Xavier Cold (Hard Knocks #2) (26 page)

I crawl up next to her and then prop my head up with my left hand. I trace the smooth skin on her exposed shoulder before I lean in and nip it, causing her to giggle. I hook my finger around the hem of her shirt and lift the fabric higher, exposing the white lacey bra that covers her breast. I run my index finger along the curve of her breast, enjoying the feel of its silky-softness.

My cock jerks inside my jeans, begging for her attention.

Anna kisses my lips and then knots her fingers back into my hair. Taking things slow has never been on our sexual menu. It’s like the moment we start . . . we can’t get enough of each other.

She touches my cheek and I kiss her wrist, inhaling the sweet scent of her soap and perfume. “I love you, Xavier.”

“I love you, too.” It’s surprising how saying this to her now comes with such ease.

Before her I was lost in the darkness, battling demons all alone. I’m nowhere near healed, but with her light, I know I’ll be able to find my way out of my own self-destructive path. She is my angel and she’s giving me something I never thought I would have—a family.

“You okay?” she whispers as she gazes into my eyes.

I press my lips to hers. “Never better.”

“I’m sure that’s not totally true,” she taunts. “I can think of something else that will make you a whole lot better.”

I grin wickedly, loving how dirty her mind has become. “I see my naughty Anna has come out to play.”

“What can I say? You make me horny.” The blush on her face deepens. “I can’t believe I just said that to you.”

I push her hair back off her shoulder. “Honesty, always, right? Isn’t that our new rule?”

She nods. “It is.”

“Then you should never be afraid or embarrassed to tell me how you feel. How will I ever know what you want from me otherwise?”

She swallows hard. “Make love to me, Xavier.”

I grin. “I will happily grant that request.”

I roll over and pin her to the bed. “Ready to go one-on-one with the champ?”

She giggles. “Absolutely.”

Anna pushes my shoulder, rolling me over onto my back. “How’d you like that reversal?”

“Impressive.” I grab her hips as she straddles me. “Got any other moves?”

She bends down and presses her lips to mine, before she begins her slow, delicious tease of kissing a path across my face. “A few.”

I lick my lips. “Show me.”

She leans back and shoves my shirt up before running her hands down my torso. The button of my jeans pop open with ease and she snakes her hand inside in order to grab my cock.

“Jesus,” I hiss, not used to her taking such control, but loving that she’s asserting herself with me.

I sit up and wrap her in my arms, crushing my lips to hers before I plunge my tongue inside her mouth. She rotates her hips and a soft moan emits from her throat. My cock strains against my jeans, missing the warmth of her hand and needing her touch again.

Her dark hair floats around us as she throws her head back, giving me better access to drag my lips down her throat. “I need you.”

Her plea for me to take her is heard loud and clear. I rip her top the rest of the way off and shove her bra down so hard a distinct tearing sound can’t be missed. Anna works quickly pulling my shirt over my head. It’s like she can’t get her skin against mr fast enough and I fucking love knowing how bad she wants me.

“Pants,” I mutter, needing them off before I lose my fucking mind.

She crawls to her knees and yanks the rest of her clothes off as I remove my own. We watch each other with lust-filled eyes get naked, and it’s like we’re waiting for the bell to go off for a round so we can attack one another.

When everything is gone, I flip her on her back and spread her legs out wide before me. I slip a digit between her folds, feeling her swollen clit against it. “Damn, beautiful. Always so wet and ready for me.”

She stares up at me. “Because my body always craves you.”

I kiss her again. Taught nipples rub against my chest as I press my body to hers.

This woman is fucking perfect and all fucking mine.

I finger fuck her pussy until she’s writhing beneath me. “You ready, baby?”

“Yes,” she hisses. “Please, God, yesss.”

I bring my fingers up to my mouth and taste the sweet juices of her arousal. “Tastes so fucking good—sweet, like you.” I lean and whisper. “Mine. You’re all mine, Anna, now and forever.”

