Page 82 of Whiskey and Regret

“I know. I’m always counting down the hours until she comes back,” I confessed.

“Me too, Xari.” He kissed my temple then eyed me for a few seconds. “You busy today?”

“Well, practice seems like a bust so, I guess not. Why?”

“I’m having charity events all day and I hate them with a fucking passion. I was thinking maybe if you went with me, I wouldn’t feel so lonely.”

My lips fell at the mention of loneliness. “You feel lonely?”

“All the time. I don’t have real friends in politics. Just people I keep up appearances with and for. There’s nothing of substance.”

“So, would you say we’re friends, Senator Freeman?” I rocked back and forth waiting for his answer.

It was begrudging and came with a lot of huffing and puffing but he finally said, “Yes, Xari. I consider us to be friends.”

“With amazing benefits. Like…your dick inside of me.” I had to cover up the nagging warmth spilling into my chest with something funny.

“I can’t argue with that. Now take your bad ass upstairs and get dressed. We’re hanging out today.”

I had no idea why his words pumped new life into me but I couldn’t wait to go somewhere with Evander. I wasn’t even pissed that I barely got in any harp practice.

…

Evander

What the fuck was I thinking inviting Xari with me for a day of charity events followed by dinner at the governor’s mansion?

You know what? Scratch that. I knew exactly what I was thinking. I didn’t want to be lonely again at one of those things. I was always plastering a smile on my face that never reached my eyes. With Xari around, I knew my smiles would be genuine and my laughter would be honest.

Sure, I’d get a lot of eyes on me for having someone as gorgeous as her on my arm but I’d make sure it was understood that she was a friend.

Besides, Navy would be there too. Navy was usually at my side for events but there’d never been any speculation about if we were together or not. Things should go equally smooth with Xari there.

I waited in the kitchen while she got ready and drank a cup of coffee while I went over my schedule and answered emails. The distinct cadence of heels against the floor made my head lift.

When Xari walked in, the temperature in the room shifted to accommodate her heat.

She wore a blush pink dress that wrapped around her slender waist and dipped low in the back giving me a view of her delicate spine. The dress stopped right before showing off the small of her back and the two shallow dimples above her ass. A string of modest pearls was wrapped around her neck with matching earrings nestled against her lobes. Her thick hair was sleek and polished in a chignon. Her eyes were lined with an understated swipe of black and her lips were painted plum.

She wasstunning.

I had to blink my eyes a few times to jumpstart the words in my brain and force them out of my mouth. “Damn, Xari,” was the best I could do on such short notice. It still granted me a soft laugh. One that brought out those dimples like sunshine.

I took her hand in mine and kissed the back of it. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said.

“It’s absolutely a fucking compliment.” I walked around her in a circle, smoothing my hands over her tight lines and lean curves.

“You know every time you touch me I go crazy?” Her breathing stuttered and she leaned into me. My hands didn’t disappoint. They held her the way she wanted to be held.

“That’s the goal.” Her hips felt like drumbeats beneath my fingers.

Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on…

I wanted Xari to wear my touch like strands of gold around her waist. I wanted her to wear my kisses like diamonds on her skin. I wanted her to shine with all the adoration I showered on her.

“Do I drive you crazy too?” She knew I couldn’t hide from the truth serum in her eyes. I had to look away. I couldn’t let everything spill out. It was never smart to show your hand.

Of course she drove me crazy with every touch and every kiss but I wasn’t going to shout it from the rooftops.