Page 47 of The Little Things
I started with the one that had been bouncing around in my head since Becky dropped the bomb about the adoption day celebration.
“How in the world did I not know you were adopted until now?”
He lifted one large shoulder in a casual shrug. “I don’t mind talkin’ about it, but that doesn’t mean I advertise it. I don’t introduce myself by sayin’, ‘Hey, I’m Zach. I’m 35, a Sagittarius, and I was adopted when I was twelve.’ If it comes up organically, I’m an open book.”
My lips curled in a slow smile. “You’re a Sagittarius?” I asked teasingly.
He chuckled at my question. “Hell if I know. I’ve never really paid any attention to that shit. That was just the first one that came to mind.”
“Well, if you’re interested in knowing, I’m a Libra. We’re compatible with Aquarius, Gemini, Taurus, and...” I paused for dramatic effect, “Sagittarius.” I shot him a saucy wink, earning a full-blown laugh that made the apex of my thighs tingle.
“Good to know.” He pushed the vegetables to the side and began chopping a bunch of fresh herbs I wouldn’t have been able to name if my life depended on it. “Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t realize it until now. I mean, I am the only blond-haired, brown-eyed person in my family.”
I shrugged, reaching out and grabbing a tiny piece of cucumber and tossing it into my mouth. “I figured there were relatives farther down the line that you took after, but it makes sense now.”
“Yeah, well, whether or not I look like any of them, they’re my real family. Cord and Rory took me in, they made me their son when I thought I was going to end up staying in the system until I aged out. I couldn’t have asked for better parents if I’d picked them myself.”
“I’m really glad you all found each other. How did you guys meet?”
He smiled down at the cutting board as he scooped up the herbs and tossed them into a tiny blender, squeezing in some lime juice by hand and added a couple other liquids to the mixture. He pulsed it for a few seconds until it was all combined before answering.
“I threw a rock through the window of Rory’s bar.” He looked up at me through his lashes. “I was a bit of a troublemaker. Anyway, I threw the rock and Cord chased me down. He’d been a foster kid too, so he knew one when he saw one. It kind of snowballed from there.”
“I love that,” I said with a soft smile. “And they brought you here? To the ranch?”
“Yep. This has been home since that night, and I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to be anywhere else.”
I was starting to understand that feeling. I looked down, tracing the veins of gray in the white marble countertop with my finger. “I get that. The longer I’m here, the more at home I start to feel. I never felt like that in L.A.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It would make keeping you kind of difficult if you kept trying to run off to California when I wasn’t looking.”
My belly swooped as I met his gaze, but I forced out a laugh, trying desperately to play it off. “You say that like you’re in this for the long haul.” I tried to keep my tone even, injecting lightness into the conversation.
“That’s because I am.”
I choked on air, sputtering at the seriousness in his tone. “Zach,” I croaked once I was able to breathe. “We’ve been together for like, five minutes. You can’t possibly know me well enough to make a call like that. We haven’t even had the talk where we decide if we’re dating or if we’re putting some kind of label on this.”
He pointed the spoon he’d been using to stir the boiling pasta on the stove at my face. “First, it’s been a hell of a lot longer than five minutes. I wasn’t lying when I told my grandma and Ivy that this has been goin’ on since the day you got to the ranch. That’s when it started for me. And I know you better than you think. I stood at that window your first night here and watched as you screamed at a bird for five minutes before crying like your heart was being shattered into pieces.”
My jaw dropped open as I rocked back on the stool. “You—you saw that?” I squeaked, humiliation burning the tips of my ears.
“I did. First I thought it was cute as hell, then the sound of you crying gutted me. It still cuts me open every time I think about it. I think that might have been the moment I knew you were supposed to be mine, because all I wanted to do was go to you and hold you. Then I wanted to fix everything so you’d never cry again.” He stole the breath right from my lungs with that confession. My mouth hung open, but I couldn’t find the words.
“As for a label, I don’t really care. If you want to call me your boyfriend, go for it. All I know is that I’m yours and you’re mine. Nothing else really matters.”
I closed my eyes and lifted my hands, my emotions swirling around too fast for me to control. “This is all happening so fast.” I tried to steady my breathing and calm my racing heart. “I don’t know what to say. I’m kind of overwhelmed right now.”
I hadn’t realized he’d moved, rounding the counter to reach me until I felt his fingers pressing beneath my chin, startling my eyes open as he lifted my face to his. “There’s no set rule saying how fast or slow a relationship is supposed to go. I’m moving at the speed that feels right. But if you need me to slow down so you can catch your breath, all you have to do is say the word, baby. This is real for me. I’m in this, all the way, and I’m willing to wait for you to catch up.”
“God,” I breathed out. “You’ve got to stop being so perfect. I can’t take it.”
His lips curved upward in a beautiful smile before he pressed them to mine in a gentle kiss. “I’m just bein’ me, Rae. And you can handle so much more than you give yourself credit for.” He kissed me again, this one harder, more urgent.
“Zach,” I whispered. “You can’t turn me on like this right now. We’re supposed to have lunch then get back to work.”
He groaned against my mouth and grabbed me by my hips, twisting me around on the stool so he could push my knees open and fit his hips between my legs. He moved in close enough that I could feel his steely erection against my belly as he feasted on my mouth.
“Fuck work. I’m your boss and I’m ordering my girlfriend to take an extra-long lunch break so I can fuck her until this ache she causes beneath my skin goes away.”