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

with his hair as he listened to her heartbeat slow back down to a normal pace. If he could stay like this with her forever, he would trade it all in, immortality, for her complete love. He never wanted to leave this moment right now. Neither did Elizabeth, all she could think of as she held Josh in her arms as he laid atop her was just how complete she felt in that moment, with him. She knew she would have to leave, but they could have just this one moment, couldn't they? To lie together just one time and be happy. She knew she would always think back to this night, this moment in the years to come, no matter if Josh left and stayed away or he stayed in her life. She would never forget this for as long as she lived. Facing Scott would harder, now that she was to be his wife, but it was what she had to do. It was her duty to. No matter how much she loved Josh.

Chapter Six

"Run away with me Lizzie." The statement was easy, simple. Josh let his fingers trail threw her hair as he watched the light from the moon wash threw her deep auburn color, making it look alive almost. As he cradled her close to his chest enjoying the feel of her heart beating against him. Never wanting to let her go. It felt so right, laying here together, a tangle of limbs under the moon and stars. She stirred feelings in him that he never thought possible really until this very second. She was beautiful, being with her is beautiful. She changed him, from the very first time they had met. Josh remembered how shy Elizabeth was, how her thoughts even then were about wanting to know him better. She didn't truly know him, not all of him. She knew his darkest secret, but nothing else that made him who he was. He was more than just a vampire, for one he wasn't a 'made' vampire, it was his birthright. All in good time, she will know him.

"Josh." That was all Elizabeth was able to say as she shifted up and away from him. She should have never let tonight happen, she knew it was wrong. She was to be Scott's wife, Scott should have been the one to have her innocence, but she loved Josh like no other. She wanted him to have the most valuable thing she had to give. She didn't want Scott to have that power over her. Though, Josh lied to her, wasn't she angry with him? Shouldn't she be telling good-bye, and not making love to him? She made love with him, wonderful, body tingling love.

As she stood to collect her underthings and toss Josh his pants, Elizabeth noted the pain between her legs, a dull throb now the more she walked. The blood that she knew was to be there was very little at the moment and she was glad. None of it surprised her, she was twenty and knew what was to come hand in hand with making love with a man for the first time. She pushed it to the back of her mind and decided she would deal with it on her own, later.

"Elizabeth, please. I love you. I want you to come with me." Josh's eyes filled with pain and grief as he watched Elizabeth stay as from him as she could, pacing back and forth. He almost reached out to her, but something in his mind told him to stop. She didn't want him to touch her, he could hear that from her loud and clear. Josh wasn't sure what hurt worse, making mind shattering love to Elizabeth and having her brush it aside, or having Elizabeth think he was lying to her about himself. He knew the one way to show her he wasn't lying, but she wasn't ready for that, it would only frighten her.

"Josh, i just can't. I already gave Scott my word, i told him and everybody Josh, i told them all that i would be his wife. I can't go back on my word." A lump forming in her throat had her stopping. She just couldn't leave and disappear now, not after she gave her word. She loved Josh so much, but she never planned on coming here to make love to him, or to run away with him, not after their last meeting. He was either lying or crazy.

As silence filled the air Josh listened to the crack of twigs as Elizabeth paced still, he listened quietly to everything she had to say, even when she wasn't saying it. He stood up not able to take her pacing any longer and pulled her towards him. "I need you Lizzie, my love, i would never lie to you. If i never loved you, why tell me would i come back after two years? Why would i keep coming when you think of me? Why would i kiss you? Why would i want still to be with you and only you even as you turn me away. And why Elizabeth would i make love to you unless i loved you as i say i do?" He gently kissed her hand.

He watched her as she processed what he said, taking in every inch of her. She was beautiful, honestly beautiful, as she plopped down on the grass and her dress fanned out around her, strands of her hair framing all around her face perfectly and her eyes, her eyes told him everything. She was an angel, he was in love with an angel.

