Thanks So Much!
Great thanks go to all the folks responsible for getting this chapter together. My wonderful beta, mybrandofheroin, works so hard on all my mess-ups despite her incredibly busy life. I really couldn't do this without you, sweetheart! Many hugs and thanks go to diamondheart, who wastes so much of her valuable time, effort, and brilliant wit on my stuff. Thank you, love! I had a few guest betas that really helped me out with this. Graveyarder03 took up the challenge of beta'ing this chapter and did a terrific job. She was not only very thorough and insightful, but quick! Thank you! Toooldforthis read and gave many good suggestions for the last pivotal scene. I really needed your input, Meany. Bloodofbeckie checked over my Paul commentary (of which she thoroughly disapproves) and Clover was instrumental in not only finding our fabulous hotel, but supplied me with restaurants and translations. Thank you so very, very much, dear one. Alipeel provided me with the title, which I love.
Shameless Pimping Section:
I am enjoying "Forks in the Road" by sowrong, a one shot, "I Said NOW!" by alisonswhim, and a very special story, "Bonded Eyes" by GiftfromtheGods, a story based on the vagina exploding picture of Jake discussed in Chapter 7 chapter notes. It is spicy fun.
Blah, Blah, Blah:
As always, SM is the rightful proprietor, owner and profit maker of Twilight. I don't necessarily want to make money; I just want Jacob to be all mine. I mean, honestly, that would certainly be worth a few zillion dollars, wouldn't it?
WARNING: Someone (Paul) makes extremely insensitive comments about special needs folks. He is supposed to be making a total ass of himself by doing this. If it is going to offend you, please do not read.
Read this:
If you want to understand what's going on in this chapter, I HIGHLY recommend you look at this picture before you read it:
http(colon double back slash) i980(dot)photobucket(dot)com(slash)albums(slash)ae283(slash)leelator(slash)PresidentialSuite2(dot)png
(If you read the chapter over at Twilighted, you don't have to go through this stupidity; you can just click on the link like a normal person.) Even though I've described it, no one actually believes this is what the bath in Jake and Bella's room looks like and they end up being confused about what is going on. This link shows a picture that actually is the private bath of the suite in the hotel where they are staying. Amazing.
A little synopsis:
Years after Edward leaves, Bella discovers she's in love with Jacob when she sees him with another girl, Amy Nichols. Later that night, drunk and naked, she attacks Jake in the shower. Jake is madly in love with her, but he's afraid she's only interested in a physical relationship after years of celibacy and is worried she's not in love with him. Bella seeks advice from Leah, who gives her lists of Rules of Seduction and takes her to a pole dancing class in Seattle. Jake, Bella, Leah, and half the pack go to Milan, Italy for some modeling jobs. Arriving there, the pack goes on a run to the coast where Bella tries unsuccessfully to seduce Jake. Leah herds the rest of the pack back to Milan so Jake and Bella can spend some time alone.
Chapter 9 "Dances With Wolves"
Leah's POV
God, I love Italian men. Just looking at one dreamy Italian model after the other was like sitting in front of three different cartons of your favorite gelato and trying to decide which one you wanted to taste first. Well, I'll take a little of that one, a long lick of that one and that one—mmmm, I want a whole delicious scoop.
I tried to clear my mind of the visual pornucopia in front of me and concentrate on Bella. Where the hell was she? I'd been dying of curiosity ever since last night on the beach when I'd caught the fleeting image of her rubbing up against Jake as she slept. (And not because she was cold, mind you.) Then Jake had slammed the mental door on his thoughts; damn, the boy was good at keeping me and everybody else out of his head.
If I hadn't been totally zeroed in on his every thought and feeling, I would have never caught a glimpse of what was going on. So what if I was being nosy? How else was a girl going to find out what was happening with those two, especially while it was happening? And, after all, I was the one who got the pack out of Jake's hair, so to speak, and back to the hotel before they all discovered what was really taking place on that tiny beach thirty miles east of Bumfuck. Not that they didn't have their suspicions; as soon as they realized Jake had phased, the questions started to fly.
What the fuck is Jake doing out in the middle of nowhere with none of us around him? Embry seemed positive he was abandoning Jake and Bella to become some sort of appetizer at a vampire convention.
I tried a non-personal approach first, trying to allay their curiosity. Embry, they're two healthy adults, one of whom is a werewolf. Do they really need you to hold their hands while they spend a few minutes at a perfectly safe beach? And who on earth could find them anyway? We have to be 200 miles past East Hell out here. Jesus, I don't know where we are. I'm positive no one else does either.
I don't see why Jake didn't want to come with us, Leah. We should travel together when we're in a strange place like this, my baby brother worried. That damned pack mentality.
All right, you guys, I gave up being subtle and tried to explain, Jake constantly has the entire pack crawling all over him 24/7—in his room and in his thoughts. Don't you think you could give the guy some fucking privacy for once? Mistake.
Why's he need privacy? Randi wondered to the rest of us.
Instantly, various visions flashed in the brains of the seven male minds running with me, ranging from sweet innocent cuddling to thoughts that were …er…disturbing, to say the least, to some seriously messed up shit.
Stop it—right the fuck now. Bella is the nearest thing all of you have to a sister. Do you think crap like that about your sister? You do it again and I'll shove one of my Jimmy Choo stilettos up your ass. Then I'll let Jake see what kind of kinky shit you've thought about doing with his girl and watch him beat the ever-living fuck out of you! I mean it, Paul. God help me, having access to that sick twist's thoughts was probably the worst aspect of being a werewolf.
Why else would he want to get rid of us for some "privacy"?
Well, maybe he'd like to spend a few minutes away from your nosey asses! Do you have to make everything a fuckfest, idiot? Jesus! Paul really got on my last nerve.
Only when it is one, sweetheart. Speaking of which, how about you and I go for a cold, wet roll in the sand? We could join—"
Vicious snarls and snaps greeted that repulsive image. Only Paul would be stupid enough or ballsy enough to proposition a wolf bitch, much less do it while her brother listened in. While I got a good swipe at an ear, I couldn't help but laugh at Seth's gleeful expression just as he viciously chomped down on Paul's tail. No one felt like putting up with Paul's shit tonight, and after a quick skirmish, he found himself bringing up hind tit at the rear of the pack, his tail drooping like a broken feather.
Once we resumed the trail towards Milan, the pack picked up right where they left off, wondering what the hell was going on back at the beach. My patience, always in short supply, had reached its limit.
Oh, can it, for fuck's sake! Bella is sleeping and Jake is letting her rest. What's the big freaking deal? For once, can't you mind your own damn business? Christ! He's your Alpha, not your two year old. You do not need to watch his every move since I'm pretty sure he didn't hire you guys as a group of fucking babysitters. Now, back off and leave the poor guy alone!
