MANY THANKS go to all the folks that help me with beta'ing this chapter. Mybrandofheroin somehow fits me into her hectic and busy life, corrects all of my many grammar messes, advises, and leads me by the hand (or hair) in the right direction. Chefdiamondheart has become such an important sounding board and always has hysterically funny input. I crave her comments and appreciate all the hours she spends dealing with me. Thank you so much, loves! Mellyfrisco6, author of "Dealing with the Kangaroo" and BellaFlan took a shot at guest beta'ing and were very helpful in pointing out weaknesses that should be addressed. Thanks guys!
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
The Faithful Shipper Awards (Just what the hell is a faithful shipper, exactly, keeping in mind AH stories are included in this?)
"Coming Full Circle" by toooldforthis was nominated for Best AU, "The Bella and Jacob Chronicles" by diamondheart (a series in which many of your favorite B&J stories are featured including my story and "Coming Full Circle") was nominated for Best Series, and "How to Seduce a Werewolf" was nominated for Best Fluff (yes, Fluff) in the Faithful Shipper Awards. Thanks so much to whoever nominated us! Second round of voting is finished. Voting for the third round starts May 2nd and stays open until May 12th, so please keep this in mind and vote for us should any of us make it to the next round.
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You only get one shot at voting, so make sure you vote for everyone you want.
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The Silent Tear Awards
Two of my favorite authors, stories and people are up for Best Jacob and Bella story in the Silent Tear Awards: my beloved twin, little furry cannibals, for "Fate's Idea of Fun", and my angelic first beta, bloodofbeckie, for "Heart in a Headlock". Voting starts this week so check it out and vote!
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Congratulations, horn tooting, and many toasts go to BellaFlan who won Best Canon or AU story that knocks you off your feet WIP at the Indies for her incredible fic "Becoming Bella Swan"!
SHAMLESS PIMPING SECTION
Many of you want more J&B and who can blame you? One of my favorite AH J/B is "Alternative to Apologizing" by aowalison. It is wonderful! I also enjoyed "Say It Out Loud" by Mombailey. BellaFlan is expanding "Swan Dive" into a multichapter fic. It's really good. If we bug her enough, maybe she'll keep going with it.
I did find two J&B sites besides the marvelous The Air, The Sun: A Jacob and Bella Fanfic Community community(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)theair_thesun
One is JACOB BLACK ~N~PACK at jacobblack-n-pack(dot)ning(dot)com(slash)
Another is Jacob Black My Jacob at fanfiction(dot)net(slash)community(slash)Jacob_Black_My_Jacob(slash)66771(slash) There are many wonderful J&B stories listed at these sites. Check them out and let me know what you think.
THE USUAL B.S.
Yes, yes, we all know the wonderful Stephenie Meyer wrote, owns, and is deservedly making a gazillion dollars from The Twilight Saga. I am merely a poor, lowly peon who enjoys playing with her characters and prays daily not to be sued.
A little synopsis: Three and a half years after Edward leaves, Bella has finally discovered she's in love with Jake when she sees him with another girl, Amy Nichols. Amy is secretly engaged, which Jake knows and Bella doesn't. Leah takes Bella to Seattle to scrounge up a new wardrobe for her and gives her some valuable seduction tips. Leah wants Bella to seduce Jake, not to tell him she loves him. Jake gets advice from Sam telling him to romance Bella and, for God's sake, to stay out of her pants for a while. Jake is aware Bella may be awakening sexually and he wants to make sure she's in love with him, not just in lust. Bella, Jacob, Leah and half of the pack are flying to Milan for a modeling job
Chapter 8 "To Ride a Wild Wolf"
BPOV
After Leah had subjected me to every torture known to man or woman while in Seattle, we finally returned to Forks two days before our trip to Italy. Once in my driveway, she practically shoved me out of her car with instructions to GET PACKING! IMMEDIATELY! When I stared at the massive pile that had to be sorted through and organized, I decided she was absolutely right.
As much as I missed my Jacob, I knew if I didn't get busy right away, I'd be up the creek trying to get packed for this work trip that had suddenly become the most important event of my life. It was exhausting trying to remember all the different shoes, boots, underwear and accessories that went with the beautiful outfits I'd acquired. There were so many things I wanted to take with me, hoping Jake would admire them, that my clothes collection swallowed my bed and began exploding onto every square inch of my bedroom floor.
To add to the chaos, Jacob kept calling offering to help me pack. After I got my breathing under control at the idea of him standing in my room, hip deep in the seductive underwear I'd compiled for his pleasure, I'd frantically refused him. There was no way I could face that embarrassment, regardless of Leah's tutorials.
Leah's Rules for Seduction #52 Let him see your underwear whether or not you are wearing it. The imagination works wonders on a man's libido.
Sorry, I couldn't handle that one at this juncture.
After an emergency trip for new luggage and staying up all night trying to whittle away at the mounding heap, I eventually cried uncle and just shoved it all in, thankful the new zippers held as I jumped up and down on the hideously overstuffed suitcases. Between the mountain of make-up, toiletries, hair dryers, curlers, flat combs, curling irons, coats, clothes, lingerie, shoes, boots, travel books, and schoolbooks, my suitcases had to weigh in at close to four hundred pounds.
I was exhausted by the time I hauled them all down to Fred myself, trying to hide the evidence from Charlie. There was no way I was going to explain to him why I was taking a metric ton of luggage for a two-week work trip.
I was so anxious to see Jacob again that I couldn't keep from pacing in the living room fifteen minutes before he was to arrive. When a terrible racket pierced the air outside our house, I peered out the front window to see what was happening. Some car was screeching up our street, and then I saw him. He was here; the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen was standing in my front yard. I raced to the front door, threw it open, and grinned as his beautiful smile lit up his face.
"Bella!" he cried as he flashed across the yard and pulled me into a Jake bear hug. All of my anxiety and tension seemed to disappear as I clung to his hard body and breathed in the scent that was Jacob's own. I closed my eyes and laid my head against his chest, listening to the strong thump of his heart. God, I'd missed him so much it hurt.
