Bachelor Unleashed (12 page)

“Yes, there’s no reason for me to get stranded here, too. Besides, if the storm is as bad as the forecasters predict, the office will be closed anyway. I can fly back sometime next week to finalize things.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve got a favor to ask of you,” he said, pulling off her gloves, needing to feel his skin enmeshed with hers. “What?”

He entwined their fingers and felt the warmth of her flesh. He looked down at their joined hands in her lap. “I’ve been invited to several holiday parties and I want you to go as my date.”

He felt her flinch but chose to ignore her reaction. “I had originally planned not to accept the invitations, but since we’ve decided to remove the limitations on our affair, I think it would be nice for us to share the holiday spirit, don’t you?” Xavier figured those parties would be perfect for him and Farrah to be officially seen out together as a couple.

Farrah wasn’t sure if what he was proposing would be nice or not. She certainly hadn’t expected him to ask her out on a date so soon. And from what he’d said, it sounded as if it would be several dates. She knew it might sound pretty sleazy to some, but she much preferred sharing her time with him in the bedroom in a strictly physical and nonemotional affair. However, it had nothing to do with the reasons he had accused her of last night. To get him to believe that would be close to impossible.

Instead of answering his question, she posed one of her own. “How many parties are we talking about, Xavier?”

He leaned over and began nibbling on her neck, ears and the corners of her mouth. “Um, I think we’re talking about three or four. And then there’s the New Year’s Eve party that Uriel and his wife, Ellie, are hosting at the lake.”

She gazed up at him. “And you want me to attend all those parties with you?”

“Yes. Is there a reason why you can’t? Have you made other plans for the holidays?”

Farrah inwardly sighed. Unfortunately, she hadn’t made other plans. She figured on it being a low-key time for her. Her company was closed for ten days, and she had planned to buy a number of books and to stay in, relax and have a read-a-thon.

“Farrah?”

Why did he have to say her name in such a way that waylaid her senses and sent a ripple of desire through her? “Yes?”

“Have you made plans for the holidays already?”

“No, but—but—”

He lifted his head and stared down at her. “But what?”

How could she tell him that she wasn’t comfortable dating the way normal couples did? How could she explain that she equated dating with establishing the foundation for something more serious, and she didn’t do serious?

Instead of wasting her time explaining anything, she said, “Nothing. Going to all those events will be fine. Just let me know when and where and I’ll meet you there.”

Xavier threw his head back and laughed. “Sorry, sweetheart, but it doesn’t quite work that way. I’ll let you know when and where, but I’ll pick you up. We won’t show up in separate cars.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip wondering why it mattered if they both ended up at the same place. But she didn’t want to argue with him about it. She glanced out the window and noticed they had passed the exit for the airport. “Where are we going?”

“Back to my place to get luggage. When I talked to you earlier I was at the office finishing up a few things.”

She nodded. “And where’s Mr. Cody?”

“Cameron has his own private car and will join us at the airport at the designated time.”

“Okay.”

She settled back against his chest, and when he shifted positions, she could feel his hard erection pressing against her backside. What she felt was a sure sign that he wanted her, so why wasn’t he taking her?

As the car sped toward Long Island, she sat cuddled in Xavier’s lap, thinking and wondering just what was going on in that mind of his.

Chapter 13

A
few hours later Farrah entered her home, and Xavier walked in behind her. He thought the flight from New York had gone well, with Cam and Farrah chatting amiably during most of the trip. More than once Cam had shot him a look that had clearly asked,
Why have you kept her hidden?

He closed the door, leaned against it and watched as she moved across the room and switched on a lamp. Although it was late afternoon, it had already been dark when the plane had landed. Two private cars had sat waiting on the airstrip. One had whisked Cameron home, and Xavier had placed Farrah and her luggage with him in the other.

Swallowing thickly, he recalled how tempted he had been to take her directly to his place instead of bringing her here. In the end, his common sense had won out. He had to be patient in his handling of her.

When she moved to turn on another lamp he glanced around thinking how he had missed coming here.

“Thanks for everything, Xavier, especially for making the arrangements to get me back home.”

His gaze returned to her. “You’re welcome.”

Xavier straightened from leaning against the door, and his stomach clenched when she walked slowly toward him. He wasn’t sure what she planned to do, but from the look in her eyes, he had a feeling he was in trouble.

When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. And when she tilted her face up to him, he lowered his head to give her what she wanted. What he wanted. The moment their lips connected, he slid his tongue in her mouth and began mating hungrily with hers. She melted into him, and he deepened the kiss by widening his mouth over hers.

