Bella's POV:
I gingerly started unwrapping the box Charlie had given me. Paul continued to hold my waist and I was grateful for that. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed when I needed it.
I glanced up at all my loved ones to see happy, expectant grins on their faces. Embry, Jake and Emmett were all bouncing in their spots apparently very excited for whatever I was going to find in the box.
I lifted the lid a little apprehensive until I saw what was in the box. There sitting with a small red bow tied around its neck was the most adorable tiny puppy I had ever seen.
Paul took the box so I could hold the little thing. I looked at my dad awestruck "Daddy why'd you get me a puppy?" Even I could hear the awe in my voice.
"Because when you were little I promised I'd get you a puppy" Charlie laughed "I never did and now I thought I'd follow through on the promise."
"What type of puppy is it? Is it a boy or a girl?" I fired off questions in rapid succession much to everyone else's amusement.
"She is a Pomeranian Chihuahua cross. She's only 9 weeks old and according to the pet store." Charlie said "Oh and her name is Chick Magnet."
I raised an eyebrow. "Chick magnet?" I questioned.
"Well you see the entire time through the mall in Seattle when I was carrying her women kept coming up to see her." Dad explained smiling. He seemed very pleased with himself.
"You could call her Maggie!" Esme piped up from the back of the group.
"I like that" I nodded "My little Maggie." She was only a tiny bit bigger than the palm of my hand and was cream and white with darker brown almost stripes near her eyes making it looking like she had eyebrows. She gazed up at me and yawned.
"She's so cute Bella" Kim and Emily gushed rushing towards me. Everyone spent the next few minutes holding my puppy and telling me how lucky I was. The grin on Charlie's face widened with every person's nice comments.
"Thank you daddy" I whispered hugging him as I watched Emmett holding Maggie in his massive hands.
"You're welcome" He said hugging me back. I was curious about Paul as he had been standing off in the corner most of the evening so I moved to his side slowly.
As we talked everyone began shuffling out saying their good nights and see you soon's.
"Is everything ok Paul?" I asked softly grasping his hand in mine. I couldn't get enough of his hot touch and craved it almost all the time. In the past two weeks since he had slept over the first time we had spent almost every night together. I hadn't stayed at his place yet and I wasn't really sure why he was against it but as long as I got to sleep next to him I was happy.
"Everything is perfect princess" He gave me a small smile. "Could we talk outside?"
I was at this point quite nervous. Why couldn't he just talk to me here? "Sure I'll just grab a sweater."
I ran off and said to my dad quickly "Dad, Paul and I are going to go and talk outside for a few minutes. I'll be in shortly. You'll watch Maggie?" I didn't doubt he would, I was beginning to think that I would have a hard time separating Maggie and my dad. She was currently curled in the crook of his arm as he petted her head gently. He nodded.
I grabbed my coat off the hook by the door and followed Paul outside. We sat down on the porch swing and he started rocking us softly. I didn't lean into him like I usually would because I was far too nervous. He had seemed to love the watch and photo album I had given him. I had collected photos of our short time together and his time with the pack and made an album for him.
"Bella what's wrong?" Paul asked worry in his voice. He pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips against the top of my head.
"Did I do something wrong?" I asked gazing up at his enrapturing grey eyes.
"Of course not Bella!" He said firmly "You have done nothing wrong."
"You just seem distant tonight." I said shyly, looking at my lap ashamedly.
"Bella, I am sorry" Paul said lifting my chin with a finger and making me look at the sincerity in his face "I am just a little nervous about your present."
"You got me something?" I was surprised we had only been together a little under 3 weeks and hadn't been expecting anything. I had wished I had had more time to prepare a better gift but for this Christmas the photo album and watch would just have to do.
"Of course I did!" He said incredulously "Bella I love you more than anything on this planet and you deserve everything in the world." He pulled a small box out from his jeans and handed it to me, allowing our hands to touch for a second longer then they should have.
