Xavier: (Indestructible)

by Mortier, D. M.

“I’m going to teach you proper manners.” He slapped her ass playfully. “Settle down.” Xavier strode onto the pool deck that bled onto the sandy beach. Walking past the infinity-style swimming pool, he ignored the water sparkling bright turquoise, reflecting the clear blue sky above, and walked directly into the outdoor glass-paneled shower stall.

  “Don’t you dare,” Cassandra yelled.

  Laughing out loud, he let her slide down his body to stand on her feet. The feel of her against his heated flesh was pure torture. To distract his eager cock, he deliberately turned on the faucet. Cold water pummeled them both.

  “X! Don’t you know better than to wet a black woman’s hair? I’m going to brain you!” She fought and cussed at him, giggling through her pretend ire.

  Xavier held on tight to her squirming figure. In seconds, their clothes were plastered to their bodies. What the hell was I thinking? Now that damn dress is almost transparent. The material molds every curve, every valley. She isn’t wearing a bra. Shoot my dumb ass.

  He hissed as she continued trying to get away from him, her struggles serving only to exacerbate the tenuous hold he had on his control. He shivered with need, his cock lengthening, nestling into the cradle of her stomach. There was no way his predicament wasn’t glaringly obvious to her. He grimaced and stood as still as he could.

  “Oh.” Cassandra stopped moving suddenly. “X?”

  He grunted in discomfort.

  “X? Are you okay?” She wrapped her arms around his waist, rose up on the tips of her toes, and pressed soothing kisses to his face. “X?” she whispered.

  “Cass, I need to let you go now,” he said softly but continued to hold onto her, pulling her closer to his frame.

  “That’s fine,” she mumbled before covering his mouth with hers, not waiting on his response.

  The taste of her and the imprint of her almost naked, hard nipples on the wall of his chest ratcheted up his lust to an unbearable proportion. “Bloody hell,” he muttered before twirling his tongue around hers. He deepened the kiss and clutched her tighter as raw, uncompromising need consumed him. Xavier groaned, his monster erection pressing hard against the stiff material of his jeans. He closed his eyes, fighting for control, trying to rein in his need to consume her. She was his drug, his obsession. He wanted to protect her from the monster he was, but having her here like this, trusting him, offering him complete access… God, she is so sweet. He roamed his palms feverishly over her lush curves, over her back, stomach, and her hips. Releasing her lips, he trailed his lips along her cheek, her ear, her fragrant neck, and along her collarbone and shoulder. In mindless passion now, throwing all caution to the wind, he dug his fingers into the lush roundness of her ass.

  She ground her hips against his shaft.

  Xavier groaned, feeling himself lengthen and harden even more against her softness. He used his teeth to lower the straps of her dress. Her breasts sprang free, bouncing before settling high on her chest, the dark brown nipples beading to plump berries.

  Cassandra stepped away from him. Meeting his steady gaze, she shimmied out of the dress, rolling it down her hips and thighs until it pooled at her feet.

  “Good God,” Xavier growled, stunned almost breathless with awe over the perfection standing in front of him with only a black G-string on. Damn, I knew she was going to be beautiful, but how can I withstand this? She had a sleek, lean, muscle-toned physique with soft feminine angles.

  “You have on too many clothes,” she teased. She started releasing the buttons on his shirt.

  “This is not a good idea,” he said but did nothing to stop her fast-moving fingers. His gaze remained transfixed on her spectacular body. He wondered again about his worthiness to even touch someone who was the embodiment of any man’s wet dream.

  She pushed his shirt from his shoulder and gasped as his chest was revealed. Her eyes widened at the sight of his naked body.

  Xavier knew he was a big man. He was built to withstand any threat, to be a formidable foe. His broad, muscular chest and six-pack stomach were marred with past bullet and knife wounds. His body was a testament to his violent, brutal past. However, his tattoo of a phoenix, which covered the left side of his shoulder and upper chest, reminded him daily that he had survived it all. Every wound, every setback, and every devastating lost, he had risen above. The tattooed words on his back, De Oppresso Liber, were to remind him of his responsibility to protect and to always be vigilant.

