Page 41

Xander

T rue to her word, Rain’s been in Raleigh with me for the past week.

I’m so fucking happy she came back. Coming home to her makes my days infinitely better.

I’m still not thrilled that she hid Dennis’s texts from me, but I get it—it’s a very sensitive topic, and she was trying to protect me.

God, I love this woman.

We’ve had two more games—both wins—and tomorrow we fly to Boston for our first away game.

My folks and Gramps will be at the arena, and I’m excited for them to see me back on the ice.

I offered for Rain to fly up and watch the game with them, but she needs to head back to Azalea Creek to check on the diner.

“What are you guys up to today? Think we can have dinner tonight before we head to Boston tomorrow?” Matt asks as we leave the arena and cross the parking lot.

I smile, thinking about Rain working in my kitchen, tinkering with new recipes. Every night’s been a feast—her spin on some old favorites. Then we cuddle on the couch and binge The Pitt , the new medical drama we’re hooked on.

“Yeah, I don’t think we have plans. But I’ll check.”

Matt snickers as he heads toward his truck. “Oh, Rain’s got you domesticated. Look at you—checking before committing.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Nah, nothing like that. It’s called common sense. Plus, did you know my girl’s a chef? I’ve been spoiled this week.”

Matt wiggles his eyebrows. I flip him off.

“I’ll text you.”

I get in my Range Rover and make my way home to pick up Rain.

“Babe?” I call out as I walk inside.

“In the closet,” she shouts.

I head straight to the bedroom and peek in. There’s a mountain of clothes on the floor, and Rain’s standing with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot.

“Everything okay?” I ask, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorframe.

“Yeah—no. I don’t know, Xander,” she says with a heavy sigh, frustration written all over her face. “Look at all this shit, and I still can’t find anything I feel like wearing.”

I chuckle, pushing off the doorframe and walking toward her. She leans her forehead against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her.

“Do we need to go shopping for clothes?” I ask, grinning. “We have all day. And it kinda works perfectly—Matt just asked me if we wanted to have dinner with him and his wife. We’ll probably be starving after all that shopping.”

She tilts her head up, gray eyes locking with mine, and a beautiful smile breaks across her lips.

“Now that sounds like a brilliant idea. A man after my own heart. How did I get so lucky?”

She stands on tiptoe to kiss my chin.

“I’m the lucky one here—but we can argue about that later. Let’s go.”

I take her hand, press a quick kiss to her knuckles, and lead us out .

As I start driving, it hits me—Rain’s been complaining about how tough it is to find parking for Minx in the city—tight spaces, no garage access, the usual.

Since she doesn’t have to live in the van anymore, I decide to surprise her with a new car.

Something more comfortable for the drive back and forth.

But we’ve never talked about what kind of car she likes.

“What’s your dream car?” I ask, grabbing her hand and placing it on my thigh. I cover it with mine and trace slow circles on her thumb.

“Hmm, that’s a good question. I’ve always been more practical than bougie. Any car that works and won’t leave me stranded on the highway is my kind of ride.”

I love her no-nonsense approach to life, but I want to spoil her. And I’m not taking no for an answer.

“But if you could choose, what would it be?”

She turns to the window, watching traffic roll past.

“Oh, that one looks good,” she says, pointing to a Mercedes.

“My girl has good taste.”

She chuckles and turns to me. “And you just now realized that? One look at my man should’ve told you.”

She winks, and I laugh. I’ll never get tired of her sass.

“You got me there, Cherry.”

When I turn into the Mercedes dealership, her eyes go wide.

“Xander, what are we doing here? ”

Now it’s my turn to smirk. “I’m spoiling my girl.”

I lift an eyebrow in challenge, and sure enough, she removes her hand from my thigh and squares her shoulders, ready for battle.

“I can’t let you do that! You already bought a brand-new RV, which, if we’re being honest, we’re not going to use a whole lot. Not to mention the multiple plots of land you’ve bought. Xander!”

She shouts my name at the end, and I can’t help but laugh.

“And don’t you dare laugh at me. This isn’t funny,” she huffs, arms crossed.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry for laughing—but babe, you look cute when you’re upset.”

Her eyes widen even more, and her chest turns a soft shade of pink.

“ Cute ? The fucking nerve.”

I bite my lip to keep from laughing again.

