Xavier turned to the hall closet, then pulled out another robe, almost identical to the one he was wearing. Smiling shyly, he offered it to me, and as I slipped the garment over my shoulders, he brushed a quick kiss across my cheeks.
Like home.
“I made some breakfast,” I said, gesturing to the plates on the counter. “I hope you don’t mind—I used that bread you baked yesterday.”
He shook his head softly. “That’s what it’s there for.”
I shifted the food to the small table in his kitchen, and Xavier flipped on the radio. Oldies played softly in the background while we each turned to our coffees, and Bea Arthur came pouncing into the room, purring for her breakfast.
“How are you feeling after last night?” I asked, patting Xavier’s backside lightly while he returned to the table. “Anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”
He rubbed his hand across his rear as he took a seat, then fluttered his eyelashes my way. “It’s like I can still feel you there,” he said. “Like your hands are still on me.”
“Sexy,” I said.
He blushed, right on command. “It is,” he agreed.
We sat in the quiet music for a minute, and I smiled to myself as Xavier bit into the breakfast, chewing contentedly. “I can imagine you’ve got a big appetite this morning,” I said. “Can I make you a second helping?”
He lifted the coffee mug and took a sip. “I’m good for now, thanks. But you’re right. I’m practically starving.”
“Of course you are. Play like that always takes a lot out of a person. It’s not just the physical side, although your body was in overdrive, shooting off endorphins and adrenaline. But it’s emotionally exhausting, too.”
He nodded, setting the mug back down. “I don’t even remember falling asleep. I think I just passed out.”
“Curled up in my arms,” I said. “I’m proud of you.”
He scoffed, then waved his napkin in the air. “What are you proud of me for? All I did was lay down and take what you gave me.”
“That’s one way to look at it, I guess. But I’m proud of you for going for what you wanted. A lot of people don’t get that far. And I’m proud of you for staying strong in the play, too. Getting in deep like we did requires a lot of integrity. Otherwise, it’s easy to lose to track of yourself.”
Xavier shrugged again, and went back to chewing on his toast. “Thanks,” he said. I could tell he felt a little embarrassed by the compliment, but I could also tell that he heard me, and that was what really mattered.
“What about you?” he asked. “Are you feeling good this morning? You probably have a busy day ahead of you again.”
“Very good,” I said, catching his eye. “Exhausted, too. But very, very good.” I took a sip of my coffee, and Bea Arthur purred between my legs. “I’m heading out to my grandfather’s in a bit for lunch, and I’ll have to stop by the office before that, but otherwise, it should be just a typical Saturday.”
“How’s Vince?” he asked.
“Good,” I answered. “He said to tell you hello, too.”
Xavier set his bread down, and the egg on top slid to the side. “That reminds me,” he said, “could I ask you a business question? Or is it too early in the morning for that?”
I chuckled. “There’s not really such a thing astoo earlyfor business in my book. Go ahead. What’s on your mind?”
“I’m trying to figure something out. The corporation that bought up the Zing Pop building hasn’t done a thing with it. It’s just been sitting there, empty and neglected for months. And then that same corporation dropped a ton of money to buy the bar out from under Georgia.” He frowned and pushed the egg across his plate with a fork. “Why would they want to buy all these buildings if they aren’t doing anything with them? I thought you might know, considering you own all those properties in New York now.”
I frowned. “Well, those properties are being used. I’m just not the one managing them. It’s a bit of an odd move for the corporation, especially if they’re having to outbid other buyers. Do you know anything else about them?”
“Not really. They’re called Zed Four, but when I tried to research them online, I just got some generic websites. They didn’t even really say what the company was doing.” He shrugged. “I sometimes feel like a businessman, but then I run into stuff like this, and I remember how different it is for someone like me.”
I paused, my fork poised in front of me.Zed Four?My mind cycled through the contacts I had in the city, trying to remember where I had seen that name before…
“Patricia,” I muttered under my breath.
“What’s that?” Xavier asked.
I shook my head quickly. It was only a hunch, and I didn’t want to promise Xavier anything I couldn’t deliver on. I’d already done that enough with my failed attempts to save the garden, and now that he had shown so much trust in our relationship, I had no intention of letting him down again.
