Entangled: Sequel to Awakened (7 page)

Aline had cried, stomped her foot, and argued that it wouldn’t make her tired but the men refused to give in.

Xavier’s car came to a stop directly in front of them. Once the girls were comfortably settled, he eased the vehicle into the traffic and headed back to the University.

Aline felt bone tired by the time they arrived at their building. Xavier pushed her chair into the foyer.

“Go on up, Callie,” Aline said. “I want a word with Xavier.

“Are you sure?” Callie asked. “How will you manage the lift?”

“I can get her on down here if you don’t mind waiting and helping her out upstairs,” Xavier said.

“I won’t be long,” Aline assured her friend.

Callie pushed the button of the lift, the doors slid open and she stepped inside. “Goodnight, Xavier and thank you for this evening,” she said before the doors closed.

Xavier moved Aline into a corner which afforded them a little more privacy, He crouched by the side of the wheelchair and gathered Aline’s hands into his. She didn’t pull away. It was a start.

“What did you want to talk about, princess?”

“I wanted to make sure you understood. I will date you, as I said before, because I wish to get to know you. It will give you an opportunity to find out if what you feel for me is real or infatuation fueled by lust. If we develop feelings for each other, then, and only then, will I move in with you when we return to Dalton. I will not come to your bed before then.

Xavier groaned. “Six months.”

“I couldn’t allow it now even if I wanted to, which I don’t.”

He gave her a confused look.

“My leg.”

“Oh, of course. Very well, I will accept your requests but make no mistake, what I feel for you is real not infatuation. Of that, I am very sure.”

“Believe what you will. In the meantime can I please ask that you don’t flaunt our relationship in front of the other students?”

“I’ll try but you lead me to distraction and I can’t promise I will always think clearly when you’re around.”

Aline laughed. “You are a smooth talker. Please take me to the lift, I’m extremely tired. Thank you for an interesting evening.”

“Of course darling.” Xavier stood but instead of moving to the back of the chair as Aline expected, he leaned forward, hovering over her.

Before she could blink, his lips covered hers. His tongue pushed at the seam of her lips insisting she give it entry. When she moaned, it ducked inside. Teeth clashed as tongues tangled and twisted.

Xavier pulled Aline close to his chest and she melted against him. Her hands slid up, over his shirt to wrap around his neck. Her fingers twisted in his silky, soft hair.

He groaned as he pulled away and straightened.

His groin was at Aline’s eye level and she didn’t miss the enormous bulge in his pants. Her eyes widened.

Xavier chuckled. “Infatuation indeed.”

Aline felt her face heat.
Fuck, he’s huge! Will he even fit?
Her body tingled at the mere thought of his naked body moving against hers. She desperately wanted to run her lips over his chest, kiss every peak, every valley. Her fingers twitched wanting to take hold of his dick and make him moan with want. She felt the rush of warmth invade her pussy and her nipples hardened until they ached.
What’s wrong with you? Why do you want this man when you said you didn’t like him?

Xavier pushed her to the lift. When the doors opened he eased the chair inside and set the brakes. He placed a soft kiss on her lips and caused her to jump when he tweaked one of her already hard nipples.

“Don’t like me, huh?”

The last thing she heard was his chuckle as the doors closed and the lift whisked her away.

Chapter Seven

Xavier flew back to Dalton early the following morning and it wasn’t long before Aline started missing him. It was going to be a very long four days.

She traced her lips with her fingers, once again recalling their passionate kisses. She sighed deeply.
Maybe I like him more than I’m willing to admit.

“Penny?” Callie asked.

“Sorry?” Aline answered.

“You were deep in thought.”

“Hmmm, thinking about the kiss Xavier and I shared.”

Callie spun the wheelchair around and sat on the bed facing her friend.

“Give. You didn’t say a word last night.” She leaned forward in anticipation.

“Xavier kissed me last night.”

“You didn’t mention it when you got back here.”

“I was tired.”

“Don’t leave me hanging. What was it like? I bet it made your toes curl.”

“So much more than that. It’s a fact, I haven’t been kissed by many men, but Xavier’s kiss was unlike any I’ve ever experienced. I wanted so much more from him. My body tingled and I felt like I was on fire.”

“You, my friend, were sexually turned on. He excites you.”

“I’m not sure I even like him.”

“
You
may not but from the sounds of it, your body sure does.”

“What am I going to do? One minute he makes me so damn angry, I could strangle him and, the next, I want him to drag me into bed and make love to me. He’s so cocky and sure of himself. He is so sure I will fall for him that I’m desperate to prove him wrong. But….”

“But, what?”

“I have a feeling, he won’t be proved wrong and it scares me to death.”

“Why?”

“I’m scared I’ll fall for him and, the minute some beautiful woman comes along, I’ll be tossed aside.”

