Branded Page 13

  She nodded, knowing he was now the predator and enjoying every second of it. He pushed a finger into her, making her knees weak. She closed her eyes as another tremor rocked through her.

  “Yes,” he whispered against her ear. “I felt that.”

  His deep voice rumbling against the sensitive skin of her neck forced her muscles to clench again.

  Her body’s reaction to him seemed to steal his control as well. He bent, placing his hands beneath her thighs and lifted her off her feet, trapping her between him and the wall.

  She clung to his shoulders, trying to help hold her up, but her muscles were too soft, too aching. He let her slide down the wall until his cock sat at her apex, hot and eager.

  “Make love with me, Xander.” She wanted this, wanted to share a special intimacy with him. A quiet voice warned her to be careful, but she was certain this was what she wanted.

  He held her gaze as he thrust inside her, her body providing the slightest resistance. He pushed past it, stretching her until he was fully sheathed. He held her for a moment, letting her become accustomed to his size.

  She let out a breath, her lips turning into a gratified smile. The thought of him inside her brought another shudder.

  He grinned as though enjoying his control over her. He moved out and thrust back in again.

  “Xander.”

  She closed her eyes in ecstasy as he continued his onslaught. When she was a trembling bundle of nerves, he buried himself inside her and lifted her away from the wall. She wrapped her legs tighter around him as he carried her to his bed. They fell on the mattress together, disengaging.

  “Shit,” he whispered. “We need a condom.”

  How could she have forgotten that?

  She savored watching him move across the room to retrieve his wallet from the dresser. He was all smooth skin and hard muscle, and…hers.

  He walked back, his gaze so dark it took her breath away. He sheathed himself before crawling back on the bed, creeping up with a promise of satisfaction in his eyes.

  He pushed the edge of her nightgown slowly up her body, his gaze devouring her as he went, stoking her flame even further. With gentle hands, he slipped the satiny fabric over her head. He caught her gaze for a second. “Nicole,” he whispered, and then claimed her lips with a possessive kiss.

  He made love to her with wild, reckless abandon, and when her release came, it couldn’t have been sweeter. She cried his name, gripping his shoulders as an exquisite throbbing consumed her body, then left her in a satiated mass.

  He gave her only a few seconds reprieve before he continued to plunder her. Over and over, he shoved his hard length into her before the roar of their lovemaking seemed to pause, and he shuddered. He held his face in a contorted mask of extreme emotion before he collapsed on top of her.

  He stayed that way for a few moments and then rolled over, cradling her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest, listening to his thundering heartbeat slow to a slower cadence.

  He kissed her temple, running his fingers over her bare arm. “You okay?”

  “More than okay.” She lifted and scooted, her over-sensitive nipples grazing his chest. She placed her lips on his in a slow, lingering kiss. “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you.” He kissed her back. “I won’t forget this night.”

  She snorted. “You sound so dire.” She settled back in his arms. “Are you always like this?”

  He laughed then. “No, not usually.”

  “Good.” She released a contented sigh and closed her eyes, knowing her future would have to be pretty amazing to compete with what they’d shared that night.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Wind and salty spray from the sea, blasted against the right side of Xander’s face as he jogged along the edge of the Pacific. Both dogs ran alongside him, enjoying the quiet, empty beach. He filled his lungs, letting the high-octane oxygen fuel his body and clear his thoughts.

  He’d woken this morning to find himself tangled with Nicole. Her hand had been curled against his jaw, her cheek warm against his chest. It had been the best damn feeling he’d ever had. Nothing had ever felt so right…or so wrong.

  She belonged in his arms. There was no doubt.

  But how the hell would he ever manage to keep her there if she was guilty? She had to pay for her crimes.

  Unless she was innocent.

  But could she be?

  His gut said yes. And he wasn’t often wrong. What if someone had set her up? What if this whole time he and the other guys had been operating under false assumptions? Yes, her father had been proven to be a thief, liar, and all-around son-of-a-bitch. That didn’t mean she was.

  He was proof that offspring didn’t necessarily follow in his father’s footsteps. Where his father had been weak, he was strong. Throughout his life, he’d faced the mistakes he’d made head on. He did what he could to make them right, and then he moved on.

  If only his father could have had the same strength to accept that he’d trusted the wrong man, that he’d made a mistake investing in Nicole’s father’s schemes and lost the family fortune. People were human. Bad things happened.

  Why on earth had his father believed his family would be better off losing him? Losing the money had been bad enough.

  But Xander had rebounded. He’d continued to build his own dream and invest in himself. If only his father hadn’t taken the easy way out. Easy for him, anyway. Finding his father with his gray matter splattered on the garage wall had been anything but easy on him and his brother. They’d blamed themselves, blamed each other, and ended up avoiding each other. Another thing he needed to fix.

  But Nicole came first. He was almost one hundred percent sure she was innocent. It felt as though they’d both been let off the hook, but could he trust that feeling?

  He stopped, leaning forward, his hands on his knees. He pulled more of the salty air into his lungs as the dogs danced around him. Then he turned toward his house and began jogging back toward Nicole and the murky problems waiting for him.

