Aligning Stars (Fate's Intent Book 1) (37 page)

“Tell me what you came to tell me.” He stayed in front of me but I kept my eyes closed so I wouldn’t look at him and start to feel something again.

“I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

“The way I’ve been treating you. I wish things could have been different.”

“They still can be.”

He stroked my hair and I opened my eyes. He was so close to me. I could feel him breathing but couldn’t seem to look passed what had happened. “I can’t be your second choice.”

“You’re not. You’re the only choice.”

“It’s a little late for me to believe that.” I moved him back again and walked passed him.

“You still can. That in there was just a warm-up. I’d never want it to be so quick with you.”

“Was that always your plan? That doesn’t exactly make me feel better.”

Zayden laughed. “No. It wasn’t. I thought I lost something I never really had and I just needed to vent but I kind of hope that she came back to tell me she’d be willing to try. I still want her but she has to tell me she wants me too.”

I turned to him and met his eyes. They were calm and patient, waiting for an answer. What was I to say? Hearing that he wanted me put the thoughts of hope inside my head. It consumed my body and my desires became clear while he remained standing in a towel with his hair drying from the sun.

“I do.”

“Do you?” He took a slow step forward, keeping his eyes on mine.

“Yes. I do. I have always—I’m just—not good at this.”

“You don’t have to be because neither am I but I’ll learn—we’ll learn.”

“Really? Then when will you learn that it’s wrong?”

“It isn’t.”

“I don’t see how you can say that.”

“What is it I have to do to make you be with me without all of this negative thinking?”

I sighed and turned towards the stone railing. I kept my eyes straight and didn’t have the answer he was seeking.

He exhaled through his nose behind me. “Think about it.”

I turned to him. He was walking inside and I watched the defined muscles in his back move with every step he took and I softly followed without his knowledge.

I leaned myself against the balcony doorway and watched him walk towards the bed where there were some clothes already laid out. He reached to his waist and I gripped the door frame, my eyes yearning, mouthwatering. I knew what he was going to do and the towel slid to the floor.

I stood back to his left and had a clear view of that side of him. The muscles in his legs and rear looked strong and tight like they would have been firm to feel and it was as if our roles reversed. Zayden undressed in front of me this time and I was the one that couldn’t turn my eyes away. The only difference, I couldn’t move from it.

Even after he slipped into a pair of black pants, I still watched and he still didn’t notice. He left the towel where it fell and walked over to a table, pouring himself a drink. The glass was lifted to his lips for a sip and his eyes glanced towards me. He did a double take. “How long have you been standing there?”

His voice finally caused me to blink and my smile once again started to show. “Long enough.”

“I guess that makes us even then.” He downed the rest of the glass and set it back down on the table.

“I suppose.”

“So?” He started walking over and met me at the door. “
Now
is there something you want?”

I was locked in his eyes. I didn’t fully answer but he would know what it meant. “We have to be careful.”

He couldn’t hide his smile any longer and reached for my waist. “Some others are sure to find out.”

“I didn’t mean that.” I removed his hands from me and walked into the room.

“Oh, I suppose you’re right. I know I could still hurt you.”

“Not that either, Zayden.” I turned to him and made sure he looked. “It’s about the seed you just planted in that whore.”

“Can we agree to stop mentioning that?”

“Well, it is.”

“Still worried about the dream coming true?”

“It wasn’t just a dream. It was the future and we have a responsibility to change it.”

“So, you’re banning sex from this relationship?”

I sighed, trying to get him to understand though he seemed agitated about it already. “I don’t want to say that directly but I am saying we have to be careful about it. I’ve thought about it a lot.”

He stepped closer to me and put his hands on my waist again. “I’ll be as careful with you as I can but there are no promises. I’ve thought about it a lot too.”

We leaned into each other and I closed my eyes to his smell, breathing in what was in front of me. We nestled our noses together with slow breaths but have yet to meet our lips.

“You won’t regret this.” Zayden muttered.

“Won’t I?”

“No. It’s something we both need.”

I opened my eyes and watched his open. They were the most beautiful sight and I wanted to believe him. I wanted it all to be true. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

He smiled and brought his hands down around my hips and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around him and he carried me towards his bed when our lips finally united again.

I had finally broke.

It was something I truly never expected to do but I became thankful for it; for him.

Doing what I thought was right turned out to be a complete failure but the future still looked hazed. He was the enemy, that was for sure but I found peace in his arms for the first time in years. Blinded from the consequences, I proceeded in what could turn out to be my greatest mistake.

Coming Soon—

The Second Installment

Of The
Fate’s Intent
Series

Deciding Skies