Forbidden Imprint [Book 5] ✔️

27 • Bonding Time

EMBRY'S POV

I paced around the small office at Quil's auto repair shop as Quil and Jake watched me. Jake kept glancing at the clock above Quil's desk. He was working as a mechanic again for Quil and Seth. He seemed anxious today, as though he had something more pressing to do.

"What's your problem?" Quil finally asked when Jake glanced at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Sorry. The Cullens are moving to Vancouver this weekend, and Ness and I promised to meet them at the new house with the kids," Jake explained. "I need to leave soon."

"They're moving again, huh?" Quil wondered.

"They've been in Vermont for 11 years now. That's too much time in one place," Jake said before looking at me. "So what's up Em?"

Sighing, I finally admitted, "I need to tell Becks about the imprint, and I'm not sure how to go about doing it."

"Ah..." Quil sat back in his chair with a satisfied smile. "So things are progressing for you two?"

I shrugged. Rebecca's trip to Hawaii a couple of weeks ago made one thing abundantly clear. Keeping Rebecca as a casual friend wasn't an option for me. And why the hell should it be? We were both free now...free to finally be together after all these years. What was stopping us? My pride? That wasn't a good enough reason anymore.

I needed Rebecca. I had needed her for years, even before I imprinted. I had been in love with her since I was 13-years-old. Those feelings never died over the years. They got stronger even when I'd tried to bury them. After all the pain and bullshit we had gone through, I knew I'd always be in love with her. I was never going to feel complete without her. Now I had my chance to have her in my life, and I wasn't taking it because I was being too much of a pussy.

I was tired of resisting her when I knew she was what I wanted most in the world. I was tired of fighting the constant pull I felt towards her. I was pretty sure she wanted me and I knew I sure as hell wanted her. I was going to have to take a risk. I'd rather have a lifetime of pain if she rejected me again, then the constant uneasy feeling I had nowadays.

When I saw Rebecca after she'd returned from Hawaii, I knew keeping a distance was useless. I already knew I couldn't stay away from her physically. It was stupid to even try anymore. I couldn't even look at her without wanting to throw over my shoulder and take her into the nearest bedroom. Take the kiss in the kitchen for example.

I'd only meant to thank her for helping smooth things over with Luke. Luke had told me that Ian was the one who'd spilled the beans, but his mother had "explained things" to him. I'd gone into the kitchen merely to express my gratitude. I'd taken one look at her bent over the counter with her backside sticking out slightly and I'd lost it. If Luke and Billy hadn't been in the next room, I would have taken her right there in the kitchen.

And when our lips had finally reunited after seven miserable years without contact, I'd known I could never let Rebecca go again. Her going off to see her ex for their divorce, even for a week, had been enough to make me sick with jealousy and worry. I had been terrified she wouldn't come back to me. I'd never be able to explain the relief I had felt when Rebecca had texted me, inviting me over to dinner that night. I hadn't believed she'd return until I received that text.

Since our kiss in the kitchen, we hadn't experienced a repeat performance. I still came to La Push whenever work permitted so that I could spend time with Rebecca and our son. But the tension between us was becoming too intense. I was worried that if I didn't do something soon, someone else would come in and take Rebecca away. She was too desirable and I knew she wouldn't be single for long. I couldn't take the chance of someone else moving in before she and I even had a real shot. So I'd spent the past two weeks trying to "woo" her, as Sam Uley liked to call it. I complimented her all the time and touched her whenever I could. And she flirted right back. Our relationship was building. The more time I spent with her, the happier I became.