Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for your reviews and adds. I'm really glad you all enjoyed the last chapter even though I wasn't sure about it; and I really hope you like this one as well. As always, thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight.

Chapter Thirty-Six

It was almost two in the afternoon and Jacob and I had had a pleasant lunch with Billy who was more than happy to see that I was doing as well as everyone was telling him with his own eyes. I had just finished cleaning up and doing the dishes inside before I had joined Jacob his garage, leaving a grinning Billy inside and watching one of the last Mariners' games of the season. I had perched myself on the hood of Jacob's little red car, catching him grin as I got comfortable by leaning back on the palms of my hands on the hood and crossed my right leg over my left. I smiled to myself in return before I tilted my head to the side and frowned slightly as I watched him work on his motorcycle. He had grease all over him and I had no idea how he had managed to get so much grease on his shirt when he'd only been outside for barely forty-five minutes.

"I thought Rose had fixed your bike. What exactly are you tinkering with?" I asked from my perch and Jacob looked at me with his grin still on his lips.

"I'm just making sure everything's in working order," Jacob said before he paused in what he was doing to look at me. "Since I plan on taking you for a ride this afternoon, I don't want to chance anything happening." I smiled at him as I righted my head and leaned forward, resting my forearms on my right thigh while Jacob returned his eyes to his bike.

"Jacob, there's something I want to talk to you about," I said quietly after several more minutes of just watching him work. He stopped what he was doing and looked at me. "Well, a couple of things actually," I added after a beat and he furrowed his brow as he lowered his hands, the right holding the socket wrench he was using, to his thighs. I couldn't help the fact that my nervousness made my heart rate pick up, and Jacob's frown only deepened when he heard it. He sat down his tools and stood, grabbing a yellow cloth and wiping his hands, before he walked over to me. He sat the now dirty cloth down on the hood of the car beside me and looked at me expectantly.

"What is it?" he asked with a slight shake of his head. I decided to talk to him about going to San Diego first, knowing that that topic would likely not lead to him storming away from me and phasing, and I took a slow deep breath before I raised my hands and tucked my far too long hair behind my ears.

"Next month, on the twentieth, it'll be one year since my mom passed away," I said and the frown immediately left Jacob's face as understanding settled in his dark eyes. "That's a four day weekend for me since school's out for a couple of days, and I wanted to fly down there on Thursday, spend some time with Gina and Melody, and visit the cemetery on Saturday before flying back on Sunday."

"And you're asking if it's okay that you leave?" he asked quietly.

"Yes and no," I said and he frowned once again. I smiled sadly at him before I sat up a little straighter, uncrossed my legs, and reached out to him. I grasped both of his hands and pulled him toward me to where he ended up nestled between my slightly parted legs with his hands on the hood of the car on either side of my hips while my hands moved to his shoulders. "I'm not asking you for permission, Jacob Black, I'm more or less telling you that that that is what I'm going to do, but I am asking if it is possible for you to go with me," I said, whispering the last bit since our faces were barely two inches apart.

"You want me to go with you?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised that I had asked him to come with me.

"Of course I do, Jacob," I said, "and I would really like for you to come with me because I honestly don't think I'll make it through the weekend without you there."

"You know I would go with you in a heartbeat, but I can't afford a-," he started but I silenced him by kissing him soundly, my hands leaving his shoulders to cup his face as I kissed him. Instinctively, Jacob's hands grasped my hips tightly as he kissed me back and moved his body even closer to mine before I found myself leaning back slightly with Jacob taking control of the kiss that I had just meant to be an innocent peck. My hands slid down to rest on his chest before I gently pushed at the warm solid muscles that rested underneath the soft cotton of his shirt. It was my signal for him to end his dominating kiss that thankfully he quickly got because he slowly brought the kiss to an end before he rested his forehead against mine.

"You don't have to worry about buying a ticket, Jacob," I said, sounding just as winded and breathless as I felt, and mentally struggled to find the words. "I'll be able to get both of our tickets with very little trouble at all."

"You shouldn't have to," he said as he lifted his head and looked down at me, his hands still gripping my hips while my remained on his grease covered t-shirt. "I should be able to pay for my own ticket."

