As always, thank you to my pre-readers PemberlyRose and MissBratt. My beta Jkane180 is the best beta ever.

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"The fever when I'm beside her.

Desire. Desire."

Desire by U2

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"You did what?" I slammed my bedroom door and ran down the stairs. I had no idea where I was going but getting away from my mother sounded really good. I should have known that getting away from her was easier said than done-she met me in the kitchen before I could even get there.

"You need to talk to him."

"But I don't want to talk to him."

"He loves you," she snapped back.

"But I don't love him," I retorted without thinking, trying to convince myself of my words.

"You know he deserves to be heard. At least give him that."

"Mom, are you serious? Gah... It's the imprint that's making him think he loves me. Don't you see that?"

I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl Mom had filled when we arrived here in Forks. Even though she no longer ate human food, she still enjoyed grocery shopping and making sure I had enough snacks around for when I needed them.

"Just talk to him."

I bit into the apple, listening to the sound of it crunching in my mouth as I thought about what my mom wanted me to do. I spun around and looked at her, eye to eye.

"I thought you were angry with him."

"I was."

"Then what changed your mind?" I asked. My mom didn't answer, hesitating at what she would say to me. She heard him approach before I did and turned her attention away from me.

"I think I had something to do with that." My father's voice echoed off the walls. His sudden presence unnerved me. I wanted to talk to my mother once without him feeling the need to intrude.

I exhaled loudly and said nothing, taking another bite. I remembered the things my father told me in my room about Jacob. I knew that my father wouldn't lie, but it was hard to digest that Jacob wanted me. He even proclaimed to love me. I'd never had anyone really love me before. I didn't know how to take it. I mean, I'd only known this guy for a day, and he loved me? Something kept me from believing that love could happen to me.

I began to feel like a broken record, thinking the same thoughts over and over again. I just needed this uneasiness to stop. I wanted to be sure of something for once and not have to think about it. Jacob was making my life miserable, or so I kept telling myself he did. I tried to suppress the excitement I felt every time his name ran through my head or crossed over my lips.

I wanted to believe Jacob. I really did. Prior to him, my only boyfriend had turned out to be someone I couldn't trust. I figured it had something to do with me and how I didn't quite fit into the human world. John never knew the truth about me and my family, or he would have run away long ago. Jacob knew about me. He was well aware of what I was and what kind of family I had.

And he still wanted me. Did I dare give him a chance? I swallowed another bite, and the questions that wouldn't go away came rushing back again.

"Why are you on his side now? You and Mom both wanted to tear him to shreds not too long ago," I asked, still confused at their sudden change of heart.

"I'm not on his side, Renesmee. I've heard his thoughts and know he's not lying. He didn't use you," he spoke sincerely, barely breaking a whisper. "Now, I would have liked it if the two of you hadn't been so forward with your feelings, but what's done is done."

"I've known Jacob for a long time. He's a good guy. He made a very stupid mistake that he'll have to live with for the rest of his life, but you shouldn't punish him for it forever. He's not a jerk. He's cocky, but not a jerk." My mom seemed to laugh a bit at what she said.

"I beg to differ." My father's jest was met with a swift elbow to the gut from my mom.

"Edward, we're trying to get her to talk to him; you're not helping by saying he's a jerk." My mother gave him a look that could only mean trouble.

"Luckily, I don't bruise, Bella," he spoke in a low voice, rubbing his hand over his gut. "Well, try being the vampire boyfriend of the girl that he used to love-" He was met with another jab to the gut. I knew my mom didn't feel the need to bring up the fact that Jacob used to love her. For some reason, she wanted me to reconcile with her old friend.

"Not helping again, sweetheart," she laughed, and so did he. They couldn't be mean to each other if they tried. Sometimes their constant banter and lovey-doveyness made me sick. I rolled my eyes.

Jacob and my mom's past was a subject I didn't want to deal with at the moment. After noticing my disdain for their playfulness in the middle of my own personal crisis, my mother cleared her throat and tired to become serious again.

"Just give him a chance to talk. That's all we're asking... Okay?" I felt her hand grab mine. It was hard to say no to her. I nodded my head yes, and watching her smile made my decision to talk to Jacob seem right.

I just hoped that feeling would last.

When I heard the engine rumble down our drive, I still felt that talking to Jacob was the right thing to do. I actually got a little nervous realizing what I was about to do. I peeked out my window and saw him inside the cab of his big, black truck. Not many guys back in New Hampshire drove trucks, and I kind of liked that Jacob had one. It looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks or even months. The door opened, and I let out a little sigh when he did, watching the man that emerged.

