Thanks again for the reviews! I am so happy that you are loving this fic as much as I am! We are over the halfway mark which sucks lol.
After this chapter you will see just how much love there is between Jacob and little Ness.
I do not own Twilight.
TWELVE
"Nessie, honey, what was that all about? You invited Leah to come bake with you." Jacob entered his daughter's room and sat gently on the bed. He pushed his fingers through her curly reddish brown hair and sighed heavily. "Honey, look at me, look at Daddy and tell me what's wrong. I promise, I'm not mad."
Nessie red little face peeped out from under her pillow. "You were laughing and kissing Sethy's big sister," she accused with a pout.
Jacob scratched at his stubble and nodded. "I did. Why is that making my pumpkin mad?"
"You're not s'posed to."
"I'm not? How comes?" Jacob moved the pillow away and stretched himself out next to his princess slowly, hoping the bed wouldn't break under his weight. It had happened before.
"Mommy will be mad."
"Okay, she might be but Mommy has Edward now, remember?"
"I don't like Edward. He's not my Daddy, he can't come live with us."
"So you want only me and Mommy?"
Nessie's frown deepened as she nodded her head.
"Ness, Mommy and I are not married anymore. Mommy's not coming back to live here with me and Papa. She's going to live with Edward, he is her husband now. She loves him very much and she wants you to like him too. He's going to be part of our family soon." Jacob swallowed the lump of tears that was threatening to choke him as he did what he knew was best for his child. Nessie didn't deserve to be so confused, so angry about all the changes that were coming. But it was inevitable, and he had to find a way to make things easier for her.
"But why?" she asked, not surprisingly.
"Because things change. Mommy and I just couldn't be together anymore. We both still love you very much, you'll always be our big girl, but Mommy wants to be with Edward now…and I want to be with Leah."
"You do?" her green eyes widened with wonder.
"Yes, I do. Leah makes me so happy Nessie, she makes me smile and feel so good right in here." He pointed to his heart. "Just like you make me feel good in here too. She's special. And she just wants you to give her a chance to be part of our family too, okay?"
"Like Edward?"
"Yes honey. There's room for all of us, I promise. You just got two more people to love you and do whatever it takes to make you happy Ness, doesn't that sound great?"
"I don't want things to change Daddy."
"I know baby, neither did I at first. But you know what? Good things come with change, not just bad things. Daddy is finally happy again after being sad for so long with Mommy gone. Aren't you happy for me?"
Nessie nodded, turning her watery doe eyes on her father, an expression that always reminded him of Bella.
"Well, it's all because of you and Leah that I'm happy. I just want you to give her a chance okay? For me?"
"Okay Daddy, but can I have a baby brother?"
Jacob's eyes widened and he burst out in laughter, surprised and amused by how his daughter's mind worked. "Maybe one day honey. I'd like to give you a baby brother some day soon." He wanted a bigger family, and he wanted to give Leah the children she longed for. Jacob knew it was too soon to talk to Leah about it, but in a year's time, he hoped that she'd be open to having it all with him. He intended to be with her for the rest of his life. The gut feeling that she was The One had yet to go away.
"Okay. You can ask Leah. She still likes me, right Daddy?"
"Yes Nessie, she does. She's still waiting for you to bake cookies."
"Oh yeah!" Nessie promptly jumped off the bed and ran out the door.
Jacob took a moment to compose himself, pressing his eyes with his fingers to stop the burning. He was overwhelmed. Maybe it would be alright, maybe he could make Bella see that Nessie deserved to have two families instead of one. His daughter didn't seem to like the idea of Edward being around at all and he worried about it. Deciding to leave those worries for another day Jacob gathered his strength and walked back out to the kitchen where he found his daughter helping Leah set the table while Billy watched on with amusement. Nessie moods certainly changed like the wind, but tonight he was glad.
"Hey," Leah called over with a tentative smile. "Ready to eat?"
"I'm starved," Jacob rubbed his empty stomach and took his seat at the table, where Billy and Nessie were waiting.
Leah took off the apron and rubbed her palms nervously on her jeans, eyeing the one remaining seat at the table. It was where Bella usually sat. Jacob suddenly understood her hesitation. "Nessie, can Leah sit next to you sweetie?"
Nessie looked at the empty chair and then at her grandfather, who gave a nod of encouragement. "Okay."
"Thank you Ness," Leah said quietly smoothing her hand over the girl's red hair before taking the seat. She looked up and shot Billy a grateful smile before turning her gaze on Jacob. His heart felt full in that moment, to see them altogether, and he saw his future the way he wanted it to be.
