The next week was tense, to say the least. For once, I spent my school days trying to avoid Edward, rather than the other way around. He was being flirtatious and attempting to talk to me about Jacob and imprinting. Alice tried to keep him at bay, and his prom date Tamaria followed him around most of the time, so I was able to evade him for the most part.

I was relieved when Friday rolled around. The La Push prom was that night, and Alice planned to come to my home and help me get ready. Just as I suspected, she had found gloves to go with my dress, to cover up the angry pink skin that was slowly healing on my arm.

Because of the disaster of the previous weekend, I really wanted to have a good time with Jacob, and for once I didn't mind Alice's primping.

"This dress makes your eyes look positively gorgeous," she gushed, helping me fasten the zipper on the back. "Like liquid chocolate."

"Thanks, Alice," I smiled, pulling the gloves on gingerly and glancing in my mirror. I nearly gasped at the vision that peered back at me. Alice had done an amazing job, and I even liked the dress. Deep brown, it was strapless and fitted my slim silhouette perfectly. The front ended below my knees and the back was drastically longer…practically a train. Alice had helped me select some comfortable shoes that wouldn't have me teetering on my weak ankles. The citrine necklace around my neck (borrowed from Rosalie) matched the jewels in my shoes.

Even my hair was perfect. My length was gathered just above the nape of my neck in a wildly organized bunch of curls and looser tendrils. Alice had pinned a few jewels along the side where it twisted into place. I was impressed, and I wondered with a smile how Jacob would react.

"Wow, I look…really good!" I turned to smile widely at Alice. "You're a miracle worker, Alice."

"He'll be here soon," Alice beamed at me, looking me up and down and darting forward to smooth a wayward curl. "I'd better get going…I don't think he'd mind me being here, but I want this night to be perfect for you two." Her granite face barely registered her disappointment that she'd miss my "unveiling." "Have fun, Bella." She kissed my cheek and made her way out of my room and down the stairs. I heard her call, "Bye, Charlie!" on her way out of the door.

I took a shaky breath and sat on the edge of the bed, smoothing my sweaty palms against the purple comforter. I couldn't believe I was nervous! I had been to prom before, and I wasn't nervous about seeing Jacob…but the developments from the previous weekend had rattled me. I didn't want to think about them any more, at least not tonight. But my mind had been a constant barrage of conflicting thoughts and emotions. Edward was persistent in his attention, and I didn't know how to handle it. I knew my feelings for my werewolf boyfriend, but I was still coming to terms with the fact that coexistence between him and Edward would most likely be impossible.

I knew I had to make a tough choice, but I just wanted to delay it as long as possible. I hoped tonight would be a pleasant distraction.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. I almost laughed at the formality of the situation. Usually, Jacob would walk right in. I strained my ears to hear Charlie opening the door. Their voices were muffled, but I could hear everything.

"Hey Charlie."

"Hello, Jacob," Charlie responded, his "dad" voice in full effect. "You sure look dressed up. What did Billy say when he saw that monkey suit?"

"Something about how I was a 'chip off the ol' block,' or something." They both laughed.

"Did you ever see your parents' wedding photos? Your dad never did rock the ruffled shirt with that tux very well. Looked ridiculous, actually. You look good, kid."

"Thanks. It's kind of comfortable, actually. Well, except for these crazy shoes…"

"Bella's upstairs…I'll go get her."

I stood and stole one more look in the mirror. An excited beauty looked back, her brown eyes twinkling with excitement and nerves.

"Bella?" Charlie called from the foot of the stairs.

I grabbed my handbag and the flower for Jacob's lapel and made my way into the hall and down the stairs. Charlie's eyes widened when he saw me.

"Damn, Bells…you…" He paused, and I saw some unspoken emotion flit across his face. "You look a lot like your mom with your hair like that." I reached the bottom of the stairs and he hugged me. "Except even prettier, I think."

"Thanks, Dad," I whispered, just as surprised at his emotion as he was.

Behind me, I heard Jacob clearing his throat and I turned.

Every anxiety from the past week, every fleeting thought of Edward, every bit of nervousness flew from my mind when I saw him standing there. He wasn't just "sort of beautiful." Jacob was breathtaking. His tall figure filled the doorway to the living room, his feel slightly apart. He was holding a clear plastic container with a simple pink flower corsage and wearing a worn, slightly dated black tuxedo. The vest was the same color black as the coat, and the dark color made his teeth look more brilliant as he beamed at me. I knew I was smiling just as widely.

