28
I smile with my back against the door. Tonight was perfect. The wedding. After the wedding. Everything. I have to say that seeing him a little jealous over Declan was comical. But, if Xavier only knew my feelings for him compared to Declan… I bite my bottom lip as happiness rushes through my veins. The man who saved me those months ago has made his way back into my life, back into my heart. Hell, Jess was right.
Knock. Knock. I smile as I turn around and look through the peephole, however, my face falls as I see who it is. Declan. I roll my eyes and exhale long and hard before I open the door.
“Hey, everything okay?” I ask.
“No, it’s not Lina. Who is that guy?” Declan asks.
“I’ve already told you, he’s an old friend,” I say sternly, holding my door cracked open.
“An old friend? Am I really supposed to believe—” He tries to say, but I hold my hand up.
“Look, I don’t give a rip what you believe. Okay? Now it’s late and I have an early day tomorrow so—” I begin to shut my door, but he puts his foot out stopping me. My eyes quickly bounce up into his.
“There’s something about him Lina, something I just don’t—like.” He says. I push the door harder and his foot slides back. “I don’t think it’s your concern anymore who I talk to. Goodnight, Declan.” I say shutting the door. I click the lock over then deadbolt the door before I make my way over to the bathroom. I’m not too surprised about Declan’s jealousy over Xavier, he was always the jealous type. I try to forget what just happened, I try really really hard. But I can’t.
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The morning sun creeps through the curtains as I lay there. I smile as I step onto the balcony and then laugh as I gaze down upon the city of Paris. Is this really happening? I feel like I’m dreaming. I hear a faint knock on my door and I practically run to it. I look through the peephole and my face falls again.
“Honey, are you awake?” I see my mother whisper into the door. I laugh as I open it. She walks through with two coffees in hand and I take one as we make our way outside to the balcony. The city is loud beneath us. We both gaze over at the Eiffel Tower and all its beauty.
“Did you have fun—sightseeing last night?” My mother raises her eyebrows at me. I laugh as I drink my coffee.
“I did.” I smile. I obviously can’t tell her the entire truth about Xavier. If I began to pursue things with him, she wouldn’t know that we killed people together. She can’t ever know her daughter is a murderer, even if she was killing bad people. My mood shifts as painful memories resurface. I close my eyes, shoving them back behind the closed doors they occupy in my brain. I haven’t opened those doors. I don’t want to because there’s no point. I killed because I had to. Right? I took no pleasure in it. But, in the end, it was either them or me. I tell myself daily that it wasn’t my fault. None of it was.
“Um—I actually have plans with Xavier today,” I say, holding her stare. Her eyes perk up as she shifts in her chair.
“Oh. Okay, well then I should probably get going.” My mother stands and smiles down at me.
“I can tell you really like him, honey.” She says turning back to me. “You never once looked at Declan like you did Xavier last night.” She smiles. “And—” She hesitates for a second and I can tell she’s thinking if she really wants to tell me whatever she’s pondering.
“I never told you this, but when you were in the hospital they had you medically sedated so the drugs would get out of your system faster. They kept pumping you with so much fluid.” She says softly.
“Those two days you were completely out of it, but when the sedation would begin to wear off—you’d talk. Your eyes would be closed, but your speech was clear as day,” she says, swallowing hard.
“What did I say?” I ask with my heart thumping hard against my chest. She smiles at me as her eyes fill with emotion.
“Carl—please tell Xavier I love him.” She says and my eyes quickly blur. I sit there in silence as she holds my stare. I don’t know what to say to that, but I still can’t tell her the truth.
Knock. Knock.
The door startles us both and I stand and walk towards her. She takes me in her arms and holds me for a moment before she eventually goes to answer the door. Xavier stands there surprised that it’s not me staring back at him. “Good Morning Mrs. Harrington,” he says softly. In his hands is a small bouquet of three stunning lotus flowers. My mother glances at me then down quickly at my necklace and then back at Xavier. “You two have fun today,” she smiles before kissing the side of his cheek. “And keep her safe,” she adds.
“You have my word.” Xavier smiles back at her. She shuts the door behind her and we hear her footsteps recede down the hall.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to intrude,” Xavier says. “No, there was no intrusion,” I say, trying to blink my eyes rapidly to rid the tears that formed in my eyes. I never knew I mentioned his name in the hospital. Even subconsciously my mind was lingering on him. Pumped full of sedation my heart was longing for him. I watch as he sets the flowers down on the table. “Thank you for those, they are beautiful,” I say as he approaches me. I stare up into his light-brown eyes and grin a giddy grin. I can’t contain the happiness that rushes through me, it overflows and gushes all over the floor.
“Cute PJ’s.” He smiles down at me. I feel him take my face into his hands and I smile as my eyes slowly close. Seconds later I feel his lips pressed on mine. We kiss for what feels like an eternity while our hands steadily explore and memorize each other's bodies. I feel him trail up my stomach and towards my breasts. I didn’t know how much I had missed his touch until now. I feel him unbutton my pajama top until my breasts are visible. He pulls back from our kiss to observe me. His smile and slow erection forming tell me he’s missed me like I have him.
I’m not going to lie; I’ve spent months thinking about our time together in Mexico. Our first time. Our last time. I remember every detail about every single time we were intimate. I could see his body clear-as-day whenever I used to close my eyes. It would calm me when I would begin to get worked up over something. Except I don’t have to imagine anything anymore because he’s here, right in front of me. Wanting me as much as I’ve been wanting him.
