world we created, paul lahote

Chapter 15

Paul's fingers gently swept Lucia's silky hair to the side, exposing the graceful curve of her neck. His lips brushed against her delicate skin, eliciting a subtle shiver from her. He was desperate for her undivided attention, something she'd been keeping from him since he'd arrived. He'd been on patrol all night and wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with Lucia in his arms but she was adamant to deprive him of that. He wasn't even sure of what she was looking at on her laptop that was so important.

"Lucia," he mumbled against her skin as he began to trail feathery kisses along her jawline, revelling in the quiet gasps that escaped her lips.

Though Lucia's eyes remained fixed on the glowing screen before her, her body betrayed her focus. Paul heard the hitch in her breath, the quickening pulse beneath his lips, as he lavished affection upon her. He was slow in his movements, exploring the expanse of her neck, savouring the softness of her skin and the warmth of her body. His touch was deliberate, his kisses ardent, as he tried to catch her attention.

Paul sighed heavily against Lucia's skin, his breath warm and tickling her delicate neck. He reluctantly pulled away, his fingers gently guiding her chin upwards to force her gaze to meet his own. Lucia's eyes were now narrowed into a pointed scowl directed at him.

"What is so interesting on your laptop that you're ignoring me?" He asked, his thumb caressing her chin. He couldn't help the quirk of his lips at her expression, finding it rather amusing than scolding.

"My university application for one," Lucia told him gently escaping his hold to direct her gaze to the screen. "I was supposed to do it months ago but never got around to it. I have no clue what I want to do either."

Paul hummed and placed his head on her shoulder, eyeing the university website. He hadn't thought of the fact that Lucia might have to leave for university at any point since meeting her--more so focused on the fact that he had an imprint more than anything else. The idea that she would caused his heart to ache painfully in his chest.

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out. A smart girl like yourself always will," He told her, pressing a kiss to her cheek, which granted him a smile.

"You have a lot of faith in me, Lahote," Lucia mused as she shut her laptop and placed it on the side of her bed. She returned to his arms, the two of them falling back on her bed. Being near him always set her heart fluttering like a teen love song cliche. She couldn't find it in herself to care in the slightest. Paul Lahote made her want to do all the cheesy clichés with him.

"Of course I do, sweetheart. How could I not?" Paul inquired rhetorically, his hands slipping beneath her shirt and caressing her sides. She shivered at the contact which resulted in a sweet smile pulling at his lips.

"Careful there, Paul," Lucia began with a teasing glint smirk pulling at her lips. "I might start to think you actually like me or something."

Paul rolled his eyes, propping himself up against the headboard and pulling her up to straddle him. Lucia flushed and the man couldn't help but grin at that. "And here I thought I made it very obvious."

She forced her blush down and trailed her hands up his chest. As he drew her impossibly closer, she let a coy smile play on her lips and trailed her finger across his jaw lightly. "Maybe I need to hear you say it."

Paul's hand moved up Lucia's neck, his calloused fingers gently cradling the delicate curve. He pulled her closer, their breaths mingling in the scant space between them. Lucia felt her pulse quicken, her body thrumming with anticipation as Paul's dark eyes bore into her own.

Every fibre of her being ached to close that final distance, to feel the heat of his lips against her own. But Paul seemed content to prolong the moment, to savour the electricity that crackled between them. His thumb caressed the delicate skin of her neck, eliciting a soft, quivering sigh from Lucia.

"I like you."

Those words sent her mind into overdrive, and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she stared at his lips and heard his words. This man would be the death of her, that was for certain, but oh, she would be back in it. Paul was everything she ever wanted and she was so lucky that he wanted her in return.

"I like you too," she replied, her tone airy. She hated that they were so close yet she couldn't do anything about it. That didn't last long as Paul pulled her in and captured her lips with his own. Their lips met in a frenzy of pent-up longing, moulding together effortlessly.

Paul's hands slid down to the small of Lucia's back, pulling her flush against him, needing to feel every inch of her body pressed to his own. Lucia's fingers threaded through his hair, tugging lightly, drawing a low groan from deep within his chest. The sound only spurred her on, fueling her need to feel, to touch, to explore every inch of him. Her nails raked lightly along his scalp, igniting sparks of electricity that shot down his spine.

The world around them seemed to fade away as they lost themselves in the moment, their senses overwhelmed by the taste and feel of one another. Hands roamed, caressing and exploring, igniting sparks of electricity with every touch. Lucia hummed contentedly against Paul's lips, intoxicated by his scent, his warmth, his very essence.

When Paul finally pulled away, albeit reluctantly, they were both breathless, cheeks flushed, eyes darkened with desire. Lucia refused to let him go, pulling him back in--not that he was complaining. Knowing that she craved him and wanted him, just as he did her, sent a warmth flooding through him.

With each brush of their lips, the kiss deepened, growing more fevered and desperate. Lucia nipped at Paul's lower lip, drawing a guttural groan from deep within his chest. He responded by pulling her even closer, his palms splaying against her back to eliminate any space between them.

Lucia could feel the muscles of his broad shoulders shifting beneath her touch, the solid planes of his chest pressed firmly against her own. Every point of contact sent electricity thrumming through her veins, her body aching to be consumed by his.

Paul's lips left hers, but only to blaze a trail along the graceful column of her neck. Lucia tilted her head back, silently urging him on, a shiver of pleasure rippling through her as his teeth grazed her pulse point. His hands slid lower, caressing the curve of her hips, before drifting up to splay across her ribcage, his thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts.

Lucia's breath left her in a ragged gasp, her nails digging into Paul's shoulders as the sensations threatened to overwhelm her. She captured his lips once more, parting her lips and inviting Paul to deepen the kiss to which he eagerly complied. Their tongues entwined, caressing and teasing, setting every nerve ending alight.

Paul and Lucia reluctantly pulled apart, both panting heavily as their lips tingled and swelled from their passionate embrace. Their eyes were dark with desire, pupils dilated, as they gazed at one another, captivated.

Lucia wasted no time, her impatience evident as she surged forward, her lips finding the sensitive skin of Paul's neck. She peppered it with feverish kisses, nipping and sucking at the sensitive flesh, driven by an insatiable hunger. His grip on her hips tightened, pulling her impossibly closer as he revelled in the sensation of her mouth on him. No matter how many times he did, she was never close enough for him.

"Lou," Paul moaned softly, his jaw flexing as he attempted to control himself. "There's a bonfire in a few days...and I was wondering if you'd like to come."

Lucia pulled away from his neck, tilting his head more to expose more of it to her. She looked at him as she asked, "Can't live without me, Lahote?"

Paul's breath left him in a guttural groan, the sound rumbling deep in his chest as she connected her lips with his neck once more. "You don't even know the half of it."

The shifter weaved his hand in her hair and pulled her back, forcing her to stay focused on her eyes. He smiled amused by the swollen pout that lined her lips at having been forced to stop. "We're just going to be listening to the history of our tribe, and I thought you'd like to get to learn about it...with me."

"I'd love t--" Paul connected their lips once more in a kiss far gentler than the first. Lucia sunk into it, her eyes closing and her hands moving to cup his cheeks. She couldn't understand why he thought she'd say no. Spending time with him was her favourite.