Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Xander had been awake for the last couple of hours.
He was used to waking up at the crack of dawn to work out, and Sundays were no exception.
But this morning, he didn’t move. In fact, he’d lain as still as possible.
The last thing he wanted was to disturb the warm weight pressed against him.
He took a deep breath, and the soft floral scent of Freya’s shampoo filled his nose.
Thank God he’d listened to Esme years ago and had gone with the oversized and overpriced couch, because he and Freya fit it comfortably. Well, he fit it comfortably, she was tiny enough to lie completely sprawled over him.
The corners of his lips lifted.
Who was he kidding? Even if he’d had the world’s most uncomfortable couch, there was no way he’d move a muscle. Because this? Freya sleeping comfortably on top of him? It was everything.
Over the last couple of hours, as he’d lain there listening to the early morning quiet, he’d had time to think. Or rather, he’d had time to go down the what-the-hell-are-you-doing rabbit hole. However, he’d also had time to crawl back out of said hole.
Freya, the intoxicating woman who’d been a stranger only a handful of days ago—holy shit, had it really been less than a week?
—made him want things he’d never thought possible.
Sex aside, he wanted this. Having dinner together and talking about their days.
Falling asleep together and waking up with her in his arms.
Hell, Xander wanted to meet her brothers. He wanted to see for himself the men who’d banded together to raise their little sister. He wanted her to meet Wilson and Frazier and Bean. Wanted her to get to know Tash and Esme better.
He sure as hell didn’t deserve her—she was so damn good—but if she was willing to give him a chance, he’d take it. For the first time ever, he was thinking of a future. Of sharing his future. With her.
It scared the shit out of him, but what the hell did he have to lose? If she kicked him to the curb, he’d still be where he currently was. Living a quiet life with his chosen family. But if she didn’t . . .
He could have something he’d never allowed himself to dream of. With a woman who filled something inside him he hadn’t known was missing.
Freya was a kind of peace. A calm. But she was also an excitement he’d never known.
Without thought, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Nerves rumbled in his belly and left him unsteady. He hoped to hell she felt an inkling of what he did.
She shifted, letting out a soft sigh, and his breath caught in his chest. He braced himself, unsure how she’d react when she woke.
When he’d gotten off the phone with Frazier last night, he hadn’t expected to find her asleep. When he’d tried to wake her, she hadn’t budged. The woman had been out cold. Selfishly, he hadn’t woken her. He liked how she fit against him. Then before he knew it, he’d fallen asleep as well.
So this morning was a crapshoot. It took another minute for Freya to fully awaken, but he knew the exact moment she did, the exact moment she realized where she was. Her body tensed, and he ran a hand gently over her lower back.
“Morning,” he murmured. “Sleep okay?”
When she relaxed against him, he let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
“I did.” She propped her hands on his chest, rested her chin atop them, and met his gaze. “Sorry I fell asleep on you last night.” She chuckled and patted his chest. “Literally.”
The slow, sleepy smile she gave him had his mouth going dry. Yet he somehow managed to respond. “Not a problem. Though I can’t imagine I’m the best pillow.”
“You won’t hear any complaints from me.” She tucked her hands against his sides and dropped her head back onto his chest. But not before he saw a soft flush cross her face that warmed his insides and quelled some of his worries.
He traced little circles over her soft skin, and she snuggled into him. Holy shit, he could stay like this forever.
“Still want to hang out today?” she asked.
He heard the hesitation in her voice and ran his hand up her back until it was buried in her hair, cupping the nape of her neck. “I’d love to spend the day with you. Would you mind going over to Whidbey Island with me?”
She shifted positions, sliding to the side so she was no longer lying atop him. She wedged herself between him and the couch back and slung her leg and arm over him. While he missed her weight, he could see her better now. Even with her mascara a little smudged beneath her eyes, she was stunning.
“Sounds good to me,” she said. “Anywhere in particular you need to go?”
He nodded. “I have to pick up Daisy’s birthday present.”
She grinned. “What did you get her?”
“This indoor playhouse tent thing.”
Her eyebrow arched, and a smirk lifted her lips. “Why do I have a feeling it isn’t a simple playhouse you’re going to pick up at a big box store?”
Xander shrugged and bit back a grin. “No clue.”
