Chapter 55 55
Xavier's Pov
For weeks, I’d successfully kept Chloe at an arm’s length. She was the opposite of everything I was attracted to. She was passionate about growth, an amazing chef, a brilliant companion and the best temperature I'd ever fallen for. She was a complication I didn't want but she was the woman I needed.
Her laugh, her scent, her smile, and the way her eyes light up when she’s excited. They were the most dangerous kind of drug, and I feared I was already sliding down the slippery slope of addiction.
Chloe must've felt me staring because she turned and met my gaze.
“Are you —” She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence before a high pitched buzz traveled the hall and with a final, sputtering flicker, the lights died completely.
Kylie's scream cut through the air and I gasped, not at the cry or the sudden death of light, but at the thought that we might be under attack. I grabbed Chloe's wrist and pulled her onto my lap, making sure she was pressed flush against me.
“Jason!” I called out.
“I’m on it!” He called back.
The world went hazy at the edges as we sat there, frozen, my body forming a protective shield over Chloe's. No words, just the rapid rise and fall of our breaths.
I tipped my chin up when I saw Chloe staring back at me. It was too dark to make out the contours of her face, but that didn’t matter. I’d already committed them to memory—the elegant curve of his cheekbones, the sculpted lines of her mouth, and her immaculate brown eyes.
The lights had gone out. It was shocking enough to trigger a flight-or-fight response but my first instinct was to shield her.
My arms curled around me when I sensed tension creeping into her frozen muscles. At first glance, Chloe might appear tough, all draped in the most elegant of fabrics, but she was soft and needed protection. My protection.
Her body remained compliant until the buzz came back and the darkness vanished as suddenly as it’d materialized.
Light seared my eyes and I blinked away the disorientation.
Chloe and I stared at each other for an extra beat before we pulled back quietly.
“Thank you.” Flags of colour glazed her cheekbones as she smiled.
“My pleasure.” I said. I wasn’t quite ready to let her go yet. I couldn’t remember the last time someone sat in my lap, but the sensation was oddly soothing. Chloe didn’t resist either and I liked it. Warmth glided across my skin as I ran a thumb over the elegant line of her jaw.
“There you are,” Kylie said when she and Jason returned to our table. “Wasn’t that wild? I’m glad the servants were able to fix the outage so quickly.”
In reality, the power outage had lasted less than five minutes, but time stretched so far when Chloe and I were alone. Other than a few rattled-looking maids, everyone was carrying on as if the blackout never happened.
“Do you know what caused it?” I smoothed my hand over Chloe's lap and avoided looking at Jason. I could feel the stab of jealousy coming from him.
Chloe's hand brushed my shoulders and I looked at her. I never wanted to get out when she held me. I shouldn’t be feeling any of those things because she was still married and her mate was staring at us but it was damn hard to keep her out of my mind when fate insisted on pushing us into each other’s path whenever possible.
It took every strength in me to loosen my grip and let her sit in her chair.
Jason shifted his gaze from me to Chloe as he explained. “There was an electrical issue so we're making use of the backup generator.”
Kylie scoffed. “Of all the fucking nights for something like that to happen, it had to be tonight.”
“It didn’t disrupt our meal too much.” Chloe said, always the voice of reason.
Kylie smiled and looked at Jason. “You're right.”
My eyes zeroed in on her blushing cheeks. Did they do something while they were gone?
I turned her out when Chloe's leg touched mine below the table. Our eyes locked and she smiled.
Dammit.
I reached for my wine and took a big gulp. If Chloe touches me again whether deliberate or accidental, I'd take her right there on the table.
The rest of dinner passed without incident, but that was the last time I saw Chloe for another week.
She was rarely home and whenever she was, she'd come home late from work. I'd threaten to have a word with Clyde for overworking her and Jason for not letting her quit working but Chloe told me not to. Those assholes were lucky I only listened to her. If not,I would've slammed my fists into their stupid faces.
I wanted to spend time with her. I wanted to be with her, near her, so I ordered that toad named Emma to handle all of Chloe's scheduled duties and it worked like magic. Chloe had a free Friday to herself.
I waited outside the company as she walked towards me with a smile.
That’s what attracted me to her the first time. I loved the way she held my gaze when many find it impossible to stare at me for long. Rayes had once told me I sometimes have a look or a smile that made people uncomfortable in their own skin. But not Chloe. Not once has she looked away from my eyes. As if she needs to see me at all times.
I opened my arms and she ran into my embrace.
“Thank you.” she whispered against my neck.
“I want you all to myself today.” I tightened my grip around her waist before we pulled away.
“Where are we going?” She asked with a smile.
“You'll see.” I walked her to the car and helped her get in the passenger seat before I jumped into the driver's seat and eased the car into the road.
I stopped at a drive-by and got her some burgers and everything she craved. I noticed she didn't eat much this morning and couldn't let her stay hungry.
We drove for a few minutes before Chloe's quiet voice filled the car. “Aren't we there yet?”
“We're almost there, my love.” I assured her with a soft pat on her thigh. My hand remained there until we arrived at our destination.
I stepped out of the car,went to her side and held the door open.
Chloe—innocent, sweet, and lush like her perfume— smiled at me. “We're here?”
“We are,” I took off her seatbelt and reached for her wrist.
We come to a halt near a small lake and Chloe goes still.
Hundreds of tiny yellow dots lit up the trees and shine on the water’s surface with the efficiency of small lamps.
As she watched the fireflies, I watched her. Her shoulders relaxed, her lips fell open, and her eyes reflected the yellow lights like a mirror.
I don’t think about it as I pull out my phone and take a picture because commemorating the moment felt like a need instead of a mere action.
Chloe, on the other hand, didn’t even focus on the flash. She was still engrossed in the fireflies. “They’re so beautiful. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this place.”
“It’s so beautiful.”
“You're the first person I've shown this place to.” My heart clenched at the lie but I ignored the feeling.
Chloe wasn't the first person I'd brought here. I brought Maisie here too. That was the time I proposed to her. The same place I'd told her to marry me. But that was in the past. Maisie was dead and I'd moved on.
“I’m the first person?” She asked, surprised.
“Yeah.” I took a step forward and tilted her chin. Do you like it?”
“I love it.”
“I'm glad.” I leaned closer and brushed my lips over hers.