Don't Say You Love Me (Boundless Love Book 1)

Don’t Say You Love Me

Published by Iris Deorre

Copyright August 2014 Iris Deorre

For Nan
a

You
were and always will be an amazing woman to me!

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One

‘Oh my god! I can’t believe it’s your special day already!’ Sahara gazed at her best friend through the reflection of the mirror.

Emily turned and looked her friend in the eye.

‘I can’t either.’ Her eyes began to water. ‘If only it was this way for you too.’ She sniffed.

‘Don’t you dare!
’ Sahara warned. ‘This is your day, we promised not to make it anything, but about you and Myles.’ Sahara swallowed back the pain she felt.

‘I know, I just.’

‘No tears,’ she said again. ‘Absolutely not!’ She turned her friend around so that she could see herself in the mirror again.

‘Okay, but I’ll only settle if I ask you one question.’

Sahara gave her a look.

‘Please, after that I promise to only concentrate on my day.’

Sahara nodded.

‘What number are you
today?’

Sahara
pursed her lips.

‘Please.’

‘Eight,’ she said.

‘Really?’

‘Yes really, now it’s back to you.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Emily!’

Emily pouted in the reflection.

‘It’s an eight because it’s my best friends wedding and I couldn’t be happier.’

Emily nodded; it satisfied her a little, but not enough to convince her.

‘Now no more questions about me. Look at you, you look so beautiful!’ Sahara smiled.

Emily gazed at
herself, all dressed in white. It was true, she looked and felt beautiful, but she still couldn’t help feel the sadness that was deep within her. Her blond locks had been bundled up to the top of her head and a beautiful silver tiara circled her head.

‘I want you to be ha
ppy too, you know,’ said Emily.

‘I’
m happy. I’m happy because you’re happy, today is a very happy day.’ Sahara rubbed Emily’s shoulder gently. ‘The only thing I’m not happy about is not having my long locks for your wedding.’ She tried to smile. She missed her beautiful long black hair everyday.

Sahara
looked younger and prettier than her thirty years. Her brown skin was smooth, her dark brown eyes were always mistaken for black, eyes that gave her a mysterious look.  She almost looked twenty five instead of thirty. She had the gentlest smile, a smile that hid a lot from the world, and yet gave a lot to the world.  Sahara wore a ring of flowers around her short hair, and it made her look more like a flower girl, than a maid of honour.

‘I look like a pixie,’ she said.

‘It suits you, it makes you look so young.’

‘Nah, it makes me look like a boy. My long hair made me look like a woman.’

‘Oh nonsense, you’ve always been strikingly beautiful, whether it’s with long hair or short hair. You will probably steal the limelight from me.’

Sahara
giggled and was grateful for all the love and support Emily gave her.

‘Don’t worry about me, and don’t try to cheer me up. I’m so happy, nothing will dampen my mood today.’

Emily smiled and nodded at their reflections. Just then Felicity stuck her head round the door.

‘Ladies, are we ready or what?’ asked their friend.

‘We’ll be out in a second. And tell my mother she can stop sending you in to check on us!’ said Emily.

‘It’s
Elizabeth this time.’ she snorted.

‘Oh boy, tell my mother to just stop,’ said
Sahara. ‘And tell her that I’m just fine, she doesn’t need to send you.’

‘I know hon, but I still wanted to check on you guys anyway.’

‘Thanks, we’ll be out in a second.’ Emily winked.

Emily turned back to
the friend she’d known since high school. They’d met on the very first day they stepped into year seven. Sahara had been just as nervous as Emily was. They’d sat beside each other in their new form. It had been friendship at first sight. They had so much in common, it was as if they’d known each other for years. They never left each others side. But there had been some hard times during their friendship, but they stuck it out. They did everything together, and here they were again, at a life changing moment for Emily.

‘Are you
ready to marry the love of you life?’ asked Sahara.

Emily
pursed her lips together. It was a bittersweet moment. She was the happiest woman alive at that moment, but also quite sad. Sahara shook her head, she could see the worry in Emily’s eyes.

‘Just let me say one more thing, then I promise, I won’t again.’

Sahara sighed. She’d asked Emily not to make the day about her, but as stubborn as she was, Emily wasn’t about to heed that advice.

‘Okay, just one more thing.’

‘You are the strongest and most amazing woman I’ve ever known. I thank you for being in my life. I wish I could change things for you, make them easier, but I know I can’t. I just want you to find love too, to find and feel the happiness I feel at this moment.’

‘I do, I feel the happiness
radiating from you.’ She smiled boldly. ‘Now enough.’ she warned her. ‘Let’s go.’

‘Okay.’ Emily nodded finally. ‘Okay.’

‘Okay.’

Sahara
led them out of the hotel room and into the waiting car that would take them to the church.

****

‘No fucking way!’ Myles couldn’t believe his university friend was standing in his room as he got ready to marry the woman of his dreams. ‘I can’t believe you fucking made it!’

‘I did! And does the
unlucky lady accept such foul language.’ Eugene joked.

‘Come here!’ He took his friend into a hug, and patted him on the shoulder.

They gave each other a warm hug, and then stepped back.

‘How could I miss it? How could I miss
the fact that my friend has finally succumbed to the ball and chain shackle of marriage.’

‘I take it you’re still a
ladies man.’

‘You know
me.’ he smiled. ‘You know me.’

‘You haven’t changed a bit.’

That was certainly true. The tall handsome hunk with the dark hair and ice blue eyes always had the women falling over themselves for him. He was like honey to bees, women always returned whether they wanted to or not. Eugene knew how to play the field and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

‘Absolutely not, the world
is filled with beautiful women. I don’t see the point settling down with one. You my friend have sold your soul to the devil.’ He chuckled.

