Page 80 of Grave Misgivings
He reaches out, pulling me closer into his space, and I move without question.
Into him, into his warm aura. His tonka bean-teakwood scent fills my lungs, and I feel like I’m on the edge of a cliff.
“You areso fucking sexy.” He reaches for my glasses, smirking. “And you’re so fucking talented, and strong. Shit, you left to chase your dreams, man. And you made it a reality.”
I don’t fight the tear that rolls down my face, because the sincerity in his words are like a praise I never knew I needed.
And the way he looks at me, touches me... it’s a forgiveness I don’t deserve, but it’s also something I desperately want.
His forgiveness, anyway.
“You are not defective. You are perfect. Just the way you fucking are.”
There is a pregnant pause, and then he looks at me with the softest smile.
“You always were. Perfect, I mean. At least to me.” His voice drops an octave as his gaze drops to my lips, then back up at me.
“Really?” I ask.
“Yeah. Really,” he breathes.
Zeb brushes away that one kamikaze tear, and then he kisses me.
But this kiss... it’s different from the others.
It’s softer, deeper.
Zeb opens his mouth just the slightest, his tongue sliding into my mouth.
His lips are smooth, but his rough facial hair against my skin tickles.
And all at once, I know.
This... this is what I’ve beenwaitingfor.
He’s who I’ve been waiting for.
He breaks away, leaning his forehead against mine.
I sniffle as I grab his neck, squeezing lightly, savoring the sweetness of his kiss.
I never want to stop.
Ever.
Because when Zeb kisses me, it chases away all my demons.
It makes everything feelrightagain.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
Zeb rustles the edges of my hair at the nape of my neck with his fingers, making my eyes flutter, making my heartbeat skip.
How can a simple touch do so much?
“Anytime, sunshine,” he says, the corners of his lips lifting up into a soft smile that melts my heart and makes my stomach do a little flip.
My mother was right.
