The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set (46 page)

“I know, but you’re with the person that owns your heart, and I can live with that. I can live with seeing you happy.”

“But what about your happiness?”

He kept a smile fixed on his face, but the sadness radiated in his eyes. I wanted him happy too. “Oh you know me, I’ll soon have my eye on someone else, once summer is over there will be plenty of new girls to practice my flirting skills on.” We both laughed as we knew that would be true. I squeezed his hand in a silent thank you; his bravado was a way of lessening my own guilt.

“Anyway that’s enough of this sentimental stuff, let’s get to the real reason why I’ve come ’round.”

“And why is that?” I asked intrigued.

He grabbed my laptop, quickly loading up the internet. “Well, you agreed to be my zombie buddy watching The Walking Dead, I can’t do this alone.”

He gave me a wink and I smiled, remembering our conversation a few weeks back. He was surprised at my level of excitement at the thought of watching zombies get their heads bashed in to save mankind.

“Well, if we’re going to do this you need to get some snacks, you know where the kitchen is.”

He grinned standing up, giving me a look of surprise. “Okay Miss Bossy Boots, your wish is my command.” He bowed and I giggled.

“Oh and don’t forget . . .”

“I know, the Maltesers. I’m not some rookie. I do remember your obsession.”

He shook his head in amusement, slipping through the door to head back downstairs. I sighed in contentment at having my friend back. Things were finally getting back to normal.

Four episodes later I admitted defeat, and Ryan left a short while later, allowing me to have a well deserved nap. His promise to return to watch the rest was enough for me to let him go. I finally felt free of the guilt and fell into a contented sleep. Well until those soft, sweet lips I knew so well finally roused me in the most delicious way. I smiled as he placed small, gentle kisses over every inch of my face.

“Open your eyes, beautiful,” he whispered, his voice sending tingles right through me.

God, he was good.

My eyes fluttered open to stare into his hypnotic blue. “I missed you today, baby, been counting down the minutes till I got to do this. He pressed his lips softly against mine, and I pulled in a breath, opening slightly, allowing him to slide his tongue in so he could entwine with mine. My fingers weaved through his hair, holding him tight as our mouths created a natural rhythm. I knew I would never have enough of him.

He eventually pulled away, much to my annoyance. “Well, someone has definitely missed me too. He raised his eyebrows in that sexy knowing way. “So what have you been up to today? Has Elijah been around crying over Titanic?” I chuckled at the memory. We’d watched it last week, and it took him an hour to calm down after the credits rolled.

“Actually I had another visitor . . . Ryan called around to see me.”

Joel’s face dropped in shock, but then he quickly recovered. “Oh yeah, what did he want?” His tone was light, but I could see a hint of jealously there in his eyes, no matter how hard he worked to disguise it.

“To make amends, to apologise, he blamed himself for the accident, but I put him straight about us. I don’t want him living with unbearable guilt, the accident was nothing to do with him.”

“So when you say you put him straight . . .” His voice sounded almost hesitant.

“It’s okay, Joel, he knows where my heart lies.”

A smile crossed my face, and I grabbed his hand lifting it up to my lips. I pressed a gentle kiss there before moving away. “It will only ever be you, Joel.”

He sighed in contentment at my words, drawing me in so we were barely inches apart. “I love hearing that you’re mine, only mine.”

“I’ll never belong to anyone else.”

It was true, he owned me body and soul, he was my forever and I was his.

The big day had finally arrived. It had been six long weeks with my leg imprisoned inside this cast. I was hours away from its removal, and I should have been grinning from ear to ear, but my mind was on other matters. Over the past month I noticed a change in Joel, the way he acted around me, his hesitance to spend any time whatsoever with me. The same old excuses rolled off his lips, he was working, he was tired. I wasn’t that stupid to see it there in his eyes. Despite his promises, I could feel the air change around us, the electricity gone. There hung a sense of awkwardness like the short time we spent together was forced.

His overall mood had changed, like it was more out of obligation that he spent the briefest of times with me. At first I refused to acknowledge it, blaming it on my overactive mind. But I had been right from the start, something had changed, and I couldn’t pinpoint that moment when it had happened. I lay for hours dwelling, going over and over each conversation. The tension between us was unbearable. It was almost a relief when he left, so I no longer had to stare into the eyes of a stranger. Ryan had been my rock and after finishing with the zombies, we’d practically made our way through all the different box sets on Netflix. It helped to keep my mind busy from wandering into those dark places I thought I’d never have to go again.

Ryan sensed a change in my mood, but he never once questioned it, leaving it for in my own time to speak about it.

