Page 45 of Abandoned

He knocked again. But still no answer. He should have known better. Zara was too much of an introvert to answer her door if she didn’t know who it was.

He pulled out his phone and sent her a quick one-handed text.

Less than a minute later, the door opened and revealed a disheveled Zara. Her hair was half falling out of her ponytail. Her shorts were crooked. And her tank top—

This was a bad idea. “Did I wake you? I’m sorry.” He lifted her smoothie out of the tray and held it out to her.

She took it. “No worries. I was lying in bed telling myself I should get up. The last two nights have been so late, I might as well have worked a double. Come on in.”

The alarm was beeping.

“And turn that thing off, if you would.”

He chuckled. After closing the door, he punched in the code.

She flopped on the couch and sipped her strawberry-banana smoothie. “You remembered. I’m impressed.”

He sat at the other end facing her, but he kept having to divert his eyes. Her top was a little skimpier than he could handle right now. Temptation flared. The smoothie was not cold enough.

He set it down and grabbed the afghan from the back of the couch and wrapped it around Zara’s shoulders.

She gave him a confused look. “Thanks. But I wasn’t cold.”

“I know, but help me stay an honest man.”

She glanced down at her chest. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t even—” She pulled the front of her tank up, but it couldn’t cover everything. “How about I go throw a T-shirt on?”

He sat back down. “It’d be less distracting. I’d rather talk to you than think about the things we can’t do yet.”

She stood. “Yet?”

He grabbed her hand as she walked by. “We get married, and you’re welcome to wear that tank top anytime you want.”

Her face flushed, probably reaching the heat of his own.

He let go of her hand, and she disappeared into the bedroom. When she came back, she was wearing a T-shirt from their church.

“Better choice?” Her attempt at a straight face fell short.

He laughed. “Yeah, that should help. But maybe not as much as a cold shower.”

“I do need to take a shower.”

“Zara!”

She fell to the couch, laughing. “This is so bizarre, I can’t even. Never in my life has this type of conversation been a thing.”

“No sexual tension?”

“No. No delayed gratification. But for some reason I can’t quite understand, this is better. I know that you’re here right now, not to try and get into my bedroom, but to hang out and talk. I actually feel respected. I’ve never felt that from a boyfriend before.”

“Boyfriend? You still want to be my girlfriend?”

“I really do.”

His heart swelled. “Good.” He scooted closer to the center of the couch, and she matched his movement, putting them knee to knee.

“But are you sure you want damaged goods like me? I’m not the perfect little homeschooled girl your mom probably has dreamed up for you.”