Dinner went smoothly. Nessie ate quite a bit of Leah's pie with her chicken fingers and immediately after Leah was done, insisted they get to baking. Billy and Jacob were ordered to relax and they both decided to stay and watch the two girls do their thing. Billy's date with Julie had gone well and they talked about inviting her to join them soon for dinner as well.
After Nessie's bath time, Leah asked to read her a story. Jacob listened at the door out of sight while Leah read, allowing her voice to sooth his anxiety. She would make a wonderful mother someday. It would be a new experience for him, to have a partner who would genuinely love him and their family. He knew she wasn't there yet, but Jacob believed that Leah would fall in love with him eventually. He prayed on it regularly.
"Leah, are you going to be my Daddy's special friend like Julie and Papa?"
Jacob smiled at the question.
"Yeah, I am. I really like your Daddy, and you and Papa. You're all very special to me."
"Do you have kids too?"
"No, I don't. I live alone in a big house. I get very lonely when I'm there."
Jacob frowned. They'd never talked about that aspect of her life much.
"Can I come visit your house?"
"Of course you can! I'd love to show it to you."
"Do you have a backyard?"
"Yes, and lots of room for you to play."
"And my baby brother too?"
Jacob almost choked as laughter bubbled in his chest, he could only imagine the shock on Leah's face.
"Baby brother?" Leah clarified.
"Daddy said he'd give me one someday. He thinks that would be okay with you."
Jacob shook his head as he listened to his daughter practice the art of manipulation!
Leah sucked in a breath of air, definitely in shock. "He does, does he? Well, it would be okay with me, but we'll have to see okay?"
"Alright."
"Are you ready to go to sleep now?"
"Can you stroke my hair?"
"Of course sweetie, get comfy first, and close your eyes," Leah ordered.
Jacob smiled and tiptoed to the kitchen where he poured two glasses of wine and set them up over by the couch. He laid back and waited for Leah to join him.
He must have fallen asleep because the feel of fingertips tracing his jawline startled him awake.
"Hey," Leah whispered.
Jacob reached for her and settled her on his lap. "Sorry I must have dozed off. I poured you some wine."
"I see that, thank you." Leah reached and took a long sip before setting the glass back on the table and turning to face Jacob, her arms clasped around his neck. "So, what's this I hear about a baby brother?" her eyebrow raised challengingly.
"She asked for one and I said I'd try, that's all."
"But I get the impression that you and I are supposed to be giving it to her?"
"Maybe?" Jake answered playfully.
"Jaaaake…" Leah sighed, a sad look overcoming her face.
"Leah, I know it won't be til sometime in the future okay? I'm not rushing this I promise. But it's hard to tell her no. She wouldn't understand."
"I don't think either of you should get your hopes up. We don't know what the future holds."
"But what if that was something I wanted with you? Is that bad? I already made it clear that in a year's time I want to propose. I'm giving you time to get used to the idea."
"Jake I've never gotten pregnant. I can't promise that I can give you or her a baby. And who knows what will happen between now and a year? How could you possibly be so sure that we'll work out? We've only known each other, what, a month if that much? We JUST started dating Jacob, you promised you wouldn't do this," Leah growled in frustration and shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.
"Hey, Lee. Look at me." He gently turned her chin to capture her gaze. "I'm sure about you. I don't need to date you for months or years to know how I feel. I felt it when we first met and I feel it now. You're it for me. I'm not trying to scare you away, Doc. I swear. I just can't help but be honest. I need you to trust that I'm here to stay. I trust you too. I know you can feel that we're right for each other. If I have to wait for you to get over Sam, I will, I am."
Leah said nothing, choosing instead to lay against his shoulder and snuggle against his body. For the first time since they made it official the night before Jacob worried about her lack of surety.
"Are you having second thoughts?" he whispered, the words burning his chest as he entertained the possibility that she was still deeply in love with her ex-husband.
Leah sat up and met his worried eyes. "No I'm not. And it's what scares me Jake. I need you to understand that I met Sam and fell in love with him almost immediately. I jumped right in and married him because I was so sure he was it for me, and then our marriage fell apart. As much as I want to blame Emily, Sam wasn't happy with me for a long time. We only spent time together at his business dinners and anything for show. I tried to make him happy but he just shut himself off from me. I don't want to make the same mistake again. I don't want to rush things and then we both get hurt. It's the last thing you need to happen in your life Jake. I don't want to hurt you."
