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I tapped my finger against the thick padding of his parka。 “I thought you didn’t get cold now。”
“I don’t。 I brought this for you； just in case you weren’t prepared。” He looked at my jacket； almost as if
he were disappointed that I was。 “I don’t like the way the weather feels。 It’s making me edgy。 Notice how we
haven’t seen any animals？”
“Um； not really。”
“I guess you wouldn’t。 Your senses are too dull。”
I let that pass。 “Alice was worried about the storm； too。”
“It takes a lot to silence the forest this way。 You picked a hell of a night for a camping trip。”
“It wasn’t entirely my idea。”
The pathless way he took began to climb more and more steeply； but it didn’t slow him down。 He leapt
easily from rock to rock； not seeming to need his hands at all。 His perfect balance reminded me of a mountain
goat。
“What’s with the addition to your bracelet？” he asked。
I looked down； and realized that the crystal heart was facing up on my wrist。
I shrugged guiltily。 “Another graduation present。”
He snorted。 “A rock。 Figures。”
A rock？ I was suddenly reminded of Alice’s unfinished sentence outside the garage。 I stared at the bright
white crystal and tried to remember what Alice had been saying before 。 。 。 about diamonds。 Could she have
been trying to say he’s already got one on you？ As in； I was already wearing one diamond from Edward？
No； that was impossible。 The heart would have to be five carats or something crazy like that！ Edward
wouldn’t —
“So it’s been a while since you came down to La Push；” Jacob said； interrupting my disturbing
conjectures。
“I’ve been busy；” I told him。 “And 。 。 。 I probably wouldn’t have visited； anyway。”
He grimaced。 “I thought you were supposed to be the forgiving one； and I was the grudge…holder。”
I shrugged。
“Been thinking about that last time a lot； have you？”
“Nope。”
He laughed。 “Either you’re lying； or you are the stubbornest person alive。”
“I don’t know about the second part； but I’m not lying。”
I didn’t like having this conversation under the present conditions — with his too…warm arms wrapped
tightly around me and nothing at all I could do about it。 His face was closer than I wanted it to be。 I wished I
could take a step back。
“A smart person looks at all sides of a decision。”
“I have；” I retorted。
“If you haven’t thought at all about our 。 。 。 er； conversation the last time you came over； then that’s not
true。”
“That conversation isn’t relevant to my decision。”
“Some people will go to any lengths to delude themselves。”
“I’ve noticed that werewolves in particular are prone to that mistake — do you think it’s a genetic thing？”
“Does that mean that he’s a better kisser that I am？” Jacob asked； suddenly glum。
“I really couldn’t say； Jake。 Edward is the only person I’ve ever kissed。”
“Besides me。”
“But I don’t count that as a kiss； Jacob。 I think of it more as an assault。”
“Ouch！ That’s cold。”
I shrugged。 I wasn’t going to take it back。
“I did apologize about that；” he reminded me。
“And I forgave you 。 。 。 mostly。 It doesn’t change the way I remember it。”
He muttered something unintelligible。
It was quiet then for a while； there was just the sound of his measured breathing and the wind roaring high
above us in the treetops。 A cliff face rose sheer beside us； bare； rough gray stone。 We followed the base as it
curved upward out of the forest。
“I still think it’s pretty irresponsible；” Jacob suddenly said。
“Whatever you’re talking about； you’re wrong。”
“Think about it； Bella。 According to you； you’ve kissed just one person — who isn’t even really a person
— in your whole life； and you’re calling it quits？ How do you know that’s what you want？ Shouldn’t you play
the field a little？”
I kept my voice cool。 “I know exactly what I want。”
“Then it couldn’t hurt to double check。 Maybe you should try kissing someone else — just for
comparison’s sake 。 。 。 since what happened the other day doesn’t count。 You could kiss me； for example。 I
don’t mind if you want to use me to experiment。”
He pulled me tighter against his chest； so that my face was closer to his。 He was smiling at his joke； but I
wasn’t taking any chances。
“Don’t mess with me； Jake。 I swear I won’t stop him if he wants to break your jaw。”
The panicky edge to my voice made him smile wider。 “If you ask me to kiss you； he won’t have any
reason to get upset。 He said that was fine。”
“Don’t hold your breath； Jake — no； wait； I changed my mind。 Go right ahead。 Just hold your breath until
I ask you to kiss me。”
“You’re in a bad mood today。”
“I wonder why？”
“Sometimes I think you like me better as a wolf。”
“Sometimes I do。 It probably has something to do with the way you can’t talk。”
He pursed his broad lips thoughtfully。 “No； I don’t think that’s it。 I think it’s easier for you to be near me
when I’m not human； because you don’t have to pretend that you’re not attracted to me。”
My mouth fell open with a little popping sound。 I snapped it shut at once； grinding my teeth together。
He heard that。 His lips pulled tightly across his face in a triumphant smile。
I took a slow breath before I spoke。 “No。 I’m pretty sure it’s because you can’t talk。”
He sighed。 “Do you ever get tired of lying to yourself？ You have to know how aware you are of me。
Physically； I mean。”
“How could anyone not be aware of you physically； Jacob？” I demanded。 “You’re an enormous monster
who refuses to respect anyone else’s personal space。”
“I make you nervous。 But only when I’m human。 When I’m a wolf； you’re more comfortable around me。”
“Nervousness and irritation are not the same thing。”
He stared at me for a minute； slowing to a walk； the amusement draining from his face。 His eyes narrowed；
turned black in the shadow of his brows。 His breathing； so regular as he ran； started to accelerate。 Slowly； he
leaned his face closer to mine。
I stared him down； knowing exactly what he was trying to do。
“It’s your face；” I reminded him。
He laughed loudly and started jogging again。 “I don’t really want to fight with your vampire tonight — I
mean； any other night； sure。 But we both have a job to do tomorrow； and I wouldn’t want to leave the Cullens
one short。”
The sudden； unexpected swell of shame distorted my expression。
“I know； I know；” he responded； not understanding。 “You think he could take me。”
I couldn’t speak。 I was leaving them one short。 What if someone got hurt because I was so weak？ But
what if I was brave and Edward 。 。 。 I couldn’t even think it。
“What’s the matter with you； Bella？” The joking bravado vanished from his face； revealing my Jacob
underneath； like pulling a mask away。 “If something I said upset you； you know I was only kidding。 I didn’t
me