Page 35 of Bad Boy for Hire
If she argued about staying, she’d be making a bigger deal out of it than she should. It was late. They were both tired. Sleeping here was logical.
She gave in with, “I’m not gonna lie, I could sleep.”
He pressed a fast kiss to her lips. “You can have my bed.”
She was already shaking her head.
“Don’t argue with me, May. I mean it.” He stood and grabbed a pillow for himself, leaving her three. “Have enough blankets?”
“I can’t ask you to sleep on the couch.”
“You didn’t.”
“Xavier.”
“Are you an early riser or do you like to sleep in?”
She wasn’t positive she’d be able to sleep at all with his scent and his bedsheets wrapped around her, or if her brain decided to trot out new scenarios about what had potentially occurred tonight. Nevertheless, she answered, “Early, but like seven o’clock. Not five a.m. or anything crazy.”
“Seven, it is. ’Night.”
“’Night.” He left, shutting the door and leaving her in the silence of his bedroom. Just her and her thoughts.
She fell back on the bed and hugged one of the pillows against her chest. Today had been a whirlwind of complicated emotions, memories, and sensations. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep, her brain having decided to give her a break for the night.
May had every intention of doing her laundry and preparing for the week when she arrived home. Lisa, however, had other plans.
Just as well, considering the awkward morning at Xavier’s. Her eyes had sprung open at five-thirty a.m., much earlier than she’d promised or anticipated. She’d visited the bathroom and listened for movement downstairs but had heard nothing. After scrolling through her phone long enough to suffer a hand cramp, she finally ventured downstairs around 6:45.
The pillow and blankets were in a stack on the sofa, though he didn’t appear to have been awake long. His eyes had been hooded and sleepy, his hair a disaster. He was absolutely gorgeous, even in the morning sunlight. Especially in the morning sunlight.
She’d stayed for coffee. They’d talked on the drive to her house, keeping things light. The tension was present between them but not stifling. They’d agreed last night not to worry about what could have happened. So there really was no need to bring it up come morning.
Lisa had called as Xavier pulled into May’s driveway. He caught sight of Lisa’s name on the phone’s screen. “She’s calling for a full report, I assume?”
“Something like that.” May had pressed the button on her phone as she opened the passenger door. Before she said hello, Xavier called out, “Hi, Lis! May, talk soon.” Then he’d sent her a wink and reversed out of her driveway.
Now, Lisa was standing in May’s living room. She’d brought coffee and breakfast sandwiches for both of them from Cup of Jo’s. Lisa popped the last of her croissant into her mouth and chewed. “Okay. So. I need every last detail.” She swallowed a drink of coffee. “Every sordid, juicy detail you can remember. Unless he fucked your brains out, at which point you are excused from remembering anything.”
May shook her head but laughed. Lisa wasn’t that far off with her assessment. “The sandwich is delicious. Was Elliott working this morning?”
“No, no, no. You are not derailing this conversation to talk about Elliott, or anyone else for that matter. We are only talking about you and Xavier, with a slight detour to Prescott. Has he grown any warts on his face? Is he hideously disfigured?”
“Neither.” May sipped her latte. Caramel. Good choice. “He’s the same buff, bald-headed, attractive, personality-less jerk I broke up with years ago.”
Lisa emitted a noncommittal grunt. She knew May’s past, so there was a shorthand when it came to discussing Prescott Stanton.
“He brought a date.” May took another bite of her sandwich. She hadn’t been hungry at first, but eggs and cheese and bacon had a way of waking up a girl’s appetite.
“Not surprising.” Lisa settled onto the sofa next to May.
“They’re engaged.”
Lisa’s mouth dropped open.
“Oh, and they bought a house.”
“That is surprising.”
