Chapter Two

Bella POV

I woke up in his arms. Fuck. I woke up in his goddammed arms. This wasn't going to make shit any easier. What made it even worse was knowing that I couldn't even attempt to ease myself out from his huge, warm armed embrace. The bastard always had been a light sleeper, though from the way his light snores echoed around the room you would never guess.

He was my Jake... Mine. But could he ever be mine like this? I didn't get the chance to think as Jacob's eyes fluttered open.

"Mmm," he yawned as he stretched his arms out from my back. "Morning." His hands found my hips as he hugged me slowly.

"Hi." My tone was blunt, so I sweetened my face with a smile.

"Well," Jacob grinned back at me. "That night was certainly worth the wait." His fingers traced tantalizing circles at the base of my spine, trailing occasionally to the top of my buttocks and the side of my hips.

My body tingled at the reminder of our night, a part of me desperately wanted to melt in his arms. But there was something stopping me. Something holding me back. It just wasn't... right.

"Last night was... good." I was honest. I couldn't tell him it had been awful, or that I regretted it; neither of those things were true. Jacob had provided me with a love I had urgently fucking needed.

"It was better than good," he purred into my ear. "If I had known my first time was going to be that amazing, I would have gotten into your pants a few years ago." Jacob laughed, but only at the crude way he had said it. Unfortunately, I knew the dick wasn't kidding around.

Then it really dawned on me. Shit, had he just told me that I'd popped his cherry? Or whatever the male equivalent was? This was worse than I'd anticipated.

I mean, I'd had a few meaningless fucks in Arizona; so last night didn't bother me as far as experience went. From the way Jake had always talked about the sluts at the Rez high, I guess I had just assumed he had experience. And the way he had performed last night... My fucking mistake.

Jacob had begun to trail kisses lightly across my chin and jaw, pulling me out of another daydream. I had to be straight with him. For both our sakes.

"Jacob..." He silenced me with a firm kiss. His warm lips trying to distract me. This time, though, I knew I couldn't get carried away.

"Jacob." I spoke firmly as I pushed against his hard shoulders with my too soft palms.

"Yeah?" But he wasn't really listening to me. His gaze was trained securely on my mouth.

"Jake, listen." I tilted his chin up with my forefinger. Making it so that he had to look into my eyes.

"Okay," he groaned. "Shoot."

"Jake, last night... Well, I wouldn't change it for the world but... ah, fuck. You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah..." he trailed off, unsure.

"Well, I do. I fucking love you. And I loved fucking you, just to add. But it can't be more than last night. Don't you see? You and me... We're not supposed to end up together. I can always see myself in your life, you're my best friend. My dick forever, remember? But it can't work."

"Why?" Jacob's jaw was set stubbornly.

"Because it's not the same. What I feel for you and what you feel for me..." I was trying to untangle myself from him as I spoke. "They just aren't the same..."

Right then, the fucking look I saw in his eyes, just broke my heart. I was such a bitch. A cold, callous bitch who had just used her best friend then discarded him like trash. I had to get out.

I rolled over, off the bed, and started quickly putting on the clothes that had been strewn about during last night's action. As I pulled my t-shirt over my head and reached toward the door handle, I heard him. Speaking quieter than I ever imagined he could.

"I'll never give up. Just so you know."

I hung my head in fucking shame as I got the hell out of his room and hightailed it out of his house. Luckily, no Billy was lying in wait to see me perform my walk of shame.

With no car, and all means of getting a quick ride out of the question, I began the walk back to Forks. Having a whole four miles to figure out my worst qualities and make me feel even more crappy.

Usually, I didn't do early. But I was so damn pleased that there wasn't anyone around to witness my fuck-ups that I realised early deserves more credit.

That's when the car came. Zooming past me at about seventy miles per hour. The speed nearly knocked me on my ass. As I glared grumpily at the blacktop, wondering why no jackass thought to put a sidewalk there, I didn't see the car slow down. I only realised it was stopping when I heard the screech of the breaks.

I looked ahead, about to yell at the dickhead for driving so damn fast, when I was sidetracked. This person's car was shining so brightly in the sun, it almost blinded me. Stupid, silver, shiny Volvo owner.

The driver door opened, and I was doubly enraged at the fucker. For driving way too fast and having a car that was way too shiny... but I was stopped in my tracks. Standing in front of me was one of the prettiest fucking guys I had ever met.

His hair was the colour of bronze, shimmering above his sunglasses. His skin was as white as a virgin's bedsheets. His crooked smile made me weak at the knees, and hinted that he wasn't as innocent as he looked. Unlike the guys I was used to, he was slender... but I found that I liked it. He had me so bloody mesmerized that I had stopped walking.

"Hey." His voice snapped me out of whatever influence I had been under. "Need a ride?"