“Happy New Year, Rachel.”   

I peered down at her, waiting for a sign ...yes or no?  I wasn’t dumb enough to think I could walk away from this night without a fight, but a guy could dream, right?  I saw her eyes drift closed as I bent my head down. I licked my lips in anticipation of feeling hers.

“I thought you said you didn’t like blondes.”

Fuck.

My eyes snapped open to find Rachel glaring up at me.  Just ignore it and kiss her anyway.  When I leaned in for the second time, I was met with her hand pressed firmly against my chest.  “I already told you that you can’t fix everything this way,” she reminded me.

I pulled back, looking at her face with a furrowed brow.  “Are we really doing this?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.  “What do you think?”

I tipped my head up to the sky and watched the fireworks overhead before I spoke again.  “I just want my New Year’s kiss, Rachel. Is that too much to ask?”

“I think it is.”

I stepped back, clenched my jaw and nodded.  “Okay then. Let’s fight, by all means.” I stretched my arms, lacing by fingers together and cracked my knuckles.

“Now you’re just being an asshole,” she observed snarkily.

“Did you you just meet me?”

She sighed deeply and shook her head.  “Just tell me about the girl I saw you with.”

“Why?” I threw my hands up in frustration.  “She doesn’t matter. Josh acting like a dickhead doesn’t matter.  Seeing you in Embry’s arms doesn’t matter. None of this shit does.”

“You were jealous of Embry?”

“No!” I answered a little defensively.  “I’m not jealous of anybody when I know you’re going home with me,” I replied, cocky as ever.

“Don’t be so sure…”

“Oh really?” I challenged, leaning toward her, trapping her against the Bronco with my arms on either side of her head.

“Paul…” she warned.

“I told that girl to quit calling me.  She was pissed because I brought you to this party and not her.  She won’t take a hint.”

Rachel blinked quickly and peered up at me sadly.  “Were you planning on bringing her to this party?”

“I never asked her to come.  She was threatening to confront you and tell you…” I paused and sucked in a deep breath.

“That you’ve been fucking her?”

“I haven’t stuck my dick in her, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Ever?”

“Not since I met you.”

Rachel furrowed her brow and shrugged.  “It was Candy? The girl from last summer on the answering machine?" she questioned. 

I nodded and she continued, "But you wanted to...right?  So what stopped you?” she demanded angrily.

I backed away from her now, rubbing the back of my neck and pacing.  “I didn’t want her, Rachel. I wanted you. But you pissed me off when we talked on the phone last time.  You told me...to be with someone else. You said it wasn’t fair of you to make me wait,” I answered her, surprised at how calm I sounded.

“I asked you about this before...you lied to me?” she asked, her voice breaking and her hands shaking.

“Do you realize how fucked up it is that you keep telling me I can fuck who I want, but when I do, you lose your shit? What the hell do you want from me?”

“Just be honest...please.”

That ‘please’ just broke me.  I never wanted to let her down.

“I didn’t have sex with her, Rachel.”  I paused and sucked in a deep breath. “I couldn’t...perform,” I admitted quietly.

“Are you lying to me?” she accused.

I raised my head and opened my eyes widely.  “Why the hell would I admit to that if it wasn’t true?”

She stayed quiet for a moment, then a small smile started to form on her lips.  “You never have that problem with me.”

I bit back a smile and nodded.  “Well…” I began as I approached her again.  “That’s because Pablo likes you.”

“Does he now?” she purred.

“Yeah,” I breathed, pressing my body against hers.

Rachel slid her hands up my chest and rested them on my neck.  “I saw you two fighting. What was that about?” she asked, her voice more gentle.

I ran my hands down her hips and curled them under her ass.  She gasped when I hoisted her up and pinned her against my car.  “Well you see...she was kinda pissed when I told her to leave me alone, but she really lost her shit when I told her," I paused to lower my voice. "That I was in love with someone else.”

“Anyone I know?” Rachel smirked, not missing a beat.

I crinkled up my face and shook my head.  “Nah, I don’t think you know her.”

“Oh, really?” she scoffed.

“Mmm, hmmm.”  I sucked my lower lip into my mouth and eyed her lips like they were gonna be my next meal. 

When I leaned forward, Rachel caught my chin in her hand and tilted her head in the cutest way.  “I wanna hear you say it, Paul.”

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to catch my breath.  I licked my lips and nodded quickly. “I’m in love with you, Rachel. And you’re still my girl,” I whispered before pressing my lips to hers.  She sighed happily, her fingers tugging at the back of my neck, and her nails raking over my skin.

I pressed myself into her heat, making sure she knew how hard I was for her. “I want you, Rachel,” I gasped when I tore my mouth away from hers.  “I only want you. Do you hear me?”  I gripped her hips tightly and rocked my hips up into her, loving the way she tipped her head back and moaned softly.

