An Innocent Soul

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews, Nikki.

"Terror made me cruel…"

Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights.

Part Four-Mystery

Bella had hardly slept; the sound of Billy's snoring echoing through the floorboards along with her dad's emanating from his room had kept her awake for most of the night. As soon as one of them settled down the other would start and by the early hours of the morning they both seemed to be competing with each other for the loudest snore. Jeez, it was aggravating. Bella knew she needed to buy some earplugs promptly, she couldn't have her I-Pod running all night, it ran out of charge too quickly. In a daze she headed to the bathroom with her sponge bag tucked under her arm. She reached out to open the bathroom door when it was suddenly thrust open by another who was inside. Bella was so startled that she screamed.

"Oh god, Bella…Bells…Bella…um…Bells." Jacob's stunned voice pierced the fog in her brain and she stared at him aghast. Damn, he was wearing nothing but a small towel wrapped around his waist, everything was on show, absolutely everything. His six pack, his huge muscles, which flexed when he moved, his gorgeous tan skin, his….his…Bella flushed a violent shade of red and put her hand over her mouth when the small towel hanging loose on his hips fell down, revealing the rest of him. Jacob was nearly as red as she was as he grabbed hold of it and ran past her into her room, shutting the door. He was utterly mortified. "I'm so sorry." He called through the closed door.

Bella was in such shock she couldn't think straight. Instead of heading into the bathroom she tried to get back in her room where Jacob was now hiding out. She shoved the door hard but he was leaning on it. "Get out of my room." She muttered as she pushed harder. He must have stood aside as she suddenly fell into the room as the door swung open. He caught her before she hit the floor but his towel came off a second time. "Oh shit." Jacob let go of her and ran for the bathroom. The last thing Bella saw was his cute ass disappearing behind a locked door.

It took a long time for Bella's blushes to cool down. Even when she turned the shower onto cold her skin still burned. She didn't think she would ever get over her mortification. She dressed quickly, not bothering to dry her hair, instead she piled it on top of her head in a messy bun and pinned it. All Bella wanted to do was grab some toast and go for a drive; she really needed to cool her head. But it wasn't going to be that easy. As soon as she sailed into the kitchen she found Charlie and Billy sitting around the table, both looking thoroughly rested, both with a paper in front of them and both waiting to be served their breakfast.

Billy gave her a charming smile as he turned the pages of his paper. "Good morning, Bella. I had such a good sleep, be a good girl and put on some eggs for me, and Charlie what do you want?" He looked over at his friend.

Charlie put his paper down as he greeted his daughter. "Morning, kiddo, I'll have eggs too and some bacon. Thanks."

Bella's mouth dropped open. Were these old men for real? She was about to say something when Jacob entered the kitchen. As soon as they laid eyes on each other, their skin burned, although Bella's was more obvious than Jacob's. She turned to the stove and began to prepare the breakfast, now glad that she had something to do so she didn't have to look directly at Jacob. She heard him pull up a chair and listened as Billy teased him about his blushing. "He's not used to having a cute female make him breakfast, aww."

Charlie laughed along with Billy and Bella cringed as she heard Jacob hiss at his dad to be quiet. She made sure to keep facing away from him, she was sure she would combust if she got a look at his face, she had seen enough of him already, an image she couldn't seem to get out of her head.

Bella made sure to keep out of the house for the rest of the day, she couldn't bear the thought of facing Jacob. What the hell was she supposed to say after the shower incident? Hey Jake, nice ass, nice ****, she felt her skin burning again. If she kept this up she would end up looking like a boiled cabbage for the rest of her life. Why was it when she and Jacob were around each other they turned into such loons? If it wasn't something being set on fire, her tripping over, or both of them bumping heads, it was running into each other naked or babbling a load of nonsense. No, this was a sign, she was certain. Stay single girl, stay single, it was much safer, but even as she was making this promise to herself the image of his cute butt disappearing behind a door kept popping up in her mind.

