A/N: Merry Christmas! Consider this my present to all of my wonderful readers. It doesn't really have a lot to do with Christmas, other than it is set in December, but you get the idea.

This originally began as an idea for the Baby It's Cold Outside contest, but I did not get it written in time. I had the idea simmering, but no word flow. Until a few days ago when it started eating me alive and I've done almost nothing but write all day long. It will be a two-shot, and the second part should be finished by New Years.

It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

This is rated M for mature content, some minor language, marshmallow creampuff fluffiness, a hint of distress, and a side of lime. Enjoy!

Trust Me

"Excuse me, little lady. Would you happen to know where I might find the Jell-O mix?"

I stared at the six-foot-seven, caramel-skinned monster of a man beside me, and I couldn't hold back my laughter.

"That is so not how you said it, Jake. You stammered." I crossed the Jell-O mix off the grocery list and scanned the rest of the items we needed to get. There wasn't much left.

He shook his head. "I never stammer. I was smooth. You were just so amazed by my presence that you couldn't think straight." He bumped my shoulder with his arm and smiled my favorite smile. It was warm and wide and broke through all of his 'tough guy' appearance.

"No, I remember it perfectly. You stammered and blushed."

He scoffed. "Guys don't blush, Nessie."

I sort of humored him. "Okay, so what do you call it when you get all red in the face? A deadly toxic disease?"

He laughed and put his arm around my shoulders. I loved his laugh. Warm and rich, smooth and just…Jake. Everything about him was warm.

"So, you're telling me that for six months, I've been dating a guy with a deadly toxic disease?" I poked his side, knowing he wasn't ticklish like me.

He leaned in to kiss my head. "No. Your conclusions are hilarious, though. It was just a freak occurrence that will never happen again."

"Okay. I'll remind you of that the next time you bl…the next time it happens." I grinned up at him, and he just chuckled.

"So what's next on our list?"

I smirked and looked down at the list. We were taking a leisurely stroll down each aisle in the grocery store, getting things we needed for our date tonight and reminiscing about the past.

"Chicken."

He nodded and we both pushed the basket.

"You realizing I'm not giving in, right? You stammered. You said, 'Um…uh…d'you know where the…uh…Jell-O is?'"

He rolled his eyes playfully and changed his tune. "It got your attention, didn't it?"

"What got my attention was seeing you following me down five aisles. You scared the crap out of me."

Jacob Black and I had met six months ago in this same grocery store. I'd been shopping for weekly groceries when I noticed a strange man following me. It was the middle of summer, and he was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves cut off, a pair of tan cargo shorts, and flip flops. He was taller than anyone I'd ever seen in my life, and his arms were huge—hell, every part of him was huge. He had a tattoo on his arm, his dark black hair was a little shaggy, and his ears were pierced.

"You didn't seem that scared when you demanded to know what I wanted."

Demanded was the right word. I'd been so nervous that I overcompensated and tried to be tougher than he looked.

"I was pretty terrified, though. I mean, there was me, a twenty-year-old stick-thin redhead with freckles who didn't even get out of her pajamas to go to the store, and then there was you. Who do you think would have won?"

He picked up two bags of chicken and set them in the cart. I crossed them off the list and we moved on to the next item.

"Would have won what? Did you expect a wrestling ring to spring up around us?"

I laughed and lightly slapped his arm. "No, but I did expect you to make some stupid comment about checking out the selection."

"You do have a pretty nice selection." His eyes roamed over me like he was really checking me out, and I blushed. "And you looked really hot in those flannel shorts and the tank top you had on."

"Whatever, Jake. We just need to get the noodles and the veggies."

He chuckled, and we moved on to the next aisle. "Why did you follow me?" I asked. I'd asked him before, but usually always got the same generic answer.

"'Cause you're hot."

Yeah, that one. I didn't question him further; it was useless trying to get more information out of him.

As we finished shopping, I remembered the day we met. He had looked confused for a second before realizing that he was actually shopping and needed stuff. He asked me if I knew where to find Jell-O mix—stammering the whole time—and because we'd already passed that aisle, I did. Sometimes it still confused me how he could be so creepy one second and so alluring the next. As I helped him find what he needed, what I had thought of as intimidating became more and more appealing. I liked that he was so tall that the top of my head barely reached his shoulder, I liked that I could clearly see his muscles, and I liked the howling wolf tattoo on his left bicep. I ended up giving him my phone number, and he called to ask me out two days later.

