In the Heat of the Night

Chapter Eight:

Paul spent the rest of the day steaming. He'd taken Bella home, and he was keeping her protected at his house. He had a small home on his parent's property, and that's where they were staying. Bella didn't seem upset, and that was bothering Paul even more. He'd made toast, and he was sitting at his little table, eating it angrily while Bella slept. She woke up not long after he'd sat down, and she wandered into the kitchen.

Paul shook his head, taking another Bella rubbed her eyes, and yawned, leaning on the chair at the end of the table, smiling blearily at Paul. "Hey handsome," she turned to look for more toast. "Did you make me some of that?"

He took another angry bite of toast and shook his head. "No, I didn't."

Bella looked at him confused, "Okay, I guess-" she walked over to the fridge, her bare feet padding on the tile. "What's going on with you?" She turned to look at him as she pulled the door open, grabbing the bread for herself.

Paul's face was still angry, and he turned to scowl. "Aren't you even a little upset about running into that bloodsucker last night?" He turned his body in the chair so that he was pointed right at her.

Bella shrugged crossing her arms across her chest. "I mean a little, but uh, I think he was just trying to upset you-". Her oversized t-shirt draped her body, and she fiddled with the edge of it, looking away from Paul. "I think he was just a little over excited-".

Paul finished his toast and leaned back in his chair. "I don't care if he was trying to upset me, it worked!" His lips pursed while he was speaking, "He's still in love with you Bella, he's going to try and steal you-".

This time Bella scowled, and she interrupted Paul. "I'm not a piece of meat. I'm not an object. You can't steal me from each other-" she scowled. "We imprinted Paul! There is no one else in the world that I care about more than you. You complete me-" her eyes teared up, and she turned away from him, "You know what, I can't do this right now-" and she turned, and nearly sprinted out of the kitchen.

"Bella!" Paul exclaimed, rising out of the chair, and following her down the hall. She'd slammed the bedroom door, and he leaned against the doorway, rapping on the door. "Baby, open up this door."

He heard a muffled cry from the bedroom inside, and he knocked on the door harder. "Baby, I'm sorry-" he sighed, and his shoulders slumped. He felt terrible. He knew that she was probably stressed enough, she didn't need to have to deal with this from him. He should have kept it together better. "I shouldn't have said you weren't upset. Just-" he put his arm on the door and leaned his forehead on it, "I was upset okay, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

There was silence for a few seconds before he heard the padding of feet, and the door knob turned, and the door swung open. Bella stood on the other side, her eyes red and puffy. She sniffed, and gestured for him to come in. "I'm sorry-" she apologized, her voice scratchy after crying for so long.

"You don't have to apologize for being upset-" he told her, reaching out his hand to her cheek, and brushing away her tear. "I'm sorry I was such a tool-".

Bella turned around and walked over to the bed before flopping down on her stomach. "I'm just so stressed, you know? He really stressed me out yesterday".

Paul followed her over to the bed and sat down beside her, playing with a piece of her hair. "I know you're stressed. We just have to ignore him. He'll get tired of bothering us after a while, and know that they're back, as much as I hate to admit it, it's more protection for you."

Bella nodded, before resting her head on the bed, turning her face to look at Paul. "I just want to spend time with you," she sighed, "I feel like I never get to see you. We're always so busy worrying about Victoria and the other's, we never get time to just relax and talk."

Paul nodded, "Don't worry, baby. After we kill that ginger leech, we will have all the time in the world to do whatever you want to."

Rolling onto her back, she cuddled up against him. "You know that I wouldn't leave you, Paul."

He nodded, and laid down beside her. "I know you wouldn't, Bella." He felt like she wouldn't. Of course he had anxieties that he wasn't good for her, and she wanted to leave him for Edward, but he pushed those feelings of inadequacy down. She loved him, and he loved her, and they were meant to be together.

Slowly, he leaned down to kiss her, and she pressed her mouth against his. They embraced, and as they started to kiss more passionately, and started to remove their clothes, Paul was just really enamoured by how strongly he loved her. He just wanted to be with her, and hold her, and never let her go.

They made love this time, and it was the sweetest, and most loving thing they'd ever experienced. Bella had never felt anything like it, and afterwards they laid there, and recuperated in each others arms.