“That won’t happen,” Callie said confidently.

“How the hell do you know it won’t?”

“I watched Xavier staring at you during dinner last night. He has the most expressive eyes, they just about ate you up. He admires you. He respected everything you had to say. He sees you as his equal. I’ll admit lust appears to radiate from him but, I honestly believe he feels more than that. I think he genuinely cares about you. I suspect, given time, he’ll fall deeply in love with you. The question, my friend is, will you allow yourself to feel for him or will you let what could be the love of a lifetime slip through your fingers?”

“I don’t know. Why does he want me? I’ve seen numerous pictures of him with gorgeous women on his arm at one event or another. The way they gaze at him adoringly. Why on earth would he want someone like me?”

“You are every bit as gorgeous as those women, more so than most. You are also smart, funny and caring. You have seen how the women look at him but have you noticed how disinterested he seems to be in them?”

“No, I haven’t. Why would he be with them if he wasn’t interested?”

“He needs to be accompanied to those events. It’s not accepted for a man, or a woman, to attend alone. He’s rarely been seen with the same woman twice? That says to me, they are only companions for the evening.”

“Maybe. I hadn’t really thought about it. I only saw how beautiful and sophisticated they were and how magnificent the gowns were that they wore.”

“It’s fortunate you are partial to Corporate Law, my friend. You would have to be much more observant for Criminal Law.”

Aline laughed. “I’ll be sure to take more notice next time.”

“You won’t need to. If I’m right, Xavier won’t be with any other woman, except you.”

“I’m not as sure about that as you are. It’s impossible for a tiger to change his stripes.”

“Give him a chance. How about lunch and we’ll take your mind off things with a spot of shopping?”

“I’d like that.”

Aline was deep in thought as Callie took control of the wheelchair and they headed out. Maybe what Callie said about Xavier was true.  Was she willing to chance getting involved? To risk her heart, not to mention her body?

***

Aline sat in front of her computer researching precedents. The assignment wasn’t due in for another ten days but, with Callie out on a date and Xavier out of town, she had nothing better to do.

She had been at it for almost two hours when she decided it was time for a break. Her mind kept wandering to Xavier and it was taking her twice as long as normal to get anything done. He was due home tomorrow afternoon and had asked her out for dinner on their first date. She found herself looking forward to it. While he had been gone, Aline had wrestled with her doubts over and over, and had decided she would give a relationship with him a chance.

After grabbing a soda and chocolate bar from the mini fridge, Aline pushed herself to where she could watch television and using the remote, flipped it on. The evening news lit up the screen but as she was about to hit the remote to change the channel, a headline caught her eye.

Xavier Pierce, Construction Magnate and wealthy Businessman, wraps Janet South in his arms and kisses her at Charity Gala. Could she be the one that brings his bachelor status to an end?

Tears welled in Aline’s eyes. She flipped the television off and wheeled herself to her bed. She pushed herself up from the chair and supporting her weight on one leg, maneuvered herself onto the bed. She lay face down, her head buried in the pillow, and cried.

How could I have been so stupid as to think he really was interested in me? Why did I listen to Callie? I knew I was only a conquest. Why do I feel like my heart is breaking? I haven’t even known him for a week and don’t even like him. How could I be so fuckin’ stupid as to fall for his sweet talk about having a future together?

Tears soaked her pillow and her body trembled with sadness. She had no idea how long she had been crying when Callie arrived home.

“Aline? Why are you lying so awkwardly on your bed? Why is your head buried in your pillow?” Callie heard the grief stricken sobs and rushed to her side. “For God’s sake, what’s happened?”

Aline attempted to sit and, with Callie’s help, eventually managed it.

“Shit, your eyes are so red and puffy it’s a wonder you can even open them.” Callie handed Aline tissues. She wiped her eyes dry before blowing her nose.

“Hun, please tell me what’s wrong,” Callie pleaded. “Has something happened to your parents?” She sat beside Aline and gathered her hands.

Aline shook her head and when she spoke, it took all her resolve not to burst into tears again.  “I’d had enough of study and I put the television on.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Xavier had been at some gala event tonight with Janet South, who’s the only child of a multi-billionaire. I remember reading about her father a few weeks ago. He is probably one of the most powerful men in the country. The headline was splashed across the screen that he’d been kissing her.” Aline broke down in tears.

Callie pulled her friend into her arms. “Oh hun, don’t let him upset you. The bastard isn’t worth it.”

“I want to go home.”

“You can’t go home yet. What about your degree?”

“I’ll finish in Dalton, by correspondence, at community college. Hell, at this point, I don’t care.”

“Please don’t. If you do that you won’t be eligible for any awards from here. Those awards can make a huge difference to the positions you’ll be offered. You’ve earned, them. You’re entitled to them. Please, don’t throw your whole future away.”

