Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

ZAYN

I paid the bill and we collected our luggage. We strolled out of the restaurant with nowhere to go and no worries about getting there. The streets of Lisbon were teeming with activity, the air filled with the sound of laughter and the distant hum of music. I kept Marigold close to me as we walked, feeling a strange sense of contentment just from being next to her.

It wasn't just the wine that had me feeling light-headed. There was something about this woman, something magnetic that made me want to keep her close.

We stumbled upon a rooftop bar, its sign catching my eye with a neon glow. "How about a drink?" I asked, nodding toward the entrance. "I imagine the view will be incredible."

She smiled up at me. "I'd like that."

The bar was perched high above the city, offering a breathtaking view of the ocean. We found a spot near the edge, where the sea breeze carried the scent of salt and freedom. I ordered us a couple of drinks, something light and refreshing. Our suitcases were half under the table.

Marigold leaned back, her gaze drifting out to the horizon. "This place is beautiful," she murmured, her voice soft and wistful. "I wish I could stay here longer."

"Why can't you?" I asked, curious.

She sighed, turning to face me. "I've got to find a hotel for the night, and I have to get to Mallorca. This place is beautiful, but I'm guessing Mallorca is going to be even better. Plus, my friends are waiting for me."

"Don't worry about finding a hotel. I'll book you a suite here," I said, the decision coming naturally, as if I'd known her for years rather than hours.

She looked at me in surprise. "Zayn, you don't have to do that."

"I want to," I insisted. "Besides, it's much nicer here than scrambling to find something last minute. Let me take care of it. We're already here. No need to trek around the city looking for a decent place."

She hesitated, toying with the straw in her drink. I could see the gears turning in her mind. I was a perfect stranger and she, by her own admission, was a small-town girl.

But eventually, she smiled, a shy, grateful smile that made my heart skip a beat. "Okay, thank you."

I pulled out my phone and made the arrangements, securing two suites.

"Done," I said, turning back to her. "You're all set."

"Thank you, really," she said, her voice earnest. "You didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it. Tell me how much it is and I'll Venmo you."

"It's no big deal. You don't need to pay me back."

She gave me a look, something curious and almost skeptical, but she didn't push further. Instead, she sipped her drink, her gaze returning to the ocean, a small smile playing on her lips.

I called over the server and asked for our bags to be delivered to our rooms. I was tired of dragging them around.

"Thank you," Marigold said once again.

The sea breeze, combined with the presence of the beautiful woman across from me, had me feeling some kind of way. It was as if the world had shrunk down to just the two of us, and nothing else mattered.

We eventually decided to take a walk down to the beach. Marigold kicked off her shoes as soon as we hit the sand. Laughing, she wiggled her toes in it. I followed suit, the cool sand a welcome contrast to the warmth of the day. The buzz from the drinks added to the lightness I felt. We walked side by side along the shore, the sound of the waves a soothing backdrop to our conversation.

It was in that moment, with the moonlight dancing on the water and Marigold laughing beside me, that my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen to see a message from Hudson.

Board meeting didn't go as planned. We need to talk when you get home.

The words sent a chill through me, momentarily pulling me out of the idyllic moment. I stared at the message, feeling the weight of responsibility press down on my shoulders. I had known something was up when I left, but I hadn't expected to be dragged back into it so soon. I was hoping to pretend to be someone else for just a while longer.

Marigold turned to me, concern in her eyes. "Everything okay?"

I forced a smile, slipping my phone back into my pocket. "Yeah, just work stuff."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice gentle, understanding.

I nodded, not wanting to spoil the night. "I'm sure. It can wait."

She studied me for a moment longer, then seemed to accept my answer. We continued walking, but the text lingered in the back of my mind, a shadow over an otherwise perfect evening.

And then, as if the universe knew I needed a distraction, a wave washed up, knocking Marigold off her feet. She fell straight into the ocean with a startled yelp. It wasn't exactly a powerful wave, but it managed to sneak up on her.

"Marigold!" I shouted, rushing to her side.

She was already laughing by the time I reached her. Her hair dripped with seawater and her clothes clung to her as she tried to stand. I grabbed her arm, pulling her up and out of the water, but she just kept laughing, the sound infectious.

"Oh my God," she gasped between giggles, trying to brush the sand out of her hair. "I'm such a klutz."

I couldn't help but laugh along with her, the tension from Hudson's text melting away. She looked like a drowned rat, but she was still beautiful, her laughter lighting up the night.