I froze when I heard voices approaching.  Fuck.  I reluctantly released her, carefully lowering her to her feet.  I kissed her forehead and sighed.

“Are you two fighting?”

“No, Quil. We fought and you missed it. Now we’re making up...well we were,” I groaned.

“Why would you be fighting with her?” Embry demanded.  “You know it wasn’t her fault...what happened with Josh.  Your ‘friend’ assaulted her.”

I whirled around quickly, coming face to face with Embry as he approached Rachel.  “What the fuck, Embry? You don’t even know what we were talking about.”

“I know that none of that would have happened if you hadn’t been fucking with that blonde...Jared told us all about it,” Embry accused.

I scoffed.  “Wow, really?  You three were standing there and none of you did shit.”

“That’s not fair, Paul.  It’s nobody’s fault but Josh’s.” Rachel sided with Embry.  Really? 

I glared at Rachel and then at Embry.  I was fuming. Embry shook his head at me as he reached for Rachel’s hand and placed an ice pack on it.  “Maybe instead of fighting with Rachel, you should be kicking Josh’s ass...I mean, unless you’re fine with letting Rachel fight your battles.”

“You know what…” I seethed, grabbing Embry by his shirt and slamming him against my car.

Embry tried struggling out of my grasp, but I refused to let him go.  I could hear Jacob and Quil shouting at me to let him go, but nothing was getting through to me.  The only thing I could see or hear was Rachel, begging me to stop.

“Stop it, Paul!  Don’t do this!” she pleaded.

I backed away from him slowly and shook my head.  “You’re good, man. I’ll give you that,” I sneered at Embry.  “Was the whole thing with Kristen just a trick to get closer to Rachel?”

Embry narrowed his gaze at me.  “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your obvious crush on Rachel.  Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” I growled.

“Paul,” Rachel gasped.

“I don’t hear him deny it.”

Embry looked like he was going to explode.  “I’d be better for her than you,” he spat. “You can’t even control yourself.”

“You’re about to find out about my temper, Call.”

Rachel stepped between us and shook her head. “Stop this now.”

Embry shrugged and gave me a disgusted look. "I'm outta here."

Embry trotted off toward the woods and Jacob and Quil weren't too far behind.  Rachel watched them go and suddenly I was filled with regret...and dread. I reached for her shoulder, but she twisted away from me.  "Take me home," she whispered.

I reached past her, pulling the car door open and resting my hand on the small of her back, like I had always done.  But I couldn't hide my disappointment when she brushed me off, climbed into the Bronco and shut the door in my face.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck you, Embry.

I climbed into the driver's seat and even though I knew she wanted to go home, to her home.  I went straight to mine instead. She seemed to be in a daze when we pulled up to my house.

"You were supposed to take me home...to my house.  I don't wanna stay with you."

I gripped the steering wheel tightly and planned my next move.  "All your clothes are here," I reminded her, trying to buy myself more time.

She shrugged.  "Fine. I'll pack my stuff...and if you won't take me, then I'll walk."

She reached for the door handle, but I wasn't having it.  I pulled her over the center console and into my lap. "Please listen to me first.  And if you still want to leave, I'll drive you anywhere you want...hell, I drive you to Seattle tonight if that's what you really want."

Her eyes darted back and forth.  She narrowed her gaze, probably trying to determine if I was lying or not.  Finally with a nod, she agreed.

"I have a bad temper," I began slowly.  "I'm easy to bait when it comes to fighting, but I'm trying to get it under control."

"I can't tell," she replied sadly.

I slid my fingers under her chin and made her face me.  "I know it doesn't seem like it, but I'm trying. Hell, I was ready to kill Josh, but I walked away because I was more concerned about you.  And it really pissed me off that Embry would have the nerve to accuse me of not caring. You know I do, don't you?"

I held my breath and waited for her to respond.  She nodded a little and her eyes warmed up to me.

"I didn't want to get in that fight with you, because every minute we can spend together is important to me.  I don't want to waste one second arguing when I could be hugging you," I paused to squeeze her. "Or kissing you." I pressed a soft kiss to her neck and smiled when she shuddered.  "Or telling you how much I love being with you. Let's not waste any more time fighting, Rachel, please. I don't know how much longer we have before you need to leave and honestly I've been afraid to ask, but I don't wanna spend it fighting...do you?"

I waited for what felt like an eternity for her to respond.  She stared down at her hands and sighed. When she looked up at me again, I tried to read her expression.  She seemed torn on what to do. I was about to give up when she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me for dear life.

I smiled against her shoulder and finally breathed again.  I opened the door and carried her into my house, not wanting to give her another second to change her mind about me...or realize that I'm just not good enough for her.

And because absolutely nothing can ever go right, I flung my front door open and found my father sitting in his chair, drinking his scotch and looking like something from my nightmares.

Fuck.

…...

A/N: drama, drama, drama.  You had to know it was coming, right?