His aunt approached him asking why he wasn't going to invite Isabelle to dance. Shawn drank the last drop of champagne from his glass as Isabelle was still dancing with Ted. He had known Ted for years, their families got along very well, but Shawn had always thought of Ted as being a bit… slimy. And right this very moment, he hated him with all his might.
"Aunt Marie, I don't want to dance with little Belle," he said. “Can’t you tell?”
"I could, but all the guests around us are whispering about your… attention towards Isabelle," Marie replied very abruptly and looked at him sideways. “I think you should leave Isabelle and Ted alone and stop following them around like a stalker. It’s not very respectful of them.”
“Since you know me when was the last
Shawn's voice sounded different… it was hoarse, deep, warm. She needed a few seconds to be able to recover and reply to him.“Like... like Danielle said... I... I'm hot...” Without asking her permission, Shawn put his cold hand down on Isabelle's warm arm. His touch had the effect of an electric discharge on her and Isabelle startled. Her eyes became wide open when she met Shawn's gaze."Yes, your skin is… quite hot," he said softly with a worried expression. “You look flushed, have you got the fever?”“NO!” she exclaimed, but not wanting to make a scene in front of everyone, Isabelle lowered her voice. “I mean no... I don’t have a fever. I feel like this because... there are too many people around
The following morning, Isabelle dressed in her usual clothes. She needed to feel comfortable, to feel at ease in order to face Marie, who surely will ask her a lot of questions about what happened at the party. Isabelle knew she would encounter Shawn also. The worst part was the fact that on her wrist she had... a sign that Shawn's strong grip had left her. She joined the girls in their room, helped them get ready, and then they went together to the terrace. Marie was already sitting there, reading the newspaper. She smiled at her and hugged Frannie and Diana. As the girls chatted among themselves, Marie turned her attention to Isabelle. Once again, she was wearing her usual clothes and this wasn’t very encouraging. She didn't know what had happened to her yet, but Marie was determined to find out this day. She will need to be very carefu
Totally frustrated by what had happened with Isabelle and his aunt, Shawn just drove around for a few hours. He didn't want to go home; he didn't want to see his friends... He wanted to sit somewhere and not think about what he had done to Isabelle. Shawn couldn't get her disgusted expression out of his mind. He couldn't get his aunt's words out of his mind. Then, when she mentioned Jennifer, he felt the urge to scream. His destiny changed when that woman entered his life and took his young and foolish heart and crushed it in the shortest time possible. Then she threw it away as if it was garbage. On that ugly terrible day, he swore to himself that no other woman would ever make fun of him. Shawn Grayson would treat every woman who would cross his path as if they were toys. He would use them just for sex, nothing more. A pure physiological need that he had often sa
Someone shouted his name and Shawn saw his aunt running towards him along with another person... it was John, their driver... Marie was next to him in a second, and together with the driver, she helped him to walk towards home. Shawn passed by Isabelle, who was standing near the front door with Frannie and Diana, trying to calm them down. His aunt made him sit on the couch and she hugged him tightly.“Sweetheart, are you okay?” she asked, extremely worried."Yes, aunt Marie, I think I am..." he answered softly, brushing his hair with his fingers. His white shirt was stained with blood and he felt a strong need to drink a drop of whiskey. "Trust me, it's nothing. It’s just a little scratch, that's all. But my car...”“Ah, that damn car!” Marie exclaimed. "John," she said to the driver, "please
Sunday morning, Shawn woke up with a slight headache. Fortunately, the accident of the night before hadn’t caused too much damage and there had been no injuries apart from a small cut on his cheek that was already closing very well. He got out of bed pushing the black silk sheets and took the remote control to raise the blinds. The morning was very sunny and he opened the window to breathe the morning’s fresh air. From the terrace, he could hear the voices of his nieces who were talking to Marie. Shawn loved those two little angels so much, loved hearing their voices after a day of work. Richard and Christine were so lucky... Shawn decided to take a quick shower to relax a bit and then he would go downstairs and would spend the morning next to Marie, the girls, and... Isabelle. His accident had frightened Frannie and Di
