His words make something in my chest tighten in a good way, and I hold onto him a little longer.
We stay like that for a while, the quiet between us feeling natural and easy. Eventually, we shift apart slightly. I realize I’m still undressed, and a small wave of self-consciousness washes over me.
Sensing it, Zane immediately reaches for my clothes and hands them to me without hesitation.
“My girlfriend’s gorgeous,” he says with a warm, relaxed tone as he watches me get dressed.
“Girlfriend?” I repeat, surprised.
“Yeah… if you want that,” he replies, his expression cautious but hopeful.
“I do,” I say quickly, smiling before I can second-guess myself. “I feel like we probably should’ve had that conversation earlier,” I add with a laugh.
“We’ve had an interesting couple of dates,” he chuckles. “I think we’re doing fine.”
“I guess that’s true.”
I glance at him sitting comfortably on my couch, and something in my stomach flips, in a good way. I smile at him, and he smiles back.
“Do you want to stay the night?” I ask. “It’s pretty late.”
Zane tilts his head slightly. “Only if we read together… and you let me borrow a book.”
I raise a brow, amused. “You do know what kind of books I read, right?”
“I like to think I’m open-minded,” he replies with a shrug. “So… which one should I start with?”
He gets up and gestures toward a shelf filled with my books. I hesitate for a moment before stepping closer.
“This one’s about enemies who fall in love,” I explain, pointing to a title. “There’s tension, conflict… and a lot of emotional buildup.”
“Enemies-to-lovers?” he repeats, intrigued.
I nod. “Exactly.”
“Sold,” he says, pulling a book from the shelf. “I’m curious to see how that turns out.”
I laugh softly as I watch him settle back in, feeling a sense of ease settle over the room. Whatever this is between us, it’s new, but it feels right.
“You’re really going to read that book in bed with me tonight?” I ask, still not quite believing how quickly my life has changed.
“Yes,” he replies, holding the book as he walks toward my bedroom.
I remain standing in the living room for a moment, letting out a quiet laugh at how everything has unfolded. Tonight feels unreal, like something out of a movie.
“Are you coming?” Zane calls, peeking his head out of the bedroom.
I laugh again and quickly make my way toward him.
Chapter 16
Zane
When I wake up, I still feel dreamy. Gwen is softly snoring beside me, and for a brief moment, everything feels calm and peaceful. She’s a dream come true, and she doesn’t even realize it yet.
“Morning,” Gwen says as she turns toward me, slowly opening her eyes. “Have you been up for a while?”
“Not too long,” I lie. In truth, I’ve been watching her sleep for a while. I couldn’t help it. Last night, I tried reading beside her, but I couldn’t stay focused. Every time I opened a page, my attention drifted back to her. Watching her read had become unexpectedly captivating.
