Page 63 of Guarded from Danger

“Oh, Luce.” Xavier puts his arm around me. “Please don’t think that. It’s not your fault. No one blames you.”

“And no one blames you.” After a brief pause for emphasis, I ask, “Can we both let it go? Agree that neither of us is to blame? I hate to see you hurting, and I just wish I could make it better for you.”

Emotion turns his eyes a deep, liquid brown. “Sunshine…” A hard swallow, then a nod. “Okay. I don’t want you worrying about this. I’ll work on letting it go.”

A weight lifts from my chest. “Maybe… you could join one of my counseling sessions? And we could talk about it? I think it might help.”

There’s no hesitation. “Alright. If you think it’ll help, I’ll do it.”

“Good.” Leaning in, I hug him hard. “Thank you, Xavier.”

His arms come around me as he presses his lips to the top of my head. “You never have to thank me. I would do anything for you.” Then he sits back and gives me a crooked smile. “And since we already messed up the order of things, I have something for you.”

“The order?”

“Yes.” He reaches into the drawer in the end table and pulls out a box. “It was supposed to be dinner, then dancing, your gift, and then ravishing you.”

Heat coils in my belly. “Ravishing?”

“Yup.” His smile expands. “Lots of ravishing. But now that we’re sitting here, and you look so beautiful, and I just… I want to give this to you now.”

As he places the long turquoise box in my hand, my heart flutters. It’s not the right size for a ring, but… what if it was? Would I say yes?

I would. Without question. Everything I know about Xavier makes me certain he’s the one I want to spend my life with.

On a held breath, I open the box, gasping as I see the necklace sitting inside.

Not a ring, but that’s okay. There’s still plenty of time.

And the necklace. It’s stunning—an open heart made of gold with yellow gems set inside it, attached to a delicate chain. As I stare at it, Xavier explains, “The gems are yellow diamonds. I didn’t know diamonds came in colors, but the salesperson said they do. And I thought, well, you love the color, and since I’ve given you my heart…”

Oh.

OH.

“Xavier.” My voice is thick. “I love it. So much. And you have my heart, too.”

He plucks the necklace from the box and fastens it around my neck, brushing a soft kiss to my collarbone as he does it. When he raises his head, his eyes are sparkling. “It looks beautiful on you, Lucy. Not as beautiful as you, but?—”

This incredible surge of love sweeps through me, so intense it’s hard to breathe past it. And with it, powerful desire, a desperate need to be joined with Xavier in every way possible.

“The food,” I say. “Will it be okay if it sits for a little while?”

“Um.” He thinks for a second. “Probably. It’s a mushroom gnocchi with a cream sauce. I got it from Mariano’s, since you wouldn’t want me trying to cook something that complicated. So it’s warming in the oven. And I have some bruschetta to warm up, and a Caesar salad in the fridge. Why?”

“Well, you said the order was all messed up. And I was thinking, I should really change, anyway.” Glancing down at my T-shirt and shorts, I explain, “Put on a dress or something nicer.”

“You don’t have to change. You look perfect.”

“I was thinking, though. Maybe you could help me get changed? And we could skip to the ravishing part, too?”

Desire heats his gaze. “Ah. Well. When you put it that way.” One hand comes to my waist, slipping just under my shirt. “You should get out of these clothes. And I’d be more than happy to help you.”

My core throbs. Heats.

“I would love your help.”

“Good.” His features go taut, all strong lines and angles. Both his hands move under my shirt, sliding along my skin and leaving sizzles of electricity in their wake.

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