"Hey, Jacob!" I whispered, hugging his neck, reveling in the touch of his skin. All too soon, Jacob set me down and grabbed my bags as we walked over to Fred. He kidded me mercilessly about my piles of luggage; I laughed and started chasing him around my old truck trying to pinch and tickle him as he ran from me. When I caught him, he hauled me into his arms and kissed my neck as I giggled into his silky hair. Remembering all of Leah's rules, I did what I wanted, and nipped at his sweet ear, kissing it softly.
Leah's Rules for Seduction #73 If you feel like doing something erotic, do it for Christ's sake. Don't just sit there like a lump of damned blubber.
Thank God I didn't seem to scare him off. In fact, I heard a sexy little growly purr deep in his chest as he held me close. Maybe Leah was right and I could pull this off. Much to my disappointment, Jacob set me down and started piling my mountain of bags in Fred's truck bed. I began helping him when a car rolled up to my driveway, and the last person on earth I wanted to see stuck her fat, smiling face out the window of her car.
"Hi, Bella! Hey, Jake! Are you two going on a trip?" Amy Nichols chirped like the idiot she was. What the hell was she doing here, staring at my Jacob like he was hot sausage on a stick?
"No, genius," I muttered under my breath. "We're suitcase thieves trafficking luggage on the black market. What the heck does it look like?" God, the girl was dumber than a box of hair. Any charitable feelings I ever had for the stupid cow faded into obscurity as I saw her grinning at Jacob.
Jake, on the other hand, beamed his beautiful smile at her, bounded over to her car with all of the eagerness of an adoring puppy, and leaned down into her window. Maybe he wanted a bird's eye view so he could properly examine the way her fatty bosoms were bursting out of her sweater.
My blood pressure rose as Amy slithered her hands all over Jacob and pulled him towards her. Crap, was she going to yank him through the window and onto her lap, or what? I gritted my teeth as she pulled on his shoulder and squealed into his ear as he smiled sweetly at her. How the heck did he stand her? I wanted to slap the snot out of both of them.
She had two of her cutesy little friends with her, Amanda Williamson and Wendy Cole. All three of them probably wanted to kidnap Jacob and do God knows what sick and disgusting things to his beautiful body. It was everything I could do to prevent myself from running over there and ripping him away from the man-eater and her lecherous little sidekicks as they tried to tempt him away from me.
Now Ms. McFloozy was grabbing his hand and whispering earnestly to him. I really didn't think I could take much more of this. Leah's Rules for Seduction had not included launching oneself onto a rival and viciously pummeling her into a bloody mass, but it seemed like the only sensible solution to me.
As they all giggled and laughed at some stupidity, I clenched my jaw and fists and started to stalk their way. I'd had reached the end of my patience, but before I could get to them, Jacob stood and all of them laughed and waved happily at each other.
God, she made me nauseous. I wanted to hurl, preferably all down Amy Nichols cleavage. Didn't the loathsome girl have any shame? Did she have to advertise her wretched flesh blobs on every occasion she was around Jacob? (They were probably silicone underneath the blubber anyway!) I couldn't believe I'd ever had a pleasant thought about the fat tart.
As Jacob turned towards me, I couldn't disguise the fury in my voice. "Holy crow, what did she do, track you down to my house, Jacob?" I snapped. His face flooded with color and he avoided my eyes, a sure sign a Jake lie was coming.
"Uh, no, er, she just wanted to tell us goodbye when she saw us getting ready to leave," he mumbled. Jake couldn't lie to me any better than I could lie to him.
"Sure, sure. She just happened to be driving by, all the way from Port Angeles. I'm sure it was just a coincidence." I glared down the street at Amy's retreating car, hoping it would spontaneously combust. Before I could tear into Jake, another rule reverberated in my head:
Leah's Rules for Seduction Rule #123 Do not act like a jealous bitch, not matter what the provocation!
It was everything I could do to give myself a mental shake, and plaster a smile over my fury and jealousy. "Well, come on. Let's go! We don't want to miss the plane!" I tried to laugh, but failed miserably as we finished loading the truck and headed to the airport. At least I had restrained myself from screaming at him like some kind of mythological gorgon. But every time I thought of Jake with Amy Nichols, I felt like Medusa's snakes were going to erupt out of my skull.
Our trip to Port Angeles was uneventful, and by the time we arrived, I'd recovered. I started getting excited about spending the next sixteen hours of uninterrupted time next to Jacob. We piled into the two huge adjoining seats in the front of the plane, and lifted the armrest so we could cuddle next to each other. It was so good to talk and laugh and catch up after our long separation.
There was no tension or uncomfortable silence over the Valentine's Dance fiasco, thank God. It was just wonderful to be with him again; I had missed him terribly. After an hour or so, I couldn't keep my eyes open any more so I snuggled into his warm chest and fell asleep immediately, listening to his heartbeat and inhaling his delicious scent. I'm sure I had a goofy grin on my face the entire time I slept. I couldn't remember when I'd been so happy.
When we arrived in Milan, it was everything Jake could do to roust me from the plane and airport limo before we checked into our hotel. Every time I sat still, my eyelids felt like they weighed fifty pounds apiece, and it seemed almost impossible for me to keep them open.
Luckily, our gorgeous suite at the Hotel Principe di Savoia was like a shot of caffeine to my system. Rich inlayed woods and luxurious silks covered the walls of the dining room, living room, and two bedrooms. But what was really stunning was the jaw droppingly enormous Roman style bath and spa that was just off our bedroom.
Before I had time to even think of a proper application for Leah's Rules of Seduction in that den of iniquity, the whole pack came piling into the living room and, as usual, made themselves right at home in our suite. They sprawled all over the furniture, emptied the mini fridge, wrestled over the food stores I brought, and squabbled boisterously over which DVD they wanted to watch on the huge flat screen television above our fireplace.
I stared at them in stunned dismay. As much as I loved the wolf pack, this was not the scenario I imagined would be taking place the first night we spent in Milan. Why this hadn't occurred to me earlier, I didn't know, but it was obvious the guys were going to seriously crimp my plans for some intense "alone time" with Jake. Maybe their presence in our rooms had never bothered me before, but it sure was bothering me now as all my plans and schemes were in danger of going up in smoke.
The whole situation depressed and exhausted me, so I decided I needed a pep talk from my advisor and sought Leah out in her room. Immediately, my blood pressure spiked as I told her of Amy Nichols' tracking Jacob down like she was a freaking bloodhound and he some sort of escapee from Sobibor.