Other than a few grumblings from Paul regarding the bee that was stuck up my butt, the pack was properly abashed, and they dutifully tried to turn their thoughts in a new direction. I gave them some spicy images sure to take up the majority of their tiny minds as I pictured several of the hot female models they'd be working with in the next few days. Worked like a charm even though I had to endure another nasty batch of x-rated images from my wolf brothers. God, men were so disgustingly predictable.
Once back atthe hotel, I'd lounged around Jake and Bella's suite as long as I could, subtly trying to push everyone out and into their own rooms. Eventually, everybody bailed except for the pups: Randi, Mick and Nikki.
They totally ignored my razzing as I told them to grow a set and learn to sleep without their AlphaMama nearby. A fight between the three soon broke out, quickly won by Mick, as he bowled over Nikki and kicked the crap out of Randi. He cheerfully claimed the spare bedroom while the other two promptly took over the sofa beds in the living room and settled in for the night.
I huffed in frustration. Bella was going to have a fit when she realized that sleeping wolves had entrenched themselves in almost every corner of her and Jake's suite. But she'd seen the handwriting on the wall and I felt sure she wouldn't be surprised. Frustrated, yes—surprised, no. She sure needed to take advantage of the deserted beach while she had Jake to herself.
Back in my own room, I was on the lookout for the two of them and cracked the door so I would know when they returned. Finally, I heard the elevator ding and smelled the overwhelming scent of wolf and fishy seawater as it hit the hallway. What the fuck? Why the hell had they gone swimming and what was Jake doing letting Bella get into the icy waters of the Mediterranean?
Please don't have fallen in the water, Bella! I sighed to myself.
I peeked down the hallway and saw Jake with his arms full of sleeping Bella. Hmmm. Did he wear her out so badly she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer? Unfortunately, I didn't pick up a mating scent on either one of them, and Jake's face did not have the satisfied look of someone who had finally received the cure for a four-year case of blue balls.
Damn it! What the hell had happened?
Obviously, as out of it as she looked, Bella wasn't even going to be conscious anytime soon, much less be able to put into play my excellent platonic sleeping rules, (main rule # 48 plus addendums a, b, c, and d.)*
A whole night of opportunity gone to waste! And I didn't even know what had triggered her fishy and exhausted condition. I couldn't wait to pull her aside and find out the inside scoop.
The next morning, we all congregated down at breakfast except for Bella. Jake explained she'd passed out in the cab on the way to the hotel and she was still sleeping; she hadn't slept before the flight and she was seriously jet lagged. He seemed concerned about her, though; he was going to let her sleep in and join us at the studio when she got enough rest.
I examined Jacob closely and realized my impressions last night were correct. This guy did not have the look of someone who had finally gotten laid. In fact, he looked tenser than usual. What the hell could have happened? When Bella's ass showed up at the studio, we needed to have a private one on one, immediately.
All of us had photo shoots to do. Bella and I had lined up some fitness ads for me while we were in town, and I was having a marvelous time drooling over the hot Italian sports models with whom I was paired.
Thank God the rest of the pack had been booked and weren't available to do this job. Nothing was worse than sliding and slinking all over my pack brothers, acting like they turned me on. However, sliding and slinking all over perfect strangers—gorgeous, Italian, perfect strangers, was a whole different story! Phone numbers and hotel names were exchanged. I had limited time in Milan, but I was going to take advantage of every free minute I had. There was no harm in sampling a small variety of the local male flavor before we packed up and went home. Some days, I loved being me.
Once my stint was over, I went to look for Bella. The guys had a massive photo shoot for our new contract, the debuting Band of Outsiders line, and I quickly found the photography studio where everyone was congregating.
Bella and I had worked for months to secure this deal and it was going to pay off in spades for both the company and for us. We had forged a seamless meld of the right product line to the perfect models; the clothes of Band of Outsiders were compelling, elemental, bold, and utterly alpha male—in other words, totally Jake.
The only problem with the product was its creator – Carmen Bianca Silva – one beautiful, talented, and unscrupulous cougar. Carmen was Brazilian, but she'd lived in Italy for years. She'd properly earned the reputation as a creative, man-hungry egomaniac and she wielded her power with elegant malice. I hated her guts, but she had money, talent and influence. She could make our lives very easy if we stayed on her good side, and she adored Jake. I was positive she'd created this entire line while fantasizing about him and nobody would convince me differently.
Bella thought that silly little Amy Nichols was a problem. She had no idea what she was in for now. If Amy was a cute little duck paddling after Jake, then Carmen was a crocodile with its prey in its sight. And here she was, staring at Jake like he was tonight's entrée and she hadn't eaten in a week. Jesus, looking at him, even I could understand her hunger. Jake was the main component in the new campaign, and I had to say, he made one hell of a statement.
He was stretched out on some sort of long metallic leather bench, supporting himself on an elbow. An unbuttoned shirt flowed on either side of those mind-blowing abs of his and the partially unzipped pants showed a line of dark hair that traced down to an area I really didn't want to think about. I'd never had anything but sisterly thoughts about Jake, but even I could feel my temperature rise looking at him now. Carmen, on the other hand, looked like a rabid jackal about to attack its next victim; I was sure I saw spittle gathering at the corners of her mouth.
About that time, I heard a slight squeak beside me and looked over to see Bella, her jaw slack as she stared at Jake. I could only hope she wouldn't start drooling, as well. If Jacob's appearance affected me, I could only imagine what he was doing to poor Bella.
I took the opportunity to look her over from top to bottom, and I heartily approved of what I saw. She was wearing Sucia Dawn's gorgeous black suit, sheer black stockings with tiny seams running up the back that she'd managed to get straight, (thank Christ) and fabulous black stacked heels that showed off her legs to perfection. Her hair was in a sleek ponytail, and her make-up was flawless. Hmmm, at least some of my lessons were taking effect.
She looked stunning and several of the guys in the room seemed to be taking note, particularly Val, one of the gorgeous models I'd worked with today. Bella had certainly caught his attention; he was staring at her legs and ass like he wanted to become permanently attached there.
I turned back to Jake to see if he'd noticed her arrival and had my question answered immediately. Ho-ly shit! He'd noticed all right! His eyes darkened as he honed in on her, and his face resembled that of a hungry animal when he deeply inhaled to catch her scent. I tried to control my satisfied smile.
As the camera clicked wildly, I detected a swelling in Jake's pants as he continued to stare at Bella. Jesus, if he didn't get himself under control, he was going to burst what little zipper he had left and all would be uncovered to the crowd as well as recorded on film for posterity. Like all my wolf brothers, I'd seen Jake naked. He'd never get rid of that Carmen bitch if she got a look or a picture of what was still in his pants.
I coughed to break the spell and when he caught my eye, I gave him a glare and stared at his crotch, meaningfully. He gave me a little smirk, lay back with his arms behind his head, and stared at Bella like she was his last sustenance on earth.
