Chapter 6

I pulled on my swimsuit, and Jacob phased, deciding to run home, not wanting to take his chances with driving nude. I drove the Rabbit to his house, and occasionally, I would see a flash of red-brown fur in the forests by the road. As I drove, I thought. I really did love him. He was who I wanted to spend my life with. He would be good for me, and I needed him like I needed the air and the sun. He was my personal sun. Not Edward. He was a cloud across a perfect sky, obscuring that sun. But the cloud had blown away, and the sun warmed me once more.

With a jolt, I realized that Edward's name no longer tore at the hole in my heart. Because there was no hole in my heart anymore; My sun had filled it in. It wasn't like a wound that had healed. No, it was like I'd never been hurt by him. Like he'd never stepped into my life. I turned on the radio, listening to the sounds of music playing for the first time in 8 months.

I arrived home, (Jacobs house, no, the whole of La Push was home to me now.) and Jacob was sitting on the counter, wearing a fresh pair of jeans and nothing else, munching on a huge sandwich. I guess I must have been grinning like an idiot, because he just stared at me. I had smiled like that since Edward left. With a spring in my step, I skipped over to the old beat up radio, flipping the switch and dancing to the song. Jake stared for another second, then threw down his giant ham sandwich, (almost eaten by now) and jumped off the counter, hugging me so tightly I couldn't breathe.

"Bella! You're back! The real you!" he cried, swinging me in a huge circle.

I gasped for air, pounding his chest. "Can't … breathe…" He loosened, but didn't let go. I reached my hand up to pull my face out of my hair. To my surprise, my hand came away wet with tears. Jacob looked at me worriedly. "Bells, are you crying? Ah, shit, sorry," He pushed me away gently. "No," I said, face shining. "I'm back." And I latched onto him. "I can say his name now!" I cried, filled with joy. "See? Edward, Edward, Edward, Edward, Edw-"

"Okay, Bells, I get it!" He laughed, pulling me tight. I cuddled up to him, my face on his searing chest, and we stood there a minute, just letting it sink in. Turning my face up, I grabbed his shoulders, pulling myself up to his 6 foot 11, and I kissed him once, a tiny, chaste kiss. "I," kiss. "Love," another kiss, "You." The final kiss he put his hands under my ass, holding me tight against his body, kissing me back. "Love you too, Bells."

After what seemed like forever, I pouted into his lips. "Jake, you're too hot!"

He laughed into my mouth, tasting like pine and mint. "You too, Bells,"

"No, really! I'm sweltering over here! Lemme just put my clothes on, kay?"

"D'you have to?" he laughed again, putting me down on the kitchen floor. "Well at least let me help!"

I blushed at the thought, but took his big, warm hand, and let him lead me to his room. His red-brown skin blushed a little when I closed the door, but he shook it off, grabbing a leather cord off his bedside table. I just watched him as he pulled back his shaggy, glossy, hair into a loose ponytail. He was right; I did like it longer. I'd been very distressed when he cut it all off after he became a werewolf, but just like the rest of him, it grew fast.

Jake turned to me, his dark eyes intense. With his big hands, he delicately untied the halter strap of my suit, letting the fabric fall, attached only by the strap under my breasts. He caught his breath, but leaned towards me, looping his arms around my torso too slowly to untie the back. I felt his breath on my neck, and I shut my eyes, the tension too great to speak. He leaned back, letting go, and my top fell completely, leaving my chest bared.

Instead of staring, he looked deeply into my eyes, keeping his gaze there as he crouched low, his head level with my belly button. I gasped as his thumb grazed my hip, and I could feel the heat emanating off his body as he untied my bikini bottoms. With a soft rustle of fabric, the suit fell, leaving me naked in front of him. He never let his eyes leave mine, and the intensity of his gaze made it possible to look away.

Still looking intently at me, he bent, shuffling around in my bag blindly, finally pulling out the lacy sky-blue panties Renee had insisted on giving me for my 15th birthday. He pulled them on me slowly, his hands leaving a trail of fire where he touched. Never leaving my eyes, he rested his hands on my hips, still crouched. A deep, warm feeling pooled low in my belly, and the tension was strung tight between us, a cable ready to snap.

Only letting one of his hands leave my hip, he picked up the matching lace bra from the bag. Again, never looking away, he looped his arms around me, deftly snapping the clasp together. He slid his searing hands along my torso, just under the bottom of the bra. When they reached the front, one thumb on each side hooked under the bra, touching the bottoms of my breasts. His gaze only intensified as he adjusted the bra perfectly.

My skin burned as he removed his hands, now pulling on the knee-length flowy white skirt from earlier. My brain was void of all thought as my eyes were locked on his, his hands making burning trails across my pale skin. My shirt was next, and he fixed the button-up shirt as perfectly as if he'd been looking at it. As soon as the last button was buttoned, he looked away, suddenly darker with embarrassment. I whispered two words in his ear as I floated out the door.

"Thank you. "

I want to give a special thanks to WannabeWolfe, for the suggestion on the POVs. No lemon... Yet. But it's getting closer! I've decided I'm not going to post until I get at least 10 more reviews, putting me at 35 reviews. If you want to read on, review! (only thing, if I get 10 reviews in like 5 minutes, it'll take a while to actually write. But I'll go as fast as I can.)

Thanks for reading!

M