Kapitel 17: Chapter 17

An hour before they were supposed to be at the breast cancer awareness fundraiser, Xavier glanced at the note taped to Peyton's apartment door and frowned. What the hell was she doing on the roof?

Turning for the stairs, he checked his phone. Nothing. Shouldn't she be getting ready?

They'd had a hellacious week, and even though his new receptionist was working out, orientating Jackie took time. And the press was still a nightmare. Plus, he and Peyton had been forced to fill out police reports and statements. He was still pissed she'd dropped the assault charge. She'd been convinced Fern would walk away and leave them alone. Xavier wasn't as confident. He kept a bodyguard on her when she went to and from work, but conceded to stopping overnights.

Reaching the door to the roof, he shoved through and halted at the female grunt that raked his ears. Panicked, he walked around a ventilation unit and found Peyton pinned to the ground, Joseph on top of her with a Fuck him. A gun at her head.

"What in the hell are you doing?" He stormed forward, but Peyton shook her head.

"Stay back, X." A warrior cry, and she kicked her leg, wrapping it around Joseph's neck. One hand shoved the gun, the other Joseph's arm, and in three beats, she had him pinned under her and the gun on him. "Yeah. Suck it, bad guy."

While Xavier stood like an idiot wondering what was happening, Joseph let out a rip-roaring laugh and smacked Her. Ass.

"Good work, blondie. Now get up. I need a shower."

It was then Xavier realized the two of them were in workout clothes. Hers were so skintight the spit in his mouth dried. "You're teaching her self defense?"

"Yep. For the past couple months. The gun's not loaded, by the way." Joseph rolled to his feet. "She learned quicker than you, too."

"Because I'm awesome." Her wide gaze scanned Xavier, his tuxedo. "Oh crap. What time is it?" She vaulted over to him, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it to read his watch. "Joseph, you jerkface. We have less than an hour to get ready. Now we really do need to shower together." She raced through the door.

What to the what? Xavier pinned Joseph with a look bordering on homicidal.

His bodyguard held up a hand. "Relax. She's kidding."

Swear to God, Xavier couldn't take any more shit this week. He just couldn't. It was bad enough he had to throw on a tux and play nice for the next however many hours, but to watch Joseph and Peyton flirt would be the gigabyte that broke the geek's back.

They followed Peyton inside and found her back on her floor, standing with Kate outside her door.

"You," Peyton pointed to Joseph, "shower at her place. You," she pointed to Xavier, "come in here. I'm going to do the fastest prep in the history of womankind."

He'd no sooner shut the door behind them in her apartment and she was gone. The shower ran. Curses were muttered. Cabinets slammed. Joseph returned in a suit as Peyton's hairdryer kicked on with a whir. Xavier stayed by the door, too frightened to step deeper into the unit with her on a tear.

"Someone come zip me," she shouted from what he assumed was the bedroom.

Joseph raised his hands in surrender. "Not it."

Xavier shook his head and made his way to her room, only to stop dead over the threshold. He absolutely needed to quit picking out evening dresses that put him in a constant state of asthma simply by looking at her.

Pale pink silk molded to her ample breasts and slim waist, the hem skimming her bare toes. She held the material across her chest with an arm to apparently keep it from slipping while she put in an earring. Her champagne hair fell around her shoulders and she was sans the glasses.

"Well, come on, X."

Right. He closed in behind her and fingered the tab, doing everything possible not to swallow his tongue while he pulled up the zipper. Jesus, her skin was pure buttermilk. And she was wearing that perfume that wrapped around his windpipe and squeezed.

She passed him a pair of silver heels. "Take these." And she was gone.

Back in the living room, she tossed a small case at Joseph. "Carry that. I'll have to do makeup in the car. Let's go." She snatched a purse off the end table that matched her shoes and rushed out. She tapped Kate's door with her palm as she breezed by. "Bye, Kate. Love you."

Apparently, the elevator was too slow. She pushed through the fire exit staircase.

