Seth watched Renesmee's face as Jacob exited the diner and drove off with his friends. She looked like she had just been punched in the gut. "Are you...okay?" he finally asked after several minutes.

Renesmee forced an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about all that..."

Seth shrugged. "Not a big deal to me. You just look upset."

Renesmee shook her head and reached for Seth's hand on the table. She squeezed his hand quickly. "I'm fine, really."

"You can tell me the truth," he urged. "You guys have a lot of history."

Renesmee sighed. "Let's not talk about Jacob Black, okay?"

Seth smiled and nodded. "Okay, Ness. Let's try to have some fun," he suggested.

She smiled back and wondered if that was really possible.
...........
After an awkward dinner and uncomfortable lack of conversation, Renesmee surprisingly suggested a walk on the beach. Seth looked shocked. He assumed she would want to end the date as soon as possible. He agreed, cautiously optimistic that they could salvage the evening.

It was still warm as they set out to walk along the shoreline. It was breezy and the waves were lapping gently. Renesmee stopped to slip off her shoes, using one hand to lean on Seth for balance. She carried both shoes in one hand and slipped her other hand into Seth's.

"I'm sorry about tonight, Seth. I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

Seth smiled and nodded. "Me too."

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me and Jacob. We really are just friends."

Seth released her hand from his and stopped in his tracks. "Is it me you're trying to convince...or is it you?"

Renesmee sighed deeply and gazed out over the water before turning to face him. "I know how I feel..." she paused and approached him slowly. "Maybe I can show you," she breathed as she slid her hands up his chest and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
.............
The next day, Jacob had come to the garage early. He hadn't gotten much sleep. He couldn't get Renesmee off of his mind. And he just couldn't stand thinking about her and Seth any longer.

He spent all morning and most of the afternoon finishing up the Mustang. He had gotten the knock in the engine figured out and after a good wash and detail, there was nothing left to do but wax it. He felt proud at how much he had accomplished. It was beautiful and he hoped she would love it.

Jacob tried to ignore the pang of jealousy in his heart when he thought about her driving around in his gift with Seth. Of course, she couldn't drive it right away because she needed lessons and proper ID. Bella had promised to get it for her once she was certain that Ness could drive safely unsupervised.

"Busy?"

Jacob turned around slowly, panic setting in because he didn't have a chance to cover the car with a tarp. His secret was ruined. "Yeah, kinda," he replied coldly.

Renesmee smiled shyly as she approached him. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, curly tendrils framing her face. She wore a white lace tank top and faded blue denim cut off shorts with gold slide sandals and bright red toe nail polish. Jacob's eyes poured over her and she blushed. 'It's hot today, huh?" she commented breezily.

Jacob nodded slowly, mopping his sweat soaked face with a rag from his back pocket. He had taken his shirt off hours ago and he tried not to notice her checking out his bare chest. "Too hot to be here, that's for sure," he replied, pressing his hand to the small of her back and guiding her to the garage door where they could feel a bit of the breeze.

Renesmee smiled at his gentle touch and when lifted her by the waist to sit on the hood of an old pickup truck that still needed it's tires rotated, she gazed at him adoringly.

"What?" he asked self-consciously. "Do I have grease on my face?"

She laughed softly and tilted her head, "You always do that."

"What?"

"Everytime I walk anywhere, you put your hand right here," she demonstrated by pressing her hand to his back.

"I guess I didn't realize I was doing that..."

"I'm not mad. I just didn't realize how much I liked it until..." she trailed off.

"Until?"

"Until I was with someone who didn't do that. And didn't make me feel secure and loved me like you do," she blurted, suddenly embarrassed.

Jacob nodded slowly and leaned in closer, "So what are you trying to say, Renesmee?"

She stared deeply in his eyes and sighed, "I don't know."

Jacob groaned and stepped back from her. "Still can't be honest with yourself...or me?" He paused and shook his head bitterly. "I have a lot of work to do, so if there's nothing else..."

"He's not you."

Jacob stared blankly, clenching his jaw. "Why did you think he would be?"

