Oh my gosh! I don't own Shiver or Linger! Weird, I know!

Anyway, I'm about to say something that may offend some readers. I apologize in advance for this…

GODDAMN YOU WRITERS BLOCK!

Alrighty, well I feel better. I hope I didn't offend you too much. I just had to do that. So I believe my statement explains why I haven't updated as quickly as I wanted to, but I'm doing it now. Don't worry. I am. Really.

'Kay, so this may be the last update for a while so don't be shocked if this isn't updated for a week or two. Life's about to kick my ass and take away all my free time, so yeah.

Enough of my ranting! You're here for a story!

Enjoy!

I don't like sleeping in jeans. I really don't like waking up in jeans, either since they're not comfy at all. So when I woke up to the sun coming through the window and in jeans. I wasn't very happy. And then with the crashing memories of yesterday as well. Let's just say that I really wasn't happy.

I let out a groan and rubbed my still sore eyes. I felt a weird warmth around my waist and pressed against my back. I turned my head slowly to see Cole still fast asleep behind me. I felt my cheeks heat up at the sight of him, thinking that maybe I had just dreamt the part of the night after he examined my hand. Apparently, I had not.

Very carefully, I squirmed my way out from under his arm and away from him. I stood next to the bed and looked down at him. There was frown of disappointment on his face, but he was still asleep. I bit my lip and hoped against hope that he would remain asleep when he sighed and rolled onto his other side.

With a sigh of relief I checked to make sure he really was asleep before I changed from my torn shirt into a plain white tank top. Then I made my way out the door and to the kitchen downstairs. It was early enough so no one was up, which was fine with me.

I looked around the kitchen and contemplated what to do. I needed something that would keep my hands and mind busy. I wanted to be distracted, but I didn't feel like taking all my clothes off to run around in the woods. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head and smiled, knowing what to do.

Two hours later I found myself still in the kitchen. Dishes filled the sink and I was bending over to put a tray of fresh cookie dough that I had scattered on the baking try into the oven when I heard a voice above the music I had turned on.

"What are you doing?" Cole's voice was heard as he turned down the volume. I'd had the music loud enough to not hear someone coming into the kitchen, but not loud enough to wake up anyone upstairs.

"Making chocolate chip cookies," I responded in a sing song voice as I exited the oven, "What'd you think I was doing?"

"I thought you were supposed to go with Grace to her parents," Cole questioned, leaning on the counter next to the oven.

"I am," I put my hands on my hips in a defensive position, "She came down here about an hour ago to tell me that she was going to wait to go until tonight so that she would be around to settle everything down after yesterday."

"That reminds me," He murmured, pushing himself off the counter, "Are you okay?"

I looked up at him. It was amazing how sometimes when Cole stood right in front of me I felt so small. In reality I was tall enough that my chin hit his shoulder, but sometimes I felt like a small little kid in front of him. I didn't like it.

"Whether I'm okay or not doesn't matter," I crossed my arms over my chest, "I have to be strong for everyone else. Therefore, I won't cry or freak out like I did yesterday. I'll be everyone's rock through this."

"Monty," He sighed. He stepped even closer and cupped the side of my face with his hand, "You can be human sometimes. And no one asked you to be everyone's rock, you can let someone else do that."

To say I was shocked was the least of it. I mean here was Cole saying something like that! It was completely out of character for him. And then he had to ruin it.

"Besides," He said, the smirk returning, "It's kinda hot to see you weak and not snapping at everyone all the time."

"You jerk!" I shrieked and pushed his chest so he stumbled backward, "You say something sweet for once and then go and ruin it by being a pompous ass!"

"I didn't exactly hear you complaining last night when I did this," He moved so quick I couldn't respond. He stepped forward quickly and wrapped his arms around my waist, yanking me forward which caused me to yelp.

"You're so annoying!" I started smacking my fists against his chest, but not hard enough to hurt.

"I see your hand feels better," He smirked, his hands moving so that his thumbs were hooked into the loops on my jeans. Again I cursed sleeping in jeans.

"I guess," I stopped my attack at his comment and pulled the cloth I had wrapped around my knuckles off. I had completely forgotten about my hand until now. It looked perfectly fine and felt perfectly fine which was thanks my wolf weirdness, "It feels fine."

"Mhm. Glad to see that," He murmured against my neck which he leaned into when I was examining my hand.

I had been so enticed by my hand that I hadn't noticed what he was doing until I felt a nip on my neck. Suddenly I froze. I had to say something before this got very much farther.

"Cole, I need to tell you something," I said quickly, embarrassed I had to say this.

"Hmm?" He murmured as his mouth made its way from my neck to my chin.

"I'm a little inexperienced," I said which made him pull away to look at me. I gave a shy smile.

"What do you mean?" He asked, moving back a little, but not removing his arms.

"Let's just say that before you I'd only made out with one guy. Once," I expected him to wave me goodbye and walk away right at that. I mean it was really embarrassing! And not my fault since my lifestyle was extremely sheltered.

Instead he started chuckling and then it turned into laughter. His head was thrown back as his laughter escaped him.

That was worse than him walking away!

"You're. The. Biggest. Jerk. I've. Ever. Met!" Each word was joined with a smack to his chest.

"Hey, hey! I'm sorry!" He said quickly, removing his arms to grab my hands, "It's just that, it wasn't that hard to tell."

