Silence greeted me as I stretched my limbs, feeling a warm body beside me. I turned towards it, feeling the fragments of sleep fade with every movement. My cheek touched bare skin, the scent making my eyelids fly open.
Zane.
I was in the crook of his arm, and it felt good. I daren’t breathe in case I woke him. Instead, I watched as the air left his slightly parted lips softly, his dark eyelashes fanning his cheeks as he slept.
We had stayed awake until the early hours, just lying in his bed talking. Clearly, we had drifted off at one point. There wasn’t a single man in the world that could rival Zane Fallon for looks. Or intelligence. Or humor.
Fuck.
Zane stirred, and I scrunched my eyes up, feigning sleep. His lips brushed my forehead as he pulled me closer to him, his fingers trailing down my arm, making me shudder involuntarily.
This was allowed while still in the post-sleep bliss, I told myself. If I acknowledged it, it would then be infidelity. In my ‘sleep,’ I tilted my head back, suddenly longing to feel his lips on me again. I knew he was awake because his breath hitched slightly, his finger running softly along my jawbone when he spoke.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Zane murmured, his mouth not far away from mine.
My body seemed to have a mind of its own as my eyes fluttered open slowly, my heart almost stopping when I looked into those eyes. I didn’t think as I moved forward, brushing his lips softly against mine. He groaned then, moving away from me as I blinked in confusion and horror.
Oh, God.
“I’m sorry-” I stammered as he covered his eyes with his hand, the other still firmly around me. I began to move as he stopped me, sitting up so that he was gazing down at me. I felt like I had been blessed a thousand times when he smiled lazily at me, his shocking white hair falling into his eyes.
“I don’t want you to regret anything, that’s all. Don’t for one second think I don’t want you.”
My heart hammered in my chest as his fingers swept down my arm, his eyes trailing down my body.
“Because I do.”
I sat up then, ceasing the distance between us quickly.
“I can’t explain...”
“Layla, it’s fine. Just shit timing, I guess. I’d say I wish I met you first, but I did. Now you’re in love with someone else.” He smiled sadly as he kissed my shoulder softly. “I just think I’ll be a shitty friend because I can’t stop thinking about taking these damn clothes from you.”
“I’m not in love with him,” I blurted out, his eyes losing their playful glint as he studied me carefully.
“What?”
“I’m not in love with him. Please don’t ask me anything right now. Kiss me and know that I want you to,” I was babbling now, breathless as I saw him considering my words.
He didn’t consider them for long.
Zane’s hand reached into my hair as he pressed his lips against mine, my mouth opening as I let out a whimper of desire. He tasted better than he looked, which I didn’t think was even possible. My hands were around his neck as he pulled me onto him, our mouths moving against one another perfectly as I felt something I hadn’t felt in so long.
Happiness.
His hands moved to my ass which was barely covered by my t-shirt, his hands slipping under to caress my back softly. I couldn’t stop kissing him, even when he tugged off my t-shirt to expose my bra. He finally released my mouth from his, moving his lips down to my neck as I began to moan softly.
“God,Zane...”
“Just Zane is fine,” he murmured, making me bite back laughter.
“I want you, but I’m already afraid of losing you,” he said suddenly, resting his head on my chest as I kissed his hair, my insides melting when he looked up at me.
“I’m in such a fucking mess, I can’t involve you,” I said softly, as our lips met again.
“So stop kissing me.” He chuckled, pushing his tongue back into my eager mouth.
“I can’t,” I whispered.
