Chapter 1 Meet-Cute

TAYLOR’s POV

After picking up my termination letter from work, I came home early for the first time in years.

I told myself I wouldn’t be sad as I walked into my apartment. But immediately, I stumbled. 

Fuck.

To the female population, don’t fall for a slob, or date one. I grabbed Caleb’s boots that almost pushed me down off the ground.

CRASH!

I jolted. “Caleb?”

Alarmed, I ran inside. That sounded serious. Was he okay?

I flung my bedroom door open and lo and behold, a woman was riding his dick while another one sat on his face, writhing and moaning. 

My glass table had shattered. Everything was a mess. 

“Get out of my house!” I shrieked, using his boots on them like a mad woman.

The girls who lived next door scurried for their clothes and ran for their dear lives. Caleb was still lying there, panting, his dick half erect. 

“You promised it was the last time,” I told him quietly and then his shoes slipped from my trembling hands. “Why do you always do this to me? I’ve been good to you—“

He got up. “I’m going out.”

“Caleb!” I screamed and my tears spilled, but he finally looked me in the eyes.

“Maybe if my girlfriend knew how to satisfy me, I wouldn’t have to look for options outside. You can’t even orgasm, Tay.”

“But I’m going to therapy! And you promised to stop cheating. Or… don’t you… don’t you want to make this work anymore?”

Caleb let out an unkind chuckle. “Therapy? If you’re broken, you’re broken.” He grabbed his pants and scratched the back of his neck. “Look, I need to take care of this, and obviously, you can’t help me.”

His shoulders brushed mine as he left and I gasped. My chest wrung into a thousand knots. I couldn’t breathe.

The sound of wild moaning continued next door after a minute. 

I crouched and covered my ears. For the past seven years, he would break up with me and I would beg him to take me back because I knew no one else would want a burden like me. I was an orphan without a trust fund, barely surviving. Though my therapist had told me countless times I shouldn’t trade my self-respect for a man. 

But I loved Caleb so much and I couldn’t bear to lose him. 

When the sounds got worse, I had to leave. There was a bar on our street, and even though it was just late afternoon, it was already packed.

I ordered tequila and settled on the far end of the bar counter. I didn’t know how to blend in. This wasn’t my usual scene. On the TV above the counter, a race was showing, so I decided to pass time with it. 

Formula one wasn’t my cup of tea. I was into baseball and football, well, because Caleb loved attending their games. 

I groaned internally while looking at the TV. “I have to stop thinking about him.”

“About who? Zay Anderson?” A man in a baseball hat said as he sat next to me.

“I wish.” I rolled my eyes, then turned to him. “Wait, who’s that supposed to be?” 

I caught wind of his woodsy cologne and hummed in approval. God bless clean men. 

The guy pointed at the screen. “The world champion you’ve been staring at for minutes now.”

“Oh. That?”

“Yeah, they’re fond of broadcasting Zay’s warm-up laps for the fans.”

“Well, I’m not a fan.” 

“Ouch.” He smiled and I found it charming. “So what are you a fan of? Or should I take a wild guess?”

“You know what? I have a question, too. Why are you talking to me?”

He shrugged. “Say happenstance… or could it be fate?”

I almost sprayed the tequila in my mouth all over the marble counter, laughing hard. 

His smile deepened. “I noticed you walked in a bit gloomy, and for some reason, I couldn’t resist coming to cheer you up.”

“Some reason?” I shook my head and asked the bartender for another glass. “We’re ‘meant to be’, remember?”

“Hell, yeah. So why don’t you tell me your name and we can go and register our marriage at the court?” He checked his watch, brows creased playfully. “Clock’s ticking.”

“Taylor.”

He shook my hand. “Zaden.” 

His blue eyes seemed to gleam as we touched. Then the bartender brought over the glass I requested and I poured him a shot. 

“Okay, Zaden-who’s-my-fate, where are you from—“

“Hi, so sorry to interrupt,” a young woman closed in on us. “I’m the manager of the Crystal Bar. We usually have couples do a quick number on stage before things get rowdy. Let me know if you’re both up for it.”

“Uhh…” I stuttered, gesturing at Zaden and I as many times as possible. “No… No way… you’ve uh got the wrong idea.”

“We just met,” he explained coherently and then the woman’s cheeks flushed.

“Oh, my gosh! I sincerely apologize...” But she suddenly leaned in, whispering in my ear, “Is it just me or does he resemble that famous racer, Zay Anderson?”

After an awkward lapse of silence from me, she cleared her throat and straightened up, clasping her hands. “Well, uhm, I hope you two enjoy yourselves and patronize often. Goodbye!”

I watched until she vanished in the crowd, then peered at the TV above us for answers, but the program showing had changed. 

“I get that a lot.” He downed his shot and gestured at his face.

“You heard that?” I gaped. “Because I could barely hear her. How did you manage that from over there?” 

Zaden smiled in that charming way again and his eyes dropped to my mouth for a hot second. 

“I read lips, Taylor,” he said huskily.

“Oh,” I managed, suddenly sensing the shift in the air and the underlying meaning behind his words. “Is… is it a super power or are you just that good?”

“Try me.” He moved our shots away, signaling that he wanted me sober for whatever was about to go down. 

I stared at his mouth, a fuzzy warmth settling in my stomach. My mind blanked and I leaned in, breathing deeper. 

Could I really do this? Kiss a stranger at a club just down the street from the apartment I shared with my boyfriend?

Well, yes, because he was super attractive and super clean, and funnier than my cheating boyfriend. I definitely could use him to forget Caleb.

“So? Read my lips.” I looked at him from underneath my lashes and his head tilted daringly.

“You. Want me… to fuck you,” Zaden told me, and I gasped as he cupped my neck, yanking me towards him. “And you know what, Taylor? Gladly, because you’ve made it hard for me to concentrate since you walked in through that door, and that’s rare.” His lips grazed mine, then he kissed me, slowly, like he was savoring me. 

I moaned into his mouth when he grabbed my waist and brought me down from my stool, pushing my back against the marble top behind.

A buzz started at the back of my pants. I ignored it until I realized it was familiar.

Ava was calling me. Ava. My boss.

Shit! I shoved Zaden away and navigated the crowd to find quiet. “Hello?”

“Where did you keep your damned phone?!”

“Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I… I… I was in the shower.”

“We have a deal with Pinnacle Motors, but it’s a long term position. I mean full-season coverage, constant travel, multiple documentary projects. Can you commit to this one at least?”

“Yes!” I gulped to control my nerves. “Yes, uhm, I can. Of course, but does this mean I have my job back?”

There’s a hard pause.

“You’re about to have more than that, Taylor, so long as you are committed to success and not fraternizing with your subjects. Is this clear?”

“As daylight, ma’am. Yes!”

“Great, your first project will be Zay Anderson.”