She really believed him.

That was the scary part—she actually believed him.

"Okay," she said softly.

"Okay?" he asked.

She nodded, feeling shy as she dropped her gaze to his collarbone. "You can kiss me now... if you still want to."

Instead of replying, he lifted her chin with one finger so gently she almost didn’t feel it. His eyes held hers for a long moment, silently checking in one last time to make sure. Then he leaned in.

The first brush of his lips was soft, almost unsure, like he was asking a question. Emma’s eyes fluttered closed as she kissed him back, a small, shy reply.

He let out a low, pleased sound and moved his hands from hers to her waist, settling there like it was the most natural thing.

The warmth of his hands through her thin sundress made her shiver.

She trembled slightly—part nerves, part something deeper, something that curled low in her stomach and made her want to get even closer.

She leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.

The kiss deepened, slow and exploring. Emma forgot to be nervous; she forgot about everything else.

All that mattered was the taste of him, the warmth of his skin, and the way his thumb traced gentle circles on her hip, like he was memorizing how she felt.

When he finally pulled back, she was breathless.

"Okay?" he asked, his voice huskier than before.

Emma nodded, still close to him, her forehead resting on his chest. "Yeah."

"Good."

He kissed her again—just a quick touch to her temple, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth. Each little kiss made her smile, washing away the last of her nerves.

"We should probably head inside," he murmured against her skin.

"Why’s that?" she asked, curiosity in her voice.

He chuckled softly. "Because if we stick around out here, I’m just going to keep kissing you, and you’re going to keep turning red. Neither of us will get any sun protection, and I’d feel awful if you burned."

Emma burst out laughing, surprised by the sound. "That’s... really responsible of you."

"I have my moments," he said with a grin.

He took her hand, fingers intertwining, and led her to the glass doors. She followed, her shyness creeping back just enough to distract her with how perfectly their hands fit together instead of what was ahead inside.

The penthouse felt cooler, the air conditioning a nice break from the warm afternoon.

Sunlight flooded in through the big windows, making everything look golden—the white marble floors, the cream sofa, and the fresh jasmine on the coffee table that gave the room a sweet, light scent.

Zayn shut the balcony door behind them with a click that seemed louder than it should have. Suddenly, Emma felt very aware that they were alone. She noticed the bedroom through the open double doors, the king-sized bed with its fluffy white duvet looking super inviting.

Her throat went dry.

Zayn must have picked up on her hesitation because he didn’t walk toward the bedroom. Instead, he guided her to the sofa, sitting next to her with a gentleness that almost made her want to cry. He kept holding her hand, his thumb making small circles on her palm, helping her feel grounded.

"We don’t have to rush into anything," he said softly. "We can just chill here, watch a movie, eat the pizza—whatever you feel like."

Emma really looked at him. She saw the patience in his eyes, how he was holding back, and the way he made space for her nerves without ever making her feel dumb for feeling that way.

"What if I want more than pizza?" she asked, the words slipping out before she could think.

His face changed for a moment, something deeper flashing in his eyes before he controlled it. "Then we take it easy. Just like I said."

"I’ve never..." she started, trailing off unsure.

"I know."

She swallowed hard. "I don’t even know what to do. I’m not sure if I’ll be any good at it. What if I—"

"Emma." He squeezed her hand, waiting until she looked him in the eyes again. "There’s no wrong way to do this. It’s just you and me here. That’s all. Nothing to prove, nothing to be perfect at. Okay?"

She nodded, even though her heart was still racing.

He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles, then her palm, and finally the inside of her wrist. Each kiss was soft and intentional, making something in her chest finally ease.

"Just let me know if you want to stop," he said softly against her skin. "Anytime. No questions, no guilt. You good with that?"

"Yeah."

"That’s my girl."

That praise brought a warm rush to her cheeks. She looked down, trying to hide her blush, and he chuckled lightly, tilting her face back toward him.

"You look so cute when you’re shy," he said.

"I’m always shy."

"I know." His smile was gentle, almost like he admired her. "It’s one of my favorite things about you."

He kissed her again, taking his time this time, and Emma forgot about feeling shy. She stopped thinking completely. All she felt was the warmth of his lips, the gentle pressure of his hands on her waist, and the way he made her feel like she was the only person that mattered.

When he pulled back, she instinctively leaned in, and he laughed softly against her lips. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Patience," he murmured.

"I don’t want to be patient."

His eyes darkened for a second before he took a slow breath. "Okay. But we’re still going slow. I’m not going to rush you."

He kissed her jaw, her neck, and that sweet spot just below her ear that made her shiver.

His hands moved from her waist to her back, pulling her in closer, and Emma let herself get lost in him.

And for the first time, she didn’t feel afraid.