Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer, the creator of Twilight.
Bella had been right. Her work had been cut out for her.
Finally, after hearing Jacob's unanswered pleas fall uselessly on the panel of the wooden door and the mournful somber tones of Beethoven flowing down the stairs towards her, Bella stood up and made her way down the hall.
Jacob saw her and gave her a small tight smile, his eyes pleading and yet relieved.
"She won't let me in." Renesmee's sniffles and ragged sobs peppered the air between them.
Bella nodded and turned towards the door, placing both palms flat on the cedar, as she leaned against it.
She was about to speak when she felt him right behind her; close enough to feel the heat emanating from his body. How was it possible someone was that hot?
She had asked him at the beginning of dinner if he was feeling alright. When he had stared at her in confusion, she had clarified with "It's just that you're so hot, Jacob. When we shook hands before, you feel as if you have a fever…." She had laid a hand against his forehead and then blushed furiously when everyone stared at her in shock.
"Mom…." Renesmee was just as red as she was and looking like she could die. Edward was scowling at her for showing any kindness to the unwelcome intruder into their family.
She had dropped her hand and went back to her dinner. "I'm sorry. Forgive me," she had whispered nervously.
Jacob had chuckled warmly. "Not at all, Bella. I do run a little hotter than most people. Doc says it's something with my body temperature so everyone always thinks I have a fever. It's been that way since I was about 16 or so."
He had then waited until he caught her eye again and gave her a reassuring smile to show her he hadn't been offended or weirded out by her concern. When Renesmee had been absorbed in regaling her father with a summary of her classes and what she had learned this past semester, Jacob had casually let his hand brush against hers, making her nearly gasp at the contact. With that rush of heat came comfort that quickly calmed her nerves. At the time, she had thought it accidental. But now, she wasn't so sure.
She was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. For some reason, he was pushing her physical boundaries and rather than being the strong, level-headed woman she normally is, she found herself allowing him to. She was very confused and a little annoyed. More so herself than at him.
She turned her head slightly to look at him and her heart jumped. He was a lot closer than she had initially expected. If she dared to move forward just an inch, not even, her hairline would brush against his bottom lip.
His eyes were focused on the door, almost as if he could somehow burn holes through the wood, seeing the girl he loved in hopes of getting her sobs to cease. He seemed to sense Bella's gaze on him, causing him to turn and meet Bella's eyes.
That little smile appeared again, his eyes unashamedly pleading with her to work her magic.
Bella slowly let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She shook her head gently, trying to clear away all of the clutter in her mind that seemed to accumulate in his presence and brought her eyes back to the door in front of her.
He was genuinely concerned for her daughter. She wanted to smack herself across the face for even entertaining such horrifying notions. It must be the wine, blurring what little sanity she had left from her family's display earlier.
Although, she didn't recall consuming more than half a glass the entire night. This only made her feel more disgusted with herself.
"Renesmee," The sobs dropped a notch in volume but continued none the less. "Sweetheart, please let me in."
They waited silently for a minute, anxiously awaiting to hear the click of the lock.
Nothing.
Bella turned to meet Jacob's dark eyes again. He looked upset, worried. Her heart constricted with warmth at the care and concern he showed for her daughter. Renesmee had found a good one.
She broke her stare and knocked softly on the door. "Sweetheart, come on. We're all worried about you out here. Open the door and let me in." The sobs continued, unbroken in their rhythm. "Please."
The sobs stopped and the sniffles took over. To Bella's relief, they moved closer until she heard the click she had been anxiously waiting for. Bella gripped the knob, turning to throw a small smile at Jacob, who in turn gave her a relieved one and a slight nod in understanding, before she opened the door and walked in, closing it quietly behind her.
Renesmee's beautiful face was raw with the hurt and frustration she was feeling. Her chocolate eyes were glistening with the pain she was feeling. Bella's heart ached for her.
"Aw sweetheart, it's going to be okay. I promise. Come here."
Renesmee rushed into her awaiting arms and clung tight. Bella stroked her curls gently as she shushed in her ear. "It's okay, sweetie. I promise. I'll talk to your father."
Renesmee pulled away, a look of revulsion on her young face.
"My father?!" Bella winced at the increase in shrill volume. "He doesn't have the right to be called my father. How dare he think he can talk to me like that, treat me the way he did in front of my fiancé?! I'm nineteen, Mom! I'm an adult! He has to stop treating me like a child!"
Internally, Bella rolled her eyes at the dramatics coming from her daughter but she sympathized with her as well. Edward had been irrational and unjustified in his overreaction tonight. And she would speak with him about it. But right now, things needed to calm down. And quickly.
