Hey Folks.
Thank you all so much for your reviews, comments, and enthusiasm for this story! I'm sorry this update has taken a bit. Lots of things floating around the mental interwebs this week.
This chapter is a bit different, but there is a purpose to my madness, I promise. I hope you enjoy it and leave me your thoughts on how things are developing. I appreciate and enjoy the feedback so much!
(Paul Pov)
Paul never found out how the date ended with Richy Rich and convinced himself that he did not want to know.
Instead, he strolled over to the crowd gathered in the low-lit gravel parking lot beside the tavern, looking for people he knew.
Every small town bar has a typical crowd or three. As he did anywhere else, Paul had a select few he stuck close to, and it took him about ten seconds to find some of them.
Folks were centered around an open trunk full of Moonshine jars in the darkest rear corner of the parking lot. A few people were surprised to see Paul and welcomed him warmly. An old friend from high school was running the show, taking in cash faster than he could hand out the contraband. Paul pushed toward the center and happily accepted a swig of moonshine when Chris held out his flask.
The alcohol burned as it went down and filled his belly with heat. Paul watched in amusement, hoping no one called the cops on them. Being friends with Charlie didn't mean shit in places where he had no jurisdiction. Paul took another swig and waited for Chris to get his shit together as he boldly counted his earnings. Chris was a big fan of getting Paul fucked up. On rare occasions, Paul was a fan of letting him.
"This batch is decent, Chris," Paul said before a third and final swig. He handed the flask back to Chris, who set it at his feet, away from the selling product.
"Yeah," Chris said and laughed. "Because it's not mine. I just got back from Kentucky."
"Kentucky shine? Really?" Paul was impressed. Chris had not made a run for moonshine in a while. Besides the higher alcohol content and his enthusiasm for the hobby, Paul was unsure why Chris went through so much trouble. You could fucking order moonshine online these days.
Paul asked, "Is your moonshine still down again?"
"Yeah," Chris grumbled. "I need a new one. The old girl died on me." Sarcastically he added, "It's not like she was older than my grandfather or anything."
"Sounds like my fucking lawnmower," Paul grumbled, making Chris cackle. "What the hell is this?"
Paul reached over to tap the man bun Chris wore. His long black hair stuck out in random places. Chris never cared much about his appearance, from what Paul could recall. Chris was a simple hippie, living life in the wild most often and on his terms. What you saw was what you got. That was precisely what Paul liked about him.
"It looks good," Chris boasted.
Paul cackled and said, "It does not. Try a brush next time, my man."
A familiar scent enveloped Paul as another old friend, Shari, wrapped her arm around his waist in welcome. Paul grinned down at her playfully and slung his arm over her shoulders as he took in her low-cut red top and high-waist jeans.
She batted her eyelashes up at him, sarcasm thick in her voice as she asked, "Where the hell have you been, dickhead?"
Those that knew him laughed as he pretended to be insulted. "Dickhead? I thought you were going to say handsome."
Shari grinned. "Still full of yourself," she said sarcastically, pressing her tits against his side. Paul didn't need a reminder that Shari was more than willing to take him home. She always was.
Shari was taller than Bella, with coal-black hair and eyes. Her skin was slightly redder than Paul's, hairless from neck to toe, adorned with multiple tattoos, and silky smooth. Paul had understood what Jacob meant about enjoying top-heaviness and had no argument as he glanced over her full figure. Shari had a bit of a belly under her large breasts, camouflaged by her tight top and jeans. It bent into a sexy little roll, pushing her breasts higher when he held up her leg a certain way.
The memory damn near made him groan as a pulse of lust shot straight to his dick. Paul was proud to think that his personal experiences had taught his packmates how to appreciate women of many shapes and sizes. Paul loved them all.
Shari was nearly five years older than Paul, though they looked around the same age. She had been interested in him before knowing his age. As soon as he turned eighteen, Shari had chased Paul like a starving dog after a steak. Paul, wild and willing, finally gave in. He made it clear that he never would want a relationship, and she accepted his conditions. Paul didn't doubt she had fun elsewhere, either. That's what condoms were for, and Paul never hooked up without one.
He asked, "Shari? Baby? Have I ever been mean to you?" He pouted at her as she reached up to lightly smack his cheek.
