Perception

by Nicole Edwards

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Day Four…

  Sunday

  Sunday morning came way too early. By the time Mercedes forced her tired body out of Xander’s bed at seven, she was once again alone. This time she was grateful for a little time to herself though. She’d had that same dream, the one that had been haunting her for days now, and she needed a moment to pull herself together.

  Making a detour to the bathroom, she opted for a shower. Her body was still sore from the night before and she hoped a little warm water would help to ease some of the discomfort.

  A full hour had passed by the time she made her way downstairs. Rather than searching for Xander, she headed to the kitchen, hoping he had made coffee again. When she reached the brightly lit room, she found Xander sitting at the kitchen table, his iPad in front of him.

  “Good morning,” he greeted as soon as she stepped through the arched doorway.

  “Good morning.” She didn’t slow as she headed for the coffee pot.

  “We’re taking a little trip today,” he informed her after she’d poured her coffee and doctored it to her liking.

  “Where?” she asked as she lowered herself into the chair across from him.

  “Ohio.”

  If she were right, the only thing in Ohio was his parents. Well, not the only thing, but definitely the only thing Xander would need to go there for. “Is everything all right?”

  “As far as I can tell,” he assured her as he glanced down at his iPad and then back up to her. She didn’t want to think about what it meant when he pushed the tablet away and focused on her. She didn’t dare to hope. “Come here.”

  Ok, she dared.

  Making her way to him, she held her coffee close to her chest, but then released it when he reached for it first.

  With the cup on the table, Xander pulled her closer, but he didn’t try to get her to his lap. Instead, the man shocked the hell out of her when he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head against her belly.

  Mercedes did the only thing she knew to do. She held him back. Sliding her arms around his head, she teased the hair at his nape gently. She didn’t even know what to say.

  For the first time in all of her life, the man seemed… vulnerable.

  Thankfully, she didn’t have to come up with something to say because a minute later, he pulled back and looked up at her. “The jet will be ready in an hour. I didn’t know if you had anything you needed to do this morning.”

  “I’ve got a call to take, but I can do that from anywhere,” she told him, reaching for her coffee cup again as she took a step back. “Do I need to pack anything?”

  “No. We’ll be coming back tonight. I’ve got a meeting tomorrow morning that I can’t miss.”

  Well, then. “Ok.”

  An hour later, almost exactly, Carson was dropping them at a private airport where Xander’s personal jet awaited them. She’d only been aboard this plane once previously, and that had been when Xander took an interest in a property, in New York of all places. He’d taken her along so they could check it out, although her real estate license wasn’t instated there, he’d insisted that she go with him.

  But this wasn’t a business trip. It was personal. Extremely personal because his parents were involved. Which meant that Mercedes would be spending time with his mother and father, probably in close quarters.

  Until a few days ago that prospect wouldn’t have bothered her. Now, it did. Mainly because she had no idea what she was going to say to them. Would they realize she had fallen in love with their son? Would they pick up on the tension that radiated from Xander? She certainly had and she knew it hadn’t been there the night before so she was all the more confused.

  Rather than bother him, she pretended to work and for whatever reason, he left her alone.

  For the entire flight.

  By the time they stepped foot out of the plane onto Ohio soil, she was more or less to the breaking point. Xander had been on the phone for much of the trip. And when he wasn’t, he appeared contemplative as he spent his time staring out of the small window. He hadn’t asked how she was doing, and she hadn’t interrupted him once.

  Now, as they climbed into the limo that was waiting for them, Mercedes knew she had to say something. Anything.

  But she couldn’t find her voice.

  “We’re going on a field trip today,” Xander informed her shortly after the door to the limo closed behind them.

  “Field trip?”

  “Yeah, my dad wants us to check out the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

  Hmm. That sounded… interactive.

  And maybe that was a good thing. That meant less time for Mercedes to stumble over her words. Maybe.

  “And then we’ll have lunch.”

  Lunch. Ok. Lunch was good.

  She didn’t respond, just thumbed through her phone, glancing at her email although she didn’t see any of the words on her screen.

  What had happened between last night and today? Why was Xander acting so strangely? Or was he?

  Maybe it was her. Maybe she was the one acting strangely, and he was just adjusting to her mood.

  Crap.

  Once the limo was in motion, Mercedes took a moment to glance out the window. That was when Xander reached for her hand, sliding his fingers through hers. She had to fight the urge to look at him, but the relief she felt in her chest was palpable.

  When he didn’t speak, she knew she had to, and the words finally tumbled right out of her mouth. “Are you all right?”

  “I will be,” he answered, glancing down at their linked fingers.

  “Is your dad ok?” Mercedes knew he’d been worried about his father ever since he had learned of the fall.

  “My mother is insisting that’s the case,” he told her as he looked sideways at her. “She’s hiding something from me.”

  Oh. Well, that definitely explained his mood. “Did you talk to her today?”

  “Yes. I called her this morning to let her know we were flying in to see them. You would’ve thought I was threatening to take them back home to Texas or something with the way she clammed up all of a sudden.”

