I stared at him in outrage. No wonder Edward was reacting this way.

"N-n-n-n-n," I tried to protest.

"Don't be stupid," he said, exasperated. "Don't you like having ten toes?"

Emmett opened his mouth to say something about this, and judging by his smirk it was going to be funny - at least to him - but Edward just kept reading, his voice edgy.

He crammed his body into the nonexistent space, forcing the zipper up behind himself.

And then I couldn't object - I didn't want to anymore. He was so warm. His arms constricted around me, holding me snugly against his bare chest. The heat was irresistible, like air after being underwater for too long. He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin.

The edginess just intensified when he read this.

"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella," he complained.

"S-s-s-s-sorry," I stuttered.

"Try to relax," he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently. "You'll be warm in a minute. Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off."

Only Edward's years of control could have stopped him from crushing the book dust at this sentence.

"Well, he is right..." no one would ever say that Emmett wasn't brave, because Edward's control didn't extend to this. He smacked his brother so hard that he crashed to the floor, his chair now in pieces.

"SHUT UP!" Edward started shouting, but it was obvious he was trying to control his anger.

Edward growled sharply.

"That's just a simple fact," Jacob defended himself. "Survival one-oh-one."

"C-c-cut it out, Jake," I said angrily, though my body refused to even try to pull away from him. "N-n-n-nobody really n-n-n-n-needs all ten t-t-t-toes."

"Don't worry about the bloodsucker," Jacob suggested, and his tone was smug. "He's just jealous."

Emmett smirked at that, but didn't say anything. Edward was too on edge as it was. He looked like he really wished that Edward wasn't the one reading because he wanted to say more.

"Of course I am." Edward's voice was velvet again, under control, a musical murmur in the darkness. "You don't have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you're doing for her, mongrel."

"Those are the breaks," Jacob said lightly, but then his tone soured. "At least you know she wishes it was you."

Edward paused as he hadn't expected that from the mutt, and then he started to read again.

"True," Edward agreed.

The shuddering slowed, became bearable while they wrangled.

"There," Jacob said, pleased. "Feeling better?"

I was finally able to speak clearly. "Yes."

"Your lips are still blue," he mused. "Want me to warm those up for you, too? You only have to ask."

And now Edward was glowering again; that was more like it.

Edward sighed heavily.

"Behave yourself," I muttered, pressing my face against his shoulder. He flinched again when my cold skin touched his, and I smiled with slightly vindictive satisfaction.

It was already warm and snug inside the sleeping bag. Jacob's body heat seemed to radiate from every side - maybe because there was so much of him. I kicked my boots off, and pushed my toes against his legs. He jumped slightly, and then leaned his head down to press his hot cheek against my numb ear.

Edward was now reading through clenched teeth.

I noticed that Jacob's skin had a woodsy, musky scent - it fit the setting, here in the middle of the forest. It was nice. I wondered if the Cullens and the Quileutes weren't just playing up that whole odor issue because of their prejudices. Everyone smelled fine to me.

Emmett couldn't control the laughter that came from that, but it didn't seem like Edward was paying any attention to him.

The storm howled like an animal attacking the tent, but it didn't worry me now. Jacob was out of the cold, and so was I. Plus, I was simply too exhausted to worry about anything - tired from just staying awake so late, and aching from the muscle spasms. My body relaxed slowly as I thawed, piece by frozen piece, and then turned limp.

"Jake?" I mumbled sleepily. "Can I ask you something? I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, I'm honestly curious." They were the same words he'd used in my kitchen . . . how long ago was it now?

"Sure," he chuckled, remembering.

"Why are you so much furrier than your friends? You don't have to answer if I'm being rude."