Karma - Forbidden Hearts Series Book 3

16| Resistance

"You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you, Karma?" 

I always got overwhelmed when he talked to me like that. His eyes told me he was being sincere, and I trusted him; but I still couldn't believe that he felt that way about me. I've known Nathan since forever. I knew him. He was known as a ladies man through high school. He had a different woman on his arm every week. 

I was skeptical at first when he wanted to date me. I didn't want to become another notch on his belt or another conquest that he boasted about to his friends. But I knew that wasn't what was happening. Not with me. When we were together, he never looked at other girls. When I would see girls approach him at school, he would brush them off. He didn't know that I was watching from across the courtyard. He did it on his own. 

His parents and Lanie were out to dinner tonight and he snuck me in. We made love in his bed and I was now laying beside him. I fiddled with the silver chain around his neck. I bought it for him for our three month anniversary. He's never taken it off. 

"You didn't answer my question," he said quietly. 

My eyes met his. "I don't know how to answer it." I always considered myself pretty; but beautiful? No one has ever really called me that except Nathan. When he said it, I believed it. 

"Feel that?" Nathan asked me, placing my hand on his chest. He smiled as he looked deep into my eyes. "That's what you do to me, Karma. You make my heart race. You haunt my dreams and my thoughts. It's you. Only you." 

He brushed my hair out of my face and rubbed his nose against mine playfully. I laughed when it tickled me and pushed him away a little. 

He rolled me over so I was underneath him. He held his body up with his outstretched arms. When he looked at me this time, I could tell there was something he wanted to say to me; but he seemed to have trouble getting the words out. 

He leaned forward and gave me a deep kiss. When he pulled back, he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. "I love you, Karma." 

My eyes widened. "You—what?" 

"I love you. Only you."

My eyes watered and I choked back a sob. I don't think I have ever smiled so big in my life. 

"I love you, too, Nathan." 

"Ms. Fitzgerald? You can go back now." 

I looked up from the picture of Nathan and I that I had stashed in my purse. I had been looking for my Chapstick when I saw the picture. All I could think of after that was the moment he told me he loved me. Then I heard the nurse call me. She was standing right in front of me. Shit. How long had she been calling me? I slipped the picture back inside my purse before I got up from the chair. 

"Thank you," I said to her before I headed to my dad's room. 

When I got the text from my mom that he was awake, I got out of the pool, changed, and left my parents' house. Nathan offered to come with me, but I told him it was probably better if  I went alone. My father just woke up and was going to be a little groggy. I got here fifteen minutes ago and had been waiting in the ICU waiting room. 

I pushed the door open to his room. "Knock, knock." 

My mother wasn't in the room, which was surprising. My dad was in the bed watching TV. His eyes fell on me and he held his arms up. 

"Karma! What are you doing here?" 

I ran to his bedside and gave him a hug. "I wanted to be here for you. I heard what happened and I flew right down."