Page 37 of Tempting All The Way

“Jesus fucking Christ. Was this really necessary? Uncuff her now,” Xavier growls to the police officer, who stumbles to get the keys into the locking mechanism. “Let’s go,” Xavier grunts, dragging me out of the room and through the station.

I trip and stumble, attempting to keep up with him, but somehow manage to match his stride. When we get to the front of the building, I see Lucy arguing with Dominic.

“Lucy, Tim’s here to take you home,” Xavier says.

“Thank god.” She turns to me. “Are you okay? Want to stay at mine tonight?”

I’m about to say yes to both her questions when Xavier answers for me. “No, she doesn’t.” He turns to Dominic. “Whatever damage they caused, I’ll pay for it. Send me an itemised invoice.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Dominic answers, before spinning on his heel and stalking down the sidewalk.

I feel myself being placed on a bed, a soft bed. Opening my eyes, I’m greeted by a very pissed off looking Xavier. “Even when you’re angry, you’re pretty,” I tell him.

“And you’re fucking wasted and stink like a damn brewery,” he grunts.

“Well then… you’re still pretty. Wanna do that sex thing you do?” I ask as I push myself upright. Wiggling my dress up my hips, I pull it over my head. I’m left in just a black lace G-string.

“Hard pass, babe. You’re way too fucking drunk.”

“And horny.” I laugh. “Please, Xavier, no one does sex better than you,” I beg him.

He smirks momentarily before shaking his head. Leaning his body over mine, he lowers his mouth to my ear. “You should have fucking called me,” he growls before pushing off the bed again.

“What?”

“Why didn’t you call me? Lucy called me. You didn’t.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” My head is whirling. My eyes try to focus on him but everything is spinning.

“You had one phone call. You could have called me. They told me you refused to call anyone. Why?”

“Oh god, I’m going to be…” I dash from the bed, a hand covering my mouth.

Chapter Eighteen

Ihonestly would have thought having to hold a chick’s hair back and watch as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet would be the one thing to turn me off from a woman for good.

Well, it wasn’t. It didn’t. As I was holding Shardonnay’s hair away from her face, all I wanted to do was help her. Even with snot and tears all over her cheeks, I still thought she wasthe most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. Which is fucked up because that shit was disgusting. It was also a first for me. I think it’s time we have a discussion about what’s happening between us. I need her to know that I’m in this too deep for it just to be an ‘arrangement’ anymore.

There’s also the matter of the fucking bullshit lawsuit I have against me. I need to tell her before she finds out from someone else. I’m just too chickenshit to do it. Burying my head in the sand is so much easier. I don’t want to see the look of doubt—disgust—on her face.

Sliding out of bed as quietly as I can, I head into the kitchen and start the coffee machine. I should go and spend some time in my gym. There are three ways I deal with stress: alcohol, sex, and exercise. I like to work out until my whole body is too exhausted to think. Since I can’t very well do the first two right now, I guess it’s going to be option number three.

I walk back into the bedroom with a hot cup of coffee in my hands, quietly retrieve a pair of sweats and sneakers from my closet, and stop and stare at the sleeping beauty in my bed. Her hair is splayed out around her, the top of her naked breasts peeking from the sheets. My cock stirs and I know I need to get out of here.

I change into my sweats and sneakers in the gym, finish off my coffee, and hit the weight bench. An hour later, my muscles burn and I’m dripping in sweat. Not wanting to wake Shardonnay, I use a bathroom in one of the guest rooms. I turn on the hot water and let the warmth run over my face.

I need to figure out how I’m going to bring up our relationship. I’m not sure she’s going to want this thing between us to be more. I don’t know where her head is at. She could have called me last night when she was at the cop shop, but she didn’t. Why the fuck didn’t she call me?

It pisses me off that she isn’t one hundred percent sure I’d drop everything to come and help her. She should know that, and it’s my fault she doesn’t. When I got that call from Lucy, I wanted to wring her bloody neck for dragging Shardonnay into her mess. I don’t know what’s going on between her and that McKinley kid, but whatever it is, she needs to keep her drama away from Shardonnay.

I’m not blind. I’ve seen the way Dominic stares at Lucy. He’s obsessed with her but doesn’t want to be. I don’t know much about him; our parents have been friends for years, but he rarely shows up when they’re in town. I’m guessing the fact that he’s got his eyes set on my little sister is why he’s been more present.

I’m going to have to have a chat with Lucy about what’s going on between them. Although, I know my sister and if she gets the slightest hint of disapproval about him from anyone, it’ll only push her towards him more. I may not know the guy well enough to disapprove, but I do know he comes from old money, which is a plus. I don’t want some douchebag chasing my sister because she has a trust fund with nine zeroes on the figure.

I wash off, wrap a towel around me, and head towards my bedroom. After a quick check to see that Shardonnay is still asleep, I make my way into the kitchen. I pop a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster and pour a glass of orange juice. I imagine she’s not going to be feeling the best this morning. Loading a breakfast tray with her juice and vegemite-smeared toast, I place two paracetamol pills to one side and take it all to the bedroom. I place the tray on the floor, lean over her, brush her hair from her face, and brush soft kisses across her forehead.

I don’t know what it is about this girl that turns me so fucking soft. I want to cherish her, wrap her up in cotton wool and never let anything hurt her. It’s not a feeling I’m used to having. And, frankly, I don’t know how to deal with it.

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