by Lexi Lawton
“Is that so? Then that means the smaller the car, the bigger the dick?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Exactly,” she said with a firm nod.
“Hmm.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and pressed the unlock button. The headlights flashed to indicate the door locks on his Ferrari 458 Spider were unlocked. He walked to the passenger’s side door and opened it for her. She gave him an odd look as she slipped into the seat. He went around and got in the driver’s seat. “You look disappointed.”
“No,” she said slowly. “I guess I was expecting something bigger.”
Xander started the engine, letting the soft purr of the motor seep into his bones. He ran his hands over the steering wheel, the leather cool against his palms. This car was his baby, and he was excited to take her for a ride in it. He pulled out of the parking lot and glanced over at her. “I’ve got something big for you, but it’s not my car.”
“Oh my God.” She buried her face in her hands and giggled so hard that when she finally looked up, there were tears in her eyes. “Is that what you call sexually charming?” She broke into another fit of giggles, and he couldn’t stop himself from laughing right along with her.
There was something about her that knocked him off his game. Clearly he was going to have to try a hell of a lot harder to impress her. She had no problems calling him on his bullshit and lame lines. Then again, he was leaving the door wide open for her because he loved the sound of her laugh, and if he had to make a fool of himself to hear it, then that’s what he would do.
Blowing out a loud breath, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.”
“Glad I could amuse you.” He signaled, then made the next right turn.
She reached over and put her hand on his thigh. His body tensed, on high alert, waiting and hoping she’d move her hand up farther. She didn’t move her hand so much as an inch, but she leaned closer. “Why suddenly so serious?” She was staring at him, and only then did he realize his expression was somber.
He barely turned his head half an inch, putting his mouth close enough to hers to be able to kiss her… If only he weren’t driving. “I’m the least serious person you will ever meet. Ask my father.” He frowned, hating how bitter his voice sounded.
She leaned back in her seat. “Glad to know I’m not the only one with daddy issues.”
And just like that, Xander was laughing again. He liked women—that was no secret to anyone who knew him—but he’d never liked any of them as much as he liked Kylie, which was crazy because he’d only met her a week ago. Yes, he wanted to get her alone and naked. No doubt about that. But he also wanted to hang out with her, to get to know her and hear her laugh.
He pulled into the restaurant parking lot and found an empty spot. Right now, at five after midnight, the place was quiet, but in a couple of hours when the bars let out, it would be standing room only.
“The Dive? Really?” Her gaze was trained on the large, neon letters that spelled out the restaurant name. “Glad you didn’t go all-out on my account.”
He stared at her, eyes wide. Was she being serious or was this another joke? He honestly couldn’t tell. He killed the engine and pulled the keys from the ignition, trying to decide how to respond.
“Wait, I know what this is.” She gave him a cocky smile. “This is your pre-date hot spot, isn’t it? This is where you bring girls first to see if they’re worth your time to take them someplace nicer.”
Yup, she was joking. He relaxed a little and shifted in his seat so he was facing her. “No. I normally take them to bed, then drive them home. I’ve never taken a girl to breakfast before.”
Her mouth dropped open, and he laughed. She’d been shocking him all damn night. It was about time he returned the favor.
He got out of the car, then jogged around to open her door. Leaning down, he held out his hand. “Coming?”
Chapter Eleven
Kylie snapped her mouth shut, took his hand, and got out of the car. He couldn’t be serious, could he? He didn’t really take every girl to bed and nowhere else? If that’s what he did, then why was he ushering her into a restaurant right now instead of into his bedroom? The urge to ask was on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.
Xander opened the restaurant door for her, then put his hand on her lower back, guiding her inside. His hand was warm even through the shirt she wore, and she instinctively moved closer, slowing her stride so he had a reason to keep his hand there longer. They found an empty booth in the back.
“I’m going to go use the restroom.” She hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
She rushed into the bathroom and locked herself in a stall. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing, and she couldn’t help but wonder why he hadn’t made a move on her yet. There was no denying the spark between them. Christ, if it were any stronger, they’d both ignite in flames.
She took several deep breaths. She was overreacting. They’d only met each other a few days ago, and she didn’t really expect him to profess feelings for her or make some romantic gesture.
Shaking her head, she did her business. Her thighs were red and sore from her wet jeans rubbing against them. She gently touched her skin and winced. There was no way she could keep her jeans on a moment longer. Removing them completely, she freed her belt and wrapped it around her midsection, effectively turning Xander’s too-large shirt into a minidress. It wasn’t fashionable at all, but the burning on her legs was already dissipating. And once she put her black heeled boots back on, it wasn’t so bad. It looked sort of chic.
She twisted around, glancing at her backside. Please don’t let my ass be hanging out. Frowning, she tugged at the hem. Walking around a frat party in Xander’s shirt was one thing, but to be wearing it out in public, without a bra? She was sure to get a few dirty looks. Scooping her wet jeans from the floor, she folded them and left the stall. She washed her hands and fixed her ponytail, then returned to the table.
