Eighteen #2
Alyssa is sitting in a lounge next to Bray—the fucker is way too close to my girl.
I continue to watch her for a moment. As much as I want to run up to her and wrap her in my arms, I enjoy watching her in moments like these.
She’s unguarded, a flush stains her cheeks.
She’s laughing at something Reilly says at the same time Bray is scowling towards the fiery redhead.
I watch as she brings a wine glass to her lips and sips, running her tongue along her bottom lip when she pulls the cup away.
Fuck, now is not the time for a hard-on.
Just as she’s about to raise the glass to her mouth again, she looks directly at me.
It’s almost like she can sense when I’m in the same room as her. I can never stay hidden for long.
A huge smile grazes her face; her eyes light up. Nudging my head, I indicate for her to come to me. I need a moment alone with her, away from the prying ears of our family and friends.
Putting her glass on the low centre table, she says something to Bray before standing. He looks over, nodding his head in acknowledgement. I glare back at him, because frankly, he looked way too comfortable that close to my girl. Bray smirks back at me. Fucker.
I watch as Alyssa saunters towards me in those little fucking shorts, her long legs on full display for everybody to get a look at—which, right now, I can clock at least five men who let their gazes linger a little too long on her. I give them all a glare, at which point they advert their gazes.
As soon as she’s in arm’s reach, I pull her into me, slamming my lips against hers.
She instantly melts into me. The taste of sweet white wine lingers on her tongue, as she meets me stroke for stroke.
I get so lost in the moment that I forget where we are.
I forget about the picture that had my blood run cold.
I forget it all as I try to communicate with her just how much I fucking love her with this kiss.
Pulling back, she smiles up at me. “Mmm, hi.”
“Hi, sunshine. How are you feeling?” I ask, not wanting to ruin this moment but also needing to know if she really is okay. I pin her with my eyes as I wait for her answer.
“I’m better, now that you’re here,” she responds, batting her eyelashes at me. I laugh and damn, it feels good to laugh.
“How are you really feeling? I saw the picture. Alyssa. You don’t need to pretend, or to hide your feelings from me. You know that, right?”
I feel like I need to reassure her that, no matter what, I’m not going anywhere. I know she hasn’t had that much in her life, always moving from one foster home to the next and constantly being let down by the people who were meant to care for her.
“I had a little freak-out when I saw it. But I made a decision not to let this crazy psychopath ruin my day, or your day. And I’m not about to let anybody scare me away from you, Zac. You are mine, not hers. I don’t care what anyone says—you are mine.” She stops to take a breath.
“I like being yours, sunshine. And we will not let anyone ruin what we have. This…” I say, pointing between the two of us. “This is a once in a lifetime kind of love. I’m not about to let that go.” She blinks up at me a few times then smirks.
“You know? I get it,” she says.
“You get what?” I hope that she gets just how much she means to me.
“How someone can become so crazily obsessed with you. I mean, you’re kind of a catch, the complete package. I’m surprised there’s only one crazy ex on the loose.”
She thinks I’m the complete package. Maybe I should book in that trip to Tiffany and Co.
for a diamond after all. I smile with this thought, then the rest of her speech registers.
Crazy ex on the loose? Wait, does she think I had some kind of relationship with Caitlyn?
Just the thought of that makes me shiver in disgust.
“Sunshine, we will come back to the part where you think I’m the complete package at a later date.
But let me be very clear, so there is no misunderstanding.
I did not, at any point in time, have any kind of relationship with this woman other than a professional one.
She was my employee—that’s it. Did I constantly turn down her advances and flirtation?
Yes. Was there ever a time where I thought I’d want to fuck her? Absolutely not, not ever.”
The only thing I want to do with Caitlyn is strangle the goddamn life out of her for threatening Alyssa.
“Okay, I believe you, Zac. Now let’s enjoy our afternoon with your family and my crazy-ass friends,” she says, pulling on my arm.
I stop her, pulling her back into me. “Our,” I say, correcting her mistake.
“Our what?” she questions.
Smiling, I tell her, “Our family and our friends. There’s no mine or yours anymore, sunshine. There is only ours.”
Leaning up, she kisses my lips before ever so quietly saying, “There’ll always be a tomorrow together for us.” She says it so reverently and quietly, it’s almost like a prayer falling from her lips. I don’t even think she meant for me to hear it, but I did.
Leaning down into her ear, I tell her the same promise we tell each other every night before we go to sleep, “There will always be a tomorrow together for us, sunshine. I promise.”
We’ve been sitting here in this wine bar for an hour and a half.
I can’t say I’ve ever been to a wine bar before, but I’m enjoying myself.
I’m enjoying seeing Alyssa relax and have fun.
Everyone has gotten louder with each empty bottle of wine that’s been left on the table.
I have learnt that Alyssa loves any kind of sweet white wine, and I make a mental note to get a supply sent to my office and the penthouse.
“Oh, Lyssa! We need to go. We have to get home!” Sarah exclaims.
My body tenses. Like fuck is she taking Alyssa home. I look to Alyssa, to her mischievous smile as she gazes up at me.