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She eyed him with open curiosity. “Is it really that simple?”
“It’s only as simple or as complicated as we make it. We’re in a position to make choices. Of course we have to fulfill our contract obligations. But it’s normally the noncontractual stuff that steals our free time away. It’s great to give support to charities, but we have to limit ourselves to how many events we take on in a given period.”
She laid her forefinger against her temple. “Never thought of it that way.”
“Then I suggest you start,” Xavier said matter-of-factly, smiling softly.
She smiled back. “I think you’re right. I often find myself agreeing to do way more things than I have time for. It’s hard to turn down people. Tomorrow I’ll start working on my list. Thanks for the great advice, Xavier. You’ve really opened my eyes.”
More nervous than he’d ever been around any woman, Xavier sucked in a deep breath, just before kissing Kennedy’s forehead. When she didn’t object to that bit of intimacy, he dusted her lips with a soft kiss. She smelled so good, so sweet, and the delicate scent of her nearly drove him wild with desire. As Kennedy laid her head against Xavier’s shoulder, no one was more surprised than him, surprised and definitely pleased.
Kennedy truly felt safe with Xavier. Was it because his friends were in the room? She didn’t think so. She didn’t like fast-moving and fast-talking men. He didn’t seem to be either type. So far, he seemed for real, truly down to earth. Xavier could’ve asked out any woman in the world, but he’d chosen her. Not once, but twice. Perhaps he’d thought about her as much as she’d reflected on him. Desiring a moment to ponder what might be happening between them, she closed her eyes. Tranquillity washed over her.
Kennedy awakened to glowing candlelight in an otherwise darkened room. She was sprawled out on the leather sofa, and a lightweight blanket had been thrown over her. She looked around the room for a wall clock but couldn’t find one. The dial on her watch was too small for her to see without light. Then she spotted the time on the cable box.
3:00 a.m.
Panic rapidly arose within her. What in the world had happened? The obvious couldn’t be overlooked. She’d fallen asleep. Not only had she gone out like a light, she’d done so at the expense of Xavier and his guests. How rude was that? What a first impression she must’ve made on Janine and Jonathan, not to mention her host!
Kennedy had no idea how she was to live down this idiotic act, sure that Xavier was furious with her. The blanket only proved he didn’t want her to catch her death. It also showed how considerate he was to her compared to how inconsiderate she’d shown herself to be. This is awful, she thought, moving aside the cover and sitting up. As she looked down at her feet, she noticed her sandals had been removed. Then she saw the shoes situated next to the coffee table.
How to get out of Xavier’s home without waking him was Kennedy’s next thought. Surely he had an alarm system…and it was probably activated. She racked her brain for a solution to her dilemma, but came up totally empty.
The urgency to use the bathroom hit her suddenly. She knew there was a guest bathroom in the hallway, but she’d have to turn on a light. That was risky since it might wake her host. Since she didn’t have a choice in the matter, she reached for the switch.
Trying her best to be quiet as possible, Kennedy tiptoed from the room and stepped out into the hallway. Halfway to her destination she ran into something solid, which scared the daylights out of her, causing her to scream bloody murder.
Strong arms instantly went about her, steadying her on her feet, making sure she didn’t fall. “It’s okay. It’s just me,” Xavier whispered, his tone gentle and soothing.
Xavier flicked on a switch and soft lighting suddenly flooded the hallway.
Kennedy looked thoroughly embarrassed. “I’m so sorry for falling asleep on you and your guests like that. Please forgive me.” She sounded as if she was about to cry. She’d never done anything so asinine in her adult life—and she felt downright stupid.
As Xavier gave Kennedy a warm hug, he chuckled. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You were obviously tired. That’s all there was to it. My friends definitely understood. They work every bit as hard as we do. Janine was worn-out, too.”
“Hold that thought,” she said. Kennedy was unable to stand still another second, not without dire consequences. “I’ll be right back.” With that said, she had to run the few steps to the bathroom just to make it in time.
Xavier laughed inwardly. No one was more surprised than him that Kennedy had fallen asleep on him. At first, it had bothered him, simply because he’d thought she might’ve been bored out of her mind. After he’d gone over the numerous things she’d told him she’d accomplished that week, he’d understood it all had to do with sheer fatigue. And he’d also fed her a huge meal, one big enough to make anyone sleepy.
Janine had also shared with Xavier how tired she felt, which had resulted in her and Jonathan’s leaving much earlier than normal. His friends hadn’t blamed his date one iota for falling asleep. They had told him he should feel lucky she felt comfortable and safe enough with him to fall asleep in his home. Actually, Janine had seen it as a good omen.
