Page 30 of Real Shadows
Now, granted, it’s been a long time since I’ve been with a man, but Xander did not disappoint last night.
Still laying in his bed, feeling his warmth against my back, I knew it wasn’t loneliness that drew me to Xander so much as it was that I was tired. I was so tired from fighting all this darkness alone. Sure, it wasn’t fair to him, but he kept assuring me that he was in this with his eyes wide open. And if that were the case, then I had to trust that he meant what he said. He’s willing to see where this goes even if it becomes difficult. It also didn’t hurt that he knew what he was doing in the bedroom. And in the shower. And up against the wall.
Last night had been great as far as nights of sex went. After I begged him to put the romance on hold, he had brought it out the second time he slid inside me. Once we made it to the bed, Xander had, indeed, savored every part of my body with his lips, tongue, and hands. He had studied me like he had been cramming for finals and the man got an A+++. I was still concerned about this moving too fast, but I was going to trust in what I was feeling.
And I was feeling a lot of things.
However, right now, I was feeling the need to pee, so I started to roll out of Xander’s embrace, but he wasn’t as asleep as I thought he was. “Where you going?” he mumbled against the back of my neck as his arm tightened around my waist.
“I need to use the restroom.”
“Well, I suppose if youhaveto,” he teased, but released me, so I could get out of his bed. Last night he had carried me to his bedroom and that’s where we had stayed. I wasn’t sure what the protocol was now that we’d slept together, but Xander struck me as the type of man who will have my stuff moved into his bedroom by the end of the day.
I sat up and, naked, got out of bed. I wasn’t a huge fan of parading around without any clothes on, but Xander had kissed damn near every inch of my skin last night, so it seemed rather juvenile to be bothered by my nudity now. Not to mention, I could also grab a robe or some pajamas from my room while I freshened up.
Xander stopped me as I headed towards the bedroom door. “Hey, where are you going?”
I turned my head to look back at him. “I told you. I’m going to the restroom.”
His sleepy face looked confused. He pointed towards his adjoining bathroom door. “Use that one,” he directed.
I rolled my eyes. “Xander, I’d also like to brush my teeth and wash my face.”
He rolled those beautiful golden eyes at me back. “Women,” he muttered, but he muttered it with a grin on his lips. “Yeah, well, bring your toothbrush back with you and put it in this bathroom.
See? I knew it.
I wasn’t opposed to the idea of fully living with Xander, but I didn’t want to presume. “Just grab an extra one for in here if it matters to you that much,” I replied, testing what this was.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re out of your mind if you think you won’t be moved into my bedroom by the end of the weekend, Fallon,” he growled.
I laughed and walked out of the room. My bladder was screaming, and I really needed to brush my teeth and wash my face. It wasn’t a vanity thing; it was a cleanliness thing. Plus, it gave him time to face the day too if he chose. Truth is, Xander Raynes was so hot, morning breath wouldn’t be a factor.
After taking care of business, I grabbed some underwear and a t-shirt, threw them on, and then headed for the kitchen. Xander may have done most of the work last night, but I was feeling it everywhere and that made me feel exhausted. Had it not been for my bladder, I probably could still sleep a good couple of more hours.
I started the pot for a cup of tea while also making some coffee for Xander. Even though he thought I hadn’t been paying attention, I had noticed little things he did throughout his day. Coffee-strong coffee-first thing in the morning was one of those things.
I toyed with making some breakfast, but the desire to crawl back in bed with Xander was stronger than my growling stomach. I knew we’d have to eat soon or later, but the comfort of Xander and his bed felt more needed than sustenance right now.
Besides, if anything could make me forget I was hungry, it was Xander and the skills he unleashed last night. Xander Raynes was a beast in bed.
Xander liked his coffee black, so after testing the strength of my tea, I grabbed both mugs and headed back towards Xander’s bedroom-or, I don’t know. Maybe he was serious, and it would be our bedroom by the end of the day. I wasn’t sure. I just knew I liked the sound of that.
Out of habit, I glanced at the wall shelf that hung on the left side of the hallway that led to the bedrooms, and just like that, my world came crashing down once again.
When I had moved in with Xander, I had placed my rabbit on the dresser in the bedroom he had assigned me, but Xander had been kind enough to order me an identical one, and he had placed it on the wall shelf in his hallway. He thought having more than one rabbit would help make me feel safer, and it had.
Until now.
Everything happened in slow motion as my body went into its familiar state of panic.
The rabbit had been moved.
The accustomed sensation of blood thrumming in my ears blocked out the sound of crashing ceramic on the tile floor of the kitchen. Panic blocked out the sensation of hot, scalding tea and coffee splashing against my feet, ankles, and legs. Fear blocked out the sound of my name being yelled from somewhere in the house.
I’d been found.
Again.