  “How you must have suffered,” she whispered, her eyes glistening with compassion. She gently ran her fingers over the hard ridges of his chest and stomach. Her gaze devoured him. “My God, X, you are so beautiful.”

  God, is she blind? Her tenderness and obvious adoration did things to him, made his heart feel as though it would leap out of his chest with emotion. “Cassandra,” he voiced hoarsely. Her effect on him was far beyond anything he had experience with any other woman.

  “Beautiful, hard chocolate,” she whispered, and the teasing grin she usually wore was nowhere in sight.

  He kept looking into her face for any sign of revulsion as she pushed his wet shirt from his massive shoulders. He saw only admiration. The breath he exhaled was a sigh of relief. He was slowly beginning to believe she might come to like him even a fraction of what he felt for her.

  The water continued cascading around them.

  He pulled her into his arms, hugging her close, hoping to regain some semblance of control. But she started caressing him wherever she could reach, her palms reverently roaming over the contours of his body.

  “Ah, baby, you’re killing me,” Xavier said hoarsely before swooping down and capturing her soft lips in a ravenous kiss. He lifted her off her feet, bringing her closer to give him better access. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth, he deepened the kiss further, making her tremble hard against him.

  Cassandra wound her legs around his waist and held on for dear life. She returned his hungry kiss for hungry kiss, easily matching his desire for her. He released her lips to trail kisses to her neck, her shoulders, her chest, and lifting her higher so he could latch onto her puckered berry tips. She cried out in ecstasy, holding his head to her breast. The erotic sight of his lips wrapped around her nipple and the exquisite sensation of his sucking the hard bud on his tongue made her shudder in tiny ripples of sexual satisfaction.

  Xavier raised his head, her nipple popping from his mouth. The cool air proved to be an excruciating stimulant to her naked flesh, causing her to writhe against him in agitation.

  “I want you in my bed like I want my next breath,” he whispered, “but God, you’re too perfect, too beautiful.”

  “X—”

  “No, I know you deserve better than me. You need to know and understand who I am first before we do this. You have to know what you’re getting into.” He gazed down on her, a slight sadness and hopelessness evident in his dark eyes.

  “X, please. I want you. Trust that I know all I need to know about you,” she coaxed.

  “No you don’t. I have to protect you from you and from me.” He put her away from him and walked into the nearby poolroom.

  Cassandra watched him walk away in blatant naked splendor, the chiseled contours of his back, buttocks, and long legs on stark display with each step he took. She covered her breasts and her sex with her arms, now feeling vulnerable and exposed.

  Xavier soon came back in view with a huge towel in his hand. He wrapped her in the towel and lifted her in his arms.

  Cassandra hung her head and hid her face against his chest as her eyes pooled with tears.

  He took her into the house, passing through French doors into a large spacious kitchen, then through an adjacent dining room, and into a hallway that lead to a stairway. However, Xavier walked past the stairway and took her into the living room, placing her on the large sofa there.

  Cassandra kept her head down, unwilling to let him see her distress.

  “Let me get you something to wear,” Xavier told her as he stood and e
xited the room.

  She hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks, but then she couldn’t stop the flow. The tears just kept coming. I have no idea why I’m crying. I’ve never been this emotional in my life. Who the hell cries because a guy doesn’t want you? She was furious now and angrily mopped up the tears with the edge of the towel.

  “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Xavier came back into the room without her noticing him; concern was etched in every line of his face.

  “I’m fine,” Cassandra muttered, furiously wiping her face with her palms.

  He placed two fingers under her chin and gently lifted her head.

  She met his gaze through watery lens. “I’m not crying! I have something in my eye.”

  Xavier chuckled.

  Her anger spiked at his short bark of laughter. She turned her head, dislodging his light hold on her. “I hate you,” she whispered, and to her horror, more tears poured down her cheeks.

  “That’s a shame,” he said softly, “because I absolutely adore you.”

