Apologize for taking a couple weeks to update! I'm in school, and have had 2 exams to study for... Now that I have a little time to breathe, enjoy the next chapter! It's a little bit sour. ;)

SM owns all.

My nap did not last long, judging by the soft light still coming through the window. Still, my bedroom was very dim when I opened my eyes. I could still feel the steady rise and fall of Jake's chest under my head. I held him tightly, already feeling so healed by his embrace. Maybe throwing some Cullens back into the mix would have its difficulties, but having Jacob by my side would make me stronger and keep me sane, I knew it.

"Are you awake?" I asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," Jacob breathed. "You weren't out long."

"Sorry... I think I just needed a quick reset."

"Why are you apologizing?" Jake asked. He shifted slightly, sliding us back into a more inclined position on the bed. It did not escape my notice what position we were in. I tried not to get distracted by his bare chest. His warmth was both comforting and intoxicating.

I thought for a moment, trying to bring myself back to the question. "I don't know. I just know it's not going to be easy for them to come back, and... I don't want you to misinterpret why that makes me uneasy."

"Tell me," he replied.

I braced my upper body with my forearms, still leaning over his chest, but looking up at his face now. His eyes were kind and patient, searching in mine. "I am angry with them, for just disappearing and leaving me to die. They told me I was a part of their family, and that was a lie. That lie hurts." My breath was shaky as I tried to find the words to explain my feelings. I internally cursed how much the Cullens still obviously bothered me, even if that was due to a different reason than it used to be. "And now, when I've finally figured out how to move on from them, how to be with you... they just show up again, with some self-righteous plan to clear their own consciences. It just feels like a continuation of that lie."

Jake was quiet, taking in my words. He just stroked my back softly with his right hand, giving me room to continue if I wanted.

"I guess I just don't fully believe they're here to protect me. I think it's just a way to absolve their guilt."

Jake squeezed me tighter. "Maybe," he said. "But maybe it's possible it's both?"

"Even if it were, I don't know if I can forgive them, Jake. The only reason I agreed to Carlisle's offer is to get Victoria dealt with sooner so we can all be safe again."

"I know, Bella," he said squeezing me tighter. "I hate it too. But I think you made the right choice. We'll get through it, okay?"

"Okay," I replied, leaning forward to give him a gentle kiss. I appreciated how Jacob was trying to comfort me, when I knew this arrangement bothered him a lot more than he let on. At any rate, I wanted to be done with this conversation and focus on what I really wanted to focus on: This shirtless, insanely handsome boy in my bed. Throughout this conversation, it was all I could do not to stare at his muscles.

"Is um... is Charlie home yet?" I asked, as a way to change the subject. The corner of Jake's mouth turned up into a half smile. "No. He is not."

The insinuation was clear as those words hung in the air, and we locked eyes. We were alone. My face was only a couple inches from his. I could feel my heart rate increasing, and the air around us seemed to turn electric. I closed the distance, feeling as though we were magnets drawn toward each other naturally.

This is what I wanted... To explore this new ground, without dwelling on the past. I allowed the present to completely envelope me, surrendering to my instincts.

My lips met his, slightly open. His mouth accepted, and my senses were overwhelmed with his smell, his taste, the way he felt. My body was draped halfway on his, my legs still on the bed. Everything in me was telling me to get closer to him, so without breaking the kiss I shifted so that my right leg was between his, leveraging myself further on top of him. He groaned and held me tighter by the small of my back, wringing the fabric of the black dress I still wore.

We were tasting each other hungrily, deepening the kiss and yearning to be closer. Jake seemed to be getting excited... his lips and tongue moved against mine eagerly, and a slight shifting of my body confirmed what I thought was a growing hardness under his shorts. This realization caused a pleasurable twisting low in my stomach, and I could tell I was getting wet underneath my panties. Still though, Jacob's hands did not move. They gripped the fabric of my dress, seeming to hold on for dear life. Dammit, I wanted him to touch me. In the back of my mind, I wondered if he was trying too hard to control himself. He thought he pushed it too far yesterday when he grabbed my backside. I disagreed, in fact, I yearned for it.

I reached behind myself and grabbed one of his hands, thrusting it downward and placing it directly on my ass. He groaned and squeezed greedily, his other hand traveling down to do the same thing. His hips bucked, grinding into mine. His hands were so large, his fingertips brushed my bare skin as my dress was riding up a bit. I welcomed this.

In a whirl, he grabbed me by the waste with one arm, and suddenly my back was on the bed and he was on top of me. Our kiss broke for a moment as we adjusted, breathing heavily, and his eyes traveled up and down my body to take in the sight of me. My dress had completely ridden up almost to my hips at this point, revealing my black lace underwear. The V-neck of my dress had shifted too, slightly revealing one of the cups of my matching lace bra. I had begun wearing my sexier undergarments, just in case this happened.

"Oh my god, Bella," Jake said in a deep voice, simultaneously leaning down to kiss and lick down my neck and collarbone. "You're so fucking sexy." This was almost a growl. The sound of his voice and the warmth of his breath against my skin made that low spot in my stomach stir again in the best way. He reached down with one arm to grab one of my knees and guided my legs apart, placing his hips between them. Exactly where I wanted him. I was on fire by this point. There was a throbbing between my legs and I was sure my wetness had soaked through the fabric by now. He grinded against me, eliciting a moan of pleasure from me as the friction rubbed me just right. He continued this repetitive movement, stoking the fire. I moaned again and again in pleasure. It felt so good, and was so close to what I wanted, but... it still wasn't enough.