After splashing cold water on her face, Kennedy used one of the fancy guest towels to dry her skin off. She didn’t know what she’d say to Xavier, but she knew she had to hurry up and get back out there and face him. Stalling for time wouldn’t help matters any. And disappearing into thin air wasn’t an option.
Combing her fingers through her hair was the last thing Kennedy did to try and look more presentable. Before stepping back into the hallway, she said a silent prayer. Much to her joy, he wasn’t standing out there waiting to escort her back to where she’d left her purse and sandals. Upon spotting Xavier seated in one of the leather recliners, she smiled weakly, wishing she could’ve mustered up a more convincing one.
Xavier sat up straight in the chair. “I’d like to fix you a cup of coffee. It might help you stay awake if you’re thinking of driving home.”
She shook her head in the negative. “That’s not necessary. I can make it home okay. I think I’m wide-awake now.”
“Think? That doesn’t sound very convincing to me.” He looked over at the cable box to check the time. “Look, it’s darn near four in the morning. Please accept one of my guest rooms for the next couple of hours or so. You can leave at the crack of dawn if you want to.”
“I probably should leave now.”
“Why? Are you afraid to stay here alone with me?”
“Of course not! Don’t be silly. Is there a reason for me to be afraid?”
“Not a single one. You’re perfectly safe here with me. I wouldn’t harm a single hair on your beautiful head. You can trust me with your life.”
“That sounds promising.” Kennedy looked down at her sandals. Then she glanced at the clock again. “I don’t know. Maybe I should stay at least until the sun comes up.” Her garage had a door leading right into the house, but she thought about what elements might be out there to witness her driving around alone at this hour.
“Leaving at sunrise is the best and safest option. Don’t you think so?”
“You win. But I’ll just stretch back out here on the sofa and use the blanket you covered me with. I don’t want to mess up fresh bed linens for a couple hours.”
“Nonsense. A bed is more comfortable than any leather couch, no matter how soft it is. Come on. Let me show you where you can lie down until you’re ready to leave.”
Kennedy knew when she was in a losing battle. And she was too tired to continue haggling over something Xavier was obviously right about. “The bed it is. Thank you.”
The bedroom was lovely and cozy. The comforter on the queen bed was a field of flowers done in white, yellow and lavender. It made her feel as if she was in the middle of a spring day. The white wicker furniture looked new. Three oil paintings, all of them seascapes, graced oyster-white walls. The largest window overlooked the pool and patio, from where the mountain range was in full view. Recessed lighting was soft and glowing.
Kennedy loved the room, knew she’d be more than comfortable there. After she slipped out of her clothes, she put on the long sweatshirt Xavier had provided for her. As she lay there, the earlier vision of her and Xavier entwined suddenly sped into her mind.
The heat emanating from Kennedy’s body was no match for any fire burning hotly in a fireplace. As she thought about crashing into Xavier in the hallway, her heart began to pound hard. She looked over at the closed door, knowing his bedroom was right down the hall. The urge to get up and go slide into bed with him was overwhelming. Instead, she grabbed a pillow and shoved it between her knees and let the fantasies begin.
Chapter 3
Kennedy’s body had already flown through a flurry of poses. The executions were quick and done with keen precision. Dressed in a black flowing evening gown, long black gloves, her hair pinned up in a beautiful updo with flawless makeup, she was stunning.
Flirting openly with the camera was one of Kennedy’s favorite things to do.
“Run your tongue across your lips, Kennedy,” cameraman Danny George gently instructed the lead model. “That’s good. Now cross your arms up over your head. Hold it. Great!” The shutter went off in rapid succession. “That’s a wrap. We’re all through here. Thanks for always being so easy to work with. I wish all models were like you.”
“Models can be a little temperamental, including me. You’ve just been lucky not to get me on a bad day. For your sake, I hope you never do. Thanks, Danny. I appreciate how professionally you operate. Hope to see you again soon.”
“Take care, Kennedy. You’ll definitely see me again. Count on it.”
Kennedy rushed back into the dressing room to change into her street clothes. She sat down at the dressing table. Using lots of moisturizing cream, she stripped her face of all the heavy makeup. She then dabbed on a lighter base coat, dusting her face with powder and blush, which left her complexion with a more natural glow.
Xavier had invited her to lunch before she’d left his house earlier. She had happily agreed to meet him right after her shoot since she was often hyperactive after completing a job. Energy to burn. After locating her cell phone, she called his mobile to let him know she was through and could meet him within the hour. He had already picked out a restaurant near her home, one that she happened to be familiar with.
