"Hey Emily," Jacob greeted as the woman gestured him into the house. She shooed him over to the table before plopping down a large platter of chicken in front of him. "Thanks," he said, taking a leg and digging in. "Is Sam here?" he asked between bites.
"He should be home any minute," a beat of silence and then, "How are you holding up Jacob?"
"I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not it's harder than I thought it would be," he grumbled, appetite suddenly gone as he remembered his awkward non-date with Bella and Edward earlier. Before Emily could respond, Sam came into the kitchen. Jacob watched enviously as Sam placed a kiss on Emily's scarred cheek and wrapped her in a hug. He quickly wiped his undoubtedly sour expression off his face as Sam turned to him.
"How's it going Jake?" Sam asked, although he could probably guess the answer just from looking at him.
"Oh, you know, fantastic," Jacob mumbled sarcastically. A look passed between Sam and Emily before she muttered something about laundry and left the room. Sam sat down across from Jacob and looked at him expectantly. Jacob caved.
"It's just so hard Sam. I mean, Edward wants me to be his friend and believe me I'm thrilled he even wants to have anything to do with me. But these aches and these feelings…they're tearing me up inside!" Jacob swallowed down the lump in his throat and blinked away the tears that threatened to spill over. "I just feel so lost. I don't know what to do with myself."
Sam's expression was unreadable. "So, despite Edward's claims that he only wants you to be there as his friend, you still have a desire to be with him? Romantically?"
Jacob nodded miserably, hanging his head and feeling quite pathetic now that he heard his own feelings voiced out loud.
"That's quite odd. If Edward only wanted you as a friend, then you should only be having platonic feelings towards him. You become what your Imprintee needs you to be. I can guarantee you that Quil doesn't have romantic feelings towards Claire." Sam looked pensive. "Are you sure he only wants you to be his friend?"
Jacob's head snapped up at that, looking both shocked and little hopeful.
"He made that abundantly clear when he brought Bella over to visit this afternoon," Jacob sneered. He didn't feel any ill will towards Bella, truly. She had done nothing wrong. But her position in the whole situation was unfortunate. Sam pursed his lips in thought.
"Perhaps…perhaps Edward isn't being wholly truthful about how he feels towards you," Sam said quietly, yet firmly. Jacob didn't want to get his hopes up, he really didn't. But the thought that there was even the tiniest possibility that Edward felt for him just a fraction of what Jacob felt sent his heart into overdrive.
"Sam, you can't just say things like that," Jacob pleaded miserably.
"I don't want to instill hope where there is none. But if you feel romantically towards him then that is a reflection of what he needs from the Imprint. If he truly—truly—wanted to just be your friend, then your feelings would be purely platonic. I think there's more going on here than he is letting on. Just give it time. Give him time. My guess is he's still sorting out how he feels about this whole thing." Sam's words only made that faint glimmer of hope burn brighter in Jacob's chest and he suddenly ached to be near Edward. He stood from the table.
"Thanks Sam. Really. Tell Emily thanks for the food. I'll see you later," with that, Jacob left, determined to talk to Edward and ask just what he thought he was doing.
Jacob didn't dare get too close to the Cullens' house. He knew that they could probably smell him already and he didn't want to set up the alarm in case they perceived his presence as a threat. He also didn't want Edward to find him before Jacob figured out what he wanted to say. He couldn't exactly outright accuse Edward of having more-than-friendly feelings for him, especially if he ended up being wrong about the whole thing. Jacob wasn't even sure if he wanted to confront Edward about it tonight anyway. Truth be told, he just wanted to be closer to him. Jacob could smell Edward's scent all around the Cullens' property. It was intoxicating. Still sickening sweet, but there was a comfort that came along with it.
"Well I'm glad that I don't smell as bad as the wolves have let on," a voice murmured amusedly from the darkness. Jacob whipped around. 'Shit. Edward.'
"And here I thought you'd be happy to see me," Edward said as he emerged from the shadows and approached Jacob, amused smirk firmly in place.
"You, er, weren't supposed to know I was here," Jacob grumbled, displeased at having been found out. Edward snorted.