"Just to my heart, Pauley," she purred. Shari stood on her toes to press her lips to the underside of his jaw, and he gave her a dazzling grin. She only called him Pauley when she wanted him to know she was available. It had been a signal between them for years.
Yep, Shari just might be the cure tonight. Paul laughed and reached out to smack her behind as she slithered away from him, back to her friends. Make no mistake about it - the girl was a total snake. But she was a fun snake.
A joint was being passed around, something Paul had not imbibed in a while. He turned it down when he glanced over the wet tip and laughed as Chris lit a fresh one before handing it straight to him. Chris wasn't a fan of sharing spit with just anyone, either. The indecision faded as Paul took the joint from Chris's fingers.
What the hell? Might as well, Paul thought. Sam would not be too thrilled if he heard, but a little weed never hurt anyone. The effect didn't last very long for the wolves anyway. Paul would need at least half a jar of shine to get drunk, and after tonight, he wanted the distractions.
Paul looked up past the inclined lot toward the road as their car finally left the restaurant and scowled as they drove away. He felt bitter that things seemed to be going so well between Bella and Sports Coat. Paul silently fumed, regretting every single promise made to and about Bella. He would gladly repeat that morning, crawl into bed next to Bella, and kiss her senseless. He didn't even care that she had let the guy kiss her. Paul wished he could go back home and find her there waiting instead of knowing she would probably suck his face off in the driveway any minute now. Bella was a very enthusiastic kisser, and Paul had been thinking about her straddling him in the truck for weeks. It was driving him insane.
Suddenly, large breasts were blocking the view of his flip-flop-adorned feet as Shari shoved herself up against his chest. He tried to hide his aggravation over Bella as he looked up from Shari's tits to her face.
"What's wrong, Pauley? You okay?" There was genuine concern behind the question, and, for a moment, she seemed as sad as he felt.
"Paul just doesn't party with us enough anymore," Chris croaked out while simultaneously trying to hold in his weed.
Idiot. Paul shook his head and laughed as he accepted another hit. He began to relax as the THC kicked in. Paul smiled down at Shari and said, "I'm good, beautiful. How about you come inside and kick my ass at the pool table again?"
Shari pulled cash from her back pocket and gave it to Chris. He handed her a jar of moonshine, and she swirled it in front of Paul. "How about we take this and this…" she bent over and plucked a joint from Chris's shirt pocket.
He yelled, "Hey!"
Shari stuck her tongue out at him and said, "You owe me, remember?"
"Oh yeah," Chris lamented before winking at Paul. Shari put the joint behind her ear and concealed it with her hair.
"Anyway," she said, "do you want to blow this popsicle stand with me and this jar of shine, or would you rather just circle jerk all night with the rest of these clowns?"
Paul barked out a loud laugh and said, "Lead the way, woman. Road trip?" He followed behind her toward her truck, watching her ass sway.
She looked back at him over her shoulder and teased, "Maybe."
He stopped walking to watch her, confused as she climbed into the passenger seat of her modified chrome-colored square body Chevy pickup. Paul could never decide if it belonged on a farm or a drag strip, and it perfectly suited her personality. She motioned for him to get in the driver seat and started the truck, revving the gas pedal from the passenger side. Shari pulled the bench lever before Paul climbed in, pushing it back as far as possible. He was surprised at how much room he had behind the wheel and grinned as he tested the pedals.
As Paul pulled onto the highway, Shari slid closer to him on the seat. Aware of what it meant to her, Paul asked, "Why, in hell, did you want me to drive your baby?"
"Because I will be busy," she complained as if her answer should have been obvious. Shari stared at Paul hungrily, a look he knew well. Her hand moved directly to his crotch, and she rubbed her hand over his shaft. The basketball shorts he wore might as well have been a sheet as blood rushed to his dick. He hissed as she squeezed it gently through his shorts.
Paul tried to focus on the road in front of them as Shari moved to kneel on the floorboard and reached to push down his waistband. Paul lifted his hips to help her.
"Shari, I don't have condoms with me right now," Paul warned her.
"We don't need one just yet," she said and licked her lips before wrapping her mouth around the head and sucking hard.
"Fuck," Paul grunted, instinctively raising his hips toward her again.
"Careful, Paul. You wreck my baby, and this might be your last blowjob."
"Damn, you riii-iight," Paul groaned, shuddering as she took him into her mouth as far as she could. He opened his eyes wide as he refocused and flexed his hands to take tension off the steering wheel. Paul grunted as she cupped his balls, and he asked, "Your house?"