"Yeah, well, you don't exactly have the time to go job hunting or actually work and funds are tight for you and Billy," I said and Jacob sighed quietly before he opened his mouth, ready to argue his point, but I wouldn't let him. "There are not enough hours in the day for you to run patrol, take care of your pack members and your father, satisfy your need to spend a few hours with me, and sleep, Jacob Black. You should be in school, but your plate is too full even for that so you can't exactly squeeze in a nine to five right now." Jacob snapped his mouth shut and sighed through his nose as his dark eyes held my blue. I may have gloated a bit by smiling a bit too much and in a slightly dorky way when I noticed his slightly defeated and 'I give in' look, because Jacob scoffed a quiet laugh before he rolled his eyes and shook his head as he looked at me.

"I hate it when you win," he said. "You're always so proud of yourself when you prove your point that it kind of stings my pride, babe."

"Sorry," I said through a soft laugh, which made Jacob snort (like full on snort) before he shook his head once again.

"Yeah, you really sound it," he said, which only made me laugh fully as I raised my hands to his face once more and kissed him chastely.

"And yet you still love me," I said cheerily, earning a fully fledge smile from him as I returned my hands to his shoulders. "So, would you be up for a trip to San Diego with me next month, Jacob?" I asked and he nodded his head.

"More than up for it, but what are you going to tell Charlie?" he asked as he frowned slightly.

"I already talked to him about it this morning, and he actually suggested that you go with me," I said, which caused his eyebrows to rise as he looked at me. "He didn't want me going alone, and he figured you were the best man for the job."

"That I am," he said, his smile returning and I laughed quietly only to be silence by Jacob kissing me softly. "So," he said as he ended the brief kiss and met my eyes once again, "was that the only thing you wanted to talk to me about."

"No," I breathed quietly. "There's something else, but I know you're not going to take it very well."

"What?" he asked as he pulled back, standing to his full height in front of me with his hands leaving my hips while mine slid down his torso to rest on his. I gripped the belt loops of his jeans, hoping that when I spoke that that would be enough to keep him in place.

"I want to visit Emily and the others today," I said as I watched Jacob's reaction carefully. His shoulders stiffened, hell, his entire body stiffened as his hands clenched at his sides. The serious expression on his face remained cool, but I could see the anger, which wasn't directed at me, start to fill his eyes.

"That's not happening. I don't want you anywhere near Sam and you know wherever Emily is Sam will be," Jacob said.

"Jacob, I miss my friends," I said honestly and he took a deep breath through his nose before he looked away from me. "I miss Emily, Kim, and little Claire. I miss the other guys. You can't tell me that you don't miss hanging out with all of them too."

"I don't miss Sam," he said tightly as he turned his eyes back to mine and I sighed quietly.

"I know, Jacob," I said before Jacob wrapped his hands around my wrists before he gently pushed my hands away from him. He took a step back before he turned around, walked closer to the open doors of the garage, and then turned back around to look at me with at least five feet between us.

"You're still set on forgiving him? On forgetting that he nearly killed you, Aurora?" he asked, his hands clasping at his sides once again as I saw the trembling of his muscles ripple through his shoulders and down his arms.

"I'm never going to forget what happened, Jacob," I said as I climbed off the car and stood in front of it, keeping the distance between us because I knew Jacob didn't want me too close to him at the moment in case he lost his control. "Do you honestly think that I'm ever going to forget when I've got a permanent reminder of it?" I asked before I moved my hands to hem of my t-shirt and pulled it up slightly, exposing my still healing stomach to the air. It probably wasn't a good idea to do that since I saw the trembling of his shoulders pick up a bit. I lowered my t-shirt then and pulled at the sleeves of my cardigan nervously. "I want to forget it, but I know I won't be able to; but I can forgive him, and I do."

"How? How can you forgive him?" Jacob asked, scowl still in place and sighed softly.

"Because it's the right thing to do," I said and Jacob frowned. "I can't live in bitterness and anger anymore, Jacob. I did that for nearly six months after my mom died; hating the man that hit her car and hating myself for what happened. On the outside I was just numb, and I didn't let anyone know what I really felt. On the inside I was so angry and filled with hate that it didn't do me any good and it's not going to do you any good either." I let out another sigh before I tucked my hair behind my ears as I watched his scowl slowly start to melt away. "If we're all going to work together, you have to put what happened aside, and call a truce with Sam. We can't live with this Hatfields and McCoys like tension between the packs, Jacob."

"Hatfields and McCoys?" Jacob asked, the trembling stopping as he looked at me with raised eyebrows and the corners of his lips tugging up slightly. "Were you watching The History Channel again, Rory?" he asked and I rolled my eyes before I walked a little closer to him.

