't want any free time to rethink my relationship. I was truly happy with Jacob, and having free time to think about Edward would only change my mind or convince me that I wasn't happy.

"Hi Mom. I just decided that I would let you know that I'm better now. All better. I'm kinda dating Jake. I know it's kinda fast, and whorish. But I love Jacob, and he makes me happy..."

After I finished the mail to Renee, I realized I must have woke up late because it was already eleven. I decided I should dress up and try to impress Jacob. I began getting dressed and adding a bit of extra curl to my hair. I did my make-up (which I never do).

Before long, Charlie was calling to me from downstairs. Jake was here. I couldn't wait. I hurried downstairs to see a fully dressed Jacob, who also looked as if he dressed to impress. We said our goodbyes to Charlie and we were off.

-X-X-X-

After we hung out his house for while, and played my favorite video games, we went to dinner. After dinner, it was beginning to get dark.

Riding down the road in Jacob's rabbit was like any normal time together, but this road wasn't. "Where are we going?"

"It's a secret." He looked at me and smiled. I just hushed and watched the road.

It felt like an eternity before we reached where he was taking us. When we stopped we were in the middle of what looked like a bare spot in the woods. "Jake, where are we?"

"In the woods."

"I see that'" I laughed, "but why?"

"Can't tell you why yet, but c'mon." He was getting out, so I did the same.

"So..." I looked around at the trees around me. There was no trees directly above, and the ground was orange with clay dust. Off to the side there was a worn trail leading into the woods. "Are we hiking?"

"Um, no. Not exactly." Everything inside me was relieved. The last time I'd really hiked, I was with Edward. And I know I can't avoid it forever, but I wasn't ready for any reminder of him just yet. Suddenly, everything went blank. I realized that Jacob had put something over my eyes. "Wha..?"

"I will guide you, you just pick your feet up so you don't trip."

I sighed, but I knew there was no sense in fighting because I would lose. Not to mention it would take that much longer to get where we were going-wherever that may be.

We walked on forever. I tripped over a few stones and limbs and got some briars in my leg, but Jake always held me up or helped me along. "Why do I have to be blindfolded?"

"There's a method to my madness." I heard him giggle a bit. "We're here." He tugged on my shoulders a bit and I stopped with my feet together.

I was so excited to see where we were. "Okay then. Take this stupid thing off." I reached up for whatever was blocking my vision, but Jacob caught my wrist.

"Wait." He was whispering into my ear, and it was strangely comfortable. "You have to promise you won't jump." He laughed, and though it was the strangest thing he'd ever said to me, I had a feeling I would understand as soon as he took off the blinding piece of cloth.

As the blackness slid away from my eyes and face, I inhaled sharply, and held it. It was the most beautiful display of lights I'd ever seen. We were atop a cliff looking down on a city, and the lights lit up the valley like lights on a christmas tree. The oranges and browns of the city complimented the mountain sides so well. However, an even more beautiful sight, the stars above my head was the sight that took my breath. All at once, I realized that I had not let go of the breath I'd taken. I exhaled hard and heard my heart beating abnormally fast.

The dream I was in was only enlightened when Jacob stepped in front of me. He broke off my line of sight with the city lights, but he was just as beautiful. Even though it was dark and the only light was coming from the large, bright moon, I could still see his eyes twinkling and staring straight into mine. "You are so beautiful," he told me. "I can't believe your finally mine."

"I can't believe I finally admitted to myself that I love you..." I looked as deeply as I could into his eyes. "But, I'm so glad I did." I kissed him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his arms fall around my waist as our lips slid past each other. I felt like the safest and most warm place in the whole world.

He turned around and looked at the city and I noticed a blanket on the ground. We gracefully walked over and lied down on the blanket on our backs. We began to talk about everything. Everything I ever wanted to tell him and all the things he'd ever wanted to tell me. We talked about pointless things and things that meant more to us than the world. I was closer to Jacob Black now, than I'd ever been to anyone.

It got quiet for a few moments and we were just staring at the staring at the stars. I looked over at him to see his arms folded behind his head and his face straight ahead. His chiseled body looked perfect. His biceps looked huge next to mine; since my arms were folded behind my head too, I could tell. His eyes weren't looked ata me, but they were reflecting the moonlight like a mirror. He wass so beautiful. How on earth had I never seen this before.

"Hey!" He looked over at me just as I'd been looking at him. "I'll be right back."

It was so dark; I didn't want to be left out here alone. "Wait!" He was up on his feet about to walk off. "Don't go. It's dark, and we're in the woods."

"Bella, the car's right there." He giggled a bit as he let the last two words come out. "I'll be RIGHT BACK." The last two words were loud enough to echo a bit. I didn't let the scared look fade. He looked sympathetic. "I'll run." He grinned.

I turned back around and lied down. I stared at the sky and counted the stars in time with the seconds. As soon as he appeared through the trees I stopped counting and realized I was now literally counting the seconds until I got to see him again I had counted every second he was away. he stood next to me on the blanket and held out his hand to help me up.

He placed my hands around his neck, and then gently clasped his hands around the bottom of my back. "Let's dance." He reached in his pocket and started a sow song on his phone. I laughed. I pulled away and playfully refused.

"Pleeease?" He said. The music was still playing.

"Nnno." I crossed my arms and turned my back to see the city lights. This place really was beautiful.

"Suit yourself." I didn't turn around; I wanted him to make me. Suddenly, the music stopped. I wanted to stay turned around, but I couldn't help it. I turned to look for him.

It took but a second to realize that Jake was on a knee looking up at me. In his hands, right in front of me, he held a ring. "Marry me, Bella."

The feelings were all overwelming. There were so many, and it all happened in less than a second. I threw my hand over my mouth, and I felt the edges of my eyes sting. I felt the tears well up.

"Bella, the way I led you through the woods blind and in the dark earlier, the way that all I care about is makng you happy... That's all I want... for the rest of my life." He was pushing the ring toward me. "Marry me. Please?"