Elijah on the other hand seemed to go out of his way to antagonise me. He was about to move in with Sam into their first home together so I had to grin and bear it, despite countless interior magazines being shoved under my nose. He even had a flip chart of colours, always incessantly asking which colour I preferred. Right now I couldn’t have give a rats arse but I had to make some kind of effort, it was his first home with Sam. So I joined in giving my opinion on each and every swatch until I practically could see no more. Each colour began to merge with the other, in the end I was almost seeing spots, just grateful for a reprieve when Sam had rang to meet up. I had gratefully waved him off, enjoying the silence that followed after.

My head snapped up at the sound of the door opening, Joel peeped around, frowning slightly in response to the scowl on my face.

“Hey, what’s with the face?” he asked, his eyes stared deep into mine, filled with concern.

That was a cheek; he hadn’t been concerned about me for a long while.

“Nothing, I’m fine.” I hobbled by him, grabbing my jacket using it as a distraction to avoid looking at him.

“There’s something up, I thought you’d be over the moon to finally get that thing removed.”

It was true, I should have been, but Joel’s behaviour had soured my mood and nothing seemed like it would ever sweeten it.

“Everything’s fine, I’m surprised you have the time to even ask.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He knew what I meant.

“I don’t have time to argue. I have to be at the hospital in thirty minutes.” I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, quickly checking the contents inside so I had everything.

“That’s why I’m here to take you.” He moved to pull me in for a hug, but I sidestepped him, it was too little too late.

“I’m fine, I can get a taxi.” I wasn’t about to be a burden to him.

“I took the day off especially, Iz, don’t be like this, I want to go with you.”

It would be far easier to say yes, even though right now I could have happily put a lot of distance between us.

“Fine, but we need to go now.” I hobbled by him, not even sparing him a glance. I wasn’t in the mood to be appreciative of his offer, the sooner this was over the better.

The car ride to the hospital was silent. My mood was beyond glacial. Joel quickly turned on the radio to inject some life into the suffocating air. My head turned towards the window the whole time. I was in no mood for talking, his actions had told me all I needed to know.

We were sat waiting an age to be seen, Joel made several trips to the coffee machine, only aiding in amping up his nervous energy. I sat staring at my Kindle screen, but no words were going in but to Joel it looked like I was otherwise occupied. I was silently grateful the moment the nurse shouted my name, Joel’s shaking leg almost had me on the brink of combustion.

He leapt up too, but my glare soon had him sitting back down. “I’ll wait here then I suppose.” He flopped back down, the frown instantly taking over his face.

“Just go I can make my own way home,” I snapped, not even bothering to wait for an answer.

Thirty minutes later I was cast free, but my face dropped seeing Joel sat still waiting. My reaction hadn’t gone unnoticed and he frowned again, his eyes searching mine for an answer.

“Hey, you’re finally free,” he remarked chuckling, even though it was slightly forced.

“Looks like it,” I retorted, my eyes scanning the walls for directions as I hobbled back outside.

Joel walked alongside me, the sun felt good against my face, but it did little to thaw my glacial mood.

I could feel the tension bubbling away with each step. I just wanted to be free of this torment, if he was tired of me and wanted out then he should just say it and spare us any more of this agony.

He unlocked the car, hesitant to help but my glare told him to back off. I closed my eyes hearing the engine switch on. He turned the dial down so the music was playing softly in the background. I rubbed my temples willing the imminent headache to go away.

“Iz, we’re here,” he said softly. I quickly jerked awake surprised I had fallen asleep so quickly. I sat up looking around in surprise as these weren’t my usual surroundings. In fact I didn’t recognise it at all, well not at first.

“Is that your house, Joel?” I rubbed my eyes again wondering if they were deceiving me, or was I still dreaming?

“No, Iz, it’s ours.”

I spun around in surprise. “What do you mean it’s ours?”

A smile crept over his face. “Surprise,” he simply said.

“What?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He lifted my hand, placing a gentle kiss against the skin. “Come with me, I want to show you my secret.”

He slipped his hand out of mine, opening the door, within moments he was by mine, guiding me out.

“Joel, what is happening? How can we afford—”

He silenced me with a kiss. My fingers entwined into his hair as I responded with my mouth fully locked onto his.

God, I had missed him.

He pulled back moments later, almost breathless, keeping his forehead pressed against mine. To give himself a few moments to compose himself.

“My dad signed the house over to me. It’s mine, well, I want it to be ours.” He looked unsure at the last part, and I wasn’t surprised, my behaviour towards him lately had been frosty to say the least.

“Why did he do that?”

“He’s moved permanently to Southampton to live with my uncle, I think it was Robert behind it all. When I spoke to him afterwards he said that it was the least he could have done. So now it’s ours, well, that’s if you still want to be with me.” His eyes flashed to mine uncertain, I could see fear building inside.

I had been such a fool.

I grabbed him, crashing my lips against his. Words would come later, right now this was where I needed to be with him in this moment.

