((Hiyas! Hope y'all loved the little kissin' action there. Anyways, I LOVE all the reviews! There may not be many but they are so sweet! As always, I just want to say thank you and also add that updates may be less frequent because of this test thing called WASL, (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) and I just want to survive that before worrying over uploading, etc. thanks. --runner))

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I stared at myself in the mirror, wondering how I could have gotten so lucky.

I was nothing special. Nothing truly spectacular, nothing you wouldn't want to look away from. I was just Thea, the girl with crazy curly hair that didn't like to be straightened.

A pair of tan, muscular arms wrapped around my waist, Embry's face, adorably shaped into a goofy grin, resting on top of my own head. I kept berating myself for that huge factor; how could I have missed it? Only people with a disease got that tall, it seemed painfully obvious to me now.

"What are you doing?" Embry asked curiously. We had just gotten back from the hike about half an hour ago. Both Sam and Emily were gone, leaving a short note that read that they were on a date in Port Angeles, and that the kids were over at Kim and Jared's, so we had nothing to worry about. The suggestive tone to the note was bluntly obvious. I silently cursed Emily; she was going to pay.

"I don't know. What are you doing?"

"Admiring the most beautiful girl in the world," he said simply, easily kissing the top of my head with his height. "You know what would make her even more beautiful, if it's possible?"

He was grinning happily. "What?" I asked, playing along. I could already guess what he was getting it.

"If the gorgeous girl made me some pancakes." He grinned.

I let out a peal of laughter. "Of course. But the beautiful girl will not only make pancakes, but blueberry pancakes." I washed in pure delight as his mouth visibly watered. "But only if the wolf cleans up."

"Deal," he agreed automatically, sticking out his hand. I shook my head, quickly shaking his hand and flying downstairs, taking a left towards the kitchen. The house was empty, the other wolves all taking out their own imprints. It seemed to be La Push's date night.

I easily started the memorized pancake recipe, silently smiling to myself as I thanked my mother for forcing the recipe on me when I was eight. I had the feeling that I would be using it a lot these next few weeks. Maybe even years.

I shook my head lightly as I bent down to get the grill thing. I shouldn't be thinking that far ahead. Things changed. Embry and Sam haven't exactly explained the whole imprinting thing to me yet, so there was some stuff I didn't know about yet. Like if the wolf could leave the imprint. That was a big one.

I watched Embry's eyes light up as I poured the batter in small circles on the pan. The whole house was soon filled with the aroma of pancakes and blueberries. I leaned against the counter, spatula in hand, watching Embry watch me.

"Why are you staring at me?" I asked in aggravation when I couldn't think up a feasible reason.

He grinned, shaking his head. His smile told me that it was a secret that he wasn't intending to tell. I sighed, not really wanted to get it out of him, and turned back to the oven, flipping the pancakes to reveal a golden-brown color on the other side. Perfect.

I felt his warm and towering figure come right beside me, his hands boldly resting on my waist. I didn't fight it, the placement just felt right. I leaned back against his body, waiting for the pancakes to finish. His body was like an electric blanket turned on the highest setting.

"How come you are so warm?" I asked, closing my eyes and turning towards him, my own arms wrapping around his thin waist.

Embry's muscular arms tightened around me instantly. "I don't know. Must have something to do with the freaky stuff in my blood."

I shrugged, accepting that answer. It's not like the heat bothered me, quite the opposite actually. I was always used to being cold in the summer and freezing in the winter. But now I had my own personal heater.

I knew that I shouldn't let the pancakes burn, so I soon turned around while securely holding his arm in place. I tossed all the pancakes on the plate and set them on the table, sharing the seat with Embry, who was already devouring the pancakes. It was kind of nice to see somebody besides myself eat something I cooked.

"You know, I've never really eaten with people before." I said lightly, tearing off tiny pieces of a pancake and putting them in my mouth. I wasn't that hungry.

He looked confused. "What do you mean?" He asked with a mouthful of food.

I smiled, gently closed his mouth with my finger. He grinned apologetically and motioned for me to go on. "I mean that I don't usually eat with people. I mean, I have eaten with others before, I'm not that socially inactive. My mom has a big day job that usually doesn't bring her home until late, around midnight. And that's when she's here. She travels most of the time.

"What about your dad?" He asked, swallowing his food with some orange juice.

I shrugged averting my eyes. "Gone."

"Gone?"

I sighed, staring up at his concerned face. It was so genuine it almost made me believe that he actually cared for me. "He left my family when I was three."

He nodded, wisely choosing not to press the subject. He scooped another pancake onto his plate. "Do you have any other family?"

I nodded. "My older sister Makenna lives in Florida."

"How old is she?"

"Twenty-three. She hardly ever visits though. Doesn't like the reminder of my dad." I said, my hands balling into fists before I had a chance to compose myself fully.

He reached out and smoothed my hands, looking at me for an explanation.

"She hates me," I confessed. "I look just like Dad did. A mirror image in the form of a girl." I sighed, pushing my plate of half a pancake back. Whenever I talked about this, I always got a sick twisting of guilt in my lower abdomen that took away all the hunger.

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. You're family," he said, finishing off my pancake.

"Fine." I said, giving him a look. "She strongly dislikes me. That better?"

He sighed, not wanting to push my mood any farther. Following the deal, he washed all the dishes while I sulked on the couch, staring at the wall. I had nothing better to do; TV wasn't my favorite pastime. Soon he fell onto the couch beside me, absently playing with a lock of my hair. I crossed my arms stubbornly, refusing to look him in the eye. I saw him fighting back a smile in the corner of my eye, and I had to fight back my own smile. His goofy grin triggered my own goofy grin.

"Thea…" he began in a stern voice.

"I know. I know. Please," I said, looking into his dark brown eyes and putting a hand pleadingly on his arm. "Save yourself the lecture."

He smiled. "Then say what I want you to say and I won't lecture you."

"Why do you have to sound like my mother?" I grumbled in a low voice before straightening up on my couch. Ignoring his adorable grin, I said, "I don't hate anybody in my family, and my family loves me, in return, I love them."

He patted my head like a dog. "Good girl."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm not a dog," I muttered, situating myself comfortably on his lap.

His arms snaked around my waist. "But you're in love with a dog."

I stared at him curiously when his face got all red and his lips automatically glued themselves together. What was wrong? "What?" I asked, worried. He just stared at me, holding his breath. I paused everything, going over what he just said and what was going on around us.

"But you're in love with a dog."

What in that sentence made him so tense?

I reviewed it over and over in my head.

Oh.

I see.

I snuggled myself closer to Embry, my arms wrapping around his neck tightly. I brought my face within inches of his, relieved to feel his warm breath on my face. At least his was breathing. I moved even closer so my lips were skimming his.

"I guess I am in love with a wolf," I said in a small voice. His grin was more beautiful than I thought possible. Quickly he crushed his lips on mine, more passionate than before.

((BTW, this is actually my most popular story! Who would have guessed?!? I wasn't planning on continuing this after the first chapter, but all the views and super sweet reviews have fueled the writin' flame. Thanks! (review?) --runner))