Chapter 25
Xavier
I inhaled deeply and exhaled on a smile.
Rosalee's hair always smelled like fruit, and there was nothing better than waking up with her in my arms, her hair splayed all over my face and chest. We've shared a bed—her bed—for the past four nights, and every morning I've woken up with a smile on my face.
I loved being with her like this, unguarded and quiet, with no need to fill the silence unless we had something to say.
I also loved that we fucked so hard, so greedily and intensely that we usually fell asleep wherever we collapsed after coming so hard we couldn't move.
Last night, I woke up and reached for her in the night only to find our bodies still entwined.
It's never been like that with anyone, and I've never wanted it to be.
Until now.
She began to stir beside me, her body tensing as she stretched her sore limbs.
A moan escaped, and then she smiled up at me through her mussed hair.
"Good morning." She pressed a kiss right on top of the spot where my heart raced at the sight of her body as the sheet fell away, and I groaned. "You smell good."
I bent close and inhaled her hair. Today's scent was strawberries. My hands slid up and down the soft skin of her back and down to grip her ass, pulling her on top of me so we were chest to chest. "You feel good. So fucking good."
That shaky sigh she let out was more than enough to get my heart racing. My cock woke up between us, and she moaned, rubbing against me greedily. "How can I want you again so soon?" she asked, even as she continued to rub against me.
"I'm just that irresistible."
She laughed and rolled her eyes. "A distinct possibility," she answered in a low and sexy purr. "What are you gonna do about it?" She put both hands on my chest and sat up to straddle me, sliding her wet cunt back and forth until my cock was drenched in her moisture.
"This." I sat up and gripped her gorgeous tits, flicking my tongue over her hard, pebbled nipples.
Her hips rolled again, and another moan escaped as her head fell back. "Good. Start," she panted, then froze as the alarm sounded on the nightstand beside the bed. "Dammit. Time to get the day started."
My cock screamed in protest. "I have a shift starting today," I reminded her. "Forty-eight long, hard hours."
"Then I guess we better send you off with the proper motivation to come back home."
Home. The word rolled off her tongue so effortlessly, and it didn't cause even a second of panic within me, so I pulled her closer. "Yeah, you better." I pulled her down and kissed her slowly, hungrily, until she moaned and pulled back with a sigh.
"Shower. Now." She scrambled off me and the bed and rushed out of the room. "We have about fifteen minutes until Violet wakes up."
Those words got me moving quicker than anything else, and minutes later we were in the shower, surrounded by steam while we devoured each other as the sun climbed above the mountains.
It took almost no time at all for us both to find the peak, and we tumbled over together, laughing and touching one another as we rushed through washing ourselves.
"Even better than coffee," I growled when Rosalee took the towel and dried my body, lingering where my cock still stood at half-mast.
"That might be the sweetest compliment I've ever received." She laughed, but there was an edge to it, as if no man had ever properly told her how amazing she truly was.
I didn't have the words, but I pulled her close and kissed the hell out of her, hoping she could feel just how incredible she was as a woman and a friend. "You deserve better words than that," I mumbled against her lips.
She laughed again. "Coffee is pretty great, though. I mean, it keeps most of the world running. Even the British love coffee, and I'm okay with that."
I kissed her again just because I could, leaving her breathless and her legs a little unsteady as we exited the bathroom.
She slipped inside her room to get dressed, but I stood in the middle of the hallway in nothing but a towel, lost in the space between my bedroom and hers.
Frozen in place because I wanted to knock on Rosalee's door and tell her to move her things into my room, that sharing her bed each night was great but it wasn't enough.
My room was bigger, and so was my bed. There was plenty of space for her, and not just in my room. But I couldn't say the words, not yet. I wanted her to know them, and I meant them, but getting them out was proving damn near impossible.
Also, I knew it was too soon for both of us. I was just getting reacquainted with this new reality, and she was newly single. We both needed time. I'm not stalling; I'm being circumspect, I told myself before I went to my room and got dressed for the day.
Rosalee and I exited our respective bedrooms at the same time, and she smiled. "Fancy meeting you here."
My gaze locked with hers for a long, heated moment, and then I took in the sight of her in fitted black jeans and a bright pink sweater that showed a small strip of her pale midriff. "I'll get Violet," I offered before I pulled her into my room and had my way with her again.
Her smile brightened at my offer. "I'll get breakfast started. Can't have you going out to conquer the mountain on an empty stomach." Happiness flashed in her eyes before she turned toward the kitchen, giving me a long, slow look at the sway of her hips until she disappeared.
My heart galloped with the reality of what was happening, and while there was apprehension and anxiety, there wasn't any fear. I wasn't worried about how I felt because I trusted Rosalee. I trusted her with my daughter and in my home; I knew I could trust her with my heart.
But the idea of jumping in again with both feet? Of putting myself at risk of being hurt or taken advantage of again?
That scared the hell out of me.
