“I’m sorry for breaking down like that.” My voice was a thin croak, sore from all the sobbing. “I didn’t mean to fall apart all over you.”
“Grace, it’s okay.” Zain planted a kiss to the center of my forehead. The warm press of his lips washed away the last vestiges of anger.
I shifted out of his embrace to recline against the sofa, letting out a heavy sigh.
“So you can understand why I don’t like drinking, or those parties,” I said. “Meg would come home from the parties Peter took her to. She’d smell like alcohol, all drunk, and stumbling and sick.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “And that rich asshole was always flirting with other women in front of Meg and acted like it was no big deal. She’d cry to me about it, but the next day she’d go right back to him.”
Zain’s expression twisted. “Fuck, everything makes so much sense now. That’s why you left when Finn got hurt. Why you took off when those girls mobbed me. When you mentioned this whole lifestyle, that’s what you meant.”
“I know it’s not the same,” I said. “Peter got my sister into the drinking and drugs, but I know that’s not the kind of guy you are. And the thing with your fans, I can understand that. It’s not like you were actually flirting with other women for real in front of me.” I tipped my head back against the back of the sofa to stare at the ceiling so I could avoid Zain’s eyes. “But there’s a part of me that’s been blaring warning signals ever since that night we first met. Something inside me keeps saying this is a bad idea.”
Zain went silent. I peeked over at him. The hurt expression on his face quickly smoothed out.
“Now I kind of wish I’d let you punch that guy back there,” he said.
I let out a choked laugh. “I’m glad you pulled me back. I caused enough of a scene as it is.”
“It wouldn’t have been the first time a fight broke out,” he shrugged. “Of course, it’s usually not the plus-ones who cause trouble.”
I covered my face with my hands and groaned.
“I’m so embarrassed,” I muttered. “Everyone’s going to think I’m a crazy ex-girlfriend or something. I don’t want to imagine what your friends are going to say the next time they see you.”
“I don’t care what they have to say,” Zain replied. “I’m just sorry you had to go through this. I don’t know if that guy is in the music industry or what, but I’ll make sure he isn’t at any of the other events we go to. Okay?”
Zain was still thinking about going places with me. About going out with me. Despite the way I’d acted, I hadn’t scared him off.
I closed my eyes and slumped over to lean against him, letting my cheek rest on his shoulder.
“Do you want to head off to bed?” he asked.
I nodded silently. He wrapped an arm around me and helped lift me from the sofa. He guided me to my bedroom, and I was grateful I’d done a bit of cleaning up so the room wasn’t a disaster. I went to my chest of drawers and took out a pair of loose sleep shorts and a tank top. I snuck a look at Zain. He was staring out the bedroom door, looking torn.
I quickly chucked off my dress and slipped into my pajamas. I didn’t really care whether or not he caught a glimpse at this point. I sat down on my bed and looked down at my feet. My toes were cold and felt a little sore from being in my heels all night.
“I’ll let you—” Zain started to say.
“Would you—” I blurted out at the same time.
We both fell silent. I finally spoke up.
“Would you stay?” I asked quietly. “I don’t really want to be alone.”
Zain looked relieved, but also pained.
“Of course I’ll stay,” he said. “It’s just—” he waved a hand at me. “You could have chosen something a little less tempting,” he muttered.
“It’s just shorts and a tank top,” I said. “I’m not wearing some negligee.”
“Everything you wear makes you look sexy,” he said.
“Then I guess it doesn’t matter what I’m wearing, does it?” I asked.
He lifted his eyes to the ceiling. “Guess not.”
I scooted back into the bedcovers and patted the spot beside me. He unbuttoned his collared shirt all the way, letting it fall to the floor. He must have left his tie in the living room. He undid his belt and kicked off his dress pants, leaving him in his undershirt and boxers.
The sound of that zipper coming undone did something to me. It made me feel shivery inside. The same way I’d felt when he pressed me up against the wall and…
