Chapter 5

Heather POV

As Jacob started to pace, I thought it would be a good idea to head back over to Dawn and go for a swim since that was what we came here for in the first place. I had taken two steps away from the tree when I heard Jacob say, “Stop right there. Don’t move. We are not done. We have one more thing to talk about.” I stepped a little farther away from the tree so that at least he wouldn’t be able to cage me in against it again. He approached and stopped about a foot away in front of me. Even with him standing at that distance, I still had to tilt my head back to look into his eyes because of our height difference.

“No, I think we’re good,” I replied.

“You never told me why your cheeks were red.”

“Sun burn. I forgot to put sunscreen on them.”

“Is that so, then why are they getting redder by the minute while we are standing in the shade?”

“Holes in the ozone layer. It has been causing lots of problems.”

“Heather are you trying to be a smart ass?”

“No. All my brains are in my head, and there are none in my ass.”

I attempted to take a few more steps away from Jacob, and again, he moved a hell of a lot faster than I was expecting. He picked me up by my hips, placed my back against the tree from earlier, and slid his hands down my thighs, pulling my legs up so that they encircled his waist. I placed my hands on his shoulder for balance and looked at where our chests were pressed together.

“Look at me, Heather.” I felt his breath feather across my neck just below my ear, causing shivers to go down my spine. I shook my head no. “I can’t. You need to put me down, Jacob. You shouldn’t be holding me this way."

I heard a low rumble come from Jacob’s chest. “Look at me now, Heather. I need you to look at me while I explain something to you.” I raised my eyes to meet Jacob’s.

“I need you to know...” He started to explain. “This is one of the many ways I have dreamt of holding you over the past few months. I know that I shouldn’t, but I do. I thought that I could just let you leave tomorrow and not say anything, but after what happened out on the beach, I couldn’t. When you took off that t-shirt and I realized that all those other guys were getting the opportunity to see your gorgeous curves, I lost it. I didn’t want to share. I know this isn’t fair to you. I’m trying my hardest to use common sense right now. I just want to know if you can make me a promise. If I have not found my mate by the time you turn eighteen and you don’t find yours right away, will you come back here to see if you and I are?”

The whole time that he was talking, he had been moving one hand back and forth across the outside of my thigh and the other one was sitting just under the hem of my shirt at the top of my bikini bottoms doing little circles on my skin with his thumb. These movements have caused me to be a little distracted. Did I hear him, right? Jacob wants me and is hoping that I will end up being his mate.

“You are going to have to stop moving your hands if you want me to be able to pay attention to what you’re saying. Did you just say that you want to find out if I’m your mate, if neither one of us has one, when I turn eighteen?”

“Yes, that is what I’m asking.”

“You’re right. That isn’t fair to either one of us. You can’t ask me not to date other guys. That would mean going to all school activities, like dances, for the next four years, my entire high school career, alone. I know you haven’t done that for the last three years and I don’t expect you to for your last. I will agree that if neither of us is involved with anybody when I turn eighteen, I will meet up with you to see what happens. There is nothing saying that we can’t have some light fun if we’re both single when I come back to visit.”

“Mmmm, good. Can we seal the deal with a kiss? You know some of that light fun you just mentioned.”

Staring into Jacob’s eyes, I slowly nodded my head yes. Before I had even been able to finish the first nod, Jacob’s lips were on mine. His lips were so soft and gentle. He seemed to be trying to let all the emotions that he had been holding these last few months flow through this one kiss. Everything felt so right, like this is where I was supposed to be, but at the same time, so wrong. Jacob pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine as we both panted, trying to catch our breath. “WOW!” That was all I could think to say.

“I would most definitely have to agree to that,” Jacob chuckled.

He slowly let me slide down his body until my feet touched the ground. He held on to me for a bit while I made sure my legs were going to hold me.

“Go find Dawn. I’ll be back over there soon. I just need a few minutes to calm down.”

He must have noticed the confused look on my face because he pointed down between us. That’s when I saw what he meant by calming down. He leaned down and whispered “I made it into the water last time with most people, not noticing enough to be sure of what they were seeing. I won’t make it this time.” As I turned to leave, he said one last thing. “Please keep the t-shirt on, for my sanity. I really don’t want to share those curves.” I couldn’t help but giggle as I walked back towards the beach.