  He had another full day of alone time with her. And he intended to enjoy every minute of it.

  * * *

  Nicole found Xander’s note on his pillow when she woke. He’d gone for a run with the dogs, but didn’t want to wake her. His consideration made her smile. The extra sleep had been exactly what she’d needed. The positive energy swept in by the ocean and knowing the police had eased off her case left her completely rejuvenated. Spending so much time with Xander was like the froth on her chai latte. Addicting.

  She’d barely had time to get dressed and go downstairs to start the coffee before Xander and two wildly excited pups came rushing through the back door. The dogs were panting, and Xander was doing the same.

  “Hope you don’t mind that I took Stormy with us.” He tugged his shirt over his head and wiped the sweat from his face.

  She dropped her gaze to his muscled pecs. “Of course not.” Suddenly, she was no longer hungry for breakfast, but for something else instead.

  “Better watch where you put those beautiful eyes of yours.” He grinned, his mood seeming higher than it had been since they’d left Portland. Running or the fresh air must agree with him.

  “Excuse me?”

  “If you keep looking at me like that, we’ll never eat.” He drew a deep breath into his lungs and exhaled.

  She blinked and looked away. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She was also sure her heated cheeks proved she was a liar. “I was just getting ready to start breakfast. What would you like? Omelets?”

  His laugh reached out and tugged at her heart. “I’d like you to give me ten minutes to shower, and then I’ll take you to breakfast before you attack me right here on the floor.”

  She picked up on his playfulness and joined in. “Then I guess you’d better hurry.” She drew her gaze over each naked contour of his chest, admiring and approving of his display. “You wait any longer, and you won’t have a chance.” S
he met his fiery gaze and held it.

  “Shit.” He headed for the stairs. “You play this much better than I do. I’m ready to let you win right now because I know losing will be awfully sweet.”

  His quick comeback left her heart racing in heated strides. “What’s gotten into you this morning?”

  “Must be the ocean.” He took the stairs two at a time, and she watched as his back muscles contracted and released as he disappeared out of sight.

  She loved this playful side of him wherever it had come from. If she’d thought he was perfect before, she didn’t know how to describe him now. Beyond perfect? Possibly. All she knew was he made her days so much brighter than they’d been in a long, long time.

  Xander was true to his word and returned downstairs in less than ten minutes. Wet, spiky hair covered his head and a shadow darkened his normally smooth-shaved face making what was already hot even hotter.

  She let out a slow breath, trying to hide how he affected her. “That was fast.”

  “I know when to hurry and when to take my time.”

  Her cheeks flashed heat again as she remembered him drawing out one of their lovemaking sessions the night before until she’d begged for release. She cleared her throat. “I would have to agree with that.”

  He approached her with a feral gleam in his eyes, his look so powerfully sexual that she took a step back. He pulled her into his arms, branding her with his sensual lips, stealing her breath. When her knees went weak, he pulled away.

  “Good morning, Nicole.” His deep voice vibrated through her chest.

  “Good morning,” she fought to answer. She traced a finger past his ear and down his chin. “Are you always like this in the morning?” And she thought she was happy.

  “I am when I’ve spent the night in the arms of a beautiful woman, and then realize I still have another day ahead of us to do whatever we want.”

  His sexual innuendo wasn’t lost on her and left her anticipating what the day would bring.

  “But breakfast first. I’m starving.” He pulled away, and she instantly missed him. “Pups will have to stay here. Seaside’s a dog-friendly town, but I’m pretty sure the local pancake house won’t appreciate them inside. You okay if we walk? It’s only a couple of blocks.”

  “I’d love to.” She wanted to spend every minute of her weekend either in Xander’s arms or outside.

  Nicole zipped up her hoodie and donned a sturdy pair of shoes before they headed out the door. The temps were still cool this morning, but the sun had broken through, and it promised to be a warmer day. It was barely past ten, and already the kite-flyers and beach bikers were out in full force.

  Xander took her hand as they walked along the beach.

  “The tide’s a lot higher this morning.” It hadn’t taken them nearly as long to walk out to the ocean.

  He glanced at his watch. “Should be just about high tide right now. I checked the tide tables this morning. Plan on digging clams about an hour before low tide, about one-forty. Gives us a couple of hours in town.”

  Happiness fluttered in her chest. “Sounds perfect.”

  * * *

  With her stomach full of blueberries and crepes, she and Xander walked down the quaint streets of Seaside. Starfish decorations hung from the street lamps as cars lined the narrow streets. She was happy to window shop the traditional souvenir stores that carried items like t-shirts and beach towels, but when she spied a beautiful Celtic knot necklace in the window of a small shop, she couldn’t resist.

  “It will only take a second,” she said as she dragged Xander inside.

  “That’s what they always say.” He said it with sarcasm, but his smile told her he was teasing.

  A teenager with a pixie-cut red hairstyle and shiny coral lipstick greeted them.

  “I’m curious about a necklace you have in your window.”

  “The amulet.” The girl seemed certain she knew which one Nicole referred to.

  “It’s a silver Celtic knot,” she added in case she needed to clarify.

  The girl nodded, a smug look on her face as she headed to the display window at the front of the shop. “Like I said, the amulet.”

