I waved my hand. “Of course.” I put a bit of everything on my plate. “Xander, I want to say thank you for today.”
“You already have. With words and amazing food.”
“I know. But it doesn’t feel like enough. What you did for me…it was kind, thoughtful, and way too much, considering we’re not even friends.”
Xander stared at me. “We’re friends.”
My heart fluttered.
“Are we?”
Maybe I had been only Dillon’s best friend at one point, but somewhere over the last few days, that had changed.
“Yes.”
Xander’s grin spread from ear to ear. It was the most delightful expression. It made me all light and bubbly inside.
We finished eating, and Xander helped me clear the table.
“I’ll wash up,” he said.
“I should help.”
He nudged my shoulder with his. “Like you let me help you cook?”
“Fair point.”
I should have walked away, but we were standing so close together that I could feel his body heat. His hair smelt of apples. His deodorant was delicate with a hint of spice. I wondered if his lips felt warm and tingly like mine did—the side effect of eating a spicy meal. Would I be able to taste dinner on his tongue if we kissed? Not that we would.
“Jae?”
I met Xander’s stare. His brown eyes were several shades lighter than mine and curved down at the corners. His nose was narrow, with a sweet upturn at the tip. His upper lip only had a slight Cupid’s bow, but his mouth was perfect. He was perfect.
“Jae?”
It felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. I could see myself leaning forwards, my lips getting closer to his, but I couldn’t stop myself. Our mouths connected. His lips were as smooth as I’d imagined, and his designer stubble was at a length where it was soft, not scratchy.
I snapped back into myself, retreating and pressing my hand to my mouth while taking several steps away from him.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”
“Jae.” He reached out to me.
I shook my head and ran. I would have gone to my room, but I didn’t have one. Hiding under the quilt on the sofa wasn’t exactly escaping him. I went to the en suite in the spare bedroom instead. Or at least, that was my plan. But when I set foot in the room Xander had converted into a studio, I stopped and stared. Xander had been working out in that room an hour or two earlier. Naked. My heart rate kicked up several notches, and blood rushed through my veins, travelling straight to my cock. Which, of course, was the moment Xander walked into the room behind me.
CHAPTERTEN
XANDER
“Jae?”
Jae hung his head and covered his face with his hands. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?” My lips still tingled from the unexpected kiss.
“Kissing you. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”
“Could you turn around and look at me?”
