Chapter 249

Zaid drives with one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on his thigh. The sky outside is shifting into that dark black of night, and the silence between us isn't awkward. It's just full of the things we're giving each other things to say.

I glance over at him. The slope of his nose. The slight pull on his brow. The way

his lashes fan against his cheekbones when he

blinks.

He catches me.

"You're staring," he says, a small smile tugging at his lips.

I don't even pretend to look away.

"I can't help it,” I say softly. "You're so beautiful to me."

His jaw flexes just once, and he reaches across the console for my hand. Our fingers tangle together like muscle memory.

I look down at them. "We have a week. Just us. Before I go."

"I know," he says quietly, and even though he's still smiling, I hear the weight in his voice.

There's a silence again.

I squeeze his hand gently. "It's going to suck, but it's also going to be good. I mean, you knew I needed this. Before I even did."

He nods, not looking at me, eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I knew. And I want you

to have it. The space. The freedom. You're own piece of life."

His words warm me, and then guilt straddles my chest. I hesitate and take a breath. “Jake came by. While you and Aiden were gone that one day."

He finally glances at me.

heart is in my throat. "He

his other hand turning white on the wheel. "He wasn't

"Why wouldn't you want me

go of my hand and brings both of his hands to the wheel. "I didn't want you to feel like you owed

have. I won't. I don't

I didn't want this getting in the way. I wanted you to have a place that was yours. You had to leave Florida, you had to leave Arizona.

wipe the tears from

matter who

to miss you so much,"

1/3

Chapter 249

no humor in it, just tenderess. "You have no idea how much

him more as he pulls into

my wrist. He pulls me in, cupping

1

hips press into mine, and I gasp from the

to do this all week," Zaid

nod against his

on my back and settles over

are we doing?"

Zaid frown. "Right now?"

now. For the next week, when I get back from

pulls me with him as he sits, setting me on his lap with my legs around his hips. He looks like he's thinking, letting his

the way I guarded myself. Everything that happened in the accident, and then everything that happening in the hospital.

scared, too,"

is good. You going to Italy. Me, staying. Facing the stuff I've avoided for

across his knuckles. "So what

"We're each other's future, and right now,

My throat is tight.

you come back," he adds.

finally spilling

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