The Stand In

Chapter 35

Zak POV

Yesterday I listed all the things I noticed about Elle, but what I haven't been able to add to the list until now, is how much I love seeing her confidence soar as her insecurities melted away, whilst we were between the sheets.

This morning I was the one to wake first instead of her, giving me chance to watch her asleep on the pillow beside me, hair across thrown back over her shoulder and a few bits around her face. It gave me a chance to move her hair back, to let my finger curve around her jaw and admire how beautiful and peaceful she looked at that moment.

Peaceful now but last night she came alive, like I expected. A hell cat in the bedroom and a quiet respectable woman during the day. She was the exact type of woman you'd take home to your mom, the one your parents would invite to dinner, the one who will be there, to support you through whatever shit got flung your way. She was a keeper.

I was a little surprised when her phone alarm went off, she did too from how she woke up and grumbled, lifting her body and turning away from me to grab her phone from her bag on the floor. Her smooth naked body hidden in the white sheets was also another thing I would add to my list.

"An alarm?" I ask as she comes back, kicking the sheet and exposing half her chest.

I'm a guy, I'm not complaining.. But it is very distracting.

"Yeah, I uh.. I have to be somewhere today."

"Oh right." I reply, going between her and the boob peeking out. "Anywhere in particular?"

In other words, anything you can cancel and we can continue doing everything we didn't get around to doing last night..

"Just an appointment that I need to keep." She answers before side eyeing me.

I pull the sheet over her, because I'm losing all will to focus. "For work?"

"You going into the museum today?" She asks changing the subject, pulling the sheet under her arms to sit up.

"I was thinking of spending the day with you-"

"Go in... The fans will be grateful to see you." She interrupts patting me on the arm.. "Is there anything new coming in?"

Like an idiot, I go into detail of what is coming in, because she has always taken an interest, however at the moment, her phone is more important...

I'm getting the impression that she wants me out the way and truth be known, it kinda sucks to feel that way. Which is why I snide comment. "Am I keeping you?"

Elle looks over at me and puts her phone down. "No. I just have to keep an eye on the time. That's all."

So I was keeping her..

"Go ahead and get ready." I mutter, rolling out of bed and grabbing my boxers off the floor.

"Zak.." She sighs.

"I'll take the guest bathroom." I add before leaving her to it.

******

When Elle steps into the kitchen, wearing fitting black jeans, a white strap top with a pale pink blazer thrown over her arm, I pause.
"Are you going to an interview or something?" I ask.

"Am I overdressed?" She asks, stopping to pick up the bowl of fruit I had chopped for her. There was pancakes too but she hadn't picked them up.

"For an interview? No."

"I'm not going to an interview." She answers putting her stuff down on an empty kitchen seat before sitting down. "It's just an appointment, nothing major."