Jacob too kept out of the way for most of the day. He felt utterly mortified. What must Bella think of him? She probably thought he was some crazed perve who got a kick out of flashing unwary females. Dammit why had he not taken some clothes into the bathroom with him? He was so used to floating about his own house naked he hadn't given it a thought. He worked out his frustration on the house as he began to repaint the kitchen. He didn't stop work for most of the day so intent was he on trying to stop himself thinking about Bella and the startled look on her beautiful face as she stared at him aghast as he lost his towel. He had probably lost his chance with her now. First by nearly burning his house down after boasting he was a world class cook and then flashing her in her own home. Oh god, you couldn't make it up!

It was late in the afternoon when he packed up and began to head back to Forks. All he could do was apologise and hope she'd forgive him for a second time.

Bella had stayed in the kitchen when she had finally conceded defeat and come back home. There was only so many times you could drive up and down Forks' small high street. Thankfully Jacob wasn't at home, but she still avoided the front room as Billy and Charlie were parked in front of the flat screen, laughing uproariously at some old eighties comedy. She banged the saucepans around as she began to prepare dinner, getting more than a little pissed that they just expected her to be the one to cook because she was female. Hell, they were both single men, they had survived this long by cooking for themselves, but within days they had resorted to their caveman status just because she was there.

As she slammed one of the pans on the stove a sheepish looking Jacob sidled into the kitchen. Bella's heart nearly stopped when she turned and saw him hovering like a naughty school boy in the doorway. "Jeez, how do you manage to creep up on me so silently?" She huffed.

"Wolf magic." Jacob blurted out and then groaned when he saw her looking at him as if he had lost his mind, which he had, obviously. What was wrong with his brain? What was wrong with his damn mouth? He couldn't control either. "I'm sorry Bells, you must think I'm insane, which I'm not by the way." He put his hands up defensively when she faced him with a ladle in her hand and a very disgruntled expression. "I don't usually show my bits to girls, that was a complete accident. I didn't mean to show you everything. This is your house, you should feel safe inside without some mad wolf boy dropping his…."

"Wolf boy? Why do you keep babbling about wolves?" Bella demanded, brandishing her ladle near his face in a dangerous manner. "Are you playing me?" She shot him a vicious glare. "I am not an idiot you know. I am not some skivvy to go cooking and cleaning after a man, any man, no sirreee." She was now taking her frustration over Billy and Charlie's treatment of her out on him as well. Why not? He was male, he was right there and….jeez she wished he would put away that little puppy dog expression on his beautiful face. How was she supposed to yell at someone who looked so endearing? "Stop doing that right now."

"Doing what?" Jacob felt totally confused and totally captivated. Bella Swan was a hottie when she got all riled up. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were burning with fire and her cute mouth was pursed, making her lips look so kissable. Focus Jake, focus, he chided himself internally.

Before anymore could be said Billy burst into the kitchen. He smiled widely at Bella as he put in his order for dinner. "No peppers." He pretended to shudder. "They give me hives." With that parting comment he demanded Jacob join him and the Chief in the front room so the little lady could get on with the cooking. It was lucky that Bella was so stunned by his audacity otherwise Billy Black would have had a ladle stuck in his head.

The snoring was louder than ever. Bella twisted and turned in her sleep. Her head had been so full of Jacob all day she had forgotten the ear plugs. She cursed the old men under her breath as she climbed out of bed and crept down the stairs to fetch a glass of water. She didn't know why she was creeping about, Billy and Charlie wouldn't notice if a herd of elephants were rampaging through the house, not with the cacophony of noise they were making. Bella glanced at the clock; it was three in the morning. She had barely had two hours sleep. She was just about to head back up the stairs to her room when she heard the small click of the front door opening. She froze immediately, the glass clutched tight in her hand. Someone was breaking in. Very carefully she peered into the hall only to see a tall shadowy figure gently closing the front door. Bella strained her eyes, knowing full well who was sneaking back into the house at such an early hour. What the hell had Jake been doing out all night? And dressed only in a pair of shorts to boot? Bella remained still as he walked quietly into the front room and fell into his temporary bed which was next to Billy's. Well, well, Bella thought to herself grimly, what was going on here? There was a mystery to be solved and she was determined to keep a close eye on Jake and find out exactly what he was up to.

A/N-thanks for reading!