hand when he squeezed hers. "Then you're not here out of pity or obligation."
"No, you stubborn man. I'm here because you weren't listening to me in the car." He lifted his hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Isabella kissed then weaved those beautiful fingers through her own.
"You left roses on my pillow," he whispered. "I had to come back for you, Belle."
"I've been waiting."
"For me?"
He seemed to hold his breath, waiting for her answer. "Yes."
"One question, Belle. Just one. "
"Ask."
"Do you love me?"
She lowered her head; she didn't want him to see her blubbering with more tears. He lifted her chin with a shaking, cool hand. "Do you?"
"More than you can imagine. Yes, I love you. I guess I always have. I just didn't have the sense to tell you. And I deeply regret all these years I took from us, years we could have been happy. But you knew didn't you?"
"Shh, darling, it's all right. You're here now. Nothing will keep us apart, ever again, nothing."
"Why did you pay the debt before I came to you?"
"Because I prayed you would come. In my heart, I knew a bond existed between us. Even through our friendship, we shared a strong connection. I never should have expected you to love me so soon after David left you. It was wrong, and so inappropriate. I should have been more patient."
Isabella shook away tears and managed a smile. "And I should have told you I overheard you and Gerard discussing the payment of the debt. I can only hope, in time, you can forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive. I was a fool to be angry with you. Maybe I was afraid that once you knew, you would leave before the weekend was over."
"But I didn't, did I?"
He closed his eyes, but didn’t speak. He kissed her hand then held it to his injured face.
"You've always had my heart and now, my soul. If you love me, there is nothing we cannot conquer together. I am only a beast, after all; you've said so yourself. So it seems after this fiasco, I now have more scars to add to the old ones."
"No, darling, your scars are part of who and what you are. I'm the beast for not seeing the love and beauty in your heart."
With a light touch, she brought her mouth to his injured face and tenderly kissed his wounds. "You are truly beautiful."
"I wish I could make love to you right here, right now," he said, his voice strained. She bent her head so he could whisper in her ear. "I cannot wait to bury myself in your warmth, to feel your heat when you respond to my touch. I need you, Isabella."
"Soon, my love, soon."
"Will you marry me and live with me at the castle, my love?"
"Yes, Lyon, I will."
"Je t'aime, ma Belle," he whispered. "De tout mon Coeur."
"Je t'aime, le bête. My beast."
~The End~
About the Author
Heather Peters was born in New York City and has been a lover of the romance novel since she read The Flame and the Flower and fell in love with Kathleen Woodiwiss. She started writing and hasn’t looked back since.
In between writing erotic romance, her day job nowadays is secretary for two very busy business owners. Her first erotic romance e-book, Toy With Me, is a December, 2009 Freya's Bower release. Her next release in mid-July, 2010 is Surrender, a contemporary Beauty and the Beast erotic romance, and later this year, Oz is a Red Sage release with her critique/writing partner, Eden Elgabri.
Heather is a member of RIRW, or Rhode Island Romance Writers, to whom she credits the support of all its fabulous members with her success. "I've never met such a great bunch of talented, supportive, generous people in my life, and if it weren't for them, I'd never be published."
When she's not writing, she loves to read, cook and enjoys time with her family. Heather lives with her wonderful husband in New York, not far from her daughter, son, and two amazing grandchildren.
Learn more about Heather at: http://heatherpeters.org/
"No, you stubborn man. I'm here because you weren't listening to me in the car." He lifted his hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Isabella kissed then weaved those beautiful fingers through her own.
"You left roses on my pillow," he whispered. "I had to come back for you, Belle."
"I've been waiting."
"For me?"
He seemed to hold his breath, waiting for her answer. "Yes."
"One question, Belle. Just one. "
"Ask."
"Do you love me?"
She lowered her head; she didn't want him to see her blubbering with more tears. He lifted her chin with a shaking, cool hand. "Do you?"
"More than you can imagine. Yes, I love you. I guess I always have. I just didn't have the sense to tell you. And I deeply regret all these years I took from us, years we could have been happy. But you knew didn't you?"
"Shh, darling, it's all right. You're here now. Nothing will keep us apart, ever again, nothing."
"Why did you pay the debt before I came to you?"
"Because I prayed you would come. In my heart, I knew a bond existed between us. Even through our friendship, we shared a strong connection. I never should have expected you to love me so soon after David left you. It was wrong, and so inappropriate. I should have been more patient."
Isabella shook away tears and managed a smile. "And I should have told you I overheard you and Gerard discussing the payment of the debt. I can only hope, in time, you can forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive. I was a fool to be angry with you. Maybe I was afraid that once you knew, you would leave before the weekend was over."
"But I didn't, did I?"
He closed his eyes, but didn’t speak. He kissed her hand then held it to his injured face.
"You've always had my heart and now, my soul. If you love me, there is nothing we cannot conquer together. I am only a beast, after all; you've said so yourself. So it seems after this fiasco, I now have more scars to add to the old ones."
"No, darling, your scars are part of who and what you are. I'm the beast for not seeing the love and beauty in your heart."
With a light touch, she brought her mouth to his injured face and tenderly kissed his wounds. "You are truly beautiful."
"I wish I could make love to you right here, right now," he said, his voice strained. She bent her head so he could whisper in her ear. "I cannot wait to bury myself in your warmth, to feel your heat when you respond to my touch. I need you, Isabella."
"Soon, my love, soon."
"Will you marry me and live with me at the castle, my love?"
"Yes, Lyon, I will."
"Je t'aime, ma Belle," he whispered. "De tout mon Coeur."
"Je t'aime, le bête. My beast."
~The End~
About the Author
Heather Peters was born in New York City and has been a lover of the romance novel since she read The Flame and the Flower and fell in love with Kathleen Woodiwiss. She started writing and hasn’t looked back since.
In between writing erotic romance, her day job nowadays is secretary for two very busy business owners. Her first erotic romance e-book, Toy With Me, is a December, 2009 Freya's Bower release. Her next release in mid-July, 2010 is Surrender, a contemporary Beauty and the Beast erotic romance, and later this year, Oz is a Red Sage release with her critique/writing partner, Eden Elgabri.
Heather is a member of RIRW, or Rhode Island Romance Writers, to whom she credits the support of all its fabulous members with her success. "I've never met such a great bunch of talented, supportive, generous people in my life, and if it weren't for them, I'd never be published."
When she's not writing, she loves to read, cook and enjoys time with her family. Heather lives with her wonderful husband in New York, not far from her daughter, son, and two amazing grandchildren.
Learn more about Heather at: http://heatherpeters.org/
Similar Books