"And she started pulling him into the car, Leah, like they were going to kidnap him and force him to become their personal sex slave or something!"
"Force him?" she snorted before she caught my furious eye. "Who all was with her? Wendy and Amanda? They wouldn't do that. They're nice girls, Bella. I don't know what you are getting so bent out of shape about," she tried to placate me.
"Nice girls? You say that when they run off with your boyfriend!"
Leah rolled her eyes. "What were they doing besides sitting there? Did they try to drag him into the car? Did they even touch him?"
"No, but they wanted to, I could tell by the way they were looking at him they could have devoured him whole. But it was mainly that little slut's fault! You should have seen her cleavage falling out of that sweater thing she was poured into! I mean it was 11:45 in the morning and she's dressed like she's out trolling for Johns! And she couldn't keep her fat paws off of him!"
"She is not fat, Bella. And you're the one who kept telling me how nice she is."
"Well, that's before I saw the real person. She just covers it all up with this sickening sweet façade when what she's really trying to do is lure away some innocent guy with her wiles!"
"Wiles, huh? Relax, Bella, Jesus! She's five thousand miles away from him! You've got the next two weeks to make him forget she ever existed! I think you're losing it because you're so tired. You look absolutely exhausted. Didn't you sleep on the plane?"
"A little, but I stayed up for two days packing. I had a terrible time getting all that stuff in my bags and ended up having to buy new suitcases just so I could cram it all in."
"Holy shit, did you bring all that crap we got? Christ, how'd you get it on the plane?"
"I don't know and I don't care. I was so worn out trying to shove it all into my bags and then moving it out of the house without Charlie seeing, getting it on the plane was the least of my problems."
"Damn, girl! Well—at least you have plenty of material to work with. Now, what are your plans for tonight during the run, or do you have any?"
"Er, well, I don't have anything definite," I mumbled, knowing I was going to get it.
"Christ! Haven't I taught you anything? Put on some sexy underwear under all of that thermal shit, and see if you can figure out a way for him to see it, or at least feel it. Always take the initiative, girlfriend, and never let an opportunity go to waste!"
"Rule 24. Yeah, I know," I sighed and hung my head. "I just don't see how I'm going to pull that off unless I strip in front of the entire pack, Leah. And I don't care how bold you want me to be; I will not get almost naked in front of an entire pack of horny wolves!
"You know they'll all be following him around on the run tonight," I continued. "I'll probably never get him to myself. You should see everybody already hanging out in our suite, making themselves right at home. And there is no way the kids won't spend the night in our rooms."
All the wolves wanted to be around Jacob, particularly the young guys: Nikki, Mick and Randi; they seemed to crave his company. Jake explained it as having to do with some sort of Alpha/pack connection.
Because of the group dynamic, the younger pack members in particular didn't like being by themselves in a solitary room. They'd much rather sleep on a sofa in Jake's proximity than in their own bed. They'd probably happily camp out on the floor at the foot of our bed if we'd let them. I'd never really understood the whole Alpha/pack mystique before, and now I was coming to thoroughly resent it as it was throwing a huge monkey wrench right in the middle of my love life.
"Hmmm. That is a problem. Well, a full court press in your rooms may have to wait until you guys go to Florence, but you can certainly set the ground floor. And you never can tell when an opportunity is going to arise, Bella," she smiled wickedly. "Just be prepared, and look for anything that comes your way, okay? And remember Rule # 25, be bold and go with the flow."
I nodded and repeated to myself over and over again as she sent me on my way, back to our suite, "You can do this, Bella. Be bold and go with the flow. Be bold and go with the flow. Be bold and go…."
An hour later in the most decadent bathroom I'd ever seen or set foot in, I was prepping myself for anything. Leah had convinced me that taking extra care of my body was an essential element of our plan, and I'd taken the message to heart. If Jake was going to see me, (and I mean most of me) I wanted to be at my best, so I'd shaved, clipped, plucked, scrubbed, washed, conditioned, dried, buffed, painted, powdered and creamed every item I could, and was ready to dive into some sinfully delicious lingerie.
If, by some miracle of God, I could get Jake and only Jake to see me in my undies, I decided ivory silk would show up best on a dark, moonlit night. Just thinking about the possibility made me shiver with anticipation as I put on the skimpy set. I'll have to say, it covered very little, but the fabric felt sensuous against my skin and made me imagine Jake's strong hands stroking the satiny layer and kneading my body underneath.
Disappointed I couldn't leave my hair down or put it up in a sexy 'just out of the tub' updo Leah had shown me, I had no choice other than to put it in a tight ponytail for the trip, but I put a hair clip in my pocket in case an opportunity might arise. Leah had drilled into me the necessity of always being prepared. I looked at my sleek ski jacket and slim fitting cover up, and decided it was the best I could look on a cold night for a ride on a wild wolf.
Leah had gone down to check on our transportation, but the guys had all piled into our suite, and our room was buzzing with excitement as they laughed and pushed at each other, their bottled up energy seemingly ready to ignite. Thank heavens there was a way to vent all their excessive vigor before violence broke out. The pack amazed me. I was completely worn out and jet lagged after our trip. Yet while I could barely stay awake, they were so tightly wound, they were ready to literally explode from their skins.
My eyes rested on Jake, looking like a million dollars in his black jeans and sleek black leather jacket. God, Wendy and Amanda were right; he did look good enough to eat as he came over to me with a concerned look on his face.
"Baby, you are so tired. Don't you think you ought to stay here and get some sleep? We won't be gone too long," he told me softly as he rubbed my aching neck. I almost gasped at the thought of missing out on riding my wolf—up 'til now my most favorite thing in the world to do.
"What? Are you kidding? You aren't leaving me behind! You know how much I love going, Jake!"
"Are you sure, honey?" At my enthusiastic nod, he looked relieved and just as eager as I at the prospect of our run through the Italian countryside, and he tucked me into his side as we left our rooms.
Going through the lobby, we received a typical reaction from the guests and hotel employees. There was almost a stunned silence as everyone in the lobby seemed to stop what they were doing and stare at the compelling sight the pack made and, really, there was no wonder why. Individually, each man was gorgeous, but together the La Push wolves were absolutely jaw dropping.