When she didn't respond, Jacob turned away from her. He leaned against the door frame and looked toward the lush green of the nearby forest. He was tempted to phase right there and take off full speed.

Renesmee sucked in a deep breath and finally spoke. "I was stupid." She watched the muscles in his back tense as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I took you for granted," she continued when he didn't respond.

Still nothing, so she went on. "I thought that all the things I felt with you I could feel with someone else. But I was wrong. What I feel with you...the butterflies when you look at me, the tingles when you touch me...that's all you. I was an idiot to assume I would feel that with anyone else."

Jacob sighed as he turned to face her, still keeping his distance. "Anything else?"

Renesmee blinked quickly. "I was jealous. I was jealous of that kiss with Leah and when she said you loved my mom and even that waitress at the diner. I can't stand to picture you with anyone but me."

Jacob began to approach her cautiously. "So why have you been pushing me away?"

She lowered her gaze and mused, "I think...I was afraid. I didn't trust that what you felt for me was real. Having someone that is this devoted to you is scary. I guess I felt like I didn't deserve you. I'm still not sure if I do."

When she raised her gaze again, she found him standing before her, impossibly close. He leaned forward, placing his hands on either side of her, palms flat on the truck. "So now what?"

Her heart was beating so fast and her chest was heaving. "Now...I'm gonna ask you to forgive me. Can you do that?"

Jacob gave her an almost imperceptible smile. He leaned in slowly and...

"Am I interrupting?"

Jacob froze and then turned to find Ava standing behind him. He glanced back at Renesmee and clenched his jaw. "I need to talk to her."

Renesmee furrowed her brow as he approached Ava. She recognized the bubbly waitress from the diner and watched helplessly as Jacob walked towards Billy's house with her. Renesmee's mind raced. Was she too late? Was he seriously planning on going out with her?

Her gut twisted in pain at the thought that she had missed her chance with Jacob. She heard a car drive off and her heart sank. Did he just leave with her?

Renesmee slid down from where she was perched on the truck. Her temper was flaring now. How could she have been so stupid to think she could just keep pushing him away and he would just take it? She lost him and she had no one to blame but herself.

She started off to leave and ran directly into Jacob. He smiled down at her, wickedly and mused, "Going somewhere?"

Renesmee sighed dramatically and playfully punched him in the gut. "I thought you left me..."

"Nope," he replied, grinning. He reached for the curls around her face and twisted them around his fingers. "This is much better."

"Don't change the subject," she scolded. "What were you and the waitress talking about?"

Jacob shrugged. "That? That was nothing." He paused to bend down and press his lips to her neck. "Now where were we? Right...about...here?"

She pressed her hands to his chest and sighed. "Stop trying to distract me. Tell me what's going on."

Jacob raised his head and smiled happily. "I see your jealousy is back."

"Ugh!" she growled, "Just tell me."

Jacob pressed his lips together and nodded. "I took Ava to go meet Billy. She works part time as a home health care aide and I hired her to come check in on him a few days a week. His blood pressure has been a little high lately. Plus she promised to try to get him to eat healthier."

"Oh."

"Is that okay? She seems really nice and Billy seemed to like her..."

"Not to mention she's cute..."

Jacob bit back a smile and raised his eyebrows. "I hadn't noticed.'

Renesmee nodded happily. "Oh," she paused thoughtfully and then added, "Can you afford that?"

Jacob's smile disappeared as he dropped his gaze. "Yeah, I can handle it."

She cringed when she realized she had offended him. "I'm sorry," she replied quickly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gazed up at him.

He pulled her closer, hugging her tightly and lowering his head to smell her hair. Jacob had an idea. He threw Renesmee over his shoulder and carried her over to the corner of the garage where the Mustang sat. He set her down gently in front of it, her back to it as she laughed, "What are you doing?"

"Close your eyes," he ordered.

"Why?"

"Just do it," Jacob argued.

Renesmee sighed and closed her eyes. Jacob carefully spun her around, rested his face next to hers, kissed her on the cheek and murmured, "Now open 'em."

Renesmee opened her eyes slowly. "Jake..." she gasped. "What did you do?"