"Sweetheart, I know you're an adult. I understand that. Your father does, too. He's just having...a hard time with all of this. I mean, here you are, a beautiful young woman, all grown up, who recently just got engaged. It's hard on him, you know? First, you went away to school, you haven't been home in a while-"
"But Mom-"
"I know. I know why not but my point is, he hasn't seen you in a while and then a few days ago, you call up and drop the news that you're not only engaged but engaged to someone we don't know, someone we've never met before. It's a lot to take in, Renesmee."
"But Mom I-"
"I know. I know that. Listen, I'm not saying he was right in the way he acted tonight. I'm not. But look at it from his perspective, honey. This isn't easy for him. And he hasn't really had a free minute to let this digest properly. He's been busy at work plus we were scrambling to get everything ready for you and Jacob to come here. I mean, it's been a rough few days on him. And you know, he still thinks of you as his little girl. No matter how old you get, you're always going to be his little girl."
"But Mom, I'm not a little girl! I'm nineteen!"
"I know you are, honey. I know. Listen, I will talk to your father, okay? So don't worry about that. But Renesmee,"
Renesmee looked at her fearfully for Bella's tone had gone from soft and tender to stern and serious in a second.
"You should have told us that you were living with Jacob. And that you were considering leaving school. Not to mention how serious you and Jacob have been getting. It's not right to keep those kinds of big decisions from us, especially since we're paying your intuition." Bella leveled her gaze at her daughter. She hated being strict with her but Renesmee had really let her down and cruelly disappointed her. How could she keep these things from them? From her mother?
Renesmee sniffled and bit her lower lip, intent on the piece of floor she was focusing on, refusing to meet her mother's eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom. It's just...well...I didn't want Dad flipping out on me if he knew. You know how he gets."
Bella sighed. Yeah, she did know. Tonight had been a prime example. But still, that didn't mean Renesmee was off the hook. "Yes, but he's still your father. And I'm still your mother. You should have told me."
Renesmee sniffled once more, then looked at her mother with teary eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom." Her voice was breaking as she waited for her mother's next words.
Bella gave her a small smile in gentle reassurance. "It's alright, honey. Just please...don't do it again. Keep us in the loop, let us know what's going on with you. That way we might avoid these types of reactions in the future." Bella inclined her head upwards in the direction of the office on the level above to accentuate her meaning.
Renesmee nodded, letting a few more tears fall onto her cheeks with the motion, sniffled and then threw her arms around her mother.
Bella closed her eyes and smiled, wrapping her daughter in a tender embrace.
After a minute or two, Bella pulled away slowly to look at her daughter. "Now, what do you say we clean up and go out there to see Jacob? He's very worried about you."
Renesmee nodded again and wiped under her eyes. She turned towards the sink to wash her face. Bella continued to stroke her hair while she waited patiently for her to finish up.
After much primping and a last assessment in the mirror, Bella have her daughter a final assuring nod and a warm smile. Renesmee smiled in return and opened the door to find Jacob standing there, looking relieved.
He held out his arms and Renesmee ran straight into them, burying her face into his chest. He kissed the side of her head lovingly and hugged her tight. He then tilted his head to whisper to her. "You okay?"
Renesmee nodded against him and buried herself further into him. He sighed and buried his head down into her neck, closing his eyes.
Bella quietly sidestepped them and made her way back into the dining room to give them their privacy. She could still hear the music being blasted down the stairs as she passed them. She just glared back at it, shaking her head and sighing. She'd deal with that one later.
She slowly made her way to the table and began gathering the plates. She piled them one on top of the other carefully, making sure to scrape any leftover food onto the top plate before she did. She then carried them into the kitchen and placed them on the counter.
She repeated this process several times until she only had the chicken and the mashed potatoes left. She decided to let them wait a minute and began to clear the first dish, scraping the food into the garbage.
Tonight had been a very weird night yet typical. She just couldn't wait for it to be over. She knew she still had one thing left to do before she could sink into the escape of sleep. And that was deal with her ornery child-acting husband. She sighed heavily. That was not going to be fun at all.
She placed the last dish in the dishwasher, rinsed her hands quickly in the sink and quickly dried her hands on the dish towel in the drying rack. She turned around to go and get the last items from the table when she almost bumped into Jacob, the two large plates in his hands.
She gasped and held her hand to her mouth. She hadn't meant to but he had scared her. She hadn't even heard him come into the kitchen.
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."
Her chest was still heaving up and down rapidly but she cleared her throat quietly and made a valiant effort to speak. She moved her hand down to her chest, hoping it would help her gain some control over her speeding heart. "That's okay. I just didn't hear you come in."
He smiled that warm genuine smile at her and again she felt as if she were losing herself in this man that she had just met. His eyes, bright and inviting, were pulling her in. She could feel herself falling as if standing on the very edge of a cliff.
