CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

My eyes fluttered open as Jacobs arms tightened around me, struggling to adjust to the bright sunlight peering in through my window. I was warm. So very warm. My body huddled into his. My back pressed to his broad chest and my fingers still laced with his own.

I felt safe... whole... sated

I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this way. So relaxed and comfortable.

Jacob was wrapped around me like a quilt, his legs tangled with mine and his face buried in my hair while he slept. I laid there with him, marveling at how right he felt with me like this.

There was a simplicity about us that left me awe struck. He knew me better than I knew myself and he seemed to be so in tune with me.

I shuddered as a cold thought from the past struck me.

There had been a time when I thought Edward knew me in the same way and he left.

I pushed the thought out of my head, knowing the striking difference between the two.

Jacob was different with me. He didn't treat me like I couldn't make my own damn decisions. He didn't linger over my every move. He was protective but not over bearing. With Edward, every choice of mine was thoroughly investigated and questioned... or followed. With Jake, I felt like I could finally breathe.

In my haze of thoughts and reflections, I heard the sound of a car engine shut off just beneath my window. My breath caught in my throat when I heard Charlie talking on his cell phone.

He was home.

I sat up and frantically searched for my clothes, my hands shaking as Jake woke up with a start and got to his feet.

"Charlie's home-"

"What time is it?" Jake asked, tossing me my camisole top and shorts, before pulling on his jeans, and looking out the window. My eyes were glued to his perfect form as he hurriedly dressed, and I found myself suddenly filled with a renewed desire for him.

I forced myself to get a grip when I heard the jingle of Charlie's keys in the door, my heart lodging into my throat.

"I can go out the window-" Jacob offered, reaching for me, as the front door to the house slammed shut downstairs.

"No-... I don't want you to go-" I admitted, wrapping my arms around his neck and feeling him return my embrace.

"Charlie will kill us, Bells." He sighed, placing a kiss to my forehead. "I can take his anger but I don't want you getting in trouble-"

I released him, hearing Charlie busy himself in the kitchen as he prepared a meal.

"Maybe, he won't be ... that angry?"

Jacob's eyes grew wide at this. "Bells-"

"I don't want to hide this from him... or anyone."

"This?" He asked, his hand leaving the window and reaching for mine.

"Us-" I clarified, feeling the blush settle into my snow white cheeks. "Jacob... I - love you- and hiding this from him or anyone else just feels wrong,because we're not wrong. As a matter of fact, I think we're the most right thing in this crazy world."

He pulled me to him, cradling my face in his warm hands as his lips sought mine, his kiss thorough and passionate. I felt my head spin and my body tingle from the feel of his lips on mine.

"Bella? You awake?" Charlie called up the stairs, forcing Jacob to release me.

"He will be angry, Bells." Jake warned, glancing again to the window. "I really don't want you catching hell for this."

I nodded, taking heed to his warning, as I thought of just how damn pissed Charlie could become at Jacob.

"Okay... go... but come back?"

"Always." He whispered, stealing another kiss before climbing out my window. I watched him jump down with an agility that someone his age shouldn't possess.

When he was out of sight, I dressed and joined Charlie down stairs for breakfast, his gaze reflective while he read the paper.

"Wow, you've never slept in this late, Bella. Do you know what time it is?" Charlie asked in disbelief.

"um- I was up late." I replied, pouring myself some orange juice and feeling his gaze upon my back.

"Oh,not feeling well?"

"I just couldn't sleep." I shamefully lied.

"Sorry to hear that." He sighed, folding up his paper and taking a swig from his hot coffee.

I struggled to even look him in the face as he poured himself more cereal.

"You know, it's funny, Billy called me on the way home... asking if maybe Jake was here?"

I froze, my hands clutching the glass of orange juice as I paused with it just below my lips.

"Was he here last night?" Charlie hedged. "After I left for work?"

I swallowed hard and set the glass down, seeing his eyes burrow holes into mine.

I wasn't in the mood for playing games right now and I was tired of hiding things. I had been forced to keep parts of my relationship with Edward a secret, given what he was, and I didn't want it to be the same with Jacob.

"I don't want to lie to you." I asserted, clearing my throat as my nerves took hold. "Jacob stayed here with me last night."

I watched my fathers face go from curious to angry in record time, his cheeks staining pink with his flustered expression.

"What!" He exclaimed, getting to his feet and approaching me with haste. "What do you mean he stayed here with you? Are you telling me he came here when I was at the station working?"

"Yes." I blurted out in response, ringing my hands together in nervous fashion as my father began to pace the floor in front of me, his agitation prominent.