"Are you okay?" I asked, grinning and trying really hard not to laugh at her misfortune.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, still chuckling. "Just wet and sandy."

We ended up sitting in the sand, still laughing as she tried to wring out her hair. It was a stunning night, warm with a slight breeze. I didn't want it to end.

Marigold leaned her head on my shoulder, a content sigh escaping her lips. "This has been such a wonderful escape," she murmured.

"Yeah," I agreed, my voice softer than I intended. "It really has."

It felt like I had known this woman for years rather than hours. I couldn't explain what was happening. I had never experienced a connection like this with anyone. It was so good.

And equally terrifying.

She was quiet for a moment, then lifted her head and looked at me with a teasing smile. "Oh, to live like a millionaire."

"Billionaire," I corrected without thinking.

She blinked, then laughed, shoving me playfully. "Yeah, right."

But I didn't laugh. I just looked at her, letting the truth of my words settle between us. Her smile faded, and she studied my face, trying to figure out if I was serious.

"You're kidding," she said, though her voice held a note of uncertainty.

I shook my head, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "I'm not."

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she was speechless. Then she shook her head, a disbelieving laugh escaping her. "Wow. I, uh, wasn't expecting that."

"Does it bother you?" I asked, curious about her reaction.

She hesitated, then shook her head again, more slowly this time. "No, it doesn't. It just surprises me, I guess."

"I like that you didn't know," I admitted. "It's rare for me to meet someone who doesn't know who I am before I even introduce myself."

She looked at me with a new understanding, her gaze softening. "I can see how that would get old."

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "It does."

"It explains why you were okay with buying everyone drinks and snacks on the plane," she said.

I grinned. "It really was the least I could do. I know I can be a pompous ass sometimes."

"I don't get that from you," she said. "You've been nothing but kind and generous to me."

"That's easy to do."

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of the waves and the distant laughter from the bar filling the air. The buzz from the drinks was wearing off, leaving behind a warm, pleasant haze. The night felt surreal, like a dream I didn't want to wake up from. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt so relaxed, like nothing could possibly be wrong in the world.

Eventually, we decided to head back to the hotel. Our clothes were damp and sandy, but we didn't care. The hotel staff had already brought our bags up to our rooms. Marigold's suite was right across the hall from mine.

When we reached our floor, we paused in the hallway, neither of us quite ready to say goodnight. The air between us was charged with something electric, something that had been building all night.

"I had a really great time," she said, her voice a little shy, her eyes flicking up to meet mine.

"Me too," I replied, my gaze locked on hers.

We stood there for a moment, the silence thick with unspoken words. God, I wanted to kiss her so badly. But she seemed nervous, hesitant, and I didn't want to push her. I was a stranger. I didn't want her to think she owed me anything. Everything I had done for her had been out of kindness. I didn't want any kind of payback. That would ruin the gesture.

She bit her lip, her hand hovering near the door handle. "Well, I guess… goodnight."

"Goodnight," I said, my voice rough with the effort to hold back.

She slipped into her room. I watched the door close behind her, feeling a wave of frustration and something else I couldn't quite name. I walked into my own suite, bracing myself against the door as soon as it clicked shut. My whole body was tense, every nerve on edge, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss that woman.

I was still standing there, trying to get a grip on myself when there was a soft knock on the door. My heart leaped in my chest, and I grinned like the devil as I pulled it open.

Marigold stood there, looking up at me with those big, expressive eyes. "I thought you were going to kiss me," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why the hell didn't you?"

It was all the encouragement I needed.

I grabbed her, pulling her into my suite and kicking the door closed behind her. My lips found hers with an urgency that had been building since the moment I met her. She melted into me, her hands sliding up my chest and around my neck, pulling me closer like she was greedy for me.

The kiss was everything I'd imagined and more. It was fire and electricity, a connection so intense it took my breath away. I couldn't get enough of her, the taste of her, the feel of her pressed against me. She was everything I wanted, everything I needed in that moment.

We finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, our foreheads pressed together.

"I've wanted to do that all night," I confessed, my voice rough with desire.

"Me too," she whispered, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw.

We stood there for a moment, just holding each other. Everything else faded away—the text from Hudson, the responsibilities waiting for me back home. None of it mattered right now.

The only thing that mattered was the woman in my arms and the connection we'd found in each other.