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Onto her devious mission, Xavier failed at keeping a straight face. “I see you like to get your jokes on, but I can do beef Wellington, girl. What time should I pick you up?”
She angled an eyebrow. “What if I just drive myself there around seven?”
“Whatever works better for you. I’ll call in the morning with directions.”
“Look forward to hearing from you.” She grew silent, allowing her gaze to sweep over his handsome face. “I had a really good time, too. You are great company.”
Leaning into her, Xavier brushed across her cheek a light, airy kiss. “Tomorrow.”
Suddenly a flurry of bright white lights flashed before their eyes. A group of photographers came at the startled couple from every angle. Kennedy’s front porch had been invaded. The flashbulbs were darn near blinding, causing them to use their hands as eye shields.
Kennedy and Xavier lived to pose in front of the camera by day, and often by night, loved their jobs as top supermodels, but both hated being completely caught off guard by the ever intrusive paparazzi. Where had all these men come from? There had to be at least ten to twelve cameramen. How long had they been following along behind them? It was indeed hard to tell since neither had spotted a single one.
Was this wild scene just the preview of things to come? Kennedy couldn’t help wondering what she should expect. They’d been so careful to keep their plans for tonight under wraps. Were they going to continuously be hunted down in the darkness of night like wild game and trapped with nowhere to run? She recalled getting injured a couple of times while trying to flee from flashing bulbs. Kennedy recalled with crystal clarity how she had tripped and fallen to the ground in her frantic escape from the camera-toting paparazzi.
As Xavier did his best to shield Kennedy from the cameramen, he couldn’t help wondering if this was the beginning of the end for them. It was tough enough to deal with a new relationship, but these types of wild scenes had proved to be game changers for him in the past. It would take an exceptionally strong woman to suck up this madness, even a professional model like he was.
Chapter 2
Xavier’s four-bedroom Santa Monica beach home was exquisitely decorated, yet extremely comfortable. The splendid furnishings ranged from soft leathers to luxurious designer sofas and matching chairs, fashioned in a variety of lavish materials. Although he had explicit ideas for his personal living space, he’d collaborated on the entire decorating process with a professional design studio owned by his dearest friend, Jonathan Alexander, also a close fraternity brother in alpha PSI alpha.
Earth tones and discreet splashes of oranges, yellows and reds, softer variations of the bold colors, were Xavier’s choices. User-friendly furnishings had been very important to him. He desired that no one entering his personal space would have to wonder what they could or couldn’t use or where they could or couldn’t eat, sit or sleep. No stuffy decorum whatsoever had been permitted in any of the rooms.
While Xavier definitely wanted the formal areas in his home to ooze class and finesse, they also had to be heartwarming, relaxing and sociably inviting.
There was even a special room with the young at heart in mind, which included a Sony PlayStation and an Xbox. Xavier loved children. Though he didn’t have kids, several of his close friends were family men.
The fabulous loft, cozy with down-home comfort, was also used as a retreat for deep meditation, where he burned candles and made contact with his inner self. He believed wholeheartedly in communicating with his spirit.
Stretched out on his bed, dressed in silver-gray lounging pajamas, Xavier dialed Kennedy’s home number. Hoping he didn’t get her voice mail, he laid his head back onto one of six king-size pillows. A bright smile lit up his eyes at the sound of her voice. In the pit of his stomach fiery sensations were already taking over. She had that kind of effect on him. “Good morning, sunshine! Hope I didn’t wake you.”
“Hardly.” She drew in a shaky breath. “Morning, Xavier. By the way, is it okay if I call you X once in a while? I like the shortened version.”
“Quite a few people take liberties with my name. X is the most popular.” He thought about Tiaja Rae calling him by the same name. “X is fine by me. Just remember I’m called that by many folks.”
“It slips off the tongue with ease. How’re you feeling?”
“Happy I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to start a brand-new day. Today I’m writing the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Got a pencil and paper handy so I can give you my address?”
“That’s a nice and positive way to look at it.” She paused, reaching for a pen in her nightstand. “I’m ready. Go ahead and give it to me.” Kennedy wrote down the information in her address book. “I’ve got it. Thanks. I’ll see you at seven.” Kennedy felt giddy about seeing him again, especially this soon.