  Her gaze flew to his, uncertain if she’d heard him correctly. “No, you don’t.” Her voice was clogged with tears.

  He smiled tenderly. “Yes, I do. I adore everything about you, your strength, your generosity, your care for your family, your dedication to your career, and, of course, I love your beautiful body.”

  “No, you don’t,” she repeated inanely.

  He laughed softly. “Yeah, I do,” he whispered. “I especially love your hair, your brown eyes, your lips…” He cupped her breasts. “I love these beauties, and how can I not love that awe-inspiring ass?”

  “You don’t want me,” she whispered, unable to hide the tearful break in her voice.

  His eyes darkened with regret, and he folded her in his arms, holding her tight against his chest. “Damn, sweetheart, I want you too much. How can you doubt that? I’ve been in a constant state of arousal ever since I saw you weeks ago. And I probably have permanent blue balls after last night.”

  “But you can so easily stop making loving when I’m hurting with need for you,” she argued.

  He laughed bitterly. “Believe me, you have no idea what pain is.”

  “But…”

  “No. My walking away from you has nothing to do with how much I want you. I want you, baby. However, I want what’s best for you too. I’m not certain of my place in your life. I’m not certain that I’m worthy of you. God, you’re so beautiful, so sweet. How could I possibly spoil that? How can I trust that you’ve had enough time to settle for life on me? Make no mistake, Cass, when we make love, there will be no turning back for either of us. I need you to be absolutely certain of the decision you’re making. We’ve known each other for a few days, and I’m not sure you’re there with me yet.”

  Cassandra wound her arms around his neck and closed her eyes in bliss as she absorbed his warmth. His arms tightened around her, and she shivered with need against him. “Xavier, I adore you too. I’ve waited all of my life for you, waited for you to come for me. Now that you’re here, I just want to be with you and want to love you. I feel that we’re meant to be together. How can you not feel that or know that? Whether you make love to me today, tomorrow, or next year, that’s not going to change what we are to each other. I don’t want to wait to express how much I love you.”

  “I want the same, Cass. I’m thirty-four years old, and I’ve never felt like this about any other woman. Let me take care of you and do this at the right pace for us. There are things you need to know before you settle on me.”

  She sighed in resignation, realizing that she wasn’t going to sway him from his determined course. “I promised my sister I would be home for dinner tonight. Would you take me back, please?”

  “I don’t trust that Qin will leave you alone, Cass. I need you to be careful.”

  She sighed again. “Yes, I’ll be careful.”

  “Here, I brought you a change of clothes. There’s a bathroom through there.” He pointed to a door leading off the hallway. “I’ll get dressed and drive you back.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Cassandra knew within ten minutes of stepping out onto the back patio for the family dinner that it had been a mistake to let her sister talk her into this. Not only were her brothers there with their “baby mama” girlfriends her sisters’ current boyfriends were also there, and Jordan, who seemed to think she was his date, was there as well.

  Although Xavier had yet to leave her side, Jordan hadn’t moved either. Xavier stood to her left, and Jordan stood on her right side. Jordan gazed down at her as thought he was a lovesick teenager. He made her feel naked in the spaghetti-strapped floral-print dress she had slipped on when she had arrived back at the house. She had taken a quick shower and washed and blow-dried her hair. Her hair, when blow-dried, fell almost to her hips. The silk tresses made her look exotic, a perfect blend of her African and European ancestors. She’d moisturized her skin with her favorite Chanel No. 5 body cream.

  When Xavier had seen her for the first time with her hair worn straight, he had wordlessly stared at her, his face carved in an unreadable expression. Cassandra knew he was again thinking that they couldn’t be together. I wish he would stop acting like I’m Beauty and he’s the Beast. It’s ridiculous that someone who is absolute masculine perfection could possibly think otherwise. While Jordan, the big creep, thinks he’s God’s gift to women. He’s here grinning at me as if I’m his damn dentist.

