Breathe In Union
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 03
~ Jambi ~
Here from the king's mountain view
Here from a wild dream come true
Feast like a sultan I do
On treasures and flesh, never few.
But I, I would wish it all away.
If I thought I'd lose you just one day.
~o0o~
Bella stood in front of her closet, staring at her wardrobe with unseeing eyes as she thought about the last two weeks.
Paul
Since their unconventional meeting at the Pow Wow her mother had forced her to, they'd spent every day 'hanging out' together and Bella had never been so… happy… obsessed… captivated. Briefly, the word 'love' ghosted through her thoughts and she scoffed at herself. 'What the hell? Love? God, I've gone from avoiding the male species entirely to standing here in my underwear contemplating being in love after knowing him two weeks? I've lost it!'
She shook her head and muttered, "Get a grip Bella," as she pulled out a shirt and shorts and got dressed. "He's just a friend." Still, if she were to be honest with herself, she'd have to admit to wanting more.
There had been a few times when they'd been playing around with each other, when she'd longed to feel his lips against hers and while the thought of that happening caused her heart to race, it scared her in equal measure because she was afraid to lose the easy friendship that had bloomed between them.
Walking over to her dresser, she picked up the small box that held his birthday gift; a single diamond stud earring. It had cost her just under a thousand out of her savings, but to her, it was worth it. He was worth it because, in just the brief time she'd known him, he'd become the dearest person in her life, effortlessly, naturally, as if he was always meant to be there and just thinking about that brought a smile to her face.
Turning, she grabbed her small backpack, put his gift inside, and headed downstairs.
Just as she reached the bottom landing, Phil, Renee's new husband came through the front door. "Oh hey Bella," he greeted as he dumped his gear bag next to the door. "How ya been?"
"Great," she said brightly with a smile. "I think Renee's in the back yard. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."
He grinned. "Thanks. Yeah, these long road trips are hell without her." He waved over his shoulder as he made his way toward the back door. "See ya later Bella."
Grabbing Renee's car key from the hook, Bella went to the back door, opened it and stuck her head out only to cringe as she saw her mother and Phil already locked in a heated embrace. "Uh, I'm leaving to meet up with Paul now."
Renee didn't even look away from Phil as she answered absently. "Yeah, okay honey. Have fun."
Bella sighed, shut the door and walked out the front to the car. Sliding in behind the wheel, she sat for a moment and thought about her situation. She didn't begrudge Renee for finally being in love. She was happy for her. But it was hard to go from being the one that held everything together in the household to being an inconvenience and hindrance to her mother's happiness. And that's exactly how she saw herself in this new family dynamic; an inconvenience.
As she started the car and made her way out of their cul-de-sac, she couldn't escape the thought that Renee would be much happier in her new life without a teen daughter around holding her back.
Although Renee had never said so, Bella knew she was the reason her mother never went on these road-trips with Phil and she also knew it was something she really wanted to do. She'd overheard Phil trying to talk her into it, but Renee had refused, not wanting to leave Bella alone for so long at a time and shockingly, once the woman had made up her mind on something, there was no moving her.
Bella sighed and drummed her fingers on the top of the wheel as she pulled up to a stop light. She had an alternative; a solution that would satisfy her mother at least. She could go live with Charlie, but she cringed at the thought of leaving here— of leaving Paul.
Before Paul, she'd had all this pretty much figured out and leaving Arizona hadn't really registered on her giving-a-shit meter, but now—even though they were just friends, she couldn't stand the thought of losing him.
For as long as she could remember, she'd always put aside her own needs and desires in deference to those of Renee's and frankly, it had come as a shock when she realized she wasn't willing to do that this time, so she'd decided, as long as she had Paul, Arizona was home and that's the way it would stay.