We went through the checkout stand, and while he paid for everything, I got my coat on. I grinned at him as he got his on and we left.

It was mid-December, and there had already been snow on the ground when we came to the store, but it didn't prepare me for the sight of the parking lot through the sliding doors of the store. I glanced up at Jake, and his expression matched the surprise I felt. Outside, I could barely see the first row of cars and a lamppost, but the second row faded into the blizzard.

"Ready for this?" he asked.

"I guess so."

He grinned and gave me a quick kiss before tucking me between him and the cart, his arms on either side of me. Together we pushed the cart through the doors.

Despite his appearance, Jake was always a gentleman. He made me sit in the car while he put the groceries in the trunk, and I didn't even try to argue. I was already frozen from the walk to the car. I blew on my fingers after starting the car and turning the heater on.

He did a quick sweep of the car, cleaning off snow that was almost instantly replaced by the blizzard. When he finally got in, he shook himself off.

"Goddammit, it's cold!"

I had to laugh. "Really?"

He gave me a look and then we took off.

The wind and snow whirled around in the doorway of his house as we stepped inside. I helped him carry the groceries in, ignoring his protests that he could do it himself. Jacob closed the door behind us and started taking off his coat. I followed suit, hoping to beat him this time. It was no use. He had his hung up in record time and reached out to help me out of mine. He always won, but I made it my personal mission to someday get my coat off before he could help me. It never bothered me—in fact, I really did like it—but it seemed impossible, and I was up for the challenge. I smiled and feigned irritation.

"You know, I'm not completely incapable of taking off my coat."

He gave me a prize-winning smile, showing off his brilliant, white teeth, and teased me back.

"My lady will never take off her own coat."

His lady. My stomach fluttered.

Once the coat was hung up, we took off our snow-drenched boots, set them aside to dry, and took the groceries to the kitchen.

"You ready to get cooking?"

I nodded eagerly. "Absolutely."

Although we'd been going out for a while, tonight would be a first for us. I had shied away from dates at either of our houses, a little worried that it would lead to sex that I wasn't ready for. Jacob never pushed, and I was grateful for it. I think he was a little shocked when I suggested this date. I still wasn't ready to make that move, but I was ready to start trusting him more.

He nodded and I watched him pull a cookbook down from a cupboard and set it down on the counter. He looked at it for a second, as though hoping it would just magically open to the right recipe.

"I didn't know guys had these things," I said, teasing.

He smirked. "My sister forced me to take it when I moved out on my own."

I nodded. "Do you cook often?"

"No, not really. Unless you count Mac and Cheese."

I squeezed myself between him and the cookbook. "Then I will be showing you how it's done. Prepare to be amazed." I pushed my sleeves up to my elbows and tied my copper hair back with the elastic I always had around my wrist.

I wasn't a chef or anything, but I knew my way around the kitchen. I opened the cookbook and found the recipe we would be making.

"See? Easy as pie," I said, pointing at the directions for creamy chicken and pasta.

"Okay. Amaze me. But order me around; we're cooking together." He tugged at my ponytail.

I stood up on my toes and kissed him quickly. His hands went to my waist to hold me steady as he kissed me back.

"You get to cut up the chicken," I said before turning back to the cookbook.

We got to work, me getting the pasta and other ingredients ready while he rinsed and cut the chicken. He refused to let me put the chicken in the pan when it was ready.

"That's hot oil in there, Nessie, you could get burned"

I rolled my eyes. "And you couldn't?"

"Just let me do it."

I gave up; there was no use trying to argue with him about anything. He was stubborn as a mule. But, as I watched him scoot the chicken off the cutting board and into the pan, I knew that I just loved him more for it. The oil sizzled loudly when the meat hit it. I didn't get splashed, and neither did he. He gave me a cocky grin and started stirring it around, and I couldn't hide my amused smile if I tried.

I let him have free reign over the chicken as I worked on the noodles. Once everything was cooked, he set the table while I mixed the chicken and noodles together.

"What do you want to drink?" he asked as he opened the fridge. "I've got Mountain Dew, milk, water, or Jack." He pointed to a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey on top of the fridge.

