Page 119 of To Tango, with Desire

Slipping out of bed, I made my way downstairs and out the back door. A light drizzle had continued through the night, and I tilted my face to the dark sky, letting the rain wash over me. Taking my time, I wandered down to the gazebo, my eyes adjusting to the dark.

The weather was shifting, and while it was still a bit chilly, the beginnings of spring could be seen in the trees and plants. I could feel it in the air, the cold not as biting or long-lasting. The days ever so slightly warmer. The nights still cool.

It was supposed to be a time of rebirth, of renewal. It was cruel to die in spring.

I sat on the cushioned seat, running my hand over the soft material. I sat like that for I didn’t know how long in a half-trance, awake but sleep-addled.

“You’ll catch a chill out here.”

I started, looking up at Zane, who stood in his boxers, bare torso wet from the rain.

“I needed some air.”

“Bad dream?”

I shivered. “Can’t seem to shake it.”

Zane picked up the blankets in the wicker basket, shaking them out. He wrapped the cool material around me, then sat down.

“I’m sorry, Amira.”

I glanced at his profile, making out his features in the dark.

“For what?”

“For everything. We never really resolved our fight, but it’s been on my mind. I should have told you about meeting up with Chloe. I didn’t want you to think something was going on between us so I kept it secret. I didn’t want to stress you out with it, which is stupid because not telling you just made everything even more stressful. But you need to know, there isn’t anything between Chloe and me and there never will be again. I’m sorry for not telling you.”

I studied the silent plea in his eyes, and I accepted that he’d screwed up, that he wanted to make amends.

“I accept your apology.”

But I could tell there was more he wanted to say. Funny how I was able to discern the subtle shifts in his expression, to know what he was feeling. Perhaps we’d made more progress than I’d initially thought. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Zane’s shoulders hunched over, his eyes bleak. “I have all this.” He looked at the house then back at me. “And I still couldn’t save him.”

“Zane . . .” I was shocked by his admission. “It’s not your fault. You made sure he had the best care. You gave him a chance where there hadn’t been one before. He wouldn’t have been able to see Emmy born or us get married without your support.” With the specialists, Dad had been given a different medication, one that didn’t have so many horrible side effects. It had been a temporary measure until his surgery, but one that had helped him. “You were able to talk to him, to get through to him when I couldn’t. His quality of life, hell, even his physical fitness had improved. Because of you.”

It was only now that I was beginning to appreciate just how much of an impact Zane had on our lives. How many billionaires personally accompanied their father-in-law to physiotherapy sessions? Or doctor’s appointments? How many billionaires took the time to visit their in-laws regularly? When it came down to it, Zane had cared for my parents, offering more than just financial support.

“Amira, I promised you I would do everything I could to help your dad. I know what it’s like to lose family, and nothing I say will help, but I’m here for you. I want you to know that.”

He squeezed my thigh, and even though the gesture was reassuring, it sparked a need inside me that I couldn’t seem to understand. Something was building. I couldn’t make sense of it, but beneath all that sorrow, there was . . . what?

What was this fluttery sensation in my chest? This energy that made me feel like I was floating?

“Zane,” I whispered, allowing the blanket to slip off my shoulders.

I climbed onto his lap, straddling him. The warmth of his hands seeped through my thin nightdress. I kissed him slowly, savoring the sensation of his tongue sliding against mine.

“Zane,” I urged, gasping when he broke the kiss.

“Tell me what you need.”

His hands slipped under my dress, caressing my spine.

“You.” I trembled. “I need you, Zane. Now.”

He tugged down my straps, exposing my breasts.