ISABELLA

      My body hitched as the hard pellets of rain punched my windows and strong winds whistled against the glass. There had been severe storm warnings for the past couple of days but I'd brushed it off after having been presented with perfect eighty-five degree days of pure sun and blue skies. Looks had been deceiving, however, when an hour after having watched Paula's plane take off a storm started. I hated being in bad weather, rain storms especially, so I'd headed back to the apartment and forced myself to sleep.

      It was a few hours after my initial 'nap' when I had been awakened by a strong clap of thunder that vibrated against the window. The storm had gotten worse as the hours passed and it became harder and harder to relax. It was to the point that I just didn't want to be alone and as much as I didn't want to bother Omari with my trivial problems, he was the only other person here. I slipped out of my bed and smoothed the black silk of my Ritratti gown over my legs before creeping down the dark hall to Omari's room.

      I opened the door to his bedroom and the scent of his signature cologne wafted softly in the air as I slipped inside the door. A flash of lightning crossed his bedroom windows, illuminating the room for a second and allowed me to quickly get a sense of direction so I wouldn't bump into anything. When the strong force of thunder cracked it made a strong vibration on the window closest to me and it took everything in me not to scream in fright. My heart was beating out my chest as I crept deeper into his room and over towards his bed.

OMARI

      I was sleeping soundlessly when I felt the bed dip on my left. I'd always been a light sleeper and my consciousness immediately snapped to the forefront as my head snapped to see what had caused the disturbance. I frowned for a moment before recognizing the body mass beside me as belonging to my wife.

      "What's wrong?" I whispered lightly.

      She jumped in surprise and I knew, even though I couldn't see, that she was blushing. "Um, I didn't mean to wake you."

      "Izzie..." I trailed slowly.

      "I'm scared of thunder storms," she admitted lowly in embarrassment.

      "Come here," I told her lightly and she slid her body closer to mine. I wrapped my arms securely around her petite form and told her to just relax.

      "But-"

      "Shh," I breathed lightly. "I got you. Just go to sleep."

ISABELLA

      It was a quarter to six when I woke up the next morning and it took me a couple of minutes to get myself together and realize that I was in Omari's bedroom. I glanced over my shoulder and smiled lightly before carefully twisting my body in his firm hold and allowed my fingers to caress his relaxed face. He sighed lightly at my touch but stayed asleep. After a moment I slowly pulled his arms away from me and slipped out of his bed and crept back to my room so that I could shower and began my day, seeing as it was the first day of classes and my first class started at eight o'clock.

      I took a nice relaxing shower, listening to the light raindrops as they hit the sky light. The storm had relaxed to a nice constant rain and I was glad for that. Once I was clean and smelling faintly of my Jo Malone amber & lavender scented shower gel, I left my bathroom for my bedroom. After towel drying my body I smoothed a coat of amber & lavender scented body crème over my skin before slipping into my mint green secret embrace bra and low rise thong set. I quickly rolled on my deodorant before slipping into a pair of dark blue low cut skinny jeans and pulling on a thin green tank. A simple navy blue hooded Henley was layered over my tank top and I slipped my feet into a pair of green Tory Burch moccasins. The temperature had dropped to seventy degrees so I felt it was appropriate for the weather.

      I glanced over my shoulder to take in the time before spraying a little amber & lavender scented cologne on my neck and wrists before pulling my hair back and putting it in a stylishly messy up-do. The addition of six rose gold Feng Shui Bangles (three regular and three were encrusted with diamond) and a matching pair of hoop earrings completed my look. With a quick roll of my lip gloss and a brush of mascara, I was ready to go. I grabbed the large navy blue Gucci bag I'd transferred my mini HP notebook into and an umbrella that was stationed by the door and made my way out of the apartment. It was a bit early but I had to stop by the campus bookstore to pick up the textbooks I'd pre-ordered before heading to class.

      It was about fifteen minutes before my first class when I left the campus bookstore with everything I'd need and began to make my way towards the direction I vaguely remembered the business building being so that I could head to my accounting 121 course. I hadn't made four steps out of the bookstore when a girl stopped me looking like she was about to cry.

      "Can I help you?" I asked, hoping she didn't break down in front of me.

      "Please tell me you know where this is," she replied as she handed me her damp schedule.

      I glanced at the class she was pointing to and smiled before saying, "I have a vague idea. That's where I'm going."

      "Thank God!" she replied before saying, "I'm Regine Williams."

      "Isabella Deveraux," I replied as I shook her offered hand.

      "Do you live on campus?" she asked as we made our way to our class.

      "No, I'm a commuter. What about you?" I asked.

      "I live in Libby hall," she replied with a shrug. "I came in yesterday and spent all day unpacking so I didn't have enough time to explore, hence why I'm lost," she replied.

      "How many classes did you take this semester?" I asked her as we walked into the Business Building and waited at the elevators with a group of about four other people.

      "Six. I have four Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and then two on Tuesdays and Thursdays," she answered. "What about you?"

      "I have five this semester but they're scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays."

      "I should have scheduled my classes like that but I was out of the country when scheduling started so I had to make due with what was left," she answered.

      Just as the elevator arrived my cell phone rang. I stepped onto the elevator before answering my phone with a polite hello.

