Chapter 26: Chapter 26

MELODY

Next morning, I woke up and saw him sleeping beside me peacefully. I smiled, kissing his forehead. I climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom.

I took care of business first and headed to the shower. I closed my eyes and sighed in relief when hot water flowed over my body, relaxing my sore muscles.

I couldn’t stop myself from worrying about our new relationship, and I didn’t know what the future held for us.

Would my parents understand, or would they blame me the second time for Lisa’s breakup?

Last time, things hadn’t gone well when they’d thought I’d slept with Duncan. What they hadn’t known was that I had always seen Duncan as my brother.

I’d never told them what had happened at Clay’s birthday party because I’d been ashamed. I’d told Lisa what had happened and how Duncan had helped me that night, but she’d never believed me.

Mom, Dad, Nick, and even Jake had all been angry with me or with my actions.

From that day, I’d sworn off partying, dating, and boyfriends and had focused on my studies until Reed had come into my life. He was cocky and arrogant, and one day he’d asked me to help him.

I’d wanted to say no, but I’d helped him anyway. We’d become friends, and he’d asked me for a date. I’d said yes.

My friends had never liked Reed, but things had been good between us, and he’d been a completely different person in front of me. I’d started liking him more until I’d found him cheating on me.

That was the day my life had turned upside down. I’d met Xavier. He’d come into my life with both blessings and curses, blessings because he’d given me feelings I’d never felt with anyone.

I’d spent countless nights thinking about him, dreaming about him. I’d never understood why I hadn’t been able to stop myself from thinking about him.

He had marked my soul as his. He had claimed my heart.

I didn’t want anyone but him. Only him. I saw my home in him; when I was with him, I felt I was home.

I’d dated Matt to distract myself from the growing feeling inside me, and I had been successful only sometimes, then Xavier had come back in my mind in my heart.

After breaking up with Matt, I’d finger myself every night, thinking about Xavier, imagining him.

I’d decided to see him again and had applied to a New York publishing house, then he was in front of me as my sister’s boyfriend.

The curse had started on that day. I knew I was playing with fire, and it would burn me alive if I wasn’t careful.

I tried. I tried a lot to fight my feelings. Whenever I took one step back, I found myself two steps closer to him. I couldn’t control or hide my emotions.

When he was in front of me, looking into my eyes with undying love, I blurted it out before I could stop myself.

Now, I didn’t want anyone else, just us. I wanted to forget about the world outside this house.

I was selfish, I knew that. I wanted both, my family and my love, but I knew I would only get one in the end.

The question was, Who would I choose finally? Would I lose my family forever? Was he worth losing my family, or would I lose the love of my life?

I stood there in the shower for half an hour until the water grew lukewarm. I dried off and got myself dressed. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Xavier was nowhere to be seen.

The smell of coffee greeted me as I stepped downstairs. Xavier was sitting at the kitchen table with a coffee mug in his hand. He greeted me with a smile.

I swore my heart stopped for a second. He handed me my coffee and kissed me gently. I just wanted time to stop that second, when his lips were on mine.

I placed our cups aside. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him to me for a second kiss. When our lips met, my insides got all tingly.

Our wet lips and tongues tangled around each other. We kissed for what seemed like forever. I broke the kiss and stepped back, and silent tears rolled down my cheeks.

I turned my back to him, wiping my eyes before he saw my tears. I turned and grabbed his hand, and we walked outside to the back porch and sat on the swing, drinking coffee.

I inhaled fresh air and smiled. “So many memories,” I whispered to myself.

He pulled me close, and I rested my head on his shoulder. “You’re driving alone?”

I shook my head. “With Dan. I’m sorry I invited him without asking you.”

He kissed my head and smiled. “It’s okay. I don’t want you to drive alone.” He paused for a second and took out his phone. I raised my brows, questioning.

“I should tell the caretaker to prepare the extra room for him.”

I stopped him. “He will stay with me in my room.”

“No, he will not,” he said, glaring at me.

I laughed. “I told you he’s not interested in me, and he’s still my boyfriend for my family.”

“It doesn’t matter. How will I sneak into your room if I want to kiss you, hold you or…” He nuzzled my neck. Nipping my earlobe, he growled in my ear, “I want to fuck you.”

I moaned and crossed my legs when tingles started between them. “I’ll come to your room.” I leaned in to kiss him, then the doorbell startled me.

I pecked him and went to answer the door. I opened it and saw Dan, standing with a duffle bag on his shoulder. He was wearing a dark-blue dress shirt and black dress pants, looking handsome as ever.

He gave me a crooked smile and wrenched me into one of his bone-crushing hugs. “Baby girl.” I wrapped my arms around him.

He stepped back and dropped a kiss on my head, lingering more than necessary. Xavier cleared his throat from behind me. Dan had seen him coming.

He stepped back, not before giving me a peck on my lips.

I smiled, knowing he was intentionally trying to bait Xavier. I turned and saw Xavier, and his eyes swept from me to Dan and then Dan to me.

