Page 23

CHAPTER 23

YOU’RE NOT A MISTAKE

XANDER

October

When I step through the front door, Milo is sitting in the foyer, focus fixed in the other direction, his leash beside him. Only when I say his name does he wander my way, finally acknowledging my presence.

I drop my duffel bag and kneel so I can pet him. “Hey, bud. What’s going on here?”

“Sorry I made you wait, sweet boy,” Bella says as she comes down the hall. When she sees me, she halts in her tracks. “Oh, you’re home.”

“The game ended two hours ago.”

As she approaches, I take her in. She’s in a black hoodie and leggings, holding a ball cap.

“Why do you need that?” I nod at the cap.

She slips it onto her head and pulls her hood up. “I just don’t want anyone to recognize me. If the paparazzi followed you home and are waiting outside… I don’t want to create more problems for you.”

I stand up and level her with a glare. “You’re not creating problems for me. I’m glad you’re here.”

The corners of her mouth tremble, but a small smile graces her features.

“And I’m glad you’re getting out. You haven’t been outside in, what? Three days?”

“I figured I’d take Milo for a walk. I wasn’t sure when you’d be home, but now that you’re here?—”

“No, no, no. You’re not bailing on Milo. He’s been patiently waiting for you. No need to upset him.” I pick up my bag and sidestep her. “Actually, I’ll go with you. Wait for me, please.”

“Okay, but hurry up.” She pushes up the sleeves of her hoodie. “I’m getting hot.”

Chuckling, I jog to my bedroom. Fuck yeah . Having her here makes me happier than I could have imagined. The rest of the team went out to celebrate our win, but all I wanted was to get home to Bella.

Fuck, I’m digging myself a grave.

She’s a friend. A friend who has been through a lot and doesn’t need to add any of my shit to her plate.

I’ve been tossing around ways to expose Miller without Bella’s involvement, but I haven’t settled on one. Now, it’s time to get serious about it.

* * *

As we come to the intersection, Milo stops and sits without being told.

With a huge smile, Bella crouches and presses a kiss to his head. “Aww, he’s a smart boy.”

The way she praises my dog makes my chest feel lighter, and I can’t help but smile. Something is seriously wrong with me…but I don’t care.

For a while, we’re quiet, walking close, my shoulder almost touching hers. Milo slows us down, stopping here and there to sniff things or roll in the grass. His happy yips mix with Bella’s laughter, melodic and soft. What happened in college completely fucked me up, but watching them now heals the wounds of my soul just a little.

“Oh God!” Bella yelps. She scoops Milo up, then spins to me, wide-eyed. “What do we do?”

Dread fills me, but when I realize what the issue is, I smile. A German shepherd without a leash is ambling his way toward us.

“Everything’s fine. Put Milo down.”

The crease between her eyebrows deepens. “No way. What if he gets attacked?”

“He won’t.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder and hold her close. “Trust me.”

Tension rolls off her, and rather than put my dog down, she pulls him closer. I rub a hand up and down her arm, soothing her while we wait. If I know my neighbor, he’ll be out here any second. Typically, he only lets Pup off his leash to let him play, and he never lets him go too far.

“Pup!” A booming voice startles us as an older man runs toward us. “You’re a bad boy, Pup. You shouldn’t have run away from me.”

When Mr. Jensen catches up to his dog, he quickly clips the leash on and straightens.

“Hi, Mr. Jensen.”

“Xander, hey.” He breaks into a wide smile. “I was so worried Pup would scare someone, I didn’t realize it was you and Milo.” His eyes settle on Bella, and he grimaces, probably because she’s still locked up tight, Milo pressed to her chest. “Er, Miss, I’m very sorry if Pup scared you. My grandson put on his leash, but clearly he didn’t fasten it properly. He would never hurt you, I promise. He’s friendly and old, just like me. And he loves Milo.” He takes a step closer and holds out a hand. “I’m Mr. Jensen.”

She takes it but keeps Milo in her other arm. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Jensen. I’m Isabella. I was just worried this little guy would get hurt.” She untangles herself from me and puts Milo on his feet. He instantly walks up to Pup, and they sniff each other, tails wagging.

“Pup would never hurt Milo. They’re old friends.” Mr. Jensen smiles warmly, his gaze shifting to me. “Congratulations on your win, by the way.”

“Thank you, sir.”

