Jacob's POV

Paul had shown up late to take over patrol, Jared had come and let Quil off, but I had to wait another twenty minutes before I was free to go home, to Bella. I had kinda lost the plot, snarling at Paul when he had finally shown up. "What took you so long?"

He had just laughed, strange, for Paul. "Same thing that kept me from realizing that leech was here before." Paul's visualizations of the woman's breasts weren't nearly as bad as him remembering her smell, and the feel of her skin. I had to phase a good ten minute walk from my house just to escape the torture. The last thing I needed was to be in a state when I finally got back to My Bella. As it was, I had to make my way home the long way, through the trees. There were still a few groups of die-hard partiers about, and I had ruined my shorts when I had phased earlier.

It seemed like forever when I turned up to my house, but then I had another problem. Charlie was sleeping in the lounge, and I was naked. I didn't want to scare Bella, but it seemed like going to my bedroom window was the best of a few dodgy options.

I stuck my head in through the curtains. "Bella." I stage whispered. "You awake?"

She sat up, startled. "Jake! You're ok! I've been worried sick!" She knelt up on the bed, awkwardly, and shuffled to the window. I tried not to look as the blankets fell off her and exposed her legs. I knew she had a pair of Emily's shorts on, but my T shirt was so long on Bella that you couldn't see them, and my imagination instantly started to run wild. She put a hand on either side of my face, like she had done with Embry that morning, but this was so much better, despite her bandages.

Her hands on my face. I closed my eyes. "I heard screaming! It was terrible! Then there was nothing! And no one came back to tell me if everyone was ok!" Her voice was frantic with worry. I moved to hold her face in the way that she was holding mine. I ran my thumbs down her cheekbones. God she was gorgeous. I could feel her breath on my face. I could smell her, it was torture. The scent of desire that she had been sweating before I left was still clinging faintly to her skin.

I stepped back, unable to control myself if I stayed so close. I cleared my throat. "Can you grab me a pair of shorts? I busted mine."

She raised an eyebrow, and shuffled to the end of the bed, where a pile of clothes was on the dresser. "Clean?" she asked, pointing at them. I nodded, and she ruffled through them until she found a pair of cut-off track pants. Wriggling back to the window, she held the shorts behind her back, a playful grin spreading over her face. "Sooo. You're naked out there?" she asked. I just swallowed and nodded like an idiot. She raised herself further up on her knees, trying to peek out the window. I yelped and moved closer to the house to keep myself out of her view.

She giggled, her bandaged hand over her mouth. "Sorry." She grinned, and she held the shorts out to me. "It's just so strange that you run about nude! It's curious." She smiled at me, moving back out of my way as I tugged my shorts on and climbed through the window. She sat there for a long time, watching me. I shuffled around, flinging sheets and blankets about, trying to casually cover my crotch under the guise of getting comfy. I don't think I fooled her, but she didn't say anything. Just having her here was getting me all worked up. I cursed Paul and his sexual memories, but I knew it made hardly any difference. She was kneeling beside me, her skin against my T shirt. I shut my eyes, trying to keep out my imagination, but I couldn't help picturing my hands sliding the cotton fabric over her body, feeling the shape of her, the weight of her, through the cloth.

I ground my teeth together. Holding back the sheet, I gestured for her to get into bed. "Lie down. Get some sleep." I groaned. I was so tired, but my head was buzzing. I kept my eyes closed as she slid in beside me.

"Are you ok to sleep on top of the blankets?" she asked in a whisper. "Charlie will probably be very unhappy with this in the morning, and if he checks on us, it will look better if we aren't… against each other." Her voice was small, but filled with so much emotion. My heart quickened as I recognized the longing in her statement. She wanted to be against me.

I moved slowly, checking my every movement. Smoothing out the top sheet, I lay down on top of it, tugging the blankets off to the side, I would keep her warm enough. I was on my back, my arms above my head. Bella was on her side, facing me, curled up into a ball. I could feel her eyes on my face. We lay there for minutes, the silence was deafening. My heart was thumping, my blood was rushing in my ears. All I wanted, all I could think about, was reaching over and grabbing her, pulling her on top of me. I thought about everything I had wanted to do with her for over a year. How many times had I imagined her with me like this? I could smell that I could turn her on. But I had to be patient, let her come to me, or I would freak her out. In the meantime, I prayed that she wouldn't look down, see how excited I was.

Without saying a word, Bella slowly shifted towards me. I could feel her warmth through the thin sheet, I felt my breath shake in my lungs as she pressed up against me. Unwilling to move, in case I did something stupid, I stayed completely still as she laid her head on my chest. She placed her bandaged hand on my stomach, and wriggled her body further into mine, nestling into my shoulder. "Put your arm around me?" she asked. My brain and body were pulling me in a thousand different directions as I slowly lowered my arm around her shoulder, resting my hand on her arm. She sighed contentedly. I could feel her relaxing into me. Despite the torture, this was, hands down, the single best moment of my life. I felt her inhale deeply, and got suddenly self-conscious. Shifting, I pulled away a little.

She raised her head, confused. I stammered stupidly. "I – I haven't showered, and I've been running around all night… I – I…" She just smiled and lowered her head back onto me, snuggling me, pressing her body against mine.

"Unless you want to go take a cold shower," her voice barely contained her amusement at that, "don't bother. You smell good… sexy." My head swam. She knew everything. She probably knew exactly what I wanted to do with her, to her, and she still wanted to lie close with me. I did need a cold shower, but there was nothing that would get me out of bed at the moment. The house could have been on fire and I still would have lain there, holding her. I moved my other arm down to hold her closer, she let out a soft moan, I pressed my lips to her hair.

"What were you going to ask me before?" Bella's voice disrupted my fantasies. "Just before Embry interrupted you – us – you started to ask me something." I caught my breath. 'Before Embry interrupted us'. I could have taken her right then, that small acknowledgement of what had started to happen… it made my stomach clench. I tried to concentrate on her question.

"I think it was 'what do you want me to be'? Or 'what do you want from me'? Something like that." I swallowed, hoping that making her think about 'us' wouldn't scare her off.

She just leaned further into me. "Patient. I think I want you to be patient. I don't want to make a mistake this time." She paused, tensing a little. I gripped her closer to me, anxious. I realized that I was holding a breath, I let it out slowly. "I feel it, Jake. There's something here, something big. But I need to, I don't know, get more confident? Before I can do this again? I don't want to be that girl, who loses herself in her relationships. Who needs a boyfriend. Does that make sense?"

I nuzzled her hair with my nose, breathing her in. "Perfect sense. I can be patient." I stroked her arm, excitement and relief both rushing through my veins. "I can be as patient as you need me to be." Her good hand which was caught between us, stroked my ribs gently, her fingertips just dipping into the hair under my arm. I jerked "Ticklish!" I yelped.

She giggled again. "Sorry." Her hand stilled, and she took a deep breath, letting her body relax even further into me as she exhaled. It felt like she had poured herself over me, like I could cover myself with her. I was so turned on, but exhausted at the same time. "I'm pooped." She moaned, just before she stretched in a huge yawn. I smoothed down her hair, leaning my face against her head. "Sorry for any… frustration…" that mirth was in her voice again, amused. "Will you be able to sleep ok?"

I grinned, fatigue starting to drag me under. "Sure sure." I mumbled. "I might never be able to walk again… but as long as your comfy." She snorted softly with laughter, and pressed her lips to my skin in a kiss.

Best moment ever.