Cautiously, just as I had the box with Maggie, I opened my gift. Inside was a velvet jewelry box and I lifted the lid slowly. Inside was a beautiful bracelet and I picked it up gingerly.
There were three charms: a moon, a wolf's head and a lily. I started to tear up as I noticed an inscription on the back of the moon. In small calligraphic letters were the words 'To love you is to live my life'.
Paul looked at me nervously "Do you like it?"
"No" I teased but when he looked crushed I continued "I love it." I handed it to him and held out my wrist "Could you put it on?"
He opened the tiny clasp delicately and attached it to my wrist before bending over and capturing my lips under his own.
"I love you Bella" Paul whispered.
"I love you too Paul. I always will." I promised. "I wish you could stay with me."
"I had an idea, Rose is already in on it." Paul laughed "She is going to come and get you in an hour. She'll drop you off at my house and I thought maybe we could spend the evening talking and then you sleep over. She or Alice will come and get you in the morning and you'll go to Port Angeles shopping with them. Charlie already said ok."
I looked at him my mouth agape. "Oh really?" I said slightly peeved they had made plans without discussing with me first "And what if I already have plans?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Oh? With whom?" Paul said trying not to smirk. He knew I was just being stubborn.
"Jacob, my other boyfriend" I continued along. He pouted but then grinned wickedly and started tickling me.
"Ok, Ok" I gasped "I give up you're my only boyfriend."
"I better be" He growled huskily. "I'll let you go get ready. I'll see you in a little while."
I watched until he was in his truck and gone before I headed inside. I watched Charlie for a moment from the doorway to the living room and I could tell that my little puppy already had him wrapped around her little paw.
"She's really quiet" I commented sitting on the couch across from Charlie.
"She hasn't found her 'bark' yet" Charlie explained "So you're sleeping over with the Cullen girls tonight?"
I nodded "Ya, Alice wants to do Boxing Day shopping and it'll be easier if I am already there so we can leave early."
"So you'll leave Maggie here with me right?" Charlie asked expectantly.
"Of course" I laughed "I really love her daddy, thank you."
He waved me off and turned the mute off the TV and some sporting game was on. I headed up to my room only to notice a bag by the stairs with Alice's writing 'Take this bag and nothing else. Do not open until later. Do not ask questions. No complaining.'
I shook my head. If I had been worried about Paul's mood earlier I was terrified by what Alice could possibly have put in my bag now. I didn't have time to pack anything else though because I heard the doorbell ring and knew that Rose was here.
"Hey Rose" I smiled answering the door. She had her blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail that accentuated her high cheekbones and only made her look all the more otherworldly.
"Bella" She grinned back and then shouted "Bye Charlie. We will have her back in one piece tomorrow evening." We waited until we heard a faint 'Ya ok' and then left.
Rosalie had driven her hummer of course and easily climbed into the driver's seat. As I yanked myself in she shrieked quite out of character "Your bracelet!"
I buckled my seat belt and held out my wrist "Ya? Paul got it for me."
She stuck out her wrist next to mine. Our bracelets were very similar except instead of a lily there was a rose and instead of a wolf's head was a bear's head. I looked at the inscription on the moon and read 'To lose you would be my end'. It was obvious that whoever made mine had made Rosalie's as well.
"Emmett gave it to me almost thirty years ago." Rose said quietly "After we'd broken up for awhile for some stupid reason. It was his way of proposing again instead of another engagement ring."
"That's so sweet Rose." I said. The drive to Paul's was quiet as Rosalie was off in her own world probably imagining back to when Emmett had given her the bracelet. She pulled in front of his house and parked.
"Have fun Bells" She winked at me and I knew my characteristic blush was climbing up my face again. "We'll see you in the morning."
"Bye. Tell everyone I love them" I said and slammed the door shut. I climbed the steps to Paul's house tentatively and knocked on the door.