Chapter 82: Deliberate Intimacy
I kept coughing, and the air between us grew awkward. Zachary moved closer, his hand gently patting my back. To anyone watching, we must have looked like a couple.
That small gesture warmed me. If I could spend my life with someone this thoughtful and gentle, even without love, maybe that would be enough.
I looked up and gave him a faint smile. My feelings toward him had softened, but it was only fondness, not the kind of heartbeat-skipping love that makes you lose control.
"You can’t drink? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let you order wine."
Zachary’s voice held guilt, his brows drawn together.
"I’m fine. Just choked a little, that’s all."
Before I could say more, a familiar figure appeared in the doorway. My breath caug
