Hello, darlings.

Thank you so much for all the love for this fic, it makes my heart very happy :). Keep it coming.

I have to confess that I was tempted to rewrite this chapter to eliminate a certain scent that you will read, but I couldn't do it, because somehow, it felt right to leave it.

I always make my characters go slow in their relationships, but I want this one to be a bit different. Let's see how that goes.

Stay safe and enjoy :)

And review :)

SILVER.

Chapter 6: Bare.

"I hated seeing you so lost. When Jake had recently phased, the first time we met, you slapped me because you thought we had done something to him. I admit I really hated being slapped by you, a leech lover. But at least you had fire. Whenever you were with Jacob, you were doing something: bikes, cliff jumping, insulting us... take your pick. But then, they came back, and you were all secretive about your time in here. You loved to hear the stories, you loved the bonfires, even if I hated seeing you with Jacob. I realized that the only way to get you out of that submissive state was to make you angry. I never expected to develop feelings for you or to imprint on you. But I cannot say I don't like it. When you started answering back, calling me names, I masochistically loved it. So I kept messing with you. You got under my skin, and I couldn't get you out of my mind either." She had been too tired last night to hear everything he had to say. But he said it now. The hot-headed wolf had imprinted, probably even fallen in love.

…

She stayed silent after those words. She knew he was right. Charlie had pointed out as well that she had been behaving like a submissive girl. There was no point in trying to find an explanation for her behavior in the past. She knew now what not to do, what was not acceptable from her partner, and what to expect from Paul from now on. It was obvious they were entering a relationship territory, and she had to proceed with caution. It was advisable to take things at a slower pace than she had done with Edward.

Yes, she was aware they were two different guys, but her heart would not survive another big disappointment. She needed to talk with Paul instead of wanting to jump his bones every time they were in the same room. It was necessary because beyond confessing her feelings, she also needed to set some ground rules. And honestly, she also needed to know more of him.

While she pondered this silently, she also noticed how his stare darted between her eyes and lips. He was so drawn to her. At first, it made him extremely mad; why her, of all girls, had to be the one to get under his skin. What he never admitted is that since she slapped him, he liked her. Something in him recognized something in her, and one day, a few weeks ago, something happened...the beginning of an imprint. Or something crazy like that, he suspected. It hadn't been a complete imprint or an official one, like last night, but something had happened. Which is probably why they were so hot and cold together, so fucking good.

He finally closed the distance between them and kissed her, placing his hands on either side of her neck. She sighed, and that little sound went south really fast. He slid his hands to her waist and pulled her closer, tilting his head and opening his mouth to deepen the kiss.

Bella was amazed at how hot this kiss was. Her hands were on his hair, fisting it, almost following the rhythm of the kiss. She wanted him closer, sinfully closer. Her inner musings had gone to hell; they could talk later. And as she thought that, she jumped and tangled her legs on his waist. That move, the boldness of it, made him groan.

So fucking sexy. He grabbed her hips but moved them away quickly when she hissed in pain.

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

She blushed softly but told him anyway. "I did a crazy thing after I left the Cullens' house." She jumped down, and under his scrutinizing stare, she lowered her jeans and lifted her top, revealing the small tattoo on her hip. It was just the delicate silhouette of a wolf, but the way his eyes were glued on it, she assumed he liked it.

Her assumptions were answered when he kissed her again, grabbing her thighs and helping her tangle her legs on his waist again. She could feel a hard protuberance poking her on her lower belly. Instead of making her blush, it made her kiss him harder.

"You're killing me, woman." He groaned on her neck.

"Same." She breathed out. "Let's go upstairs."

"Are you sure that's safe? I didn't come here for that." He brushed her hair out of her face in a tender manner that made her smile. This was made her fall in love with him. Yes, she said it in her head. There was no point in denying it any longer. This dichotomy between anger (coming from insecurities and not evilness), and the sweetness of a small gesture, was what got her in this predicament.

"I know. But I really liked what we were doing. And I want to keep doing it in a place I'm comfortable." Where was that boldness coming from? It's not a lie that she had wanted to get a reaction like this from Edward a few times, but he was too set on his ways to react to her. It was a real boost to her self-esteem that Paul reacted so strongly to her.

He chuckled and carried her upstairs. They fell into the bed just as they had last night. This time she didn't have to keep quiet, and he enjoyed hearing her. They only made out, but it was enough for them.