"Maybe, but you know I'm right," I said. "Again."

"I can't just let it go, Aurora," he said, "and I can't let you be around him."

"Are you going to leave me alone with him?" I asked and his brow furrowed.

"Hell no," Jacob said quickly before his hands reached out and carefully grasped my upper waist before he pulled me flush against his chest. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my hands on the small of his back.

"Then why can't we go and see them?" I asked.

"Aurora," he started but I just pressed myself a little tighter to him.

"Please, Jacob, I just want to visit for a few hours and then we can do whatever you want," I said.

"Whatever I want?" he asked and I nodded.

"Whatever you want," I promised and Jacob sighed, which I knew meant that his resolve was crumbling and he was going to give in to me.

"I can't promise that I'll be able to control myself when we get there," he said.

"I know and I know that a fight is very likely, but . . . just don't hurt him too bad," I said knowing that Jacob's festering anger at Sam would give him an even bigger edge than his slightly larger size already allowed. "If you hurt him too badly, Jacob, you'll hurt Emily, and I don't want you to do that."

"I'll do my best," he said in a veiled promise and I smiled slightly at him.

"So, does that mean we're going?" I asked and he sighed before he gave me a curt nod.

"Since you didn't wear a jacket, go inside, throw on my leather jacket, and give me five minutes to finish what I was doing. We'll take the bike over," he said and I smiled fully at him before I raised my hands to his face and pulled his mouth down to mine. He kissed me back, his hands tightening on my waist a bit before I pulled back slightly and met his dark eyes.

"Thank you," I said and he sighed yet again.

"You know I would have agreed eventually," he said. "It's damn near impossible for me to tell you 'no' on anything."

"That the imprint or because you love me?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Both," he said before he kissed my nose and then let me go. "Now get a move on before I change my mind." I rolled my eyes and laughed before I left the garage and jogged to the house with a smile on my face as I went.

Jacob sighed as he brought his bike to a stop and settled his boot clad feet on either side of it while I sat back a bit and started taking off my helmet. "Are you sure you want to be here?" Jacob asked me quietly, looking over his right shoulder at me just as I pulled the helmet off my head and I nodded as I looked back at him.

"Yes, Jacob, I do," I said before I held onto his waist with my right hand while I swung my leg behind the bike and climbed off like I had several times before. Jacob sighed once again before he put down the kickstand and stood before he took the helmet from my hands, which allowed me to tame my hair. I heard rustling in the trees and while I shouldn't have been I was surprised to see Embry, Quil, and Leah ambling over; the boys dressed only in their cut offs and Leah in a t-shirt and shorts.

"I took a few precautions," Jacob said as I turned my questioning gaze to him and it didn't take me long to figure it out. When I'd gone inside he must have phased and asked them to come with us just in case things with Sam got out of hand and he needed back up; and I sent up a silent prayer that it didn't end up coming to that.

"Aurora!" came the familiar voice of Emily and I turned towards the house just as Emily and Kim came rushing down the stairs and I met the girls halfway only to be engulfed in a tight three-way hug with the pair. The hug only lasted a few seconds when the two girls pulled away, but Emily adjusted her hold on me and held me at arm's length. "You have no idea how relieved we all were when we heard you woke up and that you were okay. Are you okay?" Emily asked, the unscarred side of her face clearly showing her anxiousness and worry as her dark eyes scanned over me.

"I'm okay, Emily, I promise I am," I said quietly and she sighed softly before she hugged me once more, but this time by herself.

"Don't take this the wrong way, please, but what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I missed you and Kim and the rest of the guys," I said, "and they need to squash it and make things right. It will be better if the packs work together rather than be at each other's throats." Emily took a deep breath and nodded her head before she let out a soft sigh and turned her engagement ring around her left ring finger, which I knew to be a nervous habit of hers.

"Are you really okay, Aurora?" Kim asked before she worried her bottom lip.

"Yeah, I am," I assured her with a small smile and I saw her shoulders relax before she let out a quiet sigh and released the hold her teeth had had on her lower lip.

"I am so sorry for what happened," Emily said and I turned my eyes to her.

"It's okay," I said automatically and Emily frowned before she lowered her hands to her side and shook her head.

"No, it is most definitely not okay, Aurora," she said. "I was hoarse for a full day after I yelled at Sam when I found out what happened. I still have yet to have any sort of conversation with him and he's taken up residence on the sofa until further notice. He's lucky I even feed him right now I'm so mad at him."