“I’m just telling the truth. You’re cute when you’re mad. But you’re also strong, determined, smart, gorgeous, incredibly hot, and best of all—mine.”

Her face softens, and a shy smile tugs at her lips.

“Okay. Fine. You win. I can be cute.”

I pump my fist like I just scored a game-winning goal.

“Now,” she says, amused, “about the car.”

I freeze, waiting for her verdict.

“Xander, you’ve already done so much. I’ve even moved into your apartment. I know I’ll never be able to contribute as much as you can, but I want to feel like things are mine too, you know?”

I let out a deep breath. I get it. She’s independent, not used to being given things. But she’s not alone anymore.

“I understand where you’re coming from. But in this relationship, you are making the biggest sacrifice—moving to Raleigh to be with me. So, at least let me spoil you in every way I can.”

Her eyes go glassy, but her smirk is pure mischief.

“Deal. But only because I know money and gifts aren’t the only ways you know how to spoil me.”

She wiggles her eyebrows, and I bark out a laugh.

“I love you, my wild cherry,” I say, leaning in for a kiss.

Once we’re inside the dealership, everything moves faster than I expected.

Rain checks out two SUVs before settling on a sleek SUV. The salesman keeps going on about all the special features—range, sensors, lane assist, whatever—but Rain’s more interested in how pretty the interior is.

The moment she slides into the driver’s seat, lowers the window, and winks at me, I know.

That’s her car.

“Hey, handsome. Need a ride?” she asks, pretending to pick me up outside the dealership.

“I don’t think so,” I say, playing along. “I don’t think my girlfriend would be very happy about that.”

She laughs, lowering her glasses with a smirk.

“Good answer, Hotshot. Now let’s go buy some clothes.”

I don’t know how there are so many boutiques in a mall, but we visit them all. Rain shops to her heart’s content, and I have a great time watching her model every outfit. She even tries on a few swimsuits—it takes everything in me not to follow her into the changing room.

After shopping, we head home and shower. I throw on a fresh pair of jeans and a white shirt while she slips into something new, since we’re heading out with Matt and Trin tonight.

Rain’s wearing a short pale green dress with a sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps. I thought she’d pair it with her Docs, but to my surprise, she’s wearing black strappy heels. Her hair falls in loose waves, and there’s just a touch of red on her lips.

She’s a fucking bombshell.

“Ready?” I ask, waiting by the elevator.

She walks toward me, and I immediately take her hand.

“Where are we going?” Rain asks as I start driving.

“I just told Matt to meet us downtown. Figured I’d let you pick the place.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her pull out her phone. After a couple of minutes, she says, “I want to try some Creole. There’s a place that looks promising. ”

I nod and send a text to Matt through the car’s system.

Once we arrive, I hand off my key to the valet and open Rain’s door.

As we walk into the restaurant, I spot Matt and Trin. Matt waves as soon as he sees us.

“Hey, man. Perfect timing—we just got here,” he says, pulling me into a one-armed hug.

“Matt, Trin,” I say, gesturing toward Rain, “this is my girlfriend, Rain.”

They shake hands just as the waiter leads us to our table.

“I’m sorry if I come off too chirpy and overly eager,” Trin says with a big smile as she clasps her hands. “I’ve known Xander for a while, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen him with a girl.”

Matt groans and covers his face with one hand while I wait for Rain to say something.

“When Xander and I first met, we spent all our time in my world,” Rain says warmly, taking a sip of water. “I’m excited to be in his world now and meet his friends.”

If I hadn’t been watching her so closely, I might’ve missed the slight tremble in her hands. I reach for her, and she gives me a grateful smile.

“Your world, his world,” Trin says, tilting her head. “How is that going to work out?”

Matt shoots her a “chill, please” look, but she just shrugs and turns back to Rain .

“Well, that’s a great question,” Rain says, clearing her throat. “One we don’t exactly have an answer to yet—but we’ll figure it out over the next couple of years.”

Trin raises a brow, clearly horrified, and Rain chuckles.

“Xander and I are lucky—we love what we do. I can run my business remotely while he’s in Raleigh, and when he’s away, I can go back to Azalea Creek for a few days.”

Trin nods, smiling just enough to be courteous. If I didn’t know her, I’d believe she was being sincere, but that smile doesn’t reach her eyes. What the fuck is going on?