He needed this contact as much as he needed to breathe. And she clung to him as if she felt the same way. For him, that was a good sign, one he intended to cultivate any way that he could. He reluctantly broke the kiss and whispered against her moist lips. “Come home with me tonight.”

He saw the indecisiveness in her arched brow and knew why. One of their unspoken agreements had been he would visit her here. She’d preferred things that way because it had given her a semblance of control. What she didn’t know, and what she would eventually discover, was that no matter how many roadblocks she erected, he intended to rush right through each and every one of them.

When she didn’t say anything, he leaned down to place kisses around her mouth. “I figure we could grab something to eat at the Racetrack Café and go to my place to watch a movie and then go to sleep.”

“Sleep?” she asked in a deep, raspy tone.

“Yes, if that’s what you want to do,” he said in a husky voice. “But would you really want to?”

Farrah threw her head back and groaned deep in her throat when the tip of Xavier’s tongue became naughty and began licking all around her mouth. The man was torturing her something awful. She tried pushing the thoughts from her mind that he was asking her to relinquish control by doing something atypical in their relationship. However, she
had
agreed to an unlimited affair with him, hadn’t she? And she did want to make love to him again, didn’t she? Should it matter if it was his bed or hers? His home or hers? “Farrah?”

She met his gaze. The look she saw in his eyes was enough to make her panties wet. “No, I don’t want to sleep,” she heard herself saying. “And yes, I want to spend the night at your place.”

Farrah moved around her bedroom unpacking her things, while at the same time tossing a few items into an overnight bag. The private car had taken Xavier home where he would get his car and come back for her in an hour.

Snapping her overnight bag shut, she moved from her bedroom toward the living room, intent on making sure she was ready when he returned. Tremors of anticipation were racing through her at the thought that he would be taking her back to the place where they had met. A place where a number of his friends, as well as hers, hung out.

She nearly jumped when the doorbell sounded, and moved toward the door. She looked through the peep hole, and sensations flooded her insides. It was Xavier, and as she had done, he had taken time to change clothes. Opening the door, she saw he was no longer wearing a suit but had changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt. And this was the first time he had appeared on her doorstep without his signature bottle of wine.

She felt his gaze roam over her, and when he smiled, she couldn’t help but smile, too. “Ready?” he asked, taking her overnight bag from her hand.

“Yes.”

He stepped back, and after she locked the door behind her, he took her hand and escorted her to his two-seater sports car.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” Xavier asked Farrah a short while later at the Racetrack Café.

The popular bar and grill in town was jointly owned by several drivers on the NASCAR circuit. Over the years it had become one of his favorite places to eat and to hang out, especially on the weekends.

Tonight the place was crowded, understandably so since there was a live band every Friday night. Couples were on the dance floor, and he couldn’t wait to get out there himself. The need to hold Farrah in his arms was hitting him hard.

“Yes, everything was wonderful.”

“Do you remember that we met here?” He wondered if she remembered that night like he did.

She smiled. “Yes, I know. It was girls night out for me and Natalie. She had her eyes on Donovan and my eyes were on you. I thought you were hot.”

Xavier chuckled. One of the things he liked about Farrah was her honesty. She was up front with her responses. “You thought so?”

“Yes, I still do,” she said softly at the same time one of her bare feet intentionally rubbed against his pants leg.

He held her gaze, fully aware of what she was trying to do. It wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge. She was ready for them to leave and go to his place to be alone.

“Hey, you two, when did you get back?”

He glanced up to find Donovan Steele and his wife, Natalie, standing at their table. Immediately Farrah was out of her seat to give her best friend a hug, while likewise, he stood to shake Donovan’s hand and invite him and Natalie to join them.

“We decided to head back before the snowstorm hit,” he said, smiling over at Donovan. “Cameron made that possible since he was anxious to return to Charlotte anyway. We caught a ride back on his private plane.”

Donovan chuckled. “I can just imagine Cam wanting to get back. Now that Vanessa is pregnant, he doesn’t like being away from her for too long.”

“So you didn’t get any shopping in?” Natalie asked Farrah, grinning.

“Are you kidding?” Farrah laughed. “You know I don’t do cold weather well. I was ready to come home the minute the temperatures dropped below twenty.”

Xavier leaned back in his chair and noticed Farrah seemed comfortable with them being seen together as a couple tonight. During the course of their meal, several people they knew had stopped by their table to say hello.

“Since the two of you have finished eating, will you be leaving here soon?” Donovan asked.

Xavier glanced over at Farrah and saw the hopeful look in her eyes but chose to ignore it. “Not until we get a few dances in, starting now, so please excuse us,” he said, standing up and extending his hand out to Farrah when he heard the band play a slow number. She took it and stood.

