Chapter 21 – Curiosity Continued
"We'll cross those bridges when we come to them." Paul stated and kissed her lips, beginning to wash her body, ignoring what she said about him hiding something from her. Paul knew he had no choice doing so. If she knew the truth, it would be dangerous for her in case the bloodsuckers did come looking for her. "Just know that I'm always here to protect you, Evie. If anyone touched you, I rip their throats out." He lifted her chin with his strong hand, watching her eyes widen slightly. "Do you understand?"
Evie smiled softly as her hand touched his cheek, "I know what you say is the truth, because I can feel it. I can feel you. Everything inside of me knows you'd never hurt me, or let anyone get away with hurting me. I know you'd be here to protect me no matter what. I trust you Paul. I trust everything about you. I've never felt this closely in tune with someone." Paul smiled softly, "I can feel you too…" His nose buried in her neck, inhaling her scent, growling softly. "Every…single…inch…of…you…" With each word, he paused to kiss across her neck until he reached the other side, feeling her squirm against him.
Evie squirmed against Paul's body and she couldn't help stifle a giggle when his lips were touching her neck. Evie moved around more in the huge tub and carefully sat straddled on Paul's lap as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck and just breathed in his scent. Her fingernails were softly tracing patterns on his warm bare skin. "Mmm…Let's get out of here, I think my skin is pruning." As she giggled and softly kissed his neck.
"Your wish is my command." Paul lifted her with ease, knowing his body temperature would keep her from getting cold as they both walked out to the bedroom. He grabbed a towel on their way to the bedroom and proceeded to set his imprint down on her feet, towel drying her from head to toe. He stole a few kisses from her and couldn't help feeling the happiness completely engulf him, focusing his full attention on Evie, finally leading her down on the bed with another passionate kiss.
Evie felt his lips on her neck and shivered, running her fingers through his hair completely loving the feeling of his hands on her body and thighs. He whispered her name and she felt him settle between her thighs as his lips kissed and caressed her neck, collar bone and across her chest. Evie pulled back craving to feel his lips against hers, when suddenly a pair of blood red eyes, Rick's blood red eyes were staring back at her. Evie screamed out as she thrashed suddenly aware that the hands and body that was touching her were ice cold. Evie's eyes snapped open and she felt hands on her arms as she jerked her arms out of the hands and slid off the bed and scurried over into the corner of the room rolled into a ball.
Paul bolted out of bed and stopped going toward Evie when she continued screaming at the top of her lungs, blinking. "Whoa, whoa Evie, Evie calm down…" He tried soothing her and his heart broke at the sight of Evie curled up in a tight ball, knowing if he touched her, she would scream even more. The tears slid down her cheeks like two rapid streams and Paul didn't know what to do, raking his hands through his hair in frustration. Paul simply sat a few feet from her, wanting to reach out, but he had to wait until she calmed down and snapped out of whatever nightmare she was still in.
Evie was shaking from head to toe; she couldn't understand why she had a dream about a Rick. Tears slid down her cheeks as her lips trembled. Her eyes suddenly turned up and saw Paul sitting there next to her trying not to touch her. She could tell he was battling inner demons trying to grab her and make sure she was ok. Evie finally moved around and she crawled over on her hands and knees into his lap and threw her arms around him and held onto him for dear life. As if she let go he would disappear forever. She couldn't stand that thought as she tried to stop herself from trembling.
Paul closed his eyes and held her close, stroking her back soothingly, trying to calm her down. He knew she was in pain from the nightmare, knowing that was the only thing that could make her scream the way she did. He promised right then and there he would never let anything or anyone hurt her, especially a bloodsucker. Scowling at the thought, Paul kissed her forehead while she continued clinging to him for dear life, knowing she needed him more than ever at that moment. "Shhh calm down beautiful, just calm down before your heart gives out." He whispered in her ear and Evie just tightened her grip on him more. "I'm not going anywhere, I swear."
Evie couldn't think straight. Her whole body was freezing; every place Rick had touched her in the nightmare felt like it was frozen solid. Paul's body heat was slowly warming her again. Evie finally calmed down as she pulled back from Paul's body and looked up at him. Her breathing was slowly going from erratic to calm, Paul's sheer presence helped in that process as she looked up into his eyes; her lips still trembling slightly...She had to ask...She couldn't not ask...She finally swallowed and through shaky speech she asked the burning question on the end of her tongue, "W-why am I having a nightmare about Rick?"
Paul blinked and mentally cursed to himself, having heard of this happening. Any time an imprint felt danger lurking, they would start having dreams of that possible threat and Paul cursed a few times as he held Evie tighter, "It doesn't matter really because as soon as we get to him, he's going to be done for." He assured her, watching her eyes widen slightly. "I'm sorry I can't protect you from the nightmares but I will protect you from Rick." "Please don't apologize for not being able to protect me from nightmares or bad dreams. You can't protect me from everything." Evie whispered against Paul's neck.
Paul helped Evie as she stood up and she walked over, pulling some jeans on and a form fitting t-shirt as she looked at Paul and watched as he pulled his shorts on and smoothed a t-shirt over his chest. Evie felt defeated as she stood next to the bed, Paul stood in front of her as he wrapped his arms around her waist and he pressed a kiss to the top if her head, "Listen I have to go patrol, as much as I hate this thought Brady is going to be outside if you need anything and Seth will be around to check on you."
Evie looked up as Paul looked down into her eyes, "I wish you'd forgive Brady. It was so long ago. I forgave him." Paul shook his head negatively, "Not yet. You forgave him because you're a lot nicer than me. Until he imprints he'll never understand what he could've ruined for us. Once he imprints he'll figure it all out and then and only then will I forgive him. I know I'm stubborn about it, but he doesn't have a clue. And until he does I will not show him any mercy."
Evie pushed up on her toes as she softly kissed his lips, "Okay ya big brute. Just try not to be so hard on him…Please for me." Paul groaned when she rubbed her body against his as he chuckled against her lips, "You are such a cheat, using your womanly wiles against me." Evie giggled as Paul's hands slowly slid down her body and gripped the back of her thighs and lifted her up, as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Paul chuckled, "Come join me on the bed, I have something for you." Evie relaxed in his arms. Once his warmth ran through her the nightmare was long forgotten. Paul settled Evie in the middle of the bed, lying down against the pillows, a few minutes later Paul joined her. She smiled softly as his lips danced across hers. Paul pulled back as he stared into her violet eyes, "I have a serious question to ask you. I definitely want a serious answer too." Evie smiled softly, "I'll answer to the best of my ability."
Paul smiled softly as he took her left hand into his and pressed several kisses to it, "Will you marry me?" Evie gasped, completely not expecting that question to pass through his beautiful red lips. Evie smiled, "Are you really sure about this?" Paul nodded, "I love you so much. There's nothing else I am more sure of right now." Evie blinked out a few stray tears as she nodded, "I would love to be your wife for the rest of our lives." Before she knew it she could feel Paul's hand grabbed her left hand as he slipped a silver band with a three diamond stones on her left ring finger.
The spent a few more minutes kissing and just relaxing with each other when they heard a howl outside, Paul kissed Evie's lips once more, "That'll be Jared. Try and get some rest. I'll be home in a few hours. Brady will be outside and Seth will be around, so don't worry." Evie nodded as she watched Paul take off out the front door.
She couldn't help staring at the ring as it sparkled on her left ring finger.