Xavier was already waiting in the parking lot of the Gray Whale. When Kennedy spotted his car, she parked right next to it. He immediately got of out of his automobile so he could open the door for her.
As Kennedy stepped out of her car, Xavier slid his hand down her arm and kissed her forehead. “Hello, there. How’d things go for you at work today?”
“Great.” Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed Xavier’s cheek and put her arm through his. “Have you ever worked with Danny George?”
“Many times. He’s the consummate professional. I like him a lot.”
“Me, too. He complimented me today on not being hard to work with. I hated to tell him he just hadn’t caught me on a bad day. But I decided to enlighten him.” They laughed.
Inside the restaurant Xavier stepped up to the podium and gave his name to the hostess. He hadn’t made reservations because he hadn’t been sure when Kenney would finish up her job. However, the place didn’t look too crowded and only a few people were waiting to be seated. After requesting a window table for two, he joined Kennedy.
Kennedy looked up at Xavier as he drew near. “Think we could sit at the bar until they call your name? I’m thirsty.”
“Sure, let’s go.” Prepared to lead the way, he took her by the hand.
The couple stopped by the podium to tell the hostess their plans before proceeding to the large bar area, which was practically empty. It was well after the lunch-hour rush.
Kennedy ordered raspberry iced tea and Xavier had a taste for lemonade.
He looked right into her eyes. “What was your session like?”
“Mainly formal wear. I modeled several designer evening gowns for a specialty-wear catalogue. It was a pretty easy gig. Getting in and out of clothes and makeup are the most demanding parts for me. I’ve pretty much got all the different poses and faces down pat.”
“I know. I’ve been privileged to see you in action. How’re you feeling?”
“I’m flying high right now. Everything was so fast paced and exhilarating. In about an hour, I’ll start to bomb out.”
“I think that goes for all high-fashion models. Men don’t have to go through as much as you women, but we have our fair share of demanding jobs. Makeup is still a rough part for me to get through. I can’t wait to get it off my face afterward.”
“I can see how that’d be hard for any male, since you guys don’t normally wear the stuff.” Her eyes roved over his face. “You have gorgeous skin. What’s your secret?”
“Using a darn good moisturizer. A healthy diet and drinking plenty of water helps, too. This face has never been introduced to a razor, thank goodness. I shave with a light depilatory. For whatever reason, I don’t grow a lot of facial hair. Now my chest, that’s a different matter altogether,” he said, chuckling.
Kennedy recalled with crystal clarity the thick chest hair that eventually tapered off to run down into his shorts. She reined in her torrid thoughts as they began to get out of control. Xavier’s last name was then called out, which gave her more time to pull it together. This fine brother had a way of making her imagination go wild.
The couple was then seated at a window table and a waitress was sent right over.
Due to the heavy meal Kennedy had consumed the previous night, she chose a light garden salad with low-calorie dressing, along with a dish of seasonal fruit: strawberries, cantaloupe chunks, blackberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Xavier ordered a grilled chicken entrée, accompanied with his favorite veggie, asparagus.
The couple spoke on a variety of stimulating subjects as they waited for their meals to be delivered. Travel was a favorite pastime for both. Their profession gave them ample opportunity to journey to places they may’ve never otherwise gotten to. Kennedy and Xavier had already been to many exotic locations.
“How do you feel about us getting away together for a quiet mini-vacation?”
Kennedy couldn’t hide her surprise at the question. “I don’t know. It all depends on what you have in mind.”
“Just some time away from this bustling city. Separate rooms, of course. I thought it’d be nice if we could take a short vacation down to Mexico or possibly up north to the wine country.”
Kennedy looked Xavier dead in the eye, as if to test his resolve. When he didn’t so much as flinch, she felt relieved, actually liking the idea of getting away for a couple of days and doing absolutely nothing. The idea of being away with him had her heart jumping around. “Separate rooms are a must. Thanks for the invite. I’ll have to check my schedule to see what time frames are free. Weekdays are normally best for me.”
“I agree. Most of my weekends are crazy. But I’m willing to do whichever I can. Whatever days you come up with, I’ll try and match up our calendars.”
“We can see if we can work out something. I’ll check it out when I get home.”
“You’ll have no regrets, Kennedy. I promise.”
“I trust you to keep your promise. Here comes our food.” She had already made a promise to herself to finish all of her meal this time. For a mere second, she thought of offering to pick up the check. Something told her it wasn’t a good idea, at least not this soon. Xavier was a man with a lot of pride. She shouldn’t risk injuring it.
