A/N: Kayness, here's this. Maybe it wasn't what you were looking for, but it is what it is and I like it. I wonder what you think about Jake's new habit - I admit I'm a fan, although I'm a fan everything Jake does. It's not exactly surprising, considering Jake's . . . tastes. :)

I have a couple of non-HoM related things to say: the first is to ask everyone to check out my newest one-shot, The Sweetest Girl, an entry for the Sort of Beautiful Challenge and let me know what you think! Also, I'd like anyone who's not technologically retarded like me and interested in making banners for challenge winners to contact me - I got something for ya. :)

So . . . that's about it. Voting still hasn't started for The Golden Chocolate Awards and they have no information on their site pointing as to when it will, so I'm sorry to report that I have nothing to tell you. Just that when October 1st rolls around, stop by and vote for The Sweetest Girl at the SOB Challenge page! I'll post a link when it gets a little closer to time - or you could just search it. lol.

Oh, and because why the hell not, reviewers get an extra preview.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Don't lie, it's my originality with these disclaimers that draws you back, isn't it?


In Which an . . . Interesting New Habit Develops


you make me wanna lala
in the kitchen, on the floor

- ashlee simpson, lala

-

I woke up this morning with my feelings in complete contrast to how I'd woken up the day before.

The scene was almost exactly the same, minus the lack of clothing. I was still curled around Jacob's warm body, though it felt different now where the clothes interfered since I knew how it felt now to be without. Jacob was still snoring softly and steadfastly beside me, his arm lying across my chest and his fingers buried in my hair.

I was still married and completely and utterly in love.

But now I had remembered something that had completely escaped me yesterday. Something that had come crashing down on my head as soon as I opened my eyes.

My fourteen days. My fourteen days that were now twelve.

It was like the night Billy died, but a million times worse. Because the horrible thing was that the amazing thing was about to be taken away. I don't know how I was going to survive it.

And worst of all, I wouldn't even have Jacob to distract me for the rest of the day. Another day lost.

Jacob had pack stuff to do that had been put off for . . . obvious reasons, and I needed to spend time with my family. Which I wanted to, I really did, but I every time I walked past a clock or a calendar or anything like that my heart would flop into my stomach and all I could think about was how little time I had left.

I rolled out from under Jacob's arm again, not that I wanted to, but nature was calling. Also, I liked the idea of eating breakfast with Jacob again before we had to be separated for the day. Most of it, at least. Jacob promised he would make it as quick as possible, but I knew how that stuff was. And Jacob wasn't cutting corners when it came to my safety.

The soreness was completely gone this morning, making the bathroom a quick and simple affair. I brushed my teeth with a half-grin. Maybe Jacob would want another shower after he got back home this afternoon.

I made omelets this morning and actually got a little creative and did smoothies. There was an awful lot of bananas and peaches and even a half-box of strawberries that looked like they were going to go bad before they got eaten so I blended them up with some ice, milk, and a little sugar. I hoped Jacob would like them. I was no Martha Stewart, it was just that growing up with Jake had given me an appreciation for food. Wasting food was heresy in Jacob's book.

I think he mentioned something about it being a Black family rule once.

This time, Jacob got right up behind me before I noticed him. He nearly made me spill the blender full of smoothie in the sink, but his warm arms steadied mine quickly, preventing that.

"You need to quit that," he said as he hugged me from behind, the arm that wasn't around my waist taking the blender from my hands and setting it on the counter. "You're going to spoil me and then I'll expect breakfast ready every morning when I get up."

"I don't mind," I told him, still blushing a little from the surprise and his hot body pressing against mine. "I like cooking for you."

"Well, it smells good."

I felt Jacob's knees dip behind me and then his lips against my neck. For some reason, it tickled this time and I shrugged my shoulders up and turned my head down against the sensation, giggling.

"What," he said, kissing my neck again and then pretending to bite me gently before I felt his smile get in the way. "No kiss this morning?"

