Page 64 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
His eyes took on a determined gleam, which made her suddenly wary.
“Uh, Zach—ah!” He’d tossed her over his shoulder. “Zach!”
He grunted and gave her bottom a pat. “I told you we’d have our serious talk after I show you something.”
Her body flushed with heat. “Ah, carry on.”
He carried her down the sidewalk to his front door and set her on her feet. Then he gazed into her eyes, kissed her fast and hard, and released her. “After you.”
He opened the door and let her in.
Everything looked the same to her. Same black sofa, same TV, same pile of boxes.
He took her hand and walked her down the hallway toward his bedroom.
“I thought we were going to have a serious talk.”
“After your gift,” he said patiently.
Clearly he wasn’t turned on like she was from the primal caveman hold. Something had tripped inside her during her time with Zach, an out-of-control need to have him close with nothing between them, skin on skin. So why was she babbling about a serious talk? It was like she was trying to convince herself to talk when all she wanted to do was strip naked and throw herself at him.
He led her to his bed and pointed at it. “Part one.”
She sucked in a quick breath. “That’s my comforter.” Her sage green comforter was on her side of the bed. It was queen-size, so it didn’t quite fit across the king-size mattress. His side had his usual navy blue blanket. “How did you—”
“Ally helped me. Come on, part two.” He took her hand and led her to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet.
Her jaw dropped. Her stuff was in there. Her contact solution and assorted lotions and potions she enjoyed in her small beauty routine. She pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart thundered.
“Shower too,” he said.
She crossed to the shower and peered through the glass shower door, where she found her shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. She slowly turned back to him, her legs wobbly, the roar of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.
He closed the distance between them. “Do you understand?” he asked gently.
She grabbed his hand in a tight grip. “Are we moving in together? Because that feels long-term. Is this the part where you explain about not doing long-term with me?”
He gazed at her steadily. “I said that because I didn’t want to lead you on, knowing I was leaving the country.” He gestured to the medicine cabinet and shower. “This is symbolic.”
Her brows knit together, waiting for an explanation because symbolism wasn’t going to solve the fact that they would be on opposite sides of the world for a very long time.
He guided her back to the bedroom, where he offered her a seat on his side of the bed. He took a seat next to her and took her hand in both of his. “Carrie.” His voice was gravelly. “We’re two good people, who are compatible sexually, and now I’d like to build on a layer of courtship starting today.”
“A layer of…courtship?”
“Yes.”
“And that means?”
“You’re special to me, Carrie.” He paused, gazing at her with deep affection, maybe even…love. Her heart thumped hard. “I’m putting you first in my life. Your dreams, your career, your happiness comes first. You’re going to grad school. I’ll be here with you.”
Her breath caught. “But what about your fellowship in Singapore?”
“I turned it down.”
She gasped. “Zach! I don’t want you to give up your dreams for me. That’s not right either.”
“I don’t need a fellowship to be happy.” He released her hand and stroked her hair back from her face. “I need you.”
