Time Will Tell (Maybe #3)(28)

*****

“So, she lost the baby?” I ask, my heart breaking for his sister.

He speaks into the darkness of my room. “Yeah. She’s doing a lot better now.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I can’t imagine having to deal with something like that.”

He kisses the top of my head, which is resting on his chest, our legs intertwined.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he says. “I didn’t know what was going on in that head of yours and it was driving me crazy. And that wasn’t exactly a conversation I wanted to have over the phone.”

“I know what you mean,” I reply quietly. “I’m glad you came back. I wasn’t sure if you would. In fact, Zach said he’d take me to see you and I was considering it. But I didn’t know where we stood and if you’d want me to come.”

“I always want you to come, Trillian.”

I grin at the double entendre. “I know that now.”

His chest shakes as he chuckles. He’s kept his word, making love to me on my bed, in the shower, on my couch and even on the back porch. I am exhausted, a little sore, and happy.

Deliriously happy.

I don’t know what Xander and I are going to do, but I do know that I don’t want him to leave. I think that we can work this out. I’ve never felt this way before, and now that I have found this with him, I want to keep it.

“Trill?”

“Yeah?”

“Sleep, babe,” he commands gently. “I know you’re tired.”

I yawn and nuzzle his chest. “Night, Xander.”

“Night, beautiful,” he says quietly, kissing behind my ear.

I sleep like a baby.

*****

“Was it everything you dreamed about?” Zach asks the next morning, standing in my kitchen in his boxer shorts.

“You couldn’t even get dressed this morning?” I ask him, making a face.

“No time,” he says after a sip of coffee. “I need to know the gossip.”

“Seriously? Badass biker by night, gossiping neighbour by day.”

He chuckles. “Only for you, Trill.”

I hide my grin and lift my own mug to my lips. “It was perfect.”

Zach grins and leans forward against the counter top. “Where is he now, anyway?”

“In the shower.”

“And you aren’t joining him? That’s just bad form, Trill.”

“If you want to know, I’m a little sore, you know, down there, so I thought it would be best if I didn’t join him because if I did, I’d be up against the tiled wall right now screaming his name.”

I enjoy watching him spit out the mouthful of his coffee. “You know, Trill, anyone else says anything and I don’t even flinch. Every time it comes out of your mouth, I’m caught off guard. Jesus! A little warning maybe? Xander must be good if he f*cked the prude right out of you.”

I pick up an apple from the fruit bowl and throw it at his head. He ducks and laughs as it hits the wall.

“Oh, come on, I’m just playing with you.”

“You’re a jerk!”

“You love me.”

I shake my head at him. “You came over for breakfast, didn’t you? I think the gossip was only second on your agenda.”

He sighs, shoulders dropping. “I am very hungry.”

I laugh, turning to the stove. “Okay, I’ll make some pancakes, how about that? Or do you want waffles with strawberries.”

“Waffles. Always waffles.”

Xander walks into the kitchen, wearing jeans and a fitted black t-shirt.

“Zach,” he says, nodding.

“Xander, you look well rested.”

I roll my eyes and pull out the waffle maker. Xander comes up behind me, pushing my hair to one side, and kisses my neck.

“You want some help?”

“No, I’m okay. You can take a seat with our uninvited guest over there,” I tease, sticking my tongue out at Zach.

“Oh, come on,” Zach says. “After I let you f*ck in my house and everything.”

Xander walks over to Zach and slaps him on the back of his head. Zach laughs and playfully grabs Xander in a headlock.

I keep myself busy, turning away so Zach can’t see my flushed face. I am never going to live this down with him. I just know it.

But it’s worth it, so I don’t care.

I make the waffle batter from scratch, stirring the mixture.

“You sure you don’t want help?” Xander asks, watching my movements.

“You could wash and cut up the strawberries if you like.”

“Make me look bad, why don’t you,” Zach says, smirking. “This is a whole new side of you, Xander.”

“Shut up,” Xander and I call out at the same time.

“Oh, wow, you even talk at the same time now,” Zach chuckles. “And both ganging up on me. I see how it’s going to be from now on.”

Xander shakes his head at Zach. “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?”

I finish making the waffles and serve them with the strawberries Xander cut for me and some whipped cream. We all sit at the table, making jokes and enjoying each other’s company.