If my Jacob wanted a kiss, a kiss he would get, so I turned in his arms to do just that. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he grabbed my hips and our lips met in the middle. It wasn't exactly a good morning kiss, but in a good way. I broke it before it turned into a Nessie-drags-Jake-back-to-the-bedroom kiss.

"How's that?"

"So good I want another one," Jacob answered, leaning back down and capturing my lips for another few seconds. I was surprised when I felt Jacob's hand reach back and pop me lightly on the behind. "Now, let me get some of that smoothie."

I turned back to get the blender, blushing furiously. Surely something that simple shouldn't affect me that much? My stomach was much tighter than it should have been.

Jacob had already set the omelets and two glasses on the table by the time I got my thoughts back together, so I grabbed two forks and the blender and set them in front of Jake's chair. Jacob pulled another chair over right beside him and gestured for me to sit down. He poured my glass and then his, being sweet as ever.

I scooted my chair a little closer, so they were touching and I could throw one of my legs over to rest between Jacob's. His fingers came down and ran along my bare thigh, his eyes flowing up to where the shorts started. I remembered him expressing appreciation for them last night. I would have to thank Alice.

Jacob's stomach finally proved too strong a call to ignore and he picked up his fork, digging into his omelet. I watched him for a minute before I set into mine, to see his reaction. He took two huge bites and then gulped down some smoothie. He turned to me.

"This is fucking awesome, Ness," he complimented, already shoving more eggs into his mouth.

I took his word for it and tried a sip of my smoothie, surprised to find it pretty good. Especially good for a first attempt. I knew I could make eggs too, but I was still relieved they turned out all right.

"Listen," Jake said a half-glass of smoothie later. "I'm sorry if I – embarrassed you or something a minute ago. I was just playing."

I swallowed a bite of egg and looked over at Jake in confusion. "What?"

"With – " I was surprised to see Jacob's face go pink. "You know, when I . . . smacked you."

I stared down at my eggs for a second, because I was embarrassed. Not because of what Jacob had done, but because my reaction had forced him into this awkward, unneeded apology. And I was even more embarrassed about my body's reaction to it.

"Why would you think I was embarrassed?" I said, settling for evasion and refilling Jake's smoothie. I rubbed his thigh and took another bite of eggs while I waited for his answer.

"Because your face turned red as hell and it still is," he answered, nothing if not honestly. "I didn't mean to, Ness."

"I wasn't embarrassed," I assured Jacob. "That's – it's not why I blushed. Don't worry, Jake."

"You weren't?" Jacob said, to which I shook my head and he nodded. Just like that. He was really working on this believing me thing.

"Besides," I said, thinking a little teasing never hurt anybody and Jacob certainly did it to me enough. "I know how much you probably enjoyed it. You can't get enough of my ass, figuratively and literally."

I know my face probably got even darker, but it was worth it to see Jake choke on his smoothie. He turned to me with wide eyes.

"Oh, really," he said, his face composing itself again and I knew I was about to get something shot back at me. "Well, everybody has their thing: asses, stomach lines. Any particularly interesting dreams last night, Nessie?"

His abrupt change of subject confused me for a second . . . until I remembered my dream. It was a normal one that I got every few nights or so. Starring Jacob, of course.

A shirtless Jacob, who laid back and let me kiss down his chest until I reached the place where his hips cut down, disappearing into his jeans. Except last night, the dream changed a little. Jacob and I were married now, so we were both naked.

And I always, always, in every dream, married or not, ran my tongue down that line.

And somehow, Jacob had seen. It was my turn to choke on my smoothie.

"How did you see that?"

"You had your hands on my chest," Jacob said, shooting me the sexiest smile. "I wasn't trying to see. I actually thought it was my own dream at first, but then it was so realistic I thought I was awake. I obviously realized I wasn't when I woke up, and well . . . then I figured it out."

"You could've moved my hand," I mumbled, but without heart. I was kind of embarrassed, but not really. Shocked would be a more proper term.