‘That maybe so, but I love her.’

‘Love, that’s a loaded word.’

Myles
looked back at the mirror and fiddled with his bow tie. It was certainly a big day for him. He’d never felt this excited about anything in his life.

‘It is a loaded word and it has a true meaning for me.’ He gazed at his friend through the mirror.

‘You must really love this one.’

‘I do,’ he turned around to face him. ‘You know I do.’

Eugene had been too busy travelling the world and meeting women to notice that his friend had fallen in love with Emily. He’d met her a few times, but had never really taken the time to get to know her. His business took him away a lot, and he loved the fast lane. A life that never stopped! If he wasn’t jumping onto a plane to go somewhere in the world, he was drinking and having a good time with a beautiful woman on his arm.

‘I’m guessing you’re passing through?’ asked
Myles.

‘You know me, I’m a very busy man.’

‘I know, I’m quite surprised you made it.’

‘I wouldn’t miss it.’

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t make you my best-man. It’s pretty hard to know for sure, whether you’d be around or not.’

‘Don’t worry about it. You were right not to. Nolan’s a great
man.’  He patted Myles’s shoulder.

On cue, Nolan knocked and let himself into the hotel room.

‘Hey! When did you get here?’ Nolan took Eugene into a bear hug.

‘Just a few minutes ago, I sneaked in. You know me.’

‘I certainly do. You look great!’ Nolan looked at the handsome hunk from top to bottom.

‘I feel great! Y
ou don’t look so bad yourself.’

‘Ah, well, I wouldn’t say so. I mean after a marriage and two kids, it isn’t that easy to stay in good shape.’

‘Speak for yourself. I will not be making any excuses. This man stays.’ Myles patted himself.

‘Yep that’s what I said, until I had the little ones. Soon there’ll be not enough hours in the day.’

‘That is why, I’m planning to stay single the rest of my life. I just wouldn’t be able to cope,’ said Eugene.

The two men looked at their old friend. It was no surprise to them that he’d admitted that.
Eugene just wasn’t the settling type.

‘Your
looks won’t carry you forever.’ Myles teased.

‘That I know, but every woman loves a rich man
, right. There’ll never be a shortage of women like that.’

‘So you are okay
with having a woman just interested in your money?’ asked Nolan.

‘I’m pretty dam shallow myself, so why would it bother me.’

‘Hmmm, yes, that’s right, how could I forget,’ said Nolan.

‘Anyway gentlemen, this day isn’t about me. It’s about
Myles. You my friend are going to do alright.’

Myles
looked at his friend. ‘You really think so?’

‘Of course, you’re a good man. Now go and make that woman of yours happy.’

Myles nodded, deep down within him he couldn’t wait to make Emily his wife. After all, she was the woman of his dreams.

****

The men arrived at the church. Myles and Nolan made their way to the front, while Eugene found a seat amongst the congregation. It was his fault he wasn’t part of the wedding party, after all, he was always busy, but that didn’t seem to bother him much. The moment he sat down, his eyes travelled around the crowd. He nodded to the woman to his left, and to her husband who sat beside her. So far no one had caught his attention, it was like he was fishing, looking for someone to entertain him while he was in the county.

There was a red head that had caught his eye. The moment she walked past, he sat up and gazed at her, hoping she’d notice him, but soon she was joined by a man.
Eugene blew that off, his eyes quickly settled on the dark haired woman who sat across from his row. He coughed gently hoping she would look his way. He did it twice, and just like he’d played out in his mind, the woman looked his way.

Bingo!
He thought, and he smiled. The woman smiled back. From what he saw, she looked stunning. He made a hand gesture, to which at first she wasn’t so sure what he meant.

‘Can I sit over there?’ he mouthed.

The woman nodded.

‘Excuse me,’ he said to the woman who was beside him. ‘I think I’ll just move over there.’

‘Oh don’t mind us,’ said the woman.

He quickly
moved across the church and made himself comfortable beside the attractive woman.

‘Hi, I’m
Eugene.’ He held out his hand.

‘Lisa.’ The woman beamed. She’d never seen such a striking and confident man in her life. There was something about him she couldn’t deny, and he knew that.

‘Nice to meet you, Lisa, how do you know the couple?’ he asked.

‘I’m Emily’s cousin, not that we get along.’ She chuckled at the latter.

‘Hmmm, well that’s the way it goes with family.’ He wasn’t really interested in the dynamics of the family. He had his eye on her beautiful face and body.

‘You? I’ve never seen you around.’

‘I’m a close friend of Myles. I’m always out of the country, probably that’s why you’ve never seen me.’

She nodded. She couldn’t believe just how hot the man was. His eyes
sealed the deal. He could say anything, and she’d trip over herself just to be with him.

‘Well, it’s great that you could make it.’

‘Yes, I’m glad now, very glad.’ He chuckled.

Lisa smiled getting the gist of what he was saying. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say more, the organ began to play, and everyone stood up. The bride had arrived.

‘Oh, here she is now,’ Lisa whispered.

At first two flower girls walked in throwing y
ellow rose petals to the floor, Sahara walked behind them. It took him by surprise, the woman who had just walked past did something to him no woman had ever done. It wasn’t just the way she looked, there was something about her that drew him to her. He couldn’t tell what it was, but he wanted to know who she was. He looked at Lisa briefly and smiled, only just, and then back at the woman who had just stopped at the altar. She radiated like never before. There was something about her that drew him in like never before. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but she was amazing. He’d never been drawn in that way.