"Mmhmm," she hummed around him, and he shivered from the sensation.
Yes, indeed. A warm body is definitely needed tonight. And, for the first time since Paul met her, Bella was not on his mind.
(BPOV)
Bella had a clear view of Paul in the parking lot and could swear he stared right at her despite the tinted windows in Alex's car. She had seen the voluptuous woman sliding up to him, and from what she could tell, he was interested.
"Is that Paul's girlfriend?"
Bella let out a deep breath and blushed over being caught staring. She was equally surprised he remembered Paul's name. "Uh, no," she said. "Paul doesn't do relationships. She's probably one of his flings or something."
"Sounds like you disapprove," Alex said carefully.
God. Bella. Fucking forget about Paul. You're on a date. She chuckled at herself in aggravation, shaking her head. "It's not that," she lied. She did disapprove. The more time she spent with Paul, the more attracted she became.
It is ridiculous to feel jealous. You chose to stay friends. Her eyes went wide as she saw him smoking something. It quickly traveled away from him, and Bella assumed it was a joint.
That would have been nice to know, she thought. She kept her vape on her all the time but frequently felt too self-conscious to use it. It had been a lifesaver, controlling her anxiety as she drove across the country alone. Carrying it with her had been a risk considering she had to travel through states where getting caught with it could have sent her to prison. She had felt lucky that so many people vaped these days that most never questioned what hers was.
Despite being legalized (with restrictions) and the numerous medicinal uses for marijuana, many of her loved ones were not okay with it, including Charlie and Jacob. Jacob knew she used marijuana sometimes but acted like a big baby about it when she did. He had even threatened to call Charlie on her once when she vaped before climbing onto her motorcycle. Jacob wound up driving her to the gynecologist that day. Bella made him pretend to be her boyfriend and ask questions as punishment. That was the last time he had threatened her, but he still acted like a jerk. It had ruined her enthusiasm for the herb for a while.
Once again, Bella forgot Alex sat next to her until he asked, "So what is it, then?"
What? Oh. Paul. Bella turned to look up at Alex and forced another smile. "It just kind of makes me sad," Bella said. It wasn't precisely a lie. "He's a good friend. He deserves to find his person."
And the fact that he could eventually imprint means his person is not you, she reminded herself. Bella was well aware that the imprint she shared with Jacob was unique, but their feelings couldn't be helped. They had been through too much together and would never be romantically compatible because of it.
Assuming her distraction was merely out of empathy, Alex squeezed her hand and smiled. "You have a good heart, Bella," he said. "You care about everyone so…" Alex frowned as he searched for the right words. He scoffed at himself and grinned as he finished, "unconditionally." He rubbed his thumb over her hand in a slow, gentle pattern.
Bella genuinely liked the man next to her. Her first impression of him had been fueled by anxiety for both of them. After seeing her lose her temper, he loosened up dramatically. Their walk had been full of teasing, bad jokes, and more random conversation. Until seeing the woman throwing herself at Paul, she had enjoyed herself. Now she merely tolerated the incessantly grating movement of Alex's thumb, eager to be home where she could stew over her jealousy in peace.
Alex walked her to the door to say goodnight. He leaned in to kiss her, which she allowed. She was surprised as his lips met hers, passionately this time, and her eyelids fluttered shut. Alex slid his hands up her sides, and Bella gasped into his mouth as his tongue slid between her lips.
Alex was a damn good kisser, no doubt. He tasted like spearmint from the after-dinner mint he had eaten leaving the restaurant. So, then, why did the man she was kissing melt away from her mind? Bella moaned as he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth, immediately envisioning Paul doing the same. She was almost startled as she looked up into Alex's green eyes rather than the deep brown irises in her memory. Bella flushed brilliantly, immediately feeling guilty yet thankful for not having done anything stupid, such as saying Paul's name. Bella assumed Alex thought she was blushing over the kisses they shared as he grinned at her.
Maybe you should keep away from Paul for a few days.
Alex promised to call her before the end of the week. He waited for her to shut the door before walking back to his car alone. She was surprised to find Jacob waiting for her when she turned around, holding his arms open. Bella plowed into him and held on tight as his warmth and comfort soaked into her.
And then, like a fool, she clung to her wolf and cried.
