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Chapter 14 - Victoria

Victoria

I ’ ve never seen so much cheese in my life.

Soft cheese, hard cheese, spreadable cheese, cheese with whisky, cheese with truffle.

Cheese with tea?

I have to admit, this shop was adorable. Rustic and cozy with some old-fashioned nostalgia thrown in for good measure.

“Try this one.” Xavier sauntered over carrying cubes of cheese pierced by toothpicks. I grabbed one and popped it in my mouth.

“Not bad.”

“Is that your default answer? Something has to be better than not bad .”

I laughed, bumping my shoulder against his arm when I walked away. We’d been roaming around one of the nearby towns all afternoon. Since it was peak tourist season, the small streets and shops were overflowing with visitors. Not a single one of them seemed to know or care who Xavier was. Although he did turn quite a few heads.

We stopped to have an early dinner at a small, family-owned Italian restaurant. The owner, a boisterous, round-faced older gentleman named Niccolò, greeted every guest when they walked in and treated us all like family.

“Focaccia drizzled with olive oil for the lovely couple.” He placed the bread in front of us and turned to Xavier. “ La tua ragazza è bellissima. Sposala adesso .”

I blamed my blush on being outside all day in the July heat.

Xavier’s baffled expression deepened when he looked from me to the restaurant owner. “Sorry, I don’t speak Italian.”

“A charming Englishman,” Niccolò said. “You are fortunate to have this woman by your side. She knows what I said.” He winked at me. “May you be blessed with many children.”

For his part, Xavier appeared unbothered. I whipped the menu up to hide my face.

“No menus.” Niccolò took it away. “I will bring out a selection of our best dishes.”

I only meant to take a sip of the water but downed all of it. This wasn’t the first time someone threw out the word marriage in front of us. Cade made an off-the-cuff remark when we were all out to dinner in London. But he wasn’t serious and at the time, Xavier was just a casual fling. Or so I’d thought . And then Killian couldn’t stop saying it at the soccer game in April.

I smoothed down my sundress and placed the cloth napkin on my lap.

“Why do I get the feeling we have to send him Christmas cards for the rest of our lives?”

Xavier’s flippant remark dissolved some of the awkward tension. I glanced over at him and failed to hold back my laughter. A wide smile split his handsome face. Spending uninterrupted time with him this weekend has been extraordinary.

Twenty minutes later, an army of servers arrived with several dishes for us to share. I learned all the food here was inspired by Niccolò’s family in Tuscany. Panzanella salad, tortelli di papate, pappardelle al cinghiale . Each bite was more divine than the last.

“I’ll be in a food coma for the next three days,” I quipped after swallowing a mouthful of pasta. “You might have to carry me out of here.”

“Have you ever been to Italy?”

“A few times. You?”

“More than a few times for football.” He took a bite of tortelli. “We should go there on holiday together.”

“Maybe,” I winked.

Oh shit. Oh SHIT.

Xavier looked like he’d been whacked across the face with a brick.

“Hey.” I reached across the table and held his hand. “I would love to go to Italy with you. You know I’m only teasing when I say maybe .”

“Yeah.” He exhaled slow, not looking up from his plate. “Wasn’t really expecting to hear it.”

The pasta that had been so delicious a minute ago turned to sludge in my stomach. Clearly I still have more twists and turns to navigate when it comes to learning what makes him tick.

“When we do go,” I said as brightly as I could, “promise you won’t let me gorge myself on too much food. I’m sure the last thing you want is a sluggish American to drag around.”

“I’ll get some good practice dragging you around here.” His dimple appeared. “We still have dessert to get through.”

Xavier was right. No sooner did we finish the main dishes, the servers returned with dessert. Biscotti, small cakes, and gelato. I won’t eat again for a week.

After we finished, Xavier and I strolled through the town. We bypassed the chocolatier and opted to browse the small shops. I bought a few souvenirs for Killian and Max. Several fliers posted outside the store mentioned fireworks over the lake this evening. We’d be able to see them from our rental and decided to take advantage of it.

A group of teenage boys pointed at Xavier and whispered amongst themselves.

“I think you’ve been recognized,” I said, nudging him with my elbow.

Xavier glanced at the boys. One of them held up their phone and took a picture. “You would be correct,” he grinned.

“Go say hello if you want. I’ll hang back here.”

“Yes ma’am.” He kissed me. “Don’t move.”

Four sets of eyes widened in disbelief when Xavier sauntered over to them and introduced himself. My heart swelled with pride watching him. Then it almost stopped when he crooked a finger, signaling for me to join him.

“Gentlemen, this is my girlfriend. Victoria, say hello to the star players from Empire State FC.”

