The Heat of You
by Wizardtho
Chapter 09:
BPOV
More than once while we were out today, I swore I would make Paul something special to eat… something just for him. He seemed to know when I needed him the most, and whenever the memories started taking my focus, he was right there to bring me back to the present.
I really didn’t feel comfortable out, but I tried to talk my way through it by telling Paul things I wanted to make this week. I couldn’t help that when we passed someone in an aisle, I got as close to Paul as possible while my voice lowered to a whisper. He didn’t seem to mind, though.
The funny thing was, though Paul’s constant attention kept the memories from overwhelming me, it also gave me courage. I debated asking Paul to do it during the drive to Billy’s, but Paul’s quiet strength as he held my hand gave me the courage to ask myself.
That courage promptly fled when Billy went to hand me the journal. Of course, Paul noticed, and he quickly took the journal as my hands shook and I ducked my head into his shoulder. I was starting to really want quiet and comfort, but I let out a breath of relief when Paul told Billy that we had groceries that needed to be put away.
When we reached Paul’s house, I actually shot up away from his side as I gasped, “Oh, Paul. It’s beautiful!”
He grinned, “It is, isn’t it? The pack helped me build it. I finally got to move in about 6 months ago.”
When I looked at him for more of an explanation, he sighed and pulled me to him, offering, “It’s part of my brokenness, Swan. For now, let’s just say that my father was an evil bastard, and I demolished anything that could be linked to him, including the old house.”
I hugged him tightly, promising, “We don’t have to ever talk about it, Paul… but if you find you need to, I’m here.”
His voice was a bit choked as whispered into the top of my head, “Let’s heal a little of your broken before we attempt to tackle mine.” After a nod from me, he kissed the top of my head, then let me go.
Coming through the front door, I stopped to admire the practicality of the airlock entry, then turned to Paul, “This is actually genius. It stops the outside air from rushing right into the house. Plus, drop your rain gear or snow-covered boots and jackets here in the entry, then none of it tracks into the house.”
I walked into the open great room and was immediately drawn to the fire, even though it was dwindling. Paul grabbed two logs, got the fire blazing again, then placed the protective screen back in front of it. He kissed the top of my head, “Sit here and stay warm. I’ll get all the bags brought in, then you can help me put them away.”
At my nod, he quickly made his way back outside. I positioned myself on the hearth, my arms around my knees, and watched Paul come and go from the entry. I noticed that my edginess got worse when I couldn’t see him, and it calmed some as soon as he was back in my line of sight. Thankfully, Paul was never gone from my sight long enough for my edginess to grow into panic.
I went right to him when he brought the third load in and set it down on the kitchen floor. He hummed as I wrapped my arms around him, “I was starting to miss our contact.”
I nodded into his chest, my voice a bit muffled as I spoke, “Me, too. I get edgy when I can’t see you.”
Paul lifted me by the backs of my thighs, making me gasp slightly, then placed me on the counter with a slightly worried look. I shook my head, guessing he mistook my reaction, then pulled him to me by his shirt, “That was a gasp of surprise, not because you triggered something.”
He looked into my eyes for a long moment without a word, so I smiled and promised, “I’m fine, I promise. I was just surprised. If it makes you feel better, I promise to let you know if anything you do does trigger a memory.”
He nodded seriously, wrapped his arms around me, then rested his lips against his mark. I soaked up the warmth and calm that seemed to emanate from him, then he whispered into my neck, “I need to finish bringing the bags in before the milk goes warm.”
I let go of his shirt with a displeased sigh, but he chuckled after a kiss to his mark, “Can’t get enough of me, Swan?”
I huffed, then smirked while pressing my hands to his chest, “Don’t be cheeky, Lahote. Go get those groceries, so I can start dinner. Dad will be here in…” I looked at my watch, saying, “Just over an hour and a half, if I’m right.”
With a pat to my thigh, Paul was off to finish bringing in our grocery haul.
It took about 30 minutes for us to put everything away, then I retreated to Paul’s -our- bedroom for a much-needed bathroom break. When I came back out, Paul asked if I was okay, so I nodded, “Bathroom… and I didn’t know where any others were located.”