"That's likely. I could smell you from miles off. Your scent is very distinct." Jacob wasn't sure why that made his heart flutter in pleasure but he chose to ignore it in favor of confronting the vampire before him.
"What do you want from me?" Jacob asked bluntly, deciding to not beat around the bush.
"Unswerving loyalty," Edward replied sarcastically, clearly still amused at Jacob's embarrassment at having been caught snooping around the property.
"I'm serious. Sam says I shouldn't be feeling…this way if you truly just wanted to be friends and nothing more." Jacob was feeling unusually brave in the face of his Imprint, the new information Sam had revealed providing a surge of courage.
"That's ridiculous. I'm with Bella. I love Bella." Edward's voice was cool and impassive, almost robotic. Jacob was starting to associate that tone of voice with the feeling that Edward was trying to hide something from him. He didn't like it.
"Why don't you tell me the truth? It's just us out here. I have a right to know if you're jerking me along and being dishonest about your feelings."
"You have no such right. I didn't ask for this Imprint. I didn't ask for this…this complication to my life." All right, that stung a bit. Actually, it stung a lot. Jacob didn't like feeling that he was a burden to Edward. He wanted to make Edward happy, to give him what he needed. Edward huffed at Jacob's thoughts. "What I need is for you to realize that nothing romantic will ever happen between us. My future rests with Bella. You're more than welcome to join that future, but only as a friend. Nothing more." Edward's voice was adamant. Jacob's shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Okay, if that's how you truly feel—" Edward nodded, "—right, I'll just...er…" He turned to leave, preparing to phase.
"Jacob, wait." Jacob inwardly cursed at his automatic obedience to the command. All he wanted to do was run home and crawl under his sheets. He refused to turn and face Edward. Looking at him hurt too much right now. He felt Edward approaching him and Jacob held his breath, damning his heart for beating so loudly, knowing that the vampire could hear it.
"Please, don't," he begged pitifully, "Don't come any closer. I can't handle it right now." Edward stopped, mere inches away. Jacob couldn't tell if he wanted Edward pressed up against him or on the other side of the clearing.
"Please look at me." Jacob sighed as he was forced to obey the command, turning to face the breathlessly beautiful man before him, wanting nothing more than to lunge at him and kiss those undoubtedly cold lips. Edward raised his hand, reaching towards Jacob's face. Jacob was struck with déjà vu, recalling the night Edward had snuck into his room. However, this time, Edward's palm came into contact with Jacob's cheek and he thought he would explode from the feeling of the cold hand touching him. Jacob was sure that not even heaven could compare to this, this closeness with his Imprint.
Edward stepped closer, their bodies now inches apart as his thumb stroked Jacob's cheek and his topaz eyes searched his face. Once again, Jacob was struck with the thought that maybe Edward was about to kiss him. The vampire leaned in, and Jacob's eyes fluttered close. He felt cool breath ghost across his lips as Edward whispered his name, "Jacob."
"What's the mutt doing here Edward?" a pretty voice asked nastily from somewhere in the direction of the house. Both boys froze and Edward slowly turned around. Jacob studied the beautiful blonde vampire that stood before them. She had a cruel sneer on her face as she took in the no-doubt scandalous looking scene. Edward quickly stepped away before clearing his throat.
"Jacob, meet my sister, Rosalie Hale. Rosalie, this is—"
"I know who he is. He's the one stirring up trouble over in La Push. The one you keep sneaking off to visit in the middle of night." Rosalie didn't even look at Jacob, her focus trained on Edward, her face curled in a smirk of unsuppressed glee. "Does Bella know you're out here Edward? Isn't this usually the time you go sneak in through her window to watch her sleep?" Edward stiffened at that, taking another step away from Jacob, who suddenly decided that he hated Rosalie.
"I was just about to head inside," Edward replied, voice stilted and cold. Jacob inwardly despaired at the sound of that indifferent voice.
"I'm sure," Rosalie replied before turning on her heel and heading back to the house.
Once she was out of sight, Edward sighed and turned back to Jacob.
"I'm sorry about her, she's a bit…harsh."
