Chapter 4 - Animalist Moments

Melinda sat in the living room and felt completely numb from the head down. She could barely register a pair of warm hands gripping her upper arms. She had been completely stunned into silence as she sat on the couch. A deep voice was speaking to her but she couldn't make out what was being said. Jake and Ananda were long gone leaving Paul and Melinda to their own thoughts.

"Mel."

"Mel."

"Melinda."

A scorching hand on her cheek made her blink a few times. As Paul's worried face came into view. Melinda locked eyes with Paul and as much as she didn't want to show fear she couldn't help but feel it. She wasn't physically scared of Rachel she could defend herself if she had to. But Rachel had systematically and methodically broke down Melinda's eating and drinking habits and poisoned her and had nearly killed her. All the while smiling as if she was doing no wrong.

At that point anyone would fear someone they knew tried to kill them with smiles.

Paul could feel the fear radiating off her. He watched as she blinked and stray tears slid down her cheeks, instantly feeling his heart clinch in his chest. Paul rubbed his thumbs underneath Melinda's eyes trying to wipe away her tears as she put her head down. She was ashamed of being afraid for her own life against someone she could defend herself against; but couldn't stop from poisoning her.

Paul's hand went under her chin as he lifted her to lock eyes with her,

"Please don't cry Mel. Everything will be okay."

Melinda growled a little as she stood up and furiously wiped away the tears. The tears that made her look and feel so weak.

"This is ridiculous and embarrassing. I feel weak to be crying about something like Rachel escaping prison."

Paul stood straight as he stepped in front of Melinda when she started to pace the living room.

"Mel you're not weak. Anyone who had been through what you have would be scare. They would be terrified if someone had tried to kill them. What you're feeling is normal. But Melinda you have to know I won't let anything happen to you. I swear on my life. I'll protect you with everything I have and everything I am."

"Paul it's not even a matter of protecting me. I can defend myself. But how can someone defend themselves against something they can't see, hear, taste, touch or smell. Maybe this is just fate telling us we shouldn't be together that you are supposed to be with Rachel. Maybe that's why I met Vincent. I had my chance at love. Maybe you shouldn't miss yours."

Paul gripped Melinda's upper arms as he pulled her to him as he shook his head negatively.

"I don't believe that. I will never believe that. I imprinted on you because you are my chance at true love; just as I'm your chance at true love. Vincent was just a substitute; you yourself said you didn't love him. Right?"

"Right. I will never love anyone the way I love you. I just don't like showing weakness in front of you. It's not like you don't have enough to worry about with protecting La Push and trespassing vampires and helping you're brothers and loving me and controlling your temper so well that I haven't seen the pissed off Paul in months. I just don't want you to worry about me when you have to leave the house to patrol, or if I have to go to Port Angeles for flowers, wax or wicks. I know you worried for the seven years I wasn't here because you weren't around to protect me from the things that go bump in the night. I love you so much Paul."

Paul cupped Melinda's face as he pulled her even closer to him, "I love you too baby. But you should know already; I'm going to worry whether you or I like it or not. I don't care if Rachel is out of prison or a vampire is after you or it's just a normal day with nothing in particular going on in our semi-normal lives. I will always worry if I'm not showing you enough affection or love or spending enough alone time with you. Do we do enough together? Do I tell you I love you enough? I worry about it all."

Paul swallowed hard. "I just know the answer to all those questions is yes. Because I see the way you look at me and feel the way you kiss me and also the way you touch me I can feel every second of love flowing from you pouring over me if were standing side by side or if I'm deep in the woods on patrol. I can always feel your love for me."

Melinda started to say something to Paul as she felt the void when he stepped away from her body but then warm enveloped her small hand as he led her to their room. Paul turned her around and backed her up until she sat down on the bed as she gave him a quizzical look.

"Paul what's going on?"

Paul's signature smirk appeared on his lips as he walked over to his dresser and pulled something out of the top drawer. He walked back over and his smirk turned into a beautiful genuine smile. Paul slowly lowered himself onto both his knees. He was never into tradition and that was always apparent when it came to his and Melinda's relationship. Nothing would ever be traditional between them. But they seemed to have perfected their untraditional ways in life.

"Mel, I want to take the next step in our relationship."

