Chapter 32: Liam
I am not a man easily surprised, but Isabelle has managed to do that a lot tonight. First at dinner when she reached to keep my hand on her thigh, I am not complaining I had wanted to touch her the whole meal, but I am a man after all. So, it did get a reaction out of me after I calmed down from realizing why she wasn’t eating. I need to remember to thank Cara for stepping in and saying something, I don’t think I could have done it so smoothly. Then she surprised me again when she came in here in comfy clothes and her hair up all messy. She looked so sexy in that moment that the hard on I had just talked down can back full strength. Thank God I had a banket covering it so I could adjust while she crawled up next to me, fucking crawled I had to bite back a groan. That was the third surprise. She chose to sit next to me. So close I could feel her heat, smell her scent. All I wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms. I settled for putting my hand behind her on the couch. But when she actually leaned into me, I couldn’t resist wrapping her up. Now I can feel her breathing in and out, evens out and I know she has fallen asleep. I can’t escape the feeling of pride, from all she has been brave enough to do, anger that she even had to be afraid to seek out comfort, and a bit of smugness that she trusts me enough to let her guard down. I’m honestly not even watching the movie anymore. I’m focused on her. Using this time where she is completely unguarded to just stare at her beautiful face, lightly brushing my fingers over her checks and tracing her delicate jaw line, she snuggles in closer and my heart expands and my arm tightens around her causing her to sigh against my chest. I am so enthralled with her I don’t realize the movie has ended until I hear a clearing of throat. I look up and see Declan standing in front of us, looking down with a knowing smile on his face.
“Anam Cara.” Soulmate. That’s all he says as he turns and walks toward his wife kissing her forehead grabbing her hand and leading her out, but not before she looks at us and smiles. They leave the door open, which I am happy for because I want to carrier her to bed. This couch is comfortable and I would love to let her sleep in my arms but the way she is laying would not make for a relaxed body tomorrow. I lean over pressing a soft kiss to her temple shifting a little causing her to stir.
“Shh, my stor, it’s just me, I’m going to carry you to your bed.” I whisper in her ear and hearing my voice she settles. So I move her into my arms and get off the couch. I walk as softly as I can pulling her as close to my chest as I can. She isn’t as light as she was when she came here and that gives me hope she is putting on some weight and getting healthy. Getting to her room is a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I know she will be warm and comfortable sleeping in her bed, but I curse because it means I can’t have her in my arms anymore.
I walk over to her bed and as carefully as I can, I shift her to pull back her covers. Putting one knee on the bed, I settle her in the middle, slowly pulling back from her. Once I’ve got my arm out from behind her head. Her eyes pop open and her arm reaches out for me grabbing my hand.
“No don’t, please.” She looks panicked and my heart breaks.
“Shh, it’s okay. I was putting you in bed. You’re safe, I am leaving now.” Surprise number five, she looks even more panicked at that, and I am confused. “Isabelle, what’s wrong?” Body going on full alert, I actually look around the room wondering if I missed a threat.
“Stay, don’t go please.” I whip my head back to her. When I look closer, I see the truth, she is scared and panicked at me leaving her. I cup her cheek.
“I’ll stay, it’s okay I’m not going anywhere.” I lean over pressing a kiss to her forehead, she relaxes and shuts her eyes again. I readjust on the bed laying behind her trying to keep some space, wrapping one arm around her waist, placing the other under her pillow. She reaches up and places her hand in mine, then her breathing evens out again as she falls back to sleep. I stay awake for a little while after just listening to her breathe, feeling her in my arms. Until I too, drift off whispering a promise to her and myself. “I’m never going anywhere; I’ll always be with you.”
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I must have forgotten to close the curtains to my room, I don’t even remember opening them yesterday, because I see the sun behind my closed eyes. I’m about to get up when I realize there is a small weight on my chest, my arm is asleep and there is something across my lap sitting on my morning wood. Then it all it all comes back, and happiness bubbles inside of me knowing that it wasn’t a dream. I really did fall asleep with Isabelle in my arms and now I’m waking to the same thing. The next feeling I have is fear, because with how she is lying she is going to feel something I am not sure she is ready for. I open my eyes and look down at her. Suddenly I could careless that my arm is asleep. She is still sleeping peacefully, head on my heart hand sitting on my other side of my chest, and just like I thought leg tossed over my hips draped exactly over my hard on. I move slowly bringing my free hand down to her leg and try to move it away from my dick. She moves in response, grabbing me tighter and trying to get closer. Like she can’t bear it if I left. While that makes me incredibly happy, I really need to move her leg before she wakes up.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I whisper as I try again. Only to fail completely when her eyes pop open, her head snapping up to look at me.
“Liam.”