"Yeah, no kidding," Jacob replied sourly. He was bitter at having a potential moment with Edward ruined so abruptly.
"I should probably head back," Edward said, though it was obvious he was dreading it. Jacob nodded morosely.
"Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked, feeling utterly pathetic for seemingly the hundredth time since the Imprint started.
"Of course. Bella and I will come by after school," Edward replied coolly. Jacob wanted to protest. He wanted to kick and scream and tear his hair out in frustration. But he did none of that. Instead, he nodded stiffly at Edward before turning to leave, phasing mid-run. He didn't stop running until he was in front of his house.
As Jacob lay in bed waiting for sleep to take him, he let his mind wander. He thought about Edward, about the sound of his voice and the scent of his skin, the way he looked and the way that he moved. Jacob let himself become immersed in thoughts of his Imprint, and the effect was dizzying.
Jacob eventually fell asleep with the scene from earlier that night playing over and over in his head. He could almost feel the coldness of Edward's hand on his cheek, could almost taste the sweetness of his breath as it ghosted across his lips. And despite how frustrated and angry he had been earlier, Jacob fell asleep with a smile on his face.
That was the first night that Jacob dreamt of Edward.
Cold lips, hard as stone, pressed against his throat. Jacob groaned and threaded his fingers through Edward's hair, holding him close. Strong arms encircled his waist as Edward's weight held Jacob down against the mattress. The lips on his throat moved down to his collarbone, and he both felt and heard Edward breathing in his scent.
A cold tongue teased the indent above his collarbone before licking a stripe all the way up his throat to just below his ear. Jacob thrust up against Edward's weight, gasping as he felt another erection meeting his own. The two writhed together, rutting against each other slowly. Jacob felt strong, cold hands gripping his wrists and moving his hands upwards before pinning them on the pillow above Jacob's head. Edward maneuvered himself so he was no longer lying on top of Jacob, but straddling him instead. Jacob gasped and moaned as Edward ground down onto Jacob's hardness.
'You're mine,' Edward whispered in his ear and Jacob nodded vigorously as the words caused him to involuntarily thrust up against his Imprint. Edward took Jacob's earlobe in his teeth and Jacob whimpered, feeling his orgasm build.
Jacob let out a whine of protest as Edward stilled his hips and pulled back. 'Look at me Jacob,' Edward's voice ordered and Jacob's eyes flew open and stared hungrily into topaz depths. Edward's face was so close, lips mere inches away.
As if reading Jacob's mind—which, Jacob reminded himself, he probably was—Edward leaned in closer, the look in his eyes a fiery intensity, before swooping down and claiming Jacob's lips in a burning kiss. Jacob gasped at the electric shock that coursed through him at the contact and felt his eyes roll back in his head when Edward's tongue sought out his own. It was so icy cold that it almost felt like fire in his mouth. Jacob welcomed all of it, opening up under Edward like a flower.
Edward's hips starting circling and grinding again and with the added sensation of his lips against his own, Jacob felt himself approaching orgasm with staggering speed. He thrust up once, twice, and then he exploded.
'Edward!'
Jacob shot out of bed, disoriented. It took him a few seconds to realize that he wasn't currently pinned under his favorite vampire and had, indeed, come in his boxers as he had slept. Groaning at the sticky mess, Jacob threw back the covers. He padded over to the door when he felt a slight breeze behind him. Turning quickly, Jacob realized that his window was open, the curtains fluttering. Had he left it open all night? It wasn't a common practice for him. Perhaps he had, unless…
Unless Edward had been here. Momentarily forgetting the mess in his boxers, Jacob rushed to the window, squinting out into the night. Nothing. But of course, if Edward didn't want to be seen then he wouldn't. That is if he had been here at all. Jacob sighed. Choosing to leave the window open for reasons that Jacob didn't wish to examine too closely, he turned towards the bathroom to clean up.
After wiping himself off with a towel and changing into a fresh pair of boxers, Jacob fell into bed. If Edward had been here, then he most definitely would have seen Jacob's dream through his thoughts. Jacob couldn't decide if that idea was more embarrassing or exciting. With his thoughts all the way across the border, Jacob fell into a fitful sleep.