The camera continued to click and I knew editorial quality pictures were being taken. Luckily, no further parts of Jake were exposed, much to the bitter disappointment of the women in the room and probably several of the men. After a few more rolls of film were shot, Jake was finished, went off to change, and Embry came in for his shoot. I noticed Val approaching Bella, and I cut him off before he could reach his target. I grabbed Bella and shoved her in an adjoining office, locking the door behind us.
"Spill, girlfriend. I want all the details. What the hell happened last night?" Bella wouldn't meet my eyes—I knew bad news was coming.
"Well, I guess I fell asleep and then you all left. When I woke up, Jake had phased back."
"Okay. So?"
"Uh, well…we were kind of in an intimate position, him being naked and all, and really, I tried to seduce him, Leah, honest! It seemed to be working for a while; I thought it was going really well—it all felt wonderful. I used several of the things you taught me and he seemed to love it. And then he just backed off, and told me it wasn't the right time or place." She looked so dejected that I couldn't fuss at her.
"Awww, honey! Did he say why?"
"He said if we made love, the whole pack would know as soon as we got back to the hotel."
Unfortunately, Jake was dead right. Everyone would have smelled it before they even got to their rooms, damn it!
"But I was thinking about it later and there's something I don't understand. At first, he was going to wet my panties and have me use them to wash off. Wouldn't that have taken care of the smell no matter what we did?"
"Nope," I shook my head emphatically. "Sweetie, our sense of smell is literally thousands if not a million times better than yours. You think we wouldn't smell what happened because you washed off with a rag?"
She looked taken aback at my words, and seemed to mull the situation over in her mind. Then she shook her head worriedly. "You know, Leah, I don't think that's the whole thing. It's like there's some other reason he keeps pushing me away. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, or if he's just not that interested."
Fuck, what could be going wrong? As far as not being interested, I knew damn good and well that wasn't the problem! What the hell was going on in that dipshit's brain?
Then she brightened up considerably and her eyes started to sparkle. "But then he asked me out on a date, Leah! He said we should start by going out somewhere really special, and he told me it was going to be a surprise." She looked delighted by that news and I was thrilled for her.
"That's fantastic, Bella! See! I keep telling you he's wild about you. When are you going to start believing me?"
"At least I got him away from that damned Amy Nichols. Now maybe I've got a chance with him." I hated to rain on her parade, but the image of Carmen Bianca's lust-ridden face as she stared at Jake filled my mind. No point in bringing that up now, as it would be all too obvious to her soon. And I had more questions about the previous evening's activities.
"So what the hell did you two do, decide to go fishing for mackerel after you made out?" I queried sharply. "Why did you smell like a couple of tuna when you got back to the hotel?" Her face turned deep pink. Uh-oh.
"Well…I was remembering what you kept telling me, and I was trying to be bold."
"Uh huh." I was getting bad vibes about what was coming next.
"Yeah, er, so Jake took a little swim and I decided it would be a good idea to join him," came her mumbled reply.
"You WHAT?" I screeched.
"You encouraged me to do it, Leah! Remember:
"Rule #25, be bold and go with the flow! And Rule #100, if all else fails, get naked.
"That's what you told me to do! And everything else failed and it was all I could come up with in the spur of the moment. I was trying to think of a way to be bold and that seemed to be pretty bold to me."
"I told you to be bold, not insane! What in God's name were you thinking, Bella? It was 35 degrees last night! Were you trying to kill yourself?"
"I knew Jake would warm me up, Leah. I thought it would be fun to go skinny-dipping with him. You see those people in Minnesota jumping in icy waters and stuff having a great time."
"Well the idiots in Minnesota have a hot tub at the ready when they get out and they don't have to travel halfway across Italy on the back of a wolf at night. I'm surprised Jake didn't tear a strip off your ass for that little stunt, Bella."
"He wanted to, believe me. I don't know when he's been so mad at me. Well, he was pretty ticked at the Valentine's Dance, but I thought he was actually going to turn me over his knee last night."
"You deserved it, girl. He seems to be over it, though. I thought he was going to start eating you during his photo shoot just now. How did you manage to calm the fireworks so fast?"
"I think he got worried I was going to freeze to death on him and he started concerning himself with warming up my behind instead of just spanking it. It was a close call there for a minute, though. And then I fell asleep again in the cab, and that's the last thing I remember. I woke up in my long johns at 10 A.M. and then ran over here as soon as I got ready."
"You look fabulous, I must say." She smiled relieved she'd done something right, I'm sure. "But, Jesus, Bella, stay out of the water if it's under 50 degrees, okay?"
"Okay, Leah, I promise. Speaking of which, I can't wait to get into that spa and pool in our bathroom. Have you checked that thing out? It looks like something Nero designed back in the 1st century or something. It's unbelievable. God, if only I could entice Jake in there and throw away the key so I could have him to myself for a few hours."
"Well, why don't you do it, then?" She looked shocked. "Remember, Bella, be bold—just not nuts. What could be sexier than Jake joining you in that incredible hot spa?" I had checked out the bath and Bella was right. It was sybaritic and absolutely reeked with decadence—the perfect place for a seduction.
"Leah, he runs from me every time I put a move on him. How am I supposed to get him to join me for a bath?"
"We'll trick him. What else?" I laughed. "Now, we just have to put our heads together and figure out how to pull it off!"
BPOV
I couldn't get the image of Jake sprawled out on that leather bench out of my mind. God, he'd looked—like smoldering sex being served on a platter. The black shirt and pants had folded around his body, framing his beautiful washboard stomach and groin, and revealing just a hint of the dark line of hair that grew there. Holy crow, I could hardly remain standing thinking about him. And the look on his face when he stared at me—it was if he knew and shared every one of the lustful thoughts I was having and then some. I had to shake my head to clear the image from my head.
Our workday was over and it was time to put my next plan of action into effect. Leah and I had snooped around and discovered a small theater on our floor of the hotel where recent movies were shown. She found out a current werewolf movie was playing, and the rest of the pack was game to see it. I always got a kick out of them laughing and making fun of werewolf movies, but they adored watching them.
I'd begged off, telling Jake I may go to bed early and encouraged him to join the rest of the gang so he wouldn't suspect he was being set up. Our plan was simple: thirty minutes into the movie, I would call Jake and tell him I needed him. What exactly I needed him for, I would think of in the next few minutes or so while I was soaking in the spa.
Only accent lights flickered up into the Roman arches and columns surrounding the pool. I'd tipped the concierge of the hotel to have candles set up in strategic places throughout the bath; I lit them, stood back, and examined the effect. When I switched on the water lights in the pool and spa, the room was soft, seductive, and a dream of Roman decadence. Surely if Jake saw me lounging naked in the lit waters, he would at least join me, wouldn't he?
I took off the thick terry cloth robe the hotel provided and folded it and my towel on a chair 20 feet away from me. If I wanted it, I'd have to get out of the pool naked in order to retrieve it. My hair was carefully piled in an artless arrangement on my head with little tendrils curling down my neck as if Leah hadn't coaxed them perfectly into place. My makeup was delicate enough to look like I wasn't really wearing any and I knew I was glowing with excitement.