“How do you feel about us pairing up with a married couple for dinner? They’re good friends of mine. I think you’ll like them. Janine and Jonathan Alexander. Janine is a fashion writer. Jonathan, my frat brother, owns a successful interior design business.”
“Sounds like fun. I’d love to meet both your friends. Is there a specific dress code for our dinner?”
Xavier chuckled. “I can’t believe a fashion diva is asking a question like that. It’ll be pretty casual. I love dining outside on the deck. I recently had one of those outdoor entertainment rooms installed. Mine just happens to overlook the Pacific. I’d like you to be comfortable in my space. The offer to pick you up and drive you home still stands.”
“I’m pretty familiar with Santa Monica. I think I can find you with the help of my built-in GPS tracking system.”
“Good. I’ll see you around seven. Have a wonderful day.”
“You do the same. Bye, Xavier.”
Glad the grocery store wasn’t crowded, Xavier went from aisle to aisle quickly, amassing the items he needed for beef Wellington. He chuckled from deep within. He didn’t know another person who would’ve requested the type of meal Kennedy had hit him with. Whatever you want, I’ll prepare, he recalled saying. Whatever indeed. If only she knew his range of culinary capabilities. He was by no means an amateur chef. He’d make sure she was certain of that by evening’s end.
“What am I going to wear?” Kennedy shouted. One person should never own this many clothes, she thought, pushing back hanger after hanger on the sturdy racks inside her huge walk-in closet. Many items still had the price tag attached. Designers and fashion houses gave her a fair share of fashionable attire as compliments, yet she still went shopping. Buying new clothes was senseless, especially when she owned a countless wardrobe. But she loved shopping for lingerie.
Casual dinner, Xavier had said. But Kennedy really had no desire to wear jeans. After coupling sharply creased Anne Klein white linen pants with a Nicole Miller lime-green shell and sweater, both with jeweled necklines, she began looking through her clear plastic shoe boxes, stacked by color and style.
Kennedy finally located the perfect pair of Michael Antonio gold strappy sandals. After removing the stylish items, she set them atop the armoire. Perfect, she thought. Happy that chore was complete, she left the closet.
Bright and shiny with stainless-steel and smoky-black appliances and beautiful cherry-wood cabinetry, Xavier’s spacious kitchen was well appointed. Splashes of soft oranges and reds added a touch of colorful spice to the decor. Bushy green plants in woven baskets nested on the ledges above the cabinets, lending a warm touch of mother earth. Fresh fruits filled a red ceramic bowl centered on the granite island counter.
Xavier loved to cook in his cheerful kitchen. Ready to get started on his food preparations, he began to gather up all the ingredients. Since he’d already made the decision to roast the tenderloin whole, he pulled pastry puff sheets from the refrigerator.
He had already finely chopped the mushrooms. Shallots sweated in a small amount of oil, until tender. Both ingredients were then sautéed in sherry until the liquid totally evaporated. He seasoned the beef with salt and pepper and coated it with roasted garlic before adding butter and parsley. Once the tenderloin was rolled up in a pastry puff, he brushed it with egg wash. Green peppercorn sauce was the last item he prepared. He would later drizzle the mixture over the roasted meat and garnish it with dill just before serving.
Once Xavier finished all the cooking preparations, he went up to the loft, where he’d left the book he was reading, Reflections from Earth’s Orbit, written by Winston E. Scott, a retired Captain, United States Navy. It was a fascinating book. Interestingly enough, this true-life story was written in terms the average person could understand. Captain Scott was also a retired African-American NASA astronaut. What Xavier had read so far was intriguing, demanding him to make more time to finish it. He loved to read biographies on United States astronauts and other noteworthy Americans.
Parked right outside Xavier’s home, Kennedy made a last-minute check on her makeup. Her nose looked a bit shiny so she took out her compact and large makeup brush to dull the shine. After applying another layer of MAC gloss to her full mouth, she pressed her lips together. Hoping Xavier would be pleased with how she looked, she opened the driver’s door and slid out from under the leather steering wheel.