So without having to think about it, I groped for the bottom of my dress and pulled it all the way up over my head in one fluid motion, tossing it off the bed. I wanted to feel his fiery bare skin against mine. He obliged, his hands all over me, setting me ablaze. He kept the line of his body pressed against me as he slid down, kissing my collarbones, then licking his way down to the mounds of my breasts. He slipped one of the straps off my shoulder, and reached behind my back to find the clasp. He was struggling a bit trying to undo it with just one hand. At the same time, I reached for the waste of his shorts. His journey downward had removed the pressure from between my legs, and I immediately missed the feeling. But I had something even better in my sights.

I had never undressed a boy before. Granted, Jake made it easy for me... there was only one barrier to get through. Or was there? Did he even bother with underwear when he transformed back into his human form? I was determined to find out. I fumbled with the button on his pants, unable to figure out the way to work it through the hole from this angle. He saw what I wanted, and abandoned my bra which he hadn't quite figured out himself. I wondered if he had ever done this with a girl before.

He shifted back to sit upright on his knees, reaching for the button himself. I watched him, skin flushed and breathing heavy. My eyes widened when I followed his hands. Even in the dim light, it would've been impossible not to notice the outline under the denim fabric... it was huge.

At the very moment Jacob released the button on his shorts, he froze completely, head turning to the side.

Several things happened all at once in the next moment. He hissed "SHIT," threw himself off the bed, grabbed the comforter, tossed it over my nearly naked body, and ran lithely to my closet, closing the door and managing to not make much noise at all. It was only then that I registered the creaking and thumping sound of footsteps coming up the stairs toward my bedroom. My heart stopped.

"Bella," I heard Charlie's voice call, followed by a sharp knock on the door. "Bella, you up here?"

"Yeah, Dad," I called back, absolutely mortified. PLEASE do not come in here, I thought, almost like a prayer. Even with the blanket hiding my body, I imagined my flushed face and wild hair told the whole story of what I had been doing. "Don't come in, I'm... I was napping and I'm not fully dressed."

"I'm just surprised you're back, there weren't any cars in the driveway. Did Jacob drive you home?"

"Um, yeah. He headed back a while ago," I lied through my teeth. I wondered if he could hear the shaking of my voice. I was still trying to calm down from that encounter, and the last thing I wanted to do was talk to my father.

"I thought I heard noises, and I thought it could've been an intruder, so... just wanted to check."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "Holster your gun, Dad. It's just me."

"Why didn't you drive your truck back?"

"It's uhhh... it wouldn't start."

Charlie sighed. "So it's still in La Push, huh... do I need to call a tow truck?"

"No!" I replied, maybe a little too forcefully. "It'll be fine, Jacob's gonna take a look at it. He said he'll fix it," I said, continuing to dig a hole of lies for myself.

"Alright, well... that's fine I guess. I'll be downstairs," he replied gruffly, sounding satisfied enough. I heard him back away from the door and back down the steps.

It seemed like a few minutes had passed, and I started to wonder if Jake had slipped out of the window without me noticing. Then finally, my closet door slowly swung open, and a very shaken and sheepish looking Jacob stepped out. His hair was messed up, and he was doubled over a bit as he walked back to the bed... he still had a bit of a lingering erection it seemed, and he was trying to hide it. I pretended I didn't notice, but I felt myself blushing anew.

His eyes were wide as he sat on the edge of the bed. I sat up, holding the blanket over my chest and letting out a sigh. "Bella, I am so sorry," Jake whispered. "I completely didn't notice him until the last moment, I was... I was just so consumed I didn't hear him."

"It's okay Jacob. That was a close one," I whispered back. Was he as frustrated as I was? I couldn't believe we had been interrupted at such a... crucial moment. I wanted so badly to pick up where we left off, but the encounter with my father had shaken me, and the walls in this old house were way too thin.

"Fuuuck," Jake said in a sigh, seeming to mirror my frustration.

"Agreed," I replied. We locked eyes, and then both shared a quiet laugh at the circumstances.

He sighed again and reached out for my shoulders, pulling me in for an embrace. He buried his face in my hair and took a few deep breaths. I allowed his touch to calm me, and focused on slowing my breathing as well.

"I suppose I should head back," he said. "I don't want to risk Charlie shooting me. And besides, I'm on patrol tonight."

I reluctantly let go of him, nodding my head. I tried to be understanding, but I didn't have to like it. He stood, walked over to the window, and carefully slid it open enough for him to slip out. Before he did though, he turned back and shot me a bright smile.

"So I'm fixing your truck, huh?"

I giggled, quietly as I could. "Yeah... I guess you are," I said apologetically.

"I hope that's not all I get to work on." He winked.

My cheeks burned and I covered my face halfway behind my blanket to hide a grin. He gave me one last chuckle and then leapt out of the window.

I hope you liked it! Please leave reviews, they make my day!