Page 9

Think of a time you were surprised by a positive twist of fate. Can you see that life holds good surprises?

I definitely see that now, although I’m still deeply suspicious when good things happen. I can’t help it. For now, I’ve had a lot of positive twists of late. My life has become almost unrecognizable. I’m waiting for Xander in the secret rich-and-famous garage at Heathrow Airport. Who even knew there was such a thing?

M ia stood at the curb, wondering if perhaps she’d been lured here so someone could murder her. Seemed plausible—she’d followed a toothsome stranger all the way from baggage claim, simply because they’d approached her and said, “Mia Neal, please allow me to take you to Mr. Bishop.” Her mom would be losing it if she knew how Mia’d ended up in this dimly lit and cavernous parking garage. Which was precisely the reason she did not tell her mother she was going to England. She probably would’ve gotten a speech about the hidden dangers of pubs and room temperature beer.

Just as she was mulling over her best self-defense techniques, a silver sports car appeared at the far end of the garage, screeching as it came up the ramp. The driver was going entirely too fast, and she could tell from the silhouette they were tall. It had to be Xander. Mia’s pulse fluttered in her throat. The car zipped up to the curb and came to a stop right in front of her. Mia nearly fainted. He was picking her up in a gleaming Aston Martin.

He hopped out and that was when she almost fainted a second time—there he was, legs impossibly long in dark jeans, wearing a T-shirt that showed off his incredible shoulders.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?” He was breathless as he stepped closer and peered down at her.

Mia was suddenly aware that he and his penis were now in close proximity to her and her lady parts, and it might not take very long until they were naked. As much as she hoped it would be a short drive to the Cotswolds, her ever-present fretful state was there. The phone was one thing—she didn’t have to worry about him seeing her from unflattering angles. She didn’t have to think about things like being naked around him at times when they weren’t having sex. She didn’t need to see him without his clothes to know he was perfect. And there she was, normal as could be—a flawed human specimen. Also, leaving the phone behind and entering the realm of in-person contact meant there were other things to think about—trust, motives and conflicts of interest. If people thought she’d gone soft on Xander because of a plane ticket, what would happen if anyone found out they’d moved things into the bedroom?

Despite all of that, she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be than here, with him.

“I’m fine. I just got here.” She swallowed hard, then found the courage to boldly hold her arms wide for a hug.

But Xander bent down and cupped her face with one generous hand, his fingertips curling into the back of her head. “It’s so good to see you.”

He closed his eyes and delivered the softest, most tender kiss, finished with the slightest brush of his tongue along her lower lip.

Mia’s spine went soft and she nearly crumpled to the ground. A rush of warmth through her body made her head spin. Her previous urge to push him away was gone. Fuck any and all of her insecurities. She wanted to wrap her legs around Xander and ride him around like a pony.

“Is it a long drive to your house?”

He grinned, lips only a few inches from hers. With a beep, the trunk popped open. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I am quite good at driving fast.”

“I’ve heard a few people say the opposite.”

“Bollocks. Rumors and lies. Complete fabrications.”

She giggled and climbed into the passenger seat. The interior was just as sexy as the outside, sleek black leather, even though none of that stood up to Xander.

He climbed inside and adjusted his mirrors. “Allow me to demonstrate my true talents.”

With a jerk, he launched them across the garage and down the ramp, taking nimble turns like a bat out of hell. She gripped the armrest, drifting into the center console while smiling so hard her cheeks ached. This was awesome .

He hopped on the highway and under a cloudy sky, they whizzed through towns with unfamiliar names like Iver, High Wycombe and Boarstall, then eventually into the living fairy tale of the English countryside. The scenery was new and exciting, but it was hard to keep her eyes off Xander. She loved watching him behind the wheel, up close. His eyes darted everywhere, scanning the terrain. He was somehow on alert and completely at ease, all at once. The grip of his hand on the steering wheel, working the paddle shifters, was another dizzying sight. His hands were fucking magnificent and Mia imagined what it might be like to have them all over her body.

She had every reason to believe it would happen today, but she would take nothing for granted since she’d also had her fair share of disastrous luck when it came to sex. She’d once broken her ankle at an old boyfriend’s apartment when they were going upstairs for a romantic rendezvous—she slipped on the landing and tumbled down the stairs. There’d been no trip to his bed that night, just the emergency room.

“Here we are,” Xander said, finally pulling onto a long gravel driveway, leading to a beautiful home that was larger than a cottage, but definitely not the sprawling manor she’d imagined.

“It’s so pretty.”

The house was like a postcard, built of flinty stone with front-facing gabled windows framed by ivy and climbing roses. It was hugged by gardens, complete with long-stemmed blooms that waved in the breeze, all set against the background of lush rolling-green countryside.

Xander pulled into the third bay of a six-bay garage, the only overtly ostentatious thing she’d seen thus far. She climbed out, noting the number of vehicles parked inside. “And of course you have a zillion cars.”

“Four is not a zillion. And I am a race-car driver.”

