Jacob pressed little kisses all over Renesmee's face and she giggled in response. "I love you," she gushed. "And no more secrets, I swear."

He sighed, his gaze intense and brow furrowed. "I want you to know..." he paused to lean in, "that I know how hard this has been for you. And I know you've been through so much because of me, but I appreciate you. I've been hard to deal with, but that's not your fault. What's happening to me is because of choices that I made. And I shouldn't take that out on you or anyone else. I just wanna be strong again and be able to care for you the way you deserve."

"I can be strong for both of us right now," she offered sweetly. "And you should lean on me, don't push me away."

Jacob chuckled as he remembered saying that to her first. "That's really good advice."

"Isn't it?" she joked. "Wonder where I heard it from?"

"One more thing," his gaze became more intense as he reached for her neck and tipped her face up to his. "I love you, Nessie, more than I ever thought possible. And knowing you love me too means absolutely everything to me. You are my whole world."

"Oh, Jacob, I've been so afraid that my love would never be able to measure up to the way you feel for me. But it does. And it's been so easy to fall this deeply in love with you because you showed me the way, sweetheart. You've shown me the greatest example of how to love someone with your whole heart, because you've been doing it since the day I was born. It's like saying 'I love you' doesn't even begin to describe the way I feel. But when I kiss you, I hope you know."

Renesmee leaned in to kiss him, but he held her at bay. "What?" she breathed when he continued to stare at her.

Jacob shook his head slowly as a grin spread across his face. "Why was your speech so much better than mine?"

She shrugged playfully as he gathered her in his arms and she wrapped herself around him. "I don't know," she replied shyly. "Just kiss me."

And he did.

They held each other desperately, just kissing and enjoying each other with no wandering hands. For once, they acted like a couple of teenagers just learning how the other one liked being kissed. Each of them listened for a hitch in the other's breath or a soft growl or the way the other one moaned with a nibble. They explored each other in a whole new way, this was innocent and sweet.

Renesmee sighed when he pulled away. "You make me feel so good."

"Mmmm, that part is easy. I love the way you respond to my touch," he murmured. He barely ran the back of his fingers over her bare knee and she shuddered. "You've got goosebumps..."

"Everywhere..." she added and they both laughed.

Suddenly Jacob scowled and crinkled up his nose. "I don't know how you can stand to be around me, Ness. I'm in dire need of a shower."

"You don't smell bad to me..."

"Regardless, I need a shower." He kissed her once more and slid her off of his lap. "Wanna wash my back?"

"Where are you going?" she quizzed as he pulled her off the bed.

"Shower," he scowled, motioning toward the door that led upstairs.

"Carlisle will never allow that."

"I don't care."

"What about the stairs and your stitches?" she reminded him.

Jacob stopped, his head dropping. "I hate this," he growled.

"Come on," she offered, pulling him in the opposite direction. "I have an idea."

Jacob scowled as she guided him into the bathroom. She slid a chair up to the sink and turned it to face the opposite direction. "Sit," she ordered. "I'll be right back."

Renesmee raced upstairs to get the supplies she needed. She returned quickly. "I think you're gonna like this," she announced with a devilish gleam in her eye.

"Where did you get this chair from?"

"Oh this is what my aunts used to wash my hair." When Jacob gave her a confused look, she continued, "I refused to leave your room after the first time you opened your eyes. I just waited for you to come around and I wouldn't leave until you did. So my dad brought this down so I could get my hair washed."

"Oh."

Renesmee turned the water on and let it run over her fingers until she felt the temperature was just right. "Okay let's do this."

She pushed the chair back carefully and cradled his head back until it reached the water. "Too hot?"

"Mmmm, no...feels good."

Renesmee beamed down at him as she began to rinse his hair. She added a generous amount of shampoo and started to lather up his inky black hair with suds. He sighed appreciatively and let his eyes fall closed as she massaged his scalp. He gripped the arms of the chair roughly when her nails raked through his hair and grazed his skin. "Am I hurting you?"

"Yeah," he murmured, "but in a good way."

She giggled shyly as she reached around to lather up the back of his head. He opened his eyes to find her cleavage directly in front of his face. He gripped the chair even tighter, feeling completely tempted to pull her on top of him and kiss her senseless. "Nice view," he commented laughing.