“I like that,” she says. “I think it’s great you can keep chasing your dreams and support your partner.”

Rain and I both smile politely, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more beneath Trin’s tone.

“Rain has supported me since day one,” I say, leaning in a little.

“She made sure I stuck to my therapist’s plan, followed my diet to a T. Our fridge is full of team-approved meals that are also delicious. She puts my needs first, always. Rain is my world.”

She leans her head against my chest, and I kiss the top of her head.

“Yeah, although our relationship is new, I’ve come to realize the importance of compromising,” Rain says, and my heart swells with pride. She’s not afraid to put people in their place .

“I mean, have you seen this man? So hot!” Everyone chuckles. “And don’t get me started on his heart of gold and all the little ways he shows me he loves me. If that’s not enough to try my hardest to make things work, I don’t know what is.”

Rain’s hand finds mine under the table, and I give her a gentle squeeze. If Trin doesn’t get the message now, she’s not the kind of person I thought she was.

“That’s awesome, guys,” Trin finally says, taking a sip of her water.

“Alright, who’s hungry?” Rain asks, now that the air has cleared. I immediately raise my hand.

She chuckles, rolling her eyes—blinding smile in full effect.

“Have you guys been here before? What do you recommend?”

Trin and Matt dive into a list of their favorite dishes. Bit by bit, the tension fades.

The meal turns out great.

We’re now waiting for dessert, and Matt is clearly on a mission to humiliate me.

I cover my face with both hands, not wanting to see Rain’s reaction.

“The funniest one,” Matt begins, “has to be the time Xander got conned into going to the sauna—naked.”

Rain gasps. I chuckle.

“We had an off day and decided to hit the spa—massages, facials, and whatnot. Xander’s new to the crew, eager to fit in. So, of course, he got the most expensive package on the menu.

“The thing is, Seth, a player who retired a couple of years ago, told Xander that this was a clothing-optional sauna. And your man believed him.”

Rain cackles, and I can’t help but laugh along.

“So in he goes, in his birthday suit, and the second he opens the door—chaos. Shouting, swearing, the whole spa hears it.

“There were a few older gentlemen in there who just frowned. But the ladies? Three older ladies lit up like it was Christmas morning.”

Rain’s in tears, gasping for air.

“And when they started walking toward him, Xander panicked and bolted for the locker room. And they chased him.”

The whole table explodes in laughter, and I finally drop my hands and shake my head.

“Hey, in my defense,” I say grinning, “I was young and naive.”

Rain wipes her eyes and rests her hands on my bicep, still trying to catch her breath.

“Did they find you?” she asks, voice rough from laughing.

“They did. But I had a towel by the time they got inside.”

She dissolves into giggles again .

“Please don’t tell Granny. I’m sure she’ll find a way to get you naked in front of the entire town.”

My eyebrows shoot up as I get very serious.

“No fucking way, Cherry. This body is for your viewing pleasure only.”

I kiss her forehead, and she nods, still grinning.

“I didn’t know that story about Xander,” Trin says as she stands and places her napkin on the table. “But it’s exactly what I needed. A good laugh after my little inquisition earlier.”

She turns to Rain. “Want to come to the restroom with me?”

Rain nods, and they disappear together toward the back of the restaurant.

Matt’s still wiping his eyes, recovering from the laughter.

“I already knew how incredible she is—just from the way you talk about her. But now? Rain’s awesome, man. I’m glad you found each other.”

I nod and clink my glass with his.

The ladies return, both smiling. I lean back in my chair, taking it all in.

I hope Trin and Rain stay in touch. Maybe even become friends.

After getting another dessert to go, we say our goodbyes, promising another double date the next time we’re in town.

On the drive home, Rain slips her hand into my lap and starts stroking my cock. It takes every ounce of willpower I have to breathe through it and keep my foot light on the gas. I swear, she’s trying to kill me with the way she makes me feel.

Back at our place, the moment the elevator doors slide shut behind us, Cherry drops to her knees and sucks me off until I’m completely spent.

It’s the best kind of send-off, since we’re about to spend seven days apart.

The red stain her lipstick leaves on my shaft? I’ll never forget it.

It feels like a claim: I was here, and this dick is mine.

For the first time in my career, I can’t wait for the games to be over.

I just want to come home to her.

I just hope Dennis doesn’t try anything while I’m gone.