Page 81 of Shattered Throne
"Is this okay?" His voice was rough, strained. "Tell me if?—"
"Yes." The word came out breathless. "Yes."
His hands tightened on my hips. He lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist instinctively, my dress riding up. The wall was cool against my back, but Xavier was warm, so warm, pressed against me in all the right places.
He kissed me again. Deeper this time. His hands traveled up my sides, slow and careful, stopping just below my ribs. Waiting. Asking.
"Can I?" he murmured against my mouth.
"Yes."
His palms slid higher, skimming the edge of my dress, and I gasped into his mouth. His hips pressed forward, and I felt him—hard, wanting—and a moan escaped me before I could stop it.
He froze.
"I have to stop." His forehead dropped to mine, his breathing ragged. "If I don't stop now, I'm going to?—"
"I know." My voice didn't sound like my own. "It's okay."
He lowered me gently, keeping his hands on my waist until he was sure I was steady. His eyes were dark, his chest heaving, and he looked wrecked in the best possible way.
"You go first," he said. "I need a minute."
I nodded. Smoothed my dress. Tried to remember how to walk in a straight line.
When I got back to the table, Eleanor caught my eye. Her expression was knowing, satisfied, like a cat that had gotten into the cream.
I pretended not to notice.
Zoe was back at the table now, chattering to Helena about the "big girl" who'd shown her pictures of puppies on her phone.Evie had returned to Aria's side, but she was watching Zoe with a small smile, and when she caught me looking, she gave me a tiny wave.
Xavier slid into his seat a few minutes later, composed again except for the slight flush on his cheeks. Under the table, his hand found mine and squeezed.
Then the lights dimmed, and a spotlight hit the small stage at the front of the room.
Sebastian and Aria stood together, looking every inch the power couple—he was dark and commanding, she was warm and radiant. Sebastian held the microphone with the ease of someone who'd given a thousand speeches, but there was something different in his posture tonight. Something softer.
"Thank you all for being here," Sebastian said. "The Kealoha Foundation has done incredible work this year, and it wouldn't be possible without your support."
Aria took the microphone from him, her smile reaching her eyes. "We have an announcement to make. As many of you know, Sebastian's family owns several hotels around the world. And next weekend, we're celebrating the grand reopening of our newly renovated property in Hawaii."
She paused, her gaze finding our table.
"We'd like to invite all of you—our family—to join us for the official launch. The whole weekend. Sun, surf, and celebration."
Eleanor clapped her hands together, delighted. Helena smiled warmly. Even Sebastian's stern expression softened as he looked at Aria.
"That includes you, Kim," Aria added, her eyes meeting mine. "And Zoe, of course. We wouldn't have it any other way."
I turned to look at Xavier.
He was already watching me, a question in his eyes.
A whole weekend. With Xavier. At a hotel in Hawaii.
Sharing a room, probably. Sharing a bed, definitely. His family everywhere, watching, expecting. No escape, no buffer, no way to pretend that what was happening between us was still just business.
His hand tightened around mine under the table.
