Disclaimer: I do not own any of this, I just like to mess with things. Here's chapter three and this is where things start to heat up, I know the story has started up slowly but it's going to keep getting hotter from here.
The next few days leading up to the awards show went so perfectly I thought I must be dreaming. Jacob arranged to have any interviews he needed to do over the phone so he could stay true to his word and stay glued to my side. Eli was probably the happiest kid in the world when he found out Jake would be sleeping over for a while. One of the two of us was always at my little man's side, basking in his happiness and trying to wear down his energy. Those couple of days were definitely what I needed to prepare me for today. I don't like award shows to begin with but with Eli's father at the show everything could go to hell in a matter of moments.
After a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes I dropped Eli off at Angela's to prepare for my day of primping leading up to the show. Jacob had already begrudgingly left an hour ago because his publicist wanted to have time with him. Jacob can be a bit of a loose cannon so I'm guessing the meeting between the two is really just going to be Jake getting a list of things he can't do on live TV.
Getting properly prepared for an awards show takes hours when you're a female but the end results are great. Looking into the mirror after six hours of being waxed, massaged, moisturized and more I couldn't help but stare at myself. My brown curls had been pulled up into a braided bun, playing off the ballerina-esque bottom of my dress and exposing my dream catcher tattoo. My face had been transformed into a canvas of smoldering black eyes and scarlet red lips and to top everything off a popular jewelry store had given me a matching black diamond necklace and earring set that brought just the right amount of sparkle to my outfit.
"Damn Bella, I'm speechless." I swear I saw drool fall from his mouth but I felt ready to do the same. Jacob's suit fit him perfectly showing off just the right amount of muscle and his tie was exactly the same color as the bottom of my dress.
"Well let's get this over with rock star."
"I believe you mean rap star Bella." I rolled my eyes but accepted his hand to guide me into his show car, a red Lamborghini, because Jacob preferred to drive himself places then to rent a limo.
I could hear the pandemonium before I got out of the car; the valet opened my door first then went around and let Jake out causing all the females in the vicinity to lose their shit. I walked over to the photographers, letting Jacob have his moment with his fans and his red carpet interview.
After posing together for what seemed like a million pictures and receiving endless compliments on my dress we were being ushered to our seats.
"Fuck no!" Was Jacob's first comment to the usher, I looked to see why he was so upset over seat then realized who else was in our row.
"You can't seat me here, Cullen and I have mad beef. Sitting me in a row with him and Skankya is like inviting me to kick his ass on live T.V."
Jacob held me close to his chest so there was no possible way I would even get a glimpse of Edward while we dealt with the head usher and even one of the event planners. In the end we succeeded and were moved to a far away spot at Jacob's continual persistence that there would be physical violence otherwise.
The actual show itself was pretty drama free and Jacob's earlier meeting with his publicist helped him greatly when he accepted awards. The next problem came afterwards when Jacob's manager told him that he needed to make an appearance at the after party.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me Sam." Jacob's manager Sam, a long time friend, is probably the only person who doesn't find Jacob's height intimidating. Sam is only a couple of inches shorter than Jacob but makes up for that couple inches with how muscular he is.
"Jacob you get your ass to that party and let the cameras see that you can be sociable."
"If he's there and he makes any move towards Bella then I'm gonna kick his ass. Do you want that mess on your hands Samuel?"
"Unlike you Jake, Cullen knows how to behave in public. I doubt he's going to start a fight and risk hurting his reputation." Jacob looked at me, searching my eyes to see how I was feeling about the situation. I squeezed his hand in reassurance that I could handle being at the after party for a little while.
"Okay Sam, half an hour, no more." They shook hands then afterwards on our way to the party Jacob brushed a loose hair from my face.
"I'm sorry Bells, I fucked up this time."
"Jacob it's just a half an hour appearance, I'm not mad at you." He shook his head.
"I'm supposed to be protecting you but instead I'm bringing you to the lions den. Please, for my sanity's sake, you need to keep your ass by my side." I could have made a caveman joke but I decided against it, Jacob was only trying to fill the role I had asked him to fill.