I climbed into the spa, set my cell phone next to the edge, and groaned with pleasure. Wearing those blasted high heels was still a trial, but I caught the look of masculine appreciation on the faces of several men today—most importantly, on Jake's face. Several times, I saw his eyes rake my legs like he wanted to shove my tight skirt up and out of the way so he could examine every bit of those sheer black stockings and take things from there. It sounded like a great idea to me.
I stretched out, floating in the water, my head resting against the side of the pool, and my arms lying on top of the water as I contemplated that scenario. Hmmm, just about time to call Jake, I thought with relaxed pleasure.
Suddenly, the door of the bath flew open, and in walked Nikki, the youngest member of the pack. We stared at each other for a horrified split second as he took in my nudity and I took in him observing it. Finally, I found my voice, opened my mouth and screeched bloody murder. His jaw dropped at my reaction, and then, abruptly, he let lose his own shocked howl.
It seemed hours ticked by before he finally realized he needed to get out—instantly. As he turned, frantically scrambling to escape, he narrowly missed being flattened by the door of the bath as it violently slammed against the wall, cracking several tiles on impact. Jake flew into the room searching wildly for whatever had caused our alarm. Piling in behind him came the entire pack, followed by Leah, who immediately understood what had occurred and raised her face to the heavens with an expression of total disgust.
Jacob was instantly at my side and started pulling me out of the spa.
"Bells, Bella, what is it, honey? What happened? Did somebody hurt you?"
I struggled with him and tried to dive back into the water to hide, but I was totally ineffective against his strength. He pulled me up to him and started searching my vividly flushing body, feeling every inch while the rest of the pack looked on with avid interest.
"I'm fine, Jake, really! Just let me get back into the water and get everybody out of here, okay?"
"Bella, what in the holy fuck is going on? I'm not moving a muscle until you tell me what happened. Did Nikki do something?" He turned on Nikki with a snarl.
Nikki gulped and carefully, silently started to retreat away from his idol, horrified at the hornet's nest he had inadvertently stirred. Meanwhile, I shrunk into Jacob's side and, at the same time, tried to keep him from bludgeoning poor Nikki. "No, of course he didn't do anything! He walked in on me and startled me to death; I startled him and we both started yelling. Now will you please get everybody out of here?"
The entire pack stared at me in shock and then, suddenly, Embry and Quil burst into gales of shouted laughter. All the rest of the guys soon joined in and quickly the room was full of laughing hyenas. I could have shot every single one of them. Jake turned around and shielded me with his body as he addressed the pack with a tiny laugh in his voice.
"Okay, you guys, enough, enough! Everybody out before Bella kills all of us! Out!"
They were still chuckling and guffawing like the idiots they were except for poor Nikki, who appeared to have aged a year in the preceding melee. He looked shell-shocked and ready to bolt from Jake in an instant as the rest of the guys grabbed his shoulders and congratulated him on his good work.
Meanwhile, Leah was shoving them out the door as fast as possible trying to block their view as they leered back to get a final glimpse. As soon as she got the last one out, she looked at me and shook her head in sympathy as she walked out the door. What a freaking mess! Jake and I were alone at last, but the ambiance of my seductive Roman spa was totally shattered and seemed to lie around my naked feet in piles of rubble.
"Honey, if you wanted to get in the spa, why didn't you just lock the door? You know the guys use this bathroom as if it were their own."
Holy crow, I was so humiliated, I could barely look at him. "Uh, I guess I figured you were all watching the movie. I didn't think about one of them coming in here," I whispered. At least not that one. God, this was so embarrassing.
Jake fetched my robe and helped me into it. I felt like a complete and total moron.
"Do you want to get back in the bath, Bells? I'll stay outside the door and make sure nobody else comes charging in on you," he promised, grinning.
I shook my head, defeated. If I never looked at the damned spa for the rest of my life, it would be too soon. Gosh, how did such a simple plan go so horribly wrong? I just wanted the night to end as quickly and painlessly as possible.
As I lay next to him in bed that night, Jake seemed to have no problem going to sleep. I listened to his even breathing and snuggled closer to his inviting warmth. The evening's humiliation had put the kibosh on my lust for the night. I could only imagine a scene where I was groaning with pleasure as Jake ran his hands over my naked body and the pack came flying in through the door to find out exactly what was going on. Darn each and every one of them! At least I had him to myself now.
Wiggling my bottom until I was back against Jake's groin, I pulled his arm around me, intertwined my fingers with his and sighed in deep satisfaction. How I loved sleeping next to him. I closed my eyes and, before I knew it, I was out like a light.
The next morning, the sun came shining in and things looked much more optimistic. Surely, today I could make some progress with him. The day was a whirlwind of activity. Our big show was early that evening and the day was filled with rehearsals and fittings. Leah and I were going crazy trying to make sure every i was dotted and every t was crossed. And supervising all was Carmen Bianca Silva.
I'd never really noticed before, but Carmen seemed to keep Jake in the center of her orbit at all times. She was constantly flirting and joking with him. Any chance she got, she put those elegant hands with her perfect nails all over him. I watched like a hawk for Jake's reaction to her. While he didn't exactly flirt with her, he sure wasn't pushing her away, either. He seemed to avoid her touches adroitly, but he certainly smiled and joked with her comfortably enough.
I tried to keep my blood pressure from rising. "He has to be nice to her. She's an incredibly important client," I told myself over and over again. Luckily, she was as busy as we were and didn't have the time to monopolize him. And anytime Jake caught my eye, I got a glimpse of that special heat I'd seen on his face yesterday during his photo shoot. I became instantly lost in the world of Jake until Leah would give me a tug or someone would yell my name.
Throughout the busy day, some guy kept trying to get my attention to the point of becoming annoying. Leah told me he was one of the Italian sports models she'd worked with the day before, and finally, he planted himself in front of me and wouldn't budge, oblivious to how busy I was.
"Signorina, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Valentino Simonetti." He said it with such a flare, I felt as if I had just been introduced to the Italian Prime Minister. I gave him a brief nod and turned to Leah to continue our work. I didn't mean to be rude, but I was incredibly busy and totally uninterested.
He captured my hand and turned me towards him. "But you may call me Val. Tutti i miei amici lo fanno." At my confused look, he translated in a low, velvety voice, "All of my friends do, Isabella." He tried to tug my hand up towards his mouth and I pulled it free, taking a step back. He seemed a little shocked I wasn't falling all over him like some sort of star-struck teenybopper.
I really could understand his confusion. He was a beautiful man and I'm sure he was accustomed to women flocking around him instead of pulling away. But I had a thousand things to do and could have cared less about Valentino Simonetti, regardless of how lovely he was.
Suddenly, Jake was at my side, pulling me to him, and lifting me up for a nose rub into my neck. Giggling, I returned the favor, slyly licking the skin under his ear. Those were the sweetest darned ears. I was set down gently and Jacob wrapped an arm around my waist, clamping me to his side. Slowly, he turned and glared into the unsuspecting face of poor Mr. Simonetti.
