Phenomenal X (22 page)

I laugh as Xavier rolls his eyes. “Thanks.”

The moment Brian walks away, I say, “I like him. He seems fun.”

The waiter sets our food down in front of us, and Xavier cuts into his steak. “Brian is a good guy, and the only real friend I’ve got in this business.”

“That’s hard to believe, what with that charming, outgoing personality you have.” I bump my shoulder into his and Xavier chuckles.

“Keep it up, beautiful. Insubordination will get you punished.”

The water glass pressed to my lips, I stare at him over it and raise my eyebrow. “You don’t scare me.”

He licks his lips slowly as he glances down at my mouth for a brief second. “I should, but I’m glad I don’t.”

The tension between us is driving me crazy. While I know what he’s saying isn’t sexual in any way, my mind instantly takes it to the gutter. It’s the main complication I’ll face, working for a man I find insanely attractive.

I need to refocus and remember the reason I’m here. Maybe that’ll occupy my brain and make me stop thinking of my new boss as an object of desire.

“So when are you going to tell me what my duties are?”

His jaw works around as he chews while considering my question.

After a moment he swallows and asks, “What would you like them to be?”

I shake my head. “That’s not how this works. You’re supposed to give me direction.”

“Direction…” he mumbles. “Okay, the first thing you need to do is stay away from Rex. He bothers you, talks to you—whatever—you let me know.”

“After the conversation I just heard, that goes without saying. What else?”

“Deena used to keep my schedule in order. She’d tell me where I had to be and when. That actually really helped. With everything I have going on, I lose track of interviews and promo shoots.”

“I can do that. Do you have your calendar?”

“It’s on my phone. Text me your email, and I’ll send it over to you.”

Now we’re getting somewhere, and this feels more like a real job. “Anything else?”

“No,” he says flatly. “I prefer to take care of everything else myself. Jimmy deals with all my business affairs, so things are pretty well-handled.”

I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m going to anyway. “I know this puts my job in jeopardy, but I really don’t think you need me if that’s all the work you’re going to give me. I at least want to feel useful.”

“Just you being here helps more than you’ll ever know. It’s nice to have someone around to talk to who’s not cutthroat like the rest of these motherfuckers around here.”

“So what you’re saying is that you basically hired me as your companion?” I freak a little inside, suddenly needing to clear up exactly what this job
doesn’t
entail. “I’m not a paid escort, Xavier, if that’s why you brought me along.”

He furrows his brow. “I know that.”

“Do you? I’m just making it clear that I’m not like Deena.”

“Beautiful, you couldn’t be any more different if you tried.” He takes my hand into his on the top of the table. “You’re more woman than she can ever dream of being.”

“I…” I swallow hard, completely lost for words.

It’s moments like this that make me forget all the rough patches we’ve been through since I’ve known him. With just a few simple words, he has the power to make me believe that I’m the most special person in the world.

“I like you, Anna. I know I’ve got a fucked up way of showing it sometimes, but I do.”

“I like you too,” I whisper.

Xavier lips pull into a huge smile. “Good. Then try to look past all the bullshit and be my friend.”

There’s that pesky ‘F’ word again—the word that’s going to drive me straight out of my mind one of these days. My hormones can only take rejection so many times before they shut down from disappointment.

But if a friend is what he wants from me, then a friend is what he shall have.

“I’m here for you. Always. You would never have had to pay me for that.”

He brings my hand up to his mouth and presses his lips to my knuckles. My toes instantly curl and I chew on the corner of my lip. Heat rises up my neck and I know my cheeks are flushed.

I glance around the room, not many people are paying any attention to our little interaction. Only one person is watching us intently.

Deena glares at me from across the room, her slender arms crossed over her chest. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s plotting how to kill me this very second in order to get me out of the picture.

I’ve made more enemies since leaving home a little over a week ago than I’ve had in my entire life. I guess this is all a part of living free and breaking rules.

I just hope I can make it through this unscathed.

The show travels from town to town so often, I don’t ever bother to unpack. I just live out of my suitcase, so to speak. It makes things so much easier.

I dig through my bag looking for a pair of clean underwear to sleep in when I notice Anna out of the corner of my eye. “Do you want to shower first, or is it okay if I do?”

She sits on the bed next to my suitcase. “I prefer to take mine in the morning.”