Xavier eagerly accepted Kennedy’s invitation to come into her home. She had said she’d like to show him around if he had time. She had also mentioned they could check her calendar to try and come up with a match, suggesting that he could write down the information to later compare it to his own busy schedule.
The blinding white decor of Kennedy’s three-bedroom ranch house took Xavier by surprise. Everything covered in fabric was fashioned in an array of white tones, both softer shades and the more dazzling ones. The dark wood accents relieved the stark whiteness to a small degree, but the rooms still had a white wonderland appearance.
Despite all the flashy whiteness, there wasn’t a sterile feel to the place. Kennedy was not the least bit neurotic about her space, either. She made sure her visitors always felt welcome and comfortable in her home. There were no specific rules about where people could eat and drink. Like most folks, she only wanted people to respect her home and not indulge in practices they wouldn’t perform inside their own residences. In many ways, both she and Xavier had the same goal in mind for their visitors’ total comfort.
It took Kennedy all of ten minutes to give Xavier a full tour since she hadn’t spent a lot of time in each room. The master bedroom was as white as the rest of the place, but at least she had pink and lavender designer pillows on her bed. The white comforter was also fringed in a soft shade of pink and a deep violet, with the master bath also done in the same shades. White wood shutters covered all the windows in the house.
Once the couple got into the office, she offered Xavier a seat on an overstuffed chair. Then she rifled through her desk, looking for her calendar, which wasn’t where it was normally kept. Kennedy finally spotted it on her computer table.
“Ah, here we go,” she said, picking up the large black calendar and an ink pen and writing pad. Walking over to where Xavier was seated, she sat down at his feet and held up the calendar for him to view. “It looks like this month is all filled. Maybe we should look at the next one.” She rapidly flipped over the page.
Xavier took the calendar from her hand and flipped it back to the page she’d turned away from. “Take a closer look at what you have written down in the blocks. Maybe there are a few dispensable items.”
“If I’ve already given my word on something, I couldn’t back out.”
“Just take a look at everything. You’d be surprised at what you can hack away. I thought you’d promised to start prioritizing your time.”
Kennedy closely studied the entries, giving each one her undivided attention. She pointed at the second Wednesday of the month. “This event has been canceled. Looks like I forgot to mark it off. Interesting, but the following two days are also free. You could look at your calendar to see how they work for you.”
Taking the pen and pad from her hand, he wrote down the dates. “Keep on looking. Maybe you’ll spot something else you forgot to cancel.”
After more scrutinizing, she didn’t see anything else she could hack off, causing her to flip over to the following month. “There are a couple of days in the first week of July. Wow, the Fourth of July is free. It’s in the middle of the week, but places are probably going to be pretty crowded then.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure we can find a resort hotel close by to book into.” He wrote those dates down, too, before spotting a couple of empty spaces at the end of July. After pointing the dates out to her, he jotted them down also. “Now we have a few things to work with. When I get back home, I’ll do the comparisons.”
Kennedy smiled brightly. “Assignment completed. Let’s go down to the family room and chat awhile. That is, if you have some time to hang out with me.”
“I’d like nothing more.” As he got to his feet, he handed her back the calendar.
Up front in the family room, Xavier sat as close to Kennedy on the sofa as he thought appropriate. The scent of her perfume drove him wild. The urge to run his fingers through her hair was unbearable. Kissing her thoroughly was his next tingling thought.
Kennedy felt the same kind of vibes as Xavier did. She couldn’t count how many times she’d wondered what his kiss might do to her. She had a good idea his mouth would set her entire body on fire. Everything about him turned on her inner flames.
The phone suddenly rang, pulling Kennedy away from her heated thoughts. “Excuse me.” Normally she didn’t answer calls when she had company, but she was expecting to hear from her best girlfriend, Martina Sellers.
“Hey, Marty, what’s up?”
“Everything is cool. A few of us are going out tonight to this new club called Caliente. Knowing how much you like the Latin scene, I thought I’d call to see if you wanted to join Mitchel and me. Bianca is also stopping by for a bit.”
“Sounds like fun. What time and where is the club?”
“Around eight-thirty or so, at Redondo Beach. You know nothing really pops off before eight or nine. Get a pen and I’ll give you the address.”
Using one of the pens and pads she kept next to the phone, Kennedy told Martina she was ready to copy. The beach cities pretty much ran one right after the other. Redondo was on the other side of Manhattan Beach, but it didn’t take long to get there. “Okay, Martina, I’ll see you guys later. I’ve got something interesting to tell you.”
“Any hints?”
“Not right now. Talk to you when I see you.”