"And just who the fuck might you be?" Jake growled as he examined Val with a hostile stare.
The model stared up into Jacob's menacing face, gulped, and edged a step back. Retreating may have been the wrong decision to make as Jake looked over the Italian apparently evaluating him for weakness. He seemed to absorb every detail of the man's appearance and, evidently, was none too impressed with what he saw. Jacob leaned in towards him, silently and slowly invading Val's personal space, almost trapping him against the walls of the room.
I had the eerie impression I was seeing a predator sizing up his competition before fighting him for the prey they both wanted. Jacob's body language was ruthlessly effective, as Val had literally backed himself into a corner. Of course, a threatening Jake was frightening enough to make a vampire turn tail and run, much less a simple human like Valentino Simonetti.
Leah rolled her eyes. "Easy, Tiger. This is one of the models I worked with yesterday, Jake—Val Simonetti." She reached out and took Val's arm like they were a couple. That little ploy didn't work.
"Oh yeah? So what the hell are you doing here today, Valerie?" Jacob snarled. He wasn't quite falling in line with the congenial atmosphere Leah was trying to promote.
"It's Valentino, Jake. He wanted to see how I was faring, didn't you, Val?" Val nodded like a bobble head doll as he stared up into the cold face of the man looming over him. I could hear a deep growl emanating from Jacob's chest, and, as Val's eyes widened, I realized he could hear it, too. Val retreated another step, his face alarmed and confused.
"Come on, Val, I want to show you something," Leah pulled the stunned model away, dragging him off before the situation deteriorated further. Jake turned me in his arms and drew me close.
"You let me know if that prick tries anything else, Bells. I'll take care of it immediately."
I smiled into his chest. "Don't be silly, Jacob. He just introduced himself to me. He's a friend of Leah's."
"Yeah, right. You don't really expect me to fall for that line of shit, do you? I saw the way he's been looking at you. He's no more interested in Leah than my sister is. You just watch it around the son of a bitch."
"Jake, I'm surrounded by nine werewolves, one of whom treats me like an overprotective mama. I don't think anybody is going to try anything, okay? I'm sure you scared the pants off the poor guy, anyway."
"The last thing I want to do is scare the pants off that bastard. He better be damn sure he keeps the fuckers on."
Jake grabbed me, lifted me into a Jacob bear hug, and growled sexily into my ear, "An overprotective mama, huh? That is not how I want to act around you at all, little girl." One of his huge hands came down to cup my behind and squeezed it gently. I closed my eyes with pleasure and had to force my legs not to curl around his waist since a crowd of people surrounded us.
"So how do you want to treat me, Jake? And when are we going to have our date? Hmmm? I'm tired of waiting," I whispered back into that precious ear. I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my hands through his beautiful black hair. I felt him shiver underneath me.
"How about tomorrow night, honey? The show will be over and it's a free night we don't have anything scheduled."
"I can't wait, Jacob," I whispered softly, reaching in and giving that ear a little lingering nip with my teeth. God, if only we were alone.
Rule #62 Use your teeth to bite, nip and graze gently. A tiny bit of pain is amazingly sexy.
He seemed to have gotten that memo since I felt a hardening of his groin. He chuckled softly. "You little tease. You are going to get me into all sorts of trouble if you don't stop it, bad girl." I groaned as he slid me slowly down his body. Both of us were reluctant to release the other, but we finally turned back to our work. I tried to concentrate on what I was doing and not think about what would occur the next evening.
Before I knew it, the day had flown by and the show was starting. Leah and I were back in the huge dressing area, trying to keep everyone on schedule and clothed properly. The scene was complete and utter chaos.
As the guys took turns down the runway, the pair of us ran to each one and made sure he could easily slip into the next awaiting outfit. Once in a while, the younger kids had issues, but everyone else moved with quiet, efficient grace. Thank God for all the phasing they had done over the years; the pack could change clothes quicker than a prom date in a back seat.
Everyone moved without issue except for Paul that is. I didn't know what his problem was, but every time Jake was out of sight, Paul made it his personal mission to make me as uncomfortable as he could. There wasn't anyone on this earth that loved mocking and taunting me more than Paul Young.
He started in right away. "Bella, I'm having a terrible time with these pants. Can you come take them off me?"
Leah snarled at him from across the studio, "I'll take them off your ass, you prick! And some other little mounds of flesh you seem to be attached to while I'm at it." Paul visibly flinched, turned his crotch away from the glaring Leah, and was miraculously able to undress himself in a matter of seconds. Round One to Leah.
Round Two came fifteen minutes later. "Bella," he whined. I turned towards him and tried to keep my cursed skin from coloring as I saw what he was doing. He was partially naked with his pants unzipped and his sweater in a tangle over his head, as he shoved his naked chest into my face.
"I can't get this sweater on, Bella. Can you fix it for me?" I knew it was just another ploy to fluster me as much as possible. I couldn't figure out why he derived so much pleasure from making me feel like an idiot, but it seemed to be his favorite game when Jake wasn't around. I yanked down the sweater as he slowly zipped up his pants, giving me a wicked smirk and staring at me ludely. Round Two to Paul. To quote Jake, some days Paul really was a rat bastard.
It seemed like only seconds before Round Three began. "Bella!" I heard from across the giant room. Damn it, what was that jerk going to pull now? I looked over at him and my face dropped as I saw what he had managed to accomplish.
Paul had broken the zipper of his pants. What was a small irritant in the regular world was a horrible disaster in the modeling world. He was supposed to be on the runway in just a matter of minutes and those pants had to be on him. They alone went with the outfit he was slated to model and nothing else in the collection of clothes matched. Carmen would be furious if we didn't make this happen.
I raced to his side to see if I could repair the damage he'd inflicted. The moron started grinding against me as I tried to get his zipper back on track. "For God's sake, would you please stop acting like a prepubescent cretin with a hormone problem and stand still?" I snapped at him.
"Ooooh, Bella, that feels soooo good!" he groaned. I wanted to slap the crap out of him. While he gyrated around trying to make me look like a dolt, valuable time was ticking by. I pulled out the needle and thread I kept with me for just such occasions. I was truly going to enjoy this.
My needle was already threaded and knotted and I plunged it straight into his groin right along the zipper line. He screamed like I'd branded him and jumped two feet into the air away from me. I marched over to him and grabbed hold of his waistband.
"Shut up and quit acting like a four year old. You did this so deal with the consequences. And if you grind on me one more time, so help me, I'll sew these pants right through your scrotum! You got it?" I stared straight into his widened eyes. Round Three to Bella.
By the end of the program, Leah and I were exhausted but ecstatic with the success of the show. Carmen was thrilled everything had gone off seamlessly, (or so she thought) and the crowd and the press seemed to be gaga over her new line. I chalked much of it up to the aura of the pack.
