A Risqué Engagement (In The Heart Of A Valentine Book 2)

by Stephanie Nicole Norris

  With his mind craving constant thoughts of her, Xavier left his bathroom with a towel wrapped haphazardly around his waist. In the bedroom, he strolled to his closet and removed a tailored Armani suit he would wear the next day.

  “Corinne…” he mused, his thoughts taking him on a trip to his cell phone. Retrieving the device, he strolled through his contacts and tapped her icon to send a message. He was halfway through typing, Thinking of You, when he erased the words and opted for a phone call. Now standing idly by his nightstand, Xavier waited for her to answer, but it was late, and it appeared his call would go to voicemail. As he cleared his throat to leave his message, the ringing in his ear stopped, and her dark throaty voice cruised through the line.

  “Hello…”

  Xavier closed his eyes and mentally calmed the beat of his heart.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time,” his deep voice strummed.

  There was movement on the other end of the line.

  “Xavier?”

  “Were you expecting someone else?”

  More movement on the other end.

  “No, I actually wasn’t expecting anyone but especially not you.” Corinne paused then moved forward with her explanation. “You know, with you being the head of secret service and all.”

  A smile peppered across his lips, and a grizzly chuckle coursed from his throat.

  “Aren’t you the comic of the hour,” he said, his voice also dark and daring.

  “I thought it was funny,” she joked.

  Xavier nodded. “It was a good one.” A long pause threaded their connection. “I’ve missed you.”

  On the other end, Corinne clutched the phone with a tight fist. Her pulse accelerated, and a warm coat of delight poured over her.

  “I’ve,” she paused, “missed you, too.”

  “Have you?”

  Corinne melted into the comfort of the hotel covers. “I have.”

  “Prove it,” he said.

  Corinne gawked. “How can I do that?”

  “Meet me halfway between where you are and where I am, right now.”

  Corinne’s thoughts tangled, and a spiraling thrill of energy wrapped around her skin. “Unfortunately, that’s impossible,” she said.

  “I have no recollection of the word impossible. Tell me where you are, and I’ll show you.”

  Corinne’s heart raced at an all-time high. His promise made her pull from the covers and race to the bathroom to check her overall appearance. There was a bonnet on her head. A colorful one at that. The knee length button down silk nightgown was oversized, but Corinne could only sleep in clothes double her size for the comfort and loose fit of them. Her reflex told her to lose the bonnet and the shirt and put on something sexy, but her common sense said there was no way he could get to her tonight, unless he was a magician.

  “Xavier, that’s sweet, but I’m in Anguilla. We are stuck on a layover until morning.”

  “We?” he asked.

  “I mean, the crew and me.”

  “I see.”

  She heard the disappointment in his tone.

  “Where is your next destination?” he asked.

  “Um…” she murmured, “For the next layover, Salt Lake City.”

  “Utah?”

  She chuckled. “Yeah, sounds like fun, huh?”

  “Hmmm, I can think of a thing or two to get into if you’re game.”

  Corinne opened her mouth then thought about her words and licked her lips. She didn’t want to sound overtly excited. Besides, this was Xavier Valentine we were talking about. Even with their instant chemistry and the possibility of a romance brewing, it didn’t mean it was actually so.

  “Do you have the free time? I thought you were busy with—”

  “Corinne…”

  His thunderous voice drug out her name, sending an impetuous shiver over her skin.

  “I’ll always be busy with impending deals on the horizon, but I make time for what’s important.”

  “And seeing me in Salt Lake City is important?”

  “Seeing you is important. The place, time, or event is a non-factor.”

  Corinne’s eyes enlarged with surprise, and she took a hand to her neck and drove it down her chest.

  “Why?” she asked.

  On the other end of the phone, Xavier had moved from his bedside to the entrance of his master quarters. Leaning a shoulder into the doorjamb, he licked his lips and took a sturdy hand down his beard, deciding to tell her what he’d been thinking the last couple of days.

  “Honestly, Corinne, I hadn’t been on a date for years before our blind date. And I’m talking about a real date, where I’m interested in the other person I’m with.” He paused and added, “Most women that have been spotted in the media with me were merely for the show of having a companion. When I agreed to the blind date, it was to get out of my normal routine of non-stop exertion. But you…”

  Corinne swallowed and kept still as she waited for him to finish that train of thought.

  “I never expected to meet someone like you. Beauty aside, your intelligence on the state of our country, the passion you spoke with, and the spiciness in your retorts when I challenged you left me, thirsting.”

  A ripple of heat in a somersault of chills sprinkled down Corinne’s skin. She remembered that conversation all too well because Xavier had ruffled her with his rhetoric about the presidency being on the right road to recovering our nation. Several times, she’d been ready to get up and walk out on him, and usually she would have had it been some other bum talking through an ignorant lens, but this was Xavier Valentine. He wasn’t ignorant nor a bum, and with the voice he had, Corinne needed him to know how wrong he was and why.

  “You took me on headstrong, and no one’s ever done that before.”

  Corinne’s brows rose. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “So, you’re one of those celebrities that everyone just agrees with and tells you what you want to hear?”