We chat for a minute, and then Mr. Jensen heads home for dinner.

The mention of food makes my stomach growl, so Bella turns around with a laugh. “C’mon. Looks like it’s time for us to have dinner too.”

* * *

“Xander?” Bella calls from the guest bathroom.

When I step through the open doorway, Milo is standing in the shower, his head tilted to the side.

Bella is standing near him, wringing her hands, her cheeks the most adorable shade of pink. “I said I’d wash his paws, but…can you please show me how?”

I can’t stop the loud snort that escapes me in response.

Eyes narrowed, she takes a step forward, bumping into my shoulder. “Go away. I’ll figure it out.”

I don’t budge. Instead, I move forward, forcing her to step aside.

“I’ll show you.” I grab the showerhead, but before I can turn on the water, she snatches it from my hand.

“I said I’d do it.”

Damn, is this woman gorgeous. Her hair is loose now, cascading over her shoulders. She doesn’t have any makeup on, just a simple white tee and black leggings. She looks absolutely breathtaking.

Caught in her gravitational pull, I reach for the showerhead. Instead, my fingers slip, and I turn on the faucet.

Bella yelps and, with a jerky movement, directs the stream of water down. It hits Milo, startling him, and he bolts out of the shower and down the hallway, leaving a wet trail behind him.

With a huff, she turns off the water and gapes at me. “You…” she mutters, shaking her head. “You…”

Like I’m drawn to them, I can’t help but drop my gaze to her tits. Fuck me .

She’s not wearing a bra.

“Why did you do that?”

“I didn’t—” I lick my lips, distracted by her hard nipples poking through the fabric of her tee, the outline of her areolas in the damp white cotton. Dammit .

I force my attention up to her face, only then realizing she’s ogling my chest in the same way I was ogling hers.

Slowly, she creeps closer. Her eyes flicker up to mine, then to my lips. It’s pure torture, how long it takes her to press her lips to mine, but when she does? Holy shit. A spark ignites inside me, and all rational thought leaves my mind.

I return her kiss without hesitation. I’ve been waiting for her to give in, to take that step and cross all her fucking boundaries. I slide my fingers through her hair and grip the back of her head.

In response, she lets out a quiet moan.

My heart thumps loud and fast, a ticking time bomb in my chest.

Her lips are my new addiction.

She sighs into my mouth, and I slip my tongue over hers. They dance, curling around each other, setting our bodies on fire. The sensation is exhilarating. Never in my life have I experienced a kiss like this.

I move my lips along her jaw, then nip at her earlobe. With the tiniest moan, she tilts her head, giving me better access.

“God, you’re perfect,” I whisper in her ear.

A loud bark from the doorway makes us jump apart. In unison, we turn to find Milo watching us.

“I better change.” She hands me the showerhead, ready to flee the scene, but I block her path.“Xander…please.”

“Bella.” I keep my tone soft. “Don’t run away from me.”

“I shouldn’t have done that.”

A bitter laugh escapes me as I give her a once-over. “Do you regret it? Was this a mistake?”

With a single step closer, she brushes the hair from my eyes.“I could never regret kissing you,” she confesses. “And you’re not a mistake.”

I wind my arms around her waist, pulling her to me. My body is desperate for her, my skin buzzing for more. Instead of doing what I really want to do, I hold her close and relish the way she buries her face in my chest. Holding her like this is peaceful and pleasant, like a sunny day after weeks of rain.

“Milo is still here,” she whispers against my pec. “He probably thinks we’ve lost our minds.”

A low chuckle rumbles from my throat as I look down at her. Her deep blue pools shine brightly as she stares back at me.

“Or he’s wondering whether we’re ever going to wash his paws.”

Her lips stretch into a genuine smile, and she takes a tentative step back.

“Go,” I say. “I’ll take care of Milo.”

“You sure?” She nibbles on her bottom lip.

“Yes.” I nod at her translucent T-shirt. “Like you said, you better change.”

Bella glances at her chest, and when she looks up, to my surprise, she’s grinning. “Don’t tell me you weren’t enjoying the view.”

“Of course I was.” I lick my lips, taking advantage of the moment and getting one more peek in.

“Good to know.” With a wink, she’s gone.

When I’m alone, I brace myself against the wall and bow my head.

I don’t do relationships. I fuck.

But that kiss? Hands down the best kiss of my life.