by Cari Quinn
No! her body screamed, but her brain seemed to still be in control. She nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry—”
He stopped her apology with a kiss. “Don’t ever apologize.” He shook his head. “Don’t you dare apologize for making me wait a few more days to claim such an honor.”
“Days, huh?”
“Marry me, Frankie.” He ran his nose up the tendon in her neck, making her melt against him. “I don’t care if it’s in front of Elvis within the next twenty minutes, next week, or a year and thousands of dollars from now, but say you’ll marry me.”
Tears burst into her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. She sniffed and he eased her away from him. He rubbed trembling fingertips over her face. “Those are happy tears, right?”
She nodded and choked out a soggy giggle. “I love you, Matthias. I will marry you any time, any place. You name the date and time, and I will be there.”
“Will you stay tonight?” Before she could voice an answer one way or the other, he asked, “Will your mom be okay if you stay tonight?”
She smiled, loving him even more for considering her mother’s needs as well. “Christian promised to look in on her.”
“You know I thought he was dating you, right?”
“He figured it out before I did.”
“What’s the deal with you two?”
“Chris moved in next door the summer before third grade. Since we were the only two kids our age on the street, we hung out. He taught me how to blow things up and I taught him how to make the perfect omelet. Since then we’ve been best friends. No judgments.” She wondered at what point Xavier had started moving them in a slow circle to the music playing softly from speakers mounted in the corners of the patio. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. “You realize he’s part of the package, right?”
Xavier’s nod rubbed against the top of her head. “As long as he doesn’t expect to inspect my package we’ll get along just fine.”
She laughed. “He is a little jealous I get to sleep with you. He wanted every dirty detail of our trip.”
Xavier stiffened, and not in a good way. “What happens between us, sexually speaking, stays between us, Frankie. I know women discuss it with their girlfriends, but I’m not comfortable—”
“Deal.” She kissed him. “Do you have some sweats I can borrow? I think I’d love to take you up on your movie night suggestion, unless you had something else planned.”
“I had sex planned, but since we’re holding off for now, I think movie night sounds like a great idea.”
* * *
Xavier blew out the candles, turned off the stereo and all the lights, and led Frankie toward his room. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. For a long time he’d had everything money could buy and he hadn’t known how much he missed. Or how desperately he needed what only this good woman could offer him.
He was a damned lucky man.
She paused when he headed up the stairs. “Not that I’m opposed to sleeping in your arms, but I thought we were going to watch a couple movies.”
He would never tire of her. Just when he thought he had her all figured out, she surprised him with a witty comment or snarky observation.
“I do have a television in my bedroom.” They reached the top of the stairs and headed down the short hall to his room. “I thought it’d be more comfortable to cuddle and easier when you fall asleep.”
Her sexy, full lips pursed and her blond brows rose. “Oh, so I’m going to fall asleep.”
He shrugged, trying not to laugh. “I don’t care who falls asleep as long as you don’t leave my bed until morning.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist and snuggled into his side. “I love that idea.”
Her small squeak of a gasp and the tightening grip on his hand made him smile. “You did all this for me?”
Yellow rose petals dotted the white sheets where they’d been pulled down over the black duvet. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the jamb and watched her. She ran her hand over the bed and turned to look at him. Awe and appreciation tipped her lips in a smile, her eyes sparkled with tears.
“I’m sorry I ruined your plans.”
He pushed off the jamb and crossed the room to her. “My plans aren’t ruined, sweetheart, just changed.”
“You’re sure? ’Cause we can … Christian gave me a condom.”
“Man, I love you.” He crushed her to him, satisfied to simply hold her close. They had the rest of their lives to make love and he could wait. For Frankie, he could wait. He let go of her and strode over to his dresser. Pulling out his favorite UNLV t-shirt, he tossed it to her. “It’s not exactly a nightgown, but it should cover just enough to make me crazy.”
She grinned and headed for the bathroom. “If it’s okay with you, I prefer Willis over Stallone.”
“Your wish is my command.” Just before she shut the door, he called, “And for the record, one condom wouldn’t have been enough.”
Xavier hurried to undress. His preference was to sleep naked, but figured doing so tonight wouldn’t be a good idea, so he kept his boxers on.
The bathroom door cracked open. She stepped out and Xavier could only stare. Keeping his hands to himself tonight would be the hardest thing he’d ever done. She looked good enough to eat, with her hands crossed in front of her, her fingers tugging on the hem flirting with her upper thighs. Her hair teased her shoulders and her gaze focused on her pink painted toes. She was vulnerability personified: shy, unsure. And he loved her.
“You’re beautiful.”
She glanced up and smiled. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Neither have I.”
Her head tipped to the side, her expression skeptical.
“I’ve never had a movie night, Frankie. I’ve never wanted to just hold a woman all night.” He walked toward her, taking her into his arms and holding her tight. “And no woman has ever been in this bed.”
She jerked back and looked up into his face.
