SWNOVELS Chapter 247
At night, Yasmine lay on her side, with Zachary sleeping beside her.
She closed her eyes, but a sound from behind broke the silence, and soon she felt the weight on her waist.
"Go sleep on the couch if you can't keep still," Yasmine swatted his hand away.
"I just want to hold you for a bit," Zachary murmured, "I can't stay like this for long, you know."
Yasmine, mindful of his injury, didn't push him away but was hardly in a good mood. "You don't have to cling to these moments."
"If it weren't for this injury, I wouldn't even have this bit of tenderness," he said, drawing closer to inhale her scent, a picture of contentment.
He knew his limits.
Yasmine let him be, knowing he wouldn't last long anyway.
A man's embrace rarely remains innocent, especially with someone like Zachary, who had his years of experience.
His hand had just made its way over when Yasmine slapped it away.
"I'm warning you, keep your hands to yourself or believe me, I'll have you on oxygen for a few days," Yasmine threatened bluntly. It seemed a man was only well-behaved when hung up on the wall. Zachary sheepishly withdrew his hand, resting it obediently on her waist. "You used to touch me too."
Yasmine frowned, "That was then."
"I don't mind if you do it now."
Yasmine couldn't take it anymore.
In an instant, she threw back the covers and turned on the light, sitting up on the bed with a fierce glare. "Zachary, have you no shame?"
Zachary casually adjusted his pillow and closed his eyes against her fury. "Hmm."
Yasmine felt as if she'd punched a pillow - utterly ineffective against him.
He knew exactly how to rile her up, then feign sleep when it was time to face the music. Was there anyone more shameless than this man?
She glared at him for a good while, finally convinced he was behaving, and laid back down.
That night, Zachary left Yasmine in peace.
But come morning, Yasmine found herself sprawled over Zachary.
Alone, her sleeping position was manageable, but with Zachary in bed, it was a different story altogether.
Back when they used to share a bed, Zachary would envelop her in his arms, and her feet would invariably find their way to his legs, or waist. On a good night. Sometimes, she'd even kick him in the face. Still, he never complained.
Worse yet, occasionally her hands would wander into his waistband without any awareness.
And now, her hand was resting just below his navel.
As soon as she woke, she quickly removed her feet from him and kept her distance.
Zachary had been awake already, watching her discomfort with a chuckle. "It's all yours, no need to be shy."
Yasmine ignored him and headed for the bathroom.
She really couldn't share a bed with him; some habits, ingrained over a decade, were impossible to break.
It was like an automatic response to reach out when someone offered you a piece of candy.
Yasmine scrutinized her flushed face in the mirror. Allowing her ex-husband to stay in her house, sleep in her bed, and, worse, sleep together was just pathetic.
This couldn't go on.
Slapping her cheeks, she took a deep breath. This would not happen again.
After freshening up, she returned to find Zachary leaning against the headboard, on a call.
Just by his tone and expression, she knew it was Delphine calling.
Early morning calls - some people just can't let go.
Yasmine didn't interrupt, instead she changed her clothes in front of him.
Zachary could only see her back, but even that was a sight to behold.
Once he hung up, his eyes lingered on Yasmine's body. She hadn't changed much since her teens or twenties - smooth skin, no obvious marks of motherhood, a flat belly, marred only by a faint scar. That was from when she gave birth to Preston years ago. Despite numerous attempts to remove it, the scar remained. Eventually, Yasmine stopped caring. She said the scar was a reminder for him to be grateful, to remember the risk she took bringing their child into the world.
Zachary always remembered the agony she endured during Preston's birth, an ordeal that made his own gunshot wound seem trivial.
Even when the topic of a second child came up, he desired it, but he dared not press.
Yet these years, the thought resurfaced.
Their relationship, always at arm's length, made him fear that with time, she might truly leave him.
Maybe another child would bring them back to how they once were.
Yasmine knew he was watching her. She finished dressing and turned around, meeting his unflinching gaze. "Had your fill?" she asked. Zachary shook his head, "I could never get enough."
"How does it compare to a young girl's figure?" Yasmine eyed him. "Wake up and go back to your sweetheart. Don't waste my air." Zachary got out of bed and approached Yasmine, reaching to embrace her.
Without a thought, she pushed him away, careful of his injury. But he was shameless, holding on tight.
"Once this is all over, I want to go to Yanova City with you," he breathed into her ear. "You wanted a simple life, right? I'll be there with you."
Yasmine thought she had misheard, looking at him incredulously.
Zachary nodded earnestly. "I mean it."
Her eyes narrowed. She was tempted.
"You're right; we've made enough. After over a decade of hard work, it's time to enjoy life. I got so caught up in earning that I lost you. Thankfully, you're still here." Resting his chin on her shoulder, he spoke earnestly, "Yasmine, let's remarry. Then, we'll go wherever you want to go. Okay?"
For a moment, Yasmine's heart wavered.
Her feelings for this man weren't fleeting; they spanned nearly two decades.
They had never truly been apart, even after the divorce - they never cut ties completely and continued to do everything a couple did. She loved him, always had.
So when he said those words, they stirred something in her.
She turned around, tilting her head back to look at Zachary with earnest eyes, "Okay."
Zachary was taken aback, clearly not expecting her to agree so readily.
Just as he was about to joyfully pull her into a kiss, Yasmine added, "We can talk about remarriage when you're ready to go with me."
The joy on Zachary's face froze instantly.
Yasmine looked at him as if she could see right through him, gently removing his hand and saying with calm resolve, "I understand you, and I won't force you. So, I'm asking you to understand me, and don't pu me in a tough spot."
"In a few days, I'll be heading back to Yanova City with Melvin. Remember how you always wanted me to keep my distance? Well, this time, I plan to settle down there." Yasmine's voice was steady as she spoke.
Zachary's expression darkened, "I never wanted you far from me for the sake of distance; I wanted you to be safer."
Yasmine nodded, "Yeah, whatever the reason, it's all for my well-being. I get it."
But as Zachary heard her agreement, it was clear it wasn't all good. There was a hint of resentment in her heart.