to.”
“That’s one clue, but surely, any good detective would have more to make a case.”
“Do you remember what I said about your poker face?” Xander asks. “As soon as I questioned it, you had an ‘oh shit’ expression on that beautiful face of yours. That would be key evidence point number two.”
I curse. He laughs.
“You only got away with that once,” Xander says. I don’t even have to look at him to know he’s grinning. He continues as we round closer to the path up to his cottage, “Now, my third piece would be the outline of a face mask on your face. My hunch is, and keep in mind my background is military, not dermatology, but I’m guessing it had to be there a while to leave an impression like that.”
I stop as we reach his gate. My jaw hangs down as if it is on a hinge.
“Good Lord, you are good,” I say, staring up at him in awe.
Xander grins and unlatches the gate. “I know. Pity I was born into this family, otherwise I think I’d be a brilliant private investigator.”
He motions for me to walk through first. I do, and Xander follows me, taking a moment to shut the gate. We walk to the front door, and he unlocks it. As soon as the door is closed behind us, Xander takes the cake box from my hands and places it on the hall table. Before I can even undo my coat, his arms have slid around my waist, pulling me against his chest.
My heart leaps the second I’m nestled against him. God, this man is intoxicating, from his scent to his voice to his massive arms that are holding me oh-so-close.
“I’ve missed you,” he murmurs.
I gaze up into those deep pools of blue and melt from the way he is looking at me, ridiculous, mask-burnt face and all.
“I missed you, too,” I say, knowing I’m being incredibly sappy right now.
I smile. Better yet, I know I’m a sap, and I do not care in the slightest.
Xander’s lips brush against mine, but as soon as I feel his stubble, I wince. Damn, that hurts.
He immediately jerks his head up. “Sorry, sorry, I should have known that would hurt.”
“It’s okay,” I say, putting a hand up to his face and caressing it. “My skin is so raw, anything hurts.”
“Do you want me to shave?” he asks.
I wrinkle my nose. “Shave so you can kiss me?”
“Yes. I don’t want to hurt you.”
This. Man.
“That is very sweet of you to offer, but no, please don’t do that. I rather like your scruff,” I say, running my palm over his jaw. Goosebumps sweep over my skin as I explore his oh-so-masculine jaw with my hand.
“Then how am I going to kiss you?” Xander says, cocking his head as he considers the problem. He lifts his hand, and with his index finger, gently traces a line from the bottom of my chin to the hollow of my throat. “I don’t believe you are burnt here, Sunshine.”
And then he dips his head and breathes a kiss on my throat.
Oh. My. God.
I sigh in absolute pleasure. Xander chuckles against my neck.
“Do you like that?” he whispers against my skin. He kisses me again, but this time allows his tongue to lightly dance along my throat.
“Oh, Lord, yes,” I whisper, tilting my head back so he has greater access for exploring.
His mouth moves up my neck now, and I shiver in response to every kiss, every flick of his tongue. Xander’s mouth grazes just below my jaw, then towards my ear.
“You taste so good,” he murmurs sexily. “I can’t get enough of you.”
Heat flashes through me. I move my hands to his shoulders, stroking them, feeling the powerful muscles there, and then hanging onto them as his teeth take a playful nibble on the side of my neck.
“Xander,” I groan. “You feel so right.”
Not just good, but right. Within days of being with him, Xander already feels right to me in a way that Jake and George never did.
He lifts his head as I say that. I blink, and he raises his hands to frame my face, but upon seeing it, he thinks better of it and reaches for my hands. Xander entwines his fingers with mine and squeezes both my hands in his.
“I only hope you think I could still be right for you after we talk tonight,” he says, his eyes locked on mine. “Because I don’t know if you will still believe