“I have a condo downtown, which is already on the market. I used to take women there to… well, ya know.” He kissed her. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever brought home. The only woman I ever will.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Frankie knew where she was and exactly who held her as soon as her thoughts drifted into awareness. With her head on Xavier’s chest, his arms holding her close even in his sleep, gave her a sense of home, of belonging in a way she’d never experienced before.
She heard his heart beating under her ear and used her fingertips to tickle over the dusting of dark hair on his chest. His sharp intake of breath and the tightening of his hold clued her into his being awake.
“I could get used to this.” His lips pressed against her forehead. His voice contained sexy gravel, lowering his already deep tones, and put very dirty thoughts in her head.
She snuggled deeper against him, raising a leg over his thigh. He sucked a breath in through his teeth, catching her leg just above her knee.
“Careful, sweetheart.”
“Oh.” She stiffened, her entire body going two-by-four. “I’m sorry.”
His large palm rubbed up and down her back. “It’s okay. My control has never been tested like this.” His hand moved down to cup her behind, bare fingertips tracing over the hem of her panties. “You are so hot.” He swallowed hard, making her giggle. “You’re killing me.”
“Should I … I mean … I’m sorry.” She tried to ease away from him, but he wasn’t having it.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
The red numbers on the alarm clock ticked by and she couldn’t have cared less. If she had any say, they’d never leave this bed. Feeling herself drifting toward sleep, she closed her eyes and let herself go.
When she woke again, she lay on her back. Xavier was dead to the world, lying on his stomach, his arm draped over her belly. She wanted to study him, wanted to savor the weight of him snuggling her in his sleep, but her bladder had other ideas. She sl
id out from under him and tiptoed into the bathroom.
* * *
Xavier felt her absence before she’d even finished sliding from the bed. Alarms screeched in his head. She was leaving, slipping out of life while she thought he wouldn’t realize she’d left.
The bathroom door closed and Xavier groaned. He pressed his palms into the mattress and pushed his body up. Rearranging the pillows, he sat against the headboard and waited to confront her, to ask why she would leave him. Hurt warred with anger and by the time the door opened again he thought he would lose his freakin’ mind.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
She wasn’t dressed as he’d expected. She still wore his t-shirt and looked sexier than any woman had a right to. It did look as though she’d brushed her hair. She tucked a lock behind her ear and smiled then ran and jumped into the bed.
“I am so cold.” She ripped the sheets back and climbed in next to him. “How low do you keep the air-conditioning?” She shivered. The moment her icy fingers touched his skin he jumped. She giggled and jerked her hands away. “Sorry.”
He grabbed her hard by the arms and knocked her onto her back. “You weren’t leaving.”
Her brows pinched. She frowned, censure in her expression. “Of course I wasn’t leaving. You thought I could ever leave you?” She shook her head. “Man, you’re a dense one.” She leaned up to kiss him and his heart swelled right along with another part of him. “I love you, X. I’m not going anywhere. You hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Repeat after me: Frankie loves me.”
He rolled his eyes, laughed a bit. “Frankie loves me.”
She smiled. “And she’s not going anywhere.”
He dropped down to lie next to her, his head cushioned on his bicep. He curled a lock of her hair around his finger, smoothing it with his thumb. “And she’s not going anywhere.”
“Good job.” She squeezed his forearm. “Now, I did have something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh?” He tried to sound nonchalant, but his heart stuttered, jogged, and nearly stopped.
“Don’t look so worried.” She smoothed a finger over his brows. “I have been thinking about your sister.”
“My sister?”
Frankie nodded. “Yes. I think we should find her. Christian’s boyfriend’s sister—”
“Christian has a boyfriend?”
She rolled his eyes. “Christian’s boyfriend’s sister works for a private investigator who specializes in finding lost people. If it’s okay with you, I’ll give him the information you have and we’ll find her.”
He’d never considered finding his sister, although he missed her every day. He thought of Shayne’s curly auburn hair and big chocolate eyes and smiled. He nodded. “Yeah. It might be kind of hard, though. Dad said he searched high and low for Shayne and her mom.”
“You really believe that?”
“I don’t know what to believe.”
Frankie shrugged. “We’ll do whatever we have to do and won’t stop until we find them.”
* * *
It’d only been two days when Frankie’s phone rang with news on Shayne and her mother.
“Uh-huh.” Frankie nodded. She pursed her lips, shook her head. “What? You’re kidding me!”
“What’s up?” Xavier thought his heart might explode while he waited for answers to why Frankie shrieked her responses.
She waved him off and did a few more head shakes before hanging up. “They found her.”
“What? That easy?” Now he understood why she’d kept shaking her head. “How?”
“Apparently, your dad didn’t search very hard. She’s using her real name and has been since she left. Shayne Xavier registered for kindergarten in California. She lived in the same city until moving to—” She walked up to him and held his hand. “Are you ready for this?”
He nodded, but wasn’t sure he was ready for any of this.
“Maybe you should sit down.”
“Just tell me.”
“Okay, according to what they found she now lives in Kingman.”