They were beautifully matched, almost like pieces of a living chess set with their black hair and eyes, copper skin and elegant bone structure. It was stunning on eight such huge, physically perfect specimens of ripped machismo.
But it was more than their looks that mesmerized an audience. It was their movement and the barely leashed violence that seemed to emanate from them. They didn't walk; they silently stalked with a fierce animal grace and a coordinated awareness that was noticeably feral.
Although outsiders didn't understand it, they found themselves watching the pack with hypnotized fascination. I tried to hide my little smile of pride as I walked with them and out to Leah and the waiting cars.
We had to drive some distance out of town in order to find woods where the pack could change. It was everything I could do to stay awake on the drive so Jake wouldn't have second thoughts about taking me along on the run.
After we trooped through the woods out of sight, and as everyone stripped and phased, I located a good covering for the huge duffel and stuffed everyone's clothing inside. Then I turned to look for Jacob among the stretching, playing wolves. His coloring was so distinctive, so beautiful that I couldn't keep from grinning at him like a loon as soon as I spotted him.
As most of the pack took off with delighted howls, I approached my wolf with the same wonderment that struck me every time I saw him. This night, realization finally hit me as I sunk my hands into his beautiful russet fur. I'd always adored Jake when he was in wolf form. I'd never been able to keep my hands off of him; I'd kissed him and I'd whispered sweet, silly words in his ears whenever he phased.
Why had I never realized what he meant to me? I never felt or acted like this around the rest of the pack, but I'd cooed and slobbered over Jake for years whenever he was phased. As I scratched and massaged his neck and head, I couldn't help burying myself into his side, inhaling his scent that was a little different: wilder, and more intense, but every bit as dear to me as when he was human.
I whispered into his ears as I stroked them and laughed as I rubbed my face into his, kissing the beautiful black markings around his eyes, ears and nose as he arched his head down so I could reach him more easily. He "whuffed" into my hands, his eyes closed in pleasure and I could feel the vibrations of a soft, contented growl emanating deep in his chest as he leaned in and licked my face slowly and thoroughly.
I squealed and laughed as I pushed his muzzle away, throwing my arms around his neck. As I snuggled into the black hairs of his mane, I ran my fingers through the soft, fine undercoat beneath. For years, it had been so easy for me to show my love to Jake when he was phased. He probably had guessed ages ago what I was too stupid to realize until tonight; I adored him regardless of what form he took.
He tensed slightly and I could tell by his expressions and body language he was communicating with the rest of his pack. A few members had remained and soft growls, barks, and whines were being passed to and fro.
Suddenly, I heard a powerful exchange of snarls and Jake whirled around and faced Embry, positioning himself in front of me. I saw Embry on the ground, tail between his legs and stomach and neck exposed to Jake, and figured he was making serious amends to the Alpha for whatever line he had crossed.
Jake quickly had the situation under control, and I returned to his side as I saw Embry back up and take off, clearly shaken. I hid a smile as I leaned in and softly kissed behind the ears and neck I was stroking. Jake always fretted about my safety being around the pack, which was just ridiculous. There was nowhere on earth where I was more secure or protected than when I was next to my wolf.
I knew it was time to join the others when he nudged me with his nose. He knelt down so I could crawl on his enormous back, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. As he stood up, he turned his head to see if I was ready. "Let's go, Jake," I whispered and off we went.
The trip across the rocky terrain was thrilling and chilly. I burrowed down into Jake's thick coat and clung to his neck, warming in the heat pouring off of his body. I could feel the wonderful play of his huge muscles rippling underneath me, and hear the strong beat of his heart as he ran through the countryside. Burying my face in his coat, I closed my eyes, surrounded by all that was Jacob. His coat, his smell, his powerful body overwhelmed my senses, and I relaxed and enjoyed feeling at one with him.
I'd never fully realized what a sensual experience wolf rides could be even though they'd been the closest physical contact I had with Jacob before That Night. My mind started whirling. Leah's Rules for Seduction might come in very handy if I could get Jacob alone.
I sighed as the other wolves quickly formed a line behind him after their play romping had settled down. A while back, I had asked Jake why they traveled in a single line like this. It was instinctual behavior, he informed me. Wolves step in each other's footprints, so someone tracking them wouldn't be able to determine their numbers.
It didn't make a whole lot of sense that anyone would actually want to find what had made the dinner plate sized paw prints cutting across the Italian countryside. It seemed to me any sensible person would actually run screaming in the opposite direction once they encountered such a sight.
I giggled at the thought and rubbed my face in the thick, long mane surrounding Jake's neck. His nose started lifting and I could tell he smelled something that interested him. Of course, I noticed nothing, but the rest of the pack broke formation and started running at his sides as our speed increased.
Suddenly, everything cleared in front of us, and Jacob walked carefully to the edge of a cliff. I peered over his neck and was stunned by what lay below us. I recognized it; it had to be the Cinque Terre, a terribly remote area of the northern coast of Italy I'd been dying to see ever since we'd started coming to Milan. I'd seen pictures of the site before, but nothing prepared me for the remarkable beauty of the exquisite little fishing village.
"You remembered! It's part of the Cinque Terre, isn't it? Holy crow, it's so gorgeous, Jake, it doesn't even look real." The full moon lit a beautiful, ancient village clinging to the craggy cliffs below. The bright pink, soft yellow, and peach colored buildings blended perfectly with the dark landscape and gray cliffs. Above the tiny village, ancient grape vines clung to terraced hills. It was an incredible picture.
I'd whined about wanting to come for ages and Jake had never forgotten. Instantly, I knew he'd planned this whole expedition for me as a wonderful surprise. When had someone done something so special and thoughtful just for me? I couldn't remember.
"I can't believe you brought me here. Thank you, sweetheart," I whispered in his ear. "I never would have seen it if you hadn't taken me tonight."
I needed to thank Leah again for beating me over the head with another one of her rules:
Rule # 84. Use pet names, for God's sake! There's nothing wrong with them and they make the namee feel special. And, after all, that's what you're after.
Charlie and I were not pet name kind of people. It actually felt weird and was kind of hard saying it for the first time, but after I got it out, it felt really good—like it showed that Jake's and my special bond was a reality. Jake seemed to like it, too, as he turned his head and rubbed his face against me.