Renesmee looked down and realized what he was staring at. "Be good," she scolded.

"No way," he groaned, pulling her around to the front of his chair and guiding her to straddle his lap.

"Jacob!" she warned.

"What?" he asked innocently as he rested his hands on her hips.

"I'm not hurting you?"

"Yeah...in a good way," he teased, pressing her hips down so she could feel how much he wanted her.

"You're distracting me."

"Tell me about it," he groaned as he eyed her breasts appreciatively.

"Such a pervert," she teased as she began to rinse the shampoo out of his hair.

"If I was a pervert," he breathed, squeezing her buttocks with both hands tightly, "then I'd do this," he dipped his head to lick the valley between her breasts, "or this."

When water slid down his face and over his chest, it soaked her shirt and she squealed, "Jake, quit it!"

She reached over him and shut the water off quickly. He pulled her close to him and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. "Thank you," he murmured into her ear.

Renesmee hugged him tightly and replied, "Oh, it was my pleasure."

When she released him, she reached for a dry towel next to the sink. She sat up a little and began to rub his head. "Feel better?"

Jacob squirmed underneath her and scowled playfully. "Not really."

She laughed as she climbed out of his lap and he groaned in frustration. "Where ya going?" he whined.

"It's time to get you cleaned up," she offered as she began to fill the sink with warm soapy water. She dipped a washcloth into the suds, wrung it out, and came around to stand in front of him. "Now let's get you out of these clothes."

Jacob's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

Renesmee reached behind him for a hand towel and handed it to him. "Cover up with this," she suggested. "And I'll turn my back."

"You think I'm a pervert? At least I didn't ask you to strip naked for me."

"Hey this is not for my enjoyment, ya know? I'm trying to help you."

Jacob stood, his gaze intense and his brow furrowed. "Are you sure you wouldn't enjoy it...just a little?" He lifted a hand to sweep her wavy locks over her shoulder and brushed the back of his fingers along the side of her neck..

There was a hitch in her breath as she nibbled her lower lip. "Not at all," she lied.

Jacob leaned in to kiss her and breathed, "You're lying."

"Mmm hmm," she mumbled into his mouth as he assaulted her with fiery kisses.

He slid the chair away from the sink and pulled her back with him to rest on the edge. She gasped when he yanked her hips roughly and buried his face in her neck. He nipped playfully at her smooth skin and she tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he refused to let her go.

"You know you're being ridiculous, right?" she asked, still trying to get him away from her neck.

He finally gave up and raised his head to face her. "How so?"

"You asked me to wash your back in the shower, but now you won't take your pants off? Were you gonna shower with all your clothes on?"

Jacob laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Well that's different, because you would have been naked with me."

"So I just need to get naked with you? That's fine..." she replied, reaching for the button on her shorts and making quick work of unfastening it and sliding the zipper down.

When he saw the top edge of her panties, he called out, "Stop! I give up."

"What's wrong?" she teased, sliding her thumbs inside her waistband and lowering them just an inch.

"You called my bluff, okay. So please stop," he begged as he pushed her hands away and grasped her hips.

"Take 'em off," she breathed.

He bit down on his lower lip and shook his head. "No way, Nessie."

He held the button and buttonhole together and then pulled them apart, his expression betraying the fact that his mind was warring with himself. Ultimately he buttoned and zipped her shorts for her, but his fingers lingered on her skin just a little while longer than they should have.

"So are you taking these off or am I?" she asked as she reached for his waistband.

"No!" he protested, batting her hands away, swiping the washcloth from her, and turning to face the sink. "I'm perfectly capable of washing myself."

She peeked around his shoulder and eyed him in the mirror. "I thought you wanted me to wash your back?"

He scrubbed his face and behind his ears. "No, it's fine."

Renesmee stuck out her lower lip and pouted at his reflection in the mirror. "You're being mean, Jake."

"Not the pout face, Nessie, please. You know that's my weakness."

She stuck her lip out more, eyes looking even sadder as she dragged her mouth along the curve of his shoulder, standing on tiptoes to press a kiss to his neck. "Please?" she breathed into his ear, her teeth barely grazing his earlobe.

