I rip my shirt overhead, and I swear Zeke stops breathing as his eyes grow wide, causing me to look down in alarm because the expression on his face makes me think something is crawling on me. But I’m confused because nothing’s there.
“What?” I ask stupidly.
“I mean, I knew you were in good shape, but um, I wasn’t prepared for,”—he waves his hand up and down at my stomach—“all this.”
Relief floods my system.
“It’s okay, then?” I ask, suddenly needing his validation.
“Okayis a bit of an understatement,” he says, looking down at his own torso. “Why me?” he asks again.
“Why you what?” I ask, absentmindedly tracing shapes on his thighs, hating the layer that separates me from his skin.
“Why are you attracted to me? Why do you want to get involved in the mess that is my life?”
With two fingers under his chin, I lift his head until he’s looking at me.
“I grew up privileged. Not just financially, but with the best parents and siblings in the world. I was protected. I was loved. I was educated and supported. I knew that my position in life was envied by others, but it wasn’t until I was seventeen and trying to get a date for the prom that I had my first taste of whatit’s like when people want what you can offer them more than they actually wantyou.”
“What happened?” he asks, slowly dragging my shirt across my stomach.
I don’t stop him this time because if I’m going to tell this story, the distraction is kind of nice.
“I’ve always been decently self-confident,” I start.
“As you should be,” Zeke interjects, making me smile.
“Thank you,” I say, accepting the compliment. “So, when it was time for prom, I decided to ask this girl I’d had a crush on since eighth grade if she’d go with me. Looks-wise, she was way out of my league.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Zeke says, interrupting me again.
“Do you want me to answer your question or not?” I ask playfully.
“Depends on how this story ends, I guess. Did you fuck her?” he asks, completely serious.
The question makes me laugh, but only because I know how the story ends.
“Most definitelynot,” I assure him.
“Okay, then you can continue. I’ll be quiet.”
“Anyway, she agreed to go with me, and I was elated. Long story short, her best friend was dating a friend of mine who told me Michelle had this whole plan to drug herself, blame me, and take my family to court, knowing we’d most likely want to settle before word got to the press.”
“Ohmygod!That bitch was like, what?SEVENTEEN?” Zeke cries in outrage.
“Yeah. Turns out her dad had recently lost his job, and they were at risk of losing everything. I know her parents put her up to it, and to this day, I don’t blame her. People will do scary things when they think they have no other choice,” I say,hoping Zeke knows I’m at leastkind ofperipherally familiar with how he feels about his past, and that I’d never hold his decisions against him. “But all that to say, I broke it off, ended up not even going to prom at all that year, and learned a valuable lesson about what happens when people find out how much I’m worth. I become a means to an end instead of the prize itself. But with you…” I have to pause because my throat begins to tighten. Zeke cups my face, kissing me sweetly, giving me the strength I need to finish my statement. “But I’ve never felt like that with you. I feel like you seeme.And you remind me that life is full of simple joys that have nothing to do with money at all. You restore my faith in humanity.”
“You give me more credit than I deserve, Talon,” he whispers.
“You deserve the world, Zeke. And I want to give it to you.”
Chapter 22
Zeke
I’m at a loss for words.
I’ve worked so hard to make it on my own, but I’m tired, and after Talon’s confession, accepting his help doesn’t feel like defeat.