After a while, they were lying on the bed, side by side, sort of squeezing the other as the bed was sort of small for his frame and hers. She laid her head on his bare chest, tracing abstract patterns on it, while he ran a hand up and down her back. His shirt had come off in the heat of the moment, and when hers was about to follow, as hard as it had been, he stilled her. They still had some things to solve. She agreed, and they settled down.

"Do you have any other tattoos?" She asked suddenly. He knew she was referring to the tattoo that all the wolves had.

He chuckled. "I do. Only one more." He left it at that.

She lifted her head and looked at him. "That's it? You say that and don't follow it with an explanation?" She pressed. She wanted to learn which buttons to press to get him riled up. And she wanted to learn which ones to press to get him to open up about his private life. She knew a little but not by his mouth.

"I got drunk one day. It was the day that you heard the story of the third wife. The night I started to imprint on you. You fell asleep on Jake's shoulder. I was so angry at him, at you. At myself for letting you get under my skin. I got drunk, like, plastered, hammered drunk. And I did something crazy."

"You got a second tattoo." She finished for him. He nodded. "Can I see it?"

"It's in my ass." He said, gauging her reaction.

She snorted and laughed. He only smiled with a hint of shame on the way his mouth was set.

"Really?" She asked, unable to hide her disbelief. He nodded.

"I want to see it." She was really curious about it.

He moved his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive way. "Buy me dinner first."

"Really? Are you going shy with me? After your tongue was on my throat?" And your hands on my breasts and my hands on your ass. Though that last part, she kept to herself.

"I really like this version of you." He said, kissing her softly.

"I feel comfortable being this version of me with you." He smiled at her. He liked that. "So. I want to see it."

He rolled his eyes, but he still moved and lowered his shorts down enough to reveal a small word. She laughed out loud when she read what it said. It was her last name. Swan. She liked it. She resisted the urge to slap his ass. Too soon, Bella.

"I can't believe you tattooed my name on your butt. What were you going to do if we didn't come together?"

He shrugged, laying back again. She saw something on his face, like worry or something. She sat up against the head of the bed. "What was that face for?"

"Nothing. Don't worry."

She wanted to leave it at that, but at the same time, she didn't. So she pressed. "Tell me, please."

"You had gotten under my skin already. You fought me a lot too. But that night, you barely looked at me. Jacob was all over you as well, and you seemed to enjoy it. I hated it so badly. Sam was the only one to notice. I don't know; something inside me feels...bad every time I think about that night. After that, it was just… I don't know, crazy, uncomfortable. I tried getting something more from you, but you seemed spaced."

She remembered that night. It was after that night that she spoke with Alice and Angela. She smiled at him. He didn't know how hard it was for her to ignore him and not slap him or kiss him right then and there.

"I was mad at you for making me rethink everything that I thought was settled down. You never said anything directly related to what I had chosen, not in the same way Jacob fought me. But there was something in you that really got me mad. That night I was in a weak spot. I was debating between my feelings for Edward and what I thought I felt for Jacob. But you were in the back of my mind, taunting me. The next day, Edward went hunting, and I went to his house to hang out with Alice. All I could talk about was you." She confessed. "How obnoxious you were, how mad you made me, how crazy you made me… Alice pointed out that I was in love with you. I tried to deny it….but it felt weak. I thought about it, even spoke to Angela about it. I know now what the answer is, obviously, and I knew when I spoke to Angela… but I didn't know how you felt. You would be flirty, angry, sexy, sweet…" She laughed softly. "You really messed with my head. That's why I was spaced the next few times I met with you. Up until you fully imprinted on me last night."

He stared at her. She was open and honest. His feelings were a mess for a while. But he was clear on how he felt about her.

"What's the answer now?" He asked. She saw vulnerability there. As if he was afraid of her not loving him. She vowed in her head to show him as often as possible how she felt about him.

"I know for sure I fell for you." He smiled widely, snowing his white teeth. She liked that smile. It was not the bad boy smile he had given her before. It was different.

This smile was one of pure happiness, of relief, of feeling safe. It was the first time he's ever smiled like that to her. She also promised to do everything in her power to keep that smile on his face.

"I love you." He confessed.

She jumped him. It was inevitable. That kiss earlier had her too worked up. She didn't quite understand what this sudden urge was to jump his bones. She's never been this bold.

