Collide (12 page)

Zayne nods and then walks to the counter to place our order while I pick a little booth on the far left hand side of the room. I stare out of the dark tinted windows trying to regulate my breathing when he slides into the booth across from me.

“I hope water is okay.” He says, sitting a bottle of water in front of me.

“Waters perfect.” I say, screwing off the cap and taking a long gulp. I am so completely nervous that I have no idea what to do with myself so I take another drink, just trying to buy myself some time.

“So tell me about this new job.” He says, leaning forward on his elbows, a curious expression on his face.

At first I consider lying but then I decide against it. What's the point anyways? It's not like it really matters if he knows or not. “I'm going to be playing music at a bar four nights a week.” I say proudly, not missing the surprised look on his face.

“That's awesome Grace. Where at?” He asks and I shake my head. No way in hell I am telling him where. That's all I need is for him to show up one night. Again, it's one thing to play in front of strangers. Playing in front of Zayne would be damn near impossible. I doubt I could remember one damn thing with his dazzling blue eyes on me.

“You're really not going to tell me?” He asks in disbelief.

“Nope.” I say, shaking my head again. “Besides, last time I checked we aren't friends so why do you even care?” The words I am thinking make their way from my mouth and I cringe at my own boldness.

“Fair enough.” He says, breaking his eyes away from mine to stare out of the window for a moment. At first I'm afraid I have offended him but then a small smile turns up the corners of his mouth and his eyes find mine again.

“And I only said I couldn't be your friend.” He says, the smile disappearing. His eyes burn holes through me and I find it impossible not to squirm under the intensity. “Because I don't just want to be your friend Grace. I want so much more than that.” His words bleed seduction and I take a shaky inhale trying to calm the storm that is now raging inside of me.

I don't know what to say so I just sit there, looking at him. It takes everything I have not to launch myself over the table and into his arms but luckily a freckled face teenager shows up with our pizza and the moment is over.

He doesn't say anymore on the subject and we spend the duration of our meal talking about him and Alec's business. I have always been very curious about what exactly they do. I mean, I know they develop applications for smart phones and tablets but what kind of apps and how one goes about creating them is unknown to me.

Zayne is very open with me and tells me all about the process, though I don't understand most of it. From what I gather, Alec is more of the creator, supplying the ideas for the apps while Zayne is the tech. He's the one who actually turns Alec's ideas into a reality. It seems like they have a pretty good system set up and I can tell by Zayne's reaction to my curiosity that he loves what they do.

By the end of our meal I have eaten extremely too much veggie pizza and my alcohol buzz has officially left the building. While it feels good to have some sense of reality again, it's also a lot harder to face Zayne when I am completely sober. He makes me feel so many things all at once that my mind has a hard time trying to process it all and I usually end up coming across as a complete idiot. Or at least that's how I feel. He just has this way of making me feel like I am not worthy to be in his presence and it has nothing to do with anything that he does or says, it's just him.

Just as we are rounding the corner to my apartment building my phone sounds an incoming text message. I pull it out of the back pocket of my jeans and click on my messages. It's from Emma telling me that her and Carver headed out to grab a bite to eat and would be back later. It dawns on me that I never told Carver I was leaving but apparently he assumed I had after I never came upstairs.

Suddenly the knowledge that my apartment is now completely roommate free for at least the next hour, my mind swirls with possibilities. Zayne walks me to the front door and before he can react, I blurt out. “Do you want to come up for a few?” Immediately feeling embarrassed to have asked.

“Aren't your roommates home?” He asks and I don't miss the jab he's taking with his words. Clearly he's not buying the best friend/roommate scenario with Carver.

“Carver and Emma went to grab a bite to eat. They won't be back for a little while.” I say, regretting my decision to even bring this up.

“I probably shouldn't.” He says, pulling the door open for me, his eyes never finding mine.

“Oh, okay. Yeah, no biggie.” I try to brush it off but it sounds forced and I doubt that he believes a word I am sputtering out.