I hoped we could stay a while in this enchanting place before we had to rush back to the city. As if he understood my silent wish, Jake climbed carefully down the rocky embankments and ledges until we reached a miniature beach a good distance away from the village.
The rest of the pack came barreling down the cliff, nudging each other out of the way, barking in triumph if one of them lost their balance and tumbled down the rocks. They continued charging and attacking each other out into the dark waters, seeming to delight in their play warfare. Leah, on the other hand, remained perched on top of the cliff, her nose turned up in elegant disdain at the antics of her less sophisticated brothers.
Jake came to a secluded little bluff, nestled down next to it, and I slid from his back. This was probably my favorite part of our wolf runs. At the halfway point of the trip, the guys would usually start staging their mock battles, and Jake and I would take the opportunity to have some private time.
As I sank down next to him, he wrapped his huge body around me, wholly encompassing me. I laid my head down on his shoulder and relaxed. God, I was in paradise. It was like sinking into a heated fur blanket that smelled wonderful. As well as being physically warm, I felt emotionally heated, too, because I knew I was cherished and protected. Running my fingers through his rich fur, I let my heavy eyes close.
Leah's words and rules kept reverberating through my head:
Rules #24 and # 25: Put on some sexy underwear under all of that thermal shit, and see if you can figure out a way for him to see it, or at least feel it. Always take the initiative, girlfriend, and never let an opportunity go to waste. Be bold and go with the flow!
If only I could get him away from the rest of the pack and he could phase back. Then the thick russet fur would turn into silky copper skin. I soooo loved the feel of that wonderful…satiny……skin….
I was deep asleep in no time, and a dream started forming in my mind almost at once. Jacob and I were back at First Beach. The moon was full and I could feel his delicious heat surrounding me as we lay on a thick fur blanket. His body temperature was perfect, and his scent mesmerized me.
I cuddled up to him, but realized he seemed to somehow be wrapped in the fur blanket. That had to go so I could feel and lick that copper skin I'd become so addicted to. Worming against him wasn't working as the heavy blanket remained between us.
Frustrated, I rubbed my body next to Jake's, thinking of the way he'd put his hands all over me and stroked me. Remembering the feel of my breasts in his strong fingers, I shuddered and arched against him, hoping he'd cup them again. I rolled over, facing him, and remembered the way the tips of my nipples had traced the hard, flat slabs of his gorgeous chest. I wanted that feeling again.
Suddenly, the fur blanket was gone, and Jake's beautiful skin was all on display and mine to lick and stroke as I desired. And I did desire.
JPOV
The guys were still having a great time in the cold waters of the Mediterranean. I tried to concentrate on their thoughts instead of the deepening addictive scent burrowing into my fur. Tiny little whispers and moans reached my ears, and I turned my head to see what Bella was doing. She seemed to be uncomfortable as she moved around, seemingly searching for something while she slept.
"Jake," she cried softly. I nuzzled her and pushed my nose under her arm, trying to comfort her without being able to speak. It didn't seem to be working as she shifted again, not finding what she wanted.
Her hands dug into my fur. She arched her back and cried again, louder this time, "Jacob!" as she rubbed her head against me. All at once, her scent hit me in the face with the force of a wrecking ball. Holy shit! Bella was having a sex- SLAM!! The iron door of control smashed down on my thoughts. Not only was the pack around me physically, they could hear everything I was thinking. What the fuck was I going to do?
I focused with grim determination on the thoughts of the pack.
Okay, guys, time to go. We've got an ass-load of work tomorrow. Time to get back. General groaning and moaning greeted these thoughts as the guys shoved each other towards the rocky land.
You all head back. Bella's sleeping and I'm going to let her nap for a little longer. Just leave my stuff in the duffle bag when you get back. I'll call a cab when we get there.
What?! Damn, man, just wake her up. We don't want to leave you here by yourselves. Several similar thoughts invaded my brain. The pack did not like to leave any member behind, especially their Alpha.
I promise I'll be very careful, and I'll alert all of you as soon as a coven of vampires surrounds us. Now get going. I want to let Bells get a little more sleep; she's exhausted, but you guys have a tough day tomorrow. We'll be fine, I promise.
After a few more protests, the last voice I expected to hear was the one to cut in.
Oh, for Christ's sake, they can travel a few miles without all of you along as an armed escort. I hardly think they'll run into anything too dangerous out here in the middle of Bumfuck except for a few fermented grapes. And if they do, more than likely our big, bad Alpha can handle it.
Shocked surprise greeted Leah's assessment, particularly from me. Leah supporting my wishes was as normal as a tiger dining on tofu. There just was no such beast. But I was grateful to her for once, as she prodded the pack to leave.
I forced my thoughts to surround me like a concrete wall, concentrating fiercely on their actions and comments so they wouldn't know what was rubbing against me. I worked like a maniac to keep them from seeing how desperate I was to get rid of them.
Growls and grumbles accompanied them as they headed off, climbing up the rocky cliffs and out to the terraced land. I kept my thoughts vigilantly neutral until they were out of earshot. As soon as I knew they couldn't hear us, I phased back, relief pouring through me that I finally blocked them from my thoughts for good.
At last, I could turn my attention to the beautiful woman in my arms and what I saw there stunned me. Ho-ly shit! By this time, Bella was worming her way into me, the smell of her arousal tantalizing my nose. She rolled over onto my naked body and straddled me, barely inches above my instant hard on. Her hands glided over my skin and plowed into my hair.
"Mmmm, Jake, I need you!" she groaned quietly, rubbing against me.
"Bella, Bells, sweetheart, wake up!" I murmured into her ear, trying to wake her gently. Her beautiful eyes opened slowly and she looked at me wonderingly.
"Jake, God, hold me, please!" her voice had a charcoal rasp to it that was incredibly sexy. "Mmmm, you feel so good," she breathed as she ran her tongue leisurely up the base of my neck and behind my ears, licking the sweat she found along the way. God, please no, not again. I could tell Bella wasn't conscious of the fact she'd been dreaming and now she was turning that dream into a reality.
"Bells, wake up honey. You've been dreaming. Time to wake up now."
