CHAPTER 12

“I don’t know what to say...” she whispered absently playing with her wedding ring. “I feel... relieved because I see now that she is no longer part of… the competition, but I also feel very stupid for having drawn the wrong conclusions, for not allowing you to explain... Shawn, I regret all this mess I have created...”

“I know, my love, it’s ok. In your place, I would have reacted the same way...” he replied caressing her face, trying to calm her down, but without results.

“No, it’s not! Oh, God... all those things I told you... The way I treated you...” she exclaimed and tried to cover her face with her hands. “I am so sorry…”

“Shh...” he whispered uncovering her face and putting a finger on her lips. “I know you’re sorry, baby. I am sorry too, more than I can say. For leaving without saying a word, for abandoning you without any explanation. I swear I never meant to hurt you.  I just wanted you to know that nothing happened between her and me… Baby, I promise that I am yours alone. I love you in a way so deep that I can't breathe when you are not there with me. This overwhelming desire to hold you in my arms and to make love to you is killing me.”

          She took a deep breath and for the first time in so many weeks, she felt an almost implausible calm wrapping her entire being. Isabelle rested her head on Shawn's hand that was caressing her face.

“If you wanted a wife without personality, that would make things easier for you, I’m afraid it’s too late to complain now,” she said smiling and looking at him carefully.

“I never wanted a dull woman by my side. I loathe dull women. I want you, only you, my little Belle.”

          Shawn gazed at her with eyes filled with joy and happiness and with a wide smile on his lips. He pulled her towards him and placed her on his knees.

“I will never allow you to leave me again," Shawn added with his mouth almost pressed on Isabelle's. He started kissing her very slowly. “Not in a million years. There will be other problems, but we will face them together, as normal couples do. Baby, I am committed to a lifetime with you. I can’t wait to see you bearing my children.”

          His children… When he’ll find out… Isabelle nodded, smiled, put her arms around Shawn's neck, and responded gladly and passionately to her husband's long, intoxicating kisses. The desire was too strong to bear. She stopped kissing him for a while just to catch her breath.

“I saw my life without you in it, and it’s not the life I want to lead,” Isabelle whispered against his mouth. “I want to be with you forever. I want to share my life, my love, everything I am, and everything I’ll ever be, with you and only you.”

“Baby, this is exactly what I want… So, no more running…” he said in a husky voice.

“Never…”

          Totally overwhelmed, Isabelle clung to Shawn and buried her face in his neck. They stayed like this until the flames of passion inside them diminished a little. Shawn took her face in his hands to better look at her and to make sure Isabelle understood what he was about to say to her.

“I am going to love you forever,” he said softly in a hoarse voice. “Even after death, nothing and nobody will separate me from you! Being without you even for just a few hours almost broke me. It made me ill.”

“Oh, Shawn, if you knew how much I love you! How much I missed not having you with me last night.” A shiver ran through her body and she embraced him tighter. “I promise you that I will never run away from you again.”

          Involuntarily, Shawn wrapped his arms around her so tightly that it almost took her breath away. He brought his face closer to Isabelle's and leaned his forehead against hers.

“Say it again!” he whispered. “I will never get tired hearing you say these sweet words to me.”

“I love you… I love you… I love you... My life only has meaning with you in it,” Isabelle told him, pressing her body against his.

          Shawn's silent but strong reply felt like an echo in the room. He searched Isabelle's lips with his mouth and felt that his heart was about to come out of his chest. He began to kiss her ardently, as he had wanted to do since their wedding night. As if Shawn was the last man on earth, Isabelle clung to him again and felt overwhelmed by a passion so strong, that it left her breathless. When he abruptly stopped and hugged her in a very protective but less passionate way, she complained.

“Do not stop...” she whispered with her lips against his neck.

“I have to, my love!” he replied with great effort. “I don’t want to make love to you here. I want to do it in our bed, in our house, as I promised you before getting married. It is very important to me...”

“You don’t know how I’ve longed to hear you say that,’ she confessed, caressing his face, following with her fingertips the line of his jaw, enjoying the softness of his warm lips under her touch.

“Baby,” he growled, “you need to stop now… Otherwise, I’ll break my promise. Besides, Aunt Marie and Uncle Chris will be here soon... I know they are worried about you and that they will certainly come to see how you are doing...”

“Tonight, then...”

“Yes, baby, tonight you will be all mine and I will do to you all that I am imagining right now and so much more. I swear that you will not get out of our bed for at least a week... But for now, stay here, in my arms, and let my love keep you warm,” he said and continued kissing her hand.