“I'll see you later. Thanks for dinner.” I breeze past him through the door.

“Grace.” His voice halts me after no more than a couple of steps and I hesitantly turn to see him walking through the door towards me. “I'm sorry. I would love to come up for a few. If that's still okay?” He asks, throwing me an apologetic look.

“Yeah, okay.” I say, trying to sound as casual as possible. I lead him to the elevators along the far right wall of the first floor. His hand falls to the small of my back as he ushers me inside but this time I am prepared for the electricity that sears my skin on contact.

The ride up in the elevator is one of the most intense and uncomfortable moments I have ever experienced. The air thickening the second the doors close behind us, making it seem difficult to breath. I can tell by the way Zayne's eyes avoid mine that he's feeling it too. Like at the restaurant, it takes everything I have not to close the tiny distance between us but I refrain. I've embarrassed myself enough in front of him for a lifetime already, no need to add to the countless things I wish I could take back.

I watch the buttons light up as we pass each floor just trying to distract myself. I can feel Zayne's eyes on me, crawling over my body. Every inch of my skin prickles as his eyes travel across my flesh.

Out of the corner of my eye I see him move and before I have a chance to really react, his hands are on me. “Zayne, what are you....” My sentence gets cut off as he pushes me back into the wall and his lips crash down on mine.

The intensity of his lips on mine, of his intoxicating scent overtakes all of my senses and I struggle to do something as natural as breathe. Within seconds the elevator jerks to a stop and the doors slide open. Zayne doesn't give me a chance to react to anything going on around me as he hoists my body up, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.

“Keys.” He growls against my lips.

“Front pocket.” I pant out, pulling him impossibly close to me and running my tongue across his lower lip. I can feel his rapid breath on my cheek as he reaches between us and manages to pull my keys from my pocket.

I don't have time to question how he knows which apartment is mine. The second he pushes us through the door, he slams it and pins my body against the hard wood, grinding his hips upwards so that I can feel his arousal through my jeans.

I moan out, having never felt anything like this before in my life. I mean sure, I have found my own means of satisfaction, I am twenty-two after all and I am not immune to sexual needs but its never been anything even close to the fire I feel burning through every inch of my flesh.

“Zayne.” I pant against his mouth, not wanting him to stop but needing at least a second to process what the hell is going on here.

“No Grace. I want you. I have wanted you from the first moment I saw you. I am done fighting it. I want you dammit.” He growls against my mouth before dropping his lips to my neck, slowly licking and nipping at my flesh.

“I want you too.” I grind out, barely able to form words. “God I want you.” I say again, pulling his head back to me and smashing my lips against his.

“Bedroom?” He growls, his voice thick.

“To the left, last room.” I say, gripping his hair and pulling his lips to mine again. I don't know how but he manages to get us all the way to my room without even so much as a stumble, his lips never leaving mine but he does.

When he kicks my bedroom door shut behind him and slides the lock into place, the fire that has been slowly building in my veins erupts into an inferno. Every touch feels too hot, every kiss feels too intense. Everything feels like it's too much and yet it's everything that I want.

––––––––

“W
ait..... I can't do this.” Zayne breathes out, pushing himself up on his elbows to stare down at me. I'm pinned, my body pressed firmly between him and the mattress below me.

I am near naked below him, only my matching black bra and panties covering my most private areas. I cock my head to the side, questioning his ability to walk away now that he has me so ready and willing to give myself to him.

“Your first time should be more than this Grace. You mean more than this.” He says, resting his forehead against mine. “God this is so wrong on so many levels and yet....” He pauses, trailing his fingers down my cheek. “I... fuck Grace. I want you so bad.” He breathes out.

I reach up and trail my hands through his messy hair. Having my fingers running through it and pulling it for the last fifteen minutes has done nothing to the style. If nothing else, he looks even more irresistible.

“Then take me.” The words are barely audible but I know he catches them. I watch the understanding in his eyes. The moment that he realizes that I want this as much as he does.

