Page 31 of Deeper

Zander’s brows shot up. “Best?”

“Oh yeah, no one even comes close.”

Zander didn’t stop running his fingers up and down my arm as he kept staring at me. The empty expression on his gorgeous face let me know the effect my words were having on him.

When I couldn’t take his silence, I allowed myself to laugh. “Oh come on, I’m kidding!”

His demeanor didn’t change. “Ah.”

“Do you really think I’d be here if you hadn’t given me the best sex of my life?”

Zander wasn’t pleased. “I’m hearing you say it, but I need to hear youscreamit.”

Oh. “What’s—”

“What are you doing this weekend?” he cut in.

“Working tomorrow.”

“Come home with me,” Zander suggested. “I need to have you in my own bed.”

I let out a dry chuckle. “I…I have to work.”

“I’ll compensate for the days you miss.”

My eyes snapped towards his and I covered myself more, bringing the comforter to my chest. “No.”

“Bianka.”

Hastily, I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Why do you want me to go home with you?”

The loud sound of a phone ringing interrupted us and Zander didn’t bother to go and answer it. He glanced down at nothing in particular, waiting it out, each ring probably echoing noisily in his head.

When it started up again and finally ceased, he glanced my way helplessly. “I’m having fun with you. I don’t want to end it just yet. I’ve got complications that can wait until Monday, and it sounds like you do too. What’s a weekend getaway going to hurt? To go away, recharge your batteries, sometimes that’s very necessary. To be free for just the smallest moment in time can be essential.”

“And with me?”

“I like our chemistry when we’re in bed together. It’s natural.”

It was only two days. After coloring with my father, rejection from Pryor, Rod’s still fuckboy bullshit, and falling into my usual small lonely hole, maybe I was vulnerable. Maybe it was the way Zander stressed my full name. The way he looked at me. The way he touched me. It was all so different.

There were plot holes in the adventure, but I told myself I could worry about it later.

I never got to be this selfish. I never got to be so free, reckless, and wild. An aching part of me was desperate to do this.

“Okay,” I agreed with a shy, small smile.

I could end up regretting going away with him. The true mistake could’ve been turning him down and going home.

I wasn’t quite sure of which, and I honestly didn’t care.

7

SWEAT

Zander wanted to go straight to his house in Beverly Hills from the hotel. It wasn’t until we were down in the lobby at the front desk that it hit me. An older couple entered the hotel and glanced my way, the woman pursing her lips with her face going sour at the sight of me before continuing on with her husband.

I was in a trench coat.

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