Xander glanced up at her, then did a quick double-take, his gaze working up her bare legs, over her hips and breasts until his eyes met hers. She glanced down at herself, then back up at him. His intense stare had her shifting nervously on her feet. Maybe taking off her jeans was a bad idea.
“Wow,” he said after a moment, shaking his head. “You look… You weren’t kidding about getting out of those jeans, were you?”
She laughed, and a bit of the tension left her body. “I couldn’t take it anymore.” She slid into the booth and set her jeans on the seat. “I’m much more comfortable now.”
“Trust me, comfort is not what I see when I look at you in that.”
Heat erupted on her neck and face, but before she could respond, a waitress approached.
“I’m Mandy, and I’ll be your server tonight.” She placed two menus on the table. “Can I start you off with something to drink?”
Xander smiled at Mandy. “I’ll take a glass of orange juice with lots of ice, please.”
Mandy scribbled on her notepad. “And for you?” she asked Kylie without looking up.
“Coffee.”
With a nod, Mandy left.
Xander put his hand on Kylie’s arm for a brief second before trailing his fingertips down her bare skin. His gaze followed the path of his fingers. She sucked in a breath and resisted the urge to rub her arm where he’d touched it. He took her hands into his, caressing her knuckles with his thumbs. How could he turn a simple touch into something so hot and intense?
“You have such soft skin.” He averted his gaze from her hands up to her face.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “How’re you feeling?”
She tilted her head. “Uh, I’m okay…why?” That was an odd thing for him to ask. Was her face pale or something?
He shrugged. “You said you’re not a drinker, and you had a couple of shots. Just want to make sure you’re doing okay. I really don’t want y
ou to think I was trying to get you drunk just so I could get you into bed.”
“I feel fine.” She smiled. “And don’t worry. I really didn’t think you were trying to take advantage of me. I was only teasing when I said that.”
“Good, because I want you sober when it happens. It’s an event you’ll want to remember.” He winked.
“You’re awfully sure about things.” So was she, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. Yet. For once, taking care of her drunk father and ill grandmother had worked in her favor, limiting her freedom to do what all her friends had been doing. At least now, when she finally lost her virginity, it would be with someone who knew what they were doing and not her high school boyfriend who knew less about sex than she did.
“I’m confident.” He flipped her hands over and drew circles on her palms.
“You’re arrogant.” She was mesmerized by his hands, his fingers, his featherlight touch. Suppressing a shudder, she glanced up at him. His dark hair was ruffled, and she had the urge to run her fingers through it like she had at the party right before she’d licked his neck.
“I’m self-assured.” He smirked and moved his fingers down her wrist, lingering on her rapid pulse.
“You’re cocky.”
He brought her hand to his mouth and placed a kiss to her palm. “More like hopeful.”
For the first time all night, she didn’t have a witty comeback. Thankfully, she didn’t need to think of one because the waitress returned with their drinks. She pulled her hands from his, rubbing her palms on her legs in a weak attempt to stop the tingling. She took a deep breath.
“Are you ready to order?” Mandy had her pad and pen out.
Kylie hadn’t even opened the menu. She grabbed it and skimmed the choices while Xander ordered.
“I’ll have the breakfast platter. Scrambled eggs, white toast, and can I substitute the sausage for an extra side of bacon?”
Mandy nodded, then turned to Kylie. “What’ll you have?”
“Um, I think I’ll have the same.” She closed the menu and handed it to Mandy, who smiled and walked away. “So, tell me, who is Xander?” She grinned.
“I’m just an upperclassman having breakfast with a freshman.”
“Funny.” She took a sip of her coffee, making a face at how strong it was. She added a couple packets of sugar and two creams, making a mental note to ask for a glass of water when the waitress returned. “Now tell me something about you that I don’t know.”
“All right.” He extended his arm along the back of the booth. “I have two older brothers. Tanner and Ryder. Tanner graduated last semester and is now in medical school with his girlfriend, Juliana. Ryder’s in law school and will be taking the bar exam in a few months.”
“Wow. Impressive. And what about you? What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“I’m majoring in business and finance. I always thought it would be fun to work with my dad on Wall Street, but I’m not so sure anymore.”
She tilted her head. “Why not?”
He shrugged. “Because I went into this to make a crap ton of money.”
“That explains the flashy car.”
“I’m a trust-fund baby and proud of it.” He laughed and shook his head. “I’m just not sure I want to be that guy in the business suit, doing the nine-to-five every day for the rest of my life. I mean, money is nice, but it’s not everything.”
She wouldn’t know. She’d never had more than a hundred dollars in her bank account at any given time. His money was one more thing that separated them. Clearly he was from a wealthy, upper-class family. He, his brothers, his father—they all sounded smart and ambitious and were probably just as gorgeous as Xander. She, on the other hand, was from a broken, dysfunctional family. Her father’s only accomplishment was out-drinking the former town drunk—a title her dad was proud to claim.
When Xander found out about her humble upbringing, he’d probably take off and never look back. She sighed and averted her gaze. Well, if nothing else, she had tonight with him, and she was going to enjoy it. “You mentioned your dad works on Wall Street. I assume that means you’re from New York?”