The thought of her naked and wet, only a room away from me, causes my cock to jerk in my jeans. I’ll have to make damn sure I’m out the door before that happens in the morning. God knows I’ll never be able to resist her if I’m here for all that.

Fuck me.

I need a distraction before I go to the shower to jerk off while thinking about her.

I force my mind to think about my upcoming match, and after a couple of seconds my dick calms down and I’m able to function like a normal human being again.

“I won’t be long. You can take the bed. I’ll make a spot on the floor.”

She shakes her head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You have a match tomorrow, you need your rest. I’ll take the floor.”

“Anna,” I warn. “There’s no way in hell I’ll allow you to sleep on the floor.”

She sighs, knowing I won’t give in on this. “Fine. We’re both adults—we can share the bed.”

I raise my eyebrows. “You’re okay with that?”

“Of course I am, silly. We’re friends, and I trust you.” She tries to play it off as a joke to make it seem like sleeping in the same bed with me isn’t a big deal, but I know her better than that.

I want her to know she can trust me. “You don’t have to—”

“No arguing. It’s a king-size bed, so it won’t be an issue.”

“You sure?” I quiz her.

“I trust you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

“Okay then.”

I’m pretty sure I break the record for the fastest shower known to man. The idea of lying inches away from her all night sends a thrill through me. I roll my eyes at myself as I realize that I’m thinking like a fucking teenage girl excited about the possibility of touching someone I have a crush on. I scrub my hands down my face and attempt to convince myself to chill the fuck out.

I’ve got to get a handle on this thing because if this keeps up, I’m going to scare her off with my psycho obsession.

If she could ever see inside my head, she’d surely run away screaming.

As quickly as I can, I strip out of my clothes and climb into the thin nightgown I wear for bed. The sheets are cool as I slide between them, but they do nothing to calm my flushed body down. I close my eyes and quietly tell myself, “Quit being a scaredy-cat. You can do this.”

Xavier’s deep laugh reverberates on the other side of the bathroom door. “Psyching yourself up again?”

Shit. How the hell did he hear me?

“N—no. That had nothing to do with you,” I say trying to muster some confidence.

The door opens and he steps out wearing nothing but a towel and a smile.

Water drips from his hair onto his broad shoulders as he approaches the bed. I glance over to his side of the bed, and I notice his underwear is laying there.

He’s going to change right in front of me?

My heart thunders in my chest. I should look away, but I can’t help myself. I want to look at him.

Sins of the flesh really do carry some meaning. Father would be proud that I actually still remember some of the scripture.

I take a deep breath and search for a distraction. I grab the one paperback novel I brought with me off the nightstand and open it in front of my face.

It’s a romance novel, and so far the love story is very angsty and intense—which reminds me a whole lot of the relationship I have with Xavier.

“Is that a good one?” he asks.

I turn toward him to answer just as he drops the towel and grabs his underwear off the bed.

“Ohmigod!” I shriek and immediately cover my eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to—”

“Look?” Xavier chuckles.

“Yes,” I whisper, completely mortified.

“It’s okay, Anna. I’m sure what I’ve got isn’t anything you haven’t seen before. You were an engaged woman once. I’m sure you’re experienced in that region.”

I squeeze my eyelids tighter.

If he only knew just how lacking I am in that department, he would probably tease me relentlessly, so I don’t reply.

Once he’s dressed, Xavier pulls back the blankets and slides in next to me. I expect him to stay on his side of the bed, but he doesn’t, scooting close enough to me that our arms touch as he leans over and tilts my book up so he can read the title.

“
Rock My Bed
? That sounds dirty. I never pegged you for the type to read smutty books,” he teases.

I shake my head. “It’s not smut, it’s a romance. The woman is trying to help the broken man heal and see that he’s a good person, even though the hero denies that he is for most of the book. “

Xavier leans back against the pillow and tucks one arm behind his head. Even though I shouldn’t, I allow my gaze to wander down the toned muscles of his bicep and chest. He’s so beautiful, it’s hard not to stare at the work of art that is his body.

“That’s the problem with women in fiction. It’s always the man who needs fixing. Why can’t it be the chick who’s fucked up for a change?”

“There are lots of great works out there about that very thing,” I reply.

“Not as many as men with problems,” he fires back. “All you women read those books and pray to find a ‘fixer-upper’ who you can ‘heal’ when the reality is that most men don’t talk about their issues for a reason. It’s best to leave the past in the past rather than dig old shit up.”