I raised an eyebrow. "Trying to get me drunk?"

He chuckled. "Could be fun. But no, your first time should be with something mellower. That will kick your ass."

"Who says I haven't been drunk before?"

He came up behind me and put his hands on my hips, leaning down to kiss my neck. "What are you hiding from me, Miss Cullen?" he said softly, breathing into my ear. I shivered.

"Nothing. You just assumed that I've never been drunk."

He sighed. "You're right. I assumed. Have you ever been drunk, Nessie?" His hands slid forward, now holding me around my waist.

I shook my head as I stirred the chicken, trying not to concentrate too much on his hands pressing lightly on my stomach or the way I could feel the warmth of his chest through my shirt. "No, and you're probably right. It would kick my ass."

He chuckled into my ear, and I shivered again. "I love you."

I smiled. "I love you, too."

"Is that ready yet, or are you going to stir it all night?"

"I guess it's ready."

He kissed me once more before he pulled away and let me take the pan to the table.

"You never did answer me, babe; what do you want to drink?"

I contemplated asking for some Jack, but gave up on that pretty quickly. I didn't want tonight to be a drunken mess; I wanted to appreciate a quiet evening with him. "Mountain Dew, please."

He came back with two cans and we sat down to start eating. The chicken had turned out really good, and I realized I was a lot hungrier than I thought.

"Well, babe, you've amazed me. This is delicious."

I blushed and smiled at him across the table. "You helped."

He nodded. "We made a damn good team."

When we were finished eating, Jacob brought out the banana cream pie we'd bought. It was a mini pie, and we just ate it right from the tin. Jake and I got into a few mini battles with our forks, and I always ended up laughing as he blocked me several times. Finally, we split the last bite and started cleaning up.

"What next?" I asked, a little hesitant. This was the part I was so nervous about. He set the plates in the sink and turned to me, leaning back against the counter. There was no denying that Jacob was sexy or that my body responded even to some looks he'd give me. I wanted to have sex with him…someday.

"What would you like to do? I don't have much for games or anything, but we could watch a movie."

I nodded. "A movie sounds good." As long as it didn't involve him groping and licking and undressing… I took a breath and reminded myself that I trusted him.

He pushed away from the counter and kissed my forehead before leading the way to the living room. We looked over his movie selection and decided on two we wanted to watch. I was a little surprised that he even had Hello, Dolly, and I'm sure he only agreed to it because I agreed on Wolfman as the second movie. As he got the movie ready, I went back to the kitchen to make some popcorn.

I got the bag out of the cabinet and opened the microwave, making sure the bag was in right before I closed the door and selected the time. I pushed start, and suddenly all of the lights went out.

The microwave didn't start, no lights were on anywhere, and everything around me was dark. I heard Jacob curse from the living room. I spun around and pushed myself back into the counter, and gripped the edge of it hard. There was very little light coming in through the windows as it was late and the blizzard blocked much of the sunlight anyway.

I've always been afraid of the dark. Ever since I was little, I've been terrified of things lurking right in front of me when I wasn't able to see them. My fingers tightened their grip on the counter as my heart rate increased to an almost painful speed. I wanted to go to Jacob. He'd make me safe.

I heard footsteps and I couldn't move. A giant shadow walked into the room and I very nearly screamed before I felt Jacob's hands on my shoulders and heard his voice.

"You okay, Ness?" he asked, leaning down to kiss my head. I nodded and threw myself at him, squeezing his waist with my hardest grip. I was close to tears. He rubbed my back and held me tightly, and soon I found myself calming down. When my breath had returned to normal, he leaned back and touched my cheek. "It's okay, babe."

I nodded. "I'm sorry. It's so stupid—"

"No, it's not stupid. I know a lot of people who are afraid of the dark."

"Are you sure they're not people you made afraid of the dark?" I asked with a smile. He had a way of scaring people who didn't know him.

He chuckled. "Maybe one or two, but that's not the point. It's not stupid, so don't say that." He kissed me.

I felt better now. Being with Jacob seemed to ease my fears of nearly anything. After a moment, he kissed me again. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and I could see him clearly.

"So what did you do? I send you in here to make popcorn, and the power goes out." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"It wasn't me. What did you do to the TV?"

He laughed and kissed me again. "Well, this leaves us with no options. There's only one thing left we can do."