A few moments later our bare bodies pant in the doorway that leads to the bedroom. The morning sun creeps through the room giving beautiful warm tones throughout the suite. I stare at his naked body as he gazes down on mine. I feel him cup my face gently as the two of us stand there. My heart is pounding hard as the twinkles of sunlight shine on us. “I love you, Lina—I have for a while now—I—” He says and tears fill my eyes rapidly. “I love you, Xavier, so much,” I say softly and his eyes hold mine.
“You wanted me to bloom and I tried.” I pause as my voice begins to break. Emotions strike through me like lightning. “But it was because of you that I was even able to have that opportunity to bloom. You told me to be like a lotus and if I am—well then you're my roots.” I say as tears stroll down my face. I watch his eyes quickly blur too as he absorbs my real and heartfelt words.
It’s true. A love like ours doesn’t come around very often. A real and raw, meant-to-be love that neither of us was searching for. But it happened and it wasn’t by chance, it was by fate. He was meant to save me that day and I was meant to guide him to his sister, who would eventually guide us back to each other. I’m not going to try to understand it anymore, I’m going to savor it. Every bad thing that happened to me led me to this moment. This exact moment. And if given the chance, I’d do it all over again.
I feel his tongue swipe between my lips. His eyes hold mine as our kiss deepens into something magical. I run my hands through his wavy locks as he ignites my body. Our tongues wrestle slowly and passionately back and forth as we both quietly yearn for more.
I trail my finger down his muscular back as his light-brown eyes now hold mine. My heart hammers against my chest as we make our way onto the bed. We’ve done this many times, but this time is different. So different.
I smile up at him as he crawls on top of me. With his lips inches from mine, I feel his warm breath on my open mouth. “This body—this stunning and beautiful body that has occupied my mind for months deserves the respect and honor of being shared with one that will never stop loving it.” I feel his words dissolve deep into my heart, deep into my soul as I stare up at him. His finger wipes the tear that trails down my cheek. “And I promise as long as this is beating,” he takes my hand and places it over his heart, “that I will love you and keep you safe.” He says before I pull his face to mine.
We kiss eagerly as the sun continues to shine on us. The moment I feel him inside of me I let out a soft moan. He was made for me. I was made for him. We were simply made for each other. He thrusts slow and deep as I try to match his movements. We glide in sync back and forth as indescribable pleasure fills the parts of me I forgot were there. The parts of me that he helped me discover.
He flips me on top of him and I stare down at his glistening body. His perfect body. I feel his fingers dig deep into my hips slamming me down harder onto him. So hard that I erupt all over him as I see stars. My body convulses as he continues to thrust deep. Orgasm after orgasm I continue to rock back and forth until he finally moans loudly. I feel his hands cup my breasts before I fall on top of him.
Even with him still inside of me, he’s not close enough. It’s not enough. I can’t explain the longing I have for him. It’s indescribable.
“How?” He pants with a smirk.
“How what?” I say out of breath as I lay next to him now.
“How do you keep getting better and better than this?” He asks with his eyes closed. “Lots of practice,” I say and one of his eyes squints open. “I’m kidding,” I laugh as I prop myself up on my elbow. “I love you,” he says and I roll to kiss his lips gently. “Not as much as I love you,” I say smiling at him.
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We walk with our hands entwined together down the street. We had lunch at a beautiful restaurant near the Seine. We've spent the entire day laughing and smiling. My feet hurt from walking all over Paris. “Here we are.” Xavier squeezes my hand as we stand in front of a very chic and expensive-looking apartment. I stare at the door-man as he smiles over at Xavier. “Mr. Almasi,” he says, dipping his head and opening the door for us. “Morning, Louis.” He says as we walk past him and through the double-doors. I look up in amazement as cream marble surrounds us.
We make our way into the elevator and as soon as the doors close I watch as he presses the highest floor. I raise my eyebrows at him and he laughs. “So I’m guessing business is going well?” I say jokingly. “It is thanks to you.” He side-eyes me with a smirk. “Thanks to me?” I laugh. “Do you not remember our conversation in Mexico at the beach?” He asks looking over at me. “You told me after this was all over that I should do something with my life that would make my parents proud.” He bites his bottom lip.
“I remember.” I smile up at him. I feel his lips kiss mine before the elevator doors open. When the doors open my eyes instantly fill with tears as I see Farrah standing in the hallway holding a notebook. She’s writing something down. Her eyes lift from the notebook as if in slow motion and her mouth parts. We rush towards each other and in seconds I feel her arms wrap me up. Xavier was there during those dark chapters, but so was Farrah. We both cling to each other as emotion overcomes us. “How does she get even more beautiful since the last time I saw her?” She holds my arms out. I glance back at Xavier whose smile is beaming. “Oh, Farrah I’ve missed you so much.” I dab the tears from my eyes. “Oh honey I knew you’d be back,” she winks as she ushers me inside.
His apartment is stunning. Hardwood floors throughout the entire space, floor-length windows take up the majority of the living area. The Eiffel Tower is in the distance and I try my hardest to not look stunned at this ravishing apartment that’s bigger than my parent’s entire house. I turn back to Xavier who is now in the kitchen placing things on the counter.
“Anyone up for some of Lina’s cookies?” He smiles.