Layla had sorted all the clothes in Paul's floor and folded what wasn't dirty and carried to his laundry room what was. She had all the empty water bottles and empty food wrappers and other junk all bagged up by a quarter til ten. She figured she could come back tomorrow and finish dusting, vacuuming, and changing his bed sheets out.
"Sam's outside waiting on you. I was hoping he'd forget so I could take you home. Maybe you'd just feel so inclined to clean my truck out." Paul teased.
"You are so gross." Layla giggled. "I'll be back in the morning to finish."
Paul smirked and picked Layla up and licked her cheek, making Layla whine and try to wipe it off. Paul laughed and set her back on her feet. Layla wiped her cheek and playfully glared up at him.
"I'd do it back but you'd probably like it." Layla grumbled.
"Yup. I like the weird stuff." Paul said, winking.
"Well, that explains the smell in here. And all the used tissues." Layla teased.
"Stand still while I get a Polaroid picture of you so I'll have something else to aim on." Paul said, laughing.
Layla's jaw dropped. Paul laughed harder in triumph and walked Layla to Sam's Jeep.
"See you tomorrow, princess!" Paul called out.
Layla gagged loudly and giggled before getting in.
"Should I ask?" Sam asked.
"Boys are so gross." Layla said, chuckling.
"Good thing I'm not a boy. I'm all man." Sam said, grinning.
Layla smiled shyly and peeked at Sam through her hair. She definitely agreed with his statement. She hadn't forgotten how absolutely stacked with muscle Sam was both times she had nodded off on him…how he picked her up and held her as if she were weightless… how amazing he smelled, oh God whatever cologne he wore made her weak in the knees…
Layla shook her head to break her train of thought. Sam had been watching her from the correct of his eye as he drove and loved how she peeked at him and watched her smile grow until she caught herself. He hated that the trip to the Swan house didn't take nearly long enough. Sam pulled along the curb and put his Jeep in park.
"Thank you for driving me home." Layla said. "I'll bring your clothes back tomorrow and pick mine up."
"I was serious when I said you can keep anything of mine you want." Sam said.
"I know. But by tomorrow they won't smell like you anymore." Layla muttered, not knowing Sam could hear her perfectly.
Sam smiled brightly.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Sam asked.
"I dunno. I'll be lost in the mess of Paul's room." Layla said, laughing.
"I'll dig you out. Sleep sweet." Sam said.
Layla quickly hugged Sam before opening the door to get out. She heard Sam go "uh-uh" and pull her back in and pull her into a proper bear hug.
"No half-assed hugs for me. I think this is our new tradition. Hugs before sleeps." Sam said.
Layla smiled and hugged Sam back and agreed. Sam finally moved his arms and let Layla go to the house. Sam drove away with the scent of his Imprint mixed with his own scent thick in his nose. If he could only bottle this…
…
Layla woke up the next morning and found a note beside her bed from her uncle Charlie with a couple of 50 dollar bills. He apologized for not being able to take her school supply shopping, but that Bella or Alice would probably take her off she didn't want to wait for him to go home. Layla pocketed the money after dressing and went downstairs to grab a quick bite. She was finishing her cereal when a knock sounded at the kitchen door. Layla leaned over to open it and Paul walked in.
"Hey, princess." Paul said, snagging her cereal and spoon and eating.
Layla snorted and grabbed a package of pop tarts and heated them up and handed of to Paul and ate the other one.
"I knew you loved me." Paul said, grinning.
"I'm that transparent? Oh, baby. Oh, baby. Yes take me now." Layla said in a monotone voice.
Paul smirked and picked Layla up and headed for his truck.
"And where do you think you're going with my girl, wolf boy?" Emmett asked, walking up.
Paul turned and looked at the vampire walking up the sidewalk, rolling his eyes.
"Hey, Emmett!" Layla called out. "I lost a bet so I'm paying up. Whatcha doing?"
"Charlie asked if we would take Layla shopping for school supplies." Alice said, coming to stand beside of Emmett.
"Can we go after I finish at Paul's? I'm halfway done then I'm all yours." Layla said.
Paul whined dramatically. "But it's my weekend…" he said.
"How about one extra Saturday? I'll spend the whole day cleaning your truck out of you want. But I do need to get school supplies for tomorrow." Layla said.
"I'll agree to it but only if you help me freak my mom out and get her to stop setting me up with every girl from her rez." Paul said.
"Deal." Layla giggled.
"We'll meet you at the entrance to the rez at 3, Layla." Alice said.
"And don't be late bringing my girl." Emmett said.
"I ain't taking your girl, Casper. This here is our girl. Ha, bye suckers!" Paul said, pulling Layla into his truck and speeding off.
"You kids." Layla said, laughing.
"We can totally ditch them and I can take you school shopping. It's cheaper on the rez." Paul offered.
"But I don't want Emmett and Alice to think I'm ditching them. It'll be okay." Layla smiled.
Paul pulled up to his house and Layla got back to work. Paul watched, smiling. He could so easily let himself imagine that she was his Imprint, that she was keeping things clean for the both of them, that he could pull her into his bed and just hold her… if he let himself.
Layla had roped Paul into rearranging his room much easier than he expected her to. She'd pulled off her fleece pullover and was left in just a t shirt that, in Paul's opinion, was the best shirt as it just naturally showed that she hadn't yet snagged her bra from Sam's yet.
'Don't get a boner, don't get a boner, don't get a boner…' Paul repeated mentally.
Layla changed the sheets on Paul's bed and put on fresh ones that smelled like fabric softener. She lifted his mattress and saw his collection of… magazines.
"Paaauuulll!" Layla called out.
Paul walked in and groaned. Layla giggled madly.
