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“Don’t. Don’t do that.” He gripped my chin, his dark eyes piercing me. “Don’t put words into my mouth. You want the truth?” I nodded. “The only regret I have is that things aren’t going to be easy for you… because of me. Because of this.”
I curled a hand around Xander’s neck and touched my head to his. “No regrets, deal?”
“Deal.” He exhaled a long, steady breath as if he’d needed to hear me say that. “Get dressed, I want to feed you before I take you back.” Xander kissed me swiftly before sitting up.
“Actually, Bryan is picking me up.”
He went rigid, glancing over his shoulder. “He’s what?”
I sat up, curling my body around his and pressing my lips to the side of his neck. “Everyone thinks I’m with Bryan. They expect him to bring me back. He’s just a friend… a friend we need right now.” I kissed him again.
“Fine,” he said, and I could sense his disapproval. But if we wanted to see each other over the holidays we were going to need an excuse, one that people wouldn’t look too closely at.
Xander pulled on his clothes and collected mine up and placed them on the end of the bed. “I’ll give you some privacy.” Heat blazed in his eyes as the sheet drifted off my body. “I should…” He swallowed.
“Yeah, you probably should.” Desire pulsed through me, and I knew if he didn’t leave me to get dressed, we’d never make it out of his bedroom.
Xander gave me a knowing smirk before leaving me alone. I held the sheet to my body, hardly able to believe I was here. It had been everything I’d imagined and more, erasing every doubt I had that this was wrong.
Nothing so wrong could ever feel this right.
Forcing my racing heart to calm, I quickly dressed and tamed my hair into a loose braid. I found Xander at the stove, reheating the scrambled eggs. “Maybe we should throw that out?” I peered around him to look at the half-cooked mulch. “I can make my other specialty instead.”
Xander’s brow rose playfully, and I swatted his chest. “I’ll have you know the perfect grilled cheese sandwich requires a lot of practice.”
“I love this.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, cocooning me in the strong curve of his body.
“Me too,” I said over the emotion welling in my chest.
Xander nuzzled my neck, peppering my skin with tiny kisses.
“I need cheese and bread,” I said, wriggling out of his hold. “You sit there and keep your hands to yourself.”
“Yes, chef.” He winked.
I couldn’t think with him so close, and I definitely couldn’t make grilled cheese. He was a tempting distraction.
And buried so far under my skin I wasn’t sure he’d ever leave.
* * *
“I have to go,”I said, trying to detach myself from Xander’s mouth. “He’s been waiting ten minutes already.”
“Let him wait five more,” Xander murmured against my lips, flicking his tongue expertly along mine.
“Xander…” I breathed, pushing his chest gently. “It’s late. I need to—”
“Yeah.” He broke away, heaving a harsh breath. “I know.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow though.”
“Damn right you will, birthday girl.” He trailed a finger along my jaw and pressed a final kiss to my lips. “Tell Hughes to drive carefully, you’re precious cargo.”
I rolled my eyes at that despite how much it made me swoon. I loved this side of Xander. Protective. Possessive. All growly and broody.
It was hard to believe he could ever want a damaged girl like me. But I felt it every time he looked at me, every time he touched me.
We lingered, fingers brushing, eyes locked unwilling to break away. “I need to go…” I said. Yet still, I didn’t move.
