Chapter 17: We'll Make it Work

Jasmine

Because she didn’t see Zain the day before, Jasmine woke early the next morning and dressed in a bikini, threw on a shorts set and sandals, and was out the door at sunrise.
When she walked out, she thought she would have to wait for a while before she saw Zain, but when she looked down the beach, there he was, walking toward her a distance away. Unable to help herself, she ran toward him, and he swept her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate, hungry kiss.
“Where’s your board?” she asked, looking around when she came up for air.
He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. “Let’s get out of here... go somewhere.”
She placed her hand on his cheek as she looked into his eyes. “Zain, what’s wrong?”
He shook his head as one corner of his lips curled into a sexy smile. “Nothing. Let’s just get out of here today. Okay?”
“Yeah, sure.” A worried look colored her eyes. “I was just out for a walk. My board is still in the house. Let me get my purse, and I’ll be right back.”
He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’ll be waiting.”
“Okay.” She gently pressed her lips to his again, but he deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her. “Zain, what’s wrong? Has something happened?”
He shook his head. “We’ll talk about it when you get back.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Jasmine hurried into the house, hoping her parents weren’t up, knowing they would try to stop her from leaving. But she rushed to scribble a note and left it on the table for her mother. Then she grabbed her purse, shoved her cell phone inside, then hurried out the door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was still there, waiting for her as he had promised.
When she drew near, he held out his hand to her, and he led her down the beach toward the parking lot. “Want to go to the lighthouse?”
She nodded, smiling as she slipped her free hand around his arm and looked up. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”
A smile lit his lips, nodding as tears came to his eyes. “Let’s go.”
Jasmine was scared that maybe she shouldn’t have said that she would follow him anywhere, but it was true. She just hoped he felt the same way.
Zain opened the passenger door for her and closed it behind her once she was safely inside. A moment later, he was in the driver’s seat and made a left out of the parking lot onto the beach road.
Soon, he sat back and breathed a sigh of relief as he stretched out his arm to her. “Come here.”
Jasmine slid up next to him and laid her head on his shoulder, knowing he would tell her what was wrong when he was ready. The most important thing was how they felt about each other. Even though she had only known him a month, it felt like a lifetime.
Zain had already ruined her for all other men. If things didn’t work out between them, she’d never recover. For the rest of her life, she would compare all other men to Zain, already knowing that none would measure up.
He leaned his head against hers, and they rode in silence down the ocean road until the lighthouse came into view. He pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine. “Ready?”
She nodded, but caught his arm. “Zain, you know you can talk to me about anything. Right?”
He nodded as he placed his hand on her cheek, and his lips descended upon hers in a passionate kiss. She opened for him, taking him in as he pulled her to him, unable to get enough. She pulled back a moment later, stopping him before things got too far out of hand.
“Zain, no,” she breathed against his lips. “Not like this.”
He nodded as he pulled away. “I’m so sorry.” He took a deep breath as he looked over the hood of his truck at the ocean. “Want to go for a walk?”
“If you’ll tell me what’s wrong.”
His head snapped up. “We have to talk.”
Jasmine’s heart sank. Was he telling her that he couldn’t date her anymore? That it was over before it had even begun? “Zain, you’re scaring me.”
He smiled as he placed his hand on her cheek and looked into her eyes. “Jasmine, do you trust me?”
She nodded slowly. “You know I do.”
“Then come on.” He motioned with his head toward the ocean.
She slid her purse under the seat, out of view from passersby, and slid out of the truck on his side. She hoped she wouldn’t need her cell phone to have someone come and get her. But if Zain broke up with her, she’d just walk back to the condo along the beach. It would take her a while, but she would need the time to compose herself before seeing her parents anyway.
Zain took her hand and led her down the beach, headed toward the lighthouse, holding her hand. “My mother doesn’t want me to see you anymore.”
She gasped, swallowing the lump in her throat. “And what do you want to do?”
Zain pulled her to a stop and looked into her eyes. “I’m not planning to stop seeing you unless that’s what you want.”
“Never,” she breathed. “Zain, I know we haven’t known each other long, and I don’t want to scare you off, but I love you.”
He nodded, placing his hand on her cheek as tears filled his eyes. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Jasmine, you haven’t dated any other guy—”
“And I don’t need to,” she replied, shaking her head. “I don’t know how we’re going to be able to work this out, but we will.”
Zain pulled her to his chest, breathing in her scent. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He held her close for a few moments and then released her. “But when you go away to college, I want you to date other guys—”
“No!” She pulled away abruptly. “Are you saying that you don’t want me?”
“No!” he yelled, scrunching up his nose, looking at her as if she were the last crazy person on earth. “I’ll be away at college, and so will you. I just don’t know how it’ll work out.”
“Zain, do you want to make it work between us?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
A smile lit her lips as she placed her hand on his cheek. “Then it will.”