"Erm," Charlie said, breaking the silence. Jacob and I laughed.

"You look beautiful," Jacob said softly, stepping toward me at the same time I took my first stride toward him. I felt a surge of butterflies in my stomach at the sight of the amazing man in front of me. My man.

"So do you," I said, my voice full of emotion. Charlie squirmed even more uncomfortably in the background.

He held the flowers out to me. "These are for you…we have to follow all the customs, right?"

I looked at the flower for him in my hand grimly. "Is one of those customs having your dad pin the flower on the date? Because I think I might kill you with this thing."

Five minutes and several awkward moments later, Jacob was pinned, photos had been snapped and we were ready to leave. Charlie caught me with a quick hug as I walked out of the door. "Have fun, Bells," he said softly, some faraway worry etched on his face. "Be careful, and enjoy the after-prom. Billy told me all about it…I guess I'll see you in the morning."

I need to thank Billy, I thought as I hugged Charlie back. He was unwavering in his support of my relationship with his son.

The Rabbit was in our driveway, looking cleaner than I'd ever seen it.

"You washed the car?"

"Anything for you, my sweet," he joked, hurrying ahead to open my door for me.

As he fired the engine, I turned to look at him again. He really was gorgeous all dressed up.

"You didn't have to spend money to get a tux," I told him, running my hand down the arm. "Your new suit would have worked just fine."

"Special occasions call for special clothing," he said. "And I didn't spend any money on this. It belongs to Sam's cousin at the Makah reservation. He loaned it to me in exchange for some work on his Ford Escort. Sorry it's kind of shabby…"

"It's perfect," I told him.

I looked out the window and noticed that Jacob had begun driving back toward La Push.

"Jacob?"

"Hmm?"

"I thought you said we were going to an exclusive restaurant…is there a place on the res that I don't know about?"

Jacob chuckled. "Oh, yes! It's a real hidden gem." I could hear the humor in his voice, so I grinned back and didn't press him further on his secret.

He reached for me, stroking down my forearm and the along my thumb before taking my hand.

"I know I said it before, but I have to tell you again…you look beautiful, Bells." His eyes turned to look at me, and I saw them rake down my body, pausing at the slight swell of my breasts in the dress. "I love the way you look in brown."

"I'm earthy," I joked. "And technically, it's espresso...not brown."

His voice lowered. "You look amazing in that dress. But, you'd look even more amazing out of it…"

The boldness of his statement caused my body to react — my cheeks reddened and I felt warmth spread from my stomach across my body. I looked at him as he turned his attention back to the road, and I knew I needed to be with him tonight. Somehow, we'd find a way.

"We're here!" Jacob said suddenly, his smile infectious.

I took my attention from his face to the house where we had pulled up.

"Emily's place?" A thrill of nerves settled in my stomach. I wondered if Sam was home. I hadn't seen any of the pack since the incident with Edward and Alice the previous week. I didn't want to say anything to Jacob, but I was dreading a confrontation. He hadn't said anything more about what had happened, so I didn't know the pack's reaction.

The car rolled to a stop and Jacob squeezed my hand with a smile. He didn't say a word…he just rushed around the car to help me out and pulled me close to him as we made our way to the front door. Inside, there was a flurry of activity and a large table set for eight.

"Bella!" a booming voice called, and I jumped. To my surprise, Paul came in from the kitchen clad in a dark navy suit and gave me a hug, stopping to shake Jacob's hand. "Did you hear my news?"

I knew he was talking about his imprinting with Rachel, Jacob's sister, but I found I couldn't respond. I was too shocked at the personality change in the formerly angst-ridden werewolf. Now, he was positively glowing and shaking with excitement. And in his dressy clothes, he looked very handsome.

Rachel passed by the doorway and he exclaimed, "Rachel!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to us. "Isn't it great, Bella?" His words were for me, but his eyes were for the girl at his side. He regarded her as if he had never seen anything so mesmerizing. His eyes shone with a brightness I had never seen on Paul's face. "Amazing," he murmured, looking completely smitten.

