Chapter 22: Staking Her Claim

Zain

Zain kissed the top of her head, smiling. “Why don’t we do this? Let’s spend the summer together and not worry about the future. Then we’ll see what happens in the fall.”
Jasmine nodded. “But in the meantime, we’ll need to earn money, just in case we decide to go to Las Vegas.”
He chuckled, one corner of his lips curling into a sexy smile. “You’re really considering doing this?”
She shrugged. “Yes, why not?”
He took her hand and leaned against the door, pulling her to him. “But don’t you want to save yourself for someone you love?”
“I have.”
Understanding dawned on him as he leaned in close, placing his finger under her chin. “I love you, too.” Then he pressed his lips to hers, and she opened for him, taking him in as he heart pounded. He pulled her across his lap, cradling her in his arms as he deepened the kiss.
Her breath quickened as she started to squirm in his arms. He forced himself to pull back, breathless. He wanted to be careful with her and didn’t want their first time to be in a car. “Let’s go.”
She nodded, sitting up. “I don’t want to go.”
“Neither do I.” He placed his hand on the side of her head and gave her one last sweet kiss. “But we need to stop. After all, I’m still a man.” As he watched her, he had never wanted another woman as badly in his life as he wanted her at this moment.
Jasmine nodded, smiling. “Let’s go. We can talk about it inside.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you’re actually considering this. It was just one of Raphael’s hair-brained schemes.”
Hurt appeared in her eyes. “So, you don’t want to?”
“Yes, of course, I do!” He smiled as he looked into her eyes. “But if I marry you, I want it to be forever. I don’t think I can divorce you on Monday.” One corner of his lips curled into a devilish grin. “I may just have to steal you away.”
She burst out laughing. “I’m counting on it.” Then she motioned with her head toward the restaurant. “Come on. Let’s go. Let’s just have fun this summer, and we can talk about it before we go off to college.”
He nodded, smiling. “I guess you’re right. Wait here.” But as he got out of the car, walked around to her side, and opened her door, he knew it was much more serious than that for him.
It would be all he would be able to think about for the rest of the summer. He took her hand and helped her out of his truck, and then placed his hand on her back, walking her in.
What was he doing? He was so close to graduating and having everything he had always wanted, but when he met Jasmine, his world shifted in an instant. Now, she was his world and baseball, and his career were second.
But that was a dangerous road to go down. He needed to keep his promise to his father, above all else. And if they were going to be together, he wanted to have a career that paid well enough to support a wife and family. He just didn’t want to lose her in the process.
“Hello, and welcome to the Pizza Palace!” a waitress greeted them at the door when they walked in. She reached for two menus from the box on the side of the hostess stand. “Two for dinner?”
Zain nodded. “Yes, please.”
The waitress looked him over quickly with interest, but he wasn’t interested in anyone but the woman by his side, Jasmine. He had never fallen so hard for anyone in his life... if ever. He made a mental note to kill Raphael later for putting this crazy idea in his head.
But if they did get married on a Friday, could he actually bring himself to divorce her on Monday? Deep down, he knew he would never let her go if she were his. But whether they were married or not, she was permanently engraved on his heart. Whether she knew it or not, she had left her mark on his heart forever.
“Will this be okay?” the waitress asked, batting her eyes at Zain as she placed the menus on the table.
Jasmine smirked. “It’s fine, thanks.” Then, she reached over and held his hand. “Is it okay with you, dear?”
The waitress frowned.
Zain smirked, knowing exactly what she was doing and why she was laying it on thick. He liked that Jasmine was staking her claim on him in front of this other woman. “It’s great! Thanks.” Then he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, never taking his eyes from hers.
“What would you like to drink?” the waitress asked flatly, her smile and all pretenses gone.
“Coke Zero for me,” Jasmine replied, never taking her eyes off Zain.
“Pepsi for me, please,” Zain said, looking into Jasmine’s eyes. He let her hand go, knowing they had made their point. But he liked public displays of affection with Jasmine, even though he never had before.
The waitress scribbled something down on her notepad. “Do you know what you’d like for dinner, or would you like a few minutes?”
Jasmine shrugged, looking up at the waitress. “I’ll have the buffet, please.”
But Zain never took his eyes off Jasmine. “I’ll have the same.”
The young woman scribbled their order down on her notepad and tore off the sheet, capturing their attention. “You both can help yourselves to the buffet, and I’ll have your drinks to your table in just a minute.” Then she turned on her heel and walked away.
Jasmine and Zain’s eyes met, and they burst out laughing.
“I like it when you’re jealous.” Zain laughed as he slipped out of the booth and waited for her.
She shrugged as she walked ahead of him. “I wasn’t jealous. Just staking my claim.”
A thrill ran through Zain at her words. In the past, if any other girl had told him that, he would have run for the hills. But not now. Not with Jasmine. He had a feeling that it was never going to be over between them… not ever.