  Mercedes knew how close Xander was with his parents. He was always sharing stories about his parents, his childhood. She knew he did it because he loved them, but also because he had always hoped to get her to open up about her family.

  Yeah, well, Xander had soon learned that she hadn’t lived the Brady Bunch life and had no desire to share the horror stories of growing up with her father.

  “You nervous?”

  Mercedes glanced down at his mouth, then up to meet his eyes once more. “Why would I be nervous?”

  “You’re meeting my parents,” he told her with a smirk.

  “I’ve already met your parents,” she retorted with a smile. “Many, many times.”

  “But this is different.”

  “How so?”

  “This time you’re meeting them as my sub.”

  That statement got the tension ratcheting up another notch, her chest suddenly feeling tight once more. “Since they don’t know you’re a Dom, I seriously doubt you’ll tell them I’m your temporary sub.” She hoped he wouldn’t.

  There was a light that seemed to turn off in his eyes, but Xander tried to pretend he wasn’t affected by whatever she’d said. “Maybe I’ll tell them all about it.”

  Crap. Temporary. That’s what she’d said that had bothered him. And she suddenly wished she could take it back because she wanted to put a smile on his face. Instead, she gave him a weak grin and said, “Maybe you won’t.”

  What had started as a who could top who double dare just a few days ago had quickly morphed into something entirely unexpected, and Mercedes had to wonder whether he felt what was transpiring between them the same way she did.

  It was more than just sex. A lot more.

  At least for her it was.

  Before Mercedes could question him, which she wasn’t even sure she
wanted to do, the limo came to a stop and Xander reached for the door. Once outside, he held out his hand to her and she reached for it, taking comfort in the strength of his hand against hers. Even when she was out of the car, he didn’t let go of her hand and that simple gesture had more relief flooding her.

  Yeah, it was plain as day… she’d fallen for this man.

  Head first.

  ~*~*~*~

  Xander figured it would take something epic to shake him up. Today, it had been a combination of things.

  Ever since he woke up at three o’clock that morning with a warm, soft woman curled up to his side, he’d known. His life had been altered. Irrevocably.

  Never did he imagine one beautiful woman would be the reason he felt off center. Nor did he ever expect that one single woman would could keep him together at a time he thought he might just fall apart.

  Ok, so maybe he had anticipated that Mercedes Bryant held the power to make him feel things he wasn’t used to. Thinking that and knowing that were two very different things though. And the way she made him feel… well, it scared the shit out of him.

  No, he wasn’t thinking about running and hiding in a closet and hoping she’d high tail it out the same way she came in.

  Actually, he was feeling the exact opposite.

  Xander was ready to lay at her feet and reveal every single emotion she made him feel. Starting with love.

  Yes, that’s correct. Love. The big “L” word that terrified most people.

  It didn’t terrify him, but he knew Mercedes would likely run for the hills if he did confess as much to her. He had an overwhelming urge to tie this amazing, beautiful woman to his bed and never let her go.

  Only he knew he had to keep his distance. They were only a few days into this, and he knew without a doubt that Mercedes wasn’t as comfortable with her feelings as he was with his. And wasn’t that a fucking shame because Xander had never in his life felt what she made him feel when she was near.

  “Have you ever been here before?” Mercedes asked as they made their way up the steps toward the building whose sign boasted the name and the glass windows gave them a glimpse inside.

  “Once,” he told her. “With my father.”

  “And he wants to go again?” she asked with a grin.

  “My father would probably go every single day if we lived here.” It was true. Stan Boone was a football fan. He was also Xander’s biggest fan. And it wasn’t just because he’d played football in high school and then in college. His father loved football, but Xander knew he loved him more.

  “Has your mother been here before?”

  “Not that I know of. You’ll both be Hall of Fame virgins.”

  Mercedes laughed, and Xander realized what he’d said. He couldn’t help it, he laughed as well and tightened his grip on Mercedes’s fingers. He loved having her there with him. Especially like this.

  Once they stepped through the main doors, Xander’s eyes attempted to focus on the lighting change but before he could make out more than mere shadows of the people standing inside, he heard her voice.

  “Xander!”

  It was his mother.

  Xander released Mercedes’s hand as Stella approached, her smile making her entire face light up. Unable to do anything more, he stood there with his arms open wide. Stella walked right into them, and he hugged his mother, kissing her on the cheek before taking a step back.

  His father did the same, and they shared a quick hug and a pounding slap on the back – it was a guy thing.

  “It is so good to see you,” Stella said to Mercedes as she hugged her tightly before taking her hand and leading her toward the exhibit on the other side of the room.

  “You look great,” Mercedes told his mother as she glanced back at Xander and his father who had fallen into step behind the women. “As do you, Mr. Boone.”

  “I definitely don’t mind when a beautiful young lady calls me Mr. Boone, but I prefer Stan, Ms. Bryant.” Xander’s father teased Mercedes, making her blush.

  “Stan,” she tacked on, followed by, “How are you feeling?”

