Burning Touch

Chapter 42

Izzy licked the last of the syrup from her thumb and sipped her coffee before she looked at Andre who had finished his breakfast and had been looking at her for a long while. Too long, it was almost uncomfortable.

"Now will you answer my questions?" She asked again.

"Now, I will."

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "Where's Josie?"

"Josie went for a run."

"Josie doesn't run."

Andre smirked.
"Exactly."

Izzy narrowed her gaze at him.

"Yoga maybe." Andre said.

"She prefers the privacy of her room," Izzy said. "What are you doing here, Andre?"

Andre reached up and touched the side of her mouth with the pad of his thumb then licked his thumb. Izzy's heart raced a little before slowing down.

"Andre, would you please stop messing with my head and tell me what you're doing here and why all this." She gestured to the breakfast.

"I couldn't sleep last night," Andre confessed. "I was up all night thinking of everything you said and you leaving and just how useless my life had felt without you."

"But you're happy here, without me."

"No Belle, you assumed I was." He said. "It's been really difficult and I thought I was finally past it a few weeks ago and then I saw you at the office and everything I thought I had accomplished to get past everything just went out the window."

"Go on."

"Up before yesterday, you had never said you loved me."

Izzy looked away.
"I was being stubborn with myself, not wanting to admit I could fall in love with anyone so fast after I had avoided it for so long." She said. "I thought maybe if I could just wait and see where things went and I could know if what I was feeling was love or not. I didn't want to say it because I wasn't sure. I wanted to say it to you when I was completely sure and not because I thought what I felt was something like love. All it took to finally be able to admit it to myself was losing you, but there's no point now."

"What if there is?"

Izzy looked up at him.
"What?"

"You love me, I still very much love you," Andre confessed. "Why don't we try again."

Izzy felt her heart soar.
"D-do you mean that?"

Andre smiled and took her hands in his.
"I do." He said. "If that's what you also want."

Izzy smiled.
"That's why I came to Seattle."

Andre's smile fell.
"But there is one thing."

Izzy's smile fell.
She could only guess what that was.
She pulled her hands away from his, got off the chair, and walked away.
"You want me to leave the team?" She asked. "I should have known this was too good to be true." She murmured to herself.

Andre frowned and went to her.
"What are you talking about?" He turned her around so she was facing him. "I know how much the team means to you; I couldn't ask you to leave something you love."

Izzy's frown softened.
"Then what is it?"

Andre smiled.
"I can't be apart from you, so I'm coming to Leicester with you."

"What?" Izzy didn't expect that.

"Fred agreed to the Leicester branch because it was what I wanted. I wanted to be closer to you and also be able to do what I love." Andre said. "It was heartbreaking you couldn't be there for the launch because I was doing it to be with you and you were too busy to show up."

Izzy looked down.
"I'm really sorry about that."

"Hey." He put two fingers under her chin and lifted her face to his. "It's behind us now and because of that, we've gotten to a better place."

Izzy smiled.
"What about the Seattle branch?"

"Fred will be glad to be back here."

Izzy's eyes widened.
"Oh!"

Andre smiled.
"I know about Mia visiting Josie. I promised I wouldn't say a word if he doesn't ask."

"Good," Izzy said as she placed her hands on his chest. "Now, where were we?"

"Oh, I know." Andre smiled before he placed his hand on either side of her face and kissed her. It was slow and painfully sweet.

Andre bent as his hands went to the back of her thigh. Izzy took that as an invitation, so she wrapped her hands around his neck and jumped. Andre held on to her, with her legs on either side of him. He pulled back for air.

"Damn, I missed you, Belle."

Izzy smiled.
"I missed you too."

Andre walked to the sofa that was a few steps away from him and he gently laid Izzy on the sofa, going along with her as they resumed their make-out session. The front door was pushed open and Josie groaned.

"Can you two get a room!"

"We did, it's called the living room." Andre answered.

Josie rolled her eyes.
"I'm glad you two are back together but I'm going for another run." Her face scrunched up at the thought of a run. "See ya." She said before she was out the door.

"Better," Andre said to Izzy who was smiling up at him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

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Holy...schmuck!

We have just the Epilogue left.

Who's excited?????

Thinking of posting it tomorrow but you guys tell me when you want it. At least 6-10 of you should be on the same page. So, comment when you want the Epilogue.