A/N: Thank you all for being so patient and I'm really sorry about the wait! My only excuse is that technology hates me. I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 26

Kim

"Don't be so nervous, Kimmy," Jared said from behind the wheel of his truck, lifting my hand to his mouth and kissing it as if it were the most precious thing in the world. "You're perfect." He took his eyes off of the road long enough to send me a look that told me he meant every word.

"Thank you," I told him sincerely, leaning over in my seat to press a kiss to his clean-shaven cheek. "But I don't think my father is quite on the same page." With a sigh and a shake of his head, Jared pulled the truck to a stop on the side of the road and was out of the vehicle and opening my door before I even had the time to question it.

"We're going to be late, Jare-"

"We'll be fine. Don't worry so much." And then he leaned down and kissed me in a way that was so completely and utterly perfect that I had no choice but to listen. The butterflies that had made a home in my stomach disappeared. Of their own accord, my arms wrapped themselves around Jared's neck, and to pull me up to his height, my Jared wrapped his arms around my waist and settled me so that the toes of my heels rested on his shiny black shoes. We stood there like that, locked together in the most breathtaking kiss, slowly melting into each other until, much to my chagrin, Jared pulled away. Breathing hard to catch my breath, I was fairly certain that I could give up breathing entirely if it meant that I never had to stop kissing Jared.

Without another word, Jared reached into the pocket of his black dress pants and bulled out a long string of dark-stained, hand-carved beads. In the midst of the beads was a perfectly carved miniature wolf, the word 'forever' written across the wolf's body in careful scrawl. Hot tears welled up in my eyes threatening to overflow, and as my gaze locked on Jared's, a fat tear rolled its way down my cheek.

"Don't cry, Kimmy," Jared said frantically, swiping away the tear. "You don't have to wear it if you don't like it, or I can get you a new necklace, one that doesn't make you cry-," I cut him off by pressing my lips to his, pouring all that I could into that one kiss and storing away what I couldn't for later that night.

"It's beautiful," the words came out in a whisper, and Jared was beaming as he slipped the beads over my head to rest around my neck.

"We should go," Jared said, reluctantly releasing me from his embrace and helping me back into the truck.

"The top floor?" Jared inquired an hour later, pushing the elevator button when I confirmed. The elevator doors closed and a slow song played softly in the background, and when Jared pulled me close and began to sway, I didn't object.

Jared

My smile almost split my face in two when Kim let out a musical little laugh as I spun her around and around in the elevator, and when the doors dinged open I spun her out of the elevator and dipped her as a grand finale. I kissed the tip of her perfect nose as I set her upright once again, making sure she was steady before fully releasing her. I tore my eyes from Kim only when her blinding smile faded away, and her flawless cheeks reddened in embarrassment. The guests of Mr. Connweller's soirée had all ceased in their hobnobbing to stare at our little dance. Wrapping my hand securely around Kim's, I led her through the crowd and to her father who stood in the middle of the room with his twig-girlfriend, speaking to a stout balding man.

"Kimberly!" Her father acknowledged her presence with a pat on the shoulder. "This is Mr. Stein, a very important client to my firm. His daughter is in the media room with the other young adults. Why don't you join them?" My hands began to shake as Kim's eyes filled with tears at the brush-off. I fought the urge to grab him and beat him until he realized how wonderful his daughter was. I wanted to force him to make her feel loved, like she was the center of his world. God knows she was the center of mine.

Kim turned away before I could do anything, and I, of course, followed closely behind. Behind the door was a small group of people around our age spread out amongst the two televisions and pool table. There was a Goth-looking girl drawing on her arm with a sharpie, a few average-looking guys playing pool, a bleach-blonde with her nose buried in her phone, perched on the lap of an athletic looking guy who's gazed was fixed on the television screen.

"Well this looks…fun," I muttered sarcastically, just loud enough for Kim to hear, who rolled her eyes and elbowed me discreetly in the side. I pretended that it hurt. Spotting a couch, I flopped down and pulled her with me, pulling her feet over my lap and tugging off the shoe that I knew that she hated. Her grateful smile had me walking on air as I gently massaged warmth back into her always-frozen feet.

"I'm Keera," an unknown voice spoke, and I looked up to find that the bleach-blonde had looked up from her phone and was now staring unabashedly at me.

"Jared," I said politely. "And this is Kim," I said, running my finger up her foot and grinning what was probably a smug grin when she gave a shudder that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. I just winked when she gave a half-hearted glare.

"This is Brian," the girl interrupted, clearly not used to being forgotten. Brian looked away from the TV long enough to give a me a nod of acknowledgement and look Kim over in a way that made me want him blind. I could think of a lot of effective ways to blind a man.

"Are you from around here?" Keera asked, still looking directly at me.

I shook my head. "We're from La Push. It's a reservation around Port Angeles," I added when she met me with a stereotypical blank look.

"Oh. Well, I guess that explains the necklace." She gestured to the necklace that Billy Black had taught me to make. "Is that, like, your tribe mascot or something? Is it available in casinos everywhere?" Keera chuckled at her own joke.

"Is that dress available to hookers everywhere?" Kim snapped, her hand wrapped protectively around the small dark wolf. I watched her face as she realized that she had said the words aloud, her hand flew to cover her mouth, eyes wide, and face a deep red under her bronze skin. Pulling her close to me, I kissed her proudly on the lips, and fell in love with her all over again.