I swivel my hips, coating myself with her wetness, and then I enter her in one quick thrust. “Fuck me. Being inside you never gets old. It feels so fucking good.”

I pull out and then pump back inside again and again until I’m pounding into her so hard the sound of our skin slamming together fills the room.

Anna reaches up and curls her fingers around my forearms. “Oh, God. Oh, God. Xavier . . . ohhhh”

I stare into her eyes as she falls apart. Her mouth drifts open and she digs her nails into my skin as she cries out, “Xavier!”

Warmth spreads over my body. I’m nowhere near for this to be over, but there’s no way I can fight it knowing I’m deep inside the most beautiful fucking woman in the world while she’s panting from coming around my cock.

My entire body shutters and I slip into sweet ecstasy and fill her full. This woman is my destiny and I will never allow anything else to ever come between us.

I
t’s odd sitting in the back of Mother and Father’s minivan with Xavier. It shocked the hell out of me when Father sent a text this morning asking if they could drive us to the airport.

The clicking sound is the only thing to be heard inside the cab. None of us have made the first move to say anything and the ride is the most awkward experience of my life.

Father pulls up to the passenger loading area. “I’ll get the bags.”

“I’ll help him,” Xavier says before jumping out to assist.

Mother turns around in her seat. “Anna, I know this is hard for you. It’s hard for your father too. But give him a chance. You might be surprised by what you hear.”

I nod and take a deep breath in an attempt to calm my pounding heart.

I make it to the back of the vehicle and my eyes land on Father shaking Xavier’s hand. “You take care of my little girl. I’m trusting you to protect her with your life.”

Xavier gives him a half smile. “She’s in good hands, sir. Nothing will happen to her on my watch.”

He seems to accept that because he nods curtly and as he releases Xavier’s hand, his eyes fall on me. “I’ve missed you.”

My lips twist as I stare at the man who I believed hates me. “You have?”

“Of course I have. You’re my daughter. I care deeply about you and your future, which is why I got so crazy before you left home. I thought you were heading down the wrong path because it wasn’t one I laid out for you, but I’ve done a lot of praying and talking with my pastor since the day you left.” He bats away a tear from the corner of his eye. “I’ve come to see that what I was doing was wrong—that I shouldn’t try to control you. No one should. You should always be your own person and find your own happiness, even if I don’t like how you find it. I’m sorry, Anna. Can you ever forgive me?”

Tears roll down my cheeks and I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Aunt Dee told me that this may happen, but I never expected an actual apology from my father. He’s not the type of man who usually admits when he’s wrong, so I know this is very hard for him to do and he wouldn’t do it unless he means it.

I rush over to Father and he wraps his arms around me. “I forgive you.”

We stay wrapped up like that, crying together for a long time, and finally everything feels complete again.

Flying back to Detroit in first class, sitting next to Xavier, I’m on cloud nine. There’s no doubt we went through some hell to get here, but we made it—together.

It’s like we’ve been given a second chance—one in which both Xavier and I are honest with one another—no more secrets.

Quinn was right about one thing without trust, a relationship will never survive.

Xavier threads his fingers through mine as the plane lands on the runway. “Do you feel up to apartment hunting as soon as we get off the plane?”

I nod. “Of course. We can have Quinn drive us to your grandmother’s house so we can get your stuff first and get a hotel and then we can head out.”

I leans his head back against the headrest and sighs. “We need to borrow a car.”

I tilt my head. “Something wrong with the bike?”

He rolls his head against the seat and gazes down at me. “No. I just don’t want you on the back of it. I’ve got to keep you and my baby safe.”

I bite my bottom lip, and have to keep myself from jumping his bones. When he gets all protective like this, it’s sexy, but it’s even more attractive now because he’s worried about more than just me. I like that he’s fully vested in this pregnancy with me.

I lean and kiss his lips. “Okay,
daddy
.”

