Page 71 of Tempt
“Anyway, it’s just something at the back of my mind. Nothing I’m obsessing over.”
He stroked his hand up and down my shoulder. “So tell me about thisone. What are you looking for?”
“Well, he has to be a nice person. Smart, but I don’t need a genius. He should have a solid job, something stable. And I’d like it if he could make me laugh, or at least had a good personality.”
Zach stared at me. “That’s it? A nice guy with a stable job, not too smart, somewhat funny?” He shook his head. “Babe, you’re selling yourself short.”
“I’m not,” I argued. “I didn’t mention money because I know it doesn’t buy happiness. And I didn’t mention looks because those fade. I’veseenBeauty and the Beast. Iknowbeauty lies within.”
He laughed. “But you could do so much better than the average Joe you just described. That guy is beneath you. You’d be bored.”
“Boring would be fine,” I countered, sitting up. “Boring is at least safe. I don’t want someone who thinks he could run out the door and find a better life—I want him to need me. I never want to be scared he’ll leave.” The words were out before I realized what I was saying. I wanted to double back and try to explain it in a way that didn’t make me sound afraid and insecure, but I thought maybe it would be better if I just stopped talking.
“I understand,” Zach said.
Embarrassed I’d gotten so worked up, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to rant.”
“Come here.” He tugged me back down, so I was snuggled alongside his body again, and pulled the covers up. “You have the right to do anything you want with your life. If you want to use a sperm donor to have a baby, go for it.”
“Well, I don’twantto. I’m just worried about waiting around too long, looking for my average Joe. What’s taking him so long?”
“Is it selfish of me to say I’m glad you haven’t found him yet?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “But I don’t mind. If he was here, you wouldn’t be. And right now, all I want is you.”
* * *
When I woke up, he wasn’t next to me. I sat up, wondering if he’d taken off without saying goodbye. I sat up, clutching the blankets to my chest. It was still dark. I reached over and tapped my phone screen to check the time and discovered it was just before four.
Was he gone already?
Outside, I heard a car door slam, followed by the closing of my garage. I relaxed a little—he was just moving the cars.
He entered the bedroom a minute later and dropped onto the edge of the bed. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I smiled shyly at him. “I thought maybe you’d snuck out without saying goodbye.”
“Nah. I wouldn’t do that to you. I just wanted to get your car back in the garage.”
“I could have moved it.”
“It’s all done.” He tugged a strand of my hair. “I better go. I need to make that flight, and the longer I sit here looking at you, the harder it will be to leave.”
I nodded. Swallowed hard. “Okay.”
“Friends?” He held out his hand.
“Friends.” I shook it. It was chilly from being outside.
He looked at our clasped hands for a moment, then gently pulled his away. “So what will you do today?”
“If I can find the energy, I’ll go to my strength training class at nine.”
“Strength training, huh?”
“Yes.” I flexed my bicep. “You mean you couldn’t tell?”
He laughed and felt the muscle. “Very impressive.”
