Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story.
Hey guys! Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter, you're awesome! I just wanted to address one thing though, I got more than a few reviews/messages asking about why Jake and Bella barely spend any time together. It's because Bella is still the teacher at his high school. Forks is a small town and gossip is easily spread, so they are still being extra cautious with where and when they spend time together. As it happens, Jake also has to do a lot for the pack being the alpha and all. I promise that everything will work out in the end though, just be patient with me please :) Hope you enjoy this chapter, and Happy Reading!
Chapter Sixteen
"Bella that was absolutely delicious. I'm thinking that you should just move back in here and cook dinner every night," Charlie said with a content sigh and a smile as he leaned back in his chair. He'd had several helpings of the meal she had made, although Bella hadn't seen a single leaf of lettuce from the salad he'd made fall onto his plate.
Jake had warned her to make more than just two boxes of pasta, and although she had been wary of using the other two boxes Charlie had in his cabinets, she was pleased to see that there was nothing left. She knew that teenage boys were bottomless pits when it came to eating, but Jake had taken that assessment to an entirely new level.
"I'm afraid I'll have to pass on that offer, dad. I don't want you getting obese," she said with a smirk and both Bill and Jake chuckled while her father rolled his eyes.
"I just haven't had a decent meal in a while, is all," he muttered to himself and Bella laughed taking a sip of her water before standing to clear the table.
"Oh, Bella you don't have to do that, I can do the dishes since you cooked," Charlie started to protest, but Bella glanced at the clock. It was quarter of eight.
"I don't want you to miss your game, dad. Really I don't mind," she soothed him and he nodded at her.
"Suit yourself," he replied as he stood from the table and handed her his plate. Billy thanked her as well and sent his son another interesting look before he and Charlie headed into the living room. Bella heard the TV switch on and the hum of the announcer's voices started up. Again she was left alone completely with Jake.
Throughout the entire dinner she'd been forced to stay in her own seat while he sat directly next to her. Her knuckles now ached from clenching her hand in a fist to keep it from touching him during the meal. Every cell in her body begged to be close to him, but there was no way she would ever risk even the most innocent of touches while her father was sitting directly across from them at the dinner table.
She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard Jake stand from the table and walk over to her. His heat signature is what brought her back to reality and she made eye contact with him.
"I wish this was different," he said slowly and Bella looked up at him confused. Did he wish he'd never imprinted on her? What was he saying.
"I mean, that came out wrong... I just wish that we didn't have to hide anything. I wish I was older, and this was me coming to meet your father and get his approval. I don't want you to feel nervous about anyone finding out. Not when I want to tell every person I know what an amazing person you are and that you are completely mine," he corrected himself in a firm voice as his hand soothingly brushed up and down her arm.
Bella shivered in an opposite reaction as the heat traveled into the deepest parts of her body.
"I do too, Jake. I understand the imprint and I would never trade the bond we share for anything, but I'll admit that this situation could have been a lot easier if some things were different... But they aren't, so we'll have to do our best," she replied with conviction and Jake smiled at her. This time it was a real smile. It was the sunny smile that made her whole body light up with happiness and it made her want to throw herself into his arms. She managed to resist though and smiled back at him instead.
"Let's get these cleaned up and then we can talk about earlier," Jake said, a hint of seriousness returning to his voice, though he smiled softly at her. She nodded in defeat and began bringing the dishes over to the sink.
Together they managed to clean up the kitchen quickly, though Bella dreaded their talk afterward. She did not want to hit a sore subject with the death of his mother. And she certainly did not want to offend him by presuming to know such an intimate tragedy of his life that he had not disclosed with her specifically.
Once they were finished Jake took a seat at the table and Bella went to sit across from him. She was stopped by his hand on her wrist as he tugged her into his lap firmly. Her surprise must have been clear on her face as she squirmed to get off of him.
"Calm down Bella, you're doing more damage by moving like that," Jake breathed out as he held her gently but firmly in his arms.
"What are you doing, my dad could see us," she whispered frantically as she glanced down at the archway leading into the hall.
"I will be able to hear them move if they do... But I highly doubt they will since the game has started. Trust me, not even a tornado would move them from that room at this moment," he said into her ear and started to rub her jean clad thigh with the large palm of his hot hand. It was as if he had flipped a switch with his touch and her body instantly relaxed against the heat of his own. She felt his chin find her shoulder and his breath skimmed over the column of her throat. Her eyes closed as she was immersed in the feeling of being so close to her mate. The utter contentedness filled every fiber of her body and she nestled in close to him, feeling his lips settle against the skin of her neck.
"Now tell me what you were thinking about that had you feeling pain, and don't lie to me this time, Isabella," he growled the end of his sentence, not to scare her, but rather to let her know that there was no room to argue with him. Involuntarily she shivered at his voice in her ear, earning a nip on her neck from Jake's teeth.
"If you keep that up I won't tell you anything," she hissed at him, though there was no real threat in her words. If she was honest with herself, if he kept using the bond and touching her in the way he already was she'd spill every secret she'd ever been told.
"I don't believe that," he responded as if he had read her mind, but still he moved his lips away from her skin and let her relax in the safety of his arms, "Now, speak."
Bella rolled her eyes at him, "I'm not a dog."
"I know you aren't, it was supposed to be funny, c'mon Bells, please just tell me?" Jake said softly and she let out a deep breath and steeled herself, hoping for the best.
"My dad told me about what happened to your mother... And your father. I was just so upset thinking about you going through all of that. No one should have to, especially not you. I can't explain it, but it hurt me to think of you being hurt," she finished in a whisper and Jake's arms pulled her tighter against him.
