Page 19 of First Comes Love… Then Denial

Chapter Eight

ZANE

Something nudging at my side, woke me from my sleep. Slowly, I opened my eyes and turned my head in the direction of where the nudge was coming from. My heart skipped a few beats before a smile broke across my face.

“Morning, beautiful,” I whispered, stroking Candice’s cheek. She held my hand to her face.

“Morning, handsome.”

“Sleep okay?” She kissed me gently then nodded.

“Like a baby.”

I barely heard her words because they were so soft. Her cheeks reddened and she stroked my arm.

“Usually I toss and turn for a few hours before I fall asleep,” she admitted with a sigh. She propped herself up on her elbows and stared down at me. Concern was written all over her face. Or maybe it was annoyance? I couldn’t quite place the expression.

“What’s wrong?” Lightly, I traced my finger down her jawline.

“Last night… I don’t usually… I’m not usually like…” Candice’s words drifted off.

“Usually like?”

“So…” She looked royally embarrassed. “I’m usually not that free, in the bedroom. And I usually don’t get mine.”

“What?” I blurted, choking on air. She patted my back and laughed.

“Easy killer.”

“Sorry,” I cleared my throat. “You caught me off guard with the not used to getting yours. I mean you came like…”

I stopped my words. I didn’t want to embarass Candice anymore than she already was. It was clear the topic wasn’t an easy one for her. Hell. It wasn’t an easy one for me either.

Usually, sex was just sex. It wasn’t like that with her. I wasn’t one to use women, but I wasn’t one to get emotionally attached to them either. I was perfectly content living my life with casual encounters.

“Earth to Zane?” Candice waved her hand in front of my face, snapping me back to reality.

“Sorry,” I chuckled.

“What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

“Right. Keeping secrets so soon in our relationship?” she teased, but her face fell to horror. “I’m just kidding. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that as a joke. It wasn’t very funny. Sorry.”

Her words were a thousand miles-per-hour. She didn’t look like she was going to stop anytime soon.

I grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her. When I pulled away, her eyes were glazy and she looked at peace. I could’t help but chuckle. She looked like something out of a cartoon.

“Breathe, Candice. Breathe.” I kissed her forehead.

“Sorry,” she sighed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Candice leaned her head against my chest. She groaned and muttered something under her breath.

“Shit! I’m going to be late!” she shouted then hopped out of bed. The sheets tangled around her and she fell to the floor. “Son of a bitch!”

Within seconds, I was out of bed, helping her up.

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