Rachel blushed. "It's taken some getting used to, that's for sure," she said. "I can't believe I'm going to a prom again…I thought those days were behind me." She paused to gaze at Paul for a moment before going to the living room.

I smiled and Jacob rolled his eyes dramatically.

"So…what are we all doing here?" I asked.

Jacob's arm snaked around my waist. "Welcome to Chez Wolf," he grinned. "Emily is helping all of us to make dinner for our dates."

My mouth dropped open in a wide, astonished smile. "That's so…sweet!"

Jacob looked pleased that I was so happy. "I'm glad you think so," he murmured, leaning down for our first kiss of the evening, lightly pressing his lips against mine, careful of my makeup. "And speaking of sweet, I'd better help the guys with dessert. They've been here a lot longer than me." He walked me into the living room, where Kim and Rachel sat, along with a pretty, plump girl I didn't recognize. "Dinner will be ready soon," he said, kissing me again and leaving me with the girls.

Kim and Rachel looked beautiful. They were perched on the edge of the couch, sitting stiffly, obviously careful of their pressed dresses and coiffed hair. Their smiles for me were warm, but guarded. Kim cleared her throat uncomfortably, and I knew that they would avoid the difficult conversation for the sake of the ignorant girl next to them. But the conversation was inevitable. After all, I had helped to inadvertently share pack secrets. They were probably furious with me.

If they were, they hid it well.

"Bella! You look beautiful!" Kim's words were warm, as was the hug she offered when she jumped up. Turning to the stranger, she made introductions. "This is Abby…she's a friend of mine, and she's Quil's date for prom."

"Quil's…date?" I started, confused. "But Claire…"

"Can I speak to you for a moment, Bella?" Emily's voice startled me from the doorway.

I murmured a friendly "hello" to Abby and made my way to Emily. She took my hand and led me into one of the small bedrooms across the hall. I gave my friend a wide smile, but she didn't return it, and I felt my stomach drop. Uh oh

"Bella," she said, "you have to be very careful today. Abby doesn't know anything, and neither does anyone at the res school. Quil's not too happy that we convinced him to go to prom, but he couldn't very well take Claire." I nodded my head in understanding. "I know it's tempting to be lax with your conversation because you're around Jacob and his friends, but we have to keep the secret."

I almost felt insulted by her insinuation, but quickly recovered. Emily was only trying to guide me. "If anyone is practiced in keeping secrets like this, it's me," I told her.

"That didn't stop the Cullens from finding out all of ours," she said, and immediately her face registered regret and dispair. I gasped, not expecting such harsh words from her, but knowing that I deserved them. "I'm sorry, Bella…I…didn't mean that."

"No, it's okay," I whispered, my voice pained. "I messed up. It was all my fault." I trembled, knowing that if Emily was this harsh, the rest of the pack must have been furious. "How mad is everyone?"

"Surprisingly, they're not," she said. "I think I was madder than anyone. I saw it as a threat to those I love, but Sam realized that there wasn't much he could have done to keep Edward from finding out everything. I think that Sam also knows he's been overreacting a bit lately, and I know he's scared that Jacob will assert his power as the rightful alpha. He'll do anything to keep the pack from splintering." She shrugged. "You trust the Cullens, though…knowing that makes this easier. They won't do anything with this info, will they?"

I made a face. "Edward might," I admitted, "but not in the way you're thinking. He might try to use it to his advantage to win me back. Before, I would have never thought it possible, but now I think I know he's capable of doing whatever he can to get what he wants."

"And he wants you," Emily's tone registered it as a fact, not a question.

I nodded.

"Wow," Emily looked conflicted, uncertain. "But you're still with Jacob." Again, it was stated as a fact rather than a question.

"Yes. I want to be with Jacob, not Edward."

"Wow," she repeated. "Your first love wants you back, but you choose Jacob…even though he hasn't imprinted on you and might someday with someone else?"

I took a deep breath. "I was hoping not to think about that today," I muttered softly.

Emily regarded me with sad eyes. "Oh, Bella…now I know why the two of you are so careful with each other. I'm sorry it has to be like this. This whole situation…you, Leah…" Her voice wavered and broke off. I reached for her.

"Hey, it's okay," my voice sounded more confident than I felt. "I know what I'm getting into. I'm prepared for the worst."