"Good to know I'm now the only one," Jacob said before I felt his hands slip under the bottom of his jacket that I was wearing and take hold of my hips as he pulled me against his chest.

"Hello Jacob," Emily said softly as she looked up at him. She looked like she wanted to hug him too and apologize about a million more times and I couldn't help but smile slightly as I looked at her.

"Hey Em," he said back. "Where's Sam?" The tone of his voice and the way that he asked that simple question told me that he already knew where Sam was, and likely the others as well.

"Here," came Sam's voice and I sucked in a breath when Jacob's fingers gripped my hips just a little too tightly as he brought moved me back so my back was firmly against his chest.

I turned my eyes towards the house to see Sam, Jared, and Paul standing there; all of them fully dressed; and I assumed that Collin and Brady were likely inside or out running around somewhere. I couldn't help the lurch that my heart did upon seeing Sam, but in all honesty I wasn't afraid of him and thankfully after that little jump my heart returned to normal. Sam's eyes were on Jacob, but as he started to walk down the porch steps, with Paul and Jared following, he looked at me.

"Rory, go stand with Embry," Jacob said quietly before he turned me away from Sam and gently pushed me towards his third-in-command.

I glanced at Jacob when his hands left me before Embry took hold of my hand and pulled me around him so I was standing just behind him, but Jacob's eyes were focused on Sam and the look on his face could only be described as murderous. Quil stood to Embry's left and Leah on Quil's as they stood back and at the ready should something happen and Jacob require their help. Emily and Kim had also moved back, Kim standing behind Jared much like I was Embry while Emily stood beside her, twirling away at her ring. Emily may have been angry at Sam, who she was currently keeping in the dog house, but that did not mean she wanted him to get hurt.

"Why?" Jacob asked, his voice low and his hands clenched once again at his sides. "Why did you it, Sam?"

"I wish I had an answer for you, Jacob," Sam said lowly, his eyes downcast as he spoke before he slowly returned his eyes to Jacob's face, "but I don't. It . . . just happened, and I truly am sorry. I really don't know what came over me."

"She's my imprint, Sam, and you nearly killed her!" Jacob growled as his shoulders trembled and his muscles yet again rippled as he fought against phasing.

"Jacob, calm down," Sam said as he raised his hands, but even to me it sounded almost like an order and Jacob's growl told me he took it that way as well.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Jacob yelled. His shaking was almost uncontrollable now and Sam had lowered his hands and took a deep breath as he took half a step back from him. "With Emily it was an accident," Jacob said, his voice dangerously low and for a fleeting moment I was actually afraid of him. "She was standing too close and you weren't in good enough control of yourself yet, but with Aurora . . . with her it was different. You intentionally hurt her and you broke our highest law, Sam, and the only reason you can give me is you don't know." Jacob took a deep breath and when I looked to Sam I swore I saw fear flash across his face. "Not good enough," Jacob hissed through his teeth before suddenly Jacob's large russet wolf was standing in his place as his shredded clothing fluttered to the ground. Embry put his right arm out in front of me and forced me back several steps as he acted like a human shield. Sam had followed Jacob and phased into his large black wolf before all hell broke loose.

"Jacob!" I shouted as I put my right hand on Embry's right bicep since his arm was still around me and holding me in place. My shout went ignored as Jacob and Sam fought and moved around towards the back of the house and the larger backyard. Our small group followed, Embry ensuring that I stayed at his side and far enough away to be considered safe as the two alphas battled. They were growling, tackling, and biting at each other; but I couldn't help but notice that Sam wasn't really fighting Jacob. His moves seemed all defensive and when there was an opening for him to go after Jacob he didn't take it.

Suddenly, Jacob let out a loud growl before he pretty much head butted Sam, sending the large black wolf flying before he hit a tree that was close by and crashed to the ground with a soft whine. Jacob was growling and slowly closing in and I saw Sam lift his head, before Sam struggled to get to his feet. Sam was hurt, I could tell by the fact that his legs shook as he tried to get into a defensive stance, and when he collapsed back to the ground with a whine he was hurt far worse than he was trying to let on. However, Jacob was still closing in, and I could hear Emily start to cry. I didn't understand why none of the guys or Leah were intervening and stopping Jacob from hurting Sam any more than he already. So, I broke free of Embry's hold and ran towards the pair.

