? DISCONTINUED ? Between the Perennial Blooms || Paul Lahote

Forty One | Sweet Pea

"You know you're gonna have to wear a real shirt, right?" Bailey teased halfheartedly, walking back over to her closet and rummaging through the hanging clothes with the hand currently not keeping her dress held up to her chest. She lingered on the yellow dress Alice had gifted her all those weeks ago that had warranted her so many compliments, but ultimately decided against it after a few seconds of deliberating passed her by. I need something new, she remarked internally, the clicking sound of bumping hangers filling the quiet of her bedroom as she perused her collection. Something I haven't ever worn before.

"I'm not a complete animal." Paul jested, coming up to sneak his arms around her waist and pepper sweet kisses across the skin of her bare shoulder. Without warning, he suddenly licked a wet stripe up the length of her neck and bucked his hips into her back while growling lowly in her ear: "Even though you sometimes bring it out in me."

"Paul!" Bailey exclaimed, cheeks bright red and glazed eyes wide with shock. "We- we're not alone!"

"So?" he growled, sliding his hands beneath the fabric of her unzipped dress and beginning to slowly inch it down her hips. "Doesn't bother me."

"I-I-" Bailey stuttered. She had to take a deep breath before she could get the words out and when his hips circled against her back once more it made her knees tremble so violently she had to grab onto the closet door beside her. "B-Bella's here," she finally uttered, voice no louder than a whisper when she did. "And where my sister is, E-Edward's usually not very far behind."

"Good then," Paul grunted, continuing to kiss across her neck and shoulders while he let his hands push her dress down to pool on the ground at her feet. "Maybe the leech'll get so freaked out by my R-rated thoughts he'll just take his blood-bitch and leave."

"Don't call my sister the 'b' word," Bailey scolded, unable to help the soft moan that escaped her lips soon after his teeth scraped against her skin before nibbling on the sweet spot she'd never known she had.

"How 'bout we just don't talk about her at all?"

"Paul..." Bailey mewled, sounding every bit the sweet kitten Paul so often likened her to. "I- we- you were supposed to be helping me pick out a dress..."

"Blue one," he mumbled around a succession of wet pecks to the freckles forming their own unique constellations across the back of her neck. His hands trailed up and down her body, fingers pressing in at her sides as he explored the contours of her curves and pressed himself harder against her backside. "With the big sleeves and the big cut out in the back."

"O-oh." Bailey stuttered, unable to linger in surprise of his attentiveness for long as he began to slowly walk them backwards to her bed.  "The denim one?" She wondered, referring to the dress hanging at the very end of her closet that still had the tag hanging from one of the bell sleeves. It had been a gift courtesy of her Gran, but after its original purpose of being worn to a dinner that never happened fell through, she had all but forgotten about it completely. "You- you saw that?"

"I'm a lot more observant than you think," Paul grumbled, slipping his fingers beneath the straps of her bra and caressing the skin there softly. "Now get on the bed, baby." He told her, releasing her body with a smirk and making quick work of walking over to close her bedroom door with a resounding click! "I want some time to 'observe' something a whole lot prettier than that dress of yours."

Then with a blush so bright it rivaled the color of her underwear, Bailey did.

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(For those of you interested in reading the mature scene that follows along with this chapter, you probably already know what to do by now. If you don't, well, Beneath Silk Sheets (18+) is the place to go then.)

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Again, this is one of those chapters that really only matters if you read the mature version. So... go check it out if you're interested and if not then wait around for 'Chapter Forty Two | Euphorbia' coming soon!

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Author's Note

Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait butI just couldn't rush myself writing Paul and Bailey together because I justlove them so much! Again, this was a bit of a filler chapter as were the lasttwo, but I really just wanted some calm before the storm so after Bella'sgraduation in the next chapter, things are going to really start picking up!Anyway, as you can hopefully all see, Bailey is growing and becoming much moreconfident in not only herself but in her relationship with Paul (and with Quilthe chapter before and Bella the chapter before that), and while she still hadreservations at the end of this one, it's all for a reason! I've noticed somepeople commenting that they feel Bailey may be a little too naive and innocent,and while I totally respect those opinions, I'd just like to reiterate that shegrew up in a small town with no other kids and was very sheltered byher Gran. And also, one of her greatest flaws is not only her naivety but herimmaturity as well! So aside from the obvious, the main underlying conflict inthis story is Bailey overcoming said flaw and bettering herself for it, so forthose of you finding yourselves disagreeing with the extent of her innocence,just keep what I've said in mind while you're reading! Anyway, thanksregardless for your support and kind words and thank you for being so patientwith me and my crap updating schedule despite the fact that I don't actuallyhave one lol.

—Vanillarain13