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Before Zane leaves, we arrange for him to come round to mine tomorrow night. I let myself into my house with a giddy grin on my face.

That kiss...I haven't been kissed like that in...God, I don't even know when I was last kissed like that.

I sit down on my sofa and text the girls. I want to share with them how amazing Zane is.

It's so, so different from things with Caven. I feel bad, but I really only kept seeing Caven because I was new in town and wanted to be sociable and I figured a fuck-boy like him wouldn't be fussed. I was paying for my own food or we took it in turns, I was only sponging his company, not his money.

But with Zane, there's an instant connection between us. I can't believe how quickly time went tonight. All we did was talk, but it was so good. We opened up to each other. He's the first person that I've done that to in a while.

He's healthy for me, I know it.

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'It is way too early for your smitten-kitten grin,' Pippa comments dryly when I come into the café on Saturday morning. 'You owe me a brownie because you haven't even said one word and I already feel single as fuck.'

'Sorry, Pips,' I reply happily. 'But it was amazing.'

'You're grinning like that and you didn't even have sex. This is mental.'

A customer comes in and she has to keep the conversation PG.

'What are you going to make for our author tonight?' She asks me whilst serving the customer.

'I'm not sure. I'm thinking risotto maybe.'

'I like risotto.'

'You're not coming.'

'I know, duh. But if you have leftovers?'

I roll my eyes. 'I'll bring them in.'

'That's my girl.'

Zane comes into the café at half nine. Pippa rolls her eyes and pushes me towards the cash register. Butterflies take flight in my stomach as he steps up to the counter.

'Hey, Zane.'

'Hi, Lily. Could I have an americano and a croissant, please?'

'Sure thing.'

I put through his payment. 'Are you all ready for tonight? Should I bring anything?'

I smile and shake my head. 'Only yourself.'

Zane takes his seat at his table and, a few minutes later, I bring his order over to him.

'How's the writing going?' I ask when he gestures for me to take a seat.

It's not busy and Pippa is serving the only customer.

'Better, actually,' he replies. 'Finally finished the first ten chapters.'

'Do you think I could read some of it? Or are you not at that stage yet?'

Zane seems surprised that I've asked, but then smiles.

'Um, do you want to? It's in the very first stages, so it's a rough draft.'

'I don't mind if it's rough,' I reply.

We both pause for a moment and then burst out laughing, our minds going to the same place.

'I'm talking about the book,' I add quickly.

Zane chuckles. 'Are you sure about that?'

'Well...' I trail off and we laugh again. 'Seriously, though, I'd like to read it.'

'Alright. How about I bring it round tonight?'

'Great.'

The rest of the day is uneventful. Pippa lets me get off at three o'clock. I head home and start preparing for Zane to come round.

Like him, I clean my house. It starts off with an innocent hoovering, but then I'm cleaning the surfaces, dusting and lighting candles for a couple of hours to make the place smell of hyacinths and bluebells.

I prep the food and get the oven on to warm up. When everything is ready, I go upstairs and prep myself. I choose a pair of black leggings but a pretty top this time. I tie my hair up in a bun and put in some dangly earrings.

Zane knocks on the front door at seven. When I open it, I find him holding a bouquet of, believe it or not, gerbera daisies.

'Wow, they're gorgeous!'

'They're for you,' he says, sounding almost shy.

'Thank you so much! Come in.'

I give Zane a quick tour, it doesn't take long because the place isn't very big. We end up in the kitchen, where I put the flowers in water.

Zane declines the offer of wine and I get him a glass of lemonade instead. I join him, not wanting to drink alone.

'I've had a headache since this morning,' he explains. 'I think it was from writing too much. I wrote another five chapters after I left the café. Anyway, I think alcohol will only make it worse.'

'Yeah, it probably would. Do you want some pain killers?'

I grab him a couple of aspirin and then serve up dinner. We eat in my little kitchen. During the meal, Zane tells me about his ideas for his new book. He's been working on the idea for a few months, but only recently got round to putting pen to paper, so to speak.

He helps me clear away after we've eaten. I suggest that we move through to the living room, as it's more comfortable. Zane gets out his laptop so that I can read the first chapter of his book.

As I start reading through it, Zane wanders around the living room. He looks at my things on the shelves and skims the titles of my books that I've bought over the years.

'This is really good,' I murmur, still engrossed in chapter seven.

Zane goes particularly quiet and then chuckles. I look up to see what he is laughing about and freeze when I see his book in his hand.

The book that I bought last week. The book that I read and then leant to Pippa. The book that Pippa gave back to me today.

It was sitting at the top of my handbag, which Zane is stood next to. I forgot to put it away on the shelf. I guess he would have seen it anyway.

'You bought my book?' He asks incredulously.

I can feel my face getting warmer. Great.

'Um, yeah. Pippa mentioned you were an author before we met and I was curious.'

Zane comes over and sits on the opposite sofa. 'What did you think?' He asks interestedly.

Put on the spot like this, I know that my face is bright red.

'I, um, I-'

All I can think about is the chemistry between the two leads. So similar to the chemistry between Zane and I.

'I loved the relationship between the leads,' I tell him when I finally find my voice. 'Their chemistry...you wrote it so well.'

He nods and looks down at the book in his hands.

'I'm surprised it came out that well, I'll be honest. I haven't felt strongly for anyone in a long time. I didn't think I knew how to write relationships, but this one just sort of flowed.'

'Their attraction to each other is palpable, you really wrote them well.'

He looks up and meets my eyes. 'Thank you. I, um, I sometimes think that you remind me of her.'

'I remind you of who?'

His cheeks turn pink and he drops his gaze. 'Lara. The lead.'

'I remind you of Lara?' I blurt out. 'Really?'

'Yeah, sometimes.'

'Does that make you Horatio?'

He looks embarrassed and laughs awkwardly. 'I don't know. I guess.'

It's quiet for a moment and he looks up to meet my eyes again.

'I feel like we have the same chemistry between us,' he says.

I find myself nodding in agreement. 'Yes.'

His eyes never leave mine. They're drawing me in.

'The same palpable tension,' he says as he stands up.

I watch him approach me. 'Yes,' I agree softly.

He sits down on the sofa next to me. Our thighs touch.

'The same undeniable attraction,' he murmurs.

His eyes drop to my lips and I lick them. He takes his laptop from my lap, closes it and places it on the coffee table.

'But, I didn't finish reading it-'

'Doesn't matter,' Zane mutters and reaches up to hold the back of my neck with his hand. 'Right now, I just want to kiss you.'

I can't argue with that.

His lips close over mine and my eyes fall shut. My hands find his shirt and grip the material. His free hand slips around my waist and pulls me against him.

We kiss on my sofa, our lips moving in perfect sync with one another. He kisses me with confidence and control, dominating my mouth in the best possible away. I resist a moan when our tongues touch, he tastes incredible.

He tilts his head and deepens the kiss, sending desire racing through me. I want to feel more of him. My hands explore the muscular plains under his shirt. I slide my hands over his chest and shoulders, feeling the bunched muscles underneath.

His lips leave mine and he kisses down my jaw, to my neck. He grazes his teeth along the sensitive skin, making me shiver.

'Zane,' I moan his name when he sucks on my neck. 'I want you.'

He pulls back and meets my eyes.

'Are you sure? I don't want to rush you.'

I reach up and cup his face, running my thumbs over his smooth cheeks. 'I'm sure.'

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