AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Here's your drink," she offers handing me my water.
I take it from her and give her a small kiss. "Thanks for doing this, baby."
No sooner have we started our picnic than the sky cracks open and it pours rain. "Quick, put everything back in the bag!" Bella squeals as she covers her head with my jacket.
"Follow me," I call out grabbing her hands and running towards a small cave to hide from the rain.
"What is this place?" she asks when we reach it.
"I guess it's usually where the sea comes in and has eroded the mountain, but since it's low tide right now, we can use it as a little hideaway until the rain stops," I suggest as I shake my hair, probably looking like a wet dog.
We sit together in the 'cave', which isn't actually as small as it seems. It's big enough for both of us to sit comfortably, and it gives us the most beautiful view of the ocean while the rain is pouring down.
"It's actually kind of beautiful, isn't it?" Bella says as she moves herself closer to snuggle up to me.
I wrap my arms tightly around her waist as I pull her close to me, and we sit there watching the world go by from our own little paradise. The storm gets worse, and it’s beginning to thunder and lightning, but still, we remain safe in each other’s embrace and watch the lightning color the sky above us. It's so calm and peaceful here. There’s no sound apart from the crash of the waves and the rumble of the thunder.
The minutes turn into hours as we hide away. Locked in our own perfect moment, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Away from crazy family and noisy friends, away from all the demons of our past, with nothing but each other to keep us grounded as we stare out at the world around us.
"Marry me," I hear myself say before I even have time to register the words that slip from my lips.
"What did you say?" Bella asks.
"Marry me!" I repeat, much more clearly and with purpose this time.
"Don't be silly," Bella smiles.She obviously thinks I'm joking.
"No, I'm serious, Bella. Marry me. I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. There's never been anyone else in my life that I've loved the way I love you. And I know that there will never be anyone else who can replace you. You're my heart, my soul, and my salvation. You're the first person I want to talk to when I wake up, and the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep. My life before you was empty and dark, but you were always my shining light and my guide in the darkness.
You give me a reason to fight and a reason to be a better person. From the first time I met you, I knew you were special. Even before I knew what love was, I thought I loved you. Losing you was the hardest moment of my life, but it was worth it to get to reunite with you now. I can't always promise sunshine and rainbows, but I promise that regardless of what happens, I'll always be by your side. Together, we can conquer any obstacle that comes our way.
I love you, Bella. Now and forever. You're the only person in the world I want to devote my life to. So marry me., Let me spend the rest of my life in your arms, worshiping you until I die." I profess, reaching for the bag Tucker gave me and rummaging around in it. I look over at Bella, who is standing there open-mouthed and in complete shock, staring at me.
"Isabella Williams, my very own beautiful Bella, please do me the honor of marrying me. I drop to my knees, and with very shaky hands open the ring box that Tucker, by some miracle or perhaps by fate itself, gave me just this morning.
"Yes!" says Bella as she drops to her knees beside me and starts kissing me passionately.
I pull back only briefly to slip the ring on her finger before pushing her back into the sand and showing her all the passion I feel and all the different ways I plan to worship her.
CHAPTER FORTY
NATHANIEL
The thunder and lightning have ceased, but we're still lying almost naked in our little love nest. "What happened to going to jail if someone saw me?" Bella smirks.
"One — there's no one else around, so there's no danger of anyone seeing you come undone. And two — I'd gladly go to jail if it means I could do it again," I confess as I turn onto my back and encourage her to lie down next to me, resting her head on my arm.
"This ring is beautiful, Nate. Where did you get it?" Bella asks as she lies down next to me, holding her hand up in the air and admiring the way the small rays of light catch the ring and make it sparkle.
"It was actually my mother’s," I admit with a proud grin.
"What?!" she gasps, sitting up quickly. "Have you had it all these years? I thought you said you didn't have anything left of your mother’s?"
"I didn't, but it turns out your Nana did," I say, sitting up beside her.
"What, how? When? Did they know you were going to do this?" Bella asks in surprise.
"Okay, so it's a long story, one of which I'm happy to tell you when I'm not so distracted by your nakedness."