After pressing the doorbell, Kennedy stood back to wait for him to greet her. Much to her surprise, a stunning female answered the bell. Her attire was impeccable and every hair on her head appeared in place.
Kennedy couldn’t help feeling a little bit nervous. This woman appeared to have it all, even the privilege of answering Xavier’s door. Well, she thought, he certainly wouldn’t have a woman he was romantically involved with over to his home at the same time he had a date with her. Kennedy chalked her thoughts up to silly nonsense. It wasn’t like her to jump to meaningless conclusions and she certainly wasn’t the insecure type.
The woman with the bone-straight brunette hair extended her hand. “Hello, I’m Janine. And you must be Kennedy. You’re every bit a beautiful as our friend has boasted. Come on in. The guys are outside on the deck. It’s a pleasure meeting you.”
Kennedy smiled. “Thank you. The feeling is mutual, Janine. I love your outfit.” Kennedy truly admired the expensive-looking creamy white pants, paired with a flirty icy-blue and white Chris Han top. “White works beautifully. It makes any outfit pop. I see we both favor it.”
“I wear lots of white,” Janine said. “Like you said, everything goes with it.”
As Kennedy followed Janine through the large house to get outdoors, her eyes darted everywhere, busy taking in some of the finer details of Xavier’s living quarters. She liked the spicy color scheme of his decor. From what she could see, the place appeared neat and extremely clean, very well taken care of. The style of the white French doors leading out to the deck was similar to the set installed in her home.
Xavier’s smile was wide as he drank in Kennedy. Her sable hair looked salon-fresh, shiny and full of body. He loved the outfit she wore, thinking it fit her to a tee. The lime green looked good against her mahogany flesh. As he began his walk toward her, he couldn’t wait to touch her, could barely wait to feel the softness of her skin. Being close to her caused him all sorts of hormonal reactions. Lifting her hand, he pressed a kiss into her palm. “Glad you’re here. You look beautiful.”
Kennedy blushed. He looked beautiful, too, not to mention sexy. His khaki Loro Piana shorts looked good on his powerful physique. The silk Emporio Armani T-shirt was chocolate. The casual brown leather sandals completed his outfit. As he was freshly shaven, she had a strong urge to laze her hand down the side of his face.
As Xavier reclaimed a gentle hold on Kennedy’s hand, he introduced her to Jonathan. “This is Kennedy Bassett, the lady I’ve been raving about. Kennedy, this is my best friend, Jonathan. I’m assuming you two ladies have already introduced yourselves.”
“We have,” Janine said. “We actually got straight into the topic of fashion.”
Happy the two women had already had a pleasant exchange, Xavier laughed. “I guess that means you guys have already found something in common.”
“I’m sure by evening’s end we’ll find we have lots more in common,” Janine said.
“All of us probably have a lot in common,” Xavier stated. “The food is done. If you guys are ready to eat, I can put the meal on the table.” He was proud of the amazing job he’d done with the gold and white place settings. A professional couldn’t have done any better.
After everyone voiced their desires to eat right away, each guest offered to help Xavier bring the dishes out to the deck. Glad for the extra help, he had everyone follow him into the kitchen to grab hold of something.
Inside the kitchen, Xavier guided Kennedy over to the stove, where he pulled down the upper oven to expose his masterpiece. “Beef Wellington,” he sang out, “prepared especially for my new friend. Think I can get a proper thank-you?”
Kennedy was stunned by the beautifully browned roast. It looked cooked to perfection. “Depends on what you consider proper.” Kennedy eyed him curiously.
He stuck his cheek near her lips. “Do you need more of a hint?”
She kissed his cheek, allowing her lips to linger there for a short spell. “Thank you. I can’t wait to taste the fruits of your labor. But can I let you in on something?”
He raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
She threw her head back and let her laughter trill. “Never in my wildest dreams did I expect you to follow through on my request. Now that you have, I’m going to do my best to do the meal justice. Maybe I can even take home some leftovers.”
He winked at her. “Anything your little heart desires.”
“Anything, X?”
“Anything! You heard me. Just let me know what it is you want. I’ll deliver.”
For starters, you. She hoped taking him home with her was on a future menu.
