Chapter 31
Xavier didn’t know what had come over him. He’d nearly confessed to being in love with Justine.
The toasts went well. Then all the dancing.
First, the newlyweds. Then the father and daughter, mother and son, and everyone started pairing up on the dancefloor.
But he kept wondering how he had managed to lose control of his feelings with Justine, and if she’d seen him acting like a lovesick moron.
“Our turn.” Justine dragged him onto the dance floor for a slow song.
Xavier could hold his own when it came to dancing. He knew he was skilled because if he’d been anything but just okay, Auggie would have brutalized him with the truth. But he’d been to his share of Marine Corps Balls and fancy work dinners, enough to know how to handle himself.
A slow dance with Justine, however, stole his ability to do anything but move with her in slow steps.
The feel of her swaying with him, moving in time together, was like making love but with their clothes on.
Nothing they did could be construed as inappropriate, but he felt as if they danced under a shower of love.
Especially when she smiled up at him and met his short kiss.
Short but overpowering.
He was dazed for the rest of the night, saying all the right things and laughing at the right jokes. But as they entered their room upstairs, he was glad to see he hadn’t been the only one affected.
Justine eyed him like a hungry wolf. “Clothes off. Now.” She slipped out of her dress with real speed. He had just dropped the last of his clothes and reached for her at the same time she flew at him.
They kissed and groped, caressed and stumbled to the bed, where they sank into pure decadence.
She moaned as his lips found her breasts, and when he tried to trail his mouth down her belly between her legs, she wouldn’t let him. “Next time,” she said on a hitched breath. “I want you in me.”
He couldn’t reason, need pressing him to sink inside her. His desire to be a part of her fogged his mind, and he slid home, Justine already wet and hot for him.
“God, you feel good,” he managed and lost himself to her taste and touch.
The sex was both frantic and fantastic. No barrier between them, an unspoken consent so that when she cried out and seized around him, he felt no urge to pull back.
Instead, he fucked her harder and came on a roar, jetting into the woman he loved with nothing but pleasure.
She tightened around him and stroked his shoulders, and he groaned as he continued to spend.
“Man, you’re sexy.” She kissed him, leading him back to her lips as he came down from his orgasm.
“Holy fuck.”
She laughed. “What a compliment.”
“I’m sorry. I think you broke me.” He swiveled his hips then had to stop, the sensitivity overbearing. “I came so hard. All in you.” Just saying that turned him on, and he shuddered when his dick twitched.
“I love it.” Justine gave him a naughty wink and kissed him gently, her touch more than welcoming. “I can’t believe what you do to me. And in that suit. I was dying for you all night.”
“Yeah? Because you in that dress made it difficult not to show everyone how hard I was for you all night. Justine, you’re beautiful. So damn gorgeous.”
She flushed with pleasure. So he had to kiss her some more, so gone for this woman it wasn’t funny. No, it was scary, but fear had no place in bed with them tonight. Not when he hadn’t gotten his fill of her yet.
“Let’s soak in the tub. Can you believe this room?” Justine rubbed his chest, toying with his nipples, and he hissed.
“Keep it up and you’ll find yourself fucked again before we hit the water.”
“Promise?” Her naughty grin shouldn’t have surprised him, but every time he thought he knew the woman, she seemed to shift his impression of her. So much for the sex-kitten-girl-next-door vibe. Now she looked like a hungry seductress out to eat him alive.
He rolled them over and sat her over him. “Ride me so I can watch your tits.”
Her eyes narrowed, and the flush that stoked her cheeks returned.
Justine liked the dirty talk, and he liked arousing her.
She started moving on him, willing his dick back to life.
Already wet, the feel of being inside her had him stiff and aching in no time.
As she moved, he sat up and drove deeper inside her while he latched onto her nipple, teasing her to a fevered pitch.
She writhed and moaned on top of him, dragging her body up and down.
The sound of her passion excited him, and he pumped up as fast and hard as he could while she took her pleasure.
He slid his hand between them, grazing her clit, which made her bounce harder.
The thought that they could have made a child before, and perhaps again, if she weren’t on birth control pushed him to get as close to her as he physically could.
“I’m coming, Xavier. So hard,” she moaned just as he shoved up one more time and spilled into her.
They remained locked together, their bodies in sync as they shared in the joy of belonging.
She hugged him, smothering him with kisses while she caught her breath.
It was some time before they relaxed and eased back, watching each other with hazy surprise.
Justine blew out a breath. “I just…wow.”
He nodded. “I agree.”
“And now we need to make it to the bathroom without making a mess.” She nibbled on his lower lip and kissed the tiny sting away. “You came a lot inside me.” She shifted slightly, and they both groaned. “So sexy.”
“Justine, it’s like you want me to come inside you again.” But he needed a much longer break this time.
“I do. All night long.” She smiled. “But first, the bath. Because you’re my love slave for the night, I expect a lot of pampering.”
“As long as that includes me buried inside you somehow, I’m in.”
They paused, stared at each other, and said, “Literally,” before laughing.
Later in the bath, as she lay on top of him, cradled in his arms, Xavier knew he’d never had a more perfect night. Too tired now to be afraid of what came next, he stroked her breasts and belly and let the hot water, and the even hotter woman, soothe him.
“What do you think I should do about Ted?” she asked after having confided what she’d witnessed earlier.
“Well, I’m no expert.”
She snorted.