"What?" I felt all my anger fizzle out and defeat fill its place. I was that obvious?

"The only time you ever made the first move was when you were drunk," He smirked, "You're not exactly screaming confidence when it comes to intimacy."

"Shut up!" I said at a loss for words. He was right and I had no idea how to retaliate.

"Then again," He said mockingly, "It's a miracle anyone could resist those eyes and that lovely dyed hair."

"It's not dyed!" God, I was on the defensive today! I ran a hand through my hair that went down to just past my shoulders. My hair was the opposite of my fur. It was light blonde with jet black on the tips. I didn't dye it; it just darkened at the tips naturally. It was weird.

He smiled mischievously and wrapped his arms around me again so that his thumbs were hooked in the loops of my jeans again. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared. I wasn't going to let him off the hook for the hair comment that easy. And if he thought I was; oh boy did he have another thing coming.

"Oh, come on," He sighed and yanked me towards him again so that I stumbled and my hands slapped against his chest, "I was trying to lighten the mood. Give me a break."

"Oh, I'm gonna break you," I growled, making a fist on his chest.

"Sure you are," He laughed and leaned his head down. My breathing stopped and it seemed like time slowed down.

Until his lips met mine. He was gentle, which I was grateful for, but I could feel him holding back. So, I decided to try something. I reached my arms up around his neck and locked one of my hands in his hair. That got a response I wasn't quite expecting.

His hands moved to my waist and suddenly my back was against the wall. Hi mouth worked against mine until I granted entrance, trying to keep up. His mood had changed so quickly, I wasn't sure what to do. I tried copying his movements and was beginning to panic from how out of control I felt in this situation when a beep went off.

I had literally been saved by the bell. Or timer more like it.

The timer seemed to break through whatever haze had overcome Cole. He released me and backed up to put a couple feet of space between us. I was breathing hard and using the wall as my source of staying upright. Cole was breathing as hard and was turned away so I could only see the side of his face.

As if remembering what that timer meant, I grabbed some oven-mits and pulled the tray out and replaced it with another of unbaked cookie dough. I put the tray on the stove and took off the oven-mits. I looked at Cole's back. I couldn't tell what was going on his head. I didn't like it.

"Hey," I whispered and placed my hand on his shoulder. I couldn't think of what to say so instead I asked this, "Want to help with the dishes?"

Surprisingly, he nodded. So I walked to the sink and began washing. Cole would dry and put away the dishes. A silence had settled over us and I couldn't help the thoughts creeping.

What did I do wrong? What even happened? One minute everything was gentle and the next was not. I wish he would just tell me what I did wrong and then tell me off so this torture would end!

I was pulled out my thoughts when his voice entered my head.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, continuing to rub the dish he had in his hands dry.

"What?" I sputtered; my eyes immediately went to his face as I tried to examine what emotions were going on in him.

"I said I was sorry," He said louder this time. That didn't clear up my confusion.

"For what?" I asked softly. Almost afraid of the answer; like for ever getting involved with someone like you or something along those lines.

"For being like that," He growled. He put the plate on the counter and placed the towel in his hand down as well. He pinched the bridge of his nose, "I was trying to be gentle and not scare you. Then I go all crazed and after you said what you said! I'm a horrible person."

I looked at the soapy water I had been washing. I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. He was blaming himself? And he had tried not to scare me? It was just too much.

So instead of saying anything, I reached my hand into the water and flicked it at Cole. It landed on his shirt and he looked at me shocked. I smiled at him and started giggling when suddenly he reached into the pot and flicked water back at me.

Before I knew what I'd started, we wearing making handfuls of water and throwing them at each other. I was laughing hysterically which would result in soapy water in my mouth occasionally. Then I grabbed the pot and dumped the whole thing on him. He was soaked and a look of shock was clear on his face. I dropped the pot back into the sink and began backing up.

"Well now you don't have to take a shower today," I tried to sound apologetic, but I couldn't stop laughing.

"That's true," He said slowly, "But neither will you!"

He grabbed faucet and started spraying me with it, effectively soaking me as well. I tried to block some of it, but that proved impossible.

"There!" He said triumphantly and turned off the faucet, "Now we match."

"I'm way more soaked than you!" I said accusingly. It was true. I was dripping while just the top half of him was soaked.

"Then how about a hug," He opened his arms and I eyed him suspiciously

Then I walked into the hug. It was wet, but for some reason Cole was always warm so it wasn't too bad.

"I'm sor-", He began when I cut him off.

"Don't be," I smiled up at him, "I'm not."

He smiled back down at me. It was genuine and sweet. Which was rare for Cole, but I liked it.

This time I raised myself on my toes and pressed my lips against his. And this time it was gentle and sweet.

Alright well I thought that was good ending so I stopped it. I hope Cole wasn't too OOC. And the reason I made Monty so inexperienced is because she did lived in a pack all her life, was homeschooled, and had a paranoid mom. So sorry if you want some wild totally unrestrained wolf girl. That's not her in this department.

Also, I think I've pretty much figured out where this story is going to go and that this story is probably going to be around twenty or so chapters. So you have that to look forward to!

Well hope you enjoyed it and sorry if it was shorter than you expected. I was a little tired and running out of ideas. Hopefully I'll have more for the next update!

Alrighty, well until next time!

Thanks!

-seb :]