LEO'S POV
I held Zoe's hand as I led her up the stairs to my apartment, my heart pounding with every step. After everything we'd been through, after all the secrets and complications, she was finally here with me.
"This is it," I said, unlocking the door. "It's not much, but—"
"Oh my God, Leo," she breathed, stepping inside. "This is incredible."
I looked around my apartment, trying to see it through her eyes. The exposed brick walls, the high ceilings, the large windows that overlooked the city. I'd lived here for five years, but I'd never really thought of it as impressive.
"You really like it?"
"Are you kidding? This is like something out of a movie. How do you afford a place like this on a professor's salary?"
"I got it cheap when the neighborhood was still rough. Before it became trendy."
She walked around the living room, running her fingers along the furniture, stopping to look at the framed photos on my bookshelf.
"Is this Elena?" she asked, picking up a picture of me and my late fiancée at a concert.
"Yeah."
"She was beautiful."
"She was."
Zoe set the photo down gently and turned to look at me. "Thank you for bringing me here. For letting me into your space."
"Thank you for wanting to be here."
The weight that had been pressing down on my chest for months—hell, for years—was finally gone. Ever since I'd told her I liked her at the restaurant, it felt like I could breathe again.
The darkness that had been following me around since Elena's death, the sadness that had become my constant companion, had suddenly disappeared.
Zoe was my light. My hope. My reason to believe that good things could happen again.
I walked over to her and took her hands in mine. "I need to tell you something."
"What?"
"I haven't felt this happy in three years. Not since before the accident. You did that, Zoe. You brought me back to life."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Leo—"
I spun her around, lifting her off her feet, and she laughed—a sound so pure and joyful that it made my heart soar. When I set her down, she was still giggling, and I couldn't help but join in.
"I love hearing you laugh," I said.
"I love making you smile."
We looked at each other for a long moment, and then she stepped closer, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss me. I met her halfway, my hands finding her waist, pulling her against me.
The kiss was soft at first, gentle, but then it deepened. Her hands tangled in my hair, and mine slipped lower on her back. When she made a small sound, a soft moan that shot straight through me, I had to pull away.
"Don't tempt me," I said, my voice rougher than I intended.
"What if I want to tempt you?"
"Zoe—"
But she was already walking away, exploring more of my apartment. I followed her down the hallway, watching the way her hips swayed as she moved.
"What's in here?" she asked, pushing open a door.
"That's my music room."
She gasped and rushed inside. The room was small, barely big enough for the upright piano I'd bought secondhand and the music stand covered with sheet music. It wasn't much, but it was where I came when I needed to think, to process emotions through music.
"It's perfect," she said, moving toward the piano.
I caught her arm gently. "Careful. Some of the keys stick."
"Can you play something for me?"
"What would you like to hear?"
"Something happy. Something that sounds like how I feel right now."
I sat down at the piano bench and started playing a piece I'd been working on—something light and melodic that had been forming in my head for weeks. As the music filled the room, Zoe began to move, swaying to the rhythm.
"I wish I could dance with you," I said, still playing. "But there's no one here to play for us."
"You're playing for me right now."
"That's not the same as dancing together."
"Then play something I can dance to, and watch me dance for you."
I switched to a jazz standard, something with a stronger beat, and watched as she began to move more freely. Her hips swung to the music, her arms moved gracefully above her head, and she spun in slow circles around the small room.
I started laughing, not because anything was funny, but because I was so happy I couldn't contain it. This beautiful, talented, incredible woman was dancing in my music room, and somehow she'd chosen me.
Then her phone rang.
"I'm sorry," she said, pulling it out of her pocket. "I should take this. I'll be right back."
She stepped out into the hallway, and I could hear her voice but not the words. I wondered who was calling. Kai? Marcus? Some friend from school?
The call lasted about five minutes, during which I sat at the piano trying not to eavesdrop. We'd agreed at dinner that we would keep our relationship secret until she graduated. Three more months of being careful, of maintaining professional boundaries in public, of pretending we were just teacher and student.
But after graduation, we could tell the world. We could be together openly, without hiding, without worrying about policies or committees or scandals. I couldn't wait for that day.
When Zoe walked back into the room, her expression was serious.
"Everything okay?" I asked, standing up from the piano bench.
"I have two pieces of news," she said.
"Good news or bad news?"
"One of each. Which do you want first?"
"Give me the good news."
Her face broke into a huge grin. "The competition results are out. We came in second place."
"Second place?" I could hardly believe it. "Out of how many schools?"
"Fifteen. Leo, we came in second place at the West Coast Music Competition!"
I screamed with joy and triumph. Zoe launched herself into my arms, and I spun her around again, both of us laughing and crying at the same time.
"I can't believe it," I said, setting her down but not letting go of her. "Second place. Zoe, that's incredible."
"I told you you could do it," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I told you that you still had it in you."
A tear slipped down my cheek as I looked at her beautiful, proud face. "We did it together."
"Yes, we did."
I leaned down to kiss her, overwhelmed with emotion and pride and love, when someone cleared their throat behind us.
I froze, my lips inches from Zoe's, and slowly turned toward the doorway.
Marcus Washington was standing there, looking uncomfortable but determined.
"What the hell?" I said, instinctively stepping in front of Zoe.
But instead of looking upset, Zoe was grinning.
"Well," she said, "here's the second news. Marcus is here to apologize."