A/N: Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews and thanks for reading! You have no idea how much it all means to me! Keep it up and enjoy this next chapter! -Courtney

Chapter 6: Ditto

I walk Jake away from the house and I lean against a tree as I look to him. Jake seems nervous and confused. I can tell he doesn't know whether he is in trouble or not.

"How was your day at the Cullens?" I ask him.

He smiles, "It was good. Everyone seems to be pretty happy over there. It's been really peaceful without any of their psycho leeches lurking around lately. Are you okay Lee?" Jake asks.

"I'm sorry about what Seth said to you today. He stopped by the diner afterwards and told me what he told you. He shouldn't have done that it wasn't his place to get into our business." I tell him, trying to read his face.

Jake's smile grows. "That's what this is about? Some words your brother told me because he cares about you?" Jake laughs a little. "Geez, I thought something bad had happened or you were mad at me."

"You really aren't upset about what he said to you? I'm sure he was blunt and not so friendly about what he said." I tell him.

Jake moves closer to me. "He's your brother Leah. His protection of you has been pretty guaranteed throughout this whole deal. He's protective of you the same way any brother would be if a guy was dating his sister, the same way I'm protective of Paul because of Rachel. I'm surprised he hadn't said something earlier. I was expecting it that first day I went over to your house. And everything he said was true. I needed to prove my devotion to you to everyone, and I needed to make it clear that I only see a future with you." Jake's hand cups my cheek. "Is that what you were so worried about, if I got upset about your brother protecting you?" I nod. "You don't have to worry about it Leah. He did what I would have done if I was in his position and you should be proud of him, he probably did it with more class than anyone ever could."

I look down; I was scared to ask my next question. "And, did you think about what he told you?"

"What?" Jake asks trying to read my face.

"Did you tell the Cullens today, about you and me?" I ask him.

Jake smiles and nods, "As soon as Seth left, which is why I was a little later than I had planned. I had to answer a lot of questions. But overall, they understand. I mean Jasper could feel our feelings for each other; Edward had been able to hear our thoughts about each other. They understand that I never wanted to imprint on Nessie. She's beautiful, and smart, and kind-

"Alright, I get the picture," I stop him from going on with a smile.

"But she's not you Leah. She never has been; she never will be. She has nothing on you, no one does. I can't pretend that I feel for her the way I feel for you. They understand that, and they want what any family wants for a child. They want their child to be loved, and she could never fully be loved by me when there will always you." Jake says. I smile like a complete idiot at his words. I swear every time he says things like that I completely melt like a lovesick puppy. "I told you I needed to prove my devotion to everyone, I am working on it. Here's a warning this could get muddy pretty quickly, please stop me at any time." Jake smiles an impeccable smile. "I care about you in a way I've never cared about anyone before. You're the first person I think of when I wake up, you're the first one I want to speak to, you are beautiful every day and some days you don't even try and when you smile I swear I would do anything if I could get you to smile forever. I stay up at night thinking about you, missing you and wanting to be with you. It's crazy, this is insane, it's better than I could have ever imagined it and maybe I've just been so scared to tell you all of these crazy things because I didn't want to scare you. I'm falling for you Leah Clearwater, it's not a graceful fall, it's not slow and steady either, it's fast and intense and I'm so scared I'm going to lose you just as fast as I've got you."

I smile to him, speechless, breathless, and mesmerized. Could this be real? I'm so scared I'm going to wake up from this dream and it will all be gone, Jake will be with Nessie and I'll be alone. I'm so terrified if I move or speak I'll wake up, I just want to freeze time, freeze everything in this moment and I want to stay in it forever, because it's wondrous and warm. Could it get better than this? Could it get sweeter than those words? Could it get more beautiful than those chocolate eyes? Could it get warmer than his skin on my skin?

Jake smiles to me, "You could say something Leah. I kind of just poured my heart out to you." He laughs but I can tell he's nervous. Who wouldn't be? Everyone is nervous when they pour their heart out to someone, there is always that risk that the other person doesn't feel the same. But here I am, in front of the guy I am most definitely falling for and he feels the exact same way I feel for him. This doesn't happen, especially not to girls like me. I mean, when does it ever happen that the guy you care about also cares about you at the same time?

I look up to him; I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him close to me. His forehead rests on mine, and I take a breath. I can't form words. What could I possibly say that could be as wonderful as that? All I can think to say is one small word. "Ditto." I smile to him. Jake laughs and smiles. His lips touch mine first very soft and tenderly, and then the kiss becomes passionate. His hands run over my body, down my sides, I'm distracted by his lips and his tongue so I'm surprised when his hands have lifted mine and raised them to his waist level. I wrap my legs around him so he doesn't have to hold them throughout the kiss. My hands run through his. I wanted to show him I felt the same way or even that I had stronger feelings for him. He seemed to have the same mindset. He left one hand to support me, while the other ran under my shirt and up my back, drawing patterns that I couldn't focus on. His hands sent electricity and warmth throughout my body. Every once in a while, I could feel the wolf in him come out, demanding to dominate the situation, demanding to be less gentle. Jake tried to control those tendencies but sometimes they still happened, like during the kiss, he would bite my lip, and his hand would claw into my back at a certain point in the pattern.

I pulled away, needing a break, needing to gather myself. Jake and I had been passionate before, but never that passionate. Jake's smile spread from ear to ear, he was as breathless as I was.

"Wow." He whispered as his lips went to the sensitive spot on my neck. He sucked there for a moment, and then his lips nipped the sensitive flesh. I released a sigh from the feeling it sent throughout my body. Then he was gentle again, his tongue licked the spot he had bitten as if to heal the wound.

My head was foggy, but it was slowly starting to clear.

All I knew was I needed him, and this was not the time or the place for this to happen.

Jake continued to kiss my neck. "Jake," I moaned. Jake mistook the words as encouragement, which in his defense it did sound like encouragement. "Jake, we have… we have to stop."

Jake sighs, his forehead resting on mine. "I don't want to." He groans quietly.

I smile, "Me either. But we have to."

"Remind me why we have to." Jake whispers.

"Because your dad is fixing us dinner, and we are outside on your back yard." I tell him.

"Right." Jake whispers. "I wish we were somewhere else though."

I smile. I kiss him on his cheek. "Me too."

"Jake!" Billy calls from the door. "Leah! Dinner!"

"One minute!" Jake calls. He looks to me. "I should set you down shouldn't I?"

I nod with a smile. He sighs and he gently places me back on my feet. Jake kisses my forehead and his lips linger there. "Come on, Jake. Your dad is waiting." I take his hand and I pull it with me towards the house. "Sorry to keep you waiting Billy." I tell him as we walk inside.