16 - I'm here to help you heal all your wounds.

***POV ISABELA***

His hands run up the side of my thigh to my hips, where he squeezes me, looking me in the eye. 

“Do you want to talk now?” He asked inches from my mouth. I looked into his eyes and lowered my gaze to his mouth, which was hanging open. Jesus, what a beautiful mouth! 

“Can we do it later?” I asked, biting my lower lip. 

“We can.”

Noah brought his face close to mine and sealed our lips. We stayed like that for a few seconds, feeling each other's contact. I opened my mouth to let him in and he wasted no time in slipping his tongue inside, starting a desperate, longing kiss. Our tongues dueled for space, he squeezed my waist even tighter. We were out of breath and it took a lot to break away. But he didn't pull away, we just stopped kissing and stared at each other for long seconds, both of us panting. 

"Your lips get all swollen when I kiss you like that," he said, running his finger over my lip. I maintained eye contact.

"Thank you," I replied.

"For what?" he asked, confused.

"For turning my bad day into a good night."

"If it's up to me, you'll only be happy. It infuriates me to know that your ex-husband has been bothering you."

His hand on my waist clenched into a fist. The vein on his forehead bulged. He was truly furious.

I held his face in my hands and caressed it, causing him to relax instantly.

“It's all right now,” I smiled. 

“If he ever fucks with you again, tell me and I'll try to show him that you're not alone!” He said it angrily. 

I arched an eyebrow. 

"I'm not alone?" I asked, stroking the back of his neck.

"Never again."

His eyes analyzed my face and it seemed that he had the power to read me completely. I was dressed, but I always felt naked looking at him.

I pushed his chest back, making him move away from me, and got on top of him. He looked at me in surprise.

"I need to reward you for that," I kissed his neck, making him shudder.

"My greatest reward is seeing your beautiful smile."

My heart filled with emotion at his words. I smiled at him in return and he moved his hand to my ass. He put his hand inside my dress and held my ass firmly.

"You're so hot, Isa!" He slapped me, startling me.

"All yours," I whispered in his ear, and he ran his hand down my back.

"Let me take your dress off," he asked. I just nodded and he didn't think twice about putting his hand on the hem of my dress and pulling it up, leaving me almost naked, except for the black lace panties I was wearing. He analyzed me completely, looking at me without any shame. He was like a hungry wolf staring at its prey.

I tried to get off his lap because I was so embarrassed by the way he was looking at me.

"Stay here," he ordered, holding my waist tightly.

"The look on your face makes me embarrassed..."

"I like admiring you..."

“I honestly don't know what you saw in me... I'm 10 years older than you... My body isn't as perfect as you're used to... I have stretch marks and cellulite... my breasts aren't hard and perfect... I honestly don't understand...” I blurted out, looking down at your black shirt, which looked beautiful on your body. 

I didn't dare to look him in the eye, but he didn't say anything; he stayed silent for long, long minutes. This silence was killing me... 

Has he come to his senses?

His thick hands closed around my wrist, which was on his chest. In one swift movement, he laid me on the bed and got on top of me. He pinned both my arms above my head with his left hand. With his free hand, he took a firm hold of my chin and made me look at his face, avoiding his eyes. 

“Look into my eyes," he asked. 

I bit my lip and looked up into his eyes, which were shining and the damn intensity was there. 

“Fuck, I've told you a million times that age is just a number to me, you know? What matters is here,” he pointed to the space between the two of us, “me and you. Fuck if you're 10 years older than me. Fuck if you have a daughter. Fuck you if you've just been divorced. Fuck the world.”

I was gasping for breath, he was saying everything non-stop and looking me in the eye. I barely reacted. 

"About the perfect body, man, honestly, I'm a football player, not to brag or anything, but you know in the team hangouts, they only talk about models and stuff. I won't lie to you; I've been with a lot of models, a lot of women with that so-called perfect body, but damn, none of that matters to me. It all became insignificant compared to what I feel when I'm with you. Your stretch marks and cellulite don't bother me at all, and let me tell you, they're perfect on you. They're your marks, you know, and everything about you is perfect. You're perfect. You're the sexiest woman in the world to me; I don't want anyone else."

I opened my mouth several times, searching for words to respond, but I didn't know what to say. He managed to leave me speechless and touched.

"You're perfect to me, even in the smallest details. I like your way, the way you make me feel, and the way I feel when I'm with you. I love your smile, your caresses, your voice, and your body. The days we've spent together have been the happiest days of my life in recent years. I couldn't even remember how to smile genuinely before I met you. That's why I'm chasing after you like a madman; I've never chased after any woman, damn it, but you're not just any woman, and you know that. You're special. You're the most beautiful woman in the whole world; never doubt it. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you..."

I bit my lip once again in a nervous gesture. Damn!

Who is this man? Does he exist?

I know I'm too fearful. I'm so afraid of getting hurt, and him—damn, he's too perfect to be real!

"You left me speechless." I smiled, looking away, trying to escape his intense gaze.

"I want to leave you speechless. I want to leave you breathless, damn it."

I swallowed saliva with some difficulty.

Everything he does or says affects me in some way.

"Look at me," he requested once again, holding my chin to make my gaze meet his. "Let's work together on your insecurity. You don't need to be insecure around me. I'm real; we're both real. From my side, everything is transparent. I'm 100 percent sincere with you. And I hope to receive the same sincerity from you."

"I'm sorry." I apologized. "Sorry for all this insecurity. But it's hard for me, you know? I've spent my whole life without receiving a compliment—just criticisms and things that brought me down and made me feel low. And then, you compliment me all the time, admire me, and lift me." I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize. I understand your pains, and I'm not here to judge you; I'm here to help you heal all your wounds."

“I'm sorry,” I said, “I'm sorry for all this insecurity. But it's hard for me, you know? I've gone my whole life without receiving a compliment, it was all criticism and things that made me feel down, bad... And then you compliment me all the time... you admire me... you put me up,” I sighed, “I'm sorry.”

“There's no need to apologize. I understand your pain and I'm not here to judge you, I'm here to help you heal all your wounds.”