Page 10 of Wickedly Yours

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty-five. But my birthday’s in a few months, so…”

I’d always loved having a winter birthday, and secretly, it was my favorite season. Even if Willow’s favorite was fall, with All Hallow’s Eve the perfect cornerstone of the month—I loved the Winter Solstice. Christmas, too, though we didn’t celebrate it. I loved it when the snow covered the world in a blanket of white. That was when it felt like time slowed down, and everyone stopped rushing around to focus on what really mattered.

“What’s your favorite season?” I asked, my mind on the snow.

He frowned. “Where I’m from, it’s mostly just hot.”

“Oh.”Where was that, exactly?He hadn’t mentioned, but I’dbeen to Florida before, and it was hot basically year round, so I wondered if he was somewhere in the south. “That’s sad.”

“Why?”

“Because Ilovethe winter.” I thrust my arms out like I was making imaginary snow angels. “The snow, cozying up in front of a fireplace with the person you love… It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” I giggled, thinking of the song.

Turning my head to look at him, I found that during our questions, Zain had turned on his side, resting his head on one of his hands as he watched me.

“Have you ever been in love?” I asked, my voice in a low whisper, unsure why that was the question that popped into my mind.

“No.”

“What about you?”

“Hm?” I hummed in response, looking over at the furrowed expression on his face.

He directed my question at me. “Have you ever been in love?”

I sighed. “Maybe I thought I had been when I was younger, but… no. Just waiting for the right person, I guess.”

“And what kind of person is that?”

I looked back up at the sky, imagining that life. “Someone who will be by my side, no matter what life throws our way. Someone who will dance with me in the kitchen at 3 am when I can’t sleep. Who will be there for me whenever things get tough.” I smiled, thinking of my parents, letting the thoughts spill out. “Someone who will be a great dad. Who will throw our child in the air, no matter how many times they laugh, because he can’t bear to stop. I guess I just want someone to build a life with. Someone who will love me through all of it. Someone who feels like home.” Closing my eyes, I could almost picture it. The laughter. The love. The happiness there.

But I opened my eyes, and it was gone, just the moon and the stars blinking back at me.

“You want kids?”

“Yeah. I’ve always liked the idea of two or three if I got lucky enough. What about you?”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “I hope so.” Zain cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I’d be a great dad, though. I don’t exactly have an excellent role model.”

I wanted to wrap my arms around him. Tell him he was wrong. That he’d be a great dad. But what did I really know about him? Nothing.

We were just two strangers who’d probably never see each other again after tonight. But Ilikedtonight. I hadn’t felt this alive in so long. That happy thrumming in my veins couldn’t be wrong.

My knuckles brushed against his in the grass.

“What are you thinking about?” I whispered.

“Your hair,” he murmured, reaching out to tug at a strand. “It’s like moonlight.” His eyes flashed gold for a moment. I blinked, and they were back to normal.

I was just imagining it, like always.

“Oh.” I sucked in a breath, looking away. Shivering, I sat up. It was getting late, and the temperatures were dropping—plus, the heat that had flowed through me from my alcohol buzz was fading.

Wordlessly, Zain shrugged his coat off, placing the jacket around my shoulders. I slipped my arms through the holes, appreciating how big it was on me—and inhaling his scent that clung to the fabric. He smelled like spice and musk and something absolutely delicious that I couldn’t place, but I wanted to wrap my body in that smell. Bathe in it.

It spoke to something deep in my soul. Something I couldn't name.

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