Destined Love by Marline (i can read book club txt) 📕

had not seen him in a while. The six pack, the strength I could feel every time he touched me, the perfect smile he could give. My thoughts wondered off when I suddenly realized I was staring at his body and looked away, embarrassed. He laughed softly.
“Don’t even try to resist me Cleo, you know I’ll win in the end.” He said, as if he could read my mind.
“Hey, I’ll be happy both ways.” I said. “But I’ll be happier if you get your way.” I added, and laughed softly. He got what I meant and kissed me devouringly. Then he impatiently took off my shirt and I was completely lost in his love. All I remember is that at some point he pulled a blanket over us because it was getting rather cold.

I woke up because the wind was nearly blowing me away and I felt Nathan release his grasp on me. I turned around and looked at him.
“I’m just getting another blanket.” He smiled. I didn’t want him to go but knew he would be back soon. When he was lying next to me again and had put the other blanket over us, I felt his arms slip around my waist and I nestled myself against him. His chin rested on my shoulder as we both watched the waves clash softly on the shore.
“How was Lindenburgh?” I suddenly asked him. Neither of us had mentioned his trip since he had returned and I was curious about it.
“You should come next time. It’s a beautiful country. The government is quite annoying though, they went against every suggestion I made.”
“Really? What will we do?”
“I don’t know. I guess we will just have to try to persuade them or otherwise make them suffer the consequences.”
“Nathan, I am not declaring war on Lindenburgh.” I told him.
“No, I don’t want to either. But I will if I have to.”
“You will?” I couldn’t believe how Nathan would be able to do that. “You’re willing to sacrifice people’s lives?” I was completely against war and I knew for sure that I would never start or take part in one. I thought Nathan felt the same way! He didn’t answer my question and I knew I was about to get annoyed.
“Nathan, I thought that...”
“Oh no you’re not.” Nathan suddenly said as he turned us so that he was hovering over me and I was lying pinned on the ground, unable to move.
“You are not about to get annoyed at me. Please Cleo.” I closed my eyes for a few seconds and then smiled.
“No, I won’t get annoyed at you. I don’t even think I can.”
“Good.” Nathan said. “Because otherwise doing this would not have been as much fun.” He leaned forwards and briefly brushed his lips against mine. Then he looked at me and smiled teasingly.
“Nathan! You are so mean! Is that the best you can do?” I tried challenging him, as a way to make him kiss me longer.
He started laughing. “I knew you would react to that! And no, that is not the best I can do.” He winked at me before he kissed me and drained my whole body of energy because my heart was beating so fast. I could feel the blood rush through my veins and was again surprised at the power he had over me.
Nathan put his arms around me again and I snuggled against his muscular chest. Momentarily I felt like my life had never been better and I had completely forgotten about the mini fight we just had when Nathan suddenly pondered:
“I have decided that I will never declare war. I will never do anything that will put you at risk.” I turned around in his arms and looked at him.
“Nathan, you have to do what you have to do. I’ll take care of myself.”
“Cleo, you don’t always have to pretend to be so independent. I cannot live without you so let’s just call it selfishness that I want to defend you.”
I bit my lip and looked up at him.
“Nathan, you are so romantic! But I know you just said that so I’d be quiet and not comment on that independent comment.”
He smiled. “I admit that the selfishness part was indeed to make you stay quiet but I meant the part about me not being able to live without you.”
I laughed and punched him softly. Then I became serious again. “I love you.”

“Good morning!” He smiled as I stretched out on the blanket and looked at the clear blue sky. There was nothing left from yesterday’s storm.
“Good morning.” I lazily snuggled against him when I suddenly remembered that I had a meeting today.
“What time is it?” I asked him.
“Around twelve thirty.” He replied.
“Yeah right. Come on, tell me, what’s the time.”
“It really is around twelve thirty.” I gasped and sat up quicker than I had ever sat up before and started looking for my clothes.
“Why, are you in a hurry?”
“Yes, I have a meeting with the minister of education! It starts in half an hour!”
Nathan laughed softly and pulled me down.
“Relax. I cancelled that meeting before I came.” He kissed my neck and buried his head in my hair.
“Wow, how can you be so organized? I really don’t get it.”
“If being organized means I get to spend more time with you then I am organized.” He shrugged. I laughed and kissed him.