My smile faded. "And what is that?" I was nervous again.

"Light a fire in the fireplace and snuggle close together to stay warm until the power comes back up."

I smiled brightly, relieved and berating myself for doubting him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I held Jake's hand as we went to his room to get some blankets and then back out to the living room. I spread one blanket out on the floor while he started the fire. Soon, he had a good flame going and joined me on the blanket. He took another one and draped it around our shoulders, pulling me close to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly as I looked into the yellow flame.

"This is so peaceful," I said, amazed at how simple and relaxing, yet wonderful and thrilling it was to be sitting here like this with him.

He kissed my head. "It is. Better than a movie."

I smiled. "You mean better than Hello, Dolly?"

He chuckled. "It probably is, but that's not what I meant. I mean it's a lot more romantic." He leaned in and kissed my ear. "Sensual." His voice went low and smooth as buttery cream on the last word, and I shivered.

"Definitely."

After a while, we shifted so we could lay down by the fire. He wouldn't let me lay closest, saying it was too dangerous, but promised to keep me warm. I had my head on his shoulder and was watching the flames as my fingers picked gently at the shirt over his chest. One of his arms was wrapped around me, his fingers moving lazily up and down my arm, while his other hand was on top of mine on his chest. Everything was quiet except for the crackling of the fire, the wind outside, and the occasional car driving by.

I began thinking about the last six months with Jacob. There had never been one time that he'd intentionally made me uncomfortable, and on the rare occasion that it happened accidentally he was always quick to make it right. We hadn't talked a lot about my experience or my hesitation, but he seemed to understand I wasn't ready for a serious physical relationship. As I watched the flames in the fireplace and listened to his heartbeat and breaths, I felt a strange tug to talk to him. I wanted to tell him why I was so hesitant.

"Jake?" I said it before I was prepared, and suddenly I found myself panicking. He hummed and smiled down at me. My heart sped up and I swallowed thickly. "Um, can I talk to you?"

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my fingertips. "You can always talk to me. What is it, babe?"

It was getting harder to breathe. I hated that it was so hard to say this. It wasn't like I was going to talk about how badly I'd been treated in the past. It wasn't even a personal experience that made me nervous. I wondered if maybe that was why it was so hard, though. Maybe I thought he'd laugh because nothing had ever actually happened to me.

I shook my head, dismissing the thought. Jacob was not that kind of man.

"I love you," I started, trying to calm down enough to say this without bursting into tears or throwing up.

He turned so he was on his side facing me and pulled me close to him. "What's wrong?"

I took a few deep breaths. "I'm so sorry, Jake. I thought I was ready to talk about this, but I don't know if I am."

He kissed my head and held me tightly. "Don't be sorry, Nessie. If you're not ready, you don't have to talk to me."

How in God's name did I get so damn lucky? I couldn't think of any other man who would be willing to just forget about something I brought up when I'm sure I was confusing the hell out of him.

"I want to have sex with you," I blurted. My face flamed hotter than the fire and I shoved it into his chest. When did my brain filter abandon me? I never said stuff like that.

Jacob was tense beside me, his arms around me frozen. It was a moment before he cleared his throat.

"Tonight?"

I sucked in air, desperate for oxygen. Why was it suddenly so hard to breathe? I shook my head and prayed that he could forgive me.

He relaxed, but only marginally. He cleared his throat again and kissed my head. "I love you, Nessie," he whispered.

I nodded and clutched at his shirt. "I love you, too, Jacob."

We were both silent again for a minute while I sorted through my scattered thoughts and did my best to just calm down.

"I'm scared," I said finally.

His arms tensed again. "Why? What's the matter, Nessie?"

I sucked in another deep breath, closed my eyes, and forced myself to say it.

"I'm scared to have sex with you."

His arms didn't relax. He leaned down to kiss me beside my ear. I shivered.

"Why are you afraid of it?"

I opened my eyes and turned my head to look at him. He met my eyes and I stared into his. They were dark brown, so dark they were nearly black, and somehow in the subdued glow of the firelight behind him, they blazed. I put my hand on his cheek and lightly scratched at the fresh stubble on his jaw.

"It's kind of a long story, and a little complicated."

He nodded, barely moving his head. "I'm up for it, if you want to tell me."

