Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
I snorted. “You are a dickhead.”
That wolfish grin twisted my insides into a spitfire-hot knot. “I’m giving people what they want. The press, women, even the team’s marketing people.”
“And what is it you want?” I asked curiously.
Xavier didn’t say anything, only stared out of the windshield, leaving me to stare at his striking profile. My fingers itched to reach out and rake my nails over the dark stubble. The air became stuffy and hot inside the car. I shook the collar of my blouse to cool down. Xavier’s eyes darted down to my chest. I released the fabric, swallowed, and met his intent gaze. “We should get out. It’s getting too hot.”
Xavier’s mouth twitched and I narrowed my eyes at him, but then quickly got out of the car before things could get even hotter.
I glanced around. There wasn’t a sign anywhere that hinted to a women’s shelter, but I supposed that was necessary for protection. “Are you sure this is the right address?” I asked.
Xavier nodded. “I’ve been here twice before.”
As if on cue, a door in the three-story house in front of us swung open and a small, round woman with salt-and-pepper hair in a pixie cut stepped out. Like the other houses in the street the paint was peeling off the front and the dumpsters were spilling over.
Xavier headed toward her and shook her hand. “This is my friend Evie, as I mentioned in my call.”
The woman nodded and greeted me with a firm shake of her hand.
She led us through the shelter, which was organized like a residential community with a common living room and kitchen, and several bedrooms for the women and their children. The inside was in a much better condition than the outside. “I can’t show you all the rooms because some women don’t want to be seen by anyone. They are worried.”
Xavier nodded. “I know. You don’t have to show me everything.”
“We want to make sure you see that your money has been used to do good, Mr. Stevens. We don’t get nearly enough support through government funds, so without your money we couldn’t have done this renovation. There are so many women who need a safe place, and we appreciate that you help us give it to them.”
Xavier nodded, but didn’t say anything. It was surprising to see him this…serious. We moved into the communal part of the shelter with a huge kitchen and several dining tables. A few women and children had gathered in the room. I had to stifle a gasp when I noticed a woman whose face was swollen, her skin red and blue, one arm in a cast. Two girls were with her. The older of the two had a bruise on her cheek. My heart clenched tightly seeing it, but Xavier’s reaction drew my attention toward him. He looked murderous. I had never seen that kind of anger on his face. His expression changed the second the girls turned to him, becoming gentle and kind.
The older girl rushed toward Xavier, a book clutched to her chest. He got down on his haunches at once as she smiled shyly at him and held out a friendship book. “Can you write in it?”
Xavier’s eyes flickered to the bruise on her cheek and he gave her a gentle smile. “Sure. It’s my pleasure.” He took it and she stepped close to his side, wringing her hands nervously. “What’s your name?”
“Millie. Emilia. But my friends call me Millie,” she said. My heart burst with warmth seeing Xavier’s kind expression, the way he made himself small for this little girl.
He could be the biggest egocentric, arrogant prick sometimes, but for this I would cut him some slack in the future. And damn, if the sight didn’t set my heart and panties aflame all over again.
A few days after the shelter visit, Xavier and I found ourselves at his dining-room table, where we went through a few interview requests as well as two advertising contracts, one for some fancy protein powder, the other for a new razor. Considering that Xavier almost always sported dark stubble, I found the choice curious, but they paid enough that Xavier would survive a thorough shave for once. It was approaching six o’clock when we were finally done.
“I need a relaxing evening and tomorrow’s no training, so how about a movie night?” Xavier asked, sounding nonchalant. There hadn’t been any cozy evenings between us since the truck bed incident.
“I’m up for it,” I said with a smile. I wanted things between Xavier and me to return to how they were before the unfortunate kiss. We were grown-ups and the kiss had been a slip in judgment, nothing more.
Xavier seemed to have forgotten all about it, after all. He had already kissed God only knew how many women since then, though I was probably the only one whose name he remembered.