He grinned into her hair and kissed the top of her head.
“But if it were me, I think I’d say nothing.
Not because what Ted did with that woman wasn’t wrong, but because it’s over.
You heard him end it. Besides, it’s your sister’s wedding day.
You don’t want to ruin it for her. And you don’t want to be remembered as the one who ruined it either. ”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “That’s what I thought, but I wondered what you would say.”
“Well, I can say I’d never cheat on you like that. I’ve never cheated on anyone. I don’t believe in infidelity. I mean, hey, everyone makes mistakes, and I’m no one to judge. But trust is a big sticking point with me.”
She turned in his arms and kissed his chin, stroking his beard. “Me too.”
“Ted and your sister need to communicate in their marriage. And I’m not even going there with their sex life. Because none of this is my business.”
“Mine either.” She made a face. “On the one hand, I was really impressed Ted turned Sasha down. But now I’m wondering how he knows her. If they work together. What happens the next time they take a trip to Vancouver together?”
“If they take one.”
“If, yeah. But still. I worry for my sister.”
“Which is sweet.” Xavier hugged her tighter and had to kiss her.
“But it’s her life. Trust me. I know all about butting in when I’m not invited.
I’ve lost a few friends that way, and it’s taken me some time to learn.
Not everyone wants good advice. Sometimes they need to live in the muck they make of their lives before they can clean up after themselves. ”
“You mean, clean up like we are right now?”
He grinned. “Yeah. Where did I drop that soap?”
It took him a while to find it, but by then, they’d both forgotten why they wanted to be clean in the first place.
Justine groaned the next morning. It turned out Xavier was a cheerful morning person. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but it came close.
Her lovely man didn’t try to wake her though. At—she turned a bleary eye toward the clock by the bed—seven am, he kissed her on the forehead and left the room. Once again ensconced in silence, she went back to sleep.
An hour and a half later, he nudged her. “I’d let you sleep, but you have to show up for family breakfast. Remember?”
She groaned. “My freaking parents. It’s not like Ted and Mallory will be there.”
“Aw. Poor Justine.”
She found herself grinning as she cussed at him. Her shower felt good, and awake, she had no problem sharing the hot water with her sweaty guy. “So you used the hotel gym? Was it nice?”
He lathered up, oblivious to her intent gaze. “It was great. They have updated equipment even my sister would approve of.”
“Nice. How is Auggie by the way?”
“Great, I’m sure. She’s got a new mystery guy she’s trying to hide.
But breakfast the other day was more or less the same.
” He sighed when Justine kissed her way up his clean abdomen and nibbled on his upper chest. He cupped her cheek and stopped her cold when he said, “Auggie wants to spend more time with you, I think.”
She froze. “What? Why?”
“No, no. Keep going.”
She smiled around his nipple but got distracted while he showed her what “getting wet” really meant in the shower with Xavier. Goodness, but she had a tough time keeping her hands off him.
Once dressed and ready to leave the room, she asked again, “What’s this about Auggie?”
“Auggie thinks she likes you—which never happens—so she wants to get to know you.”
Justine fiddled with the belt of her cute sundress. “Your twin wants to get to know me? Your fake girlfriend? Hanging out with the guy’s family is something a real girlfriend would do, right? But we’re not?” ended in a question.
Could he read the hope on her face, that want for something more?
“Hell. I’m sorry. I’m pushy when you want to keep things normal.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I always do this. I—”
“I want more,” she blurted.
“What?”
“This, us. It’s amazing, and maybe it’s all because we know it’s fake so we’re not stressed about a relationship.
Or it’s just that we’re amazing in bed together.
Or that you made Katie laugh and I entertained your sister.
My folks like you. Your mom likes me. It’s like everything is pushing us together but us.
And I feel guilty because I’m really into you and you were only doing me a favor to begin with, so how can I have the audacity to rope you into more Justine-shenanigans? ” She had to pause to catch her breath.
Xavier just stared. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say so much at once.” His smile was blinding. “Justine, I really like you too. I think we need to end this fake relationship and start a new, real one.” His smile grew even wider, but to Justine, it looked wrong. Brittle.
“I’m sorry, Xavier.” Now she felt terrible when after her shower she’d felt on top of the world.
“For what? For wanting to be with me?” He pulled her in for a warm hug. “Honey, I’m so into you it’s not funny. I guess I’m just scared I’ll screw us up, like I screw up all my relationships.”
“I understand. Trust me.” She pulled back to see him looking at her as if he truly cared about her.
As more than a friend. Perhaps she hadn’t been wrong to blurt out what she felt.
Or maybe she had her hormones to blame. Xavier had destroyed her last night and this morning, in total control of her body and mind.
“I just don’t want to stress you with what I want. It has to be something we both want.”
“So much,” he agreed. “So much want for you, I have.” He paused. “And I have no idea why that came out that way. I sound like a bad Yoda.”
“Love for you, I have, young Skywalker,” she teased, then realized what she’d said and felt lightheaded with embarrassment. “Oh man. You know what I mean. Not love. I mean, like. I like you a ton. A lot. So much. Yes.” Could I babble any more?
In a bad Yoda imitation, he said, “Understand you, I do.” Then he started humming “Here Comes the Bride,” which had her blushing harder while laughing.
They found her family in the dining room, the pair of them still laughing and walking arm in arm.
Finally, a real couple. A woman in love, a man in like and in lust.
And for now, Justine could deal with that.