by A. J. Briar
“He’s fine, sleeping a lot but I think that’s the meds. Thanks for bringing his stuff over.” Logan shifts from foot to foot, the tension and unease seeps through the cracks in his armor. Roxy joins me, handing me a cup of tea, before sipping her own quietly.
“You’re welcome. Rox, you got any stuff that needs taking?” I’m not going to lie; Roxy is definitely taking one for the team here. Two weeks after the shooting, Roxy could see how cut up I was, over not spending time with Nathan, not being able to see him every day. I’m not entirely sure how it all came about, but one drunken offer, ended up with Roxy and Nathan switching places. Nathan would move in here with me, and Rox would move in with Logan. In my defense, I did double check that this was okay with all parties involved. All of whom, said they were fine with it. I did also offer for Roxy to stay here, but she doesn’t want to be around a sickeningly cute couple who mack on each other all the time. Her words, not mine. I’m kind of hoping, that the more time these two spend with each other, the more they’ll realize that they’re perfect for each other.
“Nope, I’m all good. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve not even packed half of my shit yet.” She laughs but it sounds wrong.
“Come on, Roxanne. I’ll help ya.” The way her full name rolls off his tongue, is pure bliss and I sense Roxy going weak at the knees. No one calls her that, I don’t even think her family call it her. Logan nods goodbye and then heads towards Roxy’s room, without hesitation. She tuts but follows him, and I swear I see her check out his ass. The girl likes to think she’s stealth but she’s really not. I grab one of Nathan’s boxes and carry it to my room. Fuck, it’s heavy. Placing it on my desk, I try my best to be quiet, as I tidy his things away. Nathan jumped at the chance to live together, I think, like me, he hates being apart. And given how quickly things can change, we can’t take anything for granted.
“Isabella…” Nathan murmurs from the bed and I jump in fright. He’s managed to sit up and is appraising me through glazed eyes. Honestly, him whispering my name is music to my ears, better than all my playlists combined. Kneeling on the bed beside him, I grip his hand in mine.
“How are you feeling?” He rolls his eyes and I know he’s getting pissed at me, for keep asking. I don’t think he likes being an invalid.
“I’m fine.” His wink reveals his dimple and I melt into a puddle next to him. Not only is he using my own words against me, but he’s also pulling out his dimple, which he knows is my kryptonite. I check him out, knowing that’s exactly what he did to me, the first day we met. Our laughter fills the room as he draws me to his good side. I snuggle further into his body, feeling the most content I’ve ever felt.
Sure, it’s taken us two and a half years to get to this point, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. We both needed that time to grow and become our own person. I think it offered clarity through the confusion and I know that our bond is stronger than it’s ever been. Really, we never stood a chance against fate, that magnetic pull was always drawing us together, even when we were apart.
“What are you thinking about pretty girl?” Nathan traces his fingers down my cheek, along my jaw, tilting it slightly, so he can see my reaction.
“Just thinking how happy I am, that you’re here and we’re finally together.” He lightly brings his lips to mine and the feeling of euphoria intensifies. I don’t know how I ever spent my life without him, and I hope I never have to again. The kiss is a kiss that ends all other kisses as Nathan pulls me closer. He whispers against my lips.
“I love you, Isabella James.” His lips curve into a smile and then touch mine once more, with the promise of more.
“Always.”
Author’s Note
Thank you for coming along and giving Love and Heartache a read! I really hope you enjoyed Isabella’s and Nathan’s story. If you enjoyed this story though and are looking for updates and sneak peeks of the next instalment, feel free to follow me on Facebook and Instagram and tell your friends about it! Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated as this is my second story I’ve published! If you particularly appreciated it though, I’d love it if you could leave me a review on Amazon or Goodreads! Every little helps; even if it’s just a rating! Thank you again for taking the time to read Isabella’s and Nathan’s story and I hope you continue the journey with me!