      "Imagine my surprise to wake up and find you gone," Omari's voice stated jokingly over the line.

      "Sorry," I replied as my cheeks heated, "but classes start today so I couldn't stay home all day."

      "I know," he replied in amusement. "I just called to wish you luck and see if you wanted to maybe do lunch today."

      "Is one thirty good for you?" I asked him seeing as my last class ended at twelve fifty.

      "Perfect. What are you in the mood for?" he asked.

      "I don't know, whatever's good," I replied with a shrug.

      "How about we go somewhere casual and then out for dinner?" he offered.

      "What do you have in mind?" I asked curiously.

      "How about we do Applebee's for lunch and then head to the Capital Grille tonight?" he offered.

      "Okay," I replied as the elevator stopped on the fourth floor. "I have to go but I'll see you later alright?"

      "Aright, bye baby," Omari replied before ending the call.

      "Boyfriend?" Regine asked as we walked down the hallway for our class.

      "Something like that," I replied with a shrug.

      "What?" she asked curiously. "Y'all have that weird not boyfriend/girlfriend but are seeing each other thing?"

      "He's my husband," I replied simply and walked in the classroom.

      "You mean figuratively?" she asked as she followed me.

      Now normally I would have gotten an attitude if someone was all in my business the way she was at the moment but I was in a pretty chill mood so I just shrugged and answered. "No, I mean like legally he's my husband."

      "How old are you?" she asked curiously.

      "I don't see how that's important," I replied as Katie called my name and motioned for me to sit next to her and her friends.

      "It's just that I assumed you were a freshman," she replied simply.

      "I am," I answered as I took a seat next to Katie after introducing her to Regine.

      "Are you starting late or something?" she asked.

      "I graduated from my high school in May," I replied.

      "Then how is that you're married?" she asked catching Katie's attention.

      "You're married?" she asked before looking down at my hands and grabbing my left hand. Her mouth dropped as did Katie's friend April. "Damn."

      I blush and gently pulled my hand out of her grasp and started the motions of pulling out my textbook and booting my laptop.

      "Is that real?" Regine asked in amazement and I gave her an odd look before answered.

      "Yes. It's GIA certified with a serial number," I replied simply.

      "What does your husband do?" she asked curiously not taking her eyes off my rings.

      "He owns a couple of clubs," I answered vaguely.

      "How did you meet him?" Katie's friend asked.

      I shrugged and said, "Our fathers work together."

      "Does he go here?" April asked.

      "No. He's finished with college," I answered just as the professor walked in.

OMARI

      "How's it going?" my brother's familiar voice asked as he walked in my office.

      I shrugged and said, "Everything's cool. What are you doing here?"

      "I was heading out to an early dinner and wanted to know if you wanted to come with me?" he asked.

      I glanced at the clock and noted that it was after six and I needed to log off my computer if I was going to get home on time. "Nah, how about a rain check."

      "Wifey cooked something?" he asked in a joking tone.

      "For your information Izzie does cook, and well I might add," I told him before saying, "What are you doing here anyway?"

      "What? I can't come and visit my little brother?"

      I gave him a look and he laughed before said, "I was curious about the latest Mrs. Deveraux."

      "If you were so interested your ass would have come to the wedding ceremony," I pointed out.

      He gave me a bashful look before saying, "I just wanted to make sure pop wouldn't try to push that burden on me. I love you baby bro but I'm not ready to take that plunge just yet."

      "Married life isn't so bad," I replied with a shrug.

      "Have the two of you even had your first fight?" he asked.

      "No," I answered.

      "Then you can't talk. You're still in that honeymoon phase. Call me when you start thinking about wringing her neck," Marques replied as I successfully shut down my computer.

      "Well either way you won't be meeting her tonight," I replied with a shrug.

      "Why? She looks that bad that she needs hourly preparation?" he asked.

      "Shut up," I said as I slapped him up side his head. "You can't meet her because she and I are going to dinner tonight."

      He nodded and said, "I'm in town for the rest of the week. Give me a call so we can get together."

      I nodded and motioned for him to lead the way out my office so that I could lock the door behind us.

ISABELLA

      I adjusted the seamless cream strapless bodysuit that molded to the contours of my body, making sure that the girls were secure before slipping into the cream charmeuse and silk Elie Saab gown I'd decided to wear. The bustier of the gown was nice and tight while the charmeuse allowed the rest of the dress to float away. It would have been incredibly formal had the gown not had a dangerously high slit that reached just below my right hip to show the entire length of my leg. I'd asked Omari whether it was a casual dining establishment or not and he said it wasn't but he didn't elaborate on the matter. Hopefully the dress wouldn't be too much.

      "You ready?" Omari asked me as he walked into my bedroom dressed in a perfectly tailored black Hugo Boss suit.

      I slipped my feet into a pair of six inch cream colored Giambattista Valli slingbacks before grabbing a cream Ocie clutch and walking towards him. "This isn't too much is it?"

      He took in my outfit choice along with my simple diamond bracelet, yellow and white diamond drop earrings that were on full display courtesy of the chignon I sported, and simple Assael pearl and diamond ring.

      "You're perfect."