  Despite remaining by her side, their bodies almost touching, Xavier didn’t contribute to the conversation going on around him. He had deliberately ignored her brothers’ attempt to interrogate him while she showered and changed and was now maintaining a watchful silence. Even when Jordan was being his most annoying, Xavier tolerated him with stoic cool.

  “I was telling your brothers that I would go up to Chapel Hill in the fall to watch one of your games. We can go out to have dinner afterwards.”

  “Jordan, how many times do I have to tell you that I don’t think of you like that? Stay the hell away from me!”

  “So I was thinking of the middle of November. Your team has a game with Duke and Wake Forest during that time. I could come for the week and probably take you shopping as well,” Jordan said with increased enthusiasm.

  “I don’t want you to come visit me!” Cassandra glared at the light-skinned black man who was barely inches taller than she was. She knew Jordan had a high opinion of himself, but she could see that his recently increased wealth had only made his mammoth ego even worse. He was too used to throwing money at women and getting his way.

  “Your team struggled to beat Duke last year. You’re going to need all the support you can get. I may even pay for your sisters to come along,” Jordan continued.

  “That’s a great idea,” Keisha gushed.

  Cassandra rolled her eyes. “You would think so. You and Monique get a free trip and I get this crazy person who doesn’t listen to a word I say.”

  “I listen. You’re just not saying anything I want to hear.” Jordan smiled slyly at her. He then looked at Xavier from the corner of his eye, clearly intimidated by the bigger man.

  Cassandra knew that Jordan was confused by Xavier’s nonchalant attitude. The big man hadn’t uttered a word. He simply looked on with an unreadable expression. However, Xavier’s lack of response was giving Jordan plenty of confidence to continue his pursuit.

  “You know how much I’m worth and what I can give you. When you get over your summer fling, you’ll realize that I’m the right man for you.”

  Xavier’s disinterested, stoic demeanor didn’t change.

  “Come on, Cass, you have to admit Jordan has a lot to offer. You won’t have to work another day in your life,” Monique piped in. “Not to mention, you will have beautiful children, and you won’t have to worry about some brute crushing you.” Monique let her gaze roam Xavier’s body from head to foot in obvious distaste. “You have to admit that Jordan is the better option.”

  “I’ll a
dmit no such thing.” Cassandra frowned at her in agitation. “In my eyes”—she gazed at Xavier warmly—“there’s no man more beautiful than X.”

  Everyone stared at her as if she had lost her mind, including Xavier.

  “Girl, I know you’re inexperienced when it comes to men, but you’re also stupid too,” Monique muttered.

  “Monique, I love you, but you and Keisha are the last women I would take male advice from.”

  “Listen, you ingrate, we’re looking out for your best interests,” Keisha said impatiently.

  “Jordan is the best, Cass,” Duane said sternly. “You need to stop wasting time with these punks before Jordan ain’t interested in your ass anymore.” Duane smiled with supreme confidence that Jordan would soon be in their family.

  “She always think she better than the rest of us,” Rochelle, Duane’s off-again, on-again girlfriend, muttered.

  “Rochelle, shut the hell up! You have no right to talk about my sister. The cockroaches in the kitchen better than you.” Keisha glared at the other girl.

  “You’re going to let her talk to me like that?” Rochelle asked Duane.

  “Cass, give Jordan a chance. He can do a lot to help us go legit,” Duane said, trying to reason with her.

  Jordan reached out to grab Cassandra.

  Xavier wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “Talk all the shit you want, but don’t touch her,” Xavier said with a quelling look at the other man.

  Jordan took a step back. Everything in Xavier’s demeanor was intimidating, dominant, and confident. Jordan seemed to shrink where he stood.

  “Look, dude, she’s not yours yet. Qin can offer—” Dylan started to confront Xavier, but it took only a steady look from Xavier’s dark eyes to shut him up.

  “X, it was a mistake our coming here tonight. Can we get a pizza and head back to your place?”

  “Wait…” Jordan started to protest.

  Xavier didn’t wait around to hear what he had to say. He simply grabbed her hand and acceded yet again to her wishes.