"Then be with me Lee. If you don't want to hurt me, stop being scared and just let this happen. It's right, we're right. I promise. This isn't like it was with Sam or Bella, we're different and we want the same thing, don't we? I want to make a family with you, even if we never get pregnant, I want you here, with us. I don't want you to be alone. I want YOU."
Leah's eyes widened and softened, and then her lips were meeting his and Jacob was pulling her against him chest to chest, and they were falling into the couch. He gripped her butt and pressed his erection into her core, inciting a low mewl from her mouth. "Jake," she moaned. "Touch me."
It was an invitation he couldn't refuse. But not out here where they could be caught. Jacob pushed them both off of the couch, her legs wrapped around his waist as he quickly marched them to the bedroom, closed and locked the door. He lay Leah on his bed and just looked at her, memorizing the hooded, lustful look in her eye that was all for him. He felt sure that she wasn't thinking about another man in this moment. He quickly dropped his pants and pulled off his shirt, then crawled over her and kissed her lips again. Leah bucked beneath him, her hands sliding inside of his boxers to grab his ass, pressing him into her.
Jacob sat back and pushed his hands underneath her shirt, pulling it up and over her head when she didn't protest. She wore a white lacy bra and he bent over and gently pulled her nipple between his teeth. She gasped beneath him, and he repeated the action over and over until she couldn't stop wriggling with pleasure. Jacob unhooked the bra and took a moment to observe her round, perky breasts. "You're perfect," he whispered, palming them both and massaging them while his fingers worked her nipples.
"Jake, please," Leah begged.
"You want me?" He asked, before kissing her again. Leah nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want you too, so much. I'll never stop wanting you."
"Promise?" she asked, her eyes showing just how vulnerable his girl was, how much self-doubt she carried because of that bastard. But Jacob was glad that Sam messed up, or he'd never have Leah right now.
"Cross my heart." Jacob pulled back and reached for the button of her jeans and quickly pulled them down her long legs. He kissed his way back up to her panties, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin beneath his tongue and fingertips. She tasted like something to eat. Jacob hooked his thumbs into the satin and lace underwear and looked to Leah for permission. She bit her lip enticingly, not stopping him as he slowly pulled them down to her ankles and tossed them on the floor. His thumb found her clit, and Jacob slowly massaged her little nub of pleasure, knowing she was already wet for him.
"Please," she moaned again.
She needed release, she needed to come apart from his touch. She deserved to feel good for the first time in a long time Jacob was guessing. Gently prying Leah's legs open, he tenderly massaged her inner thighs before tasting her, lick by lick, suck by suck before finding a rhythm that had her clawing at his hair and trembling beneath him. It didn't take too long for him to coax her over the edge. As she submitted to the orgasm, Jacob slowly slid inside of her slippery warmth, stifling a moan at the sensation. It had been so long since he'd made love to a woman that he was sure he wouldn't last long.
They moved together, heads buried into each other's necks, Leah gripping the back of his hair as her legs wrapped around his waist. Jacob was sure he'd never felt this good before. Being inside of Leah was a whole new life experience. He didn't feel like he was hurting her, like with Bella. Leah was riding back just as fiercely, pressing him deeper and deeper as though she couldn't get enough of him. When he came Jacob could only fall to his side, his body felt like jelly, boneless and free.
"That was…" he tried speak but had to catch his breath.
Leah chuckled and burrowed into his side, placing gentle kisses on his shoulder. "Amazing."
Jacob pulled her closer, wrapping one leg across her so that Leah couldn't move.
"Jake, I can't stay. I can't be here in the morning, and if I sleep now I won't get back up."
"I don't want you to go," he murmured, as sleep was quickly pulling him under.
"Me either but I have to. I'm sorry."
Jacob felt her wiggling free of his body and forced himself to get off the bed. He pulled on his boxers and t-shirt and watched as she finished getting dressed. He went to the kitchen to pack up her pans as Leah used the bathroom, and emptied the glasses of wine they'd never finished. After packing her car, he pulled her in for a deep kiss that curled his toes and made his dick twitch for more.
"I had a great night," Leah whispered while burrowing against his chest.
"Me too honey. You're like a drug, you know that Doc?"
Leah chuckled, looking up and pulling at his cropped hair. "I think I miss your long hair."
"It grows fast don't worry baby."
She simpered and pecked his lips before climbing into her car. "Night, Black."
"Night, Clearwater. Text me when you get home okay?"
"I will."
Jacob watched tunil her car turned the corner and then went back inside, feeling totally satisfied for the first time in forever.