"I decided, i believe you Josh. I believe everything you told me. I know you love me, it would be foolish to think otherwise," A blush crept up her cheeks and she tried to hide it by turning her head. She grabbed his hand and pulled Josh down next to her. She wanted to be close to him again. She needed to be close to him. She wasn't sure why, but she believed him truly did. Maybe it was the way his emerald green eyes had flashed dark and stormy one second, but the second he spoke of loving her, they calmed and brightened. Or maybe it was the way he said he loved her, gently, soft, but with such passion it made her blush. She needed him desperately. Just as much as Josh needed her. "I want," She blushed and he smiled as she thought exactly what it was she wanted. Josh wasn't sure if she was ready, but he would humor her as much as she wouldn't. He couldn't deny her anything she wanted. "I want to see them." The blush growing ten shades deeper, he slowly opened he mouth for her to see his extended fangs.

Josh, not ever having experienced this before, pulled back out of shock as she reached out to feel one. As her icy blue eyes pleaded with him, he leaned back towards her and shivered as she ran a finger gently over his fang. It was like nothing he had ever known before. To be so completely accepted. To have someone that he was in love with want to be near him while his fangs were out, let alone want to touch them. As he marveled at the thought of her curiosity, Elizabeth decided this wouldn't be the last time they saw each other.

She let her finger go from his fang to the other, then she traced his soft pliant lips, she watched his emerald eyes watch her, as she memorized everything about him. She was in love with him. She was in love with a vampire.

"Meet me here again Josh?" Elizabeth surprised them both as the question rolled out of her mouth. Although, as soon as it was out, it was exactly what she had wanted to say. It felt so right, being with Josh, just near him, she felt safe, even knowing he wasn't exactly human. He would never let anything or anyone hurt her, that she knew for certain.

"Why, Lizzie? You told me you already gave yourself to Scott." As much as it pained him to say, he had to say it. He had heard her finally realize she loved him, that she was in love with him, all of him, even the vampire part of him and he felt totally elated, but he didn't want to be tortured, to be near her, but not really being able to be near her.

"No, i gave myself to you Josh, i made love with you, i gave my innocence to you. I merely gave him my word to be his wife. I want you though, Josh, i will always only ever want you." A single tear rolled down her cheek as she felt the full impact of pain at the decision that she had made just that morning. Already regretting it.

"Now, now my love. Don't cry. I am right here and i am never going anywhere and don't you forget that. I love you. Always," Josh reached up and wiped away the tears and brushed his lips across hers, a mere whisper of a kiss. "I will come, whenever you wish to see me, all you have to do is think of me, think of meeting me here and when you want to me. Think of those things and i will be here, waiting to see you, Lizzie." Josh wasn't sure if it was the smartest thing to do, but he would come and see her simply because she wanted to see him. He needed her, he realized, more desperately then he thought.

"I am so curious about you Josh. I want to know everything." Elizabeth felt the heat rise to her cheeks and when she went to turn her head she felt his strong and firm, but gentle grasp pulling her face back to his. This kiss held more passion in it, almost like the one that turned that heat in her belly and made her want him all over again.

"I love the color in your cheeks," Josh said with a smile watching it grow deeper, pleased that it was because of him that it grew deeper. "And i will tell you all you want to know Lizzie. All you have to do is ask and i will answer. I can't promise you that i won't get distracted by you though." He trailed off as he kissed her knuckles, letting her ponder over what he meant.

"Distracted? By me? How?" Elizabeth asked intently not understanding at all. Josh knew she would still be in a way to innocent to understand what he meant. So, he kissed her deeply and long, letting the same passion and want he felt by just looking at her be transferred over into her body as well and he felt it as soon as it did, first the trembling, then the shaky hands as she tried to pull him closer.

Josh pulled away only slightly so he could look into her passion clouded eyes. "Yes, my love, just looking at you, makes me want you. And when you talk, well i just seem to forget it all sometimes. It what you do to me." As she smiled she brought him back to her for another long mind, body and soul tingling kiss.

Elizabeth wasn't sure how long they stayed there, holding each other in silence looking up at the stars, but it was like heaven for her. Watching the twinkle of each little star as it tried to outshine its brothers and sisters, the clouds as the passed over the moon, the soft breeze gently blowing her