Bella's POV:
I don't know what overcame me. I had said I wanted to start out by being friends and see where we went from there but after seeing him tell Mike off for me I just couldn't stop myself. I leaned up and placed a gentle, quick kiss on his lips. "My hero" I murmured happily.
I hadn't felt this happy in months. I hadn't felt this whole ever. With Edward something was always missing. A sense of intimacy. For the first time I felt like I wasn't going to get hurt. That Paul wasn't going to hurt me and I just took the plunge. I didn't want to miss a moment with this man.
He grinned broadly, lifted me off the ground and swinging me around with a loud whoop. He leaned down and pressed a slightly more passionate kiss against my lips. There was a bit of hesitancy still but when I kissed him back that seemed to dissipate.
I blushed after the kiss finished and found everyone watching us. Sam and Jarrod and their girls were grinning just as broadly as Paul was. Jacob looked slightly put off and Embry just looked awkward- like he had just watched his sister make out with someone. Billy and the other elders looked fairly pleased as if they had played matchmaker successfully.
"So Paul and Jacob mentioned hearing some legends!" I pulled Paul back down onto our driftwood bench and sat down in his lap. "Who's going to tell them?"
"She's winning points!" Kim called out. She was gorgeous with pin straight shoulder length black hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin reminded me of milky coffee and she looked at Jarrod with such love. I wondered if I looked at Paul like that. "Someone who with actually listen to Quil and Billy's stories."
It felt like we had sat for hours listening to Quil Atera Sr. and Billy as they retold the legends of the tribe. I felt at peace and perfectly at home in Paul's hot embrace. I noticed that Emily and Kim had both taken positions very similar to mine and decided that it was nice to be able to be warm in someone's embrace and not just about suffer freezer burn every time I wanted to be held.
It was nearing one in the morning when everyone started to head back to their own homes. Paul took my hand and started leading me up the beach. "Come on I'll take you home you look beat."
"Well thanks" I scoffed rolling my eyes. "What about my truck?"
"I'll drive it and then just run back here." Paul explained as he plucked the keys to the truck from my hand. "Bella you are always beautiful to me. You could be wearing a potato sack or be a paper bag princess and you'd still be beautiful. You'll always be my princess."
I blushed at his sappy comments but his words warmed my heart.
"We have to talk about where we stand" He finally said as he helped me into the passenger side of the truck.
I let him climb into the driver's seat before responding "I'm willing to give a real relationship a shot with you but I just want to be honest here. I was almost destroyed when the Cullen's left. I don't think I can survive another heart break Paul. So if I seem a little guarded or stand offish it's just because I am terrified about getting hurt again."
"Bella I will never purposely hurt you. Hurting you in any way will hurt me too." Paul told me giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. "If anything I do ever hurts you or annoys you just tell me and we can talk it over."
Wow he really was serious about this. Talking things over wasn't something Edward was ever very good with. He would just go and do something. Never talking anything over with me first.
"Thank you Paul" I squeezed his hand back and scooted closer to him so he could wrap an arm around my shoulder for the rest of our quiet ride to Forks.
"I don't think you should meet Charlie yet" I laughed as we pulled into my driveway.
He looked petrified. "Waiting might be a good idea" he admitted as he exited the truck. I climbed out and met him at the start of the sidewalk.
"I'll see you soon?" I asked knowing I wouldn't be able to stay away from him for very long. I remembered how I had felt that afternoon unable to wait to see him. Being away from him was going to be difficult I could just tell.
"Of course. I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go to Port Angeles tomorrow? It's my day off and we could finish up any Christmas shopping you may have and the little bit I have, have lunch, catch a movie?" He sounded nervous as he asked me.
"That sounds like fun" I leaned up and kissed his hot lips again holding the kiss longer than necessary but still not willingly. I wouldn't mind kissing those lips for eternity.
"Sleep tight my princess" Paul squeezed my hand one more time before turning and starting towards the bush near my house.
I opened the door and could hear the TV quietly playing in the living room. Charlie must have tried waiting up for me. If he hadn't fallen asleep he would have for sure been interrogating Paul at the moment.
I peeked into the living room and there was my dad snoring softly in his recliner. The discovery channel was on as I rummaged through the pile of newspapers on the coffee table for the remote. I found it and turned off the TV before turning to Charlie.
"Dad. Daddy. I'm home." I said quietly "You should move up to your bed so you don't get a krink in your neck dad" I shook his shoulder gently.
He jumped "Bells what time is it?" He asked groggy sleepily rubbing his eyes.
"Just about 1:30" I told him peeking at my watch.
"Did you have fun? Did you and Jake work out whatever was wrong?" He asked as he started to stand.
"It was a blast dad. The elders came and told stories and I met a couple of the girls from the reserve, Emily and Kim." I said as we made our way to the stairs together. "Jake and I are working it out. He's still my best friend!" I was seriously thrilled that Jacob now didn't have to hide anything from me. I was so glad I wasn't going to lose him too.
"That's good Bella" Charlie yawned "If I don't see you before I head off to work have a good day tomorrow."
I nodded and moved into my room closing the door behind me. I changed into a pair of yoga pants and a tank top before I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. All I could think about was Paul, his luscious lips, his promise to not hurt me.
I fell into the bed exhausted but happy. Tonight was just the beginning of what I had a feeling would be a great relationship with a great guy. I remembered Jacob's comments about Paul's temper and had seen a slight flare during his talk with Mike but I wasn't scared.
I buried myself under my quilt momentarily wishing I had Paul's heat to keep me warm during the night before drifting off into the most restful sleep I had had since Edward's abrupt departure.