Bella lifted her head slowly and stared deep into my eyes, awareness and lust making hers huge as she gradually became conscious of our situation. She paused for a moment, then smiled gently down at me and buried her sweet face in my neck as she traced the cords of my throat with her nose.
"Oh, I'm awake all right, Jacob," she purred softly before she resumed dipping her hot little tongue in the whorls of my ear. "I'm totally… and completely… awake," she haltingly breathed the words between tiny nips and licks. I shivered involuntarily and my dick pulsed as blood pounded to my groin.
"Baby, you shouldn't do that," I mumbled weakly. This didn't seem to have the desired effect as Bella wrapped her legs around my hips, and skimmed down my body wriggling agonizingly against my erection. The feel of her fingers dragging down me made my naked skin tingle as her hands slid along my chest.
"I love your skin, Jacob," she whispered. "It feels like hot coppery silk. I dream about it, you know. I love having it under my hands and having it surround me. It's wonderful having you naked, so I can see and feel each and every little bit. I can't get enough of it, honey."
Fucking hell! What was she doing to me now? "Bella, sweetheart, we can't do this here," I muttered desperately.
"Why not, Jake?" she murmured, nuzzling under my chin as she leisurely moved towards my other ear. "Don't you want to? I can feel that you do." She closed her thighs around my cock and slid herself down and up gently, the sleek nylon of her pants creating a delicate friction that was driving me out of my mind.
"Honey, first off, we are out in the middle of nowhere. This isn't exactly the best place for this." She tisked softly in my ear and continued her rocking movements, biting and licking lightly on my earlobe.
I stifled my moan and continued quickly, "And secondly, baby, you were just having a dream about me. You're just acting out what you were dreaming. I don't think that's the way we want to do this, Bells."
She laughed softly, reached down, and gently wrapped her fingers around my length, caressing me, causing me to buck into her hand. Where the hell had she learned to do that? Jesus, she was shocking the ever-living shit out of me! But what she was doing felt so good; she was driving me wild.
I growled as I ran my hands down her back, wanting to rip off her clothes and dive into her sweet body. My fingers skimmed under her layers of clothing to feel the delicate skin of her back, and I reached around to cup her luscious breasts. Remembering the bubble gum pink nipples, I thumbed them lightly and heard her whimper as they peaked against my skin. Remembered them, hell; I had barely thought of anything else for the last ten days. I wanted to lick them so badly my mouth watered.
If Bella hadn't been covered in layers of clothing, I would have stripped her naked in seconds. I wanted to expose and lave the pink tips carefully, stroking and suckling them gently with my tongue and lips until I memorized every texture and taste, and figured out exactly how to make her as crazy with need as she made me. My groin throbbed as I imagined it.
I made myself move on. I slid my hands down to her waist, burrowing under her pants, and I clutched her sweet, firm ass, grinding her against my aching dick. Fuck, it felt so good! My eyes rolled back in my head and our moans filled the quiet night. The warm texture of the beautiful skin of her bottom and that delicious friction I created as I gripped her was almost my undoing. I wanted to dip my fingers down into that slick, sweet liquid that was flowing between her legs.
Wait a minute! What in the fuck was I doing? Couldn't I keep my hands out of her for five minutes? And what the hell was she doing? Did she just want to get laid so bad she figured since I was naked I could conveniently do the job?
As these thoughts flooded my brain, Sam's words echoed in my ears, "You shouldn't rush into her pants, Jake."
"I wasn't going to attack her the next time I see her, Sam. Give me some credit."
"Yeah, but that's what you'd like to do. And I really think you ought to take it slow. I don't think you should push Bella into a physical relationship right away. You know, Jake, she really is an innocent girl and you shouldn't push it too fast. You need to romance her first."
Awwww, FUUUUCK ME!! Jesus, just look at me! I was rushing into her pants and attacking her the first second I had her alone—literally—just like Sam had warned! I had to stop. I knew where this road led, and I didn't trust myself to do another U-turn this time.
"Bells, we need to stop," I whispered.
"Hmmm?" she murmured into my throat. "Why, Jake? I don't want to stop," she laughed softly, and she nibbled gently on the cord of my neck, licking it with her soft little tongue.
I had to come up with a realistic excuse that would stop her, and fast. "Honey, everything we do is going to be known by the pack as soon as we walk into our room."
She reacted as if I'd thrown cold seawater on her.
"What?!" she cried. "How can they possibly know what we're doing before you phase?"
"They can smell it. They'll smell it on both of us. Now let's stop, honey, before we can't stop. This really isn't a good idea right now, okay?" She looked stunned and had a shocked look on her pretty face.
"Why isn't it a good idea? I think it's a great idea and a long time coming. Don't you want to make love with me, Jake?" Her voice quivered just the tiniest bit. Damn, she was breaking my heart.
"Of course I do, baby, that's not it at all. If we do something like this—really do it—it should be private—just between the two of us. I don't want to announce our every move to the world." I smiled at her and rubbed her cheeks, hoping for a return smile. "Any way, sand and cold and …all the things I want to do with you…aren't such a good combination."
Jesus, seeing the look in her eyes, I realized, if I wanted things to slow down, I should have never let that comment out of the bag. I quickly continued, "And you know if Embry and Quil find out, everyone in Forks will know about it before we get back into town." She rewarded me with a soft little chuckle.
I went on, "And Bells, we haven't even gone out on a date yet. Don't you think we ought to start with that first? I'd like for us to go out somewhere really special, just the two of us. Wouldn't you?" Her beautiful eyes started sparkling and her smile lit her face.
"Really?" she cried. "Ohhh, Jacob, could we? What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?" she questioned enthusiastically. "And when are we going to-"
"Nun uh, nosey! I'm not telling you a thing," I grinned at her. "It's going to be a surprise, so you just better be ready for anything, Miss Swan, okay?"
She propped her arms on my chest and stared down in my face, happiness glowing from every pore. She leaned down, licked my lips gently, and then deepened the kiss, her sweet tongue dipping into my mouth and stroking mine lovingly. She was so innocently sensual, I could feel myself throb in response and I groaned, trying to keep my raging boner still and under control.
She ended the sweet kiss and looked at me with those huge chocolate eyes. "I love y-kissing you, Jake," she stumbled, color flooding her cheeks.
