Chapter 607 A Kiss Is No Big Deal
Zachary mumbled defensively, "You kissed me first."
He just couldn't hold back.
He was supposed to take Winona home that night, but knowing her situation with the Sullivan family, he worried that if anyone saw her drunk, they'd give her a hard time. So, he took her to a hotel instead.
After laying Winona on the bed, Zachary lowered his gaze, his eyes falling on her delicate features. Her hazy eyes and flushed cheeks from the alcohol made him momentarily dazed. By the time he snapped out of it, Winona's arms were already around his neck.
Winona's eyes were half-closed, her bright eyes sparkling like stars.
She tilted her head up, her full, moist lips inching closer to his. Zachary could smell the sweet scent of fruit wine on her breath and the peachy fragrance of her shampoo.
Could he have avoided it?
Sure, if he wanted to. It wouldn't have taken much effort.
Her arms around his neck were so weak that a slight movement would have made them slide off. Yet, they felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, so heavy that even with all his willpower, he could only watch himself lower his head and kiss the lips he had longed for countless times.
Zachary didn't know if Winona mistook him for Matthew or if she was just drunk and acting on impulse. But either way, she had made the first move.
He had always wanted her, and now that she was so close, he couldn't bear to push her away.
Because when they were sober, they barely knew each other.
At the birthday party, he was just another decoration to her, less noticeable than the microphone.
Winona hadn't expected Zachary to say something so significant. She fell silent.
When she woke up the next day, she only saw two hickeys on her neck and had no memory of the previous night. Now, hearing Zachary say she made the first move, she had to accept it. "I was young then. Are you some kind of beast?"
"You were an adult," Zachary pointed out, seeing her face darken. "I just kissed you, didn't do anything else."
Winona was speechless, wanting to get angry, but given their current relationship, a kiss didn't seem like a big deal.
And now knowing it wasn't Matthew who kissed her, she felt somewhat relieved.
But she knew it wasn't that simple.
Winona asked, "Why didn't you tell me afterward?"
Even a hint would have prevented her from finding out about Zachary's feelings only after their divorce. They might have been together sooner, avoiding many detours.
Zachary asked, "Tell you what?"
"That you..."
Wanted me to be your girlfriend, or that you liked me.
But Winona stopped herself. If Zachary had pursued her back then, she wouldn't have agreed. She would have distanced herself to avoid any misunderstanding with Matthew.
Zachary chuckled, "You wouldn't have agreed. You'd have distanced yourself because of my relationship with Matthew. I wouldn't even be a decoration to you."
"What decoration?" Winona didn't understand his last sentence, but the first was enough to soften her heart.
He was supposed to be a privileged golden boy, yet he seemed so pitiful.
Sensing her softening attitude, Zachary quickly took her hand. "Winona, I wanted to tell you back then, even after turning eighteen, becoming an adult, you can still cry if you want. If you're angry or sad, don't hold it in."
"If someone upsets you, cry it out and then tell me. I'll stand up for you."
It was the first time someone told her that even as an adult, she could cry and not suppress her feelings.
Warmth filled Winona's eyes. She pressed her lips together, taking several seconds to control her emotions. She didn't need a mirror; she could see her slightly red eyes reflected in Zachary's pupils.
"I can stand up for myself. I don't need your help."
"I know," Zachary said, ruffling her hair. "My Winona is very strong."
Winona fell silent.
She quickly pushed his hand off her head. "You should go. I have to work."
"How about I stay? You do your job, and I'll just watch. Pretend I'm a regular tourist. I promise not to interfere."
"You're not interested in this stuff. Why tag along? The others are all seniors. How will they see me if you do this?"
Seeing her serious attitude, Zachary dropped the playful tone and spoke honestly. "I'm afraid if I leave, I won't be able to find you. I've called you so many times. Did you block me again?"
Winona explained, "My phone got water damaged. It won't turn on."
"Let me buy you a new one. Any preference?"
"The same model as before."
"Okay."
Knowing Winona hadn't ignored his calls on purpose, Zachary left happily.
Winona watched him walk out of the museum before turning to find her colleagues. The seniors were all friendly and easy to get along with. When they saw her, they teased, "Mr. Bailey seems so aloof, but he's quite clingy. Couldn't bear to be apart for just two days."
"My phone got water damaged and shut off. He couldn't reach me and was probably worried something happened."
The team leader chimed in, "Mr. Bailey contacted me earlier. He knew we arrived safely at the hotel and had no work scheduled for the first day, just resting and adjusting to the time difference."
Winona fell silent.
"Oh." The others dragged out the word, teasing her with knowing looks.
After some playful banter, everyone got back to work. The museum was large, and they were thorough, so it wasn't until closing time that they reluctantly left. They had only seen four of the six exhibits.
As they stepped outside, the cold wind made Winona shiver. She pulled her coat tighter, put on her hat, and buried her face in her scarf.
With her hunched shoulders and hands in her pockets, she looked like a bundled-up little bird.
Their pre-arranged car was stuck in traffic, and Rosewood City was notoriously hard to get a cab in. The streets were full of cars, but none were empty. The team leader had considered renting a car, but none of them had an international driver's license.
Just as Winona thought she might freeze to death on this foreign street, a car pulled up in front of her. Zachary got out and walked over, instinctively reaching for her hand.
Her hand was like ice in his palm, and Zachary frowned. "Didn't you book a car?"
"We did, but it's stuck in traffic." Winona's teeth chattered as she spoke, so she quickly closed her mouth.
Zachary shook his head, "Come on, let's get you warmed up." He led her to the car, opening the door for her. "Hop in, I'll take you back."
Winona hesitated for a moment, then nodded, grateful for the warmth. "Thanks, Zachary."
"No problem," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Let's get you out of this cold."
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