"And miss the show?" Jacob said, an arm coming around my shoulder and pulling me close to show me he was kidding still. "No way in hell."

Jacob leaned down and nuzzled my ear a little, making me shiver as he placed a hot kiss to my temple.

"You know I'm just teasing you, baby," Jacob said into my ear, and I decided teasing wasn't so bad. "We'll have to try that dream out one day."

Could one day be tonight?

"Mmm," I said, pressing my face into Jacob's chest to hide my smile at the prospect. "Please."

Jacob swallowed his last bite of egg and I pushed my half of the plate towards him and let him take what was left in one huge bite. He washed it down with the entirety of his just refilled smoothie and pushed the plate away from him.

Jacob's hand slid down my back, his fingers playing along the place at the small of it where my shirt didn't meet my shorts. Alice.

"You want to shower first, Nessie?"

I nodded at the normal question. My heart sank when I remembered we wouldn't be spending the day together. Then it raised a little as I got an idea.

"You want to come with me?" I asked, leaning up to kiss Jacob's jaw. "To save time. And water."

"We wouldn't end up saving much water," Jake chuckled, reaching down to get my lips in an eggy, fruity kiss. "Or time. I'd have you in there all morning, and I really need to check up on the pack."

He couldn't check on the pack in the afternoon? Nothing sounded better to me than some pack-time after a long, three hour morning shower. Except maybe for some Jacob-time after a long, three hour morning shower.

"Okay," I agreed, knowing it was important. Besides, if Jacob was really going through with this, I wanted him as prepared as possible. I pulled myself reluctantly out of his arms and stood. "I'll go first, but know it won't be half as fun without you."

"You mean without the happy ending."

"What?"

"Nothing," Jake said quickly, his face turning pink, but I think I understood. He popped me on the behind again, which made me go pink and my stomach tighten up. "Get to the shower, Ness, before you break my willpower for good."

I went then, since I didn't want Jacob to see my face and think I was lying to him. That would probably lead to me having to explain why I was so pink, which I still didn't understand well myself. I guess I just liked that too. I mentally added it to my Jacob-list.

The shower felt bigger without Jacob in it. I didn't wash my hair, since it got some pretty deep-root conditioning the day before and I wanted to get out quick. I brushed my teeth in the shower before I got out and wrapped myself in an old, kind of ratty towel. I would have to get some new ones. I wanted to make Jacob's home nice for him; besides, these things were so small I don't know how Jacob used them anyway.

Jacob was, to my surprise, washing dishes in the kitchen when I walked past so I decided to pop in on him. Which, of course, doesn't work with a werewolf; Jacob looked up the second I stepped into the kitchen.

I tried not to blush as his eyes raked down my frame.

"You don't have to do that," I told him, nodding to the sink. "I was going to do them."

"Yeah, while I drink beer and watch SportsCenter with my hand down my pants?" Jacob asked, rolling his eyes and smiling a little as he set the last of the dishes on the dry-rack. "I can do stuff too, Ness."

I tried to picture the image Jake had just given me and couldn't. The SportsCenter, all right, but the rest? No way.

"Whatever," I told him instead, as he dried his hands on his shorts and picked up a glass of smoothie off the counter and drank from it. "I'm done with the shower, if you want it."

"Okay," Jacob said, reaching down to wrap an arm around my waist and pull me against him. "I'll get to it in a minute."

Jacob's other hand ran over my damp shoulders, down my back where the towel didn't cover.

"I'm gonna miss you today, Ness," Jacob said, his voice a little rough. And his eyes were definitely dark.

I opened my mouth to tell Jacob I would miss him too, but all that came out was a squeak as he lifted me by my waist and sat me on the counter. I was surprised, but decided I couldn't complain when he stepped between my legs and leaned in so our foreheads were pressing together.

"I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"Well," I said, pretending to think as I let my fingers trip down his chest. "Why don't I give you something to remember me by?"