“Still. Pretty impressive,” she said as he pulled her suitcases from the trunk.

He shrugged it off. “I got them all for free.”

Mia shook her head. His world and hers? Not the same. She’d gotten a free air freshener at the car wash once. That was the true extent of her VIP lifestyle.

She followed Xander inside to a mudroom, where he tossed aside his baseball hat, then ran his hands through his hair. That sight alone left her body tingling. “You can see the rest of the house later. I thought I’d bring your bags upstairs so you can get settled.”

Settled. Mmm-hmm. Mia’s pulse picked up as she pondered the many possible meanings of the word settled , all while following him through a cozy great room with brown leather furnishings and an entire wall of books, then to a large central staircase with hefty dark wood handrails and an arched window with a charming pastoral view at the top of the landing.

At the very top of the second flight, he set down her bags and turned to her.

“I feel as though we must have a chat.”

Mia snickered. Delivered in his British accent, it sounded as though she’d done something wrong. And quite honestly, she wouldn’t mind being in trouble with Xander. “Sure.”

“I have prepared the guest room for you.”

Mia’s heart sank all the way down to the soles of her feet. What was with the kiss at the airport? Now he was banishing her to some other room? “Okay…”

He reached down and took her hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. “I feel like I’ve known you forever, Mia, but in truth, it hasn’t been long. And we’ve spent far more time talking on the phone and texting than we have in each other’s presence.”

His blue eyes were wide and earnest; meanwhile, his lips were fucking begging her to kiss him. Or even take a nip.

“So you want to take things slow?” she asked. In some ways it would be a relief, especially since it was always her preference to ease into things.

“I want to defer to you. You control your own destiny. Whatever you want. I’m gobsmacked you were willing to fly across an ocean to see me. You’re a busy woman. With a lot on her plate. And of course, we both recognize that our involvement does not come without risk. You could fall out of favor with your listeners if they learned we were involved.”

She inched closer until they were standing toe-to-toe. He was right about all of that, but she’d already expended energy worrying about those things.

“It’s very sweet that you’ve put so much thought and consideration into this. Normally, I would say yes, we should take things slow.” I also feel like this chance might never come again and I would like to at least have this memory of you. Her heart beat an erratic rhythm as she scanned his face, looking for clues. “But we both knew what this was, didn’t we?”

He delivered a stern and pointed glance, his eyes dark and serious. All the while, he kept caressing her hand with his thumb. Back and forth. Back and forth.

“If we’re being honest, yes.”

“Then I think I should stay in your room.”

“Perfect.”

With one fluid motion, Xander swept Mia off her feet. Quite literally. And she held her breath as he carried her down the hall, past portraits she didn’t have time to look at and several rooms. He strode into what she presumed was his bedroom—dark and moody with navy blue walls and the biggest bed she’d ever seen, topped by a crisp white comforter. On one wall was another stretch of fully stocked bookshelves and in front of it, a cozy reading chair and lamp.

Not that she was taking much note of the furnishings as he set her down on the bed, then pulled his T-shirt over his head while he kept his eyes glued to her, showing her exactly how perfect he was. Long and lean with so much muscular definition it defied all logic, his chest a broad plane with the tiniest patch of hair in the middle. He toed off his shoes, then pulled off his socks and unbuttoned the top button of his jeans. He moved in on her, setting a knee on the bed, rolling onto the mattress and pulling her along with him until she was on top. If he wanted to defer to her, perhaps that was only when it came to living quarters. For now, in bed, he was in charge.

And Mia was so hot for him she could hardly keep up. He pulled her close and kissed her hard, their tongues finally getting acquainted. They swirled in an endless loop while she planted her elbows above his shoulders and combed her fingers into his silky hair. She let her knees settle on the bed and that was when she felt exactly how ready he was for this to happen. He was rock-hard through the layers of his jeans and hers.

“Tell me what you like, Mia,” he muttered, then rolled her to her side and started unbuttoning her top. “Tell me everything.”

She was suddenly struck with a severe case of shyness. It was hard enough for her to let down her guard on the phone. In person was a whole other thing.

“I like you .”

He laughed quietly, then groaned as he pushed her top past her shoulders. “Your breasts are incredible. And that bra. So fucking sexy.” He dragged a finger along the edge of one lacy cup. “Although it’s not staying on for long.”

Mia felt an immense sense of pride—she’d had rave reviews of her breasts before but never from a man as discerning and worldly as Xander. Also, she’d spent a good deal of money on quality underpinnings in the scant eighteen hours she’d had before she got on the plane, an investment that was already paying dividends.

He reached behind and unhooked her bra, then pulled it forward and they both sensed the release and what it meant for them. He tossed the garment aside and rolled her to her back, lowering his head and licking her nipple. He looped his tongue around the tight bundle of nerves, flicking at it and making her head swim with the possibilities. Every lick sent a zap of electricity straight to her clit. That alone might be enough to make her come.

He shifted to his side and stretched out beside her, sucking on her breast while he unbuttoned her jeans. As soon as the zipper was down, he slipped his hand inside her panties and found the perfect spot with his finger.

