The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter LXIII

"With Emily, I can smell Sam on her but there's something off. It's like a threat. You know, not to hurt her or anything." His lips were on my other shoulder, the warmth seeping through my skin and hitting every nerve ending.

"Why haven't you done this yet?" I asked, my back arching instinctually.

"There's a little thing that we have to do first," he said moving lower.

"No," I groaned as his lips left my skin.

"I was just letting you know that's going to happen," he said, raising his face to mine, which was probably a good thing; any lower and he was going to be in my boobs. And I wasn't willing to go that far just yet.

"I remember a little girl who told me that she didn't want to get married," he began, his nose up against mine. "But I'm hoping that I'm going to change her mind," he continued. His lips pressed against mine. No matter how much I tried to make his kiss hotter and more hungry, he wasn't willing to. He was slow and gentle.

Of all the times that he had kissed me, this had to be the most romantic. His tongue slipped into my mouth, the first time that he had ever done that. I gasped and slid my fingers up around his head, holding his face to mine. He pulled away while I was still wanting more.

"So I just wonder if I've changed her mind about it yet," he whispered. I would've said anything if we would just kiss me like that again. So I nodded against him and he smiled and kissed me again, just like before slow and steady. I could feel myself melting as he snaked his arms around my waist and pulled us upright.

"I don't hear talking," Billy called from his bedroom. And we had thought the old man had gone to sleep.

"We're fine, Dad," Jake said, our lips coming apart with an audible pop. Jake pulled me off his lap, tossing me next to him. "Just watching a movie."

"Yeah, I remember what happens when you start watching movies," he called back.

The paused and distance was long enough for me to get my head back on straight. Jake was looking proud of himself, watching The Mask of Zorro.

"That wasn't your proposal, right?" I said, suddenly realizing what he had been saying.

"No," he laughed. "I think your dreams are a little too big for a high school hitching, Rye." I nodded.

"But why go on about all that then?"

"Because I remember when we talked about marriage, we were only thirteen. We were sitting in the tree out back talking about bras and panties and tampons and other things that I never want to know about ever again. You said that you didn't want to do what your parents did; you didn't want to get married until you were sure that you weren't going to make your parents mistakes. I just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page."

"The imprint can't be wrong, right Jake?" He nodded. "So then it can't be wrong about me and you. And I know that I love you. What I don't want to do is get married fresh out of high school," I said.

"Good," he replied, kissing the top of my head.

"Jake, can we talk about something that might make you a little upset?" He frowned but nodded. "I need you to back off, Jake. I need you to let me be me."

"I don't follow."

"The protection detail," I explained. "I know that you're worried about me being anywhere alone, but I am staying on the Rez or at the gym. Leah is already with me there and any vamp would be ridiculous to attack me while I'm there. It's too public." He was growling quietly, but had yet to interrupt me.

"There are three wolves running around the Rez at all times, so there's no way that something could get through the lines. The Cullens are on the other side of the line, protecting my sister." He roared at that one. "I get that you want to protect me, but it doesn't change the fact that I am losing everything about myself, Jake. I am stronger than the person that I have become," I said pushing away to look at him. "I love you and I don't want anything about the relationship that we have now to change. But I also don't want to change anything about me. I don't want to be the person that loses everything about themselves because they want to please a guy."

He sighed loudly and leaned back into the couch, biting his tongue and shaking his knee.

"Hypothetically, say that I gave in to all this," he began. My heart thumped in my chest. "Say that I decided that as long as you were on the Rez, you could do what you wanted; could we set a few rules down?"

"More rules?" I groaned.

"You make rules about our relationship; I'll make rules about your safety. Compromise, like a normal couple would."

"We're not a normal couple. You kill vampires, I get hunted by them, my sister tries to kill me all day. I don't think that's normal," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"Rules: you stay on the Rez at all times. If you're going to leave, which would only be to go to the gym, you send me a text first. You take Leah to the gym with you and you do not leave it alone. You wait for me or you go home with Leah. You are back, in this house, by nine. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Warden," I saluted. He sighed.

"I'm serious, Annie. Those are the conditions. I want to know that you're safe before I agree to any of this."

"I thought this a hypothetical situation," I said with a smirk.

"You are off of lockdown," he said. "Provided that you obey the rules."

"What am I? A dog?"

"Ryanne," he warned.

"Yes, Jacob; I will be a good girl and obey your rules."

"That's my girl," he said. "Now, let's get off to bed." He slapped my thigh.

I was dressed in my pajamas and lying against Jake's chest. "Jake, what's going to happen now?"

"Well, your body needs a little rest in order to keep your brain functioning. So, your heart rate is going to-"

"Jake, I meant with the vampires," I said, giving him a look.

"We are going to meet with them tomorrow," he said. "And you are going to stay right he in the house with Dad." I glared at him. "You are going to stay on the Rez?" he tried again.

That's my boy.