Page 6 of Left in the Dark

Clearing my throat, the words rush out of me. “Are you available? I’m home alone. My parents left and will be gone until around 2:00 am….”

I hear the smile in Zayne’s voice. “Perfect timing. I was just leaving the bar. I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

A giggle bursts out of me. “The bar is twenty-five minutes away from here.”

The roar of the engine comes through the line. His voice has a breathless quality to it when he says, “Not as fast as I’m gonna drive. I’ll park in the woods and meet you at the back door.”

“Okay.” My pulse bangs against the side of my neck as I stutter out the next words. “D-Do you have any c-condoms?”

Zayne pauses. “I’ll get some.” Silence hangs in the air between us. “But no pressure, lil minx. I’m bringing them just in case.”

“I know that. What if I want to?”

The low, sexy tone of his voice makes my panties wet. “I’ll give you anything you want, Delaney. You know that.”

God, I need him to get here.

My arms slidearound his back, my face upturned as he presses his lips against mine. He presses me so tightly against him that I feel the banging of his heart. The pace of mine syncs with his.

He backs me through the door, shutting it behind him before his hand tangles in my hair, deepening the kiss.

When he pulls back, there’s something in his eyes that makes my breath hitch. My heart stutters in his chest as his hands cup my cheeks, and he utters the words I long to hear even though I shouldn’t. “I love you, Delaney.”

My heart takes off at a gallop. My throat and mouth are as dry as the desert, rendering me unable to speak.

He presses his forehead against mine. “I’m not saying that because I want to pop your cherry, although I damn well wanna do that.”

A giggle escapes me. His low chuckle swims through my ears and straight to my core.

“I’ve wanted to say that to you for a long time.” His breaths are shallow, and he visibly swallows before wetting his lips. “I know we don’t make sense, and it’s okay if you don’t feel the same, but?—”

“I do, Zayne.” My hand lifts to his jawline, feeling the stubble beneath my fingertips. “I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time.”

He exhales, his warm breaths of relief making my heart swell inside my chest. I’ve never felt happier than I do whenever I see Zayne’s smile.

His lips meet mine, taking my breath away. I melt against him, relishing the moment. For the first time in a long time, everything makes sense, and I feel like I’m right where I’m meant to be.

Pulling back, the desire and love swirling in his eyes makes me shiver. The protective way he cages me against his strong, muscular body infuses me with a sense of safety and security. “Let’s go to my room.”

A smile curls his lips. “Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 6

Zayne

My palms sweat as I close Delaney’s bedroom door behind me, exhaling the nervous breath from my lungs.

This is it. Don’t fuck it up.

With every cell of my body, I desire the brunette strutting across her room. I have since the moment I laid eyes on her.

She’s a force of nature with a tough exterior and a heart of gold. She chews me up and spits me out with her words one moment, and the next, her eyes and smile soften like silk as she stares at me like I’m her hero.

When she told me she loved me, those sweet words sank into the depths of my heart, filling it so completely that there would never be room for anyone else.

I don’t care that I’m only eighteen or that most people would think I’m foolish if I told them Delaney is the only woman I’ll ever love. I know it with every cell of my being.

She’s imprinted in my DNA, woven into the fabric of my tortured soul. She’s it for me.

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