Loving Bella by Elizabeth Bonet (books suggested by bill gates .TXT) 📖

Hands on both upper arms he turned pleadingly, desperate eyes to her.
“Bella, I love you. Please, will you go out with me?” Isabella’s face went pale, mouth hanging open. Neither of them realized what had happened next until they heard a loud slap and Charles placed a hand to his cheek. Bella place two fingers to her lips and glared harder and in shock at him. “Did you just try to kiss me?!” “Darn it I tried to at least!”
Bella’s look cooled. Eyes once warm turned a flashing fiery color. Charles disarmed himself in awe of the transformation. Her eyes had just looked a dark brown and now almost looked red. It was kind of scary yet sexy at the same time. Seeing his thoughts were other wised engaged, she lifted her chin and spun on her heel to join the rest of the group.
He watched in amazement as she turned and left. “Wow this woman is something!” “Bella wait!” She kept walking and didn’t answer. “Isabella please, wait!” With that, she spun around to meet his gaze. “How dare you.” This was not a question but an accusation which she spat at him. “First you have the audacity to take me out of my ‘happy place’ to ask me that…that question. And then you practically curse in my face at a church outing. After trying to kiss me!”
Charles’ face paled to ghost white. He jerked a hand to the back of his neck and began to knead his fingers into it. Silently cursing himself he looked up to meet her eyes. “You were just so gorgeous. And you look hot when you’re mad. I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry.” Bella eyes became hooded, her tone as sharp as a knife into his heart when she spoke. “Yeah, maybe you should think more often.” With that she turned took two steps and faced him again.
“Apology not excepted.” The dramatic exit she made could’ve worked on any stage but for Charles, it broke his heart.

~*~*~*~

Bella’s eyes lovingly looked over and over the piano as she studied it. She leaned in to catch a whiff of his scent. Which was barely prominent anymore. A slow tear slid down her face as she gently placed the keyboard in it’s rightful place on her desk. Bella plopped back onto her bed and grabbed her bible. She opened the precious book to a random spot and let her eyes guide her. Where her eyes landed surprised her. She silently read to herself Psalm 37:4.
“Delight thyself also in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” “Oh Lord, please. I love him.” She read the verse above it. “Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and feed on his faithfulness.” “Oh Lord I’m trying my hardest to trust in you. Please be with me.” She closed her bible and placed it on her night stand. Bella walked up to her mirror to look at her reflection.
“Ugh! I look like an utter disaster!?” She tried pushing out a few stray curls, but they sprang back out into existence. “Oh forget it. I always look terrible anyway. It’s no wonder nobody likes me.” Bella stuck out her tongue at her reflection and lowered her gaze to her stomach. “and while I’m at it I look practically pregnant.”
Bella sat back on her bed. Staring up at the white ceiling her vision blurred and she heard sobbing. She felt a hand touch her cheek just before she fell into darkness.

~*~*~*~

“Yo Mason! Wake up sleepy head! Come on wake up before the Marshall walks in with a bucket of cold water!” Bradley shook Mason like a limp doll. “Hello? Are you dead? Come on man!” Mason rolled over and placed the pillow over his head. “It’s Sunday aren’t we supposed to be off?” “Nope not today we got early training!”
Mason lifted the pillow to chance a look at Bradley. The fool was grinning to his bloody ears and dressed in his casuals. Mason smirked. “And what does this early training consist of?” Bradley threw Mason’s clothes at him and pulled his covers back. “Something that ‘consists’ of a trip to town and a couple of drinks. We’ll be waiting for you outside.” Bradley slapped Mason’s shoulder and reached the door in a few quick strides.
“We, Bradley?” “Sure enough.” The tall blond laughed and closed the door after enjoying the look of pure horror on the red head’s face.

