Page 109 of Deeper

He angled his head. “You’re losing track.”

I didn’t get it. “Huh?”

Soon, he was coming close and reaching into his pocket. I watched in confusion as he pulled out a velvet box. By its shape, I guessed it housed a necklace or bracelet.

“Maybe this’ll help you keep track better.” In the next moment, Zander opened the box, taking my breath away.

Inside was a platinum watch with diamonds around the face, but that wasn’t what made me gasp, it was the face itself. It was round and protruding, like a bubble.

“I—” I couldn’t speak.

Zander handed the watch over. “My first two days in New York, when I wasn’t recording, I was searching online for a ‘water watch,’ and then I even had Dax with me as I scoured a few pawn shops. I did a little digging, and watches with ‘bubble’ faces came up and I went to my jeweler out there and had him customize a Rolex for me. He thought I was crazy, but I don’t expect anyone to get the significance, but you of course.

“I know you’ve been hard on yourself because of this eviction and what happened with your dad, and I’ve just been thinking if your mum were here and she could see what I see, she’d know everything you’re doing and all that you are becoming is happening right on time.”

My lips trembled and my eyes filled with tears. The one thing I’d always wanted when I was a kid, and he’d gone out of his way to design it for me, in homage of my mother, as a sign of encouragement.

My heart burst for him as I stepped forth and brought my arms around his neck and kissed him.

My body belonged to him as it clung against his. I tugged on the waistband of his pants and Zander was quick to lean down and rid me of my panties. We didn’t need words as Zander sat back on the daybed and I straddled his lap, needing him in that moment more than ever. Our lips never left each other’s as I leaned up and he began sliding his pants down.

An alert sounded in my head and I came out of the heated universe where it was just us two.

“Wait, wait,” I said, pressing my hands to his chest.

“What?” His voice was strained as he pulled back from me with a wounded, tortured expression hanging in his eyes.

I wanted this as badly as he did, but still. “What if someone walks in?”

“The door’s locked.”

His pants came down and I lowered myself onto him. The second we were connected we both mirrored out the same groan of pleasure.

Zander moaned. “I missed this.”

“Me too.”

My mouth found his as we went at it full force. I wanted to go slow, to savor all of him and the sensation of him inside of me, but it all felt so good. His greedy hands grabbed a hold of me, desperate for our movement to never end.

We finished together, in a loud cry of satisfaction.

Even in the aftermath of my orgasm, I didn’t want to leave his lap, to rid him of my body.

I cradled his face in my hands as I wound down from my high. For a moment, all I could do was stare at him as he gazed up at me. Three big words were threatening to spill from my lips as all that I felt for him could only be summed up by one thing: love.

No matter the time we’d been together or not, I knew, without a doubt, that I loved him.

Paul joined the session along with the producer thirty minutes later. I couldn’t stop smiling as I sat back on the sofa, and Zander was the same as he kept sneaking peeks at me. Our shared blush was like passing notes.

“Food’s on the way in about ten,” Paul announced as he looked up from his cell phone and sat next to me. “You ready to work, Z?”

Zander gathered his phone and stood from the chair. “Bring up ‘Deeper.’ I’ve been working on the bridge and chorus.”

Nathan bobbed his head and faced the mixing desk as Zander went into the booth.

An instrumental began playing and the tone and melody had me intrigued. It was atmospheric with a background beat that was timed well enough for one to clap to.

“Be prepared to be here all night. This kid is a machine that keeps spitting out records,” Paul said. “Think we’re up to fifty alone for Z3. He’s got this one he’s rapping on, and I’m going to fight him if he doesn’t put it on the album.”

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