"I just don't understand why it doesn't happen for you. Sam has told me how intense it is between the two of you. It's like Jacob has already imprinted, he's so devoted. But he just…hasn't."

"Yeah, it sucks, but that's my life," I said, forcing more cheerfulness in my voice than I felt. I plastered a smile on my face. "But enough about all of that. I could obsess about it for days — I have obsessed about it for days before, actually. But tonight is special. It's prom, Emily, and I plan on having a lot of fun with Jacob." I put my arms around her and hugged my fellow wolf girl tightly. "Don't worry about me. You and Sam should take advantage of having four pack members busy to spend some quality time together." As we pulled apart, Emily looked at me with impressed wonder.

"I don't know how you do it, Bella."

I smiled, thinking about all that she did for the pack, putting all of them before herself. "I could say the same about you."

A loud crash sounded from the kitchen, followed by Jared's uneasy call of, "umm, Emily?" We both chuckled and I went back in to take my seat next to Kim in the living room.

**

"I'm absolutely stuffed, Jake," I groaned as he turned the polished old Volkswagon onto the road from Emily's driveway. "That meal was just perfect. The steak was amazing, and I've never had grilled polenta before! Way better than going to a restaurant!"

He beamed at me and patted his own stomach through the tux. "Who would have thought that the guys and I would be so good at cooking?"

"Well, you did have a lot of help from Emily," I pointed out. "That was so sweet of her. I especially liked that bread pudding you all made for dessert!"

"That was my idea," Jacob said proudly. "It was my mom's recipe. I wanted to make it for you and for Rachel. I guess I was feeling nostalgic." His smile faded slightly and he stammered for a moment. "Speaking of nostalgia…well, there's a lot on my mind, Bella. It's…it's days like today that I miss Embry most of all." I was surprised by his sudden emotion, and he sucked in a ragged breath. "Prom would be so much fun with him along. Today, at Emily's, he would have been in there with us, probably making a mess of everything." His jaw clenched and I ran my hand comfortingly across his knee.

"Oh, Jake," I murmured.

We were quiet for several minutes, the hum of the car on the road the only sound between us. The road curved left and right, and we passed an occasional house on our way to the dance. The sun had started to set — it was twilight. The reservation looked even more beautiful as it passed by my car window.

"They're going to be naming him as the honorary prom king tonight," Jacob said softly, still thinking of his dead friend. "I want to at least stick around for that. But we can leave whenever you want."

"We'll play it by ear," I said casually as we pulled into the parking lot of the Quileute Tribal Center. A few strands of twinkling lights wrapped around the railings leading up to the entrance. I could see an explosion of silver and black balloons and streamers waiting to greet us inside.

Jacob and I looked at each other, amused, and both said, "here we go," at the same time before laughing. He exited the car and hurried around to open my door for me.

"Such a gentleman," I teased, brushing myself against him as I stood.

He leaned into my neck and inhaled. "This gentleman is thinking some pretty ungentlemanly thoughts right now, Bella." His lips brushed my neck softly and I hummed in contentment before a shout interrupted our private moment.

"Hey Black, Swan…get a room," Jared called. I heard Kim slap him on the arm and rebuke his interference. Jacob had a mischievous look in his eye as he met Jared's glance and made a gesture at him.

The moment over, Jacob offered me his arm and I took it gratefully. Even on shorter heels, I was slightly unsteady. We made our way with our group of friends into the tribal center, to a large multi-purpose auditorium decked out in generic prom finery. I rolled my eyes and Jacob grinned at me as we stopped beneath the balloon arch for a photo. The sounds of No Doubt blared from the speakers and dozens of couples were moving on the covered basketball court doubling as a dance floor.

"This will be great, I promise," Jacob leaned and whispered in my ear. "But not as great as what I have planned for later."

A thrill ran down my spine and made me shiver. I squeezed his arm and raised my eyes to his face. He was gazing at me with dark eyes, and I suddenly couldn't wait for the dance to be over.

The four wolves led their ladies over to the refreshment table and immediately grabbed some pretzels and punch. Kim and I shared an amused glance while Abby looked horrified watching Quil shovel food in his mouth.

