The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway novel Chapter 1

Book 1 Chapter 19 

At first, we barely talk, both of us too engrossed in our meal. 

‘I can‘t remember the last time I enjoyed a meal so much, this is delicious, I tell him honestly, embar rassed when I realize I‘ve eaten twice as fast as him. I attempt to slow down but it‘s very hard when it tastes this good. 

‘Thank you, my dad taught me to cook,‘ he says, and our conversation turns onto the family. 

An hour later, and the empty plates have been sat in front of us for ages, but we‘ve been talking too much to clear them. I dry the dishes and pans as Jayce washes and places them on the dryer. With our team effort, we‘re finished pretty quickly. 

I watch, lost in thought, as he moves easily around his kitchen, putting everything away. Tonight he has been a completely different person, the person he obviously is. The standoffish, cold persona he adopt ed since we first met was an act he was using to protect us both from himself. I‘m so glad we‘re past all that now. 

| glance out of the window and the rain is still hurtling down, although now it has been joined by fre quent bolts of lightning that light up the sky every few minutes. 

‘It hasn‘t rained like this in ages,’ I mutter as I look out the window, the rain is falling so fast and dense you can barely see the end of his garden. 

‘I don‘t want you driving in this weather‘ I tell him, thinking of that mud road we arrived on, he‘ll proba bly get his car stuck. 

“But how will you get home?‘ He asks and I bite my lip as I ponder the thought. 

‘Maybe we could wait it out?‘ I suggest, and he seems content with that plan. 

‘We can watch a film if you want, he offers and whilst he pours us some more drinks, I flick through the channels trying to find something. 

Eventually, we make a choice and settle down on his extremely comfortable sofa. Just having him sat in such close proximity to me sends my whole body buzzing with excitement, I feel like a schoolgirl with her crush. 

Something chinks and I jolt awake, I glance around in confusion, squinting because everything is blur ry. Looking down at my hands, I realize that I must have fallen asleep, Jayce has taken my glasses off and put them on my lap along with a blanket. I hurriedly put them back on so everything comes back into focus. Jayce enters the room and I smile sheepishly. 

‘Sorry, I can‘t believe I fell asleep, I apologize, embarrassed and silently praying I didn‘t snore or make a weird noise or something. 

‘It‘s okay, you only missed half the movie, he teases, sitting down next to me. I look over at the window and although the thunder and lightning have ceased, the rain is still falling relentlessly. 

‘I don‘t have anything with me, I reply, trying to work out whether I think it‘s a good idea or not. 

You can borrow my clothes to sleep in, and I‘ll drop you home tomorrow when the rain has stopped, he replies, and I consider it for a moment. 

After a while, we pull away and I try to slide off his lap, feeling awkward. But, because the blanket is wrapped around my legs, my legs are stuck, and I end up falling backward off the sofa. Jayce bursts out laughing as I manage to sit up and right myself.