They spoke at once, telling me all about their youth soccer league based in Buffalo. One of the boys was the goalkeeper, so he peppered Xavier with question after question about training, conditioning, and game preparation.

Before saying goodbye, I took a few pictures of the boys with Xavier.

“Still managed to be the center of attention all the way out here in the Adirondacks,” I teased.

Xavier appeared thoughtful. “These are the moments I truly enjoy. Being recognized by the players who will shape the game for the future is exciting, especially here in the States where football continues to grow.” He draped an arm over my shoulders. “Meeting my idols when I was their age definitely inspired me to keep going.”

“Was there a time you wanted to quit?”

“Never. My desire to excel and be noticed outweighed any doubts.”

“Do you still run into the players you admired when you were a kid?”

“Now? All the time.” His eyes lit up. “One of them is the manager for England’s national team. Playing for him is an absolute dream.”

“You’ll have to introduce me when I’m in Paris.”

He grinned. “Maybe.”

We walked around for another hour, stopping in a few shops here and there. By the time the sun started to sink into the horizon, I was ready to get back to the house.

“Excited for tomorrow?” Xavier asked, banding his arms around me while I stood at the kitchen counter and unpacked the shopping bags. One can never have too many touristy shot glasses.

“Depends. Did you get me a birthday present?”

He held me tighter. “Several.”

“Do I get a hint?”

“One of them is something you specifically asked for.”

Curiosity got the best of me. I turned to face him. “Is it you?” I stood on my toes and pressed a kiss to his grin.

“I’m not telling you.”

My heart warmed seeing him relaxed. Last night, during my unexpected breakdown, he’d comforted me with such calm patience. Except for the few minutes when he’d appeared tense and determined about something. I thought I might have misread it, but I saw the same expression on his face this morning.

We still had another half hour before the fireworks started so I made the executive decision to cool off in the pool.

Xavier was writing in a notebook when I walked out onto the terrace after changing into my bikini. I’d seen him do this a handful of times over the last couple days when he thought I wasn’t looking.

“What are you up to?”

“Getting some ideas down for a new renovation project I’m starting.”

“Really? When do you start?” I paused in front of him.

“Probably next month.” He didn’t look up from his notebook. “It’ll be a lot of work with football starting, too. Might take longer than usual.”

“Is the house in bad shape?”

“Nah. Just want it to be perfect.”

“Do you have pictures of it?”

He glanced up and lifted an eyebrow. “I do. But they’re on my mobile phone which is turned off and locked away.”

His gaze drifted down my bikini-clad body. I purposely brought this one to show off in front of him. It didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“Are you coming in with me?” I pulled my hair free from the elastic, letting it fall in loose waves on my shoulders. He continued staring. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue, Maddox?”

I added a little extra sway to my hips when I walked toward the pool. I even glanced over my shoulder when I waded in, biting down on my lip. Xavier’s shoulders held a tension that hadn’t been there before.

“You’re missing out,” I coaxed.

All flirtatious motivations aside, he actually was missing out. I luxuriated in the water, swimming a few laps while the sun completed its descent. When I finished, I slicked my hair back and blinked water out of my eyes. Xavier remained by one of the tables. His notebook sat closed beside him.

I held on to the edge of the pool.

“Were you watching me this whole time?”

“Does that bother you?”

“No.”

Xavier rose to his feet, pulled off his shirt, and walked over. My lungs decided now would be a good time to malfunction. His lean, sculpted body sliced through the water, as silent and focused as a shark.

“Hi.” He came up beside me, propping his arms on the pool’s edge. A piece of dark hair fell over his eye. “Mind if I join you?”

“Took you long enough.”

“Wow. Zero to feisty in less than three seconds. Must be a personal record for you.” He motioned to the corner pool bench. “Come sit with me.”

My intention was to sit beside him but once he positioned himself, he pulled me onto his lap.

“I like you here better.”

“I bet you do,” I smiled.

The fleeting colors of dusk reflected off the water before they faded, replaced by the vast darkness of night. I couldn’t help but think of my sister again. The uncontrollable wave of emotion I’d felt last night didn’t threaten now. Instead, a comforting peace settled over me.

I looked up.

A single star twinkled to life. Then another. And another, until they crowded the sky.

“They’re fireflies,” I said out of nowhere.

Xavier held my chin and tilted my head down.

“The stars. Last night you asked if I thought they were fireflies or giant balls of burning gas. Definitely fireflies.”

A loud pop went off in the distance. Fireworks exploded above us in perfect bursts of chaos and predictability. Red, white, and blue blazed long trails against the dark sky. Shimmering pieces of color floated gracefully among the stars and burned out in the blink of an eye.

