Chapter Two

Fighting the fall

Paul didn't mind a little hard work, especially if it put some extra cash in his pocket. Other than the Cullen's, there were no vampires to hunt down, and fighting with Jacob or Jared got old. He liked Emily and Sam's place well enough, but the way they were always all over each other was sickening – like watching his parents get it on. Even if the job paid nothing, he would have helped. Chief Swan had saved his ass more times than he would have cared to admit, and Delilah… well, she was Delilah. They had been best friends growing up. Though, he admittedly had had a crush on her. He teased her, as most young boys with crushes did. She acted like a boy (or at least wasn't into all that frilly girly shit), so he had nicknamed her Slugger. He had pulled on her braids and ditched her when they rode bikes – he always came back, but not until she was good and angry. Paul liked Lilah most when she was angry.

Paul's eyes lifted as a cruiser pulled into the driveway, and a feminine voice rang out from inside. Even through the glass, he could make out her angular face and full lips. "Not bad." He smirked over at Sam, who just shook his head. "Oh come on man, I know you've got Em, but you can at least appreciate another hot chick…"

"No, Paul, I can't." Sam all but scowled as he dragged a paintbrush over the garage door. "The imprint makes it impossible to really even look at another woman. Besides, that's Delilah, not 'some hot chick'."

"She can be two things." Paul smiled as he hauled a large bag of soil up to his shoulder. "Sounds like she has a boyfriend anyway." He turned and made his way down the driveway when he was nearly ran over by Lilah – on foot. "Watch it there, Slugger." He smirked at the smile that spread across her pale face.

She might still have been 'Slugger', but her body was all woman. His eyes glided over the swell of her full hips that dipped into a narrow waist that disappeared behind sizeable breasts. He followed the trail over her sharp collarbone and pointed jaw before her warm brown eyes caught his own. Paul felt his body stiffen as the world around them melted away. There was no sound – no movement… there was only her. His anchor. Delilah Swan had become his world in a matter of moments. He tried to force his eyes away as she said his name like a prayer – like the women he bedded. Fuck, there had been so many. And she… had a boyfriend.

"Uh oh…" He heard Quil laugh from his perch on the ladder. If Paul wasn't so enthralled, he might have kicked it out from under him.

"It's been a while, Lilah." He smiled softly, nearly forgetting about the large bag of soil on his shoulder. "Or should I say, Officer." He instantly hated her job. It was dangerous and crazy. His eyes moved over her quickly, as if gunshot wounds would just appear.

"Lilah works, Paulie." She smiled as he cringed at the old nickname. He had hated it then, and hated it now, though he would put up with it if she kept smiling like that. Shit. He was already so whipped. "How have you been?"

"I can't complain. Graduated, been working for the council and doing some freelance construction." He jutted his jaw towards the house that was almost complete and in a lot better shape than when they had started a few weeks ago. "What about you? Keeping all those ne'er do wells off the street?"

Her laugh was light and feminine despite the harsh edge her appearance gave off. Though, Paul supposed she would have to come off that way to be taken seriously as a female cop. "I try, but there's something to be said about the American justice system. I've seen guys beat their girlfriends and walk away at the same time a guy is doing ten years for a joint." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms under her breasts. "But don't tell my dad I said that. You know what a stickler he can be for the law."

"Good ol' Chief Swan." Paul smirked. They fell into silence, their eyes locking as that weird heaviness settled around them again. It was like a pull in his chest. She was… gravitational.

"Paul, I need that soil." Sam's voice cut through the moment, a small smile pulling at his lips. Paul had been so anti-imprint, he was sure the guys would rag on him for a month.

"I'll –uh… I'll catch you later?" He asked Delilah with a small smile, though he was having a hard time convincing his feet to move.

"Sure." She smiled and waved to the others. "I want to buy you guys lunch later as a thank you. Whenever you're ready, I'll be inside. Make yourselves at home."

Paul watched her walk into the house, the subtle sway of her hips under the blanket of brown waves. Only when the door closed behind her did the other guys start in. "Oh man – She's so gonna own him!" Embry barked out a laugh as Paul's face reset in a scowl.

"I love you, Lilah…" Quil imitated Paul, his chest puffed out. "Stare into my bulging muscles and fall under my spell!"

"You wanna come down here and try that again?" Paul growled, his lips pulling back over clenched teeth in a snarl.

"Knock it off you two." Sam called in a light tone, hardly working to hide his own smile. His eyes drifted over to Paul. "Delilah Swan of all people?" He chuckled and shook his head. "You ever get over her, man?"

"I was twelve when she left, Sam. It's not like I was in love with her." He finally tossed the bag of soil down. "And this imprint doesn't change anything."

The laughter stopped and Sam's expression fell. "What do you mean, Paul?"

"I mean that I'm not going to turn into some gooey-eyed moron just because I imprinted." His jaw flexed as she turned he attention to the flowerbed, ripping the back of soil open. "You heard her phone call. She has a boyfriend anyway."

"Yeah, back in Arizona." Jacob finally weighed in. It was no secret that he was still moping over the leech family returning. "Even if he was right next door, the imprint kind of trumps that."

"Not if I don't want it. I can't fall for her if I don't let myself. Imprint be damned."

"You're an idiot." Jared laughed and shook his head. "You don't stand a chance. You have no idea how powerful it really is. I say you don't make it a month before you're in love with her."

"I'll take that bet." Quil smiled. "Only I don't think he'll make it a week."

"You're both wrong." Embry shook his head as Paul's angry eyes moved to him. "He'll hold out until the boyfriend shows up. And then he'll snap."

Paul growled, throwing down the spade he had been using. "Fuck you." He spat before moving to the woods to run off some of the tension he felt. Most of it came from the fact that he knew they were right – all of them. He was already feeling the pull to go back to her – to stay by her side. He wouldn't be able to control himself when the boyfriend showed up. "Fuck imprinting." He mumbled before tearing out of his cutoffs, bounding for the cliffs of La Push.