Chapter 65

CHAPTER 65

MARIGOLD

" T his is so good," Zayn said, shoveling another bite of the pot roast into his mouth.

I couldn't help but smile, watching him enjoy the meal I prepared.

"Thank you," I said. "My mom taught me how to make a few things really well. This was her specialty."

"Your mother was a good cook," my father added fondly.

Zayn sat up proudly. "Not to brag, but I'm pretty sure the vegetables made all the difference. I should work in a casino, I'm so good at dicing."

I laughed and rolled my eyes so far back I was surprised I couldn't see into the past. "You did well but don't go quitting your day job just yet."

He nodded. "I know I have a lot to learn. But I've already mastered chopping veggies. I'm ready to tackle a whole recipe. Maybe something French."

"Baby steps, Zayn." I shook my head and smiled. "Maybe go hang out with Dane for a while. I'm sure he could teach you some tricks."

He pretended to be offended. "Already trying to get rid of me? I just got here."

"Oh, you're not going anywhere just yet," I said. "Your cooking lessons can wait."

We finished eating our dinner with plenty of leftovers to spare. Dad looked at his watch. "I need to head out. I've got my card game in twenty minutes. Just leave the dishes and I'll handle them."

"I'm not going to leave the dishes," I said. "Go. Have a drink and play darts and cards and whatever you hoodlums do. Just don't get too rowdy."

He chuckled and got to his feet. Then he bent down and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. "I'll make no promises. Don't wait up, kids."

He grabbed his jacket and left, leaving Zayn and me alone. I was pretty sure my dad knew Zayn was going to be sleeping in my bed tonight. Last time, I left him on the couch, but tonight I wanted him in my bed.

Last time, our relationship had been fake. Now that we had finally admitted our feelings to each other, Dad would understand.

"Well," Zayn said. "Better get these dishes done."

"We'll do these dishes and then we are going to go to my room and I'm going to massage you head to toe. Naked."

Zayn's eyes widened. "I've never been more motivated to scrub some plates."

I stood up and grabbed the dishes. I could feel Zayn's gaze heavy on my back.

He jumped up from his seat and helped clear the rest of the table. After a few minutes, everything was cleared and the dishes were loaded in the dishwasher. The leftovers were all put away.

I turned off the lights, leaving just a lamp on in the living room for when my dad came home.

I grabbed Zayn's hand and led him to my bedroom. He followed closely behind, his hand lightly resting on the small of my back. He was quiet, but I could feel the tension in him. An excited tension that mirrored my own.

It felt like it had been forever since we'd been together. I was already slick with anticipation.

Once in my room, we both paused, hesitating, a moment of clear understanding passing between us. I walked to the bedside lamp and turned it on. "Strip," I said with a half-smile.

He grinned. "Are you sure? I saw your dad swinging an axe. I'm not sure I'm ready to tangle with him."

I laughed. "It's fine. I'll lock the door, but he knows. And I don't care."

"Works for me," he said.

I walked into the bathroom and grabbed a bottle of lotion. When I returned to the room he was just taking off his jeans. He was moving a little slow. I knew he was sore.

"Here, let me help," I murmured, stepping closer to him. My fingers brushed against the band of his boxers and pulled them down slowly before he kicked them off.

He hesitated for a moment, standing in front of me in all his glorious nakedness. It was an intimate moment. I opened the bottle of lotion, its scent instantly filling the room. I knew he loved lavender.

"Lay down," I said. "Get comfy."

He gave me a half-smile and did as he was told, positioning himself in the center of the bed.

"On your stomach," I gently commanded.

He complied, rolling onto his front with a grunt. I studied him for a moment, appreciating his muscular back and his strong shoulders before I straddled his thighs.

I drizzled the lotion onto my hands and rubbed them together to warm it up before I started massaging his shoulders. Zayn let out a soft hum of approval, his head buried into the pillow.

"Feels so good," he mumbled, almost incoherently.

"That's good," I whispered. I worked my hands down his back, feeling the knots of tension under my fingers.

His muscles twitched under my touch and he shivered a little. I slowed my movements, focusing on each knot, each tight string of muscle until I felt him relax beneath me.

As I rubbed, silence filled the room, punctuated only by his soft sighs. All that mattered now was Zayn and me. We were together. I had no idea what the future held, but we were together.

I worked my way down to his lower back, then moved to his legs, paying special attention to his calves which were painfully sore from a day of chopping wood. It was an intimate kind of care I hadn't given him before. I liked that I could take care of him. I liked that I was the one to massage away his pain.