(JPOV)
The wolf had felt her inner turmoil before they ever pulled into the driveway. Bella nearly knocked the wind out of him as she threw herself into his embrace. Jacob tried not to tense up around her as his temper flared, and the wolf nagged to know why his imprint was upset. He held her tight, softly shushing away her sobs until the only noises she made were hiccups and the occasional sniffle. Jacob took her hand and silently guided Bella to her bedroom, where they sat on the edge of the bed.
He asked, "What happened, honey?" Bella laid her head against his shoulder and sighed. "Was the date that terrible?"
"No," she said and laughed bitterly. "It was decent. He seems like a nice guy. I liked him a lot once he stopped acting all proper."
Jacob asked, "So, why are you upset, then?"
"Paul," she almost whispered.
Jacob was immediately on edge. He yelled, "If he did something…"
"No, no. Calm down, Hoss," she interrupted as she sat back up. "He didn't do anything wrong. I'm mad at myself."
Jacob moved to the floor in front of her feet. "Tell me about it, honey," he said and untied the gold laces holding up her right sandal.
"I saw some girl all over him tonight at the bar across from the restaurant. It … bothered me. A lot," she admitted. "I don't know how to feel about it."
"Bells," Jacob said as he removed the sandal. "Paul…" How the hell do I say this? Paul is batshit crazy about you? You just may be the first person the guy has actual feelings for? Paul would probably gut him for that. Jacob untied her left shoe. "He cares about you too, Bells," was all Jacob could say. "You have to sense that, right? Maybe you should give him a chance."
"It wouldn't matter, Jacob," she huffed. "I can't risk it. It's too much."
Jacob stared up at her incredulously as he tossed her left shoe next to the other and asked, "What is too much?"
"The wolf shit," Bella nearly yelled. She stood and stretched her toes against the cool wooden floor. Jacob smirked at the familiar habit as Bella began pacing. She said, "I just want to find someone that I don't have to worry will magically find love at first sight and desert me."
Oh. "Are you afraid Paul will imprint and disappear?"
"Obviously," she hissed.
"Imprinting is supposed to be rare, Bells. It might never happen," Jacob said. "Besides that, you're my imprint. We have proven that it doesn't have to be romantic."
"That's just the thing, Jake," Bella admitted as her eyes welled with tears again. "The problem is me. It feels like … I'm faulty or something." She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself. "I feel like I'm not good enough for anyone to keep. Paul offered to stay just friends before I ever asked for that or explained why I had any hesitations about seeing him again. Hell, my date with Riley lasted ten minutes before he literally ran out the door. Everyone knows what happened with …" She scowled as she skipped over the Leech's name. "I'm your fucking imprint, Jacob." Her voice broke as she finished, "And you don't even want forever with me."
A growl escaped from deep in his chest as he scowled at her. Jacob knew she was pissed at herself and trying to pick a fight so he would leave her to pout in peace, but he had no intention of letting her. Depressed, triggered Bella usually led to impulsive, illogical Bella. Sometimes Jacob wondered if the purpose of the imprint was to merely keep her alive. Bella had blood ties to Quil, and even though no Ateara blood ran through her veins, she was family where their ancestors were concerned. Above all else, the wolves protected their family. At times Jacob wondered if the gene hadn't been triggered because of Bella specifically. She had purposely inserted herself into the lives of their enemy, endangering herself countless times.
What better way to piss off the ancestors, huh? It was a theory he couldn't prove, but it remained ever-present in his mind, creating a tiny shard of resentment for the best friend he loved more than life itself.
Jacob had believed he was in love with Bella, too, long before the imprint or sex ever came into play. Those feelings changed as they grew up, and Bella had never been in love with him. The wolf, however, loved her more than ever. It liked Reagan and even seemed to feel she was good for them, but it still needed its mate. Jacob suspected living together was the only thing keeping the wolf from getting jealous of her dating other people.
Jacob often wondered if he would stop needing Bella. Would it suddenly stop when he decided to quit phasing and grow old again? He hoped so.
Sam had been no help on the subject when Jacob asked. Sam hoped Jacob's theory was wrong because it would mean his love for Emily was a facade. It would mean he had not fought it hard enough, and he had destroyed a lifetime with Leah for nothing.
Jacob scratched the back of his neck in aggravation and said, "How do you feel about Paul, Bells? Tell me the truth."