I smiled at her and rolled her to my side. All contact with my dick needed to end - pronto. "I love kissing you, too, Bells. And I want to get lots more practice, okay? Just here and now is not the best time." She nodded at me and I sat up.
"All right, sweetheart. I'm going to turn around and I want you to take off your panties and hand them to me, and then I'm going to jump in the water and cool off."
"What? I don't understand, Jake. Why am I giving you my panties? I thought you didn't want to-" I cut her off. Best if we didn't discuss what she thought I didn't want to do.
"I'm going to go get them wet, and then I want you to wash yourself off with them, like a wash rag, honey. We'll have to throw them away before we get up to the suite. And don't put your sweat suit back on until you have a chance to wash off, Bells, because we want to keep them as clean and scent free as possible. Just lay it over your legs until I get back, okay?"
I expected her blush, but she floored me with her next question. "Why don't I just come into the water with you, Jake? Then I can wash off really well, and we don't have to worry about it."
"No, baby!" I replied, stunned. She must not understand what that would entail. "Bells, we can't get your clothes wet. You can't get in the water."
"I know that, silly," she laughed. "I'll take my clothes off before I get in, just like you." My mouth fell open.
"What?? Jesus Christ, Bella, no, you can't come frolic naked in the water with me!"
"Why not, Jake? Skinny-dipping is fun and I do need to wash off. We could consider it kind of like a little date. You said-"
"No! It would not be like a little date! I didn't say anything about running around naked in the damned Mediterranean Sea in the middle of winter, and it certainly would not be a good first date! What are you thinking, Bella?" I cut her off ruthlessly as she tried to protest.
"But Jake, I could ride you piggy back and we could-" The thought of Bella wrapped around me naked, piggy back style with those sweet, succulent nipples pressed into my back was tipping me over the edge.
"Jesus Christ on a ladder! No! Now give me your panties before you drive me out of my mind! Damn!" Was she deliberately trying to drive me completely fucking nuts? I stood up and turned around, trying to keep my raging lust under control.
She scrambled around behind me, taking off her shoes and then pulling down her pants. For once, I wished my hearing wasn't super human as I tried not to visualize everything I could hear her doing. When she stripped off her underwear, the enticing smell of her arousal overwhelmed my senses making me shiver with need.
I stuck out my hand as she approached me, hoping she didn't touch me. No such luck. She nestled up to me, half-naked. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth as I felt her clothed stomach mould around my ass and her naked hips and legs graze against mine. One of her arms was snaking around my waist, and the other reached out to place the soft silk gently in my waiting hand.
Hoping to cut off any of her attempts to get that searching hand near my groin, I snatched the tiny panties and strode off for the icy water in front of me, my dick pointing towards the North Star like a fucking compass. Holy Mother of God, just how much more of this shit was I expected to take?
I dove head first into the sea, relishing the blessedly cold waters as they surrounded my heated body and cooled my burning hard on. Fuck! If I got her back to our hotel without fucking her or spanking her, it would be a miracle.
Diving deep underwater, I tried to clear my head and my lust. As I finally drew near to the surface, I heard a tiny little voice.
"Jake, Jake! Where are you?" I broke through the water and looked towards the shore. There stood Bella, stark naked on the beach, looking every bit as beautiful as she had in that thrice damned shower, her hair curling on top of her head so every tempting curve of her body was clearly visible in the glowing moonlight.
As soon as she saw me, she grinned and started running in my direction, water splashing all over her gorgeous body. Fuck me running and steal my shoes! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! I was going to kill her when I got a hold of her luscious, naked ass. I started for her, murder in my eyes.
She only got about calf high when she came to a stunned stop, the freezing temperature of the icy water obviously registering for the first time. Backing up in an attempt to escape it, Bella tripped and fell, completely disappearing into the black sea as a wave washed up and over her. As panic seized my heart, she popped up, a shocked look on her face.
She clasped her arms over her chest and stuttered, "Holy crap, Jake, it's freezing out here!"
I reached her side and grabbed her into my arms. "Well, no shit, Sherlock! What do you expect in fucking February?" I snapped at her furiously. "I am going to beat your ass for this one, little girl! Don't you know any better than to run naked into icy water like this?" I stormed to the beach as the frigid water poured off of our bodies.
"And just what in the hell do you think I'm going to warm you up with, Bella?" I growled. "If we use your clothes, they'll be soaking wet on the trip back to Milan and you'll have hypothermia or pneumonia or both before we get half way there. And in case you didn't notice, I don't have any fucking clothes I can use to warm you up. I can't believe you would be so lame-brained, honey! Did you think I was just being mean? There actually was a reason I didn't want you to get in the water. We are out in the middle of nowhere and you pull a dumb ass stunt like this! Damn it, Bella!"
Tears started to pool in her eyes, but I refused to feel bad for what I said. "Don't you pull that crying shit on me, Bella! You deserve every word for putting yourself at risk like this and you know it!"
She looked up at me, guilt in her eyes. "Your r-r-right-t-t, J-Jake," her teeth were chattering already. "I-I'm s-s-s-sorry! I'm j-j-just s-s-so c-c-cold," she shivered violently in my arms. Her white skin was goose pimpled and faintly tinged with blue.
Christ! I rushed back to the bluff we'd been lounging against, hoping it would shelter her from the cold wind. I sat down with her in my arms and snuggled her into my chest, praying I could warm her quickly as I ran my arms down hers, trying vainly to get her circulation to restore the heat of her body. It wasn't working. Her body was racked with cold. I was re-establishing some of the heat to her core, but her arms and legs were getting worse as the wind hit her wet skin and she shivered harder.
"Okay, sweetheart, I want you to lie down as close as you can get to the bluff, and I'm going to cover you up. Let me know if I get too heavy." She stared at me desperately and nodded, her little face scared.
I could feel the ice melting off of my heart. Damn it! I should be able to stay mad at her for fifteen fucking minutes for doing something this asinine! I shook my head, knowing it was impossible.
"Don't fret, Bells. You know I'll never let anything happen to you, don't you?" I looked intently into her worried eyes. She nodded and tried to smile at me.