"I think we should show your mom and tell her they're mine." Layla teased.
Paul groaned again.
"I'm gonna take a cold shower and try not to think of you enjoying my magazines." Paul said.
Layla frowned.
"I didn't mean to make you nauseous…" Layla said, putting the mattress down.
"Oh, princess. Nauseated isn't the right word. More like… really fucking horny?" Paul said, smirking and moving his hands to prove his point.
Layla's eyes went wide.
"Wow…" she whispered. "I, uh… It's nearly 3...big...I mean school. School shopping thing…" she stuttered.
Paul felt pride fill his chest. His wolf was torn between wanting to keep garnering a reaction from Layla to backing off the Alpha's Imprint.
"It looks brand new in here! And it smells nice. I think you ought to keep this one around, Paul. You did amazing, Layla." Eric, Paul's dad said.
"Thank you, Mr. Lahote." Layla said. "I've got to head to the main road and start school shopping soon."
"I'm heading to the store. I'll drop you off." Eric offered.
"Thanks! I just have to run in Sam's and pick up a couple of things, would that be okay?" Layla asked.
"For a miracle worker who made this room look liveable? Definitely. I'll be out front." Eric said, walking off.
Layla smiled and grabbed her fleece pullover and pulled it on, followed by her shoes. Paul was obviously pouting at the idea of Layla leaving already. Layla frowned and walked over to him.
"Why are you sad?" Layla asked.
"Cause my princess is leaving." Paul pouted.
"I'll see you soon, yeah? You'll be okay. Just take your magazines to the shower." Layla giggled.
"They pale in comparison, princess." Paul said with a smirk. "I see something way better to occupy my imagination."
Layla blushed pink.
"I guess I could say the same. I dunno though…" Layla teased.
Paul growled playfully.
"Maybe next time you come over, I might completely accidentally be naked. I dunno though." Paul mimicked.
Layla headed for the door and stopped, looking thoughtful for a moment. Paul raised an eyebrow.
"So this is what really fucking horny feels like?" Layla asked, nodding. "Bye!"
Paul ran towards the front door and grabbed Layla just before she could grab the knob and turned her to face him. He swallowed the jolt of fear and excitement that coursed through him as he tilted her jaw upwards and felt himself pause. He looked at Layla, how she was on her tip toes in anticipation, how he could feel her tremble in excitement (he hoped), how big and round and innocent her eyes were as she looked up at him.
This wasn't a moment to be rushed. This was a moment to savor. To memorize. To be cherished. Because he, Paul Lahote, who had kissed dozens of girls before, felt his knees get weak in the very idea of putting his lips onto Layla's. He, Paul Lahote, who never became nervous around a girl, who knew every smooth trick into sweet talking a girl into warming his heart for the night, nearly trembled and felt uncertainty, knew it must be shining so from his eyes because…
Because Layla. Because she closed the inches of separation. Because she was eager to finish what Paul started. She needed no coercion, no sweet but empty promises, no cheap flattery to get her to share the taste of her lips with him. Paul felt himself wake up from the stupor he was held in and return Layla's kiss. She encouraged him with her soft but sharp inhale, with her fingers clenched so tightly in his shirt that he felt branded by it, with how she followed his lips with her own. Paul was awake, awakened by the oxygen in her lungs that he felt dance across his lips.
Paul looked down at Layla and rested his forehead against hers.
He, Paul Hunter Lahote, was categorically fucked.
…
Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper were waiting in Emmett's Jeep at the entrance to the reservation when Eric dropped Layla off. With Emmett's driving, the trip to Port Angeles didn't take no time. Layla and Emmett tried to see who could embarrass the other one more. When it ended in a tie, the pair teamed up to see if they could embarrass Rosalie. She rolled her eyes but played along on the condition they would actually pick out what Layla needed and purchase it.
The group finally pulled into the Cullens driveway around 7 that evening. Layla was yawning the entire trip before finally leaning against Emmett and nodding off. Rosalie snapped a few photos with her phone, loving how tender her husband looked. She could only imagine how loving and gentle he'd be if they could have had their own children. Emmett hated to wake her up but he had to so he could move. He wanted to hiss when he saw Jake leaning against his Rabbit, obviously waiting to take Layla home. Layla raised up, still half asleep and looked around, seeing Emmett and then seeing Jake. Jake came around and opened the door.
"Hey, shorty. You sleepy?" Jake asked.
"Mmhmm." Layla mumbled, sliding out of the vehicle.
"Come on. I'll take you home and you can get into bed. Your school starts early tomorrow morning." Jake said, going to grab her bags from Emmett.
Layla climbed into Rabbit and buckled up, still half asleep. Jake followed a few moments later and started his car, heading to Charlie's house.
"Did you have fun today?" Jake asked.
"Mmhmm. Finished Paul's room. I even rearranged the furniture. Emmett and I embarrassed Rosalie." Layla said. "We stopped at this drive up dinner and I ate a grilled cheese sandwich and tater tots. Official favorite."
"You'll have to get Sue to make you a grilled cheese. 3 kinds of cheese and it's just this religious experience you need." Jake said.
"I knew I really liked Sue." Layla said sleepily. "Jake…what would you do if you had a crush on someone?" she asked.
"I'd definitely tell them. And kiss them as much as I possibly could." Jake said, thinking Layla was talking about Sam.
"I like that idea." Layla said.
...
If i don't get like...10 comments on this chapter alone I'm going to be super heartbroken. Because the kiss. THE KISS. I man who wouldn't want to be missed like that by Paul... or Sam... or at shifter wolf? For real though. I love this chapter. Shit is good but the fan sooner or later though.
Should i make this a Sam/Layla only story? Or should it be Sam/Layla/ Paul? Comment and let me know!