Page 19 of Offside Rule

Xavier had told me to meet him at the train station at noon, after he’d checked on Giulia and me every day since he’d gotten here. Thankfully, I was feeling a lot better.

Was I a coward for seeing him right before his flight just so I had a way out if I needed it? Totally.

I flinched when two rough hands covered my vision. The smell of his aftershave invaded my senses, and I took a deep breath, relaxed by his presence. He was like a drug with an instant effect.

“Are you ready?” he whispered in my ear, and I shivered under his breath.

I turned around, smiling from ear to ear. “Where are we going?” Xavier took his hands away, and his grin was the first thing I noticed. He had a glimmer in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

He shrugged. “You’ll see when we get there.”

That’s the only thing he said before he handed me my ticket, dragged me by my hand, and stopped at Line Two.

“Xavier? What is this place?” I asked, my nose scrunching at our surroundings. I had no idea where we were, just that we’d taken an hour and a half to get here.

He placed a hand on the small of my back, a cheeky smile resting on his face. As I glanced up at him, enjoying the warmth of his touch, I realized he couldn’t get more handsome than when he was smiling. It was like the expression was part of him. I had seen many people smile, but no one wore it the way Xavier did. Strangely enough, I didn’t need him to touch me to make my knees go weak. All he needed to do was pull out his beautiful grin, and I was done.

D.O.N.E.

We were standing in front of a one-story corner building with large windows, but I couldn’t catch a glimpse of what was inside. The entire view was blocked by people walking from one side to the other.

My eyes squinted at the name, written in red lights above the entrance—Teddy’s Corner.

“Come on,” he said, then moved his palm to mine. He looked to me for permission, and I nodded my head before I could think of anything else. I sighed, pleased with the comfort of his touch as soon as his fingers intertwined with mine.

Xavier opened the door and let me walk in first—clinging to my hand like it was his lifeline—and I found myself gawking at the sight in front of me. It looked like a … toy store.

Before I could get a better sense of the place, a small woman approached us. “Welcome to Teddy’s Corner,” the brown-haired woman said with a contagious smile. “Would you please share the name on your reservation?”

Xavier’s hand squeezed mine before he spoke. “Xavier and Arianna Kevalle,” he said so carelessly, while my eyes almost bulged out of my head. I threw him a look, but he ignored me.

“Follow me,” the lady said, and started walking.

I bumped my shoulder into his. “Arianna Kevalle?” I scream-whispered.

He shrugged. “Just manifesting.”

Before I could respond—other than the huge grin that took over my face for some reason—we stopped in front of a display with dozens of unstuffed plush toys.

“I’ll give you a few moments to choose your plushie, and then I’ll be right back to guide you through the next steps,” the woman announced before she turned on her heel.

As I took in my surroundings and analyzed each step, I realized Xavier had brought me to some kind of toy factory.

“I know you’re furious at yourself for how much time away from home your job requires, so I tried to find something that would help Giulia while you’re gone. You probably figured it out already, but you’ll create a personalized plush toy from scratch, and at the end, you can add a voice note. That way, every time Giulia misses you, she can squeeze the toy and she’ll hear your voice,” Xavier told me with confidence, his thumb caressing the inside of my palm.

Tears welled in the corners of my eyes. I had been so nervous to go out with him today, yet this was what he’d had in mind. He didn’t take me to a fancy, expensive restaurant to show off his luxurious lifestyle. Instead, he had deeply analyzed this to make it perfect for me.

“I—,” I started, the words sticking in my throat. “This is so sweet and considerate of you, Xavier. I have no idea what to say,” I said honestly, my throat bobbing.

He … he was young, yes, but he was also so much more than his age. He was smart, fun, and handsome. Suddenly, every reason for why we were off-limits disappeared.

“You don’t have to say anything, a kiss will do.” Xavier’s lips curved into that smile again, and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“You are one of a kind, I’ll give you that.”

“You too, fire girl.”

When he said those words, I felt them to my core. They were so sincere and full of meaning that my heart leaped in my chest. My eyes met his, and I held his stare, the temptation to crash my lips onto his amplifying the heat between my thighs in the most exciting way.

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