  The silver pendant shone from the light coming in the window. She glanced between Xander and Nicole, and then laughed, shaking her head. “Siobhán said you’d be in today.”

  “Siobhán?” Xander questioned.

  “Store owner. A bit of a psychic. She described both of you perfectly.”

  Nicole shared a look with Xander and then turned back to the young girl. She loved it when storekeepers added a bit of supernatural lore to the ambience, but she was pretty certain no one could have predicted she’d enter this store today.

  “Normally, we sell them for forty, but Siobhán said to give it to you for twenty-five. Said you’d fallen on hard times, and you’d need the amulet to get you through the coming days.”

  A strange chill skittered down her spine. “That’s crazy.” And a little too close to home for her comfort.

  The girl shrugged. “She’s usually spot on.” She held out the necklace to Nicole for inspection. When Nicole took it in her hand, the girl continued. “It’s meant for lovers. The heart knot symbolizes the unbreakable intertwining bonds of love between two people.” She glanced from Nicole to Xander and smiled. “Must be true love.”

  An awkward beat followed her statement. Technically, she and Xander were lovers, but their relationship was so new that she was uncomfortable claiming it in front of this stranger. “I just thought it was pretty, and I love Celtic stuff.”

  “It’s definitely pretty,” the girl responded.

  “I’ll take it.” She handed the necklace back to the young woman, and they followed her to the register.

  Nicole removed her wallet from her purse, but Xander put his hand on hers.

  “Let me. Since we’re lovers and all.” His lips tilted in a playful grin, and she wanted to groan from embarrassment. She gave him a friendly elbow in the side, and he responded by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.

  The girl completed the transaction and started to put the amulet in a bag.

  “Can you just clip off the tag? My lover here would like to wear it now.”

  Nicole widened her eyes at Xander, but he didn’t seem fazed by her visual admonition. Instead, he took the necklace and turned her around by her shoulder. His warm fingers grazed her neck, sending shivers coursing through her. The cold silver dipped between her breasts, resting there, allowing her skin to warm it. She fingered the intertwining strands of silver, loving it instantly.

  “Thank you,” she said to Xander.

  “You’re welcome,” he responded, his gaze connecting with hers in an intimate way that couldn’t be explained with words.

  They left the shop, the bright sunshine welcoming them back outside. She smiled, pretending the whole encounter hadn’t left her a little unnerved. “She couldn’t have really known those things. I’m sure she took a wild guess and hit home.”

  “Probably.” He directed her across the street. “Let’s purchase our shellfish licenses, and we can stop for some taffy if you want.”

  She nodded. “Or maybe she saw me in the news and knows my case.”

  “That’s probably it.”

  She stopped, forcing him to do the same. “You’re not any help at all.”

  He shrugged. “What’s there to help? She gave us a crazy story. You got the necklace you wanted. It’s all good.”

  “You didn’t find the whole thing strange?”

  “Maybe, but so what? This weekend is about us, and I’m not going to let anyone interfere, regardless of what they say.”

  She studied him for a moment and then smiled. “You know, you have this great way of putting everything into perspective.”

  He took her hand. “I know. That’s why all the ladies want me.”

  The sun was out full force by the time Nicole and Xander returned to the house to gather their supplies for cl
am digging. She hurried upstairs to ditch her nicer clothes for some that could get muddy. Just as she was slipping into her hoodie again, her phone rang. She dug it out of her purse, surprised to see Riley’s name on her screen.

  It seemed weird to have another guy call her when she was with Xander, and she almost didn’t answer. But then again, they were only friends. “Hey Riley.”

  “Nicole. Glad I finally caught you. I’ve been by your house a couple of times, but you’re never home. Did you get a new job?”

  “No. Not yet.” She paused, not wanting to mention she was spending the weekend with Xander. “I’ve just been busy with some things.”

  “Oh…okay. I called to see if you’re available for dinner tonight. Thought maybe we could catch up on stuff.”

  Seriously? What were the odds? “No, tonight’s not good for me.”

  “Tomorrow? If dinner doesn’t work, we could do lunch.”

  She obviously wasn’t going to get off without some sort of explanation. “Actually, I’m out of town at the moment.”

  An awkward silence crept over the phone.

  “I’m at the beach for a couple of days. I’ll be home sometime tomorrow night. Maybe we could do lunch during the week.”

  “Okay. Sure. I guess call me when you’re back.”

  “I will.” She hung up the phone, unnerved for the second time that day. What was up with everyone? Xander suddenly turning all romantic. The strange girl at the Celtic shop. And now Riley. Not once in the whole time she’d known him had he ever invited her anywhere beyond work hours, and it bothered her that he’d seemed annoyed that she wasn’t readily available. Ever since that day when she’d been taken in for questioning, the fates seemed determined to throw her off kilter.

  She zipped up her jacket and hurried downstairs, Stormy keeping pace.

  Xander waited for her on the back deck, and as she left the house, Apollo stood, walking toward her in greeting. A couple of milk jugs with big holes cut in the tops and ropes attached to the handles sat at Xander’s feet, along with a small shovel and a three-foot metal cylinder.