"Jacob, I literally forgot about my date three times tonight because of Paul," Bella said. "When he's around, I can't think about anything else. He gets all of my attention somehow."
Shit, she's got it bad. Jacob was unsure if he should be happy or worried. Sure he had been helping Paul, but he never expected her to crash so quickly.
Jacob said, "Honey, I think you should call and tell him. I think he would be over the fucking moon, honestly."
"He's with that girl," Bella said. "She was all over him."
"Lots of girls try to get all over Paul, honey," Jacob said. "And he hasn't mentioned getting laid in a while. Well, a while for Paul, anyway."
"I couldn't blame him if he did," Bella grumbled. "I have given the guy blue balls. At least once today, and that I'm sure of."
Jacob barked out a loud laugh and yanked her back down on the bed next to him. "You gotta stop pacing, Bells. You're going to wear a hole to China."
"Very funny," she mumbled.
"You should call him," Jacob insisted. He hoped that Paul was still at the bar or home alone by now. "What time was it when you saw him?"
"Ern," Bella glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand by Jacob's head and said, "An hour ago at most."
"He's probably still out drinking."
Bella pulled her cell out of her purse and hesitated. She was staring at the damn thing as if it was about to bite her.
Jacob whipped his phone out and said, "I'll do it." He had Paul's number up and dialing before Bella could stop him. Jacob hit the speaker button and held the phone away from her as she tried to take it.
His eyes went wide as a woman answered, and Bella gasped in surprise. Jacob hit the end button immediately and wished he could stomp his own ass as she tried her best to not pout. There was an awkward silence between them as she sat eerily still, lost in her thoughts. Jacob said, "Bells, I'm sorry. Maybe he is on a date or something."
Bella asked, "Does he have a girlfriend we don't know about? She was rubbing up on him in a crowd of people. Why would she feel comfortable enough to answer his phone?"
"I don't know," Jacob said, scowling. "Paul doesn't really give a shit about people messing with his phone, though. Maybe he just laid it down at the bar. Call him tomorrow, Bells. Maybe it's better to wait, anyway."
"Or maybe he was just fucking with you and let her answer," Bella said hopefully. She pulled up his number and held her breath as it rang. Jacob patted her back, reminding her to breathe. The same female voice answered the phone, sounding slightly annoyed this time.
Bella asked, "Um, who is this? Where is Paul?"
Jacob recognized the drunken giggle on the other end before Shari said, "Paul is in the shower. This is his number one fuck. Who the hell are you?"
Oh, hell. Here we go, Jacob thought as Bella instantly flushed red in anger. Jacob would have laughed over the tongue lashing that was coming if he wasn't so worried about the consequences of whatever crazy retort she would have.
Jacob could feel her jealousy. Bella was angry at herself for being foolish. Her temper reminded Jacob of a bottle rocket. He could practically feel the tension burning through her like a lit fuse. Even Bella was astonished by the things that came from her mouth when she went off. And Lord, help the person on the receiving end if they were deserving of it.
Looks like Shari is the lucky recipient this time, Jacob thought, grateful it wasn't him. Still, he would never let his imprint mentally tailspin alone. Just like a bottle rocket, what goes up must come down.
Jacob tried not to smile, bracing himself as Bella glared at her phone. He had never seen Bella look as vindictive as she did at that moment. She was fucking adorable when she was mad. Well, most of the time.
Bella put on her best customer service voice as she said, "Oh, you must be Jenny! Or Jamie. Or Amber. I forget their names. There are just so many. Anyway, when Paul gets out of the shower, remind him to pay you for your services."
"Bitch you did not just call me a whore," Shari shrieked.
Jacob stuffed his fist into his mouth to keep from talking. He could visualize the anger on Shari's face and shook with silent laughter. Shari had been friends with Rachel growing up, and Jacob found her unbearable. He had never understood what Paul saw in her company, even if they were just hookups.
Bella said, "Make sure to tell him the only woman with a spare key to his fucking house called. I doubt I will hear your voice ever again, so have a nice life! Bye!"
Bella hit the end button rather than waiting for a response. She forced a wicked grin at Jacob while simultaneously battling back another angry sob.
He moved to lay down on her bed and held his arms open for her. "Oh, honey," he soothed as she curled up against him. "What are we going to do with you?" For the first time since Bella was a brokenhearted teenager, she let Jacob hold her as she cried herself to sleep.