“Born and raised in East Hampton.”
Her eyebrows shot up. Christ. He was literally the epitome of a rich, spoiled, privileged kid. No wonder he was so damn confident that they’d end up having sex. He was probably used to always getting his way.
“My mother refused to raise kids in the city, so every day my dad would drive two and a half hours each way to get to work. Now he works from home more, which makes Mom happy.”
She smiled warmly. He even had the perfect family. “Why did you pick a college so far away?”
“Freedom. It’s nice being away from my parents. Plus, I really like that it doesn’t snow in Florida.”
She nodded in agreement. “That’s one of the reasons I left Ohio. The weather sucks.”
Mandy arrived with their food, and they were silent for a while as they ate. As the minutes ticked by, Kylie’s mood dropped. There were no lingering doubts in her mind—as soon as Xander learned the truth about her and her past, he’d walk away. Or worse, he’d think she was only interested in him for his money. She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth and frowned.
“What’s wrong? Is the food bad?” he asked.
“No,” she said quickly. “I was thinking… If your buddy Finn is still in my room, I’m not going to have any place to sleep tonight.”
Xander grinned, a wicked glint in his eyes, his thoughts crystal clear. “My bed fits two. Might have to stack up, but we can make it work.”
Kylie laughed, her cheeks sore from all the smiling she’d done tonight. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d had so much fun, been so relaxed and carefree. “I see you’re trying to be sexually charming again.”
“Trying?” He raised a brow.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” Mandy asked.
“No, just the bill, please.” Xander’s eyes never left Kylie’s as the waitress set the bill face down on the table. He pulled a platinum card from his pocket and handed it to her. She scooped up his card and the bill.
“I can pay for my own food.”
“I’m sure you can. But what kind of guy would I be if I made my date pay for her own meal?”
“Date?” She had to have misheard him. “I thought this was more like a test drive.”
“Aren’t they one in the same?”
“Here you go.” Mandy handed Xander his credit card and receipt. He signed and handed it back, then shoved his card in his pocket. “Have a nice night.”
“Thanks.” Kylie slid out of the booth and followed him out to his car.
He walked around to the passenger’s side and leaned against the door, arms crossed. “Am I taking you back to the res hall or back to my place?” His voice dropped to barely a whisper, his deep tone a sensual caress to her senses.
She swallowed hard. Her heart was in her throat, making it difficult to form words. There were no doubts that if she agreed to go back to his place, they would have sex. And she wanted to. God, she wanted to! But she didn’t want to be the girl who slept with a guy on the first night. She also didn’t want to be the one to end their date.
“Are those my only two choices?” She pinched his shirt, tugged him closer, and looked up at him, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth.
“No.” He cleared his throat as if he was having trouble speaking, too. “What else do you have in mind?”
She shrugged, flattening her palm to his chest. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to go home yet.”
“Neither do I.” He gently clutched her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and she held her breath, waiting for him to kiss her. But then she heard the beep of his car doors unlocking. He stepped back and opened the door for her.
“Where are we going?” She tried—and failed—to keep the disappointment from her voice.
“You’ll see.”
Kylie got into t
he car and blew out a breath. She had no idea what he had planned, but she was thrilled he wanted to spend more time with her.
Chapter Twelve
Xander drove in relative silence. He’d intentionally dropped the trust-fund bomb, eager to see how Kylie would react. When she didn’t, he’d thrown around every single clue he could think of to let her know he was loaded. But nothing. Not a word about his money or how much he had. If anything, she’d looked almost…appalled. Was it possible she didn’t give a shit? His heart raced at the idea. His father had all but beat it into his head—Find the girl who doesn’t give a shit and don’t let her go. Tanner had found his one, and now they were well on their way to being engaged.
He shook the crazy thoughts from his head. There was no way in hell he’d found “the one.” The entire idea was preposterous, and he was an idiot for even entertaining the thought. He pulled to a stop near the bluffs. It was a spot he’d found during his freshman year, a spot often frequented by the local high school kids so they could make out and have sex.
“Please tell me we’re not here to go cliff diving or something stupid like that.” She gave him an incredulous look.
“What? You mean you’re not up for another swim?”
She laughed. “No.”
“C’mon.” He got out of the car, and she followed before he could make it around to open her door. Xander sat on the hood, leaned back against the windshield, then patted the spot next to him.
Kylie hesitated for a moment, studying him, but then she sat next to him. She crossed her ankles and folded her hands on her lap. “Okay, now what?”
He put his hands behind his head. “Look up.”
“Oh wow…” She breathed out, her eyes wide. “Is that a shooting star?”
Laughing softly, he said, “Yeah. You can see quite a few of them from here.” Turning his head, he watched her stare up at the night sky. Her mouth settled into a faint smile, and her lashes fluttered as her gaze shifted to take in the sight before her. The moonlight danced across her features, making her skin glow with an indescribable radiance. She was absolutely mesmerizing, and he couldn’t stop staring. The breeze blew strands of her hair around her face, and she absently brushed them away.