Pulling into the main entryway of the local mall, Bella smiled brightly when she saw Paul waiting by the fountain where they always met and she parked and simply watched him for a moment, thinking, not for the first time, how achingly gorgeous he was. But for all of his looks, she loved his eyes the most. They truly were the windows to his soul; a soul she'd learned to read, it seemed, in no time at all.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, she got out of the car, locked it and stowed the key in her bag as she walked toward him. He hadn't seen her yet as he was facing slightly away and she chuckled as he rolled his eyes at a group of girls trying their best to gain his attention.
According to his cousins, he had quite the reputation with the female population, but Bella didn't let that bother her. She knew him; knew his heart, knew his soul and knew deep in her own soul that he was warm and loving and kind, even if he did possess one hell of a temper. A temper which she'd only seen once so far.
When she was close, Paul turned his head and smiled at her. "Hey Shorty."
She sat by him and bumped his arm with her shoulder. "Hey Lofty, what's up?"
He smirked down at her. "Not you," he said and she rolled her eyes.
"And I suppose you are."
"Always," he said with a wicked grin.
She raised both brows and stared him down and he laughed. "You walked into that one."
"Yeah," she sighed. "I suppose I did," she said as she looked over at the now disappointed knot of girls across from them. As she watched, the girls shot her dirty looks as they walked toward the mall entrance and Bella said, "Oh darn, looks like your fangirls are leaving."
He glanced over and threw an arm around her shoulders. "S'okay, I still have you and you're my biggest little fan."
She smirked at him. "Keep it up and I'll bite your ankle."
He grinned. "Kinky… I like it." He stretched out one long leg and pointed. "Wearin' boots though so that might be a problem at the moment. "I'll take a rain-check though."
"Gah," she said, smiling as she poked him in the ribs. "Do you ever stop?!"
He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "No, and it's my birthday, so you have to put up with my shit."
"Oooh!" she said as she unzipped her bag and fished out his gift. She met his eyes and handed him the little wrapped package. "Happy Birthday."
He stared at it for a beat and took it gently from her outstretched hand. "You didn't have to get me anything." He met her eyes and she smiled.
"I wanted to!" She nudged into his side. "Well, come on! Open it!" She grinned and Paul just watched her for a moment, and it was then, with that wide beautiful smile on her face and that sparkle of pure happiness in those deep brown eyes, that he realized she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen; so beautiful, his heart ached with it.
Giving himself a mental shake, he cleared the sudden lump from his throat and began opening the gift. When he finally revealed the small jewelry box, he tried to lighten the mood as he held it up and placed a hand on his chest. "Why Bella, you haven't even asked my mother for my hand yet!"
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Just open it!"
So he did.
"Holy shit Shorty." He looked at her with wide eyes. "This looks real."
She grinned proudly. "That's because it is."
"Bella…" He stared down at it and trailed a finger over the diamond before looking back at her. "This is too much."
She stared into those hazel/amber eyes that were full of emotion and smiled softly. "Do you like it?"
"Yeah," he murmured. "Very much."
She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Then that's all that matters."
She got up and stood between his knees as she took out the little silver hoop he wore and replaced it with the diamond stud. "There," she murmured as she rested her hand on his neck just below his ear as she met his eyes. "It's perfect on you. I knew it would be."
He reached up and placed his hand just beneath her jaw, and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Bella…" He whispered as he gently urged her forward with his hand and Bella quietly gasped as his lips brushed hers… once… twice… and then with a tilt of his head he deepened the kiss and she was lost. Lost to the feel of his lips against hers. Lost to the connection, the pounding of their hearts, the feel of his strong shoulders under her hands and finally lost to the taste of him as his tongue played languorously with hers. It was what she considered her first kiss, and to her, it couldn't have been more perfect.
He ended it by gently sucking on the bow of her upper lip and her eyes opened as he gently drew away to look at her.
"Please tell me this won't ruin things for us," she whispered and he smiled softly.
"No way Shorty," he said quietly. "I can only see it getting better and better."
She studied his eyes for a moment before tucking herself into his embrace. "Good, because you're important to me and I don't wanna lose you."
He tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck as a phantom fist squeezed his heart when he thought about La Push and his eventual return, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about that today.
Not today… because today was too perfect, and he was determined it would stay that way.