~*~*~*~

“Hey knuckle-head!” Mason gestured with his flailing arms to the hay-wagon and tractor. “What is all this?” Bradley chortled. “You sorry boy. You truly were sheltered weren’t you?” Mason cocked a brow to show his amusement. “Me, sheltered? Ha, Never.” Bradley placed a hand on his side, the other pointed to Mason and then the wagon. “Then what do you think us lonely good looking pieces of man-meat are going off to town for? Cakes and bread for mama?”
Sudden dawn came across the younger man’s face as he took in the sight of all the men in uniform sitting on the fresh hay. How tempting they all would seem for all those poor sorry gals in town. And how easily they would fall into the arms of all these men.
“You’re a sick man Bradley.” The tall blonde plopped onto the hay and sat cross-legged. A devilish grin on his face. “Aw come on man it’ll be fun. And you’ll be thanking me in the morning.” Bradley lied down and patted the hay next to him, smiling like a foolish schoolboy. Mason sighed and sat next to the older man. Bradley slapped him on the back and laughed. “And believe me, you’ll be wantin’ to make some more trips to town more often.” Mason sighed just as the tractor lurched forward. He cast out one last longing glance at the barracks before it disappeared into the distance.
“So what are we really ‘doing’? Like, what do the commanders think we’re doing?” Bradley shot him a repressive look. “Look man we ain’t doin’ anything wrong here. We’re lonely men satisfying our needs and McBaltby knows that. Every month he lets a group of men go out. Not all the same every time but enough. Boy you seem like you’re putting this Holier-than-thou thing on and it’s getting annoying. Just sit back, relax, enjoy the ride, and break many a young girls’ hearts.”
Mason ducked his head, dropping his hands onto his lap as if his mother had just put him into time-out. “Is that so hard?” Avoiding a look at Bradley he shook his head. A long awkward silence endued, but Mason was grateful for it. He looked out to the nearby country side and smiled.
It was beautiful. Like a big painting of quilted hills rolling by in the distance. Some green, brown or yellow depending on the crops. One hill they passed was small and covered in Sunflowers. A bit late for the summer, but still beautiful. “Just like Isabella. Woah now, where did that come from?”
Mason shook his head to scold himself. “All these months not one single thought about her and now this?! Ugh, what’s happening to me?!” He stared blankly into nothing and didn’t move. Even when the tractor had stopped and half the men were off. “Mason!” Some one shook his shoulder and yelled his name again before he realized it was Bradley.
“Yo man what’s up? You look like you just saw a ghost. You ok?” Still no response. “Aw crap. Mason!” Even that didn’t stir the redhead. One of the men swung open the door to the local pub, music, smoke and smells wrapped around them for a brief moment. Mason reconnected with real life and stood up, hopped off the cart and swung open the door himself.
Stunned Bradley had to run to catch up with him. He’d seen that look before and he didn’t like it too much. “Aw man maybe I shouldn’t have brought him out here. I thought it would’ve been good for him but he just…” Bradley shoved his hand into the door to keep it from closing. He stalked into the pub and inhaled a slow breath. Being a tall handsome blonde he was very well aware of the stares he caused.
He scanned the room and found his target. He quietly walked over to the redhead sitting on the side of the bar. A somber look on his face as he stared at the mug in his hand. Bradley placed a hand on Mason’s shoulder and sat next to him. “Mason, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here. It was wrong of me. I thought it would’ve been good for you but apparently I produced the opposite effect.”
He paused allowing it to sink in. “Can you tell me about her?” Mason remained quiet, but Bradley was not so easily put off. He simply ordered a beer for himself and sat quietly. After downing one beer and drinking a half of another, he chanced a look at Mason. He was in no better shape except the fact that his beer was now empty, his head lay on the counter with drool hanging from his mouth.
Bradley groaned. “Alright bud, you’re comin’ with me.” He laid some money on the counter and hoisted him on his shoulder. Once outside he threw him onto the hay cart and walked back inside. He came back out with a bucket of water and crept up to Mason’s side. Bradley threw the contents onto Mason and stood back to watch. The reaction was too funny to bear but Bradley felt no humor. This guy had it bad and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. “Holy Crap! What was that for?!” Mason bounded and ran straight for Bradley but the older man knocked him to the ground with one hard push. “Geeze man one beer and you’re wasted!”
“I am not drunk!” “Which proves that you are. Who is Isabella?” Mason froze. “Who?” He demanded, death in his tone. Bradley knew he was crossing dangerous waters