“Yes, I should have.” He scans the kitchen for the refrigerator and places the ice cream in the freezer. “You’re taking on too much, Aly. You need to accept help every now and then.”
“I could have taken care of it myself.”
He peers down at me.
The thoughtfulness in his gaze rakes over me in warm, wonderful pleasure. He closes his eyes briefly, sighing. “That’s not the point, Aly. Yes, you can take care of things on your own. But that doesn’t mean you should. You’ve spent so much of your life being the adult, being the one who takes care of everyone in your life, that you don’t know how to simply enjoy something for yourself for a change.”
“So what am I supposed to do?” I ask. “What am I supposed to work toward now?”
His eyes narrow, confused. “What you’ve been working toward. Getting your organization up and running.”
“I need funding for that.”
“You have it. At least part of it,” he explains. “Marianne just confirmed it this morning. All the paperwork has already been drawn up for the business, we just need to wait for its approval as a non-profit.”
“And what about volunteers?” Even as I’m saying it, I realize how foolish it sounds.
Zach smiles. “Well, I happen to know a guy. He might even be persuaded to teach you a few things in the process.”
“Really?” I tease. “He sounds great. When do I get to meet him?”
A low grumble ripples through Zach’s throat. His hand grips me by the waist and tugs me up against him. “I’ll see what his availability looks like. His schedule just recently opened up, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
I laugh. “I see.”
His eyes fall to my lips, and I struggle to grasp my breath. Every doubt in my mind that this man is meant for me fades away beneath his embrace. “I don’t want to do it all for you, Aly. I promise I’ll only offer as much help as you need. But I also won’t promise to sit back and let you take it all upon yourself. We do this together. Whatever we do, I just want to do it with you.”
“Okay.” My smile widens uncontrollably. “It’s a deal.”
He inclines his head closer to me. “So, do we shake on it?”
“I have a better idea.” I loop my arms around his neck and draw his lips down over mine. The moment our mouths meet, I know this is where I want to spend the rest of my life. Tucked away in this man’s embrace, falling into the endless longing of his gaze.
“Aly, I love you,” he whispers against my mouth.
I nearly crumble hearing the words. I’m already so weak, losing all feeling in my body, that the only thing supporting me at this moment are his arms around me. Then he delivers a blow like that to my system. How am I ever supposed to recover?
“Zach, I…”
I love you. But this will never work.
I pull away, still in his arms but far enough to keep my head clear. “We come from two completely different worlds. I don’t belong in the social sphere with investors and multi-millionaires, or blonde goddesses who look like they’ve been plucked straight out of a magazine.”
His eyes soften, and he inclines his head toward mine. “Neither do I. Just say the word, and it will never be a part of lives again.”
“You can’t change who you are. Even if you never go to another party, won’t they track you down? Check in on you?”
A laugh ripples through his chest.
The smile on his lips kindles a series of wicked thoughts I quickly fight back. “It’s the media, Aly. Not convicted criminals I sold out to the feds. Besides, you’ve already started your own networking with powerful business figureheads.”
His words surprise me. Haven’t I been networking with rich millionaires interested in supporting my organization? Isn’t that what Marianne has been prepping me for all this time? I’ve already been learning how to navigate through his world, how to manage conversations with powerful people who can make or break my dreams for the future. If I can do this for a charity I’m passionate about, shouldn’t I be able to do this for the man I love?
“You belong in this world as much as anyone does,” Zach adds. “You belong with me.”
I nod, suddenly finding the strength and confidence within myself to take what I want.
I deserve this life. I deserve all the things I’ve worked for years to have.