32 - I love you.

***POV NOAH***

I clenched my fists while venting to her.

I was furious.

"I'm sorry for not talking to you," I heard her sweet voice say.

"Tell me what happened," I asked once more.

I wanted to understand what happened so I could take action.

It upset me to know that she didn’t trust me enough to open up…

I know I shouldn’t think this way, but damn, she trusted her friend, confided in him, cried to him...

"What are you thinking?" she wanted to know.

I made a face.

"How do you know I'm thinking?" I questioned.

"When something bothers you, you furrow your brow," she laughed, observing me.

"Hmm," I muttered, splashing water at her.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

She smiled.

I'm in love with this woman's smile.

"I will."

"It upsets me to know that you still don't trust me enough to open up, cry..."

Isabela looked at me, surprised by my statement.

"You talk, you confide, you cry with your friend. And with me, you don't want to share what happened..." I sighed.

"Let's not mix things up, okay? Alex is a friend I've known for many years, I'm more intimate talking about certain things with him."

"As well as being your partner in bed, I want to be your partner in everyday life, Isabela," I said sincerely. I looked into his eyes and took his hand, which was resting on the edge of the bath. "I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I want you to feel comfortable enough with me to open up. I want to be your friend above all else.

"I'm very embarrassed," she said, lowering her head, unable to look me in the eye. I took advantage of holding her hand and pulled her close to me. She settled into my arms, her back to me. I hugged her tightly, trying to convey trust.

"Why?" I asked softly, smelling her natural perfume, which I loved.

"I completely lost control yesterday. I didn't even recognize myself, you know? He was waiting for me when I arrived in the morning. He said harsh and offensive words..." I felt her body stiffen when she talked about what had happened. "He still had the nerve to ask me to come back... He wanted us to be together again, like a happy family."

I listened attentively as she spoke, feeling the pain in each word. I hugged her body, resting my head on her shoulder.

"I was so angry at his nerve, how can someone be so shameless?" she asked furiously. "He cheated on me so many times during all those years of marriage; he destroyed our family, how can he ask me to forget everything and come back to him?" she questioned.

I felt a slight pang of jealousy hearing her talk about the supposed happy family they once were. Unfortunately, I can't help feeling jealous.

"Do you still love him?" I asked hesitantly. I confess I'm afraid of her answer.

Isabela squirmed in my arms until she turned to face me. She spread her legs, settling into my lap.

Damn.

I took a deep breath, trying to think of random things to avoid getting aroused at that moment. Though it's an impossible mission not to get aroused around Isabela.

"Do you think I still love him?" she asked, wrapping her arms around my neck. I dug my hands into her waist, squeezing hard enough to likely leave a mark.

"Tell me," I replied gruffly.

"Rest assured, if I had even a little bit of feeling for him, I wouldn’t be here with you now," she said, looking into my eyes. "Noah, now, thinking more clearly, I'm not sure if I ever really loved my husband."

"Why?" I wanted to know.

"I've never felt for him what I feel when I'm with you," she confessed, making my heart race.

Isabela leaned in, leaving a kiss on my neck. I shivered and trembled. My member was already more than awake, and she noticed because I could read her eyes that said it all.

I ran my hands up her back, feeling her shiver as I caressed up to her nape.

"What do you feel when you're with me?" I asked. My voice came out low and hoarse.

"Hmm," she muttered thoughtfully. "You make me feel so many different emotions it's hard to talk about them all... But when I'm with you, I feel those famous butterflies in the stomach, you know? And believe it or not, I've never felt that before," she commented, her eyes shining as she looked into mine. "I feel a delicious shiver... I feel my heart racing... The damn smile that doesn't leave my lips... You make me feel alive. Honestly, most of the time I even forget our age difference and all the barriers we have... Our intense eye contact. I feel naked, and exposed when you look at me. Even if I'm fully dressed."

Isabela looked into my eyes as she spoke each word, and I knew it was all sincere.

"I love you."

The three forbidden words slipped out of my mouth. I almost cursed myself mentally for being so emotional.

Damn.

But who was I kidding?

I loved this woman.

When I close my eyes, I see your face. Yeah, I know it’s cliché, but it’s the purest truth. I wish to be with her every moment. I could be training, playing, fighting with someone, or lying in bed, but I always think, 'How I wish I were with her now.' It sucks; even while sleeping, I wish to be with her. No wonder she already dominates my dreams. I sleep thinking about her and wake up with the same thought. I'd be lying if I said it doesn't happen because it does every single day. I make plans for the next time I’ll see her. I smile just thinking about it, you know? I get anxious, count the days and the hours, and I’m extremely happy when I think of seeing the love of my life. Honestly, there’s nothing better than being with her and doing whatever, but if I’m with her, I’m fine. It’s perfect when we’re together. There’s nothing better for me. I keep replaying our moments, all of them, kind of like a psychopathic obsession, right? Yeah, it is. But it’s my way of loving; I remember everything she tells me. And I get an idiotic smile on my face. When I talk to her, I look straight into her eyes and see a sincerity that leaves me speechless. I’ve never seen such a pure look in my entire life, honestly. She’s so surreal that countless times I’ve asked myself if I’m dreaming. The best part is that I’m not dreaming. Do you know how I know that? Because when I’m away from her, the longing hits so indescribably hard it hurts. I do everything for her; I just want to see her happy. Because her smile is my smile, her tear is my tear. She’s already a part of me, and there’s no changing that; we are one soul in two bodies.