"She should work for NASCAR," Joseph muttered as they trailed her down fivecount that, fiveflights of stairs and to the curb.

She cupped Archie's cheeks as his driver held the limousine door for them. "Drive it like it's stolen. We're running late."

A craggy laugh, and the old man's cocoa skin blushed. "Yes, ma'am."

On the road, she swiveled in the seat next to Xavier and put her feet in his lap. "You, shoe duty. Joseph, cosmetic bag."

Joseph tossed her the case he'd been ordered to bring and rolled his lips over his teeth to hide a grin.

Xavier gave him a thanks-no-thanks glare and eyed her shoes. They seemed simple enough. A little buckle or something. He fiddled with it while she opened a compact mirror thing and added charcoal or whatever to her eyes. She had both lids done before he'd gotten one shoe on her delicate foot. She applied lipstick and Xavier got the other shoe on as the limo rolled to a stop.

"Time?" she barked as Archie opened the door.

Xavier glanced at his watch. "Seven fifty-five."

"Yes. Five minutes to spare." She beamed a three-hundred megawatt smile at Xavier. "I'm ready."

He shared a holy-shit look with Joseph as his bodyguard stepped onto the curb, eyed the street in front of the art museum, and nodded an okay.

Xavier climbed out and held his hand for Peyton. She clasped it and exited the limo. Drawing a deep breath, she blew out what appeared to be any frazzled nerves from her system.

"The tickets?" He lifted a brow.

"As if the whole of society doesn't know you. It's not like they'd turn Xavier Gaines away." She reached into the breast pocket of his tuxedo and extracted two tickets.

"I don't want to know how those got there." They walked up the front steps, her hand in the crook of his arm, and a bellman held the door for them. "You look lovely, by the way."

That earned another grin. "Thank you." She turned to the bellman. "And thank you, kind sir."

Admiration inflated his chest. Not only did he get to attend these nerve-wracking events with her, but she made it a point to address everyone, no matter their status, as if they were royalty. Once they got inside, there wouldn't be a face she didn't know or some quirk of hers to make him comfortable. She was seriously one in a million.

Photographers snapped pictures and flashes filled the small entryway. Joseph jerked his chin, indicating he'd wait for them along the far wall in the lobby.

Hand low on her back, Xavier guided her to the left and into the showroom. Stark white walls and thick pillars were met with splashes of color via framed contemporary art. To the left was a bar, to the right, an orchestra. Several waiters milled about with trays of hors d'oeuvres and champagne. Pink bow ties and dresses socialized.

He looked at Peyton. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Not right now. I haven't eaten since breakfast." She brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

"Why?" And she'd gone head-to-head with Joseph without sustenance? "Never mind." He stopped a passing waiter, loaded a few canapés and sushi rolls on a plate, and gave it to her.

"I'm not that hungry, actually." She eyed the food and nibbled.

She did seem rather pale, even for her fair complexion. He ushered her to a far corner. "Are you coming down with something? We can leave."

"No, it's just" A wrinkle formed between her brows. "Don't go all Xavier on me, but I haven't been sleeping or eating much since what happened with Fern. I know she won't come after me, but I just can't get the guilt out of my stomach. Every time I close my eyes, I see the anger on her face or hear her voice"

"Stay at the mansion with me tonight."

"No." She waved him off. "I'm just being silly." She bit into a sushi roll as if to make a point.

"You need a good night's sleep and you were coming over tomorrow to prep me for the press conference, anyway."

She didn't respond, other than to give him a polite smile.

Chest aching, he took in the slight shadows beneath her eyes and the remnants of bruising on her temple. He'd been so busy in the aftermath, he hadn't paid much attention to her. She'd been running herself ragged, too. The thought of her scared and alone at night tore a fissure through him.

He waited until she'd eaten what he'd given her and took the plate. "Wait here. I'll get you something with juice in it." Dropping a kiss to her hair, he stepped toward the bar and relieved himself of the dish. Returning to her with a pineapple, orange juice, and club soda combo, he passed it over. "Tell people it's a fuzzy navel or something."

