Page 123 of Hideaway Heart

I giggled as his beard tickled my stomach. “Speaking of ruined reputations, I cannot wait for Duke’s mugshot to make the rounds tomorrow.”

Xander picked up his head. “Do we have to talk about him?”

“With that giant black eye and his broken jaw—which he deserved.”

“He deserved worse,” mumbled Xander, pushing my thighs apart.

“The tabloids are going to have a riot,” I said gleefully, sighing with pleasure when Xander’s tongue made a slow stroke up my center. “Especially when that video footage gets out.”

It turned out that every office in the Milton had security cameras, and the footage from tonight clearly showed Duke assaulting me. Even better? It showed me fending him off with my bridge high, throw low. I hoped that video was shown on every website, social media app, and television news outlet tomorrow. Duke would deserve every bit of vitriol and ridicule he got.

“Agreed. Are we done talking about him now?” Xander’s tongue worked its magic over my clit, and I buried my fingers in his hair.

“I’m done with everyone and everything but you,” I whispered. “You’re all I need.”

He knew exactly what my body craved and gave it to me with endless patience and superb skill. No teasing tonight, no holding back, no denying pleasure. He was more gentle than usual, as if he was worried I might not be in the mood for rough, aggressive sex after what I’d been through tonight. After making me come with his tongue, he moved up my body and eased inside me.

“Fuck, this feels good,” he whispered. “But are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes,” I told him, sliding my hands down his back. “Trust me. Nothing has ever felt so right.”

“I do trust you,” he said, beginning to move his body over mine. “I just want to take good care of you.”

“You do,” I said, my eyes closing softly as I fell deeper into the dream. “You will.”

* * *

I could have sworn I’d just drifted off to sleep when I felt Xander shake me from behind. “Hey. Kelly. Wake up.”

“Mmph. Is it time to get up already?” I curled into a tighter ball.

“No.”

“Then why do I have to wake up?”

“Because it’s tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

He tugged my shoulder, pushing me onto my back. “It’s after midnight,” he said, brushing my hair off my face. “That means it’s technically tomorrow, so it’s my turn to talk.”

I started to laugh.

“Excuse me, but I don’t think you’re supposed to find it funny when a guy is trying to tell you he loves you for the first time.”

My heart hammered with pure joy. “No?”

“No. Especially when he’s never said those words to anyone. He’s not even sure he’s everfeltthem for anyone. And he certainly never intended to feel them for a celebrity he’ll have to share with the world.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He cradled my face with one hand and rubbed my lips with his thumb. “You took me by surprise, Kelly Jo Sullivan. But I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“You know, lying here with you right now, I’m so happy I feel like I could walk away from all the celebrity bullshit and the music industry and even the money and be totally fine.”

“I’d love you either way. You know that, don’t you? And I’ll never ask you to give any of it up for me.”

“I know. And I don’treallywant to give it all up, not now. I still love music. I still want to sing. I still love performing. But knowing I have you, my safest place in the world, waiting for me when I walk off the stage or leave the recording studio—it means everything.”