We moved off to the side and took in the entire scene. As song after song played, many of Jacob's school friends I hadn't met came over to introduce themselves. I smiled and shook their hands, but I was continuously distracted by Jacob's long fingers twirling an errant curl of my hair, or running up my shoulder to my neck. His other arm remained around my waist firmly. Outkast's "Hey Ya," began and Kim squealed and practically dragged Jared into the dancing melee. Rachel and Paul kept inching back into the corner of the auditorium and began making out as I tried to keep Jacob's back to them, so he wouldn't notice and get angry.

Abby kept looking at Quil hopefully, but Quil maintained at least a foot of distance between the two of them. I tried to converse with the girl, hoping to keep her mind off the fact that her date wasn't attracted in the least. I felt sorry for her. She didn't seem interested in talking with me, her eyes never leaving her "date." I couldn't help chuckling at her focus and persistence. Quil had no idea what he was in for.

Finally, a slower song came on and the lights dimmed. Paul and Rachel came up for air, making their way out of the corner and onto the dance floor. Quil struck up a conversation with another friend from school while Abby hovered behind his shoulder, looking bored.

"Would you like to dance?" Jacob's breath was hot on my ear and I jumped. Not waiting for me to respond, he enveloped my hand in his and led me to the outskirts of the growing crowd of swaying couples. We reached an open spot and he wrapped me in his arms as I reached up for him. His hand inched down to my lower back and he pressed me against him closely. I breathed him in, and tilted my head up so I could enjoy his handsome face.

He took that as an invitation to kiss me. His warm lips were unexpected, but welcome. Slowly, our mouths went from pressing softly against one another to yearning more. Jacob parted his lips and I welcomed the delicious taste of his tongue. We were lost in each other, our bodies swaying slowly while our mouths did the majority of the dancing.

I felt the first stirrings of his erection against my stomach, and Jacob broke away with a gasp, breathing quickly. My cheeks pinked. "Jacob," I breathed, wanting him to know that I was as aroused as him.

"I need to be careful of my reactions around you, Bells," he moaned, backing away an inch or two. "I want you so much, honey…" He broke off to run his fingers through his ragged hair, attempting to calm his hormones. "But we have all night."

"We do?" my voice was huskier than I meant it to be, and Jacob moaned again.

He pulled me close for one more kiss. "Yes, baby…all night."

**

Very few dry eyes were left when the ceremony for prom king ended. Looking around the room, it warmed my heart to see how much Embry had been loved and respected by his peers and teachers. Jacob and Quil had gone on stage to accept the crown as substitutes for their dead friend. Quil was planning to take the crown to Embry's parent's home the next day.

Kim clung to me and I supported her as quiet tears slipped down her cheeks. My eyes were remarkably tear-free as I tried to stay strong for Jacob, because I knew he didn't want to get overly emotional in front of his peers. He and Quil looked uncomfortable standing up in front of the young crowd, especially when one of the chaperones handed him a microphone.

"Um," his hesitant voice echoed from the speakers. "I know that Embry would have enjoyed this honor if he were still with us." Jacob's mouth twitched with a sad smile. "He probably would have used it to try and pick up girls or something." Next to him, Quil laughed, and I saw them both relax. "He was always there for all of us, more than many of you might know. He was a good guy…a good friend." Jacob paused for a moment. "And he wouldn't have wanted us to stop the party for anything…so let's have some fun!"

A few cheers rang up from the crowd, along with applause, and the music kicked in again. I smiled to myself — Jacob's words had been perfect. He wove through the melee, people patting him on the back and complimenting his speech.

As soon as he reached me, he pulled me close to him. Kim relinquished her grip on my arm. "I'm ready to go…are you ready?"

"Now?" I was surprised at the abruptness of his request.

"People are just going to want to come up and talk about Embry now," Jacob said, surveying the crowd. Sure enough, a few people were starting to make their way over to him. "I don't think I can handle it, Bella. I'm hanging on by a thread here."

I was surprised because he seemed to handle the speech so well, but when studying him more closely in the dim lights, I saw that his eyes were glistening with unfallen tears.

"Okay…let's get out of here." I grabbed his arm and we began walking to the entrance as a cheesy love song began to play. Kim and Jared were several feet behind us, and I noticed that she was supporting him just as I was for Jacob.

We stopped in the doorway to the auditorium for a moment, letting our friends catch up. I turned to Jacob in concern. He had slowly regained control of his emotions and was taking deep breaths. Finally, he smiled at me.