"Yeah. I...kinda figured."
She forced a smile in return as she snapped herself back to reality. Damn, she had been caught staring. Again. Dammit.
"Here. Let me take those for you."
She held out her hands but instead of giving them to her, he turned and placed both dishes on the empty counter beside her. He had moved a little closer to her in order to do this and her heart sped up even faster. He was so close to her she could smell him. Something woodsy and musky. Before she could do anything, she caught herself inhaling deeply.
The scent worked its way into her nostrils and down her throat, filling her body, her veins, her blood, making her heady with the tantalizing aroma. Her eyes shut halfway and the hairs on her arms stood on end. A shocking chill swept through her just then, leaving her nearly breathless. In his efforts, he had accidentally brushed the side of her body. It had only been for a second but an overpowering second for Bella nonetheless.
His forearm had grazed her side when placing the plates down causing that full body shiver that almost caused her to fall to her knees. She had a shirt on and his arm was covered by the sleeve of his shirt. She wondered if that had been her body's reaction to just the feel of him through fabric, what would the feeling be like with nothing in between them. Just skin on skin.
And that thought made her come to her senses quickly and move away before he could take in her reaction to his close proximity. She turned back to the sink, silently cursing herself for getting the dishes done so now she wouldn't have enough to keep her busy so she could avoid him.
Him. Her guest. No. More than that. Her future son-in-law. Her daughter's fiancé. What the hell was wrong with her?
Bella closed her eyes and took a deep silent breath. Then she opened them and turned on the sink, beginning to wet the sponge and apply detergent to it. "Thank you."
She knew he heard her. He hadn't moved since he placed the plates down. For some reason, he wouldn't. And each second he didn't was another torturing second for Bella. She began to get irritated. What the hell was he doing?
She couldn't put the food away, not yet. That would require turning and facing him and she wasn't sure she could do that. But now, she was out of dishes. So she began wiping the sink down. And with each stroke of the sponge, she let out a silent plea. Please go back into the dining room. Please go see her. Please step back. Please. Please. Please.
She could feel herself about to lose control and turning around, asking him to give her space. The proper amount of space a man should give his future mother-in-law, especially with his fiancée and her father in the house.
She rinsed the sink for the third time when she finally reached her breaking point. She shut off the sink, dropped the sponge and turned to look at him.
His eyes were tight with worry and it startled her. What was he worried about? Had he felt the same thing she had?
But that was easily avoidable. He just needed to step back and all proper boundaries would be restored. So why worry when it was such an easy thing to fix?
"Is there something you needed, Jacob?"
He winced. She silently cursed herself again. She hadn't meant to sound so harsh. It's just...he was making her very uncomfortable right now. She was having thoughts no mother should have about the man her daughter is going to marry. No married mother. And as hard a time as she was having pushing away those thoughts on her own, he didn't need to make it any harder by standing less than two feet from her.
He looked down and placed a hand on the back of his neck. He began to rub it slowly and then chanced a glance back at her. "Sorry. I, uh, I just wanted to make sure...that you were...okay."
Bella's eyes widened and then narrowed at him. He looked nervous. With each rub of his neck, he stroked away her irritation, making way for sympathy and reassurance.
She smiled a small smile. "I'm fine. Why would you think I wasn't?"
He lowered his eyes again, his arm ceasing its movements and bit his bottom lip. He dropped his hand and then looked up at her. "It's just that...well...I heard what you said in there. I didn't mean to, it's just I was worried about Nessie and so I stayed by the door and I wasn't eavesdropping, I swear." He stammered quickly once he saw Bella's eyes narrow even further upon hearing his reason for being anxious.
He bit his lip harder, dropped his head and took a deep breath. She felt her heart hurt for him and how stressed he seemed to be. She wanted nothing more than to assuage that anguish she could see written clearly on his young beautiful face. He was too young for worry lines.
And just like that, her brain shut off and her body began acting out of instinct. She took a step forward and placed her hand on his shoulder gently.
"Hey."
He looked up at her, the worry still there. She smiled wider at him.
"What is it that you heard me say?"
He bit his lip again.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know...I mean, I had no idea that she hadn't told you that...well...that she was...living with me."
Bella nodded and shrugged.
"Well, yes, she should have told us but I don't understand why you would feel the need to apologize for it. It was her responsibility, not yours. We didn't even know each other before tonight, so how could you have told us?"
Her words had meant to be comforting, reassuring even. They were anything but. His face looked even sadder and his eyes tightened further, his head dropping back down to stare at the floor behind her.
"I know."
Her eyes narrowed even further.
He met her eyes and whispered to her.