Sunday morning, Shawn woke up with a slight headache. Fortunately, the accident of the night before hadn’t caused too much damage and there had been no injuries apart from a small cut on his cheek that was already closing very well. He got out of bed pushing the black silk sheets and took the remote control to raise the blinds. The morning was very sunny and he opened the window to breathe the morning’s fresh air. From the terrace, he could hear the voices of his nieces who were talking to Marie. Shawn loved those two little angels so much, loved hearing their voices after a day of work. Richard and Christine were so lucky... Shawn decided to take a quick shower to relax a bit and then he would go downstairs and would spend the morning next to Marie, the girls, and... Isabelle. His accident had frightened Frannie and Diana and wanted to be seen by them
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned abruptly."I'm going to take a look inside the kitchen, to see if everything is all right with the guys of the association and then we'll go home," Marie said.“As you wish. The little ones and I are waiting for you here, ok?"Isabelle replied trying to smile.“All right. Ah, Shawn got a call from... from that woman. She arrived, uninvited, at the villa,” she added and squeezed Isabelle's hand. “I don't know how much Shawn was willing to invite her to lunch, but... she's already there. I don’t understand what is he seeing in this woman. Why is Shawn still with her when he can see that she’s no good?”"She is a beautiful, intelligent woman," Isabelle said in a tone so normal that surpr
It was one of the worst Sundays she had experienced lately. Danielle had stayed at the villa much more than usual, but at least she had avoided being outside, on the terrace, together with Isabelle and Marie. Before dinner, Shawn had decided to drive her home, so he took Billy's car and they both left for the city, to Danielle's apartment. The girls were playing under the tree where Isabelle had thought to ask Marie to build a little treehouse for them. It would have been one more thing to bring the girls together. Frannie thought she was already a princess, so the treehouse could be her castle and Diana loved to climb trees.“Sweetie, today I received some news from my husband...” Marie started.“Oh...”&ld
She felt slightly embarrassed; Shawn's words made her shiver a little, catching her off guard. She tightened her bridle and the horse became nervous. He took a few steps back and almost threw her on the ground. Totally worried, Shawn jumped off his horse and, quickly, calmed Isabelle's horse down. He continued to caress and talk to him slowly until the animal stopped moving and being agitated. Isabelle was still shaking even though her horse was much calmer. Shawn helped her get down and held her hand as they walked away from the two horses that began to graze, unaware of what was going on. Isabelle had been so impressed with the way Shawn had handled the situation, with his self-control, that seeing his pale face and feeling his hand shaking as he held onto hers, left her perplexed."My love, are you a
"You are not capable of doing such a thing, my angel," he replied smiling tenderly. "The way you give in to my every caress is as real as my love for you." Again, they started riding next to each other. Shawn's opinion of her had left Isabelle totally surprised. She smiled softly and her gaze moved to the ring he had put on her finger. She was officially engaged to Shawn and was about to become Mrs. Grayson. She loved him very much, that's why she felt the need to tell him the story of her father's will. He had been so honest with her; it was time for her to do the same thing."You know, the engagement ring I gave you, belonged to my mother. It's one of the few memories I still have of her. I am happy to see it on your finger.""Oh, I didn't know... Shawn, are you sure of what are we going to do? You marry
When she heard the words'my future wife', Danielle felt like she was about to faint... No, she couldn't lose him! She wasn't ready to let him go! Besides, Shawn was a gentleman, she knew he wouldn't do anything to her. Those were only empty words meant to scare her off, but she already had an idea of how to respond to him. Danielle got up from her chair, took her bag, and started walking to the door. Before getting out of his office, she turned to him."One way or another, you will come back to me! This doesn't end here!" she added and went out slamming the door. Shawn took a deep breath and tried to go back to his usual self. Danielle had always been such a drama queen, so it was better not to pay any more attention to her. He had other things to do and then he wanted to go back to his Belle and spend the day with her. He pulled out