~ Jambi ~
Here from the king's mountain view
Here from a wild dream come true
Feast like a sultan I do
On treasures and flesh, never few.
But I, I would wish it all away.
If I thought I'd lose you just one day.
~o0o~
Bella stood in front of her closet, staring at her wardrobe with unseeing eyes as she thought about the last two weeks.
Paul
Since their unconventional meeting at the Pow Wow her mother had forced her to, they'd spent every day 'hanging out' together and Bella had never been so… happy… obsessed… captivated. Briefly, the word 'love' ghosted through her thoughts and she scoffed at herself. 'What the hell? Love? God, I've gone from avoiding the male species entirely to standing here in my underwear contemplating being in love after knowing him two weeks? I've lost it!'
She shook her head and muttered, "Get a grip Bella," as she pulled out a shirt and shorts and got dressed. "He's just a friend." Still, if she were to be honest with herself, she'd have to admit to wanting more.
There had been a few times when they'd been playing around with each other, when she'd longed to feel his lips against hers and while the thought of that happening caused her heart to race, it scared her in equal measure because she was afraid to lose the easy friendship that had bloomed between them.
Walking over to her dresser, she picked up the small box that held his birthday gift; a single diamond stud earring. It had cost her just under a thousand out of her savings, but to her, it was worth it. He was worth it because, in just the brief time she'd known him, he'd become the dearest person in her life, effortlessly, naturally, as if he was always meant to be there and just thinking about that brought a smile to her face.
Turning, she grabbed her small backpack, put his gift inside, and headed downstairs.
Just as she reached the bottom landing, Phil, Renee's new husband came through the front door. "Oh hey Bella," he greeted as he dumped his gear bag next to the door. "How ya been?"
"Great," she said brightly with a smile. "I think Renee's in the back yard. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."
He grinned. "Thanks. Yeah, these long road trips are hell without her." He waved over his shoulder as he made his way toward the back door. "See ya later Bella."
Grabbing Renee's car key from the hook, Bella went to the back door, opened it and stuck her head out only to cringe as she saw her mother and Phil already locked in a heated embrace. "Uh, I'm leaving to meet up with Paul now."
Renee didn't even look away from Phil as she answered absently. "Yeah, okay honey. Have fun."
Bella sighed, shut the door and walked out the front to the car. Sliding in behind the wheel, she sat for a moment and thought about her situation. She didn't begrudge Renee for finally being in love. She was happy for her. But it was hard to go from being the one that held everything together in the household to being an inconvenience and hindrance to her mother's happiness. And that's exactly how she saw herself in this new family dynamic; an inconvenience.
As she started the car and made her way out of their cul-de-sac, she couldn't escape the thought that Renee would be much happier in her new life without a teen daughter around holding her back.
Although Renee had never said so, Bella knew she was the reason her mother never went on these road-trips with Phil and she also knew it was something she really wanted to do. She'd overheard Phil trying to talk her into it, but Renee had refused, not wanting to leave Bella alone for so long at a time and shockingly, once the woman had made up her mind on something, there was no moving her.
Bella sighed and drummed her fingers on the top of the wheel as she pulled up to a stop light. She had an alternative; a solution that would satisfy her mother at least. She could go live with Charlie, but she cringed at the thought of leaving here— of leaving Paul.
Before Paul, she'd had all this pretty much figured out and leaving Arizona hadn't really registered on her giving-a-shit meter, but now—even though they were just friends, she couldn't stand the thought of losing him.
For as long as she could remember, she'd always put aside her own needs and desires in deference to those of Renee's and frankly, it had come as a shock when she realized she wasn't willing to do that this time, so she'd decided, as long as she had Paul, Arizona was home and that's the way it would stay.
Pulling into the main entryway of the local mall, Bella smiled brightly when she saw Paul waiting by the fountain where they always met and she parked and simply watched him for a moment, thinking, not for the first time, how achingly gorgeous he was. But for all of his looks, she loved his eyes the most. They truly were the windows to his soul; a soul she'd learned to read, it seemed, in no time at all.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, she got out of the car, locked it and stowed the key in her bag as she walked toward him. He hadn't seen her yet as he was facing slightly away and she chuckled as he rolled his eyes at a group of girls trying their best to gain his attention.