"I just wish..."
She stared into those dark depths, suddenly very conscious of the heat against her hand that somehow was still glued to his shoulder.
She went to remove it and as she slowly pulled it back, he grasped it gently. She gave him a warning look and tried to pull her hand back again but he wouldn't let go.
She tilted her head and looked at him sternly. She hated that she had to be like this with him. She genuinely liked him but right now, he was pushing it and fast.
"Jacob..."
He smiled at her despite the warning in her voice. Not a cocky or mischievous smile. Just that heartwarming smile with a little shyness behind it.
He began to massage the back of her hand with his thumb softly.
She could feel the heat beginning to spread throughout the area he was rubbing back and forth with the rough pad of his thumb. She felt a miniscule version of the chill she felt earlier sweep through her, making her gasp and widen her eyes from the effect of it.
How was he doing this to her?
And better yet, why was he doing this to her?
She swallowed thickly and looked down to where their hands were touching.
"J-Jacob..."
He didn't stop, only took a step closer to her, bringing them within inches of each other.
She went to take a step back when her back hit the counter behind her.
The way he had moved forward positioned him in front of her and around her. She was trapped and there was no escape.
She lifted her eyes to his angrily.
It pissed her off even more that the smile was still there on his face and he was looking at her...hopefully?
Was he serious?
She should rip her hand out of his, slap him, push him back, yelling at him to get away from her, but somehow those eyes wouldn't let her. They paralyzed her. She didn't want to do any of that. A traitorous part of her wanted to stay right here, like this, with him.
She injected as much venom in her tone as she could.
"Jacob, please step back."
He stared down at her earnestly.
"No."
Her eyes widened further. Did he just tell her no? Was he suicidal? All she had to do was yell for her husband and this ma-boy would be out the door so fast he wouldn't know what hit him.
She gritted her teeth.
"Jacob, I suggest you step back and let me pass. This is very inappropriate."
The smile wiped from his face and he whispered to her again but still wouldn't move or release her hand.
"What's inappropriate?"
She stared at him incredulously. Was he kidding?
She glared at him.
"You know what I'm referring to. You are making me very uncomfortable. Now I suggest you stop and move away before Mr. Cullen sees you."
The threat was very clear in her tone. A pained expression crossed his face and he lowered his eyes. Good. She would not tolerate this.
But instead of adhering to her wishes, he merely stopped rubbing her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it reverently before releasing it.
His eyes lifted to hers and she winced at the sadness she saw in there.
"I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."
He stepped back and hung his head.
As pissed as she had been a minute ago, she now felt regretful of being so harsh with him.
Hadn't he told her that his mother died when he was very young? Shit. That must be it then. From what he had told her, his father had never remarried and it sounded like there wasn't a female touch in the Black household growing up except for his sisters. And she was sure that those girls had been far too busy growing up themselves, consumed with boys and talking on the phone and going to the mall, than to worry about Jacob and what he needed. Maybe this was the reason then. Maybe he didn't know how to act around her.
She just needed to set the boundaries, that's all. Then all would be well, no further problems.
She moved forward and cupped his chin gently, as she would do with Renesmee, and lifted his head slowly to meet her. His eyes were sadder than before if that was possible.
"Jacob. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be...rude or mean in any way. It's just that...well...there's certain things that are...inappropriate. That's all. We steer clear of those and we'll be fine. Okay?"
Jacob nodded and then she saw his eyes flicker down to her mouth. Did he really just do that? Then his eyes flickered back up to hers. She felt a shock to her system when she thought of just how those lips would feel kissing hers. Shit. She needed to snap out of it and fast.
She removed her hand and he frowned.
"Why is this inappropriate, Bella?"
Her jaw dropped. No, there was no way that he was that naive. Mother or no. Female presence or not, growing up. No way.
"Okay, Jacob. Listen. Let's get something straight. You're engaged to my daughter. And I am married to your father-in-law to be. Okay? Now listen, you seem like a nice boy," She saw him wince at the word. Good. This point needed to be driven home. "And I like you. You seem good for Renesmee. But if this is some kind of game, then you need to get all of this out of your head and stop right now. Because I will not stand for this. Keep making a move on me and you will be out of here so fast, you won't know wha-"
His eyes flashed and he leaned forward and kissed her, cutting off her rant.
It was like a jolt of electricity, like a lightning strike, stealing her breath away.
She pulled back and went to slap him hard when he caught her wrist.
"Okay, that's it. I want you out of here. Go now before I yell for Edward."
His eyes were lit up and he was breathing harshly, releasing her hand.
She pointed at the open archway.
"Go!"
His eyes flashed again and he lowered his hand.
"No."
She scoffed, lowered her hand and turned on her heel.
