Chapter 109 Fairytales
Sarah's P.O.V.
I throw the empty cup at Dakota as she shuts the door while I laugh. I've had a crush on Xavier since he started working at the compound. Who wouldn't like a man well over six feet tall with wavy blonde hair, warm chocolate brown eyes, and built like a wall of muscle? I've had a few fantasies about him. I turn back around and smile at Xavier.
"I'm really glad you weren't badly hurt," he says as I sit beside his bed. Damn, Dakota, with her comment about the gowns having easy access. Now, all I can think about is trying to get a peek under his gown. I mean, he's big everywhere else. He has to be big there, too, right?
"Where were you hurt?" I ask, running my finger over his hand. Little goosebumps appear on his arm. I may only be twenty and have no experience with men, but Dakota and I have talked a lot about men and sex. We even looked things up online that made us both blush. So, I'm not a naïve kid. I've been waiting for the right man. Another thing Dakota and I talked about a lot was being in love the same way we saw our moms fall in love with our dads. When you've had the role models we had growing up, why wouldn't we want the same fairytale for ourselves?
"Luckily, the driver's seat blocked me from most of the blast. I just have a little burn on my right arm and some stitches in the back of my head from something hitting it." I look over at his arm and see it wrapped in a white bandage. I run my finger up his other arm and trace around his tattoo, peeking out of the gown sleeve.
"So, when do they think you'll get out of here?" I ask.
"They said I would be able to leave tomorrow. Dakota said she wants me to stay at Galdino's with the rest of you until I'm healed, and then she will make me head of security. She said she knows I wouldn't blow myself up, so I'm the only one she trusts from the security staff. I'm so scared I'm going to let her down." I get up from the chair and sit on the side of the bed.
"You won't. Dakota doesn't make impulse decisions. If she thinks you're the best man for the job, she truly believes it. Can I lie next to you?" Xavier puts the head of the bed down most of the way, moves over, and raises the sheet. I crawl in next to him, and he covers us both up. I lay my head on his shoulder, and he put his arm around me. Why does this feel so natural? He rubs his hand over my back.
"Are you comfortable?" He asks, kissing my head. I put my arm over his abdomen.
"Very comfortable. Can I ask you something?" I slide my leg over one of his and move closer.
"You can ask me anything," he says softly.
"How many women have you been with? I've never been with a man." I hold my breath while I wait for him to answer.
"Honestly, I've never been with anyone." I look up at him in surprise.
"How is that possible? How old are you?" Xavier smiles slightly.
"I'm twenty-three. My mom died from an overdose when I was six, so I was raised in foster care. I was passed from one house to the next. My mom, the men she was with, and the foster parents I had abused me most of my life. I felt lost when I aged out at eighteen, so I enlisted in the Marines. It helped me find structure and learn how to socialize. I used to stay to myself and barely talk because I was scared of everyone. A little over a year ago, I was shot in my thigh, and my femur was shattered. The doctor said it was a miracle I survived. I had to have multiple surgeries, and I now have a metal rod in my leg. I was honorably discharged, and when I came back to the States, I needed something to do, so I began security training. I overheard someone say that the Kondratis were looking for a few men, so I reached out to see how to apply. Working for Dakota was the sort of job I wanted to do rather than in a bank or another boring job. All the women I had been around just hurt me when I was growing up, so I had no desire to get hurt as an adult. When I first saw you, it was the day I interviewed with Dakota. You were walking around the house in a dark green thong bikini with a see-through cover-up. I couldn't believe how beautiful you were. When you smiled at me, the wall around my heart crumbled. I knew that one day you would be mine. I just had to work up the courage to talk to you."
I look up into his brown eyes, and my heart melts. He has been through so much, and it means a lot to me that he trusts me with his heart. I touch his cheek and gently stroke it with my thumb.
"I won't hurt you, Xavier. If you trust me with your heart, I will keep it safe." Tears well up in his eyes, and I realize he has never been shown any love. I have been surrounded by it my entire life. I move up and kiss him gently. He's big and strong, yet he's more fragile than glass in some ways.
"Can I sleep here with you tonight?" I asked, snuggling closer to him. I have no sexual intent. I want to show him what it feels like to have another person care about him. His arm tightens around me.
"Yes. I'm sorry I got so emotional. I've never told anyone all of that." I kiss him again and lay my head on his chest.
"I'm glad you told me. When we get to the Buccheri compound, I plan to sleep with you there, too. From this day on, you will never go another day without knowing what it's like to have someone care for you. I have been attracted to you since that first day you interviewed with Dakota, too. When I saw her taking you to her office, I ran upstairs to change into my smallest bikini. I thought the only way I could get someone like you to pay attention to me was by showing off my body. My parents, Dakota's parents, and Noah's parents all knew almost instantly that they were meant for each other. Dakota and I have been waiting for men to make us feel that way. I felt it from that first day, but was too chicken to say anything." I rub my hand over his gown-covered abdomen. I'm going to show Xavier that fairytales do come true.