Internally, he scoffed. A standard, boring playhouse? For his little buddy? No way in hell.
“Right.” She snorted. “Do you mind if we swing by my place first? I need to shower and change.”
“Of course,” he said just as his stomach let out a loud growl. He carefully sat up, pulling her with him. “How about this? I drop you at your place, and while you’re doing your thing, I’ll head over to Comfort Food, grab us some food and coffee, and meet you back at your apartment?”
She pressed a kiss to his T-shirt-covered chest. “I like your thinking.”
“Excellent, but first . . .” He tipped her chin up with his finger and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Good morning, beautiful.”
The sigh she let out had him wanting to pump his fist in the air. He refrained. Barely.
They got a later start than Xander had intended.
After Freya had showered and changed, they enjoyed the coffee and pastries he’d picked up.
He’d intended for them to take the ten o’clock ferry to Whidbey Island but had gotten distracted.
Kissing Freya was quickly becoming his new favorite thing.
Instead, they had to wait an hour for the next ferry.
Not that he really minded since it gave them more time to make out and ensure he got her off. Dry-humping was so damn underrated.
It was a twenty-minute ferry ride to Whidbey, and a short drive from the Keystone Ferry Landing to the town of Coupeville.
Usually, parking wasn’t an issue in the quaint little town, but the place was packed.
Bright-orange traffic cones indicated multiple street closures.
After circling the town’s residential streets, he eventually found a parking spot and cut the engine.
“Wow,” Freya said, glancing around. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this crowded.”
“I know. I wonder—”
His words cut off as a group of teenagers dressed in marching band uniforms raced past his vehicle. The plumes in their shako hats waved wildly as they sprinted around the corner, screaming for someone to wait for them.
“You know,” Freya said, “Veterans Day is this week. I bet they’re having their parade today.”
“Well, that explains . . .” He gestured out his window as three more teenagers raced past laughing and hollering. “The toy store is right downtown. Care to take in a parade with me today?”
She grinned at him as she reached for her door handle. “I love parades.”
Walking hand in hand, they passed the group of teenagers at the band’s staging area. As they approached the heart of the small downtown, Xander’s brows rose at the crowd. “Holy shit,” he muttered. “There’s a lot of people here.”
“Before I moved to Hudson Island, I used to live here on Whidbey, but up in Oak Harbor.” She gestured ahead of them. “Coupeville has the best parades.”
From the rows of occupied camping chairs lining the streets and the number of people milling about, it must be a fantastic parade.
As a resident of Hudson Island for nearly the past decade, he had to admit that the Pacific Northwest’s small-town Americana indeed had its charm.
“The toy store’s down on Front Street. Want to see if we can catch some of the action from there? ”
She squeezed his hand. “Lead the way.”
Xander led her through the crowds, crossing the streets in between floats and decked-out pickup trucks.
As they neared Front Street, the hairs on the back of his neck rose.
Under the guise of waving at a group of kids in a passing float, he pulled them to a stop on the sidewalk.
He glanced around, grateful he was wearing sunglasses, and scanned the crowd.
Nothing. No one seemed out of the ordinary.
But he knew that didn’t mean a damn thing. He couldn’t see who it was, but someone had eyes on him. He’d learned long ago to trust his gut. Hell, it had saved him and his teammates numerous times.
Letting go of Freya’s hand, he wrapped his arm over her slim shoulders and tucked her close. “Let’s watch the parade for a little bit,” he said, studying everyone around them.
“Oh, look how cute they are.” She waved at a passing float with about a dozen little kids dressed as rubber ducks.
Following the float was a group of square-dancing seniors swinging their partners down the street.
Then came a slew of classic cars with people tossing candy to the children lining the sidewalk.
Xander continued to discreetly scan the crowd, but he didn’t see anything amiss.
However, the hinky feeling remained. Something was off, and he needed to get them moving.
Retaking her hand, he gently pulled her in the direction of the toy store.
“Let’s pick up Daisy’s gift before it gets too crowded. ”
He bit back a wince. As far as excuses went, it was pretty weak, but thankfully, Freya didn’t seem to notice and followed him to the nearby toy store.
A soft bell chimed as he pushed open the store’s front door. Once they were inside, that feeling of being watched disappeared. He frowned.