Page 65 of Xavier

"Where did that come from?"

“It was under that cloche,” he says and points to the metal dome on the side table. “You didn't notice it because you were too busy ogling the melted cheese."

"Mmmm, it was very sexy,” I nod. “But this looks delicious too.”

"I don't have a lighter, I'm sorry. You can just pretend to blow the candle out."

"Do I still get a wish?"

"Er, hang on." He pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts tapping at it.

"Um, now who's being rude?"

"Shush, I'm finding out if your birthday wish will still come true!"

"Oh, and?"

"Um, there's nothing about unlit candles, but someone suggests to make a wish that you want to die. And then you should tell someone that was your wish."

I laugh at the ridiculous idea. "What the hell? Why?"

"Because your wish doesn’t come true if you tell someone!" He says this with his eyes lit up like the rows of fairy lights around us. "Wow. The internet really is a treasure trove of useless information."

I bat his phone away, impatient. "Can I eat my cupcake yet?"

"Did you make a wish?"

"Well, you didn't sing Happy Birthday to me yet."

"Fine." I sit with my hands in my lap like I'm waiting to open a big present. He clears his throat and sings. Loudly. And badly. Very, very badly.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you,” he warbles. A car alarm goes off somewhere in the distance and I’m not convinced it’s not because of his singing. I try to keep a straight face right up to when he lingers on the last line and gets up and presses a soft kiss to my cheek and sits back down. “Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuuu.”

"'Wow. Um. Thank you, Xavier."

"No problem. Now you can have your cupcake. Are you going to share it with me?"

"No. One does not share their cupcakes," I say and pop the entire thing in my mouth.

I make a show of rubbing my stomach and licking my lips even though it's hardly pretending, it's delicious. He sits and watches, mouth open. Once I'm done, he gets up and carries another cloche covered plate over and sits it down in front of him.

He smirks and lifts the dome with a dramatic flourish; revealing a much bigger cupcake under it.

"My turn!" he exclaims, and lifts the cupcake to his mouth.

"No! HEY! It's MY birthday, you have to share!"

"Oh no, someone once told me, ‘one does not share their cupcakes!’" He lifts it up and waves it in front of me. I reach out and grab it, tearing half of it off and stuffing it quickly into my face. Xavier gasps and jumps up off his chair and runs over to me. Before I can move away, he pushes what's left of his cupcake against my face.

"No! Help! Cupcake attack!" I yell and run from the table, brushing the crumbs and frosting off my face. He chases me down and grabs me by the hips, spinning me around to face him.

Those eyes.

Those deep green eyes.

How could I forget what it was like to lose myself in them?

Our laughter fades into the night, and my breath stops completely as he lowers his mouth onto mine, kissing me deep.