Paul took my hand, then offered, “I thought about giving you a tour earlier, and just haven’t had the time. I can now, though. As you can see, you’re in the kitchen. You’ve already familiarized yourself with the pantry, and through there is the laundry and a door that leads to the small front stoop at the corner of the house.”
He led me toward the fireplace, pointing to one side, then the other, “Living room. Dining room with a door to the back patio.” He pointed toward the door I exited a few minutes ago, stating, “Our suite, which also has a door leading directly to the back patio.”
I nodded, thankful that he was also telling me where the exits were, then he led me to a short hall that had 4 doors. Pointing clockwise, he stated, “Mechanical, bedroom, bathroom, and bedroom. You can take a look if you want; they only get used when a pack member ends up crashing here.”
I looked into each space, wanting to know my surroundings, then smiled as I made my way back to him. “Can we peek out back?”
He wrapped his arm around my waist, his hand in my back pocket, so I fisted his t-shirt at tailbone level. He led me out through the french door in the dining room and waited silently for me to tell him my thoughts.
The rear of the property faced the cliff, and there were trees everywhere on both sides. The stone patio was partly covered. In the covered space, there were a few chairs around a rectangular table outside the dining room, and a couple of Adirondack chairs with a low table between them outside the bedroom. In the uncovered space, was a fire pit area with another 6 Adirondack chairs placed around it. The view is what captured me, though… and the sound of the ocean.
I was instantly calm, and I think Paul could tell. I whispered, unwilling to break the peacefulness of the space, “It’s perfect. So peaceful. Can we come out here after Dad heads home? You can relax with a beer, and I can just listen to the ocean.”
He looked down at me with a grin, saying, “Absolutely. That will give me a chance to phase and stretch my legs again.”
Paul’s attention went toward the front of the house, then he looked down at me with a smile, “Looks like your timeframe was off. Your Dad just pulled in.”
I groaned, then said, “And I’ve not even started dinner!”
Paul chuckled as he veered us toward the door into the house, “I doubt he will mind, Swan. With what you just went through, you could have ordered pizza and your dad would have been happy.”
I shook my head, but smiled and waved Dad in when I saw him stopping just outside the front door. He grinned widely while opening the front door.
BPOV
More than once while we were out today, I swore I would make Paul something special to eat… something just for him. He seemed to know when I needed him the most, and whenever the memories started taking my focus, he was right there to bring me back to the present.
I really didn’t feel comfortable out, but I tried to talk my way through it by telling Paul things I wanted to make this week. I couldn’t help that when we passed someone in an aisle, I got as close to Paul as possible while my voice lowered to a whisper. He didn’t seem to mind, though.
The funny thing was, though Paul’s constant attention kept the memories from overwhelming me, it also gave me courage. I debated asking Paul to do it during the drive to Billy’s, but Paul’s quiet strength as he held my hand gave me the courage to ask myself.
That courage promptly fled when Billy went to hand me the journal. Of course, Paul noticed, and he quickly took the journal as my hands shook and I ducked my head into his shoulder. I was starting to really want quiet and comfort, but I let out a breath of relief when Paul told Billy that we had groceries that needed to be put away.
When we reached Paul’s house, I actually shot up away from his side as I gasped, “Oh, Paul. It’s beautiful!”
He grinned, “It is, isn’t it? The pack helped me build it. I finally got to move in about 6 months ago.”
When I looked at him for more of an explanation, he sighed and pulled me to him, offering, “It’s part of my brokenness, Swan. For now, let’s just say that my father was an evil bastard, and I demolished anything that could be linked to him, including the old house.”
I hugged him tightly, promising, “We don’t have to ever talk about it, Paul… but if you find you need to, I’m here.”
His voice was a bit choked as whispered into the top of my head, “Let’s heal a little of your broken before we attempt to tackle mine.” After a nod from me, he kissed the top of my head, then let me go.
Coming through the front door, I stopped to admire the practicality of the airlock entry, then turned to Paul, “This is actually genius. It stops the outside air from rushing right into the house. Plus, drop your rain gear or snow-covered boots and jackets here in the entry, then none of it tracks into the house.”
I walked into the open great room and was immediately drawn to the fire, even though it was dwindling. Paul grabbed two logs, got the fire blazing again, then placed the protective screen back in front of it. He kissed the top of my head, “Sit here and stay warm. I’ll get all the bags brought in, then you can help me put them away.”
