Page 82 of Partnering with the Artist

Labored breath fills me. “For you. Should I beg, for you?”

“Oh. Um. No.” She smiles; it is hauntingly beautiful. “If it comes down to you needing to beg, I will give a signal. Let’s come up with a signal.”

I’d rather kiss her, while I still have the chance.

Defeated, I pull her into my arms, kick the door behind her closed, and drop my forehead against her shoulder.

“Zakery?”

“Tell me about the ramen place, please.”

She settles herself in. “It’s a dollar fifty to add a boiled egg. Can you believe that? I can. They’re that good. I think I could eat their boiled eggs every day.Eep.”

I exhale against her neck, kiss again, murmur, “Don’t stop.”

“B-but…um…Zakery…you’re being distracting.”

I bury my nose against her throat. “I want ramen…”

“We’ll get some tomorrow.” She combs her fingers through my hair. “The rain’s supposed to stop in the middle of the night,and the power is supposed to come back in a few hours. There’s some flooding on streets, which is delaying repairs. The ramen place isn’t in a flood zone, and the water should drop after a few hours once it stops raining. We’ll get so much ramen. Breakfast ramen, even.”

“Your parents won’t be upset if we leave before breakfast?”

“No?” She gasps, stiffens, narrows her eyes. “But theywillwant ramen if we mention our schemes. We must be vigilant and certain not to reveal our plans.”

“I’ll get them ramen.”

“You…will?”

I wrap her up. “Ifthey let me marry you.”

“That’s an effective ultimatum. Keep it in your back pocket as a last resort.”

“Maelin,” I whisper.

Her fingers stop playing in my hair. “Yes?”

“Do you want to marry me, even a little?” Forcing myself, I release her and go cold from the loss. “Or are you waiting until you see what being in the same room as your ex again will do before you think about that?”

“Harry’s barely crossed my mind for days, Zakery… I haven’t even checked his Leopard account to see if he and ‘MoonWoof’ are still together or if he’s bragging about being her plus one to the ball. As far as I know, he might not even be there.” Her eyes roll. “Whether he’s there or not, though, I don’t really think I care anymore. Losing a relationship I put a lot of time and energy into hurt. I lost a lot of firsts with him. I’m grateful I didn’t lose all of them. But…I don’t think most people get to have their firsts and lasts with the same person, so I’m glad I’ll get to have at least some with you.”

“Ifwe get married.”

“Zakery,” she whispers, “it’s notifwe get married…it’sifwe get married in a week. That’s the only thing in question here.”

My strangled heart beats with hope. “What?”

She grips my hand. “My parents like you. We’re getting married. It just might not be in the middle of the night next Sunday. Presently, Dad’s mourning the fact I don’t want a big wedding. Mom’s stunned and keeps asking me if I’m aware you’re rich. She’s convinced I should have eloped the moment you mentioned wanting to marry me. Dad really,reallywants a wedding. Both of them have periodically actually been asking a stray decent question on whether or not I’m sure, and have I thought this through…but most of it is: Dad wants a wedding, and Mom thinks I’m an idiot for giving you a barrier of entry.”

Even though my lips part, I don’t know what to say. They don’t hate me? Their answerisyes? Just with a question ofwhen? I can live with that. I think. My attention sweeps down Maelin, follows the curves of her body displayed beneath the fabric of her nightgown, and my breath stutters.

I think…she was right.

These feelings that crop up every so often, the ones I’m afraid to lose, they’re not going anywhere. Maybe they’re like fear. I’ve never had a problem recognizing fear. I’ve also never had a problem feeling it again.

I’ll be okay.We’llbe okay.

After all, feelings have nothing to do with love.

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