Page 24 of No Way Forward

She looked at him but realized the shadows hid his expression. He looked dark and mysterious—well, more so than usual. Regardless, the fact that he showed up when he did and whisked her away warmed her. He was always like that.

“I’m not stupid. I know what my dad was doing tonight. He tried to pretend he changed, but there were so many single men in there. I’d have to be blind not to notice. Jeez, doesn’t he get it? Just because he wants to play Daddy Warbucks doesn’t mean everyone will accept me.”

Zaid made a sound like a snort. She wasn’t sure. “What do you know about Annie at your age?”

“We have cable.”

This time she didn’t mistake his chuckle. “I’m sure your father loves you.”

“Hmm.”

“In his own way.”

“He thinks the best way is his way. He wants to control my every waking moment. If it wasn’t involuntary, I’d probably have to ask his permission to breathe.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Whatever.”

He leaned against another tree. She couldn’t help but follow and touched his back. The muscles tensed. Energy seemed to pulse from him, warming her hand and spreading over her body. She tried to resist but found herself moving closer to lay her cheek against his broad back. He allowed it, not moving away.

“It doesn’t matter what any of those people think about you, Novette.”

“I appreciate you saying that, but it does matter. Can you imagine me giving in to what Daddy wants? I’d marry a man who thinks I’m beneath him. He’ll be like Felix and think I’m ‘common.’”

Zaid spun to face her. “You’re not!”

“Thanks for the passion. It’s funny. When I think about how I lived while I was gone, maybe it proves I’m common. Daddy brought me home from that orphanage when I was still a baby. From birth until now I lived in the lap of luxury, but what matters to his guests is that privilege doesn’t run through my blood.”

“Aren’t you judging them?”

“How can you say that?”

He spoke with calm reason, her anger not riling him at all. “You’re assuming that every person at the party has a superior attitude based on their birth and blood line. You’re saying they have no compassion and no heart and that they’re ugly and look down on you because of who they are. You don’t have personal knowledge that they’re all like that, but you’re okay judging them harshly. Tell me how that’s different from what you think they’re doing to you?”

Her mouth fell open and she stumbled back away from him. She clenched her hands into fists at her side. “So you’re on their side?”

“Think, Novette. I know you can see what I’m saying.”

She forgot about her attraction to him as she battled not to smack his face. Then the truth of his words came through. She had never thought of things the way he outlined them. All she’d done was lick her wounds and feel sorry for herself.

“Okay, fine. What you’re saying makes sense. But there are still people who look down on me.

”

“And there are some who don’t.”

“So?”

“So.”

She glared at him.

He stepped close again, and this time he took her in his arms. When his lips touched hers, her heart stopped. She melted against him and ran her hands along his back. Tilting her chin higher, she gave him greater access to her mouth. His tongue invaded and stole her ability to reason.

What had they been discussing? She didn’t care. All she wanted was to go on kissing Zaid. Their first kiss, the most amazing sensation she had ever felt in her life. Her heart beat so fast it almost ached. She clung to Zaid, kissing and kissing him under the cover of darkness and alone with him in the maze.

After an eternity, he raised his head. They stayed in each other’s arms. She worried that she should get things clear with him, to know where they were going or if they could go anywhere. Did he want a relationship, or was this a moment of weakness?

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