"Fine. I'll have Edward throw you out."
But he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her back into him.
She went to yell but he covered her hand with his mouth, forbidding any sounds to escape.
"Don't. I'm not trying to hurt you or make you uncomfortable or anything. I just..." He sighed heavily into her ear. She tried to struggle but he held her tight. "I don't know why I feel this way, Bella. Ever since I met you...I can't stop thinking about you. I know that's wrong and I'm sorry. I'm not like this, I promise you. I'm not some guy who's just led around by his dick and looking for the next fuck. Nessie's been the only one for me, the only one I've ever wanted. I haven't even looked at another woman since. But you...there's something about you. I don't know what it is but it's driving me crazy, making me think things..." He shook his head and she could see him on the side of her. Was this man insane? Was he going to hurt her? Should she elbow him in the ribs right now? Had her daughter been shacked up with a psycho all this time? Oh God.
He sighed again and turned to look at her. "It's like I can't control it. I want to be near you. No. I have to be near you. I know this all sounds insane and I've pretty much just convinced you I'm off my rocker but I swear to you, Bella, I'm not like this. This has never...happened before. I can't make sense of it. And I think you feel the same way, too. I saw how you reacted when I touched you earlier."
She internally groaned. Dammit.
He looked at her pleadingly.
"Bella, please help me. Please help me to make some sense out of this. I love Nessie and I don't want to feel this way about anyone but her. Please. Will you help me?"
She stared wide-eyed at him. How exactly did he plan on her helping him? What did he think she could do? And did he really expect her to fall for that one?
But as she looked into his eyes, something in there told her he wasn't lying. He was desperate, crazy desperate to figure out what was happening to him. And quite frankly, Bella didn't understand the attraction between them, either.
She gave a short nod.
He sighed in relief. "Thank you. I'm gonna take my hand away now. Will you please not yell? I don't want to hurt Nessie. If she finds out what I'm feeling..."
Bella gave another short nod.
"Okay."
He slowly lowered his hand and released her. She stepped away from him as far as she could.
He watched her go and made no movement to stop her.
She knew she should scream for Edward, yell for Renesmee and tell her everything, let her see this man for what he really was. But then she saw that pleading look in his eyes again. Damn him. How she was supposed to be rational about all of this?
She took a deep breath and held onto the edge of the counter to steady herself.
"Jacob. I think you should leave."
His eyes looked pained. "Bella, please. I-"
She shook her head vigorously. "No. You want me to help you, I'm helping you. Where's Renesmee?"
He dropped his head down disappointedly.
"She's upstairs with her dad."
Bella strained to listen. Sure enough, the music was no longer blasting. Shit. What if they had heard her down here with him? Fuck.
Bella nodded and took another deep breath. She listened once more, didn't hear a sound and continued.
She turned away, leaning into the counter, staring out the window so she wouldn't have to look at him.
"Okay. You're going to go get Renesmee and you're going to stick to her side like glue until you leave, which I suggest, is soon. And God help me Jacob, if I find out you're playing my daughter, I'll make you regret it. You got it?"
She turned to face him, his head still hanging low, his eyes on the floor. He nodded, not looking up at her.
She let out a breath. "Okay then."
His eyes lifted to hers and he looked hurt. She hated it when he looked that way at her. It was the first time he had ever done so and yet she hated it. She would never want him to look that way at her again. Ever. She would give anything...
"Bella, I'm sorry. I truly am."
He gave her a tight apologetic smile.
"Thank you for being kind and for your understanding. I'll leave you alone now."
He then turned around and began to walk out.
"Jacob!"
She couldn't help the squeak that escaped her mouth or the tight feeling in her stomach at the fear that if he walked out of the kitchen, she might never see him again.
He turned to look at her, his eyes pleading yet again.
Shit. What the hell was wrong with her?
She cleared her throat quietly and looked down at the counter.
"Maybe you should give them a few minutes. You know," She chanced a glance back up at him. "To work things out."
He nodded and smiled tightly again.
"I'll just wait in the living room then and wait for them to come back down."
And just like that, her brain left the room altogether.
She looked at him sadly.
"I'm sorry, Jake."
His eyes widened.
"What did you call me?"
She stammered. What had she said?
"J-Jake?"
His mouth dropped.
Her head was whirling. What? What was it that was making him look at her like that?
His mouth closed and she saw his jaw clench.
Shit.
Why was he angry with her all of a sudden?
For some unknown reason, she just couldn't bear to have him mad at her.
She dropped her eyes back down to the counter and sighed heavily.
"I-I'm sorry, J-Jake."
She gasped and covered her mouth.
She just said it again. Fuck.
Before she could look back up at him, fearing the worst, he was right beside her.