"Oh, honey. It's okay, you don't need to worry about any of that. I've come to terms with everything that happened to me. Yes, it was horrible, but I would be a very different person if it hadn't happened," Jake's voice tried to calm Bella down as her heart clenched again thinking of a young Jake dealing with the loss of his mother and having the care of his father thrust into his hands.
"But it's awful. I don't want you to be hurt like that, it hurts to know that I can't do anything to help you. I'm not strong enough to protect you from things, I don't turn into a mystical creature that can protect you. It's frustrating," Bella whimpered while traitorous tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.
She barely had time to resist before Jacob had stood up and maneuvered her body so she faced him. When he sat back down she was now straddling his lap while his fingers quickly brushed away her tears and pulled her body tight against his own.
"Baby, don't cry over that. I know it hurts sometimes. It's the bond, trust me I feel the exact same way about you, Bells. I would kill anyone that hurt you, but I can't help but be afraid that I won't be around to prevent it. I hate I can't be with you every second of the day, and it kills me to hide in the forest while I only want to hold you while you sleep. There are just some things we have to work around, and it's going to be difficult. You have to trust me, Bells that I will never let anything happen to you," he whispered. She looked at his sincere features. He truly was beautiful.
"I do trust you, completely, but Jake I want to protect you too," she said and smiled gorgeously at her.
"I know you do, honey. And that means more than anything in the world to me. You have to know that you help me more than you think you do. You've given me peace from my wolf since the imprint. For the most part, a wolf before an imprint is full of anger and aggression and when they find their mate, they are able to relax. They find solace in the mate and they are able to feel more human again. You help in so many ways, Bells. Believe me," he explained to her and she mulled over the information. She believed him of course, but the concept was an interesting one. Not to mention the feeling that spread through her body while he had been speaking.
It wasn't the blazing heat that raced through her veins when he looked at her with passion. It was a gentle warmth that encompassed her like a blanket, and made her feel safe and secure. For a moment she opened her mouth, words on the tip of her tongue, but she quickly shut it, and frowned in thought. Surely she couldn't feel that way about him yet... It had been only a few days...
Jake noticed her silence and spoke again, "Especially when you make sure I'm not late to class," Jake's lips twitched into a smirk and his eyes blazed devilishly. Bella sniffled a bit and laughed at him.
"Don't bring that up, you just have an extremely dirty mind," she said with a shake of her head. Jake smiled wolfishly at her and his hands slid down her back and began rubbing the tops of her thighs again.
"I am a high schooler after all," he grinned.
"That's no excuse," she tried to argue.
"Then again," he continued as if he hadn't heard her, "Maybe you should write me up... I wouldn't mind serving a detention with you."
Images of the scenario flashed through her head, although they were completely out of line and her face became the color of a tomato. Jake's eyes smoldered as he picked up on her reactions to the thoughts she was now having. She felt his hands rest on her thighs while his thumbs began rubbing circles on the inner part. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt her hips twitch involuntarily. It was incredible, the reaction she had to such a simple touch. It made her mind race with ideas of what other touches might make her feel like. Jake's chest rumbled with a pleased growl at her movement and his hands paused to shift her on his lap.
As soon as she moved she could now clearly feel how hard he was underneath his jeans. Obviously she was having the same effect on him. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck, and almost instinctually she turned her head and bared her neck to him. She could feel the aura of power coming off of him in waves and baring her neck to him came as a sign of submission to the wolf inside of him. Another more forceful growl left Jacob, traveling straight through Bella and causing her body to tremble with pleasure. She greatly enjoyed hearing the noises he made and knowing that she induced them.
Jake skimmed his nose along her skin, breathing against her. It was almost as if he was smelling her, but Bella had little time to think about it since his tongue then glided up along her exposed throat in a hot trail. The thrill that was sent down Bella's spine made her hips twitch once again, moving perfectly over his hardened length, producing a breathy moan from her lips and a deep growl from him. She felt one of Jake's hands move further in between her legs, the heat from it was travelling closer and closer to her center. Tilting her hips towards him she quivered with the need to have his hand on her.
She felt his other hand tangle in her hair and bring her face back to his own, his lips teasingly hovered in a light caress on hers. Their breath mingled together as their eyes stared into each others souls. There was no other feeling for them except for how right this all felt in this moment.
The moment Jake's hand finally reached her jean clad center, she gasped and pushed her hips towards him, seeking out the friction she so desperately craved. However, in that moment, Jacob stilled and pulled his head away from hers and tilted it towards the archway leading to the hall. In a flash she found herself sitting in her original chair while Jake now sat across from her.
"How're you guys doing out here? You're welcome to come watch the game with us," Charlie asked as he entered the kitchen, as Bella had knew he would. Bella's body still trembled from being so worked up and Jake spoke up, seemingly knowing she had no control in this moment.
"We'll be out in a moment, Charlie," he said with a sunny smile. He seemed so confident... As if he hadn't been about to finger her in her father's kitchen.
"Sounds good," Charlie replied after getting two more beers and walking out of the kitchen again. Bella let out a shaky breath and looked at Jake. His eyes were completely black as they stared at her still trembling form. She knew that he could feel her need for him, he could sense it without a doubt.
"I told you I'd hear him coming," he said with a small grin.
"My father has terrible timing," she grumbled under her breath and Jake laughed across from her. She couldn't stay upset with that sound coming out of him, and she found herself smiling slightly with him. He leaned forward then and patted her knee, giving her a sweet kiss on the corner of her mouth before moving his lips to her ear.
"It's probably for the best... My wolf wouldn't want to stop if we got into anything more. He'd want to take you, as would I, and have no interruptions... Besides, just think about it as a chance to look forward to finishing this," he murmured to her with an edge to his voice. She shivered at the thought he planted in her mind and the sound of his need lacing his tone. She honestly didn't know how she was going to get through the rest of the week.
Leave me some feedback if you care too! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for reading! :)