A Love To Last by Katie (have you read this book txt) 📖

the bank and started to count down the minutes until she could leave without being rude. It wasn't short enough regretfully. She looked around and noticed a lot of things that must have shown his personality, little small things. One that caught her eye entirely was a small soap stone statue. "That is beautiful. What is it?" She stopped herself from reaching out and touching it and looked up at Scott and saw his brilliant smile.

"It's a turtle, see? You can hold it." He looked pleased as their hands brushed as he handed it to her. "I was sorry i missed you this morning. It was worth it though. Getting to see you now, here. My office is greatly improved with you in it Elizabeth." He spoke as she turned the turtle in her hands. She was taken aback by his words and hoped dearly that nobody overheard him say that. She placed the turtle back on his desk.

"Scott, you are really to kind. A stroll does sound lovely. Maybe tomorrow morning or the one after." She tried changing the subject, as his words did not once cause her to blush and she just wanted him to let her leave already. She was beginning to feel much more than just uncomfortable.

"Yes, although i can not do it tomorrow morning, I have a meeting, but the day after absolutely," He was interrupted by a light knock on his door. "Hello, Mr. Chisum. Come right in, Elizabeth and I were just finishing up." Elizabeth stood up and smiled at Scott. As she turned around she almost ran right into Mr. Chisum. As he caught Elizabeth her icy cold blue eyes locked with his dark emerald eyes and her heart raced instantly.

"I am so sorry ma'am. I need to be more careful." When he smiled her heart dropped. Her eyes scanned his face, then his dark thick hair. It couldn't be. Not here. Not now, in front of Scott.

"No, the fault is all mine, sir. If you will excuse me, Scott, Mr. Chisum..." Mr. Chisum removed his hand from around Elizabeth's waist, but held on to her hand. Her heart wouldn't slow down, couldn't slow down, despite Scott's being in the room. It was as if it was only the two of them.

"Please, call me Josh." He said as he lifted my hand to his lips and that amazing caress she had felt 2 years ago plagued her heart and her thoughts and her heart skipped a beat. As he lowered her hand she felt that same disappointment she felt before. "We have met before ma'am have we not? I would not forget a face as beautiful as yours, Lizzie." A sly grin passed his lips as she walked away dazed.

Why after 2 years did he come back? Chisum, Josh Chisum. He used her nickname, not even Scott uses her nickname. Oh my, Scott. All that happened in front of Scott. What must he think of her. What will everybody say now. She was there to see Scott, she made it obvious she was there to see Scott, and she ended up in Josh's arms. It was so hard not to be like that with him, when she was with him, it was as if they had known each other forever, been together forever. What was she supposed to do now? Now that he was back. Was he back for good? Or was he here just to mess with her head like he did 2 years ago. Only time will tell. She will know for certain next time she runs into Josh. Elizabeth knew for certain she would run into him and she would run into him again soon...

Chapter Two

As Elizabeth made her way home, her mind was racing with thoughts of seeing Josh again. After all this time, he was back. She walked into the door and paid her mother no attention at all as she walked to her room. She carefully let her hair down and began to brush.

"Elizabeth. You never answered me. Did you even hear me? How did it go at the bank? Well are you-"Her mother pounded her questions out while she stood at the door, but as soon as she saw the look on Elizabeth's face, she stopped as watched. Her daughter was seemingly calm and content as she brushed her hair an hummed to herself. Scott did it after all, he must have said something right to make Elizabeth so smitten she couldn't focus. It was about time the girl found reason. With Scott's family wealth, he will be able to give her everything she could ever dream of. Her mother slowly smiled to herself, wrapped in her own thoughts as well now, and closed Elizabeth's door as she left the room.

Elizabeth heard the soft click of her door shutting, didn't look towards it. All she wanted was to see Josh again. Ask him why he didn't return to see her, and why the bank was the first she saw him in town or at all since that first night. He had called her beautiful. He had used her nickname and it never sounded more right then when he said it. She could still feel his caress on her hand, his hand on her waist. Could still hear his voice as if he was there in her room with her. Which she had the sudden urge to have him there in her room with her to have him see her with her hair down, an the blush forming on her face from thinking about how it would feel to have him try to steal a kiss from her lips.

