As Xander held my stare, I made sure not to react. He was pushing, waiting for me to tell him I was out, that this was too weird or uncomfortable. But as I stood there in his mammoth kitchen in a silent standoff, all I could think was how interesting his eyes were.
Really, they were, like, turquoise or some shit.
“Earth to Sean?” Xander waved his hand between us. “Did you hear me?”
“Oh, uh, yeah. Basically you like to fuck. So do most guys. That’s nothing new.”
“Wow.” Xander pinched the bridge of his nose. “How you don’t have a girlfriend is such a mystery.”
“Who said I want a girlfriend?” When Xander dropped his hand and looked at me, I added, “My job doesn’t really make dating easy. Guess I’m kinda like you in that sense. Casual hookups work better. That way I don’t have anyone nagging me about my long hours, the danger associated with it, blah blah blah.”
“Don’t you get lonely?”
“Don’t you?” I shook my head. “I like my space. Haven’t really found anyone I want to share it with yet.”
“Or anyone that would.”
“Hey, I don’t see anyone else living here.” I looked around the enormous kitchen. “So I’d be careful on passing judgment.”
Xander picked up our glasses and placed them in the sink, and after he put the carafe back in the fridge, he gestured with a tilt of his chin for me to follow him.
As he took us back through the hall we’d entered through, I picked up my duffel and continued in the direction he was walking. We passed by an indoor pool and gym area that looked better equipped than the one I was a member at. Then we continued on past several bedrooms, all enormous, all fully furnished, until we finally came to the end of the hallway, where Xander stopped in front of a set of double doors.
“This is my room.”
I glanced by his shoulder and nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Excuse me?”
His look of disbelief made me snort. “I need to see your room, Xander. Don’t worry, I don’t want to sleep in it.”
“Trust me, I wasn’t worried. You’re sleeping in there,” he said, pointing to the room behind me.
“Works for me. Doesn’t change anything, though. I still need to see it.” I reached around him for the handles, and as I pushed the doors open and stepped inside, my jaw nearly fell open. Marble floors. If I’d thought the rest of the house was over the top, it had nothing on Xander’s bedroom.
With the room situated at the far end of the building, the architect had used the corner angle and views to his advantage, that was for damn sure.
The second you stepped inside, you were greeted with one spectacular view after another, starting with the wall directly in front of you which was nothing but glass and showcased Lake Michigan. To the right of that was a half wall of windows that overlooked the sparkling lights of downtown Chicago.
But before you could even begin to appreciate that view, your attention was brought back inside, because the rest of that wall was made up of the wide backboard to the enormous two-tiered platform that housed Xander’s bed, and it looked more like a stage than a place a person slept.
There was a fireplace opposite the bed, and a leather settee in the corner of the room—you know, in case you couldn’t find somewhere to sit in the other ten million rooms.
It was extravagant, opulent, a room that screamed decadence and sex. As I ran my eyes over the plush covers and satin cream sheets, I imagined how it would feel to slide between them, and my dick kicked in immediate response.
Wait…what the fuck?
When I realized I’d probably been standing there a little too long without speaking, I swallowed and reminded myself who this bedroom belonged to and that getting hard in here would send all the wrong kinds of messages.
So I looked over my shoulder to see Xander with his hands shoved in his pockets and did what I did best—I deflected.
“What? No spinning bed? Have to say, I’m a little disappointed.”
9
Xander
FIVE A.M IS an ungodly hour for most, but for me it’s the vital hour. It’s six in New York and the world is waking up. Anything and everything that broke in the handful of hours I’d been asleep was just starting to roll out over the news waves, and that was where my day began.
As I sat up and cracked my neck from side to side, I stared out at the glittering city below and wondered what the day would bring. In my line of work it could be anything from the mundane to breaking news, but my job was never boring.
After a much-needed shower, I toweled off, grabbed my black terrycloth robe, and then slipped into my Uggs before making my way back to my bedroom, where I picked up my phone and scrolled through my emails.
When there was nothing there of immediate importance, I dropped it in my pocket and headed across the room, more than ready to hunt down my first hit of caffeine.
I pulled open the double doors and clutched at my chest as my eyes locked on Sean, who had just stepped out in front of me.
I’d completely forgotten he was there, or purposely pushed it aside, but as my memory kicked back in, I said, “Did you sleep out here all night?”
“No.”
When he didn’t further elaborate, I took in his navy sweatpants, tight white t-shirt, and disheveled hair. His jaw was lined with dark stubble, and he looked half-asleep.
“Then what are you doing?”
“I heard your shower, so here I am.”
I looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. “What do you mean, so here you are? I just walked out of my bedroom. Did you think something was going to happen to me?”
Sean’s jaw bunched as he crossed his arms over his chest—a well-built chest, I couldn’t help but notice. “I’m just making sure you’re okay. That is why I’m here, isn’t it?”
“I suppose it is. I just didn’t realize you’d be so…diligent that you’d want to make sure I emerged from my bedroom intact.”
Sean’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, well, maybe tomorrow I won’t be so diligent. Who the fuck gets up at five in the morning, anyway?”
I pulled the bedroom door shut behind me and shrugged. “I do. Would you like to come and sweep the kitchen before I make my coffee? You never know who might be hiding in one of my cabinets.”
I shook my head as I went to brush by him, but Sean reached out and grabbed hold of my upper arm.
“Do you think this is some kind of fucking joke?”
No, I didn’t. But I’d always felt safe in my house, and I’d be damned if I let that creep change that now.
“You’d be wise to start taking this shit seriously, Xander. Some crazy fucker wants to get close to you. Do you understand that?”
Sean’s eyes were fixed on mine, the seriousness of his words reminding me of everything that had happened after last night’s show. “Yes, I do.”
“Good. Then act like it.” Sean let me go. “Don’t underestimate this guy. Just because you live in a castle, doesn’t mean it can’t be breached.”
I gave a clipped nod, and as Sean disappeared inside his room, he called out, “I take my coffee with cream and two sugars. I’ll be out in a minute, then we’ll settle in and work on this list of yours.”