He gives me one of his best panty-soaking grins. “Keep it up, and I’ll have you calling me that when we’re alone and your legs are over my shoulders.”

I giggle. “I wouldn’t exactly call that a threat.”

He leans in and nips my earlobe and growls. “God, I want to fuck you so bad right now.” He takes my hand and lays it over the crotch of his jeans. There’s no mistaking the hard cock that’s standing up, waiting on my attention.

I bite my lower lip. “Maybe we should skip the apartment shopping and spend the rest of the day in bed.”

Heat from where his lips kiss the soft skin beneath my ear causes a tingle to rip through my body. “Sounds like a plan to me. I’ll take a day buried inside that sweet pussy of yours anytime.” I squirm in my seat trying to ease the ache between my legs and Xavier chuckles. “Patience, baby. Save it all for later and I promise I’ll give you the best toe-curling sex you’ve ever had.”

“Promise?” I whisper, loving it when he makes promises of pleasure.

“Yes.”

It feels like it takes forever to get off the plane, gather our bags, and then make it outside where Quinn is waiting next to her Honda for us. “There’s the champ!”

Xavier grins and it’s easy to see the pride on his face. Winning the belt has been a dream for him and it was an amazing experience to be by his side while it happened.

“Oh, my God. I can’t believe you’re engaged! I should totally start a match-making business. I called this from the start.” Quinn rambles on a mile a minute—he excitement clear as we approach. “You two looked great on television last night, by the way. Anna I especially liked when you smacked that Rex guy in the face. It looked real.”

I laugh as I hug my cousin. “I rather enjoyed that part myself. It’s good to see you, Quinn.”

“Me too,” Xavier interjects from behind us.

“I’ll bet,” Quinn adds. “The guy had it coming. He’s been a complete asshole to you.”

“Yes he has, but I think now that Xavier’s won the belt from him, I don’t see him getting back any time soon.”

“I agree,” Quinn says as she pops the trunk for Xavier to load our bags. “I think Phenomenal X will be the champ for a long time.”

“He does a pretty great champion.” I wrap my arms around Xavier’s waist after he closes the trunk.

“So when’s the wedding?” Quinn asks and then her eyes flit from me to Xavier and then back again. “You seem
different
. Is there anything other than the engagement I should know about?”

I glance up to Xavier as if to ask his permission to tell my cousin about the secret we’re keeping.

He smiles and nods. “Tell her.”

“Oh, shit. There is something. The suspense is killing me,” Quinn whines.

I lock my gaze with Quinn’s, and instantly I’m smiling. “I’m pregnant.”

Her mouth drops open and her eyes widen before she launches into a full on scream. “Oh. My. God! A
baby
?”

I nod and without warning she lunges forward and wraps her arms around both me and Xavier. “Congratulations! This is amazing. Wait until Ma finds out. She’ll be thrilled.” Suddenly she gasps and pulls back to search my face. “Does Uncle Simon know?”

I take a deep breath. “They know. They came to see me in Portland.”

Her mouth pulls down on one side. “How’d that go? Was there a lot of yelling this time?”

I sigh and Xavier tucks me in closer to his side. “Surprisingly, no. Don’t get me wrong, they still don’t think it’s fantastic news their only daughter is pregnant and unmarried, but they do seem to understand Xavier is the man I’m with and nothing they do will change that. I think eventually things will work themselves out.”

“That’s great news. I’m so excited for the both of you.”

Xavier clears his throat. “Now that you know, then my next request won’t sound so odd.”

Quinn raises one eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“Can I borrow your car for the next couple of days? I want to take Anna apartment hunting and ring shopping, and being on the back of my bike isn’t safe enough for her anymore.”

My eyes widen at the same time Quinn covers her mouth with her hands. I stare up at Xavier. “
Rings
?”

He nods. “Of course. A ring will make it very official. I want everyone in the world to know you’re mine.”

He leans in and crushes his mouth to mine, and I know this is just the beginning to the rest of our life together.