2 Weeks Later

“Cleo! Tell me. I’m your husband, I have a right to know!” I knew it would make him angry but at the same time I knew that I would never tell him what I was about to do because he would definitely stop me.
“I’m becoming suspicious you know. If there is someone else, just tell me. Please.” I looked at him shocked. “You don’t trust me?” I asked unbelievably.
“Of course I trust you, that’s not what I meant. But if you keep secrets from me then don’t you find it natural for me to expect the worst?” He asked. I was getting really worked up but at the same time I knew that starting a fight was not the right way to approach this.
“Nathan, remember when you asked me to marry you and I said that I was scared I would not love you in a few years?”
He nodded and wanted to ask something but I was quicker.
“I have never regretted the decision and I am still head over heels in love with you. But you have to trust me.”
“All right.” He said as he walked over to me and hugged me. Then, with his arms still around my waist, he looked me in the eye. “Just, whatever you do, please don’t regret it.” I kissed him quickly on the cheek.
“I won’t. I love you.” I walked quickly towards the carriage and got in. I sincerely hoped that Nathan would trust me enough not to send spies to follow me.

I walked through the long, dark, disgusting corridors of the prison. The guard led me towards one of the cells. Expectantly I looked inside it. There, I saw him, barely recognizable, sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. He looked up when we approached and I could see that he recognized me. The guard retreated to give me some space to talk.
“Patty?” James asked. “What are you doing here? Attractive as ever and... alone. For the time being.”
I felt my anger flaring but I had promised myself to stay calm.
“James, even though you have proven the opposite, I think that deep down inside you somewhere there is a good man. Someone who needs to be loved and cared for just like everyone else.” I said.
He scoffed. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No, indeed I don’t.” I said. “But I want to help you.”
“What, so you can pretend to be a psychiatrist and counsel me out of here? So you can go back to your family and say ‘I told you I could get the good side out of him’ and then be praised for your good work? Just leave me alone.” I stared at him, dumbfounded. I admit, I was going to try to counsel him, but it was not for the reasons he thought. I imagined Nathan’s reaction when he would find out that I had come to see James and decided that I could use this to get James to trust me.
“My husband made me promise never to go anywhere close to you. He would get furious if he found out I had come to see you. Do you really think I’d risk that just to get a pat on the back?” I asked him softly.
“You got married? Poor man, wonder how he lives with you.” James scoffed.
“You know, it isn’t so hard to live with me if I get treated right.” I was getting annoyed.
“You’re nothing but a lazy liar who uses people to get attention. I want nothing to do with you.” James poked me roughly through the bars of the prison gate.
“I came here to help you! But you know what, I give up. I think you’ve just proved the statement wrong that there’s a good part to everybody. Because you would need to dig for days and days to find even a single cell of good in you.” I was wondering if I made sense but I was furious and did not care. I stomped off angrily and the guard looked after me, confused.

“Cleo, will you please tell me where you’ve been?” Nathan practically begged.
“I never knew you were so curious.” I smiled without humor. He just looked at me, waiting for an answer.
“Fine.” I sighed. “Just.. Please don’t get too angry.” He was not showing any emotion on his face and I could see that it took him some effort to keep his mask in place.
I took a deep breath and then blurted it out. “I went to visit James.”
“You did what?” He asked me and his mask had disappeared. Shock was written all over his face.
“I went to visit-“
“I heard you the first time! I told you never to go near him again. You promised Cleo! Did he do anything to you, are you all right?” I bit my lip nervously.
“He was in a cell, Nate. He couldn’t do anything.”
“What did he say to you?” Nathan demanded.
“I told him that I believed there was a good part inside of him. And he said that I was being selfish and that I used other people to make myself look good.” I said, slightly irritated.
Nathan just stared at me for a few seconds and then took a step towards me.
“I forbid you to ever see him again Cleo.”
“You forbid

me?” I raised one eyebrow. “You have no right to do that!” I was furious and walked out the door. Who did he think he was? When I opened the door I nearly bumped into my lady-in- waiting.
“Ma’am, you have a meeting with parliament in half an hour.” She said.
“Could we by any chance postpone that? I really can’t have a meeting with them right now.” I think something in my voice made the lady-in-waiting not question anything.
“Yes Ma’am.” Was all she said. I ran through the corridors of the palace towards the stables. I knew that riding was the only way I would