“Any time.” My mom smiled.
Yeah. Whatever, Mom. Your little dating game isn’t gonna work.
I started clearing the table, so ready for the night to be over. I just wanted to go to bed. I didn’t care that it was only seven o’clock. Sleep was the only time I dreamed, and dreams were the only time I was with Chay.
“I’ll clear the table, Milayna. Why don’t you go talk with Xavier?”
I stared at her. Was she serious? With a loud sigh, I flung my arms up in the air and turned toward the family room. I was relieved to see that Xavier was already killing space aliens with Ben in a video game. I didn’t hang around to see who won.
Minutes later, I heard him walk up behind me. Then I smelled him.
Geez, he smells good. Whatever cologne he’s wearing should be banned. It does weird things to women’s heads. Ugh!
I wiped my hands on the back of my jeans. They were sweaty even though the rest of my skin was covered in goose bumps.
Why does he make me feel this way? I love Chay, and I’m waiting for him. He’ll come home. He will.
I didn’t turn around. I could tell from the heat radiating from his body that he was standing too close. So I kept looking out the front window.
“Rod and Jake are back,” I whispered.
“I see,” Xavier said.
“I wonder what it means.”
“I don’t know. Nothing good.”
“Yeah.” I turned then. I was so stupid sometimes. I should’ve listened to my instincts and kept my back to him.
“I’m on my way out,” he murmured, gesturing toward the door.
“See you Monday at school.” I winced when my voice cracked.
Xavier didn’t move. He stood in front of me for what seemed like hours, his crystal-blue eyes looking into mine.
“He’s not worth it.” He reached out and cupped the back of my neck with one hand and placed the other on the small of my back, pulling me against him. “Waiting for him… he’s not worth it. He doesn’t deserve it.”
He lowered his head, his lips hesitating just inches from mine. My lips parted slightly and my tongue ran across them. Xavier groaned and lowered his mouth the last few inches. Our lips touched, and my body sprang to life. It was like I’d been living in the ugly part of winter, when everything was gray and dirty, and as soon as his lips touched mine, everything turned into a beautiful, colorful spring. His kiss was gentle, and I kissed him back, opening my mouth when his tongue touched my lips.
I grabbed his arms, feeling the tight muscles flexing beneath my hands. My head swam in the smell of him, sandalwood and soap. And my tongue craved his taste—more, more, more, until I was clinging to him, pulling him against me.
His mouth left mine. I breathed his name as he kissed down my neck and across my collarbone, before moving up the other side, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he touched.
He ran his lips along my jaw to my ear. “He’s not good enough for you.” He kissed the hollow behind my ear before sucking on the lobe. “I’m here now, Milayna. I want you now.”
He kissed me again, a slow, deep kiss, before reaching up and taking my hands from around his neck. Lifting his head, he looked into my eyes. Kissing one palm and then the other, he let my arms fall gently to my sides.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I watched him walk away, running my fingers across my lips, swollen and moist from his kiss.
Holy hell.
***
Xavier rang the doorbell at exactly five o’clock Saturday afternoon. Walking carefully down the stairs, I tried not to slip and fall. I wasn’t used to wearing heels, much less the stilettos Muriel picked out for me.
He swallowed hard when I opened the door. “You’re beautiful.”
My cheeks pinked, and I felt a small fluttering in my chest. “Thanks.”
“Purple is your color.”
I like you in purple.
I shook my head to rid it of Chay’s voice. It’d been almost two months, and I still dreamed about him every night. I had flashes of visions that I was sure related to him in some way, although I couldn’t put the pieces together.
“Are those for me?” I gestured to the bouquet of flowers in Xavier’s hand.
He grinned. “Yes, they are. You told me not to get you a corsage, and I’m glad I didn’t,” he said, looking at my strapless gown. “But senior prom seemed like a flower occasion so…” He shrugged a shoulder.
“I love them. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Are you ready?”
“Let me just put these in a vase and we can go.”
My attempt to sneak out was intercepted by mother. She thought she was a photographer and subjected us to a million photos before she finally decided she had enough.
“There. These will come in handy one day.” She scrolled through the files on the camera’s digital screen.
I groaned. Another way for her to torture and embarrass me.
“Can we go now?” I pleaded.
“Sure. Have fun, but not too much fun.” My dad gave Xavier a pointed look.