Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Beach?
After eating, Isabella felt sleepy.
Her stomach was warm, the seat was soft, and the low hum of the plane made her eyelids heavy. She rubbed her eyes once, then again.
Leonardo, on the other hand, still sat beside her..not moving an inch. He hadn’t spoken much since the meal. Just scrolled through his phone, checking emails or messages with that same serious face.
Isabella peeked at him once... then looked away quickly.
It’s rude to tell someone to move after they fed you and brought you on their private jet, she reminded herself.
So she didn’t say anything.
Instead, she stared out the window.
The clouds were passing slowly. White, puffy, endless.
She watched them blur into each other... her eyes blinking slower... and slower...
She wasn’t sure how long the flight was. Or where exactly they were in the sky. But her body was too tired to care anymore.
She yawned, covering her mouth gently.
She shifted in her seat, leaned slightly to the side, but the angle was uncomfortable. She tried resting her head on her hand, then leaned against the window, then sat up again.
Still not comfy...
Her head nodded once.
Then again.
Then finally—
She dozed off, arms folded, body leaning awkwardly sideways, neck tilted, mouth slightly open.
She didn’t even know when sleep took her.
But next to her... Leonardo finally looked away from his phone.
And when he saw her like that..half-draped like a sleepy kitten, legs tucked, arms crossed protectively—
He didn’t say anything.
Leonardo had returned to scrolling through his phone when he heard a soft sound beside him.
"Ummm... mmm..."
His eyes shifted.
Isabella was still asleep, head tilted slightly to the side, lips parted just a little. But she had muttered something under her breath.
Barely a sound.
Barely a word.
But it caught his attention.
He lowered his phone.
Frowned.
Then leaned in slightly.
Her lashes fluttered, her fingers twitched, and her lips moved again...so faintly, like she was caught in a dream.
"Mmm... no... not the cookies..."
Leonardo blinked as he leaned closer. Even closer. Now just inches from her lips.
His gaze fixed there curious, unreadable.
Her skin looked warm under the soft lighting, her lashes long against her cheeks, and her expression... oddly serious for someone dreaming about food. A strange warmth settled in his chest
What kind of dreams did this girl have?
He stared a second longer than he meant to, not sure why he didn’t pull back.
But just then, Isabella shifted in her sleep. Without warning, her body leaned sideways, and her head gently dropped against his shoulder. Leonardo froze. Her soft hair brushed against his jaw, her weight light but real against him.
She didn’t wake up, just sighed quietly and snuggled closer, as if his shoulder was the safest place in the world.
He sat still, completely still, not even touching his phone now.
He looked down at her again, eyes calm but filled with something deeper, something unreadable even to himself.
He could have moved her. Could have called her name or straightened her up. But instead, he did nothing. He let her stay.
Leonardo stayed still for a long time, her head resting gently on his shoulder, her breath warm against his skin. Every few minutes, she mumbled something soft, her voice sleepy and innocent—once whispering about saving burnt cookies, and later complaining that someone stole her last piece of cake.
He didn’t move, only watched her with a gaze that slowly lost its coldness. But after a while, she began to shift again, her head twitching slightly, and her back arching in discomfort. Her body leaned forward, then sideways, trying to find a better position in her sleep, but there wasn’t enough space.
Leonardo sighed quietly. Without a word, he slid his arm behind her back and another under her knees, lifting her gently into his arms. She stirred a little, her fingers curling against his chest, but she didn’t wake.
Holding her close, he walked toward the back of the jet, his steps silent, his expression unreadable but his arms protective. He pushed open the sliding door to the private bedroom and walked in. The lights inside were dim, the bed neatly made.
He placed her down carefully, laying her on the soft mattress, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek with his knuckles. She mumbled something again, this time just a soft sigh, and turned slightly, snuggling into the pillows. Leonardo stood there for a moment longer, staring at her.
Then, without thinking, he reached for the blanket and pulled it over her gently, covering her shoulders. He turned to leave but stopped halfway. Just for a second, he looked back, his fingers lingering on the door frame, his voice a quiet murmur meant only for himself. "Sleep well, little bunny." Then he stepped out.
ִֶָ𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
Isabella slept soundly, wrapped in the softest blanket, her body completely relaxed. She didn’t know how many hours had passed, only that when she finally blinked awake, everything felt different. The seat was gone. The quiet sound of the plane was gone too. She rubbed her eyes slowly, her lashes fluttering as she sat up with a sleepy expression.
She was in a bed. A real bed.
Her eyes widened.
The room around her was softly lit, elegant and calm. The furniture was modern and tasteful. White and gold tones with smooth edges and soft corners. But what truly caught her attention were the giant floor-to-ceiling windows stretching across one entire wall. She turned her head and gasped.
Outside was the beach.
The ocean spread out endlessly in front of her, waves crashing softly against the shore. The sky was painted dark blue with a hint of purple, and stars sparkled like little diamonds. The moon hung low over the water, its light glowing across the waves. She could even hear the sound—the peaceful, never-ending splash of water against sand.
She hugged the blanket around her tighter, but her lips curled into a shy smile.
He brought her to the beach.
Not just any beach... but a private one. With a view like a dream.
She blushed quietly to herself, cheeks pink, heart warm.
So this is what he meant by ’honeymoon.’
Somewhere deep inside, a tiny flutter tickled her chest and she wondered...
Did he watch her while she slept?
Did he carry her here?
She didn’t know.
But for some reason that made her blush even more.