His left hand made it to her waist and grasped it tightly. Her removed her hand from her mouth and crushed his lips to hers, drowning out any protests she might have made.
Oh God, she should stop this. She needed to. What the fuck? Come on, Bella!
But her lips were moving with his and soon her hands were buried in his hair, tangling themselves within the short strands, pulling him closer, impossibly closer. It didn't even register that her husband and daughter, his fiancée, were upstairs. Once their lips connected, any other thoughts went right out the window. If it didn't feel like Jacob, smell like him, taste like him, it didn't exist.
He picked her up and placed her on the counter.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He stepped in between her parted legs and moved closer, the kiss never breaking, until he was right up against her.
She needed to stop this.
But instead of doing that, she moved towards him, to be closer, always closer. She didn't even stop herself when she wrapped her legs around him.
Fuck. This needed to stop. This was way past the boundaries. Way past.
And then she felt it.
His tongue glided along her lower lip, asking for entrance.
She was startled. His tongue had felt so deliciously warm and wet and smooth and rough all at the same time. What would it be like to kiss him, really kiss him?
She couldn't stop herself. She had to taste him. She slowly opened for him and he immediately thrust his tongue into her mouth, brushing against hers, begging it to move with his.
No. Don't.
But her tongue ignored her and willingly met each stroke of his. And when it did, a moan escaped him into her mouth, making her shiver.
She had made him moan?
Oh God. This needed to stop. Where the fuck was her will power? Why did it feel like she was watching the scene from the outside, watching someone else moving and kissing him like this, powerless to stop it?
And then she felt his hands.
They had been placed on either side of her hips but as they kissed, they had slowly glided up her sides, stopping just right beneath her chest. He softly stroked them up and down, never willing to move them anywhere else.
And then without her consent, her body moved even closer to his. She just needed to be closer. Even like this, he was too far away. She pulled his hair tighter as she moved forward, making him groan. Oh God, the sounds he made and what they did to her...
He tilted his head and deepened the kiss, hell bent on tasting her fully now, no longer patient for her tongue to match his slow movements. His hands finally moved and made their way to the small of her back, grasping. One hand dipped and lifted the hem of her shirt slightly and ran his splayed fingers against the bare skin of her back.
She broke the kiss and gasped. His skin was so warm on hers, it was like fire, a delicious fire that had her head leaning back, her eyes closed as he kissed her neck. He grasped her skin so tight she knew his fingernails were making indentations in her back and yet she wouldn't even think to ask him to stop.
And then he reached that spot, the one behind her ear and she gasped again, followed by a slight moan. She felt him smile against her skin and grasp her tighter.
"S-St-op. W-We h-have to. S-St-"
His lips covered hers again, this time taking her lower lip in between his teeth and pulling.
She groaned at the unexpected action.
He let her lip go but leaned in to whisper to her.
"I k-know we sh-should, Bella. But I-I c-can't."
Her half-lidded eyes stared at him.
His eyes were dark and there was a fire inside them.
He wanted her and bad. She could see it. And she could see that he was right, he wasn't going to stop, he couldn't.
And neither could she.
She pulled his face even closer to hers and looked at him sadly.
She didn't know what to say, how to make this right, how to fix it.
They had crossed the line and sprinted far away from it into the land of the forbidden.
How were they going to fix this? How was she ever going to live with herself knowing that she just cheated on her husband? With her daughter's fiancé? Oh God.
"Jake..."
His lips were on hers again but more gently this time.
He whispered his pleas into her mouth.
"Bel-la, pl-please don't ask me to st-op."
His hands were moving higher underneath her shirt, softly scratching their way up her back.
She laid her head back again but this time he went with her, unrelenting, unwilling to let her break away from him again.
And then his hands moved from underneath her shirt, making her whimper against his mouth, and he brought them to her face, taking it gently between them both.
"Bella..."
She looked at him and his eyes were still closed but he had stopped kissing her. They were both breathing heavily, swallowing repeatedly, trying to regain some oxygen that their lungs were desperately crying out for.
"Bella."
He had whispered it to her again.
His eyes slowly opened and looked at her. He lowered his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes and softly stroked her right cheek with his thumb.
Bella didn't move. She couldn't. It was as if she was frozen, stone even, and she just...couldn't.
"Bella."
She narrowed her eyes at him. That was the third time he'd said her name.
"Y-Yes?"
He smiled warmly at her.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes even further at him.
His smile melted away and he looked sadly at her.
Without warning, he kissed her nose gently and placed a strand of hair behind her ear. He then brushed his fingers across her cheek.
"Why now?"
Before she could ask him what he meant, there were footsteps on the stairs and she could hear her daughter's trilling voice. "Oh Daddy, stop being so old-fashioned! That's how it happens nowadays."