Violet babbled while I wiped her down and changed her from her pajamas to the outfit Rosalee had picked out for today, which was nearly identical to my own jeans and flannel. "You're perfect, you know that, little girl?"
She kicked her legs and grinned at me as if she understood.
"Yep, absolutely perfect, and I'm going to tell you that every day for the rest of our lives, even when you sneak out and get on my nerves. I promise." I smiled at her, and she smiled even brighter.
Her babbling grew louder, and some of it started to sound like actual words. She was already walking, getting better each day, and soon enough, she would be talking. I wasn't ready for her to not be a baby anymore.
"You're growing up too fast," I told her as my phone rang in my pocket. "Yeah?"
Nate laughed. "You really are turning into a neanderthal. Mom said as much, but you at least manage basic manners with me."
My nostrils flared. "Did you call for a reason?"
"I did. A few, in fact." His tone was amused. "The investigator tracked down your Judy."
My shoulders tensed. "Seriously? Is she alive?"
Nate laughed. "Very much so. She spent six months in Texas, and for three of them, she was a regular at Triple Horn, so that's how you met her. Do you actually meet people there?"
"Names sometimes," I admitted honestly. "And I haven't been with any women outside the club until recently."
"Well, well," Nate trilled. "Tell me more."
"Nate," I groaned at his amusement.
"Right. Tell me about the nanny later, but don't think I'm going to forget."
"I'd be disappointed if you did," I answered in a deadpan tone.
"So, Judy is from Washington state, Seattle to be exact, and the good news for you is that she's engaged. His name is Max Wells, and he's rich, though not as rich as you, so there's always a chance for another wrinkle to pop up."
I sighed as Violet began to squirm in my arms. "You mean that she might think she can upgrade to a man with more zeros in his bank account?"
"Something like that, yeah."
Shit. The last thing I wanted was for this to turn into a fight. "Okay, so when can I expect the legal paperwork that lets me keep Violet?"
"Soon. I have the paperwork in my possession, so technically, it's already happened, but if she shows up there before you have it, that could pose a problem, albeit a temporary one."
"So you're coming for a visit soon, then?"
Nate gasped, but it was followed by a laugh. "You mean you aren't looking forward to seeing me?"
"’Course I am," I lied.
"Things going so well with the nanny you don't need me anymore?"
Yes. "Mind your business," I growled, and Nate, true to form, laughed even louder. Eventually, Violet joined in.
"Is that my niece?"
"It is." I snapped a quick photo of the two of us and sent it to my brother.
His laughter stopped abruptly. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"
I laughed. "I didn't buy the outfit, not Violet's anyway.
" We were getting off track. "So, Nate, what do you and the lawyers recommend I do here?
I have Violet to think about, and she's my first priority, but my mind also wandered to Rosalee.
Would she view me differently once she learned the truth of how I met Violet's mother?
She was a virgin before she met me, so the idea of a sex club might be too much for her to accept. "
"My honest assessment is that you don't do a damn thing. I know that's a hard pill for you to swallow, my hard-charging brother, but I think it's the best course of action for now."
My brows furrowed at his so-called advice. "Explain," I demanded.
"Okay, she abandoned the child, literally on top of a mountain on what she assumed was your doorstep, so she doesn't have a fucking leg to stand on.
I have the paperwork giving you full legal and physical custody of Violet.
If she comes back demanding money or anything else, let her, because she's not entitled to shit, and we can let her overplay her hand before we crush her.
And if she doesn't come back, better for everyone, including her. "
I was stunned into silence for a few moments before a laugh bubbled out. "You're really settling into your ruthless businessman persona, Nate."
"I know, horrible, isn't it?"
I rolled my eyes. "You love it, and so do I. I always knew you had it in you. Mom will be thrilled that one of us lived up to her expectations."
Nate snorted. "You have her first grandchild, Xavier. I'm sure she'll find a way to forgive you. If you stop dodging her phone calls, that is."
"Been busy, that's all." That was mostly true, but I also wasn't in the mood to deal with any questions from my mother or her matchmaking attempts.
Nate laughed. "And now we're back to the nanny. Excellent. Tell me everything."
Thankfully, my daughter chose that moment to get fussy. "I would love to," I lied smoothly. "But Vi is getting grumpy because she hasn't had her breakfast yet. Thanks for handling this for me, Nate."
"Not a problem. See you soon, Xavier."
"Looking forward to it," I grunted into the phone before ending the call.
The truth was, I couldn't wait to see my brother.
It had been far too long since we'd spent time together in person, but I wasn't looking forward to the merciless teasing I would get about Rosalee.
"All right, Vi, let's go get some grub, yeah? "
"Bawb," she replied and laid one tiny hand on my cheek.
"That's right, grub." I still wasn't sure if that was what she was trying to say, but she smiled, and we chatted on the short walk to the kitchen, where Rosalee waited with a hot breakfast and a hotter smile.