The next day, I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. It was still early, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, casting a soft glow through the thin curtains of the motel room. I groaned and stretched, blinking the sleep from my eyes. The last thing I wanted was to wake Zayn up, but I knew we had a lot of work to do today for our project. With a sigh, I leaned over and shook him gently by the shoulder.
"Zayn, get up. We have to go," I whispered, hoping to avoid his usual morning grumpiness.
Zayn stirred, his brow furrowing, but instead of waking up, he suddenly pulled me into his arms, wrapping me tightly against his chest. His grip was strong and unyielding, and I gasped, caught off guard.
"Just five more minutes, sweet pie," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. I froze, my heart racing as he held me so close that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Let go, Zayn," I said, trying to push against his chest, but he was too strong.
In his half-asleep state, Zayn began muttering something incoherent, and then, in the most embarrassing twist of all, he whispered something like, "Mmm…you feel so good…let's finish what we started…" His voice took on a seductive tone, and I could tell he was still caught in whatever dream he was having.
My cheeks flushed bright red as I realized he was dreaming about... well, *that*. I tried wriggling out of his grasp, but he only tightened his hold, making it impossible for me to move. I was mortified.
"Zayn!" I hissed, still struggling. "Wake up!"
He didn't budge.
Desperate, I spotted a bottle of water on the nightstand. Without a second thought, I grabbed it, unscrewed the cap, and unceremoniously dumped the entire bottle over his face.
"What the fu—" Zayn sputtered, bolting upright as the cold water hit him square in the face. His eyes widened in confusion as he blinked rapidly, water dripping from his soaked hair. Then he saw me sitting there, glaring at him with the empty water bottle in my hand.
"Good morning," I said dryly, setting the bottle aside. "Get up and get ready. We have a lot to do today, and I don't have time to waste."
Zayn wiped his face with his hand and smirked, shaking his head like a wet dog. "You just shattered my dream," he said, his voice taking on that familiar teasing tone.
I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what he meant. "Spare me the details, Zayn. Just get dressed," I snapped, standing up to leave the room.
As I reached the door, he called after me, "You're no fun in the morning, sweet pie!"
I didn't respond, merely slammed the door behind me, trying to shake off the embarrassment of the morning.
---
Later, at our project site in the forest, I was determined to focus. I had my camera slung around my neck and a notebook in hand, documenting every plant, animal, and environmental factor I could find. Zayn, surprisingly, was cooperating, though he spent most of the time goofing around or pretending to misunderstand my instructions just to get a rise out of me.
"Zayn, put the marker there, not over there," I said for the third time, pointing at the designated spot where we were supposed to mark our research territory.
He gave me a mock salute. "Aye, aye, captain."
Despite his antics, I couldn't deny that he was being helpful. He did everything I asked, even if it was with an air of teasing amusement. After setting up our space, we began photographing the wildlife and documenting the ecosystem.
Every so often, though, I would catch him pointing the camera in my direction instead of at the plants or animals we were supposed to be focusing on. The first few times, I ignored it, assuming it was just Zayn being Zayn. But after the fifth or sixth snap of the camera, I whirled around to confront him.
"Zayn! Stop taking pictures of me! This is a serious project, not your personal photoshoot," I scolded, hands on my hips.
He grinned, completely unfazed. "Can't help it, sweet pie. You're just too photogenic."
I narrowed my eyes
Few hours later
As I worked on documenting the flora and fauna near the pond, Zayn approached me with a chocolate-filled bun. He handed it over without a word, and I accepted it, not realizing how hungry I was until I took the first bite. The sweet, rich chocolate mixed with the soft bread was comforting, and I ate while scribbling down notes and clicking photos for our project. The entire time, I could feel Zayn's presence hovering around me, but I tried to focus on the work, hoping he wouldn't make a scene.
At one point, I caught sight of two rabbits mating in the bushes. It was an odd sight, and without thinking, I took a quick video of it. I didn't expect Zayn to notice, but of course, he was paying attention to everything I did. His voice, low and teasing, came from behind me at the crook of my neck "I Didn't know you were interested in animal sex."
I turned sharply to face him, my initial reaction one of annoyance. But the words I was about to fire at him died in my throat the moment our eyes locked. The playful smirk on his face faded, replaced by something much darker, more intense. His eyes were filled with a raw, unmistakable desire that left me breathless. There was no mistaking what he wanted at that moment, and it threw me completely off balance.
Before I could react, Zayn reached out and gently took hold of my neck, his hand firm yet not rough. His touch sent a shiver down my spine, and I suddenly felt paralyzed under the weight of his gaze. He leaned in closer, and I could feel the warmth of his body pressing against mine, though he never fully closed the gap.
Then, without warning, he leaned in further, and his tongue flicked out, licking the corner of my lip where some of the chocolate had smudged. The action was so unexpected and intimate that it made my heart pound in my chest. His tongue was warm, and the sensation of it against my lip was both shocking and undeniably sensual.
"Don't waste food, sweet pie," he murmured in a low, teasing voice, his eyes never leaving mine. His words, though playful, were laced with something deeper. Lust.
I stood frozen, my mind racing, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The desire in his eyes was unmistakable, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. It wasn't just the act of him licking the chocolate from my lip that rattled me—it was the intensity of his gaze, the heat in his touch, the way he made no effort to hide his attraction.
Zayn didn't move away immediately. His hot breath fanned my lips, and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me—really kiss me, hard and deep, as if all the playful banter between us had been leading up to this moment. His face was so close to mine, our lips barely an inch apart, and my heart raced as I braced for what seemed inevitable.
But then, just as quickly as he had closed the distance between us, he pulled back. He left without another word, leaving me standing there, stunned and confused, my pulse racing and my mind filled with questions I wasn't sure I wanted answered. The intensity of the moment lingered, the feel of his touch and the taste of chocolate still faint on my lips as I tried to collect myself.
---
Later, when I approached Zayn, he was acting as if nothing had happened. He was focused on his part of the project, jotting down notes and taking photos like the perfect research partner.
"Zayn," I called, still fuming from earlier.
He turned around, flashing that infuriating smile. "Yes, sweet pie?"
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my cool. "What... what did you just do?"
He raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "What did I do?"
"You... you know exactly what I'm talking about!" I stammered, still unable to fully put into words what had happened.
Zayn tilted his head, his expression playful and smug. "I don't recall doing anything wrong. I've just been following your orders, doing the work, and being a model student. How exactly am I distracting you?"
I glared at him, my frustration bubbling over. "You're... impossible!"
He chuckled, clearly amused by my outburst. "Relax, sweet pie. I'm here to help, remember? Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got work to finish."
I stood there, seething with anger and confusion, watching as Zayn casually continued with his tasks, acting like nothing had happened. It was driving me crazy. How could he switch between being so infuriatingly flirty one moment and completely professional the next?
I stomped my foot in frustration, feeling like I was losing control of the situation. "You're... you're impossible!" I shouted again, storming off toward the other side of our marked research area.
Zayn's laughter followed me as I walked away, and even though I tried to focus on the project, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was enjoying every second of my frustration.
This week was going to be a nightmare.