Page 44 of Deeper

“Not the best first impression, but then again, I’m on a roll,” I tried to joke. I’d gone from damsel in distress to emotional wreck quite epically if I did say so myself.

Zander didn’t find it funny. He was closer now. Right next to me, demanding I be brave and look at him.

“It’s not ‘whatever.’?” His tone bordered on annoyed.

Finally, I looked at him, trying with all my might to brush it off. “This weekend is just supposed to be about sex. Not traumatic—”

Zander picked me up, effortlessly setting me on top of the counter to where we were eye to eye. His strength kept taking me by surprise. That and the way he was determined to get through to me.

“I’m not embarrassed or ashamed of showing you my pain, my past, or my loneliness,” Zander said as he held my gaze. “So don’t you be either.”

It was different, his struggles, but I got his point in being vulnerable.He’d dealt with the whole world targeting him, while my whole world went up in flames the moment my mother died. He was alone in his torment, and I was alone in my exile.

I was a stranger to Zander, and yet he was here showing he cared.

“Understood?” Zander’s hands slid up my sides, claiming my waist.

“Yes,” I said as a warmth spread throughout my chest.

“Good.” He came close, near my ear. “Dinner smells great.”

Dinner was the last thing on my mind with Zander being so close, but somehow, I managed to pull myself together and focus.I sautéed the broccoli and boiled the penne while he watched TV. Every once in a while, he’d laugh, the spirit and energy within it echoing in my chest.

When everything was ready, we sat together at the island. Zander tried a piece of chicken and I awaited his reaction, hopeful he liked my dinner as much as he liked my breakfast.

I watched as he forked off a piece and placed it into his distracting mouth. A smile curved Zander’s lips up as he finished chewing and bobbed his head. His dark eyes found me and his hand met my knee. “It’s delicious. I love it.”

I bounced with joy at his appreciation and dug in myself. It was late, but that didn’t stop either of us from sharing a bowl of vanilla ice cream and curling up on the sofa to watch some thriller with Hugh Jackman. Zander’s affection was never ending as I lay back against his chest, spooning him ice cream and reveling in his heat.

The cool sensation of his lips brushed against my temple and a delirious shiver skated down my spine. “How are you feelin’, Bianka?”

Angling my head, I gazed back at Zander, finding him watching me again. His heavy attention was enough to make me cease to breathe. It was dangerous how used to this a girl could get.

Leaning up, I pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Better.”

His arms wrapped around me and held me close and we continued the movie.

Better it was.

10

LET ME

“You are such trash!”

My mouth hung open in blatant shock as I read over Zander’s bold tweet again.

The man himself bore no shame as he stood in front of me. He was even suppressing a smile.

I shook my head, unable to hide my blush or stop myself from questioning when he’d been able to tweet it. The one thing I knew was that it was now Sunday.I wasn’t sure what time it was, not that time had been essential all morning or afternoon. We spent the day in bed, in the tub, on a chair. We went at it like sex was a new discovery for us. I had never had so many orgasms in my life.

Even after an entire day I wasn’t sure why Zander was standing there with his clothes on.

“Zandy,” I said, being cute and annoying. I tugged on his drawstrings, giving him the eye.

For some reason, either his complexion or his whole vibe, black just did it for him. As he stood wearing a black T-shirt with his black sweats, he looked every bit of edible. There wasn’t an inch of his inked skin that I didn’t want to trace with my tongue.

Zander leaned away, causing me to pout. This made him grin at me, amused. “Stop that. I’ve got to get on dinner. I really want you to taste my chicken karahi.”

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