Page 42

CHAPTER 42

LAST LOVE

BELLA

January

“Okay, I give up.” I pout. “Please tell me why we’re going to Miami.”

“Wish I knew. My sister hasn’t given me specifics.” Xander buries his nose in my hair and inhales. “A couple days away from Boston will do us both a lot of good, though.”

“Are you sure?” I glance at the runway out the airport window, watching a plane land.

“Yes. After divisional playoffs on Monday and all those articles and paparazzi, I’m exhausted, and I can imagine you need a break too.”

He’s not wrong.

I had my worries about Jake and his promises, but the day after he attacked me, Xander and the whole team got an email from management. I was bowled over. Jake went to rehab, claiming he’d had a nervous breakdown after our breakup. In his statement, he was very apologetic about letting down the fans and not being able to help the Warriors make it to the Super Bowl. He promised to get better and come back refreshed.

The support he got from management and the fans was astounding; in reality, it was just a PR stunt. Rumor is, Jake’s agent hired a crisis PR company to help navigate it all and make sure his reputation remains intact. And it worked.

The news about me and Xander broke two weeks later, right before the last game of the regular season. Since then, we can’t go anywhere without being hounded by paparazzi. Gossip magazines are sensationalizing our relationship, spinning lie after lie, each one worse than the last.

I turned off my DMs and comments on all social media; the messages I was getting were more than enough to disturb what little peace I’d found. To the world, I’m at fault for it all. I’m a cheating whore who ruined Xander and Jake’s friendship and put the Warriors’ chances for the Super Bowl at risk. Receiving death threats was the last straw for me.

Therapy is a priority, but with this public backlash, with Xander’s games and practices, with my own job, there just isn’t time to find a reputable therapist I mesh with.

Xander has helped me stay focused on the important things. He helps me remember that, even on the cloudiest of days, the sun is still there. I just can’t see it. He is my rock, despite how hard it all is on him as well.

Meg sent me an article in which the journalist dug into Xander and Jake’s college days and how much time they spent partying. Miraculously, he didn’t discover anything about Stacey. She definitely doesn’t deserve to be dragged into the spotlight.

Jake made a public statement through his rep the day after the first article about my relationship with Xander was published, insisting he respects my decision and wishes me nothing but happiness. He reassured the public that Xander wasn’t the reason we broke up.

Isabella was my first love. I naively thought we could build something new when we reconnected as adults, but we became different people during the years we were apart. I’m not the right guy for her. I never was.

Things have improved since then, but not much. We’re still villains in the public eye. Speculation that Jake was covering for us, that we are the reason he had a breakdown and went to rehab, is still rampant. Every day, I regret keeping my mouth shut about Jake’s attack.

“Yeah, a little break will be nice,” I say.

“Coach is a good guy. He didn’t have to give me the time off so close to the Super Bowl.” Xander sighs, placing his chin on top of my head. “Situations like ours aren’t easy for the team, but, thanks to him, the atmosphere in the locker room and on the field has improved a ton. Thanks to Isaiah too. He’s been invaluable since he took Miller’s place.”

“Do the guys talk to you?”

“Yeah.” Xander massages my back. “Meg told Garcia about Jake’s cheating, and she hinted at how he was treating you. It didn’t take much for them to see through Jake’s bullshit. Most of the guys on the team are family men. They didn’t appreciate what he did to you.”

“I should’ve pressed charges,” I mutter.

Xander leans away and gently takes my chin between his fingers. “Everything is going to be alright. We’ll win the Super Bowl, and I’ll make the haters eat their words. For you.”

“If you win, can I make a wish?” I ask, an idea forming in my head.

He chuckles. “Why not?”

* * *

The pool house where we’re staying is small and tidy, with floor-to-ceiling windows and beige walls. The living area is filled with a spacious couch, a big TV on the wall, a PlayStation, and a kitchenette in one corner. Beyond a half-opened door is a luxuriously made bed flanked by nightstands.

“Did my sister overwhelm you with all her blabbering?” Xander whispers after the door is closed behind us.

“A little,” I laugh.

“That’s what she’s like when she’s up to something.” With a smirk, he sets our bags on the floor.

Then he pulls me in close, his lips finding mine, and I sigh into his mouth. I’ve never been with a guy like Xander before. He occupies all my thoughts, and he has stolen my heart with no intention of giving it back. He’s under my skin, flowing through my veins.

He’s everywhere.

“She was the same way on the day of her birthday party. I should’ve guessed she invited you.”

“What would you have done if you’d known I was going to be there?”

Xander shrugs. “Made you jealous.”

I narrow my eyes. “What?”

“I would’ve made you jealous to gauge your feelings, especially after you agreed to be Miller’s wife right in front of me.” His lips hover over mine, his warm breath caressing my skin. “I hoped you’d fallen for me, so I needed confirmation. I needed to know I wasn’t in this alone.” He presses his forehead to mine, sliding his hands down my hips. “I want to sneak out with you tonight. The beach is a short walk from here. We can be alone there, no prying eyes.”

“The pool isn’t enough for you, Mr. Quarterback?” I tease, standing on my tiptoes.

“Never enough.” He seizes my lips in a feverish kiss, and the rest of the world stops existing.

* * *

Most of the people here know each other, but Jess has taken pity on me and is keeping me company. She tells me about the project she has been assigned to, about the nutrition course she’s taking. I tell her about my job and my love for interior design.

“Have you thought about taking classes?” Jess asks, head tilted, red curls veiling her shoulders. “On interior design, I mean.”

I take a sip of my drink. “No.”