"Thanks, Bells, I feel better now. You didn't want to stay in there longer, did you?"

I snorted. "Are you kidding? I mean, it was fun…but dances have never been my thing…" Jacob silenced me with a sudden kiss, leaving my face flushed when he pulled away.

"Are you okay now?" I asked, still worried about him. "Is there anything I can do?"

He put his arms around me. "All I need is to get lost in you," he rasped close to my ear as ticklish waves cascaded from the spot where his lips and breath grazed. "That will make me feel better more than anything else." He kissed my cheek gently. "Are you ready?" I nodded, wide-eyed, my heart skipping. He looked up at Jared, who was holding Kim just as closely to himself.

"I have your key in my car," Jared said to Jacob, mysteriously. Kim and I shared a puzzled look. "Let's walk out and get it. I made sure we wouldn't be near each other."

Jacob snorted. "Thank God for that." He and Jared laughed.

"What key? Jared, what's going on?" Kim asked.

Jared and Jacob grinned at each other. "You'll see, babe…just you wait."

Jacob offered me his arm once again and we waved goodbye to Quil and to Paul and Rachel, who were inside taking a break from the dancing and snacking. Paul made a lewd gesture with his hands and I blushed at the insinuation. We made our way outside. The cool night air was refreshing on my skin after the stuffy air of the auditorium, with all of the bodies packed inside and my warm werewolf close against me.

Jared's car was not far from the main entrance, so we got there in no time. I tried to catch a glimpse of what they were doing, but I didn't see what it was he covertly passed to Jacob. I did hear him say, "thirty-three," quietly. I was curious, but I trusted that whatever surprise Jacob had in store would be wonderful.

"Get in the car, Kim," Jared said, the smile in his voice evident. "We have a short drive."

"Us too, Bells," Jacob said, squeezing my hand in excitement. "Let's go!" He swept me up in his arms, bridal-style, and sprinted toward his car as I squealed. In no time at all, he had me buckled in and we were on our way.

To my surprise, the car ride only lasted mere minutes — just long enough for us to go down the road to the Quileute-run Ocean-side Resort. Jacob parked in a spot near the long row of private ocean-front cabins and turned to me with a smile.

"Jared's dad is the head of maintenance for the resort," Jacob said. "He's also like my dad…pretty understanding of Jared and Kim's relationship. So he was able to reserve two cabins with no charge. Jared and Kim have a cabin all to themselves for the night." He licked his lips and his eyes darkened. "And so do we."

"Number 33?" I whispered.

"Number 33," he replied, his voice taking on a familiar timbre that I recognized immediately.

Silently, we both exited the car and walked to the door of the cabin. It was at least 20 feet away from other cabins on either side…we would be truly alone. This is so much better than a hotel room, I though.

The interior of the cabin was beautiful. It was small, but had gorgeous wood walls and impressive, high ceilings. There were only four rooms – a small, tastefully decorated living room, a small eat-in kitchen, a bedroom with a wall of windows that faced the ocean, and a surprisingly large bathroom that featured a Jacuzzi bathtub that faced another large window with an ocean view.

I stood in the doorway to the bathroom and stared at the tub, and Jacob came up behind me and gently swept my curls from my shoulder and placed a soft kiss on the sensitive curve. "Do you like it?" he asked, his mouth brushing against my skin with his words.

"So much," I breathed, tilting my head and enjoying his worship of my neck.

"I was hoping you would," he said, sweeping me up again and carrying me around and into the bedroom. "Tonight is special…it's our night. I'm going to take my time with you, Bella. Nothing else matters except that we're here, and we're alone…" He set me gently on the bed and gazed at me in adoration.

"And we're in love," I murmured, reaching up and grabbing the lapel of his tux and pulling him down on top of me.

The cloth of his jacket was soft against my naked collarbones, and I wrapped my arms around his back and held him to me as we met, our mouths eager. His tongue massaged my upper lip slowly as I pulled his full lower lip gently with my teeth. We remained locked in that embrace for several minutes, breaking away to trail kisses along jaw lines and brows. My lips were deliciously swollen from use when Jacob finally shifted to lay beside me.

"Stand up, Bella," his voice reverberated with the subtle growls that were always present when we were intimate with each other. I eased off the bed, never breaking eye contact with him.

"Jake…" my voice was breathless.

"Turn around."