"Bella! Damn it! There are rules in this house! I-"

"I love him, dad." I boldly admitted, seeing Charlie pause mid thought with an unreadable look on his face now.

I waited patiently for him to process my words, seeing his stance swiftly change from anger to confusion and then concern.

"... you love him?"

"I do." I replied, catching the evident tone of doubt in his voice. "I understand that we're young and-"

"- age has absolutely nothing to do with it, Bella. Hell, I fell in love with your mother when we were just teenagers and that didn't mean what I felt for her wasn't real just because we were young at the time. It's not about the age."

"Then what is it? I thought you liked Jacob? A lot? You still do... don't you?"

"Of course I do. That boy is ... well- he's like family to me already, but that doesn't mean I want the two of you rushing into something like this. Bella, you just got yourself back after Ed-"

Charlie paused, seeing me wince as he tried to compare the two. His eyes met mine and he quickly thought better of it.

"I'm not saying that this is the same thing with Jacob-"

"It's not, dad." I defended, rapidly blinking away the emotion that threatened to spill over. "It's different. He's different and so am I."

"I'm old but I'm not blind, Bella. I've known that Jacob is in love with you for a while now. Jeez, the guy can't take his eyes off you whenever your around each other and what he did for you- after Edward-... was something else. He made you smile again and I know he's the reason you finally pulled out of the funk you were in, but love is-"

"Scary." I admitted, sitting down at the table and fiddling with the napkins laid there.

"Yeah it is." Charlie replied, hunkering down in the seat next to me. "... and I don't want you rushing into something you're not ready for-"

"Jacob's good for me, dad. He really is. This is what I want. It's not rushed." I sighed, offering him a slight smile and seeing his defense drop more upon the matter.

"I see that."

"We'll respect your rules. I promise."

"My rule is that your careful, Bella and I mean that in every sense of the word."

"I will be." I assured him, seeing his face brighten with vivid rose color again, as he tried to avoid saying any more on the topic.

"Don't be reckless. Things happen-"

"Dad, I promise. I'll be careful."

Charlie nodded his head with a heavy sigh then, as he studied my sincere expression, his own look growing to be reflective when he reached for my hand.

"... he really loves you, too... doesn't he?"

I nodded, trying to hide the smile that attempted to break free. Charlie shook his head and rose from the table when he saw this.

"I'm in some trouble with you two.I just know it." He offered on his way up the stairs. "I'm headed to get some sleep. We'll talk more later."

I couldn't help but grin wide when I heard this... Charlie knew my words were true and had given me the benefit of the doubt, just like I'd hoped he would and telling him the truth had been far less painful than I thought.

I grabbed my keys from the table and headed for the door, eager to go to Jacob and tell him how smoothly things had gone. My hand was on the door knob when a knock came from the other side. I whipped it open and saw Jacob's leery gaze meet mine, his face full of anxiety when he glanced inside, checking for any signs of my father. Before any more worry could haunt his handsome face, I kissed him, my heart pounding when his muscular arms drew me close to him in response. My hands were in his hair before I could register that we were still lingering in the doorway, on display for anyone to see.

"I told him that I love you and that you were here with me last night."

"... and-?" He breathed against my parted lips.

"He knows we have something and he knows you care for me."

"I do. I love you, Bells."

I smiled against his soft lips. "I'm pretty sure he knows that, too."

His lips captured mine in a languid kiss then. The kind that made my skin blaze and my heart race. His firm body pressed to mine as his hands roamed up my back.

"Are you busy with pack duties today?" I breathlessly asked him, my tongue barely grazing his bottom lip.

Jacob shook his head to me, his dark eyes focused on my mouth when he spoke his husky reply.

"I'm yours for the day... if you'll have me? I pulled a few strings with Sam. I'll be running border patrol for the next two nights, but I get today with you, honey."

I beamed up at him, my joy evident when he reached for my hand.

"You did that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you." He replied, brushing his nose with mine. "So tell me, what do you have in mind for the day?"

I closed the house door and stood on my tip toes until my lips were at his ear.

"Take me to your garage? I'm sure there are uses for me in there... somewhere?" I whispered, as my fingers slid under his shirt, the tips of them caressing the hot skin there.

"I'm sure we can think of something... or many things." He replied, his body trembling under my light touch.

When we arrived at his house, Billy was nowhere to be found. Jacob had discovered a note on the door, telling him he was off in town for the day with a close friend, picking up some fishing supplies. This left the house abandoned, and I couldn't stop the ache that settled between my thighs as Jacob locked the front door and looked my way, his eyes full of a lust that made my body twitch and hum with anticipation.

I simply couldn't get enough of him.