"A-a-and y-you know-w-w, I-I-I'll n-n-never let-t a-anyth-thing h-happen t-t-to you, r-r-right?" she stuttered. God, she was so precious. I smiled at her and rolled over so I covered her body, keeping her arms folded in her chest, and wrapping my huge legs around her sleek, cold ones. I dug my arms behind her, rubbing her back and sweet little ass, trying to warm her icy flesh. Her shivering was a little better, but I was still scared to death.
"Sweetheart, look at me." She stared at me with her pale lips trembling, but her color seemed a little less blue. "Bells, I'm going to phase and wrap myself around you. I want you to burrow in my fur as much as you can, and just tell me if you get uncomfortable, ok?" She nodded and stared at me. She'd never been this close to me when I phased and she seemed to want to absorb the entire process up close and personal.
I rolled away from her sweet little body, quickly phased, and immediately nudged her away from the embankment, so I could totally encompass her. I wrapped myself around every bit of her precious flesh, and couldn't stop the low hum of approval as she inched herself under me. I knew from experience, being surrounded by a hot fur blanket was going to warm her in no time.
She groaned, "Mmmm, Jake, G-God, that feels so good. I'm going to be s-sweating s-soon," she whispered with a smile in her voice. Thank God! Jesus, she'd scared the shit out of me. I rubbed my head against her contentedly. I could feel her cold skin warming up immediately, and I huffed a sigh of relief.
We cuddled for several minutes; her shivering and chattering teeth disappeared, and her skin finally felt a normal temperature again. As my panic about her symptoms faded, I became all too aware that the object of four years of lustful thoughts was buried naked next to my body—wolf or no. I felt the smooth skin of her beautiful back and ass rub against my fur and heat poured through my veins. I recalled my fingers teasing her nipples and breasts just minutes ago and I longed to phase back and feel them again. Fuck!
Don't think of her tits! Don't think of her tits! Don't think of her tits! I told myself over and over again in a litany. I racked my brain trying to come up with something to distract myself from becoming further aroused by the beautiful woman underneath me. Finally, I recalled Sam's depressing advice, and my body cooled instantly.
As much as I craved it, it would have been such a mistake for us to have had a meaningless roll in the sand tonight, even if it would have been meaningless for only one of us. I would romance my girl instead of racing straight into some sort of shallow "fuckbuddy" relationship. I would make her as crazy in love with me as I was with her before we had sex, goddamn it! When we finally made love, it was going to mean as much to her as it did to me. And it meant everything to me.
She sighed, "I'm really warm now, Jake. I guess we should be getting back." She seemed as disappointed as I felt. I growled deep in my throat, and pushed her back into my fur.
She giggled in response and sighed contentedly. "I don't want to go back either, Jacob. I'd like to stay out here forever." She reached out a little hand and stroked my fur with incredible tenderness. I felt a rumble in my chest, and closed my eyes, reveling in the sensation of my beautiful naked girl curling into my body. If only I could keep her happy and all to myself. That was the only thing I really wanted in life.
Eventually, I nudged Bella into action and tossed her clothing to her. She'd been right about one thing. Her little dip in the Mediterranean had certainly taken care of any sexual smell. Now she smelled salty and fishy, but then so did I. Getting past the pack was no longer a problem.
I turned around as she dressed, (not that she had any secrets left) and knelt down next to her when she was finished. As she scrambled onto my back, she buried herself in my fur.
"Thank you for taking such good care of me again, Jake," she whispered in my ear, snuggling as close as she could get. I rubbed my head into her stroking hands. "Let's go home, wolf boy," she murmured. And we did.
Ending Notes:
Leave me a review at Twilighted or email me at leelator(at)bellsouth(dot)net and I'll send you a sneak peek at Chapter 9. It won't fit through the fanfic system. If you use the message system here to send me your email address, you have to use the stupid ( ) deal.
So, is Jacob or Bella the dumb ass here? Are both being dopes or do you understand their motivations for their actions? If you were in love with someone, would you have sex with them if you thought they didn't love you? Would you or did you do something extreme to get them?
Would you all enjoy guest beta'ing a chapter? I'd get a kick out of sending a chapter to one of you to get your feedback. If you're interested, leave a review and tell me why you'd like to beta one of my chapters. ("They suck and need all the help they can get," may be accurate, but not really what I'm looking for here.)
By the way, if you haven't received one, my sneak peeks are usually around 1,000 words, so maybe I should call them sneak stares. I'll try to find and appropriate pic y'all might enjoy. Chapter 9 is written and in the middle of the beta process.
Regardless of the reason, please leave a review. I'm going to have a horrible few weeks and y'all will be my only escape from the chaos that will consume my life. (We're moving from beautiful Charleston, S.C. to Bumfuck. Not gonna be pretty.)
Reviewers whose names I've purloined and included as characters in this chapter are:
Amanda Williamson, a.k.a. MZmanda, author of "A Moment of Clarity" and Wendy Cole, a.k.a. wendeline – two really nice girls, regardless of what Bella says or thinks.
The new brat pack members of the La Push wolves are named for three fabulous reviewers and pals: Mick, Randi S., (y'all know who you are) and Nikki a.k.a morrigan, author of the wonderful "Turn of Events". Thanks for all of your support and help!
The "I Can't Control My Teaching Moments" Section
The non-werewolf descriptions of the wolves are accurate: coat descriptions, Jake and Embry's body language during their dust up, the single file pack movement, Jake curling his tail over his face, (discussed in Chapter 7 although that's usually done in extreme cold) and, particularly, the brat pack's irritating desire to be around and sleep nearby their alpha.
Neat Wolf Stuff: search(dot)com/reference/Gray_Wolf
Sobibor was the site of the most successful uprising by Jewish prisoners at a German extermination camp in World War II. The German command was terrified the prisoners would spread word about the "Final Solution", so Sobibor was dismantled, disguised, and the escaping prisoners were hunted relentlessly throughout the duration of the war.
More on Sobibor: en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org(slash)wiki(slash) Sobibor_extermintion_camp
Hotel Principe di Savoia is a real hotel in Milan suggested by our local Milan reader/reviewer clover. Check it out: hotelprincipedisavaia(dot)com(slash)signature-suites
The room with the private Roman bath runs about €9,000.00 a night, roughly about $12,000.00. Really.