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Leah cursed so many times that Seth thought she had discovered new bad words when the car broke. She had an important job interview at Forks and would not attend in time if she took a bus by then. She grinned her teeth, feeling the pressure and almost biting the inner part of her cheeks in the process.
“Why don’t you run to Jake’s house and ask him for his car or his motorcycle? I’m sure he will lend you”, Seth suggested, relaxed and confident.
“Are you? He is so jealous about that stupid Rabbit.”
“Trust me. I know he will.”
Leah had time only to pick her bag. She ran as fast as she could, since she had no time to spend that morning. She didn’t realize the sky was grey and the clouds announced a lasting rain. Also, she didn’t feel the cold wind against her skin, since the adrenaline of the run made her blood boil.
“Jacob!” She screamed his name as long as she reached the front yard of the little red cabin. The door opened in a few seconds and he looked confused. “Can you please, please borrow me your car or your bike?”
“Yeah, sure, c’mon in.”
The way he agreed, without any question, made Leah’s stomach twist. She followed him, though, and realized the inside of the house was so cozy she could stay there a little bit longer—only if she didn’t have that important interview!
“Here”, he gave her the car keys, “and have some water, you look like you need it.”
She accepted both the keys and the water glass he offered her. His eyes were analyzing her, as if he was trying to get some information just by looking.
“What?” She asked, feeling her cheeks hot, but a chill ran through her spine.
“What happened?” He finally inquired.
“My car broke and I have a job interview at Forks in half an hour. I won’t make it if I take the bus.”
“And you’re going like this?” Jacob crossed his arms and looked at her from her bottom to the top.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Leah gazed at her garnet All Stars, her black twill pants and her brown short sleeve t-shirt. “It’s a bookstore, I don’t have to look elegant.”
“That’s not the problem.”
Without saying a word, Jacob marched to his room and left Leah with a mixed expression. She didn’t have time to speculate, though, because he quickly came with a bunch of black fabric in hand.
“Here, it’s a shirt I only used twice. It was a birthday gift my dad gave me when I turned sixteen, my last birthday before I started phasing. I think it will fit.”
“Why? Why do I need your shirt?”
“Looks like it’s gonna rain. Since you stopped phasing, your cold tolerance has decreased.”
“It’s not necessary, it’s just a silly rain.” She couldn’t avoid the instinct of rolling her eyes.
Before speaking again, Jacob held the shirt by the long sleeves and embraced Leah with the fabric, tying the sleeves in a loose knot over her chest. The proximity was enough for Leah to inhale the pleasant smell that came from his smooth skin.
“You don’t have time to argue, babe. Good luck on your interview”, he said pushing her through the door.
Leah really wanted to argue, but two things stopped her. First, the way he called her stole all the words from her mouth. Second, as soon as her feet stepped outside, raindrops started falling. She made a thankful gesture and ran to the car, feeling Jacob’s gaze on her back. An unusual shivering got her spine, and she blamed the cold weather.
Jacob was at the garage, fixing a motorcycle, when he heard the familiar sound of the Rabbit’s motor. The persistent rain was still there, soaking everything and everywhere. Leah parked right in front of the garage entrance and jumped out of the car with a big smile on her face. She was wearing his dark shirt with the hem tucked inside her pants. It’ll smell like her, he thought with a strange feeling growing in his chest.
“I got the job!” She was happier than ever, her brown eyes glimmering.
“Congratulations. I’ll order your favorite hamburger as a prize.”
“I will not pretend I don’t want it.”
“Oh, I know you well enough not to think you would. Just let me finish this.”
Leah walked past him and let her body fall onto his old couch.
“I’ll take a look at your car after lunch, you’ll need it to go to work.”
“Yeah, I start tomorrow morning.”
“If I can’t solve everything today, you can borrow my car. Just keep the tank full.”
“That’s the least I can do to return the favor.”
Jacob got up and cleaned his hands in a flannel. He reached for his phone at his back pocket and immediately called the diner. Leah and him were so close by now that he knew all her meal preferences without having to ask her.
“It will take half an hour due to the rain”, he informed while sitting beside her.
“You’re being too nice today.”
“Am I?”
“Yes”, she laughed nervously. “What’s going on? We’re not like that.”
Her stunning eyes were piercing him, and Jacob felt the obligation to look at her. They were mere inches apart from each other, their shoulders almost touching. The sofa was not exactly small, but both of them were well above average height.
“Then how are we like?”
“Answer me first”, she demanded with her fierce voice.
For a moment, Jacob just observed her. He always liked her long eyelashes, her copper skin and her plentiful lips. Jacob let his eyes vague along Leah’s neck, where a thin necklace hid underneath her shirt—his shirt.
“I wanna be nice to you”, he answered in a hoarse tone. “I thought we had already passed that stage when we were insufferable to each other.”
“We did, Jake.”
“Now, you answer me. How are we like?”
She didn’t say a word. Jacob knew Leah well enough to identify when she was pondering. Her beautiful eyes were all over him, scrutinizing his feature, absorbing his expression. Jacob feared what was written on the lines of his face.
“I don’t know.” She raised her shoulders and let them fall. “I think we are a mess.”
“Indeed.” He couldn’t help but smile. “A big one.”
Leah was smiling too, a soft one that was as rare as she was. Then, she added, “But I think we can mend it.”
He found her hand and intertwined their fingers. Jacob lifted her hand till he could drop a gentle kiss on the back. Her skin smelled like rain and orange flower, a perfect blend. As he moved his lips to her pulse, he could feel her body heat increasing, her skin responding to his.
When they locked eyes again, Jacob found permission and an invitation—permission to continue, invite to go further. He placed her hand at the back of his neck and softly held her face.
“You look beautiful with my shirt”, he whispered as he kissed the corner of her mouth.
Without waiting for him, Leah turned her lips to find his. First, the kiss was just a peck followed by another, and another, and another. But then Jacob opened his mouth and licked her bottom lip, and Leah surrendered to the growing desire that threatened to burn her insides. Her grip turned his hair into a mess, and his hands were grabbing everything he could get. For Leah, kissing Jacob was an antidote for an old anguish she was trying—unsuccessfully—to silence. For Jacob, her lips could be well enough the last thing he would savor; if he were to die right there, he would have no regrets.
“I can’t believe we took this long to do… this”, he lustfully soaked her lip.
She grinned against his kiss and murmured breathlessly, “Thank God we did”.
“Do you really want that hamburger?” He moved her lips to her neck, treading her skin with his tongue.
“Yeah, I’m really hungry.” Her response made him groan in disappointment and she let out a hoarse laugh. “We can continue this latter.”
“It’s a promise?” Jacob looked in her eyes again.
“I’m a woman of word.”
Jacob kissed her again, gently now. When they were far enough away to be able to observe each other, her expression of desire almost killed him.
“What?” She traced his bottom lip with her thumb.
“You’re stunning. I can’t believe I took so long to see it”, he admitted.
“That’s because you were an asshole to me.”
“And you were no better.” He squeezed her waist to make her smile and when she did, he continued, “But the past must remain in the past. I prefer what we have now.”
“Me too.” Leah leaned over Jacob and kissed him once again, slowly and delightfully. “But don’t be fooled into thinking I’m gonna make it easy for you.”
“I wouldn’t expect any less from you, babe.”
“Now, I want you to do something for me.”
“Anything you need.”
She smiled slyly, “Go and get my lunch, please.”
Just then Jacob heard the motorbike parking outside his garage, the rain still pouring. He left a peck on Leah’s lips and got up quickly. He was willing to do whatever it takes for her.