“Beautiful isn’t…it…” My voice trailed the second I met Xavier’s molten stare. Black swallowed blue, leaving nothing but promises and sin. Pinpricks of charged energy buzzed beneath my skin.

One of Xavier’s hands moved to cup the back of my neck. His fingers gently scratched up into my hair.

“Most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Do you want one of your birthday presents now?”

Ravenous desire exploded through me.

“Yes.” I pushed myself up on my knees, removed my bikini bottom, and pulled down his shorts. “I think you should give it to me right here.”

He hissed out a breath when I lowered myself on his cock. “You’re insatiable.”

“You love it.” I settled into a rhythm, rocking back and forth, using his hard length to rub against my clit.

“I do, dirty princess. I do.”

Two hours, two rounds in the pool, one shower and countless orgasms later, we laid on the bed, talking and laughing and falling deeper into an abyss I never wanted to escape. As much as I was looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow, I’d rather stay with him like this for one more day. Just us. Lost in our own world.

A lock of his hair fell across his forehead. I smoothed it back, sinking my fingers in the softness. Xavier glanced at the nightstand. His mouth tipped up in a smile.

“What?” I asked.

“It’s midnight.”

“And?”

He pulled me close, running his fingers up my thigh and over my hip, stopping beneath the curve of my bare breast. “Happy birthday, love.”

His lips covered mine in a whisper of gentle warmth. He licked the seam of my mouth slowly, savoring me before pushing inside. The pad of his thumb teased along my nipple, coaxing it into a hard peak. On a moan, he deepened the kiss, inhaling me, pressing his body to mine. I kept my fingers in his hair, tugging gently.

The weight of his body pushed me into the mattress when he rolled on top, nudging my thighs apart with his knee.

“Again?” I asked against the dampness of his mouth.

“Not right now.” He paused. “Tori…”

“Hmm?” I brushed my fingers along his jaw, still floating in the haze of his kiss.

“I…can I tell you something?” His raw whisper clawed at my heart.

“You can tell me anything.”

Xavier exhaled a shuddering breath. He’d been more open with me on this trip than at any other time. I dipped my head, kissing the soft skin beneath his ear.

“Fuck. When you do that it feels…” The slight tremble in his voice nearly shattered me to pieces. “You bring light to my life, Tori. It’s beautiful but it burns. It burns every part of me. And…I never want the light to end. I never want us to end. Please don’t ever take your light away. ”

Xavier and I didn’t talk much on the drive to the airport. My thoughts still swirled around the days we’d spent together in blissful seclusion at the rental, the wonderful afternoon with friends, and the beautiful birthday present he’d given me.

If someone told me four months ago I’d not only fight to keep Briarcliff Cottage, but I’d have a boyfriend tell me he’d renovate it, I would have thought they’d been whacked in the head.

A boyfriend? Never.

Briarcliff Cottage? The last place my family vacationed together? Abso-fucking-lutely not.

But that was my reality and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

“Want to walk me to the plane?” Xavier asked, squeezing my leg.

We’d arrived at the private executive airport. Bennet’s jet sat on the tarmac, gleaming under the hangar lights. The last thing I wanted to do was say goodbye to Xavier and make the drive back to Manhattan alone.

“I’ll walk you there but don’t expect me to let you actually get on it.”

His soft smile didn’t help the situation.

Ground crew members performed their final checks on the plane as we approached. The engines idled, waiting for takeoff.

“Text me as soon as you land.” I wrapped my arms around him.

“Don’t forget to turn your phone back on.”

True. It was still off.

“I’ll see you in Paris?” I leaned back, holding his pretty stare.

“Yes, love.” He cupped my face and kissed me. “I’m counting the minutes.”

Watching him disappear into the sleek fuselage sucked. I went back to my car and sat there until the plane taxied down the runway and took off. I waited for the flashing lights to be swallowed by the night sky before starting the long drive home.

When I finally arrived, I greeted the night guard and went up to my condo.

My empty condo. The silence pressed down on me.

It’s always been empty. I’ve lived alone forever. Always wanted it that way.

Now? I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I wanted Xavier to waltz out of the kitchen and curl up on the couch with me. I wanted to feel his body next to mine, breathe him in, hold him forever.

I never want us to end. Please don’t ever take your light away.

I dropped my bags and dug out my phone.

“Time to re-enter the real world,” I muttered, turning it on.

Countless missed text messages lit up the notifications. Most were from Killian. Dawn and Ray texted to wish me a happy birthday. So did my dad. Nothing from my mother. I scowled.

The final message was from a local area code but I didn’t recognize the number.

Unknown: Hope you enjoyed your vacation. Now the real fun begins.

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