Jacob circled the driver's side of the car and opened the door for her. He held his hand out to her and smiled brightly. "Well?"

She strode toward him, her heart was bursting. He handed her the keys as she stepped in. He closed the door behind her and knelt down. She ran her fingers over the keys and smiled. "I can't believe you did this for me."

Jacob watched as she inspected the keys more closely. She smoothed her thumb over a flat wooden heart dangling from the keychain. There was a beautiful script R carefully engraved on the front. She turned it over gently and discovered a gorgeous profile of a wolf, raising his head to howl at the moon. It was engraved as well, stained a deep russet and resembling her favorite wolf.

"Oh, Jake," she gushed, as tears welled in her eyes. "I can't believe you did all this," gesturing to the car and pressing the keychain to her chest lovingly. "It's too much."

Jacob stood up and walked around to join her in the passenger seat. He bit down on his lower lip as he slid his left arm behind her, his hand resting gently on the nape of her neck. With his other hand, he reached over her, gripped her seatbelt and locked it into place while gazing at her, never breaking eye contact.

It was the simplest act, but somehow so sensual. "Jake," she breathed.

He lifted his hand from the seatbelt and brought it to her face, trailing his thumb along her jawline, stopping at her chin as he tilted her head gently and bringing his lips impossibly closer to his.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she waited, the anticipation was killing her. "Please," she begged.

Jacob scanned her face, committing everything to memory. He never wanted to forget this moment, the way she smelled, breathed, and how she licked her lips in anticipation of his kiss. He leaned in slowly, almost afraid of how badly he wanted this.
She sighed softly when he brushed his lips against hers, gently at first and then more urgently. She opened her mouth slightly, inviting him deeper. He sucked on her lower lip and nibbled gently. He gripped the door with one hand and the back of the seat with the other. He was afraid to touch her now, as he teetered on the edge of losing control.

When Jacob started to pull away, Renesmee slid her hand behind his neck, her other hand simultaneously unhooking the seatbelt. She climbed into his lap, their kiss never breaking contact. She straddled his lap and reached behind him to lower the seat. It dropped back quickly and he gasped, "Damn."

Renesmee beamed down at him, her eyelids half closed and her breathing ragged. "Touch me," she murmured.

He held his hands in front of her, palms flat. He cringed and balled his fists up. "I can't," he pleaded. "What if I hurt you?"

Her tongue peeked out slightly as she gripped his wrists roughly and pulled them behind her back. She lowered her head and kissed him again. He started to relax, finally letting his hands rest on her lower back and then he began to explore.

Jacob slid his hands lower, gripping her ass roughly, causing her to moan sensually into his mouth. He tipped his head back, breaking off the kiss, but allowing her access to his neck. He growled softly as she deposited a trail of kisses from his earlobe to his collarbone.

"You gotta...oh God...stop...please?"

Renesmee pulled back slowly, searching his face and finding his eyes squeezed tightly shut. "Look at me," she urged breathlessly.

Jacob tried to regulate his heart beat as he gazed up at her, lips swollen, chest heaving quickly. When she splayed her fingers over his chest and began tiptoeing them down to his stomach, he grabbed her wrists and held them away. "You're killing me, baby."

"But what a way to die, right?"

Jacob grinned happily, releasing her wrists and pulling her into the warmest, tightest hug ever. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed, "What am I gonna do with you?"

Renesmee pulled back slightly and grinned at him mischievously as she quipped, "Anything you want?"

He noticed the naughty gleam in her eye and laughed. "Anything?"

"Well..." she began, suddenly feeling nervous.

"I have an idea..." he paused as he brought his hands to rest on her thighs. "Driving lessons."

"What?" Renesmee pouted as he lifted her off his lap and placed her back in her seat, swiftly buckling her back in before she could argue further.

"Your parents won't let you drive this thing until I give you some lessons." She nodded, leaning forward to kiss him again, but he pulled back. "If you wanna be able to drive yourself to that art class this week, then I suggest you focus."

"Fine," she scowled, "teach me."

Jacob grinned happily as he slid a protective arm around her and handed her the keys once again, "Well you'll need these..."