Bachelor Unleashed (4 page)

He picked up his cold glass of water and took a huge gulp, appreciating how good it felt flowing down his throat to cool his heated insides. But that only lasted for a little while. All it took was a glance over at her, to see the creamy brown texture of her skin, the long lashes fanning her dark brown eyes, the high cheekbones with a dimple in each and the shape of her mouth to know even after their separation, he was still very much in lust with her. “Xavier?”

He then realized that he hadn’t answered. “Yes. I think I’m going to try the pepper steak with onions and white rice. I had it the last time I was here and thought it was good.”
But not as good as you,
he thought to himself.
Nothing is as good as you.

“That sounds like a winner and I think I’ll have that, too.”

Moments later, after placing their order with the waitress, Farrah settled back in her chair recalling what had filled her mind when Xavier had removed his coat. His tall, muscular frame always excited her whether he was in a suit or a pair of jeans. Business or casual wear, it didn’t matter. He exuded an air of total masculinity in anything he put on his body.

And then there were his facial features—definite eye candy of the sweetest kind. His strong, sensuous jaw, full lips, sculpted nose and chocolate brown eyes. And the dimple in his left cheek, she thought, added the finishing touch.

What she’d told Xavier earlier was true. Being with him, sitting across from each other in a restaurant, felt strange mainly because they’d never actually gone out on a date before. Their relationship had been defined from the beginning. She’d told him the night they’d met at the Racetrack Café that the last thing she wanted was an involvement in a serious relationship. She’d been there and done that with her marriage and had no intentions of doing so again.

She had explained, and quite specifically, that all she wanted was an occasional bed partner, a lover who wouldn’t get underfoot and become possessive and be a nuisance. She wanted a man who would know and understand the only rights he was entitled to were the ones she gave him.

Xavier had agreed to her terms without batting an eye because his wants and desires from a relationship had been identical to hers. She didn’t know the whole story, since it hadn’t been her business to ask him. But out of curiosity she had asked Natalie, who had heard what had happened from Donovan. It seemed some chick in college, whom he’d fallen in love with, had done him in, and as a result he’d erected a stone wall around his heart. Probably similar to the stone wall she had around her own.

From the first, they’d gotten along marvelously. Since they both traveled a lot in their professions, there had been times when they hadn’t seen each other for weeks. That hadn’t bothered her since she appreciated her space and didn’t like overcrowding of any kind. He had, however, on occasion given her a call during those times to see how she was doing. She merely took those as him being thoughtful and nothing more. She had never returned the gesture, although he had given her his business card with all his contact information.

For some reason, she’d never felt inclined to hold a conversation with him outside of their pillow talk. It was only then, while her body had been recuperating from the effects of mind-blowing orgasms, that he had shared things about himself. He’d never said a whole lot, just enough to let her know he was an okay guy who didn’t have a lot of the issues that some men did. He had learned from his past mistakes the same way she had learned from hers. Emotional involvements weren’t what they were cracked up to be and were best left alone.

He had told her about his five godbrothers and the story of how their fathers had made a pact upon graduating from college. She’d met them at Donovan and Natalie’s wedding and thought they were really nice guys and admired their close friendship.

“So tell me about the case you’re here working on, Farrah.”

The sound of his sexy voice made her glance up, and immediately she wished she hadn’t. Intentional or not, he had a look in his eyes that stirred desire she hadn’t felt since the last time she’d seen him. The last time she’d shared a bed with a man. Just remembering made the area between her thighs ache like crazy.

She shifted in her seat before saying, “What I have are best friends from high school who started a cosmetics company together after college.” She filled him in on the details of the case, then explained, “The new husband wants her to sell her share at what the other partner sees as an outlandish amount since she hadn’t been involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.”

Xavier nodded. “Doesn’t matter. If she’s still listed as a partner, whether she contributed to the success of the company or not, she’s entitled to her share, usually a fifty-fifty split, unless it can be proven that such an oral agreement was made.”

Farrah couldn’t stop the smile that touched her lips. “Everything you’ve said might be true from a legal standpoint, but I’m a mediator and not an attorney. My concern is not who is right or wrong in this case. My job is to facilitate a process of resolution, to help them work through the issue and resolve it.”

“You enjoy your work?” He realized he’d never asked her that before.

“Um, I find it rewarding. The people I deal with usually can come to an amicable decision on most issues and I like helping them get there,” she said.

At that moment the waitress returned with their food, which Xavier felt was timely since it gave him a chance to ponder all the things he didn’t know about her, despite having been involved in an affair with her for almost a year. He’d known the basics—like what she did for a living, her marital status and that her parents were divorced and she’d been an only child. He’d also known from observation that she was an extremely neat person, which he could appreciate since he was as well.

“What about you, Xavier? Do you enjoy your work?”

He glanced over at her. Just as he’d never inquired about her work, she’d never inquired about his until now. Once in a while after making love, he would share things with her, just for conversational purposes, nothing more. “Pretty much, although some days are more hectic than others. Cam keeps me busier than any of my other clients, but he’s pretty good to work for.”

“I’d think being a counselor for someone who is also a close friend would be hard.”

He chuckled. “It’s not hard because we try and keep it real. My job is to protect his interests and he knows I have his back and will give him the best advice. It’s all about trust.”

They didn’t say anything for a while as they ate their food, but he couldn’t help wondering what she was thinking. Was she thinking that going on a date with him wasn’t so bad and perhaps they should do it again? He didn’t have a problem with it if she didn’t.

“This is good.”

He glanced over at her and saw the smile on her face. “I’m glad you think so.”

Xavier resumed eating and tried to get out of his mind how good she looked. She’d always looked good before, but today she looked even better. It might just be his mind messing with him since he hadn’t seen or talked to her in a while.