We pulled back seconds later, gasping for breath, both panting together. “I take that as a yes then?” He chuckled, pulling me close, nuzzling his face into my hair. “Of course it’s a yes. You’ve just made me the happiest woman on the planet, but then I did go from thinking you were moments away from ending it with me.”

He pulled me back to look into my eyes. “Why the hell did you think I was finishing with you?”

My eyes widened and I bit my lip, thinking back to all those times when I was filled with rejection. All those pieces were beginning to take shape, and now I looked like a complete fool for ever thinking them.

“You’ve barely spent any time with me, I thought I was a burden that you’d grown tired of, that you no longer . . .” I couldn’t say the rest, the words were too hard to think, never mind say.

“Hey,” he soothed, drawing me in close so I was enveloped in his arms. “That’s never going to happen. I don’t function without you, you’re the reason I breathe, the reason my heart takes each and every beat. I love you with every fibre of my body, you’re my whole world, and I don’t want to exist in one where I can’t be with you.”

“Wow,” I whispered.

He truly does love me.

“So you finally get it?”

“Well you can be pretty persuasive, your sweet words almost had me swooning.”

“It’s a good job that I’m here to catch you.” He winked, and I giggled as he manoeuvred me so I was pressed tight against him. “You, me, forever, remember?”

I sighed against his lips. “Yes, forever sounds good to me.”

“So let me show you around our new home.”

I squealed with excitement. Could this really be happening?

He leaned in opening the fancy, rich, black iron gate with all its curves and flicks, it reminded me of something more Victorian. It was mightily impressive and a massive improvement on the half-battered gate, that had been barely dropping to pieces. “After you, madam.”

I grinned when he bowed down in a gentlemanly manner. He really was too cute. He closely followed me behind, pulling me into him. I gazed on in amazement at the beauty of the garden. There were fresh pots of flowers in all the colours I could ever imagine dotted along the path. The lawn that was almost jungle like was trimmed short in various lengths to give it a striped finish.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, leaning around to kiss my cheek.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. It truly was.

“We’ve had a new door fitted and windows.”

My eyes snapped up to see a shiny, new black front door. It was Victorian in style, very in-keeping with the gate. The brass door handle and knocker only complimented the rich, stark colour. The windows were sparkling new in comparison to the ones I had been faced with only months earlier. The whole house had been given a whole new facelift.

But how?

How could he afford this?

I spun around in confusion, Joel’s eyes stared deep into mine. Watching as my brain continued to process it all. He smiled like he could almost see the cogs turning inside my head, trying to work it all out.

“It was your dad who paid for all this,” he simply said, while I still continued to do my best goldfish act.

“My dad?” I asked confused.

“He wanted to make up for all that lost time. I told him the house was mine, that it was in need of serious repair and that I just wanted to give you the home you deserved.”

“But you know I’d live in a cardboard box if it meant being with you, I don’t need all the add-ons.”

“I know and I love you more for that, but I wanted to give you a home that you could be proud of. Your dad stepped up and I told him no, that I wanted to be the one to provide for you. But the look he gave me, I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do, that it was like a healing process for him to make up for all those lost years. He’s still heartbroken, but doing this for you has helped to mend those pieces, he only wants your happiness.”

“I’m speechless.” I truly was for the first time ever.

Joel nuzzled into my neck, lightly biting my skin causing me to shiver. “Do you want to see inside?”

“Of course.” I grinned. He slung his arm over me, guiding me up the path as excitement bubbled through every pore.

Was this really happening?

“Close your eyes, Iz.” He laughed when I rolled my own. “Just do it, baby, for me.” He pouted slightly and a wave of heat ran through me, god, those lips would be my total undoing.

I took a deep breath and became surrounded by darkness. Joel brushed up against me, and I heard the turn of the lock. He motioned me forward through the door. Once inside my head was filled with a beautiful vanilla scent. I smiled at the fact he always remembered the little things I loved.

His lips brushed up against my hair and his arms encircled me, drawing me back into him. “Open,” he whispered.

My eyes fluttered open faced with a room decorated exactly to my taste. Everything down to the finest detail was perfect. “But how?” I asked perplexed by the fact someone had managed to achieve something so accurate without my knowledge.

“Elijah.” Joel chuckled.

Who else?

“Do you remember the day he came and pestered you about colour schemes and furniture layouts? Well, he was pretending it was for his flat so he could secretly get you to unknowingly reveal everything without giving the game away.”

Wow. “That boy is good.” Too good, but I loved him even more for his brilliant sneaky act.

“Oh yeah, we definitely want to keep him on side, he’d make a great spy.”

“So what do you think?” There was hesitation in his voice, but he didn’t need to worry, I was pretty much overwhelmed by it all.