Even the jaded crowd of Milan fashionistas seemed stunned by the wild beauty of the guys, and they stared at them with avid fascination, their mouths agape. Carmen Bianca Silva had a sensation on her hands and she was going to rake in a fortune. Luckily, the pack was going to be a big part of that success.
Dinner was next on the agenda and everybody was really looking forward to it. We always went out as a group to celebrate after a big show like this; everyone was starving, and craving a hearty Italian meal.
After the wild ride of a day we'd had, Leah informed me I looked like hammered cow dung and she wanted me looking my best. She'd insisted we bring appropriate outfits, we rapidly showered and made ourselves ready. Finally, I pulled out the dress I'd been itching to wear ever since I'd laid eyes on it. It certainly wasn't the sexiest dress I had in my new arsenal, but it absolutely was the most romantic.
It was an azure blue color, made of airy silk, sleeveless, and the fabric was ruched to the fitted waist where it flowed into an incredibly wide floating skirt. I couldn't keep my hands off the gorgeous layers of the skirt and I constantly wanted to hold it up, twirl around, and watch it float in the air. The dress made me feel like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, and I adored it. I slipped on silver heeled sandals, a matching metallic leather coat, let my hair flow freely down my back, and put the finishing touches on my makeup. I felt ready for anything.
The concierge had recommended a well-known family style restaurant, Il Carroccio, close to the hotel; we all eagerly piled in the door and to our awaiting table. We ordered an appalling amount of food and polished it off with great gusto, savoring every wonderful mouthful.
Everyone was served a delicious red wine, even the younger guys and me. Evidently, all Italians had wine with dinner, and we enjoyed going right along with the custom. When in Rome, I thought with a smile, or Milan as the case may be.
I looked around me with warm and relaxed satisfaction. With the notable exception of Paul, these people were my family. I snuggled next to Jake and felt him stroke my back gently as we intertwined our fingers on his lap. He, Embry and Quil joked and teased over my head. I looked across the table at Leah and Seth, my brother and sister to be in the not too distant future if Charlie ever pulled his head out of his behind and proposed to Sue Clearwater. I felt totally content and realized just how lucky I was.
Not too many years ago, I thought my life was over with the disappearance of the Cullens. Now, I realized—I was actually glad they left. I shocked myself with that thought, but as I mulled it over, I recognized it was true.
Had the Cullens stayed, I never would have known and loved these people. Not only would I have given up my own family, (something I couldn't believe I'd ever wanted) but also I never would have known this vital sense of community and belonging had I been turned. By their very nature, the Cullens had to be outsiders—they had no choice. With the wolves of La Push, I felt like a treasured member of a huge, extended family.
Most important of all, I never would have found the warmth, the friendship, and the love I felt for my Jacob. I couldn't imagine my life without him, and my body— God, I had to get control over myself. I wanted him with the hunger of an addict craving a hit, and the wine I'd consumed was making that ache start to burn. If only I could make him love me and yearn for me as I did him.
As the guys joked and jibed with each other while finishing up their desserts, an announcement was made in Italian, and we noticed a group of exotically dressed people coming out onto the floor of the restaurant. Instruments were positioned, and instantly the entire room was flooded with the earthy strains of the music of gypsies.
Some of the group played while others danced, and they put on quite a show. Part flamenco, part wild tribal line dance, the men stomped their feet and the women flicked their skirts seductively. It was sensual and primitive at the same time. When they finished, a roar of approval rose from the crowd and we all applauded rowdily.
The troupe then went over to a nearby table and invited one of the diners to join them. We looked on with amusement as a portly, middle-aged gentleman joined the action, stamping his feet enthusiastically in time with the whirling music. He danced and danced with the exotic music, having the time of his life. The musicians finished with a flourish, and he collapsed in his chair, breathing hard, but with a huge grin on his face.
The next victim, er, participant was a young boy at the next table over and I watched fascinated as he twirled about, snapping his fingers along with the music. He, too, seemed to be entranced as the music flowed and the other dancers shouted out encouragement to him. We clapped in time with the music until it finally ended and his parents had to convince him to retake his seat, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Jake and I were sharing a laugh over his antics when suddenly a large, brown hand appeared under my chin. I looked up into the smiling dark eyes of one of the handsome dancers as he encouraged me, wordlessly, to take his hand.
After a shocked silence, the pack exploded with laughter, all except Jake, Leah and Seth. I heard raucous comments about my non-existent dancing abilities, and I had to giggle in agreement. I was surely the only person in Italy with two left feet, and this poor man expected me to join him in some kind of intricate ethnic dance in public? The pack couldn't help but tease me. Jake pulled me back into his warm chest and chuckled as he kissed my head. Then one mocking voice made itself heard above all of the rest.
"Yeah, Bella, why don't you dance for Jake and really get him going? After all, aren't you trying out for the dancing competition in the Forks Special Olympics this year? Too bad there aren't any retards or spastic quadriplegics here to watch you tonight. Those are the only kind of people you could turn with your dancing," Paul sneered.
There was a horrified gasp from the entire table, and then Jake tensed to lunge at him. I tried to hold him back.
"It's okay, Jacob," I whispered urgently. "Don't make a scene here. There's no reason." I guess I'd dug that sewing needle a little deeper in Paul's crotch than I realized.
Jake snarled so quietly he wouldn't be heard outside of our table. "I am going to suck out your eyes and spit them across the table if you don't keep your fucking mouth shut, Young."
"Yeah, you and who else, Jakey?" Paul taunted.
"Me, that's who, you piece of shit!" Leah chimed in.
Jake glared with such ferocity that Paul was forced to turn his head away, and he seemed unable to look Jake in the eye. Another wolf interaction, I realized. Jacob pulled me closer until I was nestled into his side and he squeezed me reassuringly. Looking at the gypsy, he began to make my excuses.
Meanwhile, I was staring a hole through Paul's head, imagining different pleasant scenarios of sewing his penis to his pants; my jaw was so tight I could have been chewing lumber. Leah was staring at me and, when I caught her eye, she nodded at me with grim determination. I stood abruptly, smiled sweetly at Jacob and Paul, and placed my hand in the gypsy's.
"It's okay, Jake. If Paul thinks I'm that incapable, evidently I need the practice. Let's see if he's right."
Jake looked dumbfounded and immediately a worried expression covered his face. I knew he was concerned I'd fall on my behind and embarrass myself further in front of Paul—giving him more ammunition.
There was stunned silence from our party as I took the floor. I followed the dancer's lead as he led me to the rest of his group, then he stopped and turned me in his arms so I was facing the table. I caught a glimpse of wildly varying emotions on the faces of the pack—from Jake's concern, Leah's fierce support, Seth and the younger boys' shock, Quil and Embry's laughter and Paul's scorn. I panicked for a moment then I closed my eyes and concentrated fiercely on Erin, my dance instructor's words.
Tell yourself you are confident, know you can do this, and believe it! Think of Jake—think of his beautiful skin and his gorgeous body. You can do this, Bella! You've got this in the palm of your hand—you've got all of these people in the palm of your hand!