He looked so different from when I'd seen him earlier. He had obviously cleaned up a bit, and his hair that stood on end had a boyish charm to it. I found myself smiling, knowing he was here to see me. What I couldn't wrap my mind around was the fact that we would have to be in the same room with each other to talk. The two of us weren't really talkers when we were near. I had to try and be strong to tell him what I wanted.

I just wished I knew what that was.

I could tell he was in the house-I could smell him immediately. My body began to tingle, and the need to run to him became overpowering. I took a deep breath and talked to myself. That's the imprint you feel. Slow down and try to get yourself under control. Then another one of my stupid sighs came out of my mouth before I could control it. I was sure everyone had heard it, even him.

I covered my mouth to keep myself from making anymore embarrassing noises, took a few deep breaths, and made my way out of my bedroom confidently.

Then I ducked into the bathroom to puke.

As I gargled with mouth wash, trying to rid my mouth of the God-awful vomit taste, I heard their voices. I finally willed my knees to quit shaking and forced myself out of the bathroom. Before I made my way to the top of the stairs, I trembled again, unable to control my fear. Knowing I was about to see him made me scared of the unknown. What would he say or do? I hadn't a clue, but I wanted to find out.

His gray shirt clung to the muscles underneath, and he haphazardly had tucked in a portion of it. I tried not to stare at the way he looked in his low-slung jeans and figured he must have been in a hurry to get here. He looked disheveled but amazing, and his hair begged for me to run my fingers through it. The thoughts of his locks on the tips of my fingers left as soon as I saw my father glaring at Jacob. Even though he was the one to let me know of how Jacob truly felt, it didn't make him immune from being my overprotective father. He just couldn't help it. He wouldn't let Jacob know he had anything to do with convincing me to talk to my wolf who'd imprinted on me.

My wolf. I let those words rattle around in my head. I soon realized that I wasn't the only one who was a little different in my genetic make up. Jacob wasn't exactly all-human either. I rubbed the wood on the banister, lost in thought about how our uniqueness made us very much the same. Then his brown eyes met mine, and our unexplainable connection happened.

"Hey, Ness. Can we talk?" he asked, looking at me; his eyes opened wide with what looked like fear. Was he scared to talk to me, too?

I heard myself respond okay, but I wasn't sure what to do next. I ran my fingers through my hair, hoping it looked all right and wishing I'd taken a little more time to make sure I was put together. At least my choice of a t-shirt and jeans matched his attire. I prayed that I didn't smell like vomit.

"Edward, why don't we leave these two alone for a little while?" My mom glided over to her husband, taking him by his arm, but he didn't budge.

He spoke through his gritted teeth. "I think she can be here with us when they talk."

I let out a breath of frustration. His mood changes were making me crazy. I wished my father would pick whose side he was on and stick with it.

My mom furrowed her brow and took his chin in her hands, lining his eyes up with hers. "We don't have any business being involved in their conversation. Let's take a walk. It's a beautiful night for us to be alone." Her voice sang and was laced with a hint of seduction. She was working my father, and he was putty in her hands.

By the time I made my way down the stairs, my father had agreed to leave but not before getting the last word in.

"No funny business, Jacob. Got it? You're just talking. This is my house. Respect that." I was mortified at my father's brash words. I couldn't believe he would say such things right in front of me, but before I could complain in protest, Jacob spoke.

"Yes, sir. Just talking. Got it loud and clear."

Sir? He just called my dad sir. I stood in disbelief while my parents walked out the front door. The uncomfortable silence filled the room once we were alone. I played with the bottom of my green shirt as I tried to figure out what to do.

"Oh, um, would you like to sit down? Can I get you something to drink?" I began rambling, turning into the polite hostess that was ingrained in me growing up. We were always to make our guests welcome. I thought I was just going through the motions just to have something to say because I didn't know what the hell I was doing.

"Yeah, I'll sit down, but I'm not thirsty," he said softly. He followed me into the sitting area, and I could feel his eyes on me. I crossed my arms over my chest, and I watched as he sat on the couch. I sat on the chair opposite from him, and I could see the disappointment in his face. Did he want me next to him? Being that close to him would be too risky. I had to have my wits about me.

"So," I breathed, clasping my hands together.

"So," he repeated back. He moved to the edge of the couch as if trying to get closer to me somehow. Fortunately, there was a coffee table between us. At least there was some barrier. A flimsy, wooden table that didn't stand a chance with a vampire and a shape-shifter in the room. Yeah, that was some barrier.

It wasn't hard to see that the two of us were clueless as to what say or how to begin. I sure as hell wasn't going to say the first word. I still felt that he needed to do a little begging, and I wanted to see if he did, in fact, love me enough to do so.