Her laugh puffed like smoke. "Thank you." Her pretty blue gaze scanned the room. "We should mingle." She subtly tilted her head toward an elder couple. "The Van-Heusens, if you recall. He's in investment banking and she heads this fundraiser. Ask her how her daughter, Eloise, is doing since chemotherapy. She was diagnosed four years ago with stage three breast cancer. It came back six months ago. We sent flowers to the hospital room."

He didn't remember the couple, had no clue their daughter was ill, and he could do little more than stare in awe at Peyton's skill.

Without further ado, she led him toward the couple and made nice about Mrs. Van-Heusen's dress.

At a pause in conversation, Xavier cleared his throat. "How is Eloise doing since treatment?"

"Oh, very well, thank you." Mrs. Van-Heusen patted her chest. "Thank goodness she's done with chemo. And that arrangement you sent," she grabbed Peyton's forearm, "was just gorgeous. Everyone said so."

"I hope it brightened her day." Peyton smiled. "Mr. Gaines picked it out himself."

The little liar. He smiled and shook hands before they moved on. "Out of curiosity, what flowers did I pick out?"

"Gardenias, freesia, and lavender." She took a sip of her drink and glanced past him. "Shoot. Put your arm around me like we just climbed out of the sack. Michael Petri is headed our way. Producer and very handsy with women. He grabbed my ass at the Governor's Ball. Distract him by enquiring about his new action flick with Tom Cruise."

Before he could process what she'd said, she slipped a hand between his tux jacket and his shirt, sending his pulse into hyperactive.

"Michael, good to see you again." Her smile belied none of her discomfort, but Xavier didn't care for the tightness around her lips.

To her credit, the guy was staring right at her chest. Mid-forties, he had a paunch and a ring on every finger. Birds could've nested in his wiry salt and pepper hair. Or his eyebrows.

Irritation pounded his temples. Doing as she instructed, Xavier put his arm around her and his hand low on her hip, the position implying she was his. "How's filming going? I hear Cruise can be fun to work with."

"Actors. They're all divas." Michael sipped champagne, gaze sliding over Peyton's body like an unwanted touch. "Ravishing as always, Miss Smoke."

When Xavier stiffened, she rose on her toes and spoke quietly in his ear. "Breathe. Look to your left and pretend to see someone we must talk to."

He brought his lips to her ear. "You should've told me at the ball he'd touched you. He'd be minus a hand. And I do not care for the way he's undressing you with those beady eyes like he's planning to have you for dessert."

"Then walk away with me or show him you already ate me."

"Sweet Christ, Peyton." His fingers tightened on her hip and fire licked under his skin. Visuals, so many visuals, shoved to mind, he couldn't draw air.

She grinned as if to say, good job for understanding. "Michael, do forgive us. I spot someone we must see. Have a wonderful time."

Xavier pulled her to the center of the room and released her. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he glared at her as he attempted to undo the tendrils of lust she'd wound around him. In a crowded room at a benefit, no less.

Finally, he unhinged his jaw. "As my employee and my plus one, I expect to be told if someone does something inappropriate with you so it can be dealt with. I don't want to learn about it months after the fact."

Anger flared in her eyes, turning all that blue to ice. "Well, since I'm your insubordinate, you should be aware it happens quite often and I handle it all by my withering, incapable self. I simply run to the nearest strong, able male, bat my lashes, and fall upon their good graces to defend my honor."

Damn her. "That's not what I meant and you know it. You shouldn't be treated like some piece of tail and no one has the right to touch you."

She stepped closer and spoke through her teeth. "You can't have it both ways. For months during our first appearances, we dispelled the rumors about us being a couple. If you go all caveman every time a guy hits on me, it'll send the wrong message. I am a single woman, I am your employee, and I am nothing more than your plus one."

The hell she He glanced away, grinding his molars.

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