Page 28 of The Nanny's Bossy Billionaire

Chapter Eleven

Xavier

We touch down inCancun around eight p.m., an hour after the rehearsal dinner was supposed to start. We make our way through the busy traffic to the five-star resort where the wedding party is staying. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing from the moment we landed.

“Calm down,” I say to Ryan. “We’ll be about half an hour. We could come straight there, but I doubt Zoey or Brooke would be happy about that.”

Zoey gives me a glare that confirms that. I give Brooke’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Brooke?” Ryan asks. “Who’s Brooke?”

“She’s with me,” I simply say.

“I didn’t know you were bringing someone.”

“And that’s a problem because?”

Ryan is silent for a beat. Which irritates me because I know he’s about to say something I won’t like.

“Because Vanessa is here.” Ryan continues. “She begged to come with me so she could see you.”

“And little cherub that you are, you couldn’t refuse. Well, that sounds like your problem, man.” I chuckle. If Ryan and Zoey would quit playing matchmaker for a second, they’d see Vanessa and I aren’t the least bit suited. “Anyway, tell Alex and the boys I’ll be there soon.”

Brooke is still looking out of the window, raptly taking in the busy, colorful streets and the sounds of Cancun at night. Lisa is rested from her long nap on the flight and is happily chatting to Dan and Zoey.

We reach the hotel and the awe on Brooke’s face driving through Cancun is nothing compared to her reaction when she sees the suite. It’s one with wall-to-ceiling panoramic sky and ocean views and a terrace with an infinity pool.

“Do you like it?”

“Oh my God, Xavier, this is breathtaking.” She looks around in wonder, shaking her head. “It’s—too much, too big for one person.”

“Are you trying to get me to share your room?”

She gets a bit flustered. “I mean, come on, it’s big enough for four people, Xavier. We could both stay here and we’d have plenty of space.”

“I wanted you to be comfortable and not feel like you have to stay in the same room with me, especially if you didn’t want to.”

I know she’d thought I brought her here to get into her pants. While there’s nothing I’d like to do more, I just really didn’t want to be alone this weekend.

Her eyes take on a soft glow and she throws her hands around my neck. “Thank you.”

The hug takes me by surprise. This is the first time Brooke has shown me affection without me having to push or provoke her. It feels bloody good. I return the embrace, liking the way she fits in my arms, the way my palms span her small waist and the swell of her hips. Her smell. I put my nose in her hair and inhale deeply.

“Xavier”—she releases me—“what are you doing?”

“You smell good, can you blame me?” I laugh, and she shakes her head.

I leave her to get changed for the rehearsal dinner.

The rehearsal dinner is halfway done when we get there. It is on the rooftop terrace of the hotel overlooking the beach, which is the venue of the wedding tomorrow. Classical music plays in the background, mixed with the laughter and conversations of the guests. Zoey and Lisa had gone ahead to sit with Holly, the other flower girl, and her mom Emma.

I see Alex and his bride-to-be, Nora, standing with the officiant. A group of women are beside Nora, and the guys are on Alex’s side. I gather they’ve already done the processional. I tense as we draw nearer.

It’s a semi-casual rehearsal dinner, nothing more, I tell myself, gently rolling my head from side to side to relieve the tension already setting in.

“I’ll go sit over there,” Brooke says, motioning to the small group where other guests who aren’t part of the wedding party are sitting. Before she goes, I pull her into my arms and kiss her cheek. “Have I told you how beautifulyou look?”

“Only about a dozen times, Xavier,” she replies, squeezing my arm. If she thought my behavior was unusual, she didn’t show it. I watch her go for a moment, then follow Dan and head to the other boys standing to the side of the makeshift aisle.

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