Now that all the food Xavier had prepared earlier was laid out, he ushered Kennedy over to the oval-shaped glass table and pulled out one of the six wrought-iron chairs. Before taking his own seat, he waited for Janine and Jonathan to claim theirs. Xavier then asked Jonathan to pass the blessing. His friend seemed proud to do the honors. Kennedy liked that everyone was familiar with prayer, loved the fact that no one seemed to have a problem giving God His props.
Around the table near complete silence lasted a few minutes, as everyone enjoyed the fabulous meal. Kennedy was so pleased by what he’d done for her. No one had ever cooked her beef Wellington, nor had she ever asked it of anyone.
Kennedy was just being facetious when she’d told Xavier what she’d wanted him to prepare for her. He’d said his father had taught him how to cook this particular entrée—plus many others. He had surely taught his son well. The delicious cut of beef was tender and moist and the pastry puff it had been baked in was flaky and buttery. Kennedy had never eaten food this delectable—and she’d graced a lot of first-class eateries, dining at some of the finest catered events all over the world.
Along with the beef and mushrooms, Xavier had sautéed asparagus and brown rice. The initial sight of the food had caused Kennedy’s mouth to water.
The crisp salad greens lying beneath the cherry tomatoes and thin slices of cucumbers, sprayed with an Italian-blend dressing, was a perfect complement to the wonderful meal. Xavier’s plate held double portions of everything, except the rice, which he had a bowlful of. He had told Kennedy he was a rice lover, loving it any way it was cooked. Xavier had never had a problem with his weight despite his voracious appetite.
The host reared his chair back slightly. “How is everything, Kennedy?”
“It is the best meal I’ve eaten. Don’t you see this huge smile on my face?”
“I get the point. Thanks.” Xavier grinned, grateful for the compliment. He looked to Jonathan and Janine for their opinions. Their thoughts were similar to Kennedy’s.
Conversation flowed smoothly as the two couples savored a fine French wine. Kennedy learned that Janine was a fashion writer who wrote for a host of fashion magazines and Web sites. She also had a Web site and blog where her readers could write in and give their opinions on her stories. Janine spent a good bit of her work schedule making rounds at popular fashion venues.
As the wife of an interior designer, Janine was there for him, always willing to help out in his business ventures. Many of his wealthier clients were referrals from his bride of four years. He was a fabulous-looking guy who doted on his wife. Kennedy thought they made a lovely couple. Happiness was written all over their glowing faces.
Everyone had finished with their meals, but Xavier noticed that Kennedy was still working on hers. She was a very slow eater. She had informed him of that at Café Blue. She believed eating slow was necessary for proper digestion. Very much into a healthy diet, she also drank plenty of water and got lots of exercise. It wasn’t unusual for her to linger over her meal thirty minutes or more. She wasn’t a fanatic about controlling her weight, but she did take seriously everything to do with her health and diet.
“Besides your exciting career, what do you do for fun?” Janine asked Kennedy.
“Dancing is my favorite. I include it in my daily exercise routine. I also try to go out dancing at least once or twice a week for fun. Besides, I love to play tennis, the piano and read.”
She went out dancing with her girlfriends, Martina Sellers and Bianca Wise, when they were available to hang out. The three women frequented some of the most popular dance clubs around the Los Angeles and Hollywood areas.
To once again make sure Xavier had no doubts about how great the food was, Kennedy rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. “This food is soooo good. If you’ll agree, I’d love for you to help me prepare the meal for my upcoming dinner party next week. That is, if you’re free to join my guests and me. What do you say?”
Certain that he’d heard her correctly, yet baffled by her request, Xavier widened his eyes. “You’re putting me on, right?”
“Of course not! I’m serious. There’ll only be six or so of us, total,” Kennedy said.
Xavier hunched his broad shoulders. “What’d you have in mind to serve?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. After this meal, I definitely trust your judgment.”
“Oh, no, I’m not going out like that. If I agree to help cook, you plan the meal.”
“We have a few days to decide the menu.” Kennedy turned to look at Janine and Jonathan. “I’d feel honored if you’d both come. The group I hang out with is a lot of fun. But I have to warn you, they’re lively and very much into playing practical jokes.”
