CHAPTER 2

        Isabelle smiled sadly while remembering Billy and his words immediately after the wedding ceremony, as he reached out and congratulated her.

‘I would have loved to stay longer, but the life of the ‘Grayson Tech’ CEO is always filled with so much to do and little free time. So, after the toast, I have to run to the airport and fly across the ocean to solve a couple of urgent matters. However, you know how to get in touch with me if you need my help with something.’

          Billy hugged her tightly.

‘I’ve left you a small present. You’ll find it with all the other gifts. It is a small envelope with your name on it. Inside there is something that belongs to you, something that I should have given you a long time ago, but for some strange reason, I chose to keep it. You are an exceptional person, Belle. If only I had noticed you before my cousin. Anyway, welcome to our family! I hope Shawn learned his lesson and he will never hurt you again. I told him to treat you well, otherwise, he will have to deal with me.’

          It was all Billy said before kissing her hand. Remembering how Shawn had reacted, how worried he was when the horse was about to throw her off, Isabelle looked at Billy and smiled at him, very confident that Shawn would never hurt her again.

‘Don’t worry, your cousin... my husband will take good care of me. And I will do the same thing for him,’ she replied quite confident.

           Shawn took her hand and led her to the dance floor for their first dance together as husband and wife. The song chosen was the most romantic ever and one of her favorites. It was the perfect song for them, for their love story. The way Shawn was holding her in his arms was so wonderfully unique...

          She didn’t have much experience with all of this, but Isabelle thought that only her husband's arms could wrap her body like that and make her feel so safe. They were spinning around on the dance floor as if they were one being and Isabelle realized that the two of them had never danced together until that day. Despite this, she couldn't have asked for a better partner.

          His eyes locked on her, were showing Isabelle all the love Shawn was feeling for her. Or at least, she thought so. Holding her, whispering sweet loving words… at that moment, Isabelle felt that this was real love. She still could hear their little conversation while dancing.

‘My love,’ Shawn said softly, smiling in his unique way capable of knocking down all her defenses, ‘I never thought that getting married could make me feel so good, that marrying you could be so right. I never dreamed that I would find a wonderful, sweet woman like you, made just for me.’

‘Do I need to remind you that up to a few weeks ago you were thinking of Danielle as a possible wife?’ she teased him.

‘A man thinks and looks around at a lot of women before finding the one who’s destined for him.’

‘Oh, really?’ Isabelle asked staring at him carefully. ‘Well, now, here, on this dance floor, we are alone. No one, except for me, could hear you. You can tell me what you really think...’ she added, squeezing his hand.

          Shawn brought his lips closer to Isabelle's. He wanted to silence her and to show her that all he had said that day was the absolute truth. And she believed him. Isabelle was so in love with Shawn that she couldn't see the obvious that was in front of her at that instant.

          Looking out the window with sad eyes, Isabelle touched her lips with her fingertips. Even now she was able to feel Shawn's mouth on hers. And the words that followed that kiss.

‘I want you so much, my love... I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want you right now…’ he whispered against her mouth.

          The way Isabelle’s body responded at that moment was a surprise for her also. Her life until Shawn had been devoid of affection, of love and so, from their first moment together until their last, she had responded with all the passion that she had kept closed inside her soul. Shawn represented everything she had never known: the flirting she had never experienced, all the dates with the boys that never happened to her, all the romance novels she had always read, and of which she had always felt she belonged to. Shawn had been a part of every song and poem she had ever created, every sketch she had made. He always had been with her.

          Beware of the fire that was rising inside their bodies, Isabelle immediately thought of something to keep their minds away from what was about to happen later that evening when they will be alone in their bedroom.

‘Anyway, knowing Danielle I thought that she would be that desperate to make her appearance here... There is the Spalding family. I know that Caroline Spalding is her best friend. And I also saw Ted.’

          Shawn's expression changed quickly.

‘I could not allow her to offend you with her presence... In my own way, I warned her to keep her distance. Besides, I can't say the same thing about your... admirer, Ted Spalding.’

‘Nothing happened and nothing will ever happen between us. He was very kind to me that evening at the party, but we have never seen each other since. I couldn’t give him false hopes since you were constantly on my mind.’

‘I am not so sure that Ted understood the message, given the way he is been looking at you since he got here. He was always a very strange man... I don’t like that he is looking at you so intensely,’ Shawn added with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

‘He never stood a chance… Never! Sweetheart, your jealousy has no place in this conversation. Come on, leave Ted Spalding alone, and come back here next to me. I absolutely need your undivided attention and your sweet talk to keep me flying without wings all over this dance floor!’

          They finished dancing and Isabelle apologized to him for a moment, telling Shawn that she had to go freshen up and that she would be back in a few seconds. It wasn’t entirely the truth… What Billy had told Isabelle had intrigued her a lot. She had to see ‘the wedding present’ from Billy.

          On the small table, in the middle of all the presents, Isabelle saw two envelopes and both of them had only her name written: Isabelle Baldwin-Grayson. The sight of those three words drove her mad with pleasure. One of the envelopes was very thin and quite large. Well, maybe it was something from her lawyer. She decided that she would open it the next day.

‘Tonight, I don't want to think about anyone else but my husband,’ she said in a low voice.

          Isabelle took the two envelopes and put them in the little suitcase she had prepared to take with her that night into her new home. The rest of her clothes would be brought to the apartment the next day. She and Shawn had decided to wait a few more days before heading to their secret honeymoon destination, Shawn’s surprise for her.

‘No, I’ll put every other thought aside. Tonight, Shawn will be my only thought. But tomorrow I will have time to see what is inside the envelopes.’