Breathe For Me (For Me 1: Xander)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

11 months later

Chelsea stopped outside Xander's apartment door andquickly slipped her panties off, scrunching them into her bag. Sheglanced round to ensure the corridor was still empty. It was.Xander had texted her ten minutes ago on her way home fromuniversity with the no-knickers instruction. Smiling, she unlockedthe door and went inside.

"How was your class today?" Xander calledfrom the kitchen.

"Good." Chelsea went to the doorway and senthim a look-waiting for his next instruction.

"Come here."

Oh she'd be coming real soon given the sizeof his erection. The guy was naked-that had been the instructionshe'd replied to him. He'd chosen to sit on a dining chair,his cock armed, fully loaded and aiming right at her. He gesturedso she walked forward, hitching her skirt to sit on his lap. Shechose to straddle him face to face-but didn't take him yet.

"Do you know what today is?" he asked, idlystroking the inside of her thigh-her weak leg. It'd never be asstrong as the other, but that no longer mattered. She shook herhead.

"Random fire drill day."

"Really?"

"Well it was a year ago."

"So it's a year since we met?" She slid herhands up his chest and curled them over his gorgeously broadshoulders.

He nodded. "Happy anniversary." He wrappedhis hand round the nape of her neck, pulling her close to kiss hertenderly. Lovingly. But at the same time, the tease lifted herdress to her hips.

"I love you." He kissed his way down to hercollarbones.

But she sensed something wasn't quite right.He was too tense-not in a purely sexual way. A worried way.

"What's wrong?" She drew back to look intohis eyes as she asked.

He licked his lips and looked her straightin the eye. "Marry me."

Warmth burst in her chest. It was like allthe fireworks in the world had gone off, lighting her from theinside out. "Yes."

He lifted something from the table besidehim. A jewellery box. She hadn't even noticed it when she'd comein. She'd been too excited about seeing him.

Now she looked at it and then, concerned,looked at the diamond that she still wore on her right hand. Tom'sdiamond.

"Shall I take this off?" she whispered. "Ishould take it off. I'm so sorry. I should have done that monthsago." But it was just there. Part of her. She wasn't an accessoriesgirl-didn't wear a different necklace with each outfit. She justwore what she had-which was Tom's ring. Now she realized howinsensitive that might have been.

"No." Xander's hand gently covered hers.

"You don't mind? It doesn't bother you?"

Xander shook his head. "I feel sorry forhim. He had everything. He had you. And you are you, in part,because of him. Loyal, loving. Strong. I'd like to have met him. Hesounds like he was a nice guy. And though he's gone, he's a part ofyou and I don't think you should have to forget about him. So ifyou want to, wear it."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Xander." She'dnever met a man more generous. More accepting. More loving.

"I don't feel the need to give you a biggerdiamond." He grinned wryly but his eyes were somber. "To compete.There's no contest. He's dead. I'm here now. And I know how happyyou are with me."

He opened the box. The ring he'd selectedfor her was a sapphire, the blue the exact shade of her eyes.Diamonds sat on either side.

"You can wear both rings," he said. "One oneach hand."

It was beautiful. But she could hardly seeit through her tears. "I don't deserve this," she struggled tospeak with the huge lump in her throat. "The love of two finemen."

"You do." He took the ring from the box andslid it onto her finger. "Everyone deserves more than one shot athappiness." He drew in a breath. "Even me."

"And I'm so happy," she whispered.

"You love me." His eyes burned into hers andshe read the rawness in them. "You need me."

She nodded, cupping his jaw. "And you loveme. You need me."

"More than you'll ever know."

She lifted up a fraction and slid onto him,locking tight onto his body. He looked up at her-the most gorgeous,confident, vulnerable smile in his eyes.

There was a time for play and a time fornothing but love. This was nothing but slow, sweet love. He was herbeautiful lifesaver.

"I love you so much." She held her breath asthe sensations build so unbearably.

"Breathe for me," he said hoarsely. Holdingher, rocking her to pleasure. "Breathe for me."

"Kiss me so I can."

And, as always, he did.

THE END

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If you enjoyed Breathe For Me, it would be awesome ifyou could leave a review at the e-tailer you bought it from.Meanwhile...

Rocco's story is available now:

BARED FOR ME

Danielle Hughes' longstanding crush on Rocco St Clairhas turned her into a virgin spinster ahead of her time. She needsto quit craving the impossible and get control of her life. Butthis time, running away has gotten her more than she bargainedfor...

When you owe a man everything, you don't repay him bysleeping with his sister-no mater howmuch you might ache for it.Rocco St Clair owes Logan Hughes, so when Logan asks him to mindhis runaway sister for the night, he can't say no. It's only onenight, right?

But Danielle Hughes is temptation incarnate. Forcedtogether in the one hotel room, she's testing his resolve everyinnocent way she can. Rocco is determined not to break and takewhat's forbidden.

But when control is broken, all willbe bared.

Coming in June 2014, Logan's story:

BEG FOR ME

One mistake means she's his to marry?

No one needs an image overhaul more than LoganHughes. His notoriety has reached epic proportions thanks to a sexclip circulating on the Internet. But when his newly contractedsocial media manager inadvertently tweets his happiness at hisengagement, he-along with the rest of the world-isastounded.

With one wrong click of a button Min Jones justcommitted career suicide. Mixing up her client's account wouldn'thave been so bad if he had only a few followers... unfortunately hehas almost a million. Summoned to meet with him face-to-face, she'smore tongue-tied than ever. Then he announces that his engagementis to stand and that she's to be his fiancé. For six monthsshe's to play along, but it only takes six seconds for her torealize the extent of the man's charm. He's temptationincarnate.

With her career on the line Min agrees but she isn'tgoing to hide away meek and mild. If Logan Hughes wants a fiancé,he's going to have to play by her rules and that means he'sgoing to have to learn to handle some restraint...

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