"But Lizzie, if you ask, i won't have to try and steal a kiss.."The words tickled her ear an at complete ease Elizabeth turned herself around hoping to see him, see the face that went with the voice, but came up empty. Her whole bedroom was empty. Her imagination then, must have been. Disappointment washed over her suddenly. What would it have been like to turn around and see his face? To have the chance to ask him to kiss her?

What was she thinking? Josh Chisum was nothing more than a stranger. Scott on the other is who she should be thinking of. Just like her mother wanted her to. After all Scott she has known, and knows exactly what to expect. He wishes to court her, and take her hand in marriage. Her parents would be thrilled. Her mother wouldn't approve of Josh, she hadn't had anything nice to say the day after that night he showed up. Although, it wasn't Scott's hazel eyes she saw when she closed hers. The eyes she saw were emerald and perfect.

She needed to clear her head before she did something stupid like went looking for those emerald eyes. A walk, that would work perfectly. She needed the air on her face. The peacefulness of being alone with her thoughts. She carefully fixed her hair back up in a loose twist, and rushed down the stairs to her mother.

"I am going for a walk mother,"Elizabeth's mother stared at her in bewilderment as her daughter's hair began to fall loosely around her face. "I will be home in time for dinner."She pressed a kiss to her cheek as she ran out the door. She slowed as she reached the sidewalk and tried her best to slow her heart and adrenaline rush. Elizabeth couldn't seem to process any thoughts as she walked more slowly down the path. She stopped when she reached her favorite spot on the woods path. It was a bit off the actual path, but completely surrounded by plants an so hidden nobody ever noticed her just sitting there.

Elizabeth didn't understand why it was that Josh would return now, and just when she decided to give Scott the chance she owed him. Scott had money to take care of her, make sure she had everything she could ever ask for. Scott was the kind of guy that she wouldn't even have to ask, he just kind of knew, or was told. She doubted Josh could be that for her. Or would even care enough to try to be that for her. As she kept comparing each of the men in her life, she found she grew angrier, and didn't understand why at all.

"I can tell you why,"She jumped startled at the voice that spoke to her. Then startled again to see josh there in front of her. "You look angry and confused Lizzie."Josh smiled that cocky grin he did the first night they had met and sat down next to Elizabeth like it was an everyday thing.

"I am not angry, or confused. You are mistaken Mr.Chisum,"Elizabeth tried so hard to make him feel like he should leave, using her clipped, even, cold tone on him. When he didn't budge but, seemed even more amused, she continued. "I am just trying to sort out my thoughts." He took her hand and studied her palm, had it close enough to his face she could feel his breath on her palm.

"Now now Lizzie, please call me Josh. You seemed so eager for conversation two years ago when we met. Why, is it that you keep avoiding me now? Just ask me what you want to ask me. I swear i won't bite."He let her hand drop to her lap as he looked into her eyes. How could he know she was thinking about him. How could he know she had wanted to talk more with him after they had met. Only one way to find out.

"Why did you never return, after that night?"After she said the words she felt a blush rush to her cheeks. He stared at her for just a moment, loving the way the color rose to her cheeks.

"I did return didn't I? I'm here now after all."Of course that's what he would say, she should have thought of that. She tried to reword her thoughts before saying them this time.

"Why didn't you return sooner? I thought," Another blush, only deeper this time. "i thought, you wanted to see me again. The way you looked at me. But you didn't come back, not a week later, or a month, but two years later. It took you two years and I'm sure you haven't even returned for me. Probably some other reason, but why, why now? Why when i was just beginning to accept that you weren't anything, but a passing stranger,-"He cut her off with a single finger on her lips. All she could think about or even comprehend after he did that, was his finger, that one single finger. It must sound ridiculous, but his finger was her world right then in that split second.

"Now, i did want to see you again, of course i did and still do. You tend to plague my thoughts Elizabeth. It may have taken me two years, but it makes it worth it to know i have been on your mind as well," He reached for her hand again and she let him take it. "You need me Lizzie, just as much as you want me. You just need to see it as clear as I do." He pulled her up and she found herself looking up into his emerald eyes. Her heart was racing, and her stomach was flipping. Josh was going to kiss her. He was going to finally kiss her. That was the only thought in her mind as he came closer inch by inch. Smiling down at her like he knew. As his lips met hers, she actually melted and her knees buckled underneath her. She felt the