There is no way I can express how unbelievably tied up at work I've been lately. I feel so guilty about not finishing up TBML before this ridiculousness started, but to make it up to those of you who are reading both, I've decided to post one more chapter here before I sit down and finish up the other story. :) Hope that works.

P.S. I am so sorry for not replying to every review last chapter. Please see the first sentence of this note.

My dad decided to take the rest of the week off to help me out around the house and I was grateful. I spent the night at his house on Tuesday, because as happy as I was to get into my own house, it was a little lonely.

We rode over to my house together on Wednesday, and talked about our day ahead. Charlie and Jasper would be working in the basement, turning a dank, dark, borderline scary room into a fancy new laundry room and a den. My job for the day was to greet the furniture truck that would be delivering my new living room, dining room, and bedroom suits. I was excited to be able to rest on a nice, comfy couch, as opposed to the folding chairs I had stolen from Charlie's garage.

Jasper's truck was already in the driveway when we got to the house. As soon as we arrived, my dad disappeared down the stairs and I followed the smell of coffee into the kitchen, thankful that Jasper had started it when he arrived. I poured myself a cup and decided to take the men a cup as well. What greeted me at the bottom of the stairs was a surprise: my dad was doubled over, laughing... loudly.

If you were to ask anyone who knew Charlie Swan to describe him, they would undoubtedly give you some version of the following: dependable, hardworking, decent, and quiet. That, in a nutshell, is my father. My dad isn't a talker. He isn't a laugher. He doesn't dance, sing, or even move his hands when he talks. He is a quiet, even-keeled man who does not lose control, ever.

My very controlled father let out a loud snort and a rather gentlemanly, "Oh, fuck!"

"Dad?" I called, flabbergasted. "What the hell?"

Charlie's head flew up and his eyes met mine immediately. "Jasper, here, was just telling me a story about stapling his hand to a wall at one of his first jobs." He turned to face Jasper. "I think we're gonna have a good day, Son," he said, still chuckling.

I stared wide eyed as the men clapped each other on the back with huge smiles covering their faces. "Well, I brought coffee," I said, stating the obvious as I handed them each their mugs. Jasper smiled appreciatively at me and my dad grunted his approval. I headed upstairs, leaving them to their bonding and waited anxiously on my furniture delivery.

By the end of the day, several rooms in my house were livable and lovely. I still needed to make a trip to my storage house to pick up some furniture, decorative items, and all my kitchenware, but I was feeling good about what I had done so far. I was sitting on my sofa when Charlie and Jasper came into the room, chuckling.

"Wow, it looks great in here, Bells," my dad said, looking around the room with a grin. He disappeared into the hallway to look through the other rooms.

Jasper sat next to me and nudged me with his elbow. "Feels good, huh?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

My responding smile was so big it hurt my cheeks. "It feels fantastic! It looks like a real house, huh?"

He nodded and we sat in a comfortable silence until my dad came back into the room. He sat in the recliner and leaned back. "Ahh! This is nice. I might have to stay over here tonight!" he said, laughing.

"Yeah, I don't think Sue would appreciate that, Dad."

"Eh, I guess you're right. You wanna come over for supper?"

"I think I'm just gonna have a sandwich tonight. Maybe tomorrow?" I answered, yawning. I was excited to just relax- on furniture- in my new house. A knock at the door startled me and I jumped up to answer it.

Standing on the porch was Peter, carrying a delicious-smelling bag. His expression was wary, but he was smiling as he leaned in close before speaking quietly to me, "Hey, there. I hope you haven't eaten yet. I brought Chinese."

I stepped aside to let him in and answered, "No, I was just saying I thought it was going to be a sandwich night. Come on in." I led him into the living room and my dad and Jasper both nodded to Peter.

"Hey, man," Jasper acknowledged his cousin. "What's up?"

"Hey, Jazz," Peter said with a smile. He turned to my father and extended a hand. "Peter Whitlock," he said as they shook.

"Charlie Swan."

"Oh, you're Bella's dad. It's nice to meet you," Peter said politely.

"Yep," Charlie grunted. "I'm gonna get going, Bells."

"Oh, okay. I'll walk you out." I stepped out onto the porch and watched as my dad shuffled his feet on my top step. "Spit it out," I huffed impatiently.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, not very convincingly. "He seems polite," he added with a grimace. I nearly laughed out loud. Charlie never liked any man I was interested in, ever. He was so rude to Edward, I was honestly afraid he was going to dump me. I recognized he was just being my overprotective dad, and he was truly trying to be positive, so I ignored the weirdness and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"He's really nice and he brought me food. Even you can't find fault there, Dad. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

He nodded and walked slowly to his truck. I watched as he backed down the driveway and as I turned to walk back inside, Jasper was stepping out onto the porch. "I'm gonna head out, Bella. I'll see you in the morning."

"You want to stay and eat?" I asked, feeling a twinge of sadness at his leaving.