Trembling with anticipation, I obeyed. Jacob sat up on the edge of the bed and reached for me.

"Hold still…keep your hands down."

He reached up and carefully plucked the jewels from my hair, releasing the few pins that kept my hair twisted up. My curls fell onto my shoulders and he stroked the length of it on his way to lower areas.

His warm hands grasped my waist on either side, just above my hips. I could feel his skin searing me through the cloth of my dress. He maneuvered me until I stood between his legs, facing the doorway. Firmly, Jacob ran his strong fingers back and forth around the smallest part of my waist, then down my hips on either side to the front of my thighs. Slowly, he eased them up my legs and brushed them gently past the sides of my groin before sweeping them around my waist again. He was frisking me.

His hands crept around my waist again to my stomach, and finally inched higher and higher until he was cradling my breasts in his hand, brushing his palms against my rapidly hardening nipples.

"Jacob," I moaned, fighting the urge to cover his hands with my own.

"Hold still," he repeated, running his hands back around my rib cage and stopping at the top of my dress's zipper. With excruciating slowness, he eased the zipper down, the sound of each parting hook louder than I ever remember a zipper to be. When he reached the bottom, he started back at the top and grazed his fingers down the newly exposed skin of my back, stopping at my panties. Taking both hands, he placed them on my shoulder blades and pushed my dress frontward, off my shoulders until it fell to a pile at my feet.

"You're not wearing a bra," he whispered, running his hands back around my ribcage to hold the soft skin in his hands. Only pausing there for a second, he took my waist in his grasp once again, toying with the edge of my panties. "You're not going to be wearing underwear here in a second." Instead of pulling them down like I expected, he grasped the delicate fabric in his large hands and ripped them right off of me. The cloth fell in useless tatters on top of my discarded dress. I gasped as he cupped my bottom and then quickly turned me around so I was facing him, completely nude.

"Jacob," was all I could think to say as his eyes devoured me.

Without a word, he reached for me and pulled me closely against his seated form. My breasts were at face level, making it easy for his lips to wrap around the sensitive nubs. His tongue flicked out and tickled the hardened peaks at the very tip, causing my legs to tremble and my hips to press forward, seeking friction. He obliged, reaching forward to cup my sex in his practiced hand, knowing exactly how I liked to be touched.

"Bella, you're so wet," he moaned against my breast as he rubbed up and down my slit, spreading my juices and coating his large fingers before sliding one inside of me. I bucked against his hand and he wriggled his palm against my clit, pressing firmly.

He added a second finger at the same time as he pushed his face away from my breasts. I moaned in a mix of pleasure and objection.

"Don't worry, Bella…I'm not going to neglect those beautiful breasts." The hand that wasn't buried in my crotch reached up and began to gently pinch my nipples. "I want to see you when you come."

"Yes," I moaned, feeling my muscles tightening in my center, squeezing around his fingers as I got closer to my release. "Jacob…yes."

"You're so beautiful, Bella…I love you. I love you so much…come for me."

"Yes!" His words did me in, and my entire body shuddered as I peaked. "Jacob, I love you." He kept his hand between my legs but his other arm wrapped around my waist to support me as my legs wavered weakly. Slowly, he withdrew his fingers and pulled me down onto his lap.

"Pink…" he chuckled. "Your skin…the most gorgeous pink…"

I buried my face in the curve of his neck as my heartbeat steadied. "I love you," I said softly when I found my voice again.

"I know," he grinned, before standing up with me in his arms. "Come on…let's get you in that bathtub. You need to relax those muscles…because I'm not done with you yet."

**

Ten minutes later, I drowsed against the strong jets of the bathtub, immersed in total darkness. The view from the window was breathtaking…the moon a large crescent reflecting on the calm waters of the Pacific. Jacob had filled the bathtub and left me alone in the hot water, going back into the bedroom for a few minutes.

I heard a sound at the doorway and turned to see Jacob standing there, naked except for a too-small towel wrapped underneath the sculpted "v" of his lower abdomen.

"Is there room in there for me?"

"Of course," I smiled at him through heavily lidded eyes. Unabashedly, he removed his towel and set it gently at the corner of the tub, on the opposite side of where I reclined. I ogled his muscular form brazenly as he lowered himself into the water.