“Arizona?” His voice squeaked a bit.
“Yeah.”
Well, wasn’t that a bitch. His baby sister had been living less than two hours away for… “How long?”
“How long what?”
“How long has she lived in Kingman?”
She bit her lip. “Twelve years.”
“Twelve years?!”
“Don’t you think it’s about time you see her again?”
Yeah, he did.
But first things first.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Where are we going?”
Once again, Frankie wore a dress Xavier had picked out and, once again, he’d made all the plans for their date. He loved to surprise her and she loved to be surprised. Yet another way they were perfect for each other.
“I’m not telling you, love, but I’m hoping you’ll be happy when we get there.”
They pulled into the parking lot of a tiny wedding chapel just off the strip. She looked down at her white knee length dress and matching high heels.
“Matthias?”
He chuckled, big grin in place, got out of the car, and headed around the back. He opened the trunk, closed it. She opened her own door and stepped out. He rounded the trunk, a smile on his handsome face. For the first time, she noticed his dark suit and the flowers in his hand. His hand shook a bit as he held the bunch of white and yellow roses out to her.
“Make me the happiest man in the world, Frances Holden. Marry me. Right now.”
She wanted to.
Oh, how she wanted to take his hand, walk into the church and promise to love him forever. But she couldn’t do that without having her mother, her best friend…
A sharp, shrill whistle interrupted her regrets.
Her head whipped around to see Christian standing on the steps of the church. He waved then cupped his hand around his mouth. “Come on, Frank. You’re late, and I’ve got places to go and people to see after this little party.”
She laughed and ran straight into Xavier’s arms. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her back. He laughed. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” She kissed him.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get married.”
Without a doubt in her mind or a care in her heart, she took his hand and walked into the foyer of the church. Her mother rushed toward them, her walker squeaking with each step. Xavier rushed to help her and Frankie fell even deeper in love with him.
Charlotte Holden had never looked more beautiful. Her light yellow dress fell to mid calf and flowed around her like the petals of a flower. She beamed. “Thank you, Matthias.”
He smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll give you two ladies a few minutes. I’ve got to check on my flower girls anyway.”
“Flower girls?” she asked to his back.
“Oh, wait until you see them.” Charlotte took Frankie’s hands. “Mr. and Mrs. Pierce’s daughters are adorable.”
Frankie should have known Grayson and Jane would be part of this special day. “Mom, you look beautiful.”
She hobbled a twirl. “Matthias is a charmer. He took me shopping then paid for everything. I even got a pedicure.”
“He took you shopping?” She glanced over her mother’s shoulder and saw a little girl run with arms wide to jump into Xavier’s arms. He spun her around while she squealed.
“Don’t ruin my crown.” She patted the top of her head. “It’s made out of flowers. Isn’t that cool? They match my dress.” She rubbed at the small fabric daisies forming a belt along the bodice of her bright yellow dress. “Mom said I had to thank you for my new dress. So … Thank you, Uncle Xavier. I love it!” She smacked a big, wet kiss on his cheek and a tear tumbled down Frankie’s.
Her mother’s fingers slid over her face. “Don’t cry, dear. You’ll ruin your make-up.”
Christian strutted up to them, his eyes narrowe
d and his hands hit his hips. “Why the tears?”
She smiled as more tears made their bid for liberation. “I’ve never been happier.”
Christian hugged her, kissed the top of her head. “I hope it’s okay, but I volunteered to walk you down the aisle. It seems only right that I relinquish my rights as your best friend.” He handed her a tissue. “Stop that or we’re both going to be blubbering. And I don’t cry pretty.”
“What’d you do to upset my wife, Chris?” The accusation held understanding and humor, no true malice.
“She’s not your wife yet.” Christian stuck his hand out. “How about we get this show on the road?”
Xavier shook Christian’s hand before giving her another hug. He kissed a particularly tender spot on her neck and she nearly fell in the floor. He laughed and held her close. “I’ll have to remember that spot for later.” He chuckled then released her just enough to look her in the eye. “You sure about this?”
“No doubts at all. How about you?”
“I have never been more sure about anything in my life.” He stepped away and took her hand, lifting it to his lips. “This is how it’s going to go.” He pointed to the doorway that led into the chapel. “I’m going to escort your mother down the aisle. The girls will make sure you have a bed of flowers to comfort your steps and Christian here is going to walk you down the aisle.”
“What about Grayson and Jane?”
He smiled. “They’re already inside.”
“But—” She bit her lip. “Is that everybody?”
“Yes.” He frowned. “Did I miss someone?”
She shook her head. “No. You’ve thought of everything, but if we’re all walking down the aisle, shouldn’t they?” She shrugged. “Have them follow you and Mom, so they can see their girls. Is that okay?”
“That’s perfect.” He looked at her mother. “You wait here, beautiful, I’ll get the Pierces and we’ll get started.”
“So you’re going to marry Uncle Xavier, huh?” The same little girl from earlier shook her head. “I can see why he loves you. You’re pretty!”