“Well,” she muttered, walking toward the door, “I gotta finish the rest of the property. I’ll leave you to settle in.”
He stepped out of her way, watching the swing of her hips…just a man noticing beauty that he respected. His gaze didn’t linger. Zaire only nodded like he was in agreeance with what stood before him. “Good lookin’ out.”
Meadow paused at the doorway and looked back at him. “Welcome to Juniper Falls, Mr. Cooks.”
He held her eyes for a second. “I’m cool with Zaire, cuh.”
Her body tingled. “Mmhmm.” She tried not to smile. “We’ll see.”
“I’malreadyseeing,” his words escaped him before he could catch them.
Meadow giggled, adding an extra sway to her stride as it eased shut behind her, but her presence stayed in the room like she left her fingerprints in the air.
He exhaled slowly, rubbing both hands down his face. His pulse was doing something stupid in his neck, and he couldn’t tell if it was from the lack of sleep or the way she bent over earlier like gravity was trying to steal her kisses.
Zaire was a man who could appreciate a beautiful woman, so he appreciated Meadow’s body.
Finally, he dropped his duffel by the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. The springs gave a small sigh beneath him. His shoulders loosened for the first time in days…maybe weeks…maybe longer.
Juniper Falls.
He looked around his temporary home, feeling something twisting in his gut. He didn’t know if this would somehow put him back on top in the league or not. All he knew was he needed some peace. L.A. was too crowded with opinions from people who shouldn’t matter. But then again, he didn’t even know how to operate without noise and chaos. All the things he learned in Crescent was accented by loud music, loud talking, and loud gunshots.
Meadow.
He said her name again in his head.
It fit her.
It was warm.
It was grounded.
It was a little wild around the edges yet still he liked the name.
“Marai,” he hummed with a smile. “Perfection,” he said aloud. That was what the name meant and for one reason or another it popped into his head when he thought of Meadow.
He hadn’t expected her, didn’t even think to wonder who lived on this land. He came here to disappear, not look at anyone or feel anything. He wasn’t trying to get caught up but she walked around this place like she held the deed in her DNA, like the sun rose because she told it to. There was something real about her…something earthy…something he wasn’t used to having right in his face.
He wasn’t trying to get caught up.
But damn…she had a face you couldn’t help but to look at… a face too easy to get lost in.
Zaire leaned back on his palms and stared at the ceiling.
Yesterday had been hell.
This morning wasn’t much better.
But being here…it felt like his lungs could finally expand.
He closed his eyes for a second, letting the silence settle.
Footsteps sounded outside. He heard a light tap on the door before it was pushed open.
A voice called out, “You decent, son?”
“Y’all just walk in people’s shit like that around here?” Zaire sat up, his mind taking him to the loaded gun tucked in his duffle bag. He never left home without it.