Warmth, confidence and wine flowed through me as I heard the delicate notes that were being plucked from some kind of stringed instrument by one of the musicians. Two women started singing a slow, sensuous wail of want and desire; I lifted my head and stared into Jacob's burning eyes. He watched me with a look so fierce I felt as if his heat poured through my veins. The man behind me picked up my hands, lifted them to his neck, and traced his fingers down my raised arms, spooning me into his body as he pulled me against him.
He is not here, I told myself. He is the pole from my class, a Jacob pole. I started moving my body against the pole. It's all about Jacob. Focus on Jacob. Watch his every move and imagine it's just the two of you, Bella, just Jake and you. What do you want to do to him? What are you going to do to him?
JPOV
"Yeah, Bella, why don't you dance for Jake and really get him going? After all, aren't you trying out for the dancing competition in the Forks Special Olympics this year? Too bad there aren't any retards or spastic quadriplegics here to watch you tonight. Those are the only kind of people you could turn on with your dancing."
I could kill that son of a bitch with a cheerful smile on my face most days of the week. Paul viewed Bella as the weak link in my armor, but the way he tried to hurt someone so vulnerable made me want to rip off the protruding parts of his body.
Bella tried to calm the scene, but I could tell by her clenched jaw she was furious. Just as I was about to make her excuses to the inquiring dancer, she shocked the crap out of me by smiling and placing her hand in his.
My stomach twisted sharply as I saw her go with the gypsy. What the hell was she doing? As much as I wanted her to do well, I couldn't see this scenario being anything other than a total humiliation for my Bells in front of that asshole. I didn't give a shit what she said, if Paul opened that fucking nasty mouth of his one more time, I would spit his eyeballs across the table.
As I watched her join the little group of musicians, I was amazed to see grim determination etched on Bella's face. Her partner held her hands, turned her in his arms so she faced us, and she closed her eyes as the first slow strains of the music began.
God, please don't let her fall on her ass in front of all of these people, I prayed to myself silently with fierce intensity. About that time, Bella opened her eyes and stared at me with an expression of such heated desire, I felt my body clench.
The man behind her picked up her hands, lifted them to his neck, and then leisurely traced his fingers down her raised arms. A slow, aching cry poured from two singers, which was filled with such an erotic need that it made blood start to pound in my veins.
Bella began to move languidly against the dancer, and rested her hands above her head on either side of his neck, almost grinding into his body. I heard the fucker quietly gasp and groan behind her, and for a second, I wanted to leap up and rip her away from him. But as I looked at Bella, she was consuming me with those deep, liquid eyes, and I began to understand what she was doing.
She was dancing for me, thinking of me, grinding herself into me, not the son of a bitch behind her. He didn't matter to Bella; it was as if he wasn't there. Really, the only two people in the room were Bella and me. Her movements were soft and sensual; she seemed relaxed and even confident about what she was doing as she swayed her hips. But most of all…she was so, so sexy as she stared deep into my eyes. My temperature started to rise and blood started flooding to my groin.
Bella caressed the dancer's throat; her tiny pale hands touched the dark skin lovingly, and then they slowly slid to her own beautiful white neck, smoothing down her body and then coming to rest on his hips.
She seemed to take pleasure in tracing her fingers over the warm hollows and swells of her own skin. My eyes widened as she moved her head to rub it against the gypsy's chest and then slowly turned back to stare at me. Her hair was a sexy tangle against him, and I longed to put my hands in the silky mess.
The dancer picked up the edge of her skirt, lifted it to his face, and inhaled her scent from the delicate cloth. Bella grabbed the other side of her full skirt wrapping it around both of their bodies, and lingeringly let the silky fabric slide against their skin. Suddenly, the image of her wrapped in the sheets of our bed, luxuriating in the feel of her naked body rubbing against the smooth cloth snaked through my mind. I thought about the upcoming night when I would be the one nestling Bella into my body and wanted to be there—now.
Her hand gently traced the gypsy's face above her, and then glided to her neck, moving down over her breasts, and I remembered my hands on the delicate skin she was feeling. The scene brought me back a few weeks, I was instantly back in the shower behind Bella as she arched back into me, and my hands were cupping her beautiful pebbling breasts. I wanted to rub my thumbs over those soft pink nipples again, squeeze them gently, and feel them harden in my hand. As I stared at her, I could almost hear her moan my name while moving against me.
I watched her dance as she spread her fingers wide; they skimmed across her body, snaking around to her hip and thigh. Fuck! God, I wanted her to do this just for me, to dance for me naked, to rub her hands all over the silky cream of her stomach and thighs, to touch her skin, and show me exactly how she liked to pleasure herself. The women continued crying their song, and I let the sounds surround me as I thought about how much I wanted to see her stroke herself, dip her fingers inside that sweet, wet pussy, and make herself come as I watched.
Her back arched against the dancer, her hair sliding against his chest as she grasped his hands and curled her fingers into them. She raised their clasped hands to her face, and then brought them to her mouth where she slowly opened her lips. I saw her little pink tongue and white teeth gently lick, suckle, and nip the man's fingers delicately. There were shocked gasps all around me, but all I could think about was having her suckle me, and having her graze those teeth over every part of my body. The image of my cock in Bella's mouth consumed my mind.
Jesus Fucking Christ! I imagined everything she was doing to that fucker's hands she wanted to do to me, running her teeth and tongue up and down my shaft, ever so gently nibbling me, and then licking and sucking the spot she'd nipped. I could smell her arousal and I inhaled deeply, unable to get enough of that addictive scent. What the fuck was she doing to me? My dick felt like it was going to explode any second.
Bella continued sliding their hands down her neck, and then slowly, so slowly, dragged them down her sides just grazing the edge of her breasts and waist. God, she had to touch her tits again—and have him touch them as well. I'd just felt that velvety skin at the beach two nights ago. My hands ached to feel it again.
She rested her fingers on her hips as she rubbed her sweet ass against the gypsy, all the time staring at me as if she was biding her time until she could strip me naked and fuck me senseless. I wanted Bella soft and warm underneath me. If only I could probe into that liquid channel again, thrusting just the head of my cock into her incredible sweet, wet entrance. Forcing myself to stay still in my seat, I continued to fantasize about doing it to her.
As the women raised the volume and tempo of the song, Bella leaned into the gypsy as she raised one tiny little foot, slid it up and down his leg sensuously, and raised her hands to her hair. Lifting it off her neck, she moved her head under the dancer's neck, sliding her hair against his skin as he clutched her across her hips and pulled her into his body.
My fantasies continued as I imagined her sitting naked on my lap, straddling my erection, her back to my chest as she lifted her hair exposing her delicate neck and back. She would lower herself on me gently and let her thick juices lubricate my head as she ground herself on me again and again until I was in her to the hilt. I would grab her hips and rock her against me, feeling the cheeks of her ass rubbing against my stomach, slowly at first, and then faster and faster until she screamed my name.