“You are so wet, Mia,” he whispered into her ear before nibbling on her neck. “I can’t wait to be inside you.”

Mia closed her eyes, letting the sensation take over, trying not to let her brain get in the way. If it did, she’d have a hard time reaching the logical conclusion of this exercise. He rubbed in perfect circles, kissing her with an open mouth and driving her to a peak all too fast. She knocked her head back as the pressure appeared out of nowhere, then mowed her right over.

As the waves of pleasure subsided, she opened her eyes to see Xander looking right at her. He kissed her with an open mouth.

“I already love watching you come. Let’s see how many times I can do that.”

Mia had to laugh. “It’s not much of a competition. Either way, I win.”

He was on his knees, shimmying her jeans and panties past her hips. He tossed them aside with the same enthusiasm as her bra. Then he placed both hands on the insides of her thighs and pushed her legs apart. They made eye contact as he lowered his head, and she could’ve sworn she saw that same hyper-competitive Xander she saw when he was about to start a race. The second his mouth touched her, she clamped her eyes shut and arched her back. He was a master with his tongue, using the tight tip to run around her clit, then using his fingers to caress between her folds, lightly at first then with greater pressure. Mia was already close to the brink, but then he started to suck her clit with pursed lips while he plunged his fingers inside her and curled them into her most sensitive spot. That was all it took. Mia grabbed the bedclothes with both hands and called out. For a moment, her mind went blank, then she saw swirls of color. It was the most intense orgasm she’d ever experienced. And they’d only been in the house for thirty minutes, tops.

He gently kissed her inner thighs while she floated back down to earth.

“Get up here. I need to kiss you,” she said.

He obliged with an open mouth and a plundering tongue, his lips and cheeks wet. “That was so fucking hot.”

“We need to make you happy.”

“I’m already happy,” he said between kisses.

She pushed back on his shoulder. “I want your cock in my mouth, Xander. Please.”

“For a few minutes. Then I want to fuck you. Properly.”

Mia wasn’t sure of the difference between a regular fuck and a proper fuck, but she was willing to explore all aspects of British culture.

He needed no more instruction and rolled to his back, and it was finally Mia’s turn to remove his jeans. The word spectacular leapt to mind when she finally got to see him in all of his rock-hard glory. She wrapped her fingers around his length, while he propped himself up on his elbows and watched every moment. She’d never had sex with someone who was so into observing. And it turned her on like nothing else.

“You like seeing your dick in my hand, for once?” she joked.

He smiled so wide, then sat up to kiss her. “It’s so much better than mine.”

He dropped his head back down onto the pillow and Mia took her chance, lowering her head and taking his cock into her mouth. To say he was hard was a disservice. He was like titanium, but warm, and so human it took her breath away. She rolled her tongue over the tip again and again, then took as much of his length into her mouth as she could. He was a bit too much to take all the way, so she wrapped two fingers around the very base and held on tight, hoping the extra pressure would work. Judging by his groan of approval and the way he dug his fingers into her hair, she was doing just fine. His breaths were getting choppy and sharp.

“About that fuck, Mia. We need to—” he cleared his throat “—get on with it.”

“You sure?” she asked, then dragged her tongue along his length, from base to tip.

“I’m sure.”

Mia obliged, letting go of him and kissing his lower belly. “Yes, sir.”

He rolled to his side and pulled a condom out of the bedside table, tore open the packet and rolled it on. “Come here.”

“Where do you want me?”

“Honestly, everywhere and in every way imaginable. But for now, on your side. Facing away from me.”

Mia was intrigued. She’d never been with a guy who could manage this move—fucking her from behind while they were both lying down. She got into position and he pressed his long, warm body against hers, then reached between her legs and raised the top one a bit. The next thing she knew, he was slipping inside her, perfectly filling her up. It felt so good she wondered if perhaps he had a magical penis. Then he reached down and started rubbing her clit and kissing her neck while he thrust into her using his insane abdominals. She wasn’t going to last long like this at all. Waves of warmth were coming over her like she was lying on the ocean floor, with his rock-hard body pressed against her back. She was putty in his hands…and it occurred to her she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to be anything but exactly that.

“Come for me,” he huffed into her ear.

“I’m close.” The pressure was immense, but the pleasure was toying with her, edging closer then slipping away.

Any other guy might have started fucking her harder, but not Xander. Oh, no. He slowed down. He lightened his touch on her clit. And that gave her time to appreciate every bit of him and his talent.

“Come for me, Mia,” he said, breathless.

She was right there…so close…milliseconds away…it was right there…and then the release came, crashing into her at a force so unlike the previous two orgasms. The world went hazy and impossibly soft. And then he came right after her, wrapping his arm around her stomach and pulling her even tighter against him. They rode out the waves together, joined, as one.

“Wow,” she was finally able to say. Anything else was surely a waste of syllables.

“You are fantastic, Mia,” he said into her ear then kissed her neck again. “And I think we’re going to have a pretty amazing time while you’re here.”