The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway

Book 1 Chapter 19 

At first, we barely talk, both of us too engrossed in our meal. 

‘I can‘t remember the last time I enjoyed a meal so much, this is delicious, I tell him honestly, embar rassed when I realize I‘ve eaten twice as fast as him. I attempt to slow down but it‘s very hard when it tastes this good. 

‘Thank you, my dad taught me to cook,‘ he says, and our conversation turns onto the family. 

An hour later, and the empty plates have been sat in front of us for ages, but we‘ve been talking too much to clear them. I dry the dishes and pans as Jayce washes and places them on the dryer. With our team effort, we‘re finished pretty quickly. 

I watch, lost in thought, as he moves easily around his kitchen, putting everything away. Tonight he has been a completely different person, the person he obviously is. The standoffish, cold persona he adopt ed since we first met was an act he was using to protect us both from himself. I‘m so glad we‘re past all that now. 

| glance out of the window and the rain is still hurtling down, although now it has been joined by fre quent bolts of lightning that light up the sky every few minutes. 

‘It hasn‘t rained like this in ages,’ I mutter as I look out the window, the rain is falling so fast and dense you can barely see the end of his garden. 

‘I don‘t want you driving in this weather‘ I tell him, thinking of that mud road we arrived on, he‘ll proba bly get his car stuck. 

will you get home?‘ He asks and I

out?‘ I suggest, and

a film if you want, he offers and whilst he pours us some more drinks, I flick through the

sofa. Just having him sat in such close proximity to me

fallen asleep, Jayce has taken my

silently praying

movie, he teases, sitting down next to me. I look over at

over tonight if you want,‘ he says, and I raise an

I reply, trying to work out whether I think it‘s a good

to sleep in, and I‘ll drop you home tomorrow when the rain has stopped, he replies, and I consider

manage to come up with is, ‘I don‘t

he suggests and again, I find

sensible,‘ I comment, and he smirks

so soft, he replies, taking me by surprise by rubbing his cheek against mine to prove his point, making me giggle. He stops, but doesn‘t pull away, and his eyes drop to my lips. I barely have time to react as his lips press against mine, but

are posi tioned on the outside of his, my hands tugging gently on his hair as his large hands squeeze