Dan pulled me closer with his hand on my waist. Xavier gave him a warning frown. Dan’s grin widened, and I laughed and smacked his hand on my waist and stood beside Xavier with my hand in his.

“Dan,” he said, introducing himself and stretching his hand out. I nudged Xavier; he was still scowling at Dan, and it made Dan grin.

“Xavier,” he introduced and took hold of Dan’s hand.

We sat on the couch in an awkward silence.

“Are you excited?” I asked Dan, breaking the silence.

“With you, always.” He smirked.

Xavier growled and turned. “You’re driving with me.”

“It’s not a good idea.” I cupped his face and kissed him, and he deepened the kiss. “I should get going,” he whispered.

I clutched him tightly and kissed him almost roughly. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him. Not yet. He pulled back and rested his head on mine, breathing heavily.

He whispered, “I also don’t want this moment to end, baby.”

We kissed. It was a slow, passionate kiss, full of love. I broke the kiss and leaned back. Standing on his feet, he went to my room for a shower. I sat with Dan in the living room.

“So?” He stood from his place and sat beside me. I smiled and started telling him everything that had happened since I’d come home and what I felt for Xavier.

“In one night, you both fall in love with each other?” He cocked his head. “What if it’s just lust, not love? You know, sometimes we mistake lust for love.”

I glared at him, and he laughed out loud. “Two nights,” I whispered quietly.

“Come again?” he said, narrowing his eyes.

I squirmed in my place. “Two nights I stayed in a hotel room with him,” I told him.

He was angry about how careless I had been to let a stranger stay with me for two whole nights. I told him how safe I’d felt with him.

“I am afraid he will hurt you, babe. You know nothing about him. I can see it in your eyes. You’re already deep,” he sighed.

“It will be me who will hurt him, Dan. They still don’t know about us, and for them, he’s still Lisa’s boyfriend,” I whispered, closing my eyes. He knew about Duncan.

“Fuck,” he cursed and pulled me into his lap. I snuggled to his chest, and I broke down. Sobs racked my body, and I held him tightly. I’d been holding back my emotions since morning.

He rubbed his hand on my back, whispering that everything would be okay.

We stayed there like that until we heard Xavier’s voice. “You’re not staying in the same room with him,” he growled possessively.

I stood on my feet and turned to Xavier, who was standing in front of me, freshly showered. He wore a white shirt with a gray tie and black pants, looking very sexy and edible.

He frowned when he saw my face, and in two steps, he was in front of me. He pulled me against his chest and buried his face in my neck. “Baby?”

I hugged him back.

“If you want, we can tell everyone about us. We don’t have to hide our relationship, and I don’t want to hide.

“I want to show the world I’m in love with you. I want everyone to know you’re mine and I’m yours,” he said.

I pulled back only to kiss him, to show him my love, to show him how much he meant to me. He was my everything. I was nothing without him.

He kissed me back with equal intensity and passion. We both were breathing heavily, but our eyes never wavered for a second.

He reached over and brushed his fingertips over my cheek. “I love you, more than you can ever imagine.”

I leaned my cheek into his palm. “I love you more.” Standing on tiptoes, I brushed his lips with mine gently. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and I stepped back.

I fought back the lump in my throat and the prickly feeling in my eyes. “Go,” I said, and my voice came out in a croaky whisper.

I tried to make my breathing even and get control of my emotions.

“Can we talk?” Dan said behind me.

I warned him. “Dan!”

“Alone,” Dan said, ignoring me completely.

Xavier nodded, and they walked to the back porch. I tapped my foot impatiently on the floor.

After ten minutes, they came back, and with a handshake and nod, Xavier made his way to me and stood in front of me.

“Love,” he breathed, his eyes hot and tender. He cupped my throat, his thumbs brushing over my jaw. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation.

“Do you want to tell them about us now?” he asked

I bit my trembling lips and shook my head.

“Okay,” he exhaled and took my mouth with a fierceness that left me breathless.

“I want something,” I whispered, blushing red.

“Anything,” he said. There wasn’t any hesitation.

“Your number to contact you,” I said, passing my phone to him. I was sure now my face was red like cherry tomatoes.

His laughter echoed in the room, and he kissed the tip of my nose. “I already saved my private number in your phone last night.” I nodded, slightly embarrassed.

“Hey, I love you.” He tilted my face up with his index finger.

I smiled. “And I love you.”

Xavier gathered me close and placed his lips on mine. The kiss started gently, then turned hungry and desperate. I wrapped my hand around his neck, gripping the hair on his nape.

I deepened the kiss, and our breath became one. Our tongues moved in perfect sync, like we had been kissing each other for years.

They didn’t need to practice. Our tongues explored each other’s mouth, tasting each other.

“I think you should go, or she will never let you go.” I turned and scowled at Dan.

He kissed my forehead, ignoring Dan. “I love you,” he whispered, and walked out, closing the door behind him.