A Moment's Hesitation
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
The phone rang making them both jump apart. The jarring ring made Bella wince as she stared up at Jacob. He was frowning and looked none too happy at the interruption. Bella wasn't sure whether she felt the same. She had been wavering, wondering whether to let Jacob kiss her or pull away at the last second. Now the decision had been taken out of her hands. The phone kept up it's insistent ringing. Jacob muttered under his breath as he reached out to answer it.
"No." Bella said suddenly, stopping him.
"What?" Jacob glanced at her briefly. "It's doing my head in."
"I should answer it. It might be my dad."
Jacob shrugged. "Alright." He stepped away from her a little so she had room to reach across and pick up the phone. She could still feel his incredible heat though and it was proving distracting.
"Hello." She placed a hand on Jacob's chest as she answered.
"Bella." The voice she had been fighting so hard to hear, nearly ending her life only hours earlier, was now speaking to her on the other end of the phone. She gripped the receiver tighter in her hand, her palm becoming sweaty as she heard him utter her name for a second time.
"Are you there, Bella?"
Jacob held onto Bella as she nearly collapsed onto the floor. He lifted her upright and pressed her back against the kitchen cupboards before placing his hands on either side of her face. "Hang up." He said fiercely. He had heard Edward's voice.
"Bella are you there? Please speak to me?" Edward's voice now sounded desperate.
"I'm here." Bella choked out.
She heard what sounded like a dry sob on the line before Edward spoke again. "I've been so worried. I thought...Alice's vision...thank god you are okay." Bella had never heard him stutter before. It sounded odd.
"Hang up." Jacob said again, his dark eyes boring into hers.
Bella stared back up at him. "I'm alive, Edward." She was surprised her voice sounded so steady. "Although it didn't bother you when you left me alone in the woods, did it?"
"Bella, I never intended to hurt you." Edward pleaded. "I did what I thought was best at the time, I really did. But I was wrong, so wrong."
"You've always been wrong." Bella replied bitterly. "Back then and now. You should have left me alone from the start and you should leave me alone now." She could hear him beginning to protest but she'd had enough. She hung up the phone.
"Finally." Jacob muttered as he leaned close and rested his forehead against hers. "Can I kiss you now?"
A small smile tugged at Bella's lips. "Yes." She said firmly as her eyes fluttered closed.
A/N-thanks for reading!