𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

For the rest of the day after my talk with Jake I was buzzing. Thoughts of Emmett and the Cullen's were pushed to the back of my mind. I'd deal with that later, if at all.

Instead I was focused on Paul Lahote. The boy from the res who was my best friend and so much more. I was his imprint, his soulmate. And he was mine. My mind kept drifting back to the kiss we shared last night, how his lips felt on mine.

I knew at some point we'd have to complete the mate bond so that I don't die, but when the time came I didn't want it to be about that-- about what Emmett had done to me and what only Paul could fix. I wanted it to be special. To be about us.

After getting the okay from my dad, I went over to Paul's house. He had patrol until seven and I was determined to surprise him.

Paul lived alone most of the time. His mom left when he was young and his dad was gone 90% of the time. Tonight was one of those times. I had this whole idea of how I was going to cook him a romantic dinner and maybe make things official between us.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the best track record in the kitchen.

"No, no, no," I groan over the smoke detector's beeping as smoke billows out of the oven, clouding the kitchen quickly. I cover my mouth, coughing as I use my other hand to try and fan it away.

I pull the burnt lasagna out of the oven, sighing as I look at the black charred edges.

I'd left the kitchen for twenty minutes to clean up Paul's room and this is what happens? How did I burn lasagna? I thought it would be the easiest thing to cook since, you know, it sits in the oven. But apparently I was wrong.

I drop the pan on the counter and open the window above the sink, trying to air out the house. Great, I try to do something nice for a guy and I end up smoking out his house instead.

At that same moment the front door opens and I hear Paul's voice behind me, "Why is the house all smokey and what is that smell?"

My cheeks flush in embarrassment and I turn around to face him, "I tried to make you dinner..." I gesture helplessly toward the charred lasagna.

Paul's face breaks into a crooked smile, his cheeks dimpling as he laughs, "Liv, you don't cook."

I let out a huff, walking towards him, "I know, okay. But, I wanted to do something nice..."

"Well, I appreciate it, but you don't need to cook for me, actually, please don't cook for me," He jokes, looking down at me.

I roll my eyes, my heart warming because he knows me. "Whatever. Do you want takeout? Or should we evacuate until the smoke clears?"

"We could go out?" Paul suggests, looking a little nervous all of a sudden. "Somewhere nice?"

My cheeks flush as I realize what he's asking. I smile softly, "like a date?"

Paul nods, his lips quirking back up into a smile, "yeah, a date."

I nod, my heart suddenly doing backflips in my chest. Because I was actually about to go on a date with Paul Lahote. "Okay, I'd like that."

Paul's smile widens and I can feel it. The moment things between us shift.

This is it, I realize. This is when Paul and I finally become more. And I've wanted this for so long that my chest feels achy at the thought, eager to finally have the boy that I've loved for half my life.

I wanted to savor the feeling, the contented excitement burning through my veins. I'd never felt so at peace and so alive all at once. Like my body was on fire but was perfectly okay with turning to ash.

This was it. And I was going to love every second of it.

Paul and I ended up driving to Port Angeles for dinner and the entire hour and a half drive is spent with us talking about everything and nothing and laughing at the dumbest things. And it feels good to be happy again.

By the time we get to the restaurant my cheeks are aching from so much smiling and by the time dinner is over my sides hurt from laughing.

I hadn't smiled and laughed so much in months and it felt good.

We walked the pier after dinner, the cool night air nipping at my cheeks and turning them rosy--or at least, I was blaming the flush on the cold. 

"Tomorrow Sam is doing a dinner for the pack, if you wanted to join?" Paul suggests, his arm brushing against mine as we walk down the paved street. "It's just me, Sam, Jared, and Emily but, you're invited."

I'd hung out with Sam and Jared many times in my life, but not since finding out about their secret and not since finding out about being Paul's imprint. 

And hanging out with Emily was bound to be awkward seeing as when Sam left Leah for her, I went off on her about being a bad cousin and said some pretty rude things. Now that I know about the imprint bond, I know that their relationship was unavoidable and even though I hate that Leah got her heart broken, I know I need to apologize to Emily. I guess now is as good a time as ever.

"Yeah, I'd like that," I say with a smile, turning my head to look up at Paul.

Paul returned my smile with one of his own, his eyes crinkling softly under the lamplight and something inside of me melted at the sight. I wanted to kiss him again, wanted to experience the fire burning me from the inside out once again.

I blushed at my train of thought and Paul must've noticed because his grin turned into a smirk, the self satisfied kind that told me he was thinking entirely too highly of himself at the moment. And even though Paul's ego really didn't need anymore inflating, I couldn't tear my ogling eyes off of him.

Paul's hand cupped my jaw, his thumb brushing across my cheek as he tilted my head up just right. My breath caught in my throat and I swear if my heart beat any faster it would burst right out of my chest.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about that kiss," Paul voiced, his eyes dropping down to my lips.

I had to take a steadying breath before speaking, my voice strained and very clearly affected by the man in front of me, "me either..."

That was all it took for Paul to bend down and capture my lips with his own. I moaned softly into the kiss, my hands reaching up and fisting his shirt, pulling him closer.