“So what have you been up to lately?” she asked.

He glanced up again and watched as she put food in her mouth and began chewing. Damn, she even turned him on just by chewing her food.

He dropped his gaze to his plate to gain control of his senses before lifting them again to her. “I’ve been doing a lot of international traveling, mostly to the Middle East.”

“The Middle East?”

“Yes, a country call Mowaiti. Natalie might have mentioned that one of her cousin in-laws, Quade Westmoreland, has a cousin who is married to a sheikh.”

“She did. I met Cheyenne at one of Natalie’s bridal showers and got to meet Quade at the wedding. They have adorable triplets.”

He smiled. “Quade introduced Cameron to Sheikh Jamal Yasir, and they’re discussing a possible joint business venture in Dubai. I had to be on hand during those talks.”

Farrah flashed him another smile. “Cameron is definitely a mover and a shaker, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is.”

She would probably be surprised to know that Xavier thought she was a mover and a shaker as well. She had certainly moved his libido up a monumental notch since knowing her, and she was shaking his common sense right out of his head, making him think of all kinds of naughty things he’d like to do to her. He wondered what her response would be if he were to ask to share her bed tonight. For old times’ sake.

He drew in a deep breath, knowing that doing something like that wasn’t a good idea. Their relationship had ended months ago, the decision mutually accepted by both, and they’d moved on. Or had they? She seemed to have handled the split well, and on his good days, he thought so had he. But now he wasn’t so sure.

He was definitely due for a cold shower when he got home. But as he continued to watch her eat, getting turned on every time she took a bite of her food, he knew that a cold shower wouldn’t put an end to what he was feeling or the raw, primitive need growing inside of him.

And he would be the first to admit that that wasn’t good.

Xavier Kane will not break down my defenses tonight!

Those words echoed in Farrah’s head while she buttoned her coat after dinner. The meal had been more than delicious, and the conversation between them enjoyable. Her misgivings regarding the breaking down of her defenses could have been put to rest if sometime during the course of dinner, she could have stopped remembering certain things.

Every time Xavier had picked up his wine glass to take a sip and planted his mouth on the rim of the glass, she could recall him planting his mouth on certain parts of her body just that way. Xavier had a way with his mouth that surpassed that of any man she’d ever known. And now that they were about to leave the toasty warm haven of the restaurant, she needed the strength not to succumb to those memories and give him the idea that she wanted more than the dinner they’d just shared.

“Ready?” he asked after she worked her hand into the remaining glove.

She glanced up at him and met his gaze, saw the look that flashed in the dark depths of his eyes and had to compose herself quickly. He wanted her. She had seen that look many times before, and although it had flared to life in his gaze just for an instant, it had been there. The impact of that sudden and unexpected look had her pulling in a deep breath.

She was well aware that Xavier would follow her lead. He was a man who only took what was offered. There was no doubt in her mind if she gave him even the slightest indication that she reciprocated that desire, he would pounce on it. Pounce on her. Umm, the thought of him pouncing, especially on her, wasn’t a bad one.

She smiled, fighting back the urge to ask if he was interested in going back to her hotel and making love to her all night long. “Yes, I’m ready to leave, although I’m not ready for what I know is awaiting me outside that door,” she finally said. “I feel a chill in my bones already, just thinking about how cold it is. And I’m sure the temperature has dropped some more since we got here.”

He chuckled. “It probably has. Would it make you feel better if I promise to keep you warm?”

Depends on how you go about accomplishing it,
she quickly thought. It wasn’t an impossible feat where he was concerned, especially since he had the ability to set her on fire whenever and however he chose to do so. “Yes, that will certainly make me feel better,” she said.

“Then I’ll make you that promise,” he said engulfing her gloved hand in his. The glove was no buffer from the power of his touch, and automatically, sensations began swirling around in the pit of her stomach and sliding down to the lower part of her body. They were invading her feminine core and making her crave things she was better off not having—especially from the man standing in front of her looking like he could eat her alive if given the chance.

And it was a chance she refused to give him, no matter how much she was tempted. She knew now the same thing she’d known six months ago, the same thing she’d discovered the night of Natalie and Donovan’s wedding reception when he’d given her the best sex of her life. Four orgasms later—or had it been five?—she’d finally reached the conclusion that after sharing his bed for nearly a year, he was the one man who could make her think of losing her heart again. And it was a heart she’d guarded, protected and shielded since being dumped by Dustin.

She decided now not to comment on his promise. Since she’d learned from experience never to trust a promise from a man, she merely smiled as he led her out of the restaurant. The moment they exited the door, a cold blast of winter air smacked her face, and she couldn’t help but grin when she saw a private car waiting at the curb.

She glanced up at Xavier. “Your car and driver, right?”

“Yes.”

“But how did he know to come here?” she asked.

“I called him while you were in the ladies room.

He had to come pick me up anyway, so I figured he could very well do it here. It would save us the bother of walking back to your hotel in the cold. I promised to keep you warm.”

And then before she could catch her next breath, she was swept off her feet into a pair of strong arms. “Xavier! What are you doing?”

“Carrying you to the car to make sure you don’t slip.”

She couldn’t resist burying her nose for a quick second in his chest. Her face may have touched wool material, but her nose inhaled the scent of a man. A man who used to be the best lover she’d ever had.

His driver opened the door, and Xavier deposited her on the backseat of the car with the ease of a man who knew just how to take care of a woman, and she knew that he did.

She scooted over when he slid in beside her, but not for long. The moment the driver closed the door, he pulled her against his side.

“Thanks, Xavier. You didn’t have to do that,” she said removing her gloves and placing them in the pocket of her coat.

“Yes, I did,” he said, reaching out and letting his fingertips stroke the side of her face. “I like taking care of you, Farrah.”