I licked my lips and took a calming breath. My fingers moved back to his ear where I found his earring. I'll never know why twisting the silver stud between my forefinger and thumb calmed me.

"I want to tell you, Jake."

He nodded and kissed me, pulling me a little closer to him. With his earring still between my fingers, I pressed my face into his neck and kissed his skin there.

"Do you remember my cousin Bella?"

He nodded. He'd met her once three months ago when my family had gotten together for our birthdays. Bella and I were born on the same day, five years apart.

"She and I have always been close. We used to talk about everything, but not so much anymore now that she's busy with work and family. Six years ago, she had this boyfriend. His name was James." I shuddered even at the mention of his name. Jacob's arms constricted around me, and it felt so good. "Bella had been dating him for three months when he started pushing her to sleep over at his house. She refused for two months before he finally convinced her. He raped her and beat her so badly she was in the hospital for a week." I shivered again.

Jacob cleared his throat and kissed my head. I sniffled before continuing.

"I visited her in the hospital often, and she told me what he'd done to her. She made me promise, every day, that I wouldn't get serious with anyone until I was really ready. She made me promise that I wouldn't give away my trust to just anyone. I've kept that promise as best as I can, and until you no relationship I'd had lasted longer than two months. Everyone is all about sex."

It was still hard to breathe, but it seemed a little easier when I stopped talking and he didn't start laughing. He didn't say anything for a minute or two. He rubbed my back and kissed my head a few times before he took a deep breath and leaned back a little bit.

"What happened to James?" he asked.

"One of the neighbors heard a scream and called the police. My uncle Charlie is a police officer, and when the call came in and they found it was Bella, they called him. He arrested James and at the trial he was sentenced to prison."

When I looked up at him, his brow was furrowed, and he was staring past me with a livid gleam in his eyes. His jaw was clenched and his lips were tense. I'd never seen him so angry, and it almost scared me.

Jacob nodded. "Did he ever touch you?" His voice was hard and grainy.

"No. But seeing Bella like that and everything she said stuck with me."

He nodded again and met my eyes. The intensity in his stare made me shrink back just a little. His hands on my back pulled me close to him and he bent his head down to kiss me. It was a soft kiss, and it almost surprised me with how impassioned he seemed.

"I love you, Nessie," he said firmly. "Thank you for telling me what happened."

I smiled and traced his jaw line from his ear to his chin with my fingertips. He seemed to relax just a little bit. "I love you, too. I'm sorry."

His arms tensed again. "For what?"

"It's not fair to you for me to be so emotional…." I hesitated, not sure what to say.

"Look at me," he said softly but with a definite demand. I did, and his eyes were fierce. "What happened was traumatic to you. Believe me, I understand. Don't downplay that just because it didn't happen to you. You saw firsthand what happened when Bella put her trust in the wrong person. I love you, and I would never hurt you. I hope you know that, but that's not the point right now. The point right now is that I do not want you to apologize for feeling so strongly about this."

I nodded, so relieved to know he wasn't upset. "Thank you, Jake. And I do know that you would never hurt me." I knew it in every fiber of my being. He relaxed and leaned down to kiss me again.

We shared lazy kisses for a while, relaxing more with each passing minute. The light from the fire had faded, and now instead of the soft, flickering glow, there was just a dusting of light.

As we kissed, a strange longing began building inside of me. It was something I'd only ever experienced with Jake, and while I knew what it was it confused me. A tiny part of me wanted to pull him on top of me and kiss him wildly. Spread my legs and have him…what? I didn't want sex, but I did.

He kissed me again, and I slid my hand around to the back of his neck, holding him to me as I deepened the kiss. His hands pulled me in tightly, one between my shoulder blades and the other on my hip. His tongue was soft and warm, and I felt a rush of excitement as I pushed my tongue further into his mouth.

This was the point where I would usually break the kiss. When I started feeling like I could lose myself in him, I would pull away and take a few breaths to calm down. Instead of pulling away, I gripped his hair and kissed him deeper. My body responded as if I'd been thrown into the fireplace behind him. Every part of me was on fire, and I heard myself whimper softly. His hand on my hip slowly moved to my lower back while the hand between my shoulders gripped my shirt.