“Fuck me, I'm going to hell for this.” He growls, taking my lips once more. I trail my hands down his back, feeling the way his muscles clench under my fingers. Grabbing the edge of his black shirt, I pull upwards and he adjusts, breaking away from my mouth just long enough for me to slip the fabric over his head.

His kisses become more intense, his lips trailing down my jawline, his teeth nibbling at the sensitive flesh of my exposed neck. He pushes himself up, his hands falling to the waistband of his pants. He unbuttons them and slowly pulls the zipper down. My eyes are focused on his incredible body. His sculpted chest and impossibly defined abs. This man makes even the hottest men look ugly in comparison.

Everything about him is perfect. From his smooth flesh, to his rippling muscles, to his tribal tattoo, that now is even sexier completely exposed to me. I trail my fingers down his chest and across his abs, committing every inch of his body to my memory.

When my eyes finally make it back to his face, I am lost. His eyes are dark, deep pools of desire, sweeping across my body like I am the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. I know it's a ridiculous thought but it's exactly how he makes me feel.

Every inch of my body burns for his touch. Every nerve ending stands to immediate attention. My entire body a ball of anticipation of what's to come. There is no thought of the consequences of my actions, only the way I feel right here and now. For in this moment, no one else exists in the world. Zayne is mine and I am his and all I want is to feel him inside of me, to give him the last remaining piece of my youth, of my innocence.

My bra and panties come off next as he slowly removes each article of clothing, his eyes never leaving my flesh as it's exposed. I feel like I should be more self conscious with his eyes staring at my naked body but I'm not. If anything, I feel sexier and more beautiful than I ever have before.

By the time his pants and boxers finally make it from his body, my stomach is twisted so tightly in knots, the thought of actually being sick crosses my mind from the nervous energy pulsing through my body. I have never been so nervous and yet wanted something so much at the same time.

Zayne gently presses his weight down on me, his lips finding mine again. Only this time, it's not the clothes ripping, can't wait another second kind of kiss. Instead, it's slow and hesitant and I can tell that he is struggling against what his body wants and what his mind believes to be wrong.

Hoping to squash some of his fears, I reach between us and wrap my fingers around his massive erection. The movement causes him to groan against my lips and moisture seeps from his tip. I take my time, studying the way he feels in my hand. It's so different and yet so very much like what I expected it to feel like at the same time.

“I want this Zayne.” I say, lightly sliding my hand from the base to the tip and back again. “I want you.” I say, finally finding his eyes. I can see the last bit of reservation crumble in front of me and him finally admit defeat. There's no turning back now. He knows it as well as I do.

“Do you have a condom?” He asks, his breath hot on my face.

“I'm on birth control.” I say, running my tongue across his lower lip. He doesn't question why I am on birth control and I am thankful to not have to explain to him that I've been on it since I was seventeen. Originally I got it knowing it was only a matter of time before Kyle and I took that last step in our relationship. When that didn't happen, I just continued to take it. Kyle's death taught me that you never know what the future holds and I wanted to be prepared. Now, I am glad I made that decision.

I guide him to my entrance and slowly run his tip inside my folds. The action causes my insides to bubble and a raged breath escapes his throat. “God Grace.” He moans out, slowly pushing forward.

I pull my hand back and run it up his side before settling on the back of his head. Gently I pull his lips down to mine and let my tongue glide across his lips before slipping into his mouth. I try to focus on the kiss. The way his mouth moves so skillfully against mine. The way he's tasting me, teasing me.

I feel an intense pressure as he slowly enters me. I grip the back of his head harder, my hands tangling in his hair as I try to calm the quake inside of me. My entire body is trembling beneath him and I don't know if it's from the intensity, the pain, or just the sheer feeling of being with him in such an intimate way. In a way that I have never given myself to someone before.

“You feel so good.” He growls against my lips as he begins moving slowly in and out. My body clenches around him as I try to accommodate his massive size. “Are you okay?” He whispers against my neck. I can't form words, a slow moan making it's way out of my mouth seems to be all the encouragement he needs as he moves into a more steady rhythm.