His blue eyes cut in my direction as he threads his fingers through mine.

I turn and stare out the window and replay the action of what just went down. Freddy’s words reverberate in my skull. I know Xavier was trying to defend me against Rex, but he has to stop trying to fight every guy who bothers me. It’s not worth putting his career in jeopardy.

Finally we make it to the hotel and Xavier wastes no time getting us up to our room. The bed is freshly made, erasing the crumpled of sheets we’d left after sleeping together last night.

I sit on the edge of the bed. “You’re going to have to stop doing that, you know.”

Xavier shoves his hair away from his face. “Doing what?”

“Defending me every time some jerk says something to me. Fighting them all isn’t worth putting your career on the line for.”

“Anna, when it comes to you, nothing else matters. No one will speak to you like that and get away with it. It’s not going to happen.”

I reach out and take his hand. “Don’t you see, that’s exactly what Rex wants. He wants you to lose your head. He’s threatened by you and would like nothing better than to see you destroy things yourself.”

I tug on his hand, and he resists for a moment before he finally sits down next to me. The mattress sinks under his weight.

“You’re right. That’s why he interfered tonight. In our pre-show meeting the writers informed us all that I would be winning the belt, and then I would have to give Rex a shot at winning it.”

I nod. Everything begins to make since. “He’d rather go up against Brian than you?”

“Yeah. Which is crazy because Brian is a strong motherfucker.”

I lay my other hand on top of his. “But he’s nowhere near as intimidating as you.”

His mouth pulls up into a cheeky grin. “You think I’m intimidating?”

I smile. “Have you seen you? You make grown men shake in their boots with one look.”

Xavier pushes a lock of hair back behind my ear. “That’s funny.”

I tilt my head. “Why?”

He stares into my eyes. “I don’t feel very threatening when a five-foot-five girl scares the shit out of me.”

“M—me? I scare you?” I stumble over my words while trying to figure that one out.

His finger traces my jaw and his lips follow along the same path with feathery kisses. “Mmhmm. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before.”

I close my eyes and lean my head back as he licks the sensitive skin below my ear. “And how do you feel about me?”

I know I shouldn’t press him, but I’m curious and want to hear him say he’s beginning to feel something just like I am. I want what’s growing inside my heart for him validated.

“You’re special to me, Anna, and I want to keep you forever,” he whispers.

Every muscle in my body trembles with need for him. Him admitting he feels something is a start. We’ve gone from him not wanting a real relationship, to wanting to make what’s happening between us last forever. Right now, that’s enough.

I stare into his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promises like that are what worry me.” He presses his lips to mine. “Someday you might. When you see what I’m capable of, you’ll leave, and never look back.”

I shake my head. “Nothing will change how I feel about you.”

He leans his forehead against mine. “Promise?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

He crushes his lips against mine and works his hand underneath my shirt. His eyes are hooded with desire and there’s no mistaking what’s on his mind.

“We have to use a rubber this time. We’ve been cutting it too close with me pulling out. That doesn’t always work.”

I sigh and twirl a lock of his hair around my finger. “True, but I read online there’s only a few days a month a woman can actually get pregnant, and that’s shortly after her period. I’m due for mine in a few days, so I think we’re safe.”

He kisses my neck. “I want you to know that I don’t bareback with other women.”

I tilt my head. “Bareback?”

“Fuck raw—sex without a condom,” he clarifies. “I’ve only ever done that with you. I wasn’t expecting that first time to happen, and once I was in the moment all I wanted was to feel you. I wanted you wrapped around me with nothing between us. I know it’s stupid, but coming on you was my way of marking you.”

“Mark me? That sounds all caveman-ish,” I tease.

He shrugs. “Call it what you want. I wanted to leave my fucking mark on that pussy of yours. It’s mine. I know it, and so do you.”

I laugh at his Neanderthal ways but don’t disagree with him. “I have to admit, I like knowing you’re the only man who’s ever done that to me.”

Xavier grazes his top teeth over his bottom lip in a slow, deliberately sexy manner. “How about you let me do it again, since we’re official.”

My heart does a double thump in my chest. “Official? Are you saying that I’m your girlfriend?”

“Yes. I don’t want anyone else. Only you.”

The biggest smile known to man spreads across my face, and I wrap my arms around his neck. “You don’t know what that means to me.”

He kisses me again. “Yes, I do, because it means the same thing to me. What’s happening between us—this shit is fucking permanent. You’re never getting rid of me now.”

“I’ll never want to.”

I giggle as he pulls me down on top of him, and I’m more than ready for our next round. I can’t get enough of this man.

Both of his hands settle on my hips as my entire body rests on top of him. Xavier’s playful smile disappears as things become very serious while his eyes search mine.

“You’re so fucking sexy, do you know that?” His tongue darts out and he licks my bottom lip, causing my toes to curl. “You’re my addiction.”

His words play through my mind, and I smile as he presses his lips to mine. I feel his fingers slide under my shirt, caressing my skin. My mouth drifts open as he unhooks my bra and then in one quick movement, he whips my shirt over my head, exposing my naked flesh.

He quickly sits up, leaving me straddling him, while he kisses and licks his way down to my taut nipples. Heat from his mouth on my skin causes a shiver of pleasure to pulsate down my spine.

He unbuttons my shorts and unzips them slowly. “I need you naked.”

I pop up on my knees, allowing him to help me remove the rest of my clothes. I then grabbed the hem of Xavier’s shirt and pulled it over his head. My eyes roam over his chiseled chest contoured to perfection. All the time he spends working on his body clearly shows.

As my eyes roam, the tip of his thick finger slides against my slick folds. “You’re so ready for me.”

Xavier kisses my lips as he flicks my clit. “You want me?”

I throw my head back and moan, focusing on how good his touch feels. “Xavier…”

“Tell me you want me, and I’ll give you what you need,” he whispers against my lips.

“Oh, God.” My eyes roll back as he increases the pressure. “I want you, Xavier. So much.”

“Good girl,” he encourages me as his finger moves faster and faster, bringing me to the edge.

My entire body shakes as I come hard against his hand. I grip his shoulders and dig my nails into his skin as I ride the wave of euphoria.

Every muscle in my body relaxes as I float down from the high, and he chuckles. “We’re just getting started, beautiful.”

He flips me onto my back before standing over me. Xavier unzips his pants before shoving them, along with his underwear, down his legs before kicking them the rest of the way off, like he can’t stand them between us anymore.

He leans over me and yanks my hips to the edge of the bed. Xavier spreads my thighs further apart as he pushes between them. He grabs the base of his shaft and rubs it against my most sensitive skin. A long moan escapes from my mouth. I’m so ready for him.

He growls as he slips the head of his cock inside me.

“Oh, God.” My pussy stretches around him, accepting all of him, as he plunges balls deep.