Page 10 of XOXO

Chapter Five

Delani

I prided myself on being a strong, capable, independent woman, but there was a moment when that weasel of an inspector had me trapped between him and the counter that I panicked. And that panic left me shaken.

After a week of upturned garbage pails, trash dumped everywhere outside the shop for which I’d received a citation, my mail being tampered with, and lewd messages, the classic heavy-breathing ones, being left on my phone, I thought Sonny Delgado not only hated me, but was exacting revenge in the usual frat boy style. Like a total asshole.

Even so, I’d never been so fucking happy to see anyone in my life as I was when he came busting through the doors like some sort of superhero to rescue me. My cheeks burned just thinking about it. The rage on his face was palpable, and when he punched that jerk, I just about forgave him for all the idiocy over the past week I’d been avoiding him.

I’d never played the damsel in distress, and yeah, I’d have likely gotten that creep out of there one way or the other. But I couldn’t know for sure, and that was why I was currently standing in Sonny’s arms, shaking like a leaf on a tree.

“Thank you for what you did,” I whispered, and he tightened his hold on me for a moment before using his forefinger to tip my chin upwards.

My gaze ate him up, loving that stubble he couldn’t seem to get rid of and his deep olive-toned skin. Christ, he was so hot. His bad boy tattoos were beyond sexy, and his muscular body was temptation itself. He was like a walking cover model, and I admit, I spent most of my nights this past week replaying the way he’d filled me so well and brought me to orgasm quicker than BOB—my battery-operated-boyfriend.

“Sweet Del, I would never let anyone hurt you.”

I cleared my throat, stepping back. Sonny kept his hands on my waist, and I was thrilled he didn’t want to let go. Was it wrong I craved his touch, too? Especially after all the hijinks this week. Maybe it was time to clear the air before I went and did something stupid with him. Again.

His fingers made circles on my hips where he’d lowered his hands, and I swayed closer. Like one of those toys where the metal balls sat on this big magnet, that was me. Rolling me forward until I was simply clinging to the man.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered, so close I was sure he would kiss me. But first I had to get this out.

“I missed you, too, and I know it’s my fault for not being adult enough to hash this out. But did you have to unwrap all my trash and mess with my mail?” I asked, needing to know.

“Wait. What?” he asked, and the shock on his face told me immediately Sonny was not behind either mess.

“That wasn’t you.”

“No! Of course not. Do you really think I would do something like that?” he asked.

He looked both hurt and aghast, and I didn’t blame him. I shook my head, realization dawning, and I knew he didn’t do any of that.

“Shit. You’re right. I’m sorry. I was so messed up this week after we—that is, after everything that happened.”

“I get it, Del. We moved fast, and then I went and fucked it up. Look, I’m sorry,” he said, and I could see sincerity swimming in his deep brown eyes. “I should have never asked you to close your store. And I don’t even really know why I did. It was like I was focused on the tasting because I was trying to get you off my mind, and then I had you, and my fucking brain exploded.”

The sheepish grin on his lips as he explained in a rather adorable, bumbling way, how he’d been crushing on me, of all people.

“I thought you were with your ex. So, I left you alone, Del. It was so fucking hard, but I did. I just didn’t think I had a chance.”

“You should’ve told me,” I whispered, but I admired his restraint. He was a good man.

Former frat boy hotness aside, Sonny was proving to be more than just my sexy neighbor next door. Maybe there were good men in this world who still had scruples and morals. And maybe I’d found one for myself.

“Not my style, Del,” he replied with a sexy shrug. “I was gonna bide my time, wait for you to notice me.”

“Notice you? Are you kidding? I mean, look at you, Sonny. I noticed you alright,” I murmured.

I wasn’t going to tell him I didn’t think I stood a chance with a guy like him. I was cute. Pretty even. But Sonny was like sex on legs. Guys like that never noticed me. Until now. And did I mention, I was glad. His body and cover model face might have drawn my attention to him, but it was this right here—this honesty I wasn’t expecting that struck me right in the chest.

Like Cupid’s arrow.

“I’m glad you like what you see,” he said, voice husky as he dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Real glad, Del. I would have waited however long it took. Lucky for me, I was in the alley that day and heard you were free.”

“Then you came in here—”

“Yeah, I came in here, like a raging bull,” he growled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice.

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