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“What’s so funny？”
But Edward just grinned and loped off toward the trees without answering。
Grumbling to myself； I went to clean up the kitchen。 Before I even had the sink full of water； the doorbell
rang。 It was hard to get used to how much faster Jacob was without his car。 How everyone seemed to be so
much faster than me。 。 。 。
“Come in； Jake！” I shouted。
I was concentrating on piling the dishes into the bubbly water； and I’d forgotten that Jacob moved like a
ghost these days。 So it made me jump when his voice was suddenly there behind me。
“Should you really leave your door unlocked like that？ Oh； sorry。”
I’d slopped myself with the dishwater when he’d startled me。
“I’m not worried about anyone who would be deterred by a locked door；” I said while I wiped the front
of my shirt with a dishtowel。
“Good point；” he agreed。
I turned to look at him； eyeing him critically。 “Is it really so impossible to wear clothes； Jacob？” I asked。
Once again； Jacob was bare…chested； wearing nothing but a pair of old cut…off jeans。 Secretly； I wondered if
he was just so proud of his new muscles that he couldn’t stand to cover them up。 I had to admit； they were
impressive — but I’d never thought of him as vain。 “I mean； I know you don’t get cold anymore； but still。”
He ran a hand through his wet hair； it was falling in his eyes。
“It’s just easier；” he explained。
“What’s easier？”
He smiled condescendingly。 “It’s enough of a pain to carry the shorts around with me； let alone a complete
outfit。 What do I look like； a pack mule？”
I frowned。 “What are you talking about； Jacob？”
His expression was superior； like I was missing something obvious。 “My clothes don’t just pop in and out
of existence when I change — I have to carry them with me while I run。 Pardon me for keeping my burden
light。”
I changed color。 “I guess I didn’t think about that；” I muttered。
He laughed and pointed to a black leather cord； thin as a strand of yarn； that was wound three times
below his left calf like an anklet。 I hadn’t noticed before that his feet were bare； too。 “That’s more than just a
fashion statement — it sucks to carry jeans in your mouth。”
I didn’t know what to say to that。
He grinned。 “Does my being half…naked bother you？”
“No。”
Jacob laughed again； and I turned my back on him to focus on the dishes。 I hoped he realized my blush
was left over from embarrassment at my own stupidity； and had nothing to do with his question。
“Well； I suppose I should get to work。” He sighed。 “I wouldn’t want to give him an excuse to say I’m
slacking on my side。”
“Jacob； it’s not your job —”
He raised a hand to cut me off。 “I’m working on a volunteer basis here。 Now； where is the intruder’s scent
the worst？”
“My bedroom； I think。”
His eyes narrowed。 He didn’t like that any more than Edward had。
“I’ll just be a minute。”
I methodically scrubbed the plate I was holding。 The only sound was the brush’s plastic bristles scraping
round and round on the ceramic。 I listened for something from above； a creak of the floorboard； the click of a
door。 There was nothing。 I realized I’d been cleaning the same plate far longer than necessary； and I tried to
pay attention to what I was doing。
“Whew！” Jacob said； inches behind me； scaring me again。
“Yeesh； Jake； cut that out！”
“Sorry。 Here —” Jacob took the towel and mopped up my new spill。 “I’ll make it up to you。 You wash；
I’ll rinse and dry。”
“Fine。” I gave him the plate。
“Well； the scent was easy enough to catch。 By the way； your room reeks。”
“I’ll buy some air freshener。”
He laughed。
I washed and he dried in companionable silence for a few minutes。
“Can I ask you something？”
I handed him another plate。 “That depends on what you want to know。”
“I’m not trying to be a jerk or anything — I’m honestly curious；” Jacob assured me。
“Fine。 Go ahead。”
He paused for half a second。 “What’s it like — having a vampire for a boyfriend？”
I rolled my eyes。 “It’s the best。”
“I’m serious。 The idea doesn’t bother you — it never creeps you out？”
“Never。”
He was silent as he reached for the bowl in my hands。 I peeked up at his face — he was frowning； his
lower lip jutting out。
“Anything else？” I asked。
He wrinkled his nose again。 “Well 。 。 。 I was wondering 。 。 。 do you 。 。 。 y’know； kiss him？”
I laughed。 “Yes。”
He shuddered。 “Ugh。”
“To each her own；” I murmured。
“You don’t worry about the fangs？”
I smacked his arm； splashing him with dishwater。 “Shut up； Jacob！ You know he doesn’t have fangs！”
“Close enough；” he muttered。
I gritted my teeth and scrubbed a boning knife with more force than necessary。
“Can I ask another one？” he asked softly when I passed the knife to him。 “Just curious； again。”
“Fine；” I snapped。
He turned the knife over and over in his hands under the stream of water。 When he spoke； it was only a
whisper。 “You said a few weeks。 。 。 。 When； exactly 。 。 。 ？” He couldn’t finish。
“Graduation；” I whispered back； watching his face warily。 Would this set him off again？
“So soon；” he breathed； his eyes closing。 It didn’t sound like a question。 It sounded like a lament。 The
muscles in his arms tightened and his shoulders were stiff。
“OW！” he shouted； it had gotten so still in the room that I jumped a foot in the air at his outburst。
His right hand had curled into a tense fist around the blade of the knife — he unclenched his hand and the
knife clattered onto the counter。 Across his palm was a long； deep gash。 The blood streamed down his fingers
and dripped on the floor。
“Damn it！ Ouch！” he complained。
My head spun and my stomach rolled。 I clung to the countertop with one hand； took a deep breath
through my mouth； and forced myself to get a grip so that I could take care of him。
“Oh； no； Jacob！ Oh； crap！ Here； wrap this around it！” I shoved the dish towel at him； reaching for his
hand。 He shrugged away from me。
“It’s nothing； Bella； don’t worry about it。”
The room started to shimmer a little around the edges。
I took another deep breath。 “Don’t worry？！ You sliced your hand open！”
He ignored the dish towel I pushed at him。 He put his hand under the faucet and let the water wash over
the wound。 The water ran red。 My head whirled。
“Bella；” he said。
I looked away from the wound； up to his face。 He was frowning； but his expression was calm。
“What？”
“You look like you’re going to pass out； and you’re biting your lip off。 Stop it。 Relax。 Breathe。 I’m fine。”
I inhaled through my mouth and removed my teeth from my lower lip。 “Don’t be brave。”
He rolled his eyes。
“Let’s go。 I’ll drive you to the ER。” I was pretty sure