"Nah. Alice's mom is watching her today and she likes to get home before dark. You guys have a good night."

I smiled and stepped aside so he could get by me. His left side brushed mine as he passed and I felt it through my whole body. "See you later, Jasper," I said, barely above a whisper. He paused and sucked in a deep breath.

"Yeah," was his reply before he hurried down the steps to his truck. I walked back inside and locked the door. I stood in the foyer for a moment, taking a calming breath before heading into the dining room where Peter was setting up our food. We smiled shyly at one another before tucking into General Tso's chicken and beef and broccoli. I was hungrier than I realized and wolfed down everything on my plate. I leaned back in my chair with my hand over my belly, stuffed and sleepy.

"Want to stay a while? We could put on a movie. I have furniture now, you know," I said with a huge smile.

"I saw that. How about you give me a tour?" he responded, standing and clearing his trash. I walked him through the house, pointing out all the architectural details that had drawn me to the house in the first place. He smiled and nodded politely, but I had the feeling he didn't give two shits about my crown molding or wainscoting. I appreciated the effort, nonetheless. When we got to the master bedroom, I paused just a second before opening the door. I felt a bit nervous having him in my bedroom, though I couldn't express why.

He walked in like he owned the room and nodded. "It's nice in here." I climbed up on the bed and sat back against the pillows while he looked around, in my closets and bathroom before coming back into the room. "I really like your house, Bella. It's shaping up really quickly."

I blushed as he toed off his shoes and sat next to me, pulling me into his side. I leaned my head on his chest and listened to his heart pound against his ribs. He seemed nervous and it made me feel better. I couldn't deny my attraction to Peter, nor could I deny our chemistry. I decided to let go a bit. "If you want to pick a movie, we can watch it in here. I haven't picked up a TV for the other room, yet. The DVD's are still in a box in the living room." He agreed and rolled off the bed. Before he left the room, I blurted, "I'm going to take a quick shower, okay?"

I washed as quickly but as thoroughly as I could manage. I dried off and slipped on a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top, opting for comfort over style. I combed through my damp hair and brushed my teeth.

When I walked back into the bedroom, Peter already had the movie set up and ready to go. I smiled as he pressed play: he had chosen The Goonies. He pulled me back against his chest and ran his fingers through my hair slowly, making me feel both tingly and sleepy. I snuggled up a little closer to him and tangled my legs with his. My hand slid from his chest to the hem of his shirt, and I slid my fingers under the fabric to rest against his skin.

He ran his fingers down my hair once more before settling his hand on my hip. I sighed as his thumb moved back and forth over the fabric of my shorts. I was definitely more tingly than drowsy at this point. I was enjoying the feel of his hard chest and the soft skin on his belly, and when his fingers slid from my hip to my thigh, I had to bite back a moan. He moved his hand up slowly till just the tips of his fingers were under the edge of my shorts. His fingernails scratched lightly against my sensitive skin, and I felt myself break into gooseflesh. I made an effort not to stretch and rub against him like a cat in heat.

I felt my cheeks heat as I realized that I was practically panting, but then I noticed that Peter was breathing heavier than usual, too. I tilted my head to look at him and I was surprised to see him looking down at me. His eyes met mine for a moment before shifting to my mouth. He leaned down to kiss me, rolling slightly so he was hovering over me.

Our kisses were deep and slow and we both forced ourselves to breathe through our noses so we didn't have to break apart. My legs fell open and he settled his hips between mine, effortlessly. He kneaded the muscles in my thighs firmly and pulled my legs around his waist as he ground his pelvis into mine. I felt his erection rub deliciously against my heated center and couldn't hold back my moan.

His answering growl helped me focus and I knew we were moving much too quickly. I put my hand against his chest and pushed lightly. He backed away immediately and searched my face with a question in his eyes. "I'm sorry," I breathed. "We need to slow down."

Peter's cheeks were pink and his lips were swollen. His eyes were filled with lust and I wanted to kick my own ass for stopping us. He rolled off me and threw his arm over his face, taking a huge breath. "I'm sorry. I got carried away," he said softly. He dropped his arm to his stomach and turned to look at me, throwing me an apologetic smile.

"Don't apologize!" I said quickly. "I was enjoying myself. I just think we were moving a little fast." I leaned over and kissed him softly on the mouth. "Do you want to stay and finish the movie?" I asked quietly.

"I should probably go home," he said, bringing my forehead down to meet his. "You're much too tempting." I laughed lightly and climbed over him and off the bed, walking him out. At the front door, he wrapped me in his arms in a huge bear hug. "I can't wait until this weekend," he whispered in my ear.

"Me, too," I said, kissing his jaw.

I watched his tail lights until they disappeared down my driveway into the trees and then I hurriedly locked up the house. I went back to my bedroom and reached into my bedside table, thankful that I had already unpacked "old reliable." I brought myself quickly to climax, more than a little startled when the image that pushed me over the edge wasn't of Peter, but of Jasper.