Lost and Found (Twist of Fate #1)(14)

Just like he had the night Xander had begged me not to do what I’d promised I never would.

Leave him.

I felt Aiden’s fingers close over mine, which had started to frantically rub back and forth over the stone.

“So what are you going to do about it?” Aiden asked.

“About what?”

He nodded his head towards Xander’s tent. “Ranger Rick,” he said with a smirk.

“In case you missed it, he’s not talking to me,” I muttered.

“Who said anything about talking?” Aiden’s eyes danced with mischief as he took the stone from my hand and tossed it on the ground. “I say you go in there, unzip that sleeping bag of his and hoover his dick before he even knows what hit him.”

“Ass,” I said as I punched him in the arm.

“You can hoover that too,” Aiden chuckled.

“We don’t even know if he’s gay,” I said, as if that were the only thing stopping me from doing what Aiden had suggested.

“I’ve been on the receiving end of that mouth, B. If he isn’t gay already, he will be by morning.”

I shook my head and laughed, though inside my gut was stirring with excitement at even the prospect of getting my mouth on Xander. No, it was way too risky, not to mention highly inappropriate with the kids around… even if Xander’s tent was on the outskirts of the camp site. Jesus, was I even considering this?

Yeah, fuck it, I was. Because maybe Aiden was right and I’d never get the chance to tell him with words what I was feeling. Maybe nothing in my current arsenal of weapons would get my foot in the door with Xander— to give me the chance to explain why I’d done what I’d done that night. Even if he shut me down, maybe I’d get the few seconds I needed to prove to him that I hadn’t ever left him.

Not really.

“I can’t,” I whispered, more to myself than Aiden. But I had to wonder what was really stopping me. The fact that it was something so outside of my wheelhouse, or the fact that it might not make any difference?

I felt Aiden’s lips skim my temple. “Just think. If it doesn’t work out, this time you can be the one to walk away. Go get ‘em, babe.” And then he was gone, leaving me alone to stare at Xander’s tent, which was suddenly luring me to it like a goddamn Siren’s call.

“What the hell,” I murmured as I climbed to my feet. I literally had nothing else to lose.





Chapter 7





Xander





After the stress of the day, I slept hard. I hadn’t expected to, really. I’d expected to toss and turn with thoughts of Bennett plaguing me like they had the night before, but the cold air of the mountain night and the familiar sounds of the surrounding wilderness worked their magic. Soon I was in the midst of the kind of dream that was so delicious, I wanted to hold on to it and savor it all night long.

In the dream, Bennett snuck into my tent the way he used to sneak into my room when we were younger, only this time we were no longer kids. He was full-grown— a man who exuded strength and masculinity. I didn’t see him enter the tent, but a part of me just knew he was there. His scent, maybe, or the little hairs all over my body that seemed to prickle whenever he was near.

“Benny?” I whispered in the dream. “You scared?” Normally I was the one who was scared, but maybe this time was different. My eyes were only half-open, but he seemed terrified as he crawled closer.

I automatically opened my sleeping bag the way I’d done for him a thousand times before and he slid in alongside my body.

“Xander,” he whispered, and it was a sound of longing— hesitation and want all rolled into one. He said something else, but I was still focused on how he’d said my name.

“C’mere,” I said, holding out my arm so he could snuggle closer. He was watching me with big eyes and still seemed spooked. “You okay?” I mumbled, pulling him tight against me and almost groaning at the feel of his body against mine.

I saw Bennett’s mouth move, but I couldn’t make sense of what he said, a clear sign I was exhausted. But I didn’t really care what he was saying, either. I was just so glad he was finally here… where he belonged. His hand felt cool against my heated skin and my body involuntarily shivered as his fingers danced over my side, my back, my belly. Everywhere he touched, he left delicious pulses of energy behind.

I was about to beg him to finally let me get a taste of him, but before I could open my mouth, his lips were on mine. My whole body shook with the impact of that first touch of his mouth.

It wasn’t anything like I’d imagined. It was so much fucking better.

I could barely breathe, think. I could only feel as his mouth worshiped mine and I knew, just knew, he was finally mine. I didn’t care that it wasn’t real. I didn’t care that it was the best fucking dream I’d ever had. It was everything I’d ever wanted but knew I’d never have. Bennett Crawford, full-grown and in bed with me.

Fuck.

If I was going to dream about being in bed with Bennett, I was going to go for it.

“Want you,” I growled against his ear.

A deep groan escaped him before he sprawled his body half-on, half-off mine. “I want you so badly, Xander. Please.”

I stretched my neck up to brush my lips across his and it set off an explosion of action. Bennett’s mouth chased mine and latched onto it, and I grabbed the back of his head with both hands to keep him there— our tongues fighting each other and breaths coming fast and hard. Bennett’s cock pressed into my belly and I grunted, arching my hips up to press mine into him as much as I could.