"I want two dogs," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"How about one?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Okay, but then we're getting another cat," he negotiated, giving me a sly grin.
"NO! We only need Luna." I crossed my arms, trying to stay firm, but the playful glint in his eyes made it hard to keep a straight face.
"Oh, come on, two dogs," he insisted, leaning closer.
One look into those blue eyes, and I knew it was over. There was no resisting him.
"Fine, two dogs," I sighed, grinning as he immediately tackled me with kisses. I laughed, my heart full as his lips found mine, making everything feel warm and perfect.
"And lots of windows," I added between giggles, still caught up in his affection.
"Yes, lots of windows and lots of kids," he said, his voice full of hope and excitement.
I had always been hesitant about kids out of fear of me turning out just like my dad, angry, avoidant, but in that moment, imagining little mini versions of him running around, my heart melted. The thought was almost too sweet to resist.
So, for the first time in my life, I replied with a soft smile, "Yes, lots of kids."
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]