  The four of them came to a stop in front.

  “Much better,” he told her as Xander glanced over at his father. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” Stan redirected.

  Mercedes met Xander’s gaze, and she knew as much as he did that Stan had purposely avoided saying more. Fine. He would give his father a brief reprieve for a few minutes, but he fully intended to ask him for the details. The real details this time.

  Xander spent the next half hour following his mother and father and Mercedes through the many exhibits that highlight football’s greats and the numerous details about the history of the game. It was true, he had been there once before, but even now, he felt a bit nostalgic.

  No, he didn’t miss his football days. Not in the least. He had moved on to bigger and better things, and he didn’t have to worry about a potential life altering injury changing the course of his career. He’d made that decision long before that could happen.

  “How about some lunch?” Stella asked, turning around.

  “I could handle lunch,” Xander told her. He wasn’t starving, but he would get the chance to talk directly to his father. And he knew his father was doing his best to avoid Xander’s questions, which was why he’d been hearing all about football for the last thirty minutes.

  The café they entered was nothing more than a snack bar with chairs and tables, but Xander wasn’t picky. It didn’t hurt that they were the only people in the place aside from the ragged looking guy behind the counter. Ok, so maybe he wasn’t ragged, maybe he was just trying to stay awake because it was clear today was not a day he was hustling to keep up.

  The four of them ordered and then took their seats at one of the few tables. Once they were seated, their little baskets of food and bottles of water in front of them, Xander decided now was as good a time as any to talk to his old man.

  “How’re you feeling?” he asked. It was the same question Stan had managed to avoid earlier, but as far as Xander was concerned, he didn’t get a good enough answer.

  Stan sighed. “I guess it’s safe to say I’m getting a little old to be swinging from the rafters.”

  Xander looked up then, looking over at Mercedes. She was staring at his father with wide eyes. When she looked over at him, he smiled at her and just shook his head.

  “Hush,” Stella said, laughing. “We were certainly not swinging from the rafters. No matter what Xander told you.”

  “We?” Mercedes asked, obviously realizing they were joking.

  “How was the trip?” Stella asked. Leave it to his mother to try and change the subject.

  “Quick.”

  “Well, I guess that’s a luxury that’s worth the price, huh?” Stan asked.

  Xander laughed.

  Although his parents hadn’t ever hurt for money, they weren’t by any means wealthy. They were comfortable, having always managed their money efficiently. And Xander hadn’t grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth either. But, once he made his first million at twenty-five, he’d vowed to ensure that they didn’t have to worry about money. He didn’t spend extravagantly, but he did prefer to travel and dine in style.

  Glancing over at the snack bar behind his father’s head, he grinned. Ok, so maybe not always in style.

  “It’s worth the price, Dad.”

  “Where’s Shane?” Stella asked as she picked at her hamburger. Or what looked like a hamburger.

  “Working, I’m sure.”

  “He should’ve come with you.”

  No, he shouldn’t have. But Xander didn’t respond. That’s the way his mother was. It was her little way of pressing the issue. The Mercedes issue.

  Knowing they would rather talk about anything but his father’s health, Xander decided it was now or never. “How are you really feeling?”

  “Better than I was. Nothing’s broken, thank the good Lord, but there for a couple of days, I wasn’t so
sure they hadn’t been looking at someone else’s x-rays.”

  “How’d you really fall?”

  Stan glanced over at Stella before meeting Xander’s gaze once more.

  “I was heading out of the RV, planning to sit outside and watch the sun set. While I was walking, I had a sharp pain in my chest that stole my breath there for a moment. I guess I lost my balance, and that’s when I took a tumble down the stairs.”

  Xander swallowed hard, glancing between his mother and his father. Stella had purposely left off the fact that his father had had chest pains. He wasn’t sure whether he should be grateful or pissed. He’d have been on a plane in a heartbeat if he’d known that. And maybe that’s what she’d been trying to keep from happening.

  And Xander realized then that his father had been the other reason for his melancholy mood that morning. He had known something had happened. Something more than his father just falling. Knowing didn’t do anything to settle his fears though.

  “Did they do any tests?” Xander asked, not caring which of them answered him at this point.

  “Yes, they did tests,” Stella assured him. “Everything is fine. He didn’t have a heart attack.”

  Xander wasn’t sure he was breathing. He was looking at his father, a picture of good health and wondering just what the hell he would do if something ever happened to him.

  Throughout his life, Stan Boone had been a stalwart supporter. He’d been right there beside him, rooting him on through all of the sports he played throughout his childhood, right up until college when he accepted a full scholarship. To play football. Stan had even been there when Xander decided football wasn’t what he wanted to pursue anymore.

  Sure, he was close to his mother, talking to her every single day, but Xander would be the first to admit that Stan Boone was the role model he’d mirrored himself after.

  The idea of not having his father in his life had the potential to bring Xander to his knees.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Mercedes wanted to reach over to Xander and hold his hand. It was a strange feeling, but she couldn’t seem to shake it.