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)
“Xavier needs you. You need to return to work, really,” he said imploringly as he stepped into the kitchen.
I raised my eyebrows over my cup of coffee, then took a bite of the chocolate mug cake I’d made in the microwave. “I’m sick.”
“No, you’re not,” he said. “Xavier is an asshole, I’m giving you that, but he’s my best friend, and the best player on our team. I can’t have him messing up this season because you don’t kick his ass. I know you’re hurt because he did what he always does, and never stops talking about.”
I flushed at the realization that Xavier probably shared everything with his best friend. Had they had a good laugh about me? I didn’t want to know how badly I’d embarrassed myself, having no experience and not looking the model-type. “I hope you enjoyed his stories about me,” I muttered.
Connor’s eyes widened. “He didn’t say anything about you, Evie, I swear. And if he’d tried, I would have shut him up with a fist to his fucking mouth.”
I cuffed his shoulder lightly. “You’re a good guy. Fiona is lucky to have you.”
Connor smiled briefly, then he sighed. “He’s driving us up the walls. The team and me in particular. He was late to a press conference and two trainings so far. The coach is going to lose his shit soon.”
“That’s not my problem,” I said, but it was. Connor was right, and despite what Xavier had done, or rather what he and I had done, I didn’t want to hurt Xavier’s career. He lived for his sport.
“It is. You are his assistant. Act like a grown-up about it, okay? Just save his sorry ass until you’ve found him a new babysitter.” He left without another word, and I stared at his back. Broad and muscled like Xavier’s. I should have never gotten anywhere near a rugby player to begin with.
But Connor had a point. I was a grown woman. I had been raised to be responsible for my actions and accept the consequences they brought. And I would do just that. Tomorrow morning I’d wake up Xavier like I had done every day these last few months. I’d act like his assistant and babysitter like before. I’d do my job until I found someone else to do it for me.
Xavier—The Beast—Stevens wouldn’t stop me. Not because of one regrettable night. So many women had lost their V-card in a worse way; so what if I didn’t get my happily ever after?
I unlocked Xavier’s apartment and stepped in, my stomach in knots. I was a bit later than usual. It had taken more time than I’d thought to give myself a pep talk. I put the mail down on the bar counter and my purse on the stool, then hesitated briefly, taking a deep breath. I went toward the winding staircase to call up for him to get his ass down here when Xavier’s voice rang out.
“Fuck, yes!” Xavier groaned.
I took a step back as silence followed.
Then a female voice rang out. “I knew you’d love to wake up like that.”
“Sucking my dick was a nice touch, yes.”
I whirled around and hurried back into the kitchen area. I snatched up my purse and rushed toward the front door, then paused with my purse clutched against my chest. I wouldn’t run. This was my job.
Evie, you are going to get through this.
I had known what I was getting myself into when I’d started this job. I had read the tabloids, had listened to Fiona’s stories. I took a deep breath and put my purse down on the counter, turned on the espresso unit to announce my entry loud and clear, then climbed onto the barstool.
I sorted through the mail and set it out on the bar ordered by importance. I put two cute fan letters from school classes to the top because they made me smile. Then I checked my phone for appointments for the day. Xavier had training at nine a.m. and an interview at three p.m. I glanced at the clock. It was 8:15. If he managed to finish his business with his conquest quickly, we should be on time for training today.
There had been silence upstairs for a while now. I hoped that meant they were done and not that their mouths were occupied. And as if on cue, a blonde head appeared on the upstairs landing. Everything I was not. Lean, fit, perfect. My stomach squeezed so tightly, I was surprised I didn’t eject my breakfast.
She slowly made her way down, dressed in a micro-skirt I wouldn’t even fit my thigh into and a glittery top. Xavier followed close behind her, his get-the-heck-out face already on, and as usual dressed in nothing but briefs, black this time. But unlike every other morning before today, I knew now how it felt to run my fingers over the ridges of his stomach, how his mouth felt on my skin, how it felt to have him inside me, and I couldn’t unremember it.