I think I'm lost without you [Paul Lahote]

Chapter 16: I don't feel it till it hurts sometimes

Noah heard the distinct sound of conspiratorial laughter and then, "Will you two shut up? You're gonna wake her."

Paul's hushed voice rumbled through Noah from where her face was buried into his chest. She let out a huff, turning her face to the side so only one cheek pressed against him but she refused to open her eyes just yet.

"Too late," Noah sighed, hearing the distinct sound of giggling and whispering and choosing to ignore it. "When did I fall asleep?"

"Oh you know, just about immediately after you laid down," Paul informed, in a too-casual voice that let Noah know he was holding back a laugh.

"Well that seems like slander." She let out a puff of air, trying, albeit not very hard, to blow the hair from her face. Paul brushed it back with a gentle motion of his fingers.

"Who's here?" Noah asked, voice still thick with sleep. If she was more awake, she might have said something more along the lines of: which one of the idiots decided it was a good idea to wake me up? Alas, Paul understood her regardless.

"That was Quil and Jared," he answered. "I think maybe Embry, Seth, and Sam are also here."

"That tracks," Noah hummed, not at all surprised by who the culprits were.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, in between laughing themselves silly, Quil relayed that Emily made food," Paul noted. "So, it wasn't entirely dickish behavior, only slightly."

"I suppose I could eat," Noah declared, propping her chin on her uncasted hand, now blinking sleepily up at him as she stared deeply into his chocolate eyes.

"Oh yeah?" Paul chuckled, returning her gaze with amusement and something else Noah couldn't quite place. She wouldn't mind staying here forever to figure it out though.

"You have pretty eyes," Noah mumbled out, a complete lack of filter from having one foot still in the world of dreams.

"I know," Paul grinned.

"Huh," Noah grunted, too thrown off by his response to be embarrassed by her own admittance. "That's not usually how people respond."

"No sorry," Paul smirked, having the wisdom to look at least slightly sheepish. "What I meant to say is you've already told me that."

"Excuse me?" Noah blurted out, jerking up into a sitting position at the opposite end of the couch. She definitely did no such thing. She had thought about it - more than a few times - but she had certainly never said anything.

"You don't remember calling me?" Paul asked, lip quirked up into a half smile.

"No!" Noah screeched immediately, but thinking back on it quickly, she remembered the weird interaction with Jacob this morning. He had clearly confiscated her phone while she was loopy on pain meds without explaining why. She slapped a hand over her mouth and groaned. "Oh my god, you have got to be joking. What else did I say?"

"Oh not much," Paul drawled, seeming very pleased with himself. "I mean Jake took your phone before you could really get into it, but I think I remember something along the lines of how you wanted to swim in the chocolate pools that were my beautiful eyes."

"Fuck off," Noah groaned, "This is the worst day of my life. I cannot believe that I did that." She buried her face in both hands and tried to disappear into the couch cushions.

"No, it was very cute," Paul laughed, getting to his feet and pulling her up with him. "C'mon let's get some food."

Noah trailed Paul into the dining room, face still burning a tomato red and unable to meet his gaze - possibly ever again. From the quick side glances she allowed herself, it seemed like Paul had a positively delighted smirk permanently etched into his face. This did wonders to shift Noah's emotions from embarrassment to irritation at his stupid, smirking face. It also allowed her to finally take her attention off of the infuriating man.