"Aurora, wait!" Embry yelled after me, but I ignored him. Thankfully, Embry calling my name drew Jacob's eyes from Sam to me and he turned his head to look at me as I ran to him. My stomach hurt and my rib pulled as I ran, but even though Jacob had stopped walking and was focused on me I wasn't about to stop until I reached him.

"Stop," I said breathlessly when I finally reached him moving to stand in front of him with Sam a few feet behind me. "You've proven your point. There's no reason for you to keep doing this anymore. He's not even fighting you; so, just stop, Jacob." My voice shook as I caught my breath and realized then that thanks to the last two weeks of no working out and skipping out on doing the same the week before had left me slightly out of shape. However, my voice was still firm and despite being a little winded I did my best to maintain a stern expression on my face as I locked eyes with Wolf Jacob.

Jacob and I stared at each other for a beat before he raised his large head and looked behind me, growling lowly before he huffed through his nose as his eyes returned to my face. He took a few steps towards me, his nose nudging my cheek gently, and when he did that I realized that Emily wasn't the only one that had been crying during the fight. Jacob ran his muzzle along the side of my face and I closed my eyes as I raised my left hand to rest on the other side of his muzzle. He pulled back from me and I took a deep breath before I raised my hands to my face and wiped at tear trails left behind from my earlier tears before I turned around and looked at Sam.

Thankfully, Sam was standing and his legs were no longer shaking under his weight as he looked at me with a bowed head and sad dark eyes that were filled with a non-verbal apology as he looked at me. His accelerated healing had obviously repaired some of whatever damage Jacob had caused enough for Sam to stand without much trouble. Despite Jacob's teeth latching on to the bottom hem of his jacket I was wearing and tugging slightly I remained where I stood with my eyes still on Sam. I should have been afraid of Sam now that he was in his wolf form and standing only a handful of feet from me, but I wasn't. The way he was standing reminded me of a chastised puppy so it was easy for me to feel no fear as I stood there with Jacob right behind me.

"I don't know why you did what you did, Sam, and I believe you when you say that you don't know why you did it either," I said as I continued to hold Sam's gaze, "but I forgive you." At that, Sam lifted his large wolf head and even though he was an animal at the moment I could clearly tell he was surprised. Jacob let out an unhappy huff behind me, but I ignored him. "We all need to put what happened that night behind us and move forward because the two packs have to work together." I felt like a broken record because it seemed like I had been saying the same thing to different people all day, but the words needed to be said yet again. Sam nodded his head before his eyes flickered behind me and to Jacob, but I brought his attention back to me.

"Don't worry about Jacob," I said evenly. "He'll be able to put aside his differences and work with you. I just wouldn't try to order him around again. Now that he's assumed the role of alpha he's gotten even more stubborn than he was before," I joked, once again trying to ease tension with my terrible and lame humor.

Thankfully, it must have worked because I heard the guys by the house laugh while Jacob grumbled behind me before he nudged my back with his nose; but my eyes remained on Sam. If he could, I was pretty sure that Sam would have been smiling at me before he nodded his head. I let out a relieved sigh before I smiled at Sam and then turned around to look at Jacob.

"You're lucky I packed you some clothes and shoes otherwise you'd be running around naked for the rest of the day," I said and I swore Jacob rolled his eyes at me. "Phase out, get dressed, and talk to Sam," I said knowing that Sam could also hear me. "Work things out and come to an agreement on patrols and stuff like that. Be the leader I know you are, Jacob." His dark eyes softened as he looked at me before he reached out and licked my cheek. I laughed at him before I put my hand on his nose and gently pushed his face from mine. "Dork," I said with a laugh and just like with Sam I was sure Jacob would be smiling if he could. "Now, get to work," I said before I turned away from him and walked away, relief filling me as I walked.

Jacob and I didn't end up staying very long, really only long enough for Sam, Jacob, and the guys to come to an understanding and make patrol arrangements. While they did that I had a nice visit with Emily and Kim and just catching up. It had been nice to spend some time with the girls again, and I hadn't realized how much I had missed them while we had been apart. I'd even made Emily promise to cut Sam some slack because if I was able to put what happened behind me she should too.

Now, Jacob and I were at our spot to enjoy a few hours together before he'd take me back home. While we'd been sitting together and looking out at the water, Jacob had given me a rundown of the agreement he had come to with Sam. Sam and his pack would cover their original territory while Jacob (who apparently had already talked things over with Carlisle) and his pack would cover what was once just considered Cullen territory. Between the wolves there would be no territorial line but the original treaty with the Cullens remained in place and the Cullens couldn't cross onto the reservation just like before.

