Page 55 of Lassoed Love

“Isla, I’m not fucking leaving you here with him.” My desperationechoes in the air.

“Just go back to your car!” I plead.

He resists, so I press harder. “Please!”

My voice, usually gentle, now feels alien as it cuts through the chaos. Xavier mutters something—I don’t quite catch it but hear ‘unbelievable’ under his breath as he storms off to his car. Why do I have shit luck with dates? I turn to my father, who is now resting on the edge of the lounge chair.

I rush over to him. “I-Isla,” he repeats, my heart doing somersaults.

“I’m here, Dad, I'm here,” I say, my voice wavering as I redirect him inside onto the couch.

“What time is it? What happened?” His confusion is disorienting—does he have no recollection of what just happened?

“Just rest, Dad, stay here. I’ll get you some water,” I say, frantically rushing to the kitchen to grab a glass, returning to place it in front of my father—who has now passed out on the couch. I nudge him softly as panic courses through me. His chest moves with soft movements and I exhale a breath in relief. I grab a blanket folded on the chair beside the couch and throw it over him. Then I sweep up the broken glass carefully and toss the shards in the bin inside the kitchen.

Lights in my peripheral vision catch my attention. Xavier’s car is still down the dirt path, lights on.He’s still here.Closing the front and screen door, I rush off down the stairs towards him. He needs toleave—what doesn’t he understand?

The rain pelts down, unrelenting, soaking through my clothes as I rush towards Xavier’s car, lights piercing through the darkness. Thunder still rumbles overhead.

Xavier sees me approaching, frustration etched on his face as he steps out into the downpour.

“How could you fucking do that, Isla? Are you fucking stupid?” he seethes, standing defiantly in front of me. “You never put yourself in front of a barrel like that. Ever. AGAIN—Didn’t your father ever teach you anything?”

Infuriated, I defend myself against his anger. “He would have shot you if I didn’t intervene.” I place my hands on my hips. “The gun wasn’t even loaded! So,YES, Xavier, my dad did teach me something,” I retort, my voice cutting through the drumming rain. My heart pounds, a mix of frustration, fear, and lingering adrenaline.

Xavier’s frustration boils over, and he practically snarls, “That’s not the fucking point, Isla.”

The rain lashes down on us as we stand in the storm, a physical manifestation of the tempest between us. “You can’t just throw yourself into harm’s way like that, especially not for me,” he continues, his voice a low growl. My own frustration flares.

“What about you, Xavier? What were you thinking, storming in like that? You could have gotten yourself killed! You have to trust me to handle things.”

His jaw tightens, the tension between us thickening as he roars, “Trust? Isla, you can’t just expect me to stand by when you’re clearly in danger. I didn’t want anything to happen to you.”

I clench my fists, the rain mingling with tears on my cheeks. “Danger?” I scoff. “I don’t need you to be my knight in shining armour, Xavier. I need you tounderstandthat I can take care of myself. You don’t get to barge in and dictate everything,” I say as I shove him. “Why do you care so much? You should have just left—-anyone else would have.”

“I’m not anyone else. I’ve told you before, I care about you,” he insists, frustration etched across his features. He cares for me,but why?My mind still can’t comprehend why.

“This... whatever the fuck this is... isn’t going to work,” I exclaim loudly, gesturing between us. The relentless rain paints a blurry backdrop to our heated exchange. “You saidonedate, and that’s all it’ll be, Xavier. Just leave, please, for the hundredth time—” I say as I turn to walk back into the house. Yet, I’m abruptly halted as Xavier seizes my wrist, forcefully pulling me back to him. In an unexpected move, he slams his lips to mine.

The world around us dissolves into the storm, the taste of rain and desperation lingering on our lips. I try to pull away, my palms pressing against his chest, attempting to create distance, but the intensity of the kiss keeps me anchored.

The rain cascades around us, an unyielding force echoing the tumultuous emotions that entwine us in this moment. My head wages war with my entire body, fighting the addicting attraction I have for him. Kissing Xavier is like tasting the sweetest poison.

The friction of his body against my flimsy dress has me panting into his mouth. The entire world fades away as we tease, nip, kiss.Our tongues duelling against one another for dominance. He pulls away with a ragged breath. “I toldyou, for thehundredthtime, I am not leaving.” He stares down at me, his blue eyes piercing mine with an intensity that kindles a warm and fuzzy sensation within.

“Deny it all you want, princess—trustme,I’ve tried—but thereissomething here.” There’s that word again—trust.

“If you want me to stop, then tell me. I need your words,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear.

“What?” I whisper, but I heard him loud and clear. Fuck, I shouldn’t want this.Especially not now.

“Yes, or no, Isl—” he doesn’t have time to respond. I slam my lips back to his, eliminating any lingering doubts. A low growl rumbles from deep within him, the vibrations resonating through both of us. With effortless strength, he lifts me, carrying me to his car. Fumbling with the door handle, he yanks it open and gently tosses me into the back seat, following closely behind.

As I settle into the backseat with him, he guides me to straddle his thighs. I instinctively clench my thighs together. The air in the car crackles with a newfound tension as Xavier’s lips find their way back to mine. My breath hitches, caught in the dance of desire and restraint.

His hands, rough yet gentle, trail along the small of my back, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down my spine. As our lips meld, he pulls me even closer, and his voice, gruff and low, breaks the silence.

“Stepping in front of that gun... it means something, Isla,” hemurmurs against my lips, his breath a warm whisper. “Means you care, too.”

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