Within seconds, Jacob had lifted her down off the counter and pulled away, leaving her cold and empty, standing on the other side of the room, looking into the refrigerator as if searching for something. His hair was a bit disheveled but not horribly. She just hoped she looked presentable enough. She did a quick smooth down of her hair and clothes, then bit her lip and turned to the sink, turned on the water and began scrubbing the sink for the fourth time that evening.
And that's when it hit her. What the hell had she done?
His lips were like a brand, the feeling of them singed into her own and she was burning.
Shit.
"Jacob! There you are! Come here."
Bella heard the refrigerator door close and heard his footsteps leave the kitchen.
She stopped scrubbing and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
She felt alone, darker without him in the room. She craved his warmth near her.
Fuck, what had she done?
And then she heard her name.
"Bella."
And she wanted to cry when she realized it didn't sound as beautiful coming off those lips as it did his only moments ago. She was in hell. And rightfully so. She was paying for her sins now.
She dropped the sponge, rinsed her hands, turned the faucet off, dried them and walked out of the room to find her daughter in Jacob's arms, smiling happily and Edward smiling warmly at Bella.
The only one who wasn't looking her way was Jacob himself. He was staring down at Renesmee lovingly. And for some sick twisted reason, that stung.
No. She deserved this. She had allowed the unthinkable to happen, the forbidden. This was her fault. And she would accept whatever punishment fate decided to give her.
"Yes, Edward?"
He smiled that crooked smile she loved and held his hand out to her. She took it and he put his arm around her.
"Love, I've invited Renesmee and Jacob to stay here for the night. They have a hotel room but why pay money for a room when they can stay here? That's what family's for, right?"
Bella looked at him quizzically. Who was he and what had he done with her husband? Hadn't he just been sulking about this whole thing upstairs twenty minutes ago?
"Daddy," They both turned to look at Renesmee. Not surprisingly, Jacob's eyes never left their daughter's face. "We're paying the money, anyway. Besides, all our stuff is there. We'll be back tomorrow, I promise."
Edward smiled tightly. Ah, there he is.
"Well, Renesmee, I'm sure Jacob here could run back quickly and get it. I don't feel comfortable letting you both stay in a hotel, spending money, when we have a perfectly usable guest room right here in the house. You wouldn't mind, would you Jacob?"
Renesmee frowned and Bella glared at her husband.
"Edward..."
Renesmee looked back up at Jacob pointedly, trying to convey her displeasure with the whole situation.
Jacob looked down at the floor and cleared his throat quietly.
"Of course not, sir. I'll run and grab them now. We'd love to stay here. Thank you for the offer. It's very kind of you."
Edward smiled wickedly in triumph. Renesmee glared at Jacob and Bella sank into Edward's side.
What the hell could Jacob be thinking? As much as she wanted her daughter safely under her roof, with what just happened in the kitchen, it wasn't a good idea for him to be here. That was dangerous.
One look at his eyes when he finally lifted them to meet hers told her she was right.
Edward chuckled at her side and tightened his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder absentmindedly.
"Please. Call me Edward. Like Bella said, we're going to be family after all."
Bella swallowed and looked down.
Yes. Family indeed.
She looked back up to see Jacob kiss Renesmee on the head followed by a 'hmph' coming from her daughter, refusing to look at him. She saw him sigh heavily and then turn back to face them.
"I'll be back soon. Is there anything I can get for you while I'm out? Anything you need?"
All she wanted to do was grab him and throw her arms around him in a huge hug, never letting him go. How had he gotten to her so easily?
Edward smiled and looked down at her.
"Anything we need, love?"
Bella gave him a small smile and shook her head.
She then turned to Jacob whose eyes were following her every movement.
"No, Jacob. We're fine. Thank you."
His eyes looked at her sadly. Oh God, he wasn't even trying to hide it.
But to his credit, as soon as Edward turned to look at him, Jacob looked back at him and the sadness was gone. "Okay then. I'll leave now and be back shortly." He turned once more back to Renesmee who still refused to look at him and then walked out of the dining room into the foyer.
Edward chuckled again. "I have to say, I think I might like the boy after all."
Bella arched an eyebrow at him.
He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Feel like some coffee, love?"
She shook her head. "No, thank you, I'm okay. Would you like me to make some for you, though?"
He smiled wider. "No, that's okay. I'll make it. You cooked dinner. Why don't you go and relax?"
The guilt stabbed into her with such a force she was sure she'd never recover.
She bit her lip. "Okay. If you're sure."
He kissed her forehead again. "Positive."
He then turned to their still sulking daughter.
"Renesmee, care to join me?"