He was grateful she wasn’t upset that he was stalling about leaving. But he wanted her to enjoy doing things with him other than making love. He pulled her into his arms the moment their feet touched the dance floor. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he drank in her luscious fragrance. “Do you remember the first time we danced here together?” he asked, angling his head and leaning his mouth close to her ear.

She nodded, tilting her head back to look up at him. “Yes, it was right after we spent an hour or so in the game room. You beat me at everything that night. Pool. Darts. Pinball.”

He chuckled. “Yes, but you weren’t so bad. In fact I thought you were pretty good.”

She seemed pleased with his compliment. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I think we need to play a few of those games again sometime.”

She studied his gaze. “But not tonight.”

He chuckled. “No, definitely not tonight.”

He pulled her tighter in his arms, and she rested her head against his chest. He felt his desire for her growing and his love right along with it. He tightened his arm around her even more, and glancing over at their table, he saw Donovan and Natalie watching them with curious eyes. But he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was the feel of her in his arms. The woman whose head was pressed against his heart. A heart that belonged to her whether she knew it or not.

They moved to the slow music, and luckily for him, when the song ended, another slow one began. And just like before, he held her close. At one point he rested his lips close to her ear and sang parts of the song to her. In between the lyrics, he whispered just what he wanted to do to her later. And he was as detailed and explicit as he could be.

When the song came to an end, before they parted, Farrah leaned closed to him and whispered, “Don’t be all talk. Do it.”

Xavier decided to accept her challenge. He took her hand in his and led her back over to their table. After quickly gathering their coats and her purse, they bid good-night to their friends and left.

They didn’t share much conversation in the car. Instead, Farrah stared out the window at the moonless sky, although there were a number of bright stars overhead.

She figured there was nothing left to be said between them since they both knew what they wanted. But that didn’t keep her from anticipating what was in store. She didn’t have any regrets about them being together and couldn’t help thinking how easy it had been to be out with him tonight. She had enjoyed herself before dinner, during dinner and after dinner.

They had discussed a number of topics, and when people who knew them had approached their table, it hadn’t bothered her when she could tell they assumed she and Xavier were an item. Even when Donovan and Natalie had shown up and joined them, she hadn’t been bothered by the knowing looks Natalie had given her.

Farrah’s attention was pulled back to the present when they came to the entrance of Xavier’s subdivision, and he pulled up to the security gate. Moments later he drove through. Most of the homes they passed were adorned with holiday decorations. It then dawned on her that she hadn’t bothered putting up a tree since her divorce from Dustin. At one time she used to fully embrace the merriment of the season and would look forward to all the holiday festivities.

When Xavier’s car pulled into the driveway to his home and the garage door went up, she felt an anxiousness in the pit of her stomach. She was here at the place he considered his primary home. After the garage door closed behind him and he’d brought the car to a stop, he killed the engine before glancing over at her and smiling. “Welcome to my home, Farrah.”

There was something about what he said that sent a warm feeling through her. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

And she truly meant it. There
was
something about being here, being a part of Xavier’s element and sharing his personal space that had her feeling emotions she had never felt before.

He opened the car door and she watched as he moved around the front of the vehicle to open the door for her. He extended his hand to her, and she took it, and then, surprising her, he whisked her off her feet and into his arms. “Xavier!”

He lowered his head and captured the squeal from her lips, effectively silencing her while mating his mouth hungrily and greedily with hers. His tongue was devouring her, escalating her desire and longing for him as he took her mouth with a mastery that made her groan.

Moments later he released her mouth and began walking with her toward his back door. Desire began spiraling through her when he opened the door. She didn’t say a word. She just stared up at him while he continued to hold her in his arms.

He pushed the door open and carried her over the threshold. She could barely see her surroundings as he swiftly moved through his kitchen, dining room and living room and then carried her up the stairs.

Xavier walked down a hall before finally entering a dark bedroom. He placed her in the middle of the bed before turning on a lamp to bring light into the room. It was then that she looked at him and saw the heat within his gaze. Her eyes roamed all over every square inch of his muscular body after he removed his coat and tossed it aside. The muscles bulging beneath his shirt made her appreciate the fact he was a man with the ability to make her mind incapable of thought. With Xavier all she could do was feel.

He unbuttoned his shirt, then removed it to reveal one incredibly hot-looking chest dusted with hair she wouldn’t mind running her fingers through or burying her nose in, while inhaling his masculine scent.

When her gaze moved from his chest to meet his eyes, he said, “In case you’re wondering what I’m doing, I’m about to prove to you, Farrah Langley, that I am not all talk.”