I ran my hands back up his body.

He rolled onto his back and looked up at me with love. My heart swelled. "Come here," he said in a gruff voice.

I slowly moved up his body. He reached out to me, pulling me into his arms. His hands rested gently on my waist. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he spoke again.

"Marigold," he murmured. He gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear and then traced the curve with his fingers. The touch sent a shiver down my spine. "You have no idea how much I've missed you." His voice was low and intimate, filled with so much emotion that I found myself getting lost in it.

"I missed you too," I admitted, running my fingers through his hair and watching as he closed his eyes at the sensation.

He pulled me down for a kiss. It was filled with more emotions than I could put into words. His hands roamed my back as we deepened the kiss, tongues tangling in an intimate dance. Eventually, we pulled apart for air. His eyes were closed, but he was smiling. I returned the smile, brushing my thumb against his lower lip.

Suddenly, he turned us over so that he was hovering over me. He was gentle as he laid his body on mine. His weight was comforting, familiar. My heart stuttered in my chest as he ran his hand down the curve of my body, igniting a trail of goosebumps in his wake.

He pushed my shirt up, tossing it to the floor before he pushed my sweats down. He was careful, his actions deliberate as he removed the last barrier of clothing between us. His hands traced over my bare skin. He looked me in the eyes with an intensity that took my breath away.

"God, you're beautiful," he murmured. He lowered his head, pressing soft kisses along my collarbone. I arched into him, moaning softly at the contact.

"Zayn," I whispered, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss. All I wanted was him, all of him.

His lips moved against mine. It was familiar yet new. It felt different. The love we had for each other was at the forefront, heightening the passion. He broke away from the kiss to trail down my neck, nipping lightly before soothing the spot with his tongue. His hands were everywhere, touching, exploring every inch of me. It was overwhelming and intoxicating.

Every stroke, every touch, every whisper of his breath on my skin drove me wild. His actions were not hurried or lust driven. They were filled with adoration and endearment that made my heart flutter.

"I love you," he murmured, his lips ghosting over my stomach. His voice was husky, filled with raw emotion.

"I love you too," I murmured back, my fingers tracing the contours of his back.

We were lost in each other. Zayn's touch was electrifying, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through me. Emotions overwhelmed me, happiness, love, relief. A weight had been lifted. We were finally together, finally reconnected after so long apart. This moment was the beginning of something beautiful.

He rose up on his elbows and reached between us. He guided his erection to my opening. I gasped as he slowly pushed inside.

He was attuned to my reactions, pausing when I tensed, encouraging me to relax. He whispered sweet words of love into my ear. He pushed deeper until he was fully sheathed within me.

It felt divine, intimate and carnal all at once. We moved together in perfect synchrony. We had done this so many times, but tonight felt different. I could feel our hearts and souls stitching together. Each thrust brought me closer to the edge. His steady rhythm matched the wild beat of my heart. His soft groans and whispered encouragements spurred me on.

A sense of joy washed over me as I realized how much I'd missed being together like this. It wasn't just the sex that I'd missed but the intimacy, the connection, the understanding that we shared between us.

His fingers dug into my hips as he increased his pace. The sensation built up, wave after wave, until it was impossible to hold back any longer. A low growl ripped through him as he reached his climax, our bodies trembling together in ecstasy.

As the waves of pleasure subsided, he collapsed onto me, our sweat-slicked bodies clinging together. Our hearts pounded in unison, our breaths coming out ragged and uneven.

"God, Marigold," he breathed out against my neck, planting small kisses along my skin. "I don't ever want to be without you again."

I buried my fingers in his hair and held him closer, reveling in the feel of his love, so raw, so real. "I never want to be without you either," I whispered.

"Come back to New York for Christmas," he said.

I sighed. "I can't. No, not can't . I want to spend it with my dad. I can't leave him alone on Christmas. Not when we've already made plans."

"I understand," he said, his hand sliding up and down my arm. "How about New Year's?"

I smiled. "I would love that."

Our lips met once more. Things seemed right for the first time in a long while. He intertwined our fingers, bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss against my knuckles. The gesture was so sweet and so sincere that it brought tears to my eyes. I let him pull me closer, nestling into his side as he tightened the arm around my waist.

"We should get under the covers," I said. "It's getting a little nippy."

He chuckled. "Agreed."

We climbed under the blankets and cuddled together. I felt complete.