The kiss didn't even start slow or sweet. It started passionate and hot. This time she took her shirt off. She liked being on top of him. His eyes were glued on her soft pink lace bra. "So fucking hot." He murmured, sitting up and kissing her collarbone and biting gently on her shoulders.

She unhooked her bra and threw it away, not caring where it landed. He laughed at her desperation, but she quickly shut it by kissing him. She didn't have any sexual experience, so she played it by ear, doing what felt good. He had made it clear before that he had plenty of experience, which was a bit intimidating.

He kissed and bit and played with her breasts for a few minutes before rolling her over and getting on top of her. He kissed his way down her body, getting her off her jeans and underwear, never breaking eye contact. He stroked her clit with his right hand, eliciting the most delicious sounds from her. It was good that they were alone.

"Paul…Jesus Christ...don't stop." He smiled and decided to try something. He licked her pussy, which made her jump and grab his hair. "Fuck.." he made her come undone underneath him. He thoroughly enjoyed it.

"I've never…" She mumbled when he made his way back up to her lips.

He opened his eyes wide in surprise. "Never ever?" She shook her head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

He thought (and thoroughly hated it) that she had done at least something with the leech. He could have been gentler with her. More romantic. He could have taken more time and not gone directly there.

Crap, he felt like an animal.

"Because I wanted this." She replied, still breathing heavily. "You never asked. And it's not something I go venting to everyone who wants to hear." She shrugged. He frowned. He didn't like that tone. It was as if she was accusing him of doing that. He shook his head. He would not mess this time with her by getting stuck in his head or putting words in her mouth. He kissed her instead. She kissed him back, but she wasn't in it, so he broke it off.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She shook her head and covered her body with her sheets. He didn't like that.

"Talk to me, Bella." He asked softly.

She got quiet, and he hated that look of doubt on her face. He thought he had erased that for good last night. "You have experience, and I don't. It's intimidating." She felt intimidated by the ghosts of all the girls he had slept with. She didn't meet his eyes, which was really fucking infuriating for his wolf. It's like the submissive girl was on again. He hated it.

"Look at me," he said softly but with enough force. She lifted her head, and he saw tears in there. "I didn't mean anything when I asked you. I could have been more… soft or made it more special for you…" He scratched the back of his neck. This was new territory for him. He had sex, not feelings. "And, just so you know, I've never been in love before. I have had hookups, but none of them had gotten under my skin like you had." He then sighed and decided to tell her the whole truth. "You've been in love before. That's intimidating for me." And it was. Thinking of her with the leech, thinking of her doing anything they did today with the leech, with feelings in the mix. Thinking of how she was when he left, it was hard to compete with those feelings.

She smiled at him. This was new territory for both of them. She had to remember that. More importantly, they could learn together to navigate crazy feelings and hormones. Perhaps, for his peace of mind, she should tell him with all the words that she had never, ever done anything sexual before. Well, maybe aside from touching herself once or twice before to take care of inevitable frustrations.

He passed a finger on her cheek, catching her attention again. "You're quiet."

She sighed softly, sitting up and taking the sheets with her. He sat up as well. He didn't need sheets as he was still half-dressed.

"When I said that I've never had sex, I mean everything that goes on with it. Including what we just did." Or you did, more accurately, she thought to herself.

He gaped at her, his previous thoughts being confirmed. She had had a boyfriend for nearly a year and had never done…anything? She wasn't waiting for marriage; otherwise, she would have stopped him and told him.

"Is it ok if I ask why?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Bella laughed. How to tell your new boyfriend (is that what he was? She thought so) about your last boyfriend's sort of prudish beliefs without insulting him.

"Edward didn't believe in sex before marriage." And there was the whole soul thing, not wanting her to go to hell and all that. She didn't begrudge him his beliefs, but she didn't share them, and honestly, it hurt her self-esteem when he would not go forward in any sexual way. Logically, she knew he didn't mean to, but she couldn't help it.

Paul nodded, understanding what that meant. To Bella's surprise, he didn't laugh. Maybe, she should give him more credit.

"Do you believe the same?" He asked, wanting to be sure that he had read her correctly.

"No." She didn't hesitate. "I would have definitely said something had that been the case." She reassured him.

"I thought so, but I wanted to make sure."

She smiled at him. "I don't believe in waiting, but I'm not exactly ready to have sex yet."

He nodded. "I understand. I'm not some sort of lustful monster." He winked. "We can take it at your pace." And he wanted to know her better before going all in…literally.

"Thank you." She said, kissing his cheek.