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experience with this kind of thing； but I thought it was pretty incredible myself。”
“Ugh；” I groaned。
“You’re going to think about it tonight。 When he thinks you’re asleep； you’ll be thinking about your
options。”
“If I think about you tonight； it will be because I’m having a nightmare。”
He slowed the car to a crawl； turning to stare at me with his dark eyes wide and earnest。 “Just think about
how it could be； Bella；” he urged in a soft； eager voice。 “You wouldn’t have to change anything for me。 You
know Charlie would be happy if you picked me。 I could protect you just as well as your vampire can —
maybe better。 And I would make you happy； Bella。 There’s so much I could give you that he can’t。 I’ll bet he
couldn’t even kiss you like that — because he would hurt you。 I would never； never hurt you； Bella。”
I held up my injured hand。
He sighed。 “That wasn’t my fault。 You should have known better。”
“Jacob； I can’t be happy without him。”
“You’ve never tried；” he disagreed。 “When he left； you spent all your energy holding on to him。 You could
be happy if you let go。 You could be happy with me。”
“I don’t want to be happy with anyone but him；” I insisted。
“You’ll never be able to be as sure of him as you are of me。 He left you once； he could do it again。”
“No； he will not；” I said through my teeth。 The pain of the memory bit into me like the lash of a whip。 It
made me want to hurt him back。 “You left me once；” I reminded him in a cold voice； thinking of the weeks
he’d hidden from me； the words he’d said to me in the woods beside his home。 。 。 。
“I never did；” he argued hotly。 “They told me I couldn’t tell you — that it wasn’t safe for you if we were
together。 But I never left； never！ I used to run around your house at night — like I do now。 Just making sure
you were okay。”
I wasn’t about to let him make me feel bad for him now。
“Take me home。 My hand hurts。”
He sighed； and started driving at a normal speed； watching the road。
“Just think about it； Bella。”
“No；” I said stubbornly。
“You will。 Tonight。 And I’ll be thinking about you while you’re thinking about me。”
“Like I said； a nightmare。”
He grinned over at me。 “You kissed me back。”
I gasped； unthinkingly balling my hands up into fists again； hissing when my broken hand reacted。
“Are you okay？” he asked。
“I did not。”
“I think I can tell the difference。”
“Obviously you can’t — that was not kissing back； that was trying to get you the hell off of me； you idiot。”
He laughed a low； throaty laugh。 “Touchy。 Almost overly defensive； I would say。”
I took a deep breath。 There was no point in arguing with him； he would twist anything I said。 I
concentrated on my hand； trying to stretch out my fingers； to ascertain where the broken parts were。 Sharp
pains stabbed along my knuckles。 I groaned。
“I’m really sorry about your hand；” Jacob said； sounding almost sincere。 “Next time you want to hit me；
use a baseball bat or a crowbar； okay？”
“Don’t think I’ll forget that；” I muttered。
I didn’t realize where we were going until we were on my road。
“Why are you taking me here？” I demanded。
He looked at me blankly。 “I thought you said you were going home？”
“Ugh。 I guess you can’t take me to Edward’s house； can you？” I ground my teeth in frustration。
Pain twisted across his face； and I could see that this affected him more than anything else I’d said。
“This is your home； Bella；” he said quietly。
“Yes； but do any doctors live here？” I asked； holding up my hand again。
“Oh。” He thought about that for a minute。 “I’ll take you to the hospital。 Or Charlie can。”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital。 It’s embarrassing and unnecessary。”
He let the Rabbit idle in front of the house； deliberating with an unsure expression。 Charlie’s cruiser was in
the driveway。
I sighed。 “Go home； Jacob。”
I climbed out of the car awkwardly； heading for the house。 The engine cut off behind me； and I was less
surprised than annoyed to find Jacob beside me again。
“What are you going to do？” he asked。
“I am going to get some ice on my hand； and then I am going to call Edward and tell him to come and get
me and take me to Carlisle so that he can fix my hand。 Then； if you’re still here； I am going to go hunt up a
crowbar。”
He didn’t answer。 He opened the front door and held it for me。
We walked silently past the front room where Charlie was lying on the sofa。
“Hey； kids；” he said； sitting forward。 “Nice to see you here； Jake。”
“Hey； Charlie；” Jacob answered casually； pausing。 I stalked on to the kitchen。
“What’s wrong with her？” Charlie wondered。
“She thinks she broke her hand；” I heard Jacob tell him。 I went to the freezer and pulled out a tray of ice
cubes。
“How did she do that？” As my father； I thought Charlie ought to sound a bit less amused and a bit more
concerned。
Jacob laughed。 “She hit me。”
Charlie laughed； too； and I scowled while I beat the tray against the edge of the sink。 The ice scattered
inside the basin； and I grabbed a handful with my good hand and wrapped the cubes in the dishcloth on the
counter。
“Why did she hit you？”
“Because I kissed her；” Jacob said； unashamed。
“Good for you； kid；” Charlie congratulated him。
I ground my teeth and went for the phone。 I dialed Edward’s cell。
“Bella？” he answered on the first ring。 He sounded more than relieved — he was delighted。 I could hear
the Volvo’s engine in the background； he was already in the car — that was good。 “You left the phone 。 。 。
I’m sorry； did Jacob drive you home？”
“Yes；” I grumbled。 “Will you come and get me； please？”
“I’m on my way；” he said at once。 “What’s wrong？”
“I want Carlisle to look at my hand。 I think it’s broken。”
It had gone quiet in the front room； and I wondered when Jacob would bolt。 I smiled a grim smile；
imagining his discomfort。
“What happened？” Edward demanded； his voice going flat。
“I punched Jacob；” I admitted。
“Good；” Edward said bleakly。 “Though I’m sorry you’re hurt。”
I laughed once； because he sounded as pleased as Charlie had。
“I wish I’d hurt him。” I sighed in frustration。 “I didn’t do any damage at all。”
“I can fix that；” he offered。
“I was hoping you would say that。”
There was a slight pause。 “That doesn’t sound like you；” he said； wary now。 “What did he do？”
“He kissed me；” I growled。
All I heard on the other end of the line was the sound of an engine accelerating。
In the other room； Charlie spoke again。 “Maybe you ought to take off； Jake；” he suggested。
“I think I’ll hang out here； if you don’t mind。”
“Your funeral；” Charlie muttered。
“Is the dog still there？” Edward finally spoke again。
“Yes。”
“I’m around the corner；” he said dark