According to his cousins, he had quite the reputation with the female population, but Bella didn't let that bother her. She knew him; knew his heart, knew his soul and knew deep in her own soul that he was warm and loving and kind, even if he did possess one hell of a temper. A temper which she'd only seen once so far.
When she was close, Paul turned his head and smiled at her. "Hey Shorty."
She sat by him and bumped his arm with her shoulder. "Hey Lofty, what's up?"
He smirked down at her. "Not you," he said and she rolled her eyes.
"And I suppose you are."
"Always," he said with a wicked grin.
She raised both brows and stared him down and he laughed. "You walked into that one."
"Yeah," she sighed. "I suppose I did," she said as she looked over at the now disappointed knot of girls across from them. As she watched, the girls shot her dirty looks as they walked toward the mall entrance and Bella said, "Oh darn, looks like your fangirls are leaving."
He glanced over and threw an arm around her shoulders. "S'okay, I still have you and you're my biggest little fan."
She smirked at him. "Keep it up and I'll bite your ankle."
He grinned. "Kinky… I like it." He stretched out one long leg and pointed. "Wearin' boots though so that might be a problem at the moment. "I'll take a rain-check though."
"Gah," she said, smiling as she poked him in the ribs. "Do you ever stop?!"
He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "No, and it's my birthday, so you have to put up with my shit."
"Oooh!" she said as she unzipped her bag and fished out his gift. She met his eyes and handed him the little wrapped package. "Happy Birthday."
He stared at it for a beat and took it gently from her outstretched hand. "You didn't have to get me anything." He met her eyes and she smiled.
"I wanted to!" She nudged into his side. "Well, come on! Open it!" She grinned and Paul just watched her for a moment, and it was then, with that wide beautiful smile on her face and that sparkle of pure happiness in those deep brown eyes, that he realized she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen; so beautiful, his heart ached with it.
Giving himself a mental shake, he cleared the sudden lump from his throat and began opening the gift. When he finally revealed the small jewelry box, he tried to lighten the mood as he held it up and placed a hand on his chest. "Why Bella, you haven't even asked my mother for my hand yet!"
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Just open it!"
So he did.
"Holy shit Shorty." He looked at her with wide eyes. "This looks real."
She grinned proudly. "That's because it is."
"Bella…" He stared down at it and trailed a finger over the diamond before looking back at her. "This is too much."
She stared into those hazel/amber eyes that were full of emotion and smiled softly. "Do you like it?"
"Yeah," he murmured. "Very much."
She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Then that's all that matters."
She got up and stood between his knees as she took out the little silver hoop he wore and replaced it with the diamond stud. "There," she murmured as she rested her hand on his neck just below his ear as she met his eyes. "It's perfect on you. I knew it would be."
He reached up and placed his hand just beneath her jaw, and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Bella…" He whispered as he gently urged her forward with his hand and Bella quietly gasped as his lips brushed hers… once… twice… and then with a tilt of his head he deepened the kiss and she was lost. Lost to the feel of his lips against hers. Lost to the connection, the pounding of their hearts, the feel of his strong shoulders under her hands and finally lost to the taste of him as his tongue played languorously with hers. It was what she considered her first kiss, and to her, it couldn't have been more perfect.
He ended it by gently sucking on the bow of her upper lip and her eyes opened as he gently drew away to look at her.
"Please tell me this won't ruin things for us," she whispered and he smiled softly.
"No way Shorty," he said quietly. "I can only see it getting better and better."
She studied his eyes for a moment before tucking herself into his embrace. "Good, because you're important to me and I don't wanna lose you."
He tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck as a phantom fist squeezed his heart when he thought about La Push and his eventual return, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about that today.
Not today… because today was too perfect, and he was determined it would stay that way.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.