"Ness, I, uh, don't know where to start." His hands ran back and forth across the denim on his legs, which was quite distracting. I focused on the veins in his forearms that bulged out from his skin. I couldn't help but think it looked so manly. His hands were beautiful, and I had to push away the thoughts of them on my skin. Those big hands knew just how to touch me, rough on the outside but gentle underneath. The stupid sigh I let out came too fast to control. I didn't want him to see me act like a teenage girl, all giddy in front of a boy. A really hot boy. I felt my cheeks flush.

"Edward can't hear our thoughts, can he? Is your mom doing her shield on us? Please say she is." Jacob's eyes looked scared at the thought of our conversation not being private.

"I don't know, but knowing my mom, she'll make sure that he can't see in your head, if that's what you're worried about." I hoped I sounded reassuring.

"I don't want anyone but you seeing what I feel. I don't want to worry about anyone else spying on us. Does that make sense?"

"It makes perfect sense." I wanted our private talk to be between the two of us, as well. A pregnant pause filled the room again, making us both a bit uncomfortable.

"How's your dad?" I quickly asked.

"Um, he's fine."

"He's probably mad at me for ruining his surprise party, isn't he?" I had heard through the hushed phone calls my parents took earlier in the day that the party had been a complete failure because of mine and Jacob's antics.

"No. He's never mad. That's just my dad... He's always laid back. When I told him the reasons why I acted the way I did, he almost jumped for joy." Jacob's hands clasped together. I imagined them wrapped around my own slender fingers.

"Why would he jump for joy, Jacob? We messed up his big day."

"Don't you see? I finally have an imprint. The ways of the tribe didn't pass me by like I thought they did. My father knows the importance of what's going on between you and me. He'd never hold that against us."

"Does he know about what you did to me at the hotel? What would he say to that?" I didn't need to bring it up again, but I couldn't help myself. My vindictive side needed to add a little salt to the wound.

"God, Ness... I'm just so sorry. If I could take it back, I would. My father wouldn't approve of what I did. I'm so ashamed of how I acted. It took every bit of strength I had for me to walk out that door. Every part of me was telling me to stay because you had become my everything. But the stubborn side of me won out. Old habits die hard, I guess. I'll do anything for you to accept my apology. Anything." He looked sincere; my father said he wouldn't lie. I wanted to take his apology as truth.

"I believe you, Jacob. I really do. I'm not one hundred percent okay with what happened at the hotel, but I know it's something you and I'll have to deal with. What I'm struggling with more is figuring out this imprint thing. I don't want you to love me just because of that."

"I totally understand your reluctance. As a matter of fact, I didn't want to imprint. I thought I'd actually gotten of the hook form it going this long without finding anyone. But once I saw you on that elevator, any reservations I had about imprinting went away. I finally understood what my pack brothers have had all these years. It's way more than just a feeling, Ness."

"Then what is it? Tell me." I wasn't sure if I wanted to know.

I looked away from him, but watched him from the corner of my eye as he moved around the coffee table. As he got closer to me, I felt my breathing grow quicker and my blood quickening through my body from my heart beating overtime. I turned to see him kneeling in front of me, meeting me almost at eye level. I cursed the table that was supposed keep him on the other side of the room, but forgot about breaking it to pieces when Jacob began to speak.

"I don't love you just because of the imprint. If we'd met under normal circumstances, I'm pretty sure I would've fallen for you anyway. It's just the universe's way of putting us together. That's all. It's way better than any dating site or computer-generated match-making service. It just let's us know that you and I are perfect for each other. Just give me a chance to prove that to you."

He took my hands and clasped them between his, just like I had wanted him to do earlier. I gravitated my body towards his without even thinking.

"How are you going to prove it to me?" I asked, leaning my head to the side. His lips didn't touch my skin, but his hot breath did. He slowly moved his mouth up the curve of my neck, causing little goose bumps to form. I had to grasp his hands fervently to keep my balance because my head was spinning.

"I'll make it up to you in anyway I can for as long as it takes. Please, anything you want. I'll do it." His mouth began a descent back down again and ended at my shoulder. How one person could cause me to lose my mind without even really putting his lips on me had to be a little something special.

I cleared my throat and softly moved my shoulder away from him. I tried to remove my hands from his, but his grip tightened.

"I guess we can start over," I squeaked out, still reeling from being so close.

"How's that?" He began doing that breathing thing again across my skin. I couldn't help but let him. The butterflies in my gut began, and I started to feel overheated.

"First, you have to stop doing this."

"Doing what?" he asked innocently.

"Breathing."

"You want me to quit breathing?" he questioned, looking at me like I was crazy.

