*Isabella's POV*
"I don't think so. How would that help?" I asked, folding my arms, trying to sound firm but already feeling the cracks in my resolve. Jacob tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "And you think calling him Mr. Lancaster after all the time you've spent together is normal?" His voice dipped, mock-serious. "And don't even get me started on how you look at him."
My stomach flipped. "How do I… look at him?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, heat already crawling up my neck. He grinned, like he'd been waiting for me to fall right into his trap. "That's the face." He pointed at me like he'd just solved a mystery. "You look at him with… admiration, respect—" he leaned in closer, his voice playful but sharp, "—and arousal." My jaw dropped. "What the fuck—Jacob!" I glared at him, but the blush gave me away, and he knew it.
"Yep," he said with a low chuckle, his eyes glinting. "Definitely arousal." I shoved my chair back, rolling my eyes to hide my embarrassment. "I'm going to Cole's tonight."
Jacob's smile vanished in an instant. "No you don't." His tone was firm, commanding in a way that made me freeze. "You're coming home with me."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he lifted a hand, cutting me off. "And don't worry," he added smoothly, "I didn't ask you to move in with me so I could take advantage of you. I'm a gentleman." His gaze softened, his voice lowering as though he was offering reassurance. "If you like the room where you slept last night, it's yours." I nodded slowly, pretending to be unmoved, but my mind was a fucking mess. His words replayed in my head, but not the way he meant them. Take advantage of me already. I clenched my fists under the table, trying to shove the thought away, but goddamn it, it lingered like a fire I couldn't put out.
After eating, Jacob leaned back in his chair, that smug smile already forming. "Let's take a walk on the beach." I groaned instantly. "No way. It's freezing. I wanna go home."
He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow at me like I was being ridiculous. "You're exaggerating. It's super warm." I snorted. "Warm? My ass. Men metabolize differently, so—" "Whoa, whoa, don't get technical with me," he cut me off, grinning like the cocky bastard he was. "I'm at the ocean coast with a beautiful girl. Let me enjoy it."
I narrowed my eyes at him, but damn it, my lips twitched, fighting a smile. He always knew exactly how to push my buttons. "Come on, I've got a hoodie in my car," he added, already standing up like he'd won. I rolled my eyes dramatically, but still found myself getting up and following him. "Fine. But if I freeze to death, I'm haunting your smug ass for eternity." He glanced back over his shoulder, smirk tugging at his lips. "Fair trade."
The night air hit my skin as we stepped outside, crisp and sharp, and I instantly cursed under my breath. He caught it and chuckled, unlocking the car and digging for the hoodie. Watching him there, all tall, broad-shouldered, annoyingly handsome with that playful grin—it made my chest tighten in ways I didn't want to admit.
When he finally tossed me the hoodie, it smelled faintly of his cologne. I slipped it on, drowning in the oversized fabric, and he just looked at me like I'd hung the goddamn stars.
"See? Perfect," he said softly, his smirk fading into something a little more dangerous. I pulled the hood up to hide my face. "Shut up." But my pulse was already racing. Once I was swallowed up in his black hoodie three damn sizes too big on me—the world felt different. The scent of his cologne clung to me like a second skin. It was stupid how safe and nervous I felt all at once.
We walked side by side along the beach, the crash of waves filling the silence. Jacob had his hands shoved into his pockets, looking completely at ease while my brain was doing cartwheels.
"This place is beautiful," he said after a moment, his eyes scanning the horizon like it was some masterpiece. "I'll have to come here every weekend from now on." I shot him a look. "Stop speaking like you live here. You live in New York. This is temporary."
"Who says this is temporary?" he countered smoothly. "I might move here."
My stomach twisted. He said it so casually, like he was just mentioning a weather change, but it hit me like a damn freight train. Move here? What did that even mean, would he move here for himself, or for me? And then, as if he could sense the way my thoughts spiraled, he smirked and tilted his head at me. "You look so fucking cute in my hoodie."
My breath hitched, and I immediately yanked the hood lower over my face trying to keep my composure but my brain was spiralling out our control. How the fuck did he manage to always get me so flustered. "Shut up." He chuckled, low and warm. "I mean it. I don't think I've ever seen anything more adorable. It's so big for you, doll." "Adorable?" I scoffed, trying to hide the fact that my cheeks were on fire. "That's what you call puppies, not women."
"Fine," he said, eyes glinting. "Then sexy. Happy?"
"No," I shot back quickly, heart hammering but deep inside my heart was doing a happy dance. I love how he always makes me feel cute and hot at the same time. "Now you're just saying shit." He stopped walking for a second, forcing me to turn and face him. The playful grin was still there, but there was something else in his gaze—something sharper. "Do I look like I'm just saying shit?" he asked, voice low enough to send a shiver down my spine.