CHAPTER 5: BLUEBERRY MUFFINS AND MILKSHAKES.

Audrey.

The drive becomes silent as I direct the stranger to Big Ben’s Diner. I keep sneaking glances at his face and my heart rate increases every time.

The atmosphere in the car is tense and I know I'm the reason for that. But when he said, “...striking gray eyes,” all I could think of was Brandon slamming my head on his desk last night and growling, “...those gray eyes of yours were a problem…”

After a while, I decide to break the ice. “You never told me your name.”

“Well, you never asked. It's Xavier.”

I nod as I turn my gaze back to the road. Xavier. It fits him.

***

“What should I get for you?”

My attention shifts to Xavier as he unstraps his seat belt and I realize we're at the diner already.

“I'll take blueberry muffins, thank you,” I reply quietly.

“And drink?”

“Just water.”

Then I remove the hundred dollar bill that has been stashed in my pocket since yesterday and extend it to him.

He appears insulted and he scoffs as he gets out of the car and slams the door. I lean against my seat and pocket the note again. Well, I tried.

I have never been a fan of asking for favors from people. Ever since I left the Saints’ Orphanage five years ago, I have learnt the hard way that favors are not freely given.

I shift uncomfortably on the leather seat. My ass still aches from last night. I'm sure it's bruised, although I've been too scared to check it out.

The door opens again and he enters, stretching a box to me. I give him a silent thanks and don't waste time tearing the box open. Grabbing a muffin, I stuff it in my mouth.

It somehow gets stuck in my throat and I'm embarrassed as I start choking. I rummage through the nylon, trying to grab the bottle water when he stretches a cup of milkshake to me.

I gulp it down immediately and I don't stop until half the content in the large cup is gone.

“Thank you,” I tell him. I'm sure I'm bright red already, so I avoid eye contact with him.

He starts the car and sooner than I expect, we're back at the Golden Bar. For some reason, I don't want to leave the car. After all, Brandon is out of town till night.

“Audrey…” he says and I realize I like the way my name rolls off his tongue. “I'm sorry if I seemed like an asshole when we first met. I know I've said some shitty things I can't take back, and I'm sorry.”

I glance at him and sure enough, he looks apologetic. My breath seizes in my throat and I feel my chest tightening from the simple apology. I can't remember the last time someone apologized to me. I'm always the one apologizing.

And so, I thank him. Because he doesn't know how much I need that. Hell, I didn't even know how much I needed to hear it, not until now.

“Do you need to go back now?” I ask him. In my heart, I'm hoping he'll stay. It'll be nice to spend some time with him.

“No. What do you have in mind?” he asks.

I blush as he turns his full attention to me. “Nothing really. I just thought, maybe… you know… I… uhm–”

“Hey…” He rests his hand on my thigh and my breath seizes as I feel the heat of his palm. “What is it? Talk to me.”

I take a deep breath, “Can you stay with me, just for a while? Before you have to leave?”

He smiles and I notice his dimples. My heart flutters.

“Sure, Audrey. Whatever you want.”

I reply with a smile of my own before glancing down at my lap where his hand still rests.

He must have read my expression wrong because he removes his hand and I feel the loss instantly. I avoid his gaze as I unwrap another muffin and bite into it, staring out the window.

We both eat our breakfast in tense silence. I'm not a big talker but right now, I'm scrambling my brain for words to say. Thankfully, his phone rings.

“Excuse me, I have to take this. It's work,” he explains and I nod. He comes down from the car and walks a short distance to take the call.

I have barely resumed eating when he slides into his seat. Immediately, I notice his mood has changed. His jaw is clenched and he's running his hand through his hair.

“Is everything alright?” I ask.

“No.”

He slams his hands on the steering wheel and I jump in my seat. He glances at me briefly before burying his face in his hands.

“Fuck…” he mutters.

I don't know what to do, so I just sit and watch him, my heart racing.

After a while, he calms down and raises his head, staring at nothing.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask him.

“Do you want to talk about what happened last night?” He retorts and I wince from his harsh tone. Point taken.

He lets out a long breath.

“I'm sorry. That was uncalled for,” he apologizes.

I nod and start gathering the box of muffins, preparing to get out of his car. I know when I'm not wanted and there's no use sticking around and waiting for him to tell me himself.

“Wait, Audrey.”

I stop and turn to him. He's closer than I expect and his hand reaches out to cup my chin. I unconsciously lean in closer and close my eyes, all thoughts of leaving his car forgotten.

My entire body hums from the touch. It's like I've been starved of human affection for so long that this small measure I've been given seems like a whole lot to me.

“Look at me,” he whispers and I open my eyes. His green eyes convey so much emotions as they meet mine but the one that stands out the most is desire.

I'm still trying to decipher the rest of his emotions when he asks, “Can I kiss you?”

I'm shocked and my eyes go wide as I try to process the question. There's no way he wants to kiss me, I'm sure. I imagine what he must be seeing; a disheveled girl looking at him with stars in her eyes. I shudder at the thought of how hideous I look.

Xavier pulls back from me and runs his hands through his hair. He blows out a deep breath through his mouth.

Suddenly, I want his hand back on me and I can't help but imagine his soft red lips on mine. What have I got to lose anyway? Nothing.

He turns to face me as he says, “Shit. I'm sorry, Audrey. I just—”

I don't let him complete his words before I pull him back to me and press my lips against his.

He is unresponsive at first and just when I contemplate saving myself from the embarrassment of him pulling away, he groans as his lips part my own.

One warm hand cups my cheek while the other fists my hair and pulls me closer. I gasp the moment he tugs my bottom lip into his mouth, every nerve ending I had crackling with need.

I suck on his lip as I press my body closer to him, my hands still clutching at his shoulders. His lips are as soft as I thought, and he tastes like the muffins—sweet and delicious.

His tongue pushes into my mouth and I allow it, sucking it into my mouth and moaning loudly at the heat that courses through my body.

It feels so right to open myself to him and suddenly, I want to offer him every inch of my skin—the column of my neck, the space between my breasts, my inner thighs… everywhere.

When we finally pull apart, we’re both panting heavily as he rests his forehead on mine with a groan and whispers, “Fuck, Audrey.”

He finally sits back in his seat and I relax against mine, staring ahead as heat colors my cheeks. I just kissed Xavier.

My chest tightens as I feel the dampness in my pants. It's been so long since I felt aroused. I was already beginning to think that something has gone wrong with my body system.

I'm so immersed in my thoughts that I don't notice the tightening of Xavier's jaw or the clench in his fists until he speaks, grabbing my attention.

“I need to leave.”

It stings me a lot more than I would like to admit. Is this what rejection feels like?

“Okay,” I whisper as I bend to carry the box of muffins. It has fallen down sometime during our kiss—the kiss that clearly means more to me than Xavier.

Of course, it doesn't mean anything to him. I bet he kisses supermodels all the time. Tears sting behind my eyes as I wait for Xavier to say something. Anything.

“Will I see you again?” I whimper. Obviously, I like torture because why can't I just leave with my head held high?

“I'm leaving town right now, Audrey. That's what the call was about.”

He's ‘leaving’ leaving? And suddenly, I don't feel so good. My stomach churns and I get out of his car like the seat is on fire, as I hurl the contents of my stomach on the grass.