She glared at him.
"Don't think I don't see what you're trying to do, Daddy."
He looked at her innocently.
"I don't know what you mean, sweetheart. I just want you guys to save your money. You're getting married soon, after all."
She glared even more intensely at him.
"Uh huh."
He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Oh Renesmee, stop acting like such a child. You tell me you want me to treat you like an adult and yet you refuse to act like one. Come on, I'll make us some coffee and we can talk about your plans. We'll give your mother some time to rest. She spent all day cooking for you and Jacob."
And without waiting for a reply, Edward walked into the kitchen, clearly expecting his daughter to follow. Renesmee turned and glared at Bella instead. Even though Bella knew she deserved the ferocious look, she couldn't imagine that Renesmee knew the reason she did. So then what was she looking at her that way for?
"Thanks, Mom."
Bella looked at her in confusion. "For what, honey?"
Renesmee glowered at her. "You know what. Why didn't you say anything? Why did you let him talk to Jacob that way?"
Bella was completely lost now. What was she talking about?
"Honey, I don't know what you mean. Your father was completely respectful and polite to Jacob. What was I supposed to say?"
Renesmee went to answer but a soft yet stern "Renesmee," floated from the kitchen, cutting her off.
Renesmee blew her breath in a huff. "Whatever." And then she stomped off to the kitchen to join her father.
Bella sighed and ran a hand through her hair, stopping halfway.
Okay, she had fucked up big time and she just needed to relax and deal with the consequences. That could never happen again. And the sad, sinking feeling she felt deep in the pit of her stomach at the thought of never touching him again, never feeling his lips on hers or his hands on her skin, never hearing her name uttered so sweetly by that man, would just have to be banished to the deepest recesses of her soul.
She walked through the dining room into the foyer, intent on heading into the living room, when the front door opened, making her jump.
Jacob walked in and closed the door quickly. He narrowed his eyes at her and then looked back to the dining room, as if trying to see if she would be followed. He then looked in the other direction and ducked his head into the living room to see who was in there.
When satisfied, he stared at her and gave her that smile that was quickly becoming her favorite on him.
"I almost forgot,"
Her eyes widened. What? What had he forgotten that he clearly needed to tell her without the others around? Jesus, she needed to put a stop to all of this. She really did.
She was about to speak when he raised a hand, cutting her off.
"I just wanted to say,"
He stepped closer to her as he said it, making her take a step back when he grabbed her hand and held it in his gently yet firm, preventing her escape.
She looked at him pointedly.
He smiled wider, that fire back in his eyes.
"Thank you for dinner, Bella. I know you put a lot of time and effort into it and it was...incredible."
He moved in closer, making her breathing pick up and her heart race.
He lowered his head down a little so he could meet her eyes more evenly.
"Truly the best I've ever tasted."
Bella swallowed.
His smile turned into a smirk.
He wasn't talking about dinner.
She didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure she should say anything. Should she say 'you're welcome' or 'no trouble at all. glad you enjoyed it,' keeping up the charade? Or would that just encourage him more?
Dammit.
Again, what the hell had she gotten herself into?
He lifted her hand to his lips, making her gulp quietly, looking back to the dining room in worry when she felt his tongue against her skin. Her head jerked back towards his and he was kissing her hand sensually.
Oh God.
As good as it felt and even though it sent her senses into overdrive, she wasn't stupid enough to be caught like this. Not when her husband was barely two rooms away.
She went to retrieve her hand but he held it fast. He gave it another kiss and then gently lowered her hand back down and released it. She pulled it back and cradled it in her other one, as if he had burned her or something. She did feel as if she were on fire...
He leaned in more, making her nervous, wondering why she still had yet to take a step back from him.
He whispered into her ear, making her shiver with his warm breath.
"I can't wait to kiss you again, Bella."
Her breath caught and her eyes widened at his words.
"Truly the best I've ever tasted."
Okay yeah, she needed to back away now.
She began to step away when he whispered again.
"I can't wait to taste more."
She gasped again when she felt his tongue on her lobe in a quick movement before pulling away from her, his smirk the biggest she'd ever seen it.
"I'll see you soon, Bella."
He said it in a normal tone and she just nodded.
She didn't trust herself to speak right now.
And in a dangerously fast move, he leaned in quickly and kissed her cheek, a little too close to her mouth for her liking and then turned, opened the door, and walked out.
She looked quickly towards the dining room.
No one there. Thank God.
She then looked back to the closed door.
She the unmarked hand to her cheek where his lips had just burned her.
She could feel that fire spreading throughout her body, working their way to her very nerve endings, making her feel like a live wire.
She closed her eyes in helpless defeat.
Yes, tonight was going to be a very long one indeed.