“Hush!” she said, sending an elbow towards my side that I blocked.
I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead as I closed my eyes.
I inhaled the sweet scent of lavender and honey that coated her skin.
She tucked in closer to my side as we made our way across the street and a few houses down to where a line was forming in front of Old Saint Nick.
I tugged my baseball cap with my team’s logo further down my brow as we neared the crowd.
“So, what were your thoughts about the party at Prestige?” I asked, breaking the rule to not speak about it again.
“I loved it, and I enjoyed myself. Never thought that I’d see the inside of Prestige.”
Laughing, I replied, “I have another party happening soon.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, but it’s a private party,” I said as we joined the line.
Laughing, she said, “Let me guess. For two?”
“Not quite. Just a party with my closest friends, my team, staff, and a few other business constituents.”
“Oh.”
“I’d like for you to be there,” I whispered against her temple as I pulled her into my arms.
Tensing in my arms, she said, “You know that’s not such a good idea, Lake. This town isn’t that big, and I—”
“No, it’s not like you think. I’m inviting you, but not as a date. Just as another guest. I promise not to put you in any compromising situations. I’d just like to have you there that night.”
“What’s the special occasion?”
“You.”
“Me? You’re hosting a party for me that you don’t want me to be your date at?”
“Yes. I’d like to see you in semi-formal attire. In a different setting where the night has a new ending. One where you remain behind after all the guests leave, and you stay the night. In my arms.”
Xiomara chewed on her bottom lip. “It sounds so tempting.”
“Then say yes, Z. Please,” I said, tilting her chin up and pressing a kiss to her lips.
“You make it so hard to resist you, though I know that I should.”
“Don’t.”
“You know that this game we’re playing won’t have a happy ending.”
“Liltee, I’m not looking forward to there being an ending at all. My only aim is to give you just enough to get you to agree to another date. And another. Until you’re mine.”
A myriad of emotions rolled across her face as I spoke.
“What makes you think that I’ll do that?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Then, I only have one request.”
“Okay.”
“Enjoy your time with me and move with an open heart. Don’t get all in your head or place barriers around your heart. Just go with the flow of things. And when this is over, if you’re feeling free and strong, and if you love yourself the way you should...then walk away from everything you don’t want. Walk away knowing that you owe no one anything, not even me. I want you to be true to what your heart wants. Be true to you.”
Xiomara cast her gaze down and away from me. When she remained silent, I pulled her to me. I kissed her softly before pulling back and looking into her eyes and said, “Do we have a deal?”
With a smirk, she said, “Yes, I think we do.”
CHAPTER 17 – XIOMARA
OUR DATE DIDN’T END with the walk down Christmas lane. Afterward, Lake drove to his home, pulling into the backyard where he parked right near the lake.
He’d planned a romantic picnic by the water with Italian subs and a fruit salad. We spent the evening reminiscing on our childhood and the summer leading to my leaving.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing my hand in his after we’d eaten our meal.
“Yeah?” my gaze remained on the water as I watched a bird skimming across the waters.
“I never apologized to you. Hurting you was never my intention. I was immature and irresponsible, and I’m sorry, Z. You deserved better than that. I failed you, and there’s no other way to put it. But I’m asking tonight, can you forgive me? I want you to remember the fun we had as friends, the times we confided in one another. Can you recall the times I made you laugh when you were down or encouraged you in your dreams? And can we put this behind us and move forward?”
Life was too short to hold on to bitterness, and I didn’t want that for my life. The friendship that we’d held in the past demanded that I let go of the pain, the failures, and disappointments of our past.
No matter what happened between Lake and me, it was time to move on and focus on the future.
“I’d like that, too. I just need you to understand that there are no guarantees or promises with me, Lake.”
Leaning forward, he cupped my face in his hands and slowly lowered his head, and his lips brushed gently across mine as if asking permission.
My mouth opened to Lake, giving him the access that he sought. Our tongues swiped across one another in a gentle lover’s dance. Slowly taking time to taste each other’s flavors, creating fresh memories while stirring up old ones.
Lake’s hands cupped the back of my head as mine rested against his chest. Slowly my fingers dragged across the planes of his chest, searching out the muscles hidden beneath his sweater. I etched every line and detail of the contours of his body in my fingers’ memory as if designed just to touch him.
Lake dragged his lips from mine, kissing my chin and dipping below to the hollow of my neck. I basked in the attentiveness that he showed, delighting in the feel of his lips at my throat before they dipped further to explore my cleavage spilling from the sweetheart neckline of my ribbed, knit sweater.
“How do you pledge yourself to a man when you know that I’m the only one that can make you feel this way?” he asked, after pushing me onto my back.
My hands gripped the back of his head, my fingers locking in