A small part of me warned that I should stop this. I should break the kiss and calm down before we went too far. The part of me that was focused on his kiss and his hands ignored any thoughts of stopping, and my feet began moving without my permission. One foot found his ankle and slid slowly up his leg. He groaned, and the hand on my lower back inched down.

I'd had hands on my backside before. The few boyfriends I'd had thought my butt was free territory, and often grabbed me long before I was ready for that kind of touch. Jacob's hand was so different. When he touched me, squeezed ever so lightly and groaned loudly into my mouth, my body flamed hotter than I thought was possible. My legs ached to wrap around him and between them throbbed with the most amazing urge I'd ever felt.

I knew exactly what I wanted, and the thought that I could very well lose it and move so much faster than I knew I was ready for scared me into realizing how far I'd already gone. My leg was around his, and my breasts were pushed into his chest. I was leaning back, not quite on my back, but far enough that he was hovering over me. His hand was still on my backside and I was dangerously close to bucking my hips into his thigh.

I pulled back from him as though I'd been stuck with a pin. I didn't want to go that far. I didn't want to trick him into thinking he'd get lucky when I knew he wouldn't. I backed away and took a deep breath as I gripped the blanket, closed my eyes tightly, and tried to just calm down.

"Are you okay, Ness?" Jake asked. His hand covered mine on the blanket.

I nodded and took another deep breath. "I'm okay, I just need a minute." I hated the way my voice shook.

"I'm sorry, baby—"

I looked up and met his eyes. "No, Jake. Don't be sorry. I loved that, I really did, but I…I just need to calm down."

He nodded and I let him pull me back to him. He kissed my head and I reached up to twist his earring between my fingers as I nuzzled my face in his chest.

"I love you, Ness."

I smiled. "I love you, too." My voice was a little muffled.

"Did I make you uncomfortable?" he asked, his voice worried.

I looked up and met his eyes. He played with my hair as he stared at me, his face serious. I lightly scratched the stubble on his jaw and smiled.

"I wasn't uncomfortable. I've never felt like that before, and I needed to stop. I'm sorry if I worried you."

He smirked, and it lightened up his eyes. "Don't be sorry." He kissed my forehead.

I took a few more deep breaths, sorting through all of my emotions. It was strange how I wanted so much more with Jake, but I still wasn't ready for everything. I wanted him to touch me like he did just now, and I wanted to maybe try…I didn't even know what. Something. My body was screaming for something and I wanted to find a way to satisfy it without having sex. If there was a way, I wanted it.

"Jake?" I looked up at him again. He hummed. I twisted his earring again as I thought about how I was going to tell him what I'd decided.

"Do you think…um…" I sighed. Why couldn't I just show him what I wanted? I blushed hard, and hoped the light was too dim for him to see it.

"What is it, baby?" He touched my cheek, and I knew he could see how red my face was. I sighed again.

"I want…something. But…God, why is it so hard to say this?" I shook my head and twisted his earring faster. He smirked and kissed my head.

"Don't be embarrassed, Nessie. This is important, and we should be able to talk about it. I want to know what you want so I can make you happy."

I nodded and tried to shove my embarrassment aside to talk to him. "I…I liked how you touched me." Forget the fire; my face would burn the house down. "It felt…good." I did my best to keep eye contact with him.

He nodded and rubbed my back. "I liked that, too."

I was surprised at the rush of desire that ran through me just at the thought of him enjoying that touch.

"Will you do it again?"

He smirked. "Now?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. His hand skimmed down my back. Slowly, his eyes never leaving mine, he rested his hand on the curve of my butt. I shifted just a little, squirming to get closer to him. He squeezed lightly as he pulled me closer. I sucked in a surprised breath at a shock of desire. His hand was so close to the place my body wanted him the most.

"Are you all right?" he asked gently.

I looked up and met his eyes. "Yes," I breathed. I'd never been so turned on in all my life. His eyes darkened a little and he squeezed me again.

"I want you," I said, before I could realize what I was saying. I closed my eyes and shook my head quickly. "No, I'm sorry. I want…God, I don't even know what I want." But I wanted it madly.

"How far do you want to go, Nessie? I know you're not ready for sex; I won't let that happen tonight. There are…other things we can do, though."

The throbbing heat in my body was making me delirious. "Things like what?" I asked, my hips moving forward of their own accord. His hand gripped me harder and I moaned a little.

"It depends on how much you want. If…I could…touch you."