  Xavier chuckled. “I’d hardly qualify as a celebrity,” he said.

  “If you believe that, then I may have to go toe to toe with you again about how wrong you are.”

  His chuckle became dangerously delicious as it beat through the phone and scorched her ear.

  “I love that about you, too.”

  “What’s that?”

  Now Corinne’s voice held that dark throaty sound that Xavier grew to cherish every time he had the honor of hearing it.

  “Your sense of humor. I feel like I could talk to you about anything, and whether we agreed or not, it would be a nourishing debate.” He paused, and Corinne blushed unaware of how to respond.

  “So, what do you say, Corinne, meet me in Salt Lake City?”

  Corinne’s smile lifted her face. How could she refuse his request?

  “It’s going to take me about ten hours to get there, maybe longer depending on connecting flights. I won’t have the details of our stops until I board tomorrow.”

  “Is that a yes?” he asked, making her slap her forehead.

  Xavier didn’t fair well with excuses, so after she was finished tossing that thought around, the only thing he needed to know was if she would welcome him should he come.

  “Okay,” she acquiesced. “I’ll meet you in Salt Lake City.”

  Chapter Three

  Kinship Airlines

  The next day

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. The local time is seven-thirty p.m., and the temperature is seventy-six degrees. For your security, please make sure your seats are back and remain seated with your belts firmly fastened.

  When the captain turns off the fasten your seat belt sign, we will be stationed at the gateway. This would be the optimum time to use your cellular devices if the need occurs.

  Be sure to examine your area compartments for additional luggage, and please use caution when opening the overhead bins. If you’re headed to Salt Lake City, Utah, you have the opti
on of exiting the aircraft to take care of any needs you may have or you’re welcome to stay on board. Flight 59B will be re-boarding again in one hour. On behalf of Kinship Airlines, I’d like to thank you for flying with us.”

  Corinne placed the intercom’s receiver back on the wall and waited patiently for the fasten your seat belt sign to dim. When it did, she unbuckled her safety strap and made her way along with two other stewardesses to the main cabin. She helped direct the crowd to the exit while thanking them for flying Kinship Airlines. There was a smile on her face and cheer in her eyes, and although it was perfect for her job description, the excitement she felt had nothing to do with the airlines or the passengers.

  Hearing Xavier tell her last night that she was important to him in so many words thrilled and scared her to death. Apparently, Xavier was fond of her, and while Corinne would’ve like to believe she already knew this, she wasn’t one to assume. Their blind date had been great, their phone conversations albeit light always ended to her satisfaction. Him showing up with Hunter to rescue her like a damsel in distress did add a level of delight to their communications, but to outright say she was important was next level. As the last passenger exited so did Corinne, deciding to stretch her legs, use the ladies’ room, and grab a quick bite to eat.

  She mused as she went about her tasks, wondering what Xavier had in mind when they arrived in Utah. Corinne smirked. She knew he was a traveler, but Corinne could hardly imagine him in Salt Lake City. When Corinne thought of Xavier, she imagined glamour and big city lights. When she thought of Salt Lake City, thoughts of the Mormon church and Kentucky Fried Chicken came to mind, mostly because the city was known for being the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the original home of KFC.

  Still, out of all of the traveling Corinne had done, she’d never felt so charmed to make it to a destination. Corinne left the bathroom and headed for the sink. She washed her hands and checked her appearance then readjusted the uniformed shirt that represented her as an employee of Kinship Airlines. Drying her hands, Corinne continued to muse, then left the restroom for food. After thirty minutes, Corinne made her way back to the aircraft where she boarded and headed to the break room. She was still transfixed in thought when a familiar baritone voice reached out to touch her skin.

  “Good evening, mademoiselle.”

  Corinne’s steps halted, and she twirled to the side. Surprise registered on her face as her eyes lit up, and her mouth parted slightly. Xavier Valentine seemed to get more attractive every time she saw him if that was even remotely possible. He was casually dressed, wearing an all-white premium-fitted crewneck T-shirt that kissed the brawniness in his muscles and stretched over his immense chest. The pullover rode down his chiseled abdomen into a pair of denim jeans that kissed his robust thighs before extending down to a fresh white pair of classic Reeboks. Around his neck a simple gold herringbone necklace draped; in his ears small diamond studs cast a soft sparkle. But behind all of that, Xavier’s mahogany skin lured her, looking so sweet Corinne caught an instant toothache. His gaze brimmed, partially suspended as he took in her almond-shaped eyes, full lips, and smooth brown skin. Her uniformed attire may as well have been absent for all the good it was doing. Xavier could see straight through the fabric, and his imagination tortured him with thoughts of what she could look like underneath.

  “Xavier, how did you…?”

  A smirk tugged his lips, and he withdrew his hands from his pockets as he closed the distance between them.

  “Sometimes, I can be an impatient man,” he admitted, gazing down into her eyes. Hypnotized, Corinne stared back as his lips moved and his extended beard waved across her chin, tickling her skin. Reacting to the sensation, a smile cruised across her lips. “And I couldn’t wait,” he lifted two fingers to her chin and pulled her in, “to do this.”

