Breathe Again

Moments

(Bella's POV)

Jacob's car was nowhere to be seen. The shades were drawn, and everything was quiet. I knew I should have called first. He was probably at the Clearwaters' too, but since I'd driven all this way, I could knock and make sure.

No answer. Looks like I'm all alone, I thought. I turned and headed back to my truck, wondering how I was supposed to survive on my own for a whole day. Maybe I should just...

"Bella!"

I turned to see Jacob standing in the doorway. He was massive. He stood at least a foot taller than me, every inch of his body sinewy muscle. Every time he took my hand, mine just disappeared in his impressive grasp. I stood there, momentarily dumbfounded. He looked like he'd just crawled out of bed.

"Sorry, Jake. I didn't mean to wake you. I was just..." Completely alone? Lost? Dying inside? What was I doing here? "Where's your car?"

"Admit it. You can't live without me," he smirked. I just stared at him. "And Embry's got my car. Why?" In just a few long strides, he'd crossed the yard to stand in front of me.

He was right, of course. For months I'd been hanging on to him as if I couldn't live without him. I was so grateful to have him, but I hated that my weakness was so apparent. I could feel the tears welling up and I fought to hold them back. I knew better than to try speaking. That would just turn on the waterworks, and I didn't know what to say anyhow. I just looked up at him, counting on him to hold me together like he always did.

"Oh, Bells..." he murmured as he pulled me against his chest. As usual, he wasn't wearing a shirt. What was it about werewolves and the inability to stay clothed? I pressed closer, folding into his inhuman warmth and wrapped my arms around his waist. There, enveloped in this mountain of a boy, I was safe. Whatever had been constricting my lungs released.

At some point he must have let go and led me inside. We were sitting on the sofa, his arm around me, and he was flipping through the channels with the remote. He finally stopped at a cooking show, and then leaned back into the couch, pulling me closer. I knew he wasn't the least bit interested in how to make the perfect quiche, but he knew I was. I wondered when he'd gotten me all figured out like that. After a couple of episodes, I turned a little, pulled my knees up and tucked them against him, and I lay my head on his chest.

My eyes drifted away from the show and took in the perfection I was leaning against. He really was beautiful. His coppery skin pulled tight across the kind of muscles most men wanted and most women fantasized about. He was flawlessly sculpted and so, so warm. It was hard to believe this was the same boy who'd fallen for my inept flirting last year. Back then I'd thought he was cute. Now I looked at the man holding me, and...nope, I wasn't going to let my thoughts go there! His left hand hovered, absently twirling a bit of my hair around his fingers. God, even his hands were large and perfect.

Edward had been perfect, too, but in a completely opposite way. Whereas Edward was cool and hard as granite, Jacob's soft skin was incredibly warm. Edward's arms were always wrapped around me, but he'd kept me at a safe distance. Jacob was always pulling me closer. With Edward I'd always felt safe, like he would protect me from any threat, but with Jacob I felt safe because nothing was threatening me. At least that's what it felt like.

I sighed and pointed my eyes back to the TV. I had only been awake for a couple of hours, but I was sure I could close my eyes and fall asleep here with him, without the usual nightmares. And that must have been exactly what happened, because when I came to, the quiche was history and a new host was introducing something unpronounceable.

I could hear his heartbeat through his chest, and without thinking I reached out one hand and placed it over the source. It quickened.

His hand was absently tracing an invisible trail on my back, and I felt his breath in my hair. Something brushed my forehead...his lips. And I pressed closer to him.