The women came to a climactic cry as Bella slithered one last time against the gypsy, rubbing into him, biting her lip slowly and softly as she drank in the heat of my face. I tried to get my head away from the hot sex my brain had been fully engaged in and act like I had just witnessed a simple dance at a restaurant. Simple? My God, it was singularly the most erotic fucking thing I had ever seen in my life.
Suddenly, the dance was over, thank fuck, before I came like Old Faithful in the middle of this god-forsaken fucking restaurant. Bella smiled sweetly over her shoulder at the dancer and stared at the faces of the pack. I looked around me at the slack jaws and roiling lust on all the male faces at the table. Jesus Christ on a ladder, the little siren had turned every fucking one of us into a seething mass of blue balls.
Meanwhile, Bella was focusing in on Paul and she moved to where he was sitting. As she reached him, she looked down and stared at the huge, straining bulge in his jeans. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she smiled sweetly at him, and leaned over to speak directly into his ear.
"So Paul, you tell me," she paused. "Are you a retard, a spastic paraplegic, or both? Because you seem to be—" she stared down at his crotch for a moment and then looked straight into his eyes, "er, well, turned on, wouldn't you say?"
After a stunned silence, the entire table abruptly exploded into shouts of laughter until tears actually ran down Quil and Embry's cheeks. Paul stared dumbly into Bella's eyes before color stained his face and then he grinned like the tool that he was. Bella walked around quietly, slipped a little wink to Leah, and sat down on my lap, taking my hand and lacing her fingers through it. Suddenly, the silent diners broke into raucous shouts and applause, including the little troupe of dancers and musicians, and the restaurant seemed to burst with noise.
Bella's gypsy had a staggered look on his face; he stared hungrily at her and acted like he intended to join us in our hotel room. I skewered him with a murderous glare as I wrapped her in my arms. He stumbled back abruptly, almost tripping over the other dancers as he hurriedly moved on to the next table. I'd had enough of that fucking son of a bitch.
As I shifted Bella on my lap so she wasn't rubbing against my bursting dick, I noticed most of the men around the table and restaurant were shifting uncomfortably or making much needed adjustments to their pants. Who could blame them? We'd all just been fucked fully clothed.
"Holy shit, Bella!" I growled into Bella's ear in a voice so husky I hardly recognized it as my own, "What in the blue fuck was that?"
"Oh, nothing really, Jacob," she smiled at me innocently. "Just a little something I picked up in Seattle."
Chapter End Notes:
If you leave me a review, I'll send you a peek at Chapter 10. Regardless, I'd love to hear from you. You all make my day, and you inspire me to write. If you review me at Twilighted(dot)net, I'll also send along a mouthwatering picture of Jake. As well as not allowing you publish internet addresses, (now somebody, please tell me what's the reason behind that one!) this site doesn't allow a computer dullard such as myself to send pics. Really pisses me off.
What do you think of Bella's seduction attempts? Are they in any way believable? Think it will work? I'm considering naming Chapter 10 "Date Night" but would love to hear your suggestions. The position of guest beta is available if anyone is interested. Let me know. Chapter 1, 2, and 8 are really in need of rewrites. Anybody want to take it on? I'll send an advance copy of Chapter 10 if you beta them for me.
Reviewers who are named in this chapter are:
The pivotal character of Carmen Bianca Silva was named for several reviewers. Carmen just happens to be the name of my betas, mybrandofheroin and diamondheart. Sorry, guys. I couldn't resist. Bianca is named for Bforqueen, (author of the fascinating new story "Fallen Princess") and Silva comes from that Brazilian bombshell Diana Chica-Brazilian a.k.a. anginha, a.k.a. Angela Silva. Val was named for MischievousMe and valelf, both Valeries as well as Jenny True, a.k.a. Jennifer Simonetti. Hope you don't mind me naming a gorgeous male model after you three. (Clover, our Italian reader and contributor, informed me that in Italy, the nickname for Valentino is Vale, not Val. Sorry for the inaccuracy.) Sucia Dawn was again much appreciated for donating her beautiful black suit and Bella's dance instructor was named for Erin Brennan and Erin Ludwig. Beckie Young (bloodofbeckie) supplied her last name to her beloved Paul. The brat pack was named for Randi, Nikki, and Mick. Thanks to all of you for being such great supporters of this story.
By the way, Erin's advice to Bella about having confidence is probably the best advice I've ever received. It really works.
*Leah's Rules for Seduction #48 Spooning rules when sleeping "platonically" with a man.
When spooning a man, allow your nipples to rub against his back through silky lingerie and keep your free arm around his waist allowing your hand to rest on his hip or just into the crease of his groin.
When being spooned, always scoot back into his crotch as much as possible and "unconsciously" rock into him. Bring his free arm around you and hold his hand between your breasts. (On your breast is the desired location, but can call into question the entire "platonic" issue.)
In either case, keep one leg between his, running your calf sensuously up his. And for the love of God, make sure it is a shaved leg!
Wanna ruin any chance of something happening? No? Then for Christ's sake, keep those damned frigid clodhoppers off of him. Not much cools a man's sex drive faster than planting two blocks of ice between his legs!
Nero actually did design an enormous complex in the 1st century A.D. complete with baths, fountains, and intricate mosaic ceilings, the first time such artistry had ever been done. He was enormously involved in the process. Read more at:
www(dot)wikipedia(dot)org(slash)wiki(slash)Domus_Aurea
Band of Outsiders is an actual high-end clothing line designed by Scott Sternberg. Most of his clothing is a little too preppy for the pack, but I loved the name.
It was suggested that I not use the word sybaritic, as no one would know what I was talking about, but it's such a great word, and based on a city in Italy, I couldn't resist.
Syb·a·rit·ic
1. (usually lowercase) pertaining to or characteristic of a sybarite; characterized by or loving luxury or sensuous pleasure: to wallow in sybaritic splendor.
2. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Sybaris or its inhabitants.
Sybaris - an ancient Greek city in S Italy: noted for its wealth and luxury; destroyed 510 b.c.
britannica(dot)com
The word Sybaritic has become a byword meaning extreme luxury and a seeking for pleasure and comfort. One story has a Sybarite turning in his bed sleeplessly, because a crumpled rose petal had gotten into it. The best known anecdote of the Sybarites is of their defeat in battle. It is told that to amuse themselves the Sybarite cavalrymen trained their horses to dance to pipe music. Armed with pipes, an invading army from nearby Crotonia assailed the Sybarite cavalry with music. The attacking forces easily passed through the dancing horses and their helpless riders, and conquered the city.
wikipedia(dot)org
Leah's comment about a werewolf's sense of smell is based on fact. The actual ratio is not known for certain, however dogs have a sense of smell that is at least thousands of times better than our own and a wolf's sense of smell is at least seven times greater than a dog. So how much better is a werewolf's sense of smell than a wolf's? The scientific study has not been completed yet. ;)
