As I trudged through the front door of my home, I headed straight for the shower, courtesy of the customer who spilled his chili on my uniform. I had to get the diner stench off of me. Last shift of the summer. At least the tips were good and my boss even gave me a nice bonus along with my regular paycheck. I knew that all the money would help with my apartment expenses for the upcoming school year. I had secured a job at the campus bookstore and finally gotten out of the dorms. I should be looking forward to the new semester, but one thing was holding me back.
Paul.
He had a get a job when most of the summer had passed and his father still hadn't returned. This kept us apart more than we would've liked. In a way, I knew it would be better. I had to leave to go back to school tomorrow. I honestly don't know how I'll be able to walk away from him. How can I? He's become everything to me.
I'm not even sure I'll get to see him tonight. After my shower, I climbed into my bed, still wrapped in a towel and I curled up in the blankets. I felt myself drifting off to sleep and I'm just too tired to fight it. I just needed a little nap.
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
"Rachel?"
I felt his warm hands on my back and I turned toward the sound of his voice. "Hey."
Paul's eyes grew wide as he gazed down at me. "I missed you," I announced, my voice still groggy.
With shaky hands he lifted the blanket to cover my bare breasts. "Did you forget to get dressed?" he teased, blushing furiously.
I sat up and smiled, pushing my hair behind my ears. "Yeah, I was really tired."
He smirked at me and nodded. "So you're totally naked under there?"
I let the blanket fall around me and breathed, "Touch me."
He blinked repeatedly as if he doesn't believe this is real. "Rachel."
"It's okay," I assured him, reaching for his hands and holding them in front of me.
He pulled away quickly and turned his back to me. "You have to get dressed."
I wrapped my arms around him from behind, pressing myself against his back. "You don't like the view?"
I saw him clenching his jaw and squeezing his fists. "No...I actually love the view, but I came here to tell you that your dad is cooking out and Harry brought his fish fry and dinner is almost ready."
"Oh."
"So get dressed, okay? And I'll meet you out there."
I nodded and wrapped a blanket around myself, climbing off the bed as he got up too. I followed him to the door before I heard him say, "Fuck it."
He spun around and pressed me to the wall in one swift motion. I gasped as he yanked the blanket from my upper half and lifted me up, making my breasts eye level for him. I gripped the back of his neck and wrapped my legs around his waist, holding myself in place. I whimpered when his mouth covered my nipple and felt his tongue swirling.
"Rachel? How much longer are you gonna be? Dad says, hurry up!"
"Be right there, Jake! Tell dad I'm getting dressed..." I squeaked out, trying to keep from screaming. I listened for his footsteps and the front door before I murmured, "Oh my...cheesecake, cheesecake, cheese...cake."
Paul finally tore his mouth away from the pebbled skin surrounding the stiffened peak. He carefully lowered me, placing me back on my feet, taking care to make sure I didn't collapse. I pressed my forehead to his and tried to calm down. "I guess you should get dressed," he gasped, still out of breath.
I nodded, no longer able to form a coherent thought. He smiled at me before lightly brushing his lips against my neck. And then he was gone before I could...God forbid, tell him how I really feel.
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
"Surprise!"
I looked up to find the backyard filled with our neighbors and family friends. I got hugs from the Clearwaters, the Atearas, Embry and his mom. It seemed like half the rez had shown up. "Who did this?" I asked when I finally saw Jake.
"Dad wanted to do something nice for your last night, but Paul planned it. He took care of everything. And he wanted it to be a surprise. He turned out a lot different than we thought, huh?"
I glanced around, looking for him among the partygoers. Paul shyly waved at me from the other side of the grill. I waved back and approached him slowly. "So?"
"So...I figured you want to yell at me for what I did to you in your bedroom or you want to yell at me for planning this party or you want to yell at me because I had to stop what we were doing in your bedroom to come out here."
I laughed as I slid my hands around his waist and pulled him close to me. "Maybe," I paused to swallow thickly. "Maybe I just came to say thank you. This...is really nice."
He looked surprised...and happy. I sighed when he pressed his hands to the small of my back. "I want you to come home with me tonight," he whispered into my ear. "I want you to spend the night." His voice made me tingle...absolutely everywhere.
He dragged his lips from my ear to the corner of my mouth. "I don't think I should," I admitted.
"You've been promising me all summer that you'd spend the night with me...all night at my house. It's our last chance."
When I looked deeply into his eyes, he cradled my face in his hands. "I'm not expecting anything. We can just sleep."
I gave him a doubtful look and furrowed my brow. "Even after what I showed you in my room?"
Paul hummed when he thought about it. "I'll take ten cold showers," he promised and I laughed. He lowered his voice and added, "I'll jerk off 4 times."
I nearly choked from laughing. I pressed my forehead to his chest, willing myself not to picture him touching himself. "Do you do that often?"
"Take cold showers?" he asked with a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
I shook my head. "The other one...jerking off?"
Paul sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and shrugged. "Only on the days I see you."
"We see each other everyday."
He wagged his eyebrows at me and I laughed so hard. "Anyway..."
"You know I'm kidding, right?" he smirked.
"Rachel! Come here...and bring your boyfriend..." I heard a voice say.
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
"What are you thinking about?"
I looked up from the mesmerizing flames of the bonfire to see Paul looking down at me. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my cheek. "Are you ready?"
"For what?"
"To. come. home. with. me," he punctuated each word with a kiss to my forehead.
"I can't just leave, Paul."
"Why not?"
"It's my last night with Jacob and my dad. It wouldn't be fair."
"What about me?" he asked, his eyes so sad. He was already breaking my heart and I haven't even left yet.
"I could...try and sneak out," I offered.
"Don't just try," he breathed. "Do it. We should be together tonight."
I nodded quickly and tried to force a smile. "I know."
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
"You know you don't have to do that, right?" I heard my father's voice rumble.
"Oh my God, Dad! You scared me. Why are you sitting in the dark?"
"Are you going to see Paul?"
I sighed as I sat near my father. "Just for a little while. I'll be back soon."
"You don't have to sneak out to see Paul. You should open your heart to him. He's good to you. And I see the way you smile when you're around him."
I nodded and tried to hold back my tears. "Is that enough, Dad? Is that enough for me to rearrange my whole life to be with him?"
"Who said you have to change your life course? Has he asked you not to go back to school?" my father inquired.
"No, he hasn't."
"Then why not take a chance, Rachel? Isn't he worth it?"
I swiped at the tears falling from my eyes and crossed the room to look out the window. I could see the bonfire in the backyard, now nothing but a small puff of smoke. "He's worth everything, Dad. He's helped me and he's shown me that I can trust people. But he's so young. What would people say?"
"I know my daughter isn't going to turn away from love because of what other people think, is she?"
I turned to face my father now and I shook my head slowly. "He doesn't love me, Dad. We're not like that."
"Are you sure he doesn't love you?"
I shrugged. "I'm pretty sure..."
My father held my hands between his and narrowed his gaze at me. "Make sure, Rachel. You need to be very sure. Because I believe he does. And if you search your heart...I think you'll find you love him too."