Dried and Dying Roses (BWWM)

Forty Five: Baby Bump Blues

Adrian walked her to her car, but didn't let her climb inside, leaning her against the driver's door, his monstrous hands resting on her shapely hips , his six foot, four inch frame towering over her five foot, five inch frame (the plus  four extra inches coming from the wedges she was wearing). Isa wrapped her arms around Adrian's waist and rested her head in the center of his chest, letting out a quiet sigh as she enjoyed the simple touch.

Isaline was still dealing with the separation anxiety that came with Adrian's changing her. He told her it would never fade, and Isa hated feeling so needy. Adrian had brought it upon himself to come visit Isa at her store when he was on his breaks, bringing and eating lunch with her, so something as simple as him sitting next to her set her soul on fire in a way that she loved, but being in his arms?

That was heaven.

Pure nirvana.

She wondered sometimes if that love to be in his arms that she had, even before she fell in love with him, which blossomed when she was turned immortal by him had something to do with how he had mistreated her as a human. Maybe it was an unconscious need she had as a human, that she was sometimes too fearful to voice or do anything about, and now that she was immortal, something that seemed as trivial as a hug was a huge thing, because she could gain it, and he was so easy to give it.... and because when she changed, those feelings so slow to grow while she was human had burgeoned when she woke up from that metamorphosis of mortal to immortal, leaving her with a need to constantly be around her love.

He said he had felt it from the beginning, but it was easier for him to push away, he'd been dealing with what she had been for five months for over a year.

"I love you,"

She felt and heard the quiet sigh that left Adrian as he cupped the back of her neck, "Do you really?"

Isa nodded, looking up and letting her grey eyes meet his gaze, her own somber as the Judge of Truth as she spoke, "Yes really. I wouldn't say so if I didn't mean it,"

He still didn't say anything which bothered Isa. It made her feel very uneasy, so it was like instinct when she took his chin between her dainty fingers and pulled him down until her lips were brushing lightly against his, "Why don't you believe me? Did I do something?"

Adrian shook his head, thumping his forehead against Isa's, "No. I just don't want you confusing thankfulness for me being there when Ron died for love. You know I love you and how much I love you. I don't need you getting my hopes up just for you to realize in a few weeks that what you thought was love was truly gratitude."

She would've never guessed that on her own. That man's mind was something Isaline knew she would never fully understand the workings of.

"You think so differently," She murmured in an awe that she couldn't hide, pushing some of his wild curls from their faces. The severe winter weather had died down for about two weeks, but even as they spoke, the wind whipped around the two violently, and fluffy snow turned to ice.

It didn't bother Isa, but she knew Adrian would say something about her being out in the dangerous weather very soon. Before he could, she wrapped those arms around his neck, and slowly brought his lips those last few centimeters towards hers until they met gently.

Just when she felt Adrian becoming more into the kiss, Isa pulled away, biting on his nose in that way she couldn't explain why she loved to do, "I love you, Adrian Marquise Lew."

He responded immediately that time, "I love you too, Isaline Brianne Lew; you sweet, sweet woman,"

She shuddered both from the sound of her maiden name being replaced with Adrian's, and from the feel of his lips falling back to her, so full of passion and need, and...well love.