At my nod, he quickly made his way back outside. I positioned myself on the hearth, my arms around my knees, and watched Paul come and go from the entry. I noticed that my edginess got worse when I couldn’t see him, and it calmed some as soon as he was back in my line of sight. Thankfully, Paul was never gone from my sight long enough for my edginess to grow into panic.
I went right to him when he brought the third load in and set it down on the kitchen floor. He hummed as I wrapped my arms around him, “I was starting to miss our contact.”
I nodded into his chest, my voice a bit muffled as I spoke, “Me, too. I get edgy when I can’t see you.”
Paul lifted me by the backs of my thighs, making me gasp slightly, then placed me on the counter with a slightly worried look. I shook my head, guessing he mistook my reaction, then pulled him to me by his shirt, “That was a gasp of surprise, not because you triggered something.”
He looked into my eyes for a long moment without a word, so I smiled and promised, “I’m fine, I promise. I was just surprised. If it makes you feel better, I promise to let you know if anything you do does trigger a memory.”
He nodded seriously, wrapped his arms around me, then rested his lips against his mark. I soaked up the warmth and calm that seemed to emanate from him, then he whispered into my neck, “I need to finish bringing the bags in before the milk goes warm.”
I let go of his shirt with a displeased sigh, but he chuckled after a kiss to his mark, “Can’t get enough of me, Swan?”
I huffed, then smirked while pressing my hands to his chest, “Don’t be cheeky, Lahote. Go get those groceries, so I can start dinner. Dad will be here in…” I looked at my watch, saying, “Just over an hour and a half, if I’m right.”
With a pat to my thigh, Paul was off to finish bringing in our grocery haul.
It took about 30 minutes for us to put everything away, then I retreated to Paul’s -our- bedroom for a much-needed bathroom break. When I came back out, Paul asked if I was okay, so I nodded, “Bathroom… and I didn’t know where any others were located.”
Paul took my hand, then offered, “I thought about giving you a tour earlier, and just haven’t had the time. I can now, though. As you can see, you’re in the kitchen. You’ve already familiarized yourself with the pantry, and through there is the laundry and a door that leads to the small front stoop at the corner of the house.”
He led me toward the fireplace, pointing to one side, then the other, “Living room. Dining room with a door to the back patio.” He pointed toward the door I exited a few minutes ago, stating, “Our suite, which also has a door leading directly to the back patio.”
I nodded, thankful that he was also telling me where the exits were, then he led me to a short hall that had 4 doors. Pointing clockwise, he stated, “Mechanical, bedroom, bathroom, and bedroom. You can take a look if you want; they only get used when a pack member ends up crashing here.”
I looked into each space, wanting to know my surroundings, then smiled as I made my way back to him. “Can we peek out back?”
He wrapped his arm around my waist, his hand in my back pocket, so I fisted his t-shirt at tailbone level. He led me out through the french door in the dining room and waited silently for me to tell him my thoughts.
The rear of the property faced the cliff, and there were trees everywhere on both sides. The stone patio was partly covered. In the covered space, there were a few chairs around a rectangular table outside the dining room, and a couple of Adirondack chairs with a low table between them outside the bedroom. In the uncovered space, was a fire pit area with another 6 Adirondack chairs placed around it. The view is what captured me, though… and the sound of the ocean.
I was instantly calm, and I think Paul could tell. I whispered, unwilling to break the peacefulness of the space, “It’s perfect. So peaceful. Can we come out here after Dad heads home? You can relax with a beer, and I can just listen to the ocean.”
He looked down at me with a grin, saying, “Absolutely. That will give me a chance to phase and stretch my legs again.”
Paul’s attention went toward the front of the house, then he looked down at me with a smile, “Looks like your timeframe was off. Your Dad just pulled in.”
I groaned, then said, “And I’ve not even started dinner!”
Paul chuckled as he veered us toward the door into the house, “I doubt he will mind, Swan. With what you just went through, you could have ordered pizza and your dad would have been happy.”
I shook my head, but smiled and waved Dad in when I saw him stopping just outside the front door. He grinned widely while opening the front door.