He gripped the counter roughly and squeezed his eyes shut as he panted. "You're killing me, Ness."

When she backed away from him, he swung around and grabbed her desperately, pulling her around to rest on the edge of the counter. She gasped as she pulled herself up onto the counter and he slid his hands up her thighs in response. He gripped her behind the knees, lifting gently and placing her ankles behind his back. She smiled up at him as he leaned closer and she let her head fall back.

Jacob attacked her neck with kisses and nibbles. She squealed with delight and this just pushed him further. He wound his hands behind her back and buried them inside the waistband of her shorts. She gasped again when he grabbed two handfuls and squeezed.

Renesmee raised her head slowly, eyes heavy-lidded and blazing bright green with desire. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him hard. He moaned into her mouth, his mind flooded images of his Nessie modeling outfits on their varied shopping trips. Each time she emerged from the dressing room, she longed for him to kiss her and tell her how beautiful she is. She dropped her hands slowly, breaking away from him. "I don't know why I showed you that," she explained, her breathing ragged.

"Cuz you wanna torture me?" he murmured, pulling her hair gently and kissing the tip of her chin when her head dropped back.

She laughed softly. "No...I think it's because that was when I really started noticing the way you looked at me...like you wanted me. But I convinced myself that was crazy."

"I did want you then...I want you more now."

They pressed their foreheads together and began untangling themselves. "Turn around," she ordered.

He complied easily, how could he not? He was like putty in her hands. Jacob gasped when she began to wash his back. "Too cold?"

He shook his head quickly and reached for her legs, wrapping them around him and rubbing the length of her thighs as she scrubbed him clean. She lovingly paid attention to every inch of his massive back. She gave great care to his neck, pausing to tell him, "This is my favorite part of you."

"Really?" he chuckled. "My neck."

"No," she giggled, dropping the cloth and squeezing the muscles that led from his neck to his shoulders. "Right here. I just love 'em."

Jacob blushed a little. "Not my eyes or my smile? You love my traps?"

"Traps?" she repeated. "That's what they're called?"

"Yeah."

"Traps..." she repeated slowly, liking the way it rolled off her tongue. "I love your traps," she whispered, running her fingers over them and gasping when he flexed them and they rippled under her touch.

Jacob turned slowly to face her, her smile wide and eyes dancing with glimmers of emerald in them. "I love your eyes and smile too of course, but your traps make me all tingly."

He buried his face in her neck and mumbled against her skin. "I love every part of you."

"No favorites?" she prodded.

Jacob brushed his lips along her shoulder and hummed. "Well maybe one..."

Renesmee gripped the back of his head roughly and forced him to look at her. "Do I have to guess?"

He laughed in response and smiled widely. "I have to just choose one?"

"Yep."

"Mmm..." he murmured as he began kissing her everywhere. "So many good choices."

"Stop stalling."

He and sighed. His fingers dove into her hair and twisted around her locks, he brought two handfuls up to his nose and breathed deeply. "You should already know the answer to this one."

"My hair?"

"Yep, I love it. It's soft, it smells so good, and I love touching it, but you knew that."

Renesmee scowled. "But what if I cut it off?"

"Why would you do that?" he demanded playfully.

"I wouldn't," she promised, pulling him into a hug. "I guess I should finish getting you cleaned up," she suggested as her hands wandered to his hips.

"Oh no, I don't think so," he scolded, capturing her hands in his. "I'll be finishing this by myself."

Renesmee humphed as she slid down from the counter and threw him a backwards glance. "You're no fun."

When she pulled the door open, she found her father standing there. "Dad!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Just making sure that you're okay," he replied nervously.

Jacob poked his head out from the bathroom door and smiled. "Hey, Dad. Ness was just helping me wash my hair. I'll be out in a minute."

"Take your time, Jacob. I'd like to speak with my daughter."

Jacob pressed his lips together and nodded. "Sure thing."

Renesmee leaned toward Jacob and gave him a concerned look. "I brought you some clean clothes, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste. And some shaving supplies if you want them."

"Do you want me to shave?"

She smiled shyly and reached for his chin. "It's a little rough, but totally up to you."

Jacob nodded and mouthed, I love you.

She mouthed back, Me too. So much.