Everything was going smoothly until I stepped away to get a glass of punch, that's when the skank cornered me.
"So how do you feel being here tonight Isabella? Were you jealous when you saw Eddie with me?"
"I'm not really in the mood to talk to you Tanya, now if you'd excuse me." I tried to step away but she blocked the way.
"I bet you were jealous, that's why you and your beef head couldn't sit near us. Eddie told me what happened between the two of you and how you couldn't handle it when he was becoming famous faster than you."
"Tanya" I tried to speak as calmly as possible
"I'm going to try and walk away again and if you as much as blink in my direction I'm going to kick your plastic ass to the trash where it belongs."
"Awe Isabella, are you still trying to be a hellcat?" My skin went cold from hearing the voice speak up behind me; I didn't even need to turn around to figure out who was there. Instead I sent a pleading glance over in Jacob's direction, hoping that he would turn and see me.
"Fuck off Edward." I tried to push past him but he grabbed my arm to try and stop me.
"You fucking didn't!" Jacob had apparently chosen that moment to look over and was charging towards us with his posse, including Sam who was hopelessly trying to calm Jacob down.
Jacob reached us the same time the event security reached us, but he wasted no time prying my arm free.
"You watch your fucking ass Cullen, you think you can just walk around and bruise people? How about you pick on someone closer to your own size, I'll take you on any fucking day of the week."
"Really Black, you wanna start something in front of all these cameras? You're almost as big of an attention whore as Isabella is." Security grabbed Jacob before his fist connected with Edward and started to pull him towards the exit. Sam met us at the door a couple of minutes later with a disappointed look on his face, Jacob just glared at him.
"I told you I'd react if he started shit and he did. By the way the next time you put someone close to me in a situation like that I'll waste no time firing your ass." With that Jacob wrapped a protective arm around me and stormed towards the valet service.
The ride home was thick with silence, I couldn't think of anything I could possibly say to Jacob that would make sense so I just stayed quiet. Angela had already insisted on keeping Eli over night so Jacob just brought me straight into the bedroom. It was then he finally spoke to me with sadness written all over his face.
"I'm so sorry Bella; I didn't protect you when you needed me the most. I let my guard down for a moment and that fucker touched you." I thought for a moment about what I wanted to say and how to say it properly but gave up trying to force sense into my thoughts.
"Jacob, you've done so much for me these past couple of days hell, these past couple of years. Whenever I try to fathom all that I've asked you to do for me it makes me feel guilty, which is I need you to know you don't have to say yes to the next thing I'm going to ask you. I want you to think about it, okay?" He nodded his head giving me time to build up the courage for what I wanted to say next.
"Jacob, I want you to be more then a friend. I can't promise you it'll be trouble-free with me, we both know I'm still trying to fight all of my ghosts but this week has caused me to realize it's easier to fight my ghosts with you at my side-" I was going to say more but he cut me off.
"Yes."
"I want you to think about it Jacob, dating me isn't going to be easy. What if one day you wake up and decide that I'm not worth it. I don't think I could handle losing you."
"Bella, I've known you for your entire life. Believe me when I say that by now I know 100% you are worth more then I ever have to offer." That was the moment his lips touched mine for the first time.
His heat was what I first felt; his kiss was filled with a fiery passion that rapidly consumed me, moving with my lips until I could feel us melting together. We battled for dominance, our tongues weaving in and out together effortlessly, like this wasn't something new to either of us. And then as quickly as it had begun it was over, but before Jacob pulled away he momentarily pressed his lips against mine in a brief embrace.
"The latter should have been our first kiss but I got carried away." He grinned cheekily at me before encircling me in his arms. We sat quietly for a while, basking in each others presence until Jacob spoke again.
"Does it ruin things if I told you that I've been waiting for this moment for years?"
"I know." I told him because that was the truth, somewhere deep inside I've always been aware of Jacob's feelings for me.
"I'm sorry I made you wait so long."
"Don't be sorry; be glad the wait is over now."