Page 188 of The Penalty

A moan rumbled in his chest. The weight of his body cloaked me, leaving no space between us. “I want to bring that fantasy to life for you. Will you let me?”

I reached up, running my fingers through his hair. “Yes.”

The damp warmth of his breath tickled my lips when he hovered his mouth over mine. “Dirty princess. How did I get so lucky to find you? You are my fantasy come true.”

Was it wrong that I regretted wearing panties? They were soaked.

Thirty seconds until midnight.

The lights dimmed. The only awareness of us being in a room surrounded by people was the faint buzz of conversation. I was too locked in with Xavier, too consumed by his heat, his scent, his gorgeous blue stare.

“I want to bring all your fantasies to life for you. Will you let me?” His lips brushed against mine with every spoken word. The silky, smooth tone of his voice flowed through my veins.

I swallowed, barely able to control my racing pulse. “Yes.”

We stood so close I felt every beat of his heart, every shallow breath, every small shudder.

“Victoria. I want to be the last person you kiss this year, the first person you kiss in the next, and the only person you kiss from now on. First. Last. Only. Will you let me?”

Ten seconds until midnight.

A myriad of emotions took hold of my heart. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think.

Five…four…three…

“Yes.”

He kissed me on an exhale, soft and sweet. One of his hands cupped the back of my neck, his fingers gently scratching up into my hair.

Two…one.

Xavier sealed our mouths together, deepening our kiss. He possessed me, savored me, claimed me. Some kisses made a person feel a little disoriented. This kiss reached into my soul and reconfigured everything I thought I knew about love.

And yeah, it also made me dizzy.

“Tori,” he whispered on my lips. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you let me?”

I melted into him, choking out a sob. Confetti and balloons fell silently around us. Time slowed to a near standstill.

Framing his face in my hands, I held his steady gaze. I spent so many years denying what I wanted. Denying myself happiness. Denying myself a chance.

Who knew this beautiful man would change my whole life when he pulled off the road in the English countryside to see if I needed help. In that one innocuous moment, he ignited a reality I never thought I deserved.

And then he showed me all the ways I did.

“Yes.”

When Xavier kissed me again, portions of my life flashed before my eyes. The good parts, the terrible parts, the parts I never believed would be real.

Some might describe this as being similar to a near-death experience.

I don’t think that’s the case at all. For me, it’s a rebirth. A transformation.

A vow to myself to never stop rising from the ashes.

Xavier

Four Months Later

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