Page 56 of Stuffed

"You make me want to be better," he says softly. "Make me want to do better."

"It's amazing." I reach out to touch the exposed brick, loving how the rough texture contrasts with the delicate lights. "Thank you for bringing me here. What made you want to share it with me tonight?"

"Because this is where I come when I need to remember who I am. When I need to believe in possibilities." He pulls me close, his eyes intense in the soft light. "And you, Tessa Marlow, make me believe in endless possibilities.”

"Zane…"

"I love you." The words come out rough but sure. "I have since I was eighteen and been too damn scared to admit it. Love you even more now that you're this incredible woman who challenges me, believes in me, makes me want to be better."

Tears blur my vision. "I love you too. So much."

His kiss tastes like everything I've ever wanted.

"No more walls," he whispers against my lips. "No more doubt. Just us. Just this."

We sway together under the twinkling lights, the city humming distantly around us. His arms feel like home, like safety, like everything I've been searching for.

"So," he says softly, "Christmas is coming up. What are your plans?"

The question catches me off guard, making me stiffen slightly. "Oh, um, nothing really. Just a quiet day at home."

"What about your family? I know you’re an only child, but your parents? Are they still out in the suburbs?"

"They sold the house a few years ago, bought an RV." I try to keep my tone light, casual but it does make me sad to no longer celebrate in my family home. "They're somewhere in Arizona right now, I think. Or maybe New Mexico? They send me so many pictures it’s hard to keep track.”

His hands tighten on my waist. "So you'll be alone on Christmas?"

"It's not a big deal. I'm used to it. I’ve spent the last few celebrating with Ivy, so not totally alone.”

"No." He pulls back to look at me, his expression serious. "That's not right. Spend it with me. With my family."

My heart skips but anxiety follows quickly. "Oh, I don't know… Meeting your whole family on Christmas Day seems like a lot. Maybe we should wait…"

“You’re not meeting them; you’ve met them a dozen times or more when we were growing up.” He smiles but I can sense the tension.

“That’s different.”

"What happened to no more walls?"

I laugh, but it dies when I realize he's serious. "That's not— I mean, it's not about walls. I just… I like my quiet Christmas tradition. Staying home, watching movies…"

"But that was with Ivy. If she’s with Asher, you’ll be… alone?"

"Well, usually I had…" My voice catches unexpectedly. "I had Meatball."

"Meatball?"

The tears come before I can stop them. Zane immediately pulls me against his chest, one hand stroking my hair.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push, baby. Who is Meatball? Tell me about him?"

I pull out my phone, scrolling to my photo album labeled My Boy. "He was my cat. I found him during a snowstorm when I was seven. He was so tiny, nearly frozen…" I show him a photo of a chunky orange tabby sprawled across my lap. "He lived to be eighteen. I lost him last winter."

"He's beautiful," Zane says softly, swiping through the photos. "Look at that face. Definitely earned the name Meatball."

I laugh through the tears. "He was the best. Every Christmas morning, he'd wake me up by batting ornaments off the tree until I got up to feed him. Then he'd curl up with me on the couch while I watched Christmas movies."

"I have a confession," Zane says suddenly, kissing my temple. "But you can't tell anyone. It would completely ruin my reputation as the bad boy Mercer."

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