The packs would work together should a rouge vampire make an appearance in the area, and while the different packs couldn't communicate with each other Jacob and Sam could; which would be beneficial should an unknown vampire happen to make an appearance and stir up trouble. However, there was only one thing that had put me at ease about the whole thing and that was when before we'd left I had seen Jacob and Sam shook hands; and while Jacob had probably gripped Sam's hand a little harder than necessary, it was a step in the right direction.

Jacob was sitting on top of one of the flatter rocks that rested in our spot with me settled in between his legs and leaning back against him while his arms were securely wrapped around me, holding me in place. My head rested back against his shoulder and his cheek rested against the side of my head as the two of us just enjoyed the peace and quiet that surrounded us. However, the quiet didn't last much longer because Jacob broke it after a seagull flew by us and cawed into the late afternoon air.

"Have I told you how amazing you are today?" Jacob asked as he moved his right hand from where it rested over mine on my stomach to rest on the outside of my right thigh since I had my legs drawn up in front of me. He lifted his head and I turned my face towards his, but didn't bother to lift my head from his shoulder.

"Well, you say that on a pretty regular basis but you haven't said it yet today, so, no," I said earning a grin from Jacob as I smiled up at him for a beat before I lifted my head then and turned so I could look at him, resting my left shoulder against his chest in the process. "So, what did I do that makes you say that this time?" I asked, genuinely curious, and Jacob chuckled.

"You stared me down and put me in my place when I was ready to rip Sam's head off," he said, "and you did it with a pissed off look on your face. I think I might like it when you get a little bossy."

"Seriously?" I asked with a laugh and Jacob laughed with me before he ran his hand up and down my right thigh and raised his left hand to the right side of my face. He tucked my hair behind my right ear before he settled his hand on my neck and ran his thumb along my jaw.

"Yeah," he said. "It was kind of hot actually. I might have to get you riled up and let you take charge in other ways sometime." I felt my face warm at his words since he spoke them with a serious expression on his face and I watched as he smiled fondly at me before his thumb ghosted over my warm and flushed cheek.

"Someone needed to stop you from doing something that I know you would regret in the long run, even though right now you wouldn't have," I said, actively ignoring the last bit that he said, and Jacob just nodded his head as I watched his eyes leave mine before they fluttered to my lips and back to my eyes. My heart skipped in my chest and that was all the reaction Jacob needed before his mouth was pressed against mine and his left hand buried itself in my hair, taking a firm and tight hold on the dark locks.

I don't really know how it happened, but at some point as we kissed I had ended up straddling Jacob's lap with his coat discarded from my body. Hands were exploring of still clothed areas and an all too familiar ache was one hundred times worse than ever before settled in my lower abdomen as Jacob nipped and kissed along the right side of my neck and squeezed my backside with his right hand and my right breast with his left.

"Jacob," I whispered as I slid my left hand up his t-shirt clad chest and he lifted his head and sear my mouth with a fire filled kiss. "Should we really be doing this out in the open like this?" I asked when he broke kiss and started to make his way along the left side of my neck. It wasn't like we hadn't made out heavily at our spot before in the past because we had. However, the previous make out sessions were nothing compared to this one, and at the rate we were going both of us were going to be naked and be a tangled mess of limbs in relatively short order.

"There's no one around," he whispered against my skin before he kissed me at the juncture of my neck and shoulder, which caused me to whimper slightly as I fought to maintain coherent thought.

"That's what you said last time we did anything like this and Collin was watching us. Plus, you may be like my own personal space heater, but it's cold up here," I said softly my words making him growl quietly as he lifted his head and settled both of his hands on my hips as his now nearly black eyes met my blue.

"It's been almost a month, baby," he nearly whined while the look on his face clearly displayed his frustration, but I just smiled at him before I kissed him chastely.

"I know, which is why I was going to suggest we finish this at my place," I said, earning me raised eyebrows from Jacob as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

"What about Charlie?" he asked and I smiled at him.

"He's spending the day with Sue in Port Angeles," I said, "and he told me last night that they were going to catch a movie after dinner; so, he won't be home until at least ten."

"What the hell are we doing here then?" he asked before I found myself swept up into his arms. I laughed as I clasped my hands behind his neck as he bent down and grabbed his jacket before Jacob was running through the trees with me still firmly in his arms and laughing as we went.