"No... You have to stop making me lose my train of thought. Every time you get close, I feel funny, like I've taken a drug. You have to stop, so I can let you know what I want."

Jacob slowly backed away and made his way to his seat on the couch. I couldn't help but notice the satisfied look he had smeared across his face. He knew he had gotten to me, and I couldn't do anything to make him think other wise.

"Okay. Now that I'm not breathing, what do you want?"

"To begin again."

"How do we do that?"

I stood up and walked towards him but didn't go past the table. I held out my hand. He looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I pushed my hand toward him one more time, and he finally took it.

"Hi, my name is Renesmee," I began. Hopefully he was getting the picture.

Then a look of understanding crossed his face, and he stood up as he tightened the grip on my hand.

"I'm Jacob. Nice to meet you." He smiled that smile, and I felt a piece of my heart get put back in place. That smile could cure cancer, stop wars, and make every woman in the world sing Kumbaya. And that smile was all mine.

"Nice to meet you, too," I said coyly.

"How am I doing?" he whispered, hoping he was playing his part well.

"Eh, you could do a little better," I whispered back. The smile faded a bit, making me want to take back my words.

"Help me out a little, Ness. I'm clueless."

"Maybe you should ask me out or something," I suggested.

"Like on a date?"

"Yes, like on a date. Haven't you ever done this before?" I started to giggle like a school girl.

"I have."

"Then why don't you act like you know what you're doing?"

"Because this is the first time it's ever mattered to me."

I froze, taking in what he'd just said. Jacob then pulled me around the table gently and moved my body into him, wrapping us together in an intimate embrace. The back of my head gently rested in his hand. My waist had his other arm around it.

"You really mean that, don't you?" I could feel how much he wanted me, and I finally believed him.

"I do mean it. No one else has ever mattered until now. Nothing is as important to me as you are. Ness, I'd love to take you out. Nothing would make me happier."

Before I could say anything, his lips pressed to my shoulder, and I could feel the warmth through the material of my shirt. His arms moved me closer to him where I could feel his warmth. I could feel my body's response to his touch.

"But we have to set some ground rules first," I added, pushing him away. "We need to get to know each other, and we can't do that if we're constantly, um, you know..." I had no idea how to finish my sentence.

"If we're constantly ending up horizontal with one another?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean. We obviously click... physically, but do we really get along otherwise? I just need to know that."

"I already know we click. I don't need a date to figure that out."

"If you and I," I pointed to the both of us, animating my point, "are going to work, then I have to see it for myself. That's why we have to swear to not touch each other."

"You're kidding, right?" He gave me whatcha-ya-talkin-about-Willis look.

"No, I'm not. I'm dead serious. If we don't set a boundary, I know that all we'll want to do is be... together, if you know what I mean." He knew it was true; there was no denying it. The two of us in close proximity would more than likely have us ending up in the bedroom for the rest of the night-and the next day and the next. There would be no getting to know one another, no small talk. It'd just be sex, which wouldn't be half bad except that I wanted more out of this relationship. I hoped Jacob did, too.

If he wanted to be with me, he'd have to keep his hands to himself.

"Do you agree to this deal?" I asked, raising one of my eyebrows.

"I don't think I have a choice, do I?" His voice sounded deflated.

"Do this for me, please. Can you do that?" I shamefully stuck out my bottom lip a little. I just needed to see if he would honor my wishes.

He didn't speak for a minute, and I became more nervous the longer he stayed silent. His bicep bulged through his sleeve when he moved his arm behind his head to rub his neck. Maybe I could rub his neck a little? That'd be nice. Wait, Ness. No touching, remember? Yeah, got to remember that one. I had to quit looking at him lustfully if this was going to work. I needed to quit imagining my fingers raking across his flexed muscle. Shit, I needed to focus on getting to know him and keep from thinking about jumping his perfect body.

"I can. It'll be the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I've dealt with some tough shit, er, I mean, stuff. "

"Really? You'll do it?" I squealed a little too excitedly. I almost jumped into his arms but had to reel myself back into place to try and stick to the crazy rule I'd just enacted.

I watched as he put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on the heels of his worn motorcycle boots.

"So," he spoke finally.

"So," I responded. Our conversation had gone right back to where it'd begun.

"Can I pick you up later?"

I nodded yes and watched as he reluctantly walked to the door-neither one of us knew what to say.

"See you at seven?" I asked quietly. He silently agreed.

I watched as he smiled that smile that made me want to recant my rule, but I knew sticking to it would be the best for us. As I watched his perfect ass walk back to his truck, I thought to myself, I sure hope I know what I'm doing.

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