"What do you mean Paul?" Melinda furrowed her brows as she watched Paul's hand open and sitting in the palm of his hand was a silver wedding back with small diamond chips all the way around it.

"Marry me…"

If he thought she was crying before, the water works were definitely turned on after that question. But she had to think about it. It wasn't really a question, it was more of a statement. He wasn't begging her he was just simply letting her know that he was ready to be with her forever. The next step towards a future of forever with Paul was going to be...Marriage. She watched as he stood with a frown on his face.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked you. I should've waited and made it more romantic. God I'm so stupid."

Melinda jumped up off the bed as she grabbed Paul's hands and stopped him from moving. He stopped talking as he looked down at her, suddenly her lips were on his as they were thrust together in a passion filled kiss that left the both of them breathless.

Paul's arms wrapped around Melinda's body as he felt it trembling against his. Usually it was him getting worked up and trembling against her when he was upset or mad. It was a foreign feeling. Now it was she that was upset and he didn't know why but as long as she was kissing him then she wasn't too upset with him.

Maybe it wasn't too soon for him to ask her and maybe it was either way her response to him holding her closer to his body was feeling her fingers weave through and then tighten into his jet black hair and pull his mouth further into the kiss. Paul let a growl slip from his lips when she nipped his bottom lip and then soothed it with her tongue as Paul quickly lifted her by her hips and sat her on the bed and laid over her body. Her body soaking up the warmth.

Melinda pulled back from his mouth, his eyes locked with hers as they both panted to catch their breath. She could see the effect she was having on Paul not to mention she could feel his excitement pressed against her inner thigh.

Suddenly they couldn't get their clothes off fast enough as their shirts were practically ripped from each other' body's and Paul made short work of her jeans and panties, somewhere between him getting rid of her jeans he had gotten rid of his shorts as well. When Paul crawled between her beautifully soft thighs he looked down noticing her bra had been non-existent as well. Especially when her cold breast got pushed into his warm chest. Paul captured her lips as his erection slipped into her welcoming body and she moaned into his mouth.

Lips, teeth, tongues, hands, fingers, legs, thighs were going all over the place as they tangled themselves into a bout of the most animalist coupling they had ever put each other through.

Paul growled deeply when he felt Melinda bite the sensitive skin over his collar bone much like he had her a few weeks prior. Though he knew he would heal much faster than her. She still wore a purple bruise on her collar bone from where he'd bit her. He remembered apologizing profusely about it, but she brushed it off saying it only made her sexual appetite for him superior. And her returning the bit just now was definitely true to her words.

Paul wrapped his arms tightly around Melinda's body as he felt her dig her fingernails into his biceps as they both came hard and fast. And then just as fast collapsed a tangled satisfied mess in the middle of their bed.

Paul lifted his head from Melinda's shoulder as they both continued to pant and catch their breath. Her skin had a glowing look to it as it always did when they made love this hard; as would his. He watched as she licked her lips and rolled them together trying to compose herself and she looked down at him as he pushed himself further up her body and kissed her lips softly. She accepted the kiss and it only enticed her more to want to make love again.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything Mel, but where the hell did that come from?"

"You made me so mad because you called yourself stupid. I wanted to show you just how not stupid you were. I would love to be your wife. I couldn't answer you because I couldn't think straight and then I thought less straight when you said you was stupid and suddenly I just...I just wanted you. I just wanted to show you how much I love you and what you do to my body. Please don't ever call yourself stupid again."

"Wait a minute did you just say you wanted to be my wife?" Paul pushed p from her body with his hands pushing into the mattress as he waited for her to speak.

"Of course I do. I want to be your wife until the day we both die. I mean if you still want me."

Paul could feel his heart clinch. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I just thought because I didn't answer you right away you might have changed your mind."

Paul shook his head negatively. "Mel, I will never change my mind." Paul carefully rolled off her body and de-tangled their legs as he leaned off the bed and grabbed the ring as it sat safely in his front jean shorts pocket and moved back over and softly pushed the ring onto Melinda's left ring finger.

Paul captured her lips again as he could smell her arousal again and knew she could feel his as he felt her small hands grip his biceps and pull him onto her body again as she wrapped her legs around him and he slipped into her wanton body.

Paul loved the idea he was going to make love to his girl...fiancé the rest of the night.

Honestly nothing else needed to be done either.