Somewhere in the clouded mess that was my mind, I realized that he was nervous. I just nodded, not even sure what he meant. I was only sure that I wanted it.

He kissed me and I grabbed his hair in a tight grip as my hips shoved forward again. He pulled back from the kiss despite my attempts at holding him close.

"Nessie, I want to touch you."

Something in the way he said that made me whimper. "Touch me, Jake."

He nodded and I just followed his lead. His hand slid from my backside to my hip where it gently pushed me back. I shifted so I was lying on my back, but I didn't let go of his hair. He hovered over me, his eyes never leaving mine, as his hand slowly moved over my thigh. My heart was already threatening to burst with how hard it was beating, and I continued to pant as he gently pushed on my inner thigh. I realized as I spread my legs where he wanted to touch me.

I moaned. Loudly. My hips left the floor and I pulled his head down hard to kiss me. His hand kept up the torturously slow motion as he touched the inner side of my other thigh. He broke the kiss again, and I whimpered.

"Please, Jake." I'm sure I was begging, but I didn't care.

He nodded, and suddenly I felt the pressure of his fingers in the most glorious place. Bright sparks of pleasure shot through me, and I bit my lip hard as I tried not to scream. His fingers moved, and there was no hope of being quiet. My hips bucked into him and I moaned louder than I'd anticipated. My fingers tugged his hair, but not to pull him closer. Just to have something to tug on. He groaned and his fingers start moving faster.

My back arched off the floor as I panted out moans and what I'm sure sounded like growls. My mind and body had parted ways, and all I could see, feel, hear, touch, and taste was Jacob. My whole body started shaking and I turned my head, pushing my face into his arm as I cried out.

Suddenly all of the sparks and shakes and moans culminated into one huge firework. It felt like I'd exploded, and the only thing left of me was where Jacob's fingers were moving and circling quickly. My body slowly began piecing back together with each flowing aftershock of pleasure.

When I finally opened my eyes again, the room was very dark. The fire had turned to embers, and I could barely see him right in front of me.

"I love you," he whispered.

I turned to curl myself into him. "I love you, too." I was so content it felt like I should be purring.

He kissed my head. "I'm going to get the fire going again, okay?"

I nodded lazily and let him slip away from me. Once the flame was bright again, he turned to give me another kiss.

"I'll be right back."

I nodded again and closed my eyes as he got to his feet and walked off. It wasn't until he returned relaxed that I realized he'd been tense before he left.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I rested my head on his shoulder. He was on his back again, and I propped myself up on my elbow. The more I thought about what had just happened, the more I realized I'd left him completely unsatisfied.

He smiled at me and played with my hair. "Yes, I'm fine. How do you feel?"

"Incredible." I'm sure I blushed. "Um…do you…want…?" I trailed off, not sure how to ask him if he needed something. I'd never touched anyone like that, I had no idea how to even…I was totally clueless.

"Want what, honey?" He touched my cheek.

"Do you want me to…touch you?" The only thing I knew was what I'd learned in Sex Ed. I reached down to his pants, but he stopped me before I got that far. He took my hand and brought it to his lips.

"I'm okay for tonight, baby. I already took care of it."

I raised an eyebrow. Oh… Oh! I blushed hard at the images that popped into my head. He chuckled and held me tighter.

"Okay." I was sure that, after tonight, I would have a permanent blush on my cheeks.

We were both quiet again for a long time, just staring into the fire and listening to the wind howl outside. It was still snowing, and the power was still out. We had planned on him taking me home tonight, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go back out. I was warm and cozy right here.

"Jake?"

He met my eyes, and I felt his fingers in my hair.

"Would it be okay if I stayed here with you tonight?"

He nodded without hesitation. "I'd really like that."

I snuggled closer to him and nuzzled my face into his neck. We were silent until the fire had dwindled to embers again. Jake put the fire out and held my hand as we went to his bedroom. He let me borrow a pair of sweats that were positively huge on me, but it was better than nothing.

His bed was so much more comfortable than the floor. He held me close again, and I realized when we settled down that I was tired. I yawned and kissed his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Jake."

He kissed my forehead. "Goodnight, Nessie."

Thanks for reading! Have a safe and happy holiday. Oh, and hit the review button to make my holiday a little more cheerful with your thoughts!

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