I pressed my lips to his before he could answer and felt Jacob's arms pull me further towards the edge of the counter so we were pressed together. I wrapped my arms around Jake's neck and arched my back into him as he parted my lips with his tongue.

I gripped Jacob's hair as one of his hands reached down to grasp my breast through the towel. I hope it held. Or maybe I didn't – I wasn't sure.

Jacob ran his thumb across me and I made a little noise into his mouth. He pulled away.

"We have to stop now," Jacob said against my lips. Damn it – it had only been two days and I had already gotten used to not hearing that. "Or I'm not going to be able to keep my mind off you when I'm phased and then I'll have to kill my pack."

I don't know why I didn't remember the pack mind until then. I felt my face blaze red.

I thought about all the things Jacob had seen that he could slip up and show them, all the things that were only meant for Jacob to see. Me in my underwear, in the shower, even – even now. I didn't want them seeing any of it. They were private moments, between me and my husband. They weren't meant for anyone else.

"Oh, please try, Jake," I pleaded, feeling my eyes go wide. "Don't think about any of it if you can help it."

"I won't, Nessie," Jacob assured me, and I believed him. "But I should still probably put you down now."

Jacob gave a small smile and I nodded my assent, taking one last kiss.

"Jacob?" I asked as his hands closed around my waist, preparing to pull me down.

"Mm?"

"I'm feeling much better today," I said, knowing he would get what I meant. Jacob's eyes widened and darkened at the same time.

"Are you?"

"Mmhm," I said, leaning and brushing our lips together. I definitely didn't want Jacob to think about me while he was phased, but I did want him to hurry home. "Come home early if you can, all right?"

Jacob swallowed hard. "All – all right, Ness."

"I'm going to miss you too, you know," I told him as he set me down. Also, his hardness wasn't lost on me as I brushed it on my way down, but I don't think Jacob would let me help him this morning. "I can't wait for tonight."

Jacob groaned. "You're not making my job any easier, Nessie."

"Sorry," I apologized, trying to hold back a smile. I steeled myself for about half a second before I ducked out of Jacob's arms and smacked him on the behind. "Now get to the shower, Jake, before I break your willpower for good."

Jacob made a kind of growling sound that I really liked and his arms grabbed for me, but I dodged them and sprinted back to our room, laughing.

"Payback, Jakey," I called as I made my way over to my suitcases to dig through them for something suitable to wear. I felt the air move and looked up to see Jacob standing in the doorway.

"I'm going to get you back for that," he told me, his dancing eyes telling me that I would probably enjoy my payback very much. "Just not this morning, because we don't have time."

"Tonight," I suggested, throwing a midnight blue bra-and-panty set on the bed. Jacob's eyes followed them and then flicked back to me. Thank you, Aunt Alice.

"Tonight," Jacob agreed, then disappeared from the doorway. The shower cut on a second later.

I dropped my towel and pulled on my bra and panties quickly before I went back to my suitcase. I was married now – did that mean I should dress different? I mean, I still wanted to wear jeans and regular stuff, but I was going to see my parents for the first time as a married woman . . . didn't that require something a little grown up?

Some white linen pants that looked pretty loose and comfortable caught my eye so I pulled them out. I then sent out a mental word of thanks to Alice when I saw she had coordinated everything into outfits. I pulled out the midnight blue and white-striped sweater with relief. Less work for me.

The pants were a little high-rise so I thought they looked kind of weird, but the sweater came down to my hips and would cover it up. Speaking of the sweater, it was clingier than I would have liked but the sleeves came to right above my elbows and the neckline didn't show a hint of cleavage so I guess it was the best I could ask for coming from Alice. The only person I was trying to show cleavage to was Jake.

I stepped into the heels that were my something borrowed. Alice wanted them back, so I'd wear them there and then give them to her. I wasn't planning on going anywhere besides the big house and right back here, so I could ride home barefoot. I wasn't that grown up.

I brushed out my hair and pulled it back with the clip from the wedding. I know Alice couldn't see us, but sometimes I just didn't believe that. Things just tended to work out too perfect with her. I examined my hair. It wasn't Alice-perfection, but it would do.