“Why not?” She arches an eyebrow. “You clearly love it. Why not learn more so you can do it full time? Maybe work for yourself?”

I ponder her words as I sneak a glance at Xander, who’s engrossed in conversation with Ryan. If I wanted to study interior design, would he be on board? With a sigh, I turn back to Jess.

“I don’t know. I never thought about it.” I lift my shoulder. “I’m mostly self-taught, though I’ve learned a lot from my cousin and magazines.”

“Think about it.” She smiles, clinking her glass against mine. “When you’re ready, I’ll be your first client, and you can do a badass design for my little studio. Deal?”

I laugh. “Deal.”

Around us, conversations die, and when I look up, Audrey and Ryan are standing in the middle of the room.

“We have news,” Audrey chirps.

Ryan winds his hand around her waist, holding her close.

“As you all know, Ryan finally got a promotion, and we’re moving back to Boston in March. Going back to our roots.”

Xander drapes his hand over my shoulder, smiling like the Cheshire cat. I chuckle, remembering how excited his parents were about finally having both their kids in the same city again.

Ryan smiles. “We wanted to have you all here tonight since, once we move, we won’t see most of you often. But there’s a second reason we invited you…Audrey is pregnant. We’re going to be parents.”

All around the room, people laugh and whoop and clap. Xander stands up and rushes over to his big sister, pulling her in for a hug and whispering in her ear. She breaks into a giddy smile and bounces on her toes.

He’ll be the best uncle, I have no doubt. The broodiness is nothing but a facade; he’s the sweetest guy I know.

* * *

After the party, we stroll along the sand. The beach is lit up by the moonlight, and the only sound is the lapping of waves on the shore. It’s peaceful and secluded.

“So your parents knew? How did they manage to keep it a secret?”

“I don’t have a clue. When we dropped Milo off yesterday, they didn’t say a word,” he mutters, chewing on his bottom lip. “Makes me want to get back at them for keeping the news from me.”

“Got anything particular in mind?” I snort, amused by his childish behavior. Drunk Xander is hilarious.

He stops abruptly and takes off his T-shirt, then his sweatpants. “When I have something big to announce, I’ll keep it a secret too.” He pouts. He’s adorable, like a little boy who didn’t get what he wanted for Christmas.

Then he scoops me up, throws me over his shoulder, and runs into the sea. I laugh, my mood light and cheerful. Once he’s waist deep, he drops me into the water fully clothed. When I surface, I rub my eyes and cough salty water.

“Dammit,” I sputter, still laughing. “You should’ve told me to wear a swimsuit.”

He traps me in his big arms as his lips leave a trail of hot kisses down my neck. “Sorry, baby. Where is the surprise if you knew we were going for a swim?” A low chuckle makes my throat vibrate as he guides my legs around his hips.

With one arm looped around his neck, I push my hair off my face and drink him in under the light of the moon. I can’t get enough of him. Every day, every hour, every minute…it’s never enough.

I want more of him.

I need more.

I don’t know who moves first, but soon our lips are locked in a passionate kiss.

Our bodies rock against each other, my center sliding along his hard length. He sneaks his fingers under my panties and caresses my clit. I float in an ocean of pure bliss, oblivious to our surroundings. The only raw emotion still here is desire.

I let him do things to me that I never thought would excite me. This man is everything I never dared to dream about. Now, he’s painting my world in thousands of different colors with nothing more than his fingers on my skin.

Clinging to his broad shoulders, I deepen our kiss and move my hips in time with his fingers. Breath hitching, I bite his bottom lip, sucking it into my mouth.

“Baby.” Groaning, he breaks our kiss.

Then, in one fluid move, he impales me. He moves slowly, his lips sliding along my jaw. His tongue brushes my earlobe, making me shudder. He’s touching my very soul and pulling at my heartstrings.

When he sucks on my neck, leaving a hickey, I moan louder, encouraging him to do more, to mark my whole body. I am his, body and soul, now and always. The heat, the desire we both feel, is overwhelming, freeing. His thrusts become rougher, deeper, and when he tugs on my hair and nips at my collarbone, my eyes roll back in my head.

“Bella.” My name on his tongue mixes with his guttural groans.

Then he’s throbbing inside me, triggering an orgasm so powerful it makes my toes curl.

“You’re driving me insane,” he says as we come back to the present.

“Why?” I ask, readjusting my hands around his neck.

“I just wanted to swim a little, to kiss you under the moonlight and go back to our warm bed. But the moment I had your legs wrapped around my waist, my mind turned into jelly.” Xander laughs, spinning us around. “God, I love you. I have no idea how I survived all these years without you. I wasted so much time on the wrong people.”

“All those wrong people led us here, to this moment.” I cradle his face, forcing him to look at me. “And now you’re stuck with me.”

“And you’re stuck with me.” He steals a quick kiss before leaning back. “You’re my perfect match, Bella.”

I close the distance between us and kiss him, over and over again. I don’t want to let him go.

Love is a simple, four-letter word…but the feeling it signifies bestows the power to change everything. Xander’s love for me has turned me into a believer. I believe in our love for each other. I believe in us, in our future.

He’s my second-chance love. Our bond is way stronger than anything I’ve ever felt before. It’s deep and overwhelming. Our love makes me feel like I’m losing my mind.

To be loved by a man like him is exhilarating—a man who can touch my soul with his words, heal my wounds with the touch of his fingertips, ease my pain with just a peck on my forehead. He’s an attentive lover, caring boyfriend, and wise best friend. He’s my everything.

Xander is the place my mind wanders to when it needs a break from my racing thoughts. He makes me happy in a way no one else ever has.

There’s no one else for me.

He’s my last love.