"Ahhh, that's good," he groaned, closing his eyes in bliss. After a moment he opened his eyes and met my gaze. "Give me your foot, Bells." I obliged without delay and he began to knead them firmly, rubbing away the soreness my heels had caused. I couldn't help the whimper that escaped my throat.

"Mmm, Jacob," I mumbled, overwhelmed by the soothing sensations of the water, the jets, and Jacob's amazing massage. My eyes rolled back and I closed them, leaning my head back against the edge of the tub.

"Don't fall asleep just yet, Beautiful," Jacob tickled my arch teasingly. "I have plans."

I pulled my foot back out of his hand and pushed off the edge, seeking a closer spot until I lay on top of him in the water, my bare chest pressing against his. "Plans?"

His eyes flashed and I felt the vibrations of his rumble against my heated, wet nipples. I pressed against him harder and tilted my head up until I could place a soft, chaste kiss on his chin. I paused there while we looked at one another, expressing so much with our eyes. Slowly, we eased together and kissed, building urgency with every sweep of our tongue. Our teeth clicked once, and Jacob wrapped his arms around my back tightly, bear hugging my naked form to him. His erection nudged my thigh.

"God, Jake…I want you so much," I wheezed, partly because our kisses had rendered me breathless and partly because Jacob held me against him so tightly. "I don't think I'll ever not want you." I wiggled loose from his grip so I could adjust my position, straddling him in the water. I reached down and positioned him at my entrance. Jacob stopped me with his strong arms.

"Bella?"

"You can pull out before you come, right?" I asked, my voice sounding pleading. I needed him now. He nodded, his eyes wide, and I put my hands on his chest for balance and carefully sank down onto him, inch by inch. "Oooohhhh," I moaned deeply in my throat as he filled me. Jacob's hands gripped my hips, warmer than the warm water of the Jacuzzi.

I began sliding up and down, bending forward so my breasts brushed against the muscles of his abdomen and chest.

"Bella, you can't understand how good this feels," he growled, helping me in my motions by manipulating my hips. I sped up; the only sounds in the room our erratic breathing and the splashes of the bubbling water. Jacob leaned forward and ran his tongue from my collarbone up the side of my neck and along my jaw line until he captured my lips with his again. I moaned into his mouth as he began thrusting his hips upward with every bounce.

"Oh!" I cried out, the burning in my center more intense than the burning in the muscles of my thighs. But I kept going, reveling in the heated slickness of my skin on Jacob, the water adding a new, different sensation. Hearing Jacob's growls and groans spurred me on even more. Water began sloshing over the sides of the large tub as I moved faster and faster, feeling my climax on the horizon.

"Bella," Jacob's voice was strained. "It's too good, it's so fucking amazing…" His legs were rigid and tense beneath me. "God, baby…please." I slammed down on him a few more times and felt his grip on my hips tighten. The muscles in my pelvis tightened, deliciously close to release.

Suddenly, I was pulled up so I straddled Jacob's torso. Beneath me, I could feel his hips continuing to thrust as he orgasmed.

It took me a moment to comprehend what had happened, and I almost cried out in disappointment as the fire in my center flickered and began to dim. Jacob would have none of that, though. Only a few seconds passed before he flipped me over and leaned me back against the side of the tub, cradling my bottom in his hands and holding me up so I was practically floating on the water. Without pause, he lowered himself and began suckling on my clit, stopping to savor my essence with several long, languid licks.

"Jacob!" I cried, throwing my head back involuntarily as his warm tongue circled my swollen nub and flicked at it expertly. I reached down and grabbed a handful of his hair, holding on lest I collapse in bliss. The fire roared back, starting in my groin and slowly spreading up into my belly. "Aah, ahhhhh, yesssss," I hissed just before I exploded, pressing my center against his face as hard as I could as I was consumed by waves.

My fingers tingled as I came down from my peak, and I ran them lovingly through Jacob's wet hair. He gently lowered me, and then grasped me tightly to him, murmuring words of love and many other things that I couldn't focus on in the afterglow of my orgasm.

I giggled, overcome with happiness. "I love you too, Jake."

He continued to whisper in my ear, more urgently this time and finally I heard the words, "life" and "forever."

"Wait, what are you saying?" I asked, pulling away so I could look into his eyes, which burned with an intensity I had never seen before.

"Marry me, Bella."