My heart rate sky rocketed and sparks flew behind my eyelids as he kissed me with practiced precision, like he knew just how to make me gasp and moan. Which I suppose he did. He knew my body better than anyone, even Emmett who I'd only slept with a few times before he left.

Paul knew my body in the way that he had been the one to teach me about it, taught me what I liked and didn't like. And that came from being my first everything. He somehow knew what I needed before I did.

Still, it was different this time.

It was I more. Because now we both were aware of the connection between us. And now that I knew, I wanted more. I wanted him, I wanted us, and dammit, I wanted to complete our bond more than anything right now.

I pulled back for air, gasping softly as I looked up at him. Paul's eyes were filled with a heat that made my own desire double.

"I think I'm ready," I whispered softly, my voice barely audible.

But Paul caught my words, I could see it in the way his grip on my waist turned bruising and the darkening of his eyes, his voice was tight with restraint, "are you sure?"

I nodded, not needing time to think about it, to second guess the timing or the meaning of things. "I'm sure." I leaned up, kissing Paul softer, slower, savoring, "take me home?"

Lips, teeth and tongue. Crashing and biting and sucking and taking. It was a blur of feeling as we stumbled into Paul's small home, kicking our shoes and coats off as he backed me into the house, barely breaking our kiss long enough to shut the door behind us.

I tugged at his shirt and he pulled at my hair, baring my neck for his lips as I moaned in pleasure. Fire was burning its way through my body, lighting up every last nerve ending until I was sure I'd melt or combust.

"Paul," I breathed, pulling his shirt over his head, my eyes zeroing in on his bare chest. His tanned skin was rippled with muscle but he was soft and hard and warm under my touch as I ran my palms across his chest and arms, pulling him closer.

Our lips crashed together again and I pushed Paul back onto the couch, tumbling after him and straddling his hips.

Paul kept alternating between grabbing me roughly and holding me gently, like he was using every bit of self control he had not to break me.

But I wasn't fragile. And I wasn't going to break, least of all by him.

I broke the kiss, panting softly, "stop being so gentle."

Paul's eyes widen in surprise, clearly not realizing I noticed, "I don't want to hurt you."

I rolled my eyes, smiling softly, "you won't hurt me."

He seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding and then it was like a flip switched off inside of him.

Paul picked me up, my legs wrapping around his waist and my arms around his shoulders. He carried me back into the bedroom, tossing me on the bed and then he was on me, pinning me down with his weight as his lips kissed me harder than he ever had before.

I moaned in surprise as pleasure shot through me, short-circuiting my brain until all I could think, feel, taste, smell was him. Everything was consumed by him in an instant.

His lips on my neck, his hands under my shirt and at my jeans, tugging my clothes off until I was laid bare beneath him.

Paul's touch turned gentle as he gently kissed over my wound, looking up at me with emotion I couldn't quite place. "We don't have to complete the bond tonight but, I think you'll need more healing soon... it's getting worse."

I shook my head, pulling Paul's face up toward mine again. I cupped his cheek, my thumb gently brushing across the stubble on his jaw, "no, I... I want to, Paul. I want to be bound to you."

Lifting my head, I kissed Paul gently, slowly, showing him just how sure I was about this decision.

His hands moved down my sides, caressing every inch of my skin like I was something precious. And to him, I suppose I am.

As his lips dipped down between my legs, Paul knew just what to do to have me moaning and gasping as I quickly came undone.

His lips pressed kisses against my thighs before he moved back up my body, kissing and licking and nipping his way up my body like he was worshiping my very flesh.

My hands slid down Paul's body, feeling his chest and abs contract under my touch. I stroked his length, my eyes on his as I lined him up with my entrance. And in the next moment, he was inside me and we were one.

Paul's face dropped down to my neck, kissing along my shoulder as he thrust into me, slow and deep. His teeth scraped against where my neck meets my shoulder, "are you sure?" He groaned, pausing his movements to lift his head and look me in the eyes.

My nails bit into his back and I nodded, "yes, I'm sure."

Paul only waited another moment before dropping his head, his hips snapping against mine, fucking me deeper and harder as he kissed and sucked on the skin of my neck. I could feel the familiar build of pleasure in my core, sending shockwaves across every inch of my skin.

And just as I was about to fall apart once again, Paul's canines bit into my skin and everything fell into place.

It was overwhelming and all consuming. I could feel the moment the bond snapped into place because I could feel the bond. Deeper than I ever had before.

 I could feel the tether between us, feel Paul's emotions flowing through me as easily as I felt my own. Desire. Love. Devotion. All of it was coming from him.

Tears sprung to my eyes as I kissed him, feeling everything so clearly. Any shred of doubt I had disappeared with the intensity in which I felt Paul's love for me.

He would never hurt me. He would never leave me or betray me.

Paul told me in the woods that he wasn't going anywhere, and he'd promised it again in my bed two nights ago. And now, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he meant it. With every fiber of his soul, he meant it.

My best friend. My first love. My mate. I couldn't be happier to be bound to him for eternity.