“We’d love to come,” Janine said, readily accepting the invite for her and Jonathan. Sighing hard, she stretched her arms high above her head. “Can’t believe how tired I am. This has been an extremely busy week for me.”
Kennedy understood. She was fatigued. Her feet ached, and she planned to soak them once she got back home. But being with Xavier was exhilarating.
Suddenly, Kennedy realized she didn’t want to miss out on one moment of their time together, nor did she want to be distracted by any one thing or another. She couldn’t sleep in late tomorrow, since she had an early-morning assignment, but this evening she wanted every moment she spent with Xavier to be memorable.
“Why don’t you guys go on into the media room and relax while I clear the table? It’ll only take me a few minutes to get it all done,” Xavier remarked.
Janine got to her feet. “Can’t believe you went there. You know how we roll. We always do the cleanup bit together. This evening is no exception.”
Jonathan stood up and then kissed his wife gently on the mouth. “Maybe our boy is putting on airs for Kennedy.” Everyone laughed. “Let’s knock out the cleanup so we can all sit down, relax and listen to some good music,” Jonathan suggested.
“Count me in,” Kennedy remarked. “We can get everything done in a flash.”
Arguing with his friends wouldn’t do a bit of good, Xavier knew. He’d been there and had done that enough times to know better. After getting to his feet, he began to clear the table. “Let’s do this.” He flashed Kennedy a brilliant smile, but all he really wanted to do was lean into her and give her a sweet kiss. He felt like letting go with a low growl, satisfying his desire to act naughty with her.
Smiling back at him sensuously, Kennedy’s gaze locked on to Xavier’s luscious mouth. Keep smiling at me like that, and you’ll get yourself into a heap of trouble. Playfully, she swatted his arm, though she would’ve rather popped him on his sexy backside. Bring it on, big boy, she taunted mentally, gathering up the wineglasses.
Finished with the kitchen duties, the foursome quickly made their way to the lavish media room, furnished with fine Italian leather sofas and several different kinds of chairs designed for comfort. The chocolate-and-gold-veined marble fireplace and beautiful hand-carved mantel were the first items to catch Kennedy’s eye. The plush white rug laid out only inches away from the hearth was exquisite. Instantly, her mind conjured up images of their bodies entwined, watching the flames of a roaring fire.
While Xavier’s guests took seats, he turned on the CD player he kept stacked with the latest in releases. Big on Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige, he usually kept at least two discs of each artist on the playlist. He’d learned from Kennedy that she was an Usher and Beyoncé fan. Once she’d accepted his dinner invitation, he had made sure to include a couple of her favorite discs for her listening pleasure.
Jonathan and Janine had a quiet conversation going on between them, one that Kennedy and Xavier weren’t privy to. With the other couple completely into each other, it allowed the host to fully concentrate on entertaining his date.
Xavier extended his arm across the back of the sofa where he and Kennedy were seated. “How was your day?”
“Really busy, but all my days are that way, especially lately. I keep telling myself I’m going to set aside some me-time, but I never seem to do it. You know the type of life we high-fashion models lead. If we’re not into one thing, we’re into something else. There’s always that last-minute call to help someone out because of an unexpected cancelation. I’d love to take a vacation where I can just lie out on the beach and soak up the rays. I love to read, but I don’t seem to have much time for that anymore, either.”
Xavier nodded. “I know exactly what you’re talking about. But only you can make the difference in how you pace your lifestyle.”
She looked perplexed. “What do you mean?”
Xavier went on to explain to her that everything to do with a person’s life was about choices. He kept a list of the things he wanted to accomplish and he had it in order of importance. As jobs came in, he weighed out each one, deciding to do only those he thought he’d really enjoy or benefit from. He did the same with charitable events.
A newcomer to the profession thought they had to do everything they were asked. As models became seasoned veterans, he told Kennedy they could begin to choose only jobs that held their interest. In fact, they had to learn to choose wisely or face burnout.
Xavier wrapped a tendril of her hair around his finger. “Why take on something you might not enjoy? Favors are just that, favors. You don’t have to say yes to everything you’re asked to take on. If it’s something you really don’t want to do, say no.”
