The desperate Lovers

Chapter Seventeen: A Love That Consumes

The stars twinkled above them like tiny diamonds scattered across a velvet sky. The private island was bathed in the soft glow of lanterns, their golden light flickering against the gentle night breeze. Isabella lay beside Alexander on the blanket, her head resting on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

It was a melody she never wanted to stop hearing.

His fingers traced lazy patterns on her arm, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. "Tell me what you're thinking about," he murmured.

She tilted her head slightly, looking up at him. "You."

A smirk tugged at his lips. "I like the sound of that."

She laughed softly. "Of course, you do."

His gaze darkened with emotion as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. "I want to know what's in that beautiful mind of yours."

Isabella sighed, her fingers tracing the buttons of his linen shirt. "I was just thinking about how surreal this feels. Being here, with you… falling in love the way I have."

Alexander cupped her face, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "You say that as if it's a dream."

She swallowed hard. "Sometimes it feels that way. Like one day, I'll wake up, and this—us—will all disappear."

His jaw clenched, and his hold on her tightened. "That will never happen."

She searched his gaze, finding nothing but sincerity in his eyes. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I won't let it," he whispered fiercely. "Isabella, you are my heart. My home. The only thing that makes sense in my world. If you think for even a second that I would ever let you go, then you don't know just how deeply I love you."

Her breath caught in her throat. His words wrapped around her heart like a vice, filling every empty space inside her.

"Alexander…"

He silenced her with a kiss.

It was slow at first, filled with the weight of everything left unsaid. Then it deepened, turning desperate, urgent. As if he was trying to prove just how much she meant to him without words.

Isabella melted against him, her fingers tangling in his hair as she lost herself in his touch. His hands roamed over her body, mapping every curve, every inch of her that belonged to him.

When he pulled away, his forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling. "Tell me you believe me," he pleaded softly.

Tears welled in her eyes, but they were tears of happiness, of overwhelming love. "I do."

A relieved smile tugged at his lips before he captured her mouth in another passionate kiss.

Hours Later…

They lay wrapped in each other, tangled beneath the stars, the waves whispering sweet lullabies along the shore.

Alexander propped himself up on one elbow, watching her. "Marry me."

Isabella's eyes widened. "What?"

"Marry me," he repeated, his voice steady and sure. "I don't need time to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Her heart pounded. "Alexander, this is so sudden—"

He shook his head. "No, it's not. Loving you feels like the most natural thing I've ever done. I don't want to wait. I don't want to waste another second not calling you my wife."

Tears streamed down her face. "You mean that?"

"With every breath in my body."

She let out a soft, breathless laugh. "You don't even have a ring."

Alexander reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. "That's where you're wrong."

Isabella gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

He opened the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring that sparkled under the moonlight. "I've been carrying this with me for weeks," he admitted. "Waiting for the perfect moment."

She stared at the ring, her heart swelling with love.

"I know it's fast," he continued, "but I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Say yes, Isabella. Be mine forever."

Her vision blurred with tears, but her voice was steady.

"Yes."

Alexander let out a relieved laugh before slipping the ring onto her finger. Then he pulled her into his arms, kissing her with all the love and passion he possessed.

And as they lay there, wrapped in the warmth of their love, Isabella knew—this was the beginning of their forever.

To be continued…