“I can’t stay, Callie. I couldn’t bear to see him in class knowing he’s with her. He would also be a constant reminder of how I lost my dream job.”

Callie held Aline away and wiped her tear stained face with a tissue. “You were falling for him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, of course I wasn’t. It upsets me that he’s taken away the job and the opportunity for me to graduate here.”

“He hasn’t taken that, you’re giving it to him. Stand up to him. Finish the course. Tell him you’re not interested in the job offer and he can fuck off.”

“I couldn’t stand to be reminded of what I’ve lost. I can’t do it.”

“Hun, you’re one of the strongest people I know. You can do it. I know you can. How about a hot chocolate and I’ll help you into bed?”

Aline nodded. “How did your date go? You’re home early?”

“It sucked. I’ll tell you about it over lunch tomorrow.”

***

Xavier strode into the foyer of Aline’s dorm. He was excited about seeing her after almost four days away. He had missed her far more than he had expected.

Callie stomped from the shadows toward him. He glanced around for Aline but she was nowhere to be seen. Was she sick? Hurt?

“Callie, where’s Aline? Is she okay?” Panic was evident in his voice.

Callie stood before him, hands on her hips. “Is she okay? No she fuckin’ isn’t. What the hell were you thinking? Did you think she wouldn’t see it? Thanks to you, she’s speaking with the Dean tomorrow to tell him she’s leaving. I can’t talk her out of it. You’re a first class bastard. Not only did you dangle her dream job in front of her and demand she succumb to you for it but, now, you have denied her the awards she would have obtained by finishing her degree here. Those awards would have guaranteed her a prized position elsewhere.”

“Whoa. What the fuck are you talking about? Aline’s leaving? Why? We had an agreement. That’s why I’m here to take her out on a date.”

“You really believe Aline will date you at the same time you are screwing some rich tart back in Dalton? She has far too much pride to allow you to belittle her like that.”

“Callie, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have no intention of being with anyone else. It’s Aline I want.”

“Janet South. Gala. Kiss. Headline – Is she the one?”

“Fuck. Aline saw the news report?”

“Finally the penny drops. I didn’t figure you for being stupid enough to think you could run around town with someone else, especially such a high profile woman, and Aline wouldn’t find out.”

Xavier crossed to the lift and jammed his hand on the button. The doors opened.

Callie raced toward him. “Where do you think you’re going? You can’t go up there.”

“Like hell I can’t. I’m going to talk to her and explain. It’s not what she thinks. Room number, Callie.”

“You can’t…”

“I’ll bang on every door to find her if I have to.”

“Second floor. Room twelve.”

“Thank you.”

The lift doors closed and Callie was left to wonder what the hell was going on.

***

Aline folded the jeans and placed them into her suitcase. Callie had laid everything on the bed at her insistence. She had refused at first but Aline had told her friend, she was leaving, with or without her belongings. If she refused to help, she would send for them after she arrived home. It was a battle Callie knew she couldn’t win so she’d relented.

Aline had her back to the door but she heard it open and the footsteps as Callie entered. “What did the sneaky bastard say when you told him I knew about his tryst and I was leaving?”

The deep voice that answered was definitely not Callie’s. “He said, no fucking way.”

Aline dropped the blouse she’d been folding and spun around in her chair.

The man was gorgeous in his denim jeans and white polo shirt which allowed the muscles of his chest to be seen clearly.

“What the fuck are you doing up here?”

In two strides Xavier was beside her. He dropped to his knees, pulled her against him and smothered her lips with his own in a scorching kiss.

Her fists beat against his broad shoulders, she tried turning away but, Xavier held firm. His tongue insisted on entry into her mouth, she was powerless. As soon as she opened, his tongue plunged in. Her own twisted and tangled with his. He nipped at her lips, dragged his fingers through her hair and she was lost. She gave in and accepted his kiss.

When he released her Aline’s head was spinning. She could barely think clearly. “Why?”

Xavier pushed her clothes aside, pulled the wheelchair in front of him and clasped her hands in his. “You have no fuckin’ idea how much I missed you.”

“I bet you did. I can imagine it was me you were thinking about and missing while you played tonsil hockey with your date.”

“I can explain.”

“That while you were attempting to blackmail me into your bed here, you were taking other women into your bed back in Dalton? You would make a good sailor.”

“What?” Xavier was puzzled.

“Girl in every port?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“You weren’t kissing her at the gala?”

“Well, yes but there’s a good reason.”

“There usually is. It either means you like her. Although knowing you it was probably a pre cursor to getting her into bed. Was she a good fuck? Was it worth breaking my heart over?”

Xavier reddened as his temper rose.  “I swear if you didn’t have a broken leg, I’d put you over my knee and spank you. Will you please listen? Yes, I did kiss Janet.”