  His glorious lips sank into hers and spread Corinne’s mouth to allow his tongue a place to rest. The moan came from the depths of her soul, and Corinne lifted feeling light as a feather on her toes. As his lips devoured her slowly, Corinne sank into the closeness of his chest with her hands sliding up his muscle-toned barricade. Her body’s heat index was aflame, but another sheath of warmth shrouded her when his arms glided around her waist and covered her back. She was lost, in a space and time where only Xavier could reach her. Their tongues slipping and sliding, then sucking as they both tasted the inner recesses of their apertures. A thumping in the seat of her panties made Corinne’s entire nervous system come to life, and she was discreetly aware of the painful pushing against Xavier’s zipper.

  “Ahem.”

  Someone cleared their throat, and it severed the spellbinding allure that had fallen over Corinne. She snapped her head back, and their lips parted on a mouthwatering smack. However, Corinne didn’t glance to the newcomer right away; instead, she stared up at Xavier with wonder and a heartwarming appreciation. His gaze lingered on her mouth before returning to meet her eyes and there, he detained her.

  “We’re boarding,” the female voice came. Corinne recognized the voice as Monica’s, another stewardess on board.

  Pulling herself with significant force to acknowledge Monica was more difficult than anything. But when she did, Corinne nodded and stepped slightly away from Xavier.

  “Thank you,” Corinne said to Monica.

  Monica lingered with a huge grin and a conspiratorial wink in her eye. Monica moved off, going to the main cabin to welcome passengers on flight 59B. Corinne cleared her throat.

  “Maybe you should have a seat,” she whispered, still trying to reclaim her voice. “It looks like we’ll be taking off soon.”

  “Is it possible for you to share a seat with me?” he asked.

  “Um, no, I don’t think so.”

  “You don’t think?”

  “That’s never been a request before, but we have safety rules in place that would most likely prevent it.”

  “I see.”

  Xavier slipped his hands back into his pockets, needing to keep them hidden so not to grab Corinne again and haul her into his arms.

  “I have another request,” he said.

  “Okay,” she said, waiting.

  “I’d like to change my seat. I’ll pay extra if it’s needed.”

  Corinne swept her eye around the cabin.

  “Where would you like to sit?”

  “Near you,” he said.

  Corinne smirked then giggled, dropping her head in a sway then looking back at him. “You never give up, do you?”

  “You’re just noticing that?”

  Corinne giggled again. “I sit in the corner seat up ahead.” She pointed to the area the stewardess sat. “The closest you could get would be this window seat, and it wouldn’t be extra.”

  “All right then.” Xavier retrieved a suitcase she hadn’t noticed before and followed behind Corinne to the seat in question. He sat down and got comfortable, stretching his long legs to relax.

  “Would you like anything, Mr. Valentine?” He looked at her with a mischievous grin, and Corinne added, “Anything from the airline’s menu?” She was tickled when his delight turned into a frown.

  “Only from the menu?”

  “For now,” she said.

  Xavier smiled wide. “Then no, I’m good,” he added, “for now.”

  It was the most intense flight Corinne had endured thus far. After making her rounds to check on each passenger, Corinne returned to the stewardess seat and crossed her legs. The plane had been airborne for an hour, and Xavier was fast asleep. Corinne knew he must’ve been exhausted, but he refused to rest like a normal human being and recharge. She surmised he was a machine, driven by adrenaline and the basic key nutrition that would keep him invigorated. Corinne drove a lackadaisical eye over Xavier. With his head inclined against the seat, and his eyes drawn to a close, she drew a blueprint of the schematics of his charming face, leaving no detail excluded. It held a soft edge in his sleep, and his chest pushed and pulled quietly a
s he breathed. Her eyes rode down the colossal mastery of his muscular arms that were propped on the rests of the chair at the elbows. In his lap, Xavier’s hands gathered, and his fingers linked to rest against his brown leather Saint Laurent belt.

  Corinne’s tongue tasted the corners of her mouth as she continued to peruse him, and his toned thighs made the jeans, not the other way around. At his feet his ankles were crossed, and the Reeboks were so crisp they appeared as if he’d just pulled them from the box. Corinne had never felt so turned on by a man resting peacefully in his slumber, and for a long minute, she contemplated what it must be like to be the leading lady in his life. Could she withstand the lens they would surely be under once word spread that they were dating? Could she compare to the women he’d dated previously, models, actresses, and a royalty?

  Corinne drifted off in such a daze that she didn’t notice when Xavier’s eyes fluttered open, and his lids hovered, just slightly taking in her full beauty. He watched her watching him without Corinne’s awareness. He wondered what was going on in that pretty little head of hers as his gaze journeyed over her face. The uniform she wore didn’t own her, and although it was professional, her curves would not be hidden. Corinne sat posed with a silky brown leg crossed over the other. The fullness in her thighs traveled to her hips, and they curved like the stroke of a painter’s brush. Xavier’s skin tingled with a sulfuric heat, instantly, like he’d been smacked with it. Her beauty was unparalleled to anyone he’d ever laid eyes on, but what stirred him the most was her unmoving attitude, and he wanted to know her inside and out.