Whistling and smiling happily as never before, Shawn entered his office and sat down at his desk. He still had some small details to fix, he had to meet with the interior designer who had to prepare his apartment for Isabelle's arrival, and then he would return to his beloved. Shawn heard loud voices outside his office. Someone was arguing... it was the voice of a woman who, unfortunately, he had immediately recognized. It was Danielle and she was asking to enter Shawn's office right away. Shawn got up abruptly from his chair and went to get her and take her inside before making a spectacle of herself."What the hell are you doing here, Danielle?!" he said in a low voice. He took her by the arm and ordered her to enter. Shawn closed the door behind them, but when he turned to her, Danielle was close to him, trying to kiss him. "What are you doing? Are you insane?""You can't leave me
Isabelle raised her head and moved away from Lucy enough for the woman to look her in the eye and understand that she would never choose to marry Shawn if she wasn't desperately in love with him."Lucy, I really love Shawn Grayson. I have always loved him, since that day, at my mom's funeral, when I saw him for the first time. I would never be able to do such a thing; you know it very well. You taught me better than that!" She got up from the couch and went to the window. Still worried, Lucy continued to look at her. Isabelle was like a daughter to her and didn't want her to make the wrong choice."Dear, until yesterday, you were saying that you didn't need a man to make it happen...""And I don't, Lucy. I made my choices, but what I didn't unde
Isabelle stared at him rather perplexed, unable to fully understand what Christopher Grayson was saying to her."After what happened to your mother, your father and I, we took our separate paths, and I pushed away from my head those plans to bring our families together. But your father didn't, he always tried to make me understand how right you would be for my son, Billy." Chris smiled slightly embarrassed. "When your father called me a few weeks ago to remind me of this understanding that we had, I told him that this isn't our decision to make, that my boys and you were no longer kids, but adults who could choose for themselves that one special person.""That's why my father always insisted that I marry Billy, that's why the whole clause thing..." Isabelle added, getting up from her chair quite suddenly."What clause ar
Someone knocked lightly on her door and Isabelle smiled. She already knew who that person was, she had no doubt about it. The beating of her heart was proof that on the other side of the door it was the love of her life. She opened slowly, without making too much noise, then she took his hand and pulled him into her room.“I’ve missed you so much! After last tonight, staying away even for a few hours makes me insane!” he whispered. “Oh, my love...” She had heard those words a thousand times last night, but now, in the light of day, it was as if he was saying them to her for the first time. A strong emotion took hold of her body and her mind. Isabelle approached Shawn and passed her arms around his neck pulling him towards her. He smiled sweetly, got closer, and kissed her lightly. Shawn's lips linger
Isabelle remained speechless. His mouth let out those words and Shawn's eyes showed to her exactly the same thing. For a few seconds, Shawn looked at her, totally lost in those blue eyes, in the emotion of the moment, in the love he was feeling for her. Then he began to gently caress the curves he hadn't forgotten for a moment. Isabelle's body surrendered in front of his sweet attack. Isabelle undressed him and he willingly let her do it."I'll take care of you now," he said helping her to sit on the bed. Shawn closed the door and returned immediately to her. He leaned towards Isabelle and kissed her breasts. “Brace yourself, my love, because what I want to do to you will take us a lot of time...” Shawn's hands returned to tease her warm skin, they got lost in the ocean of her silky
She wanted to touch his face, to remove all that suffering that he was feeling. Shawn had hurt her in a dreadful way, but she didn't stop him. She loved him then as she was loving him now, in this instant. Shawn was so helpless, so sad, so desperate, so... human like she never saw him before.“I'm oknow, Shawn. I’m much stronger and I feel all right,” Belle replied smiling slightly. He looked at her and Isabelle saw tears in his eyes.“Yes, you are. And it's so good to see you standing on your feet, ready to move on, to build your new life. I just hope you will include me too... Marry me, my beautiful, brave, wonderful Belle!” Hearing his spontaneous proposal, Isabelle