I adjusted my bracelet from Jacob that I hadn't taken off since he attached it and played with my wedding ring for a second before I looked back up into the mirror. I remembered something with a kind of half-smile. I went back to my bags to dig for the massive makeup bag Alice sent with me for the pomegranate lip balm.

I went back to the mirror and applied some. There. Now I was done.

I set the balm on the dresser under my and Jacob's picture just as the real Jacob walked back into the room, a towel around his waist. A very small towel.

He stopped short when he saw me.

"What?" I asked, examining myself. "Is it too much? I just wanted to look nice."

"N-no, it's not too much."

I stepped back so Jacob could pull some of clothes out of his dresser, some jeans and a t-shirt I remember him wearing all the time before. It seemed like years ago and not months.

I figured Jake might want a little privacy, so I walked across the room to pick up my towel and took my time hanging it on the side of Jacob's bed. Our bed. By the time I looked back, he was zipping his jeans up and reaching for the shirt. I noticed he didn't bother with underwear. I shivered a little.

"I like those pants," he said abruptly as he pulled his shirt over his head. His eyes went to my hips as soon as they were clear of his shirt neck.

"Thanks," I said, warming a little at the compliment. I walked around to his side of the bed. "I'll probably end up ruining them by the end of today though, since they're white. Fall or spill a drink on myself or something."

"Try not to," Jacob said, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me against him. The fingers of one of his hands played across my hip and made me shiver again. "I really like those pants."

I blushed as I got it. I nodded into his chest.

"But you really do look gorgeous right now, Ness," Jacob said, a little more seriously, to which I mumbled thanks again. "So grown up."

I looked up at Jacob, his wet hair clinging to his face. "Do you like me better like this?"

"I like you however, Ness," Jacob said immediately, which wasn't what I meant. I think he knew it too, because the next thing he said was, "I mean, you know I have favorites. But I like you like this too."

I nodded and tilted my face up for a kiss, which Jacob complied with. I parted my lips a little, which I knew would prove too hard for his tongue to ignore. I wanted to get his reaction to the balm before we left. He hadn't said anything on our wedding night, but well . . . we'd had other things on our mind.

"Mmm," Jacob said a second later and I knew he had tasted it. "I like that shit."

"I thought you would," I said, smiling a little into the kiss as Jacob nipped my lip. "Does it remind you of anything?"

"Mmhm," Jacob said, his hand sliding down to squeeze my backside and I knew he remembered. "And I think you know what too."

I couldn't help but laugh a little. I pecked Jacob's lips once more and then pulled back. Jacob never said anything, but I knew it was uncomfortable for him to kiss me when we were both standing since he had to bend so far. It had to be. And since we didn't have the time to lay down . . .

Jacob groaned. "We have to fucking go now, don't we?"

I made my face sad as I offered him my hand and deadpanned, "We have to fucking go now."

Jacob's face broke into a grin and he pulled me in for one last kiss.

"All right, my little half-vamp princess, I think you've got an appointment with my in-laws."

"You are so lame," I told him, but I was grinning.

Jacob smacked my backside again, which I think was becoming a new habit. Not that I minded. If I could only keep my stomach from tightening up every time. Not that I minded that much either, but the blushing was annoying.

"I'm going to be doing that forever now, you know that, right?" Jacob warned me, a smirk on his lips.

"I don't mind." I wonder if he knew how much.

"All right, but we really have to go now."

I took Jacob's hand and let him lead me out the door. I couldn't wait for tonight.


Coming up:

"Do you . . . like that?"

I nodded again. It was weird, but that's what it was. "Is that okay?"

The tips of Jacob's fingers slid under the edge of my panties and I rubbed myself hard against him, trying to relieve some of the tension that he had just so helpfully built up even worse than before.

"Whatever you want is okay with me," Jacob said, and I was so relieved I kissed him. "Don't be shy to ever ask me for anything, Ness."